AN: Thank you for the reviews. BTVS doesn't belong to me.
"So, how was the hospital?" Angel asked from his office doorway as Lilith walked into the lobby.
"Good, though these two people in suits on the way out tried to make me go with them. Faith was right there are a ton of weird people in the world." The brunette was chuckling at that last part.
"Suits? What did they look like?" The souled vampire had an idea on who these people were.
"Both had brown hair, one was a girl the other a guy. Oh, they said they were from Wolfram and Hart." She answered.
"Lilah and Lindsey; they're trying to destroy me and cause hell on Earth." Angel explained.
"Oh, no wonder they wanted a trained assassin. How'd Buffy react when you called her?" Lilith smirked at the champion's shocked look. "You weren't exactly discreet when I walked in here a few minutes. You looked a little guilty."
"Anyway, why doesn't Wesley take you to Sunnydale?" The vampire turned to the former watcher.
"Not that I don't want to go to Sunnydale, but why me?" The Englishman questioned.
"You know the area better than Gunn; and me and Cordy need to stay in case she has a vision." Angel explained his decision.
Wes finally agreed and they were off. It was after dark by the time that they arrived at the Hellmouth. Lilith advised the Brit to go to the Magic Box as that is where the group usually was at night or, really, anytime of the day. Wesley, despite his intention to just drop her off at the shop, turned off the car and walked in causing some people to stare in shock at the sight of the former annoying watcher.
"Giles, I'm sorry that I beat you up. I don't know what was going on in my head. So, what have I missed?" Lilith jumped up onto the counter when she got close enough.
"Wes, did you give her drugs?" Faith glared at the Englishman to show the seriousness of the question.
"Bloody hell, no. I would never do such a thing." Wesley stammered.
"I'm not on drugs, Faith. For once in my existence, I feel like a normal person." Her clone smiled from on top the counter trying to save the Brit for Faith's glare.
"Wow, I'm going to guess your talk with my mom went well?" Buffy questioned the, for once, smiling teenager.
"Yeah, but thanks for bringing me home, Wes." Lilith called to the man as he left and the others said their goodbyes as well. "You never told me what I missed."
"Nothing much just a few vamps here and there." The blonde slayer explained not wanting the whole gang to know about Dawn and Faith shot Buffy a questioning look.
Later that night, Faith, Lilith, Giles, and Buffy walked into Giles' apartment. The youngest brunette was attempting to go straight to bed but was stop with Faith asking her to come, sit, and talk for a minute. Buffy explained to the cloned teen about what Dawn was and that something was after her. Lilith sat in thought over what she had been told when a determination set in on her face.
"I won't let her be hurt." The young woman stated fiercely.
"Okay, this is all good but we must at least tell the others about the demon so we can begin researching her as well." Giles advised.
"You're right but I think the less people that know about the key the better. It might mean that we keep this from Dawn too. I don't want someone to slip up and it get back to this bitch." Buffy compromised.
"Are you sure that this should be kept from Dawn?" Lilith wondered. "If she finds out about this another way, it could end very badly but, on the other hand, keeping it from her might ensure she doesn't get any stupid ideas about whatever happens as her fault and could stop her from doing anything foolish."
"I don't know what to do. All I know is that Dawn's in trouble and I got to keep her safe and if by doing that means keeping this from her than I'll do it." The blonde slayer answered determinedly.
"We get it, B. You want to protect her and we'll go with whatever you chose to do." Faith tried to calm her sister slayer.
Couples of weeks later and days before Tara's birthday, Buffy and Xander were researching the new demon. The two were discussing what to get the blonde Wicca for her birthday and couldn't decide on anything. Lilith was listening intently to their discussion while 'working' on a math paper that Willow had given her and waiting for Tara to show up to help her with some of the English stuff she didn't get as Tara had a way of explaining it for her to understand.
"So, are you guys all witches?" A young man in a green jacket with a scraggly beard approached the group and the group starred at him like he was high.
"Donny." Tara's voice stopped anything Xander was going to say. "W-w-wh-wha-what ar-are yo-you do-do-doing here?"
"Can't I come see my little sister for her birthday?" He almost sounded cheerful but the look on Tara's face said she was less than happy.
"Is that anyway to greet your family?" An older short haired man walked in followed by a blonde woman in a pink top.
"D-d-dad, Cousin Beth, hi." Her voice was shaky as she greeted her family.
"I stopped by your dorm room and some people told me I might find you here. I want to take you out for your birthday tonight. I'll pick you up at six." Mr. McClay ordered. "It was nice meeting you all."
Buffy and Faith walked into the Summers' home and saw Riley descending the stairs. He greeted his girlfriend with a smile and a sweet little kiss. Dawn came down not seconds later and was about to walk out the door when Buffy caught her on the arm.
