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| Longer, Then Forever - Chapter 18 by Demonica Mills (32 Reviews) | | - - abc + |  | | | 
A/N: Like it or hate it, this is the end.
Chapter 18
“What did you learn about Telemaltisca?” Giles said.
“That it’s tonight,” Anya answered.
“And how did you learn this?” Giles asked.
“Because it’s an ancient holiday for this Goddess of Time and someone came in to buy candles for it,” Anya said. “You know, I had never heard of it before, so we must be talking a really small sect of followers.”
“We have to find Buffy and Spike immediately,” Willow said.
“We could do a locator spell,” Tara suggested.
“In order to open a portal, the Key must be raised above the ground,” Brother John said.
“Oh, Glory’s tower is still standing,” Anya said.
“Please, we must find the Guardians,” Brother John pleaded.
“Tara and Willow, set up the locator spell, Xander, you’re one weapons detail,” Giles turned to Anya. “Anya, um, you talk to Brother John. Let’s be ready to go in ten minutes.”
XXX
“Please let me go,” Dawn pleaded.
“Oh, shut up! All you do is whine, whine, whine. I still cannot believe that in this day and age that women are considered equal to men…and the language that you use…I have full access to this child’s memories, the human race has become atrocities,” Brianna paused a moment. “No matter. Soon, Marikulous shall cleanse this place.”
“What if we just do a spiritual cleaning, huh? Will that work?”
“Silence!” Brianna slowly circled Dawn. “You know, I thought the essence of the Key was supposed to give the shell immense knowledge. You don’t seem to have immense knowledge.”
“Ma-maybe after Glory left, I just became a regular teenager?” Dawn asked hopefully.
“Hmm, no, I can still see the Key inside you. Perhaps the Key’s essence has lessened over the years.”
“Possibly, I mean, you have been gone for a long time.”
“This could be bad. This would mean that the evilness in the world has sullied the Key,” Brianna mumbled.
“But you’re the evil, crazy person here!” Dawn yelled. “There was no sullying of the Key on my watch! Unless…what did you do to me when I was unconscious?”
Brianna looked appalled. “How dare you suggest such a thing? I am a monk! I have taken vows!”
“Yeah, well, those don’t hold up so well these days,” Dawn snorted. Come on Buffy, Spike, where are you?
“You’re trying to rile me up, aren’t you? Do you really think that if you stall for time that your darling Slayer will save you? She is crazy from her time in Hell. You think I do not know this?”
Dawn blinked. “Why aren’t you all savagey from being in that place?”
“I was not in the dimension that your sister was. I was in a type of Heaven. I was treated as a prophet and a holy man, which I am.” Brianna paused and looked up at the sky. “Oh, it looks like our time is up.”
XXX
Buffy could see the tower in the distance. She and Spike were running so fast that it felt as though they were flying. In her mind, she could see Brianna and Dawn on top of the tower, and if she strained enough, Buffy could almost hear the conversation they were having.
“The gate is just ahead, luv. Do we have a plan?” Spike asked.
“Rescue Dawn,” Buffy answered.
“Right, anymore detail on that?”
Buffy ignored him and kept running. There was a figure blocking the gate, and as they drew closer, she could see that it was Brother John.
“Move!” She yelled.
He held up his hand and revealed a small glass orb. “Stop,” he said.
Buffy and Spike both stopped running. It was as though they had stepped in cement and it had dried around their feet.
“What are you doing?” Buffy asked.
“You cannot save the Key unless you understand you role as the Guardians. This orb controls the Key. If the Key is not in a human shell, it resides in the orb. The orb can call the essence of the Key out of any shell at any time, but it can only be wielded by a Guardian. I am no longer a Guardian and therefore can not wield the orb. The power of the Guardians is spread between the members, therefore, you’re power is greater when you are together. Do you understand?”
“Is that why we could find Dawn when we touched?” Buffy asked.
“Yes, you are still new to your roles and your powers are weak. When this is over, go to Tibet and find the temple of my order. All will be explained there. Good-bye White Vampire. Good-bye Eternal One. I am blessed to have met you.” Brother John handed Spike the orb and vanished.
“Um, did that bloke just disappear?” Spike asked.
“SPIKE! BUFFY!”
They turned around to find Giles and the Scoobies running toward them.
“Dawn’s on the tower and Anya lost Brother John!” Xander yelled.
”I didn’t lose him!” Anya huffed. “He simply vanished.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Buffy muttered.
“Give me your hand, luv,” Spike said.
“What?” Buffy asked.
“Give me your hand,” he repeated.
She held out her hand and he grabbed it.
“Top of the tower,” he muttered and both of them disappeared.
“See,” Anya said. “That’s what happened with Brother John.”
XXX
“Wow, that will save us so much on airfare,” Buffy commented as she and Spike appeared at the top of the tower.
“You’re too late!” Brianna yelled. She was standing in front of Dawn holding a knife.
“This is eerily familiar,” Spike muttered.
“Yeah,” Buffy agreed. “And I hate re-runs.”
