Xander stalked down the dark alleyway most of his concentration was on the task at hand. Another smaller part of his brain was starting to wonder if the Hellmouth was a myth, if in fact, it was he who attracted Vampires and demons to him. It wasn't like he'd had his fair share of demonic encounters, in fact now that he came to think about it he was honestly starting to wonder if he should call the G-man had have him check it out. After all, since graduation he had been on his Jack Kerouacian road trip. He had been to about 20 different town's between Sunnydale and Nevada and in every single damn last one of them he had bumped into something super natural.
This was by far the most odd though. It was a demon and appeared to be able to walk around during the night without so much as a sideways glance by the population of tourists and workers of Las Vegas. Xander found this very odd because it had to be at least seven feet tall and seemed to be dripping ooze off of it's body with every step. Luckily, this meant that it was a simple matter to track the damn thing, but on the other hand, Xander couldn't figure out why no one else could see the damn ugly thing. If this was Hollywood he could almost see that people would think it was some sort of costume, but this was the gambling capital of America, not the filming capital.
Xander hefted his small double headed fighting Axe, it had been a present from Giles, something to keep in the car, just in case.
Xander was beginning to think that the G-Man had drawn the same conclusions as he had. Tucked into the long coat he was wearing was a Katana, Buffy herself had given it to him, a thank you for leading the other students against the mayor's vampires. She had told him it was the perfect weapon for non-slayer type demon fighters. He'd been kinda teared up about that, because it finally seemed that she took him seriously.
At first, he had wanted Buffy to see him, 'that' way. Something he had long resigned himself to never happening, then it had become an almost constant battle to get her to see him as someone worthy of her respect. A man that could hold his own in a fight, someone that could fight at her side without her having to worry about saving, as she had often told him that she had to. It seemed, at least to him, that her gift had been the sign he had wanted for so long; the sign that he had finally earned that respect.
Up ahead he could just make out the shambling movements of the large slithering demon and felt his stomach clench in anticipation. That fight or flight instinct in all humans was making itself known. After all, what sane person would ever want to go up against a demon or a vampire. The answer to that one was simple, none would. Xander, however, wasn't the sanest person on the planet. He quashed the feeling and slipped into a calmness that had become customary since the night of the Sisterhood of JHE. He'd found that extra confidence boost he'd needed that night, in two ways. One was the brunette bombshell, better known as Faith, despite the later happening's taking him into her bed like that had helped that night turn him into a man. The second and the nail in the coffin of his boyhood was facing down Jack. If not for that, the other things that happened that year may have broken him. Facing Jack over that bomb, and watching him loose his cool when he kept his was the key to his new found confidence. It brought to mind something that Giles had once quoted to him.
"If you can keep your head while those around you loose theirs, then you sir are a man, amongst men."
That was what had happened to him that night. He'd kept his head and became a man.
Hefting his Axe one more time Xander stalked through the shadows silently.
Xander became as still and intent as a pointer dog as he finally spotted the demon at the end of the alley way. It was shuddering slightly, as if it had come to a sudden stop. It's gelatin like makeup was swirling angrily. Then in a voice like molasses it said, "Be gone little one!" it's deep voice reverberating around the quiet alley.
Xander was about to answer the demon, thinking that in some way it had realized his presence when a hauntingly familiar voice broke through the night.
"Sorry, no can do big guy" a smoky voice said with a smile audible in it's Boston accent.
"Move pest, or I will remove you" the demon demanded moving round slightly to get a better angle on the interloper.
Xander's breath caught as the demon's 'pest' was revealed in her stunning entirety. Her hair was longer than when he'd last seen her, down past her shoulder's to the small of her back, but then being in a coma will do that for you. She can't have been awake long and yet she still looked a million dollars and change. Her luminous eyes visible even from his hiding place, one hand on cocked hip, leather jeans and crop top flashing navel. Xander swallowed past a suddenly dry throat when he saw her, a phantom of finger's around his throat making it had to swallow for a moment. He quashed the feeling ruthlessly. He knew that she'd been in a bad place when that had happened, hell he'd wanted to kill Buffy once, and would've as well. Luckily for Buffy and himself willow had come through the situation without being hurt. He wasn't sure, to that day, what would have happened if she had been seriously hurt. So, he couldn't in good conscience hold Faith's actions against her. For that was who was stood in front of the demon with an almost amused expression on her face.
Xander briefly wondered how she had got this far, and how long exactly she had been awake. He'd been gone for about a month, and she was still in the land of the blissfully unaware when he'd visited her just before leaving town.
The demon's colors flashed around, it's jelly like body, a sign of anger if Xander had ever seen one. Then it seemed to just 'move' one second Faith had been standing tapping a foot lazily waiting for the demon to make its move. Then she was flung against the wall with slime dripping off of her.
Xander winced as she let out a sqwark of pain and slid forward out of the shadows. "Hey, don't you know it's bad manner's to hit a lady, well female anyway?"
Faith shook herself and watched within something akin to almost pleased shock as a dark haired figure from her past walked out of the shadows with an Axe in one hand as the other reached into the vamp-ish leather duster.
The Demon, if it could've would've rolled its eyes. "Another pest. Be gone, I am busy."
"Sorry dude, no can do" Xander said parroting Faith's words, "Besides, you... erm... slimmed my fri... erh, ah fuck it." Xander gave up and ran for the demon his hand coming out of his jacket with Japanese sword along for the ride as his Axe flew threw the air and straight through the demons body. It made a strange squelching noise as it entered and exit the demon's body.
The demon laughed, a very wet and throughly unpleasant noise as the Axe embedding itself in the wall behind it and the hole it had caused closed up almost immediately.
In the meantime, Faith had slipped slowly down the wall until finally her feet had come in contact with the floor. Once that happened she ripped herself free of the slime and leapt into a flying kick going straight through the demon as well.
Xander managed to move his sword out of the way as Faith appeared his side of the demon, still moving fast and hit him instead. They went down on the floor in a tangle of limbs with the demon's laughter a mocking accompaniment.
"Okay, this guy's pissing me off" Faith growled disentangling herself from the strangely silent Xander, until her knee found a part of him that no man likes to have knelt on.
With a high pitched yelp Xander pushed the slender brunette off of him and grabbed his wounded genitalia. In an uncharacteristic move Faith turned and winced at him, "Oh hell sorry."
Xander forced his voice into a more normal octave and nodded at the approaching demon, "Apologize later, kill demon now" he suggested forcing himself to first his knees and then finally his feet. He reached down as Faith faced off with the demon and picked up his sword.
Faith kicked the demon with a wheel kick that once again did little except over balance her and make the demon laugh again.
"Ohh tickles" it said laughingly.
Faith growled as she got back to her feet and swung a few horrendously powerful punches at the demon. It let them pass harmlessly through its body and then retaliated by extruding an arm from it's body and hitting the slayer with the force of a fast moving truck. She flew back against the wall with a groan of pain, landing next to where Xander was leaning casually against the wall.
"Some help would be nice" she commented as she pulled herself back up.
Xander smirked, "Oh! Now she wants my help" he said with an ironic lilt to his voice.
Faith narrowed her eyes at him and then turned her back on him, ignoring what could be a hindrance. She had expected more of him, she should've known better. She was used to being let down by guys, she wasn't sure was she was so surprised that Xander had let her down.
Xander chuckled slightly, his eyes, however were serious as he watched the fight. He knew the slayer could take a few more licks like that without even bruising in the morning. He was another thing entirely. A knock like the one faith had just had would've broken something, possibly knocked him out. So, instead, he leaned back against the wall fishing in his pocket and pulling out a cigarette and lighter.
He flicked the Zippo open and drew a lungful of smoke into his body, breathing it out through his nose as he watched Faith being tossed back towards him, with a spray of demon goo.
As faith bounced straight back at the demon a globule of goo hit hit lit lighter, making it flare up tenfold. Smiling lazily Xander drew another toke on his cigarette and walked slowly forward.
"Faith, back off" he ordered.
She glared back at him, wondering briefly when he started smoking before her distraction cost her in the form of a punch to the midsection. She once again flew back against the wall with an explosion of her breath as she was winded. She shook it off and watched horrified as Xander walked over the demon where it was currently stalking her. Then calmly as you like he pushed his lit Zippo straight into the demon's side.
The effect was both impressive and immediate. The demon's entire body exploded into a roaring flame, that burnt right luminescent orange and towered above the demon to a height of about ten feet from it's head.
The flame was both energetic and short lived. Xander was standing back slightly from the flame and when the pillar suddenly seemed to suck in on it's self he looked down at what appeared to be a miniature version of the demon.
Smirking, Xander walked forward, making sure to stand on the tiny demon whereupon it's existence was ended with a horrible little crunching noise.
"So, Faith" he asked the shocked brunette with a cocky smile. "How's it going?"
Faith turned the shot glass over with a triumphant smile and slammed it on the table before her. They had come to a casino, for a drink and a chat. So far, there had been less chat than drinking. "Then I blitzed out of there."
Xander smiled a little fuzzily, "So, you must have woken just after I left."
Faith nodded a little unsteadily, "Yep! Saw you leaving" she said.
Xander lifted his head wearily from the table and fixed her with a swimming gaze, "Wha?"
"You came to see me" she said, smiling slightly, "I w'tched you l(hic)eave"
Xander pointed at her, "You're drunk" he accused.
Faith smirked and watched his finger waiver around, "AM not! 'm a slayer, we don't get thingy, whatsit(hic)drunk"
Xander laughed, "Are, you went HIC!"
"So, got hicc. Hiccy, hicpupies" Faith said frowning slightly, "that's not right?"
Xander guffawed, "Hicpuppies. You funny drunk"
"I'm not drink" Faith insisted seriously, "Dont' say it 'gain"
"Or else wha?" Xander slurred blearily focusing on his drink and making a few grabs at it.
"Dunno yet, think of someit" Faith declared threateningly.
Xander made another grab for his drink smiling triumphantly when he finally managed it, "Got ya!"
"Wha?"
"Me drink!" Xander said gulping it back.
"I'm bored" Faith declared.
"You're a broad" Xander told her seriously.
"Nah, I'm BORED" Faith over enunciated swaying slightly a she sat up straight.
"Nah's youse not... Not wooden" Xander told her, "You're faith, I like ya! Not like forehead guy, he was Dubloon"
"Dubloon?"
"yeah,you know like a Frank" Xander blinked "Ha! I mean plank"
"I'm not wooden?" Faith said leaning forward a leering at him myopically.
"Nah, youse passionate!" Xander said smiling at her and poking his finger onto her forehead, "Like that!"
"Buffy's Passionate" Faith said, sounding surprisingly lucid for a moment, before her eyes crossed. She swung around in her chair, "Barman, MORE!"
"Nah, she's misserbubble too much, not happy or said, just miserhubble. Din't used to be though" Xander said leaning forward and fixing Faith with a secret look, "Used to enjoy it, like you."
"Enjoy wha?"
"Slayage, used to ya know quip and slay. Now it's brood and lay."
Faith guffawed her drink up through her nose. When she had regained her breathing she smiled at him lecherously, "I like you, youse alright!"
"Thanks, like your four too" Xander said pointing to the different Faith's he could currently make out. Or at least the ones that weren't dancing around in his vision.
"Wanna roll?" she asked leaning forward flashing her cleavage at him.
Xander shook his head, "Nah, spect you too much!"
Faith looked like she'd been shot for a moment. It occurred to her that no one had ever said that too her, "Wha?" she asked focusing on him.
"Did ya wrong 'fore" Xander said with the seriousness that only the truly drunk can managed, "Shouldn't 've taken the thingy, the whatchamacallit. Advantage of the situ... situa... situation!" he said with a smile once he'd managed to get the word out, "Like you Faith, wanted to be nice, not another natch, nitch, ah hell thingy on your whatsit."
Faith felt her eyes get suspiciously wet but shook it off and leaned backwards in her chair and ordered another drink, upside down.
She looked around once the drinks were slammed down in front of them, "Sits getting quiet in here" she commented.
Xander flicked out his wrist sending a stake flying. With good reactions despite her advanced state of drunkenness Faith plucked it out of the air. "Ooops!" Xander said laughing, then he glared down at his wrist, "It's late" he said sounding almost sober. "Should get some sleep"
Faith looked down at the stake nestling in her palm, "'s good work" she commented.
"Thanks, did meself" Xander said, moving to get up, and slamming his last drink down. Faith followed suit and tossed back her final slammer. They both stood at the same time and virtually fell on each other, the only thing stopping them was the other, so they ended up in a triangle shape.
Xander focused for a moment, "Ohh, pretty" he said looking at a large flashing lot machine. He grabbed Faith and pulled her after him.
Pain was the first conscious thing Xander registered, pain and a feeling like an entire construction crew was in his head trying to build a new empire state. Complete with cranes and earth moving equipment. "Ow!" he commented to himself, "Agh I'm never drinking again."
Then he realized in a belated way that he wasn't on his own. There was a feeling of soft curves pressed against him and he realized that he was naked. The form pressed against him was also in a similar state of undress. "Wha?" he asked the world, still not quiet daring to open his eyes. Then he realized that he couldn't hear the horrible whir of the air conditioning unit at his cheap motel room. In fact, now he came to think about it, there was a distinct lack of itchy sheets as well, he felt comfortable, a far cry from the horribly lumpy and hard mattress in his hotel.
Finally deciding it was worth the pain, Xander let his eyelids fluttered open. He slammed them shut again as soon as the light assaulted them, letting out a pain moan as he did so. Then after a deep breath he tried again. The bright light hit him like a jackhammer again, but this time he forced himself to keep them open. The light dimmed and he realized he was in a fairly dark room, the sunlight shooting through the curtains was the only illumination. Then he looked to his side and smiled into a raven haired head, "Huh" he thought. It wasn't often that he got to wake up next to a beautiful woman. Then the woman's identity hit him again and his entire body became rigid. He was in bed, in bed with Faith. With the woman that not too long ago had tried to kill him. He gave himself a little shake and then peeked under the covers.
Okay, he was also naked in bed with a very naked Faith, all except what looked to be a white garter on her thigh. Shaking himself again, the woman who was snuggled against him let out a small whimper of complaint. "What the fuck happened last night" he asked the room at large. It wasn't so much that he minded waking up with the raven haired slayer, but there was the small fact he could not remember how they had ended up in a strange bed. In fact his last memory was saying that they should go get a drink and talk. Faith had been reticent at first then she'd said yes. Then...
... Nothing, he couldn't for his life remember what happened after they got to the bar. Or was it a casino. He honestly couldn't recall. He DID know that it felt like a giant gorilla had shit in his mouth and then thrown him around a bit. Faith shifted slightly on his chest and made a muffled snoring noise, forcing him to smile slightly. He'd never mentally tagged Faith as making cute noises in her sleep, but there she was snuffling. He relaxed slightly, after all, he may as well enjoy the feeling. It wasn't like he'd been allowed to stay with her that first night they had been together.
He should be scared, he supposed, after all he doubted that Faith would be as sanguine as he was about waking up in a strange place, and he had no idea where she was mentally speaking. After all, she had been working for the mayor. At the thought of the mayor Xander growled slightly. There was one man that Xander would like to take out to the woodshed. As far as he was concerned he had taken advantage of Faith's position. He wasn't naive enough to think that Faith wasn't at fault, but perhaps if he'd been more successful in his intervention, if he had just not slept with her in a hormone drenched moment, then thing may have been different. Faith, did, at the end of the day, do wrong, but how much of it could've been avoided was a matter for alternate dimensions everywhere.
Faith shifted in her sleep, her leg covering both of his, the strangeness of her single piece of clothing hit Xander again before he started to drift off, her soft breathing and comforting presence lulling him back into sleep.
Faith opened a single brown eye, a large masculine chest filled her vision. The feel of a hard body was under her own softer curves and she felt 'safe' for the first time in a long time. A pair of surprisingly strong arms were wrapped around her, holding her tight and securely. She smiled slightly, still drowsy and not yet fully awake. This was the first time in her life she had woken up like this. Normally she awoke in less than salubrious of surroundings and never, ever, had she woken up feeling comfortable and warm with someone there. In fact, even though she had played the field, she never slept with her conquests.
Her hands spread out across hard muscle and then, as her hand moved, she felt the tell tale signs of a scar. A scar that she knew from past experience. Another thing about Faith and the men she had 'been' with was that they never got a second invite. She liked her freedom and the thought of more than one night standing with a man was not in her book of things to do. However, that scar, a scar that had been put there sometime ago buy a vampire was a sure sign to her that she was with someone who had indeed been with her before.
She looked up into the sleeping face of Xander and felt a rush on panic flood her system. She then realized that she couldn't actually remember how they had gotten to this point. It then registered that they were not at some two bit hotel, or a cardboard box, which had been her occasional home in Vegas. This was a class place. She cast around with her eyes, her long hair tickling the man under her and making him chuckle slightly in his sleep.
It was, a very nice hotel, if she was any judge. She looked back at the smiling Xander and smiled a little herself, in the privacy of his slumber she could allow herself a little softness. One or two things floated up to the top of her memory. Like him stepping in and fighting the demon, then killing it after observing it for a moment. Or the things he had said the night before, and which was one of her final memories of the night. Him telling her that he respected her too much to sleep with her again. She smirked as she realized at some point that night, he had obviously been persuaded otherwise. Not that she minded in the least, but it was still kinda funny.
"Hey" she said softly as one of Xander's soulful brown eyes opened.
"Hey yourself" Xander said, his voice still thick with sleep.
Nothing was said between them for a moment, but it was strangely not uncomfortable. Faith almost relaxed back against him, but caught herself and pulled away. Sitting up straight, the sheet falling away from her shoulders.
Xander gasped as Faith was shown in her full glory, naked as the day she was born. Faith smirked as she felt something come awake, her hand nearby felt the sheets shift. "Like what you see?" she asked with a sensual curl of her lip.
Xander looked into her eyes, "More than you'd believe" he said. Faith felt her breath stolen by the intensity in his eyes. She quickly retreated into her hard girl persona, it was safe and secure and the things she was feeling were not.
"So" she said shattering the moment, "Where the fuck are we?"
"No clue" Xander admitted, his voice strangely wistful, "But it's nice" he commented looking around as Faith covered up.
"Yeah, suppose the owners will mind if I take a shower."
"Hope not, because I want one too" Xander said with a smile.
Faith slipped out of bed and padded naked over to the bathroom, visible through the open door. "Well, I don't want to hear no cracks about saving water" she shot back over her shoulder, adding an extra swing to her hips as she kicked the door closed behind her.
Xander breathed out a long breath, trying to calm his raging hormones and turned his mind to the problem at hand.
Faith got under the pelting water and smiled slightly. She wasn't sure what had happened the night before but she was that interesting type of sore that said something 'good' had happened the night before. She suddenly realized that the water wasn't running properly and looked down at her thigh. A white garter was in place there, frowning and smirking at the same time, she slipped it off and glared at it.
"What the fuck?" she asked the world at large then shrugged and tossed it over her shoulder and ran her hand's through her raven tresses.
Xander got out of bed and slipped on his trousers from the night before, noticing that they felt strangely heavy. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a card key.
"At least the rooms ours!" he commented, then he pulled out a few rolls of quarters.
He looked at them with a confused look on his face for a moment before shrugging it off and tossing them on the bed. His mobile phone came out next and he tossed it onto the bed, then he finally tried his other pocket and pulled out what looked to be a cashier's receipt. He looked at it absently and tossed it on the bed, before moving off into the room, trying to find some clue as to what had happened the night before.
He got two steps before suddenly stiffening, his entire body like a board. Then he turned in a flash and dived towards the bed, grabbing the small piece of paper and glaring at it for a long moment before his face cracked into a huge smile.
As the hot water cascaded down onto her body Faith let out a groan of pleasure. It had been some time since she'd managed to have a decent shower. The motel's she had been staying in recently were not the most amazing of places to stay.
Faith soaped her hair, massaging her hair for a long moment before frowning as her finger's once again got caught in her hair. She pulled them out impatiently and using her other hand wiped the soap away from her face. Tilting her head up into the shower for a second she washed away the worst of it then glared at her hand.
Her mouth worked for a few moments, on her hand was a band of what looked to be silver colored metal. With an expert eye picked up whilst fencing hot jewelry from her mother's 'friends' Faith realized what she was looking at. It could be white gold, it could've even been silver but Faith knew, through some half fuzzy memory that it was neither. On her finger was a platinum ring, her favorite precious metal and something she had always sword tog et herself one day. It was however, in the form she had also sword she would never have it. A wedding ring was on her ring finger on the left hand.
She was about to call out for Xander when he bounded into the room with a large smile on his face.
"Hey!" she said, hiding her hand behind her back, she wasn't sure why.
"Sorry!" Xander said turning quickly like the gentleman he often pretended he wasn't, "but Faith, just had to tell you what i found out."
"I think I know" she murmured.
Xander apparently didn't hear her, "We're Rich!" he said turning again and diving for her, and picking her up into a large hug. "We're Millionaires!"
Faith suddenly forgot that she was being manhandled whilst naked instead she pulled back and looked into Xander's eyes. "What?" she asked.
"We're rich! Millionaires. 5 Million dollar's to be exact" he said dancing around with the dripping wet naked woman in his arms.
"5 mill?" Faith asked the first twitching of a smile starting on her face.
"5 Mill, wee hee!" Xander said dancing around again.
"Let me down, ya big goof" Faith said laughing. "How do you know this?"
"Come on" he said, dragging the still sudded up faith out of the bathroom into the bedroom, "There look!"
Faith picked up the piece of paper he was pointing at. She smirked, "This say's ten"
"yeah 5 each" Xander said still excited.
"But it's in your name" Faith said in a dead tone.
Xander stopped skipping round and looked at her, "So?"
Faith looked at him aghast, "What?" she said stunned beyond belief.
"I'm willing to bet I didn't win that alone Faith, besides what am I going to do with Ten Million dollars!"
Faith beamed at him and dived at him, She then kissed him passionately.
It started as a sort of thank you and then built into something more. Faith broke the kiss still feeling giddy and Xander had joined her in the giddiness, "Wow!" he said with a laugh, "I'm going to have to give you 5 million more often!"
"I'm rich!"
"You are!" Xander confirmed. Then he beamed back at her, "So am I!"
Faith danced around a bit and now the original shock had passed Xander suddenly noticed she was naked, "Oh boy" he breathed.
Faith stopped dancing and looked down at herself, "Oops!" she said, tossing him a sultry smile she disappeared back in the bathroom. It wasn't until she got back in the shower and started to rinse her hair off that she remembered the band on her finger.
"Ah shit!" Faith said quickly finishing off.
One she had done she walked out of the bathroom, and much to Xander's disappointment was now wearing a hotel bathrobe. "We need to talk" she said in a heavy voice.
"Sure thing Faith, take a seat" he said patting the bed beside him.
"Okay here goes" Faith said after a long sigh.
"What is it Faith?" Xander asked in worry, "Is the recipt a fake?" he asked suddenly worried.
"I hope not" she admitted. "No, this is something else I can't remember doing."
Xander cocked and eyebrow at her, "Go on?"
Faith took another deep breath and held out her hand.
Xander looked down at it and smiled, "Hey nice ring. Is that Platinum, that's your favorite isn't it?"
Faith blinked, wondering how the hell he knew that, "Yeah it is, how?"
Xander smirked, "Heard you and Buffy talking, it kinda get stuck in the ole noggin" he admitted. "Well it's nice and all, but you can afford it, so I don't see a problem."
Faith rolled her eyes, "Typical Man!" she accused.
"Well in defense of me, I'd say urh... Yes" Xander said with a smile, nothing was going to destroy his mood today.
"Okay, well if I had to guess I'd say you brought it for me." Faith said leadingly.
Xander shrugged, "Oh, okay, but you know I can afford it to, so no worries, I must've wanted you to have it. Even drunk I wouldn't have blown that sort of money without good reason."
Faith sucked in a breath, wondering if he knew just what he was saying, "So sure stud?" she asked mockingly, "What if I told you this was a wedding ring."
…
"Xander?"
…
"Xander?" Faith said with worry in her tone.
"Xander?" Faith asked again.
"Sorry what?" Xander said with a shell shocked sort of look on his face.
"I said what if I told you it was a wedding ring?" Faith said, half amused half pissed.
"I'd say this was the cheap plot of a b movie." Xander hazarded, "I thought there were safeguards against getting married when you're drunk?"
