Previous Chapter Summary: Faith and Wesley read all the information they were given by Spike and Buffy. Spike and Buffy watched the hotel room Faith and Wes shared from across the hotel parking lot. Giles called the hotel room. Wesley insulted and provoked Giles to anger with his accusations and ideas. Faith tried to head things off by taking the phone away from Wesley.

Current Chapter Summary: Joyce, Dalton, Willow, and Xander share information about the Council and the Slayer line while Giles talks to Faith. We also learn a little bit more about Dalton. Giles calms down considerably, and Faith works out a meeting time and place for the next day. Wesley calls the Council in an attempt to ease his fears that they were sent to Sunnydale to die.

Author's Note: Thank you to Valerie who sent me an email after this chapter was posted to let me know Faith's last name. Turns out the LaHaye I had was close. She was mentioned once in the show as having the last name Lehane. I have changed it in this chapter from the original post, and her name will be listed as Lehane in future chapters.

"Give me that! Are you really that much of an idiot?" Faith snatched the phone away from Wes. "You're going to get us killed."

"Uh oh ... I think the even stuffier Watcher pissed off your Watcher." Spike shook his head back and forth.

"If I heard that tweedy idiot right, then yeah I'm sure he did." Buffy sighed. "I can practically hear the string of British curses that would be coming from Giles' mouth."

"Your Watcher is not a man I would like on my bad side." Spike chuckled. He was glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of Giles' anger.

"His Ripper side isn't as hidden as he would like us to believe," Buffy acknowledged in agreement. "Remember when we rescued you guys from the Council?"

"Oh yeah." Spike nodded. "When that bloke went after Joyce, I thought Rupert was going to rip the guys head right off his body." He gulped. He'd seen anger before, but he hadn't seen such strength and passion from a human before. "That bloke's neck was broken in seconds. He protected her like a true Mate. He lovers your Mum very much."

Buffy shivered. "I'm thinking it is a good thing that their first conversation was over the phone. I don't think Wesley would have wanted to be close enough for Giles to grab him."

"He deserves a lot more than that after he opened his mouth to say what he did." Buffy growled. "He's lucky that I'm out here as well, or I'd give him a piece of my mind with my fists."

"You ignorant, condescending …" Giles spat the insults into the phone. " … Self-righteous prick." He punched the doorframe between the kitchen and dining room in frustration.

"Oh dear." Joyce set the tray of snacks down on the table in the living room. She turned her head in the direction of Giles' voice that continued its litany of British profanities, and other colorful phrases, that would make Spike proud of him.

"I would say things are not going over well with the newcomers." Xander sat next to Willow on the couch. He only recently arrived at the Summers' home after a quick sweep of one of the more passive cemeteries.

"Maybe we were wrong to take the chance on them?" Willow's voice trembled, and she questioned her original vote. She was so tired. Between her magical training, school, and Scooby duties, she was getting worn out. 'It would be nice to have help, but not at the expense of anyone of us.'

Xander smiled warmly at Willow. "We had to try." He squeezed her arm with a comforting hand. "If I could change my mind, anything is possible."

"Every time we encounter someone from the Council I realize more and more how deep their brainwashing is embedded." Joyce shook her head back and forth in sadness. "I'm sure many of the young men we've met are very nice if you agree with their way of thinking."

"Quentin Travers, along with almost everyone involved in the higher Council positions in the past and present, carefully manipulated everything. Those who follow in the lower positions don't know anything other than the altered truths." Dalton sipped from the mug of heated blood Joyce brought to him. "The Watcher's Diaries are thoroughly scoured for any "unorthodox" teachings or recollections of events."

"That's just wrong," Willow spoke up. "The Watcher's diary is supposed to be an accurate first hand account of a particular Slayer's life. They shouldn't change the facts, thoughts and emotions of a Slayer and Watcher just because they don't like how they were."

"That is exactly what they do though." Dalton sat his empty mug on the small table next to his chair. "You would not believe the means they use to ensure that the diaries still appear authentic to each Watcher. For one thing, they hire master forgers to match style and penmanship for any diary rewrites."

Joyce gasped. "So, even later family members and colleagues would believe the journals to be authentic originals?"

"What about the Watchers themselves?" Willow questioned. "Wouldn't they realize that their diaries are wrong?"

