Ch.23

The moment I sensed the new werewolf I told Alice through our connection. (There's another werewolf in here. It's probably Veruca that I'm sensing.)

She nodded lightly before telling the group. "Let's find a booth to sit down in."

They seemed to agree while she led the way through the crowd to where a booth just became empty. As they sat down I headed to the bar and ordered sodas and nachos for the group.

When I got back to the booth Giles had joined them. I gave everyone their drinks before setting the platter of nachos and fries down in the center of the table. The guys were mostly paying attention to the band that was playing. I turned to see Veruca singing and sighed telling them. "She's a werewolf."

Giles snapped out of his stupor and I chuckled. "There's not a werewolf alive that could hide from my senses."

Willow commented to Oz. "That's why you've seemed so distant lately?"

Oz shrugged. "I don't know, I just knew she was different. Not human but something else."

I chuckled. "Aww that's sweet in a weird way. Your inner wolf is attracted to her."

Willow paled and Oz turned to me. "You wanna run that by me again?"

I sighed. "Your wolf senses a possible mate. It's an animal thing so I doubt you'd be in control of it either way. It's not like you're in control of who or what you're attracted to to begin with. Veruca's giving off some pretty strong mating pheromones right now so I guess she might be in heat or something."

Giles asked. "Werewolves can go into heat?"

I shrugged. "The females can. Males are usually always ready like most guys. It's not a personal or emotional connection but a primal call to the alpha wolves inside us that demand we fight for the right to mate with the best females."

Buffy asked. "Why aren't you effected then?"

I smirked. "Veruca's not my type, besides, I already have a mate."

I took Alice's hand and Faith's in the other. Willow asked. "Then Oz isn't I mean I'm not-"

I shook my head. "Oz isn't in control of his wolf and besides that it takes a lot longer for a werewolf to recognize a none werewolf mate. It's not exactly a science either. As it is, so long as they're not alone on a full moon together everything should be fine."

Oz frowned but nodded. "Is there a way to stop it from happening at all?"

I sighed. "Not now that she's found you. If she chooses you to go after then you'll either mate with her on the full moon when you change or kill her if she pushes the wolf inside you far enough that your human mind influences it's actions. Just lock yourself up and you'll be fine. If you want though I've got a way to ensure you can't get out of your cage, it's a magical solution."

I pulled out a bag of mountain ash. "This is called mountain ash. It comes from the Rowan tree. If a human or a witch makes a circle around something only another non supernatural being can break the barrier that forms unless the supernatural being in question is really strong. It should work fine for keeping out werewolves. I planned to make it around the bronze and Buffy's house for her moms safety but you can have it as I can grow more."

Giles asked. "How did you get that? Rowan trees have been extinct since the sixteenth century."

I smirked. "I can grow anything plant related with relative ease. As for how I know about it, we had them in our old dimension."

He took the bag and I asked him. "Do you know how to use it?"

He shook his head and I sighed. "The key to using it is imagining the barrier you want around wherever you want to put it. From there you just close your eyes and pour. It will keep out weaker young vampires and werewolves and maybe an ordinary weak demon but the rest will be able to destroy it instantly. It's not much of a protection but it's the best I have right now without carving runes into walls and making ward stones."

Giles handed the bag to Willow saying. "It's should do the trick. You'll need to be there in the morning to let him out."

The next few days went by as Veruca and Oz went round and round until one morning Willow found Veruca in Oz's cage with him while they were both naked.

She was understandably upset which led to Oz snapping at Veruca and her seeking out Willow just before the full moon. From what I heard Oz killed Veruca before going after Willow in his wolf form. Buffy tranqed him and the next morning he left town after breaking Willow's heart.

Alice and Buffy were there to help her through the grief. Faith took her turn and they bonded over calling men pigs and the like. I was as supportive as I could be but in the end I'm a guy and therefore I'm intuitively the enemy on this front.

Not that it bothered me much anyway I just used the free time I had alone to head to the Magic Box and collect the rare demonic and magic books Giles had found and purchased on my behalf. I spent some of my extra time alone reading up on more spells and rituals while sharing my own collection with Giles.

He abstained from reading the darker magic books while focusing more on the protection Magic's and learning about rare demons. I on the other hand held no such compunction as I read everything I could get my hands on.

