Chapter 116: No Place Like Home
Buffy goes comes flying back and slams hard against the fence, the breath knocked out of her. She ducks - narrowly avoiding a massive fist as it rams into the sign, denting it.
Buffy stands squared off against a big hairy biker vamp wearing a leather jacket, chains and boots.
"I've always wanted to kill the Slayer." Biker vamp says.
"And I've always wanted piano lessons. So really, who's surprised we have all this unexpressed rage?" Buffy says as the Biker vamp lunges. Buffy neatly sidesteps him. And when he turns to face her, she greets him with three rapid-fire punches to the face. "But honestly? I think I'm expressing mine better. Tell you what." The Vamp punches. Buffy blocks it. And holds him there.
"You go find yourself a good anger management class..." Buffy says as she whips a stake out from behind her back. "And I'll jam this pokey wood stick through your heart." She stakes him. Poof! Dusted. Buffy slips the stake back under her jacket, walking away. "Think that sets the world speed record for closure."
And suddenly a bright light shines in Buffy's face. She stops, blinks, shielding her eyes.
"Hey!" The light shining on Buffy's is a nightwatchman's flashlight. He's no hardass - just a guy doing his job. "If you're looking for one of those rave parties, you're late. Chased a bunch of kids outta here last night."
"Oh. Yeah, darn, and my fellow ravers will be so disappointed." Buffy says. "My turn to bring bunt cake."
"If it was my call, I'd let you do what you want. Not like anybody's using the place. But, they don't pay us enough to argue with the boss, so..." Nightwatchman says and he gestures "out" with the flashlight.
"I'm already gone." Buffy says as she walks away.
The Nightwatchman calls after her. "Hold it!" Buffy stops, turns. "Take your... whatever this is with you." He reaches down, picking up a softball-sized, gently glowing orb. Hands it to Buffy, who examines it curiously.
"Right. Thanks." Buffy says.
"Glow balls." Nightwatchman says, laughing. "I just don't get your generation. I mean, what is that thing?"
Buffy walks away from the Nightwatchman, "I'll let you know when I find out."
The next morning Buffy readies a breakfast tray for Paige. French toast. Juice. Coffee. Buffy selects one flower from a bunch, places the single stem in a thin vase. Turns to get a cup. Dawn enters, yawning and scratching. Checks out the tray.
Buffy speaks without looking. "Dawn! Touch nothing."
"Who died and made you the Iron Chef?" Dawn asks as she spots the flowers, starts trying to jam two or three more into the vase.
"Look: Paige's sick, I made her a nice, non-instant breakfast, and I don't want you..." Buffy says.
Dawn keeps jamming the flowers in - tipping the vase, spilling water all over the tray. "Oops."
"...doing that." Buffy says.
Paige enters the kitchen, still in her bathrobe, looking a bit rumpled. "Morning, guys. Who's the food for?"
"You," Buffy says. "Piper said you weren't feeling good so I thought what better way to make you feel better."
Paige smiles, "Thanks."
"So did you find out what's wrong?" Buffy asks.
Paige nods, "Just a case of the flu. No biggy. Wait - what are you two hanging around here for? Isn't this Giles' big day?"
"Bigger than big. It's his "Grand Opening" day." Buffy says.
"So, go! Bring me back a, I don't know, flying broomstick or something." Paige says and laughs.
"Those never really work." Dawn says.
Buffy shakes her head, "I have so much to teach you, Dawn. You know when I finally start."
"What?" Dawn asks.
"Do you remember the Halloween Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I went back to the 1600's?" Buffy asks as Dawn nods. "Phoebe actually flew on a broomstick."
"Wow, really?" Dawn asks.
Buffy nods, "Yeah. Prue teased her about it afterwards. Saying Phoebe was the reason behind the flying hag depiction. And of course you can blame me for the P name tradition."
"How?" Paige asks.
Dawn smiles, this was one thing she did know about that trip, "Our great, great, great, something or other great, grandmother Charlotte Warren. Melinda Warren's mother named Melinda after Buffy."
"How?" Paige asks again. "Her name is Melinda Warren not Buffy or Payson."
Dawn laughs, "Actually her name was Melinda Payson Warren."
"Really?" Paige asks, shocked.
