Chapter 30:

Buffy had briefly explained about the knights of Bizantium, who were after the key, to Giles and Saffron before the rest of the Scoobies arrived for the meeting in the Magic Box. Saffron was so pleased Buffy specifically wanted her to know she almost forgot how worried she was about Dawn. She had missed feeling part of the gang. The rest of the group were now all sat around the research table as talk turned to Buffy's birthday. Willow enthusiastically tried to convince Buffy to have a party, slightly distracting herself by an anecdote about how she used to be scared of the candles that don't blow out. Tara agreed, smiling, and Saff was pleased to notice that they seemed to have made up.

"I don't think this is the best time for the party piñata. We need to stay focused to stop Glory. Anyway, didn't Saff ban birthdays after our nightmare nineteens?"

"I banned my own birthday, Buff! You need a break, sit back, put your feet up and whack a pinata instead of a hell-god. At least that way, you'll get candies out of it instead of beaten to a pulp!" Saffron tried to emulate Willow's enthusiasm but it just led everyone to discuss how strong Glory was and how hard Buffy found it to match her power.

"Merry Birthday to me" Buffy concluded, looking slightly defeated.

"See, you need to get your priorities straight. Big party first, don't invite her - making Glory jealous, then slay her later. Double the insult" Saffron smiled, trying to save Buffy from feeling all miserable especially this close to her birthday.

"That plan might pose some, ah, difficulty. From what the Council's discovered from the Book of Tarnis and other sources, Glory and two fellow Hell gods ruled over one of the more seriously unpleasant demon dimensions-" Giles started, quickly cut off by the others in the group. Saffron turned to her pack of tarot cards, they were only repeating things she already knew. Tara shouted in confusion that Glory was a brain-sucker which meant Saff dropped her pack over the floor. She sighed, giving Tara a look, which just made the other brunette shrug. Tara was used to her friend's glares. Saff knelt to pick up her cards and noticed only one had turned over to face upwards. Two of Swords. She picked it up, inspecting it closely as the debate surrounded her. There is confusion surrounding this plight, the problem nor the solution is clear to see. Remove the blindfold and the shackles shall follow. Let them see, it will only benefit the three. She knew that this must mean about letting the others know about Dawn. Considering the current conversation, she wasn't sure it could be anything else. But it wasn't her decision to make, she had already gone behind Buffy's back by telling Tara. She decided to talk to Buffy after the meeting, try to explain what the cards had told her. Saffron scrambled to pick up all of her cards and moved back to her chair, listening back into the conversation.

"This is great long-term-planny stuff, but what about this Key thingy Glory's lookin' for?" Xander finally said what half the room had been thinking. Saff could feel the uncertainty in the room. They could all feel that they hadn't been clued into everything. The voice kept circling around saff's mind, but she didn't speak up as the others continued their debate.

"Yeah. Shouldn't we try to find it before she does?"

"I don't think we should worry about that"

"Nah, we don't need to go out looking, I'm sure it'll just turn up all by itself" Saff said slowly, not sure what the right response was. Buffy shot her a death glare, clearly she had picked the wrong response. Tara looked awkwardly around the room, anywhere but at the others as she tried to keep her mouth shut. She had found it so hard not to talk to Willow about all of it.

"They've got a point. Whatever Glory's planning on opening with the Key, I'm guessing it won't be filled with candy and flowers. So where should we look? Do we know where it used to be kept? Who saw it last?"

"We did. Giles, Saff and me. We know where it is-" Buffy said quickly, trying to put them off asking about the key.

"You know, and you didn't tell us?" Willow asked, and the people that knew looked awkwardly around the room. They started squabbling about not being clued in and Buffy finally came to a decision.

"It's time" Buffy finally decided. At least now Saff didn't have to feel guilty about revealing it herself. The cards got what they wanted and so did Buffy.

"Are you sure?"

"They'll be risking their lives. They deserve to know"

"It's about fucking time" Saff muttered, watching the room as Buffy tried to form the words to explain what Saffron already knew.

"Know what?"

"There's something that you need to know about Dawn…" Buffy paused in a fashion that would rival presenters in the final round of game shows.

