Repercussions, Reactions and Retaliation (4/?) W/B/T NC17

Title: Repercussions, Reactions and Retaliation

Author: The Bear!

Spoilers: None really, this is in the Triadverse AU and follows The Please Trilogy and The Triad Trilogy

Pairing: Willow/Buffy/Tara primarily, but other Scoobies are hooked up as well.

Summary: With Glory defeated, things should quiet down for a while... shouldn’t they?

Warnings: NC17 over all (Part 4 is back to the sweet smut!)

Author’s Note: Well, this one came a little quicker- cross your fingers!

Disclaimer: If I owned ‘em, they’d have to show it on the Ecstasy Network.

========== BtVS ==========

Chapter 4

Dawn slowly chewed her second sandwich as she watched Giles. ‘I guess I really was hungry,’ she thought, trying to curb her impatience as Giles phone call went on and on.

‘Oh, that’s probably not good news,’ she thought as Giles’ face went pale.

“Have you gone completely daft!?” Giles suddenly shouted. “Didn’t you bloody well learn your lesson the last time you...”

‘Poor mom,’ Dawn thought, glancing to her left to see her mother wringing her hands and looking frightened.

“Yes, yes of course you’re right...” Giles said, once again in control of his voice. “Thank you Quinton.”

‘I didn’t know you could speak that clearly through clenched teeth,’ Dawn thought with a surrealistic sense of humor despite the terribly stressful situation they were in. ‘I wonder if thinking that’s funny means I’m dealing with things better, or I’m about to crack and start screaming?’

The moment he hung up the phone, Giles took off and began furiously cleaning his glasses.

‘That’s never a good sign,’ Dawn thought. ‘I can’t believe the council would be stupid enough to want to kill me. Buffy, Willow and Tara would kick their asses so hard it’d be raining Watcher for weeks before it all came down... Eww, mental image so not needed here!’

“Rupert?” Joyce asked, standing and walking over to her new love.

Giles favored her with a wan smile and returned his glasses to his face, dropping his arm around the elder Summers back.

Joyce immediately hugged herself up to his chest, clearly very upset and seeking reassurance.

With a glance at his watch, Giles said, “Dawn, would you please set up for our call? It’s nearly time.”

“Sure Giles,” Dawn said, standing up slowly.

‘Good, no dizzies,’ she thought, relieved. She walked back over to the table and futzed around with the laptop for a moment, it was already all set up, she just needed to log in to the host and they’d be ready to go.

Turning back toward the two adults, Dawn realized he’d just wanted a moment with her mom. ‘That’s so sweet,’ she thought, seeing Giles stroking her mom’s face and whispering softly to her. ‘God, I sure hope you keep him close Mom. He’s definitely a good man. He’s just like Xander... well, except way better educated. They both are so strong, and loyal... they both stick around no matter how tough it gets, even when it really hurts.’

Dawn turned back to the computer, allowing them the private moment they needed. ‘They also have one other thing in common,’ she thought, a tear welling up in her eye as she remembered last night’s overheard conversation. ‘They’re both willing to do really terrible things when they have to, to protect the people they love.’

========== BtVS ==========

“Well, um... it’s from Angel,” Tara said, unsure of how to explain.

‘Buffy and Willow are going to freak, I think, no matter how I say it,’ she thought nervously.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Blondie,” Faith said through a mouthful of meatball sandwich.

“Yeah,” Xander agreed with a smirk. “What did deadboy send ya?”

“Um, well,” Tara started again, feeling her face grow even hotter. “He, uh, apparently felt the need to, ah, m-make up for... the thing... at the hotel...” she stuttered.

‘Darn it! I haven’t stuttered in days!’ Tara thought angry with herself.

“What thing at the hotel?” Faith asked, frowning.

Tara glanced at Buffy, who was staring intently at the table, and Willow, who was looking like she was trying not to smile. ‘Oh boy,’ she thought.

Xander interjected before Tara could decide what to say. “Oh please, let me tell it!” He proceeded before Tara could say one way or the other.

Leaning toward Faith with a huge grin on his face, Xander said, “See, deadboy was apparently less than happy with the thought of the Buffster hooking up with Will and Tara, so he tried to get all territorial and stuff. Tara here put the smackdown on Mr. Broody...”

Clearly, Xander was both impressed, and pleased as he recounted the events. “She tossed him into his office, and then went in and closed the door. I’m not sure what exactly happened in there, but I know when he came out, he was as meek and mild as you please. He was minding his manners like a first-grader coming out of the Principal’s office.”

