Chapter Six - The Problem with Friends and Meddling Watchers

Buffy was standing on a hill overlooking Sunnydale. She had a black duffel bag slung over her shoulder and was wearing a pink stone around her neck. The wind was blowing through her hair, and she was trying her hardest to calm herself down. She was upset with her friends, but she had no idea why.

"You came." Buffy said, feeling a pair of strong arms come around her.

"Of course I did. You should know by now - I'll always come for you." Angel kissed her neck. "But you shouldn't be here."

"I know. But - something inside me tells me I have to be. I- I know I shouldn't, but - I have to. I love you and when I found out - It was too much to bear." She turned around. "I had to see you. To make sure it was real."

"Shh..." Angel brushed the tears away from her face. "It's real." He leaned in and kissed her and Buffy twined her arms around his neck, never wanting to let go.

"I told you it was soon, baby." He murmured against her mouth.

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

Buffy awoke feeling drowsy. She looked at her bedside lamp and groaned - she was supposed to meet Faith down in the dungeons for their first class of the day in forty minutes.

After Faith and Buffy were halfway up the stairs, they realized that Hermione, Harry, and Draco were speaking to Dumbledore, and that they probably weren't going to be able to speak with him that night.

So, Buffy retired to her room and fell into a deep slumber, willing her dreams with Angel to come to life once more.

And come to life they did.

But what did he mean by, "I would be here soon?"

Buffy sighed and walked into the bathroom, hoping that a hot shower would wash the confusion away.

It didn't.

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

"I can't believe I have another detention. This is getting ridiculous!" Hermione said, not bothering to mask her aggravation towards the person standing next to her.

"Well maybe if you stopped helping Neville, we wouldn't be here." Harry said, sounding just as annoyed. There was no way he was going to let her pin all of this on him.

"Snape would have just taken away points and been done with it if you hadn't put that slug in Malfoy's potion! He's a Slytherin for Christ's sake! Of course he's going to say something!"

"How was I supposed to know that an extra slug in his invisibility potion was going to make him shrink?" The picture Hermione got in her mind was all too laughable and she couldn't help it - she burst out into hysterical laughter. Harry joined her, until the two of them were leaning up against each other holding their sides, trying to stand straight.

The closeness of Harry made Hermione feel a little warm. 'What is going on here? Stop it 'Mione - no use getting yourself flustered.'

Harry was feeling the same way and must have sensed her own discomfort because he backed off suddenly. He was grateful for the distraction - the two of them were nearing the dungeons when they heard a loud clanging sound.

"What is that? " Harry asked, looking at Hermione.

"It's coming from in there." Harry and Hermione stepped over to one of the doors and saw Buffy and Faith sword fighting. They were amazing. It looked more like a skillfully choreographed dance then a fight.

"Will you," lunge, "back off," swing, "just a bit?" Faith said, struggling to fend Buffy off for more then a few seconds.

"Not," quick step, followed by a step out of Faith's way, "a chance."

The two dueled for a few more minutes before Buffy kicked the sword out of Faith's hands and knocked her to the floor. She threw Faith's sword aside and held her own sword up. "Don't lean so far into your swing. Because then, I do that."

Faith glared and Buffy offered her a hand, which she pushed away. "How did you get so good at that B.? Watcher training for the medieval knight?"

Buffy laughed. "No actually, it was Angel - Angelus. Our last fight was a sword fight."

"What, did he give you pointers?"

"Not exactly."

~*Flashback*~

Angelus points his sword at her, a look of triumph in his eyes. "Now that's everything, huh? No weapons. No friends. No hope."

Buffy closes her eyes and steels herself for whatever's coming.

"Take all that away - and what's left?"

He draws the sword back and thrusts it directly at her face. With lightning- fast reflexes she swings up with both arms and catches the blade between the palms of her hands. She opens her eyes and meets his, challenging him.

"Me."

~*End Flashback*~

"Oh. " Faith says, and turned slightly towards the door, "I thought you were supposed to be in Dumbledore's office."

Harry jumped. He didn't think they had been seen.

That and Faith had her back to them.

"We - umm - " Harry was at a loss for words.

"We were, but Dumbledore asked us to come down and speak with you, but you were busy - that was amazing." Hermione said. "Where did you learn that?"

"A little lesson from an ex. But that's enough of that - what's up?"

"Oh, um - Draco and I are in charge of planning the Halloween Ball, and - well I wanted to know if you and Faith could help us plan it."

"Oh dancing! Fun." Faith said, eyes twinkling.

Buffy cringed. "Will you quit the lusty thoughts? You're killing me here."

Faith laughed. "Sure. We'll help. But you must excuse us- have to go speak with Dumbledore. C'mon Buff." Faith grabbed her arm and hauled her towards the door.

"I'll see you two in class tomorrow!" Buffy said over her shoulder.

Harry and Hermione just watched them go, even more confused then they were before.

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

Dumbledore sat at his desk looking over the letter that the watcher sent him.

"So, Angel is back," he said sighing, putting his glasses down on his desk and rubbing his eyes, a very Giles-like gesture, reading the letter a third time.

Professor Dumbledore,

It has come to my attention that Buffy has been having dreams that may be prophetic in nature. Willow has informed me that Buffy has been having dreams about Angel coming back. It appears that he has, although in a feral, almost animal-like state. Nothing predatory or primal as Angelus was - but, he seems sated only by tranquilizers, and the thought of Buffy. I caught him mumbling her name in his sleep.