I easily fended off the dark compulsion that came with reading such books. While I was there I restocked the herbal ingredients in the shop as I needn't buy anything plant based because I could easily grow it myself. My current back yard is a witches wet dream of magic plants.

The magic array around the house ensures they grow healthy from all the magic present in the environment. I was making a veritable fortune in just plant based ingredients I grew and shipped all over the world.

Some of the really rare or extinct magical plants made a lot of money on the black market along with the Wicca circles that bought wholesale. Speaking of which I actually met with the local Wicca group in college and found they were just a bunch of non magic followers.

They had no real magic between the lot of them except for one girl, Tara, the rest were just pretend witches who were more into girl power than magical power. I stayed for one session before leaving after introducing myself to Tara.

She seemed shy and almost fearful of me at first until I bought us some coffee and talked over cookies at the local bakery. She opened up enough to tell me about the aura I had that was concealing two darker malevolent ones.

When I heard that I told her. "Don't worry about the darker ones, they're demons I've trapped inside myself like a prison to contain their evil ways. They're caged up and cannot get out without some serious help."

She seemed less comforted and more afraid by my words. I sighed. "I can tell by the fear you're giving off that this upsets you, don't worry, you're not a demon so I have no reason to trap you. I can smell demons after all and you smell completely human down to the dove shampoo you use to was your hair. Demons, they carry a scent of putrid ooz to my noses senses, even the half breeds and partial demons cannot escape my senses."

Now she seemed more confused going so far as to ask. "I don't smell like a demon to you?"

I shook my head. "Not in the least bit, though you do smell of magic so I'd say you're a natural born witch from the deepness of it. It goes right to the core of your being from what I can smell. It's mixed with your natural scents."

"Humans, those without the knowledge of magic, particularly the religious types tend to call witches demon spawn and such. They've been doing it for centuries, ever since the dark ages. What it really is, is that their afraid of what witches can do and therefore spread that fear as hate and oppression. If you want further proof make a line with mountain ash from the rowen tree and cross it. If the line doesn't break, it means you're fully human."

She frowned. "Where do I get mountain ash?"

I smiled. "The Magic Box in town sells it but you can tell Giles, the manager I sent you and he'll give you some to use for yourself. If you're in a hurry to find out though I can grow a tree for you real quick."

She seemed more intrigued by that idea and nodded. I chuckled. "Alright, let's find a quiet place away from normal humans, I don't want to shake their faith or start a witch hunt over idiots."

We went to my house and I showed her the back yard. There I raised a hand and a rowen tree took root and began growing at an extremely fast pace. She stairs in wonder as it grew according to my will. When it was big enough I broke off a branch and sent the tree back into the ground turning it into a seed.

I gave her the seed before setting fire to the branch in a glass bowl. Once only ash remained I handed the bowl to her. "Touch it and if it shocks or pushes back you'll know you're at least a tiny part demon. If it doesn't resist and you can pick it up you'll know for sure that you're fully human."

She frowned. "How can you pick it up then?"

I sighed. "I'm unique. My mother and grandfather were shamans, or Druids depending on the language and place of use. In essence I'm at least in some part gifted and touched by nature. It's how I can grow a full tree without channeling much magic into it. Nature bends to my will in most cases."

She was more shocked by that then she'd been by the tree I grew in front of her. She gave it a try and picked up a handful of mountain ash before doing as I instructed and making a circle with it. She then stepped in and out of it without any problems.

Tears broke out from her eyes and I hugged her as she cried. She told me what had happened and I sighed. "Religious nut jobs what can I say? They probably used your fear to control you and get you to obey them. I'm sorry you and your mother had to suffer that kind of life."

After dropping her off at her dorm I went to the deans office and paid for her schooling and dorm room to take some of the pressure off of her. The Wiccan group went on to organize a bake sale and I never went back.

I had no need of a coven of fake witches and saw very little potential in any of them to become real ones. I spent the next few days reading and occasionally visiting Tara when she was free from classes.

I had told her what I'd done and why I'd done it and she'd thanked me. We sort of spent our free time talking spells and potions for protection. I'd even went so far as to make a protection amulet for her that could tank several hits from my full strength before it broke.

It would even stop a bullet easily and still be plenty strong. She thanked me by telling me about my aura as it tended to shift and change throughout the day. She'd made a bracelet that could show me my aura as it changed so that I could see the changes for myself.

