Remember, this is not the Buffy from season 3 that disappeared for over three months. I've written her like I'd picture an emotionally traumatized and heartbroken slayer to be while the events are still just a few weeks old.

Chapter 5: Facing Them

******Where We Left Off******

Buffy's friends were relieved and very happy to see her.

"Are you okay? Where have you been? We've been so worried! Why didn't you call?" the questions came from Willow and Xander as they hugged her.

"I'm sorry," Buffy said softly. "I just needed some time."

"We understand," Willow said with compassion. "I'm sorry I didn't get the spell done sooner to stop the entire mess."

The music started as the band began, so they had trouble conversing. When it was over, Giles said, "Let's relocate to a quieter place."

"My diner isn't too far from here," Buffy said.

"Diner? You have a diner?" Xander asked.

"I have been working there as a waitress," she explained.

Willow spoke to Oz, who promised to meet up with them later, and then the group relocated.

They commandeered the only large round booth with Buffy in between Willow and Xander and Tony and Giles on each outside end. Pepper was between Willow and Tony. Buffy didn't really like all the focus, but she resigned herself to the inquisition.

However, her friends surprised her, regaling her with tales of their time at Tony's Malibu house and summer plans instead of jumping into the inquisition.

"The place is so cool, Buffy," Willow said.

"So what's good here?" Tony asked, looking at the menu.

"The pie," Buffy said.

Tony grinned and told the server to bring them all a piece of the house pie.

"You need to call your mother," Giles said. "She's been worried sick—both of your parents are."

Buffy felt a flash of guilt. "I know," she said with a sigh.

Tony handed her his cell phone. "No time like the present," he said.

Buffy took his phone and stared down at it a moment before dialing home. It was just a phone—it couldn't actually hurt her.

"Mom?" she asked when her mother answered.

"Buffy? Oh, God, Buffy, I've been so worried. Are you okay? Where are you?" Joyce asked in a rush.

"I'm fine, Mom. Sorry for worrying you so much. I've been in Los Angeles," she said.

"Your father said you weren't there! He lied to me!" her mother raged.

"No, he didn't, Mom. He doesn't know," Buffy assured her.

Joyce was silent a moment. "Oh," she finally said. "Giles explained what happened with Angel. I'm sorry, honey."

"Thanks," Buffy said, surprised.

"Are you coming home?" her mom asked.

"I don't know," Buffy said. "Would you be upset if I didn't?"

"I miss you, Buffy. I want you to come home," Joyce said. "We need to work things out."

"Okay," Buffy said. It wasn't her mother's fault that things went so crappy in her life—that was the life of a slayer.

"I love you," Joyce said.

"I love you, too," she said.

She hung up and gave the phone back to Tony. "Thanks," she said.

"What did your mom say?" Willow asked.

"She's anxious to see me," Buffy said.

"So you heading home to Sunnyhell?" Xander asked.

"I guess," Buffy said without much enthusiasm.

"I want you to know that Mr. Stark made sure that Snyder couldn't expel you and got the charges dropped," Giles told her.

"Really? Thanks," Buffy said, giving Tony a grateful look. "I so don't want to deal with that troll."

"You will have to complete your finals, though, to get your semester credits," Giles said.

"Okay," Buffy said, pleasantly surprised.

She was amazed how easy it was to be with her friends again as they filled her in on what they'd been doing since school went out. It was good to see them excited and not stressing about the hellmouth.

"So are you going to go back with Giles tonight?" Willow asked her.

"It is far too late for travel," Tony said. "I have all of us rooms at the Wilshire Beverly downtown."

"I have an apartment," Buffy said. "I can meet you for breakfast at the hotel in the morning."

Willow and Xander both looked at Giles as neither wanted her to be left alone for the night.

"Frankly, Buffy, we've spent a few weeks looking for you as you were irresponsible and thoughtless enough to leave without a word to any of us," Giles said, causing her friends to wince at his frank words. "Although we all understand the pain you're in, it does not excuse you skirting your responsibilities and leaving all of us—including your mother—worried sick."

"What he's trying to say with all those words is you're staying at the hotel with Willow," Tony said flatly. He agreed whole heartedly with Giles, but his heart felt for the girl. She'd been dealt a crappy hand all around.