Faith shrugged, hiding the hurt she was feeling and not understanding why she was hurting. "I dunno, enough money..."
Xander nodded, "Well; if we didn't do anything..."
"... We did" Faith said with sureness, "We sure as hell did 'something' quite a lot of somethings I'd say."
"You remember?" Xander asked.
Faith shook her head, some water flicking around her, "No, but a girl just knows you know?"
"Not really" Xander admitted, "But I'm guessing you have your ways."
Faith smirked slightly, "Oh trust me, we can tell when we've had a good time."
Xander looked at her, "Good time?" he asked with a slightly proud smile.
Faith narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't get up yourself stud."
"Sorry, and sorry I guess" Xander said.
Faith looked at him with confusion etched in her expression, "What?"
"I'm sorry for what happened."
Faith's eyes spat fire, "Oh really, not good enough for you?"
Xander reached forward as Faith started to get up angrily, "No" he said grabbing her arms, "SO not what I meant, now sit down and shut up so I can get through this!"
Faith growled slightly, "One day as my husband and you're already reverting to type!" she said rubbing her arms, even though if she was honest with herself they didn't even hurt slightly.
"I didn't mean to hurt you Faith, I just don't want you going off half cocked." Xander said reaching out for. He took a deep breath, "I'm not sorry we 'did' it." he said, "I'm sorry we didn't 'do' it right."
Faith smirked, "From the way I feel, I think we did it just right!"
"Funny" Xander said, "Now shh"
Faith glared at him, "I'm not your little woman to order around" she spat venomously.
"And I wouldn't ever want you to be, but I can't get through this if you keep interrupting" Xander said, his eye a little inflamed himself.
"Go on" Faith said with anger simmering in her tone.
"I just wish... I never wanted to take advantage of you Faith."
"Puh lease, I'm a grown woman, I can handle myself" Faith spat back.
"And there you go again, just fucking listen" Xander said angrily, "I'm trying to tell you that I care for you Faith." he said in a rush then groaned.
Faith looked like someone had hit her with a shovel. "What?"
"I didn't want a repeat of before, I wanted us to be..." Xander trailed off, realizing he was giving away a little more than he really wanted to. "Look, just forget it okay!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
They glared at each other for along moment before Faith let out a sigh, "I suppose this means I'm out by Five mill huh?" she said standing and gathering her stuff.
"WHY? Why would you think that?" Xander said standing himself and stepping into her personal space and glaring down at her, "Do you think that little of me? That's your money, end of discussion. I'm not some two bit bastard who would go back on what he's said!" he said, his voice low and full of simmering anger.
Faith did her pole-axed impression again, "You keep surprising me Zeppo" she said in a soft voice.
Xander smirked, his anger bleeding away, "Where'd you hear that?"
"I heard Cordelia that day" Faith said, "I was in the school looking for a little fun, caught the little conversation you and your ex were having."
"Conversation, I wouldn't have called it that, but then she had some cause" Xander said deflating and sitting down on the bed again, "look, Faith, I'm not going to con you or take back your money. It's your's no matter what. I'm still really hazy on last night but I remember that you were there all night. It's your money, fair and square."
"Thank you" Faith said,two words that had actually cost her to say, but Xander was turning out to be what he appeared to be. A good man.
"Nothing to thank me for Faith, that's the point." Xander said tiredly. "look, we'll sort this marriage thing out. I'm sure you don't want to be chained down to ME of all people" he said, leaning back and letting his head drop down on the bed.
Faith frowned at him, then stood in front of his prone form. "Why not?" she asked.
Xander's head lifted slightly, a very confused expression on it, "What?"
"Why wouldn't I want to be chained to you?" she asked, the first stirrings of her anger flaring back up in her eyes.
"Well, uh... I'm me, your like this super hero, as you said I'm the Zeppo. I mean don't get me wrong, I've got my skills, but why would you want me hanging on?" Xander said his old attitude flaring up again.
"I only said that to make you smile" Faith admitted sheepishly, "I..." she trailed off at the last moment, not wanting to tell him how much she liked his smile.
"What?"
"I'm no super hero. I've killed people Xander, I've worked for the other side."
"So, what were you doing in that alleyway?" Xander asked, sitting up and looking into her eyes.
"What?"
"Why were you in the alley with goop boy?"
"He was a demon, I'm the slayer" Faith said with a shrug.
"So, he was what competing with your new boss?"
"What, NO!" Faith said angrily, trying to move away from him.
Xander reached out and grasped her hands, stilling her motion, "So you were trying to save people, do what a slayer does?"
Faith nodded, "Yeah, I suppose. I like the kill, ya know?"
Xander smiled, "Really, is that all it was?"
Faith sighed, she actually sighed when he smiled at her, "Look, just let it go."
"Not going to happen Faith, I think that you want to make up for the things that happened, otherwise why leave?"
"Leave?"
"The 'Dale. You could've just hooked up with the next big bad and made Buffy's life hell, but you didn't."
"Urh..."
Xander smirked at her suddenly slightly worried expression, "I know that you're not a so called bad person Faith" he said, his eye holding the truth of his words, "Don't get me wrong, you're a bad girl Faith, hell I LIKE that about you, but you aren't a bad person, despite what that fucker told you."
"Who?" she asked with awe in her voice. What was he doing reading her memories.
"Who ever it was that told you that you were bad, worthless and I'm guessing good for nothing."
"How?" Faith asked her eyes wide, as Xander's steady gaze held her.
"I've been there faith, where you were. I've been told those things." he smirked, "If I'd had the breath at the time, I would've explained before."
Faith blushed, for the first time since she was a kid she actually blushed, "I'm so sorry about that" she said in a rush, "I was scared, angry at what I'd done and guilty as hell. I thought, I honestly thought that you wanted to use that to get back in my pants"
Xander nodded, "Yeah, pretty much what I figured out after, when I was in hospital"
"Hospital?!" Faith half exclaimed and asked.
Xander chuckled, "I'm only human Faith, I break, prick me, do I not bleed" he said quoting a lesson from school.
Faith's eyes filled, "I'm actually sorry" she said with almost wonder in her voice.
"Don't be" Xander said firmly, "I had it coming, a part of me wouldn't have said no Faith and that keeps me awake at nights"
"At least you cared enough to try" Faith told him then looked at him sharply, "Awake at nights?"
Xander chuckled again, "Let's just forget I said that hey?"
"Let's not" she suggested her eyes watery but focused.
Xander let out a sigh, "Fine, let's just say I've done things I'm not proud of in my life and that was one of them. Yes, I wanted to help you, but maybe I wasn't thinking about you, and more about myself"
"What?" Faith asked in shock.
"I was thinking that you'd latch onto me in the end, that you'd be with me" Xander said hanging his head, "That you'd be grateful and maybe date me for a while. That was wrong of me."
Faith looked down at him, not sure to be angry or, strangely enough, complimented.
Xander looked up at her and she was stunned to see his eyes were wet, "I'm sorry faith, I hope you know that."
"I do" she breathed, reaching out and cupping his face, "And you wonder why I'd want to be chained to you" she said.
Xander got the wrong end of the stick, "Yeah that's what I mean" he said. "I'm a loser"
"What?" Faith said in confusion, "Oh" she said in realization, "No, no you're not. I've known a lot of guys that would've thought that, but until now, I've never met one who would've beaten himself up about it. You're... different Xander"
Xander laughed slightly, "Different, that's one way of putting it."
"Yeah, you're brave, proved that when you saved me, good in a fight, I saw that for myself with the slime demon. You actually have a code of honor and try to stick by it. I've just found that out now, and even though you did it for the wrong reasons you still tried to help me. Not only that but you're beating yourself up over it. It's me that's sorry Xander, sorry for not seeing you for who you really are." Faith said her voice serious.
Xander looked into her emotion filled eyes and smiled, "Thanks... i think."
"No, thank you" Faith said softly, tears starting to run down her face.
"Hey now," Xander said softly, reaching out to rub away her tears with a thumb, "Please don't cry Faith."
Faith smiled a watery smile at him and sniffled slightly. The next thing she knew she was once again in the comfort of his arms and she had to admit, it felt good.
"Boss!" A small squat looking demon shouted as it ran through the underground alley's of the city that never stops, "Boss!"
"what is it?" the 'boss' said slipping out of the shadows. His vampiric countenance hidden away the man was by no means a less frightening sight. At some point in his life he had gotten a scar all the way down one side of his face. He wasn't tall, at about 5' 8" but had very broad shoulders, that showed his strength, and a look in his eye that screamed 'Watch out, I'm dangerous'.
"Boss, the slimy one was killed last night!" the small demon said, it's brown skin was as tough as an elephants and he was about as strong, despite it's small size.
"No shit" the vampire master said leaning against the wall, it's highly tailored Italian suit blending in with the blackness surrounding him.
"No boss, a Coupla kids torched him!" the demon said.
"Calm your self Bekhan, and tell me the whole story."
The demon nodded, an impressive feat when you don't have a neck. "Well, the girl she was waiting at the bottom of the alley, while the guy, he followed ole slime face. Then the girl attacked him for a while until the guy just put's a lighter to 'im. Then it was slime roast. The guy, then stepped on 'im game over"
Vincent Capone, no relative, frowned, "Interesting, he knew how to kill him then."
"It looked like it boss."
"what happened then."
The demon smiled, "They celebrated, got tanked up too." the demon started to laugh, but was brought up short by Vincent's expression.
"What's so funny?"
"They won on the super slots, played around on a coupla tables, and made a load of money. Then..." the demon broke off wheezing for breath, "they only went and got married!" he said with an explosion of humor.
Vincent rolled his eyes, unlike many Vincent's in his old profession he was never called Vinny, or those that had hadn't lasted long.
"This is annoying" Vincent commented as his sidekick got his breath back.
"Why boss?"
"I needed the slime demon for ritual in a few nights"
"Oh shit boss, sorry"
"Never mind Vinny, just bring me the heads of the two hunters and we'll call it quits"
The demon known only as Bekhan nodded, gulping at his bosses expression. "Of course boss" he said.
Vincent smiled, fang's glinting as he did so, "Bekhan, don't forget to get their money while your at it."
Bekhan smiled, "Not a problem boss."
Vincent smiled, "You know I told you could call me Vincent one day?"
"Yes Boss" Bekhan said hopefully.
"That day is not today" Vincent said backing away into the shadows.
"Okay, let's forget about all this other stuff" Xander said pulling back from the hug, much to Faith's disappointment and to her surprise.
"Huh?" she said, she'd been half asleep in his arms, so comfortable she had been.
"Why don't we, go out, buy you something pretty and me something James Bond and go have some dinner, somewhere swanky?"
"Xan... I'm not sure I'd..."
"Don't" Xander said, laying a finger on her full lips, "Don't let me hear you ever say, or start to say anything like that again!" he told her, "You will be fine, trust me?"
"Can't we just hit a club?"
"Sure" Xander said with a slightly evil grin, "After we've had dinner!"
Faith rolled her eyes, but she was smiling, "okay, but..." she trailed off, then shook her head, "Never mind, let's get dressed" she said smiling.
"You first" Xander said with a challenging smile.
Faith chuckled a throaty chuckle, "You think you can handle me naked Boy Toy?"
"Already did lover girl, already did"
Faith just chuckled again and collected her clothes, "Maybe later" she tossed over her shoulder.
Xander smiled until she left the room, then his smile slipped to be replaced by a slightly sad expression. "After you in the bathroom" he shouted, covering his momentary slip, even to himself.
The sound of the shower seemed unnaturally loud to her ears. Faith was waiting patiently for Xander to get out of the shower and then they were going shopping together, The trouble was, that faith was fighting the urge to jump into the shower after him, and make suer that they didn't go anywhere for the rest of the day. He didn't realize it yet, but he had pushed every single one of her buttons so far that morning. Then to add insult to injury she's caught sight of him when he'd dropped his jeans before slipping into the shower.
That had damn near broken her cool. For one thing she was having flashes of the night before, and so far all of them had been GOOD. Damn good, if her memory wasn't playing tricks on her, tender and at the same time hot. It was driving her to distraction and she really, REALLY wanted to find out if her memories were exaggerating things.
None of which, even touched on the emotion roller coaster she was on at the moment.
A horrible bleeping noise invaded her thoughts forcing her to look away from the crack in the bathroom door and back to the bed. There nestled on the still rumbled sheets, sheets that she could just about remember being thrown on, was a mobile phone.
Not even thinking about it Faith reached out and snagged the mobile, hitting the green button and smirking into the phone, "Xander's pants he's not in them right now"
There was a sudden stillness at the other end of the phone, the only sound was the sound of someone breathing hard. Faith smirked as Xander came out of the shower, "Hey Xan, you've got a dirty phone call."
"Again!" Xander said, "Damn that woman I told her not to call me again!"
Faith lifted an eyebrow, "What woman, cheating on me already Boy toy?"
Xander chuckled, "Never you Faith, just hang it up." he told her.
"NO" the voice came across the line clearly even to Xander's ears.
"Oh boy!" Xander whispered
"Busted!" Faith said tossing the small device to Xander.
Xander shrugged and tossed her a devil may care smile, "Hey Wills" he said once he put the phone to his ear.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SKANK DOING THERE!" Willow screeched, her voice carrying to Faith's ears and making her wince.
Xander frowned, "HEY! That's no way to talk about my wife" he admonished her.
Faith looked at him a little stunned.
"WIFE!" Willow screamed, the phone going dead as it dropped from her nerveless fingers.
Willow stared down at the phone her face ashen.
Buffy tore into the room with her slay first ask questions later face on, "Willow are you okay?" she asked skidding to a stop by the shaken Wicca.
"Wife" she murmured.
"What?" Buffy asked, "Whose Wife?"
"Xander's"
"Huh?"
"Xander's married"
"Oh, that's... weird"
"To Faith" Willow said.
Buffy blinked, then smiled, "Sorry for a minute there I thought you said Faith."
Willow nodded, "I did. Xander, my Xander, is married to Faith, the skank!"
Buffy smiled sort of uncertainly, "That's a good one" she said, her smile growing, "You almost had me there."
Willow shook her head, tears forming in her eyes, "I'm not joking."
Buffy glared at her, "What?"
"DAMNIT XANDER IS MARRIED TO FAITH!" Willow suddenly yelled, "Did you get hit on the head once to often or something!"
"Hey" Buffy said in a small face.
Willow looked at her, her face white, "I'm sorry" she whimpered, "But I'm..."
Buffy smiled pulling her friend in for a hug, "It's okay, I get it."
"She's en-spelled him." Willow said, then jerked upright, "That's it, she's put a spell on him. That must be it!"
Buffy pursed her lips in thought, "Why?" she asked.
"Because, like you were saying Xander's important to us, especially now Angel's left" Willow told her friend.
"Well, yeah, but why would Faith make him think he was married to her?"
"Because she's got control over him, so he'll shun us for her!" Willow said, slowly working herself up into a rage. "That BITCH! I'll turn her inside out, I'll, I'll drown her in frog spawn!"
Only Xander really knew how dire a threat that was from Willow, but Buffy could tell she didn't mean it nicely.
Willow suddenly grabbed her bag and started out of the house, "hey wait up, where are you going?"
"Vegas" Willow said like it was obvious.
"We start college next week Willow!" Buffy said aghast.
Willow made a dismissive waive with her hand, "This won't take long. I'll be back before you know it."
Buffy paused, then smiled, "You're right, I won't know it. I'm coming with you" she said.
Willow smiled at her blonde haired friend, "Thank you Buffy, but what about the Hellmouth?"
"It's summer, I haven't killed a vampire since graduation." Buffy said, "Just let me pack a few things, okay?"
Willow nodded, "Good idea, meet you back here in an hour?"
Buffy nodded, "Sound's like a plan!" she agreed. With that the two women parted ways and went to pack for Vegas.
Xander decided that shopping with Faith was very much like slaying vampires. Hour's of boredom followed by large amounts of pumping blood. She was currently standing in front on him doing a twirl in a potential dress for that evening. It was slinky, it was black and on Faith it was studied seduction.
"Wow!" Xander said smiling at her a little glassy eyed. "You're a goddess"
Faith smiled at him in a way that made his heart skip a beat and looked down at herself, running her hands down her sides, "You really think so. It's kinda not leather, ya know?"
Xander just nodded, not trusting his mouth not to be filled with foot.
"I think the young man is speechless" the middle aged sales assistant said with a matronly smile.
"How much is it?" Faith asked.
"It doesn't matter" Xander said, finding his voice, "I'm paying for this one" he told her firmly.
"Why?" Faith asked, "I've got money"
"Because seeing you in it is my pleasure, the least I can do is pay for the privilege" Xander told her.
The sales woman smiled, "Quite the charmer isn't he?" she said in an aside to faith as she led the smiling girl back to the changing room.
Faith laughed, "Not normally" she said honestly, "At least he didn't used to be. Too damn honest for it."
The woman smiled again, "Then you must bring it out in him."
"You think so?" Faith asked hopefully.
"I'm sure of it. That young man is a keeper." she replied, "So, is he your's or a friend?"
Faith frowned, "I'm not sure yet. She said honestly. "But I'm thinking of making him mine."
The sales lady glanced back, around the curtain to where Xander was sat, looking around him with a bored air. "How long have you been shopping?" she asked, seemingly off the cusp.
"'Bout four hours now I think."
"Then my dear, you've already got him, no man would willingly go shopping for that long unless he really liked the company."
Faith smiled, "I hope you're right."
The sales lady looked at her ring finger and smirked, "Will your husband be a problem?"
Faith laughed, "I doubt it, he is my husband."
The sale woman, 'Anne' looked at her askance. Faith caught the look and felt the need to explain, "We knew each other back in the day, last night we got kinda drunk..."
Anne smiled knowingly, "That's a story I've heard before, I'm afraid."
Faith shrugged, slipping the sinfully tight dress off of her body and grabbing the next from the rail, "Well, I'm hoping this one has a happy ending."
"Me too" Anne told her, "Because most do not. Most marriages in Vegas are nulled before they leave."
"Can't do that" Faith said, pulling on a red number, "We uh..."
"So?" Anne asked, "Lie"
Faith smiled, "I could" she said.
"Oh!" Anne said with a large grin. "I see."
Faith looked in the mirror and smirked, "This one will make him sit up and beg" she commented.
Anne smirked, "Something will."
Xander heard Faith's laughter from his position outside of the changing room and felt the need to shift uncomfortably. In his experience, women laughing was never a good thing, because it was normally to do with him, or at least at him.
Xander looked down at himself with uncertainty, "Really?" he asked again.
Faith nodded, a little mutely as she looked at what was quickly becoming the object of her affections, "Oh hell yeah" she breathed. He was dressed in a black suit, but rather than the classic labeled style it was single breasted jacket with no labels to speak off, instead just the beginnings of one. It made him look taller and at the same time brought out the breadth of his chest and the narrowness of his waist. His leg's were encased in black chino style trousers that did things to his backside that Faith had to admit she LIKED.
"Really?" he asked yet again, "'Cause I feel like a penguin"
"Well you can't have one, there's none in stock" Faith shot back, "And you look sexy" she said then blushed as she reallied her mouth had run away with her slightly.
"Thanks," Xander said with a self-deprecating smile, thinking that Faith was trying to bolster his confidence. Something that he appreciated from the raven haired slayer more than he would anyone else. Because it was a sign, no matter how small, that he was right, that she did care.
He turned to the sales assistant and nodded, "I'll take it, thanks"
The salesman just nodded and moved of to ring through the sale. "So what now?" Faith asked clearing her throat slightly.
Xander smiled, "Well I made a booking while you were in that leather store. We're on for 8 o'clock at the hotel's restaurant."
"Wow, good thinking Xan!" Faith said, "What do we do until then, that's like three hours away."
Xander looked at her shocked then smiled, "You mean that you don't need that long to get ready. Man, you may just be the perfect woman."
Faith smiled, "Getting clothes on shouldn't take time, taking 'em off...." she trailed off and smiled into his eyes.
The salesman returned and ruined the moment, "Sign here sir" he said. Xander, without looking away from faith eyes, signed the piece of paper he was being shown and passed back the pen, "Thanks" he said distractedly.
The man covered a smirk and wandered away, the heat between the two was blistering to stand too close to.
Willow Rosenberg was not a happy camper. "I don't believe this" she said snapping her phone shut with an enraged stamp of her foot. "I can't get a flight until midnight!"
Buffy Summers just shrugged, "So, we patrol first, hit the bronze for a drink and then get on the plane!"
"We can't" Willow said.
"Why?" Buffy asked with a playful pout.
"Because the flight is from LA"
"What?!" Buffy said, "We'll have to leave, like, now!"
"I know, come on, it's rush hour if we hit that..." Willow trailed off, but Buffy knew what she was getting at.
"Come on, I'll drive."
"NO!" Willow said sharply then smiled when Buffy frowned at her, "I'll drive, you direct" she said diplomatically.
Buffy narrowed her eyes at her friend, "Is there something wrong with my driving?"
Willow shook her head, "Of course not, but I'm really BAD at directions."
Buffy paused looking at her friends guileless expression before shrugging, "Fine, but I get to play at least one slot. I hear you can win millions on one of them."
Willow sagged slightly in relief, "Sure, once we've found Xander though okay?"
"Of course." Buffy agreed with a happy smile, "I'd like to be a millionaire, I wouldn't have to go to college, just sit back and enjoy it. Dinner's in swanky restaurants."
"A new computer system" Willow said wistfully.
"Yeah sure" Buffy snorted, "That'd be on my list too."
"What?" Willow asked.
Xander smiled as they were sat at their table, the lighting was low, but did nothing to detract from the vision that was sat before him.
As it had turned out, Faith had needed a couple of hour's after all, but it had been to go to a hairdressers and get a few more bits and pieces. All of which she refused to do with Xander around, so he'd been at a bit of a loss. So using the hotels complimentary tokens he's played a little blackjack. Much to his amazement he was currently 10,000 dollars up.
"Faith, " Xander said waiting until she was seated before sitting himself. "You really are a goddess!"
Faith smiled at him, "Thanks stud, you don't look too bad yourself."
"What, this old thing?" he said smiling charmingly at her, "Just threw it on." he looked at her for a moment, "I like your hair" he told her.
"Thanks," Faith said comically patting it up. It was basically the same as it had been before, only now it was cut to a sleeker line and rested just below her shoulder blades. It was the same, but different and it was a stunning look somehow. It's simplicity was deceptive Xander knew, after having watched Cordelia mess with her hair for hours. To get hair looking that neat and simple took work and money.
They looked at each other for a moment, silence that was in no repressive passed between them for a full minute as they just looked at each other. Then both seemed to realize they were staring at the same time and blushed, looking away quickly.
Their menu's were handed to them by an attentive waitress who smiled particularly widely at Xander before moving away.
Faith narrowed her eyes at the retreating waitress, but was gratified to see that Xander was still looking at her. "i think she likes you" she said, keeping her tone level.
"Who?" Xander asked.
"The Waitress."
"Waitress, what waitress?" Xander asked with a confused expression, "oh hey the menu's here."
Faith smiled softly at him and picked up her own menu.
"Oh hell" Xander said looking at his menu like it had grown a head.
Faith winced, "Yeah me too" she admitted.
"I can't read this at all. It's all in French" Xander commented in a whisper.
"Me neither. What shall we do?" Faith asked conspiratorially.
Xander made a thoughtful face, "Run?" he suggested.
"Sounds like a plan, only..."
"What?"
"There's no way I can run in this dress and remain decent" Faith said.
Xander leered at her slightly, "Then run it is."
"Funny!" Faith remarked with no venom in her tone and laughter in her eyes.
Xander snapped his fingers, "I've got it."
"Sure, but there's no need to be big headed about it" Faith told him, showing it was her turn to leer.
Xander blushed slightly then shook his head, "You like steak?"
"Of course, who doesn't"
"We order steak, they gotta have steak right?"
Faith's face lit up, "You' more than a pretty face ain't ya boy toy."
"That'd be a compliment if I had a pretty face to start with" Xander said with a laugh, "Ah, here she comes..."
"Are you ready to order?" the waitress asked, pointedly looking at only Xander.
"Steak, times two."
"How would you like your steaks."
"Medium" Faith said glaring at the waitresses back.
"Same as" Xander said.
"And sauce?"
"Yes please" Xander said.
"Which sir?"
"sorry?"
"would you like, for instance black, peppercorn, white wine, red wine sauce or something else?"
