Chapter Two
Five thirty was too early in the morning for any active Slayer. Waking up at four thirty was even worse.
Anne was silent the whole trip. Oz drove her along with the rest of the Scoobies in his van. Everyone of Anne's friends wanted to say goodbye.
"I'm leaving the house to you guys," she said with a sniffle once they reached the desired location. Anne looked at everyone in the van for a long time. "Take good care of her."
As they got out of the automobile and approached the jet, hugs and good-byes were shared. "I'll keep in touch," Anne promised.
"You'd better," Willow said tearfully.
"I hear the weather sucks in London," Xander said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Can't change my mind now, Xand," Anne laughed as she hugged him.
As Anne got onboard the jet, she turned back to wave goodbye. Xander yelled something she couldn't hear. She pointed to her ear to show him she didn't know what he said. He turned to the group and a second later, all at once, all of her friends yelled out the same things at the top of their lungs --
"Don't ever change!"
Anne smiled before wiping a tear away from her eyes. "I'll grow," she managed to choke out, even though they couldn't hear her. "But I'll never change."
London, Anne realized, was a like Xander had described it, ironically -- a bit on the dreary side. Besides the fact it was still winter in Sunnydale as well, she wasn't used to the cold or the fog.
Getting off of the private jet, Anne wondered if any of this was really real. If she had just left her family for life by herself; if she really was intent on joining the very Watcher's Council she had wished to destroy at the start of her Slaying career. Millions like her, and millions to come, ended their lives short due to receiving something they never asked for. Anne wanted to make sure it never happened again.
It seemed as if she would have to start change on the inside rather than the out. It wasn't the victims that needed help; it was the abuser. And Anne was determined to stop at nothing to get the abuser jailed -- and possibly destroyed.
She spotted Mr. Wells out immediately, seeing as there were only a few people at the exclusive terminal. He waved to her, and with a smile she hosted her bags over her shoulders.
"Need some help with those bags?" he asked her once she was in hearing distance.
Anne smiled. "I am a Slayer, Mr. Wells."
"I figured. And it's just Andrew in private; all that Mr. Wells stuff is past my time. I'm only twenty-one."
Anne's eyebrows raised at his age mention. She followed him out of the terminal and towards a slick black limo.
"How do you work for the Council at such a young age?"
Andrew opened the door for her. "I suppose I should be asking you the same thing."
Angel watched the events around him with the slightest bit of amusement. The entire Watcher's Council headquarters was in an uproar. Insults and accusations were being thrown left and right throughout the large, elegant room. Men hit the wide, expensive table with their fists to argue their point. It wasn't even this bad when he and Spike had been 'asked' to join sides with the Council.
"Everyone!"
The head of the Watcher's Council Mr. Quentin Travers screamed for silence. His booming voice resounded through the walls of the room, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look up.
"Will you all just bloody well settle down? This is the Watcher's Council. Remember that!"
Everyone sat in their respected seats, eyes glued to the table. Angel noticed the tensions slowly dying down as the leader straightened himself out.
"Now," Travers stated in a more calm voice. "As the thirteen of you know, you are part of the high society of this Council. If the newest recruit saw you acting like this, who knows what would happen?"
"She's a Slayer, for Christ's sake!"
"She's only nineteen!"
"She's a she, you mean!
More and more comments were yelled. Angel sat back in his chair and watched all of his fellow leaders go insane.
"Gender should not play a specific role in the council."
"Slaying for Slayers, Watching for Watchers!"
"She may be the Chosen One we are looking for -- "
A knock at the door abruptly ended the beginning of what would have been a very heated conversation. Travers buzzed the newcomer in.
"Mr. Travers," Andrew greeted before looking to everyone else. "Gentlemen. I'd like to schedule a meeting with the Watcher's Council tomorrow at noon with the newest recruit."
Travers shot Andrew a confused glance. "Why not now?"
"Setting up an apartment, getting ID's scanned and in place, resting. Plus," Andrew added a bit embarrassingly, "she would like to go shopping later on."
The crowd erupted. A few merely laughed, including Spike.
Angel realized one thing was for sure: Anne Summers was about to create history, whether she wanted to or not.
