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| Longer, Then Forever - Chapter 14 by Demonica Mills (21 Reviews) | | abc + + + |  | | | 
Chapter 14
Dawn’s teeth were chattering by the time she reached Brianna’s house. Why was she so cold? It was warm out.
She knocked on the door, but no one answered. Inside the house, random colors of light were bouncing off the dark walls. Dawn knocked harder and heard a word in a strange language before the door opened.
“Hey,” Brianna said. “What’s wrong?”
“It was just like you said, at my house, so I left. Can I stay here?” Dawn asked.
“Sure,” Brianna opened the door wider to let Dawn in. “We can work on more spells.” She turned and followed Dawn into her room. “Oh, so I did some research on that mystical key thing you were talking about and check this, so this key is supposed to have telekinesis-you know like Carrie shit- and the ability to talk to the dead, plus the power to open gateways to other dimensions. Where did you hear about this thing?”
Dawn sat heavily on the bed. Telekinesis? Talking to the dead? “Oh, you know, in the Magic Box. Anya’s always talking about weird magical things.”
Brianna flopped down next to her. “We sooo have to find this thing. All that power… How cool would that be?”
Dawn let out a fake giggle. “Not as cool as you would think.”
“Oh my god!” Brianna turned to look at her. “Your sister is the key, isn’t she? That’s why she was missing for all that time, she was in another dimension! Damn, no wonder you hate her.”
“I don’t hate my sister…”
“Okay, so you’re jealous of her. That’s understandable. I mean, she has a lot of power. Hell. I’m jealous of her.”
“My sister’s not the key!” Dawn insisted.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to lie to me…” Brianna paused a moment. “Dawn, there’s something I didn’t tell you…about the key.”
“What? What else did you find out?”
“The key…it’s…well, it’s not…it’s evil. Here look,” Brianna grabbed a book off her nightstand and flipped it open. “Look…it’s prophesized to bring about the end of the world.”
Dawn glanced at the picture and snorted. “Hate to break it to you, but that was last years apocalypse.”
“Huh?”
Dawn jerked her head at the picture. “All that happened last year.”
“Really?”
“Yeah…I was there.”
“Oh, wow. Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Dawn muttered. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“’Kay, but listen, the book says that on the eve of Telemaltiscia, the key shall part the folds of the dimensions and bring forth Marikulous, the goddess of time, and she shall banish the unworthy, and the faithful of the First shall rule. I mean, who’s really faithful these days anyway? So that sounds like the end of the world to me.” Brianna shut the book with a thud. “Hey, you don’t look so good.”
Dawn lay back on the bed, her hands over her stomach. “I don’t feel so good.”
Brianna leaned over Dawn. “I know what will make you feel better.”
“What?”
“Wanna do another spell?”
XXX
Spike didn’t knock before walking into Buffy’s room. The door wasn’t locked and he didn’t want to give her the choice of ignoring him. She was curled up on her bed, clutching her stuffed pig.
He walked across them room and slide next to her, pulling her close. She turned over in his arms, burying her face in his neck.
“It’s so strange,” she whispered.
“Wot is?”
“This…me…everything.”
“Not sure ‘m following.”
“I was listening to Xander and…he’s just like I remember him. They’re all as I remember them…”
“From 147 years ago?” Spike guessed. “They haven’t changed.”
“No, they haven’t.”
“And you have.” It wasn’t a question. Her change was almost tangible.
Buffy looked up at him. “Yes.”
Spike tightened his hold on her. “I know. The old you would never let me get this close.”
She sighed and lowered her head again. “She would have…maybe…”
“No, luv, you wouldn’t have,” he paused. “I know you think I’m a monster…and I know that you think you’re a monster, but…maybe we could just see each other as a man and a woman?”
Buffy shifted uncomfortably, “Spike…”
“Shh, you don’t have to say anything.”
“No, I do.” Buffy lifted her head to meet his eyes. “Spike, I do feel something for you but I don’t know what it is. It’s been so long since I felt anything that…I don’t even know if I’m capable of love anymore. Right now, all I can offer you is me.”
Spike pressed a kiss to her forehead. “That’s enough for me right now.”
Buffy lay back down and he stroked her hair, listening to her heart beat. Suddenly, Spike sat straight up.
“Spike?” Buffy asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Hang on a sec, luv.” Spike cocked his head to one side. Five heartbeats downstairs-Giles, Xander, Willow, Tara, and Anya; only one heartbeat upstairs. He jumped out of the bed and ran to the closed door of Dawn’s room.
“Dawn! Open this door!” Spike pounded on the bedroom door loud enough to bring the Scoobies running up the stairs.
“What’s going on?” Giles asked.
Spike pushed the bedroom door opened and stood to the side. The room was empty.
XXX
“It’s no use,” Willow said, pushing the map away from her. “Whomever she’s with is just too strong.”
“Can you track the trail of magic?” Giles asked.
Tara shook her head. “W-we already tried.”
“Think!” Buffy said. “Can anyone remember the name of this new friend?”
Everyone shook their head.
“I even called Janice and asked her if Dawn was hanging around anyone new,” Xander offered.
“Can try and track her,” Spike said to Buffy.
“Do you think it’ll work?” Buffy asked.
“Worth a try, isn’t it?”
Buffy nodded. “Okay, Spike and I will try and track Dawn down. Willow and Tara, you keep trying to break this magical forcefield thingy. Xander, keep calling all of Dawn’s friends that you know. Call her whole damn class if you have to. Giles-“
“Anya and I will research,” Giles interrupted.
“Right.” Buffy walked toward the front door, Spike right behind her. “We meet up back here in two hours.” She opened the door and walked right into the man standing on her porch.
“Please,” the man said, pushing back the hood of his brown robe. “Please, I am looking for the Slayer. I must speak with her.”
“I’m the Slayer,” Buffy answered. “What do you want with me?”
“I need to speak with you. It concerns the Key…she…the key…it’s dying.”
XXX
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