" What're you doin'?" " Previously on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer":" " Your mother's dead." " She just wouldn't believe me." "Oh, God." " I still don't think she does." " I'm not real." "You're the Key." "Go." "Before she finds you." "She's here." "Buffy, you're here." " You all right?" " Yeah." "Did you find something?" "This one." "It's a fine choice." "It speaks of your deep feeling for the deceased." " You don't like it?" " No, it's not that." "It's just, what if Mom..." "What if she'd like something else better?" " Dawn..." " I mean, how do we knowfor sure?" "She's the one who has to be in it for ever." "Dawn, maybe it wasn't such a good idea you coming along." "It's fine." "It's..." "I'm serious." "You shouldn't have to deal with this stuff." " If you'd like a few more minutes to decide..." " No." "It's done." "It's fine." "OK?" "OK." "...prices in different florist's." "And the funeral home seems to be fairly competitive." " Let's just go with that." "It's simpler." " What colour flowers?" " White?" "They're nice." " Yeah." "What about an announcement?" "People are gonna expect a wake after the burial, unless we say something." "We could say in the programme your mother preferred not to have one." " There's no wake?" " Mom didn't like them." "She said that potlucks are depressing enough as it is." "She said that?" "When?" "Right before she went in for the operation." "We had a talk about what she wanted, in case..." "She never said anything to me." "I'm sure she just didn't wanna upsetyou, Dawnster." "You'd better get working on that dinner." "You've barely touched it." "You really should eat something." " Why should I?" "You're not." " This isn't about..." "I'm all phoned out." "Will you?" "Unless it's my dad." "Of course." "Hello?" "Yes." "Yes, they did." "Thank you." "The funeral is at three tomorrow." "Do you knowthe Brown Brothers' mortuary?" " Can't believe he still hasn't called." " Your dad's still AWOL, huh?" "The number he left for us in Spain is no good, and I've left messages everywhere." "How about a line that says "After the burial there will be no wake"?" "Or "gathering"?" ""At the request of Joyce there will be no gathering"?" "That sounds lame." "What are we gonna do?" "After, I mean." "Are we just gonna come back here?" "I don't know." "I guess so." "How about "At the request of the family, there will be no wake"?" " Good, yeah." " I don't wanna be here." "Do you put it at the top, or just a small line at the bottom?" "Can I go to your place tomorrow?" " Tomorrow?" " After everything." "Well, maybe you and Buffy should..." "I don't mind." " Can I?" " Huh?" "Can I go to Willow's tomorrow after the service?" "If you want to." "I guess so." "I'll get my sleeping bag out of the attic." " You goin' home?" " I'm gonna stop by my mom's first." " Been doing that a lot lately." " Yeah." "I might stop by your mom's too." "Well, I'm not going to my place." "Those people are scary." "Speaking of..." "You have got to be kidding." " I'm not going in." " And you're not leaving those." "You think you'll score points with Buffy this way?" " This isn't about Buffy." " Bull." "We're all hip to your doomed obsession." "They're for Joyce." " Like you care about her." " Guys, guys, not here." "Care?" "Joyce was the only one of the lot of you that I could stand." "And the only one with a daughter you wanted to shag." "I'm touched." "I liked the lady." "Understand, Monkey Boy?" "She was decent." "She didn't put on airs." "She always had a nice cuppa for me." "And she never treated me like a freak." " Her mistake." " Think whatyou want." "Unbelievable." "The guy thinks he can put on a big show and con Buffy into being his sex monkey." "Xander, he didn't leave a card." "We commend to Almighty God our sister, Joyce Summers... and we commit her body to the ground." "Earth to earth... ashes to ashes... and dust to dust." "The Lord bless her and keep her." "The Lord makes his face to shine upon her and be gracious to her." "The Lord lift up his countenance upon her and give her peace." "Dawn's ready to go." "Can we take her with us?" "Yeah." "She should probably