The year 2021, location unknown.
Willow was happy.
At least that was the last thing she remembered.
She was hugging Buffy, her eyes full of tears at seeing her again. At seeing everyone she loved. From Xander, Giles, Tara, Faith, Anya, Joyce, Spike, to even Andrew. They were all there to greet surrounded by wisps of heavy white clouds after her death. Willow remembered telling Buffy while they hugged that she loved Dawn, that they weren't together just because they both needed a release from the death and destruction all around them.
"I really loved her, Buffy," Willow whispered as Buffy nodded her head as they continued to hug. The Slayer then pulled back, a smile on her face and said she was happy for Willow. Buffy told Willow that, to her, she had only arrived what seemed like minutes ago.
"I saw mom, Giles, Anya, Xander, Faith, Spike, and Tara here waiting for me," Buffy said as Willow looked up from her. The blonde Slayer stepped back as Tara rushed at Willow. The both of them hugged while Buffy stood to one side; the Slayer smiling at Xander and the others who walked closer while Tara and Willow kissed. She then turned back to Willow who whispered, "I love you, Tara. I love Dawn. I love you both so much, baby."
"She did something so brave, Will," Tara whispered as she looked into Willow's eyes while brushing the tips of her fingers on Willow's check, "and you made the ultimate sacrifice so that she could go back in time." Tara kissed Willow again while the others surrounded them. Willow was then let go by Tara so that the former could hug Xander, Giles, and then Joyce.
However, just as she was about to hug Spike, Willow stumbled backwards, to the worried looks from the others, as she grabbed her chest.
"Will?" Tara cried as she dashed to her girlfriend and held her arm. Buffy rush to Willow as well and grabbed her other arm to steady her as she shook her head while panting. "Will!?" Tara cried again, her voice tinged with sorrow, as Willow started to fade. The blonde witch turned to Giles and asked what was happening while Willow stared at Tara, and then at Buffy, and then at the others before closing her eyes.
"I… I… feel I'm being pulled… oh God," Willow opened her eyes wide and then vanished. Tara had tears in her eyes while Buffy stared in abject shock. Giles shook his head while Xander and Anya held onto each other. Joyce rushed to Buffy and Tara when the latter crumbled, crying, to the mist covered floor while Faith and Andrew stood next to each other, the former having her hands in her jeans pockets.
"She was pulled back to Earth," Giles whispered shaking his head, "it shouldn't be possible but… I suppose Twilight's takeover of this entire dimension is so complete that he controls everything. Who lives and… and who dies."
"Then why not resurrect any of us?" asked Buffy while she hugged Tara, the both of them on their knees while Joyce had a hand on both their shoulders, "Giles?"
"Because Willow Rosenberg opened the doorway to the past," a voice that seemed to be a cacophony of voices from men, women, and children, was being spoken from behind them. They all turned towards Faith whose eyes were glowing blue while Andrew was stumbling back, away from the dark-haired Slayer, and into Anya.
"Who are you?" asked Giles while 'Faith' glanced at Tara who was wiping her eyes between sobs as she, Buffy, and Joyce stared back at her.
"I am a representative of what you call the Powers that Be," 'Faith' responded as she stared at Giles who narrowed his eyes. "We have known for some time that Twilight would be able to take over all dimensions within this realm. And we were in the process of locking out the heavenly dimensions from his influence. We were simply waiting for the deaths of the final group people who have been responsible for saving this realm numerous times; including Willow Rosenberg and Dawn Summers."
"Guys?" a surprised Riley said after suddenly appearing out of nowhere with a confused look on his face at seeing his ex-girlfriend, along with Graham and various other Slayers and soldiers who simply appeared out of nowhere.
"Riley?" asked a stunned Buffy.
"Our base was discovered and… and everyone was killed and…"
"Twilight's take over is complete," 'Faith' said nodding her head as she interjected what Riley wanted to say, "Willow Rosenberg has been taken, and he has plans for her. Plans that…"
"Then send us back," Tara said as she got onto her feet with Buffy, "send me back, and… and I'll bring her…"
"This is no longer your duty," 'Faith' said, "the heavenly dimensions are in the process of being closed off from the rest of this realm."
"Send me back!" yelled Tara as tears travel down her cheeks and her face turned red in anger and sorrow.
