Author's Notes: Ltlconf – Sadly I forgot about Faith till this chapter. You are right they would have clued her in.
Chapter 13: What's My Line Part 3
At Buffy's Home, Mr. Pfister was showing Cordelia, who had been checking the house with Xander for Buffy and Dawn, some cosmetics.
"Do you have this in raisin?" Cordelia held a lipstick out to Mr. Pfister. "I know you wouldn't think so, but I'm both a winter and a summer—"
She broke off at the sight of the weird little salesman. He was standing there beside his open satchel of cosmetics and creams, and he was just looking at her. Not moving, not answering. Just unblinking and totally creepy.
Cordelia took a step back.
"Nine ninety-nine," Mr. Pfister spoke at last. "Tax included."
"You—you said that already," Cordelia reminded him. "Do you have anything in the berry family?"
The salesman didn't respond. He simply took the lipstick away from her and dropped it back into his bag.
"Are there more ladies in the house?" he asked politely.
"They aren't home," Cordelia said. His fixed expression was making her nervous, everything about him was making her nervous. "Nothing personal," she offered, "but maybe you should look into selling dictionaries."
She stopped as a single worm suddenly appeared from under his coat. It fell to his feet and squirmed across the floor, while Cordelia backed away with a gasp.
She looked back at Mr. Pfister, who was looking back impassively at her. No emotion, no expression.
Almost like he isn't human, Cordelia thought uneasily.
At that moment Xander came downstairs, seeing Mr. Pfister for the first time.
"Hey," Xander said amiably. "What's up?"
Cordelia grabbed Xander by the arm. "He's a . . . salesman," she babbled. "But he was just leaving."
Feeling strangely freaked, she hid behind Xander, then looked hopefully at Mr. Pfister. "Right?"
The salesman just stood there.
"Okay," Cordelia ran on. "Bye-bye. Thanks."
Nothing. Xander moved to hustle him out.
"Come on, Mary Kay. Time to—"
But as Xander approached him, Mr. Pfister's face began to ripple. To slither and squirm in the most hideous way, as though there were creepy crawly things under his skin.
Xander was appalled. He couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.
"Time to . . ." He turned to Cordelia. His voice remained calm. "Run."
Mr. Pfister was standing between them and the front door. As the two of them bolted in the other direction, the little salesman suddenly began to shift, his human form falling away as he decomposed into thousands of slimy worms. The worms immediately streamed after Xander and Cordelia.
The twosome ran past the stairs for the back door, but now Mr. Pfister had reformed as a human and was blocking their path. They had no choice but to duck into the cellar, bolting the door behind them. At once worms began flowing through the crack underneath.
Cordelia screamed in panic. Xander grabbed an old broom and attempted to beat them off.
"Find something to block the crack under the door!" he shouted.
Frantically, Cordelia began to search. She could feel worms crawling over her, and she screamed again, trying to brush them off. At last she spotted a roll of duct tape on a shelf. She grabbed it and shoved it at Xander. "I—I don't—do worms," she shuddered.
Xander shoved the broom back at her. "Cover me."
Grimacing, he quickly ran some tape around the cracks in the door while Cordelia tried to kill worms.
When the door was finally secure, the two of them finished off the rest of the worms that had made it through, then waited to see if the tape would hold.
To their relief, nothing came in. For the moment, at least, the worms seemed thwarted.
Descending into the basement, Xander realized then that the door was their only way out. There were no windows down here . . . no other possible exits.
He scowled and plopped down in a chair.
"You know," he said disgustedly, "just when you think you've seen it all. Along comes a worm guy."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn and Buffy burst into the storage room. They scanned the walls, the corners, the puddles of liquor, the shards of broken glass . . .
Angel wasn't there.
"Angel . . ." Buffy murmured.
Kendra came in behind the sisters, moving slowly about the area, carefully inspecting the floor.
"No ashes," Kendra announced.
Buffy looked up at her. "What?"
"When a vampire combusts, he leaves ashes."
"Yeah, we know," Dawn returned dryly.
"So, I did not kill him."
Buffy got right into Kendra's face. Her voice was cold. "And we don't have to kill you."
Once again, the three of them glared at each other. They didn't notice Willy as he stepped quietly into the room.
"Whoa," Willy greeted them. "There's a lot of tension in this room."