get outta here." "What aboutyou?" "We can wait if you want." "I'm fine." "Thank you." "I'm sorry." "I couldn't come sooner." "Oh, Dawn." "I wish I could help more." "The only thing is, it'll get better." "I promise." " You don't knowthat." " Sure she does." "We're witches." "We know stuff." "What?" "Life goes on, and I forget Mom?" "Is that whatyou're saying?" "Not forget, no." "I..." "You..." "You make a place for her in your heart." "It's sort of like she becomes a part of you." "Does that make sense?" "Dawn..." "We don't have to talk about this now." "You could just go to sleep." "No." "I don't wanna sleep." "OK." "We can just sit, or whatever you want." "Good." "Cos I know - what I wanna do now." "Great." "What are you up for?" "You guys are witches, and you do magic and stuff." "You want us to teach you something?" "Like a glamour?" "Or I could make a stuffed animal dance." "I wanna do a spell." "I wanna bring Mom back." " That was different." " Yeah." " It was more intense." " It's because of Joyce." "Right." "Huh?" "Well, she got me thinking - about how people die all the time, and howthey get born too, and how you kind of need one so you can have the other." "When I think about it that way, it makes death a little less sad and... sex a little more exciting." " Again, I say "huh?"" " I just think I understand sex more now." "It's not just about two bodies smooshing together." "It's about life." "It's about making life." "Right, when two people are much older, and way richer, and far less stupid." "Breathe." "You're turning colours." "I'm not ready to make life with you, but I could." "We could." "Life could come out of our love and our smooshing, and that's beautiful." "It all makes me feel like we're a part of something bigger." "Like I'm more awake somehow." "You know?" "Yeah, I do." "Of course you wanna bring your mother back, and I wish we could, but it's not possible." "Why?" "You guys do magic for all kinds of things." "We do, but..." "This is different." "Magic can't be used to alter the natural order of things." "But all you do is mess with the natural order of things." " You make things float and disappear." " But we don't mess with life and death." "Dawn, I know how bad you hurt." "You don't." " They put her in the ground." " They did, and it's awful and unfair." "But this isn't the way." "I'm not even sure it's possible, Dawn." "I mean, I've seen things on resurrection, but..." "There's books and stuff." " I guess the spells backfire." " That's not the point." "That's not the point." "The point is, it's bad, because..." "Because witches can't be allowed to alter the fabric of life for selfish reasons." "Wiccans took an oath a long time ago to honour that." "So it's possible?" "To bring someone back?" "They wouldn't have taken an oath if they didn't knowthey could do it." "Maybe they could, but we can't." "She's right, Dawn." "It's too dangerous." "You said you wanted to help me." "Dawn..." "The funeral was..." "It was brutal." "But it's tomorrowthat I'm worried about." "What's tomorrow?" "That's exactly what I don't know." "Up until now, I've had a road map." "Things to do every minute, having to do with Mom." "Tomorrowthe stuff of everyday living resumes." "And everybody expects me to know howto do it, because I'm so strong." "You just need some time." "I'm sure everybody understands that." "Time's not the issue." "I can stick wood in vampires, but Mom was the strong one in real life." "She always knew howto make things better, just what to say." "Yeah." "You'll find your way." "I mean, not all at once, but in..." "I don't know." "I keep thinking about it - when I found her." "If I had just gotten there ten minutes earlier..." "You said they told you it wouldn't have made a difference." "They said "probably" wouldn't have made a difference." "The exact thing they said was "probably"." "I haven't told that to anyone." "Doesn't make ityour fault." "You couldn't have done anything different." "I didn't even start CPR until they told me." "I fell apart." " That's how good I am at being a grown-up." " Buffy..." "And it'd be OK if it was just me I had to worry