FicWad

Don't own nothing in all of this mess. BTVS belongs to Joss and Sanctuary belongs to SYFY

During the test on her 18th birthday Buffy proves to the Council that she is 'Not so Helpless.'

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Buffy Summers smirked at Giles as he brought the magic rocks out again. Lately he had wanted her to identify the stones, and what they were for in various spells. She was sure he was doing it because of all of the various magic users that had dropped though Sunny-Hell. Ever since she had gotten back, it seemed like it was one magic user or cursed object after another. First there had been the mask her mom bought that raised all of the dead at her welcome back party, then there had been the Jekyll and Hyde formula/potion that Pete had used, then there was Ethan and his Band Candy, there was the fancy lighting glove, the Glove of Myhnegon, that Mrs. Gwendolyn Post had tried to steal, next had been Spike trying to make love spells, and of course there was the whole mess with the Hansel and Gretel demon and M.O.O. So all in all, she could understand why she had too study these stupid rocks. That didn't mean she had to enjoy it though.

"Amethyst," she replied in a bored tone, "used for charm bags and money spells."

"And Aura Cleansing," Giles reminded her.

"Okay," Buffy said, nodding as she picked the small stone up and looking it over. "So how do you know if one's aura's dirty anyways? Does somebody come by with a finger and write 'wash me' on it?" She questioned, moving her hand to show what she meant.

Giles sighed as he looked at his Slayer. "Buffy, I'm very aware of your distaste for studying vibratory stones, particularly since you seem to have most of the basics down. However, I would appreciate your glib-free attention for a little while longer."

"Sorry. It's just with Faith on one of her unannounced walkabouts, I feel like somebody should be patrolling." Buffy defended to the man who nodded his head in understanding with the blonde. Buffy didn't think that now was a good time to mention that there was also the fact of running a secret medical facility to distract her as well. That, and it was sometimes hard for the studious, or Helen side of her brain to believe in a science behind the magic that she dealt with on a regular basis.

"Well, Faith is not interested in proper training at the moment." Giles reminded her, ignoring the fact that there was unsupervised slayer out there for the moment. The Council had gone to a lot of trouble to insure that Faith was busy in another town during this time. "I must rely on you to keep up with yours."

"I really hate being the good one sometimes," Buffy pouted toward him.

"Yes, well for the moment I need you to try and focus on these for a while longer." Giles informed her as he withdrew a large blue crystal. "Now do try and concentrate."

It was the next morning when the pair saw each other again that the normally happy Slayer met the Librarian. The Watcher observed his charge as she worked on her knife throwing. Buffy had lost a lot of her power and was having to take more time to focus on the bulls-eye before she released the weapon at the board. As it was, half the blades weren't even on the board or a bit off center, but scattered around the room while those that had hit the target were not in deep enough.

"Giles, good you're here," Buffy said as she stopped throwing the blades." Something's wrong."

"Wrong," Giles questioned, as he set his things down.

"Yeah, as in my aim and strength are way off." She said, nodding toward the board. It was only because of her memories from Helen that her hits were as good as they were. She shuddered to think what it would have looked like if she hadn't that training to call upon. However, recalling that information was slowing her reaction time down a lot. "On top of that, I got a bad case of the dizzies last night, and almost let a vamp stake me. With my own stake!" She explained to him, scared that she had come so close to either dying or having the truth about her mortality discovered. A part of her wasn't sure which of those was actually worst.

Buffy tossed a knife as hard and quickly as she could without looking, and winced as she saw the blade fly over the target. "See, I'm way off my game. My game's left the country. It's in Cuernavaca. Giles, what's going on here?" She pleaded, hoping that the watcher had an answer to her dilemma.

"Perhaps you have a flu bug or something?" Giles suggested to her.

"Wait, I can still get sick?" Buffy said with interest, her eyes lighting up with this bit of knowledge before she turned back to the matter at hand. "I thought that time I got the flu was like a fluke or something?"

"No, it is merely more difficult for you to be hurt by germs because you're immune system works at a slightly higher rate than most people's do." Giles corrected her. "Had you not been so stressed and overworked at the time, it is likely that you would not have been affected by the flu to the degree that you were."

Buffy nodded, and had an odd look on her face before she shook her head and the look was gone. "Interesting, but so not important right now though. I can't get sick Giles, My dad's coming to take me to the ice show. We do it every year for my birthday. If I cancel, it's gonna break his heart." There was also the fact that there was no way that she was going to miss a chance to see her dad. She had all of Helen's good father daughter memories, and she wanted the same with her own dad. Sure they couldn't do the science thing, but there were other things besides there was also the fact that her dad was still alive opposed to the case of deadness that Helen's dad had.

