It's Not Where You Start Out (13/17)
by Kelly Frieders
raykel2@cox.net

Genre: Drama, B/S
Rating: PG-13, nothing you wouldn't see on the show
Disclaimer: Spike's not mine. Wish he were, but my husband might object. Buffy and all the rest aren't mine, either. I'm just borrowing them from Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy for a while.

Summary: Post "The Gift." Way post "The Gift," actually. Takes place sometime the following year. There's some new interest in the Key and an old enemy is back in town. Spoilers for everything up to and including "The Gift."

----------

13.

It was the most unlikely place Spike could think of for a strategy session, but there they all were, crammed into Dawn's bedroom waiting for Buffy, who was downstairs on the phone. Xander was making progress on fixing the window, which is why they were meeting here, and Spike sat across the room on the floor near the door, giving him wide berth. The whelp was still fretting about the chip not working and Spike was in no mood to get in a row with him over it. He wished he had a cigarette, but he never smoked in Buffy's house, certainly not in Dawn's room, so he toyed with the seam on his leather duster instead. Dawn was sprawled on her stomach on her bed, her feet kicked up behind her as she flipped randomly through some teen magazine, bored. Anya sat next to her,  reading over her shoulder and occasionally commenting on the Hollywood gossip section, guessing which starlets would be likely candidates for the services of a vengeance demon in the near future. Willow and Tara were sitting together on the floor by the bed across from Spike, looking around the room aimlessly.

Finally, Buffy joined them. "Sorry, guys. That was *finally* Giles getting back to me. I wanted to let him know about Ethan Rayne and get his help on some research." She made her way across the room and stood near Xander and the nearly-repaired window.

"Bet he was thrilled to hear his old buddy was back in town, trying to be him for a few days," Xander said.

"Oh, he was pretty furious... until I got to the part about Spike pretending to bite him. He said he wished he had video of that."

Spike noticed Xander was not amused.

"Did you tell him everything that's been going on?" Willow asked.

"Reader's Digest version," Buffy said, looking in Spike's direction.

//Didn't tell him about me, obviously,// he thought.

"I mostly needed his help," she continued. "I have an idea on how we can beat the monks at their own game, but it will take some research first to see if it will work." She looked around her to make sure she had everyone's attention. "Did everyone hear what happened with Ethan and the Deception Demon?"

"Yeah, and can I say, not loving the part where Anya invited this demon to our *wedding,*" Xander complained.

"All *your* friends are coming," Anya muttered back.

Buffy cleared her throat before it went any further. When she had their attention again, she explained "I think he can help us, actually. Anya thinks he'd be willing to grant me a form so that we could pull a little deception on the monks. But first, Will and Tara? I need to know what would happen if the monks tried to do the re-keying ritual on someone who wasn't the Key?"

"Emphatically *no,*" Spike called out as he realized what Buffy intended to do. "I think I speak for everyone here when I say you've died enough, thank you."

"I totally agree with Spike," Xander added, his voice resolved, "and the fact that I'm willing to say that out loud should tell you how opposed to you dying I am."

"Listen guys, no one is looking to die here. That's why I need to know what the ritual would do if it were performed on me instead of Dawn. I mean, if I'm not the Key, it shouldn't work, right?"

Willow frowned. "In theory, no. But in theory your blood shouldn't have closed Glory's portal, either. There's obviously a connection between you and Dawn that goes deeper than being sisters or even the monks having made her out of you. You obviously have some keyness in you."

"How do we find out for sure then? I've already got Giles and the Watchers researching for me. Is there a way you guys can, I don't know, experiment?"

"Buffy, you can't do this, it's too much," Dawn said softly. "What good would it do anyway even if we knew for sure it was safe? So you pretend to be me and the monks can't do anything. Why wouldn't they just kill you?"

"Because these guys are not the Knights of Byzantium, Dawn. They aren't looking to *destroy* the Key. They want it back. And why do they want it back?"

"That's a good question," Xander said. "We have no idea what they actually want to do with the Key."

"It doesn't matter," Buffy said, "because that's not the real motive here. They're *monks.* They're doing all this because it's what they think *God* wants them to do. We're going to prove them wrong."

"And you're going to do this how?" Xander asked. "You think the ritual just not working will be enough? They'll just pack up and say, 'oops, guess it wasn't God's will after all, let's call it a day.'"

"Well, I was thinking a little light show and effects from Willow and Tara would help," Buffy explained.

Tara fidgeted uncomfortably. "I don't know, Buffy. I don't like the idea of impersonating a deity."

"This isn't about God. These people are *wrong* and they're using their God to justify it. Is there anyone here who thinks there's *anything* righteous or holy about what they're doing?"

No one responded.

"If we can turn that around on them, keep them from eliminating my sister and wiping away any memory we have that she ever even existed, *and* do it all without killing anybody, then I think we should do it, don't you?"