"What we do is as thanks for saving this realm multiple times, Tara Maclay," 'Faith' said, "Willow Rosenberg has a different destiny. Now…." Faith then glanced upwards at the mist covered celling, and then to the pure white mist behind them. She raised her arm up and waved. Everyone behind her saw the mist dissipate to reveal a massive city with spires rising out into the air while towers of white and blue hovered in the air on green land. 'Faith' then turned around and welcomed them to their new home, "the heavenly dimensions have been closed off for all time. All the people who died are in the Heavenly plains beyond this… holding room. A holding room for the people who sacrificed their lives to protect the world; for all of you. Only minutes passed in this room while years passed in the real world."
"I…." Tara's voice cracked before she was interrupted.
"Welcome home, and… and thank you for the sacrifices all of you had to make."
Faith then groaned and stumbled back, nearly fell onto the mist covered floor if it wasn't for Graham who dashed towards her and held her up. "Why do I taste cherries in my mouth?" a confused Faith asked as she looked at Graham holding her steady, and then at the others, "what happened?"
"Willow's gone," Buffy whispered as she held onto a tearful Tara.
Earth, 2021.
Willow snapped her eyes open while panting. The last thing she remembered was hugging Tara before she was pulled back from death. Willow was now surrounded by demons eating body parts of the soldiers who accompanied them to the Sunnydale Crater. She looked around as the stench of blood and guts in the air filled her nostrils, and the redhead kept down the lump forming in her throat. Willow noticed the orbs of green energy that had been surrounding her hands and feet; holding her several inches off the blood covered ground.
"Angel!" yelled Willow who guessed that it was Twilight who brought her back from Heaven. It surprised her just as it terrified her at the same time. 'we never realized how powerful Twilight could be.' Willow thought to herself as she looked over her shoulders for any sign of Twilight, 'he was able to reform my body, and pull my soul back at the same time. How much more powerful could he get? Or is this the extent of his abilities?'
"Welcome back, Willow."
Willow turned her head back to the front and glared at Twilight who was standing with his hands behind his back. She could see his eyes through the black and yellow mask he was wearing; eyes that stared right into her very soul. Willow could see the smile forming under the mask as he stepped forward and placed a hand on her cheek before asking, "where is she, Willow? Where's Dawn? I don't see her body anywhere, and… and I can sense a scar in the fabric of my realm only starting to heal."
"I guess you can't get everything you want, can you?" Willow hissed as she tilted her head.
"Little girl," Twilight sneered as he walked to the spot where the portal had formed from a few minutes ago. He pulled his arm back, his hand forming a clenched fist, and then pushed it forward. Willow had her eyes wide open when a rift was momentarily torn open. His fist was just outside the tear when a tingling sensation went through his body- he recognized the feeling as he smiled at Willow.
"Time travel," he said before he pushed his arm into the breach. But a blue flash of light pushed the arm… and Twilight himself back. He fell onto the blood covered ground to the surprise of Willow while the demons were all feasting on leftover body parts. Willow was confused, the wheels in her mind were working overtime wondering what was going on.
Then she figured it out. And Willow started to laugh after a few seconds. She continued to laugh as Twilight glared at her while getting up to his feet.
"Oh this is so rich!" laughed Willow as tears started to come out of her eyes while she stared as Twilight's body shook in rage. "you can't tear the rift open. You can't go through where Dawn was sent. You didn't exist then… the dimensional walls were never torn then…"
"You sent her to the past," he sneered while his clenched fists trembled by his sides, "you…."
"To prevent you from ever coming to this realm," Willow said before laughing again.
"I'm still here," Twilight growled as he rushed up to Willow and got in her face, "Dawn failed."
"My baby wouldn't fail," Willow sneered as she stared into Twilight's eyes, "she would never fail. You have Angel's memories of her determination and her spunk… she would stop you from ever manifesting."
This time, it was Twilight who sneered before repeating himself, "I'm still here."
"For a living dimension," Willow chuckled, "you're really stupid in some ways aren't you?"
Twilight glared at Willow before a smiled formed under the mask. He knew what was going on, why he and Willow, and his rule itself hadn't been erased yet. He knew any changes would occur from the future and ripple back to the past. But he and his minions were still present and accounted for. "A branch timeline where I haven't been birthed," Twilight said as he looked back at the place where he opened the portal from earlier, a portal he could feel was nearly healed.
"Oh, I'll be given birth in that timeline as well," Twilight crowed looking back at Willow, "and you will be the means by which that will happen. That would be so delicious; you would be the vessel that prepares my access to that timeline."
"I'll never…."
"You will activate all the Slayers," Twilight growled, "that would create the conditions for my return, that will break the dimensional walls and I will come through that dimensional breach. I will control this timeline, and the one that branched off to form a new past, a new present, and a new future. And I… with you by my side… will punish Dawn for daring to go against me."
