Characters: Cassie
Time: Early morning
Location: Family home
Rating: TBD
Thread Status: Solo; letter

My dearest Michael,

Things here have become increasingly worse. Authorities believe it has something to do with Chemical Warfare. The Council suspects demons. Can you imagine?! Demons with nuclear weapons and test tubes full of the deadliest virus' known to mankind?

I find myself increasingly more frightened with each passing day.

The Councils medical facilities have long since over flowed into various other wings of the estate. All Slayer activity has come to a halt due to the number of human fatalities. Mr. Giles has reached the final stages of this invisible murderer. I fear, due to his emotional state brought on by the loss of his Slayer only days ago, he may have purposely exposed himself to one of the many who have come through our doors with no hope of leaving.

I'm not a doctor Michael. I know nothing of blood cells and air ways to the lungs. Whatever this thing is, it is airborne. It begins with nothing more then a cold, then spreads into what I'm sure you by now have seen many times; Yellowing eyes, blackened tongue, and pustules on the throat that eventually lead to suffocation. Whatever this is it's killing, rapidly. There is barely time to collect samples, to study, to test vaccines. It's to quick, and far to effective. I fear that by midmonth it will have defeated the entire human race without the least bit of difficulty.

Fortunately, Laura and I remain unaffected.

London has become a fortress, barricading itself against the rest of the world. Contact via telephone is impossible and communication by letter almost extinct. As you know we hold constant council with the Queen and therefore are above most laws here in Europe but it is only a matter of time before we too are segregated from the rest of the world.

Should this be my last letter I leave you with this final thought....

Should I survive it will be because of you and noone else. Your heart beats within my own and keeps me strong. Be safe my love and I will come to you as quickly as fate will allow. Until then, I love you.

Forever,
Cassie

Characters: Cassie, Michael, Giles & Xander
Time: 7 pm
Location: Library [Research]
Rating: TBD
Thread Status: Open to Michael, Giles & Xander

Yesterday had been more excitement then I'd ever experienced at the Council. Not that I was pleased with the turn of events, who could be? An evil law firm, a murderous slayer, not to mention the tension between my slayer and Giles'. That very same tension seemed to be growing between he and I as well. At first I thought it had something to do with the amount of pressure this all put on his shoulders, but when he quickly, and rather rudely, turned me down for coffee after the three of us had exhausted ourselves with research last night, I knew there was something else on his mind. Was it possible that something else was Michael?

Michael was indeed a fine looking man. He was my age as well. Not that any of that mattered of course. I wasn't the type of girl to go around changing her mind on men in a matter of seconds. Was I? Was it possible I had done something to cause Giles to think that my relationship with Michael was anything more then friendly? I could flirt, I was actually rather known for it back home, but had I done so last night? Would I have even known I had done so? It was possible I suppose. Like I said, Michael was a fine looking man indeed, and so incredibly smart. I had also felt very sad for him. He had just lost his slayer and instead of having time to mourn he was thrown right into the mix and mass of research. The poor chap hadn't even had a chance to unpack yet.

-I wonder where he is staying?-

Laura and Buffy had left after classes, just as they had planned. I sure hoped things went well between the two of them. It wouldn't do anyone any good if they began to bicker amongst themselves. Faith was sure to have the advantage over them if they did.

Giles had also made a phone call to Angel, asking him to check up on Wolfram and Hart in L.A. to which Angel quickly agreed. Either the relationship between Giles and Angel was a fairly good one, or Angel had wised up and decided to get out of town for a while so the two girls could work things out. Either way, the office in L.A. was covered. Which was good. Now, if only the girls would return with news on Faith...good news I hope....I'd be much more apt to focus my time on Giles and I. Or, was it Michael and I? Good lord was I ever confused.

When I reached the library Giles and Michael were already chin deep in research. they each sat opposite one another at the long table in the middle of the room and neither seemed to notice my entrance. That was alright, I wasn't in much of a mood for a large entrance today anyway. Although, as I sat down and picked up a book, they lifted their heads, nodded politely and returned to their respective reading materials. I starred at Giles for a few moments afterward, hoping he'd raise his head again and acknowledge me a bit more invitingly this time, but when he didn't I sulked back in my chair and opened my book.

