Dawn paced her room listening intently as Buffy fumbled around in her room when she’d returned. Dawn remained as quiet as possible when her sister walked by her door. It seemed Buffy was leaving again. When the door shut, she quickly put on her jacket and headed for the door. As worried as she was for her sister, she stopped when she saw an envelope addressed to her, sitting on the table beside the door. Not wanting to miss following Buffy, she grabbed the envelope shoving it in her pocket and sprinted out the door.
She had been following Buffy and this guy that was with her sister for some time until they came to a hotel called Orto di Roma. She was confused seeing Buffy following this guy to a hotel, but she continued to follow until they came to a villa. She watched Buffy walk through the entry way as the man held the door open for her. As he was about to walk in he turned around and shocked Dawn to her core. She assumed that her sister had dusted him but apparently Dracula was still among the undead.
Dawn nearly fell over when he looked directly at her and motioned at her to come over and to be quiet. As stunned as she was she did just that and was quite thankful for being armed.
Dracula placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder and beckoned her to sit and made his way back to the door followed by a very confused yet leery Dawn.
"Dawnie what are you doing here! You have to leave!" Buffy pleaded frantically as she rushed over to her younger sister.
"Oh, no, you don't, not this time, Buffy! Tell me what's going on!" Dawn stubbornly crossed her arms tapping her foot while she waited for her sister to answer her.
Scowling at her sister and sending a warning glare to Dracula, she approached her sister and then motioned for her to sit down on the bed.
"Did you read my letter?" Buffy quietly asked Dawn while rubbing her hands together nervously.
"You mean this letter?" Dawn retorted as she pulled the letter from her pocket. Waving it around she fumed, "Why did you have to write something to me but not tell me Buffy?"
Tears formed in both of their eyes as they flung themselves into the others arms and cried. Dracula melted into the woodwork determined not to cringe at the site of two female beings pumping with blood crying in front of him. As wistful as he was Dracula knew he could do nothing because a higher power had taken his strengths leaving him powerless. He could only do their will: to aid Buffy in her transformation and assist Dawn afterward.
Grumbling he offered his own thoughts to the girls. "Buffy, maybe you should let her read it, so we can proceed."
Suspiciously she looked at Dracula realizing Dawn should read it. Inwardly, she seethed that he came up with the idea first. Then again, she was slightly preoccupied. It would be easier having Dawn read it rather than telling her. Damn Dracula! Grudgingly she came to an acceptance that Dawnie wouldn't stop until she got some answers. Buffy took the letter from Dawn and opened it. Fingering the letter she knew deep within her, she couldn't possibly read this now, to her sister. Dawn wouldn’t be able to read it now either. Realization struck her and she knew that Dawn was supposed to be here. As Dawn protested she ignored her placing the letter in Dracula's hands. They silently acknowledge this gesture and realized this was meant to happen.
Clearing his throat he began to read.
Dawnie,
I know that I have been distant ever since Spike closed the Hellmouth and even more so since we found out he is with Angel and his crew in LA. I can't change that Dawnie, but I will do my best to have him see I meant what I said in the cave before Sunnydale became a crater. I know I haven't told you Dawnie but in the cave it was hard to let him go. I told him I loved him, but he denied me. ‘No you don't, but thanks for saying it.’ That hurt more than anything and will haunt me until the day I see him again. I hope.
He loved you more than anything. Xander didn't understand what happened between Spike and I, but he told you and made you doubt Spike. I know that I wasn't forthcoming either and this is where I let you down. I now understand why you were so distant from him. I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. Spike and I were together for some time, and I treated him badly. Mom would be so ashamed. He wasn't a saint but he tried. He tried to be better for both of us. I pushed him too far. The look on his face was pure horror, and I am so sorry I let you believe Xander. Let me ask you this. Why would I send you to Spike if he hurt me or even you? I knew he wouldn't.
Which leads me to…my friends and ex watcher, Giles.
All they have done is control my life Dawn. I never want this for you. You live by your own life, not theirs. I know you and you won't let them. I wasn't strong enough and let them dictate my life. No more! Please don't let them take this part away from you too. Promise me that!
