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During the ride home, to Buffy’s house, Dawn reflected on the conversation she had heard in the training room.

After five minutes of absolute quiet, and no answers to her questions, Dawn decided to come right out and ask.

“Buffy?”

“Ya?” she replied, not taking her eyes off the road.

“Do you love me?” Buffy turned her head to look at the little girl beside her.

“Of course I do. What would make you think I didn’t?” Dawn put her head down to hide her flushed face.

“Well…Dad said-“ Buffy’s grip tightened on the steering weal, to the point where she bent the plastic.

“Dawn Michelle Jameson! You listen to me. Your father may know a lot of things, but one thing he has never, and will never know, is how I feel! Don’t you ever let him tell you that I don’t love you.”

Taking a deep breath, Buffy calmed herself, and relaxed her hands on the steering wheel.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.” She said in a calming voice, releasing one hand to run it over Dawn’s hair.

“What made you ask that, anyway?” Buffy asked putting her hand back on the wheel as she turned down the street.

“Nothing really. You know how my mind wonders.” Dawn said lightly.

Buffy knew that there was more to it, but decided not to push.

“Ok.” She said, pulling into the driveway.

“Why don’t you start on your home work, while I get dinner started.” Buffy said, as they entered the house, and hung up their coats.

“Are you sure you can handle all of that boiling water?” Dawn said with a smirk.

“Why you…” Buffy mock threatened, giving her a playful swat on the butt as Dawn ran, giggling, all the way up the stairs.

When she reached the top she turned, and saw Buffy putting both of their shoes away, in the closet.

“Hey Buffy?”

“Ya?” she answered, turning around.

“I love you too.” Buffy smiled, and fought the tears that sprang to her eyes.

They stood there, looking at each other for another moment, before Dawn smiled, and bounced off to her room.

It wasn’t until dinner was ready, and she was about to call Dawn down to eat, that Buffy remembered the amulet that Willow had given her.

Reaching into her pocket, Buffy pulled it out and examined it.

It was a big gaudy thing with a beautiful amber stone in the middle, and surrounded by twisted pieces of thin and thick plates of gold.

“Well, let’s see what this thing can do.” Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Buffy slid the amulet over her head and opened her eyes.

“Whoa.” Buffy said, looking at the change in color, and perception.

‘This is like a bad acid trip. Or a good one, depending on how you look at it.’ Buffy quipped.

Looking around her, the first thing Buffy noticed was the back door.

She could see the natural barrier that the house provided against uninvited vamps and looking closer, she noticed what looked to be a silver handprint just above the doorframe.

‘Those must be Spike’s invite.’ She speculated.

Turning around, Buffy headed out of the kitchen and into the main foyer.

Again she saw the barrier, and again saw Spike’s silver hand print. But that was all that was the same.

Buffy had an almost instant feeling of dread, when she looked over to the coat rack, and watched as Dawn’s coat flickered in and out of sight.

“No.” she said out loud, watching as her shoes did the same. ‘Oh please God no.’ she pleaded in her head.

Slowly, Buffy turned to make her way up stairs; her feet heavy, as her brain told her what her heart said couldn’t be true.

As slowly as humanly possible, Buffy reached for the doorknob of Dawn’s room, stealing herself for what she might find on the other side, Buffy took a deep breath, and pushed it open.

It took her a moment to fully process what she was seeing.

There, lying on the bed on her stomach, with her homework laid out in front of her, was Dawn.

Unlike everything else in the house, Dawn was perfectly clear, and in normal color, except for the gold, silver and green that surrounded, and laced thru her.

Again, Buffy watched in horror as all of Dawn’s positions flickered in and out of existence.

Buffy could have sobbed when the thing that had been parading around as a little girl turned to look at her before getting off the bed.

“What are you?” Buffy asked in a hurt and angry tone.

“What?” Dawn asked, coming closer.

“What are you?! Why are you here?!” Buffy screamed, backing up into a fighting stance.

Dawn was looking at her with hurt, frightened eyes.

“Buffy…I don’t understand…don’t you want me here?” Dawn asked. She risked taking another step closer, and realized too late, that it was a mistake.

