Abryxis- Thanks for the review and glad you liked my take on the episode- it's one of my favorites too. I love Buffy's speech at the end. And yes, I thought it was time Joyce got some sort of training- at least a bit. Hehe.

rabdireject- so sorry it was another long wait for updateyness. I'm a bad, bad person. But glad you're enjoying the story so much- gives me a happy. hehe. and well, season 6 will be playing out differently than it did in the show...so watch this space. hehe.

zigpal- my note lossage calls for a standing ovation? I like it! Hehe. And as for Joyce's training...you'll just to wait and see how it goes...;-) haha. Thank you so much for the review. hope you like this chapter.

A/N: Sorry such another long period for an update, but lately my life has been the uberside of hectic. Just got back from a post-semester (non-educational) college trip to London, which was of the uber fun. My mates and I decided to wander over to The British Museum, you know do the whole tourist thang, and the tour guide who led us round was so sweet and nervous (I think he was new) but his name was Giles Newman! And he insisted we call him Giles. Oh man, I had a (silent) chuckle and a half about that one.

"I'm not so sure about this…" Joyce admitted worriedly as she stood in the training room at the Magic Box as Giles headed over to her, a sword in each hand.

"Well, it was Buffy's idea remember-"

"She's doing the dishes for a month,"

"-But I think she's right." Giles continued but Joyce still look apprehensive.

"But it's swords. Pointy, metal, heavy things." Joyce pointed out, "Why are we using swords anyway? It's not like Glory or anyone else is going to challenge me to a sword fight"

"Sword fights can be simple, yet deadly. The co-ordinating skills needed can also be used in hand-to-hand combat," Giles explain in lecture mode, "Sword fighting teaches confidence. And the intensity of battle"

"Hmm…" Joyce non-verbally agreed, her voice wavering.

"Trust me…I'll make it simple," He told her as he put one sword down and handed the other to her. She took it in her hands a little shakily and he stood behind her, reaching around her to put his hands over hers to help her hold the sword properly.

"Now we're just gonna to try a few simple slow moves…exercises," He explained while Joyce distractedly focused on his warm hands over hers and the feel of his body against her.

"You realize this is very distracting?" She told him and he smirked a little before becoming all Watcher.

"Now come on…"

"Come on, you know you wanna party," Willow said as she, Buffy and Xander walked into the magic store, "It's your birthday after all"

"Hello? Have you forgotten how all my previous birthdays have gone?" Buffy looked at her with raised eyebrows, "Bad doesn't even begin to cover it"

"Still, celebrating the birth of the Buff," Xander debated, "A much needed break for the slay gal. Plus," He smiled, "it comes with cake"

"I don't know…" Buffy seemed very of the not-keen, "With the new panic that is Glory, I just don't know whether it's safe to get all partylicious. I just think we all need to be prepared."

"Mmm," Willow nodded, "Speaking of- how's your Mom doing?" Buffy frowned in confusion, "The new training sessions you insisted Giles give her?" Willow prompted and Buffy nodded in realization.

"Oh yeah, well erm tonight was meant to be like the first go," Buffy admitted, "Actually they're probably in there now," She looked over at the closed door to the training room with a concerned look, "I just hope she does okay"

"What's the worry?" Xander asked, "It's not like Giles is gonna stake her or anything"

"No," Buffy agreed, "But he can be Mr. Sorry-I-Got-Carried-Away." The others nodded in silent agreement as they headed over to the glass counter and dumped their bags on the side, "I mean, Mom's no slayer, so what about if he does get too Watchery for her own good?"

"So peek," Xander said simply and Buffy frowned.

"What?"

"You wanna check everything's all of the good and safe…so peek"

"I can't do that…." Buffy said before trailing off and looking at her two friends inquisitively, "Can I?"

Xander just opened his palms to her as if to say 'why not?'.

"W-well, it'd just be to check…." Willow reasoned, "I mean you have to see how everything's going right?"

"Well, yeah…" Buffy nodded with a slight shrug, her voice showing that nosiness was fast becoming the main reason for wanting to be the peeping Slayer.

All three felt inquisitive and so they all quietly headed to the door to the training room. Buffy pushed the door open slightly so they all had enough room to look in without being noticed, making sure the door didn't make a sound as she did so. She looked in just in time to see Giles swing a sword round, clearly in full afore-mentioned carried-away mode, which Joyce ducked with a yelp of surprise and the sword embedded itself in the wall behind her.

