Chapter 123: Checkpoint
Dawn, Buffy, Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Leo, Giles, Willow, Tara and Anya are just gathering in the living room of the Manor.
Xander enters, his arm in a cast. "Sorry I'm late. This thing makes driving an adventure in steering." He looks for a place to sit.
Buffy grabs a pile of magazines off the only remaining chair for him. "Dawn left those here..."
Dawn sighs, "Buffy, I'm right here remember."
Buffy nods and hands the magazines to Dawn.
"Now that we're all here. I've had some rather... I've had some news. It seems that the Council of Watchers has found some information that may help us out." Giles says.
"About Glory?" Piper asks.
Giles nods, "Presumably. We'll find out when they arrive. It could be quite important."
"Arrive? They're coming here? Now? Why do they have to come here?" Buffy says.
"Yeah, don't they have phones? Hallo, Buffy, here's some stuff we know, pip pip." Xander says.
"Yes. Phones! I'd like them to phone!" Buffy says.
"What's so bad about them coming here? Aren't they good guys? I mean, Watchers, that's just like whole other Gileses, right?" Tara says.
Piper shakes her head, "No Tara their nothing like Giles. Buffy got the only decent Watcher. For example on Buffy's eighteenth birthday they stripped her Slayer abilities and wanted her to face a vampire as a mortal."
"Wow." Tara said.
"I still regret my involvement in that." Giles says.
Phoebe smiles, "It's alright Giles. In the end you came through for Buffy."
Giles nods, "Anyways they do come across a little, well, a little hard-nosed, but they do share our agenda. They want to save the world, kill the demons..."
"Kill the current demons, right? Current demons." Anya says.
Buffy shakes her head, "Giles, I don't want them here. I don't trust them. Make them not come here."
"They're probably already on the way. Our old friend Quentin Travers is heading up a delegation." Giles says.
Buffy shakes her head, "They put me through that thing, that test and almost killed me and Phoebe." Giles sighs. "Honestly, I cannot handle more almost being killed right now!"
"I don't like the sound of this. They don't sound ex-demon compatible." Anya says.
"Maybe they won't be so bad this time." Willow says.
Buffy sighs, "They're going to screw things up. Everything's kinda delicate right now. There's, you know, Dawn to take care of..."
Dawn rolls her eyes, "You keep forgetting I'm here, Buffy."
Buffy looks to Dawn, "Sorry. Anyways I mean it's a dangerous time. Glory is out there somewhere and I don't want the council distracting me or getting in the way. Giles, I don't need them looking over my shoulder when we're not even sure what we're dealing with..."
"But that's precisely why we need to talk to them." Giles says. "If the Council knows something about Glory, her agenda, her origins, then maybe it will help us get a grip on what we're dealing with. Because, right now, I think we're a little lost."
The next day Buffy is in a lecture class, bored to death, looking around, kicking her foot, chewing her pencil...
The instructor, Professor Roberts paces and lectures. Buffy bites too hard on her pencil and crushes it. She spits pencil pieces into her hand.
"...Now, Rasputin was associated with a certain obscure religious sect. They held the bizarre tenet that in order to be forgiven, one first had to sin. Rasputin embraced the doctrine and proceeded to sin impressively and repeatedly. The notion that he was in fact "evil" gained strength years later when the conspirators who set out to kill him found it nearly impossible to do so."
"Nearly impossible?" Buffy asks.
"I'm sorry? There was a question?" Professor Roberts asks as Buffy stands up. He recognizes her, looks resigned. "Miss Halliwell. Of course."
"About the killing of him... I mean these guys, they poisoned him and they beat him and they shot him. And he didn't die-" Buffy says.
"Until they rolled his body in a carpet and drowned him in a canal." Professor Roberts says.
"But there are reported sightings of him as late as the 1930's, aren't there?" Buffy asks.
Professor Roberts is clearly losing patience with her now. "There are reported sightings of pink elephants and little green men, but they don't bear mentioning in a history class. What exactly are you implying?"
