Chapter Two: The Sisterhood of the Unchosen
Seventeen years ago all of Ona Avery's dreams were crushed. It was her eighteenth birthday and any chance for her to become the Slayer had been completely abandoned. Her name back then was actually Fiona Avery Travers, only daughter of Quentin Travers who was quickly rising in the ranks of the Watchers Council. Her potential was discovered almost after her birth and remembers no part of her life that wasn't preparing her for becoming the next Slayer. The only contact with anything resembling a normal life came through contact with her brother, Brian. No matter how close they were and how much he was looking out for her could not prevent her from trying to take her life on her nineteenth birthday. Fortunately for her brother, he had found her in enough time to save her life. She was never the same after her year of depression. After she was released from the hospital she refused to go back home with her father. She had no friends, no one to turn to but her brother. He did not disappoint, he instead introduced her to Sophia Karameros. Sophia was the same age and in the same situation as her. They became friends in almost an instant and came to the conclusion they would not let what happened to them happen to any of the other Unchosen. They would not feel the loneliness or abandonment that they had to go through. They would travel the world as demon hunters, tracking down others like them creating the Sisterhood of the Unchosen.
As the years went by they managed to carry out their mission adding several more women to add to there vampire and demon hunting team. They traveled around the world until they were attacked by Bringers. The five that were left after the attack, hid. They're already nomadic nature kept them safe, until one day not to long ago everything changed. They woke up one morning and felt connected and soon realized the power they had promised had finally became theirs. Ona brought them back to her home in England to discover what happened to them only to find her Father and brother were dead, and the Council destroyed. Her nephew, Matthew was her only surviving family and he was attending school at the Academy. She let him join their party.
"…We then went to the Academy. The watchers they're told us about what happened and what had happened to you. What happened to us." Ona gave him a smile, "I wanted to join the new Council and offer my services in helping to find the newly risen Slayers out there." They were sitting in the CSW headquarters in the lounge area of the library. Giles was in his usual chair, Ona was sharing one couch with her nephew and the young girl, while Sophie sat with the two other slayers. All the women looked a little worn from time, old clothes and wild hair. Matthew seemed to be the only one still put together.
"We already, know, where most of them are, the ones that were trained." Sophia added. "The adult ones, I mean. They're leading normal lives, having children. They were in quiet a shock when…" she couldn't think of the word, "'it' happened."
"We're calling it the 'Awakening'." Giles told her.
"Awakening? That's for sure." Lydia Weston, the blond Slayer added. She was 23 and from Wisconsin. She had been with the group for about two years. The other Slayer, Arien, remained quiet. Maybe it was her looks or her quiet nature but she reminded him of Kendra. "I woke up one morning and realized I could rip the knob of the door without even trying."
"Oh, that's nothing." Said the young girl, Evan. She was a Canadian, seventeen years old, but not a Slayer. Giles was unsure of her role in the group. "There's this ninety year-old grandma up in Toronto, who can lift a car over her head." She laughed.
"You went to Toronto first?" Giles asked confused.
"No," she huffed. "Why would we do that, it would be so far out of our way. It's just something I know."
"Oh." Still unsure.
Ona then chimed in. "Evan here, is a seer." Ona put her arm around her. "James, my old watcher's son, was training her as a potential before they realized she was actually a Seer. He rather I take care of her instead of letting her get into the hands of the Council." Giles nodded in understanding.
"Well I glad you came." Giles finally said. "We could always need your help. We've been having trouble finding all the girls. All the files on possible potentials were at the Headquarters but that's all gone now." Matthew turned away from the group. Giles had forgotten that his father had died in the incident he was referring to.
"Luckily," Lydia added, "We have the copies going back a hundred years. Ona stole them before creating the Sisterhood. We had some allies at the council and they kept them updated."
Arien took out a computer disk out of her bag. She spoke with a heavy accent, "Here is a list of all the potentials in this hemisphere." She handed it to Giles. "However, it has not been updated in a year so there are some more slayers out there who have just been born."
"Oh, of course. Um, we've been sending Faith and Buffy out to find other girls but it's going rather slowly. We don't even know how many are out there, to keep looking for them."
"There are about 600 in all, all over the world." Matthew said grimly. Giles looked at him surprised by the confidence in his response. "There are ten potentials, well now Slayers, born every year." He explained. "If you go back a hundred years there are 1,000 girls-women," he corrected himself after a glare from his aunt. "Subtracting the number that became Slayers and the ones that died over the years including the number that died from Bringer attacks and in Sunnydale there are about 150 girl ages 0-20 in North and South America. Ages 20-100 there are 150 at least half have been trained until they were eighteen. Those numbers include the girls you've already have in the school." He took a pause. "It's been my job to put the numbers together. We marked the slayers on the list that we have already have contact with." He yawned.
