Act One

Kennedy, Willow, Andrew, Faith and Wood were seated on the stairs watching a foil bout between Rowena and Giles.

"Giles gives us the speech last night that the Old Watchers could be out there destroying us and here we sit watching them trying to ‘pretend to kill each other’ and for what?" Kennedy asked.

"Giles already explained," Willow said in an exasperated sigh. "He wants us to go on with life as planned and continue our training, which means mine, too. Do you think I’M happy about being here right now? I could think of tons more things I’d rather to be doing."

"Like breaking in all the new furniture in our apartment quarters upstairs?" Kennedy asked with a smirk.

"For starters," Willow quipped with a grin.

"Ah ha!" Giles said getting everyone’s attention. "Three to three," he said proudly although slightly out of breath.

"Took you long enough," Rowena countered.

"Youth and ambition will never defeat age and treachery," he said with a grin. "What’s that?" he asked pointing behind Rowena. She turned and in that instant he lunged, digging the point into her side again. "Four to three now." He smiled proudly.

Rowena felt the strike and she was already grinning before she turned around.

"Very funny," she told him before pointing her foil at Willow. "Come on Willow. Think you’d like to give it another try? Part of your Watcher’s training after all."

Willow gave a sigh and picked up her foil. Dressed in white fencing gear, she slowly made her way out to the room’s center – a foil in one hand and her helmet in the other. 

"You can do it," Kennedy told her as she watched Willow make her way to the center of the room.

"Hack ‘em up, Will!" Faith cheered before she started chuckling. "This I gotta see," she told Kennedy as she settled in beside her.

"Here," Giles told Willow as she arrived, taking her foil from her. "We’ll start slow so you can get a feel for which way you should move. Right now we’re just going to work on defensive moves. Understood?"

Willow gave a nod. "Got it."

"Rowena," Giles prompted. "When you’re ready."

Rowena advanced making three strikes that Giles defended each time. He then handed the foil back to Willow. "You try," Giles told her before stepping away.

"Oh hey! Where are you going?" Willow asked. "You know I’m not really ready to-."

Rowena charged again and Willow parried the first two strikes, ducking as she moved backward. But on the third one, Rowena managed to twist the foil, knocking it out of Willow’s hand. It clattered to the floor and Willow gave a defeated sigh.

"Point one to Rowena," Andrew called out keeping score.

"You know, the sword fighting?" Willow began. "It’s just not me. Can’t I just practice my defensive fighting spells instead?"

"No," Giles insisted. "There might come a time when you’re unable to use magic. You still need a means to defend yourself. Now try again."

Faith and Kennedy watched as the two prepared to face off. "So what do you think of Ro?" Faith said softly.

"I try not to," Kennedy answered.

"Yeah, but Giles asked her to stay here with us in one of the spare apartments so that’s gotta mean something. I’ve heard of sleeping with the enemy but you know, living next door is something else."

"Well, Giles does have a point. It’s better this way," Kennedy told her. "We can keep a eye on her if she’s squealing to Tyrell. But Giles doesn’t think she’s a Stepford Watcher and could really help us."

"And what if he’s wrong," Faith countered.

"Meaning?"

"What if she’s still working for the Old Guard? We don’t know for sure that they went after her family. All we have is her word. Nothing else. And I know the Old Council, okay? They don’t often play by the rules. And when I suggested we bring her in I didn’t expect to, you know, bring her in."

"Yeah, I know. But my Watcher really hated the way they ran things sometimes too and I kinda pick that up with Rowena. Not playing by the rules ended up killing my Watcher though so who’s to say what’s right and wrong."

"Whadda ya mean?" Faith asked.

Kennedy turned to Faith.

"The council ordered all Potentials and Watchers to stick together but my favorite cousin was getting married back here in the States. I wanted to go. He wanted me to stay because the council said so. Finally he told me to go and come right back. I originally planned to stay for a week but we compromised. I flew out the night before the wedding and came back the morning after…it was 72 hours tops but…" she said softly.

"Willow told me. Your Watcher got ripped apart. I can relate," she answered gloomily.

"Really? The First killed your Watcher too?"

"Nah, she was killed by a vampire named Kakistos," Faith told her. "It was after me when I met B and the gang. But I remember…even to this day I can see it. I walked in and there she was. Parts here, parts there…" 

"And you felt helpless," Kennedy added. "There was nothing you could do but get angry…feel guilty…and then run for your life not even having the chance to mourn. Am I close?"

Faith let out a sigh. "On the nose, Brat," she said with a melancholy grin.

"Well, not long after that Giles found me," Kennedy continued. "He had that Watcher air about him but he was, I don’t know, different I guess."

