Chapter Fourteen: The Strange Gang
Following Dawn's directions, Joy soon pulled up out front of a quaint, little house only a few minutes drive from the school. She was surprised to find all of the lights out in the house.
"Is your sister asleep?" Joy turned off the car and waited for instructions.
"No way, she's hardly ever asleep before sunrise..." With this Dawn clammed up and climbed out of the car. "Never mind, let's go and see!" she ran up to the front door and began to knock. "Buffy! I forgot my key, let me in!" She called through the thick door, ringing the doorbell sporadically.
Joy wasn't sure whether or not she should follow but then Spike pushed forward the passenger seat and climbed out and so she quickly followed.
"Where's your key?" Spike asked Dawn, joining her at the door. Joy stopped behind them on the narrow, front porch.
"I left it in my purse which I left at the dance." Dawn explained, still pounding on the door.
"I don't think she's home, Dawn." Spike decided as he peered through the windows next to the door, into the dark entryway. "Where's the damn slayer when you need her?" he sighed and turned back to the car.
"Giles!" Dawn exclaimed suddenly. "They're probably having one of their boring meetings over at Giles's place." She turned to Joy. "Could I borrow your cell phone?"
"Sure," Joy withdrew the phone from her purse and handed it to Dawn, waiting patiently but in confusion.
"Hello, Giles?" Dawn spoke into the phone while Spike and Joy stood aside, staring at each other candidly. "Is Buffy there? Yea, well the dance was...exciting. Anyway, there's something I wanted to talk to you guys about, umm, someone actually. Yea, I think you'll be very interested." Dawn glanced towards Joy with a sly grin on her face. "Okay, well keep her there for a while longer then...oh really? Fine, whatever...we'll be right there." Dawn hung up the phone and handed it back to Joy. "Thanks," then she turned to Spike. "The gang's at Giles's. They're having a meeting, of course, about the newest terror or whatever! Anyway, they're going to wait there for us." And she turned back to Joy. "I'm so sorry, but my sister's somewhere else. Would you mind driving us over there?"
Joy glanced at the clock on her cell phone before replacing it in her purse. "I guess, but I really should be going home soon."
"Okay, but I really want you to meet my sister." Dawn waited for Spike to return to the back seat before climbing into the passenger seat again.
Joy took her place behind the wheel. "Okay, but I can't stay too long. Seriously, I have to go home." Joy started the engine and followed Dawn's directions to the new location. A house she labeled as 'Giles's'.
When they arrived, Joy began to feel nervous, yet anxiously excited at the same time. The way Dawn and Spike were talking about Dawn's sister and vampires, she figured that these strangers she was about to meet could very possibly hold the key to all the questions that had been pestering her mind ever since Mrs. Kentucky died. Or they could just be a bunch of crazy people. But whoever they were there had to be some substantial reason for Dawn to be bringing her there, so she obediently, but somewhat apprehensively, followed the mysterious girl to the front door.
Dawn knocked quickly and then tried the doorknob, and finding the door unlocked she pushed it open. "Hello?" Her ankle faltered as she stepped through the doorway and Spike was at her side in an instant to help her keep her balance.
As Joy followed them through the doorway, she noticed a group of people sitting about on couches and chairs in the living room, just past the entryway. They must have been in a pretty deep discussion because no one even acknowledged Dawn's greeting. There was a young woman standing, with her back to the door, and speaking emphatically, using hand motions in exaggeration. She had honey-blonde hair and looked to be barely older than twenty. She seemed to be in charge and her serious voice tone made Joy curious as to their conversation topic.
Spike half-carried Dawn over to the group, bringing their talking to a sudden halt when they noticed the girl's condition. Since the drive over, her lips had severely grown in size and even though the blood had dried from her nose, it still looked gruesome, and there was her limp to top it all off.
The blonde instantly grew furious. "God, how could you Spike? I give you one simple job to do and you let something like this happen! All I asked was that you watch and protect my sister, is that really too difficult for you?"
"Buffy," Dawn tried to assuage her sister's vehemence. "It wasn't Spike's fault!"
"Yea, Buffy, listen to your lil' sis," Spike brought Dawn to the couch and a pretty, red-head scooted over to make room for her. "It's not always my fault you know! You're always so ready to blame Spike. Why's it always got to be me? Why don't you blame little miss bloody grown-up over here for once? It's usually her that's getting herself into trouble, not me." He stopped ranting and stared at Buffy for more of her scolding.
"Dawn?" Buffy turned to her sister for confirmation. "What were you doing?"
"Umm...nothing," Dawn cowered away from her sister's accusatory glare. "I was fighting, sort of."
"Sort of?" Buffy waited for more explanation.
"Well, yea, I was trying to fight, and I would have been fine if they hadn't shown up!" At this she nodded towards Spike and then at Joy who was still standing, unconfidently, by the door. She felt strange being so unsure, since usually her confidence level was higher than any normal person's should be at her age.
"Dawn, who's she?" Buffy asked suddenly. "Why didn't you tell us that we weren't alone?" She lowered her voice so that only those closest to her could hear. "We've been talking about evil and stuff!"
Spike didn't bother to lower his voice, "Don't fret about her luv, I think the Gidget's quite aware of evil."
Joy frowned, "Hey, I am standing right here thank you, and my hearing is not yet equivalent to that of a ninety-year-old!"
"Spike, what are you talking about?" the red-head stood and stared at the newcomer.
Suddenly, Joy felt as though everyone was staring at her and that's because everyone was. The room full of people had instantly turned their eyes upon her like hungry vultures ready to feed, except without the vicious hunger aspect. She felt obligated to say something, but nothing was coming to her mind. Say something! She ordered herself in vain. Anything! Say hi, or introduce yourself, or god comment on the weather! Their eyes were becoming horribly penetrating and she felt a blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. Speak dammit! She commanded herself but still no words came.
