Crossed Paths Part 1

by Oracle Pisces

What do you get when you mix the old and the new with a dash of prophecy added in for good measure? Buffy Summers has to start a new life now the Hellmouth is closed, and Methos and Duncan just wants to be left alone, but a friend asks for their help...

Disclaimer: "Highlander" the television series is the property of Davis-Panzer and Rysher Entertainment. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Enterprises. This story was written as a not for profit derivative fiction based upon the two television series. The story's author gives much praise and thanks to the show creators and their brilliance.

The timeline of the story follows Buffy and her friends after the closing of the Hellmouth and three years post-Endgame. The characters from Angel are an alternate version to the final season of Angel.

Two clasped hands burst into flame. The champions neither cared nor let go. Even with the cavern collapsing around them, Buffy and Spike's hands remained together.

"I love you." Buffy spoke to Spike, tears streaming down her face.

"No, you don't, but thanks for saying it." He responded.

Before the cave collapsed completely, Spike let go of her hand and Buffy quickly ran up the steps to the surface. As she ran for safety, she thought about him. She thought about the sacrifice that he had made to save her, as well as everyone. She knew that he was going to die, and she couldn't save him. He didn't want to be saved, he had said. Buffy finished the First, and it was up to him to do the clean up.

As the cave collapsed, Spike's soul glowed in increasing brilliance, his entire being ignited and incinerated him from within, and he was no more.

"Spike! No!" Buffy screamed in her sleep, she opened her eyes in alarming panic and saw Dawn.

"Its ok, Buffy. You're safe." Dawn Summers said reassuringly as she soothed her sister, and gathered her in her arms. Buffy laid her head on Dawn's shoulder and cried. She rocked her gently, and smoothed her hair.

"I couldn't save him, I couldn't save him, I loved him, and I couldn't save him." She cried in anguish and tightened her embrace. Dawn gasped at the pain as the intensified, but didn't let go of her sister.

"I know. Try and get some sleep." She said, Buffy lay back down and closed her eyes.

There would be no more dreams tonight, she wouldn't dream at all. Dawn knew that Buffy replayed those final moments repeatedly in her dreams. She always tried to save her lover. The result would always be the same. Spike would still be gone.

Dawn rose from her sister's bed and quietly closed the door to her room. She paused and lifted the hem of her tank top to look at her ribs. Bruises were already beginning to show from where Buffy had squeezed. The previous bruises had begun to fade, replaced by new ones. She never told Buffy about them, she accepted it as a price for trying to soothe her sister's grief.

"You ok, Dawnie?" Willow stood in the doorway of her room, watching the younger girl come from her sister's room.

"More bruises?" Xander asked, coming to stand next to Willow.

"Yeah, but I'm ok. She's asleep."

Xander and Willow exchanged knowing looks with one another. The three of them took turns each night letting Buffy that she was ok. They all bore the same bruises. Xander even sported some very deep scratches on his back.

It had been three months since they defeated the First, and closed the Sunnydale Hellmouth. Three months since the bus limped into Los Angeles and to Angel. He had been waiting for them.

Angel had provided a house for Xander, Willow, Dawn, and Buffy courtesy of his new resources at Wolfram and Hart. The hotel was sort of a shelter for the newly activated Slayers. It was temporary until there was a new Watcher's Council.

When that happened, they would receive proper training. Andrew saw to the care of the newbies. He had developed an extreme case of Mother Hen, making it his main purpose in life to take care of them since Anya had given her life to save him.

Giles and Kennedy had left for England three weeks earlier to set things in motion for the new Council. They were there to contact the few Watchers that had survived the attacks of the First, and to find new ones to take charge of new Slayers. Dawn and Xander would become Watchers eventually.

They would all move to England, and Dawn would finish high school before her formal Watcher's training. Willow was going to take a unique role as a mystical advisor. She would teach both the council and the new Slayers some basic magic for protection in their fight against the evils of the world. She had been a good teacher, but this was a very daunting proposition.

Buffy would be head Slayer, the responsibility of training the new slayers fell to her and Faith, once Faith was out of prison. Faith had returned to prison of her own free will once again. Buffy would act as their guide and teach them, passing on all she had learned in her tenure on the Hellmouth.

Robin Wood, former principal of Sunnydale High School was working on a release for Faith. Somewhere between their first tumble and the final battle, they had formed a bond and now were quite close, despite the barriers of the prison. Not quite love, but it was heading that way.

"Let's go and put something on those bruises, Dawnie." Xander held out his hand to her, she took it, and the two of them headed downstairs. Willow had prepared a salve after the first few nights of nightmares; it was something they all used every night. Willow had elected to stay and watch over her friend for the rest of the night. She needed to talk to Giles; he had to know that Buffy wasn't getting better. If she continued like this, the person they all loved would disappear into the shadows of her despair. Willow saddened at the thought, and then went to her room to call England.

London, England

"Mr. Giles, there is a call for you, from America." The, butler appeared in the doorway of the library with the portable phone.

"Thank you, Charles." He walked over to the phone to where Charles stood and took the phone. Kennedy gave him a questioning look. It was the middle of the night there, something wasn't right. Giles and Kennedy were staying at her parents' house in London while they were trying to set things in motion for a new Council.

"Willow? What's the matter?" He asked.

"It's Buffy, Giles. She's not getting any better. I think the nightmares are getting worse. It's the same thing every night. She wakes up screaming and calling out for Spike." Willow told him.

"The poor girl. Have you spoken to Angel about this?" Giles said to her, but he heard the catch in her breathing before she spoke again.

"Well, kind of. I've tried. He's still not cool that Buffy and Spike were together. He gets all tensy and grouchy. Angel has tried to reach her, but nothing. Not even a glimmer." She said.

"He's been unable to cheer her up?" Giles was surprised. Angel had been some measure of comfort to Buffy through the hard times, but not this time.

"He's a vampire with a soul too, Giles. Just like Spike. It's more than a tad painful for her." Willow reminded him.

"Yes, I can see how that might make things a little worse. Another vampire with a soul would be a painful reminder of Spike." Giles agreed with her.

"Buffy's got to get out of here, Giles. This is all too close to Sunnydale for her. What are we going to do?" Willow's voice broke a little. She was very upset with her friend's declining spirit. Giles could sense that she wanted to cry.

"Things are at a good point right now," Giles looked up when he saw Kennedy walk over to him; she wanted to talk to Willow. He gestured for her to wait, "Perhaps she should come over earlier than planned? I'll make all the arrangements, and call you this evening. Try to get some sleep. Kennedy would like to speak with you." He handed the phone to Kennedy and decided that a cup of tea would help him think on how to help Buffy.

This news of Buffy's increasing depression troubled him greatly. When she had sent Angel to Hell to close the portal, she had run away to Los Angeles without a word to anyone. He had underestimated her feelings for the now dead Spike. They were thrown by that particular revelation. She had admitted to Giles that Spike had been in her heart, and that she admitted her love for him before she rushed from the cave.

Never in a million years would he have thought that Buffy would have fallen in love with another vampire, least of all Spike. The very idea had been preposterous. The two of them had been bitter enemies for so long, but then he became an ally of sorts.

Giles had to admit that he owed Spike for saving his life, that fact immensely grated his nerves. Spike had been the one to come to Buffy to call the truce that enabled her and Xander to rescue him after Angelus' torture. He was an annoying blighter at times, but he was unfailingly loyal to Buffy and a powerful warrior. Her champion, she had said. Sometime between her resurrection and Giles's return to England, Spike had become Buffy's lover.

Giles had left the library and gone to the kitchen. He settled down at the counter with his rather large mug of tea, Kennedy made an appearance in the kitchen.

"There was another call after I talked to my sweetie, someone named Joe. He said that he and some other person would be here some time tomorrow tonight. He was leaving for the airport to catch his flight," she said and pulled open the pantry to find something to munch on, "This thing with Buffy sounds pretty bad. All we need now is a basket-case on our hands."

Giles, still unaccustomed to bluntness, was finding it very difficult to deal with. Kennedy didn't fully understand what Buffy was going through. She couldn't imagine the pain associated with losing someone so dear to you, the way the grief keeps you alive and eats away at you slowly. He banged his mug down on the table and stood up. Kennedy shut the pantry door and looked at him in surprise.

"I will not tolerate your speaking about Buffy that way. You haven't a clue to what she is going through. May I remind you that the 'Basket-Case' is the reason you are a Slayer now, her decision is the very reason why you are still alive. Willow would be very ashamed of you had she been here." Giles stated and then walked out of the room, leaving his tea untouched.

Kennedy hated to admit it, but Giles was right. She was too used to speaking her mind, not caring about the consequences. The words had come out wrong; she really had to work on thinking before speaking. She did care about Buffy. She had a tremendous amount of respect for her, and for all of the original Scooby gang. She would have to eat crow and apologize to Giles, but right now she had to workout. There were still vampires to fight and she needed to be on top of her game.

San Diego, California

The immortal called Cassandra lay asleep in her bed, and dreamt of a simpler time in her life. She had been a child of four that had loved to ride with her adoptive father across the wide-open spaces as their tribe moved from place to place. Their laughter rang out until Cassandra's memories sharply interrupted by unfamiliar images, as well as familiar faces.

Pain.

A young woman writhed on a bed, and hands were bound to the posts.

Agony.

Methos sat upon a floor with his hands bloody, and he wept.

Confusion.

A blindfolded doll wore a silver cross.

Despair.

A red headed woman and a man she didn't recognize surrounded Methos.

Cassandra sat up in her bed, and pushed aside the hair that plastered against her forehead. All the images flashing through her mind made her dizzy. When the dizziness vanished, she lay back down in the bed and closed her eyes. She wasn't going dream anymore tonight, but at least she would sleep.

Seacouver, Washington

Duncan MacLeod worked on his packing while Joe finished his call to England. The two of them were going to see Rupert Giles, former Watcher of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Joe had met the Englishman about two years ago after the death of his charge when he had returned to England. Joe had been visiting a friend at the other council, and was introduced to the infamous Rupert Giles. The two different Watcher's Councils had collaborated on occasion. Rarely, but it did happen.

"You almost ready, Mac?" Joe called from the living room.

"Alright, I'm ready. Tell me again, Joe, why are we doing this?" Duncan hoisted his bag onto his shoulder.

"Why? Frankly Mac, I think it is something we could help with, besides…from what I've been told about Rupert Giles and his Slayer; they've faced some hairy shit over the last seven years. This Buffy, she isn't much of a rule follower and still got the job done. Kind of figured we should pitch in, seeing as how she's saved the world more than once. Giles said she died twice in the process. That's why. Reminds me a lot of you." Joe answered and pulled himself up from the couch.

"Twice? She's not immortal is she? She reminds you of me…please." Duncan said and rolled his eyes.

Joe took his cane in hand and studied the handle for a moment, then grinned to himself. He picked up his bag in the other hand and turned to face his friend.

"No, she's not immortal. You've never heard of the Slayer? The Hellmouth?"

"I've heard stories, Joe. One girl in all the world chosen to fight the vampires, the demons and so on and so forth, right? I've heard of the Hellmouth too, there was one in Sunnydale until recently, and now one has opened up in Cleveland. Did I miss anything?" Duncan opened the door and moved out of the way so the other man could pass and then locked it.

"Smart ass." Joe hobbled to the cab.

The two men gave their bags to the cabbie that waited, and the cabbie stored them in the trunk.

"Age before beauty." Joe motioned for Mac to get in the cab.

"Well, in that case, you'd never get in, cause you're not that pretty, Joe." Mac made a move to close the door, but Joe blocked it open with his cane.

"Bullshit. I'm a lot prettier than you." Joe lowered himself into the cab and they headed to the airport.

"If she's not immortal, then why she is still alive?" Mac asked as the cab whisked along the road to the airport.

"From what Giles said, the first time she was brought back by CPR. Some kid friend of hers named Xander. The second time, now, that is something. Another friend of hers is a witch. A powerful Wicca named Willow. That girl, Willow, used some heavy duty mojo to bring Buffy back from the dead." Joe said.

Mac sat back and took stock of what his friend had told him. He didn't trust magic, he'd heard of too many things going wrong with it, and the whole immortality was a kind of magic on its own, so that made it fall under the bad category. No one in his or her right mind would want this curse. It was the most painful thing in the world to have to live forever, and watch everyone and everything die around you. He briefly thought of Tessa.

He would have taken his own head when that thief had taken her from him, but he went on. His thoughts then turned to Richie. He was a good kid. He was a good kid that died by his own hand during the hunt for a maniac. Richie was a good kid that he almost killed when the dark quickening possessed him. He didn't want to have anything to do with that stuff.

"Hey, buddy. You ok?" Joe took Mac out of his thoughts.

"I'm fine, Joe. Just thinking. You're the Watcher, what do they need me for? I don't see how I could have any part in this scheme."

"This girl, Buffy, she's an excellent fighter and not too bad with a sword. I figure you could show her a thing or two, give her some pointers. All they've been using up to now is wooden stakes and whatever pointy is lying around. You could help them out, Mac. That many girls are going to need to be taught the sword. Besides, I can't get a hold of the old man."

