Appetites sated, the group assembled again at the round table an hour
later. Angel looked bored with the proceedings. Spike glowered. The
Scoobies seemed very uncomfortable, shifting in their seats and trying to
look anywhere but at the three people across the table.
In truth, Angel was bored. He wasn't really interested in more arguing or conversation. He just wanted as many people as possible out of his home. As soon as this little meeting was over, he decided, he was going to lock himself into the basement until they cleared out. If Spike wanted to stay, that would be fine. Oddly, he was one of the few beings Angel could tolerate. He figured he was stuck with Illyria, at least until she found somewhere better to go.
Giles shuffled some papers. "Yes, well. As near as I can determine, the Senior Partners are very unstable in this dimension. That is why they must work through organizations such as the Black Thorn and Wolfram and Hart. The attack the other night required a great deal of energy. At the moment, I believe Angel should be quite safe while they rebuild. I asked everyone to think on our situation, so in light of this new information, I'd like to hear what each of you has to say."
Angel had to appreciate how Giles had learned to preside over a discussion. The Watcher gestured to Angel first. He crossed his arms over his chest. "As you said, we're safe. So go home."
Spike grunted something, and Illyria looked at Giles as if he were a new and interesting but not altogether pleasant specimen. Angle figured that was support of some sort.
"Kennedy?" Giles asked.
"I think we're done here."
"Willow?"
The red headed witch sat up straighter in her seat. "Well, I think it's important for us to rebuild too."
"Xander?"
As if to confirm to everyone who hadn't been previously aware that Buffy and Xander were together, they had pushed their chairs as close as possible. Angel tried to remember a time when Buffy had leaned on him as unconditionally as she did Xander, and couldn't. Even after her mother had died, she'd held a part of herself back from him.
"I didn't want to come here in the first place. I think we've paid a high enough price."
"Buffy?"
"I want to bury my sister at her home." She said stiffly.
"Faith?"
"Well, I don't want to leave my boy high and dry, but if you think it's cool..."
"Tiffany?"
"I haven't seen anything to make me want to stay."
Giles nodded, then paused, coming to the last person at the table. "Caitlin?"
She closed her eyes briefly. "No matter what the rest of you do, I'm staying."
Buffy, Xander, and Willow protested immediately. The other Slayers looked at her like she'd grown another head. Angel said loudly and immediately, "No, you're not. I'm not babysitting."
Giles waited until everyone was quiet, then went. "Very well. I propose we leave one Slayer here, besides Caitlin, until Angel and Spike are back on their feet and have a plan. Faith, you seem to be the best choice."
"I agree," Faith said.
"Well, I don't." Buffy countered. "I don't see why Caitlin is staying."
"Because." Caitlin said, watching Angel for a reaction. "I have to. Remember those visions of Cordelia's? I've had them for months now."
Silenced reigned. After a moment, Buffy turned to Giles. "Did you know about this?"
"We knew Caitlin was having prescient experiences." He admitted.
"And that's why we came." She deduced. She faced Caitlin. "That's why Dawn is dead. You killed my sister."
In truth, Angel was bored. He wasn't really interested in more arguing or conversation. He just wanted as many people as possible out of his home. As soon as this little meeting was over, he decided, he was going to lock himself into the basement until they cleared out. If Spike wanted to stay, that would be fine. Oddly, he was one of the few beings Angel could tolerate. He figured he was stuck with Illyria, at least until she found somewhere better to go.
Giles shuffled some papers. "Yes, well. As near as I can determine, the Senior Partners are very unstable in this dimension. That is why they must work through organizations such as the Black Thorn and Wolfram and Hart. The attack the other night required a great deal of energy. At the moment, I believe Angel should be quite safe while they rebuild. I asked everyone to think on our situation, so in light of this new information, I'd like to hear what each of you has to say."
Angel had to appreciate how Giles had learned to preside over a discussion. The Watcher gestured to Angel first. He crossed his arms over his chest. "As you said, we're safe. So go home."
Spike grunted something, and Illyria looked at Giles as if he were a new and interesting but not altogether pleasant specimen. Angle figured that was support of some sort.
"Kennedy?" Giles asked.
"I think we're done here."
"Willow?"
The red headed witch sat up straighter in her seat. "Well, I think it's important for us to rebuild too."
"Xander?"
As if to confirm to everyone who hadn't been previously aware that Buffy and Xander were together, they had pushed their chairs as close as possible. Angel tried to remember a time when Buffy had leaned on him as unconditionally as she did Xander, and couldn't. Even after her mother had died, she'd held a part of herself back from him.
"I didn't want to come here in the first place. I think we've paid a high enough price."
"Buffy?"
"I want to bury my sister at her home." She said stiffly.
"Faith?"
"Well, I don't want to leave my boy high and dry, but if you think it's cool..."
"Tiffany?"
"I haven't seen anything to make me want to stay."
Giles nodded, then paused, coming to the last person at the table. "Caitlin?"
She closed her eyes briefly. "No matter what the rest of you do, I'm staying."
Buffy, Xander, and Willow protested immediately. The other Slayers looked at her like she'd grown another head. Angel said loudly and immediately, "No, you're not. I'm not babysitting."
Giles waited until everyone was quiet, then went. "Very well. I propose we leave one Slayer here, besides Caitlin, until Angel and Spike are back on their feet and have a plan. Faith, you seem to be the best choice."
"I agree," Faith said.
"Well, I don't." Buffy countered. "I don't see why Caitlin is staying."
"Because." Caitlin said, watching Angel for a reaction. "I have to. Remember those visions of Cordelia's? I've had them for months now."
Silenced reigned. After a moment, Buffy turned to Giles. "Did you know about this?"
"We knew Caitlin was having prescient experiences." He admitted.
"And that's why we came." She deduced. She faced Caitlin. "That's why Dawn is dead. You killed my sister."