Disclaimer: Same as in first part
Part 13
"Great job, Xander. If we do this again, remind me not to give you the lookout position."
"Hey, it wasn't my fault." Xander protested. At the incredulous looks thrown his way, he amended, "I mean, not really. Snyder came out of nowhere. One minute, it was all clear. The next minute, poof, there he was like he was the tooth fairy or something. And anyway, this isn't the time to cast blame. We should be supporting each other through this difficult crisis---like they say, all for one and one for all."
"Do we look like the three musketeers to you?" Faith spat out, clenching her fists. She had always known her life would lead to this place. Either that or a quick and senseless death. But to be sent here because of someone else's stupid mistake, that was just too much. She really wanted to pound something right then, preferably Xander's head. Good thing for him, Buffy was seated in between them, acting as a cushion for her rage.
The three of them were currently handcuffed and seated in the back of a police cruiser on route to the local jail. The cops had responded with a lightning quick speed that they rarely exhibited in true emergencies. Trust the pigs to be prompt if it involved screwing her over. Faith let out another frustrated growl at the helplessness of the situation. She could've busted out of here anytime she wanted but Buffy held her back, insisting that it would be better if they just went along with the authorities.
"Hey, shut up back there," one of the officers shouted from the front seat.
Faith might have promised to cooperate but she wasn't a saint. Between Xander and the fucking cops, she wouldn't be able to hold back much longer. Buffy must have sensed her distress---maybe it was the sound of gnashing teeth that gave it away---she placed her hands on Faith's thigh in an attempt to calm her. The strategy worked; Faith closed her eyes and leaned back in the car seat. At least it can't get any worse she thought.
*****
Everybody knows that uttering that dreaded phrase, "it can't get any worse," will guarantee a spiraling plunge down to a worse place. Who knew that even thinking it would lead to the same conclusion. Certainly not Faith, who was cursing herself soundly at that moment.
They had all been charged, booked, and placed in a small cell by the time it was all said and done. Each of them was allotted one phone call but between Faith, who had no one, Xander, who might as well have had no one, and Buffy, who didn't want to call her mom, the phone calls were a moot point.
"I can't believe this is fucking happening. Why the fuck are we even in this hole? I could've busted out when we were at Snyder's or even in the fucking cop car. But no, I couldn't do that. So here we are, one happy fucking family."
"Faith, would you please calm down?" Buffy was starting to sound aggravated herself. "This is tough for all of us but yelling about it won't solve anything."
Faith simply stomped to a corner of the cell before sliding down to sit on the floor.
Running a hand through her hair, Buffy said in a calmer voice, "I can't believe I'm even considering this, let alone suggesting it but---I think maybe it's time we called Willy."
"You think he'll bail us out?" Xander asked skeptically.
"He IS our watcher---And isn't that one of the cardinal watcher rules?"
"You must mean number four. Thou must bail out your slayers and said slayers' friends if and when they get booked for breaking and entering." Xander supplied helpfully. "The only problem with that? Willy probably lost his Watcher's Handbook a long time ago."
"It's still worth a shot." It was times like these that made Buffy realize just how much she had taken Giles for granted. "Guard...Hey guard!" She yelled and banged against the bars wishing she had a tin cup to complete the pathetic ensemble.
After Buffy had gone to make her call, Xander sidled up next to Faith. After a few minutes of uneasy silence, he finally decided to get the conversational ball rolling, "So...."
"Shut the fuck up."
"Okay," Xander agreed quickly, "Shutting up right now." He even went so far as to make a zipping motion across his mouth. Things stayed pretty much like that until Buffy came back, escorted by the same cop that had arrested her earlier.
"Is he coming?" Xander asked as soon as Buffy walked into the cell.
"It's cost me my dignity and self-respect---and that was before I even told him why I called but---yes. He's bailing us out. Thank God 'cause I was not looking forward to calling my mom if he didn't come through."
Now that the immediate problem was solved, it was time to patch things up with her girlfriend. Shooting Xander a look which basically meant "give me some space," Buffy walked the few steps it took to get next to Faith. Xander, meanwhile, took the hint and moved to the opposite end of the cell, doing his best impression of a deaf mute.
Taking a seat next to Faith, Buffy waited a few beats before asking, "Are you all right?"
"Peachy," Faith replied shortly. She was hunched over slightly with her arms wrapped around her drawn up legs. The defensive posture screamed 'go away' to all those that would listen. Only those who were too stupid or foolhardy would come near her, let alone try to talk to her. Buffy possessed neither trait but, of course, she was probably the only person in the world that Faith would allow this close without the threat of bodily injury.
Realizing that she wasn't going to get any more from Faith aside from the terse reply, Buffy went on to phase 2. She placed a hand on Faith's back. Talk about tense; it was as if she were touching wood. Rubbing in tiny circular motions, Buffy waited until she felt Faith relax before resting her head on the other girl's shoulder.
Faith let out a deep breath after a while as if she had just come to some sort of decision. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I know I'm being an asshole. It's just that..." Her jaw clenched and unclenched as she struggled to get the words out. "I don't like jail," she enunciated carefully.
"The decor does leave something to be desired," Buffy joked. "The gray and gloomy look is so last year."
When she felt Faith chuckle a little, Buffy raised her head slightly to place a kiss on her girl's cheek. "It's going to be all right," Buffy whispered into Faith's ear "We'll be out of here soon."
Soon turned out to be about forty-five minutes.
Part 14
When the guard returned to their cell later, he found the three teenagers in various stages of slumber. Buffy was resting as comfortably as one could manage in a place like that, namely because she was lying on top of someone else. She was situated in between Faith's legs with her back resting against the other girl's chest. Faith, on the other hand, had to make do with leaning against some fairly uncomfortable iron bars. But, for her, it was all worth it as long as the person she was holding was Buffy--and she didn't weigh more than 200 pounds. Mushiness and romance aside, she was a practical girl at heart.
Banging on the bars with a nightstick, the cop roused them none too gently, causing Xander to nearly topple over in his catatonic stupor.
"Are we home yet?" Buffy yawned semi-coherently.