Buffy pushed the door open further as she went to protest against Giles' training techniques. She wanted her Mom to be able to defend herself, yeah, but she also wanted her slice-and-dice free. However just as she opened her mouth to point out this fact, Joyce brought up her own sword, not as aggressively as Giles, but with enough force to hit his own sword strongly enough to send him back a few steps and she used this moment to resume standing again, sword at the ready. She, understandably, looked a little unsure as she stood there, biting the edge of her lip nervously, but when Giles swung around with his sword slicing through the air, she quickly and smoothly met it, the sound of metal meeting metal echoing loudly in the room. Buffy raised her eyebrow at her friends, seeing they shared the same look of interest as her as they all stood there watching the scene silently, both Giles and Joyce still being oblivious that the three were there at all.

Giles performed numerous sword swings and thrusts, but Joyce surprisingly parried them all, the urge not to be cut apparently overpowering her nerves. But when their swords met a seventh time, Giles twisted his own around causing Joyce's to go with it, making her twist and end up against the nearby wall where he pinned her sword to the wall with his own, rendering her trapped and unable to move.

Buffy thought this concluded the training session, but before she could comment on what she had seen, her Mom kicked Giles away. She met him with a swing of her own sword, now it was free, but he parried it and they continued this for a moment, before Giles decided to throw Joyce a curve ball by thrusting forward with the sword and Joyce had to jump backwards to avoid the pointy end of the weapon. She however, used his own move from before against him, catching his sword with her own and swinging them both round to pin his against the wall. She succeeded, but the moment she did, he kicked around her ankle, bringing her feet out from under her and she fell flat on the mat, on the way down catching his own leg and bringing him down as well, so it wasn't that much of a successful move on his part. As he went to land on top of her he put out his hands out flat on either side of her to prevent from crushing her and the sword he let go of fell down dangerously, but luckily Joyce caught it with her left hand and gently placed it down on the floor beside her.

"Nice catch," he commented, fully meaning the compliment, but a smile played at his lips. She grinned back as she took in the way they were both lay.

"Thanks…you know if you want to be on top, all you have to do is ask," She laughed at him when she heard the sound of someone clearing their throat coming from the doorway and the two looked over.

"Buffy!" Joyce exclaimed as she and Giles both jumped up, "You were watching…. with Willow…and Xander…an audience Buffy?" Joyce was clearly very embarrassed by this revelation.

"Well, while I am presently working very hard on my denial techniques in reference to that last statement," Buffy told her, "I have to say…considering this was a first time training deal…. I mean you're no Slayer…. but you're pretty good." Joyce smiled warmly at the huge compliment paid by her daughter.

"Yeah," Xander readily agreed, "you'll be whoopin' Giles' ass in no time"

"Hmm…" Joyce said uncommitedly, sounding unconvinced as Giles now put away the swords, "So, Buffy…. given any more thought to a birthday party?"

Buffy groaned and rolled her eyes at the mention of the familiar topic again.

"We were just talking about that," Willow smiled, "We were just trying to convince her that she can't let a birthday go by without a little celebration"

"My Mom has always said, like since, I was little, 'always celebrate your birthday coz it may be your last'," Xander told them and off their looks carried on, "I know- morbidness a key theme there- but it was something she always repeated when she was down to reaching to the back of the liqueur cabinet." This statement created an uncomfortable silence for them all, the topic of Xander's parents being a sensitive one for all of them. It was clear that Xander's home life had been anything but perfect up to him being nineteen, and both Joyce and Giles had once discussed the high possibility that their had not only been mental but also physical abuse towards Xander from him parents. However, Xander never outwardly admitted or said anything and clearly never wished to discuss or talk about it so the entire group was automatically told not to pry.

"I'm still not sure…" Buffy told them, breaking the awkward moment, "I mean, with everything that's going on right now…with Glory…I'm afraid if we do stop working on that and visit party town instead…then it will be my last birthday"

"Buffy-" Joyce began, but Buffy interrupted her.

"No Mom, I'm serious. I really don't think it's a good idea,"

"What's not?" The group looked to see Anya and Tara walk into the training room.

"We were out in the store, we just arrived, when we heard you talking…." Tara explained as she walked over to stand beside Willow at the same time Anya walked over to stand beside Xander, holding his arm a little possessively as though afraid every woman in the room was out for him.

