Kennedy and the potentials arrived home later than she had planned. Still, she thought a stop for a meal together had been time well spent. Everybody's coming together, we're not all strangers any more.
As Kennedy and the potentials walked up the driveway Fred came out to see them and stop them. She warned them that Buffy and Dawn's grandmother was visiting and they should all watch what they said.
"You mean she doesn't know about the slaying and all that?" asked Rona.
"Nope," replied Fred, "and that's the way Buffy wants it to stay. As she spoke Fred noticed a stirring amongst the potentials in front of her and turned to see that Tara had appeared with Willow and Darla. Darla appeared to be unconscious.
Willow and Tara let Darla down to lie on the ground and Tara then disappeared again.
"Who is she?" asked Caridad. "And is she alright?"
"Is she another potential?" asked Molly.
"She's a vampire," said Willow. "Her name's Darla and she's very dangerous, so stay back, well back."
"The Darla?" asked a voice from the back of the group who remembered her training about well known vampires. "Isn't she dead?"
"All vampires are dead," said Annabelle as if everybody didn't know that already.
"She was up and kicking when we met her earlier in the week," said Vi, "ask Isabella."
As the potentials asked Vi and Isabella about the earlier meeting with Darla and Drusilla Willow moved aside with Kennedy and Fred. "Is Buffy about?"
Fred explained about Buffy going on patrol and also informed Willow about the visit of grandma Summers. "So how did you capture Darla," asked Fred. "Was she in LA?"
"And why didn't you dust her?" asked Kennedy.
As they spoke Tara reappeared with Faith and an unconscious Drusilla. At the same time Buffy appeared although in a more mundane way as she had just finished her patrol.
Under direction from Faith the potentials carried Darla and Drusilla inside where they were secured in the basement under lock and key as well as a magic security spell which Tara cast on the door.
"OK," said Buffy. "It's time we had a meeting to bring each other up to date and decide what we're gonna do next." She looked at Kennedy. "I don't want to leave the potentials out but it'll take all night if we include everybody."
"How about including the team leaders and they can tell the rest of the potentials what's going on," suggested Kennedy who explained about her organisation of the potentials into teams.
Later that evening after Xander and Dawn had taken grandma Summers back to her hotel for the night the group gathered to talk. Everybody filled in everybody else on what had happened to them. They all agreed that The First was probably still active and had been responsible for sending the bear after the potentials.
"What's it gonna do next?" asked Rona. "This thing's not gonna stop is it?"
"It's a sign of weakness," said Anya. "It means it doesn't have any demons or ugly old vampires or such."
"Or even Bringers," added Kennedy.
"Which is all good news but we still need to put it away somehow," said Buffy. "When I get this stuff from Kate we'll see if we can get any ideas about what else it might be up to. I'm hoping we might get a clue about where that Bringer HQ might be."
Tara looked up as if listening to something. Willow knew what that meant. "Sorry," said Tara, "I've got to go, I'm needed." She gave Willow a quick kiss on the cheek and orbed away.
"Must be like having a hot line to the guy upstairs," said Faith whilst looking at Willow.
"I suppose," replied Willow a little sadly.
Buffy put her arm around Willow and gave her a gentle hug. "She'll be back soon," she said smiling. "It's great having her around again."
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The lights of an orb in progress appeared in the grounds of the new Summers home. It disappeared to reveal four figures. Giles, Jenny and two young Australian potentials, the identical twins Mary and Elizabeth.
The two potentials looked around in awe. "This is really America?" asked Mary.
"Didn't you say we were going to California?" asked Elizabeth. "That means Hollywood right?"
"Yes, this is California and yes Hollywood is in California but we won't be going anywhere near there," said Giles. "California is a big place."
"Don't get used to this Rupert," said Jenny. "I'm not gonna be your mystic taxi service..." Jenny broke off as if listening to something. "Duty calls, " she said. "Gotta go. I'll see you soon."