"'Fraid not sweet cheeks," the guard replied, "Let's get a move on. Someone's here to bail y'all out."
"Bout time," Faith groused. "How long does it take to drive over here. It ain't like Sunnydale's a big town."
"He probably had to finish sacrificing his goat first," Xander mumbled while rubbing his eyes.
"Is that a euphemism?" Asked Buffy squinting slightly. "If it is, ewwww."
Xander had to ponder the question before exclaiming in a shocked tone, "Buffy Summers! Get your mind out of the gutter."
"C'mon B," Faith said as she hauled Buffy up. "Let's get out of here before this place rubs off on you anymore."
"Right behind you, F," Buffy replied flippantly.
Faith cast her a look before following the guard upstairs. They were all in pretty good spirits at the prospect of getting sprung from jail, albeit somewhat later than they would have preferred. Faith, in particular, was feeling almost giddy after the forced confinement. This was one place she would never, EVER, want to visit again---locked up like some kind of animal while the real ones held the keys. How fucking fair was that? At least she wasn't alone this time around. Having B there, even Xander---that helped some. Helped her from feeling like she was taking a swan dive over the deep end of a dark pit. They were led to the front of the station, past a bulletin board pinned full of missing persons posters. Kind of fucked up how so many people go missing each week in Sunnydale and the only testament to their lives is a dorky little picture hanging on a moth eaten cork board.
Faith's foray into philosophical thought was cut short when she heard Buffy's gasp. Turning her head, she found out what had so startled her girlfriend.
What, turned out to be a who. Standing next to Willy with a 'pissed off but trying to hold it in' expression was Joyce. All three teens stopped as soon as they spotted her. Nobody wanted to walk the extra couple of feet it took to secure their freedom. Suddenly, incarceration didn't sound like a bad idea---at least they got free room and board out of the deal.
It took Buffy a few seconds to gather up the nerve to approach her mother. Xander and Faith walked behind, utilizing her like some sort of a human shield. Thanks for the support guys. Remind me to return the favor someday...God, I haven't seen a look like that since she threw me out of the house. I am in SO much trouble this time.
Joyce leveled a glare at her only daughter and declared in a low voice, "You are in SO much trouble young lady."
Buffy looked away, throwing a glare at Willy who only shrugged and said mildly, "You didn't really think I had the money to bail you buggers out of jail, did you? I did the only thing I could under the circumstances."
They all filed out to Joyce's jeep after the last of the paperwork was completed. No one said a word until they were all seated in the car. Up until then, there had only been tense silence which, in Buffy's mind, always signaled the calm before the storm. And she wasn't disappointed this time either.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Joyce swiveled in her seat and yelled, "I can't believe you did this. What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?"
"Mom, please calm down," Buffy pleaded and then added rather unwisely, "It's not like I killed someone or something." The moment it popped out of her mouth, she knew it was a mistake but it was too late to take it back now. She risked a sideways glance at Faith who was looking studiously down at her lap. As if being in the doghouse with her mom wasn't enough---should've just kept her mouth shut.
"You're grounded," Joyce stated firmly. Running her eyes over the other two offenders in her backseat, she added, "And until such time as I see fit, you will not be allowed to see Xander or Faith outside of school."
"MOM!" Buffy cried in alarm.
"I don't want to hear it." Joyce turned back around, effectively ending the conversation.
Buffy tried to make eye contact with Faith but the other girl was still avoiding her glance; instead opting to stare straight ahead. As if things weren't looking bad enough, now they were going to get downright unbearable.
Part 15
Later that same night, after Buffy had laid out all the logical reasons plus a good dose of pleading and begging, Joyce had agreed to let her daughter go out on patrol---on the condition that she be back at the designated hour and not a minute after.
Buffy automatically started walking to the nearest cemetery. Her mind wasn't exactly focused on slayage tonight but she was grateful to be out of the house, nonetheless. Another minute under the watchful scrutiny of her mother and she would have overdosed from the guilt. And it wasn't as if she didn't see her mom's point---she did. But she was also looking at the big picture and that picture told her Snyder was hiding something.
At least the afternoon wasn't a total bust. When Willy saw the stone idol she had taken, he very nearly jumped out of his corduroy pants. His nose was probably buried in some book right now researching the night away. That was one of the few characteristics he shared with Giles.
Giles---that was another item on her "things to worry about" list. She missed his presence, his supportiveness, his mother hen ways---she missed him period. What was he doing now? Did he have a counterpart in this world? If not, then the only way to get him back in her life was to find whoever had brought her here and make them fix this mistake. But if that happened, what would happen to Faith? She'd be back to being psycho rogue slayer on the loose and they'd be back to being enemies. That wasn't an option. It just wasn't going to happen.
Too many problems...too much thinking. As Buffy tried to prevent her mind from roaming any further, she found herself knocked off her feet from behind. Great, the way I'm feeling, I COULD use a workout. But before she could get up, she felt someone land hard on the small of her back, effectively knocking the wind out of her. Buffy tried to recover as her assailant rolled her onto her back. When she saw the face of the person holding her down, she nearly had her breath stolen away again.
"Snyder?!" She wheezed out in disbelief. Her former principal sat crouched on her chest like some kind of obscene gargoyle. Clearly her earlier intuition about him was correct. Her arms became pinned down as Snyder gripped them in his hands. Normally, Buffy would have been able to free herself easily but it was as if there was a mountain instead of a man on top of her. She could only stare up helplessly at her tormentor.
"Buffy Summers," Snyder hissed, "You have something I want."
"You mean my plucky yet lovable personality?" Buffy quipped trying to hide her fear.
"Insolent as always I see," Snyder smiled toothily. "All the more fun for me. I'll enjoy this."
As he talked, the pendant he wore around his neck, pulsed with a faint light. At the same time, Buffy began to experience a familiar numbness spreading throughout her body. Her stomach dropped as she tried to prepare herself for what would inevitably come next. The pain, when it came, lanced through her chest seconds later, more excruciating than she ever remembered. Her mouth opened in a full-throated scream as thousands of white hot needles seemed to pierce through her heart.
