Chapter 59: Revelations
At Payson's Dingoes Ate My Baby are finishing up a ballad. The band members all take their best rock-star bows. All but Oz as he just unstraps his guitar, drops offstage, passes a gaggle of wide-eyed groupies and joins Willow at her table.
Willow, stuck between Xander and Cordelia, looks mighty happy to see Oz. "Oz! Hey. Have a seat. Except, we don't have any seats."
"Can I just say, I liked this place before it got popular?" Cordelia says.
Willow shakes her head, "Cordelia, you didn't come in here before it got popular. It didn't get popular till Piper signed Dishwalla and back then it was an adult only club while Piper was wairing for the permits to allow teens in and still server alcohol."
"No problem, I'll just scrunch." Oz says and scoots in, pressing Willow to Xander. Willow pulls back; Xander mushes up close against Cordelia.
"Xander - why are you giving me a lap dance?" Cordelia asks.
Xander smiles, "What, I just like you."
"And that's very beautiful. I think it's great when two people like two people and want to be close to them instead of anyone else." Willow says.
"Hear, hear." Xander says.
Oz nods, "Yeah, well put. Um, can I snag a sip?"
"Sure." Willow says.
"You got it." Xander says.
Willow and Xander both reach for Willow's soda - and their hands touch. Instant spaz-out. Willow knocks over the glass. Xander whips his hand back so fast - CRASH! - it knocks over a passing waitress's tray.
Mock applause from the room.
"Thank you, we're here through Saturday, enjoy the veal." Xander says.
"Why are you guys so hyper?" Cordelia asks.
"Hey, speaking of people and things they do that are not like usual, anyone notice Buffy acting sort of different?" Willow asks.
"Let's see… killing Zombies, torching sewer monsters, freeing the enslaved populace of a parallel dimension… nope. She's pretty much the same old Buffster." Xander says.
"I just mean, she's off by herself a lot more. And she's kind of distracted." Willow says.
"Think maybe she's got a new honey?" Cordelia asks.
"A boyfriend? Why wouldn't she tell us?" Willow says.
"Excuse me. When your last steady kills half the class, and then your rebound guy sends you a dump-o-gram? It makes a girl shy." Cordelia says.
"But we're the best of Buffy's bestest buds. She'd tell us." Xander says.
"Tell you what?" Buffy asks.
They all look up to see Buffy standing there. Looking on expectantly.
"About your new boyfriend. Who we made up. Unless we didn't." Willow says.
"This was a topic of discussion?" Buffy asks.
Oz nods, "Raised, never discussed."
"So? Are you with somebody or not?" Cordelia asks.
All eyes turn to Buffy. Buffy smiles to herself. "Well, I wouldn't use the word "dating," but I am… going out with somebody. Tonight."
"Really? Who?" Willow asks excited.
Faith strides up to the table. Grunts hello to the group. "Yo, what's up. Time to motorvate."
Buffy puts her arm around Faith. "Really, we're just good friends."
Later in a graveyard Buffy and Faith are fighting two big, nasty-leather vamps.
Giles is standing on the sidelines, watching anxiously.
Buffy uses her attacker's momentum against him, rolls, comes up on top. Faith just shoves her vamp off her. The two slayer/vampire opponents square off.
Buffy lets her vamp make the first move. He lunges. She ducks under him and comes up with a well-practiced combination of roundhouse kicks. She powers up a fireball.
Faith takes the fight to her guy, barraging him with a series of crude, hard shots to the head. Draws her stake…
Giles watches as the Buffy throws her fireball at her vamp as Faith stakes hers. Both vamps dust.
Buffy turns to Giles. "Synchronized slaying."
"New Olympic category." Faith says.
"What do you think?" Buffy asks.
"Sloppy." Huh? Buffy, Faith and Giles turn to see Mrs. Gwendolyn Post emerge from the darkness. She clicks off her stopwatch and briskly critiques, "You telegraph punches," she looks to Buffy, "leave blind sides open and, for a school night slaying, you both take entirely too much time. Which one of you is Faith?"
