Unlocking the Door

Not my property save the story idea

"Buffy, I think I've found us something rather interesting," Giles announced.

"A new home, source of income, school for Dawn, and maybe nothing weird until she graduates?"

"High school or college?" Xander asked.

"Either."

Since Sunnydale had been sucked into a gaping hole, life had been a bit unsettled. Giles had suggested moving to Europe, Buffy wanted Dawn to have stability, New England seemed a compromise. Of course, nothing dictated that any of them had to stay together, except Buffy and Dawn as sisters, but somehow it seemed right for Xander, Willow, Giles, and the Summers girls to form some kind of family. That involved staying together.

"What is it?" Willow chirped.

"A school - Dawn could earn college and high school credit, and they are looking for faculty. Most of us do have experience working in a school,'" Giles explained. "It does focus on arts, but -"

"Oh, that sounds so cool. Y' mean like on Fame?" Dawn bubbled, jumping up to look over Giles' shoulder.

"Uhm, yes, I believe so. "

"Tuition?" Buffy asked.

"If a family member is on board, then tuition is free," Giles informed her.

"On board?" Xander asked. "Like a ship?"

Giles chose to ignore him. Over the last few years, it had been an effective habit to acquire.

"Well, you would fit the part," Willow tried to smile. "With the pirate look and all.."

"Except I'm probably the one who's not in the most of us," Xander grimaced. "It's okay, Will. "

Dawn tried valiantly to think of something that would be comforting or to stick up for the guy who was her first crush. But she couldn't. So she settled on, "Uhm, I wouldn' t have to sing would I?"

"We'll find something else if you do," Buffy hastily assured her. No more singing. Giles' voice had been okay, but the rest...

Had been embarrassing.

2

First day of the new term, Sarah's favorite since her wicked step mother had banished her. It had been the kindest thing Karen had ever done. School had become Sarah's home. Going home would have been torture purely had it not been for Toby. Her new school was so wonderful - it had made her feel like all her dreams were just moving closer every day. Her she was not scorned for being lost in fantasy. Acting, dancing, songs, she could be anyone she wanted. Summer's end was so welcome she didn't even mind she'd be getting a roomie for the first time since coming there. Then, she caught the thought, and it struck her funny. Summer's end, and her new room mate was named Summers. Dawn Summers. The new counselor's sister. So no more talking to your - Sarah advised herself, your self, her thought ended decidedly. Not Hoggle, not Didymus, herself. How lonely that sounded.

As she hung her new Star Wars calender, Sarah looked at the date. She'd be legal age in weeks. What did that really mean? Turning from Luke Skywalker looking at the dual sunset, a flash of white just outside her window sent a chill through her. A white shadow to be wary of. The moment of destiny passed, yet it lingered still.

In the silence a word was spoken only to her, if she would hear. Choice.

The word that made life so difficult.

She still had time, which was a blessing. Sarah was not ready to accept the choice she had already made.

It had been made long before she knew she had it to make.

Like one of her nonexistant dream crystals, her peace and thoughts shattered as feet tromped to the door. Her room mate must be arriving. Her acute sense of hearing caught the muttered last words she was not meant to hear before the door opened.

"...remember, don't...just normal, earthquake if ...asks. "

Sarah frowned. Perhaps she was not the only one hiding something?

Before she could wonder too much, a very normal looking girl of sixteen or seventeen entered followed by a a red head, a blonde, a studious looking older man, and a lanky eye patched youth. Like Didymus. All were burdened with some kind of box.

Deciding the first move was the way to begin, Sarah walked over and grabbed on of the excess boxes to help. "Hi, I'm Sarah, your room mate for the year. You must be Dawn?"

"Yeah." Setting her bag down, she began pointing, "Xander's the new assistant director of carpentry and stage miscellany, Willow just got hired as the school records manager, second class, Buffy is one of the counselors, and Giles is the music teacher."

"Your whole- ah- family got jobs here?" Sarah asked in wonder, not missing Willow's slightly guilty look. She wondered what that was about?

"Our town was destroyed in an earthquake," Buffy said quickly. "We're the only survivors, so we kind of wanted to stick together." That did not explain how they'd managed... well, nevermind. If they had something to hide, then it was less likely they'd be nosy if one of her dreams insisted on being real. Especially, that one.

So she just adopted a sympathetic, yet shocked look. "Wow, your whole town? Where're you from, California?"

"Y-yes," Giles stuttered. "It was quite horrible."

"I bet," Sarah sympathized, proud that she hadn't said, no, hoggle when he said horrible. "If you want me to clear out while you settle in, I can."

"We don't want to run you out," Buffy protested.

"No, we certainly don't," Xander added too quickly. Willow elbowed him as Buffy and what was his name- Giles exchanged a glance. Were the childhood friends about to finally get together it seemed to ask.

"I don't mind." Sarah glanced around quickly. "Just- the crystal on the vanity, be careful of it. " Though she doubted the sphere that had appeared on her sixteenth birthday with no reason or cause apparent would break, still..

"Sure. We won't let Xand anywhere near it," Buffy promised as the girl exited gracefully. But she did cross to touch it delicately. "Giles, does this look familiar?"

"I don't think it's an orb of Thessula," he told her gently. "Even if it were, Spike could not be recovered using it. "

"I wasn't thinking that," she lied. "Just, why would a normal person have one?"

"Of course. That is why I doubt it is one." But he was partially lying himself. The former librarian felt a sense of disquiet looking at the perfect and clear orb. Something nagged at his brain about it.

Worries, butterflies and all else aside, the school term began normally enough. Buffy looked forward to a spate of normal, with nothing to kill or fight. No worlds to save for a while. With the potentials out there now being full slayers under Robin and Faith's guidance thanks to Wolfram and Hart's LA branch finagling a work release for the second slayer, Buffy could devote her life to human things for a while. Except for romance. That was off her plate for a bit. Between losing one boyfriend when they got too close because he became a soulless monster, then sending him to hell, only to have him come back and abandon her, then the whole Parker incident that didn't even deserve to be thought of, Riley's weird commando garbage, and finally Spike, the best and worst love of her life.

Enough.

The only romance on tap seemed to be the embers of Willow's crush on Xander starting to rekindle into something real, and be returned with no other people in the way this time. They had really started to bond when Angel sent them word that Cordy, Xander's first real love, was in a coma. Not expected to ever wake. Buffy was pretty sure there was more to the prom queen's status than that, but didn't push it. She also suspected there was more to Angel's feelings for the young woman, but it hurt too much to think of.

Dawn seemed to find a niche in acting, and Giles' success in music really surprised no one too much. He'd thought Buffy had been ignoring his whole song when that singing demon had turned Sunnydale into Rogers and Hammersteinville, but she'd heard. For her part, saving the world was still at least a weekly or more often occurance, but on a smaller scale. Bohemian students tended to need their personal world saved quite often. Thankfully, neither Dawn nor Sarah required had required it of her yet...

The key word being yet. Looking up from paperwork, Buffy saw her kid sister standing there with crossed arms. The last time Buffy had counseled Dawn had been acutely uncomfortable.

"Yes, Miss Summers, " she asked pleasantly in a professional manner.

"The whole room mate thing, " Dawn said, not explaining much as she flopped down.

"Sarah seemed nice," Buffy began.

"She talks in her sleep," Dawn huffed.

"Dawn, I doubt she can help it,'' Buffy tried to placate her. '

"But it sounds interesting, and she wont' tell me what it's about," Dawn whined.

Blinking, Buffy backed the reel in her mind up. "Interesting- how?"

Dawn waved her hand. "Like she's talking to people. She says stuff like 'only forever', 'or basis for comparison is?' 'I'll toss your head'

way forward is the way back' umm, oh and this is really weird, love without sunlight."

Buffy hadn't thought any of it too upsetting until the last. She paled as she reached for her cell phone. "Giles, get down here. I think we found a potential." Great. Just bleeding great.

Four months and she still thought in Spike's voice, the young woman noted bitterly.

Luck had it that Giles was on a free period, so he was able to come right away. Listening to Dawn, he kept his face neutral. "Well, we do know, " he finally said, "that Buffy was tormented with odd dreams prior to her calling. And there is that crystal."

"You said it wasn't.."

"But it could be something else of unusual value. Has it ever displayed any mystical properties in your view, Dawn?"

She frowned. "Sometimes there's a strange light, but I've thought it was just the way the light hit it, though once, during a really active dream Sarah had, I thought I saw something in it."

Buffy looked to Giles, hoping he had an answer. But just another question. "Have you seen a mole like the one your sister had?"

"She got rid of it before I -" Dawn looked down, hating to recall that she was not really human.

"Right." Giles cleaned his glasses. "Have you seen a mole of any sort then?"

"I'm not the one that looks at naked girls," Dawn reminded him.