"I will never, ever, help you." Willow growled as a cold chill went up her spine. There was a part of her that knew he could do what he wanted… that he could open the rift. Willow mentally kicked herself at underestimating Twilight's power, 'he is this dimension. I'm looking at the vessel, but Twilight has already taken over. Of course, he'd have enough power to open the rift. But he can't get through, so that's the really good thing. He can't affect the past on his own, and…'
"You can fight all you want, Willow," Twilight said as he took few steps forward until they were inches apart. He up took off his mask before dropping it to the blood-soaked ground. And for the first time in over ten years, Willow laid eyes on her former friend, on Buffy's former lover, and the ally of the Scoobies and leader of the Fang-gang. Angel was pale, and his eyes were cloudy… his hair had gone silver as a smile formed on his face to show his still sharp fangs. He caressed both sides of Willow's face, his gloved fingers brushing on her skin as they stared eye to eye.
To anyone else looking on, it would seem as the both of them were simply staring at each other. However, in reality, something much more different was happening. Willow tried to pull more of the Earth's magic to block the tendrils she felt creeping into her mind. She knew it was Twilight reaching into her thoughts and memories, corrupting them… bastardizing them for his own use. Willow clenched her teeth tight as she gathered more power… at least she tried to. The Earth's magic was so corrupted that she could only feel a trickle; she already used the majority of her powers to open the rift.. a rift which she could now feel had already healed, but Twilight tore it open.
Willow closed her eyes in pain, trying not to scream, as Twilight's hands glowed while she was being brainwashed to follow his orders. But Willow couldn't hold the pain back anymore. She released a loud scream as Twilight laughed.
Sunnydale Mall, the past.
Willow and Tara stared at Dawn in utter shock while Buffy hand her elbows on the table in front of her, cradling her forehead in the palms of her hands. They had just finished eating lunch in the mall, and their table was full of empty plates and containers from the nearby Chinese stall, when Tara and Willow insisted on knowing why it was that Tara left Willow in the other timeline.
It was Dawn who told them that they didn't need to know- that Giles would be able to get Willow help in controlling her magic, and what happened to her Willow and Tara wouldn't happen in the new timeline. But Tara and Willow still wanted to know.
And so, Dawn reluctantly told them. And the reaction was exactly what she predicted; a stunned look on Tara, a horrified expression from Willow, and the worried expression on Buffy. Dawn glanced at all of them before saying that Willow did get better, but the damage was done. And it became even more pronounced to 'world-ending' levels after Tara's death.
"The Willow I knew after Tara died had what she should have always had," Dawn said, "our support. She had self-control, and us calling her out when she tried to go too far." Dawn turned to Willow and smiled before turning back to Buffy who was looking back at her sister, "you pulled her back, Buffy. Xander too. Giles, Me… we all did."
Buffy nodded her head while Willow turned to Tara and hugged her tight.
"That's never happening between us, baby," Willow whispered as she thought to herself about the fight they had the day Tara had her mind sucked. She wanted to head to the Magic Box and find a spell that would remove the memory of their fight. She was actually going to head up to the dark magic section on the second floor and find a book that would explain the ingredients needed for the spell casting… but there were too many people. She had to wait; but as fate would have it, that was the day she rushed to the Cultural Fair after one of Glory's minions was captured. The creature told Willow and the others that Glory believed Tara was the Key.
Willow's heart raced a she closed her eyes and hugged Tara tight. That day, Willow wanted to remove the memories of that fight; Willow wanted to make her forget. And she shuddered wondering what she could have done if Glory hadn't sucked Tara's mind that day.
And it was then Willow realised that she was going to do what her alternate timeline version had already done. She was going to go so far down into magic that she would drown. She couldn't lose Tara, and to make sure she didn't.. Willow mentally told herself to put herself wholeheartedly into listening to the Devon Coven.
'If they take me in, that is.' Willow thought to herself.
Over the next few hours, Dawn told Tara, Willow, and Buffy about her life. About their lives, at least what she felt they should know.
It would be later that the younger Dawn would find out about the future. And it would be the both of them who would later tell Buffy that there should be enough time for her to return to U. C. Sunnydale. Buffy listened to Dawn who told her how she started the Slayer Organization, "you stole money."
"I…." Buffy shook her head as they were drinking coffee back at the house while the Younger Dawn was drinking some juice.
"Yea," the older Dawn said nodding her head, "you need to go back to U.C. Sunnydale." The younger Dawn then turned to Willow who said that they needed to come up with a new identity for the older Dawn.