“You spanked Angel?” Faith asked, looking absolutely shocked.

‘Good thing you can’t blush hard enough to actually pass out!’ Tara thought as the heat poured off of her face and neck.

“I didn’t spank him, Faith,” Tara protested. “I just... explained that Buffy was mine, and that no one was allowed to interfere with that.”

The last was spoken in a more serious voice, Tara’s gaze locked firmly with Faith’s. ‘And that includes you Faith,’ she thought, hoping the dark-haired Slayer would take the hint and back down on the flirting without a need for direct intervention.

For just the barest moment, Faith’s face showed a flash of darker emotion. ‘Like sadness, and anger mixed together,’ Tara thought. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.

“Well, you musta done something to impress,” Faith answered, once again sporting her usual devil-may-care attitude. “So, what’d he give ya?”

Blushing once again, Tara gestured to the room around them and said, “Um, this.”

A moment of silence seemed to stretch out into infinity. The Scoobies glanced around the room for a second, and then all eyes were once again locked on the blonde witch. Tara had to force herself not to duck her head.

“This...” Xander said, drawing out the word into a disbelieving question; as though he thought he knew the answer, but equally believed that it couldn’t possibly be the answer.

“The house,” Tara said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

“The house? You mean this seven-bedroom mansion? That’s the ‘house’ you’re talking about?” Xander sputtered.

“Angel gave you his mansion?” Willow asked, sounding shocked.

Tara wordlessly handed the redhead the deed Angel had sent.

“Well, as grand gestures go...” Xander said, shaking his head in apparent wonder. After a second he began laughing uproariously.

“So, Tara,” Faith started. “Where do you shop, cause I gotta get me a whip and some fetish-wear- that dominatrix gig sound like a real hoot. I just gotta find me some rich boy and beat his ass raw and I’ll be on easy street...”

“Faith!” Tara exclaimed in shock.

‘I don’t know if I’m more shocked at what she said, or that she used my actual name...’

Faith joined Xander in laughter, though probably for different reasons.

Tara turned to the one person who had yet to say anything. “Buffy?” she whispered, taking in her pet’s dazed look.

‘I hope she’s not upset,’ Tara thought, feeling her stomach knot at the thought. ‘Damn that vampire! He manages to come between us even when he’s trying to do something nice... Now I’m going to have to convince her that I’m not interested in being Angel’s Mistress...’

Tara’s concern and worry evaporated as Buffy locked eyes with her and whispered, “I want to taste you so badly right now, Mistress. I can hardly stand it!”

The adoration and desire in her pet’s eyes hit Tara like a slap, replacing fret with hot lust.

Willow must have noticed their looks, because she suddenly said, “I’ve got to set up for the call, you’ve got about ten minutes.”

Glancing at her redheaded lover, Tara saw amusement and understanding in her beautiful hazel eyes. “Thank you!” she mouthed silently.

Willow’s answering grin lit up the room.

As she stood up and grabbed Buffy’s hand, Tara thought, ‘I’m gonna make sure your Mistress lets me reward you so good tonight Willow!’

“Come on Slayer, You’ve got work to do!” Tara growled as she dragged her unresisting pet off to the bedroom.

========== BtVS ==========

Tara was nearly panting by the time she yanked her Slayer into the bedroom and slammed the door. “Goddess! What you do to me Buffy!” she rasped, looking at her lover with pulse-pounding desire. “You’d think I hadn’t had you in weeks, not just this morning!”

Tara saw her own lust reflected, even amplified in the Slayer’s gaze. She couldn’t hold back a gasp when Buffy dropped to her knees before her.

“Mistress please! Tell me to touch you, command me to taste you, to drive you insane with pleasure!” Buffy cried, her voice inflamed with raw need.

‘How? How can I need you so badly?!’ one small corner of Tara’s mind cried. That small voice was drowned out by an electrical storm of searing passion that threatened to wipe away Tara’s ability to think.

“Clothes, off! On the bed now!” Tara growled out as though possessed.

‘I am possessed, you possess me!’ Tara thought as she watched Buffy scramble to obey. She didn’t bother taking off her own clothes, instead she just hiked her skirt up around her waist, yanked down her panties and moved over to the bed.

