Chapter 5: When She Was Bad
September 15, 1997 - Monday
Snyder walked along with Giles across the quad, watching the students around them. "The first day back. It always gets me."
"Yes," Giles agreed.
"I mean, it's incredible. One day the campus is completely bare, empty... the next, children are everywhere. Like locusts. Crawling around, mindlessly bent on feeding and mating, destroying everything in sight in their relentless, pointless desire to exist."
"I do love these pep talks. Have you ever considered, given your abhorrence of children, that school principal is perhaps not your true vocation?" suggested Giles.
"Someone's got to keep an eye on 'em. They're just a bunch of hormonal timebombs. Why, every time a pretty girl walks by, every boy turns into a jabbering fool," explained Snyder.
"Ms. Calendar!" said Giles spotting Jenny Calendar walking past. He walked away from Snyder to Jenny.
"Mr. Giles," Jenny said.
"Well, uh, dyeh, nnn, hello," Giles said as he and Jenny gaze at each other.
"It's good to see you," she admitted.
"Yes," agreed Giles. "Are you heading towards the faculty room?"
"That sounds like fun," said Jenny as she and Giles head into the building.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn entered the school's offices and looked around. As she stood at the counter, an older woman called to her from a desk. "Good morning, young lady. What do you need today?"
"Yes, my name is Dawn Summers. I'm starting today. Just moved to Sunnydale from Los Angeles, and..."
A reptilian voice sounded from behind her. "Summers. You wouldn't be related to Buffy Summers, now would you?"
Dawn turned. The speaker was short, bald, and oozed malice and contempt. It had to be Snyder; Dawn had heard all about this little troll from Buffy, from Willow, from Xander... even Giles had unpleasant things to say about this man. "I am, why?"
Snyder dismissed the question as he squinted at her. "I'm going to keep a sharp eye on you." He stepped past her on the way toward his office. He directed himself to the older lady. "Mrs. Chambers, get this student her class list and her textbook list and get her out of my sight."
"Well, he's a pleasant experience," Dawn muttered to herself. She had apparently been loud enough for the woman, Mrs. Chambers, to overhear, for the woman snorted. "Sorry..."
"Oh no, I agree with you. He's a bit prickly to deal with, I agree. Now, what did you say your name was?"
"Dawn Summers. From Beverly Hills High."
"All right, Ms. Summers. Let's look you up." Mrs. Chambers turned to her computer screen and entered some information. "And here you are. Sophomore, coming from Beverly... I'll go ahead and print you a copy... oh. That's unusual." She looked up at Dawn. "In place of your parents' names and contact information, it has information on a law firm." It was a statement, but there was a clear question behind it.
"Uh, yeah... I'm an emancipated orphan. My folks died, and, uh, my dad's boss looks out for me."
"Oh, my. I'm sorry. Anyway." Mrs. Chambers stood and retrieved Dawn's schedule from the printer. She handed it to Dawn, along with a small booklet and a couple of loose pages. "These extra things are the school guidebook, a map, your locker assignment, and the combination. And no, before you ask, you can't change the combination." She pointed to one specific piece of paper. "This is the list of textbooks you'll need. You can get them from the library, which is right here." She pointed on the map with a pen. "Our school librarian, Mr. Giles, will be happy to assist you I'm sure. Oh, and one last thing." Mrs. Chambers pulled a slip of paper out of a cubby and filled it out. "This is a pass for your first class, just in case you're late after getting your books."
"Thanks, Mrs. Chambers. I appreciate it." Dawn waved as she left. She scLyssad her class list. Spanish, Trigonometry, World History, Lunch, English, Computer Science, and Sports and Recreational Games. She thought to herself. Not a bad case load, really. Español debe ser fácil, ya que yo ya conozco el idioma a la perfección. Trig, on the other hand, is going to be a flaming, rabid bitch. I barely passed it the first time. She shrugged. Let's hope Willow is in that class. Sports and Recreational Games? Is that P.E.? "Oh crap, I forgot to bring gym clothes!"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"And how was your summer?" asked Giles as he and Ms. Calendar walked down the hall of Sunnydale High.
"Extreme," answered Jenny. "I did Burning Man in Black Rock. It's such a great festival - you should have been there. There were drum rituals, naked mud-dances, raves, mobile sculptures, you would have just... hated it with a fiery passion."
"Yes, I can't imagine finding any redeeming—naked?"
Jenny saw the shocked reaction on his face and smiled. "You probably spent all summer with your nose in a book."
"Not the entire summers," he admitted. "The last few days well, have been a definite change in pace."
"How?" wondered Jenny.
"We now actually have three Slayers. One of which was called when Buffy went to face the Master. The other," here he hesitated but Dawn had said that Jenny would continue to be valuable, "is from the future. In this time, she's Buffy's cousin. In the future she came from she was Buffy's sister. She was called six years from now."
"Wow," said Jenny shocked at the information Giles was giving her. "Wait your pulling my leg, right?"
"I'm afraid not," said Giles as Xander, Willow and Buffy approached.
"Giles!" Willow said excitedly.
"Hey. G-man! What's up?" Xander asked.
"Nice to see you and don't ever call me that," answered Giles.
Jenny waved. "Hey, kids."
"Buffy killed a vampire last night!" said Willow excitedly.
"Uh, I think you can get a little more volume if you speak from the diaphragm," said Buffy as she noticed several kids look at them.
"Sorry," said Willow sheepishly.
"We got vampires? I thought the Hellmouth was closed," said Jenny.
"No not closed and unless I can prevent it, it will never close."
They turned to see Dawn walking toward them.
"Hey, Dawnie," said Buffy as she hugged her sister slash cousin.
"Hello, Ms. Calendar," said Dawn when Buffy had released her. She winked at Giles and then nodded at Jenny.
Giles missed the obvious reveal that Dawn knew about his and Jenny's growing feelings for each other as he turned and looked at Buffy. "This vampire - could you tell where he might be from?"
"Local talent. Fresh. He was still wearing his funeral ensemble," admitted Buffy.
Dawn tried to think about what was going on right now. Sadly, she couldn't remember any instance of anything major.