In the meantime, Spike was in his crypt with his own questions about the older Dawn. He wanted to head to Buffy's home early that morning, but the sun was just coming out. He decided to wait until evening before making his way to the Summers home. He wanted to know more about the older Dawn. He had taken in the scent of death from her body when she appeared the previous night, and he had many questions to ask.
Spike's Crypt, 1900 hours.
And it would be in the evening that he would get his answers. It would be in the evening that the older Dawn walked into his crypt as he got off his armchair at the creak of his door opening. He had so many questions for this older Dawn as she stepped into the large room, closing the door behind her. So many questions swimming in his mind. But before he could ask a single question; Dawn spoke up first.
"I need you to leave Sunnydale," she said with her hands in her jeans pocket while staring at Spike.
And that was something he didn't expect to hear, "excuse me?" Spike narrowed his eyes.
"Leave Sunnydale, Spike," Dawn said as she stepped into the dimly lit crypt while staring at Spike. What she was doing broke her heart, Spike cared for her like a sister… protected her when Buffy asked him to. Starting out as their enemy, he became an ally to Buffy even before getting his soul back. But Dawn also knew that Spike raped Buffy, and he got let off without any punishment… and that was chiefly because they were facing the end of the world thanks to the First Evil.
Eventually Dawn forgave him… as did Buffy. At least Dawn thought she did, especially since no-one ever talked about it again in the future… in her timeline. Back in the present day, Dawn stared at the stunned Spike and recalled her own feelings at being told by Xander of what happened that fateful night. She remembered talking to Buffy about it after Willow was taken to Devon. Dawn remembered how angry she was as Buffy sat her down and told her what happened- and said that it was over between her and Spike. That she couldn't love Spike. She would never love Spike.
That is until she did fall in love with him during the battle with the First Evil. She admitted to Dawn that she loved him… that she professed it as he burned in the Hellmouth before Sunnydale fell into the crater.
And now, as she stared at Spike- all she could remember was the bruises Buffy showed her on her legs and arms. At the same time, Dawn also remembered the gentle Spike. The Spike who looked after her after Buffy's death. The Spike who turned his life around and helped them save the world so many times after getting his soul back.
But that Spike was from another time. Another place. That Spike was dead.
The older Dawn did not want those same events to play out. Dawn knew the catalyst for Buffy and Spike moving forward in their initially toxic relationship was because of the formers death and eventual resurrection. The only way that Buffy could feel anything at all after she was ripped away from heaven was when she and Spike were having sex- the both of them used one another. And that evolved to something more.
And Dawn knew that. She knew that there was the possibility that Buffy may not fall for Spike that way. She knew that the toxic relationship may not play out… that they wouldn't use one another simply for sex. That Buffy wouldn't demean herself- Dawn remembered the regret in Buffy's eyes the following morning or late at night when she would come home after spending 'time' with Spike.
Dawn remembered it all.
"The Spike I knew had feelings for Buffy," Dawn said back in the present day as Spike looked away, "and I know you have feelings for her now."
"You may be from the future, but even you don't know what you're talking about, Bit," Spike said as he turned and started to walk away towards the armchair. He loved Buffy. It was unusual- something Spike was very aware of given he was supposed to be a soulless monster- but that was the truth. Buffy was in his mind; in the day and at night.. she was always there. Spike turned around upon reaching the armchair, and placed a hand on the edge of the seat while staring at Dawn.
"You're right, Spike," the older Dawn said taking a step forward while her hands were still in her pockets, "I'm from the future. A possible future where the world has already ended."
"Yea, I know that part," Spike said as he recalled the conversation he and the other Scoobies had the previous night. The night that the older Dawn appeared. However, he was curious about what she meant by the world having already ended.
And so he let Dawn continue, "I've seen hell on Earth, I've seen everyone die, and I've fought… I've kept on fighting an unwinnable war. Now things change. Everything that leads up to that war changes."
"I…."
"And I have some personal things to take care of," Dawn spoke as she took another step closer to Spike, "I remember what happens, Spike. In my future, Buffy dies and you protected me. Tara and Willow protected me, so did Xander and Anya."
"She made me promise to look out for you if she died," Spike said, referring to the promise he made to Buffy in the event she died against Glory.
"You loved Buffy, and that was why you looked out for me," Dawn said as Spike looked away, "and I get that, I really do. But she doesn't have any feelings for you." Dawn stared at Spike, who turned his head and looked back at her. Dawn remained calm the while time, she didn't want to be nervous during any lies so that Spike couldn't hear her heart race. Dawn took in a deep breath before telling Spike, "she can't love you, Spike."