"Xander could face worse than being in detention if he got caught peeking in the girls' locker room now," Giles sighed. "Besides, he'd be too distracted to be of any use. "

"Is there any kind of test?" Buffy asked.

"Just the one you took on your eighteenth birthday," Giles told her, not liking to recall that.

"Oh!" Dawn gasped. "Eighteenth birthday!"

"A year away," Buffy told her, dreading the challenge of her kid sister being a legal adult.

"Not mine, dork. Sarah's. Hers is a few weeks off and she's really excited or nervous about it."

"Typical human behavior," Giles noted. "Coming of age, etc. "

"Anyhow, I wondered, can we maybe have a party for her," Dawn asked.

"You just want a party, " Buffy said.

"She's all alone," Dawn said defensively. "School's like her home. Her step mom sent her off when her baby brother called Sarah mama. She hardly ever goes home, and is really lonely. "

Buffy found herself looking at Giles. In a way, he was the only father Dawn had ever had.

This time, he seemed okay with taking that role. "We'll see. I think first we need to find out who Sarah is. Have you noticed anything else unusual? Any Slayer traits?"

"I'm not even sure what that would be.."

Buffy was on the phone again. "Xander, get up here, bring your super soldier brain."

When he came, she asked, "Can you bug Dawn's room?"

"Should you be asking this with niblet in here?" he asked, unthinkingly using Spike's pet name for her.

"Don't call me that," the girl bit out stiffly.

"Sorry, but the point of bugging is for the buggee not to know."

"She's not the buggee," Buffy explained. "We think Sarah is having Slayer dreams, and she talks in her sleep I thought maybe Giles could analyze them if we could tape them. "

"Question two, is that legal?"

"No, but so what?"

"Job status, law suits, measly junk like that."

"I'll call Angel and have him on standby to defend us," Buffy offered, choosing not to see Giles' jaw tense. He'd never completely forgiven Angel for torturing him or for killing Jenny.

"We still won't know what she is dreaming," he pointed out instead of dissing any of Buffy's exes.

Buffy sighed. "If you can think of a way to find out without telling her the whole slayer, demon, vampire, witch bit.."

Giles glanced towards the door, worried someone might be approaching that did not need to hear that kind of thing. "I thought we'd done with watching Passions," he stated a bit loudly. "Though I did see you two and Willow watching something that looked suspicisously like.."

"It wasn't Passions," Dawn protested, though she had caught on to what he was doing. "It was Port Charles, and Caleb is hot."

"Caleb?" Xander blanched, hit eye patch twitching.

"No relation. But Michael Easton is very fine," Buffy smiled, just thinking about the handsome vampire portrayer. "We all need to get back to work. Or class."

"Just had my last one," Dawn corrected.

"Then homework."

With a dramatically put upon look, Dawn left obediently. As she approached her room, she could hear soft voices. Still in spy mode, she paused to listen, very still and silent.

"...you're here why?"

"..find out what you want for your big day- it is a major one isn't it? And you must admit I'm generous."

Sarah, and a man who sounded too familiar. But it couldn't be.

"..generous wh-"

"We've been over that."

"You are a delusional delusion."

There was a laugh. "I'd prove it not so, but it's really not necessary. You know that, luv."

Dawn bit her lip to hold in a gasp.

"If you must stay, want to help me go over lines?"

"How would a delusion help?"

There was a loud sigh. "Very well. You are as real as I am sane."

"Good enough. Since you are perfectly. What is it? My Fair Lady? You will be a lovely Eliza."

"Thanks. I'm sure you know what I thought of when I auditioned with I Could have danced all Night?"

"Can't imagine," he grinned. "And you still owe me for rushing out like a demented Cinderella. I do hope no one is going to be so foolish as to kiss you. What happened to young Tommy?"

"Expelled for unpleasant body odor, as if you didn't know."

But it sounded like she was laughing.

"I wouldn't have any idea, of course. Now, pet. Let's begin, or you could just decide now and be done with it.."

"Reorder time if you want to move my birthday," Sarah sighed.

But by now, Dawn was pelting towards Giles' room where he had already buried himself in a book.

"Giles!"

"I thought Buffy told you to study, " he asked.

"Well, yeah. But Sarah was in there, and busy.." she bit her lip again. "running lines... with . with Spike."

Giles' glasses fell off his nose. "What?" He had to admit, the vampire's end had been sad, tragic. And he had gotten to like the punk a bit. Just a little.

"I heard him." Tears were in her eyes. "The rat, he's cheating on my sister. He called Sarah pet, and love."

Which explained why she'd run to him, not Buffy. "If he's alive, could Anya be, to curse him with vegeance?"

"Dawn, I'm sure you misheard, it couldn't be him."

"He had that funny way of talking Spike does," Dawn argued.

"British - you mean?" Giles asked dryly, emphaisizing his own.

"Yeah. "

He debated calling Angel, demanding that he put the ghostly vampire that was haunting the law offices on the phone, but when Wes had called, Giles had promised to respect Spike's desire to keep away from Buffy until he was less spectral. Besides, could ghosts use the phone?

"Did you go in? Did you see Spike?"

"No.."

"Well then. If you see Spike, then bring him along, and I promise to thrash him soundly for putting you and Buffy through all those tears," Giles said briskly, trying to shoo her. When she did leave, he intended to make that call.

"Don't you even want to know what he said?" Dawn frowned.

"Very well. What did he say?"

So, she repeated it word for word.

"Mhmm. Aside from the endearments, didn't sound much like William the bloody. "

"Dying could change someone, Buffy didn't act like herself you know, at first."

"Right. Well, as I say, wait until you see Spike in the flesh before staking him."

Dawn rolled her eyes, but finally left, freeing Giles to make his call.

"Wes, Giles here. Is Spike still floating around? It failed, did it. Too bad. No reason, except Dawn was sure she'd heard his voice. Do you think he might've decided to - just a few minutes ago. You're looking at him right now. Can he hear- through a window. Right. No message."

Hanging up, Giles turned a troubled gaze to the wall, seeing nothing.

Dawn found no one but Sarah in her room. There was a bouquet of palest pink roses beside Sarah's bed in a crytal vase.

"Wow, who's your admirer," she tried to sound curious and enthusiastic, not bitter or suspicious.

"Oh," Sarah blushed. "Old- friend."

A sound like a laugh whispered through the room, but she pretended it hadn't.

"So, what's your boyfriend's name?" Dawn asked nosily.

"Boyfriend?" Sarah giggled. Somehow, that term just didn't quite fit. At least the boy part. "He's not."

"Really? None of my just friends send roses."

Though once she'd been called cruel, Sarah really was not. So she failed to point out most of Dawn's friends were dead.

"Is he from England?" Dawn asked.

"England?" Sarah raised her brows at this. "Were you listening?"

"Uh- no. I just came to get a book and heard you had company, so I left. "

"Oh. No, he's from- down under," she said, satisfied with that reply.

"Cool. How'd you meet someone from Australia?"

"He babysat my baby brother a while back," Sarah evaded.

"Oh. He- who?"

Well, could saying his name harm a thing? If it made him pop in, well, that was his problem. He was the one with magic. "Jareth- Kingston."

Dawn heard the slight hesitation between names, but just filed it away. She'd dive into Giles' library and see if there were any Jareths in any of the dusty tomes.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?" Dawn asked brightly.

Sarah gasped slightly. Jareth had just been pestering her about that. "Peace." Dawn blinked. "Sure, world peace'd be great."

"I doubt you can command it, even if it is your birthday," Dawn snarked. Although, her big sister had kind of endangered it for her birthday once.

"Well, then, I'll just have to be surprised. I don't want anything," the last was said with sneaky glare at her mirror. Not that he'd pay attention. He knew what she wanted, and was determined in keeping his promises. "Though reality might be a nice change," she added under her breath. There was that blasted laugh again.

Things ended there, for the moment.

When she was sure Dawn was asleep, Sarah decided to violate curfew. It was hardly the first time she'd crept out her window to the old tree with branches conveniently placed beside the window. Over time, her agility had become so neat that her 'delusion' had once commented she could rival him in bird form. Delusion or real, she needed to talk to him, and so he was already waiting for her, perched a branch above her, a figure sculpted of moonlight and leather.

"Your having a roommate does cramp things a bit, love," he noted, extending a hand to help her. A hand whose solidity she could not deny truthfully. "If only..."

Settling herself close, but not too much so, she cut his words off. "I can't. Not yet." He noted the slight change in tone with hope. "But we've got to be more careful. She heard you talking to me."

"How marvelous," the king smiled. "She heard me."

"I got that," Sarah coughed. "Okay, you win one point. But the fact remains, how would I explain you to her?"

Jareth smiled. "Trust me- love," he looked carefully to see how she'd take the word now that she admitted his reality. "She's seen much in her short life."

