Original of the Species 2B: The Mayor and the Saiyan: Wilkins

by Muad'zin

Multiple Crossover (mostly DBZ, some SG-1, some Eddingsverse, some Lyonesse) Goa'uld? Schmoa'uld! Will the wannabe demon mayor of Sunnydale present more of a challenge for the Z-Scoobies?

6. Chapter Four

Chapter 04

'Birthday Girl'

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AN: When I brainstormed about this story I just couldn't get it to work right. Having Belmo come to Buffy's rescue. Even having Travers kidnap Joyce to keep the Saiyan from interfering. But then I checked out the episode and it dawned on me. Travers has no interest into forcing Buffy, it's all about testing Giles. So that idea went out of the window. Then I came up with something else and I thought it was okay. At the same time I did some brainstorming with my beta DoWnEr and he suggested two things. The first re-opened my eyes to this episode, the other was to suggest a radical different way. At first I was hesitant, as I had already charted out an outline. But his suggestion never ceased working on my subconscious and the more I thought of it, the more I liked it.. Now that I've finished 5 chapters I have to say this one is my favorite so far. So here goes!

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"KAMEHAMEHA!"

"MASENKO!"

With both shouts two beams were released and each met the other halfway in the gravity gym where a massive even horizon formed, the border between the two beams.

As Buffy eyed her opponents beam she couldn't help but make a comment.

"Come on," she yelled, "is that the best you can do?"

"That's easy for you to say," her opponent called out.

"Excuses, excuses," Buffy said disparagingly as she cranked up the intensity of her beam a notch, "are you going to blow your top or not?"

"I might not have a top to blow," the answer came, sounding as if it came through greeted teeth.

"Then you better blow what you got, baby," Buffy smirked.

To her surprise however her opponent did just that. Instead of fighting her Kamehameha head-on and keeping the event horizon centered between them, it fell back towards him fast. Then four smaller beams broke off from his beam and sped towards her.

Buffy was caught by surprised and only barely managed to raise up a chi shield in time. The four beams hit her simultaneously with a large bang.

DOOM!

While she kept up her chi shield Buffy lost control of her Kamehameha and her opponent used that to send the combined beam towards the roof of the gym. Where it impacted harmlessly as the energy was absorbed. In a recent upgrade to the gym Bulma had installed special receptors on the roof that could withstand the intense energies by absorbing them and converting it into power that could power the gravity gym. Up to a point of course. If Belmovekk were to blast at it at full power he'd still blow the whole roof off.

As the dust settled Buffy found herself lying on the ground and her opponent came forth and extended his hand.

"Not bad," Buffy said impressed as she took Angel's hand, "you sure blew your top."

"Right in the heart," Angel said grinning as he helped her up.

"Where did you learn that?" Buffy asked curious while she checked her clothes for wear and tear.

"Angelus came up with it," Angel said slightly uncomfortable.

"He did?"

"He was very, industrious, shall we say" Angel nodded, "but the attack's not finished yet."

"It seemed pretty finished to me," Buffy replied.

"That was just the diversion," Angel continued, "the real objective's been to take control of the other's beam, add it to your own and then send it back."

"Clever," Buffy nodded impressed. The depth of Angelus' deceptions never failed to surprise her at every turn. He clearly had been scheming and plotting right under their very noses. All the while feigning subservience.

But as Angel talked about Angelus' schemes his face grew ever more grim and determined not to ever let it happen again.

"I should go," Buffy said pointing to the door, "Giles is..."

"...is waiting for you," Angel finished her sentence, "I understand."

"I must go," Buffy smiled, "Thanks! For the new trick."

"Um, am I gonna see you this weekend?" Angel asked uncertain, "you, uh, you-you

probably have plans.

"Right, birthday," Buffy said, "um, actually, I, I do have a thing."

"Oh, a thing," Angel said trying to sound cool, "a date?

"Nice attempt at casual," Buffy smiled, "actually, I do have a date. Older man. Very handsome. He likes it when I call him 'Daddy'."

"Huh, your father," Angel frowned, "it is your father, right? Cause I don't see, um, him, being called, um, daddy. Unless something radical happened when I wasn't looking."

Buffy smiled reassuringly.

"He's taking me to the ice show," she said as Angel inwardly relaxed, "which should be big fun. I could use a little fun."

"Eighteen already," Angel said smiling, "who would've thought?"

"Yep, more then three happy years of fun filled and packed whacky adventures," she sighed wistfully, "with lots more to look forward to until I die."

Buffy bit her lip and looked away.

"I guess it can't be helped," she sighed. Then to her surprise Angel hugged her. At first she didn't know what to do, then she answered the embrace.

"Thanks," she said as Angel eased up and looked her in the eyes.

"You looked like you needed it," he said.

"I did," she said as she put her head on his shoulder, "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Angel said, "but the curse…"

"Stupid curse," Buffy, "I wish….."

"Ahum," a voice coughed discretely.

As Buffy and Angel broke up their embrace they saw Xander stand in the door opening.

"Uh," Buffy said uncomfortable as she stepped back from Angel, "this isn't what it looks. Are you early?"

Xander checked his watch and shook no.

"Nope," he said deadpan, "if anything I'm a little late."

"My, my, time sure does fly," Buffy said sheepishly.

"So," Xander asked as he closed the door behind him.

"So what?"

"So what should I've seen what doesn't look like it's supposed to."

"We were engaged in some, uh, pre-training activities," Buffy said straight-faced.

Xander raised an eyebrow.

"Which just meant you both accidentally almost fell on each other's lips?"

"Uh, sort off?"

.Xander shook his head.

"You know Buff, you're my best friend," he said, "and I'm not speaking here as somebody who once had the hots for you. This is serious Xander speaking. Why do you two keep on hurting each other like this?"

Buffy and Angel looked at each other.

"I mean, I can understand that Angel wants to help out," Xander continued, "I can understand that feeling all to well. But all these little get togethers, the pre-training trainings, the late night chats, the accidentally falling on each other's lips, it's not exactly helping you guys to break the habit, or is it? Right? You don't see recovering alcoholics window shop all day in front of the liquor store, now do ya?"

Neither Angel or Buffy said anything. Then Angel spoke up.

"You're awfully brutal, Harris."

"Nah, just honest as usual," Xander said, then his eyes narrowed for a moment, "although your alter ego got to see brutal Xander, remember?"

"I remember him riling you up, yeah," Angel replied with a sly smile, "goading you into doing what he wanted.".

Buffy meanwhile shook her head in disgust.

"I'm taking a timeout," she said and went to the cooler to get a sports drink, "It started

well but now the testosterone seems to be getting the overhand again."

Xander and Angel eyed each other wearily for a moment. Then Xander resumed his stretching. Angel went up to Buffy.

"Maybe I should go?" he said pointing to the door.

"Don't go," she said shaking her head, "you have every right to be here as well."

"I, uh," Angel tried to say.

"Angel, you must train. And regularly. By now even Oz is stronger then you."

"Speaking of training," Xander said as he finished his stretching sand began some warming up exercises, "will the B-Man be joining us today?"

"Still busy with his boxes of paper," Buffy said, "if he's not walking around with one of the Twins, or both, he's sitting behind mom's study desk reading those papers."

"I wonder what's in them?" Xander said as he stopped and mused for a moment. Several weeks ago, after several of them had a run in with some unknown entity called the First, the Saiyan had gone and then returned with a mystery crate. In it were several boxes of old papers and documents he now kept next to Joyce's study desk at 1630 Revello Drive. Which was where he spent most of his time anyway, only rarely going to his old address.

"Damn if I know," Buffy shrugged as she drank from her sports drink, "it's all written in a language I can't read."

Xander chuckled.

"Sometimes I wonder if you can even read the Queen's English," he said in an impersonation of Giles' voice.

"Ha ha," Buffy said annoyed, "it so happens I more or less borrowed a page and took it to Giles. And even he couldn't read it."

That stopped Xander in his tracks. Even Angel was impressed.

"You mean there's a language Giles doesn't know," he said surprised.

"It's the end of the world as we know it," Xander said, then his eye caught something, "now what is this?"

Moving over to Darth Vader, the gravity gym's black training dummy, he picked up a protesting black cat off Darth Vader's head.

"Meow!"

"Look what we've got here," Xander said shaking his head.

"Meow."

"Again?" Buffy said shaking her head as she walked up to Xander holding the cat, "You just can't seem to keep the damn thing out of here. We were shooting lightshows in here! Bad Kitty!"

The cat just looked like it was the most natural thing for her to be in this strange environment.

"Meow."

"It must be up to 15 G's in here," Angel said surprised, "how does it survive the pressure?"

"I have no idea," Xander said as he carried the cat to the door and opened it, "I still don't know where the B-Man picked her up. But she's no ordinary cat, that's for sure."

"An enigma wrapped up in a nice bundle of mystery," Angel smiled, "sounds like a perfectly normal cat to me. A perfectly normal cat capable of withstanding 15 G's though."

"Maybe it's the Hellmouth," Buffy suggested, "I heard Belmo talk to the thing as if it actually talks to him."

"He did?" Xander said and looked the cat in the eyes, "well, Max, do you talk to the B-Man?"

"Meow!"

"Now that's spooky," Angel said at the cat's resolute answer.

"Maybe it replies to anybody speaking to it," Xander said intrigued, "now do you Max?"

This time Max said nothing. Instead she tried to get loose from Xander's grip. Taking that as his cue Xander opened the door and put the cat in the hallway. This was not to the liking to Max who just hopped back into the gym as if 15 G's were nothing.

"Oh no you don't," Buffy said and picked up Max by her neck.

"Meow!"

"You're one persistent kitty, I'll grant you that," Buffy said as she held up Max until she was up to her face.

"Meow!"

"Unfortunately for you the boys have to play," Buffy smiled, "so you're coming with me."

"You're going?" Xander asked surprised, "I thought we're going to train?"

"Have to spend some quality time with Giles," Buffy smiled over her shoulder as she stepped out of the gym, "but you can train with Angel, right?"

"Him?" Xander protested, "You're leaving me with Dead Boy?"

"Hey, I'm right here, "Angel protested but Xander ignored him.

"It's Dead Boy! There's no booze, there's no broads…., there's no action!"

"Oh, come on," Buffy smiled looking back through the door opening, "surely you've dreamt of this moment happening many, many times?"

Xander looked at Angel and a smile began to creep on his face.

"Hmm," he said grinning.

"You can't be serious," Angel protested and pointed at Xander, "Him?"

"You need to train with other people," Buffy continued, "and since he volunteered…"

"Did I miss something?" Xander asked, one eyebrow raised, "When did I volunteer?"

"When you said you thought we spent too much time together," she said and waved goodbye. As she closed the door Xander turned to Angel with a sly grin on his face.

"Hmm, come to think of it, she does have a point," he grinned.

x

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In a way it had possibilities, to be Angel's personal trainer Xander thought. When he wasn't hanging around Buffy all the time he actually turned out to be quite tolerable. As long as Xander was the teacher he did as he was asked, performed the forms almost textbook like and provided for some amusing stress relief come the spar.

Naturally Xander relieved some much needed stress by showing Angel all four corners of the gym and then some. But even then Angel didn't complain and that earned him some respect in Xander's book. But what really surprised Xander was what a somewhat bruised Angel said after training.

"Do you wanna go for a drink, Harris?"

Xander was so surprised that the only thing he could say was yes.

"I'll close things off," Xander said moments later. Switching off the gravity gym he opened the door, only to have the cat jump through the door.

"Max," Xander said but the cat ignored him and jumped right on top of Darth Vader.

"Meow!" it said defiantly as it nestled itself on top of the black dummy.

"That is some strange cat," Angel said as he looked at the now purring cat.

"Tell me about it," Xander sighed, "fine, you win, Max. You can stay. But I'll switch of the light."

"Meow."

After he left the gym door ajar Xander and Angel went up, to the apartment.

"Last one to leave has to leave food behind for the cat, and that's us," Xander explained as he entered the apartment and made for the kitchen. As he fetched a tin of cat food he looked over his shoulder and saw Angel look around the place.

"Not your first time up here, Dead Boy?"

"Yes," Angel replied, "Buffy once invited me in.."

"Well, don't get to comfortable," Xander said as he got a tin opener and started opening the tin, "once I turn eighteen I can legally leave my parents house and I can stay here. First thing I'll do is probably revoke your invitation. For this part that is. You can keep using the gym."

"That's okay," Angel said, "it's not like there's much to see here."

"It is kinda bare, isn't it?" Xander agreed as he put some cat food on the plate and put it on the ground, "you should've seen his cabin. The total opposite of here."

"Buffy told me," Angel said, then he heard a small noise and saw the cat come in through a cat flap in the door, "so, are you going to keep the cat?"

"As long as she likes to sleep in the gym and not on the bed she's not that bad of a company," Xander shrugged as the cat went after the food, "Cat's happy, let's go."

It was only a short hop from Belmovekk's place to Willy's bar, less then a mile away . As Xander and Angel entered the bar all noise ceased for a moment as all eyes turned to the duo. As the two made for a quiet table in the back everybody relaxed and conversations were picked up again.

"So what can I get you two gents?" Willy asked as he came up to the duo.