"That’s what I noticed first about him too. Yeah sure, he still had the uptight Brit thing goin’ on…" Faith grinned. "But he was more down to earth, firm but not rigid, you know?"

Kennedy just gave a nod. "Confident but not unapproachable."

"Yeah," Faith said as she nodded. "He was even my Watcher for a while."

"No kidding?"

Faith nodded. "Looked after me and Buffy both – that was until the Old Guard stepped in and screwed things up." Faith paused a moment and both women said, "as usual" at the same time. Faith chuckled and continued, growing serious. "But that doesn’t matter though, does it? I mean, we’re here. We’re alive. And we’re doing things the right way I think. So if Giles wants to breathe new life into Watcherhood, I got his back."

"Me too," Kennedy agreed.

"Point four to Rowena," they heard Andrew yell and then in a quieter voice add, "Willow zero."

Faith turned to Kennedy. "Doesn’t look like Red’s doing too good."

"Give her time," Kennedy said with a grin. "Once she sets her sights on something it’s hell or high water."

"Once he sets his sights on something it’s hell or high water," James Tyrell told the gatherers as he pointed to a younger man similar to himself in appearance. The group, including Mr. DeVeer, gave a chuckle.

"A chip off the old block," one of the senior-looking members remarked, causing another roll of laughter in the large study. 

"This will be my son Jordon’s first operation with the Council and he will be assisted by Mr. DeVeer should the need arise. But I’m sure he’s up to the task," Tyrell continued with a proud smile.

"Are you now?" another member from the back called.

Tyrell turned with a disapproving look in the direction of the voice. "Yes I am, Mr. Meyer," he remarked in a firm voice. "You have something to add?"

"If I’m not mistaken that’s what you said of Rowena too, and the plans to have Mr. Giles deported. However, we hear she’s now living with the New Guard and he’s still enjoying life on U.S. soil. Perhaps you can explain?"

"Are you questioning my authority?" Tyrell asked.

"No, just your methods, which obviously are failing."

No one said a word. No one breathed. And the only sound in the room was the clicking of a grandfather clock.

"If this council is to survive we must be united, Mr. Meyer," Tyrell replied. "Now if you have a problem with my leadership-."

"James," Meyer said, casually coming to his feet. "This isn’t about leadership. You know I respect you and when you placed the call to rebuild the council I answered it and left retirement, as did most of us in this room. I could be sitting anywhere in the world right now instead of Cleveland, Ohio." As he paused a few members snickered in agreement. "But here I am. Here we all are," he said motioning to his fellow Watchers. "We’re here to see that the Watcher line continues effectively and purposefully by people who can get the job done."

"And it will, I assure you," Tyrell answered. "We just have the matter of disbanding this group of rogue demon fighters first."

A few members looked nervously at each other and then to Meyer.

"We think you’re underestimating Mr. Giles and his company," Meyer pointed out as if speaking on behalf of the room. "He’s one of the few active Watchers that managed to survive the attack of the First. And that Wiccan of his-."

"Witch," Tyrell interrupted. "Don’t make her out to be more than what she is."

"Fine," Meyer conceded, not looking for an argument. "The fact remains this Rosenberg woman is very dangerous and powerful. Powerful enough to activate all the potential Slayers of the world – something our own coven of Wiccans couldn’t do."

"No," Tyrell insisted. "Something our coven WOULDN’T do. They had a regard for the Slayer and the Watcher line. They knew their place. Mr. Giles and his crew are just a group of renegades. And we will put an end to their reckless ways before they destroy the world. We already know of young women who are abusing this new power that Ms. Rosenberg instilled in them. So if we’re to correct measures we must all be together on this. The group will never survive if we’re fractured. So what’s your answer, Mr. Meyer? Are you willing to do what it takes to see that this ‘New Council’, as you call it, is put in its place?"

Meyer paused a moment and then nodded reluctantly.

"Good," Tyrell replied. "Anyone here want to walk out that door?" No one moved or said anything. "Very well then. Let’s get to work gentlemen."

"Um, Miss Allister," Andrew called from the doorway holding a box. "Where should I put this one?"

"Oh," she said walking over and taking it from him. "I’ll get it. Thanks Andrew. By the way, you can call me Rowena or Ro," she added.

"Yo, Ro," Faith called over, stressing her nickname with a grin, "What’s with the hardware?" she added as she knelt over on particular box.

Kennedy came over to inspect the box to find it loaded with various types of weaponry.

"Well, she certainly came armed for any new apocalypses," Kennedy added pulling out a crossbow.

Rowena put the box that she was holding down and walked over. "Most of that stuff wasn’t mine."