"Depends on the cost," Spike said intently.

"Wasn't *anyone* listening? I am *not* looking to go on a suicide mission here. I want to *research* first. I want to find out what the spell would do and *if* it won't hurt me *then* try it. Will, can we figure this out?"

"I'm not sure." She looked to Tara. "What if we charted their essences? Do you think that would tell us anything?"

"That might work. We'd need to find the ritual they're using, though. And any information on the Key we can get our hands on," Tara replied.

"Giles and the Watchers are researching the ritual. And we have all that stuff that Spike and Xander took from Doc before. Think that will tell you what you need to know about the Key?" Buffy asked.

"It's a start," Willow said. "We might be able to get a sense of what it would do, but I don't think we can be really certain."

"It'll have to be good enough," Buffy stated.

"Bollocks!" Spike cried heatedly. "You're not going in there and letting them mojo you out of existence on the mere hope it won't work and they'll just give up and pack it in!"

"It's not your call to make," Buffy snapped, determined.

"No, but it is *mine,* Buffy," Dawn said. "Spike's right. You took my place once before. I can't let you do it again. I can't let anyone else get hurt or killed over me. It's not right."

"Dawn, everything I do is a risk. Every night I go on patrol I risk a vampire or demon getting the best of me. It's part of what being the Slayer *is.* Now if there's a good chance the spell can't hurt me, then I want to do this because I think it's our best shot at stopping them completely."

"What makes you think you can get 'em to buy it?" Spike asked. "You know anything about their religion, about how they decide what their God wants 'em to do? How you gonna convince them the spell not working is more than just a mistake?"

"I'm glad you asked. We know Brother Ondrih has a bunch of henchmen who are a little less holier-than-thou and we also know they used Willy to get me out of the house last night. I'm thinking a monk isn't likely to be hanging around a dive like Willy's Place, so it was probably one of the henchmen. I mean someone had to know where to go for that sort of thing, right? And you know Willy; information flows two ways. I need you to go down to Willy's and find out what he knows. Lean on him hard. Who are these henchmen? How did they know about Ethan Rayne? What do they know about the monk's beliefs? Anything we can find out to help us make an illusion they'll buy."

Spike had to admit the idea had merit. If Willy did have some sort of track on what was going on with these blokes then maybe they could pull off the illusion. "Right then," he said grudgingly.

"Okay then. Willow, Tara, Dawn, and I will go back to the Magic Box and do research. Spike will go badger Willy, and Anya, you be ready to summon Palawgi again. And can all you guys clear your schedules tomorrow?"

Everyone nodded.

"I'll just stay here and fix the window then," Xander said huffily. Spike couldn't help grinning. //There, how does it feel to be left out
of the action, lackbrain?//

"If you would, Xan," Buffy said sweetly. "Don't worry, I'll need your help later when everything else is ready." She turned back to the rest of them. "Okay, let's get going. We've got a long night ahead of us."

----------

Dawn rifled through one of the bookshelves at the Magic Box, bored out of her mind. At first she'd been pleased that Buffy had included her, both in the meeting at the house and in the work now. It was nice not being brushed aside like a total *kid.* She'd had no idea, however, how boring this stuff could actually be. Willow and Tara were doing most of the work, poring over a pile of books at the table under the stairs. They'd started out by asking Dawn a lot of questions, waving their hands over her, all sorts of cool stuff, but then it was mostly study and research and nothing much for Dawn to do. Buffy was pretty bored, too, but she passed the time by going back into the training room and pounding on the punching bag. Dawn had tried to find a book to read, figuring with all the magic books around something ought to be interesting, but she'd forgotten this was *Giles'* store. Never underestimate the power of an English librarian to render even the most fascinating topic dull as dirt.

Giving up on finding anything interesting in the stacks, Dawn went back to the training room and joined her sister.

"Hey Dawn," Buffy said, taking a break from the punching bag. "Getting kinda bored, huh?"

"Yeah. And here I thought being the Slayer was all fights and cool stuff."

"I wish," Buffy said wistfully and Dawn grinned. At least Dawn *liked* reading.

"Hey Buffy, can you teach me to fight sometime? I mean, I know I don't have superstrength or anything, but it would be kinda cool to learn a few moves."

Buffy opened her mouth, no doubt to come out with the standard "no way," but then she closed it and thought a second. "Okay," she said.

"Really?" Dawn jumped up. "Can you teach me one of those flying kick things?"

"Let's start with something a little more basic," Buffy grinned. She stood up and went over to the punching bag. "Try hitting the bag a few times."

Dawn balled up her fist and hit the bag. "Ouch!" she cried, shaking her hand.

"Not like that," Buffy corrected, "you'll break your fingers if you hold them that way. Do it like this." She took Dawn's hand and showed her how to hold her fist. "Hold your left hand in here, to block any incoming punches, and push out from your shoulder with your right, like this." She demonstrated and then Dawn tried it.