Ona reached behind and over Evan and rubbed her nephews back. "Ripper, we've had a long trip-
"Oh, of course. You've had a long trip. I'll take you to your rooms." He got up and remembered how to play host. "So you can get settled in."
******
Willow was just about finished teaching class when Giles appeared in the doorway. He silently told her he needed a word and she nodded and turned back to the class. "Alright, when your done just put your papers on my desk." She grabbed her notebook off the desk and met up with Giles in the hallway. "Is everything alright? Does Buffy need me to do another locater spell?"
"No, everything is fine. Actually we have a few very interesting visitors…" he led her off into the hallway and handed her the computer disk.
*******
It didn't take long for word on the new arrivals to spread across the school. By dinner time all the young Slayers were waiting to get a look at the older Slayers. The group remained in they're rooms for the rest of the afternoon but they had it on good authority from Andrew, that they would be joining the rest of the school for dinner.
Andrew and his helpers of the evening; Quinn, Tracey, and Vi; were helping him bring out the trays of food. The girls took that as a cue to take they're seats. At the teachers table the three watchers were engaged in quiet conversation of their own, while Kennedy kept glancing at the door waiting for Willow to arrive. When she had return from the field trip to the city, Willow was already engrossed in entering the new names and information from the Sisterhood into the database. Willow barely said a word to her when she went to see her.
Xander didn't seem like he would notice if the room fell down around him. He laughed and had fun with Alexis and Andrew at the convention but the minute he came back to the school he returned back to his isolated little bubble. Even in the back of his mind he knew he needed to snap out of it but he was stuck in a forever loop of what might have been. He had been so lost in his own mind that he didn't realize that Giles had come in and addressed the room.
"So you all know we have some visitors. First we have Evanna and Matthew; they are the newest additions to our Watcher Training Program." Evan and Matt moved to the front of their group. The biggest reaction is that there was finally a boy in the school, a rather cute boy. Dawn got up and went to them.
"Welcome to the program. It's just us three, right now. Come one, sit with me; it's good to finally have some non-slayers around for a change."
Giles introduced the rest and the students began to eat. Lydia and Arien ate with the students while Sophia and Ona were given seats at the staff table. Ona took the seat between Robin and Giles, which was usually reserved for Faith. Ona gave a hard glance to the Watchers across from her. She knew them, and they new her. They may have supported Rupert Giles now, but not to long ago, they supported her Father.
Sophia was going to take the seat on the other side of Giles, but Kennedy made them save it for Willow, who had yet to arrive. Sophia understood and took a seat at the other side of table next to Xander. She gave him a sweet smile as she sat down. He matched the smile for a moment, just to be polite.
As the meal progressed, the tension at the staff table grew. Sophia was unable to engage Xander in conversation. She continued to ask him questions but he would only nod or just pretend he heard her. Kennedy wouldn't stop staring at the door for Willow. She was ready to leave several times to go look for her, but Giles assured her Willow was doing important work and would be along at any moment.
"I see you took you're nephew out of the Academy." Addison, the oldest of the three watchers, finally asked.
"Yes, I did." Ona said coolly.
"I'm surprised, I had been his teacher up until this year and I believed that place was very well suited for him."
"Then, maybe, not now." Ona said, trying to keep her cool. Giles, who had been monitoring the conversation, could feel the anger rising in Ona. Giles had known Ona long enough to know that she would not anyone undermining her decisions. If the conversation had stopped there everything would have been fine, but Ona was going to let Addison get away with what she started. "What business is it of yours?"
Addison let her fork hit her plate, making a loud ringing noise. "It's my job to be concerned if a minor is under the care of a rather unstable guardian."
Ona sat in her place unmoving. Her face was locked staring at Addison. Giles saw Ona hand under the table gripping and twisting the table cloth. If he had let this continue, it could not end well. Ona couldn't really know the true power of Slayer strength yet. He put his hand on her arm drawing her attention. He needed something quickly.
It must have been fate that Willow entered the dinning hall at that moment. "Willow!" He called her over to the table. The young witch's entrance managed to distract Ona and Addison from their rivalry. "It's about time you got here." Kennedy put her arms around her giving her a kiss.
"Maybe I should have got here sooner." Willow said taking her seat, still holding onto Kennedy's hand.
"I made you a plate."
