Chapter 30: Revelations
November 16, 1998 – Monday
The Bronze
Dingoes Ate My Baby jammed on the stage. The place was packed to capacity and Willow sat with Xander and Cordelia watching the show. Onstage, under the multicolored lights, Oz hit all the right chords.
Oz glanced up, caught Willow's eye, and smiled sweetly.
Cordelia laughed about something and Xander smiled.
Willow focused on Oz, onstage, and smiled lovingly at him. Dingoes finished their set and he slipped off his guitar, ignored the adoring groupies, and sauntered over to the table. "Oz! Hey," she said. "Have a seat. Except, we don't have any seats."
Oz glanced at the packed table. "It's okay. I'll just scrunch in." He slid onto the chair with Willow, pushing her uncomfortably close to Xander, who moved away quickly.
Cordelia frowned. "Xander, why are you giving me a lap dance?"
"What? I just like you."
"And that's very beautiful," Willow said, a little too quickly. "I think it's great when two people like two people and want to be close to them instead of anyone else."
Xander nodded. "Hear, hear."
"Yeah, well put," Oz said. He pointed to Xander's soda cup. "Hey, can I snag a sip?"
"Sure," Willow said.
At precisely the same moment Xander said, "Yeah, you got it."
They reached for the cup and their hands brushed against each other.
Xander flinched back as though he'd received an electric shock, knocking a drink tray from a waitress's hand and sending beverages flying. The crowd in the Bronze laughed and applauded his bumbling.
Not Willow, though.
"Thank you," Xander told his appreciative audience. "We're here through Saturday. Enjoy the veal."
As he sat back down, a profoundly embarrassed Cordelia leaned in toward them. "Why are you guys so hyper?" she asked.
"Hey, speaking of people and things they do that aren't like usual, anyone notice Buffy acting sort of different?" Willow put in quickly, and awkwardly.
"Let's see," Xander replied, not really getting the hint. "Killing zombies, torching sewer monsters, and, um…no that's pretty much the same old Buffster."
"I just mean, y'know she's off by herself a lot more? And she's kind of distracted."
"Think maybe she's with Faith? I mean isn't Faith her new honey?" Cordelia inquired, ready for the gossip.
Willow shrugged. "Maybe. But wouldn't she tell us she was?"
Cordelia's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me. When your last steady kills half the class. It makes a girl shy."
"But we're the best of Buffy's bestest buds," Xander said, a bit petulantly. "She'd tell us."
Even as he said it, Buffy pushed through the gathered Bronzers and appeared behind him. "Tell you what?"
"About you going out with Faith," Willow explained. "I mean you know date wise and all."
Buffy gave them a dubious glance. "This was a topic of discussion?"
"Raised, but never discussed," Oz corrected.
"So," Cordelia prodded, "are you and Faith just friends or is there something more?"
A tiny half-smile reached Buffy's lips. "Well, I am going out with Faith. Tonight, as a matter of fact."
"Really?" Willow asked, thrilled to hear it.
Buffy only smiled ironically as Faith bopped up to the table.
Faith greeted the group with a nod. "What's up?" She turned to Buffy. "Hey, time to motorvate."
Buffy slipped an arm around the other Slayer and pulled Faith in for a kiss. She glanced at her friends and smiled.
Restfield Cemetery
Back to back, Buffy and Faith confronted a pair of brutal vampires. The vampires were decent hand-to-hand fighters. But Buffy and Faith together? Unbeatable.
'We're a thing of beauty,' Faith thought as she cracked the jaw of the vamp she was fighting.
Meanwhile, Giles sat on a marble bench nearby with a thermos of tea, a Styrofoam cup, and a pad upon which he took notes about their efficiency. His expression was a combination of boredom and amusement.
Next to him sat Dawn, who while not helping her sister slay vampires, was there for some training of sorts since she was a Potential. A kind of learn by watching sort of deal.
The vampire Faith was fighting tried to kick her in the face. She flipped him over, then wailed on him a few times until he shifted direction. One more blow, and he slammed into the other vampire.
Faith glanced up. Buffy hit her opponent one more time. They had the two vampires back to back, and simultaneously, they each brought down their stakes. Both vampires were dust.
"Synchronized Slaying," Buffy said as the girls high-fived.
"New Olympic category," Faith observed.
Buffy looked at Giles and Dawn. "What do you think?"
Dawn's answer was simply to smile at her sister.
Before Giles could reply, a woman's voice came out of the shadows of the cemetery. "Sloppy." A thin, pale, but attractive woman in a power suit and pearls walked toward them. When she spoke, it was with a British accent. "You telegraph punches, leave blind sides open and, for a school night slaying, you both take entirely too much time. Which one of you is Faith?"
"Depends," Faith told her, bristling. "Who the hell are you?"
The woman lifted her chin with an air of superiority. "Gwendolyn Post. Mrs. Your new Watcher." She then looked at Dawn. "And who is this?"
"I'm Dawn," Dawn answered. "I'm Buffy's sister and a Potential."
Mrs. Post looked toward Giles with a raised eyebrow. "You never reported finding a Potential in the same family as your Slayer."
"I had my reasons," Giles admitted.
Sunnydale High School
Mrs. Post sifted through Giles's oldest books as he, Buffy, Dawn and Faith looked on.
"Look, I'm telling you, I don't need a new Watcher," Faith said emphatically. "No offense, lady, I just have this problem with authority figures. They end up kind of dead."
