Chapter 10

LIBRARY - NEXT MORNING

(Buffy's P.O.V)

Giles and I are sitting at the table waiting on Kennedy and Wesley, or Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum as I prefer to call them. I've just finished telling him about Faith and he reckons that she may loose her soul within the next two days, what with it being a full moon and everything. This is sooo not what I wanted to hear. I mean I knew it was going to happen, just not this soon. I decide to ask the question that's been at the back of my mind.

"If she looses her soul will we be able to get it back? Will she be human again?" I look at him expectantly praying that he'll say yes.

"I honestly don't know Buffy, there may be some sort of spell that we haven't looked into yet, but there may be a chance that we can't." he said solemnly. This is not what I wanted to hear. I can't loose Faith when I've just found her.

I look over as the library doors swing open and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum strut in as if they own the place. Let the fun begin!

"Can't what?" Kennedy asks curiously as they come to stand in front of the table.

Oh shit! C'mon brain think dammit! "Can't go on the field trip to the zoo, there was a rumour about rabies, so looks like it's a no go." I fix a disappointed look on my face and hope she'll buy the story. Don't know how much she heard but there's no way I want her to know about Faith, God knows what she would do to her, know doubt Wesley would involve the council and they'd lock her up and that is not an option.

I throw Giles a look and he plays along "Yes, dreadful shame as I know how much you where looking forward to it." I think they're buying it, it's kinda hard to tell cause they look like they don't care, don't know whether to be insulted or not.

"Whatever" Kennedy says as she throws herself into a chair next to me and puts her feet on the table, right on top of my school books. Great, dirty books, just hope that that's mud and not something else.

"Do you mind?" I ask looking at her and gesturing to her feet.

"No." she says making no attempt what so ever to move them. Could she be anymore annoying. I grab her legs and throw them back off the table, causing her to loose her balance and fall backwards off her chair. She glares up at me from the ground and if looks could kill I'd probably be dead. A hundred times over. "you little bitch!" she stands up and moves to hit me, I stick my foot out and trip her up. Someone needs to put her in her place and I don't mind doing it. I glance over at Giles and he winks in approval. Kennedy gets up and goes to stand next to Wesley.

"If you could control your slayer Mr Giles. Immaturity is an unattractive trait. Now if you are quite finished Miss Summers, I would like to know the full details of what is occurring here and the progress that you have made so far."

Giles filled him in on everything that we knew, leaving out the parts that contained Faith.

"So what your telling me is that you have made no progress what so ever" he states raising an eyebrow.

"Not at the moment no but-" Giles started.

Wesley cut him off. "This is what we shall do. We need to find a Garou, the council have heard rumours of a pack of Garou living somewhere on the east coast, and there was word of one headed here." I looked at Giles worriedly. "If Kennedy and Buffy keep an eye out for this animal and capture it, we shall harvest it's blood and use it against the Daywalkers."

"And how exactly do you suggest we do that? Garou aren't easy to flush out, you could never tell them apart from a human and if cornered they can be extremely dangerous. I think we should find an alternative strategy." I silently thanked Giles. Looking at Wesley however I could see that he wasn't fazed.

"I do know what they are capable of. Which is why the council have given me this." he was holding some sort of silver pipe….thing.

Giles' jaw dropped which wasn't a good sign. "what is it?" I asked with trepidation.

"It's a Shilarquin." Wesley answered proudly.

"I ask again what is it?" I ask Giles this time as at least I know he'll give me a decent answer.

"It's a type of magical flute, it can be heard by Garou from hundreds of miles away. It causes them to change into their wolf from involuntarily, and they go to whoever plays it. Rather like the one that the pied piper had." Oh God if he plays that thing it could cause Faith to change completely. Giles looked at Wesley "You do realise that if you play that thing hundreds of Garou could appear."

"Yes I understand that but the Garou would be in a trance long enough for the slayers to dispose of them."

"I still say that it's risky, we can't afford to take any chances, we need all the fighters we can get and risking them on the off chance of slaughtering innocent creatures just to acquire their blood, well I cannot say that I condone it." Giles said.

"And that is why the council aren't too happy with your performance Mr Giles." Wesley said. God does this guy not know when to shut up! I listen as Wesley continues to drone on. "You know the council's policy on inhuman creatures."

"If it ain't human it ain't allowed to live" Kennedy piped up from beside Wesley. These people are so infuriating and what right do they have to say that! I mean Faith and Oz are more human than this pair of council drones! I decide to let my feelings known.

"That's not fair! I mean fair enough that may apply to vampires and some demons, but you can't just say that anything that isn't human has no right to live! You can't group people together like that and pass judgement on them like we're better than them. I mean what about werewolves! They can't help the fact that they are furry three nights of the month! They are people too!" They all look surprised by my sudden outburst, Giles looks kinda proud. Wesley's the first to recover.