about." " But Dawn..." " Look, it's OK." "I know you don't feel like it now, butyou are strong, Buffy." "You're gonna figure this out." "And you have people to help you." "You don't have to do this alone." "It's gonna be light soon." "I can stay in town as long as you want me." "How's for ever?" "Does for ever work for you?" "That's a bad idea." "I'm seriously needy right now." "Let me worry about the neediness." "I can handle it." "I told you." "You'd better go." " I'm sorry." " No." "I'm so grateful thatyou came, Angel." "I didn't think I was gonna be able to make it through the night." "Well, we still have a few more minutes until I have to go." "Good." "Good." "Tell my sister I'm sick of running into her Jawa rejects." "She bade me come to you." "The news of your relationship with the Slayer..." "We don't have one." " You attempted to court her, did you not?" " You're more fun when I hityou." "It's just, Glory would like to encourage this interest of yours in the Slayer." "It might lead to more information about the Key." "And why would I share that with the Most Unstable One?" "Time is running short, sir." "Every momentyou fight Glory, you're only fighting yourself, you see?" "Fine." "Let the best me win." "Let Glory understand this:" "I won't help her find the Key." "I would never do that to an innocent..." "An innocent?" "The Key?" " Interesting choice of words." " That's not what I..." "I understand." "Sorry to bother you." "I'll leave." "You understand what?" "When I said "innocent" I didn't mean that the Key is..." " It's not a person." " Of course not." "You're gonna tell her, aren'tyou?" "Do you know what'll happen if she finds the Key?" " How many people will die?" " I heard nothing." "I can't let that happen." "Don'tyou see?" "I can't." "We're heading down to breakfast." " I'm not hungry." " OK." "It's just, we have class after that, and I didn't know if you want to go home, or..." "I was gonna sleep some more." "Giles said he'd pick me up whenever." "OK." "Great." "Sure, hang out." "I have a break around lunchtime." "I can come back." " I might not be here." " Well, I'll try my luck." "Take care, Dawn." ""Age of Levitation."" ""War of the Warlocks."" ""Resurrection:" "A Controversy Born."" "You don't have to do that, Dawn." "Just relax." "Yes, sit down." "We have some very amusing chicken feetyou can play with." "That's OK." "Don'tyou watch television?" "I thought all children despise effort and enjoy cartoons." "I like being useful." "It keeps my mind off things." "Then useful you shall be." "I can always use a hand." "Butyou have a hand." "A paid hand." "A hand that isn't the hand of illegal child labour." "Anya." "But of course, it's wonderful that you find doing my job so distracting." "I am unthreatened." "Proceed." "Yes, carry on, Dawn." "Is there anything I should know, like off-limits stuff?" "Willowtold me that some of the books and things are kind of dangerous." "Quite right." "But they're all labelled and kept off the floor." "Most of our more potent texts and potions are all up there." "If anyone asks you about anything in that area, just come and get me." "OK." "Anything else?" "If you like, I could teach you howto workthe cash register." " You can ring up sales." " Cool." "Ring up sales?" "With the money?" "She gets to fondle the money?" " Customer." "Hello, customer." " I'll just be a moment." " I'll help you." " No problem." "Dawn." "Do you want to watch this transaction thatAnya's doing?" "Then I'll letyou try." "You got it." "I hope it's just dirtyou're after." "If the spell calls for anything more, you're into zombie territory, and that's bad news." " Spike, I wasn't..." " I know good and well whatyou're up to." "That book you've got is infamous." "Please, don't tell Buffy." "I just..." "I have to get her back." "I have to." "I'm not gonna tell, little bit." "I'm gonna help." "I've never used this bloke's services, but there's talk." "Word is, he knows everything there is to know about resurrection spells." "Come on, now." "No worries." "You don't have to be all nice to me." "I know why you're doing this." "Do you, now?" "Enlighten me." "Spike, I'm not