SIX
"So," said Buffy, "any idea who my mysterious benefactor might be?"
"No," said Piper. "He could be any one of a number of beings."
"You know," said Paige, "the way Buffy describes him sounds like Cole."
"Who's Cole?" asked Buffy.
"Phoebe's ex-husband," said Piper. "Only it couldn't be him. We vanquished him months ago. Of course, there's no guarantee that the way you saw him was his true form. We've run into shape changers before. Even Paige and Leo can shape change."
"Really?" questioned Buffy.
"Yeah," said Paige. "I guess it's kind of like a standard White Lighter power. It took me a while to get the hang of it but I can do it pretty good now."
"You say this Restin didn't do anything except tell you about a werewolf?" Piper asked.
"That's about all," said Buffy. "He said something about me having a new destiny or something. And that he'll be around to help me learn about it. Sort of be my guide for it."
"You think it could be Wyatt?" Paige asked Piper.
"I doubt it," said Piper. "From what Chris told us, Wyatt is out to kill Buffy, not help her. I can't see how telling her about a werewolf would help him do that. Or why he wouldn't just kill her outright. When Leo gets back we'll ask him. He might know who this Restin is."
"I hope he gets back soon," said Paige. "There's a lot we still don't know and I for one don't like it. And where are Phoebe and Chris? Shouldn't they be back by now?"
"I don't know," said Piper. "Like I said, it might take some convincing to get Angel to come here."
Suddenly a bluish orb began to form in the foyer. Both Piper and Paige recognized it as the orb of a White Lighter. Buffy had seen it as well. When Paige had orbed to her motel room. Still, she wasn't experienced with White Lighters and wasn't sure if this was a friend or foe. When the orb completed, Phoebe, Chris, Angel, and Spike stood in the foyer of the manor.
"In coming," Phoebe called out, moving into the living room.
Everyone took up defensive postures ready for whatever might suddenly appear in the manor. They waited for several moments then decided Wyatt wouldn't be making an appearance.
"Spike?" Buffy questioned, looking at the white haired vampire. "But, you're dead. You were destroyed when we defeated The First."
"Long story, love," said Spike. "But I'm back now, good as new."
"Hi Buffy," said Angel tentatively.
"Angel," Buffy responded, little emotion in her voice.
"We had a little visit from Wyatt," Phoebe explained to Piper, Paige, and Buffy. "Chris flashed this light in his eyes and orbed us out before he could attack."
"Yeah," said Chris, half smiling. "I haven't done that since we were kids. I figured he wouldn't be expecting it. But he'll be ready for it the next time. So we need to get prepared."
"What did you tell them?" Piper asked Phoebe.
"As much as I could," said Phoebe. "We didn't have a chance to explain who Wyatt was or anything but Angel knows he's after him. At least, I think he's after Angel."
"What does that mean?" asked Buffy.
"Phoebe's right," said Chris. "All I knew was that Wyatt was after a vampire with a soul. The only one I knew about was Angel. But apparently this Spike is also a vampire with a soul. And from the way Wyatt talked, he was after Spike not Angel."
"Two vampires with souls?" questioned Paige. "Is there a virus going around that we don't know about?"
"Nothing like that," said Angel. "It's a long story. I don't know who that guy was but he got into my office past our state-of-the-art security. And a lot of it is supernatural."
"That," said Piper, looking at Chris, "is supposedly my son. The same one who's sitting in his playpen right now."
"Okay now that will take some explaining," said Spike. "If the little blighter is sitting in his playpen how could he attack us in Angel's office? And just where the hell are we anyway?"
"San Francisco," said Piper. "And the little blighter, as you call him, is in his playpen but his grown up self has come back from the future. Or so Chris would have us believe."
"It's true," said Chris. "Piper, I know you find it hard to accept, but you have to believe me. If you don't Wyatt could do it all over again. He has to be stopped. If you'd seen the future I've seen you wouldn't hesitate."
"Well," said Phoebe, "I think the first thing we need to do is bring everyone up to speed. Apparently Wyatt isn't coming right now so we have a little time. We'd better all sit down and make sure everyone is sure about what we're facing here."
"Giles and the others will be here in the morning," said Buffy. "Willow's with them. She's a powerful witch herself. She might be able to help."
"Good," said Piper. "We need all the help we can get. So, everyone make yourself comfortable. We'll start from the beginning and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. It looks like it's going to be a long night."