Joe risked a look sideways at his immortal friend. Joe figured that the mention of Methos right now might not have been the brightest of ideas. The two immortals became friends of sorts, but with that last battle when there was that double quickening, the two men avoided contact with one another as much as possible.

The event was unprecedented in the entire recorded histories of the Watcher's Council. He hadn't been present, but from what he could get out of Mac, it was beyond the measure of any other quickening ever experience by any immortal ever.

"He's getting off lucky. I have no idea where he went. He probably would have jumped at the chance of getting his hands on some of those other Watcher's diaries. He once told he'd met a Slayer, a pretty little morsel with red hair in Italy." Mac didn't go on, he knew this was a story that Joe had heard Methos tell on more than one occasion.

"Yeah, I remember that one. All he had said was that she was very, very limber." Joe grinned at his friend, and Mac smiled and sat back and enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Los Angeles-The next morning

Buffy Summers still lay in bed. The bedside clock read noon. She heard the birds chirping and saw the sun shining outside. It could have been pitch black, for all the notice she took. She slowly rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.

"When you going to get up and come out fighting, love?" Spike appeared in the wicker chair by the bed, fully in the sunlight wearing his usual black jeans and t-shirt that clung to his lithe body.

"I'm done fighting. There's no need for me." Buffy said and rolled over so that she could look at him. Her eyes filled with tears.

"There will always be a need for you, Buffy. You're still the One. You have to shake this off and get going." Spike urged.

Buffy sat up and the tears streamed down here face. He wiped them away.

"I couldn't save you, Spike. I couldn't save you. You're gone and now I'm aloneagain. What good am I?" She cried.

"My sweet baby, you're not alone. You've faced death, you've kicked its ass, and handed it back over and over. You're beautiful, strong, and smart. You're not alone. You've got the world and you've got me, right here," putting his hand over her heart, "I'll be there always. Now get off your delectable bum and go out and be in the world." Spike raised his hand to her face and she closed her eyes and reveled in his touch once more. When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

Xander Harris and Willow Rosenberg sat on the couch watching television, throwing

their usual snide remarks. Xander as always was stuffing something in his mouth. Dawn

was in the kitchen, cooking up another horrible creation. This time she was trying a peanut butter and ham quesadilla. The odor coming from the kitchen made Willow wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"That kind of smells like when the time we toasted the mayor." Willow pinched her nose shut.

"Yep." Xander said and switched the channel, then stopped mid-chew.

"I think it smells more like the demon dogs from prom night." A voice spoke as someone descended from the stairs.

Both Xander and Willow gazed up in amazement at Buffy as she landed on the bottom step. She was showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt with the phrase 'girl power' on the front, and a pair of stylish yet affordable boots. The two of them got to their feet.

"It looks like Buffy and it sounds like her too. Could this be a new and improved Buffster?" Xander walked over to Buffy, wiped his hands on his pants, and lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Always making time with the ladies, Xander." Buffy smiled at him.

"It's his way." Willow bounced over to Buffy and gave her a big hug.

"It's about time." Dawn peeked her head out of the kitchen and smiled at her sister before returning to the kitchen to destroy her own evil creation.

"I'll say." A deeper voice spoke from behind them. It was Angel. He stood in the doorway of the cellar. That was his way around during the day. He hadn't quite acclimated himself to the fleet of cars given to him by Wolfram & Hart. He was dressed in a long brown coat, mocha colored shirt, and black slacks. The coat draped easily over the broad shoulder that Buffy had depended on time and time again. His shirt and pants clung loosely to the muscular frame that lay beneath, a body that was both powerful and gentle when it had held her. His brown eyes smiled as they looked on Buffy. As always, he looked gorgeous, especially for a dead guy.

"Angel." Buffy said and walked over to him; he enveloped her in a comforting hug.

She stood there in the shelter of his arms and breathed in the closeness. Whatever their history together or apart, they would always remain close to one another. He could feel her grief; it was as if it encased her whole body like a shroud.

"How are you?" Angel pulled back and looked into her eyes. The sadness and grief still lurked there. The very light of her was dimmed, but it was beginning to slowly glow again.

It still irked him immensely that she shared herself with Spike. The other vampire had her when he could not. Spike had won his soul back, while Angel's soul is a curse. The powers-that-be definitely had a very macabre sense of humor.

A slayer in love with an en-souled vampire, only to have said soul taken away from him when they shared a true moment of happiness, only to have her send him to Hell to stop the world from being destroyed, and then there was Spike.

Buffy's "relationship" with Spike was something that still mystified him. Spike had always been her sworn enemy. The two of them had called a truce when he had become Angelus. Spike had formed that alliance to get Dru away and flee Sunnydale. It wasn't until the Initiative had put that chip in his head to keep him from hurting people that Spike had begun to change.

When it was that Spike had fallen in love with Buffy, he couldn't say, but it was obvious that it became mutual at the end. She would always be his true love. It made him happy when she had told him that he would always be special to her.

"I'm of the good. Well, mostly of the good, anyway." She favored him with a smile. The four of them walked into the living room and sat.

Buffy sat next to Angel, holding his hand; he put an arm around her and held her close. Xander and Willow sat across from them. The group sat and talked about the new dealing going on at Angel's place and about Cordelia still missing.

"That's unbelievable. Poor Cordelia. You don't know where she is? I can do a locator spell and we'll find her, Angel." Willow spoke up.

They all talked for a while, Xander and Willow told Angel of the final confrontation with the First. Xander had livened up the story by embellishing more than a little. Angel had wanted to be there, but Buffy had made him leave. She had needed him to be ready to defend Los Angeles had the First gotten past her.

"Buffy, Giles is on the phone." Dawn walked into the living room and handed the phone to her sister. Angel stood and gave Dawn a big hug.

"Hello, Giles. I'm fine. How're things in England? Ok, sure. I'll pack tonight. I'll see you in a few days." She got up from the couch and walked around the room, listening intently to Giles, then hung up the phone.

"England? Why so soon?" Angel asked.

"I thought it would be a while longer yet. He thinks a change of scenery would be good for me. Besides, I need to do something. There's so much work to be done." Buffy kissed Angel and headed upstairs to pack.

Giles had arranged an early morning flight for her; she would arrive the day after tomorrow.

Angel didn't like the thought of all this heaped upon Buffy. She's been through more than any other Slayer before her. When was she going to be given a break and live a normal life? A normal life is something that she always wanted, but never seemed to get.

Her way was the way of the warrior and he was so proud of her, he'd never be able to tell her how much.

"So, Angel…how is the Sin Inn?" Xander asked.

Angel wasn't sure if the younger man meant the hotel, or Wolfram & Hart. It was safe to assume he meant the latter.

"Things are ok." Angel answered back.

"Must be hard having to handle all those devilish vixens, huh? You just have to be firm, man. Show them who the boss is, that's how you do it." Xander puffed up his chest trying to be a tough guy. Willow rolled her eyes.

"Thanks Xander, I think. I'll, uh, keep it in mind." Angel rose and excused himself from the others, and headed upstairs to talk to Buffy.

He entered the room and saw that she had her suitcase open. What clothes she had were piled alongside it. She just sat there on the bed; she looked down at her hands that lay in her lap. She looked up at Angel; uncertainty creased her brow.

"Buffy? You're going to be great." Angel tried to cheer her up.

"How can you know that, Angel? Will I ever be? Will I ever be free from feelingalone?" She wrapped her arms around herself.

"You're not alone. You've got me, you've got your friends, and Dawn...Giles too." Angel sat on the bed next to her and kissed the top of her head.

Buffy turned to him and cried into his coat. Angel put his arms around her and hugged her. He'd never known Buffy to cry so much. This couldn't be good. No matter what she'd been through, no matter how many people she'd lost, she never cried a great deal. Giles was right to have her go over sooner. She had to get away. Maybe then she'd start to heal.

"Come now, dry your tears. That's a good girl." A little bit of his Irish lilt came through as he wiped the tears off her face. "You'll be ok, Buffy, I promise."

"I hope so." She whispered.

"You will," Angel kissed her lightly on the lips and rose from the bed, he walked to the doorway, and turned back and grinned at Buffy, "Besides, you're not done baking yet. You're still cookie-dough, remember? There's someone out there waiting to enjoy the warm, freshly baked you." He smiled and then left.

"Is there?" she said to the room, then got off the bed and finished her packing

London, England-the next day

Adam Pierson a.k.a Methos stood at the baggage receiving area at Heathrow Airport. He kept scanning the area. He hated the large crowds. He must be out of his mind to be here. How did he ever let Joe talk him into this? Simple, he was out of his mind. MacLeod would be there too. He was most definitely out of his mind. Adam felt a peculiar feeling in his belly.

He turned around and saw a girl approach to wait for her bag. It wasn't like the Quickening, but something more, he couldn't think of how to describe what it felt like. She was very pretty, he thought. She was about 5'6, blond hair, and greenish colored eyes. He could see sadness in her eyes despite her shy half smile.

"Hi." She spoke to him. She was American, from California he would have guessed.

"Hi..." He felt himself blushing. Jesus, this was embarrassing. He couldn't think of anything to say, his mind was drawing a complete blank. She turned her attention to the luggage carousel and collected her bag.

"Bye." She smiled and went on her way.

Methos opened his mouth to ask her name, but nothing came out. He watched her walk away to be met by an older man a minute later. They hugged warmly and he kissed her cheek. Damn, it was probably her husband. Methos watched them walk out of the airport.

He collected his bag and hailed a cabbie. The quicker he got home, the better. All he wanted to do right now was to find a nice quiet place to pass a century or two. He handed his bags to the cabbie and got in the car. The cab pulled to a halt outside his house fifteen minutes later. He got out of the cab, paid the man, and grabbed his luggage. Methos just stood looking up to where his front door was.

He could just pack up his things, kill 'Adam Pierson', and start over somewhere far away. He'd done it more times than he could count. Why was this time different? That was something he didn't have an answer to. Maybe it was something that MacLeod had transferred over to him?

"The damn boy scout." He muttered as he got to the door and let himself in.

His house was how he had left it. He put his bags down and closed the door, taking a step into the living room; he stood in its center. He just closed his eyes and breathed everything in the mixture of scents. The smell of the old volumes he kept, the leather of the couch and armchair, a subtle hint of dried flowers that lay in an ancient vase on the coffee table; Methos was home.

He opened his eyes and his attention was drawn to the blinking message light on the answering machine. The counter on the machine blinked '21' messages. He hated the telephone, but unfortunately, his job as researcher in the Watcher's Council had demanded it. He wasn't working with the council anymore. He should have just disconnected the damn thing. He quickly skipped through most of them and listened to the last one. It was from Joe Dawson.

"Hey, Old Man, it's Joe. Just thought you should know, Mac and I are going to be arriving in London probably sometime tomorrow morning. The flight is delayed due to rain. He doesn't know you'll be there too...it was the only way that I could get him to agree to go. I've got to get going, I'm heading to his place now. See ya."

"The Highlander is not going to be happy about that, old man." Methos spoke aloud and erased his messages. No, MacLeod was definitely going to be more than a little upset.

The man had just left and walked out on everyone. MacLeod just disappeared. He hd lost himself for years, and only recently turned back up.

Methos returned to the door and picked up his bags. He carried them into the bedroom and started to unpack. Since Joe and MacLeod were going to be delayed, he had more time to prepare for the meeting. A good long meditation would soon put him in a better frame of mind.

He changed into a more comfortable set of clothing and sat upon his rug. The quiet comforted him. Methos cleared his mind of all thoughts, all of the thoughts except for the young woman he met at the airport. He found himself hoping they would see one another again. He wished he had asked her name.

Across town- outside the road from London

Buffy Summers sat in the car next to her former Watcher, Rupert Giles, and watched the sights of London pass her by. It was her first real trip abroad. She supposed she should be excited, but she still thought of her former lover. This had been Spike's home before he was a vampire.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Giles looked sideways at Buffy.

"Is it still a penny in England or is it a schilling? You better save your money, they're not worth that much." Buffy spoke, and continued to look out the window. Giles grinned and drove on.

A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of Kennedy's parents' house. Buffy was amazed at the size of the house. Willow did tell her that they were people of means; this just threw her a little. Charles the butler waited on the front steps for them.

"Welcome to London, Miss Summers. I trust your flight was a pleasant one? This way, please." He picked up her suitcases and led the way into the house.

The pair of them followed Charles into the house, where a maid informed him that there was a call in the study for him. Giles excused himself and went to take the call. Buffy continued to follow Charles and he led her into a very beautiful room decorated in red and cream tones.

"Wow. Thanks, Mr.?" Buffy turned to thank Charles.

"Its Charles, Miss Summer. You need only call me Charles." He smiled at her and put her cases on the edge of the bed.

"Its nice to meet you, Charles. I'm Buffy." She extended a hand to him and he took it in his and shook.

