disclaimer: i own nothing, blah blah blah...ah yes, here we go.

_____Chapter 2_____

Xander hadn't originally intended to get up before 2pm, but the sound of a shattering bottle stirred him from his peaceful, lazy slumber. His parents seemed to be at it once again. He heaved a sigh and quickly got up and dressed, deciding to go take shelter at Willow's as he often did.

He was nearly out the door when the phone rang. At first Xander ignored it, but then turned to answer it, figuring his dad was too busy yelling at his mom to answer. "Hello, Harris' house of hell, how may we service you?" he answered bitterly.

"Ahm, Xander?"

"Oh, sorry, hey G-man."

Giles cleared his throat on the other end of the line. "I was ah, wondering if you could swing by my flat sometime this afternoon."

"Sure, no problem. What's up?"

"I'll explain when you come by…" Giles trailed off as he heard a crash in the background of the Harris household. "Xander, are you sure you're alr-…"

"Yes," Xander quickly cut the man off, already feeling the concern seeping through the phone, "its fine here. I'll be right there," he added before hanging up, thankful that he had someplace besides home to be.

Xander arrived at Giles' flat very soon after he called, glad for the escape. When he got there, he was greeted by the usual tea and the rare and unusual cookies. Xander paused as Giles set the tray of goodness on the coffee table. "I'm not dying, am I?"

Giles gave him an incredulous look. "What?"

"Short and grave sounding phone call, rare English cookies…something's got to be up here." Xander deduced feeling clever. He paused and raised an eyebrow to Giles. "You're not dying, are you?"

With a cheeky glare from Giles, he sat down . "No, no one is dying…"

Xander stuffed a cookie into his mouth. Little British joys, they were. "Hmph, gwood," he said with a mouthful.

"…not yet, anyway." Giles added.

Xander coughed. "Huh?"

Giles began to polish his glasses as he spoke. "There is a great possibility that we are all in grave danger."

"And this is different from any other day for us…how?" Xander drawled.

"We aren't exactly dealing with demons this time 'round."

Xander thought. "Women?"

Giles smirked at the boy's humor, but only for a moment. "Worse, I'm afraid. But human, yes, which is what makes it complicated since we can't just simply stake them."

"We could have Faith go do it for us, she'd love to." Giles shot a very grave and nasty glare at Xander. "Ok, not funny. Sorry. Go on."

"It would seem that the Council is set on seeking revenge on Buffy and myself, determined to get Buffy back in the progress."

"Oh, well, that's just great then."

"Hardly," Giles stood and began to pace in front on the fireplace. "I am afraid that they might use you and Willow to get to us as well. They know how close you two are to us and I'm worried." He paused. " I don't think Buffy realizes the seriousness of our situation. She still views the Council as a bunch of…poncey suits."

"Like you?"

Giles narrowed his eyes. "Most definitely not like me."

"Like Wesley, then?"

"He's a…weak prat. The Council is dangerous. Xander, I'll need your help here."

Xander sat up more, trying suddenly to be more serious and appear so. "How can I help then?"

"Keep an eye on Buffy and Willow. Buffy will hate it if I…hover over her because she knows I'm worried about this and I need you to do this while I get this sorted out."

"And Will?"

"She knows nothing for now, I don't want to worry her. I just thought it best that one of you know, should something happen. However, I am worried that if they find out she's practicing witchcraft, they might go after her as well."

Xander nodded. "Right. Well, worry no more, G-man, you can count on me."

"Thank you,"

That night, after having promised Giles that he would keep an eye on her, Xander accompanied Buffy on a patrol. He honestly had no idea how he could be of help in this situation, but Giles must have come to him for a reason, and he's learned over time to never question Giles' judgment. For the most part, it was a fairly slow night for the two. As they patrolled, Buffy talked of her dread for college.

"…it just sucks because Willow talks about it all the time…she and Oz are all set up with their classes and I still don't even know what I want to do. The only thing I'm good for is killing creatures of the night with pointy sticks."

"Hey, no worries, Buff, just be smart like me and don't go at all. It's overrated." Xander offered.

"And what's your genius plan in the meantime?"

"Stay at home and live off my parents, of course."

Buffy chuckled. "Mm…and how's that workin' for ya?"

Xander shrugged. "Not bad. Dad is threatening me the basement plus rent, but we'll just see about that. I'm actually thinking about a road trip later on this summer."

Buffy was about to ask more about it when she heard a low growl from behind one of Sunnydale's many crypts. "Incoming," she warned.

Xander turned and raised the mini axe he had in his hand. "Ew,"

From the dark came a large, ugly demon with horns curly from its head to its neck and equally large and menacing claws. It eyed Xander and his axe and growled again, drooling a bit in the process. Xander let out a war-like cry and charged, wielding the axe high over his head. "Xander, wait!" Buffy called. Without even trying, it knocked Xander away as if he were nothing but a gnat. "That's just not nice," Buffy sighed, running at the demon. She meant to go for a tackle, but the creature didn't budge a bit. Buffy stumbled to the ground with a sore shoulder. "Ow…"

"Ow?" Xander asked, bemused, "Ow? You don't 'ow', Buff!"