"I'm not implying, I'm only saying... What if the reports were true and the books were wrong? I mean-" Buffy says.
"I assure you, there's near consensus in the academic community regarding Rasputin's death-" Professor Roberts says.
Buffy nods, "There was near consensus about Columbus too, until someone asked the Vikings what they were up to in the 1400's and they were like - "discovering this America-shaped continent.""
Professor Roberts takes this in, not pleased. He doesn't appreciate having his life's work questioned.
Buffy senses his mounting anger, offers a little more weakly, "I just think, you know, it might be interesting to come at it from a different perspective..."
"Well, I'm sorry that these facts are so boring for you, Ms. Halliwell. Maybe you feel I should step aside so you can teach your own course. Speculation 101, perhaps. Intro to Fights of Fancy..."
The class laughs a little at this.
Buffy takes this in, her face growing hot with embarrassment. "No, I only meant-"
"What was it you were on about last week? The mysterious sleeping patterns of the Prussian generals?" Professor Roberts asks as the class laughs again. "Now. Some of us are here to learn. Believe it or not, we're interested in the way things actually happened. We call it "studying history." You can sit down now. Unless you have anything else to add, Professor."
Buffy, humiliated, slowly sits - feeling the eyes of the class on her...
That evening Buffy is fighting a large vampire. "Young lady. Miss Halliwell." She throws him up against a backhoe. The vamp snarls and comes back at her. "Take a bow, Miss Halliwell." She punches him back up against the crypt.
"Who are you talking to?" Vampire says, genuinely confused. He vamp fights back now.
Buffy absorbs a hard blow that sends her staggering back. She regroups, ready to attack again, when a figure tackles the vamp.
It's SPIKE. He stakes the vamp. It dusts.
"Spike! Why did you do that?" Buffy asks.
"Not for money, if that's what you think. Your heartfelt gratitude is plenty. 'Spect I'll be getting that any moment now." Spike says.
"Gratitude?! For getting in my way?" Buffy asks.
"Getting in your way? I saved you!" Spike says.
Buffy shakes her head, "I was regrouping."
"You were about to be regrouped into separate piles. You needed help." Spike says.
Buffy sighs, "I didn't need you. I never need you, Spike."
Spike looks like he's been slapped, but he bounces back, "Oh, I get it. You just don't like who did the rescuing, that's all. Wishin' I was your boyfriend what's-his-height. Oh wait, he's run off when he finds out you got a bun in the oven."
"I don't need a boyfriend. To rescue me or for any other reason." Buffy says. "Especially not for her."
"Don't need? Or can't keep? You keep making notches on the headboard, but eventually they get out of bed and run away, don't they?" Spike says.
"You're disgusting." Buffy says.
"Rough talk. Maybe that's what your problem is, you push 'em away? Or is it the other - maybe you cling too much? Or p'rhaps it's even simpler. Check your breath lately? Or maybe the beauty's fading. The stress of Slaying aging you prematurely. Things not like they used to be... not as high, not as firm. Or maybe it's that child your carrying." Spike says.
"You know, Spike, the more I get to know you, the more I wish I didn't." Buffy says.
"...Or maybe you just don't hold their interest." Spike says.
And to Buffy's surprise, he turns and saunters away. Startled, Buffy tries to shrug off what he said, but it hurts. She flames out.
At the Magic Box Giles is leading Travers and the rest of the Council members out from the training room. "...we've been developing a sort of hybrid fighting style. I can outline her progress for you and I think you'll see that your review isn't strictly needed..."
Buffy flames in and notices Travers and his group. She starts to flame back out. "Bad day. Bad, bad day."
"Miss Halliwell!" Travers says.
Caught Buffy turns towards him as she doesn't flame out.
"Good to see you again." Travers says.
"Mr. Travers." Buffy says.
"Giles was just telling us about your training regimen. Perhaps you'll favor us with…" Travers says as his eyes fall on Buffy's stomach. He then looks to Giles, "You did not tell us that she is pregnant."