"Like you?"

"I dare say." His tone told her he wasn't going to tell someone else's story. How he became so polite living among the goblins was amazing.

Sarah reached out to touch Jareth's long hair. "It is a relief to believe."

"It would be ungentlemanly to say I told you so. But you did admit I was right. I do wonder, who did you think was sending all those gifts when I was nothing but a bit of starlight and fancy dreams?"

"A secret admirer seemed logical, " Sarah responde. "Perhaps vain, but logical."

"I've never made it a secret, " Jareth protested, "but ah well. I do promise to be more circumspect. My dear girl. My love. I believe that school of yours insists on examining you early tomorrow. Perhaps we could continue this in dreams so you might rest and stun them with your brilliance?"

"As if I can rest dreaming of you," Sarah smiled.

"Touche'. Will you allow me to transport you, it is a good ways down?"

For the first time, Sarah allowed her king in shining silver to fly her to her room. He did not have to become a bird either. Quietly as a shadow passing, Jareth tucked her in with a chaste kiss. Whispering so softly that he might have spoken to her mind, "Hurry, love. Come to me in your dream."

He faded when Sarah's eyes closed and she smiled.

Lost to each other, neither saw or particularly cared that Dawn had been watching beneath her lashes. Her mind raced. Was it a demon? But that thought did not seem at all right. Demons could not love, and she had seen love right there. Oh, true, Spike loved Buffy, but it was Spike, not the thing that made him a vampire that loved her sister.

Wait until she told Giles.

Dawn beat Sarah to waking the next morning. Hurrying to dress, she went in search of someone she could talk to. Buffy still patrolled, at least every other night, and so she 'd still be asleep. Waking Buffy was not pleasant. Willow- no. Since the last battle with the first evil, Willow's powers were drained. In many ways, she was once again the Willow of High school, only more assertive, less nerdy. But it seemed mean to Dawn to bring up magic or paranormal around her more than necessary. Giles was her first choice anyhow.

He was likely to be in the music room, getting a head start on the day. But once again, Dawn's soft tread got her into trouble.

Pausing at the cracked open door, she heard music coming from the studio. Not wishing to barge in, she waited until she recognized the singer.

" Giles. It sounded like something from when they'd all gone musical, and it troubled her, so she left without speaking. Xander was probably not being strange and he tended to wake with the sunrise.

Sure enough, the Xand man was hanging out in a craft room, aging a table to be on the La Mancha set.

"Hey, Xand," she called, relieved to see normal again.

"Hi, Dawn," he smiled tiredly. "What's that look on your face?"

"Have you been listening to all the Lloyd Webster stuff the freshmen are singing?" she asked.

"Webber. What are you talking about?"

"Isn't that one of the songs from that Aspects musical?"

"Close enough. But I meant, what's got you looking like you just found where Buffy hid all your Christmas presents?"

"She's already got them?" Dawn goggled at him.

"I have no idea. Stay on target Red five."

"Did Giles tell you about Spike?"

Wary now, Xander nodded. "Uh, kind of. But he doesn't think you heard dead boy the second. "

"I know that," she said, flapping a hand. He'd swear the girl'd lose her voice if her hands were tied up. "I saw the guy I thought was Spike. And yeah, he does kind of look like him, if Spike didn't cut his hair for a long, long time - hadn't I mean. But he's not. He looks older."

"Over a hundred and fifty? Scary," Xander commented, laying down his tools.

"No, I mean older like somewhere between your age and Giles'. I heard Sarah crawling out the window, bet she didn't think I did. But like, how many people have been trained and all by you know- not the S word, but you know."

"I know." Patience, talking to teens, Dawn anyhow, took patience.

"So I listened, and kind of watched, but not open eyed, just half way," she demonstrated. "I could still see, you know. "

One more 'you know' and he'd take a hammer to his own head.

"Anyhow, after a while, she came back through the window. But she wasn't climbing, she flew. Not herself, but a guy was carrying her. Like outta a movie. "

"I hope not Gone with the Wind. Your education doesn't need to go that far."

"Please. I read Harlequinn." Dawn shot him a disgusted look. "But don't tell Buffy. And he didn't climb. He was flying. Then he put her on her bed.."

"Dawn.."

"Nothing happened. He kissed her, said something, and then she went to sleep and he went poof."

"Poof like a vampire dusting?"

"No, poof like now you see him , now he's gone. Like Obi Wan after Vader went bzzt and he was struck down but became more -"

"I knew Buffy should have killed Andrew," Xander muttered.

"You started the Star Wars quotes."

"Yeah, okay. "

"And I know his name, it's Jareth. Unless she was lying. "

"So, Sarah is dating a cross between Billy Idol, Superman, and Obi Wan from the classic trilogy?"

"More like David Bowie. But at least it's not Spike."

"Being not dead is a definite advantage to dating," Xander agreed. "Although that never stopped either Spike or Angel."

"So, well, now we know."

He started to reach for the hammer, then realized she'd said we not you.

"And this is important because?"

"Spike's not cheating on Buffy."

Had he ever had such weird logic, even as a teen? He hoped not. "Told G man yet?"

She made a face. "I was gonna. But he was being weird."

Did he dare ask? Probably not a good idea, but why not? "Weird in what way? It coulda been just being Giles."

"He was singing, and it gave me the creeps. "

Xander considered, and decided that was a perfectly normal thing, being creeped out hearing G man sing. Good voice or not, it was strange. Not as strange as Dawn being a three or four year old in reality or flying rock stars. But strange.

"Okay. Had breakfast?"

She shook her head, so Xander tossed her a cereal bar. "I could nuke it so you can tell Buffy that you had a hot breakfast."

"Ugh."

Sarah met Dawn to study over lunch in Xander's workshop. Dawn was working on an art project it seemed, a look of intense concentration on her face as she sketched, leaving Xander to eat and Sarah to go over history notes.

"Xander, does this look right?" Dawn asked innocently.

The carpenter got up and went to look. "Just like him. Buffy'll like it."

"What is it?" Sarah asked, not seeing the trap being laid.

Dawn turned the sketchpad so she could see the drawing of a lanky, arrogant young man in black leather. Interesting, Sarah noted to herself. "Is it for the play?"

Dawn's face somehow both fell and lit at the same time. "No- Ms. Bates told us to draw someone who meant a lot to us that we hadn't seen for a while, something about art therapy and memory building. I drew Spike."

"Spike?" Sarah wasn't sure she'd heard right. Mike maybe?

"Nickname. He thought William was a poncey name," Dawn explained.

"I have no idea what that word means, Dawnie, but if Spike used it, you shouldn't," Xander declared.

"And it was Angel's real name, so he really didn't want anything to do with Peaches' name."

Sarah felt totally lost by now, enough so not to react to peaches.

"Dawn, ixnay," Xander hissed. Louder he went on, "Spike was her sister's - boy friend just doesn't cut it. Significant other. He uh, died in the quake. Saving our lives to boot."

"Oh, wow. "

"Ever seen anyone like him?" Dawn asked casually.

"No, can't say I have," Sarah replied. There might be a vauge resemblance to Jareth, but not so much. Lots of people wore leather, and the sketch's hair was whiter. "Was he famous?"

"Only in his mind," Xander snorted.

"He was English," Dawn added determinedly.

"I doubt Jareth knew him," Sarah remarked, cutting through Dawn's subtle probing. "He's not English."

"Dawn, if you plan on having lunch, eat," Xander told her patiently. "Sorry, Sarah. I think she had a crush on big sister's boyfriend."

"Did not."

Sarah excused herself. She had a vauge feeling like someone wanted to talk to her, and if she didn't get somewhere private, he'd just turn up.

"I think she thinks I'm Spike," Jareth told her as she entered her room.

"How-?''

He spun a crystal. "Don't worry. I do respect your privacy." For the most part. "The crystal is set to trigger if you start to get tense or afraid so I can see if you need help. Or if you think of me."

"I'll have to be careful about thinking."

"Pity."

"What do you say we have an introduction, now that you know I'm not some figment?" he asked.

Sarah raised a brow.

"It would settle things."

Her eyes swept his normal for the Underground attire.

"I can look conventional," he assured her. Glitter fell, changing him into a toned down, mortal looking fellow, but still distinctly himself.

Sarah tapped her eyes.

"Oh. Right. Have any sunglasses?"

"You can't change them?" Sarah was startled.

"Eyes can't be changed, Sarah. Unless a soul is changed. "

Inspiration hit. "Do you think you can stand contact lenses?"

He frowned. "Those things I see people standing on their head to stick in their eyes?"

Holding in a giggle, Sarah nodded. It was quite a picture he painted verbally. "They make colored ones that don't affect your sight. I could get you some, or we could say you had an accident with an automatic rice picker as a child."

