Getting Ahead of Myself
by sailor80
Seventeen
[reviews]
Food arrived shortly after Joyce and Faith got home. Joyce and Tara were relieved that they didn't have to cook; Giles had arranged for catering, including cleanup, so they could concentrate on the trouble at hand. They began eating as soon as the meal was laid out, and Xander and Anya arrived within minutes.
There was no deep conversation while they ate, but when everyone was finished and the catering crew — two deeply bored young women — packaged leftovers and gathered their tools, the Scoobies surrounded the table and waited for Giles to begin.
He started with Buffy. "I called Quentin Travers. He, ah, declines to meet with us."
"He understands this means war, right?"
"I believe he doesn't care."
"That's on him. Hope the Council guys have good medical insurance," Buffy said matter of factly.
"We don't kill humans," Giles said firmly.
"Oh, I'm not going to kill them."
Willow, Joyce, and Giles all looked at Buffy with varying degrees of astonishment.
"What? They're allowed to wreak havoc and I'm not allowed to break an arm?" Buffy asked irritably.
"I'm with B," Faith spoke up. "If they were just messin' with us, we can take care of ourselves. You guys can't, and they need to get the message that we won't let 'em keep doin' whatever they want."
Giles looked from one Slayer to the other before speaking. "Do be careful," he told them finally.
"Rupert!"
"Joyce, they're going to do what they want with or without our approval," he answered her calmly.
"Mom, if you have any ideas, I'm open to them. But they don't want to talk, and they're not just messing with me and Faith. I don't care who they think they are, but nobody messes with my family and walks away without consequences."
"But, the police," Joyce began, and was cut off by the jumble of sarcastic laughs and comments from all of the young people.
When they stopped, Giles told Joyce, "They do have a point. At best, the police won't believe them. And we have bigger problems then the Council's fixation on Buffy and Faith."
"Told you!" Anya crowed.
"Yes, Anya, you were correct," Giles said crossly. "There is a prophecy, and it does involve the baby."
"I don't suppose it mentions kittens and happily ever after," Willow asked.
"No, it's the standard end of the world prophecy. Something called The Beast will use the child to open the doors between dimensions and the world will end."
"Over my dead body," Buffy and Faith said in unison. Tara and Willow looked at each other, then each Slayer in turn.
"I don't know anything more specific, so everyone must remain alert to odd occurrences."
"Which will be different from everyday how?" Xander asked.
"I don't know," Giles said. "But we always seem to notice them when they happen."
"What can we do to stop this Beast thing?" Joyce asked.
"I don't know yet. I would appreciate assistance with research whenever any of you have free time." Giles stood up and walked the few feet to the wall where the books he brought over the night before were stacked. He began handing volumes to Buffy, who was nearest to him. In a few moments, all of the books were on the table, with one in front of everyone but Buffy and Faith.
Buffy looked across the table to Faith. "Patrol?"
"On it." Faith stood up quickly.
Buffy leaned over to kiss Willow before leaving her seat. "We won't be long."
In the playground, they met the female vampire who acted as their contact. She rose from the swing when she saw the Slayers, and waited for them to approach.
"Nearly all our fighters were killed last night, but everyone that went against you is dead."
"Just vampires or what?" Faith asked.
"Everyone. Magic users, demons, humans."
"Thank you," Buffy said.
"I don't think that will end it." The vampire sounded tired.
"I have a friend in Los Angeles," Buffy said. "He can help you out. I'll call him if you want."
"I know Angelus," the vampire answered. "I haven't sunk that low yet."
"Okay," Buffy said slowly.
"Does the truce stand?"
Buffy and Faith looked at each other before Faith answered. "For now."
The vampire nodded. "There are four of us. You won't see the others unless something happens to me," she said. She turned and walked away, disappearing after half a minute into the night.
"This gets weirder all the time," Faith complained.
"It's about to get worse," Buffy said. "We need to go down in the sewers and see what's going on down there." She turned and began walking in the opposite direction from the vampire.
Faith was right behind her, and after two steps, caught up. "I wish you'd said something before. I just got these clean from the last time."
"Right," Buffy snorted. "Like you clean them yourself."
"I do," Faith insisted. "Blondie doesn't know shit about leather." She paused. "Except that I look damn good in it."
"So you've said," Buffy answered, and after that, they were quiet until they reached their destination, an undeveloped cul de sac beside one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries.
Together, they pried the manhole cover from the asphalt. Buffy climbed down first, and Faith followed her.
The sewer tunnels were large and dry. They took a few seconds to get their bearings before heading toward the center of town. They encountered nothing for the longest time, but as they neared Sunnydale central, both of them became increasingly uneasy.
The reason became apparent to them after they crossed the next large intersection. The way forward was blocked by recently installed metal bars, and neither needed to touch them to know that they carried a nasty charge, electrical, magical, or most
likely, a mixture of both.
Behind the bars, they could see a dozen vampires and two men. They watched for several minutes, but nothing happened, so they backed away silently, and made for the nearest exit.
Once they were back above ground, they replaced the manhole cover and carefully noted where they were. Without talking, they jogged home.
