Dark are the Shadows 02/23/2020

Dark are the Shadows
02/23/2019
Ms. Hunter Ash

rating: PG13
pairings: Willow/Tara, Buffy/Quentin, Xander/Anya, Giles/Angelique, Barnabas/Roxanne; Julia/Thomas


# # #



“All right! Quiet!” Buffy yelled as everyone talked and debated after Giles told of his encounter with Blair once they returned to the manor. “We already know that we aren't turning Dawn over to any of them. That interchange with Blair may have told us something.”

“What?” Xander asked.

“Glory's time might be getting short,” Buffy said. “You think Blair would approach us if he was sure he had time to grab Dawn and keep her from the knights or Glory?”

“If so, that means we do whatever we need to do to keep her out of their hands,” Giles said firmly. “We also learned another thing, whatever Glory has planned will destroy the universe and kill Dawn.”

Joyce reached over and squeezed Dawn's hand.

“Which is NOT going to happen,” Buffy said firmly.

“So lets get Barnabas and Dawn on the road,” Quentin suggested.

“I'll put their luggage in the car,” Xander offered.

“I've a small ice chest with sodas and sandwiches for the ride there,” Joyce added.

“You're the best, Mom,” Dawn said. “I.... I'm scared.”

“I'm hoping that you and Barnabas being gone will throw Blair off balance,” Giles suggested.

“Quentin and I will bring Barnabas down,” Buffy suggested.

“Xander and I will carry Roxanne out,” Giles added.

“And hope for an uneventful trip,” Buffy said softly.


# # #


Dawn glanced over at Quentin as they headed for Los Angeles.

“So you like my sister, huh?” she asked.

“Yes, very much,” Quentin responded. “She's amazing. It seems to run in the family. You know a lot of people would be having multiple meltdowns in your place, especially at your age.”

“Thanks,” Dawn said softly. “I think I am inside. I... I can't wrap my head around it.”

“I can understand that,” Quentin said. “To discover you're something that you never dreamed of and that there's nothing you can do about it can shake someone.”

“Really?”

“I am a werewolf,” Quentin said. “I was told I was now cursed and that it would happen that night and then the pain began. I woke up the next day with my clothes destroyed and bloody.... and a victim in town. I almost killed the woman I loved another night.”

“Wow,” Dawn said softly.

“Barnabas didn't want to be a vampire and couldn't control the blood hunger and killed, especially at first,” Quentin said. “He woke up in his coffin with Angelique about to stake him. He didn't even realize he had died right away or why he was in a tomb. Then he discovered he was a monster and that had a price tag. You can somehow be used to open gates that could destroy the world but you're also a human, teenage girl. A normal kid.”

“Maybe.”

“And the sun is down,” Quentin said. “I'll pull off and park behind a business of some kind and let Barnabas and Roxanne out of the trunk and move the luggage around.”

“You don't think he'll go back to Julia, do you?”

“Not at this point,” Quentin said. “Roxanne is someone he fell hard for and didn't have a chance to even spend time with her and he's been with Julia for a long time.”

“Roxanne is kinda new and exciting?”

“Pretty much,” Quentin agreed as he pulled onto an off ramp. “And Julia made mistakes in how she handled it and he got stubborn. Let's see... how about that furniture store, not like many people will break in there so there shouldn't be cameras in the back.”

“Cool.”

Quentin pulled behind the business and turned out the lights and the overhead light. “Let's get them out.”

Barnabas sighed when the trunk opened. “I was hoping you wouldn't have to wait long after sunset. A car trunk is much like a coffin but...”

“Not your favorite seat in a car?” Quentin ventured as he lifted Roxanne out of the car and held her until she was steady on her feet and then helped Barnabas out.

Dawn carried two rolling suitcases to the back.

“Hi, guys,” she said.

“When we get to the airport I'll drop the three of you at the terminal and circle around while Roxanne gets you two checked in,” Quentin suggested. “Dawn can help you get through security.”

“And we've plenty of time before the flight,” Barnabas noted. He leaned over and kissed Roxanne gently.

“Let's go before someone notices us back here,” Quentin urged as he shut the trunk.

It wasn't long before Roxanne, Dawn and Barnabas had gotten an aide for their luggage due to Barnabas’ obvious injuries and the vampires hesitated.

“I’m coming back,” Barnabas said as they ignored everyone around them.

“You’d better, I love you,” Roxanne said softly and hugged him tightly. “Never say no.”

“I remember,” Barnabas whispered. “I won’t. I couldn’t believe you accepted me as I am and that you don’t despise what you are because of me.”

“I’m able to have a future with you, I accepted this life fully, my love. You’d better go.”

“I love you,” Barnabas said and kissed her gently and then she was heading for the door.

Barnabas sighed and then looked at Dawn with a smile. “Shall we? Let’s not keep this young lady waiting with our luggage.”

Dawn nodded. “Can you get stuff out of your pockets for the scanner?”

“Slowly, yes,” Barnabas said. “I love how rapidly one can travel but I’m not fond of airplanes.”

“Me either,” Dawn agreed. “We can be slightly scared together.”

“We shall.”


# # # #



“Tell me why we’re at the hospital again when none of us are injured for once?” Xander asked as the small group entered said hospital.

“One of the nutcases listed in the police reports has a mark or tattoo like Buffy described,” Willow said.

“Among his insane ranting there might be a hint of what Glory wants, how the key would work,” Giles added. “They obviously know more than the Council. That’s almost refreshing.”

Buffy rolled her eyes at her Watcher.

The Slayer froze when she opened the swinging doors to the mental ward part of the hospital and saw Glory waiting.

“Damn.”

“I thought you might show up here,” Glory said. “I figured we could have another discussion.”

Willow and Tara pulled back slightly as Giles moved forward, pulling a crossbow out from under his coat.

Spike smirked and shook his head.

“Conversation’s over, hell bitch,” Buffy said softly.

The Slayer hit Glory with a right cross and then a left. She managed to duck a swing by Glory and kicked the hell-god across the hall and into a room. Buffy followed quickly and discovered it was some sort of x-ray or cat-scans or something.

Buffy grabbed Glory, spun her around and threw the hell-god into an X-ray display box only to be kicked away when she attempted to follow through.

Glory turned and hit Buffy across the jaw.

Before she could swing again Spike jumped up on a desk and over it to land behind Glory and grab her arms.

Glory struggled in his grasp as Buffy hit her.

“I thought you said this skank was tough!” Spike exclaimed.

The hell-god broke free and grabbed the vampire’s arm and sent him flying into a wall. Glory followed him and dragged the vampire to his feet and head-butted Spike as Xander moved behind her. Glory sent Spike across an exam table and into some equipment that he dented and smashed and slid to the floor unconscious.

“When he wakes up, tell your boyfriend to watch his mouth!”

“He is NOT my boyfriend,” Buffy snapped.

The two began exchanging blows again as Giles tried to aim without hitting Buffy but was frustrated by their constant movement. He absently glanced over at Willow and Tara, wondering what was in the small leather pouches they had in their hands.

Buffy attempted to kick Glory only to have her foot grabbed and held by the hell-god.

“Oh, hey, nice shoes,” Glory said. “You do have good taste… most of the time, I’ll give you that.”