"A pitcher of beer and some glasses," Angel said holding up two fingers. Willy looked at Xander like he was going to protest about him being underage again. But Xander help up a finger and let some electricity spark around it. Angel quickly grabbed Willy's hand before things got out of hand.

"Just bring us the stuff," he said with a faint smile. Willy looked at his hand, then at Xander and nodded. Then he went to get the order.

"Asshole," Xander spat after the disappearing barman.

"Knowing Willy that's most probably a compliment," Angel chuckled.

"I guess," Xander said as he leaned back. Neither man said much until after Willy brought the pitcher of beer and Angel poured the two glasses.

"Thanks," Xander said and raised the glass, "cheers!"

The beer went down so well that eventually Angel ordered a second pitcher. By the time that one was half finished the beer started to get working.

"Why did you return, Dead Boy?" Xander asked as he put down another emptied glass.

"What do you mean, Harris?" Angel asked before taking another swig from his glass."

"Well, you used to be dead in Hell, right? And now you're back."

"I wasn't dead dead," Angel objected, "she didn't kill me when she sent me into hell."

"You get my point," Xander said as he leaned forward, "one moment you were in Hell, then you weren't. Which bogs the question, why are you here?"

"I don't know," Angel said after some thinking, "Buffy and I've talked about it and we can't understand why."

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"Actually it does," Angel agreed, "It's something that's kept me awake quite a lot. Maybe I still have a purpose to fulfill?"

"But for good or for evil?" Xander asked staring into his empty glass.

"That's what keeps me awake as well," Angel nodded, "maybe I was sent here to help you guys."

"More likely you were sent back to complicate things," Xander snorted, "after all, we all know what happened the last time you got a dose of happy."

Angel sighed in agreement and then refilled the glasses. He held up his and made a toast.

"The kiss of a woman. Oft-sought, hard-fought, and veritably guaranteed to complicate matters!"

"I'll drink to that," Xander said and raised his glass as well.

"So how are you and Cordy?" Angel asked after taking a gulp, "she finally forgiven you yet?"

Xander put down his glass and slammed his forehead on the table.

"Still pissed I see," Angel smiled before taking another swig.

"I don't get women," Xander sighed, "I left her dozens of messages, I sent her flowers, candy. Even a strip-o-gram. Although that was probably a mistake as I heard the stripper got her number instead. But they all told her it wasn't my fault. That it was Spike's damn love spell."

"And did she reply," Angel asked Xander, his head still on the table

"She sent me back the bracelet I gave her last year with a note that said I should have resisted harder."

Angel patted Xander on his shoulder.

"From what Buffy told me you hurt her pretty much by kissing Willow in front of her friends."

"How's that my fault?" Xander asked as he looked up, "Magic victim, remember? Even Oz has forgiven Willow. Why can't she?"

"Her friends don't know that," Angel said as he finished his beer and poured what was left of the pitcher into his glass. Xander meanwhile grabbed his glass again and took a swig.

"She faced her friends' judgment once before," Xander said wiping his mouth, "I think she's even more pissed that I didn't back her up when she and Buffy fought over what to do with you. Women! Maybe I should go gay! Life must be so much more simpler without all these strange female hormones in the picture."

"Being gay is overrated," Angel shrugged, causing Xander to peer wearily at Angel.

"Is there something I should know, some bisexual vampire thing or should I fear the answer?"

Angel managed to look slight uncomfortable as he looked away.

"You know what, never mind," Xander said, "some things are just better left unspoken."

At that moment Willy approached the twosome.

"What's up, Willy," Angel asked the very nervous looking patron.

"It's Mr. B.," Willy said nervously and pointed towards the telephone hanging behind the bar. Angel and Xander looked at each other in surprise.

"What about him," Xander asked.

"He wants the two of you to come to him," Willy said, "now."

Xander and Angel looked at each other again. Then Xander turned to Willy.

"Fine, you delivered the message," he said and shooed the barman away, "you can go."

While Willy walked away with an injured look on his face Angel picked up his beer and finished it in one gulp.

"Let's go," he said and slammed the empty glass on the table, "I think Mohammed just called for the mountain to come to him."

x

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"An ice show?" Xander asked the next day during lunch, "A show performed on ice. And how old are we again?"

He, Willow, Oz and Buffy were sitting in the school cafeteria having lunch.

"I went to Snoopy On Ice when I was little," Willow quickly added, "my dad took me

backstage and I got so scared I threw up on Woodstock."

"Look, I know you guys think it's just a big, dumb, girlie thing," Buffy said to Xander and Oz, "but it's not. I mean, a lot of those skaters are Olympic medal winners. And every year my dad buys me cotton candy and one of those souvenir programs that has all the pictures, and okay, it's a big, dumb, girlie thing, but I love it."

"It's not so girlie," Oz said, "ice is cool! It's water, but it's not."

Truth be told he couldn't care less about ice shows but since defending ice shows mattered to Willow he just added in his $0.02. Willow reached out under the table and squeezed his hand in thanks.

"Well, if the mighty Grandmaster of Oz says so, it probably is," Xander said as he massaged the temples of his head, "my head's killing me all morning."

"What, Angel been giving you problems?" Buffy asked with a sly smile.

"You wish," Xander said looking up, "it's just that afterwards we went to the house of Bacchus for a little post-training feast."

"The house of what?" Buffy asked.

"He and Angel had a drink," Oz explained

"I thought you hated Angel?" Willow exclaimed.

"I do," Xander said, still rubbing the sides of his head, "but he offered to buy and to be honest, sometimes misery loves company."

"Cordelia," Buffy said.

"Yup," Xander said quickly and then pulled out a pair of sunglasses which he put on, "guys, I'm gonna do some meditation here. Now it may appear that I won't pay any attention to what you guys are saying but just keep talking. Oh, and when the bell rings, just give me a nod."

"Will do," Oz said, "nice dreams."

Xander put his arms across his chest and let his head fall backwards. With Xander out of the conversation Willow turned to Buffy.

"I think it's sweet you and your dad have a tradition," she said smiling, "especially now that he's not around so much. Ixnay on the caramel corn though, in case you go backstage."

Buffy can't help but chuckle at her friends suggestion.

"But will there still be a birthday celebration?" Oz asked.

"I dunno," Buffy said as she looked away, "I think it might be time to put a moratorium on parties in my honor. They tend to go badly. Monsters crash. People die."

"But eighteen is a 'big' one, Buffy," Willow said aghast, "I mean, you can vote now.

You can be drafted. You can vote not to be drafted!"

"I think I'll choose to celebrate this one with quiet reflection," Buffy said resolutely.

"Which is probably just as well," Oz said to Willow, "cause Dingoes is scheduled to play a couple of gigs in LA, remember?"

"I forgot," Willow gasped as she looked at her boyfriend.

"See, everything works out," Buffy smiled, "I get my quiet birthday, and you can party with the Dingoes in my honor."

Before Willow could reply Xander started to snore.

x

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Later that day around dinnertime Buffy arrived back at her home. As she closed the front door behind her she saw Belmovekk sitting behind her father's (but now her mom's) study, with one of the Twins, probably Dawn, in his arms. The other one she could see lying asleep in a crib next to him.

"Buffy?" her mother's voice called out from the kitchen.

"Present," Buffy said as she marched into the kitchen. Where she found a large birthday floral arrangement on the kitchen island, with a balloon floating on a string above it, a card hanging from it. Attached to the card were two ice show tickets. Seeing the arrangement Buffy couldn't help but smile.

"Ooo, present!"

"Uh, they're not," Joyce said, who was busy around the stove, "they're from your father."

With a big smile Buffy took the card and tickets and looked at the card. Then her expression changed to one of deep disappointment.

"His, uh, quarterly projections are unraveling and he can't afford to take off right now," Joyce said, seeing the look on her daughter's face, "he promises to make it up to you. It's all right there in the letter."

With a very sad look Buffy put away the tickets and the card.

"I-if you want, I could come with you," Joyce said, her own heart breaking a little as she saw her daughter's heart broken, "I-I mean, if you want me to take you. Or you could ask Belmo? He'd love to go with you if you asked him."

"No. No, that's not necessary," Buffy said sullen, "I-I was just thinking it might be

nice to have a quiet birthday."

"Oh sweetie," Joyce said as she hugged her daughter, "he will make it up to you, you know that."

"Like those weekends he stopped coming?" Buffy said as she loosened herself from her mother, "it just is as is. It's okay. Like I said, a quiet birthday can be nice as well. I'll think I'll go to my room. Call me when dinner's ready."

Leaving the kitchen Buffy went to the hallway and up the stairs. But instead of going to her room she sat on top of the stairs and started to cry softly. After she had a good cry she suddenly could hear her mother talk to Belmovekk.

"Well, that went as expected," her mother said.

"That man is not even worthy of being called a father," Belmovekk said in disapproval, "how can a man walk away from his own daughter?"

"It's not always so easy," Joyce said, "Hank's got a very demanding job. He's got to…"

"Then he should not have raised her expectations," Belmovekk said, "if I ever do that to my children you have my permission to hit me on the head with something large and solid."

"So you Saiyans like that," Joyce said in a tone that sounded way too gross for Buffy's liking, "suddenly that explains so much about your fellows."

"Earth women," the Saiyan muttered in mock disgust.

"So how's Dawn?" Joyce asked, "She been keeping you from your work?"

"She's no bother, or are you, little lady?"

"I can't understand why she sleeps so little," Joyce asked, "her sister sleeps all the time."

"They are just different," Belmovekk said, "I think she is ready to sleep though if you feed her now."

"I envy that bond you have," Joyce said as Buffy heard her take Dawn into her arms, "sometimes I wonder what you guys are talking about."

"A child at that age is very basic," Belmovekk said, "it just wants to know that you are there, that it gets fed and cleaned. Do not expect much in the way of true conversation."

"Still, it would be nice to have that kind of connection," Joyce said.

"I suppose," the Saiyan said. Then the sounds of paper being shuffled could be heard signaling his return to his study.

"Belmo?" Joyce asked after a while.

"Yes, dear."

"I've been thinking. Now that we have a second Slayer in town, would this be a good opportunity for Buffy to go to college after she graduates?"

"You mean the college that is in this town," the Saiyan asked.

"That's one possibility," Joyce said, "I was thinking more of her going somewhere else. To get her away from here, from this place."

"No," Belmovekk said resolutely.

"What do you mean no?" Joyce said, her tone indicating surprised indignation, "Doesn't she deserve to get away from this? From this life?"

"Joyce, dear," Belmovekk said, "if I could make it all right for her I would cut off my right arm for your daughter. She deserves to be able to do whatever she wants. But so does Faith. Why should one have to continue living this life and the other not?"

"Well, from what I hear, Faith actually seems to like being the Slayer," Joyce countered.

"True," the Saiyan agreed, "but even if so I would still say no to Buffy going away. In fact I think it most advisable that when she graduates she focuses exclusively on her training. And the same goes for the others as well. We are fighting a war. A great evil is to come in one and half year."

"Ah yes," Joyce sighed, "that!"

"I worry greatly, Joyce," Belmovekk said, sounding almost depressed, "I do not think I will be able to stop the coming of Gero's Androids. My gut tells me that they are not the great evil itself, but it also tells me they are linked to it. I am pretty sure they killed Buffy and her friends in that future just as easily, if not more so then Goku's friends. I lay awake at night thinking of that happening. It must not come to pass. If I cannot find Gero, then the only course left to me is training her as best as I can. If it means she misses a year of college, well, too bad. She can always go to college afterwards. Returning from death is much harder."

"I suppose," Joyce said, "but not impossible, right?"

"Only of you have an intact body, dear. There are no such certainties in battle."

On the stairs Buffy had overheard the whole conversation. Things must be dire if Belmo considered giving up his search. Also the idea of having to spend a whole year just training didn't exactly appeal to Buffy either.

Suddenly she felt like the walls were coming on to her. Needing to get out of the house she went to her room and used her tried and tested escape route through her bedroom window to slip out of the house.

Once outside she found herself wandering the streets, not sure where to go. For a moment she thought of going to either Willow or Angel. Angel probably understood her and her feelings better. But he also had a bad habit of seeing Belmo's point lately. Whereas Willow she could rely upon to agree with her. And that was what she felt like needing more right now.

As she walked towards Willow's she passed a dark alley where she heard a noise. Instincts kicked in and Buffy halted to see what was going on. Inside the alley a woman was being held by a man. The woman tried to ran away but the man grabbed her by her wrists and pulled her back. Then his face changed into a vampire's gameface.

"You're either the dumbest vampire I've ever seen or the bravest," Buffy said as she stepped into the alley, "so which is it?"

As soon as he heard her voice the vampire froze and let the woman go. Who immediately ran away, leaving Buffy with the vampire.

"Look, Slayer, I, uh, this isn't what it looks like," he stammered while walking backwards slowly.

"Oh, I think this is exactly what it looks like," Buffy said smiling as she started to do a few simple hand stretching exercises, "lemme guess, you're new in town, right?"

"I-I-I was just going t-to scare her to get her money," the vampire said holding his hands up, "honest!"

This could very well be true. Deaths may have gone down since the Edict, crime on the other hand had gone up. And there were only so much jobs vampires and demons could do to make a living. So most were involved in crime in some way.