"Depends. Who the hell are you?" Faith asks.
"Gwendolyn Post. Mrs. Your new watcher." Mrs. Post says
Later back in the library Giles looks on anxiously as Mrs. Post rummages through his prized book collection, less than impressed. Buffy and Faith sit together.
"I'm telling you, I don't need a new watcher! No offense, lady, I just have this problem with authority figures. They end up kinda dead." Faith says.
"Duly noted, and fortunately, it's not up to you." Mrs. Post says. "Mr. Giles - where do you keep the rest of your books?"
"I'm sorry, the… rest?" Giles asks.
Mrs. Post nods, "Yes, the actual library. Oh. I see."
Giles nods, "I assure you, Mrs. Post, this is the finest occult reference collection…"
"…this side of the Atlantic, I'm sure. Do you have Hume's Paranormal Encyclopedia?" Mrs. Post asks. "The Labyrinth maps of Malta? I suppose you have Sir Robert Kane's Twilight Compendium?"
Giles nods, "Yes, I, I do have that."
"Yes, of course you do. I've been sent by the council for a very important reason. Faith needs a watcher. I am to act in that capacity, and report back." Mrs. Post says.
"Excuse me, Mary Poppins, you're not listening…" Faith says.
Giles shakes his head, "Now, Faith, if the council feels you need closer observations, well of course we'll all cooperate –"
"The council wishes me to report on the entire situation here. Including you and your witch."
Buffy frowns, "Witch? I'm just a witch? I'll let you know I'm Charmed, lady."
"The fact is, there is talk in the council that you've become a bit too… American." Mrs. Post continues ignoring Buffy. "Operations here seem somewhat haphazard. Sloppy. Faith. Sit up straight and pay attention."
Faith, surprised, does exactly as she's told. Giles urgently motions for Buffy to do the same, but she just throws him a look.
"A demon named Lagos is coming here, to the Hellmouth. Mr. Giles, an illustration of Lagos, if you please." Mrs. Post says as Giles scrambles through his materials, looking… "Perhaps later. Lagos seeks the Glove of Myhnegon. No record of this glove's full power exists. We do know it is highly dangerous, and cannot fall in the hands of a demon. Lagos must be stopped."
"What do you propose?" Giles asks.
"If it's not too radical a suggestion, I thought we might kill him. I suggest two slayers at full strength for a coordinated hunt. We believe the glove to be buried in a tomb somewhere, so Lagos will be headed for the cemetery." Mrs. Post says.
"Well, there is more than one in San Francisco." Giles says.
"I see. How many?" Mrs. Post says.
"Fifty. Within city limits." Giles says
"Ah. Well, we shall have to take them one at a time. Anything in your books that might pinpoint the exact location of the tomb would be useful but then, we cannot ask for miracles. We'll begin tomorrow at sunset. Faith! With me, please." Mrs. Post says before she leaves with Faith trailing along.
"Well. That was bracing." Giles says.
"She's an interesting lady. Can we kill her?" Buffy asks. "Maybe a nice fireball up her…"
"I think the council would tend to frown on that. Well. What do you say to some training?" Giles asks.
The next day at the mansion Buffy is practicing Tai Chi together with Angel. Angel's showing her how to move. She imitates his motions, mirroring him. Both lightly sweating. Together they flow like water.
Angel touches her arm, positioning her. He lets his hand slide down her arm, and she slips her fingers between his. He gently pulls her toward him. Whispers. "Buffy."
"Angel…" Buffy says.
Getting closer. Bare arms wrap around wet torsos. Buffy and Angel are now body to body, face to face. Their lips closing in on each other.
Buffy pulls back. Angel lets her. Moment over. Buffy busies herself packing a Slayer-Night bag of weapons, talking to distract herself. "I gotta go. Big night for us slayer-types. People to see, demons to kill, you know the drill. Better hurry before somebody figures out what we're doing."
