Spike pointed to the cliffs towards the right of them and stated, “Buffy and I climbed those.”
Dawn stood there, her mouth hanging open in surprise. “No way, we went under them through a tunnel.”
Buffy put her hands on her hips and pretended to be upset. “There was a tunnel? Oh sure, Spike said we have to climb and there was a freakin’ tunnel?”
“We did bloody well,” the vampire laughed. “We both climbed and on the way I made sure that Buffy was well fed. As a team, we scaled the whole bleedin’ cliff.“
Dawn was impressed and wanted to try to feat herself.
“Can we do that?” she asked with hope.
“No way, Nibblet. We did it because we thought we had to. Buffy nearly fell of the edge; she could have broken her neck. Instead of that though, she sprained her ankle, got bitten by a poisonous snake, and almost got eaten by a native elephant looking animal.“
“Don’t forget the evil badger,“ the older Summers joked.
“Right,” he scoffed. “---Evil. I think I’ve had enough cliff adventure for a while.“
Dawn pouted and turned to the cliff, nodding in understanding. She raced ahead to the edge of the forest where Spike and Buffy promised to show her where they found the pets.
As Buffy and Spike held hands and walked though the garden, Dawn was carrying a straw basket filled with food that the maid had put together. It was already four in the afternoon and they all knew that this would be their last meal in this strange but beautiful world.
They had managed to get lost in the woods because Dawn had raced around looking for more pets, which upsettingly she did not find. Then they had to stop and feed the pets some leaves, almost forgetting because they were so excited about their day. Spike wanted to release them back into the wild but was met with two angry females at even the slightest suggestion of that. So instead, Spike scooped them up and cradled them in his arm as they continued to feed.
When the three had found their way out of the forest, Dawn then wanted to help Buffy and Spike pack while adding in some books that she had started to read. The romance novels had been in their native language but Dawn had gotten pretty good at reading the written language as well as the spoken. Dawn had found that she had a knack for picking up new languages and wanted to start a collection of books in all the languages she planned to learn. Having some books in this language would be the perfect thing to start her new library.
Now the travelers had time to find the perfect spot for a picnic where they could relax and enjoy the sunset before meeting with Engina.
Dawn was actually really nervous but would never admit that. She was nervous about how much blood it would take to open a portal.
Spike picked a nice solid area of grass and they spread out the sheet. After, the food was passed around and shared. Spike was feeling peckish, but figured while Dawn was looking through the King’s library, which was promised to her to see if there was anything she would like, Buffy would be able to feed him for the last time in this world.
Everyone was quiet as they admired the world around them for the final time. Spike carefully picked two flowers, tucking them into Buffy and Dawn’s hair before lying back on the ground to look at the now setting sun.
The scene before him caused him to feel sadness, it would be his last sunset and Buffy felt it. She could tell he was gloomy that they were going back to a world where Buffy would have a hard time with her new relationship. They had three weeks of blissful worry-free times together that felt like a blissful vacation, and now they were returning to a place where neither really belonged and definitely shouldn’t belong together.
Buffy finished up her food and lay back, resting her head on his arm. Dawn finished eating what was left and then smiled, lying back next to Buffy. She rested her head against Buffy’s arm and smiled at her before looking at the setting sky.
Dawn finally became brave enough and spoke up. “How much blood do you think it will take to get us home?”
Spike looked over at the little bit, “How much did they manage to drain from you on the way over?”
Dawn didn’t look towards Spike and instead watched the sky as it changed colors as she replied, “That’s the thing, almost none. I was tied up in a crypt and I was to be the virgin sacrifice. I was to have symbols carved into my skin and all they did was start the first carving and managed a slice and the blood dripped, opening the portal. One minute I was tied up and wishing with all my might I was in a place where no one would know who I was and where I’d be safe, and the next minute I’m in the forest untied facing down the natives with two demons who were put to death.”
Spike looked at the sun and frowned although not saying anything. He was hoping it took more than that; more than a wish and a drop of blood. He was hoping it took a few pints so that she couldn’t just cut herself and end up somewhere foreign every time.
“Was there anything else odd about the situation that could have sent you away?“
“Well, I was tied to a door way. I wonder if that had anything to do with it.”
Spike wasn’t sure but hoped that perhaps Engina might know. Spike felt Buffy sigh peacefully as the sun disappeared out of the sky and Buffy whispered, “Can we head back now? I really would like to get home.”