Before he could utter another word, Kendra charged him. She slammed him to the floor and drew back her fist for a mighty blow.
Dawn caught Kendra's hand mid-strike. Exasperated, she asked, "Doesn't anyone just say 'hello' where you come from?"
"This one is dirty," Kendra replied, maintaining a merciless grip. "I can feel it."
"So, can we," said Dawn. "But if we want information, we need him conscious."
Buffy grabbed Willy away from Kendra. She helped him up, then she slammed him into the wall. Hard. "Where's Angel?" she demanded.
Willy's voice was strident. "My bud Angel? You think I'd let him fry? I saved him in the nick. He was about five minutes away from being a crispy critter."
"Where'd he go? Home?" Buffy tightened her hold on Willy, and he squirmed nervously
"Uh, he said he was going to stay underground," Willy told Buffy. "You know, recuperate."
"Are you telling us the truth?" asked Dawn.
"I swear!" Willy could feel sweat trickling down his brow. "I swear on my mother's grave . . . should something fatal happen to her, God forbid."
"Then he is all right," Kendra assured Dawn and Buffy. "We can return to your Watchers for our orders."
"Orders?" Buffy looked at Kendra as though she'd lost her mind. "We don't take orders. We do things our way. Let's go."
As they started out, Willy ran an appreciative gaze over their strong, slender figures. And then he had an idea. "I have to ask if any of you girls have considered modeling," he called out to them. They stopped abruptly, and he added, "I got a friend with a camera, strictly high-class nude work—art photographs, but naked."
The look of disgust they gave him was the first thing they'd ever shared.
Willy backed off. "You don't have to answer right away . . ."
But the girls had gone.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Drusilla was wasting away.
Spike could see it each time he looked at her—at her hollow eyes and gaunt face, at her pale, white skeleton hands.
He looked at her now as he sat down quietly on the edge of her bed. Very gently he stroked her brow, her ice-cold skin, coaxing her awake.
"Ah." Drusilla's voice was hazy. She tried to focus on Spike's face. "I was dreaming—"
"Of what, pet?"
"Beautiful," she murmured. "We were in Paris. You had a branding iron . . ."
Spike smiled. "I brought you something."
Drusilla nodded, but there was no comprehension in her eyes. She stared at the place where Spike had been, not realizing he'd stepped out of the room.
"And there were worms in my baguette," she whispered to herself.
She looked up, frowning, as Spike suddenly reappeared. This time he had someone with him—a tall, broad-shouldered figure who was bound and tightly gagged.
Spike smiled a slow, triumphant smile. "Your sire, my sweet."
"Angel?" Drusilla's expression brightened. She watched as Spike threw Angel roughly into a corner.
"The one and only," Spike assured her. "Now all we need is the new moon tonight. Then he will die, and you will be fully restored."
He moved eagerly back to her bed. He helped her up and held her against him.
"My black goddess," Spike murmured, reverently kissing her hand. His lips trailed slowly up her arm. "My ripe, wicked plum. It's been—"
"Forever," Drusilla whispered. She smiled now, pressing him closer. Their lips locked in a ravenous kiss.
Angel couldn't watch. Turning his head, he felt a turmoil of emotions raging inside him—the shame and disgust of what he'd done to Drusilla, the loathing of what she, and he himself, had become. The helplessness of his present situation. The fear and terrible resignation now of what his fate would surely be.
At last Spike and Drusilla drew apart. Drusilla fixed him with a coquettish stare.
"Let me have him," Drusilla said. "Until the moon."
Spike glanced immediately at Angel, his jaw tightening in annoyance. Angel and Dru had a past. While it was distant, during its height they'd set the Old World on fire. This wasn't something he liked at all, yet he couldn't deny Drusilla anything.
"All right then," Spike finally agreed. "You can play. But don't kill him. He mustn't die until the ritual."
"Bring him to me."
Spike obligingly yanked Angel off the floor. He grabbed him by the neck and thrust him at Drusilla, who fixed Angel with a slow, cunning smile.
Gently she touched Angel's face. While Spike stood behind her, fully enjoying Angel's misery, she ran her fingertips deliberately down Angel's cheeks. Angel refused to look at her, but Drusilla grabbed his chin and snapped his head around, forcing him to make eye contact.
Drusilla frowned, purring softly. "You've been a very bad daddy."