Xander looked at Faith desperately who shrugged back at him, still putting imaginary stakes into the pretty waitresses back. "Urm, yes" Xander said desperately.
"All of them sir?" the waitress asked.
Xander looked a little lost, "If I give you a hundred dollar tip, will you just bring us steak and pretend I know what I'm doing?"
The waitress tittered at him, "Of course sir."
"Phew" Xander said once she'd gone, "I thought I was done for there."
Faith favored him with an icy smile, "You should be careful offering money to women in Vegas Stud, you might get more service than you expect"
"Huh?" Xander asked, wondering why he was getting the chilly treatment. "What did I do?"
Faith looked into his eyes for a moment before smiling, "Nothing Xan, just being you. So, what did you get up to while I getting my do done?"
Xander smirked, "Played some blackjack" he said slowly reaching into his jacket pocket and flashed Faith a wad of bills, "Won some money!" he said with a lops died grin.
"What!" Faith said reaching across the table and wrenching his jacket open, "That's got be five grand" she said in startled shock.
"Ten actually" Xander said adjusting his jacket back to fit.
"Where did you learn to play black jack like that."
Xander laughed, "Funny story behind that one."
"Go on"
"Okay, well one day I came home from school, it was report card time and that was never a good time in our house. Well, luckily my mom and dad were out, they'd called my uncle Rory round to babysit."
"Okay, Rory, strange name?"
"Yeah, well, he was actually the only on that was occasionally nice to me. So I showed him my report card, thinking that Dad would've told him that it was punishment day. He looked at the card for a while and then stood up. Well I kinda got worried at that point, the worst my dad did was get out the belt. But he walked over to the closet and got a pack of cards and a box of matches."
"Why?"
"He said," Xander smirked with the memory, "With scores like that I need to teach you some life skills, cause you ain't going to college."
Faith glared off to one side, hiding her expression.
"So for the rest of the day he taught me to play cards, and I mean really taught me. Before he hit the bottle he virtually lived for cards. Taught me Poker Blackjack and a load of other stuff. Stuff I didn't even know you could bet on, like Whist." Xander laughed, "Then he told me that he'd be round every day for a month to make sure I got it, and if I didn't he'd tell my dad what my scores really were."
Faith looked at him, "Did he?"
"Huh, no, it actually worked out a lot less time than that, about two weeks, from the end of school to when I was put to bed. In the end he told me that he didn't have anything else to teach me and torched the card." Xander laughed, "Looks like the old bastard actually did me a favor"
Faith laughed, "You think he really did?"
Xander shrugged, "Either way, I picked up a useful skill, I only played tonight because I wanted to see if I still 'had it'."
"No shit you still have it" Faith said with a beaming grin on her face, "Think you can teach me?"
Xander shrugged, "I can try"
Faith frowned slightly, "Don't think I can learn?" she asked with a mock pout.
Xander looked at her lips and licked his own. Then shook himself, "I'm sure you can learn, but there is like an aspect of it that has nothing to do with learning." Xander said.
Faith smiled, slightly triumphantly, her ploy working perfectly. Normally, she didn't hold much opinion for the seduction, preferring to grab the guy by the crotch and say, 'wanna roll?' it was a ploy that had worked for her constantly in the past. This time, however, she didn't want to do that, she wanted to do it the old fashioned way, to seduce him and be seduced by him. "I'm sure I've got the touch" she purred.
Xander swallowed, hard, "I know you have" he said, refusing to back down.
Faith curled her lip into a sultry smile when her challenge was met and parried. "But you don't know just how nicely I can touch." she said.
Xander felt the blood in his blood moving south and schooled his features, "Who wants nice? What fun is that?" he asked, his voice low and deep.
Faith crossed her legs with a slither of material, leaning forward slightly she looked Xander straight in the eye, "Nice can be fun" she assured him, "The way I do it anyway."
"I'll bring the cards" Xander said his eye dancing.
"I'll bring the touch" Faith replied, her own eye's dancing as they flirted.
A throat was cleared and Faith looked up into the surprisingly jealous eyes of the waitress, "Your steak Madam!" she said, putting the steak in front of Faith with very little decorum. Then she lent close to Xander and placed his softly down on the table, "Your meat sir" she purred in a husky voice.
She sauntered off with a swing in her hips, thinking that Xander would be watching her. Faith smiled when she noticed that not only was Xander not looking at the waitress but at her, he was also seemingly oblivious that she'd been anywhere near him. "Excuse me a sec" Faith said, "I've just got to erm... powder my nose"
"Sure thing, don't be long, the steak should be here soon" Xander said, still looking in her eyes.
Faith chuckled slightly and pointed down, "Look down stud, I'll be back before you know it."
As she left she heard Xander whisper, "Where'd that come from" in a confused voice. Then a smile was plastered on her face as her extra sensitive hearing picked up on, "Man she looks hot in that dress."
Willow swerved around a car in a desperate attempt to get to the airport on time. So far, her attempts were being frustrated.
"Willow, Jeaz" Buffy commented sharply as she was almost tossed out of the window with the sharpness of Willow's swerve. "If we're going to save Xander we kinda need to get there in one piece!"
"That Skank!" Willow said, for the millionth time, "I'm gunna marmalize her."
Buffy rolled her eyes, knowing that there was no way in hell there was any getting through to her when she was in this mood. But then, she had to try anyway, "You know, she might not be doing anything?"
Willow turned a emerald gaze onto the blonde haired slayer, that made her wilt slightly, "Well, I'm just saying..." Buffy trailed off, "Okay shutting up now"
Faith grabbed the waitress as she walked past her little hidey hole near the kitchens and pulled her into the shadows and out of sight.
"Hey!" the blonde said in indignation.
"Shut up bitch and listen carefully" Faith said lifting the larger woman off of her feet. "He's mine"
The waitress, despite her predicament snarled at the brunette, "You wish, I've seen men like him before, he'll just use you for the whore you are and then throw you to the side. Then someone like me will step in and give him what he really needs"
Faith could've throttled the other woman, but held herself in check, "You don't know him."
"Do you?" the waitress said trying to kick at the smaller brunette.
"Yes, I do" Faith said in a very low voice, "He's better than other men, he's Xander"
"He's a high roller, I saw him in the casino. He was loving every minute, the crowd around him as he beat the odds time and again. I knew right then and there I wanted him. I'm not about to let a little bitch like you mess that up. So I'm just a waitress now, but after I get him..." she trailed off, her meaning clear.
Faith actually smiled, "Yeah I bet he did, he's been beating the odds for years, no wonder he likes it. By rights he should be dead, but he's not. Another odd beaten little girl isn't. You couldn't handle being around my X because you ain't got the guts for it. He lives life large babe, and I'm big enough to be there with him."
The Waitress struggled in her grip, "Get off you bitch, or I'll call security"
"No, you won't" Faith told her, "because I'm also a high roller, and they'll believe me over you when I tell them you attacked me on the way to the ladies."
The Waitress glowered at Faith, her eyes burning into the other woman, "You'll pay for this bitch."
"No I won't and as long as you stay away from my 'husband' you'll be fine."
The waitress blinked in shock, "You're married?"
"Uh huh" Faith said with a nasty smile, "and I don't appreciate money digging little bitches like you sniffing around my Xan, get me." Faith said shaking the larger woman by her throat.
The waitress nodded, briefly wondering where Faith worked out, to get that strong. "okay, okay you win, I'll leave him be" she said as she was lowered to the floor. "But you'll pay for that" she said over her shoulder as she left Faith smiling in the shadows.
"That was quite the show" a low voice said from just behind her. Making the slayer whip around wishing she had a stake then the face of the voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Xander! How the hell did you get behind me like that?"
Xander smiled thinly, "I've picked up some skills. What was that all about?" he asked, knowing because he had heard, but wanting to see what Faith said.
"Just a little Girly talk, I think we understand each other now" Faith said her eyes flashing with pent up emotion.
Xander looked into her inflamed eyes for a moment before smiling and then leaning forward and kissing Faith, by the lips, not on them, "Thank you" he said softly.
Faith tried to calm her beating heart, which was hammering for two reasons, one she thought he was going to kiss her, and two with disappointment when he hadn't kissed her properly. "For what?" she managed.
"Protecting a friend should always be praised" Xander said offering his arm, "No, shall we?"
Faith looked at his arm and smiled, behind her smile she was actually leaping around in insane anger, he just didn't get it yet did he? She wasn't protecting a FRIEND!
"Come on, foods getting cold." Xander said pulling her along as she took his arm.
The club thrummed with a deep and dark techno beat, the reverberations sent a thrill along Faith's spine and she started to move almost as soon as they walked into the club. There was a 'vibe' in the club that she liked as soon as she felt it. It was a sexy feeling and the air itself was thick with it.
"Having fun?" Xander asked her as he stepped up behind her.
Faith looked back over her shoulder smiling sexily at him, "I would be if I had a dance partner" she said.
Xander laughed, "You've seen me dance. The only fun you'd get was by laughing at me." he said.
Faith moved back against him, her but rubbing him in a sensitive spot, her heels bringing her up to a height to be able to. "Come on, I'll learn ya"
Xander felt his breath catch the moment her body met his, there was no way he could refuse this vivacious woman anything. She was like a force of nature, hell as a slayer she WAS a force of nature. His hand's found themselves attached to her hips, where her slender ones covered his larger ones. Holding him there, stopping him from even thinking about moving. "Just move with the music" she said, leaning back against his chest and looking up at him backwards.
Xander tried to loosen up and do as she asked, swinging his hips lazily to the beat. Which had the side effect of grinding his crotch into her backside. Was that a moan he heard come from her throat then? Xander wasn't sure and wasn't about to think too closely about that, it was taking all of his self control to keep himself from becoming embarrassingly obvious in his attraction to the brunette bombshell.
"Xan" Faith breathed as she once again lent back and looked up at him, "Dance with me?" she asked, pleading with her eyes.
Xander smiled down at her and released himself to the music, letting the beat control the movement of his feet and holding her as close as he dared. He wanted this night to be special for her, away from the madness that was their lives, away from the Hellmouth happenings of the dale and most importantly away from Vampires and demons. So to do that he had to educate himself in Faith dancing.
He quickly found that the knack wasn't that difficult once you kinda just let your inhibitions slide away and lost yourself to the music.
Faith felt him loosen up and smiled turning in his grip she danced close to him enjoying the dark look she saw lurking in the depths of his chocolate brown orbs. She knew that look, mostly. There was lust and something else, something that she didn't really recognize. What ever it was it made her melt into his embrace and dance dangerously, almost indecently close to him.
Xander felt her press closer against him and started to loose his battle with himself. There was a beautiful woman rubbing against him, a woman that had filled his dreams off and on since he had met her. Visions of her and naked 'gator wrestling had carried him through many an argument with his parents. Or to be more precise they screamed at him whilst he let his mind wander around the imaginary vision of a naked faith. Of course, the real thing had turned out to be so much better than his imagination had conjured, a body that was sinfully proportioned, unlike Buffy's svelte lines, Faith was all curves, built for sin some might say. Heavenly was what Xander thought she was. Dark eyes so full of delicious wickedness and those pouting lips that were currently pressed against his chest. Voluptuous body that seemed to undulate sexiness with every sway of her hips. Shapely legs that were pressing her against his thighs and above all that courage of character he so envied and admired.
Faith let out a moan as she felt his interest in her grow, pressing harder against his crotch she changed her movements to stimulate that area. She looked directly into his now almost black looking eyes, biting her lip and smiling slightly, making it clear that she knew what was happening there and that she liked it.
Xander looked into those eyes so full of sexuality and growled low in his throat, moving forward faith started to move up to meet him, her lip was released from her teeth and she licked it, wetting it for it's meeting with Xander's.
Then just as they were about to meet there was a scream from the entrance of the club and the two battle hardened demon fighters couldn't help but turn to look.
At the entrance there were three vampires all in full game face, backed up by three demons.
"Polgaran" Xander whispered in awe, "Nasty."
"Damn it, I can't fight in this dress" Faith bemoaned. Reaching down she grabbed the hem and pulled hard. "Five thousand dollar dress and I have to rip it first time out!" she growled, "They are SO going down hard."
"Don't worry I'll buy you a new one" Xander said his eyes taking in the club with a cool professional air that made Faith reappraise him once again. He was surprising her more and more since she'd bumped into him the night before, so far, it had all been of the good too. Which, was admittedly, a nice change from the normal surprises she got.
"So, know how to kill them?" she asked.
"Dust the vampires, I'll worry about the Polgaran's" Xander said his jaw set, "I just need to get my coat"
With that he turned and ran to the coat checking desk and leapt across it without pause.
Faith grabbed a stake from a thigh sheath that had been rubbing her up the wrong way all night and smiled, "Thanks guys, that was starting to chaff!"
The vampires snarled and surged forward, tossing members of the public left and right as they did so. They were all wearing what looked to be the stereotypical sharp suits of mobsters. One was replete with spats, nailing his date of death as sometime during Al Capone's rein.
Faith felt a presence arrive beside her and smiled at what was currently her husband, "Hi Honey I'm home!" Xander said with a smirk.
"Have a nice day at work darling" she said, almost laughing.
Xander drew his Katana with a flourish and smiled, "It's all the better for seeing you my love."
Faith looked at him for a moment before turning back to the vampires, "You know you're going to die right?" she asked rhetorically, "You REALLY came at a bad time."
Xander looked at her a little shocked before his face split into a grin, "Damn they are so going down" he said slipping into a fighting stance his sword held in a cross guard.
The Vampire's arrived in a coordinated attack pattern and started to test their defensive capabilities with a flurry of hit and run attacks.
"Huh" Xander said moving off to one side and beckoning to the demons, "That's different" he said, but he knew the way Faith fought and wasn't in the least bit worried about her facing off three vampires even if they were coordinated.
The lead Polgaran dived forward a bone spike shooting out from it's arm and jabbing towards Xander's stomach.
Xander parried the blow with a deceptively simple movement of his blade then pushed forward on the defense, forcing the large armored demon back with a flurry of almost hypnotic movements of quicksilver that caught the club's lights in flashes.
Faith finally had enough of the game and grabbed one vampire was if lunged forward into her defensive range. Then smiled ferally as it looked stunned when it tried to pull away with no success at all. "Hey ever hear of a slayer?" she asked.
The vampire sneered at her, "A legend to scare children"
Faith smirked then tugged hard on it's arm, sending her stake into it's heart, "look who's talking" she said.
Xander slid backwards across the floor as the large demon suddenly got backup in the form of one of it's friends stepping in and punching Xander in the chest. He quickly got back up to his feet and glared at it, "Hey no tag teaming" he said darting forward nimbly and scratching it across an armored pectoral, the razor blade sharp blade separating the armored skin like tissue paper.
The demon roared in pain as it's twin dived forward and tried to take advantage of Xander's lunge to spike him on it's arm weapon. Xander, however was faster, moving back using a powerful pull on his trailing leg muscles he was standing straight with the demon flat on the floor before him. He heard a puff of a vampire dusting behind him and almost looked to see how faith was doing, but thought better off it as the final demon joined it's brother in the fight.
Faith dusted her final vampire and twirled her stake like an old west gunslinger and pushed it back into her thigh sheath with a slight wince. Then she turned to face her 'friend' or whatever he was becoming and smiled.
Xander darted in and out of the Polgaran's guard, slicing each demon when it came close enough for his blade to make contact, and moving back out again before either one had chance to retaliate. Polgaran's may be large, they may be immensely strong and they were surely tough, but fast they were not.
A spike passed over his head as he made a lunge below one demon's guard and slipped his blade into the demon's ribcage angling up to piece it's heart. As the demon bellowed it's partner manged to take advantage of Xander's return from his overly deep lunge and kicked the human in the face.
Xander flipped over backwards, almost loosing his sword but still managing to land on his feet. Once he landed he shook his head and glared at the demonic kicker. "Ow!" he said and stepped forward, his sword raised in a strange cross guard, point level with his eyes, hand on the other side of his squared off body. He was making an attractive target for any swordsman, but the demon did it's best to take advantage of the stupid move and walked straight into Xander's trap. With an almost lazy spin Xander's sword cleaved the demon's head from it's shoulders whilst dodging it's spiked arm, then planting his foot on it's falling hide he pushed upwards and flipped over the bent over demon that remained.
The demon looked up and turned tracking Xander's body as it fell and would've made a grab for him but found itself impaled on the point of Xander's blade, the chisel tip of the Katana was also as sharp as the blade and split skin like fresh meat, pushing straight through as the demon stepped forward, it's body carrying on it's last movement.
Xander glared into the demon's eyes watching as what passed for life faded from it's eyes. Then stepped back, taking his sword out of the demon's body and letting it fall onto the edge of the blade. The demon fell and decapitated itself, finishing off the job the thrust had made. Xander stood back up and looked down at the demon as it faded into a puddle of black oily goo.
Just then, the sounds of police sirens reached Faith's ears and she roused herself from her stunned state and grabbed Xander by the hand, "We're outta here stud!" she said and dragged the still angry looking Xander from the club and into the back alley.
"Where'd you learn that?" Faith asked, stunned and once again surprised.
Xander lent against the wall trying to calm himself down. "What?" he asked, his voice a little too sharp.
"Hey, you okay?" Faith asked, resting her hand on his shoulder.
Xander smiled tightly and turned to face her, "No I'm really not."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm starting to think that I'm a demon magnet" he said seriously.
Faith studied him for a moment then laughed, "What?"
"I'm serious, everywhere I've been I've come across demons"
Faith shrugged, "So?"
"Don't you think that's odd, at all?" Xander asked with a bemused expression on his face.
"No" Faith said, "When I ran across country from Kakistos, I came across loads of demons. They're everywhere. The Hellmouth might have more than average, but trust me stud, they're where the food is at."
Xander winced, "Ouch, interesting way of putting it."
"Well, it sucks but it's almost like natural really" Faith said her expression thoughtful.
"Why?"
"Like those animals in Africa, the cats"
"Lions?" Xander hazarded.
"Yeah maybe, they follow the herds don't they?"
"Urh, don't ask me, but I see where you're going with this. Huh, good thinking Mrs Harris"
Faith started at his words then smiled, "Why thank you Mr Harris."
Xander chuckled slightly then frowned as Faith suddenly stiffened, "Uh oh" she said looking back into the alley they were in.
"What, what is it?"
"Vampires, loads of them, coming this way... fast!"
Xander nodded and ran through the options in his head, "Strategic retreat?" he asked.
Faith looked at him, "Run like hell?" she shot back.
"That's what I said," Xander said grabbing her by the hand and starting to run.
Los Angeles
Willow pouted and batted her eyelashes for all she was worth, "But Officer, I was sure I was doing 50" she said.
Buffy rolled her eyes as the Cop ignored the redhead's attempt to coerce him and nudged her friend in the ribs, "You suck at this" she whispered.
Willow looked pleadingly at Buffy.
"Excuse me" Buffy said in her ditz voice. The cop looked down into the car and straight down Buffy's low cut top. "We're really sorry" she purred looking up at the cop and smiling at him, her eyelids fluttering slightly.
The cop looked from his pad and back down Buffy's top, "Well I should give you a ticket" he said trying not to stare too hard.
Buffy shifted forward, "We really didn't realize how fast we were going you know. All the other cars were moving so fast..."
"well, I suppose, just this once" the cop said tugging his collar, "I could let it pass. But you better not let me catch you again."
"That's shame" Buffy said leeringly, "I'd like being caught by you" she said and gave it some battering of the eyelids.
The cop smiled and backed away from the car, "Well, just be careful miss's"
"We will, thank you" Buffy said in a purr.
Willow put the car into motion slowly and glanced at her friend, "That was awe inspiring" she said.
Buffy sat back and slipped her belt back one, "Thanks" she said perkily.
"But at the same time, horrifying." Willow continued.
Buffy smirked, "Which would you prefer, a little horror or a ticket?"
Willow pursed her lips in thought, "Well, it did infringe my moral beliefs, but I'd have to say I really didn't want a ticket."
"You're just mad because he went for the blonde ditz instead of the red haired honey" Buffy said with a laugh.
"Hey, at least you finally admit it"
Buffy frowned, "What?"
"That you're a ditz. It was scary how much you reminded me or harmony there"
"Hey! Geek" Buffy said with a smile.
"Bleach job!" Willow shot back with a stuck out tongue.
Buffy gasped, "You, you Witch you!"
Willow smirked, "Yes siree and don't you forget it!"
Buffy laughed, "You know I love you right?"
Willow smiled, "Back at ya babe"
Buffy laughed again, "That's a xanderism if ever I heard one."
Willow smiled, "Yeah it is. You must be hooked if you recognize his style"
Buffy blushed but tried to cover it, "Hooked?"
Willow glanced at her, "Yeah hooked into the Xander speak, you know"
Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh yeah, right?" she said
Willow glanced at her again, wondering at the strange tone of voice Buffy had used. "So, where did Xander say he was?" Buffy asked, redirecting the conversation.
Willow shrugged, "He didn't I kinda dropped the phone in shock. But if he's at the same place he was the other day when I rang, we'll be able to find him easily."
"What if Faith moved him?"
Willow shrugged, "It's not like I can't do a location spell. Or I could always hack some hotel records. He's probably using the ID I got made for him."
"Id, what a fake ID?"
Willow smiled secretly, "Of course"
"How, and why haven't you made me one?"
"I've kinda lost contact with all my old contact's" Willow said regretfully, "That and my back door to the DMV"
"The DMV?"
"Yeah, I inserted a history into the database, then all Xander had to do was go in and say he lost his license, from there it's easy."
"So how old is he and what's his name?" Buffy asked with a smirk.
"He's 22, and goes by the name of Alexander Harris-Lavelle" Willow said with a chuckle, "He wasn't pleased when I told him that."
Buffy giggled, "Why does he hate his middle name so much anyway?"
Willow ceased smiling, "Don't ask Buffy, just don't ask"
Buffy frowned, "But I am" she persisted
Willow took a deep breath, "It's his grandfathers name. He wasn't a nice guy and is the reason his father is so fucked up"
"Willow!" Buffy said aghast
"Well, he is. It's a wonder Xander came through like he has. Admittedly he's not totally stable..." Willow trailed off with a shrug, "But if you can get past his sense of humor he's a great guy"
Xander barrelled into the main street and suddenly decided to change direction, pulling Faith along for the ride.
"hey, do you know how hard it is to run in these things?" Faith asked as he pulled her into a casino.
Xander smirked, "Not really, but when they do what they do to your calf muscles, I kinda loose track"
Faith smirked back at him, "Ah, a leg man are you?"
"I'm a Faith man" Xander said without thought, "Any part of you turns me on." he said looking out the front entrance and not really concentrating on what he was actually saying, the words just spilling out of his mouth without any sort of mental filters in place.
Faith looked at him her breathing heaving in her chest. "You have no idea how much that turns me on" she breathed.
Xander looked back at her, "Come on, let's go deeper into the Casino."
Faith blinked, realizing that he hadn't been listening to what either of them had been saying. She then smirked, and decided she'd have to remind him later, when he could concentrate properly.
The suddenly take charge Xander led Faith into the casino by the hand where they didn't even get a look at their odd clothing. Faith's ripped dress was actually kinda fetching and Xander's long duster and sharp suit just made him look impossibly hot, or that's what Faith thought anyway. With a glance around Xander walked up to a random table and watched the game for a while.
"What's going on?" Faith whispered in his ear.
"Black Jack" Xander said, "The bank's winning. The next hand will go to the third player on the right" he said looking around the club.
"How do you know that?" Faith asked watching as the bank won.
"No idea" Xander said, "I just kinda do" he said glancing back at the table shaking his head as the second player called for a card. "Bust" he murmured for Faith's ear's alone.
"Bust" The dealer intoned.
"How..." Faith began then watched stunned as the third player on the right won. "...the hell!"
Xander smirked, "Freaky huh?"
Faith nodded, "Yeah, but way cool"
Xander laughed and slipped into the now vacant chair that the bust player had almost fallen out of, "Can I join?" he asked putting a grand in cash on the table.
The dealer looked at the other players who all sort of shrugged and nodded at Xander, "Of course, I'll change your money for you sir."
Xander smiled and nodded his thanks.
Faith then leaned on his shoulder and was glared at by the dealer. "You can't do that here Faith" Xander said gently. "They might think you're giving me signals on the other peoples cards, you'll have to stand back a bit."
Faith looked at the dealer with a devastating smile and moved back, keeping watch for vampires and watching in increasing amazement as Xander's pot slowly grew.