"She's the key" Saff stated, finding the tension unbearable. She gave Tara a look to make sure she didn't let on she knew about this too. Everyone was reeling after the revelation as Buffy and Giles explained everything. Saff couldn't speak much, the big spike in emotions was hard for her to handle at once.

After the meeting was over, Giles walked over to Saffron who was staring blankly at the wall trying her best to block out all the confusion and tension that was still thick in the room. Everyone started to leave as Giles put a hand on Saff's shoulder, making her jump. She looked up and rubbed her eyes slightly. She felt so tired.

"Saffron, can I speak with you a moment? Buffy has been explaining to me about your visions concerning the, ah, elusive three which may help us with Dawn"

"Oh right. Yeah, I think there's a reason we're connected. We each have a job, I think, but fish-features is vague on the uptake"

"Ah, fish-features?" Giles coughed in surprise and tried not to laugh out loud.

"Yeah, jumped up little scaly vision guide that enjoys sending me to my death at the end of his precious recitals" She said, still annoyed about dying in the vision. Giles didn't comment on what she said, instead remembering something else.

"Ah, we must also discuss your prophecy. It is not unlikely that the Corrupted could strike whilst we are distracted with Glory. We need you to be prepared"

"I'd almost forgot I even had a destiny, my stuff's kinda been on the back burner, huh?"

"Yes, well, I had my doubts that you could be the True Sight considering how blinded you have been by this infatuation" He couldn't stop himself from saying it. He was coming back around to Saff, but he was still firm in his belief that Spike wasn't good for her.

"G, will you give it a fucking rest? I've not changed, I'm still me just with more attractive arm candy" Saff winked as Giles sighed audibly and started to wipe his glasses for something to do. His mouth twitched slightly as he had to admit that he was slightly amused with her phrasing. She reminded him of himself, trying to do the right thing in the midst of having a rebellious frame of mind. He didn't want her to make the type of choices he did when he was Ripper. He was fond of her and he wished he could protect her. Not that he'd ever tell her that, she'd start ranting about not being some delicate flower that needed protecting. This thought made his mouth twitch again as he replaced his glasses back onto his face. Saff reached into her pocket, seeing her chance whilst she could feel that Giles was in a much better mood with her. She pulled out a dried cutting of a pink flower. It was the one that had been delivered to her door some weeks ago now. She held it in front of Giles as she explained, "I, uh, got these flowers at the door a while ago. Well, I think they're for me"

"I don't need to know... You and your private life, uh, is none of my business as you have so firmly put it" He replied, not ready to hear about relationship details between her and spike. She smiled at him, rolling her eyes at his tone.

"No, G. I mean someone I don't know left them to me, I think they must mean something, but I don't know anything about flowers" She pulled her best puppy-dog face to convince him, one that she rarely brought out. But it seemed to work. Giles took it from her hands, nodded once and turned to consult his precious books. Saff sighed a giant breath of relief as she felt Giles seemingly relax in her presence for what felt like the first time in a long time.

xoxoxo

Willow and Tara were pouring sand outside of the magic box, murmuring incantations as Saff and Dawn walked over to them. Saff had started to walk Dawn home from school, knowing that Buffy could relax knowing someone was keeping an eye on her. And who better than 'the true sight' herself for the job? Dawn tried to stay with the girls to help with the spell but willow had already started staring, fascinated with Dawn, looking for any hint she was a mystical key. Saff pulled Dawn towards the entrance of the shop, shooting Willow a look as she stepped in.

When they entered, they almost crashed into Anya and Xander who had been watching them talk to the witches outside. They started pretending to read, although Xander's book was upside down. Xander started to tickle Dawn, checking she was real, as saff sent another glare flying across the room.

"You make a very pretty little girl!" Anya said loudly, as some of the customers looked up in confusion.

"Will you bloody cool it!?" Saff hissed at the pair, hoping Dawn hadn't heard. The pair looked slightly embarrassed, "Fucking useless, the lot of them" Saff muttered to herself, as she steered Dawn back to the front of the store and snapped the curtains closed, obviously frustrated about something. She turned back to Dawn and smiled warmly, hoping she wouldn't ask. She could feel Dawn knew something was up, but hoped she would just leave it. Saff hadn't noticed that Dawn had seen Giles' notebook that he locked up under the counter and had already started making plans to read it, "Why don't we do each other a reading? I usually charge $10, but since you're family… it'll be $15" She said, her eyes glinting mischievously as she held her palm out, as if she was waiting impatiently for her money.

