You took the time. so I did too. Here ya be. Unbeta'd..

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Impossible

Quentin pored over the books. Noting anything that fit with the situation the current Slayer was in. He would never have had access to the books he now read if it weren't for The Head of the Council. If he could predict the Slayer's actions his project would be perfect.

His fingers passed over his notes and he realized one of the demons he wished to connect to the Tomar was in a book he didn't have. He stood and perused the choices before deciding on a text and continuing his research.

He studied the lines of information printed, taking care to absorb as much information as he could. Taking notes and searching for anything that may lead to the demon, he discovered something he had never heard of. A Lore of an ancient Vampire.

At first he read out of interest. After all, The Council's tool was a vampire slayer. The more information, the better. But before he was halfway finished with the passage he froze. "That can't be right." He shook his head at the pages. "That's impossible.

He slammed the book shut and stared at the cover. "The Pure" was clearly written out.

Guiltily, as though he'd seen something that no one was supposed to ever see, he looked around the room used for studying and was grateful that he was alone.

With quick movements, he picked up the book and all his notes, then headed out to find The Head of the Council.

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Xander, Richard and Christian stood at the corner and tried to decide which way to go. They had followed the path it looked as though the two wiccans were taking, but after the third turn neither of the young men were sure how to proceed.

"What's that way?" Christian asked and pointed towards the left."

Xander shrugged. "Mostly residential. Homes."

"Our hotel is that way." Richard said pointing to the right.

Xander shook his head. "We should split up. They could be headed anywhere."

"Not entirely." Christian pointed out. "Most likely the locator spell used to find the talisman ends at the location it was found. Wherever Sam had it when the spell was cast."

Richard smiled. "I know where they are heading." And lead the other two men to the right. "Her room is next to ours, Christian. I saw her a few days ago."

"Well done." Christian said and followed quickly.

"That's why you're a watcher. Got the brain thing going." And Xander picked up his pace.

The men walked the short distance quickly to find Sam standing just outside an ally across form the Winding Winds. They walked to her and Xander called out. "Sam, where's Wills and Tara?"

Just as he met the retired Slayer he saw around the ally enough to catch a glimpse of red hair. "Wills?"

"Shhhh." Sam cautioned. "The spell is breaking. It is better if it ends naturally."

Xander backed off and Richard and Christian waited.

"They're here now." Willow said.

"Ok. Time to come out." Tara replied.

Both ladies blinked rapidly and wavered on their feet. The three men came from all sides to help the ladies gain their center of gravity.

When Willow was able to focus again, she looked up to see Xander smiling at her.

"Hey." She whispered.

"Hey yourself. Trying to give us all heart attacks?" He joked.

"No. Just myself. Exciting change of pace, don't you think?"

"Willow?" they heard Tara and Xander turned his best friend so the couple could see each other.

"Willow. You ok?" Tara asked worriedly.

The red head smiled and nodded. "Freaking a little, but ok."

"What did you find?" Christian asked.

Tara nodded her head to the building across the street. "There. The spell ended there."

Sam nodded. "It makes sense. That is where I have been staying. They must have preformed the spell recently."

"Popular hotel." Xander muttered.

"I'll be right back." Sam stated and crossed the street.

A few minutes later, and surprisingly no lectures to Willow later, Sam reappeared with a suitcase and a large leather case hanging over one shoulder. "I placed the crystal in the room, but I'm not going to wait for the demons. Can someone put me up?"

Xander grinned back at Willow before turning to the slayer. "What? Didn't Buffy tell you?"

Sam looked back perplexed. "What?"

Tara smiled. "All scoobies come equipped with a spare room."

Grinning, Sam followed them back to the magic shop with Xander carrying her suitcase and Richard her leather case.

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Quentin paced outside the door of Edward Crane, The Head of the Council of Watchers. His mind busy trying to work out how to reveal what he'd come across.

None of it made any sense. How could the Slayer be any relation to a vampire. The powers were similar, yes, but a Slayer's strength was pure and was wielded with truth and a purpose. Not from the rank dirt that made the being called vampire.

The text had to be wrong.

"Mr. Travers." The young secretary called from behind her desk.