"Did you finish inputting the new information?" Giles asked promptly.
"Thank you, sweetie." Willow turned back to Giles, "Yeah, I did. Sorry, I'm late. It just you know, new information I didn't want to put it off."
"I glad you found it useful, Willow. We'd spent lots of time putting that list together."
"Oh, you're?"
"This is Ona," Giles introduced them. "Sophia is sitting down next to Xander."
"Nice to meet you." Willow started to go on about the amount of located slayers they now have and Addison excused herself. Willow continued to go on about the computer system she had developed.
In less then five minutes the students started to clear out. All of the students had left, as well as Xander and the Watchers. Dawn, Matt, and Evan took seats at the staff table and Dawn started to ask questions. They were waiting for Willow to finish eating. "So how do you know, Giles?" Dawn finally asked.
"Well he knew Sophie first." Ona said smiled.
"Oh." Dawn said kind of disgusted. Everyone else laughed.
"She didn't mean it that way." Evan told her. "She's his sister." Dawn and Willow were confused.
"Not really his sister" Sophia added. "His father was the Watcher that trained me. I moved in with his family to be trained when I was eight. Ripper's always been like an older brother to me. When I was originally told I could no longer become a Slayer, I became a Watcher and met up with Brian. He introduced me to Ona."
"Brian?" Robin asked.
"My brother," Ona said, at the same time Matt said, "My father."
It was quiet again and new arrivals had once again begun to tire out. The next afternoon the Senior members of the Council would be convening and Ona and Sophie were asked to attend. The walked down the hallways making for they're rooms "Come on," Sophie said, leading very sleepy Matt down the hallway, "Mr. Travers, it's time to go to bed." Hearing that name, Dawn was caught a bit off guard. She turned to Giles, who knowing her concerns.
"Yes they are related, but they are nothing alike." He said simply. "I'll be in my office if you need me." Dawn was left to digest the information. She wasn't sure how she was taking it.
Given that it was only eight o'clock Dawn went to the Library to conduct some research of her own. She wanted to maintain her usefulness. When Buffy called in next she wanted to know what to tell her about all ages of women being called and where they were. She looked over all the data Willow had entered. It had all the information the Sisterhood had gathered from about each of the located Slayers. It was incomplete so Dawn popped in the original disk. The list went back a hundred years and she enjoyed reading the blurbs about each one, including the 'called' Slayers. 'Cool', she though, 'Buffy's in this thing. And they even mention me.' Not being the key, but her involvement during her sisters right of passage. She got a little excited. Eventually she found what she was looking for, the entry about 'Fiona Avery Travers".
******
Sunday went quite the same way as Saturday except there were no classes to attend and the Slayers' dorms were almost vibrating due to the volume of their stereo. Giles, again, was walking the halls. "Do you really think they should be a part of the new Council?" Robin asked.
"More than any of the watchers I ever met." He said soundly. Robin joined him and the walk to the front door. "The Sisterhood stands for everything this new Council is. Ona and Sophie deserve to be a part of it."
"Thanks, Ripper." Fiona said from another corridor. She looked more put together then yesterday. He hair was pulled back and her worn clothes were traded in for a crisp pair of blue jeans, and white dress shirt. She still kept the same ragged boots. "Good morning." She said to both of them.
"How are you doing this morning?"
"Good. We got some shopping done. I'm also trying my hardest to avoid Jepson." She smiled.
"Why does she get to you so much?" Robin asked.
"It's kind of a long story." She sighed then changed the subject. "So the Council meeting is still at three?"
"Yes, in the Library." Giles offered.
"So it must be strange after all these years, finally being a Slayer." Robin said. "Is it what you expected?"
"You have no idea. I, before the Awakening, I could usually get four out of five vamps. I worked so hard to be able to do that, now it just comes to me, and the rest. This was something I always wanted, but it's nothing like I thought it would be. I'm getting some wicked dreams though."
"Anything note worthy."
"No, just the techno-color history of the Slayers. That's what all the girls are having. I asked."
"Yo, Giles, buddy, where are you?" They heard a new voice call, from the front door. Giles and Robin hurried they're pace to the door, Ona kept her pace behind them.
The tall newcomer dropped her bag and helmet almost ran to Robin. "Did you miss me?" she gripped his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss, he was more then willing to comply. Giles averted his eyes and took of his glasses for good cleaning. After a few minutes, Giles coughed to get their attention. Faith smiled as she broke off kiss. "Giles, always trying to steal my good time." Robin just back off, he had been through this enough not to get embarrassed.
"You wanted to tell me something?" Giles simply asked.