"Duly noted," Mrs. Post replied. "And fortunately, it's not up to you." She glanced at Giles. "Mr. Giles, where do you keep the rest of your books?"
"I'm sorry, the rest?"
"Yes. The actual library?"
Giles blinked, taken aback, and more than a bit miffed.
"Oh," the newly arrived Watcher sniffed. "I see."
"I assure you, Mrs. Post, this is the finest occult reference collection—"
"This side of the Atlantic, I'm sure," she interrupted. "Do you have Hume's Paranormal Encyclopedia?"
Giles grumbled.
"The Labyrinth Maps of Malta?"
He glanced down. "It's on order."
"Well, I suppose that you have Sir Robert Kane's Twilight Compendium?"
"Oh, yes," Giles said, relieved. He reached for the book. "Yes. Yes, I do."
"Yes. Of course, you do," Mrs. Post replied, her tone painfully condescending. She turned to the girls. "I have been sent by the Council for a very important reason. Faith needs a Watcher. I am to act in that capacity and report back."
Faith cocked her head to one side, all attitude. "Excuse me, Mary Poppins, you don't seem to be listening."
Buffy couldn't agree more. She wanted Giles to remain Faith's Watcher. That way Faith would remain in Sunnydale instead of wherever the Watcher's Council wanted her.
Frustrated, Giles signaled Faith to be quiet. "Faith, if the Council feels you need closer observation, we will all, of course, cooperate."
"The Council wishes me to report on the entire situation here," Mrs. Post told him. "Including you. And it's apparently a good thing they do since your hiding a Potential from them."
Appalled, Giles stared at her.
"Academic probation's not so funny today, huh, Giles?" Buffy quipped.
"The fact is, there is talk in the Council that you have become a bit too…American," Mrs. Post revealed.
"Me?" Giles asked, aghast.
"Him?" Buffy and Dawn chimed in.
As if bored by the entire conversation, Mrs. Post went on. "A demon named Lagos is coming here, to the Hellmouth. Mr. Giles, an illustration of Lagos, if you please."
Still reeling, Giles fumbled for a book that would contain the requested illustration. After only a few moments, Mrs. Post cast him a dismissive glance. "Perhaps later," she sniffed.
Giles fumed.
"Lagos seeks the Glove of Myhnegon. No record of this glove's full power exists. But we do know it is highly dangerous and must not fall into the hands of a demon. Lagos must be stopped."
In an attempt to cooperate, Giles nodded. "What do you propose?"
Disdainful, Mrs. Post glared down her nose at him. "Well, if it's not too radical a suggestion, I thought we might kill him. I suggest two Slayers at full strength, with the Potential as backup, for a coordinated hunt."
"Dawn's not slaying," Buffy informed the new Watcher. "My mom and I only allow her to go with us on patrol as long as Giles is with us. She's there only to watch and learn should the unlikely happen and she's called."
Mrs. Post ignored Buffy's statement as she continued, "We believe the glove to be buried in a tomb somewhere, so Lagos will be headed for the cemetery."
Furious, but no longer even attempting to hide his displeasure, Giles did not even look at Mrs. Post. "There is more than one in Sunnydale."
"I see. How many?"
"Twelve. Within the city limits."
"Well, we'll just have to take them one at a time. Anything in your books that might pinpoint the exact location of the tomb would be useful, but then, we cannot ask for miracles." Mrs. Post turned to the Slayers and Dawn. "We'll begin tomorrow at sunset. Faith? With me, please."
Faith leaned over and kissed Buffy before she reluctantly followed Mrs. Post out the library doors.
"Well," Giles sighed, when they were gone. "That was bracing."
"Interesting lady," Dawn said brightly. "Can Buffy kill her?"
Giles considered the question for a moment. "I think the Council might frown upon that."
"Please," Buffy begged liking Dawn's suggestion and he turned toward her and Dawn with a raised eyebrow. "She'll take Faith away."
Giles nodded in understanding as he sat next to the sisters. "Buffy, I know how you and Faith feel for each other. But Faith is her Slayer, it's not up to me or you if Faith remains sadly."
November 17, 1998 – Tuesday
Crawford Street Mansion
The following afternoon, Buffy and Angel practiced Tai Chi. Despite Buffy being in love with Faith, she continued to check in on Angel. Part of it was to make sure he was healing. The other part was to make sure he wasn't going evil to protect Dawn.
Practicing Tai Chi together, was something Buffy knew he did by himself during the day to help with the memory of his torture. So she agreed to join him this once.
They moved through the Tai Chi routine together. His body moved so perfectly, lithely, and she mirrored his every move.
Angel slipped behind her, strong hands on hers, and helped her follow through the movements, guiding her. His arms wrapped began to wrap around her as she broke away. "I'm with Faith," she said. "I can't be there for you like that anymore."
"Because you no longer trust me," Angel said with a sigh.
"Not just that," Buffy admitted. "Your curse will forever be in the way." She went to grab her bag, slipped it over her shoulder. "Anyways I got to go. Big night for us Slayer types. People to see, demons to kill. Faith's new Watcher wants Dawn with us when we go killing a Lagos, whatever that is."
Angel's eyes lit up at the mention of the name. "Lagos," he repeated.
"Some demon looking for some all-powerful thing-amabob and I've got to stop him before he unleashes unholy havoc and it's another Tuesday night in Sunnydale."