"Automatic- never mind. We can attempt to use these contact things or my idea of those dark glasses."

"Wearing them indoors does not look normal," Sarah told him.

He thought of asking who ever said he wanted to, but thought better of it.

"I don't have time to hunt up a pair now, but I will," she promised. "Right now, class awaits."

"Need I remind you-"'

"Yes, I know. But waiting means less paperwork."

She looked so cute, Jareth didn't tell her that there would be no paperwork at all. "One condition and I'll let you leave."

She kissed him.

"I see you are adept at reading minds too," Jareth grinned. "I shall have to watch myself."

Then, just because he could, he kissed her, with considerably more intensity before winking out in a shower of pixie dust. Sarah noted with some dismay it sparkled in her hair, on her nose, pretty much the whole of her, and her room.

The goblins were waiting as ever. Even those dimwits could realize their king's mood had lightened considerably, and had been able to connect it to Sarah whom they all missed.

Little wonder that when Jareth appeared they began clamoring for their turn at seeing her.

Wouldn't that be a fine mess? he wondered.

Perhaps him moving to her world would work better? No goblins.

By the time Dawn re found Giles, his guitar was packed away, so she concluded it was safe to talk. "Hey, Giles," she grinned.

That alone put him on guard. Smiling teenagers usually meant something needed to be taken care of that he'd rather not deal with. "Yes, Dawn?"

"I found out a little bit about Sarah's friend.."

"The one you think is Spike?"

"She saw a picture of Spike and didn't recognize him," Dawn dismissed the thought. "But that may not mean anything. The name she gave him is Jareth, and he's from down under. So, does that mean like - hell? Anyway, I saw him, and I don't think it was Spike, but I was supposed to be asleep, so my eyes were only half open. And being dead might make Spike look different."

"Go on."

"Anyhow, I didn't show this to Sarah, because I wasn't supposed to see him. But here's a picture. He flies."

Dawn stuck a drawing under Giles' nose.

"Flies?"

"Yeah. Cool, I guess. Ever seen him in any of your old books?"

"Stop bouncing. No, it's not a familiar face or name. So we can assume he's not demonic. "

"That's good. I 'd really hate for Sarah to be hooked up with a demon. Or to have to save the world again."

"Quite."

Seeing her conversation was going no where, Dawn gave up, for the moment.

The next turn of events completely popped Dawn's bubble. Protests of being tired of saving the world aside, reality kind of bored her. Killing a zombie or vamp, unless it was Spike, or something like that would be more interesting than school, even this one. Imagining that she could prove that a monster was disguised as a disturbingly provacative guy who was after Sarah for some reason would break up the monotony.

When she came in from science class to find the senior girl entertaining a disturbingly normal looking man who had a proper visitor's pass pinned to the leather jacket slung over Sarah's bed, her dreams of potential greatness fizzled.

"Dawn, this is Jareth. He came up for family day early, " Sarah smiled with twinkling, amused eyes.

"You're related?" Dawn asked in disappointment. If he wasn't a potential slaying candidate, couldn't he be a hot romance brewing?

"Oh, not at all, except by marriage," Jareth assured her, blinking a bit excessively. The contacts bugged him. "Well, it will be by marriage," he added with a pointed look, "if someone will just-"

"Underage," she reminded him sweetly.

He shrugged. "Don't expect me to give up.

"Since when are boyfriends family," Dawn asked skeptically.

"Since he's all I've got," Sarah said quietly, sadly.

"Oh. Sorry." Dawn still missed her mother, and she'd never known Buffy's dad. Still, she did have Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles. Angel even kind of felt like family.

"Well, I hope I can make up for the lack," a touch of the king's trademark, yet charming arrogance tinged his voice.

Sarah just smiled, shylly. "I told him you wanted to meet him."

"Uh, yeah. "

"And you won't report the times I've gone around the rules to visit Sarah?" he asked with a grin.

"Uh, no. Course not. Buffy spent half her teen age years going in and out of windows..." oops.

But Jareth just nodded. "Then you can be trusted?"

She nodded, then half heartedly asked, "So, you're just an ordinary guy?"

Through the false lenses, his eyes twinkled. "Oh, now that would be going too far."

Trying to cover, partly, and because it'd been on her mind, Sarah added, "His voice alone is anything but."

"You sing?" Dawn asked, trying to be interested, and oblvious to the fact that they'd really like her to go away.

"You remembered?" he asked Sarah.

"Like I could forget!"

"Would you?" Dawn poked her nose into the conversation.

Seeing his quest to share a moment more alone before the goblin kingdom required him was thwarted unless Dawn Summers could be placated, Jareth gave in. "Sarah, may I share your song?"

"The first one."

"The second was regretful."

Hearing her ballroom song again - Sarah just fell a bit deeper in love. Yeah, she could admit it. That had never really been in question. Even when he was a figment, he was her figment, so that meant she wanted him around.

Dawn slipped out as the last falling in love sounded. She might be dense on purpose at times, but..

Still, she wished with all her heart that something interesting would happen.

You would think that knowing Anya would have taught her something about the dangers of doing that.

Even with their king absent, the goblins could hear wishes, especially when their own were mirrored. They all wanted to go see Sarah, but couldn't just go.

Nor were they completely stupid.

Going in all at once without his permission would be completely stupid.

So, they would improvise.

Jareth's good mood prevented him from noticing that one or two of his miserable subjects were absent. It wasn't like he kept a census or they all lived with him.

Xander noticed first. He saw the strangest looking rats scurrying out of his workroom. With some tools.

Willow noticed a noxious smell when one that had taken a short cut through the bog ran by her door looking for Sarah.

Giles, however, had the worst shock.

Thinking her roommate was just sleeping in on a Saturday, Sarah had gone to the theatre room hoping to practice, and maybe see him. Giles, having heard the rumors of strange beings spotted here and there, rumors that the senior faculty was covering up, had decided to see if Dawn would be interested in checking it our, given her recent blahs.

Using his emergency key when his knock was not answered, he'd found Dawn in a coma like state. With urging, she did wake, but something was off. He realized that the grayness of her face had been creeping in for sometime..

Was Buffy about to lose someone else?

It did not take long to get the fevered girl to the infirmary, but there was no help for her in such a small clinic designed more to cope with shin splints and splinters.

The ambulance's arrival had the whole campus buzzing, and sent the goblins who had found Sarah finally back home to hide at the terrible noise.

Sarah ran outside, following the sound. Just as she got close enough to see, she saw Dawn being carried on a gurney to the ambulance, her makeshift family clustered around. Mr. Giles seemed to be trying to convince Ms. Summers to come along in the car and not try to ride with her sister.

Feeling her intense fear, Jareth came at once.

The medical truck was what he saw first; his own fear almost choked him. Had Sarah been hurt? Then, he saw her, standing paralyzed with concern.

Following her gaze, he recognized Miss Impudence. Ah, that explained much, and though he did care what happened to the child, Sarah was his first concern. He had seen how reluctantly she made human friends. If this one left her, it would cripple her in a way no one but he would be able to see.

Materializing beside his beloved, the goblin king took her icy hand. "Do you know where they are going?"

"The hospital."

Without a word, his arms enfolded her and they vanished.

Whoever said 'forever is not long at all' obviously never visited a human medical care center, Jareth decided. Dawn's family was too freaked to question how he and Sarah arrived or notice that his mask of normalcy was thrown off by mismatched worried eyes. Hours passed, filled with pacing and waiting for test results. The fact that there was nothing physically apparently wrong with Dawn did nothing to comfort and everything to terrify.

Giles' frown was especially deep. He knew he should call Angel. He and Wes did have memories, albeit false, of Dawn, and were in a way family. Spike, ghost or not, cared for the girl, and would be a comfort to Buffy who was now coiled tight as a spring. He'd welcome a monster appearing to give her release. It was obvious that there was something wrong with Dawn that was not normal in this world.

He should have anticipated something like this; once the need for a Key was gone, who knows what could have already happened to Dawn.?

Tears can be a blessing; at least they were for the goblin that located Sarah in the hospital. No one that had never been to the Underground saw it. Py was one of the less stupid goblins, and had been worried about Sarah's fear. Given her foretold destiny, it needed to know she was all right.

Jareth saw it first. He slid a sidelong gaze towards Buffy's family. All seemed occupied.

He fixed his subject with a stony gaze. "Py," he whispered, "what the bog are you doing here? Don't answer. Vanish."

"A whole troupe of them found me just before," Sarah began.

Sh. The words came to her mind. They've been pestering me for their turn to visit. But they should not have been able to unless someone was wished away, unless I sent them specifically.

That would explain why there've been rumors of things wandering around campus. That couldn't affect Dawn, could it?

