____________________________________
Several hours into research mode, the gang did not have much more information than they had before. This is what they had managed to learn—Susie had no patience for research and every time she opened a book she closed it again within five seconds, exclaiming profusely that it contained absolutely no information of any worth. Frederick was truly the fastest research any of them had ever seen, with a stack of books twice the size of anyone’s sitting beside him. And finally, Xander looked impeccable with his nose covered in strawberry jelly put there by one very playful Dawn. But, alas, they were no closer to figuring out if splitting the connection between Willow and the slayers would turn off their slayer powers.
“This is taking too long!” Kennedy said, frustrated. “Let’s just try it.”
“We cannot just try it. What if all the slayers we activated loose their powers? What if they were in the middle of a battle, they would be killed instantly. It would put the world into chaos,” Giles said.
“The world is already in chaos,” Buffy said, looking up from the book she had been reading. “Isn’t that the reason Willow’s sick? Things aren’t supposed to be this way, are they Giles?”
“I don’t care how things are supposed to be, I just want Willow to get better,” Kennedy stated.
“Yes, but what if that means you are no longer a slayer?” Giles asked.
“I don’t care if I am a slayer or not. I don’t care that I have been training since I was five years old for the day I might be called. I don’t care that all I have ever wanted in my life is to someday be able to be the slayer and kick evil’s butt, because now all that’s different. All I want is to be with that redhead in there,” Kennedy said, pointing to the bedroom where Willow lay thrashing against the ropes that restrained her. “If I have to give up everything I have wanted to make her well, it doesn’t bother me because I know she will be alive and healthy. I love her,” Kennedy finished simply.
Everyone was quiet for a minute, thinking. Buffy was looking at Kennedy, amazed at how willingly she was able to give everything up for love. That was something Buffy had never been able to do. She always wanted everything, love and more. Maybe she had never truly been in love, was that her problem?
“Giles, I can’t lose her.” Kennedy finally broke the silence, looking at Giles with pleading eyes. “I have to go hit something,” she finished and ran out of the room.
********************
Buffy was sitting by the window in the spare bedroom, taking a much needed research break. She needed some time to think. So much had happened in the past twenty-four hours. She had chased Dawn half way across the world and walked straight back into what she had been trying to escape. She moved to sit on the bed, idly playing with one of the pillows. Looking around the room, she saw it was full of boxes that Willow and Kennedy hadn’t yet had time to unpack. She thought about the life they were trying to build together and how her best friend was loosing her battle to live that life.
She looked over at the nightstand and, for the first time, noticed the picture placed there. It was a photo taken of Willow, Xander, and she back in high school. They were at the pier with huge smiles plastered on their faces. Buffy touched the faces in the photograph fondly and smiled, remembering that trip. It had been so much fun. Even with all the demons and apocalypses, things had seemed so simple then.
“Whatcha doin?” Xander said, coming up behind his friend.
“Do you remember this?” Buffy said, not turning around. “We had such a great time that day.”
“Oh, yeah, the pier,” he said, sitting down beside her and looking at the photo. “Remember how much you pissed that game owner off because you hit the bull’s-eye every time.”
“That was great! I won all the prizes I could before they banned me from playing,” Buffy said with a little pout. “That was a great day. It’s something normal we can say we did in high school. No demons allowed in that memory.”
“I don’t know, Buffy. You were pretty scary there when they said you weren’t allowed to play anymore,” Xander said teasingly.
“Hey!” she said, shoving him with her shoulder. “I’ll have you know mister, that I have it on good authority that banning a girl from playing a simple little carnival game is a criminal offense!”
“No, what you were going to do that guy if Willow and I hadn’t stopped you would have been a criminal offense.”
“I wasn’t going to hurt him. Just scare him a little until he let me play a couple more times.” She smiled, pausing. “I wish things didn’t have to change,” she said thoughtfully, looking up at Xander.
“But they do,” he said, looking back at her.
“Yeah, they do,” she answered in a whisper, their faces inching closer and closer together. “Sometimes things change so quickly you hardly notice it’s happening.”
“It’s true,” he said, closing the gap between them. They kissed again, but this time it wasn’t the sweet kiss they had shared in Willow’s bedroom. It was passionate and full of desire. Their kisses deepening, they fell onto the bed, the picture falling out of Buffy’s hand and onto the floor.
************************
Dawn was sitting on the floor, surrounded by books. She had the necklace in her hand and was searching for anything that seemed to be useful, but there was nothing. Frustrated, she slammed the book she had been reading closed.
