Ethan had expected a small group to set up a retaliation, the little group of school children were not going to let their slayer go without a fight, but what he had not expected was the strength of a united front, especially not with two of the strongest Masters fighting *for* the slayer, he would step up the plans, do the spell more quickly and without the eye of a Kethla demon that he had been having difficulty obtaining.

"Bring her." He said to the guard on duty, smiling openly when the watcher obeyed without question. Buffy was weak, but he had made sure that there were chains to bind her just in case and the protection spell that he was using would hinder any attempt she made to strike him. They were heading for the laboratory where the spell would be completed and then he would get what he wanted, finally the watchers council would allow him to join their midst and he could claim his family inheritance. Another smile graced his lips as he recalled the look on his ex-lover's face as Ripper had found out that his poor student friend was the bastard son of the former council chair, owner of half the watcher facilities worldwide, if he could lay claim to it then Ripper had known that the council would be disbanded. It was that reason that Rupert had told the council Ethan cheated on his exams, now though he had the chance to redeem himself and every thing that he wanted was just one spell away.

As he began to mix the ingredients for the casting he heard the loud crash behind him that signified the group were there. It was too soon, the spells should have kpet them back longer, the demons too that he had hired, something was very wrong, but as he felt the hand that closed over his throat Ethan was not sure that he would know what that was.

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The group had moved slowly through the warehouse, Angel scouting a few feet ahead for trip wires or other hidden traps and Spike taking up the rear to check that they weren't being followed. Both saw the attack force as soon as they came out, front and back where a dozen demons tried to ambush them, Spike made it seem easy to defend himself, surprising those that had beaten him up at Willy's den because he could fight back with his usual strength. Angel too was meaner than expected, they had been told that the souled Vampire was so guilt-ridden as not to kill, they were not told that the demons within the pair would fight harder and faster than usual to protect their mates, not only Xander but each other as well. Faith was ready to fight, she was not about to let these people kill her friend before she got the chance that she needed to apologise to B, being in jail had given her a new perspective and she wanted to have the chance to show them all that she had changed.

It was Xander that finally put the last demon to rest, they had fought well but relatively briefly considering the number, but having three warriors at their side had done them well. Now all that was needed was to disable the puny magical defences that had been erected, Wesley had started on it while the others had been fighting, with Xander's help the barriers fell almost immaediately, then they felt the pull of a warlock and knew that they were close. Angel and Spike kicked open the door that led into the lab, Xander knew it as the place that Riley had been kept. They were supposed to be cautious, but that memo had obviously missed Faith because before they knew it she had Ethan pinned to the wall in a throat hold, having stopped him from laying a finger on Buffy. Wesley smiled as he saw it, the final act that had been vital to Faith's initiation was fulfilled, she had shown that she was willing to care for others.

"What?" She asked when the others looked at her as if she had made a mistake, she crushed Ethan's throat until he passed out, effectively rending him out of action until they could decide what was to be done with him. Then she made her way over to her former friend.

"You okay B?" She asked in true concern, the blonde slayer knew that there was a story to be told of her rescue, an explanation for why Faith was out of Jail and fighting alongside the vampires that she was meant to slay. Right now all that Buffy wanted was to get out.

"Five by Five." She said spitefully as she jumped up, ready to fight if need be. A look from Angel calmed her slightly, knowing that he was right, his look spoke of forgiveness and more importantly his words hit her.

"Let's find Giles and get out of here." He said, "It's nearly sunrise and we have to get out of here." He said stoicly, his face softening a little as he spoke his final words. "Besides, Riley is waiting."

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Epilogue.

Faith saw the envelope that was tacked to her door at the room she had taken in a local motel, it was an invitation to join the alliance that she knew Xander was already a member of, the letter from Wesley that explained it all was not something that Xander had received but then the slayer was not seeing anyone. It had been a week since they had saved Buffy and the group had met only once, the day after the rescue to discuss plans, Spike had made it clear that he was taking his lovers back to the mansion and the three were not to be disturbed, Riley had made a similar request of Buffy and Wesley and Giles had both taken it in hand to try and help reorganise what was left of the council. Cordelia had returned to LA, after an audition had come up. Faith had not minded the time alone, she had gotten used to it really, being inside did that to a person, but there was more to it than that, she had seen the guy that had been tailing her for the last few days and now this letter meant that she needed to see the group, she wanted to tell them that she was sorry for what she had done, but more than that she wanted to know where they went from there on in, especially with this new revalation.

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The meeting was set for six that night, before patrol for Buffy but after Passions for Spike. They were meeting at the mansion so that the vampires could be in attendence and not in a dust pan, which would happen were they to need to travel to Giles' house. The group were gathered and Willow and Buffy had brought snacks for everyone, except Spike and Angel who would have to provide their own, Buffy had said. Spike had laughed at that and made some comment about having his own nummy treat and Xander had smiled. Faith was the last to arrive, coming in through the front door at a fast pace and shutting it quickly behind her, the sheen of sweat that covered her a clear sign that she had run.

"Faith?" Wesley enquired raising an eyebrow, not wanting to get her usual generic response he didn't ask if she was fine. Faith remained silent, instead taking a seat near the threesome that took up the couch, in truth she only felt that she could trust Angel and maybe Wes, all of the others were relative strangers or likely to stake her if she looked at them in the wrong way, especially Buffy who had taken a possesive position in Riley's lap.

"So, how are things with the watchers?" Angel asked Giles conversationally, trying to draw attention away from the battle of wills that the two slayers were fighting with stares.