Buffy nods, "Really. Well you take it easy. Feet up, plenty of Oprah."
Later at the Magic Box… Ding-Ding! The little bell over the door jingles as Buffy enters. She stops, impressed. Takes a look around. She sees the place is fully set up. Mystical volumes, exotic bottles, skulls and bones and a wide variety of other magical paraphernalia all stand neatly stacked on display. A few things marked "On Sale!"
And in the center of it all stands Giles. Proudly dressed in a purple pointy wizard's hat and cloak, adorned with little yellow stars and crescents.
Buffy looks at Giles.
Giles looks at Buffy and he quietly removes the hat and cloak, setting them aside behind the counter.
Ding-Ding! The bell rings again. Dawn rushes in, breathless.
"Told you you couldn't ditch me." Dawn says as Buffy smiles. She looks around. "Whoa, Giles, this place is so, wow, I mean... check out everything! When's it open? You know, for customers."
"Since nine this morning, actually," Giles says.
"Go. Browse. And..." Buffy says.
Dawn nods, "Yeah I know I break it I bought it. You know you could quiz me on this stuff later though."
Buffy glares at Dawn who turns to browse. Dawn was right though she could quiz her later. But that also meant she was going to start Dawn's training and she still wasn't sure if Dawn was ready or not. She turns and heads with Giles over to the counter.
"Not to worry. I have a very good feeling about this place. Magic's a small niche market, but think about it: San Francisco. Monsters. Supply. Demand. Be lines around the block in no time."
"Oh yeah. Money, hand over fist. Besides you have your first recurring customer's right here. Two-fifths of the Charmed Ones. You know you will get a lot of money out of us. Which, I guess is a good thing." Buffy says.
"Buffy, are you all right? You seem distracted." Giles says.
Buffy nods, "Slayer-wise, I'm tip-top. Paige has the flu bug."
"She is getting medical attention?" Giles asks.
"Oh yeah. She got her flu shot and medicines to help with making her feel better till she gets over it." Buffy says.
Ding-Ding! The bell again. Riley and Willow walk through the door this time.
"Giles! Where's your hat and cloak?" Willow asks.
"The hype was out of control." Riley says.
"Willow! You gotta see this, they have the coolest talismen. Mans. Talis-guys..." Dawn says as she glares at Buffy.
"Actually, I've got a little Charmed or Scooby-centric deal to deal with first. Piper found nothing in the book." Buffy says as she reaches into her knapsack and produces the orb the nighwatchman gave her. She puts it on the counter. The group gathers 'round. "I put it before the group... What the hell is this?"
"Appears to be paranormal in origin." Giles says.
"How can you tell?" Willow asks.
"Well, it's so shiny." Giles says.
Buffy nods, "Found it on patrol."
"May be more where that came from. I say we go back out again tonight." Riley says.
"Uh... sure." Buffy says.
"You can't patrol. Buffy said." Dawn says.
Buffy shakes her head, "No I didn't."
"Yeah, remember? It'd be easier if you didn't have to look out for anybody...? It's the same reason you gave me saying I couldn't patrol till you finished my training." Dawn says.
"Yeah, but I wasn't talking about..." Buffy says.
Riley shakes his head, "Don't worry about it."
"She just said you look even cuter when you're all weak and kitteny, and she better go solo or you'd get hurt. So welcome to the club, she'll never let me go either till I'm trained, and she won't train me." Dawn says.
"Giles, you got that danger room set up out back? I'm feeling the need for a little physical re-hab about now." Riley says.
Giles nods, "Of course. This way. If any customers do show up..."
"On it." Willow says.
"We're going." Buffy says looking to Dawn as she starts to leave.
Willow calls her back. They speak privately as Dawn lingers by the door. "Buffy, wait. Go easy on her."
"Why?" Buffy asks.
"I can't help it. I have all this involuntary empathy for Dawn, 'cause she's, you know, a big spaz." Willow says.
"Yeah but she's so annoying." Buffy says.
"I can tell you, Dawn's not just the youngest. She's the baby." Willow says. "I know sort of how she feels. Remember I'm the baby now, too."
Buffy sighs and nods, "Your right Will. Talking about that how's Faith? I've been meaning to go visit her."
Willow smiles, "She's doing great. They're talking about releasing her a year early."
