See Part 1 for Disclaimer and other details. Thanks to the people who have reviewed so far.
Part III: Helplessly Devoted To You
Angel's mansion, Crawford Street, Sunnydale. January, 1998
It had been quite the eventful few months.
Cordelia Chase had been dumped by her boyfriend Scott Hope after the gossip of what had happened in the locker room that evening reached his ears. And later, the boy had also told everyone who would listen that she was gay. But Queen C had quickly reasserted herself, causing Scott's popularity to go down the toilet after she hooked up with the starting quarterback of the football team, and again assumed her place at the top of the school's social pyramid. And thus, the demoness Anyanka was never summoned to Sunnydale...
Angel had almost killed himself that Christmas, but failed thanks to the miracle of snow – as he and Buffy got back together, sort of.
A girl named Amy Madison had ended up a rat, as the Scooby gang learned that even in Sunnydale – fairy tales can come true.
But none of that mattered right now as Buffy and Angel trained together. As they fought, the blonde Slayer tripped her opponent, straddled his waist and attempted to stake him with a baguette. "Gotcha!"
Flat on his back, the vampire had to acknowledge defeat. "Uhh! Right in the heart."
Buffy smirked. "It's like, three victory cheers for THIS Slayer!" She then got off of Angel, and helped the vampire up.
The 250-year-old creature said, "Thanks for the workout."
"No problem, but I better get going. Giles is waiting for me, I think..."
The former Angelus frowned. "How's he doing?"
"Um, okay. So are Willow and Oz, now that Xander and her have started mending fences. And oh, don't get me started on him and Faith! I mean, those two living together? Yeah, I'm sure Xander's having LOTS of fun at nights..." Buffy rolled her eyes, then she caught Angel's look. "What?"
"They're not sleeping together, Buffy. I'm sure of that."
"How..." Then the Chosen One blushed, "Uh, oh yeah, I guess you of all people could tell, huh?"
Angel went on as if she hadn't spoken, "I mean, it would be psychologically impossible for them to ever get together, anyway."
Buffy frowned. "'Splainy?"
"Ever since Xander was possessed by that so-called assassin last year...he just doesn't act like a teenager anymore, you know. His mannerisms, his knowledge base...maybe you're too close to see it, but I'm not. Unconsciously, I think Harris sees you and the rest of your classmates as just children now. That's why it wouldn't surprise me if he rejected her as gently as he could, if Faith ever tried to seduce him."
The young woman got a little upset at his words. "Is that how you see us too? I mean, do you see ME just as some swoony little schoolgirl?"
"Of course not!" Angel rushed to reassure her. "You're the Slayer, Buffy. You could never be that!" He rushed to change the subject. "How's Cordelia?"
Ms. Summers decided to let the previous topic slide for now. "Just between us? I think she misses Xander über-bad, given how she just broke up with ANOTHER boyfriend. And she hasn't forgotten everything Angelus did, either; that's probably why she doesn't trust either you OR me nowadays."
The vampire shrugged. "Guess you can't blame her, all things considered..."
Sunnydale, California. Later that night
Long after sunset at a playground, Buffy was doing what she did best: slaying vampires with an excellent pun on her lips. "Wow, that was really funny-looking! Could you do it again?"
The bloodsucker, who had fallen down a slide in a very undignified way, got up and snarled, "I'll kill you for that!"
"For that? What were you trying to kill me for before?" Buffy riposted.
They fought again, and just as Buffy raised her stake to finish him off...she was overcome by a wave of dizziness, that completely blindsided her.
The vamp tried to take advantage of the opening she'd given him...but before he could do anything a familiar muted spit was heard, and the vamp started screaming in agony, clutching at the ruined remains of his right eye.
Xander then came up and finished off the enemy, putting the wounded creature out of its misery with a stake to the heart. Then he turned to the Slayer, "You okay, Buffy?"
