1. Dream And A Broken Heart

**Authors Note** This is my first attempt at writing a fic so please be kind. This story will eventually become Spuffy (I love Spuffy) but please be patient. Reviews, reviews, reviews! I know there may be many things wrong with this story, but I don't know what unless you tell me. Constructive criticism please!!  
  
This takes place after Buffy comes back from the dead. I know exactly where I am going with this story, but I have no idea how to get there. So please bear with me, and enjoy.  
  
Buffy couldn't see the girl, but she knew she was there. She heard her whimpering, but did not know which direction it was coming from. "Where are you?" She called. There was no reply. Only more whimpering. "If you don't answer me, I won't be able to find you. I won't be able to help you." Finally she heard a whisper. "I don't want to be."  
  
"You don't want to be what?" Buffy asked. "Where are you?"  
  
"With father. I'm with father. He can't protect me anymore Buffy. They're going to take him away soon. They'll take everyone away." The girl sobbed.  
  
"Who are they? And where are you? Let me help you." The girl's voice sounded strangely familiar. She tried to listen to what direction it was coming from, but it seemed to be all around her.  
  
"They hide in Winters and they wear masks. They drink dirty water from silver flasks. They mark their kind with Satan's knife. They take the pure and give them life-"  
  
"They will not eat green eggs and ham. They will not eat them Sam I Am." Buffy said in a sing song voice. "Care to explain what that means Dr. Seuss? "  
  
"You mock them. They will destroy us all. They will destroy the Summers. They have already begun."  
  
"Well I guess I'll have to kick their asses won't I? " Buffy replied. "Can't have anyone taking away summer. Barbeque is no good in the winter, you know?"  
  
"You're in danger. We're all in danger. Buffy please don't let them take me!"  
  
Buffy frowned. The voice was so familiar, yet she knew she'd never heard it before. "Who are you?" Suddenly the blackness grew cold. Someone else was there. "Who's there?" Her response was a blood curdling scream.  
  
Buffy awoke with a start. She looked at the clock on her nightstand. It was midnight. She picked up the phone and dialed. It was answered on the third ring. He was still awake.  
  
"Giles, I think someone's gonna try to kill me. Again."  
  
***The Next Morning***  
  
"He's not coming Dawnie," Buffy Summers said as she walked in the living room. Dawn was staring out of the window, waiting to see her father's car pull up. Hank Summers had promised another visit. And as usual he hadn't shown up.  
  
"Maybe. maybe there was traffic. There could be traffic?" But Dawn knew there was no traffic. It was Sunday afternoon. Her father simply wasn't coming. again. "Why does he do this Buffy? Why does he even promise? If he never called. if he just ignored us, it wouldn't be so bad."  
  
"I know Dawn. But it's his loss." Buffy ran her fingers through her younger sisters brown tresses. Dawn sniffled.  
  
"Is it really?" She said, looking at Buffy. "Definitely." Buffy watched her younger sister turn back to the window.  
  
"It doesn't make it hurt any less," Dawn whispered.  
  
"It'll get better. I promise." Buffy was angry. She was sick of her 'father' breaking her little sister's heart and leaving her to pick up the pieces.  
  
"What if it doesn't?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Then you'll always have me."  
  
**Later at the Magic Box**  
  
"Asshole. never shows up. leaves her crying. doesn't pay child support. wish he was a vampire. stake his ass.", Buffy took out her frustrations on the punching bag. She aimed a kick at what would be her father's head. Had he been the bag.  
  
"Err, Buffy? Is everything alright?" Giles' British accent broke into her thoughts.  
  
"I. Do not. Want to talk. About it. Giles." She said between her kicks, and punches. She wished the bag had an ear. She would definitely bite it.  
  
"Very well. But the stuffing is beginning to come out of the other side of the bag. Perhaps you'd like to give it a break?" Buffy stopped in mid-kick and looked at the floor. Sure enough the cotton filling was leaking.  
  
"I'm sorry. He's just such a jerk! Why can't he just leave us the hell alone?! Why does Dawn even still give him the time of day? He's. he's just freakin'-"  
  
"Her father," Giles cut in, "As much as you wish she'd let him go, she can not. She's still a child Buffy. A child who's lost her mother, and wants more than anything to have a parent. Even if it is Hank Summers."  
  
