Day One

Night - The Bronze

(Song:) Run - Dingoes Ate My Baby (Four Star Mary)

The Scoobies were sitting at two tables. The Bronze was very crowded that night.

Oz and Devon were on stage, playing their song Run.

Oz smiled toward Zoey. Zoey smiled, waving.

(Song Ends)

Oz's last cord was understated and fading. The crowd began to applaud and cheer as Devon took his bows. Oz lifted his guitar from his shoulder, leaning the instrument against the back wall of the stage, walking down the stairs at the side of the stage to join the other Scoobies at their table.

Zoey smiled. "Oz. Hey. Have a seat... except we don't have any seats."

"It's okay," Oz told her. "I'll just scrunch in."

Zoey nudged over a bit with her stool to make room for Oz at the table.

Willow nudged over and bumped into Xander. She gave him a nervous look.

Xander hurriedly scooted over a bit as well, nudging up hard against Cordelia.

"Xander, why are you giving me a lap dance?" Cordelia asked.

Xander smiled weakly, stroking her arm. "What? I just like you."

Cordelia pulled her arm away from him, squirming around a bit to get comfortable again.

Willow stammered, smiling nervously. "And that's very beautiful. I think it's great when two people like people and want to be close to them instead of anyone else."

Eric gave her a weird look, confused by his sister's behavior. "Here, here."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "Well put."

Zoey looked very restless and confused, looking around.

Oz pointed at Zoey's cup. "Hey, can I snag a sip?"

"Sure," Zoey answered, reaching for her cup.

Oz reached also. "Yeah, thanks."

Their hands touched as they both reached for Zoey's cup. Zoey pulled back, shrugging, accidentally knocking a tray of drinks out of the hand of the waitress standing behind them. Zoey slipped off of her stool, trying to catch them, but of course she was too late, and could only look down at the spilled drinks.

Around them, the crowd began to applaud Zoey's ungraceful maneuver.

Zoey raised her hands in acknowledgement, only slightly embarrassed. "Thank you." She turned around. "Thank you."

Brooke smiled. "Uh, we're here through Saturday. Enjoy the veal."

Zoey smiled, taking a bow, sitting down, tilting her head against the table.

"No, you don't gotta hide," Brady told her.

"Trying to be a cute klutz, Zo?" Carmen asked in amusement.

Zoey raised her head, sighing.

Alice chuckled. "Pretty sure that's not what she was going for."

"Why are you so hyper, Zoey?" Wyatt asked.

"I don't know," Zoey admitted. "I mean, I just have all of this energy inside and it feels like it's gonna burst out and then stuff like that happens."

Hope and Faith walked up to them.

"Well, good thing that we have something to help with that, Zoey," Hope told her. "You wanna release the energy? Come patrol with us."

"Yo, what's up?" Faith asked. "Yeah, Hope's right. Time to motorvate."

"All right," Buffy agreed.

"Let's go," Brooke told them.

"Bianca running about like usual?" Hope asked.

Carmen and Wyatt exchanged a look, chuckling a bit.

"No, think it's just us tonight," Brady answered.

"Yeah, she's been taking care of Angel," Alice agreed.

"Splitting up to conquer all 12 cemeteries of Sunnydale, or a group outing again?" Eric asked.

Wyatt smirked. "Take your bloody pick."

Carmen chuckled. "All right, come on."

∞

Cemetery

The group had found a nest of vampires in a crypt, and were now fighting them outside.

Buffy, Faith and Zoey rolled onto their backs, side by side, each with a vampire on top of them. Buffy backhand punched Vampire 1 while Faith struggled to get control over Vampire 2. Zoey used a blast of gypsy magic to throw Vampire 3 off of her to the ground. Vampire 1 tried to punch Buffy, but she redirected his arm to hit the ground next to her. Faith log rolled away, taking Vampire 2 with her.

Giles watched calmly while sitting behind them on a nearby bench, also watching Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Hope.

Brady kicked Vampire 4 in the knee, making him kneel down, punching him in the face. Vampire 4 tried to punch Brady. Brady ducked, sliding past him, turning back, punching Vampire 4 twice in the back and legs, jumping up to tackle him to the ground, punching him in the face twice.

Vampire 5 ran toward Wyatt. Wyatt waved his arm, creating a ring of fire around Vampire 5 to trap him, making it close in around him until the vampire was burned alive and into ash, letting the fire fade.

Eric grabbed Vampire 6, throwing him into Vampire 7, jumping up to tackle Vampire 6 to the ground, making him fall back into Vampire 7, kicking Vampire 6 in the head, releasing a blast of yellow magic at him to send him flying back into Vampire 7. Eric then drew his crossbow and fired two arrows into Vampire 6 and 7's hearts to kill them.

Brooke ran toward Vampire 8, sliding between his legs, turning to face him, crouched to the ground. Vampire 8 turned to face Brooke, running closer. Brooke jumped up to kick Vampire 8 in the head, wrapping her legs around his neck, flipping him to the ground, punching him in the face, kicking him in the head, waving her hands, using red Guardian energy to wrap around him, ripping her hands away from each other so she could use the power to rip the vampire into ash, lowering her hands and letting the ashes fall.

Alice grabbed Vampire 9's arm, twisting it back, punching him in the head, twisting his arm so hard she broke it, flipping him to the ground in the process, making him land on the broken arm hard. Vampire 9 stood, trying to hit Alice. Alice ducked, punching Vampire 9 in the chest, then the face, twisting his arm around, putting her hand to his chest, using her red Guardian energy to shoot out of her hand into his chest, making it surround the vampire, engulfing him, and burning him out of existence.

Vampire 10 pushed Carmen to the ground. Carmen looked up from the ground with a glare, standing, turning around, using her telekinetic power to throw Vampire 10 into a crypt wall hard enough to make the stone break, and making Vampire 10 fall to the ground. Vampire 10 stood, running toward Carmen. Carmen levitated up to make him miss her, making him run past, spinning through the air to kick Vampire 10 to the ground. Vampire 10 tried to jump at her, but Carmen held out her hand and froze him with her power. She found a branch on the ground, picking it up, twirling it around in her hand, using it as a makeshift stake, plunging it into Vampire 10's heart to kill him, watching him turn into dust.

Vampire 11 tried to punch Hope. Hope ducked, grabbing his arm, slamming it over her knee to break it, making him groan a yell in pain, punching him in the face, headbutting her head against his, pulling down on his broken arm to make him yell out in pain, elbowing him in the face. When Vampire 11 tried to hit her, Hope formed a shield of red Guardian energy, using the energy shield to hit Vampire 11 in the face, kicking him in the stomach, using the shield to flip him to the ground, turning to face him, holding out her hands to use Guardian energy to grab around him, ripping her hands apart to rip him into pieces, letting the ashes fall.

Zoey, Buffy, Brady and Faith were still fighting their vampires.

Faith rolled on top of Vampire 2, yanking him by the lapels of his jacket to a standing position, spinning halfway around to throw him into a log roll over a stone bench. Vampire 2 hit the ground and kept on rolling. Faith jumped up onto the bench, then back down to the ground. Vampire 2 aimed a punch at her face, but rethought his maneuver and decided to snap kick her in the gut. Faith grabbed his foot, throwing it over his head, forcing him to flip over in a back layout, making him land hard on his stomach.

Buffy ducked a half spinning jumping hook kick from Vampire 1, sidestepping to avoid a punch, trying to punch him twice, but he ducked both times. Vampire 1 tried to punch her, but Buffy latched onto his arm, yanking him backwards, then forwards, twisting his arm, sending him flipping onto his back, sending her vampire spinning back to the ground with a two kick combination of a roundhouse followed by a hook kick, pausing for a moment to let him get back up, then roundhouse kicking him in the gut, followed immediately by a punch to his face as the momentum of her kick carried her around.

Zoey spun to kick Vampire 3 in the stomach. Vampire 3 tried to tackle Zoey. Zoey ducked, sliding over the ground, spinning into a standing position to kick Vampire 3 in the face, making him back away, jumping up to tackle him to the ground, hitting his head against the ground. Vampire 3 pushed Zoey off of him, trying to attack by jumping at her. Zoey held out her hands, using purple gypsy power to catch him midair, turning around to throw him through a headstone, making the headstone shatter, cartwheeling over Vampire 3 to straddle him to the ground, staking him in the heart, making him burst into ashes.

Brady had a firm grip on Vampire 4, throwing his head backward, sending him toppling backwards onto a bench, and his momentum carried him sliding over it. Brady jumped onto the bench to follow Vampire 4 over. Vampire 4 got up, punching Brady in the side, trying to punch him in the head. Brady caught his wrist, twisting him around, still holding his arm, pulling him to his feet, pushing him against a crypt, making him fall to the ground, kicking him in the head to stun him, driving his stake through his heart, making him burst into ashes.

Now that Buffy and Faith were the only ones still fighting, the others were watching them as they were having fun with the fight.

Faith jumped over a bench to roundhouse kick Vampire 2 in the face. Buffy roundhouse kicked Vampire 1 in the stomach. Faith punched Vampire 2 in the stomach, taking aim with her stake. Buffy shoved Vampire 1 against Vampire 2, making the two vampires end up back to back. Faith and Buffy both plunged their stakes into their respective vampires's hearts simultaneously, causing them both to explode into ashes, high fiving each other, before going over to high five Zoey, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Hope as well.

Buffy smiled. "Synchronized slaying."

"New Olympic category?" Faith asked.

"If so, we'd all totally wipe the floor with everyone in earth," Hope told them.

Brady smirked. "Truth to that."

Brooke smiled. "Hell yeah."

"Don't get too excited," Wyatt told them in amusement. "As we all know, not all vampires are this easy to kill."

"That's true," Alice agreed. "We can't get cocky or too confident."

"Alice, Wyatt, come on," Carmen told them. "We're all getting better and more powerful. We've earned a little confidence."

"Yes, but not too much," Eric told them. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm still adjusting to having magic on top of fighting."

Zoey smiled, looking at Giles. "What do you think?"

Giles, in the middle of drinking coffee, lowered his cup, but kept it held at mouth level, but before he could answer, he was interrupted.

They heard a woman's voice. "Sloppy." They all turned to look at the woman who had just walked into view, Gwendolyn Post. Her hair was pulled up in a severe hair style, and she had a very serious look on her face. She looked at Buffy and Faith. "You telegraph punches, leave blind sides open and." She looked from Buffy and Faith to Alice, Brooke and Hope. "And for a school night slaying, all five of you take entirely too much time." She looked at Eric, Brady, Wyatt and Carmen. "The witches and hunters took less time than you." She looked at Zoey. "Except for the gypsy, who was taking just as much pleasure as the five of you did." Zoey gave Post a skeptic look. Post looked over the Slayers and Guardians. "Which two of you are Hope and Faith?"

"Depends," Hope told her. "Who the hell are you?"

"Gwendolyn Post, Mrs." Post answered. "Your new Watcher."

Hope and Faith exchanged a look, looking over at Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Giles. Giles was still holding his cup and staring at Post, too dumbfounded to speak.

∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Giles was leaning against the stair railing, cleaning his glasses. Hope, Faith, Buffy, Brooke and Alice were sitting at the table. There were several books lying open on it. Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt and Carmen were standing nearby. Post was looking through some of the books.

"We're telling you, Hope and I don't need a new Watcher," Faith told her. "No offense, lady. We just have this problem with authority figures. They end up kind of dead."

Hope nodded sarcastically in agreement.

Post walked past the table. "Duly noted, and fortunately, it's not up to you." Hope and Faith exchanged a look. Post walked around the table below the railing of the upper level, looking around at the few stacks there were in the study area of the library, apparently unaware that the main stacks were up the stairs and through a set of French doors, well out of view. "Mr. Giles, where do you and Alice keep the rest of your books?"

"I'm sorry?" Alice asked. "The rest?"

"Yes, the actual library," Post told them. Alice raised her eyebrows. Giles gave Post a confused look, putting on his glasses. "Oh, I see."

"I can assure you, Mrs. Post, this is the finest occult reference collection--" Giles started.

"This side of the Atlantic, I'm sure," Post interrupted. "Do you have Hume's Paranormal Encyclopedia?" Giles looked away, knowing that while his collection was superior, it was still not complete. "The Labyrinth Maps of Malta?"

Alice looked at Giles.

"It's on order," Giles admitted.

"Well, I suppose that you have Sir Robert Kane's Twilight Compendium?" Post asked.

Giles looked around. "Oh, uh, yes, I..." He found the book, picking it up, holding it out. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Post was unimpressed. "Of course you do."

Layla walked in. "Sorry, just got done with a shift at the hospital." They all looked at her. Layla noticed Post, coming to a stop. "Did I miss something?"

"Only briefly," Post answered. "I take it that you are the mother gypsy, Layla Francis. Zoey's mother."

"Yes," Layla answered. "Who the hell are you?"

"Hope and Faith's new Watcher," Post stated. "I'm glad that you could make it. I have been sent by the Council for a very important reason. Hope and Faith need a Watcher. I am to act in that capacity and report back."

Hope leaned forward in her chair. "Excuse me, Mary Poppins, you don't seem to be listening."

"Hope, Faith, if the Council feels that you need closer observation, then we will all, of course, cooperate," Giles told them.

Hope leaned back again, exchanging a look with Faith, neither of them happy at all with the situation.

"The Council wishes me to report on the entire situation here," Post told them. She looked at Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Layla and Giles. "Including all of you."

"Excuse me?" Zoey asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes innocently. "Academic probation's not so funny today, huh, Zoey?"

Zoey gave Buffy a look, which Buffy returned.

Brooke looked at Post. "Why exactly are you reporting on Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Layla and Giles? You're supposed to focus on Slayers and Guardians like me, Buffy, Alice, Hope and Faith."

"Because, Brooke, like you said, even though my attention is to be focused on you, Buffy, Alice, Hope and Faith, it does not change the fact that Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Layla have been involved in things that normally witches, hunters and gypsies would not have been involved in, or should not have been," Post told her.

"I think you're overreacting a little," Brady told her. "Hunters like me and Eric are involved with vampire and demon slayings all over the country. And witches and gypsies help deal with creatures like them all the time too."

"Yeah, I didn't see your Council get involved with other hunters," Eric agreed. "Or when gypsies from Zoey and Layla's bloodline cursed vampires with souls in order to make them suffer and turn good and help people."

Carmen gave Eric a look, but Eric knew better than to mention the vampires by name. "Eric."

Eric gave Carmen a reassuring look.

"That may be true as well, but on the other hand, witches, hunters and gypsies don't normally band together with Slayers and Guardians," Post told them.

"You have no idea what I've seen in my time," Wyatt told her. "Our little group here is the least weird thing I've seen. Like Eric and Brady said. You're overreacting."

Post looked at Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Layla. "Maybe about you." She looked at Alice and Giles. "But not about the two of you. The fact is, there is talk in the Council that you two have become a bit too... American."

Alice and Giles were both taken aback. "Us?"

Zoey and Layla were both surprised. "Them?"

Post continued on. "A demon named Lagos is coming here to the Hellmouth." She smirked condescendingly. "Mr. Giles, an illustration of Lagos, if you please."

Giles was a bit flustered. "Oh, uh..." He looked at the books on he table. "Yes. Uh..."

Giles sat at the table, beginning to look through one of the books.

"Perhaps later," Post told him. Giles stopped looking, very taken aback, beginning to get angry. "Lagos seeks the Glove of Myhnegon. No record of this glove's full power exists, but we do know it is highly dangerous and must not fall into the hands of a demon. Lagos must be stopped."

Wyatt nodded sarcastically. "What do you propose? Because if it's not too radical a suggestion, I thought we might just band together and kill him."

Post looked at the witches, gypsies and hunters. "You will not. This is a test for the Slayers and Guardians. I suggest them all to be at full strength for a coordinated hunt." Buffy and Brooke looked at Hope, Faith and Alice. Hope and Faith just glared at Post. "We believe the glove to be buried in a tomb somewhere, so Lagos will be headed for the cemetery."

"There is more than one in Sunnydale," Buffy told her.

Post nodded. "I see. How many?"

"12 within the city," Brooke answered. "Why do you think we have such a big team to split up and search over all areas where demons and vampires could be?"

Brady leaned his arms against the table to look at Post sarcastically. "See, since there are 12, and there's a lot of other sketchy places in town, at least with all of us patrolling, there's less likely of chances for death rates in the town."

Post took a deep breath, looking at Hope, Faith, Buffy, Brooke and Alice. "Well, we'll just have to take them one at a time."

"Yeah, sure," Eric told her sarcastically. "If you want to waste time and lose the glove to the demon. With us helping, we have a higher chance of finding the glove before the demon does."

"I said no," Post told them.

"Well, lucky for us, we don't have to follow orders from the Council," Carmen replied.

Post sighed, frustrated, looking at Giles. "Anything in your books that might pinpoint the exact location of the tomb would be useful, but then, we cannot ask for miracles." Giles let his book drop to the table, making a point of looking directly away from her, rubbing his fingers, keeping his cool. "We'll begin tomorrow at sunset. Hope. Faith." Hope and Faith looked up. "With me, please."

Post walked out of the library. Hope and Faith looked at the others, reluctantly following Post out. Giles visibly relaxed when Post was gone.

Layla sighed, frustrated. "That was bracing."

Giles slapped his glasses onto the table, leaning his lips into his fist.

"Interesting lady," Zoey told them. "Can we kill her?"

"I think the Council might frown upon that," Wyatt told them sarcastically, though he was clearly intrigued by the idea.

"Oh, come on, Wyatt," Brooke told him. "It's not like you weren't thinking it too."

"Pretty sure we all were," Buffy agreed.

Brady, Eric and Carmen nodded in agreement. "Mm-hmm."

They all chuckled.

"Well, Buffy, Brooke, Hope, Faith, Dad and I might have to follow orders of the Council, but Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Layla do not," Alice pointed out, looking at each of them. "And you do not have to stop patrolling or helping us."

"Good, because I wasn't planning on it anyway," Brady told them.

"No way in hell I'm letting some British bitch stop me from helping," Eric agreed.

"Me neither," Carmen agreed.

Layla and Giles managed small smiles.

Layla sighed. "Well. How do you guys feel about a little of training?"

They smiled.

∞

Day Two

Sunset - Angel's Mansion

Angel and Carmen were practicing T'ai Chi in front of the great fireplace. Angel concentrated on the exercises, but Carmen watched his moves, doing her best to mirror them. They each began with their arms stretched high above and ahead of them, hands together. They lowered their arms to waist level with a graceful bend at the elbows. Carmen glanced over at Angel, watching his elegant movements, turning her attention back to the exercise, crossing her right wrist over her left. They both swept their crossed arms in a wide arc from left to right, and then drew their hands in to their waists, making a quarter turn to their left, so that Carmen had her back to Angel. They both extended their arms and slowly raised them, never stopping their fluid movements, until their hands were again held high. Angel took the two steps over to Carmen, putting his hands over hers. Carmen looked up at his hands on hers as he pulled her arms down and around her. Carmen slowly turned to face him, angling her face up toward him. Their lips almost met.

Bianca returned to the mansion with some blood, not having known that Carmen was there or how close Angel and Carmen had been to kissing. "I got some blood." Angel and Carmen separated, backing away from each other. Bianca turned to face them. "Heard some demon gossip while patrolling." Angel pulled on his shirt. Bianca looked between Angel and Carmen. "Uh, hi, Carmen. Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Carmen grabbed her bag, shaking her head, looking a little relieved. "No, just training."

"And almost kissing?" Bianca asked sarcastically. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay," Carmen told her. "Thank you, Bianca. It's just... old habit. Bad, bad habit to be broken."

"Right," Bianca agreed awkwardly. "Forbidden love because of soul drama and things that happened last year. Sorry, guys."

"It's okay, Bianca," Angel told her.

Carmen sighed, pulling on her backpack. "I should go. I'm gonna try and vent a little hormonal angst by going out there and helping kill a Lagos, whatever that is."

Bianca turned to face her upon hearing that demon's name. "Lagos?"

"Some demon looking for some all powerful thingamabob," Carmen answered. Bianca tilted her head, as if thinking. "And we gotta stop him before he unleashes unholy havoc. and it's another Tuesday night in Sunnydale."

Angel gave her a worried look. "Be careful."

Carmen nodded in agreement, turning to leave, but remembered something, turning back. "Um, Bianca, I know that you have to see Eric and Willow soon for the magic mental fix, but you might want to stay away from the school for a while."

"Why's that?" Bianca asked.

"A new Watcher came in from England, and she's tough and by the book," Carmen told them. "She tried to forbid me, Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt and Layla from helping Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith with the demons in this town."

Bianca scoffed, nodding sarcastically. "Yeah, right, since that's gonna work."

Angel managed a small smirk.

Carmen smiled a bit. "Right. Anyway, she's Hope and Faith's new Watcher. I just..."

"You wanted to warn me to stay away, just in case, for now," Bianca finished.

"Yeah," Carmen answered.

"Thanks, Carmen," Bianca told her.

Carmen nodded, looking from Angel to Bianca, smiling thinly. "Yep. Bye."

Carmen walked out of the mansion. Angel watched her go.

Bianca turned to walk away. "I'll see you."

"Bianca," Angel said.

Bianca turned back. "Yeah?"

"What do you know?" Angel asked.

"What do you mean?" Bianca asked, acting innocent, looking away.

"You said you heard demon gossip while patrolling, and you reacted when Carmen said the name Lagos," Angel answered. "What do you know?"

"Don't worry about it," Bianca told him. "I've just got some work of my own to do." Angel gave her a look. "Angel, seriously, I've got it. I just wanna be able to do something to help, even if I can't be around them to help right now. And you're still recovering. I've got it."

Bianca walked out of the mansion. Angel bit his lip pensively.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Giles and Layla were sitting at the large table reading through books with a dozen other volumes open and spread out in front of them. Willow was standing behind the railing of the stack level behind them. Xander was standing at the end of the table. The others were out patrolling.