Tara grabbed a fist full of Buffy’s hair and leaned down till her eyes were only inches from the Slayer’s. “You’ve got five minutes to make me cum screaming Slayer, you got that?” she growled loudly.

Buffy’s eyes opened up impossibly wide and she nodded as far as she was able with Tara gripping her hair. “Yes! Oh God, yes Mistress!” she cried out, panting like a dog in the midsummer heat.

Tara let go of her handful of hair and swung her leg over Buffy’s head, settling herself down on the Slayer’s face. Letting go her skirt, Tara reveled in the feel of her pet’s frantic tongue and lips on her slick, hot flesh.

Had anyone dared to look in the room- and managed to escape alive- they would have forever remembered the vision of a naked, squirming Slayer buried from her collarbone up under Tara’s skirts. Meanwhile, the witch in question was running her hands through her hair, undulating her hips, and grunting and growling more like an animal than a human being.

‘Goddess! Feels so good, so right, so perfect!’ Tara thought, her mind swimming in an erotic haze. After a minute, she blinked her eyes open and took in the sight of her pet’s body before her. Her eyes trailed over the bare flesh and she was almost surprised that her gaze didn’t leave a trail of fire, it was so hot. ‘Touch... feel...’ her mind grunted, all higher thinking wiped away.

Tara cupped Buffy’s breasts in her palms, and then dragged her nails up the soft skin, leaving five red lines on each breast converging on the turgid nipples. Tara pinched, twisted and rolled that stiff flesh until she could feel and hear Buffy moaning and crying against her sex.

Enflamed and feeling something akin to madness building up inside her, Tara began grinding herself against Buffy’s mouth and face. She raked her nails across Buffy’s perfect, flat stomach, striping the flesh almost as if she been using a flog on her.

Tara’s whole body shuddered as an orgasm rushed through her with the power and fury of an explosion. So intense was it that she didn’t even realize for a moment that she was screaming.

She stopped shrieking, but continued to ride her Slayer’s face, unable or at least unwilling to stop the roiling pleasure that pulsed through her. “Don’t stop!” she commanded in a harsh rasp, riding the waves of ecstasy, climbing once again toward the peak.

Just before she shattered once again, Tara reached down and jammed four fingers inside Buffy’s overflowing sex, pumping madly.

“Cum!” Tara shrieked. It was at once a command for her pet and an announcement of her own wracking climax. Suddenly she found herself astride a wild animal as Buffy arched up and twisted feverishly, riding out her own release, squeezing Tara’s fingers in a wet, flesh vise.

She didn’t loose consciousness, but it did take several moments for Tara’s mind to swim up out of the depths and become aware of her surroundings once more. When she blinked her eyes back into focus she found herself face to face with her lover.

‘Oh sweetie, I love you so much,’ Tara thought at the look of adoration she saw in Buffy’s wide, shiny eyes. ‘Hmm, there’s a little shock there too...’ she realized. ‘That was pretty intense...’

“Was it good for you?” Tara asked with a smile.

A moment of pure astonishment quickly turned into laughter, and Buffy rolled onto her back, deep belly laughs spilling out of her. “God Tara!” she exclaimed in laughter.

Tara rolled up onto her side and smiled as she watched Buffy laugh. ‘So sexy, so... so Buffy!’ she thought happily.

Noticing the angry welts on Buffy’s stomach, Tara reached over and stroked them.

Buffy’s laughter died away and she gasped as Tara ran her fingers up and down the hot, red flesh.

“You know, I used to be embarrassed when I’d see the marks on your skin...” Tara whispered. “After we’d cool down, I’d feel guilty... like I’d done something bad...”

“No! Mistress...” Buffy protested.

Tara quieted her pet with a glance and a reassuring smile. Warmth flowed through her as she verily bathed in the afterglow of sex and love. “Then after a while, it started to feel good... and then that made me feel like I must be sick, or there was something wrong with me, to feel good about hurting you...”

Buffy shook her head, but remained silent.

“People who don’t live it could never really understand... the difference between hurt and harm... I’d never harm you, my Slayer,” Tara whispered, feeling her chest and throat tighten as intense joy and emotion welled up inside her. Moving her hand to cup Buffy’s cheek, she continued, “But I love hurting you, I love making you scream in pleasure and pain... you make me feel like a goddess, Buffy.”

“You are,” Buffy whispered intently. “You’re my everything, you’re my Mistress!”

Tara smiled joyfully and said, “I love you so much Buffy!”

“I love you too, more than words can say!” Buffy breathed back.

