"I'd Like To Thank The Academy . . ."
Author's Note: I thought of about 6 or 7 different ways to do this chapter, and chose this one simply because it got the best response from my FanFic Support Group. This is also why it took so long to get this chapter up and running! I hope you like it, and I'm sorry that it's kinda like taking the "Easy-Way-Out" . . . it wasn't that easy however, so note me back if you think it REALLY sucks and you think I should switch it with one of the other 5 or 6!
Faith sat down next to Buffy and waited for the other Scoobys to arrive. Wesley arrived shortly after Faith left Giles' office, closely fallowed by Oz. Cordilia arrived complaining about a meeting with her English professor, then standing next Wesley as they made googly-eyes at each- other.
Willow had yet to arrive, and the tension was building in the room. Faith was drawing on one of her boots with a sharpie when she looked over at Buffy. Her hands were trembling violently. 'She's shaking like a leaf!' Faith thought. She reached over and took Buffy's hand. The small blond looked up, receiving a comforting smile from Faith. Buffy gave the brunette's hand a squeeze just as Willow walked in.
"Sorry I'm late!" the young witch called as she ran in, quickly taking a seat. She looked around impatiently, her eyes traveling from Slayers to Watchers and back again. "Out With It Already!!"
"Um, yes, well." Giles cleared his throat, looking at the Slayers' joined hands then back to the group, "I assume that you are all aware that a few nights ago an event occurred that may directly effect all of us." He then took off his glasses and looked at them as he continued. "I regret to inform you that there has been a terrible accident, and that a life has been taken. Now, as has happened before, a human lies dead at the hands of a Slayer."
Xander's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, Cordilia bowed her head in shock, and Oz's eyebrows became one. The most extreme reaction however, came from Willow, who fainted and slipped out of her chair. Her body made a dull 'Flump' as it hit the Library floor. Oz Quickly reached down and picked her up. He gently tapped her face until she blinked back to consciousness.
"Pleases tell me I dreamed that?" she whispered so quietly only the slayers could hear. They dropped their clasped hands, and looked away.
"What do you mean when you say that this has happened before?" Xander asked quietly.
"It is not uncommon for accidents of this kind to occur. Slayers have powers and capabilities that humans do not, and like humans each Slayer is unique. Some are born with strength greater then most in their breed, but their mental discipline will be low. Or they will have a high susceptibility to Slayer-Dreams but they don't heal quickly. Some have heightened human senses, but will have trouble with their Slayer-sense for detecting Vampires." Giles put his glasses back on, looking a bit awkward.
"Every Slayer has one power they are exceptionally good at, and one that's a little below normal for their kind. It's not their fault. But when you live and die to fight evil, and you have a weakness, it's going to have constituencies." The librarian finished slowly.
"How often does this happen?" Willow asked carefully.
"The average is approximately one human death per Slayer." Wesley replied sadly, "But that's just the average. The Slayer that lived during the boxer rebellion had terrible Slayer-Senses and killed four humans in her reign. She holds the record."
"How could this happen?" Xander asked the old Watcher.
"Um . . ." Faith started slowly, "I guess we could show you?" The room nodded. She took Buffy's hand and led her to the open area near the counter.
She then got up and took Willow's hand, then Xander's, fallowed by Wesley's. She made Xander stand by the counter, Willow across from him near the Card-Catalog, and Wesley she placed near the door to the bookcase. She took Buffy's hand and led her back towards the doors to the library.
"It kinda went like this." Faith said, pulling out a state for her self and another one for Buffy. "We started walking down this alley, and I could tell there were some vamps near by," She motioned for Buffy and her to start walking forward slowly, "When all of a sudden, a Vamp pops out." She waves to Xander to walk forward and he complies "So I stake him," she pokes him in the chest with the dull end of the sate, "And he turns to dust."
"Then," Buffy says walking forward, waving to Willow, "Another Vamp pops out," she pokes Willow with the dull end of her stake, "And he turns to dust."
"But before the Nasty goes 'Poof', this guy pops out," Faith says, pointing to Wesley, who steps forward to were Faith is standing, "and since I can still detect Vamp near by cause of the guy B's dealing with, I think Wesley's a Vamp too." Faith bows her head. "By the time B's done with that guy I'm already swinging my arm back. At the last second Buffy yelled 'NO!', but it was too late. By the time I heard what she said he was gone." Faith's voice broke slightly with that last sentence. She cleared her throat, and looked up. "That's how it happened."
"It could have just as easily have been me." Buffy said, putting an arm around Faith shoulder. "Now you know." She said, looking pointedly at Willow. The room remained silent for several minutes afterwards.
"The Counsel has placed me in charge of investigations, and the body was taken to London to be Autopsied." Giles stated dryly, "They have reviewed the testimonies and so far see no need for a trial to take place. No punishments have been dealt yet, though they have considered some . . ." Both the slayers bowed their heads as they headed back to their seats.
