Latter Days- Chapter 31
And we're in England.
Previous parts can be found here.
Chapter 31: New Council Headquarters, Bath, England
“…We have received word from the Brachen that the darkness is growing here as well. A number of them have been badly beaten, and a young one has been killed by demons bent on welcoming the darkness. We do not have the manpower to offer them full protection, and so I’ve granted sanctuary to any who want to come here. It should be an interesting transition…” ~Excerpt from an email from Rupert Giles to Willow Rosenberg
“I’m going.” Dawn ignored the young Brachen demon sitting in the other chair. She’d met Johnny the last time he’d come to Bath, and she really liked him; she knew what Spike would have done if he were here, and she wasn’t about to let Giles shirk his responsibilities.
Giles sighed. “Dawn. We’ve been over this.”
“No, you’ve been over this. I’ve listened to what you had to say, and I don’t agree with you.” Dawn sat back down, knowing that she had even less chance of Giles listening to her if she sounded at all hysterical. “They can’t all come here, and you know it.”
He shook his head. “It’s as much as I can do, Dawn.” Giles glanced at Johnny. “I truly am sorry, but our most experienced warriors are on the other side of the world. Spike is in Africa with our best, Buffy’s in Brazil, and-”
“What about Erna?” Dawn pressed.
“The Hellmouth in Munich is one of the few places that isn’t on the verge of destruction.” His tone was beginning to take on an exasperated edge. “I don’t want to risk having it open while the Slayer is away.”
“Then that leaves me,” Dawn replied with perfect logic. “Even if the Brachen send the young, the old, and the sick here, they’re going to need help, and Spike promised. We owe them.”
Dawn didn’t dare look at Johnny to see how he was reacting to her argument. She knew that she was putting Giles on the spot by bringing it up in front of the same person who was requesting their aid, but it was the principle of the thing-and she’d already said as much.
“We appreciate the offer of sanctuary,” Johnny said softly. “Truly. If that is all you can give us, we’ll take it. Just knowing…”
Giles pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose wearily, and Dawn knew she’d won. “It’s a stop-gap measure,” the head Watcher finally said. “You realize that.”
“It-it isn’t, actually.” Johnny sounded hesitant. “There may be something else we can do for you.”
“Unless you’re talking about a magic ring that will bring back the balance and ensure good triumphs over evil, I very much doubt that.” Giles sounded extremely short, and Dawn shot the Brachen an apologetic look.
Johnny shook his head. “I’m afraid not, but this isn’t the first time we’ve had to deal with this sort of menace. It arose before in Los Angeles. Doyle was the one to stop them. He was one of us, and the story got around.”
Dawn had no idea what story Johnny was talking about, and judging from the expression on Giles’ face, he didn’t either. If the situation was anything like what they were facing right now, however, it meant big, nasty demons killing every demon who was helping them, or who had a drop of human blood.
“I don’t understand.” Giles wasn’t even looking at them anymore. He was sorting through the papers on his desk, as though he would find the answers he sought there.
“The key is to get them all in one place, right? And then get rid of them?”
Dawn was beginning to get excited. “Like, if we had something they really, really wanted?”
Johnny grinned. “Exactly. And then we could bring the roof down on them. Or something else just as heavy.”
“Now that’s what I call an excellent idea.” Miriam spoke from behind them, and Dawn turned in her chair to see the head of the coven enter the room on bare feet. She often wondered how the woman managed to get around without alerting anyone to her presence, and the only explanation she could come up with was “magic.”
“You are not encouraging this.” But Giles’ tone was weary and didn’t back up the vehemence of his words. “Who are you thinking of sending?”
“I have a few coven members who would be more than willing to help. The rest will be needed shortly, but this shouldn’t be a task that requires power, just cunning.”
Giles sighed. “And the bait?”
Miriam’s gaze focused on Dawn. “What would be more attractive than the idea that the key to opening all portals to all dimensions is ripe for the taking?”