Giles rolls his eyes, "Because it is not my place to tell you."
Travers nods, "Well we were going to have you give us a demonstration but I feel for the child's safety we can skip that. Do you still patrol in your current condition?"
Buffy nods, "I do. Most of the time though I have someone with me. I don't want to risk my daughter's life before she is even born."
Travers nods, "Very well we've already laid out our project for Mr. Giles. Nigel..."
"It's an exhaustive review of your procedures and abilities. Normally we'd observe your training. But due to your condition… Anyways we will talk to your friends and your family..." Nigel says.
"Talk to my friends? And my family?" Buffy asks.
Travers nods, "Yes. We understand you're still taking civilians along on your patrols-"
"You've got to be kidding." Buffy says.
"He's not kidding. He's a very serious man." Nigel says.
"Sorry. Who are you?" Buffy asks.
"They're a little tight-lipped with the introductions." Giles says.
Travers nods, "Miss Halliwell- Buffy…"
"Payson." Buffy says. "Only people that still call me Buffy are my friends and family of which you are neither."
Travers nods, "Payson, I can sense your resistance. I don't blame you, but I think your Watcher hasn't reminded you lately of the relative status of the players in our little game. The Council fights evil. The Slayer is the instrument with which we fight. The Council remains. The Slayers... change. It's been that way from the beginning."
"Yes, that's a very comforting, bloodless way to look at it, isn't it?" Giles says.
"Giles, let me talk to Payson. Because I think she understands me." Travers says. "Glory is stronger than you. She's a more powerful instrument, if you will. But we can help you. We have information that will help. Pass the review and we give it to you without reservation. Fail the review, either through incompetence or by resisting our recommendations-"
"Resisting your recommendations? She fails if we don't do whatever you say?" Giles says. "How much under your thumb do you think we are?"
"How much do you want our help?" Travers asks.
"She's not your bloody "instrument"! You've got no right to do any of this!" Giles says. "Be glad her eldest sister, Prue is not alive. She would force it out of you."
Phillip moves closer, using his size to intimidate.
"Giles-" Buffy says.
"And now you're using this bloke to try to shut me up? I knew you were all thugs at heart." Giles says.
"Calm down. Calm down. I understand that you feel this is unfair." Travers says as he gestures for Phillip to back off and he does. Giles backs off grudgingly as well. "But there are factors which should motivate you to go along with the review. I don't want to do this, but obviously, we could shut this place down permanently."
Giles is suddenly more stunned than angry - he never thought they'd go that far.
Buffy, also, is aghast. "You can't do that. You don't have that kind of power."
"Of course we do. And a great deal more. In fact, if you insist on fighting us - we'll arrange to have Mr. Giles deported within the day. Never set foot in this country again." Travers says.
"What?" Buffy asks, stunned.
"Perhaps you're used to idle threats and sloppy discipline, Ms. Halliwell, but you're dealing with grown-ups now. Am I making myself clear?" Travers says.
Buffy looks at Giles, reads his defeat.
Later after Travers and the Watcher's Council have left. Buffy sits at the table, looking dejected. Giles paces angrily as Piper walks in.
"It's a power play, is what it is. It's all about who has the power." Giles says.
Piper looks between Buffy and Giles, "What's up?"
"I'm guessing they do. Big power outage in Buffy County." Buffy says.
"Buffy? Giles?" Piper asks.
"I should've set you loose on 'em, that's what I should've done." Giles says.
"Giles, that guy Travers, he's like sixty something years old. I can't hit him." Buffy says. "Can I?"
"I suppose not. But I bloody well could. Think I will." Giles says.
Piper whistles getting their attention, "What's going on?"
Buffy sighs, "The council's here. They've threatened to kick Giles out of the country if I don't do what they say before they give us information on Glory."
Piper sighs and looks at Giles, "Can they really do that? Kick you out of the country?"