"Well, just, um, take it easy for forty-eight hours. You know, forego patrolling until you feel yourself again." Giles suggested as he tried to get her to settle down.

Buffy nodded and frowned as she watched the retreating form of Giles, he had seemed relatively unconcerned about the sudden loss in her abilities, something that he would never have done before. The man was always going on about increasing her slayer skill set, yet when they degraded to the point where a vampire could beat her he brushed her worries off. That was not of the good, and she was so not going to tempt fate on whether she had Helen's powers, that meant she needed to figure out what was going on. She left Giles and the library and went about her day.

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Buffy sighed as she walked into her office in her bit of the Sanctuary. Learning that her dad couldn't make it for her 18th birthday had been something of a heartbreaker for her. So she had told her mom she was going to burn off some energy. After she had insured that everything was running as it should be, she then turned to her own problems. The only one she could do anything about was her current slayer power supply problem. She took a needle and two syringes and drew two capsules of blood. She packaged one up for Helen and the other she began working on. She needed to know exactly what was wrong with her, and see if there was a way to fix it. She knew a trustworthy courier that would take the blood and get it out of Sunnydale and to Helen without trying to drink it. She had a long list of tests to start on, and then there was the fact that Giles wanted her to come in tonight for more geology lessons. She was going to have to be sure to repay Faith for this when she returned from wherever. Maybe Faith would get Zombie patrol or something like that, or hey maybe she would skip town for a weekend and visit Helen and Ashley at the Sanctuary.

The blonde smiled, as the idea had more appeal than she would have thought it would, and she mentally began thinking of the things she would do on such a trip. The list was growing, even as she moved around and started some tests up before she had to leave. She paused, as she saw Angel in the doorway of her lab. "Yeah?"

"Sorry," the vampire said. "It just amazes me to see you so at home in the lab like this. I wish you hadn't felt the need to hide this part of yourself from us."

Buffy smiled a bit at the vampire, he had been told a handful of basics about the Sanctuary, but nothing that could hurt the network or anything else if he ever went evil again. He thought that she had been recruited for some reason early in her life, and had then been approached by the Council later on. It was safer for all this way. The fewer people that knew about the Sanctuary Network, the better off they would all be. After Angel had been explained the differences between abnormals and demons, he couldn't help but agree that possible hybrids shouldn't have to suffer for what their parents were.

"Did you need something?" Buffy questioned him curiously.

Angel shook his head at her. "I just wanted to make sure that you're not working yourself to hard." He explained to her.

"Don't worry about me, after I set some things up here it's off to see Giles for theory training, and then probably bed." Buffy informed him, glad that he was worried about her.

"Good," Angel said solemnly, "you look tired." He explained to her.

Buffy smiled grimly at that comment. "Hey," she said her voice stopping the turning figure, "have you ever heard of a Slayer losing their power?"

Angel frowned as he turned to look the girl over. "No I haven't," he admitted, "but there is so much about you that is different. For all we know it could be a side effect of bringing you back. Maybe the last of the Slayer has finally left you or it could be something else." He said as he thought out loud. No one I know of really knows what the Slayer is, or where their power comes from exactly."

"Yeah, but that's not so good for me if I'm still going out there like I'm a Slayer though." Buffy said, as she tried to think of what she could do.

"Just be careful," Angel warned her. "I can't help you until Helen or Watson comes down here and gives me a clean bill of health." The fact that he had somehow managed to slip out on Christmas was being ignored for the moment as they focused on other facts for the moment. Angel had agreed to go over a few tests before he returned to his mansion. The fact that both Watson and Helen wanted to talk with him made him interested.

"Yeah I'll be careful," Buffy assured him, as she walked out to have more fun with stupid rocks.

As the next couple of days progressed, Buffy found herself relying more and more on her training and the medical knowledge and other skills that she had picked up from Helen. It was weird, a part of her was scared at being without her powers, and another part was ecstatic. If her powers did go offline completely then she could focus on the Sanctuary program, there was so much that she could do with her life. The gang were all worried, Faith still couldn't be found, and Helen was having trouble finding anything wrong with Buffy either. She did say that there was an odd chemical in her bloodstream and that she was busy trying to identify it. If they could figure out what that was they might figure out what was doing this to Buffy. Buffy wished that she could tell the others about whatever it was, but they couldn't be sure that this was the reason her powers were wonky, and then there was the fact that there might be a supernatural element to it as well. She had been forced to remember each and every moment of her time before her powers started failing, seeing if they could figure out what was wrong with her abilities. Her fear started rising though, as her abilities decreased to what even her training with Angel should have done. Every day she got weaker and weaker, soon she would be weaker than some kids were despite what her constant training should allow.