Buffy hauls the bag over her shoulder, starts to head out, but Angel stops her in her tracks. "What are we doing?"
Buffy puts the bag down. "Training. And almost kissing. I'm sorry. It's just… old habit. Bad habit. Habit to be broken."
"It's hard." Angel says.
Buffy nods, "It's not that hard. Cold turkey. That's the key to quitting." They look into each other's eyes for a long moment. " Do you think they have a patch for this?"
"You have to go." Angel says.
Buffy nods, "I really do." She picks up her bag, heads for the door. "I'm gonna vent a little hormonal angst by going out there and killing a Lagos, whatever that is."
The name catches Angel's attention. "Lagos?"
Buffy nods, "Yeah, he's some kind of Demon looking for an all-powerful thingimibob and I've got to stop him before unholy havoc's unleashed and it's another Tuesday night in San Francisco." She reaches the door. Stops. Can see Angel's thinking. Tries to read his expression, but can't.
"Be careful." Angel says.
Buffy approaches Angel, to kiss him goodbye. Stops herself. Not happy. Just leaves.
Later Buffy and Faith are headed to a cemetery.
"Ronnie. Deadbeat. Steve. Klepto. Kenny. DRUMMER. Eventually I had to face up to my destiny as a loser magnet. Now it's strictly get some and get gone. You can't trust guys." Faith says.
Buffy nods, "You can trust some guys. Really. I've read about them."
"So. What about you?" Faith asks.
"Like, me and boys me? Not much to tell, these days." Buffy says.
"Yeah, but you've gotta have stories. I mean, I had my share of losers, but you boinked the undead. So? What was it like?" Faith says.
Buffy sighs, "Life with Angel's complicated. Was. It's… a little hard to talk about."
"Try." Faith says.
"All the Angel issues, they're still kind of with me, so… you know?" Buffy says.
Faith's hurt by the slight shrug-off, but hides it. "Sure, whatever. You know what? We're 0 for 6 tonight. Let's blow this off."
"I am kind of beat… but Shady Hill is pretty close." Buffy says.
"I'll swing through it, it's on my way anyway." Faith says.
"Alone? I don't want –" Buffy says.
Faith shakes her head, "I got Miss Priss on my back now, I don't need another baby sitter. I'll holler if I'm having any fun. You are after all just a flame away."
Buffy nods, "Okay…"
"Later." Faith says and takes off.
Later back at the Mansion Buffy and Angel are wrapped in one another's arms, kissing with full and tender passion. Really enjoying themselves, both knowing they shouldn't. pulling every bit of sensual pleasure they can out of each other. Finally, slowly, they pull apart. Look each other deep in the eyes.
"Oh, Goddess…" Buffy says.
"Buffy…" Angel says.
Buffy shakes her head, "What am I doing? What are YOU doing?"
"I don't know…" Angel says.
Buffy sighs, "Shame on you! Oh, Goddess. I… I don't even know why I came back here."
"It's good you did." Angel says and reaches out to Buffy. She flinches. Then realizes he's reaching for her hand. A little confused, she gives it to him. He leads her across the Mansion floor, to a bundle. "I think I have what you're looking for."
"Great. Just, wherever this was giftwrapped? Remind me not to shop there." Buffy says.
Angel unwraps the bundle, raising up a small cloud of dust. The dust settles, revealing THE GLOVE OF MYHNEGON: a huge, four-fingered, chain-mail and spiked glove. "The Glove of Myhnegon."
"The world's ugliest fashion accessory." Buffy says and she reaches out to touch the glove.
Angel sharply pulls her back away. "Don't. Once it's put on, the glove can never be removed."
"So, no touching. Kind of like us." Buffy says. Angel removes his hand from Buffy's arm. "Sorry. Cheap shot, I know." She sighs. "But at least the glove's safe. You hold onto it, I'll tell Giles in the morning. At least he'll be happy."