Snyder smiled down at the anguish so plainly written on Buffy's face. It wouldn't be much longer now. In another couple of seconds, her heart would seize, unable to bear the stress it was being subjected to. So intent was he on witnessing Buffy's dying agony, he failed to notice the figure running up from behind until it launched itself at him
The two figures tumbled and rolled, landing in an inglorious heap a few feet away. Snyder drew the short end of the stick as he ended up on the bottom of the pile. Staring up into the eyes of one very pissed off slayer, he knew his life was forfeit unless he acted quickly. Faith, however, was slightly quicker. Wrapping one hand tightly around his throat, she proceeded to pummel him with the other.
"What" (Hit) "Did" (Hit) "You" (Hit) "DO?" (Hit)
Snyder's face started to resemble a red and pulpy artwork dreamt up by a pre-schooler as Faith reared back to deliver a final blow that would have probably cracked open his skull and ended his existence. Before she could carry out the act, however, a sharp, stabbing pain in her gut diffused her momentum, effectively extending Snyder's life. Faith toppled over onto her side as Snyder half-crawled, half-stumbled away from the area.
Faith watched him escape, wishing she had just snapped his neck when she had the chance. Biting back a frustrated scream, she looked down at her stomach. The little bastard had somehow managed to stick a knife in her---and a big-ass knife at that. Sucker must've measured at least 12 inches judging from the size of the handle which was the only part that wasn't buried in her gut. The lower half of her torso was already covered in blood and more was welling up with every beat of her heart.
Struggling to her feet, she staggered over to Buffy who was still lying motionless on the ground. Faith dropped to her knees and called in a shaky voice, "B, wake up...I know you're not...dead. You're still....breathing." It was getting harder and harder for her to talk as she fought to suck in every breath. Darkness edged around the corners of her vision until there was nothing left but black. Faith felt her body hit the ground a few seconds before her head followed.
Taken down by a midget troll---perfectly shitty ending to a perfectly shitty life. With that last thought, Faith released her tenuous hold on consciousness.
Part 16
Snyder stumbled into the cavern, crying out, "Help! Please, you have to help me!" At least that was what he tried to say. What actually came out was a whole different matter. It was hard to speak when your mouth is a swollen and bloody mess ---even harder when your nose is crushed up against your face. However, his pleas did manage to garner the attention of two cloaked figures who slid over to him on silent feet.
"It seems," commented the second figure, "that our contingency plan has failed."
"Looks that way Brother." The shorter one replied. "Do we try again?"
Snyder's eyes darted nervously between the two entities as they seemed to study him in turn.
"Do we have a choice?" The second figure finally asked. "In the meantime, I think it is your turn to dispose of the garbage."
Snyder's eyes widened as the first figure reached over and snapped the pendant from his neck. If he looked back on it now, he could almost pick out the exact moment his luck ran out---the day Buffy Summers decided to call Sunnydale home.
*****
She didn't know how long she had been standing there---she didn't know how long she had been waiting. And it really didn't matter because she was used to it. You went into life not knowing shit, and you came out of it not knowing shit. That was just the way it was. You might think you knew yourself or the people around you but you never really knew. So she stood there....and waited.
It wasn't even that bad actually. The sun was glaring down but it was a dry heat---nothing to sweat over. The land stretched out, featureless and yellowed like the color of old newspaper with the exception of railroad tracks which stretched out from one horizon line to the other---the very same railroad tracks she was standing on as a matter of fact. If she wasn't perfectly content, it was only because she kept feeling like she had forgotten something. Every once in a while, the feeling would sneak up on her, urging her to move, to leave this place where nothing really mattered. But she liked it here. She didn't have to think, she didn't have to feel---it was the closest thing to paradise she had ever known.
"Faith? What are you doing?"
She turned her head from side to side, squinting into the afternoon glare but she saw no one.
"Faith, you have to come back."
She hated it when people told her she had to do something. They couldn't just bury their noses in their own business, they had to poke it in hers too. She'd damn well had enough of that shit--she was staying right here.
"Faith, please come back. I need you."
That little niggling feeling which had been bugging her off and on since she had found herself in this place decided to make itself known again. It settled in the pit of her stomach, twisting her insides around until she felt the bile rising up her throat and the memories rushing back in her mind.
"B?" She asked, suppressing the urge to hurl.
*****
Joyce Summers stood in the hospital doorway silently watching the two figures in the room. One lay strapped to machines which recorded, monitored, and processed every breath and heartbeat her body emitted. The other sat slumped over on the bed, apparently asleep. It had been like this ever since Buffy and Faith were first brought in. According to the attendants who were working at the time, an ambulance had been dispatched to the cemetery grounds after several calls to the switchboard reported screams and shouts in the general vicinity.
Joyce was notified shortly thereafter by the hospital staff that her daughter was found unconscious and had been admitted into the emergency ward. Buffy remained like that for several hours more before recovering. Faith, on the other hand, hadn't fared as well. She was close to death by the time the doctors began working on her. It took most of the night for them to patch up the damage done to her body and during the latter part of that time, against doctor's orders, Buffy waited anxiously outside the operating room until they wheeled her friend out.
Ever since then, Joyce had tried to talk her daughter into going home to get some rest. She had tried demanding, cajoling, yelling, reasoning, and even pleading but none of those tactics worked. Buffy refused to leave Faith's side.What she didn't understand was why her daughter was acting so stubbornly. Yes, her friend was hurt and yes, she should be concerned but did it really take priority over her own health? After all, they still didn't know why Buffy had fallen unconscious in the first place. The doctors had no clue and Buffy's friends were just as baffled.
She tried to be a good mother, she really did, but when your daughter is the slayer, things never seemed to go easily. Taking one last look, Joyce turned on her heels and left.
Part 17
After choking back the bitter taste of her own bile, Faith turned around slowly until she stood facing Buffy. For the first few minutes, neither one made a move towards the other. Faith was the first to look away as she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," Buffy answered simply.
"Well you found me," Faith said with a sarcastic smile. "Am I supposed to give you a prize?"
"You ARE the prize," Buffy said earnestly, taking a step forward.
