Cayden skipped over the creakythird step and was about to continue down when he heard the low murmuring indicating people talking. A quick check of his watch showed it was 2:30 in the morning and definitely not the usual time for people to be up and about.

He did a quick check of his surrounding and saw one of the twins extendable ears tucked in one of the notches in the wall. He grabbed it and quickly put it on and watched as it snaked its way towards the occupants in the other room.

In seconds he could hear the conversation.

"So you say these dreams of yours, they have been occurring more frequently?" Cayden knew this voice was Giles and he leant closer to the wall. "The first was just Buffy watching mine, but after that we kind of got sucked in and were physically there." Harry's voice. "Yeah Giles, it was way weird to suddenly wake well dream that I'm in the Dursley' house again." Buffy's voice. "Are you sure these dreams are prophetic?"

"Hmm maybe it is time to tell him?"

Buffy said "No no way, he can't know! He wouldn't understand." Cayden could almost picture Giles' frown as he said "Really Buffy! You're not giving him enough credit, if what your dreams imply, then he has every right to know."

A new voice interrupted and Cayden could only assume it was Sirius, "Mr Giles, I'm not too sure if he is actually ready to hear this, if ever. I know I am new to this, and I don't know any of you very well but thinking in the mind of a 12 year old, it isn't something I would want to know."

Cayden looked up at this, a 12 year old and a boy that Buffy is protective of, there weren't many possibilities for that. It had to be him.

He heard Buffy sigh as she said "How do you tell someone that they don't exsist, not technically, that their whole life is a lie, there just this key that if used will rip the dimensions apart. It isn't something you can just tell someone."

Cayden felt his breath catch in his throat. A key, a thing, a lie…. His life… He shook his head, no, no jumping to conclusions; it didn't mean it was him.

He heard Harry get up as he said "Think of it this way, how would you like this sort of news kept from you, He's your brother, he has a right to know if some evil thing is out to get him. Hell I wish someone had told me earlier about Voldermort. Stop thinking everyone is too young. Giles' is right, he needs to know."

Cayden knew he had gone pale, there was no denying it now, and they were talking about him.

He wasn't a real person but how could that be? He could remember being around Harry when he was 3 and 4 with Dawn dragging him to bug Buffy. He could remember climbing that tree in LA to get the red balloon stuck in it to give to Dawn but falling and breaking his arm. He could remember his whole life. And it was all a lie.

He had tuned out for a minute but then suddenly the words of his sister brought him back.

"He doesn't exist; he is just a thing, a key."

He ripped the extendable ear off his ear and stuffed it back in its hidey whole and went quietly as he could back up the stairs. The tears were pouring down his face. He wasn't real; his sister didn't even warrant him as a human. She didn't care….

Harry nearly shouted back "How could you say something about your brother?" Buffy glared at him and said "If you would let me finish! This is what he will think if we tell him that he is this key. He's my little brother. That is all he has ever been to me, my family. I love him and I want to protect him. Give him a childhood. I don't want him thinking that the only reason I love him is because of some memories these monks put in my head.

I don't care about that! All I care about is protecting my family and making sure they live."

The others stared at her a little shocked but nodded their heads in agreement. She sighed again and said "Look I get that you think he needs to know the truth. But some times the truth just hurts us more than it helps. Like Sirius said what 12 year old wants to know this kind of stuff. (At Harry's look) yes I get you would but you were brought up differently than Cayden. Your household wasn't the kind that nurtured you. Hell you should never have been put there in the first place. Cayden he thinks differently than most kids and I like that about him. I don't want him to change."

Harry slumped down in his seat in frustration; Buffy just didn't understand how it felt to be kept in the dark. How it felt to be a kid and knowing that that is the reason you weren't being told stuff.

He got up from the table and said "Well if we're done discussing this, I'm going to go back to sleep." Giles nodded and waved him off and turned back to the other two at the table.

Harry shrugged and walked towards his room where sleep awaited.

Giles turned back to Buffy and said "So this dream, you're sure?" Buffy nodded and said "yes she is planning on attacking with Voldy when school starts back up." Sirius leant forward and said "But why are they working together."

Buffy shrugged a second before saying "My guess is while they probably aren't really working together, they're sharing beneficial information. Glory probably figures it's a win win situation. Though in the end one of them is going to double cross the other." Giles said "One can only Hope... What do you plan to do?" Buffy smiled and said "What we always do?"

Sirius frowned at this and said "And that is?"

Buffy looked at him and grinned as she said "we fight!"

Author note: Thanks for the reviews. Hope you like, next chapter should be soon. Sorry about the delays.