There was a resounding splat and then a very loud “EWWWWW!”

Muttered curses and apologies filled the dank and dark sewer.

“And you couldn’t zap us somewhere more sanitary?” a grumbling British voice demanded.

There was a scuffle and Buffy disentangled herself from the groaning monk. “Gross, disgusting and man, what did I put my hand in?” Buffy yelped.

There was a sound of a lighter being lit and Spike stood. His sharp features illuminated by the small glow cast by the flame. He vamped out and his amber eyes scanned Buffy anxiously, checking to see she was really there. The scent of her burning flesh was cloying and he could taste it at the back of his throat.

He was so caught up in his anxious perusal of his Childe he was unaware that she too had vamped out and was checking him for injuries. A fine line appeared between her brows when Buffy spotted him cradling his injured ribs with one hand. His lip was split and the heady aroma of Sire’s blood filled the stinky sewer, overlaying all the other smells.

“You’re hurt!” Buffy hobbled over, her legs protesting at the movement. She could still feel every blow that the skank had landed on her body. All of which were ignored as worry filled her entire being- Spike was hurt and she needed to look after him!

Spike blinked in surprise at the sight of Buffy batting his hand away and burrowing under his shirt. Her hands were gentle as they took inventory of his mashed ribs. He winced away from her soft touch and whimpered. “Ow…”

Buffy glanced up, her violet eyes glimmered with anguish. “We need to get home.”

“Bit o’ mutual wound licking?” Spike curled his tongue and pressed it against the back of his teeth and then cringed form the pain that shot through his head. He stuck his tongue out and tried to check if it was still all there.

Buffy watched as Spike crossed his eyes and tried to look at his tongue. “Uhh, if that’s the latest in your repertoire of sexy Spike poses – kinda have to say not one for the record books!”

“I ‘it my thung!” Spike mumbled around his wounded tongue.

“Owie! Lemme see,” Buffy grabbed the lighter and held it close to the wounded appendage and peered closely, last thing she wanted was for Spike’s very talented tongue to be broken. She spotted the fang marks and winced in sympathy. “Yup, you bit the edge…” before she could tease Spike they were both brought back to the grim reality of the last hour with a moan. The monk that they had rescued was awake and panting in agony.

Spike and Buffy turned to face the supine man who was labouring for breath. Immediately, all thought of their injuries dissipated at the sight of the broken man at their feet. Both of them could sense he was not much longer for this world. Buffy hardened her heart against the wave of sympathy that rushed through her; they needed to know who the blonde superwoman was and why she had been torturing the Holy man. Unaware that Spike’s thoughts were running along the same line as hers, Buffy knelt in the sludgy mess of the sewer, her hands hovered over the monk, unwilling to inflict any more pain on him by touching his injured form.

Spike was less squeamish and pulled the monk up by his soaked robes and leant him against the brick wall.

Spike squatted on his heels and eyed the man, “wot the ruddy hell was that?” he jerked his thumb to the ceiling.

“De Beast,” the man coughed and blood spilled from his waxen lips.

“And?” Buffy prompted.

The man swivelled his head to stare in awe at her, “how…how did you manage to do that?”

“What? The dissappearo trick?”

The monk nodded. “We knew you were the Slayer, but now I wonder…” he gestured weakly at her vamped features.

“Oi! Wanker. She’s still the Slayer, just has some extras now!” Spike refrained from mentioning her vampiric nature, you never knew who was plodding around in the muck down here.

“Sorry,” the monk bowed his head. “The woman you fought, she is searching for the Key…”

“The key to what?” Buffy demanded.

‘M’not thinking it’s for her Chastity belt, cos that one’s no innocent,’ Spike thought maliciously and then mentally slapped himself and focused his attention on the situation in hand. They needed all the info they could. That bitch had been strong and they had to find out what she wanted and exploit the weakness to beat her, preferably to a pulp. Safety of his family came before anything…

“My journey's done, I think…” the monk whispered

“Don't get metaphory on us! We're going to get you help,” Buffy didn’t want to offer false hope but she needed this man to spill the beans and if a teeny white lie helped, then so be it.