"What exactly are we looking for?" I asked, realizing we'd already been over this book, and most of the others on the table. "We've been though these!"

Characters: Cassie & Giles
Time: Saturday, September 18th, 1pm
Location: Library
Rating: None
Thread Status: Open to Giles

First week of classes was over and the weekend had arrived. I was glad to see how well my department worked together and how easily everyone got along throughout the week. I could only hope that this remained the case the entire year. If so, I was looking forward to a wonderful nine months of work here at Wolfram and Hart.

The week had pretty much kept Laura busy (Although she had delighted to find out about my new job position) and the most I had seen of her was during her English lit. class that I happened to pop in on once or twice. She appeared to be doing fine. A quick conversation with her one night before bed had given me a pretty good over view of her activities throughout the week.

Classes had gone smoothly, as I knew they would given Lauras capability. She was a fabulous student, always had been. This left her with plenty of time for evening patrols, which she took up doing with a partner; Angel. Apparently the two of them had cleaned out a few nests and taken on some single stragglers, but according to Laura, according to Angel, these were nothing compared to the numbers of vampires that made their home right here on the Hellmouth. This meant plenty of field time for Laura, which I was delighted about.

We discussed my attendance at one of these outings, perhaps this weekend, so I could visibly see how well she was managing and she agreed, of course. I was certain she would run the idea by Angel, whom I hoped would not oppose. It seemed he had some sort of animosity about introducing Laura to Miss Summers, not that she has bluntly asked for such a meeting but one would think he'd have done so by now. This left me wondering about how he would accept my involvement with Laura's nightly hunts, but I had confidence that he had his reasons and that I would most certainly be allowed to attend.

This afternoon however I planned on attending another kind of outing. It was an outing I would be making all by my lonesome to the University library in hopes of getting a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Giles, Buffy's watcher. I had heard so very much about him back home and at the council. I had to admit I was extremely, and perhaps a bit nervously, excited about meeting this gentlemen. He was so highly regarded by my brother Tom, that I can't say there wasn't a hint of intimidation hidden amongst all the other emotions I was feeling as I crossed the university lawns to the main building either.

What if he didn't like me, or disapproved of my methods? Worse yet, what if he didn't approve of myself and my slayer being here on the Hellmouth? These were such horrible thoughts but possible ones nonetheless. As I came to the doors to the library I began to have half a mind to turn around and leave that instant, but I couldn't. Sooner or later our slayers would meet and I would be found out. It was better to make a good first impression right away.

Slowly I pushed open the doors and peered inside.

"Hello?"

Characters: Cassie & Lindsey
Time: 2pm
Location: Lindsey McDonald's office, Wolfram and Hart University
Rating: None
Thread Status: Open to Lindsey

It had been a week since our plane had touched down in L.A. We had been delayed by two hours in New York so I had taken it upon myself to call ahead to the University and explain our situation. They were more then happy to help. I was told that when we reached the airport there would be a gentlemen waiting for us, an employee of the college; low and behold, there was. He was right on time, suited and professional, exactly the sort of thing I had hope to see when my aching legs carried me off our plane. He took us to a hotel, compliments of Wolfram and Hart of course, where we were to stay until our interviews at the University (to which he had the dates and times handy for us as well).

From there Laura and I went about business as usual. Training was limited due to the confines of our room but she was free enough at night time to stretch her legs and patrol. On her very first night out she met a man. Well, a vampire...with a soul. Of course she knew all about Angel before our arrival here in Sunnydale; everyone knew about Angel. He was one of the very first lessons any slayer was taught. He, and the infamous Fanged Four that is. Needless to say, she was very excited when she returned back to the hotel that night.

Laura attended her interview and things went smashingly. They assigned her a dorm room to which we moved her too immediately. I wanted her to have a chance to get acquainted with her surrounding without me looking over her shoulder at every turn. I would, hopefully, be there as soon as possible anyway so there had been no reason to hesitate. I haven't seen hide nore hair of her since, only a voice mail, that was enough. If she was patrolling along side Angel now, I knew she was safe. I was sure she'd come to see me at some point this evening to ask how the interview went.