"My pleasure, Miss Buffy. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." He released her hand and exited the room. She sat on the bed and took in her surroundings. This room was bigger than her room and Dawn's room put together, she hadn't even see the bathroom.

'The bathroom must be huge she thought and went to investigate. She was more than right. The tub, or small pool, was placed under a large picture window. The shower was off to the right in a small connecting room. It was very spacious; all the décor in here was tasteful and simple. The walls were done in blue hues; several shades blending into one another with a wooden trim midway down the wall to be finished by cream wallpaper. She stood in the center of the room and just basked.

"Hey Buffy." It was Kennedy.

"Kennedy." Buffy nodded in the girl's direction. Buffy still wasn't comfortable with the other girl, even if she was Willow's girlfriend. She kept hoping it was just a fling, Willow had better taste. Kennedy just steamrolled Willow over, like a Mack truck.

"How're you doing?" Kennedy asked lightly.

"Fine. This is a beautiful house. Are you sure your parents don't mind?" Buffy asked stepping closer to the other girl to stand in front of her.

"I'm sure. They haven't used this place in a few years. Mom loves the Tuscany place better. It's all ours, their contribution to the cause and all that." She said nonchalantly and moved out of the way.

Buffy walked back into the bedroom, Kennedy walked a few steps behind her. She turned around and saw that Kennedy took a seat in one of the chairs by the fireplace.

"Can I do something for you?" Buffy asked, wishing the other girl would just leave.

"Uh, well, the thing is…I'm sorry." Kennedy shifted in her seat, and managed to choke out the words.

"Ok, great. What are you sorry for?" Buffy raised an eyebrow; this whole apologizing thing was way weird to Buffy. It also gave her a little satisfaction that the other girl was looking so uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you back in Sunnydale. You're a great leader. We wouldn't have made it without you sharing the Slayer power with us. So, thanks." She said as she sprang from the chair and bounced out of the room.

It wasn't the kind of apology Buffy would have hoped for, but it was at least something. Watching Kennedy squirm was just an added bonus, she smiled to herself and began to unpack.

London-Heathrow Airport: the next evening

Duncan MacLeod went to collect his bags from the baggage carousel. He had a little trouble getting through customs with his sword. He was sure grateful for the papers Tessa had drawn up for him that allowed him to carry the sword on any plane with him.

It was a sort of license for the transporting of rare and precious objects, but still a man carrying a sword on a plane didn't hold too well with some people, especially with the terrorist activity.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Duncan MacLeod?" A tall man in a chauffeur's outfit approached him.

"Depends on who's doing the asking." His hand went to the sword hidden in his trench coat.

"Now, Mac, he's just doing his job, relax." Joe walked up from behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He felt the tension in Mac ease a little, but his guard was still up.

"You must be, Mr. Dawson. Mr. Giles sent me to bring you and your companion to your accommodations. If you'll follow me." The driver led the way and the two men followed suit.

They reached the town car, and the driver held the door open for them. This time Joe got in the car first, giving Mac an amused look. Mac just shook his head and got in the car after his friend.

"Why didn't Mr. Giles come to meet us?" Joe asked.

"He sends his apologies, but his charge, Miss Summers arrived last night and he wanted to spend the day with her. She's been ill lately, I've been told." The chauffer explained and drove on.

"Ill?" Mac looked at Joe. He was surprised as well. Giles hadn't said anything about her being ill.

They pulled up in front of a large estate just outside London proper. The butler met them outside and escorted them to their rooms. They didn't bother to unpack, but instead went to find Rupert Giles and this legendary Slayer.

Mac and Joe found them in the library, and saw Rupert Giles sat at a table reading over some rather thick volume. Giles looked up to see the men in the doorway.

"Joe, its good of you to come. You must be the Highlander, Duncan MacLeod, I've heard a great deal about you." Giles put down his book and stood when he noticed the two men standing at the threshold to the library. He approached them and held out his hand. The three of them shook hands.

"Thanks for inviting us, Giles." Joe said.

"This is Kennedy. Her parents were gracious enough to let us borrow this house until we can establish a more permanent residence," He gestured to Kennedy, who was reading a book on strategy, "This is Buffy Summers, the vampire Slayer." Giles walked them over to the girl sitting at the window.

Duncan looked the young woman over, she was prettier than he thought she would be and younger too. There was a deep sadness in her eyes. It was a look that he had come to know well. It was the same look that he had carried with him since Tessa died. It wasn't until a short time ago that he moved on and got involved with Amanda again. She was like a case of malaria; sh e always came back. He hadn't had any contact with her since the double quickening. He didn't trust himself to be around her since that day. He felt something dark inside himself. He had to come to grips with it before he could be with anyone again.

"It's a great honor to meet you at last, Miss Summers. Giles here told me all about you when we met two years ago. I think it was when you…" Joe's words trailed off. He had been about to say when she had died.

"When I died. Its ok, you can say the big bad 'D' word. It's in the past." She favored Joe with a warm smile.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Summers. I've only heard stories about the Slayer; I thought you were just a myth." MacLeod said and he saw Buffy incline her head and take a long good look at him before she smiled.

She said nothing for a few minutes and then sat up straight on the window seat. Her look was a mixture of admiration of his looks and a measuring of his build. He could see her mind working, thinking about how fast and best to take him down.

"Its good to be a myth," both Joe and MacLeod looked at one another, that was exactly something that Methos would say.

"So, you're a Highlander. Nice suits. Giles tells me you're immortal." Buffy smiled.

Mac cast Joe a questioning look, the Watcher just shrugged.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Mr. MacLeod, we're not much with secret identity keeping. Ok, we kind of are…well, we don't go around advertising that's for sure." Buffy got to her feet and offered her hand to Duncan; he took her hand in his and shook it. He could feel the power she had.

"Please, call me Mac, all my friends do" he replied as he sized her up.

"Kennedy is also a Slayer, Mr. Macl, Mac." Giles informed him. Duncan turned and looked at the other girl. She regarded him warily.

This girl was also a Slayer? The stories he heard were always that there was one girl in the entire world, now there was too. Then again, myths weren't always factual.

"Another Slayer? I thought there was supposed to be only one?" Joe lowered himself into an armchair near the fireplace and looked to Giles.

The other man took off his glasses and rubbed the lenses with the hem of his sweater. Buffy always found that endearing about Giles. He always did that when he was thinking or trying to choose his words carefully.

"That's right. However, there was something of an anomaly a few years ago. When Buffy died the first time, a new Slayer was called…Kendra. Xander, a friend of Buffy's, revived her by CPR, that is when Kendra appeared and after she died, another one was called. Her name was Faith." Giles walked over to where he had been sitting and took a sip from his cup of tea.

"I still don't understand how there could be two." Duncan spoke up this time.

"Well, Mac…we don't know either. Faith went rogue. That's a long drama that I would so love not to rehash right now. The short of it is, I went to Los Angeles to track her down and put her down if I had to, but she met up with my ex Angel, she decided to get all redeemy and turned herself in for murder. She went to prison and escaped from there with Wesley's help for when we took down the First. Which makes absolutely no kind of wacky sense, Wesley helping her, especially after what….sorry, major digression. Now she's back in again to finish her time." Buffy finished her explanation and the two newcomers looked a little confused.

All this seemed a little too incredible for Duncan to believe, even after 400 years. Her explanation did little to answer why there was two Slayers now when there should be only one. It was ironic that there always had to be one, one Immortal to claim the Prize and one Slayer to fight the demons and vampires.

"I see. After all that's happened, you still don't have any idea how there could be two Slayers existing at the same time?" Duncan asked. There had to be a logical explanation to his question.

"Actually, Mr. MacLeod, there are more than two now. By our count, we're up to about forty or so. That's just Los Angeles. There are probably countless others out there in the world." Kennedy added in.

The Watcher and the Immortal looked at her with confusion. There was Kennedy and Faith as Slayers…that was two. Did that mean Buffy wasn't a Slayer anymore? The two men thought at the same time.

"This is all incredible. Is Buffy no longer a Slayer?" Joe asked.

"No, she is. She's the First Slayer now. She is currently the longest living Slayer to have ever existed." Giles finished off explaining to the men.

"I'm kind of the mama Slayer…except without all the birthing craziness and cravings." Buffy joked.

"See, the thing is Buffy had Willow work some powerful mojo, and used the essence from the Slayer's scythe to activate the Potentials. It turned on their Slayer powers. So now all the girls in the world that had the potential to one day be the Slayer are now Slayers. Savvy?" This explanation came from Kennedy.

Duncan seemed more satisfied now, having heard a more coherent explanation. Giles also went on to relate how Buffy's second death set things in motion for the First to attack and destroy most of the Slayer line. Buffy's plan to share the power had led to its defeat.

The more Giles went on, the more impressed Joe and Mac became, and the more admiration they began to feel. She was such a small young woman and so fragile looking. That truly lent credence to the expression…'Looks can be deceiving'.

Joe and Duncan had arrived about 8pm and it was now approaching one in the morning. They had listened intently to Giles and Buffy tell about Slayers, the Hellmouth, and all the things they had come across before the town of Sunnydale disappeared. Kennedy had gone to bed about an hour and a half into the storytelling. She'd heard all of it already and wasn't really up for another rehashing of the Chronicles of Buffy and the Scoobies.

All those stories just re-enforced that Buffy was a true champion and Kennedy's doubting of that was wrong. Kennedy had always been the best at whatever she had done, sailing, fencing, it didn't matter what it was she saw to it that she was tops. She had a lot to learn from Buffy and the others. Her arrogance was something she was also going to have to learn to temper down.

"Wow. That's all I can say. You've had one hell of a life, Buffy. I've just got to ask one thing? Did you really think that the hamburgers were made of people? Man, I think I ate there a few times." Joe commented as they all got up from where they were sitting to head to bed.

"What would you think if your co-workers kept disappearing, and you found pieces of body all willy-nilly? Anyway, it all turned out to be vegetable protein. Crazy, huh?" Buffy threw up her hands and smiled.

"My goodness, look at the time. I'll see you all in the morning." Giles looked at the clock on the mantle and went to his room.

Joe followed him; he had wanted to ask Giles a few more questions. Duncan and Buffy remained behind.

"Miss Summers, I wanted to ask you a few questions. If you're tired, I can wait until tomorrow."

"Ask away, its already tomorrow." She sat back down on the couch. He took the seat across from her. He had a worried look on his face.

"Have you by any chance come across a vampire named Angelus?" Duncan asked. Any look Buffy had on her face that was welcoming had disappeared. In place of her smile, there was a look of stone.

"Yes, I have. He's history. Why?"

"Well, some time back he killed someone I knew, a young gypsy girl. I lost track of him sometime during the Boxer Rebellion. He just seemed to disappear off the face of the earth. I figured someone must have finally killed him. Was it you?" Duncan leaned back; he could tell that this was a subject that Buffy didn't like talking about.

Buffy rose from the couch, headed over to the window seat again and sat down there. She drew her knees up against her chest and stared out at the misty garden.

"Angelus is gone." She whispered so softly that he barely heard her.

He hadn't heard about the gypsies cursing Angelus with a soul. He didn't know that Angel would suffer for eternity for the girl Angelus had killed. Their suffering would be his forever. Buffy sat back down on the window seat and drew up knees to her chest and was silent. She turned her head away from him, and he could tell she was crying. Duncan hadn't meant to make her cry. He saw the way her body gently shook from it. He opened his mouth to apologize, but closed it again. He'd already said enough and didn't want to risk upsetting her farther. He walked over to her, laid his hand on her head, and stroked her hair softly, then walked out of the room.

'Great job, Mac. So much for first impressions.' He thought and headed up to his room for the night.

Buffy sat there and cried quietly. She thought she had been long over that. Sometimes she could still see his face when his soul had been restored. The mixture of confusion and happiness on his face had torn right into her heart. That look had been replaced by shock and anguish when she had ran the knight's blessed sword through his chest to close the portal. Wiping her face with the sleeve of her sweater, Buffy saw that Duncan had left the room. Buffy doubted that she would ever be completely over that awful moment. She took a deep breath and headed off to bed.

Early the next morning

Buffy hadn't slept well, she still dreamt of Spike's last moments. She had awakened in a strange room and felt a rush of panic. She had looked around the room frantically, and then she remembered that she was in England. She had calmed down after a while, got dressed, and left a note for Giles. She needed some alone time. Her plan was to walk around London, and explore the city for a while. It was a seven mile walk into town, but she didn't mind. The crisp air would help clear her mind.

The countryside was beautiful, nothing like California. Just walking past the hills and the old trees, she could feel the magic in the place. The environment had soothed her as she walked. She could see why Willow had loved it here.

When she finally made it into town, Buffy felt frozen to the core. She needed something hot to drink, and all she had on her was American currency. She spotted a bank and went inside to exchange her money. She was more than a little hungry, so she decided she'd have a snack too. Buffy found a little café near the bank, and bought some tea and a scone. The whole city was beautiful. She walked down the streets of London, and paused when she came to a modest brick building near the centre of town. There was something about it that drew her to it.

