Section 0000: Database

Accessing SG-Force Database...
Listing current members...
...

Codename: Buffy
Full name: Elisabeth Anne Summers
Voice sample: Hey there! My name is Buffy and I'm the Last Slayer.
Known Relatives: Joyce Summers (mother, deceased)
Age: 19
Year of Birth: 1981
Class: Slayer, magically enhanced human
Occupation: Vampire Slayer, Student

Base of Operations: Rosenberg Mansion, Sunnydale, CA
Ht: deleted from system by user Buffy
Wt: deleted from system by user Buffy
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown, colored blond.
Known Powers/Abilities: Enhanced strength, speed, stamina and healing.
Ability to sense the presence of demons.

General information: Miss Summers is a quantum duplicate of the original Elisabeth Anne Summers. She was created by Willow Rose as means to fulfill a prophecy regarding the Return of the Primal One. After helping in the defeat of the Primal One, Miss Summers now continues her work as a Slayer in a world that, until now, has been free of vampires.
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Codename: Willow
Full Name: Willow Danielle Rose
Known Relatives: Alexander Rose (father, deceased), Lily (mother, deceased), Willow Rosenberg (Great-grandmother, deceased), William Spike (Great-grandfather)
Voice sample: Hi! I'm Willow Rose and I'm... a plasma-slinger.
Age: 19
Year of Birth: 2098
Class: Plasma Slinger, human
Occupation: Researcher, Adventurer
Base of Operations: Rosenberg Mansion, Sunnydale, CA
Ht: 5'8"
Wt: 120 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Red
Known Powers/Abilities: Very high intelligence. Ability to created bolts of magical plasma/energy which she hurls at attackers.

General Information: A direct descendant of Willow Rosenberg, she's responsible for Buffy Summers return to life in the year 2117. Proud of her heritage and always willing to help, she resembles her great-grandmother in many ways. Having witnessed her parents' deaths, she is very protective of those she cares about. Her power as a plasma-slinger has only recently manifested itself and it's limit is unexplored. She only recently found out that Spike is her great-grandfather.
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Codename: Angel
Full Name: Angelica De'Light
Known Relatives: William Harris (adoptive father)
Voice sample: Angel De'light. Avian.
Age: 23
Year of Birth: 2094
Class: Avian, genetically engineered human
Occupation: Adventurer
Base of Operations: Rosenberg Mansion, Sunnydale, CA
Ht: 6'1"
Wt: 100 lbs (due to hollow bones)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Platinum white
Wingspan: 16'
Known Powers/Abilities: Enhanced strength, speed and stamina. Ability to fly via wings.

General Information: The exact origins of Angelica De'light are unknown. Abandoned at an early age by her parents, the first known record of her is at the age of 13 when William Harris, president of the Angel Foundation, took her in. There has been some speculation about whether she was a part of the Future Project, which aimed at furthering human evolution, or if she is a natural mutation. She has a healthy fear of authority and anyone associated with the Future Project, although it has been years since its shutdown. She has come to accept her place within the SG-Force and has hinted that she desires to get to know certain members of the team better.

Additional information: Angel can compress her wings tight to her back, giving her an almost perfect human form. She also owns a special combat armor, build by the Angel Foundation, designed with silver talons, it is made up of the finest laser absorbent materials.
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Codename: Zoëga
Full Name: Stefan Zoëga
Known Relatives: Hope Giles (sister)
Voice sample: My name is Stefan Zoëga and I'm a tep.
Class: Telepath, genetically engineered human
Age: 17
Date of Birth: 31st of December 2099
Occupation: Student
Base of Operations: Rosenberg Mansion, Sunnydale, CA
Ht: 5'8"
Wt: 145 lbs
Eyes: Red
Hair: Black
Known Powers/Abilities: Telepathy and limited spell casting.

General Information: A product of the Future Project, Stefan is an extremely powerful telepath or a "tep", as he calls it. Taken in by the Giles family when the project was shutdown, he is Hope Giles's brother in all ways except blood. The two share a strong telepathic connection.
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Codename: Hope
Full Name: Hope Giles
Known Relatives: Stefan Zoëga (brother)
Voice sample: My name is Hope Giles, a researcher.
Class: Mystic, human
Occupation: Researcher
Base of Operations: Rosenberg Mansion, Sunnydale CA
Age: 20
Year of Birth: 2097
Ht: 5'5"
Wt: 107 lbs
Eyes: Jade
Hair: Jet Black
Known Powers/Abilities: High intelligence. The ability to read the words of the Codex. She is also an adept spell caster

General Information: A member of the Giles dynasty, Hope is a very professional person and a researcher by nature, like many of the Giles family. Leaving her post at GILES Laboratories for unknown reasons, she is the team's technical guru. She appears to be the only one that can see the words in the Codex. She also shares a hate/love relationship with Spike and they may or may not have slept together.
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Codename: Spike
Full Name: William Spike (possible alias... real family name unknown) Known Relatives: Willow Danielle Rose (great-granddaughter), Willow Rosenberg (wife? deceased)
Voice sample: I'm a bad, rude, man
Age: Estimated around 300 years or more
Year of Birth: Unknown
Class: Undefined
Occupation: Guardian of Earth
Base of Operations: Mobile
Ht: Unknown
Wt: Unknown
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
Known Powers/Abilities: Highly enhanced strength, speed and stamina, spell casting and wielder of the Light of Hope.

General Information: Classified.
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Codename: G.I.L.E.S.
Full Designation: Genetic Isolinear Lifeform Emulating Sphere
Voice sample: I am G.I.L.E.S., a Genetic Isolinear Lifeform Emulating Sphere.
Class: A.I.
Age: Classified
Year of activation: Classified.
Ht: 1'0"
Wt: 10 lbs
Known Powers/Abilities: Spell casting. Information recording and analysis.

General Information: Classified.
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Opening entry log..

Buffy and Spike are the last of the old guard. They stepped forth from the shadows of the past to protect the Earth as darkness returned once again. Six days ago, they fulfilled the prophecy and destroyed the Primal One thus stopping his return to this plane. However, the Master Vampire Drusila is still free, so their work is far from done.

Saving entry log.
Logging of user Rupert.

Behold The Rosenberg Mansion, home to three generations of Rosenberg's, it now serves as the headquarters for the SG-Force.

"Oh shut that junk off, will you please?" Buffy exclaimed as she threw a hand-made stake at the hologram. She grimaced as she watched it pass straight through the newscasters head and sink into the wall.

