Characters: Joss Whedon Story: Me The council has a nasty surprise for the Slayer, but Buffy has a plan.

He didn't know what woke him up the next morning. Perhaps it was the cold, empty bed next to him. He sat up quickly, fumbling for his glasses and looking at the bedside clock.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

He searched out the voice, "don't worry you didn't. What on Earth are you doing?"

"My hair." She concentrated on putting the last hot roller in. "It's all part of my plan." Finished with her hair for the time being she put a leg on the seat, letting the hotel robe fall open to reveal a gorgeously tan leg, as she began to paint her toenails. There was a knock on the door, "that'll be breakfast, can you get that? And make sure to tip him good, they don't usually deliver this early." There was a second knock. "Giles?"

She turned to see him staring at her. Teasingly she leaned back and stretched out her leg as if admiring her paint job. "Giles, the food is getting cold."

"Right, sorry," he stood, trying to hide his arousal as he walked toward the door.

Buffy saw it anyway and giggled gently. "What are you supposed to think of? Oh yeah, Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day." She laughed, "well it worked for Austin Powers."

Giles would never tell her he tried that. He tipped the person at the door generously and wheeled the cart in. Thanking the gods for earl grey. He poured them each a cup and brought one to her, kissing her on the back of the neck. He was feeling especially bold today.

"What was that for?"

"For being beautiful."

"Well stop it, you'll mess up my hair." She smiled brightly at him, "save it for tonight."

"So in this plan of yours am I wearing a specific outfit?"

"You're a big boy Giles, you can dress yourself, but might I suggest something more...Ripperish? No tweed."

He pretended to pout but went to his bag to find something suitable. He laid his outfit on the bed. A black sweater and jeans. He would be the darkness to her light. He left the room to take a quick shower.

When he came out of the bathroom Buffy was dressed and leaning toward the vanity mirror as she put the finishing touches on her make up. He couldn't keep himself from gasping out loud. She was wearing an incredibly short skirt, one he hadn't seen since her high school days. "Are you sure that's appropriate for the council?"

"What?" She looked at him, "does it make me look like a fat thirty year old trying to be 20?"

"Well no, if anything you like the 15 year old I remember, trying to look older."

"Good," she turned back to the mirror. "They won't know what hit them." She took the curlers out and shook her curls. Clipping a few back she smiled at her reflection. "Ready? Let's go."

The cab ride to the council headquarters was quiet. Giles felt his nerves stretched taut but Buffy seemed very calm. He watched her silently for a moment, impressed at her calmness before realizing she was already in battle mode, grimly focused on the task ahead. He tamped down his nerves as best he could, she was going to need him.

They entered the headquarters and breezed passed the receptionist, they both knew where they were going. Her heels made a sexy clicking noise on the hard marble floor. Giles sped up so he wouldn't have to walk behind her, the tantalizing sway of her hips was almost too much for him to ignore.

They arrived at the entrance to the room at exactly eight but Buffy kept Giles from opening the door. "Wait."

"But you'll be late. And you know how important punctuality is to them."

"Part of the plan Giles."

He waited a minute and reached for the door, and again she stopped him. "But Buffy..."

She looked at him, "promise me you won't leave Giles."

"I promise."

"No matter what happens or what they say promise me you'll stay with me."

He turned her by the shoulders so he could stare deep into her hazel eyes. "Buffy no matter what, I'll be right beside you. I'm never leaving you again."

She smiled at him and brushed her lips softly against his, just a whisper of a kiss before opening the door. "You're late Miss Summers."

"I'm sorry," she said meekly, walking to the center of the room.

"We told you to come alone. Please escort Mr. Giles from the room."

Two burly security guards approached him but he lashed out, breaking the first one's nose and pinning the arm of the other behind him. He knew that if he twisted the arm a little more he would dislocate the shoulder. "I'm fine right here, thanks."

"Fine, you may stay." The man turned his attention back to Buffy. "Miss Summers, you seem incapable of following the simplest of instructions."

"I don't know what you mean. I'm sorry I was late." Her voice was soft and demure, Giles didn't recognize it, but he told himself it was part of the plan.

"We told you to come alone."

"He's my watcher, he goes where I go."

"And your last assignment?"

"How was I supposed to stop that vampire on my own?"

"As every slayer before you has."

"There were too many."

"An excuse. The world hasn't ended before."

"But they died."

"For the greater good."

"But if we work as a team then the apocalypse doesn't happen and we all get to live, wouldn't that be better?" There was a note of hopefulness in her voice.

"It is the Slayer's life to fight alone. To die alone."

"Not anymore." There was the confident Buffy he was used to. Giles looked up, paying even greater attention. Things were about to get interesting. "I've died alone before, twice actually, and just so you know it's not a whole lot of fun."

"We're well aware of your...exploits Miss Summers."

"Really? I don't think you are. See I continued to fight after the council was destroyed. I didn't need anyone to tell me to fight or what to fight. You seem to forget that this council," she stared at the men and women who sat on the review panel, "this council is completely unnecessary."

"Miss Summers, I think you've said enough."

"Nope, sorry, so not done." She stood up and removed her jacket, revealing the pink camisole underneath. "This council exists because we wanted it to, we rebuilt it. And I think it's time you learned that I can bring it down."

"We thought it might come to this." He nodded and a door on the other side of the room opened and two men with kitanas came in.

"Only two? I think you forgot, I fought in the pit of hell."