"Better!" Buffy praised her.

Dawn hit the bag a few more times. "Okay, this looks much cooler when you do it."

"I've had a lot of practice."

"And were gifted by The Powers That Be."

"That helps," Buffy agreed.

Dawn stopped hitting the bag and looked at her sister. "So how did you deal, when you were my age, when you found out you weren't a regular girl, you were this freaky supernatural thing?"

"Mostly, I *didn't* deal," she replied. "I kept running away from it, trying to pretend I could have a normal life. Here, stand like this,"
she demonstrated.

Dawn imitated her stance and went at the bag again. "But now you're not running away anymore."

"No, I'm not. But it took a long time to get there."

"But how *do* you get there?"

Buffy paused, considering, then shrugged. "I don't really know. I guess mostly by doing what Spike said. Accept what you are and make it into what *you* want it to be."

Dawn smiled. "Spike is *so* cool. Have I mentioned how great it is that you two are finally together?"

"You may have mentioned it once or twice," Buffy replied, blushing. Dawn couldn't believe how easy it was to rattle her sister just by talking about Spike.

"He spent the night last night, didn't he?"

"We fell asleep watching a movie. That's *it,*" she added when Dawn gave her a look.

"How boring!" Dawn hit the bag again. "Anyway, he seemed really happy tonight. I mean, I know he's kinda nervous about this whole plan you've cooked up, but still, it's obvious he's really happy."

"Really?"

"Oh, totally. And you too. You seem kinda happy. It's disgusting," she added quickly.

"Shut up," Buffy said, giving the bag a quick one-two punch alongside Dawn.

"Buffy?" Dawn said after a moment.

"Yeah?"

"I really appreciate, you know, everything. I can't believe you're having to do this for me *again.*"

Buffy stopped slugging the bag and turned to Dawn. "You're my sister, Dawn. No matter what. And this is the last time, okay? We get these guys and I think we can say goodbye to the Key dramas."

"I'll still be the Key, though."

"Yeah, and I'll still be the Slayer."

Dawn looked at her sister. "I guess that's cool. I mean, if a big baby like you can deal, I guess I can too."

"Dawn?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and hit the bag."

----------

There were only a couple hours left before sunrise when Spike returned to the Magic Box. Willow and Tara were at the table, buried in books, and Xander was coming down from the loft with a new stack in his arms. Dawn was curled up in an easy chair in the corner behind the table. Anya and Buffy were nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Spike," Willow said, looking up from her book. Tara also looked up and smiled shyly. Xander set the books down on the table and took a seat beside Willow, ignoring Spike completely.

"Where's Buffy and the demonette?"

"Anya went home to get some sleep. She should be back in a little while. Buffy's on the phone with Giles. She took it back into the
training room."

"How's it going?" he asked, nodding towards the piles of books.

"Pretty good," Willow answered. "I think we're actually getting a handle on this."

"It's fascinating," Tara added. "Of course we need the actual spell to have a better understanding, which hopefully is why Giles called, but it seems like the elements of transfer don't involve the properties of the Key, which both Dawn and Buffy possess, but the energy force behind it which is something you're not the least bit interested in, are you?" she finished, noting Spike's glazed look.

"Sorry, dumpling, it's been a long night. Will the spell hurt Buffy?"

"We don't think so," Willow said.

"But you're not sure?"

"We'll be more sure if Giles found the spell," Tara said.

"How about you? Was Willy helpful?" Willow asked.

"Oh yeah, you know Willy, always the helpful fella," Spike snorted.

"You didn't get anything then?" Willow said, disappointed.

"Oh no, I got lots of useful bits of info. Not because Willy was helpful. More because Willy's a cowardly little pillock."

"What, couldn't wait to show him your fangs?" Xander said coldly.

Spike glared at him. "No, monkey boy, didn't need 'em. Sorry to disappoint you."

"Guys," Willow said with an edge to her voice. "Leave it--"

"They found it, Will," Buffy said, walking into the room with the phone in her hand, unaware she'd interrupted anything. "Oh, good, Spike's here!" she added, seeing him, then into the phone she said, "Hold on a sec, Giles, I'll put Willow on."

Willow took the phone from Buffy. "Hi Giles, it's Willow. Whatcha got for me?"

Buffy turned to Spike, only then noticing the residual anger in his eyes. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, flicking his eyes at Xander, then looking back at her, shaking it off. "Took some convincing, but I got the dirt from
Willy. And I had an idea."

"What's that?" she asked, motioning him toward the counter so their conversation wouldn't interfere with Willow on the phone.

"Well if you're Dawn, who's gonna be you? Don't you think they'd wonder why the Slayer suddenly wasn't protecting kid sis?"