Giles looked at Dawn for a moment. Dawn had faced three vampires, with a fourth getting away, the other night and now there was a new one that Buffy had faced last night. "I should have been on top of this, since you saw those for Friday night. They were likely here for some particular purpose..."
"Not one I can remember, sorry," said Dawn. She smiled at Jenny. "Giles probably already explained about me."
"He did," said Jenny.
"I have to consult my books," said Giles.
Xander looked at his watch. Eight minutes and thirty-three seconds," he said before looking at Willow. "Pay up." Willow dug a dollar out of her pocket. "I called ten minutes before you had to consult your books about something."
"We better get to class," said Willow as she, Xander, Dawn and Buffy started to head toward class.
"Dawn, Buffy," said Giles. "We need to set up a training schedule for you both. I've already contacted Chloe and she told me whatever works for the two of you."
"We'll see you after school," said Dawn. "Oh yeah I ought to come with you now. Need to get my books."
"Oh, yes, of course," agreed Giles.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"May I help you?" The teacher was a short woman with coppery hair, huge bottle-bottom style glasses, and an unusual accent. It wasn't quite Spanish, but it was definitely in the neighborhood.
"Uh, I hope so. I'm Dawn Summers. New student. Are you Mrs., um, is it Yarzagarai?" Dawn handed over her pass. "Mrs. Chambers gave this to me, and I had Mr. Giles in the library co-sign it, since I had to go to him for my books. I, uh, could have been here sooner but I dropped my other books off at my locker."
"That's fine." The teacher read the note, then nodded and dropped it on her desk. "Very good. And its pronounced 'Yar-za-GAIR-eye', not 'eye-ar-zuh-GARY'. But that was a good try. Most of the other students just call me Mrs. Yarza. Go ahead and take a seat. There's one next to Mr. Harris, who needs to try harder to stay awake."
She sat down next to Xander, who was dozing. His legs were stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles, and his head was as far back as it would stretch. Dawn grinned for a moment, then nudged him on the shoulder. "Time to make the donuts, Xander."
Xander shot wide awake in an instant, immediately sitting straight up in his chair. Still not quite coherent, he blurted out "No burlarse del miedo del demonio!"
Dawn giggled. "You okay?"
"Whahuh? Dawn?" Xander rubbed his eyes, unaware that he was now the center of the entire class's attention. "What are you doing here?"
"Hopefully paying more attention than you have been doing, Mr. Harris." Mrs. Yarza said with a sardonic grin. She turned back to the blackboard. "So, now that were all among the conscious, let's return to conjugations of the word 'escushar'. David, why don't you try it?"
Dawn leaned toward Xander and whispered. "I was hoping you'd be in at least one of my classes."
They turned their attention back to the class. Dawn, being already fluent in the language, was having a hard time concentrating, so she spent most of the remaining class time acting as an impromptu tutor for Xander.
"So," Xander asked as they were leaving class. "What do you think of Mrs. Yarza?"
"She seemed okay. Not her fault I already know how to speak Spanish. I'm taking the class for an easy A." Dawn shrugged. "Her accent is strange, though."
"Yeah, not the usual Mexican you hear in California. I think someone once told me she was from Europe." Xander said. "But not Spain, I mean. Somewhere else. Andro-something, I think."
"Andorra?"
"Maybe." It was Xander's turn to shrug.
"That would explain the accent. The Basque version of Spanish is like, completely different from regular Spanish." Dawn said.
"I take it, you took Spanish in the future?" asked Xander.
"I did along with a few other languages. If I had been able to go to college instead of being help captive by the First, I would have got a degree in Mythology and Ancient Languages."
"You could do that this time," said Xander. "So, what's next for you?"
Dawn thought for a second. "Um. Trig, I think." She fished her schedule out of her pocket and flipped it open with one hand. "Yeah, Trig. With Mr. Lauder."
"Heh. Good luck with that." Xander chuckled. "I've got Biology."
"What does that mean? Good luck with that; what does that mean?"
"Well, how to put it." Xander tapped on his chin in exaggeration. "Mr. Lauder's a pretty good teacher, and a nice enough guy, but he's kind of old and he gets distracted pretty easily. If it's a pop quiz day, count on someone asking him about his experiences in the Korean War, at which point the class will switch from Trig to history."
Dawn giggled. "That's silly."
"But entertaining! Anyway, I'd walk you to your locker, but I've got to stop by mine, and it's in the other direction. Let me see your schedule really quick?" She handed him the paper. "Okay, looks like we'll be seeing each other again at lunch and then in History and PE. And hey, you and Willow are both in Computer Science. She and Buffy are also in History and P.E with us." He handed her back the schedule.
Dawn suddenly remembered her first problem of the day. "Oh, hey... I don't suppose there's a place to buy, like, a school t-shirt and some gym shorts, is there?"
"The shirt you can get at the school store. The shorts? I don't know. Check with one of the coaches. I've got to go that way."
"Okey doke. I'll see you at lunch. Wish me luck!" Dawn gave Xander a wave, and then he was lost in the crowd.
It turned out that it had been pop-quiz day, and as Xander predicted, someone deflected it by getting the teacher, Mr. Lauder, talking about the Watergate Scandal and Richard Nixon.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
It took Dawn longer than normal to get her World History book out of her locker, and she arrived at class just as the bell was ringing. Unfortunately, that meant Dawn had to sit next to Cordelia Chase. Dawn wasn't particularly in the mood, but apparently Cordelia was.
"Oh look, the new Girl." Cordelia smirked to her coterie, all of whom were arrayed in the desks around her. Cordy examined Dawn with a discerning eye. "One would think someone from Beverly Hills would know better than to hang around with the freaks and the losers. Guess you're just not 90120 material."
Dawn rankled. She'd never had a chance to meet Cordelia Chase while she was alive, but she talked to her on the phone occasionally. She had heard stories from Buffy, Xander and Willow of how brave she was, how honest and forthright, and how loyal. She'd also heard the stories from Willow and Xander of how she had been the queen bee of the high school and got there by being the cattiest, most shallow, most mean-spirited bitch anyone had ever met. So, it rankled. Dawn had little patience for bullies, and this Cordelia had yet to grow up and out of her bullying stage. This Cordelia had to be taught that some people couldn't be bullied.