She shoved Buffy’s foot away and the Slayer took advantage of the move to flip over backwards, bringing her shoes under Glory’s chin. “Giles!”

The Watcher stepped forward as Buffy hit the floor and fired the crossbow. His eyes widened when the bolt bounced off Glory’s stomach.

“Oh, please!” Glory exclaimed. “That’s like….”

Xander hit Glory over the head with the tire iron.

Glory spun and grabbed the metal bar. “Hey! Watch the hair!”

She grabbed Xander and threw him into a bank of equipment and spun to look at Giles and Buffy.

“Okay, enough playing around,” she declared. “Dying time. Starting with the half-breed here!”

The hell-god threw the tire iron like a javelin.

“Giles!”

Buffy dived in front of her step-father, the sharp end of the tire iron piercing her upper chest.

“Buffy!”

“Is that the best you little gnats can do? Nice catch! Let’s see how you handle flying through that window 3 stories up,” Glory said and started towards Buffy.

Willow and Tara rushed past Buffy and Giles, putting Glory between them and sprinkled her with glittery powder.

“Hey! Look what that did to my dress!” she yelled.

“Discede!” Willow said firmly and Glory broke into glittery powder and disappeared.

“Wow,” Willow whispered and collapsed on the floor.

“Willow!” Tara exclaimed.

Buffy and Giles looked at the witches as Tara held Willow, helping her sit up. The red-haired witch wiped at her nose as blood began escaping down to her lips.

“What did you do to her?” Buffy asked.

“Teleportation spell,” Willow said. “I’m still working out the kinks.”

“Where did you send her?” Buffy asked.

“I don’t know,” Willow admitted. “That’s one of the kinks.”

Buffy saw Xander and Spike sitting up and looking around.

“That was an incredibly dangerous spell for an adept at your level,” Giles commented.

“Yep, won’t be trying that one again any time soon,” Willow declared.

“Ow,” Xander muttered.

“Are you all right, Buffy?” Giles asked as she held a hand over the puncture wound.

“Yeah, it’ didn’t break any bones,” Buffy said. “We’ve got to come up with some way to fight her.”


# # # #


SOMEWHERE IN THE AIR OVER THE UNITED STATES


Dawn glanced over at the vampire next to her. “Are you worried about seeing Julia and Tom?”

“Yes,” Barnabas replied. “I care very much for her. She's been part of my life since 1967, when your mother was very young even.”

“I don't get why you two broke up,” Dawn admitted.

Barnabas sighed. “Probably has much to do with my history. I realized that Julia had fallen in love with me but she wasn't saying anything and I didn't feel the same at the time. She watched me fall in love with other women and still stayed in my life. She saved me many times both as I am now and when I was enjoying the sun more. Aside from Josette, Roxanne was the real threat. I realized after the fire, I not only did I need Julia in my life but that I wanted her there.”

“But you never stopped loving Roxanne,” Dawn commented.

“I still love all of them,” Barnabas said. “You know Josette told me to move on and Vicki loved me but she wasn't in love with me. Roxanne... she accepted what I was without hesitation, like Julia.”

“Buffy and Angel can't be together. I know she really liked Riley and was falling for him and maybe now with Quentin but she's said she'll always love Angel,” Dawn commented. “Kinda that she loves him but maybe isn't in love with him. Are you in love with, Roxanne?”

“Yes,” Barnabas said with a small smile.

“So you're not going to try and get back with Julia?” Dawn asked. “Sorry if this is too personal.”

“It's fine,” Barnabas said. “No, I'm not. I turned Roxanne away and it wasn't good enough for Julia. I'm not sure I can do anything at this point whereas she'll trust me even though I did nothing wrong.”

“I hope it works out for everyone,” Dawn commented. “Tell me about Collinsport.”

“It was founded in....”


# # ##


SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Quentin walked up behind Buffy and gently touched her shoulders. She leaned forward and closed the door to Joyce's bedroom.

“The treatments are pretty hard on her,” Buffy whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. “I think she agreed for Dawn to leave for a few days to keep Dawnie from seeing how hard all this is.”

“Come downstairs,” Quentin suggested. “Everyone else is asleep or... occupied.”

“You mean Giles and Angelique and Willow with Tara?”

“Exactly,” Quentin said. “We can sit in front of the fire.”

“Sounds good,” Buffy said and reluctantly moved out of his arms. “I can't believe Giles being this attached to a vampire. To a vampire witch of all things.”

“Shhh, wait until we're downstairs,” Quentin whispered.

Slayer and werewolf settled in front of the fire on a comfortable sofa.

“You were saying about Giles?” Quentin asked.

“Nothing important,” Buffy said softly and kissed him.

Quentin moaned softly when the kissing became passionate and he felt Buffy unbuttoning his shirt.


# # # #


MAINE

Dawn smiled when Barnabas grabbed the keys to the rental car and folded the agreement and place it in his coat.

“Shall we? It's an automatic so I should be fine with driving,” he said. “Hopefully Carolyn can show you some sites tomorrow during the day. New England is beautiful and our coastline is... wild and dangerous most times.”

“That would be cool,” Dawn said. “Click the lock thing on the key fob, the lights will flash and we'll know which car is ours.”

“Good idea,” Barnabas said and pointed to an economy class car.

Within minutes they were leaving the airport and heading for the small fishing village of Collinsport.

“Does Carolyn have kids?” Dawn asked. “Who's in the family?”

“Carolyn has a son and daughter from her second marriage,” Barnabas said. “She lost her husband two years ago. Her son is in Boston, he's a teacher and comes home at least once a month. Rachel is her daughter, she's down in Atlanta researching viruses. David is her cousin and a bit younger. He lives in Brazil and handles the South American branch of the family business and he seems to love the heat and the sun. He has three kids, two boys and a girl. Amy Jennings is Thomas' mother. It was her brothers that fell to curses, one to vampirism and the other to lycanthropy. They are Thomas' uncles and Thomas' daughter, Elizabeth. That's it. I wasn't with anyone when I was human and had no children.”

“It'll be nice to see Carolyn,” Dawn commented. “She made sure me and Mom were hiding when those demons attacked. Then she disappeared.”

“She hid in a tool cabinet in the garage, I'm told,” Barnabas said. “She is a remarkable woman. I wish she had said something years back, we've missed a lot of time with her.”

“Time is kinda an enemy, huh?”

“Yes, it always has been,” Barnabas agreed. “It either flies too quickly or it drags. When I was locked in a coffin it felt like forever before I drifted off into a vampire sleep. Watching my cousins Elizabeth and Roger grow older and die was difficult. I hadn't experienced that before. My mother killed herself and I was imprisoned before my father died.”

“My grandparents and dad are still alive but I don't see them often... especially my dad,” Dawn commented.

“I'm sorry, it's his loss, you know,” Barnabas said.

“Even if none of it really happened to me? I'm not real, remember?”

“And I'm a monster,” Barnabas said. “The memories are there for all who love you, that makes it real.”

“Okay,” Dawn said. “You should have been a dad. Like Giles should have been a dad.”

“I believe he already is,” Barnabas said. “He obviously loves you and Buffy very much.”

“He's the best.”


# # #


SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Buffy snuggled closer to Quentin as they laid on a thick rug in front of the fireplace.

“We should probably move before Mom comes downstairs,” she said softly.

