CH.47

The next few days were a blur, the girls were constantly training in the back yard. While more poured in from all over the globe, there were nearly fifty potentials around now. They filled up the four houses around Buffy's.

Xander was training with them all the time now and occasionally sparing with Spike and Buffy, to get him combat-ready. He was a natural fighter and with the added instincts and the martial arts knowledge, it didn't take him long to catch up.

Buffy brought the principle home one day after work. Nodded to him and Buffy introduced him. "Robin, this is Ryan. Ryan this is Robin Wood. He's here to see our operation."

Ryan nodded. "Keep him away from Andrew, unless he enjoys migraines. I'm immortal and I still get them every time he opens his mouth. I don't know why you won't let me drop him in a different dimension or at the very least, remove his mouth on a permanent bases. By the way nice to meet you, I guess. Just so we're clear, try to harm the pregnant women here and I'll skin you alive and force you to eat it."

Robin nearly choked. Buffy laughed a little. "Aren't you cheery today, what did Andrew do?"

Ryan mumbled. "Baking. Little bastard won't leave the kitchen long enough for me to make Willow and Tara's lunch."

Buffy nodded and turned to Robin. "While he seems harmless enough, the threat he made was very real. There's one rule in this house that no one will break, don't touch Willow or Tara if you value living. So, -"

Andrew came in with the oven mitts on and interrupted her. "Where the hell have you been? This funnel cake is kicking my ass!"

Robin commented while watching Ryan grab his head and wander off. "Yeah, I hear they're tricky."

Buffy introduced them. "Robin Wood, this is Andrew. Who I'm seriously rethinking Ryan's offer about."

Robin reached forward for a handshake. " It's a pleasure."

Buffy went on. "Andrew is our- Actually he's our hostage."

Andrew crossed his arms. "I like to think of myself more as a "guestage".

Robin asked. "So you, you hold him here against his will?"

Buffy turned to him and answered honestly. "Well, he was evil, and got people killed, and now he bakes. While pissing off the one person he should stop doing it too." She finished while looking at a fidgeting Andrew.

Andrew defended himself. "He keeps trying to take over the kitchen while I'm baking. You know baking relaxes me."

Buffy shook her head." You're close to him doing something permanent to you and if you keep stopping him from making Willow and Tara's food, they're going to get cranky again. Remember what happened last time? I don't think they'll stop the spell again."

Andrew shuddered. "Their mean, they tried to turn me into a bush of grapes. If it wasn't for the fact they couldn't eat them without eating me, then I'd be a plant right now!"

Buffy turned to Robin." It's a thing."

Robin shrugged. "Oh."

Andrew stalked off when she didn't side with him. Buffy led Robin to the back yard. "You'll have to forgive Andrew. Or not, your call. We do have a lot more going for us then baking."

Robin looked at the back yard warriors. "So I see."

Kennedy was giving the girls martial art instructions while walking around and correcting them. One of the girls, Chloe, messed up on the fighting form and was called out on it. "You mess up like that in the field and your dead potential. Drop and give me twenty, maggot!"

While the girls continue to practice, Kennedy walked over to Buffy and Robin. "I love this new job, did you see that? I called someone a maggot! Hi, who the hell are you?"

Buffy smiled. "An ally."

Kennedy asked." So, what do you think? My girls ready to kick some ass or what?"

Robin commented. "Looking strong."

Kennedy put her hands on her hips. "But?"

Robin continues. "Well, I'm just not sure the First has an ass you can actually, you know, kick."

Kennedy said cockily. "Guess we'll see."

She went back to training the girls, while Buffy told him. "Your right, it's not enough."

Robin disagreed. "That's not what I said, Buffy. That's an impressive group of recruits."

Buffy shook her head. "Their not recruits. Recruits are recruited. These girls were chosen."

A noticeably pregnant Willow came out of the house carrying weapons. "Oh, high."

