Los Angeles, 2006


Jenna walked through Hyperion's corridors silently, trying not to think about the overwhelming pain, her face grim and determined. By her side, beat to a pulp, humiliated and fuming, stumbled Kennedy. A red-haired young woman and a bulky dark guy with an idiotic eye-patch led them. Both hadn't said a word since they had strode into the basement, when they broke up the fighting slayers.

Jenna had been too busy searching for Carrie, who had disappeared from the training room, to notice five slayers encircling her. They ran towards a still- stretched- on- the- floor Kennedy, and helped her to her feet. As expected, Captain accused Jenna of attacking her without warning and fighting unfair. Jenna said nothing, too proud to make excuses. But the pirate-like man and his companions had remained silent, quietly leading them upstairs. The slayers started to whisper in fear, "Ma'am, they're going to Ma'am! Ma'am will be the one to judge them."

The whole way, Kennedy kept throwing worried glances towards the redhead, but none of her looks were returned. Jenna didn't need Carrie to know what was going on – for some reason, this woman was utterly pissed with Captain. Were they friends, or maybe a family? Oh, whatever. Like it mattered right now.

The woman opened one of the doors and Jenna found herself in the General's room. It was a small study. Sitting in a big, leather armchair and reading an old book was – to her displeasure – Rupert Giles. Seeing Jenna, he immediately started to polish his glasses. By his side, stretched comfortably on a couch, was a petite blonde, her face completely hidden behind some colourful fashion magazine – a typical brainless, former cheerleader secretary. And behind a wide, oak desk sat another young woman – tall and classically beautiful, with big blue eyes and long, straight hair in the same colour. She was studying some old scrolls – sheets of yellow paper were covering the whole wooden surface of the table, from which she would take notes.

'So this is how she looks,' Jenna thought with sudden respect she didn't think she felt for anybody tied to the Council, 'Buffy Summers, the Mother Slayer, the General – Ma'am.'

It was Giles who spoke first, "Xander, Willow, is something wrong?" then he noticed Kennedy's and Jenna's state, "Dear Lord, what happened?"

"That's the question everybody's asking themselves," the guy with the eye patch walked to the desk and sat on it, looking at the beaten up slayers. "Well, who's going to tell us the whole story?"

"Oh my God, Kennedy, are you all right?" Ma'am asked, leaving her translations and approaching the Captain.

"She's fine," the woman – Willow – answered, still avoiding Kennedy's eyes. "But you should have seen what was going on down there – "

"All that was missing was the oil," Xander said dreamily, earning scolding glares from his companions. "Uh, I meant, hot oil… like, you know, a horrible, Middle Ages weapon. It, uh, it would be like an apocalypse – "

"Thank you, Xander, for another of your unnecessary commentaries," Giles chimed in, irritated. "Kennedy, could you tell us, what – or who – did this to you two?"

"I fear you ask the wrong question, my dear Watson," the pirate wannabe dreadfully imitated Giles's English accent. "Since we already know that they are the ones who did this to themselves. The question is – why?"

"They got into a fight?" the watcher exclaimed in utter shock. "This – this is beyond my imagination… I would understand such childish behaviour from two of your subordinates, but you, Kennedy? You disappoint me. We made you a trainer for a reason – "

"Slow down, G-man," Xander cut in, raising both hands in a calming gesture. "Let's not jump to conclusions. First, we have to hear what they have to say. Am I right, Buffster?"

And then it happened, something Jenna expected the least – the beautiful, young woman she had considered the Head Slayer went to the couch, and with an ostentatious eye-roll, ripped the magazine out of the blonde's hands.

"Hey!" the woman complained, "I was reading that!"

"Buffy, have you heard a word of what we were talking about?" The tall girl asked.

"Well, duh," this time Buffy – the real Buffy Summers – rolled her eyes. "I'm a woman. I can multi-task.”

"You can’t drive a car."

"You save the world at least once a year and all you hear are complaints,” she sighed, “I can live without a car."