"NO!" Faith yelled backing away. "I'm no one's fucking prize...No one deserves to get a piece of shit like me as their prize. If you're gonna play, aim higher, B."
"You're about as high as they come Faith," Buffy continued as she advanced, "Please come back with me. I need you...I love you. You have to see that."
"I can't." Faith could feel tears stinging at the back of her eyes as she declared, "This is where I belong--"
"You BELONG with me," Buffy interrupted.
The sound of a shrill whistle pierced the air, halting their conversation momentarily. Behind Faith, in the distance, a speck began to grow steadily larger as it approached on the tracks, a plume of smoke trailing into the air behind it.
"You have to get out of here NOW!" Faith yelled as she turned back to Buffy.
"You know I can't." Buffy shook her head. "Not without you."
The locomotive grew ever larger as it approached. The ground beneath their feet trembled slightly in anticipation.
"You're going to DIE!" Faith desperately cried.
Quickly closing the gap between herself and Faith, Buffy wrapped her arms securely around the other girl's waist. Burying her head into Faith's neck, she said quietly, "I love you."
The ground shook as the locomotive barreled down on the slayers' location. But by the time it passed over the spot where they had once stood, Buffy and Faith were already gone.
*****
Waking up from a deep sleep is like trying to swim through jello---hard, slow-going, and an all around messy affair. When Faith finally broke through the veil that separated consciousness from slumber, the first thing she noticed was how uncomfortable she was. It was probably because of all the tubes and shit they had stuck into her.
A soft "Hey" drew her attention momentarily away from her own discomfort.
Buffy sat in a chair next to the bed, holding Faith's hand in both of hers. And if she held on any tighter, they'd have to tack on another injury to the list. "B?" Clearing her throat, Faith continued, "Not that I'm complaining or nothing but...you're about to break my hand."
"Omigod." Buffy immediately loosened her grip on Faith's hand but still maintained her hold. "I'm sorry. I didn't-"
"It's nothing," Faith assured her before carefully studying the other girl. Buffy's eyes were puffy and red as if from a combination of too much crying and too little sleep. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair was a mess. "No offense, but you look like crap B." Faith smiled to take the sting out of the statement.
Buffy's lips quivered as she buried her head onto Faith's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. Faith didn't know what to do---nobody had actually "cried on her shoulder" before. What was the protocol in situations like this anyway? She awkwardly patted the back of Buffy's head with a free hand while murmuring "It's alright, B. Everything's going to be five by five...I'm a jerk. You know I think you're beautiful right?"
It took a few minutes for Buffy to regain enough control over her emotions to slow the flood of tears down to a mild trickle, accompanied every so often by hitched breaths and hiccups. "Y-you almost died," Buffy said haltingly.
"Nah. You would've dragged my butt back," Faith said with utter conviction. "In fact, that's exactly what you did...Thanks."
Buffy slowly raised her head until she could look into Faith's eyes, "It doesn't matter where you are, I'll always come for you... I love you SO much."
Faith swallowed back the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. Only Buffy could make her feel this way with only a few words---And it was a good thing too 'cause if anyone else saw her like this, she'd probably have to kill 'em or at least gauge their eyes out. After all, she did have a rep to maintain. But since there was nobody but the two of them in the room, she allowed her own tears to fall. It would've been so easy to just give up, to forget everything and everybody---only problem was, there was just one person she couldn't forget, who wouldn't forget her and that was the only reason she was still alive right now.
Faith looked into the eyes of the person who had saved her, in more ways than one, and said with her whole heart, "I love you too, Buffy."
Part 18
The next day, Buffy , the Slayerettes, and Willy were all gathered in Faith's room. The doctors, after examining the injured slayer had been suitably amazed at her recovery rate. They predicted that she would be ready to leave the hospital in a few days which Faith took to mean that she should be able to book by the end of the day--at the latest. After all the get well wishes had been dispensed with, the group was currently discussing their latest findings.
"What do you mean it's not?" Buffy asked incredulously.
"What part of that didn't you understand?" Willy asked irritably. "According to Anya, there hasn't been any incursions between realities...since the last time."
"Buffy," Willow explained to her friend, "It means you aren't from a different reality after all. This IS your world---with a couple of changes."
"So all we have to do is find whoever made the changes and...make them unchange it, right?" Xander asked. "But that brings us back to square one. Who ARE we looking for?"
"I'd bet on Snyder, that fucking rat bastard," Faith spat out. "If I ever see him again, I'll finish the job I started on his face." Buffy put a restraining hand on Faith's arm before she could get any more fired up.
"There might be a problem with that," Willow observed. "The police haven't been able to find him. It's like he's disappeared---it's a good thing though. Since they still haven't gotten a statement from him yet, they'll have to drop the charges on you guys."
"Yes. A free slayer is a happy slayer," Willy commented dryly. "Now let's get back on track. I've managed to trace the stone figurine Buffy gave me to an extinct tribe in the far east. Loosely translated, they were known as the Eaters of Souls. According to several corroborating texts, the tribe's people were heavy practitioners of magick. And one of their more important rituals involved the removal of the spirit/soul from a warrior's body---the 'ingestion' of which would increase the sorceror's power as well as longevity. And in the same vein, the stronger and purer the warrior's spirit, the more of a kick it'll provide. We can safely assume from what's happened so far that Buffy is the target for this ritual which, I hear , is a VERY painful process for the unlucky subject."
"Painful is getting a root canal at the dentist without anesthesia. This...this was like having your skeleton pulled out through your nostrils." Buffy shuddered at the remembered agony.
"Just tell me one thing. How do we stop these bastards?" Faith asked.
"Don't know yet," Willy shrugged. "I haven't been able to find an incidence of anyone actually escaping once they've been chosen."
"Well this'll just have to be a first." Willow said with infinite optimism. "You said that they get stronger if they absorb a strong soul...well what if they try to absorb a bad one, like from a vampire or a demon?"