"It's not much, but it was home." A voice spoke from beside her. She turned and smiled as she saw Spike standing next to her.

"I like it." Buffy smiled at him and walked toward him.

"You would have liked me mum, great lady. That was before she got sick, she wasn't the same after that. I would have liked to have given you a home like this," he paused and smiled softly at her, "How're you finding London, love?"

They continued to walk on for a while without speaking, she knew that he was just an illusion, but it helped ease her pain.

"Its beautiful. Spike, I need you to know that I do love you, that I will always love you." She felt the tears form in her eyes.

"Come now, love. No more tears. I knew, pet. I knew. Its something that'll keep me company forever." He wiped the tears from her cheek.

"If you knew, why did you say I didn't?" she asked and stopped walking.

"I thought that if I said that, it would make what I had to do a little easier, one big last hurrah, and all that. Just like in the movies. I wanted you to be proud of me. The Big Bad going out in a blaze of glory…literally. I wanted to be your hero, Buffy." He touched her cheek tenderly.

"You are. I wish I could have died with you. I hurt so much inside. " She sat on a nearby bench. Spike sat down next to her and took hold of both her hands in one of his, the other he used to raise her chin to look at him.

"I'll not have that kind of talk, love. You're not a quitter, Buffy. You've so much life in you, so much passion that it burns so bright. I can see it clear as day, but your misery is dimming it. You'll not be of any use to anyone, especially those that are going to need you if you wallow in your grief. I'll always be in that special place in your heart, Buffy. You have to stop this soon and let your heart mend." Spike kissed her cheek and stood up in front of her.

"What if I can't?" Buffy whispered.

"You will. Who knows, your destiny could be just around the corner." Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes and he was gone. She looked around the park, she watched the people passing by and never felt so alone.

Buffy rose from the bench and walked down the road. She came to a street lined with shops and looked in their windows. She couldn't wait for Dawn to see all of this; window-shopping was like a sport to her little sister. She bought a hot drink and a city map from a nearby by tea trolley and walked on. Buffy turned around a corner and walked right into someone. Her tea went splashing all over the front of her coat and the other person.

"Oh god! I'm sorry." She spoke and looked up at the other person. It was the man she saw at the airport.

"That's alright. It happens all the time. Are you o.k?" The man asked, noticing that her sweater was all wet; the shirt she wore underneath it probably was too.

"I'm fine. Just a little embarrassed. Are you ok?" she noticed that he was wet also.

"Fine. My name is Adam. Adam Pierson." He extended a hand. Buffy dropped the paper cup she was holding and put her hand in his. She felt a little jolt and felt something unlock within her.

"I'm Buffy. Buffy Summers from Sunnydale, California." She didn't know why she said that. She would have taken that back if she could have. She was more than a little flustered by him. He must think that she was a complete spaz, but didn't release her hand. She didn't move to take it back either.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Buffy Summers of Sunnydale, California. I don't mean to be forward, but I live just a few doors down. You could get cleaned up or call your husband to come and collect you." He offered to her. The mentioning of her husband stuck in his throat, but he got it out.

"I'm not married," he must have seen Giles greet her at the airport, "that was my father…well sort of. Long story. Oh, sure. I'm all wet and little sticky." Buffy winced and blushed furiously; she needed to work on thinking before speaking. He just gave her a little smile.

They walked hand in hand to his house that was a short distance away. She didn't think it odd that she was holding hands with a complete stranger. She felt her unhappiness drift away; it was strange, but a good kind of strange. He unlocked the door and held it open for her, then followed her inside. Buffy was amazed by the stuff in the room. It was simply decorated, but reached out to her. Adam walked up behind her and took her coat. She held her breath while he removed her garment.

"The bedroom is through there," he pointed to a room off to the right, "I'll make some tea while you change. There are some shirts hanging in the wardrobe that you can change into. The telephone is also in there, so you can call your father if you'd like." His voice was whispered near her ear. Buffy shivered all over, she hoped he didn't notice.

"Thanks." She turned and looked up at him, she didn't speak, but simply looked at him. He looked right back at her. Moments passed, then she slowly moved away from him and into his bedroom.

Methos held onto her coat and looked at it in his hands. It still carried her warmth. What was he thinking? 'This is crazy.' He thought and placed the coat on the back of the chair. He had to get her out of here quickly. She needed to go. All that he was feeling, it was entirely too rash. He'd fallen in love with Alexa at first sight, but this was something quite different. Alexa. God, he felt like he was betraying her memory by even having Buffy here. She'd been gone for almost ten years, but to him it was almost like it was yesterday.

He should just toss the sweater in the sink and rinse it out as fast as humanly possible, but then there was another part of him that wanted her to stay. Why hadn't he gone to Tibet and hid out in a monastery for a century. Simple answer there…no beer and no women. He grinned at the thought of the beverage. MacLeod always was coming down on him for that.

"You'd think after 5000 years, you'd have developed a more sophisticated palate." Mac had said one night when he found himself sipping an old vintage wine, while Methos rooted around Mac's refrigerator for beer.

"You'd think so."

Methos was drawn back to the present by the sound of his bedroom door opening. Buffy walked into the room wearing a deep rose-colored shirt from his closet. It hung to midway down her thighs and was rolled up on her arms. He would have given all the treasure in Solomon's mines if the shirt was all she was wearing, the sight would have made even Michelangelo weep, but unfortunately she still had on her trousers and boots.

"Thanks for the loaner." She said and handed over her shirt and sweater.

"Were you able to use the phone?" He said walking to where the laundry machine was kept.

"Yes, I did. Thank you. My father will be by in about an hour. This is a nice place you have." She commented as she looked around the room.

Buffy admired the clean lines of the furniture, the obviously old volumes kept in the overflowing bookcases, but what caught her eye was a glass case filled with an assortment of items. A signet ring and a long rifle to name a few, but it was the glass ball resting on a crimson pillow that caught her attention. It was an Orb of Thessala.

Buffy backed away from the case and wanted to run. Her pulse picked up in speed and her breath became rapid. It was just like the one Willow had used to restore Angel's soul from the ether. Why did Adam have one?

She didn't notice that he had returned to the living room, carrying a tray with tea. He saw the state she was in and put the tray down. She turned to face him, panic and pain filled her eyes. She was frightened of something, but he didn't know what.

"Buffy, what's the matter?" he asked, placing his hands on her upper arms to steady her. She had begun to shake. At this rate, he was sure she would faint from the stress.

"Orb…of…Thessala. You have one, why?" The tears streamed down her face.

"Orb? Oh. Its alright, shh…" he took her in his arms, she was shaking even harder now.

"I bought it a few years ago at an antique store. I like to collect beautiful things and thought it would look rather nice in the case." He told her simply. It wasn't a lie. It wasn't until later that he learned what it was. He knew a lot about the things, but had never had a use for one.

Buffy freed herself from his arms and headed for the door. She had to get out of here. The pain gathered in her chest and threatened to explode. It reminded her of losing both Angel and Spike. Angel had come back, but they couldn't ever be together, not in the way they wanted. Spike was gone and never could come back.

Methos caught a hold of her before she reached the door. She was like a frightened deer, trying to flee from a hunter. Before he could think of a logical way to calm her down, he swung her around to face him and kissed her. She struggled against him, trying to fight him, but he hugged her to him.

He deepened the kiss, hoping that he was getting to her. Buffy's shaking lessened. The fear and pain melted away from her. Every impulse and thought dissolved from the onslaught to her mouth. She freed her arms from his tight embrace and her hands caught the front of his shirt and she held on.

Methos used this change in the embrace to wrap his arms around her back, drawing her even more closely. Their mouths dueled with one another, every kiss competing with another. They stumbled backwards until Buffy's back hit the wall. Methos hitched her up higher against the wall; she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. His mouth left hers to caress the column of her throat, and her collarbone that had been exposed by the opening of his shirt. All Buffy could do was feel.

"This is crazy. We shouldn't be doing this." He muttered against her throat, but didn't stop. She was driving him insane, she filled his sense and he let himself get lost in her.

"We just met. Its insane." She managed to say in her haze.

Methos had to get a hold of the situation. Somehow, he wasn't quite sure how, he stopped. He laid his head against her shoulder, his breathing labored. She also laid her head against his shoulder, trying to breathe in any oxygen. She loosened her legs from his waist and he set her down, but she remained trapped between the wall and his body. It was minutes before they could speak. They just stood there, trying to get some kind of control back. He pushed back from her, his arms extended, and looked at her.

"I'm sorry. That was…I'm not sure how to describe what just happened." Methos's head was spinning. She was so exquisite that he felt his heart breaking. He backed away, and put his hands in his pockets to keep himself from touching her.

"I can't think of anything either, except I'm glad that I left L.A." she smiled.

"Me too. Oh hell, forget the tea. I need a drink. You want one?" He went to the kitchen. He came back with two bottles of beer in his hands. He handed one to Buffy, who took it without question. She eyed it with a wary eye. After that incident at U.C. Sunnydale when she became cavewoman Buffy, she hadn't touched the stuff. Without another thought, she took a long swig from the bottle and found Methos staring back at her with an amused look on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing. A woman after my own heart." He smiled and took a swig of his own. He retrieved her clothes from the dryer, after a while, they sat down on the couch and fell into an easy conversation. They didn't talk about anything in particular, the subjects ranged from music, movies, and little bits of mundane trivia, the basic small talk. She didn't mention slaying, vampires or demons and he didn't mention his 5000 years of living. The hour passed without notice, a knock sounded at the door.

"That must be my father." She rose from the couch.

"I'll walk you to the door." He also rose from the couch and together they walked to the door. The door opened to reveal the Kennedy driver, Malcolm. Giles wasn't there. He had been delayed by a phone call from America, a Miss Rosenberg calling to confirm the arrival time of her and the rest of the group's flight to England. Methos walked Buffy to the car and held the door open for her.

"I guess this is goodbye." She said before she got in the car.

"No. We'll see each other again. Count on it." He took hold of her hand and kissed it before he shut the door firmly. The driver took that as a signal to pull away from the curb and into traffic. Methos stood there watching the car disappear from sight and walked back into his house to take a cold shower, or six, however many it took to put out the fire she started.

Buffy settled back against seat of the car, took a deep breath and enjoyed the ride back. She was not going to think about what happened, that would only make her look very guilty and Giles would want to know what's going on. She wanted to keep this to herself for a little while. The car dropped her off at the front of the house. She found Giles in the study still on the phone with Willow. He gestured for her to come in, and then he put his hand over the receiver.

"What happened to your clothes?" Giles gave her his infamous curious look at her in Methos's shirt, "Yes Willow, I'm here. Buffy is back. She went walking in town. Just a moment." He handed the phone to Buffy.

"Hey Will. I've only been here less than a day. Of course I don't have an accent!

How're things there? Tell Dawn I say Hi', and Xander too. I love you guys, ok,

I'll see you soon." She handed the phone back to Giles and he hung it up.

Buffy sat down on the sofa and met Giles inquiring look. She looked down and realized that she was still wearing Adam's shirt. Her shirt and sweater was folded over the side of her purse. She looked back at Giles, her face turning red.

"I assume that there's perfectly logical reason why you are wearing a strange shirt." He took off his glasses and wiped them clean.

"There is a good reason for this. I was walking in London, looking around, it's a great place, everything is so historical," she rambled on until Giles folded his arms across his chest; that usually meant he wanted an answer right now,

"Well, I was walking in London."

"Yes, you said that." Giles walked to stand in front of her.

"Yes, I…I was walking and seeing the sights. I was turning a corner and I ran right into this guy. I'm talking major collision on the sidewalk. Tea went everywhere; he lived nearby, and offered me a change of clothing. We talked while I waited for you to pick me up. He was nice." Buffy began to blush again.

"Does he have a name? Buffy, I was worried when you weren't in your room this morning," he noticed her pink cheeks, "Are you feeling all right, Buffy? You look a little flushed. You're not coming down with anything, I hope?" Giles sat down next to Buffy on the couch and felt her forehead.

"No, I'm ok. I know, I'm sorry, but I just need some air. His name is Adam. You would have liked him; he had lots of old books. So, what're we doing today?" She kissed him on the cheek and he hugged her back.

The two of them talked for a moment, and then she went upstairs to change into some other clothes. Giles wanted to train, make sure she was still on top of her slay game. She met him outside on the back lawn; he had batons for practice and plenty of pads for himself. It seemed like old times, practicing like this. They batted back and forth for a moment, not really trying, but then she got serious and they got down to some serious dueling. She knocked him down at least three times before he threw up his hand in surrender.

"Enough. Oh good lord, I beg you. Stop." Giles put up a hand to stop the onslaught and then doubled over, trying to catch his breath. He looked up to see that Buffy wasn't the least bit winded and only a fine sheen of sweat glistened on her brow.

"Pretty good. She's not bad, Mac." said Joe Dawson from the patio. MacLeod stood next to him, a sword in hand. He stood there, a grin on his face.

"Not bad. How about picking on someone your own size?" He stepped down to the lawn and swung his sword in front of him a few times.

