Life is good my dear journal, life is good. I've got Faith, 'Sey and the Scooby gang in my life now and I have to say that I love it. Things between Buffy and me are still a little strange but then I expected that. It's not her it's me. I keep expecting her to turn around and hurt me. Just the other day she gave me a playful punch on the arm and I nearly lost it totally. I built power so fast that willow felt it two blocks away in class. Luckily Buffy is not what you could call sensitive to magic. I covered pretty quickly but I think g-man noticed I expect that he'll want a chat. I know I said I forgive Buffy and I do I really do, but the physical aspect is something I'm not ready to allow her now. I'll try to tell her sometime, but I don't know how to do it without hurting her feelings or making things worse than they already are.
On a lighter note, Cordy and Mick are going out. You remember Mick; he's the guy I car-Jacked when I was after ole freaky face. She was with this footballer type before but now she's bagged herself a college guy. As hard as it is to believe from the size of him or his seriously cool car he's not that much older than Oz. Oz himself is only like a year older than me. Anyway he is treating her right and that's the main thing.
De-de-de, De-de-de, (ok not so good with the written ticker tape), In Hellmouth news, we have an unknown big bad that makes the other look all fuzzy apparently. At least according to some idiot of a demon that tried to tangle with Faith and Buffy. It told them to beware his arising. Great another demon with an axe to grind. Is it me or do all demons have a big ole yen for destroying the human race. Well it seems that way to me.
Anyhoo, they kicked ass but we now have to research what ever is coming next. Oh here is a funny one. We have a trainee watcher with us. Lindsey as the watcher to two slayers has been sent help in the form of a complete pillock, as Giles put it. Wesley Wyndham-Pryce is for want of a better word, ridiculous. He's pretty nifty with the research but other than that he has no idea of what's going on or how to handle it. He folded like a bad poker player when the demon had he and Giles trapped, needless to say that none of us like him much.
Faith spun and stabbed the stake down into the idiotic vampire that had tried to creep up on her. She shot the dust pile a disgusted look and moved on. She was in the zone as Xander put it she had been dusting vamps left and right for the last hour. She had come down to the dockyards away from the patrol set out by Lindsey and Giles because of a tip she had received. She had been thinking about asking Buffy to help out but the blonde haired slayer had been getting on her nerves more and more lately. It seemed the veteran slayer could do no wrong in even Lindsey's eyes. That bugged Faith, Lindsey was supposed to be first and foremost her watcher, she had after all trained her since just after her calling, taken her in and given her a place to live. In return Faith had trusted her and thought, mistakenly, that she had earned a place in Lindsey's heart. At least that was the way Faith was feeling at that moment in time.
She swept the legs of another vampire quickly plunging her stake down into the fiends' un-beating heart. She turned away ready to move on to the next when a gurgling noise got her attention. She turned around to find the vamp, wasn't a blonde haired man was on the ground with blood pouring down his immaculate white shirt.
Faith felt her world start to spin but she quickly made her way over to the dying man. He looked into her eyes as she arrived. She dropped to her knees beside him not breaking the gaze for a micro-second.
She checked him over to the best of her ability but it was no good and she could see that without the help of a doctor. The man stared at her with a mixture of grief and betrayal before slipping off into the arms of St. Peter to face his judgment.
Faith looked down into the face of the human she had killed at let out a scream full of despair. "No!" she cried over and over again as she started to tremble like a leaf.
She didn't know what to do. She was so completely lost that for long moments she forgot to breathe. Then her lungs forced the issue and she started to take long gasping breaths her entire body shaking like a large Richter earthquake.
Just then a crash in the alley caused her attention to snap back on her surroundings and her SlayDar started to go crazy. Faith glanced around her to find at least thirty vampires had surrounded her cutting her off from escape. She looked down to the dead body and then at the vamps with tears flowing down her face her mascara running and mixing giving her the appearance of a raccoon. Her normally forceful nature now turned on itself and she stood shakily grabbing up a stake and dashing at the vampires.
The vampires tensed but relaxed as the dark slayer dropped to the ground with a dart sticking out of her backside. Mr Trick stepped out of the shadows with a video camera balanced on his shoulder and a dart gun in one hand. A large smile crossed his features that looked pleasant on his handsome face but the intent behind it was anything but.
"Right, let's go before the consort turns up" he said to his minions as he turned on an expensive heel.
