Spike and Buffy strolled up the sidewalk to Janice's house. They had silently agreed that any mention of Dawn should be played off the memories that the monks had inserted the first time around. That was, at least until they knew what was going on with the early introduction of the Key into their lives. They were both unsure of how this was going to play out for the timeline since the Anya from their time hadn't mentioned Dawn during their stay in the white room.
Buffy knocked on the door of the Penshaw's house while Spike stood at the end of the driveway. He kept his eye out for spies. She greeted Mrs. Penshaw, and the two females engaged in small talk while they waited for Dawn to gather her schoolbooks.
The two Summers' girls were halfway down the sidewalk when Dawn noticed that Spike was waiting for them. Dawn's eyes darted back and forth between the two blonds before she hissed, "What is going on here? One minute I'm sitting in the bus waiting for you guys, and the next thing I know I'm fourteen again. Fourteen! This is not fair!"
"Nibblet?" Spike asked cautiously. He was worried that the teenage girl was still on the 'light you on fire while you're sleeping' trip. "Can we talk about this at your house?"
"Fine. Whatever," Dawn muttered huffily. "What are you two doing together anyway?" She turned away without waiting for an answer before she stomped off down the sidewalk.
"We're getting married, Dawn," Buffy answered. She linked her arm through Spike's so that the blond couple could follow the younger girl.
"He tried to rape you, Buffy." Dawn stopped in her tracks. "How can you want to marry him? He tried to hurt you." She couldn't understand why Buffy wanted to be anywhere near Spike.
"Yes, he did, but I forgave him." Buffy smiled up at the blond vampire, who was looking at the ground.
"Because he went and got a soul," Dawn muttered contemptuously. She refused to turn around to look at her sister and the vampire.
"No, Dawn." Buffy gripped Spike's arm when he tried to pull away. "Do you think I'd have taken you to stay at the crypt when Willow wigged out if I hadn't already forgiven him? I'm marrying Spike because I love him. I'm sorry if that makes you upset, but I'm sick of being the unhappy one." She pushed past Dawn to march down the sidewalk towards her mother's house.
"You hurt her too, Dawnie," Spike whispered when he walked by the disgruntled teen. "Threw her out of her own house so the ubervamps could get a hold of her." He followed his petite blond mate without a backward glance at Dawn.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Anya and Jonathan found themselves sitting in the booth of a small run down diner across from a very astonished ex-Watcher. They stared at each other for several long minutes before Wesley broke the silence.
"Anya, what a pleasure to see you," Wesley stated politely. "I thought Mr. Giles removed your powers."
"Oh, Spike and Buffy returned them to me," Anya answered airily. She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "They wished that Jonathan here to be taken to the person who needed him most. Since we're here, guess that means you."
"Why would they wish that?" Wesley glanced at the clearly embarrassed teenage boy. The ex-Watcher colored slightly under Anya's frank perusal.
"Do you have a girlfriend, Wes?" Anya asked suddenly. She found the lean lankiness of the Brit's frame quite pleasing, and he blushed quite sweetly.
"I-I don't have one," Wesley stammered. He blinked at the young woman's forwardness when she moved around the table to scoot into the bench seat beside him.
"That is such a shame," Anya cooed. "A big hunk of handsomeness like you. I'm without an orgasm buddy myself." She quickly scooted closer to Wesley and covered his hand with her own.
Wesley felt shivers run up his arm and down his spine. He felt himself harden against his will at Anya's words. "Um, excuse me? Did you just say ... I mean, Anya, what's going on?"
"I broke up with Xander Harris because he's gonna leave me at the altar someday. I'm looking for a new man, and I think you will do nicely." Anya felt Wesley's shudder of desire against her side. "Now about Jonathan. He's clearly dabbling in magics he neither understands nor controls. The immortal guardians wish for him to learn both these concepts."
"Buffy and William the Bloody are immortal guardians?" Wesley gasped. "How is that possible? He doesn't have a soul."
"He does now," Anya stated firmly. "They were about to die in a glorious battle, and the Powers That Be decided to rewrite history. They can do that, you know."
"Yes, quite right. When did all this happen? With Spike and Buffy, I mean." Wesley felt himself go into Watcher mode.
"Better not call the Council, Wesley, or I'll have to punish you like a bad, bad boy." Anya grinned cheekily at her new suitor.
"Of course not," Wesley assured Anya. "I can assume that Angel hasn't been informed of this newest development in Sunnydale?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abbot Pepeo watched nervously from his chair while several monks of his order chanted the retrieval spell. He hoped that what they were undertaking wasn't a mistake, but the Beast needed to be contained and sent to the void. The abbot felt guilty about banishing the innocent vessel that housed the Beast, but that was something that couldn't be helped. Not this time around. He glanced at the two monks that had volunteered to host the other two hell-gods, and the abbot prayed for their souls.
The abbot and the chanting monks raised their arms to cover their faces when a great burst of light flashed through the room. When they lowered their arms standing in place of the two volunteers were two male gods.
The first was a tall handsome man with long dark hair, a full dark beard, and outfitted in black leather pants and vest. The second was a shorter man, who was clean-shaven, slightly bald on top but with long curling red hair, and he was outfitted in a toga.
"Once again, you didn't dress for the occasion, Caly," the first god's voice boomed. It echoed around the stone chamber.
"We can't all be like you, Amon," Caly sniffed arrogantly. "Wearing a dead cow is quite unbecoming."