“You have to... the Key. You must protect the Key,” he pleaded, his bruised face a picture of agonised torment and fear.

“Fine. We can protect the Key together, okay? Lets just get a good bit of distance from here,” Spike tilted his head and heard the rumble of the collapsed brickwork being shifted. Buffy stiffened when she heard the same commotion; she flicked a look at Spike out of the corner of her eye and noticed him staring fixedly up at the roof.

“Many more die if you don't keep it safe!” the monk’s anxious voice distracted both the vampires from the noise that was still emanating from above their heads. They looked at the man in shock; there was a silence in the sewers that was only broken by the drip of water at his announcement.

“How? What is it?” Buffy demanded, her slim hands curled around the front of the Monk’s robes and pulled him towards her. In her urgency, she ignored the shriek of pain that emanated from his bleeding lips. Spike’s hand wrapped around her left wrist and he gently urged her to let the man go.

“The Key is energy. It's a portal. It opens the door...”

“The Dagon Sphere?” Spike interrupted.

“No, for centuries it had no form at all. My brethren were its only keepers. Then, the abomination found us. We had to hide the Key, gave it form, moulded it flesh... made it human and sent it to you.”

Spike felt a chill settle in his gut, he knew who it was, “The Nibblet.”

“Dawn,” Buffy sighed.

Both of them felt something click in their heads; everything was now clear. The sudden presence of a sister and everyone accepting her. The monks had changed everything and had placed them all in danger.

“She's the Key,” the monk affirmed.

“You put that in my house?” Buffy whispered. Her heart breaking at calling Dawn a thing but she was wrung out and unsure as to what to do or say.

“This lot prolly knew you’d protect her with your life, along with all your mates,” Spike hissed. His skin prickled at the thought of Holy men doing something so careless and playing god with peoples lives. He was evil, but even so, he knew what they did was wrong!

“Everyone’s memories, my mom’s?” Buffy whispered. Despite that they had already agreed to protect Dawn, she couldn’t believe that they had messed with the natural order of everything – it was wrong. If it hadn’t been for Kendra and her whammy, then she and Spike would be the same as the others.

“We built them.” Shame filled the monk, he was not happy with being confronted with the consequences of his and his brother’s actions. At the time they had been desperate, the Beast had been hammering her way into the Sanctuary and it was a last ditch attempt to hide the Key from her. They had spared no thought for those who would be affected.

“Then un-build them! This is my life you're-“ Buffy trailed off when the Monk began to cough even harder, her vampiric hearing could hear his heart struggling to beat, he was fading fast.

“You cannot abandon,” the accent thickened as he began to panic. The Slayer was a demon now, he could see that, but there was still a goodness surrounding her and the monk tried to appeal to her -to state his case.

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

Spike reached over and placed a calming hand on her shoulder. Buffy’s thin fingers reached up and she laid her hand over his, drawing strength from his silent support.

“Human... now human. And helpless. Please... she's an innocent in this. She needs you.” The monk pleaded.

“How can we protect her from that bitch?” Spike snarled.

“I trust in God that you will find a way to save the world. If the Beast manages to find your sister, the world will be plunged into hell. We had no choice; we needed to send her to the strongest being who could protect her.”

“Does she know that she is not my sister?” Buffy demanded, wondering if the animosity that Dawn was directing towards her was something more than sibling rivalry.

“She doesn't know,” the monk struggled out as he took one last shaky breath, exhaled and then slumped sideways.

“He’s dead, pet.” Spike pulled Buffy away from the monk and pulled her into his arms. He could sense her fear, anger and worry and tried to calm her.

“Spike, what do we do?” Buffy looked up at him, the violet fading from her eyes and her fangs receding as worry filled her.

“We call the Watcher so he can get the coppers to pick up him- s’not right for a religious type to kark it in a sewer and then be left for the rats- then we go hope and get ourselves cleaned up…”

“And then Scoobie meeting?” Buffy interjected.

“Yeah, rally the troops and all that rot – luv, don’t worry, we’ll manage.” He kissed her forehead, deftly avoiding the burned patches, and pulled her away from the dead monk.

*********

“Bugger, that bint kicked me right good!” Spike hissed as Buffy carefully wrapped his torso and checked that the strap holding his ribs in place was tight enough.