"You mean to suggest that we trick the buggers into THINKING they're taking Buffy's spirit whereas, in reality, we're feeding them a vampire's?" Willy thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Might work...we'll have to work out some details but it's a good start. Meantime, since we still have no clear idea of when or where the enemy will strike next, I think it would be prudent if you two," he pointed at the two slayers, "stick close together from now on---to watch each others backs and what not."
"We'll be inseparable," Buffy said nodding vigorously.
"Just call us joined at the hips," Faith added, her face lighting up at the prospect of more Buffy time.
"Yes well...don't take it too literally," Spike admonished before turning back to Willow. "C'mon then, we've got work to do."
After trading good-byes, the gang left to do some good old fashioned research. As soon as the door closed, Buffy climbed onto the bed next to Faith, wrapping an arm tenderly around the other girl's waist.
"I am SO ready to ditch this dive, B."
"I think the doctors'll have something to say about that."
"Screw those quacks. If I make a break for it, are you backing me up?"
"One condition---if you come home with me." Buffy quickly added that her mom was okay with the whole arrangement. She had actually been surprised at how easy it had been to talk her mother into agreeing. Granted, Joyce was still in the dark about her daughter's new relationship with her fellow slayer but Buffy wasn't about to question her good luck. They'd just have to deal with those issues when they came up. Now all she had to do was convince Faith it was a good idea too.
"Is this from the same person who told you you couldn't see me outside of school anymore?" Faith asked skeptically. "Label me a pessimist but I predict awkwardness and tense silences in my future if I agree to your little plan."
"Nah, it won't be so bad," Buffy assured her. "And anyway, you saved my life which counts for mucho points with her. If you play your cards right, you might even get a complimentary toaster out of the deal."
"Even though that toaster could come in pretty handy, I'll settle for your company instead."
Buffy looked up at Faith as she tried to suppress a smile, "Wow, you must really love me if you're willing to give up a handy dandy electrical appliance."
"What can I say? I'm a modern day Casa-fucking-nova."
Part 19
A few hours later, under the watchful gazes of some very upset doctors, Faith was wheeled out of the hospital. They should have been grateful that she had consented to be rolled out in a wheelchair at all. Buffy pushed her partner outside where Joyce had parked the car. The ride back to the Summer's residence was relatively quiet with neither Joyce nor Faith knowing quite what to say in the other's presence. Buffy tried to fill in the silence with little success. It seemed that Faith's earlier prediction was coming true already.
When they arrived at their destination, Buffy helped Faith upstairs to her room. Thanks to Xander, most of Faith's clothes were packed in a bag by the door which saved them an extra trip to the motel. Plopping down on the bed with a heavy sigh, Faith said "I don't think this is gonna work out, B. If your mom gets any tighter, she'd be squeezing diamonds out her ass."
"Faith!" Buffy admonished sternly as she laid down next to her. "Just give it some time. My mom'll come around. Once she gets to know you better, she'll--"
"Throw me out on my ass for sleeping with her daughter?" Faith questioned with a mock leer that made Buffy blush down to the roots of her hair. This reaction only encouraged Faith to leer more provocatively. After all, it wasn't everyday one got to see such a lovely shade of red.
*****
Dinner that night proved a better experience than the car ride earlier. Aside from a couple of moments, it had turned out to be a relatively tension-free affair. Although not a ringing endorsement, Buffy was encouraged enough to hold out the hope that when her mom finally did find out about her relationship with Faith, she wouldn't totally freak out---wishful thinking probably but it could happen.
After Joyce retired for the evening, the two slayers camped out in front of the television in the living room. It had been decided that Buffy would skip patrol until Faith was well enough to join her. And judging by the rate that slayers healed and Faith's own stubborn pride, it would be in the very near future.
Lying on the sofa with her head in Buffy's lap, Faith was half-dozing, half-watching some crappy movie.
"Can I ask you something?" Buffy asked, stroking Faith's hair rhythmically.
Faith roused herself from her lethargy before answering "Shoot".
"You know...uhm...what made you...er...why didn't you..."
"B, if you keep doing that, you'll put me to sleep. Just spit it out."
"Right...Why didn't you turn evil--I mean, I am SO glad you didn't but--"
"'Cause I realized what I had before it was too late. I've messed up so many times before when I thought everything was collapsing around me...I just didn't want to go through that shit again. And I had a feeling if I went with the mayor, it'd just sink me deeper into this pit I'd dug for myself."
"Oh."
Faith teasingly added, "Plus, there was this blonde chick who kept following me around, telling me how she was there for me. Finally had to kiss her to shut her up."
"I'm glad I was there for you," Buffy said in all seriousness. She could barely bring herself to remember what should have, could have, did happen if decisions and actions were different.
Observing Buffy's contemplative mood, Faith quickly said "Don't. I know what you're thinking right now, so don't. We said we weren't gonna dwell anymore, remember? So what's it gonna take to put a smile back on your face?"
"I could think of a few things you could do," Buffy coyly responded.
But before Faith could act on those "things", they were interrupted by a knocking at the door.
"Expecting someone?" Faith asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Not particularly...Faith, much as I hate it, you're going to have to move so I can get that."
When the other slayer finally consented to budge, Buffy hurried to open the door. She was greeted with the familiar brooding visage of her ex-lover.
"Buffy. Is this a bad time?"
Part 20
"Angel," Buffy exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?" She could feel Faith's presence behind her.
"I heard about what happened," he answered looking over her shoulder. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Well as you can see," Faith said putting a possessive arm over Buffy's shoulder, "we're five by five."
Angel's eyes narrowed as he asked, "Can I speak with you in private Buffy?"
"Yeah...I need to talk to you anyway." Buffy threw a placating look at Faith before stepping out and shutting the door behind her.
Why are you surprised? You knew this would happen, didn't you? That fucking undead pretty-boy comes around and you're dumped like yesterday's garbage. When the fuck'll you learn that crap like this is always going to happen to shit like you? Sure she ACTS like she cares for you but you know it's all a fucking act! She pities you---they all pity you! None of them really cares.
"Shut up," Faith mumbled to herself as she made her way back to the sofa. It wasn't true; it couldn't be true. Sitting down wearily, she put her head in her hands. Buffy loved her---she'd said so herself.