"That's good news." Buffy says. "I know you're ready to get to know your big sister."
Back at the Manor, Buffy and Dawn come in the front door. The sound of the TV can be heard coming from the living room.
"So did I get any right?" Dawn asks. Buffy had broken down and on the way home she had quizzed Dawn about some of the things in the shop.
"Shh. Paige?" Buffy says and receives no answer. "Paige!"
They walk into the living room to find Paige lying on the couch, looking bad. Dawn rushes to her side as Buffy clicks the TV off, ending the noise.
"What's wrong?" Dawn asks before she sees the bucket beside the couch.
"This flu bug is just…" Paige says. "Buffy could I get you to do me a favor?"
"Sure." Buffy says.
"I just need my prescription. Please, I forgot to fill it." Paige says.
Buffy nods, "Sure. Hospital pharmacy open?" Paige nods. "Ten minutes." She flames out.
At San Francisco Memorial, Buffy bursts out of a door marked "PHARMACY." Examining the fine print on the orange plastic bottle as she walks up the hallway, barely noticing the gurney wheeling in the entrance, coming her way. The gurney's pushed by a three-person medical team, led by Ben.
The patient on the gurney suddenly convulses violently. Ben tries holding him down, but even using all his strength, it's not happening. "I don't belong here! I have important instructions! Fascists!"
"Okay, now you're hurting the nice intern who's here to help you." Ben says. "Could we get a doctor here? We need nine ccs of phenobarbital in this guy now."
Buffy calmly, efficiently strides to Ben's side, and with one Slayer-strength hand, holds the patient down.
"Or not. Let's strap him." Ben says. "For your own good, promise." He looks to Buffy. "Not to be rampantly sexist in the workplace but, you've got some serious muscles for a girl.
"Oh. Um..." Buffy says and she backs off immediately. The interns nearly have the patient controlled.
"Radioactive spider bite?" Ben asks.
Buffy smiles, "How'd you guess?"
"I'm a doctor. Well, almost." Ben says.
"HEY!" Buffy says as the patient suddenly grabs Buffy's wrist. The one holding the prescription bottle. He roughly jerks the bottle to his face, as if reading the prescription.
"Doesn't even help, doesn't make a damn bit of difference." The patient says.
Buffy starts to pull her hand back, then stops. Looks at the guy. It's the nightwatchman that gave her the orb. He's insane. "I've met this guy. He's not crazy."
"If you say so..." Ben says.
The Nightwatchman tightens his grip on Buffy's arm. Stares at the bottle, at her. "They're coming at you. Don't think you're above it, missy! They come through the family... They get to... your family..." He lets go of her wrist.
Buffy pulls back, dropping the prescription bottle. Shaken. "What do you mean?"
"Let's get him in exam one. Now would be nice." Ben says.
The interns wheel the Nightwatchman away. He's still looking back at Buffy, laughing now, his head twisted back at a painful angle. Then he's gone. Buffy's still stunned.
"Sorry about that. Here." Ben says as he picks up the fallen bottle, holds it out to Buffy. She takes it and looks at the bottle then at where the Nightwatchman was.
At the Magic Box, Giles neatly folds over the top of a brown paper bag, and hand it back to his first customers. "Thank you for choosing to shop at The Magic Box. And please, do come again." He remains the very picture of the professional shopkeeper until the customers leave. Then he turns to Willow, beaming. "Did you see? Customers! Real live customers! They came in, and I gave them things, and they gave me money and then they left! It's brilliant!"
Willow, studying a thick book with the Orb beside her, doesn't bother to look up. "Congratulations, you're now an official capitalist running dog. But I gotta tell you - on the Orbular front?" She closes the book with a sigh. "We're kind of batting zero."
Ding-Ding! More customers enter. And with them, Anya."
We'll just have to keep at it, then." Giles says as he slips back into his professional demeanor, "If there's anything you need help with, just let me know."
"Your conjuring powder's grotesquely overpriced." Anya says.
Giles eyes the customers, who heard that. "Anya..."
"I'm sorry. But I'm nearly out of money. I've never had to "afford" things before and it's making me bitter." Anya says.
"And the change is palpable. That stuff doesn't come cheap." Giles says.