Quicker than Dawn’s eyes could follow, Buffy had grabbed her by the arms, and slammed her into the closet door.

“Your get the hell out of here. You’re not my family, and you’re not welcome here.”

“Buffy please, you’re hurting me!” Dawn cried, but Buffy forced herself not to hear. She had to keep reminding herself that this was not Dawn. This was some demon or spirit.

“You think it’s fun to play with people’s emotions? You think-” Buffy was abruptly cut off by a punch to the side of her head which sent her crashing into Dawn’s desk.

“Buffy!” she could vaguely hear someone call her name, but she didn’t have time to get her bearings before she felt her self being lifted up by a strong hand around her throat.

Trying to gasp for breath, Buffy clawed at the hand, while kicking her legs.

She could no longer hear anything but the blood rushing through her ears.

The next thing she knew, the hand had released her, and she had half a second to suck air back into her lungs before it was pushed out of her again.

Dawn watched on in horror, as Buffy lay in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs.

“Buffy!” Dawn yelled, racing down to kneel at her side.

Buffy flinched when Dawn reached out to touch her, but relaxed when she realized that the girl didn’t mean to hurt her.

Ever so carefully, Dawn helped Buffy sit up, and lean against the doorframe.

Both Buffy and Dawn turned to look at the person coming down the stairs.

Buffy couldn’t look at him.

Turning her head to the side, Buffy caught her reflection in the window and gasped.

Despite the dizzy feeling the blow to the head was still causing her to have, Buffy’s head whipped quickly from her reflection, to Dawn.

“Oh god.” Buffy breathed. “Oh God, what have I done.”

As quickly as her sore muscles would allow, Buffy picked herself off the ground, and dashed into the kitchen.

“Dawn. Go get your stuff. We’re leaving.” Dawn wanted to argue, but one look at his face, and she thought better of it.

Without saying a word, Dawn walked back up the stairs, careful not to touch him on her way past.

‘How could he do that to her? Couldn’t he see that there was something wrong with her? Didn’t he even care a little?’ Dawn asked herself as she made her way back to her room.

She didn’t notice the tears that were running down her face.

Spike hade never felt so angry in all of his years of existence.

He had trusted her.

As the Power’s Slayer.

As the ultimate good guy.

She was the only person aside from himself that he had ever trusted with his daughter.

Not even Dru, and she was the girls mother for god’s sake! Clenching his fists and jaw, Spike entered the kitchen.

When he entered, he found Buffy with her back against the fridge, and her arms crossed protectively across her chest.

She had her head down, and he could smell her tears.

But he didn’t care.

Spike ignored the deep pang in his chest when he noticed the bruise taking up one side of her face, and the handprint around her neck.

“I hate you.” Spike said in a tone that left no doubt to his words.

Buffy looked up at him with stricken eyes.

Again, Spike felt the knife twist in his hart, and again he ignored it.

Looking deep into her eyes, and speaking in a strong voice, Spike uttered three words that he never could have imagined himself saying to another being.

“You’re beneath me.”

Idly, Spike wondered if the look she now wore on her face was the same one he had the night those awful words had been said to him.

Without another look, Spike walked out the back door and stood on the porch, waiting for Dawn.

Almost ten minutes later Dawn finally entered the kitchen, with her backpack, and duffle bag over her shoulder, to see Buffy crouched down in a ball in front of the fridge with her knees pulled up to her chin.

“Buffy?” Dawn reached out hesitantly.

Buffy looked up at the sound of her name.

When she realized that it was Dawn who had spoken, she lowered her eyes and turned her head to the side.

Dawn gasped when she saw the bruise on the side of her head, and the soft trickle of blood that was trailing down her neck.

“Um…your-your father is outside.” Buffy’s voice was soft and horse from crying. “You…you should go…” Her voice was so soft that Dawn had to strain to hear it.

Sparing a quick glance to the back door, and not seeing Spike anywhere, Dawn quickly made her way over to Buffy’s huddled form and helped her to her feet.

As soon as Buffy was on her feet, and steady, she pulled Dawn in for a strong hug.

“I’m sorry Dawn. I’m so sorry.” Buffy cried, hiding her face in Dawn’s hair.





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