“I know, honey.” Buffy ran her fingers through his damp hair; her fingers tugged his curls gently. Once they had called Giles and filled him in on what had happened, the two had made their way back to their home, each supporting the other.

Spike had run a hot bath and then stripped Buffy before carefully taking inventory of each cut and bruise on her body, silently vowing that the evil bitch that had inflicted them would pay in kind. He had then stripped and joined her in the large bath with a groan. The two of them soaked away their aches and pains. Buffy had examined her burnt hands with a morbid interest; the sun had damaged her skin badly, she knew now that, despite their fancy windows here at home, the sun was her enemy on a very basic level. Twisting in the tub, she had then ran her fingers gently over all the damaged areas of Spike, tears falling from her eyes as she did.

The doorbell chimed. Buffy looked at Spike as he lay back with a sigh on their bed, and rose. “Rest. I’ll go see who it is.” She wrapped her robe around herself and padded slowly down the stairs into the gym.

Buffy carefully positioned herself and pulled open the door, managing to avoid the weak rays of the setting sun.

“Oh, you look crispy fried!” Anya clattered and thrust a brown bag into Buffy’s hands.

“What’s this?” Buffy pulled open the sack and peered in. “Oh! Thank you.” She scrunched the top shut on the bags of blood.

“I made this for you and Spike, G…Giles said you were hurt by the sun.” Tara handed the glass pot filled with some kind of cream to Buffy.

“Thank you, Tara.” Buffy leant over and brushed a kiss on Tara’s soft cheek.

“Are you alright, my dear?” Giles stepped in and shut the door behind him, his eyes scanned Buffy’s burned and cut face and filled with even more worry.

“She looks like she was fried on a griddle, Rupert!” Anya interrupted.

“Is Spike o…okay?” Tara asked quietly.

“Been better, Glinda,” Spike yelled from the loft apartment. “Get yourselves up ‘ere so we can get talkin’,” Spike instructed.

“Sorry, he’s kinda grouchy and ouchie,” Buffy apologised as she gestured for the others to precede her.

*********

“So, Dawn isn’t real?” Anya frowned and then turned to Buffy for confirmation.

“Yup, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t think she is my sister. We have to make sure she doesn’t find out, cos I don’t want her to flip out and do something dumb,” Buffy added.

“She is the Key that this woman is looking for?” Giles glanced out of the window at the Magic Box; he wished he had his books here so he could start researching this latest threat to them.

“Yeah mate, she is,” Spike drawled as Buffy started putting on the soothing cream Tara had made for them. She gingerly dabbed it onto the end of his nose and smoothed it. He shivered as Buffy’s cool breath caressed the back of his neck as she anointed the charred skin there with the lavender infused cream.

“And you already knew Dawn wasn’t real?” Giles demanded, nearly grinding his glasses to a powder as he polished them furiously. He glared at Spike and then looked reproachfully at Buffy. There had been a time when he would have been privy to her secrets before anyone.

“She is REAL!” Buffy answered angrily.

“Well no, she isn’t. But I understand, Buffy.” Giles primly placed his specs on his nose and looked over them; his actions reminded Spike of a Spinster maiden aunt.

“Lay off, Rupes,” Spike warned. “We only realised summthin’ was up when we got back to Sunnyhell,” he added tiredly.

“But I can remember her having a crush on Xand…” Anya glanced apologetically at Buffy at mentioning his name.

“So do I, and much more. This is really amazing. These Monks had an incredible power to be able to meddle with everyone’s memories so completely.” Giles reached over and picked up the now empty jar and sniffed it.

“So what do we do now?” Tara asked worriedly.

“I would recommend that Dawn and your mother are removed from Sunnydale immediately. We need to protect them both and the further away they are, the safer they will be. Also, we need to find out who or what this new player in town is, and work towards either killing her or at the very least, neutralising her.” Giles pulled out a notebook and began to scribble in it.

“Giles?” Buffy’s lower lip wobbled and tears filled her eyes. “I can’t send them away, it wouldn’t be safe. Who would protect them?”

