Xander was humming away happily as he waited for his doughnuts to be packaged up. Today is a very good day. He'd fixed a problem at the site he'd thought would take at least another week. The Dawnster had been almost normal on the way to school. And this morning he and Anya had ... Maybe not think about that too much right now while in such a very public place.

And now he was buying doughnuts for a Scooby meeting. First really-real Scooby meeting since The Talk. It'll be so good to start getting back to normal again.

He breezed through the door. Anya was behind the counter, staring at a piece of paper in her hand like it might spontaneously combust.

"I bring doughnuts for your eating pleasure, for I am Xander, the Doughnut King!"

Anya just stared at him.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Giles is gone."

"Wha-huh?"

"Giles is gone. Back to England." Anya paused, letting a radiant smile blossom. "He's leaving me in charge of the store." Her voice dropped to a reverent whisper. "I'll get half of the profits."

Xander goggled. "But, why would he leave?"

Anya huffed. "Maybe because he killed Ben to save Buffy, and then she died anyway?" 

Anya understood that Xander would be sad about Giles leaving, and that celebrating her happiness about the Magic Box would have to wait. Hopefully, only until tomorrow. But surprise? Giles had barely spoken since Buffy died, and he'd only come to Sunnydale because of her. Wanting to get away could hardly come as that much of a surprise.

Xander was opening and closing his mouth. But today was such a good day.

"He left a letter for you, Xander. Maybe that will make it less surprising." Anya pointed at the table, where there were two letters: one for Xander and one for Willow.

Xander sat down and opened his letter. Sure are a lot of words, even for Giles. But the meaning was very simple. Sorry. Too painful. Call me if there's an apocalypse.

This isn't how it's supposed to be! There should be pluckiness! And stoically helping each other through our grief. Not more leaving.

Why did you have to die, Buffy? Why couldn’t it have been the Bleached Wonder? Or— Xander cut himself off before he could think who else could have died. Bad thoughts. Very, very bad thoughts.

The bell snapped Xander to attention. Willow and Tara had arrived.

Their stiff postures and overly calm faces said they'd moved past Arguing and were well into Tense Silence, but Xander didn't notice and Anya didn't care.

"Giles is gone," Anya chirped. Still desperately trying not to grin, she added, "And I am now a full partner in the Magic Box." She wriggled a little to stop herself from jumping up and down with glee.

Willow was as shocked as Xander. Tara marginally less so.

"There's a letter." Anya pointed helpfully.

Willow joined Xander at the table, and read her letter. Without speaking, they swapped letters and read again.

"So we get to call Giles if there's an apocalypse. Great." Willow laid her head on her arms. "Why would he leave us?"

"Doesn't the letter explain?" Anya asked, rolling her eyes. I really thought Willow was a bit more perceptive than Xander.

Tara, who had stayed just inside the doorway, went to Willow's side and started stroking her hair.

"He was really unhappy, Sweetie. I think it hurt just being here."

"Well, yeah! We're all hurting! But it's Giles! He's all ... all adult and responsible … and he abandoned us!"

"Unless there's an apocalypse, coz we can totally call him if that happens," Xander added bitterly.

"He wouldn't have left if we brought Buffy back!" As soon as she said it, Willow screwed her eyes shut and put her hands over her mouth. Oh god oh god oh god oh god. Inside voice, Willow!

Every head in the room swivelled to stare at Willow.

"Oops? Did I say that out loud?"

Eyes wide, they all nodded.

"Well … I do kinda think we should try to bring her back."

All Anya’s joy drained out of her. Resurrection spells are never a good idea.

Willow's heart was racing. Ever since the tower, she'd been thinking about magical solutions for an outcome she saw as wrong. Now, with Dawn… And Spike? And Giles! All she could think of was that everything would be right again if she could only bring Buffy back.

"I mean, it's not like she died of natural causes, right?"

Anya opened her mouth to disagree, but looking at the hope shining out of Xander's face, she closed it again. Not like they'll listen to me, anyway.

Tara and Xander were nodding.