"So what's not a good idea?" Anya asked, "The research?" The entire Scooby gang had been called by Buffy to the magic shop to be on official Glory duty. Ever since the Council had given up all the information they had, Anya felt every moment she had was spent looking through it. "I agree," She smiled, "Let's take a break from the research"

"That's what we're trying to do," Willow told her, "But Buffy doesn't think it's the right time to break out the party piñata" She gave her amigo a friendly glare, "But I personally think there is not a better time. Come on, Buffy, even Slayers need to make with the relaxing sometimes"

"Yeah," Xander agreed, "Embrace that funky party weasel within"

"Fine," Buffy frowned at Xander, "Though I'm not quite sure how to reply to the last part, I will agree to a party if," She stopped Willow mid-woo with a condition, "we research Glory now." They all nodded with repeated 'yeahs' in agreement and Buffy looked at them, "Now as in right this minute guys…" She added and they nodded and aahed in synchronized realization before bustling out of the room into the main part of the store.

"So, Glory," Xander commented, "Actual hell god. I'm thinking we find this thing she's after?" He proposed as they all began to take seats at the round table where the research material already lay in wait.

"The key thing?" Willow filled in, her tone of voice implying she agreed with Xander.

"Yeah," Tara added, "I mean shouldn't we be trying to find it before she does?"

Buffy, Joyce and Giles all stopped dead in their tracks, something that luckily enough went unnoticed by the others, as they all glanced at each other, thoughts of the truth behind Dawn running through their minds.

"I don't think that's what we should be worrying about right now," Buffy assured the group as she took a seat.

"No, Buffy…I think it is," Willow protested, "I mean whatever Glory's planning on opening with the key- I'm betting it won't be filled with candy and flowers"

"So where should we start looking?" Xander asked, looking around at Tara, Willow and Anya and so not seeing how Buffy, Giles and Joyce were now clumped together, with Buffy still in her seat, as they looked at each other anxiously. "Do we know where it used to be kept? Who saw it last?" He finished his question in time to see the three of them in a completely silent argument. Once, they felt attention on them, they immediately ceased arguing simultaneously to an almost comical level of abruption. Buffy threw her Mom and Giles a pointed look of resolve before looking over at Xander.

"We do," She gestured to herself, Joyce and Giles, "We know where it is"

"You what?" Xander couldn't believe what he had just heard. All this panic over Glory and they'd known where the key element (no pun intended) was all this time?

"You knew and you didn't tell us?" Willow sounded hurt, but also the way she looked at the three of them implied how dangerous she thought their decision was in not telling the rest of them.

"It was very complicated, is very complicated," Joyce told her.

"Y-yes," Giles agreed, "There were reasons"

"Knowing, it…knowing…. knowing could have put you in danger," Buffy told them, but Xander just looked annoyed.

"As opposed to the other kind we're always in?" His voice dripped with sarcasm and was laced heavily with anger and he looked at Buffy with an accusatory glare.

"Xander."

Xander jumped at the sound of Joyce's snappy tone. He'd heard her Mom voice before, but it had never been used on him before so it set him a little on edge. He looked over at her to find out he wasn't the only one. The topic of this key Glory was after was clearing making her very tense.

"Where is this key?" He asked the three of them, "And more importantly, what is it?"

"We have a right to know," Willow added.

Buffy looked at her Mom and Giles and they all seemed to share a look that confirmed they agreed with one another- it was time to tell the rest and they just prayed that the rest of the group wouldn't over-react.

"There something we have to tell you," Buffy told them all, "About Dawn…"

"So," Anya said in an overly cheerful, but nevertheless genuine, tone as she sat down on the couch beside Joyce. It was Buffy's party and mere moments ago Dawn had given her sister the present that had caused the entire group to become silently touched and emotional. It was now only Anya who seemed unfazed by the moment as she started to chat happily with Joyce, "about the wedding. That is yours, because well…we don't know anyone else who's getting married. And if we did, at this present time I would still be talking about yours"

There was a moment as Joyce tried to work out what Anya had actually said, before she finally replied.

"What about it?"

"Well, I've heard that when one woman is getting married it's some form of rite and/or tradition where the bride-to-be discusses said wedding plans with fellow female associates and thus creating a bonding moment for all parties involved" Anya smiled broadly, "So, discuss away."

"Erm…" Joyce sounded extremely unsure as she smiled at Anya, "Well, erm…what do you want to 'discuss'? The venue…the dress…bridesmaids…food…?"

"All of the above," Anya told her, "But I believe a good starting point would be guest lists. I think this will lead to a very in depth discussion. So who ya inviting? I mean, I'm invited of course…I am right?"

