Note: Thanks to my beta t_geyer for her unending patience, perseverance and support.

SECTION 1 - HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life

((Jim Steinman wrote it, I think, even though the site where I found the lyrics says it's Bonnie Tyler) - Bonnie Tyler




Chapter 1.04
Friday, May 24th, 2002


Marie took a deep breath, her gaze returning often to where Rosa was playing in Wes's back yard with her new stuffed friend. "I'm not sure, yet, that there is a wrong. Maybe it's just that I need to think some things through."

"I might be able to help... I'm not Lily, but I can try."

"I'm scared, Wes, not for me, but for Rosa.

I think, already, that maybe you've claimed a little piece of my heart. I mean you're brave, you're principled, you're willing to stand up for what you believe in and all that is part of what attracted me to you from the start... but it's also why you need to keep guns in your closet and it's why you make the sort of enemies who, should they think it's expedient, will use my daughter to get to you. I guess, in a way I sort of knew all this but seeing all those guns just made it that bit clearer."

"I see... Marie, it's natural to want to protect your child... and you're not the first woman who has had second thoughts about being in a relationship with me because of my choice of career, though in her case it was the fear that I would be hurt that she was unable to cope with. Being a mother just makes it so much harder for you. It's always a lot easier to risk yourself than it is to accept those risks on behalf of another."

"Wes, if it were just me... I would choose you in a minute. I spend my life trying to convince people to do what is right, to come forward and testify, even if it puts them at risk. I should be willing to do that myself, but it's Rosa. How can I be happy if it's at the expense of her safety?"

"You can't." Wes wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her forehead and they both knew that they were saying goodbye.

Something seemed to break behind Marie's eyes, as if she had hoped that Wes would be able to somehow allay her fears or reason around them. Unfortunately, Wes was no better equipped to deal with the problem now than he had been when he had dated Virginia Bryce.

---

"Summers' residence." Faith pushed Rogue down as she answered the phone.

"Ahh, Faith. So nice to speak with you... even if it is somewhat belated."

"Q, the pleasure's all yours."

"Perhaps. Though, if we were to meet, you might find that it is to your advantage."

"So your goons said, but since the last time I had dealings with the council your men were trying to kill me, I think I'll pass."

"The situation has changed," Travers pointed out. "You have demonstrated a certain willingness to take responsibility for your actions which was lacking at the time our operatives ran into you in Los Angeles."

"That's between me and my conscience," Faith replied. "It doesn't change anything between me and you. You still ordered your men to kill me."

"All I'm asking is that you afford me the opportunity to explain our proposal. After all, your current position cannot continue indefinitely, if for no other reason than that Social Services could call on Miss Summers and her friends at any time. I have no doubt that if they were to make a surprise visit then the consequences could be serious for all concerned."

"For someone who's claiming to be my new best bud, that doesn't sound to be very friendly."

"I have no desire to be your friend,"Travers assured her. I may, however, prove to be the best ally available to you. Miss Summers cannot protect you from the process of the law. I, however, have the influence necessary to deal with your situation. It is not the first time that a slayer has mistakenly killed an innocent. I could have the remainder of your sentence commuted over and the matter of your escape expunged from the various records... should you agree to be remanded into my care... and if you agree to the terms I'll explain when we meet, and restrain yourself from disabling any more of my representatives."

"I didn't get out of one jail to swap it for another."

"In that case, I suggest you look into finding alternative accomodation in the very near future, though without any income that may be difficult."

Quentin waited for a smart retort, but it never came. "Or you could meet me and we could discuss this like civilised people."

"Restfield Cemetery. Ten o'clock," Faith unwillingly acquiesced.

"I'll send my men to pick you up by the southern gate," the watcher replied, hanging up before Faith could protest.

---

"All sorted?" Buffy asked the girl as she rejoined them outside her house which was a couple of streets over from the far side of the cemetery, explaining why her date hadn't bothered to make sure that they had transport.

"Sure." The girl glanced down at the flat pumps she wore, her high heels now stowed in a shoulder bag which didn't quite match the rest of her ensemble, but since she planned to leave it in her locker that didn't matter so much.

"You're Dawn Summers' sister, right?"

"She's my sister, yeah."

Spike smiled at the way Buffy obviously brindled at the inference that her identity was subordinate to Dawn's. "That why you came with us rather than Prince Edward and his girlies? You know Dawn?"

"Not really. I mean I think we have a couple of the same classes but I never really spoke to her... And the whole arrows missing me by inches, not exactly a confidence builder. My brother used to date this girl from Sunnydale, though, so he kinda heard stuff, but I was never sure if he was pulling my leg."

"Nope. All true, well, unless it's about me and the swim team."

"So did you really blow up the school?"

"Well... not personally..."

---

"Hey," Faith pushed open the door to Tara's room wide enough to let Rogue push her way in and make her way over to where the witch was lying on her back reading through a folder of notes that was propped up against her thighs. It took the pup seconds to jump onto the bed and stick her head right on top of the folder.

