Chapter Summary: Angel found the hypodermic, and Giles found the vial of liquid used on Spike. Wesley and Giles had a chat, and Wes has agreed to help and listen to both sides of everything. Joyce is home now. Buffy and Dawn seemed to sense something off about Ben when he met them before they left the hospital. The Council has arrived from England, and they have firmly planted themselves in the Magic Box much to Giles' dismay. Wesley walked into the Magic Box shortly after Giles arrived. Both are shocked to see the Council there, and neither seems inclined to give any information to the Council. Travers is full of threats now, but will he really go through with it.

(Disclaimer and Distribution notes are listed in the Prologue of this story. Thank you ahead of time for reading and accepting or abiding by them.)

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.

 

"Um ..." A quick glance at Giles told Wesley to keep their quest close to the cuff. He shook his head, closed the book he was carrying, and tucked it close to his body. He made sure the empty back cover was all that could be seen. "I don't believe I will, Mr. Travers. I am no longer under your employ and therefore not obligated to share information with you."

"You both do realize that I could have you deported with one phone call?" Quentin accentuated his threat with a wave of his hand to one of the secretaries. She placed a leather briefcase on the table and snapped it open to reveal a mobile phone center.

Wesley gasped in surprise. He had no desire to return to England at the moment. He rather liked having an ocean between him and his overbearing and disapproving father.

Giles' face remained stoic and calm. He knew Travers had the power to do as he threatened, but it seemed like Quentin was fishing for something. This wasn't about getting rid of Giles. Travers wanted something. "Sending us back to England won't get you the answers you seek."

Quentin Travers watched as Giles advanced on him from a few feet away. He calculated that both of them would have capitulated under the ominous threat of deportation. He hadn't wanted to pull his ace out so quickly, but he was beyond the point of tolerance and patience to deal with Buffy Summers and her blatant disregard for her duty. So he cut right to the quick of it.

Giles stopped moving when he was toe to toe with the head of the Council. He towered over the man who stayed seated at the research table. "If you think taking me away from my Slayer will force me to cooperate, you are sadly mistaken." His voice held every edge of his inner Ripper.

Wesley watched Giles interact with Travers in amazement. He never saw anyone dare to speak to their former leader that way. For once, Quentin Travers looked uneasy and concerned. He silently cheered Giles on.

Quentin forced the hard lump in his throat down. He was well aware of Rupert Giles' checkered past before he started training with the Council. He was certain that he was being threatened.

"That would be the worst thing you could do, Quentin." Giles threatened Travers in a counter offensive, "I would never tell you a thing, and I would rip my way through anyone necessary to get back to the family I care for."

Several of the Watchers stared in shock at Rupert Giles with gaping mouths. What surprised them more was the ashen look on their leader's face. They'd never seen him flinch or shirk away from anyone. Normally he responded to threats with a laugh or counter-threat of his own. It worried them to see Quentin Travers sitting so still in the face of adversity. A few of the Watchers tried to edge their way towards the training room door.

Wesley caught the movement in the room before Giles. "If I were you, I'd stay right there." He evened his stare on the retreating men and women. "I'm sure we can all have ourselves a little chat to see what brings the all mighty Council to our doorstep."

Confident that his point was embedded in Quentin's mind loud and clear, Giles backed away from the man to stand next to Wesley. "I'm curious myself, but there will be no more threats from you Quentin, or it will get ugly. You're in my backyard now."

Deciding that going after Wesley was an easier path to take, Quentin directed his attention at the young former Watcher. "Your father would be so disappointed in you, Wesley. He'd never approve of your refusal to assist me."

Wesley's eyes hardened. He realized what Travers was trying to do. It wouldn't succeed because he'd made his peace that what he was doing was the right path to take, even if it wasn't the path his father would have chosen for him. "My father doesn't approve of my life, as it is. I doubt he cares about anything concerning me at this point."

Giles was proud of the way Wesley stood up to the head of the Council. Wesley was nothing like the sniveling and whining Watcher who came to take over Buffy's training a couple years ago. Before him now was a man he could learn to respect and be friends with.

"Perhaps we should get to the heart of the matter." Quentin was further disappointed that the attempt to rile Wesley failed. 'What is this world coming to when Watchers and Slayers refuse to obey as they should?' He thought to himself. He removed a large manila envelope from a pocket of another briefcase. "It seems you have a problem on your hands."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike, Buffy and Dawn were enjoying some together time on the couch in the Summers' home. After much debate a movie was chosen by two-thirds majority vote. That meant, of course, that Buffy and Dawn outvoted Spike. So instead of watching an action adventure or classic movie, he was stuck watching a movie called "Ghostbusters".

"You've got to be kidding me." Spike laughed, but he shook his head as well. "They can't seriously think that some scientific doo dad would keep the ghosts from getting out? Besides ghosts aren't like that."

Dawn punched Spike's upper arm. "It's fantasy, Spike. Shut up!"

"Yeah, Spike. If I wanted realistic demons and ghosts, I'd find them during patrol. I wouldn't watch them on TV." Buffy buried her hand in the bowl of popcorn they were sharing. "That's why I don't watch any of those martial arts films. They are too close to Slayer training."

"If you used those to train with I would have killed you in less than 5 minutes, luv." Spike rolled his eyes. "You ever watch how none of the moves actually hit anything, and they are so sloppy that a fledgling could block them."

"Enough about work already." Dawn whined. "Giles gave you the day off to be with Mom. We so don't need to be talking about Slayage and training."

"Bit's right. Sorry, pet." Spike looked at Buffy apologetically. "No more shop talk."

"Yep, no more shop talk. The shop is closed." Buffy snuggled against Spike's side. "Just the three of us enjoying some family and snuggle time."

"I'll take the family time cause the snuggle time ... ew ... I'm not macking on your boyfriend."

Spike laughed and tousled Dawn's hair. "Silly, Bit."

Buffy laughed too. She was happy at the moment. Such moments were fleeting and rare in her life. She hoped they had a while to enjoy it before the real world crept in again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Giles wondered which problem Quentin referred to. He wasn't about to list each of their problems to find out what one Quentin meant. It would give Travers too much information into what was happening in Sunnydale. "What ever do you mean?"

"Don't play games with me, Rupert. I know you're hiding something." Travers slapped his hand down on the table over the envelope. "We've heard several conflicting reports about Miss Summers' loyalty to her duty. Before I give you the information on a bit of a problem I know you are having with a woman named Glory, Miss Summers is going to have to complete a series of tests."

"Tests? You're joking, right?" Giles huffed. "Why wouldn't you want to share the information with us? If Glory is as powerful as she appears to be, she is a threat to everyone."

"I am not going to hand over volatile information about Glorificus, and bringing her down, to a group of people who might be in league with her." Quentin knew he was bluffing about the information on bringing Glory down, but he needed every edge to stay ahead of Giles.

Giles choked. "Surely you aren't suggesting that we would join with Glory to end the world? Buffy was almost killed the last time she faced this woman."

"It isn't out of the realm of possibilities, Rupert. Miss Summers partnered herself with a leading member of the Scourge of Europe before, and it led to her "quitting" the Council. If rumors are correct she's doing it again." Quentin explained their reservations. Although his attitude was pompous, there was a valid point in making sure the Slayer hadn't switched sides.

"Did you think she would jump for joy when you refused to help her save the man she loved?" Giles retorted angrily.

"We've tolerated her insubordination now for years. The timing is crucial for her to return to the fold now." Travers sat unwavering in his demands, "But we have to be sure where she stands."

"Do you honestly think she will return to the Council?" Giles shook his head back and forth. Was Quentin really that delusional to think that with a word from him, Buffy would go back under the Council's control? "I doubt she would willingly return under the Council's thumb."

"There are persuasive means to make her return," Quentin delighted in the possibility of removing Buffy Summers as the Slayer. He longed for simpler days when Slayers followed their orders without question. "We've dealt with rogue Slayers before. Our methods can be quite effective. Miss Summers is not impervious to bullets, bolts and arrows. It just takes more of them to get the job done.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow and Tara walked along the streets of downtown Sunnydale. Classes were done for the day, and Joyce was back from the hospital. After a quick check on Xander's condition, they trotted off to the Magic Box. Giles called earlier in the day to ask them both to attend a meeting and research "party" there.

Hand in hand, the lover Wiccas walked to the back entrance of the shop since they were coming from that end of town. Both reflected on their own thoughts, and they weren't talking out loud either. So, no one heard them quietly open and close the back door that led into the training room.