Dawn frowned. “But I’m not the Key anymore.”
Miriam smiled mysteriously. “No, but the existence of the Key is common knowledge in the demon world. The idea that we have it would be too much to resist.”
~~~~~
“You did not send her to London.”
Giles had to admit that he was relieved to be able to honestly say that he hadn’t acceded to Dawn’s demands that he send her to London to help the Brachen. “No. Miriam rightly pointed out that we couldn’t risk her falling into the wrong hands if it turned out that she is still the Key. The fact that Miriam was ready and willing to send four coven members didn’t hurt, and there were a couple of Watchers she deemed ready to help as well.”
The two Watchers he’d sent were young-too young, really, but he’d sent Rory and Whit to South Africa, and they weren’t much older.
“Have you heard from Spike?”
“Not yet, but I’ll be sure to tell him to call you first thing,” Giles replied. “I imagine he’ll call shortly.”
“Okay.” She sounded both reluctant and resigned, and Giles knew exactly the look that she’d have on her face.
“How is everything there?”
“Not great,” Buffy admitted. “Losing Gracia hit the Slayers pretty hard. I mean, we’re…”
“Used to it?” he suggested when she trailed off.
“That sounds horrible.”
“Yes, it does.” Giles didn’t make excuses for that, but he never forgot that they had been fighting a war for a very long time now-however unconventional it might be. Not forgetting that fact was part of being a Watcher. “I’m sorry that I have to ask you to stay, Buffy.”
“I get it. I might not like it, but I get it.” She sighed. “Tell Spike to call as soon as he can.”
“Of course.”
They said their goodbyes, and Giles hung up the phone to find Miriam sitting across from him. “When did you get in?”
She had gone back to the coven, taking Harry with her, to talk to the witches they would be sending to London and to judge how much space they had available to take in the Brachens seeking shelter.
“Just a few minutes ago. I needed to talk to you.”
His heart sank. “So soon?”
“Yes. I’m afraid so.”
Giles leaned back in his chair. “Have a seat.” He knew what she was talking about; they had spoken of this eventuality a month before, when Miriam had first realized that there were certain events that could not be avoided. “What is the next step?”
“Buffy is staying in Brazil?”
“She is.”
“Spike will need to go to Los Angeles.”
“Buffy is not going to like that.”
“At the moment, it doesn’t matter what she does or does not like,” Miriam replied. “You know that as well as I do.”
“I just want to know that this is the best solution. When Buffy finds out, she’s going to believe that I’ve betrayed her.”
Miriam’s expression was sympathetic. “Let me worry about that.” She looked at the phone. “That will be for you.”
When it started ringing, Giles grimaced, annoyed. “I really wish you wouldn’t do that.”
“Does it bother you?” she asked innocently.
He sighed. “Yes, which is exactly why you do it.” Picking up the phone, he said, “Giles here.” The voice on the other end was familiar. “Ah, Wesley. It’s good to hear from you again.”
~~~~~
Nora stood at the door, just behind Talia. The older girl had insisted that because no one ever told them anything, this was the only way they could find out what had happened to Spike.
Rose shifted from foot to foot behind her. “I don’t think we should be doing this.”
“Shut up!” Talia hissed. “If you didn’t want to come, you didn’t have to.”
“Sshh.” Nora was still trying to listen. The only thing she’d been able to hear was that Spike had made it, since that’s who Giles was apparently talking to on the phone.
She just made out Giles saying something about Los Angeles, and frowned. What did Spike have to do with Los Angeles?
“What do you three think you’re doing?”
Nora straightened guiltily, looking up to see Oliver leaning on his crutches just a few feet away.
“Rose! You were supposed to be looking out.”
Rose blushed, but she didn’t look terribly sorry. “I didn’t see him.”
Oliver raised his eyebrows. “That’s enough. I’m sure you three have somewhere else to be.” He glared at Talia especially. “Off with you now, before I find something for you to do that you won’t like.”