Love you?! Wake up! She's playing you for a sap. She's just using you to make dickweed jealous. You know what'll happen when she comes back? She'll be all apologetic and shit, telling you she made a mistake, telling you it'd be better for everybody involved if you just left now and save her the trouble of looking after your sorry ass.
"Damn it. Shut up." Faith squeezed her eyes tightly shut in the hopes that it would also shut out the voice which had plagued her since childhood. Her mother's rasp always seemed to rear its ugly head when she needed it the least.
*****
"I just found out what happened from Willow. Seems that I'm a little out of the loop."
Buffy nodded distractedly. She wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible. "You know about me and Faith right?" Receiving only a silent stare, she decided to elaborate. "She loves me and I love her...Do you have a problem with that?"
"You know how I feel about Faith."
"No. No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?" Buffy had an equally hard stare on her face.
Letting out a slow breath before continuing, he said "Look, we've had this conversation before and I don't feel like rehashing it."
Buffy looked dumbly up at Angel before realizing he had no clue about what had happened in the last couple of days. He wasn't kidding when he said he was out of the loop. This was going to be a longer conversation than she had hoped for. By the time she finished relating the basic events that had taken place, Angel was looking more than a little concerned.
"You have no intention of changing things back, do you?"
"What do you mean?"
"If what you just said is true, you're not going to want Faith to change back," Angel said accusingly. "You don't give a damn HOW many lives will be affected as long as you get to keep your girlfriend."
Buffy didn't have an answer for the accusation. What could she say? Angel had only verbalized what was already in the back of her mind. Faith deserved this chance to start over. SHE deserved this chance. But it still hurt to be reminded of this act of selfishness.
"Buffy, think about what you're doing. This isn't like you. You have to change things back...or I will."
She felt her fists clench involuntarily at the threat. "You try it and I swear to God I'll kill you." A line had been drawn in the sand. There were no more illusions about where her loyalties lied. There was no going back at this point, not that she had any such intentions anyway.
Angel finally nodded. "I'll do what's right." He handed a slip of paper to Buffy. "When the time comes, I hope you'll do the same."
Part 21
She shut the door firmly behind her before letting out the breath she held. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Who was he to say what was right and wrong? He was Mr. Torture-And-Suck-'Em-Dry up until recently. And now he had the nerve to tell her that she was wrong for wanting to keep Faith as she was? The only way she would be wrong was if she didn't follow her instincts which were currently screaming for her to rejoin the other slayer. Stuffing the scrap of paper into her pocket for later, she went into the living room to find Faith with her head in her hands. Quickly crossing over to her, Buffy asked in a concerned voice, "Faith, are you all right? Is it your wound? Does it hurt?"
"No...it's not that."
"So what is it?" Buffy asked kneeling in front of her. There had to be something wrong. No one looked that miserable without a damn good reason.
"Like I said, it's nothing. Why does everything have to have a hidden meaning with you?" Faith looked away irritably. There was no way in hell she was going to show any of the turmoil she was feeling. There had already been enough weakness, enough pathetic sniveling to last her a lifetime.
"Is it Angel? Because--"
"Damn it B. Why do you have to analyze everything I do? Can't you just take my word for it? I told you. Everything. Is. Fine. So back off." Faith stood up, wincing slightly at the abrupt movement. She made as if to go upstairs but was stopped again by an arm holding her back.
"I'll back off when you tell me why you're acting like this. Don't shut me out Faith. Please talk to me."
Faith whirled around, grabbing Buffy by the shoulders. "Tell me, how was it? How was it like to fuck an undead corpse? Did you get your jollies in before he blew?"
"Don't--"
"Seeing as to what happened afterwards, I sure hope you got all your money's worth in. Would've been a real shame if you weren't satisfied--" A hard shove cut her tirade short. Faith found herself sprawled on the floor as Buffy stood over her, a horrified expression on her face.
"Oh God, I didn't...Faith..."
"I'll give you that one B," Faith said as she slowly got up. "Next time, I come up swinging." She was halfway out the door before Buffy shook off the paralysis she was in and followed. There was no way it was going to end like this. They had worked too hard, been through too much for things to fall apart, especially since she still didn't know the reason why it had progressed to this level in the first place.
"Faith...Stop...Would you please stop walking and talk to me?" Buffy resorted to stepping in front of the other girl to stop her progress.
"What's there to talk about? I would think the conversational well has runneth dry."
"Just, please hear me out. And if you still feel like leaving, I won't stop you."
"Your time's ticking. So start talking."
Buffy made sure she had her girlfriend's full attention before speaking. "You are the _most_ important person in my life. It's not Angel or Willow or anyone else. It's you. When I shoved you back there...I felt like I had ripped out my own heart because, as corny as it might sound, that's what you are to me. You're my heart. And I would rather sit through a 24 hour marathon of WB sitcoms than ever hurt you again."
Well here it was, clear as crystal; the fork in the road that everyone kept talking about---that decision that either makes or breaks you. Thing was, Faith was tired of being broken, tired of always feeling like a second class slut who didn't deserve anything good in her life...tired of getting mind fucked by that voice inside her head. So who could blame her for wanting to believe what Buffy was saying?
"Whatever happens from now on, I want you to know that there's one thing that will never change, no matter what. I love you and I'll keep telling you that until you believe me."
She felt herself falling again but at least this time, she knew there'd be someone to catch her at the end. Her little voice could go fuck itself as far as she was concerned. It might be one big setup for Disappointment Central, but from this angle, there was only one choice she could make and still be able to live with herself in the morning.
She pulled Buffy close enough to give her a fierce hug that was promptly returned in kind. This almost violent emotional display would have been more than okay if she were at one hundred percent slayer capacity but as it was, Faith couldn't quite hold back the sharp intake of breath that caught her by surprise. When Buffy tried to disengage from the embrace to check what was wrong, she was instantly pulled back in.
"I can deal with the pain..." Physically anyway. "But, right now, I have something else on my mind...Can you guess what that is?"
Buffy shuddered slightly as she asked, "Does it have something to do with what your hands are doing right now?"
