DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT WHEDON, I SHALL NOT BLASPHEMY THY GOD. I AM CALLING FOR A BOYCOTT OF THE NEW SO-CALLED 'BUFFY' REBOOT. IT IS A SIN AGAINST THE ALTAR OF WHEDON!

Ch16…

CD x BA

"I think she's waking up."

Willow's voice sounded distorted, like it was far away although thought could be because of the padding around her head. Her hands pushed at the pillows that supported her trying in vain to sit up; not a good idea.

"Please tell me you kicked the ass of the demon who threw that building at my head." Dawn groaned clutching her head in her hands.

"Honey that was the floor, you fainted and smacked your head pretty hard." Willow consoled her softly.

"Oh yay me." She muttered, her dizziness had subsided and the room had stopped spinning making sitting up significantly easier. "Where's Buffy?"

"She's venting her frustrations on Ethan, Angel's watching her."

"She's going to kill him isn't she?"

"Angel will stop her, Giles and Andrew are making arrangements to take Ethan with them, I think they're trying to figure how they're going to keep him locked away for good." Willow smiled. "Did you want some tea?"

"No, where's Connor? Is he freaking out too?"

"Brow boy just got all quiet and started whittling stakes, he's made like twenty." Gunn snorted handing her a bottle of water and some pain killers. "I think he was worried about you Sunnydale."

"Can you get him for me?" Dawn asked drinking greedily from the bottle. "And don't call me that!"

"I think I'll go make sure Ethan still has a head attached to his body." Willow decided walking out of the bedroom so Dawn could be alone with Connor.

"I'm okay with it not being attached!" She yelled after her tossing back two more pills and rubbing her temples, stupid hard floor.

"Hey."

Connor leant against the door, hands in pockets almost like he was afraid she was going to bite me.

"So heard any good prophecies lately?" Dawn tried to joke, Connor didn't smile but his scowl was slightly less scowly, at least he seemed to be comfortable enough to take a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I really hate prophecies." He mumbled rubbing a hand across his face.

"They're the worst." She agreed. "They don't always come true, Buffy has a habit of screwing prophecies over. Did you ever hear the one about her dying? She totally kicked death's butt, twice."

"All I know about prophecies is that they hurt everyone involved, no good can come from them."

"You came from a prophecy and despite first impressions you're a good guy. I don't just go around kissing anyone." Dawn reached for his hand which he accepted though still not looking in her eyes. "Hey, look at me."

"Why? So we can make a baby just because some old stupid piece of paper told us to?" He snapped.

"No because I want you to." She told him twisting his chin so he was facing her. "I like you and not because of some prophecy."

"How can you know for sure?"

"Well you're not too bad on the eyes, you already know about that which goes bump in the night." She started. "And you're not a half bad kisser either."

"Oh wow ew. Is that what we looked like?" Buffy asked from the doorway grimacing at the two scarily close on the bed.

"You were worse." Dawn replied poking out her tongue. "You get everything out of Ethan?"

"Think so, Giles is researching the prophecy he mentioned. We left Andrew in there to keep an eye on him." Buffy smirked. "Do you think that was too harsh?"

"I don't know has he started reminiscing about his time as a guestage?"

"It's still early he's barely reached his days as a criminal mastermind." Buffy shook her head. "Why do we keep him around again?"

"He wouldn't leave." Willow answered stepping into the room, wiping her hands on a towel. "Giles thinks he's got something; can you stand up Dawnie?"

"I've got her." Connor offered sweeping her up in his arms easily and pushing past the women and into the lounge room placing her gently on the couch.

"The prophecy, it is about the two of you." Giles declared not even tip toeing around the obviously sensitive subject.

"Great can you tell me my due date on their as well?" Dawn asked sarcastically. "Is it a boy or a girl? I need to start knitting some onesies."

"Dawn just let Giles talk." Buffy pleaded with her, the idea of her sister carrying the messiah gave her the chills but she couldn't let her know that.

"As I was saying, the prophecy mentions the miracle children and the child that will be brought forth, wield unspeakable power." Giles continued. "Here's where it's tricky; it says that Dawn and Connor will aid in it's arrival not that it's their child. My grimaldi is rusty but essentialy it says 'When the miracle two are together and the light that was is joined with the light that will be, the saviour will be born."