Giles looked up from his book. "Oh, this is intolerable." He slammed the book shut. "There's not a word here about Lagos or the glove." He stood. "We don't have time for this near-missing." He turned to Layla, Willow and Xander. "Just find out all you can about the demon, its-its-its strengths, its--its weaknesses, its places of origin." He stopped, pulling off his glasses. "And most importantly, what it plans to do with this blasted glove."

Xander gave Giles an annoyed smile. "Hey, you're not the Watcher of me."

"Then go home," Layla told him. "But if you choose to stay, then work. With Hope and Faith's new Watcher 'observing and reporting' on all of us, including Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Rupert and I, and not just Hope, Faith, Buffy, Brooke and Alice, we don't have any room for mistake. Especially with this glove in the mix."

Xander looked at them in understanding, walking up the stairs to the stack level for more research.

Willow walked over to meet with Xander. "Ugh. It's late. I'm tired."

They headed into the stacks.

"Layla's a qualified enough surgeon to remove the British flash from Giles's butt, right?" Xander asked. "I mean, I know that they're under pressure because of Hope and Faith's new Watcher. And so are Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt and Carmen, but still."

They stopped at a spot where a few books were lying open on the floor, sitting down. Xander took one of them, starting to look through it.

Willow sighed. "I wanna help them. But my eyes are all blurry." She leaned forward, resting her head in her hands for a moment, starting to rub her temples with her fingers, moaning in pain. Xander looked over at her, concerned, setting his book down, nudging a bit closer, reaching over to do the rubbing for her. When she felt his fingers at her temples, Willow lowered her own hands into her lap, letting him minister for her. "Oh, stop."

Xander continued rubbing her temples. "Right. Stop means no. And no means no, so, um..." He stopped. "Stop."

Xander leaned back away from Willow. Willow sat up a bit. Xander took his book again to continue his research. Suddenly Willow reached for him, grabbing his face and planted a hard kiss on his lips. Xander responded instantly, putting his hands around her to pull her closer. They kissed passionately for a few long seconds.

Layla walked by, her attention focused on a book in her hands as she read. "Willow, Xander..." They stopped kissing, quickly scrambling up to their feet, slightly hidden by the shelf of books they were next to. "You can stop your, uh, studying." They wiped and covered their mouths in guilt, but weren't yet sure if they had been caught since Layla was not looking their way. Willow bit her nails nervously. "Rupert and I've got what we need."

Xander tried to play it cool. "What have you got?"

"Uh, the probable location of the Glove of Myhnegon," Layla answered, turning to face them. "It's, uh, housed in the Von Hauptman family crypt."

"Yeah, that's the big one over at the Restfield Cemetery," Xander told them.

"Yeah, well, that's great, Layla," Willow told her. "Um, how'd you and Giles find it?"

"We looked," Layla answered, walking down from the stacks toward Giles.

Willow and Xander followed Layla toward Giles.

"And Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Hope and Faith are out patrolling for Lagos, right?" Willow asked.

"Yes," Giles answered. "Layla and I've tried calling but none of them have answered."

"Then I'll go check out this, uh, crypt," Xander offered. "Um, tell them a heads up if I see them."

"Yes, by all means, go," Giles told them.

Willow nodded nervously. "And I'll just keep studying. I think we're on the verge of a big Lagos breakthrough."

Giles looked up from his book. "No, I'd say we're done."

Xander walked out. Layla and Giles walked over to the able. Willow let out a deep sigh, ridden with guilt and halfway convinced that they had been caught.

∞

Street

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith were patrolling.

Faith was listing guys she had been with. "Ronnie, deadbeat. Steve, klepto. Kenny, drummer. I just had to face up to my destiny as a loser magnet. Now it's strictly get some, get gone. You can't trust guys."

"You can trust some guys," Zoey told them. Hope and Faith gave her a skeptical look. "Really, I've read about them."

The girls laughed.

"Yeah," Buffy sighed.

"Only guys that I've come to really trust are Brady, Eric, Wyatt and Xander," Brooke admitted. "That, and Giles, but he's old and our Watcher, so doesn't count."

"Brady, Eric and Wyatt said that they would take the southern cemeteries," Alice told them. "Where is Carmen?"

"I saw her at the cemetery right off of Main street, but she said that she forgot something and took off," Zoey explained. "I think she went to go back to check on Angel and Bianca, but didn't want me to feel bad about it."

"And why wouldn't you feel bad, Zoey?" Hope asked. "I mean, after everything that happened with Bianca and Angel. I know that you guys forgave Bianca and have worked with her and she's been doing good things and been doing good in general. But Angel just go back, and we don't know how he's gonna be, so..."

"Right," Buffy agreed.

Faith rolled her eyes. "Enough about Bianca and Angel. What about you girls, stories about you with guys?"

"Buffy's only been with Eric," Brooke answered. "I had a crush in LA, but Wyatt's my only real boyfriend."

"Brady's the only boy I could be with, since before this, it was just constant training with the Council," Alice answered.

"Yeah, I guess it's easier for you, Buffy and Brooke, Alice," Hope told her. "To know that Brady, Eric and Wyatt are your soulmates. And Carmen's complicated soulmate bond with Angel. Even Layla with Giles and their soulmate-ness."

"Mm-hmm," Buffy hummed.

"What about you, Zoey?" Faith asked. "Like Hope said, Layla, Buffy, Brooke, Alice and Carmen have got it easy with Giles, Brady, Eric, Wyatt and Angel. But you, you've got to have some awesome stories, Z. Daughter of rockstar and troublemaker and all. Besides Werewolf Oz, I mean. I mean, I've had my share of losers, but you... you boink a werewolf that tries to kill you three nights out of a month, and according to Carmen and Wyatt, he's not your soulmate."

"Right now, it doesn't matter that Oz's not my soulmate," Zoey told them. "I love him. I'm happy with him. But yeah, he wasn't the first guy."

"Not even the first of your crushes that tried to kill you," Buffy told her.

"Not helping, Buffy," Brooke told her in amusement.

Hope looked at Zoey, smirking in amusement. "So who else liked you that tried to kill you?"

"An old friend of mine, Xander, Willow, Eric and Carmen's," Zoey answered. "Jesse. He got turned into a vampire soon after Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Wyatt, Giles and Alice got to town. He wanted to turn me into a vampire because he had had a crush on me for forever, and then he tried to kill Xander and Eric at the Bronze, and I had to kill him."

"Zoey killed Jesse the night she found out about vampires, by the way," Alice explained. "Before we found out that Zoey and Layla were even gypsies or that they had magic."

Faith nodded, impressed. "Hmm, so Zoey was killing vampires right out the gate. Nice."

"You know what?" Brooke asked. "We're oh for six tonight. Why don't we just blow this off?"

Buffy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I am kinda beat. But--but Shady Hill's pretty close."

"That's on the south side cemeteries," Hope pointed out. "Brady, Eric and Wyatt are checking those."

"Right," Alice agreed. "So we're all on the lookout."

"Yeah, no matter if Miss Priss gets pissed about it," Faith told them. "Hope and I really don't need a babysitter."

Zoey smirked. "She is a bitch."

"Definitely," Hope agreed.

"Bye, guys," Buffy told them.

Brooke waved. "Bye."

"Be safe," Alice told them.

The girls split up to go home.

∞

Shady Hill Cemetery

Brady and Eric walked around a hedge, scanning the graveyard as they went. Suddenly, the lid of a stone coffin slammed into the ground in front of them. Brady and Eric jerked back, startled but unhurt. In front of them, they saw Lagos, a warrior demon, grabbing things out of the coffin and throwing them aside as he quickly rummaged through it.

Brady smirked. "Son of a bitch. It's our lucky day."

Brady started to run toward Lagos, jumping into a flying side kick to his back. He hardly budged and turned his head to see who was disturbing him. Brady grabbed his arm, whipping him around to face him, backhand punching him in the face, instantly following up with another swing to his face, punching him in the gut and again in the face.

Eric ran closer to help, pushing Lagos away slightly, doing a roundhouse kick to his side. Unfazed and tired of the interruption, Lagos grabbed Eric by the neck, throwing him highly into Brady, making them both slam into the side of a mausoleum and fall to the ground, turning his attention back to the open coffin.

Eric and Brady were both kind of stunned, starting to push themselves up.

"You good?" Eric asked.

Brady shrugged.

Lagos stomped toward them. Eric sent out a blast of yellow magic, that sent Lagos falling back into the coffin he was looking through. Lagos roared, starting to push himself out and running at Brady and Eric.

Wyatt walked closer through the cemetery, seeing the attack going badly for Brady and Eric, holding out his hand, creating a magical barrier around Brady and Eric so that Lagos would run into it, and making him fall to the ground. Brady and Eric were relieved for the assist. Lagos stood, going to attack Wyatt. Wyatt waved his hands, creating a whirlwind of air, using it to throw Lagos down, creating a wind funnel to throw Lagos away in the other direction, holding out his hand, causing a huge ball of ice to form out of water in his hand, throwing it into Lagos, throwing five more. Lagos stood, trying to fight back. Wyatt held out his hand, allowing a tornado of wind to fly out of his hand into Lagos, throwing him through the air, making him crash to the ground, but knowing that he didn't know how to kill him yet. Lagos, finally scared off, started to run.

Wyatt went to check on Brady and Eric. "Brady? Eric? You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Brady answered. "Thanks, Wyatt."

"Seriously," Eric told him. He gave Brady a look. "So much for our 'lucky day'." Brady shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Wyatt told them. "He's pretty powerful for a demon. Next time, we'll be able to kill him."

Brady and Eric nodded in agreement.

∞

Restfield Cemetery

Xander found his way through the gravestones to the Von Hauptman family crypt, breathing heavily, nervous, finding the crypt, peeking at it from behind a bush, making sure no one and nothing else was around. He stepped out from behind the bush, nervously looking around while he made his way toward the crypt, smiling, dripping with sarcasm. "Layla, Giles, here's a nifty idea. Why don't I alleviate my guilt by going out and getting myself really, really killed?"

Xander stopped in his tracks when he thought he heard a noise. Sure enough, a second later, he could hear the sound of stone grinding against stone coming from inside the crypt. He swiftly ducked behind a group of bushes, crouching down, waiting to see who would come out. A figure soon came out of the crypt and pulled the door closed. In its arms was holding something wrapped in a bunch of rags. The figure turned its back to Xander as it grabbed the outer iron gate and swung it closed as well. Xander rose up just a bit so he could better see who it was. The figure turned around and began to cautiously make its way out of the graveyard. As it neared Xander, he saw that it was Bianca. Xander never took his eyes off of Bianca as she walked past, watching her suspiciously. When Bianca was far enough ahead of him, Xander came out from behind the bushes, pulling out his stake, starting to follow.

∞

Angel's Mansion - Atrium

Bianca walked downstairs to the main gallery, walking over to the front door. She paused when she heard something, shaking her head, walking into the mansion very quietly, but did not call out or make noise.

Xander snuck down the stairs to the main gallery, tiptoeing over to a window where he could see inside, seeing Carmen with Angel, kissing passionately.

∞∞

Inside

Carmen and Angel were kissing passionately. The camera circled around them as they continued kissing.

Carmen broke it off, taking a couple of steps back, looking away. "Oh, God."