But then again Buffy was in the mood for some old fashioned stress relief. And unfortunately for him the vampire unknowingly just volunteered for that job. Besides, the Edict had to be occasionally watered with the blood and dust of demons and vamps for them to keep a healthy respect for it. So Buffy made a full roundhouse kick to send the vampire against a wall.

Instead she found herself wobbling on her feet and her kick going nowhere near the vampire.

"What the…" Buffy said, then she refooted herself and made for a full body swing against the equally surprised vampire. Who to his own surprise easily caught hold of her punching arm. Both looked surprised at each other, then age old instincts kicked in and the vampire lashed out at her, delivering a very painful punch that had her fall unto one knee.

"What's going on?" Buffy said surprised, then she barely evaded a vicious kick from the vampire.

"Don't know, don't care," the vampire said, "all I know is that you're going to die, Slayer!"

The vampire kicked again and this time Buffy fell on her back.

"I think I'm going to enjoy killing you," the vampire said and launched himself at Buffy to land right on top of her.

"Oops…." the vampire suddenly said with wide open eyes, then he disintegrated to reveal a short piece of wood Buffy held in her hand and which she managed to grab from the alley's floor just an instant before.

Next thing Buffy dropped her impromptu stake and sat up straight, her knees up and arms wrapped around them as she stared blankly ahead of her.

x

x

"So there's not going to be a party for Buffy," Xander said as he and Willow entered the Library the next day, "I mean, some of us still love to relish celebrating in the birth of the Buff!"

"It's what she wants," Willow said. It wasn't quite to her liking either, but what could she do?

As they entered the library they found Oz sitting on the counter watching Buffy throw knifes at a target. Unlike Cordelia Oz had completely forgiven her for the unfortunate kissing incident. Probably because he had helped Xander interrupt Spike's love spell and had seen it happen. Still, seeing him sit there Willow became very conscious of being next to Xander and she quickly moved over to Oz.

"Hi," Willow said as she kissed him on the cheek, "have you been here long?"

"Hi sweetie," Oz smiled, "just long enough to see Buffy make a mess."

"I'm not making a mess," Buffy said out loud before throwing another knife which landed nowhere near the target.

"My bad," Oz said, "you're just making the kind of mess that's not."

"You know, statistically she should at least have hit the target at least once," Xander said as he studied the spread of Buffy's knives on the wall.

"What's wrong, Buffy?" Willow asked, "You always hit the target!"

Buffy turned around and faced her friends.

"Bah," she snorted in disgust as she gave up and threw her last knife over her shoulder, "Giles thinks it's just a case of the flu. And why are you all suddenly looking at me?"

"I think you just improved you average," Oz said. Buffy turned around and saw her last knife sticking right dead centre in the bull's eye.

"Crap," Buffy said annoyed.

"Just think of yourself as still deadly in reverse," Xander said and patted her on her shoulder, "so, no birthday party?"

"Xander," Willow said frowning, "Buffy's not alright and all you can think of is a birthday party?"

"But..., I like birthday cake," Xander whimpered.

"So you're back into sweets again," Oz grinned, then he pulled out a best Milkbar chocolate bar which he threw at Xander, "catch!"

"IAAAH," Xander said, his voice going up several octaves, and he jumped back to avoid touching the cursed candy.

"Thankfully I can still protect you from the evil candy," Buffy said shaking her head as she picked up the candy bar and put it into a nearby waste basket. Then she looked at Xander.

"And what is with the girlie scream?" she asked.

"That candy is evil," Xander said vehemently and pointed at the waste basket, "it mocks everything that's good and holy in this world!"

Oz meanwhile was looking mighty pleased with himself and Willow felt a strong need to say something about him teasing Xander. But she held back at the last moment. With the kissing incident still fresh she felt reluctant to come to strongly to Xander's defense. And it wasn't like Oz was overdoing it since the kissing incident. The cursed candy bars had become a staple joke long before that.

Instead Willow turned to Buffy, who looked like she could use some cheering up.

"Do you wanna come with us to LA?" she said eager, "there's still room in the official Dingoes tour van?"

"If you don't mind squeezing in between the Marshall amps that is," Xander joked.

"I dunno," Buffy said, glancing at her knives.

"It would do you good, Buffy, get away from all this for a while. Have some fun at the show, maybe see a hot looking boy in the audience," Willow said, then she bit her lip, "although you would have to be quick though, cause Faith's also coming."

"I think I'll pass," Buffy replied, "I've spent months in LA. If I don't ever get to see it again I'll die happy."

Xander stood next to Buffy and put his arm around her.

"Besides, what could go wrong," he grinned, "she still has me!"

As all eyes suddenly turned to Xander his grin faded from his face.

"And I just said the mother of all jinxes, didn't I?"

"My chocolate hero," Buffy said as she shook her head.

x

x

That evening in the Library Giles brought out a set of crystals and set them before Buffy, who was seated by the table.

"You know, it's not just cartoon characters," Buffy said looking up at Giles, "they do pieces from operas and ballets. Brian Boitano, doing Carmen, is a life changer. Oh,

he doesn't actually play Carmen, but a lot of sophisticated people go."

"I think we should start with the grounding crystal again," Giles said as he put a large blue crystal in front of her.

"You know, it's usually something that families do together," Buffy continued, oblivious to the stone in front of her. Giles closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. Then he put the box away.

"Now, look very carefully for the tiny flaw at its core," Giles said as he stood over her shoulder. To his chagrin Buffy just continued to chatter on.

"I-if someone were free, they'd take their daughters or their student... or their Slayer," she said glancing hopeful over her shoulder.

"Yes, but, Buffy, I think we should concentrate now. Now, look for the flaw at its centre."

Seeing that he's not relenting Buffy gave in and started staring at the crystal. Within moments her gaze became fixed as she stared blankly at the stone Giles leaned over and looked into her face.

"Buffy?"

Seeing that she was under a trance Giles reached for his briefcase and pulled out a small case. He put it on the table and opened it. From it he took a hypodermic needle, a cotton pad soaked in alcohol and a vial of clear yellow liquid. Then he filled the syringe with the fluid and turned towards Buffy.

x

x

At the end of a long school day Buffy and Willow were coming down the main stairs

"So, how's the magic coming lately?" Buffy asked

"Well, the magic is going okayish," Willow replied slightly uncertain, "thanks to Amy. As for the sorcery, not much progress there, unfortunately."

"So Amy is giving you tips then?" Buffy smiled, "Does that mean we can expect more disasters like the love spell."

"That's not funny, Buffy," Willow protested, "it's not my fault that happened. You know Spike had something to do with it. And even then Xander jumped in at the wrong time."

"That boy should most definitely never be allowed anywhere near magic ever again," Buffy said. Then they came near the parking lot and saw Cordelia talking with a boy.

"You don't do that to me!" the boy said to Cordelia with a raised voice, "I waited for you at the Bronze all night!"

"And the big deal is?" Cordelia said unimpressed. That caused the boy to become angry with her.

"You made me look like some kind of dork in front of my posse," he said as he grabbed her arm. Cordelia however had spent months watching Xander train and even though she never practised as a former cheerleader she did pick up a few trick here and there. She easily slipped her arm free and slapped his arm aside.

"First of all, 'posse'? Passe'! Second of all, anyone with a teaspoon of brains knows not to take my flirting seriously. Especially with my extenuating circumstances."

"What circumstances?" the boy asked surprised.

"Rebound?" Cordelia snorted, "Look it up!"

As far as Cordelia was concerned the conversation was over and she tried to leave. The boy however saw differently and grabbed both of her shoulders and pushed her against a tree.

"Hey! I'm not through here," he yelled

Before he knew what happened Buffy jumped in and grabbed his arm.

"Oh, I beg to differ," she said and tried to yank his arm of Cordelia. But to her surprise she couldn't budge it at all. For some reason she just didn't have the strength to do so. As she's suddenly powerless the boy pushed her away in annoyance and she fell on her back hard against a bench.

"What is wrong with you?" Cordelia said out loud as she pushed the boy away from her.

"Ow," the boy said as Cordelia let him have it. Punching him with a combination of ultra girlie punches to badly executed Saiyan martial art punches. Still the onslaught drove him backwards.

"God, the chick started it," the boy said as he tried to fend of Cordelia's attacks. Eventually he had enough of it and left, leaving behind a victorious looking Cordelia and a very worried Willow kneeling next to Buffy.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Buffy looks at her friend not certain what to say when suddenly they heard Giles' worried voice.

"Buffy! Are you alright?" Giles asked as he came running across the campus grounds.

"Giles, there's something wrong with Buffy," Willow said as she helped Buffy get up. As soon as he arrived Giles gave Buffy a quick look over

"She'll be fine," Giles said after he finished his examination.

"But Giles," Willow protested, "she just got swatted down by some no-neck. Cordelia had to rescue her."

Giles looked like he wanted to say something, then he changed his mind.

"I-i-t's just a case of the flu," he said, "I'm sure it'll sort itself out.

"It's like she's not the Slayer," Willow continued.

"Look, Willow," Giles said as he turned towards her, "I, I, I assure you, um... given time... w-w-we'll get to the bottom of, of whatever's causing this, um... anomaly. In the meantime I will give her a lift home."

As Giles escorted Buffy to his car Willow was left behind in turmoil. Something's wrong.

"Ah, there you are," a voice said behind her.

Willow nearly jumped three feet in the air from fright. As she turned around she found Oz looking at her strangely.

"Are you alright?" he asked puzzled.

"I can't go," Willow said, putting her hand on his face.

"What do you mean you can't go," Oz asked puzzled.

"I can't come with you to LA," she said, "Buffy, she needs me right now."

"Well, if you're not going then I'm not going," Oz said resolutely.

"But you can't," Willow said aghast, "the show….the contract…"

"I don't care," Oz said determined, "everything I do, everything I try to do, I do for you. Yet everytime something happens to you I find myself not there to protect you."

"No," Willow said shocked. She could see what he was willing to give up for her. The LA shows were not just ordinary shows. They were Dingoes Ate My Babies shot at a recording deal as a talent scout from a label would come and check them out. And he was willing to give that all up for her.

"Yes," he said, "not again."

"Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne," she said as sternly as possible, "you're not going to miss your chance at a record deal because of me! You go to LA and show those LAians what Dingoes are made of. Don't you dare come back to me without a record deal!"

"Then why won't you come with me?" he asked, "If it's that important that you stay, then so should I."

"It's nothing to worry about," Willow lied, "there's no sudden crisis. Buffy's sick and it's her birthday. She shouldn't be alone at a time like this."

Oz thought about it for a moment.

"So this is a girlfriend thing?" he eventually asked, "only not in girlfriend kind of sense but more like a girls being friends with each other?"

"Exactly! So you go to LA and whip some LA ass, young man," Willow smiled as she hugged her boyfriend, then she whispered in his ear, "but just so you know, it means everything in the world that you're willing to give it all up for me."

"You know it means nothing without you," he said. Then Willow let go.

"Now you be sure to bring back lots of photos, tapes and videos, young man! Put Faith to some good use other then chasing LA ass!"

"I will," Oz said as kissed her on the cheek, "I'll call you later."

"Bye!"

"Bye."

As Oz left Willow turned around and made straight for the Library. She may be the weakest of the group but her research fu was still unmatched, bar only Giles. And even then not by that much. She was going to get to the bottom of Buffy's strange condition even if it took her all night!

x

x

Through the dark deserted streets of Sunnydale a lone figure ran. Running as fast as she could the girl ran towards her destination, a middle class suburban home that head seen better days. Signs of neglect were especially to be seen in the garden, with rubbish and weeds fighting each other for dominance. The girl ran up to the front door and rang.

Panting heavily she waited for somebody to come and open. No one came however so she rang again. She had to wait a little longer but finally the light went on in the hallway and the sounds of somebody opening the door lock could be heard.

"Xander, thank God, you're…," the girl tried to say but then she stopped. Instead of it being Xander opening the door it was his father, Tony Harris, instead. The man only wore a pare of banged up faded jeans, a white undershirt and the smell of alcohol surrounding him.

"What do you want?" Tony asked gruffly as he looked down upon the girl.

"Is Xander here?" she asked desperately. If she sounded urgent it didn't seemed to register with Tony.

"Pff, that loser? I have no idea where he is," Tony said as he absentmindedly brushed his visible chest hair, "he no longer thinks we're worthy enough to grace us with his presence."

The girl bit her lip in frustration. Where could he be? She was about to ask him if he maybe knew where Xander was, but from the look on Tony's face it was clear that even if he knew he didn't care.

"Okay," the girl said dejected, "if you see him could you please tell him I'm looking for him?"

Tony Harris grunted something non-committal and closed the door in her face. He hadn't even asked for her name.

"This is bad," Willow Rosenberg said as she walked away from the Harris residence.

She had spent hours in the Library reading whatever book she could get her hands on to find out what was wrong with Buffy. Even though Giles kept most of his arcane books within the cage these days there were still plenty of other books left. It had taken Willow most of the evening working her way through those books to find what she needed. And then only to find what she needed to know wasn't even in those books, nor in the locked away arcane books. No, it was in a small book that Giles had kept in the desk in his office, called the Watcher's Handbook.

What it contained chilled Willow to the bone. She knew from past experience that Giles had a dark side to him, a ruthless streak if need be. There was the demon Eghyon which he had raised together with Ethan Rayne in his younger years when he had been brazen in dark magicks. And there was the incident when he had essentially kidnapped a US government scientist and ruthlessly used him as a grounder in a magic ritual against his will.

