A method to her madness?

As the three men moved forward to grab hold of Joyce-in-Faith, Dawn Summers suddenly cried out, "Wait a minute!"

"What now?" asked the leader of the armed trio.

Dawn pointed to her naked sister and said, "Make her put a dress on my mother. I don't like seeing her naked like that. It's not right."

"Why can't you persuade her to do that?" said the leader of the armed trio.

"Because I'm just a little girl and you three are big men with guns," said Dawn. "Buffy is more apt to listen to you than she is to me."

"Very well," said the leader of the armed trio. "You heard what she said, Ms. Summers. Do it."

Buffy Summers knelt down and started putting the discarded dress back on Faith-in-Joyce's body.

Geez, she thought. What's up with Dawn? You'd almost think that she was acting this way intentionally.

Perhaps she is, said Buffy's inner voice.

Why would she do that? Buffy asked her voice. Doesn't she know what would happen to Mom if those men take away the woman they believe to be Faith?

Perhaps she knows that but then perhaps she also knows that she has **** but to play along till help arrives, said Buffy's inner voice. Indeed she might be intentionally delaying those men so that they don't take away her mother all that soon.

Someday I don't see Dawn being all that clever, thought Buffy.

Because she's related to you? asked her inner voice.

Buffy replied in her head, No, but because -- Hey! I resent that remark!

Buffy tried to perform the task of putting the dress on her mother's body as slowly as possible but eventually it was done.

As she stood up, the leader of the armed trio gestured and once more his men moved forward to grab hold of Joyce-in-Faith's body.

"No, wait!'' cried Dawn.

"What is it this time?" asked the leader of the armed trio.

"One of your men needs to help Buffy find a blanket to cover my mother's body with," said Dawn.

"Actually my men need to do no such thing," said the leader. "However..."

He gestured with his head toward the front door and one of his men moved toward it.

But before he could do so, the front door opened and Willow Rosenberg burst in and said a quick chant while pointing her finger at the three men. Within minutes, all three men vanished, only to be immediately replaced by three large rats sitting on piles of empty clothes and discarded weapons.

"Yes!" cried Willow. "In your face, Amy Madison! I just knew that spell would work."

Then Tara appeared behind Willow.

"Damn it, Willow," said Tara. "Why did you use that spell? You know we have no way to turn those guys back into humans. Otherwise, we would have de-ratted Amy a long time ago."

"I had to do something," said Willow. "If I delayed any longer, they might have killed Dawn."

"And me," said Buffy.

"Well, thank God you showed up, Willow," said Joyce-in-Buffy. "I was worried that those men might hurt Dawn."

"And me," said Buffy.

"Don't worry, Ms. Summers -- and yes, we know it's you," said Willow. "Tara figured it out the moment she saw the woman who was posing as you. She just couldn't say anything without making the occupant of your body suspicious. Anyway, there was no way Tara and I were going to let you and Dawn get hurt."

"And me," said Buffy.

"Yes, and you too, Buffy," said Willow. "Seriously, a bit needy much?"