"Well you're getting ripped off. I can hook you up direct with the troll that sheds it..." Anya says.
Buffy enters through front door and makes a beeline for Giles, "Giles. I have an idea what's making Paige sick. It may not be the flu after all."
"You've spoken with her doctors?" Giles asks.
"They just keep telling her it's the flu. This illness she has it's supernatural." Buffy says as she picks up the Orb. "The Nightwatchman who found this thing went crazy. Like, overnight. Something made him that way."
Willow, Giles and Anya all take one giant step back away from the Orb.
"Let's not taunt the Happy Fun Ball." Willow says.
Buffy shakes her head, "This won't hurt us, I had it on me all night. But this guy. Giles, he saw things. Said things."
"Such as...?" Giles asks.
"They'll come at me through my family." Buffy says.
Giles frowns, "Who will?"
"I don't know. Yet. But whatever touched this guy made him see through what the rest of us are seeing. He knew. Someone's hurting Paige, and they're trying to get to me." Buffy says.
Giles nods, "It's possible not all demons will go after you because you're a Charmed One, but because you're the Slayer, but still. A madman's ramblings are not much to go on."
"It's a start. We have to find out who's making Paige sick." Buffy says as she pulls a book off a shelf.
"Then what?" Willow asks.
"I hunt them. Find them. And kill them." Buffy says.
An hour later, Willow behind the counter is studying beside Buffy.
A customer interrupts Willow, shoving an impossible-to-wrap hourglass in her face. "Do you giftwrap?"
"Do we!" Willow says, eager. "Do we? We do. Little help..."
The Magic Box is finally booming with business. Customers are everywhere. And in the center of it all, trying to be helpful, is Giles - grin pasted to his face. Mild shock. "No, it's the ground cloven hooves that are thirty percent off - whole hooves, full price.
Xander enters, gets a load of the bedlam before he sees Giles.
"That's um, not candy..." Giles says. "Xander. There's, there's too many of them. People. And they all seem to want things."
"I hear you. Stay British, you'll be okay." Xander says as he heads for Buffy, Willow and Anya, shaking his head. "The thousand-yard stare. Damn. You hate to see it on any man, but especially in retail."
Anya rings up a purchase as she addresses the customer. "Please go."
"Anya, the Shopkeepers Union of America called? They want me to tell you "please go" just got replaced with "have a nice day."" Xander says.
Anya looks to Xander with confusion, "I have their money. Who cares what kind of day they have?"
"No one. It's a long cultural tradition of raging insincerity. Embrace it." Xander says, smiling.
Anya nods as she yells at the customer who's nearly out the door. "Hey! You! Have a nice day."
Xander smiles, "There's my girl." He joins Buffy in her quiet corner of solitude. She's ignoring all around her, immersed in studying a big book. "You ever thought in a million years you'd miss the high school library?"
"Someone put a spell on Paige. Something to make her look like she's sick." Buffy says.
"That's a new kind of nasty. Any suspects?" Xander says.
Buffy nods, "Got the list narrowed down to just under infinity."
Willow holds up a horribly giftwrapped hourglass. "Does this look right to you?"
Anya takes the item, starts re-wrapping it as she speaks. "Sure, if you wrapped it with your feet. You know Buffy, there used to be this French sorcerer, back in the sixteen-I-don't-know-what's, named..."
"Cloutier?" Giles asks.
Anay nods, "So cute in his little knickers but he had this one spell demons just hated, called "Tirer la Couture.""
"Rotate many foodstuffs?" Buffy asks.
"Pull the curtain back." Willow says.
"Have I mentioned how I hate these spells that are written in Latin?" Buffy asks.
"A spell to see spells. Well, a trance to see spells, but, you get the idea. Try that." Anya says.
"What do you mean, "see spells?"" Buffy asks.
"All spells leave some trace signature; they're just not perceptible to the human eye. In this case, it could be the image of a hand choking Paige." Giles says.
"A cloud of mist around her..." Anya says.
"Or maybe the shape of the demon who's performing the spell?" Willow asks.
Giles nods, "Possibly. You'll have to take a mental picture. Cameras won't see or capture the image."
Anya holds up the perfectly-wrapped gift, hands it to a waiting customer. "And that's thirty-two even."