"Yes, you are." Joyce laughed at Anya's nod of relief and the little pleased smile that followed. Joyce doubted that the former demon had ever been to a wedding. "And of course family will be coming, both Rupert's and mine. Though we're keeping that minimum on both counts for obviously complicated reasons"

At this point Buffy had walked back into the room and she frowned at hearing her Mother's words.

"What? Giles? Family? They're coming here? For the wedding?" She then turned to Giles, "Wait, you have family?"

"Yeah," Willow agreed, looking at Giles also, "You've never talked about your family before. We just assumed you were…." She trailed off but Giles filled in anyway.

"A lonely man from England without a friend or relation in the world and who's only true contact with humans was his slayer and her high school friends when he moved to America?"

"Well, yeah," Xander admitted, munching on some cake, "So we get to meet the fam at the wedding thang?"

"Well…technically it's a little sooner than that…" Joyce said slowly, revealing plans she and Giles had not yet told Buffy, Dawn or any of the others.

"What d'you mean?" Dawn asked from her comfy seat on the floor.

"Well, uh," Giles looked across at Joyce before looking at the rest of them to answer Dawn's question, "Joyce's parents are coming down next week with ah, Arlene and her family…."

"Grandma's comin' to visit?" Dawn asked excitedly with a huge grin, but Buffy seemed less enthusiastic. Dawn had always been the favorite of their Grandmother and Buffy knew this for a fact all too well.

"And erm…" Joyce cleared her throat, wondering how the others, her daughters specifically, were going to react to the information she was about to give them, "Rupert's family are coming to visit as well. In the same week."

"Like a pre-wedding reunion then?" Tara acknowledged with a smile and Joyce nodded.

"Exactly. We just thought it was kinda needed"

"Wait, whoa, whoa, slow down," Buffy told her, "I'm still stuck on the whole British Invasion thing." She spun to look at Giles, "Your family are coming here? Next week?!"

"Ooh," Willow grinned beside Tara, "More Gileses"

"Whoa, hey- aren't a lot of your family like Go Watchers Council?" Anya asked worriedly, "Aren't they as anti-ex-demon as the ones that came to visit last week? Oh god…I'm not going to be safe in Sunnydale anymore am I? Always been hunted down by Watcher after Watcher…oh God,"

"Anya," Xander rushed over to her and squeezed into between her and Joyce on the sofa to give his girlfriend a comforting hug, "It's all fine. Stop worrying. You're perfectly safe here in Sunnydale…with me"

Anya nodded silently and once he was sure she was calmed down Xander looked over at Giles.

"So how many family members are we talking here?" He asked, "I mean are you like only Brit? Or is there like cousin after brother after cousin after sister to come flying all the way over to this small, hellmouthy Californian town?"

"Well erm…" Giles felt slightly, scratch that, he felt very uncomfortable just reeling off details about his family. He'd always been quite happy to keep everyone around him in the dark about them. "There's, well, there's my Father of course…my erm Mother passed away some years ago, long before I came to Sunnydale in fact…so just the one parent," No one said anything in response to that. It was too far in the past for them to apologize and offer condolences, and there didn't seem to be anything other way to comment on the fact so they all unanimously seemed to decided to opt for respectful silence in response, "I have a brother, uh, Brian- who is at present, despite being several years older than myself, still living a bachelor's life and is actually, now that I think about it, the only one in the family who was told wasn't destined to be a Watcher. He uh, got off scot-free from the 'family business'" He smiled at them all briefly, giving away details of his family clearly making him nervous.

"No way," Buffy smiled, "You have siblings? I always pegged you for the only child type." At his look she explained, "No what I mean is…it would sorta explain why you did the whole uber rebellion thing. All the pressure from your parents just on you and such…plus," She added, "You like never mentioned any."

"So true," Xander asked, "What do you think we'd do Giles? Mock your familyness?" Giles looked at him silently, "Okay good point,"

"I'll have you know not only do I have an older brother, but also an older sister." He told them all.

"Oh," Buffy nodded and then suddenly grinned, "That makes you, like, the baby of the family!"

"Cool," Dawn nodded her approval, having empathy for the baby-of-the-family complex.

"That is so cute," Willow, giggled as she looked at the others for a moment, "He's like the baby Giles"

"Yes," Giles said simply, taking off his glasses and cleaning them briefly, "well, I don't see why I never told you this information before," He said sarcastically as he put his glasses back on and Buffy could visibly see his embarrassment from the entire thing.

"I'm sorry," She apologized, but she was still smiling, "We are fully of the understanding and one with the intrigued. So, erm what's this sister like?"

