Chapter 10

Diary

Ethan's been here a couple weeks. He's like moved in. Dawn crossed something out on the page. It's so weird around here. G&B are joined at the hip, Ethan's keeping watch at night, W&T are all sorts of crazy, Xand's trying to keep Anya from—her pen dragged across the paper as Buffy yelled for her, from downstairs, scarring the teen.

"Great," Dawn muttered, shutting her diary.

"DAWN, NOW!" Buffy yelled.

"Hold on!" Yanking on a jacket, she ran down the stairs. "What?"

"We're going out."

"So, I'm staying here?" Dawn asked, somewhat annoyed. Really, was it so freakin' hard to walk up the stairs?

"No," Giles said, testing the sword in his hand. "Tara and Ethan are going to take you the Magic Box. If you see Willow, don't linger."

"Goody," she said under her breath. Tara snickered slightly and Ethan smirked.

"Understand?" Buffy asked.

"Yes. See Willow, run away. It's daylight, so I'm guessing that it's just Willow I should avoid."

"Yep."

"Ok. When do I leave?"

"After we do," Buffy said as she opened the front door. Giles followed her from the house. Dawn turned and looked at her keepers.

"So, what're we doing?"

"You are going to get your homework," Tara said before Ethan could interject anything. "And then we're going to the Magic Box."

"Okkkkaaayyy. So, anyone know anything about the prophecy?"

Neither magic wielder answered.

"Do you think we'll find her?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not sure to be truthful. I do know it will be easier. Her magical signature is like a northern star."

"I STILL can't get over the fact that ETHAN RAYNE is here to help us," she said, giggling slightly. "I mean, all the crap he's done in the past, and now he's supposed to help us save the world?!"

"It is somewhat unbelievable," Giles agreed.

"Somewhat? Try completely!" Buffy giggled again. Giles smiled and turned down a sidestreet. "Hey, where're we goin'?"

"Somewhere."

"Ok, Mr Vague, be a little more specific?"

"No."

Buffy pouted at him, making him stare at her lips. Really now, that wasn't any fair...

"No Buffy."

Wow, Giles knows the word. Strange.

"Please?"

"Somewhere in town."

"You're mean."

"And you, my dear, do not play fair."

"I do too!" she protested. He smiled and ran a thumb over her lip. "Hmm..."

"No, you don't," he whispered in her ear before starting down the alleyway, having stopped. She huffed and followed him, grumbling about stupid ex-Watchers who were going to get killed by their Slayers. He chuckled and reached behind him to grab her hand and pull her to his side.

"Love you," he said, making her heart flutter.

"Love you too."

"DAWN, DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!" Anya yelled from behind the counter.

"Why does she always do that?" Dawn muttered rhetorically as she entered the store, Ethan and Tara behind her.

"Because you stole from her?" Tara asked, smiling slightly.

Ethan chuckled. Since when was the Slayer's sister a rebel? He'd obviously missed a lot since his last visit.

"Can we go somewhere else?"

"No."

"Please?" Dawn begged.

"No," Tara repeated, crossing her arms and looking stern.

"But there's nothing to do here!"

"Find something."

Pouting, Dawn entered the main area of the shop.

"D-do you think Willow will come here?" Tara asked Ethan quietly. Ethan "hmm"ed and thought.

"I think that she will, eventually, come to find you all. At the moment, I believe she is conserving and gaining power," he finally admitted somewhat reluctantly.

"Right you are Ethan," Willow said from the doorway. Dawn looked on from behind Tara and Ethan, who'd forced her back at the first word from Willow, horrified at the changed in Willow. Everything about her was black. Her hair, her eyes, her veins, her clothes...

Tara and Ethan threw a light blue ball of energy at Willow while Anya teleported with Dawn. The demon and Key arrived in an alley.

"Hey, break it up! Willow's destroying the Magic Box and probably burning the money!" Anya said, scaring Buffy and Giles from their, um, friendly embrace. Dawn gagged. Really, seeing her sister and Giles kiss wasn't something she needed.

"WHAT?!" they both roared.

Anya nodded. "Exactly. Tara and Ethan are defending the store now."

Before Dawn could correct Anya, Buffy and Giles were gone, running down the alley, towards the Magic Box.

Anya frowned. "Well damn, what do I do about you?"

"Take me to the mall?"

"No, no. I've got to go make sure the store is safe, and I don't' have money to give you. Or want to give you."

Suddenly, the demon smiled and teleported. Xander would deal with Dawn!

Dawn was confused. When did Anya become a demon again? Wait, not important. Important was Willow and Tara, Ethan, Buffy and Giles fighting.

Dawn's thoughts turned. Really, them kissing, why did I have to see that? Yea, I'm on their side and supported the relationship, but that was moot point!