And she gave him a vicious slap.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn was in the school colonnade with Faith, Buffy, Chloe, Willow, Kendra and Giles.
"Kendra," Giles said, "Chloe and I've conferred with your Watcher, Mr. Zabuto. We agreed that until this matter with Spike and Drusilla is resolved, you four should work together."
Faith rolled her eyes. "Oh, that'll be a treat," she said. It had been explained to Kendra that Faith was a potential.
"So, you believe that Spike is attempting to revive this Drusilla to health?" Kendra asked solemnly.
Giles had removed his glasses. He cleaned them off with his handkerchief, then stuffed the handkerchief into his pocket. He put his glasses back on.
"Yes," Chloe answered. "That would be the dark power your Watcher referred to. Drusilla is not just evil. She's also quite mad."
"Restored to her full health," Giles added, "there is absolutely no telling what she might do."
"Then we will stop Spike," Kendra decided.
"Good plan!" Buffy cheered falsely. "Let's go! Charge!"
Giles gave a tolerant sigh. "Buffy—"
"It's a little more complicated than that, okay, John Wayne?" Buffy chided Kendra, and this time Dawn, Faith, Chloe and Giles agreed.
"Yes, it is," said Chloe. "Spike has called out the Order of Taraka to keep Buffy and Dawn out of the way."
"The assassins?" Kendra stiffened. "I read of them in the writings of Dramius."
The look Giles gave her was slightly incredulous. 'Really? Which volume?"
"I believe it was six, sir."
'How do you know that stuff?" Buffy asked her impatiently.
"From my studies," Kendra replied.
"So, you have a lot of free time," admitted Faith.
"I study because it is required. The Slayer Handbook insists on it."
"There's a Slayer Handbook?" Willow chimed in now, while Dawn, Faith and Buffy looked completely puzzled.
"Handbook? What handbook? How come we didn't get a handbook?" Buffy wondered.
"Is there a T-shirt, too?" Willow asked eagerly. "'Cause, that would be cool."
Giles was attempting to hide a smile. "After meeting you, Buffy, I was quite sure the handbook would be of no use in your case."
"And Dawn was adamant about not following tradition," added Chloe.
Giles turned his full attention back to Kendra. "Kendra, perhaps you could show me the bit in Dramius six about the Order of Taraka," he said delightedly. "I must admit, I could never get through that book."
"Yes, it was difficult," Kendra agreed. "All those footnotes!"
The two of them actually laughed.
Buffy looked sideways at Willow. "Hello and welcome to planet pocket protector," she grumbled.
Kendra and Giles moved off, but Giles suddenly stopped, turning back to Buffy.
"Oh, Buffy. Principal Snyder came snooping around for you."
"That reminds me," Dawn said. "While you were out with Giles and Chloe yesterday, I had to lie to him about your having to go do something at Marie's school. He was wanting to know where you were at."
"Eeee," Buffy grimaced. "The Career Fair."
"You'd best make an appearance, I think," Giles said.
"Right," Buffy agreed.
Kendra looked curiously at Giles. "Buffy's a student here?"
"Yes."
Kendra paused, taking this in. Then coolly she added, "Right. Of course. I'd imagine she's a cheerleader, too."
"Actually, she gave up cheerleading," Giles began to chuckle. "It's a funny story, really . . ."
Kendra fixed him with a humorless stare, obviously not interested in or amused at Buffy's wacky life.
Giles quickly resumed his proper demeanor. "Let's go find that book," he said. "Shall we?"
They headed off to the library.
Stunned, Buffy and Willow watched them go.
"Get a load of the She-Giles," Buffy muttered.
"Buffy," said Chloe.
"Sorry, Chloe," said Buffy giving her girlfriend the puppy dog face.
"You're forgiven," said Chloe as she smiled. She glanced around and saw with the exception of Dawn and Willow they were currently alone. She quickly kissed Buffy. She then turned and headed after Giles and Kendra.
Dawn, Faith, Buffy and Willow turned off in the other direction, moving out into the courtyard.
"I bet Giles wishes I were more of a fact geek," Buffy mused unhappily.
Willow glanced at her with a smile. "Giles is enough of a fact geek for both of you."
"But you saw how he and Kendra were vibing. 'Volume six—ha, ha-ha!'"