"Yeah, I...hey, did you decide to patrol without me or Faith? Remember, there are union rules about that – the Slayage is only allowed to be done by us professionals!"
Xander didn't appreciate the joke. "Faith's over at Restfield Cemetery. Plan is for us to hook up later, around eleven or so. We might just go home afterwards – it's been pretty dead tonight so far, apart from that guy just now."
Buffy looked at her friend, and could not help but be envious of his easy relationship with her sister Slayer. ( Does Faith even realize just how lucky she is? ) "Well, okay. Guess I might just call it a night too."
"Okay, Buff. See ya at school tomorrow."
Xander Harris then watched as the blonde Slayer left, a curious frown appearing on his face as he contemplated her departure.
Sunnydale High, Sunnydale. The next day
Rupert Giles headed for the library, and as he entered his private domain he heard a number of crashing noises. "Buffy? What's going on?"
The older Slayer gestured towards a target board she had set up, that had a few knives sticking out of it. "Giles, something's wrong!"
"I beg your pardon?"
Ms. Summers threw a knife at the target, but missed completely. "Look! I'm way off my game. My game's left the country. It's in Cuernavaca! And on top of that, I got a bad case of the dizzies last night and almost let a vamp get lucky!"
"Are you all right?" the British man asked in concern.
"Yeah, yeah, Xander was there to help out. Vampire went poof, no problem."
"I see...well, Buffy, perhaps you've got a bad flu bug or something-"
But the blonde high school senior didn't want to accept that. "No. No, not sick. I CAN'T get sick! My dad's coming to take me to the ice show. We do it every year for my birthday! If I cancel, it's gonna break his heart!"
Rupert just shrugged. "Well, just, um, take it easy for 48 hours. You know, leave the patrolling in Faith's hands, until you feel yourself again."
Buffy looked at him, and then just worriedly left the library after a hasty goodbye. Giles sat at the table and took a sip of his coffee, before putting down the cup – and burying his face in his hands.
"What have I done?" he murmured to himself in anguish, feeling the guilt of betraying Buffy this way; for he was responsible regarding what had happened last night, after having injected his charge with a serum to deprive her of her powers for the upcoming Cruciamentum ritual. "And what more would they have me do..."
Giles went into his private office, and shut the door. And Xander came out of the stacks, staring in his direction and frowning.
He then picked up the phone, and dialled his home number. "Hey, Faith, it's Xander. Look, something's wrong with Buffy, you'll probably have to patrol tonight without me – I got some investigating to do..."
Sunnydale High Library, Sunnydale. Later that day
Buffy and Giles were talking, and the young woman was trying to convince her distracted Watcher to take her to the ice show. Because to her bitter disappointment, Hank Summers had canceled at the last moment.
"A lot of sophisticated people go!" the tiny blonde declared, a semi-desperate expression on her face.
Giles just replied, "Yes, I think we should start with the grounding crystal again," as he set a large blue crystal on the table in front of Buffy.
The Slayer tried again, "You know, it's usually something that families do together-"
The Council operative ignored that. "Now, look very carefully for the tiny flaw at its core."
"I-if someone were free, they'd take their daughters or their student...or their Slayer?" Buffy looked up at him hopefully.
Giles still appeared lost in his own world. "Hmm? Yes, but, Buffy, I think we should concentrate now. Now, look for the flaw at its center."
Buffy gave up and started to concentrate on the crystal. And soon enough, Ms. Summers went into a trance-like state. Giles leaned over and looked into her face, "Buffy?"
Satisfied that she was indeed caught in the crystal's thrall, Rupert pulled a case out from his briefcase, set it on the table and opened it. He then grabbed a hypodermic needle, a vial full of a clear yellow liquid and an alcohol-soaked gauze pad from within the case.