Giles was about to say something but had no time as Jenny disappeared. As he turned back to the house he saw Dawn coming to meet him. He introduced her and the two new potentials.
"Was that Tara with you just now?" asked Dawn who had obviously seen the disappearing orb. "Did she have to rush off again?"
"No, that wasn't Tara, that was Jenny," replied Giles as he walked towards the house. "She was called away."
"Oh," said Dawn and turned and followed Giles and the two Australians. "Wait a minute, Jenny? Jenny Calendar?"
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"Perhaps she can't escape," suggested Eve, "and all we have to do is wait, wait for her to die of starvation or go back to where she came from. She must be hungry by now. Or can she eat normal food?"
"It's never that easy," said Lilah. "She hasn't even tried to get out yet. No she's waiting for something, something bad for us. Something bad for everybody." Does that make me one of the good guys now thought Lilah? She dismissed the idea as ridiculous.
Eve and Lilah were continuing their observation of the hotel in which the Wolfram and Hart mages had confined Jasmine. This was now the third day of the siege and the two women had moved to an apartment on the top floor of a nearby block where they had a good view of the front of the hotel. Lilah had a helicopter and a pilot on the roof at all times for a quick getaway in case Jasmine did suddenly break loose.
"So why don't we go in and take her by surprise?" asked Eve. "That's always the best tactic, move first, do the unexpected."
"And what, join her glee club?" responded Lilah sourly. "We still don't know any way of protecting ourselves from her thrall. Sending people in would only give her an army...or a good meal."
"Well blow the place up then," said Eve. "Wolfram and Hart have some serious ordinance don't they? What are you waiting for?"
Lilah looked at Eve as if making up her mind about something. "All right, you might as well know," she said. "The Senior Partners do have that sort of thing standing by. The trouble is we don't know if it'll be enough but it'll take out the whole city, including us."
"Nuclear weapons?" said Eve astonished. "That'd start a nuclear war. Everybody would think the country was being attacked by the Russians, the Chinese, terrorists or whatever."
"Exactly," said Lilah. "Now you know why that's the last resort. But the Senior Partners will still do it if Jasmine breaks out. Better one city than the whole world."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," said Eve.
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A short distance away another woman was also watching the hotel. Gwen stared out of the window at the building wondering what she was doing still sticking with Cordelia and the others. Never figured myself for a hero she thought. I wonder if that's what heroes usually think?
Gwen realised she could just walk away but if things went wrong without her there'd be nowhere to hide. Aha she thought, that's why heroes go heroing. Control freaks like me. We all think everything will go wrong unless we do it ourselves.
Cordelia put the phone down and walked across the room to stand beside Gwen looking out the window. "Still nothing happening I suppose?"
"Nada," confirmed Gwen. "You really think she's still in there?"
"Got to be," said Cordelia. "Lilah isn't hanging around with the full Wolfram and Hart Symphony Orchestra for nothing. Anyway we'd soon hear about it if she was on the loose."
"So what's our cunning plan?" asked Gwen. "Wait for the big fight and hope they both lose?"
"I've agreed with Tara that if anything happens I'll call her and she'll bring Willow at once and then we'll see who's got the strongest magic," replied Cordelia.
"At once?" said Gwen. "That could be interesting."
The doorbell rang. Cordelia glanced at Gwen who shrugged. Cordelia went across the room and opened the door. It was Amy and she had brought Connor with her.
"Any progress with Angel and the others?" asked Cordelia as the two new arrivals came into the room.
Amy shook her head. She went through all the ways they had tried to break Jasmine's hold, all without success.
"We did think for a minute that we'd brought Wesley out of it but he was faking it," said Amy.
"How did you know?" asked Gwen.
"I cast a glamour to make me look like Jasmine," said Amy. "It was obvious he was still in her thrall so I put him under again. We're not going to wake Angel up until we get something to work on somebody else. Too dangerous."
Angel, Lorne and Wesley were being kept sedated when not woken up to try to return them to normal. Amy and Connor had left them with Gunn on guard for the time being. Gunn had rounded up some friends to help keep watch on Angel, Wesley, Lorne and Jasmine's captured guards.