The next day Buffy moves into the library, all smiles. Stops dead when she sees Giles, Xander, Willow, Cordelia & Oz - waiting for her, their expressions grave.
"Hey, enough with the tragedy masks. Lagos is outta luck - I found the magic mitten thingy!"
Nothing. They just look at her.
"You'd better have a seat, Buffy." Giles says.
Now Buffy's getting scared. What's the big? She sits. "What? Is somebody hurt? Is it Prue, Piper and Phoebe? I just left them did something happen?"
"Not yet. But it's only a matter of time." Xander says.
Giles nods, "We know Angel is alive, Buffy. Xander saw you with him." Buffy closes her eyes. Busted. "It appears that you've been hiding him. And that you lied to us –"
"Nobody's here to blame you, Buffy. We all do things we're not proud of - but this is serious. You need help." Willow says.
"It's… It's not what you think." Buffy says.
"Hope not - because I think you're harboring a vicious killer –" Xander says.
"Hey. This isn't about attacking Buffy. Remember - "I" statements only? "I feel angry." "I feel worried…"" Willow says.
"Fine. Here's one. I feel worried - about me! Last time around, Angel barely laid a hand on Buffy – he was way more interested in killing her friends –" Cordelia says.
Buffy sighs, "But he's better now. Willow cured him and - somehow - he came back. Prue knows, she's been trying to help me find out why he came back."
"Better for how long, Buffy? Have you even thought about that?" Xander asks.
"What is this? Demons Anonymous? I mean, I don't need an intervention here –" Buffy says.
Giles frowns, "Don't you? To hide this – For you and Prue to take into your own hands…"
Buffy shakes her head, "We were going to tell you! But we didn't know why he was back or anything. We wanted to wait –"
"For what? For Angel to go psycho again the next time you give him a happy?" Xander says.
Buffy frowns, "I'm not going to - We're not together like that!"
"But you were kissing him." Oz says.
Buffy's nailed by this factoid - but she can't deal. There's silence before she says to Xander, with forced calm, "You were spying on me? What gives you the right?"
"What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again?" Cordelia asks.
"It - it was an accident!" Buffy says.
"What? You tripped and fell on his lips?" Xander asks.
"It was wrong. It can't happen again. But I - I'd never put you guys in danger. If I thought Angel was going to hurt anyone –" Buffy says.
"You'd stop him. Like you did last time with Ms. Calendar." Xander says.
Buffy powers up a fireball, "You want to go round one, Xander? Jenny was my friend. I regret what happened to her. There is not a day that goes by that I don't wish I could take it back. That she would be alive again."
"Buffy - when it comes to Angel - you can't see straight. That's why we're all going to help you face this." Willow says.
Buffy shakes her head, "You know what guys enough. If you don't want to believe me then go see Prue. Right now all I can offer you is my promise he's good again. I swear. He even found the Glove of Myhnegon for us. It's at the mansion."
Xander stands - he's had enough. "Right. Good plan. Leave tons of firepower with the scary guy. And leave us to clean up the mess." He moves toward the weapons cabinet.
Buffy grabs him hard by the arm. Stops him. "You'd love an excuse to hurt him, wouldn't you?"
Xander yanks his arm away. Backs off from her, appalled. "I don't need an "excuse." I think "lots of dead people" actually constitutes a reason."
"Right, this is all nobility, you're not jealous or anything –" Buffy says.
"Hello? Miss not-over-yourself-yet?" Cordelia asks.
Buffy frowns and throws a fireball at Cordelia, "Stay out of it." The fireball misses Cordelia by a mile and hits a wall."
"Giles, no one's doing the "I" statements!" Willow says.