Angel stared off into the gray, shadowed corners of the room. "Be careful. Both you and Dawn."
Restfield Cemetery
Cemetery by cemetery, Dawn followed Buffy and Faith as they made their way through Sunnydale. Along the way, they talked, which was not what Faith would have preferred to do with their time, but with Dawn with her and Buffy she didn't have much choice.
They strode side by side through downtown Sunnydale.
"Ronnie, deadbeat. Stella, klepto. Alexandra, lead singer," Faith said. "Eventually I had to accept my destiny as a loser magnet."
"Does that make me a loser?" Buffy countered.
"I think Faith will agree that's a loaded question," Dawn said from behind the Slayers.
"Little D is right," Faith agreed as she winked at Dawn. "But if you had let me finished, I would have said after them I was get some, get gone. But not now. I don't want to get gone, B. I want to stick around, I want to be the perfect lover you ever had."
Buffy smiled as she leaned over and kissed Faith. "How did I manage to snag someone so perfect?"
"Well you know us wild girls," Faith answered with a wicked grin.
"Hey, Faith, Buffy," Dawn said. "We're kind of oh for six tonight and I'm getting hungry."
"I am kind of hungry myself," Buffy admitted. "But Shady Hill's pretty close. We could make our way through it and then stop and get something to eat on the way home."
"It's out of your way, B. I'll swing through it, as it's on my way home," Faith offered. "You go on and get Little D something to eat."
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.
"I got Miss Priss on my back, remember," Faith reminded her. "I'll holler if I'm having any fun."
"Okay," Buffy said as she kissed Faith goodnight. "Be careful."
Faith nodded once. "Promise, babe."
Shady Hills Cemetery
Faith meandered through the cemetery, she heard a grating sound nearby, stone dragging against stone. A dense clutch of shrubbery was on her left, and as she moved around it, a huge marble slab landed on the ground just feet away.
Beyond it, she saw an enormous demon, at least seven feet tall, dressed in what appeared to be ancient battle gear. A long battle-ax was strapped across his back. There was no question in her mind: This was Lagos.
"It's my lucky day," she said softly to herself.
With that, she ran at Lagos, leaped, and shot a hard side kick at his back. The demon barely flinched. He turned around and Faith slammed her fist into his face. Again, he seemed unfazed. She rained blow after blow down upon him.
Lagos only growled, picked her up by the throat, and threw her a dozen feet through the air to crash painfully into the side of a granite tomb. As if she was no trouble at all, Lagos returned to the smaller tomb he had opened and had been rummaging through when Faith had arrived. He reached within and retrieved something wrapped in old rags. Faith ran at him again, but Lagos slammed a huge fist into her gut and sent her flying backward. She landed painfully on her back, the wind knocked out of her.
Wheezing, trying to catch her breath, she rose slightly. Lagos picked up the rag-enshrouded package again, and stared at it. He bellowed with rage and threw the rags aside. Apparently, whatever he'd been looking for was not where he thought it would be.
Faith tried to rise, clutching her ribs, but the demon stomped off, ignoring her as if he had already forgotten she was there. "Buffy," she moaned in obvious pain.
Restfield Cemetery
Xander moved cautiously among the headstones and crypts. He was furious with himself, and very much hating his current situation. "Hey, Giles," he said aloud, "here's an idea. Why don't I alleviate my guilt by going out and getting myself really, really killed?"
A moment later, he spotted the Von Hauptman family crypt. The door was open, and a scraping sound came from within. Heart racing wildly, Xander scurried for cover. A moment later, a dark figure emerged from the crypt, holding a bundle in its hands.
Xander stared at Angel, Buffy had said he was back. But she had never said he healed enough to leave the mansion.
Crawford Street Mansion
Xander followed Angel. When he saw the vampire go inside, he slipped around the back to where stone stairs led down into the estate's garden. He cautiously crept across the garden to a dirty window at the back of the mansion, and peered inside.
The sight that met his gaze now unnerved him more than anything else.
Angel with his arms wrapped around Dawn.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn stepped out of Angel's arms and moved back beside Dawn who stood by the door. "Thank you, Angel," she said. "For apologizing. I know it wasn't you, but…"
"I understand, Dawn," Angel admitted sadly as he looked toward Buffy. "It's hard to trust me with what happened."
"It is," Dawn admitted.
"Okay, I let Dawn forgive you in person," Buffy said. "But we need to be going."
"Wait just one moment," Angel said stopping the sisters as they moved toward the door. "Buffy, I think I have what you're looking for."
On a table sat an object wrapped in filthy rags.
"Great," Buffy said, staring at it. "Just, wherever this was gift-wrapped? Remind me not to shop there."
Angel unwrapped it to reveal a metal gauntlet, a dangerous-looking iron glove with spikes around the bottom where one's hand would slip inside. "The Glove of Myhnegon," he explained.
"The world's ugliest fashion accessory." Buffy reached to touch it, but Angel stopped her.
"Don't. Once you put it on, the glove can never be removed."
"So, no touching," Dawn said as Angel covered up the glove again.
"You hold on to it," Buffy told him. "I'll tell Giles in the morning. At least he'll be happy."
Giles' Apartment
Giles's eyes burned as he leafed through the pages of Volume III of Tobin's Spirit Guide. Mrs. Post paced across the apartment. It was very late, and it rankled in him even to have her in his home, but there was work to be done.
He turned another page and felt a surge of exultation as he came upon an illustration.