Angel was concerned. "Carmen..."

"What am I doing?" Carmen asked. She looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

Angel frowned. "I don't know."

Angel put a hand to his forehead.

Carmen walked over to her things on the couch. "Oh, God. I--I don't even know why I came back here."

Carmen started to pull on her jacket.

Angel stepped over, taking it from her hands, knowing why Carmen was acting like this, and knowing she didn't want to hurt him or get anyone else hurt. "You feel guilty. About being with me. Because of Zoey and Layla."

Carmen looked down in guilt. "Yeah. I'm sorry. I can't... I can't let anything like last year happen again."

"I know," Angel agreed. "I don't want it to happen again, either."

Carmen took a very deep breath. "I should go."

∞

Living Room

Carmen and Angel walked into the room, seeing Bianca, stopping.

Bianca shook her head innocently. "I didn't do anything or interrupt anything this time."

"I kinda wish you did," Carmen told her.

Angel sighed. "Did you get 'your work' done?"

"Yes," Bianca answered.

"What work?" Carmen asked in confusion.

Bianca shrugged. "I think I have what you and the other Scoobies are looking for. You know, you, Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Xander, Willow, Layla, Giles, and now Hope and Faith."

Bianca led them over to a pedestal where the thing she got from the crypt was, still wrapped up in rags.

Carmen tried to make a joke to diffuse the tension. "Great. Just, wherever this was gift wrapped, remind me not to shop there."

Bianca unwrapped the rags to reveal their contents. It was an ancient looking glove made of leather, chain mail and plate mail. There were small spikes along the plates that covered the back of the hand and the forearm. Ringed around the opening were ten hinged claws that looked something like crab legs, but made of steel and very sharp.

Bianca looked up at Angel and Carmen. "Glove of Myhnegon." She smirked. "The world's ugliest fashion accessory."

Carmen was stunned. "How did you find it?"

"This was what I heard the demons gossiping about while patrolling, and up at Willy's bar," Bianca answered. "I had to beat some demons for the location of the glove, but I got it." She looked timid but somewhat proud of herself. "I did good. Like actual good."

Angel managed a small smile. "Yes, you did." Bianca smiled. Carmen smiled at the two of them, reaching out to touch the glove. Angel quickly stopped her hand with his. "No, don't. Once you put it on, the glove can never be removed."

Carmen nodded. "So, no touching. Kinda like us." Angel released her hand. Both looked upset. Bianca looked at them sympathetically, wrapping the glove back up in the rags. Carmen took a deep breath. "You two hold onto it. I'll--I'll tell the others in the morning. At least they'll be happy." They nodded. "Bianca?" Bianca looked up. "Thank you. And you did do good."

Bianca managed a small smile, nodding.

∞

Giles Apartment - Living Room

Giles and Alice were researching through books. Layla and Zoey were here to help. Post walked around to their sides.

Giles found something. "Ah, yes, there we are." In the book was a sketch of a battle scene with an inset of the glove. It resembled the real thing only vaguely. Giles set the book down for them to see. "There's a wood engraving. See? The Glove of Myhnegon."

Alice looked at the book. "Yes, engraved by Father Theodore of Wolsham."

"Really?" Layla asked, intrigued.

"Based, I believe, on very sketchy and unreliable folk legends," Post told them. "The pictures are fun to look at, but one really ought to read the nice words as well."

Zoey and Alice exchanged a look of severe annoyance, rolling their eyes. Layla and Giles were better at hiding their annoyance than their daughters, but they were very aggravated by Post as well. In the kitchen, the tea kettle began to whistle.

Giles stood. "Ah, yes." He put his hands in his pockets. "Some tea, perhaps?"

Giles walked into the kitchen, visible through the half wall. Zoey, Alice and Layla sat across from Giles on the other side of the wall to drink some tea.

Post walked closer. "I know that you all must find me tiresome, but it's insidious, really." Giles poured the hot water into one of the cups, then into Zoey, Alice and Layla's cups, as they all already had tea bags in their cups. "A person slips up on the little things, and soon everything has gone to Hell in a hand basket. For example, the ones involved in the slaying and patrolling and research that are not Slayers and Guardians, such as Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith... they are a distraction."

"Really?" Zoey asked sarcastically. "Because I think that we've all helped quite a lot."

"I'm not surprised that you do, Zoey," Post replied. "And Wyatt Pratt, he is severely focused and great at what he does, but he does have a brother, a vampire, that he had not been able to kill, so he is not completely focused on the greater good. Brady, a hunter do to his sisters being destined, as well as his soulmate, it's understandable. Though Eric, even though his soulmate is also destined for this, you and Eric are only apart of this, not just because of raw gypsy and witch magic, but because you were both turned into a ninja or a military operative that granted you knowledge to fight and of weaponry, and Layla is involved just because she is your mother and the lover/soulmate to the Watcher. And Carmen, the other witch, she is highly unfocused and lacks a great deal of control."

This description was very infuriating and understating everything the Scoobies had been through.

Zoey smirked sarcastically, holding up one finger. "For one, Wyatt and his relationship with his brother Spike, none of your business. And it does not make Wyatt bad at his job because he is better than most of us. He's taught most of us control. He's taught me, my mom, Carmen, Eric, Willow with magic. And despite what you may believe, Carmen and Eric are good at controlling their powers, because if they weren't, they wouldn't be able to do what they can do. And me and my mother are great at control thanks to Wyatt." She held up two fingers. "For two, on Halloween, I was turned into an assassin, not a ninja, but I could fight like one. Eric was a commando. And we both trained as hard as we could to hone the knowledge that we got from that night, so don't you dare say that that is the only reason. We've trained as hard as Brady and we're all good at what we do."

"Zoey..." Giles trailed off.

"No, let her speak, Rupert," Layla told him.

Zoey held up three fingers, tilting her head sarcastically. "For three, Mom does what she does because she can't just sit back and do nothing like you and the Council like to do. Mom is trained, and she is a genius, and she is the best damn doctor in this town, so she focuses more on that, because we told her to. Because Sunnyhellmouth needs a doctor like her." She held up four fingers. "And for four, Carmen may have been through a lot and can be distracted, but she has better focus now than she has had. And better control of her powers. Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith are better off with us and Giles."

Xander whipped the front door open, running into the room. "Zoey! Layla! Alice! Giles! We have a big problem. It's Carmen."

Alice looked at Post. "Will you excuse us?"

Giles, Alice, Zoey and Layla stood, walking over to Xander. They go to the far side of the room to talk/whisper to themselves.

Post looked over her shoulder. "Would you like some assistance?"

They looked over.

Alice smiled thinly, sarcastically, annoyed. "No, thank you. That won't be necessary."

∞

Day Three

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Library

Zoey was sitting on the library counter, looking down, kind of numb. Layla and Alice stood nearby. Oz, Xander, Cordelia and Willow were sitting at the center table. Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Eric and Wyatt were sitting on the steps leading up to the stacks. Giles was pacing slowly in the main area.

Carmen walked in. "Lagos is out of luck. I got the magic mitten thingy." She stopped to see everyone. "What's with all the long looks?"

Layla gestured to a chair. "Better take a seat, Carmen."

Xander stood up out of his chair, nudging it over a bit so it was at the head of the table, and stepped away to stand next to Cordelia.

Carmen slowly stepped over to the chair. "What's going on?"

Carmen sat down.

"Xander saw you with Angel," Giles told her. "Last night."

"When you were kissing him," Brady told her.

Carmen looked away, not sure how to react.

"Nobody's here to blame you, Carmen," Brooke told her. "But this is serious. You need help."

Carmen looked up. "It's not what you think." She looked up at Zoey and Layla in concern. "I swear it's not."

"Hope not," Xander told her. "Because besides the fact that you're helping Bianca harbor a vicious killer, you were making out with him. Pretty hardcore."

Carmen looked at him incredulously.

"This isn't about attacking Carmen," Willow told them. "Remember 'I' statements only. 'I feel angry'. 'I feel worried'."

"Fine," Cordelia said. "Here's one. I feel worried... about me. Last time around, Angel barely laid a hand on Carmen. He was way more interested in killing her friends. Torturing Zoey and Layla."

"But he's better now, like Bianca is," Carmen told them. "Zoey and Layla's spell to give him his soul back worked."

"Better for how long, Carmen?" Buffy asked. "I mean, did you even think about that?"

Carmen stood. "What is this, Demons Anonymous? I don't need an intervention, here."

"Maybe not," Wyatt told her. "But Zoey and Eric got an intervention from Xander, Willow, Cordelia and Oz just because they were doing so much patrolling and slaying while you, me, Brooke, Brady, Buffy and Alice were gone for an entire summer, trying to keep this town safe. Training with Giles and Layla, patrolling every night, barely even sleeping. Because they can't feel weak again after what Bianca and Angel did last year."

Zoey looked up. "You told us about Angel being back. That you were helping Bianca with him. But you said that you weren't going to be with him. Not after what happened last year."

Carmen looked guilty, desperate. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"Didn't mean what?" Xander asked. "For Angel to go psycho again the next time you give him a happy?"

"Xander, back off," Eric told him. "You know she's not going to..."

"Let Carmen speak, Xander," Alice told him. "You owe her at least that."

"Eric, Alice, thank you," Carmen told them in relief. "We're not together like that."

"But you were making out with him," Oz told her. "Xander said that it was... close to kick off."

Carmen looked at Xander defensively, angrily. "You were spying on me." She stepped toward him. "What gives you the right?"

"What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again and nearly hook up with him and start a repeat of last year?" Cordelia replied.

"Cordelia, don't you start with me," Carmen told her. "I don't need this from my sister too. It's like you, Xander and Buffy are attacking me. Could you at least take a page from Zoey, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Willow, Layla, Giles and Oz's book and give me a break? I didn't mean to kiss Angel, and I was not going to sleep with him."

"Sure looked like it to me," Xander told her.

Carmen gave Xander a glare, but ignored him and looked at the others. "It was wrong to kiss him, okay? I know that, and I know that it can't happen again. But you guys have to believe me. I would never put you in any danger. If I thought for a second that Angel was going to hurt anyone..."

"You would stop him," Xander finished. "Like you did last time with Ms. Calendar, and Zoey and Layla's uncle, and their dog. Before Angel put them into comas before Willow and I took their necklaces off so their powers could heal them so they could wake up."

Carmen was completely taken aback by Xander's total insensitive and unfair attack, and couldn't utter a word in response.

Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Willow and Giles gave Xander a look of disbelief, while Cordelia and Buffy seemed to agree with Xander.

Zoey and Layla were very upset with Xander bringing up those things and in that way, and with the way he was treating Carmen since they knew it wasn't her fault.

"Xander, for the love of God, if you know what's good for you, you'll shut the hell up," Zoey told him. "Don't you dare talk to Carmen like that."

"Don't bring up Jenny, Enyos, Snowy, or the comas like that ever again," Layla told him. "And it's not Carmen's fault."

Carmen looked at Zoey and Layla in relief, but had tears in her eyes.

"Zoey and Layla are right," Alice agreed. "We can't blame Carmen. And we gave Bianca a chance. And we agreed to give Angel one."

