Author's Note: I know I made a big deal about the incest. But it was a reviewer that got me to thinking. He (or she) suggested a couple stories, after reading one I kinda backpedaled on my no Buffy/Dawn stance. By society's standards that kind of pairing is wrong. But the more I read this one story the more I wanted to pursue that kind of relationship.
Does that mean there is something wrong me, maybe. But there is something wrong with each and every one of us.
Therefor if you have a problem with Forbidden Sibling Love or if you really want to call it, incest. Then I suggest you stop reading here. And don't review complaining about the pairing, you will only get banned. I have no time for haters who leave negative reviews, I simply just ban them.
And just so you know with this chapter, Dawn would no longer be jailbait. She gets a rapid five year growth spurt (at least from the perspective of Paige, Buffy, Phoebe and Piper). She starts the chapter at fifteen and ends the chapter at twenty. She goes from being five years younger than Buffy to being a year younger.
Chapter 151: Witchstock
It had been a week since Buffy, Dawn, Willow and Celia had moved into the home that Buffy had gotten the deed for from Dracula. They had yet to talk about what had happened the day of future Celia's spell. But ever since then Buffy sat a lot of times watching her sister doing her homework. Sure they had not done anything to each other during the spell, only tried to pleasure Willow. But still she had begun to wonder what would it be like to be with Dawn, who seemed to have the affect to generate within her what she had been missing, the ability to feel.
Well that was not in entirely true, sure in the beginning after she had been resurrected she had not been able to feel anything. But over time her feelings slowly began to return. At first it hatred at herself for letting Spike do the things they had done while sleeping together. Then came the sadness when Chris had told her that future Celia was dead. But the one emotion she still had trouble with was love.
That was till last week. For a brief time she had felt it. For a brief time as her sister had laid in that bed with her and Willow, she had felt love for her sister. She knew that kind of love was wrong, and she should not be feeling it, but the more she looked at Dawn the more she felt it in her heart.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy knocked on the door of Tara's dorm room and waited. She had needed to talk to someone about the feelings she had for Dawn.
"Buffy," Tara said as she opened the door. "What is it … Is it Willow?"
"No," Buffy said. "Can I come in?" Tara nodded as she held open the door and the Slayer crossed the threshold. "You can see aura's right?"
Tara nodded as she closed the door and walked over to her desk and sat down in the chair. "Yes."
"I need you two read mine," Buffy said.
Tara nodded. She was sure what this was about. She had seen it in Dawn the last time she had been with the youngest Halliwell. "It appears your aura is half there. Well not half there, more half yours and half someone elses. This generally happens when you have a soul mate, they and you tend to share your auras. Half your aura is white, which symbolizes you are a champion for the forces of good, the other half is green …"
"The color of the Key," Buffy said.
"Yes," Tara agreed. "The last time I saw Dawn, her aura was the same way. In fact its been that way since before you died. In fact I would hazard to guess its been that way since Dawn was created by the monks."
"They created her from me," Buffy said as she remembered what she had said all those months ago."
"Yes," Tara said. "And when they did, they used more than just blood. They gave her what they could not create by magic. They gave her half of your soul. And as a result, the Key divided itself in half. Half of it I believe now resides in Dawn, the other half in you. I think that's why Glory's portal did not rip the fabric of reality apart instantaneously. Because only the two halves together can do that. All Dawn's half could do was open the gateway, but it wasn't wide enough to destroy anything."
"Tara," Buffy said. "Last week my daughter had come back from the future to bring Chris back to the future. She cast a spell that lowered mine, Dawn's, Piper's, Phoebe's and Paige's inhibitions. While I didn't do anything physically with Dawn that day. I've been noticing growing feelings for my little sister. Even I know that's wrong. But yet …"
"The feelings feel right," Tara said.
"And I am worried if I follow those feelings," Buffy said. "I know what could happen, I would wind up in jail. My little sister and my daughter would wind up either in Piper's care or in foster care. I just … I don't know what to do here, Tara."
"Well," Tara said, "I think what you need to do is talk to Dawn. She may only be fifteen, but in some ways she is an adult, especially when it comes to sex. You yourself have said that your sisters have talked about having sex with someone or another off and on the entire time you both lived at the manor. So she will be mature about this. You don't have to launch straight into the I love you, speech. Just tell her how you feel."
Later as Buffy left Tara's dorm room her cell phone rang. "Hello?"
"Can you get Dawn and flame to me?" Piper said on the other end of the phone. "Chris is getting Phoebe and Paige hopefully will be there so we have a Power of Five."
"Uhm sure," Buffy replied. "Give me a few minutes."
"Alright."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Piper waited patiently in the middle of a sawmill as Buffy flamed in with Dawn.
"So where is Phoebe and Paige?" Buffy asked as she noticed she and Dawn were alone with Piper.
"Probably at Richard's," Piper said. "And Chris went to get Phoebe."
Just then Chris and Phoebe orbed in.
Piper, Dawn and Buffy all stared at the gorgeous purple Chinese-style dress that Phoebe was wearing.
"Hi. Wow! " Piper said as Phoebe squealed and hugged her, the Buffy and finally Dawn.
"Oh, how's Wyatt and Celia?" Phoebe asked. "I miss them so much."
"Celia's good, she misses you," Buffy said.
"Wyatt misses you, too," Piper said. "Is this a bad time?"
Phoebe shook her head. "No. This is a great time. Jason's away at a conference. I was just practicing my origami," she said as she held up an origami tiger. "This is a tiger. You can have that. Ha. Ha." She placed the origami tiger in Piper's hands and looked at Buffy and Dawn. "I'll get you two one next time. You know I'm sorry I didn't visit."
Buffy smiled. "No. Don't be silly."
"You've obviously been really busy folding," Piper agreed. "I'm sorry I have to ask for your help, but –"
"No. It's ok. I mean, if you don't enter the tiger's cave, you may never get the cub, right?" Phoebe asked.
"Come again," Piper said.
"Ancient Chinese proverb," Dawn explained. "Means nothing ventured, nothing gained."
"Since when do you know Chinese proverbs?" Buffy wondered.
"Since I started taking Chinese in school," Dawn replied.
"Could we get the show on the road here?" Chris interrupted.
Phoebe nodded. "Sure."
"Ok."
"Okay, what do you want us to do?" Buffy asked.
"Phoebe, you're the bait. All you gotta do is levitate into the air. And when this demon senses your magic, it's gonna come fast and hard," Chris said.
"Be careful of my origami. That tiger took two frickin' hours," Phoebe said as Piper, Buffy and Dawn stepped aside.
"Ok, let's do it," Chris said.