"Ignore it, luv. We're just going to have to learn to live with it," Spike said calmly with his feet propped up on the meeting table, he looked like the cat that ate the canary. It was still early and they seemed to be the only two awake. Buffy picked up a piece of cake off a side table and took an experimental bite. The crunch that followed was not a good sign. Christmas had been celebrated two days earlier and the remnants were still lying about.

"How's Hope, by the way?" Buffy asked smugly as she had retrieved the stake from the wall. Sitting down, she started cleaning her wristbands.

"Hope?" Spike asked innocently and studied his nails. "Hope who?"

"Watcher Girl, about... yea tall, jet-black hair and a fierce temper... Ring any bells?"

"Nope, can't say it does," Spike said after a moments thought.

"So you're... not shagging her?" Buffy asked, opting for bluntness to get a response.

"A gentleman never tells," Spike answered with a grin.

"So you leaving your room the morning after the battle, wearing nothing but what the gods gave you was just... I don't know... your desire to prance around naked in the early morning?"

"Ah, well... you see, that is, she woke up and. oh bloody hell! Yes. I shagged her. Satan, I hate this cloak and dagger shit," he cursed and the Slayer broke into a smile. "Getting too old!"

"Gotcha!" Buffy exclaimed placing the stake on the table.

"Okay, you see we came back from killing the Primal One, she was all horny and, well, I..." Spike said with a grin.

"You just love to brag, don't you?" Buffy asked with a disgusted look on her face.

"Well I..." Spike was cut of by Willow entering the room.

"Morning all," Willow said as she swept into the room. Noticing the hologram over the table she grimaced. "Are we still on the news!" she exclaimed as she looked up from her good morning peck on Buffy's lips

"Sadly yes. Still.. I thought they learned their lesson after Angel... talked... to them," Buffy said with a chuckle as she pulled the redhead onto her lap.

"Breakfast first, then cuddle," Willow said as she stood up again and disappeared into the kitchen, causing Buffy to pout.

"Things going okay with my great-granddaughter?" Spike asked, suddenly serious.

"We're taking it slow," Buffy answered.

"And trying to keep it out of the press, I hope," Angel stated as she strode into the room, leaving a trail of feathers behind her.

"Morning to you too, Angel," Buffy greeted as she took in the other woman's ruffled appearance. "Rough night?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. The avian's nightly escapes were something she'd learned of during the second night Angel had stayed at the mansion.

"She didn't spent the night with anybody," Zoëga said as he took his seat at the table. "And no, I didn't read her thoughts, but I do have ears," he added with a wink.

"And a room next to hers," Hope quipped in as she entered, computer in hand and looking her usual perfectly manicured self.

Must be the Cordelia gene, Buffy thought.

"So where's our little buddle of joy?" Buffy asked when she didn't see G.I.L.E.S floating about.

"I am here Miss Summers," the sphere said as he floated into the room. "I was updating our database," he explained.

"Any reports from last night?" Buffy asked as Willow returned and took her seat on her lap. The slayer took a healthy bite of the offered sandwich, never breaking eye contact with the new woman in her life.

"No vampire risings reported last night," G.I.L.E.S. reported.

"Great, so what's on the agenda for today then?" Buffy asked.

"I think we should talk to the press," Hope suggested drawing blank stares from everybody. "I mean, think about it, maybe if we just talk to them... in a controlled environment, of course, maybe they'll lay off."

"She's right you know, as much as I hate to admit it. We can't have the press hanging around outside the mansion and following us on patrols," Buffy stated.

"If there are anymore patrols," Angel said as she tucked her wings in tight and took her seat.

"Uh guys, Dru is still on the loose, remember. So trust me, we'll have more patrols," Spike said in a grim tone.

"Okay, so we talk to press and then hunt for Dru... Now, who's going... to... talk... why are you all looking at me?" Buffy asked.

"Well, we just thought, you know, you would talk to them," Zoëga explained.

"Me? But... but... I'm just the Slayer," Buffy stammered.

"And our fearless leader," Willow said as she kissed her again.

"Okay, okay. I'll talk to the press, but Hope and Angel are coming with me," Buffy said.

"I-I don't think I." Angel began.

"Yes, you will, Angelica De'Light," Buffy stated firmly. "Like it or not, you and I are the most prominent members of our little group," she added.

"Hey there!" Spike exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, Spike you are a legend, but we're the new blood," Buffy explained. "Kind of," she then added slowly.

"So the rest of us just sit here and what... twiddle our thumbs and watch over the computers?" Zoëga asked.

"Well... yes... Not the twiddle part, the computer part. Try to find out where Dru got that teleportation trick from. I mean, even I know it's not something everybody has," Buffy said with a glance to Willow, "Right?"

"She's right. The teleportation devices are big money," Willow confirmed.

"So it's settled then. You go look up any and all companies who deal in teleportation and if they look likely, send Zoëga in to check it out," Buffy said.

"You're not suggesting that I..." Zoëga trailed off tapping his head.

"No, just find out whether or not they're telling the truth. I'm sure people sweat like hell when trying to lie to a tep," Buffy explained with a crooked grin.

"I think this is going to be fun," he said with a smile of his own.

"Well you go have your fun while we go and face our deaths at the hands of the all-forgiving press," Angel snorted. Her eyes narrowed as she felt a soft pressure on her mental walls. She looked over at the telepath.

"It's settled then," Buffy said and stood, ignoring the little drama playing out between Angel and Zoëga. "Hope, will you set up the meeting for, lets say-?" she asked.

"Already on it, they'll arrive within the hour," the Watcher reported.

"Oh, where did you set it up?" Buffy asked. "In the Hall of Heroes?"

"Nope, but you lot are going to love this," Spike said as he snuck a peak at the screen. Buffy walked around the table, looked over Hope's shoulder at the screen and smiled.

"They'll never know what hit them," she said with smile.

Section 0010: Connections

Angel chased after Zoëga when the groups had split up to prepare for the onslaught of the press. Catching up with him, she slammed him into an alcove, none to gently.

"I told you... to stay out of my head!" she hissed down at him. On instinct, her wings partially unfolded to make her look absolutely menacing.

"I was only trying to reassure you," he answered in a calm voice. Clearly not intimidated by the towering avian, his eyes remained soft. Staring into each others eyes for a moment longer as if judging his words, Angel finally released her hold on his shoulder.

"I... apologize," she said and turned to walk away, pulling her wings in.

"You know, sometimes really I don't understand you," the telepath said as he straightened his clothes.

"How so?" the avian asked with her back still towards him.