Xander answered before Dalton could, "Once a Watcher loses his Slayer to death, they usually go into a form of seclusion. Most Watchers are pretty close to their charges, and it kills them when she dies. They don't deal with the Council any more after that."

Dalton nodded. "The Coven has so much knowledge about Council practices, policies, and procedures. They've watched the Watchers for centuries."

"Why did they wait until now to do something about it?" Xander wondered out loud.

"Their vows kept them from stepping in until the right Slayer appeared," Dalton explained. "Without the shift of power in the Slayer line, anything they tried to do would have failed." He'd spent a considerable amount of time doing research with the Coven in England. He'd also sought out other resources to compare notes and versions. The new Scoobies wanted to make sure that another power hungry faction wasn't simply leading them around.

"I can't imagine what else would have happened to Buffy if Angelus hadn't tried to kill her that night." Joyce visibly shuddered. With all they already knew about the Council, she was afraid to learn what other arcane and cruel rituals her daughter would have faced.

"It's scary to even think about being thankful for that." Willow rested her head on Xander's shoulder. She'd spent a long day with her Coven mentor to work on discipline within her magical realm. They'd originally been surprised to find out just how natural her magic came to her.

Willow spent most of her time with her mentor Koran learning control, discipline and meditation. The rest of her time was spent with a shy young Wicca who had the opposite issues to deal with. Her partner was well disciplined, but she lacked the connection with her natural abilities. Koran praised both Wiccas for how well they completed each other's strengths with weakness and weaknesses with strengths.

"I know I'm thankful for it," Dalton spoke without being the least bit ashamed of his statement. Things at the mansion were horrible after Angelus moved them there. He'd been so worried at the factory when the Judge was near completion that he'd hid deep within the factory walls. He had a feeling it was the only reason he was still alive. He'd breathed a sigh of relief when the Slayer killed the blue demon. So many of the releases and freedoms he enjoyed, to be who he really was, he owed to his Mistress Buffy and Master Spike. The family and friends he sat with now in Joyce Summers' home would never have been a reality without the turned Slayer.

Xander and Willow stared at Dalton with open mouths. Both of them thought that Dalton liked Joyce Summers. They couldn't believe that Dalton would make such a statement about her daughter. They glanced over at Joyce Summers, worried about the effect Dalton's words would have on her.

Joyce smiled warmly at Dalton. She understood why he was thankful, and she was glad that positive things were gained out of the whole ordeal. "I'm happy to have you in the family too, Dalton."

Xander and Willow relaxed and little bit, and Dalton beamed. "Thank you, Joyce. You are a very special woman." He adjusted his wire-rimmed spectacles. "I never had a true and caring family until Master Spike and Mistress Buffy."

"Not even before you were turned?" Xander asked. He sympathized with anyone who suffered uncaring and mean parents like the drunken ones he had.

"I was the outcast to them, the black sheep." Dalton sighed. "Even back in my day, being a bookworm in a family of athletic males was a disgrace. I was always looked upon as weak and worthless no matter how scholarly I was." He slumped in his chair a little.

"My parents barely realize I'm alive." Willow sighed. "They never question where I am or what I'm doing. My grades are good, and no calls reach them from Principal Snyder. So, they figure everything is good in Willowland. They're always off doing their own thing or trips."

Joyce's heart went out to the children and Dalton. She cared very much about each of them. Her thoughts drifted back towards her fiancé in the kitchen. The voices in the living room faded into the background, and she attempted to listen in on Giles' conversation again. 'At least the shouting stopped.'

Faith held the phone away from her ear. British curses, mixed with American ones, continued for 5 minutes before she dared to interrupt Giles. "Mr. Giles, please give us a chance."

The soft and slightly frightened feminine tones halted Giles mid-tirade. "Miss Faith Lehane?"

'It must be a British or Watcher thing.' Faith cringed. She didn't want any reminders of the life she carried on before being called, but she needed a last name. So, she'd kept her original one. "Just Faith will be good, Mr. Giles."

"Very well then, Faith." Giles' report from Buffy and Spike stated that Faith matched their information from the Coven. She appeared to be rebellious and spirited in nature.

"I found the stuff B gave us pretty interesting." Wesley's attempt to interrupt Faith's conversation was met with a stern glare from the Slayer.