"Oh yeah." She said but stop talking when she saw Fiona. "Who is she?"
"You must be Faith." Ona said with confidence.
"Sorry, you got the wrong name, girl." Cautiously. "The name's Nicole. Nicole Heatherly." She moved back to stand next to Robin, he put his arm across her shoulders. "Faith died back in Sunnydale."
"It's alright." Giles told Faith. "She an old friend." He turned to Fiona, "This is actually Faith but she changed her name." Fiona nodded in understanding.
"Oh, and she's a slayer too?" Faith said relaxing a little. "She kind of looked like a Cop."
"I assure you, I am not." Fiona smiled.
"You had something to report?" Giles asked again.
"Oh, yeah, sorry, G-man. But I think you already know what I have to say. The last 'girl' you sent me to look for in Maine turned out to be about sixty-two."
"You met Claudia?"
"You know her." Faith left Robin and looked her up and down. "Straight brown hair, tall, stinking old boots, looks like she kicked a lot of ass. You're Ona, right?" Faith smiled. "Claudia told me all about you. "
"It's good to meet you."
Faith turned to Giles. "I rushed back here to tell you about the Sisterhood but I guess I'm just late to the party, as always."
"Not terribly. In a half hour, were having a Council Meeting. You're always welcome to join."
"Half-hour? Sure. Why not?" She gave Robin a sexy smile. "Wanna help a girl get her bag up to her room?" Faith entwined her arm around Robin's and he picked up her bag from next to the door.
"Always time to help a Lady." He joked, as he escorted her off to her room.
*****
Much to Fiona's dismay Addison was part of the Senior Council. The meetings were much different than in the old days. The much more informal people took seats where available. Addison had taken a seat at the table, while Faith jumped up to sit on the tabletop. Willow was at the computer, leaving Robin and Kennedy on the couches. Sophia sat next to Addison, and Ona decided to just lean on the table next to Faith. Sophie asked about Xander's absence from the session but Willow told them to go on without him. Giles stood in the middle of the room and began the session.
The first order of business: working out the number and locations of older Slayers taking on the fieldwork. Fiona and Sophie took over from there. It was their department. Of the women they had contacted they were going to be looking after the younger slayer in their area, if they were too young to go to the school or didn't want to leave their homes. Willow had put the contacts into the computer and made it easy to find the right mentor Slayer for each young Slayer.
"Well that seems to be finished. Now onto another matter-"
"I would like to voice my concern for a male student entering this school." Addison spoke.
"Of course you do." Ona mutter under her breath, only Faith heard her and started to laugh. It had not taken Faith long to figure out that there was animosity between Fiona and Addison.
"I'm sure that won't be a problem. It's not like it's an all female staff and all. Plus, his Aunt is here, what trouble could Matthew get into?" Giles tried to calm her concern.
"I believe you said he was a excellent young man." Sophie helped.
"You and Miss Travers are staying at the school?" Addison sounded surprised.
"It's Avery and yes. Why should that surprise you?" Fiona asserted.
"What would you do here?"
"Teach." Ona said harshly.
"Teach what?"
"Well," sarcasm dripped of her like sweat. "Besides being trained to be a Slayer since the beginning of my memory, I was also tutored my whole teenage life up until I got my teaching degree."
"Oh."
"It was one of those things my father insisted on me doing, during my training. How do you think I've been able to give Evanna a proper education on our travels?"
"Oh, but it still doesn't address the issue of your nephew being the only male student."
"Well," Faith popped in, "if you're worried about one of the newbie's getting all frisky and knocked up, at least we'd know who done it." This brought a laugh to everyone except Addison. Even Giles allowed himself to laugh at her joke.
"Well, I don't think it will be a problem and I'm in charge so I win. Matthew stays. New topic." Giles said with the amusement still reconcilable in his tone. He fixed his glasses and checking the next bit of information on his clipboard. He took a seat on the arm of his chair and his manner changed. "It has been a great concern for all involved that the some of the Slayers out there might not understand their powers and responsibilities and may become- dangerous." He tried not to look to Faith as he talked.
Everyone was quiet. No one wanted to say what was on they're mind. "Alright, I'm waiting!" Faith finally said getting up and walking around. "Your taking about a girl like me. We don't want them to do what I did and with more of them out there it's even more dangerous. For all we know we could have a army of rogue Slayers out there, which could lead to worse situations then I put the world in." She stopped and gave the room her trademark smirk. It empowered Faith to take this matter out of they're hands and let herself direct the conversation. "So the question is what do we do about it? How do we control them?"