"That's part of it," Faith answered as she kissed along Buffy's jawline.
"Are you sure...I mean...ummmm...mmmm..." As convincing as Buffy's argument was, Faith managed to push her point across quite nicely.
A few very coordinated and acrobatic moves later, they made it back to the house and up to Buffy's room without relinquishing their hold on each other or tripping over anything _too_ significant.
Part 22
"Buffy, Buffy...You left the TV and the lights on downstairs...It's time for school and don't think you can get out of it. Get up and get dressed."
The insistent nagging and pounding on the bedroom door finally woke the two occupants who were currently curled sleepily around each other.
"You feel up to it?"
"Do you even have to ask?" Faith began kissing Buffy as her hands proceeded under the covers.
A few exquisitely pleasurable moments later, the blonde slayer managed to kickstart her brain again. "I meant...Do you feel up for school?"
Faith didn't stop as her lips continued their descent down Buffy's neck. A barely audible "Like this better" floated up to the blonde's ears. The night before had been _amazing_. That was the only suitably adequate word Buffy could come up with at the moment considering Faith was set on a repeat performance. But it had felt a little weird knowing her mom was in the same general vicinity, in the same general house actually. And if they didn't stop now, her mom would be back outside her bedroom door wanting to know what was keeping her.
Pulling Faith up until she could look her in the eyes, Buffy had every intention of halting the amorous encounter. What was that old saying, 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'? Maybe it applied here or maybe it didn't, but one look at Faith's tongue as it licked across her bottom lip made Buffy forget all about her mom, school, and every other insignificant thought that had rented space in her mind. Rolling Faith over so that she straddled the warm and nekkid body beneath her, Buffy proceeded to re-familiarize herself with every part of the dark slayer's body.
It took two more trips by Joyce before the two girls made an appearance outside the room. By that time, they were later than late for school but were they repentant? Hell, No!
*****
"So this is what we have so far. This" Willow pointed to the crystal she held in one hand. "will be used to store the spirit of the vampire. Buffy, you'll have to wear it from now on. If anyone tries to remove your soul, it'll automatically trigger the crystal to release its soul, resulting in a whole soul switching switcheroo."
"Which is good?" Buffy guessed. The gang was once again gathered in the library at the end of another abysmally long school day as Willow showed off her new toy..
"Oh yeah---totally good," her best friend responded. "But remember to act all tortured and hurt when it happens or they'll be suspicious."
"Gotcha."
"And from what you've already told me, they have a pendant which kind of acts like my crystal---as a storage facility for your soul until they can divvy it up. If I'm right, then destroying their pendant afterwards will change everything in this world back to the way it was."
"Change it...back?" Buffy asked hesitantly.
"Yeah Buff," Xander chimed in. "That _is_ the point isn't it?"
Buffy coughed to mask her own anxiety. "First things first. We have to get a vamp's spirit and since I doubt any will volunteer, we'll have to go draft the lucky participant. C'mon Will, let's go crash a nest."
Kissing the top of Faith's head before leaving, Buffy added, "Be right back."
They returned about an hour later having successfully completed their intended mission as well as making an unscheduled pitstop at Buffy's house to pick up the scrap of paper that had been totally forgotten until then.
"Hey, where's Faith?" was the first question out of the slayer's mouth.
"It's good to see you too," Xander quipped automatically.
"She left a little while ago. Said she needed some air that didn't smell like musty old books," Oz supplied more helpfully.
"Oh...okay," Buffy frowned slightly. "Willy, here." She said, handing over the slip of paper.
"What's this?" Her watcher asked putting down the book he was reading.
"Angel. He gave it to me yesterday." The paper contained the arrival time and place for the courier that would be bringing the Box of Gavrock to Sunnydale.
"What took you so bloody long to give it to me?" Willy asked accusingly after reading over the slip.
"I had other things on my mind," Buffy said defensively.
"Oh, of course," Willy replied derisively. "It's only the end of the world. How silly of me to actually think you would take it seriously."
"Hey. It's not like we still can't stop this guy. The shipment's for tonight. All we have to do is make an intercept and the mayor's Ascension goes bye-bye."
Willy was mollified somewhat but would still glare daggers at Buffy for the rest of the day.
Part 23
Faith had become antsy about 5 minutes after Buffy had left. She tried to stick it out for as long as possible but one more minute staring at nothing but books would have put her into a coma. So she let her feet do the walking and by the time she looked up, she was standing in front of Angel's mansion. Gotta love how that subconscious stuff works. And since she was here already, there was no way she'd miss the opportunity to have some fun at pretty boy's expense.
"Anybody home?" She asked loudly, throwing open the door. "It's your friendly neighborhood slayer calling. No vamp problem too big for us to stake."
Angel stepped out of the shadows at the back of the large room. "Faith," he greeted, spitting out the name as if it were a curse.
"If it isn't dead man walking. Why don't you do us all a big favor and let me stick a woody right through your heart?"
Ignoring the question, Angel posed his own. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, it sure isn't for the conversation," she said walking slowly around the perimeter of the room. "And anyway, I could have asked you the same thing yesterday." Her circuitous route eventually brought her in front of Angel. Sizing him up and down, she said with a slight smirk "There's just something about you I've never liked---like an itch I can't scratch. What was it...what was it?" Faith pondered her own question in mock seriousness. "Oh right! Now I remember. You're a vampire and I, as a slayer, don't like you on principle. But that's not even the kicker. The kicker is that you still have the hots for my girlfriend...which would be fine if I wasn't the jealous type."
"Do you really think that's going to last?" Angel shot back hotly. "Buffy isn't blind and she's going to see you for what you really are sooner or later. When she does, she'll do what's right."
"You just don't know when to give it up. Face it, B's over you and you can't stand it."
"Do you have a point for this visit or do you just like mouthing off on things you know nothing about?"
"Try to wrap your mind around this fact: Buffy's _mine_---If you remember that then we're five by five. Otherwise, I'll have to kill you...slowly. Either way is cool with me." Faith winked as she left Angel staring mutely behind her.