"This… is all I have" Dawn reached into her pocket, producing two individually wrapped sweets and a crystal that Saffron had given her for luck two years ago. Wait, two years ago? Saffron inspected the crystal. It feels real, she thought, resisting the urge to bite it to check, like she'd seen people do with coins in movies. How could she have given her this if she wasn't there two years ago?

"What are these? Toffees? How old are you? 80?" Saff said, putting the candy in her pocket and pressing the crystal back into Dawn's hand. Dawn stuck her tongue out and Saffron started to shuffle the cards with an expert flourish. She asked Dawn the usual questions, deciding she needed to take two cards from the pack. Dawn split the pack and chose a card from each cut. She placed them face up in front of her.

"Ah" Saff put her fingers to her temples and closed her eyes, "I see… so many… things… big, big things…." She started to move her hands around as if she was consulting an invisible crystal ball and Dawn shouted at her to quit it.

"You've never done a reading like this!"

"You're right, I usually save that for the special customers… I'll do you a normal one if you like" She said, still smiling. Dawn rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, emulating her sister as she waited for Saff to be serious and do it properly.

"So, it's the High priestess. It's-"

"Major Arcana" Dawn cut in, guessing what Saff was about to say. Saff smiled, impressed she remembered, "What, you never shut up about the cups and the major arcana… the wands!" She listed them off and Saff smiled even wider.

"Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, High priestess. This represents a feminine energy surrounding you. When the veil between you and the other world is thin, you have the opportunity to access the knowledge deep within your soul. There will be a heightened intuitive ability, trust it. Don't turn from it. And the lucky number Three of pentacles. See the value of different ideas and levels of experience in collaboration, you are stronger as a collective. More than two, less than four. Implement your plans with care, the finish line is neither near nor far."

"Cool" Dawn shrugged and gathered the pack up, adding her cards in and started to shuffle. She dropped a few cards but she was doing well, "Split the pack, Saff… Sweet, is there anything particular you wanna ask?" Dawn did her best imitation of her older cousin. Saff just smiled at her cousin.

"What will my future bring?"

"Remember, tarot isn't an exact science, listen to your own intuition as you draw your cards" Dawn said, copying something Saff had said word-for-word on many occasions. Saff looked at the girl and pulled a face, but cut the pack and chose her two laying them face down on the

"Would you like to do the honours, oh intuitive one?" Saff asked and watched as Dawn turned both cards over carefully. The cards revealed The high priestess and The three of pentacles. The girls looked up from the table and at each other, their eyes wide, "What did I tell you about shuffling, Dawn of time?" Saff said quickly, rolling her eyes for good measure. She brushed it off as a coincidence and picked up the cards and started to shuffle again, as if to demonstrate. But Saff didn't believe in coincidences. She heard the same voice in her head, with the same message.

Giles walked over to Saff as she continued to shuffle well, ringing his hands. He stopped in front of her and started to quickly reveal what he had found from the plant clipping she had asked him to help her identify.

"Your plant, it's Nerium Oleander. It doesn't appear to have any magical properties and apart from the fact that they are incredibly poisonous, all parts of the plant are considered highly toxic and can cause death, there is not much I can, ah, tell you about them. I have disposed of the cutting and I suggest you wash your hands thoroughly" He said plainly, still rubbing his own hands after washing them several times, "Oh, ah, they do have a meaning. In Victorian England, they were to signify caution…"

"So, it's a warning maybe? Or someone wants me straight up dead" She sighed and thought it over, not liking either of her own suggestions. Another idea popped into her head. One that was less scary than someone wishing her dead, "I bet it was just fucking Spike. Probably couldn't nick a honeysuckle so he went for the next best thing" She whispered loudly, but only Dawn had heard her. Giles had already been sidetracked by another customer. She rolled her eyes, annoyed that she had probably wasted Giles' time on the plant.

xoxoxo

Saffron was in the kitchen, looking for a decent drink when someone came up behind her, pressing their body into hers. She smiled and rolled her eyes, knowing exactly who it was. He snaked his arms around her waist and she closed her eyes at the sensation. She liked the contact. She liked being with him. Her eyes only opened when she felt his hands wondering down her body. Exploring curves he knew like the back of his hand. She turned, still in his grip to face him. Planting a soft kiss on his lips, giving him a look that said 'not here'. Usually, he wouldn't be put off by the look, knowing when she really meant it, but they were quickly interrupted by Buffy walking into the kitchen. Saff smiled, moving slightly from the intimate position but not leaving his side as she spoke to her cousin. She looked down sheepishly, she could feel Buffy's heartbreak still and she wished that she could help mend her cousin's heart.

