L.A. is a Battlefield

Chapter 4: The New Council

The gang sat talking about the first slayer and the possibilities of a new council and the idea of a slayer nation. Buffy ran something in Rome that was the closes thing to a watcher council but they didn’t have watcher for all the slayers. There are so many now that that the slayers now out number the watcher, so there will be one or two watchers to every unit of slayers. Some slayers will be pulling double duty as acting watchers.

On the personal a level the gang was split there was a sense of desolation and rejection. Willow who didn’t talk to Buffy. She would tell someone else then they would tell Buffy. Kennedy stayed to herself only speaking when spoken to. She sat against a wall alone, not wanting to be close to Willow and was afraid to be anywhere close to Faith. To anyone who would have walked into it would seem that everyone was into their conversations and not fighting amongst themselves.

Faith walked to the window. Buffy watched as she rubbed the back if her neck and stared out the window. Buffy walked over looking around seeing everyone busy with their own conversations Buffy knew she could talk openly with Faith. “Baby what’s wrong?” She took Faith’s hand into hers as she did the night in the courtyard. Smiling at their hands she remembered the kiss they shared and Rona’s face. “You don’t look happy, you should be. This is a great thing. We can the boss and run the council the way we know is right.”

“No I’m happy we’re on the edge of making a great council but what about the rest? What about the people that made this happen?”

“What do you mean we’re all here we’re talking about it right now.”

“No Buffy you’re talking to Giles but you’re not talking to Willow, Kennedy is holding the wall up and not talking to anyone, and Xander is telling so many jokes I think he’s going on a one man show. So no you’re not talking you’re talking around the problem using the good news as a cover!”

“Everyone seems to be all well and good but your not. What about Willow treating you like shit and Xander walking away and us. Buffy what about us are we ever going to talk about it? I mean what are we doing here? We live together you and I have an apartment together and only two people know we sleep in the same room. How long are we going to play house before I get to kiss you and make love to you the way I should.”

Buffy didn’t know Faith felt this deeply about them she knew that something was wrong with their living arrangement. She knew that Faith was not going to play nice when they got back it was going to be all or nothing and for Buffy she was looking for the all. “Well as for Willow I’m planning on letting her have it later. You’re right she can’t treat me like that and then play like it never happened. I do need to tell her about Tara she’ll want to visit her. As for Xander he needs to find his answers I can’t give them to him. I can only help him by making sure he has a safe place to go and that is to Oz. He’ll come around and if he doesn’t then we have to respect his decision.” She pulls Faith closer to her close enough that she can feel the dark beauty’s breath on her face. “As for us, I was never playing house, playing it safe maybe but if you you’re saying it’s all or nothing then I’ll take the all! I love you and baby playtime is over!” Without caring about the other people in the room Buffy reaches up and kisses Faith.

“Okay that’s new!” Xander says pointing at the two slayers.

“Yeah, not so new Xand. Of course their doing this now, they always have to do things back asswards.” Dawn complained. She loved that they were together but she never understood why no one else knew.

Willow gasped at the sight of the two slayers. Giles cleared his throat and Andrew giggles. Kennedy looks around with a big smile “Hey Buffy, Faith um whatcha doing?” Kennedy asked trying not to laugh at Xander’s and Willow reaction to the girls.

Buffy could feel the heat moving over her face. Faith stepped forward. “Well Kennedy, if you need this explained then I feel sorry for Willow.”

“Buffy! How? When? Where?” Willow sputtered.

“When, right after Sunnydale. Where, Cleveland. I hope I don’t need to tell you the how or the who.”

“Look, B and I are together. Have been for a while. So now you know. Now get over it.”

“I just can’t believe you haven’t told me.” Willow still staring them.

“Not like you ever called her to find out her day, let alone if she was dating anyone.” Kennedy spat.

“Kennedy leave her alone.” Xander snapped.
“Oh shut up Xander.”

“Bite the weenie Faith.”

“With relish.” She bites the air.

“Okay enough.” Giles says with an overtone of disapproval. “We have more pressing concerns, so if you are done with Faith and Buffy’s kissing we should move on.”