Talia and Rose didn’t have to be told again; Oliver had a tendency to find things that involved lots of large, boring books-but Nora needed to know. She knew that Buffy wasn’t coming back for a while; she had to know about Spike.
“Well?” Oliver asked.
“I don’t care,” she said stubbornly. “I have to find out about Spike.”
His face softened, and he leaned forward, putting a friendly hand on her head. “Knock, then.”
Nora stared at him, then squared her shoulders and knocked. The head Watcher intimidated her like no one else did. He was in charge, and he didn’t seem to like her much. Not even dinner with him and Miriam had taken the edge off.
“Come in!”
She opened the door cautiously. “Mr. Giles?”
His eyes widened, and he waved her to a seat across from him. “I see. Yes, well, I can understand why you would be concerned about that, but I trust that you will focus on the larger goal.” Giles looked at Nora. “There’s someone here that would like to talk to you, if you have a minute.”
Nora took the phone when he held it out and pressed it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Nora-luv?” Spike sounded tired, but not unwilling to talk. “What’s up?”
“When are you coming home?”
“Won’t be for a bit, pet. Seems like there’s some trouble in L.A. that needs my special touch.”
“Are you doing to die?”
There was a moment’s silence, then Spike replied, “You kiddin’ me? Buffy would have to resurrect me just to kick my arse.”
“It’s just that I dreamed about it,” she admitted quietly. Babies cried about nightmares, and she wasn’t a baby. Nora was a Slayer, and she was responsible for her brother.
Now the silence felt heavy with meaning, not shock, and his voice was utterly serious when he ordered, “Tell me about your dream, pet.”
It was the sort of tone to brook no argument, so Nora told him. “There was a huge crowd of demons, and there were people there with you. I didn’t know any of them, though. And you were all fighting, but there were too many, and you disappeared.”
“Not dusted?” Spike’s voice was sharp, underscoring the importance of her answer.
“No. There wasn’t any dust. You were there, and then you weren’t.”
“Thank you for telling me about it, luv. Now, pass the phone over to Rupert, and take care of yourself, Nora.”
Once again, his tone made it clear that there was no sense in protesting. Nora handed the phone over without a word. She could hear both sides of the conversation now; Spike sounded upset.
“What’s this about? You doin’ it again?”
“No, I’m not,” Giles responded. “Spike, there isn’t anyone else. If you can think of someone, I’m open to suggestions.”
“And if I don’t go?”
“I have it on good information that the end result won’t be pleasant.”
“This is the end, then. The big one.”
“Yes. I believe that it is.” Giles hesitated, and Nora could see from the expression on his face that he was having a difficult time with this-that he was doing something that he didn’t want to do. “If I send Buffy now, neither one of you will make it out alive.”
The silence hung heavily, and Nora held her breath, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She was afraid that Giles would send her away if he realized that she was still there, and could hear everything.
“I see. And me?”
“There is a reason that Miriam gave you that ring, other than just to keep you safe in the sunlight,” Giles hedged.
“Yeah. I guess Buffy was right, then. She’s goin’ to want to come, you know.”
“She doesn’t have to know.”
“I won’t keep this from her,” Spike snapped. “We’ve done enough of that.”
“Then we’ll see to it another way. Her death and yours are certain, however, should she arrive too soon.” Giles paused. “I am sorry, William. This isn’t fair to either one of you.”
“Who said life would be fair?” Spike asked rhetorically. “I’ll see you when I see you, then, Rupes.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Nora watched with wide eyes as Giles hung up the phone, his eyes steady on her. “How many of these dreams have you had?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Almost every night?”
He sighed. “Those, Nora, are Slayer dreams-or most of them are. We’ll have to see if you can’t tell the difference in time. You really must tell someone about them, however.” Giles stopped. “No, you must tell me. I don’t think this is information we want becoming common knowledge. Do you understand?”
Nora nodded. In a way, she felt warm inside, knowing that she knew something that no one else did-not even Talia.
