Summary: Oz's presence has... repercussions. S2 E27

Disclaimer: I own whatever OC's I create, and not much more.

Feedback: Unlike most sound setups, I like positive feedback. Like most amps, a little bit of negative feedback can help as well.

Pre-fic Comments:

The NZ unemployment benefits blow goats. I'd be better off as a leech on the unemployment benefit than I am as a student... do beneficiaries have to pay back their living costs? No, but I do, even though we get our money from the same place, and *I* am studying to learn a trade. And, even though I don't have a job due to being busy with my course, I don't *qualify* for the dole.

Even if you're a part time student and *dont have the time* to get a decent job due to a horrible load of assignments, you're still not entitled to an unemployment benefit. To make things better, if you're a part time student, you don't qualify for the *student* benefits. So here I am, trying to scratch by on $30 a week. (That's $15, to you Americans.)

* * *

"Who was that gumball you sent to subdue Osbourne?"

"Jens Weatherby. He reported that Osbourne was hostile."

"Okay. Jens? He's an idiot. The Slayer just came stomping in here, after /Jens/ cracked jokes to Osbourne about coming with him alive or in a body bag. This is the Hellmouth, sweetheart, it ain't Disneyland. They took him seriously."

"Elaborate."

"Gumball decided it was all or nothing, and refused to compromise. Either Osbourne and Harris came with him, or they were dead meat."

"Osbourne and Harris didn't come with him and are still alive."

"See, that's one of the /delightful/ things about /this/ Hellmouth. We've got a Slayer, here. And I'll give you two guesses as to who she knows."

"Jens did not tell us this."

"Great. Look, the Slayer and her little gang are convinced that commando werewolves are gonna break in their windows and pump their guts fulla lead, know what I'm saying?"

"Insignificant."

"God, do I have to do all the thinking? I'm just the freaking spy! I'll put this in words of one syllable. Who does Slay girl work for? Starts with a W."

* * *

Giles took off his glasses as Buffy made her report, and began cleaning them with a handkerchief. "This is most unsettling."

"What? A Council who thinks they run the world?," Xander asked. "Nooooo."

"Not that," Giles said dismissively. "The fact that they escaped the eye of the Watchers' Council. I must make a phone call immediately."

"Boy, is Snyder gonna love you when he gets your phone bill," Xander called out. Giles shut his door irritably.

"Okay," Buffy said, in a 'take charge' way. "Oz, Xander, since you're obviously gonna have these creepazoids after you, you'd better take some weapons with you. Here're a couple silvered knifes I found in Giles' stash in the book cage."

"Knives?," Oz asked, eyebrow raised.

"Ah, I know this one," Xander said brightly. "This is so we can't shoot ourselves in the foot, right?"

Willow put her hands over her mouth, hiding a laugh.

"Ha, ha," the Slayer said flatly. "Let's all make fun of Buffy. No, it's because were-thingies can't stand silver."

Xander pressed his finger against the silver inlay in the knife that Buffy had handed him. A thin plume of smoke began to rise from his abused fingertip.

"Ow!," Xander muttered, putting the scorched flesh in his mouth to cool it down.

"Hot stuff," Oz smiled. "I've got band practice, see you later."

"Well," Giles announced, emerging from his office, "I have some good news, and some bad news."

"Yeah?," Xander asked. "They've got a cure for my grey-hair-itis? I'll share with you."

That got the Xan-man a black look from the librarian. "/No./ Good news. We have just confirmed several long running suspicions that the Council has had. Bad news. They wished to attempt to unlawfully abduct Mr Osbourne and Xander."

"They can't do that!," Willow exclaimed. "Even if he does have the bad taste to go out with Cordelia!"

"Hey!," Xander protested. "I like her!"

"Fortunately," Giles interrupted, "I dissuaded them, pointing out that a private entity kidnapping an American citizen would probably not go down very well with the American government."

"Our tax dollars at work," Xander remarked. "Saving us from the Councils."

"The Watchers' Council will be instating several new security checks, including a silver skin test to find any morphologically challenged spies," Giles continued. "And yes, they have been informed about your Slayer-friendly stance, Xander."

"Whew," Xander said, pantomiming wiping sweat off his brow. "If I ever go all the way to Britain, which is so unlikely it isn't funny, I don't have to worry about a gang of old men beating me to death with their walking sticks."

"Might I remind you that I, too, am a Watcher?," Giles asked. Despite being unarmed, he suddenly gave off an air of fatal menace.

"Gotcha," Xander muttered. "Stupid British no-funny-gene."

Giles decided to ignore that. "Now, Buffy, uh, since Angel... turned, I've been reading, um, on his earlier activities. You know, uh, feeding patterns and the like."

"And?," Buffy asked brusquely.

"Around Valentine's Day, he, he, he's rather prone to, uh... well, um, brutal displays of, uh... He would think of it as affection, I suppose," Giles hedged.

"Like what?," Buffy demanded, wanting detail.

"No, no, uh," Giles began, "no need to go into details."

"That bad?," Buffy asked, pulling a face.

Giles turned to face his Slayer. "Suffice it to say I, I think it would be best if you stayed off the streets for a few nights. I'll, um... I'll patrol and keep an eye on things. Better safe than sorry."

"I'll help ya!," Xander volunteered. "It'll be fun, we can go firebombing some vamp lairs!"

"NO!," Giles said firmly. "There will be no arson committed!"

* * *

Post-fic Comments:

Working my way into Bother, Bewitched and Bewildered.