After an hour he shook his head at the dealer's unasked question. "Can you get my chips changed for me please, I'm stepping out"
"Of course sir" the dealer said with extra politeness.
"How much did you make then?" Faith asked with an excited giggle.
"Only about two grand, the table was going cold" he said and cocked his arm out for her.
Without even thinking about it she slipped her arm into the nook he supplied for her and walked calmly away with him.
"That's amazing, did your uncle teach you that?" she asked.
"No, like I said, something you can't learn."
"Do you ever loose?" she asked, getting into the subject.
"Of course I do, sometimes I have to take a hit to take a bigger pot. Plus it's kinda dangerous to keep on winning."
"what about that game?"
Xander shook his head, "I'm pretty good at Black jack, it was the first game Uncle Rory taught me because it's kinda simple, but I'm careful, I never chase a huge pot of gold, especially in a place where the odds are staked towards the house big time. So I get out before I start to win too big and attract too much attention."
"Do you cheat?" Faith had to ask.
"I wish it was that simple, but no I don't. And as far as I can tell I don't count cards, I mean that's a six pack shoe, there's no way I could; not with my maths, but..." he shrugged expressively, "I must be doing something right."
"No shit" Faith said her eyes wide with... admiration, and a little awe. "are you clairvoyant?"
"Me, no way, I'm not able to see what's going on now, let alone in the future!" he commented watching as a couple of sharp suited men entered the casino area. "Talking of which, it's time to move on."
Willow let out a sigh of relief as they entered the airport parking lot and navigated to the long stay car park.
"Okay, let's get going, we're on time I think." Willow said grabbing her small overnight bag.
Buffy nodded grabbing a much larger case but with the ease afforded to her by her calling and they ran for it.
After a few minutes running, something they were both quiet good at despite Willow's sedentary computer obsession, but then running after or from Vampires tends to keep you fit.
They arrived at the check in desk with five minutes to spare.
"Hi, we're on the next flight, erh 2127, to Vegas" Willow said smiling.
The attendant glanced at her screen, "I'm sorry due to weather conditions that flight has been delayed"
"What?" Willow said going red, "For how long?"
"A few hours at most," the attendant said with a fixed smile that was saying that it would almost certainly be a lot longer than that.
Willow was dragged away by Buffy before she could hex the poor guy, "I don't believe this, she could be doing anything to him!" she wailed.
"I know, I know" Buffy said, virtually champing at the bit.
Xander grabbed Faith and pushed her against the wall, ducking down to kiss her as several sharp suits ran past ignoring the couple making out and looking for a couple running.
Xander was about to pull away from the fairly chaste kiss when Faith's arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer, her lips pressing harder against his own. The kiss deepened to passionate depths both parties kissing the other like they really wanted to, being carried away with the moment.
After what seemed like a pleasurable eternity they broke slowly apart each looking a little stunned. It wasn't Faith's usual hot and steamy kiss, it was passionate but there was a deeper feeling behind it than she was used to and Xander's returning kiss was every bit full of emotion as hers was.
They looked in each other's eyes for a long drawn out moment, before Xander visible had to shake himself and smiled at Faith, "Come on, let's get off the streets"
Faith smirked, still a little smoky, "Trying to get me back in bed Stud?"
Xander blushed, "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I erh... I moved us into a suite. You've got your own room, I promise"
Faith felt a little hurt for about a millisecond, then she had to smile. It was actually kind of sweet when she thought about it. "No harm stud, come on, then you can teach me to play Black Jack"
Xander sauntered back into the room, a fresh pack of cards still in their cellophane wrapper in one hand and a bottle of jack and two glasses in the other.
Faith looked up at him and smiled slightly. He'd changed into his more normal attire of blue jeans, but instead of the baggy jumper she had become accustomed to he was wearing a tight fitting white t shirt. She herself had dressed down a little as well, wearing baggy sweats and a baby T.
"What's to booze for?" she asked.
"Uncle Rory taught me you never play cards without whiskey" Xander said, "always made sure I had some whenever he taught me."
"Weren't you at school when he started?" Faith asked curiously.
"Uh huh, I was about 13 I think." Xander said thinking nothing odd about what he had just said. "But I only drank when I was playing cards. In the end it was the only way i got to bond with my dad was late night poker with Rory and his friends. Of course, I had to make sure I lost or..." Xander trailed off, "So want one?"
"Sure" Faith said, giving him a reprieve from further questioning, despite the trail off.
"Ice?"
"Hell no, what sort of girl do you think I am?" she asked with a teasing smile.
Xander smiled warmly at her, "I'm not answering that question and pleading the 5th"
"oh ha ha" Faith drawled. "So" she began as she stretched her baby t riding up her midriff and flashing tone abs at Xander. "Where do we start?"
Xander smiled, "Okay here goes" he then took a long breath and a quick swig of whiskey.
"The name of the game is blackjack and the aim is to get as close to 21 as you can with any number of cards. Okay?" Xander said gaining a nod.
"So, If you get a 'natural blackjack' that's an Ace and a face card or 10 on your first two cards, the house pays 3 to 2 odds." Xander smiled and took another sip of whiskey whilst Faith looked at him attentively, "Some places work on a 6 to 5 odd, if you get a table like that leave. Because you're set to loose money, something like if you play 100 hands in the hour with 10 dollar bet you'll loose something like $2.80 even if you're winning, get me?"
"Uh huh, 6 to 5 BAD" Faith said with a smirk.
"You got me!" Xander said with a smile, "Now, if you beat the dealer, the house pays even money. A 'normal blackjack' occurs when you reach exactly 21 with any number of cards. If you go over 21 you bust and lose your bet. With me so far?"
"Just about" Faith said, concentrating on what he was saying.
"Okay, the non picture cards are worth the number of pips, that's 5 for a 5 2 for a 2. and Ace is worth 11 or 1 that's up to you, a picture or face card is worth 10. If the dealer gets an ace it has to be 11 by the way, that's a general house rule as well." Xander told her, getting into the swing of his tutorial, "If you beat the dealer you win, if you draw it's called 'push' and you get your bet back. Most houses, casinos, have to stick on 17. But have to hit until their total is 17 or more." Xander said, taking another sip of whiskey and patting his pockets, looking for his smokes. Once he found them he sparked one up and suddenly, frowned. "Sorry you mind?" he asked.
Faith shook her head, "Your lungs stud"
Xander laughed then took another sip of whiskey, "Okay, that's the rules, the way you play is before the cards are dealt you anti up, sorry but down your bet. Say 5 dollars. Then two cards are dealt to each player. if you get a black jack, that's 21 in two cards you get the 3 to 2 odds, otherwise you can Hit or Hold. To hit means take another card. Hold means stay at where you are. most people say you should hold on 17, that's conservative play and won't make you loads of money, but it won't loose you loads either."
"Get ya, conservative is good for the beginner or us that can't do your trick?"
"Bingo, Now; this is where it get's complicated. If the dealer deals himself an ace, he'll ask if you want insurance. That means that you will break even if he get's a blackjack. If not you loose your bet. Okay?"
Faith nodded so he continued, "Then, there is Split. If you're dealt two cards of the same value you can split the hand and play both. This doubles your bet, but also means that you can double your take."
Xander looked at her to make sure she was taking all of the information in which she appeared to be doing so he continued, "Finally there is Double Down, after you receive your first two cards, you can double your bet. It also means you can only draw one other card."
Xander said, then quickly dealt out some cards, "The general rule of thumb is if you want a 'hit' you tap your fingers on the table. If you want to 'stand' wave your hand horizontally over your cards. Or if you want to double-down or split a pair you place an equal bet to the left of your current bet. Get all that?"
Faith laughed, "Damn that's complicated"
"Uh uh, Poker is complicated, or even Backerat is complicated. Black Jack is one of the most simple and best paying games in a casino." Xander said with a smile as he poured them both another drink. "Now, The more decks the dealers use the higher the house edge. You can improve your odds of winning somewhat by playing 'single-deck' and it's hard to find those sorts of games, because their much fairer, or "double-deck "blackjack. It's easy to spot these games because the dealers deal the cards out of their hands rather than using a shoe. Also, players' cards are dealt face-down and the players handle their cards. Okay? Most places use a six deck shoe. That's 312 cards which is why it's so hard to count them, you'd need to be a genius to keep track of that many cards in your head."
"So," Faith began as they started to play for fun, "What do you think those goons wanted?"
"Could've been anything. But I'm betting that someone saw us take out the demon. Maybe someone had hired it and is pissed because we killed it."
"So we should like head out then?" Faith asked.
The We in her sentence wasn't lost on Xander and he had to admit to himself that he liked it, "Could do, but I'm kinda enjoying myself, making extra money is never a bad thing."
"Huh, you keep spending it on me, I'm not surprised. I do have my own ya know"
Xander smiled, "Yeah, but I kinda figured you'd want to spend it on getting your own place or something like that, some retirement funds or something. You could be set for life with 5 million."
Faith blanched, "Shit, I hadn't thought of any of that."
"Well, it's worth a thought."
Faith frowned, "So, what about you then?"
"what about me?"
"what are you going to do with your money?"
"invest, spend, maybe get a place, nothing too big but something nice."
"Where, the 'dale?"
"Maybe, probably"
Faith sneered slightly, tapping the table as she did so, "Need to be close to your beloved Buffy do you?"
Xander dealt her card and looked at her, "She is, beloved but not in the way you mean"
"So in what way is she then."
"Hell it's complicated, not even too sure myself, but I'm not in love with her anymore if that's what you mean. I love her, as a friend as a compatriot as G-man would say, but as my forever one, nah not really"
Faith couldn't help but smile slightly at that revelation, "So where'd you get the sword?" she said trying to switch subjects.
"Buffy" Xander said mildly, "Bust"
"Hit me" Faith said, "She gave you a sword? Why?"
"Because, well, urh..." Xander trailed off he wasn't sure how to broach the subject with Faith, "I kinda helped out more than normal when we were fighting the mayor, led the other students to fight the vampires. She told me in past times leader's were given swords, she gave me that one."
"She teach you to use it too?" Faith asked as Xander re-dealt the cards.
Xander smirked, "She started to, then I left on my road trip."
"That's a lot of learning for a short time." Faith said.
"No, actually you should've seen me before I hit 'Frisco"
"What happened in Frisco?" Faith asked tossing back her whiskey.
"Damn Faith, it's called sipping whiskey for a reason" Xander admonished her with a smile.
"So, and don't dodge the question."
Xander smiled in memory, "I got my butt handed to me by an old Asian guy."
"Huh, why?" Faith said with a laugh.
"He saw me taking out some vampires. Turns out he knew all about them." Xander took another drink of whiskey and poured yet another and leaned back, the cards forgotten. "Back in the boxer revolution in china, there was a slayer. Apart from Buffy and I hope you, she was the longest lived slayer in history. She was killed in the end by none other than our good friend Spike. But that's beside the point. Her watcher couldn't stand the pain of her death and moved away, all the way to Japan. Now this is where it get unusual, because the Japanese considered themselves better than the Chinese and yet he managed to meet and fall in love with a girl. They were exiled from the city's their love and relationship curse and spat upon where ever they went. So they moved to the foothills in Japan, in the country far away from the snobbery and general nastiness of the human animal." Xander said his eye expressive.
"Wow, but what's this got to do with you?" Faith asked, and gently prodded. Him back into discussion.
Xander smiled, "A little known fact about Japan is that the foothills are crawling with vamps. They feed on the workers of the plains and thrive. Now our hero couldn't stand this and with the help of his wife, they experimented and studied for years, finally a merging of martial arts was born. Of Japanese and Chinese origin. Now you know that most Martial arts in Asia are from china way, but after millennia they have spread out in both their ethos and their practice. What these two people did was to merge the arts back into a single deadly art. It was tailor made for fighting vampires. Well, to cut a very long story short, a descendant, who looked as Japanese as any other, thanks to the blurring of genetic lines moved to America. My Mr Miagi. He was the last of his line, the last to hold the knowledge and he didn't want to die without passing on that information."
"Hold up story boy, it takes years for a non slayer to learn a martial art to the skill you've got!"
"Not when you had a teacher like mine" Xander said with a laugh, "It was a... Painful learning experience. He taught me the sword last of all, but he and I both think it's my best weapon."
"Okay, you told me you were gone a month, that's not long enough." Faith said certain of her position.
"So like a week and a half would be nowhere near like then" Xander said with a mocking smile, "Strangely though it had to be, it was that or he killed me."
"What?" Faith sputtered in shock.
Faith was still looking at Xander like he had a second head for a good five minutes before he finally decided that he'd given her long enough to get over the shock. "What's the matter don't think it's possible?" Xander asked with a smirk.
"No, I was just thinking that's one harsh sensei" Faith told him shaking her head.
"Well, in his defence he was dying, in fact he died the last day I was there. Never did actually finish training me actually, but he said I was ready anyway."
"A week and a half?"
"Well, I've had some practice since then" Xander told her earnestly, "I know all the technique, they are forever etched on my skin, now it's just a case of getting them into reactions. Most of the main techniques already are. The sword is my strongest weapon, he was quite interested to see that i had an authentic Katana"
"Authentic?"
"Yeah, it's authentic, antique in fact, what was it the G-man said. It's from the Edo Era which ran from 1658 -1683 the Kanbun-Shintou period. It's an Kotetsu blade. He was a big deal back then. The tsuba itself is a work of art." Xander said confusing the raven haired slayer.
"The who what in the when now??" she asked with a shake of her attractive head.
"The bit at the bottom of the handle, the guard. It's called a tsuba, and is an intricately carved one at that. The Saya itself may have been replaced as it's plain black and it's likely that in that period there would have been a lot of artwork on it. As it is, I like the black, it blends in a fair bit with my coat." he said with a silly grin.
"She must've spent a lot of money, you sure there's not more going on with you two than you're making out?" Faith asked.
"Well Giles's contacts got the sword for her on the cheaper side of a five grand. He was after all the curator until Buffy was called and Merick died." Xander frowned, "And no nothing is going on between me and Buffy"
"Five Grand!" Faith exclaimed.
"It's worth about ten times that much" Xander added, "Or would be with it's original Saya. As it is, she still got it cheap."
"Five Grand!"
"Her dad is loaded" Xander filled in, "But I did damn near have a heart attack when I found out."
"Did she brag about the price then?" Faith said with a bit of a sneer.
"What, no way. I found all this out from Takagi."
"Who?"
"Takagi, my sensei with anger control issues" Xander said with a chuckle.
"He knew his swords then" Faith managed after a moment.
"He did, he makes them, or did anyway."
"Man, you're a dark horse ain't ya?" Faith said with a admiring smile.
"Not really, I just went on a road trip and picked up some knowledge"
Faith laughed, "Like a martial art in a week and a half?"
"Urm, yeah!"
"And you don't think this ability you have with cards is cool?"
"Anyone can play cards" Xander protested.
Faith laughed again, she seemed to do that a lot around Xander, "Not like you do stud, I was watching you. That's pro stuff, from what I've seen and heard."
"Well, uncle Rory was a good teacher" Xander said then glanced at the still dealt hand they hadn't touched as he'd been talking, "Talking of which, I'm not, shall we get back to it?"
Faith looked at him from under her fringe, "Can we still talk?"
"Sure," Xander told her with a smile.
"Okay then" Faith told him picking up her cards and nailing him with a look. "So what happened between you and Red?"
Xander did a classic double take, "Huh?"
Faith just smiled at him with a secret feminine smile.
"Finally!" Willow said starting Buffy off of her chair where she'd been dozing and onto the floor.
Helping her blonde friend up who was still groggy Willow led her to the departures lounge, "We're going soon" she told her.
"Oh good, more sleep needed" Buffy said.
"You've been asleep for four hours"
"So, I'm tired, this waiting around is BORING!"
"I know, but at least I wasn't snoring in a crowded room full of angry people. Some of the looks we were getting...." Willow trailed off and shuddered.
Buffy stuck out her tongue, "At least I don't run from frogs in my sleep"
"Hey" Willow said with a pout, "That's top secret"
Buffy shrugged, "You started it"
"Did Not"
"Did So"
"Did Not"
The gently, friendly, bantering carried on well into the plane and until they were finally sat on their seats.
"We lost 'em boss" Bekhan said trembling in fear.
"WHAT?!" Vincent shouted his ire shaking the roof of the cavern they were in.
"They got away boss"
"How?" Vincent said with sudden and icy calm.
"They're good boss, real good, the hit squad was wiped out in a few minutes. Just a chick in a dress and some guy with a sword."
"Chick?" Vincent said thoughtfully, "How did she fight?"
"No survivors boss, got this from a guy that was blabbing to a cop near where I was hiding."
"Hiding?" Vincent said with a sneer, "You're such a worm Bekhan"
"Yes boss" Bekhan said with a nod of his neck less head, which was more a sort of bobbing motion.
Vincent laughed, "Do we have any leads?"
"Not yet boss, but I've heard tell of a new roller in town, could be the guy. Apparently he's cleaning up at the blackjack tables and some poker too."
"Poker?" Vincent said with an interested lift of his eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes boss, they say he's a mechanic, but other, they say he's just that good"
"Interesting, I wanna meet with this guy" Vincent said with a gleam in his eyes, "Find them, and let's see how he likes playing for really high stakes, Hmmm?"
Bekhan grinned, "Yeah boss, could be fun"
"Yes, It's gunna be" Vincent agreed stoking his chin thoughtfully, "Here's what we're going to do..."
Faith looked down at her hand and then back up into Xander's eyes, trying to get a read from them, but finding nothing but slightly mocking humor in their depths. The game had progressed into Poker and after teaching her the rules and giving her a few tips, they had begun to play. So far, Faith was doing well, but Xander wasn't playing his hardest by any stretch of the imagination.
"What's your play Babe?" Xander said the corner's of his mouth twitching with a hidden smile.
"Shh, I'm thinking on it" Faith scowled at him.
Xander's lips twitched again, "Your beautiful when you're concentrating you know that right?"
"Hey, stop trying to distract me" Faith said, her smile was, however, radiant.
"Oh I do humbly apologize" Xander said with a smirk.
"You're a real bastard, you know that right?" she said with a matching smirk.
"Nope, no way I can be. I was at my mom and dads wedding!"
Faith snorted in laughter. "Hit me"
"Only if you beg" Xander said tossing a card at her.
"Ohh, you're playing with fire stud." Faith told him with a challenging grin.
Xander met her eyes unflinchingly taking her up on the unspoken challenge, "I like hot" he said in a throaty voice that made Faith's breathing hitch.
"You could get burnt" Faith told him leaning forwards.
Xander looked down at her offered view and smiled, "I heal fast, besides something's are worth the risk" he said looking back into her eyes before smirking, "And HEY! Stop trying to get a peek at my cards!"
"What me?" Faith said with a mock hurt expression, "I wouldn't!"
"Yeah right" Xander said as Faith folded, "You'd never do that and leave me half a pot would ya?"
"hey, you're supposed to be teaching me, not fleecing me"
"Well, that dress was 5 grand's worth and I promised you a new one, I gotta get the cash from someplace"
"Oh ha ha, you don't have to get me another" Faith said, a little anger in her voice.
"Hey" Xander said reaching up and tipping her head so she was looking into his eyes, "I was only playing, not to hurt, just for the smile" he told her softly.
Faith looked down, despite his finger, "People don't treat me like you do"
"Their loss" Xander said sharply tilting her head back up again, "Because you deserve to be treated right"
Faith looked anywhere but his eyes for a moment, not able to meet those warm orbs for fear of crying.
"Your deal" Xander said lightly giving her an out.
Faith took it gratefully, "Okay, now how do I do that slide from the bottom thing again."
Xander laughed, "You don't, just overhand"
"What about that one you do?" she asked, "Is that a trick shuffle"
"Texan shuffle, not really but you can make it cut the pack instead of shuffling and then if you need too, on the snap back you can put it back in order."
"Won't cutting the pack change the order anyhow?"
"Nah, cutting the pack just shuffles big chunks of cards. In fact, there's a trick. Here pass me the cards."
Faith did as she was asked and watched Xander carefully fan out the pack, "Pick a card any card" he said with that lopsided grin that was fast becoming one of her favourite things.
Faith did as she was asked and looked at it, it was the ace of spaces. "Okay, now without showing me put it on the top of the pack."
Faith did it, "Now pick a number between 1 and 10?"
"5"
Xander cut the pack five times, "I will now through my magical powers deduce your card!" he said in a mock theatrical voice. He quickly fanned through the cards and with a sharp movement of his hand pulled out Faith's card and tossed it on the table. She looked at him like he was the second coming, "Wow!" she said excitedly, "How'd you do that?"
"That is the most simple Card trick in history. It's based on the fact that no matter how many times you cut the pack the first cut puts the bottom card in the pack on top of the card you picked. Then no change in order remember, I just search through for the card that was on the bottom, which I have to like remember. Then your card was the one to the right. Easy!"
Faith smiled again, a truly happy smile, "That is so cool."
"You try it" Xander said, "When you take the pack just glance at the card on the bottom, from there it's easy."
Faith did as she was told, taking note of the card and the offering the fan to Xander who picked a card and placed it on the top of the deck. Then three cuts later she produced a card with a flourish and a wide smile.
Xander shook his head, "Nope, that's not it. To the right yeah?"
"That was" Faith said frowning at the pack.
Xander reached forward, reaching straight down the front of her baby T and came back out with his card, "There it is, see that's what happens when your as irresistible as you, things get attached"
Faith laughed then dived other the table at him, pushing him to the ground, "I can see I'm going to have to check for cards you've stuffed around that bod of yours, huh" she said with that same teasing smile as she looked down at him. The same teasing smile that she'd had the same night she'd tried to strangle him to death.
Xander froze for a moment, his heart pounding as a vision crossed his minds eye. Faith felt him stiffen in a way she wasn't used to and looked down at him with worry, "Xander?"
Xander forced out a few breaths and looked up into her eyes, his soul laid bare in their depths. "Kiss me?" he said, pleadingly. Wanting an answer to a question that had been plaguing him most of the day. Had she really changed, or was this an act. Even worse, was she always like this but covered it.
That was something Faith felt she could do for him but instead of just diving at him, something told her that wouldn't work. She slowly moved down, bringing her lips to his in a tender kiss.
Xander had his answer, or at least some of it. There was no falseness to her kiss it had been tender, almost gentle with the promise of so very much more, there for the asking.
"Thank you" he whispered. The playful mood had gone west, to be replaced by a quiet sort of intensity.
"Why?" Faith asked.
"Wanted to kiss you again" Xander said softly, "Are you feeling what I'm feeling."
"Well, I was hoping that it wasn't a roll of quarters" Faith shot back with a smirk,
Xander laughed, "Actually it is, but that's not what I was talking about."
"It is a roll of quarters, damn boy doesn't this do anything for you?" she asked a little miffed.
Xander winced as the mood started to shift again, it was like trying to catch fog with your hands, "You know that you do Faith, but I do believe it or not have some control over the damn thing"
Faith smiled, "I must be loosing my touch."
"You're dodging me" Xander said in sudden realization.
"Maybe a little" Faith admitted, "are you mad?"
"Relieved, because it means you are."
"I am, am I?" Faith asked her mouth still only inches from his.
"I think so, no i know it" Xander said wrapping his arms around her.
"We shouldn't" Faith breathed
"We should" Xander differed.
"I'm bad news stud."
"You're the best news I've had this lifetime" Xander told her pulling her closer.
Faith kind of just melted into his arms, both cursing herself and at the same time thanking god or whatever deity had thrown this man into her path. Their lips met again and they both completely lost themselves into it.
That was, until the hotel door exploded into sharp fragments all around them.
Willow turned to the gently snoring Buffy and elbowed her in the ribs.
"Ow!" Buffy said, coming awake with a start.
"I'm bored" Willow said pouting.
Buffy rolled her eyes, "You want for me to get you a coloring book?"
Willow increased her pout.
"That might work on Xander, but I'm a girl, I know all girly tricks" Buffy pointed out.
Willow blew out an annoyed breath, "Oh alright then, please talk to me."
Buffy smiled, "See wasn't that easier?"
"Not really, Xander usually caves with the first pout"
"He is a wuss when it comes to pouting."
Willow snorted slightly, "You'd know all about that. I've seen you lay on the ole Buffy half smile, half pout."
Buffy stammered for a second, "I so do not"
"I've seen it, when you want something from him, you do that sexy little smiley thing"
"Sexy?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrow.