Willow and Tara stepped into the training room tentatively. They never knew when Buffy might be training, and it was dangerous to break into a session when Buffy had weapons.

Willow and Tara reached the inner door in time to hear the tail end of the conversation. They both sucked in a tight breath. The inner door flung open, and the two girls were grabbed and drug into the shop.

"Let them go!" Giles rushed over to Willow and Tara. He pushed the Watchers away from them. He helped them both stand back up since they'd ended up on the floor when released.

"Where did they come from?" Quentin stood up. He never liked the feeling that his back was exposed. "You were supposed to check for other entrances," He barked in anger at those he considered his underlings.

"I don't know how we missed it, Sir." One Watcher edged towards the training room door. "I'll take care of it." He headed into the training room and out the back exit of the Magic Box. He was happier to be outside anyways. The tension inside was palpable. He needed a break from it.

Wesley helped Willow right herself while she dusted herself off. "Hello, Miss Rosenberg."

Recognition lit across Willow's face. "Wesley? What are you doing here?"

"That explanation was to be part of the meeting," Giles directed his words to Willow while he made sure Tara was all right. "But when I got here, they were here instead." He pointed around the room.

Willow nodded. 'With all that tweed, I'm betting on it being the Watcher's Council.' She thought to herself. The unhappy look on Giles' face confirmed her theory. She leaned in to whisper into Wesley's ear, "I take it Angel is around here somewhere?"

Wesley nodded and whispered back, "He is at the mansion."

"Not good," Willow said louder. "Does Buffy know they're here?"

"I haven't had a chance to inform her yet. Why don't you go call her?" Giles motioned his head towards his office phone. The farther away from the Council Willow was, the more freely she could talk.

"All right. I'll see if she's home."

"You should catch up with the times, Rupert. The girl should have a cell phone." Quentin felt secure enough to sit back down. "She should be at your beckon call."

Tara giggled at the thought of Buffy at anyone's beckon call. "He does ... sss ... n't know Buffy very well, does ... sss he?"

Wesley and Giles both hid smirks of mirth. The pair headed over to the research table. Tara hung back by the ladder to the upper level. It kept her closer to Willow, and something told her to keep an eye on Giles' books.

Willow tapped her fingers on Giles' desk. "Come on, pick up." She fidgeted nervously. When she heard Buffy say hello on the other end, she hurried to get out the reason why she called, "Buffy, I'm at the Magic Box. We have a serious problem."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy grumbled at the ringing of the phone. All three of them jumped up to get the phone before it woke Joyce. Instead of reaching the phone in the first few rings, the simultaneous movement of Dawn, Spike and Buffy rendered them immobile on the floor.

Spike recovered first, and he helped Buffy to stand again. Buffy headed over to the phone, and Spike extended his hand to Dawn to help her up.

"Summers' residence. This better be good because I'm all bruised now." Buffy's voice was curt, but a bit of humor lay beneath it. All of her friends knew not to call the house today. They'd all agreed that it would be best for her mom to rest without distractions.

Spike smiled. "I hope it isn't your da."

Dawn snorted, "As if he'd care enough to call and see how we are doing."

Spike hugged Dawn. He spent many days and nights talking to Joyce about her ex-husband, her marriage, and taking care of everything as a single parent.

"You're kidding me!" Buffy yelled into the phone. "They said what?"

Spike and Dawn rushed next to Buffy. Both of them strained to hear the other end of the conversation. Spike was able to pick up little bits here and there. The word Council was predominantly mentioned. "Bloody Hell."

"What?" Dawn looked up at Spike with concern.

"I think the bloody Council of Wankers decided to pay a visit."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "That can't be a good sign."

Buffy hung up the phone. She practically slammed the handset back into the cradle. "It isn't!" She started pacing between the dining room, entryway and living room.

Spike caught Buffy in the entryway. He stopped her from pacing and turned her to face him. "What did Red say?"

"It seems the Council has taken over the Magic Box." Buffy closed her eyes, and she rested the top of her head against Spike's chest. She butted her head against his firm chest in frustration. "Willow said they were taunting Giles when she arrived with Tara."

Spike growled. "Why are they even here? You don't work for the gits anymore."

"It seems they still feel I belong to them." Buffy needed the comfort from Spike, and she knew that he was going to hit the roof after her next statement. "Willow walked in on a conversation about killing uncooperative Slayers."

"Like Hell they will!" Spike shouted. He pushed Buffy away from him to lock his gaze with her. "No one and nothing is going to hurt my mate."

Dawn silently fumed. She was slumped on the couch. "Stupid Council," She muttered under her breath. As if they didn't have enough problems already.

Buffy smiled warmly at Spike's possessiveness. She would have fought anyone else who made such a claim, but it felt right for Spike to say it. "We are going to straighten them out, Spike."

"You shouldn't go anywhere near them, if they want to kill you." Dawn interjected from the living room.

"Willow said Giles really did want me there." Buffy evened her gaze on Spike, "And I think that I should have company."

Spike nodded. "Bloody right."

Buffy walked into the living room. "Do you think you'll be able to handle staying home with Mom? I don't want to wake her to tell her about more trouble."

"Not a problem, Buffy. You go kick their asses."

"Language, Bit." Spike corrected.

"As if you have anything to say mister bloody this and bloody that." Dawn waggled a chastising finger at Spike.

Buffy laughed. "She has you pegged." She tugged on Dawn's arm to stand up. "Let me show you where I put all of mom's medications in case she needs something."

"Okay." Buffy and Dawn disappeared up the stairs.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"She's on her way," Willow interrupted the conversation after she hung up the phone and left the office. "She needs to check on her mother before she can leave." She nodded to Giles to let him know that Buffy knew what was going on.

"I'm sure it won't take them too long to get here." Giles nodded slightly in return. He knew Spike would never let Buffy come to the shop alone, daylight or not.

"They?" Quentin queried.

"You'll find out soon enough." Giles moved over to the register. He unlocked a drawer beneath it and pulled out a journal. He relocked the drawer before he walked back to the middle of the room. "Now about Glory," He recited a few facts that they'd gathered in the last few weeks. It wasn't until recently that they knew the woman's name was Glory or Glorificus, but he'd still jotted down all their observations before that time as well as currently.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

About a block away from the Magic Box, Buffy kissed Spike goodbye. During their walk from the Summers' house, Buffy and Spike discussed how best to approach the Council. One thing they agreed on was a division of advancement. Buffy would enter the Magic Box through the front, and Spike would enter through the back entrance into the training room.

Buffy was satisfied that Spike would behave as best as possible while at the Magic Box. He promised he wouldn't eat them all. He told her that all bets would be off if one of them tried to harm a hair on her head. It was the most she could expect. She felt the same way about him. If anyone tried to hurt him, she'd take them out in a heartbeat.

The bell inside the shop door tinged and jingled when Buffy walked in from the outside. She gave a cursory survey around the room as she walked down the stairs and over to Giles. She crossed her arms across her chest. "Quentin Travers," Her normal soft voice was icy and sarcastic, "Just the man I hoped to never see again."

"I'd say it was a pleasure to see you again, Miss Summers, but it isn't." Quentin met Buffy's sarcasm with his own. It was evident that neither felt any better about seeing each other again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike slammed the training room door open into the main area of the Magic Box. A tall man dressed in tweed hung from the end of Spike's grasp. The man was still kicking to get loose as Spike walked them both into the middle of the shop.

All heads turned as the echo of a door hitting the wall pierced their hearing. Objects on the wall shook under the strain of the angry vampire.

"I found this wanker blocking the back door. Fancied himself as some sort of guard." Spike snorted. "Couldn't even get his stake out without dropping it. Do you even train this gits properly anymore?" He threw the man into the sea of other Watchers standing around. "Flash a little fang, and he was mush."

Buffy smiled in pride at Spike. She wanted to laugh in Travers' face, but she figured that would be pushing it. "Glad you could make it, sweetie."

Spike crossed the room confident and strong. His demon wanted to tear through the place and leave no survivors except the Scoobies. This group was a threat to his and Buffy's existence. From what the Wicca said on the phone they were already threatening Giles and Buffy too.

Buffy's arms encircled Spike's waist. She kissed him softly on the lips. Both of them were aware of the looks being sent their way.

While they kissed, they used their distraction to silently assess the room for weapons, threats, exits, and allies. Spike's eyes spoke understanding when he stepped back and to the side to stand next to Buffy instead of in front of her.