Phoebe levitated high in the air and waited. Under the sawdust floor, the creature made a beeline straight for Phoebe, sawdust shooting high into the air as it moved. Suddenly green goo shot out from the ground and latched onto Phoebe, encasing her in the goo.
Piper waved her hand and the good exploded. She then moved to the door and slowly opened it stepping outside. "All clear," she said cheerfully.
Later back at the manor Piper stood at the sink in the kitchen trying to get the stain out of her clothes while Phoebe, Dawn and Buffy each put on a wrap behind her. Phoebe had the most goo on her having been encased in the demon. But Buffy, Piper, Dawn and even Chris had a few specks on them as well, with Dawn and Buffy having more having been closer to Phoebe than Piper and Chris.
"Maybe you should just take me out back and hose me down," Phoebe suggested as Paige orbed in.
"Oh, my god!" Paige said. "I'm so sorry I'm late. Did I miss the vanquish?"
Dawn motioned toward Phoebe. "Ask her," she said as she, Buffy and Phoebe put their clothes on the counter next to the sink.
"Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi," Phoebe said as she bounced over to Paige.
"Hey ..." Paige said as Phoebe hugged her. "Oh, my gosh, Phoebe, how are you?"
"Great."
"How's Jason?"
"He's greatm" Phoebe replied. "How's Richard?"
Paige sighed dreamily. "Ah, he's fabulous."
"Hey Buffy, Dawnie," Paige said as she hugged them. "How are you two?"
"We're good," Buffy replied.
"And Willow?" Paige wondered.
"Powers still bound," Dawn replied. "But she seems to be getting over the addiction just fine. We've been thinking of unbinding them soon."
"It's up to you two of course," Piper said. "With Willow no longer living with the rest of us, you two would know how she is doing."
"We know," Buffy said.
"By the way, Richard was taking his sweet time getting out of the house this morning. That's why I couldn't orb."
"What, you don't orb with him in the house?" Phoebe asked.
Piper shook her head. "She's asked Richard to not use his magic."
"Yes. I'm trying to be supportive and, you know, not use my magic in front of him," Paige said.
"Wow. A magic-free life. You're the last witch in the world I'd expect that from," Phoebe said.
Paige shook her head. "It's not magic-free. It's just ... magic-lite."
"Yeah. It's still a lot to give up," Buffy said. "And that's coming from someone who actually did give it up for two months. Even I couldn't escape it, Paige. It's who I am, I've accepted that."
"What I get from him is kind of more than makes up for it, I think," Paige said as sat on top of the counter.
"Eww," Phoebe said at Paige's implication.
"How's Hong Kong?" Dawn asked Phoebe.
Phoebe smiled. It's fascinating. I'm studying numerology and the Chinese zodiac. But, you know, Distant Waters doesn't quench the immediate thirst."
"Huh?" Buffy said confused by that last little bit.
"Ancient Chinese proverb," Dawn explained.
Phoebe nodded. "It's just that I miss my family."
"Well, that's good 'cause your family misses you, too. I mean, I don't have a lot of people to hang out with aside from my baby who doesn't really say much, one really neurotic Whitelighter, and on occasion Buffy when she decided to come into the club."
"Piper, you are the manager," Buffy said. "I don't need to be there for everyday things."
"So how is my little buddy Chris?" Phoebe asked. "Last time I saw him, he wasn't in such good shape."
"He's trying his best to hide it, but he's still really shaken up," Piper said.
"I can understand," Buffy said. "We don't know the exact relationship he had with Celia, other than Phoebe's empathic feeling that he loved her. But even I am having trouble with the fact that she died, even if it was to save him. I can only imagine how much its affecting him."
"Yeah, and there's something in the future that's really freaking him out," Paige said.
Piper nodded in agreement. "Yeah. He's more determined than ever to protect Wyatt from evil, which means there's a new demon hunt every day."
Buffy let out a quiet sigh. A new demon that could wind up separating her from Dawn. Wait a second what was she thinking. She knew she had to stop thinking of Dawn like that, it was wrong after all to like let alone love your teenage sister that way. She knew society might accept the relationship if Dawn was adult. But not as a teenager.
"I feel like such a bad sister, leaving you guys alone to handle all this," Phoebe said.
"No. No. We're fine," Piper said. "Wyatt and I actually enjoy having the manor to ourselves."
"Really?" Paige, Buffy and Dawn asked simultaneously.
Piper nodded. "Yeah. I mean, we have room to spread out. And life is very quiet and calm and, best of all, everything stays clean."
Phoebe laughed at Piper's last comment.
Unknowingly behind them, the green goo stains on the clothes moved and congealed together, bonding to make the goo larger.
Piper turned around and picked up the clothes and headed for the utility room.
"Well, if I'm gonna hang out, I better go change my clothes. I think I left some here," Phoebe said as she headed out the door.
"I'll go with you," Paige said as she slipped off the counter and followed Phoebe.
"Sounds like a good idea," Buffy agreed as she looked to Dawn. "You've been wanting to see if you left that top here."
They headed upstairs to what had been Phoebe's room. "No, being born under the year of the ox is a good thing," Phoebe was telling Paige when Buffy and Dawn came up behind them. "It means you're a natural-born lea …" she said as she looked at how different her room was, "... der. What happened to my room?"
They looked at the exercise equipment that now lined the room.
"Holy, I guess when Piper said she was gonna spread out, she wasn't kidding," Paige said.
"Well, where's all my stuff?" Phoebe asked. "Heh. I mean, I have stuff, you know, lots and lots of stuff."
"Well, being an ox, I can take charge of this," Paige said. "You can borrow something from my room until we straighten this out."
The walked over to Paige's room and noticed it had been turned into Wyatt's nursery. They saw Leo, holding Wyatt, sitting in a rocking char as Chris sat across from him.
"Oh, hi, baby!" Phoebe said as she rushed over to Leo and Wyatt.
"This one, too?" Paige asked.
"Apparently," Buffy said. "You move, you lose it in this family. Which means likely means ours has been converted for something also."
Dawn sighed and nodded.
"You could lose a lot more than a bedroom when this is over," Chris said said Paige settled on the sofa next to him.
"Hi, Chris. I'm fine, thank you. And you?" Phoebe said.
"It's his job to offer his opinion," Leo replied.
"You know the only reason why she's even here is Paige missed the vanquish," Chris said.
"Piper said you needed us all for a power of five," Dawn said.
"That would have been the plan, but well …" Chris replied.
"Another one?" Leo said shaking his head.
Chris nodded. "Yeah. That makes what? Five in a row now?"
"You guys are such nags.," Paige said.
"I have to agree with Paige," Buffy said.