"Are we expecting this to be a big problem?" Asked Sophia.
"More so then ever." Giles said. "The girls that know nothing of what they have become, they my not get the proper guidance in time, before they get out of control."
"So we need a way to cut off they're power." Robin reiterated.
"I don't even know if that's possible."
"How about the formula?" Addison joined in. "The organic compound of muscle relaxants and adrenal suppressers that Old Council used to bind the Slayers for their test, when they became eighteen."
"I had considered that, but it's only temporary and with the Slayer immune system, if used over a prolonged period of time will become in affective. It would also require keeping the girl locked up."
"But do we even have the right to do that?" Kennedy spoke. "Take away they're power, mess with the Slayer line?"
"We already have." Addison. "The line has already been tampered with."
"So you think we should do it again?" Kennedy said sarcastically. "It could have blown up in our faces last time. What if it does it does this time?"
"I might be able too do it." Willow said distantly.
"What could you do?" Ona asked her.
"I think I can tap into the Slayer power, again." She broke out of her distant gaze and turn to the group. "I'll have to do some more research first but," She paused and looked into Giles' eyes. "When I called them all I was in a different place. I could see them all; feel them all, even after the spell had ended. I think, if I go in again, I think I can bind them, cut them off if necessary."
"Do you really think you could do that, Willow?" Giles went to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I can't do it right now. It will take some time. I need to know how to navigate the Slayer System, but I don't see why not."
"I mean the magic. Do you really think you should be medaling with it." Concerned.
"When I did the spell, it was different. The magic I accessed was pure and white; it kind of gave me a good cleaning from the inside out. I don't see why this will be any different."
"Okay. Then this is the best plan of action we got, lets go forward with it." Giles agreed with a smile given to him by hearing Willows words. The session ended after that, everyone going on to do his or her own thing.
******
Giles, Sophia and Fiona spent most of the evening together. They were walking the grounds after they're patrol with team 'Sneetchs with Stars on their Bellies', there was a consensus that all team names were to long and they would be changed during the week. The trio mostly they talked about when they had been doing since the last time they had met. They walked around with Giles sandwiched between the two ladies, clinging to his arms.
"I can't believe it had been almost seven years since I've seen the two of you."
"We weren't the ones that moved to the Hellmouth, Rupert." Sophia joked
"I did come back to England a few years ago, you were nowhere to be found." He joked back with them.
"Actually we've had spent several of the past years up north in Canada and higher. Especially during the winter most Vamps come up that's why for the longer nights."
"I had notice that actually, there usually more disappearances in that area."
"Well we came across a whole town, that were only a few people shy of all being Vamps. We took care of it." Fiona smiled.
"Would you to like to have a drink." Giles offered.
"I'd love one." Fiona said happily.
Sophie, however was distracted. She was watching the young man sitting out on the bench watching the stars. "I'm going to pass." She declined sweetly. "Looks like some else really needs the company." She gave Giles a kiss on the cheek goodnight, and went over to sit next to Xander.
"Is he alright?" Fiona asked Giles in a whisper, stopping to watching Xander and Sophie for moment.
"He's lost a lot. He doesn't quite know how to get over it." Ona nodded as he spoke.
"It's good he's gonna talk to Sophie then." She gave Rupert a smile. "She knows how to help people through the darkest time. She's remarkable."
"I know." They continued on. "Would you like to get that drink?"
"Yes but I think I need to go check on my kids, first." He nodded and they went down the corridor to Evan and Dawn's room.
No one was quiet sure when it happened but sometime between last night's dinner and lunch this morning, Dawn and Evan became the best of friends. Dawn's room, since this would continue to be her home, was put in the staff wing and the room had not change from its original design. Sometime during the day she asked Evan to share with her. They knew that the school would begin to fill up, new slayers where coming everyday and with most likely coming addition of Fiona and Sophie on the school staff they would eventually have to share anyway. They just got the control to say when.
Fiona knocked on the door, that now had a sign that read, 'Watchers' in Training: Soon to be telling your Slayer-butts what to do!'. Giles smiled and they waited for a reply. Over the muffled sounds of music playing Fiona heard a 'Come in," and she cautiously opened the door.
Dawn and Evan where in their pajamas sitting on their own beds, talking. Each side of the room looked identical with furniture but Dawn's side looked as if it had been lived in and Evan's looked like she just came in from prison.
"Hey, Ona, something wrong?" Evan asked admittedly.
Ona shook her head and sat next to Evan on her bed. "No, just wanted to check on how the two of you were doing." Giles wondered in after her, standing toward the door, giving the room a good look.