Buffy felt Giles' words like a body blow, but she took it without flinching. He wasn't wrong to chastise her, but she didn't know if she could continue being his slayer anymore. However, she didn't really have the energy to fight him. "Fine," she said in resignation.

When they made it into the hotel, Buffy was mostly shut down. Willow knocked on the door connecting to her mom's room. "It's open," Tony called out.

Willow stepped inside and shut the door. "Sorry to bother you," she said.

"It's never a bother," Pepper said.

"It could be," Tony said with a wink. "But I'd have the door locked if we were having a real good time in here."

"Tony!" Pepper scolded in vain as he just grinned unashamed.

Willow laughed, always entertained by Tony and his interaction with her mother. They were so fascinating.

"What's wrong? Is Buffy okay?" Pepper asked.

"I'm not sure," Willow said. "She seems really closed off. I'm not sure what to do to help her."

"She left for a reason," Pepper said. "She wanted to escape her life and what she had to do. It'll take some time."

"What should I do?" Willow asked.

"Just be there for her. Give her the space she needs," Pepper advised. "When she's ready to talk to you, she will."

Willow nodded. "Okay. Thanks," she said. She hugged her mom and went back to her room.

"How are we going to help Buffy?" Pepper asked Tony after Willow closed the door behind her.

"I've got some ideas," Tony said with a smirk.

"I figured," Pepper said, giving him a fond smile.

"First, I'm going to go have a talk with Rupert about that Council of his. He's been so focused on finding Buffy that I've not really bothered him about it," Tony said. "But I have questions—lots of questions."

"I have some myself," Pepper said. "Why don't you call his room and see if he'll come join us?"

Tony did just that, and Giles arrived shortly.

"Can I offer you a drink?" Tony asked, pouring a scotch for himself in a glass. His room came stocked with a full bar.

"Bourbon if you have any," Giles said.

"I do," Tony said, pouring a splash in a tumbler and handing it to him. He looked at Pepper, who shook her head.

"How's the room?" Pepper asked.

"It's lovely," Giles said. "I would've been happy sharing with Xander."

"No man is happy sharing a room with a teenage boy," Tony said with a knowing grin. "Besides, I told Oz to stay in his room and paid Xander $50 to tell me if he sneaks into Willow's bed after the lights go out."

"What?" Pepper asked, looking at him in dismay.

Tony just grinned. "I gotta keep these kids on their toes," Tony said.

Giles laughed, appreciating his conniving nature. "You know that Oz would not be so bold," he said.

"Yes, I do," Tony said. "But I learned something about Xander—who took the money—and it lets them know I'm watching."

"Xander would have no qualms about taking your money, especially when he knows he won't have to rat out his friends," Pepper said. "He strikes me as being very pragmatic."

"I know," Tony said in clear approval.

Giles wasn't always sure how to take the man, who was too wealthy and entitled than was proper. However, Giles couldn't fault the man's compassion, generosity, or rapid-fire intelligence. The things he picked up on with the children impressed Giles, who knew them so well only because he'd spent two years in their constant company. He was curious to discover what the man wanted to discuss with him.

"So we have a few questions for you about your employers," Tony asked. "Tell me how they work. How big an organization they are. How they tend to treat the slayers."

"Who's in charge of this council?" Pepper asked.

Giles knew that Tony could discover many things on his own, but he didn't feel it was a betrayal to share some basic information, including Quentin's name and how the council worked.

"So they normally just take these potentials from their families?" Pepper asked.

Giles nodded. "Yes. Buffy was not discovered until she was activated—it was highly unusual. Her first Watcher, Merrick, was killed by the first Master vampire Buffy had to defeat when the vampire and his minions invaded her school. Buffy was expelled for burning down the gym, but she really saved dozens of her classmates. This happened prior to her moving to Sunnydale," Giles said.

Tony and Pepper shared a look. "That explains it," Tony said. "JARVIS researched all Willow's friends, and we found out that Buffy spent a few weeks institutionalized shortly after that."

"She must've tried to tell her parents about being a slayer, and they had her committed," Pepper said in disgust.

"That would help explain why their marriage fell apart as Buffy has always spoken very fondly of her father," Giles said. His slayer had never shared that with him, but he could imagine how deep that betrayal cut. Her running away now in the face of her mother's apparent rejection made more sense. Guilt for his reprimand hit him as he considered the best way to proceed with her.

