"It's time," Giles announced, "you should all get ready."
"They have two guards and as you remember they rarely make rounds, preferring to stay in the little office with the cameras," Willow told them as she looked over her notes.
"Yeah, that's why they have lasted so long here," Xander said, "they have common sense."
"I don't recall seeing them at all when we faced Ampata," Buffy said with a frown.
"My point," Xander said.
Buffy nodded. "Okay then we are looking at a straightforward in and out," Buffy said, "climb on the roof, rappel down, enter the mirror, I keep watch while you two get the… thingie and then we leave."
"I can't believe we're actually talking about breaking into a museum with words like rappelling being involved," Joyce said, shaking her head.
"I know," Xander said with a wide smile, "isn't it great? I've wanted to do this since I saw it in the movies."
Giles took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't believe Miss Summers meant it in quite that manner."
Xander nodded. "Yeah, I know, but as this is one of the first steps needed to make Dawn human again, I'm much too wired to look at it as anything but great."
Dawn squeed, spun around in his lap, and gave Xander a hug that squeezed all the air out of his lungs. "I'm so excited! Calm yourself Dawn, take deep breaths," she told herself as she let Xander go and he ended up mirroring her as he sucked down fresh air.
Joyce smiled, some of her worry fading as watched the two.
"Relax Mom," Buffy said cheerfully, "this will be-" she was silenced by Xander and Dawn all but tackling her and putting their hands over her mouth.
"Do not jinx us," Dawn ordered.
Buffy tried to speak, but had to pry their hands loose before she could be understood. "Got it," she said, as she pushed the two back into their seat, "no jinxing."
"I'd say that was excessive, but this is The Hellmouth," Willow said.
"Yes, reality can be a little flexible here," Giles said, "so it's best not to invoke Murphy if at all possible."
"Really?" Joyce asked, surprised Giles was going along with what she'd assumed was a joke, but from his tone he actually sounded serious.
"Oh yes," Giles assured her, "perception can sometimes warp reality in the vicinity of The Hellmouth as we have seen before."
"One girl turned invisible because she felt overlooked," Willow offered. "At least I think it counts as seeing… even though she was invisible?" the redhead asked herself.
"We are seriously going to have to sit down and go through everything you've all been through," Joyce said.
"That's going to take some time," Buffy said with a sigh, "probably an entire weekend. Anyway, we should get started."
Xander and Dawn pulled down their ski masks, already dressed as if they were about to steal the crown jewels in a movie, Xander having taken the time to make Dawn a matching all black outfit complete with black ski mask and gloves.
"Do you really have to dress that way?" Buffy asked with a groan.
"If we get caught there is no excuse we can spin that will be remotely believable," Xander told her, "this way we look more like kids playing around and can't be identified on camera."
"So the more movie-like you dress the less serious they'll take you?" Joyce asked.
"Exactly," Xander said. "No one is going to believe this is anything but a prank if we get caught."
"Why didn't you say that earlier?" Buffy asked as she jumped up. "Give me a second, I gotta go change into something that makes us look more guilty but less serious."
"If you need help, let me know," Xander told her.
Buffy shot him a smirk. "I think I can dress myself, thanks." She quickly bounded up the stairs to her room.
"I don't think she understood what I meant," Xander told Dawn.
"She has an ego," Dawn told him, rolling her eyes.
"What did you mean?" Willow asked, knowing Xander never passed up a chance to flirt with Buffy.
"I doubt Buffy has ever tried to dress like a cat burglar from a heist movie before," Xander explained, "and I know the look quite well, as you can tell from our outfits."
"Not to mention you can adjust things to fit," Dawn added as she straightened her black turtleneck sweater and tugged on her black gloves.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Xander waved it off. "Black clothes aren't exactly uncommon in a teenage girl's wardrobe."
"We need Walkie Talkies or something so we can keep in contact," Willow complained.
"Pretty sure they won't work when we are basically in another dimension and Buffy is going to need quiet to avoid giving away her position," Xander said. "The communication headsets they have in movies are cool and all, but they probably cost a fortune."
"Buffy can wait on the roof," Dawn pointed out, "she doesn't need to be in the room, just have a clear view of the mirror and the area."
"That would make me feel a bit better," Joyce said with a sigh.
"The cops don't come out at night and the guards hide in their little room," Xander said, "the only thing we really have to watch out for is vampires and that's something you've seen we can handle. As long as we are careful and don't taunt Murphy or get overconfident we should be able to handle this without a lot of drama."
"Drama being battle or Buffy whining?" Dawn asked.
"I do not whine!" Buffy growled out as she stomped down the stairs.
"As your sister, who has lived with you for well over a decade, I can honestly say you do in fact whine," Dawn assured her in a pompous tone of voice. "Shall I list some off? I have a huge list I am just dying to share!"
"No," Buffy said flatly, "not unless you want me sharing some of your old stories as well."