"Well, since you've got a chauffeur – "

"Silence!" Giles shouted. "Please, Buffy, Dawn, I remind you that you're both on duty."

"The older he gets, the more boring he is," Buffy muttered.

Jenna was confused… Well, it was a very subtle word for the state of pure astonishment and knocking- out shock she felt. First, this training circus, then a pointless fight, and now she was going to answer to a blonde, who looked as if thinking foreign was to her.

And she thought pretending a century old vampire was an eccentric cousin was strange.

"Right-o," Jenna spoke, "I see you're all very busy with this little chit-chat about nothing… Would hate to intrude, so I'll be going now," she took a few steps backwards, praying she got away from those freaks. "But, hey! Don't worry! I'll call ya someday." She turned to the door and noticed that between her and the safer part of the planet stood two slayers. Not good. She turned around again and noticed, with growing anxiety, that Buffy's short figure had straightened up; her cute face became serious, even severe, and eyes cold and dispassionate. Jenna could believe this woman was one of the top guys. Girls. Whatever.

"Oh, how nice of you," Buffy said, her voice too friendly to be true. "Fortunately, I always have time for my slayers." She ignored meaningful glares Giles was giving her and carried on, crossing her arms, becoming a completely different person, far from the one who had made an impression on Jenna at first. "You," she told the slayers who were guarding the door, "wait outside. Kennedy, because your friend's not cooperating, could you please, start?"

Captain swallowed and looked at Willow, but getting no support there, she raised her head and finally spoke with hatred, "Sincerely, Buffy? Hell if I know… She showed up on today's workout session and started to mess around. So, I mentioned she was doing the exercises wrong and she attacked me! Of course, I had no trouble kicking her ass. I showed her her place, but when I wasn't looking, she struck me with a pipe. A pipe, Buffy! From behind! She – she's dangerous, and treacherous. She should be punished, banned and isolated from the rest of the slayers," with each word Kennedy was becoming more and more angry, her face visibly reddened.

Jenna was insolent and self-confident enough to tell all of them that Kennedy was a lying bitch, who was trying to save her own ass. Jenna would have no problem with informing them about her sadistic nature and the way she treated the girls. Maybe they knew about it. Okay, it was a possibility. But if they didn't, Jenna could, in less than ten words, make Captain regret she had ever raised her voice at anybody.

Yes, Jenna knew she could do that. But along with insolence, self-confidence, and having a big mouth, Jenna was also incredibly proud. Making excuses and explaining herself meant lowering to that bitch's level – now that would be humiliating.

"Whoa," the tall girl, who was supposed to be Ma'am, but appeared to be only someone named Dawn, cut into Kennedy's tirade. "That's, I mean, that's a serious accusation, what you're saying. Shouldn't we, I don't know, interrogate witnesses, or ask this, uh, what's-her-name? – "

"Jennifer," it was Giles, who answered that, "Jennifer Abrams." He looked at Willow and Xander, who understood immediately.

Unfortunately, Buffy didn't.

"Well then, Jennifer," Ma'am said, "is it true that you hit Captain Fitzgerald with a pipe?"

"Yeah."

"Uh-huh. So not only did you assaulted your foreman, you also cheated and fought unfair?"

"If you say so."

Buffy was starting to lose her patience, "I didn't say anything. I'm asking questions here."

"Let's just say, I would argue about who assaulted whom, and how fair this whole fight from the beginning," Jenna told her daringly.

"So Kennedy was the first one to cheat?"

"That's ridiculous!" Kennedy shouted. "Thirty girls from my group will confirm that I fought fair! Buffy, just think about it – why would I use any tricks? She's just a kid, for Christ's sake – "

" – Inexperienced, not as fast, not as strong," Jenna added. "Was that fair?" she asked people gathered in the study, "What did you expect?" she turned to Kennedy, "That I would wait patiently until you beat the crap out of me and made me an example for those brainless idiots… Oh, sorry – your subordinates. Maybe I should just surrender? Are you nuts?!"

"You shouldn't start a fight in the first place," Buffy reasoned. "You know the rules, as a part of the Council – "

"Buffy, before you say anything more, you have to know – " Giles tried to chime in.

