Chapter 3: Reaching her Potential

******Several Weeks Later*****

Rory could not believe this was her life now. Nearly every day, she and her mother got up an hour earlier and jogged for a half hour. Luke joined them a few times a week, talking smack and getting them to pick up their slow speed.

No longer did she have Friday dinners at her parents. Instead, Rory stayed over on Fridays for extra instruction in ancient languages with her grandmother. As much as she hated to admit it, Rory found all the learning fascinating. On Saturday, her mother would join them at three in the afternoon as she would leave the Inn by two if there was no wedding or event that day. She would study the demons in her dad's book with Rory and work on swordplay with her dad. It kind of freaked Lorelai out that her dad had this entire side that she had no inkling about. At the same time, it felt kind of nice to learn more about him.

Rory was learning fencing at Chilton, so they started with that. It was fun, actually, and Lorelai liked doing it with her daughter. Eventually, her father said they'd progress to regular swords, which were often the best for killing demons. Both girls tried to ignore his serious words and keep things light and fun as much as possible.

They would have dinner on Saturdays together, and then she and Rory would go home. On Sunday, they both agreed to do no running or talk about anything slayer related. Instead, Rory would do her homework and spend some time with Lane.

It was a strange new reality, but they were managing it. When Christmas break came, her father had a surprise for her.

"I have spoken to the Slayer's watcher, Rupert Giles, and he has agreed to allow you to spend two nights on the hellmouth and go patrolling with Miss Summers," Richard said. "As I do not feel secure enough to take you patrolling in New York City or Boston, I thought it'd be a good idea to expose you to the supernatural and understand what to do if faced with a vampire. Also, it will eliminate any doubts that what I have told you is true."

Rory's eyes widened and fear filled her as she realized what her grandfather was saying. His words worked to eliminate the doubt she still had about if this entire potential-slayer bit was true. He would not bring in outsiders if it was an elaborate ruse.

"Seriously, Dad?" Lorelai asked. Hope that it was still a joke was what kept her going. If she found out it was real, she was not sure what she would do.

"Of course, Lorelai," Richard said. "Before—back when you were young—the active slayer was not like the current slayer. Nor was her watcher like the current one. Rupert Giles is not known for doing what is expected. In fact, the Council fired him for refusing to put their edicts ahead of his slayer's welfare."

"They can do that?" Rory asked in disbelief.

"They can," Richard said. "Mother was most unhappy about it and would not allow the Council to send anyone after Rupert as the slayer refused to work for the Council and won't have any other watcher but him."

"Sounds like a very loyal girl," Lorelai said.

"Yes, it's quite admirable," Emily said. "The Council has become drunk on their own power and self-importance. It's why I refused to let them in your life when you were young."

"When are we going to California?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh, you want to go?" Richard said, surprised.

"Well, I'm not letting you take my only daughter to a hellmouth without going with her," Lorelai said.

"I was thinking we could fly in on the twentieth and be back on the twenty-third, so it won't interfere much with the holidays," Richard said. "There's a Bed and Breakfast in the town next to Sunnydale where we should be safe."

Lorelai groaned. "I hate Bed and Breakfast places," she complained.

"Well, there's none in Sunnydale, and a hotel is not safe," Richard said. "A Bed and Breakfast is the home of the owner; therefore, vampires cannot enter."

Lorelai's eyes widened as she contemplated that. "Okay, I love Bed and Breakfast places and can't wait to visit the one in California," she said.

Rory grinned at her mother, relieved that she was going to be with her.

*****Sunnydale*****

Buffy was not in the mood, but Giles wanted to see her. She stopped by the Magic Box to see what was up. Her mother was recovering from brain surgery, which was great. However, her boyfriend had just left her after she had confronted him about allowing vampires to feed on him. She was feeling discombobulated and out of sorts. Maybe there was a new demon in town that she could beat up on. The idea of that brightened her a bit as she stepped into the shop.

"What's up, Giles?" she asked.

"How is your mother?" Giles asked her.

"She is doing fine," Buffy said, smiling. "There's still some head pain, but the doctor said that was to be expected for a few weeks. No more hallucinations or anything."