Keeping a careful eye on Buffy, the librarian started to fill the syringe, then tapping it to get rid of any air bubbles and pushing on the plunger until the fluid began to squirt out. He quickly rubbed Buffy's arm with the gauze pad, and just as he was about to lean over and inject the serum into the teenage girl – Giles heard a distinctive 'click', and felt the cold muzzle of a gun barrel against the back of his head.
"Guess this really is quite a Kodak moment here, isn't it, Rupert?"
Giles felt a chill travel down his back, as he straightened up and Xander moved away to face him. The gun never wavered from pointing at his head, though. ( Oh, bloody hell... )
"I can explain-" he started to say.
"I don't doubt it. What I DO doubt is whether anyone is gonna like your explanation." Xander then nudged Buffy's chair, breaking the thrall. "You awake now, Buff?"
"Huh?" Ms. Summers was confused for a second, before she looked up. "Xander! What the hell are you doing?"
The young man never even looked at her. "Eavesdropping a lot, lately. As well as watching Giles hypnotize you, just now. Not to mention preventing him from injecting you with whatever filthy shit is in that syringe that he's holding."
Buffy was understandably confused, and just stared at her father figure. "What-?"
"I'm all ears, MISTER Giles," Xander said dangerously. "So, tell me – what exactly is that stuff in your possession?"
The man said shakily, "It's an organic compound...of muscle relaxants and adrenal suppressers. Its effect is only temporary...Buffy wasn't in any direct danger from it..."
Harris started to smile like a predator. "So, lemme guess – you've injected it into her before now, right? That explains why she lost it last night, at that playground. Why she might have gotten killed if I hadn't been there. Okay, I think we've covered the 'how'. Wanna get started on the 'why'?"
Buffy looked like her whole world had been torn apart. "You stuck a needle in me. You, you poisoned me?"
"I didn't want to. But, but if I hadn't done it, someone else would have-" the British man said desperately.
"Who are you? How could you do this to me?" the girl looked at him in horror and betrayal.
"I am so...so very deeply sorry. But it's, it's a test, Buffy..." Giles took off his glasses, once he was sure Xander wouldn't shoot him out of hand for it. "It's given to the Slayer once she...uh, well, IF she reaches her 18th birthday. It's called the Cruciamentum-"
"That's Latin. Translates to 'torture' or 'torment', if I recall correctly," Xander said laconically, his latest set of artificial memories providing him with a quick translation. "Great name you came up with there, Rupert!"
Giles ignored that none-too-subtle jibe. "In certain matters of tradition and protocol, I must answer to the Council. My role in this...was very specific. I was to administer the injections and take her to the place of the test, without her knowing. Had I refused or warned her, I would have been dismissed from my duties and sent back to England, and my replacement would do the job in my place..."
Xander quietly contemplated that bit of information with an angry expression on his face. "I see," was the only thing he said though.
The Englishman then said desperately, "Buffy, I cannot apologize enough...but whether or not you believe me, the Watchers will put you through this pointless archaic ritual, whether any of us like it or not..."
"I don't know you anymore!" Buffy screamed, her eyes beginning to tear up. Then she turned to Xander, "Remember that conversation we had, the night Spike came back to town? Looks like you were right and I was wrong, Giles WOULD obey orders like that..." the girl sobbed before she left the library.
Xander sighed and put away the gun, making a note to hide it here or somewhere else later – he couldn't afford to be found carrying a concealed weapon on the school grounds, after all, without getting suspended or even expelled, not to mention arrested. Then he said, "Well, that went well, don't you think?"
"This is no time for jokes!" Giles snapped.
"To which I say, does it LOOK like I'm laughing?" Harris replied, his manner growing ice-cold. "Now, you listen to me very carefully, British man. I want details on that stupid-ass test; what it involves exactly, and when and where it's supposed to go down. And if you lie to me, by this time tomorrow...you'll be just another Sunnydale statistic! If not by my hand, then someone else's – Faith's, or maybe even Angel's. Because I don't think either of them will deal very well, with your little act of betrayal. Do you?"