"When did you two become so chummy?" Dawn asked.
"We're not chummy," Leo explained. "It's just he's gone through a lot protecting Wyatt, and I figure instead of doubting him, I ... should help him a little."
"So, what do you guys think?" Piper asked as she walked in behind everyone. "You like Wyatt's new room?"
"I like it," Paige said a tad bit gruffly. "I just liked my room, too."
"And I like it," Phoebe said. "I just liked my room, too."
"Dawn and I are hesitant to even look at out room," Buffy said.
"Well, you guys were the ones that moved out. Not me," Piper said as Phoebe got up.
"So, where are my clothes?" Phoebe asked.
Piper led them up to the attic and they began to search through some boxes.
"Ah, god ... this really ... kind of hitting home," Paige said.
"What's that?" Piper asked.
"What Paige meant," Dawn said, "is that we don't live here anymore."
"Ugh, I know what you mean," Phoebe said.
"Yeah, Richard's just doesn't feel like home yet, you know?" Paige said. "I don't know. I guess I just had more fun here."
"Yeah," Piper said. "'Cause this place is a riot."
"No," Dawn said. "I think what Paige means, she was just more free here. Free to be herself. And to tell the truth I understand where she is going. While Buffy and I have not taken the magic lite stance with Willow, we can't do too much in front of her either, otherwise she will never get over her addiction."
Piper settled next to Phoebe and looked in her box. "Oh, wow, Phoebe. These are some boots," she said as she pulled out a pair of red leather calf-high go-go boots.
Phoebe shook her head. "No. They're not mine, but I wish they were 'cause they're hot!"
"The box says Penny," Paige said as she read the writing on the box. "Penny as in Grams, Penny?"
"No way," Phoebe said as Dawn moved over and began rummaging in the box. "I refuse to believe that Grams ever wore anything this hot."
"Yeah," Piper agreed. "I figured her more for steel-toed orthopedics, you know, the better to kick your ass with."
"They're your size, Paige. Try 'em on," Phoebe said as she handed the boots to Paige.
"I don't know," Paige groaned as Dawn pulled out a blouse.
"Hey this doesn't look half bad," Dawn said. "And it looks like it might fit me."
"Oh, come on. Just do it," Phoebe said to Paige, who removed her own shoes.
"They're kind of sixties," Paige said critically.
"So, what's wrong with the sixties?" Dawn wondered.
"The sixties was like the worst fashion era," Paige said as she slipped on the first boot and zipped up the sides. "Hello? Bad clothing ... bad hair, and extremely questionable personal hygiene."
At the same moment Paige is putting on the first boot, Dawn is shrugging into the blouse and the moment it is on she vanishes.
"Dawn!" Buffy yelled as Phoebe and Piper turned to look at where Dawn had been and found her gone.
"Hey, they fit," Paige said as she stood up.
"Get them off now, Paige," Piper yelled as they turned back to Paige only to find the warning too late for Paige had vanished as well.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn appeared in Piper's bedroom of the manor. There she saw a woman … "Hi," she said.
The woman turned and looked at Dawn. "Hi," she said. "Who are you?"
"Dawn," Dawn replied as she glanced around at the room that looked nothing like she was used to. "And you?"
"Penny," the woman, Penny, replied.
Dawn's eyes went wide when she spotted a calendar which read: January 1962. "Penny Halliwell?" she asked.
"Yes," Penny replied. "Where did you come from?"
"Uhm its going to be hard to believe, but I from the future. I think this blouse had a spell worked on it."
"Hmm I guess my return-to-owner spell would be able to pull itself and the current wearer through time," Penny said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn watched as Penny adjusted her aura and smiled. It had been an interesting five years living with her grandparents. Though Penny and Allen did not know they were her grandparents. When she talked about her family it was in vague terms and told them her friends would find a way to come get her.
Suddenly at that very moment, five years almost to the day of Dawn's arrival, Paige appeared.
"Paige?" Dawn said shocked to see Paige standing there.
"Who …" Paige said as she looked at Dawn but barely even recognizing her.
Five years had been a long time for Dawn after all. She was no longer a teenager of fifteen, but a young woman of twenty.
"Paige, it's me … Dawn," Dawn said.
"One of your friends from your time?" Penny asked as Dawn nodded. She noticed the boots Paige was wearing. "Oh, you brought my go-go boots. Right on."
"Actually, they brought me," Paige said.
"Like the top that brought me five years ago," Dawn said.
"Of course," Penny said, nodding in understanding. Only she and her husband, Allen, knew from when Dawn was. "And like that top I cast a return-to-owner spell on the boots and as you know Dawn, several other items of my favorite stuff." She looked to Paige and smiled. "I'm always taking my clothes off and forgetting them somewhere these days. And apparently they come back to me years later. I've been working on a reversal spell, but Dawn has been adamant that you and your friends would come for her."
"Uhm Dawn, two questions. How are you older? And who is she?" Paige asked.
"She's Penny," Dawn said. "Penny Halliwell." Paige's eyes went wide as Dawn nodded. "And how I'm five years older. The top I wore took me to a different time period than those boots. I arrived five years ago."
"Can I talk to Dawn for a moment, alone?" Paige asked as Penny nodded and left the room closing the door behind her. "Does she know …?"
"We're her granddaughters," Dawn finished for Paige. "No. I've seen enough time travel movies and shows to know you don't change the past. When I found out she was Grams I told her only enough to assure that I would be here when you guys came to get me."
"I didn't come to get you," Paige said. "I didn't even know you were here."
"Probably you and I were putting on our respective items at the same moment and we disappeared together. But because Grams return-to-owner spell was on a blouse from five years ago. I was sent back then while you were sent here."
Paige let out a sigh. "This is enough to give anyone a headache."
"Before we go downstairs and wait for Piper, Buffy and Phoebe. I should warn you, there are other witches downstairs and Whitelighters. In fact Leo is downstairs," Dawn said. "And he is quite different than he will be thirty years from now."
They exited the bedroom and headed downstairs
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Back in the present Buffy, Piper and Phoebe were trying to explain what they knew to Leo and Chris.
"What do you mean you lost Paige and Dawn?" Chris asked.
"Well, it was really weird," Phoebe said. "I mean, one second they were here, and the next second, poof."
"It kind of happened after Dawn put on a top of Grams' and Paige put on a pair of Grams' boot,: Piper explained.
"Grams used to cast spells on her clothes when she was young," Leo said.
"Wait, you knew Grams when she was young?" Phoebe asked.
Leo nodded. "Yeah. We crossed paths once or twice when I was a young whitelighter."
Piper scrunched her face. "Eww!"
"Well, I barely remember it," said an embarrassed Leo.