" I think it's a little unfair, especially when the weapons odds are way stacked in your favor. How about we go hand to hand?" Buffy took up a defensive pose.

Mac considered it for a moment and then tossed his sword to Joe. He proceeded to strip off his sweater, leaving him with only a thin t-shirt. Buffy could see the muscle contained beneath it, and suddenly realized that this wasn't one of her best ideas. She pushed it out of her head. Mac circled her a few times, but she did not move. She stood her ground, and watched him move around her.

"Are we going to fight, or are you trying to make me dizzy?" Buffy said as he took up an offensive position in front of her. He sprang on her and she quickly blocked his move.

"Oh aye, I'm just picking my moment." He said and then winked at her.

They went at it for a while until Giles called it to a halt, when they didn't listen, he stepped in between them. Mac had landed a few lucky shots, her bottom lip had split, a few ribs were sore, and her right cheek sported a lovely shade of purple. The Slayer also had gotten in a few good shots herself. He now sported a lovely black eye where her cross-trainer had caught his face when he tried to avoid a roundhouse kick, a split lip, and a sore rear-end from when she knocked him down a few times.

"Not bad, Miss Summers. Not bad at all. Gave the old man a run for his money." Joe walked to where they stood and handed back Mac his sword.

"He's an old man? What's that make you? Ancient history?" She took the towel Giles offered and wiped at her lip.

"Well, no. Mac is about 400 or so years old. Give or take a few decades." Joe said and saw the surprise light up on her face and also on Giles' face too. Mac frowned at Joe. He hadn't told them exactly how old he was.

"Wow. He's older than Angel." Buffy looked to Giles.

"Yes, its quite extraordinary. Are there many immortals older than you?" Giles said as he turned to look at Duncan.

"A few. Not many." Mac replied and then noticed Kennedy walking onto the patio. She had been out collecting a few girls that arrived from Italy and Poland.

"Looks like I missed a party. I would have bet on the chick. Come on inside, I've brought back some newbies in need of everything. Real pathetic." Kennedy turned on her heel and walked back into the house.

Giles and Joe left Mac and Buffy on the lawn. The two Watchers started discussing some of Mac's exploits and of course Giles had questions about other Immortals. Buffy stretched out her aching muscles watching Mac. He was a great fighter. She could have used someone like him when she was fighting the First.

"You're good, but your fighting style is too loose and undisciplined. You're all over the place, we'll work on it." He regarded her thoughtfully.

"Excuse me? Undisciplined? Loose? I have to improvise all time. Vampires don't exactly have a 'style' they stick to, you know. I use what works and it has for a long time, or I wouldn't have lasted as long as I have. Slayers don't exactly have a long shelf life. Thanks, but no thanks." Buffy started to walk past Mac, but he brought his sword up to her throat.

Buffy stopped where she was. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He was actually smiling.

"I could have taken your head if I wanted to. You let your emotions get in your way. You drop your guard, when you do that, you leave yourself open and vulnerable, then you end up dead. Not everyone fights fair, Buffy." He instructed her.

"They may not, but I do," She did a back flip and then managed to take Mac's sword from him, swept his legs from under him and brought it to his throat, "most of the time." She planted the sword a few inches from his face in the ground.

She extended a hand to him and helped him up. He just shook his head when he got to his feet and laughed. Buffy also started laughing and went into the house. Mac stood there thinking that she was better than he thought and his initial observations were a little off.

Mac joined the rest of the group in the house a minute later. Joe and Giles were deep in conversation. Buffy was talking to the two girls with Kennedy standing near her, adding to some of the things Buffy was telling them. They looked a little frightened.

Mac still didn't think he had much of a reason for being there. Buffy had tremendous potential, might even teach him a thing or two, but he hadn't taken a student on since Richie. It was too painful to lose them. He didn't want to have to go through that again. She wasn't even immortal, all the more reason to just pack up and head back to Seacouver. Maybe it was time to return to the world of the living, after all? All he was doing was sitting around his house, shut off from everything and everyone.

"Mac?" Joe called to him. Everyone was watching him just standing there.

"What's up, Joe?" Mac walked to where Joe and Giles were talking, taking a seat across from Joe.

"You know of any good properties around town? Giles figures we need a good-sized building for this new Council. You know…living spaces, large enough rooms for training, libraries, offices, and things of that nature. I told him you could even do the security to keep out the regular folk." Joe looked to Giles, he agreed with the suggestions.

"Is that a fact? Well. I'm glad I could volunteer." Mac grinned at Joe.

"We'll take care of any mystical protection ourselves. There's a very powerful coven in Devon to help with those measures, along with whatever Willow comes up with." Giles once again was wiping his glasses.

"I'll ask around. It's been a while since I've been in London." Mac told them and then went upstairs to make some phone calls.

London-later that night

Giles had invited the group of surviving Watchers from England, Ireland and Scotland to the house to plan a preliminary coarse of action. There were a total of 8 people that arrived, not counting Giles, Joe, Buffy, Mac, Kennedy and the two newbies, Tereza and Marie, which brought the total to 15. He hadn't had much luck locating many people. The newbies were immediately taken under the care of two of the new Watchers. The Watchers and the group, aside from Kennedy and the two girls, sat down in the library to start the discussion. Kennedy opted out of the meeting; she wanted to start training the girls. Buffy didn't have any reservations about that; she was one of the best new Slayers that Buffy had fought alongside during the battle with the First.

"I wanted to thank all of you for coming such a long way. Our purpose here tonight is to gather some ideas on forming a new Council. This time it will be different, better. We're throwing out all the old rules and generating new ones, it will be a co-operation between the Watchers and the Slayers. We've got a lot of work to do and we need to start immediately. I've asked an advisor from the other Watcher's Council. Mr. Joseph Dawson and his associate, Duncan MacLeod, have joined us to lend a hand. I've also asked Buffy to sit in on these discussions. Her skills as a Slayer and her experience will be invaluable in training new Slayers. Buffy, would you like to say something?" Giles took his seat.

Buffy stood in front of the collected group, she hated public speaking. She cleared her throat and looked around at everyone.

"Hi, I'm Buffy. Thanks for coming. First of all I want to say I'm sorry about what happened to the former Council, there were a lot of people that didn't deserve to die, but let's face it…there are casualties in battle, innocents are going to die. The First really got us good, lots of potentials and their Watchers died. Quentin Travers wasn't big on sharing, that's going to change. Sure, the Slayers will need to follow the training laid down by their Watchers and follow their guidance, not rules, guidelines. It's a two way street now.

The way the old council operated was too secretive and that was dangerous. A Slayer risks her life when she fights. All of you know that. She accepts what she has to do. Maybe not at first, but she does. It's her duty. What she doesn't like is fighting for her life at the age of 16 with her powers being taken away from her without her knowing about it, a test they say, and it was a test to make sure she's worthy. I almost died. Bullshit…" Buffy was interrupted by one of the Watchers from Ireland, a Mr. Sean O'Hara.

"Miss Summers, Buffy, that is the way it has been done for centuries. We can't just tear up the rulebook as quick as you like. There is a tradition and history that has to be respected." Mr. O'Hara pointed out.

Mac and Joe looked at one another. Joe's Watchers had been around for centuries too. They watched the Immortals, observe and record without interference and without the knowledge of the Immortal. They were both getting an education tonight.

"History is always being written, Mr. O'Hara. Traditions always change, evolve, so to speak, to other forms. Its time we write a new history…our history. We're not getting rid of the old training and traditions…they're just…" Buffy said, but another new Watcher broke in. Her name was Brenna Gallagher.

"Evolving. I think Miss Summers has a good point. I have yet to have charge of a Slayer, but studying Mr. Giles's relationship with his charge has been inspiring. A true cooperative has worked quite well. That is how it should be." Brenna spoke to the group.

"May I remind you that those kinds of Watchers trained the Slayer from the beginning, taught her skills that she needed to fight, and gave her the knowledge to know how to fight whatever she came across. It has worked for centuries, there is no reason to change things." One of the former Watchers, a Ms. Eloise Philby, spoke up.

Mac was beginning to understand why Buffy wanted to change things. If the Slayer died, the Watcher went on and a new girl was called to service. The Slayers, while important, were expendable.

"History, Mr. O'Hara is always written by the strong and the ones who watch and risk little. Never do those who die fighting write it. I think Buffy has a point. Why should the Slayer have to follow blindly to what her Watcher has to say? She has the strength and the skills to fight, but what is beyond that? She's basically a disposable fighter. One dies and another comes and all of you Watchers just go on…" Mac spoke up. His words were met by a few angry stares by the new Watchers, including a shocked look from Giles.

"Mr. MacLeod, I don't think you're entirely familiar with what we do. We train her to fight the evil and give her the knowledge to do so. We are charged with her upbringing if she's brought to us early enough. We care for our charges, Mr. MacLeod." Ms. Philby stood and looked directly at Mac. Her Slayer had been killed twenty years ago.

The group was quiet again as they pondered what Ms. Philby said. The Watchers did care for their charges, not in the familial way, but they did care. Giles and Buffy had a unique relationship. It was because of that relationship that Giles had been fired as Watcher and Wesley Wyndham-Price had taken over. Later when Angel was dying from that mystical poison arrow, the Council had refused to help, and that was when Buffy turned her back on the Council. That was the first time in history that had happened.

"There's no disputing that, Ms. Philby. However, not all of us get charge of our Slayer when they are children. I took charge of Buffy when she was 15 years old. She was resistant to continuing her duty, and even told me she was retired when she showed up in Sunnydale. Fortunately for everyone, she changed her mind. We can no longer force these girls into the mold that was formed centuries ago. They have minds of their own and we need to utilize them." Giles gave Buffy a fond look. She smiled back and the group went on for several more hours discussing what could be done.

By the end of the discussion, they had accomplished a great deal. Nothing was set in stone at this point, but they were well on their way to forming a good foundation. There was still opposition from Eloise Philby and a few others, and it was going to be a very large undertaking to convince them. Buffy asked Mac to stay back when the others went up to their respective rooms.

"I wanted to thank you for what you said." She approached him.

"You're welcome. Time to get to bed; we've got an early start. We'll see if we

can smooth some of your rough edges." He smiled at her and left the room.

Buffy just laughed to herself. He was definitely going to be a challenge working with, but then again; she wasn't one for taking the easy road. One just had to look at her love life and let the evidence speak for itself. She went to bed with a great sense of accomplishment and for the first time in recent weeks, she had no nightmares. She just slept.

Around 6am the next morning, Mac and Buffy started working. He was going to teach her the sword. She had a natural talent with one, but there was always room for improvement. They worked on various aspects of her skills, sparring for a while, using the sword and then hand to hand, this time not doing too much injury to one another. Giles had stopped them around 11am and they got changed to go into London. Giles, Buffy, Mac, and Joe looked up a property man that Mac had met back in 1997 when he was last in London. The man had located five properties, but knew there were more…they just had to look. They looked at the several possibilities over the next few hours. By 8pm they had found what they were looking for. A large abandoned factory at the edge of town that was perfect for their needs. It was extremely run down, but large enough for what they needed. It was going to take more than a little paint and a lot of work to make it livable.

"This kind of reminds me of the soap factory in Sunnydale. Doesn't it, Giles?" Buffy called to Giles from the catwalk. Giles looked up and at Buffy and grimaced. She didn't see his look.

"Yes, it does indeed." Giles remembered it very well.

It was the place that Angelus, Drusilla, and Spike had been hiding out at when Giles went to kill Angelus for murdering Jenny Calendar. He still thought about Jenny. There were times, especially at night when he thought of her. It was the reason he was glad that Angel had left for Los Angeles…his presence was always a constant reminder of his lost love.

"This is going to need a whole lot more than a little spit and polish, Giles. I'll see what resources I can pull out of my council." Joe offered.

"Yes, quite. Thank you, Joe." Giles came out of his thoughts and shook Joe's hand in gratitude.

The sun had gone down before the group left the building. Giles, Mac and Joe were headed off to a pub to grab a bite to eat, Buffy declined. She decided to go patrolling. When Giles had objected, she cited that she didn't know the city and that it was the best way to get familiar with the nasties. "What better way to know a place then to get lost in it." Buffy responded with her usual humor and carefree attitude.

"She'll be fine." Joe assured him and the three men took off. Buffy walked out of the building and into the night.

The three men found a restaurant in town and sat down to have a meal, and more discussion. When dinner was finished, Joe and Giles headed to a pub to talk more. Mac took himself back to the house, he wanted to workout, and think up a good training regimen for Buffy.

Inside the pub, Joe and Giles sat in a booth in the back of the pub. It was noisy, but that was what they needed. Less chance of people overhearing them.

"This is going to be one hell of a gamble, man. My people aren't going to be too hot to cooperate." Joe took a drink from his beer.

"I understand. It is a gamble, yes, but I think a mutual cooperation would benefit everyone in the end. Is there anyone that you can think of that would be open to working with us?" Giles also took a drink from his beer.

