The President and Mrs Bartlet had put their serious discussion on hold. Anya had somehow engaged the President in conversation. No doubt about some element of the economy she didn't like. He seemed to be enjoying himself, although Xander wasn't.
"Abbey," Tara called across the room.
She felt Leo, Josh and Margaret's shocked and curious glances.
"Margaret, she could see the, ah, spell, the residue on Willow?"
Abbey brightened and came over to them, holding her hand out to Margaret.
"Abigail Bartlet, Wit A Five," she said.
"Margaret Kneale Wit C Three," Margaret said.
"And you know about Cleansing Spells?"
"No, ma'am, but my friend, Jeanette, who works in the President's Council of Physical Fitness knows all about them."
"Okay, email her and ask her about them. And then send out an emergency call to all White House Staff, we'll meet in the Mural Room, can you do that?"
Margaret nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"Okay, if you can do that now. We need to do this as soon as possible."
Margaret nodded again and left with a fervent 'thank you ma'am.'
"What does that mean?" Tara asked, "The Wit A Three?"
Abbey frowned. If Tara had hidden herself well enough to miss out on a real coven at this stage in her learning, things were going to be difficult for her. Still, the hellmouth was like that. If only she'd tried harder to find her.
"It's your level," she explained. "When you turn eighteen the elders of your coven test you and rate your level. It's not an accurate guide of your power, because you can train more after that. But it's the comparative score for something."
Tara frowned with an almost identical expression. Abbey hugged her lightly.
"We'll work it out. But it's not urgent."
Abbey and Tara looked around the room together, working out what had to be done next.
Xander was trying to be interested in Anya and the President's conversation. Josh looked like he was beginning to accept the situation. He was beginning to look slightly angry, instead of shocked.
Toby, Marbury and Giles had finished the post mortem on the spell and were now discussing something very intently with Leo. It looked like they were trying explain who it was that Marbury was in charge; Leo was distressed.
"Josh, C.J, Toby," Abbey ordered. "You have to go back to work. You should also tell Sam what you know, he won't like being left out again.
"Leo you should go back to work, too, there's not much you can do here. Same for you, Jed, we'll have our discussion this evening.
"Donna, if could take Xander, Dawn, Spike, Buffy and Mr Giles to the Mess and see that they're comfortable?
"Anya, do you have any magically abilities at all?"
"I turned my ex-boyfriend into a troll," Anya said brightly.
"Good. You can come with Tara, Willow and I. We'll be in the Mural Room for the next few hours at least. Can everyone manage that?"
Abbey finished succinctly. No one could think of any argument so they simply obeyed.
"Ma'am?" Marbury said.
"My lord?"
"By what authority?"
"This is my house. You should probably give Buffy her visitor's pass. After that you're free."
Marbury blinked once before complying.
"I'll come by later, Gerald," he said as he left.
Willow hugged Buffy before she left, following her Watcher and not really caring about where they were going. She felt as though she were in a haze, like she was trying to remember something, but couldn't even think of why.
"Apples and peanut butter?" Donna asked, ushering her 'charges' into the mess.
There were a few people still there at that time in the afternoon. The took up one side of the mess, spreading out a little around the small tables. Dawn refused to move more than a few feet from Buffy, but Giles was willing to sit back a bit and watch. Spike did the same.
"I've never had that," Xander said.
"You've never had apples and peanut butter?" Donna sounded shocked. "Sam and Josh have lived off them for days at a time."
Donna hurried off to find the food. Buffy smiled at the fondness in Donna's voice. She hadn't met Sam, but Josh had seemed a little dopey. It had been a little fun watching him struggle with the knowledge they had had to convince him of. He obvious liked Donna, Dawn had seen it too.
Donna came pack with several apples, two knives and a jar of peanut butter. She chopped one apple up, passing the second knife to Xander.
"Ah, ah, ah," she cried, when Xander put the knife into the jar. "The knife is for the apples, you dip them into the peanut butter."
Spike chuckled at her frantic expression. He leaned forwards gracefully and snatched the piece of apple out of Donna's hand and the jar out of Xander's. He settled back with them.
"This is good," Spike said.
Buffy watched him with raised eyebrows.
"I thought vampires drank blood," Donna said. Her hands still felt cramped, but she didn't want to kill him any more.
"Only the boring, brooding types," Spike said.
He threw the jar to Buffy.
"You've go to try this, luv, does wonders."
Buffy dubiously scooped some peanut butter out with her piece of apple and nibbled at it.
"What are you doing at school, Dawn?" Donna asked politely.
"Well, we're on vacation at the moment, so yay. I didn't go so much the end of last year. First I accidentally found out that I didn't exist, so I thought, why bother. After mom died I didn't want to go. And then Glory was after me, and I didn't get a chance to. But I liked it mostly, even math."
Donna smiled. "I liked college. But my boyfriend was a complete, some word you probably shouldn't hear …"
"Asshole," Xander offered.
"Wanker," Spike said.
"I like, what is it? Pillock," Buffy said.
"Jackass," Dawn said, joining in.
"Berk," Giles said with finality; he liked Donna. Spike coughed.
"Yeah," Donna said. "Josh only ever said Dr Freeloader. I dumped him and moved to the campaign and assigned myself to Josh's office."
"Cause he was cute?" Dawn asked.
Donna giggle. "Because his office was empty."
Donna was quiet for a moment as she remembered the startled look on Josh's face. And then his expression when she had come back. She'd been working for him non-stop for over three years now.
"You can still do it," Buffy slowly. "I mean, you can still do your job and everything. Do a sweep past a cemetery on your way home. And C.J'll do it too. I'll have most of the big stuff covered, once I get back to work."
She sounded tired. Dawn put her hand on her arm comfortingly. Xander looked anxious. He'd have like one of the girls there to help him out.
"Toby and Giles mentioned something about a Faith?"
"Ha!" Buffy's laugh was bitter. "She's in prison doing time for murder, and possibly torture."
"I don't think Wesley pressed charges," Giles said quietly.
"Good man," Buffy said sarcastically.
"You have to give her points for turning herself in," Giles said.
"How many do I get to take off for trying to set me up?" Buffy asked.
They both sighed.
"Happier things," Xander said. "We can speak of happier things. Spike hasn't turned all broody!"
"Too bloody right, I haven't," Spike said. "I'm not some bleeding ponce. Also, most of it was what I had to do. Never took the pleasure in it Angelus did. Except me mum," he added softly. He bit into his apple mournfully.
Xander really, really hoped that Spike didn't ever feel the need to dwell on what he had done. The danger was not him brooding, it was him drinking, and that was always so pretty.