"That was your future, and…." Dawn interjected before Spike could finish what he wanted to say. Dawn said that she was in the past, and that the future was already changing. And she continued until she said something that had Spike simply stare at Dawn with his lips parted in stunned silence, "your love for Buffy? That love you have for her?" Dawn shook her head and pursed her lips before taking another step forward- they were now just three steps apart, and said, "that didn't stop you from trying to rape her."
"No…" said a disbelieving Spike as he stepped back with eyes wide open. That was something he couldn't imagine doing- well, he had done it before when he was one of the four monsters that terrorized Europe. But he couldn't imagine doing that to Buffy now, 'not to Buffy' he thought to himself. He stared at the one-eyed Dawn and hoped she was lying, but the momentary look of anger on her face, coincided with her suddenly rapid heartbeat to confirm that what she said was true. But Spike was still in disbelief.
"I haven't told Buffy," Dawn said as she stepped back, "and I won't. I'm going to spare her that betrayal. I want to spare my younger self that betrayal."
"But… but we fought together in your future…" Spike, still reeling from the revelation that he would hurt Buffy like that, stammered, "we…"
"A series of event that wouldn't happen in this timeline combined to make us push what you did to the back of our minds, Spike," Dawn said, "those are not happening in this timeline. I'll make sure of…"
"What are you going to do?" Spike demanded to know as he stepped forward.
"I want you to leave Sunnydale, Spike," Dawn said as her eye looked straight into Spike's eyes, "tonight. Leave tonight, and don't come back. If…"
"Dawn," barked Spike. But Dawn remained unflinching. He knew she was telling the truth about earlier, he knew that she had seen hell.. that she had fought in a war… and that he had hurt Buffy. To him, Dawn was his Lil'Bit; even this older version. He wanted to know what she meant by she was going to make sure that her future wasn't happening… he was concerned about the tone in her voice. He was concerned this older Dawn may do something unthinkable.
"Leave Sunnydale, Spike," Dawn said calmly, "if you don't? I'll come by when you're asleep, and I will burn you." Spike stared into Dawn's eye and shook his head. He felt a cold chill in his bones as he stared at the brunette, at how calm she was when she threatened him.
"I….."
"Leave, Spike," Dawn interjected before she turned and headed for the door, "leave and… and.." Once at the door, Dawn turned around and stared at the still stunned Spike. "I love you, Spike. The younger me has a crush on you, and I always thought you were cool… you know, as the bad-boy type. We became friends… close friends, and you became close with all of us. But that happened because of a set of circumstances. Those circumstances are not happening this time, but you still love Buffy. And that love… that infatuation will.." Dawn saw Spike shaking his head.
He was about to say that Dawn was wrong, that he would never harm her or Buffy, but the older Dawn interjected, "no, Spike. That love will push you to go all out on Buffy. You will hurt her… and you will hurt my younger self. I'm telling you this for the friendship and love I shared with my Spike… please leave Sunnydale. You want to prove to Buffy that you're different? Then protect people because you want to, not because you have to impress her."
All Spike could do was stand in his crypt as Dawn turned around and opened the door.
"Leave the city tonight, Spike," Dawn said as she stepped out, and then closed the door behind her. And all Spike could do was stand in stunned silence as he stared at the closed wooden door. His shoulders slumped forward as he turned around while Dawn was walked past the headstones in the graveyard. She had tears in her eyes as she remembered the Spike she knew; the Spike who died saving people from a demonic horde.
Dawn knew that this wasn't that Spike… this wasn't the self-sacrificing Spike. And somewhere in her heart, Dawn knew this Spike could never be the Spike she knew. All she could do was protect Buffy and her younger-self from anything this timeline's Spike possible betrayal. She had to protect Buffy… because she couldn't protect Buffy in her own timeline.
'I'm doing the right thing,' Dawn thought to herself as she continued to walk. 'I'm doing the right thing.' Dawn then hoped that Spike listens to her, she hoped that he would leave. She then sighed and looked at the palm of her hand. Dawn then remembered what her Willow taught her while they were in London, and whispered, "fulmen." She concentrated as a spark of electricity jumped from one finger to another, and then it jumped as several arcs on her palm. She crouched down as the arc of electricity travelled down her fingers once again before placing her hand on the ground.
Dawn released the charge into the Earth and then stood up. She looked at the palm of her hand and smiled as she stated walking once again, "next up, the rat."
TBC.