"Not a one…wait, I know this one guy. He's a researcher…a historian. His name is Adam Pierson. He left the council in 1997. Great man…a little arrogant, but Adam has got a hell of a memory and knows a whole hell of a lot. Other than that, I'm not going to cross my fingers. They're still not too happy with me." That was true. When he and Methos had sprung Mac from the Sanctuary, Joe got a very severe reprimand again, anymore and he'd be gone…literally.

The two men finished their beers and ordered another round.

"Personally, I don't think my people are going to be any help. They don't operate the same way. It's all about secrecy…the people we watch aren't even supposed to even know that we're there." Joe told Giles. It was something that the other man already knew, but still true nonetheless.

"I know. You broke that rule and revealed yourself to Mr. MacLeod. Why?" Giles asked.

"Its not that they were mad about that so much…just the fact that we're friends. There was this renegade Watcher, he was killing Immortals…they were abominations, he said. It went against everything we've been doing for centuries. He had to be stopped…job security." Joe explained to Giles.

"I see." Giles knew there was something that Joe wasn't telling him.

He'd have to let it go for now. There was so much to do, and they needed all the help they could get. Joe and Giles finished their drinks and went back to the house.

Buffy walked through London, she watched the people walking along the streets, and a little part of her still wished she could be just a normal person like them. 'Not going to happen, silly girl.' She thought to herself. She thought about Giles as she walked. She loved Giles dearly, but sometimes he just worried too much. Buffy wanted to be alone, going patrolling was just an excuse to be alone. If she saw vampires then she'd do her job; she just wanted to be on her own again.

She stopped at a park, watching the people walking under the dim lights that lined the street. She had a life that was a hard one, but it had definite purpose. She also wanted to see Adam; she did have his shirt after all. He'd want it back. Buffy walked on into the night, maybe, just maybe…she'd find her way back to his house. Maybe.

An hour later, Methos left his home, turning up the collar of his coat against the chilly night air. All day he had tried to work, to keep his mind on other things, but it proved to be a futile effort. He kept thinking back to Buffy and the incendiary moment.

Methos wasn't going to be in a good frame of mind when he met with Joe tomorrow. He knew he was going to be useless. A brisk walk would clear his head, hopefully.

Methos walked into town, gazing into the shop windows, and stopped by his favorite pub to grab a beer. When he finished, he walked around some more. His wanderings had taken him down to the docks, he hadn't been down here in a while. A loud series of crashes from a nearby alley drew his attention. He went in search of the cause of the commotion. When he got near enough to the alley, a body came flying out. It was a vampire. He stepped back as the vampire got back up and rushed back into the alley. He picked up something faint, a familiar feeling. He looked into the alley and to his surprise…it was Buffy.

She was fighting off at least four vampires. He was surprised by how well she moved. A second later, two more vampires appeared from out of the darkness. The odds were not in her favor. Without any thought of consequence, Methos rushed in to join the fight. By the time he reached her, she dusted two of them.

"Buffy, watch out!" he called to her; a vampire was trying to get a hold of her from behind. She pivoted on her heel and lashed out with a perfect roundhouse kick.

"Adam, what are you doing here?" She met him in the middle of the pack.

"I thought I was coming to the aid of a damsel in distress." He took a stake that she offered him and together they managed to dust the remaining vampires. Before he got the last one, it managed to catch him in the side with a knife.

"That was sweet of you. Oh my god, you're hurt." She caught him before he fell to the ground. She raised the hem of his baggy sweater and saw the wound; there was so much blood. She stripped off her jacket and pressed it to the wound.

"We have to get you to a doctor." She helped him stand up.

"No, I'll be alright. I just need to get to my house." He told her. She protested, but gave in to his request. They made it home and barely got inside before he passed out. Buffy wasn't sure what she should do. She picked up Adam's phone and dialed Giles' cell phone. She told him what happened and he told her that he would be right over. She gave him directions to Adam's house and hung up the phone.

She went into the bathroom, grabbing towels, antiseptic, and bandages. She went into the kitchen and grabbed a large bowl and filled it with water. Buffy placed all the stuff on the coffee table and picked up Adam from where he fell next to the door. She hauled him onto the couch and stripped his sweater off carefully.

She noticed that the wound was bleeding less, but it still looked pretty bad. She cleaned it up as best as she could and bandaged it up tightly. She noticed that he had a beautiful body as she wiped the blood off his chest.

Methos woke to see Buffy wringing a washcloth out in the bowl. It was stained with blood, his blood. He felt the knife wound in his side as he tried to move. He looked down and saw that she patched him up. The bandage wrapped around his waist was colored with the slight stain of blood.

"You're awake. What were you doing rushing in like that? You could have been killed." She sat down on the couch and kissed him quickly.

"I thought you were in trouble. I had to help you." Methos tried to sit up, but it hurt too much.

"It was nothing that I couldn't handle, but thanks anyway." Buffy said as he drew her down to him and kissed her. She was flattened against his chest and levered herself off of him.

"You're going to hurt yourself with me on you like this." Buffy smiled at him.

"You're absolutely right." He pushed himself up with a groan and pushed her back against the couch.

"Better?" He asked and kissed her again.

"Uh…yeah." She said before she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He worked her sweater upwards, his hands stroking her ribcage and down her sides. She moved her hands through his short brown hair. Buffy loved the coarse texture of his hair. Methos paused for a minute, feeling something, but decided to ignore it. He had to have her and damn the consequences…it looked like she felt the same way too.

The door burst open to reveal Mac with his sword in hand. He quickly lowered his sword when he noticed the embracing couple on the couch. Giles and Joe also appeared in the doorway. Giles shocked at the scene before him.

"Hello, Methos." Mac sheathed his sword and lounged against the wall. The sound of Mac's voice broke the two apart. Buffy quickly pulled down her sweater when she saw Mac and the others.

"Ah, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod and Joe Dawson." Methos reached for his shirt that Buffy put aside.

"You know these guys?" Buffy looked at Methos.

"Unfortunately. Miserable reprobates that they are." He stood up and held a hand out to Buffy to help her off to her feet.

"You must be Buffy's father? I'm Adam. Adam Pierson." He walked over to Giles and extended a hand to Giles; the other man still looked stunned, but accepted his hand.

"Um, yes. I am, I suppose."

"Who's Methos? Mac called you Methos." Buffy looked at him, but this time there was a little anger in her eyes. That look killed him. He had felt Mac, but he'd been too caught up in the heat of the moment to even care.

"Anyone want a beer?" He left them and went to the kitchen and grabbed a six-pack of the refrigerator. Mac followed him.

"I don't suppose it's a coincidence that you're here in London?" Mac asked him.

"No. If you want to blame someone, then Joe is your man. I told him you would never have come if you knew that I was here." Methos headed back into the living room.

Buffy was sitting stiffly on the couch with her arms crossed and she didn't look happy. He handed out the beers to everyone. Buffy just sat her own down on the table and looked at him.

"Well? 'Splainy…" Buffy fixed an angry stare at him.

"She wants an explanation." Giles translated when Methos looked confused.

"Hey! I'm speaking English." Buffy exclaimed.

"I'm Methos. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Adam Pierson is the name I pickedwhen I started working with Joe." He sat near her, and she moved away a few inches.

"So, just Methos? No last name. What are you some kind of artist with the cool one name thing going for you?" Buffy still didn't look any happier.

"I don't think he's ever had a last name. If he did, he forgot it a long time ago." Joe said to Buffy. Her brows wrinkled in confusion.

"Methos is also an Immortal, Buffy." Mac told her.

"That's great. I'm going to bail. This is all whack." Buffy got to the door.

"Buffy, stop. Please." Methos implored.

Buffy got to her feet and walked part way to the door. She turned back around and stopped right in front of Methos, and reached down to rip off the bandage. Methos gave a yelp as the bandages tore some of his skin off. Buffy looked and saw the wound was closing; blood smeared his skin where the bandage had been.

"You're Immortal? Why the whole Clark Kent? Are you older than Mac?" Buffy stood her ground and glared.

"You forgot to mention that you're a Slayer, you know." Methos pointed out to her. Buffy was getting angrier.

"Now you're being avoidy. Answer the question or I'm going to pull a Casper and make with the poofage." Buffy poked at his chest.

"Yes, a little. I'm roughly 4589 years older than him." Methos saw her look of anger replaced by one of incredulity. Buffy wobbled unsteadily on her feet and he rose from his seat, and guided her back to the couch.

"That is a great deal more than a little." Giles said in an astonished voice. Buffy said nothing, all the color drained from her face. She didn't even look at him. Methos worried that she may never look at him again, or talk to him.

"Please, Buffy. Say something." He took hold of her hand, and she just stared at their hands.

"5000." She said. It wasn't quite what he wanted to hear, but she spoke.

"Goodness gracious, are you really? That's extraordinary. You must almostpredate the pyramids. What was is it like, living as long as you have?" Giles astonishment wore off, and he was asking question after question that Methos had a hard time answering them.

Buffy sat there silently, her brain stuck on the number 5000. It was incomprehensible, it was impossible that anyone could live that long. She'd never even met a vampire that lived that long. Kakistos had been an old vampire. So had the Master, but they weren't as old as Methos.

Aside from vampires and the assorted demons, she had never met an Immortal until she met Mac. Well, until she saw Methos at the airport. She had never known they existed, Giles hadn't even known and Giles knew a lot about everything,

"Slow down, Giles. You're wearing me out and I'm just listening." Joe managed to stop Giles.

"I think we should let Buffy and Methos talk…alone." Mac suggested.

He remembered what it had been like when he told Tessa about his immortality. He could see her strength in Buffy. She wasn't going to accept this so readily, even with all the things she must have seen in her life, but she'd have an easier time without the Englishman's incessant questions.

"Oh, yes. Quite right." Giles reluctantly stood up from his seat and joined the other two at the door. It was so unlike Buffy to be so quiet, he was worried about her. With all that's happened to her in the recent weeks, this wasn't the kind of shock she needed. Leaving her alone with the immortal was not what he wanted, but he was being overruled.

"Mr. Giles, I'll make sure your daughter gets home safely. Be sure of it." Methos opened the door for them and then shut it. Buffy was staring down at her lap.

"How can you be 5000 years old?" Buffy whispered. Methos turned and faced her.

"I've been lucky, Buffy. I've stayed out of the attention of others like me. I don't get involved, and I get to keep my head. No one knows why one becomes Immortal. I didn't ask for it. I'm just a guy." Methos sat down next to her on the couch.

He sat a little apart from her. He could feel the distance between them. The small space on the couch could have been an ocean.

"Angel was only 250 years old. I'm only 22 years old. You're 5000 years old. Why does this keep happening to me?" Buffy was stunned. This was all just too much. Her brain was hovering on the brink of overload.

"I wish I had the answer for that, Buffy. This isn't easy for me either. I didn't tell you because I had no reason to. I thought you were just a normal girl. I should have known better," He picked up her hand and laced her fingers through his,

"I could feel you, Buffy. You've felt the pull when we touch. It's not like sensing another Immortal, or even a potential Immortal. In all my years, I've never felt anything like this. Not even with Alexa. She was a woman I loved once. I lost her a few years ago to cancer and I thought my life was over. I never wanted to feel again. I've been numb until I felt you at the airport. You've brought me back to life by just being near." Methos let go of her hand, and moved away and stood up.

"A few years ago…five hundred years or so?" She asked. She had felt the connection pulsing through their hands.

"No, it was 8 years ago. There is something here with us, Buffy. It's all too sudden and too much, but I'm willing to find out. Are you? I leave this in your hands." He walked to the window and looked outside to the square just beyond his door.

He was right, there was some unexplainable feeling when they met. She'd thought about it before, it was like something unlocking within her. Everything that she was feeling seemed like it was happening too sudden, but it also felt right. Angel was her soul mate, but they couldn't be together. Adam, no, Methos was more than that. She wanted to find out what it was that they felt, but first there had to be trust.

She was so tired of everyone lying to her. Angel, Riley, Xander, Giles, Willow and Dawn…they all had lied to her. Spike was the only one to have been honest with her.

He hadn't told her not because he didn't want her to know how old he was, but that he was afraid of what was going on with them. So was she.

He only looked in his early 30s, but it was his eyes that spoke of so much living before. Pursuing this was going to be risky. How would she deal when she was 80? He would still look the same. Would he still love her then? Buffy thought hard about that last part, and then decided that it was a question that she was willing to have answered.

"Ok, here's the deal. You're going to tell me about everything. Everything you can remember. I want complete honesty here. I'm tired of being lied to." She told him forthrightly. He turned slowly to face her, she could see a smile at his lips and hope in his eyes.

"I agree. We'll start with you, it won't take as long" He all but ran to her and enveloped her in his arms and kissed her.

"You won't regret this, Buffy. I promise." He set her down.

"I have a feeling I won't, but we'll see." She kissed him on the cheek and he took her home.

They made a promise to get together tomorrow night. She was looking forward to it. He hailed a cabbie and they drove back to the house.

Buffy hoped that this wasn't going to turn out like it had with Angel. Did Immortals go bad? They were still people after all. She was going to have her hands full with learning about Immortals and this whole new Council thing.

