"Xander, the chances of multiple members of a community not related to each other having the predisposition to form a seed of Magic is astronomical, to say the least." Giles frowned at Xander, not understanding how he could be so sure the members of this so-called pack, had seeds of Magic themselves.
"Giles, Magic involves symbolism, right?"
"To a degree, yes." He conceded the point.
"I was their Alpha, Giles, the point of connection for all of them. Magic can go more than one way, people can be transformed by it and people can bend it to their will. My predisposition could have been transferred to them through my connection with them as a pack."
"Theoretically, that might be possible, but the conditions to allow for are at least as astronomical." Giles insisted.
"I haven't been around them in a year, Giles, I've avoided them because I wanted to forget everything that happened while it was in me. Since I connected to the seed of Magic I've been feeling the connection to the pack again and yesterday I talked to Tor. I felt the power in him, I think he's afraid that when he taps into it, the spirit returns. But he also feels the need to do something about vampires whenever he encounters one, I'm sure of it. I need you to do what you should have done then, check to make sure they're not still possessed. You shouldn't have assumed it was over, if you'd have checked us then, we'd have known about it long before now and they could have made informed decisions and we could have had each other to rely on. To help each other deal with it."
"Deal with what?" Giles demanded, exasperated.
"The nightmares and the memories. Or don't you have nightmares over killing your friend when Eyghon consumed him?"
Giles looked away, uncomfortable with the question, because he actually hadn't had any nightmares until Eyghon had returned earlier this year.
"I'd assumed they would try to forget, most people would convince themselves it never happened."
"I couldn't and you told me memory loss was not a side effect of possession." Xander retorted.
"True, but people in Sunnydale seem to have a 'it never happened' meter that is well above any benchmark."
"Will you test them?" Xander demanded. "They deserve peace of mind."
"Very well, if they agree to be tested, I'll test them." He acquessed, certain they'd refuse. Why wouldn't they? It was better to forget anyway and the odds that they'd believe Xander -. His thoughts derailed as five students pushed their way through the Library doors and immediately moved to stand near Xander, not quite touching him, the way they had when they'd freed him from the book cage last year, but he could see their hands twitching, part of them wanted to, to reassure themselves he was alright.
Giles was very nearly speechless at the results of the tests he ran on them.
"It seems you are correct, Xander, they each have a seed of Magic of their own and are not possessed."
Five sighs of relief greeted that statement.
"This is extraordinary." Giles was near babbling in excitement. "And unprecedented, as far as I know. I must inform the Council, they will -."
"No, God damn it!" Xander's eyes flashed and his voice dropped to a rumble. "This is our business, not theirs! You have no right to tell any one!"
"But, Xander, they can study -."
"Turn us into lab rats." Tor's voice rumbled. "Poke us and prod us and stare at us like animal's in a zoo?"
"No, of course not." Giles protested. "But understanding what's happened to you could tell us so much about how seeds of Magic form -."
"You're the only person I knew who could do the necessary tests, Giles." Xander rumbled. "But if you say one word to any one without permission, I will personally knock you into the middle of next week. By which I mean, you will be unconscious for a week. If any one of my pack ever gets hurt or worse, dead, because of you, I will kill you. That's a promise. Your choices cost me my parents and landed Willow in the hospital. Don't do anything that will cause more pain. If we choose to tell any one, that's our right. And by the way, that goes for Cordelia and Oz too, we will protect them."
Five teenagers, each near in strength to a Slayer, glared at him and a primal shiver of fear nearly caused him to lose control of his bladder.
"I won't tell anyone, including Kendra and her Watcher when they arrive." He assured them.
"What happened to secrecy equals security, Giles? Aren't you afraid you're risking Kendra's security by telling five people who are unaware of her status that she's coming to Sunnydale?"
"I have not mentioned her status and I assumed you told them."
"Tell them something that is Kendra's business? I hadn't thought about telling her about us, given I didn't know yet that she's coming to Sunnydale, but I wouldn't have said anything to them without her permission. But I will have a conversation with her, not you. She does deserve a heads up given we'll probably run into each other while hunting."
"You intend to hunt? The danger -."
"Is greater for Kendra then for us, given you people insist on them fighting alone."
"To minimize casualties to bystanders."
"That's a crock of bull, Giles, she can't do anything about bystanders when she's fighting alone."
######
A/N Yeah, I know Giles is just making excuses, but I could not think of any good reasons why the Council on the show forced Slayers to fight alone. Plenty of bad reasons, but no good ones. Any thoughts?