It was really quite useful for me as I could now see if I was ever influenced by outside magic's. A person's aura would immediately shift and change to rapid to be natural if a spell is used against them. So yeah, definitely useful.

A couple days later I heard from Buffy that Spike was back in town and that the soldier guys from Halloween were just that, actual soldiers. They tried taking Willow with them forcibly when they came for Spike.

I asked how Willow was holding up and Buffy sighed. "Not good. She's hurting bad. Oz really did a number on her when he left like that."

I nodded sympathetically before deciding to introduce her to Tara on thanksgiving. When Buffy got into her thanksgiving funk and decided to have it at Giles's apartment I mentioned. "I'll be bringing a friend so add one more to the food roster. She's a natural born witch and one of the coolest people I've met."

That got Willow's attention. "You've met another witch?"

I nodded. "Relax, she's a bit shy but otherwise she's pretty funny when she wants to be. I met her at the wiccan group. She was the only real witch in the group."

Willow seemed intrigued. "Does she know any good magic?"

I nodded. "She's more in touch with the essence of magic than even you are Will, she's unique to as she thinks because I'm not entirely human I can't be counted as warlock or sorcerer but as a wood nymph."

That got her laughing while Giles asked. "She's a natural born witch and she hasn't been corrupted by the power?"

I shook my head. "She's a pure soul, an innocent. I'd go so far as to say she's as innocent as Alice was as a human."

The vampire in question jumped on my back and brought her head around to kiss me before hugging me. She'd been busy shopping for thanksgiving on Buffy's orders. Now that she was back we were supposed to go see Xander dig at the heritage site.

When I moved she hopped off of me and headed to the kitchen. When Giles mentioned why Buffy wanted to have it at his house I chuckled and told him. "Don't worry about it, I'll stay and clean up before heading home."

He thanked me and mentioned some books he'd just gotten in for my collection. I told him I'd stop by the shop and pick them up after the holiday's before heading out with Alice, Faith, Buffy and Willow.

We sat through the boring speech before Xander began digging. Anya was there complaining and imagining having sex with him. When she mentioned it Faith told her. "He's not that good, he's a natural sure but he has no stamina."

I frowned but Alice and Faith laughed at my look before Faith told me. "Don't worry, you've got the full package and then some. Not to mention the dangerous vibes you give off when we get down right kinky."

I shrugged and turned back to see Xander fall through, I moved and caught his arm before the last of the old roof fell through. I pulled him up and felt some magic trying to latch onto him. I brushed it aside as I pulled him up and out all the way.

They stopped the dig while people dumbly decided to go down into the old mission building. I pulled Xander back with the group before telling them. "It's cursed. I had to prevent it from latching onto Xander. The humans going down now are probably going to end up pissing off whatever set the curses up to start with."

There was nothing we could do to stop them now so Buffy asked. "Can you stop the curse, I mean, you prevented it from getting Xander."

I shook my head. "It was in the process of latching onto him. They've already been cursed by it by now. I suspect it's linked to the thing that cast the curse in the first place so it's a slaying thing not a witch thing. Kill the caster and the curse should lift unless it's bound to something else then you can break the object to dispel it's magic source."

The next day I sensed a vampire following us around and let the group go ahead with the shopping. I slipped into a nearby cafe and slammed said vampire up against the wall. I stopped when I saw it was Angel. Sighing I let him down. "You're an idiot, I could've dusted you by accident and I'd be in a world of trouble by now."

He brushed himself off. "I'm here to protect Buffy from danger."

I shrugged. "Whatever. Let's go introduce you to the group."

He stopped, saying. "We can't, she'd could get distracted and get-"

I punched him just hard enough to knock him out and carried him to Buffy and the rest. I tossed him down next to the scoobies outside the cafe where they'd stopped so that Buffy could talk to Riley, who had just left. Buffy spoke up. "Oh my god, Angel? What happened to him?"

I snorted. "He was following us around like a stalker and I nearly dusted him. Don't worry he's just knocked out. He was following you actually, he said something about a vision and you being in danger."

Buffy frowned. "So you knocked him out?"

I shook my head. "No, I knocked him out because he refused to tell you he was here. He spouted some crap about you getting distracted and possibly hurt if you knew. He tried to stop me from simply telling you about him and I cleaned his clock."

Faith smirked. "That's gotta be one heck of a right hook you got there. Why don't you ever use it during our spars?"

