Chapter 12: Power

THE HALLWAY - SAME DAY - 6PM

BUFFY'S POV

Emma drops her packages and moves next to me. I put an arm around her, "Hey, it's ok."

Ms. Hartness smoothes back an errant hair behind her ear. She must be in her 70s and it's been a couple of years but she looks exactly the same; how does she do that? Magic? Her hair is completely white and pulled back in a bun. Her green eyes are incredibly penetrating as she surveys us then the orbs rest on Emma. She takes a step towards us which only freaks the girl out further. "There's no reason to fear me Emma."

"I don't fear you," she spits out, full of venom.

"Really? Then why did you just call the PtB's Champion for help?"

"Because I don't trust you." I swear you can feel the hostility coming off her.

Ms. Hartness bows her head. "I see. Emma, I know you were young when you father... passed away, but did he ever teach you the basic tenant of Wicca?"

Emma sneers at her, "Actually before he was MURDERED he did tell me: Harm None. Too bad that didn't apply to the members of your Coven."

Ouch – Ok, things are getting way out of hand, so I decide to put a stop to it, "Hey, I think we should all just calm down right now. We're all on the same side here and there is a lot to talk about. We're going to get nowhere fast like this."

"But Buffy..." Emma starts.

"Come on, let's go to my office and talk this out." I think I have everybody on board when Faith and Kennedy come rushing through the front door. "Whoa, whoa," I put up my hands, "Everything's cool here."

Out of breath, Faith looks from me to Emma, "You're killing me kid."

"Sorry Faith, I just... needed you here," she hangs her head, "didn't mean to sound desperate."

"It's ok, we'll work on it," Faith is bent over hands on knees trying to catch her breath, "didn't realize you were ready for telepathy."

Ms. Hartness voice booms over their conversation, "There's a great deal you haven't realized, all of you, the foremost being exactly what Emma is capable of; which is why she needs to come back to England with me."

Faith straightens up immediately, "You will take her nowhere." She looks Ms. Hartness up and down. "With all due respect Ma'am, I know exactly what I'm capable of."

"Oh my God enough," I can't believe this is happening, "will everybody please just stop? Come on, my office, now."

Kennedy is standing next to Willow, concern showing on her face, "Buff, we're going to let you guys sort this out."

Nodding I look at Willow, "You ok Wills?"

"Yeah, we'll talk later."

I put on a smile for her, "Of course."

The four of us file into my office. Immediately the battle lines are drawn: Emma and Faith sit on the couch, Ms. Hartness takes the chair opposite them. Sighing, I grab the other chair and sit between them, trying to bridge the gap. I begin, " Ms. Hartness, while I'm sure you know a great deal about Emma's past and the Goddess that seeks her out, she has a mind very much her own. She has made it abundantly clear she wishes to stay here with us and we will do everything in our power to keep her safe."

"Ms. Summers, Buffy, you don't understand - "

Faith cuts her off, "Then why don't you just explain it to us? Why all the fucking mystery and intrigue?"

She looks over to Faith and smiles, "I see why the Powers favor you, your no-nonsense manner is quite refreshing."

"It's part of my charm," Faith shrugs trying to lighten up.

"Yes, I see it is." She takes all of us in then sits back in her chair. Looking at Emma, "I'd rather speak to you in private."

"No, I want Buffy and Faith here." A small smile escapes my lips.

"So be it. The Coven was concerned the Goddess would seek you out, claim you in a manner of speaking, when you were old enough to realize your powers. It was decided – without my consent – to remove you from your parents. Young, inexperienced members were sent which resulted in catastrophe. I tried to quickly place you with a family that would give you a more 'normal' up-bringing, but that didn't end well either."

Faith speaks up, "With her parents gone, why didn't you take her then?"

"Patience, dear," Ms. Hartness turns her gaze to Emma.

Emma's eyes suddenly get very wide, "Oh my God, I killed them." She whispers.

"Not without some cause dear: the Coven members did kill your parents, then you in turn killed them. It was your first major use of magic, it was massive, we felt it in England."

"Oh," Emma's head is down now.

"So when your adoptive parents placed you in hospital we actually thought maybe it would buy us some time to research the Goddess and the extent of your power more. So we disguised you with a glamour, then there was the nurses' strike at the hospital in Johannesburg. You missed a few days of sedation which led to the Goddess locating you then her minion kidnapping you."