"Okay. So I'll just do what the Monsieur Silk Knickers did. Go home, get trancey, and see what's affecting Paige." Buffy says.
"Ladies and gentleman put your hands together for Scooby of the Month here." Xander says.
"I don't know. Trances..." Willow says.
Giles nods, "Yes. Buffy, The sorcerer Cloutier was legendary. His skills at achieving higher states of consciousness were..."
Buffy frowns, "Better than mine? I knew you'd say that, but we've been practicing concentration drills. I know I'm close. Besides I'm Charmed remember?"
Giles sighs, "But are you ready? This is beyond everything you've ever done even as a Charmed One."
"It's Paige. I'll get ready." Buffy says. "What do I need?"
Later that afternoon back at the Manor, Buffy is in the attic. She up-ends a small sack, dumping candelabra-type incense holders and a bunch of brightly-colored incense sticks.
With Riley's help, Buffy starts setting things up.
"Thanks again for coming. I totally appreciate the help." Buffy says.
Piper rolls her eyes; she knows Riley's involvement is more to sooth is ego."
"Sure thing. So, what do I do?" Riley asks.
"Lots. Tons. Lots and lots of tons. This is all kind of, uh..." Buffy says as she holds up an incense holder and a small leather pouch.
"...new terrain?" Riley asks.
Buffy nods, "All prayin', no slayin'. So, let's see... the incense needs to be "ignited," and that's a job, then this stuff gets poured round me counter-clockwise, and um, ..."
"So you need me to light incense and pour sand?" Riley asks.
"Magic incense and spooky sand. And, the ritual itself is..." Buffy says.
"Something you do alone." Riley asks as Buffy tries to think of a way out of that one. Can't... "You sure this isn't just your way of trying to make me feel less... what's the words? Cute and weak and kittenish?"
"Kittenny." Buffy says.
Riley nods, "Right. Much manlier. Look…" He sits beside her. "I really am okay."
Buffy nods, "I know..."
"So I'm not quite super-guy anymore. That was borrowed power anyway, I had to give it back sometime." Riley says.
"I know you can handle yourself. I just didn't want to see you get hurt." Buffy says.
"Maybe instead of you trying to take care of me, we agree to try taking care of each other. Deal?" Riley says.
Buffy nods, "Done."
Riley smiles, "Good." He kisses her. "For luck." He starts to go. She pulls him back.
"A girl needs more luck than that." Buffy says and they kiss again.
"Have a nice trip." Riley says before leaving.
Piper looks to Buffy and nods, "Anything you want me to do?"
Buffy shakes her head, "As Riley guessed I have to do this alone, no distractions. Would you make sure no one comes up here till I come out?"
Piper nods, "Sure." She turns and leaves the attic.
Buffy takes out a book of matches. She lights the incense sticks one by one. She then undoes the string around the leather pouch, opening it. She carefully pours a ring of brightly-colored dust in a circle around her before sitting down and closing her eyes.
Downstairs Dawn tries to head up to the attic and is stopped by Piper.
"What is she doing?" Dawn asks.
Piper shakes her head, "She's doing a ritual to try and see if Paige is being hurt by a demon."
"Oh. I hope she's not being hurt… By a demon that is." Dawn says. "Let me know how it's goes?"
Piper nods, "I will, promise." She watches Dawn turn and enter hers and Buffy's room.
In the attic Buffy breathes slowly, deeply, her eyes shut.
Sometime later Buffy opens her eyes. And the world around her looks different. Surface edges catch light in a slightly different way. Brighter. Buffy is sure she is obviously in a trance. Testing the ground, she stands. She slowly heads downstairs.
Piper comes out of her room as Buffy comes down, "Well?"
"We'll find out." Buffy says as she walks along the upstairs hallway slowly, in a trance-like state. Everything around her shimmers, slightly overexposed, like an Oliver Stone film. But everything's where it should be. Buffy slowly heads downstairs. She enters the living room, looking for Paige. But Paige's spot on the living room couch, in front of the TV, is abandoned. Blanket cast aside. Buffy looks around, searching...
"Buffy?" Paige asks.
Buffy turns - to find Paige standing right behind her, buttoning up a light fall coat.
"Paige." Buffy says.
"You all right? You look..." Paige says.
"Going out?" Buffy asks.