"Well, I think that there is a new balance, at least now that there is some semblance of a structure again. The undesirables that were in power..." He stopped as he felt a shift in the protection circle cast around the house, Xander was more alert and had already begun to grasp the things that he needed to recast the spell with Angel and Spike going into game face at the intrusion of their sanctuary.

Andrew Pennington entered the old mansion on Crawford street and was automatically pinned to the wall by an angry Vampire, a second stood at his side. The newest head of North American council operations watched as the two slayers that stood only a few feet away did nothing.

"You have one minute to explain why I shouldn't let Spike here rip out your throat." Angel said.

"Not willing to do it yourself?" The watcher asked, Angel's demon could smell the fear coming off of the mortal.

"No mate, Angelus just doesn't deal with such trivial matters." Spike returned. Angel smiled, something that made Buffy blanche, however that was her only reaction.

"Angel, it's cool." Faith said as she finally spoke up. "He's five by five, a watcher." The demon fell out of game face and loosened his grip a little, Andrew flinched as he found the ability to breathe had returned to him, he was escorted to a chair where the vampire ('*master* Vampire' his mind corrected) unceromoniously dumped him.

"Talk." He said, before moving to his wayward Childe and placing a calming hand on his neck, less a show of dominance than a comfort to bring back his human side.

"I'm Andrew Pennington Faith and Buffy's new watcher." He said, not noticing the looks on the young people's face's as if they had heard this conversation before, Wesley was the most composed of them, a look of almost understanding on his face. "I was sent by the new council to oversee the reintroduction of the Slayers to our fold."

"There is only one problem, Giles is already my watcher." Buffy said. "I don't work for anyone else and I most definitely do *not* work for the council."

"I understand your misgivings Miss Summers and I can guarantee that your compliance will mean Mr. Giles' reinstatement to the council, I am merely here to liase and help with your training. I will act fully as a watcher for you Faith of course."

"Why? I've got a perfectly good watcher too." She said pointedly looking at Wesley. "In fact, I think that you ought to leave before I forget that I am on Parole and break your scrawny little neck." Spike smiled at the attitude, he had not really gotten to know this slayer, usually all he wanted to know about them was the coppery tang of their blood, but this girl he could like, nothing like Slutty and an attitude that screamed violence.

"Don't worry about that Pet, I'll sort him out. Don't want you risking your job with the Sire do we?" He said, ignoring Angel's glare. Andrew knew where he was not wanted, he did not want to risk his new promotion, but his life had more meaning.

"This isn't over." He said as he retreated, desperate to save face on the behalf of himself and the council.

"Oh believe me it is. We're not likely to forget that you tried to kill the slayer twice in a row." Giles said, letting Ripper out of the well formed cage of stoicism and British stiff upper lip. Andrew Pennington made the mistake of taking a step forward to strike the watcher, it was one that he would regret, an invisible force sent him flying out of the door and into the garden outside. He knew then that he was not welcome to return, he sighed, at least in England there was not this much violence.

The group inside were silent, not wanting to talk about what had occurred, it was Riley that broke the silence. "Do you think that he'll be back?"

"Not if he knows what's good for him." Spike muttered, only calmed when he saw the tiredness that hit Xander from having evicted their unwanted guest, he returned to his lover's side and pulled him close. "We'll be long gone before he returns anyway."

"What do you mean?" Xander asked.

"Simple Pet, the only reason that we stayed this long was that you wanted to stay with the slayer, now I want to take you away from the Hellmouth, this is not the safest of places to live." Spike said, Xander saw the futility of arguing when he saw the determined look reflected in Angel's face.

"What about Faith?" Buffy said to her ex-lover, ignoring the fact that the brunette slayer was present too. "I'm not having her stay in Sunnydale, this town isn't big enough for the two slayers."

"I'll go wherever Wes tells me to." Faith said, shocking all of them into silence. "There is a bit in the Slayer's handbook about obeying the watcher." She said, this drew even more stares of disbelief. "What, just coz a girl dresses well dowsn't me she can't read. I had a lot of time to do nothing much in prison, gave me a whole long time to catch up on the bits I missed."

"Did you check out the bit about not joining the forces of evil?" Buffy jibed, a little irate that Giles still never shared this handbook with her.

"Did you check out the chapter on taking a punch in the face?" Faith countered.

"Faith, while I am flattered that you are studying the handbook I am no longer a member of the council and as such have no jurisdiction here." Wesley said taking off his glasses to polish them.

"Wes, I know I'm not exactly a candidate for student of the year, but you never stopped being my watcher and as we have pretty much decided this evening that the council have no real power anymore I want you to be that person for me." Faith said, then allowed her voice to trail a little as she added. "I understand if you don't want to do it."

Wesley felt the barriers go up in the girl, readying herself for the rejection that she thought was coming, he felt the lump form in his throat and saw a similar movement in Xander, the three of them all knowing what it was like to fend for oneself and to be rejected from even the little amount of love that every human needed.

"You'll come to LA with us." Angel said when he saw how his friend and lover were affected by Faith's admissions that she needed someone in her life. Angel also saw that this was the beginning of her salvation and that if he could be there and take on the role that Whistler had played for him then he may help her gain redemption and in it find an answer to him seeking his own.

The decision was made, the small group would split on two: Willow, Giles, Buffy and Riley remaining in Sunnydale and Faith, Wesley, Xander, Spike and Angel returning to LA. Their paths were bound to cross in the future but for now they all had a home with each other. Wesley watched as he saw the rifts between the individuals settle, they were beginning to come together again and although the triad were still not fully grouped and the family had a long way to go they were well on their way to preparation for the final battle, whenever it may be.

Fin.