"Xander!" Anya yelled, walking further into the living room. Xander exited the bedroom, rubbing his eyes. He'd taken the week off to help with Willow and Ethan. Today was his day of as a Scooby to rest up.

"An? Dawn? Wha--"

"Never mind that! I need you to watch Dawn so I can get back to the store and keep the money safe!" Dawn rolled her eyes as Anya teleported out.

"So, when did she become a demon again?"

"After the wedding," Xander said, yawning. "Her old boss said it's help save the world."

"Figures. Only on the Hellmouth can being a demon be good," Dawn said, following him into the kitchen.

"Ironic, huh?" he asked, pulling down a box of sugary cereal and two bowls. "Get the milk, we'll watch tv and eat."

"You won't guess what I saw that made me want to rip my eyeballs out."

"On Sunnyhell, I can only wish I'm not going to ask," Xander said, cramming cereal into his mouth. "Wa'd y'u 'ee?"

"Buffy and Giles makin' out in an alley."

Xander barely swallowed the cereal before chocking.

Dawn laughed and turned on the tv.

Magic Box

By the time Buffy and Giles arrived, Willow was gone. Tara and Ethan were on the ground, out cold and bleeding from wounds on their heads. Anya arrived right after the couple, and was happy to see her store was not in ruins. Actually, she was happy Tara was fine, but played if off as the store. But we won't tell. Shh!

"Tara?" Buffy asked, shaking the witch gently. "Hey, Tara, wakey, wakey."

"Hm? 'T's too early," she said, her head pounding.

"Come on Tara, gotta get up and let us look at your head." Buffy smiled at Tara and started to say something else when a splash was heard beside her. Ethan sputtered and launched from the floor, sending a blow at Giles, who easily countered it.

"Sorry old chap," Giles said mockingly, "Had to get you up somehow."

"Bloody bastard."

"My parents were married as you very well know."

Ethan grunted and fingered the gash on his forehead, frowning as he did.

"That little witch has the power of chaos. How in the BLOODY HELL did she get it?"

"Chaos? As in what you serve?" Anya asked.

"No. Her magics are all chaotic, but she doesn't have the magics of Chaos."

"I think she's been going to a dealer," Anya said, inspecting the merchandise.

Tara and Ethan froze, both having been pacing.

"Dealer?"

"Mmhm. I think Amy said she used to go to one when I attended the high school. I was a demon then, and Amy told me losts of things," Anya continued as if nothing was wrong. She pulled a feather duster from under the counter, and started dusting.

"I mean, Willow's been reeking of magic for months. I'm surprised to took you all this long to notice anything was different, especially you Tara. Have you stopped giving each other orgasms?"

Tara blushed and ducked her head.

"Anya, shut up!" Dawn yelled as she entered the store, Xander having sped from his apartment after she'd told him about Willow.

"I was only trying to help…"

"Do it by not talking about sex!"

"Well!" Anya huffed, at loss as to what to say.

Ethan smiled slightly as he saw the angry flush on Dawn's cheeks, the sparkle in her eyes. There were green flecks in her eyes that he'd never noticed before. It made the brown look so much more textured, as if there were different shades of brown that made up her beautif–

What was happening to him?! He'd been around Ripper too long, that was for sure!

Dawn sighed and wrapped an arm around Tara, who sniffed and gave her a shaky smile. Returning it with her own smile, Dawn released the blond and went over to Ethan, who she saw was staring at her.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she told him as she crossed her arms and stood before him.

He laughed. And tried not to look down too much. He had to look down at her slightly to see her eyes, but she didn't know that the way she crossed her arms emphasized her breasts.

Ripper will kill me. And the Slayer. Shit, he thoughts, trying SO hard not to look. He looked. Just barely.

Dawn raised and eyebrow. Rayne was nervous? She smirked as she saw his eyes dart to her chest and back to her face, sweat starting to form on his forehead as he did so.

Anya nodded her head to herself and went to help Tara in the back room. It was good that Dawn and Ethan finally realized they could give each other good company. But not orgasms, Dawn was too young for that. Maybe in a few months.

Ethan licked his lips.

"Why are you nervous Ethan?" she asked, taking a step towards him. He backed away, not willing to risk Ripper's, or the Slayer's, wrath. Not with the girl.

"It's bloody hot in her girl, I don't know why you wouldn't think I'm nervous," he said unconvincingly.

"Unhuh. Tell it to someone that'll believe you," she said, uncrossing her arms and loosely draping them over his shoulders.

Ethan swallowed.

She lent forwards and kissed him, her arms wrapped around his neck.

Growling slightly, he placed and arm around her waist and pulled her flush to him. Well, if she insisted...

AN: Yes, yes, it's short, I know. Blame the muses and the evil doctors.