"Well, she, that is Jacqueline, well, uh she's married and has just the one son who would be…about Dawn's age now I think." He told them, "Though I haven't seen him since he was around eight or nine. Jac is a watcher though. She was quite happy about it too. Much more than I was I believe."

"Hmm, well it's all coming out now ain't it Watcher Man?" Xander grinned, "So they're all coming her next week?"

"Yes," Joyce told him, "It's going to a bit hectic when they're here…though thank God both families are uh are staying somewhere that isn't here…and I'd understand if all of you would want to make yourself scarce"

"Are you kidding?" Xander scoffed, "Miss Giles in his family dynamic? No way!"

"Yeah, we wanna see," Willow grinned.

"Wonderful," Giles commented, clearly meaning anything but, "Nervous as I am about this entire thing, but now I also have an audience"

"Nervous? Why you nervous?" Anya asked.

"Well, it is a bit nerve-wracking," Joyce admitted, "I mean I've never met any of Rupert's family and my parents barely know anything about him. In fact I think Arlene's the only relative from either side that knows anything first hand. In all honesty," She looked at them all, "Next week is not something I'll skipping through the hills about"

"Exactly," Giles agreed, feeling as nervous about the entire affair as his fiancee.

"Well, I could help you make cake," Tara offered and Joyce looked at her in confusion.

"Pardon?"

"What I mean is, when we used to have family reunions when I was younger, my Mom used to be just as nervous so to break the ice she always used to make this great chocolate cake…. and well…. and when everyone was having a slice, they were so busy enjoying it they actual forgot their nerves and…. and…then everything was fine," Tara smiled shyly, her timidness returning momentarily as everyone paid full attention to her.

"That's actually a very good idea Tara," Joyce acknowledge and the girl smiled.

"I'd be very happy to help," She offered, "With the recipe and everything"

"Thank you, I would love the help," Joyce thanked her, appreciating the girl's offer immensely, even though she herself already knew how to make chocolate cake. "Oh speaking of guests though," Joyce said, suddenly remembering something, "That reminds me…I was thinking….well, Buffy, what would you think about inviting Cordelia?"

"Cordelia?!" Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Anya all exclaimed in unison and both Tara and Joyce jumped at the stereo exclamation while Dawn sat there without flinching as though she had fully expected that reaction, which she probably had.

"Mom, why on earth would you wanna invite Cordelia?" Buffy asked, "I mean she's alright and everything…but still I'm not really seeing the connection"

"Well, she was there when Rupert and I first started dating and she fought along side you all more than once throughout High School remember?

"Okay…" Buffy said slowly, thinking the concept was oddly random but accepting it without any real problem.

"But that would mean, we would be obliged to invite the rest of the group from L.A," Joyce carried on, "Including…. Angel?"

"Oh," Buffy said simply, a whole mixture of thoughts rushing at her at this concept.

"I was just wondering whether you would be okay with that?" She asked slowly and carefully while Buffy stood there silently for a minute. She looked deep in thought, the look in her eyes revealing to the rest of the group that in mere seconds she was going over so many different memories she had of being with Angel. And considering whether she was ready, whether she was able to see him again without everything becoming so very complicated.

"Erm," She finally said, swallowing to add moisture to her now dry mouth, "Erm that'd be fine…but erm…. he'd only be able to come to the after-party here you know? Because of the Daylight Thing."

"I know," Joyce nodded. She wasn't particularly keen on Angel coming to the wedding herself, but it seemed wrong to send an invite to Cordelia and not offering invitations to the rest of 'Angel Investigations'. Sometimes you just had to bite the bullet, "But you're sure you're okay with it?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, honest," Buffy said, smiling finally and she was sure it was going to be fine, she was going to make sure of it.

"Whoa, it'd be a bit weird seeing Cordy back in Sunnydale after all this time, " Willow commented and Xander nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I mean I've not seen her since High School. It seems a lifetime ago" As he said this Anya looked at him evenly, "What?" He asked, "What? I don't still have feelings for her!" She carried on looking at him silently, "I don't! I love you!" Anya relented a little in acceptance but still kept looking at him suspiciously and he sighed in resignation realizing he was never going to full win the argument with the former vengeance demon.

"Wait, all of the group from L.A?" Giles checked. He had discussed this with Joyce earlier, but he was just double-checking something that had just this minute occurred to him.

"Yes," Joyce told him with a little nod.

"But doesn't that include, ah, Wesley?"