“Hmmm, your place or mine?” he asked.

“Yours, she won't just barge into your room,” Buffy said as she sat up and grabbed her blouse.

“Good point,” Quentin said. “You're so... so beautiful.”

Buffy kissed him again. “You're pretty damn impressive, yourself. Come on.”

Quentin retrieved his pants and pulled them on and grabbed the rest of his clothes.

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief when they didn't run into anyone before reaching Quentin's room.

Quentin laughed when Buffy shoved him against the door he had just closed and kissed him again.


# # # # #


COLLINSPORT, MAINE

“Wow, everything is so much older here,” Dawn commented as she and Barnabas got out of the car at cemetery where many of the Collins family were buried.

“Collinsport and the Old House predate the Revolutionary War,” he said. “I'll be just over that slight rise.”

“Okay, I'll hang out here.”


# # # #


SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Giles hesitated outside Quentin's room as he and Angelique started towards the stairs.

“Rupert?” she asked softly.

Giles shook his head and didn't answer until they were downstairs. “I believe Quentin has company tonight.”

“You heard them?”

Giles blinked. “Yeah, why?”

“Rupert, the doors are solid and they weren't being loud,” Angelique said and then glanced up towards the rooms upstairs. “Come, let's get some coffee and get out of here for a bit.”

“All right,” Giles agreed.

Within minutes they sat down in the Espresso Pump with cups of tea.

“What's on your mind, my love?” Giles asked.

“Do you realize that we are still very connected?” Angelique asked.

“I figured we were, what makes you think so?” Giles asked.

“Several things, darling,” Angelique said and reached across the table to hold his hand. “I've heard the others talking about you wearing sunglasses even inside if its a bright, sunny day.”

“They've noticed, yes,” Giles agreed. “What else?”

“You're not eating enough but are still strong,” Angelique continued. “And your heightened senses. You shouldn't have been able to hear Buffy and Quentin.”

“And?” Giles asked.

“You don't like having your cross next to your skin,” Angelique added. “I've watched you pull it off just after sunset.”

“I know that isn't conducive to interaction between us,” Giles said and sighed. “You're right, we are still connected. I'm not a ghoul, I know that. I'm not craving...aged meat.”

“No, I fed from you too often to turn you into a ghoul,” Angelique agreed.

“So it's still the spell or that my DNA changed because of drinking your blood,” Giles said. “We know I'll rise as a vampire when I die.”

“Are you all right with all of this? Have the...symptoms gotten worse?” Angelique asked.

“Since I can't change becoming a vampire, I'll be all right with it, especially if we're still together... frequently. As for the symptoms, I don't think so,” Giles said and then frowned.

“What is it?”

“A small group of college students just entered,” Giles said. “One of them was in the caves that night, one of Riley's team-mates, a soldier.”

“And the others?”

“They look military as well,” Giles said. “There's no mirrors here except near the bathrooms. We should be fine.”

“Let's hope so.”


# # # #


COLLINSPORT, MAINE

Barnabas squatted and dug at the newly dug grave for a moment and placed a man’s ring in the dirt and covered it. He looked at the temporary marker and sighed. He knew Julia and Carolyn would arrange for the tombstone.

How many times had he been in this same position at a grave? Leaning heavily on his cane and mourning, how many times? From Jeremiah and Josette to his mother and sister. That had been the beginning, hadn’t it?

He glanced over at other newer graves. “Daphne, Sabrina and Chris, Elliot, and Mrs. Johnson… I miss all of you.”

His attention turned back to the newest grave.

“Willie… you were with me for so long,” Barnabas said softly. “From terrified slave to a good friend to a family member. How many times did you protect and save me? Even when I was human you saved me. I was human and Vicki heard my desperate plea to her and you heard a heartbeat at my portrait. It was you that Josette appeared to when I was trapped in a coffin. I am going to miss you, my friend.”

The vampire wiped away tears as he remembered Willie Loomis, one-time thief and best friend for a long number of years.

“Barnabas?!”

The vampire jumped to his feet and spun towards the voice and froze.

There was no mistaking who the older woman was. She was still beautiful. Maggie Evans, no, Maggie Haskell.

“It can’t be,” she said softly.

Barnabas absently noted the bouquet of flowers in her hand.

Several options flashed through the vampire’s mind, he could disappear and she’d think him a ghost. He could attempt mind control to make her forget she had seen him, or…

No! his mind screamed. He was barely aware of Dawn running towards him from the other direction. Maggie had come through the graveyard from the main gate, not the side gate he had used...

And what was she doing there so late at night, damnit?


# # # #

Dark are the Shadows 02/10/2020

Dark are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash

rating: PG13
pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Giles/Angelique, Willow/Tara, Barnabas/Roxanne, Xander/Anya, Julia/Thomas, Maggie/Joe

#  ## #


Buffy smiled as Quentin opened the door for her at the Magic Box.

“Hey, An, how goes?” she asked as they entered.

“It is a little slow,” Anya said. “Are you two taking a break from research and going for lunch?”

“Yeah,” Buffy answered. “We thought we'd pick up something for you since Giles is a little erratic with his schedule right now and Xander is doing repairs around the mansion.”

“I would like that, thank you,” Anya said with a smile. “Where are you going?”

“We thought Italian sounded good today,” Quentin said.

“I would like chicken parm, then,” Anya said.

“Consider it done,” Buffy said and then froze when Glory walked in the door with a wide smile.

“Hi! I thought I'd drop around and let you know I haven't forgotten you,” Glory said cheerfully.

“Quentin, get Anya out of here, out the back,” Buffy said softly.

“They really should stick around, I haven't decided which one of them I'm going to kill,” Glory said, her voice still as equally cheerful as when she walked in. “Tell you what, I'm feeling generous, you decide.”

“What?” Buffy asked.

She could sense Quentin moving behind her to the end of the counter, pulling Anya out from the register.

'You choose which one I'm going to kill and I'll make it fairly quick and clean,” Glory said. “Otherwise, I'll choose and I'll make it very bloody and painful.”

Glory pretended to ponder. “Or you can just give me my key.”

“Quentin, go!” Buffy yelled and spun and kicked Glory back towards the door.

Buffy grabbed a sword from the wall and swung at Glory only to have her grab the blade and ram the pommel back into Buffy's face and then the hell-god yanked the sword out of Buffy's hand and reversed it in her hand.

“Whoa!” Buffy exclaimed as she turned, letting the blade slide across her ribs instead of through them. She backhanded Glory away and dived over the counter. She grabbed the first thing she could, a large troll hammer which she swung and hit the hell-god.

Buffy panted as Glory shook her head and looked confused.

Then Glory frowned. “Well, that was annoying, I almost forgot that I need to leave you alive for awhile. Don't wait too long to call for help, you're bleeding badly. Bye for now.”

Buffy looked at her shirt turning red and sighed and reached for the phone. “Damnit.”


# # # #


“Xander, keep Joyce and Dawn here out of sight,” Giles said urgently as he closed his cell phone. “I'm going to the hospital. Buffy has been slightly injured by Glory. Do not tell Joyce or Dawn.”

“You sure you're up for driving?” Xander asked.

“It's not far,” Giles said. “I'll be all right.”

“Okay, just... call when you can.”


# # # #


Buffy winced as the intern on duty carefully stitched her wound closed.

