Return of the Key (Sequel to After you'd Gone)

Name - Return of the Key

Author- Lisi the slayer

Genre- Tragedy/SCI-fi

Summary-

The monks in the church were interrupted, their spell left was unfinished. Now it's breaking apart. Dawn begins to remember her former life as The Key, and as the spell dissolves Dawn taps into the Key's power. The Key's power is absolute, Buffy and Spike must find a way of keeping the Monk's spell together before Dawn get's consumed by her power and the world has yet another apocalypse, if that happens Buffy and the others will have no choice. They'll have to destroy Dawn.

Buffy/Spike

A Vampire's Life

"This it."

"Yeah, this is the moment. You ready Pet ?"

" I'm ready."

"Let's do this."

Spike reached out his hand, he gently pulled open the front door. Sunshine flooded in and lit up Spike's face.

A smug smile appeared on Spike's flawless face and Buffy felt a warm fuzzy feeling surge through her at seeing Spike so happy, it was rare moments but those moments were Buffy was sure, one of the most beautiful moments in her life.

Well actually now it would be my un-dead life ?

Smiling she grasped Spike's hand tightly.

" I told you."

Spike looked down at her confused.

" Told me what Pet ?"

" That you could be a better man."

Spike's features softened and a tinge of sadness came upon them as he remembered the incident in Buffy's Cellar.

" I never could have done this Buffy, not without you."

Buffy shook her head.

" Your a better man because you can be, you went out to Africa and got your soul back on your own. You risked everything to be a better man. You did this all on your own."

Spike felt a huge rush of emotion and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ears.

" I'm glad your hair's grown back love. I love it like this."

Buffy smiled at him.

" I know. It's why I cut it. I cut it to hurt you."

Spike didn't know what to say, not till he saw guilt build up in Buffy's eyes.

" Then you grew it to please me Luv."

Buffy looked back up at him, tears of happiness gently rolling down her cheek. Spike moved towards her, Buffy moved towards him, her arms wrapped around his neck, bracing her self for an earth-shattering kiss...

" GET A ROOM ! Some of us actually have places to be !"

Dawn barged past Buffy and sent Buffy knocking sideways into Spike's chest. Spike frowned at Dawn.

" Dawn ! Get back here !"

Buffy shook her head at Spike.

" Leave her Spike, she's right. She's got to get to school."

" The little Bit been acting off a lot recently."

Buffy sighed and fingered the ring she now always had to wear.

" I know, she's teenager Spike. Bet she's got nothing against you in your teenager days, that's if you can remember that far back."

Spike rose an eyebrow.

" You saying i'm old Pet ?"

" What if I am ?"

" Oh for God sake ! I'm beginning to feel that Dawn was right. Please get a room, or in your case Buffy, get to work."

Buffy pouted playfully at Giles.

" Slave-driver."

Giles went to say something but Buffy stopped him.

" All right All right ! I'm gone."

And she closed the door behind her, leaving the two englishmen alone, with eachother. Giles sighed, took off his glasses and cleaned them, before putting them back on and surveying Spike harshly.

" You two have been incredibly selfish."

Spike shrugged and looked at Giles uninterested.

" Really, is that before or after I died to save your ungrateful hides ?"

" Don't play games with me William !"

Spike was taken back slightly by the use of his real name.

" William now is it ? Kinda reminds me when Red's spell went wonky. Randy Giles ! to think I thought you were my father !"

Giles looked at him seriously.

" How does Dawn fit into all this William ?"

" Ok first of all you can stop calling me William, secondly what the bleeding hell are you going on about ! Of course she fits in, she's little bit."

Giles rose an eyebrow.

" Little bit ? How exactly does that make her fit in ?"

" Look here Rupert don't you start getting all accusations ! Dawn's is Buffy's sister, she's like a daughter to me, she doesn't need to do anything to fit in. She's in already."

Giles surveyed Spike closely before letting out a weary sigh.

" I looked up to you know, I still hated you of course and would have killed you in a heartbeat mind, but I still admired you. You had all the answers, the whole gang relied on you. You were their pillar of support. There's a lot of similarities between you and I, we're both leaders, we're not one to just follow. But the difference, the thing between you and me is I know my place. I know when I become unimportant, when I'm no longer useful. And I hate to break it you Rupert but High school is over. Buffy's a big girl now."

Giles looked at Spike surprised.

" I care for them. I love them. Too much so just to leave, so if that's-"

" It's not. To be frank you and I have never been the best of pals but we've not been the of worst enemies either. I've saved your hide a few times and to be true it's nice to have a fellow Englishman among the American. I'm not forcing you out, am just saying your not headquarters anymore. Gang's out of your control mate. It's time to take the back seat. And don't worry about Dawn, we're going to have a chat as soon as she get's back."

At rendering Giles speechless Spike nodded curtly and turned to leave, Giles gripped his arm and Spike slowly turned around.

" I'm not going to be around much longer."

" Oh I don't know, there's still a few kicks in you yet."

" William be serious !"

" Will you stop calling me Will-"

" Your going to make Buffy happy. Hell will freeze over before I call any Son in law of mine Spike. I'm entrusting them to you William. I'm trusting your look after them, all of them and when a decision has to be made your make the right one."

Spike looked at Giles worriedly.

" Rupert ?"

" I want you to promise me, promise to me as your future father in-law that your protect them."

" I promise. With my life, f-f-father in-law "

As soon as he said father in law the door opened.

"O MY GOD ! GILES ! YOU'VE FINALLY EXCEPTED HIM "

Buffy ran from the doorway and flung herself into a hug with Giles.

" It means so much to me, to us."

Giles smiled at Buffy and then looked over her shoulder to Spike, a question is his gaze. Spike nodded and told him.

With my life, father.

Dawn watched the whole scene of tenderness and felt tears sting her eyes.

What about me ? No how was school today Dawn ? Or how you feeling Dawn ?

Unable to bear it any longer she pushed past a unsuspecting Spike who then tripped and fell and stomped to her room.

" DAWN GET THE BLEEDING HELL DOWN HERE !"

Hey

What do you think of the first chapter, incase any of you are confused Spike's already asked Buffy to marry him, Giles has only just accepted him and agreed to hand her away. Dawn feels neglected and is bitter about it. Please review !