I have every intention of informing Buffy of this recent turn of events. However, given the circumstances and her past with Angel, I am sure that you can see why I would want to keep this from her. (Dumbledore shook his head. This was one time that he could not agree with his colleague.) Buffy and Angel - the couple - well, I'm not quite sure how to put this but, although I've often told her otherwise - her perspective becomes clouded when Angel is involved. Her emotions take over, and her decisions are often that of the need to protect him, rather then everyone else involved. I understand - and, in some ways, I do not.

Against the will of her friends, I would rather not speak of this, until things are sorted out, especially considering I have recently discovered an apocalyptic prophecy (Dumbledore sighed. "There's always a prophecy involved with you, isn't there Rupert.") that involves not only Buffy and Faith, but Angel, Harry, Voldemort, and many of the foes that Buffy has already, and may be meant to face. It mentions people and things that are not even in existence yet - or if they are, we have never met them.

I am worried Albus. I hope that you are able to figure out what to do because for once, I am at a loss.

Sincerely, Rupert Giles - Watcher's Council, London

Dumbledore closed the letter and looked up as a knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. "Come in."

Buffy and Faith stepped in, looking confused and a little frustrated.

"I asked you to stop thinking." Buffy mumbled.

"Can I help it B, if Draco has a nice - "

Dumbledore cleared his throat and looked at the two girls, eyes twinkling mischievously. Faith just shrugged. "What? He does."

Buffy glared and shook her head. "Professor, I have a question for you. Faith and I - we were with Hermione and Harry earlier, and - well - we were able to hear each other's thoughts."

"Indeed?" Dumbledore said. "Do continue."

"Well, it started, and now, we can't seem to stop. Is there a reason or a way to prevent it from happening, because the last thing I want is for Faith to be dreaming my dreams."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, well - you will have to owl your watcher for verification, but - I would imagine that, since there have never been two slayers before, you have both formed a connection of sorts that will help you when you are fighting vampires, demons, and the like. There are ways to prevent it."

"Good. Because if B gets queasy hearing my thoughts, the woe be to her who walks my dreams."

Buffy made a face of disgust. "Ugh! TMI, thanks a lot."

"No problem."

Dumbledore chuckled and went to a shelf on the opposite side of the room. He pulled a chest off of the shelf and opened it, pulling out two identical stones on a black chord. The stones were pink with a small silver spot in the center. He brought them over and gave one to each of the girls.

"These are called Telepathy Stones. While usually used to give two people the power to hear each other's thoughts, these are charmed to work the reverse way - to stop two people from hearing each other's thoughts. In time, you will learn your own unique ways to turn them on and off, if you will, as there will be times you will need to talk with each other in your minds. Does this make sense?"

"Plenty." Buffy said, tying hers around her neck. It fell in the center of her collar bones, and had a warm feeling against her skin. But it worked - she didn't hear any of Faith's thoughts.

"Better now?"

Buffy smiled. "Five by five."

"That's my line - quit using it or I'll have to hurt you." Faith said as Buffy glared at her.

Dumbledore chuckled, but his face suddenly went serious. "Buffy - Rupert has asked me to show you something. It's a prophecy of sorts - "

Buffy groaned. "Let me guess - it doesn't say 'you will win a million dollars in the very near future, buy a house, have a bunch of loud, annoying children, and a dog, and live happily ever after with the perfect man.'"

"I'm afraid not." Dumbledore handed the paper to Buffy. Buffy read it, and her eyes widened. Dumbledore saw the look on her face, and he glanced down.

"This could be a problem. Buffy - "

But it was too late. Buffy was already gone.

"What just happened here?" Faith asked.

"I gave her the wrong note." Dumbledore still held the prophecy in his hands.

He had given Buffy Giles' letter by accident.

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

Buffy ran into her room and leaned against the door, heart racing.

Angel was back.

Angel was back, and Giles didn't tell her.

Angel was back, and Giles didn't tell her because he though it was going to impair her judgment and make her do something drastic.

Oh, she was going to do something drastic alright.

She was going to march back to Sunnydale and tell Giles exactly what she thought about his assumptions about her and Angel and what he thought he understood.

Buffy was incredibly pissed off.

And she sure as hell wasn't going to hide it from her watcher.

~*~*~*Sunnydale, California*~*~*~

Xander, Cordelia, Oz, and Willow were once again seated in Giles' livingroom, trying to figure out the best course of action. They all read the prophecy, and wanted to tell Buffy. But Giles insisted on just telling Dumbledore, insisted on letting him break the news to her.

Insisted on keeping Angel a secret.

Cordelia was the only one with the guts to voice what they were all thinking.

"Giles, how do we know that this Dumbledore guy isn't going to tell Buffy about Angel?"

Giles faced her, as if her question was utterly ridiculous. "I have full confidence in Dumbledore. And even if he does tell her, I'm sure he would convince her not to come here."

Cordelia snorted, her disbelief in his naivety apparent. "Oh please. Giles, women are bitches when they know that something is being kept from them, especially when it concerns their lover."

"What are you getting at Cordelia?" Giles said, expressing his annoyance.

"All I'm saying is that if my watcher told me that he was keeping the return of the man I love from me because he wanted to protect me, even though he knows very well that said lover will always be a part of me, here or in hell, vampire or human, and just didn't want to stir up old feelings because he's worried about my inhibitions, I'd be -

"A little upset." Buffy said, stepping through the door, looking at the surprised faces of her friends and giving Giles a glare that could rival any Ripper look he could muster.

"Wouldn't you?"

:: Chapter Seven ::