"Ah. Yes, there we are. It's a wood engraving, see?"
Mrs. Post moved up beside his desk and looked over his shoulder.
"The Glove of Myhnegon," he announced proudly, reading the inscription beneath the image.
"Yes, engraved by Father Theodore of Wolsham, based, I believe, on very sketchy and unreliable folk legends. The pictures are fun to look at, Mr. Giles, but one really ought to read the nice words as well."
Her manner was insufferable as always. He had no idea how to respond, but was saved from having to do so when the kettle whistled on the stove in the narrow kitchen.
"Yes, well … some tea, perhaps," he murmured, then rose and went to the kitchen. He returned a moment later with a tray laden with cups and tea bags.
"I know you must find me tiresome," Mrs. Post admitted as she prepared her tea. "But it's insidious, really. A person slips up on the little things and soon everything's gone to hell in a handbasket. For example, your Slayer and your Potential…Buffy and Dawn—"
"Mrs. Post," Giles replied through gritted teeth, "I assure you both Buffy and Dawn are dedicated and industrious. And I am in complete control of both of them."
As if on cue, Xander barreled into the apartment without so much as a knock. He looked pale and frightened, his clothes and hair in disarray.
"Giles," he said breathlessly. "We have a big problem. It's Buffy and Dawn."
Mrs. Post raised an eyebrow. Giles ignored her.
"Will you excuse us?" he asked the other Watcher, silently damning Xander for his timing but far more concerned about what this horrible news might be.
Mrs. Post sipped at her tea. "Would you like some assistance?"
"Thank you, that won't be necessary."
November 18, 1998 – Wednesday
Sunnydale High School
Before class, Buffy strolled into the library to report to Giles. "Lagos is out of luck. I found the magic mitten thingy!" she said happily.
She froze when she saw the grim faces on her friends. They were all there: Willow, Oz, Xander, Cordelia, and of course, Giles himself.
"What's with all the tragedy masks?"
None of them made any response at first. Then, a grave tone in his voice,
Giles spoke up. "You'd better take a seat, Buffy."
Xander stood up and slid his chair over for her. The wind knocked out of her sails, Buffy slid into the chair at the study table, feeling all of their eyes upon her. "What's going on?"
"We knew Angel was alive, Buffy. But Xander saw you and Dawn with him. I understand you wanting to make sure he was healing and not going to turn evil. But why take Dawn to see him?" Giles questioned; voice tight with concern.
"Because she asked me to," Buffy answered as everyone looked at her with raised eyebrows. "She wanted to talk to him, personally," she admitted.
"So," Xander said. "You let a vicious killer embrace your sister."
"This isn't about attacking Buffy or Dawn," Willow chided him.
"I know you all have your worries," Buffy reminded them. "But I would never have let her see him if I didn't think he was staying good. She had to put the trauma behind her." She looked at Giles. "You know what I'm talking about. Because I believe during one of her training sessions with you, she confided her fears."
Giles nodded. "Yes, she did. Hence why I am concerned, Buffy."
"So how did you know Dawn and I were at the mansion anyways?" Buffy asked and then her eyes fell on Xander as anger boiled in her as she realized how they had found out. "You were spying on me and Dawn? What gives you the right?"
Willow spoke up quietly. "Buffy…I feel, that when it comes to Angel? You can't see straight."
"I am not in love with him," Buffy snapped at her redheaded friend. "I am in love with Faith, who I don't see and I wonder why that is?" She looked at Giles. "Angel has the Glove of Myhnegon. He's keeping it safe for us in the mansion. If you don't trust me, then you are welcome to go get yourself. My sister is more important than my friendship to any of you."
"Right!" Xander shouted. "Good plan. Leave tons of firepower with the scary guy. And leave us to clean up the mess."
Furious, he stormed toward the door.
"That's enough!" Giles said curtly. "Everybody. Buffy knows our concerns. She does have valid points. Dawn has been depressed of late because of what Angel did to her. Dawn needed to put that trauma behind her. Now our priority right now is to retrieve the Glove of Myhnegon and try to destroy it. Now all of you back to class."
Without another word, they all rose and filed out of the library. Buffy watched them go. "How angry are you with me?" she asked.
"We knew he was back, that was understandable," Giles admitted. "It could have been worse if you had hidden the truth. And I agree Dawn needed to put the trauma behind her. But, Buffy, taking her to see Angel was not the way to help her. It surprises me she didn't try and stake him right then and there herself."
"I didn't think," Buffy admitted now that she had time to think about it. "When she asked, I thought she just wanted to talk, clear the air. Forgive him. But now that you mention staking him. Your right, it surprises me she didn't."
Sun Spot Motel
In the drab motel room where she had been staying since her arrival in Sunnydale, Faith stared at the television screen.
Bored, she got up and clicked off the tube.
There was a knock at the door.
Faith wasn't expecting anyone. She grabbed a stake, pulled the door open, and nearly drove that sharpened wooden shaft into the chest of her Watcher, Mrs. Post. She lowered the stake, though a little voice in the back of her head pointed out that it might have been better if she'd just staked away.
"A word of advice," Mrs. Post said, an uncharacteristic smile on her face. "Vampires rarely knock. Especially in daylight."
Faith didn't bother to mention that the last unexpected visitor she'd had was the vampire Kakistos. He had knocked, and then he'd nearly killed both her and the woman she loved. But she figured Mrs. Post would not take kindly to being corrected.