"Huh."
"Eww," Phoebe said.
Buffy shook her head and laughed. And then she smiled when she realized she hadn't done much of that in the months since her resurrection and it felt good to laugh again. Was that Dawn's doing, she wondered. And if it was, what would happen if they didn't get Dawn back.
"Well, if the shirt and the boots did belong to your grandmother, then we better summon her from the dead. Maybe she can tell us what happened to Paige and Dawn," Chris said.
"Ok. Let's get the candles," Phoebe said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Paige and Dawn stood on the stairwell next to Penny as they watched Leo and a couple other Whitelighters put on a show with their orbing power.
"Outta sight!" Penny said.
"So what do you think, Dawn?" Robin, one of the witches who was attending Penny's Be-in, said.
"Quite good," Dawn replied and then leaned in to whisper to Paige. "Yes, that's Leo."
As the Whitelighters finished their display, their orbs burst into a shower of white light raining down above the audience's heads, who burst out in applause.
"What are all these people doing here?" Paige wondered as they headed down into the crowd.
"Everyone here is a witch," Dawn explained. "Well most of course. As you saw there are some Whitelighters."
"It's why we're gathering here tonight, for a magical Be-In," Penny said.
"Oh, like a human be-in," Paige said. "When Timothy Leary said, Tune in, turn on,
drop out."
Penny leaned over and whispered in Paige's ear. "Be careful. Only myself and my husband, Allen, know that Dawn is from the future. The least impact you have the better."
"Of course," Paige said. "How did you manage to work out Dawn legally staying here anyways?"
"I cast a small spell so that it would appear legally that she's my middle child between Patty and Patience," Penny said as she walked toward the Whitelighters. "When you and Dawn manage to return to the future. I will release it and everyone will forget she was even here, including myself. So I assume you have an active power?"
Paige nodded. "Yeah. I can orb."
"Groovy," Penny said. "Hey, everyone! We have a witch here who can orb!"
That seemed to catch Leo's attention as he walked over to them. "Right on. Lay some orbs on us, sister."
"Uhm," Dawn said as she glared at Penny. "No offense, Leo. But my friend Paige doesn't use her orbing power for personal gain." She leaned in and whispered to Paige. "Our powers don't work in the past. I found that out pretty quickly when I tried to shimmer."
Leo shrugged and walked off.
"Oh, come on," Penny said as she turned Paige and Dawn around to see a witch sitting on a floating cushion playing a guitar.
"Wow! I've never seen so many witches just hanging out," Paige said.
Penny smiled. "Wait till the magical be-in. This house was built on a spiritual nexus. We're gonna tap into its power tonight and ride the magic wave."
Paige glanced at Dawn. "Are you sure she's Penny Halliwell?"
"I know right," Dawn said. "So different than the person we know."
"So, what do you say, Paige?" Penny said. "Join us tonight? Dawn will be."
Paige looked at Dawn who nodded. "I knew somehow you all would come get me," Dawn said. "But I had to start living my life when you didn't come after the first month."
"Sure," Paige said as outside a car horn beeped loudly.
Penny gasped and smiled brightly. "Oh, Allen's back!" she said as she rushed out of the room.
Dawn smiled. "Come on," she said pulling Paige behind her. "You're going to like grandpa Allen."
They ran out side and watched as Allen got out of a rainbow colored Volkswagon van. He ran up the steps to Penny who waited for him on the steps outside the front door.
"Hi!" Penny laughed.
"Oh ... mm ..." Allen started.
Penny jumped him and wrapped her legs around his waist as she kissed him. He gently put her back down. "Where's Patty and Patience?" she asked.
"I dropped them off at my sister's," Allen said. "They're gonna crash there tonight."
Paige leaned in and whispered. "They our moms?"
Dawn simply nodded.
Allen turned and looked at Dawn. "Hey, Dawn."
"Hey, dad," Dawn said and she leaned in and whispered to Paige. "Remember everyone else thinks I'm their eldest daughter."
Allen looked at Paige shocked. "Janice?"
"Excuse me?" Paige asked.
"He's talking about his sister," Dawn said. "I noticed the resemblance too when I met her for the first time. You could be her twin." She looked towards Allen. "This is my friend, Paige."
"You mean …" Allen said as he looked to Dawn. "They finally came to get you?"
"No," Dawn said. "She arrived the same way I did. With another item of Penny's."
"Ah."
"We're hoping now that the two of us are trapped they are coming, it's just a matter of time," Dawn said.
"Listen up. I passed this groovy drum circle on my way here. Who wants to check it out?" Allen asked.
Penny smiled. "Count me in." She looked to Dawn and Paige. "Come with us." And then in a sing-song voice she said. "Who wants a ride in the Rainbow Bus?"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the present Phoebe bent over to light a set of candles she had set in a circle.
"You know, if I hadn't taken over Buffy and Dawn's as well as Paige's rooms, this never would have happened," Piper said. "This is all my fault."
"What's done is done," Leo and Chris said as Phoebe laughed at them.
"Ok. You two really need to get a room," Phoebe said as she finished lighting the last candle.
Piper looked towards Chris and Leo. "Yeah."
"Hear these words, hear my cry, Spirit from the other side," Buffy chanted. "Come to thee, I summon thee, Cross now the great divide."
Light orbs swirled in the circle of candles.
Unbeknownst to everyone some of the green goo has gotten Chris and begins to feed on the magic from the summoning spell as it begins to grow.
Grams materialized out of the orbs in the circle and then stepped out of them to become corporeal. "Well, it's about time you called to say hello. Oh, how are my darlings?"
Phoebe held out her arms for a hug as Grams stepped into the embrace.
"We got a problem," Piper said.
Grams turned around and saw the green goo covering both of Chris's legs. "Well, you're not the only one."
"Orb out!" Leo said as they all turned to see what Grams had spotted.
"No. Magic makes it grow," Chris said as it spread up his legs. "Summoning her spirit already gave it power."
Grams stepped forward to introduce herself. "Oh, you must be Chris, the new Whitelighter," she said as the green goo continues to encase Chris. She looked to Leo and shook her head. "You know, he doesn't look very qualified for the job."
"Chris, just let me fire off fireball or let Piper blast it," Buffy said.
"She's right. Orb!" Phoebe agreed Chris shook his head.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, listen to them," Grams said. "We'll find a way to vanquish the foul thing later."
Chris orbed out as the green goo encased him.
"Now!" Leo yelled.
Buffy threw a fireball at the same time that Piper blasted the green goo. Both attacks shattered into in hundreds of little pieces on the attic floor.