'Now that takes guts to do that.' Wesley's respect for Buffy's determination and conviction grew in those few minutes. He doubted that anyone else noticed how Buffy and Spike kept their eyes open during the kiss. He stood right next to them. So, he saw Spike checking things out. Even in the shared moment of intimacy, Buffy seemed to be on duty. This time she was protecting those she loved not those she was chosen to save by duty.

"I see our reports were accurate. William the Bloody is your new partner." Quentin slumped back against the back of the chair. "You have indeed switched sides this time."

"William the Bloody is my boyfriend, and he will soon be my mate." Buffy stated seriously. She wanted it quite clear that she was firm about Spike's place in her life.

Spike puffed up with pride over Buffy's declaration. Every time he heard her refer to him as her mate, he couldn't help the sense of satisfaction from bubbling over.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow and Tara swung their feet over the balcony on the upper level of the Magic Box. Giles kept his more dangerous and research books up here where customers wouldn't be able to reach them. Willow and Tara figured that if the Council want to take anything from up here without Giles' permission, the could stop them with a barrier spell.

Willow found amusement in kicking dust particles on the heads of the Watcher's below the balcony. She watched the Watcher's bat at their faces and run their fingers through the air as the pieces of dust and dirt drifted at them.

Tara stilled Willow's legs. She leaned in to whisper, "We don't want to make them any angrier than they already are, Willow."

Willow pouted like a sad puppy dog. If she was more powerful she would have sent Travers and his merry little band back to England on a one way ticket. She was trying to find her amusement any way she could. It helped to distract her from the worry over what was Buffy going to do or not do.

Tara kissed the tip of Willow's nose playfully. She rested her head on Willow's shoulder and listened to the continuing conversation below.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Apparently your sources aren't as good as you thought, Quentin." Giles delighted in the sickened look on Travers' face. "Spike has been fighting with us for the last year or so now. He was the one who switched sides, not Buffy."

Spike grumbled to himself about being considered a white hatter. It was inevitable that he wear the title because he was helping the Slayer and the Scoobies kill the baddies and keep things safe. Sometimes his demon just got a little upset about being called "good".

"How is this possible?" Quentin knew all he cared to know about demons. Vampires were bloodthirsty creatures of the night. They weren't fit beings to walk the earth, and he'd made it his life's goal to eradicate them all through his Slayers.

"It started with this nasty little government organization called the Initiative." Spike growled.

The events of the last year plus unfolded between Spike, Buffy and Giles telling the story. Buffy and Giles reinforced all of the times Spike helped them. Spike readily admitted his mistake with Adam, and Giles countered Travers' objections with other instances during the Adam fiasco where Spike helped immensely.

Buffy held Spike's hand tightly. She needed the reassurance of his presence in what she felt was a battle zone. She told Travers that even when all Spike wanted was to bag his third Slayer, he helped her save the world from being plunged into Hell by Angelus and Acathla.

Quentin argued that a soulless demon was not able to show or feel emotions the way humans did. Buffy blew that argument out of the water with examples of how Spike loved Drusilla for over a hundred years. She told about how Spike watched over Dawn and cared for her mother long before Buffy wanted anything to do with Spike.

They argued back and forth for at least an hour. Neither side really made any progress. It seemed that each side was arguing at their own brick wall, and the frustration levels were at their peaks.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Joyce Summers woke up a few hours after she went to sleep. Her mouth was dry, and she her headache was stronger than when she went to sleep. She sat up in bed and rang the little bell Spike gave her before he left the room earlier.

Dawn ran up the stairs quickly. In her haste she almost tripped on the last step going up to the landing. She righted herself with the railing and walked the rest of the way to her mother's room. "Mommy?" She peered into the room. She only opened the door a crack.

"Thank you for coming, Dawn." Joyce motioned for Dawn to come the rest of the way into the room.

"Did you sleep well?"

"It was a nice little nap." Joyce adjusted the blankets in her lap. "I'm afraid I woke up with a headache though. Would you please get me a glass of water and my pills?" She would have rather gotten them herself, but the pounding in her head forced her to keep her eyes closed as much as possible and stay stationary.

"Sure. I'll be right back." Dawn rushed from the bedroom. It was a good thing that Buffy made sure Dawn knew where their mom's different types of pills were located. It would have taken her a long time to find them. The medicine cabinet in the bathroom was the last place she would have looked. She picked out the one Buffy told her was for headaches and other pain.

Joyce rubbed her temples in an effort to lessen the pain. She had to be careful not to press on the incision from the tumor removal.

Dawn ran back into the bedroom. She set a bottle of water on the nightstand. She then handed two pain pills and a glass of water to Joyce. "I brought the bottle in case you get thirsty later."

"That is so thoughtful of you, Dawn." Joyce yawned. She hadn't realized that she'd want to sleep so much when she got home. "Are you, Spike and Buffy watching a movie downstairs?"

"We were, but they needed to go to the Magic Box."

"The Magic Box? I thought Rupert gave them the day off."

"He did, but something came up." Dawn tried not to look worried. "It's nothing she can't handle."

Joyce nodded, but she doubted that the matter was as simple as Dawn made it out to be. "All right. I trust her to know what she is doing." She finished the glass of water and slid back down to lay against the pillows flat. "I think I'll rest a bit more."

"Okay. Give me a ring if you need anything else." Dawn hugged her mother gently, picked up the empty glass, and closed the door behind her when she left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Unless he is willing to be ensouled, we will never accept William the Bloody as a partner for the Slayer." Quentin hissed. He might be forced to accept a lot of things, but a relationship between the Chosen One and the slayer of Slayers was a direct slap in the face to everything they stood for.

"You're not cursing me with a bloody soul." Spike growled. "I don't need a soul to do right by Buffy." He was furious that even after all they'd shared with Quentin Travers, the man still thought he had to be cursed with a soul to be considered tame enough to help the Scoobies. Hell if he wanted to he could eat all of them now, but he promised Buffy he wouldn't. Knowing right from wrong wasn't based on a soul.

Several of the Watchers jumped back from the lethal blonde pair. Spike vamped out in his anger without realizing it, and they were staring straight into the face of one of the most dangerous vampires in Council history.

Buffy squeezed Spike's arm in comfort and support. "Honey," She made a mock grrr face at him, "Bumpies." She pointed to his face. "Not that I don't love them, but you're scaring the children." She mocked the fear that the supposedly powerful men and women of the Council showed.

Spike shook off his demon. Now was not the place and time to teach these wankers a true lesson. William tried to placate the demon within, 'She won't let them harm us, Spike. She loves us just as we are.'

'I am not bloody well giving up sex because the gits want to curse us. I already have a damn soul, conscience, whatever. I deal with you every day.' The demon huffed back at the remnant of his human days.

Spike rubbed his temples to ward off the headache forming. He rubbed his hand over Buffy's to show that he was all right when she looked at him with concerned eyes. "Bit of an argument going on." During one of their post lovemaking talk sessions, Spike tried to explain to Buffy what it was like in his head at times. He told her that for whatever reason, he felt his demon and his human sides argue with each other. Sometimes he even heard physical words being thrown back and forth.

"I'll bet that is one hell of a conversation." Buffy teased. She hugged Spike once more before she turned her attention back to a gobsmacked Quentin Travers.

The head of the Council watched the display in disgust. "You allow this to continue?" He directed the words to Giles. "How can you choose to let her throw all we taught you into such disarray."

"It is not Giles' choice, and it's certainly not yours, Travers." Buffy narrowed her gaze on the aging Watcher. "I trust Giles more than almost anyone, but I won't give up Spike even for him." She sent Giles an apologetic look. "Thankfully, he was willing to give Spike a chance to prove himself for my sake."

Giles blushed and adjusted the glasses on his face. He loved Buffy like a daughter, and he knew the Council would use that against him in any way they could. It was why he was fired in the first place. "I've found that when Buffy makes her mind up about something, you need to stay by her side to see to her safety and care. If it is a wrong choice, I'll be there to pick up the pieces. If it is a right choice, I'll be there to celebrate alongside her."

Buffy smiled warmly at Giles. Her smile turned to a dark smirk before she faced Travers head on again. "You," She poked Travers in the chest, "Are going to tell us what we need to know with no more talk of ensouling. I happen to have two powerful witches for friends who would be more than happy to protect Spike. So don't try it behind my back either."

Willow and Tara smiled from their perch on the upper landing. It was good to hear that Buffy found them both useful and powerful. They wanted to support her in any way they could.

