A Morning Meeting

[sunnydalealum]

Midtown
Offices of Wolfram & Hart
May 26, 2005, 10:30am

Beth looks around the elegant office lobby uneasily, sidestepping a trio in business suits (two men, one woman) hurrying past her toward the elevator at the rear, as Brianna leads her toward the security desk. "Hey, Alan," she says cheerfully.

"Morning, Ms. Walden," says the uniformed young man behind the desk with a pleasant smile. "Signing in a guest?"

"Yeah. It's on B Clearance. Emma wants to meet her." Brianna says it casually enough, but Alan's eyebrows go up and he looks at Beth with a shade more respect.

"Very good. Could you please sign your name here?" He hands Beth a pen, and adds "And just fill in by invitation under Purpose of Visit."

Comments

[sunnydalealum]

I don't want to know all this, wails a tiny voice in Beth's head. I don't want to hear it, I don't, make it stop.

"...what happened to the girl?" she asks, unwillingly. "The one five years ago?"

[sunnydalealum]

"Oh, she lived." Evenly. "She's one of their most loyal Slayers now. Helps recruit the new ones, sometimes."

[sunnydalealum]

Beth takes a swallow of coffee, and then puts her cup down.

"Okay, wait," she says abruptly. "So they kill vampires and you kill vampires, right? What's the difference?"

[sunnydalealum]

"The difference is," says Brianna a little sharply, "the Council doesn't differentiate between a vampire trying to kill somebody and a vampire just walking down the street minding his own business."

[sunnydalealum]

"That about covers it," Emma agrees. "I said they were fanatics. I meant that pretty literally. If you're a vampire, they want you dusted, and they don't care whether you eat babies and nuns or get all your meals at the back door of the blood bank. Or the kosher butchers. Or from willing donors, for that matter.

"Listen, you don't want to judge all vampires by the ones who attacked you," she continues, very earnestly. "Demons, either -- most of them are thoroughly civilized. From civilizations older than ours. And here in this country we finally have a shot at compromise and peaceful coexistence, because a lot of them came here for the same reasons we did. They just want to live and let live here like everybody else. If old-world relics like the Watchers' Council will just leave them alone."

[sunnydalealum]

"So ... not all demons are evil?" She sounds very young in her own ears, young and ignorant. "Or all vampires?"

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Emma smiles like a sculpture of a saint, gentle and caring and a little sad. "They're just people, Beth. We're all just people."

[sunnydalealum]

* * * * *




Emma sees the two to the lobby, waits as Beth finishes signing out, and shakes her hand warmly. "Again, if you've got any questions about what we discussed -- any of what we discussed -- you can call me. Take care."

Brianna makes her goodbyes and turns to head back into the building for her afternoon shift. Emma waits and watches as Beth leaves; the younger woman hesitates by the revolving door, looking back over her shoulder, and Emma raises one hand in a small reassuring wave.

[sunnydalealum]

"They say children are our nation's future," says a voice just behind her shoulder.

[sunnydalealum]

"They also say an apple a day keeps the doctor away," she says, still smiling after Beth, not turning around.

[sunnydalealum]

"Mmm," says Grant, checking his watch as he steps to her side, "only if it's accompanied by plenty of fiber and protein."

The time he sees seems to please him; he lowers his wrist, and offers her a pleasant if oddly reptilian smile. "And the early bird catches the worm."

[sunnydalealum]

Beth's no longer in view through the doors. Emma turns to him, still smiling. "Makes you wonder why the worm bothers to get up early."

[sunnydalealum]

He jerks his chin toward the doors. "Is it true their metabolic rates are supernaturally high?"

[sunnydalealum]

"Mm, not significantly more so than your average athlete."

She turns and starts down the corridor, Grant keeping pace with her. "Anyway, why ask me? You've got access to the literature."

[sunnydalealum]

"Rumors and Council infighting," he says dismissively. "Fascinating reading, though. You've heard that one of the older ones allegedly dated vampires?"

[sunnydalealum]

Emma gives him a tolerant look. "Maybe I should add that to the recruitment speech."

[sunnydalealum]

"It hardly seems to need the improvement." He arches an eyebrow. "How many does this make?"

[sunnydalealum]

"I'm not counting her yet." She raises an ironic eyebrow at him. "You know what they say about chickens before they're hatched."

[sunnydalealum]

Grant puts a thoughtful finger to his chin.

"Not to put them all in one basket?"

[sunnydalealum]

"Did you write that one?"

They come to a halt by the rear elevator bank, and she presses the UP button.

[sunnydalealum]

"I suppose pointing out that there's nothing new under the sun would be overkill," says Grant, who's on something of a roll. As the light dings on, and the door opens: "And speaking of overkill, one might almost think you were massing an army."

[sunnydalealum]

"Twenty-odd girls is hardly an army, Grant," Emma says, stepping into the elevator.

[sunnydalealum]

"Oh, of course." The door begins to close; his foot shoots out to stop it. "And twenty-odd Slayers?"

[sunnydalealum]

She raises a finger. "Ah?"

[sunnydalealum]

Grant chuckles. "My bad -- zhirelin."