Getting Ahead of Myself
by sailor80
Twenty
[reviews]
They entered the sewers through a crypt. Buffy went first, and waited for Giles and Faith to come down. The Slayers were careful to keep Giles between them, even though they didn't expect any problems.
Buffy unlocked the gate, and Faith locked it. They did this once more before reaching the Master's lair, where all the Council employees sat sullenly under the watchful gaze of a dozen vampires.
Quentin Travers got to his feet when he saw them. "Giles, you better have a good excuse for this."
"Sit down," Buffy said evenly. "And be quiet."
"Mind your tongue, young lady," Travers commanded.
Faith stepped forward and pushed him down. He grabbed for her, and found himself in front of her, his arm twisted painfully behind his back. "We can talk like this," she told him. "It's all the same to us."
Travers was silent, and Faith let him go. She rejoined Giles and Buffy and smirked at Travers.
"You are nothing but a bully," Giles said with disgust.
Buffy ignored the exchange. "Your lackeys told us the most interesting things, Quentin. Of course, we verified them. And guess what? You're out of work." Buffy smiled.
"That's absurd." Travers jumped up again.
This time, it was Giles who stepped forward. "My Slayer is talking," he said firmly, and shoved Travers. "You are listening. If you interrupt her again, you'll be quite sorry."
Travers glared at Giles, but held his tongue, and Giles returned to his place between Buffy and Faith.
"The new Chief Watcher is sending some people to pick you up. I've been assured that you won't be torturing any more girls. Or anyone else. They have a lovely place for you. Until they arrive, you'll be staying here. Don't try to leave. All sorts of terrible things happen to people in the sewers." Buffy turned to her companions. "Did I forget anything?"
Giles smiled coldly. "Just details," he told her. "I think Faith should have her say first."
"I got nothin'," Faith said.
"Very well. I have a few things to say. You, sir," Giles spat, "are a coward and a liar. You twisted and perverted everything to suit your petty schemes. How many girls did you have murdered because they wouldn't act the way you thought they should?"
"You don't know anything," Travers snarled.
"I know that you'll be very unhappy for a very long time," Giles smiled. He nodded to Buffy.
She looked at Travers for several seconds, and burst into laughter. Giles and Faith both turned to look at her. When she recovered, Buffy said, "He reminds me of Snider. A nasty little man who picks on those who can't fight back." She took a step toward Travers. "I can fight back, and I will. I died once doing your dirty work, and I'm not afraid of that. Since that's the only threat you have," Buffy shrugged, "I'm not worried. But if I ever think you're around, or someone you sent, you'll be looking over your shoulder for the remainder of your miserable life." She turned her back on him, and he jumped her.
Faith and Giles both moved to separate them before Buffy did something she would regret. Faith held Buffy down while Giles shoved Travers as far away as he could. When Faith saw him land, she let Buffy up, but kept a tight grip on her arm.
"Let's go," Faith urged, and everyone but Travers and his six helpers left. They were careful to lock the gates behind them, and the vampires fanned out to guard every possible exit.
Giles followed the Slayers out of the sewers. Their familiarity with them was a little unnerving to him, but he kept that to himself, and sighed in relief when they climbed a ladder into the same crypt they had left 90 minutes before.
Buffy tossed the keys toward Faith, who caught them easily. "See you at home," she said, and took off toward at a steady lope.
Faith passed the keys to Giles. "You want me wait with you, or do you wanna call when they get here?"
"I'll call you. They weren't certain when they would arrive."
Faith nodded. "You need anything else from me now?"
"No. Go do whatever it is you do." Giles paused. "I didn't mean that how it sounded."
"It's cool. I just wanna see the baby."
"Baby?"
"Willow had the baby last night. Didn't we tell you?"
"No," Giles said.
"Guess we forgot. Sorry. C'mon back to the house so you can meet her."
"Faith, she's an infant."
"A really cute one," Faith told him. "C'mon, you know Red wants you to see her."
"All right," Giles sighed, and he and Faith set out for Revello Drive.