*****
A "Where have you been?" greeted Faith as soon as she stepped through the library doors. Normally, she would have been annoyed at the intrusion into her privacy except that Buffy stepped up to her immediately adding an "I missed you" to the earlier question. It was crazy sick how fast she melted at the words---or more precisely, at B's words.
"Yeah...I've just been marking my territory," Faith said with what she knew could only be a goofy-ass grin on her face.
"I thought you got that out of your system last night," Buffy said, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"B," Faith said in a shocked tone, "You know I could never get _that_ out of my system."
Hooking a finger through Faith's belt loop, Buffy pulled the taller girl along as an equally goofy-ass grin appeared on her own face.
*****
"You're sure you're up for this?"
"Like I said the last 99 times you asked, I'm fine B. You've got to stop spazzing. I'm not gonna break at the first punch."
"I know...it's just that..."
Stepping behind Buffy, Faith wrapped both arms around her lover who immediately leant back into the embrace.
"No worries, all right?"
"None at all." Buffy agreed as she basked in the warmth and safety of the body pressed up enticingly behind her.
Never let it be said that slayers didn't know how to make the maximum use of their time. For instance, here they were, doing a stakeout at the airport, yet they still managed to do the whole snugglefest routine. That was, until someone unexpected showed up...again.
"Dude, you have the most ridiculously bad timing of anyone I'd rather _not_ know." Faith cracked a wide smile that never quite reached her eyes.
Angel didn't answer as he continued to stand stock still a few feet in front of them. A couple of minutes passed as he engaged in an all out staring contest with the blonde slayer. Fun as it was being a spectator to the heated exchange, Faith decided it was about time she made her presence known. Releasing her hold on Buffy, Faith walked up to the tall vampire. Resisting the incredibly strong urge to punch his face in, she opted instead to invade his personal space. It was amazing how much she hated this guy. Everything about him made her just want to...unnghhh!
"Pinch me 'cause I must be dreaming. I thought I made myself crystal clear earlier. Either you're losing your memory in your old age gramps or you have a death wish."
"I didn't come here to put you down but I'll be more than happy to if you don't back off."
"I've been waiting for this. Let's see what you've got." Faith threw the first punch, landing a solid right cross on Angel's face. The attack backed him up a couple of steps and by the time he recovered, he was in full vamp mode. Coming back with a series of jabs, he forced the slayer back onto her heels before connecting with a backhand. Buffy tried stepping between them to stop the fight but got an elbow in the jaw for her efforts. The errant shot stopped the two for a second before they were at each other again, only this time with more ferocity...if that was possible. Angel managed to get the upper hand as he used brute force to fling Faith around the side of the hangar they had been fighting next to. Buffy was about to intervene once again but just as she was heading around the building, she caught sight of a shadow moving to her left. At first, she thought it was Willow and Xander who were supposed to be on the lookout for the mayor's people but, unfortunately, it was nothing so innocent.
She felt herself being lifted off her feet and slammed down hard on the concrete. The shadow separated into two entities as it floated over to Buffy's prone body. The petite slayer's eyes widened as she recognized the pendant one of them was holding. It was time to put the Scooby's theories, along with her acting skills to work. Like the other night, the pendant began to glow with a soft light, prompting Buffy to release a fake scream...that never reached anyone's ears. The loss of her voice panicked her more than the soul stealing hooded figures currently floating over her. Unbeknownst to everybody, the crystal in Buffy's pocket was also beginning to glow as it released its own energy. Just as the transference was nearing an end, the real Xander and Willow appeared at the opposite end of the field. Spotting the trouble, they began running towards Buffy's location.
"Shall we taste now?" The shorter figure asked his compatriot. At the nod, he received, two steams of energy shot out of the pendant and directly into the left breast of each of the figures. Not a second after the streams hit, an awful burnt smell flooded the air around them. Buffy would have moved if she could but her limbs refused to obey her brain. The two shadowy figures imploded as if a vacuum cleaner were sucking at them from the inside. The entire chain of events lasted no more than five minutes. By the time it was over, Willow was leaning over to check on her best friend while Xander picked up the pendant which was all that remained of a supposedly extinct tribe.
"Buffy, are you all right? Can you move?" Willow asked worriedly.
The blonde slayer tested her ability to move and discovered that, even though her reflexes were still very sluggish, it was better than just a minute before. Xander and Willow helped her up as they supported her under each arm. They moved around the corner of the building where the sounds of violence indicated the brawl was still in progress. They weren't disappointed either as they caught their first glimpse of the carnage that had taken place between the vampire and the slayer.
Angel was favoring his right as his arm hung limply at his side. Blood poured down his face from a wicked gash in his forehead, giving him an even more demonic visage than normal. Faith didn't fare much better during the fight. Her stomach wound had reopened shortly after an attempted flying kick at Angel's head. Her tank top was soaked through with blood and she had been hobbled by a blow to the left knee. However, despite the severe blood loss, she currently held the upper hand as she beat her opponent back with a 2X4 she had picked up off the ground.
"Holy bloodshed Batman," Xander yelled in surprise, tightly gripping the crossbow he had hastily flung over his left shoulder during his run to Buffy's assistance.
"How do we stop them?" Willow was clearly disturbed by the display in front of her.
Xander was the first to answer. Still supporting Buffy with his right arm, he fumbled in his pocket while balancing the crossbow, finally taking out the pendant he had picked up earlier.
"We smash?" He suggested holding up his find.
Buffy tried desperately to push the "NO" out of her throat but the best she could manage was a harsh wheeze. Unfortunately, Xander took that as an affirmative. He raised his left arm, preparing to throw the pendant onto the ground only to receive a sharp jab to the kidney before his hand could start its downward motion. The pendant dropped as his hand involuntarily opened at the violent hit. But before it reached the concrete, the fragile jewel was snatched out of the air by a very determined slayer.
Turning back to the action, Buffy immediately realized that Angel was in serious trouble. He laid on the ground as Faith straddled him with a stake in an upraised hand, preparing to deliver the final blow. The blonde slayer made a quick decision. Reaching for Xander's crossbow, she hefted it and took aim.