“It's almost a good thing that blade was sharp,” he commented.

“Why?”

“A dull or serrated blade tears the skin up very badly,” he said. “You'll barely have a scar if you take care of this. Now, the nurse will give you a prescription for pain pills and bandages so you can change this out. Don't get it wet for a few days.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Buffy said with a sigh.

“Buffy?”

“Oh hey, Giles,” Buffy said as her Watcher stood in the doorway of the trauma unit. “The doctor just finished up.”

“What happened?” Giles asked.

“Well, whoever tried to rob your store hit her with something and then tried to convince her to open the till with a knife across the ribs,” the doctor said. “She was lucky.”

“Knife? Good lord,” Giles said softly. He waited until the doctor left her bedside. “What happened?”

“Glory tried to convince me to give her the key,” Buffy said softly. “She threatened to kill Quentin or Anya. They got out the backdoor. They're in the waiting room.”

“How did you fend her off?” Giles asked.

“I grabbed that big hammer after she took my sword from me,” Buffy said. “She remembered that she had to keep me alive and Quentin and Anya were gone.”

“We've got to find answers soon,” Giles commented. “Xander is at the mansion with your mother and Dawn. Willow should be awake soon as well.”

“How do we find answers, Giles?”

“I don't know.”


# # # #

“Hand me the hammer,” Xander instructed Dawn and reached for the tool as she leaned up as he stood on a ladder. “I'm going to work on making metal frames for the doors that the doors will hang on. That should stop some of the crashing going on around here. For now, I'll repair the frames already there.”

“Okay,” Dawn said. “You want the nails for that?”

“No, wood screws,” Xander said. “Nails can give way easier than wood screws.”

“There's specific screws for stuff?”

“Oh yeah, for wood, metal, flat headed, round, some meant to be driven even with the wood or slightly lower so you can cover them with wood putty,” Xander explained.

“Do you think Buffy and Quentin will be here for dinner? Mom is making pot roast.”

“Oh, that sounds good,” Xander said. “I'm sure they will. Giles and Anya too.”

“Good, you guys don't get to rest enough,” Dawn commented.

“You're right about that.”


# # #


Buffy smiled as she and Giles stepped from the trauma area and walked into the waiting room. “Hey, guys, ready to get out of here?”

Quentin smiled widely and stood up along with Anya. “What did they say?”

“That I should barely have a scar,” Buffy said. “The black eye will be annoying.”

“What do we tell your mother about that?” Giles asked.

“That Quentin and I were sparring and I sidestepped into his fist?” Buffy suggested. “No, I'll tell them the truth. Right now I just want to go home and put on a shirt that doesn't have a slash in it along with my blood.”

“As long as Glory doesn’t realize that the Key is now human, we might be able to outlast her,” Giles suggested. “If we can keep her from killing everyone around you, that is. There’s some indication that she might be on a time line.”

“As long as we can keep Dawn from her and those crazy knights we might save Dawnie?” Buffy asked.

“Yes.”


# # # #


Barnabas opened his eyes slowly. Everything hurt but… there was light and he wasn’t hanging in a wall in darkness.

“Barnabas?”

The vampire turned his head and then leaned up on a forearm as he touched Roxanne’s face.

“So beautiful,” he whispered. “I fell for you the moment I saw you. All three times.”

“We never had a chance,” Roxanne said softly. “Give us a chance now, please. Don’t say no, please.”

“I won’t,” Barnabas said and laid back down and Roxanne leaned up. “My hands still hurt.”

“What about you and Julia?” Roxanne asked.

“She’s with someone and needs to be free,” Barnabas said. “I think she believes we’ll come together again in the future.”

“Will you?”

“I don’t intend on losing you, Roxanne,” Barnabas said firmly. “I love you and want a chance with you.”

Roxanne leaned down to kiss Barnabas and both deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her. He moaned as her body melded next to him and encouraged him to rise up enough for her to pull his t-shirt off.

Both of them growled when his cellphone began playing a Wagner piece.

“I have to get that,” he said softly.

“Damnit,” Roxanne muttered and grabbed the phone and opened it for him.

“I’m here,” he said.

“Barnabas....”

“Julia, what is it?” he asked, her voice...

“It's Willie, he was killed.”

“No,” Barnabas said softly and sat up. “What happened?”

“He hit his head. He's gone, Barnabas.”

“What happened?” the vampire demanded.

“Nothing we can do anything about,” Julia responded. “I knew you'd want to know.”

“I'll be there either before sunrise or tomorrow night,” Barnabas said.

“There's nothing you can do, just.... take care and recover,” Julia said. “I have to go, Carolyn is arranging things. He loved us, you know.”

“Yes, he was a good man,” Barnabas commented. “I'm sorry, Julia. He saved my life several times and... he was my friend.”

“I'll call in a couple of nights when I know more.”

“Goodbye, Julia,” Barnabas said and nodded to Roxanne and she closed his phone.

“Barnabas, you can't even button a shirt,” Roxanne protested. “You can't travel alone.”

He started to protest and then nodded. “You're right. I have to wait a couple of nights at least. Damn, he... He was my friend.”

“You haven't had many of those, have you?”

“No, especially after being cursed,” Barnabas said. “Most of those I'd call a friend didn't know me very well. Willie and Quentin are two who actually know what I am and what I was like at times. It was Willie that freed me and I treated him horribly. I was half mad and desperate to never be locked away or killed. I was also a selfish bastard.”

Barnabas leaned over and kissed Roxanne gently. “I'm sorry that interrupted us. Where were we?”

“Do you need to make calls or anything?” Roxanne asked as he laid back down.

“No, I'll call Carolyn later,” he said. “I need to be here with you. The outside world can wait. I never stopped loving you, Roxanne.”

“Nor Julia?” Roxanne whispered.

“I am in love with her, that's something that I can't and wouldn't turn off,” Barnabas replied. “That doesn't mean I love you less, Roxanne. I tried to mourn you and move on and couldn't. Julia knew that.”

“I love you, Barnabas,” Roxanne said softly. “I want forever.”

“As long as you want it, my love.”

Barnabas held her as best he could with clothing being removed or unbuttoned.


# # # #

“Thanks for bringing a shirt out for me, Quentin,” Buffy said as she turned around and pulled her bloody, sliced shirt off and pulled on a clean one that wouldn't show the bandages.

Quentin swallowed as he watched her muscles rippling with just a sports bra barely covering a small part of her back.

Buffy turned and hesitated and then leaned up and kissed him.

Quentin wrapped his arms around her and continued kissing her as they lost track of everything around them including a figure in the shadows that frowned and tossed a cigarette butt away.

“Let's go panic my mom,” Buffy suggested after a few minutes.

“Sounds like this won't be fun,” Quentin said as he held her hand.

“She knows what I do is dangerous, I usually don't tell her when I'm hurt,” Buffy explained.

The Slayer opened the door and smiled as Xander, Dawn and Joyce looked up from a Monopoly game board.

“Honey?” Joyce asked.

“I'm okay, honest,” Buffy said quickly. “I'll have a black eye and the cut will be mostly healed by tomorrow night.”

“What happened?” Dawn asked as she and Joyce jumped up to check out Buffy's bruises.