Willow began to ramble about the cheer- stop- dance thing for school and Buffy stopped her. "It's ok Willow. I explained everything to him."

Willow looked relied. "Oh, thank God! If I had to explain all these weapons, well, I had nothing. It's nice to meet you. Tell Kennedy the weapons are on the porch. So much cooler than Snyder."

With that, she went back inside the house. Robin commented. "Did she really almost destroy the world?"

Buffy nodded. "Yep."

Robin looked back to the training potentials. "Remind me never to make her crabby."

Buffy snorted. " It's not her you have to worry about if that happens. Remember Ryan's threat? I've seen him do much worse to a demon that's only crime as far as he was concerned was coming into the house."

Robin finally asked."What is he then? If he's so dangerous."

Buffy took a deep breath. "How much do you know about the Titan?"

Robin shrugged." Which one? They were Greek deities I think."

Buffy shrugged."Prometheus. Or the Titan."

Robin's eyes bugged out. He looked at her then looked back to the house. "I think you're doing just fine if he's here! Why do you need an army? From the way I understand it, he is a one-man army. He beat the old ones around like a redheaded step-child."

Buffy winced. "I wouldn't say that around him. His people took child endangerment very seriously. As in you try it and you die by the most painful way you could think of."

Robin shuddered, apparently, he could think of some very painful deaths. " Well, you're certainly redefining the job. Isn't your whole arsenal anyway. Show me the vampire."

Buffy shrugged and led him to the basement, where they found Anya trying to say something without a mouth and Spike sitting on his cot with a pitcher of spiced blood. Spike noticed their looks and explained. "Ryan was just here to drop off some blood he made for me and get away from Andrew's mouth. He ran into Anya's and well, you see the results before you. He said it'll come back after an hour."

Nodding Buffy told him. "You're lucky, last time he had a headache everyone in the room lost their mouths."

Spike smirked."That would've been counterproductive, besides, I don't seem to annoy him as much now that I have a soul. I think he kinda wants to chill with guys because he told me the next girl that speaks to him that isn't his wives today, gets to lose their mouth for a week, except for eating and drinking. You can blame it on Anya here. She really shouldn't have put the moves on him when he was trying to get away from the girls upstairs who keep flirting with him. Poor guys rolling in women and it's driving him up the walls because they keep his wives busy, while they flirt at him. He offered to give me the power of a god if I'd kill the dumb ones. I told him there wouldn't be an army if I killed them all. That sent him upstairs sulking, I think he's in your bedroom right now because Kennedy traded cots with one of the new girls for his bed."

Robin raised an eyebrow at this and Buffy nodded."Good to know, I'll try and give him some space."

Spike shook his head. " Just brink a few bottles of alcohol. He wants to relax with a friend not trying to jump in his bed face. If I hadn't poked fun he'd still be down here."

Buffy nodded and went to the whiskey crate in the corner and grabbed a few bottles. "Robin Wood, meet Spike. Spike this is Robin Wood, the principal, and an ally."

Spike nodded and stopped. "Just what brings our good principal to this neck of the woods?"

Buffy explained. "I'm showing him our operations—us."

Spike nodded. "Fine by me. Big fight against evil coming up. The more good guys we got, the longer we'll live."

Robin had his back turned to them while he looked around. "Is that what you are? A good guy?"

Spike put his hands on his hips."I haven't heard any complaints. Well, I have heard complaints but then I killed whoever spoke up, and that, was pretty much that."

Buffy told them immediately. "He's joking."

Robin turned around. "No, he's not."

Spike confirmed. "No, I'm not. But, that's the old me I'm talking about."

Robin asked. "Why don't you tell me about that?"

Spike sighed. "There's not much to tell. I've changed."

Robin nodded. "Oh. Now that you have a soul."

Spike confirmed. "Yeah, that was a big deal. Very private. What, are you just tellin' everyone now?"