"Good," Giles said. He walked over to the round table and sat down, indicating that Buffy should sit down.

"Is there a new demon in town? Glory and her minions haven't been spotted in a few days," Buffy said.

"No, nothing like that," he said. "I need a favor."

Her watcher had never asked her for a favor, so Buffy was very surprised and curious. "Sure, Giles. What do you need?" she asked.

"An old chum of mine, Richard Gilmore, lives in Connecticut. He spent summers in London training to be a watcher," Giles explained. "His mother is on the Council, but he refused to leave his studies at Yale to move to London. His daughter was a potential, and her mother's family had also always worked for the Council. However, she had a negative opinion of the Council's methods."

"I like her already," Buffy said.

"Her daughter Lorelai, however, became pregnant and had a girl at sixteen and left her parent's home to be her own person," Giles said. "Recently, Lorelai was made aware of her family legacy because her daughter Rory, who is sixteen, is also a potential."

"Okay," Buffy said, not sure where he was going with this story.

"Richard comes from a very wealthy family. His daughter rebelled against all the family expectations and runs an inn and is not dependent on the family for her livelihood. However, since she and Rory have found about the family legacy and Rory's training has started, Lorelai has been very involved."

"That's great," Buffy said. "No Kendra robot or crazy Faith."

"Yes, it's good," Giles said. "However, Richard is insisting that Rory be exposed directly to the supernatural because his daughter and granddaughter don't fully believe what they've been told. He doesn't feel comfortable enough to do it himself as he's been mostly out of the game since college."

"Seriously?" Buffy chuckled. "I can see how it might be hard to believe without evidence. I thought Merrick was a loon when he told me. It was only when he took me to a cemetery that I believed him."

"That's what Richard is thinking. Would you mind taking the girl and her mother patrolling tomorrow and the next night?" Giles said. "They will be staying in a nearby town at a Bed and Breakfast, so we don't need to put them up or anything."

Buffy shrugged. "Sure," she said.

"I would've told you sooner, but with your mother's surgery, I wanted to wait. Maybe you can have them meet Riley and everyone," Giles said.

"Riley is gone," Buffy said flatly. "We broke up, and he went back to his soldiers."

"I hadn't heard. I'm sorry," Giles said, giving her a look of sympathy. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now," Buffy said. "So a distraction will be good."

"They will be here at the Magic Box by seven," Giles said.

"So they are complete newbies, right?"

"For the most part," Giles said. "They've been learning how to do hand-to-hand and some sword play. Demon and language instruction also, I believe. Rory goes to a prestige private school, though, so she is not in full-time training."

"Not being a pod person is only to her advantage," Buffy pointed out.

"You are probably right," he said.

"What about their grandpa? Is he going patrolling? I'm not sure that's a good idea," Buffy said.

"No, Richard has no desire to and trusts that you will keep his girls safe," Giles said. "Maybe you can show her some moves."

"I'll bring Willow and Tara along with some magical backup," Buffy said.

"That's a good idea," he said, glad she was so willing to play tour guide.

*****The Next Day******

Rory and Lorelai were both anxious as they drove into Sunnydale in the car her father had hired.

"I don't see why we didn't get a rental, Dad. Having a driver is a bit much," Lorelai said.

"Nonsense," Richard said. "We do not know the area, and we need to be focused."

"The slayer knows we're coming, right?" Rory asked.

"She does," Richard said. "I probably should tell you that her mother recently had brain surgery to remove a tumor. Her life hasn't been easy. She had to withdraw from college to move back home to help with her younger sister."

"That's awful," Rory said.

"These types of distractions can be deadly for a slayer, which is why the Council takes them away from the family at a young age," Richard said. "However, Miss Summers has a support staff to help her."

"Do you know anything about them?" Lorelai wondered.

"Only what Rupert has told me. There are two classmates she went to high school with. A boy and a girl. The girl is a witch—a lot of raw talent," Richard said. "I believe both the boy and girl have romantic interests that help. Rupert said his business partner is the boy's girlfriend."

"He went into business with a twenty-year old?" Lorelai asked.

