Tara sat against one wall of the corridor outside the library, knees drawn up to her chin, while Buffy and Xander were across from her, shoulder-to shoulder. The trio looked like school kids loitering in the hallway awaiting the summons to first period.

"You're talkin' full on, eyes of darkness?" queried an awe-struck Xander.

Exhibiting a tiny frown of concern, Tara nodded.

"Whoa," breathed Buffy. "Why didn't you say anything last night?"

"The whole thing was sort of draining," the witch replied. "I just fell asleep before you guys got home. I-I got to talk to Willow about it, though. Well, we didn't really talk," she corrected. "More like, I spoke, and she kept panicking. She was really upset."

"No blame from my end," remarked the carpenter. "It's freaky enough when she gets like that, I can only imagine what it'd look like on you."

"But you're okay, right?" Buffy checked. "No malevolent side effects?"

"None. Not even nightmares."

"We should tell Giles," announced a tight-lipped Buffy.

Xander was in total agreement. "G-Man definitely needin' to be in the loop on this one."

"I'll talk to him as soon as we finish up today," Tara confirmed. She glanced into the library before adding, "Whenever that is."

Buffy slid further down the wall. "Break time should be over soon. How much tea can one man drink?"

"I've seen him put away a whole box of Celestial Seasonings," confided Xander. "He's a tea-drinking machine."

"I think he was getting maps and paper and stuff anyway," remarked Tara thoughtfully. "For the plan part of our plan."

"Oh believe me, there's tea involved there somewhere," Xander assured with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Looking up, Tara smiled to see an immaculately groomed Quinn emerge from around the corner. Dressed in a gray tracksuit, his arms and legs pumped vigorously as though he were jogging along an invisible path as he made his way toward her.

"Hey, Quinn," Tara greeted.

"Good morning, sweetness," enthused the faerie. "And how are you today?"

"Fine, thanks," she told him. "Did you sleep okay?"

He puffed as he ran in place. "Oh, as well as could be expected. Ruth sounded like a grizzly bear with a sinus condition. Pity the dampening magicks were never my strong suit." Quinn treated Tara to an exasperated eye-roll before glancing over his shoulder and taking note of the curious expressions that adorned the faces of Xander and Buffy. He looked at Tara and jerked his head meaningfully. She hastened to make introductions.

"Oh, Quinn ..." Tara gestured at the wall across from her. "These are my friends. This is Buffy ..." She indicated the blonde Slayer who acknowledged the faerie with a very dubious and stilted wave. " ... and this," continued Tara, "is Xander."

The carpenter was staring at Quinn with a slightly dropped jaw. His forehead was creased with concentration, as though trying desperately to categorize the small creature in front of him. Xander blinked rapidly when he noticed that Quinn was treating him to an equal amount of scrutiny and he threw the faerie a friendly smile.

Apparently far from impressed, Quinn motioned toward Buffy. "Been battling demons and the like for 8 years, you said?" His question was directed toward Tara, who nodded brightly. Quinn then regarded both Slayer and carpenter quizzically. "Amazing," he commented with a baffled shake of his head.

Instantly, Xander's smile faltered and a nettled frown invaded Buffy's forehead.

Quinn turned to Buffy. "Slayer, I take it?"

"That's right," the blonde was quick to confirm. "Slayer of things both great and small."

The faerie fluttered to the floor and with hands clasped behind his back, strolled back and forth, eying Buffy critically. He flitted near Tara's shoulder and hovered there, drawing his knees to his chin in a perfect replica of the witch's position. His eyebrow arched in superior skepticism of Buffy's statement.

"She's practically skin and bone, isn't she?" he asked incredulously. "Looks like she could do with an sandwich or five, love. Put some meat on her, maybe she won't look so gaunt and sunken in."

Instinctively, Buffy inspected herself up and down before returning her eyes to Quinn and glowering darkly. The faerie failed to notice, however, as he was busy focusing on Tara and ignoring her wide-eyed look of disbelief. Apparently, he had yet to continue his appraisals.

"The other, now he's much more my speed," confided the faerie in an appreciative tone. He flew to Xander's side and lingered there for a moment, prodding with approval at the muscular bicep before assuming his former position near Tara's shoulder. He regarded the carpenter from across the hallway with a look of regret. "Shame he's so gormless."

Xander's expression, which had momentarily flashed with pride soon visibly fell, to be replaced by indignation.