“Yeah like Willow going off on Buffy last night!” Faith yells.

“Oh yes well that would be it..... if you must.” Giles continues to mutter to himself as he turns away, polishing his glasses. “Not to mention there is a council to be put together.”

“If I could say they are a loving couple...”

“SHUT UP ANDREW!” everyone yelled at him.

“Willow, you said some pretty vile shit last night to Buffy. I don’t think you realize just how much she cares for your stupid witchy ass. ‘It’s her fault Tara died.’ You are so full of shit. Here’s a surprise. Buffy moved Tara’s body. It is now resting peacefully in the Eternal City. For you that don’t know, I mean Rome. You miss Tara so damn bad, go visit her tomb. Maybe you can get over her and stop tearing out Kennedy’s heart every other day.” Faith was bouncing on the balls of her feet, angry and yet peaceful.

“And you, Xander. Telling people you’re leaving. Stupid ass. You couldn’t add ‘for a little bit while I get my head out of my ass and screwed on straight.’ You lost a lot. I know. I’m sorry. But we love you too, ya reject, so grieve then get your skinny white butt back to Rome where it belongs.” The gleam in Faith’s eyes got brighter as she turned to Kennedy.

“Now Ken.” She chuckled. “Oh Kennedy.” Faith closes the distance between them to mere inches.
“Don’t you EVER, EVER leave a family member right at their weakest moment! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND!” Faith drew back her hand as if to smack her across the room, but stopped herself just in time. “You don’t do that. I shouldn’t have to be the one to tell you that, I mean, look at my relationships before Buffy. Where the hell would I get good dating advice? But it’s just common sense; you get closer when they are weaker, because dammit, that’s when they need you to hold them up.” Faith stalked back to stand next to a shocked looking Buffy. “There, now if that’s all done. Giles, its council time.”

Andrew piped up “Here? But I have my markers! We have to go to the conference room, I need my big board so we can write jobs down and do ballots and...”

“Oh, sod off about your board,” Giles snapped uncharacteristically. “Next damn thing you know you’re going to ‘save the world’ with your blasted green dry erase marker.”

“Hey!” Willow cries.

“I think that is my ‘Hey’ and it was a yellow crayon mind you!” Xander points at the watcher. “And it was on the bluff...”

“WE KNOW XANDER!” They all yell for him to shut up.

Buffy leans against the window sill looking at the ceiling. “If I was anywhere but here I would be on a beach with...”

“Ooh, ooh I know I know!” Willow has her hand raised and jumping, “It’s with Gavin Rosedale...well, maybe not now, but I knew that was it in high school.”

“No, now she would be on a beach with Faith...oh and they would be rolling around in the sand...” Xander stares off into space.

“Did anyone else just go to a sexy visual place?" Kennedy asked, raising her hand. Willow nodes her head looking to the floor. Giles raises his glasses and Andrew looks as he could cry.
Shaking his head to rid himself from the vision. “Dear me, must we talk about this?” Giles rubs his head. “I, for one, could care less where Buffy and Faith roll around at... Oh, for a different phrasing.”

“Okay enough about fighting and sand play, we need to get the council off the ground.” Dawn steps into the conversation. “Now as I see it, the dork is right we need the big board so we should make our way to the conference room. Then we can get things put to a plan.”

“The brat has a good idea. We take the dork and put him into the board.” Faith smiles as she grabs Buffy’s hand and walks out of the room.

Younger slayers move out of the way as the gang walk down the hall. The Scoobies all had a confident strut as they moved in a wedge formation, eyes all locked on their destination. No glance was spared to the others that looked on with awe. A few of the older slayers who had been with them longer got a lump in their throat. This single-mindedness of determination had not been seen since shortly before the assault on Caleb’s winery back in Sunnydale. Finally at last all the Scoobies were again completely of one mind. From their separate lives, one mind had come together.

Throwing the conference room doors open, the gang filed in, letting the doors swing shut behind them with a resounding boom. Brave, important things were going to be discussed in there, a few younger slayers said to one another. World shattering decisions to be made.

“So who wants donuts?” Xander said, hand on the room service phone.