But not even in her wildest dreams could Willow conceive that Rupert Giles, a man the group thought of as a surrogate father, that he would be willing to put Buffy through the sadistic ritual that the Watcher's Handbook called the Cruciamentum. A ritual designed to strip a Slayer of all of her powers and then to lock her inside a sealed house with a demented vampire. All on her 18th birthday. Just so they could test her ingenuity.

The first thing Willow tried when she learned of this awful truth was to pick up the phone and start making calls. Of course she couldn't reach anybody. Oz and Faith had left town with the Dingoes, on her insistence. Nobody picked up at Xander's place. Which considering the inebriated state of his father she just witnessed didn't really surprise her. Of course Giles didn't pick up either. Nor did anybody pick up at Buffy's house.

The next thing she tried was getting her hands on a scouter. But she didn't have one with her. While Oz kept his in his van, most were kept in the cage in the Library. And Giles had locked the cage closed. So that left only one option to her. Finding help the old fashioned way. Xander had been closest. Damn Xander for not being where she could find him.

x

x

The next closest place was Buffy's. When Willow arrived at 1630 Revello Drive she found the place darkened. No sound came from inside the house as she walked up to the front. As she knocked on the front door it swayed open. It wasn't locked.

Wearily Willow stepped inside the house.

"Buffy?" she called. There was no answer.

"Belmo?"

Silence greeted her, as Willow stepped into a living room that had seen combat. Someone had put up a great yet most likely unsuccessful resistance. Chairs were strewn in the living room, a small cabinet broken.

"Joyce?"

Now Willow started to really get worried. Surely not Joyce. Or god forbid the Twins?

She raced through the house, frantically looking for a sign of anyone still present. But there was nobody in the house. The only thing that gave her a glimmer of hope was that there was no sign of a struggle in the Twin's room. And it did look like somebody had packed every supply needed to take care of them. But on the other hand, Buffy's case of weapons, her stakes, swords, knives, holy water, all the stuff she hadn't used in ages, that was also gone.

x

x

"Meow?"

The first sign of life Willow encountered was Max the cat at Belmo's place. Willow had gone from Buffy's place straight to Angel's. Surely if Buffy had gone anywhere in her weakened state it would be to Angel. The two may pretend they were no longer an item, but they didn't fool anybody, certainly not Willow. Their bond was still as strong. But Angel's place was just as deserted, be it there wasn't any sign of a struggle.

The next closest place was Belmo's place. It was dark, but at least it wasn't deserted as Max came to greet her as she entered the place. Picking up the cat Willow closed the door behind her and switched on the light. As the cat nestled itself purring in her arms Willow checked out the place. There was nobody in the gym, nor upstairs. In exasperation Willow turned to the cat.

"Do you have any idea where they are Max?"

"Meow!"

x

x

By now Willow had gotten quite desperate. Unable to find anyone of the group she turned towards the last place still left to her. Giles' apartment. She was halfway there when she saw a familiar car coming across a corner, the Queen C.

"Cordelia," Willow shouted as she stepped in front of the car in the hope of forcing it to stop.

It was only when she had done that and she stared at the headlights that it dawned on Willow that maybe this might not be such a good idea. After all, she had been the cause of the incident that caused Cordelia's break up with Xander. As the car sped towards her with no signs of slowing down Willow raised her arm in front of her and averted her head in a futile attempt to ward off the impending collision.

In what seemed like the last possible second the Queen C. came to a sudden stop mere inches from Willow.

"What are you doing here?" Cordelia said annoyed as she stuck her head out of the window.

"It's Buffy," Willow said as she came up to the window, "she's in trouble!"

"So what else is new," Cordelia snorted, "does that mean you need to jump in front of my car?"

"She needs our help, Cordelia," Willow pleaded, "Buffy needs our help!"

"Oh, puhlease," Cordelia said rolling her eyes, "she can blow up this entire town by now. What on earth does she need you and me for?"

Willow bit her lip. Should she tell Cordelia? It didn't look like Cordelia would help her otherwise.

"Buffy may be able to blow up this town," Willow said, "that is, under normal conditions. But not now, exactly."

Cordelia sighed.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear?" she said rolling her eyes, "Why me?"

"Because I've looked all over town," Willow said desperately, "I can't find anybody! Xander's gone, Angel's gone, Belmo's gone and Buffy's home been ransacked."

"I saw Buffy less then ten minutes ago," Cordelia interjected, "she asked me for a lift."

Willow grabbed the door of the Queen C. with both hands.

"You have? Could you take me to where she was?"

Cordelia thought about it and for a moment Willow feared that she might drive on. Then Cordelia sighed and nodded to the other side of her car.

"Get in," she said softly. Willow ran to the other side of the car, opened the door and sat down

"Thanks, Cordelia," Willow said as she closed the door and fastened her seatbelt.

"Don't you thank me," Cordelia said coldly, "I still hate you, Willow Rosenberg. I'm only doing this for Buffy. I don't particularly like her either but she has saved my life a few times."

Willow said nothing as Cordelia put the car into drive and put the pedal to the metal.

"So what's wrong with little miss Muffit?" Cordelia asked, "When I gave her a lift earlier she seemed fine to me."

"It's Giles," Willow said, "he's done something to her. It's made her weak."

"You sure?" Cordelia said as she gave Willow a confused look, "She seemed fine to me when I picked her up."

"Cordelia," Willow said as she looked straight at Cordelia, "Buffy can fly! Why would she need you to take her anywhere?"

That shut Cordelia up for a moment.

"Maybe she doesn't want to raise suspicion?" Cordelia cautiously suggested.

"This is Sunnydale, Cordelia," Willow said as she gestured around herself, "you can have Thor the god of thunder riding at the head of a team of a billion valkyries, flanked perhaps by an army of flying reindeer led by Gandalf the Grey and a cyborg Santa Claus and nobody would notice."

"Touché," Cordelia said, then looked dumbfounded at Willow, "who's Thor?"

x

x

"Is this the place," Willow asked as Cordelia stopped the Queen C. outside an boardinghouse at the edge of town. The sign outside read "Sunnydale Arms, Rooms for Let, Breakfast Included, Inquire Within." Although the inquiring would be kind hard as it was clear that nobody had stayed in this place for years.

"This was it," Cordelia said, "don't ask why but this' the place where Buffy wanted to go. I still can't believe that Giles would do that to her."

On the way over Willow had told Cordelia of the Cruciamentum ritual the Watchers wanted Buffy to undergo and Giles' role in it.

"I still have a hard time believing it myself," Willow said as she got out, "but you saw Buffy with that boy in the parking lot this day. You practically had to come to her rescue."

"It was kinda cool though," Cordelia smiled at the memory, "anything else I can do to help?"

"If you find anyone, send them here," Willow said and closed the car door behind her.

As Cordelia drove off Willow went to the front of the boardinghouse and tried to peer inside. Inside it was relatively dark and most of the windows were covered in bricks, so Willow had little choice but to go inside. She hated doing that, unlike the others she wasn't a fighter. She knew she was best in a supporting role capacity. But if Buffy was bereft of her power then this was the time she needed Willow's support more then ever.

She pushed open the door and it swayed open effortlessly. Another door unlocked was not a good sign. Or maybe a sign she was on the right trail, cause when she looked down she saw that one of Buffy's old stakes had been jammed in the door opening to prevent it from closing. Clutching her own stake in her right hand and a little bag she had been carrying ever since she left the Library Willow stepped inside. The front rooms of the place were empty so she moved deeper into the boardinghouse.

In the sitting room she discovered signs of a fight. Thrown chairs, a broken table Buffy's old crossbow lying in a corner, a fallen over heavy bookcase. Willow clasped her mouth in shock as she saw that the crossbow had been broken. She looked around the room looking for signs of blood but she couldn't find any. She did find a fine powder strewn across the floor underneath the bookcase which looked very familiar. Which gave her hope. Maybe Buffy had defeated the council's vampire after all.

Willow was about to call out Buffy's name when she heard a dim noise coming from the basement and she nearly jumped into the air from fright.

"Buffy," Willow spoke softly. It was useless of course to call for Buffy at such a low volume, but Willow couldn't bring herself to do so louder. Raising her stake ready to strike Willow opened a door which she hoped would lead her to the basement. Instead she found it was covered up in bricks.

"What the…," Willow exclaimed, then she understood. It was all part of the Cruciamentum test. In order for a Slayer to prove her mettle she had to face a vampire with nothing but her wits in a closed off environment. So the Watchers probably closed off most exits. But that still meant there had to be at least one entrance somewhere.

She tried another hallway only to find that one led to a door that had also been bricked up as well.

Going back to the sitting room she went to an opposite hallway where another door gave way to a kitchen. Inside she found a dead body. She knelt beside it but it was that of an unfamiliar male. Leaving the body for what it was she started to look around for an entrance below.

From the kitchen three doors led elsewhere. One door clearly led to a sealed up back entrance for deliveries. Another led to an office where a telephone was. She picked up the telephone and started dialing. But there was no tone to be heard, clearly the phone line was deader then dead.

The third door was closed, which gave Willow hope. She couldn't find a key but she knew nobody would lock the door when they went to all the trouble of bricking off other exits. She looked around the kitchen to see if she could find something she could use for leverage.

While she looked around she heard more dim noises coming from the basement, followed by a scream.

"Buffy?" Willow said agitated as she doubled her efforts to find something to open the door with. She found several large spoons and other cutlery, but even she knew those would most likely bend rather then break something open. But nothing really good to break open a door with.

In desperation she looked in the office as well. Around the corner she found a large metal rod. It looked like something used to lower a large sunblind before a window or a security fence before a shop window. Solid and sturdy enough to maybe open a locked door with. Holding up the rod in triumph Willow turned around and made for the locked door.

Jamming the rod between the door and the post Willow started to force open the door. It took her a moment but eventually the door gave way and swung open.

"Ha," Willow said in triumph, but her elation was short lived. The door only gave way to a storage room. Dropping the rod in bitter disappointment Willow stepped back. There had to be a way to get in that damn basement in some way! How on Earth had Buffy made it?

That question led Willow back to the sitting room. Maybe there were signs of Buffy's route to be find from there. As she made for the sitting room Willow passed a stairs going up which had signs of a fight having taken place. Which could mean that the way down was up there.

On the first floor there are further signs of a struggle, but there Willow also saw it, her ticket to the basement, a laundry chute leading directly to the basement. Sighing deeply Willow put one leg first into the chute and then carefully her other. Then she leaned further into the chute until she only hang by her right hand. Clutching her left hand against her chest Willow sighed again.

"Please let this be the right thing," she said to herself in desperation, then she let go and slid down the chute.

The fall seemed to her like an eternity but in reality she was down in no time. She erupted from the chute screaming what Xander undoubtedly would have called a most girlie scream. She landed on her behind amidst the remains of a broken table.

The room was barely lit, although she could still see as moonlight filtered in through a series of small windows. Looking around she could see somebody sit in a chair, all tied and gagged, but she was unable to make out who. Then she turned her head and saw Buffy fight with what looked like that William Dafoe guy from Platoon turned into a vampire.

"Will?" Buffy said surprised. Her momentary distraction by Willow's arrival caused the vampire to get in a punch that sent her crashing against the wall.

"Buffy," Willow cried out.

"What have we here?" the vampire said triumphantly, "Another naughty girl? You know what happens to naughty girls? They get…. Aargh!"

The vampire suddenly clutched his head as if he was in great pain. Then he reached inside his pocket and took out a bottle of pills.

Seeing this as her opportunity Willow turned to Buffy, lying in pain with her back against the wall. She ran towards Buffy and opened the small bag she had been carrying. She took out a handful of powder and sprinkled it over Buffy.

"Asklepios vindictos," Willow said while she sprinkled the fine powder.

"What are you doing, Will?" Buffy said.

"I'm here to help you, Buffy," Willow smiled.

"How," Buffy asked, but then she started to glow a yellowish glow that grew bigger and bigger, only to abruptly go away.

"I healed you, Buffy," Willow smiled with a big smile, "I've purged you of the drug's effect.

Buffy looked at Willow, then balled her fist and she just knew her strength was back. She got up, advanced towards the vampire she had been fighting and assumed a fighting stance. Then she signaled him to come.

"Bring it on," she smiled confidently. The vampire who had just taken his pill put away the bottle and charged her. Instead of finding her the weak Slayer he had known she effortlessly gripped him, lifted him in the air and then she dumped him on top of a broken table leg jutting upwards.

"No," he cried desperately, then he crumpled into dust.

"It's over," Buffy said panting.

"No it's not," Willow said as she stood next to her friend, "Giles, he…"

Suddenly the light was switched on. Buffy and Willow looked up. On the stairs leading out of the basement stood two men dressed in tweed. One was Giles, the other was someone Willow didn't recognize.

"Giles did what, miss?" the unknown man said looking at her.

Willow was top surprised to answer. Instead her eyes wandered to her left as she finally could see the figure bound and gagged in its chair.