“Glory dropped by the shop,” Buffy said. “Quentin and Anya got out the back door while she and I discussed things over. She remembered that she needs me alive so she left. Where is everyone?”

“Anya and Giles are making dinner and Angelique is talking with them in the kitchen,” Xander said. “Will and Tara are on the patio. Uh, Barnabas and Roxanne haven't come down yet.”

“His marriage is definitely in trouble,” Quentin muttered.

“So, it appears,” Joyce agreed.

“Dinner!” Giles announced as he carried a large pan of lasagna to the table followed by Anya with a large salad bowl. “I'll grab the garlic bread and warm some blood for Tara. I'll wait for Barnabas... ah, there they are. I'll warm blood for everyone not having lasagna.”

Buffy looked up as Barnabas and Roxanne walked downstairs. His wrists were still bandaged and the Slayer thought he was moving a bit stiffly.

“Good evening, everyone,” he said. “Blood would be good.”

“How's the shoulder and hands?” Xander asked.

“The shoulder is healing well,” Barnabas said. “My hands... I'm getting more feeling in them.”

Willow and Tara smiled when they walked in.

“You're not as pale as last night,” Quentin commented. “Good to see you recovering.”

“Thanks,” Willow said as they sat down.

Giles placed a mug of blood in front of Barnabas and Roxanne and Anya followed with blood for Tara in addition to the garlic bread. Angelique sat down next to Giles with a mug of her own.

“You were injured today?” Barnabas asked Buffy.

“Glory tried to convince me to give in,” Buffy said. “I'll be okay.”

“I, uh, need to return to Maine for a night or two,” Barnabas said. “I won't be gone long.”

“To Julia?” Quentin asked with an expression of confusion. He knew with his heightened senses that Barnabas and Roxanne were... close.

“No, Willie was killed,” Barnabas said as everyone listened as dinner was dished out. “Julia wouldn't tell me what happened. I owe him.”

“His grave will be there next week,” Quentin said.

“I need to go,” Barnabas said.

“Are you going with him?” Willow asked Roxanne.

“No,” the red-haired vampire answered. “It's too soon. I'll get him to the airport and hand him off to an airport aide because of his hands and come back... if you don't mind me lending a hand against Nicholas and Glory.”

Buffy shook her head. “We'll take all the help we can get.”

“Thank you,” Roxanne said.

“Will you be able to drive?” Quentin asked. “Once you get to the airport in Maine, I mean.”

“As long as it's an automatic. They should be improved by tomorrow night.” Barnabas said. “I will be back the next night or night after.”

“With the Initiative really gunning for you getting out of the state might be a good idea,” Buffy said.

“So sorry about your friend, Barnabas,' Willow said.

“Thank you,” Barnabas said. “He is the one that released me and saved my life several times. When I was a vampire he protected me. At first because I commanded him, later as a friend. When I was human he and Julia saved me several times.”

“Just be safe,” Quentin urged. “There are still a lot of people in Collinsport that will know you even if you claim to be your own son.”

“Maggie and Joe especially,” Barnabas agreed. “I would love to talk to them but its too dangerous. Now, how do we fight Nicholas and Glory?”

“Hopefully we find something before either or both of them strike again,” Giles said. “There's indications that Glory's time is short. That may help... perhaps Dawn should get out of the state for several days and nights.”

Joyce frowned. “What are you thinking, Rupert?”

“She hasn't seen Maine and Barnabas could use someone to watch over him during the day,” Giles suggested.

“That's... that could work,” Barnabas said. “I have adopted you all as family and having someone with me will quell many of the rumors that there's something supernatural about me if I'm seen.”

“Dawn?” Buffy asked.

“I'd kinda like that,” Dawn said and glanced at her mother. “But Mom and the treatments...”

“We'll take good care of her,” Xander promised.

“We will,” Giles affirmed.

“It's been really stressful, you could use a break,” Joyce said. “I'll be fine. I won't be alone here and there are a lot of people to keep an eye me and get me to the treatments. We can get a paper notarized tomorrow giving Barnabas temporary care so you can get on an airplane.”

“And she can help with a lot of stuff if his hands are still hurting tomorrow night,” Anya added.

“To get an early flight.... Would you mind riding in the trunk so you arrive in Los Angeles just after sunset?” Quentin suggested.

“I've been stuffed in six foot coffins several times, a car trunk won't be bad as long as the luggage is up in the backseat.”

“Plan,” Xander said.


# # # #



Tara walked up behind Willow and wrapped her arms around her lover, her chin resting on Willow's shoulder.

“Are you all right, baby? You were awfully quiet during dinner,” Tara asked.

“Yeah, just hearing Tom summon me,” Willow said softly. “It's distracting.”

“Will that get worse with Barnabas gone?” Tara asked.

“Oh Goddess, I hope not!”

“And I can't dominant you like that,” Tara commented. “We won't leave you alone for a minute after sunset.”

“Thanks, that'll help,” Willow said softly. “I hope they won't be gone long. Or maybe they should. If Glory is on a short time frame she wouldn't be able to get to Dawn if she's in Maine.”

“That's probably what everyone is thinking,” Tara agreed. “Maybe they're setting it up so Dawnie has somewhere to go.”

“That would be smart,” Tara said. “Are... we okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“B-because of what happened,” Tara stammered. “You didn't want to be fed on by Thomas' uncle or knowing Barnabas was suffering so much.”

“I think so,” Willow said after a few moments. “It makes me sick but you don't, I promise.”

Tara kissed Willow's neck softly and felt her lover shiver.

“I love you,” Tara whispered.

Willow turned in Tara's arms and kissed her lover firmly, almost desperately.

When she pulled back slightly, she reached up and pulled the bandage away from her neck wounds. “Let me show you and... keep Tom from my mind.”

“W-what?” Tara whispered.

“Yes,” Willow said softly and kissed Tara again and then turned her head slightly.

Willow felt Tara's body jerk slightly and then Willow shivered when fangs lightly raked over her throat. “Please,” she whispered.

Her own body jerked when Tara's fangs pierced her skin. Willow clung to her lover as waves of eroticism ran through her, sending currents of sensations up and down her spine.

“Oh God, don't stop, please,” she whispered and then whimpered when Tara's fangs pulled away.

Then they were kissing almost frantically.

Willow touched Tara's face gently and then grabbed her lover's hand. “Come on.”

Barnabas looked up from the book he was researching in and then went back to the book and then looked up again with a frown.

The vampire debated about saying something as Willow and Tara headed upstairs to their room and decided against it. Giles had similar wounds for the same reason, after all and the only reason he didn't was because he was still very weak.

Perhaps the witches had a good idea, he thought.


# # ##


“So, the game plan is to carry Barnabas and Roxanne out to the trunk and put the luggage in the backseat with Dawn while I drive them and Buffy to the airport?” Quentin asked Giles.

The Watcher nodded. “I'm surprised Joyce is letting her go but I think it'll give Buffy and Joyce a short break from being terrified that Glory will figure out what she's looking for.”

Giles took a drink of his herbal tea.

“Where's Angelique?” Quentin asked.

“Out for a bit,” Giles responded. “I'm going to nap for a bit before she gets back.”

“I'll be here.”



# # #



Buffy walked into the living room and sat down next to Dawn. “What's up, runt?”

“I can't sleep,” Dawn said softly. “Its kinda hard knowing I... that I was made.”