Quinn's regret persisted. "Suffered many a blow to the head, I expect. Pity."

Taken aback by the faerie's behavior, Tara blinked several times before finding her voice. "Uhm, Quinn, they're actually—"

"Very nice people, I don't doubt," dismissed Quinn.

"Yes, actually," replied Tara with an admonishing frown.

"Well there, you see?" Quinn remarked cheerily. "They have that going for them, at least."

With a nervous look, Tara noted Buffy's clenched fists. The Slayer was obviously working herself into a fine temper, but Quinn was oblivious to the mounting tension and, in any event, had presumably decided to move on.

He delivered a kiss of farewell to Tara's cheek. "Ahh well, delightful as this exchange is, I simply must continue my exploration. I've been cooped up with only her Keeperness for company for so long, it's a welcome change of pace to flex my wings."

With a small stretch, he began to flitter away, throwing Xander and Buffy a half-hearted wave as he did so. "Ta-ta. Enjoy the rest of your meeting. I know I'll enjoy not having to be there." His chuckle was similar to a small tinkling of silver bells.

Visibly fuming, Buffy and Xander watched his departure with much hostility.

"I know this is wrong," gritted the carpenter, "but I gotta say – I think I now hate all faeries for the rest of my natural life."

"Gaunt?" muttered a fractious Buffy. "Sunken in?!" Her narrowed eyes regarded Tara accusingly.

"You don't look gaunt o-or sunken in, Buffy, I promise," soothed Tara. "He was exaggerating just a little."

"Just a little?"

Tara was swift in pouring even more oil onto already troubled waters. "I-I meant a lot. Lots of exaggerating. He was ...Hey, maybe 'sunken in' is a- a compliment where he comes from." She flashed a weak smile in Buffy's direction, not truly expecting it to have much effect, which was just as well because it obviously didn't. The Slayer continued to scowl.

"'Gormless'," snorted Xander. "What does that even mean?"

"Uhh ..." Tara searched in vain for the least offensive definition possible, but was saved by the appearance of Dawn. With a can of Coke in one hand, the teenager looked quite happy with the world in general.

"Oh, you guys'll never believe who I met in the kitchen!" She smiled brightly with utter delight. "The Keeper brought this faerie guy named—"

"Quinn," came the sharp response from both Buffy and Xander in unison.

"That's him!" replied an enamored Dawn. "He's so funny! He started talking about how mousse got its name because it used to be made from actual mooses ... moosen?" She frowned and then shrugged. "He started going into this whole skit, like he was a chef making the first mousse, and he had this really outrageous French accent for some reason. Oh, but then—"

She paused and turned toward the library as Giles' head emerged. "I think we're ready," announced the Watcher, beckoning with his finger.

"You mean I won't hear more stories?" inquired Buffy sarcastically. She got to her feet. "Tragic."

Dawn huffed at her sister. "He's cute."

"No he's not," came the abrupt denial, as again, Buffy and Xander spoke with one voice. Similar expressions of irritation on their faces, they marched into the library together, leaving a confounded Dawn to blink at Tara.

"What?" queried the bewildered teenager, but Tara simply patted Dawn's arm sympathetically before entering the library.

Dawn stared in confusion for a moment longer at the now vacant doorway. "What?"

Willow and Kennedy had commandeered one of the interior chambers of Slayer Central. The building housed many such rooms, not designed for any specific purpose, all very similar in appearance with windowless, white walls, devoid of decoration, and containing only three or four chairs and one or perhaps two tables. Both women had decided to ignore the seating provided and had instead chosen to occupy the solitary long table – Kennedy sitting cross-legged on its surface and Willow perched on the edge, swinging her legs back and forth.

"Thanks for coming to talk to me," Kennedy stated with a nod in Willow's direction.

Willow shrugged and grinned. "Well how could I resist with you being all mysterious."

"I wasn't mysterious," the Slayer corrected. "I was pushy."

After a ponderous moment, Willow agreed, "Yeah, you're right, you were." She threw the Slayer a quick glance. "Stop being so pushy."

"But it gets results," insisted Kennedy, resting her elbows on her knees.

"That is does," the redhead was obliged to admit, watching as her feet first disappeared under the table and then reappeared again. "So what's up?"

"I had a chat with Giles yesterday," Kennedy told her.

"Pretty talky, isn't he?" replied Willow with a grin. "I swear, he hasn't shut up since he figured out who Robespierre is."