"The night when we came back from the battle with the Primal One, and then again during Christmas Eve, you were... well... nice, but now you're all grrr and I'll rip your head offish," he explained. "I'm confused, Angelica," he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Z... I..." Angel began as she turned around.

"There is nothing to be afraid off," Zoëga said in a reassuring voice as he gently placed a hand on her cheek, acting more on impulse then rational thought.

"When I said I'd consider a date... this wasn't..." she gasped as the first of her mental barriers went down under the gentle probing of the telepath.

"Sssh! Just let me take some of the tension away," he whispered, not wanting to scare her by talking into her mind. His other hand crept into her hair and began messaging the back of her neck. Then there was loud crash as a handheld hit the floor.

"Rao above..." Hope exclaimed with a wide eyes, causing the pair to jump apart.

"Hope, um, he was..." Angel began, straightening her hair.

"I was just helping Angel relieve some of the tension she felt from the upcoming meeting," Zoëga explained without losing a beat.

"Oh, then if you're finished, maybe Angel would be so kind as to come with me so we can go over the question list I've made up?" Hope asked, her eyes shooting daggers at the avian.

"Go ahead, Hope... I'll catch up with you in a second," Angel nodded, praying that the overprotective watcher would leave them alone.

"I'll leave you two... alone," Hope huffed as she strode away.

"That was... embarrassing," Angel exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, she can be a little overprotective," Zoëga said.

"I... would like to complete what... ever we just did there?" Angel said as she stepped closer, pushing him against the wall once again gently this time. There was soft gasp when he reached out, once again, to gently touch her mind. There was a long, peaceful silence.

Buffy looked up when she heard Hope slam the door to the conference room. Willow had gone to talk to Spike, leaving the slayer with the hours of newsfeed and a ton of mail to read through.

"Let me guess... she's about six feet tall, with white hair, wings and a thing for your brother?" Buffy asked with a grin.

"You knew!" Hope exclaimed.

"Well, I suspected," Buffy said with a smirk plastered on her face.

"And you didn't tell me," Hope exclaimed.

"Whats to tell? It's their business and I'm not going to stop it. They're entitled to it just as much as you and Spike are," Buffy said as she crossed her hands over her chest.

"That was... a one time thing," Hope said under her breath.

"If you say so," Buffy said with a shrug.

"It's just that she's..."

"She's what? Older, believe me age is so not an issue," Buffy said.

"It's just that-"

"Sorry, I took so long," Angel said as she walked into the room and took her seat.

"Was he any good?" Buffy asked, before she knew what had left her mouth.

"Buffy!" Hope exclaimed, but Angel only smiled.

"If it's any consolation, Hope, he 'was' just helping to calm my nerves. Nothing happened. honest," Angel said trying to calm her.

"Lets go over these notes, shall we?" Buffy asked clapping her hands together, not wanting a catfight an hour before a press conference.

Maybe Z-boy can help me... no bad, bad slayer... He's Angel's lets just wait telling Hope that's all, she thought.

"Very well," Hope crumbled. "You know the first question will most likely be something along the lines of 'Who the fuck are you people?'"

Willow found Spike in the computer room, reading over text that was scrolling down the screen at speeds only he could read.

"Willia... eh Spike... I think it's time we talked," she said as she sat down next to him.

"You want to know why I left, right?" he stated as he stopped the text.

"Well... yes. That and why you didn't show yourself earlier. like after my parents death?"

"Red, your great-grandmother that is, was still around and... it wasn't my time to return," Spike said as he hung his head.

"You were waiting for the Primal One's return," Willow said, understanding a little bit more about this cryptic man.

"Yes, but now that he's gone... well, I hope that we can be a family," Spike said with a small smile.

"You are my family, Spike. In one form or another, you've always been there for us," she answered as she hugged the Guardian.

"Great, but now we need to talk about Buffy," Spike said, causing Willow to let go.

"Bu... but... we're just fooling around. I mean, there isn't..."

Spike smiled and held up his hand. "No, no. I have no objections. I just want you to watch out for her. She tends to... go too far at times and try to protect everybody. If she turns out like the Buffy I knew... well, lets just say you'll have your hands full," he explained.

"Thanks for the warning," Willow said with a beaming smile. "and your acceptance."

"Now help me look over this," Spike said as he started up the screen again.

"One more thing. Do you think that my... powers are somehow connected to you?" Willow asked. Spike looked at her and thought for moment, Willow had shown the ability to create and direct plasma bolts and he did field a light power of his own. So perhaps...

"Who knows. Tell you what, we'll have G.I.L.E.S. look into it," he said with a pat on her shoulder. "But, then again. We are, after all... a strange breed."

Section 0011: Meetings

The press was hoarded into the training area, which was now serving as the makeshift conference room. The room, nicknamed by Buffy as the Danger Room, had been designed by Willow, like almost everything else in the mansion. It was a state-of-the-art simulator room capable of replicating almost all of the rigors of vampire slaying.

"You think they suspect anything?" Buffy whispered to Hope as the reporters, armed with their recorders and hovercams, filtered into the conference room. Dressed in her black slayer jumpsuit and armed with her wristbands, the slayer looked around the room and nodded, the press was going to be silenced one way or another.

"Nope," Hope said with a grin. She was reading a spell on her handheld, memorizing it for later use.

"Now?" Angel asked, her wings twitching in excitement as she inspected her talons.

"Wait until they're all here," Buffy said just as the door closed behind the last reporter. She cleared her throat and put on her best I'm-not-going-to-hurt-you smile.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, thank you for joining us here. Now. before you bombard us with questi-" she was cut of by a wave of questions hitting them.

"Angel, throw... the... fucking... switch!" she said calmly over noise. The room shifted from the professional looking conference room into that of a worn down part of the city, the Slums, where the vampires where usually found. The room fell into silence as the confused reporters looked around.

"I suggest you defend yourselves," Buffy offered as the silvery carbon blades emerged from her wristbands and growls started coming from the shadows.

"What the hell is going on here!" one of the reporters cried out as vampires erupted onto the street.

"What is this?" another yelled, backing up against a wall.

"What you're seeing is what we face every night," Buffy explained as she ducked a punch and staked a vamp.

"I strongly recommend you defend yourselves," Angel suggested as she slashed one attacker and high-kicked another.

"Because we may have forgotten the safeties," Hope added as she let her spell fly, causing a small swarm of toothpicks to make a pincushion out of one vampire. They didn't do much damage until one found its mark, then the pincushion was dust and that spell was more for show then practical use, plus if it hit a reporter they would live... sadly.

