[btvs] when all else fails 3/9
For the proper author's header, please refer to part one.
Chapter Three
It took them about four months to travel from Sunnydale to Boston. Four months in which Willow had horrible nightmares about Angelus. Four months in which they were constantly hiding from the Council who had somehow gotten word of their plans to seek out the Slayer in Boston. Four months in which everything changed amongst them. Giles and Jenny became lovers as did Cordelia and Oz, and Cordelia and Willow became friends.
During the four months that the five of them traveled from one coast to the other, Willow’s slow recovery from Angelus’ vicious assault on her body and her mind, had also delayed the group. During her slow recovery, it had been Cordelia who had taken care of her. Just as it was Cordelia who finally discovered that the bite mark on Willow’s inner thigh wasn’t healing and was the source of all of their problems when it came to Willow’s nightmares, the vampires that always seemed to find them, and the Council’s assassins. Once she had discovered the truth of the matter, it had taken Jenny and Giles a week to prepare a spell that would help to heal the mark.
Although it was never fully healed, it dulled the psychic link that Angelus had been using against them. Willow’s nightmares lessened and they were finally safe from the vampires that Angelus was sending after them to fetch Willow back home. They had only managed to survive due to sheer luck. By the time Cordelia had made the discovery they had been completely exhausted. Willow can barely even remember much about their arrival in Boston other than feeling an overwhelming sense of relief at it nearly being over.
* * *
She’s squeezed in between Cordelia and Oz in the very cramped back seat of the car that Oz had hotwired two or three towns ago. They had ditched the much more roomier and comfortable passenger van in an attempt to evade the Council’s newest batch of assassins that Giles had received warning about. Although the Council was officially against Rupert Giles and all about bringing him and his crew in, Giles clearly still had a few friends remaining in the ancient organization. Normally Jenny or Giles or even Willow, if not all three of them, would have put up a lengthy fight about stealing someone’s car but both Cordelia and Oz had been insistent about the fact that they needed a vehicle that the Council couldn’t possibly be aware of. Since they had had the passenger van since Sunnydale, the only possibility was stealing a car.
“I still think we should leave some money in the car when we reach Boston,” Willow tiredly states.
“It’s not as if we have a bunch of money to spare, Willow,” Cordelia replies.
“But we stole someone’s car,” Willow insists.
“We can’t afford to be idealists,” Oz flatly says, “We’re essentially at war with Angelus and with the Council.”
“War’s such a strong word,” Jenny says as she turns around to face them.
“What would you call it then?” Oz asks.
“I think he’s right,” Giles quietly points out, “The Council isn’t going to bring us to England for a dressing down, Quentin Travers has moved past that point. As far as he’s concerned, I’m trying to bring an army to bring him down.”
“But Rupert,” Jenny begins before Giles interrupts her.
Although he continues to drive, his knuckles turn white as he grips the steering wheel tighter and his voice is heavy.
“No Jenny, you don’t understand that man. He’s ruthless, egotistical and just as vicious as any of the vampires that we’ve come across. Travers knows that I have no desire to fill my Grandmother’s former position. Just as he knows that I am not building an army against him and that instead I am trying to save the world from Angelus. Yet he is afraid that his refusal to act swiftly back in Sunnydale shortly after Buffy fell and then after Kendra fell will cost him his position as the head of the Council. Travers has no desire to be ousted by anyone, much less myself. The Council rarely uses assassins, in fact the few times in the past that assassins have been needed, they have always been hired. It was Travers who first started filling the ranks of the Special Ops with assassins. The men he has sent after him are only loyal to Travers.”
A silence falls over the passengers in the car. Giles clears his throat and continues to speak, this time his voice flat.
“Travers’ fight with me is very political. It has more to do with the fact that he thought that I was the worst choice to be Buffy’s Watcher. Just as he thought Merrick was a poor choice. His choice was always his son since he wanted to build a dynasty within the Council, much as he viewed my family having been a dynasty in the Council. Both times he pressed to have his son as Buffy’s Watcher, he was voted against as his son was viewed to be careless, reckless and more likely to be a threat to his Slayer than an asset. Travers was able to deal with Merrick getting the position but he was furious when I was voted to be Buffy’s second Watcher because of my past. Right now, he wants to kill me and unfortunately the four of you so that he can end destroy the only threat he has to his position. For Travers, this is war, a personal one, but nonetheless a war.”
Giles sighs as he continues to drive them closer and closer to Boston. Over the course of the last four months, his secret past had come out in bits and pieces. The fact that he had easily used darker magic than Jenny’s when necessary had provoked his confession about his wilder and reckless youth.
“Do you think that the Slayer’s Watcher will side with you or Travers?” Cordelia asks.
“From what I have heard, she is currently neutral. Apparently Travers is being rather ham-fisted with how she is supposed to guide her Slayer.”
“Let’s hope your sources are right.”
* * *
Three hours later, Willow is woken up when Cordelia gently shakes her. She blinks her eyes several times as she tries to place where they are. The last thing she can remember is the uncomfortable silence after Giles had clarified why Travers was trying to kill them. She stares over Cordelia’s shoulder and sees that they are in front of a brick commercial building.
“Where are we?” Willow sleepily asks.
“At some dojo or something, apparently the Slayer hangs out here quite a bit and it’s neutral ground for her,” Cordelia explains as she gently tugs Willow out of the car.