"Little too large to be a five finger discount, wouldn’t you say?" Faith remarked.

"Not stolen," Rowena told them with a look of uneasiness without elaborating.

"Hey, to each his own, man," Faith said sensing her reluctance. "You don’t have to explain."

"Well, it was my potential’s collection – it’s small but it’s not bad for five years of collecting."

"Oh, the Istanbul Slayer," Andrew remarked, making everyone turn to him. "Sorry, we didn’t get her name. Mr. Giles just mentioned it when we first heard about you being, you know, still alive maybe."

"Yeah, that was her," Rowena said softly.

Kennedy tossed the crossbow in the air once, before taking a firm hold on it. "She knew her weapons. This baby is solid," she said, handing it to Faith who began testing it out as well.

"That was actually the first weapon I taught her. Wonder if maybe we should start Willow out on the crossbow?" Rowena wondered out loud more to herself than to the group. "The fencing didn’t go well."

"Good luck," Kennedy snickered.

"Why?" Rowena asked.

"Willow’s not really the physical type," Kennedy told her rising up to meet her.

"Not what you’ve told me," Faith snickered as she continued to place the weapons from the box on the floor.

Kennedy grinned and shook her head at Faith while Andrew and Rowena turned a bright red.

"No, I mean fighting," she continued, turning back to address Rowena again. "She doesn’t fence, she…" Kennedy paused looking for the right word.

"Flays?" Andrew piped in.

Kennedy paused a moment longer. "Yeah, pretty much. You see, magic is her weapon, not the hand to hand stuff."

"I understand that," Rowena said nodding. "But she needs to have the skills to train a Slayer someday. As Giles says, if the time comes, she might have to resort to her physical strength and not her mystical strength. From what I’ve seen of Willow I think she can achieve anything she sets her mind to."

"Like I said," Kennedy snorted defiantly, "good luck setting her mind on the physical training. I don’t see it happening."

"Maybe you’re underestimating her," Rowena remarked, trying to sound casual.

"Are you saying I don’t know my own girlfriend?" Kennedy asked, her hands immediately going to her hips.

"Okay ladies," Faith said rising to her feet. "Nobody’s saying anything okay, Brat? Chill. We’ve got a few more boxes to move yet," she said motioning Kennedy toward the door.

After the Slayers left, Andrew approached Rowena. "I think you’re right," he said.

"About?" she prompted.

"Willow," he answered. "There are times when she looks timid and you know, kinda mousey, but…when it comes right down to it, she always comes through. She’s a lot like Buffy that way, the former ‘Chosen One’ – a strong leader when she needs to be. Plus they both have great hair."

Rowena smiled. "So you think she’ll make a good Watcher then?" she asked.

Andrew gave a small grin. "I think she’s got the stuff."

Vincent DeVeer pulled up to the corner of the street where three skimpily dressed girls stood. He smiled over to them before he rolled down his window.

"Hi there handsome," the blonde one said coming over. "You lookin’ for a date?"

"Are you available?" he asked coyly.

"Time is money you know," she answered cryptically.

"I’ve got the money," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a wad of 50-dollar bills.

"Then I’ve got the time," she answered before opening the door and hopping in the passenger seat.

After she closed the door DeVeer drove down a few blocks.

"So Sailor," she teased. "Just get into port? Don’t think I’ve seen you around here before?"

"Oh, I’m new to these parts. Here on business actually."

"So where we off to?" she asked.

"Just up here a ways," he nodded before turning down a dead end alley. As he put the car in park and turned off the ignition he turned to her, "So what’s your name, sweetheart?"

"Nancy," she told him. "Or Jane. Or Barb. Whatever you want it to be, honey."

DeVeer’s eyes suddenly became black as coal and he reached over pressing the automatic door locks. The streetwalker leaned back against her door, giving herself some space.

"What the hell’s going on?" she asked, the fear evident in her voice.

DeVeer simply grinned. Suddenly a third eye broke through the skin in the center of his forehead and the woman began to scream. She fumbled with the lock but he grabbed her by the shoulders, coming nose to nose with her.

Unable to move or look away her eyes began to turn black and she began to make a gagging noise. Moments later her body slumped against the passenger door. DeVeer took a deep breath and looked around outside. Not seeing anyone, he exited the car.

He walked to the other side and opened her door as her lifeless body tumbled into his arms. He pulled her from the car and carried her to the nearby dumpster, tossing her body inside. He paused as his face shifted and he gave a quick look around again before jumping back in his car. Throwing it into reverse he raced back down the alley to the main street.

Unnoticed from behind the dumpster, Brell watched him move back into traffic.

End of Act One

Onto Act Two