Buffy looks at Paige who from her point of view seems to shimmers a bit, like everything else in the room, but beyond that - nothing. No demons or mists or spell of any kind affecting her.
"Either modern medicine's working, or I just took the world's best placebos. Either way, I'm heading out for a couple of hours." Paige says.
Buffy's eyes keep searching Paige, looking for any sign... "Nothing..."
"Hmm?" Paige asks.
"There's nothing." Buffy says.
Paige shake her head, "Are you sure you're feeling okay? You seem a little... out of it."
Buffy's attention turns to a photo she can see over Paige's shoulder. It looks like it's winking at her. Something within the picture frame is moving.
"Hey. Buffy?" Paige says.
Buffy looks closely at the photo of her with Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Dawn. It looks normal - in its proper place - except: Dawn's image flickers. Appears and disappears and re-appears slowly, as if fading in and out of reality. Everyone elses images remain steady, unwavering. Buffy cannot stop staring at the picture.
"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I mean, I'm fine. Long day's all. You, um, have a good time." Buffy says.
Paige smiles, "Ok, tell Piper I went out."
Buffy, in a daze, crosses the room and picks up the framed photo. Holds it close to her face, examining it. Dawn's image slowly winks in and out of existence.
Buffy puts it back and they comes back up the stairs, into the hallway, heading for hers and Dawn's room, face full of dread...
Piper falls in step with Buffy, "Anything?"
Buffy shrugs, "I don't know yet."
Piper nods and turns heading downstairs.
Buffy pushes back the door and enters her room. She notices some of Dawn's things are flickering in and out of existence.
Buffy takes it all in. Turns a slow circle around the room. Slowly she becomes aware of a distant-sounding voice calling her name. The voice itself fades in and out.
"... uffy... Buffy..." Dawn says as Buffy dazed turns to see Dawn standing in the doorway.
Dawn herself is fading in and out of reality as she speaks. "Did it work did you find out what was happening to Paige?"
Buffy speaks softly, in cold revelation, "You're not my sister." She shakes her head as she snaps out of the trance state as Dawn yells at her.
"Tch'yeah! Like I even want to be related to your smelly... Ow! What are you doing?" Dawn says.
Buffy shoots both hands out and grab Dawn - hard - pinning her arms to her sides. Dawn struggles, in confusion and pain. Buffy gets in her face. "What are you?"
"Get off me!" Dawn says.
"You want to hurt me?" Buffy asks.
"Let me go, you freak!" Dawn says.
Buffy frowns, "Then you deal with me."
"I'm telling Piper!" Dawn says.
"You - stay away from my family. Away from Piper, Phoebe and Paige." Buffy says.
Buffy half lets go, half shoves Dawn away. Dawn stumbles back, bumps up against their bed, and regains her footing.
There is long moment of silence. The two sisters just stand frozen, both breathing hard, staring each other down a long moment.
Then the phone rings.
They hear Piper answer it downstairs. "Buffy, Giles is on the phone."
Buffy walks down the steps and takes the phone from Piper, "What?"
"Buffy - I'm glad I caught you... I think we may have underestimated what we're dealing with." Giles says.
Buffy looks upstairs, making sure she and Piper are alone. "Go on."
"We've uncovered more than expected..." Giles says. "...about this Orb. It's called The Dagon's Sphere, and has a history that goes back many centuries."
"What's it do?" Buffy asks.
"It's a protective device. Used to ward off ancient, primordial evil." Giles says.
Buffy begins to pace, phone in hand. "Any word what this evil looks like?"
"Unfortunately, no." Giles says. "This is where accounts get vague. All we've pinned down is that The Dagon's Sphere was created to repel that which cannot be named."
"I'm going down to the factory where I found it. Whoever planted this doohickey's got answers." Buffy says.
"Buffy, I know you've heard me say this before, but be careful. Especially while your pregnant, okay? Anything that goes unnamed is usually an object of deep worship, or great fear. Maybe both. You could face a level of raw power that could put the Source to shame. Did you complete the trance? Seen what's harming Paige?
"That's the thing. I just saw..." Buffy says as she notices Dawn come down the stairs.
"Yes?" Giles asks.
"Nothing. Didn't work." Buffy says as she hangs up.
"What are you talking about?" Dawn asks.