Giles nods, "In a hot second." He polishes his glasses vigorously. "They're all right when it comes to the rough stuff, a little ham-handed but they get it done. But this stuff, bureaucracy, pulling political strings, paperwork... this is where they're the best in the world. They can kill you with a stroke of the pen. Poncy buggers." His polishing pops a lens out of the frame. A little embarrassed, he sets the broken glasses aside.
"Giles? Am I going to get through this thing? This review?" Buffy asks.
Giles sits down, the anger gone. He puts on his glasses, realizes they're missing a lens and takes them back off. "Well, they can make it as difficult as they wish, I suppose. We're lucky though on one thing."
"What?" Piper asks.
"They were going to do physical tests. But given the fact Buffy is eight months pregnant. Well they aren't going to do the physical tests."
Buffy nods, "Thank goddess for small favors. But I meant the other stuff. Examining decisions I've made. I mean, twice now I've let myself get within Slaying-distance of Glory and twice she's kicked my ass without ever tensing a muscle. And I haven't been able to figure out what she is or anything about her except that she wants the Key, wants Dawn!
"Buffy, no one else could have done any better." Giles says.
Piper nods, "I have to agree, Buffy. You did what you could."
"But no one else is going to be asked all these questions I can't answer. They're going to expect me to be like... like a Slayer, like I should know stuff. But I'm just me and I don't know anything. Then they're going to go away and never tell me about how to fight Glory and I won't be able to protect Dawn." Buffy says.
Piper sits down next to Buffy and pulls her into an embrace. "It's okay, Buffy. Everything is going to be fine. When are they due back Giles?"
"Tonight and tomorrow morning they are interviewing Willow, Xander, Tara, Anya and your sisters. Maybe even Dawn, I don't know. Tomorrow evening we are to meet back here and go over the review." Giles says.
The next day at the Manor Phillip sits at the dining room table with Paige and Dawn.
"Dawn Marie Summers." Dawn says.
"Summers?" Phillip asks.
"I'm Buffy's actual sister. When Buffy changed her name to Halliwell, I didn't. Buffy's been kind of adamant that I wait till I turn 18 before I change my name."
Phillip nods, "Fine. Now we can get to the questions."
Upstairs in Piper's room Nigel stands, holding a clipboard, looking very imposing. Piper and Phoebe sit on Piper's bed.
"Questions. Great." Phoebe says.
"We can answer questions." Piper says.
"Well, I'd like to know a little bit more about the Slayer and about both of you. Your relationship, whatever you can tell me."
"Our relationship?" Phoebe asks.
Piper shakes her head, "That's obvious. We're sisters. You do know whose home you are standing in don't you?"
"I meant your relationship with the Slayer." Nigel says.
Piper rolls her eyes, "Buffy is our Aunt Joyce's daughter. Our cousin but we think of her as a sister."
Downstairs in the dining room. "Buffy is my sister. Well not actual sister since Dawn is her only actual sister. But Piper, Phoebe and I consider her and Dawn sisters. Piper, Phoebe and I have gone on patrols with Buffy." Paige says.
"So did Prue. Before she died," Dawn says.
"If I may ask how did Prudence die?" Phillip asks.
"Demon," Dawn says. "It was a Charmed related matter. Not Slayer related."
"So you classify demons by if they are dealt with by the Power of Three or by the Slayer alone?" Phillip asks.
"More or less. We have our own way of dealing with demons that the Slayer can't handle alone. The ones that require a different way of vanquish." Paige said.
Phillip nods, "Other than being witches have either of you mastered any fighting disciplines?"
Dawn shakes her head, "Buffy's still training me so I don't get to go out and help vanquish demons very often."
"I know some martial arts." Paige says. "But I usually don't need them."
Phillip nods looking at Paige, "Would you tell me about the spell you performed with Mr. Harris and Mr. Giles last year."