"Buff? Can I do you a Birthday reading?" She asked suddenly, waving the tarot pack in front of her and looking up at her cousin. Buffy seemed to light up at the idea, she smiled one of the first genuine smiles that Saff had seen from her in ages. She grabbed Buffy's hand, a jolt of electricity buzzed between them as she pulled her to sit across from her. They sat at the table and Saff started to shuffle her cards as usual. Spike moved to the corner, not wanting to have to sit with the others and pretend to care about them. He watched his girl, she was so good at what she did.

"How about a two-card trick, it's special, since it's your birthday and all?" Saff asked, knowing Buffy wouldn't catch onto her white lie.

"You know I still expect a real present, right?"

"And you'll be getting one, don't get your knickers in a twist"

"Should you be talking about… knickers when you're doing tarot?" Buffy asked and Saff sniggered as she said knickers, it was always weird coming from her mouth. Spike shook his head at the slayer, rolling his eyes.

"The cards aren't as easily offended as your fragile ears, Buff" Saff smiled and held the pack out for Buffy to split. Buffy rolled her eyes, she hadn't been offended and Saff had known it but insisted on teasing her. She reached and split the pack, carefully choosing two cards and Saffron flipped them face-up onto the table in front of her. I knew it, she exclaimed in her head.

"So, your cards are The high priestess and The three of pentacles…" Saffron started, reciting the same explanation that the intuitive voice spoke to her each time the cards had been pulled for them. When she had finished Buffy nodded and thanked her for the reading and Saff offered her a hug. Buffy was caught off guard but accepted her cousin's hug.

It was eventually time for presents and everyone gathered in the living room. Saff held Spike's hand with a slight squeeze despite some of the glances she was still getting from Giles and Xander. Spike was starting to relax slightly, being with the group had him on edge. One wrong move and he was dust. But having her there, knowing she wanted him there made him almost happy to be spending his evening in the company of the slayer. Almost. Dawn gave Buffy a picture frame of the three girls at the beach, decorated with shells. It made Saff tear up and Spike wasn't sure why everyone went quiet. He rubbed his hand over Saff's arm, whispering something so soft that it would shock the group into statues if they had heard. He hated seeing her sad. Saff's gift for her cousin wasn't so meaningful, it was a selection of nail varnish and lip gloss that Buffy had wanted but decided to spend her money on stake-whittling tools instead. She had complained for a month, so Saff bought her all the colours she thought Buffy would like. She needed to take time for herself and Buffy smiled brightly at the gift. Then, it got weird. Spike stood up looking around and sighing, handing a badly wrapped object to the slayer. He didn't look in her eyes as hers bulged, unsure what to do. She took it cautiously as Spike sat back down and Saff smiled, a comforting hand on his shoulder. He rolled his eyes, only looking at her. He didn't want to look at the Slayer who was still staring unconvinced at the gift in her lap. She eventually opened it to reveal a sturdy mace.

"Oh, um, thanks Spike" She said, placing it on the floor carefully.

"I thought, you know, for the slaying" He made a clubbing movement as if he was about to hit something with an imaginary mace before adding, "No one should leave the house without one" Spike shrugged, crossing his arms, acting indifferent as he wasn't sure why he seemed so eager to talk up his present. Saff, once again, smiled warmly at him and stroked her hand up and down his back comfortingly. She was giving him that look again. He revelled in it, her eyes glistening. She was proud, and that made it worth it. She could feel how tense he had been, and she appreciated that he had come for her. She loved this man, with all of her heart and the rest of the room was starting to believe it too.