The older man just stared at him, and started to recite details regarding the mad cannibalistic vampire known as Zachary Kralik...
Angel's mansion, Crawford Street, Sunnydale. Later that day
An urgent meeting was taking place, as Willow and Buffy spoke with Angel during lunchtime. "Have you ever heard of anything like this, Angel?" the apprentice witch asked, still unable to believe that Giles of all people had done that to her best friend.
The ensouled vampire frowned. "Well, I've heard of the term "Tento di Cruciamentum". I've never directly heard of the Council's test, but I DID meet another vampire once who claimed to have killed a very weak Slayer – and gotten away from the Watchers afterwards-"
Angel noticed their stares and clarified, "That was back in the 19th century, when I was still Angelus. And that vamp was the same one who mentioned the Cruciamentum thing to me, too."
"Wow, it's just – I, I'm sorry, but my whole world is still like completely gone cockeyed here! I mean, Giles? Who'd have ever thought he'd be party to something like this?" Willow asked her companions in disbelief.
Angel knew the Slayer was still feeling betrayed by her mentor, and so came up behind her and let the beautiful young teenager lean against his chest. He said soothingly, "Buffy, I know it's hard – but please, don't let this one incident completely destroy your relationship with the guy..."
"What did you say to me?" the blonde whirled around in shock.
The vampire sighed. "Giles is a good man, who's saved your life more than once. But in this case, he was stuck in the middle of an impossible situation. Come on, Buffy – deep down, you know that's true. This so-called test would have happened to you one way or another, even if he'd refused to go through with his part of it. I guess it was just lucky Xander was there to catch him at it, when he did-"
Buffy looked thoughtful. "You know what? I don't think luck comes into it much these days, where Xander's concerned. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he's been stalking me lately..."
"I prefer to think of it as constructive lurking, myself," Harris commented, as he and Faith entered the room.
A round of "hey's' and "hi's" took place, as the Scooby gang decided they needed to come up with a plan. Faith said, "Seems pretty simple to me; tomorrow, B just takes a vacation in LA or whatever-"
Angel shook his head. "That's not sure enough. The Council might try to kidnap her and later force her into it, anyway."
"So, from midnight tonight we all gotta stand guard, right? Anyone who tries to come for Buffy, we stop 'em!" Willow said eagerly.
"Can't be that simple, Will. This is Sunnydale, after all! And where's this thing supposed to happen, anyway?" Buffy wanted to know.
"According to Giles, the Sunnydale Arms boarding-house. Abandoned old place, over on Prescott Lane," Xander supplied.
"So, you got a plan?" Faith asked.
Xander looked thoughtful. "Okay, this is gonna sound pretty radical, but hear me out..."
Everyone waited for details as Harris said, "Look, as far as we know, the Council has no idea that we've figured out their little game. I mean, I REALLY doubt that Giles is gonna tell anybody what happened in the library today! So maybe Buffy should just turn up at the place tomorrow night as expected, pretending that she has no idea what's going on-"
"WHAT?" the three girls exclaimed.
"Let me finish! As I said, Buffy turns up like she's supposed to...but the rest of us will already be there. Hidden and ready to take out that insane-o vamp for her, the moment the Watchers lock her in with the damn thing. The Tweed Brigade need never know Buffy wasn't alone, and everyone ends up happy!"
Willow's eyes went wide. "You mean, cheat?"
The young woman could then easily see the ghost of that professional killer lurking in Xander's eyes as he replied with barest trace of a smile, "Well. As far as I'm concerned, the concept of fair play doesn't exist when vamps and demons are part of the situation!"
1630 Revello Drive, Sunnydale. The next night
The time had almost come for Xander's plan to be put in action, as the group had finally decided to go with it in the end. Buffy had just arrived at her house, expecting to be picked up soon by Giles to be taken to the Sunnydale Arms – when all of a sudden the Watcher's old Citroen pulled up next to her.
