Revealing

Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters June 1, 1997, 9PM

Buffy had spent most of the last few days behind closed doors with Charles Xavier. Well, she was in his office. Sometimes he was there. Sometimes he wasn't. And Ok, hiding, she admitted to herself. She just didn't want to go through it again. She had hoped to have a nice, quiet, uneventful visit to New York – a little shopping, a little slayage, maybe even a summer fling with a cute boy. She didn't feel like being explain-y girl. She didn't want to see her cousin's face when he heard about the diminished Slayer lifespan. And when he'd found out that she had died, well, that would be every flavor of fun.

Now she was sitting at a table with Xavier, Logan, Ororo Munroe, Kurt Wagner, Scott, John, Bobby, and Marie. Giles and Angel were expected any minute. They'd left Sunnydale for New York on a train a few nights earlier.

"What's this all about, Buffy? What are we all doing here? Are you a mutant, too?" Scott asked impatiently.

"Just wait, Scott, just a few more minutes until everyone is here," Buffy sighed.

"Who are we waiting for?" he asked, concern crossing his face for the first time.

Suddenly, Buffy stood and looked toward the door. "Here they come."

A few seconds later Angel strolled through double doors, followed quickly by Giles, who carried several volumes of ancient leather books. As soon Angel's eyes connected with Buffy's, electricity sizzled between them.

"Buffy," he said, as he lifted her hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back. A wry grin crossed his face, "I didn't expect to see you so soon, but it's... always a pleasure."

Across the table, both John and Logan sat up a little taller. Logan tightened his fists beneath the table as Angel squeezed her hand gently before releasing it and withdrawing slightly.

Giles reached her side next. He laid his books down on the table, pulled up a chair, and sat down between Buffy and Angel. Angel pretended not to notice. Instead, he smiled graciously at Marie on his other side, as he moved over to accommodate Giles and sat down in the last remaining seat.

Giles turned to his Slayer. "Buffy, Willow told us that you were injured. Are you alright? Is everything healing as it should be?"

"I'm fine Giles," she said. "Let's just get this over with...we have demons to hunt tonight."

"Demons?" Bobby cried, voicing the surprise evident on the other mutant's faces.

Professor Xavier raised his hand to stop the outbreak of questions. "Let's do introductions first and save questions for the end, shall we?"

Introductions were exchanged and Giles began with, "In the beginning the world was covered in darkness. Demons of every imaginable size and variety roamed the earth..." and he ended with, "and therefore, Sunnydale, California, was known as the Boca del Infierno, or Hellmouth. It has been foretold that in the end days a Slayer would be called to guard the Mouth of Hell, thus defending this world against the incursion of evil, or in other words, to prevent an apocalypse. For almost a year, Buffy has been doing just that."

All eyes were riveted to Angel when the discussion turned to vampires and he revealed his true face. He stood in front of the mirror and everyone was shocked by his lack of reflection and embarrassed that they had not noticed earlier. He explained what it felt like to be a vampire, from the satisfaction derived by drinking blood to the effects on his conscience, before and after the restoration of his soul.

Later, when Giles confessed that few Slayers lived to see their twentieth birthday, Buffy thought she could hear metal scraping underneath the table in front of Logan. She looked around. All of the mutants seemed to be pretending not to hear it. After Giles finished, the group took a break and Buffy promised to answer all of their questions when everyone returned.

Logan stood and walked to the window. Pulling it open, he dragged a cigar from his pocket, lit it, and sat on the sill. Buffy came up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Are you Ok?" she asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"I don't like the idea of you fighting for your life every night," he whispered.

Before he could react, Buffy pulled the sizzling cigar from his mouth and tossed it out the window. Wrinkling her nose, she scolded, "Ok, first of all, smoking... ewww!"

He grinned ruefully at her and shrugged.

Buffy continued, "Second, you sound like Scott." Logan grimaced and Buffy smiled. "I need you to be my friend, Ok? No lectures. I have other people covering that job."

Then she sighed and conceded, "It's hard. Sometimes it's very hard. But if I don't go out, people die. If I don't go out, my friends and family could be next."

Logan nodded once to communicate his understanding and led her back to the table where everyone was waiting. Giles and Xavier turned to Buffy expectantly. She nodded, "I'm ready. Ask me questions."

Scott said, "Isn't there someone else who could do this? How can you be so cavalier about risking your life? What does Aunt Joyce think of all of this? I can't believe she lets you be the Slayer..."

Angel stood abruptly, stepped behind Buffy, placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Cavalier? She's died once already. No one knows better than Buffy the outcome of slaying..."

"Angel, it's alright," Buffy said, covering his hands with hers. "Scott, you're scared. I get that. I'm scared most of the time too... But I am the Slayer. No one else can do it because I was the one called. I was handed the Slayer package. For whatever reason, the Powers that Be have chosen me."