"And, I mean, she's probably in some hell dimension. Like Angel was."

Anya rolled her eyes. After growing up on the Hellmouth, you'd think they'd know more about this stuff! The fall killed Buffy. And she's a hero! She's probably in some hero retirement dimension. All drinking and fighting and lots and lots of sex. Anya was distracted for a moment by thoughts of the sex. So ignorant!

"So, really, we'd be saving her." Willow gave a small smile.

 

------------------------------------------

 

“Gin.”

“You’re cheating!”

“Of course I’m bloody cheatin’. Evil vampire here!”

Dawn rolled her eyes.

“Don’t you roll your eyes at me, missy. You’re cheatin’ just as much.”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Not!”

“Are!”

“Not!”

“Bloody well are!” Spike glared. “I can smell it when you lie.”

“Ewww! That’s so gross!”

“An’ your heart rate goes up when you’re palmin’ cards.” Spike gave her a solemn look. “Need to keep it nice ’n’ even, Bit, or you ruin the cheat.”

“I was not-“

“Vampire. C'n hear it.”

Dawn growled.

“Pro’ly fool a human,” Spike continued thoughtfully. “Slight of hand’s comin’ along right nicely.”

Dawn grinned. “So … how do I keep my heart rate even?”

 

------------------------------------------

 

Willow had them at "saving Buffy". And she knew it.

Sure, there was the requisite angsty circling around the issue that was so important to the Scooby process. Then, Xander and Tara pretended for a while that they thought it was a really bad, dangerous idea. But after being saved so many times, the image of being her saviours for once was just too powerful. Besides, fresh from defeating Glory, the threat of an apocalypse seemed less frightening – and it was June! Hellmouth summer downtime.

Anya, who really did think it was a bad, dangerous idea, gave up trying to argue once she realised they’d stopped paying attention. The ‘it’s June’ argument was not without merit. If we do it over the summer, it can’t be too awful.

Once Xander and Tara allowed their token protests to be defeated, the rest of the evening was spent on research and pizza. They didn’t find the answers, but they were making progress. The atmosphere was hopeful. Spending time together, researching and eating takeout, with the future prospect of performing some as-yet-unknown ritual to bring Buffy back: it was all of the good. Familiar. Safe.

Then, just as they were getting ready to leave, Xander asked, "So where's Dawnie?"

Tension filled the room, and Willow glared at Tara. "She's with her new babysitter."

An image of Spike changing diapers suddenly popped into Tara's head. She stifled a giggle, then sobered. This is not going to be a fun conversation. "Well. Spike is going to help us look after Dawn from now on. He'll stay with her after school, make her dinner, and ... teenager-sit? I guess ... if we're out at night."

"Spike!?” Xander squawked. “Soulless vampire, tried to kill us FOR YEARS Spike!Stop me when I get to something that would make him a good choice to look after Dawn?"

Tara sighed. "Can you be at the house when she comes home from school every day? Didn’t they threaten to fire you if you didn’t stop taking off early to pick her up?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"Willow or I would have to go part time or quit school completely to be able to be home with her. That's not something either of us is ready to do." Tara looked at Willow. "You know we're not."

Willow shrugged petulantly. She'd already had this argument, and had grudgingly accepted Spike's new position in their lives. Don't have to help convince Xander too.

"We’re both gonna need to be full time this summer to make up for what we missed while I was… all brain-sucked.” Suddenly, the floor of the Magic box became fascinating. “Anyway. Summer is the busiest time of year for you, Xander. It’s only going to get harder. We just can't do it on our own. Not without making some big sacrifices. Spike really wants to be there for her. And he doesn't have to give up anything to do it."

Anya was dumbfounded. Not give up anything? A Master vampire looking after a human child? That’s giving up everything. This is ... unthinkable. And they can't even see it. So ignorant!

"But what if he hurts her? How can we take that risk?"

Tara considered telling Xander that Spike and Dawn were already spending time together, and that she was safe and unharmed. At least I hope she is. Maybe better not risk mentioning that....