"You're early..." the blonde girl said with a frown, still not having completely forgiven Rupert for what he'd done to her.
But Giles looked almost crazed, as he got out of the car. "Buffy! Are you all right?"
She frowned again. "Sure, why?"
The Watcher sighed with relief. "Thank God! Buffy, listen to me – Kralik's escaped!"
"What?" Buffy shouted.
"There's more – two of the men that were on guard duty at the boarding-house are dead. He's killed Hobson, and made Blair one of his own! That means Kralik now knows who you are, and where you live-"
The female teenager instantly had a horrible feeling about all this, her heart suddenly thundering in her chest, and as she rushed to the front door – her worst fears came to life, as Buffy saw a Polaroid photo taped to the doorframe. It was one of her mother being held by the neck by Zachary Kralik, and the word "Come" was written on the back.
"Oh dear God..." Giles said in horror, as he came up and saw the photograph too. "We've got to go after her!"
"No, I've got it under control. Me and my friends will save her," Buffy told him coldly, as she went into her house to stock up on weapons.
Giles just stood there in shock, and wondered if he'd truly lost her confidence forever if she didn't want his help even at a time like this...
Sunnydale Arms Boarding-house, Prescott Lane, Sunnydale. A short while later
Xander, Faith, Buffy and Angel arrived at the field of play, loaded for bear and ready to kick ass. The two male-female teams entered the house and then split up; Xander and Faith went looking for the guy named Blair, while Angel tracked Joyce's scent and led Buffy to the basement.
"Hide and seeeek. We're playing a game, but you're not playing by the rules," Kralik's voice taunted them, as the good guys came upon the bound and gagged Summers woman.
"Sorry. But then, I've never been one to jump through the hoops of others if I can possibly help it," Buffy called out, trying to spot where the voice was coming from.
"Who's your friend, Slayer?" the insane vampire wanted to know.
"Name's Angelus. You might have heard of me," Angel vamped out, despite Joyce's freaked expression.
"Indeed I have. Alas, but you have strayed from the path, and you have lost your way..." the crazy killer crooned.
"This guy is seriously starting to annoy me," Angel muttered, holding his sword ready as Buffy removed the gag and started to try to untie Joyce.
Elsewhere, Xander was looking for those of the soulless undead variety. Faith had her crossbow out and was looking as well, but she was still taken by surprise when the newbie vampire attacked her without warning.
Blair punched her hard, knocking the weapon out of her hands and sending the Slayer sailing away against the wall. Xander had no time to open fire, before the other guy slapped the pistol out of his hand as he flew towards his throat. So Harris just cocked his elbow to smash it into the creature's face; and as the blow landed he cried out, "Mee-sah!"
Automatically, the boy then lifted his right leg and brought his boot down hard on the ex-Watcher's kneecap; a horrible crunching noise was heard as the dead thing was crippled with a violent scream. "Kwa-sah!"
Xander then turned the stunned Blair around, and hurled him towards Faith; as the dark-haired Slayer stabbed him with her pointy stick, the bloodsucker exploded into dust.
"Now that's what I call a decent Slay!" Faith joked, as she walked over and high-fived her partner.
Back in the basement, Zachary Kralik got tired of the cat-and-mouse game, and unexpectedly attacked. He slammed Buffy out of the way, who was still not at the top of her game, and took on Angel after she was knocked out cold.
After batting the sword aside with his own makeshift weapon, the two vamps fought ferociously, Kralik finally grabbing the good guy by the throat and forcing the other vampire down to his knees – with the sort of strength that only the insane can possess, in times of desperation.
Kralik was then seriously trying to dust Angel by simply ripping his head off, when a wooden plank crashed into his face. Said weapon being held by the one and only Rupert Giles, who had arrived unnoticed into the battle zone.
"Buffy, get him!" the Watcher shouted.