Quentin stopped and turned.

"You may go in now." She informed him.

He didn't thank her, just walked to the door and went in grasping the book in between the papers and folder he used to hide the title.

The slim man behind the desk leaned back in a relaxing pose and smiled waving the young man to a seat opposite. "Come in Quentin. I must say, I'm surprised you have found an answer so quickly." He leaned forward and rested his laced fingers on the desk. "So my boy, what have you found?"

The watcher in training sat and placed the pile of papers and one book on his lap. "Sir, I have not found the answers. But." He looked at his lap and drew out the book, then set it on the desk. "I do, however, have some questions."

The Head slid the book across the desk so that he could see it for himself. It took him only moments to realize what the young man had found.

He raised his head and looked over at the young man. "What have you read?"

Quentin didn't reply immediately, he just looked from the book to the man he had great respect for, trying to understand. "Is it true?"

Edward looked not only at, but into the young man before leaning down to open one of the desk drawers. When he straightened up he held a scroll. "Quentin. I know your desire to take my position when you are ready. And when the time comes, you will have my support. It is for this reason, and this reason alone you are about to hear a secret none others, save men in my position, will ever know. Do you understand?"

Of course Quentin did not, but he nodded, hoping the Head would go on.

After a pause, Mr. Crane rolled out the scroll and held it so the script could be read. "you have heard of Akoshta I presume." Quentin nodded again. "Good, then this will be easier to explain. WE do not allow a Slayer to serve any longer than six years. WE have reason for this. What you read of the powers, Akoshta, and the Vampire who is trapped, it is all true."

Stunned silence was all Quentin could manage.

"Do you understand? It is true. The slayer was formed from the essence of a vampire, and will remain as so until she can free the other, or until she has served. The Akoshtan scroll I have has drawn out a prophecy that explains this. In it is included a series of equations that will help determine the time it can happen. if at all. Over the years several times have been, how should I say, interceded. We could have lost the line forever."

It was then Quentin woke from whatever state the situation had put him in. "Do you mean to say Samantha has not been the first?"

A light chuckle came from the head. "No. She has not been the first. Any slayer who serves during the time that fits the equations has the potential to fulfill the prophecy. That is why we are here. To make sure they can not. If one does, then we can not predict the outcome. The loss of the slayer line being the most obvious."

"Loss?" The young man raised an eyebrow. "Complete loss of the Slayer?"

Edward nodded. "And no way to bring her back."

Quentin sunk into his seat, deflated.

"That is why it is so important. Mr. Emerson has calculated that Sam has two more years, and she is talented. We could use her for as long as she is alive, but under no circumstances can she be allowed to reach her 6th year. That is why we have kept an eye on her here. Why you have been allowed to study her first hand."

"That is why you want me to find out her plan. Why her involvement with the vampire was so important. You must know if she lives, or if he helps her. If he is somehow this T'mure."

"Ahh, see you do understand."

Quentin heaved a breath. "I believe so. We must be sure she does not go to Akoshta, and we must be sure that her involvement with the vampire is limited at best."

The Head smiled. "Good." And he opened the book, leafing through the pages until he came upon the section he wanted and unceremoniously tore several pages out. "And we must be sure the others do not know. It is too heavy a burden for them to take."

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"We're all set." Xander proclaimed as he strode into the shop with the others right behind.

Willow came in with Tara on her heels. "All we have to do is wait now."

"And get Tylenol." Tara added with a slight grimace on her face.

Christian and Richard came in after Sam who had been quiet the entire walk back to the magic shop.

"And the bags?" Dawn asked as Xander set the suitcase behind the counter.

Xander stood back up and shot a smile to Anya. "Well, the locator spell lead back to Sam's hotel room. So."

"So we are housing her?" Anya asked with a frown.

Her husband glared. "An."

She replaced her disappointment with a wide smile. "I mean, would you like to stay with us?" She turned to Sam. "In out home?"

Sam settled into one of the vacant seats at the research table and smiled back. "I would be indebted. Thank you."

"That's settled." Willow said and finally found the pain reliever hidden below the counter of the shop. "Any other news?"

