I got up and went out into the corridor. I just wish I remembered which room was Dick's. I have absolutely no idea where I am.

"He's that way 'Stalker," a soft, liquid sounding voice said.

"Ah! Garth..., erm, Tempest."

"Buffy?"

I really want to know where that billboard that exposes my identity is so I can rip it down. "Is it that easy to guess?"

"When you know Dick as well as some of us here do, it's not too hard to put together. His is the second door on the right."

"Thanks," I smile and follow his directions to Dick's room and knock on the door.

"Come in."

"First rule of living on a Hellmouth. Change your inviting 'Come in' to an ambiguous 'Door's open'. Even better is a 'Who is it?' Hello," I smiled.

Instantly concerned he was by my side. "Are you ok? Jesse..."

I smiled at him and moved into the room, taking a seat on the end of his bed. "Donna has already suggested I speak with Bruce first. I was wondering if we could drive back to the manor now? I need a few things anyway."

"Sure Buffy. Let me just let Jesse know. She's on monitor duty." He spoke into an intercom, then to me. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Worried about Bruce though. What was he thinking leaving that sort of information where anyone who knew him well enough would be able to find it?

"Change into your costume. We should leave the island the way we arrived."

"Sure." I continued to think about what I'd been told as I went back to my empty little room and changed. In the car I pulled on a dress over my costume, pulling my mask off as I did so. Dick pulled on trousers and a shirt, also removing his mask. Not the most stealthy behaviour but what else could we do? Night had begun to fall and there were very few people moving about the area.

Despite his best efforts on the way back to Gotham Dick couldn't get me to talk. I stared out the window, thinking.

At the manor Dick went to the kitchen to see Alfred and I grabbed a small bag to put a few things in then took it with me to the cave. I grabbed a spare costume and shoved it into the bag, followed by spare holsters, extra bolts and boots. I returned to the costume store to grab the one thing I'd forgotten. When I emerged Bruce was sitting at the computer and all of my disappointment and anger and upset emotions seemed to bubble and begin to boil.

"Hello Buffy. What brings you to the cave at... three in the morning?" he said cheerily. It was odd to hear that in the cave and that he was back for his patrol so early.

"I needed a spare mask," I mumbled, showing him what I held in my hand. "I was warned to be wary of you Batman, that you seek out weakness and plan to exploit it should a friend become an enemy.

"Should I just tell you my weaknesses now?" I was tired and hadn't wanted to confront the Bat so soon about it.

"Buffy..." he began, attempting to placate me.

"Bruce, even *I* know that you don't leave that sort of information where any munchkin can find it. I'm disappointed that you didn't see it as a possible problem." I took a deep breath and voiced my concerns.

"Do you know how much I stand to lose? My family and friends are all average humans and demons are a lot more vengeful than humans. If the information got out about me being the Slayer... I don't doubt that people like the Joker would get some supernatural help to get at me... not to mention you. I will be asking Willow to check your system regularly Bruce."

"I wouldn't do that to you..."

"Because I'm only a human? I'm not a danger? Oracle, can you send Willow's file on Faith to the Bat computer please? Read it," I said to Bruce. "I'm as much a danger as you are..." I said and threw my mask at the BatComputer as I stalked away. I didn't go out of the cave. I waited to see what Bruce would do.

"She's not happy," he said into the emptiness.

Dick materialised out of a shadow. "She's afraid. She doesn't have all of the experience and training and the Titans... They're still getting used to her and her to them."

"She's a survivor."

"Read the file. See what she could be, and what she isn't."

I dashed through the door and into the house as Dick climbed the stairs. Damn, I'd left the bag down there.

I hid out of view at the top of the stairs that led to the bedrooms. Alfred came into the hall as Dick emerged. "Where did she go?"

"Miss Buffy? I haven't seen her Master Dick."

I went to my room and out the window before Dick could find me. The car was out of the gates by the time he was out of the window. I didn't want to talk to anyone right now. I'm aware of how easy it could be, to reach out and harness this energy the way Faith had for the Mayor, of how easily my mother can be used against me... the suit doesn't change that. I'm still the Slayer though this way maybe not *everybody* will know my destiny by looking at me. Maybe. What can I really offer the Titans? Attitude? Strength? Leadership skills? They already have those things in existing members. I'm opening them up to attack from things they don't need to face. If they do, Oracle has all the information... "NO!" I slam on the brakes and stop inches from Dick's legs. How the hell did he get here?!

He walks around to the driver's side door and I use the internal switch to lock all the doors. I want to have my crisis alone.

"Buffy," he says gently, placing his hand on the closed window. "He'd never..."

"But he did. I need some time alone."