"So you called us." I add.

"Yes, we put together from reports that it was a M'Fashnik demon and you were the only one we knew of to defeat one. So we called the expert." She stopped to look at me, "I didn't know what you would lose in the process, again my condolences."

"Yes, thank you, please continue," Maybe there is some feeling in this woman.

"Well, after you brought Emma to us, we changed hospitals to the one in Durban. It's there she was to stay until we figured out what the dark Goddess wanted of her."

Faith leans forward, "You were going to let her rot in that asylum until you 'figured it out'? She shakes her head, "I don't know how Red puts up with you."

Ms. Hartness narrows her eyes at her, "We needed to know what we were dealing with."

Now I was angry, "At the risk of Emma's mental and physical health? And you still don't even know after all this time."

At first she looks a bit defeated then suddenly steals herself, "It was the choice made at the time. It cannot be changed now."

Emma looks over to her, "Did you know I was also a Slayer?"

"Not until you got here, we felt it then."

We are all quiet for a moment, letting it all sink in. Then Emma speaks my name, "Buffy?" her voice is shaky.

"Yeah Em?"

"How did you know to come for me in Durban?"

"Dawn. Last week she got a report of a PSNA, my specialty, so off I went." I promptly received three blank stares. "Sorry, it's our acronym: Potential Slayer Needs Assistance."

"But if I was drugged, so effectively cloaked, then how did she know?" she continues.

I look at her then to Faith who nods knowingly, "The PtB"

Ms. Hartness shakes her head, "Too many cooks." Sighing she continues, "I appreciate your efforts so far, truly I do, but Emma really needs to come back to England with me..."

Her words trail off as Dawn peeks in, "Hey Ms. Hartness, how's it going? Sorry to barge in, but I just got off a plane and Buffy needs this." Dawn locks eyes with mine. I walk over to her and take the envelope she is holding out. "I'm sure we'll talk later," Dawn calls out as she closes the door.

I open the seal and look through the contents. Ms. Hartness tries to continue but I hold up my hand, "One sec." I finish leafing through the papers and smile. "Emma's not going with you unless she wants to." I state firmly once again holding my hand up to stay the Witch's protests. I remove a passport from the envelope, "This is from the US Secretary of State, granting Emma immediate US citizenship. And this," I pull out the rest of the papers, "is from the Governor of Ohio, granting me custody of Emma to act as her legal guardian until she reaches the age of eighteen."

"Ms. Summers you have absolutely no idea..."

I don't hear what she's saying; I'm looking at Emma's reaction to what I've said. Her head is darting back and forth from Faith to me. Not really believing what's going on she stands and comes to me. "You did this for me?" As I nod she engulfs me in her arms. "Thank you. God I don't know how to thank you." I catch Faith's gaze and hold it for a moment. She mists up then turns away.

"Hey Em?" Faith calls.

"Yeah?" She breaks away from me to face her.

"Why don't you help Andrew with dinner and let us finish up here, ok?"

Emma looks back to me and I nod. "But I want..."

"Go on," Faith says a bit more sternly, "I'll catch up with you later."

"Alright," She hesitantly leaves the room.

Ms. Hartness watches the scene unfold in front of her. "She responds to you two as parents," her voice has a touch of awe in it, "a bond has indeed been forged." She takes an appraising look at Faith, "I would assume you and Willow will conduct the lions-share of Emma's training?"

Faith nods, "That's the plan. The others will help out in their specialties and B will keep it all on an even keel, but for the most part it will be me and Red."

"It may have to be just you in the beginning."

I cut her off, "What's wrong with Willow?"

"She cast the cloaking spell on Emma. Now normally her magic would not be so easily traceable, but because she took Rack's power and made it her own, the Goddess feels that power in Willow, therefore has a link to her. That's what happened this morning; she was basically flexing her muscles. We must find a way to close the conduit she has opened to the Goddess."

WILLOW AND KENNEDY'S ROOM - ½ HOUR LATER

FAITH'S POV

"So call me crazy but why should we close the conduit? Why not use it to find out what the Goddess wants? I mean the Coven hasn't found out squat in seven years, what makes us feel we are going to?"

Kennedy tears into me, "Are you fucking insane? You want to keep Willow tied to a fucking dark Goddess?"

"Babe, don't, Faith's right." After a half hour Red finally speaks, "There are dark Goddesses that are not malevolent."

