Chapter 13

A big thanks to my reviewer (notice the singular here folks? Hint hint) I haven't gotten much of a response so I hope everyone is just peachy keen on where my story is heading. And blah blah (does anyone actually read these pompous authors notes?) Well, anyway on with the story!

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Preview: The Scoobies and AI are told about the new Council. Fred and Xander talk.

The next afternoon

Hyperion lobby

"So what do you think is going on?" Xander asked Willow and Kennedy.

Willow shrugged "I hope it's nothing apocalyptic cause, hey, still recovering from the last one."

"Well, it's gotta be important." Andrew said as he and Dawn joined them "Buffy and Wesley have been running around crazy and Faith and Giles have done nothing but make calls."

"Calls to whom?" Wood asked as he and the rest of the Slayers entered the lobby.

Dawn shrugged.

"We don't know. Just that most of the people are English." When everyone looked at her she smiled sheepishly

"I kinda tried to listen in when they were talking on speakerphone."

"Hey Angel." Xander said as the AI group walked in."You know what this is about?"

"It's nothing bad is it?" Gunn asked before Angel could answer Xander.

"No, it's nothing bad." Angel assured the group. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then Buffy, Faith, Wesley, and Giles came in carrying files and chattering excitedly. Giles was talking to someone on a cell phone and laughing. When he saw the group was assembled he quickly ended the call.

"Hey guys!" Buffy said cheerfully to the group. "Wow, everybody's pretty punctual. What's the deal?"

"Oh you know." Willow said jokingly. "Just dying of curiosity really. Tends to encourage being on time."

"Yeah Buff. What's going on?" Xander asked.

"Can everyone please sit?" Wesley asked.

When everyone was seated comfortably he nodded to Giles. Giles cleared his throat before saying

"Yes, Well that's my cue I believe. As you know all the potentials in the world are now actual Slayers."

When everyone nodded he continued

"Most of the former Potentials have had the benefit of working with both Slayers and a rudimentary training. However. The new girls have no training, and even no idea what is happening to them. Unfortunately the Council was destroyed and most of the Watchers murdered. There are only a handful left and no Council to tell them where to go or what to do."

"This is fascinating Giles." Cordelia said in a bored voice."But why exactly should we care?"

"We should care Cordelia," Wesley said jumping in to say,"because at this minute the Watchers left are on their way here. To LA."

"Here?" Fred asked "Why?"

"We are starting a new Council." Giles said before adding "a better Council."

"But Giles." Willow gasped. "How?"

"Quite easily really." Giles answered. "The Council was always prepared in case of disaster. All finances and resources are now ours to do with what we will."

"Giles we hated the Council." Xander said heatedly. "They made your and Buffy's life hell."

"Exactly Xander." Wesley said."Which is why Mr. Giles will now be overseeing things."

"What the Council turned into was not something I was proud of." Giles said sadly. "The ideas were archaic and many times cruel. The Watchers considered the Slayer their tool. Not an equal or to be quite candid, their superior, which many times she was. The Council forgot about supporting the Slayer and tried to control her instead."

Buffy nodded as well as Faith at this point.

"This is why both Buffy and Faith will be cabinet members now in the Council." Wesley said proudly.

The group looked stunned.

"Slayers as Cabinet members?" Willow said slowly before a huge grin broke out over her face. "Buffy, Faith, your going to help be in charge of the Council!" she squealed before running over to embrace the girls.

"We're.... moving then?" Dawn said sadly. "To England?" she looked at Andrew who looked crushed before turning to face Buffy. "We're just going to leave? Like that?"

"No Dawnie." Buffy said comfortingly. "We're not going anywhere. Not anymore."

"Well, hey that's great!" Xander said "But ummm how can that work if your going to be part of the Council?"

"Because the Council is moving to LA." Giles said. "Travers is probably spinning in his grave, but we are forming the head office here, if suitable accommodations can be found."

"Hey, me and Wes are all over that." Buffy said still smiling. "Those real-estate people don't stand a chance against us."