Willow blushed slightly, "Well, That's what Xander said anyway" she covered.
"Really? Did he?" Buffy asked, a little too quickly.
Willow looked at her friend intently, "What's going on here?" she asked.
"What?" Buffy said, again far too quickly.
"Are you starting to get feelings for Xander?"
"Starting to, no" Buffy said with a smile.
Willow looked at her intently again, "Not starting to then?"
"Nope!"
"Then you've liked him in a way other than friend shaped for..."
Buffy let out a sigh, "I've always thought he was a hottie" she admitted, "You're not mad are you?"
"Mad, should I be?"
"I didn't do anything because of you, and then Angel came along and I kinda got carried away with that... I didn't mean to hurt you willow" Buffy said as Willow ducked her head.
Willow's head came back up with repressed laughter all over it. "What a pair" she said once she trusted her voice.
"huh?"
"you know he like really likes you right?"
"Still?" Buffy asked wistfully, "I can't see it myself, not after some of the stuff that's happened between us. He even threatened to kill me once"
"He did?" Willow asked shocked.
"Yeah, when we had that trouble with the trap and master bones. He told me if you got hurt he'd kill me."
"Oh, you've seen THAT Xander as well have you." willow said knowingly.
"That Xander, you make him sound Bi-Polar" Buffy said with a smirk.
"Not a bad description actually. Most of the time he's like this lovable goof, but sometimes, watch out there's a dangerous bad ass on the loose. If he ever learns to fight properly..." Willow trailed off shaking her head, "I'd hate to be the next person to piss him off."
"Why? I mean, he can fight pretty good now, just look at graduation."
"He didn't really do all that much fighting. Like you said when you gave him that knife..."
"...Sword"
"...Whatever, when you gave him his present. Because he was the leader, and that was the myth."
"Actually..." Buffy trailed off, "Whatever, go on."
Willow filed that strangeness for later and continued, "Well, he was ordering, strategically thinking, sending people where they needed to be and lending a hand where it was needed, but he wasn't doing much fighting."
"Huh, didn't notice, but that might have something to do with running for my life away from 30 foot of Snake that was mayor" Buffy said with a grin.
Willow snickered lightly, "Yeah, well I was watching and that's what happened."
"Huh, I should take the sword back then?" Buffy asked with a teasing smile.
"Better yet, teach him to use it."
"I started too" Buffy said, "But then he went off On The Road!"
"Yeah, but he has been planning it since he got that damn book out of the library. I mean, what does he think is going to happen, he'll meet loads of interesting people and come home with loads of cool stories? I hate to say it and be bitter willow, but that's unlikely. The Beatniks are dead."
Willow smirked and continued, "This one time at band camp"
"Stop!" Buffy said, "That freaks me out and you know it"
"What, don't want to learn the flute?"
"Ahh, stop, enough. It freaks me out that you actually went to band camp, and i truly wish you'd never told me that story." Buffy then smiled evilly, "Though I think you should've told it to Xander when you were still chasing him. You wouldn't have had to run far to catch him, just the nearby boys toilets."
"Buffy Anne Summers!" Willow said in shock and trying to keep the smile off of her face, "That's very rude?"
"I'm bad to the bone" Buffy said perkily.
"Yeah, but whose bone?" Willow asked innocently just as Buffy was taking a drink of coke.
The wind of the explosion sent Faith toppling away from Xander even as he reached for her to pull her down. She hit the wall with a nasty crunching sound and fell limply to the floor. The blast also sent the door flying through the room and it smacked against Xander's head, rendering him unconscious.
A lone demon walked into the room, armoured and nasty looking it smiled evilly as it surveyed the damage it had wrought and looked down at the two dark haired victims of his small plastic device.
Then a shambling figure came into the room, "Well done Marth! The Boss will be pleased with ya!"
"I care not" the warrior demon said scornfully, "What do I care what a mere half bred cares about?"
"Careful Marth, the boss don't like that talk"
The demon shrugged, "I care not" he repeated and hefted the human male into his arms.
"No, leave that one" Bekhan said, "Get the girl"
The demon looked over at the female and lifted it's head and dropped Xander to the ground, where he bounced slightly. "There is strength in that one."
"Yeah, when the boss wins his game, maybe you'll face her in the cages" Bekhan said off handedly.
"I would like that. She looks.... Tasty"
Bekhan shuddered, "Why can't you eat babies like a normal demon ya big freak"
Xander groaned, consciousness came slowly and with it came pain, in fact there was one heck of a lot of pain. Xander's eyelids fluttered open and a quick action replay of what had happened in the moments before he was knocked silly played across his vision like a movie. He sat up quickly and then let out a yelp of pain.
He looked at his sword stuck in the floor and frowned at it, wondering how the hell it had got there and why there was a blood splattered piece of paper impaled on it. More important than those facts were why was it sticking out of his leg?
Forcing himself to concentrate Xander moved as far forward as his pinned leg would allow and breathed a sigh of relief. It was only through his trouser leg, but it's razor sharp blade had cut into his thigh a little which explained the blood that was leaking onto the carpet. Reaching up he managed to pull the embedded sword out of the floor and pull of the piece of paper.
//
Hotshot,
If you want you girlfriend back, then you'll have to win her back.
Come to the Casino Del'Morte by four am. The private room at the back will still be open and you'll be seen through.
Vincent Capone
//
Xander glanced at his watch and nodded, it was three am. That meant that he had an hour to clean up and get ready.
Xander walked into the casino lobby dressed in a black suit, black leather duster with a pair dark ray bans, he looked like he had stepped out of the matrix. He had an air around him, a strangely calm aura of utmost capability something that seemed almost alien to those who knew Xander Harris of old. Of course, currently in Vegas he was Xander Harris-Lavelle. And what Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.
"Sir, you'll have to be searched" a large doorman said, his tone sombre.
"No i won't" Xander replied glibly looking over his glasses at the large man.
"I'm sorry sir but you won't... urk!" The doorman was cut off by Xander grabbing him by the throat and pulling hard, removing the larger mans balance and sending his knee straight into the doorman's gut. He then drove his elbow down hard, on the juncture of neck and shoulder and didn't stay to watch as the large man dropped to the floor. After that, the other doormen were reticent about tangling with the man who had just taken out the strongest of them all in a blink of an eye.
Xander continued into the Casino unmolested, instead he met a tall oriental looking man who led him serenely thought the still busy Casino.
Then he smiled and bowed slightly, leaving Xander standing outside of a door and wondering what the hell he'd got himself into this time.
"Are we there yet?" Buffy asked rolling her eyes.
"Nope" Willow said patiently. Flicking through a complimentary magazine with a bored air about her.
"So, what's the plan when we get there." Buffy asked after a moments though.
Willow tossed the magazine to one side and shifted in her too small seat and looked at her blonde haired companion, "Well, I've been thinking about that and what you said."
"what I said?"
"Yeah, about how she might not have a spell over him, then it occurred to me. She's a slut, she'd use what she had and you know men."
"That's a bit harsh" Buffy said with a half frown.
"I just; don't like her"
"Because she got in Xander's pants when you didn't?"
Willow sighed, "Yeah maybe, but let's face it she's a vamp."
"Huh, no she's a slayer"
"No like a female predator. She'll use her feminine wiles" Willow explained, "So, after your little display with that cop in LA...."
"Oh ho, no way Willow, no way!"
"Come on, you said you thought he was a hottie, so where's the harm?"
"Why don't you do it then?" Buffy demanded.
"Because I'm with Oz, silly!" Willow said, "Besides, I'm really bad at that stuff." she finished with a self deprecating sigh.
"So you want me to what? Seduce Xander? Our bestest male friend in the world Xander?" Buffy asked for clarification.
"What, like you don't want to anyway?"
Buffy blushed, confirming Willow's assertion, "But..."
"no buts.. We've got to get Faith's claws out of him."
"He's a married man, my mom is going to be SO mad!" Buffy said desperately, "Please don't make my mom mad!"
Willow put on her resolve face, "You see this, know what it means?"
Buffy let out a long suffering sigh, "That you'll bug me till the look works?"
"Pretty much" Willow admitted, "But I'll win either way. So just, Gussie up and... I dunno pad your bra or something. Cause you're going to be seducing a Xander tonight!"
"Hey!" Buffy said looking down, "There is nothing wrong with my cleavage"
"Faith" Willow said by way of explanation.
Buffy looked down again, "Got any tissue?" she asked.
Xander pushed the door open, tensing for any sign of attack. Then he stepped through and glanced both ways as the door closed behind him. A lock clicked into place and then silence.
After a while he let out a bored sigh and walked over to the green felt topped table and took his long coat off, his sword swinging free from where he had it stashed a little like a gun holster. He folded the heavy leather and unbuttoned his jacket. Then he carefully sat down, making sure he could get a quick grip on his Katana at a moments notice.
He was a little surprised that there hadn't been more security, but then he wasn't entirely sure what he was up against here. Needing something to do with his hands he took out a cigarette and lit the paper cylinder with his Zippo, the same battered Zippo that he'd been given by his uncle Rory, along with an equally battered Chevy on his 18th birthday.
Reaching across the table Xander grabbed one of the sealed packs of cards that would be used for any games and split the wrapper with his thumb nail. With an almost lazy flick of his wrist the cards shot out the end of the pack only to be caught in his other hand and the pack tossed over his head. Then with a sharp movement of his hand the top two and bottom card were removed and once again tossed over his shoulder.
Then he settled the pack on the table in two halves and flicked the edges, shuffling the two cuts together. Pushing them into place he repeated the motions several times until he then started to cut the pack rapidly with a slapping motion of his hands. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth he cut one handed a few times as he took a thoughtful drag on his cigarette. What he had told Faith was true, he didn't have to cheat. That wasn't to say that he couldn't or that he wouldn't do what ever it took to make sure he left this room the winner.
He placed the cards down on the table and appeared to slap them, but was in fact cutting them again. The trouble with working a deck is that it took practice, and constant practice to keep your skills sharp. Especially when you didn't use marked decks and since the only thing he had up his sleeve was a stake, he was in a bit of a position. Because he had to assume that he was facing a big bad, which could be demonic or human, but either way it wasn't likely to play fair so he figured why the hell should he.
A door, directly opposite Xander's position opened and a man stepped through. He was broad, almost square shouldered like a boxer. His eyes were bright and intelligent and set into a pale face under stylishly cut hair. He was dressed in such a sharp suit Xander was surprised he hadn't cut himself. Their was an air of danger around the man like a cloak, and it wasn't a pleasant sort of danger, despite the mans easy and charming smile.
"I'm Vincent Capone; No relation"
"That's a long name" Xander replied mockingly, "You know who I am."
"No, actually I don't"
"Harris-Lavelle" Xander said in a clipped tone, he stood and offered his hand to the large man, his sword swinging free as he did so.
"Nice accessory, but the strap ruins that suit." Vincent said with a wry smile as he took the humans hand and gave it a shake.
Xander sat down with a smile, cold hand, no pulse under his finger, Vampire. Must be a master to be that cock sure of himself. Oh brother, he loved Vegas, not. He just wanted to get a hold of Faith and get outta dodge now. He kinda wished he'd taken her up on her idea now.
"So Mr Capone, what we doing here?"
"Call me Vincent"
"Sure call me Mr Lavelle" Xander replied with a sharp smile.
Vincent's smile never wavered but his eye became harder. "Okay, Mr Lavelle, we're here for a game of poker. 5 Million buy in, if you win, the girl goes free, if you don't I'll kill her."
Xander snorted, "She'll be pleased to hear that" he said, "She hates being called a girl."
"Chick, whatever, the brunette goes free if you win."
"5 Mill's kinda steep"
"It's the price, or you can walk outta here and leave me with your girl"
"Why?" Xander asked, "Why do this?"
"Why, because I'm fucking bored, I died in a drive by in the twenties since then I've dug in under Chicago at first then Vegas; I've been here since the start. Fuck Bugsy, I set this place up. But... It's not much of a challenge no more, so occasionally when I think someone's worth it I set up a game, place and stakes of my choosing. It keeps things a little more interested, capishe"
"Capishe, Jesus. Okay Vincent I agree to your terms. On one condition."
"What's that? Not that your in position to bargain." Vincent said with an expressive movement of his hands.
"I am, believe me Vinny I'm always in a position to bargain. I want proof that she's okay." Xander smirked thinly, "Capishe?"
Vincent laughed and finished with a smile that was as false as a show girls bust size, "Sure what the fuck" he said standing. He showed Xander to the door, "Follow me, and keep the sword in it's sheath yeah?"
"Sure thing, just let me see the girl and we're set to go."
"Come on, you can see her from here."
Xander was led into a small observation room that over looked a large area type arrangement, there were hundreds of humans and demons packed around what looked to be a converted wrestling ring with a cage around it. "What the fuck is this?" he said pointing to where Faith was being held, in a smaller cage off to the right of the main cage.
"Well, she's got a little competition of her own. 5 Mill buy in, and IF she wins YOU go free." Vincent said calmly.
"Interesting" Xander said calmly, "How about I cut off your nuts and feed them too you and we call it even?" he asked curiously.
Vincent made pursed his lips negatively, "I don't like that plan. I prefer mine, besides, if I die, she dies. We're being watched"
Xander smiled and moved like a snake hitting Vincent in the ear and grabbing a small ear piece in the process, "So I noticed."
Vincent almost snarled before he regained his composure and instead smiled, "Nice trick Kid. Try anything like that again, and I'll be the one removing balls Capishe?"
"Sure, like I'll need them after this anyway."
Vincent looked at him askance, "What?" he couldn't help but ask.
"When she finds out i walked straight into this trap, she'll rip 'em off"
Vincent couldn't help but laugh. In life he'd always liked to laugh and being turned hadn't changed that, of course he now got his kicks from stunts like this when before it had been Ed Sullivan, but that's un-life for you. "Come on, we'd better get started"
"Okay Vinny, let's go"
Vincent turned and looked into Xander's eyes, "I said call me Vincent kid! You wouldn't want to annoy me now would ya?"
"Yeah actually I would, because I woke up with my sword in my favourite jeans in place of the brunette there" he said nodding backwards, "So I'm kinda ticked off at ya. Don't worry I'm sure we'll be the best of buds"
Vincent chuckled, "You know what kid?"
"What?"
"I think I actually like you. Now let's see if you card skills are as sharp as your tongue."
"You mean put my money where my mouth is" Xander said, "So, what's the guarantee that f we win we leave."
Vincent shrugged, "My word"
"Vampires words don't mean much to me Vincent"
Vincent widened his eyes slightly then smiled, "Mine should. You'll get out alive. But believe me kid, you'd better run for it, because come sun down on the next day I'll be hunting ya"
"Fair nuff, come on" Xander said leading the way to the table, "Let's do this."
"Money?"
"What my credit no good in this casino?"
"Sure why not, when you loose I'll just kill you and search your body anyway." He looked up into the roof, "Dealer"
"We need a machine to shuffle the packs as well. We have trust issue to work through" Xander remarked.
Vincent shrugged, "You hear him" then he nailed Xander with a glare, "Are you for real, I've been hearing that you're a mechanic, and from what I saw earlier on the camera's it looks like they could be right."
Xander smiled, "I won't cheat if you don't"
Vincent unbuttoned his jacket and dropped it on a nearby chair before taking a seat and rolling up his sleeves, revealing muscular arms, "Sure why not."
Xander smiled and took his seat again, mirroring the master vampires action.
Vincent narrowed his eyes, "Interesting scar kid, get caught with you hand in the cookie jar?" he asked as a dealer walked into the room with a card shuffling machine and started to set up.
Xander glanced at the pale scar that ran from his wrist up to his elbow. "No, I dropped my guard too low. My sensei didn't like that gave me this as a reminded not to do it again."
"You do all that martial arts shit?"
"Uh huh, you? All vampires seem to learn if from the grave"
"Nah, I prefer a nice long machine gun between me and the guy fighting me."
Xander laughed as the Dealer cracked his knuckles and began to load cards into the machine, "I can see your point. Most Vampires don't use weapons"
"You seem to know a lot about vampires kid, why is that?"
"Been killing them since I was 15" Xander said with a edged smile.
"Huh, and you're now?"
"Older and wiser" Xander said, ", but still killing vamps"
Vincent smiled, "Interesting career choice."
"Ain't it though."
"I am ready" the dealer said as the machine cycled.
"Get on with it then" Vincent said, "Want anything to drink?"
Xander shook his head, "No, Thanks."
Vincent smiled, "Smart move kid, but we could be here a while."
"My sensei once made me go without food and water for three days, a few hours won't kill me" Xander commented,
"Ante up gentlemen please" the dealer said pushing the shoe into the middle of the table.
The sound of the crowd was starting to grate on her nerves and being trapped in a cage didn't help. To add insult to injury they'd made her dress like an extra from Xena. All in all, this was so not the form of exercise that Faith had been planning for that night.
"Hey you" she called to a small brown demon.
"What do you want toots"
"Toots? What the fuck?"
"Whatever, what do you want?"
"What the fuck is going on, when do I get to fight?"
The demon bobbed up and down a bit, "When the boss says so, capishe"
"Capishe?" Faith said crunching up her nose like she'd just smelt something nasty, "You've watched too many gangster movies"
The demon snarled at her, flashing an impressive set of canines in the process.
"Man, I've got some breath mints in my other pants, you want I should get em for ya?" Faith said with a shit eating grin.
"You know smoking like that will dry your mouth" Vincent said conversationally.
"Thanks mom, how come you're not crunching on a cigar like a good bad guy?"
"Don't smoke." Vincent said tapping the table.
"Yeah, why, it's not like it can kill yah?" Xander asked holding three fingers across his cards.
"Why do you smoke?"
"I doubt I'll live to regret it, so you gonna answer my question?" Xander said with a slight smile.
Vincent chuckled slightly, "When I was working as an enforcer back in Chicago I found it paid to be fitter than the other guy. I noticed they smoked, so I didn't. Gave me an edge."
"So what does an Enforcer do anyway?" Xander asked tapping the table.
"Enforces his bosses will" Vincent said moving his hands across his cards. "I'll raise you a grand"
"Sure why not. So when you say enforces his bosses will, you mean, what kill?"
Vincent shrugged, "Kill, maim, beat the shit out of. Sometimes all it really took was a kind word or two."
"Reminds me of what Capone said; Al that is" Xander said thoughtfully.
Vincent smiled, "You'll get more done with kind words and a gun..."
"... Than kind words alone" Xander finished, the two men laughing struck the dealer, who knew the score, as kind of odd but he knew better than to make comment.
"Call" Xander said.
"So, where'd you learn to play cards?" Vincent asked as Xander moved the pot to his side of the table.
"My Uncle"
"Must have been a player" Vincent said slightly impressed at how much he'd just lost.
Xander smiled wolfishly, "You could say that"
"Why don't I like that smile."
"Well, you might have heard of him, put it that way!"
"Go on?" Vincent asked with a polite smile.
"Rory Harris" Xander said pushing glancing at his hand.
Vincent's expression closed up fast. "I thought you said you were Harris-Lavelle"
Xander shrugged, "So Lavelle is my mother's name, if people twigged I was the state champion for five years running nephew, they might wonder if it was a family trait. Couldn't have my marks running off now could I?" he said, the wolfish smile back in place.
"You're a bastard kid, I like that," Vincent said concentrating on his hand, "I just hope your girl fights as well as you play cards, I'd hate to have to kill you."
Xander smile became, if possible, even more predatory, "Oh she is much better than that."
Vincent let out a sigh, "She's a fucking slayer isn't she?" he said tapping the table.
Xander winked and took a drag of his cigarette.
"Ah well, never did like Marth. Arrogant fucker thinks he's better than me because I'm a vampire and he's a demon!" Vincent said with a shrug.
"You're taking the news surprisingly well" Xander noted.
"I didn't get this far by loosing my rag all the time" he said waiving a hand over his cards, "I got here by thinking and doing, not doing and regretting."
"Fold. That's enlightened, in fact I may have to kill you just to stop the idea spreading." Xander said with a laugh.
Vincent winced, "I think I'm going to kill you for folding" he said with a smile.
Xander just shot him another of his quickly becoming famous lopsided grins.
"Tell you what hotshot, I'll get your lady started and we'll see who's up at the end of the fight, interested?"
"What's the deal exactly?"
"If you win, you both go free with the money you've won. If not, then I'll kill you both and take the lot"
Faith let out a sigh of relief when she was finally let out of the cage. She quickly stretched out her legs and arms, jumping up and down a bit to get some blood pumping around her body. Finally it was time to fight.
Buffy stretched out her back once they had reached the airport arrivals lounge, popping her back and removing some of the kinks that had set up shop there. She smiled, finally she was free of that damn plane and finally it was time to fight.
Faith walked into the ring to the riotous sound's of cheering and heckling. She wasn't sure the people cheering were for or against her, not that she really cared. She had to win this fight, the prize had become far too important to her to lose. For losing meant death, not that she cared especially about her own death, she was a slayer after all, but the man that was being held somewhere in this weird ass wrestling complex was; important to her.
He may be her husband, thanks to some serious late night drinking, which was something they would have to face up to sooner or later, but that paled into insignificance compared to what else he had become. Her friend, something that she couldn't remember having for a long time, and that was someone she actually trusted, someone that treated her right. There was something else he was that she didn't want to focus on there and then.
Once she was let through the thick cage into the main arena she lent back against the cool metal and took a few calming breaths. She SO couldn't afford to fuck this up.
Buffy glared around the hotel room, wondering where the hell he was.
"I don't BELIEVE this!" Willow said her face flushed with anger.
"What?" Buffy asked looking round at her livid friend.
"Do you know what I just found?" Willow said, her voice like Ice.
"No, what?" Buffy asked.
"These!" Willow said pulling out a flimsy pair of underwear.
"Oh hey those are Faiths!" Buffy said reaching for the underwear.
Willow glared at her friend, "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Buffy blushed, "I SO don't know what you're talking about."
"Well you two, WERE all bondigy and stuff!"
"Bondage-y" Buffy shrieked.
"No" Willow said in a rush, "No, Not like whips and chains, but touchy feel-y"
"What!" Buffy said, "Are you calling me a lesbian?"
"No!"
"I visited her room!" Buffy said, "You know what Faith is like"
Willow smirked, "Apparently not as well as you do!"
Buffy ignored her friends comment, "It looks like they were in a hurry"
Willow snorted.
"To leave and pack gutter brain!" Buffy said pointing, "Look the maid hasn't been in yet and there are a few of Xander's things; In fact..." Buffy said trailing off. "Those panties are the only thing of Faith's left. Want to bet she was 'convincing' Xan?"
"Ewwww!" Willow said screwing her face up in disgust and getting off of the bed in a hurry.
The volume of the cheering went through the roof suddenly and Faith's head whipped round to face a large armored demon's chest. She jumped back, wondering where the hell it had come from.
"You've GOT to be shitting me!" Faith said with a smirk.
The demon growled, "You look to be a most excellent morsel" if said smacking it's lips.
"What?" Faith said, "You want to eat me?" then she laughed, "But you haven't even brought me a drink." she continued prompting a laugh from the more humanoid crowd member's.
The demon had no idea why they were laughing but took it to be a personal affront and charged the slender brunette.
Faith dropped to the floor and kicked out with one toned leg knocking the demon into the air. Then she was back up in a flash and executed a side thrust kick that caught the demon in mid-flight. It flew across the ring and smashed into to the bars with a resounding clang of armor on metal.
It then dropped to the canvas with an explosion of breath. "Ah, ah, no rushing it sugar. A girl doesn't like to be rushed ya know?" Faith said, cocking a hip and placing a hand on it, her lips pursed in mocking humor.
Marth growled low in his throat and jumped back to his feet. "You'll die for that human."
Faith waved a bored hand in front of her mouth faking a yawn, "Come on boy I haven't got all day, I've got thing to be doing" he smirked, "Well someone actually, but what the hey!"
Marth moved with more deliberation, cross the canvas more slowly this time, wanting to rip out the female's heart with his bare hands. Once and for all showing his superiority over Vincent and his ilk. Marth hated vampires with a passion, but they did pay rather well for his skills, it was a catch 22 he put up with by being arrogant as hell.