Methos helped her out of the cab and they stood there for a time. She could have stood there forever; looking at him, and having him look at her. The cabbie to his credit, waited for the young couple to say their goodbyes. He'd been married to his childhood sweetheart for more than 40 years. It did his heart good to see two people in love.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" Methos brushed the wayward hair out of her face.

"You betcha." She smiled up at him as he leaned in for a quick kiss.

Methos got back into the cab, and waved goodbye through the back window. Buffy stood there until the cab reached the end of the very long drive.

"I think my brain has been seriously mashed." Buffy walked up the stone steps to the door, where Giles had opened it. He'd been waiting up for her, like a regular father would have been. The thought made her smile.

"I imagine you've had an enormous shock this evening." Giles said as they strolled into the kitchen, where Cook smiled at Giles and offered them a cup of tea and some cookies.

"Giles, enormous is so not enough to cover it. I mean, I meet a guy and I think he's a this normal guy that just connects with me and 'oops, sorry honey, I'm 5000 years old and the only way I can die is if someone chops my head off'. Is there some invisible sign on me that says…'Normal guys need not apply?'" Buffy said.

As always, Giles was in complete awe of Buffy. After all these years, he still was amazed by how she spoke sometimes. He took a long sip from his tea and regarded her with amusement. She smiled back at him.

"I'm sure that's not the case. You're unique, Buffy. Would you really want just some normal everyday man? Look at Riley," He shouldn't have said anything about Riley, "I'm sorry. You're a highly exceptional young woman, Buffy. Normal for you wouldn't suit. According to Mac and Joe, Methos is more than extraordinary. He's fascinating. You could have done worse."

"Alright, you date him. I'll ask him if he has an older brother. Let's just deal with this a little more Hardcopy and less Disney channel, ok? This is my boyfriend that we're talking about. Did I just call him my boyfriend? Man, I am critically off center mentally. I don't suppose any of this can be blamed on an overdose of hormones or jet lag?" Buffy took a sip from her tea and caught Giles laughing at her.

"I suppose I should now mention that Joe suggested Adam, I mean that Methos, work with us. He used to work with the other Watchers Council as a historian." Giles just smiled at Buffy, and Buffy just did a double take.

"Ugh. I so do not need another office romance right now." Buffy plopped down on the stool across from Giles. He started laughing at her again.

It was funny; she had to admit. Giles was right about one thing. She could have done worse. She could have entered into another unhealthy relationship with another vampire. Buffy sighed at the thought. She thought of Spike for a second and her smile faded.

"Buffy, what's the matter?" Giles asked as he saw the change in her expression.

"Nothing, I'm fine. I think I'm finally tired. I'm going to call it a night." Buffy carried her mug to the sink and rinsed it out.

"You told Adam, rather, you told Methos that I was your father. May I ask why?" Giles was curious.

"'Cause you are." Buffy walked by and kissed him on the cheek.

"Pleasant dreams, darling." He hugged her and she went off to bed. Giles sat there for another moment and finished off his tea. As he put his mug in the sink, he wiped the tears from his eyes. 'His own little girl.' He thought and went off to bed. Methos was a definite change of pace in Buffy's tastes in men. He hoped for her sake that she knew what she was doing.

Buffy drifted to sleep. Once again she had the dream of Spike. She still couldn't save him. Even in her sleep, Buffy cried. There was something different about tonight's dream. As she stood on the road, looking back at what had been Sunnydale, a voice called to her. She turned to see Methos standing there, holding his hand out to her. It was only he and everyone else was gone. Beyond him in the distance, she could see a little girl waving to her.

"Time to go, my love." He said to her.

Buffy awoke and sat up. She was so confused. Why was Methos there? Who was the little girl? She felt the weight in her heart lessen and lay back down. She would figure it out later and once again she drifted off into sleep.

Methos arrived at the house around 9:30 am. Charles led him to the back patio. He picked up another Immortal that he had known to be MacLeod and then he felt Buffy. He watched her dueling with Mac. She was good. Mac sensed Methos and Buffy took that as a sign to disarm Mac and sweep him off his feet.

"Ah, Highlander. At the mercy of a beautiful woman once again, how do you do Iit?" Methos said as Buffy helped Mac to his feet.

"Just lucky." He brushed himself off.

"Good morning." Methos brushed some stray hair out of her face, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She blushed bright red.

"Hi." She whispered back.

"Buffy, I need to have a few words with the really old guy here. Come on Methos,let's take a walk."

Buffy left them out there and decided to check on Kennedy and the new Slayers. Methos and Mac walked down the path to the garden and the pool.

"You're going to ask me if I know what I'm doing?" Methos looked at his friend.

"Well, that was one of the questions. Personally, I'd like to know how you gotthe knife wound. I thought it was your policy to not get involved?"

"I don't know actually. I'm sure it's your fault." He kept on walking and then noticed that Mac stopped and was staring at him.

"My fault? I'm not the one that got stabbed." Mac said in disbelief.

"Your fault exactly. I think some of your boy-scout heroism managed to rub offonto me during our little encounter. That was something I will never forgive you

for doing to me." Methos continued to walk on.

"You're avoiding the answer the question, Methos.""I don't have an answer, Highlander. I just saw her in danger and I couldn't stop myself. It was worth the effort though. She'd invaded my entire being,

MacLeod. I stand helpless against it." He placed his hand over his heart. Mac found this amusing.

"Right. Methos, Buffy is a Slayer. She will always be in danger, that's her job."

"It seems you've appointed yourself her guardian, MacLeod. She is not one of your sheep that needs a protector. I think I'm falling for her." Methos stopped and turned to Mac.

"Don't you think this is a bit sudden? She's only 22 years old."

"Its madness, I know. I am drawn to her when it's not wise to be. Her life is out there in the world when mine is hiding from it. I felt her at the airport, McLeod. Not the same feeling as sensing another Immortal, but something more profound, more complete." Methos suddenly looked at a complete loss as to do what do.

"Therein lies the problem. You'll risk exposure of yourself and her life? She's in love with you, old man. You can see it lights her eyes. Would you have that light extinguished when she rushes into to stop someone from taking your head? She lets her heart lead her actions, Methos. That is going to get her killed." Mac hated to say it, but it had to be said.

"I once said you that you cannot fight my battles for me. Let her fight her own also. Teach her to become a better fighter, MacLeod."

They stopped walking at the pool. Methos crouched down at the water's edge and ran his hand along the surface creating ripples. He could find no fault in MacLeod's argument, it displeased him greatly, but he agreed with him. She was mortal and she was also out fighting the darkness and its evil, her life was in jeopardy on a continual basis. The chance of them being parted, of them sharing any kind of life was severely handicapped by her chosen path.

"She's not dying from a disease, Methos. She seeks out death every time she goes on patrol. Could you face that possibility over and over? What happens when she dies doing her job or protecting you? " Mac put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"That is not fair, MacLeod. She is not Alexa. I know that. I've been married 68 times, always to a mortal woman. I am no stranger to watching someone I love die." Methos shrugged Mac's hand off.

"I know. All I am asking you is to really think about what you are getting into before anyone gets hurt."

" I know you're right. I couldn't lose her until I'm ready to let her go." Methos stood and looked at Mac, his eyes very solemn and sad. Mac felt horrible.

"When is that, Methos?" He asked softly

"The cosmos would burn out first, Highlander."

"Just think about what I said, old man."

The two men walked back to the house. When they reached the house, Joe was waiting for them. He explained that Giles, the Watchers and Buffy were already waiting in the library. Kennedy and the two new Slayers would also be there.

"Everyone, this is Adam Pierson. He was a researcher with my council. He's here to help us out. He knows everything there is to know about history, we're lucky to have him." Joe introduced him and then sat down.

"Thanks for the smashing introduction, Joe. As he said, I am or was a researcher with the other Watcher's Council. I would forget what you think you may know because chances are, it was probably wrong in the first place. I…"

"What makes you such an authority, Mr. Pierson? Were you there? I think you'll find that were not as ignorant as you arrogantly presume. We've been educated in the secret histories that world does not see." Ms. Philby spoke.

"No, I wasn't there, but I was a researcher with the council for more than 10 years and in that time, I was privileged to view documents and histories that you could never imagine existed. While you may be experts in the demon lore, prophecies and other-worldly phenomenon, I am the expert in everything else."

The group was quiet. Mac and Joe just grinned at him. He was arrogant, the older woman was right about that, but he was also completely right. His knowledge could not be disputed. He had his work cut out for him.

"Uh, Thank you, Mr. Pierson. I'm sure we can work together amicably and share our collective knowledge with one another. Now, like most Councils, we will need to establish a governing body. Any suggestions on how we decide on who would form this body and how many members there should be?"" Giles spoke next.

"I think you should head the council, Mr. Giles. It is because the initiative that you and your Slayer have taken that we find ourselves in this unique undertaking." Brenna Gallagher spoke up.

"I agree." Came from all the other members except one. Eloise Philby seemed to not agree with the consensus.

"Is it wise that we choose him for that position? We all know the reason for his dismissal from his post as Watcher ... he became too emotionally attached to his Slayer. May I also remind those gathered here that Miss Summers turned her back on the Council when she sought to cure a dying vampire, her lover no less. If we choose anyone, I believe that this person be someone with a more self-control and less prone to emotional reactions." Ms. Philby emphasized the last sentence.

"Would that be yourself, Ms Philby, I wonder? I agree with Miss Gallagher. Mr. Giles is the man for the job. There is just one small detail you've managed to overlook in your grand speech." Sean O'Hara looked at Eloise Philby.

"What would that be, Mr. O'Hara?"

"His Slayer is still alive." Methos spoke. Ms. Philby turned an unattractive shade of red.

"How did you know that? Miss Summers is only alive because she was resuscitated when she died the first time. When she died again, it was through the use of dark magics that she was brought back. She shouldn't be here. It is because she lives that the First was able to destroy so many of the potential Slayers and their Watchers. Do we need that kind of threat looming over our heads?" It seemed that she was the only one in her opinion.

"That will be enough, Ms. Philby. Since you are so aware of past and recent events, you will also note that Buffy and her friends have saved the world more than once from an apocalypse. Yes, she has died twice stopping it and yes, it is because the Slayer line was disrupted that the First cut us down to so few. It was hardly Buffy's choice to be brought back, so blaming her for the current state we are in is pointless. I must say what you've said is highly disappointing. Especially coming from a respected Watcher such as yourself." Giles spoke calmly, his gaze never wavering from the older woman.

"She's just jealous, Giles. Her Slayer died and she has no purpose anymore except to take away the credit that Buffy and you are due," Kennedy began to say, Giles opened his mouth to stop her, " Let me finish. You have to also remember of what Buffy recently did, Ms. Philby. It's because of Buffy that we have a whole world of Slayers now instead of one. We can fight the good fight better and win." Kennedy had stood up from where she sat and glared at the Watcher. This time Eloise Philby was turning purple.

"Hey! People! Why don't we all just take a break and cool down?" Joe suggested. They all left the room and went outside to the patio. Ms. Philby just sat rooted to her seat, fuming. Mac walked back in and sat next to the irate woman.

"You can tell Mr. Giles and the rest of those misguided idiots that I will have no part in this farce." She moved to stand.

"You lost someone when this First person was killing off the potentials and their Watchers, Ms. Philby. Who was it?" Mac spoke softly, hoping it would be enough to break through the woman's anger.

"My nephew was training to be a Watcher when he was cut down by the Bringers. My sister's youngest girl was also a potential Slayer. She was 8 years old and the minions of the First murdered her. I don't wish for anyone to go through the pain of losing someone so brutally. No good can come of this." She got out of her seat and walked to the door.

"That is a noble sentiment, Ms. Philby. Mr. Giles has lost his Slayer twice; imagine how hard it was for him to go through that more than once. Those that loved her brought Buffy back. They believed in her, which in turn gave her enough confidence to make the decision to share her power and empower all those girls. Not being a part of this is admitting that the fight cannot be won and you've given up hope. How can you stand by and not act?" Mac said and looked at the woman's rigid back.

She turned and faced him. There were tears running down her cheeks. Her anger melted and all that was left was grief.

"This can only end badly, Mr. MacLeod. I am an old woman now. I can no longer fight. What could I possibly do?" she questioned.

"It doesn't matter how well you can fight. Your greatest tool is here," he got up from his seat and touched her temple, "Your knowledge. That is what they need the most." He said and kissed her on the cheek before he walked out.

Mac left Eloise alone to think about what he said. He found himself starting to believe in what they were trying to establish. By letting himself get involved with this, Mac was giving up his anonymity as an Immortal and putting himself more into the world than he had been before. It was going to be interesting.

Buffy and Methos walked down to the garden and sat on stone bench. Methos had learned several things about her during that meeting that made him a bit anxious. Would he be able to endure the possibility of her death every time she went on patrol, or was embroiled in the battle against some apocalypse? His thoughts drifted back to what MacLeod had said. She was a warrior, and would throw herself into a fight to stop someone from taking his head. He wasn't sure if holding onto her was something he ought to do.