It was Belmovekk.

x

x

(one week earlier)

x

Buffy was studying in the Library. It was one of those annoying English literature tests teachers like to inflict on their pupils, hoping against better judgment that it might actually inspire them to start reading. Instead of creating a healthy hatred for anything literature related for life. For now Buffy was studying alone, with Willow of with Oz somewhere else, and Xander moping over Cordelia somewhere else as well. She felt for her friend's misfortune but there was little she could do. Her word didn't exactly carry much favor with Cordelia these days after Angel's return.

Her relation with Giles also seemed strained. With Giles apparently not having taken well to Angel's return. He had accepted Angel's return, but far from amicably. Which was somewhat understandable of course considering he had been tortured by Angel. But lately the Watcher had taken to secluding himself more and more in his office. Today was no exception.

While Buffy was straining with the particular characteristics of Byronian poetry Giles meanwhile put the phone back on the hook in his office. He was seated behind his desk and leaned forward, elbows on his desk so he could bury his face in his hands. These last weeks had taken a toll on him and not for the reasons he suspected Buffy thought of him. Yes, Angel's return had not gone well, but it was clear that the vampire's soul had been restored to him. The thought of Buffy and Angel getting too amicable again was a worry, but on the scale of a one to ten it rated more to like a three. A far cry from the current ten that occupied his mind.

As Buffy's eighteenth birthday drew steadfastly closer Giles mood went down correspondingly. Over the past weeks he had exhausted every legal avenue available to him to stop what was in store for her. And now his last hope had been crushed as he learned that Quentin Travers, head of the global Watcher's organization would soon come to Sunnydale to personally oversee what was required.

For a minute Giles gave in to despair. Then he sighed deeply. There was still one option left to him. He reached inside his desk and drew forth his copy of the Watcher's Handbook. Then he got up and left his office to go inside the Library. There he found Buffy studying for her English test. She seemed so innocent that he couldn't help but smile. It was such a rare occurrence these days.

"That's something we don't get to see very often anymore," she said as she took notice of his presence.

"I'm sorry," Giles said still smiling.

"For what?" Buffy asked.

"For everything I did, failed to do or am about to do," Giles said and grabbed a chair so he could sit opposite to her, "we have to talk, Buffy."

"If it's about the birds and the bees, mom already gave me that talk five years ago," Buffy replied. Giles sighed again.

"I'm serious, Buffy," he said, "it's about your eighteenth birthday."

That caught Buffy's attention and she closed her English lit book.

"I take it you're not talking about the arrangements of my birthday party," she said suddenly all business.

Giles raised an eyebrow in surprise. Something was going on here.

"What do you know?" he asked wearily.

"When a Slayer turns eighteen she's to be stripped of her power and locked inside a dungeon with a vampire, to survive by her wits only."

Giles eyes grew big and without thinking he took of his glasses and reached for a polishing cloth.

"I see," he said absentminded as he polished like a mad man, "how….?"

"Belmo," Buffy said deadpan.

"Of course," Giles said cursing inwardly, it was foolish to think that that inquisitive Saiyan would not notice what was going on, "since when?"

"He told me after you guys learned of Angel," she said.

Giles looked away for a moment, somewhat pissed that that Saiyan hadn't confronted him earlier if he knew. Then he looked at Buffy again.

"Then why didn't you tell me you knew?" he said, "I've spent weeks trying to come up with a way to avert the Cruciamentum."

"He wanted too," Buffy said, "but I thought it was better if we gave you the chance to come clean yourself. And you did. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Giles put his glasses back on, together with his serious face.

"Buffy, now that you know the test is invalidated. It will probably cost me my job but you won't have to undergo it."

"I can't let you do that," Buffy said, "you'd lose your job!"

"I don't mind Buffy," Giles smiled at her.

"But I do," she said, "I think you should join us for dinner this evening."

x

x

Feeling apprehensive Giles rang the doorbell of 1630 Revello Drive. After a while the door opened and Belmovekk appeared in the door opening carrying one of the Twins.

"Good evening, Master Giles," he said and made a welcoming gesture. Giles nodded and stepped inside. In the living room Joyce sat with the other twin in her arms.

"Hi, Rupert," she said, "I can't offer you anything right now as you can see, but dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes."

"I will take care of it," Belmovekk said and went into the kitchen, from where he emerged together with Buffy. She put some glasses on the table in front of Giles, while Belmovekk put a bottle of whiskey next to them.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Joyce asked Belmovekk, eyeing the whiskey wearily.

"Good, probably not," the Saiyan said as he sat down, still holding the curious infant, "but necessary, certainly. Besides, it is not for me."

"I take it you're going to talk business again," Joyce asked as she saw Buffy sit down as well, "you want me to go?"

"Stay, mom," Buffy said seriously.

"I think you should hear this, Joyce," Belmovekk said as he leaned back in his chair, "last year, when I met with the chaos demon leader and struck a deal with him, he gave me three warnings of dangers that would befall us. The first was a warning that the vampire I thought to be on a leash, Angelus, would betray us. That happened soon thereafter. The next one was a warning regarding the powers behind this town. I am still investigating that. A month ago I thought I had a good lead, instead it turned into a dead end as my contact was murdered. But it confirmed at least that there is more going on in the Sunnydale police force then mere stupidity."

"You never told me about those warnings," Giles interjected.

"That was because of the last warning," Belmovekk said as he leaned forward and started to fill one glass with whiskey and placed it in front of Giles, "D'Hoffryn foretold that when a Slayer reaches her eighteenth birthday the very organization set out to watch over them has a nasty surprise for them."

"What!?" Joyce asked worried as she looked from Belmovekk to Giles. Belmovekk reached inside his tunic and pulled an old small book which he threw on the table.

"Where did you get this?" Giles said as he recognized the book, "Only Watchers have access to these!"

"Only Watchers of course," Belmovekk shrugged, "and those of course who have killed Watchers."

"What is it?" Joyce asked curious.

"A Watcher's handbook," Giles said, "it is only issued to Watchers who go out in the field. It details how to train and support a Slayer."

"Only that last thing is something the Watcher's Council has long given up upon, is it not, Master Giles?" Belmovekk said.

"I-I must protest," Giles said, "I would be the first to admit that there's much wrong with the Council, but there is no denying that there's still much good will and good people inside the organization."

"I am not questioning people like you, master Giles," the Saiyan said, "nor your good colleague Sam Zabuto, whom I had the pleasure to have met. But the people in charge of your organization seem to be more interested in controlling the Slayer rather then helping her. Which can be the only explanation to explain the ritual of the Cruciamentum."

"What's that?" Joyce asked, already fearing she may not like the answer.

"The Cruciamentum is an age old test of testing a Slayer's skill and wit under adverse circumstances," Giles said, "one that maybe..…"

Belmovekk interrupted Giles.

"The Cruciamentum is an abomination whereby a Slayer, who had the good fortune and stamina to reach her eighteenth birthday, is stripped of all of her strength and power and is then placed in a sealed up room where she has to fight a vampire who's at full strength. In 71% of all the cases she does not survive."

Joyce's face was horror-stricken as she looked from Giles to Buffy.

"But that would mean that….." she said, then anger came onto her face and she turned to Giles, "Get out! Get out you bastard!"

"Mom," Buffy said as she put her arm on Joyce's, "it's alright!"

"No it's not," Joyce said appalled, "he was going to….."

"No he wasn't," Buffy said, "he told me. Or at least, was about to before I told him. He didn't want to do it."

"It is as I foresaw," Belmovekk said looking at Giles, "I have known Master Giles for more then a year now and he has gone above and beyond for all of us. I can be pretty distrustful but even I cannot see him doing it. Either he would tell us, which he did, or he would go ahead thinking Buffy had become so strong anyway that it wouldn't have mattered."

"I couldn't go ahead with it," Giles said softly, then he reached out and took a glass of whiskey which he emptied in one gulp. Using his free arm Belmovekk immediately refilled it.

"Buffy's almost like my own daughter," he said sullen, "I could no more turn her over to that barbaric ritual then I could my own child, if I had one."

"And yet, that is what we must do," Belmovekk said.

"No," Joyce said shocked, "you can't be serious!"

"Oh, he is," Buffy said nodding.

"But I told her," Giles said pointing towards Buffy, "the test is now invalidated!"

"And who knows about that besides us four?" Belmovekk shrugged.

"The council will know once I tell them," Giles replied boldly.

"And then what?" the Saiyan asked unimpressed.

"I guess I mean that they will fire me," Giles said, "but at least she won't have to undergo the damn ritual."

"And then what?" Belmovekk asked.

"They'll probably send a replacement." Giles said after some thinking, then his face clouded over, "oh dear!"

"Now you realize our dilemma," Belmovekk said, "we do not want someone else who replaces you, Master Giles."

"We don't trust the council," Buffy added as Belmovekk pulled out a list from his tunic, followed by a pair of reading glasses he put on.

"Did you know that in the last thousand years the Cruciamentum was performed 21 times?" he read out loud.

"That's not much," Joyce said.

"That is only because so few Slayers ever reach the age of eighteen, Joyce," Belmovekk said looking at her over his glasses, "in the last thousand years the average lifespan of a Slayer has been less then a year. In that period more then 1445 girls were 'chosen' as they so euphemistically call it. Only 209 ever made it into their second year. Only 53 made it into a third year with only 32 making it into their eighteenth birthday. The young lady here is part of a very select group."

"As you may have noticed there is an discrepancy of eleven cases of girls not being subjected to the Cruciamentum. In their cases their Watchers rebelled against the Council and told their charges, thus nullifying the test beforehand. In eight of those cases new Watchers were assigned. All eight girls died within three months of getting a new Watcher as they lacked both experience and feel with their charges. It may interest you to know that one of the two Slayers our friend Spike killed was one of those girls."

"Of all the five other cases both the girls and their Watchers went missing. The council sent retrieval teams out to find them and to, as the report so aptly names it, terminate with extreme prejudice. Three of the Watcher/Slayer teams were easily found and dispatched off. One of the other two was located within a year. But the final girl and her Watcher managed to hold out for six years before she was assassinated. Her Watcher however survived and he swore bloody vengeance on the Watcher's Council."

"Oh my God," Giles said, "Marcus the Apostate! I've heard rumors of him. He was demonized as being the worst of the worst. A Watcher who'd gone rogue and killed his charge and tried to bring down the council. Akin to miss Post!"

"Not quite, because whereas miss Post wasevil," Belmovekk continued, "Marcus of Fletchham was Watcher to Victoria de Besançon, a French Slayer of noble birth in the 18th century. And he genuinely cared for his charge. Instead of subjecting her to the Cruciamentum they disappeared together. Now the others made the error of continuing to fight evil as they encountered it. This was what gave them away. Marcus however was a late recruit to the Watchers Council and served in the British army during the Seven Years war. He understood that in a war it is not about winning individual battles but about winning the actual war itself. That until they had defeated or changed the enemy in their rear it was useless to fight the enemy in the front. So for six years they disappeared. Preparing, training, laying the groundwork to fight the Council. She would do the fighting, he would handle the magic. In the end the Council got to them first by killing Victoria. Now, had he bided his time further Marcus would probably still have brought down the Council regardless. But it was speculated that after six years of hiding they had become lovers, that they may even have married."

"This doesn't mean I'm going to marry you," Buffy said quickly to Giles, "cause me and old guys don't mix!"

"'Cough' Angel, 'cough' Angel," Belmovekk coughed. Upon which Buffy gave him a deathglare.

"I think I liked you better drunk," she said and gently nudged the refilled glass with whiskey towards him.

"Buffy," Joyce said disapproving

"Marcus the Apostate was said to have nearly destroyed the Council," Giles said, "he unleashed an unholy alliance of vampires and demons able to penetrate the Council's defenses and supported them with his magicks. They came close to destroying the Council and only the combined stand of the Council's magic wielders managed to sway the tide and made the enemy fight each other. Once the vampires and demons turned on each other Marcus was captured and tortured to death."

"That's a sane bunch you're working for, you don't mind me saying," Joyce said.

"An example had to be made," Giles said, "he had nearly brought down the Council by conspiring with demons."

"I guess once you are at war with your own side your former enemy suddenly does not seem so enemyish any more," Belmovekk said, then he continued reading from his notes, "like you said, the Council managed to turn the tide. Had Marcus waited for longer and further prepared his assault the Watcher's Council would have been no more."

"To bad he failed then," Buffy said.

"Who knows?" Belmovekk shrugged, "From what I gathered both Marcus and Victoria wished to end the Council and start something anew. For having evaded the Council for six years she is the longest living Slayer in history though at 24 years. Rumor has it she and Marcus even had a child together. Although that has never been confirmed, despite the most strenuous research on the Council's side. Strangely enough no Slayer has ever given birth, or lived long enough to do so. Most died so young after having led what was basically a very monastic life."

"And of the 21 girls who did go through the Cruciamentum," Joyce asked, "what are the statistics on them?"

"Of the 21 girls who underwent the Cruciamentum 15 died during the test. Six survived, although five of them were dead before they reached the age of twenty. Only one ever made it to the age of 21. One Helen of Bexindale in the 17th century, who also happened to be a nun. Who also happens to be the official longest living Slayer to date."

"Those odds aren't much better then by refusing to undergo the ritual," Joyce said.

"I agree," Belmovekk said as he put away his notes and his reading glasses, "but the way I see it if the young lady undergoes the ritual and survives she buys time."

"Time for what," Giles asked.