No. I can only hear your thoughts easily, because of our bond, but when others think loudly, I can detect bits and pieces..Your friends over there are quite vocal mentally. And with rather odd words for your world.

Odd?

It's random, but I'm hearing words like the Key, and not the type of key that opens a door it would seem. Demon. Vampire. Angel. First, Spell. I am wondering what sort of people they are.

Good ones.

Unchallenged. But they seem to have knowledge uncommon to this land. I have sensed a strangeness around them, before, rather undefined. If something from the other lands is affecting the child, perhaps one of my healers can help.

Sarah sensed he was asking her permission to expose her secret.

The fact that she knew she loved him made that okay; at worst, she'd be exposed as some sort of freak with magical connections. But all she'd have to do to escape was follow her dreams.

She nodded.

Checking first to make sure that no other goblins were lurking around, Jareth led her closer to her friends.

None of them looked up. Giles was watching Buffy's tense pacing, wary to see if she would do anything idiotic and rash. Willow, a recent convert to Kabballah in hopes of recovering something she had lost, was muttering prayers. Xander's good eye was closed, whether in prayer or just shutting out the world who knew?

"I think we can help," Jareth said softly, causing seven eyes to stare at him.

First to find his voice was Giles, bitterly laughing, "I sincerely doubt that."

Jareth bored into the other man's gaze, his one green, one blue eye afire with his full power. "Oh?"

"What are you?" Willow breathed.

"The king of a minor realm in the Tuatha raith," he said the words so quietly they might have been another projected thought, for despite the low tone, each word was clear.

"What did he say?" Xander asked Buffy.

"You all think rather loudly, and have indicated that Dawn might be ill from some non infectious cause," Jareth said carefully. "What the-" he broke off as a worm began crawling up his arm.

"'allo," it called cheerfully.

"What is going on," Jareth bit out. "Why are all my 'subjects' arriving unsent for?"

"We was sent for, yer 'ighness," Sarah's old friend protested as she lifted him from the king's arm to cup in her hands.

"Really?"

"Ai, the Key girl called for- well not us pacifically, but somat interestin'. "

Jareth nodded, then flicked one finger and the worm was sent back to his hole.

"Key girl?"

"Do you believe every worm that -" Xander began, then realized what he was saying.

"Actually, I do. My people are not liars. Idiots, but not liars. There are many types of keys. If your sister has one and misused it, it might have backfired on her."

Buffy held her tears back, barely. "Dawn doesn't have a key." Deep breath. "She is a key."

"That is not possible," Jareth argued.

"This is not a good place," Xander spoke up.

"I won't leave her, " Buffy snapped.

"If you wish to help her, you will, " Jareth told her sternly. "What can you do here?"

"I-"

"Let's just go to Giles' car and we don't have to go far, just somewhere private," Xander said reasonably.

It was cramped, but they all fit into the boatish vehicle.

"Tell me about Dawn, " Jareth commanded.

After Buffy and Giles told what they knew, he looked thoughtful. "She can't actually be a key. But one could be inside her. "

"Is that bad or good?" Willow asked.

"I can tell more when we find out more exact information."

"Most of my library was destroyed," Giles intoned glumly. "Dealing with the Wyndam Pryces on either continent is problematic."

"But worth it," Buffy insisted. "Wes isn't so bad."

"What was the hell thing's true name?" Jareth asked.

"Glorificus," Willow answered.

He nodded. "She was not a god or goddess," he sniffed. "Merely an Unseelie who had been banished to an antimatter dimension. Sounds as if she escaped it and was trying to use your world to rebuild her power. "

"Why would she want to return to an antimatter dimension?" Buffy asked.

"She didn't. She wanted to harness its power to avenge herself on the Seelie court, but of course, she had to return there to get it. Even if she had, she could not have returned to her own world. All the wards are set so that exiles who try and return are destroyed."

"What is the key then?" Giles asked.

"Tuatha power that allows a non Fey to pass between worlds. It is usually a gift, and as such harmless. If it is stolen, the consequences are dire."

"Dawn didn't want it, she didn't steal it so call it off or-" Buffy threatened angrily, stopping when his blazing eyes turned on her.

"You are mortal, foolish, and concerned about one you love, so I will excuse your foolishness. I did not say she had stolen it. I do not know how your sister gained her life or how the key was placed in her- but whoever took it forced it inside an innocent. The power is designed to be given with love, it was mixed with fear and hate. The results are inherent, not malicious."

"And the monks are all buried under a crater that was Sunnyhell," Buffy fumed.

"They could only have taken the power from one place, so it will be 'a piece of cake' to trace," Jareth dismissed. "Higgly can keep out of trouble doing that."

"Hoggle," Sarah corrected reflexively.

"No, Higgly. My archivist. Hoggle's cousin, considerably more intelligent. All the family names are somewhat alike, and they all look a great deal alike."

That explained something.

"However, how it was done is not truly relevant," Jareth went on. "I can draw out the power. The one problem will be- it has been taken, and a Fey gift can not be returned. It must be placed in someone."

"Won't they get sick?" Xander asked.

"No. It will be a proper gift. But it can not be wild and loose. Unless you wish a small bomb to effectively go off in this world. It is not a power meant for this land."

Sarah could hear the implied questions underlying his words. But it was for her to decide.

Before she could, Buffy steeled herself. "You mean whoever takes it will die, don't you? Okay. Nothing new for me, I'll do it. But Will, Xand, I stay gone this time."

"Buffy-" the two protested.

"Spike would not-" Giles began to confess.

"I did not say anyone would die, quite the opposite," Jareth cut in.

"Besides, what he meant was, would I accept it," Sarah added. "The power will change me into you won't it?"

"I do hope not. Two mes would be quite against my intentions," Jareth looked amused despite the situation. "But Fey, yes. Taking the power in love will make you one of us, forever." His words deliberately invoked the memory of their initial meeting.

"What about Dawn?" Buffy asked determinedly, a bit relieved that this was not about her for once.

"That is uncertain. Taking the power might kill her," Jareth admitted. "So will not taking it, but with more pain."

"She's in a coma-" Willow began.

"You just can't hear her screaming," Jareth said very, very softly, drawing attention to the pain lines around his eyes. "I can."

Sarah gripped his hand. "I accept. And not because of Dawn, exactly. I always meant to, once I knew you were there. But if my delay helps Dawn, then I'm glad I waited. "

"But if it'll kill her, " Buffy tearfully objected.

"That's only a chance, Buffy," Xander said. "The other way, she dies screaming."

If Xander and Willow hadn't been on either side, making escape impossible, Buffy would have bolted. Despite being hemmed in, she looked so alone.

"Buffy, there is a chance that she will live," Jareth reminded her. "Nothing like this has ever happened before. Power has been stolen before, but wrapped in an unwilling vessel, never."

"Are you sure Sarah will be all right?" Giles frowned.

"Yes. In and of itself, it is benign. Perhaps if Dawn had been asked if she wanted it, and accepted it, it would not have harmed her. But as it was.."

"How could she have been asked?" Buffy snarled. "She wasn't even born until --"

"That does not change the fact that it was forced into her," Jareth coolly informed her.

"How will this happen?" Giles asked, both curious and trying to diffuse things.

"As a royal of the Fey, it is my right to retract the power. Since it was unwillingly recieved, it will be not difficult. Had Dawn chosen to be its vessel, it would have already changed her and could not be retracted. " This was said to reassure Sarah that he couldn't get angry and try to take the gift back someday. Not that she had even thought of such a thing. "In fact, she is ill because it wants out. Her body is rejecting it. When it comes free, I will bring it into myself to infuse it with the love needed to make it acceptable, and then give it to Sarah."

"It can't go back to Dawn?" Buffy reached out, grasping at straws.

"It could, if she lives. Life or death will happen the moment it leaves her. But do you want her to leave this world? She will not need it if she lives; if she doesn't - it won't help her."

Buffy had to accept this. Bowing her head, wishing for Spike more than ever, she asked, "I want a few minutes alone with her. I - I'm not losing someone else without saying goodbye."

"Very well, but keep it brief. Every second is hell for her," Jareth said, his words honest and cruel of necessity.

"We'd all like to be able to do that," Xander added, painfully.

Giles nodded stiffly. He wanted to call Angel and Co. Both vampires would likely tear him apart if Dawn died and they had not been there for her and for Buffy. But leaving her in limbo was not acceptable either.

Jareth transported them all to the room. Sarah hung back beside him. This was private.

Willow's goodbye was brief, wordless. She just held the girl's hand for a moment, then turning away. Xander kissed her cheek, sorry he never had been able to return her crush. Giles felt as if he was losing a child, but he held onto the hope that it would come out the right way.

Buffy looked down at her sister. "I'm so sorry, Dawnie. I - I don't even know if - if you aren't real, then will I ever see you again?" Tears broke her down. "You better be real. Please."