"The light that was and the light that will be?" Dawn repeated. "Sounds like a bad eight grade love poem."

"That's not all." Giles sighed. "The light that was and the light that will be are from other prophecies, they call the vampire with a soul that light that will be. The light that was seems to refer to a warrior that has been into the light and returned."

"Wait so I'm not the one who's going to be pregnant?" Dawn checked. "Oh thank god."

"Buffy and Angel are going to have the messiah?" Gunn asked. "Does this mean that shanshoozie thing?"

"The light that was; a human champion, that light that will be; a champion who'll become human." Buffy said slowly.

"Brains, beauty and a mean right hook. You've got the full package right there."

The group already dazed and beyond confused turned to the new addition; a short and pale man with amazingly blue eyes.

"Don't just stand there gaping aren't you gonna offer me a beer or something?"

"Doyle." Angel mumbled once again hugging his friend to the shock of pretty much everyone in the room.

"What am I? Last season's shoes?" Cordelia scoffed materializing beside the Irishman.

"Cordy." He hugged her too lifting her up slightly before setting her on the ground, Gunn had hugged her hard not caring if he ripped his stitches.

"I missed you guys too." She glanced over to her old friends. "Hey Buffy, Willow, Giles it's good to see you in person."

"What are you guys doing here?" Willow asked hugging Cordelia and then Doyle, she hadn't met him but she understood what he had meant to Angel and Cordy.

"Princess here pitched a fit that scared even the big guys up there." Doyle told them shaking his head. "Said they couldn't just send anyone to deliver the news to you both."

"What news?" Dawn asked form her position on the couch, she was probably fine to get up but she was pretty comfortable, Connor was sitting on the arm behind her head holding her hand protectively.

"First things first." Cordy said leaning over and hugging Dawn and then Connor who seemed a little overwhelmed and a lot disturbed.

"Now that Princess has had her hugs we'll have to get down to business." Doyle took a seat. "Seriously no Guinness?"

"Doyle!" Cordy scolded taking the seat next to him. "Forgive him he's an idiot."

"An idiot you love!" He gloated planting a kiss on her cheek.

"What can I say? I enjoy the challenge of a fixer-upper." She gave a what can you do expression and laughed.

"The prophecy that's got your collective panties in a twist." Doyle began. "I've got the translation from the personal scribe, if you don't mind my dumbed down version."

Giles gestured for him to go ahead.

"When the blood of the chosen met and bring together the fated two, the stars will align and the miracle children will be joined by a third." Doyle intoned enjoying his part as narrator.

"What my idiot boyfriend is trying to say." Cordelia interjected poking his side. "Is that Dawn and Connor's role in this was to bring back together the two champions so that their strength as one would grant a new miracle child to fight the darkness."

"Are you saying that now, after all this time, the powers that screw us have finally decided that Angel and I are allowed to be together?" Buffy asked incredulously. "Take me back with you so I can kick their asses, or whatever they have that is close to that."

"This prophecy was hidden, no one even believed it was real. But a warrior of the light, an ensouled vampire. Both of you with miracles that shouldn't be here. It was all fated so that you two could be together." Cordy explained. "That's why they granted Angel guardianship of his soul."

Everyone who had not known this looked to the brooding vampire in shock, he managed a sheepish smile before making his way to Buffy who was looking closer and closer to smacking something.

"So what does this mean? I don't see the powers just volunteering this information happily."

"They told you once that you were stronger together than you were a part but neither of you were ready yet. There were trials, things you had to experience before you could be together again." Doyle explained. "You're ready now, it's time."

"Great so are we meant to hop a plane to Vegas now and elope?" Buffy asked sarcastically. "Why are they doing this?"

"Because it's your reward." Cordy told her. "You changed the world Buffy, you made hundreds of champions to fight the darkness, and Angel significantly hurt that darkness by killing the circle of the black thorn, the power leaders of evil. You've proven yourselves as champions of the light, champions who have sacrificed themselves and their own happiness to fight the good fight."

"Champions. Doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world is as it should be, to show it what it can be." Connor said slowly looking to his father. "You told me that once."

"The hardest thing in this world is to live in it." Dawn added turning to her sister. "You told me that, you sent Angel to hell and you love him more than anything in this world but you did it because you had to."

