Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters. Some of the others I did sorta make up though.

Violence Disclaimer: Definite violence in this. Not sure how much is going to be in it. But as long as you can take a Buffy Episode then I think ya should be all right. (I hereby swear there will be no skinning, on my former girl scout honor).

Time Disclaimer: I always seem to have this. This story takes place in the future of the Buffy universe. Many times it has been said that if only Dawn would grow up then she might be a good character. Well, me being me, I took it probably way too far, and made her 25. (i.e. It has been ten years since the previous story) Well, for all the other info, gotta read the story.

Brief Recap...

Dawn is 25. There will be no skinning. And this is a sequel to my story "Permanent".

A/N: And yes, I am aware that this is not my best work. I was still... growing as a writer when I wrote this, I wasn't subtle at all at that time.

Kim rested back against Kerry's chest and idly petted their kitten Red who was resting on her lap. "Anything new with you two."

Willow shrugged as she petted Patriot. "Everything is normal, which is good I guess. Only four arms, four legs, two heads." Willow wrinkled her nose, "They are so cute on the Ultra sound."

Willow sighed and Tara rolled her eyes. "Sweetie it was a mass of largely incomprehensible pixels on the screen."

Willow frowned a little, "Aren't you supposed to be all, ooh look how cute and adorable my babies are?"

Tara chuckled, "I know they'll be beautiful, just like their mother. But I didn't need a monitor to tell me that."

Willow blushed the color of her hair, Kerry rolled her eyes, and got an elbow in the gut from Kim. "Hey, how'd you know I rolled my eyes?"

Kim laughed, "You haven't talked to Alexandra lately huh, I have eyes in the back of my head luv."

Now it was Willow and Tara's turn to smirk. Tara was the one who spoke the question they were both thinking, "How is Alexandra doing?"

Kerry poked Kim in the back, "This one spoiled her rotten on her birthday. But other than that, she's a normal nine year old."

Kim shook her head, "She is not, she's special, she's our nine year old."

Kerry laughed, "Well she is a whiz with math and science, but I'm worried about her reading skills." Kerry shook her head.

Kim frowned, "I told you Ker, my little brother was also pretty good with math, and he just read slow. My parents had him tested and everything. There was nothing wrong with him." Kim smirked, "Just cause we all can't read a Holtzer novel in three hours doesn't mean that she's having trouble."

Kerry shrugged, "I guess." Red stretched her little kitten paws out and scampered down to the floor to go find something else to do. "How is Miss Kitty doing by the way?"

Tara winced, "Much better, not entirely happy, but she let us pet her before we came over."

"Why don't you bring her over some day and let her and Red see each other." Kerry nodded her affirmation of Kim's statement.

Willow nodded, "Maybe, if we ever find another time to get together. I don't know how you two do it… and I hear that there is something new going on at the hospital too. Yet another thing for you to oversee."

Kim laughed, "Yes, my poor Ker, so much power as the Chief of Staff."

Everyone laughed at this, "How is Mike doing as the new ER Chief. Last I knew he was a bit nervous. At least, that is what Buffy told me."

Kerry winced, "I really didn't want to throw him into that with only four years experience as an Attending. But whenever a Vampire rises these days, it seems as though he or she bites my Chief of the ER before even Buffy can get to him or her. It is very depressing, they did nothing but try to save people's lives and this is what they get for all their work." Kerry shook her head.

Both Tara and Willow nodded their heads mutely, both young adults had seen much to much violence for their relatively young ages. Willow shook herself back to the topic. "What is this new research?"

Kerry started to speak but Kim interrupted her, "It is genetics, and Kerry is so excited about it. It was her grant that got it given to the hospital, which is great, because Sunnydale needs to be revitalized in a major way, and this is hopefully, just the beginning of the revitalization process."

Kerry laughed and shook her head, "Yeah, what she said..."

"Oh Willy, Willy Willy Willy, where are you little Willy?"

"Who the bloody hell are you, and why are you calling me William. I left that name behind years ago." Spike looked the tall woman up and down, "Definitely before your time lass."

"You'd think that wouldn't you." The woman practically prowled towards Spike, who moved back a step.

"Now lass, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a spoken for man, and don't plan on jeopardizing that by biting a scrumptious young female. Even know a Slayer."

The woman raised an eyebrow, "Mmm...a Slayer, in Sunnydale...I would have thought she would've moved on by now, I like a challenge. What do you know of this Slayer?"

Spike tilted his head to one side, "Mm... that's not gonna happen doll. And since you seem to know who I am, you must know I'm a Vampire?"

The woman's other eyebrow joined its sister at her hairline. "You don't say William? You know, I'm surprised that you lead such a meager existence? You the mighty Vamp, living in a crypt." She glanced around, "And a badly decorated crypt at that. I would think your… woman… if one exists, would have better taste."