"So…this is your home?" the Watcher asked, glancing around with obvious distaste.
"Yeah," Faith replied, not bothering to hide the sarcasm. "The decorator actually just left."
"Faith, do you know who the Spartans were?" Mrs. Post inquired.
"Wild stab," Faith replied, dropping onto the bed. "A bunch of guys from Spart?"
Mrs. Post leaned against the bureau. "They were the fiercest warriors known to ancient Greece. And they lived in quarters very much like these. Do you know why?"
Faith shrugged, but she was listening.
"Because a true fighter needs nothing else. I'm going to be very hard on you, Faith. I will not brook insolence or laziness. And I will not allow blunders like last night's attack. You will probably hate me a great deal of the time."
"Ya think?" Faith teased.
"I will make you a better Slayer," the woman went on, "and that will keep you alive. You have to trust that I'm right. God only knows what Mr. Giles has been filling your head with."
"Giles is okay," Faith argued.
"His methods are unfathomable to me," Mrs. Post replied. "I find him entirely confounding. But that is not important. Let him have his games and secret meetings."
"What meetings?" Faith asked.
"I don't know. Something with Buffy, Dawn and their friends."
"Oh," Faith muttered wondering what was going on with Buffy and Dawn that she hadn't been invited especially given the fact that she and Buffy were dating.
"And why does he let them socialize that much?" Mrs. Post went on. "It hardly seems…no matter. Would you like to do some training?"
Sunnydale High School
The bell sounded, signaling the end to another school day. Buffy watched Willow walk to her locker and stuff a huge number of books inside. After a moment, she took a deep breath and walked over.
"Hey," she said, tentatively.
"Hey!" Willow replied amiably.
"So, on a scale of one to a million, how much are you hating me right now?"
"Zero," Willow assured her. "After what Giles said about Dawn being depressed, I thought about it. While I'm not sure her seeing Angel was the best thing to help her. I see why you did it, she needed help and you were the only one besides Giles who saw it."
They walked down the corridor together.
"So, you going to the Bronze tonight, or are you going to sneak away for a not-so-secret rendezvous with Faith?" Willow pried.
"None of the above. I'm going to try and kill this Lagos guy," Buffy admitted.
"Well, Angel has the glove now, right?"
"Yep. But Lagos doesn't know that. I figure sooner or later he's bound to show up at that crypt looking for it," Buffy reasoned.
"Ah, but instead he finds a Buffy in a not so good mood."
"That's my brilliant plan."
The Bronze
When Faith strolled into the club, the last thing she expected to see was Xander playing pool by himself. She had been hesitant to hit the club because she really did not want to be there without Buffy.
He racked the balls up again, then lined up his cue and broke, multicolored balls scattering all over the table.
"You look pissed," Faith told him.
He glanced up at her, then back at the table. "Rough day."
"Tell me about it."
"I'd rather just shoot," he replied.
Faith frowned. Whatever his beef was, boys were usually all over her till she told them she was bi. She thought about the meeting Buffy, Dawn and their friends were supposed to have had. "What was the meeting about?" she asked.
"Dawn," Xander answered. "Saw her and Buffy at Angel's. Dawn was hugging him."
"Yeah, Little D has been a little depressed of late," Faith admitted. "I take it B, took her there to try and work through it?"
"That's what she says," Xander said as he shot another ball. "Personally, I don't think she should have taken Dawn there. He's got the glove, which could kill a whole mess of people. She says he's clean, he's healed," Xander said, though it was clear from his tone that he didn't believe it.
"I'm willing to give B the benefit of the doubt," Faith admitted. "After all she is my girl, not his."
"Well if she is, they why are you here alone?" Xander asked as he cracked off one last shot on the pool table, then stood and fixed her with a steady, grim look. "Why don't we go and see if she's there right now?"
Sunnydale High School
Giles sat in his office nervously arranging his books before him. He had prepared a small presentation for Mrs. Post. He heard her footsteps out in the library and turned as she entered.
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Giles?"
"Yes. I do apologize for bringing you in at this late hour," he began.
"Please. A good Watcher must be awake and alert at all hours."
Despite her words, Giles sensed that Mrs. Post was more tired than she wanted to reveal. She looked less severe to him tonight, her hair down and without her glasses.
"Would you like some tea?" he asked.
"God, yes, please," she sighed. "I'm completely knackered."
She walked slowly to his desk chair as Giles went to a sideboard to prepare the tea. Mrs. Post slid into the chair.
"I spent the afternoon training with Faith," Mrs. Post revealed. "She doesn't lack for energy."
Giles chuckled good-naturedly. "She's your first Slayer, I take it?"
"If you're questioning my qualifications—"
"I'm not. I have complete respect for your methods in my own, American way."
She smiled a bit.
"I also have the glove. It's not actually on me, but I believe it's safe. It's in a mansion on Crawford Street. A … friend of Buffy's keeping it there."
"We must get to it," she said quickly. "Immediately. Hide it, before someone else finds it."
"Or better still, destroy it," Giles suggested.
"Destroy it?"
Giles picked up a lavishly illustrated Latin text and presented it to her. "Yes, I didn't think it could be done, either. It requires transforming fire into Living Flame and immolating the glove. It's complex, but I believe I have all the necessary materials." He placed the book back on the desk and flipped a few pages.
"Well, I must say, Mr. Giles, good show," Mrs. Post said.