stupid." "You're, like, stalking my sister." "You'd do anything to get in good with her." "Buffy never hears about this, OK?" "Found out, she'd drive a redwood through my chest." "Then, if you don't want credit, why are you helping me?" "I just don't like to see Summers women take it so hard on the chin, is all." "And I'm dead serious." "You breathe a word of this to Buffy," "I'll see to it thatyou end up in the ground." "Got it?" "Yeah." "Got it." "Where is he?" "He should have been back hours ago." "I'm sure Jinx is on his way, Your New-And-lmprovedness." " He's most loyal to..." " He'd better be loyal." "Jinxie?" "Oh, no, no." "Mind the rug, honeys." "Blood's a bitch." "Was this the Slayer?" " I'll pull her wings off." " No." "It was Ben." "Ben?" "Ben?" "Oh, God, you pointless, stupid lump." "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you." "The Key." "He told me." "The Key?" "What about the Key?" "He indicated that it was a person," "Most Highest You." " The Key's in human form?" " I believe so, Good One." "Jinx, you robed stud, you're my man." "I'm even gonna letyou slide on the lame toadying, on account of your dying and stuff." "So, the Key's all secreted away in a flesh wrapper." "This narrows the search in a serious way." "We didn't have a clue." "It could have been a log or a bicycle pump or whatever." "Am I right?" "Get him fixed." "I wanna hear the whole story again without all that annoying moaning." "This place belongs to a magic guy?" "It smells like Grandpa." "Anybody home?" " I know you." " I don't think so, mate." "No." "You're that guy, that guy, hangs around down at the corner mart." " Big into dominoes, aren'tyou?" " Can't say I am." "We came here because..." "That's crazy, isn't it?" "I mean, I'd swear you were that guy." "I mean, your hair's a different colour and you're a vampire, but other than that..." " Maybe we should just go." " No." "Now, just because the lights are dim doesn't mean the juice is all gone." " What can I do for you?" " This one's mum kicked it a few days back." "I'm so sorry." "We were wondering what's to be done about it." "Heard you were the one to ask." "No, no, that's..." "You don't wanna mess with that." "I know some tonics." "They can make the grieving fly by..." "I don't want any tonics." "Either one of you witches?" "Got any experience with spells of this magnitude?" "Didn't think so." "Your mother's a good candidate, at least." "Strong DNA." "Right." "I've gathered some ingredients." "But the spell I found..." "There's things on it I don't understand." "We've got the Ghora demon standing between you and success." " That's the translation you were missing." " Ghora." "I've heard of those." "They local?" "Yeah." "They like to stick close to the Hellmouth." "Egg of the Ghora gives life." "It's key to the spell." "Can you buy it, this egg, or..." "If it was as easy as making an omelette, everyone would try it." "No." "You have to steal the egg from the nest of the demon." " And the Ghora won't be happy about it." " Where do we find this demon?" "First things first." "We'll need an image of your mother." "A photo, a painting." "No problem." "Once you get all the ingredients together, put them in the centre of a sacred circle with the photo of your mother." "Then, say this incantation three times." "She won't appear, you know, poof!" "It'll take a while, but she will come to you." "Got it?" "Got it." "Anything goes wrong, the only way to reverse the spell is to destroy the image of your mother." "Understand?" " I'll do it right." " It's a tricky spell, girl." "I can't say for sure your mother will come back exactly like she was." "Sometimes these things get a little off." "But she'll still be my mother." " Won't she?" " More or less." "Good." "Good." " And the Ghora?" " Oh, right." "Sorry." "Go in the sewer entrance near Tracy Street." "The opening's on the left." "Can't miss it." "Just followthat down." "No, no." "Keep your money." "Thank you." "You just keep in touch now." "Let me know how it goes." "I will." "It's here." "Just like he said." "So, at least we knowthe old coot isn't completely daft." "Look, you better let