"Everything's fine. It's nice having lots of Slayers around. They move the furniture, in like two seconds."
"Yes, we're thinking, if we ever run out of money for the school, we rent the girls out to a moving company." Giles joked. He got mostly smiles.
"Wow, Giles joked, that was too weird." Dawn said. "But still a good idea. Why didn't Buffy think of that when she needed a job?"
"I need stuff." Evan told Fiona with certainty.
"Anything you need me to pick you up, tomorrow?" Fiona said preparing to take down a mental list.
"No, my stuff in Vancouver." She smiled.
"He put it into storage for you, right?" Ona asked, taking her cell phone out of her pocket.
"Yeah, I mean, I am staying here, right?" she said happily. "I have a semi permanent room. I can have my things."
Ona handed her the phone. "Call James, ask him to send your things."
"Really?" excitedly. "But it's late, almost midnight."
"Time zones, Silly." She gave the young girl a pat on the shoulder. "It's only nine, there. If he's asleep now, he deserves to be woken up. I'm also sure, knowing him, he will send them out tomorrow."
"Okay." She said taking the phone and leaving the room to make the call.
Fiona looked up at Dawn, who was trying her best to be comfortable. It was a little awkward to say the least. Giles however seemed perfectly comfortable looking around the room as if he'd never seen it before. It was normal for a seventeen year-old, there was a stereo, posters of Green Day & Orlando Bloom and was moderately messy. "Is this the first time he's been in here or something?" Fiona asked Dawn.
"Since I moved in, yeah." Dawn said trying as well to let the tension go.
"She never let me in normally, always came to the door and closed it behind her." He smiled and turned to Dawn. "When did you get all this?"
"Huh, remember when all that money disappeared from the account you set up for me? Well this is it, and the closet full of clothes. Kind came here with one outfit and lost the rest."
"Ah, yes, I just don't remember you bringing all this home." He readjusted his glasses.
"Faith, she took me shopping while the rest of you were filling out forms to make this a school." Dawn got off her bed and self-consciously started to clean up.
"Looks like she got you wrapped around her finger, Rupert. Just like Evan does with James."
Evan came back a moment later, looking almost giddy. James would send out her boxes first thing in the morning. Fiona told them it was time for bed and gave Evan a hug and a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well, girls." She said as they got into their beds. Giles had already started down the hall to his room, but she waited to turn off the lights for them.
"Fiona?" She heard Dawn call to her from the dark.
"Yeah?"
"I want you to know, I know you're not like your father." The faint voice said.
"Thanks. Matthew's nothing like him either." She said back.
"I know that too."
Fiona closed the door and made her way down to Rupert's room. She stopped into her room first and quickly changed into a pair of sweat paints and sweater. When she got to room, he was waiting for her, with two glasses. She closed the door as she entered. When she sat down next to him on the couch, he poured scotch into the two glasses. She curled herself up on the couch so her chin could rest on her knees. "I miss my brother." Was all she said and Giles gave her a sympathetic look. He handed her a glass.
"I miss him too." He took a sip of his drink. "When Xander starts feeling like himself again, you might want to talk to him, they're very similar."
"I assume you mean the sci-fi/ comic book thing. Cause I know a thing or two about Xander they're wouldn't be too much in common between my late repressed British brother, and a good old American boy from California." Getting her sense of humor back she took some of her drink. "Cheers to a repressed childhood." She raised her glass to his and took down the rest of the liquid; he happily took down the rest of his with her.
"Another?" he asked. She nodded and he filled the glasses again. "At least you got over the repressed British ness." He pauses, "I just said that didn't I." He froze. "I spent way to much time with the children."
She laughed and went on, "So you lost that whole 'Ripper' stage completely then?"
"Sometimes he comes out for a visit. But he normally remains deep inside my repressed psyche." He said proudly. "The other, the original children from Sunnydale, they don't even realize how much it all is a part of me anymore. They see the whole stuffy old English father figure set in his ways now and looks back on his bad boys days with total disgust. They don't even do that anymore. I'm the bloody parent, but my children are at the age where they don't even pretend to listen to me anymore or even come to me for help. I was hoping that by this time I wouldn't be the parent, I would be the friend."
"Well, if it helps, I will never think of you as a father figure but always as a friend."
"It does, thank you." He continued to drink.
"At least you aren't actually a parent, well you are to Dawn I guess, but I wasn't even prepared when I adopted Evvie." She sighed and spoke honestly, "I'm flying by seat of my ass with Matty. I don't know how to be a parent. I am a bloody demon hunter-"
"Slayer, dear, you're a Slayer now." He corrected.
