Beginning of the End

Author’s Note: Song lyrics are from No Doubt, “Don’t Speak”

“You and me
We used to be together,
Everyday together, always.
I really feel
That I’m loosing my best friend
I can’t believe
This could be the end.
It’s looks as though you’re letting go
And if it’s real
Well I don’t want to know.”

Dawn blinked several times to clear the magic from her body. She’d seen some pretty unbelievable things in her short time here. The sight before her, really took the cake. “I though I had issues.” She knew that demons and the like were inherently evil; that much was obvious, but really, was it necessary to be so overt about it? Surely there were laws, even for demons. Some things should not be tolerated.

“Who’s that?” an eager looking young boy asked as he pointed to Dawn.

“Why that is my new little helper. She is vital to my new campaign. In fact, I couldn’t do it without her,” the Mayor answered, “Without her, well; my golf game would be truly shot.”

The little boy stared up at the Mayor blankly. Not wanting to seem rude, the boy kept his comments to himself. If only in his own mind, he found the Mayor a little lacking in the whole brain function aspect of life.

“Thank you for your time, Mayor. I know it meant a lot to the kids,” a man trussed up in a Boy Scout’s uniform said.

“Of course. Kids are important, key to the future. Wouldn’t you agree, Dawn?” the Mayor asked.

Catching the use of the word ‘key’, Dawn merely nodded her head in acceptance. She was so not going to say anything to the jerk who kept her away from the safety of her sister and Spike. Thinking of the two people she knew could protect her, who would die to protect her made her feel better and worse at the same time. She could tell they were worried. Especially Buffy. Spike was only holding himself together for the sake of Buffy. Their emotions were in such turmoil neither could block them from the claim.

“Kid of few words, it’s a trait you don’t see too much in the youth of today. Gosh, don’t you just miss the days when they were all seen and not heard?” the Mayor said with a smile.

“For someone who’s like way, way old, you’re not exactly leading the way as far as brains go,” Dawn said, “Ever thought that kids kept quiet out of choice? Most of the time, anything we ‘kids’ would say wouldn’t make any sense to you anyway.”

“You sure are full of spunk. Very much the sister of the Slayer. She isn’t playing fairly. This is cheating…and you’re becoming less and less useful. I need my box, I will have my box,” the Mayor said.

“Addictions like that,” Dawn paused, “I’m pretty sure they make a medication for that.”

“If she’s not useful, we could just kill her,” Anya said.

“Did you ever have a dog?” the Mayor asked Anya.

“What?”

“I did. Rusty. Irish setter. A dog’s friendship is stronger than reason, stronger than its own sense of self preservation. Buffy’s like a dog, only more so because of the sisterhood part and hey, before you can say Jack Robinson, you’ll get to see me kill her like one,” the Mayor said.

“We all know how well that worked out for you last time,” Dawn said snidely.

The Mayor smiled to himself, “Yes, that first time was not as effective as I would have liked, but perseverance is the key to success.”

“So we have a plan? We need a plan,” Anya said.

“Lock the girl in one of the storage closets and set one of the boys on watch. Make sure he understands that she is not a snack for him,” the Mayor said as he exited City Hall.

Anya nodded and turned to Dawn. “You know, don’t you? He’s going to kill you. Either way, you’re going to die.”

“You’re only saying that cuz you’re scared. You know Buffy’s totally going to kick your butt and that of the great Mr. Wanna-Be-A-Demon,” Dawn said with more conviction than she felt.

“I’ve seen an Ascension before. You can’t stop one. The only reason I haven’t gone far, far away from here is because this guy can help me get my power center back,” Anya said.

“You were a demon for how many years?” Dawn said loudly, “And you honestly think this guy will help you once he’s a full blown demon from Hell? Not likely. I might only be a couple years old, as a human, but I’m not even naive enough to fall for that.”

Anya didn’t say anything. Instead, she roughly grabbed the girl by the arm and dragged her to the nearest storage room. After securely locking Dawn inside, Anya went in search of a minion to guard the door.

“You there, the Mayor needs you to guard the Slayer’s sister. Don’t eat her,” Anya said as she left to follow the Mayor.

The minion grumbled to himself about bossy women as he took his post outside the door. He really hoped this demon guy was all that he was cut out to be, because if he wasn’t…there’d be no living down the shame.

Dawn heard the minion’s ramblings and couldn’t help the giggle that passed her lips. It really was sad when you thought about it. Here was this larger than life, immortal being working for a high school senior who used to be a demon. If was capable for feeling sympathy for demons, this one would have had hers.

“Stop that laughin’ or I might just have to forget that you’re not a snack!” the minion yelled at her.

“And risk upsetting Anya the high school student?” Dawn asked sarcastically.

“That’s it,” the minion said.

Dawn squealed as the door was practically ripped off the hinges. The vampire lunged at her. She ducked and rolled out of the way, barley missing the fist meant to connect with her face.

‘I so wish I knew how to stake a vampire. Slayer strength would come in so far beyond handy right now! Geez, Buffy…you’re so teaching me when I get out of here!’