I shook my head as we broke out into several smaller conversations. Before Buffy asked me to wake him up. I did a small electric spell that jolted him awake. He grabbed his head in pain before sitting up.

When he saw me he growled. "You!"

I snorted. "Try it and I'll shave you bald and tattoo Spike's name across the back of your head."

Buffy frowned but didn't comment on that she just looked at Angel before saying. "I've been warned, big danger, yada yada, it's time you go back to LA. We've got things handled here. As you can see I've got plenty of backup and I don't need you lurking around in the shadows to protect me."

Angel started to argue so she turned to me and I raised a hand, doing a fun spell I removed his mouth. Buffy nodded before saying. "This isn't talk time Angel, you left, I got over you and now I'm in a good place. I can handle myself and I've got enough backup to start a small war."

I snorted. "Small?"

She smirked before telling Angel. "It's not fair to either of us if you stay. They have my back now and I certainly don't need you skulking in the shadows to protect me. I'm a big slayer now, and I can handle myself."

She certainly had a more thorough understanding of how the world works now and didn't doubt her own abilities anymore. Angel stood up and sighed. "I was only-"

She cut him off. "Trying to protect me, I get it, I really do, but I don't need your protection Angel, not anymore."

He sighed before turning to leave, I told him. "I wouldn't try following in secret again if I was you or next time I'll ship your ass to China before waking you up."

He drilled before continuing his walk onwards. I turned to Buffy and sighed. "You've got an interesting taste in men. After they leave you they stalk you in the shadows, not exactly the healthiest of relationships."

She blushed before saying. "Riley asked me out, and he's not like that."

I chuckled. "As far as you know. Heck, he could be worse."

We finished our shopping trip with the rolls and walked through the park to the cars. Buffy insisted the food be as fresh as possible so I offered to grow the vegetables at the apartment when she needed them. She liked that idea a whole lot and asked that I grow them from now on to cut her food bills down.

I sighed when Alice told her. "He'll do it, he doesn't find a lot to do with the magic he's using so I'm sure he can use it to make fresh healthy food for you."

I raised an eyebrow at her but shrugged. "Sure, she's right, I don't need a lot of magic to make them and I could in theory at least, supply the whole state with fresh vegetables, on a daily bases, with the amount of power I have right now."

Buffy beamed in happiness and Willow asked. "How do you grow them that easily? I thought you'd need to know everything inside them down to the plants DNA."

I shook my head. "It's apart of what I am I guess. It's instinctual and I haven't really thought on its limits but all I need to do is supply the magic and think on what I want to happen or make and...whala!"

I waved a hand and a pear tree grew out of the ground where I waved my hand. It grew to its full height and bloomed as fresh pears grew. I left it there and told them. "It's permanent and real. Here, try some."

I held out a hand and a branch came down before us. They each took a pear and I waved a hand sending the branch back up. I didn't need to wave a hand or do any gestures really but I've been told it freaks people out when plants just pop up out of nowhere.

Alice finds it amusing of course but Faith freaks a bit when a flower grows on the headboard of the bed or out of a table with no rhyme or reason. They each bit into said fruit and Smiled at the fresh taste. They were of course packed with clean magic and nutrition for the witches and humans to enjoy.

Willow breathed a bit saying. "Whoa, they're magical!"

I chuckled as Xander said. "Magically delicious!"

We continued on our walk and Buffy commented. "I hope no one asks where the random fruit tree came from."

I shrugged. "This is Sunnydale, they'd be more interested in the dogs using it as a pee tree. Humans tend to act weird near hellmouth's and the like. Magic tends to go unnoticed as they're too busy worrying over their everyday problems. You'd have to actually be caught doing magic for them to notice and even then it'd have to be widespread destruction."

Faith asked. "Why is that?"

I sighed. "Magic, like all aspects of Mother Nature and the world at large has its own balance. Humans tend to forget about it as magic itself has a will, a guiding force if you will, that keeps the humans not in the know, away from it. There's also the fact that higher beings tend to erase mortal minds if they deem them detrimental to their plans."

That seemed to cause a chill down their spines. Xander asked. "What type of higher beings? And are they messing with my mind?"

I shook my head. "Gods, demons, primordial powers that feed off humans and I doubt they'd risk the wash they'd need to even enter your porn filled mind. I had to take several showers and scrub my skin raw just to feel clean after seeing what's inside. I wouldn't risk doing it again for all the power in the world."