"Just the call from Giles, but he was only checking in. No new info." Xander explained.

Michelle, who'd taken over the computer when Richard left so she could check for e-mail from her mother, raised her eyes to the group. "And the Tomar? Should I look for them still?"

Her young watcher walked over to the table and sat in the seat beside his charge. "If what Xander said is correct, it seems we have the location they will try to perform the ritual. I see no reason to waste energy when we have no intention of stopping them at this juncture."

Dawn grinned. "Do you guys go to a class. You know, watcher speak 101 or something?"

Richard, a bit confused by the question merely glanced up.

Sam grinned. "I understand what you mean." She said to Dawn. "As far as searching for the Tomar, I tend to agree with the watcher. But I suggest that if you normally patrol at this time, to do so. Change in routine may alert them as well."

"Agreed." Richard said.

"Cool." Michelle said with her French accent adding a lilt to the word. "Can we go to The Bronze again. I enjoyed that."

Richard was about to interrupt when Sam spoke out. "And I would like to go as well."

All eyes turned to the elder woman. By all rights, the woman was aged. None wanted to be responsible for a retired slayer's demise due to her need to enjoy her last chance to kill in 'hellmouthville'.

"I'm not so sure." Richard said, as it was his place to do so.

Sam tilted her head and grinned. "I was not asking young man."

The room was silent. Sam waited for the watcher to respond, but he was unable to do so without offending.

Anya, however, true to form, was happy to explain. "It's just that you're old. Could you even run from a vampire?"

Sam spun in her seat and glared at the ex-demon. She made no move to respond verbally. Instead she stood and walked back into the training room.

The glances exchanged were all of curiosity before the others all followed in behind. When they walked through the doorway, Sam held her hands together and bowed as she had been taught decades ago, to the Scoobies. She straightened and eyed the room, taking note of the placement of the shuffled equipment that had been moved for the spell, before proceeding.

She lifted her head and walked purposely to the large bag hanging from the ceiling. Her first thrust was a bit clumsy, but it was all it took. As her fist hit the canvas flashes of fights came into her head. Another hit then another followed. She pulled back, shifted her weight comfortably and began a berage of kicks and punches that only a Slayer could. Then, out of nowhere, the old woman leapt up and flipped herself backwards onto the pummel-horse landing smoothly on her hands.

With concentration she slowly lifted her left hand, letting her right carry all of her weight, then pushed off landing neatly on her feet facing a line of wide mouths.

"Yeah. She's good." Richard choked out.

Sam smiled before bowing once more.

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later that night

Sam yanked the vampire back by the scruff of his neck. "Old lady?" She spun him around and punched the demon's nose causing his head to pop up. She heard the familiar crunch of a broken nose before spinning and kicking his feet out from under him. "I'll have you know I'm barely 85. How old are you?" She asked before staking him.

She dusted off her slacks and primped her hair making sure the bun hadn't come loose. "A hundred if not a day. And the old lady wins again." She grinned and looked for the young slayer."

She found her once the body blocking her view turned to dust. She found Michelle still gripping the air that had been the arm of the vampire she'd taken on.

Both ladies smiled, exchanging a brief moment of 'comrades in arms'.

Sam continued down the ally beside Michelle. The young girl seemed on the verge of an inner explosion that went beyond slayer adrenaline.

"Are you alright?' Sam finally asked before getting in line for the club.

Michelle shook her head. "Its just that, I don't understand. How can you still have your strength?"

Sam gave her a knowing nod. "I see." She looked down at the young girl and whispered. "Well, I shouldn't."

Michelle just shook her head slowly. "Then how?"

"It was arranged. To ensure Buffy could get home. Its all connected. Buffy and Spike, Me, Ashton.. All of it."

She didn't understand it, any of it. Why she was called, what her life would be now, not a thing. But Sam was here, and alive. So some things could be changing. Maybe the calling itself. Not knowing what else to say, Michelle just quirked the corner of her mouth. "Oh."

"Come on." Sam prodded the girl. "The others are already inside and I'd like to see this 'Bronze'."

The ladies went in to let the noise of pounding music and the chatter of a crowd envelop them.