“What time is it?”
“A little after three.”
“Do you ever think we’ll be on a normal schedule? One where we’re actually in bed sleeping at three in the morning?”
“God I hope so, this nocturnal schedule is pure hell when it comes to try to stay up-to-date with the current fashions,” Cordelia replies with a saucy smile.
Willow laughs at the brunette, even now she’s always conscious about how she appears, even though they’re on the run from Angelus and the Council. Willow follows Cordelia into the building and through the main room into a back room. She’s far too tired to take any note of her surroundings and merely sits down on one of the chairs. There is are two people in the room that Willow doesn’t recognize, two people who are clearly not Slayers. And for a brief moment she fears that they have fallen into a trap set up by either Angelus or the Council. Oz moves his hand on top of her and gives her a reassuring squeeze before turning back to face the two strangers.
“This is Professor Diana Dormer and Sensei Kanno,” Giles states before introducing his group.
The two groups stare at one another before Diana Dormer clears her throat and turns her attention to Giles.
“So why should I even give you the time of day Rupert? Word is you’ve already caused the deaths of two Slayers and now you’re here in Boston asking that I bring Faith to your cause. Not only that Travers has set a pretty penny on your head,” Diana asks.
“Because if Travers has his way, there’ll be more than two Slayers who will be dead.”
“From what Travers has said, you almost called home on a weekly basis to report one apocalypse after another.”
“Have you ever worked on a Hellmouth?” Giles asks.
“No,” Diana admits.
“Surely you have heard of them?”
“Who hasn’t?”
“Then you will know of the stories about them, about how even inactive ones draw evil to them.”
“This isn’t Basic Demonology 101,” Diana spits out.
“No it’s not but you should realize that Sunnydale was not only on an active Hellmouth but the Master was also trying to break free from his prison. Or had Travers forgotten to mention that.”
Diana raises an eyebrow at Giles before she turns to look at Sensei Kanno. He shrugs in response at her.
“What do you want from me?” Diana asks.
“We need a Slayer to bring down Angelus,” Giles replies, “You happen to be watching one.”
“I don’t tell Faith where she has to go.”
“I wouldn’t expect that of you, I would like to know if she would be interested in helping out in Sunnydale.”
“And if she’s not?”
“Then we go,” Giles bluntly states, “There’s no point in us staying if she’s not interested.”
“And if she is?” Diana asks.
“I still think it’d be safer for us to go. Get away from Boston.”
“He is right, Diana, the Council will no doubt be knocking on our door to ensure that we’re still loyal to the party line,” Kanno points out.
“It is up to Faith,” Diana replies.
“If you think we’re going to follow her like she’s some messiah or something, you’re wrong,” Oz states, “She might be a Slayer and all, but she’s still pretty green.”
Diana turns and stares at the three of them: Cordelia, Willow and Oz. There’s a sneer on her face as she looks down her nose at them. Her gaze remains upon them but when she speaks it’s to Giles.
“I can’t believe that you are working with children Rupert, it’s disgraceful. If Faith does agree to work with you, they go.”
“Think again, each of them are involved whether you like it or not,” Jenny states as she stands up, her arms folded against her chest.
“I won’t stand for it,” Diana replies.
“This is their fight as much as it is the Slayer’s. Willow was attacked by Angelus, Cordelia’s family was turned and Oz has been fighting against evil for several years.”
“And just who do you think you are?”
The female Watcher’s stare is icy as her gaze falls upon on Jenny and Willow can’t help the shiver that runs up and down her spine. Perhaps this Professor Diana Dormer isn’t as friendly as Giles’ sources claimed to be. Once again, she has the sinking suspicion that this is a trap and that the argument is just to kill time until Travers’ men can get there.
“Diana, stop this now, it is not your place to judge whether or not they are fit for this. How many young girls have we had to train to fight monsters? How many young girls have we prepared for death?” Kanno calmly asks, “They can argue that this fight is not ours just as much you want to claim it is not theirs. However it is their fight just as it is ours. We decided that we would let Faith decide her destiny, do not force your decision upon her.”
* * *
Dawn is starting to paint the sky when Faith finally walks into the room. By this time, Willow has fallen asleep again as have Cordelia and Oz. Jenny is dozing in a chair while Diana and Giles quietly discuss an old text that may have prophesized Angelus’ second downfall. The curse to give him his soul back has failed twice since Angelus has broken free of the original curse and Jenny believes that there is some component missing to them. Leaving them with no other option but to find a way to permanently bring down Angelus.
Faith silently enters the room and eyes everyone in it. She is surprised to see three teenagers, somehow when Diana had told her that an old friend would be bringing some people to see her about a proposition, she had thought that they would be much older than her. She’s curious about them and she can’t help but wonder if the two girls are Potentials. If she were to die tomorrow night on patrol, would one of them take her place and her destiny? Or are they just normal girls who for whatever reason have decided to fight evil? Surely there must be some people out there who somehow realize the truth and wake up one day and decide to fight evil.
She decides that the only way to find out is to make her arrival known. Faith smirks as she kicks over one of the wooden folding chairs that Kanno has brought out. It clatters as it hits the concrete floor causing Diana and her friend to turn and face them as it startles the sleeping teenagers awake.
“I see your friends have arrived,” Faith states.
On to part Four.