"She gets so sad. And no matter how I try, there is nothing that I can do." Buffy sighed.  
  
"Yes there is. Be patient. She'll work this out her own way Buffy." He took off his glasses and began to clean them.  
  
"I guess." She replied looking at Giles. "What's wrong?"  
  
"What makes you think there is something wrong?" He replaced his glasses.  
  
"Well Mr. I Clean My Glasses When There Is Something I'm Afraid To Say, let's just say I guessed. So what's up? Apocalypse? Hellbitch? New Master?" This is just what I need, she thought. Impending doom. Well maybe if there's research, Dawn could help. It would take her mind off. things.  
  
"Actually, I'm not sure." He watched Buffy raise an eyebrow. "The dream you had the other night. I believe it to be a prophecy. It may involve Dawn."  
  
"Dawn? What is it? What does it say? She's not still the key is she? She can't be. can she? Oh God. It is the hellbitch isn't it? She's back?" She panicked. "I have to get Dawn. I have to get her out of here." She started towards the door.  
  
"Stop! Buffy you really must calm down." Buffy turned.  
"Calm down? Calm down?! You tell me that Glory is back and she's after Dawn and you expect me to calm down?!" She practically screamed.  
  
"Buffy, I said no such thing." Giles stated calmly. "I do not know what the prophecy means, but I assure you that Glory is not coming back. Ever. Now if you are calm, the others are already researching." With that he left the room.  
  
"Overreact much Slayer?" She chastised herself as she followed Giles out of the room. 


	2. Research

****Authors Note****

**As I stated before, this story takes place after Buffy comes back from the dead. Ignore everything that happens after that, as it does not tie in with my story. It's almost complete and total fiction.  Andrew is here, and an honorary member of the Scoobies, simply because I really liked his character in Season 7.  Dawn's in… 8th grade? There is no Tara. Spike left town after Buffy was brought back. Partly because he was angry that the Scoobies hadn't let him in on their plan to bring the Slayer back. Partly because of his love for the Slayer. And the fact that he knew he couldn't have her. Enjoy.**

The gang had been researching for days, to no avail. Buffy had managed to keep Dawn out of the loop, but she didn't know how long she could keep it up. She just didn't want to upset her further. This last time her father had not shown up seemed to be taking it's toll on the teenager. Sure he hadn't shown up before, but usually she bounced back right away. Now it had been three days and the girl had barely said a word.

"Aha!" Xander exclaimed, jumping from his seat. Everyone looked at him expectantly. "I shouldn't 'aha' when we're in the middle of researching a prophecy, when my 'aha' has nothing to do with the prophecy, huh?" He asked sheepishly. He took his seat. He and Andrew were playing a scavenger hunt, and he believed he knew where one of Andrew's items was hidden. 'Oh that Spiderman comic is mine,' he thought as he turned the page in his book. 

Buffy sighed. This is taking forever, she thought. She looked at the prophecy that Giles had found in a book earlier. The book itself was very old, but the prophecy seemed to be freshly written though the script was the same as the rest of the book. 

**_They hide in Winters and they wear masks_**

**_They drink dirty water from silver flasks_**

They mark their kind with Satan's knife 

**_They take the pure and give them life_**

**_Though she hadn't made the list_**

**_They know now that she exists_**

**_Her days now will all be numbered_**

**_As she is the final Summer_**

                "I still feel like I should be searching the Cat In The Hat, for information. I mean really. Who wrote this?" She asked.

                "It is, uh, written in a very juvenile fashion." Giles commented. 

"Maybe if I hadn't called her Dr Seuss, I coulda pumped her for more information." Buffy sighed for the umpteenth time. "I just want to now how to protect Dawn. And what to protect Dawn from."

 "I still can not understand why it looks so new. And I'm positive I have never seen that prophecy in there before." Willow wrinkled her forehead thoughtfully.  "It must have been magicked. Anyway, I think the lines "They mark their kind with Satan's knife They take the pure and give them life"  is referring to vampires.  The other part makes sense also. Dawn was not born into the Summers family, so of  that is why she 'hadn't made the list".  And, she is the last of the Summers, right?"

                  
  


                "You said you didn't see her face?" Xander asked.