"Yeah it's about time you guys got something in return." Willow agreed. "You've died for the mission, and Angel lost so many friends."

"And they all say hi." Cordy said. "Fred was pretty mad about not being allowed to come down but Wes managed to placate her. They're happy together but they miss you, all of you."

She brushed at the tears in her eyes, she had to tell him before she got too choked up.

"She doesn't blame you." Cordy held onto Gunn's hand. "She knows you never meant for it to happen, she loves you but she'll kick your ass if you come up anytime soon. She wants you to live a long and happy life, live it for all of us. Help Annie, find love again, do whatever you want as long as you're happy."

Gunn unabashedly broke down and cried, he missed Fred and her death was something he still felt everyday, the pain of his part and the gaping hole she left in their world.

"Thank you." He managed between tears. "Please just tell her I miss her, and she better save up some of that soulful brown eye magic for when I'm up there."

"I will. But I'm second in line to kick your butt if its soon." She warned hugging him once more. "We're being called back, I wish we could stay. I miss you all so much."

"Like princess said, take your time before you join us, live for us. That means you two as well." Doyle winked at the miracle children, Dawn had the grace to blush.

"Can't you stay?" Angel asked, he didn't want to say goodbye again, he's said too many goodbyes.

"You know we're always watching, your drama is better than anything those stupid networks cook up." Cordy teased hugging her best friend tightly making her way around the room before stopping at Dawn. "He's special, make sure he knows that everyday."

Dawn nodded fighting back her own tears as Cordy and Doyle joined hands and disappeared back to where they had come.

"Wow." Giles breathed sitting down and cleaning his glasses. "I think that Doyle fellow was right, I definitely need a Guinness now."

"For Doyle it was always time for a Guinness." Angel said humorously. "It's not fair, I shouldn't be here when they can't."

"Hey you heard them, they're happy, all of them." Buffy comforted. "They want you to live and apparently even the powers have jumped on that band wagon now."

"And you're not going to be a grandpa!" Dawn added helpfully. "Have I mentioned how glad I am that I'm not going to mother the messiah but just be his or her aunt? So awesome."

"A little Buffy and Angel. I see a lot of brooding, punning and an unusual affinity for stakes." Willow teased.

"Wow your sperm must be like supercharged or something." Andrew said having entered the tail end of the conversation. Buffy glared at him only half heartedly retraining Angel. "I think I'll go back to our hostage now, I was just up to the part where we turned Buffy invisible."

"You do that." Buffy said tightly nodding at Andrew who left the way he came although sadly not for good.

"Well obviously you two have quite a lot to talk about." Giles realized. "Uh we'll get out of your way."

"Actually I kind of fell like patrolling." Buffy said smiling mischievously up at Angel who caught her meaning right away.

"There's a few cemeteries nearby." Angel agreed grabbing their jackets, they were out the door before anyone could argue.

"Aren't Spike and Illyria patrolling tonight?" Gunn wondered aloud.

"Oh Gunn so much to learn about the epic love saga that is Buffy and Angel." Dawn said sadly. "Patrolling usually means going to a cemetery and making out. It's what they used to do in high school."

Willow raised an eyebrow positive there was no way Buffy would have volunteered that little bit of information.

"What? If she didn't want me to read her diary she should have been more creative about its hiding place." Dawn said defensively. "They wont be back for a while, Gunn could you give Connor and I a ride back to campus?"

"Sure." He glanced back at the kitchen. "You two be okay with those two morons?"

"Yeah we still need to figure out what to do with him. I swear he never learns." Willow groaned. You'd think having every plan thwarted would teach you to give up.

"Bye guys, don't leave without saying goodbye." Dawn ordered hugging them both before following Gunn and Connor out the door. While her sister was getting reacquainted with Angel without the threat of Angelus hanging over head she was finally going to have to figure out this thing between her and Connor. Somehow she just knew he wasn't going to be the most communicative guy, but really given who his father was, what else could she expect?

CD BA CD BA

Wow do I suck for keeping you guys hanging! My excuse is a new job. A copywriter position but definitely a foot in the door to becoming an editor. BTW I actually cried a little writing this, I get teary over Doyle. The epilogue is almost finished and I hope you all enjoy it!