"He went into business with Anya, a thousand-year-old former vengeance demon trapped in the body of a twenty-year-old. Buffy Summers does not turn twenty until next month," Richard said.

"Buffy? Her name is Buffy?" Lorelai asked.

"Californian mothers are known for ridiculous names for their offspring," Richard said. "I would advise you, however, to not insult the slayer."

"Please tell me she's not also blonde and perky," Lorelai said.

"I have no idea, Lorelai, as I have not met the girl," Richard said. "All I know is that she is excellent at keeping the hellmouth closed and has died once. On her high school graduation, she had to arm her entire graduating class and have them fight the mayor, who ascended and turned into a real demon—a forty-foot snake. Of course, she did blow up the high school to kill him, but she saved countless lives."

"She armed her classmates?" Rory asked in shock. "No way!"

"Yes, way," Richard said, enjoying their reaction to the story. "There was an eclipse, so vampires on his payroll attacked to keep them from fleeing."

"What about the secret identity bit?" Lorelai asked.

"You will recall that she quit the Council at the time, and she goes her own way," he said. "The results cannot be denied, however. Instead of a complete slaughter, only a few lives were lost."

"So you're telling me that instead of a nice graduation ceremony, Buffy and her friends and her entire graduating class had to fight vampires and a giant snake?" Rory asked incredulously.

"Unfortunately, it is what happened. The mayor ate the principal, in fact," Richard shared.

"No way!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"That can't possibly be true," Rory said.

Richard shrugged. "This is the hellmouth. In the next two nights, you are going to see things that are from your nightmares, and you'll know without a doubt my mother and I and Emily were telling the truth," he said.

The Gilmore girls were silent until he pulled up next to shop in the middle of town. Lorelai read the name on it. "The Magic Box. Seriously?" she asked.

"Lorelai, you will not embarrass me by offending these frontline fighters," he said sternly. "They risk their lives nearly daily to save lives. They have saved this entire planet more than a few times, and they do not deserve mockery. Remain silent and watchful. Pay attention to your surroundings at all times. This is no elaborate joke—like I don't have better things to do with my time than to waste it on juvenile stunts." With an annoyed sniff, he got out of the car, and the girls followed at a slower rate.

"Mom, I'm scared," Rory said, reaching for hand. Her grandfather's words had served to eradicate any doubts she had harbored about the supernatural. He was right—there was no way such a busy man would waste his time on a falsehood.

"It'll be okay," Lorelai assured, putting her arm around her shoulder as they walked to join her father. She, too, was rattled, but she had to be strong for her daughter.

They walked into the shop no knowing what to expect, but the friendly greeting of: "Welcome to our shop. We are happy to have your money," said in a bright, cheery voice was unexpected. They moved toward the counter and saw an attractive woman with shorter hair lighter than theirs but not true blonde.

"Is Rupert Giles here?" he asked.

The woman looked crestfallen when she realized he wasn't a normal customer. "Giles—your friend is here," she said.

Richard smiled at her. "Don't worry. I promise to spend money before I leave," he told her.

Her beaming smiled in return made him grin. "You must be Anya," he said, holding at his hand to her.

"Yes, I am. Anya Jenkins," she said.

"I am Richard Gilmore, and this is my daughter Lorelai and granddaughter Rory," he said.

Anya appreciated his civility as few ever managed the simple feat of a polite introduction since she became human.

"It is nice to meet you. What brings you to the hellmouth?" she asked.

Before they could answer, Giles step from the back. "Hello, Richard," he said, giving him a warm smile. He went around to the front of the counter to shake his hand and clapped him on the shoulder. "It has been too long, old friend."

"That it has," Richard said, smiling back at him. "You are looking very well."

"I am doing fine—as well as one can be in this line of work," he said.

"He is doing great considering the man gets knocked unconscious every few months," Anya said with a grin. "His head is very hard."

"Yes, thank you for that, Anya," he said.

"This is my daughter, Lorelai and her daughter, my granddaughter, Rory," Richard introduced.

The two women shook his hand, each having vastly different thoughts. He has a British accent and is kind of cute! Lorelai thought, surprised.

