Disclaimer: I do NOT own Buffy the vampire slayer or its characters. I make no money from this.

Warnings: During season five, after Blood Ties. Spoilers: Season five and six.

[This is blood, isn't it? It can't be me. I'm not a key. I'm not am I? Am I real? Am I anything?]

Disoriented, Dawn screamed. She thrashed, kicking and flailing her arms.

"Dawn, calm down!" a voice yelled, barely heard over her screams.

Hands clamped down on her shoulders and she struggled harder.

"It was just a nightmare."

As Dawn recognized the voice she calmed.

"Shh," a familiar voice soothed, "I'm right here."

"I'm, still real, right?" she asked shakily, tremors of fear shaking her voice.

"Of course baby."

"I don't feel real."

[It's just like mine. It doesn't matter where you came from, or how you got here. You are my sister. There's no way you could annoy me so much if you weren't.]

"Buffy? Everything was so dark, and burning." Dawn squeezed her eyes shut tight, hands finding purchase on Buffy's shoulders, fingers gripping material, and nails digging into skin.

Buffy started to make cooing noises, rocking Dawn back and forth. Dawn buried her face in Buffy's shoulder, nose sniffling against her hair. The smell of shampoo permeated Dawn's senses.

"Hey," Dawn started shakily, trying to joke, "you used my shampoo."

Buffy hummed in agreement.

[Buffy, look at me. I'm right here. You're my sister. I need you and love you. Somewhere inside you must know that's real.]

"If, I never existed, if I never was your . . ."

Buffy cuts Dawn off, her voice sharp, "You'd still be my sister," she says quietly with steel. At Dawn's startled face, Buffy softened her tone, "you will always be my sister, no matter what. You're my sister regardless. You'd always be my sister."

"If you weren't real I would make you up," Buffy started humming, than singing an old lullaby she had made up for them when she was twelve, when these nightmares had started, "If you weren't there, I'd find you. I'd search for eternity to bring you back, where it's safe and warm in my arms at home."

[I'm not even there, am I? You don't have a sister. It's your ideal reality, and I'm not even a part of it.]