"Exactly," I add, "Even in Red's Wicca there's the "Crone" a Goddess of darkness but not evil. I want to know why the Coven assumes she is."

The room is silent for a moment until Ken picks up a chair and throws it against the wall. She looks up sheepishly, "Sorry, frustration."

I kneel down in front of Red. "Look, I don't want to talk you into doing anything you don't feel comfortable with. I just think we should make Ms. H work with us while she's here. Maybe find a way to communicate with this Goddess. At the very least maybe we can find out what she wants with Emma."

Red nods, "That way we'll know for sure, good or bad."

"Yeah."

Kennedy rubs Red's shoulder, "You don't have to do this."

"Sure I do. I killed her son and now I'm helping raise her granddaughter. Me and the Goddess, we're like this," she holds up her right hand showing her fore and middle fingers crossed, "this is her," she points to the forefinger, "and this is me," she points to her thumb.

Kennedy makes a sour face, "Babe, old joke, not funny."

I shrug, "I thought it was funny."

Red inhales then surveys our faces, "It's time we talk about what happened with Emma and the Coven members." We all look down. "We've all taken life and know the guilt that comes from it. Emma's taken two and her memory of it has been hiding for the past seven years. Ms. Hartness has at least one valid point: We have no idea what kind of power Emma has nor do we know if she can even begin to control it."

I nod, "She seems very reactionary. She needs to learn how to control her impulses. When she reached me telepathically I thought you guys were under some kind of attack because all she sent was 'trouble, come now'."

B folds her arms and leans against the wall, "You're right, as the drugs are wearing out of her system she is getting sharper and no doubt stronger mystically, so let the Wicca training begin. Why don't you guys start tomorrow morning? Ken and I will convince Ms. Hartness to help us find a way to communicate with the Goddess. Meanwhile, I'll try to help Emma through the mess of what happened to her parents." B looks around and sees we're all on the same page, "Do you think we can try to have one normal night?"

"Dinner's ready," Emma says as she stands in the doorway. Now how much do you wanna bet she heard just about all of that?

I move to her, "Great I'm starved." I decide to start her training now: 'Did you overhear all of that?' I send her the thought.

'Just from the joke, I thought it was funny too. The door was open you know, it's not like I was spying.' I get back from her.

I put my hand on her shoulder then move it up to rub the base of her neck, "So, you cool with it?" I say aloud.

She looks up at me and smiles, "Very."

We leave the others silent and slightly confused.

DINING ROOM – 1 HOUR LATER

FAITH'S POV

So it's kinda wild but after all the heavy shit, dinner was a lot of fun. Andrew made an intense roast beef with every side you can possibly imagine, the boy can cook. Now he's a bit tipsy and trying to get the rest of us to join him. He's celebrating the hologram program being able to read Emma and my hybrid DNA. Even Ms. H is finally relaxing, accepting defeat in typical British fashion: acknowledging it but pointing out at every possible moment how superior her plan is. Jeeze, she's like a female Giles. Maybe all the wine Andrew has poured for her is having some effect.

When Andrew and Dawn bring her into their office to show her the hologram map and complex's security the five of us sit in a very comfortable silence.

"More wine anyone?" B is opening another bottle as Andrew took the other one with him. A chorus of 'Yeah' and 'Sure' is heard. She pours out the bottle giving Emma a half glass. Raising her glass, "A toast," We raise ours as well. "Welcome Emma and Faith. It's been a crazy few days since we all got here. But tonight is the first semblance of what our quasi-normal life is like. I hope you two grow to love it here as much as I do."

There are tears in Emma's eyes as she touches B's glass with her own. She doesn't realize she's speaking for both of us when she answers, "I already do."

MEANWHILE IN ANDREW & DAWN'S OFFICE

DAWN'S POV

Ms. H is intrigued by the hologram map and how it works. Andrew needs no prodding to explain his genius in great detail. It is his. He likes to tell people I helped, which I did a little bit, but the map and the science behind it really is his baby.

"Buffy seems to be doing quite well." Hmmm, someone is fishing.

"As a matter of fact she is," I answer cautiously.

She sips her wine as Andrew watches us. "I can only hope she raises Emma as well as she did you, Dawn. You have become such an integral part of the New Council." She stops for a moment trying to gauge if she can push further. "I wasn't expecting her to seek legal custody of Emma. Is that something she does often?"

