Chapter 25
“She won’t come down, Spike. She won’t open the door…she just won’t talk to me.” Buffy said, wringing her hands as she paced across the floor.
“Can’t exactly blame her luv. ‘S a lot to take in. Least she’s safe from the Knights now, yeah? Jus’ have to give her some time, let her calm down an’ try talkin’ to her. I know how you feel, but trust me, breakin’ her door down won’ help.”
“I know but, God, Spike, what must be going through her head…She doesn’t think she’s real.”
“Um, Spike?”
Spike looked up at the Watcher who was polishing his glasses and waited for him to perch them back on his nose, noticing the man had spied the box under his arm.
“Might that have come from your contact by any chance? You acquired something useful?”
Buffy stepped back out of his arms, noticing the box for the first time. She looked up at him with hope shining in her eyes, then frowned when she saw the red mark on his cheek. She brushed it with her hand gently.
“What happened?”
“Doc didn’ feel like helpin’. Turns out he was a follower o’ Glory. Had a little scrap o’ my own with him, an’ he tried burnin’ this. So yeah, I’m bettin’ it’s useful. Don’ worry ‘bout the cut luv, ‘s jus’ a scratch. Almost healed now anyway. Oh an’ Doc’s good an’ dead so we won’ be usin’ him as a contact in future, not that he would have helped anyway.”
“Well if he didn’t want you to have it, it’s highly likely that that box holds answers to stopping Glory or at least finding out about that ritual. May I?”
Spike handed Giles the box, and the man carried it to the coffee table, where they all crowded around. He was just about to open it when Spike stopped him.
“Hang on a sec.”
Giles was a little irritated, knowing important information was sitting right under his nose, but paused and glanced at the vampire who had his hand up to silence them. Buffy recognized the look of concentration on his face as he appeared to be listening for something.
“What is it? Another spy?”
“No. Buffy, I think we should check on your sis.”
“Why?”
Buffy was already headed for the stairs with Spike and the others following.
“Because I can’t hear a heartbeat comin’ from upstairs.”
“What?!” several voices exclaimed.
“No she’s not dead, jus’…”
Buffy broke through the door and they all stared at the empty room. The curtains were blowing gently inward by the open window.
“…gone,” Spike finished.
***
Dawn hugged herself tightly, ignoring the cold night air as she marched onwards, not really sure where she was going. She just had to get away. Away from them. Her family, her friends. She brushed angry tears away. Not her friends, not her family. She was nothing but a tool for that Hell-bitch to use to end the world. What sort of horrible, evil thing was she if she brought about an apocalypse? Why did they lie to her for so long?
Buffy should have just let them kill me. It would be better than whatever Glory’s got planned, and Buffy knows she can’t stop her.
She just kept walking, a million thoughts running through her head. Eventually she cooled off enough to take in her surroundings and realized she was headed for the rough part of town, so not a place she wanted to be, no matter how upset she was.
Just as she was trying to think of where she could go a figure jumped out in front of her. She screamed and jumped back but stopped at the sight of a knife. At first she thought it might be a vampire, but the knife clued her in that it was a mugger, a human, someone much more unpredictable.
“Please, don’t hurt me. I...I don’t have any money…I...I’m just a kid, please.”
“Shut up. You expect me to believe you’re out here alone at night without any cash? I’m sure you have something worth handing over.”
“I don’t, I swear!”
“Well, we’ll just have to see about that, won’t we?”
Dawn panicked. He was advancing on her. She didn’t know what to do, if she had any money she’d give it to him but she was telling the truth. Whatever happened to her could be much, much worse than losing some jewelry or a few dollars. Her flight instinct took over and she ran.
“Hey, get back here you little bitch!”
She could hear him chasing her. Luckily she had a lot of experience running away from scary things lately, but he was fast, he would catch her at this rate. She had to get somewhere safe, somewhere there were people.
She ran as fast as she could. She turned one corner and ran straight into the street. Bright lights hit her vision and she froze in place, momentarily blinded as a car horn blared. She shielded her eyes and was just in time to see the vehicle swerve, narrowly avoiding her and pulling to a stop on the curb. She watched as the owner of the car got out and stood to face her.
“Are you okay? That was close, what were you doing?”
“Ben?”
The man paused and looked at her closely.
“Dawn? What are you doing out here, at this time of night by yourself?”
Remembering her attacker, Dawn turned but no one was there. He must have backed off when he saw the car stop.
“I was…there was…this guy was chasing me, and he had a knife.”
“Are you hurt? What happened?”
Ben rushed over to her, taking her arm and leading her to his car.
“No, he didn’t hurt me. I ran away, but he was following me and…”
“Easy, come on, I think it’s time I took you home.”