"You're awfully quiet. What Ms. Philby said must have been quite a shock-fest. I wish she wouldn't have gone all blabby like that. I wanted to tell you myself." She took his hand and held it.

"Buffy, it would have come out eventually." Methos brought their hands to his lips and kissed them.

"Yeah, but you're cool with it, right?" Buffy was starting to get worried. She could tell that he was thinking. His thoughts didn't seem to be pleasant ones.

"There is so much we don't know about one another. You've died twice saving the world. I hide from it in books and don't involve myself. MacLeod is right. We are too different. I'm sorry, Buffy." Methos looked at her sorrowfully, and saw that Buffy turned so white that she could have been a statue if not for her tanned skin.

"MacLeod? What's he got to do with it? I don't believe this." Buffy said and sprang up from the bench.

"Buffy, please. He is just concerned about your safety and mine. Its for the best." Methos stood and tried to make her understand that it wasn't safe for them to be together.

"For the best? You bastard." Buffy turned around with tears in her eyes, slugged him right in the jaw, and then she ran to the house

Methos stood there in pain. It wasn't just his jaw that hurt, but his heart as well. He pushed her away for her own good. Didn't he? He sat down upon the bench and put his head in his hands, mourning his loss.

He wasn't sure how long he had sat there, but he looked up to see Mac standing there with one hell of a large bruise along his jaw.

"Ah, Highlander. Did you fall down some stairs or slip in the shower?" Methos looked up at his friend.

"Not quite, Methos. It was more of a drive-by assault. Looks like they got you too. I managed to catch a look at the driver. 5' 6", Blond hair, Grey eyes and seriously pissed off," Mac sat down on the bench next to Methos, "Want to tell me what happened?"

" I did what you told me to, MacLeod. I let her go." Methos rubbed his jaw.

"For a 5000 year old man, you are a complete idiot. I never said that. I said that you should think about what you were doing. I didn't tell you to break her heart." Mac patted his friend on the back. Methos took in what he said and glared at Mac.

"Now, you're changing your mind! First you say that a relationship with her would risk my exposure and her life, and now you censure me for letting her go! Which is it to be?" Methos got to his feet and yelled at Mac.

"Let me ask you one question, Methos? Do you love her?" Mac asked.

"I don't know, MacLeod. I feel something with her that I've never felt before. Not even with Alexa. I just do not know what it is." Methos felt his anger subside.

"Well, that's something. Get to know one another. That's the only way you'll know for sure." Mac smiled and then laughed at the change in his friend's expression from anger to solemnity.

"I think it best for now to let her calm down. I would hate to see what she'd do if I made her even more upset." Methos stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Come on, old man. I'll buy you a few rounds." Mac got to his feet and slapped Methos on the back.

"I'm not thirsty." He said and the two of them walked back to the house.

When Methos and Mac reached the house, they found the group in the dining room, enjoying their lunch and chatting. He noticed immediately that Buffy wasn't there. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at him. Giles was the only one who kept eating, ignoring him.

"I don't know what you said to her, Mr. Pierson, but I think it best that you leave this house for the time being." Giles kept his attention on his plate.

"Giles, man, he's here to help." Joe stopped eating and spoke up for Methos.

"He's right, Joe. I need to be away from here right now. I am sorry, Mr. Giles. I never meant to hurt your daughter. Drive me home, MacLeod?" Methos couldn't look at Giles. He walked out of the room and went outside to wait for Mac.

Joe looked to Mac for some kind of explanation. Mac just shook his head. They would talk later, away from everyone.

"Uh, Mac…you don't have a car." Joe pointed out.

"You can borrow mine, Mr. MacLeod." Eloise Philby offered.

"Thank you." Mac took the keys from her and kissed her on the cheek. She blushed and turned back to her lunch.

Mac went out to the garage and found her car. He pulled it around the front to where Methos stood. His friend looked so forlorn and lost. Methos opened the door and got in.

"Do you know where she's gone?" He asked quietly.

"No. You didn't give me a chance to find out. She ran into the house and up to her room before I went to find you." Mac set the car in motion and drove them into London.

"I screwed up." Methos said and then was silent the rest of the drive to his house.

"You going to be ok, buddy?" Mac asked Methos when he stopped outside Methos's house.

"I don't know. Time will tell." He exited the car and climbed the steps to his front door.

Methos let himself into his house, throwing his coat on the chair, and sat down upon his couch. He felt hollow and drained inside. He should have just ignored MacLeod's words, but he found that he couldn't. They made too much sense.

He sat on his bed, and felt rationalism seep back into his mind. He did do the right thing. She had too much to live for and a deeper purpose to her life. He was just a guy, nothing spectacular about him other than his ever-extending lifeline. He dressed and went to pick up the clothes he discarded.

When he picked up his coat, he saw Buffy's jacket on the floor. She'd used it to

stem the flow of his blood. It was a vivid reminder that they shouldn't be together. He brushed his hand over the texture of the material. It was made of sturdy tan suede, soft, supple, and feminine just like its owner. A large spot of dried blood scarred its beauty now. Methos carried it his nose, it still carried Buffy's subtle perfume.

"Merde." He cursed and put the jacket on the couch, and went back into his room to fetch another coat. There was nothing left to do now except to get drop dead drunk.

He'd hit every bar in London if he had to. It was the only way to momentarily forget.

"Chivalry sucks.' Methos thought and headed out for the night.

Mac returned to the house. The discussions were done for the day and everyone had gone into town. He went to his room to find Joe sitting in a chair by the window.

"Ah Joe, what can I do for you?" Mac took off his coat as he entered the room, tossing the garment on the bed.

"Well, buddy, you can start by telling me what the hell is going on with Methos and Buffy. Then, you can tell me why she gave you that interesting look." Joe said, referring to the rapidly healing bruise on Mac's jaw.

Mac sat down on the bed. He scratched his head, and then rubbed his jaw.

"All I did was tell Methos to think about what he was doing." Mac said and saw Joe wince. The Watcher grinned, shook his head, and chuckled.

"Something funny, Joe?" Mac said from the bed.

"Mac…oh man. You're something. You told Methos to think about what he was doing? I assume you mean about him getting involved with the Slayer? Jesus." Joe took out a cigarette and lit it, swearing under his breath.

"What? Look 'buddy', Methos and Buffy…together. Its like oil and water, night and day…they're just too different, Joe. He's lived forever and she's so young. I don't want to see them hurt." Mac explained to his friend.

"Let me ask you something, Mac? When you met Tessa…how old were you? How old was she? Didn't matter the age difference, did it? You two were different." Joe told him.

"That was different. Tessa was an artist, not a Slayer." Mac got off the bed and stood at the window next to where Joe sat.

Joe got up from his seat and put a hand on Mac's shoulder.

"Its not as different as you may think. You two were different, that was true. Her life was in the world, and your life was hiding from the world. Despite all the dangers, you had a life with her. So how is this so different?" He walked to the doorway, and waited for Mac to answer.

Mac knew that his relationship with Tessa had been the polar opposite from Methos and Buffy's. She didn't go out risking her life for her art, or stopping someone from taking his head.

"Its just different, Joe. Tessa didn't intentionally put herself in harms way." Mac turned and looked at Joe.

"Sure she did, pal. How about the time when Caleb kidnapped her? She tried to stop him from taking your head, no hold on," Joe put up a hand so that he could continue when Mac opened his mouth to say something, "How about the time she tried to find Anne Wheeler's killer? Want me to go on? No? Buffy is a strong little girl; she can take care of herself. From what Giles has told me, she's had to make some tough decisions and sacrificed her own happiness to save those around her and the world. Remember that vampire Angelus you mentioned?" Joe stepped farther out the door.

"Yeah...what about him?" Mac had no idea how that creature had to do with the current situation.

"Ask Buffy. Then you'll see she's more than you think. Give them a shot." Joe left and went to his own room.

Mac shook his head; he hated it when Joe was vague. Mac opened the closet and changed into some workout clothes. He knew he'd find Buffy working out, or at least taking out her anger on some poor punching bag.

It was just as he thought. Buffy was in the gymnasium at the back of the house. She was working the bag so hard that it was hanging by one chain, and a majority of the stuffing was bleeding out onto the floor.

Buffy didn't notice him when he came in. It was that or the fact that she was purposefully ignoring him. 'Probably both.' Mac thought to himself. When he got close to her, she spun on her heel, and caught him with a kick to his midsection. Mac landed on his back, then sat himself up.

"Any chance you thought I was someone else?" He asked as he rubbed the sore spot.

"No chance." Buffy said and went back to beating on the bag until the last of the chain gave up and snapped. The now deceased punching bag plopped heavily to the floor and wheezed its last breath. She just stood there with her back to him, chest heaving from the exertion, and arms hanging at her sides.

"I don't suppose 'sorry' will cover what happened with Methos?" He got to his feet and approached Buffy. Her response was to whip around and attack with a series of punches and kicks. Mac managed to block them, but she kept on coming.

"Hey! Buffy, cut it out! Look, I just want to talk." He said as he fought her off. Buffy stopped all of a sudden and glared at him.

"I don't want to talk to you. I've had enough of your Dr. Phil. Go Oprah someone else." She went to a nearby bench and picked up her towel, then wiped her face off. When she finished, she tossed it down on the bench and stalked off out of the room.

She was walking so fast that Mac had to run to catch up with her. He finally stopped her by blocking the stairs so she had to stop.

"You ready for another smack down?" She challenged as she tried to move past him. When she moved, Mac was right there to block her way.

"I love a good workout, but we need to talk. Let's walk." He took her by the arm gently and led her outside to the patio, and down the expansive back lawn to the woods. Buffy just walked in silence, not even bothering with complaining about being with him.

"Ok, Buffy, I'm sorry I interfered with you and Methos. It wasn't my place, but you need to realize that I was only thinking of what's best for you and Methos. Maybe that was wrong." Mac said and watched her out of the corner of his eye for a reaction from her, but got none.

"You're all alike. Trying to decided about what's right for Buffy because she can't do it for herself." Buffy sneered at him.

Mac could understand that she was angry, but he knew she wasn't trying to see his point of view.

"That's not it. What about Angelus? I know you killed him, but there was more to it. Wasn't there?" Mac inquired, then Buffy stopped dead in her tracks. Mac turned around when he noticed her not beside him.

All Buffy did was stare at the ground with her hands hanging loosely at her sides. She stood so still, except for her chest heaving in anger. Her eyes said everything he needed to know. In their depths he saw an agonizing sadness not yet healed.

"Buffy?" Mac asked.

"Yes, I killed Angelus. I killed Angel too. I killed them both and sent them to Hell. Who's Angel? That's who Angelus became…a champion to help the helpless, someone that fought along my side and I had to kill him." Buffy yelled bitterly, and now Mac hated himself even more for asking.

"Vampires don't just turn into good guys, Buffy. How do you know he was ever on your side? How can you be so sure that," Mac couldn't finish because Buffy got in his face. Her own face portrayed a mixture of anger and sorrow.

"Ok, mighty Highlander man, here's the sitch. Those gypsies you were such good buds with…well, happy day, they got their revenge. They cursed Angelus with a soul. They restored his soul, so that he'd remember all the evil things he'd done, all the people he killed, and because of that soul, he can never experience a moment of true happiness. That's how he became Angel." Buffy continued to walk on and passed him.

"Good for them. The girl he killed was special, Buffy. He was a monster…wait, you had to kill Angel and send him to Hell?" Mac was slightly confused. If Angelus became good Angel, then why did she kill him?

"Yes. Remember the 'no-happy' clause? Well, Angel and I had one night together and poof, he was no soul-boy Angelus again. Angelus tried to destroy the world, opened a portal to a Hell dimension and everything. Willow made with the magic and restored Angel's soul before I killed him. It was a little too late though, surprise surprise, his blood opened it, his blood had to close it. So I kissed him 'goodbye' and told him I loved him, then I ran him through and the portal sucked him in and closed. The end. Happy now? So don't you ever presume that I'm incapable of making the hard decisions! Just ask Giles what happens." Buffy walked on.

"I was never questioning that, Buffy. You've got a tough life. You're life is under constant threat, and his is spent hiding from others like us. What kind of future would you have? That's all I wanted him to consider before you both got in over your heads. I like you, Buffy. I admire what you're trying to do. The world can't afford to lose you again." Mac caught up to her in a few strides and hugged her. She fought against him for a moment, but then quieted.

The gesture and his words moved her enough that she responded to his hug and hugged him back. She wanted to cry, but didn't.

"I'm not the special chosen one anymore, there are thousand of girls now just like me." Buffy pulled back and looked at him. She couldn't hold them back, and a few tears escaped to fall down her cheeks.

Mac brushed them away, and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"No lass, there's just one of you. That's all we need. Are we ok now?" Mac smiled down at her. Buffy thought for a second and then looked at him.

"We're five by five. Come on, let's go train…I feel the urge to kick your hinder again." Buffy said before she took off running, leaving Mac to follow in her wake.

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