Spike started to speak, but instead growled and morphed into a Vampire, trying to scare the woman off. The woman rolled her eyes and morphed into a Vampire herself, "Hmm... guess I'll have to scope the town myself then, William... gonna miss a good time." The woman stuck her hands in her pockets and strolled out of the crypt, "Gonna be a good night in Sunnydale..."

Willow stopped in the cemetery. "Am I the only one here who's getting the weird heeby jeebies?"

Buffy stared back at Willow and shrugged, "Maybe it was that concoction that Anya made." Buffy burped with a wince, "That was painful to eat. You're lucky, I've had to be subjected to that two days in a row. You got to escape to Kerry and her good cooking. All in all, I'd say you have a case of bad former vengeance demon cooking."

Willow stared ahead, "I guess... I think I'm gonna go home and get some work done before Monday. You'll be okay here?"

Buffy tilted her head to one side put her hands on her hips, "Will, I'm the Slayer."

Willow yawned, "Right...well, I'm off."

Buffy nodded, "Say hey to Tara for me."

Willow nodded as she yawned again and shook her head, "Don't know how you run on empty all the time. Night Buff."

"Night Will." Buffy tilted her head to one side again, and shook it after a moment. "No one could be that quiet. Even the Vamps...well...speak of the devil..."

A Vampire stepped out from the darkness, "Slayer, you will die."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "No shit Sherlock, now, on the other hand, you are already dead, but my prediction is that you're gonna go poof in about a minute and a half."

"I could do it in a minute."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "You could do everything in a minute Spike. Jeeze, do you know how many Vamps are left, not many, you're a dying... well... un-dying breed, gotta take advantage of the newly undead ones."

The Vampire growled at the newcomer, "The Traitor."

Now it was Spike's turn to roll his eyes, "Right, that just strikes me to the bone coming from yourself. How long have you been up then? Day, day'n a half?"

The Vampire rushed at Buffy, who didn't even take out Mr. Pointy. She spun him by her and set herself for the Vampire's next attack, which didn't take long to come. She spun him by her again and now pulled out Mr. Pointy. "Nothing like a trusted old friend..." When the Vampire came at her again, she simply stepped to the side and jabbed the stake into the Vampire's heart. "Well, that was hard. Is it just me, or are these guys getting stupider?"

Spike shook his head, "Inbreeding. You know, you're beautiful when you do that?"

Buffy shook her head, "Mm... bet that's what you say to all the girls?"

Spike smirked a little, the closest that he usually got to a smile, and wrapped his arms around Buffy from behind. Buffy took hold of one of his arms and flipped him over her and onto the ground. Spike slowly got up and wiped his hands on his black jeans. "One of these days, you're not gonna flip me with another intention."

Buffy snorted, "I don't think so Spike."

Spike grumbled, "Bugger Michael. Damn it all to hell, I almost had you Slayer."

Buffy looked a little uncomfortable, "That's what you think. Just don't let Randi hear you saying that Spikey poo."

Spike pursed his lips, but stayed silent on the subject, "I can't believe that you band of misfits
have survived this long. You, Willow, and Xander, thirty, Dawnie twenty-five, Tara thirty-one, Anya in her thousands, and the Doctor, military man wonder, however the hell how old he is."

Buffy smirked, "35. And you've stayed for fifteen of those years. The only thing that stops you from feeding, is Randi, and yet, it almost seems like it is something more than that."

Spike quirked a challenging eyebrow, "Are you implying that I have a soul? I could take offense to that Buffy."

Buffy smirked, "Well, I'll go as far to say you have an evolved mind, and leave it at that..."

Spike also smirked, "So, would you say your little... patrol is over? Now we can get on with the
exercise part?"

Buffy quirked an eyebrow and hefted Mr. Pointy, "Oh I'm gonna exercise, but it isn't gonna be with you Blondie."

"Okay...s-stop...working."

Willow looked up at Tara, "I'm sorry honey, I just have to finish this one last program. It is an
important part of the game."

Tara leaned down and rested her head on Willow's shoulder, "Okay, then tell me what you're making? Is this what the gunny guy's gonna look like, or do, or get to have?"

"It's a gunny woman, and no, this is the rate of mapping..." Willow stared upside down at Tara, "Why am I telling you this?"

Tara put on a puppy dog face, "Because I asked."

Willow smiled, "And why did you ask if you didn't want to know?"

Tara stuck out her lip, "Because I'm all alone in that big ole bed. And sure, I've gotten bigger in the past four months, but I'm all chilly without my Willy..."

Willow snorted at this last sentence, and rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay, I'll do it in the morning."

Tara mumbled under her breath, "Not if I have anything to do about it..."

Willow looked up from shutting down her computer, "What did you say Tar-?"

Tara looked innocently at Willow, "Nothing Wills, just going over some of my lesson plan for tomorrow."