Wesley chuckled "Yes well certainly not against YOU Buffy. You should have seen her." He told the rest of the group "One tried to interest us in a horrible place and Buffy had him backed against a wall and apologizing for trying to unload a shoddy property on her."

"Hey Xander." Buffy said "There's something I wanted to ask you also."

"I'll check out the properties you look at Buffy." he assured her "I'll tell you if anything is badly constructed."

"No, that's not it Xan." Buffy said "This was a different thing."

"Oh?" Xander said looking confused "What then?"

Buffy looked at Giles who continued with "Actually Xander we wanted to ask you to also be a part of the Council."

At Xanders shocked look Giles continued.

"You've been the backbone of our group since the beginning. Caleb was right about one thing. You see. You see what needs to be done and how to do it. I've watched you become more than I ever could have dreamed. You never became cynical or jealous that you weren't the superpower of the group. You just pitched in and helped things get done. No matter the cost."

Xander swallowed and took a deep breath before saying quietly "Thanks."

Willow was filled with pride for her best friend and beaming at Giles for his words. Xander was always a hero to her but it was nice to see him get the recognition he deserved.

Wesley looked at Principal Wood next "You are, from what I have been told, a disciplined and aggressive fighter. We wondered if you were interested in becoming Watcher to some of the Slayers already here?"

"Well, since I am out of a job now I think I could be convinced." Wood said looking at Faith who just grinned back.

"Wesley?" Cordelia said irritably "How do you plan on having time to help open a new Council and work at Wolfrom and Hart?"

"I don't." Wesley said "I have already discussed this with Angel and even though I will, of course, always be there to help if needed, the Council will be my first priority."

Cordelia turned to Angel "And you just agreed to that?" she said shrewly

"Yes, Cordelia I did." Angel said quietly."I don't own Wesley. He is free to do whatever he wants to do. And I agree he is needed in the Council. He is after all a Watcher."

"A fired Watcher." Cordelia said snippily

Giles looked at Cordelia "Yes well who hasn't been fired from the Council a time or two?" He said dismissively.

"Whatever. But-" Cordelia started to say before Buffy interupted her

"But what Cordelia?" Buffy had her ready for battle look on her face. Her eyes dared Cordelia to say something stupid. Cordelia obviously didn't pay attention to the warning signs of a potentially pissed off Slayer because she continued

"Oh so all of a sudden Buffy shows up and you start following her around like a puppy Wesley? Is that it? What exactly is going on with you two anyway?" She looked at Buffy who had loosened her body into a fighters stance that Cordelia was oblivious to as she kept on spouting her venom on the Slayer.

"So what Buffy? You got tired of the old Angel can't be with me so you move on to the next available man? Guess your feelings for Spike weren't that strong after all were they?"

Angel and Xander tried to stop the blonde Slayer but with the speed the Slayer is known for she evaded their grasp and picked Cordelia up and slapped her, sending her careening into the wall. She then grabbed her by the throat and said in the coldest voice any of the Scoobies had ever heard from her

"Cordelia? You never learn do you? Listen up. Don't you ever insult me or any of the people I care about again. Don't ever speak Spike's name again. Your not good enough to even THINK about him. Your a miserable person who doesn't have enough brains to figure out why you are so miserable. Do you want me to tell you why you are?"

Cordelia just glared at her and tried to say something but stopped when Buffy tightened her grip on her throat.

"Now this is what's going to happen. I'm going to let go and you are going to stay as far away from me as possible. You are going to sit down and talk to Angel because that's really what this is all about. Your going to watch what you say to me and to the people I love and in return I'm going to not kill you."

Buffy started to loosen her grip and Cordelia quickly jumped back. "You wouldn't kill me Buffy" she said smarting because the Slayer was right. "You don't kill humans."

"But Cordelia." Buffy said sweetly. "Your not totally human are you?"

The group all sat rooted in their places as they watched the two women. Cordelia was supposed to be some kind of Champion but Buffy was more than that and everyone in the room knew that and prayed that, for once, Cordelia would keep her mouth shut.