"Time to improve, master Giles, time get better, until the day comes that she no longer needs to fear the Council," Belmovekk said as Giles took the glass of whiskey again and drank from it, "I do not yet know why the Council does what it does, but the more I know, the more it seems obvious it does not exist to support the Slayer. If anything it seems to be all about controlling the Slayer. And if need be killing the Slayer if she ever becomes a problem. Oh, it hides its purpose to its own rank and file by singing the praise of the Slayer. And I am sure the Watchers out in the field are of good intent. But those that lead the Council have a different agenda. They do not seem to care about them."

"In all the years you have been here, Master Giles, how much support have they given you? And somehow you knew this, master Giles, at some level. As did your fellow, Master Zabuto. Who was most helpful in getting me a lot of this information. Both of you have edited your reports to the Council. Left out clues as to the growing strengths of your charges. What other possible reason could it have been other then you fearing it would rock the boat? And why would you fear that rocking the boat would endanger your charges?"

"That's why we came up with a plan to play along," Buffy said, "as Belmo said, to buy time, make them feel safe. He of course wanted to go over there and just kill them all."

"A simple and most elegant solution," Belmovekk said, glancing at Buffy, "simple is always the best!"

"It's not going to happen," Buffy said disapproving, "even if they are bastards. They're still human. This is what we're going to do."

x

x

(skip forward to a few days ago)

x

"Let's go," Angel said as he slammed the empty glass on the table, "I think Mohammed just called for the mountain to come to him."

"Who?" Xander asked surprised.

"It's an expression," Angel said as he got up, followed by Xander.

"Here ya go, Willy," Angel said as he threw some money on the counter which landed on a wet spot, "don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Sure thing, Angel," Willy replied as he took the wet money with no qualms.

"Disgusting creature," Xander said once outside, "sometimes I wonder if he's even human!"

"Oh, he's human alright," Angel shrugged, "you'll find that humans are just as despicable, if not more then demons. The Master was evil alright, but compared to an Adolf Hitler or a Josef Stalin he's peanuts."

"Sick as they were, they at least thought they were doing something for the greater good of their country," Xander countered.

"Famous last words," Angel replied offhand..

"God, you're all broody of a sudden," Xander said shaking his head, "remind me not to drink with you again. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a good thing that you're not happy but there is overdoing it".

Angel shrugged again and the two set out in a brisk tempo towards 1630 Revello Drive. As they arrived Xander rang the bell. Within moments the door was opened by Belmovekk.

"Xander," the Saiyan said smiling, an infant in his left arm. Xander smiled back and raised his right fist . Belmovekk gave Xander a short puzzled glance, then he did the same and both tapped each others fist.

"B-Man!" Xander grinned and stepped inside. Angel meanwhile looked a little uncomfortable. His invitation had been revoked when he had turned into Angelus and so far Buffy had not dared to bring him home yet.

"You may come in," Belmovekk said. Angel's look changed as he stepped inside.

"Thanks," he said appreciatively.

"You are welcome, vampire," Belmovekk said, with just a hint of bitterness in the word vampire as he closed the door behind Angel.

"You think that's wise?" Xander asked.

"Not even those who can see the future are wise," the Saiyan shrugged, "for it clouds their judgment in the present."

"No need to go fortune cookie on me," Xander said slightly injured.

"For ill or good he is now part of our group again," Belmovekk said looking at Angel, "nor will we ever leave one of our own behind again as well."

"Thanks I guess," Angel said, "that's a mighty praise."

"Gentlemen, we have work to do," Belmovekk said and led Xander and Angel to his study desk., then he called to the kitchen, "Joyce, darling, could you bring some coffee for the gentlemen? Something tells me they need it."

Angel and Xander grabbed a chair and sat down next to the Saiyan still holding the infant.

"So how are the kids?" Angel asked, "Buffy tells me they are uncannily quiet."

"Only if you expect normal human children," Belmovekk said as he glanced at the little tyke in his arm, "although I have to say, compared to Saiyan children they are exceptionally noisy. At least Saiyan kids have the good grace to let their parents sleep at night."

"No wonder you look so haggard lately," Xander grinned.

At that moment Joyce came in with two cups of coffee.

"Do any of you want milk or sugar with it?" she asked.

"Oh, I think they need it black," Belmovekk said, "In fact I think you should bring the entire pot, Joyce."

"I can smell why," Joyce said disapproving as she looked at Xander, "Aren't you a bit to young for drinking, young man."

"I'm old enough to join the army," Xander said as he accepted his cup of coffee, "I've fought vampires and demons for more then two years, I've ruined a prophecy. I think that entitles me to some drinking now and then."

"Drinking does not make you a man, Xander," Joyce snorted and went back into the kitchen.

"She has a point there, Harris," Angel grinned.

"Oh, shut up, Dead Boy."

"I see that thankfully nothing has really changed between you two," Belmovekk said, "For a moment I feared the world had changed."

"What's the emergency?" Angel asked.

Belmovekk next proceeded to explain what the problem was, how he had learned of the upcoming Cruciamentum ritual and how he and Buffy had decided to go through with it.

"Are you crazy?" Angel said angry, "You can't expose Buffy…."

"It was mostly her idea," The Saiyan interjected, "I preferred to go to London and explain to them why it was a bad idea to go through with it."

"With lot's of emphasis on killing and a large side order of blam I'd imagine," Xander grinned. Belmovekk smiled slightly and shrugged. Then he continued.

"Now here's the plan."

x

x

In an abandoned boardinghouse named Sunnydale Arms a few lamps lit a dark and musty place. A man was busy bricking shut one of the windows while another one dressed in a tweed costume observed the progress. Then another man came in, causing the observer to turn around.

"How much longer, Hobson?" the observer asked the newcomer.

"Five, maybe six hours, sir," Hobson said and they both walk into the next room.

"Once you finish, you and Blair can get some rest," observer guy said, "but sleep in shifts."

He and Hobson stopped and looked across the room. There stood a tall wooden

crate with a heavy lock on it.

"We're getting very close," observer guy said solemnly, "the Slayer's preparation is nearly complete.

(Belmo's voice over this scene as he spoke to Xander and Angel back in 1630 Revello Drive: "Even as we speak right now, Quentin Travers, head of the international Council of Watchers has set up a base of operations in an old abandoned boardinghouse. He has brought with him a vampire caught by the Council. The vampire was already demented before he turned but has been further tormented and been made addicted to a chemical substance to keep him controllable at the same time. The boardinghouse is meant to serve as Buffy's testing ground." )

x

x

That evening in the Library Giles brought out a set of crystals and set them before Buffy, who was seated by the table.

"You know, it's not just cartoon characters," Buffy said looking up at Giles, "they do pieces from operas and ballets. Brian Boitano, doing Carmen, is a life changer. Oh,

he doesn't actually play Carmen, but a lot of sophisticated people go."

"I think we should start with the grounding crystal again," Giles said as he put a large blue crystal in front of her.

"You know, it's usually something that families do together," Buffy continued, oblivious to the stone in front of her. Giles closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. Then he put the box away.

"Now, look very carefully for the tiny flaw at its core," Giles said as he stood over her shoulder. To his chagrin Buffy just continued to chatter on.

"I-if someone were free, they'd take their daughters or their student... or their Slayer," she said glancing hopeful over her shoulder.

"Yes, but, Buffy, I think we should concentrate now. Now, look for the flaw at its centre."

Seeing that he's not relenting Buffy gave in and started staring at the crystal. Within moments her gaze became fixed As she stared blankly at the stone Giles leaned over and looked into her face.

"Buffy?"

Seeing that she's under a trance Giles reached for his briefcase and pulled out a small case. He put it on the table and opened it. From it he took a pad of cotton soaked in alcohol, a hypodermic needle and a vial of clear yellow liquid. Then he filled the syringe with the fluid and turned towards Buffy. He rolled up her sleeve, rubbed the spot he was looking for with the alcohol soaked pad and then inserted the needle in her arm. Once all of the yellow fluid had been injected he removed the syringe. No blood wells up from the puncture wound. Wiping her again with the pad he then removed all the items.

Next Giles sat down next to her and waved his hand between Buffy and the crystal. Then Buffy started to stir and shook her hand.

"Have you done it?" she asked, "or do I need to stare some more at these stupid stones?"

"It is done," Giles said.

(Belmo's voice back at Buffy's home: "Master Giles will administer the Cruciamentum serum over the coming days."

"I don't get it," Xander said, "if they're in on the plan, who would they go through all of the trouble with the hypno-stones?"

"Buffy hates needles," Angel replied offhand, "Passionately! What I don't understand is why she has to undergo those injections period. Can't she just pretend to be weaker?"

"No," Belmovekk said, "it takes a special kind of vulnerability to be that weak. We both agreed that it would be impossible to fake it."

"What kind of serum is it that it can take away up to 5000 in strength," Xander asked, "cause I hate to be at the end of somebody injecting me with that kind of garbage."

Belmovekk pulled a small vial of clear yellow liquid from his desk and gave it to Xander.

"According to the Watchers Council it is a mix of muscle relaxants and adrenal suppressants. I've sent some to Bulma however to test it out. She even injected some into Yamcha and he experienced nothing. However it works, it seems to only work on Slayers. Which leads me to suspect there is a magical element to it. Their Handbook even alludes to it." )

x

x

Buffy blocked a punch and suddenly her arm was like on fire. The snarling vampire that attacked her suddenly sensed victory and tried to go all out. Instead something grabbed him from behind and sent him crashing against the wall. Then bands of yellow chi surrounded his limbs and he was pinned against the wall helplessly.

"No no no," Belmovekk said angry as he landed in front of Buffy. They were inside his gravity gym and the Saiyan looked displeased.

"How many times must I tell you," he said, "at your current level you cannot trade blow for blow with vampires. You still think like a Slayer."

"Well, it's hard," Buffy pouted as she rubbed her painful arm, "there's so little I can do. I think I've gained new respect for Xander for sticking it out when he didn't have any power at all."

"Never underestimate a great heart," Belmovekk said and took her arm into his hands, "let me see."

Then he started to rub and massage her arm.

"Now remember," he said to her gently, "use whatever you can find to finish off your opponent. Use speed to evade their attacks. As you know the average vampire lacks training and likes to use broad swinging motions to flaunt their power. The vampire you will face is mad, so he will probably use even grander motions. And probably will give you breathers so he can play with you. Use them to your advantage to catch your breath back but do not play along with his games. If you react to his moves you have basically given away the initiative. It would be better if he has to react to your moves. How is your arm now?"

"Better," Buffy said.

"Good," Belmovekk said and let go as he lifted off into the air, "now, again!"

The bands of chi on the vampire's arms and legs disappeared and he came at Buffy at full speed.

(Belmo's voice over: "Over the last month I have dedicated as much time as was possible in training Buffy in being able to fight a vampire without her power. And if need be she will have this with her."

Belmovekk held up a small bean.

"What's that," Angel asked.

"A senzu bean," Belmovekk smiled, "they have a unique magical property. No matter how beaten up you are, how tired you are, him much you hurt, once you eat one of these all your wounds will heal and all your power will be restored to you."

"Nifty," Xander said admiringly.

"Where did you get these?" Angel asked again, "And would they work on magical enchantments?"

"As long as you cannot fly it would not matter if you even knew where to get them," Belmovekk said as he put the bean away, "and yes, the guy who grows them claims they work on negative magical enchantments as well." )

x

x

"Ah, there you are," a voice said behind her.

Willow nearly jumped three feet in the air from fright. As she turned around she found Oz looking at her strangely.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I can't go," Willow said, putting her hand on his face.

"What do you mean you can't go," Oz asked puzzled.

"I can't come with you to LA," she said, "Buffy, she needs me right now."

"Well, if you're not going then I'm not going," Oz said resolutely.

"But you can't," Willow said aghast, "the show….the contract…"

"I don't care," Oz said, "everything I do, everything I try to do, I do for you. Yet every time something happens to you I find myself not there to protect you."

"No," Willow said, she could see what he was willing to give up for her. The LA shows were not just ordinary shows. They were Dingoes Ate My Babies shot at a recording deal as a talent scout from a label would come and check them out. And he was willing to give that all up for her.

"Yes," he said, "not again."

"Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne," she said as sternly as possible, "you're not going to miss your chance at a record deal because of me! You go to LA and show those LAians what Dingoes are made of. Don't you dare come back to me without a record deal!"

"Then why won't you come with me?" he asked, "if it's that important that you stay, then so should I."

"It's nothing to worry about," Willow lied, "there's no sudden crisis. Buffy's sick and it's her birthday. She shouldn't be alone at a time like this."

Oz thought about it for a moment.

"So…., this is a girlfriend thing?" he eventually asked, "only not in a girlfriend kind of sense but more like a girls being friends with each other?"

"Exactly! So you go to LA and whip some LA ass, young man," willow smiled as she hugged her boyfriend, then she whispered in his ear, "but just so you know, it means everything in the world that you were willing to give it all up for me."

"You know it means nothing without you," he said. Then Willow let go.

"Now you be sure to bring back lots of photos', tapes and videos, young man! Put Faith to some good use other then chasing LA ass!"

"I will," Oz said as kissed her on the cheek, "I'll call you later."

"Bye!"

"Bye."