My interview, which was now only moments away with one Lindsey McDonald to discuss my taking a position in the English department, just had to go well. Laura and I had been together every day since we were little lasses and I couldn't stand the thought of her being there in that school without me. My resume was solid, impressive and I couldn't imagine any reason for why they would turn me out. Stranger things have occurred however. I suppose I will just have to wait and see how things progress from here I thought as the door to Mr. McDonald's office opened and an unbelievably handsome young man stepped out.

He wasn't at all what I had been expecting. In my minds eye I suppose I excepted someone older, someone who looked like he was married to his money, and his job. Although Lindsey was suited to the T, he struck me as a man who, when not in his office, knew how to kick back and enjoy all that life has to offer. His age was amazing all on it's own, not to mention his dashing good looks.

I stood quickly, fumbling with my resume and nearly dropping the bloody thing on the floor. I glanced up at him as I caught it and smiled nervously. So much for first impressions.

I wont deny my initial shock when Cait came to me for help with her sister. I also wont deny that I damn near chocked to death when Cait asked that Angelina be tied up, beaten and decorated with a shock collar that would go off every time she even tried to step foot in the training room door. Not that I didn't understand Cait's frustration and desperate need to get her sister back (safe, sound and sane) but I very much doubted that adding more violence to the young slayers life would help much. She, Cait, had been joking of course, or at least I bloody well hope so, and had finally settled on accompanying me to Giles' office and ask for his help instead. Mr. Giles had been the last resort of decisions due to the fact Cait was down right convinced he would send them away if he knew something was wrong with Angelina. But, after entertaining the idea of a therapist (and not the idea of a shock collar) we both realized this matter was not something we could handle on our own and Giles was definitely the next course of action.

All that had happened only minutes ago, though it seemed like ages since Cait had first stepped foot into my office. After our first meeting I was almost certain neither of the girls would want anything to do with me, let alone find it in themselves to come to me for help. Needless to say, I was flattered...and bit on the excited side. I had yet to be assigned my slayer (or slayers as it may possibly be due to a shortage in watchers) and I just knew if I could help Angelina, maybe even create some sort of bond with her, there was no way Giles could say no to the match up, could he? Of course he could, but would he was the real question. I liked Cait and I had no doubt under that hard exterior of Angelina's there was a girl I could grow close to without the least bit of trouble. As I thought about it my mind drifted back to the picture Cait had showed me and I nodded to myself. Yes, definitely a girl I could learn to get along with. I was itching for my own slayer and the future match would just make sense.

There came a moment of utter dismay when we had found Giles' office to be empty. No doubt he had retired to his personal chambers for the night. Which is exactly where he should be I thought, remembering the condition of his health on their last meeting. That is to say, a quick greeting in each others direction as we passed in the halls. I had become so preoccupied with Cait and Angelina I had completely forgotten, or over looked more likely, the things that had been going on around here on a day to day basis; including Giles' cold.

"Not to worry. I'm sure Mr. Giles has just relocated to some where a bit more comfortable. Come, I'm sure he wouldn't mind the company."

I wasn't exactly sure that was true but then again it wasn't me I was trying to convince. I myself require complete and total silence when I am in the process of nursing myself back to health, but there were some who could go on with business as planned without skipping a beat. My hope was that Mr. Giles was one of these later people. Without thinking I began to lead Cait in the opposite direction from which we had come and rounded the first corner without so much as a glance to see if the hall was clear.

It wasn't.

"Angelina...your here." I cleared my throat. "That is to say...Hello, how are you?"

Running smack dab into the girl we were, in some ways, betraying had definitely not been in my plans. In fact, staying as far away from her as possible for the next few days had been more my plan. But, as most plans do...it failed and now here I was in a very awkward situation.

I glanced over at Caith nervously, both of us knowing that if she wanted to, Angelina could turn us into a bleeding sticky paste at any time she pleased. We were going to have to tread lightly...very lightly. And by lightly I mean, letting Cait make the first move with Angelina rather then myself, of course.