Now here is the difficult part. You might not understand, but the Slayer dreams I have are visions of what will be or a warning system. I have been having them since a week after the Hellmouth was closed by Spike. It's the same all the time and they are so real.
The spell Willow did isn't as strong as we believed. Basically, she killed the Slayer line. And, well, I helped by giving her this idea. The only Slayer's to ever be of this world are the ones that we find that have been activated. When they die, another one won't be called. This will continue to happen until the last one is dead, and then there will never be another Slayer—Ever. This will cause chaos and the end of the world. Slayers balance the sides of good and evil, but without a Slayer activated the world will slowly die.
The world needs a Slayer. I finally figured out I was blessed with this not hindered by it. I am not rubbing it in, but it made me special. I just never chose to see it this way. I would never want to wish this upon you, but you are special too Dawn. I will get to that later because I will need you.
I was at first saddened that you were a part of this dream and that's why I did what no one considered I would ever do. I researched on my own! Go me! Dawn the key still resides within you. You are powerful and special. Your power isn’t revealed more until I make this change. I know your questioning what change. Stop now! I am working my way there. Like I was saying, you are powerful and special. What I am about to say will shock you as it was for me too!
When I closed the portal that was opened with your blood, I only closed the portal. I didn't change you to just a human girl. How could I do that? I died saving the world to let you live. Only...Only I wouldn't have been there when you noticed you weren't aging. Those stupid monks made you immortal Dawnie. That's not where the surprises keep coming though. Do you remember when I told you that you were made from me, from my Summers’ blood? If that were true then you would have looked exactly like me!
Mom loved you as if you were her own, but now I realize why I loved you so much more. You were born of me and another warrior strong enough to protect the Key. I recognize why you two were so close. Maybe you should re-think that crush you harbored for Spike now? I should believe so! You were made from me, but you were made from Spike too.
I see it now. I am crushed that I didn't see this then letting my friends and Giles tell me how to live my life. I am upset that I didn't listen to my own heart. I am devastated and I have no one to blame, but me. I'm so sorry Dawnie. We could have been a family. We still can. At least I hope so.
Dawn Katherine Summers, you will be the only one to know this for now, but I have loved Spike for a long time. I wanted him even back when we tried to kill each other. I felt him as my equal partner, but with how Spike was back then I had to keep it, so we didn't kill each other. I sensed he did the same. However, this isn't why I am writing you.
I love Spike more than anything or anyone aside from you my dear sister/daughter. I still have to get use to that! I almost slipped a bunch of times with you! I promise you, we will get Spike, your father, back. That depends if I didn’t completely screw things up between us. I swear that if not for both of us then definitely for you.
I did a lot of research on my Slayer dream. A higher power is guiding me to save the Slayer line. I’m being gifted for my heart and soul in protecting the world. I am not immortal like you and Spike are. Please don't freak out! I know you will want to date, but we will figure that out! Trust me that bothered me too. I believe I got a glimpse at the end of my dream of four of us. I have desperately tried to see it, but it will come to me in time! I have a way to become immortal.
I found in researching Slayers that we are actually part demon but mortal. The demon is an essence and is not bound to the human girl. I read that Slayers were actually born of vampire's centuries upon centuries from the men wanting a girl to fight the demons. Okay not my best explanation, but hey, I am trying! The vampire's that we deal with today have progressed over the centuries. This brings me to Dracula. He doesn't change the way the vampire's we come across. He is a true vampire. He is the father of them all. Is he evil? I am sure he is, but he isn't impulsive, and I have found that the death toll with him is less than what Angelus or even Spike had…Even Anya. I was shocked.
When Dracula came to me back in 2000 it was to change me to what I should be—A true Vampire Slayer. We never questioned why I was called this. It explains why the Council would have the Slayers killed before she got too old. We need this transformation.