"What?" The fountain of words that was Oz inquired.
"They have considered removing a slayer from the Hellmouth." This statement was shortly fallowed by gasps of shock. "Just one, and it's only a small chance."
"Here's the question no one wants to ask," Cordilia said in her usual tone, "Which one?" All eyes turned to the Slayers.
"That's classified." Wesley snapped.
"Buffy." Giles stated quietly.
"WHAT?!" Faith yelled, jumping from her chair, "THAT'S NOT FAIR! She's got a whole life here!!"
"I know." Giles said loudly, "That's the problem! A Slayer is supposed to be isolated. She's not supposed to have friends, she not supposed to live with family and she is not supposed to be a daughter to her Watcher!" The room fell silent. "That's why that chose her Faith. She's not supposed to divulge her identity to people, and yet all these people know." Giles indicated to all the people in the library, "She will have no more contact with me, as I am to stay here and continue to be a librarian, and that way the Slayers can cover more ground when you are in two different places."
"That's why I get to stay?" Faith said, her tone full of loathing, "Cause I ain't got no here for me? No friends, no Watcher, and no place to go." Faith sat down heavily.
"They have decided not to, but should another event like this one occur they WILL send Buffy away." The room fell silent, every person in the room thinking over all the information they were just fed, and now had to digest. No one liked the plan, and no one wanted to see Buffy go.
"Well I've got a plan," Xander said, in his joking tone, "Don't let it happen again." He smiled his big, fake smile and got up to leave the library. Willow got up to, telling Buffy that she'd call her later as Oz fallowed her out. Giles and Wesley went into the old Watcher's office as Cordilia picked up her bag of cheerleading gear and headed off to practice.
Faith suddenly realized that Buffy hadn't said a word since she found out about her possible re-location. When she peered over to look at the blond she saw a look of sock on the girl's face. 'I'm gonna kill him!' was the only thought running through Faiths head as she glared at he old librarian through the window of his office. He must have felt her penetrating gaze because he caught her eye for a moment before quickly looking away.
"Come on," Faith said, taking Buffy's hand and pulling her out of the chair. "Let's get you home."
"I want to go slaying." She said, almost dreamily.
"Okay B, what ever you want to do is okay by me." Faith slowly walked Buffy out of the library as they made their way to one of Sunnydale's cemeteries.
AN: What do you think? The reason for the Title is because of all the drama in this chapter, and how they acted out the events of that night. It just seemed to be fitting at the time.
Author's Note: I thought of about 6 or 7 different ways to do this chapter, and chose this one simply because it got the best response from my FanFic Support Group. This is also why it took so long to get this chapter up and running! I hope you like it, and I'm sorry that it's kinda like taking the "Easy-Way-Out" . . . it wasn't that easy however, so note me back if you think it REALLY sucks and you think I should switch it with one of the other 5 or 6!
Faith sat down next to Buffy and waited for the other Scoobys to arrive. Wesley arrived shortly after Faith left Giles' office, closely fallowed by Oz. Cordilia arrived complaining about a meeting with her English professor, then standing next Wesley as they made googly-eyes at each- other.
Willow had yet to arrive, and the tension was building in the room. Faith was drawing on one of her boots with a sharpie when she looked over at Buffy. Her hands were trembling violently. 'She's shaking like a leaf!' Faith thought. She reached over and took Buffy's hand. The small blond looked up, receiving a comforting smile from Faith. Buffy gave the brunette's hand a squeeze just as Willow walked in.
"Sorry I'm late!" the young witch called as she ran in, quickly taking a seat. She looked around impatiently, her eyes traveling from Slayers to Watchers and back again. "Out With It Already!!"
"Um, yes, well." Giles cleared his throat, looking at the Slayers' joined hands then back to the group, "I assume that you are all aware that a few nights ago an event occurred that may directly effect all of us." He then took off his glasses and looked at them as he continued. "I regret to inform you that there has been a terrible accident, and that a life has been taken. Now, as has happened before, a human lies dead at the hands of a Slayer."
Xander's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, Cordilia bowed her head in shock, and Oz's eyebrows became one. The most extreme reaction however, came from Willow, who fainted and slipped out of her chair. Her body made a dull 'Flump' as it hit the Library floor. Oz Quickly reached down and picked her up. He gently tapped her face until she blinked back to consciousness.
"Pleases tell me I dreamed that?" she whispered so quietly only the slayers could hear. They dropped their clasped hands, and looked away.
"What do you mean when you say that this has happened before?" Xander asked quietly.
"It is not uncommon for accidents of this kind to occur. Slayers have powers and capabilities that humans do not, and like humans each Slayer is unique. Some are born with strength greater then most in their breed, but their mental discipline will be low. Or they will have a high susceptibility to Slayer-Dreams but they don't heal quickly. Some have heightened human senses, but will have trouble with their Slayer-sense for detecting Vampires." Giles put his glasses back on, looking a bit awkward.