"This was something a little more specific." The Slayer paused for a moment and cupped her chin in her palm. "He asked me to run the new Council branch. The Slayer side, not the paperwork side." She turned to observe Willow's reaction.

The redhead's face glowed with delight at the news of Kennedy's good fortune. Swiveling, she threw her arms around Kennedy's neck and delivered a heartfelt hug. The Slayer tensed with surprise for a second but then basked in the warmth and affection.

"Oh my god, Kenn!" enthused Willow with genuine exuberance. "That's so great! See, what did I tell you? You're a natural, you just—"

Her voice trailed away as the implication of Kennedy's impending assignment thoroughly penetrated her consciousness. Her hands grasped Kennedy's shoulders and she held the Slayer at arms length as she scrutinized her face.

"The new Council branch." Willow's eyes narrowed. "The one in Europe."

"In England, specifically," corrected Kennedy. "I think Giles just wanted a good excuse to visit a lot. I would've put it more central, like in Austria or Italy or something, but ..."

"England," interrupted Willow with a frown. "The one in ... Europe."

Kennedy chuckled. "No, the England next door."

But Willow apparently found little amusement in the words and her hands fell away from the other woman's shoulders. "The Europe that's a different continent. Separated by a rather intimidating patch of ocean." She searched Kennedy's expression.

With an amused frown, Kennedy nodded very slowly. "Kinda Asia-ish? That Europe."

"But ... But if you're in Europe, how can you be here?"

"Until they perfect cloning, I sort of won't be," Kennedy told her. She considered the proposition. "Though multiple me's is sounding really cool right now in ways that should probably be inappropriate."

"But I need you here!" protested Willow. Noting Kennedy's 'oh, really?' eyebrow arch, she swiftly added, "A-And I know that sounds really selfish, but I do!" Her bottom lip protruded in something of a pout.

Kennedy's smirk was of the indulgent variety. "No, you don't." The redhead was ready with her objections, but the Slayer beat her to the punch. "You've got all you need here already, Will."

On this, Willow was in ready agreement. "Right! With you here too!"

Kennedy shook her head. "You have your friends, your family, your work, your school ... You haven't needed me for a while now. That's a good thing, by the way. Bugged me for a little bit there, but I like to think I maybe had something to do with it." She looked to Willow for confirmation and was not disappointed.

"You did," came the decisive affirmation. "I ... I don't know if I could've made it without you. You just ... you never let me give up. Not on anything."

With a sly grin, Kennedy puffed out her chest. "If there's one thing I've got going for me, it's a dogged stubborn streak that would put the world's most bullheaded donkey to shame."

Willow winced at the convoluted statement. "You've got a whole petting zoo there."

"Probably," the Slayer admitted. "But see? I'm so stubborn, I'm not going to go back and change it."

The redhead regarded Kennedy with glistening eyes. "When are you leaving?"

"Not for another three weeks, month or so at most." Kennedy stared at one of the bare walls, but noted Willow's resigned nod and determined swallow. She turned and smiled. "I just thought you should know," she confided in all seriousness, "this is doing wonders for my ego."

"You have to go?" came the wavering question.

Kennedy's tone was settled and secure. "Yeah. I need to find my place, you know?"

"But you have a place," Willow quickly pointed out.

"No," the Slayer corrected, "I have your place."

The pair exchanged a lingering look until Willow conceded with a miserable nod, accepting the fact but not particularly happy about it. She reached out and took Kennedy's hand. "I'm gonna miss you."

Kennedy squeezed the limp fingers and grinned. "Damned right you will." She smiled as her comment earned her a chuckle, and she continued. "It won't be so different, though. There's e-mail, phone calls on the Council's dime, company jets to abuse for personal reasons ..."

Willow returned Kennedy's squeeze, her fingers now firm. She gently shook the hand she held in her own. "Thank you, she began. "For believing in me. For loving me when I didn't think anybody ever could again."

Kennedy smiled and shook her head. "That was all you, Will. I just did what came naturally."

Disentangling her fingers, the redhead swiped at a tear trickling down her cheek and stared at the hands in her lap. "Today's been the worst day," she sighed.

Reaching out, Kennedy lifted Willow's chin, forcing her to look up. "Then tomorrow has to be better, right?"

Willow seized the Slayer's fist with both hands. "You'd better write me! All the time!"