Connor had made himself a sandwich whilst the three women were talking. He moved over to the window and ate it whilst staring at the hotel.
"Why did you bring Connor with you?" asked Cordelia. "He's not been any trouble has he?"
"Nah, no trouble," replied Amy. "But we've found out something. I don't know what it means."
Amy explained that her glamour disguising herself as Jasmine had produced a strange response from Connor. Connor it turned out did not see Jasmine the same way everybody else did. Amy repeated Connor's description of the rather grotesque Jasmine that he saw.
"What does it mean?" asked Gwen.
"I think it means Connor can see Jasmine the way she really is," said Cordelia. "He might be immune to her thrall. It's probably something to do with his time in Quortoth."
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"We've got a visitor," said Ingrid to Fred sat beside her. Fred was teaching Ingrid to use the monitoring and security equipment.
Fred looked up, studied the screen and saw a young blond haired woman walking up the path to the front door. "I don't recognise her," she said. "But she doesn't look very threatening. Might be another potential. Go tell Buffy."
Glory reached the front door, rang the bell and waited. As luck would have it Dawn opened the door. Dawn stood there aghast, not feeling able to say anything.
"Hey Dawnie," said Glory in her familiar fake friendly way. "Long time no see. You're still growing then."
Willow now reached the doorway and her reaction to Glory was very different. She had neither forgotten nor forgiven what Glory had done to Tara. She moved Dawn aside and stood in the doorway.
"What do you want?" Willow asked aggressively at the same time glaring at Glory and preparing herself for a fight.
"Ooh it's the little witch with the big temper," said Glory in no way intimidated. "I'm here to see your boss sweetie. We need to talk."
By now Buffy had arrived and she stood beside Willow in the doorway. "What about?" she asked crossing her arms, in no way friendlier than Willow. "We aren't due to meet up again until tomorrow."
Glory became aware of many pairs of watching eyes peering at her from the various windows in the front of the house and stood back to take it all in. "What have we here? Witch school? Slayer school? Or has the witch started her own..."
"Just what do you want?" demanded Buffy. "If you're looking for a fight..."
"So aggressive," said Glory, "and I only came here to see my friends. It's not nice to lock up my friends, not if we're gonna work together."
"I'm not gonna let them run around loose feeding off people," said Buffy. "I haven't dusted them yet but if you push me..."
"Hostages?" said Glory and laughed. "I thought you knew me better than that. Look, you do what you like. I'll wait out here for ten minutes. If they don't come out I'll come in and if that happens sweetie a lot of people will die."
With that Glory walked away and sat down on a seat nearby on the edge of the driveway. She took out a mirror and began to fuss with her hair. Buffy shut the door and looked at Willow. "Could you do it now?" she asked.
"I could start it now," Willow replied. "If you recall I don't need to be nearby to make it work."
Faith and Kennedy arrived in the hallway. "Is it a fight?" asked Kennedy who was carrying an axe.
"Maybe, I hope not," Buffy replied to her. She turned back to Willow. "As soon as they've left, do it," she said quietly. She then turned to Faith and Kennedy. "Get the vampires. Willow and I'll keep watch."
"You're not letting them go?" said Faith. "We can take this Glory bitch. You did it without us. The three of us and Willow, she won't stand a chance."
"Maybe, maybe not. Don't forget I died last time," said Buffy. "Somebody will probably die this time if it comes to a fight and I don't want to lose anyone. Besides, I'm not exactly letting them go."
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Tara and Jenny waited for the rest of the Whitelighters at the meeting to disperse and orb away before going over to speak to Leo. Leo had done most of the talking at the meeting, explaining about the giant meteor that was on course to destroy the world. He had given details about the deflection spell which as many witches as possible would be casting in just under twenty four hours time.
"Why did you want us to stay behind?" Jenny asked Leo.
"How else can we help?" asked Tara.