Strangely enough, Anya kept her mouth shut the entire time. The men and women frightened her. Even though she was a human right now, she didn't think they would care about that. If they knew she was a former vengeance demon, she feared for her life. She tried to blend into the background and not draw attention to herself.

"This discussion is pointless." Quentin sighed. He stood up, which pushed Buffy back away from him a little. "You are asking for us to give up too much in exchange for nothing."

Buffy frowned. 'This stupid man is so damn stubborn. He'll let the world be destroyed just to save his pride.'

"We'll keep our information to ourselves." Quentin tucked the envelope back into his briefcase. He motioned for all of the Council, and the others with him, to follow him to the door. "Perhaps when you've come to your senses, and can prove where your loyalties lie, we can speak again."

"Be realistic, Mr. Travers. Would you really allow this demon to continue to wreak havoc?" Wesley interjected his concerns. "Is the Council that pig-headed and one-sided with their beliefs that they would rather see the world go to Hell than believe one demon is able to seek out his own redemption without a soul?"

"You are young, boy." Quentin addressed Wesley with disdain. "One day you will understand just how wrong you are." With those parting words, Quentin Travers and his entourage left the Magic Box.

Buffy slumped down in the chair Travers vacated a few minutes before. "Was that as fun for everyone else as it was me?" She buried her head in her arms on the table.

Spike slipped his arms around Buffy and comforted her as best he could. He was elated that Buffy stood her ground about her relationship with him, but he knew they needed whatever information Quentin Travers had. As much as he loved Buffy, he wasn't willing to let others die so he could be happy. He started thinking of what he could do to get the information from the stuffed shirt.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(To Be Continued)
 

Chapter Summary: The Council left the Magic Box, and now the rest of the Scoobies are trying to figure out where to go next. Anya heads to the hospital to see Xander, and Dawn's key status will be revealed to the majority of the Scoobies. Cordy gets out a few frustrations. Angel will discover a secret that he doesn't even realize the importance of.

(Disclaimer and Distribution notes are listed in the Prologue of this story. Thank you ahead of time for reading and accepting or abiding by them.)

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.

 

"Where's Wesley?" Angel stretched out his arms to both sides of his body and then back behind him. It was a bit early for him to be waking up, but he had too much on his mind to sleep all day. When he came downstairs, he was surprised to find only one heartbeat in the mansion.

"He's researching those herbs he found." Cordelia Chase kept her gaze on the book she was reading. "I think he took a small sample of the potion too."

"What would he need that he couldn't bring here?" Angel questioned. He wanted to question Wesley about his findings. "He has all his research equipment right here." He pointed to the various instruments, books, and specimens on the table.

"He seemed fairly excited when he left." Cordelia shrugged. She was still mad about Angel's attitude. She got a certain delight in what she said next, "He said something about a meeting with Giles at the Magic Box. They're probably comparing notes right now."

"WHAT? You let him leave to meet Giles?" Angel's fist smashed into the back of the couch, punching a hole in it. "Am I surrounded by imbeciles or just traitors?"

Cordelia threw the book down on the table. She marched over to Angel, slapped him hard across the face, and then plunged a crossbow bolt laced with enough tranquilizer to knock the large vampire out.

"Cord ..." Angel's voice trailed off, and his body plopped to the floor unconscious.

"That's much better." Cordy tossed the bolt back into a jar full of liquid tranquilizer near the table in case the bolt was needed again. "You were really starting to get on my last nerve oh brooding one." She tossed the remark at Angel's unconscious body after a little kick to his shin. She left him there on the floor and went back to her research. She hoped Wesley had a more enjoyable afternoon than she was having.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Anya ducked out of the Magic Box about ten minutes after Travers' party left. She was still shaking from the emotional upheaval and worries that she faced when the room was full of "demon hunters". She ran along the Sunnydale streets. She had one destination in mind, and she was going to get there as fast as possible ... Sunnydale Memorial.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oh magnificent, Glorificus, we have some news." Two of Glory's minions rushed into the room.

Glory swayed back and forth from the power rush of the mind she just sucked dry. "Oooo ... this one had power." The heavily disfigured faced man fell to the floor in a babbling heap. She turned to her minions. "I hope it is good news, Jinx."

"Yes, oh glorious and beautiful one." Jinx groveled at Glory's feet. "A large group of men visited the magic place where the girl spends her time."

Glory half listened to Jinx while she tried on and tossed away several pairs of shoes.

"They seemed to be withholding information from Buffy Summers about you. Perhaps these men know where your key is."

Mention of the key grabbed Glory's attention quickly. "Oooo ... more beings to torture and suck energy from." She bounced on the back of her high heels. "You did see where they headed too right?"

"Yes, Mistress. I can take you there now."

Glory started to walk to the door. Before she made it halfway there, she grabbed her head and screamed. "Noooo! Not now!" She stomped her foot into the floor in anger and frustration. "I'm so close. I want my key!"

A female scream turned into a loud male moan, and a man dressed in Glory's dress fell to the floor. Ben pressed the heel of his hand against his head. "I am really getting sick of that." He stood up, ripped the dress off, kicked the shoes across the room, and headed for his dresser. "I have to get back to work."

"But Sir, Mistress Glorificus wanted us to locate the ones who might know about ..."

"I don't care what she wants." Ben poked a finger at Jinx. "When I'm around, I do what I want." He grabbed his work bag and slammed the door behind him.

Jinx sighed in resignation. He walked over to his fellow brethren. "Sometimes the sharing is so inconvenient." They all nodded in agreement.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Anya poked her head into Xander Harris' hospital room. The monitors beeped and chirped around him. She slowly stepped into the room and closed the door. "Xander?"

Xander heard Anya, but he wasn't in the mood for another argument. He was emotionally and physically drained. What seemed like a good idea originally was turning out to be one of the worst mistakes he ever made. He kept his eyes closed and mimicked being asleep. Everyone was angry at him, even Willow and Anya. He felt so alone.

Anya pulled up a chair next to Xander's bed. She reached for his uninjured hand, and she held it softly in her hands. "I know I should be telling you this when you're awake, but I have to say this to someone right now." She sighed. "I'm worried about you."

Xander listened as Anya spoke. He felt so disconnected with the world around him. He hadn't even requested a TV for his room because there wasn't anything he cared enough about to watch. He just stared at the ceiling day in and day out, thinking.

"Terrible men came to the Magic Box today." Anya's hands trembled around Xander's. "I wasn't sure at first who they were, but it turned out that they were from the Council. The head guy named Travers scared all my customers away before Giles got there, and then he proceeded to threaten people after Giles arrived."

Xander's ears perked up at the name Travers. Wasn't that the guy who ordered Giles to perform that horrible test on Buffy for her 18th birthday?

Anya rested her head against their clasped hands. "He scared me so much, Xander. He was so full of hatred, anger and disdain. Nothing Buffy or Giles said would change his mind, and he threatened to have her executed Xander."

Xander nearly jerked "awake" when Anya talked about execution. The Slayer was considered the Chosen champion of all humans. 'It would be insane to kill Buffy. She isn't some rogue ...' His thoughts derailed right there.

"That is the only way I can describe the threat he made." Anya continued, oblivious to Xander's inner turmoil. "He said something about needing more bullets to take a Slayer down, but that the Council knew how to take care of rogue Slayers."

'They would consider Buffy a rogue. Maybe not as bad as Faith, but she isn't exactly a poster child for a good Slayer in their eyes.' Xander's dislike for Quentin Travers grew. 'No one threatens Buffy without feeling the wrath of all the Scoo ...' His mouth mentally gaped open. 'Oh my gosh. That's why everyone ... I'm so stupid.'

"I think what scares me more is how close you are to being them, Xander." Anya softly wept against Xander's hand. "You hate all demons because some of them were bad, and they wronged you. You won't give anyone a chance to redeem themselves in your eyes. You've appointed yourself as judge and jury."

Anya dropped her head to rest on the bed. "I don't know if I can live without you, Xander Harris, but I need you to face the reality that I was a vengeance demon for over one thousand years." She sniffled. "Soul or not, it doesn't matter to you. You aren't exactly accepting of Angel either. The only exception in your mind is me."

Xander's heart broke at the sounds of the woman he loved weeping. He wanted to comfort her, but he had a feeling that he should hear everything she had to say first. If he "woke up" now, it might distract Anya enough that she couldn't finish what she needed to get out.