"I'll be worse than spam," she vowed earnestly.

"And I want phone calls!" Willow persisted. "Constant updates!"

"I'll harass you day and night," the Slayer promised with a mischievous wink.

Willow released the captured hand. "Okay."

Pushing herself off the table, Kennedy stood in front of the redhead. "If you ever need me, for anything at all, you know I'll be there."

With a nod, Willow also got to her feet. The two regarded each other for a long moment and then engaged in a fond embrace, hugging each other tightly. Kennedy closed her eyes for a moment and then stepped back.

"Hey Will," she announced with a sinful smirk, "I bet I know what you'll miss most of all."

At Willow's expression of curiosity, the Slayer clacked her tongue stud against her teeth a couple of times. She grinned evilly as Willow instantly blushed beet red.

"Thought so," Kennedy nodded knowingly. "Already thinking about hinting to Tara, aren't you?"

Willow straightened with exaggerated indignation. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kennedy's grin broadened until it almost stretched from ear to ear. "And now I'm satisfied that I have, in my own small way, spoiled you forever."

"No argument here," the witch conceded.

A light rap upon the door interrupted the playful exchange, and Giles peered into the room a moment later. "Sorry to interrupt," he told them, "but we're ready to continue."

They both nodded in acknowledgment and made ready to follow, but then Willow leaned over and planted an impulsive kiss upon Kennedy's cheek. The Slayer's fingers lingered over the area for a heartbeat.

"I've spoiled you, too," accused the redhead.

Kennedy smiled at Willow affectionately. "No argument here."

Assembled once more in the library, the majority of the attendees were gathered around one of three long tables that occupied the bulk of the main floor. Nearby, an easel had been set up, complete with whiteboard upon which Wood had been taking notes. He quickly surveyed the group and then pointed to the board.

"Okay, so we need to know: how many there are; where is the power source and how to destroy it; the lay of the land; how to get rid of the power they already have."

"And what do we do about this Robespierre guy?" queried Buffy. "I mean, he's just a human, right? So I can't just ..."

Giles stepped forward with authority. "When we attack and ... capture him. We'll bring him back here. I'll deal with him from there." Before anyone could voice an objection, the Watcher pushed on. "Willow, Tara?" Both witches focused on Giles instantly. "How are you coming on the transportation spell?"

"Kinda okay?" replied Tara somewhat dubiously. "There's a lot of stuff on teleportation, but ..." She paused and regarded Ruth from over her shoulder. "Are you sure we'll be able to find them?"

The old woman nodded with certainty. "Absolutely. You two have more than enough power to locate their signature on your own. You simply don't know what you're looking for. I'll be able to guide you. From there, it will just be a case of you both being able to open a portal."

Willow puffed. "Yeah, but sending, like, all our Slayers through? That's big stuff."

Tara smiled at the redhead. "So we'll just have to find a big spell."

The smile was returned but swiftly faded into apprehension as Tara's hand reached out. Flinching, Willow retracted into herself, as if dreading Tara's touch. Though visibly hurt at the rejection, the blonde's hand didn't falter and continued on its original course to retrieve a book lying on the table in front of the redhead. An expression of shame crossed Willow's features, but still she sat with her limbs curled tightly around her body.

None of the others appeared to be aware of the wordless exchange, and they continued their discussion. "This is great final assault stuff," volunteered Kennedy, "but we can't send a whole platoon in without knowing what we're facing."

"Which brings us back to here," submitted Wood, tapping on the board with the marker.

The room dissolved into quiet contemplation until Faith broke the hush.

"How 'bout the witches?" she asked, which resulted in every head swiveling in her direction, including those belonging to said witches. "Once they find where the bad guys are, maybe they can ... I dunno, take a look around? Get us the info?" She searched each face for an answer.

Willow was doubtful. "I don't— I mean we'll try, yeah, of course. But from what we've already heard, from the Covens and stuff, they'll be pretty well protected against scrying magicks. I- I could maybe bust through their shields, but then they're definitely gonna know we're onto 'em."

Hannah spoke next, offering her opinion. "The element of surprise is one of our only advantages. We shouldn't give it up unless we absolutely have to."

Without a word, Giles seemed to suddenly dominate the room. Apparently, he had reached a decision and the air of unspoken authority was almost tangible. "We'll have to send one person," he stated firmly. "Someone to scout around and report back on their findings."

Wood nodded approvingly. "Reconnaissance. I was thinking that myself."