Half an hour later, the three stood looking at the reporters huddled in the corner of the room. A few had fought back at the beginning, but for the most part, the newshounds had retreated to safety and cowered. It looked like a few had even passed out.

The slayer shook her head as she approached the group, which was slowly getting to its feet. "Ladies and Gentlemen," Buffy declared in a loud voice, sweat dripping from her brow. "What you saw here is what can and will happen if you try to follow us at night." She held their attention as she made her back to the others, "Now, if there are any questions..." she trailed off as the room shifted into the conference room again, with the trio standing behind a large table, "we're here to answer them," she finished, and they sat down.

"Who are you?" the first reporter, a blond, with red colored glasses who had calmly stood by as the scenario played out, asked.

"My name is Elisabeth Anne Summers. I'm the Last Vampire Slayer and I go by the codename: Buffy. I guess you could call me the leader of this... group," Buffy answered with a wave.

Damn, I'm glad Hope made us practices this, she thought.

"Hope Giles, and I'm one of the researchers here. My, uh... codename is Hope" the Mystic answered. The codenames had been a silly idea really, but it gave the group, what Buffy called, a super-hero feel about it.

"Angelica De'Light, avian, codename: Angel," Angel said as she removed her talons and placed them on the table.

"Whom do you answer to?" another reporter asked. It didn't seem to take these people much time to get over life threatening situations when there was news to be had, "I mean surely the government has some part in all this?"

"No, we are a privately funded group, sponsored mainly by the GILES Laboratories, the Angel Foundation and the Rosenberg Fund," Hope answered.

"But we do intend to work with the Occult Agency and the local police when the need arises," Buffy added.

"Do you believe you are above the law?"

"No. We are our own law, and we just hope that they will have the good sense to stay out of our way," she tried to explain.

"I only see three of you, why such a small group?"

"The threat isn't that great," Angel answered in a low voice.

"And there are very few people who can do what we do," Buffy elaborated.

"Are there more members of your group?"

"Yes."

"Who are they?"

"At present there is: Willow Rose, a plasma-slinger; Stefan Zoëga, a telepath; William Spike; and G.I.L.E.S., our A.I. unit," Buffy answered as images of the members were displayed on the holoprojector in the center of the table. The group of reporters was making its way up to the large table, the hovercams floating around them like flies.

Like horseflies on shit, Buffy smiled to herself. She had to chew on that one to keep from laughing out loud.

"Is that... Are you and William Spike the original warriors that fought in the Great War?"

"Well... Spike is. As for me, I'm what you call a quantum duplicate... is that the right term... of the Buffy Summers from the year 2000 and... Well I just hope that clears that up enough. since I really don't understand it too well myself," Buffy explained with nervous smile.

"Miss De'Light, many question have been raised about your origins. Would you care to. clear up some of those question?"

Buffy cringed inwardly as Angel's wings rose slightly on her back, but then seem to settle again.

"I was abandoned by my parents shortly after birth, raised in the Slums and at the age of 13, I was taken in by my adoptive father William Harris and the Angel Foundation. I claim no association with the Future Project and do not consider myself a part of it," Angel answered with such steel in her voice that the reporter shrank back.

Sheesh, I wonder how that would have gone without Z's help, Buffy thought.

An exhaustive hour later, Hope dismissed the reporters; hopefully they had given out enough information to satisfy them without revealing too much about their true strength. Questions had been raised regarding their ages, but that argument died quickly in light of Spike's age.

I guess if you save the world on live Holo-v, they trust you more, Buffy thought to herself as she looked out the window in her office and watched the last of the reporters leave, a couple of them glancing wearily back at the building. It had been Willow's idea to give her an office and she was beginning to realize why, as she noticed the messages and offers already flooding her computer screen.

"How did it go?" Willow asked as she stepped into the office.

"We'll see on the evening news," Buffy answered as she turned to face her girlfriend, who wore a huge grin with sparkling eyes to match.

"I take it Spike will be staying with us, and... is happy with things?" Buffy asked as she sat down in her chair and offered Willow a seat on her lap.

"He wants us to be a family again," Willow answered happily as she sat down and snaked her arms around the Slayer's neck.

"Mmmm, that's nice," Buffy said, nibbling at Willow's earlobes causing the plasma-slinger to giggle.

"Uhmm... Buffy... training... remember?" Willow asked between giggles.

"Plasma-bolts... and hand-to-hand," Buffy agreed as she made her way around to Willow's lips. "But... since I'm the fearless leader... *a peck* I guess *a peck* I'm in *a peck* charge of training schedules," she finished as she claimed the redheads lips in a deep kiss. There was a crackle of energy as Willow inadvertently sent two bolts of blue plasma flying into the walls.

Angel stalked through the corridors of the mansion, her wings fluttering. The questions had been. unsettling, to say the least. She did not like being on display, it reminded her too much of growing up in the Slums, the shows, and the. humiliation. She needed to vent, she needed to- her train of thought was derailed as she slammed into Zoëga who was also deep in thought and obviously returning from the kitchen. The crash caused orange juice to spill over them both and anger to flare in the already tense avian.

"You..." Angel started, but one look into his calm eyes and her rant was cut short. Catching the young telepath off guard with the amount of anger, hate and fear she had been emanating had caused him to instantly reach out with his mind. Now it was her turn to be pushed against the wall, a glass bounced on the floor as her wings made contact.

"Z?" Angel asked in a trembling voice as gentle fingers started to caress her face and neck. Licking her lips as she felt a presence surround her mind like a warm blanket, she inched closer.

"I told you that there is... no need do be afraid," the telepath whispered, but her hand had already sneaked behind his neck.

"I'm..." a fraction of an inch closer. "not... a." another fraction. The sound of warning claxons telling them that a weapon had been discharged inside mansion snapped them back to reality.

"Everybody to my office now!" Buffy was heard shouting over the audio system.

Section 0100: Critical Situations

Angel and Zoëga crashed through the office doors. They were greeted with the sight of Willow, unconscious on the couch, but their eyes were soon drawn to two smoldering holes in the walls on either side of the room. Hope was gently trying to bring Willow back to consciousness, while Buffy sat on the edge of the desk looking worried. Spike was sitting in the chair, tapping furiously away at the computer. Hope looked up at her brother and a silent communications passed between them. He closed his eyes.

"What... happened?" Angel asked softly as she touched one of the burn holes.

"It would appear that Miss Rose's powers are connected to her emotions and when excited, there is an involuntary release," G.I.L.E.S. explained from his position above Spike's shoulder.

