Chapter 7

Visitors

Two weeks had passed since Buffy had first started training with the sword. While she'd improved, she had a long way to go, much to her frustration.

"Concentrate!" Giles barked. Buffy growled and redid the routine, getting it right the second time. They heard a knock on the front door, but ignored it.

"Damn it Giles, what is wrong with you?"

"Would you rather Willow kill everyone, or have a hard training? You must master this, and more, before we return to Sunnydale."

"Hello?" a voice called. Slayer and Watcher instantly held their weapons at the ready.

"Athena, I did not know it was you," Giles said, lowering his weapon and smiling. Buffy didn't lower her and growled. She didn't know who this woman was, but she felt power coming from her.

"Greetings Buffy," the witch said with a smile. "Rupert has told me much about you."

"Sorry, can't say likewise."

"Buffy, Athena is not going to do us any harm, so will you please lower the sword?" Giles asked with a sigh. She did as asked, mockingly muttering his earlier words.

"Giles, I'm going inside. Come get me when you're done."

Giles lead Athena across part of the training area and to a bench.

"You asked me to come Rupert, what do you need?"

Giles quickly briefed Athena on what had happened since Buffy had been brought back. "And I need your help to help Buffy get rid of her fear of magic. Or t the very least, control it," he added at her raised eyebrow.

"I can help you Rupert. Now, I think I should go talk to Buffy. I fear she's been sulking too long."

"That's my Buffy all right," he said under his breath. Athena smiled and pretended not to hear.

Inside the house, Buffy watched as Giles and Athena moved towards the house. It was obvious to her they were good friends. She narrowed her eyes. Who was the woman to Giles?

"Buffy?"

"In the kitchen," she called. The two friends entered the kitchen. Giles began making tea.

"Buffy, Athena has agreed to help train you to use the sword." The Slayer narrowed her eyes once more and looked at the witch, gauging her. After a few minutes, she shrugged, finding the woman wasn't a threat.

"All righty. What are you going to train me in?" Buffy asked while taking a sip of her water.

"I'm going to work with you in magic."

"Giles!"

"I'm right here Buffy, there is no need to yell."

"Why can't you do that?"

"Stop whining Buffy, it makes you sound like a child." She stared at her Watcher before tensing.

"Well excuse me for asking a question. I think I'm gonna go for a run." Buffy stormed from the kitchen after slamming down her glass, which somehow didn't break from the force.

Athena looked at her friend with a weary smile. "You could have handled that better."

"She has no right to whine."

"Rupert, stop it. You can't just spring her fear on her like that." He opened his mouth to begin his counter speech. "And if you say she shouldn't protest and just do what you want, I'll leave. I refuse to work with a Council worker." His mouth snapped shut and he pulled off his glasses to rub his eyes.

"She's never had a problem facing and working through her fears before."

Athena sighed. "Goddess give me strength. Rupert, if even a fraction what you told me is true, I'd be afraid of magics also! Her friend pulled her from her grave and Heaven with the darkest of magics, and you just want her to get ov er it! I thought you were a sensible man."

Buffy moved away from the kitchen window. Now, because of her, Rupert and another of hiss friends were fighting. That really didn't make her feel good.

Buffy took a deep breath and sprinted. She wanted away from the house as quickly as possible, even if it meant hurting herself in the process. Not even the Slayer should sprint for long distances with stretching sometime. And a mile of sprinting with no stretch, after the workout she'd had, wasn't good.

AN: Next up, magic training.