"The monks could not create a soul, Buffy," Jareth said quietly. "However she came to be, if she dies, then her future is in His hands. She is real."

"Do it, then."

He expected her to move away, but the Slayer stayed where she was, holding one cold hand. Her other hand reached for Giles, needing someone stable.

Wordless, the Goblin king laid one hand on the child's forehead. Words in an unknown language came forth, and a green glow rose from her. Buffy's grip tightened as the glow sifted into the Fey. As it was absorbed, his other hand reached for Sarah. She was there in a second, completing the circuit as a now violet aura flowed into her. A celestial wind rang unseen chimes in the room, filled with silver light now.

Then, it was over.

Sarah opened her eyes, one was blue, one silver.

"Are you all right, love?" Jareth asked. Her answer was a kiss.

Buffy could barely see through the tears she was finally shedding for her old life, for her mother, Angel, Spike, Jenny, even that worm Warren. She almost didn't hear Giles calling her name, but she did hear,

"Buffy? What's happening?"

"D-dawnie?"

"How'd I get here?" her voice was weak, but it was there and had the power to turn Buffy's tears into ones of joy.

Giles slipped away to find a phone. Spike's conditions be damned. It was time to set all things right.

Thread ties

Despite being fully recovered, Buffy would not let Dawn leave the hospital until she was totally sure that her sister was well and had suffered no ill effects from losing the Fey spark.

This delay, combined with modern miracles and such, enabled Giles' plan to come together so that at sunset the next day, when Dawn was trying to stare hard enough at her tray to turn it into edible human fare, there came a knock on her door.

Before her trio of "watchers'' could decide who would answer it, the door swung open.

"I wonder how far Jareth can stretch the spell that lets us ignore the whole how many and when visitors are allowed rule?" Xander wondered.

"If you'd let me out, we wouldn't stretch his 'generousity'," Dawn snarked grumpily.

Buffy turned her head to mediate, then she caught a glimpse of black leather that wasn't on Jareth.

"Angel."

"You know, we really shouldn't make Jareth work so hard," Willow opined nervously. "In fact, Xander, you promised me gummy bears from the vending machine and I want them NOW."

Thus, said, she yanked him out of the room.

"I'd be glad to go with," Dawn called. "Please."

"But I came to see you, Dawn," Angel told her, coughing. "Oh, and that last phone call, I wasn't myself."

"Technically, this is our first meeting," she pointed out.

"Does this ever confuse anyone else?" he asked rhetorically. "Wes is outside bugging Giles for details. And-"

"I can make my own bleedin' intro," a disembodied voice griped before Spike appeared.

Buffy just stared. Angel would have happily strangled his 'grandson', but ghosts just don't strangle well.

"We agreed break it to them gently, Spike."

"Exactly how gently can this be broken? I'm a bleedin' spook. Buffy- Buffy?"

"If I ever get my hands on you, you will be bleeding," Angel muttered.

"Is he evil again?" Dawn asked pointing at Angel.

"Yeah, stake 'm," Spike suggested.

"Would you all shut up?" another voice yelled. "I didn't go to the hassle of curing the girl to have you undo everything."

Buffy finally reacted, as not reacting to this man was not feasible. "Hey, Jareth. Meet my exes. "

The king looked at them then at Dawn. "I'm much better looking than him, '' at once sounding remotely insulted and putting a slight damp on the building tension.

Angel still looked pained. "Buffy is he-, " then he sniffed the air. "Oh, I guess not."

Buffy hung her head, whether to hide anger, disgust or amusement was undetermined. "Jareth, if he keeps on with the smelling thing- you know that place you were telling us about -?"

"The Bog of Eternal Stench? Yes, gladly. I do owe you two."

Dawn hid a giggle, or tried to.

Buffy, ignoring smell boy went to Spike, reaching out, and having her hand pass through. "You're-"

He winced. "Yeah. Non corporeal is the technical term according to Fred. But at least I can go in the sun. It's nice. Oughtta try it sometime, Angel," he couldn't resist calling.

"Why are you two here?" Dawn asked, thinking a fight might not be fun.

"Giles called and said you had almost died, Buffy was melting down, and it was time to make everything right," Angel explained, pointedly not seeing Buffy's indignance over 'melting down'.

"And he said he'd come and thrash Peaches within an inch of his unlife," Spike put in, "if he didn't come along. I'd 'ave come on me own, but for some reason I have to have an escort," jerking his thumb at Angel, "to leave Coyote Sheep and Bambi."

That answered Buffy's next question or modified it anyway. "Why didn't you get someone to call us when you -- you"

"Started rattlin' chains in the attic?" Spike shrugged. "Didn't much want you to see me like this. Now who's fancy britches over there?"

"He saved Dawn's life," Buffy answered. "I don't understand how or any of it. But he did. " She turned back to Jareth. "But I don't know what called him here now."

"Do I need a reason?" he wanted to know. "But there is one or two. Elda, royal healer, checked out Sarah and says she's fine, but insists on seeing Dawn for herself. So if a half dwarf/half elf shows up, that's her. And my wife wished for me to explain she will not be returning to school and Giles needs a new Eliza."

"Did she happen to have an excuse for the official records?" Buffy sighed.

"Isn't marriage a good one? Oh, and I wondered if you might be willing to be regent while we have the wedding celebration."

"How long can a reception be? Cake and punch, champagne?" Buffy asked innocently.

"Not a public party," Jareth grinned.

Buffy looked furiously at Dawn. "Children present."

"Buffy, I know all about- and they are married," Dawn griped. "More than I can-"

"Nibblet," Spike warned.

"How long will you celebrate?" Buffy asked, knowing she didn't have hardly any accumulated vacation time.

"Not long, just forever. " He smiled at the private joke. "We need a bit of time, days only though to control her power surges. Not having been raised with Fey senses and gifts, - the goblins can destroy the castle without help, you see."

"Did he say goblins?" Angel asked.

"Sounded like," Spike admitted, not able to think of anything cute or cutting.

"You won't have much to do, actually, " Jareth went on. "Hoggle and Sir Didymus will help, but neither is good at authoritarianism. You would be able to do more than threaten the little hooligans with the Bog. Hoggle being in charge alone- I fear to come home with nothing but an oubliette left standing, and my two co regents hiding in it. "

"Goblins," Angel repeated.

"If he says that one more time, I'll just ship them all to his house during Sarah's training," Jareth warned under his breath. Louder he went on, "I also want to discuss wishing with the young lady- so would you three settle whatever it is in private? Dawn was lucky her wishes landed on my door; not all Fey are so generous."

"Right," Buffy said, trying to grab both of her exes' arms. It worked on one, but Spike went along anyhow.

Giles and Wes had managed to clear the visitors' area- Buffy decided not to ask how, and were deep in conversation. From the word she could catch here and there, it sounded like Giles was explaining as best as he knew how what had happened as Wes wrote furiously, inserting a question here and there.

"So, the 'power' is clear of Dawn now? I wonder do you think Buffy would let Fred run a battery of tests on her?"

"What kind of tests?" Buffy and Giles asked as one.

"Blood, radiation check, general before and after type thing."

"What before? Dawn never got sick," Buffy asked, ignoring her swains.

"Never? How unusual. The Fey power must have-" Wes began to ramble.

"Wes. One of Jareth's healers in on the way," Buffy sighed. "Nothing like Dawn has ever existed, so there's no basis for comparison." And, Angel or not, she didn't really want WR and H to have records on her baby sister. "Giles, Sarah's out of your play thing."

A look of distress crossed his face. "I suppose that was to be expected, but it's damn inconvenient. Jareth couldn't let her make-"

"Take it up with him. Boys, we need to talk." Buffy started to lead Spike and Angel to a corner.

"Sarah, yes, I'd like for Fred to run a diagnostic battery on her as well," Wes began, causing Buffy to stop.

"Wes, you will have to ask the king that, and considering how protective he is of his wife, " she smiled evilly, "I'd suggest catching a cold first. So you won't have a sense of smell."

Giles' burst of laughter covered up whatever Wes said.

"So, Spike, when did you -?" Buffy began awkwardly.

"It's been about what- a month or month point five?" Spike asked Angel.

"Give or take."

"And you can't leave Wolfram unless it"

"With 'm," Spike agreed with grim cheer. "I'd ask what I did to deserve that fate, but the list is long."

Seeing both of them there, pulled Buffy's heart. Angel would always be special, her first love, but losing a soul over it wasn't worth it. Spike was more special than she dared admit. Almost equally hopeless. Especially with the whole lacking a body thing. True, Dawn had made her sit through hours of movies like Ghost, the Ghost and Mrs. Muir, dvd's of Beauty and the Beast's first two seasons, but impossible love really had its limits in the practical side.

