To Conquer Death
by Rainne
Interlude: Sunnydale
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The Scooby Gang, minus Dakota and Willow, gathered at Giles's apartment for a quick debriefing. "We need to be prepared, all of us," Buffy told them. "The Council is coming and, according to this girl, they're looking to kill. She's terrified — I could hear it in her voice. God only knows how long she's been on the run."
Giles put his head in his hands. "For quite some time, I believe," he said. "I called her Watcher to request information about Dakota several months ago. I never heard back from him, but I hadn't expected an immediate response. The research he was doing was clandestine, or supposed to be, and I anticipated it taking him some time. You see, I recalled an incident that occurred nearly the same time you were called, Buffy. A potential Slayer was killed by vampires before she could be contacted by her Watcher. This was the girl who would have followed you, Buffy; but because of her death, Kendra followed you instead. Everyone knew who it was and which Watcher it was, but when I called to ask him about it, I pretended that I didn't remember that it was him."
Buffy puzzled this out and repeated, "So, Janna's Watcher was the same dude who was supposed to have Watchered the dead chick?"
"Correct," Giles responded. "That is why I called him."
"What's that got to do with the price of beans in Juarez?" Xander asked.
"Rather a lot, it would seem," Giles responded. "The dead girl's name was Dakota Walsh."
The silence in the apartment was sudden and deafening. Finally, Buffy was able to stammer out, "Wh-wh-what?"
Giles nodded, cleaning his glasses. "Yes. The reason she's immune to everything a vampire should fear is that she carries the magickal blood of the Slayer. She makes such a good slaying companion because it's what she's meant to be doing. The reason why she still has a soul is because of this as well."
"It makes sense," Xander said suddenly.
Buffy whirled on him. "How do you figure?"
He smiled slightly. "Think about it, Buff. When that kid was having the nightmares, the one whose Kiddie League coach beat him, remember? And we were all experiencing our nightmares."
Giles nodded . "I couldn't read, and I got lost in the stacks."
Xander smiled more fully now. "And my birthday clown."
Buffy nodded. "And Willow had to sing Madame Butterfly."
"And what happened to you, Buffy?" Xander said softly.
Buffy gasped. "I got turned. He made me a vampire."
"Right," Xander replied. "But you were still you. You weren't all evil and stuff. You were still you."
"That's right!" Giles exclaimed. "My God, I never thought of it."
"Well, Dakota and Willow are gone to bring her in. We'll know more about what's going on when she gets here." Buffy looked around at all of them. "In the meantime, we have some work to do. Tara, I'd like you to use your magic to put some protective spells on my house and Dakota's house. Anya, I have a huge favor to ask you in the form of taking the girls and getting them out of town. I don't trust the Council not to try and use them against us."
Anya nodded. "Where will I take them?"
"Dakota has a friend in San Francisco who has agreed to put you guys up for as long as needed. I have directions and things at the house."
She turned to Giles. "I need you to hit the books, Research guy," she requested, smiling a bit. "I need to know what might be so dangerous about Dakota that the Council would kill her where they would let Angel live." She looked at Xander. "Can you help him, please?"
He nodded. "I'm on it."
And the Scooby Gang went to work.