"What if one day you wake up and realize how many men I killed, or how much pleasure I took in doing my job before?" Anya's voice quivered with emotion. "Will you kill me too or worse, will you hate me? I'd rather be dead than see the look on your face directed at me that you had for Buffy when I first visited you here."

Xander gulped. He would never kill Anya for what she did in the past. He loved her too much to do that. Was this the proof he needed to see to realize that he was so jealous of Spike that he let it cloud his judgment? Had he allowed his experiences with Angelus to be the measure for what all soulless demons had to be?

"I know you are a good man, Xander Harris, but the world isn't all black and white. It is shaded with gray, like me. I'm a shaded area." Anya rested her head against Xander's chest carefully. She wasn't sure if he had any broken bones there still. "Don't let yourself become like the Council. Turn around before it is too late and you become that which you profess to hate ... an evil and vindictive creature with no concern for anything but your own goals."

Xander lay still until Anya cried herself to sleep against his chest. With the strain and pain it took for him to move Anya from her chair to his bed, he was surprised he didn't wake Anya up. He wrapped his healing body around her and caressed her arms gently. "I don't know what I have to do, Ahn, but I swear I'll do what I can. I love you Ahn, and I don't want to lose you." He whispered into her hair before the newest pain medication kicked in, and he was truly asleep.

Anya smiled and peeked one eye open. She may not be a demon anymore, but she still had enough sense to tell when someone was faking rest. She meant every word she said to Xander, and her fears were real, but knowing he was awake and listening gave her more courage to spit out the words of her heart. She snuggled back into Xander's embrace and closed both eyes again. Hopefully the world would look a lot brighter when they woke up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Guys, there is something I need to tell you." Buffy looked at everyone seated around the table. While everyone continued the research on Glory, she had been thinking about the best way to protect Dawn. Giles and Spike knew what they were dealing with, but she came to the conclusion that Willow and Tara should know as well.

Giles looked up from the tome he was studying. Wesley pressed a finger in place on a particular page to make sure he knew where he'd left off. Willow and Tara both looked over from the bookcase they'd been searching for a particular book from.

Spike squeezed Buffy's arms in support. He'd seen the "wheels" turning while she thought. "You sure, pet?" He whispered to Buffy. After the Council's appearance, he had a feeling what Buffy wanted to say.

Buffy nodded. She stared at Wesley for a moment. She contemplated whether or not she should say what she needed to say, in front of him.

Giles answered Buffy's unspoken question, "I trust him, Buffy."

Wesley quickly glanced between Buffy and Giles. He sighed. He always felt on the outside of this little group of people when he was Buffy's official Watcher. Now, it seemed that times were no different. Although they didn't have a reason to truly trust him, he'd hoped that his research for the truth would have helped to show his sincerity. He was warmed by Giles' words of support. He watched Buffy to see if it was enough for her to trust him too.

"All right, Giles," Buffy began. "I know exactly what Glory is looking for."

"That's great!" Willow chirped. "If we know what the Key is, we can get rid of it, right?"

"We are not getting rid of the Key! She can't have it." Buffy stood up suddenly from Spike's lap. "I'm the Slayer, and it's my job to protect it."

A loud crash echoed through the shop. Spike ran for the door that led to the storage room downstairs. He drug a squirming scaly faced man, dressed in robes, back up the stairs. "Look what I caught snooping around."

"Please, don't kill me Slayer. I won't tell the wondrous Glorificus that you know where her beautiful Key is." The robed minion begged for his life.

"I say we snap his neck, and that will make sure that our little secret is safe." Spike shook the little man at the end of his grip.

The robed demon whimpered. Before Buffy or Spike could react he kicked back against Spike, knocked him over, pushed Buffy onto the floor and ran out the door.

Buffy and Spike jumped up off the floor. They ran to the door where Spike stopped after starting to sizzle in the sun. Buffy ran into the middle of the street, but she found no sight of the little man. She slumped her shoulders, closed the door to the shop, locked it, and walked back over to the table.

Spike frowned at Buffy. He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry, luv."

"It's not your fault. He got past me too." Buffy sighed. "At least he doesn't know who the Key is. Though I wonder what Glory will say about my Slayer status."

"It won't help them any. She won't realize what hit her," Wesley piped up. "You've never been a conventional Slayer, Buffy. Even if she knows what a Slayer is, she will never expect the things that you can come up with to do to her."

Giles beamed with pride and praise. "I'm glad to see someone else realizes this is a positive thing." He was tired of the Council who berated him for allowing Buffy to be her own person. They never understood just why that was a strength in his Slayer and not a weakness.

"I agree with Oxford there." Spike nodded in agreement. "It's one of the reasons I wasn't able to succeed in killing you right off. You definitely weren't following the handbook." He nestled his nose into Buffy's hair, inhaling her scent. "Course now, I don't want to kill you at all, and I'll hunt down anyone who tries."

"So who is the Key, and why didn't you tell us sooner?" Willow tried not to be hurt by the fact that Buffy hadn't trusted this information to her, but she could tell that Spike and Giles knew whom Buffy talked about. She walked over to the table and sat down with Tara next to her.

"I'm sorry, Willow," Buffy reached across the table to hold Willow's hand. "Giles was the only who knew for the longest time. I decided to tell Spike because I was really worried about Dawn being protected if I wasn't around." She softened her gaze on her friend. "I trust you Willow, but I was afraid of anyone overhearing. Even now, Glory almost found out, and I thought we were safe in here."

"I understand, Buffy. We just want to help too." Tara squeezed Willow's hand in support.

"Wait a minute, you said Dawn? Dawn is what Glory is looking for?" Willow asked in confusion.

"You'd better start from the beginning, pet." Spike encouraged Buffy to continue her story. He made a sweep of the storage room and training room to make sure no one else lingered. When he was finished checking and double checking, he returned to the table of stunned Scoobies and Oxford.

"Wow," Willow said dumbfounded. "That's just wow. It's hard to believe that many years of memories can be fabricated. Imagine the power involved in manipulating that much time across the board."

"They were pretty thorough," Giles added to the discussion. "They made sure that we all remembered both good and bad times with Dawn."

"They took into account all those that might have met her along the way too." Wesley was still shocked because he too remembered Dawn. "I was only here for a brief time in Sunnydale, but I remember her. I'm sure Angel and Cordelia will as well. The monks were very diligent."

"They had to be." Buffy explained. "If they missed anyone, Dawn's position in our lives would be compromised to Glory. Imagine what would have happened if Glory came in and Dawn was here. If they didn't insert memories for you Wesley, you would easily give Dawn away without even realizing it just by not knowing of her existence as my sister."

"This is going to make it difficult to track down magical elements related or surrounding all of you." Wesley shrugged flat against the back of his chair. "Any magical trace will show a spell on all of you, including the LA crew. Angel will never believe that you aren't being influenced by Spike."

"As if," Buffy snorted.

"Hey!" Spike poked Buffy in the side.

"I meant influenced in a spell way, dear." Buffy pressed a kiss to Spike's cheek. "You are welcome to influence my life in any way you want, my darling vampire."

Wesley looked at Giles with a curiously raised brow. "I can see why Angel thought there was a spell involved."

"What do you mean by that, Oxford?" Spike, already having figured out the perfect moniker for the ex-Watcher, asked.

"The Spike who came to LA and tortured his Sire for the Gem of Amara being so lovesick looking at the Slayer, and the Slayer returning it? It seems far fetched and unreal." Wesley adjusted his glasses. He shirked back at the low rumbling growl from Spike. "I'm not saying that there is a spell involved. I'm just pointing out why Angel might have thought there was. It must be a hard thing for him to accept."

"Would it help if I allowed him to sample my blood?" Buffy asked innocently. She wanted all of this to be solved so they could move on to the protection of Dawn.

"I don't think that's wise, pet. Didn't he almost kill you the last time?" Spike questioned with concern.

"I would have to agree with Spike on this point, Buffy. It would be unwise to give Angel a chance to bite you again, especially since he is so temperamental right now."

Buffy looked at Spike. "If we completed a mating claim, would that keep him from killing me?"

Spike stuttered, "Yes, but he'd detect it instantly. I don't think that would make the poof all accepting of your feelings. He would assume that I was controlling you."

Buffy frowned, huffed, and slumped against Spike. "It seems that I can't win."

"Perhaps there is a way for Angel to sample your blood without risking your life?" Wesley sat back up straight. "If you were to create a cut in your wrist, allow the blood to drip into a cup, and then he drink it, that might do it. Angel and Buffy would both have to be present as it was done. That way he can't say that the blood was tainted or changed with magic."