"Your whole Council can kiss my ass!" Jenna shouted. "Screw the rules! Screw the Council, and screw you!"

"Language."

Everybody turned to the door, where Spike stood looking casual, but looking very angry too.

" – that Jenna came here yesterday with Spike," Giles finished with a resigned sigh.

"Oh," Buffy blinked, obviously taken aback, "and you couldn't tell me this earlier, because? – "

"Because you didn't let me say a word," her watcher complained.

"What are you doing here?" Jenna asked the vampire, slightly nervous. 'How does he know?' she kept asking herself; and why Carrie wasn't with him? She studied his scowling face, and boy, was he pissed.

"I could ask you the same question," Spike responded. "Which part of my stay- out- of- trouble- tirade did you not, bloody, understand?"

"I'm fine," she quickly assured him, but all she earned was another angry look.

"Yeah, and I caught Carrie tryin' to snitch my shotgun and yellin' somethin' 'bout ‘shooting every fuckin' bitch that wanted to harm her sister-‘ 'cause you're doin’ fine," Spike taunted with a raised eyebrow.

"A shotgun? What shotgun? No shotguns," Xander babbled senselessly, being threatened by the idea of the weapon.

"Silence!" Again, Giles took control over the situation. Xander looked ashamed of his panic; Willow stayed in her corner with her head lowered, avoiding the pleading glares Kennedy was sending her; Buffy hid her awkwardness and confusion behind a wall of attitude. Dawn seemed to be purely curious; Jenna looked suddenly uncertain, and avoided Spike's eyes. Spike stood nonchalantly with his arms crossed, and seemed to not care about the whole situation. Jenna, on the other hand, knew him well enough to be afraid of his suspicious calmness.

"Nobody's going to harm anybody," Giles continued.

"Being in the same room as an undead serial killer, I wouldn't promise that, G-man," Xander gave the vampire a meaningful and hostile glare.

"Xander," the Watcher said with irritation, "do me a favour and stay out of this."

"Okay, guys," Dawn said with a conciliative smile, "we can see how manly you are, so you can give up this pissing contest of yours. All we want to know is what happened in the basement."

"The basement?" Spike frowned questioningly. So – he didn't know.

"Carrie didn't tell you anything?" Jenna asked with hope. There was still a chance of getting out of this mess without Spike yelling, scowling and lecturing her until the end of the world. Which, considering the circumstances, could be very soon.

"Let's say it wasn't the most coherent of her moments. So?"

"Oh, just look at them," Giles grimly indicated the cuts and bruises both slayers were covered in, "They didn't fall from the stairs, that's certain."

Spike would have to be blind not to notice their poor state. Unfortunately for Jenna, he wasn't. His pale face darkened dangerously. "What did she do?"

There was something unbearably irritating in the tone of his voice – A strange mix of reproach, disappointment and paternal-like concern – that set Jenna off immediately, broke all her defences and brought up the whiny teenager that hid behind the rebellious slayer. "I didn't do anything!" She complained. "You always think the worst of me!"

"I didn't say anythin' 'bout you," he challenged. "But ol' doctor Freud claims that, judgin' from the way you felt offended, your conscience's not as lily white as it was this mornin'."

"It's not my fault!"

"I didn't hit myself with a pipe," Kennedy argued.

"Wait. There was a pipe?" Spike looked confused.

"Yeah… but she so asked for it!"

"I heard that one four months ago. Bystanders swore he was sayin' many interestin' things, however, he didn't tell you to hang him from the soddin' window by his knickers."

"He was a mean, chauvinistic pig, and to me that equals asking for a lesson!"

"Oh, and Kennedy?"

"She started it! This morning we met this girl, she's a slayer, and it was Carrie's bright idea that I join her training session; so, we went there and everything was fine until this psychopath started to pick on me, and wanted to brainwash me, and change into a thoughtless automaton like the rest of slayers! I didn't want to listen to her and I wanted to wake those girls up, and tell them they're being used. Then she hit me, without warning! I'm telling you that this whole Council's absolutely evil! And, I don't want to be here!"