Giles was quite pleased with the compliment. Right up until the moment she cracked him on the head with a Malaysian fertility idol she'd picked up from a shelf.
Pain rocketed into his brain and he slumped over the desk. Struggling to stay upright, he turned to look at her.
"Good show indeed," she whispered, a broad smile on her face.
Then she struck him again, and Giles slid to the floor as the world dimmed around him. He felt as though he were falling into a deep well, and then there was only darkness.
Restfield Cemetery
The wind that swept across the Cemetery that night seemed colder than usual. Willow shivered as she paced in front of the Von Hauptman family crypt. Buffy and Dawn sat on a stone bench across from the tomb.
They were waiting for Lagos to come back for the glove.
Willow could think of a great many things she would rather be doing. "Um, not to downplay my own slaying abilities, which in some circles are considered formidable," she ventured, "but, shouldn't Faith be here?"
"I tried calling but nobody was home," Buffy sadly admitted. "My girlfriend and she's not available."
Something moved in the dark beyond Buffy and Dawn.
Willow's eyes went wide. "There's a demon behind you."
Buffy and Dawn sprang from the bench and turned. Buffy pushed Dawn toward Willow as the ugly warrior demon strode toward them. From Faith's description, they knew it was Lagos.
In a single, fluid motion, Buffy ran at the demon and leaped up to dropkick it with both feet, right in the center of the chest. It barely noticed. She landed and was up again in an instant, but Lagos lifted her into his huge hands and slammed her to the ground. Fast as she was able, Buffy rose and started to pummel him. The demon's head snapped back and she rained blows down upon him.
Lagos picked her up as though she were a rag doll, hefted her above his head, and threw her to the ground again. She barely moved out of his way in time to avoid a killing blow, but then she was up once more. Buffy dodged and Lagos's huge fist shattered a gravestone to powder. The Slayer moved in, struck him with several thunderous blows, then kicked him in the gut. The demon doubled over, and Buffy spotted the huge battle-ax that was slung across his back.
"Now we're talking," Buffy muttered as she tore the ax away from him. With a single swipe, she decapitated the demon. His enormous head thunked to the ground, bounced once, then rolled to a stop.
Dawn and Willow gave Buffy a thumbs up. "Yes!" they cried.
Buffy slung the ax over her shoulder. "Come on. Let's go bring Giles some happiness."
Sunnydale High School
Faith had persuaded Xander to check and see if Buffy and Dawn were training in the library before heading to the mansion. She led him down the corridor.
The library doors slammed open as they pushed through.
"Good old Sunnydale library. Fully equipped with reference books, file cards …" Xander strode across to an ominously large metal cabinet on the far wall and flung the doors open, "… and weapons."
Faith rolled her eyes. "B? Little D?" she called out.
Xander reached into the cabinet. "I call crossbow."
"You got it," Faith said as he loaded up on weapons before slamming the cabinet shut.
"All right, ready to go?" he asked.
"B?" Faith called out again. She so didn't want to believe that her girlfriend was at Angel's. But the more she didn't get an answer the more she had a sinking feeling in her stomach and the more she wanted to stake Angel for laying a hand on her girlfriend or Dawn.
As she reluctantly followed Xander toward the doors, she heard a groan. "Wait up," Faith said as she glanced around, and heard it again. "B?" she said as the groan came again, louder, and this time she pinpointed its source. It was coming from the inner office. Swiftly, Faith went through the door.
Inside, Giles lay unconscious on the floor, limbs akimbo, a sticky patch of blood in his hair.
"Oh, my God, it's Giles." Xander knelt by the Watcher. "Giles, can you hear me?" He looked around the office. "What the hell happened?"
Faith looked at Giles as her worry for Buffy and Dawn reached the boiling point. She turned and was about to head for the door when Xander stopped her.
"Hold it, just think a minute," he said.
"Yeah, I'm thinking," Faith snapped. "I'm thinking my girl's ex-meat did this and that my girl and Little D are in trouble."
Xander grabbed the phone off Giles's desk, and turned to her as he lifted it off the cradle. "It's not Angel's style." He dialed 911.
"How can you be so sure?" Faith sneered at him. "Buffy could be hurt. She told me when it came to her, he went for the hurt."
"Think, Faith, there are no bite marks," Xander retorted, even as he heard someone pick up on the other end of the line. "Yeah, I have a medical emergency. Sunnydale High."
Faith spun away from him. "Screw this waiting crap," she muttered as she stormed out. "I have to save my girl before she gets killed."
Angrily, Xander shouted after her. "Faith, if we leave, Giles could die!"
"Yeah, and he's going to have my girl for company unless I do something." She didn't even slow down.
"Wait!"
Furious, she stopped near the door and turned around. "For what? You to grow a pair? You handle the baby-sit and I'm gonna kill Angel."
Clearly Xander was tempted to go after her, but one look at the blood on Giles's scalp and Faith knew he would stay. She stalked out, leaving him by the Watcher, hearing him mutter.
"Dammit."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Giles has to be psyched that we showed up stuffy old Mrs. Post," Dawn said, as she, Buffy and Willow entered the library together.
Buffy couldn't agree more.
Then they froze at the sight that unfolded before them.
"Oh, my God," Buffy whispered.
A team of paramedics surrounded Giles, who lay quite still on a stretcher, while Xander looked on. One of them checked the Watcher's pulse while another bandaged his head. There was blood on the bandages. Buffy felt her heart race with her fear for him. She tossed Lagos's battle-ax over the checkout counter and ran toward him, Dawn and Willow right behind.