“Well, if you want to get technical, we were all made,” Buffy said. “Dawn, you are my sister. Annoying, smart, shorter than me and my sister. That's all that matters to me. I don't care why Glory and Nicholas want you.”

“Thanks,” Dawn said softly. “Here comes Mom.”

“You got your suitcases packed?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah,” Dawn replied. “Over by the door.”

“Awesome,” Buffy said. “I'll let you talk with Mom. We'll do the legal stuff later today and send you guys off tonight. Dawnie, I mean it, you're my sister and I don't care how that happened.”

“Thanks.”


#$ # # #


Giles pulled out a small notepad and quickly wrote down a thought as he waited outside a bank while Joyce, Buffy and Dawn got a temporary custody paper notarized for Barnabas.

“Hullo, Watcher.”

Giles looked up and blinked. “Blair?”

“I'm not sure how you got back or how they found Barnabas and the witch but it won't matter in the end,” Blair said. “And don't even think about trying magic, I'm better and faster than you and you know it.”

“Yes, I do,” Giles said. “I also have desperation on my side.”

“Are you sure you want to try it?” Nicholas asked.

“Why are you approaching me?” Giles asked. “You can't be doing the stereotypical villain thing of threatening us while sounded unsure of yourself or your plan. That's not your style.”

“I knew Watchers were intelligent, I didn't realize some were smart as well,” Nicholas commented. “You're right, I'm not here to threaten.”

“Then why the civilized discussion? Wanting to know how we got back or how we found Barnabas and Willow?”

“I am curious about that, I'll admit,” Blair said. “Actually, I thought I would lend a hand to your side for once.”

Giles' eyebrows rose. “I find that hard to believe. What brought this on and lend us a hand, how?”

“Well, as you know that demented hell-god and I are after the same thing,” Blair began. “It would be impossible to tolerate that lunatic long enough for both of us to utilize the key.”

“I'd agree with that,” Giles said almost cautiously.

“Well, your hell-god's plans would cost your young daughter her life,” Blair said.

“And yours wouldn't?”

“No, she'd be changed but honored and worshiped,” Blair said. “And my plan would take a long time to finally come to fruition. Your hell god is intent on destroying all the universes just to get back to her own.”

“And yours would turn this world over to the Leviathan and the old gods,” Giles noted.

“Which you might be able to stop at any point along the line,” Blair pointed out.

“So you want us to turn the key over to you?” Giles asked. “Seriously?”

“Well, if not it'll be a race as to which of us gets the kid first,” Blair said. “Think you can keep ahead of me, Glory and the knights? They want to kill her. I don't.”

“I'd have to pass on that,” Giles said.

Blair shrugged. “Have it your way. How is Barnabas doing, by the way? Can he use his hands yet?”

“He'll be fine and looking for revenge again,” Giles responded.

Blair laughed. “Of course! That was just an opening round in this chapter. Enjoy what little peace you can grab, the roller coaster is pulling up to the railing.”

Giles shook his head as Blair walked towards the parking lot.

“Giles! Was that Blair?” Buffy demanded as she rushed up to him from the bank door.

“Yes,” Giles said. “He had a proposition. I declined. Gather your mother and sister. I doubt it but he might make a play for Dawn in a moment.”

“You doubt it?”

“That wouldn't be... polite.”

“Weird,” Buffy mumbled.

Dark are the Shadows 02/05/2020

Dark are the Shadows
Ms Hunter Ash

BTVS/Dark Shadows crossover

rating: PG-13

Pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Barnabas/Roxanne?, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, Giles/Angelique

# # # #

Dawn looked at the box of chocolates in her hand as Spike knelt at the door of the Magic Box at the lock.

“Do you know how to do that or not?” she demanded.

“Give me a sec,” he mumbled. “I usually just crash through doors.”

After another minute of trying the door opened.

“That’s right!” Spike said as he stood up. “Who’s bad now?”

Dawn turned on a flashlight as she closed the door.

“Girl with a mission, eh?” Spike asked. “What’s the caper? Jewels? Ancient artifacts? Or just plain hard cash liberated from the till?”

“A book.”

“All this for a book?” Spike demanded.

Dawn walked behind the counter and put the chocolates down. “I don’t want the book, just what’s inside. Knowing Giles it’s his notes. He told Travers the book and notes were locked behind the counter. He made a book disappear when he was on the phone with Buffy earlier.”

She began feeling under the counter as Spike slipped something off the counter and made it disappear into his pocket.

The teenager smiled when there was an audible click and a drawer popped open. “I don’t think we’ll ever know all the hiding places around here.”

Dawn pulled out a book and placed it on the counter.

# # # #

Giles sighed as he, Joyce and Buffy watched Travers pulling away from the curb two hours after he had arrived.

“Are you going back to the mansion?” Joyce asked them both.

Giles shook his head. “Angelique suggested I stay here tonight. She knows I don’t trust the Council and suspect they may just keep an eye on us.”

“Will is probably going to sleep for 12 hours,” Buffy added. “Barnabas isn’t going anywhere. It’s a definite down-time night for everyone. Even for Dawnie, her door is locked and she’s sulking.”

# # #

“Where did he learn to write so bloody small, from a fruit fly?” Spike complained as he and Dawnsat on the floor and were reading by candle-light.

“Here’s something,” Dawn said. “Tarnis, 12^th century, one of the founders of the order of Dagon, a monk’s order. Their sole purpose appears to have been as protectors of the key.”

“Brown robe types are always protecting something,” Spike scoffed. “It’s the only way they can justify giving up girls. Hey, troll hammer? Is that what Anya was talking about? Some troll went and left his hammer here after breaking the place up?”

Spike tried to pick up the hammer but ended up dropping it with a loud clang. He was relieved when Dawn didn’t even seem to notice.

“The key is not directly described in any known literature, but all research indicates an energy matrix vibrating at a dimensional frequency beyond normal human perception. Only those outside reality can see the key’s true nature,” she read aloud. “Outside of reality, what’s that mean?”

“Second-sight blokes, mostly,” Spike said. “Or even just your run-of-the-mill lunatics. What else does it say about this key? Is it made of gold? Maybe we can hock it, split the take.”

“The key is also susceptible to necromanced animal detection, particularly those of canine or serpent construct,” Dawn continued.

“Lunatics. Like the guy with mental issues at the hospital when we were visiting Mom? There was this guy they brought in. He looked at me and said there was no one there and he knew what I was,” Dawn whispered.

Spike took the notes from her.

"The monks possessed the ability to transform energy, bend reality. Blah, blah, blah,” Spike muttered. “Good lord, Giles writes as dull as he talks, doesn't he?”

Spike continued reading. “They started work. But the Council ... has suggested ... to us that they were interrupted. Presumably by ... Glory."

Dawn continues into the flame of a candle as he read.

"They obviously did manage to accomplish the taste..." Spike frowned and held the paper closer to his eyes. "accomplish the task. They had to be certain the Slayer would protect it with her life. So they sent the key to her ... in human form. In the form of a sister.”

The vampire looked up. “Sister. I guess that’s you, Nibblet.”

# # # #

Buffy smiled when she opened the door to find Quentin, Xander and Anya.

“We thought we’d come see the birthday girl,” Xander announced. “Angelique volunteered to watch the mansion.”