Silence.

"Wow," Xander whispered in awe, "that was fast. And I thought that Wills was a babbler."

"I am quite certain that you misunderstood Kennedy's intentions," Giles said quietly.

"Don't you tell me what I understood and what I didn't," Jenna snapped back. "I'm way past any watcher bossing me around."

She unintentionally made a few steps in Spike's direction

"Is it true, what she's sayin'?" the vampire asked.

As if on a command, everybody looked at Kennedy.

Captain's face became even redder, but after a second of hesitation, she answered with challenging tone, "Not a word."

Spike glanced at Jenna, whose hurt eyes were conveying all the betrayal she felt because of someone doubting her words. "Listen, Kenny," he accented the moniker, "I’ve known Jenna for two bloody years now, and I can tell that, as skillful and quick-learnin' she is, she's never mastered one ability. Jenna's the soddin' worst liar I've ever met." His eyes bore into hers. "And guess what? She's not the only one in this room."

"How dare you call me that, you filthy bloodsucker! “

"Hey, watch your mouth! He is not filthy!" Jenna felt the urge to defend the vampire.

Maybe it would all end with another fight if someone didn't intervene. And who would start it? It didn’t matter.

God, being the General really sucked.

"That's enough!" Buffy shouted, absolutely Giles-like. Buy her a pair of unfashionable glasses and a tweed suit, and it would be impossible to tell the difference.

"Nobody talks, goes in or out of this room, 'til I say so."

"That's exactly wha – "

"I think I was pretty clear about the talking part, Giles.” Giles looked utterly hurt, but he stayed quiet. "Because those two," she pointed to the battered girls, "can't agree what happened. We have to find it out another way. Xander, Dawn, you'll talk to the girls from Kennedy's unit. Tell them that they will be punished for lying, so no heroic friends’ ass- saving."

"Yes, Ma'am," Xander mocked a stiff salute.

"And what about my translation?" Dawn whined. "Unlike some people, I was working here!"

Buffy glared at her. Dawn rolled her eyes and joined Xander.

"Since when do I listen to her?" she asked him incredulously.

He smiled. "Oh, you probably remember her signing those papers that made her your legal guardian?"

"Damn," the girl sighed, leaving the study with him.

Buffy continued, "Willow, take Kennedy to your room and make sure she won't contact any slayer."

Captain's eyes narrowed dangerously. It didn't matter, if it was Buffy's duty as the General to investigate the case. The message was clear: Kennedy wasn't trusted anymore. For her, It felt like the worst betrayal. Her lips made a thin line, making her whole face grim, as she followed Willow out of the room.

Jenna, on the other hand, looked utterly pleased –

"Giles, you go with Jody."

– But not for long.

"It's Jenna," she corrected angrily, "and I'm neither going anywhere with him, "she pointed at Giles, "nor leaving Spike alone with you," her slim finger turned in Buffy's direction.

The Watcher took the pair of glasses off his nose and started polishing them. "This may come as a surprise to you," he said evenly, "but I agree with Jennifer. I don't think that – "

"Giles," Buffy's voice was threateningly calm, "Spike and I have some catching up to do, concerning, mostly, teenage girls with superpowers. Leave us."

Giles gave her a long, anxious look, but oblidged. "I hope you know what you're – "

"Spike!" Jenna shouted. "She's nuts, like the rest of them! She'll stake you or – "

"Freckles. Out."

She was paralysed with shock. Spike had never talked to her like that. She wanted to say something sarcastic and insolent, but while she was still thinking of an answer good enough for him, Giles gently pushed her toward the doors. She didn't even notice when she found herself on the other side of them.

And behind those doors fell silence. And then –

"Hello, Buffy," he smiled gentler than usual. Totally unlike him. "Long time, no see."

"Hello, Spike," she smiled shyer than usual. Totally unlike her –

"What the freaking hell are you doing here?!"

Ah, the yelling was a lot more like her.