All characters belong to Joss Whedon, The WB Network, and 20th Century Fox. I am just a fan.

Buffy pulled her coat tighter around her, as a cool breeze swept by. She noticed that it was unusually chilly for a spring day in California, but, unfortunately, that was the last thing on her mind. The realization that she had taken comfort in Spike, left her with a bad taste in her mouth. It wasn’t in her nature to become that vunerable. Now he probably thought he had a chance with her, when that was definitely *not* what she had intended. She sighed and looked up at the stars. They were so beautiful. So still. So...

Buffy’s thoughts were interrupted as she approached her house. The door was cracked open, although she knew she had shut and locked it as she left.

“Oh, no...Dawn...”

Buffy ran up her steps and flung open the door, out of breath. Fighting the instinct to race through the house and up the stairs, she took a more mild approach, unsure of who was there.

“Dawn?” she whispered.

No answer.

Alright, screw mild.

Buffy flew up the stairs screaming Dawn’s name.

“Dawn!”

Still, no answer.

*Oh no, please no, please...*

Buffy stopped at her sister’s door. She took a deep breath and twisted the doorknob.

Locked.

“Dawn, open the door, it’s me!”

Silence.

“Damnit!”

Buffy took a step back and threw herself at the door, until it crashed open. She looked around the room, her eyes silently searching. The room was empty. Dawn was gone.

* * * * *

“For the 50th time...I - I don’t know...what happened. I was...out, and when I came back, sh - she was gone.”

“Shh, it’s OK, Buffy. Just calm down. We’ll find her.”

Willow placed a gentle hand on Buffy’s shoulder.

“Ooh, ooh, look!” Anya shouted from the other room. “It’s a note!”

“What?” Buffy questioned, as she stood up.

All of the Scoobies immeditately stood and followed Buffy into the family room.

“Here,” Anya said, as she handed Buffy the note.

“Oh, my God. I should have known,” she whispered, as she opened it.

“What?” Xander asked. “Did she run away?”

Everyone was silent as they all stared at Buffy, waiting for an answer.

Buffy shook her head and tears began to form in her eyes.

“Glory.”

* * * * *

Spike sat on a tombstone, as he took a drag from his cigarette. His mind was racing. He couldn’t get Buffy’s face out of his head. He knew she was just really depressed and looking for solace, but it had felt so good to actually hold her in his arms. Even if it was for only a minute. Spike smiled to himself and looked down at the ground. The night had ended way too soon for his liking. He let out a mouthful of smoke and jumped down from the stone, planning on heading back to his crypt. He stopped, though, when he spotted something shiny in the grass below him. Buffy’s keys. He frowned and bent over to pick them up. Without giving it much thought, he jogged through the cemetery and headed towards the Summers’ house.

* * * * *

“That skanky Hellbitch! I am so gonna kick her ass!”

Buffy’s guilt and fear had died down and was quickly replaced with rage and revenge.

“Buffy, chill. We’re never gonna find Dawn if you start freaking out,” Xander calmly told her.

“You’re right.”

Buffy let out a deep breath.

“That skanky Hellbitch! I am so gonna kick her butt!”

Giles stood up.

“Come on, now, Buffy. If you want to find Dawn, p-perhaps you should settle down a bit.”

Giles was right. They were never going to accomplish any thing if she started to lose control.

“Sorry, guys. I’m just so frustrated.”

Willow smiled at her.

“Tell ya what. How ‘bout we go to the Magic Shop and start to look up --”

“No,” Buffy interrupted. “We don’t have time. I should go looking for her now.”

“Now?” Xander asked. “You can’t...I mean, how? You get within 100 feet of her and you’re history.”

“Thanks, for the, uh...warning, Xander, but I can handle myself.”

“Well, we should go with then, right?” Willow asked.

“Yeah, you can’t do this on your own Buffy,” Xander insisted.

Buffy nodded.

“Right, here’s what I want you guys to do.”

She gestured towards Willow and Tara.