The studying was in full swing when they returned. Buffy reported their conversation with the vampire and left Faith to tell what they had seen in the sewers. While Faith talked, Buffy went upstairs and returned with Willow's laptop. By the time she returned, Faith had gone downstairs to shower. Buffy connected the machine to the power and broadband outlets in the room, and excused herself to bathe.
She met Faith in the kitchen 20 minutes later. Faith was working her way through a plate of leftovers, and had one waiting for Buffy, who sat on the stool next to Faith. They ate without talking. Buffy took their plates and utensils to the sink and washed them while Faith fixed drinks for the Scoobies. She found the desserts in the refrigerator and doled out portions. She and Buffy each made two trips to carry everything to the other room before sitting at the table with the others, who had closed the books and pushed them to the center of the table.
"Find anything?" Faith asked.
"Not yet," Tara answered her.
"You need to go back down in the sewers so we can find out just how much space they've claimed and where they're getting in and out," Willow said.
"Yuck," Buffy said, and Faith made a face.
"C'mon," Xander said, "you know you love it down there. How could you not? The smells, the rats, the occasional demon."
"Ya know," Faith said thoughtfully, "there weren't any rats or bugs or anything down there."
"So?" Buffy asked.
"It's weird, is all."
"It's quite possible that the captive vampires have eaten them," Giles offered.
"Double yuck," Willow exclaimed. "Enough about rats and vampires," she said firmly, looking from Faith to Anya.
"Anybody from the Council talkin' to you?" Faith asked Giles.
"Not officially. Unofficially, a few old friends report dissension in the ranks."
"Maybe they'll overthrow Travers," Buffy said. She took a bite of her dessert, closed her eyes and moaned. "You've been holding out on us, Giles. This is delicious."
"A gentleman must keep a few secrets," he answered her primly.
"Chocolate is never on that list," Buffy said firmly, and focused on her plate.
They talked about nothing for nearly an hour before Anya and Xander left. Tara and Faith went downstairs shortly afterward, and Buffy and Joyce cleared the table. Joyce piled the dishes in the sink and put the kettle on. Buffy returned to the dining room, and she and Willow said goodnight to Giles before heading upstairs.
Giles went into the kitchen to find Joyce finishing preparations for tea. They sat at the kitchen table, and Joyce asked him the questions she didn't want the Scoobies to hear. Giles did his best to be honest without out frightening her, but they both knew that everything in their lives was dangerous. Conversation faded, and Giles finished his tea. Over Joyce's protest, he washed the sink full of dishes, plates, and forks before wishing her good night.
Everyone slept late on Saturday. Faith and Tara were first in the kitchen, even after spending half an hour talking before getting up. Buffy appeared next, with Willow a few minutes behind her. They ate cold cereal while Buffy and Faith discussed the best way to check out the sewers.
When the Slayers left, Tara went into the back yard. Willow followed, and they talked sporadically while Tara weeded the flower beds. Most of the ash was gone, but bits would swirl in corners when the wind came up. Willow was uneasy, but didn't know why, and went back inside within an hour.
Tara continued to methodically weed the flower beds in the back. When she finished, she went into the kitchen to get a drink before heading out to the front yard. As she opened the front door, Buffy and Faith stepped onto the porch.
"Great timing," Faith smiled.
Tara got a whiff of them and stepped back. "Did you roll around in it?"
"No," Buffy said crossly and threw Faith a dirty look. "Someone made too much noise so we had to fight the guards."
"Hey," Faith protested. "It's not my fault they make those things uneven."
"At least take off your boots before you track through the house," Tara said.
Both Slayers rolled their eyes, but did as Tara instructed. They headed for the bathrooms, and Tara went to the kitchen. She knew they would be hungry, and while Buffy and Faith showered, she mixed a huge bowl of tuna salad, then prepared onions, lettuce, and tomatoes for sandwiches.
Faith appeared in the kitchen first, and kissed Tara on the cheek before beginning to prepare a pile of sandwiches. Joyce appeared next, and bypassed the tuna in favor of coffee, which she took into the living room. Buffy came downstairs with her dirty clothes wrapped in her wet towel. She went downstairs and started the washer. Faith had left her filthy clothing on the floor in front of the washer, and Buffy added them to the load. Then she went upstairs to get something to eat.
"Where's Willow?" Tara asked.
"Research," Buffy answered succinctly. She skipped bread and laid a layer of lettuce and tomatoes on her plate before adding two generous scoops of tuna.
"So what did you find?" Tara asked while fixing herself a sandwich.
"Vampires," Faith said, and started on her second sandwich. "An' oo eyes."
"And an eye?" Tara asked.
Buffy snorted before translating. "And two guys."
"Guards?" Tara asked.
"Yup. Giles has 'em now." Faith answered.
"Buffy, you didn't..." Tara trailed off.
"Not this time." Buffy lifted a forkful of tuna. After swallowing, she told Tara, "Thanks for fixing this. It hits the spot."
"You're welcome."
"I'll take some up to Will when I'm finished."
"Good idea."
"You two going out tonight?" Buffy asked.
"Nah," Faith answered. "We need to patrol. If it isn't too late when we get back, we might go to the Bronze."
"Have fun."
"You wanna come?"
"No, I don't think Will's up to it. She's not feeling too good."
"Anything I can do?" Tara asked.
"I doubt it," Buffy said with a sigh. "It's the baby."