Distribution : Ask first.

Rating : Dunno.

Disclaimer : I own the whole universe. Joss just happens to own some characters, a few settings, that kind of thing. Same goes for DC Comics.

Notes : Set in early S2. Hallowe'en never happened.

Dedication : Stryx, Soul, Nightbird. You siblings know why...

Feedback : Or I'll set the Smurfs on you. Everything appreciated.
 
 

Half term. Dad's off in Berlin for the weekend, seeing a mate about an artifact. Chloe's on 'if you need an adult or something goes wrong' status. Money's next to the urn for pizza and that.

I take the opportunity of having the house to myself to try some minor stuff. Concentrate on the wisp of smoke rising from the incense cone. Just started messing with the smoke when there's a voice behind me. "Oh, wow..."

I quickly counteract the spell, wave the smoke out of position, turn to see a wide-eyed Buffy and plead. "Please don't tell a soul. Dad'd kill me."

She walks over, touching the last of the smoke. "It was so pretty. I didn't know you did knew magic."

"Bits and pieces. Please don't let on. It'll get back to Dad."

"Why are you so scared it'll get back to him? From what you said, I thought he knew a lot about the occult. Does he think magic's evil or something? Didn't take him for a born-again."

Start clearing up. "Dad's the furthest you could get from one of those lot. He's okay with it, being a magus and all, just not me doing it. Got really upset when Gemma once tried it." Add the last bit distractedly. "No more Constantines, he says."

"What's that mean?" She asks, looking interested.

Take a deep breath. "Almost all Constantines come to bad ends. Goes double for the ones who get involved in higher stuff. Dad says only Johanna of that lot escaped the curse." Shrug. "Something in the blood makes us right bastards. Dad's determined no more. He'll be the last. There's normally one per generation gets involved. He stopped Gemma. Probably."

Buffy's eyes are severely wide. "Wow. You sure about that? All that curse stuff?"

"Yeah. Every time."

"Who's Johanna?"

"Ancestor. French revolution period."

"Cool. I can only trace as far as my great-grandma."

"If you had my family, you wouldn't want to."

"Your dad's really nice, and you seem okay."

"You haven't seen him screw someone over a deal."
 
 

Buffy's working out at her house, Sunday morning.

"Most people in their right minds would either be in bed or watching cartoons." I comment, munching through a pop tart. "Or possibly both."

"I'm the Slayer. Gotta keep fit." She shrugs. "I give you points for one thing." Lunge, lunge, lunge. "Your dance music collection is good workout music."

"Told you. And Prodigy is even better." Put the CD on, the familiar strains of the first track start. "Note for future workouts : this one is really good for tension release."

Halfway through the song, Giles comes in with the milk and Sunday paper, obviously just finished jogging. It's a good look for him. No drooling, Meg. Leans against the wall, panting, then looks up. "What is that godawful racket? I thought Sex Pistols lyrics were pushing it a bit. Buffy, I hardly think 'Smack my Bitch up' is suitable fodder..."

"Blame her." Gestures with her head while she's beating up some poor defenceless pad.

"Spoilsport." I mutter, change the track to 'Breathe'.

"Lovely. I can still feel my brain trickling out of my ears."

"Picky, picky." I reply.

Phone goes while they're sparring, Giles having volunteered to be punching bag. Dodges a roundhouse to his head. "Meggan, if you could answer that?"

Pick it up. "Insane asylum. Only the most interesting cases become doctors here. Who do you wish to commit?"

"Um, is Buffy there?" American voice.

"Who's that?"

"Willow." Buffy's best mate back in Sunnydale and hacker extraordinaire.

"Oh, right. She's doing exercise at the moment." Glance over. "Beating the crap out of Giles, actually. Buffy! Phone!"

"Who is it?" She asks, still following through with what looks like an extremely nasty right hook rather than pausing.

"Willow."

Buffy squeals, breaks off, hits the speaker button. "Wills? How're you? How's Xander? Has Snyder been eaten by hyena people yet?"

"Can't grant that wish just yet. We're fine, how's London?"

"A lot more crowded than LA, oddly enough. And you would not believe the shopping possibilities here. Cordy would have a heart attack from joy."

"Wow. Um, Buffy, I don't know whether Giles has heard about this..."

"Heard about what?" Giles asks, towelling off and drinking from the bottle of water placed nearby.

Slight trepidation in Willow's voice. "There's a new Slayer here."

You could hear a pin drop. Then Giles asks calmly "A new Slayer?"

Buffy regains control on her vocal chords. "New one? Hello, does 'one girl in all the world' ring any bells?"

"Her and her watcher turned up last week. They said the Hellmouth needed a Slayer."

"Well she's obviously an imposter!"

"Willow, would you kindly tell me the name of her watcher?" Giles says, still keeping his responses under control.

"Mr. Zabuto. Her name's Kendra. She says she doesn't have a last name."

Giles puts his glasses on, frowning. "Mr. Zabuto is a very respected Watcher. What I don't understand is how another Slayer could be called while Buffy is still alive."

"Yup, still of the non-undead here." Buffy's looking extremely disgruntled.

What looks like realisation dawns for Giles. "Ah. Buffy, you did die. The Master."

"I was only dead for a minute." She grumbles.

"But obviously long enough to activate the next one. Willow, could you ask Mr. Zabuto to call me so we can discuss this? I'm rather displeased that the Council failed to inform me of this turn of events, although I am pleased that the Hellmouth is being taken care of."

"Yeah, how are the vamps there?" Buffy asks.

"Not so bad. What're they like in London?"

"Harder to find. They don't hang around graveyards or just attack people in the streets here. One guy I couldn't kill because he was, like, a really important businessman and didn't actually harm anyone. I've got to actually plan here, which sucks major time."

"Yes, well, it does help with your diplomacy skills."

"Buffy diplomacy skills are not wanted, Giles."

"I beg to differ." Turns back to the phone. "How is Angel?"

"He's still hanging around, though he's steering clear of Kendra. She thinks the only good vamp is a dead vamp, souled or not. Mr. Zabuto was really against us helping, though he's warming to the hacking and research help."

Willow eventually hangs up. "Well, that was definitely informative." Giles comments, then looks at me. "Are you quite all right, Meggan?"

"Don't mind me. Just sitting here going 'huh?'. I'd have my jaw open if I didn't have the Constantine genes."

"Well, I'm still in wig overload if that's any help." Buffy replies. "Giles, can we start up again? I need to hit something."