"And her mom didn't react well to being forced to face what her daughter is and what Sunnydale is," Tony said.

"Joyce is a fine woman," Giles said. "She loves her daughter, and I know that she will come around to supporting her after a time."

"I agree," Tony said. "But it's a lot for her to take—it's been a lot for Pepper and me, and Willow doesn't have the same burden as Buffy."

"And yet she chooses to share it—they all do," Giles said. "They are extraordinary children."

"They are," Pepper said. She'd grown close to her daughter in such a short time and fond of her friends and her frenemy Cordelia.

"Killing a lover to save the world isn't something I could do," Tony said. "If I had to choose between Pepper and the rest of the world, I'd let everyone burn."

"Don't say that," Pepper admonished.

"Why not? It's the truth," he said with a careless shrug. "I don't think it's because I love you more than Buffy loved Angel because we all know how passionately teenagers can love."

"It would've been easier if Willow didn't complete the spell," Giles said somberly. "That type of choice is not one anyone should ever have to make."

"And yet she did it," Tony said. "And what is her reward? Does she get a bonus? Does the council even pay these slayers or are they just expendable? Now that poor Kendra is dead does that mean another is called or is it back to being just all on Buffy's shoulders?"

Giles looked uncomfortable as he admitted, "Slayers don't get a paycheck from the council."

"What?" Pepper asked, shocked.

"It was deemed inappropriate as the slayer's calling is her sacred duty," Giles said.

"These are children basically being forced into service, and they get no compensation?" Pepper asked, outraged.

"I'm afraid not—not ever in the history of the Council," Giles said, clearly uncomfortable with the fact. It was a reality that never made much sense to him.

"But they pay the watchers? The girls actually get injured and die on the battlefield and their families receive no compensation?" Tony asked, his anger building.

"That's the way it's been for generations," Giles said weakly.

"Well, that's not going to work for me," Tony said, grim. "I'm going to schedule a meeting with the Prime Minister of Great Britain and see how read in he is on this abuse of power."

Giles was alarmed. "I'm not sure that's the best course of action," he advised. "How about we speak with Travers first?"

"That's a good idea. We'll take Buffy home and then fly to London," Tony said.

Giles wasn't about to argue as a free trip home was a gift horse, after all.

*****The Next Day*****

To say Buffy's friends were horrified when they saw the place that she'd been living in was an understatement. Buffy had been in too much of a fog to be bothered by how rundown the place was. Now, however, she felt a flush of embarrassment.

"It's not much," she said. She grabbed her bag and shoved her clothes in it.

"I think the fact that you managed to get a job and a place to live without anyone's help shows how brave and resourceful you are," Pepper said, smiling at her.

Buffy gave her a small smile. Pepper was so nice—no wonder Willow was so sweet. Sheila never struck Buffy as particularly warm or loving.

"Do you think your mom will let you go to New York with us in a few weeks?" Willow asked.

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe," she said.

"I hope so," Willow said. "It won't be the same without you."

Buffy gave her a small smile, grateful for her support.

Pepper took Willow, Oz, and Xander back to Tony's Malibu house while Tony drove Giles and Buffy home.

Joyce was relieved to have Buffy whole and in front of her. "Thanks for finding her," she said to Giles.

"I'm not sure I can take credit as it was Tony who found her," Giles said.

"JARVIS traced her on camera," Tony said with a shrug.

"I'm going out of town for a bit with Tony," Giles said. "I will call and check in with you, Buffy."

"Okay," she said.

Giles was disturbed by how listless his slayer was.

"Is she okay?" Joyce asked as Buffy went up to her room.

"Not really," Giles said. "It's going to take time. Willow restored Angel's soul, but it was too late. Buffy still had to kill him to stop the end of the world. That's not something she can forget so easily."

Joyce looked sick. "I can't believe this is my baby's world. It's not right! I think she needs a break from all this slaying stuff. Maybe you should not call her," Joyce said.

"Maybe you should let her go with the kids and me to New York to check out colleges in a few weeks?" Tony suggested. "A supervised change of scenery might be just thing."

"Maybe. Let's see how she feels," Joyce said.

They said goodbye and walked back to Tony's limo. "Joyce seemed angry with me," Giles remarked.

"You represent all that's wrong with Buffy's life," Tony said. "I wouldn't take it personally."