Exhausted and gasping for breath, Chris orbed re-orbs back into the attic. Each of the spots congealed together and the green goo slithers down into the attic floor.
"Uh-oh," Phoebe uttered.
Unable to say anything, CHRIS tiredly shook his head.
Several minutes later Grams sat in the living room with Buffy, Piper and Phoebe. They were filling her in on the latest news.
"You two, Dawn and Paige moved out?" Grams said. "When?"
"Uh, uh, a week ago," Phoebe said. "But we're handling everything."
Grams shook her head. "Dear, you have Dawn and Paige stuck in the past and a demonic blob roaming the manor. Exactly how are you handling things?"
"We're still in an adjustment period," Piper said.
Grams surged to her feet angrily. "There would be no adjustment period if you were living under one roof. Why in heaven's name did you move out?"
"Well I already had my house that I got from Dracula. I just finished renovating it. Besides you can blame it on your great granddaughter," Buffy said.
"On Celia?" Grams said. "How? She's only a year old."
"No Celia came from the future to take Chris back to it," Piper said. "To distract us, she cast a spell. Lowered our inhibitions."
"And that led to you moving out of the manor," Grams said as she looked at Buffy.
"In part, yes," Buffy said. She knew Grams would not be accepting on what happened during the spell or the feelings she now held for her sister.
"And you?" Grams said as she looked at Phoebe.
"In part it was a result of the spell, yes. But it was also to be with Jason. You said it yourself—never give up on love. Remember?" Phoebe said.
Grams sighed. "I didn't say give up on your sisters, and you, ..." she said as she rounded on Piper. "... you're the oldest. How could you let them move out?"
"You know, it really wasn't that hard, 'cause they deserve a shot at a normal life," Piper said in their defense.
"They're not normal, Piper, and neither are you," Grams argued. "When are you going to learn that?"
"How about never," Buffy said in defense of Piper.
"Uhh!" Grams said exasperated. "All this over men and who knows what else. How many times have I told you men are utensils? You use them, wash them, and throw them in a drawer until you need them again."
Just at that moment Leo and Chris walked through the room looking around at the ceiling and walls. "Shh! Everyone quiet," Leo said.
Chris walked up to the far wall and placed his ear next to it, listening. "I can hear it. I think it's in the wall."
The wall surged and cracked as Leo sat down on the arm rest near Grams. "Yep. It's in the wall," he said.
"Ok," Chris said. "We're gonna need Dawn and Paige. It took the Power of Five to vanquish this thing in the future."
"What?!" Piper said. "If you knew that, why didn't we wait till we got Paige in the first place?"
"Because I could barely get four of you together, let alone all five," Chris said. "Besides, this thing's not that big right now, and I thought the power of two augmented by Buffy's augmentation could handle it."
"Leo, you take point," Grams said. "Chris here is much too green to guide my girls."
"What?" Chris said not liking that idea. "You know what? You can just stop that."
"Uh-uh!" Grams said as she shushed Chris. "Quiet! It's time to give this floundering ship a rudder. Now, which top did Dawn put on and which boots did Paige put on?
"Dawn put on a blue, peasent blouse," Buffy said.
"Paige put on a pair of red, go-go boots," Phoebe added.
"We've got a problem," Grams said "Well two actually. Dawn was taken back to the year 1962. Paige was taken back to the Summer of Love, 1967, which was one of the most crucial times of my life.
"What do you mean, crucial?" Phoebe wondered.
"Your grandfather Allen, rest his soul, was a sweet man, but he led me straight down the hippie-dippie trail," Grams said.
Buffy laughed. "You were a flower child?"
Grams nodded. "Yeah, well, don't rub it in. What's important is that Allen was killed by my best friend. I didn't know it then, but she was evil, and I walked in right after it happened."
"What did you do?" Piper wondered.
"Well, let's just say that my peacenik days ended fast, along with that bitch Robin. Why, if she hadn't killed Allen –" Grams said.
"You'd still be a flower child," Leo interrupted.
"And The Charmed Ones would be dead," Grams said. "I know I'm a ballbuster, but it kept me alive to protect my girls from all the demons that came after them as kids. I cast my return-to-owner spell on a lot of clothes from '62 to '67, so –"
"So, we get to go back there?" Phoebe said excitedly. "And we get to meet our grandfather?"
Grams shook her head. "Don't make too much out of it, because whatever you do, you can't change the past or tell anyone you're from the future."
"Well, why does he get to?" Buffy asked.
"Because I know what I'm doing," Chris retorted.
Piper scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Not from where I'm standing," Grams said. "Now here is where we have another problem. The blouse Dawn wore was the only from '62 that I cast my return-to-owner spell on. It was the only one I really wanted back that year. So the only way your going to be able to rescue Dawn is by doing it when you go back to rescue Paige." She looked to Leo. "Which means we may need the Cleaners to work some changes as that means Dawn is going to be five years older, when they bring her back."
"I'll talk to them," Leo said.
Grams looked back at Piper, Buffy and Phoebe. "I'll stay here with Leo and the newbie to contain the slime until you can bring Dawn and Paige back to vanquish it, ok? Ok, girls, get dressed. You are going to the Summer of Love."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
At the park Allen stoodstands in the middle of the group reciting poetry to the beat of the drums. "Hear the drums! Liquid beats crashing down on parched shores, pounding like the feet of ten thousand soldiers, whispering, Why? Why?!"
Paige surged to her feet, feeling the beat of the music and words. "Right on!" she said as Dawn rolled her eyes. Just then the drums stop and the audience applauded. "Sorry. I just got a little carried away."
"Don't be sorry," Allen said. "That was gone."
"Gone," Paige said. "That's right. That's exactly what I should be—gone, because I'm actually starting to dig th—like this. Ha! It's kind of cool, everybody being so free."
Penny got to her feet as Allen stood behind her. "You are exactly what we're all about, Paige. You want to hear my dream?"
"Oh you'll like this," Dawn said.
"I dream of a crusade to rid the world of evil, not through fighting or the inner anger that makes us want to fight, but through the magic power of love," Penny said.
Paige laughed. "Are you sure you're Penny Halliwell?"
"That's what I asked the first time I heard her say it, but she is Penny," Dawn said.
"So how long have you felt this way?" Paige asked.
Penny smiled. "Ever since I met Allen."
"It must be so great to share this together," Paige said.
"Your old man's not into magic?" Allen asked.
"He's not so old, but nah. Not so into it, either," Paige said as she glanced at Dawn as if to tell her not a word.
"He's like that friend I told you about," Dawn said.
"Ah," Penny said. "Magic addiction is not the easiest thing to get over."
Just then Piper, Buffy and Phoebe appeared out of thin air.