"Mutually assured embarrassment," Dawn said and pouted cutely under her ski mask, "well played."
Willow giggled and Xander chuckled.
"Just drop us off a block away from the museum," Buffy told her mom, changing the subject. "We can either meet back up at the car or you guys can go home and we'll meet back here once we're done."
"I think we'll wait for you," Joyce said, "waiting at home would be nerve wracking."
"Suit yourself," Buffy said as she turned to Xander and Dawn. "We ready?"
"We'd be more ready if you had dressed appropriately," Xander said, "but since you aren't coming inside I suppose that's good enough."
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Buffy demanded.
"It's a black shirt that reads Gucci in gold sequins," Xander said with a sigh. "The black jeans and leather jacket are fine, not so sure about the black boots with the three inch heels."
"They're comfortable," Buffy argued, "and I don't have a lot of dark clothes, I'm not goth."
"Yeah, you are definitely staying on the roof," Dawn said. "I know you have at least one black blouse without light reflecting messages on it."
"I'm not wearing a blouse with these jeans and jacket," Buffy said firmly, "it would clash horribly and stand out a lot more than a handful of sequins."
"As a doll I don't have any blood, so why do I feel like it's pounding in my ears?" Dawn asked before burying her face in her hands.
"There, there," Xander said, gently patting her on the back, as there was no way he was going to argue fashion with Buffy, they had more important things to do and he didn't need the aneurysm.
"I need to be wound," Dawn told Xander with a sigh. "Not a lot, but at least a turn or two before we do this, to make sure I don't run down."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Xander agreed, "I'm not expecting any fighting, but best to take precautions." He picked her up bridal style and went upstairs.
"Seriously, my clothes aren't that bad, right?" Buffy asked, she gestured to herself.
"They look good," Willow assured her.
"Yes, however they look like you are going to a nightclub, not like a cat burglar from a movie as they requested," Giles pointed out.
"It's what I'd wear as a cat-burglar," Buffy argued.
"Oh god, yes!" Dawn squealed from upstairs. "One more… Mama has needs! Yes!"
Willow blushed bright red and Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them while it was Buffy's turn to face palm. Joyce simply shook her head.
Dawn bounced down the stairs a second later. "I'm ready, let's do this!"
Xander slowly came down the stairs. "Coffee," he demanded tiredly.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Dave sipped his coffee and looked over the monitors. "Looks quiet," the old man said.
John nodded as he stirred creamer into his own cup, pausing as he saw a rope fall from the ceiling and down into the middle of the Egyptian exhibit room.
"I may have spoken a bit too prematurely," Dave admitted as they both stared at the screen.
A large man slid down the rope, dressed like he was in a movie, and quickly looked around before holding his arms out and catching a tiny figure dressed much the same. He set the figure on the ground and it darted across the room in bounding leaps to touch the mirror that had been installed earlier before both figures disappeared into it as if it were water.
John reached over and hit a button on a VCR, causing the screen to dissolve into static. "Looks like camera five is on the fritz."
"We'll have to have maintenance look at it in the morning," Dave said.
"I'll log it," John told him, opening a drawer to pull out a log book.
"I love quiet nights," Dave said, before taking a sip of coffee.
"Amen to that," John agreed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The mirror rippled in the air behind them, showing the museum they'd entered through as they stared around them at the desert that surrounded them, an endless sea of sand dunes and mirages.
"Does this look Incan, cause I don't think this looks Incan," Dawn said, trying to look everywhere at once and squinting in the harsh sunlight.
"Pretty sure Incan involves jungles," Xander said, "this looks more Egyptian." He slowly turned as he squinted in the bright light. "I'm just seeing sand… more sand… yet more sand… and a sand storm." He gestured off to one side.
"How much you want to bet we have to go there?" Dawn asked.
"No bet," Xander said, "it's the only thing out here."
"Could be something beneath the sand," Dawn suggested. "Yeah," she said with a sigh before he could reply, "I'm not betting on that either. We are going to get sand everywhere."
"Can you fit in the dryer?" Xander asked thoughtfully.
"What?" Dawn asked, before glaring at him as she realized what he was asking.
"I'm just saying, you are going to get sand in all your joints, so you are going to need to be washed and dried thoroughly, and your mom has a full sized-" Xander said only to be interrupted by Dawn leaping at him, tackling him to the sand.
"I can't believe you would even suggest…" Dawn growled out as he grabbed his hands and grinned up at her. "You were just messing with me, weren't you?" she realized as she looked into his eyes from less than an inch away.
"Imposters!" a voice called out from the side, causing the two to turn their heads, spotting two figured they knew quite well, though had never actually met. "How dare you…" Suiseiseki's voice trailed off as she blushed, taking in the two.
"Maybe we should come back later," Souseiseki suggested, covering her face with her top hat.
Beta by: Myst of Rainbows/Shadows