~~~~~
Dawn wasn’t sure why she was doing this, except that she needed to know. Giles had forbade her from going to London because of the risk that she would fall into the wrong hands, because she might still be the Key. It wasn’t something she’d thought much about over the years, but now it seemed imperative that she know.
And Miriam appeared to be the only person who could tell her.
“Come in!”
The cheerful tone made her feel a little less unsure about barging in, and Dawn entered the witch’s room to find the woman ensconced in a chair with Harry in her lap. She was running her fingers through the little boy’s hair as he read laboriously out of a picture book.
“We were just finishing up,” Miriam said when Dawn hesitated. “I’m sure Harry wouldn’t mind one more listening in.”
Harry shook his head shyly and continued. Dawn sat down, smiling at the story of the brave little prince that he was reciting. She didn’t recognize the tale, but there were characters that seemed familiar to her.
When Harry pronounced “the end” proudly, Miriam pressed her lips to the top of his head. “Well done, sweetheart. Now, why don’t you go find your sister.”
He ran off after giving her an enthusiastic hug, and Dawn shook her head. “He’s doing really well.”
“He’s had some help-he and Nora both.”
“You can do that?”
Miriam shook her head. “I can ease memories, and the pain that they cause. It doesn’t mean that he does not grieve, or that he’s forgotten his parents, but I can soften the pain.”
“I wish you had been there after my mother died,” Dawn murmured.
“Ah, but she died of natural causes,” Miriam said gently. “For Harry and Nora, I can ease the fear that comes from seeing your parents killed before your eyes, knowing that you can do nothing to stop it, and that they will be coming for you next.”
Dawn cleared her throat. “I wanted to talk to you about being the Key.”
“Yes. I thought you might.” Miriam folded her hands in front of her. “You want to know if that power still rests in you.”
Dawn nodded. “I need to know if someone could use my blood to end the world again.”
Miriam shook her head. “No, but someone might use it to save the world; that is another matter entirely.”
Previous parts can be found here.
Chapter 31: New Council Headquarters, Bath, England
“…We have received word from the Brachen that the darkness is growing here as well. A number of them have been badly beaten, and a young one has been killed by demons bent on welcoming the darkness. We do not have the manpower to offer them full protection, and so I’ve granted sanctuary to any who want to come here. It should be an interesting transition…” ~Excerpt from an email from Rupert Giles to Willow Rosenberg
“I’m going.” Dawn ignored the young Brachen demon sitting in the other chair. She’d met Johnny the last time he’d come to Bath, and she really liked him; she knew what Spike would have done if he were here, and she wasn’t about to let Giles shirk his responsibilities.
Giles sighed. “Dawn. We’ve been over this.”
“No, you’ve been over this. I’ve listened to what you had to say, and I don’t agree with you.” Dawn sat back down, knowing that she had even less chance of Giles listening to her if she sounded at all hysterical. “They can’t all come here, and you know it.”
He shook his head. “It’s as much as I can do, Dawn.” Giles glanced at Johnny. “I truly am sorry, but our most experienced warriors are on the other side of the world. Spike is in Africa with our best, Buffy’s in Brazil, and-”
“What about Erna?” Dawn pressed.
“The Hellmouth in Munich is one of the few places that isn’t on the verge of destruction.” His tone was beginning to take on an exasperated edge. “I don’t want to risk having it open while the Slayer is away.”
“Then that leaves me,” Dawn replied with perfect logic. “Even if the Brachen send the young, the old, and the sick here, they’re going to need help, and Spike promised. We owe them.”
Dawn didn’t dare look at Johnny to see how he was reacting to her argument. She knew that she was putting Giles on the spot by bringing it up in front of the same person who was requesting their aid, but it was the principle of the thing-and she’d already said as much.
