Disclaimer: LKH owns Anita and CO, Joss owns Dawn and CO
Title: Master of the City
Author: Kate R.
Rating: Teen
Pairings: N/A so far bu G/E for the time being
Notes: Not sure if Dawn is the key or not here
Summary: After the Slayer dies, Dawn gets taken to her father.
Series: Sequel to Letters Between Friends.

"Dawn, are you sure someone is coming?" Rupert Giles asked. "We've been here for hours."

"One, we're three days and ten hours early," Dawn told him, "And two, most of my dad's businesses are operated at night. I called and left a message, when someone gets it, they'll be here."

Giles sighed and nodded, returning to the seat where Ethan was resting. In the days since Buffy's death, Ethan had been the one who'd kept him together and carried all his burdens. It was Ethan who'd made it so no one would notice the grave, Ethan who'd helped seal off all the dimensional leaks and Ethan who'd made sure he didn't drink himself to death. It was Ethan who'd made the arrangements to bring Dawn back here, to her natural father and it was Ethan who'd decided Giles needed to leave the Hell Mouth as well. In his condition Giles hadn't wanted to fight overmuch. During the flight from California to St. Louis, Dawn had explained some things to them about the world outside of the Sunnydale. He was still processing the information but he'd also wanted to be sure Dawn actually made it here to St. Louis so he'd brought her himself. He didn't know where Ethan had it in mind for them to go but Dawn needed to be with her father and his people, she needed to be with people she trusted implicitly so she could finally grieve.

Xander and Willow had not been happy that Dawn wanted to leave. Willow because it meant she had to find her own home because the house would be sold and Xander because he didn't think anyone outside their little clique would be able to care for Dawn. The way Dawn had explained things to Giles on the flight over, though, had him convinced Dawn's father was powerful enough to keep her safe. If only the man would get here.

"Ma Petite Fleur?" a voice spoke with a French accent. Dawn turned to face it and her eyes lit up with happiness.

"UNCLE ASHER!" She practically shouted and ran to him. He caught her in a tight hug and lifted her off the floor.

"I have you, Ma Cherie," he whispered. "You are safe now."

Half the man's face was hidden by his long golden hair but Giles could hear the love and concern for Dawn in his voice. This man, he knew, was one of those Dawn trusted.

"This is Giles and Ethan," Dawn was telling the man as Giles approached. "Giles used to be Buffy's watcher but Buffy's dead and Giles is tired."

"Your father told me to bring all of your party with us. Remus has the car ready if you want to go now," he told her. Dawn nodded and Ethan stood up and joined them. He was leaning heavily on a cane, one he'd needed for years but never used before now in front of them.

"Who's Remus?" Dawn asked her uncle as they left the airport and found a car waiting.

"A were-hyena," Asher told her. "My animal to call."

"That's totally cool," Dawn exclaimed. She was still sitting in his arms as they walked, holding on to him as if he were on of the last sane things in her world.

"Why didn't her father come?" Giles asked as they walked. A valet had gotten their bags and was following them.

"Because her father is the Master of the City and he had a pressing engagement tonight that he'd already moved from the Dawn's expected date of arrival. To move it again in two hours is not only unfair, it is impossible. Why did you come so soon?"

"To see that Dawn actually got here I brought her myself," Giles sighed, and he knew he looked as tired as he felt inside. Ethan and Dawn were the only reasons he was not on his ass from his own grief and pain right now.

"Ce qui?" Asher asked.

"Certain of the people who knew her mother and sister are not happy that she wanted to leave," Giles sighed. "To be sure she actually got to leave Sunnydale as her mother's will stated and she wished, I brought her myself."

"I see," Asher spoke as Dawn nestled against him once they were in the car. "Well, you are all safe now. We will be at the Circus soon so Dawn can get some rest. I asked Anita's leopards to get some take out for you all."

"Thanks," Dawn spoke into her uncle's collar. "And thanks for coming to get me, Uncle Asher."

"Who else would he send, Cherie?" Asher asked as Dawn seemed to be falling asleep. "Who else but me?"

"No one," Dawn mumbled. "No one at all. Just Uncle Asher. Uncle Asher always keeps me safe."

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When they arrived at the Circus of the Damned, Giles watched Asher calmly slide out of the car, still holding Dawn who was now asleep, and walk towards the back door. He helped Ethan to keep up.

About five minutes after they walked down huge stone steps, they came to a door. Asher had asked Giles to pull it open for him, so he had, and he'd then carried Dawn in and through another short hall. He hit a switch with his elbow and lights suddenly turned on.

