Title: Dawn of the Son
Author: Spichik453
Chapter 4
No one would talk business as they drove back to Dawn's house. It was not for a lack of trying. And no one told her who everyone else was, or what they were setting up. But they all were eager for Dawn to point out her favorite hangouts, and places she frequented. "Guys, I'm almost always at work. And when I'm not at work, I'm at home. Oh! They have really good pizza there." Dawn started to explain but got excited upon seeing her favorite pizza parlor that she had only visited once before.
"Then lets all go there!" Xander suggested.
"We had pizza last night." Giles moaned.
"I didn't." Dawn offered.
"Yeah, neither did I." Willow agreed.
"I did." Buffy added.
And for the first time since the gang had reunited, there was silence in the car. Dawn felt a little awkward. "You know, I have roommates." Dawn started. "It will be better to talk Scooby stuff in the car."
Buffy sighed; from the front seat she turned to address the others in the back. "She's right guys." She then turned to Dawn with an accusatory glance. "Why did you not call us sooner?"
"What!?"
"Yes, it was highly irresponsible of you. We have slayers at our disposal and you did not call us." Giles added. "What is the body count up to now? Nine? Ten?"
Dawn felt trapped. She instantly regretted not waiting until she got home. If they talked in her room, she could from hide the inquisition in her room. But while driving, there was no place to run.
"Guys, she was busy." Willow defended.
"Thank you Will."
But Willow wasn't done. "Plus, she thought she could take them on herself." Willow had intended it to be a complement and an explanation of Dawn's actions, even though Willow had no idea of the truth was. It did not help. In fact, it only made things worse.
"You're going vamp hunting by yourself?" And with that, Buffy went into her protective older sister mode, going on about how Dawn did not have slayer strength and she could get hurt. Dawn knew that there was no getting around it. Buffy had been protecting her since Dawn was the key. Even though Dawn has proven herself more than capable in more than one apocalypse Buffy still insists on treating her like a child. There was no point in pointing out that she was on her own, and was an adult, who had medical training. A medical training that she got so that she could take care of her sister. Just once. Dawn took a deep breath as she pulled into the driveway.
"I have not been patrolling." Dawn said, turning off the engine and facing the whole gang. "In fact I don't have time to go patrolling, which is also why I did not call you. One or two vampire deaths is not unusual, but this only started to get unusual lately. Ok? There. Now, this is my house. I don't know who is home, if anyone. We're going to go inside, I need some coffee and then you guys have some explaining to do. Like who is "everyone" and what are you guys setting up!"
The others were a little bit stunned at Dawn's outburst. "Sorry Dawny." Xander said breaking the silence. The others nodded in agreement.
Without another word, the Scoobies went into Dawn's house. They had all helped her move in four months ago, but they had not seen the place set up, and were impressed. It did not have a communal living of four single people fresh out of medical school feeling like they were expecting, with mismatched furniture and random posters hung sloppily on the wall. The furniture all matched and it felt like, well, a home. They moved into the living room, and took a seat, except Dawn. She remained standing, staring at the others.
"Everyone's keys are still missing." Dawn said. "We're here alone." She folded her arms, "Now talk."
"Dawn," Buffy started, "We brought some of the more novice slayers with us. And their baby-faced watchers. That is who everyone is."
"And Vi. And her watcher, who is also new." Willow said. "Someone to watch over them while we are here with you."
"There are only eight others." Xander tried to smooth things over. Dawn relaxed a little bit now that they were starting to explain.
"And we've rented an apartment to make slayer headquarters." Buffy continued. "Vamps have tended to stay away from Seattle, which is why we're concerned with this body count."
Giles looked up sheepishly at Dawn. "I have some books that my contacts have said might help figure this out."
"What?" Dawn asked. "Its a vamp gang. Just like it has been in the past."
"There have been other signs, floods, plagues, earthquakes. It is a global context, and I think the attraction of Seattle for Vampires is an indication that something bigger is happening." Giles offered. "These sources are written in a demonic language that is similar to Junluln and there is only one person I know who can translate Junluln."
"Giles I gave up the study of demonic languages in college." Dawn sighed. "And you said it is similar." But the Scoobies were all looking at Dawn with a pleading look. "No promises. I still have my demonic texts upstairs."
"You keep those in your house! Where your roommates can see them!" Giles asked incredulously.
Dawn laughed. "They're hidden in the back of my closet. And its not like they can read them anyway."
"Great! Lets get this apocalypse fighting underway!" Xander said standing up. "First, we need pizza from that place that Dawn pointed out, and then we need to get my car from the hospital. And then Dawn can start looking at odd symbols and make meaning out of them."
"We should go to Slayer central." Willow suggested.
"No. We talked about this. We're going to let them try to figure this out on their own as much as possible. Vi will be alright. She has two apocalypses under her belt. We're only here because Dawn is here and we're going to fix it if they can't. I like Xander's plan."
"Yes, pizza though. Mmmm..." Xander said. "Pizza makes my tummy happy."
"Fine, pizza yes." Buffy said. "Oh! Maybe we can get the kind with the cheese in the crust that is so gross after its cold, but is really good when it is still hot."
"Oh yes! And lots of olives!" Willow added.
"Olives? No, no. Mushrooms and sausage." Giles said.
Xander looked hurt. "What? No. Pepperoni?!?"
Dawn watched the people she felt closest to argue over which kind of pizza to get with amusement. If the fate of the world rested in the hands of these people, the world was doomed... again.