"I see your watcher's bad influences have rubbed off on you Miss Summers." he states.

"My name is Buffy!" I snap at him "Use it!"

"Buffy, that's where your wrong these things aren't people and cannot be trusted. Werewolves have killed and maimed hundreds of people over the years, spreading their affliction wherever they go, and are no better than rabid dogs. These Garou are no better." he said patronizingly. I can't stay here any longer and listen to him preach to me, like he and his slayer are better than us, I need to hit something. Grabbing my bag and books I turn to Giles.

"I'll see you later" I say to him ignoring the other two. I ignore Wesley's protests as I storm out the door.

CAFETERIA SUNNYDALE HIGH - TWO HOURS LATER

(No-one's P.O.V)

Buffy was sitting at the lunch table with Xander, Willow and Oz her anger had been growing all day and she was trying to vent it by attacking her lunch. They watched amused as another pea was slaughtered by the furious slayer.

"I take it your meeting with Wesley and Kennedy didn't go too well?" Xander asked hesitantly.

Buffy slammed her fork down making them jump, she looked up at them and sighed "Sorry guys. No they have to be the most self righteous people I have ever met and I don't think we should tell them about Faith and Oz, their policy is to basically kill anything that ain't human and ask questions later." Willow grabbed onto Oz's arm protectively, seeing the look of worry on her best friends face Buffy added "Don't worry you guys I wouldn't let her get close enough to do that. As much as I hate them we need all the help we can get with this vamp thing, so I guess I'll have to grin and bare it for the time being."

"Don't worry Buffy we're here for you." Willow said laying a reassuring hand on Buffy's arm. "So when do we get to meet the ice queen?" she asked.

"I saw Giles a couple of minutes ago and he said that I've to patrol with her tonight. I suppose I could swing by the bronze afterwards. That way I can shake her off my tail before I go to the mansion to see Faith. That means you and Xander wouldn't need to be on wolf watch tonight." she suggested.

Xander grinned his approval "Sounds good to me."

"I don't know" Willow said "Would you be okay with it baby?" she asked turning to face Oz.

"Fine by me, I'll be in safe hands, besides you need to sleep." he replied kissing her on the cheek.

"Good, good now that that's sorted I'd better head, I've got a French test and I as much as I hate to say it I don't want to be late." Buffy said standing up and collecting her tray. "I'll see you guys later." she called over her shoulder.

"Bye Buffy." Willow said turning to the rest. "Well tonight should be a fun." she said sarcastically.

"Might not be that bad Wills" Xander replied "I mean c'mon how bad can this Kennedy person be?"

THE BRONZE - LATER THAT NIGHT

The Scoobies all sat in tense silence. Buffy and Kennedy had arrived an hour ago and from the stony look on Buffy's face their patrol didn't go too well. Kennedy had made no attempt at conversation and ignored any attempts made by the rest of the Scoobies. Willow could see that Buffy was desperate to leave as she kept looking at her watch, yup subtlety and Buffy Summers do not go together she thought with amusement. They all looked as Kennedy stood up and stretched "Well as much fun as this was I got more exciting things to be doing than wasting my time with you guys." with that said she strutted towards the exit. They all visibly relaxed as the tension lifted.

"Thank God I thought she'd never leave." Buffy said "So what did you guys think of her?"

"Well she wasn't as bad as I thought she'd be." seeing Buffy's look of astonishment she quickly continued. "Well the way you where describing her she sounded like the bitch from hell, don't get me wrong she's running a close second but you know what they say don't judge a book by it's cover."

"Well you try and spend as much time with her as I do and see if you still like her after that." Buffy pouted.

Xander ruffled her hair affectionately "Aww diddums, well if it counts for anything I don't think she'll be winning an award for manners anytime soon, cause that girl had none." they all nodded in agreement.

"Your right about that." Willow replied, she noticed Buffy looking at her watch again. "it's okay Buffy you can go if you want to."

Buffy looked up sheepishly "Are you sure I mean I don't want to be a killjoy or anything."

"I think Kennedy already beat you to it." Willow joked. "It's fine go ahead, I know you want to see Faith. Just say hey to Oz for me."

"Will do, thanks guys. Sorry about tonight." she apologised grabbing her coat.

"It's okay Buffy, just don't let her get to you." They all waved goodbye as she headed out the door.

MANSION

Buffy got to the mansion in record time she'd managed to stake a couple of vamps on the way over which helped to relieve her frustration. Stepping through the door she froze at the sight before her……………………Faith was gone..