“No! No, I can’t go back there. Please, I-I don’t want to go home yet.”
He stared at her worried. She looked back pleadingly. She couldn’t go home to them. She didn’t know how to face them. They’d lied to her, and they weren’t her family.
“Okay, but I think you’re in shock. You should come with me to the hospital and calm down. Then we’ll decide what to do about going home, all right?”
She nodded. Anything was better than going home or staying out here any longer. She let him lead her to the car, and they sat in silence on the way to the hospital. It crossed her mind to wonder why he’d been out so late, but figured he must have been called in for a late shift or something. She stared out the window the whole drive, wondering what she was supposed to do now.
***
“I swear I’m gonna kill her if Glory hasn’t already!”
The Slayer marched onward purposefully though she had no idea where she was supposed to be going. Upon discovering her missing sister, she’d gathered the group together to look for her. Joyce had been convinced to stay at home with Anya after a quick argument, where Buffy had firmly put her foot down against her Mom going out to search for the missing teen. Having Spike around came in handy once again as he followed Dawn’s scent, pointing Buffy in the right direction wherever Dawn had made a turn. Xander had made a comment about him being better than a bloodhound which they all ignored, even when he insisted it had been a compliment. So far they hadn’t closed the gap, and Buffy really wanted to know where her sister was.
“We’ll find her, Slayer. Shouldn’ take long to catch up, even if she does walk as quick as you when she’s mad.”
“Yeah Buff. She’ll get scared and lonely out here and before you know it your Mom will be calling to say she’s back.” Xander tried to reassure the Slayer.
“Then I can march straight home and murder her,” the Slayer said, in a voice that sounded almost like a growl.
“Um, Buffy, I get you’re mad and all, but Dawn just found out she’s not, technically, real. How would anyone deal with that?”
“I know that, Will. I do. God, I tried to come up with a way to tell her that wouldn’t result in---this, but there’s no way to explain that to a person without them freaking out. I’m worried that’s all, and she knows better than to run off, even if she is upset. She knows what’s out there. Not to mention we’re heading towards the bad part of town now.”
Spike half listened to the conversation, concentrating on tracking the Niblet’s scent. He paused as it crossed with someone else’s. Said someone then appeared to follow Dawn. He frowned, resisting the urge to growl, knowing it would worry Buffy more, but he didn’t like the new development.
“Spike what is it? Why did you stop?”
“Did you lose her?” Giles asked, from the back of the group where he had been trying to ignore Xander’s occasional prattling.
“No. She went that way, jus’ someone followed her.”
“What?”
Buffy didn’t like the sound of that. She set off quickly in the direction Spike had pointed out, practically jogging. He hurried to match her pace, and the others followed, almost having to run to keep up. Spike took the lead as Dawn’s trail began twisting and turning, almost as though she was running from something. Spike was really getting worried, the strange scent still following hers. This time he did growl.
Eventually they reached a road where Spike stopped again. Buffy watched as he paced back and forth for a minute before finally looking up at her.
“Well?”
“Trail ends here.”
“How could it end here? Where is she Spike?”
“Got into a car I think. Scent’s familiar somehow but I can’t…It isn’t the same as the one followin’ her. She met someone. Bloody hell, I know I know that scent.”
“Spike who did she go with? Who’s with my sister?”
They all watched as he closed his eyes and concentrated. He seemed to battle with himself for a minute, struggling to remember before his eyes popped open.
“Bloody hell!”
“What?” they all chorused.
“That pillock from the Bronze, one you were chattin’ to---what’s it, the intern bloke.”
“Ben?” Buffy asked in disbelief.
What had Ben been doing out here after the Bronze? Surely he’d have been home by now? Why would he have taken Dawn? Was she hurt?
“If it’s Ben, maybe he took her to the hospital with him,” Willow suggested.
“Let’s go. I hope she’s all right. Damn it Dawn.”
They set off at a brisk pace for the hospital. It was their only shot. Spike wondered how this Ben guy got the Bit to trust him so easily, and why he hadn’t just brought her home like any other supposedly responsible adult. He didn’t know why but there was something about that bloke’s scent he didn’t like. It was off, which was how he’d finally recognized it. There was just something he didn’t trust about it.
***
“Feeling better?”
Dawn sipped her drink, sitting opposite Ben in a quiet room in the hospital. He’d gotten her some food from the vending machine, and they ate in silence while he drank his coffee, casting curious glances her way every so often.
“So are you gonna tell me why you’re so against going home? I’m sure your Mom and your sister are worried sick.”
“Worried, yeah, I bet they are. I just can’t deal with them right now. Sometimes I hate having a sister.”