When Saff left briefly to get herself a double-shot of alcohol, seeing as she was celebrating, Buffy moved to make sure Spike understood her. She leaned in, giving her most menacing look, one that he had seen before when he was that year's big bad. Or he told himself he had been that years big bad, conveniently forgetting how threatened everyone was by Angelus.

"I'm doing this for her" Buffy hissed, making sure that Spike knew she was the only reason he was allowed in.

"Yeah? You and me both, Slayer" Spike shrugged, glad they understood each other as Saffron walked back in with her drink, handing him one that she pretended was cranberry to Xander when he asked. He noticed Willow and Tara and noticed that Willow couldn't stop looking at Dawn who was dancing around excitedly in the middle of the room. He frowned as he observed them, but had let it slide as Saff came into view, kissing him on the cheek. She was now sat on the sofa sipping from a pink straw so it didn't ruin her party makeup. He sat down close to her, putting an arm around her pleased that they could have this kind of contact now without earning himself a hole in his chest.

"Why is everyone staring at the bit?" Spike said in a hushed tone to Saffron, Saffron turned to him and opened her mouth to explain but someone started to call her name from the kitchen. She rushed in, Spike behind her as she was asked to help cut up the cake and serve it up. She took a stack of plates and looked around for the good knife to cut the cake with. Spike leaned against the kitchen counter and watched his girl, wondering what could make everyone so weird around the nibblet. Tara wondered in, offering her help and Saff happily nodded.

Saffron could feel Dawn starting to become agitated, but she couldn't get into the room in time to see what was going on. She was busy cutting up cake and arranging slices on the plates. She heard Dawn shouting, which is what made her hurriedly enter the living room with Tara and Spike close behind her.

"Fine, I'll just go to bed! That way I won't get exposed to, like, words!" Dawn dramatically shouted before storming up the stairs. Everyone looked around awkwardly, as there was a slam from a door upstairs. Nobody knew what to do and Spike was confused when nobody went after her straight away. Saff saw his expression and started to explain, but Spike cut her off. He decided he'd have to bloody do it.

"Don't worry, Honey. I'll go after the bit" Spike said, nodding that it was okay. He could tell she was really worried. Saff trusted him, him and Dawn had an understanding and she guessed Dawn might open up to him. She talked Buffy and the others down as Spike went up to speak to Dawn. Spike listened to the girl ranting, lighting up a cigarette. She mentioned running away. Breaking into buildings. She mentioned a book that she thought might tell her more about what was going on. She wasn't stupid.

"Is there something wrong with me? Why is everyone acting like I'm some robot!"

"Let's find out" Spike finally said, opening the window and gesturing with his hand for her to go out first, as if he was being a gentleman.

xoxoxo

Saff was smoking outside, she didn't know what Spike and Dawn were talking about upstairs but they had been a really long time. She stopped herself from following them, knowing that Spike and Dawn had a weird connection she thought better than interrupting. She inhaled and stared into the bleak night. No stars were out and it was eerily quiet. The type of quiet that screams out that something was coming. The creepy calm before the storm. She finished her cigarette and stubbed it out, turning to enter the front door when she noticed Xander slipping out of it, needing some air.

"Sorry, I'm in your way, I'll go back in" Saff said, not quite knowing where she stood with her best friend.

"Hey, are you ill? That was mucho kindness. It's giving me the wig" Xander joked, moving to stand next to Saff as she turned to look back at the night. Lot of that going around, she thought.

"I'm nice. I've got this whole heart of the world thing going for me, didn't you hear?"

"Heard yeah, but seeing is believing"

"And you don't see my caring, yet I-don't-give-a-fuck nature?" she raised an eyebrow before smiling, "I'm not some two-dimensional you roll the dice and either land on the good or evil and you get a certain set of traits"

"I know, but it's so much easier when that's the case" Xander smiled at his friend. He missed her.

"That why you like comics so much?" She asked, taking another cigarette out of her pack.

"Well, you can tell the bad guy's coming because he smokes" He said, offering his lighter for her. She smiled and lit up her cigarette as he flicked it and lit the flame. She grinned, this was the easiest conversation they'd had since he'd found out about Spike. There was a pause, they both stared out into the night again and Xander shifted awkwardly as he thought about how to word what he was going to say next.