"Hey, Groovy Girl," Piper said as she looked at Paige. "We've been looking for you. Have you seen Dawn?"
"I'm right here, Piper," Dawn replied.
Buffy looked at her little sister, all grown, the beautiful woman she had become and smiled. She barely managed to keep herself from actually checking Dawn out.
"Welcome. I'm Penny," Penny said. "Any friends of Dawn and Paige's are friends of ours. But you shouldn't use magic so openly."
"That's Grams?!" Phoebe said excitedly.
"Shh!" Piper, Dawn and Buffy said.
"I'm Allen," Allen said. "Peace and love."
"Oh, yes, love," Phoebe said as she smiled at Allen. "Lots and lots of love. I have so much love for you, man. You have no idea."
"You here to take Dawn and Paige, home?" Penny asked. "Or will you be staying for the happening at the manor tonight?"
Piper shook her head. "No. We were just looking for our friends Dawn and Paige, actually. Excuse us," she said as she, Paige, Dawn, Buffy and Phoebe stepped aside.
"I'm so glad you guys found me," Paige said.
"So am I," Dawn agreed.
"We need to get out of here," Piper said as they heard the sound approaching sirens.
Police cars stop just outside the park and cops exit their cars to break up the gathering.
"It's the pigs!" Allen shouted.
"Ok, everybody, let's break it up! Let's go! Everybody out! Move it!" the cops said.
"This is a park, man! You can't control god's green earth," Allen said.
"It's the taxpayers' green dollars that pay for this park, and you're loitering, so move it!"
"Since Allen and the other people here pay taxes wouldn't that …" Buffy wondered.
Dawn sighed and shook her head. "It's a different time, Buffy. Believe me I know. I had to adjust to it five years ago."
Some of the people that came with Allen, Penny, Paige and Dawn began to chant. "Hell, no, we won't go! Hell, no, we won't go! Hell, no, we won't go! Hell, no, we won't go!"
The cops took out their batons intent on trying to force everyone into leaving.
Penny held held out her hands in front of her. "They have no right, they have no power. Turn their hate sticks into flowers," she said as the cops batrons did just that.
"Hell, no, we won't go! Hell, no, we won't go! Hell, no, we won't go!"
"Let's jam," Robin said. "If the cops get us, we'll miss tonight."
"Hell, no, we won't go! Hell, no, we won't go!"
Phoebe looked to Piper. "Freeze him!"
Dawn quickly grabbed Piper's hands and shook her head. "Our powers don't work in the past, you guys should know that.."
The cops drop the flowers as Dawn and Paige turn and quickly followed Penny and Allen. Buffy is right behind them, for a moment she thought Phoebe and Piper were as well, but she looked back she saw them being put in a police car.
Later back at the manor Paige, Dawn and Buffy plead with Allen and Robin to help Piper and Phoebe.
"Please, there's got to be a way to get our friends out of jail," Paige said.
"Stay cool," Allen said. "We've all been hassled by the pigs. It's a rite of passage. They'll let your friends go ... after a night in jail."
"Allen," Dawn said. "Did you forget when we are from? I'm the only one that has any kind of ID here. And that's because of Penny's spell. The cops are going to wonder why they don't have any form of identification."
Allen sighed and nodded. "I have a friend who is an ACLU lawyer, I'll give him a call and see what he can do."
Just then Penny came down the stairs. "Ok, everybody, time to prepare for the party! Take a crystal, bless it, and hide it outside the manor. We want to form a perimeter," she said as she picked up a bag full of crystals and held it out as everyone reaches in for their crystal.
"What are those?" Robin asked.
"Those are pyrite crystals," Paige said. "They resonate a harmonic tone when exposed to evil, kind of like a demonic alarm system."
Each of the witched take a crystem from the bag as Penny looked surprised at Paige's knowledge. "How did you know?" she asked.
"Piper, Phoebe and I all had a hand in Paige and Dawn's magical education," Buffy said.
"I thought our gathering tonight was a peaceful one," Robin said.
"I want to give peace a chance as much as anyone, Robin, but I'm not dumb," Penny said. "You know how many covens are coming tonight? We'll be sitting ducks."
"Right," Robin said.
Later Buffy, Dawn and Paige walked around the manor looking for Allen as Leo walked up to Dawn.
"There's my little psychedelic sunshine," Leo said. "Are you ready for your private session?"
Dawn sighed. "Leo, how many times in the last couple years since I turned eighteen have I said I'm not interested."
"Hey, have you seen Allen? He was supposed to call his lawyer friends for us," Paige said. "Or at least point us in the right direction.
Leo turned Paige pointing her in the right direction. Towards the foyer and the stairs.
"Thank you," Paige said.
"I'll do another check down here," Buffy said. "Just in case."
"Good idea," Paige agreed. "I'll take the attic. Dawn you take the second floor."
"Alright," Dawn said as she and Paige headed up the stairs. Dawn turned towards Piper's room as Paige continued upstairs.
Paige walked opened the attic door and stepped inside the attic. She spotted Robin with a fireball in her hand. "Robin!"
Robin threw the fireball at Paige, who dove behind a piece of furniture out of harms way.
Allen raised his hands to intervene peacefully. "Violence isn't the answer, Robin. Let love replace your fear! I know you felt our love!"
"Yeah! And I've still got the stink of it all over me," Robin said as Paige got up.
"Over here!" Paige said as Robin powered up another fireball. She knocked over a canister of marbles scattering them across the floor.
Robin tripped on the marbles and fell flat on her back, her fireball flying high in the air above her.
Just then Phoebe, Dawn, Buffy and Piper walked into the attic and Piper, Buffy and Phoebe quickly assessed what was going on and gasped at the fact that history was about to be rewritten.
Robin opened her her eyes and saw her own fireball fall right down upon her, vanquishing her.
The explosion propelled Allen back against the attic wall knocking him down.
"Allen!" Paige said.
"I'm all right!" Allen said.
Phoebe, Piper and Buffy looked at each other knowing this was not good.
"What?" Dawn whispered having noticed the look.
"Uh-oh," Paige said as she looked up at her sisters and noticed the look as well. "What did I just do?"
"Oh, nothing much," Piper said. "Just changed our entire future!"
"Or erased it," Phoebe said.
Just then Penny walked into the attic and looked around as she tried to find Robin. "Has anyone seen Robin? We got a lot of –" She stopped when she noticed Piper, Buffy and Phoebe standing next to the Charmed Book. She turned and saw Dawn, Paige and Allen on the floor.
"What happened?" Penny asked, noting everyones grim expressions.
"Robin," Paige said. "She attacked."
"Are you hurt?" Penny asked as she rushed to help Allen to his feet.