Sitting next to Xavier, Kurt nodded as if in agreement, and Buffy leaned forward slightly. "I didn't ask for it. I've resented it, fought it, and ran from it, but that's the bottom line."

Pausing momentarily to take a deep breath, Buffy looked away then returned her cousin's steady gaze. "As far as Mom goes, she doesn't know. I mean, she must know that I'm different, but she's not ready to deal yet. Almost every night I come home with rips and blood and demony goo on my clothes. I'm perpetually bruised and scratched. She can't not know. But she gets to keep the illusion that I'm living a normal life for as long as possible."

Scott began shaking his head, but before he could speak she lowered her voice an octave and said, "Besides, you don't live at Casa de Summers, Sunnydale. You don't get a vote."

Scott nodded, "I still don't like this, but..."

Then Kurt interrupted, "Vhat did he mean, you've died once already? Vere you somehow resurrected?"

Angel sat back down and said, "There are many books of prophecy about the Slayer. One of those books, the Codex, is the most accurate. Giles asked me to find it for him, and I did. Buffy's death was predicted. We tried to avoid it, but there was no other way to stop the Master. Buffy went to challenge the Master and was drowned. Xander, one of Buffy's closest friends and I found her. Xander revived her with CPR."

Ororo asked, "I have a few questions, like, who is this Master? Also... Buffy, you said you were called. What does that mean exactly?"

Buffy smiled, "Giles, you want to take those?" Ororo turned to him and waited.

Giles coughed and blushed slightly under the intense scrutiny of the stunning Ms. Munroe. "Erm... the Master was an ancient, powerful vampire set on bringing hell to the Earth. Buffy vanquished him a few weeks ago. As for the calling... well, you see, there are literally hundreds of young women all over the world who are born with the potential of becoming the Slayer. The Watcher's Counsel, the organization with which I am affiliated, refers to these girls as Potentials. We are responsible for locating these potential Slayers, and the most likely candidates are trained and prepared for life as a Slayer. Buffy's calling was not predicted, so she was not removed from her parents at birth and trained from childhood. However, she has proven to be a most resourceful and determined fighter."

Turning to Buffy, he smiled warmly, "She's done an amazing job and is one of the finest young women I have ever met."

Buffy smiled back, "Flattery is always a good."

Marie spoke up next. "Buffy, you mentionned the Slayer pahckuge. Whut does thaht mean?"

"When I became the Slayer, I changed. I grew stronger, faster, more agile. Early on, I didn't notice, but when my first Watcher, Merrick, began my training... he threw a knife at my face. I caught it." Marie blanched and Buffy grinned at her reaction. "He was trying to make a point, trying to convince me that I was the Slayer... Then the dreams... I started having crazy scary dreams about monsters and blood and death..."

"Prophetic dreams," Giles clarified.

"Also, when I concentrate, I can sense when vampires and other demons are nearby. That's how I knew that Angel was here before he walked through the door."

Bobby asked, "Where is your old Watcher now? Is he retired?"

Buffy lowered her eyes. "He died protecting me."

Xavier said, "It's getting late, perhaps those of you with additional questions can hold them until tomorrow? Is that alright with you, Buffy?"

Buffy nodded.

"Also, I believe you wanted to take advantage of Mr. Giles and Angel's presence here?" Xavier asserted.

She stood, and pushed her chair in. "Time to make with the carnage."

"You're not going out tonight!" Scott shouted, and then as if surprised at himself, he lowered his voice, "you're injured."

Buffy lifted the corner of her shirt to reveal perfectly smooth skin. "Not anymore."

"Wicked!" John exclaimed appreciatively.

With the exception of her cousin, who was just disgusted by the whole turn of events, every male eye in the room cleaved to her, disarmed by her flash of creamy skin. Buffy dropped her hand and strolled to the door. Without turning around, she asked, "Angel, Giles, coming?"

As Angel and Giles joined her and stepped into the hall, Angel asked, "So after, you wanna go out? I saw a little club in town that looked fairly demon-free."

"A post-battle pick-me-up?" Buffy grinned, "Not completely unheard of..."

Later than night at Westchester's only worthwhile watering hole, Buffy and Angel finished up a slow dance. In the shadows, Logan watched, until an opportunity to step in arose. Buffy walked to the bar to buy another Coke, leaving Angel standing at a table near the exit.

Logan set his jaw and approached.

"Enjoying the view?" Angel asked.

"She. Is. Not. For. You," Logan growled.

"And I suppose you're the mutant of her dreams?" Angel retorted.

"No. She deserves better than me. She deserves better than you. At least I'm not deluding myself about it," Logan snapped.

"Aren't you..." Angel sneered and pushed past him. Then he stopped cold, and looked over his shoulder, piercing Logan with his gaze. "Not even late at night when you're alone in your room?"

Logan tensed visibly and Angel smirked before walking toward Buffy, who was still waiting for her drink at the bar.

"That's what I thought," Angel whispered.

(end chapter)

Please review! Please review!