the twelfth;

[discessum]

Comments

private

[atoner]

I look forward to seeing them.

... Was the Buffy thing a problem?

private

[discessum]

Not at all. A little awkward being her first time being around Illyria, but of course Illyria paid her no heed.

She noticed something odd about Gabriel, though.

private

[atoner]

Well, that's Illyria for you.

What was it?

private

[discessum]

She said that he was lacking all the emotions she's always noticing about humans. Even though he was acting pleasant, and a little too helpful with everything, she read no sincerity.

No traces of guilt or concern.

private

[atoner]

That confirms it, but it's not like we can use that to prove anything to Faith.

He's a very good liar.

private

[discessum]

Yes. He registers most of requirements for a sociopath, but I haven't told her. It's not really enough. She would just say Illyria is mistaken.

If he's so intent on making friends with us, then we ought to let him. We can keep a better eye on him that way, and he'll slip up eventually.

private

[atoner]

Illyria wouldn't be, but it's our word versus hers and Faith is rather stubborn over this.

The problem is the lie detection. It may not be worth it to put up the facade.

private

[discessum]

That's true. Even if I could get Willow to help fortify a spell, he would probably sense something was off.

But it just seems off to have to leave her alone in this.

private

[atoner]

I agree. How much knowledge do we have of this lie detection? If we're completely honest with him, will he be able to tell our intentions are false?

private

[discessum]

Claire wasn't exceptionally forthcoming with the details. She might not know exactly, but we can try asking again.

private

[atoner]

Asking again might be our only opportunity. There is the chance that if he's able to tell that we're lying, he won't share with us.

private

[discessum]

Faith's coming by the office in a bit, but asking her might only make it worse. She's probably still quite angry with us.

Though I'm not really sure why she's angry at you, unless it's him getting to her.

private

[atoner]

Things are better, so I think it's just you now. Gabriel encouraged her to come to talk with me, which means he has a hand in things going better there now. It might not be good later on, when we figure out a way to act against him.

private

[discessum]

Of course. He overheard what I said to Faith that night at the fountain - when I was utterly smashed and even insulting Willow over nothing, and suddenly decided that Faith and I should never speak again or some such.

Not that he's particularly wrong, but the fact that he was trying to decide hat for her was quite curious.

Now he's trying to act like the hero and send her back to us, I suppose. It only makes him more convincing, and marks us as the villains. It's...brilliant, actually. I'd commend him if he wasn't a sadistic bastard.

private

[atoner]

What he doesn't know and what Faith doesn't know is the extent of what we've dealt with. Wolfram and Hart, the circumstances revolving around that ... No matter how difficult he may become, we've proved there's a way around people like him. And I'm determined not to give up on Faith, because that would only prove him right. He wants us to do that, and it wouldn't be good for her.

He's good, but when it comes down to it, we're better. We just have to get on our game.

private

[discessum]

Yes. I've no doubt in my mind that we've handled far worse than him, no matter what Claire insists.

But I'm sure you can agree I haven't really...been as on top of my 'game' as I should be.