"What do you think, pet?" Spike hugged Buffy from behind.

"It's worth a try. I'd be willing to do anything to get over this mess. So long as it didn't involve any harm to my family, friends, or those I love." Buffy turned in Spike's arms. She kissed him lovingly. "I don't feel that I have to prove anything to him, but we could use his help." She hoped that Spike understood her reasons.

Spike nodded. "If it's what you want, I can't refuse you."

"If that's settled, I think I will return to the mansion. It is nearing sunset, and Angel will be awakening." Wesley stood up. He left the book he'd brought, and he gave it to Giles. "Please let me know what the lab report comes up with." He wrote his cell phone number down on a piece of paper. "I'll do my best to get Angel to agree to the blood test. I'll call you if I hear any news."

Spike and Buffy stood up shortly after Wes left. "We should get back to my house." Buffy told the group. "Mom is going to need dinner, and I'd like to spend some more time with her."

"Okay, Buffy. We'll keep at it here." Willow spoke with genuine concern and support in her voice.

"Thanks, Wills." Buffy hugged Willow. Then, she and Spike left the Magic Box. Neither liked the idea of being away from Dawn or Joyce for as long as they'd already been gone. It was too dangerous.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I trusted you." Angel glared at Wesley with contempt. He pressed the ex-Watcher against the wall as soon as Wesley entered the mansion. The tranquilizer had worn off a half hour prior to Wes' arrival, and Cordelia hadn't stabbed him again. "How could you go behind my back like that, Wes?"

"I informed you that I was going to investigate everything to determine what was going on," Wesley countered. He had received a cell phone call from Cordelia shortly after he left the Magic Box. He prepared himself for Angel's arguments on his way back to the mansion. He refused to let the bulky vampire intimidate him.

"You went to the people who are the most affected by all of this," Angel argued. "You can't trust anything they say."

"Your hatred and jealousy could be equally as blinding as any spell." Wesley knew that he had to stand firm against Angel's tirade. "Nothing about their lives is simple right now, and I will find the truth all around. They are willing to give you irrefutable proof that they are under no chemical or magical influences where Spike is concerned."

"Why would I believe anything they say or any proof that they could come up with? It would all be under whatever influence has them," Angel retorted. "They would taint any evidence with their view."

"Not this they can't." Wesley frowned at Angel's stubborn attitude. "If you put me down, I might be willing to tell you. If you continue to act like a brute, I will simply leave."

"I'm not up for any more games tonight. Delia already knocked me out once." Angel growled in warning.

Cordelia looked up from her work on the table. "I'll do it again you big oaf if you keep acting like an ass." She threatened.

"Out with it, Wes." Angel rolled his and set Wesley's feet back down on the floor.

"Buffy is willing to offer her blood to you." Wesley stated in a serious and monotone voice.

"I will not bite her again." Angel's demon cried out for the taste of Buffy's blood again, but Angel refused to give it the satisfaction. It was too dangerous.

"We anticipated any problems that could arise. She will cut her wrist and drip it into a cup for you to drink from." Wesley continued his explanation. "You and she will both be present during the cut and the sampling. Once you've taken the sample, it will prove that her blood is still pure without being magically tainted."

"It's already tainted from the familial claim," Angel held up a hand to keep Wesley from interrupting, "But I accept. So long as I only sense a minor amount of his blood due to the familial claiming, and no other influences, I will believe them."

"Good. I'll let Rupert know." Wesley pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to grab a bite to eat from the kitchen. That is if you were able to have something delivered, Cordy?"

"Yes, Wes. Thankfully they still deliver to this creepy place," Cordelia answered without looking up from her work.

"I'm going out. I want to check with a few of my demon contacts to see if I can get any more information."

"Be careful, Angel. The Council is in town." Wes tossed over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen.

'Just great.' Angel sighed and headed out into the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ben slid into his car after a long day's work at the hospital. Jinx, one of Glory's more loyal minions sat in the backseat of the car. Ben jumped at the reflection of the scaly demon in his rearview mirror. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pass on some information to you," Jinx replied. During the day Glory made a brief appearance at the hospital. It was long enough for her to be informed of the day's events. She gave Jinx an order during the time she was free. "We have found out that Buffy Summers is the Slayer."

'That makes the scene in Buffy's ER room even stranger. Why would the Slayer allow her sister to be bitten?' Ben stared back at the minion. "Why should I care about that?"

"The magnificent Glorificus wishes you to seek a closer friendship with the Slayer. Before discovery, we were able to ascertain that the Slayer knows what the Key is. She is protecting it."

"I am not going to help you get the Key. I don't give a damn what Glory wants." Ben gripped the steering wheel tighter. He knew Glory's time was running out. If he could wait out the time, maybe he would be rid of his other half.

"You will not succeed in keeping Glorificus from her prize, Sir." Jinx stepped out of the car. "It would be in your best interest to help in her quest. It will only bode worse for you, if you don't."

Ben locked the doors as soon as Jinx got out. "Keep away from me. If I have to tell you again, Glory will be short one minion to kiss her ass." He threw the car into reverse and squealed away from the parking lot.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel poked his head out from the side of the building. After beating and interrogating several demons and a couple humans for information about the Slayer, he'd found out that Xander was in the hospital after an incident with Buffy. He was confused about why Xander would come after his best friend. So he headed there to question Xander.

Angel hadn't gotten inside yet when he noticed the human get into a car with the demon. At first Angel was ready to strike out at the demon to save the human, but it seemed that they were having a conversation in the car. The human was clearly unhappy about things, but he seemed to be in no danger from the demon. He was about to turn away when Buffy's name was mentioned. Hearing that name stopped him in his tracks.

Angel listened to the scaly fellow inform the man about some plans that someone named Glorificus had for Buffy. His demon and soul growled at the thought of anyone harming her. He watched the demon get out of the car and finally walk away.

Instead of going into the hospital, Angel decided it would be best to follow the demon. Any creature that wanted to harm Buffy was more important to him than anything else. Xander was incapacitated in the hospital. He could talk to him later.

Angel followed Jinx to Glory's residence. His vampiric ability to blend into the shadows saved him several times from detection. He walked with silence in his steps. Nothing moved or was displaced even as he traveled over twigs and leaves that would normally crunch underfoot.

When they arrived at a lush looking house or mansion like place, Angel waited at the end of the drive to see if the demon went inside. Once he was confident of the demon being inside, he opened the mailbox at the end of the drive. The name on several pieces was Ben.

Angel placed the mail back in the box, and he was about ready to head to the Magic Box when a set of headlights coming up the road forced him back into the bushes. To his surprise, it was the car containing the man from the hospital parking lot. He followed the car up the driveway in confusion.

The same man he'd seen at the hospital got out of the car. All of a sudden the man, whom he now assumed was Ben, started screaming and holding the sides of his head. One instant a man was cowering on the ground, and the next instant a long haired woman was pushing herself weakly up off the ground.

Several of the same scaly demons ran out of the home to help the woman. She cursed at them and pushed them aside. The whole group went into the house together.

'Okay, that is not something you see every day.' Angel dashed back down the driveway towards the main stretch of road to lead him to the Magic Box. 'I may not like it, but this is something Buffy and her gang should know about.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(To Be Continued)

Chapter Summary: Angel headed to the Magic Box to share the information about what he saw at the hospital and home. Buffy and Spike went home to visit with Joyce, and they are now headed out for their nightly patrol. Giles received the toxicology report shortly before Angel arrived. Willow, Tara, and Giles worked on using the liquid to their advantage. Glory, now back in her form, left the house to find the Council in the hopes that they know where her key is.

(Disclaimer and Distribution notes are listed in the Prologue of this story. Thank you ahead of time for reading and accepting or abiding by them.)

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.

Spike and Buffy checked in on Joyce Summers, and they all ate dinner together as a family with Dawn. Spike surprised them all with his cooking knowledge and a delicious meal. After a couple hours of family time, Joyce and Dawn headed up to bed while Buffy and Spike left the house to patrol. Buffy found that being with her family helped to recharge her strength. She needed their support.

Spike and Buffy tried joking back and forth to ease some of the tensions they both felt. Spike shared humorous stories of Angelus' faux pas from Spike's fledgling days.

"I wish I could have seen that." Buffy tried to imagine Angel's now well gelled hair being full of wedding cake and gooseberry wine. "He must have had a fit."