"Buffy," Dawn said gently, "Giles thinks of you as his daughter, no one will replace you as his favorite."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Cordelia couldn't stop pacing.
As Xander sat glumly in a chair, she walked back and forth across the cellar floor, arms clamped about her chest, nerves ready to explode.
"Think you could sit down or change your pattern or something?" Xander asked sarcastically. "You're making me queasy."
"Because you're just sitting there." Cordelia turned on him. "You should be thinking up a plan."
"I do have a plan. We wait. Buffy saves us."
"How will she even know where to find us?"
Xander gave a deep sigh. "Cordelia. This is Buffy's house. Odds are she'll find us."
"What if she doesn't?" Cordelia burst out. "I'm supposed to just waste away down here with you? No, thank you."
She moved quickly toward the stairs. Xander leapt up.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
"Checking to see if he's gone—"
"That's brilliant. What if he isn't?"
Cordelia's eyes were blazing. "Oh, right. You think we should just slack here and hope that somebody else decides to be a hero. Sorry, I forgot I was stranded with a loser—"
"And yet," Xander broke in, "I never forgot that I was stuck with the numb-brain who let Mr. Mutant
into the house in the first place!"
"He looked normal!" Cordelia shouted.
"What—he was supposed to have an arrow and the word assassin over his head?" Xander shouted back. "All it took was the prospect of a free makeover and you licked his hand like a big, dumb dog!"
"You know what?" Cordelia's voice lowered now, icy cold. "I'm gone. I'd rather be worm food than look at your pathetic face—"
"Then go. I won't stop you."
With tempers flaring, Xander and Cordelia moved closer. They were standing toe to toe now, their faces only inches apart, and both of them were seething.
"I bet you wouldn't," Cordelia threw back at him. "I bet you'd just let a girl go off to her doom all by herself—"
"Not just any girl." Xander was deliberately patronizing. "You're special."
"I can't believe I'm stuck here spending what are probably my last moments on earth with you!"
"I hope these are my last moments! Three more seconds of you and I'm gonna—"
"You're going to what?" Cordelia challenged him. "Coward!"
"Moron!"
"I hate you!"
"I hate you!"
Furiously they paused, emotions out of control.
Then they grabbed each other wildly and began to kiss.
Bodies clinging, lips burning, they kissed with reckless passion, as neither had ever kissed before. The room seemed to vibrate around them, the floor seemed to shake. They kissed without stopping, without coming up for air. They kissed desperately . . . on and on and on.
At long last they broke apart.
And then they leapt apart, as if they had been electrocuted.
For a long moment they stared at each other.
"We so need to get out of here," Xander said, heading for the stairs.
Without hesitation, Cordelia bounded up the stairs and ripped the tape from the door.
"He's gone," she announced thankfully, and they bolted.
They managed to make it through the kitchen. But as Cordelia followed Xander into the dining room, hundreds of worms suddenly rained down on them from above. Shrieking, Cordelia raced out the front door and into the yard. She was covered with worms, and Xander ran up to her, trying to brush them off.
"Help!" Cordelia screamed. "Help me!"
Xander dashed to a nearby garden hose. He turned the pressure up as far as it would go, and then he aimed it straight at Cordelia.
This time she shrieked even louder. As the water hit her full force, she flailed her arms and hopped around, her clothes and hair hopelessly soaked. But the tactic worked—as the last of the worms washed away, Xander shut off the hose and hurried Cordelia to her car.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn, Faith, Buffy and Willow stood in the school lounge amid the hubbub of Career Week. The four of them were looking at a large schedule of events that had been posted on the wall.
"Okay," Buffy sighed. "My tests say I should be looking into law enforcement—duh—and environmental design."
"Environmental design?" Willow raised an eyebrow. "That's landscaping, right?"
Buffy shrugged. "I checked the shrub box. Landscaping was yesterday—so law it is."
They began shouldering their way through the noisy crowd. As Buffy looked around, she suddenly noticed a familiar face—the guy she'd attacked in the hallway recently. She noticed that his hair had changed color, from light to dark, and she noticed that he was watching them—and she especially noticed that he was staring at Willow.
"Don't look now, Will," Buffy informed her, "but that guy over there is totally checking you."
Willow followed Buffy's gaze across the room. "Oh," she said casually. "That's Oz. He's just expressing computer nerd solidarity."
