Over the next two weeks, Wesley and Giles worked with Jake for the up coming battle. They also worked with the kids teaching them self-defense, Hell mouth style. Meanwhile Finn (even with his warning) was getting suspicious. As it got closer and closer to the battle, Jake and the gang started skipping classes. Oz was returning in two weeks, and Xander had been able to keep his job at the diner.
At that moment, the Rawley gang has been called to the dean's office.
"…even after we told you that you could work with Mr. Pryce, we didn't expect for you to start cutting classes."
There was a knock at the door. "Come in." Instead of the door opening, there was another knock. Jake got up and opened the door. Sitting there was Ryder, who wheeled in.
"Oh, it's a party. (He looks up at Jake.) Did I miss anything?"
"Nope, just started."
Ryder wheeled right up to the desk. "What's up?"
Dean Fleming grew annoyed, "your conduct."
Ryder's smiled disappeared. "Really?"
"Yes, as of today the five of you are restricted from all privileges. In other words you're grounded. Will and Scout, you may still go to work, but come back as soon as your shift ends. I will call Mr. Pryce and cancel your classes."
"But, sir…" Jake started.
"No, Mr. Pratt."
"But, sir, you don't understand." Will added.
"Mr. Krudsk, Mr. Pratt, the world is not going to end, because the five of you are grounded for two weeks."
"Actually, sir." As Jake said that she stood up. A stake fell out of her sleeve. The dean stood to see what it was.
"Mr. Pratt, what is that?" As the dean looked up, he noticed that all five were wearing silver crosses on silver chains.
"Hamilton, son, did you join a religion without telling me?"
Hamilton realized what his father was staring at. "No, why?"
"Did you all join a cult?"
"What? No!" Ryder exclaimed.
"What is going on then?"
The five looked to Jake. "Uh, sir, we can't tell you, but (she smiled slyly) Mr. Pryce can."
Ryder smiled at Jake.
"I want you to go back to class, now. "I'm going to call Mr. Pryce, be alert, I will be watching."
"Two weeks." Scout asked.
"Two weeks." The dean repeated. "You're dismissed."
They left; Jake pushed Ryder out.
"What am I going to do?" Jake asked.
"Remember that small gym we were fencing in?" Ryder asked.
"Yeah, we can work out in there." Ham said.
"Hey, Jake, I have a doctor appointment at five, can you drive me?"
"Sure. Finally getting out of that chair?" She replied.
"Yup, finally."
Meanwhile at the house the phone is ringing. Gunn picks it up. "Hello?"
"Is this Mr. Pryce's residence?" The dean asked.
"Hold on."
"Sure."
Gunn put down the phone and walked into the study to find Giles. "Yo, where's Wes." "Out, who knows where. Why?"
"Phone, some guy asking for the Pryce residence."
Giles rolled his eyes as he picked up the phone. "Hello, no, I'm Mr. Pryce's colleague, Rupert Giles."
The dean explained the reason for his call.
"Yes, could Wesley and I come up to the school to explain the situation?"
Wesley walked in.
"Tomorrow at ten will be fine. Thank you." Giles hung up.
"What's wrong?" Wesley asked.
"The kids are in trouble."
"What?"
"In preparation for Jake's battle, they have been missing school and curfew. So the dean has decided to ground them."
"Oh, no."
"Exactly, so I told the dean that we'd stop by to plead their case."
"When?"
"Tomorrow at ten."
"Okay, what are we going to say?"
The next day as Jake and Ham were walking to history they saw Wesley and Giles heading toward the dean's office.
"What's going on?" Ham asked.
"Maybe they're going to beg?"
Ham smiled. "I don't know my dad's pretty stubborn. Unless they bring in their own demon I don't think he'll listen."
"We'll see."
Giles walked into the dean's office to find Dean Fleming and Finn waiting for them.
"You're Rupert Giles?" Dean Fleming asked.
"Yes."
"Welcome to Rawley Academy, I'm Dean Fleming. This is Finn, the boys' English teacher."
"Hello." Giles shook both men's hands.
After Wesley greeted them, they all sat down.
"We came here to help you understand why wee need Mr. Pratt and the others." Wesley started.
Giles who had been looking over the office, turned him attention to the two men. "Do either of you believe in destiny?"
"No." Dean Fleming answered.
"Technically, no. I don't like to think that I'm not in control of my life." Finn said.
"Well, take that idea, and image that you're a sixteen year old boy and you find that the fate of the world rests in your hands. And that there is no way that you can change or even avoid your fate."
Both men stared at Giles and Wesley.
After a few minutes Finn broke the silence. "This is about Mr. Pratt?"
Wes nodded his head.
"I should have listened." Finn muttered to himself.
"Listened to what?" Giles asked.