"It would seem that we were not very successful with our attempt to sway Mr. Wyndham-Pryce." Giles paused. He considered his next words carefully. "Buffy, Spike and the rest of us had hoped to welcome new allies to the cause."

"Some people aren't as quick on the up take as others." Faith rolled her eyes at Wesley.

Giles stifled a chuckle on his end of the phone. "Are there any questions I can answer for you?"

"Some of it made sense to me." Faith started to feel more at ease talking with Giles. "I still have some questions for B though. She's the only one who could answer them for sure, but I'm sure Watcherman has questions for you."

"I am sure we can find a place to meet and discuss things." The lack of noise in the background on Faith's end encouraged Giles to have hope. At least her Watcher wasn't protesting as loudly anymore.

"It would have to be somewhere in broad daylight." Faith knew there was no way she'd get mister stick-up-his-butt to attend any meetings after sunset. "I'm sure you know why."

"That would be fine. May I please speak with your Watcher again?" Giles requested. He needed both Faith and Wesley at the meeting. They'd see first hand how different Buffy and Spike were. 'Seeing goes a long way towards believing.'

"Will you agree to a meeting tomorrow afternoon at the Sunnydale Park?" Giles wasn't about to say anything that could set the young Watcher off again. Right now he wanted a nice hot cup of tea and a long night of restful sleep next to Joyce.

"That would be agreeable," Wesley stopped, and then he added, "Weather permitting of course."

Faith and Giles both rolled their eyes. Giles answered, "Of course. The forecast calls for a nice sunny day, Mr. Wyndham-Pryce."

"That is acceptable. I'll see you both at 2 o'clock tomorrow." Giles agreed. "I will be bringing a few colleagues with me to show you the truth."

"No vampires," Wesley emphasized. "I am sure the sun will take care of any unwanted guests for me."

"Agreed." Giles was happy that the conversation was nearly finished. He knew nothing would keep Buffy and Spike from the meeting. "They aren't truly vampires anymore, Mr. Wyndham-Pryce. You'll see that for yourself tomorrow."

"Good night." Giles hung up the phone before Wesley could call the meeting off. "Good riddance," he muttered under his breath.

"Looks like all is set for tomorrow. Rupert better not have agreed to the no vampires rule." Spike growled. "I'm not letting him face that pillock by himself. He's family."

Spike protected family with his very unlife. Giles was of Spike's blood family even before the necessary exchanges for the protection spells. Buffy rubbed her fingertips over Spike's bumpy forehead. He'd been upset enough that he vamped out without knowing it. "Easy there, lover. Giles isn't stupid."

"Come on, beloved. I believe that I promised someone lots of nookie if he was a good boy." Buffy nipped Spike's neck hard enough to draw blood, giggled, jumped up, and ran in the general direction of their home.

Spike growled. "You better be prepared to deliver." He jumped up and chased after her. Anyone on the streets that night would have seen a dark blur streak past them along with a light breeze in the wake of the two supernatural beings passing them.

After Wesley hung up with Rupert Giles, he decided it would be the best time to contact the Council's Headquarters in England. It was late at night in Sunnydale, but that made it a reasonable time to receive a call in England. Wesley waited for the overseas call to connect through the various switchboards across the ocean. He tapped the top of his pen on the table. "Hello this is Mr. Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. I'm reporting our arrival and lodging in Sunnydale."

The Council secretary sputtered out, "Please … please wait on the phone." She knew what the rumor mill was saying. Mister Travers wasn't going to be happy that the young Watcher and Slayer were still alive. She pressed a shaky finger on the intercom button into Quentin Travers' office. "Mister Travers?"

"Yes, Amelia?" Quentin happily leaned back in his chair. He figured that two thorns in his side were finally wiped from the Earth. Wesley and Faith should have arrived in Sunnydale by now, and he was confidant that the former Slayer and her Sire would have killed the two of them. It would give him more fodder against the turned Slayer to use with the disbelievers that remained in the Council's ranks.

"Mr. Wyndham-Pryce is on line one, Sir." Amelia quickly released the button to avoid hearing Travers' anger.

Quentin Travers jolted up in his chair. He cursed loudly, grabbed the phone, and pushed the button for line one. "Wyndham-Pryce? How the Hell are you alive?"

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