The slayer grinned. "I'm heading out to find something ugly, squat and slimy and pretend that it's Quentin Travers while I bludgeon it to death with my bare hands, so I thought I better leave Mutley here with you."

"You're right," Tara joked. "She's too young to witness a fatal bludgeoning. Any particular reason for the watcher fantasy?"

"That was him on the phone before. I kinda got cornered into saying that I'd talk to him, so I figure if by twelve I'm not back and I'm not answering that phone, then you know he's got me in his secret torture chamber, making me pay for my past sins." Faith referred to what had previously been one of the spare cell phones, which had over the past few days become more or less Faith's by default. "Either that or it's gotten to be so long since I had a real man that I've given in and decided to just ride him till he drops, which, come to think of it, same diff."

---

Buffy and Spike looked down on the gym through one of the skylights that were set into the flat roof like faceted gems. A melodious ballad was muted only slightly by the glass and below them numerous couples, including Dawn and Brandon, barely swayed in time to the music. The girl they had brought with them finally entered the hall and joined her friends, letting Buffy relax once more.

"I can't believe her date was hanging 'round the parking lot, trying to find a girl who didn't have a ticket," Buffy told Spike, as her gaze switched to where Dawn and Brandon were.

The vampire's arms slid around her waist and his cheek rested against hers. "An' I can't believe you wouldn't at least let me put him in that dumpster with the rest of the trash."

"The guy was already scared witless."

"An' his lass could've been vamp food and he never even bothered to tell anybody that anythin' had happened. If Romeo down there had done that when those guys came after Dawn, I'd have strung him up somewhere an' left him for a week or two."

"He's a teenage male. Most of them are jerks. I never dated a decent one, except maybe Pike and he was kinda reticent about how old he was. I think it's a hormone thing. Fortunately, Dawn seems to have found an exception... or he's too scared not to behave."

"So, are we just goin' to hang around up here all night then, pet?"

"For a while. Not all night. Why?"

Spike turned Buffy within his arms. "No point lettin' a song like this go to waste if you don't have other plans." Buffy leant her cheek against his shoulder, matching her footsteps to his. She inhaled the scent of his cologne and made believe that the music was just for them.

---

Rosa's head lifted. They had made it worse. Grown ups were really stupid sometimes... Well, most grown ups. She picked up Tigger and headed for the back porch. When she got there she climbed, not onto her mother's lap, but Wes's.

"You were supposed to make her feel better," she told him. "Now you're both sad. You're not very good at this, are you?"

Wes gave the girl a rueful smile. "I guess not, but then, some things just aren't easily fixed."

"That's okay. Grandma says nobody's good at everything."

"Your grandmother is a wise woman."

"Is mommy still upset about the stuff upstairs?"

Marie leaned over to stroke the little girl's forehead. "Sort of, baby, but it's not so simple. Wes and I have been thinking maybe we shouldn't keep seeing each other."

"But, if it makes you both sad, then it's silly and I'd miss him and grandma likes him, too."

"It's just too difficult to explain, honey."

"It's silly. Wes needs all those things for his job. It's not like he's going to rob a bank or something."

"I know that. It's just that his work means he has to deal with a lot of bad people and I don't want those sort of people around you."

"Then you're still being dumb. You work with bad people. Bad people are everywhere. They hurt daddy. They hurt Unker Will. They hurt Dawn and her boyfriend. Some day they might try to hurt grandma or Unker Clem or the cat lady or you or me, but Wes and Unker Will and Auntie Buffy they went and they got Dawn back, just like they would come get me or any of the rest of us. If the bad men wanted to hurt me, I'd feel safer with Wes there."

"Baby, no one is going to hurt you, not unless they go through me first."

"I know, mommy, but Wes is scarier than you... not as scary as Unker Will when he's mad, or different scary, but way scarier than you... And he can teach me stuff so that when I'm bigger I'll be able to look after myself better." The girl smiled as she sensed her mother reach some sort of equanimity. "Now, can we order dinner? Tigger's hungry."

"Sure. Why don't you fetch those menus from the kitchen so we can decide?"

Wes's gaze followed the girl as she pushed open the back door. "What age did you say she was again?"

"Five and a half... going on a thousand."

"She's right, you know? If anyone ever tried to hurt her we would all do whatever we could to get her back..."

There was so much that Marie wanted to say, but for once her much practiced courtroom eloquence failed her, so she cheated. She reached out with a finger, resting it on Wes's lips and then lightly dragging her nails over the stubble that gave his face a hardened look until her fingers twined themselves into his hair. She leaned in so that she could cover his lips with her own and if there was a degree of hesitancy still in her caress, there was also trust and tenderness. Her eyes read his face as she pulled back. "I know... and I know that you would protect her even if we weren't dating... just to clear up any worries you might have about ulterior motives."

"Even if we weren't dating?"

"A girl's allowed to change her mind."

"Provided that was the last time you change it. You see, I think I may well be teetering on the brink of falling in love... with you and your daughter."