I shivered visibly causing the females to stare at Xander in accusation. Xander for his credit only shrugged it off saying. "What I'm a guy, all guys have-"

I growled. "No, we do not! I've been to two dimensions and seen more minds than I care to mention and none, not even adding my nine thousand years to it, come close to the cesspit you call a mind, not even when you add them all together."

Alice laughed lightly before saying. "He's not lying either, I had to help and destroy the images with him so that he could clean and purge the images from his mind. They were mostly about all of us girls and Cordelia. Though towards the end it was more Anya based."

Anya herself spoke up. "Aww, you were thinking about me!"

I shivered again and turned away saying. "Keep him away from me, I might change sides and go evil if killing him would keep those images out."

Alice snorted and Buffy asked. "How bad could it be?"

I looked at her as I went pale. "You, Faith, Anya and Cordelia in school girl uniforms that seem transparent as you do cartwheels and screw him in the bleachers. By the second-"

Her hand went over my mouth before turning to Willow. "You're right, all men are pigs."

I snorted and shook my head releasing her hand to say. "That's the very least of what he's imagined doing to you all. There was also something about a wish and a raincoat-"

Xander went to cover my mouth with his hand now but I dodged and shook my head. "Keep your hands away from me, unlike them I know where they've been."

There were several ewes and looks of discussed and disgruntled faces from my words but I ignored them saying. "As I was pointing out though, I highly doubt higher beings would erase minds on a whim but even if they do, with how I've helped you build your mind scapes you'll at least notice the discrepancies if they do. There's not a whole lot you can do if they don't want you to remember something but you'll at least have the ability to see that they took it."

They all seemed to relax from that and Alice told them. "That works the same for all magic users. If anyone does a spell that messes with your mind you'll have the ability to set it right unless they simply took the memory, then you'll know someone has done something at least. If they're not particularly powerful, you'll be able to fend them and the spell off if you continue building defenses and shields."

That got everyone's attention and had Buffy saying. "That's definitely useful, everyone should definitely work on that."

I shrugged it all off and put the groceries in the car. Alice drove us over to Giles's apart where we unloaded the food. Buffy had Giles fill up a few bowls with dirt and I started growing her vegetables for her. I was really just an after thought while we looked up curses used during the old missions days.

That lead to Native American spirits and vengeful spirits from there. The workers and archeologists that went down there after I saved Xander were reported to be sick and in quarantine on the news.

Willow and Buffy started in on the should they slay the vengeful Indian spirits and I cut that crap short. "It's not alive, it's literally a supernatural threat to the living. Either way it's very presence is killing people slow and painfully. He had his chance when he was alive and that was a couple centuries ago. Like any evil vampire it's not just your job to kill it, it's your duty to."

Willow snorted. "Cause violence solves everything?"

I growled and my eyes shifted to their green state. "It does to evil things or are you volunteering these peoples health and lives as a sacrifice to a long dead people? They had their time and they failed to survive, it's neither our fault nor the people they're inflicting it on. But it is our problem or are you also volunteering Buffy's life? Perhaps my own? Or Faith's?"

She frowned and looked hurt. "What do you mean? It's not like he'll come after-"

I waved her off. "It's a warrior spirit, it likely views the strongest warrior as the leader and therefore responsible for its people's pain and suffering. It can and will blame us and I for one will inflict agony on anyone that touches my women, ever!"

My form was wavering and Alice took this chance to put a calming hand on my chest to stop me from shifting then and there. Willow was hurt and using her own pain to understand a hurting and vengeful spirit. I knew it but it didn't stop the need to urge really to protect what's mine.

Faith caught on and slugged my shoulder once trying to distract me while saying. "Aww, I didn't know you cared."

I shifted my vision from the now visibly pale redhead to the slayer with a place in my heart. We'd been together for months now and I hadn't even fully realized she'd already dug our a place for herself in there. My eyes turned back to human colors as I sighed. "For whatever it's worth you've become irreplaceable to me. I-I don't know when it happened but you're mine now."

I rubbed the back of my head as Alice spoke up. "He means he loves you, he's just not sure how he's come to that realization. But in the bright side I do, it was when you woke him up with a bj and didn't even wait for anything in return before going to that training session with me."

