Compromises

By Minim Calibre

Notes: Spoilers through AtS 4×22, BtVS 7×22. PG, Buffy/Lilah.


So this was the Slayer. Well, to get technical about it, a Slayer, thanks to a spell that sent ripples all the way to Hell and Lilah’s voice mail.

This was Angel’s big pre-Cordelia obsession? Without changing a bit of her polished, professional expression (a talent she’d perfected when alive, and improved on since death), Lilah sized her up, amazed that there was a woman out there who managed to make Winifred Burkle look voluptuous and womanly.

“Buffy Summers? I’m Lilah Morgan. I’ll be handling some of the legal details surrounding your request, as well as the investigation and plausible rationale for removing the girls from their homes for training. In most cases, you’ll find the Jenkins Memorial Scholarship to the prestigious Giles-Pryce academy does the trick, but for a few, we may have to resort to allegations of parental misconduct.”

Buffy Summers, Lilah noted, pursed her lips with all the noble distaste of the very worst of the do-good set. Which was funny, considering the information contained within her file. Lilah could picture the girl’s eyes going wide with shock and denial at the oh-so-rosy picture Lilah could paint with that information. Arson, truancy, suspected homicide, assault, a very problems with the military, harboring not one, but three known murders, not even counting Angel, child neglect–and that was just the table of contents.

Idly, Lilah wondered if it would bug Wesley to know that his ex-charge had more dirty little secrets than he did. But then, he’d assigned her the case, which meant he’d already seen the file. She lifted her brows with studied politeness, and waited for Buffy to speak.

“We’re not taking girls from their parents,” she said flatly. Buffy could give Wes a run for his money in frigid righteousness.

“We’re not just talking about any girls, Ms. Summers. We’re talking about Slayers. Unchecked and untrained, who knows what they could do?” A flicker of uncertainty crossed Buffy’s face, and Lilah moved in for the close. “Imagine the damage half a dozen Faith’s could do without proper training. All that rage and frustration combined with Slayer strength? Almost makes me happy I’m safely dead.”

Buffy flinched, just like Lilah knew she would. Faith may have been reformed, released, and granted clemency following the greasing of wheels with a liberal application of cold, hard cash, but even without the files, it was easy enough to guess she remained Buffy’s weak spot. “Fine, but only as a last resort.”

The blonde head bent down over the stack of papers Lilah had brought for her to sign, leaving Lilah to watch her at her leisure and point out which pages needed initialing and which ones needed a full signature. The outfit screamed youth and bad taste making an effort at looking mature and confident. Even with fashion turning to deeper matte shades, the lips remained stubbornly coated in some shimmering neutral gloss that probably tasted like melons or berries.

Buffy Summers’ file had a separate folder devoted to her taste in lovers. Lilah studied her french manicure as she listened to the sound of turning pages. “Initial that one. Twice,” she commented when seventeen more pages had been read. In the five page lull that followed, she wondered if any dead body would do, or if it was just vampires.

She smiled slightly to herself, “Signature there.” and decided it might be amusing to pass the time finding out. After all, it wasn’t like Wesley was exactly knocking on the doors of Hell to give her a spin.

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