All the Stops: Growing Pains Ch. 3

“Older.” Dawn corrected. “And there’s more to it than that. We’re going to–“

”Vamp her.” Spike interjected. “So, you don’t have to worry about her. She’ll have a long healthy unlife.”

“You are not vamping her!” Giles bellowed.

“Easy, mate.” Ethan said, cupping his ears. “Are you trying to make us deaf?”

“Vampires are impure.” Dawn said patiently. “The Key needs to be pure.”

“I see.” Giles sat down heavily. “The ritual Wesley and I read stated that they’re going to use your. . .” H e gulped. “Blood for the ritual. They’re going to bleed you.” Dawn winced and Spike held her hand tighter. “So, your plan makes sense hypothetically, at least. If your blood was mixed with demon blood, you’d be impure.”

“We have to do this. It’s the only way, Giles.” Dawn said beseechingly.

“Buffy could still prevail. She faced The Master and lived. She faced Angelus and lived. She faced the Mayor and lived. She faced Adam and lived. If anyone can pull this off, your sister can.”

“Are you willing to bet all of your lives? No, not even. We’re playing with the lives of everyone in every single dimension there is. I’m not willing to take that chance.”

“Are you sure you want to do this? It’s rather, uh, permanent.”

“Brilliant observation.” Ethan said dryly.

Giles scowled at him fiercely before turning his attention back to Dawn. “Can you handle the sacrifices? No sun, existing on blood, never seeing your reflec–“

”Bloody hell.” Spike snapped. “You forgot about the eternal life bit and the enhanced strength. Being a vampire isn’t that terrible.”

“Yes, but she’ll be a vampire with a soul.” Giles snapped. He looked at Willow who nodded. “That’s an incredible burden.”

“For Angel.” Dawn said. “But I have nothing to feel guilty for. Willow will do it before I kill anyone.”

“What about the uh, the uh–“

”No sex part of it?” Spike said.

“Is that all you think about?” Dawn said in an angry tone, but a smile hovered on her lips.

“Well, can you h-handle that?” Giles said, he was turning red.

“The way you stammer, you’d think you’d never gotten laid in your life, Ripper. I know for a fact, that you–“

”Silence!” Giles said. Willow’s eyes were wide.

“Gee, let me think. Being bled to open a portal. Hell dimension on Earth. Glory running around free. Everyone dying. Or no sex for me.” She sighed in exasperation. “Gee, where ARE my priorities? Of course, I can do this! No sex is way better than dying.”

“Depends on who you ask.” Ethan said. Giles’ look silenced him.

“Someone has to inform Buffy.” The Watcher said.

Everyone looked at Willow.

“What? I get to be short straw lady?”

“The burden of being a best friend.” Giles said.

“She won’t try to boss you around.” Dawn added.

“Well, she’s not likely to stake you.” Spike pointed out.

Ethan looked at her. “Last time she saw me she punched me.”

**********

Buffy held Dawn. Held her and sobbed. “No, I won’t let you do this!” Dawn had gone in to the Slayer’s room after Willow had discussed the plan with her. The witch had then gone to inform Angel.

“You don’t have a choice, Buffy.”

“I’ll defeat her! There’s no reason you should have to. . .to–“

”Become a vampire. Better get used to it. Buffy, we can’t be selfish about this. Too many peoples’ lives are at stake.”

“Mom wouldn’t you want you to do it.” Buffy said stubbornly.

“No, she wouldn’t. But she wouldn’t want me to die either. She wouldn’t want millions of other people to die.”

“But a vampire? What if there were another–“

”Do we have time to research it?”

“No.” Buffy said, looking down. “We still have to take Glory on. She can’t be allowed to live.” She took Dawn’s hand. “Do you know what she’s going to do if she finds out she can’t use you in the ritual?”

“It won’t be pretty.” She leaned back against Buffy. “I hoped that she would just be on her merry way.”

