For the first time in two and a half months, Buffy didn't wake up to Caddie fussing in her crib. It took Buffy a moment to remember where her daughter was, but when she did, she smiled and snuggled closer to the warm body of her fiancé.
"It's morning already?" Angel groaned, throwing an arm across his face to block out the light.
Buffy trailed her fingers across his bare chest. "Mm-hmm," she replied idly. "But we don't have to get up, yet."
"Oh, good." Angel rolled onto his side and gathered her in his arms. "Doyle said the Council arrives today," he said into her hair. Buffy smacked him
"Not contributing towards nice, romantic feelings," she said rather crossly.
"Sorry," Angel apologized and kissed her. When he broke away, Buffy pouted at him.
"What, that's it?"
With a playful growl, he nipped her lower lip and then kissed her again. "We probably should get going," he said reluctantly. "You have classes and all."
"Yes, yes. The Council's a-coming." Buffy sighed and grabbed one of Angel's t-shirts. "I wish I knew what they wanted," she said as she pulled it over her head. She tried to run her fingers through her tangled hair and winced. "Why don't you ever tell me I have bed hair?" she half-wailed.
Angel kissed the tip of her nose. "Because you look cute with bed hair."
She stuck her tongue out at him and Angel surprised her with a passionate kiss, his tongue slipping past her lips. Again, he broke away reluctantly. "We need more time off," he complained.
"Not until after we defeat Glory, or whatever the hell her name is," Buffy said with a sigh.
"Then let's hurry up and kick her ass," Angel said firmly.
Buffy felt her eyes widen at Angel's unaccustomed strong language. He winked at her and, now fully dressed, headed to the kitchen. "Waffles or pancakes?" he called.
"Waffles!" she called back, going to the closet. Urgh. She was not looking forward to this day. Then she smiled wistfully. At least she would have memories of last night to tide her over.
*****
Caddie was exercising her tiny but powerful lungs when Angel walked into the Magic Box. The pediatrician was surprised at the infant's level of development, but neither Angel nor Buffy were concerned. It was only natural for Caddie to inherit at least some of her parent's unusual qualities.
Cordelia looked up from the research table where she was, as usual, studying witchcrafts. Her face lit up in a smile as she caught sight of the car seat Angel was carrying. She left her book on the table and hurried over, reaching down to pick Caddie up. "Aw, there's my favorite little person," she crooned, tickling Caddie's cheek to make the baby giggle.
Angel smiled at his friend. Raising a child was so much easier when you had a group of people completely devoted to her. "Thank God you don't work," he told Cordy.
She snorted. "You're kidding, right? Because trying to catch up with Willow and playing nanny to Caddie isn't work."
He grinned sheepishly. "Not what I meant."
"I know," Cordy said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "She's been fed, right?"
"About half an hour ago," Angel replied, going behind the counter to look over the sales. "Is Doyle here?"
"Right above you, mate!" Doyle called from the loft where Giles kept his private collection.
"You a hundred percent positive about the Council arriving today?"
"Since when are my visions wrong?" Doyle asked, sounding hurt.
"Just making sure," Angel said distractedly, adding up the purchases in his head. A few love spells (none of which would probably work), a finding spell, crystal balls (no harm there), and an amulet to summon a guiding spirit. He put the logbook away. Nothing of any purport. He worried constantly that some novice magic user was going to get themselves in over their head and cause something to go boom, as Buffy would say.
He passed Giles on his way to the back room. An old friend of Giles' had sent him a box of strange figurines; Angel knew a few spells to make sure they weren't dangerous. "Did you dispose of the bodies all right?" Angel asked his beloved's Watcher.
Giles adjusted his glasses. "Oh, yes. Spike helped with that, surprisingly enough. We took them outside of town and burned them. Is Dawn all right? I know the experience disturbed her."
"She's Dawn," Angel replied wryly. "She bounces back." Then he sobered. "Spike said that someone named Glory sent the demons after Buffy. I—Buffy and I—think that Glory might be the woman Buffy encountered. And if that's true, then she's after Dawn, as well."
Giles sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Glory. Hmm. That may help in my research. I-I haven't found anything so far, but I'm not giving up yet."
Angel nodded and went to retrieve the figurines. He was really, really glad he was here, in Sunnydale, instead of in L.A. He hated to think Buffy might have had to deal with Glory without him.
The statuettes were revealed to be harmless despite their appearance. As Angel finished putting the incense and wolf's bane away, he heard voices coming from the shop. Unfamiliar British voices. The Council had arrived, just as Doyle had foreseen. With a sigh, he got to his feet and trudged out of the back room. As he emerged into the front room, all eyes turned to him.
