Note: Just for extra clarity, the flashback in this chapter takes place during Chapter 6.

--

"You know, I wonder how I would have reacted if someone had told me two years ago when I was still in the Trio that in two years I would be doing this."

"Sitting around in an office at a prestigious law firm waiting for a demonic army to kill you?" Dawn replied, raising one eyebrow at Andrew, who was sitting on the floor as well, leaning on the opposite wall and staring at his now-scuffed shoes.

"No, I mean this…you know, fighting evil instead of being evil and all."

Dawn smiled. "You were never evil, Andrew."

Andrew looked at her. She continued.

"You were a sheep. You followed the crowd; you did something if and only if others did it. Warren had the opposite problem; he was greedy and power-hungry. Jonathan, like you, was weak at first, but he eventually took a stand, and even betrayed Warren to save Buffy's life."

"Yeah…Jonathan was like that. He had a way of getting himself in over his head, but in the end, he always did the right thing," replied Andrew, remembering his best friend. There was never a day that went by that Andrew did not regret what he had done to Jonathan back at the Seal of Danzalthar. He just hoped that Jonathan had forgiven him and was enjoying brand new Star Wars comics (or something like that) up in heaven. "Can't really say that I'm not still a coward though, Dawn. Truth is, I'm scared of what's going to happen to me...to us."

Dawn scooted her lower back into the wall, allowing her to sit up more straight. "Do you really think that two years ago, or even one year ago, that you would have had the courage to come near a powerful vampire like Ilona and stake her? Or, while I'm on the topic, do you think that you would have been able to volunteer for a fight like this, knowing full well that you probably would not survive it?"

Andrew nodded slowly. "I suppose not."

"Just because you're scared doesn't make you a coward. You think I'm not scared? Hell, I'd be surprised if Buffy or Faith weren't at least a little scared themselves. Believe me, you changed, Andrew. You matured."

"Just wondering, Dawn…if I matured, shouldn't I have given up the Wonder Woman comics?"

Dawn laughed. "Sure, you still have some geek left in you, but that's just part of who you are. Besides, I find geeky you a little sexy."

Andrew's eyes flew open at that. "R-really? Th-th-thanks." Dawn smiled sweetly at him.

Dawn gestured toward the door. "We've been in here for a couple hours. You think they're getting suspicious out there?"

"Probably, but Ilona did tell them not to disturb her; I doubt they're stupid enough to disobey her." He stood up. Walking behind the desk, he put his ear against the door.

"Hmmm, not hearing anything; it's pretty quiet out there."

"Andrew, the room's soundproof."

"Huh? Oh, right." As he moved away from the door, he felt something bump against his side…something that was in a pocket inside his suit jacket. He froze.

Damn, I forgot, Andrew cursed to himself.

"You alright, Andrew? Your face just kinda, you know, dropped."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I was just thinking to myself, that's all."

His mind flashed back to a few hours before.

--

It had been somewhere between 10 and 11 that same night (about five or six hours ago). Everybody had gone out and had fun, and now they were getting ready for their respective battles. Andrew had already showered and was now standing in his bathrobe in the hallway, combing his hair into place while Dawn showered.

"Andrew?" He felt Buffy's hand on his shoulder, and turned.

"Yes, Buffy?"

"Willow and I need to speak to you in private for a moment." She led him to Dawn's bedroom, where Willow was already waiting. Buffy shut the door.

"Am I in trouble or something?" asked Andrew, worried.

"No, but we need a favor of you."

"Umm…okay, what is it?"

Willow stood up and handed Andrew two small objects. Upon examining them, he discovered that they were capsules, the kind that you swallowed for medicine and such. They each contained a yellow powder.

"You want me to swallow them?"

Willow answered him. "One of them is for Dawn. The other you can take if you want."

"In addition to helping Dawn take out the CEO, you're job is to ensure that she never makes it back to the rendezvous point," said Buffy, her voice barely staying even.

"What?"

"Do you realize what the armies of the Senior Partners will do to us? They will probably and literally tear us to pieces, and we'll be lucky if we're dead before then. You are to have Dawn take one of these pills. Mix it into her drink or whatever; just make sure that she takes it after you two are done with the CEO. She must be spared the painful death that would inevitably follow," replied Buffy.

"What do the pills do?" replied Andrew, fear growing in his voice as he already had a strong guess.

They explained it to him. He was nearly on the verge of tears as they told him what the pills were, where they came from, what they did, what he had to do, etc.

"I'm afraid the pills are rather slow-acting, but they're painless; she won't feel a thing," said Willow.

"So will you do it?" asked Buffy.

"Dawn and I both signed up to die in battle with you guys. We are not going to take the coward's way out and leave the rest of you to face the armies alone!" replied Andrew angrily.

"It's for Dawn's own good, Andrew. She's my sister, she's a good person, and she doesn't deserve to die in such brutal fashion. You'll be doing her a favor. Besides, as decent a fighter as she is, she's not going to be much good against the armies." said Buffy.

"No one's asking you to do the same thing to yourself, Andrew," added Willow. "We are only asking that you make sure to help Dawn; you can join us afterwards if you wish, or you can join her."

A moment of silence followed. Then, finally, Andrew nodded. "My heart is not in it, but I will do as you ask."

--

"You want some more water, princess?" Andrew held up the now half-empty bottle of water.

"Yeah, I'm getting really thirsty again." Andrew turned his back toward her, holding the bottle of water in front of him. She had closed her eyes, and was relaxing against the wall as before. She did not see him break one of the capsules and dump its contents into the bottle. He shook the bottle as quietly as possible. Checking the bottom and sides of the bottle, he saw that none of the yellow powder rested there; apparently the stuff had dissolved quite well.

"C'mon, princess, open up," he said, kneeling down and holding the bottle to Dawn's lips. She finished off the bottle.

She looked up at him. "You know, Andrew, I have really enjoyed being with you today. You've been a great friend, and I loved the whole "dinner and a movie" deal. I can see what those Italian women see in you."

Andrew smiled. "It was my pleasure, princess." He sat down next to her.

On the inside, he was feeling somewhat disgusted with himself. He felt that he was somehow betraying Dawn, and yet he knew what he had to do. It did not make him feel much better when Dawn took his hand, although he did appreciate the show of affection. Checking to make sure she had shut her eyes again, he reached into his suit jacket with his free hand and quickly and quietly removed the remaining capsule.

Please forgive me, Dawn, he thought, as he put the capsule in his mouth and swallowed it.

--

Author's Note: Okay, gang! Story's on the verge of being done! I am currently estimating that I only have two chapters left after this, so hang on!