"Right after Wesley's first visit, I started looking into your backgrounds. That night I received a visitor who told me to stay away."
"A visitor?" Giles asked.
"Yes, I think he was the man that came with you, Wesley."
Giles ands Wesley look at each other. Giles glanced at Finn and then back to Wes. "Spike?" Giles whispered. Wesley nodded his head, and Giles groaned. "I'm sorry about that."
"You know about him?" Finn asked.
"Yes, unfortunately." Giles said. "He can be frightening, but he's harmless."
"Maybe you should explain this." Dean Fleming said.
The two watchers looked at each other.
"What we have to tell you can not leave this room." Giles said. "No matter what, or else you will be putting lives in danger."
"Do we have to swear?" Dean Fleming asked.
"I have a better idea." Giles said as he pulled out a cell phone. He dialed a number let it ring twice and then turned it off. A minute later Angel walked in. "If you say anything to anybody about what we are about to tell you, Angel will remind you of your promise." Giles said.
"And how will he do that?" Dean Fleming wasn't taking any of this serious and everyone in the room could tell.
Angel stepped toward the desk. "Sir, we can be nice and polite or I can show you what we're trying to say in a more frightening way."
Giles continued. "Wesley and I are from a secret organization called the Watchers Council; we watch, protect, and train the chosen one."
Wesley spoke up. "In every generation there is a chosen one. Chosen to hunt and kill the vampires and other demons. The chosen one is called the slayer."
The dean tried to hide a chuckle. "Vampires, demons, you've got to be kidding me."
Angel glanced at Giles, who nodded his head. "I can understand that you don't believe in any of this. But one of your students is a slayer and he is needed to save the world from up coming battles." Angel told him.
"Excuse me." Finn interrupted. "I thought that…well…from my research…isn't the slayer a girl."
No one answered.
"Finn, what are you talking about?" Dean Fleming asked.
"Maybe we should talk to Mr. Pratt." Finn suggested.
So the dean called the office.
Jake and Ham are in math class working on a project when Jake got a note from the dean's office. Ham followed Jake to the office. They walked in to find the windows coved and the lamps on; Wesley, Giles, Finn, and Angel accompanied the dean. Jake had a bad feeling she knew why she was there.
"Mr. Pryce and Mr. Giles tell me that you are a slayer. Except according to Finn a slayer is a girl. Now tell me that all of this is just a mistake."
"It's not. They're both right. I'm a slayer and a girl. I did this (pointing to her clothes) to prove something to my mom for not being around most of my life. So this past summer, dressed as a boy I enrolled in Rawley. I had planned to end this masquerade after the summer ended. Except I met Ham, and we fell in love. Then this fall the current slayer was killed and I was called. If you want to kick me out fine, but Ham won't agree."
"Um, well…" Dean Fleming is speechless. He looked at Ham and saw that he and Jake were holding hands. "We'll talk about you two after our guests leave. I still don't believe this slayer stuff."
Angel looked to Giles, who nodded his head. Angel who had been standing behind Giles, walked around and sat on the edge of the desk. "If you don't let Jake fullfill her destiny, do you know what will happen?"
"What?"
"All those vampires that Jake wouldn't be out killing will eventually find the school and before you know it. You'll find one of the students dead. Or you may even find yourself face to face with a face like this." As he said the last word he leaned in close and changed his face. Dean Fleming tried to jump back, but his chair fell back. Ham snickered as Finn helped Dean Fleming up.
"So dad, what do you think?'
((Outside the room Will, Scout, and Ryder were all crouched around the door trying to listen in on the conversation.))
"Uh...well...uh...yes, Jake can continue, but you have to stop cutting class."
"Yes, sir." Jake said. "Neither of you can ever tell anyone about this. If anyone ever finds out, I'm dead."
"Literally." Angel added.
They both promised.
"Good." Angel said as he put his face back.
"We should go." Giles announced. "We have a demonic problem that has to be taken care of." With that the three left.
Dean Fleming turned to Jake and Ham, but there was a knock at the door. It was Will, scout, and Ryder. "So are we free?" Scout asked.
"We?" Dean Fleming asked.
"Yeah, well, sir, they know. I guess you could say they're my back up."
"Okay, fine, but as I said no more cutting."
"Thanks." Will said.
"Thank you, sir." Scout and Ryder added.
"About you." Dean Fleming turned to Jake.
"Sir?"
"You're going to transfer to Rawley Girls, I'll talk to the administration for you. You have the choice whether or not to tell anyone that you are a girl, but I don't want this to become a scandal. Finn, do you have anything to add?"
"Yes, I want you to continue to be on the crew team."
"Thank you, so much for not kicking me out ." Jake said.
Ham then kissed her in front of his dad and Finn.