Faith raised an eyebrow. "That was months ago, back in Britain."

I rub my temple before saying. "I'm a little slow when it comes to feelings for someone not Alice. It took me years to get used to the coven of vampires we called a family back in our old dimension. Even then I didn't exactly tell them it either. I've spent most of my long life either alone or being tortured. Neither experience gets a person used to people and feelings."

Giles spoke up. "Didn't the book you gave me say something about an inner wolf?"

I chuckled. "The inner wolf or mine any way was a manifestation of my mental energies and werewolf instincts that formed a sort of wolf avatar that protected me from the mental trauma of what I'd done as a werewolf and later from the torture I'd endured."

"It could no more talk than any other wolf. As for how I communicated with it later on, it was more of feelings and instincts that were relayed to me as information I should have instinctively known. If I were in this dimension it would've had demonic energy to feed on till it became self sufficient enough to consume my mind."

Giles frowned but nodded and turned to Buffy who was putting away the fruit and vegetables I was growing at a rapid pace. He seemed to take a fascinating interest in the plants that grew and receded when they were no longer needed.

The topic seemed dropped after the thorough change in mood. Once the food was all stored away I stopped growing random fruits and vegetables and instead I grew tea plants of all kinds on nearly every surface available. Giles saw what I'd done and what exactly I grew before saying. "That's quite a useful ability."

I chuckled as he picked nearly every tea plant dry of leaves. When he was done I grew the rare and more expensive tea plants and watched him get exited before picking those dry. When he looked for more I chuckled. "That's enough tea to last a good while. I'll see about growing the more expensive stuff for a Christmas present or your birthday."

He cheered right up saying. "That would certainly be better than last years ties and socks."

I chuckled and saw Buffy pout before saying. "I thought you liked the tie I got you!"

He smiled weakly before saying. "Yes, though I doubt you'd ever see me where it."

We left not long after that and headed home. Tomorrow we had a lot of cooking to do and I needed to get some blood from the butcher's shop. Faith and Alice made sure to keep me awake well into the night to ensure I appreciated their contribution to our relationship.

The next morning I got a rather late start while Alice and Faith were already gone. Faith left a note saying Buffy got attacked by the Indian during patrol last night and called her in case he showed up again. Alice left one saying she went to help get the turkey started and get some pies made before Buffy got there.

I stopped by the school dorms and picked up Tara. Tara brought some wine she'd bought for the thanksgiving dinner. I gave her a gift of my own in the form of an eternal rose I'd figured out how to make. It wasn't anything special as it was just a stasis spell with a magic gathering rune on the rose stem.

It would gather ambient magic and therefore stay in stasis forever. She gave me a hug saying. "If you were a female I'd kiss you."

I chuckled. "I appreciate the sentiment but I'll just take the hug. My two mates might take offense to someone they don't know kissing me."

She smiled before asking. "Two?"

I shrugged. "They found each other and myself appealing enough to illicit a relationship with all three of us involved. I tend not to argue with those I love as it always brings nights on the couch so to speak."

She laughed and hopped in the car while I drove us over to Giles's house. There I found Giles, Willow, Buffy, Faith and Alice. The blonde slayer was busy mixing mashed potatoes while Alice was making homemade cranberry sauce.

Giles was out of the way reading books Willow had brought on the Chumash Indians. Faith was sharpening a knife for the turkey and sipping on Giles's brandy stock. I introduced Tara to them. "Everyone, this is Tara, I've told you about her, Tara, this is Buffy, Alice, Giles, Faith and Willow."

I waved a hand to each of them in turn letting her know who was who. Willow's interest was instantly peaked by another witch in the group. She and Tara hit it off instantly and went to talk spells and herbs in a corner.

Alice smiled mischievously causing Buffy to ask her. "What's with the look?"

I shifted uncomfortably until Alice spoke to her in hushed tones as to not let the witches know. "Tara and Willow are going to become a couple. They're really into each other and it'll grow from there."

Buffy was shocked by her words and asked quietly. "Willow's gay?"

Alice shook her head. "She likes men to, though from what I've seen she's really going to love Tara. They're perfect together, like Ryan, Faith and I."

Buffy giggled a little before asking. "What do you know about Riley and me?"

Faith shook her head. "You haven't decided anything concrete yet and neither has he. Once theirs a decision on it I'll know now that I'm looking."