"We were facing a Slayer related demon. Adam was created from Human, Demon and Cybernetics." Paige says. "The demon was immensely strong and had fought Buffy to a standstill more than once. Giles came up with a spell that allowed myself, Giles and Xander to combine our essences with Buffy to help defeat Adam."
Upstairs in Piper's room.
"What is your magical proficiency level?" Nigel asks.
Piper rolls her eyes, "Magical proficiency level? We're Charmed Ones."
Nigel nods, "And you're registered as practicing witches under the names as you gave them to me?"
"Registered?" Phoebe asks. "You're kidding right. No we're not registered. Why would we do that? One thing we've always done is keep the secret. The only reason you know is because you work for the Watcher's Council. Otherwise we wouldn't have told you to begin with."
Downstairs …
"Do either of you know anything about the Key?" Phillip asks.
Dawn looks to Paige her eyes wide, "Nope, nothing."
Paige shakes her head, "All we know is what Buffy has told us which isn't much. Because well she doesn't know much."
Later after the Watcher's Council has left Buffy unlocks the front door of the Manor as she enters. "Piper? Phoebe? Paige? Dawn?" She drops her backpack onto the floor and turns into the living room. There standing in front of her is Glory.
"Long day, Sweetie?" Glory asks as Buffy stands shocked, face to face with her. "So this is where the Slayer eats and sleeps and combs her hair. So cute. I can't even stand it." She breezes past Buffy, taking in the living room.
Buffy doesn't move a muscle. She wonders where her sisters are. Her eyes shift slightly. As she looks at the firepoker.
"Personally, I need more space, but this is good for you. It's so quaint and..." Glory says.
Buffy casually edges behind the oblivious Glory, who's on the other side of the room. Buffy reaches for the firepoker.
"Tsk. Buf-fee..." Glory says.
Buffy looks up to see Glory is now standing right in front of her.
"If I wanted to fight, you could tell by the being dead already." Glory says. She gently takes the firepoker away from Buffy, puts it back, and sits down. "So play nice, little girl."
"What do you want?" Buffy asks.
"The Key. Why else do you think I'd come here? See, I think you know where the Key is." Glory says.
"Glad you think so." Buffy says.
"Well, it is the only thing keeping you alive right now. 'Cause you may be tiny Queen in Vampire World, but to me? You're a bug." Glory says.
Buffy's eyes go just a little bit wide as she sees Paige and Dawn enter through the front door behind Glory. Seeing the look on Buffy's face, Paige and Dawn gets something's up, and freezes.
"What?" Dawn mouths.
Glory keeps talking, oblivious. "You should get down on your knees, and worship me."
Without moving her head, Buffy shifts her eyes upward indicating Dawn should shimmer out.
Buffy keeps her eyes on Glory.
"But you still think it's "neat" having Slayer strength. Ooh, big deal, stronger than humans. Phht. Who isn't?" Glory says.
Dawn starts to shimmer out.
"I could crush the life from you as easy as you'd break a nail. But I need the Key." Glory says. "Kid. You too cousin."
Dawn stops shimmering. Glory puts a hand out to Dawn and Paige without looking back. She just knows they're there.
"C'mere a sec." Glory says.
"Leave them out of this." Buffy says.
"Not asking twice..." Glory says.
"This is between you and me." Buffy says.
"No... this is between me and my Key. You just happen to be the thing in the way." Glory says as she snaps her fingers sharply, still not looking back. Paige and down step forward as Glory looks at them for the first time. "And you - are just the darlingest thing I ever did see in my life. What's your name, honey?" She looks at Paige. "And yours?"
"Dawn." Dawn says.
"Paige." Paige says.
"Dawn. Did you know your sister took my Key, Dawnie? And she won't give it back. Bet you know where she put it, don't you?"
"She doesn't know anything." Buffy says.
"Bet she takes your things all the time without asking, huh? Where's my Key, Dawn?" Glory says.
"Go upstairs." Buffy says.
Dawn nods and smiles at Glory and shimmers out.