He looks like a librarian. How could he actively fight monsters? Rory wondered.

"I am sure you both are feeling a bit anxious about this field trip Richard has arranged, but I assure you that it will be quite fine," Giles said. "The big bad we've been fighting lately has not been spotted. We think she left town for the holidays, so you should be safe."

"What is it?" Richard wondered.

"A woman much stronger than Buffy, who seems completely invulnerable and can run in a blur," Giles said. "She has these minions that do her bidding."

"They are very ugly things," Anya said with a grimace. "They have hurt my money every time they've invaded the Magic Box."

Lorelai grinned, finding the woman more and more amusing. Talk about a one-track mind.

"Is your slayer here?" Richard asked.

"Buffy will be here shortly," Giles said. "She is getting Willow and Tara to accompany your girls as she figures magical backup will ensure their safety if she is distracted fighting."

"We appreciate the thoughtfulness," Richard said.

"Very much," Lorelai asked.

"Do you mind if we look around?" Rory asked.

"I will be happy to show you the things we sell," Anya said, coming around the counter.

Richard and Giles sat at the round table while Anya gave the girls a tour.

"Over here, we have the tourist stuff, crystals and other New Age items," Anya said.

"Do crystals actually do anything?" Rory wondered.

"If a practitioner with knowledge or power is using them, of course," Anya said. "They are great to store energy in or spell for various protection spells."

"Seriously?" Lorelai asked. "That's very cool."

"Some crystals are known to ward of dark thoughts or evil spirit," Anya said.

"Look, there's a mummified hand," Rory said, pointing.

When she reached out to touch it, Anya yelled, "Don't touch it!"

Rory jumped and flashed a guilty look. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.

"It's best if you only touch things that you ask about," Anya said. "That mummy took us forever to put in stasis. If you wake it up, it will try to kill you."

"Seriously?" Lorelai asked.

"I am always serious," Anya said.

Lorelai believed her.

Then they were all focused on the entrance as the door opened, and three women came in, two blondes and a redhead. Somehow, though, Rory just knew that the short blonde was the slayer. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, but she felt familiar to Rory somehow. When the blonde looked at her Rory, she smiled in a friendly manner. Ironically, Rory thought of Paris, her nemesis at Chilton, another tiny blonde whose force of personality could fill a room.

When Buffy spoke, Rory just knew she was right. "Sorry, Giles, we're running late. I had a hard time leaving Dawn, and then Mom insisted I bring her with me," Buffy said as the door opened, and another teenager came in. A taller gangly girl with long hair like Rory's, but she was all arms and legs.

"I want to meet Giles' friends," Dawn said, glaring at her sister.

Lorelai bit back a smile as Buffy rolled her eyes. It was strange and comforting to see that the superhero had an annoying little sister problems like a mere mortal.

"Buffy, this is Richard Gilmore," Giles introduced. "A good friend of mine from my younger days."

Buffy shook his hands and frowned. "I hope not from your Ethan days, though," she said.

"Good God, no!" Richard said with a shudder. "I abhor that miscreant troublemaker."

Buffy grinned. "I like him already," Buffy said. She casted her eyes to Rory and Lorelai. "Hello."

"Hi," Lorelai said, smiling at the very short girl. This was The Slayer?

"This is my daughter Lorelai, who was once a potential, but she only recently learned about that fact," Richard said. "That's Rory, her daughter, who is a potential."

"A potential what?" Dawn asked.

"Slayer," Giles said. "Richard's mother is on the Council."

"I'm sorry," Buffy said, her eyes losing some of their warmth.

"My mother has never liked or supported Quentin," Richard said. "She was quite angry when you quit the Council, and she used her considerable influence to stop that barbaric practice for slayers who turn eighteen."

"What practice was that?" Rory asked.

"I was hypnotized by my watcher during meditation time, and then he injected me with a drug to suppress my powers," Buffy said. "The idea was to have me face a vampire powerless to see how I fared."

"Sounds like a misogynist ploy to keep slayers young and dumb," Lorelai said.