“You two go and get your magic and spell stuff...I’m guessing we’re gonna need it. Xander, Anya, Giles, you guys get weapons and supplies. All that you can carry. And I’ll head out now, try and track down this Hellbitch...see what she’s done with my sister. All I can say is...this is gonna be one hell of a ride.”

* * * * *

Buffy sat in the car, her heart racing, as she searched her pockets for her keys.

“Not now...not now, damnit. Where are they?!”

Suddenly, there was a loud tap on her window.

“Jesus Christ!”

When she recognized Spike standing there, she rolled down the window and punched him in the face.

“Shit, Spike! What the hell are you doing?”

Spike held his nose in pain.

“Bloody hell, woman, you broke my damn nose!”

“Hmm, what’s more important? Finding my sister before she’s stuffed into some lock that opens God knows what or Spike’s nose? Gee, let me think.”

“Calm down! You’re out of your bleeding mind. I’m only here to return these.”

Spike dangled the keys in front of Buffy’s face.

“You stole my keys!?”

She was about to punch him again, but Spike caught her fist midway.

“No, you dropped them in the cemetery.”

Buffy let out a deep breath and grabbed the keys from Spike’s hand.

“Thanks,” she said, harshly.

Buffy put in the keys and started the engine.

“Wait,” Spike told her. “What’s this about finding Dawn?”

“Not now, Spike, I really --”

“Let me help.”

Buffy looked up at him, giving his offer some thought. She could use all the help she could get.

“Fine, get in...but I swear, if you piss me off --”

“Right then, I get it.”

They both rode in silence for the first few minutes.

“So,” Spike began, “what’s the deal here?”

Buffy glanced at him.

“It’s Glory. She kidnapped Dawn.”

“How did she find out?”

“Not sure. She just left this note.”

Buffy took the note from her pocket and handed it to Spike.

“ ’Finders Keepers’ ? Couldn’t she be more original? I mean, if it were me --"

Buffy snatched the note away and stuffed it back into her pocket, silencing Spike.

He sighed and leaned back in his seat.

Suddenly, Buffy slammed on the breaks, causing Spike to practically go flying through the windshield.

“Bloody hell! Warning next time, pet."

“It’s Ben.”

“Who the bleeding hell is Ben?”

“Stay here.”

Buffy jumped out of the car and approached Ben, who was walking down the side of the road.

“Ben!” she shouted. “What are you doing out here?”

“Looking for you...it’s about your sister.”

“What? You know about Dawn? Where is she? Is she OK?”

“Listen, there’s something you should know about me.”

He took a deep breath and proceeded.

“I’m Glory’s brother...but I’m not like her. I want to help you.”

Buffy stared at him in shock.

“How can I believe you?”

“You just have to trust me. I know where she is.”

Buffy shook her head.

“Why didn’t you tell me? What is going on?”

“Buffy, we don’t have time. I’ll explain on the way.”

She reluctantly gave in and led him towards the car.

“Who’s this wanker?” Spike asked, as they got in.

“Shut up, Spike.”

Buffy looked over her shoulder at Ben.

“Talk,” she told him.

He cleared his throat.

“Alright. Like I said before, Glory and I are brother and sister. She was intent upon bringing Hell to Earth, but in the process, she got us both stuck here. Now, she needs the ‘Key’ to open the portal back up and to finish the job. I, on the other hand, like this place and want to stay. Glory doesn’t know this though and thinks I’m working with her, instead of against her.”

“So, let me get this straight,” Spike said. “Superwoman, here, wants to suck the world into Hell?”

He turned to Buffy.

“Kind of like Angel.”

Ben shook his head.

“Glory doesn’t want to suck the world into Hell...she wants to bring Hell to Earth.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Wait,” Buffy interrupted. “How did she find out Dawn was the ‘Key’?”

“I don’t know. She probably sent one of her minions out or something.”

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

“You don’t. You just have to trust me. And if you don’t mind me saying, we better hurry ‘cause there’s not much time.”

Buffy looked over at Spike and then back at Ben.

“Alright, you lead the way.”

Change of Heart: Part III
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