"Every Slayer has one power they are exceptionally good at, and one that's a little below normal for their kind. It's not their fault. But when you live and die to fight evil, and you have a weakness, it's going to have constituencies." The librarian finished slowly.
"How often does this happen?" Willow asked carefully.
"The average is approximately one human death per Slayer." Wesley replied sadly, "But that's just the average. The Slayer that lived during the boxer rebellion had terrible Slayer-Senses and killed four humans in her reign. She holds the record."
"How could this happen?" Xander asked the old Watcher.
"Um . . ." Faith started slowly, "I guess we could show you?" The room nodded. She took Buffy's hand and led her to the open area near the counter.
She then got up and took Willow's hand, then Xander's, fallowed by Wesley's. She made Xander stand by the counter, Willow across from him near the Card-Catalog, and Wesley she placed near the door to the bookcase. She took Buffy's hand and led her back towards the doors to the library.
"It kinda went like this." Faith said, pulling out a state for her self and another one for Buffy. "We started walking down this alley, and I could tell there were some vamps near by," She motioned for Buffy and her to start walking forward slowly, "When all of a sudden, a Vamp pops out." She waves to Xander to walk forward and he complies "So I stake him," she pokes him in the chest with the dull end of the sate, "And he turns to dust."
"Then," Buffy says walking forward, waving to Willow, "Another Vamp pops out," she pokes Willow with the dull end of her stake, "And he turns to dust."
"But before the Nasty goes 'Poof', this guy pops out," Faith says, pointing to Wesley, who steps forward to were Faith is standing, "and since I can still detect Vamp near by cause of the guy B's dealing with, I think Wesley's a Vamp too." Faith bows her head. "By the time B's done with that guy I'm already swinging my arm back. At the last second Buffy yelled 'NO!', but it was too late. By the time I heard what she said he was gone." Faith's voice broke slightly with that last sentence. She cleared her throat, and looked up. "That's how it happened."
"It could have just as easily have been me." Buffy said, putting an arm around Faith shoulder. "Now you know." She said, looking pointedly at Willow. The room remained silent for several minutes afterwards.
"The Counsel has placed me in charge of investigations, and the body was taken to London to be Autopsied." Giles stated dryly, "They have reviewed the testimonies and so far see no need for a trial to take place. No punishments have been dealt yet, though they have considered some . . ." Both the slayers bowed their heads as they headed back to their seats.
"What?" The fountain of words that was Oz inquired.
"They have considered removing a slayer from the Hellmouth." This statement was shortly fallowed by gasps of shock. "Just one, and it's only a small chance."
"Here's the question no one wants to ask," Cordilia said in her usual tone, "Which one?" All eyes turned to the Slayers.
"That's classified." Wesley snapped.
"Buffy." Giles stated quietly.
"WHAT?!" Faith yelled, jumping from her chair, "THAT'S NOT FAIR! She's got a whole life here!!"
"I know." Giles said loudly, "That's the problem! A Slayer is supposed to be isolated. She's not supposed to have friends, she not supposed to live with family and she is not supposed to be a daughter to her Watcher!" The room fell silent. "That's why that chose her Faith. She's not supposed to divulge her identity to people, and yet all these people know." Giles indicated to all the people in the library, "She will have no more contact with me, as I am to stay here and continue to be a librarian, and that way the Slayers can cover more ground when you are in two different places."
"That's why I get to stay?" Faith said, her tone full of loathing, "Cause I ain't got no here for me? No friends, no Watcher, and no place to go." Faith sat down heavily.
"They have decided not to, but should another event like this one occur they WILL send Buffy away." The room fell silent, every person in the room thinking over all the information they were just fed, and now had to digest. No one liked the plan, and no one wanted to see Buffy go.
"Well I've got a plan," Xander said, in his joking tone, "Don't let it happen again." He smiled his big, fake smile and got up to leave the library. Willow got up to, telling Buffy that she'd call her later as Oz fallowed her out. Giles and Wesley went into the old Watcher's office as Cordilia picked up her bag of cheerleading gear and headed off to practice.
Faith suddenly realized that Buffy hadn't said a word since she found out about her possible re-location. When she peered over to look at the blond she saw a look of sock on the girl's face. 'I'm gonna kill him!' was the only thought running through Faiths head as she glared at he old librarian through the window of his office. He must have felt her penetrating gaze because he caught her eye for a moment before quickly looking away.
"Come on," Faith said, taking Buffy's hand and pulling her out of the chair. "Let's get you home."
"I want to go slaying." She said, almost dreamily.
"Okay B, what ever you want to do is okay by me." Faith slowly walked Buffy out of the library as they made their way to one of Sunnydale's cemeteries.
AN: What do you think? The reason for the Title is because of all the drama in this chapter, and how they acted out the events of that night. It just seemed to be fitting at the time.