A/N Sphygmus, explaining the Mayor's reluctance to use any of the available power he had, from political to magical against the Scoobies is a problem. But there is something he says in canon, in the Bad Girls episode actually that I can use to explain his reluctance in general, because he says he wants to avoid any trouble before the dedication that makes him invulnerable. Also, even the way the Scoobies end up defeating him, while spectacular, isn't believable. The battle against the vampires that Xander planned is believable, but the bomb isn't. For one simple reason, it's not big enough. The last time someone became the embodiment of Olivican, according to Giles' own research, it took a volcano to take him out. That bomb in the Library didn't equal a volcano.

And the Mayor will be doing stuff to mess with the Scoobies after the dedication.

BMS, sorry no Dark Willow planned. 8)

######

Buffy and Faith headed to the Library and the first aid kit Wesley kept in what used to be Giles office and now was his.

"Take a seat, B, you're in a little worse shape than I am." Faith told her sister Slayer. "But than, you were doing the actual fighting and I was doing the Slaying portion of tonight's entertainment. I'd say the cult's definitely not extinct, given how many attacked us."

"Well, considering none of them got away thanks to our teamwork, it's a distinct possibility now." Buffy took a seat gratefully, as she was in considerable pain. Her hands felt like mush after beating on the vampires that had attacked the two of them tonight. "Since none of them are anything more than dust piles now. And my hands will heal, I'll just try not to gnaw them off at the wrist for a couple of days."

"Here, give me one of them." Buffy held out her right hand and winched as the cuts reopened as Faith carefully cleaned them, an infection was the last thing she needed right now.

"Where's Wes? We should let him know about the attack."

"Running tests on the amulet with Willow's help." Buffy answered. "They're both fascinated by the latest mystical doodad."

"They're brains, of course they are. X is at his place, with Queen C?"

"Cordelia's not there tonight, it's full moon night, remember? The Mansion has cages Angelus set up to hold prey in. Xander made a nice set up for Oz for full moon night in one of them, blankets and a music player, stuff like that. It helps keep wolfOz calm and makes wolfsitting easy. Well, easier than keeping him in the book cage did."

"I don't keep track of the full moon night's, I've never had wolfsitting duty. There, your hands are in as good a shape as they're going to get. With Slayer healing they'll be fine in a couple of days. Here's some Tylenol, that'll help with the pain. Let's go find Wes and let him know about the vamp attack."

"Yeah and then I need a good night's sleep to start healing. We worked well tonight. As a team, I mean."

"Yeah, we did, didn't we. I can see these Powers point of view on the pitfalls of there being a lot of us Slayers, but the two us seem to be doing fine."

The two Slayers headed out to find the science lab where Wesley and Willow were running their tests, they found a scene out of a nightmare.

"Willow!" Buffy exclaimed, running to her friend's side. "Gods, her head's a mess! What hit her?"

"I'm guessing the microscope with red hair and blood on it." Faith answered, as she knelt beside the equally unconscious and bloody Wesley. "And I'm thinking the attack on us might have been just to keep us busy, because the latest mystical doodad doesn't seem to be here and our brain trust is unconscious."

"I'm noticing they weren't fed on, just beaten." Buffy observed. "Which makes me wonder why since we know vampires work for the demon that amulet originally belonged to and are here in Sunnydale, my hands being a potent reminder of that fact. We need to call the police and an ambulance."

"Then we need to leave, B. We can't be here when they get here."

"Why not?" Buffy asked, not getting Faith's concern.

"Because they've been beaten up and we look like we've been fighting and the last time you were found kneeling next to a body you got shot at by the police. We need to get rid of the stuff we used to fix your hands up and call for an ambulance anonymously and then make sure we've got our own alibi."

"The Bronze? Lots of dancing, calling attention to ourselves and making noise."

"Works for me." Faith agreed. "Who will the hospital call about Red ending up there?"

"All of the Scoobies have each other and more recently my mom on their contact lists. You haven't had a need to see a doctor yet, but when you do, make sure we're all on your list too."

"I will." That warmed Faith just much as Xander's claim that she was a Scooby and they wouldn't forget her like Giles had, did. "Crap, that means X will get the call." Faith suddenly realized. "Last time something happened to Red he made with the making of pain on a vampire, what's he going to do this time once he knows the girl he considers a sister is hurt, possibly again by vampires?"

"I can guess one thing," Buffy tried to joke, knowing it was a weak joke at best. "given how they dress like something out of the medieval times. He's gonna go medieval on their asses."