Title: Key's Brother

Author: Kate R.

Disclaimer: they belong to Joss, not me

Summary: In response to the "Dawn is someone else's relative challenge" posted one of the many and varied lists I'm on.

Pairings: Giles/Ethan, Angel/Wes, C/D



Key's Brother
by Kate R.


"Who the bloody hell could that be?" Giles muttered as he walked to answer the phone behind the counter in the Magic box. Buffy and the others
were sitting around for the meeting they had been having. He answered the phone wondering what was about to happen because he had the feeling Ethan told him was Chaos telling him it was about rain down on them.

"Hello?" he said. "Angel?! What? No. No, not yet. Why did you? Oh. Well, no, he hasn't arrived..."

There was a sudden roar and a motorcycle crashed through the door. The man riding it was hunched over something else protectively and Spike
came flying in next.

"Grab a weapon!" He yelled at the room in general. "Get ready to fight! Mate, get down. Get out of the bloody way! You're hurt!"

"Have to keep her safe," the man said in a British accent. "Can't let them get her."

"Then get the sod all down! Keep shielding her but get out of the line of fire!"

Something short and rat like came in then and swung a knife.

Spike caught the arm and bent it but not before the knife lodged in the man's shoulder causing him to cry out in pain. Xander moved then, lunging and taking the man and his burden down off the bike and to the floor. From the look on Giles' face this was the person Angel was calling about.

Giles spoke then, sending a wave of power out into the street sending the short rat-like creatures across the street and they stared.

"Glorificus will have what she wants!" The apparent leader said.

"Not according to Angelus!" Spike yelled back. "Get the Sod out of here before I effin' rip your arms off an' beat you to death with them!"

Once the rat people were gone, Xander got the knife out of the man's shoulder and his helmet off and just stared.

"Wesley?" he asked in shock.

"Not now," the ex-watcher said. "Dawnie? Are you okay?"

His burden, someone wearing a pink helmet, nodded as she took it off. She looked like him with dark brown hair and blue eyes like him.

"I'm okay, big brother," she said. "Are you? I felt you bleeding against me."

"The gun shot was worse, little one," he said. "Uh...Sorry about the door, Giles."

"It's okay, Wesley," Giles said and then seemed to recall he was talking to Angel.

"Yes, Angel. Yes, he's here now. Yes, there was an attack. No, the door was from Wesley crashing to get away from some short rat-like
minions of something called Glorificus. What? No, a few stab wounds why? Yes.

*

All right. I'll be expecting you in a few hours then. Yes, goodbye. No I won't tell them. Yes, see you soon, Angel. Bye."

"Giles?" Buffy asked as Xander and Tara were cleaning Wesley's wounds.

"Angel will be here in a few hrs. He and his group, the rest of them, are packing now to come. It will take all of us to keep the girl safe."

"Why is she special?" Willow asked in a tone that was beginning to irritate him.

"Because, besides being Wesley's sister, she is a person whose blood is wanted by Glory. I wont let a child die for an insane bitch. Now, we
have things to do to get ready. Xander, once you have him patched up, can you replace my door? Buffy, you and I are going to prepare the mansion. Spike, can you get Wesley some clothes that aren't covered in blood?"

Everyone nodded and prepared to go do their jobs while Wesley and Dawn were allowed to rest in the training room with Anya and Tara keeping an eye on them as well as Ethan who seemed to live in the loft of the shop it seemed a good portion of the time.

Spike watched Wesley for the longest time seeing the marks and smelling the scent of his sire all over the human. He knew Buffy was going to
get a slap in the face when she found out.

He could not wait.


Part 2

The convertible came to a screeching halt outside of the Magic Box some two hours later and disgorged a group of people. The tallest of the group ran for the door, being followed by everyone else but he was faster than they were being a vampire and all.

He went through the door with his people and they found the Scooby Gang sitting around muttering to themselves about things. Angel ignored them all and went to where he could feel His and opened the door to the training room. There, sleeping on one of the mats with his little sister curled up against him, was Wesley. He looked a little worse for the wear but Angel sighed as he sensed he was blessedly alive.

He crouched by His and gently brushed the hair off his face. Then, he lowered his head and kissed him lightly. Wesley smiled and seemed to relax totally and Angel smiled. He knew Spike was in the room watching him, he knew Giles was in the doorway behind. He smiled as he turned to look at them.

"He's changed since any of you saw him last," Angel said in a low, almost growling tone. "I hear one insult out of any of you an I'll hurt you. Get me?"

Giles nodded and went out to give Angel's warning. He knew Angel would be out momentarily and he knew some hard truths were going to have to be faced. Buffy had moved on, so, finally had Angel.

"Giles?" Buffy demanded as soon as he came back into the main area of the shop.

"He's checking on Wesley," Giles said.

"He didn't even stop to hug me," Buffy muttered. Giles sighed.

"Angel is no longer yours, Buffy," he explained gently. "He and Wesley are One now."

Xander began to laugh.

"Angel and Wussly?" he asked derisively. "Yeah, right. Good one, G-man. Why would Angel want to be with that cowardly little…Urk!"

And Xander found himself suspended in the air as Angel's hand was locked around his throat and holding him off the floor.

"I don't know who in the hell you Think you are, Donut Boy," Angel growled. "But you do not rank even close to Wesley in courage and faith and skill. Wesley has been hurt more times than you know. He's been hurt and injured and damn near died twice all because he cares about more than himself and a little blond bitch who takes selfishness to a whole new level. Maybe I should have asked for Giles to come to me instead of sending Wesley here because the gods know you all wont be bothered to protect a little girl. There is nothing in it for any of you to personally gain from. Giles, we'll spend the Day here but after that, if you are amenable, I'd like to leave. This was a bad idea. I wont have Dawn and Wesley here where they are surrounded by hostility."

"Only if Ethan can come as well," Giles said. "I wont leave him here either.

"The more the merrier," Angel said as he finally dropped the purple faced Xander. "Remember that warning, little boy. You do not get another one."

"Warning?" Buffy practically shrieked. "You nearly choked him to death!"

"Actually," Angel said. "If my Childe didn't like him I would have made him an object lesson. As it is, he got off easy. A warning to all of you little brats, I've killed better people than you for less. Insult Mine again and I'll teach you the meaning of the word Pain. Xander, talk to Spike. Thank him for your life because in the past, a slur against My Mate would have been an automatic death sentence. I think you need to reevaluate your worth to me as oppose to your worth to him. Giles, be ready to go at Sunset. Bring Donut Boy if you want and have Ethan packed as well. I have room for you two and we'll squeeze him in somewhere."

Angel turned and went back into the training room and slammed the door leaving Giles glaring at the children coldly.

"Ethan!" He finally called. When the dark haired sorcerer appeared Giles smiled at him.

"Go home and get us packed. We're going on a trip."

And Ethan left then, heading for home to pack them up. Giles stared at the children darkly as he went in to the back room.

"Goodbye," was all he said as the door shut.

And the children stared in shock.

END PART 2

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