The blonde girl, who had woken up by now, didn't waste her opportunity – as the soulless vampire staggered backwards, she threw some holy water into Kralik's face. While he was blinded and roaring from the pain, Ms. Summers quickly used Mr. Pointy to turn the deranged creature into pancake mix.
Buffy and Giles stared at each other for a long moment, before she went to untie her mother and Rupert helped Angel up off the floor.
Sunnydale High Library, Sunnydale. Later that night
"Congratulations, you passed."
The words from Quentin Travers, who was Giles' direct superior in their organization, meant nothing as far as Buffy was concerned. A short and tense conversation then took place, as Rupert learned that even though his charge has passed the Cruciamentum test he himself had not.
"I've recommended to the Council, and they've agreed, that you be relieved of your duties as Watcher immediately. You're fired," Travers said calmly.
Giles looked somewhat taken aback by this. "On what grounds?"
"Your affection for your charge has rendered you incapable of clear and impartial judgment. You have a father's love for the child, and that is useless to the cause. It would be best if you had no further contact with the Slayer-"
Rupert interrupted with some hostility, "I'm not going anywhere."
Quentin looked unsurprised to hear this. "No, well, I didn't expect you would adhere to that. However, if you interfere with the new Watcher, or countermand his authority in any way, you will be dealt with. Are we clear?"
Giles nodded slowly. "Oh, we're very clear."
Quentin then just bowed slightly to Buffy. "Congratulations again-"
She just looked at him, with a stare of weary hatred and contempt. "Bite me," the blonde girl said vehemently.
Quentin chuckled, "Yes, well..." before he turned around, and left the library.
However, Travers didn't get very far before someone used a weapon on the back of his head to club him unconscious. And not long afterwards, Quentin woke up to find himself alone in one of the classrooms with some idiot male teenager. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you?"
"You can call me Delta. No, better yet – call me Cain," Xander said, a grim smile on his face as he took aim with his gun.
"Whatever you're up to, Mr. Cain, you won't get away with it-" Travers started to bluster, as Harris then lowered the weapon a little.
"What am I up to? Well now, that's an interesting question. But an even more interesting one would be, what did you think YOU were doing – stripping a teenage girl of her powers, and locking her up with that undead...psychotic?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but the Cruciamentum is hallowed ritual-"
"Myself, I think it's an effective means of weeding out the stupid Slayers – and the ones that get a bit too independent for your taste," Xander shot back with a smirk.
Travers was beginning to get annoyed. "This is pointless, I'm leaving-"
But as soon as he tried to do so, Xander raised his Browning again. "I think I've figured it out, you know. The real reason why you did this to Buffy, and why you'll also try to do it to Faith when her time comes. It's all about demonstrating who's got the power. Well, that's why we've decided to send a little message to your Council, in a language that I'm sure they'll understand."
"What are you blathering about?" Travers demanded imperiously.
"Bottom line, that what's good for the goose is also good for the gander. And any other motherfuckers from England that come here to pull that crap on one of my girls again, are gonna suffer the exact same fate as you," Xander said, his manner suddenly viciously and frighteningly lethal.
"I still don't-"
"Welcome to your own Cruciamentum, Mr. Travers. Your test begins, as soon as I leave here; and the only way in or out for you is through this door. Now, in just a few moments, you're going to be locked up in here with a vampire. If you manage to survive, you pass the test," Harris said with a smirk.
"You can't do this!" Travers thundered, even as his face went white with fear.
"Well, who's going to stop me? You?" Xander went to the door and opened it, after knocking Quentin down when he tried to run for it. "By the way, I should warn you – the vampire you're about to face? That was his girlfriend you just tried to sacrifice, earlier tonight..."
Xander locked the door behind him, as a pissed-off Angel stepped into the room. And then the young man just smiled coldly, for the muffled sounds of screaming could easily be heard as he walked off down the school corridor...
To Be Continued In Part 4