"Yes, you know that," Joyce told him, "We've talked about this"

"Ah, no," Giles disagreed, "We talked about Angel and Cordelia. We did not talk about Wesley"

"She needs to get up soon if she's going to make it on time for school," Joyce said to Giles as the two of them stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up in the direction of Dawn's room. She couldn't believe how badly everything had gone last night, how everything had suddenly fallen apart. Everything had been going so well and then Dawn had walked in, her arms cut, blood pouring from the wounds on to the carpet. Joyce just hadn't been able to believe the sight; she couldn't believe that her baby girl had cut herself.

But Dawn had found out she was the key, that…essentially all her memories were false that everything…she just couldn't imagine what she was going through. She wanted to tell her everything was going to be alright, that it didn't change anything, she was still her daughter- nothing would change that, that they all loved her…but Dawn wouldn't let her anywhere near her. She had screamed for the three of them to get out of her room last night. Screamed and screamed. Joyce had heard her sobbing through the door and now…now she wasn't making any moves to get up, wasn't leaving her room.

"I guess I'd better go get her up," Joyce smiled weakly as she headed up the stairs. Giles followed but while she walked into Dawn's room, Giles stayed out in the hallway feeling if the two of them went in Dawn might feel as though they were ganging up on her and she was already going through enough without feeling surrounded by seemingly disapproving adults.

A moment later though, Dawn stormed out of her room, fully dressed and with her school backpack on her shoulder as she stomped down the stairs in silent aggression and headed out the front door, slamming it loudly behind her. After watching this scene in silent surprise he expected Joyce to walk out of the room after her, but she didn't. Concerned and a little puzzled Giles walked into Dawn's room to see Joyce sat silently on the bed holding one of Dawn's favorite toys in her arms.

"I remember when I bought her this," She said to Giles while looking intently at the small golden toy fox, running her hands gently over the soft faux fur, "We were on a family holiday and we were walking through one of the gift shops. She spotted it on a high shelf…. she couldn't reach it," She laughed a little, it was a quiet melancholy laugh, "She kept asking for it…Hank said she'd had enough…which she had really. We had bags full of toys for her and Buffy…but, but she wanted it so much that when Hank headed out of the store, Buffy and Dawn alongside him, I headed back in and bought it her. She was so pleased…so happy." She looked over at Giles, tears threatening to build in her eyes but she was successfully fighting them back, refusing to give in, "She said…" Her voice wavered though and she swallowed, looking down at the fox once more before looking back at Giles and beginning again, "She said that I'm not her real Mother."

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," Giles comforted her as he took a seat beside her on the bed, "She's just very angry and confused at the moment…understandably…and she's just lashing out"

"I know…but…. I know there's truth to her words and that's what hurts the most," Joyce admitted as the tears started to gain control, "I can't tell her not to be silly because she's not completely wrong. I am her mother, I feel like her mother, I love her like a Mother loves her daughter…. but really, in reality- am I?"

"Of course you are. Now you are being silly, if you, for even a moment, think that isn't true."

She nodded silently, but he could tell from the way she sat and the look in her eyes that she was still going over what Dawn had said. Going over it constantly, analysing every word. He put his arms around and she happily, yet quietly settled into his embrace.

Later on, Joyce was in the kitchen, still thinking over Dawn's words. She hadn't gone into work. With everything that was going on recently, she just couldn't face going in. Her friends just assumed it was wedding plans taking over her life temporarily, as they had initially expected. Ha. If only they knew the half of it.

The sound of the phone ringing drew her out of her daze and she headed over from her seat at the island to reach the wall phone near the kitchen door.

"Hello?" She answered and heard the sound of the voice of Sunnydale Junior High's secretary, "Yes, this is Mrs Summers…. wait…. the Principal…why does…. wait, Dawn did what?!"

After hanging up she headed into the dining room where she saw Giles stood looking through a shelf of books. Most likely looking for a text referring to 'the key'. Since Dawn had found out…who…what…who she really was, Buffy had told everyone to try and find out everything they could about that- where she came from, how she came to be…everything. It was all too much for Joyce and so this was the one research task in years that she had opted to stay out of.

"Rupert?" She called and he looked over at her, "Dawn's school just called. The principal needs to see us…me…us, well, you know what I mean"

"Dawn's in the exclusion office at the moment," The school secretary told Joyce and Giles when they arrived, and she gestured to some plastic chairs in the hall, "If you could just wait here for a moment, Principal Rothwell will be with you soon"

Joyce nodded silently as the woman walked away. She walked over to the chair slowly and took a seat and discovered how incredibly uncomfortable they were. She put her handbag on the small table beside her and dropped her head into her hands, wondering for a moment at how seriously messed up all their lives were. After the brief moment she finally ran her fingers through the length of her hair, pushing the front pieces off her face before lifting her head out of her hands with a contemplative sigh in time to see Giles walking over to take a seat also.