“We appreciate the offer of sanctuary,” Johnny said softly. “Truly. If that is all you can give us, we’ll take it. Just knowing…”
Giles pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose wearily, and Dawn knew she’d won. “It’s a stop-gap measure,” the head Watcher finally said. “You realize that.”
“It-it isn’t, actually.” Johnny sounded hesitant. “There may be something else we can do for you.”
“Unless you’re talking about a magic ring that will bring back the balance and ensure good triumphs over evil, I very much doubt that.” Giles sounded extremely short, and Dawn shot the Brachen an apologetic look.
Johnny shook his head. “I’m afraid not, but this isn’t the first time we’ve had to deal with this sort of menace. It arose before in Los Angeles. Doyle was the one to stop them. He was one of us, and the story got around.”
Dawn had no idea what story Johnny was talking about, and judging from the expression on Giles’ face, he didn’t either. If the situation was anything like what they were facing right now, however, it meant big, nasty demons killing every demon who was helping them, or who had a drop of human blood.
“I don’t understand.” Giles wasn’t even looking at them anymore. He was sorting through the papers on his desk, as though he would find the answers he sought there.
“The key is to get them all in one place, right? And then get rid of them?”
Dawn was beginning to get excited. “Like, if we had something they really, really wanted?”
Johnny grinned. “Exactly. And then we could bring the roof down on them. Or something else just as heavy.”
“Now that’s what I call an excellent idea.” Miriam spoke from behind them, and Dawn turned in her chair to see the head of the coven enter the room on bare feet. She often wondered how the woman managed to get around without alerting anyone to her presence, and the only explanation she could come up with was “magic.”
“You are not encouraging this.” But Giles’ tone was weary and didn’t back up the vehemence of his words. “Who are you thinking of sending?”
“I have a few coven members who would be more than willing to help. The rest will be needed shortly, but this shouldn’t be a task that requires power, just cunning.”
Giles sighed. “And the bait?”
Miriam’s gaze focused on Dawn. “What would be more attractive than the idea that the key to opening all portals to all dimensions is ripe for the taking?”
Dawn frowned. “But I’m not the Key anymore.”
Miriam smiled mysteriously. “No, but the existence of the Key is common knowledge in the demon world. The idea that we have it would be too much to resist.”
~~~~~
“You did not send her to London.”
Giles had to admit that he was relieved to be able to honestly say that he hadn’t acceded to Dawn’s demands that he send her to London to help the Brachen. “No. Miriam rightly pointed out that we couldn’t risk her falling into the wrong hands if it turned out that she is still the Key. The fact that Miriam was ready and willing to send four coven members didn’t hurt, and there were a couple of Watchers she deemed ready to help as well.”
The two Watchers he’d sent were young-too young, really, but he’d sent Rory and Whit to South Africa, and they weren’t much older.
“Have you heard from Spike?”
“Not yet, but I’ll be sure to tell him to call you first thing,” Giles replied. “I imagine he’ll call shortly.”
“Okay.” She sounded both reluctant and resigned, and Giles knew exactly the look that she’d have on her face.
“How is everything there?”
“Not great,” Buffy admitted. “Losing Gracia hit the Slayers pretty hard. I mean, we’re…”
“Used to it?” he suggested when she trailed off.
“That sounds horrible.”
“Yes, it does.” Giles didn’t make excuses for that, but he never forgot that they had been fighting a war for a very long time now-however unconventional it might be. Not forgetting that fact was part of being a Watcher. “I’m sorry that I have to ask you to stay, Buffy.”
“I get it. I might not like it, but I get it.” She sighed. “Tell Spike to call as soon as he can.”
“Of course.”
They said their goodbyes, and Giles hung up the phone to find Miriam sitting across from him. “When did you get in?”
She had gone back to the coven, taking Harry with her, to talk to the witches they would be sending to London and to judge how much space they had available to take in the Brachens seeking shelter.
“Just a few minutes ago. I needed to talk to you.”
His heart sank. “So soon?”
“Yes. I’m afraid so.”