It's time to put the kibosh on this, "It might be best for you to have this conversation with my sister."

"I'm not trying to be coy, Dawn. I'm genuinely curious. I haven't seen any of you except Willow and Kennedy in nearly three years. Buffy seems so very different and I was wondering if it had to do with Emma's arrival."

"We aren't children anymore, Ms. Hartness." Willow's standing in the doorway.

"Yes, I'm well aware."

Slowly Willow comes into our office, "Are you? Really? We've seen more death, demons and vampires in the last seventeen years than most in our craft do in a lifetime. That's probably because no one who's fought this close to the battle has ever lived this long. We've stopped the apocalypse more times than any of us can remember. We've cheated death on many occasions and Buffy, well; no one has given more or lost more than Buffy. Now you think she's changed because of the arrival of one girl?" Willow looks at her closely, "She became the confident resourceful woman you see now, many years ago."

"I understand, but her adopting Emma - "

""Makes complete sense," Will cut her off. "Ms. Hartness, Emma needs many things, training being just one of them. You and the rest of the Coven have been forgetting something from the day she was born: she's a girl. She needs people around her that understand what she's going through, that share the same power, that feel the same sense of purpose. Yes, she is a witch, but she is also a Slayer and a demon. Look at the map," we all turn to it, "Andrew's program has been searching all live recorded DNA samples in the world since this morning and there are still only two purple lights: Emma's and Faith's. Why would you want to separate them?"

"I didn't - "

"Since the three of them arrived on Thursday they have barely slept, let alone had a proper meal until tonight. The level of stress is incalculable. Then this morning you tell me the Goddess is her grandmother and you are coming on the first flight over here." She shakes her head, "We couldn't let you take her away. Buffy and Kennedy were on the phone most of the morning getting in touch with every contact they have in politics to help push this through," Willow pauses, "she needs stability and love in addition to the training, Ms Hartness. We will give her everything she needs."

THE KITCHEN

FAITH'S POV

B, Ken, Em and I finally finish cleaning up. God, Andrew can cook, but the dude sure made a disaster of the kitchen. Dinner for 8 made a mountain of dishes, pots, pans, Jeeze.

Emma put a hand on my shoulder, "Faith?"

"What's up?"

"Just," she gives me a hug, "Goodnight."

"Sleep well" I whisper as I hold her tightly, 'Remember to concentrate on your mental barrier to keep everyone's thoughts out of your head,' I send to her.

"I will," she answers aloud.

B walks with Em upstairs; I guess she wants to be sure Em is cool with the adoption stuff. Kennedy is off to find Willow. I told her she's probably sticking it to Ms. H which gets a wry laugh. Seeing I have a moment to myself, I grab my jacket and go out back for a smoke.

It's gotten cool out, I'm glad I grabbed my leather jacket. When I'm almost done with my cigarette, I feel B in the kitchen. She comes outside and slides her arms around my waist as she rests her head against my back. "It's cold out here," she shivers.

Holding my cigarette up, I turn in her arms wrapping the sides of my jacket around her as I pull her closer to me. "That better?"

"Mmmm, closer to you is always better," she nuzzles into my neck as I take my final drag. "We're going to have to put an ashtray out here for you."

"Is it a problem?" I ask as I snap off the tip of the cigarette, extinguishing it. Then I pitch the dead butt in the garbage in the corner.

"Actually, no."

"Thanks."

We're silent for a moment, "Emma's very happy," she leans her head on my shoulder.

"I thought she would be," I rub my chin against the top of her head. "You know, all these years we've trained and fought and it's all been about power. But what you did today, that was real power, nothing mystical just you. Jesus, woman, the Secretary of State and the Governor? Very impressive."

"Yeah, Ken and I did good today." She pauses then whispers, "Are you happy?"

"Oh, baby," I hold her tighter, "more than words." I kiss her forehead.

Her lips move to my throat as she snakes her arms around my neck. I exhale, slowly savoring the feel of her warm mouth against my cool skin. She pulls my head down to hers and runs her tongue over my bottom lip then I'm lost in her kiss. Suddenly it's not cold at all anymore and have I mentioned it drives me crazy when she drags her nails through my hair? "Take me to bed," she murmurs into my mouth.

"You have no idea how much I want you," my voice is hoarse with need as I backpedal her to the kitchen door.

Twisting the door knob behind her, we stumble inside, "Show me."

And I do.