"And when it's all over the drain on her system is so great that she collapses," Buffy finished, talking fast, not taking her eyes off Willow.

"Okay," Angel said as she rubbed the ash off her fingers.

"She's coming to," Zoëga said and when he opened his eyes, there was a lengthy groan as Willow too, slowly opened her eyes.

"I did it again, didn't I?" she asked in low voice.

"It would appear so," Buffy said as she jumped from her perch on the desk to get closer to her plasma-slinger. "How do you feel? You ok?"

Willow had to smile up into her Slayers soulful eyes. "Yeah, I'm ok. Just tired."

"I believe I can... help her," Zoëga said standing up and leaning back against the desk.

"How?" Willow asked as Buffy helped her sit up.

"Well, first I would have to do a scan, a search for the root of the problem. Then, I would have to teach her some control," he explained. "Telepathically," he added.

"You talking psychotherapy?" Buffy exclaimed.

"Yes," he said calmly. "And in the light of this latest flux, I think we're out of choices."

"Elisabeth, it's okay... really," Willow said taking Buffy's hands.

"I just..." Buffy trailed off.

"We can start now if you want to," Zoëga said.

"Now?" Willow asked. "Really?"

"The sooner we get this under control the better," Hope said.

There was a moment of silence as Willow's eyes passed over everybody in the room, Spike looked at her with concern, Angel with a mixture of fear and intrigue, Hope was professional, as usual, and Buffy looked scared.

"Okay, lets get started on this. Why don't we. take this somewhere else, though," she said as she started to get up. "Can Buffy... stay with me?" she asked.

"No," was the answer.

Buffy paced outside Willow's room. The sun was going down and they still hadn't come out of the room yet.

"Do these things usually take this long?" she asked.

"Depends on the problem," Hope answered, not realizing she was swaying with the rhythm of the Slayer walking back and forth in front of her, "If it's something deep in her subconscious, this could, quite possibly, take all night." Buffy still paced outside Willow's room as a few more minutes passed.

"I'm going out to patrol," Buffy exclaimed and stalked away. Hope raised an eyebrow and looked down at her ever present handheld. She tapped in four words.

Slayer cares about Willow.

The Slums, home to the unfortunates of society, the criminals and, of course, the vampires. Buffy's senses tingled as she waited, perched on a windowsill, several floors above the street. She had taken the time to study the design specs of her suit. Willow had done a great job on it, laser absorbent, light absorbent, and a cool new de-celerative material, making her able to jump from considerable heights.

I feel like Batman, she thought. Now all I need is a Batbelt.

"Make room," Angel whispered as she landed next to her on the sill. Folding her wings together, she probably looked like a gargoyle from the street.

"You find anything?" Buffy asked tapping on the computer build into her wristband.

"A raid on an illegal synth-factory down on Eighth, I stopped a rape over on Second and-"

"But no vamps," Buffy stated.

"No vampires. But I was going to say that some of our reporter friends are out here undercover tonight," she explained.

"Which ones," Buffy sighed as she set a quick text message to G.I.L.E.S.

"The blond, what's her face..."

"Christina Rex," Buffy said without thinking.

"Impressive, you got her measurements as well?" Angel asked.

"Ha, ha. No. Its just that she was the only one standing after our little... surprise training session, so I looked her up," Buffy explained.

"Are you thinking about recruiting her?" Angel asked, eyes wide.

"No, but she did give us a fair review in her news piece, and you never know, she could prove useful," Buffy explained.

Boy, we certainly could use more good reviews; they pretty much had us for breakfast. The only reason we're still operating is because of Hope's connections, Buffy thought to herself.

"Spike thought that up, didn't he?" Angel asked.

"Hey! I can plot and scheme!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Sure you can! No, really, I believe you..." the avian said with a sympathetic smile.

"Not funny, Angel. I'll have you know that I happen to be- Hey, check it out. It's our star reporter," the Slayer stated. With an evil smile to her cohort, she dropped from the ledge, landing quietly in the alley below. "Miss Rex, I presume," she asked causing the blond reporter to jump then spin around.

"Guess some people won't take hint," Angel said as she landed next to the Slayer.

"Buffy, Angel," the reporter replied as pulled back her hood and tried to catch her breath and blond, shoulder length, curls came rolling down.

"You know, walking around in the open like this, you would make an easy meal," Buffy stated.

"And you're easy to follow, what's your point?" the reporter shot back.

"We told you to stay away from us, but-"

"What makes you think this is about you?" Rex asked.

"Well. I-" Buffy flustered. Her eyes darting over the reporters features, red lips and blue eyes obscured behind the red lenses of her glasses.

"You, for starters, are here, while the nearest drug bust is five blocks south," Angel said, hoping to save the Slayer some face.

"Good point. But you guys are news, too, like it or not," Rex said as she adjusted her glasses and Buffy felt like she just had her picture taken.

"You're not giving up on this are you?" Buffy asked with a sigh.

"Nope. At least not until I get a live slaying," Rex answered.

"A live slaying, you say?" Buffy asked with grin and tapped on her computer.

They sat on a tombstone over a fresh grave. Angel had stayed in the Slums; she had business there that Buffy just did not want to know about... yet.

"So, we're just sitting here, waiting for the vampire to... rise?" Rex asked.

"That's pretty much what this job is all about," Buffy answered as she played Tetris on her wristband. "Oh, you made me lose," she whined.

"So... the battle against the Primal One, what was that like?"

"A major bad scene. But, luckily that doesn't happen very often," Buffy explained as she turned to face the staring reporter. "What did you expect? Ninety percent of the time this is the most boring job in the world. Not to mention the pays bad, short life expectancy and no dental plan," Buffy explained with a smile.

"No... I was wondering... how an girl like you... could become the savior of mankind," Rex answered.

"Ah... Well, you got me there, cause I don't-" The Slayer held up a hand as she stopped herself. There was low thud, then a louder one.

"Time to go to work," Buffy said as she jumped down from the tombstone. Five seconds and one dust cloud later, she turned back to the blonde with a satisfied smile on her face.

"So, you happy now?" she asked the reporter.

"Very," Rex said as she looked over the cemetery using her glasses to take pictures.

Thank good for onboard computers, Buffy thought.

"Okay then... Cool. So you'll... stop following me now, right?" Buffy asked.

"No can do Slayer." Rex said as she walked way.

"Hey!" Buffy exclaimed and was in front of the blonde instantly. The reporter blinked, then smiled back at the slayer, with impossibly white teeth and looked at her over the glasse's with shining blue eyes. "What do you mean 'No can do'?"