“We should get back out there,” Tara said, giving Buffy a brief kiss, and then rolling off the bed. “I think we owe Willow something special tonight, what do you think?” She asked as she quickly found her panties and slid them back on.

“Because of this, or just ‘cause she’s Willow?” Buffy joked while collecting her own clothes.

“Both, of course,” Tara replied.

Tara had an image flash though her brain suddenly as she watched Buffy drop her bundle on the bed and start to pick through it. ‘Oh, Tara, you are a wicked, wicked girl!’ she thought with a grin. ‘I think a little payback is in order for flirty little Faith...’

Buffy was about to start re-dressing when Tara stopped her. “Not that, Slayer.”

Buffy froze.

“I want you to wear your black sports bra, and that hip-hugger mini-skirt of yours...” Tara said with a sultry voice.

Buffy’s eyes widened in shock once again.

“Oh, and no panties,” Tara added offhandedly. “I may want to play with you later...”

Buffy licked her lips and hoarsely whispered, “Y-yes Mistress...”

“Now, get dressed, wash your face, and come out for the conference call,” Tara instructed. She then walked out of the room with her chin high, leaving the stunned Slayer once again scrambling to obey.

========== BtVS ==========

“Hey, we’re just waiting for Giles to log in, and we’ll be ready,” Willow said as Tara walked back into the dining room.

“Good, Buffy will be out in a second,” Tara responded, grinning widely.

The redhead stood and hugged the blond witch when she got closer. “Mmm, you look like the cat that got the cream,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around the taller girl.

“Oh, I got the cream alright,” Tara whispered back saucily. “and then some...”

‘Just wait till you see your Mistress!’ Tara thought giddily as she kissed her girlfriend.

“I still can’t believe deadboy gave you this place!” Xander said, shaking his head and chuckling softly.

“I can’t believe you just dragged B off for a quickie!” Faith said disbelievingly. “You three were just bunny-bouncing, like, two hours ago!”

Tara answered with an inscrutable smile. ‘Poor Faith,’ she thought, feeling downright decadent. ‘I can’t wait to see her face when Buffy comes out...’

“Well, it’s not every day someone gives you a big old mansion! I think that’s ah, a reasonable cause for celebration,” Willow said.

“Yeah, or maybe you guys are just big ol’ horn-dogs,” Faith said with a smirk. “What do you think X-man?”

All eyes moved onto Xander while he raised his brow as if surprised to be included in the conversation. “Uh, I think even I’m not dumb enough to get into this discussion.”

Faith and Willow both laughed, while Tara thought, ‘Smart man...’

“Come on X-man, don’t sell yourself short,” Faith snickered. She winked, as if to say she was just kidding.

Tara laughed when Xander stuck his tongue out at the dark-haired Slayer. ‘Still such a little boy sometimes...’

Buffy entered the room at that moment and Tara could feel Willow stiffen in her arms at the sight. ‘Ah, this should be interesting...’

“Mistress!” Willow exclaimed in a strangled whisper. “Oh my... Oh wow!”

Tara turned to see Faith’s and Xander’s reactions, keeping one arm around her girlfriend. She wasn’t disappointed.

Buffy was dressed as her Mistress had instructed, a black sports bra and a black miniskirt. The two rather skimpy pieces of clothing showed off lots of skin, and acted as a frame, highlighting the long red lines scratched into the Slayer’s tawny stomach. Her eyes were lowered, and her cheeks were stained red by her blush.

“Goddess, I want to go over there and lick each and every line!’ Tara thought lustily. “Maybe Faith’s right, maybe we are big ol’ horn-dogs... like that’s a bad thing,” she thought with a big grin on her face.

When her eyes made it all the way to the Slayer’s lightly blushing face, Tara realized, “She’s enjoying this! She’s trying to hide a smile there, the little vixen! Oh, exhibitionist Buffy... that has possibilities!”

Xander seemed stunned, his eyes glassy and wide as he stared at the sexy blonde.

Faith hid it a little better than Xander, but the way she was rubbing her palms on her thighs, and the sagged jaw told Tara that Faith was highly aroused.

“Faith, you’re drooling,” Tara teased, laughing delightedly when the Slayer nearly slapped herself in an effort to wipe the non-existent saliva from her mouth.

“So, the call?” Tara asked, sitting down and pretending to ignore the lust saturating the atmosphere.