“Not the forgiving kind. Say what you want about her, she’s very goal oriented.”

Buffy’s attempt at levity failed. “But at least we’re just gambling with our lives, not everyone in the universe’s.” Dawn gave a little half smile. “And you said I wasn’t responsible.”

“I was wrong.” She pressed a kiss to her sister’s forehead. “You’re showing me up.”

“So, you’ll agree to it?”

Buffy took a long, deep breath. She brushed the hair away from Dawn’s face. “If it means I get to keep you safe from Glory, I’ll do it. I don’t want you used in some ritual.”

“Thank you.” Dawn said, tears in her eyes.

Buffy wiped them away. “No, Dawnie. Thank you.”

**************

“And what about me?” Angel said, walking in. He looked at Buffy. “Will you thank me too?” His face was grim. He swore he’d never make another vampire. Not after the destruction that Drusilla, Penn, and Spike had rained down on humanity.

Buffy stood up. “Please, Angel. You have to do this.”

“No, I don’t.” He said flatly. His eyes pleaded with Dawn’s. “Do you know what you’re asking me? You’re asking me to ruin your life. Kill you. Fill you with a demon. I can’t–“

”You can.” Buffy said. “You have to.”

“I can’t make another vampire. I won’t!”

“Angel, I won’t be like the others.” Dawn said, standing up. “Willow will give me my soul right after you sire me. I won’t have all the guilt that you do.”

“I suppose. “ He appeared lost in thought. “I still can’t kill you. I can’t survive another death on my conscience.”

“You will do this!” Buffy shouted. Now, that she’d given her support to this idea, she was behind it. It was the scenario she’d heard where Dawn would live. She locked on his eyes. “You owe me this much!” He really didn’t, but Angel still felt guilty for Angelus’ actions in Sunnydale. She’d do anything to help her sister.

Angel lowered his head in defeat. “I’ll do this for you, Buffy.” Then, he looked at Dawn, a few tears running down his face. “Forgive me for what I’m about to do.”

***********

Dawn kneeled down in a circle of blazing candles. Her forehead, neck, chest, and wrists had been anointed with a mint oil. She was wearing a flowing black robe that Ethan had given her to wear. It was covered in gold symbols. He lit a small bouquet of sage and passed it through the air, leaving a smoky herbal scent in its wake.

The group watched from the sidelines. Buffy cried and Willow held on to her. Spike was pacing, looking up every few seconds. If Ethan did something to harm nibblet, he’d be sorry. Xander’s jaw was clenched. Anya seemed very sad. Faith and Gunn watched everything from the back of the room. Both were uncomfortable with this solution. Angel merely looked on, absorbed in his own personal horror. Cordy and Wesley were still downstairs researching. Giles listened intently, looking for the slightest flaw in the spell. He was ready to jump in with a neutralizing incantation if it was necessary.

He took some ash from some flowers he’d burned in a small urn and dotted her forehead with it. “Ripen the fruit. Season the soul. Pass her through time. Make her grow older.” He said this three times. When he was finished, he made her drink a potion that made Dawn ill. It tasted like castor oil. Then she wrote her desired age which was 20 on a sheet of paper which Ethan lit on fire and burnt in the brazier at their feet. “So mote it be.” He said with finality.

“It’s done?” Dawn asked. She held out her hands. “I don’t look older.”

“Not yet. It takes a couple of weeks for it to complete the transformation.” She looked upset. “What? The human body is fragile, you can’t rush this.”

“But I’m being vamped tonight!”

“I know. The growing process I put you through is supernatural. It will continue to occur after you are made a vampire.”

“Oh.” She looked at Angel. “Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” He held out his hand. “ Come with me.” She did so and he led her upstairs. Buffy and Spike were right behind them. “No, this is private.” Angel said, holding out a hand to stop them from coming up the staircase. “This is between me and Dawn.” They continued up the stairs by themselves.