"The rest of your group, the SG-Force, is off the hook," Rex explained. "I won't follow them. But, ah... as for you..." she finished, unable to hold back a most unprofessional smile.

"Me?" Buffy asked, a bit confused. "But-" Then it dawned on her, "Oh. Oh, no... I can't. No... I mean... I..." her eyes went down and then snapped up again.

Think Willow, think Willow, think... look lips, breasts, and...! Bad Slayer!

"It's been fun," Rex said with a grin as she slipped past the Slayer, but not without kissing her first.

"Doha!" Buffy muttered, trying to form a retort, as the reporter pulled away from her with grin, pushed her glasses higher and was gone.

She walked in a daze back to the mansion. Her wristbands dropped soundlessly on the floor as she entered room and pulled her jumpsuit off. Willow was still in therapy with Zoëga. Damn! Spike had just looked her over and shook his head, Hope was asleep, and Angel, gods only knew where she was. The distraught Slayer crawled under the sheets and tried to replace the image of the blond reporter looking at her through red lenses with her Willow's, but to no avail.

Section 0101: Preparations

Angel tried on the tenth dress, or at least she thought it was the tenth. The growing pile of rejected ones lay in a heap on the bed beside Willow along with several other articles of clothing that were strewn about. The plasma-slinger was casually perched on the edge of the bed surveying the carnage as tiny needles of blue plasma hovered above her fingers.

"Angel, It's just a date," she said calmly.

"I know, but it's. been a while," the avian said as she threw away the latest piece.

"Why don't you try the combat armor," the plasma-slinger suggested.

"Don't... give me any ideas," Angel hissed as she dove into her closet once again. Her wings bobbed up and down as she rummaged through the drawers and chests.

"He's probably just as nervous as you are," Willow said softly.

"Z, nervous? Pu-lease," Angel huffed as she emerged with a black form-fitting tank top and black slacks. "Too tight? Too dark?" she asked as Willow's raised eyebrow. "What?"

"We don't want to kill the boy on the first date now do we," Willow answered with a sly smile. "Try something a bit more respectable, and maybe something in a dark blue... I think it will set off your wings nicely," she suggested.

Angel sighed and dove back into the closet; she had never owned this many clothes, not even after the Angel Foundation took her in. But two trips to the mall tower with Buffy had taken care of that.

Buffy looked for signs of life in the young telepath that was sitting perfectly still on his bed. She had come to seek advice from him, but instead, found him meditating. Right now, she really needed advise, and since going to Spike with this particular problem would probably cause the end of her relationship with Willow, she was here.

"I am awake, if that's what you're wondering," Zoëga said, startling the blond Slayer, making her jump into a combat stance.

"Don't... do that," she breathed as she relaxed her pose. "What was that you were doing anyway?"

"Trying to calm my nerves," the telepath explained as he shook out his wrists.

"Wait a sec. You, Mister I-can-stop-explosions-with-my-mind... is nervous?" Buffy exclaimed as she planted herself on the bed.

"It may be hard to believe, but try to look at it from my perspective for a second," Zoëga answered as he got up and retrieved his short jacket from the chair by his desk.

"What? Okay, so you're turning eighteen and going out with a woman six years your senior, who not long ago hated your... guts and... hey, you are nervous," she exclaimed with a grin.

"An excellent summary," he exclaimed as he turned around. "What do you think?"

"White, but respectable," Buffy said as she looked him over. "I like it."

He looks like a matador, she thought.

"I'm trying to be as non-threatening as possible, so the standard telepathic black was out of the question," he explained. "But something tells me you didn't come here to give me dating tips. Come to think about it, shouldn't you be preparing for your cuddle- I mean, date with Willow?" he asked with a grin.

"Well... yeah, but, well... there's... a problem," Buffy said as she hugged her knees.

"Please don't tell me that you don't like her," Zoëga exclaimed. "Because a pissed off Plasma-slinger is not something I want to deal with and neither does anybody else for-"

"No! No, I still like Willow, I like her... very much, but..."

"There's another," the telepath finished.

"Yep!"

"Do I have to guess?"

"Christina Rex. You know, that reporter. Well, last night... she, uh, expressed her. interest," Buffy answered hiding her face.

"So she's interested. Are you?" he asked as he sat down on the bed.

"Of course not," Buffy exclaimed and the telepath gave her a look.

"Well, maybe just a little, but I still want Willow."

"You're thinking sex. Innocent Willow, got to take it slow, but willing Christina go for it," Zoëga suggested doing a fair impression of her voice.

"You're too smart for your own good Z, but yes that's the deal," Buffy sighed.

"Then go on your date with Willow and see how it works out. It's not like you're engaged or anything," he said calmly.

"Z!" Buffy exclaimed. "I thought you were Willow's friend?"

"I am, but I'm also not a fool. I can only give you options," Zoëga answered.

"So give me options, anything!"

"Very well. As I see it, you have four plausible choices. One: ignore the well-endowed reporter and keep at the slow pace with Willow. Two: Stay with Willow and fuck said reporter during off hours. Third: dump Willow and go for Christina.."

"You paused, what's the fourth?"

"Push for sex with Willow. But, know this... that is my least favorite option and I urge you not to try it," the telepath answered. "But the choice is yours," he added with a shrug.

"You're not going to tell me that if I hurt Willow you're going to come after me?" Buffy asked.

"No, I think Spike and Angelica will take care of that. I'll just sit back and watch," Zoëga answered with a grin.

"Thanks. I guess," Buffy said as she stood. "You've given me. stuff to think about."

"Buffy, one more thing," the telepath said and the Slayer turned around. "Have fun tonight," he said with grin.

Section 0110: First Dates

Buffy raised her hand and, after a moment, knocked on Willow's door. She fiddled with the blue rose behind her back as she waited. Looking down, she hoped that Willow wouldn't object to her wearing her slaysuit with just a white waistcoat over it.

"Coming... oof, damn it," then the sound of hopping and bumping into. Is that something burning? Buffy smiled to herself, then the door opened, revealing Willow in a dark red pantsuit and holding a high heeled shoe in one hand.

One hundred and seventeen years and we still have high heels, Buffy thought.

"Should... I come back later?" Buffy asked with a grin.

"No, no just a. just a minute," Willow exclaimed as she managed to get the shoe on. "There! All ready," she stated proudly.

"Wow!" Buffy said slowly as she looked her over. "Um.this is for you," she said as she pulled the rose from behind her back. She grinned playfully as the plasma-slinger blushed.

"Thank you," she whispered, as she smelled the rose.