Dawn didn't even smirk. "You're Cordelia Chase, right?"
"You've heard of me?" As Cordelia spoke, Dawn could almost smell her shallowness. It was like a pervasive odor.
"Oh, sure! You see, I asked this kid outside of the office how to find the most popular girl in school, and he said all I'd have to do is look around for the most arrogant, self-centered, selfish back-stabbing slut-faced ho-bag around. He also mentioned how you'd be wearing far too much badly applied makeup and would be perfumed like a French whore-house. But now that I've met you, I think he was mistaken. Your makeup isn't badly applied at all." Dawn almost laughed. Everyone who had just heard her insult Cordelia Chase to her face was staring at her in shock.
"Did – did you just say there was something wrong with my makeup?" Cordelia's eyes were as wide as saucers.
"Sure. If that's all you got out of what I just said, take it and run with it. Why not." Dawn gave Cordelia a nice friendly smile.
"If you girls are finished talking about whatever it is you are talking about, I'd like to get back to the subject of the Middle Ages." Miss Rossdale had written a list of facts on the blackboard and was now facing the class. Specifically, she was staring at Cordelia and Dawn.
Having fired her own shots across Cordelia's bow, and having scored a considerable hit, in her opinion, Dawn proceeded to ignore the other girl for the rest of the class. Not only did Dawn's seeming indifference utterly annoy "Queen C", it helped Dawn get through the history lesson without getting bored.
Lunch was the only tense time during the entire day.
She met Xander outside of the school's cafeteria, picked up their meals from the line, and joined Willow and Buffy. If it hadn't been known by Xander and Willow beforehand that Dawn was a Slayer they would have been surprised that she had as much food as Buffy. "You know, Buffy. One thing I never got used to was the amount of food I have to eat now."
"I know what you mean," Buffy agreed.
"Which reminds me, Buffy, why didn't you warn me about H&H?" Dawn asked.
"H&H?" asked Buffy confused.
Dawn leaned over and whispered in Buffy's ear, "Hungry and horny. You know after slaying."
Buffy coughed as she looked at Dawn. "I think that's a discussion for somewhere else, definitely not here."
"Probably right," Dawn agreed as she smiled at Buffy. Her hand went to Buffy's back and rubbed it comfortingly.
Buffy smiled at Dawn thankful for the gesture.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
After lunch, Dawn found out that her English class was more of a Literature class. The teacher was going through one of T.S. Eliot's poems, entitled The Hollow Men, about British veterans returning from the battlefields of World War I and the problems they faced reintegrating with society after the horrors of war. In Dawn's opinion it had an interesting premise and some intriguing wordplay, but overall was dull and lifeless. Which might have been the point, she conceded.
Computer Science class brought Dawn back into contact with Willow, who was, despite her statements of the night before, friendly and helpful, if slightly snarkish. The fact that Cordelia and two of her brown-nosing followers, Harmony and Aura, were also in the class was just the cherry on top. Computer Science brought Dawn into contact for the second time that day with: Jenny Calendar, class's teacher. She had only heard stories of the teacher who had died this very year.
Jenny seemed likeable enough, and seemed to be handy at showing students how to use the school's computers to good effect. She knew what had happened in regards to Angel. That was one thing she could change simply by making sure Buffy and Angel never had sex so that Buffy never gave Angel his one moment of true happiness. She also intended to steer Jenny toward Giles and vice versa.
"Ms. Summers, are you paying attention?"
Dawn blinked and started at her desk, realizing she had missed a question by zoning out. "Sorry about that," she said sheepishly.
"Try not to let it happen too often. Now, if you would all..." And Dawn was once again zoning out, considering the things she needed to do. The first would be after class to talk to Jenny.
The second time, Dawn came out of the zone quickly enough to catch the question. "You need to close the brackets to end the agreement."
"Very good. See what paying attention in class can do for you?" Miss Calendar turned toward another student and asked them a question, leaving Dawn to her thoughts.
When the bell rang Dawn waited for everyone to exit the classroom, then she closed the door. "Ms. Calendar."
"Yes, Miss Summers?"
"Dawn, please," said Dawn. "Giles, I believe explained about my being from the future?"
"He did," Jenny answered.
"I know your real name is Janna Kalderash," said Dawn. "That you came here to watch Angel because of what he did to your family a hundred years ago. I also know the clause of his curse."
"You do?" said Jenny shocked at the revelation that Dawn knew the clause in Angel's curse when even she didn't know that.
"Yes, one moment of true happiness," said Dawn. "I plan to talk to Buffy and Angel and let them know, before Buffy has sex with him."
"I take it that something bad happens after that?"
"Yes," said Dawn. "Angel loses his soul, becomes Angelus and then for the remainder of the school year torments Buffy. He also kills you, because you find the spell to restore his soul."
Jenny looked at Dawn shocked. "I die, sometime in the coming year?"
"Not if I can help it, by telling Buffy and Angel about the clause then hopefully they won't have sex and Angel won't lose his soul. Averting your death. Then you and Giles can have that relationship you were denied."
"Rupert and I?"
"Buffy attended your funeral, told me about it later, Giles gave a very moving speech she said. After you died, he became a lifelong bachelor. I think he had a couple female friends but no one else came into his life permanently afterwards. I had promised myself not to get involved, except Buffy to steer her clear of some of the worst and Xander to make sure he actually gets married this time, with relationships. But I don't want Giles to be lonely."
"Thank you," said Jenny with a sigh. "Thank you for telling me, all of it."
"Your welcome," Dawn said as she headed out of the classroom.
Dawn had been able to buy a school t-shirt (it was mustard yellow, with a crimson pig on the front of it) and a pair of ugly gym shorts (they were red, with yellow piping; the colors matched the colors of the t-shirt), so she got to participate in her P.E class alongside Willow, Xander, and Buffy. The class was broken up into two teams for volleyball, during which Dawn became somewhat of a sensation by demonstrating a rather powerful spike.