"Whoa, where are you going?" Buffy demanded.
"I'm going to Melinda's for dinner." Dawn answered annoyed.
"Since when?" Some part of her knew she was being irrational.
"Now-ish." The Brunette Summers was getting an attitude.
"B, how about I walk her over there, just in case? I should probably go anyways." Faith suggested.
"Okay. Dawn have a good time." The blonde slayer smiled gratefully at her slaying partner as the two brunettes left.
"What was that about, Buffy?" Riley asked.
"I just don't think it's safe for her to be going anywhere she wants right now. I have to protect her and I can't do that if she doesn't listen." Buffy vaguely explained.
"It's just across the street, Buffy. I don't think it's that dangerous." The ex-Initiative agent laughed.
"Ugh, you don't get anything could happen to her and you're laughing about it." The now pissed off slyer walked around him from the doorway and tried to go upstairs but was caught by her boyfriend.
"Look, I'm sorry but maybe you should tell me what has you so on edge." Riley tried to apologize but Buffy couldn't think of anything to tell him so he took it as a bad sign. Grabbing his coat, he heads towards the door but before he leaves he says, "When you feel like letting me in, you know where to find me."
It was later that night when Tara watched the Scoobie meeting from the room. She didn't want to leave the new home she had found but the blonde didn't want them to see what she really was. She said the words to a spell that would hide her true self from them. There was only a slight pause in Giles' speech as the spell settled in them but they were unaware of anything. The blonde felt horrible doing that to the people she had grown to love like a new family but she couldn't go home with her father.
After the meeting, Faith, Buffy, and Lilith were lightly sparring with each other. They suddenly felt their slayer senses go off and looked around for what could be causing it. Not seeing anything, the blonde slayer closed her eyes to listen to what's going on around her. She heard a noise just behind her and shot her foot out hitting something. Buffy heard her sister scream and ran out the room. Tara ran into the middle of the store and reversed the spell then was shoved into the counter. Finally seeing the tall white demon, the blonde slayer sweep kicked it causing it to fall onto the steps and Buffy broke its neck on them. That's when Tara's family walked in.
"What in God's name are those things?" Mr. McClay demanded.
"Lei-ach demon. Funny little buggers. Big with the marrow sucking." Spike spoke walking in from the back with the other two slayers and Lilith ran to try and help Tara.
"What happened?" Buffy asked turning to the scared blonde on the floor.
"I'm sorry, I'm s-s-so s-s-so-sorry." Willow came to lean down by her girlfriend and Tara continued looking at her, "I-i-i was trying to hide. I didn't want you to see… what I am."
"What do you mean 'what you are'?" Buffy interrogated.
"Demon. The women in our family have demon in them. It's where the magic comes from." Tara's father provided the explanation. "We came to take her home before something like this happened."
"You cast a spell on us to keep us from seeing your demon side." Giles sounded like he didn't want to believe it.
"I'm sorry. I'll just go." Tara stood up but was stopped by a freaked out red head.
"Wait, go? You just did a spell that went wrong. I trusted you more than anyone in my life. Was all that just a lie?" Willow asked looking desperately at her everything.
"No, of course not…"
"It is none of your concern. The girl belongs with her family. I hope that is clear to everyone?" The blonde was interrupted by her father.
"Oh, it is. You want her, you can have her." Buffy paused before turning to the older man. "You're just going to have to go through me."
"And me." Dawn chimed standing next to her sister.
"You want to take Tara out of here against her will; you have to deal with me." The blonde slayer wanted to make it sink in.
"I will not be threatened by two little girls." Mr. McClay snarled.
"You're not just dealing with two little girls." Giles responded to the obvious threat and everybody nodded in agreement.
"Dad, don't tell… Tara, you get in the car or I swear by god I will beat you down." Donny pointed his finger at the blonde but his arm was grabbed and he was thrown into the counter then onto his back the face of Lilith snarling was all he could see.
"Big mistake." Lilith growled. "Now, Tara doesn't want to go so get the fuck out of here or I'll rip your arms off."
"Wait, what kind of demon is she?" Anya asked from her position behind the counter.
"What does it matter?" Beth stammered.
"Evil is evil." Mr. McClay stated matter of factly.
"Bull shit." Faith scoffed.
"Ah, I think I see what's going on here." Spike said as he moved through the gang and tapped on the blonde's shoulder punched her in the face then grasped his head in pain. "There's no demon in there. Just a story to keep the birds in line, I like you."
After being be thoroughly embaressed, the McClay's left and leaving everybody to celebrate Tara's birthday in peace.
AN: Please review and ask any questions you have.