Giles stands, "That's enough! Everybody. Buffy's heard our concerns. And her actions, while ill-advised, were understandable… and the question of Angel… It can't be solved while tempers run this hot." Everybody stares at their shoes. "Our priority right now is retrieving the Glove of Myhnegon from the mansion and finding a way to destroy it. Now - all of you - back to your classes."
They all file out.
Giles heads into his office, Buffy following.
"Thanks for the bail. I know this is a lot to absorb, but Angel did find the glove. That's good, right? Angel did a good…"
Giles turns, his face a hardened mask. "Be quiet. I won't remind you that the fate of the world often rests with the Slayer. What would be the point? Nor shall I remind you that you have jeopardized the lives of everyone you know by housing a known murderer. But sadly I must remind you that Angel tortured me. For hours. For pleasure. You should have told me he was alive. You didn't. You have no respect for me, or the job I perform."
"Fine consider yourself Slayerless. Prue has been on my side since we found out he came back. She helped me to find out why he came back. We planned on telling you Giles. We planned on telling everyone." Buffy says. "I know this is not the best of situations but the least you could do is trust me." She turns and walks out.
At the end of school Willow is at her locker as Buffy approaches, tentative.
"Hey." Buffy says.
"Hey!" Willow says.
"So, on a scale of one to a million, how much are you hating me right now?" Buffy asks.
Willow shakes her head, "Zero. Negative digits. Not even peeved."
"Okay. Mother Theresa? Could you stop possessing the body of Willow now. I need to talk to Willow." Buffy says.
Willow sighs, "It's me. I just think, you were scared, you kept a secret. That's okay. Secrets aren't bad. They're normal. Better than normal. Secrets are good! Must be a reason we keep them, right?"
Buffy sighs, "Willow, Prue and I kept the secret because at first Angel was nothing more than an animal. But he started to get better. Prue and I then were trying to find out why he came back, seriously. If you don't believe me you can ask Prue."
Willow nods, "Okay I can understand that. I can also understand if you have some feelings for him."
Buffy sighs, "I do. I'll always love him. I don't know if I'm still in love with him though."
Willow nods, "Good enough for me. So, you going to Payson's tonight?"
Buffy shakes her head, "No. After you guys left I blew up at Giles. I want to kill this Lagos guy. Peace offering to Giles."
"Well, Angel has the glove now, right?" Willow asks.
Buffy nods, "Yeah. But Lagos doesn't know that. Sooner or later he's bound to turn up at that crypt looking for it."
"And instead he finds Buffy in a bad mood." Willow says.
"We are the great strategists of our day." Buffy says.
In the graveyard Buffy and Willow hang out on the tomb steps, waiting for Lagos. Buffy paces.
Willow, sitting, looks around nervously. "Um, not to downplay my own slaying abilities, which in some circles are considered formidable, but… shouldn't Faith be here?"
Buffy shrugs, "Tried calling, no one home. But if you're feeling any Demon-o-phobia, please. Splitting's totally an option. You're not the one in trouble with Giles."
Willow sighs, "That's true."
"How long you think he can stay mad, anyway?" Buffy asks.
"The emotional Marathon Man?" Willow asks and she shrugs.
Buffy nods, "Guess I can't really blame him. But you know - it's weird. Now that my secret is out with Angel, I feel… better."
"Well sure you do. You and Prue have just had this big burden lifted. Keeping secrets is a lot of work. One could hypothetically imagine." Willow says.
Buffy nods, "You know Prue didn't want to go along with it at first. But she was curious on why he had returned also. It's a wonder she didn't say anything to Giles before now."
"Can I ask you something? When you were with Angel, and nobody knew about it, did that make things feel, you know… sexier, somehow?" Willow asks.
"Like, the forbidden fruit's sweeter kind of deal? Not really. Too much pressure. After awhile, it even makes the fun parts… not so fun." Buffy says.
Willow nods, "Huh."
"What makes you think all the secret stuff is sexy, anyway?" Buffy asks.
