Dear old Dad…

"You really think we can do a deal with Fury?" Buffy asked after they had successfully teleported back to the Watchers Council headquarters in London, "He seems very angry with us."

"He has no choice but to see reason." Giles shrugged as he made his way to his office, "He is not the only one who has powerful allies: I have a few people I can call in to add a little weight to our side of the table."

"You don't think Thor will be enough?"

"No, not until we've dealt with Loki and proven that he is who he says he is."

"So, to quote the old song, who you going to call?"

"Have you ever read the Watcher Diaries for the years between 1914-18, and 39-45?"

"No. Why; should I have?"

"There is no real reason why you should have, apart that the ones from World War 2 do mention Captain America."

"How does that help us?

"It also mentions two people he fought alongside. Or rather it did before I removed their names."

"Why would you do that?"

"A debt of honour."

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"I want everything we have on the Watchers Council on my desk ten minutes ago." Fury stopped into his office, living up to his name, "Known members, history, holdings, areas of operation, everything."

"Do you really think they want to talk?" Captain America asked, genuinely uncertain, "One the one hand, they could have done us some serious damage today. On the other, they did break into our base of operation and release Thor; after all we went through to capture him the first time."

"We need an edge." Fury rubbed his chin, "What can you tell me about Baron Blood?"

"He was a vampire who worked as a spy for the Germans during Word War 2. His real name was Lord John Falsworth, and English aristocrat. He was apparently killed by his father, Lord James Montgomery Falsworth…"

"But?"

"Some vampires have the ability to return from the dead under certain circumstances. I've been looking into several of my old missions, but the records are sketchy at best. Almost like someone had tried to remove him from history."

"The Watchers Council?"

"It is a possibility: they seem to consider the supernatural their own private domain."

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Giles sat looking at the phone on his desk, trying to pluck up the courage to make a call he'd promised never to make. Summoning up the last of his reserves, he hit the button that activated the voice-recognition software Willow had programmed for the vast and complex Council phonebook.

"England. Watcher, retired. Lady Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton."

"File sealed." The computer reported, "Input username and password to access."

"Username: Green Knight." Giles loosened his tie, "Password: Pendragon."

"Checking." The computer bleeped, "Access granted."

"Dial contact number for Lady Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton..."

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"I'd like to thank you for coming in and helping us on this Tony." Fury looked at Stark as the businessman sat reading a book as fast as his fingers could move the pages, "We need someone to become our resident expert on the Watchers Council before we leave for London."

"Believe me when I say this is more out of a personal interest." Stark didn't even look up as he flung the book he had just finished over his shoulder and grabbed the next, "I am interested in finding out just what my daughter is up to so I can finish my new design."

"What new design?"

"The armor I'm building her: I hope to have it finished by her next birthday."

"You're giving Faith a suit of battle armor? Have you finally gone mad, or are you drunk?"

"She is my only chilled and hire apparent to my company. She is also involved in a very dangerous line of work, and I want to give her every advantage I can. Don't worry: I'm not giving her anything that won't be in the next upgrades to the Iron Man and Black Widow armor. And as I have reputably pointed out: I own all the rights to the technology, and can do with it as I please."

"This is something we can discuss later." Fury shook his head, "Just keep reading."

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"What you guys looking at?" Buffy asked when she found Willow, Xander and Dawn standing outside the Watchers Council library, "Andrew drooling over the naked ladies in the classical art books again?"

"No, it's Faith." Xander looked dumbfounded, "You'd better see this for yourself…"

Faith was sat at one end of a table covered in books, reading intently, turning a page every few seconds.

"What's she doing?" Buffy asked.

"We don't know; we've not been able to get an answer out of her." Dawn shrugged, "According to Andrew, she's been in there since we got back from New York: she started with the Oxford English Dictionary, moved onto the complete Encyclopaedia Britannica, and has gone on from there."

"What's she on now?" Buffy looked at the book Faith had just dropped onto a growing pile on the floor, "Watcher Diaries? Why's she reading them?"

"Again, we don't know." Xander looked puzzled, "She was reading The Day of the Triffid's when I got here."

"You telling me that she's been in there for two straits days, no food, no water and no sleep?" Buffy's eyes went wide, "Are you guys sure she's really Faith?"

"I've done every test I can thing of." Willow nodded, "It's defiantly Faith."

"She did take a quick break about two hours ago." Dawn look round, "I think it was for the toilet."

Faith finished the last book on the table and walked over to a nearly empty shelf, seemingly unaware of her audience. She lifted a handful of books, training manuals for Slayers by the look of the covers, and then headed back to her seat.

"This is just too weird." Buffy shook her head, "I'll have someone bring her up something to eat and drink: even a Slayer can't keep this up indefinitely…"

TBC

Thanks to everyone for reviewing: thing will be coming to a head soon.