Giles knew Tony was probably right. Joyce was going to have to come to terms with what Buffy was and the fate she could only escape in death.

*****The Next Day*****

Tony whistled as the limo pulled up to the castle Giles said was the headquarters for the Watchers Council. "Some digs," he commented. "Obviously, they're not hurting financially, and yet they think they can keep their slayer basically in a life of indentured servitude."

Giles knew the man had a point, but he tried to explain. "They don't see it that way. They see it as upholding tradition," he said.

Tony gave a snort of disgust. "Tradition said women should be barefoot and pregnant and humans could be used as slaves," he said. "Traditions are not always moral, nor should they automatically be continued."

"That is true," Giles acknowledged. He had the same argument many times with his own father but didn't tell Tony that.

Giles had the foresight to call ahead and schedule a meeting with Travers. He knew Tony was very impatient and would blast his way to the man one way or another. The British rarely dealt with a man such as Tony. He was a registered weapon of mass destruction. The blue glow from his chest was only hidden by his three-piece suit—he decided to dress up with this particular showdown. Giles had been amused by Tony's very expensive attire when he came out of his quarters on the private jet. Clearly, he was trying to make a statement.

They were shown to Travers office, but they were kept waiting for twenty minutes.

"Okay. This is ridiculous," Tony said, rising to his feet. He went to the secretary. "If your boss doesn't open that door in the next two minutes, I will break it down."

As the woman knew who Tony was, she pushed the button on her phone. "Giles Rupert and Tony Stark to see you now, sir," she said.

"Thank you," Tony said. He looked at Giles, who followed him into the office.

"Rupert, it's good to see you," Quentin said, holding out his hand.

"You, too," Giles said. "Quentin, may I present Tony Stark."

"I almost didn't believe Rupert when he said you were requesting a meeting," Quentin said, shaking Tony's hand.

"Well, I've gotten to know all the players in Sunnydale recently, and I cajoled Rupert into bringing me to meet you," Tony said with an easy smile.

"Please, have a seat," Quentin said, gesturing to his two chairs across from his desk. He went around and sat in his chair. "How can the Watchers Council help Iron Man?"

"So even the Brits in England are aware of who I am?" Tony asked, unsurprised.

"Of course," Quentin said. "Rupert says that your CEO is the biological mother of our slayer's best friend, Willow Rosenberg."

"That is correct," Tony said. "Pepper is the most important person in my life. I cannot function well without her, nor would my company. She just recently told me that she'd given up a child for adoption in high school after the Rosenbergs contacted her when Willow was hospitalized."

"Yes, Drusilla," Quentin said, shaking his head. "I cannot believe that vampire still alludes the slayer. Her lover Spike has killed two slayers in the past two centuries, and now she has killed Kendra."

"I'm surprised you care that much," Tony said. "It seems to me that you guys find these slayers pretty expendable."

Quentin glanced at Giles, who remained silent—this was Tony's show. "I wouldn't say that. We value our slayers. However, 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," he said.

"So I've been told. What I want to know is how exactly are you supporting your slayer?" Tony asked. "Buffy Summers is an American citizen. If I told the President how you are using one of our citizens—a minor at that—I'm not sure he would like that at all."

"Rupert Giles is there to support her. We sent Kendra there when we got word of a darkness rising," Quentin said. Being questioned by anyone made him angry, but he knew better than to show it. He'd done his homework on Tony Stark. There was nothing this man enjoyed more than a verbal battle. He'd made mincemeat of his own government in the special council they'd called when he came out as Iron Man. He was too intelligent and arrogant for his own good, but he wouldn't find any of the councilmen an easy target, however.

"You don't pay her, though, do you? You don't give them bonuses for stopping an actual world ending event, yet your offices are in this extremely expensive building," Tony said in disapproval. "This is going to change, and I don't care if I have to go to your Prime Minister to get that change. You are going to support Buffy Summers, so that teenagers without her abilities don't feel compelled to back her up on the hellmouth."

"We have told Rupert many times that civilians are not to be involved. He does not listen," Quentin said, glaring at Giles.

Giles glared back. "You know that Buffy is not council raised, and she would not listen to any of those restrictions. I threw out the handbook the first week of meeting her," he said. "And I've had much success with her—as you well know."

"Yes, well, your results are impressive," Quentin acknowledged. "She has defeated three Master vampires—four if you count her handling of Spike—within her first two years."

