Chapter 5
"Jake, hi, we were just talking about…" Wesley started to say.
"Cut the formalities." Jake interrupted. "You constantly attack me and send them after me. My boyfriend is sick of me hiding secrets from him. And this guy (pointing to Ryder) hates me, but still follows me around, cause he can also tell that I'm hiding something. Now I want to leave me alone!"
"Jake, I can't it's you're destiny." Wesley said.
"Destiny, my ass. I don't believe in destiny."
Buffy stood up. "Jake, I know this is hard, I didn't want any of this either, but I couldn't run. I tried, but it followed me everywhere."
"What exactly are we talking about?" Hamilton asked, obviously confused.
"Yeah, I'm a little confused." Ryder added. "I just thought they were gay, but now, well, it's getting a little weird.
As if on cue, spike walked in vamped out, drinking a cup of blood. He didn't notice their visitors until Ryder fainted. "What?" Spike asked, when Buffy glared at him. They laid Ryder on the couch and after ten minutes, they were able to revive him. Ryder stared at Spike, who had put his face back to normal.
"Okay, what's going on?" He demanded. "And don't give me any of that you can't tell me for my own good crap."
"Well," Wesley started, "Jake is the slayer."
"The what?" Hamilton and Ryder asked at the same time.
"Slayer, a slayer hunts and kills vampires and other demons."
"Then who are you people?" Hamilton asked.
"I'm Wesley, Jake's watcher."
"What?" The two asked.
"A watcher trains the slayer for the upcoming battles."
"Then who are all of you?" Hamilton asked, looking at Buffy.
"We're Buffy's friends." Willow replied.
"What do you have to do with Jake?" Ham asked.
"We're here to help Wesley and get her adjusted." Buffy explained.
"HER!?" Ryder exclaimed, turning to look up at Jake.
"Dammit!" Jake whispered.
"Ok, what's going on? Cause now I'm confused." Xander said.
"I think Jake's been pulling a 12th Night." Oz said. Hamilton looked at Oz as though he had just noticed he was there.
"Huh?" Xander asked Oz.
"It's a Shakespearean play about a girl that dresses as a guy."
"Oh."
"You're a girl?" Ryder asked ignoring the other conversation. He turned to Ham, "you knew, didn't you?"
"Of course I knew."
"Excuse me, but can we get back to the matter at hand." Wesley interrupted. Giles started to walk out of the room. "Where are you going?"
"To get some more chairs, we're going to be here for a while and they can't stand the entire time." Oz got up and helped him.
They ended up talking for hours. About Faith, why there were two slayers, and who they were. It wasn't until sunset that the Rawley kids realized they had cut all their afternoon classes.
"So Jake, will you accept the duties of the slayer and join the fight?" Wesley asked.
"And since your friends already know, they can be your Scooby Gang." Xander added.
"My what?"
"Sidekicks," Oz explained.
"Oh," Jake looked at Ham. "Can you excuse me for a moment?"
"Sure," Wesley answered.
She left Ryder and pulled Ham out of the room. "What do you think I should do?"
"What have you been doing?"
Training with Spike." She whispered.
"Who?"
"The blonde."
"You're kidding."
"Nope."
"Try it. If you hate it, run away or tell them you quit."
Jake smiled. Then Ryder walked in. "Jake, whatever happens I'll keep both of your secrets."
"Why are you being so nice?" Ham asked.
"The blonde guy."
"Spike?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, but this doesn't mean I'll be nice to you at school."
Jake smiled, as the three walked back into the room.
"So?" Wesley asked.
"All right, I'll do it."
Standing outside the living room window is a figure in a dark cloak; his face is hidden from view. In a deep voice, he spoke, "well, Wesley, looks like you've finally found your slayer. Be warned, I'll get her, and destroy her life, like you destroyed mine." He laughed an evil laugh, and then disappeared into a swirl of smoke.
While they talked, Cordelia and Gunn had started dinner.
"Hey, do you smell something?" Xander asked, sniffing the air.
Cordelia walked in. "Dinner's ready!" She announced. "Will you three be staying, cause we have plenty to go around, including seconds?"
"Uh, sure." Hamilton replied.
"Yeah, okay." Ryder replied.
"Sure." Jake added.
"Good. Xander, bring some extra chairs into the dining room."
"Why me?" Xander asked, but did as he was told.
Dinner was spaghetti. Halfway
through the meal, Angel walked in. Ham
and Ryder looked up at him; he looked back at there with curiosity. "Oh, what are your names?"
"Hamilton, Ham for short."
"Ryder."
"Hamilton, Ryder, this is Angel. He's like our friend Spike." Cordelia introduced.
Spike looked up at hearing him name. He was in the corner drinking his meal.
"We'll talk more about it after dinner. Angel, your dinner is in the microwave." Cordelia added.
"So, Cordelia, when did you become the model housewife?" Oz asked.
"Well, when living with these two over the summer, you learn to cater to them."
Oz smiled at her reply.
"I can cater to myself." Wesley whined.
"Oh, sure. After the building blew up and we got out of the hospital, yeah, you were really able to take care of yourself."
"What?!" Buffy exclaimed, almost choking on her food.
"I'll explain later." Angel simply said as he sat next to Spike. He didn't want to gross out their guests.
After dinner Oz and Willow did the dishes, while the rest of them went into the living room. Spike caught Jake in the hall, before they joined the rest. "You're not going to say anything, are you?"
"No, why?"
"Cause that big poof will have my head if he finds out."
"Who Wesley?"
"No, Angel."
"Oh, no, I won't say anything."
"Thank you."
"Sure."
They walked into the room. Jake took a seat next to Ham, who was sitting next to Angel. Spike sat on the couch next to Gunn.
"So," Ryder said. "Who or what are Angel and Spike?"
"They're vampires." Buffy said.
"Excuse me?" Ham asked.
Spike changed his face. Ham turned to Angel to see his face, what he saw surprised him, so much that he fell backward in his chair.
"So let me get this straight." Jake said, as she helped Ham up. "This group contains a slayer, two watchers, two vampires, and a werewolf?"
"Well, technically it's two groups," Xander explained. "Angel, Cordy, Wesley, and Gunn are from L.A. The rest of us are from Sunnydale."
"Oh."
Suddenly a loud crash, like glass breaking was heard from the kitchen. Everyone looked toward that room.
"Willow!" Oz exclaimed.
"Sorry, no more magick. Okay?"
"No, it's okay, just watch out."
"And Willow?" Ryder asked, turning back around.
"She's a witch." Buffy said.
"Hey, if you think that's weird, wait 'til you meet Xander's girlfriend." Spike said.
"Why?" Ham asked.
"She's an ex-vengeance demon." Xander explained. "She went home to take care of some things, but she'll come back soon."
"Ok-ay." Ham said, still a bit baffled.
Wesley looked up at the clock over the fireplace, the Rawley kids looked at it, too. "It's seven o'clock."
"We should get back to school." Ham announced.
"I'll drive you back." Xander volunteered.
"Jake, what time does your classes end?" Wesley asked.
"Three."
"All right, someone will pick you up then."
As they walked out, Spike pulled Jake aside. "Forget tonight. Wesley will work you tomorrow. So you'll need the sleep."
"But…"
"We'll talk tomorrow, okay?'
She nodded her head and then ran after the guys.
As they pulled up to the school, Will and Scout were hanging out in the parking lot. They gave each other funny looks as they watched Jake and Hamilton get out of a van with Ryder!?