"Giles," Dawn spoke first. "I...or we actually..." she wanted to include Spike in this statement so that she wouldn't be the one to blame in case she was wrong. "We think that she's the one."
"The one?" Buffy and Giles replied together.
"Yea, you know, the one," Dawn moved her hands excitedly. "The one we've been looking for!"
She didn't understand why they weren't picking up on her meaning and Joy didn't have a clue what they were talking about and for a minute she felt like fleeing from the room and away from the staring strangers.
"Giles, m-maybe we shouldn't be talking about this in front of her..." Tara suggested softly.
"Why not? The child's already blabbed enough anyway," Anya, Xander's overly-frank ex-fiancée exclaimed, "what'd be the harm in letting the stranger hear all about our exciting lives fighting demons and stuff!"
"Anya," Giles spoke firmly.
"What?" She rolled her eyes and slouched back on the couch.
"I'm not a child," Dawn whined under her breath.
Joy had been progressively backing up towards the door and was preparing to exit when Spike spoke up. "Hey fellas, aren't you forgetting something?" He nodded towards the attempting escapee and they all silenced.
The young blonde, who Joy had decided was Dawn's sister, stepped forwards. "Umm...hey...sorry about all this," she seemed unsure as to what to say to the stranger but her smile was sweet and friendly. "You're probably pretty confused right now, huh?"
Joy nodded, "Yea, you know what, I think I'm just going to go. I'm sorry about all this hassle, and Dawn thanks for trying to help or whatever...but this night has already been too long and if I'm any later for curfew..." she paused realizing that she didn't want these strangers to think of her as a little girl with a bedtime. "It was nice meeting you all, or well whatever." She turned to Spike. "Thanks for helping tonight. You're a pretty good fighter..." She forced a smile. "Goodbye." And she started to open the door.
Spike nodded, "You're not too bad yourself."
"Sure," She waved to the group and ducked out the door.
Dawn turned back pleadingly to the group. "Please, guys don't let her go! I swear she's special, she's the new slayer!"
"Dawn, please," Buffy rolled her eyes in irritation with her younger sister.
"She's bloody good with a stake, Buffy," Spike added suddenly.
"See," Dawn looked up excitedly, "Spike agrees!"
"Hold on there niblet," Spike shook his head. "I'm not saying one way or the other on this slayer deal, but she's not half bad with fighting."
Buffy sighed and looked to Giles, "It's your call." She relented her role of authority to her old watcher.
Giles shook her head, "How are we suppose to know if she is truly the slayer or not?" No one had any suggestions on this question so he shrugged. "Well, if she is in fact the girl we're looking for, then I imagine it would be a tragedy if we let her leave."
Dawn squealed happily, proud of herself for finding the girl, and started to stand. "I'll go get her!"
"Stay there Dawn, you're hurt," Buffy glared pointedly at Spike.
"I suppose I'll go and fetch her then," Spike headed for the door, while the others waited nervously, hoping that she really was the one, and hoping even more so that she hadn't left yet.
Joy had luckily had some trouble with her car keys and was just climbing into the car when Spike stopped her. "Look, I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but I've really got to go!" Joy shut her car door and started the engine.
Spike hurried over to the car and tapped on her window. "Come on luv," He spoke loudly until she rolled down the car window. "I know the blokes come off as a bit mental, but they're pretty decent as far as people go," He leaned on the door, bringing his face close to hers. "And as strange as it may sound, they're telling the truth."
Joy sighed and with no better response coming to her mind she simply retorted on his insistent nickname for anybody he talked to. "I don't know you, like at all," She rolled the window halfway up. "So, I think it's kind of weird for you to be calling me names appropriate for a girlfriend or a puppy." She smiled sarcastically and rolled the window up all the way before shifting the car into reverse and backing out of the driveway at full speed.
"Spike, where is she?" Dawn twisted her neck around as Spike returned to the crowded living room.
"She's gone." He stated simply. "And before you go and get all cross, Slayer, it's not my fault." He frowned at Buffy and stalked over to the couch where he sat next to Dawn. "So what's the consensus? She the new slayer?"
"Well, Dawn's been telling us how she fought off two vamps before you came and then she staked one all by herself!" Buffy explained the current status of their debate. "But still, we're not sure if that qualifies her as slayer-material."
"Don't forget about her family 'tragedy'!" Dawn piped in.
"So, how're we going to decide exactly?" Xander asked.
"I think we're going to need to trust Dawnie on this one" Willow pointed out as she retrieved some bandages from the kitchen and then returned to clean up the cuts on Dawn's face.
"Yea, I kind of think Wil's right." Xander agreed. "Dawn knows her pretty well and if she really thinks that this girl is the new slayer..."
Buffy shrugged. "I guess we don't really have any better leads." She turned to Giles. "What do you say?"
Giles fiercely rubbed at his glasses with a handkerchief. "Buffy, I believe that your sister may be right. Everything that we know so far about this young girl seems to point her towards being the slayer. Perhaps we should let her have a go."
"Yea, okay, whatever you say. Dawn, you'll need to keep working on her, because right now she doesn't seem to be too interested in being a slayer." Buffy decided and Dawn nodded in agreement. "Goodnight guys, we're going home." She gathered her jacket from the couch and threw the group a smile.
"See ya!" Dawn stood and followed her sister obediently. "Thanks Spike," She grinned, "you saved my life...again."
"Yea, well, someone's got to keep a watch on you, lil' bit." He fixed his arm around her waist to help her stay balanced and walked outside with the Summer Sisters. Dawn was too thankful for Spike's constant protection to mind his annoying nicknames for her.