"No, I'm all right. I'm all right," Allen said. "She said something about a warlock attacking tonight."
"So? That's no problem," Piper said. "You have a house full of witches."
"Piper," Dawn said, "that's not who Penny or her friends are."
"Dawn's right," Penny said. "We don't believe in murder."
"No. Neither do we, but we do believe in vanquishing evil," Phoebe said.
Penny sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't see violence as a solution to anything."
"Let's go, Penny," Allen said as he led his wife out of the attic. "Let's send everyone home. I don't want anyone else getting hurt."
"Oh, she is driving me nuts! That is not the Grams we all know," Phoebe said.
"What was supposed to happen?" Dawn asked.
"Grams was supposed to find husband dead tonight," Buffy said.
Paige sighed. "I know we're supposed to turn her into a bit of a killer whatever, but what if this happens to be her new destiny ... with grandpa?"
"If grandpa was supposed to die tonight, death will come after him again," Phoebe said.
"Phoebe's right," Buffy said.
"And the first thing we have to remember is, we're not here to change anything. We just need to keep Grams alive, and unfortunately, we don't have our powers to do that," Piper said.
Phoebe looked at the Book of Shadows and flipped through the pages. "Well, it's a lot thinner than we're used to, and the only one. I guess Buffy and Dawn's didn't get written till after Aunt Joyce and Grams had their tiff. But I'm sure we could find something in here to help us make a potion." She looked at Paige. "Will you help me?"
"Yeah," Paige said.
"Dawn, Piper and I," Buffy said, "will be downstairs on warlock watch."
Buffy, Piper and Dawn head downstairs and watched as Allen and Penny said goodbye to their guests. As the last witch left they stepped toward Penny.
"We need to talk," Piper said.
"I agree," Allen said. "We need to talk with the warlock and find a path of peaceful resistance to resolve this situation."
Buffy shook her head. "The first thing being the Slayer taught me was not to reason with demons."
"And my Grams taught me the same thing," Piper said.
"Your grandmother fought demons?" Penny asked.
Piper nodded. "Yeah. She was a great woman ... and she knew that you can't reason or negotiate with demons. They kill, and they keep killing, until a force of good stops them."
"If your grandmother hurt other living creatures, she doesn't sound so great to me. I'm sorry."
Allen nodded. "Penny's right. You can't be a savior and a murderer at the same time."
"Really?" Buffy said. "What if a demon attacked somebody you loved, like your daughters. Would you fight then?"
Just then the warlock appeared. "Where are they?" he asked.
"Well, that depends on who you're looking for," Dawn said.
"Everybody!"
"We sent them home," Allen said. "The manor's yours. We won't fight you."
The warlock backhanded Allen across the face, knocking him unconscious.
"Do something!" Piper said as Penny gasped.
Penny held out her arms in front of her toward the Warlock. "May peace and love from the moon above flow through your heart on the wings of a dove."
The Warlock helds out his hand as he stopped time. He looked at Penny mockingly. "Did you just try and cast a love spell on me? I'm a warlock," he said as time resumed.
Allen shook himself awake and got up as the Warlock powered up a fire ball.
"What is this world coming to?"
Allen got to his feet and threw himself in the path of the fireball. "No!" He knocked Penny and Piper to the ground as he is hit by the fireball.
Piper, Buffy and Dawn stared at Allen's wound as Penny shook Allen, who did not move, who was dead.
"No!" Penny said as she put her head down on Allen's chest and cried. "Allen!"
"Your turn to join him, sweetheart," the Warlock said.
Piper, Buffy and Dawn looked at the Warlock and saw Paige behind him.
"Hey," Paige called out, causing the Warlock to turn and see her and Phoebe standing behind him. She threw a potion and it exploded sending sailing through the air across the room, hitting the wall and crashing to the floor.
Phoebe threw her potion just as the Warlock blinked out.
"I think he's gone," Phoebe said.
"For now," Paige and Dawn said.
As Piper got to her feet she stared at Penny who was still bent over Allen. "This isn't right."
"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.
"Grams said, she flew into a rage when she found grandpa dead. It made her what she was. Does that look like a demon killer to you?" Piper said as they looked at Penny who continued to cry her heart out.
A half an hour later Phoebe paced as they watched Penny stirring a potions pot.
"How are you so calm right now?" Phoebe wondered. "It's ok for you to be angry. That warlock killed your husband."
"I am angry ..." Penny said as she stopped stirring and let go of the spoon. "... at myself. That's why I'm mixing a binding potion."
"Binding your magic is not the answer," Piper said.
"It is for me. I tried to save Allen, and I failed," Penny said. "What good is my magic if it can't save my family?" She tossed another ingredient into the pot.
"It's a lot of good. Remember your dream? You can't turn your back on it now. What would Allen think?" Paige suggested.
Penny shrugged. "Doesn't matter. He's dead. No one'll ever compare to him. I'll probably end up hating men for the rest of my life." She tossed another ingredient into the pot.
"Well, she's got us there," Piper said.
"Magic can save your family," Dawn said. "I mean, my sisters have saved –" She stopped when she had realized her slip. Five years and she finally had told Penny the truth.
"You said these were your friends. What's going on? Who are you?" Penny asked as she looked at Dawn.
Dawn sighed as she glanced at Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige.
"Don't!" Piper warned. "Can't change history."
"It's a little late now, isn't it?" Dawn asked as she looked back at Penny. "We're your granddaughters. Piper, Phoebe and Paige are Patty's daughters. Buffy and I are Patience's daughters."
"Hi, Grams," Phoebe said.
"I'm your Grams," Penny said. "The Demon Hunter?"
Paige nodded. "Yeah."
"You knew there was the possibility," Dawn said. "Especially when I told you when I was from. How else would I have gotten your blouse. Or Paige your boots."
"You're trying to trick me, Dawn," Penny said. "If I we're your Grams why would you not say something before now."
"Because I couldn't," Dawn said. "I couldn't change my own past, your future."
"Look," Piper said, "it's payback time. You need to get your act together. We love you, but if you don't start fighting now, all the people we're meant to save in the fut—"
Suddenly a fireball hit the potions pot and it exploded.
They looked and saw the Warlock had returned. "You didn't think I forgot about you?" he asked.
Piper sighed. "Those were our potions."
Buffy stepped forward to kick the Warlock and he just blinked out of the way. She hit the wall landing on the floor with a thud.
Penny stared at the Warlock, her eyes wide.
Piper and Paige moved to attack the Warlock and he knocked them back into the coffee table, smashing it. "It's not quite the slaughter I expected, but it'll have to do for a night's work."