Willow got up and joined Tara under the covers, "Well, Dr. Maclay, who would have thought. Me running my own software gaming company that has something actually selling, and kinda obsessing over it, and you the big successful and ultra young hip Professor at our Alma
Mater. You know... you could..."

Tara put two fingers over Willow's lips, "I know, I could do so much better. But I don't want to.
Your... our friends are here, and they can't go anywhere. So, no talk of that... you could be anywhere you wanted also I might add..."

Willow rolled her eyes, "Right...right...so...when do we commence smoochies..."

Tara rolled over onto Willow, "Mmm... smoochies is all then?" Willow smiled as she kissed Tara.

"Stop it, Bryan, if you don't stop it this instant you will be sent to your room to think about what you have done."

Bryan frowned and pouted, but pulled away from his little brother, "Not fair Mom, he started it."

"It doesn't matter who started it Bryan, you're older, and know better than to retaliate." Bryan made a face at his mother, and stuck out his tongue. "I saw that Bryan..."

Bryan wilted back onto the floor and mumbled to himself for a few minutes. "Hey, Mom, when's Dad getting home? Thought tonight was an early night."

"Mmm...yes, so did I." A key turned in the lock, "Well, there he is now." Bryan dashed over and threw himself at Xander, "Hey Bry, David, where's Naomi?"

Bryan whispered in Xander's ear, "Dad, Mom's pissed at you."

Xander raised an eyebrow, "Ah, for being late. Well, I do have an explanation."

Bryan's eyes got large as he saw who was behind his father. "Aunt Dawn, Aunt Dawn, are you staying? Please say you're staying?"

Dawn laughed as she came into the room and got ambushed by four year old David, "Auntie Dawn, Auntie Dawn..."

David took a running jump at Dawn, who caught him and swung him around. "How you doin' champ?"

David bobbed his head up and down, "I'm four, I'm four, I'm four..."

Dawn smiled, "You're four?" David nodded, "What about Bryan?"

David thought hard for a second, "Seven..."

"Naomi?"

David shook his head and buried it in Dawn's shoulder, Dawn chuckled, "Nine right?"

David raised his head and nodded it, "Down Auntie Dawn?"

Dawn placed David back on the floor, and looked around, "Where's Naomi?"

Xander frowned, "Studying in her room?" He looked towards Anya, who nodded. "She wants to be like her Aunts Willow and Tara."

Dawn got a glint in her eye, "Hmm... maybe I'll go try to convince her to at least wait until the age of thirteen..." Dawn went over to Anya, "It is good to see you again Anya. You look thinner."

Anya shook her head, "You have no idea how hard it was to get back after David." She looked over at David climbing all over Xander, "It was worth it. Have you found anyone? I thought you were in LA with your boyfriend, Carl, Cal, Conch..."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "Cammo."

Anya nodded, "Right, what happened...he leave you?"

Dawn looked around the room, "Not exactly. He realized that he preferred the company of a fellow male."

Anya bit her lip, "You turned another one..."

Dawn put her hands on her hips, "No, I went out with a man who was repressing his true self. He just happened to choose when we were going out to realize it. It is un-luck of the draw Anya."

"Four times."

Dawn expelled a breath, "I'm gonna go say hi to your daughter, then I have to go over to T and Will's house. That's actually where I was going before I got hijacked by Tarzan here."

Anya nodded, "Why don't you stay here. It is late, and I was going to warm up some noodles and sauce for late Xander."

Dawn thought for a second, "Okay... probably don't want to burst in at this time in the night either..."

Anya and Xander stared at each other and sighed. Dawn muffled a laugh with a cough. "Right, so, I'm gonna go see Naomi."

"So what is the square root of nine?"

"Three."

Dawn did a double-take as she entered the room, "You're right."

"I know..."

Dawn laughed, "Naomi, remind me how old you are again?"

Naomi turned around and rolled her eyes, "Nine...how old are you?"

Dawn smiled, "Older than that. C'mon, give me a hug..."

Naomi did one better, she crawled up into Dawn's lap, "Are you back for good?"

Dawn shrugged and looked down, "I don't know Naom, maybe, maybe not. Let's see how things go with... let's see how things go."

"I could see if there are jobs online. I get to go online all the time now, Mom and Dad say I'm old
enough to be responsible. I'm working on a bitmap to put in my own game."

Dawn smiled, "What is it going to be about? A first person game, or third person game?"

Naomi shrugged, "I don't know yet." Dawn laughed. "So, do you need a job?"

Dawn's eyebrows contracted a little, "Nope, already have a job all set up. I'm the new IT lady for
Sunnydale Public Library."

Naomi's eyebrows both went up, "Ooh... a library. Can I visit?"

Dawn laughed, "No..."

Naomi pushed Dawn back onto the bed and bounced on it, "You're making fun of me...tickle war, tickle war..."

Dawn dissolved into a fit of laughter along with Naomi, both trying to tickle each other to death.