"I love you…" Xander said quickly. Saff had taken a long drag on her cigarette and her eyes widened as she started to choke on the smoke at his revelation, "…like a sister! I love you like a sister!" Xander amended, thumping her back to subside the coughing.

"Well, I love you too, Alexander, obviously" She managed to choke out between coughs. Xander smiled and rested a friendly hand on her shoulder.

"I don't want to be stuck with the missing my best friend just because you're hanging around Captain Peroxide" He added, "I reserve the right to stake him if he tries anything though"

"That means a lot, I've really missed your thinly veiled macho threats" Saff smiled as she was pulled into a hug from Xander. Neither of them were used to the whole revealing their feelings thing they usually masked it with humour. But they both knew when they needed to be serious about some things. She was too pleased that Xander wanted to be her friend to call him up on how hypocritical he had been. She would save that for another day.

Xander and Saff had eventually walked back into the party, sitting around in the aftermath of Dawn's dramatics. Buffy was pacing, not only was she not sure what to do about Dawn, she was feeling the absence of Riley. He would have usually had a kind word to say. All of a sudden there was a crash at both the front and back door and everyone looked at each other in shock. Dawn came out of the kitchen into the living room where everyone was gathered. She had the cake-cutting knife in her hands and a lot of red was running down her arms. Everyone gasped at the sight, but couldn't look away.

"Is this blood?" Dawn asked shakily, "This is blood isn't it? It can't be me. I'm not some key" Spike came rushing in from the front door and dramatically entered to warn the others about Dawn, she had run away after they read about her being sent to Buffy in the form of a key. But he was too late. He smelt the blood and whipped his head to Dawn, mouth open in shock. He was almost lost for words.

"What the fuck, Spike?!" She hissed, gesturing at Dawn, who he was supposed to be with in her room. The others started to rush to Dawn, Joyce hugged her when she asked if she was anything. Buffy watched, unsure what to do. Saff felt the girls despair so strongly, it hurt. She was trying her best to stay upright, strong emotions always sent her reeling and it was worse when it was her own family. Saff stood so that she wasn't crowding Dawn, talking lowly to Spike.

"Thanks for telling me, love" He replied, eyebrows raised as he crossed his arms over his chest. He knew about Dawn. The Key.

"Sorry. Never really came up" She said quickly, shooting him an apologetic glance as she started to follow the three summer's women up the stairs.

"You knew this whole bloody time since she arrived and it never came up?" Spike asked, unconvinced. It mentioned those with a second-sight can see the key, and Saff's sight seemed to have thirds and fourths.

"No. I found out from Buffy who found out from a monk" Saff rushed, stopping on the stairs to explain, "The monks blocked me from seeing her, Giles looked into it, it should have been in that notebook you so kindly stole. The cards warned me eventually but I was a little distracted with the staking my best friend. I'm sorry, babe, but at least you know now" she briefly added, glancing up the stairs every so often where Dawn had left and the rest of the women had followed her. He nodded, kissed her goodbye, and left with the rest of the scoobies, knowing the family needed their space. He wasn't upset with her, she had been in the middle of everything this past year. A heads up would have been nice though.

The three women had been screamed at by Dawn, telling them all to get out. Saffron didn't know what to do. How to help. She knew being the centre of a prophecy sucked, but there was no way to prepare Dawn for it. She didn't have any super strength, she had been left to Buffy to be protected. Saff was in deep thought as she inhaled the smoke of her cigarette, flicking some ash to the ground as everything started spinning through her mind.

"Can I have one of those?" A voice said from behind her, making her jump.

"One of what?"

"The cigarette. I'm not really 14, you know" Dawn said, her eyes filled with tears as she said it. Saffron looked down at the cigarette that was burning in her hand. She looked conflicted. Could she let her try one? Technically she was a lot younger than 14.

"You can have a puff of mine. You don't get one of your own" She said sternly, still not feeling right about handing her cousin the cigarette. "Don't inhale- too late" She finished as she watched Dawn erupt into a massive coughing fit. She hit her younger cousins back to help with the coughing and looked at her with a worried expression.

"It's okay, that wasn't real. I'm not real" Dawn repeated as Saffron quickly took the cigarette off her, feeling extremely guilty for letting her try it. She had been Dawn's age when she started smoking and she knew that it wasn't anything to brag about.