"Some chance it will be if Carmen and Angel get smoochy and sexual again," Buffy told them sarcastically.

Brady and Brooke gave her a look. "Buffy."

Wyatt intervened. "Carmen, I know that it's hard to see straight when it comes to soulmates. And we all know that you love Angel. And that you want to be with him. We just have to make sure that it doesn't happen, sexually. But we're not blaming you."

"Definitely not," Eric agreed. "You're still Carmen. And we're still here for you. And Bianca's been good over the summer. So maybe Angel can be too."

"He can be," Carmen answered. "I swear. And you don't know how good Bianca's been. She's the one that found the Glove of Myhnegon. She--she's keeping it safe for us in the mansion."

Xander raised his arms in a shrug. "Right! Great plan. Leave tons of firepower with Bianca and Angel, and leave us to clean up the mess."

Xander started to leave the library, intent on doing something about this.

Zoey slipped off of the library counter to stand in Xander's way, stopping him. "All summer, you just loved to find an excuse to hurt Bianca. Of course you would do the same for Angel."

"I don't need an excuse," Xander told her. "I think lots of dead people actually constitutes a reason. Including your own family members, Zoey. You and Layla are the ones that were stupid enough to give Bianca and Angel their souls back, even though Bianca nearly got Brady, Alice, Brooke and Wyatt killed, and she's insane, and Angel killed Jenny, Enyos and a damn puppy, put you and Layla into brief comas."

Zoey, reacting without thinking, slapped Xander in the face, causing the others to look at her in surprise, but not shocked. Zoey herself was surprised. "Mom and I told you not to talk about them, or that, again. And we told you time and time again why we gave Bianca and Angel their souls back, because of Aunt Jenny, and our family heritage and what we were supposed to do. Stop holding it over our damn heads and let it go."

Xander gave her a haughty grin, sarcastically. "Hate to break it to you, Zo, but everyone in your family heritage is dead besides Layla. I doubt they 'would want' you to do anything."

Zoey turned to Xander again angrily.

Layla took Zoey by the hand to calm her down. "Zoey..." She sighed, giving Xander a very dark, barely controlled look of anger. "That is enough."

Willow was upset. "Layla, Giles, no one's doing the 'I' statements."

"That's enough!" Giles told them. "Everybody. Now, Carmen knows your concerns, and her actions, however ill-advised, can be understood." Carmen looked down. "Our... priority right now is to retrieve the Glove of Myhnegon and try to destroy it. Now, all of you, back to classes."

Buffy, Xander and Cordelia stood first, walking out of the library. The others watched them go, not happy with the way they reacted with the entire situation. Brooke, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Oz and Willow gave Carmen, Zoey and Layla a sympathetic look, before walking out of the room.

Zoey had tears in her eyes, turning away to the counter, leaning against it. Alice, Layla, Giles and Carmen looked at her in concern.

"Zoey..." Carmen trailed off. "Layla..."

Zoey took a deep breath, shaking her head. "I'm not blaming you, Carmen. It's just the things Xander said..."

"Opened up old wounds," Layla finished sadly. "I know, Zoey. Me too. Carmen, we're not blaming you. I swear."

"I didn't mean to slap Xander," Zoey admitted. "I just... reacted."

Alice tilted her head, shrugging a bit. "I'm not for hitting friends, but with the things he was saying, even though you and Layla told Xander not to bring it up again... and the way he was attacking Carmen... I can't blame you, Zoey. He wanted every reason for us to kill Bianca and Angel."

"I swear to you, I was not going to sleep with Angel," Carmen told them. "I stopped the kiss. I promise."

Giles nodded, looking down. "You girls should get to class."

"Yeah," Zoey whispered.

Layla laid a hand on Zoey and Carmen's arms, as both girls had tears in their eyes from Xander's outburst at all three of them, and Carmen's guilt and torn conflicted feelings over Angel but trying not to give in. Zoey and Carmen were holding each other's hands and Layla's, before Layla pulled both girls into a comforting embrace. Giles and Alice looked at them sadly in sympathy.

∞

Hope/Faith's Motel Room

There was a knock at the door. Faith opened it, stake raised and ready, surprised to see Post standing there, lowering the stake.

Post walked in to speak to Hope and Faith. "A word of advice? Vampires rarely knock. Especially in daylight."

Faith closed the door. "Oh, right."

Post looked around. "So, this is your home."

"Yeah," Hope answered, smirking sarcastically. "The decorator actually just left."

"Hope, Faith, do you know who the Spartans were?" Post asked, leaning against the dresser.

"Wild stab," Faith told her. "A bunch of guys from Spart?"

Hope and Faith sat down on their beds.

"They were the fiercest warriors known to Ancient Greece," Post told her. "And they lived in quarters very much like these. Do you know why? Because a true fighter needs nothing else. Faith, Hope, I'm going to be very hard on you. I will not brook insolence or laziness. You will probably hate me a great deal of the time."

Hope smiled sardonically. "You think?"

Post stepped over to the beds, standing at the ends of the beds between them to look at both Hope and Faith on either of their beds. "But I will make you a better Slayer and Guardian, and that will keep you alive. You have to trust that I am right. God only knows what Mr. Giles has been filling your heads with."

"Giles is okay," Faith told her.

Post shook her head, turning away. "His methods are unfathomable to me. I find him entirely confounding. The entire lot of them actually. Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Layla helping the two of you, Buffy, Brooke and Alice. It's completely confusing to me."

"Might be to you, but Zoey, Brady, Eric, Wyatt and Carmen, along with Buffy, Brooke and Alice, are the only reasons why Faith and I are still alive," Hope replied. "They saved our lives after we got to town. We work best when we're together. With Layla too. She's a badass and helps out when she can. And Giles is the only Watcher we need. I sure trust them a hell of a lot more than I trust you."

"Then why are they having secret meetings without the two of you?" Post asked.

"What meetings?" Faith asked.

Post sighed. "Oh, I don't know. Something with all of them and their friends."

Faith nodded, looking hurt. "Oh, right. I guess that doesn't include me or Hope."

"Or maybe it's just not about us, Faith," Hope told her.

"No matter," Post told them. "Would you two like to do some training?"

Hope stood. "Training? As in kicking and punching and stabbing?"

Post smiled. "Yes, that's the idea."

Faith stood. "We're your girls."

∞

Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Alice, Zoey and Carmen walked toward Buffy, Brooke and Willow.

"Hey," Alice told them.

"Hey," Buffy told them. "Carmen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... anyway, I'm sorry."

"And Xander was so out of line, Zoey," Brooke told her. "I'm sorry that he made you and Layla and Carmen feel that way."

"Yeah, well, maybe a slap to the face either made things worse with him or it'll get him to shut up about all things he shouldn't be talking about," Zoey told them.

"And I know you're just being bitchy and protective of the greater good, Buffy," Carmen told her. "The ones that were really out of line were Cordelia and Xander." She looked at Brooke and Willow. "But on a scale of one to a million, how much are you guys hating me right now?"

"Zero," Willow answered. "You kissed Angel without planning on it. And you wanted to keep it a secret so that things didn't blow up like they did just now. That's--it--it's okay. I mean, secrets aren't bad. You know, they're normal. They're better than normal. They're good. Secrets are good. Must be a reason why we keep them, right?"

"Maybe, but that doesn't make it right," Brooke answered.

"Can we just talk about something else so I can stop thinking about what Xander brought up?" Zoey asked.

"Sure," Willow answered. "Are you guys going to the Bronze tonight?" She looked at Carmen. "Or, uh, are you gonna sneak away for a not so secret rendezvous with Angel, or hanging out with Bianca?"

"None of the above," Carmen answered. "We're gonna try and kill this Lagos guy."

"Brady and Eric tried to take it out, and Wyatt had to help them since Lagos was so much stronger than them," Buffy explained.

"Wyatt didn't know how to kill it yet, but he put up a better fight than Brady and Eric did since they were caught off guard by how strong he was," Zoey added. "Maybe we can help even the score."

"Hopefully, yeah," Brooke agreed. "This is why Hope and Faith's new Bitcher needs to see that Zoey, Buffy, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and I work better together. Plus Hope and Faith and sometimes Layla and Bianca."

"Well, Bianca and Angel have the glove now, right?" Alice asked.

"Yep," Carmen answered. "But Lagos doesn't know that."

"I figure sooner or later, he's bound to show up at that crypt looking for it," Buffy told them.

"Ah, but instead, he finds you girls, Eric, Brady and Wyatt in a not so good mood," Willow told them.

"That's our brilliant plan," Alice answered. "Brady, Eric and Wyatt are down for it. Hope said that she could meet us there later."

The girls smiled thinly.

∞

Night - The Bronze

Xander made his breaking shot at a pool table, going over to the pocket where he accidentally sank his cue ball, grabbing it, walking back around the table to continue practicing.

Faith walked up to the table. "Hope went out to help Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt and Carmen with Lagos. I wanted a night to blow off steam here. What about you? You look pissed."

Xander chose his shot. "Rough day."

Faith raised her eyebrows. "Tell me about it."

Xander placed the cue ball down. "Rather just shoot."

Xander aimed his cue stick.

"Don't think I know what you and your pals were talking about behind our backs today," Faith told him. "Hope thinks that you were just talking about you guys, but I'm not convinced."

Xander took his shot. "Yeah, well, Hope's right."

Xander looked for his next shot.

"So you guys weren't talking about the glove?" Faith asked.

Xander looked up. "The Glove of Myhnegon? Right." He aimed his cue stick. "How'd you like a hit of some real news? Bianca found the glove. It's with her and Angel."

Xander took his shot, starting to walk around the table again, looking for his next shot.

Faith looked at him in wide eyed surprise. "Bianca and Angel have the glove?" Xander made the shot, watching he balls ricochet. "Guys like that, with that kind of glove, could kill a whole mess of people."

"Said the same thing to Carmen myself," Xander told her. "Weird how she didn't seem to care, and Zoey and Layla of course took her side. So did Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt and Giles."

"Of course they did, because you guys keep saying that you wanted to give Bianca a chance, and now that Angel's back, him too," Faith told him. "I can't believe that they got Hope to think that they can be given a chance."

Xander walked around the table. "Yeah, well, I haven't been able to believe that they've been giving Bianca a chance all summer. She's been clean, and they all say that she can stay clean, and so can Angel."

"Yeah, well, I say we can't afford to find out if they can stay clean," Faith told him. "I say I deal with this problem right now. I say I slay."

"Can I come?" Xander asked.

Faith nodded. Xander put his cue stick down. They both headed for the door.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Layla and Giles were researching the books, hearing someone walk in, turning around to stand up and see who it was.

Post walked closer, nodding to each of them in greeting. "Layla. Mr. Giles. You wanted to see me?"

Giles grabbed his coat. "Yes. I do apologize for bringing you in at this late hour."

Giles pulled on his jacket.

Post nodded. "Please. A good Watcher must be awake and alert at all hours."

Layla pulled on a leather blazer. "Would you like some tea?"

Giles tossed his glasses onto the table, stepping over to his tea making implements in his office to prepare his teapot and three cups.