Faith tired of the game and stepped smartly forward, drawing back a seemingly too small fist and then released her pent up anger and energy in a single punch. Slayer strength cubed; forward momentum, strength and skill, all focused on the small fist that hit Marth's chest with the force of a rampaging elephant and the speed of a bullet. Even his demonic armor was no match for an pissed off slayer. It cracked, splintering out from the point of impact, the enduring power behind the blow continued on through straight into Marth's chest cavity.
Faith grimaced slightly but her eyes were bright as she pulled out Marth's black heart and dropped it to the floor. Then with her heel she slammed down on it and mushed it across the white canvas. It exploded into a core laced fountain and Marth just dropped to the floor. Dead as a vampire's family.
Faith allowed herself a nod of triumph, not concentrating on the gory way she had dispatched her opponent, it was necessary and quick. Which is more than could be said of the fate that had apparently awaited her. She stood back from the dead demon and then walked over to the entrance to the cage, "Tell your boss, I won" she said to Bekhan.
Bekhan nodded, his eyes wide and bearing fearful as he virtually fell over himself to do her bidding.
"Oh and hey, get me my damn clothes while ya at it!" Faith yelled after him. "Man I need a shower" she said looking down at her black encrusted legs.
"Call" Xander said his eyes intent and serious. In fact, even though he would rather die than admit it, his game with Vincent had been a lot of fun. He was a damn good player and had forced Xander to think about his game past his usual talent.
"Okay" Vincent said pushing his money into the center of the table, "I can do that"
"Lay out for me Vincent" Xander said.
"After you"
Xander smiled and did as he was told, "There"
"Ahhh shit!" Vincent said tossing his cards down, face up, on the table.
"You tried bluffed me with a fucking high card!" Xander said with a laugh. "You know, as long as Faith get through without a scratch; I may just let you live through this Vincent."
"If she doesn't?" Vincent asked with a smile that wrinkled his scar.
Xander just looked at the master vampire. Vincent held up his hands, "Okay, Okay. Hell if I'd known she was a slayer I would've never have bothered with this. Have you any idea how much tonight has cost me?"
"Assuming I get to keep my winnings, a shit load" Xander said with a smile.
"That was the deal, her too" Vincent said, "Not only that you killed my demon. That cost me a ritual he was setting up for me."
Xander looked more interested, "What sort of ritual?"
Vincent sat back, and looked at Xander very seriously. "There is another player in town. Been here almost as long as me. His name is Max, just max never been anything else. He's not a vampire, but he ain't no human either. The ritual was to find out what he was so I could kill the fucker."
"Why do you want to kill him?" Xander asked curiously.
"Because he's bad for business, the missing persons figures have shot through the roof this year. I mean I'm a vamp, and I hate bottled blood, but I don't kill no one less I have to. That's how I stayed under the radar. But this Max, he doesn't play by no-ones rules but his own. He's killing women left right and center. Any man, boyfriend and such get's in the way. Even the cops in this town know it was homicide, know what I mean?"
"Huh, so he's a demon then?"
Vincent shrugged, "No fucking idea. You and your girl fucked that one up for me."
"You know if you'd come to us...."
"What you'd sort the problem out?"
Xander pursed his lips, "How much were you paying the demon?"
"600 grand why?" Vincent said then winced, "Oh no way, you've taken me for 10 mill tonight on top of your own money, I'm gunna be broke at this rate."
"Just kidding, I or hopefully we'll check this out, if it's on the level it'll be dealt with." Xander said, calmly cutting the cards he had in one hand. "So, how about double or nothing?"
"Fuck you!" Vincent said before bursting into laughter.
Faith was led out of the cage and given her clothes, a towel, and somewhere to get cleaned up. Strangely enough, unlike the bare bones décor she had seen before, the bathroom was much more plush. There was a shower, which she quickly availed herself of, and several amenities that she had not been provided before. For once, it looked like a vampire was as good as his word.
She quickly got to having her shower and getting some of her opponents blood off of her. The black oily ooze was all over her lower half and up to the elbow on her leading arm. It took some time to get it cleaned off but once she did she was happy to allow herself a little R&R time, the steamy shower hitting her in the face.
"Are you EVER going to finish?" Bekhan said from beside her.
Faith grabbed a towel and clothed herself, "Hey! Don't ya know how ta knock?"
"Why would I knock?" Bekhan said, "Can you just hurry up already?" he glanced over her body and shuddered, "Human females are really gross!" he commented walking out of the bathroom.
Faith glowered after him for a moment before turning off the shower and getting out. The small demon's appearance in her shower had ruined her calm down time and relaxation she had briefly allowed herself.
Then, dried and dressed she walked out of the bathroom and swiped Bekhan, HARD on the head. "Come on, take me to your leader."
"Ow!" Bekhan said in shock, "That actually hurt!?"
Willow set up her spell ingredients in their hotel room, spreading the small items from both Xander and Faith's underwear. "This shouldn't take long!"
Buffy glanced out of the window and then back at willow, "Okay" she said in a bored voice. Then frowned and glanced back out of the window.
"I just have to like Zero in on their aura's using these items as a basis" Willow said starting to describe her actions.
Buffy smirked, "I dunno Wills, I'm getting a bad feeling about this."
Willow snorted, "It'll be fine."
"Well, you know I'm thinking that perhaps the answer is closer than it appears, ya know?"
"This is the easiest way, honestly" Willow said. "Even hacking takes more time than this!"
Buffy rolled her eyes, "I see them in a large building... There are lots of lights and money is pumping out of a machine" she said in a mock swami type voice.
"What Buffy, are you having a slayer vision type thing?"
Buffy laughed, "No I looked out the window, come here"
Willow walked over to her friend, the spell forgotten.
"What the...." she asked as Buffy pointed to a large billboard.
'This Young Couple Won, You Can Too!' the billboard proudly announced, underneath was a picture of Xander grinning inanely into the camera holding an equally drunk looking Faith.
"What say we go down to that casino, see if they're still staying there?" Buffy asked with a grin.
Just then the fire alarms went off as behind the two fighter's of big bad things a fire was licking the roof. "Oh hell the spell!" Willow said in panic.
Just then the sprinkler system kicked in.
Faith walked up the stairs, following Bekhan at a discrete distance, he wasn't the nicest smelling demon that she'd ever come across. But then, she hated to admit, he wasn't the worst either.
She met him at the top of the stairs and was led through what looked to be some sort of VIP booth and then finally to a door, a very plain looking door it was as well. There wasn't even a handle.
Bekhan knocked lightly on the door, which then popped open.
The first thing Faith heard was the sound of two men laughing. One of the two laughs she recognized straight away. After all it was a voice that she had been hearing constantly, in a good way, for the last two day's straight. In that time, now that she thought about it, she had heard Xander laugh a great many times.
"Vincent, man; you have got to be kidding me. That was a Royal flush, how did you expect to bluff me with a high card?"
"That's the idea of bluff kid"
"I know, but come on, there are limits" Xander said, then his eyes lifted from the master vampire with whom, bizarrely enough, he had been having such a good laugh with. "Faith" he breathed, getting out of his chair moving towards her in a blink of a second.
His hands, somehow found themselves in her hair, dark eyes searching her face and other visible skin for any sign of marring before he half turned and looked at Vincent, "Looks like you get to continue your unlife Vincent."
"I'm so happy!" Vincent said sarcastically.
"How do you feel baby" Xander said, not realizing that the endearment had been spoken aloud.
"I'm good, now I've seen you" Faith said with a smile, wondering when she had gotten so sappy.
Xander's eye softened even further and acting on impulse, he pulled her in for a long kiss.
Vincent glanced at Bekhan, "What happened?
Bekhan gulped, "She killed him boss, sent her fist straight through his chest and ripped out his heart."
"He had one?" Vincent said with a ironic modicum of surprise in his voice.
Bekhan nodded, or rather bobbed slightly, "yeah boss, if you wanna see fer yerself, it's mushed all over the canvas downstairs."
Vincent shook his head sadly, "This has been a VERY expensive night"
"You paying 'em boss?"
"Of course I am, can't let word get out that I weltche can I?" Vincent said with an angry expression.
"But they're human boss!" The small demon said in disgust, "Look, they're doing that thing with their mouths"
"Trust me Bekhan, that's a lot of fun" Vincent cleared his throat, "But it's time to settle up" he continued and then cleared his throat a little louder before reaching for his glass and tossing the contents backwards, straight over Faith's bare midriff.
Which only made her wet, and did little to deter the two from their kiss. Vincent rolled his eyes and settled back to wait. Normally in these sorts of situations he would already be trying to wring their necks. But Vincent was no fool. These were two powerful demon hunters, if all he had been told about the two had been true, he could wait for them to stop kissing.
Buffy glared at her red haired friend. They were stood in the parking lot, her hair slicked to the sides of her face, her clothes clinging in an almost indecent way and she was shivering with cold.
Willow, who was in a similar state, glanced back up from looking at the floor. It was no good, the slayer glare was still there. "Look, I'm sorry okay. 'sides it was your fault really..."
Buffy's glare became even more intense and added a little bit of murderous in for the hell of it. "My fault?" she asked in an icy tone.
"If you hadn't of distracted me..." Willow began.
"Distracted you?" Buffy asked, a sweet smile on her face that was oxymoronic to the ice in her tone.
"Yeah, I mean with that billboard and all. Wonder where they are now?" Willow said trying desperately to distract the slayer and wishing she'd kept her mouth shut. It had always worked with Xander, the jocular blame thing. Apparently Willow needed more female friends when she was growing up. She was quickly finding that the same tricks that worked on men, really didn't work on women.
Buffy glared at her for a moment and noticed the firemen coming out of their chalet type room holding up Willow's burner. "We need to get out of here."
"Why?"
"Because they know the fire started in our room!" Buffy said dragging her female friend away by the arm.
Vincent glanced down at his rolex and grimaced, "Yo!" he thundered, "TIME OUT!"
Xander opened one eye and looked at Vincent who was almost laughing with a slightly annoyed smirk on his face. Faith did something with her tongue and Xander's eyes closed again.
Bekhan decided that he'd had enough. "Yo! The boss said time out already. Please, this is making me sick!"
Faith broke the kiss, grudgingly and debated killing the small demon where he stood. "Alright already!"
Bekhan breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you. I nearly lost my lunch."
Faith and Xander both glared at him.
Vincent stepped forward with two cases that had arrived while Xander and Faith had been otherwise occupied. "Here, now get out of my casino before I loose any more money."
Faith glared at the master vampire, "Sure, just as soon as I've dusted your ass" She said stalking over to the large male vampire and lifted him off of his feet.
"Faith!" Xander said with a note of command in his tone.
"What?" Faith asked, looking back at him with a tinge of surprise in her eyes.
"Let him be." Xander said in a calm voice.
"What?" Faith said incredulously, "He's a vampire, me slayer remember"
"You know that demons aren't all bad?" Xander said a slightly lopsided smile quirking his lips as he realized the strangeness of what he was about to say, "Well, I'm thinking some vampires are the same."
"Shave you lost it while I was down their, fighting for our lives?" Faith asked, giving the surprisingly calm Vincent a shake.
"No, I've just been playing some poker and talking with a new friend. At least, I think he could be."
Vincent smiled slightly, his distinct lack of the need for air, allowing him to be less uncomfortable had he been a air breathing demon or human. "Yeah kid, I think so too."
Faith lowered the vampire to the floor. Then she turned back to glare at Xander, "He's a killer Xan..."
Xander's eyes widened slightly and he looked at her steadily, "Yeah, but some killers can come back from the abyss; can't they Faith?"
Faith glared at him some more, "I don't like this Stud"
"I understand" Xander said evenly, "But I've made the decision here"
"What?" Faith asked aghast, "Who do you think you are, my husband?" she asked then actually blushed slightly. "Not that it makes a difference" she said un sheathing a stake, "Vampire, Slayer, dust" she explained drawing her arm back to kill the vampire.
Bekhan growled, long canines flashing, "You're next stumpy" Faith said daring him to make a move.
Her arm moved only to come to a dead stop as Xander used all his weight and all the leverage he could, to still her arms movement. "I SAID NO!" he shouted into her face.
"This is my duty Xander." Faith said with a sad voice, "I have to do this. I don't know what he's done to you, but the Xander I L... know would want him dead."
"You don't know me YET" Xander said softly, "I don't kill indiscriminately."
"You saying I do?" Faith asked angrily as Vincent and Bekhan watched on like they were at a tennis game.
"No Faith; I'm not. This is not about that, this is about taking the life of a soul." Xander said softly.
Vincent's eyes shot wide open. "How...!?"
Xander smiled, "I just know."
Faith glared at him, "But it was alright when you set me up to kill Angel?"
"I was a kid; Faith. I grew up, not that I would've morned his passing."
"So what's different here?"
"Vincent is what he always was, he continued to be the man he was before his change. I believe so anyway, I don't know how long it was before he pissed off whoever it was that he pissed off, but it wasn't long. He's carried on being himself. Angel, wallows in his guilt, to the point that he takes the inactive route compared to the proactive one."
"This guys a vampire gangster Xander"
"I know, and he doesn't pretend to be anything but."
"He's got a soul and he still kills"
"Jesus Faith, you of ALL people know that a soul has nothing to do with how good or bad a person is."
Faith's eyes were overlaid with a sheen of bright wetness, "You think I'm a bad person?"
"If I did, I wouldn't have kissed you Faith. All I meant was that you have seen a bad guy with a soul. Even if it had been sold pending delivery"
"The Mayor?" she asked her arm becoming limp, "He had a soul?"
"He's sold it, it's the only way he could've lived as long as he did; but yeah he still had a soul, black as it was."
Faith let go of Vinny, her shock making her feel a little weak. "How do you know?"
Xander smirked, "You never met her, but erh... I knew this teacher, Angel killed her, which is why I was so hot to kill him, but that's besides the point. She was with Giles, but..."
"I thought you were a virgin when we..." Faith smirked slightly, "Knocked boots"
Vincent snorted slightly drawing Faith's glare, "You're on probation here vamp" Faith said in a low tone.
"No, I mean, yes I was; but we were friends. I know she was older, and yeah she was like REALLY hot an all, but we were friends."
"REALLY hot?" Faith asked, a hint of green in her eyes.
"Yeah, same sort of looks as you actually." Xander said his brow furrowed in thought.
"What's the point?"Faith asked, covering her smile with a brusque tone.
"She taught me more than computers" Xander said.
Faith leaned in a little closer, "What... That thing with your tongue?" she asked sotto voce.
"What NO!" Xander said blushing scarlet. "Some spells, how to read aura's that stuff. Plus I'm friends with a pretty nifty witch. You pick shit up is all."
"You saw my soul in my aura?" Vincent asked now serious.
"Yeah"
"Damn thing" Vincent said. "Let's just say, a demon and a soul in one body, ain't great capishe"
"I did say I was SORRY Boss" Bekhan said nervously.
"You gave him his soul?" Faith and Xander asked together and jointly shocked.
Bekhan bobbed, his version of a shrug, "Yeah, so it WAS an accident."
Faith and Xander glanced at each other and both blinked slowly.
"How do you give someone a soul, by accident?" Xander asked, "It's a powerful spell the soul curse"
"Curse?" Vincent said in panic, "What curse?"
"Don't worry boss, they'se talking about gypsy magic. Not my magic, an ensouling spell ain't nothing. You don't need no curse. Besides it's the curse part that makes the gypsy spell so damn hard to do."
"What the fuck is going on round here?" Faith asked finally having had enough of most of the conversation flying over her head.
"Can you soul a vampire who was cursed?" Xander asked, ignoring Faith completely.
"No!" Bekhan said, "The soul isn't available if it's already in the body. Ya get me?"
"Damn," Xander swore softly.
"Thinking of B and her corpse?" Faith asked, feeling a little perturbed at how much Xander seemed to care about Buffy. Buffy always seemed to have what she wanted.
Xander looked at Faith steadily for a few moments before nodding, "Yeah, It'd be her dream" he said. Old pain was evident in his voice, and Faith mistook it for current pain and felt some herself, right in her chest.
Hating herself for her weakness, and frankly more than a little jealous Faith covered her pain with a smirk and an icy tone, "Well, least they'd be able to screw" she said, twisting a knife that didn't actually exist.
"No they won't. Bekhan can't do it" Xander said calmly.
"So, loose him his soul then. Want me to do it?" Faith asked.
Xander's eyes flashed and his blood boiled. "NO!" he said his voice a drawing sword.
"Are you two leaving anytime time soon?" Vincent asked.
"Yeah, I'm leaving" Xander said tiredly.
"Yeah, but remember Bub, Probation, put one foot outta line and I'll cut it off and turn the rest to dust."
"You got any Sicilian in you girly?" Vincent asked with a smile.
"No, and I don't want none in me either" Faith spat pushing past Bekhan and heading for the door.
"Jesus, people still use THAT line?" Vincent asked shocked then frowned, "and not what I meant."
Faith banged on the door, "Hey, I want out" she shouted. Having noticed the lack of handle on their side.
Vincent flipped a switch where he had been sat and the door popped open. "Then go" he said. He stopped Xander with a hand as he went to follow the pissed brunette.
"Here," Vincent said passing a card to Xander, "Any time you need anything, call me."
"Thanks Vincent, so up for another game sometime."
"Sure, as long as no money is on the line. I've got to think of my old age, and playing poker with you eats into my retirement fund" he said with a smirk.
Xander smiled back and followed after Faith. His blood still hot despite not being sure why he was so mad. It was just the thought of Faith and Angel; it made his gut twist tightly, his blood roar in his ears and his eyesight to shift into a red hue.
Buffy shivered again, thanking god that her Slayer physiology would keep the cold at bay, that she was sure would normally be the consequence of walking around Vegas this early in the morning wet.
Willow suddenly grabbed her arm her emerald eyes wide as saucers as she glared across the street. "It's Faith" she whispered hoarsely.
"Where?" Buffy said in a normal voice.
"Shh..." Willow said and pointed across the street towards where Faith was stalking out of a casino, looking angry as hell.
As Buffy watched gauging the situation, Xander tore out of the Casino after her.
Xander grabbed the dark haired slayer by the arm and Buffy couldn't help but wince, expecting that Faith would turn around and slug her brunette friend. However, she was pleasantly surprised to watch her sister slayer stop dead and turn on Xander with anger in her body language, but with no flying fists.
"Faith, what the hell is going on?" he asked, "What was that crack about helping Angel to lose his soul about?"
"Well, ya know; when you get your fondest WISH AND GET B" Faith said, ending at a yelling volume.
"What?" Xander demanded confusedly, "You think I want... Buffy?"
Faith started to speak, when she noticed that Xander was looking over her shoulder across the street. "Oh great" she grouched to herself as she spotted both Buffy and Willow making their way across the street. She threw her hands up in the air, "Just fucking Marvelous!"
"Hey, we haven't finished" Xander said as Faith started to stalk away.
"We are!" Faith said in a leaden tone, "And look, here's the proof."
Buffy and Willow glared as they heard Faith's words as she pointed to the newly arrive two.
"Be with you in a minute" Xander said smiling at the two women, who were his best friends in the world. "Faith!" he snapped stopping her in her tracks. "I don't feel that way about her any more, I told you that."
Faith ducked her head, hiding her eyes behind the curtain of her still damp from the shower hair.
Xander walked over to her and tipped her chin with his finger. Then he smiled and moved down and kissed her softly, "Hello Mrs Harris" he said in a soft tone.
Willow's back became as rigid as an iron bar and she shared a meaningful look with her blonde haired companion. "See" she hissed.
Had Faith not been otherwise occupied, she would've heard the hiss as clear as day, but her concentration was not currently on her surroundings. Xander broke the kiss and smiled down at the hard breathing Faith, "Okay, get it now?" he said softly.
Faith smiled, "Okay stud, for now"
Xander then put his arm around his stunning bride and smiled at his two friends, "So," he said, "What brings you to Nevada?"
Then he frowned and looked up, then back at his best female friends, "and why are you wet?"
Buffy toweled her hair dry, thanking god that Xander had invited them to stay with them overnight. The them in question being Faith and Xander. Which, she had to admit totally gave her the Wiggins. It just didn't click somehow. Faith and Xander, Xander and Faith. There was something just a little bit too Bonny and Clyde about that for her, something that went BLIP! On her danger alert signal.
She wasn't, unlike willow, convinced that Xander was under any sort of spell, but that didn't mean that she didn't think there was something fishy about the relationship. Faith, as far as she knew and was currently concerned was on the other side of the tracks. Where as Xander was her's..
Buffy derailed her thoughts and went backwards, she had meant to think on her side. Buffy shook herself and grabbed the clothes that Xander had brought on the way to the hotel for them.
She quickly dressed, knowing that Willow most likely already done in the other bathroom. It was time to find out what the hell was happening once and for all.
Faith paced back and forth in the central area of the suite Xander had moved them too the night before. Their was a replacement door and after a lot of talking, somehow, Xander had managed to charm the manager into not kicking them out and calling off the police. She wasn't entirely sure how he had done that. It was strange. In Sunnydale, he had been a background kinda guy. Cute, for sure, otherwise she wouldn't have taken a roll with him. Now, though, here in Vegas; it was like he was wearing the city like a tailored suit. It fit him well, moved the way he wanted it to and made him look like ten million dollars. He was, bigger here somehow; more at home.
Faith decided something, then and there. She wasn't sure why, or how, or even what had prompted her to think she could. That aside, she decided that she was staying here in Vegas, and more to the point, she was going to make damn sure that Xander did as well.
She glanced across to where Xander was sat, a cigarette smoking in one hand, gold glinting from his whiskey in the other. He had taken off his jacket and tossed it over a chair; his sleeves had been rolled up and Faith noticed, not for the first time how powerful they looked. Xander glanced up, their eyes locking together and creating an almost visible line of sight between them from the heat contained within it.
Willow and Buffy both emerged from the bathrooms on either side of them at the same time. Buffy watched as Faith's generous lips slid into an almost bashful smile that stunned her.
Willow, however, was stunned to watch Xander smile easily, looking she had to admit, handsome as hell. The smile was what could only be described as loaded with promise.
Both Willow and Buffy cleared their throats at the same time.
Then, after a moment, they did it again, this time with more success. Faith and Xander both looked in opposite directions. Faith at Willow and Xander at Buffy.
"Yeah?" they said together. Realizing that they were speaking at the same time, they glanced back at each other and laughed.
"Sorry to disturb your nuptial bliss" Willow began icily, "But we felt that you needed to be checked up on."
Xander looked away from Faith and at Willow, "Why?" he asked, "What's the matter?"
Willow stammered and bubbled for a second before exploding, "YOU GOT MARRIED!" he shouted, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING GETTING MARRIED!"
"Willow, breathe" Xander said calmly, "And please, don't shout. I'm still getting over a mild concussion."
"How'd that happen?" Willow said, planting her hands on her hips, "Bit rough in bed is she?"
"Hey" Xander snapped as Faith and Buffy just looked on at the two friends. "That's outta line"
"Is it?" Willow said stabbing a finger in his direction, "Because I think you're out of line mister!"
"Why?" Xander said flabbergasted, "What have I don that is so wrong here?"
"Apart from just up and marrying the first SKANK that comes along!"
Xander's eyes changed, the light of anger growing and now dimming out other emotions. "Faith isn't a skank" he said with deathly quiet.
"Oh Really!" Willow said, her temper flaring to match her hair color, "Because if you didn't have you head so far up her.... CHEST, the Xander I KNOW would see that is exactly what she is." her ire found new target in Faith. "And YOU, you might have him wrapped around you little finger, but don't bet on it lasting."
Faith felt her anger boil but put a lid on it. She was DAMNED if the witch was getting a rise outta her, "I would" she breathed, "I've got no hold over boy toy" she said slowly.
"That, you're right about!" Willow hissed
"No" Xander said, his quiet voice cutting through the room like a knife, "she isn't"
"Ah HA!" Willow said shaking a finger at Xander, "You see he's starting to see through you now!"
Faith looked at Xander with a hurt expression that she couldn't hope to hide so intense was the betrayal she felt right at that moment.
"Faith does have a hold over me, but she doesn't really know it yet. But it's not what you're implying. You might only see Faith as a skank, but I don't see her that way at all" Xander said.
Faith sat down on the arm of a nearby chair, not trusting her legs. Xander was looking at her with the most intense gaze she'd ever seen. His soft voice floated across her like a tropical wave.
"I see a beautiful woman, a woman that; granted, has strayed from the path. A woman, however, that is now back on it, a woman that has honor and a sense of duty. A woman that loves passionately, life, her calling and when she allows herself too, people too. This is a woman that I would gladly lay my life down for. Just as I would you, Wills, or you, Buff" he said looking from one to the other. Then he smiled into Faith's eyes. "But I also see so much more than just that."