"Can't let you do that Buffy. You need someone with you... I promise not to talk."

I unlock the doors and sit silently as he rounds the back of the car to open the passenger door. When he's completely behind the car, I gun the motor and speed away. I find my way to the cliffs over the sea opposite Wayne Manor. In the night I can make out the lights and the cave in the cliff for the Batwings entrance and exit.

"You're a hard woman to follow."

"I wanted to be alone. I'm not sure this is what I'm meant to do. I'm the Slayer. The Hellmouth is my duty... But the demon population the world over seems to have exploded. It seems that everyone needs the Slayer all of a sudden but is the costume necessary? Is the secrecy from the Titans necessary? Am I only keeping the secret to protect you and Bruce, Tim and Cassandra? I have to do this for me and I'm not sure I don't want them to know who I am. I am Buffy Summers. For better or worse I am The Slayer. It's not just my duty. It's part of who I am. I protect people. I don't need a costume and a mask to do that..."

"None of us do..."

I turned to face him. "Can you honestly say that if you didn't have the costume you would enter every night attempting to do what you do?"

"No," he said quietly.

"I did." I looked across at Wayne Manor, a place I had begun to consider a home. I was hurt that Bruce would make those plans and be stupid enough not to consider them a possible problem but I still trusted him. We are only human and I have made enough of my own mistakes to be painfully aware of that limitation. "I want to talk to them all."

We went back to the Manor and I collected my bag from the Cave, Bruce was nowhere to be seen, and then back to New York we went. We waited until eight a.m. to call them all to the meeting room.

My costumed body paced back and forth in the Titans meeting room. I needed to tell them. If I couldn't trust them with this information how could I expect them to trust me? I stopped pacing as Roy, his sleepy daughter Lian, and Garth came in followed by Jesse, Argent and Donna... then Nightwing.

"We're all here. What's wrong? You aren't leaving us already are you?" Jesse asked a little panicked.

"No," I chuckled nervously. "Through various connections, I know everyone of you here, by name and reputation and only two of you here know who I am, though I think a couple more of you have your suspicions. I trust you because you are all part of what gives us hope. I trust you because... well, you're the Titans. You've been doing this longer than I've known who I am..." Breathe. "I can't expect you to trust me if I don't show you that I trust you. Completely with all of the secrets that are mine to tell."

"'Stalker. We trust Nightwing..." Roy began.

"Do you trust him as much as you did before the Batman's stunt with the JLA? I know exactly why he had those files. I'm almost as human as he is. He is a detective. If he didn't know those weaknesses how could he plan for another catastrophe like Hal Jordan or if someone else should think of these things, realise these weaknesses. He couldn't be prepared to end them... I know about weakness. On my eighteenth brithday, all of the strength that I've been bestowed for my fight against the darkness was taken away from me and I was locked in a house with an insane vampire and no escape. He had my mother in the basement, bound to a chair and was threatening me with her death... I defeated him but at a great cost to my mother and my Watcher... and I'm ahead of myself." I took off the mask and looked at them all through my own eyes, without intereference.

"My name is Buffy Summers and I am the Slayer. I was born with a potential. At sixteen that potential was realised and I came into supernatural strength and rapid healing. I am human. For five years I have battled demons and vampires, faced my nightmares and survived. I don't like secrets. They tear at trust. My Watcher, the one who is assigned to train and prepare me for my battles is called Giles. For the last four years I have lived and hunted in Sunnydale, a town which was built over the Hellmouth, a convergence of mystical forces that attracts dark desires and nightmares. I have lost friends, and found companions and fellow warriors who, like me, have fought without gratitude or acknowledgment, and without costumes. I want to help you, to be part of this group. I want to share my knowledge and experience with you. I'm not known for my prowess in the brain department but I fight hard and can probably outlast any of you in a battle because of my powers. I have not failed my friends and will not fail you, if you still want me..."

Jesse hugged me. "Welcome Slayer Buffy. Can I still call you Nightstalker?"

"Call me whatever you want. I've heard it all before," I chuckled. "I know I'm young but..."

"Remind me to tell you about my sordid past sometime," Roy said. "Welcome to the family."

"I'm going to be late..." Jesse cried, looking at her watch.

"Again?" Donna asked. "The fastest woman alive and she's never on time to her day job."

"You really want me to stay?" I asked.

"Sure. We have an Amazonian, an Atlantean, a speedster, a former junkie and an ex-boy wonder. We've got room for a Slayer," Roy chuckled.

"A former junkie?"

"Let me tell you a tale..." he led me past Nightwing who still stood in the doorway, though his concern had been replaced with a proud smile.

"It is not to be loverboy," Donna said as the klaxons rang signalling a situation that needed us.