The reactions of the Council members were nearly unanimous. They gaped at him for several seconds before the nearest two snatched crosses from the jackets and thrust them towards him.
Angel blinked in surprise and then growled, unamused. He reached out and snatched the cross nearest him with contemptuous ease and tossed it aside. "Those don't work anymore," he said coldly.
The strangers backed up and closed in around the man sitting at the research table. "Well, this is an unusual development," the man murmured. "Angelus, isn't it?"
"I prefer Angel, these days," Angel corrected stiffly, and looked around for Cordelia. She stood in one corner, Caddie in her arms.
"Angel," the man repeated. "And do you know who I am, Angel?"
"Quentin Travers, leader of the Watcher's Council," Angel replied. He felt threatened that these people were between him and his daughter, but he clamped down hard on his rising aggression.
"Good," Travers said calmly. "That takes care of introduction. Now would you mind telling me how you became immune to crosses?"
They don't know I'm not a vampire, Angel realized. He glowered at Travers. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do mind," he snapped. Giles, standing by the shelves, looked at Angel in surprise but said nothing.
"Giles, I am most curious as to why Angel is in your shop," Travers said without looking at Giles. "And I'm concerned about his proximity to the Slayer."
Angel snorted in contempt as Giles stammered to find an answer. "I don't answer to the Council," Angel said. "I don't need to explain myself to you. I come and go as I please."
Doyle, standing behind the counter, lifted his chin and crossed his arms, looking very stubborn and ready to back his best friend up. Cordelia looked as if she wanted to disappear and take Caddie with her.
The bell over the door rang and Buffy stepped over the threshold. She caught sight of the strangers and tried to retreat unnoticed. "Ms. Summers," Travers called.
"Bad day," Buffy muttered as she reluctantly entered the store. "Bad, bad, day."
Travers stood and turned to face Buffy. "It's good to see you again," he said smoothly.
"Mr. Travers," Buffy said stiffly. Her eyes darted first to Angel, and then to Caddie.
"We were just discussing you training regimen with Mr. Giles," Travers said. "I was hoping you would give us a demonstration while we were here."
"N-now?" Buffy asked, blinking in surprise.
"No need to rush," Travers replied. "We have plenty of time. After all, we can't conduct the review in one night."
"Review?" Buffy echoed. "What review? Is that what this visit is about?"
"Oh, yes," Travers said. "We've already laid out our project for Mr. Giles. Nigel..."
One of the Council members cleared his throat. "It's an exhaustive review of your procedures and abilities. We'll observe your training, talk to your friends..."
Buffy sputtered, her eyes widening. "Talk to my friends?"
"Yes. We understand you're still taking civilians along on your patrols—" Travers began, but Buffy interrupted him.
"You've got to be kidding"
"He's not kidding," Nigel said gravely. "He's a very serious man.
Buffy glared at him. "Sorry, who are you?"
"They're a little tight-lipped about introductions," Giles said dryly.
Travers smoothly took control of the conversation. "Miss Summers- Buffy, I can sense your resistance. I don't blame you, but I think your Watcher hasn't reminded you lately of the relative status of the players in our little game. The Council fights evil. The Slayer is the instrument with which we fight. The Council remains. The Slayers...change. It's been that way from the beginning."
"Yes, that's a very comforting, bloodless way to look at it, isn't it?" Giles said bitterly.
"Giles, let me talk to Buffy. Because I think she's understanding me. Now, Ms. Summers, we understand you're having a bit of trouble with someone known as Glory. We have information that can help you. Pass the review and we'll give it to you without reservation."
"And if she refuses?" Angel demanded dangerously. Travers sent him a mildly curious look, as if to ask why he was allowed to speak in this matter.
"While I dislike to use such methods, there are certain…persuasions we can use. Mr. Giles could be deported within the day, never to set foot in this country again."
"What?" everyone who wasn't in the Council said at the same time. Their expressions of shock and horror were identical.
"You don't have that kind of power," Buffy said as if trying to convince herself.
Travers regarded Buffy with a condescending expression. "Perhaps you're used to idle threats and sloppy discipline, Ms. Summers, but you're dealing with grown ups now. Am I making myself clear?"
Angel could smell fear-anger-grief pouring from his beloved and Angelus was ready to rip Travers' heart out, but he forced himself to remain still, to pose no threat.
Buffy lifted her gaze to Travers' face, her eyes filled with hatred and revulsion. "Perfectly," she whispered.