"Xander, Spike was tortured nearly to death to protect Dawn.” Anya couldn't hold back her scorn. “Why would you be worried he'd hurt her?"

"That was when he was all with the macking on Buffy. Without her to impress, he won’t care about Dawn! I mean, hello! Soulless vampire!"

“Well,” Willow started. “There was that time with Angelus….”

“THAT DIDN’T REALLY HAPPEN!”

“But we all remember it! And that was before the truce, even! There must be a reason we have that memory….” I can’t believe I’m actually defending Spike. But he really has always seemed to care about Dawnie….

Xander huffed. “I still don’t see why we should trust him with Dawn. He’s dangerous!”

“I’m more worried about what he might do to us,” Anya grumbled. “I’m not ready to die! Not when I’m about to make so much money.”

Tara’s stomach gave a little lurch. The whole plumbing thing earlier today had convinced her that Spike would never hurt Dawn. But she’d never thought about her own safety, or Willow’s. He’s got free run of the house….

“Th-th-there’s still the chip,” she faltered.

“That didn’t stop him from helping Adam! All anyone’d have to do is dangle chip removal in front of his fangy face and he’d betray us in a second.” Xander leaned back, arms folded across his chest, confident this was the winning argument.

“Okay, Xander, maybe you’re right.” Tara said slowly. “But – I’m just trying to be practical here – if Spike doesn’t help with Dawn, what do we do instead? Now Giles is gone, it really is just the four of us.”

“Dawnie could … she could come to the Magic Box after school and stay with Ahn!”

Anya’s jaw dropped. “No! No, Xander! I can’t look after Dawn while I’m working! And all her incessant crying will scare away my paying customers.”

Tara glared at Anya. “She’s mostly stopped crying now.”

“You’ve said that before,” Anya bit back. “And what do I do if she doesn’t show up? Or slips out? I can’t just leave the store to chase after her every time she gets hormonal.”

Xander felt trapped. Anya wasn’t wrong. Trying to keep an eye on Dawn all the time was impossible without more help. Refusing to meet Tara’s eyes, he ground out “Can’t think of another way.”

Willow touched Xander’s shoulder. “Hey, just think: once Buffy’s back, there’ll be no more need for Spike to hang around, right? I mean, Buffy will be all with the taking care of Dawnie, and … and probably stake him first thing!”

Xander brightened. “Yeah! Total stakage!”

Tara and Anya shared a look. If it was difficult for four adults to take care of a teenager, how would it possibly be easier with only one adult? Not to mention how Dawn might feel about it.

Pushing her reservations aside, Tara asked, “So are we agreed? Spike’s going to take care of Dawn?”

Reluctantly, Xander, Willow and Anya all nodded.

Tara let out a sigh of relief. I hope this isn’t the biggest mistake of my life. But I don’t see how else we can do it. You don’t build bathrooms for people you don’t care about, right? And hurting any of us would just hurt Dawn, wouldn’t it?

I wonder what they’ve been doing all night? I really hope the house isn't trashed. Hyperactive vampire plus hormoonal teenager is not a healthy combination for houses.

------------------------------------------

 

Spike was stretched out on the sofa, idly watching television with a beer in his hand, when Tara and Willow came through the front door. His boots were by the door, and his duster was hanging off the newel post.

Willow was taken aback by how … comfortable … he looked. Domestic, even. Like it was his house. This is too ooky. One of his socks had a hole in the toe. Who would have thought Spike has socks?

“Hey, Spike.”

“Red. Glinda.”

Tara was mostly relieved the house didn’t look like a bomb site. Can Spike even cook? Probably should have asked about that…. Tara wandered into the kitchen. Clearly, he can do dishes. And – judging by the dishes – he can cook too. Wow.

“Niblet’s asleep. Guess I’ll be off.” Spike swigged the last of his beer, went to the kitchen, and placed it quietly and carefully in the recycling bin. Willow and Tara just watched him.

Way ooky. Spike recycles?

“What?”

Willow and Tara put on their best innocent faces. “Nothing,” they chorused.

