I love writing Dawn and Tara in more assertive roles. I hope you do, too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Dawn found Tara heading back to her dorms after a long day of classes.

"Dawn?" Tara asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Buffy's in trouble," Dawn said, her hands shaking nervously. "Some kind of plant called the Black Mercy got her. Willow's gone to the Magic Box for spell stuff, but I don't want her to do any kind of magic. You're the only one I can trust Buffy with now." Other than Spike, she thought.

Tara sighed. "Okay."

The two ladies grabbed whatever books and spell materials they could find from Tara's dorm and went straight to Buffy's house. Xander laid Buffy down on the living room floor. Dawn found Willow in the kitchen, brewing up a potion.

"Willow, please, I don't want you doing magic," Dawn said.

"It's okay," Willow said. "This is an emergency situation. The potion I'm cooking up will hopefully burn the plant up."

"Or burn the house down." Dawn turned off the stove. "I got Tara to help."

"What?!"

The two of them went into the living room, where Willow saw Tara looking through a pile of books, comparing the plant to a demonic plant encyclopedia.

"I didn't think stuff from comic books could be related to anything demon-y," Xander said.

"You'd be surprised," Tara said. After turning a few more pages, the tawny-haired witch closed her book and waved her hands over Buffy's body.

"What are you doing?" Willow asked.

"I'm reading Buffy's aura," Tara said. "If I concentrate hard enough, we'll be able to see what is in her head."

Buffy was surrounded by a golden glow, but the glow was darkened by the purplish-black aura from the Black Mercy. The Scoobies watched as the golden glow connected with all of them, compelling them to join hands around Buffy as Tara continued chanting.

As soon as the four of them joined hands, they saw a short montage of scenes in Buffy's mind: Buffy returning to her childhood home in Los Angeles, going to a history class in UCLA, Giles being her favorite professor, having a normal relationship with Angel, and planning on a night out with all the Scoobies.

Dawn broke the circle and the spell by releasing her hands. "Where's Spike?" Buffy asked.

"Why would Dead Boy Junior be part of Buffy's fantasy life?" Xander asked. "Angel I understand, as much as I hate it."

Dawn's eyes widened in realization. Willow and Xander looked at each other worriedly. "Dawn, don't tell me you're thinking what I think you're thinking," Xander said.

But before either of them could object, Dawn went out the door. Tara sighed and then turned to look at Willow.

"Dawn's right, though," Tara said. "Spike's the only one that's not part of the Black Mercy's fantasy, which means he has a better chance of making her realize that what she sees is not real."

"It's not gonna be easy getting Buffy out," Xander said. "In the comics, the bad guy compared it to cutting off your own arm."

"But why would someone do this to Buffy?" Willow asked.

###

Three scrawny nerds escaped from the lair of a Nezzla demon with three small rectangular boxes and returned to their newly gained hideout to open the boxes' contents.

"Gentlemen, I present to you the Orbs of Nezzla'khan," Warren said as he opened the boxes. There were six red orbs, two for each of them. "Strength. Invulnerability. The deluxe package."

"They're everything I've dreamed of," Andrew said, eyes wide with excitement.

Jonathan wasn't so sure. "You know those have been down there for like a zillion years. How do we know they still work -

Warren tightened his fist around a globe. A red blast of energy exploded around him and knocked Andrew and Jonathan back. It quickly dissipated along with the red energy that flashed in his eyes. He grinned as he felt the raw powered course through his veins.

"They work."

###

Dawn and Tara found Spike at Willy's pub, drowning his sorrows. After getting Clem to cover for Spike's tab, the two ladies informed Spike about Buffy being trapped in a Black Mercy fantasy.

"Haven't seen one of those things since the Amazon Jungle…" Spike slurred. "But you really think I can help?" He slumped over onto the bar, prompting Tara to carry Spike by the arm over her shoulders. Dawn took Spike's other arm and helped Spike off of the bar stool.

"You think some hot chocolate will sober him up?" Dawn asked.

"Actually, it's good if he's close to falling asleep," Tara said. "It'll be easier to link his subconscious mind with Buffy's."

"But what if he doesn't want to?" Dawn asked.

Spike snorted. "Always be there for her. Always second best. Always love's bitch."

Tara and Dawn sighed in resignation and frustration. "Xander and Willow are not gonna like this," Dawn said. But regardless, they went out of the bar and through a series of alleyways that kept Spike in the shadows until they got to Buffy's house.

It turned out that all Spike needed to wake up was a hard right hook from Xander. The bleach blonde vampire still felt drunk, but he was awake and aware enough to finally assess what was going on.

"So basically, Glinda, what you're saying is that I have to go into Buffy's mind and get her to realize that all that she's fantasizing about is not real?" Spike asked.

Tara nodded.

"I don't see why I can't do it!" Willow said.

"You're part of the fantasy," Dawn said. "And I don't want you doing anything that might hurt Buffy."

Willow huffed and pouted. Xander sat on the couch with her, equally uncertain. The two of them could only watch as Spike laid by Buffy's side. Dawn sat at Buffy's feet, lighting up the incense and herbs needed for the spell, while Tara sat by Spike's head.

Putting her hands on Buffy and Spike's foreheads, Tara began the incantation. In seconds, Spike was surrounded by a red-orange aura. Dawn and Tara both noticed a gold light hovering over Spike's heart, connecting with Buffy's. Tara's eyes glowed white and the psychic connection was complete.

###

Spike sighed in relief when he found himself in the dark outside of a nightclub. He watched as Buffy went inside the nightclub with her Scoobies as well as Angel. Using his vampire stealth, he sneaked into the club just after the fake version of Tara went inside.

As soon as Spike got into the club, he waited for an opportunity to get his dance with the Slayer. It reminded him of the time he first saw her. Buffy was so different back then, but he still felt that same pull all those years ago. He never wanted to admit it, but if his heart didn't belong to Drusilla at the time, he could've danced all night with the Slayer.

A change in the song prompted Spike out of his flashback. Angel went over to the bar to get drinks while Buffy danced with her friends. Spike made his way onto the dance floor and found himself at the Slayer's side.

"Mind if I cut in?" he asked.

Buffy's eyes widened with intriguement. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice soft. "I feel like I know you."

"Let's just say we knew each other in a past life," Spike said. "If you believe in that kind of thing."

Buffy giggled. "Don't get too close. My boyfriend's the jealous type."

Spike looked over at Angel, who was already scowling at the sight of him. The bleach blonde vampire leaned in to Buffy's ear and whispered, "He probably won't like what I'm thinking then."

She gasped and held herself back from laughing. "You're probably right," she said in the flirtiest voice she could muster.

"Do you wanna get outta here?" Spike asked. "Get some air? Or at least go somewhere with a little more privacy?"

She wasn't completely sure why she felt that desire to get out of the club. But her heart was fluttering like a flock of swans and there was a sense of longing that pulled her towards him.

"Okay."

Sneaking out through a back door, Spike heard Buffy's heartbeat quickening. The two of them sighed in relief at being away from all the noise inside. Buffy just couldn't stop laughing though. As much as Spike loved the way she laughed, he knew he had to get her out. Might as well give it the old college try, he thought. He cupped Buffy's face in his hands and lowered his lips onto hers…

Only to feel himself being pulled away from Buffy, followed by a very hard punch in the face. Spike looked up and suddenly found himself surrounded. Willow and Xander were standing by Buffy while Angel stood over him, ready to knock his lights out again.

Sorry to leave y'all hanging like that!

The conclusion to this story will come around soon!

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