Buffy frowned. "Wait, Willow hasn't decided-"

I walked over and kept my voice low. "Sometimes all it takes is for two people to be set on the same course for Alice to see it. It's they way people just are, some mesh, while others take conscious decisions to do so. Your one of the conscious decision people. Some would say you have a greater decision in your own fate than others do. Or at least more aware of your fate."

Alice told her. "Ryan's the same in his every day decisions since he sees only what effects him personally unless it's a natural change like Faith being with us. I made the decision to include her but it actually took time and effort for Ryan to get used to it therefore he couldn't see the delicate natural changes that progressed from there."

Buffy sighed. "Conscious changes huh?"

I nodded and she went back to basting the turkey she'd started helping with. I began making all kinds of pies. I used magic to compensate for the lack of an extra oven.

Soon enough Xander and Anya showed up. His part time holiday job was canceled considering the inconvenient quarantine and the murders surrounding the dig site. Not long after they showed up Spike did so as well.

I chuckled while Buffy threatened to dust him and be done with it. When he mentioned knowledge on the commandos and their hideout I grunted. "Let him in, if he's lying I'll eat him for my thanksgiving dinner."

Giles smirked as Buffy stood to the side. "Come on in Spike, meet the group, and for reference he's not lying, I've seen him eat and let's just say you'll be wishing the commandos got ahold of you again."

If it was possible I believe he would've paled further, as it is I showed him my shifted teeth and maw as I shifted just my head. He nearly passed out right then as he tried to flee. Buffy grabbed him and pulled him inside. I got tired of his struggles so I walked over and punched him upside the head, knocking him out.

Xander spoke up. "Man that's satisfying just to see."

I grabbed the now unconscious vampire and tossed him in a corner of the apartment, waving a hand as vines grew out of the potted plants and wrapped around him nice and tightly. With him fully bound I turned to Buffy. "I can't go inside his mind but I can do a truth spell when he wakes up. I'll need some ingredients from the shop though."

Giles picked up the shop keys. "I'll go fetch them as the shop's closed for the holidays."

Tara and Willow volunteered as well so I cave Giles the list of ingredients and he took off. Later that evening after they got back and the food was nearly done we got shot at by arrows till I got annoyed as one hit Faith in the shoulder.

I roared and the plants all around the apartment moved binding all the Indian spirits that were attacking. I picked up the leader's knife and slut his throat as he tried turning into a bear to break the vines.

No blood came out but it clearly effected the others. I snorted as he and the rest faded to nothingness. I snapped the knife and tossed the pieces to Buffy saying. "The next time you hesitate and it gets someone I care about hurt, you'll be fighting me instead."

I walked passed her and stood before Faith. She flinched as I pulled the arrow out and did a healing spell, repairing the punctured skin, muscle and nerves. I heard Alice tell her. "You're supposed to be the leader of our group, the one to bring all of us together and fight the evil of the hellmouth and everything else. If you hesitate it means you lack faith in us and resolve to see things through. He's only warning you so that next time it isn't one of us dead instead of injured."

I didn't speak to her until I repaired the room and removed the arrows in the furniture. Spike had gotten a few in his ass as he was hog tied and yelling attracting their attention. I left them in him while I set the table.

Sighing I told Buffy. "I'm sorry, it's just, I worry about our fate each time you hesitate, not only do you put yourself at risk, but everyone else that follows you. Faith looks to you since you have more experience as a slayer while Alice and I are friends with everyone including you. It doesn't bode well when you can't make a clear decision."

I turned to the others before turning back to her. "We trust you and I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we'd follow you to hell and back, literally if necessary, but we have to know you trust us as well. A group, no matter how powerful or well intentioned needs a clear a decisive leader. For us that's you, Gaia knows why my instincts aren't rebelling at the idea of it, but I and my lovers count on you, so do our friends."

She nodded and sighed. "I'll work on it, but you and everyone else have got to understand that I'm only human, I make mistakes like anyone else."

I chuckled. "No one, mortal or otherwise is perfect Buffy. But if you're going to make a mistake, all I ask is that you be decisive. I'd rather fight a group of nice demons or ghosts on a mistake happily so long as you were confident it's what we needed to be doing. There's a saying I heard a long time ago that's stuck with me to this day, it's better to ask forgiveness than permission. Perhaps it will help you."

She smiled brighter this time. "Know any other good ones?"