"Dawn," whispered Buffy, who was standing next to her sister, "careful. Need to reign in your strength."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
That afternoon in the library, Buffy and Dawn were sparring each other.
Dawn could hear Buffy panting as her feet moved a bit as she pressed her heels into the ground to keep her balance. "Getting tired, Buffy?" she asked with amusement as she took her stance and bent her knees, holding her firsts up in front of her to defend herself.
"You wish," Buffy smiled faintly before she gave her sister a mocking wink. "Come get me, Dawnie."
It happened in a matter of seconds. Dawn ran at Buffy and began swiping her fists at her sister, hitting into Buffy's arm as Buffy moved her arms, blocking Dawn.
"Come on, little sis. You're losing your speed," said Buffy.
"Little, I'm taller than you," said Dawn.
"Well maybe I'm not done growing yet," laughed Buffy as she dipped down and swung her leg across Dawn's ankles, making Dawn fall back before she was hopping back onto her feet. Buffy wiped her brow and dodged Dawn once more before taking her arm and swinging Dawn over her head, hitting her back on the mat that Giles had placed down.
Buffy looked down at Dawn and grinned. "I won that one."
"You got lucky," said Dawn as she pushed up at Buffy with a fiery swing.
Buffy jumped back easily and landed on her feet, grinning.
"Buffy... Dawn… I think that's enough..." Giles said as Buffy and Dawn stopped and looked at him. "Safe to say, you both are in great shape.
"No idea about Buffy," said Dawn. "But I had plenty of time over the last five years to train and tone my body."
"Show off," said Buffy as she smiled at her sister.
September 16, 1997 – Tuesday
Buffy and Dawn sat on a couch by the coffee table in the school lounge. Willow and Xander walked over and sat opposite the sisters.
"Hey," said Xander.
"Hey," answered Dawn. She looked at her sister and saw a distant look in Buffy's eyes. "Buffy?"
"Fine! I'm fine!" said Buffy looking around.
"Good. It's good that you're fine," said Xander.
"What were you thinking about?" asked Willow.
"Nothing," said Buffy.
"Come on, you can tell us! We're your bosom friends. The friends of your bosom," Xander said.
"Xander..." Dawn and Willow said shaking their heads.
"I wasn't thinking anything. Really. Did I have think-face? 'Cause there was nothing going on," said Buffy.
"What'd you do last night?" asked Dawn.
"Slept," answered Buffy. "Had weird dreams. I can't really remember them. I just know they were all over the place."
"Dreams are meaningful," said Xander.
"They sure are. The other night I dreamt that Xander—" said Willow before glancing at Xander. "Uh, it wasn't Xander. In fact, it wasn't me. It was a friend's dream, and they don't remember it."
Dawn laughed. "I'll bet they don't."
It was then that Buffy and Dawn saw Giles approaching. They got to their feet to meet him.
"What's the buzz? You look worried?" said Buffy.
"This vampire activity – I think I know what they're up to," said Giles.
"Well, don't stress. We'll deal. Right, Dawn?" said Buffy.
"Right, Buffy."
"I hope it's that simple," he said.
"It is not to sweat. Trust me," said Buffy.
"I don't know. I mean, I killed one Slayer. Two shouldn't be too difficult to do it again," Giles explained.
"What?" Buffy and Dawn asked confused.
Giles punched Dawn, sending her sprawling onto the coffee table. Before she could move, he was on her, grabbing her throat. She tried to fight him off, eyes widening, but he was too strong. She clawed at his face, managing to pull off what was in reality a mask. Beneath the mask was the face of the Master.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn woke to the sound of her cell phone ringing. "What in the heck? I thought I was over her dying," she said as her cell phone kept ringing. She picked it up. "Hello?"
"Dawn?"
"Buffy, what is it?" asked Dawn.
"I just had a visit from Angel. He said the Anointed One was gathering forces somewhere in town. He wasn't sure why. Do you know anything?"
"Sorry, Buffy," said Dawn with a sigh. "You have to remember for at least the next couple years you didn't tell me much."
"Right," said Buffy with a sigh. "Dawn, did you dream?"
"The Master?" Dawn asked. "Appearing to be Giles? Then I clawed off his face?"
"My dream was about him but different. It was me clawing off his face, what do you think this means that we had similar dreams but different?"
"I'm not sure. It could be the Slayer trying to tell us something. I don't know though. But I think we need to find out," said Dawn as she felt her phone buzz at her. "Ooh I'm getting another call. Probably Chloe due to the late hour."
"Tell her I said hi," said Buffy.
"I will," said Dawn as she ended the call then answered the incoming call. "Chloe?"
"I didn't wake you did I," asked Chloe.
"No, I just finished talking with Buffy, who said to tell you hi," Dawn answered.
"That's sweet. So, what were you two talking about?"
"We both had a similar but slightly different dream. From what I gather the endings were what was different. In mine I clawed off Giles face to reveal the Master. In hers it was she who did it."
"Interesting," said Chloe. "It could be repressed trauma on both your parts. Being back in this time shortly after when you originally watched her drowned. Could have brought the trauma back to the surface after you long thought you buried it."
"The thing about that is the Giles slash Master in the dream said something about it shouldn't be any more difficult to kill two Slayers, compared to just Buffy," explained Dawn.
"I expect it's still a case of repressed trauma, Dawn. You did after all see Buffy die. Even if it was only for a minute and the first time you saw that you were only ten, you wouldn't have known how to handle that. Now that the trauma has resurfaced your brain is trying to rationalize it, that's why in the dream he mentioned killing you because your brain knows you're a Slayer. If you were still the age Marie is, I doubt that line would have been spoken."
"Maybe," said Dawn with a sigh. "But that doesn't explain why Buffy's and my dreams were similar. The only difference was the person clawing off Giles face."
"That part does have me stumped," Chloe admitted. "It is possible that you both may have had a prophetic dream. I recommend in the morning, bringing this to Giles' attention. He can look into till I return on Saturday."
"Okay."