Call the essence of the Key.
“Um, did you just hear a voice in your head?” Buffy whispered.
“Yeah.” Spike held up the orb and inspected it. “Call the essence of the Key…Do you think it will hurt Dawn?”
“I don’t think so…I feel…I feel like the Key is connected to us. Does that sound weird? I think we can draw the Key out of her…”
“Give me your hand.”
Buffy took Spike’s hand and watched as he held the orb up. Suddenly, she knew what they had to do.
“By the power of the Guardians, we call the Key. Does the Key answer?” Spike yelled.
Dawn suddenly stood straight up. “The Key answers to the Guardians.” Dawn’s voice wasn’t her normal voice, but layered with dozens of male voices over it.
“The Guardians call the Key home. Does the Key answer?” Buffy yelled.
“The key answers to the will of the Guardians.” A green mist began to swirl around Dawn.
“No. No. No. No.” Brianna muttered and with a cry, she buried the knife deep into Dawn’s body.
The green mist was already settling inside the orb and the cry that came from Dawn’s lips was in her own voice. She looked down at the knife protruding from her stomach and looked back up to Buffy and Spike.
“NO!” Buffy yelled, trying to run forward.
Spike held firmly onto her hand and the essence of the Key rose from the orb and settled over both their bodies.
“Brother Vincent,” Their voices spoke in unison. “You have shamed the Order. You cause death to the shell of the Key and for this you shall be punished. We call your essence into this orb. There is shall remain until the end of time.”
Brianna appeared to be struggling with something. A ball of yellow energy appeared above her body, hovering for a moment before settling itself within the orb.
Buffy and Spike made their way over to where Dawn was lying. They knelt beside her.
I know what we have to do, Spike.
I know, luv…We can’t keep her.
They each placed one hand over the wound on Dawn’s stomach and watched as the blood flow slowed and the cut healed over.
“Buffy,” Dawn whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“Its okay, Dawn. I love you,” Buffy whispered.
“Do you know what we have to do, little bit?” Spike asked.
Dawn nodded. “Yes.”
“You have to pick someone,” Buffy said.
“I did,” Dawn whispered.
Buffy and Spike smiled simultaneously.
“Good choice, bit.”
“I’ll miss you,” Dawn whispered.
“No,” Buffy said. “You won’t.”
A light spread from Spike and Buffy’s hand. It spilled over the tower and across the horizon in time with the rising sun.
XXX
Dawn blinked and rolled over. “Where am I?”
“OW! What’s going on?”
“Hey, I know you. You’re in my class, right? Brianna or something,” Dawn said, sitting up.
“Yeah, I sit behind you. Um, do you know how we got here?” Brianna asked.
Dawn shook her head. “I have no idea, but my sister probably has half the cops out looking for me.” She helped the other girl to her feet.
“Okay, we’re in a construction area. Why are we in a construction area?” Brianna asked.
“DAWN! Oh, Goddess! DAWN! I was so worried!” Tara flew up to the girls and enveloped Dawn in a hug.
“Oof!” Dawn muttered, hugging her back.
“Dawn, we’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Willow said, trying to catch her breath.
“Brianna, this is my sister Tara and her girlfriend, Willow,” Dawn said.
Brianna half waved. “Um, my parents are probably worried, so I’m gonna head home.”
“Dawn, what happened?” Tara asked.
Dawn shook her head. “I’m not sure. We just woke up here. The last thing I remember is Willow and you practicing that new spell.”
“Oh, I knew that spell was wonky. I am so sorry!” Willow muttered.
“It’s okay. We’re all okay now. Let’s go home, huh?” Tara said. “I’ll make you brownies.”
“Sounds good,” Dawn answered.
None of the group noticed the two people watching the reunion.
“Are you going to miss them, luv?” Spike asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Buffy shrugged. “I’m not sure. I lived without them for 147 years and was only really here for a few weeks. It almost seems like a dream…besides, I have you. You’re all I need.” She turned in his arms to smile at him. “So, what say we try that little thought of yours out?”
Spike grinned. “I like the way you think, pet, but what if we move the setting to the beach?” He looked up at the sky. “’Ts been a long time since I been in the sun, think I wanna try out these new powers.”
“Is there sun in Tibet or is it one of those rainy countries like England?” Buffy asked.
“Oi! No making fun of England. And yes, there is sun in Tibet,” Spike answered. He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go luv, we got a long trip and a long time ahead of us.”
Buffy wrinkled her nose. “I know, it’s like longer...and then forever and a day after that.” She held up the orb and inspected it. “So, that Brother Vincent guy is in here and the essence of the Key is split between both our bodies, huh?” She tapped on the glass orb with her thumb nail.
“Buffy, don’t tap the bad man’s essence,” Spike said.
“But it’s fun,” she answered.
“Buffy, give me the orb.”
“Hmm, no.” Buffy grinned wickedly at him. “Catch me and you can have it.” She took off running, her laughter trailing after her.
Spike grinned and took off after her. Yeah, un-life was suddenly a whole lot brighter.
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