"What happened?" Buffy demanded.
The lead paramedic was on the two-way radio clipped to her belt. "Sunnydale Medical, we have a Caucasian male, mid-forties, blunt object head trauma. Notify E.R. we're bringing him in."
"What happened?" Buffy snapped at her.
"No time for this," the paramedic replied.
"Wait," Giles called weakly. "Buffy…you must…destroy the glove."
"You want him to live?" the lead paramedic asked callously. "Get out of the way."
As they hustled the gurney out of the library, Giles raised a shaky hand. "Use…Living Flame," he rasped.
Then they were gone, and the Watcher with them. Frantic, Buffy stared at Xander, and asked the question for the third time. "What happened?"
"Your ex is not as cured as you thought," Xander said bluntly.
Buffy shook her head. "What makes you think that Angel had anything to do with this?"
"We saw what you saw."
"So, you just assume?" Buffy snapped.
"I didn't," Xander replied. "Faith did."
Cold fingers gripped Buffy's heart as dread spread through her. "What did you tell her?"
"Only what everyone knows."
"You told her about finding Dawn with Angel…" Willow said in realization.
Xander nodded. "I did," he informed them. "And she came to her own conclusions." He looked at Buffy pointedly. "She left thinking she was going to save you and Dawn."
"She was worried about us?" Dawn asked as Xander nodded.
Angry now, Buffy glared at him. "How much of a head start does she have?"
He shrugged. "Ten minutes."
Pulse racing, Buffy turned to Willow and Dawn. "Go through Giles's research. Figure out how to destroy the glove." She cast a last glance of horror and disbelief at Xander, then she ran for the doors.
Crawford Street Mansion
Angel stood alone in the main chamber of the mansion. In a large brazier upon an iron stand before him, flames rose and flickered. From a small table beside it—laden with herbs and many magical ingredients—he picked a handful of grainy powder up in his hand and sifted a bit from his fingers before sprinkling it over the blaze. The flames reached eerie tendrils up, raging for a moment, before withdrawing again.
"Exorere, Flamma Vitae," he intoned, the Latin coming easily to his lips, though he had rarely spoken it these last hundred years. "Prodi ex loco tuo elementorum, in hunc mundum vivorum."
He picked up a different jar of powder, poured a bit into his hand and tossed it into the flames. They surged up again, and the edges of the flickering fire turned green.
Once more, Angel intoned the spell, even as he lifted a third jar. This time, when he sprinkled the fire, it blazed up with a life all its own, raging brightly like a being unto itself. Which it was. This was Living Flame. Its eerie light danced across the gray stone walls.
He sensed motion behind him, and turned, on guard, to see a primly dressed, vaguely attractive human woman enter the room. "What do you want?" he asked.
"Gwen Post," the woman replied. "Mr. Giles sent me."
Angel frowned, studying her. "What for?"
"To help you destroy the glove. Is that the Living Flame?"
"Yes," he allowed, keeping his gaze locked on her. He did not trust this newcomer. Not at all.
The woman paused to regard him, perhaps sensing his hesitation. "Look, I'm sorry to be abrupt, but Lagos is on his way here now. If you're performing the ritual incorrectly, it will only make the glove more powerful."
"All right," he relented. The ritual had exhausted what little strength he had these days. It might have been that he was on edge because of that. As long as he kept an eye on the Post woman, he thought he might as well go along with her. He could not chance the question of whether or not to trust her.
"Good. Where is the glove?"
"It's in the trunk," he told her, gesturing toward a huge, antique traveling case on the other side of the room by the fireplace.
He turned to get it. Angel heard the scrape of metal on metal as she picked up the shovel he had used to dig up Cadlin root for the ritual, but he turned too slowly.
The shovel connected solidly with the back of his head and he went down hard.
"That's what I love about this town," she said, even as he started to black out. "Everyone is so helpful."
As if he were already dead, Mrs. Post crossed the room to the trunk, only to find it padlocked. She swore under her breath, then hefted the shovel again and shattered the lock.
Angel stood up behind her. His face had changed, the forehead now ridged and demonic, fangs lengthening, eyes blazing inhumanly. "Okay, that hurt," he informed her, danger in his now-guttural voice.
Startled, Mrs. Post turned and flinched in surprise when she realized that he was a vampire. But she recovered quickly enough.
"It was supposed to kill you," she said, almost kindly. "If you'd been human, it would have. But …" she cracked the shovel over her knee and dropped the metal end, leaving only a length of splintered wood in her hand.
An instant stake. "I believe this is your poison."
Mrs. Post lunged at him with the wooden shaft. He ducked her first attack, blocked the second, and then hammered her to the ground. In a rage, he rushed at her as she rose, and then slammed Mrs. Post against the stone wall.
She struck her head and crumbled to the ground, unconscious. Just at the very moment that Faith burst in the door.
"Mrs. Post!" she cried, seeing Angel in full vamp-face and her Watcher lying unconscious on the floor. She glared at him; eyes filled with hate. "I can't believe how much I'm going to enjoy killing you."
Sunnydale High School
In the library, Dawn, Willow and Xander mixed a horrible-smelling concoction in a glass bowl, using Giles's mortar and pestle. Willow had gone through all of his notes, and believed they had done everything correctly. But Willow could read Latin only passably, Xander could sound out the words but had no idea what they meant and while Dawn loved languages, she actually didn't know any.