Distracted by her thoughts, Dawn didn’t have time to react. The vampire had her pinned to the ground. She felt her heart rate accelerate, she could hear the rapid breathing, and hear the blood pulsing through her veins. If it was this loud to her the vampire who was about to drain her was probably deafened by the sound.

‘Weapon, must find weapon.’ There, lying next to a turned over desk was a sharpened pencil. Dawn stretched as much as she could and still couldn’t quite reach the object of her desire. Beginning to panic, Dawn did the only think she knew to do, she screamed. She screamed loudly and began to thrash about beneath the vampire. Her thrashing must have done something because the next thing she knew the vampire was thrown across the room. Not waiting to analyze what just happened, she scrambled for the pencil. The vampire’s eyes grew exponentially as he watched the small girl practically appear before him.

“What the – ” was the only thing the vampire could say before he turned to dust.

“Don’t speak.
I know just what you’re saying,
So please stop explainin’.
Don’t tell me ‘cause it hurts.
Don’t speak.
I know what you’re thinkin’
I don’t need your reasons
Don’t tell me cause it hurts.”

“Where did she go?” Buffy asked, “Vamps go dusty and they run away…a lot, but they don’t disappear! And he took my sister with him. Dawnie, I’m sorry. Where would they take her? Who took her? I don’t know of any demon with that power. Damnit, why didn’t I pay closer attention to Giles when he explained all this watcher-y knowledge? Because I’m Buffy and I just hit things.”

Spike and Faith watched Buffy in stunned silence. She’d been muttering similar things for the past twenty minutes. Neither knew exactly what to do. Neither had ever seen a person act like this, let alone, Buffy.

“That’s it!” Buffy exclaimed.

“What’s it, luv?” Spike asked with trepidation.

“Giles, he has to know what’s going on…he’s the book guy. He who wears tweed and reads dusty tomes.”

“Let’s go then,” Faith said.

Twenty minutes later, Buffy was once again pacing and muttering things to herself. Giles didn’t know a thing. There was no record of a demon that could make people disappear. And he knew of no spell that could cause such an effect. His heart went out to the young girl. This had to be a trying experience for her. Everyone knew he cared for the girl like a daughter, it was no secret. With a new determination, Giles went back to his books determined to find something, a sliver hope to give to the girl he considered a daughter. The bastards who took her sister would pay for their deed, they would pay dearly.

Spike watched the old man with interest. He noted the subtle changes that overcame the man. Mainly based on his years of experience, it was easy for Spike to see the more repressed aspects of Ripper sneak to the surface of the man’s face. Though he had never personally seen much of the true Ripper interior, for which he was immensely happy, he could wager a pretty darn close assumption as to what a transformation like that would involve.

“There’s nothing here,” Buffy said as she slammed the book down on the table.

Giles bit the chastisement that wanted to escape his lips after witnessing her harsh treatment of such an irreplaceable volume. He excused her behavior because he understood how preoccupied she was with her sister. “Bloody hell, you pillock, it’s a bloody book.”

“Buffy, we’ll find something to help your sister,” Giles said in the most soothing tone he knew.

“I know you will, Giles,” Buffy answered with a small smile.

“Guys, we have more trouble,” Oz said as he entered the room.

Buffy jumped to her feet. Oz being here and not by Willow’s bedside meant badness all around.

“What now?” Buffy asked.

“It’s Willow. I was leaving early as tonight’s the full moon and as I was leaving I saw the Mayor and Anya walk into the hospital. I didn’t have time to run and tell the others – ” Oz’s words were cut off as the transformation began.

“Spike, contain him while I find the tranquilizer gun, ok?” Buffy asked.

Spike nodded as he watched his girl dash out of the library. He figured after facing a couple Slayers and coming out on top that keeping a werewolf in line would be an easy thing; he thought wrong. The little bugger was strong. Bloody strong. Right then, he’d just have to be a bit more violent with Red’s little boy.

Buffy ran quickly, she knew how hard it was to contain Oz…she couldn’t allow anything to happen to Spike. Faith was in there with him, so she wasn’t exactly worried, but with the way things had been going recently for her, she wasn’t one to put the horse in front of the buggy. She never really did know what that phrase meant, and still with out the knowing. After finding the rifle, she dashed back to the library. It was a good thing she did. Both Faith and Spike were having quite a time trying to contain Oz.

“Hold him!” Buffy yelled over the noise of the snarls coming from both the werewolf and the vampire.

“Easy for you to say, Slayer!” Spike yelled even as he fought to maintain his grip on the beast.

Lifting the rifle to her shoulder, Buffy took aim and fired.

“Damn, B,” Faith said as she slumped to the ground.

Giles and Spike both looked at the girl with wide, amazed, and, if they only admitted it to themselves, a bit of fear. For her part, Buffy was staring blankly at where her sister Slayer lay unconscious on the floor. Moments passed as everyone, werewolf included stared in stunned silence.

“Watcher, a bit of help,” Spike said as Oz once again became restless.

“Right,” Giles said as he jarred himself from his lethargic state.