"Xan..." Faith said her voice cracking, tear's glistening unshed in her eyes, "You're killing me here."
"She's got you under a spell then" Willow said, unwilling to let go of her world view, "A love spell"
"Oh I do love her" Xander said with certainty, "but I'm not under a spell. I've seen one in action remember, I don't feel that overwhelming obsession for her. I just feel happier when she's in the room. It's like I was in a cave, then suddenly, someone threw a switch and the light's came on. Every time she comes in the room I smile. Did you know that? Every single damn time. Hell, I don't even have to see her enter, I just know. How is that a spell Wills?"
Willow's mouth opened and shut a few times, "What?" she finally managed gulping in air, "What?" she said again, taking a seat in a similar fashion to Faith. "How?"
Faith in the meantime was looking at Xander with her mouth gaping open.
Buffy watched the proceedings with a bittersweet smile on her face. In truth, she had been rather looking forward to seducing Xander. Some part of her had believed that she would be able to break any spell that Faith had him under. She wasn't, however, expecting the oldest and strongest spell of them all.
"BUT She's Faith!" Willow said finally her voice totally stunned.
Faith snorted softly, "Thanks red" she said with a bitter smile.
Xander then smiled, "Exactly! Now you're getting it Wills."
Willow and Faith both blinked at him owlishly.
"She's Faith, that's the hold she has over me, it's the reason I DO love her."
"Oh Christ" Faith breathed, "I think I just died" she said, moving across the room in a heartbeat she was kissing Xander by the second beat. To Willow she had been a blur across her unblinking gaze.
Buffy had a tear running down her face by time Xander had finished talking, and she didn't blame Faith one tiny bit for kissing him, hell if he'd said that to her. She'd be doing a lot more than kissing him. She actually hated Faith now, not in a bad way exactly, just in a 'lucky bitch' kinda way.
"God; I envy you Faith" Buffy said, although she had thought it had been inner monologue.
Faith's eyes snapped round to Buffy and nailed her with her eyes, Xander's lips were still pursed so quickly she had broken the kiss. "What?" Faith asked in utter shock.
"What?" Buffy asked, giving herself a little shake. Then she blushed, "Oh god! I said that out loud didn't I?"
Xander smiled from his position of being pinned by Faith and nodded, "Uh huh"
"You Envy ME?" Faith said totally amazed.
"After what he just said, are you surprised?" Buffy said, "Because I do know Xander quiet well, despite what people think. I have noticed stuff other than vampires. I know he's telling the truth, that he means every single damn word. I hate you for that"
"Hate me?" Faith asked, her world rolling around on her, this had been a very strange couple of days. "Why?" she asked, "Apart from trying to off angel and then you of course!" she added almost as an afterthought and with a slight smile.
Xander snorted in laughter ignored by the two slayers he glanced over at Willow to see her staring into space her mouth working, her eyes a little glazed. He knew that she'd snap out of it in a minute. That she would be totally oblivious to any conversation that had passed since she'd gone into Mega Thought Mode.
"That, believe it or not, has nothing to do with it" Buffy said moving further into the room and taking a chair herself, crossing one leg over the other, her hazel glare pinned Faith in place. "Because you have what I have always wanted"
Xander quirked a look at her.
Faith glared, "Xander?" she said, a little protective lioness coming to the fore.
Buffy shook her head with a slight smile playing on her lips, "No, that's just a very nice bonus. I meant total, unconditional, unstoppable, story tale love."
Xander let out an annoyed sigh.
Buffy and Faith both snapped their attention to him.
"You don't get it do you Buff? I don't know about the last two but you the first two"
Buffy's brow creased in confusion, "What?"
Xander smiled softly at her, "Willow, Dawnie, Me, your Mom, Giles; Hell even Angel, Love you totally, and unconditionally." he said, "You should've realized that by now!"
Buffy's eyes became suspiciously wet.
"But Faith," Willow said, startling them all, "do you feel the same way?"
Faith frowned, "About Buffy?"
"Buffy? Buffy loves you now; what'd I miss?" Willow asked stunned.
"Huh?" Faith said looking utterly lost at sea.
Willow blinked as both Buffy and Xander starting to laugh freely.
"I asked if you felt the same way Faith, about XANDER!" Willow said as Xander and Buffy calmed down their laughter enough for her to be heard.
"Oh" Faith said, her face closing down, she felt her heart hammering in her chest. The last person she had told she loved had died her watcher. The one before that had been her mother who had abused that love and her trust to the point of permanently damaging the young girl that had been called something other than Faith. Faith, was a bitter joke to herself she'd made when she had finally hit the streets. It had then become her name for ever more when she'd had a 'friend' make her a new identity in that name. She could 'feel' the expectant eyes of Xander on her. He wanted to know, scrap that, she knew he needed to know. He'd just laid himself out on the line, neck to block and all those other it had been for her, his pledge of love. Could she do any less, could she in her heart deny that she loved him any longer?
"No" she said feeling Xander become tense beneath her, "I don't feel the same way, I love Xander more than I'm capable of feeling. He makes me want to be better." Faith said, he words pouring out of her now, "These past few days, I keep pinching myself, because I'm sure I'm dreaming, but now. I don't ever want to wake up, ever. Fuck; maybe I'm still in coma, back in Sunnydale with only the beeping machines for company. This is all in my head and I'm dreaming like I used to before..." she trailed off, something's too painful to mention. "If I am still there, I don't want to ever be revived."
Xander finally managed to draw breath into his lungs. The last few sentences had been said to him, Buffy and Willow had been ignored, her words for him alone. The answer to Willow's question was clear. He smiled and pulled her down into a gentle, loving kiss.
Willow looked over at the slightly sad Buffy with tears in her eyes, "I've never been this wrong before" she said, "I'm sorry I dragged you out here" she continued as the tears started to fall.
"Willow" Buffy said with a smile, "I'm glad I came" she told her redheaded friend. She walked over to the distraught woman and pulled her into a hug, "I want to be here for the party we're going to throw for these two" she continued with a large smile. "We've been cheated Wills"
"Huh?" Willow said with a sniffle
"Cheated out of bridesmaid outfits, the least we can do is get seriously drunk and embarrass them, hey?" Buffy said with a laughing smile.
As the two friends had been talking Xander and Faith had pulled apart and were now looking at the two friends with smiles, "And on that note" Xander began, a smile growing on his face. "Let's hit a casino and get richer"
"Yeah, lucky bastard" Willow said wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, "We saw you won 10 million on a slot machine!"
"Saw?" Xander asked with a frown. "How did you see?"
"On the billboard..." Buffy said.
Faith and Xander glanced at each other and back at Willow and Buffy, "Billboard, what billboard" they said together.
Xander and Faith exchanged horrified looks. "Oh god!" Xander managed; looking back at the horror that had stumped them so.
"Yeah!" Faith agreed.
Buffy and Willow stood either side of the couple, hands covering their mouths.
"Man, we were SO hammered" Xander said after a long moment.
"Yeah" Faith said again.
Xander smirked, "You look hot though" he said giving her a light nudge in the ribs.
"Yeah" Faith repeated, this time with a teasing smile, "Shame you look like someone pole axed you, normally you're kinda cute"
"Cute?" Xander said with a raised brow.
"Well, maybe kinda hot. Especially in that suit" Faith elaborated with her smile threatening to split her face in half.
"Maybe?" Xander said returning her smile.
"You look seriously bombed" Buffy said with a laugh that she could no longer hold back.
"Wow, I mean, I know you can hold your drink, so how much DID you have?" Willow asked.
"I can't remember" Xander admitted, "The last thing I remember was sitting in a bar."
"Yeah, me too, but I got flashes from later" Faith said before tossing Xander a sultry wink.
Willow frowned, "You mean to tell me; you don't even know where you got married?"
Xander and Faith both shook her heads, "No" Xander said. "Be kinda hard to tell our kids that story till their 18 huh?"
Faith raised an eyebrow at him, "Kids?"
"Well, you know if you want?" Xander said with a shrug.
"At least it will be on your wedding certificate" Buffy said, "So you can make up an edited version." she smiled, "You know for your kids!"
Xander and Faith looked at each other before looking back at Buffy, "What?" they both asked.
"You know wedding certificate, little piece of paper they give you, license to be wed and all that?" Willow said for her.
Faith and Xander looked at each other again, their faces loosing color.
Faith turned the bed upside down in her haste, after Buffy's revelation they had gone quickly back to the hotel and had been tearing through it ever since.
A Phone started to ring off in the central room, but she paid it no mind. She hadn't particularly wanted to be married in the first place, but now she was desperate to find their certificate. Proof positive that they had actually got married in the first place.
She knew that Xander had said they'd sort it out later, but she had purposefully put that to the very back of her mind. Not thought about the implications of their marriage, the emotional attachments. That, had all changed with a softly spoken soliloquy of love from a man with dark eyes and hair. A man that she'd finally managed to tell that she loved. She should have kept her trap shut, if only she hadn't of said anything maybe this wouldn't be happening. Maybe, if only, what if...
"Faith? We've got to go..." Xander said coming into the room to find Faith sat by an upended bed, tears rolling down her face. "... Darling?"
"Don't call me that." Faith sobbed, her control failing her. Her life seemed to be tearing itself apart again a gaping hole under her.
"Why not, you are; my darling" Xander said moving in closer to her.
Faith looked up at him, her eyes filled with fat tears and a lost expression in their depths. "I'm so sorry" she said gaining a bemused frown from Xander.
"What for?" he asked.
"If I'd kept my big mouth shut, we could've still been happy. I can't find it Xander, it's nowhere in the rooms" she said, her words a bitter whisper.
Xander hunkered down and pulled her into the comfort of his embrace. "Why do you think this is your fault?"
"Because I told you, I shouldn't have. Bad things happen when I say I love you to someone" she admitted with a sob. "If only..."
"Fuck it" Xander snapped, "Fuck that and the horse it rode in on"
Faith looked at him a little stunned.
"This is not your fault. You know what, it doesn't matter if we can't find the paper. A Certificate is not what makes a marriage. I know that, my parent's were legally married, do you think they worked just because of a piece of paper?"
Faith shrugged listlessly.
Xander grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her gently, "No; they fucking didn't. You listen to me Faith. I don't give a flying roulette wheel if we've got the certificate. It means nothing to me, you do though. I won't have you blaming yourself because we've lost the damn thing."
"What if we didn't. Can you remember getting hitched?" Faith asked looking into his eyes deeply.
"I'm not sure, some hazy stuff about Elvis and a Ring, but I'm really not sure" Xander admitted, "But that doesn't matter Faith!"
"YES IT DOES" Faith yelled, "I don't want to LOSE YOU" she screamed a little fatalistically.
"You won't!" Xander said in a soft calm voice. "Not if we're not married or can't find a piece of paper, not if we are married. Not even because you snore!" he said.
The comment coming so out of the blue took Faith by surprise a laugh bubbled out of her without conscious effort and a slight smile graced her generous lips.
Xander smiled at her, "That's better" he said, his voice deep. "I meant what I said Faith, it's not important. I love you; that's not going to change."
Faith cupped his face with a hand, looking into his eyes and seeing the truth of his words in the emotion held within their liquid depths. "Thank you" she said earnestly, "I'm not sure what would've happened if I hadn't bumped into you in that alley."
Xander smirked, "You'd still be kicking Slime demon butt" he said.
He helped her to her feet as he himself stood. "Come on. Vincent rang."
"What's the gangster vampster want?" Faith asked wiping her eyes with a tissue from the bedside table.
"Max is on the move. We're meeting Vincent at his casino and he's got a lead to follow. We're hoping to find out what the hell is happening."
"Cool; B and Red coming along?" Faith asked, her arm somehow finding itself in the nook of Xander's elbow.
"Yeah, they wanted a party after all." Xander said with one of those lopsided grins of his that did things to Faith's insides that she half hated and two thirds loved.
Vincent looked up from a map as Bekhan led Xander, Faith, Buffy and Willow into his private office. He frowned slightly when he saw the strangers, but otherwise made no outward sign that anything was unexpected to him.
"Vincent" Xander said with a smile. "I brought some friends, hope you don't mind"
Vincent smiled back. For some reason, he liked this human and his brunette haired slayer wife. "Mr Harris-LaVelle" he said with a sardonic lilt to his voice."
"I think, you could probably call me Xander" Xander said with a smirk.
"Xander, who are your friends?" Vincent asked, looking to the two attractive women he had yet to meet.
"This is Buffy and Willow" Xander said pointing to each in turn. "Buffy is a slayer, Willow is a witch. If this guy is as bad as you say then they could be a real help."
He glanced over to find Buffy glaring at Vincent. "Yes Buff, he is a vampire. He's just like dead boy only Vincent has a personality."
Buffy glared at him instead whilst Faith and surprisingly Willow laughed.
"So what have you got for us then Vincent?" Xander asked taking a chair across the desk from the master vampire.
"Not much, but I've had a tip off that he'll be at the Hoover Damn later on tonight. I dunno why exactly, but the only reasons I can think of ain't good."
"Like what?" Faith asked sitting on Xander's lap and leaning against him.
"Power cut to all the major casino's. Sure they have backups, but if and I mean IF he managed to take a few out, there would be panic. Also, what better time to rob a casino?"
"You think he's after you?" Xander asked.
Vincent frowned, "Damn, I hadn't; but I am now though!"
"You better guard your backups, maybe get some emergency supplies in."
"Like what?" Vincent asked, "Candles, do you know how big this place is?"
"Yeah, I do, and yes I mean Candles, torches and glow rods. Give them to all your staff, leaves some under the tables. Get them to light them if it all goes dark." Xander smiled, "I mean you wouldn't want some enterprising people to suddenly start grabbing chips now would you?"
"Shit!" Vincent exclaimed, "Want a job kid?"
Xander blinked, "What?"
"I didn't think of that. Add that to your skills of martial arts and cards and I find myself wondering. What better guy for my security?" Vincent said with expressive movements of his hands.
Xander shook himself "I'll think about it okay?" he said slowly.
"Sure, open ended offer kid. Now, Hoover damn is guarded so we need to be careful..."
The Hoover Dam is so heavy at 6,600,000 tonnes that has depressed the earth's crust by about 7 inches in the surrounding area. In 1927, Las Vegas faced the danger of becoming a ghost town, after the railroad that had contributed to the city's growth moved its whistle stop 60 miles north to the town of Caliente. But when the federal government approved plans to dam the Colorado River, Las Vegas' future was secured. Construction began on Hoover Dam in 1931, and Nevada's governor legalized games of chance that same year. It was hailed upon completion as 'the Eighth Wonder of the World'. Standing at 736 feet high, 1,244 feet wide at its crest and is 660 feet thick at its base.
It's a giant of mans achievements over nature, or at least their temporary truces with the Colorado river.
Near the base of that gargantuan there are several power rooms, utilities sheds and a host of other shadowed buildings, two forms detached themselves from those shadows and slunk forward into another shadow.
Several buildings down three other forms slipped from shadow to shadow, death on silent feet slunk through the night waiting and watching.
So far, the watching had been in vain, there had been no sign of anyone but themselves and armed guards, who luckily, they had evaded so far.
They were split into two pairs. Buffy and Xander on one, Faith and Willow on the other. The idea had been sound, at least to the person planning the operation. Namely Xander. That said, there was some difficulty in getting Faith to pair with Willow.
The 'leader' of the pack smiled slightly with the memory of that conversation.
Faith had glared at Xander as he'd outlined his plans. Vincent was to get his casino set up and secure, while he and the other three went to the dam. That part had been easy. It had been when he told them all that they were pairing off. Then he'd told Faith she was with Willow. Her reaction had been almost instant, firstly the glare and then stalking over to him and demanding to know what he was playing at. Xander had told her, "Faith, I've got more experience fighting with Buffy."
Faith had glared at him some more, that time there had been hurt lurking in her brown eyes. "So you don't trust me?" she'd asked in an even tone of voice.
"The opposite; I trust you to watch over my oldest and bestest bud for as long as I can remember. There's not many I'd trust to do that. Also, despite her..."
Faith had smirked at his tail off, "hatred of me?"
"I was going for dislike, but that's not the point. I trust her to watch your back Faith; There are two people I trust to look after my wife. Willow is one; The other is me."
"Not B?"
Xander had paused at that, "It's difficult to explain" he'd begun, "You and Buffy are both lone wolves. I trust Buffy with my life, but when you two get together... I'd just prefer if Willow did it."
Faith nodded and had kissing him deeply, "Love you"
"Love you too"
Xander shook of the memory, a slight smile still playing around the corners of his mouth before following Buffy through the shadows. Normally, he liked to be in front, but a slayer had much better eye sight than he had. It made sense to him to make the best use of the advantages they DID have, because you could bet the enemy would be.
They made their way slowly to the very back end of the Dam complex, moving between sheds and utility buildings. Some vehicles that were arrayed around the place and on occasion, creeping past security guards.
When, they finally reached the end of their planned search pattern Xander and Buffy quickly joined the other pair.
"Don't press me Red" where the first words that they heard upon arrival. They were words that Xander had hoped not to hear.
"I'm just saying is all."
"There is no way you're right. I don't know where you get off" Faith said, her voice sounding surprisingly calm. "There's valves and shit all the way down." she continued with a wince.
"You should try it" Willow said with a cheeky smile, "You don't know what you're missing black"
"Black, that all you got girl?" Faith said, a flicker of a smile on her face.
Buffy and Xander stood side by side, looking at the two with slightly worry and a lot of confusion.
"Well, this one time at band camp..."
"...Stop!" Buffy said covering her ears, "Those stories suck!"
"Why?" Xander said looking confusedly at his best female friend, "You always told me you liked band camp, it was kinda dull but friendly. You sure looked happy enough when you got back home."
Willow, Faith and Buffy exchanged glances, all of them seeming to shine red as they held back their laughter for as long as possible before finally letting it out.
Xander tried desperately to shush them.
Vincent glared out at the casino, dark eyes boring through the crowds, looking for any sign of trouble. A hint of a robber or a glance of a strange vampire. His guards were out in force, every single table had a box under it with candles, flashlights, matches and a few glow sticks. There were also roving guards, armed, that were watching the crowds as closely as Vincent himself was.
It was strange to the lone vampire in the club that he should be entrusting his continued existence here in Vegas to a group of self confessed vampire hunters. Of which two were slayers, the bogey men of the demon community. Then there was the witch, such power from such a dainty little red head, it was mind boggling.
Then there was, what was possibly, his first actual human friend. Vincent had been giving a soul, but he didn't pretend he was a human, or that in fact he had been a good man in the place. He had killed and maimed more men in his human life than most people would ever dream of doing. The vampiric part actually hadn't been much of a kick to his souls goodness. Now, he only fed to survive and generally didn't kill. He sure as hell didn't eat Pig blood, but that was a personal preference. There were always plenty of show girls around to help sate his appetites. He didn't kill them, and they generally had such a good time they came back for more. He didn't mind, saved him the trouble of having to go out hunting.
Generally he was bored.
Which had been why he had set up a game with the newest player in town. That was when things started to take a sharp left turn, he'd talked with the guy. Joked, laughed and generally had as good a time as he could remember having. He and Xander were similar in some respects. Honor was important to them both. Of course their codes differed but that just made for interesting conversation. Xander hadn't blinked an eye when Vincent had told him what he had done as a human, and didn't seem to care that he was a vampire, just as long as he had a soul. No, that wasn't right, just as long as he wasn't 'evil'. Xander's views on that had seemed clear to him, not so much Faith but Vincent sure got the idea.
They'd taken him for a good 5 to 7 mill each in the end, upping their private pots to well over ten million. He didn't mind, it was part of the game loosing, which was what most of the tourists in town didn't really understand. To win, sometimes you had to loose. Not that he enjoyed it all that much.
Vincent wasn't too sure about the brunette slayer. She had seemed a little gung ho to him, but he supposed he WAS a vampire and it was what she had been chosen to do. Slay vampires, strange considering their full titles Vincent had to suppose. With a smile, at least.
A rustle seemed to go through the crowd like a Mexican wave drawing Vincent's mind back to work. There was a tall blonde man, whose blue eyes glowed, literally glowed with life. It crackled all around him, and he wore it like a cloak. Vincent knew there and then he had finally seen the legendary Max for the first time.
The crowd parted for the tall man as he stately walked through without as much as a sideway's glance. His eyes locked onto the stocky dark haired vampire standing by some steps watching his arrival with a faint sneer.
"Vincent" Max said, his voice held no hint of an accent at all, which was noteworthy in and of itself.
"Max?" Vincent said in a 'whatever' tone.
"That's me" Max said with an easy and charming smile.
"What do you want?"
"Want, why would I want anything from a grease ball like you?" Max said with that same smile.
Vincent's eyes flared slightly in anger, but he held himself admirably in check, "Then you know where the door is."
"Am I not welcome here?"
"No" Vincent said honestly. "'sides a bird tells me you should be someplace else."
"Oh, the dam you mean?"
"Yeah the dam" Vincent said, if he had been human his heart would have raced with a thrill of fear. Fear for his newest and only non-demon and living friend.
"That, was a ruse" Max admitted freely waiving his hand a tall African American man stepped up beside him and passed him a simple black box. With a nasty smile Max flipped the box open and pulled out a small remote detonator. "I just wanted to fulfill an old contract on your new friends. My Old Order doesn't like to loose"
"What Order?" Vincent asked, trying to buy his friends time. He didn't like the look of that detonator.
Max also pulled out a large cigar from his jacket and tossed the now empty black box at the man that had passed it to him. "The Order of Teraka" he said placing the cigar in his mouth.
"What do they want?" Vincent asked, he knew of the order, everyone in demonic circles did.
"The infamous Scooby gang killed for thwarting an assassination and killing agents. It's an old contract, a standing one for one million a piece."
"I thought the Order never rested till a contract was fulfilled?" Vincent asked, still buying time, second by precious second.
"It's just a standing order. Not a full contract, the agent that gets them wins the contract. Simple really" Max said, "Now, I think it's time to up the stakes a little don't you?" he said getting ready to hit the button on the detonator.
"No wait!?" Vincent said as Max's finger lowered and clicked the button down.
"You son of a bitch" Vincent growled, almost vamping out.
"What?" Max asked innocently, sucking the flame from his odd shaped 'lighter' into the rod of tobacco leaf.
"I thought you were going to kill them!" Vincent said with burning anger on his tone.
"Oh I am, I am." Max said with a disgustingly cheerful smile. "I just sent the signal, for my team to move in. Now, forget the humans think about me" Max said with a sharks smile. "We've got your club to talk about"
"There's nothing to talk about" Vincent raged.
"I've got a large bomb that says otherwise!" Max told him pulling out the real detonator.
Hoover Dam
Xander span around as the air seemed to move all around them, blurring into shapes at first and becoming more distinct with every passing moment.
Within moments there were at least 30 demons standing around the small group of four with blood thirsty smiles on their faces.
Faith and Xander somehow managed to end up back to back within a flash as Buffy and Willow did the same, off to either side of Xander and Faith. Creating a star shape with their bodies. Xander's Katana appeared out of his duster in a flash and both Buffy and Faith pulled out nasty looking daggers. Willow started to chant in a low hair raising voice immediately.
Then the stand off ended with the demons stepping forward as one with a strangely metallic noise.
Xander's Katana leapt out to meet the first demon that came within range, scrapping across the creature's neck in an explosion of sparks Xander winced, wishing that he had spent out for the always sharp spell.
Buffy kicked out with a powerful side thrust kick that sent one demon flyi9ng backwards, only to land on its feet and leapt back at her. She punched it with a powerful thrust of her arm and again he went back and came forwards again. Only this time her fist hurt slightly.
Faith used a scissor motion of her hands with the dagger leading the way, grabbing the demon's head at the same time as drawing the wicked blade across its throat. Again, there was a shower of sparks and not much else. Except that the demon growled low in its throat.
Willow sent out a fireball that exploded around the demon leaving it standing in the magical wake without so much as a scorch mark.
The four compatriots risked a glance at each other and by unspoken agreement they all sprinted away from a central point in a star burst pattern.