(Belmo's voice over: "Now it so happens that we are blessed that on that night Oz, Faith and Willow will be out of town and safely in LA if things go wrong. Since Oz carries his scouter in his van we will be able to contact him and tell him to go underground if things do go wrong. He knows where the safe house is in LA that I have set up. If things go wrong the Council will quickly discover that they not only lost one Slayer, but both of them." )

x

x

"Are you ready, Joyce?" Angel asked as he held the door open. A large bag stood next to him, together with one of the Twins strapped in a carrying basket and already sleeping.

"I'm coming," Joyce called as she raced down the stairs carrying a large shopping bag in one hand and the other twin in the other.

"We're late," Angel said as he picked up the bag and the carrying basket.

"I know," Joyce said as she passed him and left her home. Outside stood Belmovekk.

"Here," he said, "let me hold Mayan for a moment."

As he took over the infant Angel passed them both and raced to the car. Instead of Joyce's big SUV a black sedan with blackened windows stood on the driveway and Angel started to load the suitcase in the car, then he locked the basket in a set of straps on the back seat.

"Give me the other one," he said to Belmovekk, who gave the child a kiss before handing her over to Angel, who then put her into a child seat. While he did Belmovekk hugged Joyce and kissed her deeply.

"Be careful," she said, "and look after Buffy. Don't let anything happen to her!"

"I will," the Saiyan said, his hand on her cheek, "now go!"

Joyce nodded, fighting back a tear, then she got in the car on the front passenger seat.

(Belmo voiceover: "Now Angel, I know you recently got a car so you could get around in the daytime. I want you to take Joyce and the Twins and leave Sunnydale."

"I can't," Angel protested, "Buffy, I…."

The Saiyan held up his hand, signaling him to shut up.

"She will be safe," he said, "but you must answer yourself this question, vampire. What do you wish to be? A lovesick vampire who's first instinct is to always come running to the aid of the woman he can't be with? And who we have hard time accepting as one of our own? Or a fully fledged member of this group, who does the task assigned to him because he has faith in his fellows to do their tasks? One whom we can accept as a friend even, instead of calling him vampire all the time."

Angel thought of that as both the Saiyan and Xander stared at him intently. Besides this being a request for help it was also a test.

"I see your point," Angel said after some time, "I will do as you ask. Where do you want me to go?"

Belmovekk nodded appreciatively.

"I want you to take your car and go with Joyce and the Twins to my cabin in the mountains. Buffy told me that you knew where it was."

"I do," Angel said amiable.

"Good, you will leave the day before, just before dawn. Take a scouter so you can follow what happens. If you hear either me or Buffy say the word Belgarath that will be the sign for you to go further underground. I will leave you with an envelope with further instructions."

x

x

(Belmo voiceover again: "And what about me," Xander asked, "am I suddenly relegated to getting donuts again?"

Belmovekk smiled at Xander and put his arm on the teen's shoulder.

"Young man, Xander, good friend, I want you to look after your partner. Take care of Buffy." )

Xander hung in the moonlit night over Sunnydale with a scouter strapped on his face. He had been there since their plan moved from preparation into fruition. Once Giles had administered the final injection he had taken up his role as Buffy's protector. Making sure no harm came to her in this weakened state from any of the town's other denizens who might take advantage of her.

He had seen her altercation with Cordelia's winnable suitor and smiled as Cordelia drove the asshole off, even using a few of his moves. Clearly she had paid more attention to him when he was training then he had given her credit. It made him feel both immensely proud of her and at the same time filled him with a terrible longing.

Ah well, no sense wishing for what no longer was. Then he saw Giles come to Buffy's rescue, before Willow would ask to much questions.

He didn't like keeping Willow in the dark, but it was obvious she would only worry otherwise. She, Oz and Faith were going to LA anyway, so why bother ruining what would undoubtedly turn out to be a very entertaining night of Rock 'n Roll for them. Following Buffy and Giles he saw them leaving in Giles' car to his home. There they spent a few hours preparing for the final showdown when Xander's scouter noticed one 45 strong and one 55 strong vampire observing the place.

"We have company," he spoke.

"Is it the Council?" Belmovekk's voice asked.

"Not unless they've died and become vampires," Xander snorted, "there's two of them watching Giles' place intently."

Belmovekk thought of it for a moment.

"Go check out the boarding house," he said, "Maybe the vampire has escaped. It has happened before."

"You sure know how to make a girl happy," Buffy's voice came over the scouter.

"You sure you're okay, Buff?" Xander asked concerned.

"They're not invited," she said confidently, "so they can't enter. And if they did, Giles assured me that he has a nasty surprise waiting for them. "

"What, he got a blessed sprinkler system as well?" Xander grinned as he flew towards the boarding house. As he floated over the boarding house Xander activated his scouter.

"I don't think anyone's home," he said.

"You sure?" Buffy asked, "Cause Giles says there should be at least two council goons at all times."

"If there are I think they're either pushing up daisies or waiting outside Giles' place."

"Give me that," Giles's voice said, then the sound could he heard of him clipping on the scouter, "if Kralik has escaped then the test has been essentially nullified anyway. I should call Travers and tell him."

"Do not hold up your hopes, master Giles," Belmovekk's voice said, "Like I said, this has happened before. And never before was the ritual called off."

"Well, maybe this time it's different," Giles said hopeful, "maybe if…"

"You can try, master Giles, and I think you should. But everything I have read about Quentin Travers leads me to think this man is so conservative, he has not yet learned of the existence of fire. I suspect he would make for a fine bear cultist"

Giles handed the scouter back to Buffy to make his phone call. After a moment Buffy gave them the reply.

"It's still on," she said.

"Why am I not surprised?" Xander said sarcastically.

Suddenly Buffy cried out.

"They're moving," she said, "Xander, they're moving away from us!"

Xander's scouter beeped as he got a fix on the two vamps.

"Oh, fearless leader…?" he said softly.

x

x

It was only ten minutes later that Buffy and Giles arrived at 1630 Revello Drive where they found Xander waiting, sitting on the roof besides Buffy's window.

"What happened?" Buffy asked as she jumped out of Giles' beaten old Citroen.

"They came straight for here," Xander said as he jumped of the roof, "All three of them and the crazy one went inside."

"Doesn't he need an invitation for that?" Buffy asked Giles incredulously.

"S-s-sometimes, when a vampire i-is particularly deranged they can actually ignore the invitation," Giles said scratching his hair, "but it… t-that only rarely happens. I've never seen or heard of it happening."

"Then I guess we have a live one here," Xander said.

"But what about Mom?" Buffy asked concerned, "the Twins! How could this happen? I'd thought Angel would be here to keep them safe?"

Xander coughed looking slightly guilty, which caused Buffy to slowly turn towards him

"Xander," she said angry, "he changed the plan, didn't he?"

"He feared this might happen," Xander said holding up his hands trying to look innocently, "that is why he sent Angel away with your mother and the Twins to a safe place."

"Then who did Kralik take?" Giles asked.

"His Saiyanness truly," Xander replied, "he allowed himself to be taken."

(Belmo voiceover again: "And what will your role be in this event?" Angel asked.

"Poor little me?" the Saiyan smiled, "I will the bait."

"Bait? You?" Xander said surprised, "I have a hard time picturing you as bait."

"I can be helpless," Belmovekk said aggrieved.

Xander and Angel looked at each other and sniggered.

"You know, I liked you guys better when you still hated each other," the Saiyan said shaking his head in disgust.

"I never hated him," Angel said nodding towards Xander.

"I hated you though," Xander said towards Angel, "still do."

"I just thought you were an a clumsy idiot, Harris," Angel grinned at Xander.

"Why you little….," Xander said angry and tried to hit Angel's head, but Angel evaded the teen's swat.

"By the Gods, you two are hopeless," Belmovekk said shaking his head in disapproval this time.

"Anyway," Angel asked, "why do you need to play the bait?"

"Because there have been many cases of the test running afoul when the vampire escaped," the Saiyan said, "and in 3/4ers of those cases the vampire made an attack for either the Slayer's family, her friends or even her Watcher. And from what master Giles told me this vampire is as crazy as they can come."

"If he's that dangerous, then why do we even go through this charade?" Xander asked.

Belmovekk took off his reading glasses.

"Because the alternative is that we get the entire Watcher's Council breathing down our neck," he said, "and if they learn what we are up to they will either kill Faith and Buffy or I end up having to kill them instead."

"You think they can actually still hurt Buffy," Angel asked.

"A mere alien was able to knock me out using a simple gas," the Saiyan said, "massive strength will not keep you safe from ingenuity, Angel." )

"Alright," Buffy said resolutely as she went inside her home, "so he let himself be taken by the crazy vampire. It changes nothing."

"But Buffy," Giles protested as he followed her inside, "this has gotten way to dangerous. Kralik is clearly to insane…"

"You still don't understand him don't you," she said as she walked up to her room to retrieve her case of weapons, with Giles struggling to keep up with her.

"Who? Kralik?" Giles asked panting

"No, Belmo," she said as she entered her room, "you still think that if he speaks of taking out the council he will just go there and have nice chat with them. Have them see the errors of their way over a nice cup of tea."

Buffy pulled out her old case of weapons, many of which she hadn't used in a long while and started taking out as many of them as she could carry.

"He has put himself in the eye of the storm," she said, dusting off and checking the tension of her old crossbow, "so that if things do go wrong he can be there. But it won't stop there. If this test fails, if I fail this test, then the Council will take me out just like they did to all the others. He won't allow that to happen. He will kill Quentin where he stands and then go over to London. There won't be a Council left afterwards. He'll kill them all. Today."

"All they'll find left is a big crater," Xander added as he suddenly appeared in Buffy's window.

"Oh dear," Giles muttered aghast.

"He'll do that because he won't allow anything to happen to me," Buffy said, "to you, to Xander, to Mom and the Twins, even to Faith. By any means necessary. This is what he is. What he really is."

Giles stood there shocked with his mouth wide open.

"I, uh…."

"It's okay," Buffy said, stopping for a moment with packing her weapons, "I finally understand him now. I can't even fault him for that anymore. He can't help be what he is anymore then I can. But I can't let him go through with that. I can't have those deaths be on his conscience. Nor on mine. He has killed enough people in the past already, it has to stop right here. That's why we've been doing this charade. Not for me, but for him. We go through with this and that's final!"

x

x

(end of all flashbacks)

x

For several minutes now Buffy had been fighting Kralik, the crazed vampire.

It had been hard. On the way over she had run into Cordelia and she had given her a lift to the boardinghouse. Once she had entered she had first run into the Council goon turned vampire minion. It was then that she realized that training for something does not equal being completely prepared for the real thing. All those times in the gym, there was still the certainty that if she lost Belmo would step in. But here there was no such certainty. Xander had kept watch over her until she entered the boardinghouse. After that he would go to Giles and keep an eye on Quentin Travers, as any meddling from his side would raise the wrong concerns. Once inside all she had left was herself and some beanie thing in case things got really dire.

In a way she was glad that it was the minion she fought first. Fledglings never were as powerful as older vampires. Xander had said the fledge was ten points weaker then the crazy one. She had a hard time fighting him and only barely managed to kill him. But at least he set her on edge, making her feel she could take on the crazy one.

The William Dafoe look alike had come after her after she killed his minion. But like Belmo had predicted he was as crazy as a loon. He seemed more intent with playing with her then finishing her off. So she fell back on her training. Evade, do not let William Dafoe get a handle on you, do not engage in a slugging match which you cannot win. Use speed, agility and smart thinking until you can get in an opening.

He had chased her first into the kitchen, then backed off to do crazy stuff. Once she emerged from the kitchen he charged her again and she barely evaded his attacks. He then chased her up the stairs where she barricaded herself into a room to get a breather. It was hard. His madness fuelled him even more then it had Angelus and she thought he had been her benchmark of being crazy as a loon. Her weapons had turned useless. She had drawn a cross against him and he just allowed it to be pressed against his skin and burn like he didn't even take notice. No wonder he could enter a home without invitation.

As she rested she noticed that the room had been full of Polaroid photos hanging on the wall. They all depicted Belmovekk sitting tied in a chair, trying his best to look very scared. For a second she was tempted to laugh out loud at his bad acting but then she decided not to. It would ruin her concentration. She did resolve to return here afterwards with Xander and gather them all, just so they could mercilessly tease the Saiyan.

Just then William Dafoe punched through the door and reached inside for the knob so he could unlock the door. Rest break was over and Buffy fled through a different door back into the hallway again. She barely stepped out when William Dafoe stepped in front of her.

"If you stray from the path you will lose your way," he grinned triumphantly and grabbed her neck. While she pushed in vain to stop him he pulled her neck towards him and lowered his face.

"I won't take it all," William Dafoe said reassuringly, "I won't take it all."

Seeing that pushing wasn't going to help Buffy kicked with everything she still had against his shinbone.

"Aaahh," William cried and his grip on her loosened. She let herself go limp and fell to the ground. Then she did a roll over her shoulder and emerged behind him, seeing the only exit currently left to her. She got up and jumped straight into the laundry chute. As she slid down she saw his face in the opening. Then it went away and she landed in a dimly lit basement on a wooden table that splintered beneath her.

"That could've been better," she said somewhat angry at herself. Then she saw a figure sitting bound in a chair.

"Belmo?"

