A/N - Personally it always bugged me how just because the girls got slayer strength that they were automatically good fighters. Strength doesn't make you good in a fight. So the training part is a result of my annoyance.
-Car - About an Hour Later-
The car was filled with wrappers and fast food cups. Conner smiled as he finished his burger, "We would be there faster if we didn't stop."
Buffy couldn't believe this kid, "Road trip food Conner. If you're going to accomodate yourself to being human then you have to know that road trips call for road trip food. Now I won't be cranky and I won't be hungry."
"When do I get to learn to drive?"
"Ask your dad. My best advice is don't learn from me."
Conner laughed as he admired Buffy behind the wheel. Suddenly reality hit him and he was deep in thought, "I'm going to miss you so much when we go back to L.A."
That was a hit for Buffy too... Conner and Angel wouldn't be there forever, they wouldn't be like the family now, they wouldn't be a family at all. The rest of the ride was mostly silence as Buffy and Conner really thought about it.
-Summer's Backyard-
Spike and Faith had the girls training with each other. Spike stared at them in absolute horror and whispered to Faith, "How have they been training? Punching bags and air?"
Faith agreed, "They are so not ready for war."
That's when Angel walked out, "Why not?" Spike pointed to the girls and Angel winced, "Ouch."
Spike agreed with his wince of fear for the slayer race, "They have no instinct. They're all relying on what the book says to do. They have the way to do the moves down, they just don't know when to use them."
Giles walked over to them and sighed, "Then I suggest an old training way. We'll need blindfolds."
Spike looked a little worried, "What are we doing?"
"When the council came and gave her all those tests so she could get information on Glory they had a blindfold on while they yelled moves out to her. She didn't pass because she killed who she was protecting and they were speaking japanese but the point is by the middle of the fight she was acting on her own instinct and blocking every move."
Faith smiled, "Oh, the council. How do I love thee."
Giles actually smiled back, "Don't worry, they were all blown up."
Faith actually looked giddy until she started to fake sadness, "I'm so sorry, terribly sorry."
"Back to training them."
Spike was actually with Angel, "Alright, Giles get the blindfolds, Faith and I will talk to the girls and Angel you can... do whatever the hell leaders do." Angel sarcastically laughed before walking inside.
-Mission-
Buffy pushed open the creaky front door to the mission as Conner followed right behind her. Buffy walked in first followed by Conner, both extremely alert. Conner surveyed the place, "No one's here. These kind of places make me feel funny inside."
"You're your dad's boy. You may not be a vampire but holy things should make you feel wierd. You two have something common besides me after all.
They were so into their convo that they didn't realize the man until he jumped out of a closet and grabbed Conner, pinning him against the wall. Conner hit the wall hard, "Buffy!"
Buffy instantly pulled the robed man off of Conner but before they could rejoice the old man punched Buffy. They started to fight until Buffy finally got the man pinned against the wall right beside Conner. The man fell to the ground, Buffy pushed off the hood and they were able to see a burn mark in the mans cheek. Buffy instantly recognized the mark from Caleb's ring and cursed herself.
She bent a little closer to get a better look, "Tell me about the mark."
The obvious monk covered the mark with his hand, "Oh..."
Conner started to get a little edgy, "Hey! You're a part of Caleb's faction?
The monk instantly started shaking his head dramatically, "No! No!"
Buffy tried to calm him down by softening her voice, "Then tell me what happened."
The monk had fear shivering off of his body, "I c...can't."
Conner calmed down too and stared the monk in the eyes, "We're trying to fight him, Caleb. We need your help."
The monk seemed very set in his ways, "You can't fight him. You can't stop him. You can only run."
Buffy actually grabbed the monk's hand, "Whatever he did to you or to this place he will pay for. I am honestly trying to stop him but I can't do that without you. I need you to talk to me."
The monk seemed convinced by the kindness shown, "I'll do better. I'll show you." Buffy helped him to a standing position, "One night..." He grabbed a candelabra, "...some time ago, a man arrived at our doors."
Buffy couldn't help her sarcasm, "And you said, come in, do some damage?"