Giles leaned back in his chair. “Have a seat.” He knew what she was talking about; they had spoken of this eventuality a month before, when Miriam had first realized that there were certain events that could not be avoided. “What is the next step?”
“Buffy is staying in Brazil?”
“She is.”
“Spike will need to go to Los Angeles.”
“Buffy is not going to like that.”
“At the moment, it doesn’t matter what she does or does not like,” Miriam replied. “You know that as well as I do.”
“I just want to know that this is the best solution. When Buffy finds out, she’s going to believe that I’ve betrayed her.”
Miriam’s expression was sympathetic. “Let me worry about that.” She looked at the phone. “That will be for you.”
When it started ringing, Giles grimaced, annoyed. “I really wish you wouldn’t do that.”
“Does it bother you?” she asked innocently.
He sighed. “Yes, which is exactly why you do it.” Picking up the phone, he said, “Giles here.” The voice on the other end was familiar. “Ah, Wesley. It’s good to hear from you again.”
~~~~~
Nora stood at the door, just behind Talia. The older girl had insisted that because no one ever told them anything, this was the only way they could find out what had happened to Spike.
Rose shifted from foot to foot behind her. “I don’t think we should be doing this.”
“Shut up!” Talia hissed. “If you didn’t want to come, you didn’t have to.”
“Sshh.” Nora was still trying to listen. The only thing she’d been able to hear was that Spike had made it, since that’s who Giles was apparently talking to on the phone.
She just made out Giles saying something about Los Angeles, and frowned. What did Spike have to do with Los Angeles?
“What do you three think you’re doing?”
Nora straightened guiltily, looking up to see Oliver leaning on his crutches just a few feet away.
“Rose! You were supposed to be looking out.”
Rose blushed, but she didn’t look terribly sorry. “I didn’t see him.”
Oliver raised his eyebrows. “That’s enough. I’m sure you three have somewhere else to be.” He glared at Talia especially. “Off with you now, before I find something for you to do that you won’t like.”
Talia and Rose didn’t have to be told again; Oliver had a tendency to find things that involved lots of large, boring books-but Nora needed to know. She knew that Buffy wasn’t coming back for a while; she had to know about Spike.
“Well?” Oliver asked.
“I don’t care,” she said stubbornly. “I have to find out about Spike.”
His face softened, and he leaned forward, putting a friendly hand on her head. “Knock, then.”
Nora stared at him, then squared her shoulders and knocked. The head Watcher intimidated her like no one else did. He was in charge, and he didn’t seem to like her much. Not even dinner with him and Miriam had taken the edge off.
“Come in!”
She opened the door cautiously. “Mr. Giles?”
His eyes widened, and he waved her to a seat across from him. “I see. Yes, well, I can understand why you would be concerned about that, but I trust that you will focus on the larger goal.” Giles looked at Nora. “There’s someone here that would like to talk to you, if you have a minute.”
Nora took the phone when he held it out and pressed it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Nora-luv?” Spike sounded tired, but not unwilling to talk. “What’s up?”
“When are you coming home?”
“Won’t be for a bit, pet. Seems like there’s some trouble in L.A. that needs my special touch.”
“Are you doing to die?”
There was a moment’s silence, then Spike replied, “You kiddin’ me? Buffy would have to resurrect me just to kick my arse.”
“It’s just that I dreamed about it,” she admitted quietly. Babies cried about nightmares, and she wasn’t a baby. Nora was a Slayer, and she was responsible for her brother.
Now the silence felt heavy with meaning, not shock, and his voice was utterly serious when he ordered, “Tell me about your dream, pet.”
It was the sort of tone to brook no argument, so Nora told him. “There was a huge crowd of demons, and there were people there with you. I didn’t know any of them, though. And you were all fighting, but there were too many, and you disappeared.”
“Not dusted?” Spike’s voice was sharp, underscoring the importance of her answer.
“No. There wasn’t any dust. You were there, and then you weren’t.”