"Slayer stuff." Buffy says as Dawn says nothing. She looks to Piper. "I'm going back to the factory. Try and find out what I'm up against."
Piper nods, "Need me to go along?"
Buffy shakes her head, "Strictly recon." She flames out and in on the second floor of the factory.
There are no sounds coming from inside, and no signs of anyone having been here in a long time. It's really dark.
"Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in..." Buffy says as she passes underneath the archway of the giant door that's been blown off its hinges. "...Not by the hairs of my chinny chin chin..." She stops circling around the perimeter of the doorway. "...then I'll huff, and I'll puff..." She looked into the cavernous, empty room before her. She pauses for a moment and then steps over the threshold, heading inside...
Buffy walks onto the darkened factory floor. An rat scurries off into a corner. Buffy's eyes pass over cement pillars, stained walls, and finally come to rest on a figure, tied to a chair.
Buffy rushes to the figure in the chair. It is a Monk, who's barely conscious. "Whoa." He lifts his eyes to her. As she hastens to untie him... "Hey. It was you, planted the thing, the... Dagon's Sphere, right? I have it. We're not alone, I've got friends who can help you. Don't worry." His eyes peer into hers. Trying to communicate something. "I'm stronger than I look."
Glory saunters forward. Full of confidence, not making a sound. The Monk jerks his head to warn Buffy, but she's oblivious.
"I've got some experience with stuff like this." Buffy says.
Glory mock-whispers "Shh" to the Monk, mimes tip-toeing forward, having fun with it, getting closer...
"And best of all..." Buffy says as she shoots her hand out straight back behind her, catching Glory directly in the throat. "I'm not stupid." She whirls on Glory, facing her directly.
Buffy's face is filled with contained fury. Glory's face is filled with a mild curiosity. As easily as you'd remove a stray hair from a sweater, Glory plucks Buffy's hand by the wrist, pulling it away from her throat. Then she effortlessly backhands Buffy with her full strength.
Buffy rockets twenty feet straight back. The only thing stopping her acceleration is the far wall. Her whole body smashes painfully into it, leaving a huge dent and sending bits of plaster tumbling to the ground around her. Buffy, on her knees, looks up at Glory.
"You sure about that last part?" Glory asks.
SLAM! Buffy goes face-first into another factory wall, putting another body-sized dent in it and sending more plaster to the ground.
"...And another thing. I just want you to know..." Glory says as she grabs Buffy by the wrist and again - SLAM! whips her bodily into one of the nearby columns. "That this whole "beat you to death" thing I'm doing..." She grabs her again - SLAMS her again. "It's valuable time out of life that I am never getting back."
Buffy turns - kicks - misses. Not even close.
"Wait, I've always wanted to try this." Glory says as she grabs one of Buffy's arms in each hand. "You know, the thing with worms where, you rip 'em in half, you get two worms? Think that'll work with you?"
Buffy head-butts Glory as Glory staggers back, shocked. Holding her nose.
"You - HIT ME!" Glory says as she bursts into tears. "Ow! What are you, crazy?"
Buffy presses the attack. Kick. Punch. Kick. Glory staggers back with each blow, never shutting up.
"You can't go around hitting people, what were you, raised in a barn? There's such a thing as manners, you know and while we're on the subject, I just gotta ask, Blabberina, do you EVER shut up?" Glory says.
Buffy goes in for the killing blow. Glory raises a hand and catches Buffy's fist. It takes her no effort.
"Fine - be that way." Glory says as she shoves Buffy back, hard into a column. Buffy looks up and, impossibly, Glory is right there in front of her before she's even moved. Glory throws a punch. Buffy slips - Glory's fist punches out a huge chunk of the cement column, powdering it.
Another punch. Another slip. Another bite out of the column.
Glory just grabs Buffy by the throat. "Hey I just noticed something. You have superpowers! That is so cool! Can you fly?"
"No but I can flame." Buffy says as she flames out and back in next to the monk. She looks to Glory who's walking towards her.
Buffy makes a decision. She picks up the Monk.
"Hey." Glory says as Buffy runs with the Monk - straight toward a window... "HEY! Hands off my holy man!" She runs straight toward Buffy, and for the first time, she looks like she's not playing. She's pissed.