"God, yes, please," Post answered. "I'm completely knackered. I spent the afternoon training with Hope and Faith. They don't lack for energy."

Layla nodded. "Hope and Faith are your first Guardian and Slayer, I take it?"

"If you're questioning my qualifications..." Post trailed off.

"No, I'm not," Layla answered.

Giles poured water from the kettle into his teapot. "I, uh, have the utmost respect for your methods." He walked closer to the two women, holding the teapot. "In my own American way."

Layla leaned against the library counter. "We also have the glove. Oh, not actually on us, but, uh, we believe it's safe. It's in a mansion on Crawford Street. Friends of ours are keeping it there."

Post looked at them expectantly, walking closer to an artifact that was on the counter nearby Layla. "Well, we must get to it, immediately. Hide it before someone else finds it."

"Or better still, destroy it," Giles told her.

"Destroy it?" Post repeated in surprise.

Giles put down the teapot. "Yes. I-I-I didn't think it could be done either, but..." He grabbed a book. "It involves transforming fire into living flame and immolating the glove. I-i-it's complex, but, uh, I believe I have all the necessary materials, and Wyatt is powerful enough to cast the spell required. Especially if he is helped by Carmen, Eric and Willow."

Giles and Layla turned to the books, preparing to leave.

Post grabbed the artifact from the counter, which was a wooden tribal statue. "Well, I must say, good show." She stepped up behind Layla, hitting her across the back of the head with the statue, making her fall unconscious. Giles turned to face them, stunned. Post swung the statue at Giles's head, hitting him in the temple before he could react, making him fall unconscious. "Good show indeed."

∞∞

Restfield Cemetery

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Willow had met up with Hope to patrol for Lagos. Zoey and Carmen were pacing, trying to be distracted by the Scoobies fight earlier. Buffy was guilty for being apart of the fight. Brooke and Wyatt were sitting calmly on a stone bench. Brady, Alice, Eric and Willow were standing.

Hope was leaning against the Von Hauptman family crypt, arms crossed. "So what were you guys meeting up about? The new Watcher said that you guys, Xander, Willow, Layla, Giles, Cordelia and Oz were having a secret meeting to try and make me and Faith not trust you. But all she did was make me not trust her."

"You have real trust issues, you know that, Hope?" Brady asked.

"You know that I don't care, right, Brady?" Hope replied. The others smirked. Hope chuckled. "Look, I don't care if you guys were talking about us or not, but since Brady mentioned the trust issues, I don't want to not have any reason to not trust you guys. And I do trust you, and for me, trust does not come easily, or like at all."

"We can tell," Zoey told her. "And no, Hope, we weren't talking about you and Faith."

"Xander was spying on Bianca, Angel and me," Carmen explained. "He saw that Angel and I were kissing, and he exaggerated it to everyone else, saying that it looked like it was before 'kick off'."

Hope made a face. "Hmm. Xander trying to find excuses to hurt Bianca and Angel?"

"Like always," Brooke answered. "But we believe Carmen. That she didn't mean to kiss Angel, and we trust her and Bianca. And we need to give Angel a chance."

"But if something happens that changes Bianca and Angel, I'm not letting a repeat of what happened last year happen again," Buffy told them. "It's kill or cursed again, take your pick."

"Maybe show a little more human sympathy to Brady and Carmen, because of their histories and need to help Bianca and Angel," Alice told her.

Eric looked at Hope to explain. "Bianca wanted to help, so she found the glove that we're all looking for. She and Angel are keeping hold of it for safety."

Hope nodded in understanding. "Mm. You guys sure that's smart? I know that Bianca saved me and Faith before. And I am giving her a chance. And Angel. But what happens if something else happens?"

"We'll deal with it, like we always do," Wyatt answered. "Bianca and Angel have the glove under control."

"I hope so," Willow told them. "No pun intended, Hope."

"Funny," Hope told her sarcastically.

The others chuckled.

Carmen sighed. "It's weird, though. I didn't mean to kiss Angel. But now that it's out in the open... I feel better. Even though we had that fight."

"Well, sure you do," Zoey told her. "This big burden's been lifted."

"Yeah, I mean, keeping secrets is a lot of work," Willow told them. "One could hypothetically imagine."

Wyatt shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. You have no idea the kind of secrets I've had to keep in the past."

Brooke looked at Wyatt in amusement. "Oh, really?"

They chuckled.

Brady looked around, bored. "You know, this is the part of patrolling that I don't like. The waiting."

"If you're feeling a little impatient for the little demon that kicked your and Eric's asses, splitting is always an options, Brady," Hope told him in amusement. "You know, before Wyatt saved you guys."

"Uh, to be fair, the demon was huge, not little, and super strong," Eric replied. "Magic didn't kill him. At least we didn't know how to use it to kill him yet."

"That's true," Alice agreed. "I guess it's smarter to stay together."

"For now," Buffy stated.

Willow sat with Carmen. "Can I ask you a question?" Carmen nodded. "When you kissed Angel, and nobody knew about it, did that make it feel, you know, sexier somehow?"

"Not really," Carmen answered. "It's too much pressure. And Bianca knew because of vampire hearing."

Willow looked disappointed.

Eric looked at Willow weirdly. "What makes you think secret stuff is sexy anyway?"

Willow shook her head nervously. "Nothing. I'm just wondering. Gotta keep asking the big old questions when you're blessed with this girl's thirst for knowledge."

Buffy looked at her in confused amusement. "Right."

"Whatever you say, Willow," Brooke told her.

Zoey heard something behind her, turning to see Lagos approaching. "There's the demon."

They all turned to see Lagos.

Brady stood. "About damn time."

Hope pushed away from the crypt she was leaning against.

"Well, at least it'll be easy this time," Wyatt told them.

Lagos tried to hit Buffy and Zoey, who both rolled away from Lagos, making it hit the steps they had been sitting on, standing, turning to face him.

Buffy jumped into a twin pike kick to Lagos' stomach. It had no real effect on Lagos, just making him take a step backward as Buffy fell flat to the ground. Lagos reached down for Buffy.

Before he could touch her, Zoey used a blast of purple gypsy magic to push Lagos away from Buffy, running closer, punching him repeatedly in the stomach and face, spinning to backhand punch him in the face, spinning to land another backhand punch. None of the hits seemed to effect Lagos. Zoey tried for an elbow jab, but he blocked it, grabbing Zoey's arm and reaching for her leg, lifting her up above his head, dropping her, making Zoey land hard on her back.

Lagos swung at Brady. Brady sidestepped to make him miss, and smash his fist into a stone cross. Brady stepped in and front snap kicked Lagos in the gut. On the other side of Lagos, Eric spun to deliver a roundhouse kick to his back, a full spin and another roundhouse kick to his crotch.

Lagos turned to try and attack Alice. Alice used her power to shield herself. Alice, Brooke and Hope combined their power of red Guardian energy, thrusting their hands forward to send it flying into Lagos, with enough force to make Lagos flip through the air and fall to the ground as the red energy faded.

Wyatt held out his arms in a wide shrug, gathering all the wind toward him, and with a thrust of his arms forward, released the air forward with such strength that it threw Lagos to the ground.

Before Lagos could stand, Carmen froze him, and used her telekinesis to throw him to the ground, making his battle ax on his back fall to the ground.

Buffy smirked, grabbing the ax. "Now we're taking."

Taking advantage that Lagos was still froze, Buffy spun around to use the ax to behead Lagos in a stroke with Slayer strength. His head rolled along the ground a ways before coming to a stop.

Willow did a cheer for her friends. "Yes!"

Alice smiled. "Feisty yet easy."

Zoey smiled. "Whoo! I feel better."

Carmen smiled. "I thought you would."

Hope smirked, brushing back a piece of her hair out of her face. "Yeah. You know what? I feel better too."

Buffy looked at Lagos' body. "Come on. Let's go bring Layla and Giles some happiness."

"Layla could definitely use some after what Xander said to her, Zoey and Carmen earlier," Brooke agreed.

Brady scoffed. "No kidding. And it's not like Xander has a lot of room to talk. He almost got Bianca and Angel killed before."

Hope shrugged. "Well, whatever the case, maybe we can all come to an understanding."

"That's the plan," Alice told them.

"Well, we can try anyway," Eric agreed.

"Yep," Wyatt told them. "But we had a good night of protecting. Let's go."

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Xander and Faith barged in, heading for the cage, and the weapons cabinet within.

"Good old Sunnydale library," Xander told her. "Fully equipped with reference books, file cards..." He opened the cabinet doors. "And weapons."

Faith reached in. "Beauty."

Xander reached in as well. "I call Eric's crossbow."

"You got it," Faith agreed.

They gathered an array of weapons.

Xander grabbed some bolts for the crossbow, closing the doors. "All right, ready to go?"

"That I am," Faith answered.

They started to head out before they saw Layla and Giles unconscious by the office.

Xander set down the crossbow, running over, kneeling down to help them. "Oh, my God. Layla! Giles! Layla, Giles, can you hear me?" He looked around. "What the hell happened?"

Faith walked closer. "Gee, let me guess."

Xander tried not to panic. "Stop, hold it. Just think a minute."

"Yeah, I'm thinking," Faith told him. "Thinking Brady and Carmen's ex meats did this."

Xander grabbed the phone. "It's not Bianca or Angel's style."

Xander dialed 911.

"Bianca and Angel are demons," Faith told him. "How much more proof do you need?"

"Bite marks would be nice," Xander answered, before speaking into the phone. "Yeah, I have a medical emergency. Sunnydale High."

Faith scoffed. "Screw this waiting crap."

Faith walked for the door.

"Faith, if we leave, Layla and Giles could die," Xander told her.

Faith turned back. "Yeah, and they're gonna have a whole lot of company unless I do something permanent."

"Wait," Xander told her.

"For what?" Faith asked. "You to grow a pair? You handle the babysit, and I'm gonna kill Bianca and Angel."

Faith walked out.

Xander knew he couldn't stop her. "Damn it!"

Xander waited on the phone, holding Layla and Giles's hands.

∞

Angel's Mansion

Bianca and Angel were gathering various ingredients for the spell to destroy the glove.

"I can call Carmen, ask if she can get Wyatt here soon for the ritual," Angel told her. "Eric and Willow can likely help them."

"Yeah, that would be nice," Bianca told him.

They continued with the ingredients.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Willow and Hope walked into the library.

"Layla and Giles are gonna be psyched that we showed up stuffy old Mrs. Post," Buffy told them..

They saw the paramedics there with Layla and Giles on two different gurneys. Buffy tossed the battle ax over the counter.

"Oh, my God," Brooke said in shock.

Zoey ran over to Layla's side in horror and worry. "Mom! Giles?"

Alice ran over to Giles's side. "Dad? Layla?"

The others ran closer. "Layla? Giles?"

A paramedic spoke into her radio. "Sunnydale Medical..."

"What happened?" Brady asked.

"Layla?" Eric asked worriedly. "Giles?"

The paramedics were still talking.

"What happened?" Wyatt asked.

"No time for this," Paramedic 1 told them, as the paramedics started to wheel Layla and Giles out.

Layla spoke feebly. "Wait. Wyatt, you must--must destroy the glove."