“Thank you for telling me about it, luv. Now, pass the phone over to Rupert, and take care of yourself, Nora.”
Once again, his tone made it clear that there was no sense in protesting. Nora handed the phone over without a word. She could hear both sides of the conversation now; Spike sounded upset.
“What’s this about? You doin’ it again?”
“No, I’m not,” Giles responded. “Spike, there isn’t anyone else. If you can think of someone, I’m open to suggestions.”
“And if I don’t go?”
“I have it on good information that the end result won’t be pleasant.”
“This is the end, then. The big one.”
“Yes. I believe that it is.” Giles hesitated, and Nora could see from the expression on his face that he was having a difficult time with this-that he was doing something that he didn’t want to do. “If I send Buffy now, neither one of you will make it out alive.”
The silence hung heavily, and Nora held her breath, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She was afraid that Giles would send her away if he realized that she was still there, and could hear everything.
“I see. And me?”
“There is a reason that Miriam gave you that ring, other than just to keep you safe in the sunlight,” Giles hedged.
“Yeah. I guess Buffy was right, then. She’s goin’ to want to come, you know.”
“She doesn’t have to know.”
“I won’t keep this from her,” Spike snapped. “We’ve done enough of that.”
“Then we’ll see to it another way. Her death and yours are certain, however, should she arrive too soon.” Giles paused. “I am sorry, William. This isn’t fair to either one of you.”
“Who said life would be fair?” Spike asked rhetorically. “I’ll see you when I see you, then, Rupes.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Nora watched with wide eyes as Giles hung up the phone, his eyes steady on her. “How many of these dreams have you had?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Almost every night?”
He sighed. “Those, Nora, are Slayer dreams-or most of them are. We’ll have to see if you can’t tell the difference in time. You really must tell someone about them, however.” Giles stopped. “No, you must tell me. I don’t think this is information we want becoming common knowledge. Do you understand?”
Nora nodded. In a way, she felt warm inside, knowing that she knew something that no one else did-not even Talia.
~~~~~
Dawn wasn’t sure why she was doing this, except that she needed to know. Giles had forbade her from going to London because of the risk that she would fall into the wrong hands, because she might still be the Key. It wasn’t something she’d thought much about over the years, but now it seemed imperative that she know.
And Miriam appeared to be the only person who could tell her.
“Come in!”
The cheerful tone made her feel a little less unsure about barging in, and Dawn entered the witch’s room to find the woman ensconced in a chair with Harry in her lap. She was running her fingers through the little boy’s hair as he read laboriously out of a picture book.
“We were just finishing up,” Miriam said when Dawn hesitated. “I’m sure Harry wouldn’t mind one more listening in.”
Harry shook his head shyly and continued. Dawn sat down, smiling at the story of the brave little prince that he was reciting. She didn’t recognize the tale, but there were characters that seemed familiar to her.
When Harry pronounced “the end” proudly, Miriam pressed her lips to the top of his head. “Well done, sweetheart. Now, why don’t you go find your sister.”
He ran off after giving her an enthusiastic hug, and Dawn shook her head. “He’s doing really well.”
“He’s had some help-he and Nora both.”
“You can do that?”
Miriam shook her head. “I can ease memories, and the pain that they cause. It doesn’t mean that he does not grieve, or that he’s forgotten his parents, but I can soften the pain.”
“I wish you had been there after my mother died,” Dawn murmured.
“Ah, but she died of natural causes,” Miriam said gently. “For Harry and Nora, I can ease the fear that comes from seeing your parents killed before your eyes, knowing that you can do nothing to stop it, and that they will be coming for you next.”
Dawn cleared her throat. “I wanted to talk to you about being the Key.”
“Yes. I thought you might.” Miriam folded her hands in front of her. “You want to know if that power still rests in you.”
Dawn nodded. “I need to know if someone could use my blood to end the world again.”
Miriam shook her head. “No, but someone might use it to save the world; that is another matter entirely.”