The monk defended it, "We are... we are a benevolent order, and, yes, we welcomed him. We offered to feed him... but he had come for something else." The monk walked up to a statue of Mary in an alcove, just as seen on the picture that led Buffy and Conner there in the first place. He moved a secret lever, causing the statue to swing out of the way, revealing a secret compartment behind it. "Behind this, he revealed something even we didn't know was here. A secret room." He walked in and was followed by a very hesitant Buffy and Conner, "He was excited, talking the whole time... destiny, that sort of thing.
Conner nodded, "Yeah. We hear he's a real smooth talker."
The monk went to remove a tapestry revealing an inscription behind it, "He was going on about this ancient inscription."
"Neat."
The monk continued to replay the horrid memories, "He read it... and he didn't like what it said. His temper... He was the purest evil I've ever seen. He burned his mark upon me. And then I ran and I hid... and I listened to the others die."
Conner calmed him down, "Running away...saved your life. You did the right thing." Buffy was too interested in the inscription as she took hold of the candelabra. Conner looked over at buffy, "What does it say?"
Buffy had absolutely no idea. "What language is this?"
The monk shrugged, "We assume latin words with greek lettering."
Sadly Buffy didn't know in english what that meant. She stared at the monk, "Do you know what this says?"
"No. I am not farmiliar with greek lettering."
Buffy turned back towards Conner, "We're going to have to call your dad."
The monk looked at Buffy, "I am sorry."
Conner patted him on the shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll work it out."
The monk nodded and stood at the door, "I shall leave you be." Buffy nodded and whipped out her cell phone.
-Summer's House-
Angel was most interested in the research now seeing as it was going no where. He was about to go and check on the training but the second he got to the backyard Buffy phoned his cell. "Hey."
Buffy got right down to business, "Do you know greek and Latin?"
Angel sounded curious as he answered, "I know latin but not greek."
"Does anybody there know greek?"
"I don't know let me check." He put the phone to his chest and called to Spike, "Hey Spike, do you speek greek?"
Spike ran over to Angel, "What?"
"Do you speak latin and greek?"
"You taught me latin you ninny. I learned some greek along the way."
"Good."
He gave Spike the phone, "Hello."
Buffy's voice echoed, "You know greek and latin?"
"Uh huh."
"Good. I have an inscription here written in greek letters but it's spoke in latin."
Spike looked at Angel, "I need paper and a pen." He then spoke into the phone, "You're going to have to describe them to me."
"You ready?"
Spike walked over to the table and got the pen and paper that Angel put there, "Yeah."
Buffy proceeded to talk to him and describe the letters. It took them about 15 minutes but they were finally done and Spike was translating them into letters. Buffy was getting impatient, "Hurry Spike."
Spike had the words in latin written on the paper but unfortunately his latin was rusty so he looked at Angel, "What does Non tibi est. Ei solae tractare licet mean again?"
Angel looked at it and took the phone, "The inscription says 'It is not for thee. It is for her alone to wield."
Buffy sighed in relief, "Thank god. We're on our way home."
Angel closed his phone and glared at Spike, "How could you remember greek and forget latin? Is it just because I taught you?"
-Mission-
Buffy hung up the phone and looked at Conner, "It says, it's not for thee. it is for her alone to wield."
Conner pondered it, "Maybe they're talking about a weapon.I mean everytime I hear wield it's in reference to a weapon."
Buffy thought about it, "Makes sense. Nice work Conner. We should get back though. The sooner we can do the vineyard thing the better." Conner nodded and they walked out of the mission arm in arm.
-Summer's backyard-
Spike finally got back to training the girls and they found the new technique actually worked. With the exception of Kennedy everyone was starting to get the hang of it. Spike was working with Kennedy now and was having no more success then anyone else. Angel was starting to get mad and Faith was annoyed.
-Summer's Dining Room-
Research was exactly where it was when it began. No breaks, no food and extreme boredom. Everything in that house was riding on Buffy and Conner finding something.
-Car - Sunrise-
Conner was asleep as Buffy watched the sunrise from the drivers seat of the car. It made her laugh that they were the only people trying to get into Sunnydale. They were minutes away from the house now but Buffy didn't know how to wake Conner up. No matter how strong you are, when you're sleeping you're like glass.