"Dangerous," Hannah commented.

"But necessary." The Watcher's tone was final.

"Wait wait wait," protested Buffy, holding up her hands. "One person. One person, alone, into the ... the ..." She appeared to be fumbling for words.

"Lion's den?" offered Dawn.

"Hornet's nest?" suggested Xander.

"Place of badness," Buffy decided. "It's like suicide."

Giles was inclined to disagree. "Not if it's done correctly."

Buffy stared at her Watcher. "'Not if it's'...?" she echoed disbelievingly. "Giles, just one of these girls nearly tore us apart from the inside. You expect a Slayer to go in alone and face off against who knows how many of them?"

"No," Giles told her with conviction. "I expect whomever we send to be alert and observant and to most definitely not engage anyone until they can get back here and report their findings."

Buffy arched an eyebrow. "And what if they get caught?" The Watcher didn't respond, but his gaze was unmoving, and Buffy shook her head in amazement. "I can't believe you're talking like this!"

Removing his glasses, Giles tossed them onto the table, almost as though he were throwing down the gauntlet. "Well then what do you propose? If you have any other solution besides sitting here and waiting for them to choose the next time and place to attack us, then please feel free to share it."

"There has to be something," insisted Buffy. "'We're all in this together', isn't that what you've been saying since we got here? 'No Slayer alone, not any more'."

Giles continued to regard the Slayer coolly. "That's not a solution, it's an ideal."

Her expression was angry enough to send most monsters running in the opposite direction, but Giles did not flinch away, and when Buffy had no further words, he nodded. "All right then." Regarding the room somberly, he addressed the group. "We'll need to decide who."

Buffy's response was instantaneous. "Me."

As the Watcher regarded his blonde Slayer, the cold expression of resolve slipped from his face just a little.

This time, Buffy met Giles' gaze without flinching, her eyes daring him to deny her. "You wanna just send someone in, then it should be me."

"Buffy ..." whispered Dawn fearfully.

"You?" scoffed Kennedy. "Your idea of stealth is sneaking the last cookie – which never works, by the way, since we all know it's you." She turned to Giles. "You should send me. I've got the skills to back it up."

Buffy was about to protest when another voice cut in with its own objection.

"No, no way," insisted Faith. "Anyone should go, it's me." She met Buffy's eyes directly. "You got a whole lot more goin' for you here than me, B." Faith then turned to Kennedy. "You too." The dark-haired Slayer focused on Giles. "This is the sort of thing I was made for."

Xander's head bobbed from one Slayer to the next as alarm invaded his features. He finally settled on Giles. "Bad choices! Very bad! Think up new ones!"

Buffy stood up and crossed her arms. "I can't let either of you—"

Kennedy also leapt to her feet. "'Let'? We need your permission now?"

Faith simply rocked back and forth in her chair with supreme confidence. "Trust me, y'learn to sneak around a lot in the joint. This ain't much different."

Willow's face crumpled into distress. "Guys, we need to—"

The redhead's bid for attention was brought to an abrupt halt as her eyes flew upward to the second story area where the book stacks were located. Almost immediately, accompanied by a tiny gasp, Tara's gaze followed suit as she also became locked on the same space. Before either could utter a word, a shimmering portal of bluish energy opened and Judith materialized through its entrance. Within a heartbeat, the gateway had faded, leaving Judith standing alone.

She wore the same uniform as the first invader upon Slayer Central – black jeans and black turtleneck sweater. The sigil above her heart glowed brightly through the fabric, pulsating with a vitality that was mirrored in her vivid, unnaturally blue eyes.

The room fell into shocked silence as Xander stumbled to his feet and took an involuntary step backward. He clumsily shuffled into the easel, knocking the board from its perch. The clatter it made as it hit the ground served to restore animation to the otherwise stunned gathering. Kennedy's expression swiftly melted from surprise to anger as she gritted her teeth, and Buffy moved immediately to put herself between Dawn and the dangerous new arrival.

"Judith," murmured Buffy, so softly that only those closest to her could hear the name being uttered.

From her lofty and advantageous position, Judith smiled benevolently upon the group below. When she spoke, her voice was clear and distinct, but possessed the weird reverberation effect as that of the initial intruder – as though a dozen or more individuals were speaking at the same time in near immaculate synchronization.

Her expression held nothing even remotely close to affection. "It's good to be home."