Who was she kidding? She didn’t have a sister. She was just a thing Buffy had to protect. All this time she’d been blaming her screwed up life on her sister being the Slayer, when really, she was the one screwing up her so-called sister’s life now.
“Yeah, I can sympathize with that.”
Dawn looked up at him, curious.
“You have a sister?”
“Yeah, believe it or not I’m a little brother. Sometimes it was as if everything revolved around her. Actually, not much has changed. She only cares about me doing what I’m told. I’m just an inconvenience to her.”
“I get that feeling. It’s like I’m just in the way. Buffy’s the one that matters.”
“It’s tough being the youngest. But Dawn, your sister seems to care a lot about you. She does notice you. I even saw her at the Bronze tonight, and she thanked me for spending time with you when she was busy with your Mom. She does think about you.”
“She just likes to make sure someone’s on Dawn duty. She hardly ever spends time with me. Has too much else on her plate. You were at the Bronze tonight?”
“Yeah. I drove some friends home and was on my way back home myself when I met you. Uh, Dawn, if you don’t mind me asking, the reason Buffy’s been busy, the reason you ran away, does it…have anything to do with…your sister’s boyfriend?”
Dawn blinked confused and looked at Ben who was waiting for her answer, concerned looking.
“What? Spike? Why would it have anything to do with him?”
Ben shifted a little uncomfortably.
“Nothing I guess. I just thought, maybe--he looks a little--rough.”
“Who, Spike? No way. I mean he looks like a punk, yeah, but he’s not. I mean he wouldn’t…”
Dawn smirked as she thought of how annoyed Spike would be to hear her say he wasn’t dangerous or rough as Ben had described him. She knew if Ben had met Buffy at the Bronze, they would have likely talked, and Spike probably pulled his alpha male card on the intern.
“Spike’s cool. He doesn’t treat me like a kid, just talks to me, even listens and takes my advice sometimes. Not many people do that.”
“Oh.”
Ben took another gulp of his coffee, a bit embarrassed. Dawn’s anger returned when she thought about how everyone would treat her now. She wasn’t even a kid.
“How can it hurt so much? These feelings? I don’t even exist.”
“Dawn, you exist. Whatever you think about your family, you…”
“No, you don’t get it! I don’t exist. That’s what they say. They can’t see me. I’m not real. I’m just some disguise to hide from Glory. I…”
Ben jumped back from the table and shot to his feet, spilling the remains of his coffee. Dawn jumped, startled by his reaction.
“No, you, you’re the Key.”
“How do you…?”
“Get out of here! Leave, you can’t be here! You shouldn’t have told me!”
Dawn backed away from him frightened. She didn’t understand how he knew about the Key. The way he was acting was freaking her out.
“I don’t understand. You know about the Key?”
“Dawn, please, it isn’t safe. You have to go!”
“Dawn!”
Dawn turned to see Buffy run into the room, followed by Spike, the rest of the Scoobies stumbling into the tiny room panting and struggling to catch their breath. Dawn flew to them, forgetting her vow not to go back to them as fear from Ben’s reaction took hold. Buffy wrapped an arm around her sister protectively and watched as Ben gripped his head and shouted at them to leave. The others looked on in fascination and confusion as he broke out in a sweat.
“Get out of here! She’s…she’s coming!”
Ben morphed into Glory who took in the shocked faces in front of her curiously. Just what had Ben been up to with the Slayer and her entourage?
“Glory!”
“How did? When did? Huh?” Xander queried, and the others had to agree, not knowing where the Hell-God had come from.
“Get back, everyone!”
Buffy pushed Dawn behind her and Giles moved in front of the frightened teen. Glory observed them in some amusement.
“Well well. If this isn’t a surprise. Now what could you all be doing here together? Are you going to hand over my Key?”
“Not a chance. You think for one minute I’m gonna let you end the world just because you’re homesick? You really are insane.”
“Now, now. That isn’t very nice. Oh that reminds me, I still owe you for killing my spy. I guess I’ll just have to make you talk myself using more creative means or maybe try out one of your vulnerable looking friends.”
Glory eyed the group gathered behind the Slayer and Buffy attacked. She flew at Glory, punching her with all her strength. The Hell-Bitch barely moved but frowned and raised a hand to her jaw. Buffy aimed another punch at her, but Glory grabbed her arm and backhanded her, sending her into a wall hard. Buffy kept her footing and dodged a punch from Glory, kicking her in the stomach and making her stumble backwards a few steps.
“Spike, help her!” Xander shouted at the vamp that’d been standing in a daze after Glory appeared.
What the bloody hell?
The whelp’s voice jarred Spike back to the present and he watched Buffy take another hit from Glory that had her sprawling into a filing cabinet. He used Glory’s momentary distraction to grab her from behind and squeeze hard enough to crush human bone. Glory, however just struggled to break free. Buffy was back on her feet and sending punch after punch Glory’s way while Spike held on.