She was currently walking herself home, this should have been Angel's week to get out but Buffy had refused to allow Helen and Watson to come into her town to check the vampire over until they figured out what was wrong with her. If it was contagious to Abnormals, then they couldn't risk Buffy spreading it and infecting the entire Abnormal world. If Helen was exposed somehow, then all of the Western United States would be infected at the least. With how often she moved around the world though, it would probably be more like half the world. She ignored a couple of annoyances wishing that she was allowed to carry something more substantial than a stake even with the extra training that she had been taking she doubted her abilities against a vampire or demon right now.

Her musings were interrupted though as a vampire snuck up behind her. She tried fighting it but only hurt her hand when she punched it. She did manage to drive a small knife into its thigh, forcing it to let her go. She fled from the creature unsure what she should do now. She had lucked out in the matter that Giles had been there to save her in his car. That was a mixed blessing though as he had explained everything to her about the drug that he had been using on her. Without any regard to her wants or desires, he had sunk needle after needle into her. It was probably only due to her enhanced healing that she had survived without all the needle tracks that would have given the Council bastard away. She had bummed a ride from Cordellia and found chaos at home. On a door she had found a single Polaroid photo of the vampire from earlier holding onto her mom. Her mother had been taken by the vampire and she had to deal with it. It looked like she was going to have play the game of the Council after all. She just didn't plan to play by their rules.

First she stopped off in her room and collected a handful of slaying items, then she went to the Sanctuary installation. All of the beings were locked in for the night as Buffy opened the doors to the armory. She started with pads, a vest, and helmet. She then added a couple of hand guns to go along with her other slaying gear. She's tempted to call the others and arm them, or even send Angel out, but now is not the time for the vampire to be in play as it is still unsure how he will react in a fight until Helen or Watson clear him for active duty. The rest of the gang have no training in fighting like this, and she can't take the chance that they'll get in her way. Since without any powers, she'll have to focus completely on the vampire. It would also take to much time for an assault team from the Sanctuary Network to arrive, so for all extent and purposes she was on her own in this mess up.

She found the townhouse where the vampire was staying, and moved in. She warily slipped inside a crossbow leading the way. She wanderd around the lower level till she found a locked door. While she was working at it, a vampire slips behind her. Buffy somehow senses him and manages to turn around and fire a bolt at the creature, the bolt streaks out but misses him. The vampire snarls and knocks the crossbow to the side and then picks the blonde up by her throat. A gasping Buffy dully notes that this is not the vampire that she was after before she reaches into her jacket and withdraws a knife. She tries to bring it down on his arm, but she only scratches the side of his arm. The vampire hisses and drops her to the ground. Buffy stumbles into the next room, looking for another close range weapon since she dropped her other one she manages to push a bookshelf over stunning the vampire who still manages to reach out with its arm and grab at her leg. Buffy struggled before finding a set of tongs by the fireplace. She beats the vampire that attacked her back.

"Hide and seek," the other vampire's voice echoes around the room. Buffy recognizes the voice as the vampire from earlier as she draws another knife. As she wanders around the building, the vampire leaps out and snatches her dagger and tosses it into the wall. The blade sinks all the way into the wall. The vampire then grabs her by her throat, and then yanks her coat off, showing the equipment vest holding a variety of stakes and daggers. The vampire slices the webbing apart with its nails, and watches as the weapons fall to the ground. "Naughty, naughty," the vampire scolded, "these are not toys for little girls."

Buffy managed to surprise the vampire and get him to release her as she pulled out a large cross. The vampire doesn't let the holy symbol stop him though, as he is soon pressing it against himself and they can both smell the acrid scent of burning dead flesh. She yanks her hand free of the vampire and moves back she wants room so flees hoping that the vampire will take its time giving her a chance. Once she is sure that the vampire is not chasing her she reaches behind her back and pulls out the pistol that she brought as well. She checks the ammo supply before continuing her hunt for the vampire. As she comes to the end of the hall, she goes up the stairs only for the vampire to surprise her and trip her up she drives it off with a couple of shots from her gun and slamming a piece of railing into the vampire's arm. She gets to the top and then finds herself in a long hallway. AS the vampire follows after her the blonde turns around and begins to fire round after round into the vampire the gun clicks empty and the vampire looks at the darts stuck in its chest. The blonde watches in disbelief as it continues to come at her and she tosses the empty gun at the vampire before running again.