Shyly hooking her arm in her dates, the slayer confessed, "Spike is kind of loaning me his hover, so we better take off before he changes his mind," Buffy said with a smile.

Angel looked around nervously, blinking in pleasant surprise. Zoëga had gone really gone all out. First, the massive bunch of roses he had shown up with, she'd lost count after a dozen, then the chartered limohover that took them to the Grand Tower. I bet he even has theater tickets up his sleeve somewhere, she reasoned.

"I... apologize if this is a little... too much," he said peaking over the top of the menu. Their table was situated by a holowindow that gave perfect view of the upper city. It was even the real view. The table had it's own private waiter and was a good, romantic distance from the rest of the tables. Plus the reporters would never get past security here.

"No, no. this all very. grand, and my menu doesn't even have the prices."

"You were expecting something a little more.. teen?" he asked as he laid down menu and spread his hands on the table.

"Hope planned this. didn't she?" she asked as it dawned on her.

"I asked for Hope's help and... she helped," he confessed with a crooked smile.

He was nervous, Angel thought to herself, and smiled as the voice in the back of her head did a little happy dance.

"If you have any better ideas... I'm all ears," he said with a casual smile. Granted they were being treated as any other customer, but their celebrity status, and a quite a bit of money, was buying them that luxury.

"No, lets just... eat here," she answered with a grin as she reached out to cover his hand with hers. "After all... Hope is paying," she added.

"GILES Labs, actually," he corrected with a smile and raised his free hand to summon the waiter. Dining over the light tones drifting from the piano, they chatted as each dish, more expensive then the last was brought before them. The waiter was pleasant enough, bringing them each dish with a comment about how the press was being controlled outside of the building, or how wonderful it was that young people still had class. While finishing off his bowl of ice cream, Angel was desperately trying not giggle for fear she might break out laughing.

"What? Is something." the telepath asked, looking down at his shirt, then back at the avian with the first-ever confused look she'd seen from him.

"You have. ice-cream." she said, choking on a giggle as she reached out with a napkin, "On your nose," she finished as she wiped desert off the telepaths nose.

After signing for the bill, which Angel did not even want to look at, the pair made their way down to the lobby of the Restaurant where they were greeted by a swarm of hovercams, flashes, and reporters with never-ending questions.

"I thought... the waiter said... they'd been thrown out," Angel asked as she covered her eyes. "Or at least controlled!"

"Guess he... was wrong." Zoëga said, his calm demeanor showing cracks, as he grabbed the door attendant. "Is there another way out!" he practically shouted at the poor man.

"Through the... staffroom at the... delivery entrance," the man stuttered as he recognized the face he had seen dozen of times on the newsfeeds about the battle at St Summers.

It's nice having an acknowledge telepath around, Angel thought to herself, then felt Z grab her hand and pull her away from the hoard. Baka press ruining my date, she cursed mentally as she pictured herself holding a stick with a reporter's head mounted firmly on top of it.

"Calm down," Zoëga ordered gently, no doubt feeling the waves of contempt and frustration coming of her.

"I'm... trying to," she answered as they burst through the doors into the waiters changing room.

"Where is the exit?" Zoëga asked no one particular, then cast a look over his shoulder.

"That... that way," a waiter stammered and pointed the way.

"Thank you," Angel nodded as the telepath pulled her along. "He's not usually like this," she called back to one of the servers giving Zoëga a look that spoke volumes. They broke into the warm night, both looking around for any signs of the press or other things that go bump in the night. They ended up staring at each other, grinning like maniacs. His hair was wild and falling into his eyes, hers had come loose from it's pinning and framed her face in platinum white.

"We made it," Zoëga breathed as he reached up to tuck away a lock of white hair behind her ear.

"Guess... so," Angel answered reaching out, as well, to sweep away the mass of hair covering his eyes. Upon contact with his skin, she felt the familiar surge as she looked into his eyes. There was long second of shared thoughts before he finally broke away, mumbling something in a low voice.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Angel smiled and kissed him, feeling him tense up and without a doubt, setting up blocks. She smiled into the kiss, despite herself and then there was a burst of lights.

"That is it!" Z shouted, spinning out of the kiss. Various objects started hovering in the alley as the telepath's eyes narrowed into two red slits. The press was backing out of alley now as the dirt and debris, and every other particle that could move, started swirling into a solid wall, pushing into them, pressing them back.

"Z," Angel exclaimed and placed a hand on his shoulder. When he didn't respond, she spread her wings and gathered him into a tight hug as she took him to the skies, the debris field collapsed behind them. The flashing lights and hovercams followed them as high they could before lowering back to the ground.

Willow was content as she lay on the hood of Buffy's borrowed hover. She smiled as she looked up to the stars. On the ground, lay an open and now empty picnic basket. She couldn't help but smile again as she turned her head to look at the girl next to her, Buffy was smiling and staring up into the stars.

"Do we go there?" she asked, pointing, not taking her eyes off the sky. "The stars, I mean," she added as she turned to look at the plasma-slinger.

"No, not there," Willow said as she grabbed the pointing arms elbow, moving it over a hair, "but we have gone... there," she said, "Oops, well actually... there," she then corrected herself. "We went to Venus first then to Mercury, and thats where we get our power from now, but next we'll... hmm." the slinger was silenced by the Slayer's lips.

"I wasn't looking for a lecture," she said with a positively evil grin as she pulled away. "But please.... do tell me more..." Before Willow could speak, there was bleep from Buffy's wristbands. The Slayer sighed heavily.

"You, um, better answer... that," Willow said with a small smile, pointing. Growling, Buffy pressed a button and a small hologram popped up from her wrist.

"Oh, this had better be good, Spike," she snarled.

"Sorry to interrupt your evening, luvs, but we have a problem," he said, his jaw set. She couldn't help but notice the nasty cut on his forehead and a black eye.

"Spike, come on... What is it? What happened?" Buffy quizzed as her scowl faded. The camera view changed to show Dru, tied to a chair, struggling. On the side, Hope was bandaging a blonde head. Rose coloured spectacles were atop the head, holding blonde locks from her eyes.

"I'll explain more when you get here," Spikes voice told her from out of camera view as the connection began to end.

What the... how did Rex get into the mansion, Buffy pondered.

"We'll be there in ten," Buffy said, closing the link. She turned sadly to Willow. "I'm... sorry," she said. "About cutting the date short," Willow just reached out and softly stroked her date's cheek. "I had fun," she chirped gleefully, and with a kiss, she deftly slid off the hood to collect the basket, leaving Buffy with a silly, impish grin, despite the urgent message from Spike.