“There isn’t anything here!” she said, standing and putting the necklace in her pocket. “This is like looking for a needle in a haystack. No, it’s worse! It’s like looking for a needle that you lost in the ocean!” She was pacing waving her arms.
“I never understood that saying,” Charlotte said. “Who sews in a haystack?”
“Dawn, I am sure we will find it,” Frederick said, standing and walking over to Dawn. He put his hand on her arm. “We just have to be patient. There is a solution to every problem if you only have the patience to find it.”
She smiled at him. “I know, it’s just frustrating, and I have to admit I’m pretty tired.”
“Maybe you should take a break, rest,” he said, tentatively stroking her arm. The gesture made small shivers run up and down Dawns spine.
Noticing the exchange Mikkel got to his feet. “Dawn, do you want to take a break with me and get a snack in the kitchen?”
“Sure, that sounds nice,” Dawn said, turning from Frederick and taking Mikkel's hand.
Frederick watched them leave with a sigh and resumed his research post beside Giles.
“A woman’s heart has many layers,” Giles said to Frederick from behind his book. “Be vigilant.”
Frederick’s expression brightened slightly realizing he had a very important ally.
*****************
Dawn was looking in the cupboard for some crackers to snack on when Mikkel came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She giggled. “What are you doing?”
“Getting closer to you,” he said, smiling and nuzzling her hair.
She turned to face him, holding a box of crackers she had found in front of his face. “These okay?” she asked.
“I didn’t really come in here for the crackers,” he said, taking them from her and placing them on the counter. “Your gorgeous, you know that?”
Dawn blushed looking away. “You’re just saying that.”
Mikkel took her chin and turned her face back to his. “It’s true,” he said. Tilting her head to his, he kissed her.
Dawn froze, shocked. My first kiss from a real boy, not a demon or vampire! She thought, her mind fuzzy. Her senses tingling, she didn’t notice when Mikkel reached into her pocket to retrieve the necklace.
*********************
Dawn and Mikkel returned from the kitchen, holding hands and flushed from their little make out session. Dawn sat on the other side of Giles and picked up a book, although her mind was not on translating the Gaelic in front of her. He kissed me! She squealed, inside her head. She was lost thinking about it.
“Dawn.” She heard her name. “Dawn.” She heard again. “Dawn!”
“What!” she said, coming out of her daydream.
“Where is the Dalgin Ki˙mse?” Giles asked, slightly agitated. “I looked through the book that came with the necklace and there is nothing written on any of the pages, they are all blank.”
“Sorry,” Dawn said, passing the Dalgin Ki˙mse to Giles. “By the way, I think I found something that might be helpful when I looked through this book the last time. It took a while to translate so I haven’t been able to go through it all but look at this.” She opened the book and pointed to a passage. “I think it means this,” she said, passing him a notepad where Dawn had carefully translated the passage.
Giles looked at what Dawn had given him. “This is very nicely done Dawn,” he said, obviously impressed. “We really must get you into training to be a Watcher. With this sort of talent, you could go far.”
Dawn beamed. “Aw, it was nothing,” she said, shrugging. “All in a day’s work for Dawn the wonder translator!”
“Yes, well let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Giles said, eyeing Dawn.
“You can’t take it back now. You said it already, I’m the best,” she said playfully. “Admit it, I’m the best, you know it!”
Giles removed his glasses, swiping his forehead with the back of his hand, smiling. “It seems I have created a monster.”
“No, Giles, that’s what we’re trying to fight. I’m a girl,” she teased him. “So much time apart, but you haven’t changed at all.”
“Dawn,” Giles started out slightly awkwardly, “I wanted to say that I missed you.”
“I missed you too Giles,” she said, wrapping her arms around him.
Becoming uncomfortable with the contact, Giles pulled away. “Yes, well what did you find?” He motioned to the notebook.
“Well it seems like it’s a sort of prophecy or something. Ma’ukhil said that the girl needed someone else to help her. See here.” She pointed. “It says, ‘The one who does not know its presence will show you the way, and they will be strength but not know what it means.’ It says later they were never able to find anyone to fill this before the girl died.”
“See, I told you you would find something with patience,” Frederick said, coming up behind Dawn and Giles.
Dawn smiled up at her new friend. “You were right. I should listen to you more often.”
Giles cleared his throat quickly. “Yes, well, I should look further into this, over there,” he said, pointing to the living room. “Where there are more books, over there.” He got up and motioned slightly for Frederick to take his seat.
Dawn looked at him curiously. “Okay, crazy Giles,” she said, shaking her head.
“So,” Frederick began, sitting down beside Dawn and searching frantically for a good topic of conversation. “Um, so, what’s your favorite demon?” he began.
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