"You know I'll kill her. Kill your cousin here. Kill the rest of your cousins. Kill your friends. Make you watch when I do." Glory says, shrugging. "Just give me the Key. Either you have it, or you know where to find it." She rises. "Obviously, this is a one-time only deal. Next time we meet, something you love dies bloody. You know you can't take me. You know you can't stop me." She heads for the door. "Oh. And the next time you have guests? Little plate of sugar cookies. I'm just saying." She leaves, shutting the door behind her.
Paige shakes her head, "Want me to call Piper?"
Buffy nods, "Yeah you better. I don't want to leave Dawn alone when I go back to the Magic Box."
Later Piper is driving Buffy and Phoebe in her jeep towards the Magic Box.
In the middle of the road stands someone in chainmail and a leathery helmet which covers its face. Piper slams on her breaks to keep from hiting whoever it is. Suddenly they are surrounded as Buffy flames out of the jeep and on to the street.
"Guys? Is there any way we could not do this?" Buffy asks.
In response, Buffy gets punched in the face. They mysterious men all close in on her as Piper and Phoebe get out of the jeep.
The lead guy, holding a sword, swings it over Buffy's head. She ducks - just in time to avoid getting decapitated.
The other two go for Piper and Phoebe, each swirling deadly quarter-staffs. They turn back to back facing the men. The man facing Phoebe viciously bats her in the face.
Phoebe lands hard on her back.
The Lead Guy brings his sword down towards Buffy. Buffy flames out of the way.
Phoebe flips to her feet as one of the quarter-staff guys brings his stick whipping around - but this time - Phoebe catches the staff in mid-blow. Grasping the end of the stick, she shoves it forward and knocks her attacker in the face with it. Once, twice, three times in rapid succession. He's out.
Sword guy circles around Buffy as Staff-guy circles around Piper and Phoebe.
They both strike at once. Buffy grabs sword-guy's arm at the wrist just as he comes thrusting at her.
Phoebe round-house kicks the staff-guy in the head, knocking him cold. Piper grabs a fallen quarter staff and attacks the swordsman.
He staggers back. Buffy kicks the sword from his hand. It clatters to the tarmac.
Buffy tackles him hard onto the ground, as Piper jams the staff up against his windpipe, crushing the breath out of him.
"All right, let's see..." Buffy says as she reaches down and grabs its mask from the bottom, just below the jaw. "...what you are."
Buffy rips the mask off the thing - to reveal it is a ruggedly handsome man, Orlando, in his late thirties. There's an arcane symbolic tattoo on his forehead, matching ones on each cheek.
"Go on, Slayer - kill me. But know that my death will only buy you more time." Orlando says.
"Okay - who are you?" Buffy asks.
"One soldier in a vast army," Orlando says.
"What "army..."" Piper says.
"The Knights of Byzantium. An ancient order. And now, the Slayer and the Charmed Ones enemy." Orlando says.
"You work for Glory?" Phoebe asks.
Orlando shakes his head, "You think we ally ourselves with the Beast? You must be mad."
"You're the ones, tried killing me and my sisters." Buffy says.
"We were fools." Orlando says with a small laugh. "Three alone. But if it takes a hundred men, we send the hundred. And if it takes a thousand, we send them too. So long as you and your family protect the Key, our brotherhood will never stop until we destroy it. As well as you and your family."
"You'd send a thousand..." Buffy says.
"You are the Slayer. We know what we must do. Now be done with it. Kill us, and let Legions follow." Orlando says.
Buffy thinks about it as she picks up Orlando's sword. She then lets him stand. "Go." He takes off.
Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe watch him and they look at the sword. They turn and get back in Piper's jeep.
Moments later at the Magic Box Piper, Phoebe and Buffy enter through the front door. The room is silent but for the work of The Watchers.
"You're late." Travers says.
Buffy answers distractedly, still focused on the sword. "Yeah."
"Was there an attack..?" Giles asks.