"Dawn. You are real. You really just coughed, and you really just bled in front of us all. I'm worried about you. Really worried" Saff said to her younger cousin, trying to make her smile. She didn't want to reveal she had known for so long, but she wished she could tell her that no matter what, she would always see Dawn as her cousin. She tried to let her feel it instead.

"I'm a ball of green light sent by monks so you would all take pity on me and protect me" Dawn said sadly. Saffron raised her eyebrows, she had really got the full low-down from that book of Giles'. Maybe she should go looking for one about her and her abilities.

"But that doesn't change what I feel. I still feel your emotions, feel your pain. I can even feel you want another try with my fag despite the fact that you would definitely embarrass yourself again" Saff smiled at her cousin. She sat down on one of the steps and patted the spot next to her to ask Dawn to sit next to her, "You will always be my cousin, I love you Dawny. No matter where you come from" The youngest summers sat down sadly, looking like a kicked puppy and Saffron threw her cigarette into the garden and put her arm around her cousin. Neither of them said anything else, they just sat in silence as Saffron held her tight. She could feel that she was still upset and her inner turmoil was painful for Saffron to feel but she didn't leave her cousin's side until they both decided it was time to go in.

xoxoxo

The pair were in the crypt. The one place they could relax together, with little interruptions. Or that was the theory, anyway. Saff had filled Spike in on everything about the key that she knew about and explained about the three briefly. He had known about her visions, but he hadn't been clued in on their connection to Dawn. The pair were sat opposite each other on the sofa and Spike took Saff's hand in his. He unscrewed the little bottle and started to paint her fingernail a deep red. She had asked him to pick a colour for her and she had rolled her eyes at the colour he'd chosen. Blood red. She enjoyed this kind of intimacy with him though and smiled at the little frown painted on his features as he concentrated on painting her nails. They had waited for his black nail varnish to dry before it was her turn.

"You let the little bit choke on a fag?" He snorted, "I thought I was evil, but it takes something to give a kid-"

"Look, don't you start, I was her age when I tried one" She said, trying to quell her own guilt rather than convince him. He just smiled and shrugged; he wasn't exactly Mr morality, "Besides, it's not as if I encouraged her to sneak out of the house and break into a shop is it?" She asked, smiling slightly. He finished the first hand and she held it out to admire his work. She smiled at him and nodded before resting her other hand on his lap to be painted. She squeezed his thigh slightly and he gave her a look, before taking her hand and starting to paint her nails.

"You think she'll be able to handle it?"

"Who knows. I hope so, but it's a lot to come to terms with I guess"

"Mm, like waking up one day undead. Or finding out you're this all-seeing, once-in-a-lifetime touchy feely super-girl" He said, the light frown was back as he was trying to concentrate on keeping the varnish on her actual nails and not around her fingers as he spoke.

"You think we should chat to her?"

"Couldn't hurt" He shrugged, admiring his own handiwork on her nails and nodded once. She smiled at him, before replying, "Well, someone could hurt us"

"She has powers?" Spike asked, his eyes widened. Why did that family get all the bloody good stuff?

"No, I meant Buffy. She's all over-protective and scary. Her heart's set on a one-woman mission, as always" saff rolled her eyes, explaining to Spike what happened since Buffy's Birthday, "Been researching all day, trying to get Dawn out of her room. She won't go to school"

"Must have been some birthday gift, little sis the destructor" Spike said, wishing he could say something to take away her pain and worry for Dawn. Not only did she care for her cousin, she could feel everything she felt. She tried to relax, savouring her time with Spike. It wasn't often she had a break from feeling everyone's emotions, not unless she was safely in his crypt with him.

"Yeah, there's some kind of birthday curse in our family, there's no way you'll catch me celebrating again" She thought for a moment, a question popped into her head that she had never thought of, "Do you have a birthday?"

"Does it look as if I count down the days love? Lost count around the 200 mark" If he was being honest, he didn't really care. So much had happened since. "Besides, you're the only thing I need, Honeysuckle…" he smiled, kneeling on the sofa. He leaned in to face her with a smile playing on his lips. Her eyes squinted in suspicion as he lowered her to lie on the sofa. His eyes sparkled as he leaned in and caught her lips in a passionate kiss. Her breath caught and she was hungrily kissing back, lost in the feeling of him. She still had her hands in the air, letting her nails dry as he started to kiss down her neck, peppering her collar bone with kisses.