"Well, I wasn't then." She paused at thought a moment. It took longer then usually and she realized the drink was having its effect. "I was with Matty, but Evvie was a huge job. Her parents died in car accident, she predicted. You know, four out of five seers, they go insane."
"What type is she?" He asked.
"I can't remember the exact name, right now, I'm thinking it's something like 'type two'."
"'Type two'?" he sighed, "She could be powerful, when she learns to use it."
"That's why James turned her over to me instead of the Council. When her parents died, James was holding custody of her. The Council could have done anything they wanted to her. He knew what it did to me and couldn't let the same thing happen to her."
"I always liked James." Smiles. "Do you think he'd want to come here?"
"No, he's done. He didn't want to be a watcher, I don't think he changed his mind." There was another long pause. "I don't feel like a Slayer." She sighed and continued. "It doesn't seem…I don't know, like it should be." She put the glass down and flexed her fingers. "Is there something wrong with me?"
******
"Xander, do you mind if I sit down?" Sophia asked carefully. It took a moment of thought but Xander eventually nodded. She smiled and took the seat to his right. She looked up at the stars and let silence pass between them. After a few moments of a comfortable silence as turned to him. "Why are you out here by yourself?"
"Because no one was out here." He said refusing to turn to her.
"I know that was a subtle hint to get me to leave you alone, but it's not going to work on me." She gave him a smile. Xander turned to her, surprised that she was still sitting there. Her smile made him relax a bit and he considered not alienating her like everybody else. "Why are you always alone?"
The normal moment of hesitation was there but instead of him considering if to answer her or not it was how to answer her. "I… I'm not much fun anymore."
"You were fun before? I can't believe it." She joked.
"Yes," starting to let his sense of humor show in tone, "there was a time I was known as quite the comic relief. In fact it was my job. If I couldn't make light of the situation, I had failed in my only job."
"I think you must have done more than that." She put a hand on his shoulder. "They made you a Watcher."
"It's a pity position." He turned to face her fully giving her a view of his eye patch and pointed to it. "They all feel bad about the eye… and the girl." He turned back so the patch was once again obscured by shadows. "Everything people do concerning me is pity."
"That's not true." She tried to reassure him. "They care about you, I see that."
"Please, don't." He turned away. "You' don't know me, you met me yesterday." He got up and walked around the bench, but not away from her.
"You're right, I don't know." She stood up and went to him. "Did I say I did?"
"No, but I know your just trying to make me feel better." Then went on weakly, "Taking pity on me."
"Actually I don't take pity." She went on strongly with force and a little bit of anger in her tone. "I was actually going to tell you to snap out of it. That you're a big baby and need to start getting on with your life."
Xander got angry and stormed around her. "You have no idea what I went through. You don't have any right to say anything to me!" He raised his hands in the air as he spoke. "What would you know about it, you're a Slayer and I'm just the guy that lost everything just because I'm me. I finally found something I was loved and was good at and now I can't even do it." Pause, but that just let his anger build more. "She died! I loved her and now she's gone! I did everything while she was alive to push her away." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes while bearing his face in this hands. When he was ready to look up again, he expected to see Sophia looking very calm and steady in her spot. "Sorry." He muttered sitting back down.
She returned to the seat by his side and spoke again, "How long has it been," he waited for her to asked about when Anya died but she surprised him, "since you last let yourself get angry like this?"
He thought about it. "I can't even remember."
"Feel a little better though, don't you?"
He thought hard again. He remembered a time when he would speak without thinking but now every question seemed hard. "I do actually." he said to his own surprise. He felt a little lighter, like someone took bricks off of him. "How did you do that?" He said to he with a small smile.
"Years of practice. Outbursts like you just had, are healthy. No matter what they say. You just need to let it all out. You just need someone you trust to be there to push your buttons. Fiona does it for me, I do it for her."
"I thought you were raised by Watchers. I thought they were big on repression."
"Yes, and that's why Fiona and I kind of went insane. We learn how to do it." She took a deep breath and went on, "I can help you get through this, if you let me. It's not pity, it's sharing the knowledge. I was helped at a bad time in my life and I believe it's my duty to help others."
Xander didn't think this time he just spoke. "I thought you're duty was to save the world from the vampires and demons." He joked.
"You forget, up until a couple months ago I was just a woman. A woman who trained for something but it never came and then dedicated my life to helping others like me. It's who I am slayer or no."
"How do you want to start?" he asked as his way of accepting her offer for help.