"Now the main reason I am calling, I checked on that name for you. The Council has no records of a potential by the name you gave me. I used some personal contacts within the American government and checked. She doesn't exist. This could be a case of possibly different timelines go along different tangents."
"That doesn't make sense though," said Dawn. "She would already have been born before the timeline would have split as a result of my arrival."
"It's possible that the wish that brought you back changed other things not directly connected to you. After all you were inserted into your cousin's family," said Chloe. "To do that would have to include modifying reality otherwise when you arrived you wouldn't have had everything you do now."
"Maybe," said Dawn. "Thanks for checking, Chloe."
"Your welcome," said Chloe. "I will call again Friday morning, my time. Which should be late Thursday night for you. I will tell you then exactly when my flight is leaving. Good night, Dawn."
"Good morning, Chloe," said Dawn as she heard a chuckle from the other end of the phone before she disconnected the call.
Dawn put the phone on her bedside table. She stood and muttered the spell that called D'Hoffryn.
"I am not granting you another wish."
Dawn spun to find D'Hoffryn standing in the middle of her bedroom. "I need to know something. It's kind of future info related. I need to know about August. Please I just need to know more about her. Apparently, she doesn't exist here."
"Very well, you will owe me a favor," said D'Hoffryn. "August never knew the truth of her origins. Willow lied to her and you. The name Willow gave you was made up, for August's benefit mostly. You see the ancient magics that Willow used did not activate a potential. The ancient magics she used were the same ones used in your creation. They created a daughter who happened to also be a Slayer. Your daughter in fact."
"My daughter?" said Dawn as her hand went to her mouth in shock. "I killed my daughter."
D'Hoffryn looked at Dawn and saw the tears forming in the young woman's eyes. He reluctantly nodded and waved his hand in front of Dawn. Dawn's stomach began to stretch out. "She is yours again. I have also modified the wish. Mark and Lyssa Summers now were on their way home when their plane crashed, as you had revealed to them your pregnancy. I will hold you to that favor." He then disappeared in a swirl of fiery demonic energy.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Dawn?" said Buffy, of herself and Willow she was the first to spot Dawn walking toward them, and looking very pregnant.
"I found out some information last night after you called," Dawn answered. "I had asked Chloe before she left to look into August for me. Apparently, August doesn't exist, never has. I'm not going into the details of how I killed a girl who had never existed, at least not yet. But I called D'Hoffryn, not to make another wish just to ask a question. He revealed that everything about August. I even owe him now a favor, for he gave August to me to raise. The reason for my parents' deaths was changed to recognize my pregnancy. They were now flying home after I revealed over the phone to them, that I was pregnant."
"I guess congratulations are in order than," said Buffy as she hugged her sister.
"I'm going to change her name," said Dawn. "To something I want to give her. Her nickname if we want can be August, but her birth name will be Elizabeth Celia Summers. Named so after both my original sister and my sister in this timeline."
"Elizabeth?" said Willow as she looked at Buffy confused.
"While my name is actually Buffy, it's what's on my birth certificate," said Buffy. "I learned a couple years ago that it can be also used as a nickname for Elizabeth."
"Oh! Hey! Did you guys know? Cibo Matto is gonna be at The Bronze tonight," said Xander who then stopped and looked at Dawn or more particularly her pregnant belly.
"I'm going to have to tell Giles, so you can come along and listen. I don't want to have to have this conversation more than three times," said Dawn. "Buffy, Willow, Giles, you and Chloe. Since I told Buffy and Willow, you would be second, followed by Giles and finally Chloe when she returns."
"Okay," said Xander.
"Cibo Matto?" said Willow excitedly. "They're playing?"
"No, Willow, they'll be clog-dancing," Xander said sarcastically.
"Cibo Matto can clog-dance?" said Willow before realizing that Xander was being sarcastic. "Oh, sarcasm. Right."
"We should attend, no?" he asked as he looked at Buffy and Dawn. "If you two are not busy with fighting or anything."
"Well I'm not going to be fighting much," said Dawn. "For the next couple weeks probably. I expect I'm close to being due," said Dawn. "But it sounds like fun."
"Dawn's right," agreed Buffy as Cordelia walked up to them.
"I probably ought to go tell Giles about this," said Dawn as she started for the library. "He's likely to flip." She looked back at Buffy. "Chloe also recommended that I tell Giles about our dream."
Buffy nodded reluctantly as Dawn and Xander walked off.
A few minutes later Dawn and Xander was in the library and Giles was looking at Dawn while polishing his glasses.
"Tell me you didn't wish for this to happen," Giles said.
"No, it was a gift," said Dawn. "The child I now carry is the young woman I killed. I owe D'Hoffryn a favor but I did not wish for it. That said I'm happy it did happen. One thing I wanted to do was make August's life better since I was the reason she died in the future."
Giles sighed as he put back on his glasses. "You will have to tell Chloe you know."
"I know," said Dawn. "She is going to be calling Thursday night to let me know the details on her flight back. Though I am tempted to wait till Saturday so she can actually see me. You know this will give me something to fight for not only …"
"Buffy, Willow, myself and our friends in the future," finished Xander as Dawn nodded.
Giles thought about it and nodded. It would indeed give Dawn a reason to live after she had accomplished everything, she had to do to safeguard everyone's futures.
"There is one other thing, Giles," said Dawn. "Buffy and I both had a dream last night. They were the same with one change. In my dream you attacked me and I clawed off your face to reveal the Master underneath. In Buffy's dream she was the one to claw off your face. Chloe thought for me it could be possibly trauma coming back to the surface from…"
"When Buffy died," Xander finished.
"Yes," she sighed. "The thing is if it was just my trauma trying to resurface from eleven years ago. Why would Buffy have the same dream with only one change?"
"It very well could have been potentially both," admitted Giles. "You both are holding in trauma from that day. So is Marie. At Joyce's request I have been counseling your younger self. That said it is possible that this was prophetic at the same time. What I do not know. I will look into it."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Cordelia was brought in to the cellar of an old abandoned cellar by a pair of vampires. They brought her down the steps and pushed her into the dark room. They retreat and shut the door behind them.