Paramedic 1 spoke sternly. "You want them to live? Get out of the way."

The paramedics started to roll Layla and Giles from the library, and Zoey and Alice watched helplessly in worry. Carmen and Brady tried to comfort Zoey and Alice.

Giles looked at Wyatt weakly. "Use... living... flame."

The paramedics slammed the library doors open with the gurneys and turned down the hall.

Xander walked closer to the others.

"What the hell happened?" Carmen asked.

"Bianca and Angel are not as cured as you thought," Xander told them.

"What makes you think that Bianca and Angel had anything to do with this?" Hope asked.

"I saw what you saw," Xander told them.

"So you just assume?" Zoey asked.

"I didn't," Xander answered. "Faith did."

They all looked at Hope. Hope sighed, frustrated.

"There was no evidence to vampires," Brooke told them. "Angel and Bianca did not do this."

Buffy looked at Xander. "What did you tell Faith?"

"Only what everyone knows," Xander told them. "She's a big girl. Came to her own conclusions."

Carmen was angry. "How much of a head start does she have?"

Xander didn't answer.

Brady gave him an angry look. "Xander, if Faith kills Angel and Bianca when they're not guilty for this, we will never forgive you. How much of a head start?"

"Ten minutes," Xander answered.

Alice was trying to think clearly and not panic, sighing worriedly. "Okay. The hospital will help Dad and Layla. Wyatt, do you know what Dad meant about the living flame?"

"Yeah," Wyatt answered. "I'm assuming that they mean to use it to destroy the glove."

"Okay," Eric agreed. "Willow, Wyatt, Carmen and I can start the ritual."

"But Bianca and Angel..." Carmen trailed off.

Zoey knew what she had to do, sighing. "We'll save them, Carmen."

Carmen looked at her, as did the others.

Hope nodded in agreement. "I can get Faith to stop before she hurts Bianca and Angel. You guys get the spell done to destroy the glove."

"Hurry," Buffy told them.

Brooke looked at Zoey, Buffy, Brady, Alice and Hope. "Ready to go?"

"Ready when you are," Brady answered.

"Let's go," Alice told them.

They all glared at Xander for a second, not believing that he could actually do such a thing, before Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Hope ran out of the library. Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Willow watched them go, before they turned to Xander accusingly. Xander tried to speak.

Eric didn't let him get a word out. "Shut up and help us."

"And you stay away from me right now," Carmen told him.

"Carmen--" Xander started.

Carmen slapped Xander in the face, and no one was surprised, least of all Xander.

"Come on," Wyatt told them.

Wyatt, Carmen, Eric and Willow went to do the spellwork. Xander followed close behind.

∞

Angel's Mansion

Bianca and Angel had gathered the ingredients.

Angel walked closer. "Carmen's not answering."

"Wyatt, Carmen, Eric and Willow are probably doing their own ritual," Bianca pointed out. "I'll get the glove." Bianca turned to do as said, but stopped when Post walked in. "What do you want?"

"Gwen Post," Post introduced herself. "Layla and Mr. Giles sent me."

"What for?" Angel asked.

"To help you destroy the glove," Post told them. "Look, I'm sorry to be so abrupt, but Lagos is on his way here now. If you try to perform the ritual yourself, not experienced in magics, it will only make the glove more powerful."

Angel eyed her. "All right."

"Good," Post said. "Where is the glove?"

"It's in the trunk," Bianca answered, turning to get the glove.

Post grabbed a shovel that was leaning against he table, swinging it hard to hit Angel and Bianca both hard on the head, making them both fall. "That's what I love about this town. Everyone's so helpful."

∞∞

Post hurried over to the trunk, trying to open it, but found it locked. "Bugger." She tried yanking at the old padlock, but it did not give. "Bugger!"

Post took the shovel, jamming it into the padlock a few times to break it, removing it.

Angel and Bianca both stood, both vamped out.

"Okay," Bianca said in annoyance. Post looked at them in surprise. "That hurt."

Post held the shovel defensively. "It was supposed to kill both of you. If you'd been human, it would have. But..." She broke the handle over her knee to make two makeshift stakes. "I believe this is your poison."

Post swung at Bianca and Angel with the makeshift stakes. Angel sidestepped her to avoid his blow. Bianca ducked her blow. Post swung at Bianca again, but Bianca middle blocked the hit, punching her in the face, making her fall down and lose her grip on the two pieces of wood. Post scrambled onto all fours, starting to make a run for the pieces of wood. Angel circled around the spell ingredients, grabbing Post by the back of the neck as she rose to her feet, pushing down on her neck to stop her, throwing her against a wall, making her fall, nearly unconscious.

Faith burst into the mansion, holding a long club with a steel hook embedded at the end. "Mrs. Post!" She glared at Angel and Bianca in intense anger. "I can't believe how much I'm gonna kill you."

"Faith, get out of here," Bianca told her. "We're on your side here."

Faith scoffed. "Yeah, I doubt that."

Faith tried to attack them with the club/hook. Bianca did a low in to out crescent kick to knock it out of her hands. Faith body checked Angel, but he easily absorbed the blow, taking only a slight step backward, doing a backhand swing to Faith's head, making it snap back and to the side. Faith whirled back around, infuriated, delivering a backhand punch to Angel's face followed immediately by another punch, pushing him against the wall, turning to punch Bianca. Bianca ducked, bending over Faith's right side, holding onto her for support as she kicked up backwards, hitting Faith in the head with a reverse snap kick, making her back away, before righting herself up. Faith grabbed Angel by the shirt, launching him into the air, making him land on one side of the couch and back roll over the coffee table to the other section set at a right angle, leaving Angel severely stunned. Faith rolled over the floor to grab the club/hook, swinging it at Bianca when she was distracted. Bianca used red Guardian energy to block the move, but didn't want to hurt Faith, though she used the shield to throw Faith away from her into the wall, making her fall.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Willow were grinding and mixing powders for the ritual to invoke Living Flame.

"Think we got it?" Willow asked.

"Well, it's either the catalyst for Living Flame or just some really smelly sand," Eric joked.

"We'll have to test this," Willow told them, worried.

"I'll double check," Xander told them, going through his book.

Willow noticed Xander's worried look. "What?"

"I know what the glove does," Xander told them, showing them the book.

Carmen shook her head. "There's no time to test this."

"I can invoke the living flame at the mansion," Wyatt told them. "Let's go."

Eric quickly grabbed a plastic bag, pulling it open. Carmen blew out the candles on the table. Wyatt grabbed the grinding bowl, pouring the mix into the plastic bag Eric held open. Eric spun the neck of the bag to seal it. Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Willow and Xander ran out of the library as fast as they could.

∞

Angel's Mansion

Faith was recovering from Bianca throwing her into the wall with Guardian energy.

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Hope ran into the mansion.

"Bianca, stop," Brady told her.

Bianca looked at them. "I wasn't hurting her. I was trying not to. She came at us."

"It's okay," Alice told her. "We're here now. You don't have to keep fighting."

Faith stood. "The hell she doesn't. I'm gonna kill Bianca and Angel."

"We can't let you do that, Faith," Brooke told her.

"You're confused, guys," Faith told them, smiling ironically. "Let me clear you up." She pointed at Angel and Bianca. "Vampires." She pointed at herself, Buffy, Brooke, Alice and Hope. "Slayers and Guardians." She pointed at Angel and Bianca. "Dead vampires."

"There's a lot that you don't understand," Buffy told her.

Post was weak, on the floor. "Faith..." Everyone looked at her. "They don't know. They've turned Hope against the cause."

"Faith, no," Zoey told her.

"Trust me," Post told her.

"Don't trust her," Hope told her. "Trust me. I'm your sister, and I am telling you not to do this. Bianca and Angel still have a chance. Faith, we can figure this out."

Bianca looked at Hope in surprise that she was trying to help her. Faith took advantage of the distraction, spinning to kick Bianca in the face, making her fall to the floor, kicking her twice in the stomach, raising her stake against Bianca. Bianca used red Guardian energy as a shield, pushing Faith off of her to the others.

When Brady tried to grab Faith's shoulder to stop her, Faith punched Brady in the face, grabbing him, turning to throw him into Buffy, Brooke and Alice, knocking them down so they couldn't help.

Zoey uppercut punched Faith's right arm, making her drop the stake, backhand punching her in the face, punching her in the chest, shoving her back. Faith stumbled back, trying to steady herself. Zoey jumped into the air, spinning to kick Faith twice. Faith blocked both hits. Zoey tried to backhand punch her. Faith blocked the move. Zoey spun, punching Faith in the face with her other hand, catching Faith off guard. Faith leaned in again, trying to punch her. Zoey blocked the move, punching Faith in the stomach and the face, making her fall to the floor. Faith tried to sweep kick Zoey's legs out from under her. Zoey jumped to avoid it. Faith stood, facing off with Zoey, trying to kick her twice. Zoey blocked both moves, trying a high out-to-in crescent kick. Faith ducked, circling underneath Zoey's leg to avoid from being hit, standing, spinning to kick her in the back, making her fall to the floor, grabbing Zoey around her neck. Zoey tried to throw her off to no avail, so she grabbed Faith's fingers, bending them back, making her knuckles crack and her groan in pain. Zoey twisted her body, throwing Faith off, making her roll into a wall. Faith stood, running toward Zoey. Zoey snapped kicked her legs out from underneath her, making her fall to the floor. Faith rolled from her back to knees, crouching. Zoey ran in, coming in for an axe kick. Faith cross blocked, grabbing Zoey's ankle, raising her arms, throwing Zoey off balance and to the floor. She stood. Zoey stood, standing her ground.

The others watched in surprise that Zoey could put up a decent battle against a Slayer, without even using her gypsy powers.

"You should really be a Slayer, gypsy," Faith told her.

"Well, that depends on you," Zoey told her.

Buffy ran forward, grabbing Faith by the waist, crashing through the French doors, both of them going out of the atrium.

Hope sighed in complete exasperation. "Enough!"

"Come on," Brooke told them.

Brooke, Alice and Hope ran outside to deal with Buffy and Faith.

Brady went to check on Angel and Bianca. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, Angel's just stunned, and I'm good," Bianca answered. "Brady, Zoey, I wasn't trying to hurt--"

"I know," Brady assured. "I know."

Bianca shrugged. "Impressed with how you could handle a Slayer, Zoey."

∞

Outside

Buffy and Faith rolled away from each other and to heir feet, facing off. Faith gave Buffy an angry look, spinning all the way around to backhand punch Buffy in the face, trying again, which Buffy blocked. Faith punched Buffy in the gut, doing another backhand punch to her face, this time connecting and forcing Buffy to her hands and knees. Faith advanced on her, but Buffy did a crouching back kick to her stomach, making her stagger backward into a metal garden chair.

Alice, Brooke and Hope ran outside, using Guardian energy to pull the two Slayers apart.

"Enough!" Alice told them. "That's enough."

∞

Inside

Zoey walked toward Post. "Are you okay?"

"The glove," Post told her. "It's in the trunk."

"I'll get it," Zoey told her. "You won't."

Zoey turned to get the glove.