"Talk to me." She smiled happily.
"About what?" Xander asked still dazed.
"Anything."
They talked for a while, mostly Xander talked. He skirted around any of the big issues and just started telling her stories about the glory days in Sunnydale. So far he had only got to mentioning that Anya had been his date to the prom and that she had asked him. Around one in the morning they started heading back inside. They were going to part for the night but Xander decided to do the gentlemanly thing and walk her to her door. She had respected him and kept space between them as they walked. He was comfortable now so he started to ask her questions.
"So, I've heard a rumor and wanted to know if it's true."
"Ask."
"Someone said you're Giles' sister. Now my source is Andrew, so this might have gone all 'telephone' somewhere."
"No I'm not a Giles." She laughed. "Evvie's just being a pest and spreading rumor." She informed him of the conversation the night before. He seemed pleased to hear it.
"It's not that I would mind if you were a Giles, it would just be kind of creepy for him to have a sister and never once mention it."
"I bet you never asked." She joked. Xander gave her the slightest laugh. She looked around the darkened hallway. They were next to Dawn and Evan's room. "My room is over by Faith's where's yours?"
"Down by Giles. Your on 'lovers' row', I feel sorry."
"Lovers' Row?"
"Yeah your next to Faith and Robin and Willow and Kennedy. They go at it like rabbits when they get the chance."
"I'm not worried. The last apartment we had, had rooms with paper thin walls, and I was next to Lydia. That girl brought back a man every night, and that girl is very loud."
"Lydia? The blond?" he inquired. She nodded. They were left standing in an uncomfortable silence or Xander was. He had no idea what Sophia was thinking. She was a mystery to him.
"Well, you should get a goodnight's sleep." She put a hand on his shoulder, "We'll talk more in the morning. Don't-" she stopped what she said when she heard a noise. "Do you hear that?" was the only thing she was able to say before they heard quiet screaming coming from Dawn and Evan's room.
Sophie didn't think twice about rushing into the room. Xander did not move as quite as quickly but was still right behind. Xander stood in the doorway of the room and stopped. Dawn was sitting up right in bed. Sophie had gone to the terror stricken girl in the other bed. "Xander, what's going on?" A sleepy Dawn asked, Xander just shook his head.
"Evvie, wake up, it's okay sweetie." Sophia held the girl in her arms, "It's alright, I'm here." She continued to stroke her face until she woke up. Dawn was out of bed coming up behind Sophia, she turned on the light by the bed.
Evan started to cry in her arms. "It was, it's dark and empty…Ona, I need her." She cried and Sophia just held her closer. Xander was frozen where was, not sure what to do. "Dawn get Ona." She commanded. Sophia sat down on the bed and pulled the girl onto her lap, still whispering words of calm in her ears.
Xander just stood there watching them. She was so gentle with Evan but had been strong when he saw her patrolling earlier that night. He only moved when he was struck by Fiona who rushed past him to get to Evan. Even when Giles had come into the room he still remained watching Sophia.
Fiona help bring the girl to her feet. "Come on, little one." Fiona said to the teenager gathering her up and walking out of the room.
"Ona were you drinking?" Evan asked quietly, making Giles smirk but Ona kept her concentration.
"That's not important, come on." Fiona left with Evan but Sophie remained.
"What happened? A vision?" asked a concerned Dawn who reentered the room.
"Sometimes she get visions when she sleeps." Sophia sighed getting up from the bed and went to Dawn. "Don't worry, she'll be fine, she's just going to stay with Fiona tonight. They are very intense." She put her hands on Dawns shoulders and directed her back to her bed. "Don't worry, episodes like this don't happen that often only when something particularly nasty comes into her head. Sleep well, dear." She tucked Dawn in and turned of the lamp. Giles had gone, but Xander still remained.
"Good night, Dawn." Xander said, as Sophie took his arm she left pulling out of the room. When they were alone in the hall again Xander turned to her. "Your like a fairy godmother."
"Why do you say that?" Shocked.
"You just are good at this, taking care of people." He continued the walk he to her room.
"Well your lucky I haven't gotten to sleep yet. First thing when I wake up, I'm not good for anything." She laughed at him.
"And not a morning person. Well I'll be sure not to bother you to early in the morning."
"Well I'd better be going to bed," She turned and went to her door, "Remember what I said, get some sleep."
Xander smiled at her as she walked on. He liked her and as he turn to go off to his room, he felt freer then he had been in months, mutter one of those famous lines from a movie, "This could be a start of a beautiful friendship."
End chapter 2.