"Dru and Darla were still trying to kiss up to him a week later because of how hard they laughed at his poncy assed self." Spike laughed heartily at the memory. "Seeing the big git all flustered like that is something I'll relish for centuries."

Buffy slowly stopped laughing. "Sometimes I forget how old you are." She wrapped her hand around Spike's arm. "You are going to live long after I die. Why would you want to mate with someone who will be old, frail, and ugly in a few years."

"You will never be ugly to me, pet." Spike stopped walking. He turned towards Buffy and cupped her cheek. "Your beauty comes from within and I will not live one sunrise past your death. Even without the mating bond, I don't want to live without you."

"Spike, Slayers have a very short life span. Are you saying if I died tomorrow, you'd meet the sunrise?" Buffy knew Spike loved with all of his being. She'd seen how he cared for Drusilla even when Dru tossed him to the side for Angelus.

"Yes, pet." Spike pulled Buffy to him in an embrace. "I don't care if it be a day, 2 years, or 20 years. I will stay with you to the end but not a sunrise more."

"I think you will find your life expectancy to go up drastically if you mate with William the Bloody, Miss Summers." A fairly tall woman dressed in a tweed suit jacket and skirt emerged from a nearby set of bushes.

"What do you want?" Buffy frowned. She'd recognize the look and style of the Council anywhere. She also remembered this woman specifically because she caught the woman eying Spike several times during the earlier exchange at the Magic Box. Buffy stood protectively in front of Spike's chest in case the woman wanted to harm him.

"There is no need for such a defensive attitude, Miss Summers." Lydia stepped further into the moonlight. "I mean you and William no harm."

Spike huffed. "Not many people are allowed to call me William, and you are certainly not one of them." He growled.

"My apologies." Lydia extended her hand to Buffy. "I'm Lydia, and from your stance I see you remember that I was with the Council earlier."

Buffy looked at the hand with disdain. Instead of shaking Lydia's hand, she crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't trust anyone from the Council, not anymore."

"There are many who will always follow Quentin Travers blindly in his endeavors, but I have a particular spot of interest in William the Bloody." Lydia looked at Spike with a star struck kind of gaze. "I did my thesis paper on his life, before and after his turning."

"Is that right, little Watcher?" Spike smirked with his natural swagger. "Had a bit of interest in the big bad?"

Buffy elbowed Spike in the ribs. "Watch it Big Bad, or you will be big pile of dust."

"Easy now, luv." Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist. "You should know better than that by now. As sad as it is for me to say it, I'm as faithful as a dog." He chuckled. "I remained loyal to one woman for 100 years. Why would I even think of any woman other than you when I love you more than I ever cared for Dru."

"I know." Buffy sighed. "I can't help but see green still when you even look at another woman."

Spike tightened his arms around Buffy. "That's fine, pet. It's good to know that I'm not the only one feeling a bit insecure at times."

Lydia cleared her throat. "If I could interrupt a moment ..."

Buffy and Spike both glared at the interfering woman. "If you must," Buffy answered.

"When I later checked on my thesis in the archives, I noticed several facts were changed from what I originally wrote. Several pages were missing all together." Lydia adjusted her glasses. "That sent up a few warning flags in my mind about what other things in the Council's archives might be altered. I've been biding my time until other instances were revealed."

"Not to be rude, but what does this have to do with the Council being here now?" Spike questioned. "That git wasn't exactly forthcoming with any information."

"That's why I'm here." Lydia finished closing the distance between herself and Buffy. She handed Buffy a leather portfolio case. "I don't agree with Mr. Travers' withholding of information about Glorificus. There is a copy of everything we know about her in that folder. I think you will be quite shocked at the content."

Buffy started to open the folder, but Spike held it closed. "We should get that to your Watcher, pet. We don't want any prying eyes seeing us with it out here."

Buffy nodded. "Thank you, Lydia." She looked at the other woman with a bit more respect and admiration. "I know how hard it can be to go up against the Council. If you ever need help, you know where to find us."

"I just might take you up on that, Miss Summers. If Mr. Travers finds out about this, I am finished." Lydia stepped back towards the bushes. "Oh, and I also included some information in that folder about vampires and Slayers that you two might find interesting. There are many things the Council would rather keep hidden from their Slayers. Good luck." She disappeared into the night.

Buffy and Spike darted around tombstones on their way out of the cemetery to the Magic Box. About halfway through Sunnydale's streets they noticed some of Glory's minions searching various places. Spike tucked the portfolio into a large inside duster pocket, and they both followed the minions to see where they were headed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel knocked on the locked door of the Magic Box. It was long past closing hours, but the lights were still on inside. He figured that Giles and the rest of the Scoobies were probably up doing research.

Giles answered the door. "What do you want, Angel?" He was tired and his nerves were shot. He wasn't up to dealing with an irate vampire at the moment.

"I just want to talk, Giles. No yelling." Angel shuffled back and forth from one foot to another.

"Giles, a fax just came in from the hospital." Willow called out from the back of the Magic Box.

"Fine, Angel, but if you start trouble, I have no problems with kicking you out." Giles stepped to the side and headed for the back. "Lock the door please." He walked into his office to retrieve the fax. It contained the toxicology report on the liquid within the vial that he'd asked his friend at the hospital to give him.

Angel walked over to the table. He waved to Willow. "Hello, Willow. Hello ... I don't believe we've met."

"This is Tara, Angel." Willow hugged Tara. "Tara, this is Angel. Tara is my girlfriend."

"Wow, really? Good for you." Angel sat down at a chair at the table. 'Didn't see that one coming. I wonder what happened with the wolf boy.' He waited for Giles to come back before he spoke again. "Where are Buffy and Spike?"

"They are probably out on patrol now," Giles answered without looking up from the sheets of paper in his hands. He sat down, going over the various figures and percentages.

"Do you have any way of contacting them? I saw something really weird tonight, and they are probably going to want to know about it." Angel continued, "It would probably be easier to tell everyone at once."

"They have a lot to deal with right now with Joyce's illness." Giles set the papers down in front of him. He highlighted several columns and continued to talk without looking up from them. "You can tell us what you saw, and then we'll decide if Buffy needs to be informed."

Angel growled inwardly in frustration. He worked with these people for three years. So, he went a lot crazy on them for about 6 months, but he'd worked hard to regain their trust again. He hated feeling like he was being blown off. "I followed some really scaly and disfigured looking demons to this upscale place on the other side of town after I saw one of them talking with someone from the hospital in his car."

Willow and Tara looked across the table at Angel. "Was the demon wearing brown robes, like a monk?" Willow asked.

"Yes, he was. Is that significant?" Angel queried.

"It might be," Giles looked up from his papers to give more attention to Angel's story.

"When I got to the house, I checked the mail box. There were several pieces of mail with someone named Ben on them. Some of them had a medical reference to them." Angel explained. "Before I left, the same man whom I'd seen the demon with arrived at the house. When he got out of the car, he seemed to undergo some sort of transformation. Instead of a man, there was now a woman in his place. A bunch of the demons came out of the house and helped the woman into the house."

"Did she have long reddish blonde hair? About as tall as Spike?" Giles questioned further.

"Yes, I believe so. I was a ways down the driveway. I didn't get a clear look at her."

"Ben? Wasn't that the name of one of the interns at the hospital that helped Mrs. Summers?" Tara asked.

"Yes, but I'm sure there are lots of Ben's that work at Sunnydale Memorial." Willow countered.

"Buffy seemed to have quite an adverse reaction to Ben when Joyce left the hospital. Even Dawn seemed a bit uneasy around him, and Buffy stood in front of Dawn quite protectively." Giles pondered the events of the other day again. He'd meant to question Buffy on the incident later, but with the Council's arrival it hadn't been possible.

"Do you think he knows about Buffy and the Key?" Willow didn't want to say too much in front of Angel especially with the way she heard he was acting, but she was concerned.

"We never said anything at the hospital. So, she should be safe." Giles answered somewhat cryptically.

"Key? What Key?" Angel's gaze darted between Willow and Giles.

"I'm sorry, Angel, but right now we can't ..." Giles stopped mid-sentence when he read something of interest on the report. "Good heavens."

"What?" Willow scooted closer to Giles to read the report.

"The vial included heavy traces of sedative and destabilizing agents." Giles skimmed his fingers down through his friend's summation of the liquid. "It is believed that the liquid attacks various elements or enhancements that would not be apparent in normal humans and "sedates" them for lack of a better term. It reduces these abilities to human levels causing loss of strength, stamina, etc."