"Could you two gather up all the Sunnydale witches and take them to the Halliwells as soon as possible," replied Leo. "The big deflection spell is plan A. If it doesn't work plan B will be to try to destroy the meteor. Failing that they'll try to whittle it down a little and maybe try to deflect it again. It's a question of seeing what works before it's too late."
"Do you really think the elders can negotiate a truce with the demon powers?" asked Jenny referring to something that had been said at the meeting. "Surely they can't be trusted?"
Leo shrugged, "Who knows? It's happened before. They don't want the world destroyed any more than we do," he replied. "Or at least I hope they don't. You can never really tell. But I expect them to try to take advantage if they can when it's all over."
"Are you sure this isn't all a diversion to get the magic users out of the way. A lot of innocents will be unprotected while they're gone." said Tara.
"We don't have any choice I'm afraid," replied Leo. "Everybody else will just have to do the best they can until the magic users get back. If we don't stop this meteor there won't be anywhere to get back to."
"I bet The First Evil tries to take advantage while the magic users are away," said Tara.
"The sisters think this meteor may have something to do with those dark powers in Sunnydale and LA," said Leo.
"You mean The First, Jasmine or Glory might have sent it?" asked Jenny.
"Perhaps they're all working together," suggested Tara. "If that's true they'll really cut loose once all the good magic users are occupied."
"So just how long will it take to get rid of the meteor?" asked Jenny.
Leo shrugged. "Who knows," he replied. "We can't afford to stop until the world's safe. But if anybody's got any better ideas..."
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Darla finished telling Glory about the trip to LA and the meetings with Jasmine and Lilah and about what had happened at the hotel. Drusilla contributed to the narration in her own way but as Glory had little idea of what Drusilla was talking about most of the time she largely ignored her.
Glory had already had brief reports from Darla by cellphone already. If fact it was the failure of the Slayers to search Darla and take away her cellphone that had allowed Darla to report her whereabouts to Glory. Glory smiled to herself. I bet they think I've got some Hellgod way of finding out what's going on she thought.
"So Jasmine's just sitting in her hotel, calm as you please, doing nothing?" said Glory. "She's gonna get hungry soon. She's not used to doing without."
"Last I heard nothing was happening," said Darla nodding. "But things might have changed by now."
"No, I don't think they have. I'd know if Jasmine had cut loose," said Glory. "I smell a rat, a big Jasmine rat. Well I..."
Drusilla screamed and fell writhing on the floor and started shouting. "No, not me, no! Wicked, wicked, wicked! He wants me like this, NO, NO, NO..."
Glory walked over to Drusilla and looked down at her unsympathetically. She gave Drusilla a light kick with her right foot. "Shut up!" she ordered but Drusilla either ignored her or more likely didn't hear her at all as she continued to rave.
"How long does this usually last?" Glory asked Darla.
"No idea," replied Darla. "I've never seen..." Darla broke off to scream herself. "No, no! They couldn't, they wouldn't dare." She staggered away with both hands held close to her chest.
Glory gave a final look down at Drusilla and decided she wouldn't get any sense out of her whatever she did to her and turned to follow Darla.
Glory went over to Darla and went to grab her by the throat but then changed her mind as she realised Darla would need her throat to reply to questions. Instead she slapped Darla hard on the face. "Shut up!" she ordered. "Now tell me what's going on."
"It's the witches, that Willow and her little pal I expect," gasped Darla. Darla fell silent again and shook all over before bending over and then slowly falling onto the floor.
Glory was running out of patience but she refrained from hitting Darla again in case she became as incoherent as Drusilla. Instead she knelt down beside Darla and took hold of her hand to get her attention. "What are they doing? Are they killing you?" she asked. Glory showed no concern whatever at what was happening to the two vampires. She just had an interest in finding out what was going on.
"The soul spell," gasped Darla. "They've done soul spells on us. Spells to give us souls."
"Is that all," said Glory. "Why all the fuss?"
"You'll find out if they do it to you next," replied Darla.