Impressionable Sorrows
by DawnBTVS
Part XI: Chaos
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It had been two weeks since I was released from the hospital. My arm was in a sling now, and I was busy meditating on the floor. I figured, it could probably help the healing process, or at least calm me down a bit from my active life. I opened my eyes, to see Red sitting opposite me, also meditating. She was wearing cotton light blue pajamas. They contrasted her red hair quite a bit, but I'm sure Buffy loved it. Willow opened her eyes, and gave me a smile. I just kept my face neutral.
"So, you meditate too huh?" I ask, now slumping back against the couch. Red nods, her smile somehow growing wider.
"Yeah! Well, it's more to keep my center. As a witch, we need to be balanced to perform spells, otherwise we uh...well, they can go a bit crazy," she says, her mind clearly thinking back to past experiences. B walks in, quiet as a mouse. I sense her, but Willow doesn't.
"Hey, baby," says B, kneeling down, and wrapping her arms around Willow's stomach. Willow closes her eyes, and grins, leaning back and nuzzling the Slayer's neck.
"Mmm...hey," Willow replies, kissing Buffy on the neck, as I shift my eyes to focus on anything else, that doesn't involve sex. Willow blushes, but B keeps her embrace.
"How's the Glory search going?" I ask, as B looks down. I keep my attention on her.
"Giles hasn't found much, aside from what The Council's given us. She was a hell goddess, had two reigning gods, they banished her, same old," B says, clearly angry that they haven't found anything.
"We'll find her, and kick her ass," says Willow, full of enthusiasm that only she has. Red sure knows how to look at the bright side of life. I know Red can't be that way all the time...unless she's a robot, which I doubt is the case.
"I know...we will. It's just that I'm worried about Dawn. I mean, we still don't know much about what exactly she is," Buffy says, as I remain quiet. I'm worried about the kid too, believe me, but I'm slightly more worried about Glory and the fact that she can kick our asses.
"Hey, Giles," I say, lifting myself up, and settling onto the couch. Giles is standing there with a coffee mug, taking sips. I frown. "You made coffee?" I ask, slightly annoyed that I wasn't made aware.
"N-no, I made tea. I'm the only one who drinks tea, and since...fine. Anybody else want coffee while I'm here?" he asks, exasperated. I smirk as Willow and Buffy both raise a hand. Giles sighs, and heads back into the kitchen.
"Such a gentleman to make us coffee...just needed a little nudge of course," Willow says, now giddy.
"You sure you can handle coffee?" Buffy teases, as Willow shoots her a pout.
"I can totally handle coffee. I might spaz for like the first few hours, but I'm fine after that," Willow exclaims in a slight huff.
"Let's see how Giles is doing, in case he's on the verge of blowing up the kitchen," I say, as Buffy and Willow both grin at the mental image. We stand up, and make our way into the kitchen, where Giles is busy pouring hazelnut coffee into three mugs.
"Oh, timing. I love being there when it's just getting poured," says Willow, again giddy. I hope that she doesn't start bouncing off the walls. Willow and Dawn together, both on a high, is not a fun thing. They can sap my Slayer stamina just as quickly as seven vampires.
"Faith, how do you take your coffee?" asks Giles. I shake out of my startled reverie.
"Uh, a couple sugars," I reply, as Willow and Buffy frown at me. I look back at them, confused. "What? I need some taste in my drinks. Unlike Giles, I can't stomach the stuff cold," I reply, as Giles turns and glares at me.
"I drink tea, not coffee. Another thing, I wouldn't drink my coffee black either," he says, annoyed at me. I just shrug my shoulders, and accept the coffee mug. I take a sip.
"Sure, Giles," I reply, as Willow and Buffy are wearing matching grins. Buffy takes a seat on the stool, Willow standing beside her. I lean back against a wall, watching Giles finish up.