"Spike! You're gonna smudge my nails!" She complained, but there was no meaning behind her words. He continued to kiss her with fervour and her mind jumbled and her hands ran up his back, making light work of removing the black shirt that hung over his shoulders. To hell with my nails, she decided and Spike smirked into the kiss. Spike was above her, making sure to pause, savouring the moment. They were usually interrupted at this point. He shifted his weight so he wasn't hurting her as he trailed some more kissed across her soft skin.

"Beautiful" He muttered, that sparkle was in his eyes again as he leaned back, his eyes scanned her body. He moved in to her again, unbuttoning the rest of her shirt and landing more soft kisses on any exposed skin he could find. Her hands ran up his back as he continued to explore her skin with his lips.

"What about a... death day then?" She suddenly said, as if out of nowhere. She had actually been in deep thought while he was kissing her. Makes a change. She wanted a day to celebrate him the way he seemed to celebrate her so often. She wanted to do something special for him. To show her love.

"A bloody what?" He said, exasperated she wanted to talk now. He looked up, an eyebrow crooked in a mix between bemused and frustrated.

"Death day. You know, that day you were sired. It seemed sort of chilly… maybe February?" She said, hauling herself up to sit and looking in deep thought about it. He let out an unneeded sigh, she wasn't going to let this go. He was eyeing her chest, her shirt was open to reveal her purple bra and he was weighing up his options. He quickly told her the exact date, he'd never been able to forget that one. She nodded and pecked him on the cheek. He snaked his hand towards the base of her skull and firmly moved her to his lips for a deeper the kiss. They continued like that, their clothes slowly being removed by the other as they were lost in each other.

The door swung open and Buffy marched in, her eyes widened and she cringed and she coughed loudly and looked away. They had been lying on the sofa, a tangle of limbs as they basked in the afterglow. The pair sprung from their place on the sofa and rushed to collect as many clothes as they could. Spike grabbed his shirt and covered his love in it, to try to protect her modesty, although that had gone flying out of the window when the slayer had barged in.

"You really should knock" Spike said, not as embarrassed as Saff clearly was as he pulled his jeans back on.

"No time. Dawn's gone missing"

"Next time I see the nibblet I'm giving her a sodding calendar with days not to bloody go missing marked on them" Spike muttered, putting on his black t-shirt and shrugging on his duster.

They made it to the hospital to find Dawn there with Glory. Buffy tried her best to trade blows with Glory, distracting her long enough for Saff to grab Dawn and pull her towards the others. Glory noticed and started rounding on the pair after throwing Buffy to the floor. Saff didn't have any power and she didn't think she had enough mental strength to affect a hell-God's emotions. Spike ran at Glory and held her back long enough for Buffy to get back onto her feet but ended up being thrown across the room for his trouble. Everyone tried to fight Glory as she attacked anyone in her way. Saff ran to Spike's side, pulling Dawn with her. She wouldn't let go of her cousin's hand. But she needed to be near Spike. She propped his head up, calling him an idiot for putting himself in harms way for them, but quickly kissed him her thank you. When she kissed spike, she let go of Dawn's hand. She was distracted long enough for Glory to throw a crowbar Dawn's way, it only didn't hit her as Buffy jumped in front of her. Meanwhile, the witches managed to cast a spell on Glory, transferring her somewhere else. It gave them time. For now.

"I'm sorry" Saff whispered, crawling to Buffy and Dawn from where she was knelt with Spike. She had taken her eye off Dawn for a second and she was so annoyed with herself. But what could she have done? If it had pierced her skin, she would be a lot worse off than Buffy. Buffy shook her head, knowing this was meant to happen. She told Dawn that their blood was the same. Summer's blood. That they were sisters either way. Saff nodded, it echoed the words she had said to Dawn a few nights before. She helped her cousins to their feet, hugging them each. She turned to Spike, who had managed to stand by himself but she quickly tried to get him to shift his weight onto her so she could support him. They all made their way out of the hospital, a silence among them as they knew Glory wouldn't disappear forever.