"Think we got it?" Xander asked doubtfully.
"Well, it's either the catalyst for Living Flame, or just some really smelly sand. We'll have to test this," Willow said with regret, knowing that time was short.
"I'll double-check." Xander glanced at Giles's notes again.
Dawn saw his eyes light up. And not in a good way. "What?" she asked, concerned.
"I know what the glove does," Xander said grimly, then he showed the girls the page.
Willow's heart sank. "There's no time to test this," she said. She held up a small plastic bag and Xander poured the mixture into it.
Together, they ran from the library, knowing that the clock was ticking.
Crawford Street Mansion
Faith stared at Angel in horror. This monster, this demon, had attacked Giles, then Mrs. Post and she assumed Buffy and Dawn. As far as she knew, Giles was still alive, but she couldn't tell if her Watcher was even breathing nor did she know where her girlfriend and Dawn were.
"You're not getting that glove," Angel snarled, fangs glistening in the light from the magical flame that danced on a brazier nearby.
"Want to bet?" Faith snapped. She would get the glove. A monster as deadly as Angel? No way was she going to leave it in his hands. She rushed him. She slammed into his chest, and he struck her with a solid backhand that rocked her head back.
Fury redoubled within her. Her fist connected with his face, but when he swung to repay the favor, she dodged to one side and brought her leg up backward to deliver a hard kick to the head.
While he reeled, she stomped on the back of his leg, driving him down.
Using all her strength, she tossed him over the couch, where he slammed into the coffee table. He lay there for a moment, trying to get his bearings. Faith didn't give him a chance.
Running around the couch, she withdrew a stake from inside her jacket.
With both hands, she raised it over her head and brought it down.
From out of nowhere, Buffy appeared. She grabbed Faith by the wrists, stopping her before she could dust Angel.
"B?" Faith muttered surprised to see her girlfriend alive.
"He didn't do it, Faith," Buffy said as she drew Faith toward her.
A voice called weakly from across the room. "Faith…"
They both glanced over.
Mrs. Post had regained consciousness, much the worse for wear, and struggled to rise. "She doesn't know. She's blinded by love."
"Faith, no," Buffy said, emphatically.
"Trust me," Mrs. Post rasped.
Buffy chuckled. "Faith, she's right on one thing. I am blinded. By your love."
Mrs. Post looked at the Slayers with wide eyes of realization.
"You know that," Buffy continued. "Listen to your heart, what does it tell you?"
"That I love you," Faith answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Why would I risk that protecting Angel?" Buffy asked.
Xander was the first to rush in the front door, but Willow and Dawn were right behind him. When they saw Mrs. Post, bruised and rumpled, Willow gasped. They ran to her.
"The glove," Mrs. Post said, wincing with pain, "it's in the trunk."
"We'll get it," Xander vowed.
Mrs. Post nodded gratefully. "Help Faith," she pleaded. "Buffy is trying to trick her."
"How?" Dawn asked as she narrowed her eyes.
"By pretending to love Faith," Mrs. Post answered.
Dawn glared at the woman. "My sister does love, Faith, with all of her heart," she snapped as she reeled back and hit the older woman square in the face with all the strength her twelve-year-old body had.
Mrs. Post crumpled to the floor and into unconsciousness.
November 19, 1998 – Thursday
Sunnydale High School
The following morning, Willow sat in the student lounge with Oz, his arm slung casually over her shoulder. Xander and Cordelia were across from them. It was much needed down time.
"So, there's no more glove thingy?" Cordelia asked hopefully.
"A little Living Flame, a little mesquite…gone for good," Xander reassured her.
Oz nodded once. "Sounds like we missed a lot of fun."
"Then we're telling it wrong," Xander countered.
"What do you think Buffy and Faith are going to do?" Willow asked.
Xander offered a tiny shrug. "Boy, I don't know. But I hope they are making up. After everything they both have been through, they both deserve someone."
A moment later, Buffy walked over with Faith. "What are you guys talking about?" Buffy wondered.
"Oddly enough, your girlfriend," Oz informed her.
Buffy glanced at Faith and then laid her head on Faith's shoulder. She glanced cautiously to Xander. "Are we cool?"
"Yeah," he said, a little too lightly. Then his voice lowered and he became more serious. "Just…seeing him and Dawn hugging and you standing there just watching, after everything that happened…I leaned toward the postal."
A few feet away, Giles cleared his voice. They all turned toward him. He held a cup of tea in one hand, and was a bit pitiful with the bandage on his head.
"Let me guess," Faith ventured. "Gwendolyn Post, not a Watcher?"
"Yes, she was," he revealed. "She was kicked out of the Council a couple of years ago for misuses of dark power. They swear there was a memo."
Buffy nodded. "Well, Faith and I better go, we're picking up Dawn and going out to the movies this evening." And then they were gone.
Streets of Sunnydale
"Are you okay?" Buffy asked, a worried tone in her voice.
"Five by five," Faith answered.
"Faith," Buffy said.
"Not good," Faith said sadly. "You taught me that I can trust again. Then she came along. I was so ready to believe she was in my corner after the Prof died that I was almost willing to forsake my feelings for you. And I almost did till you reminded me of who I am in love with." She then smiled as she leaned in and kissed Buffy passionately. "You my sweet transgender girlfriend."