"Good point," she agreed, "I hadn't thought of that." She thought for a moment. "Okay, we'll have to think up a cover story, maybe--"

"I've got a better idea."

She looked at him expectantly and he swallowed, reluctant to bring up the subject. "The robot. The one that looks like you. It's in the
basement."

"*What?*" she asked, appalled, and Spike realized with horror what she thought.

"No, not in my flat," he said quickly, "in storage."

"Okay," she said, mollified, "but I thought Glory destroyed it."

"Just knocked the head off. Will fixed it up again."

She looked unsettled. "Okay, I'm trying not to be creeped out here, but after I died you guys rebuilt the robot that looks like me?"

"Not like that, no," he said quietly. "I'm not even sure who saved it, but you know Red. She likes to tinker. She started working with it a few months after..." he trailed off.

"And it's working?"

"I think so. Anyway, the way I figure, she could go 'round with you, putting on a show. When the monks made a grab, she could be programmed to put up a good fight but lose."

Buffy nodded, considering this. "Actually, that's a good idea. I think it would make this whole thing a lot more believable if I didn't just
disappear. Thanks, Spike."

He nodded slightly, not entirely comfortable with this. It wasn't just that the robot -- and why Spike had had her made in the first place -- was best left forgotten. He still was very leery of this whole plan. The thought of Buffy, willingly submitting herself to a ritual meant to turn a human being into a mystical energy source made his stomach turn. But if she were going to do this, he was going to see it was done right.

"And what about Willy? Anything useful?" she asked,

"Yeah, actually. Turns out the lackeys were mercenaries. Monks paid 'em pretty well to help 'em nab Niblet. The contact lives here in Sunny D and is a regular at Willy's. Fella who goes by the name Hawk, stupid git."

"Said the guy who goes by the name *Spike,*" Buffy snorted.

"Your point?"

"Pot, kettle."

"Unlike the brilliance and power of the name *Buffy.*" He frowned. "Have we had this conversation before?" He shook his head. "Anyway, after a little *persuasion* Willy agreed to introduce me to the bloke."

"You talked to one of the henchmen? Won't he go blab to Brother Ondrih?"

Spike shrugged. "Don't see what difference it makes. He doesn't know what we're on about, just that I wanted to know how they found out about Ethan Rayne. I threw in a few threats about staying away from the kid, and before that I 'accidentally' let slip to Willy that I was working on a side project, that you knew nothing about this. I told Willy I'd kill him if he talks, so of course by now every two-bit hood with any interest in the subject and a bob to spare thinks I was just looking for revenge for them setting you on Rayne and him ratting me out."

"That works."

"Anyway, Willy hooked me up with this Hawk bloke and I convinced him it was in his best interest to give us a chat."

"Convinced him how? Never mind, I don't wanna know."

"Never fear, love. Didn't even have to use the vampface."

"I trust you," she said earnestly.

"I know." He paused. "So it turns out he's the guy who paid Willy to send you off after Rayne. "

"Okay, but how did they know about that?"

"That's the interesting part. Seems one of the monk boys, the thin fella, Brother Viktor, gets visions. He told this Hawk fella you had two enemies lurking about, a demon and a human, and that he was to find a way to point you in the direction of one of 'em. While he's waiting for the rest of his mates to hit town, Hawk does a little digging, finds out Ethan Rayne had been skulking about the Magic Box, and all the sudden Willy's getting a load of cash to set you out after him."

Buffy frowned. "Two enemies? Who's the demon then?"

Spike grinned. "That be me, pet. The first enemy was supposed to lead you to the second, which was supposed to keep you busy the whole night. Guess Brother Viktor's visions are a little on the incomplete side."

"Interesting," Buffy mused, smiling. "Okay, so this Brother Viktor, he's pretty much their contact with the guy upstairs, kinda like
Cordelia is for Angel, huh?"

"Seems that way, yeah."

"How does he get these visions? What are they like? Do they come with the big migraines like Cordelia's or are they dreams like my prophesy dreams?"

"Hawk says he gets 'em when he's meditating. Which he does every day at sunrise, noon, and sunset."

"Okay," Buffy said, thinking. "Maybe we can lay some groundwork. If Willow and I can get to the church by sunrise, we might be able to feed him a vision, something that will coincide with the show we'll be putting on. Good, that's a huge help." She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "Thank you."

Before Spike could respond, she left the counter and went back to the table. "Willow, are you almost done? I need your help."

"Hold on a sec, Giles," Willow said, putting the phone to her shoulder, then told Buffy, "This might take a while."

"Can Tara do it? I need you to run an errand with me."

"Sure," Willow replied, her eyes questioning, but she put the phone back to her mouth and said, "Giles, I'm gonna give the phone over to Tara and let her get the rest of it. Buffy's got something else for me to do." She then handed off to Tara who picked up where she'd left off.

"What is it?"

"Got any spells to give someone a vision?"

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