I lost you; I know, but bear with me. I have been dreaming that Dracula is who changes me to become the Vampire Slayer. Why not Spike or Angel? So many reasons come to mind, but the simplest is this: The demon inside them is tarnished and Dracula’s is the truest Vampire. The Slayer essence inside me needs Dracula’s vampire demon to make my transformation complete. He won’t be my Sire.
The Slayer essence has always been able to co-exist inside a female. For some strange reason inside a male, it would eat away who they are. This is what Heinrich Joseph Nest became, one of the first vampires. All because some men were trying to make their own version of a fighter and Nest was the result. With combined essences of Slayer demon and the Blood demon who was used for the spell, he became the first in his line: The Order of Aurelius. They still kept trying to meld the Slayer with males but all they kept producing were more vampires. These vampires were so much different than those already existing in this world. The world was filled with demons that preyed on flesh, but the vampires the First men constructed were even more lethal. Finally they accepted that females could bear this burden, and tried cursing a handful of females. Except, it didn’t happen the way they planned. Only one female carried the Slayer essence: the First Slayer. Remember the bag Robin gave us? It was partially right, yet we didn’t have all the information. As you can tell there is so much more about the history of Slayers that we didn’t know or wasn’t told. Maybe with time we can learn some more?
As for my transformation, I will be different. I won’t be like Dracula either. The vampire demon and the Slayer demon will combine, but I will still be alive. I will become immortal and save the Slayer line. I will be THE Slayer. 'The One' as Spike pointed out to me. A better example to explain this would be a Queen. A Queen Slayer to those she calls. Any Slayer that will activate will be through me not the essence of a Slayer. I will have the power to control who it will empower. I can also take away the power by empowering another girl should one get too old, too dark or incapable of handling the power. This is something I wish I had as a Slayer, that I will be able to impart to these girls I gift. I will be able to see into the girl to know if she will be strong enough to understand the power. That she will appreciate that it’s a gift not a burden.
I wish this had occurred before we had Andrew obtain the Slayer in L.A. and saved Spike from the horror of losing his hands. Thank god he has them back, but still it would have been better that this occurred earlier. I would have known that this girl could not handle the power.
Dawnie, I love you so much, but I need to do this. I need to ascend to the Vampire Slayer. I need to save the line because I am starting to feel half alive even without Spike. I won't lose my soul. I promise this.
My change will take five days. I need you to leave right away and get Spike. Give him this letter. Please do not tell the others. Whatever you do, do not let Angel know. I don't trust him as he is working with Wolfram and Hart. Whatever his reasons are for working with that evil firm, I care less about. It's wrong! There are other ways to take out that firm, but he chose this. There are so many reasons why I don't trust Angel, and I know you won't go to him, but don't let him question why you are there. Be discreet!!! Follow Spike, do what you have to, to get him here! He has to be here when I awaken. I don't trust Dracula but he can't touch you. The higher power made it so he can’t. He will meet you while I am safe going through my change, and take you to Spike.
Please understand this is not a bad thing. I am fulfilling my long overdue destiny, but I sensed it was the right time for it.
I love you Dawn. You are our girl. Please tell Spike I have never been in love with anyone as much as I have been in love with him. Please tell him. I love Spike so much. Please bring him home.
Love always and forever,
Buffy
Dracula even brushed his own single tear from his eye as he finished reading the letter. Although, his tears were more self related than the other two women he was with.
Buffy was nervously watching Dawn go through so many emotions throughout the letter.
Dawn sat looking at her hands with tears coursing down her face. She loved her mother Joyce more than anything, but to find out, she had a mother and father still around? Was so much better! Still lost in her thoughts she knew she sensed something different about Buffy and Spike. They felt more to her than anyone. She’d always shrugged this feeling off because she cared about them. However, her thoughts led her to her immortal status and with powers.
Grinning she looked to Buffy with her tear streaked face and said quite chirpily, "So these powers I gain, what are they?"
Incredulously Buffy replied, "The whole letter and that's what you heard?"
"No, but that's all you didn't go into Buffy. Everything else I basically figured." Dawn said casually.
Buffy sighed and knew Dawn was right.