Spike grunted. Bloody witches. He shrugged into his duster, and pulled on his boots. Then he reached into the closet and pulled out a sword.

Willow frowned. “Is that Buffy’s?” Willow made a mental note to catalogue Buffy’s weapons first thing tomorrow.

“No! ‘S mine.” Faced with disbelieving stares. Spike sighed. “Hers is similar, but shorter. Different pommel design. We have ... had ... the same armourer.”

“Why did you bring a sword?” Willow asked.

Spike just looked at her. “Why do you bloody think?” Daft bint.

“Are you patrolling?” Willow looked horrified.

Spike glared at her, then mumbled, “Gotta get in m’spot of violence somehow.”

And with that, he strode out the door.

Tara and Willow stared at the closed door for a few seconds, then wandered over to sit on the sofa.

 “I guess I just thought everything was still keeping away coz of Glory. It hasn’t been that long.” Willow shrugged, frowning.  “And, you know,” she waved her hand, “June!”

“I never even thought about it…. What with moving and Dawn and…. Why would he?” Tara could just about understand Dawn. Spike had proved time and again that he really cared about her. But patrolling? Fighting other demons? That just made no sense. He’s a vampire! What would make him do that when there’s no Buffy? And no apocalypse?

“This is just too weird. We had to pay him to help us!”

“Not lately,” Tara corrected absently.

“Well, yeah, but…. A vampire taking over for the vampire slayer? It’s like, alternate-universe-weird. There hasn’t been another vengeance demon, has there?”

“Why would a vengeance demon want a vampire to patrol?”

“True.” Willow thought for a moment. “Hey, maybe he just likes fighting, and, and now that he can’t, y’know, grr, argh with people, it’s all about the demon fighting instead?”

“Maybe. That makes more sense than a vengeance demon.”

“He and Buffy were patrolling together, sometimes, before.”

“Yeah….” Tara gasped. “Oh, Willow. What happens when the demons and vampires find out there isn’t a Slayer on the Hellmouth anymore?”

Willow thought for a moment. “I hate to say it, but if Spike really is out patrolling every night, I’m not too worried they’ll find out. I mean, the Hellmouth always seems to shut down over the summer. Buffy’s been gone before, a coupla times, and it went ok. If I can get the bot up and running again, even easier. She – it – can patrol with Spike, to keep up appearances…. And we’ll be bringing Buffy back soon anyway. It’ll be all good!”

“That actually sounds manageable.”

“Yeah. Still kinda weird, though.”

“Totally.” Tara nodded.

“Can we have bed and cuddles now?”

Tara nodded enthusiastically, and the two women grinned at each other, feeling in control again for the first time all day.

 

------------------------------------------

 

“You must protect The Key.”

“Protect the Key. Right. I know! We'll do it together. Far, far from here.”

“Many have died…. Many more will, if you don't keep it safe.”

“How? What is it?”

“The Key is energy. It's a portal. It opens the door. For centuries it had no form at all, with my brethren its only keepers. Then the abomination found us. We had to hide The Key. We gave it form, moulded its flesh, made it human. And sent it to you.”

“Dawn.”

“She is The Key.”

“You put that thing in my home.”

“We knew the Slayer would ... protect.”

“My memories…. My mom's....”

“We built them.”

“Then unbuild them. This is my life you're –“

“You cannot abandon—”

“I didn't ask for this. I don't even know what ... what is she?”

“Human. Human, now, and helpless. Please, she is an innocent in this, and she needs you.”

“She's not my sister.”

“She doesn't know that.”

It was the dream again. Ever since Brother Radan’s death, every night was the same. He’d hoped coming to the Hellmouth would make sleeping easier, but it hadn’t made any difference. Why would Radan send him his last moments? Of all people! This is not my fight! The Beast is dead. The Key should be safe now, even without the Slayer’s protection. Who else could want The Key but the Beast? It’s just another human now.

But Radan did not have time to tell the Slayer much. And Abbot Michal was tricksy. Radan may not have been correct in what he told her. Maybe that is my purpose here.

At the very least, they should know about the father.