With absolutely no resistance, he removed the rifle from Buffy’s grasp and shot Oz. Once the werewolf was limp in his arms, Spike moved him into the cage. He turned and faced his girl, not entirely sure what to expect. The sight that greeted him would have been humorous long ago when he still wanted her dead. Still standing in the same spot, Buffy stared at Faith’s body. Ever so slightly, she was shaking. If it weren’t for Spike’s enhanced senses he doubted he would have noticed.

“Luv?” Spike asked.

As if taken out of a trance, Buffy’s eyes snapped to his. There was so much confusion, so much hurt and uncertainty in them that Spike didn’t quite know how to react.

“What’s wrong with me?” Buffy asked.

“You’re aims a bit off, pet. Lot on your mind and all that rot,” Spike said reassuringly, “Nothin’ to worry your pretty head about.”

Buffy shook her head emphatically, “Spike, attack me.”

“Wot?” Spike asked.

“Just do it,” Buffy said in a harsh whisper.

Spike, unable to deny his Mate anything, sent a spar-type punch in the direction of Buffy’s midsection. He then watched in amazement as not only could she not block the hit, but it sent her falling to the floor. Immediately he was next to her whispering words of apology and comfort. After a couple of seconds, he realized that there was no way in Hell that the punch should have knocked her to the ground. He wasn’t even trying to spar properly. That scared him.

“Giles,” Buffy said in a small voice, “Where’d my strength go? And my aim? I shot Faith instead of Oz. Since when do I shoot like a girl?”

Spike snickered.

Buffy glared at him, now was not the time for him to be cheeky.

“Pet, you are a girl,” Spike said, “Jus’ one with good aim…normally.”

‘Not helping at all, and if I didn’t love you, I’d so prove how good my aim is by making you a big pile of dust.’

‘Buffy – ’

“Did you inject me with the serum stuff? The Council’s magic Buffy’s Strength Be Gone?” Buffy asked Giles.

Giles blinked at the girl several times. “O-of course not, Buffy. Why on earth would I do such a thing? And now?”

Buffy let out a sigh, “I know, Giles. Sorry, motor Buffy is leaving now.”

“It’s fine,” Giles began, “We just need to think about this rationally, and try to – to find a solution.”

“Can we wake up Faith? I’d like to know there’s at least one Slayer with the functioning,” Buffy said.

“I suppose we could try,” Giles said.

Spike walked over to the prone figure. She looked so small and innocent just lying there. It would never cease to amaze him that the PTB decided to put all the power to stop the powers of darkness inside one small girl.

“Faith,” Spike said softly, “Come on, Slayer time to open those eyes and go kill some baddies.”

Faith groaned a bit as she came back to the world of Buffy giving her the biggest tranquilizer known to man kind. There was nothing but cobwebs in her head and sand in her eyes. When she regained control of her motor functions she was so kicking some blonde Slayer butt.

“Faith?” Buffy said sheepishly, “You ok?”

“Five by, uh, five,” Faith said as she struggled to her feet, “Wanna tell me why you decided to go all Rambo on me?”

“Bad aim?” Buffy offered.

Faith stared at the girl like she’d lost her mind, “Come on, B. Try something believable, like you had a twitch or my shoes were untied and you wanted to get my attention.”

“It in fact might be that she’s lost her Slayer abilities,” Giles said solemnly.

“And here I thought you just wanted to make an excuse for making me take a nap,” Faith said with a smile. She didn’t do tense situations. Buffy being without her powers, definitely not something she wanted to experience. Buffy made the plans, she was the head Slayer…Faith was more with brining the muscle…and that was a good thing.

“I wish,” Buffy said, “Looks like you get to be muscle girl.”

“Yeah, that’s…great,” Faith said without conviction.

“Shouldn’t we get to Red? Wolfie didn’t come dashin’ in here just to waste daylight,” Spike said.

“Oh my god, Willow! How could I have forgotten? Bad Buffy,” Buffy said.

“Given the circumstances, I think it’s a very understandable thing,” Giles said.

The group piled into Giles’ car and sped to the hospital. They had time to make up for. There was no telling what the Mayor had in store for Willow. The closer they drew to the hospital, the more intense the feeling of doom became. Hurrying through the front doors, they didn’t bother to ask the front desk where she was; they knew where she was the claim led them.

“I’m not feeling any where near ok with this scenario, ok lives about two counties over,” Buffy told the guys.

“We just need to remain claim and keep our heads,” Giles said, “There is no reason to panic. We don’t know that the Mayor has in fact done anything to harm Willow.”

“Now, is that very nice thing to say?” the Mayor asked.


“Our memories
They can be inviting
But some are altogether
Might frightening
As we die, both you and I
With my head in my hands
I sit and cry.”

“Don’t speak.
I know just what you’re saying,
So please stop explainin’.
Don’t tell me ‘cause it hurts.
Don’t speak.
I know what you’re thinkin’
I don’t need your reasons
Don’t tell me cause it hurts.”

---

There you go folks. I know it's been an eternity, but the end is near.