Chapter 5

Dawn really did not like being around a woman who thought she was demon spawn and a demon who probably thought she was fair game. Where had Connor met people like this? What type of family had friends like this? Other than her own, that is.

And how was she going to explain this if Connor actually did any research on her? She had used Buffy as a mother and claimed that Pike was her father. Sure, Pike was her favorite out of all of Buffy's former boyfriends. And she was Buffy's genetically engineered clone. Perhaps she should stop thinking about this.

As Mr. Blook suggested a spell, Dawn said, "Won't work. All it will do is create a paradox."

"Why have you not tried a spell yet?" asked Queen Hipollyta.

"Because, while I do have some magic, I am definitely not a witch," said Dawn. "I'm a researcher, a linguist, and occasionally a spell caster, but I know my limits. Using a spell to open a dimensional portal is beyond those limits. And I've never been any good with Order Magic anyway. The only spells I've ever been able to get right have been chaos based."

This seemed to upset Queen Hippolyta.

"You do realize that not all chaos is evil, right?" said Connor. "One cannot have order without chaos. And what would happen to order without chaos?"

That seemed to stop the queen altogether.

"So, Connor, you got a girl waiting for you back in Star City?" asked Dawn.

He shook his head. "I don't date much. You?"

"Just about given up," shrugged Dawn. "After my last one tried to use me as a human sacrifice I swore off magic using humans entirely. Don't see much reason to date normal humans. I either date criminals or members of the French Foreign Legion. And non-humans. Don't even get me started on non-humans. I mean, the last Braken demon I dated was a total wimp. And the demon before him doesn't really count."

"Why not?"

Dawn sighed. ""He was the Lord of the fucking Dance. Tried to kidnap me and make me his child bride back when I was fifteen. Like I said, I don't have much luck with men."

"Wow," said Connor.

The Queen seemed to be helping Mr. Blood research spells while Mrs. Lance cooked dinner.

"So, you have anything as bad as mine?" asked Dawn. "What was your first kiss like?"

Connor blushed. "A mercenary working for a friend's uncle. She decided that she'd rather kiss me than kill me. You?"

"Vampire, front seat of his car. I ended up killing him after he made it clear that he wanted to turn me so that we could 'be together forever'."

"You're first date with a human?"

A shrug. "His name was RJ and there was a love spell on his varsity jacket that made all the girls in school fall for him. Apparently his grandfather or father had put the spell on the jacket and RJ had no idea. We burned the jacket just in time. Wills was planning on turning him into a girl cause she only dated other girls by that point in time. You?"

"Never really dated or been in a relationship," Connor said quietly. "I've kissed a couple women, but nothing more than that."

"That's alright," Dawn said consolingly. "If I didn't have a phobia of monks, I think I'd see about entering a nunnery. At least then I wouldn't have to worry about the scum I date. I mean sure, there aren't really monks at nunneries, but one would inevitably show up."

"Phobia of monks?"

"Really long story involving the Czech Republic," said Dawn.

"Uh, just so that you know, I spent several years of my life in an ashram in Tibet," Connor said quietly.

"Oh no, I have a problem with Christian monks, not Buddhist," laughed Dawn. "I mean, I'm a good little Greek Orthodox woman myself, but Christian monks really freak me out."

"So, what's with the French Foreign Legion?"

Dawn shook her head. "I don't know. Somehow, I managed to date seven different men without knowing until the second date or later that they were members of the French Foreign Legion. My family jokes about how if the ever need a Legionnaire, all they need to do is send me to pick up a man in a bar."

"Seven? Wow." Connor seemed to find it amusing. "Greek Orthodox?"

"My grandmother was from Istanbul and my grandfather was not very religious. My mother's family was from somewhere in the Balkins originally. Near the Russian border. A lot of the people in that area are Greek Orthodox as well. So, my sister and I were raised Orthodox."

"Mr. Hawke, Miss Summers, this might take a while. Why don't you two go see if you can make yourselves useful to Mrs. Lance," said Mr. Blood.

"Sure," shrugged Dawn. "Come on. Maybe she needs help cooking."

Dawn looked out at the stars. Mr. Blood, the queen, and Mrs. Lance were all asleep. She wasn't exactly sure what Connor was doing, but she didn't really feel like asking either.

"Dawn? You alright?"

"Yeah Connor, I'm fine," Dawn said quietly. "Just a little worried."

"What's wrong?" Connor joined her on the balcony of their hotel room.

Dawn sighed. "I was supposed to be doing a translation, but then the knights happened and the dimensional travel…"

"What sort of translation?"

Dawn looked down. "I work for the Watcher's Council. That organization Mr. Blood was talking about. They needed a translation done in order to find out how to stop these demons who were trying to open a Hellmouth."

"But I thought the Council-"

"They are evil, in this time," Dawn said. "Nearly four years ago, the main offices were blown up. Giles-my mother's Watcher helped to rebuild the Council. Now it is run differently. Girls aren't taken from their parents anymore. Sure, they're taught how to protect themselves, but they are no longer treated as expendable. It's really much better now."

"What is a Slayer? Nobody has explained that."

"A couple millennia ago, three Shamans took a young girl…"