Cordelia, who was terrified, looked at the door for a moment then around the room. She took a step forward, her eyes slowly adjusting till she saw a body lying on the ground. She nudged it and when it did not readily move, she knelt down to get a better look at the figure, at Jenny who groaned, her face bloody and bruised.
"Ms. Calendar? Oh God..." said Cordelia as she looked around at the dark, up the stairs. In a very small voice, she said, "What do they want?"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
That night Dawn was driving herself and Buffy toward the Bronze when she felt her sister's hand on her arm.
"What?" asked Dawn.
"Pull over," Buffy said.
Dawn pulled the car over to the curb and Buffy hopped out. She followed as fast as she could in her current condition as Buffy raced toward a willow tree. As they drew close, they saw that a grave had been dug up and that it is empty.
"Well I think I know what the dream meant," said Buffy. "The Master's coming back." She looked toward her sister with dread in her face. "He's dead. Tell me he can't be coming back."
"I can't," answered Dawn. "Remember there are holes in my memory because…"
"I didn't tell you everything," answered Buffy. "We should go see Giles."
September 17, 1997 – Wednesday
Giles stood in the school lounge talking to Willow and Xander who had admitted they were concerned for Buffy and Dawn.
"I admit they likely have what you Americans refer to as 'issues.' Their experience with the Master, given what I have experienced with Marie, was extremely traumatic. Buffy was, for at least a few minutes, legally dead. And Dawn, or Marie, watched it happen. I don't think Buffy's dealt with it on a conscious level. And I highly doubt that Dawn dealt with it at all, given that when she went through it, she was ten years old."
Xander noticed Buffy and Dawn walking towards them. "That's a very interesting point about trout! That you made just now."
"Trout?" Giles asked confused then he noticed Buffy and Dawn. "Trout! Yes! The trout... is a fish. Good morning! Did you both sleep well?"
"Master's gone," said Dawn.
"You're sure," said Giles as Dawn and Buffy nodded.
"We were on our way to the Bronze when I happened to spot what looked like an open grave," Buffy explained. "As we approached, I realized the location was exactly where Willow and Xander told me you guys had buried the Master."
"What would somebody want with Master bones?" asked Willow.
"Trophy?" said Xander. "Horrible conversation piece?"
"This explains our dream," said Dawn. "The Master is coming back."
"They're going to bring the Master back to life and I seem to recall you telling me he was history," added Buffy.
"Dawn, Buffy, I've never heard of a revivification ritual being successful –" explained Giles.
"But you've heard of them. Thanks for the warning," said Buffy.
Snyder suddenly appeared beside them. "I believe that some of us have classes," he said looking at Buffy, Dawn, Willow and Xander. He turned and looked at Giles. "And some of us have jobs."
"I'll see you all in the library after school," said Giles. "And we can finish our discussion."
"About trout," said Willow as they head off to their classes.
"There's some things I can just smell," said Snyder. "It's like a sixth sense."
"No, actually, that would be one of the five," corrected Giles.
"The Summers girls? I smell trouble. I smell expulsion. And just the faintest aroma of jail," admitted Snyder.
Giles looked at Snyder and knew by the plurality of the statement that he meant both Buffy and Dawn. "Well, before you throw away the key, perhaps you'd consider giving them the benefit of the doubt. They may surprise you."
Snyder looked Giles over for a moment. "You really have faith in those kids, don't you?"
"Yes, I do," said Giles.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
That evening the sun was just fading as the team researched. Giles walked to the center of the room, book in hand. "All right, I've got something. It's Latin, so bear with me. Um, to revive the vampire, they need his bones," he said as he looked sheepishly at Buffy and Dawn. "which they have... and, uh, the blood... this is very unclear... of the closest person, someone connected to the vampire."
"That'd be me," said Buffy.
"Giles, may I?" said Dawn as she held out her hand for the book.
"You can read Latin?" he asked.
"Among a few other languages. If not for the battle with the First going south, I would have gone to college to study mythology and ancient languages," said Dawn as Giles handed her the book.
"Okay your translation is slightly off," said Dawn. "When they mention closest person, they mean the people that were physically in the room with him when he dusted. Buffy was on the roof. Which means…"
"…that it would be myself, Willow, Cordelia and Ms. Calendar," finished Giles.
A rock smashed through the window behind Giles. He ducked as everyone except Buffy and Dawn moved, alarmed.
Buffy spun and caught the rock. She saw wrapped around it was Cordelia's necklace, and a note. "This is Cordelia's," she said.
"Which means they already have at least Cordelia," said Dawn.
Buffy took the note and read it. "'Come to the Bronze before it opens, or we make her a meal'."
"If they need her for the ritual," said Giles. "They won't kill her. Not yet anyways. So that is likely a trap."
"Yeah I figured," said Buffy. "We need to try and find where they have her though. Best way of doing that is to spring the trap."
"You'll be playing right into their hands," said Giles. "Especially since Dawn can't be of much help in the field till, she gives birth."
"And their hands are going to get slapped," said Buffy.
"You need backup," said Dawn. "Do you have Angel's number?"
"Yeah," said Buffy as she walked over to Dawn who held out her cell phone. She dialed then held the phone to her ear. "Hey, Angel. Need some backup. Figured out what's going down…" she listened to Angel and then nodded. "Bronze." She ended the call and handed the phone back to Dawn. "You may be pregnant but you are going to be the guys best defense."
"I know," said Dawn.
Buffy turned and took off.
"I think we should have gone with her," said Willow.
"And if it is a trap then they would have had you," said Dawn.
Giles' eyes went wide as he saw them behind Dawn. "Dawn, behind you."
Dawn spun to find two vampires. She opened a portal and backed into it. She exited the portal next to her purse. She reached in and pulled out a stake. She looked around and noticed that the two vampires that had been behind her weren't the only ones, there were two more making four total.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Twenty minutes later Buffy and Angel returned with a vampire that they had tied up with Angel's belt. "Dawn?" she said as she saw Xander was helping Dawn to her feet. "Xander?" She saw that both of them were badly beaten. She went straight to her sister. "Elizabeth?" she said.