They entered a large living roomish area and Asher sat down on one of the couches still cradling Dawn gently in his arms. He unconsciously flicked his hair out of his face and Giles suddenly saw why he'd had it over half his face when he'd arrived. Half his face, from just below the eye and over from the mouth was scarred, and from the looks of it the scarring went down further, much further.

"Hey, Asher," a voice called just before a blond young man entered the room. "The boss is home. He said he'll be right in, he just wants to change first."

Asher nodded, not concerned and Dawn just huddled closer to him, snuggling in tight. He kept her like that until another man entered. Giles found his jaw dropping at the sheer beauty of him. He'd thought Asher was stunning but this man was beyond gorgeous.

"Ma Fleur," Asher whispered softly. "Your father is here."

Dawn's eyes opened and she smiled.

"Daddy," she whispered. Giles watched the man kneel by the couch and pull Dawn into his arms. And then, finally, Dawn began to cry. Held between the two of them, she seemed to feel safe and secure and so she cried out her grief and pain.

"It will be all right," her father whispered. "Everything will be fine. Just let it out Cherie, let it out."

Dawn cried until she had nothing left it seemed, and then sort of fell asleep in her father's arms.

"Jean-Claude?"

"In a moment, Ma Petite," Dawn's father spoke. "I must tend to my daughter now."

"Your . . . daughter?"

"Oui," he answered. "My daughter. I will be with you in a moment. Right now my child needs me."

"Do you need me to do anything?" she asked.

"Just give me time," he answered. "That's all you can do."

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She had backed off while Jean-Claude picked Dawn up and carried her out of the living area and to a bedroom that he'd had set up for her.

"Asher?" She asked after a minute, "I thought you hated Jean-Claude? But Dawn acted like you've always been there."

"I have," Asher told her, "Since she came to school in Paris, I have been there for her."

"Really?" Anita asked. Asher nodded and shifted on the couch he was sitting on. Padma made a serious error the day I met Dawn."

"Tell me about it?" Anita asked.

Asher shrugged and slouched in his seat.

"I had been called to the Council Meeting Hall and that had not happened in years," he said, "I entered the room and saw this small girl with Jena-Claude's eyes being held firmly by Padma. She was fighting but as she was so small she wasn't making any progress. She looked at me, directly at me, I mean, and called me 'Uncle Asher'. I was . . . astounded. More so when Padma told me she was Jean-Claude's daughter, although he used then word 'brat' and I wondered if he had told her of me why she was not afraid of me. Padma suggested I take revenge on her and I heard everyone in the Council hiss. It is against our laws to touch a child, as you know. When Fernando offered to take her if I did not want her I snapped. I nearly throttled the both of them and it was only Dawn calling me that name again and asking what was wrong that made me stop. She told me he was not worth it. She went on to add that maybe if he didn't behind his father's skirts he might be but since he did he was not. In that one remark she insulted both of them. I laughed. I actually laughed, and agreed. However, I went after Padma and I spat my own power in his face. I slashed his face so badly and it healed almost human slow which was telling to the Council."

"Ouch," Anita said, "But if you can do that, why don't you?"

"I have not been so angry since," Asher told her, "Like you, emotion triggers my powers."

"Oh," Anita remarked, "And so Dawn calls you Uncle Asher because of that?"

"Because she was in my charge while she was in France," Asher told her, "When we came here I was angrier at the council for this. I did not wish anyone dead after looking after his daughter for so long."

"Oh," Anita remarked.

"Lord Asher," Giles began.

"Asher," Asher told him, "Just Asher, and yes?"

"The creatures on the Hellmouth, where do they fit in with other supernaturals?"

"That depends on the creature," Asher told him, "There are some that should be exterminated to the last. The Council of Vampires is working out how to separate the revenant vampires of Nests' line to the throwback such as Angelus and Spike. Even before he got resouled, Angelus was different. He was sadistic and cruel but then, so are most of the council. Most of the things there, though, should be exterminated."

"All right," Giles sighed, "that makes me feel better about my choice of a career."

"Notice the Watches never dare go where Council Vampires are," Asher said, and be careful. Outside of that little town of yours, the laws of the country are enforced. They would be arrested for trying to kill a vampire here. Demons are still kill on sight, though."

"I see," Giles said, "Thank you."

"That is not a problem," Asher told him, "Now, shall we go?"

"Where?"

"To your room," Asher told him, "So you can both rest for a bit."

"Oh," Giles said, "Thank you."