A/N This being a story with a competent Council, this Quentin Travers is not a misogynistic asshole. ;)

That being said the case can be made for a way for a competent Council to do the Cruciementum, especially a Council that's attempting to ensure the Slayer lives a long time. Which means the Cruciementum as it appears in this story will bear no true reassemblance to the stupidity on the show. The first evaluation Quentin did was a straight up murder attempt that Buffy and Joyce barely survived. It was a waste of time, money and most importantly, lives. The second evaluation Quentin did was a joke.

Honestly, I don't see how the Council could have survived for the 12 centuries they claim that at least the Cruciementum had been in use if they were that bad at the job.

But a civilian run worldwide organization with military style wetworks teams combating the supernatural would need to constantly test and update themselves and their procedures.

Wesley tells Giles there's been updates made to the Slayer Handbook, which Giles never uses for Buffy and not having been trained as a Field Watcher might not have even read himself and that he'd staked two vampires under controlled circumstances. A competent Council is going to value the Slayer as a person, not just an asset, which means her testing should also be done under controlled circumstances. (All members are assets).

As for viewing it as a Sacred Calling, I think I've come up with a way to explain why they view it that way or most of them viewed it that way previously. I don't think in the modern world the organization as a whole would view the Slayer that way. But some die hard traditional families might.

Reviews and advice from BMS, Sphygmus and demonboy121986 have helped me flesh out discrepancies between the movie and the tv show, the absence of the Council for several months prior to Buffy's arrival in Sunnydale (and questions Mayor Chase had regarding that absence) and the exact methods evaluating Buffy will take.

Her life will not be in any danger during the testing and unannounced doesn't mean the final test against a vampire is unannounced, it means they will show up and tell Buffy they're going to test her and why. By unannounced I mean like a surprise inspection, not drugging and delivering her to a cage match with a Master Vampire.

I hope this author's note clears up any remaining questions readers may have.

Giles' evaluation will be a job performance type evaluation.

There's going to be a time jump in the story, while things have not been idle in Sunnydale, the events of season 3 canon, Angel returning, Kakistos, the Fluke have not been happening. And investigations take time and the best way for me to show that is to show a time jump.

That being said, I did say Willow and Buffy would eventually be getting together, so we need some time in their head spaces to get to that point, so this chapter will help fill in what's been happening with them in the last five to six months, the length of time between the first day of school and the middle of January when Buffy's birthday is.

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Buffy was dancing with Faith again, Willow noted. They did that a lot since Faith had come to Sunnydale, but only after they'd patrolled together. Something about Slaying hyped them both up and that continued with dancing at the Bronze afterwards. Willow didn't understand why she felt uncomfortable watching them dance together. Maybe it had to do with how Faith touched Buffy while they danced, grabbing her hand and twirling her around, pulling her close and swaying to the music. Faith was openly bisexual and the way she danced with Buffy suggested she was interested in Buffy. So was that what was bothering Willow? It was a question Willow seriously asked herself. But why would it bother her? Other kids at school were bi, lesbian or gay, including Larry, Alex and Jesse's friend, the quarterback for the Razerbacks, the football team they were all on and Willow knew she had no issues with their orientation, so why would Faith's bother her?

Unless it wasn't Faith being bi that was the problem, but maybe because she seemed interested in Buffy? But why would that bother Willow? Was another question Willow had for herself. It didn't bother Willow when guys asked Buffy to dance, so why did Buffy and Faith dancing together bother her? Was it because Buffy didn't seem to mind Faith touching her, showing interest in her? But why would Willow be bothered by Buffy not being dismissive of Faith's apparent interest? Just because Buffy had never shown interest in another girl, didn't mean she couldn't be interested in Faith in return. Was Willow bothered by the possibility of Buffy realizing she might be bisexual or at least bicurious?

If that was the problem, did that mean Willow had a double standard, it's okay for others to be gay, bisexual or lesbian, but not my best friend? 'That would make me a really bad best friend.' Willow thought. 'I should be supportive of Buffy's choices and explorations as long as she's not hurting anyone and she's not, is she?'

That's when Willow realized, yes Buffy was hurting someone, without knowing it, since she hadn't even realized it herself. Buffy seeming to not reject Faith's interest was hurting Willow. 'So it doesn't just bother me, it's hurting me.' Willow thought. 'Why? Buffy's still my best friend, she hasn't dumped me for Faith. We still talk about everything, help and support each other. So why does it hurt me that she might return Faith's interest?'

Willow pondered that question for a long rime without coming to a conclusion or perhaps not being ready to come to a conclusion might be more accurate.

A/N Chapter 126 and 127 chapter headings are incorrect, but the chapters themselves are correct. I apologize for the mixup, I can't seem to correct it.