Angel's eyes narrowed on Giles. "You found the vial of what was injected into Spike?"

"Yes." Giles sat back in his chair and removed his glasses. "This explains why it took Spike so long to recover, even with the infusions of Slayer blood." He chewed on the end of one of the arms of his glasses. "Until there was enough Slayer blood to counteract the initial dosage of debilitating drug, Spike would continue to heal at only a human pace."

"You let Buffy feed Spike continually?" Angel slammed his fists on the table as he stood up.

"Yes, and this is why we won't trust you. You are behaving like a big jerk," Willow scolded. "Sit down. Buffy knows what she is doing, and if you keep acting like this no one will trust you."

Angel reluctantly took his seat again. Willow turned to Giles. "Do you think that what Angel saw was Glory switching forms? It seems ridiculous, but a vampire does have control over showing its demon or human sides. Couldn't Glory do the same thing?"

"It would be easier to tell if we knew exactly what Glory was." Giles sighed. "I think that we need to head to the Council's hotel to get some answers." He closed his books and stood up. "Even if I have to beat it out of Quentin Travers."

"I'll go with you." Angel stood up alongside Giles. "Just in case you run into whatever this thing is on the way."

"If Glory thinks that the Council knows anything about her, she might head there to kill them," Tara warned. "If her minions were watching the shop from the outside, they would have seen the Council come and go."

"Willow, I'm going to take the vial with me. Use the ingredients list in the report and make more. We should have everything here at the Magic Box." Giles grabbed the vial from his office.

"If we can make a quick stop at the mansion, I have the hypodermic there. It will give us a little bit more of the fluid." Angel offered.

"All right, but it will have to be quick. If Glory is already on the way to the hotel, we won't have long." Giles and Angel darted out of the Magic Box to Giles' car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy and Spike followed Glory's minions up to the Sunnydale motel. They both looked at each other. "What the hell would Glory's minions be doing at a hotel?" Spike raised a curious brow in question.

"Beats me." Buffy shrugged. They continued to follow them up the stairs where they started hearing an extra amount of grunting, groaning, crashing and British cursing.

They ran the rest of the way up the stairs. One of the Watcher's they saw at the Magic Box earlier flew out a broken door past them and down the hall.

"That had to hurt," Spike muttered low. He bolted for the open doorway. He stopped only a moment before he jumped into the fray of the battle going on in the large suite. He ducked a few minions who flew over his head from some of the Watchers. He headed straight for Glory who had Quentin Travers hanging off the floor by her hand around his throat.

"Tell me what I want to know, and all your little boys can go home," Glory taunted.

"I don't know where your Key is," Quentin grunted out past his closing windpipe.

"You were going to tell that nasty little girl about my Key." Glory whined in her annoying way. She clutched his throat tighter. "You can tell me instead."

"We ..." Quentin gasped. "We only knew you were a god."

"At least someone knows just how important I am." Glory preened. "But if you don't know where my Key is then I don't need you." She was knocked away from Quentin and into the wall by Spike before she could crush Travers' throat completely.

"I don't think so, you crazy bint." Spike squared off with Glory, circling each other.

Buffy got the rest of the Watchers out of the hotel room as quickly as possible. She kicked some of the minions in the head to knock them out, and she made her way over to Travers. "I don't know why I'm doing this, but give me your hand." She pulled Quentin up off the bed and half carried him out of the suite to safety.

Inside the suite Glory and Spike punched and kicked at each other. Spike fared far worse than the hell god. He broke his arm when he was thrown through the door into the bathroom to hit the edge of the tub. Spike barreled into Glory's chest with his shoulder at full speed to knock Glory into the opposing wall.

"Now I'm mad." Glory stood back up to full height. With determination she stalked over to Spike and rammed her fingertips into Spike's chest. "You made me break a nail." She said over Spike's screams of agony.

"SPIKE!" Buffy pulled Spike away from Glory's grasp. She feared for a moment that Spike would dust, but thankfully Glory wasn't holding his heart. Spike hit the floor a few feet away from the door. Buffy was now the object of Glory's anger, and Buffy slammed into the wall after being thrown by Glory.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel, Giles and Wesley ran through the Sunnydale Hotel parking lot. People vacated the building left and right. That wasn't a good sign. When Giles noticed several of the Watcher's bodies on the landings and in the hallway he hastened his pace even more.

Angel pulled on the open door jam to stop himself from flying by it. He drug Spike out of the room along the wall. "Crazy Childe." He checked him over briefly. After being sure that no wood pieces were near to his heart, despite the bloodied marks on his chest, Angel headed into the suite.

Giles ran up behind Glory while she headed back over to Buffy to beat her up again. He buried the hypodermic into Glory's neck and started to press the plunger down.

Glory swung around with fists flying. She punches Giles so hard that he crashed into the dresser with a crack. He slumped to the ground. Before she could get the offending object out of her neck, Angel jumped on her and pressed the rest of the liquid into Glory's system. He pulled the hypodermic out with him as he was thrown away from Glory with the last of her strength before she transformed back into Ben.

Spike's eyes widened and Buffy growled when they saw Ben. "Bloody Hell," Spike growled out from his spot now just inside the door where he'd crawled into. "Did you see that?" He said to Buffy, and she nodded. Although normal humans would forget the change happening in front of them, Buffy already held some of Spike's blood in her. It tainted the hell god's radar, and Buffy was able to remember the change.

Ben staggered up and crawled for the door. Wesley was about to follow, but the pale look on Giles' face stopped him. He wasn't sure who the escaping man was, but he needed to tend to Giles first. He wondered where the woman disappeared to and how she got past him.

Buffy dragged Quentin up onto the bed after she brushed it off. "I think you need to make with the explaining, right now."

"I don't have to do anything," Quentin huffed.

"We just saved your life, mate. You owe us," Spike snarled.

"I owe you nothing!" Quentin Travers objected.

"Would you rather we let the bitch come back and finish the job?" Buffy moved over to make sure Giles was okay while Spike checked on Angel.

"Fine, Glorificus isn't like any demon you've encountered before."

"I could have told you that." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Tell me what she is. So, I can kill her."

"She isn't any form of demon at all. She's a god." Quentin said the last bit with a sneer of delight on his face. His own pride and lust for power satisfied him that even though Glory could end the world, it would finally give the little bitch of a Slayer her just deserves.

"Somehow you guys managed to force her to change. How?" Buffy asked Wesley and Giles.

"It was the liquid that Dru injected into Spike. It is debilitating to the supernatural it seems," Giles offered in explanation.

"You don't get more supernatural than a god, I suppose." Buffy shrugged.

"Who knew that Dru's little act of revenge would actually help you, luv." Spike cuddled the shaking Slayer close to him. "Bet she's turning over in her dusty grave with that knowledge."

Buffy half chuckled. She knew Spike was trying to calm her down, and it was slowly working. Giles was all right. He had a cold compress resting against his forehead. He was probably going to need to go to the hospital for x-rays. Wesley and Angel were off to the side nursing their own wounds. Quentin Travers was lying on the bed while several of his lackeys worked to reattach the door to the hotel room.

"You do realize that we're going to have to kill him to kill her, pet," Spike spoke softly. "We can weaken her with the injection, but if we don't kill the human she will come back."

"I know." Buffy sighed. "I hate it, but I know." She buried her face into Spike's chest. "What I wouldn't give for things to be back like the old days where I just see bad and slay bad. These gray areas are killing me."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ben and Glory bounced back and forth over who was in the forefront of the body they both inhabited. With the help of their lackeys, they made it back to the house in one piece.

"What did they do to me?" Glory held her head in her hands.

"I feel like I was hit by a Mack truck." Ben buried his head in the pillow of his bed.

The minions looked over their Mistress and Ben for the rest of the day. All was in a state of confusion because no one knew what to do to fix it. They tried to bring Glory some humans to suck energies from, but she wouldn't stay in her hell god form for long enough to complete the process.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You'll never defeat a god," Travers choked out the words and clutched his bruised throat. Although he was surprised that William the Bloody stepped in to rescue him, he wasn't willing to let go of his preconceptions of all vampires. "She will come after you and your family and render you weak and defenseless."

"That is where you are wrong, Mr. Travers. We know her weakness now," Buffy smiled proudly. She wrapped her arm around Spike's waist. "Besides the relationships, friendships, and family that I have are my strengths. They are never my weakness. Together we can overcome anything you, or any hell god throws our way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(To Be Continued)

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