Part 10

Sunlight streamed into the Summers kitchen through the window over the sink, Tara stood at the stove fixing breakfast for Dawn, Willow and herself when the phone rang.

"I'll get it," yelled Dawn as she ran into the kitchen "I left a message for my Dad, maybe it's him."

"Hello," said the teenager as she grabbed the phone. 

"Oh, Hi," she said, her disappointment apparent.  "No, nothing's wrong Buffy, I just was hoping you were Dad.  Where are you anyhow?  No, Tara's right here, Willow's still in the shower, hang on."

Dawn turned to Tara and handed her the phone.  "It's Buffy, she went straight to Giles' after patrolling.  She wants to talk to you." 

"Hey Buffy, what's up?… A Scooby meeting, today?… Dawn too?… Ok, I'll round up the gang and we'll meet you at the magic box in an hour."

Tara hung up the phone and turned to Dawn.  "You heard?"

"Yeah, but why am I included?  Buffy never wants me to be involved," she answered with confusion.


"Well, she does now.  This is your chance to show her that you are adult enough to be an official Scooby.  Now run upstairs and tell Willow what's going on while I call Xander," said Tara as she picked up the phone again.

At the Magic Box, Anya was standing at the counter going over the special order's that arrived that morning.  Xander, Spike, Giles and Meg sat at the table, while Buffy stood off to one side.  The tension that filled the room was palpable.

Tara, Dawn and Willow were the last of the Scooby Gang to enter the Magic Box. 

"Hi everybody, sorry we're late," said Willow.  "I was researching a spell and I didn't want to leave until I was done." 

"It's my fault too," said Dawn.  "I wasn't sure of what to wear to my first official Scooby meeting."

Everybody laughed at Dawn's comment, and the tension that had been building in the room slowly dissipated.  Dawn went over to stand with Buffy, while Tara and Willow climbed the ladder to the loft and took seats on the landing of the loft looking down on the others.

"So why are we here?" asked Dawn.  "Is there a big ole demon waiting for us or what?"

The other scoobies turned towards Giles waiting for an answer, but it was Buffy who spoke up.

"No demons Dawny.  Not this time anyhow." 

"If I may," interrupted Professor Farrell.  "I asked Buffy to bring all of you together, and before say another thing, allow me to begin with one statement, I am not here to replace Giles.  I am, however, a watcher.  And I have been sent here by the Council."

All at once, the gang burst out with questions.

"Watcher for who?" asked Dawn.

"Is there another slayer?" queried Xander.

"Is Giles going to make you a partner in the Magic Box, because the profit margin is low enough as it is?" asked Anya.

"Is she evil or insipid like the other two?" asked Willow.

Only Tara and Spike remained silent.  After a few moments, Giles slammed his fist down on the table drawing everyone's attention towards him.

"If you will all quiet down, we will explain everything."

"Well, you were right about one thing Ripper, they are all fiercely protective of each other," laughed Meg.  "Now, let me see if I can answer all your questions.  Dawn, you first please."

"Ok.  If you aren't replacing Giles, who's watcher are you?"

"I was sent to watch all of you," replied Meg.  "It's confusing and I'll explain in detail in a moment." 

"Xander, I believe you asked if there was another Slayer, and the answer is no.  There will not be another slayer until Faith dies, and she is still very much alive."

"Anya, I am not going to be a partner in the Magic Box, so your share of the profits will remain intact."

"Willow, I trust that I am neither evil nor am I insipid, but I would love to hear your reasoning behind that question."

"Well, when Faith came here, Gwendolyn Post showed up claiming to be her watcher, and she turned out to be evil watcher woman," said Willow.

"Yes, I had heard about that, it was rather horrific for all of you, now please explain about the insipid part of your remark."

"Well, that would have been Wesley Wyndham-Price.  As a watcher, he really wasn't very good."

"Why do you think he wasn't successful as a watcher Willow?" asked Meggie.

"Well, we really didn't give him a chance, did we?" answered Willow.  "It didn't matter what the Council said, we still considered Giles to be Buffy's watcher."

"That is correct, you did remain absolutely loyal to Giles, and that is part of why I am here.  Something has happened here that has never before happened with a slayer.  The group of you together have created an elite team of demon fighters, and it is all of you I have been sent here to watch."

The Scooby's looked at one another with varying degrees of pride and shock showing on their faces.  It had never occurred to any of them that they were a team like Meggie meant.  They worked together and helped one another, but Buffy was The Slayer, they didn't do much of anything.

"She's right, you know," said Buffy.  "I probably wouldn't even be alive today if it wasn't for all of you.  It's not just me that fights.  It's all of us.  Ok, Professor Farrell, why don't you tell us more?"

"In time Buffy.  I want to meet with each and every one of you today privately and discuss your role as a member of the Scooby Gang.  But first Giles and I would like to speak with you privately Buffy."