me snatch this egg thing on my own." "No way." "I'm going." "No, you are not." "I've got no idea what's down there." "You need me, Spike." "Somebody's gotta get the egg while you distract the Ghora." "Now, come on." "Well, what do you know?" "Bitty Buffy." " Doesn't look so bad." " Wait till it wakes up." "That's usually when the bad starts." "I can't get to the eggs unless it moves." "No way." "I'll make it move." "You just be ready." "Ghora." "Heads up." "Right." "Heads it is." "Over here, triptych." "If that's the bestyou can..." "Dawn." "Get away from her." " Missed me." " Spike, come on." " Leave it." " I can't." "Mom." "It's too dangerous, and I haven't got a weapon." "Dawn." "Get away from her." "Missed." "Come on, basset." "Spike." " Sorry." " Did you get it?" "Don't be sorry, then." "Osiris, giver of darkness, taker of life, god of gods, accept my offering." "Bone, flesh, breath." "Yours, eternally." "Bone, flesh, breath..." "I beg of you, return to me." "What did I have for breakfast this morning?" "Do you remember?" "I wanna say bagel, but I thinkthat was yesterday." "You had two eggs, sunny-side up." "I remember, because they were wiggling at me like little boobs." "Sassy eggs." "What are you writing this for?" "My journal." " That's new." " Yeah." "I figured, life goes by so fast, if you don't write stuff down, it just gets lost." " And I wanna remember." " Down to every last bagel." "Down to every last everything I do with you." " What?" " What happened to History of Witchcraft?" "I..." "It isn't there?" " Dawn must have taken it." " No, she didn't." "Did she?" "This is bad." "This is really bad." "But it's just a history book." "It might answer some of her questions." "I don't think she could do any harm with that stuff." "It's not a how-to guide, but it refers to specific resurrection spells and potions." "But I didn't..." "I mean..." "How'd she knowthat?" "I don't know, but..." "God, what else did she take?" "Nothing." "I..." "I think." "I..." "I think she took nothing else." "But maybe she did, and we should probably look." "Because who knows?" "I..." "I don't." "No, we can't waste time on that now." "We don't know what she's up to." "We have to call Buffy." "Now." "Hello?" "Bone, flesh, breath, yours eternally." "Bone, flesh, breath," "I beg of you, return to me." "Dawn." " What have you done?" "What have you done?" " She's coming." "She's coming home." "Dawn." "Dawn." "You have no idea whatyou're messing with." "Who knows whatyou actually raised?" "No, I know." "It'll be her." "No." "Tara told me that these spells go bad all the time." " People come back wrong." " She won't." "He told me her DNA..." " Who told you?" "Who helped you?" " Nobody." " Let me go." " You have to stop it." "Reverse it." "No." "Dawn." "You knowthis is wrong." "You know you can't let this happen." "Not to Mom." "But I need her." "I don't care if she..." "I'm not like you, Buffy." "I don't have anybody." "What?" "Of course you do." "You have me." "No, I don't." "You won't even look at me." " It's so obvious you don't want me around." " That's not true." "Yes, it is." "Mom died, and it's like you don't even care." "Of course I care." "How can you even thinkthat?" "How can I not?" "You haven't even cried." "You've just been running around like it's been some big chore or something." "Cleaning up after Mom's mess." "Oh, my God." "Dawn..." "I've been working." "I've been busy, because I have to..." "No." "You've been avoiding me." "I'm not." "I have to do these things cos... cos when I stop, then she's really gone." "And I'm trying." "Dawn, I am really trying to take care of things, but I don't even know what I'm doing." " Mom always knew." " Nobody's asking you to be Mom." "Well, who's gonna be if I'm not?" "Huh, Dawn?" "Have you even thought about that?" "Who's gonna make things better?" "Who's gonna take care of us?" " Buffy..." " I didn't mean to push you away." "I didn't." "I just..." "I couldn't letyou see me." "Oh, God, Dawnie..." "I don't know what we're gonna do." " I'm scared." " Buffy..." "Mommy?" " Buffy." " Mom." "Dawn." "It's OK." "It's OK." "Ripped by thewildbunch22" "ENGLISH"