Willow shrugs, "No reason. Just wondering. Gotta keep asking the big ol' questions when you're blessed with this girl's thirst for knowledge and okay I admit it there's something I have to tell you."
Buffy frowns, "Don't tell me you tried a spell I specifically said you weren't ready for yet?"
Willow shakes her head, "No. Okay. This'll make me feel better, right? I've always thought of myself as a good person. Floss, do my homework, never cheat. But lately, and please don't judge me, but… I just want you to be the first to know that, that… there's a demon behind you."
Not what Buffy expected. She spins just in time to see big, pissed-off Lagos – rushing her, arms spread like an NFL linebacker, appetite for destruction.
Buffy nimbly leap-frogs over Lagos's rush. Turns to Willow. "We'll pick up in a minute."
Buffy stands between Lagos and the tomb entrance, ready to rock. Lagos lumbers forward. Buffy tries taking him on, Faith-style. Slugs him hard. Again. Again. He just keeps coming. Swings. Buffy barely ducks under his punch in time - it shatters a stone crucifix. "Okay. A plan "B" would be nice."
Lagos throws a roundhouse right. He's strong but slow. Buffy ducks under his huge swinging fist, takes advantage of her speed, gets around behind Lagos and rips the ancient battle axe off his back.
"Now we're talking." Buffy says.
Lagos throws another punch. Buffy ducks under it and comes up swinging… with the axe. No one's more surprised than Lagos when Buffy cuts his head off.
Lagos's head and body fall to the ground, not especially near each other.
Willow joins Buffy.
"So what were you going to tell me?" Buffy asks.
"Oh. I, um, opened my S.A.T. test booklet five minutes early. Doesn't seem that important now, does it?" Willow says.
Buffy smiles. "My lips are sealed. Come on." She slings the axe over her shoulder. "Let's go bring Giles some happiness."
Moments later Buffy and Willow enter the library.
"Giles HAS to be psyched that we showed up stuffy old Mrs. Post –" Buffy says before she freezes. "Oh, Goddess."
Giles is lying barely conscious on a stretcher, surrounded by a team of paramedics. One checks his pulse, another bandages his head while the team leader barks orders into her walkie-talkie.
"San Francisco General we've got a Caucasian male, mid-forties, blunt object head trauma. Prep E.R., we're bringing him in. Lifting." The paramedic says as they lift the stretcher's metal support stand. It locks into place. They wheel him out. Buffy's in the way.
"What happened?" Buffy asks.
"No time for this." Paramedic says.
"Wait!" Giles says as he stops the stretcher's momentum by grabbing Buffy's arm with his last remaining strength. Fighting to stay conscious, "The Glove… of Myhnegon. Must destroy…"
"You want him to live? Get out of the way." Paramedic says.
"Use… Living Flame." Giles says.
Buffy nods and leans in and whispers to Giles, "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."
Giles nods.
"Move!" Paramedic says.
Buffy moves out of the way as the paramedics wheel Giles out the library doors. Gone.
Buffy whirls on Xander. "What happened?"
"Your boyfriend's not as "cured" as you thought." Xander says.
"What makes you think Angel did this?" Buffy asks.
"We saw what you saw." Xander says.
Buffy frowns, "So you just assume…"
Xander shakes his head, "I didn't. Faith did."
This sinks in with Buffy and Willow.
"What did you tell her?" Buffy asks.
"Only what everyone knows. She's a big girl. Came to her own conclusions." Xander says.
Buffy sees the crossbow in Xander's hands. Gets it. "How much of a head start's she got?"
"Ten minutes." Xander says.
"Why's she doing this?" Buffy asks.
"Because she's a Vampire Slayer." Xander says.
Buffy glares at Xander in disbelief. Xander stares right back, not flinching, not giving an inch. "Xander get out of my sight. If I see you again before I've had a chance to calm down your toast. Literally." She turns to Willow. "Check Giles' research, find a way to destroy the glove. I'm going to stop Faith." She flames out.