Robin walked towards them."Aw, come on Spike, don't blame Buffy. I asked."

Spike turned to him. "Right. The educator. Yeah, I went to great lengths, lots of trouble. Now I'm unique. Well, more or less. Got myself a soul. Whatever that means."

Robin pressed. "And how's that working out for you?"

Spike snorted. "In progress."

Buffy interfered. "I think we'd better get back upstairs."

Spike nodded. "Right. Give him the full tour. Be sure to take him to see the old boy, he'll want to assess him. Especially if he's going to be a permanent fixture around here."

Buffy sighed."We'll find out soon enough, besides it's my call."

Spike nodded."Good luck, pet. Try not to step on his bad side. He's been getting more agitated lately, and I don't think it has anything to do with Andrew or the girls."

Buffy nodded and led Robin on a tour of the house, ending with her room. They found Ryan and Giles in there, drinking. Without turning, Ryan told them. "So, you've finally reached the last stop. Pull up a seat, there's a bottle on the nightstand waiting for you."

They both sat down on the bed while Giles dozed off into unconsciousness. Sighing Ryan turned to them when they sat. "I've run through the security checks for the houses and there's no sign of the first. With the exception of me, no one goes alone anywhere now. They report all possible First sightings and it's words to Dawn and she'll report to you when there is one. I've set up a well-oiled chain of command for you general, the only reason I've been waiting here is to report, and seeing as I had some free time, I brought Giles back for a drink."

Buffy nodded. "Noted, now why my room for the report?"

Ryan shook his head. "The place is too crowded. Even with all the extra housing, we've got maybe one room at any given time to make reports in, without prying ears. Hell, the only reason I'm not bothered by telling you in front of principal here, is the fact that you're trying to make a good impression."

Buffy sighed. "I miss the good old times when things were simpler."

Ryan shook his head. "You decided this path, don't go regretting it now."

Ryan turned to Robin and stared into his eyes for a moment, the shook his head. "He doesn't serve the first, and while he's not evil, he has his own reasons for being here."

Ryan stood and walked out, leaving some parting words. "After all this is over, if you survive, you may regret your decision, Robin."

With that, he left them to talk and went to see his girls. Willow and Tara were in the bathroom with morning sickness. He went in and held their hair while humming the tune of Goodbye to you, by Michelle Branch. When they finished he helped them by grabbing the mouth wash.

When they gave him weak smiles, he told them. "Don't worry, it'll pass before you know it. It's just the babies being picky, I think."

He took them to bed and gave them foot rubs before they nodded off. He stayed up, walking the block on patrol as a sentry of sorts until he heard the people in Buffy's house waking up to a disturbance. He rushed over to see what was wrong.

Apparently, one of the potentials killed themselves. Chloe had hung herself after listening to the First throughout the night while everyone else was asleep. He helped Buffy cut her down and bury her next to Annabelle., the girl that ran away before and was subsequently killed by the Turok-Han.

After they finished burying the body, he and Buffy went back for a meeting with all of the potentials.

Buffy started her speech. " Anyone want to say a few words about Chloe? (silence) Let me. Chloe was an idiot. Chloe was stupid. She was weak. And anyone in a rush to be the next dead body we bury. It's easy. Just think of Chloe and do what she did, and I'll find room next to her and Annabelle. I'm a slayer. The one with power, and the first has me using that power to dig our graves. We've been carrying you-all of you-too far- to long. Rides over."

Kennedy stood up. " You're out of line."

Willow looked over. "No, she's not."

Kennedy went on. "You're going to let her talk to you like that? Willow, she's not even the most powerful one in the room. With you here, she's not close."

Ryan shook his head. (Willow, she's trying to push us against each other. It's time she knows the difference between sex and our bond.)

Willow looked at him and mentally sighed. (Fine. I'll handle it. From now on she's out.)