"What about the new slayer?" Tony asked. "Didn't Kendra's death call another?"

Quentin nodded. "Yes. A young slayer named Faith Lehane in Boston. We've already dispatched Diane Lassiter as her Watcher. Fortunately, she'd been identified six months ago as a potential, so she'd already started working with Diane," he said.

"I would like her contact info," Tony said. "New York isn't far, and if she ever needs assistance, I want her and her watcher to know I would be happy to assist."

"I doubt that would ever be warranted, but I can give you the information," Quentin said.

"Are you going to send her to Sunnydale?" Giles asked.

"Do you feel she is needed?" Quentin asked.

"It's a hellmouth," Tony said, a look of incredulity on his face. "Why would she not be there? Do you have any bigger hotspot in the world than Sunnydale?"

"Not currently, but we do have other hellmouths," Quentin said.

"How old is this new slayer?" Tony asked.

Quentin opened a file on his desk and then said, "Fifteen."

Tony winced. "How is this okay with you guys? You allow a girl barely out of childhood to kill monsters! She isn't emotionally developed to do such a thing!" he said, outraged.

"We have no control over who is called. This system was set up eons ago," Quentin said easily.

"And God forbid you seek to do anything to really help, huh?" Tony said.

"I took this meeting out of respect for who you are," Quentin said. "But make no mistake, the Watcher's Council has been around for centuries and will be around long after you and I are gone from this Earth."

"I'm not saying it shouldn't be. I'm saying that times change. Women got the vote, and blacks aren't slaves anymore," Tony said.

"I am aware of that," Quentin said impatiently. "We do not abuse our slayers."

"That's debatable," Giles said, unable to remain silent.

"Well, let me be blunt. If you don't start treating your slayers as more than a disposable tool, I will tear down this entire enterprise," Tony said flatly. He stood to his feet. "I will focus my considerable intellect, my resources, and my reputation on letting the world know all about your exploitation of young women. I don't care if I have to share the supernatural world with everyone on this planet at the same time—I hate secrets. I don't live in secret, and I won't allow your operation to either if you don't start paying your slayers a salary and give them both death and life benefits like you would any other employee on your payroll. It blows my mind that your entire reason to exist is because of the slayer, and yet you treat her as if she is nothing more than a weapon. If she won't toe the line, well, another one will come along."

Quentin bit back his temper as he knew that Tony Stark was not a man to make idle threats. He also knew that Tony was a narcissist and would take up the challenge if he saw Quentin as someone trying to challenge him.

"I am not unreasonable—nor is our leadership," Quentin said. "I will be happy to submit your proposal to the rest of the Council."

"I'm sure my mother will support it," Giles said.

"No doubt," Quentin said with a faint smile.

"Thank you," Tony said. He looked at Giles. "So are you ready? I'm looking forward to meeting your mother."

Giles gave a long-suffering smile. "I suppose," he said.

Quentin's smile this time was real as he stood to walk them out. "I look forward to hearing all about it," he said.

After Tony left the office, Giles paused and turned back to Quentin. "Mother will eat him alive," Giles said.

"It'll be good for him. God knows that man needs to be taken down a peg or two," Quentin muttered.

"Sorry, Quentin, but Tony is a force of nature," Giles said. "Once his mind decides on a course of action, there's no stopping him. And you don't want him focusing on you and the Council."

"I'll trust you to keep him distracted," Quentin said pointedly.

"He's fairly distracted with the kids right now actually," Giles said. "He has all of them this summer. Buffy might spend a few weeks, too."

"Well, his intellect and innovation are impressive," Quentin said. "I'm sure he'll be an asset, but he knows nothing of discretion. Please, keep him in line."

"I'll try," Giles said dryly. He walked out of the office and saw Tony smirking at him.

"So Quentin told you to keep me in line, huh?" Tony asked as they walked out of the office area.

"That's a fool's errand," Giles said.

Tony laughed, slapping him on the back.

"Don't sell yourself short, my friend. You're up to the challenge," Tony said. "You corral a superpowered teenager and all her friends daily. I stand in awe of you!"

Giles just shook his head. The man was totally incorrigible, but Giles was growing quite fond of the man. Tony Stark was a good man to have on your side, and Giles would take him any day over Quentin or any other Council man.

*****Chapter End*****