[[Open to Cait and Angie]]

After my rather awkward and dare I say unpleasant introductions with the Christienson sisters I decided to make my way back across the room to a place of comfort; next to Giles. At first I only stood there, starring off into space as the events of the last half hour replayed in my head. Some how I'd managed to overwhelm Cait with my uncontrollable need to be sympathetic to her situation and then topped it all off by getting verbal with her self destructive sister over...what exactly, I wasn't quite sure. Because her sister had sent me over to introduce myself? Because she was worried about her and wanted her to get out of the hole she had dug for herself and actually attempt to make friends here? No that wasn't exactly what had set it off. The council perhaps? Maybe a mixture of both. Anyway you looked at it, it was just bad and right about now I was kicking myself for the way I had reacted to her. I was a watcher, I should have handled that better.

"Things are going well." I said absently as I glanced down at the punch inside my cup.

I couldn't have actually said for sure if things had been going well. The fact of the matter was nothing for me had gone well this evening and outside of that, I was clueless. Slowly I lifted my head and glanced around the room. I had expected things to be a bit more...active I suppose. After all, these were young girls and their friends. In fact, a few of them looked a little, tired. Maybe that was just me, maybe I was the one who was tired. I had indeed spent many hours planning this party. Hour which had cut into valuable sleep time on some nights. That would also explain how easily I had lost my temper with Angelina, although I'm sure a great deal of that was her pushing the wrong buttons, so to speak.

I needed something that would take my troubled mind off the girls for a while so I might actually enjoy the fruit of my hard labors. Halloween only came around once a year and although it wasn't a practiced holiday here in Europe, I did have high hopes of enjoying it to it's fullest this evening. A right good plan, in theory. So far however the plan had failed.

I tried to smile as Giles turned to acknowledge me. The last thing I needed was for him to see my distress and ask what was wrong. I had no intention of admitting to allowing a slayers attitude defeat me and cause me to say things I wouldn't, on a normal day, have said. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing that warranted respect among your colleagues.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked.

[Open to Giles]

The Hellmouth. I had read about such places but never set foot upon one as of yet. By council orders every available, well trained, potential (that is to say, two) were to report to the Hellmouth and meet with a fellow watcher, Rupert Giles. Mr. Giles was the assigned watcher to The Chosen One, Miss Buffy Summers, who had yet to arrive in Sunnydale as expected due to factors no one could have foreseen. The council had received word that the other qualified potential, Faith, and her watcher, Mr. Wesley Wyndom-Pryce, had already arrived in Sunnydale within the last 24 hours. How on earth they knew such things were beyond me but it wasn't in my nature to question the information. Myself and my potential slayer, Laura, were the only others assigned to the Hellmouth and were to leave London immediately.

There was no resistance at the airport. The council had seen to it that pass ports and flight accommodations were all in order and before long we were off, destined for America. There was only one stop over in New York and then it was straight on through to California.

It would be my first visit to the U.S. though it wouldn't be Laura's. In fact, she had been born here. Raised by her parents until she was 7 and then sent off to England with my brother Tom to be trained. Laura was special, I learned this early on. Not only to me as a friend and sister, but as a slayer. Laura was fashioned, one could say, to become the ultimate slayer. Tom had studied other watchers and their potentials, studied them even long after Laura had come to us and then he taught Laura everything he learned. He taught her to be strong and build on her emotions. He taught her to love what she was. He taught her to be structured and smart. He taught her everything. Weapons, books, things weapons and books couldn't...everything. Before long she was what the council came to call their "secret weapon". She was all slayers, all potentials, all wrapped up into one with a large potential ribbon on her that read, Choose me I'm ready. I was proud to be her present watcher.

She sat beside me on the plane, reading. She had yet to ask me about the conditions of our relocation. Not that she was so robotic in nature that she wouldn't have normally done so but more to the point that she was comfortable in allowing myself to make all the large decisions regarding her slaying. She knew what a Hellmouth was, and what one could do if opened, but she knew not of the other potential or the lack of the present slayer who was meant to be guarding the Hellmouth. I felt now was the time to explain things a little more thoroughly.

"Laura, I think we should talk about what to expect once we arrive in Sunnydale."