She turned around to see the vampire fall to the ground suddenly in pain as he began burning up from the inside. Buffy sighed in relief as the vampire combusted. She had traded the usual cocktail that Helen created for the dart guns for holy water. The dosage obviously needed work though, as it still took nearly two minutes for the holy water to have any effect on the vampire. She knelt down and picked her thrown gun up, and went about replacing the clip now that she had a moment she then resumed her hunt. She found her mom easily enough after that as she had only been a few rooms away. As she was untying her mom Giles and the other vampire crash through the door. Not even hesitating Buffy drew both guns this time and begins steadily firing at the brawling pair. She did not feel the slightest bit of sorrow, as a couple of the darts miss the vampire and strike the Watcher instead. If he could fill her up with muscle relaxants, then he could take a bit of holy water.

The vampire fighting Giles ignored the darts, and throws him across the room. As it stalked toward the downed man it grinned in anticipation. "I never did like you all that much Rupert, you were always a pain in the arse." The vampire said with a deadly smirk. The vampire got closer to the Watcher, and then its confident smile fell as it staggered around it turned and looked to the smirking blonde before it to combusts.

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Buffy stared angrily at Travers as he congratulated her on her win against his pet vampire. "While you did well my dear girl, I am curious as to wear you procured some of your non standard slaying equipment." He added, as he nodded to the gun, pads, and destroyed equipment belt.

"None of your business," Buffy returned to him as she glared at the head of the Watchers Council. "I happen to have a few contacts of mine own that don't involve your people. Since they actually give help they're a much better to have at your side when trouble happens."

"Yes, well we would prefer it if you stop all contact with these people anymore," Travers informed her. "You were lucky this time around, most times modern weaponry is useless against the supernatural and it will become a crutch for you that will eventually destroy you." The Watcher lectured down at her.

"I'll use whatever fits the situation for the fight." Buffy returned to the man. "As it was, using a dart gun probably saved all of our lives from your case of stupidity."

Travers frowned at her. "I understand that you're upset…"

"You understand nothing. You set that monster loose, and he came after my mother." Buffy returned to the man angrily. "Give me one good reason that I shouldn't take you down as well?"

"You think the test was unfair?" Travers asked, as he looked her over ignoring the threat.

"I think you better leave town before I get my strength back." Buffy warned the man, her mind already thinking on what she would do to him if she got her hands on him.

"We're not in the business of fair, Miss Summers," Travers told her coolly, "we're fighting a war."

"You're waging a war." Giles returned back at Travers bitterly, as he nursed his own injuries. "She's fighting it. There is a difference."

The two men traded words and Giles loses his job, but Buffy finds herself not caring that much. She caught the father daughter speech Travers gave, but ignored everything else until he offered his congratulations on surviving once again. Buffy only had one thing to say to that. "Bite Me," the blonde retorted as she picks her gun up. A part of her is wishing that she had more than just holy water in the gun right now, bullets were sounding really nice the more that she thought about them.

Travers eyed the gun warily before he made a quick exit, not wanting to tempt the girl into shooting him if she had something more dangerous than holy water darts. It was better to leave now instead of trying to challenge her when she was obviously hurt and angry.

Buffy and Giles stare at each other for a few minutes before Giles moves to help clean her up. The blonde allows him to help her ignoring her anger at what he has done.

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The next day Buffy was rechecking her equipment her eyes strayed to the handgun that had served her so well last night. She needed to increase the dosage of holy water in the darts, as they took too long to kill a vampire. If the vampire was distracted and you emptied the clip into them they worked, and it took only a minute or two. She would find darts that held more water or a more holy form of water next time. She had survived, and Faith was coming back in tonight and she was going to L.A where she would pick up Helen, Ashley, and their newest ward. Once they were altogether, the plan was to head to the ice show that her dad had opted out on her for work. After everything that had happened she so deserved the break.

She also had to wonder if maybe she should bring the others into the Sanctuary network. Giles had proven that he would stand by her even against the infamous Watcher's Council that he normally swore by. It was something that she would have to consider, then there was the fact that she would have to get Helen and Watson's opinion on the matter as well. If Giles was willing to work with her and the Sanctuary though life would be easier. However, it was also better if there was a separation between the Abnormal world and the Supernatural world. Having Giles at her side was useful in the supernatural aspect of things and his large knowledge of the mystical made him invaluable, maybe she could make two bases or something though. Something else that she would have to talk to Helen and Watson about and see what they thought of her ideas. If she could find a purer way of delivering holy water to a vampire a gun was going to become a standard issue thing for the Scoobies. Xander, Willow, Cordy, and Oz would all benifit from something like this during patrol.