“Uh, call?” Willow began, her mind clearly lost in the scenery for a moment. “Oh, the call... um, ready, yes.” She dropped down into her chair and gestured toward the laptop. “We’re all set... still waiting for Giles to log on...”

Buffy sat down between Tara and Willow and leaned over to the redhead, kissing her in greeting.

Tara could just hear Willow whispering in the blonde Slayer’s ear, “You look so sexy, Mistress Buffy!”

Before Buffy could respond, the laptop made a chiming sound like a doorbell, and the message popped up: ‘Dustyoldbooks would like to join the conference’

Xander chuckled while Willow reached over and clicked the ‘ok’ button.

“I still get a kick out of that,” Xander said, shaking his head and smiling.

‘Well, Willow warned Giles that he should learn how to set it up himself...” Tara thought with a humorous smile as well.

========== BtVS ==========

Dawn smiled and felt some of her tension loosen as the image of the Scoobies flared to life. “Giles, Mom, they’re on!” she called out to the hugging couple in the kitchen.

“Yes, we’ll be right in,” Giles called back.

“Hey guys!” Dawn said happily. “It’s really good to see you all!”

A chorus of answering greetings came back.

Her eyes swept the screen from left to right. She smiled warmly at the triad, all three of them sisters to her.

She felt somewhat disconcerted to see Faith, thinking, ‘So many unpleasant memories... and none of them are real.’

‘Xander...’ Dawn felt a pang of sadness as she drank in his image, remembering the previous night’s revelation, ‘I’m so sorry you had to go through that...’

“Hey Dawn!” Willow’s cheery voice came across the speaker. “You guys enjoying your little getaway?”

Dawn was startled into a somewhat manic laugh, ‘Right! Lovely, relaxing vacation.’

Before she could answer, Giles and her mother plopped down on the couch next to her.

“Hello Buffy, Willow, Tara, Xander... Faith, it’s good to see you again...” Giles greeted everyone.

“We’re so relieved that you all are ok!” Joyce exclaimed, obviously locked into full mom mode.

Another chorus of greetings came from the Scoobies, but Dawn noticed that Faith didn’t seem willing to look into the camera, being more interested in the surface of the table in front of her.

‘It must be hard, after everything she did she must have a hard time looking Mom and Giles in the eyes,’ Dawn thought. ‘Even through a camera.’

“So, where’d you guys go?” Willow asked, still bouncing with excitement. “Did you do anything fun?”

Peripherally, Dawn saw her mom wrap her arms around herself, obviously uncomfortable with the violence that had been happening as recently as an hour ago. ‘Not that I’m very comfortable with it either, at least mom didn’t pass out when the shooting started...’ Dawn thought in self-recrimination.

“Ah, yes, well...” Giles stammered.

“Spill Giles, what’s going on?” Buffy demanded, apparently sensing that all was not well. “Did something happen to you guys?!”

Dawn leaned back on the couch, thinking, ‘Oh joy, lets relive it again...’ She turned her head and noticed something that shocked her, ‘Uh oh, Giles has his arm around mom!’ She quickly snapped her eyes back to the screen, ‘Huh, doesn’t look like anyone’s noticing...’

A small smile stole across Dawn’s lips as she found some levity even in the midst of what was sure to be a depressing conversation. ‘This should be interesting...’

“Our attempts to escape danger by escaping Sunnydale, were... well, less than successful,” Giles said.

“It wasn’t any of Glory’s scabby little trolls, was it?” Buffy asked, her voice radiating both concern and anger.

“No, no it wasn’t Glory... We had a run-in with the Knights of Byzantium, unfortunately...”

“The Knights!?” Buffy sputtered.

“How did they know where you were?” Xander interjected.

“Yeah!” Willow agreed, sounding flustered. “We didn’t even know where you were!”

“Were any of you hurt?” Tara asked.

“We managed to, ah, avoid any serious injuries...” Giles answered Tara’s question first. He quickly continued, “However we were able to ascertain that someone in Sunnydale informed them of our location...”

A chorus of protests was cut off when Xander raised his voice and asked, “Giles; did anyone besides you three know where you were?”

“Yes, the watcher’s council knew,” Giles said.

“Those assholes!” Buffy shouted, jumping to her feet in outrage.

“Buffy!” Joyce shouted, apparently upset with her language.

Dawn’s eyes were focused on Buffy’s stomach, which had been revealed as she stood up from the table. ‘Ouch! That looks like it hurt!” she thought with a wince.