Piper nods, "Yes. Someone saying he belonged to the Knights of Byzantium."
All the Watcher's, except Giles, share looks of concern.
"Well. We can begin the review at last. We'll skip over the more obvious—" Travers says.
Piper steps forward, "There isn't going to be a review."
"Sorry?" Travers says.
Buffy looks to Piper and nods, she's got this. "No review. No interrogation, no questions you know I can't answer, no hoops, no jumps..." Nigel is about to speak. She turns to him before he gets a sound out, "...and no interruptions. See I've had a lot of people talking at me, last few days. People just lining up to tell me how unimportant I am. And I finally figured out why."
Buffy steps closer to the table, so she is really above Travers now. "Power. I have it. They don't. This bothers them. Glory came to the Manor today—"
"Buffy, are you all—" Giles says.
Buffy smiles, "—Just to talk. Tell me I'm a bug, I'm a flea; she could squash me in a second... Only she didn't squash me. She came to my house and she talked. We had what in her warped brain probably passes for a civilized conversation. Why? Because she needs something from me. Because I have power over her. You didn't come all the way from England to determine whether I'm good enough to be "let back in." You came to beg me to let you back in. To give your jobs, your lives, some semblance of meaning again."
"Oh, this is beyond insolence—" Nigel says.
Buffy hurls the sword across the room, and it sticks into the shelf inches from his head.
"I'm fairly certain I said no interruptions." Buffy says.
"That was excellent." Xander says, quietly from above them in the loft.
"You're Watchers. And without a Slayer you're pretty much just watching Masterpiece Theatre. You can't stop Glory. You can't do anything with the information you have on her except publish it in the "Everyone Thinks We're Insano's Home Journal." So here's how it's going to work. You're gonna tell me everything you know. Then you're gonna go away. You'll contact me if and when you have more information. The magic shop will stay open, and Mr. Giles will stay here as my official watcher, reinstated at full salary." Buffy says.
"—retroactive—" Giles says, coughing into his hand.
"—to be paid retroactively from the month he was fired. I'll continue my work, with the help of my friends and my family..." Buffy says.
"I... I don't want a sword thrown at me, but civilians... we're talking about children." Lydia says.
Buffy smiles, "We'll start with the ones up there. There are two powerful witches, and a thousand year old ex-demon."
"Willow's a DEMON?" Anya says.
Phillip looks at Xander. "The boy? No power there."
""The Boy" has clocked more field time than all of you combined. He's part of the unit."
"That's Riley-speak." Willow says.
"I've clocked field time." Xander says.
"And the two behind me are two-fifths of the Charmed Ones." Buffy says.
Piper smiles at Buffy for the inclusion of Dawn as a Charmed One.
"The most powerful group of witches the world has ever seen." Buffy says. "You may all be very good at your jobs. The only way you're ever gonna find out is if you work with me. You can all take your time thinking about that, but I want an answer right now from Quentin." She turns to him. "'Cause I think he understands me."
The echo of his own words is not lost on Travers. "Your terms are acceptable."
There is whooping and clapping from the loft above as well as behind Buffy from Phoebe and Piper.
There is a quiet smile from Giles, which expresses even more.
Buffy sits across from Travers. Says quietly, and not unkindly, "See? No begging."
Travers nods, "Rupert, when we inventoried your shop, we found a bottle of single malt scotch hidden behind the incense holders."
"Well, it's not that, during working hours—" Giles says.
"I think I could use a glass." Travers says.
Giles starts to rise out of his chair, "I suppose a few of us wouldn't mind a—"
"Just a minute." Buffy says.
Even Giles responds to the authority in her, he sits again without comment.
"Glory. I wanna know." Buffy says.
"There's a lot to go through..." Travers says.
"I just want to know what kind of demon I'm fighting." Buffy says.
"Well, that's the thing. Glory isn't a demon." Travers says.
"What is she?" Piper asks.
"She's a god." Travers says.
"Oh." Buffy, Piper and Phoebe say.