"I wouldn't advise it," She told him, "They're as uncomfortable as they look"

At that moment the door to Principal Rothwell's office opened and out stepped the woman in question.

"Mrs Summers…?" She gestured towards the open door and Joyce got up, heading into the room with Giles closely behind her.

Once they had taken a seat opposite the Principal's desk, they heard the door close as Holly Rothwell headed over to take her seat on the other side of the desk, facing them.

"I assume you know what this is about," Holly said calmly, referring to the information Joyce had been given over the phone.

"Yes," Joyce nodded, "Well, uh, it was briefly explained to me, yes…"

"I'm sure you were as shocked as I was," Holly said, "Dawn is such a bright student as I'm sure you both know…she's always attentive in class, participates in class discussion, always hands her homework in on time and then today…."

"I don't know where she's heard that type of language Ms Rothwell, she certainly-" Joyce said and Holly nodded in understanding.

"I know…she's never spoken like that in class before today either. But when Mrs Stockley asked her question in her history class Dawn initially downright refused to participate and when her teacher tried to convince her…well, that's when Dawn said the horrific things that were mentioned on the phone"

"What exactly is it she did?" Giles asked, "Did she tell ah, Mrs Stockley, to shut up…to…what exactly?"

"No, nothing as minor as that," Holly shook her head, "Well if you must know she told Vanessa, that is Mrs Stockley, to F off," Holly explained using the first initial of the swear word instead of the whole thing and Joyce covered her mouth as she let out a gasp of shock. She had been told on the phone that Dawn had sworn badly at the teacher, but she hadn't known it had been so severe, "And many other uses of taboo language of that nature," Holly continued, "The whole scene became quite hysterical"

"I'm very sorry for the, ah, trouble that's been caused," Giles apologized to the Principal as Joyce still sat there in mild shock.

"It's okay, I assure you…but as this kind of thing has been unheard of in regards to Dawn until now and I was wondering if she's gone through any sudden changes recently that might cause this sort of behavior. As her parents perhaps you may have some insight into it all…"

"Oh, I'm not her parent…" Giles corrected looking at Joyce.

"Oh, are you an Uncle or-" Holly suggested but Joyce shook her head.

"No, erm, well, he's my fiancee so, erm, if anything he's her, uh, stepdad really…"

"I see," Holly nodded, "Is this engagement fairly recent?"

"What?" Joyce asked in confusion, "No it was last- oh wait," Joyce suddenly understood why the head teacher was asking the question, "You think this is the reason Dawn…. no, Dawn was actually surprisingly happy about it…" Joyce shrugged in contemplation, "At least in comparison to my other daughter at least…. but erm…. a lot of things are going on right now…. it's family things you know."

Holly nodded in understanding.

"Yes, well, of course she will have to be suspended for a short time."

"What?" Joyce asked in surprise, despite everything she had been told "For how long?"

"Well, considering her other offences today-"

"What other offences?" Giles asked and Holly silently got out the typed form of information in answer.

When Joyce and Giles finally left Holly Rothwell's office, Dawn was waiting in one of the red plastic chairs in the hall, sulking. When she heard her Mom and Giles come out of the office, she stood up, putting her bag on her back and making an attempt at looking unfazed by the way her Mom was looking at her in disappointment and disapproval.

"In the car," Joyce pointed out the door, a smile nowhere near visible on her face as she talked to her youngest daughter, "Now."

Dawn was debating heading downstairs to where she knew her Mom, Buffy (and possibly Giles) sat in the living room talking about her 'situation'. Dawn doubted what was going on in her life could be classed as simply a situation. It wasn't even her life was it? None of it was real. She'd never written any of her diaries. She'd never gone to the beach with her Dad and sister. She'd never gone to the park with Buffy as kids. None of it had happened! She'd never existed. She wasn't fourteen years old. She was four months! They all kept telling her that none of it mattered. Her Mom had even treated the situation at school normally. Telling her off and giving her the silent treatment in the car to show her disappointment. It was hard to believe that she wasn't really her Mom. But then as all three of them kept insisting, they were her family, she was just new to the ranks.