"Buffy-" Angel said torn. He was disgusted with Cordelia's jealousy and actions but he also felt guilty that he helped add to it since Buffy came. Whenever Cordelia tried to talk to him lately he was thinking about Buffy. He knew it hurt her, but Buffy had his heart. Whenever she was around she took up his whole being. Cordelia was in his heart too but those feelings were so new it was easy to brush them aside and listen to the demon inside him howl for Buffy, his soul mate. He was angry with Cordy too, he realized at that moment. Even though she was taken over by a demon he still was revolted that she slept with his son, well not his son anymore, and almost made him Angelus forever. Yeah, they really needed to talk. If Buffy didn't kill her first which was kinda looking likely if he didn't break this up.

" Buffy you have every right to be upset." Angel said sincerely "But a lot of this is my fault. Let me try to work it out."

Buffy looked away from Cordelia to Angel and nodded. She shot Cordelia the look that made demons start sniveling and promising to be good before walking away and taking Wesleys hand.

"So" She said brightly "Anyone feel like lunch?"

Lorne spoke up quickly "I know a great place close to here. We can walk. Everyone in?" Lorne decided to offer the Slayer the benefit of his wisdom that moment

"Hey also there's a beautiful building near there you might be interested in. We can stop and look if you want?"

Lorne tried to figure out in that second why he was helping the girl he barely new who just almost beat down the girl he thought of as a friend. "I guess I'm still bitter she tried to kill me." He thought.

"Sounds good." Gunn said "We'll all? Shall we?"

With that everyone practically ran out of the hotel leaving Cordy and Angel alone.

Fred noticed Xander was not going with the group but walking aimlessly away from the group. She ran to catch up.

"Xander?" she asked hesitantly "Did you want to be alone?"

"Oh no" Xander said "Just thinking."

"About the job offer?" Fred asked

"Well kind of." Xander said "I'm still kind of in shock over that."

"Are you going to take it?" Fred asked. "I think you'd be great on the Council."

"I guess I am" Xander said surprised "I didn't ever imagine ME a Council member." He frowned.

"If this is a good thing why do you look so unhappy?" Fred asked, noticing his expression.

"It's just, Anya didn't get to see it." he said softly. "When I didn't marry her it was because I thought I'd never really be anything and I would ruin her life you know?"

When Fred nodded he continued;

"But now... things are happening. And even though we broke up I just wish she could be here to see it and listen to her harp on the fact I didn't ask what my salary is going to be."

" You have all lost so much." Fred said softly. "I forget how lucky I am. That the people I love made it through an apocalypse and we are all still alive. Xander answer me this, did Anya love you because of what you did?"

Xander thought a minute "No" he said surprised "She loved me when I delivered pizza and lived in my parents basement."

"Did she love the fact you helped Buffy fight?" She asked gently.

"No. She actually used to get mad when I did. She said I was going to get hurt and that I should let Buffy and the people with super powers fight the battles." He said smiling.

"So she loved you regardless of what you did or didn't do?" Fred asked.

"Yeah I guess she did." Xander said thoughtfully.

"You shouldn't feel guilty that your here and she's not." Fred said "I'm sure she would be happy for you no matter what you decided to do."

"Yeah I guess she would." Xander agreed." She was always different from anyone else."

"She sounds like an amazing person. I wish I could have met her." Fred said. "From what I've heard about her she could help me triple my interest earning and tell me about every kind of demon without any effort."

Xander laughed. "Yeah when it came to money she could work miracles."

Xander looked at Fred and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks" he said. "Now I'm going to blush and start stammering if that's OK with you."

"Fine. I think I'm gonna beat you there though." Fred said laughing and pointing at her already red cheeks.

"How about some ice cream to cool down?" Xander said charmingly. "I'm told ice cream can cure anything from mortal wounds to embarrassing awkward moments."

"Well, only mint chocolate chip can do that." Fred said."But maybe we should go get some just in case."

"It's a plan." Xander said as they started walking down the street.

"You know?" Fred said "I always thought taco's were the answer to the worlds problems."

"I think I'm really going to like you Fred." Xander said "Finally someone who understands me."

With that they laughed and continued on their way laughing.

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OK that's it. Hope everyone liked it. Next chapter: Angel and Cordy talk and Buffy and Wesley talk.