“Oh please mom!” Buffy continued. “They tried to kill you! That’s the least of what I could call them!”

Buffy’s standing position, in addition to showing her tummy, also took most of her face up out of the camera’s view.

Dawn had to stifle an inappropriate snicker as her focus widened beyond the angry red lines on her sister’s torso. ‘I can only see her from the mouth down! She looks very weird...’ Dawn thought. ‘and her mouth looks really big...’

“Good Lord!” Giles exclaimed. “What happened? Xander said none of you had been wounded in the battle with Glory...”

Buffy sat down as abruptly as she had stood. She was blushing strongly and avoiding looking into the camera as she muttered, “It’s nothing.”

Faith and Xander were both grinning madly. Willow less so, but still looking amused. Tara was blushing too, but had her chin up and eyes on the camera.

“Oh, that wasn’t Glory,” Faith said slyly. “That was the beast with two backs!”

‘Oh my God!’ Dawn thought as she realized what Faith must mean. ‘First of all, Eww. Second, ouch! I really don’t get the whole pain is pleasure thing. I hope Xander’s not into that stuff... I bet Faith is though,’ she thought snarkily.

Xander looked like he was nearly biting through his lip in an effort not to burst out laughing.

“The beast with two...” Giles trailed off as Joyce whispered in his ear.

‘Oh boy! Giles blushes even redder than Willow!’ Dawn thought with a grin.

No one said anything for a moment, then Giles cleared his throat and said, “Yes, well... I don’t think the council sent the Knight’s of Byzantium after us. It isn’t really their style.”

Buffy was still blushing, but seemed perfectly willing to drop the subject of her ‘wounds’ as she said, “Yeah, I remember their ‘style’ from last year.

‘At least she has the good grace to look ashamed,’ Dawn thought as she saw Faith duck her head.

“If the Knight’s came after you, then they must know...” Xander trailed off.

“Yes, they knew,” Giles said.

Of all the Scoobies, only Xander seemed to catch Giles use of the past tense, and understand what it implied. ‘He’s the only one who reacted, anyway,’ Dawn thought.

“How?” Xander demanded, looking very angry.

“Someone they referred to as ‘the traitor’ gave them both that information, and our location,” Giles said.

“Does the council know... you know...” Tara interjected.

Giles nodded wearily. “I’m certain that Quinton at least knows. Though how he could have found out is beyond me...”

“But, you still don’t think the council sent the knight’s after you?” Xander asked, incredulous.

“I agree that that would seem logical, however there are two reasons why I do not believe that they were involved,” Giles explained. “First, the Knights were approached in Sunnydale by this nebulous ‘traitor’. While not out of the question, it is unlikely that there is anyone from the council remains in Sunnydale after their recent debacle. Also, it is unlikely that the council would approach the Knights in person, if they were to contact them at all.”

“And the second reason?” Xander asked.

“Yes, well... someone, we’re assuming that it’s the same person who gave us up to the Knights, but someone sent another assassin after myself and Dawn specifically,” Giles explained.

“What?!” Buffy screamed. “What... who... how!?”

“Three very good questions,” Giles said sardonically. “Unfortunately, I can only answer one of them. The ‘what’ is; someone hired a relatively inexpensive assassin, gave him personal photos of Dawn and I, and told him where to find us. Unfortunately, they acted through an unknown intermediary, therefore...”

“No ‘who’ or ‘how’,” Xander finished with a nod.

“Precisely,” Giles agreed. “While the council is know for it’s ruthlessness, they have much better resources than this. They also wouldn’t likely have used those photos.”

“Buffy, I recognized the picture of Dawn... it came from my dresser!” Joyce said in a shaky voice. “Whoever it was that did this was in our house!”

‘That’s interesting...’ Dawn thought. ‘They all got a weird look on their faces all of a sudden. Kind of a ‘we’re hiding something’ look...’

“The picture of me looks as though it was taken at the shop... though I can’t recall the situation in which it was taken...” Giles said.

“Well, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the Knights,” Xander said in the ensuing silence. “They kinda ran into Glory while we were in LA.”

“Ahh,” Giles said.

“What does that mean?” Joyce asked. She stared at Giles for a moment, and the look on his face was apparently enough as she answered her own question, “Oh, she killed them...”

‘Poor Mom, she looks so lost in all this,’ Dawn thought. ‘I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be glad or not... I guess I’m relieved...’