“Enough!”
Glory threw herself backward hard enough to knock Spike off balance and kicked Buffy. She then broke free of Spike’s grip and swung around to punch him, before grabbing him by his coat and throwing him across the room where his head hit the wall with a loud crack and he slumped to the ground. Buffy tried to kick Glory while her back was turned, but she was too quick and the next thing Buffy knew, her foot was in Glory’s grasp. A second later she was sent flying into a wall of her own, knocking the various charts that had been hung on it to the ground as she fell.
“You just aren’t strong enough sweet cheeks. Even with your boyfriend you’re no match for me.”
She flipped her hair back over her shoulder and stalked towards the fallen Slayer.
“Now, should I try get something out of you, or should I work on one of your weak little friends?”
Buffy looked up, blood dripping down her face as Glory approached. She glanced over to the left and Glory followed her gaze only to have sparkling powder thrown into her face by Willow.
“Who are you calling weak?” Willow asked, before chanting a quick spell and flicking her hand towards the outraged hell-god, who vanished into thin air.
Buffy hauled herself up off the floor just as Willow started to collapse, feeling the effects of a particularly strong spell. Tara caught her and helped her balance. Buffy looked Dawn over and was relieved to find her unhurt.
“What were you thinking? I know you were mad and upset, but it’s dangerous out there. I wish you would have talked to us.”
“I couldn’t be around you. You should have let those Knights kill me. Glory’s too strong for you, and I know whatever she wants with me won’t be good.”
“Don’t talk like that. Dawn, you are my sister. You’re a part of me. All those memories are real to us. They’re the lives we’ve led. I don’t want to live in a world without my little sister in it. Glory won’t get you. We can stop her. We’re working on it, but you need to trust me. Please, Dawn, come home. Mom is worried sick, and I promise I’ll protect you.”
“Yeah, Dawnie, we all will,” Xander added.
“I guess, I just...I didn’t know how to talk to you about this. I’m sorry. I want to go home.”
“Good. I think we could all use a rest.”
Dawn looked at the floor, then back at Buffy, then over to the far corner.
“Um, Buffy?”
“What?”
Dawn gestured to the prone bleached blond on the floor and Buffy remembered with a gasp that Glory had knocked him out.
“Oh! Spike!”
She rushed over and shook him gently, calling his name. He groaned and slowly attempted to move. Buffy helped him up and balanced him when he wavered, clutching his head and moaning.
“Oh, babe, I’m sorry, are you okay?”
“Besides the cartoon birdies flyin’ ‘round my head, an’ the massive headache rivallin’ my best hangovers? Yeah, I’m, what’s it you say? Peachy, I’m just peachy.” He paused and glanced at her sideways, frowning, “Did you just call me babe?”
She smiled at him and used the hand she wasn’t supporting him with to stroke his injured head delicately.
“So what if I did? You got a problem with it?”
His expression softened, and he leaned into her touch, enjoying her soothing caresses.
“Not at all, pet. I could get used to it actually.”
“Uh…Willow? May I ask, uh, where was it you sent Glory?” The Watcher spoke up.
Willow looked at Giles and thought about it before shrugging her shoulders.
“Um, I’m not sure. It doesn’t pinpoint anywhere specific. I just wanted to get her gone. It was in our dimension unfortunately. A spell to really get rid of her like I did Olaf would take a lot longer with a lot more power behind it, and she’s a bit trickier than a troll, so it probably wouldn’t have worked. I just settled for the ‘poof, she’s gone!’ kind of spell.”
“Guys, where did Ben go? He was here before Glory then, I can’t remember. Did he get away?” Dawn asked, looking to each of them for an answer.
They all regarded Dawn for a moment and tried to remember what had happened. Ben had been there, but then Glory arrived, and Ben wasn’t here anymore.
“No-one saw him leave? I know he was here. Maybe he got away?” Buffy said.
Spike looked at Buffy curiously, then glanced around at all the Scooby’s and their blank faces.
“Oh come on! No one remembers?”
They all looked at him bewildered.
“Remembers what?”
Spike frowned at them.
“Ben is Glory.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Another update for all you lovely people who've been reading this fic. I feel bad for not writing iyt for a while, especially when I'm so close to finishing it. So no more distractions until it's complete...I hope. I'm just going to have to chain my muse up and make it focus on one fic at a time.
This was beta'ed by the wonderful SanityFair so any mistakes you spot are mine.
This was beta'ed by the wonderful SanityFair so any mistakes you spot are mine.
Chapter End Notes:
Next chapter; Ben is Glory???