[[Laura]]

Once I left Wesley's office all tension in my body released and I breathed a sigh of relief. All this arguing most certainly left something to be desired. For the most part I was a quiet woman and tended to keep to myself as often as possible but there was just something about that man that tugged at my very last nerve and forced me to become a bit more aggressive then I liked. It wasn't as if I purposely wished to undermine his authority but in the matter of Laura he was just flat out wrong in his misconceptions of her abilities and I was not about to sit idly by while her capabilities went unnoticed and unused to their fullest. I had agreed to one training session for her in hopes that once he saw what she was capable of we could once and for all lay our difference of opinions to rest.

What I needed now was a right good training session with Laura. There was nothing in the world that pleased me more then to train with my slayer, my best friend, my sister. We were closer then most slayers are with their watchers, Buffy and Giles aside of course, and I wouldn't have it any other way. When Laura had trained with my brother, Tom, I had found myself jealous on many occasions at the relationship they had together that I just could not understand. But now, I was her watcher and I finally understood what that meant and how important it had been. I would do anything for Laura, just as she had done for me when we were kids.

With no real surprise I found Laura in the basement training room. What was surprising was the company she was keeping. I myself had no personal issues with Lorne, in fact I was quite fond of him perhaps even fancied him a bit, but for him to be in the training room was something I hadn't expected. He was sitting on one of the couches along the wall, drink in hand, and watching Laura as she slowly moved through a concentration exercise Angel had taught her when we first arrived. Buffy had suggested it. Said it would help focus her energies and she hadn't been wrong. I could only assume his presence here meant things up stairs had become a bit hairy, as they tended to do more often then not now a days, and had come down here for a place to escape it all.

Quietly I took a seat beside him and observed Laura in silence for a few minutes before turning to him. He smiled in my direction and lifted his glass slightly in silent greeting. I smiled back and placed my envelope in my lap as I adjusted myself on the couch to give him my full attention.

"How long has she been at it?" I asked, whispering as not to interrupt her.

((Open to Lorne & Laura.))

Bloody 'ell! What was wrong with this chap?! According to records, Wesley Wyndham-Price was to be one of the greater Watchers of our time. I was quite thrilled by the idea of meeting him in fact, next only to Giles of course. He had defied the Council on may occasions but that was not to be held against him. He did what was right for the greater good. And of course there had been the mishap of becoming involved with Wolfram and Hart but again that was not to be held against him. So I couldn't fathom the fact he was now being nothing more then a right git about Laura's capabilities.

"I assure you, Laura is in no need of immediate training. If you would just allow her some battle time I'm quite sure you'll find yourself pleased with the results."

For some reason or another upon our arrival Wesley had instantly demoted both Laura and Kennedy from slayer status. Title wise of course. The fact that they were both at full slayer strength was another matter. I must admit that Kennedy could certainly benefit from more active training, but Laura most certainly did not. My brother Tom had kept very few records of Laura's training but I had been there through it all. I was there when she began training, there when she had been called, there when Tom cast a protection spell to keep her from the Bringers. She was more then capable of meeting 'Buffy' slayer standards. In fact, Buffy herself had praised Laura on her advanced abilities as a slayer. She had commented how much she reminded her of not only herself but Faith as well; all rolled into one. It had made me quite proud.

Giles was absolutely no help on the matter. Either he wished not to get involved or he was much to busy trying to keep the peace with the rest of the hotel's residents. The whole lot of them had gone mad with envy and pent up aggression toward each other in the past month and things were not looking at all well. So, I was on my own with Wesley. I was determined to convince him of Laura's abilities if it was the last thing I ever did. Sure, more training was inevitable, but not now. Right now she needed to stretch her legs and establish herself here. Demons and vampire alike needed to fear her name as they did Buffy and Faiths. She needed battle time and she was bloody well going to get it.

"My brother trained her special. She is learned in nearly every breed of demon or vampire recorded in Watcher history and her physical skills are nothing short of impressive. If I were you I would invest your time in Kennedy. She is a right good slayer but by far the youngest to the calling. Laura needs action now, not lessons and as her Watcher I demand you allow it."

Wesley and Giles were my seniors as far as being a Watcher goes but he was wrong about his and I refused to back down.

((Open to Wesley...))