"Really? Then why is he on his way over?" Dawn asked as she smiled.
"What?" said Willow noticing Dawn's smile.
"You'll find out," said Dawn.
"Hi," Oz said as he approached them.
Buffy, Dawn and Faith headed over toward the Law Enforcement booth, leaving Willow and Oz alone.
"Hey," Oz said.
"Hey." Willow studied him for a moment, then added, "Your hair. It's brown."
"Sometimes," Oz acknowledged. "Did you decide? Are you going to become a corporate computer suit guy?"
Willow looked amused. "Uh, I think I'm going to finish high school first. What about you?"
"I'm not really a computer person," Oz admitted. "Or a work of any kind person."
"Then why'd they select you?"
Oz shrugged his shoulders. "I sort of test well. Which is cool, except then it leads to jobs."
"Well, don't you have some ambition?"
"Oh, yeah," he answered seriously. "E flat, diminished ninth."
"Huh?
Oz patiently tried to explain. "The E flat's doable, but it's that diminished ninth . . . that's a man's chord."
He tried to look serious. "You could lose a finger."
He smiled at her. Willow smiled back, not quite sure what to make of him.
At the other end of the area, Faith, Dawn and Buffy stopped at the Law Enforcement booth. The same stern policewoman was still there, and she gave them each a curt nod, handing them the sign-in sheet. Obligingly, Buffy added her name. Handing the sheet to Faith and Dawn both of whom signed their names as well. The policewoman took the paper.
"Listen up," the officer ordered, "and answer when I call your name!"
Buffy and several other seminar attendees gathered around.
"Buffy Summers!" Police Lady bellowed.
"Here."
"Dawn Summers!"
"Here," answered Dawn.
In one swift movement, the officer drew a gun and aimed it at Buffy's head.
Dawn, Faith and Buffy dove for cover as shots rang out through the room.
"Get down!" Dawn shouted.
Utter panic broke loose. As the policewoman fired again, people screamed and scattered. Bullets flew everywhere, ricocheting off walls, whining through the air.
"Look out!" Oz yelled.
Flinging himself over Willow, he knocked her to the floor. Almost at once he felt a hot, searing pain as a bullet grazed his arm. The two of them landed hard. Oz lay on top of Willow, bleeding.
Buffy looked at Dawn and Faith. "Faith, check on Willow and Oz. Dawn, go around opposite me, we'll flank her."
Buffy and Dawn tried to maneuver through the chaos.
Keeping close to the floor, Buffy crawled up behind Police Lady, she swept Police Lady's legs out from under her, and knocked her down. Buffy managed to twist the gun from Police Lady's hand and toss it away.
The gun landed not far from Dawn and she opened the smallest portal she had ever opened and watched the gun drop into it, sending it into outer space.
The policewoman drew another gun. She pointed it right at Buffy's forehead.
Before Buffy or the Police Lady could react, Dawn brought her foot down on Police Lady's hand, kicking the gun out of reach. Taking advantage of the distraction, Buffy immediately began pounding the officer's face.
The policewoman twisted free. Throwing Buffy off, she grabbed a student before anyone could stop her.
She pointed the gun at his chest and slowly began to back up.
"Don't!" Buffy cried.
With her hostage in tow, Police Lady continued on through the lounge. Reaching the door at last, she tossed the student to the floor and beat a hasty retreat.
Dawn and Kendra took after her while Buffy ran over to Faith, Willow and Oz. Willow looked pale and shaken, and Oz was sitting next to her, one hand pressed to his wound.
"He's been shot," said Faith.
Willow looked at Oz, her voice trembling. "Are you okay?"
"I'm shot," Oz said, a tremor in his voice just beneath the calm. He paused a moment, then looked mildly incredulous. "I'm shot. Wow. It's very . . . odd. And painful."
Dawn ran back into the room. Spying Faith and Buffy, she quickly came over. "She's gone," she announced. "But I doubt that will be the last time we see her again."
Slowly people began emerging from their hiding places. Everyone looked dazed. The unfortunate hostage walked over to them in total bewilderment.
"Was—was that a demonstration?" he asked.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"She was definitely one of the Taraka gang, Giles, Chloe," said Buffy. "And way gun happy."
Buffy sounded solemn as she recounted this latest calamity. In fact, the seven of them had gathered in the library afterward for a detailed post-siege analysis.