Section 0111: System Crash

Spike closed the connection to Buffy and turned his attention back to Hope and the reporter she was patching up. Shaking his head and then fixing his eyes firmly on the reporter seated in the chair in front of the desk.

"Care to explain to me, before Buffy arrives how exactly you came to be at the spot where Drusila somebody, besides us, was trying to kill her?" he asked drumming his finger together and leaned back in his chair.

"I got a lead. ouch," she exclaimed as Hope applied the last bandage on her. "That an hit was going down and I never give up a story," she explained.

"Good enough, but that doesn't explain why you didn't call us after all we are the authority on this matter?" Hope asked as she stood up and took up a seat on the desk's corner.

"I was told it was a company hit," Rex answered firmly, taking of her glasses of her head and polishing them.

"Excuse me," Drusila asked from where she was firmly bound to a chair.

"Yes?" Spike asked turning his eyes at the vampire.

"But would you mind untying me?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"No deal," Spike answered and turned his eyes back to Rex. He wanted to stake Dru, he really did, but liking it or not Buffy was in control and as much as he hated to admit it they might need her. Also killing a prisoner in front of a member of the press would not be a smart PR move.

"Where would I go William?" the vampire asked. "My empire is all but gone and the few vampires that where still loyal where killed in my capture," she explained with G.I.LE.S. hovering around her.

"The only reason you're alive Dru is because now we get to beat information out of you, before we stake you," Hope stated before Spike got a chance to answer. The Vampire Mistress smiled at the threat and fixed her eyes firmly on the young scientist.

"I think I like you child and I can see why William does too," she said. Rex's eyes got wide, granted she didn't do gossip but this was just too rich.

"Mind if I take notes?" she asked as her rose colored glasses appeared on her nose and she had a handheld ready in her hand.

"No!" Both Spike and Hope stated in unison and at that same moment Drusila seemed to get enough of G.I.L.E.S. attention.

"Get this ball away from me," she growled and nodded to G.I.L.E.S. that was stilling hovering around her.

"Merely recording your behavior for later study," the sphere answered and Hope snickered. Before Drusila could turn her fury on Hope there was a loud crash as the front doors were pushed opened and then the sound of feet running up the stairs and finally ending with Buffy and Willow bursting through the doors leading into the office.

"Get me Angel on the line and get out of my chair," Buffy ordered as she strode passed Dru and Rex and into the seat behind the desk which Spike had quickly abandoned.

"I thought you where going to stay off out case?" she asked the reporter without missing a beat and placed her feet up on the desk.

"Like I told Mister Spike." Rex started explained, seemingly intrigued by the Slayer's ability to take command.

"She didn't know it was a vampire matter," Spike explained before the reporter could. "And Angel and Z have been out of communication all night," he added.

"Great," Buffy muttered as Willow took a seat on the couch looking verily at Drusila with small needles of plasma forming at her fingertips.

"Dru, you feel like talking?" the Slayer asked calmly looking the vampire over, taking notice of the small cuts on her face and the tears in her clothes.

"We're all in deep shit," Dru stated without blinking and it was almost comical hearing the once crazed vampire say it.

"Double great," Buffy muttered. "Care to elaborate?" she asked.

"The winged one and the mindwalker find them before they do," the vampire answered. "I'm going to take a nap now," she said and closed her eyes.

"Hey wait." Hope started but the vampire was lost to the world.

"Don't worry about it she told us all she was going to give," Buffy said calmly. "As for you Miss Rex, I'm afraid you 're staying for the night."

"In your bed?" the reporter asked with a grin.

"No in the guest bedroom," the slayer answered without flinching, but Willow felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

Nobody gets the best of me twice, the Slayer thought and cast her eyes briefly on Willow, who looked unaffected by Rex's question, but then again with Willow you never could be sure.

"I'm I under arrest then?" the reporter asked as she stood up from her chair.

"No you've just become a member of SG-Force. Hope get her a pair of wristbands and find jumpsuit for her and Dru. G.I.L.E.S as their measurements," Buffy said with a grin.

"What?" Hope explained loudly, but Spike and Willow shared a smile both having some idea about the Slayer's plans.

"You heard me, if somebody took down Dru we're going to need help taking them down in turn," she explained. "and these two are it," she added.

"Come with me then," Hope crumbled as she looked at the smug smile plastered on the reporter's face.

"Spike take care of our other guest would you please?" the slayer then ordered and the Guardian picked up the chair and it's sleeping occupant and carried her out of the office.

"G.I.L.E.S. try and locate Angel and Z would you?" she then asked and the sphere quietly left the room, leaving only her and Willow in the office.

"I'm not angry," Willow said calmly. "Why should I care, if another woman makes a pass at you?"

"Wills it's nothing... I'm not even interested..."

"You've met her before haven't you?" Willow asked stalking over to the desk with blue plasma forming around her fists.

"I showed how I slay and she promised she'd stop chasing us on patrols," Buffy said calmly and leaned back in her chair.

"Did she show interest then?" Willow asked as a surge of emotions went through increasing the brightness of the plasma surrounding her hands. When no answer came she turned away, but then spun around with the grace that Buffy always associated with her and cleaved the desk in half. Standing over the two smoldering half's she stared down at the Slayer that still sat a calmly in her chair.

"I'm not happy," the plasma-slinger growled.

"I can see that," the Slayer said as she stood up and placed hand on her shoulder. "Go change into slay gear and report back in a half an hour. We need to go out and find Angel before the others Dru spoke of do," she ordered. The plasma-slinger huffed and turned on her heel.

"You know... that there is only you Willow," the Slayer said as she sat down again.

"This is about sex isn't it?" Willow asked without turning back around.

"No this is about you discovering your emotions and letting them get out of control." There was a long silence as Buffy stared at her girlfriend's back and she in turned shut her eyes tightly and bit her lip.

"I'm sorry," Willow muttered as her control returned.

"You are jealous that's understandable," Buffy said, hoping that's she sounded wise cause she felt stupid as hell for not having told Willow about Rex.

"I'll just go change now," Willow said in her usual tone of voice, sweet and neutral, and motioned for the door.

"We'll talk later I promise," Buffy said with a smile as the plasma-slinger tried to make a dignified exit. Watching the doors close the slayer sighed and picked up her handheld that had survived her girlfriend's fury and started typing a to-do list. Top thing was a talk with Z when he returned from his romp with Angel, followed by some intimidation on Rex and then of course getting the bad guys. Whoever they where?