Indeed, Buffy was worried, she normally wasn't easily hurt. But she had no time to think about out it more as the demon advanced towards her. "Yeah, not good." She leapt to her feet and spun, sending a kick to its face, which, sadly, did not do much except send a sharp pain through her foot. Xander was up too, charging again. He quickly drove the axe into the demon's back, causing it to stop briefly. Xander paused too, watching, hoping it would fall over and die, or at least writher in pain so Buffy could finish it off. However, much to their horror, the demon reached its clawed, black hand back and pulled it axe from his rough back.

"Ooh, crap." Xander squeaked.

Buffy was quick on the demon to kick the axe from his grasp. With a grunt, she threw a few punches at the demon, but to no avail as he grabbed Buffy's fist and held it. With a frightening grin, he twisted her arm, making her scream for Xander.

In an instant, Xander was on the demon's back, trying to beat its head in with his fists. Now annoyed, the creature tossed Buffy aside roughly, taking a hard fall as her body hit the ground and rolled into a tombstone. She moaned and tried to get up, but her weakened body wouldn't let her. "Buff!" Xander cried, "Little help here!" He was clinging onto the back of the demon for dear life as it spun and turned, trying to swat him off.

What is wrong with me? Buffy thought fearfully, getting to her feet. She jogged to the demon and Xander, not entirely sure of her next move, but it had something to do with staying alive and in one piece. However, just before she got to it, she stopped and watched the point of a sword pop out from its stomach. The point withdrew and the demon keeled over, revealing Giles behind the now dead creature as the attacker. Xander scrambled off the demon's deceased backside and excitedly looked at Giles. "Awesome, G-man."

Giles paid no attention though, only keeping his stern, green eyes on the Slayer. "You alright?" she shook her head, lost for words. "Are you hurt?" She shrugged. She was, but she didn't want to say.

"Yeah, Buff, whats up? Not really your best show back there," Xander said, inching away from the demon's body. "What's going on?"

The truth of the matter was that Buffy had only felt this way- weak, drained, and defenseless- once before. Her eyes flashed at Giles, as he gave her a worried stare, but then shook her head. No. He had stood up for her then. He wouldn't betray her trust again. "Giles," she said quietly, "The Council…would they-?"

"Yes." He answered curtly.

She snapped her head up to look at him. Xander held his hands up. "Woah, what?"

"That's why I'm here, Buffy. I made a call earlier- I've got one faithful connection at the Council- and he warned me that they were going to try and take your power away to weaken you."

Buffy shook her head. "But…how? Why?..." she stopped and suddenly remembered the shady fellow she met in the alley behind the Bronze and the split second of it that she didn't remember. He was so very close to her too…it must have been then when he stuck her with the syringe.

"They see you as a danger and they feel the only way to deal with you is to-…"

"-…strip me of my power."

Giles paused. "Yes."

"This is crazy!" Xander burst out. "She's not a danger. She's not going psycho evil like Faith, she's still good!"

"Yes, well, try explaining that to the Council. One rogue Slayer was enough to get them going."

Buffy stepped in. "But this is temporary, right? Like…" she began to stutter nervously, "..l..like what they made you give me before…its temporary, right?" Giles said nothing for a moment. "R-right?"

"It should be. However, I can't be sure for how long."

"Oh god…" Xander muttered anxiously.

"But, not to panic, I'll get this sorted out, I promise."

"No," Xander pointed off somewhere in the foggy distance of the graveyard. "Oh god…what's that?"

The three looked where Xander was pointing and saw a very tall and bulky creature heading their way. As it growled and bared its teeth, they saw it was a very threatening looking vampire. Giles raised his bloodied sword and cast a look over his shoulder to Buffy. "Go," he commanded.

"What? No!"

"You're no bloody good here and you're injured. We can handle him."

"Giles, I…"

He narrowed his eyes. "Buffy, I am your Watcher and you will do as I say. Now go!"

"No, you're not."

"May as well be," Giles muttered with an annoyed sigh. "Fine, then respect your elders and do as they say. Go."

"Buff," Xander joined in, anxiously gripping his axe. "Just listen to him and go, please."

She couldn't believe it. She knew she'd be useless in a fight in her current state, but it wasn't in her blood to just turn and run. Then again, the Council had poisoned her blood.

Buffy turned and ran as the vampire lunged at her two friends.

an: Ok! I've got half of the next chapter done, and I'd really like some reviews so I know how i'm doing so far, so please please please gimme some feedback! I've got so many awesome plans for this story, but I'd like to know what you guys think too. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up in a couple of days. Thanks!