Episode 1.9 "Plans"

Buffy fell into a fighting stance. She clutched the African knife tightly. She didn’t want anything from the Immortal, but it was the nearest weapon around. She’d dispose of it after it had outlived its usefulness.

"You’d be surprised-"She spun around, prepared to stab the unworthy thing she had actually kissed. The thought brought a foul taste to her mouth. She froze when she realized he was gone. "-what I’m capable of."

Coward, her mind cried. He ran away. There wasn’t time to savor that humorous notion. The demons stormed in, crowding around her. They were nasty creatures with slimy gray skin, giant yellow eyes, and slobbery jaws.

Buffy winced. "Before we start, anyone want to take a tic-tac break?"

All as one, the demons snarled. "Okay, guess not."

That was when the battle began. Buffy went from one demon to the next. She managed to do minor damage but couldn’t score any fatal points. They were quick, and having to pay attention to all of them was hard.

"Buffy! What is going on?"

Buffy whipped her head around. Her sister stood in the hallway, clad in her teddy bear pajamas.

"Dawnie, get back to your room. I can handle these guys," Buffy said.

Dawn’s face hardened. She shook her head. "I don’t think so. You didn’t teach me self-defense for nothing."

The demons took advantage of the distraction. One slashed its talons across the slayer’s stomach. Her shirt soaked with red and she stumbled backwards. She was momentarily stunned, vaguely aware of a demon making its way toward Dawn. She couldn’t act quickly enough.

Dawn ducked and avoided the attack. Buffy smiled with pride. She had learned well.

"Get to the weapon chest!" Buffy shouted.

Dawn fled for the chest. Buffy kept an eye on her while deflecting blows until Dawn withdrew a sword. The sight was pretty comical. A teenage girl in her sleepwear prepared to fight.

Confident her sister was okay, Buffy focused on the foes in front of her. She hit hard and fast. She stabbed out with her knife. All of a sudden there was a thud. Buffy blinked. She had killed one. Finally. She continued, thinking little, putting everything into her movements. Her knife was abruptly kicked out of her grasp.
Her forehead stung. Blood trickled down the side of her face. When had that happened? Her head spun.

The demons could sense her dizzy state. They circled her. She felt her knees give out.

Just then a mass of black jumped in. Then there was another.

"Spike?" she croaked. "Angel?"

Spike grinned. "Ello, luv. Got trouble I see."

"When do I not?"

They grinned at each other.

The demons were defeated easily after that. Four against ten . . . no, nine, were better odds.

Afterwards, the warriors eyed each other. Dawn had an expression of excitement. She practically was jumping up and down.

"I got one!" she exclaimed. "I hacked off his head!"

Buffy scrunched up her nose. "That is probably where all the stench is coming from. We really need to get these corpses out of my house."

"Good job, bit," Spike congratulated the girl.

Dawn’s face glowed even more.

Buffy tried to look commanding. "What are you doing here?"

"We left right after you did. Faith told us what you were up to. You don’t understand what the Immortal is capable of, Buffy. He’s dangerous," Angel said.

"I see. So you two were my knights in shining armor?"

"Not like you’re a damsel in distress. We were just worried is all," Spike said. His blue eyes bore into her.

"I know." She paused. "Thank you." She glanced at Angel. "Both of you."

Spike stepped over to her side. He took his left hand and touched the gash on her forehead. "You’re hurt."

The pain was suddenly gone, replaced by warmth. "I’m fine," she whispered.
Spike withdrew his fingers. He cleared his throat. "Still should bandage it."

She nodded.

Angel, Spike, and Buffy got rid of the demon bodies.

"I’m so going to need to disinfect this place. Or, hey, maybe Willow can do a deodorizing spell!"

Dawn came into the living room. She had changed into a pair of flared jeans and blue top.

"Now what?" Dawn asked. "We can’t stay here."

"You’re right," Buffy agreed.

"We should contact Giles. He’s good with solving problems."

Buffy’s eyes widened. "We have to warn the others. The Immortal might try to hurt them. Everyone comes at me through my friends."

"Right then," Spike commented. "Let’s get a move on it."

She followed the others to the door. Then she halted. "Wait." She turned. She spotted the piece of metal near her sofa. She snatched it up off the carpet.

"Nice knife," Angel complimented.

Buffy examined every angle of it. She decided to delay getting rid of it. "It was a gift. One I have to return."

She continued her exit.

She’d return it all right.
***

The big-wigs were discussing the situation in Giles’s office. They had been doing so for over three hours. There was no plan yet. Dawn left right after she figured out she wasn’t needed. They hardly realized she was around.

She bumped into Andrew on her way out.

"Dawn. Hi," he said.

She forced a smile.
"Where’s the kitchen?"

"Come, let me give you a tour of the mansion," Andrew said.

"Really, all I want is a sandwich."

Andrew pointed to a picture on the wall. "And this dates back to the 1800s when . . ."

Dawn inwardly groaned.
***

"I called the others," Buffy informed. "They’re on their way."

"Good," Giles said.

Giles was silent for a moment.

"Giles, you have worried face."

"What? Oh. Yes. Well . . . Buffy, maybe the best course of action is to lay low for awhile. The council has many safe houses."

"You mean hide?" She sounded incredulous by the suggestion.

Leaning against a bookshelf, Spike frowned. "Didn’t we try that with Glory?"

"That was running away," Buffy said. "Minor difference."

The slayer turned her attention back to the head watcher. "I’m not the sort to cower away in fear. I’m the type that deals with things head-on. We should find out how to kill him, not escape him."

"And we will. But until then –"

Giles was interrupted by a high-pitched scream.

Buffy, Spike, and Angel immediately rushed out of the office. They headed in the direction of the scream. Andrew appeared out of nowhere. He ran straight into Spike, clinging to the vampire. Spike stiffened.

"Spike, oh Spike!" Andrew cried. "They got Dawn!"
***

Dawn scowled at the Immortal. She strained against her bindings.
"My sister is so going to kick your ass," she spat.

He seemed amused.

"Really? How can she do that is she is no longer a slayer?" the Immortal questioned.

Dawn gaped. "What?"

He loomed over her. "That’s where you come in, little key. You’re going to use your green power to do away with the slayers."

Dawn shuddered. "But I don’t know how to," she protested.

He held up a dagger. "That’s why we’re going to experiment a bit."

Written by Heather Martin