"I'm glad you're not totally dead," Buffy admitted. "But, this is a stalemate. The three of us would tear each other apart if I moved to LA. Even if I knew how to choose between - both of you are just not possible. The soul thing and the ghost thing. Not to mention, neither one of you will get older. I will. And Angel, I know you are trying to do good, but Wolfram is evil. Eventually, we're going to be on opposite sides."

"No, I'm working on changing th-"

"Please. I love you, both of you. But unless we can solve all these issues- working for evil, not being really human, being a ghost, the aging issue, losing a soul if you get happy, it won't work. Even if somehow you both turned into total normal guys and could grow old along with me without losing souls and being totally corporeal, how could I choose just one, and I am not into threesomes."

"Like I would be with him," both agreed.

"Too bad there can't be just one of you, but still be both of you," Buffy sighed sadly. "I'd wish it, but that can cause like so much trouble. "

At that moment, Angel looked so blue that there was little chance he'd ever lose his soul. Spike looked more copacetic. "So, this bloke that's runnin' round in the tight britches? What's he to you? Not clear on that yet."

Buffy gave him a grateful smile that entrenched Angel's soul a bit more. "Long story. Epic. Come on, I'll buy you or one of you, a coffee and try to explain."

"I've got a full latte expresso bar in the limo,'' Angel bragged. "And it is more private."

"Bleedin' show off."

Convinced that he would not enjoy his fate should he pursue the effects of Fey transfer effect thing, Wes had moved on to alternate lines of questioning with Giles, such as possible Spike recorporealization methods using Fey magic.

"Wesley, from what I can tell, Jareth operates on a wholly different system of power than we do. I would go so far as to postulate that magic is the equivalent of science in his realm, without inherent drawbacks such as we face here by importing a foreign power for human usage."

Wes looked as if he hadn't considered that. "Perhaps so, but that does not necessarily mean it could not be used to re-embody Spike."

Giles had forgotten how irritating the younger Watcher was. He now remembered.

"Wes, why don't you go ask Jareth all your questions?" he finally asked drily, hoping that Mr. Wyndam Pryce would thoroughly tick off the goblin's master.

"That might be a good idea. I have yet to meet this person, " Wes agreed. "And I would like to give Dawn my best wishes, though as I understand it - I never did meet her."

"Yes, she's much happier for that," Giles thought as he opened the door just in time to see a little old woman vanish.

"Elda says I'm a hundred percent okay, so can I go home now? This tv only gets ten channels," Dawn griped. "Or can I see Sarah? She was gone before I really woke up good. Oh, hi, Wes."

Jareth chose this moment to return, flying in through the window when Elda mentally told him it was decent to return.

"Once her control is stable, child," he promised. "Mr. Giles, did you get the message?"

"Unfortunately. Her understudy is terrible."

"But a noble sacrifice it is," Jareth assured him, tossing a crystal to the watcher. "Turn the crystal. What you see now is before Sarah returned underground. Bleak. Now the other way. After. It is returning to life. Within a year, my realm will not be the most dismal of all Fey kingdoms. One of the goblins actually had a halfway intellectual discussion today."

When Wes reached to take the crystal, he got his hand slapped.

Miffed, he adjusted his glasses and asked in a very dignified tone for a full explanation of the past few days events.

"Doesn't ask for much does he?" Jareth wondered aloud. "Dawn, I am going to tell you how you came to be, if you don't mind him listening, then he may. "

"It'll save him bugging me later."

"At some time after Buffy was born, your mother became with child again. As Buffy's destiny was already set, the monks learned she would be chosen when Glory tried to escape. You were stolen from your place below Joyce Summers' heart and kept in stasis until shortly before the Glory incident. Your memories are of what would have been. That is why taking the Fey gift did not kill you. Because you were meant to be all along."

"So, I'm real?"

"Yes."

Wes looked disappointed. "I was hoping that in your explanation would lie some solution to the Spike problem."

"It's quite simple. So much so," Jareth grinned, "that it would insult your intelligence, limited though it is, to tell you." On that note, he vanished.

By the time Jareth found Buffy alone, she'd decided to take him up on the offer to run the kingdom for a day or two, immediately if possible. Spike and Angel stirred up too much that she didn't want to deal with yet. Jareth magically produced papers giving Buffy and Dawn a family medical leave and dismissing Sarah from school.

Lacking Buffy's prescence, Spike and Angel were forced to take Wes back home, much to Giles' relief.

By the time Buffy returned, life had settled into something approximating normal. She strongly suspected Jareth's little job was nothing more than a much needed break for her, since it was a relative piece of cake. Once Jareth had his queen, the whole kingdom had begun to flourish in every way, a magic B 12 shot it would seem. The goblins were actually nearly human, still ugly, now.

Still, it was appreciated. No matter the regret she might feel at finding her exes gone when she and Dawn got home, the relief outweighed it. Impossible dreams were for - Giles' spring musical. Man of La Mancha. At least Xander was happy, the set wouldn't be too complex.

Weeks passed. Spike was ready to find an exorcist. Being totally dead had to be better than a miserable less than half life. Sunshine wasn't worth being stuck in between like he was.

Well, now, there was something that could make it better. A lovely young lady was sitting in the office he chose to haunt as his officially.

"'allo pet? Can I help you?"

Turning mismatched eyes to him, she smiled. "No, I'm here to help you, William. You and the other William."

"How--"

She vanished to reappear behind him. "Magic." She tossed a crystal in the air.

"Any relation to that soddin' tight pants back in the 'ospital?"

"Yes, he's my husband."

"You're-"

"Sarah. Formerly WilliamS, so helping two Williams is kinda serendipity. To be honest, I'm helping Buffy, not you or Angel. She and her sister did the king and queen, Jareth and I, favors. Fey pay their debts in spades. " She juggled two crystals now. "He would've come, but he feared he'd lose it and kill someone. "

"What's that?" Spike asked gesturing at the balls.

Catching them in each hand, she turned them in the light. "Crystals." Her voice laughed under her words. "Nothing more. But- if you and Angel turn them just so, you can see your dreams. That's the test."

"Test?"

"To see who is best for Buffy. We thought you'd figure it out by now- but some things are so simple they are hard. Or did we overestimate you both? No matter. Love will prevail, even in this dismal place. As much as I'd like to tear it down, I'll just be going before the temptation is too great."

Spike thought she was joking, a little girl like her tearing down stone and steel? Then he caught a flash of power in her eyes, and doubted no more.

"How will-"

"The truth will give you the answer. Give my love to them all, Will. Tell Giles I'm sorry for ruining his play. Or I would be if I wasn't so happy."

"Miss, I can't exactly pick them up. Ghost." Spike looked abashed.

"Don't be silly . Of course you can. Try." She tossed them at him, and by pure reflex, he snagged them.

"Am I - back?"

"No. But- no, that' d be telling. And it should'nt be too easy."

With a laugh, she was gone. Sarah had learnt how to be Fey well and good.

Spike took his treasure and went in search of Angel, who was meeting with Eve.

"What?"

"I broughtcha a gift, peaches," he smirked.

"What?"

"Only know one word d'ya? Just a crystal," he said, trying to imitate Sarah's presentation, failing. "But it's got yer dreams in it. And answers said the pretty lady."

"What pretty lady?" Angel pressed a button. "Harm? Who came to see Spike?"

"No visitors today, boss."

"Not a pretty lady?"

"Nope. A female Gurak came - but to see Gunn."

"She doesn't need doors," Spike answered.

"Did I say you could entertain ghosts here?" Angel snapped.

"She wasn't. Haven't ya noticed my new trick yet?" He waved the globes, then tossed one.

"It's real- are you-?"

"Fraid not, but it's nice to feel something. It was Buffy's new friend's wife," he added with a we don't discuss this with that bint around look.

"He's back?"

"Sent the Mrs. Looker. "

"So what's this do?" Angel asked.

Spike repeated his look, with a jerk of his head at Eve.

"Fine, I'm going," she huffed.

"I were you- she'd be a snack."

"Might cause indigestion. So, what is this?" Angel asked again.

"It's got your dreams in it- and this one's got mine. Don't ask what good it is, girl's not into explaining."

"Trust it?"

Spike shrugged. "Exactly how much could it hurt me?"

"Fine, be the guinea pig," Angel groused, one eye on his nemesis.

Spike hesitated, but something about Sarah was trustworthy.

Hesitating only a moment, he looked into the sphere, and saw his dreams. Pedestrian things, really. Him and her happy, in the sunshine. Little bit in the background. Right family. Even that irritating watcher was lurking in there. Guess if he ever had a chance with Buffy, he'd be in the package. It was a nice dream, almost felt real. It almost felt.

He looked up with a sad smile. "Virtual reality, I guess, maybe that's my only kind. "

Angel stared at his, but didn't really look. "Maybe later."