"Still kicking," said Dawn with a smile. "Thankfully."
"What happened?" Buffy asked.
"Four of them, too many in my condition," said Dawn with a sigh.
Buffy looked toward Angel who nodded in understanding as he shoved the vampire at Buffy. "Now you're going to tell us where they took them."
"You're too late. Your friends are dead," the vampire said.
"Tell us where they are," said Dawn as she removed her cross.
"What are you going to do, kill me?" the vampire asked sarcastically.
"As a matter of fact, yes," said Buffy as she punched the vampire in the face. She took Dawn's cross from her and held it above the vampire's face and as the vampire moaned in pain. Buffy dropped the necklace into the vampire's mouth. Clamped it shut with her hands.
The vampire writhed in pain as smoke poured out of her mouth.
"But since we're not going to kill you any time soon, the question becomes, how do we pass the time till then?" asked Dawn.
Angel and Xander looked at each other uncomfortable with the Buffy and Dawn's methods.
Buffy pulled the cross out by the chain. "So. One more time."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The Anointed One walked past an old, rusted surgical table that held the Master's bones in the middle of the room. He held a goblet in his hands. As he reached the head of the table, he moved next to Absalom. The Anointed One handed Absalom the goblet.
Absalom looked up at the balcony as two vampires started hauling on a chain attached to a pulley. Attached to the chain are Willow, Giles, Jenny and Cordelia, hanging upside down. They are moved into position above the bones in preparation of the ritual.
Absalom dipped his finger in the goblet. He moved under Willow and made a small 'x' on her forehead. Several vampires form a semi-circle around the side of the table as Absalom continued on to Giles, repeating the ritual.
Under the balcony a portal snapped into existence as Buffy, Xander, Dawn and Angel stepped out. They immediately saw the skeleton laid out on the table and above it their friends. The Anointed One produced a curved knife, he handed it to Absalom, who said a silent prayer over it.
"You two go upstairs, free our friends," said Dawn. "Buffy and I will take care of the vampires." She and Buffy started toward the ceremony.
As Xander watched them he realized what was happening. Giles had been right there had been trauma that neither girl had gotten over. "Make it painful," he said.
"We will," said Buffy.
Absalom finished his prayer and kissed the knife. "For the Old Ones, for his pain. For the Dark.
"For the Dark," the other vampires echoed.
"GYEHNNNNGH!" said one vampire as the tip of a stake pops out of his chest. As he exploded into dust, he revealed Buffy and Dawn behind him.
Absalom screamed, an inhuman shriek that galvanizes the three remaining vampires into action. They effectively flank Buffy and Dawn. Two of the vampires' rush Buffy and Dawn who simultaneously spun into a roundhouse kicked to the jaw, staggering them back. The other vampire snuck behind the girls, who elbow him in the throat.
Absalom seeing Buffy and Dawn were occupied, roughly grabbed Willow's face, brought the knife to her throat getting ready to slice it open when Willow, Giles, Jenny and Cordelia started moving away toward the balcony.
"The sacrifices! Stop them!"
The vampire who had snuck around the girls peeled off and headed upstairs.
It was not one on one.
Buffy kicked her vampire, while Dawn brought a box down on her vampire's head.
Dawn kicked her vampire, smashing through the box to send him flying back.
Buffy slammed into her vampire.
Xander and Angel pulled Willow, Cordelia, Jenny and Giles to the safety of the Balcony. They took each of them down as the four of them began to waken.
The third vampire crest the stairs as Angel turned his vampiric visage appearing on his face. The third vampire charge as Angel threw himself at the vampire. They grapple, stepping onto some rotted boards covering a hole. The fell through on to the floor below the balcony.
Buffy reached over and picked up a box shard and slammed it into her back, pushing the vampire off right before it dusted. "Dawn!" she called and tossed the shard toward her sister. Dawn caught and drove the shard into the vampire's chest and he crumbled to dust.
The third vampire shoved a shard of wood at Angel's heart, Angel grabbed it and shoved it, sending it backwards through the third vampire's heart.
"Are you all right?" Giles asked Jenny as he helped her up.
"I think so. My head..." Jenny answered.
"Where's Buffy and Dawn?" Giles asked looking at Xander.
"They're working out their issues," said Xander.
Absalom stepped out of the shadows holding a sledgehammer. "Your day is done, girls. I'll grind you both into a sticky paste. And I'll hear you both beg before I smash in your faces," he said to Buffy and Dawn who stood on either side of a torch.
"So, are you going to kill us? Or are you just making small talk?" Buffy asked as Dawn smiled at her.
Absalom rushed the girls, swinging back the hammer. Buffy glanced at Dawn and nodded as Dawn smiled as she nodded back.
Dawn turned toward Absalom she swept kick the base of the torch, splintering it and flipping it up. The burning end caught Absalom and he burst into flames. As he dusted, he dropped the sledge hammer in front of the girls.
Dawn picked up the sledgehammer.
"It's over," said Willow as Xander helped her to her feet.
"No, it's not," Xander answered.
Dawn and Buffy approached the table that still held the Master's bones. Dawn began swinging the sledgehammer and smashed the skull in. She and Buffy then took turns grinding the Master's bones to a fine powder.
Dawn the last one to swing the sledgehammer dropped it as tears began to fall from her eyes. She turned toward Buffy and saw tears in her sister's eyes. They folded into each other's embrace and held each other.
Angel who had been moving behind them to comfort Buffy stopped when he saw Buffy and Dawn hugging each other. He was confused why that would be.
"Their sisters."
Angel looked over his head to see Giles walking up behind him with Jenny.
"Dawn is from a future that she came from to prevent. She's Buffy's little sister all grown up," said Giles.
Angel nodded in understanding remembering just two months earlier when he and Xander had found Marie cradling Buffy's head in her lap. He moved over to the girls and wrapped his arms around them, shaking they fell into his embrace. "It's okay... it's okay..." he said trying to comfort them.