Willow turned back to Kennedy and said out loud. "Just because we were sleeping together, doesn't give you the right to put us against each other. The fact that you can't even keep a cool head means that you're not mature enough to figure out that she's right. Feelings aside, we are at war, and I'll not be pitted against Buffy and Ryan, ever. We're through."

Buffy was staring at Kennedy. "You're new here. And you're wrong. Ryan, Willow, and Tara are connected. I said we for a reason, Ryan helped dig the grave with me. The rest of you are just waiting for us."

Xander spoke up. "Well, yeah, but only because you kinda told us to. You're our leader Buffy, as in follow the."

Buffy went on. "Well, from now on, I'm your leader as in, do what I say."

Xander exclaimed. "Jawohl, but let's not try to forget that we're also your friends."

Anya pipped up. "I'm not!"

Buffy turned to her."Then why are you here? Aside from getting rescued, what is it that you do?"

Anya tried to defend herself. "I provide much-needed sarcasm."

Xander raised his hand. "Um, that'd....kind of be my job actually."

Buffy pointed out. "You're here because you're scared."

Xander pointed out. "Same goes for everyone in this room."

Ryan snorted, but before he could say anything Willow shook her head, signaling that now wasn't the right time. He kept quiet and watched.

Buffy took it as confirmation. "Fine. Anya, be as scared as you like. Just be useful while you're at it."

Willow pleaded. "Come on Buffy. You know everyone here's doing everything they can. Hell, except for a couple hours, Ryan hasn't slept since the First showed itself a month ago. He's been doing patrols and training everyone he can in everything he knows. The only time he took away from working, was to take us on a date, and even then, he left several clones of himself to stand guard."

Buffy told her. "The First doesn't seem impressed. It already knows us. It knows what we can do and it's laughing. You want to surprise the enemy. Surprise yourselves. Force yourself to do what can't be done or else we are not an army. We're just a bunch of girls waiting to be picked off and buried."

Spike started to leave and Buffy asked. "Where are you going?"

Spike answered. "Out. Since I'm neither a girl nor waiting. And this speechifying doesn't really apply to me, does it?"

Buffy bit out. "Fine. Take a cellphone. That way, if I need someone to get weepy or whales on I can call you."

Spike turned back to her. "If you've got something to say—"

Buffy retorted. "I just said it. You keep holding back you might as well walk out that door."

Spike got offended. "Holding back. You're blind. I've been here, right in it— fighting, scrappin'."

Buffy asked. "Since you got your soul back?"

Spike answered. "Well, as a matter of fact, I haven't been quite relishing the kill the way I used to."

Buffy continued. "You were a better fighter then."

Spike got angry. "I did this for you! The soul, the changes-- it's what you wanted."

Buffy bit out. "What I want is a Spike that's dangerous, the Spike that tried to kill me when we met."

Spike snarled."Oh, you don't know how close you are to bringing him out."

Buffy shook her head. "I'm nowhere near him. Dawn, get the potentials upstairs... And break out that emergency kit."

Dawn asked. "What are you going to do?"

Buffy walked towards the door. "I'm declaring an emergency."

Ryan walked over to Buffy and told her. "If this has anything to do with the shadow men, then I can't be involved directly. I'll probably finish what I did all those years ago if I meet them again."

Buffy nodded. "Get some rest. We need you to have a clear head and Willow's right, you've been far too long without sleep. I'll let you know what happens in the morning."

Ryan sighed and nodded. "Just be careful, Willow and Tara's powers are in flux now that they're pregnant, and I'd lose more than some sleep if their hurt."

Buffy nodded." I'll take care of them. Goodnight."

Ryan nodded and turned to Willow and Tara. "If you need to channel power, use mine instead of yours, I'll recover before I wake up anyway. Don't risk the babies."

They gave him a kiss before he headed upstairs to get some rest before morning. His clones all faded and his body's tiredness finally caught up to him. He passed out on the bed, his last conscious thought was of Willow and Tara's safety.