"So," said Buffy, "any idea who my mysterious benefactor might be?"
"No," said Piper. "He could be any one of a number of beings."
"You know," said Paige, "the way Buffy describes him sounds like Cole."
"Who's Cole?" asked Buffy.
"Phoebe's ex-husband," said Piper. "Only it couldn't be him. We vanquished him months ago. Of course, there's no guarantee that the way you saw him was his true form. We've run into shape changers before. Even Paige and Leo can shape change."
"Really?" questioned Buffy.
"Yeah," said Paige. "I guess it's kind of like a standard White Lighter power. It took me a while to get the hang of it but I can do it pretty good now."
"You say this Restin didn't do anything except tell you about a werewolf?" Piper asked.
"That's about all," said Buffy. "He said something about me having a new destiny or something. And that he'll be around to help me learn about it. Sort of be my guide for it."
"You think it could be Wyatt?" Paige asked Piper.
"I doubt it," said Piper. "From what Chris told us, Wyatt is out to kill Buffy, not help her. I can't see how telling her about a werewolf would help him do that. Or why he wouldn't just kill her outright. When Leo gets back we'll ask him. He might know who this Restin is."
"I hope he gets back soon," said Paige. "There's a lot we still don't know and I for one don't like it. And where are Phoebe and Chris? Shouldn't they be back by now?"
"I don't know," said Piper. "Like I said, it might take some convincing to get Angel to come here."
Suddenly a bluish orb began to form in the foyer. Both Piper and Paige recognized it as the orb of a White Lighter. Buffy had seen it as well. When Paige had orbed to her motel room. Still, she wasn't experienced with White Lighters and wasn't sure if this was a friend or foe. When the orb completed, Phoebe, Chris, Angel, and Spike stood in the foyer of the manor.
"In coming," Phoebe called out, moving into the living room.
Everyone took up defensive postures ready for whatever might suddenly appear in the manor. They waited for several moments then decided Wyatt wouldn't be making an appearance.
"Spike?" Buffy questioned, looking at the white haired vampire. "But, you're dead. You were destroyed when we defeated The First."
"Long story, love," said Spike. "But I'm back now, good as new."
"Hi Buffy," said Angel tentatively.
"Angel," Buffy responded, little emotion in her voice.
"We had a little visit from Wyatt," Phoebe explained to Piper, Paige, and Buffy. "Chris flashed this light in his eyes and orbed us out before he could attack."
"Yeah," said Chris, half smiling. "I haven't done that since we were kids. I figured he wouldn't be expecting it. But he'll be ready for it the next time. So we need to get prepared."
"What did you tell them?" Piper asked Phoebe.
"As much as I could," said Phoebe. "We didn't have a chance to explain who Wyatt was or anything but Angel knows he's after him. At least, I think he's after Angel."
"What does that mean?" asked Buffy.
"Phoebe's right," said Chris. "All I knew was that Wyatt was after a vampire with a soul. The only one I knew about was Angel. But apparently this Spike is also a vampire with a soul. And from the way Wyatt talked, he was after Spike not Angel."
"Two vampires with souls?" questioned Paige. "Is there a virus going around that we don't know about?"
"Nothing like that," said Angel. "It's a long story. I don't know who that guy was but he got into my office past our state-of-the-art security. And a lot of it is supernatural."
"That," said Piper, looking at Chris, "is supposedly my son. The same one who's sitting in his playpen right now."
"Okay now that will take some explaining," said Spike. "If the little blighter is sitting in his playpen how could he attack us in Angel's office? And just where the hell are we anyway?"
"San Francisco," said Piper. "And the little blighter, as you call him, is in his playpen but his grown up self has come back from the future. Or so Chris would have us believe."
"It's true," said Chris. "Piper, I know you find it hard to accept, but you have to believe me. If you don't Wyatt could do it all over again. He has to be stopped. If you'd seen the future I've seen you wouldn't hesitate."
"Well," said Phoebe, "I think the first thing we need to do is bring everyone up to speed. Apparently Wyatt isn't coming right now so we have a little time. We'd better all sit down and make sure everyone is sure about what we're facing here."
"Giles and the others will be here in the morning," said Buffy. "Willow's with them. She's a powerful witch herself. She might be able to help."
"Good," said Piper. "We need all the help we can get. So, everyone make yourself comfortable. We'll start from the beginning and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. It looks like it's going to be a long night."