At the Mansion Faith attacks Angel, who's groggy from Mrs. Post's hitting him over the head with a shovel. He's weak by vampire standards, but still a vampire - he throws a strong right. Faith blocks it; lands a better one. She kicks his ass across the room, toward the couch. Follows him there and really pummels him. One last crack and he's on the table, too weak to move.
Faith raises her stake high for the kill. Brings it whistling down – when someone grabs her wrist – stopping her. "What…?"
Faith looks up to see Buffy.
Buffy stands between Angel and Faith. Angel, crippled from Faith's attack, lies bent over and helpless. Buffy gets in defensive position. Faith's wild-eyed. Adrenaline's pumping through.
"Never stop a slayer when the blood is up." Faith says.
"Can't let you do it, Faith." Buffy says.
"You're confused, Twinkie. Let me clear you up:" Faith says as she points. "Vampire. Slayer. Dead vampire."
"Faith, there's a lot you don't understand." Buffy says.
"Faith…" Mrs. Post says. They look over. Mrs. Post is still too weak to get up, but she calls to Faith. Buffy looks confusedly at Mrs. Post and Angel - what's going on? "She doesn't… know… She's blinded by love…"
Buffy rolls her eyes, "Faith, no…"
"Faith… trust me…" Mrs. Post says.
A look passes between Faith and Mrs. Post.
Buffy steps up to Faith, "We can figure this out –"
CRACK! Before Buffy can finish, Faith whirls and punches Buffy with a left hook that nearly takes her head off. Buffy snaps back and the two slayers square off.
And they start.
Slayer vs. slayer. No weapons, categorically no holds barred. It's fast, brutal and balletic.
The two girls explode through the glass doors, sending shards everywhere. They are on their feet in a moment and the fight continues, neither girl making much headway.
Willow and Xander run into the Mansion breathless. They see Mrs. Post, rush to help her.
"The glove…" Mrs. Post says.
"We'll get it." Xander says.
"Help Faith…" Mrs. Post says.
A crash turns Xander's attention to the garden. He rushes out to see, Willow helping Mrs. Post up.
The slayer fight's in full force. Xander rushes out. "What are you - stop! Guys, listen!" He steps in the middle - and Faith backhands him into a wall. Buffy decks her hard for that one.
Willow opens the trunk, Mrs. Post digging in and producing the glove.
"Finally!" Mrs. Post says as she swings the glove and homeruns Willow into the corner. She stands before the Mansion fireplace, looks up to the sky and puts on the glove.
The Glove of Myhnegon, activated by living contact, comes to life. Click click click click click! The ancient spikes around the cuff all dig into the flesh of Mrs. Post's forearm, ringing around the arm, attaching itself permanently. "Tar chugam a chumhacht Myhnegon!"
Outside Faith and Buffy are suddenly stopped by thunder that sounds all around them. They stop, look into the house and see Mrs. Post holding the glove in front of her gleefully. Faith takes a step to the door, betrayal etched on her face.
"What's going on?" Faith asks.
"Faith, a word of advice. You're an idiot." Mrs. Post says as she lifts her hand up like a gun. "Tar frim!"
BOOM! The Mansion skylight shatters as a burst of lightning comes crashing through, sending a shower of glass shards exploding downward.
The lightning streaks straight towards Mrs. Post's glove. An Energy Beam shoots forward from Mrs. Post's hand, streaking across the Mansion, straight toward Faith. Buffy slams into Faith, the two diving for safety as the energy beam hits the tree behind them, which explodes into flame.
Willow stands and Mrs. Post turns to her.
"Tar frim!" Mrs. Post says.
Lightning, energy - and this time Angel makes the save, rising and pushing Willow out of the way. The beam explodes a piece of wall - and singes Angel, catching an arm and part of his back with flame as he hits the ground.
Willow grabs a tapestry off the Mansion wall and wraps it around Angel's prone body - dousing the flame.