Faith glanced around herself, checking to see if any of her compatriots had been snagged. Off to one side she watched a flash of red hair fall to the floor and three of the metallic demons converge on her position. Without a single thought Faith turned around and started towards the fallen Wicca. Some demons of her own were chasing her so Faith did the simplest thing she could. At a full run she leapt into the air. Taking to flight gracefully she flipped the length of her body straight over their heads, landing on her feet and taking to her heels without the slightest pause.
The demons actually ran on for a short distance before it registered in their minds that the slayer had evaded them in such a way. In the meantime Faith was running with the speed of an Olympian sprinting. She reached the felled Wicca and still at a run took to the air again. This time in a perfectly executed flying kick. Her foot impacted with a demon sending it hurtling into the other two, who in turn took to the air and away from the scared young woman on the floor.
Willow looked up as she sensed the demons had left her, the air above her now no longer full of doom. She was startled to see Faith offering her a hand up.
"Come on red, we ain't got time to lie around" Faith said with that smirk of hers.
Willow smiled at the brunette woman and allowed herself to be dragged to her feet. They both spied Buffy and Xander meeting up with plenty of demons' on their tails. Faith's heart leapt into her throat when she watched her possible husband suddenly stop.
Xander then turned and with a roar rammed the chisel tipped Katana at a demon's mid section with all his might. There was a sharp resounding clang as the metal met metallic resistance before the demons natural body armor finally gave way and the sword slipped into it. Xander smiled feraly and pressed his advantage, angling his blade upwards, his eyes flashing angrily he heaved the sword up into the demons heart.
The demon dissipated in a sudden, bright flash of flame leaving a slightly scorched but none the worse for wear Xander breathing hard with fire in his body language. Faith had seen this new side to his fighting style only recently. She had to wonder what the hell sort of martial art seemed to require letting out his inner fire like that. It was, however, highly effective.
Buffy heard the clang and then turned in time to watch the demon disappear into a nova like flash with her mouth dropping in shock. It galled her no end that the normal human had scored a death when the mystical warriors and witch had faired so badly. She watched as Faith and Willow sprinted over to them. Willow's long skirt flapping around her legs as she ran, Faith's more sleek clothing didn't even creak as she ran.
"Hi" Xander said, smiling, but with dark humor.
"Nice" Faith complimented, "Got another sword on you?"
"Not a metal one" Xander said with a lascivious smirk.
Faith rolled her eyes fondly but kept her attention on their surroundings as the demon tried to catch back up with events.
Meanwhile Buffy walked over to a metal fence and cast her eye over it. It was of the solid pole design, topped with nasty looking spikes. "Faith" she called out, "Hand?"
Faith nodded and moved to help her fellow slayer.
"What do you mean?" Vincent asked horrified.
"It's really very simple. This detonator is hooked to a bomb under this very club." Max said slowly, "I have a dream, me Vegas and lots of money. This is my first step. I want Vegas for myself, you are in the way of that."
"You want my club?" Vincent asked incredulously.
"Now you're getting it."
"Or you'll blow it up?"
"Yes" Max said pedantically.
"Fuck it, go for it." Vincent said with a smile.
"I thought you might say that" Max replied laughingly, "That's why there is a second bomb"
"Second bomb?"
"At the Hoover dam" Max Explained. "I'll blow it and your friends to hell and back. That is if they actually managed to get past my demons of course." Max smiled again, "I know you're a betting man, do you think they would survive the demons. I think they may, don't you?"
"Uh huh" Vincent said tiredly, "What makes you think I care what happens to a bunch of hunters?"
Max smiled again, "I've been watching you, what's the mans name? Xander Harris-Lavelle isn't it?"
Vincent snarled, he wasn't about to let the only friend he had get killed, not now, not ever. However, he was just as reticent to let this bastard win either.
"Now, now" Max said condescendingly, "There's no need to become angry, this is merely a business deal. Here, I even brought a lawyer," Max said waiving a hand. A good looking man with brown-blonde hair was brought forward.
"Mr Capone" he greeted the master vampire cordially, "My name is Lindsey MacDonald and I'm here from Wolfram and Hart on behalf of our client."
Vincent snarled again, "Lawyers, the true bloodsuckers of earth"
Buffy twirled the metal fence post in her hand with an expert ease and smiled a truly feral smile, "Now, that's better" she said with a shared grin with Faith who was also twirling her metal stake.
"Let's get it on" Faith said moving forward with her sister slayer. Xander backed them up, his Katana flashing in the artificial light and creating a glinting reflection in his eyes.
Willow took a step back from the three and began to concentrate her energies on the fence. It started to wobble a little as the three warrior leapt forward into battle. Now that they had a way to kill the demons they had purpose and moved like it as well.
The first demon that was unlucky enough to be in the way was dispatched when Buffy thrust forward with all her might. The fence post piercing the Demon's body armor with a flash of sparks and appearing the other side of its body. It followed its predecessor back into hell with a flash of brilliant light. Faith caught the next as Buffy recovered her equilibrium moving the long weapon like a pike.
Then Xander covered her as she was snarled up with the demon and it flashed back to hell.
"DOWN!" Willow yelled out, her voice taught with concentration.
To their credit, all three warriors were face down on the floor in a blink. There was a whoosh over their backs, wind kicking up their clothes a little. There was a horrendously bright flash of light as Fence post after Fence post flew into the demons.
Xander looked up and smiled at the sight and then looked back to see Willow wavering on her feet. Rolling off to the side he quickly got to his feet and ran to the red haired Wicca just as she started to slump. He caught her in his arms and cradled her protectively against his chest.
Buffy and Faith were on their feet next as the barrage of posts stopped. The looked back at Xander protecting Willow and then towards the remaining demons. There weren't many left and with a war cry the two mystical women dived into the fight with relish.
Xander called out as the last one stood surrounded, "Faith! Hold!" he called out as the brunette was about to do the honors.
She held and looked back at him, "What?"
"We need answers" he said, a grim smile twitching his lips. "I think he'll give them to us."
"Never" the demon rumbled, "Kill me now" he said baring his chest.
Laying Willow down gently Xander walked over to the demon and glared into its eyes. "Who sent you?"
"I will not say" the demon rumbled again.
Xander's sword flashed out and down, spearing the demon in the leg. "Sorry, what was that again?" he asked as it screamed in pain.
The demon shakily looked back up from the wound into to dark brown orbs of unforgiving death and gulped.
Vincent glared at the lawyer who had the audacity to look completely unperturbed at his furious gaze. "What are you getting out of this?" Vincent asked.
"Our law firm is committed to providing the best service it can to all of our clients" Lindsey replied with an even one.
"Even to a crook like Max here?" Vincent asked glaring at exhibit A.
"What our clients do for a living is besides the point Mr Capone" the lawyer told him with an oily tone. "Now if you would just sign these papers we can move on."
"This is against the law!" Vincent said in lieu of anything else to say. For the first time in a long time he was totally caught and he hated the feeling. "And with that in mind, what would happen if I just tore your throats out?"
Max smiled and Lindsey just looked at him with no flicker of fear. "That would be a bad idea Mr Capone. My Firm takes a dim view on any harm coming to their staff."
Vincent glared impotently at him, but truth be told he was at an utter loss as to what to do next.
Xander glared down at the good seeping into the cracks in the pavement his chest rising and falling at a rapid rate. He'd finally got some information out of the demon, and what he'd found out had caused him to get very angry.
All this had been about power and not the sort that the dam pumped out. This max was greedy for it, the sort of power that seems to corrupt the easiest. The type of power that comes with money. From what he had been told max wanted to do this with most of the smaller clubs in Vegas. Even he wasn't stupid enough to go after the corporations, but Xander knew, it was only a matter of time before he became that dumb.
The others were all looking at him with varying degrees of shock. He wasn't sure if it was his compressed training, the unusual sensei he had been taught by. Whatever the reason his anger was a quick to flare, and when it did, the thing that angered him usually died a horrible death.
Faith, who had at least seen flashes of this new rage like anger of Xander's, was the first one to snap out of it. "What's the plan hon?" She asked soothingly.
Xander looked at her, the fire fading from his eyes, "hon?" he asked softly, "I like that" he commented with a growing smile, "We need to get back to Vincent's Casino, then we'll have a TALK to Max"
"Okay then hon', let's get going" Faith said with a smirk as Buffy and Willow shook themselves free of the shock.
Getting back to Vegas had been easier than they had believed to be possible after the night they had been having. A quick 30 mile car journey and bingo they had entered the outskirts of Vegas. It was only then that things started to go down hill.
A demon teleported in front of the car, its metal body impacting with the speeding vehicle and not budging an inch. The car's entire bonnet area folded inwards with a horrible crunching sound. The windscreen exploding outwards with the pressure. Spewing glass across the remaining bonnet and spitting some back at Xander and Faith who were in the front. All of the passenger's of the car were thrown forwards, Xander hitting his head on the steering wheel as Faith's slayer reflexes saved her buy bracing herself on the dash. Willow's head banged into the back of her seat, luckily the soft area saved her a concussion. Buffy's reflexes also saved her, her hand tearing off a chunk of Xander's chair in an effort to still her forward motion. Then the forward motion spent the car coming a full stop threw them back into their seats.
Xander's head flopped to one side even as Faith undid her belt and dived out the front of the car, taking the demon with her. It flashed into the ether even as they hit the floor, the car's metal bonnet having pierced its hard shell. Faith hit the floor with a groan, bouncing once because of her speed and then bouncing to her feet and glaring around her.
Buffy was also out of the car fast, but she went straight around to Xander's door and ripped the mangled apparatus off of it's hinges and reaching out to the man inside. There was a nasty gash on his temple, but it looked as though his seat belt had taken the most of the force and limited the damage to his head. But there was still a worrying amount of blood free flowing down his face.
"Xand?" Buffy said her voice a little desperate.
Faith looked round at her voice and walked quickly over to join her. Willow groaned slightly, her ribs somewhat bruised, but otherwise in good condition. She, also, quickly joined the two Slayer's who were fussing over her oldest friend.
"Xander; hon?" Faith asked, reaching out and brushing away some of his bloody hair from his face. Her voice was tight with repressed emotion and tense anger. "Hon?"
Xander's eyes flickered open as he groaned, prompting worried smiles from all of the women present, "Faith?" he asked groggily.
"Hon?" Faith repeated her smile growing as he became more alert.
"Man, my head hurts"
"I'm not surprised" Buffy said with a laugh, "I should have known though that your hard head would be okay."
Xander mustered up a slight smile at her and blinked rapidly to clear his eyesight, which was still a little blurry. "Demon?" he asked after a few moments.
"Demon" Willow confirmed.
"They really don't want us to get back to Vincent do they?" He asked with a slight smile.
Faith just smiled at him, feeling a weight releasing her heart. She didn't want to think about how much it hurt to see him out like that, the blood of his body on the outside instead of in. She shuddered slightly, feeling more than a little wound up.
"Faith; Baby are you okay?" Xander asked, reaching out and cupped her face, with a blood covered hand.
Faith laughed slightly with tears stinging her eyes, "Am I okay, he says" she said, "I'm fine, what about you?"
"Pissed" Xander said curtly, "Very; Very pissed" he told her moving to get out of his seat.
"Whoa, you shouldn't be moving" Willow said, trying to push him back in his seat, "You took a nasty bang on your head."
"We gotta get back to Vincent" he said with iron in his voice, "This Max is pissing me off."
Faith looped his arm around her neck and helped him out of the car.
Vincent let out a long sigh, "Let's go to my office" he said with a defeated tone.
Max just smiled and Lindsey merely nodded as Vincent led them back towards his office.
They stood looking at the entrance to Vincent's casino. There were a couple of things worthy of note about the entrance. Firstly, there were guards, secondly, they weren't human in great number. Xander briefly wondered how no one was seeing anything strange until Willow gasped slightly.
"What is it Red?" Faith asked.
"Spell, powerful one too." Willow said nodding her head at the casino. "I'm betting that you and everyone else can only see a normal looking casino" she said almost smugly.
Faith nodded, "Yeah, B?"
"Me too, X?" she said tongue in cheek.
"I see a good 15 demons like the ones we were fighting standing guard outside of a casino that looks to be closed." Xander said squinting at the entranceway.
Willow gasped again, "How?"
"Jenny didn't just teach you" Xander said with a slightly pained smile, "Come on"
Faith sidled up to him as they walked across the street, "Is there something you want to tell me about you and this teacher?"
"Not really; no" Xander said, his voice tense with both pain and anger. "We were friends! I can be friends with a woman without being attract... okay so I was attracted to her, but it was just friends, honest"
Faith smirked, deciding that she'd have to get the full skinny later on. For now she just followed her husband across the street twirling her fence post. As Buffy did the same, they'd brought them along just in case, and she was now glad they had.
Buffy looked at a perturbed Willow, "What's up?"
"Xander learnt some magic?" she said with wonder. "He never said before"
Buffy shrugged, "So, is that a bad thing?"
"We never used to keep anything from each other,. Besides, he said Miss Calender taught him"
Buffy frowned, "Actually he said Jenny"
Willow glanced at her, "That's kinda weird don't ya think?" she said then as they approached the entranceway acting nonchalant she decided she'd get the entire story later.
Xander suddenly dived at a demon, his sword leading the way; taking the entity by surprise all it saw was a glint of metal and then the bright explosion of it's body losing cohesion. As he did that, Faith and Buffy both did the same, then began a dance of death between the demons and the three warriors. Now that they had the knack of it, killing the demons wasn't as hard as if first appeared to have been. It was however, still hard work, and by time the last demon fell to a well placed Katana blade Xander was dripping with sweat and blood, his breathing somewhat ragged. In fact, he was briefly day dreaming about having a nice hot and long bath and sleeping for a week.
They charged through the now cleared entranceway and flew into the Casino like avenging angels. They ran straight into the main part of the casino and found, to their horror what looked to be hundred upon hundreds of vampires.
Faith plowed into the back of her lover and let out a gasp, "Holy fuck Batman!"
"I'm thinking it's time for some pow, kaboom." Xander said calmly.
"What; there's, there's too many" Faith said her voice aghast, "We'd be dead within seconds."
Xander walked down the steps leading to the main casino hall and twirled his sword like Christopher Lambert. "They're not all real Faith!" he said with a sure voice.
"Oh great! So now he's got second sight too!" Willow cursed under her breath, strangely not feeling as bad about competition for her role was magic user ass she would; had it been anyone but Xander. She didn't know the level of Xander's training put him somewhere around an ant on the general scale of things. Miss calender had taught him a few tricks, all of which had been defensive, with no offensive capabilities at all. In fact, his defense pretty much sucked too.
There was however a major floor in Xander's vision. He could see which one's were and weren't vampires. However, behind each and every single false vision there was a human. He could indeed see that fact, so could Willow. The two Slayer's however, were screwed.
"Which ones' are which?" Buffy asked.
Xander paused and glanced back at her, "Shit" he said succinctly. There were still about twenty vampires inter spaced throughout the crowd and they would be a real problem if were just he doing the fighting.
"I hope Master Takagi wasn't lying" Xander said continuing his walk forwards. "Willow, try to get around with Buffy. Faith I need you to watch my back, if any charge assume they're vampires." he told the blonde slayer succinctly. Then without waiting to see if she was following his orders he started to move towards the vampires in the crowd.
Buffy led a terrified Willow around the crowds, keeping her wits sharp whilst at the same time a small smile graced her face. From their position, Buffy could just make out Faith and Xander fighting back to back. It was a strangely beautiful to behold. Xander's savage almost animalistic grace and Faith's still furious but more slick style were a perfect counterbalance for each other. As a vampire dived at Xander's back, Faith struck out with a stake and poof'd it, whilst Xander walked up to the braver Vampires and took them out. Or, if they were less brave they dived at him and he took them out anyway.
Buffy wasn't sure who Master Takagi was; but she was sure as hell going to thank him when she met him. Of course, she had no idea that he'd died, she just knew the name because her sensitive hearing picked it out of the crowd as it were. Just then her hearing fed her some vital information.
Buffy dropped to the floor as a large sword flew over her head. There waiting in the shadows was a tall man, with blonde hair and flashing blue eyes. "Slayer" he growled out.
"Max I presume?" Buffy asked.
"Yes; I was just wondering what the noise was and low and behold, I find some cockroaches in my new club."
Buffy smiled at him with that, watch-out-you're-dead-but-I-look-like-butter-wouldn't-melt-so-you'll-never-s ee-it-coming, look she had perfected over the last few years and sunk down into a fighting stance.
Xander ducked as yet another innocent bystander was thrown at him. This was becoming more and more difficult as time went on and the vampire number's dwindled. Faith could not tell the good from the bad and he was having to guide her, tell her which flying body had to be caught and which was to be staked. Though, normally he stuck with loping off a vampires head, flying or not, and letting the humans fly over them to hit something else. Time was becoming a more pressing issue. He wasn't sure how he knew that, he just did.
"This is fucking crazy" Faith commented after tossing another human aside.
"Darling I love crazy" Xander said with a feral smile.
Faith laughed, "You must do if you love me" she said, her smile growing as he turned back, in the middle of a fight grabbed her chin and pulled her in for a quick kiss.
"You must be crazy too then!" he told her before turning back to decapitate a opportunistic vampire.
"Ain't I ever" Faith said with a smile and guarded her husbands back.
Buffy ducked under Max's sword sweeping the larger mans legs from under him as she did so. Max hit the floor, flying over backwards with the force of the blow, landing on his head which made a horrible SNAP as he landed, suddenly becoming as floppy as a rag doll.
Buffy put her hand to her mouth feeling physically sick as she look down at the felled human. She was given her power's to help humans and not to kill them. Her leg's gave way and she dropped to the floor at the exact same moment as the final vampire died.
Xander and Faith's head's snapped round at Buffy's harrowing sobs coming from off to one side and wasted no time in getting over to her.
By time they had arrived, Willow was already hugging the blonde slayer for all she was worth and rocking her. Faith, knowing how it felt to kill a human quickly, and without thought, joined her in hugging Buffy and calming the distraught woman.
So it as it stood; Xander was the only one to watch it happen.
A green mist surrounded Max's body, twirling around in a disgusting miasma and lifting his body silently from the floor and back into the air. Xander's position shifted as Max's body stood upright to the floor and watched the ugly sight as his head slowly lifted back from it's unnatural angle with another loud crack. The noise shifted the concentration of the three women huddled at Max's feet back to the stunning sight of him surrounded in mist and smiling at them in a sickening manner.
"Hi Honey, I'm HOME!" he yelled out, his eyes flashing the same shade of green as the mist.
Xander leapt into the air, straight over the huddled women his foot hitting Max in the face and toppling the large man back over the balcony like fencing between one area and the next. Max didn't land on his head this time and tucking into a backwards roll. He then sprang back onto his feet and reached out a hand.
His sword leapt across the floor into his hand and he just looked at Xander with a smile on his face. "You ready to die boy?"
Xander vaulted over the same railing and landed like a cat on his feet, his jacket flaring out behind him as he did so. His sword came en-guade with pedantic placement and dark eyes glared at the obviously inhuman presence in front of him. "They who fear death, never truly are alive" he said quoting an old book with a smile.
Faith glanced at Willow, "You teach him that?" she asked.
Willow smirked, "Not me!"
Buffy smirked as well, "Maybe Miss Calender did." she said tongue in cheek. Her eyes merry as she watched Faith's cheeks flood with blood, and a little green appearing in the other woman's eyes.
Xander parried the first thrust and countered en-passant. In other word's his sword sliced across Max's kidneys as he dove past the much larger man. The wound bled freely for a whole ten seconds before the wound was covered in mist and closed up again.
Xander snarled slightly with anger as he saw that feat of magic and prepared himself for another volley. "What are you?" he asked, conversationally as he easily parried a low cut from Max.
"Human actually" Max said, "I just have a few tricks"
Xander nodded, "Seems like." he answered and then let out a yell as a long cut was opened up across the front of his jacket, straight through his shirt and causing a fine line to open up across his pectorals.
"I see you haven't" Max said with a sneer. "Shame, I was hoping for a challenge."
"So; all this for a few lousy bucks?" Xander asked, trying to buy some time to think.
"Not at all" Max said surprising Xander no end. "All this for an astoundingly large amount of bucks!" Xander growled, he actually growled anger flooding his system he did something supremely dumb. He dived at Max.
Max just shifted his sword to one side and impaled the human on the point. Xander essentially ran himself through, a shocked expression crossing his face. "Ohh Nasty!" Max said mockingly as he pulled out the sword. Xander's hand immediately went to his side, where the sword had pierced him.
Faith screamed and tried to jump at Max but he waived his hand and sent her and the other's flying with his magic. Then like a good bad guy he stalked around his victim crowing his victory.
"Such a waste" Max said his voice clouded with mocking, "So much potential in you boy. Now; it will all be mine" he said drawing back his sword for a killing blow.
"No-one hurts my friend!" Vincent said before opening up with a classic Tommy gun.
Max shuddered under the barrage of bullet's staggering back, step after step as Vincent forced him away from Xander's prone form. Once Vincent reached the young human he had befriended he hooked an arm under Xander's and pulled him painfully to his feet. "You okay kid?" he asked.
"Yeah, sure" Xander said with a laugh, his eyes glazing slightly before he used the full force of his will to concentrate on Max's prone form.
"Is he dead?" Vincent asked.
"I Wish" Xander said scooping down, painfully, to retrieve his sword. Then leaning on the master vampire he walked across to the large man's body and glared down at it. Even as they watched they could see the mist starting to do it's work. "You know, not long after I got into this gig. We encountered a witch." he said almost conversationally. "The only way's to end her spells were to destroy her spell book." He stood free of Vincent and hefted his sword, "And that worked for her. In the end. But there was another way, a way we didn't use." he said swinging back like he was taking a golf shot and swinging down with all of his might. Steel met neck, cutting through skin, muscle and bone, flying out the other side with a shower of blood and gore and spinning Xander round on his axis. He dropped to the floor even as Max's body began to shudder and shake, the mist turning a dark arterial red.
Vincent bodily picked up the wounded human and leapt over the railing to relative safety just as Max's body exploded into bits and pieces of flesh and bone.
Vincent, being the least injured was the first to stand, he was shoved out of the way when Faith came hurtling over to them and dived to her knees sliding the last few feet to Xander and picking his head into her hands.
He opened his eyes, "Off with his head" he said with a giggle before blacking out.
Two Day's Later, Las Vegas Hospital
Xander smiled as he slipped on his leather dust jacket, wincing as his stitches pulled slightly. He'd been lucky. The sword had passed through the fleshy part of his side, not hitting anything major. A Little cleaning up and some stitching up and he was, virtually as good as new.
"So, how do you feel Kid?" Vincent asked. It was night, but being who he was, he had a lot of contacts. The same contacts had helped him get rid of the lawyer and luckily had hadn't signed anything so the Wolfram and Hart lawyer really had nothing to stay for anyway. He still had his club, and he was shocked to find out; more importantly he had his friend too.
"Like Shit, thanks Vincent" he said getting up with the help of Faith. He smiled down at her, she hadn't left him once, the entire time he'd been in hospital.
"Good, you start work in a week" Vincent said with a charming smile.
Xander frowned, "What?" he asked.
Vincent passed him a piece of paper, "I've given you a job. I don't take no for an answer."
"But Sunnydale" Xander said weakly.
Faith smiled up at him, "Sorted. B tells me she and red have it covered."
"College?" Xander asked.
"Do it here." Vincent said with a shrug
"Not me; you!" He said looking at Faith.
Faith shrugged, eliciting a wince from Xander, "I'll do it here. If you make me" she said adding the last part with a saucy smile.
Xander looked from the two to the paper and slipped it in his pocket. "Okay, I'm in on a trial basis. But I'll need to talk to willow and Buffy"
"They had to go back to the dale, school and all. But they promise to come up this weekend with G too"
Xander frowned.
Faith bit her lip nervously, "What is it X Don't ya want to stay with me?"
Xander pulled out a long slip of a paper with a growing smile on his face, "Yes, and even if I didn't you could make me with this" he said brandishing the folded document with an ever growing smirk.
"What is it?" Vincent asked reaching out for the document. Xander handed it off to him with Faith watching him closely. Vincent's smile grew as his eyes flicked over the official document. "In your pocket. So very safe" he said sarcastically.
Xander shrugged, wincing again. "I was drunk"
"What?!" Faith demanded.
Vincent just turned the certificate around, a certificate of marriage.
Faith let out a surprisingly girly squeal and jumped up into Xander's arms and kissed him passionately.
Vincent rolled his eyes and glanced down at his watch with a muttered, "Here we go again!"