"And this Oz," Giles said worriedly to Willow, "he's all right?"
Willow managed a shaky smile. "The paramedic said it was only a scrape, thank goodness—"
She broke off as Xander and a very wet Cordelia trudged in. Both of them seemed agitated and upset;
Cordelia was close to hysteria.
Buffy glanced at Kendra. "Down, girl," she warned before Kendra could attack.
But Kendra was totally rooted in place. And gazing at Xander like a deer caught in headlights.
"Who sponsored Career Day today?" Xander dead-panned. "The British Soccer Fan Association?"
Giles sounded weary. "We had a rather violent visit from one of the Order of Taraka."
"You want to talk Order of Taraka?" Xander shot back at him. "We met the king freak of the Order of—"
He stopped talking. He stared at Kendra.
"Forgive me." Giles remembered his manners. "Xander, Cordelia, this is Kendra, she is the replacement that Dawn mentioned to us awhile back."
Cordelia wasn't the least bit fazed by this news. She barely even glanced at Kendra as she passed her and sat down. "Hi," Cordelia flashed a thin smile. "Nice to meet you."
But Xander was still staring at Kendra. Totally captivated, he moved next to her, but Kendra immediately lowered her eyes to the floor. She looked strangely ill at ease and completely mortified by his attention.
"Welcome," Xander greeted her. "So, you're a Slayer, huh? I like that in a woman."
Kendra's eyes were fixed on her shoes. "I—I hope . . ." she stammered, totally flustered. She took a breath and tried again. "I thank you. I mean, sir . . . I will be of service."
Xander paused. He looked questioningly at Dawn and Buffy, who only shrugged.
"Good," Xander said, backing away again. "Great. It's good to be a giver."
Giles was deep in thought. He steered the conversation back to the important matter at hand. "This assassin you encountered, Xander. What did he look like?"
Before Xander could answer, Cordelia let out a shriek. She jumped up, beating at her hair, then shrieked again as a dead worm fell out and landed on an open book.
"Like that," Xander said.
Cordelia's voice was shrill and shaky. "That's it! I'm showering." She turned abruptly and marched from the room, while Dawn, Faith and Buffy eyed Xander with interest.
"You and bug people, Xander." Buffy looked almost amused. "What's up with that?"
"But this dude was different than the praying mantis lady," Xander insisted. "He was a man of bugs. Not a man who was a bug." He slammed the book shut as if that explained everything.
"Okay." Willow nodded uncertainly. "Huh?"
"The important thing is," Chloe said, "everybody's okay. Still, it is quite apparent that we are under serious attack—"
"Yeah," Buffy interrupted. "These Taraka guys are Uber-bad."
Giles's face was troubled. "I fear the worst is yet to come. I've discovered the remaining keys to Drusilla's curse. The ritual requires her sire and must take place in a church on the night of the new moon—"
"The new moon?" Kendra repeated. "But that is tonight."
"Exactly. I'm sure the assassins are here to kill Dawn and Buffy before they can put a stop to things—"
"They need Drusilla's sire?" Dawn said. "That means they need Angel. He's Drusilla's sire."
"Man!" Xander burst out. "That guy got some major neck in his day—"
Willow punched him. Xander shut up. Kendra looked annoyed but managed to hold her tongue.
"This thingy," Buffy peered earnestly at Giles. "This ritual. Will it kill him?"
Giles hesitated. He met her eyes reluctantly, his tone gentle. "I'm afraid so."
"We have to prevent that," said Dawn. "I know Angel survives for at least several more years. He eventually went to Los Angeles where he started helping the helpless. We have to make sure he still does that."
"We have to find the church where this ritual will take place—" said Buffy.
"Agreed," said Chloe. "And we must work quickly. There are only five hours to sundown."
"Angel?" Kendra exclaimed. "Our priority must be to stop Drusilla."
Angrily Xander turned on her. "Angel's our friend," he snapped. Then he paused . . . thought about this.
"Except I don't like him," he added lamely.
"Look." Buffy faced Kendra now, her voice defiant. "You've got your priorities, and Dawn and I've got ours. Right now, they mesh. You going to work with us, or are you going to get out of our way?"
Their eyes locked and held.
The tense silence stretched out.
"I am with you," Kendra said at last.