one last chance

Chapter 16

The next morning everyone once again gathered in the large gym. This morning instead of the awkward and forced small talk of the first morning the two groups mixed into smaller groups that lounged comfortably on the various mats placed around the room. Connor, Shelly, Eric, Anne and Dawn all sat together. Dawn did her best to not be a bit jealous at how well her slayer hit it off with the others in the house. The five of them just seemed to fit together instantly, Dawn always had liked Connor and Shelly and Eric were a great pair to be around it was just before this Anne and Dawn had been a tight knit team. Now more people were coming in. Dawn liked this and felt completely petty for the small stabs the green monster gave her.

The twelve adults stood up front talking quietly for a bit. Once everyone arrived and got comfortable Buffy grabbed their attention. "Hey guys, so the others got here and they're going to take a moment to introduce themselves and all that good stuff. Ask questions if you have any but be nice about it."

Angel investigations stood up front for a moment shuffling their feet and looking around.

"Well, let's not all jump to go first." Codry said as she stepped forward, "OK while the guys behind me act like we're all at some lame-o middle school dance I'm Cordilia Chase. I get visions about the future. I got these powers from a half demon friend before he died. They almost killed me. So the Powers that decided to get off their asses and fix that. They made me half demon. And apparently someone," at this she glared pointedly at her significant other, "thinks this makes me the perfect candidate for a teacher."

"Or someone thinks that after working against the evil law firm and other demons for how many years someone whose half demon should have picked up something worth teaching." Angel muttered under his breath only to receive a second glare from Codilia.

"Hi! I'm Fred," Fred started next, "Ummm, a vortex sucked me into the demon dimension of Plyera, Lorne's home planet when I was twenty I was there for several years. Than Cordy got sucked in too and Angel Investigations came and rescued me and Cordy. That's about it."

"That's not it girl." Cut in Gunn, he turned to the group of fascinated students, "She's also wicked smart with numbers and things I can't even name. She's gonna be teaching ya'll to."

"Well who are you?" One of the male watchers yelled receiving a laugh from the groups.

"I'm Charles Gunn, yes that is my last name. I've been dusting vamps for long as I can care to remember and working with Angel for several years on top of that. I'ma gonna be working with you watchers, teaching you about some weapons that work better for us than what the slayer types use." He hefted up his homemade ax his old crew made him before he joined Angel Investigations permantly.

Next Wesley started his blurp, "Wesley Windom-Pryce. I was originally a watcher, than after certain events," At events he gave a pointed look to Faith and Buffy who both had the decency to look sheepish at the part they played in costing Wesley his job, "the original watchers council and I decided it was best to part ways. I started to work with Angel investigations shortly after this. I'll be concentrating with Willow and some of the watchers at research and translation. Mr. Giles and I believe at times Dawn will be doing this also. I will also help with teaching."

"Well, I just feel like the obvious should be stated," Lorne said, "I'm a demon. But not a bad one. I do not like violence. In fact when I had my bar there was a special spell over it to prevent said violence. Not that it helped in the end. Anyway I can see a person's future in a vague sense. Enough for me to be able to give guidance. That's what I'll be doing here, or so I'm told. I might also become a bit of an espionage. Oh but for me to help you, you have to sing. I think we'll be opening something of a new bar?" He turned to Buffy hopefully.

"We're trying Lorne." Buffy said.

Lorne gave a half hearted yet hopeful shrug of his shoulders before turning the stage over to Angel. He walked up front and for a moment just stood there.

"Umm, hi I guess. I'm Angel, head of Angel Investigations. I'm a vampire that gypsy's cursed with a soul which if I had one moment of true happiness would be taken and I would no longer be cursed. Which I wanted to be, souled that is but after Angel Investigations defeated Wolfram and Heart in L.A. the Powers that Be gave it to me permanently and may or may not have started to turn me human. We think I might be becoming more like my son Connor. I'm going to help train the slayers. Fighting one on one or in groups with Faith, Buffy, Spike and Kennedy if she is available."

It had been decided Kennedy would still travel looking for information outside of their normal information train. Whenever she was home she would work with the slayers.

"What do you mean more like Connor?" a voice called out.

"Connor is the son of two vampires. Myself and a vampire named Darla, however, he is human. The male version of a slayer. I think I might be becoming like that, vampire healing, strength ectra minus the bursting in flames part." Angel answered.

"How do you have a son?" Anne asked aloud wondering.

"Well Anne," Dawn answered before Angel could, "When a man and a woman love each other very much, or have a healthy sexual libido things may happen." The gym burst out laughing the question soon forgotten.

Buffy and Giles with help from Willow explained the schedules, gave people their various groups and explained how the whole shindig would work. Due to Giles pathological need for order, one that Buffy only slightly manage to cure, every minute for every girl and boy was next to meticuliously planned. This time around they were prepared. Girls might die again. Chances were girls would die again but everyone in that room was doing their best to make sure it didn't happen.

Buffy would do just about everything to make sure it didn't happen.