“Chance’s are that by the time I’m done, my brain will be dribbling out my ears.” Buffy paused, a few feet from the doorway. “It’ll probably kill me,” she looked briefly over her shoulder. “But I’ll get it done before it does.” She started towards the door again but was stopped, this time by Spike's hand on her arm, she turned to face him. “Don’t try and stop me. You know as well as I do it’s something that has to be done,” he nodded, smiling at her.
“I know. I was just going to say I’ll come and watch your back, luv.” She smiled, hearing him call her luv sent chills down her spine.
“You should stay… Look after Dawn. We don’t know if Glory still has her minions out trying to grab one of your friends in hope of finding the key.” Spike nodded in understanding. “I’ll call when it’s done,” just as her hand reached the door knob, she was stopped, again.
“T-There is one last thing that you all need to know,” Giles voice was hesitant, making Buffy and Spike stare at him in confusion.
"Can't it wait until later?" Buffy asked.
"In all honesty Buffy there may not be a later for you." Buffy nodded in response, Giles did have a point.
“Well get on with it, watcher, I’ve got a god to kill!”
“Yes very well…” Giles started. “I’ve been going over the information that the watchers council has given us, and… I think I can explain why you feel so protective of Dawn…” His speech was aimed towards Buffy. “You see, when the monks created Dawn, they needed the blood of two warriors to create a strong vessel…” The group was silent. “A warrior of light,” he glanced in Spike’s direction. “And one of the dark,” he looked at Buffy, who’s eyes had widened.
“Right..?!” Buffy heading for the door again.
“Buffy are you okay?” Giles asked, she turned to look at him.
“It explains a lot…The way I feel for her…The connection we have....Even before the chip, I could never hurt the kid.” Buffy met Giles eye’s. “I do want to find out more, but first I need to make sure she’s safe. It’s time to end this!” Turning, she made a beeline for the door, no one was going to stop her this time. Before she even reached the handle Tara and Anya stumbled in. They were both limping and had suffered several blows to the body, bruises forming on their arms, she could smell the blood on them. Tara was on the verge of passing out and Buffy caught her right before she fell. Buffy lay Tara on her back looking down at the girl in her arms.
“What happened?” Buffy asked.
“She got Dawn,” tears were forming in Tara’s eyes. “S-she knows!” She whispered, before passing out. Buffy looked up at Spike, she was to late.
By the time Tara and Anya came to, everyone was ready for action. Buffy had grabbed an axe from the training room and was swinging it to a fro, testing it. Willow was looking over a spell book. Giles was bent over the table, trying to decipher some scrolls and Spike was pacing back and forth, fists clenching and unclenching. They all waited patiently as Tara tried to explain what had happened.
“She came out of no where! I mean one s-second w-we were eating at the Double Meat Palace, next thing she has Dawn in her grasp. I didn’t even see her coming!” Tara exclaimed, distraught.
“You didn’t happen to see that doctor, Ben?” Spike asked.
“H-he was at the table behind us,” she stuttered, glancing at willow. “What has he got to do with it?”
“Well it seems that Ben and Glory are one in the same. They share a body.” Xander quickly explained.
“So what happened next?” Spike asked.
“There was a man. I-I think he was crazy. He started pointing at Dawn, saying she didn’t belong, saying she was so pretty, all shinny and green, that she was pure energy and then Glory…” Tara burst into tears. “I’m so sorry Spike, we didn’t even have a chance to react.” She sobbed.
“It’s not your fault luv,” Spike soothed. “Giles, you found anything yet?”
“It’s not good. From what I can gather from these scrolls,” he took his glasses of, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket. “There is not much margin for error… Spike do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Might help if you actually said it mate.”
“R-Right. Glory intends to open a dimensional portal by a ritual blood letting.” Giles felt like a weight had been placed on his shoulder at seeing Spike’s face.
“Dawn’s blood?” Spike asked. Giles nodded in response.
“Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place, the fabrics that separate all realities will be ripped apart, dimensions will pour into one another with nothing to stop them…” The group was once again silent. “Reality as we know it will be destroyed and chaos will rain on earth.”
“So how do we stop it?” Spike asked, resuming his pacing.
“The portal will only close once the blood has stopped.” Giles looked down, refusing to meet anyones eyes. “T the only way for that to happen is…” He sighed, wishing it wasn’t tru. “Spike, the only way is to kill Dawn.” Their was a gasp, as Buffy brought her hand to her mouth.
“There has to be another way!” Spike half yelled. “Why can’t we stop Glory before she start’s the ritual. I-I mean we still have about an half hour untill she can start the ritual right?” Spike asked, a plan already forming in his head.
“If my calculations are correct. But Spike…” Spike cut him off quickly.
“I don’t want to hear it!” His voice shook.
“Spike if Glory begins the ritual, if we can’t stop her…”
“Come on say it!… Tell me to kill my little sister!” Spike’s eye’s welled with tears.
“She’s not your sister.” Giles whispered. No one dare interrupt the two, instead they watched, sad eyed.
“No she’s not! She’s more then that, s-she’s me…” A lone tear slipped down his cheek. “A part of m-me and Buffy,” he said, pointing at Buffy. “The monks made her out of us…” Roughly, he wiped his eyes. “I hold her and I feel closer to her then,” Buffy moved closer to Spike. “It’s not just the memories they built, it’s physical. Dawn is a part of me… the only part that I…” His voice broke. “I can’t lose that… I can’t lose her!” Spike struggled to keep his emotions under control, the simple thought of losing Dawn shook him to the core.
“If the ritual starts, then every living creature on this and every other dimension imaginable, will suffer unbearable torment and death. Including Dawn!” Giles yelled, frustrated.
“Then the last thing she’ll see is me protecting her!” Spike growled.
“You’ll fail. You’ll die…” Giles turned his back on Spike. “We all will.”
“I’m sorry. I love you all, but, I can’t… I’m sorry,” Spike said, walking into the training room, Buffy following closely behind him. Before walking through the door she turned.
“I get that you are all in a mood, but before anything happens, we need to find out where Glory is taking Dawn.” Tara raised her hand.
“I know where she’s going.” Her voice was soft, but certain. Now she had everyone’s attention.
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