Buffy reached out and drew his head close, holding him awkwardly against her, as he sobbed. "I'm sorry lover, I'm sorry. I know how it hurts." Carefully she eased him back down onto the cot and curled up around him, holding him as he shook and cried. A long time later he finally slipped into sleep. Buffy soon followed.
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The next morning she was in the kitchen with Willow and Giles when the doorbell rang. She rose with a puzzled look and went to answer it. Glancing through the peep-hole she almost didn't open the door. Quentin Travers stood on the porch, his hand reaching for the bell again. With a weary sigh she slowly opened the door and stared at him. "Yes?"
"Miss Summers." She stood blocking the door. "May I come in? I have something I'd like to say."
She stood for a few moments longer, just watching him before she silently stood aside and motioned him in. "Ya know, I should be polite, but somehow it just doesn't seem worth it. And you want what now? Another test? To tell me you chipped me in my sleep? I thought we had come to an understanding, but I guess my dying must have changed all that."
"I know you are upset..."
"No, it's odd, but I'm not upset. You guys yank me around at every turn, but I'm not even mildly angry anymore." She heard Willow moving in the kitchen as she invited him into the living room.
"I came to apologize and to thank you. I had no idea what George and a small group of others were up to. I do apologize for the chip. I must remind you though that you died and then you returned. There was no way we could be certain how you had returned. Some of us thought it best that we help you retain perspective."
"Wow, you guys sure know how to talk, retain perspective. That is such a long way to say control. After all this, do we still have to play the power games?" She thought for a moment, "Yeah, I guess we do. So, here's my take on this. You will call your lap dogs off my friends, you will pay me a stipend to maintain my sister, our home, and myself, you will not attempt anything against the other slayer, and you will use your skilled surgeons to remove the Initiative chip from William the Bloody. In return I will be available for special assignments when problems pop up somewhere other than here, I will listen to your input on these missions, and you may assign me an on-location watcher."
Travers looked up at her with a heavy frown, "Miss Summers, you presume too much on my apology. The council cannot be dictated to in this way. I have apologized and have come to offer you employment in our English office..."
Buffy looked at him with a small cold smile on her lips. "No." She said quietly and firmly.
"Excuse me, no?"
"No. Either you acknowledge my requirements or this conversation is over."
"You do not dictate to the council. You may be a slayer, but no one is irreplaceable."
"You are right of course, no one is, however, killing me won't call another slayer and Faith is quite well protected. Both of us are willing to step back and watch while the council tries to keep a lid on the demonic influences without the services of an acting slayer. We talked about this the last time you tried to take control."
"Miss Summers, I must remind you that you have a sacred duty to uphold the light."
"No. I have a sacred duty to retain the balance. The rest is council propaganda."
"The council's position on this is quite clear. You have a sacred duty..."
"I am quite aware of the council's position on this, however the council's view is a lie, a seductive one, but still a lie. Anya said it best, all demons aren't the same, neither are vampires. You lie to us to make us slayers and when we begin to see the truth we doubt ourselves and pause long enough to die. It works great for you, we die before we really know. Sorry but it didn't work this time." Travers stared in shock. "You know the best part is it's your fault too. If you hadn't drugged me I never would have known."
"What do you mean?"
"Read your own books. Look at your past. The First speaks with my voice now. Just as she spoke with the voice of each slayer until the times of the Reformation."
Travers paled at her words, "No, it's not possible. That, that's just legend."
Buffy smirked, "Aren't legends wonderful? We found most of what was thought hidden. Only one more piece is required to stabilize what you have done. It requires the Scroll of Isfahan, the scroll that details the final ritual. If you provide it you may take credit for retaining my sanity. You might not like me much without it..." She let the words hang in the air as Spike, Giles and Willow watched quietly from the doorway.
"Better listen to her, mate. She can be quite a handful when she's brassed off." Buffy turned and threw a huge smile his way.
"Do not interfere. This is not your place."
Spike shakily made his way to the couch and sat next to Buffy, wrapping her in his arms, "I think it is mate."
Buffy stared at Travers with a smirk equal to Spike's. The she leaned over and kissed him hard. "Mr. Travers, you should remember William the Bloody from your last little inquest. Please arrange to have your surgeon come here. None of us trust you enough to enter the watchers' building again."
Travers looked away and muttered under his breath so softly only a slayer or a vampire could have heard him, "Abomination."
"Buffy..." Giles said, attempting to slow her down.
"No Giles. It's time he learned not to mess with a slayer. For too long the council has forgotten its place. You exist; the council exists, merely to assist the slayer. We are neither your lackeys nor your puppets. You have forgotten your duty. Your council is in denial of your roots. They destroyed not only the slayer's ritual, but the history of themselves as well. Through arrogance and ignorance you risk destruction of yourselves and the rest as well. You speak of sacred oaths, yet the council refuses to keep its own. Are we any more abomination than a council without honor?"
"You go too far," Travers coldly informed her.
Buffy's voice crackled icily through the room, "I tire of this. If you wish to be of any use you will agree to my proposal. Otherwise you will return to London and not interfere with me or mine again."
Giles backed up a step at the intensity of her voice. Willow looked shaken and Spike flinched slightly. Travers turned pale as he asked quietly, "Or, or, what? Will you...will you kill a human?"
Buffy slid to her feet and stalked over to him. Her voice purred silky menace as she spoke. "Oh no. I just won't do my job. And when people really start to notice, then I'll start publishing watcher diaries and other commentary to let them know why this is happening."
"You wouldn't dare. You are the slayer. You can't just walk away."
Buffy slowly returned to the couch, smiling cheerfully. "Shall we find out then? I have been aching to take a break, maybe have a life. Spike and I rarely get to spend any quality time with Dawn or each other. Or maybe Giles could tell you how often I've wanted to walk away from the whole slaying thing..."
Giles stammered from the doorway, "She...she has said that, yes. Many times actually." He bit at the inside of his lip to keep from laughing at Travers discomfort.
"Miss Summers..."
Buffy's voice whip cracked through the room, "Enough! Yes or no. It really is that simple."
Travers deflated as he softly answered, "Yes, Ok then." His eyes turned hard and he started to speak until he saw the predatory way that Buffy was watching him. He turned and slowly headed to the door. "I will contact you when the arrangements have been made. The council will arrange for the deposit of your stipend as well."
"Thank you," Buffy said as she settled into the chair. She took a couple of breaths and waited until the door closed. "I hope that's the last of them for a while." She turned to Spike and hugged him warmly.
Finis