When they arrived, Faith told Giles, "Blondie will have a fit if we track sewer mud through the house," and made him remove his shoes. In the living room, they found Buffy and Willow, both recently showered, and Dawn, sleeping on Buffy.
The noise in the kitchen stopped for a few seconds when Faith entered, and Joyce appeared in the living room seconds later. "Rupert," she greeted him warmly. "You're just in time for lunch. Would you like some tea?"
"That would be lovely, thank you."
Buffy shifted Dawn to her arms and displayed her for Giles. "You can hold her next time," she said.
"Unless you just came from the sewers," Willow added.
Giles nodded before addressing Willow. "She's beautiful. How are you?"
"Good."
He smiled at her and removed his jacket. He hung it on the doorknob, and excused himself to the kitchen.
Lunch was quiet, and Giles left quickly afterward. The women sat in the living room, and Joyce said, "I need to tell you all something."
Buffy turned immediately to her mother. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, honey. Nothing serious, anyway," Joyce hedged. "I need to go to the hospital for a few days."
"Why?" Buffy demanded.
"The doctor wants to check a few things."
"I thought you were doing better."
"I am," Joyce reassured them. "He's just being careful."
"When?" Tara asked.
"Tuesday," Joyce said with a sigh.
"Mom, why did you wait so long to tell us?"
"I didn't want you to worry. I'm telling you now so we can make sure everything gets taken care of."
Buffy frowned. "What things?"
"Nothing major, except the gallery." Joyce turned to Faith. "Think you can handle it for a week?"
"I'll do my best," Faith told her.
"I'll help," Tara offered.
"Thank you, girls. Buffy, all the bills are paid, but there are a couple things I need to discuss with you privately."
Buffy frowned, but gave Dawn to Willow. She stood up and waited for her mother, who took them upstairs.
Dawn began to fuss, and Willow checked her diaper. She made a face, and Faith volunteered to change her. Willow was reluctant, but let Faith take Dawn. She watched, stunned, as Faith competently removed the old diaper, cleaned and powdered Dawn, and put a fresh diaper on her. Faith got her back into her sleeper, and returned Dawn to her mother.
"Thank you," Willow said, her surprise still obvious.
"No big. You need anything before B comes down, just yell. I'll be doin' the dishes." Faith picked up the dirty diaper and carried it away.
Willow turned to Tara. "Did you know she could do that?"
Tara laughed. "It's not difficult, Willow."
"But it's, it's," Willow sputtered before falling silent.
Joyce and Buffy stood in front of Joyce's dresser. Joyce pushed a few things aside to make room for the papers she wanted Buffy to see. "I don't think we'll need any of this, but better safe than sorry," Joyce began, and the parade of paperwork began before Buffy could protest.
Insurance policies, deeds to the house and gallery, mortgages, power of attorney from mother to daughter, and finally, the will, were reviewed and explained, and Buffy took it all in, repeating "don't panic" silently the whole time. When her mother was done, Buffy hugged her tightly. "You are not allowed to die. Are we clear?"
"Crystal." Joyce hugged Buffy. "I don't think we'll need any of this. I just want you to know about it." She pulled back and waited for Buffy to look at her. "I love you, Buffy, and I'm proud of you."
"Mom, you're scaring me."
Joyce smiled. "All right, I'll stop." She released Buffy, who backed up half a step. "Let's go spoil my granddaughter."
When the phone rang an hour later, Faith jumped up to answer it. She didn't say much before hanging up. She returned to the living room and reported to Buffy, "The Council guys are here. Giles said they wanna talk to us."
Buffy sighed. She didn't want to leave Willow and Dawn for a second time that day, especially to be talked at by stuffy, tweedy Watchers and go down in the sewers.
"I'll tell 'em you're busy," Faith offered.
"No, they won't leave us alone until they get what they want. Let's just get it over with." Buffy leaned over and kissed Willow's cheek, then stood up. She went to her mother, leaned down and kissed her daughter. "Be back soon."