"Erm, The Council called late last night. Quentin paid his respects. He informed me that a package would be arriving, detailing some more on what Dawn, erm, the Key is. Quentin told me it would be quite vital," Giles says, as I watch Buffy and Willow for their reactions. Willow looks intrigued, while Buffy looks cautious.
"That's great. Any idea what that package could be including?" Buffy asks, as Giles just shrugs his shoulders. I sigh, annoyed that I was getting my hopes up at all.
"N-No, but I'm sure it'll be useful. I'm aware of your dislike, and share your sentiment towards them, Buffy. However, the information they have given us has proven quite fruitful," Giles says, trying to appeal to Buffy, who still looks guarded. Willow smiles, and cups Buffy's cheek, kissing Buffy on the lips briefly.
"The Council has given us a lot, Buffy. I'm not saying to take everything they say at face value, but just that we shouldn't be so unwelcoming of additional...stuff," Willow says, as Buffy sighs and glances at me.
"What they said," I reply, taking another sip of my coffee. Buffy returns her gaze to Giles.
"Okay. I know that they've been really good, since our last meeting, but I still can't forget all that they've done in the past. When it comes to Dawn though, I just want to be careful," Buffy says, as Willow smiles, and embraces her girlfriend. I fidget, suddenly feeling tense. I swivel my head when Dawn enters the room.
"Hey, what's going on?" she asks, as Giles has just put his glasses back on. He must've been wiping them. It's turning into a really bad habit for the old guy. I should tell him that some day.
"Nothing much. The Council has reportedly sent a new package, giving more details on the Key," I say, as Dawn nods her head, and crosses her arms across her chest.
"So, more information on what I am," Dawn says, rather pointedly. I nod my head. Giles, Buffy, and Willow look surprised that Dawn's aware of what she is. They all turn their eyes to me, as I flinch.
"I didn't do anything. However Dawn found out, she did it by herself," I exclaim, trying to wave off the glares.
"I found out by myself, okay? Really, I was going to find out sooner or later," Dawn says, as Buffy sighs.
"Yes, more information about what you are. We hope, that is. Giles doesn't know exactly what kind of information it'll have," Buffy says, as Dawn nods her head, turns, and heads back upstairs. Giles straightens up, looking like he's going to make a hasty retreat.
"I'll see you all later. Buffy, if you receive the package, please bring it to me immediately. I need to be at the Magic Box now. I don't trust Anya not to steal my money," Giles says, quickly dashing out of the kitchen. Willow and Buffy are looking at each other, clearly lusting. I place my coffee mug in the sink, and quickly walk out. I follow Giles out the door, as he holds the door open to his sporty red car. I enter, and we speed off.
~~~BTVS~~~
I groan, and lean back in my chair. I sigh, as Willow's busy helping Dawn out with math homework, while Xander and I are busy researching...nothing really. Xander might be researching Glory, but I'm just looking at all the pretty gruesome pictures. The contents of The Council's package have pretty much made any semblance of studying a big non-factor in life. I look up eagerly, as I hear the bell ping. I grin as B walks in holding the package. She sets it on the table, as Giles briskly walks over. Xander, Willow, and Dawn are all watching Buffy.
"Going to open it?" I ask, damn eager to see what they sent. B nods her head...then hands the package to Giles. Giles sighs in annoyance, and opens it. I manage to catch B leaping behind Willow and Dawn. I smirk to myself at the display. Giles is holding a letter up.
"What's it say?" asks Dawn, clearly wanting to know. I nod my head, as Giles takes a seat. I glance at B, and we exchange worried glances. Giles never sits down, unless he's thrown his back out training with us. Usually, he just stands around all stiff and tense.
"W-well...they found out quite a bit. Evidently, the two Gods that reigned with Glory soon found themselves fearing her growing power. They were afraid of being overthrown, and attacked first. A great battle erupted, and they erm, stood victorious. Barely, at that, but she was banished from her plane of existence, and forced to live and die within the body of a mortal. That mortal is heretofore unknown, but it was a newborn male, at the time of course. They don't know precisely when she was cast out, unfortunately. It could be any male on Earth, really," Giles explains.