Post grabbed the shovel from earlier, hitting it over Zoey's head to knock her down. She walked toward the trunk with the glove, throwing the lid open, unfolding the rags wrapped around the glove, taking the glove out of the trunk eagerly, cradling it in her hands, smiling wickedly. "Finally."

Zoey looked up in pain, holding her head. "No way."

Post pulled the glove onto her right arm, making a fist with the clawed fingers. The metal claws surrounding the glove's opening began to close, puncturing her arm one at a time until all ten became permanently embedded in her forearm's skin. She held up her gloved arm, smiling maniacally at the sight, seemingly oblivious to the pain.

Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Willow and Xander ran into the mansion. Bianca, Brady and Angel ran into the room from the other side. They all saw Post with the glove on her hand.

Post held her arm above her, up toward the huge skylight. "Taou huogan maqchte!"

Up in the sky, lightning struck, thunder clapping. Hearing this, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith looked inside from outside after the Guardians had gotten the Slayers to stop fighting.

Post breathed excitedly, waiting for the power to become hers. Lightning struck again above the skylight.

"Uh, guys?" Buffy asked.

"What's going on?" Eric asked.

Post lowered her gloved arm, smiling maliciously. "Faith! A word of advice. You're an idiot. At least Hope didn't trust me like you did."

They all looked at her in disbelief, seeing Zoey recovering on the floor.

"Zoey!" Carmen told her worriedly.

Post raised her arm to the sky, uttering the words that would call forth the power of the glove. "Tauo friem!" A blindingly bright bolt of lightning smashed through the skylight, striking the glove. Shards of shattered glass fell everywhere. Post aimed the glove at Angel, Bianca, Brady, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith. "Tauo friem!"

A bolt of energy leaped from the glove at Angel, Bianca, Brady, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith. Bianca, Brooke, Alice and Hope held out their hands, using combined Guardian energy to create a huge shield in front of themselves, Angel, Brady, Buffy and Faith, though the power of the glove was powerful enough to burst against the shield, and send Angel, Bianca, Brady, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Hope and Faith all flying back to the ground, severely injured, but not dead, though they would have been dead if not for the Guardian shield. The bolt of lightning continued on its way outside, hitting a tree outside in the atrium, which burst into flames instantly.

Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Xander and Willow were in shock and horrified, worried for their friends.

Wyatt and Carmen were about to use magic, though being in proximity to the glove and lightning, they both froze in place, as electricity/lightning seemed to sizzle through them, as if the glove was activating a latent power in both of them.

Eric, Xander and Willow watched in shock.

"Carmen?" Eric asked. "Wyatt?"

Zoey was pushing herself up.

Post turned to face Zoey, extending the glove toward Zoey. "Tauo friem!"

A bolt of energy leaped from the sky toward the glove, from the glove toward Zoey. Angel pushed himself up, running closer, tackling Zoey out of the way, making it hit the stone wall behind them. The energy shattered the concrete, pieces of it bursting into flames as it fell to the floor. Zoey rolled away from Angel, looking surprised that he saved her. Angel looked guilty for what he had done to her and Layla, but was trying to make amends by saving her.

Eric, Willow and Xander watched Zoey and Angel in surprise as this happened, and Wyatt, Carmen, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Hope, Faith and Bianca as they were recovering from the two different lightning experiences.

Willow looked at Wyatt and Carmen. "What the hell is happening to you guys?"

Wyatt tilted his head. "Pretty sure the glove and lightning was activating a power for both me and Carmen. Can you guys draw her fire?"

"You bet we can," Bianca answered.

"Let's do it," Hope agreed.

Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Hope and Bianca all split up to draw Post's fire, as Wyatt and Carmen were still flickering with lightning/electricity. Carmen's power was more like electricity, while Wyatt's was like lightning due to his powers to control the elements of nature.

Post's attention was divided, as she didn't know who to kill. She tried to focus on Wyatt and Carmen, but as planned, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Hope and Bianca were distracting her focus, making her confused on who to target.

Angel helped Zoey up as they both stood.

Wyatt and Carmen stood on either side of Post, flickering with lightning/electricity, shooting it from their hands at Post, surrounding her with their power, making her scream in agony as it enveloped her, and the power was overloading her. The lightning/electricity from both Wyatt and Carmen was enough to burn away Post, making it so that she was no longer the host of the glove. Zoey, Angel, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Xander, Willow, Hope, Faith and Bianca watched as Wyatt and Carmen destroyed Post. A moment later, with one final bright lightning strike, what was left of Post vanished in a bright flash of light and energy, and the glove fell to the ground, unharmed. A few small arcs of electricity were all that remained as the last of the energy disappeared as the lightning faded away from Wyatt and Carmen, both breathing heavily and falling to their knees. Brooke and Angel both went to Wyatt and Carmen's sides to help steady them, making sure they were okay. Everyone looked at each other in shock. Brooke and Angel helped Wyatt and Carmen to their feet.

Bianca spoke up to ease the tension. "Wyatt and Carmen went full on living lightning."

The others managed small smiles. Zoey looked at Carmen and Angel, breathing deeply, looking less uncomfortable about the thought of Angel being back after what just happened, processing the fact that he saved her life. Angel looked down, nodding in understanding, knowing that it wasn't easy for Zoey at all, but that she understood he was trying to make amends. Carmen and Zoey looked at each other to make sure that each other were both okay after everything that just happened, nodding slightly. Everyone looked between Zoey, Carmen and Angel knowingly, all completely stunned by the night's events.

Hope looked at Bianca, curious as to why Bianca didn't hurt Faith when she was trying to kill her, but thankful she didn't. Bianca felt the gaze, returning it, before they both looked away.

∞

Day Four

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Student Lounge

The Scoobies, minus Carmen, Giles and Layla, were gathered in the lounge.

"So there's no more glove thingy?" Cordelia asked.

"No," Xander answered. "Thanks to Wyatt, Eric, Willow and Carmen performing the spell, it's gone for good."

"Sounds like we missed a lot of fun," Oz told them.

"Then we're telling it wrong," Buffy told them.

"Bianca and Angel helped, so much," Willow told them.

"What do you think Carmen and Angel are gonna do?" Brooke asked.

"Boy, do I don't know," Brady said, nodding.

Alice gave him a somewhat amused look. "Brady."

"Well, Bianca had the chance to hurt or kill Faith for coming after her and Angel like that, and she didn't," Wyatt pointed out. "She tried not to even hurt her. That counts for a lot in my book."

"And mine," Eric agreed. He gave Xander an annoyed look. "Told you that Bianca would stay good, and Angel has the chance now too."

"Yeah," Zoey agreed. "Especially since Angel saved me from a horrible flamey death. That sort of makes me like him again. I'm still not really ready to forgive everything yet though."

Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest. "Bianca's good. And as long as Carmen and Angel don't get pelvic, we'll be okay, I guess."

Carmen walked up the stairs to meet up with them. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oddly enough, Bianca and Angel," Oz answered. "Again."

Carmen sat down. "Okay. Are we all cool?"

"Yeah," Zoey answered. "Angel saved me. Bianca didn't hurt Faith, and she's been helping all summer."

Xander sighed. "Just seeing you and Angel kiss after everything that happened, I leaned toward the postal."

"Doesn't excuse what you said to Carmen, Zoey or Layla," Brooke told him.

Brady looked at Carmen. "Look, we trust you. We know that you won't sleep with Angel again."

"And Bianca's got no one to sleep with, so that's a sign we don't have to worry about her losing her soul," Buffy added.

Wyatt and Carmen exchanged a look.

Wyatt cleared his throat. "Right."

"What?" Eric asked.

Before they could answer, Layla and Giles walked over to talk to the group, both recovering from the night before. Zoey and Alice stood to be with their parents, worried.

"Dad?" Alice asked. "Layla? You should be resting."

"We're okay," Layla told them. "Zoey, Alice, don't worry. I take it that you were talking about Angel and Bianca again."

"Yeah," Willow answered. "I know some of us aren't ready to forgive Angel, but Bianca's earned our forgiveness."

"And Angel's trying to earn it too," Layla finished. "Zoey told me about last night. How he saved her. And Bianca was helping. If they keep that up, then maybe forgiveness and redemption is possible."

They all nodded, but Xander. Though Xander looked less angry or annoyed when they mentioned stuff like this after seeing what he saw the night before.

"Let me guess," Zoey told them. "Gwendolyn Post. Not a Watcher."

"Yes, she was," Giles told them. "She was, uh, kicked out by the Council a couple of years ago for misuses of dark power."

Alice shrugged. "They swear there was a memo."

"Do you think Hope can get the Faith damage control?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," Brooke answered.

Brady nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I do."

"If anyone can get Faith under control, it's Hope, but that's not saying a lot," Eric pointed out.

"True," Wyatt agreed. "But at least things turned out okay last night. For all of us, even Bianca and Angel."

Carmen nodded. "And I swear, they'll stay good."

"I hope so," Layla told them. "And that Hope can talk sense into Faith. The whole Bianca and Angel thing is so weird."

Giles slowly sat in a chair. "Yes, well, we'll have to see how that unfolds, won't we? For Hope and Faith, and Bianca and Angel."

∞

Hope/Faith's Motel Room

Hope and Faith were laying on their beds, watching TV.

Hope turned off the TV. "Faith."

Faith sighed. "I knew you would try to talk to me sooner or later."

Hope sighed, sitting up. "Well, you thought right. How are you?"

Faith shrugged. "Five by five."

"You and I have literally said that since we were kids," Hope told her.

"Mm-hmm," Faith agreed.

Hope sighed. "Look, Gwendolyn Post, or whoever she was, had us all fooled. Even Layla and Giles."

"Yeah, well, you can't trust people," Faith told her. "I should've learned that by now."

"I realize this is gonna sound funny after what happened last night," Hope told her. "But I know we can trust Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Layla and Giles. Xander, Willow, Cordelia and Oz too."

Faith looked up, amused. "Is that right?"

"And Bianca and Angel, they could have easily killed you last night, but they didn't," Hope pointed out. "Bianca was trying not to hurt you, but trying to make sure you didn't hurt them at the same time. She could have easily taken you out."

"You think I don't know that?" Faith asked.

"After everything, I think we finally have people on our side now," Hope told her.

"We're on our side, Hope," Faith told her. "And that's always been enough."

Hope shook her head. "Not always. They've all gone out of their way to help us, Faith. Zoey even got us damn tickets to a homecoming dance." Faith shrugged in agreement, smirking a bit in amusement. "And Bianca saved us before last night. Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt and Carmen have all saved us too. I think that's something worth remembering. It's too dangerous out in the world alone."

"I know, Hope," Faith told her. "I just... just you and me, things were okay."

"Not okay," Hope told her. "We were barely getting by. And we're lucky that we didn't get to be as sick and disturbed like the rest of our messed up family. Maybe now, with all these other people, we won't have to become like that."

Faith considered this. "Maybe."

Hope and Faith sat alone in silence for a moment, both gazing off as they thought about their past and how things had just been them for a long time, after messed up childhoods, and now learning how to let other people in. While Hope was open to letting the other heroes in, Faith was resistant. Though Hope was wishing that everything could find a way to work itself out.