Buffy runs straight for the window - leaps - and crashes through it, Monk in her arms. They painfully land, glass shards bouncing all around them, Buffy taking the brunt of the impact.
Buffy and the Monk, looking like two soldiers in a combat field, make their way toward the factory entrance. Buffy's supporting the Monk as he staggers alongside her. She hesitates, hearing the rumble of the roof collapsing. Takes a moment to look back.
"Stop. Please..." Monk says
Buffy relents, letting him rest a moment. "We gotta keep moving."
"My journey's done, I think." Monk says.
"Don't get metaphory on me. We're going." Buffy says as she tries pulling him to his feet. Nothing doing.
"You have to... The Key. You must protect The Key." Monk says.
Buffy nods, "Protect the Key. Right. I know, we'll do it together! Far, far from here." She tries again, sees she's not moving him anywhere.
"Many have... died... many more, if you don't... keep it safe..." Monk says.
"How? What is it?" Buffy asks.
"The Key is energy. It's a portal. It opens the door..." Monk says.
Buffy nods, "That round glowy thing?"
Monk shakes his head, "For centuries it had no form at all. My brethren... its only keepers. Then..." He tries to point back to the factory. "The abomination... found us. We had to hide The Key... Gave it form. Molded it flesh, made it human. And sent it to you and your cousins.
Buffy puts pieces together... "Dawn."
Monk nods, "She is The Key."
Long beat as Buffy absorbs this. "You put that thing in my home."
"We knew the Slayer and the Charmed Ones would... protect..." Monk says.
"My memories... Piper's, Paige, Phoebe's..." Buffy says.
Monk nods, "We built them."
"Then unbuild them. This is my life you're –" Buffy says.
A coughing fit cuts her off. He's clearly fading.
"You cannot... abandon..." Monk says.
Buffy shakes her head, "I didn't ask for this. I don't even know what... what is she?"
"Human. Human, now, and helpless. Well nearly helpless since she is Charmed. Still, she is... an innocent in this, and she needs you and them." Monk says.
Buffy looks at him and for a moment he is totally clear, focused on her. "She's not my sister."
"She doesn't know that." Monk says.
The power of that statement sinks slowly in, Buffy unable to answer. It is quite a few moments before she realizes she is looking at a dead man. She holds him, her eyes filled with a million questions.
Back at the Manor Buffy flames into the living room. Piper and Dawn are sitting side-by-side, each cuddled up in their own blankets, quietly reading magazines.
Piper has an empty cup of tea before her. "You're home."
Dawn tosses her blanket aside and heads upstairs. "I wasn't bothering her or Paige or even Phoebe."
Piper watches her go; turns to Buffy. "What's that all about?"
"Just sister stuff. Though I need to tell you something in a little bit." Buffy says as she heads upstairs. She walks in her and Dawn's room to find Dawn lying on their bed.
"Go away." Dawn says.
"Come on, Dawn." Buffy says.
"I said go! You deaf?" Dawn says.
Buffy enters anyway. Stands at the door. "I'm sorry."
"You hurt my arm." Dawn says.
Buffy nods, "I know."
"Butthole." Dawn says.
Buffy sighs, "Really sorry."
Dawn considers it. "I tell you I have this theory? It goes where, you're the one who's not my sister 'cause Mom adopted you from a shoebox full of baby Howler Monkeys, and never told you 'cause it could hurt your delicate baby feelings."
A small, sad smile crosses Buffy's face. She sits down beside Dawn. "That's your theory?"
Dawn nods, "Explains your fashion sense and smell."
"I'm sorry, okay?" Buffy asks.
"Broken record, much?" Dawn asks.
"Can't even take an apology. You always do that, ever since –" Buffy says as she stops. The memory is false - the fact hitting her quietly. "I just had a bad day."
"Well, join the club." Dawn says.
Buffy smiles, "Can I be president?"
"I'm president. You can be the janitor." Dawn says.
Buffy smiles, "How about this instead. You still want to be trained?"
Dawn looks up startled that Buffy would even ask, "What?"
"Do you want to be trained?" Buffy asks.
Dawn smiles, "Yes. You're going to train me? I thought…"
"I think you're ready." Buffy says. She thinks to herself, 'Though it has more to do with protecting yourself. '