"That's exactly what I thought!" Willow said. "I'm Willow, by the way. This is my girlfriend, Tara."

"Yes, I am sorry. I was going to get to you," Giles said.

"Giles felt bad and told me about it, but somehow, the vampire the Council brought was a drug addict, who liked his pills. He killed his minders, and then kidnapped my mother to draw me to the house," Buffy said.

"That's when we found out tricking a vampire into drinking holy water will kill him!" Willow said with a grin.

"Just say no to drugs," Buffy said with a smirk.

"They endangered your mother?" Lorelai said, outraged.

"That's why Lorelai is here," Richard said. "She wants to be prepared. She's been training with Rory and learning some demon lore."

"Not ancient languages because I have a job and a life," Lorelai said with a grin.

Buffy laughed, liking this mother, who had a child at sixteen. Buffy couldn't imagine being a mom at nineteen. She died for the first time at age sixteen, but the idea of raising a baby was more terrifying to her.

"This is my best friend, Willow. She and Tara are witches," Buffy said.

"Not to be confused as a polite word for bitches, right?" Lorelai joked.

Rory groaned. "Mom!"

It was strange for Buffy to meet a mom who was not the serious one. She could tell by looking at Rory that the girl was very intelligent like Willow. In fact, her long hair and earnest expression reminded her a lot of Willow at that age.

"No, we're real witches," Willow said, surprised but not offended by the woman's outrageous question.

"Oh, will you do some magic for us? We thought my parents and grandmother were smoking the good reefer or something when they told us this insanity about vampires and slayers," Lorelai said.

"Lorelei, really," her father said, frowning in disapproval.

"Sorry, Dad, but it you can't go my entire life without telling me this and then suddenly throw it out at me like I shouldn't wonder," she said.

Willow raised her hand and produced star lights, and the girls clapped.

"Cool!" Lorelai said. "Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat, too?"

"Rabbit? Why would you say such a thing?" Anya shrieked. "There will be none of those vicious creatures in my store!"

The Gilmores all looked at her in surprise as she seemed genuinely upset.

"Oh, of course, no rabbits. How about a cute puppy?" Lorelai said.

"We're only here for two days, Lorelai," Richard said. "Magic used on the hellmouth is not for entertainment."

"No, but I could totally do it," Willow said.

"How about we get going?" Buffy suggested.

"Can I go?" Dawn asked, eagerly.

Buffy sighed. "I guess. But you will not put your hand on any swords. Only a stake," she said. She led the girls behind the curtain and passed out stakes.

"I should talk to Luke about taking up whittling," Lorelai said as she grinned down at her stake.

Rory smiled. "I could see him being good at that," she said.

"Who's Luke?" Dawn asked. "Is that your boyfriend? Buffy's boyfriend dumped her and left the other day. Riley was very nice and pretty."

"He did not dump me!" Buffy exclaimed, glaring at her sister. "I caught him doing something extremely inappropriate, and he left town in shame."

"Same thing," Dawn said.

Buffy clenched her jaw. "Sorry about Dawn. She can't help but be intrusive and annoying."

"Can, too," Dawn said.

"Cannot," Buffy said.

"Let's not fight," Tara said in a mild tone that caused both girls to instantly shut up.

Lorelai's eyes widened as the very quiet girl uttered her first words in their presence. Her effect and power were instant. "Is that a witch power? Getting sisters to stop bickering? That is very cool!" she said in admiration.

"No, that's just a Tara power," Willow said, gazing at her in adoration.

The Gilmores had little exposure to same-sex couples, but they found the couple very sweet.

As both Gilmores were wearing jeans, they put their stakes in their back pockets.

"Axe or sword?" Buffy asked.

"Sword," Rory said.

"Axe," Lorelai said, amused at the thought.

"Dawn, I'm not giving you the crossbow because you've not been trained on it," Buffy said. "Take this small hatchet in case something surprises you."

Dawn looked pleased to be given even that, and she didn't complain.

Rory and Lorelei trailed after the witches, who followed the slayer. Dawn was the last out the door.

The Gilmore girls were finally going to see what they had only heard or read about.

*****To Be Continued*****