“Buffy, time is of the essence here. We need to ensure that whatever is planned by this woman is not allowed to come to fruition!” Giles absently commented, not even bothering to look up at his distressed charge as he began to write down a list of books to start reading.

“Ruddy hell, Rupes, you’re starting to piss me off! Ship off the Nib and Mum where? Who would protect them, and then wot? We stay behind leaving my Childe’s family vunerable and defenceless? How many years did you train for this post? That’s you’re grand plan? Dump the defenceless and get on with fighting an opponent who basically creamed the arses of the two strongest fighters of the group! Cos from where I’m sitting, it sounds like you could barely give a toss for the little one.” Spike brushed off Buffy’s calming hands and began to pace back and forth. All three women watched him stalking around the room, muttering to himself.

“I say!” Giles leapt to his feet. “I’ll have you know that I do care about Buffy’s family and their safety.” He lunged for Spike only to be stopped by Tara reaching over and placing a calming hand on Giles’s wrist. Spike stared at Giles waiting to see if the Watcher was going to have another go at him, the vampire was hurt and itching for a fight. But Tara spoke before either man could start fighting, she realised tempers were high and wanted to calm everyone down before Giles was paste!

“Um, what if we placed a geas on Dawn so that this woman couldn’t sense her?” Tara hesitantly offered.

Buffy’s head snapped around and her eyes filled with hope, “could you do that, Tara?”

Tara ducked her head, suddenly aware that she was the centre of everyone’s attention.“I can try, there may also be something in the books at the shop about setting up an early warning system. I could look for you?”

Anya nodded, “I can help there, maybe we could ask for Sanctuary with Hoffie, he might help?”

Giles stared at Anya appalled. “I don’t think that handing over the Key to the leader of the Vengeance demon sect is a good idea!” he exclaimed angrily.

“Well, when you put it that way, no. But we could get either Dawn or Joyce or even Buffy to call for Justice, Hoffie couldn’t say no if we worded the request carefully…” Anya faltered under the steely gaze of the annoyed Watcher. “Maybe not, but hey I can help with searching for spells.”

“I…I’m not as strong as Willow with the magicks, but I’ll do my best,” Tara added.

Spike turned on his heel, his fathomless azure eyes softening as he gazed at Tara and Anya who, despite their own worries, had rallied to help them in their desperate hour of need. He sauntered over and fluidly knelt before the two women, taking their hands in his and squeezing gently. “Thank you, ladies.” With that he adopted these two amazingly strong women into his family. They were his, and no one could say otherwise.

“The wards and the geas are all good temporary measures, but we need more information.” Giles interrupted the moment between the vampire and the two women. He looked over at Buffy and raised a questioning eyebrow at the soft smile that lingered on her lips as she watched the tableau of her Sire and friends.

“I know, but where from?” Buffy pulled her attention back to Giles and began to worry her lower lip with her teeth.

“I hesitate to mention them, but the Council do have resources that could be used for our benefit here.” Giles leant forward earnestly; he knew that his suggestion would not be popular. Buffy loathed the Council with a vehemence that he didn’t dispute. Travers and his minions had never treated her well or with the respect she was due.

Before Buffy could reply, Anya’s derisive voice cut across the conversation.

“Oh yes, Rupert. Call the Council. And don’t forget to mention that Buffy is a vampire- I’m sure they’ll falling over themselves to help. Oh wait, no. They’ll be falling over themselves to stake or behead her! Really, for such a wise man you can be very silly…” She rolled her eyes and then looked at Spike’s thunderous expression. “Uh oh!”

Spike growled and Buffy braced herself for the explosion and then raised her eyebrows in surprise at Spike when he shook his head, rose and then sat down next to her with a sigh.

“Tosser,” he muttered and pulled Buffy onto his lap with a contented rumble.

“Ah right, sorry, possibly not the most sensible of suggestions.” Giles turned to Buffy and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, my dear. It’s just sometimes I forget that you are a vampire.”

Buffy nodded, her heart filled with relief. Giles saying that made her realise that he had accepted the changes wrought by Dracula, and this filled her with happiness.