As Piper, Buffy and Paige got to their feet, the Warlock powered up another fireball to finish them off.
"Stop!" Penny said as he turned around and looked scathingly at Penny.
"What are you gonna do?" the Warlock asked. "Cast another love spell?"
Penny pointed and motioned with her hands sending the Warlock flying backward into the wall.
"Well, it's about time," Phoebe said.
"Like you all said, it's ok to fight for someone you love, right?" Penny said as she motioned and sent the Warlock flying against another wall.
"Welcome back to your destiny, Grams," Dawn said.
Penny motioned again and sent the furniture smashing into the Warlock.
"Now she's just showing off," Piper said.
"Ok," Phoebe said as she pointed at the clock. "The grandfather clock."
Penny motioned and brought the grandfather clock down on the Warlock. "What do I usually do at this point?"
"You usually do something very final, if you catch my drift," Phoebe said.
Penny took a deep breath and exhaled. "Snuff this warlock. His days are done. But make him good for the ecosystem?"
The Warlock smoked and then burst into a shower of daisies.
"Now, that's what you call flower power. ," Buffy said.
"Not exactly ruthless, but a fine start," Paige said.
"That was for Allen," Penny said. "So, now what?"
"Now we gotta get home fast, because we have a slimy demon of our own to deal with," Piper said.
"How are we gonna do that?" Dawn wondered. "I've been stuck here five years."
"Grams just has to reverse the spell," Phoebe said.
Penny smiled. "Glad to know I have groovy grandkids. Just the same, I think I'm gonna add a little addendum to the spell I wrote for Dawn that will help me to forget after you all go. You know, keep the cosmic order."
"Oh, I like this Grams. I don't want to forget you," Paige said.
"We won't," Dawn said. "The forgetting spell isn't for us. Grams just won't remember our visit." She stepped forward and gave Penny a farewell hug. "Thanks for the last five years."
Penny smiled at Dawn. "It was a pleasure, Dawn."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the kitchen back in the present Chris and Leo struggled to keep the basement door closed. "Get out of here! Go!" Leo said.
"No! Not without you," Chris replied.
"This thing's gonna swallow you whole."
"Most likely."
There's a loud thud as they groan to keep the door shut. Suddenly Piper, Buffy, Dawn, Phoebe and Paige appeared behind them.
"Stand back, fellas," Piper said.
Dawn took a step forward and smiled. "Drawing on the power of five, Destroy this evil entity."
Suddenly Leo and Chris are thrown from the door as a loud explosion can be heard in the basement.
"Where's Wyatt?" Piper asked.
"Oh, he's in the living room," Chris said.
"And what about Grams?" Dawn wondered.
Chris looked down at his feet.
"She didn't make it," Leo said quietly.
Suddenly, the basement door burst open and Grams walked out, smoldering and coughing and alive as a ghost can be. "Nonsense!" she said as Chris and Leo smiled. "You can't damage an old war horse like me." She wheezed. "I'm already dead."
"Yay, Grams!" Phoebe said. "I'm so glad you're back!" She rushed forward and gave Grams a hug.
Dawn stepped forward toward Leo and shook her head. "I don't think Piper would want to know what kind of person you were like back then."
"Thanks, Dawn," Leo said as he hugged her. "It's good to have you back. I'm going to talk to the Cleaners and see if we can't do something about you being five years older."
Grams looked at Chris and Leo. "Hey, I want to thank you two for not giving up the fight. I'm really proud of you boys," she said as she punched Chris lightly on the arm. "Tcch! You did good!"
Later that evening Paige, Dawn, Buffy and Phoebe watched as Piper tucked Wyatt into bed for the night.
"Grams gone?" Piper asked as she turned around to face them.
Paige nodded. "Yes, but not before yelling at us for moving out."
"It was good to hear her yell at us for a change," Buffy said.
"So did she convince you to move back in?" Piper wondered.
Dawn shook her head. "No, but she did give us her blessing after she was done yelling."
"Really?" Piper said.
"Well, she gave up a lot to be a witch," Buffy said. "You know, she lost grandpa."
"And her dreams," Paige added.
"I don't think she wants that to happen to us. But she did make me promise that I would keep in touch more," Phoebe said.
"The same for me and Dawn," Buffy said. "Which means you will see me at Payson's P5 more."
"And I have to promise to keep using my magic," Paige said.
"Wow. I guess Grams really is a softy underneath it all. So, you guys going home?" Piper asked.
"Home is a relative term, but yeah, we're heading out," Dawn said.
Phoebe nodded in agreement. "I should get back and finish my origami dragon."
"Yeah. I understand," Piper said. "Well, you guys know you always have a home here and a room when you want it back—I mean, if you want it back."
Phoebe, Paige, Buffy and Dawn motioned Piper forward and they all gave her one big group hug. Piper stepped back as Paige and Phoebe orbed out and Buffy and Dawn flamed out.
"Everything all right?" Leo asked as he walked into the room.
Piper shook her head. "No, it's not. I mean, I know it seems to them that I'm moving on with my life and everything's fine, but it's not true. I wish they were still here."
"You should tell them that," Leo suggested. "Especially Dawn. She missed out on a lot."
"I know," Piper said. "Did you talk to the Cleaners?"
"Yes," Leo said. "With some minor alterations to the events in the past that she lived through. They fixed things here. She is now officially a year younger than Buffy, and she has her high school diploma."
Two days later Buffy watched as Dawn filled out college applications. She had not expected for her little sister to be doing that just yet. But she was and that mde her smile. "Dawn," she said causing her sister to look up at her. "There is something I need to tell you."
"What, Buffy," Dawn said confused.
"You remember how I wasn't feeling anything for awhile?" Buffy said as Dawn nodded. "I started to feel again when I started having sex with Spike."
"You were having sex with Spike?" Dawn asked shocked at the revelation.
Buffy sighed and nodded. "Yes. And all I felt during and afterwards was pain and hatred at both him and myself for doing it. Then there was when Chris told us about future Celia, how she had died to save him. I felt sadness. What I am getting at is I've felt very little emotion since I was brought back. And it wasn't till the day of Celia's spell that I felt something I hadn't felt since Riley left last year, and even before then. You remember my intervention? When the First Slayer said death was my gift?"
Dawn sighed and nodded. "I remember."
"I did … I do love you, Dawn. But till Celia's spell I wasn't feeling the emotion. Now I am, when I look at one person, I can feel it," Buffy said.
"Who do you feel it for?" Dawn wondered.
Buffy paused wondering how she should reply. "I can't say, not yet. I have to sort out this feeling first, before I talk about who I am having the feeling for. But know this, Dawnie. Talking about this has helped, more than you may ever know."