"Fine,” Buffy pointedly looked at Dawn. Buffy gently pushed back a piece of Dawn’s hair then began. “With a certain command you can open portals. I believe you have to use Latin for opening the portals? We’ll figure that out. You will be able to understand and speak any language. You will also be able to touch anyone and gain his or her strength. If you touched me, you would have Vampire/Slayer power. If you were to touch Spike, you would have his vampire strength and abilities, none of his weaknesses. These acquired powers from touch would last only a few hours, except if you touched a witch with power or control issues you would gain their power and deplete theirs. We need to be careful with that one, but you will be able to sense what power resides in someone. Please don't touch Willow until we know more about this. You hear me Dawn?" Buffy stared sternly at Dawn.
"Cool so I watch out for witches, especially Willow. Wait...Why Willow?" Dawn looked at Buffy puzzled.
"Her power center, although she gained a good power from the Scythe, she still has the dark magic within her. She also still has some issues with power and control. That didn’t go entirely away. Giles helped her some, but not enough. Please, Dawnie don't take that risk. If it happens Spike and I will help you. I hope you can get him here." Buffy said as an afterthought.
Dawn chewed on her lip and now realized this was the source of Buffy's pain…Spike. Grabbing her sister—No not her sister, but her mother, she held onto her and let her cry her pain out.
Dracula fearing time was of the essence stepped in and hoped the two didn't scold him for interrupting their moment.
"Ladies, it is time."
As he said this, a bright light shone and a warning in a powerful and harmonious voice resonated through the room.
"You will do as you're requested to do Dracula. No ill intent. We are watching."
Dracula shivered and bowed his head in compliance.
Buffy and Dawn felt bathed in warmth and light when the voice spoke to them.
"Dear warrior and Key you are safe from harm. We protect thee and we sent the warrior known as Spike a dream to foretell this. Have faith dear children of light."
As they spoke, they felt a gentle kiss caress their foreheads and felt peace and love.
When Dawn opened her eyes she saw Dracula holding Buffy who held her gaze as long as she could. Part of Dawn screamed out wanting to stop Dracula from draining her sister but the peaceful light engulfed her, reassuring her that all was well. She stood still watching as Dracula offered his wrist to a now weakened Buffy.
Dawn whispered through tears, "Buffy…mommy"
Dracula stepped back as he had finished giving Buffy as much as he could and watched as she floated surrounded in a white and purple light.
The beings spoke, "Now go. Dracula we are warning you that you must not touch Dawn on this journey. Should you fail? There will be dire consequences."
Dracula nodded and spoke resignedly, "Yes, I promise to uphold your wishes. Please, Dawn, it is time to get your father."
Before they could leave the beings spoke tersely, "We will be watching and waiting for your return. Make no mistake Dracula. Go forth and bring your father home Dawn."
Dawn approached and thanked them. She bestowed a kiss on Buffy who was now on the bed appearing like Sleeping Beauty. She brushed her hand over Buffy’s face then retrieved the letter on the night table and left.
Walking out she knew that Buffy was safe. Turning to the vampire walking along side her, she contemplated him. He had everything taken from him to complete this change. Was she sorry? Nah!
Turning to Dracula she smirked, "Where we off to?"
"We must retrieve some things for you. I will wait outside your door, and we will board a private jet. They know and are waiting for us." Dracula grimly stated hating that he was being a pawn to raise his new Childe. Sadly shaking that thought he knew she wasn't his or his Childe.
"Ok." Dawn simply stated as she walked up to her building and ran to gather as much as she could possibly find. She threw it all into a suitcase and prepared a backpack for the plane ride. Handing the suitcase to Dracula she walked ahead of the astonished vampire.
Peering back at him, she could have sworn she saw something else in his eyes.
"Let's go Drac. It’s time to go get my daddy, Spike!" Dawn winked back at the gob smacked legendary vampire.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
As mentioned before this was revised by me using my editing program. It was either: pull my stories or at least try with them. I opted to try and see. Enjoy the chapter! I'm working on getting more of this coming your way!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.