                "Nope. She was all 'Hide In The Shadows Girl' the whole time. But she sounded so familiar. Like I've heard her voice before, but I know I've never met her." 

                "Well maybe she said something else. Something you didn't pick up on?" Willow asked. Buffy racked her mind trying to remember what the girl had said to her. "Oh! I told her if she didn't talk to me, I couldn't help her. And she said 'I don't want to be.' I was thinking that maybe she didn't want me to help her. But towards the end of the dream she begged me not to let them take her." Giles looked up from his reading. Buffy faced him. "Could that mean something?"

                "It could. Or it could very well mean nothing at all." The bell rang over the shop door. Dawn walked in.

                "School bites. And not in the vampire sense." She sat at the table with the rest of the gang. "So, what's the sitch? Any new ooglie booglies to research?"

                "No!" Buffy replied quickly. Dawn started to tell her sister to stop treating her like a kid. She could handle whatever it was just as well as everyone else. But she decided against it. She didn't feel like fighting with Buffy.

                "Oh. Okay." She got up from her seat and started toward the books. "I'm doing a report on Wicca for school. Wills do you think you could teach me something to demonstrate for the class?" As she passed, Buffy grabbed her wrist.

"Dawn! That's my bracelet!" She fumed.. "How many times do I have to tell you, Mini-Me—"

                "Mini-Who?! I'm so taller than you! You should be Mini-Me!"

                "Ugh! Puh-lease! I am the Slayer! I'm definitely Austin Powers."

                "Whatever. You're more like…. Dr Evil! No! You're Scott! You're Scott Evil!"

                "Scott?! I'm not..." Buffy suddenly stopped and smiled. She realized that Dawn was talking. She had been talking ever since she walked into the Magic Box. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed. She stood and hugged her sister. Dawn smiled.

                "Yeah well… that hug doesn't change anything. You're still Scott." With that she turned and continued to the books. Buffy smiled knowing that Dawn would be alright. Well at least emotionally. She sighed and took her seat again.

                "Aha!" Xander jumped up and exclaimed for the second time that day. This time no one looked up. "Hello people? Generally that means I have something important to say. Except for last time where my 'aha' was very out of place, but that was an accident I—"

                "Xander? Have you anything useful to say?" Giles said in his 'If this isn't important, do shut up' way.

                "Yes I do G-Man. It doesn't mention the prophecy, but I think it's still something." He handed the book he had been reading to Giles. The man began  reading through the passages, then looked up.

                "Of course. Buffy hand me the book." Buffy looked down at the book the prophecy had been it, and gasped. She looked up at Giles.

                "It's gone."

                "Of course it's not Buffy. The book is right in front of you." Giles looked at her curiously.  

                "No not the book. The prophecy. It's not here. It's gone."


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note** This is my first attempt at writing a fic so please be kind. This story will eventually become Spuffy (I love Spuffy) but please be patient. Reviews, reviews, reviews! I know there may be many things wrong with this story, but I don't know what unless you tell me. Constructive criticism please!!  
  
This takes place after Buffy comes back from the dead. I know exactly where I am going with this story, but I have no idea how to get there. So please bear with me, and enjoy.  
  
Buffy couldn't see the girl, but she knew she was there. She heard her whimpering, but did not know which direction it was coming from. "Where are you?" She called. There was no reply. Only more whimpering. "If you don't answer me, I won't be able to find you. I won't be able to help you." Finally she heard a whisper. "I don't want to be."  
  
"You don't want to be what?" Buffy asked. "Where are you?"  
  
"With father. I'm with father. He can't protect me anymore Buffy. They're going to take him away soon. They'll take everyone away." The girl sobbed.  
  
"Who are they? And where are you? Let me help you." The girl's voice sounded strangely familiar. She tried to listen to what direction it was coming from, but it seemed to be all around her.  
  
"They hide in Winters and they wear masks. They drink dirty water from silver flasks. They mark their kind with Satan's knife. They take the pure and give them life-"  
  
"They will not eat green eggs and ham. They will not eat them Sam I Am." Buffy said in a sing song voice. "Care to explain what that means Dr. Seuss? "  
  
"You mock them. They will destroy us all. They will destroy the Summers. They have already begun."  
  