"Mmmm," the bound Saiyan replied. Buffy got up and went up him, trying if she can untie him. Her strength may have gone but she still had Slayer enhanced vision and she could see that William Dafoe had been torturing him.

"You're hurt," she said. She could sense that the Saiyan had lowered his chi to barely above human. Then she looked away. William Dafoe was coming.

"When this is over we're going to have a serious talk," she said pointing an accusing finger at him, then she started looking for a weapon. She had lost her weapons upstairs and all she had left was a single stake. She preferred to have another one but the only wood she could find was from the table. And its remains were either too big or too small. Not a problem when you were a superpowered Slayer, but for an understrength human….

Then William Dafoe burst into the basement.

"It runs, but it cannot hide," he grinned as he casually strolled down the stairs. Buffy whipped out her last stake.

"Oh, shut up," she said and assumed a fighting stance. Then the fight started in earnest. For what seemed like forever Buffy dodged, evaded, and feigned, all the while looking for that elusive opening. And all the while William Dafoe didn't give her any. Besides getting tired Buffy was tempted, so sorely tempted, to take that beany thing and have her strength back. So she could rip William Dafoe's head off.

And then the laundry chute started to rumble and out of all the people in the world she didn't expect Willow to erupt from it.

"Will?" Buffy said surprised. Her momentary distraction by Willow's arrival caused the vampire to finally get in a punch that sent her crashing against the wall, causing her to lose her stake.

"Buffy," Willow cried out.

"What have we here?" the vampire said triumphantly, "Another naughty girl? You know what happens to naughty girls? They get…. Aargh!"

The vampire suddenly clutched his head as if he was in great pain. Then he reached inside his pocket and took out a bottle of pills.

Seeing this as her opportunity Willow turned to Buffy, lying in pain with her back against the wall. She ran towards Buffy and opened the small bag she had been carrying. She took out a handful of powder and sprinkled it over Buffy.

"Asklepios vindictos," Willow said while she sprinkled the fine powder.

"What are you doing, Will?" Buffy said.

"I'm here to help you, Buffy," Willow smiled.

"How?" Buffy asked, but then she started to glow a yellowish glow that grew bigger and bigger, only to abruptly go away.

"I healed you, Buffy," Willow smiled with a big grin, "I've purged you of the drug's effect."

Buffy looked at Willow, then balled her fist and she just knew her strength was back. She got up, advanced towards the vampire she had been fighting and assumed a fighting stance. Then she signaled him to come.

"Bring it on," she smiled confidently. The vampire who had just taken his pill put away the bottle and charged her. Instead of finding her the weak Slayer he had known she effortlessly gripped him, lifted him in the air and then she dumped him on top of a broken table leg jutting upwards.

"No," he cried desperately, then he crumpled into dust.

"It's over," Buffy said panting.

"No it's not," Willow said as she stood next to her friend, "Giles, he…"

Suddenly the light was switched on. Buffy and Willow looked up. On the stairs leading out of the basement stood two men dressed in tweed. One was Giles, the other was what Buffy assumed to be Quentin Travers..

"Giles did what, miss?" Quentin Travers asked curiously.

Before Willow could answer she noticed Belmovekk still sitting tied and gagged in his chair.

"Belmo," Willow said shocked as she recognized the prisoner in the chair. Before she could act Buffy ran towards Belmovekk and removed the gag in his mouth.

"Are you okay, dad?" she said as she hugged him, further confusing Willow.

"Dad?" Willow muttered surprised.

Behind them Quentin Travers started to clap his hands.

"Congratulations, you passed," he said towards Buffy.

x

x

They were all assembled in the Library. That is, Buffy, Belmovekk, Willow, Giles and Quentin Travers. Giles and Buffy were patching some of the wounds Kralik had inflicted on the Saiyan. Willow sat by the table looking very ill at ease while Quentin Travers stood at the head of the table, the one pointing at the door.

"You exhibited extraordinary courage and clear-headedness in battle," Travers said smugly, 'the Council is very pleased."

"Do I get a gold star?" Buffy said deadpan.

"Auw," Belmovekk yelped as Giles dipped a wound with an alcohol soaked pad.

"Ah," Travers said, "I understand that you're upset."

"You understand nothing," Buffy hissed and pointed towards Belmovekk, "you set that

monster loose, and he came after my step dad. It was only by pure luck that my mother and my sisters were not there!"

Quentin put his hands on the table and leaned over.

"You think the test was unfair?"

"I think you better leave town before I show you what I think is really fair," Buffy said.

"We're not in the business of fair, Miss Summers," Travers said evenly, "we're fighting a war."

"You're waging a war. She's fighting it," Giles interjected, "there is a difference."

"Mr. Giles, if you don't mind...," Travers said dismissively.

Giles stood up straight and pointed towards the door.

"The test is done. We're finished."

"Not quite," Travers said as he put both hands in front of him, reminiscent of a prayer, "she passed. You didn't."

Buffy looked towards Giles in surprise and he looked towards her. Then Travers continued.

"The Slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. I've recommended to the Council, and they've agreed, that you be relieved of your duties as Watcher immediately. You're fired."

"O-o-on what grounds?" Giles stammered surprised.

"Your affection for your charge has rendered you incapable of clear and impartial judgment," Travers smiled, "you have a father's love for the child, and that is useless to the cause."

"But I did as I was instructed," Giles objected.

"You fought the test at every opportunity until you had no course but to either submit or resign," Travers said folding his arms across his chest, "only then did you do what a proper Watcher should. And I have to say you had me fooled. That is, until she appeared."

Quentin Travers then suddenly pointed towards Willow. Who looked absolutely flabbergasted to suddenly be the focus of attention.

"What, I…?" Willow said big eyed.

"What does she have to do with it?" Giles said pointing to Willow.

"Come on now, Rupert," Travers said shaking his head incredulously, "you expect me to believe that a friend of the Slayer just, all on her own, learns of the Cruciamentum and appears just at the right moment to restore miss Summers power using magic? How would she even know if it weren't for you putting her up to it."

"But I did find out about it on my own," Willow protested.

"Of course you did," Travers said condescending and turned to Giles, "it would be best if you had no further contact with the Slayer."

"I'm not going anywhere," Giles said resolutely.

Travers thought of that and shrugged.

"No, well, I didn't expect you would adhere to that," he said, "however, if you interfere with the new Watcher, or countermand his authority in any way, you will be dealt with. Are we clear?"

"Oh, we're very clear," Giles said coldly.

Travers next bowed slightly towards Buffy.

"Congratulations again."

"Bite me," she said, her voice dripping with pure hatred.

"Yes, well, colorful girl," Travers chuckled ruefully, then he bowed to Belmovekk as well, "I bow to your skill, master Belmovekk. When I read you were training Miss Summers I feared the worst. Now that I have seen the results of your training I am very much impressed.

"Does this mean I finally get paid?" Belmovekk said looking from Travers to Giles and then back to Travers again.

"Gentlemen, Miss Summers, I bid you farewell," Travers said as he put on his overcoat, then he left the Library. Once he had left Belmovekk turned towards Buffy.

"I think we outsmarted ourselves," he said, "it would seem the Sunnydale police are not the only ones who are deeply stupid."

"Giles," Willow said as she went to Giles, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"It's alright, Willow," Giles said as he sat down as the implications of what happened sank in, "we should have told you of our plan."

"You had a plan?" Willow said with big eyes.

"We came so close," Buffy sighed. Then something tapped on the window. As heads turned they could see Xander standing and waving in front of the window. Buffy got up and opened the window so he could step inside.

"I heard everything," the teen said, his customary grin gone, then anger flashed on his face, "Damn! All that work for nothing!"

"You had a plan?" Willow said staring blankly ahead.

"Let me explain it to you, Will," Xander said and took her apart.

"That bastard Travers," Buffy said, vitriol dripping as she spoke his name.

"Well, if you like I could still pop after that pompous ass and kill him?" Belmovekk offered.

"No," Buffy said vehemently as she turned around towards the Saiyan, "there will be no killing!"

"If you say so," Belmovekk said shaking his head.

"Although I wouldn't mind if you ruffed him up a little, break his legs or something," she said with a faint smile, which then disappeared as she hit him hard on the head, "What were you thinking changing the damn plan again!"

"Auw! I just thought it prudent…," the Saiyan tried to say but Buffy interrupted him again.

"I thought you weren't going to run my life anymore?" she said out loud, "Mister oh-I'm gonna-keep-to myself-from now!"

"That is because your life seems to forever interfere with mine," Belmovekk said, looking somewhat intimidated under Buffy's deathglare.

"You were about ready to kill the whole Watcher bunch," she said pointing towards where she thought London would be.

"Better that I do these things then you…."

"Oh, shut up," Buffy said, cutting short the all to familiar monologue, "I can dream that stupid speech by now, mister feeling-sorry-for-himself! Well guess what, mister all-mighty-Saiyan, Angel called and he wants his guilt trip back."

"Does this mean you are angry with me again?" Belmovekk asked looking really intimidated by now.

Buffy didn't immediately answer. Instead she folded her arms across her chest.

"No," she finally said, "I guess you can't help being who you are. I once said Giles was from the planet Pocket Protector. But you 'are' planet Pocket Protector."

"Now I am confused," Belmovekk said to himself. Then she kissed him on the cheek.

"Why did you do that?" he asked uncertain.

"Because you made sure mom would be safe. And the Twins," she said, then she whispered in his ear, "and for trusting Angel with their safety."

"And now?" Xander said out loud, "I guess we sort of succeeded in the short term as Buffy survived the test, but what are we going to do when Watcher Jr. appears?"

"Same thing as we did with Ms. Post I guess," Giles said, "only this time he will be in charge since I'm fired."

"Now, now when you say 'fired', do you mean 'fired'?" Willow asked still confused.

"You're not cruising past that concept any time soon, are you?" Xander asked his oldest friend.

"Well, it's just... I mean, he's been 'fired'," Willow said, "he's, he's unemployed! He's... between jobs."

"Giles isn't going anywhere, Will," Buffy said as she put her hand on Willow's shoulder, "he's still librarian."

"Okay, but I'm writing an angry letter," Willow replied towards Buffy. Who nodded and looked solemnly ahead, like she was about to give a heroic speech.

"You know, nothing's really gonna change. For the moment at least, The important thing is that I kept up my special birthday tradition of gut-wrenching misery and

horror."

"Except your birthday just began, Buff," Xander grinned as he nodded towards the clock, "it's just passed midnight and the day is still young."

"God, You just had to say that," Buffy said depressed.

"Just doing my part," Xander grinned again.

"Maybe you should go with master Giles to that ice show," Belmovekk said, "after all, your father paid for those tickets, remember? It would be a shame to let those tickets go to waste."

"But they were on the cabinet in the living room," Buffy said, "and William Dafoe trashed it!"

"I would not be so sure of that," Belmovekk smiled as he pulled an envelope from his tunic and gave it to her. Buffy's face lit up as she pulled out her tickets. With a big smile she turned towards Giles.

"Do you wanna come, Giles?" she asked.

"I'd love to, Buffy," Giles smiled at her.

"In fact I think you should all go," Belmovekk said and handed her his credit card, "buy some extra tickets, my treat."

"Women and unlimited credit cards, you sure you want to do this, B-Man?" Xander joked, only to receive an elbow from Willow in his side, "auw!"

Buffy accepted the credit card and noticed it had an unfamiliar name that somehow seemed vaguely familiar.

"Marcus Cole," she said out loud, then she heard Xander suppress a snigger and turned to him, "you know something about this?"

"Can't tell you, Buff," Xander said deadpan, "we live for the One, we die for the One!"

She gave Xander a weird look, then she shrugged and turned back towards the Saiyan.

"Do you wanna come along?"

The Saiyan smiled at her.

"No, I must get your mother and the Twins. And then fix the house" he said, then he touched the cheek where she had kissed him, "besides, I got everything I could need."

x

x

Quentin Travers sat in a rental car on his way to the airport as he was talking into a cell phone.

"Miss Summers successfully passed the test. As we expected however Rupert Giles failed his. He has however expressed a strong determination to stay and help her. Which is as we also expected. I recommend that once his replacement has settled in he will be eliminated. It must be made to look like an accident though, and not too soon as to arouse suspicion. I also recommend further investigation into the man Miss Summers called her step father, Belmovekk. I've seen the closed circuit footage of Miss Summers' fight with Kralik and it would seem that the martial arts he taught here are very good and very advanced. They also seem very unfamiliar. My gut tells me there is something wrong with that man. Travers out."

Travers switched off the cell phone and continued his drive towards the airport.

As he did his car passed the Sunnydale bus depot where a Greyhound bus coming from San Francisco had just arrived. Amongst the disembarking passengers were three men. A short black guy in flashy clothes, a large muscled and very bored looking man, followed by a blond man wearing only a vest above the waist, together with a baseball cap.

"We're here," Android #13 said as he looked around him.

x

x

AN 2017: I don't know how wrong it is to get goosebumps of your own writing, but I really like it how Buffy tells Giles that she finally gets what Belmo is all about. A perfect relationship between someone whose completely obsessive about a person and someone who now accepts this. Not that I encourage such behavior, far from it, but it seems to make for interesting reading. It wasn't something I planned, but it just came out that way, so I guess that's where these two wanted it to go. And who am I to stop them?