“I think for now we must do all the things we have discussed. I will research and possibly you and Spike could question Willy- he may have heard of this woman?” Giles closed the notebook and glanced around at the others. They all nodded in agreement. “Maybe we should order some food and retire to the Magic Box? Buffy? Spike? Are you well enough to accompany us or do you need some time to heal and rest?”

Before either vampire could answer, they stiffened and as one, rose and ran to the window. Something tugged at them, it was familiar to Spike - family was close by. And was angry. Buffy could sense something was nearby, but as a new vampire, she had no idea what was happening to her. They reached the window at the same time and looked out.

“Bollocks!”

“Oh no!” Buffy exclaimed at the same time Spike swore.

“What’s he doin here?” Spike turned to face Giles. “Please tell me you didn’t call him?” And as the blond vampire uttered the question, he smacked himself on the forehead. “Sod it…I’m the arse who called the bastard.”

“Spike?” Buffy turned to her Sire and smacked him on the back of his head.

“What’s going on?” Anya ran to the window and peered out. “Oh, he hasn’t changed much, has he? Still tall and glowery…”

“Oh please don’t tell me it’s him!” Giles rolled his eyes and before he could get up, there was the sound of an angry fist hammering on the door downstairs.

“How did he know where to come?” Buffy hissed. This was a confrontation she wasn’t looking forward to.

“He probably scented us…” Spike stalked off down the stairs, closely followed by the others.

“This should be fun!” Anya whispered to Tara as they caught up with Spike.

“Who is it?” Tara whispered back.

Spike swung the door open with a flourish. “Peaches! Good to see you!” Before he could start taunting Angel, the taller vampire punched Spike on the nose with a growl.

“What is going on here?” Angel growled as he launched himself at Spike with a howl that would have impressed a Viking berserker - if they had still existed.

“That’s Angel, Buffy’s ex,” Anya explained to Tara as they both watched the two vampires wrestle on the floor.

“Oh…” Tara pulled Anya back as Angel was flung at their feet.

“Spike!” Buffy and Giles shouted in unison.

“Buffy!” Angel scrambled to his feet and stared at her in horror. “You smell funny!”

Buffy folded her arms across her chest and pouted at Spike, “You said the funky sewer smell was gone!”

Spike rolled to his knees and knelt; with one hand he blotted the blood off his lips with a grimace, “don’t think that’s what Peaches means, luv.”

Angel whirled, his leather coat flaring dramatically around and kicked Spike in the balls with an incensed howl. “What did you do to her?”

Spike’s eyes rolled up in their sockets and he collapsed with a whimper, his hand cupping his injured groin and he curled up into the fetal position.

“Spike!” Buffy flew across the gym, pausing briefly to kick Angel in the same place that he had just kicked her Sire. She didn’t hold back on using her combined Slayer and vampire strength. She knelt down next to Spike’s shuddering form. “Are you okay, Sweetie? Lemme see…”

“M’not dropping trou in front of the brooding git- he might think it’s a come on!” Spike gritted out through his clenched teeth.

“Ouch!” Anya exclaimed as she stared down at Angel. “Bet that hurt?”

Angel stared up at the ex demoness through watering eyes. It felt like Buffy had kicked his balls up into his stomach. He gingerly checked to make sure that they were still in the right place.

“There you are!” Wesley panted as he stepped into the gym, followed closely by a tall dark skinned man and, to Buffy’s surprise, Cordelia.

“Man, I’ve never seen you run so fast. Where’s the fire?” Gunn drawled.

“Why are you on the floor? And is that Spike?” Cordy demanded.

“Buffy’s a vampire!” Angel wheezed.

“Ah.” Wesley stared at Buffy in surprise

“Oh, which one is Buffy?” Gunn asked

“Whoa! So much for that vision thing!” Cordelia shrieked.

Buffy- unable to resist- vamped out as she pulled Spike into her arms and petted his forehead. Looking up she flashed some fang and waved at the three stunned humans. “Hi guys!”

“She’s pretty!” Wesley exclaimed.

“She needs to be dusted,” Angel snarled and pulled a stake from his pocket, ignoring the agony in his crotch as he lurched towards his errant Grandchilde and Buffy with a stake held firmly in his large hand. In his blind rush he ignored the chorus of ‘no’s’ directed at him.