“There is something else,” Giles said, his voice screaming out how much he didn’t want to have to bring this up.

“Giles, I’m not sure how much ‘more’ we can deal with right now...” Buffy said, clearly upset with that which had already been discussed.

“Yes... unfortunately we cannot avoid this issue. It would seem that the council has decided to dispatch another team to capture Faith and return her to England for trial.”

Everyone gasped at that.

‘Oh my God! Buffy’s already pissed, she’ll beat them into the dirt!’ Dawn thought. ‘I can’t believe they could be so stupid!’

“But... wasn’t it the council that got her pardoned in the first place?” Joyce asked. “Why would they... I just don’t understand...” she trailed off, shaking her head.

“Um, Giles? You did remind the council that these guys just defeated Glory, right?” Dawn asked, incredulous. She gestured at the computer screen and said, “They just took out a Hellgod that the watchers thought no one could stop... what makes the council think they have the slightest chance of getting Faith?”

“There are some on the council who feel that, given Faith’s history with... well, Buffy especially, but all of us really... they believe that no one will protest too strongly...” Giles said ruefully, as if embarrassed at his fellow watcher’s naivety.

“Are they insane?” Buffy asked, incredulous.

“Are they really that dumb?” Xander asked, sounding angry. “Do they think we’d just stand by and...” His hands on the table were clenched in fists.

‘Oh boy, I can almost hear his teeth grinding...’ Dawn thought. ‘Oh God, does he have feelings for Faith? I mean I don’t necessarily want the council getting their hands on her, but...’ Intense jealousy flooded through the youngest Summers at the thought.

“Not all of them, apparently,” Giles said.

“What do you mean?” Buffy asked.

“It was Quinton Travers himself that gave me this information,” Giles said.

“But... that doesn’t make sense...” Buffy said, clearly confused. “Why would he tell you, did he think you wouldn’t tell us?”

Giles shook his head, “No, he was fully aware that I would be sharing this information with you all. He gave me the impression that he rather strongly disagrees with this course of action.”

“Isn’t he, like, the head watcher-guy, or something?” Xander asked with a frown.

“Quinton is a senior member of the council, however he is one of seven, and while quite influential, he can be out-voted by a simple majority,” Giles explained.

Xander’s face suddenly had a look of comprehension drawn over it, while the others all still appeared confused.

“I think I get it...” Xander said, nodding his head.

‘Well, I don’t get it,’ Dawn thought. ‘At least I’m not the only one... everyone else looks confused, even Giles a little.’

“Did you get the feeling that he was against them taking Faith, or just that he didn’t think Buffy would let them get away with it?” Xander asked.

Dawn looked back at Giles and saw that same look of comprehension appear.

“Of course... that manipulative bastard,” Giles whispered. “Excellent deduction, Xander. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head,” he said.

‘He sounds almost... like he’s proud of him or something,’ Dawn thought. ‘Xander’s a lot smarter than he acts sometimes; of course I already knew that. Just one more reason...’

“Well, could someone share with the rest of the class?” Buffy interjected.

Xander looked at the camera with a questioning _expression_.

Giles gave a sort of ‘go ahead’ gesture.

“Well,” Xander started, sounding a little nervous. “I think this Travers guy probably thinks it’s a good idea; the taking Faith thing. I just don’t think he buys the idea that we’ll just sit around and do nothing about it... so he’s, like, hedging his bets.”

‘Aha! He’s, like, playing both sides,’ Dawn thought. ‘What a jerk!’

Tara and Willow nodded their heads, but the two slayers still had looks of incomprehension firmly plastered to their faces.

“See, he thinks that this team they’re gonna send... that we’re gonna stop them.” Turning to Faith, he added, “Which, we totally will Faith.”

The other three girls all chimed-in in agreement.

“So, if we’re gonna stop them anyway, then he probably thinks it’ll smooth things over, at least for him, and he’ll seem like he’s on our side, ‘cause he warned us about it ahead of time,” Xander explained.

‘And the light bulbs turn on,’ Dawn thought rather uncharitably as the slayers finally seemed to get it.

“So, does that make this guy Travers a good guy, or a bad guy?” Faith asked, speaking up at last.

“Neither, I’m afraid,” Giles said, sounding tired. “I would say that Quinton Travers is a man with his own agenda... and while it may have worked to our benefit in this case, he may yet prove to be even more dangerous in the long run.”

========== BtVS ==========

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