Spike nodded and looked at Dawn who nodded too. Dawn wanted to be in her own room in her own bed tonight when she went to sleep.
Together, the three got up and walked back to the fortress in silence.
They collected the items that they were taking along with the trees and the two pets and met Engina.
She smiled at them. “Dawn, you are the vessel that is required for this spell to work. I have to admit, I don’t know much about your origins but based on what you have told me, I don’t think you will even need the spell but it’s a precaution to make sure you actually get to where you need to go. It will just make sure, giving a little preview of where you are landing. How’s that sound?” All three smiled and she asked, “Can you all hold everything you need?” They nodded again. “Can you add a few items into the bags?”
Spike spoke up confidently, “Sure.”
She smiled and handed Spike a box. “Don’t open this until you go to bed tonight. It’s a surprise.” Spike shrugged and tucked the box away as Engina handed Dawn a globe, “To you dimension traveler, I give you a gift of sight. This globe will allow you to preview into the dimension of the portal you have opened. It allows you to never go into a dimension blind. Also, it will allow you to open a portal and then research it before, which comes to my second gift, a book containing my collection of dimension portals.” She handed the book and the globe to Dawn.
Dawn carefully wrapped the globe in her clothing and placed the book with her romance novels and smiled. “Thank you.”
Engina smiled at her and turned to Buffy. “You’re a female champion in your world and have a hard life. You see many things no girl should at your age. I have decided to give you the gift that you can share with your sister and Spike if you would like. It’s the gift of seeing your mother again. This way you can say goodbye and say everything you never got to say. You can choose which day this occurs on.” Engina leaned towards Buffy whispering, “I’d choose your wedding day if it was me.”
Buffy smiled and nodded as she took the box from Engina and tucked it away carefully in her sack. Engina chanted something and put the trees into a box, making them easier for everyone to carry. She looked at Buffy, “Simply have Dawn or Spike say ‘unpack’ in this language and it will have a tree appear. Each time you say it a new tree will appear until you have all seven in your possession. I’d wait until the babies are born before unpacking all seven trees, though.” She winked as she said that and curtsied to the three and handed Dawn a small knife, and then took a wooden stick to create the shape of a door on the ground.
Engina looked at Dawn, “Ok, imagine home now. Imagine someplace you can really see and smell whether that be your room, the house, or someplace else but somewhere concrete. When you have finished doing that, drip blood onto the door. It should glow, showing you that it will allow you passage into another dimension. Once the dimension is open, I will show you how to use your globe to see in. It will show you the place that is opened and if all goes well, it should be your home. If not we can try again.”
Dawn nodded and closed her eyes, carefully imagining the porch at the house. She imagined the night sky and the stars and the tree in the backyard that she used to climb as a child. She imagined the sound of crickets chirping and the sound of rain surrounding her.
The scene completely unfolded in her mind. Buffy and Dawn were sitting on the outside stairs while their mother sat one step up. All of their hands were sticky as each held a stick with freshly toasted marshmallows on them. Dawn even imagined what it felt like to have sticky marshmallow on her nose. Buffy and Joyce laughed as she tried to use her tongue to lick it off. She could smell the scent of toasted marshmallows as though she was really there.
Dawn remembered how just a few minutes prior all the Summers girls were gathered around the stove trying to toast the marshmallows using their stove-top burners. It had been her mother's idea on how to spend their rainy night since they couldn't go camping as planned with the rain coming down as hard as it was.
Dawn opened her eyes sure she had imagined the house well. Carefully, she pricked her finger and let two drops of blood land in the center of the door, watching as it glowed bright yellow.
Engina smiled. “Now, let’s see what you imagined.” She twisted the globe once and whispered, “Reveal” in her native language and in the globe was the house focused on the back porch with a nighttime scene.
The people in Dawn's image weren't there but Dawn hadn't expected to see her mom anywhere but in her mind.
“I imagined that! So we will return to there?”
Engina nodded and gave each of them a hug. “Good luck adventurers and you are welcomed to visit at any time.”
They waved to Engina as Dawn was the first to cross the portal, followed by Buffy and her items. She lugged them behind her and Spike helped her so she could lift them up and over her shoulder safely.
“Nice meeting you Engina,” Spike said before stepping through the portal.
She smiled as the portal closed behind him, watching them leave the world and return home.