“I’ll take over at sunrise,” Quentin added.

Buffy moved aside to let her friends enter the house.

# # #

Willow sat up in bed with a strangled cry and Tara quickly wrapped her arms around her lover.

“Easy, it’s okay, it’s a nightmare.”

“No,” Willow whispered. “Tom is calling me. I won’t go. Only you and Barnabas can call me. Only you and Barnabas.”

“What do you mean, Will?” Tara asked.

“The night you were taken, Nicholas Blair tried to grab me,” Willow began explaining. “Barnabas, Julia and Thomas stopped him. To counter his mental mojo… Barnabas bit me. Twice and, I, uh, drank some of his blood.”

“And that counters Tom calling you even though he bit you too?”

“He didn’t force me to drink his blood,” Willow said. “I pretended I was under his control. I can still hear him, though.”

“We’ll stop them soon,” Tara said softly. “You’re so pale.”

“I know,” Willow responded. “It’ll take a few days to recover Angelique said.”

“We have to figure out how to stop Blair and Glory,” Tara said thoughtfully. “Why did Nicholas Blair want Dawn. If she’s the key the monks sent to Buffy, how could she be part Leviathan?”

“I don’t know,” Willow said and frowned. “We’ll have to ask Giles.”

# # #

Buffy shook her head as Xander described one of their adventures to Quentin and her mother. The Slayer did notice that he glossed over just how dangerous it had been to take on The Gentlemen. He stuck mainly to descriptions of the Scooby gang trying to communicate with pantomime and dry erase boards.

“Oh God.”

Buffy glanced quickly at a stunned Giles and followed his gaze to the kitchen where Dawn was standing in the doorway with a knife in her hand and she had blood dripping from a wound on her forearm.

“Is this blood?” the girl asked. “This is blood, it can’t be me, right? I can’t be a key. Am I anything?”

Joyce and Buffy rushed to the teenager.

“Xander, the first aid kit in the closet over there,” Giles said as he jumped up. “Xander, move!”

“Yeah, right.”

Joyce hugged Dawn as Buffy examined the wound.

“It’s not real deep,” Buffy said in a soft voice.

“Perhaps we should go…” Giles suggested.

“You’re family, Giles,” Buffy said firmly. “You all are.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dawn asked the faces surrounding her.

“We thought it best not to,” Joyce said. “It doesn’t matter to us, Dawnie. We were hoping it wouldn’t be necessary until you were older.”

“How old am I?” Dawn asked.

“Fourteen, you know that,” Joyce said.

“No, the monks,” Dawn said. “When did… when did they…”

“Six months ago,” Buffy said softly.

Tears filled the teenager’s eyes.

“I’m going to take Xander and Anya back to the mansion,” Quentin told Buffy softly and the Slayer nodded. “See you tomorrow.”

“I’ve only been alive for six months?” Dawn said softly.

“Honey, you’ve been alive a lot longer than that to us,” Joyce said firmly.

“You don’t know that!” Dawn yelled as Quentin closed the door behind him. “You don’t know anything. I’m just a key, right? Everything about me is made up.”

“Dawn,” Buffy said softly. “Mom and I know what we feel. I know I care about you. I know that I worry about you…”

“You worry about me because you have to,” Dawn accused Buffy. “I’m your job. Protect the key, right?”

“I worry because my sister is cutting herself!” Buffy snapped.

“Yeah? How do you know?” Dawn demanded. “Maybe this is just another fake memory from my fake family!”

“Sweetheart,” Joyce began but Dawn jumped to her feet and ran for the stairs.

“Leave me alone!”

“Damn,” Buffy muttered.

# # # #

Nicholas was frowning when Tom Jennings entered their new rental home.

“You don’t have a witch with you,” Nicholas noted.

“She wouldn’t or couldn’t come out,” Tom said. “There were crosses in the windows.”

“All right, we’ll have to switch our focus onto the brat and the insane tin-goddess that’s after her,” Nicholas said. “Oh, don’t look sullen. I have a new target for you, one that will lead right back to Barnabas.”

“Good.”

# # # #

Buffy frowned as she looked around the Magic Box. “We need to find out everything we can about the key. What it’s for, who created it, etc.”

“And why Glory has a big girl-god Jones for it,” Xander added it.

“This isn’t about her, it’s about Dawn,” Buffy said. “She deserves to know where she came from. She needs to know or it’s just going to eat away at her.”

Giles glanced over his notebook and papers on the counter. “How did she find these? They were locked away in the hidden drawer. And how did she get in?”

“Ew! Who’s been using the urn of Ishtar as an ashtray?” Anya demanded and showed everyone a cigarette butt.

Buffy’s eyes narrowed.

# # ##

Quentin knocked gently on one of the bedroom doors and smiled when Willow opened the door a moment later. “I thought I would play the hovering worried uncle and encourage you to have some breakfast with me and then you can go back to sleep.”

“I’m not really hungry but I know I should,” Willow said. “Let me get some slippers on.”

The immortal looked up and stopped chopping veggies when she entered the kitchen. “Good morning. I figured if you’re going back to school next semester, you’ll probably have to do a split schedule and grab sleep when you can if you’re going to be up all night with Tara. And you need to eat to heal after being preyed on. I’m surprised Jennings didn’t call you last night.”

“He did, I ignored him,” Willow said and watched as he chopped mushrooms.

“How did you manage that?” Quentin asked.

“Before you got here Barnabas bit me twice and gave me some of his blood,” Willow explained. “It was to keep Blair from keeping hypno influence over me. Barnabas reasserted his control when we were in that basement.”

“Fascinating,” Quentin said. “Omelet with mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes and onion? I didn’t know if you ate bacon or not.”

“Bacon?”

“I heard Xander teasing you about watching the Christmas Peanuts cartoon even though you’re Jewish,” Quentin explained.

“Thank you, that’s really thoughtful,” Willow said. “I do skip pork, shrimp and stuff like that. I don’t have a problem with cheeseburgers like the Orthodox do. Or magic. Or being gay. Or drinking Barnabas’ blood. All of those are big no-no’s.”

“I haven’t really learned much about Judaism,” Quentin admitted. “Oh damn, that’s my phone in the other room, be right back.”

Quentin stepped back into the kitchen. “Hello, Carolyn.”

He set the phone down and clicked on speaker.

“Hi, I’ve been so worried,” Carolyn replied. “How are Barnabas and Willow?”

“Injured and starved but he’ll recover,” Quentin said. “Willow was a bit drained by, uh well….”

“What is it?” Carolyn asked.

“Nicholas Blair brought Tom Jennings back,” Quentin said.

“Oh my God,” the older woman exclaimed. “We cannot tell Thomas about this!”

“I agree,” Quentin said. “We’re still nowhere with fighting Nicholas or that woman.”

“Damn, I was hoping you two were coming home soon,” Carolyn said. “There’s so many years to catch up on with Barnabas.”

“And try and repair the damage to his relationship?” Quentin ventured.

“That too,” Carolyn said. “Julia and Tom are spending a lot of time in the city. I don’t think it’s just to avoid Maggie and Joe.”

“No, I don’t think so either,” Quentin agreed. “We can’t fix it at this point. Barnabas is physically and emotionally injured and Roxanne surfaced again.”