"Suit yerself." Spike took his orb and left.

Far away , Sarah looked into the master sphere. "Jareth?"

"He'll look. Dreams are irresistable, you should know that, love. He's afraid of the truth."

"Because it hurts?"

"Like Hell, beloved. But on the other side of that is heaven." Kissing her ear, he sighed. "Pity they got themselves into such a foolish mess. Such a pity."

Absently, Sarah finger combed Jareth's untameable locks. "I think we'll have a bit of a wait before we're needed..."

"Now, that is not a pity, my love, my lady wife."

"Sir Didymus," he called as he prepared to poof himself and Sarah away, "Watch this crystal. If the gloomy chap starts to do anything troubling, call us."

The little knight dared ask, "Troubling, sire?"

"Anything that would make Lady B want to kill him." With a half grin, he added, "But until then, silence. My lady and I need to attend to royal matters of urgent importance."

Alone in the dark, Angel turned the sphere in restless hands, not daring yet to look. His dreams. It'd been so long since he dared to dream or even could that he no longer had any idea what he'd find there. Would they be filled with Connor, his son? Cordelia? Buffy. She had to be there. Yet, all his dreams were also his nightmare. Connor had gone from a baby to an adult in a blink of an eye, literally, from loving his father to wanting to kill him. He'd given him up, and the boy didn't even know him now. It was best, but it hurt. Cordy, lost in her own dream world. He didn't know if what he felt for her was real or a cosmic trap or his own coping mechanism. Then there was Buffy, who'd moved on but not ever completely. Letting go would be smart and unselfish. But so hard. The dream orb glowed, sparkling and tempting him. He did not hear the goblins trying to urge him to look. His mind was less open than their queens' had been when they first whispered to her. They could only hope that that same queen would keep the king from pitching them headfirst somewhere unpleasant for failing in this.

Angel sighed and went in search of Lorne. Something about the green being was reassuring. The former host was zoned out in his office, headphones shutting out the world.

When Angel got his attention, he asked, "What do you know about the Fey?"

Lorne shrugged. "Not much. Kind of elitest bunch. "

"Are they evil?"

"Some, yeah. The Unseelie. The regular Fey are somewhere between neutral and benevolent. Unless you make them angry. They do have a temper. "

"Know of one called Jareth?"

Lorne grinned broadly. "Oh yeah. It's been not more than a couple of years ago that he turned up in Caritas. Down in the dumps. Some girl, literally girl, had given him the cold shoulder. So I had him sing. Great voice. When I told him just give her time and I could name his first two kids, he brough the house down- the concert's on dvd somewhere around here. Great guy."

"Not evil?"

"Nada. I had plenty of time to get a reading on him. Evil's no where in his future. Why?"

Angel tossed him the globe. "Through some pretty lady, to quote Spike, he sent ghost boy and me these, as a gift to Buffy."

"He got the girl, huh? Great. "

"So?"

"What? I know you have a happiness taboo, but no need to get suspicious of every guy who gets the girl. Trust me, kid, the long happy future I saw for him and Sarah is just what he deserves, that guy's helped more helpless kids than fifty of you could."

"I don't begrudge Jar Jar,"

"Jareth, please. If he tosses you in some kind of hole for calling him Jar Jar, it'll be justified. "

"Jareth, happiness. But what's with sending Blondie Bear and me these- for Buffy's sake?"

"The Fey work in strange ways. But I have heard of them having unghost sciences. Hear it worked in Scotland a few years ago. Maybe Spike will see a way to get corporeal again in his," Lorne seemed unconcerned.

"So he's the one for Buffy," Angel frowned.

"Maybe- right now, she doesn't really have any choice in the matter- you're cursed and Spike's lacking in so many ways."

"This could break my curse?" Angel asked, half afraid to be hopeful.

"I don't know, and if Jareth wanted you to understand, he'd tell you. That's what faith is, not understanding all the time. One warning, the Fey don't appreciate it when their gifts aren't, appreciated that is."

Thanking the host, Angel left, still not sure what to do.

Somehow, finding Jareth sitting in HIS chair didn't seem all that startling. Nor was seeing a young woman, presumably Dawn's friend, Sarah, sharing the tight space with him.

"Haven't used my gift yet, eh?" Jareth commented.

"Learned to not trust Greeks bearing gifts."

"While the love of my life has spent time in theatre, I am hardly Greek. Surely you do not fear a mere crystal?" His words were mocking, challenging.

"Why are you doing this?" Angel asked bluntly.

Patiently, as if speaking to a dimwit, something Jareth did face on a daily basis if he spoke to the goblins, he explained, "I directly benefitted from Buffy's willingness to sacrifice. Though her intent was merely to end Dawn's suffering, the result created a situation that I have been trying to effect for entirely too long. Plus, her calling does have few rewards or even acknowledgements of her work. I don't like imbalance. That is an imbalance. And I am happy. I want everyone to be happy."

Angel eased himself onto the desk edge. He'd consdired ordering Jareth out of his chair, but picked his fights for more worthwhile things. "That's just it. Happy and I don't get along."

"Fairly obvious," Jareth agreed. "I dare say you wouldn't know you were happy if it came up and bit you- or would you be the one to bite?"

"Oh, I'd know all right. So would everyone, it'd be a bloodbath," Angel returned. "Curse. One happy moment, and bang, the world becomes my buffet."

Sarah spoke up then. "Do you honestly think we would not have taken that into account?"

Thrown, Angel blinked. "You know about-?"

"Buffy still has nightmares about your last moment of happiness," Jareth said gravely. A black globe appeared, shooting off dark light until he shattered the nightmare globe.

"It wasn't the last," Angel admitted reluctantly.

"Too much information," Sarah told him.

"Do you send her bad dreams?" Angel asked dangerously.

"If I did, it would be my job to," Jareth mildly replied. "But it is not. I can see dreams and nightmares. Or walk them, but that is only for special cases. " Angel felt like a peeping Tom watching the look that passed between the couple.

"That still doesnt' answer my question- if this overgrown Christmas ornament makes me happy- then what?"

"That's where faith will have to get you across," Sarah replied, and as she did so, Angel had an image of a younger Sarah leaping down several stories to rescue a baby.

"I'm sure someone will be glad to stake you, if we are mistaken," Jareth added.

"Wonderful."

The Fey queen and king exchanged very wordy looks. Then she turned back to Angel. "Trust us- the pain you suffer can be annealed. If not for yourself, for the one you love. If you love. When I lived in denial- yes, it hurt me, but Jareth was hurt more. Don't put Buffy through what I put him through."

Then, they faded into starlight.

Angel twisted the crystal a moment before looking fully into it for the first time. Everything he could dream of wanting, his true wants, was instantly visible. Joy washed through him, but only for a moment.

Dark pleasure roared through, suffocating Angel, bringing forth Angelus.

The demon could hear someone yell, "Now," and tried to orient on the voice. Otter blood was for weak kneed ninnies, not him. Human, time for human.

But he was blinded by the light of a crystal comet hurling towards him. Unable to react in time, the vampire felt as if he was being pulled in five directions and that something was rushing into the space where his soul had been. In the false memories of Dawn, he could remember being forced to watch the Highlander series because both Summers girls thought Adrian Paul was hot. He imagined this was what a quickening felt like. There was another voice, or was it a hundred...? No, he'd never watched tv with Buffy- Joyce hated him, liked him better than..

Voices..

"Fred I thought we had that under control.."

"We did, but he just.."

"what the h-"

As his vision cleared, the man looked around, not sure who he was anymore.

"How do you feel- William?" a droll voice asked.

"What- who am I?"

"The result of Spike, also known as William the Bloody, and Angel - or Liam O'Connor, being fused and rehumanized," Sarah's cool voice replied. "You are a new being, with a lot of old memories. Someone Ms. Summers can love, without guilt or fear. Though, more of you is Spike than Angel- his soul was sent to rest, but you do have the memories left in his mind."

"That's great," Will said, half sarcastically. "But I have to put up with him for the rest of my life."

"Which him do you refer to- you're both?" Jareth laughed. "On the bright side - it's not that long a life now. Fifty, sixty years. A teardrop in the ocean of time."

"Did you go to school to get so poetic?" the man asked.

"The finest universities in the Shining Lands, thank you. And having heard your poetry- well.." Jareth shuddered.

"Care to see yourself?" Sarah asked casually, producing a mirror from the air.

The face in the glass was mostly Liam's, but the perplexed eyes were Spike's and the set to the face had more of his smart alec quality, less of the brooding.

"What now?" he finally asked. "Where do we- I go from here?"

"I'd suggest, taking time to sort out your memories then get in touch with the girl," Jareth said. "Right now, get your story straight- you're about to have to tell your friends who you are. Enjoy the sunlight."

OWN NOTHING