Disclaimer: I got a new puppy. She's so cute!! Oh yeah, I don't own Buffy either.

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Chapter 24

Buffy gazed at the people that were seated around Willow's large office as she and Willow entered. They had decided to meet there as it was the most private area in the school. Giles was seated in a large, tall-backed chair, his steady gaze a comfort. Dawn had hijacked Xander and the two of them were sprawled on the loveseat that was against the wall. She seemed to be keeping him distracted with funny tales of foolish politicians that she had dealt with. Faith was leaning against the wall, glaring at Buffy as if to dare her to object to Lucky's presence in the seat before her. Buffy merely smiled at them both.

They were an odd group. If Buffy had been asked to describe a group of people less likely to be charged with the safety of the world she would have been hard-pressed to come up with one. While they didn't always get along and hadn't always all been friends, they were a tight group. They had to be. There was no one else to rely on. If given the chance, Buffy knew that while she would have done many things differently. Choosing different friends wasn't one of them.

A warm smile graced her features as she greeted the group, "Hello, thanks for coming." Pulling Willow along behind her, Buffy chose two empty chairs across from the love seat. Settling in, she released Willow's hand and said, "I'm sure you've got tons of questions but before the inquisition can Willow and I have an update on the situation?"

"Quite," Giles nodded and splayed his hands out on his knees. "Just too catch everyone up. Last night the Baby group that Faith, Lucky, and Buffy were guiding was attacked by a group of vampires that acted in a rather odd manner. They were armed with tranquilizer weapons and charms that made them appear human. Their objective seemed to be the capture of the younger girls and the elimination of the older Slayers, though that seemed to be secondary."

"They were obviously well supplied with both intelligence and money, which indicates that they were merely the agents of a higher power." He turned and nodded his thanks to Faith, Lucky and lastly, Buffy as a wry grin passed over his face. "As it were, the raid was foiled, thanks to some quick thinking. We did send word out as fast as we could to the other posts. Unfortunately, they had timed the raids and other groups weren't as lucky as ours."

"What's the damage?" Xander queried, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Thankfully," Giles sighed and rubbed his forehead before continuing, "there were no casualties. The party responsible seemed only to want to incapacitate the young Slayers. The rather unfortunate part is we have lost over 20 students."

"Jesus," Faith's jaw clenched as she pushed off the wall and swore. "What the hell are we gonna' do to get 'em back?"

"We are trying to track them as we speak." Giles shot Faith a glance and replied in an even tone, "I'm checking bank accounts and looking into purchasing. We've put out feelers among the law enforcement people to see if we can trace the weapons. It's going to take a bit though. Their main objective seemed to be capture, however, so that gives us some time and a little bit of hope."

"Fuck!"

"Why didn't you stop this?" Everyone looked over to see Xander glowering at Buffy. "You were supposed to stop them!"

"Xander!" Willow chastised.

"No, Wil, not anymore," Xander cut her off and stared pointedly at his oldest friend. "I'm tired of everyone making excuses for her. She abandoned us, again." He sprang from the couch and towered over Buffy as he seethed, "And now you come running back wanting to be the hero again. Only this time it's not just us at stake. There are hundreds of girls depending on us for their safety. So much for being able to depend on your firends!"

Buffy met his outrage with as much tranquility as possible. Taking the verbal abuse, she let him die out as she answered his accusations as honestly as possible "I'm sorry I hurt you by leaving, Xander," Not breaking eye contact despite the effect her words were having, she softly pressed, "I wish I could have stuck around and help you guys. I couldn't. I needed…there were other things. Things I needed to do. It wasn't just for me."

She stood and gently moved Xander from in front of her. She walked around to the back of the chair Willow was sitting in and placed her hand on her friend's shoulders continuing her apology, "Not just for myself though. I had to figure out how I could help them all. I'm back because I can now. There are limitations though. I'm not omniscient and still learning. I wish I could've learned all I needed fast enough to stop them from taking the girls. I really do. But the fact is I couldn't. Now we have to figure out how to get them back."

"Perhaps if you explained what your new powers entail, Buffy," Giles, ever the peacemaker, intervened. A general round of agreement from everyone followed.

Buffy nodded, it was time. The slayer went through basically what she had told Willow, describing all the physical changes, the strength and speed, the demon senses and the rest. Faith and Lucky actually looked a little jealous about those. Then she went over the dreams and visit from the Original Slayer. She started getting some skeptical looks at that. Doggedly she went on explaining, but she didn't mention the last line the other Slayer had said to her. That was for her to explain to Willow first.

"So you're saying you're the First Slayer now, B?" Faith cocked a brow at her. Lucky had remained silent, perhaps not sure where she fit in, but even she looked dubious.

Buffy nodded and tried to clarify, "Yes, but it's not what we thought it was."

"Get with the 'splainy," Dawn urged, waving her hand in the air. "I, for one, am kinda' confused. Why would the PTB's need to give you all this power? The First got her ass whooped and we've been doing fine since. There's no big army for you to take out anymore."

"You're wrong, Dawnie," Buffy stated, gazing at her friends, "There's a very important reason for them to do what they did. Listen, we thought before that the Slayer's job was to keep the vampires and the demons that got through to this dimension at bay."

"Isn't it? One girl in all the world and all that." Lucky spoke up for the first time.

"Yeah, but there's so much more to it than that. See, the Slayer line on this side, the corporeal one, was supposed to do all that. But it's the First's job to guide them and to keep the bigger demons at bay."

"Huh?" Dawn's question clearly not reflecting the time she has spent on formal education.

"The Original Slayer, the one we met before, she wasn't just the wellspring of our power. She's been guarding this dimension for centuries, all on her own."

"Guarding it from what, Buffy?" Giles asked.

"From all the really big things that try to get in here. It's like this," Buffy shaped a sphere with her hands, "Way back when, like Giles explained before, the demons inhabited this dimension and ruled everything. But they lost their grip on this reality and got shut into a lot of other different dimensions. A lot of the big ones went to sleep in the Deeper Well."

"But they didn't like that they lost control here. They keep trying to get back in. There are barriers, of course, and they keep the majority of them out. But a lot of the little ones get through. That's what we see and fight here. That's what the Slayer on this side is supposed to do, try and keep them culled down to a minimum. The First Slayer is supposed to stop the bigger ones from ever entering. Or take them out if, God forbid, they get in here. Who do you think took out that sorcerer who ascended before, the one that Anya mentioned? That was the First Slayer."

"She'd been fighting a long time," Buffy's voice became soft and distant, almost contemplative. The rest of the people in the room, even Xander, became caught up in the tale. Buffy looked up and met Willow's eyes, trying silently to impress this upon her. "She was tired…and lonely…She just wanted to be able to rest. That's why they gave me the power. That's why I accepted it. It was time for someone else to keep guard."

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Author's Note:

I would first like to that Whedonist for taking up the cause and becoming my beta. YEAH!! Here's the next chapter, hope you guys like it. This one gives a bit more on the explanation of what Buffy has become. As always, I appreciate all comments and constructive criticism. The new chapter should be out soon but I also urge those of you who haven't to go over and check out the TTH version, as it is a lot better edited and a little more fleshed out.