"So, kill the man and Glory dies?" asks Xander, as Giles nods his head. I lean back with a smile.
"Great. Of course, we have no idea who that man is," I grumble, as B sighs. Dawn leans forward.
"Giles, did it say anything about the Key?" she asks, as Giles gives a grim smile.
"The Key is almost as old as Glory. They had no idea how it was created or where. Evidently, these Knights have been in search of the Key for generations. The Monks found it, and hid it with magic, hoping they could harness it for good. Of course, Glory ruined those plans by killing them all, which is why they sent the Key to you, Buffy. The Key was created to open the gates that separate dimensions. That is, you'll open the dimensions that separate us and everything else. Every single dimension out there, will merge with ours, and others. The blood of the Key, will be used to open the portal. Once opened, the only way to close it is to stop the bleeding. It'll be chaos of the highest devastation. Glory wants to use your power to return home, and seize control of the hell she was banished from," Giles says, taking his glasses off, and wiping them. I stand up.
"I don't know about the rest of you...but I'm really getting sick of Glory," I say, heading towards the front door of the Magic Box. Buffy places an arm on my shoulder, but I shrug it off. I turn to her, feeling slightly homicidal. Something I haven't felt since I tortured Wesley. Bad news for Glory I guess. "You want to stand around, B? Fine. I'm not waiting anymore. If Glory wants Dawn, she's gonna have to kill me first," I say. I glance over B's shoulder to see the gang scrambling out of their chairs. I turn. Oh Shit.
"Care to step on up then?" asks Glory, smirk on her face, and hands on her hips. I grin, feeling B getting ready to fight behind me.
"Man...that must really suck. I mean; you lost a two on one fight, in your own dimension no less. I guess you're here for a reenactment huh? Always happy to oblige," I quip, charging. I probably should've had a weapon. Having a second arm to use would've helped too. Next thing I know, I'm smashing through a glass full of trinkets that Giles would say are quite valuable. I gasp in pain, feeling blood on my side. I stagger to my feet, as B's taking it to Glory. Glory delivers a backhand, sending B sliding across the floor.
"You guys really know how to annoy me. Want to know something? Keep fighting. I know, exactly, who the Key is," says Glory, when the door breaks down. Lovely, it's the Knights of wherever. A good ten or so charge in, swords drawn, and I also see them advancing on Dawn. Apparently, they're going to try killing everybody. I charge forward, ducking a sword, and tackling the guy closest to Dawn. I rain down a bevy of right hands, and grab his sword. Normally, I'd kill this asshole in a second. I'm on a redemption kick though, so, I just nail him in the head with the handle of the sword. I see B take out a couple Knights. Xander and Giles are holding their own. I realize that Willow has a wall in place, keeping the Knights at bay, and still chanting something in Latin. Glory's killed the five Knights that descended on her. I stand next to B, both of us standing in front of Dawn. I grip my sword tighter, as Glory marches forward. B charges first, and gets thrown aside, crashing into Giles and Xander. They had just finished their guy off, luckily, I guess. Glory sizes me up and laughs. Bitch! I charge, and promptly drop the sword, as she grabs my left wrist. I let out a hiss of pain, as she smirks. B comes charging, and again gets deflected away, smashing hard into the counter. Glory grins, and I feel my body flying through the air. I land on the other side of the counter, smashing into glass. I hear Dawn cry out in terror. I hear Willow cry out, after a smash against the wall. I can hear Dawn crying for us, for B mostly. I finally raise myself enough to see destruction and carnage abound. Dawn's missing, as is Glory. I'd chase, but I'm a little busy with new injuries. I slump against the wall of smashed items, hoping that I'll heal quickly. B seems comatose, as the rest of the gang appear to be a bit knocked out.