So maybe everything could be okay- they could opt for denial, pretend like nothing had changed. Dawn loved the idea of going back to that, before she knew everything. And everything and everyone around her was so familiar it would be so simple and easy to slip back into the ordinary, normal routine.

As she headed along the landing her Mom's voice floated up as she spoke to Buffy.

"Her school called today, she was suspended. She yelled at a teacher. The things she said Buffy…I mean she's never used language like that"

"She probably thinks she can say or do anything right now," Dawn heard Buffy reason, "She's not real. We're not her family. We don't even know what she is,"

At these words, heartbroken, Dawn went to run off to her room but she heard her Mom and carry on talking to Buffy so she stopped momentarily to listen.

"Don't you think I know that? I know it more than you or Rupert…than any of you….because I'm the one that actually remembers her not being here remember? I know what it was like without her! Without her here….when you didn't have a sister…when-"

Dawn couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her Mom not only seemed to remember when she wasn't around, but the way she was talking she clearly preferred it. They all preferred it. Dawn was just a pesky nuisance, a Slayer's duty that was getting in the way of the rest of their lives. She ran off into her room not sure whether she was upset or angry.

Downstairs, Joyce was carrying on talking to Buffy.

"I know all this for a fact- but it makes me even more sure that we are her family. Nothing's going to change that. How can you talk about her as if she's…she's a thing?"

"I'm not!" Buffy insisted loudly, "I'm just saying…that's probably how she feels"

"Well, then we have to show her that it isn't true. She needs to know that she's still a part of this family and that we love her"

"It's not that simple!" Buffy exclaimed standing up also, to face her Mother, "This isn't gonna be solved by a hug and a kiss and a bowl of soup!" At this point, Giles came into the room, his attention drawn by the racket both Joyce and Buffy were creating from their arguing. "Dawn needs to know where she came from, she needs real answers"

"P-perhaps we should, ah, calm down slightly, perhaps?" Giles asked tentatively aware of the tension in the room and both women turned to look at him before saying in synchronization:

"No"

They then turned back to look at each other.

"Dawn needs her sister, not the Slayer Buffy," Joyce said, a little more calmly than before.

"The slayer is the only thing standing between Dawn…and this God from the bitch dimension that wants to shove her in some lock and give her a good twirl. Mom, I need to be out there doing my job-"

She was cut off by a shrill beeping noise ringing throughout the house and she instantly recognized it as the effects of Willow and Tara's anti-Glory spell or rather Pro-Dawn spell.

"Oh god, Glory. It's Willow's spell," Buffy announced running up the stairs but Joyce knew it was really the sound of the fire alarm and she tried to tell Buffy as she and Giles headed up the stairs after her towards Dawn's room.

"Wait, it's not Glory"

Buffy wasn't listening though as she kicked down Dawn's door and rushed inside closely followed by Joyce, while Giles resolved to stand in the doorway looking at the flaming wreck that was Dawn's room. The waste paper basket was on fire and inside was the burning pages of what looked to be Dawn's diaries.

"Dawn!" Buffy exclaimed in annoyance looking around to tell her sister off.

"Buffy…" Joyce tried to calm her down as she looked in the direction of the open window.

"No, Mom," Buffy argued, "She could have burnt the house down"

"Buffy," Joyce repeated, "She's gone"

"Dawn, what the hell did you think you were doing?" Joyce exclaimed, pulling Dawn into her arms for a tight hug as Buffy and Giles returned home with her. She pushed her daughter away from the embrace for a moment, but not letting go of her shoulders as she looked directly into her eyes, "Don't you ever do that again," She told her firmly before pulling her back in for another tight hug, "I was worried sick. Where on earth-" She at this point caught sight of Buffy's blood soaked shirt and injury to go with, "Wait, Buffy, what's- why…" She looked at all of them, "What happened?"

"We had another slightly-more-successful showdown with Glory"

"Oh my God…" Joyce breathed in shock before frowning at Buffy, "Wait, slightly more successful?"

"Yeah, erm, Willow and Tara did this poofity spell and Glory was relocated at no extra cost," Buffy explained.

"Mom…." Dawn spoke quietly, "I'm sorry about the…. I'm sorry about the whole house on fire deal-"

"Oh it's okay sweetie," Joyce assured her, hugging the fourteen-year-old again, "I'm just glad you're okay"

Dawn went to speak but Buffy nudged her and she shut up.

"Don't even think about asking her" Buffy warned and Dawn shrugged in sullen acceptance before heading past everyone up the stairs and presumably to her room.

"Ask me what?" Joyce asked.