I chuckled. "Only one, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. It speaks of being over prepared rather than being underprepared and screwed because of it."

She laughed and I started bringing out the food. I sat down with Alice at the opposite end of the table. Faith sat on my left and held out the second knife she'd sharpened to me. I took it and a blue glass and cut my wrist. I let the blood pour into it before the gem of Amara's effect kicked in and healed me.

I slid the glass to Alice and heard Spike ask. "So long as you're sharing mate, mind pouring me a pint? I think I can drink it if it's already out of a person."

I snorted. "I'm not entirely human Spike, so I have no doubt you could simply bite me and take it. As for giving you some, you can drink pigs blood like me or you can join the turkey on the table so I can carve you up and eat you."

He spoke quickly. "Pigs blood is fine by me."

I snorted and waved a hand, making him float over to me. I touched the table lengthening it further to make room and growing an extra chair out of it. I waved another hand as I released the vines. "Sit and behave yourself then or next time I won't threaten you, I'll just eat you without warning, piece by piece till you simply turn to dust."

He grimaced and sat down while I poured him a glass of pigs blood. Alice passed it to him and I sighed while the rest of the gang sat down. I had a bit of the turkey before simply drinking the pigs blood as it would quench my hunger better than the bloody turkey.

When desert came around they ate and let me just say the slayers pack the sweets away like I eat deer and wild animals. When the meal was over I did the truth spell which turned out not to work on vampires. Dead things seem immune to it for some reason.

None of the books I'd read on it would tell me why as no one had actually managed to use the spell on a vampire before. Sighing I told Giles. "It looks like we do this the hard way then-"

Spike visibly shook when he cut me off. "Torture me and I'll never talk!"

I grunted before saying. "How about a bribe then? Ten grand and I tell you who to ask about animal blood at the butcher's shop?"

My words swayed him a little before he told me. "Deal, though you'll have to sweeten the pot first, I want your word that I'll be released without being harmed after I talk!"

I sneered but Giles said. "You have it."

Spike shook his head. "Not yours old boy, I'm talking to the scary werewolf that eats people, he's much more intimidating. Besides, he gives me his word and he's honor bound to protect me until I leave."

I growled now as my eyes shifted color. "I could just-"

Buffy cut me off. "What about my word then? He follows me so my word means more anyways. You tell us what you know and I'll guarantee you're safe till you leave this apartment."

I stilled as Spike looked me over before turning to Buffy. "Deal."

Buffy gave her word and I forked over the cash before telling him my butcher shop contact ending with. "If he comes up dead I'll pull you apart like taffy and see if you can survive without limbs."

Spike finally admitted. "The commando operation is under the town. The exit I took comes out somewhere near the college campus."

Buffy asked. "Is that all?

I stepped forward and he spoke quickly. "We have a deal, I told you what I know and I didn't specify how much I knew. You're honor bound to keep me safe until I leave this apartment. Now that I'm safe, I reckon I like this place more and more."

I snorted and walked back over to the door leading outside. I did a quick spell before telling him. "The spell I just did will let you out but once you're out it'll let me know. Then you're on your own. Hurt Giles or anyone else inside and I'll make your next several centuries alive a literal living hell."

I took the girls home while Giles protested. I simply told him. "He's your house guest until you can get him to leave without violence. Might I suggest a pest removal spell or a simple can of mosquito repellent. I'm sure it'll work just the same."

I laughed as I left to the protest of both British accents saying. "Bollocks!"

Buffy took off the next day to talk to Angel in LA and apologize for her harshness to him. He was only trying to help after all, no matter how he went about it. Couple days later she came back asking me to help examine her memories as she felt she was forgetting something.

I did the dutiful thing and sunk my claws into the back of her neck. I went through her most recent memories and found the place where they were missing. It took some doing and a well placed memory recovery spell to get back what she lost.

When she came to after I removed my claws from the back of her neck she told me not to mention it as Angel had made his choice. I did get to see what she lost and had Giles order a couple pints of mohra demon blood.

That shit was expensive so I had to make sure he only bough a few pints instead of gallons and even then it took up nearly three fourths of the money in my personal account I'd have him access to.

I found it didn't work on me as I was technically alive already. It would work on Alice but I knew she didn't want that kind of mortality without me. I kept it in my personal ingredients collection in case we needed it for later.