"Can you draw her fire?" Buffy asks Faith.
"That I can." Faith says, she's all cold fury now.
"Then do it." Buffy says as she looks around for a good sized shard of glass.
Faith dashes into the living room.
Mrs. Post spins, "Tar frim!" And fires. Faith flips up the coffee table before her, blocking the flame. Crouches behind it. "There's nothing you can do to me now. I have the Glove, and with the glove comes the power!"
"I'm getting that." Buffy says as she has a very large, triangular shard of glass in her hand. With dazzling alacrity, she hurls it.
"Tar frim!" Mrs. Post says.
The shard spins through Mrs. Post's shoulder and smashes against the far wall.
The gloved arm, severed, drops harmlessly to the floor.
Mrs. Post screams - and the lightning strikes her. She screams as her body is engulfed in swirling, wrap-around blue streaks of unnatural electricity. Her screams build as the frenzy of electricity grows, multiplies, out of control, until…
Mrs. Post bursts into flame. Total immolation. Nothing left but smoke - she is gone.
The next day in the school lounge Cordelia and Xander are with Oz and Willow.
"So there's no more glove thingy?" Cordelia asks.
Xander nods, "A little Living Flame, a little mesquite… gone for good."
"Sounds like we missed a lot of fun." Oz says.
Xander nods, "Then we're telling it wrong."
"What do you think Buffy and Angel are gonna do?" Willow asks.
"Boy do I don't know." Xander says.
Willow nods, "He saved me from a horrible flamey death. That sort of makes me like him again."
"Well, as long as he and Buffy don't get pelvic, we'll be okay. I guess." Xander says.
Buffy approaches. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Oddly enough, your boyfriend. Again." Oz says.
Buffy shakes her head, "He's not my boyfriend. Really and truly. He's… I don't know." She turns to Xander. "I'm sorry for what I said last night. Are we okay?"
Xander nods, "Yeah. Seeing you kissing him, after everything that happened… leaned me toward the postal. But I trust you."
"I don't. Just for the record." Cordelia says.
Giles approaches now as well.
"Let me guess. Gwendolyn Post, not a watcher." Buffy says.
Giles nods, "She was kicked out by the council two years ago for misuses of dark power. They swear there was a memo…"
Buffy nods, "I'd better go. Little more damage control." She takes off, the others watching her.
At Faith's motel room, Faith's watching daytime TV by herself, sitting on a ratty sofa, feet propped up on some stolen plastic milk cartons. She's flicking channels. "Come in."
Buffy tentatively comes in. Faith's eyes never leave the TV. "Place looks nice."
"Yeah, real Spartan." Faith says.
"How are you doing?" Buffy asks.
"Five by five." Faith says.
Buffy nods, "I'm interpreting that as good…" Faith offers nothing. Buffy approaches the sofa hesitantly. "Mrs. Post, or whoever she was, she fooled us all. Even Giles."
Faith nods, "Yeah, well, you can't trust people. I shoulda learned that by now."
Buffy smiles, "This may sound funny coming from someone who just spent a lot of time kicking your face, but you can trust me."
"Is that right?" Faith asks.
Buffy nods, "I know I've kept secrets, but I didn't have a choice. I'm on your side."
"I'm on my side. And that's enough." Faith says.
"Not always." Buffy says.
Faith nods, "So, is that it?"
Buffy sighs, "I guess…"
"I'll see you, then." Faith says.
"Yeah." Buffy says as she starts slowly for the door, unsatisfied.
Faith looks equally unhappy, stops her, "Buffy?"
Buffy turns back to Faith, "Yes?"
But Faith can't do it. "Nothing."
Another moment, then Buffy leaves.
Faith looks at the door wondering if she could trust Buffy to help her… Faith pulls out a locket from beneath her shirt and opens it – there is a picture of a baby girl inside, "I swear Hope I will find you some day."