“Oh great,” Carolyn mumbled. “Okay, I won’t try and fix them. I have a meeting in ten minutes. Be careful out there and tell Barnabas to come home, even if he doesn’t want to see Julia or Thomas right now. Oh, and tell Giles that Elizabeth can’t wait to see him.”

Quentin laughed softly. “I will. Take care, Carolyn. I’ll call you later about business things.”

“Bye!”

Quentin ended the call and poured a glass of orange juice for both himself and Willow. “Now, omelets.”

# # # #

Buffy kicked open the door to Spike’s crypt and found him sitting on top of the coffins painting his fingernails black.

“Morning, Sunshine,” he said cheerfully. “If you’ve come around for eggs or sausage, I’m fresh out.”

Buffy grabbed the lid of the coffin Spike was sitting on, sending him falling into the casket.

“Hey, careful!” he said as he sat up. “These are still wet!”

The Slayer slid the lid back onto the coffin, slamming it into Spike’s chest and pinned him in the coffin.

“How could you let her find out like that? From books and papers?” Buffy demanded. “You hate me that much?”

“I was just along for the ride,” Spike protested. “Not like I knew she was mystical glowy key thing. Nobody keeps me in the bloody loop, do they?”

“You could have stopped her!” Buffy yelled.

“Oh yeah, here it comes,” Spike said with his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Something goes wrong in your life, blame Spike. News flash, blondie, if kid sis wants to grab a midnight stroll, she’ll find a way sooner or later!”

He tossed the lid of the coffin aside.

“I just thought she’d be safer with Big Bad looking over her shoulder,” he said.

“She shouldn’t have found out like that,” Buffy said with a glare.

“You didn’t think you could keep the truth from her forever, did you?” Spike snapped. “Maybe if YOU had been more honest with her in the first place, you wouldn’t be trying to make yourself feel better with a round of ‘Kick the Spike.”

Buffy stormed out of the crypt.

# # # #

Joyce sighed as Dawn lay on her bed with her back to the door, to everyone.

“Baby?”

Dawn didn’t respond and Joyce sat down on the bed.

“I can’t imagine how you feel,” Joyce said softly. “I can only tell you how I feel. I don’t care what some celibate religious types say or did, you are my daughter and you always have been. Holding you in my arms and seeing your eyes for the first time is what is real to me. You are ours and no one is going to take you away from us.”

Joyce waited for several moments.

“I need your help, Dawnie,” Joyce said softly.

Dawn turned over and Joyce gently wiped at the young girl’s tears.

“Buffy just had a birthday yesterday,” Joyce continued. “She’s the oldest Slayer ever. That means she’s beaten the odds but it can’t last. We’re probably going to lose her before you get out of highschool.”

“We can help her beat the odds,” Dawn said softly.

“We can do our best but what she does is suicidal because eventually it will kill her,” Joyce said. “And she does that every night because she’s the only one that can.”

“Can’t she get out of it?” Dawn asked and Joyce shook her head.

“Apparently not,” she responded. “I’m going to need your help and you’re going to need mine.”

“Doing what?”

“Helping me get through it when it happens,” Joyce said. “And I’ll help you. You see, we’ll need each other and no one will begin to know how either of us feel except each other. Not totally but we can come close.”

“I don’t want to lose her,” Dawn admitted.

“I know, baby,” Joyce said softly. “And you know what?”

“What?”

“Even if Buffy lives forever, I still need you,” Joyce said with a smile. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Mom,” Dawn said. “It’s just…I have all the same memories but… they’re not real.”

“Yes, they are,” Joyce said. “Did you know that our memories aren’t accurate? When I talk with my sister and we remember things from our childhood she doesn’t remember some things that I do. What you remember is real for you and because we share all of those that means the memories are real.”

“If I was real that Glory person wouldn’t want me,” Dawn said after a moment.

“That just means you’re special in a unique way,” Joyce said. “Everyone is and usually in several ways. Buffy is the Slayer, she’s also pretty smart. Willow is highly intelligent and talented with magic. You are special with your art work in addition to being a wonderful daughter.”

Dawn laid her head on Joyce’s shoulder.

# # # #

Nurse Rita Delvecchio frowned when alarms began sounding from one of the monitors. She quickly jumped to her feet and dashed towards the room of the young woman who was connected to that monitor.

Two other nurses were rushing towards the room from the opposite direction.

Delvecchio quickly assessed the young woman and began CPR. “No blood pressure! Code blue!”

“There’s no blood to pump,” one of the other nurses said. “Look at her throat.”

Delvecchio continued the CPR as the other nurse turned the woman’s head and they could see that the patient’s pillow was soaked with blood.

Delvecchio stopped the CPR. “Call the doctor on duty.”

# # #

Dr. Ben frowned as he looked over to a gurney at another insane patient.

The mark on his forehead…

Ben sighed. “Byzantium.”

“Yes, they’ve arrived,” a voice agreed.

Ben glanced over at a dark corner in the room and saw Jinx, one of Glory’s main troll-like creatures. “Unfortunate but not unexpected.”

“How many?”

“Their numbers are few for the moment, but they will grow,” Jinx said. “The Knights of Byzantium are like ants. First you see one, then two, then the picnic's ruined. No matter how many we kill, they'll keep coming ... wave after wave. It's time to set old animosities aside. Your fate is directly linked to her magnificently-scented Glorificus. She's been extremely forgiving of your considerable foibles up until now, but if you persist in your defiance, she'll be forced to…”

“To what? What is she going to do? Send a six-pack of minions to bore me to death? Glory can't lay a finger on me. You know it, I know it, she knows it. So save the threats, or I'll finish the job I started on your head.”

The doctor shoved past the troll.

# # #

Giles blinked as Xander placed a cup of coffee in front of him.

“You’re off work?” the Watcher asked.

“Yeah, permit problems again,” Xander answered. “How are you feeling? You haven’t been sleeping a lot.”

“You’re right,” Giles agreed. “Now that the Council bunch are gone, I’ll try and catch up.”

“Giles, about Angelique…”

“What?” Giles asked with a frown.

“Just… pick a schedule,” Xander said. “Guys that party all the time and get up really early eventually crash and sometimes people get hurt around them on our job sites. Stay up with Angelique and sleep the morning away, let Anya open the shop and you close it or something.”

Giles was quiet for a minute or two and then nodded. “You’re right. With Angelique staying until the crisis is over, I’ll take on a night time schedule.”

“I can’t believe this about Dawnie either,” Xander said as he sat down at the kitchen table.

“I know,” Giles said.

Xander sighed. “There's so many things I remember. Seeing Dawn ... hanging with her ... listening to Buffy complain about her. Mostly that last one. How could it be that all those things never really happened?”

“Well, it takes some getting used to. The idea of a ... bright fourteen-year-old actually being living energy thousands of years old,” Giles commented.

“I'm guessing some kind of super-powerful in her raw form,” Xander ventured.

“People have killed, died for it ... summoned armies to control the key,” Giles responded.

“Are the Summers girls coming back here to stay now that the Council has split?” Xander asked after several moments of silence.

“Yes,” Giles said. “I came over to grab a book I was researching from here before going to the shop.”

“You think Barnabas will get back with Julia?” Xander asked after a couple of moments.

“Not for a long while,” Giles said.

# # #