September 18, 1997 – Thursday
In the quad of Sunnydale High Cordelia walked with Jenny. "What an ordeal. And you know the worst part: It stays with you forever. No matter what they tell you, none of that rust and blood and grime comes out. You can dry-clean till judgment day; you're living with those stains."
"Yes," Jenny said dead pan. "That's the worst part of being hung upside down by a vampire that wants to slit your throat. The stains."
"I hear you," said Cordelia as they pass Giles with Dawn and Buffy.
"How are you two?" Giles asked.
"Better," said Dawn, who was finally glad to have put the trauma of the Master's cave behind her. "But still with a way to go, before being perfect."
"As it should be," Giles said. "The trauma you two experienced will take time to heal. But at least you both are healing now." He watched the girls walk off into the school and sighed. "All your traumas are now healing, Dawn. Both future and past. And with time all of it will heal and you will finally find yourself, whole."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Buffy," said Dawn as the sisters stop at the entrance to the lounge. "There is something I need to tell, you and Angel. It's about his soul. There is a clause in it."
Buffy looked at Dawn. "Tonight then," she said as they moved towards their friends.
"Buffy," said Willow. "Dawn."
"Hey," said Buffy and Dawn as they sat opposite Xander and Willow.
"So, are we Bronzing tonight?" Xander asked.
"Thursdays, it's kind of beat," said Willow.
"Well, we could grind our enemies into talcum powder with a sledgehammer, but, gosh, we did that last night," said Xander.
Buffy and Dawn looked at each other and laughed.
That evening Buffy knocked on the door of Angel's apartment, waited and then knocked again. A second later Angel opened the door surprised to see Buffy there with Dawn. "Buffy?"
"There is something Dawn has to tell us about your curse," said Buffy. Angel nodded as he stepped aside and let the girls in.
As Buffy and Angel sat down, Dawn moved in front of them. "I'm going to be blunt don't have sex, like ever, Angel. The clause in your curse, Angel, says that if you have one moment of true happiness you will lose your soul. In the future I come from. You and Buffy had sex on her seventeenth birthday. You lost your soul and Angelus emerged. He targeted Buffy.
September 20, 1997 – Saturday
Dawn and Buffy stood at the airport waiting as Chloe disembarked from the plane.
"Hello, Dawn, Buffy," said Chloe and then she saw it, the pregnant belly. "How?"
"There is a lengthy story," said Dawn. "Which I need to explain to you and to Buffy. Because it concerns not only August but myself." They got Chloe's bags and got back into the car to drive back to Dawn's house. "It goes like this, and this will shock you the most, Buffy. I don't know about Marie for sure, since she is already here. But myself I did not exist before the year two thousand. My body was created by some monks to hide a thing called the Key. It was energy and if used at a specific point and time it could break down the barriers between the dimensions. The hellgod that I mentioned that was after me or Marie she wants the Key to go home, that was her entire goal, to just go back to the hell dimension she was kicked out of."
Dawn stopped as she glanced over at the passenger seat. She had been insistent that Buffy ride up front so she could gauge Buffy's reaction. She saw shock on Buffy's face. "You remember what Marie said the day I revealed myself to you?"
"Yes," said Buffy. "That it didn't matter where you came from that I loved you. So, I was okay with it, that these monks inserted you into my family, probably modifying my memories to make sure no one was the wiser?"
"You weren't at first," said Dawn. "But you slowly got there. And by the time you fought Glory you knew what you had to do. You had to jump because you couldn't let me, because you knew it would destroy you if I died. You sacrificed yourself for me."
Buffy nodded as she wiped a tear out of her eye. The tear was not only because she had died protecting Dawn but because of the fact that she knew that like her future self she did love Dawn and Marie and that would never change.
"So, what does this have to do with August?" Chloe asked from the back seat. "And with you being pregnant?"
"After your call, Chloe, I summoned D'Hoffryn. Don't worry, I didn't ask for another wish. I had to know and being the demon who granted the wish he was the only one who would know what happened in the other timeline," explained Dawn. "So, I asked him about August. Originally, I thought Willow, who by the way is a powerful witch by then, had cast a spell to call a Potential as a Slayer. D'Hoffryn admitted that what I had been told was incorrect. August wasn't a Potential that Willow using ancient magics had called. August was my daughter, Willow created August using the same magics the monks did. Willow knew there was a Slayer being held captive, but she thought it was Faith. Instead the magics utilized my blood instead, creating my daughter. As part of the spell she was activated as a Slayer. The reason I am now pregnant is that D'Hoffryn granted me a favor, I will owe him someday. He brought August's soul from the other timeline and gave her to me as my daughter. He modified the wish that brought me back so that my parents were now returning from a trip out of town as a result of my telling them over the phone I was pregnant."
Buffy reached over and patted Dawn's arm smiling. "I know officially you're my cousin. But I have to admit it's nice to know I'm an aunt."
"Till you give birth this will reduce your time in the field for the safety of your child," said Chloe. "But I'm okay with it. Having her to raise will put things in perspective for you. It will give you beyond fixing things for Buffy and yours friends a reason to live. So, will she still be named August?"
"No," said Dawn. "We'll consider August a nickname. But her name is going to be named after both of my sisters. Both the sister that is sitting next to me and the former cousin who is now officially my sister, who died when she, I and Buffy were eight years old. Her name will be Elizabeth Celia Summers."
"Is this Key thing," said Buffy as she looked toward her sister. "Is that the portal thing you have?"
"Portal thing?" said Chloe looking at both girls confused at what they were talking about.
"I'm not only a Slayer, Chloe," said Dawn glancing in her rearview mirror at the older woman. "I am also a witch, which by the way I am training Willow so she doesn't go down her original path. It's ironic in a way. I am training Willow, who trained me."
"Willow trained you?" asked Buffy confused. "When?"
"Well maybe train me isn't the right word," admitted Dawn. "As she actually didn't train me. I learned by watching. Then in my captivity I practiced what I had seen till the point I was able to control the Key. Which I can create portals as long as I know where I am going."
"I think you and I are going to have a lot of conversations," said Chloe.
"More than likely," agreed Dawn as she pulled into the driveway of her home.