"Well I guess I'll have to kick their asses won't I? " Buffy replied. "Can't have anyone taking away summer. Barbeque is no good in the winter, you know?"  
  
"You're in danger. We're all in danger. Buffy please don't let them take me!"  
  
Buffy frowned. The voice was so familiar, yet she knew she'd never heard it before. "Who are you?" Suddenly the blackness grew cold. Someone else was there. "Who's there?" Her response was a blood curdling scream.  
  
Buffy awoke with a start. She looked at the clock on her nightstand. It was midnight. She picked up the phone and dialed. It was answered on the third ring. He was still awake.  
  
"Giles, I think someone's gonna try to kill me. Again."  
  
***The Next Morning***  
  
"He's not coming Dawnie," Buffy Summers said as she walked in the living room. Dawn was staring out of the window, waiting to see her father's car pull up. Hank Summers had promised another visit. And as usual he hadn't shown up.  
  
"Maybe. maybe there was traffic. There could be traffic?" But Dawn knew there was no traffic. It was Sunday afternoon. Her father simply wasn't coming. again. "Why does he do this Buffy? Why does he even promise? If he never called. if he just ignored us, it wouldn't be so bad."  
  
"I know Dawn. But it's his loss." Buffy ran her fingers through her younger sisters brown tresses. Dawn sniffled.  
  
"Is it really?" She said, looking at Buffy. "Definitely." Buffy watched her younger sister turn back to the window.  
  
"It doesn't make it hurt any less," Dawn whispered.  
  
"It'll get better. I promise." Buffy was angry. She was sick of her 'father' breaking her little sister's heart and leaving her to pick up the pieces.  
  
"What if it doesn't?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Then you'll always have me."  
  
**Later at the Magic Box**  
  
"Asshole. never shows up. leaves her crying. doesn't pay child support. wish he was a vampire. stake his ass.", Buffy took out her frustrations on the punching bag. She aimed a kick at what would be her father's head. Had he been the bag.  
  
"Err, Buffy? Is everything alright?" Giles' British accent broke into her thoughts.  
  
"I. Do not. Want to talk. About it. Giles." She said between her kicks, and punches. She wished the bag had an ear. She would definitely bite it.  
  
"Very well. But the stuffing is beginning to come out of the other side of the bag. Perhaps you'd like to give it a break?" Buffy stopped in mid-kick and looked at the floor. Sure enough the cotton filling was leaking.  
  
"I'm sorry. He's just such a jerk! Why can't he just leave us the hell alone?! Why does Dawn even still give him the time of day? He's. he's just freakin'-"  
  
"Her father," Giles cut in, "As much as you wish she'd let him go, she can not. She's still a child Buffy. A child who's lost her mother, and wants more than anything to have a parent. Even if it is Hank Summers."  
  
"She gets so sad. And no matter how I try, there is nothing that I can do." Buffy sighed.  
  
"Yes there is. Be patient. She'll work this out her own way Buffy." He took off his glasses and began to clean them.  
  
"I guess." She replied looking at Giles. "What's wrong?"  
  
"What makes you think there is something wrong?" He replaced his glasses.  
  
"Well Mr. I Clean My Glasses When There Is Something I'm Afraid To Say, let's just say I guessed. So what's up? Apocalypse? Hellbitch? New Master?" This is just what I need, she thought. Impending doom. Well maybe if there's research, Dawn could help. It would take her mind off. things.  
  
"Actually, I'm not sure." He watched Buffy raise an eyebrow. "The dream you had the other night. I believe it to be a prophecy. It may involve Dawn."  
  
"Dawn? What is it? What does it say? She's not still the key is she? She can't be. can she? Oh God. It is the hellbitch isn't it? She's back?" She panicked. "I have to get Dawn. I have to get her out of here." She started towards the door.  
  
"Stop! Buffy you really must calm down." Buffy turned.  
"Calm down? Calm down?! You tell me that Glory is back and she's after Dawn and you expect me to calm down?!" She practically screamed.  
  
"Buffy, I said no such thing." Giles stated calmly. "I do not know what the prophecy means, but I assure you that Glory is not coming back. Ever. Now if you are calm, the others are already researching." With that he left the room.  
  
"Overreact much Slayer?" She chastised herself as she followed Giles out of the room. 


End file.
