The uber-vamp is dead, but all...not well.

[powerless_scoob]

We had all been there. We had set it up, and Buffy, as always, executed the plan. We had to defeat the tour-whatever, because he was killing the morale of the girls and had been doing a number on Buffy's face and ribs in the process

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[lethalinleather]

Xander had a point, Spike was unpredictable not to mention dangerous. I really wasn't sure if having him around the girls was such a good idea but what could we do about it? Buffy had gone through so much trouble to save him and it wasn't like she was exactly keeping it a secret either. We all saw what was going on here, how much she had started relying on Spike being around but no one really had the nerve to confront her about it. I mean, it was Buffy. She was the Slayer and we the slayerette's, remember

[backintweed]

"Who cares if he can't help it."

I wondered what it was that I had walked in on?

"He kills people and doesn't even know he's doing it and personally don't want to wake up one morning and find I've become his next meal."

Ahh, yes. Of course. I had been updated before my journey to bring another young girl home and to face the carnage that I would have to inform everyone of concerning the Council. Invariably, the discussion always centered around a vampire in Buffy's life. I loved the girl, dearly, certainly, but Riley aside, her...her judgment when it came to men could have been far better then it was.

"I say we let Buffy know just how we feel about Spike being here just as soon as they get back."

"I mean, you guys are her friends, she's got to listen to you, right?"I put my glasses down on the table as I took a seat and laughed at that one. "Yes, Kennedy, I quite agree. Spike, even if he has a soul, is an obvious danger to all of us here, and with certainty, it's the last thing we need at the moment. Here's the problem.

[powerless_scoob]

My feelings didn't even need to be discussed. As far as I was concerned, Spike needed to be caged like an animal, sort of like we used to cage Oz on the wolf moons, except, always do it.

Willow was cautious. She had been cautious ever since she came back, and in this instance, her way of displaying that caution was to take Buffy's side, which normally, yeah, I would do, but not in this case.

When Kennedy spoke of killing him, I had to take Will's side. She'd smack me into next week if I didn't and the word kill was a little too strong.

"Kennedy. Spike is not safe right now, and he is a vampire and believe me, I'm no fan of him being here, but killing him, probably not the definition of unity for the future of the house. Buffy won't allow it. Period..."

"Yes, Kennedy, I quite agree. Spike, even if he has a soul, is an obvious danger to all of us here, and with certainty, it's the last thing we need at the moment. Here's the problem. Convincing Buffy of that might mean broken bones and will certainly mean the doghouse, Kennedy. More

[lethalinleather]

I stayed quiet, 'cause that's what I do now, I stay quiet and out of the way. Getting upset or anything, especially a subject like Spike that I know I'll never win, would just lead to bad things. Although I don't really think Spike is going to agree to being locked up in a cage, under any conditions I thought as I gave Xander, the look. He probably deserved a good smack to but somehow I managed to control myself.

"So, G man, how was England? Any luck with research from the Council?"

"Yeah, any news on the First?" I asked, desperately trying to avoid making eye contact with Kennedy.

I understood that she was new and didn't know much of the Buffy, Spike history but I had to agree with Giles, and even Xander for that matter, killing Spike wasn't even an option. If not for anything else, we at least needed him around to fight off whatever the First sent next. Spike was part of all this weather we liked it or not and hopefully she would just let it go once we figured out how to deactivate that trigger thingy.

[backintweed]

"So, G man, how was England? Any luck with research from the Council?"

I shook my head rather vehemently as Willow asked a question of a similar vain.

"Yeah, any news on the First?" I asked, desperately trying to avoid making eye contact with Kennedy."I should rather say not. I was able to retrieve, or steal, if you would, very little in the way of books or information, for

[powerless_scoob]

"I should rather say not. I was able to retrieve, or steal, if you would, very little in the way of books or information, for..."

"Great. The uber-ugly one is dead now, but we still have Spike to deal with and the First isn't going away, and there's no information on it. Rock bottom is pretty nearby. If uner-nasty hadn't gotten defanged by Buffy earlier, then hello, rock bottom..."

I hated being negative guy, but when the facts were there, and they were negative. Why not? It always worked for us in the past.

"The Council, well...The Council was annihilated by a bomb. Virtually everything was disintegrated. In my satchel was all that I was able to recover. I'm...I'm afraid that it will be of little help to us."It took a second for me to process that information. When that sixty seconds had passed, a look of shock and a flycatching mouth opened on my face

[lethalinleather]

I could tell Kennedy wasn't happy with being dismissed like that but she had to understand, this was Spike, and things were never as easy as black and white when it came to Spike. I put my hand on her leg and found it was more for my own comfort then hers. Something about the look on Giles face had me very anxious to hear what he had found in England. Which turned out to be very little.

"Great. The uber-ugly one is dead now, but we still have Spike to deal with and the First isn't going away, and there's no information on it. Rock bottom is pretty nearby. If uber-nasty hadn't gotten defanged by Buffy earlier, then hello, rock bottom..."

I nodded subconsciously. As much as I hated to admit it, Xander was right. Without any more information on the First we were pretty much right back where we started; a house full of potentials and no way of stopping the First from coming after them.

"The Council, well...The Council was annihilated by a bomb. Virtually everything was disintegrated. In my satchel was all that I was able to recover. I