Xander tapped his foot unconsciously as he listened to the band, Nickleback, playing on the small stage of the only club in town. They were quite good; their brand of metal was just soft enough to be enjoyed by the kids in the club and hard enough to leave a tingle down your back when the lead guitar played its solo.
Xander had arranged to meet Faith here at 10:00 which meant that he had two hours to kill before she arrived. He didn't normally arrive this early for their dates but he had been sent home from the magic box as the watchers had wanted a meeting. Well the watcher, fired watcher and Wesley the wuss had wanted to chat.
Xander really didn't like Wesley, nor did he like the way he almost drooled whenever Cordy came into the room. He was after all a lot older than her. Plus he was such a Prat; another Giles word but it fitted. He wasn't jealous as he and Mick got along well after Xander had apologized to him about hurting his beloved car.
He had also tried to find her on her patrol route but to no avail. That was ok because he knew that she sometimes went of the beaten track a little and experience had taught him that she would be able to handle just about anything sent her way. In his humble and totally un-biased opinion she was a much better slayer than Buffy was. Buffy was good, very good with the fight and slay. But Faith was committed to it as Buffy was not. That in his mind was what would make her a better slayer, fighting was a skill that could be learnt and practiced and he helped Faith as much as he could. It was however starting to tick him off that Lindsey and Giles seemed to favor Buffy over Faith. Giles he could understand she was after all his slayer but Lindsey he couldn't.
He had vowed to himself to talk to them tomorrow and sort it out once and for all. He would not have his Faith overlooked, full stop. She was, to him, worth a thousand Buffys'; no matter how much he liked the blonde haired slayer.
So Xander sat listening to the band and enjoying the ambiance of the club. Sipping at his coke occasionally and just chilling. He for a change had no homework to do; in fact he was now a straight 'A' student, he was as surprised as his teachers at this.
"Hey Dweeb boy" came the attractive voice of his ex and good friend Cordelia Chase.
"Hey rich girl" Xander shot back, their words offset by the smile and gentleness of their eyes as they looked at each other. "How's it going Cor?"
"Pretty damn good, just waiting for Mick to show his face"
"Is he late again?" Xander asked, Mick was always late, a fact that amused him, normally no-one kept Cordelia Chase waiting.
"Yep, can I sit?"
"Sure, but are you sure you want to be seen with me" Xander said with a grin.
"Uh, well since you put it like that" she shot back with a smile taking a seat next to him and shuffling closer to lean her head on his shoulder.
Xander smiled out of the corner of his eye at her, "Won't Mick get jealous?"
"You wish geek boy"
Xander chuckled, just then Harmony and her sheep walked by the table shooting glances at the pair.
"What's with them, no poison barbs?" Xander said in confusion.
Cordelia smiled a huge mega watt smile, "Oh, no. Since they found out about me and Mick they have changed their tune. They're all over me now trying to find out how I scored a College guy and a rich one at that"
Xander chuckled again, "Oh man that's funny"
Cordelia nodded her head rubbing his shoulder, "Yep!"
"I hope you told them to blow it"
"I would but Harmony would be only to happy to"
Xander let out a full belly laugh. "I had heard the rumors" he said once his laughter ebbed slightly.
"Yeah, well she's with Bill Clinton on that subject. That way she can tell herself she's as pure as the driven snow"
"Yeah, right!" Xander said looking at the blonde in question.
"So how's you and Faith?"
"Amazing" Xander said with a content smile.
Cordelia's smile faltered slightly a twinge of jealousy twisting her gut for a nanosecond, she felt Buffy had cheated her out of what she believed could have been the one. She was moving on but it still hurt a little to think of Xander with anyone else; even her friend. "Glad to hear it, treat her right Harris or I'll kick your butt"
"You wish, anyway there is no way in hell I'm hurting Faith" Xander said with assuredness.
"I know you're not like that" Cordy said with a soft voice.
"Thank's Cor" Xander said smiling down at her. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, to an outsider it would look more intimate than it actually was and an outsider was indeed watching, with a video camera that was sending a live feed straight to the office of Richard Wilkins the III.
Town Hall
"There you see Faith, you see what I mean" the mayor said in a soft and friendly voice that was believable yet totally false.
The dark haired slayer looked at the screen with a thousand feelings rushing through her body. Finally she turned to the sandy haired man with fire in her eyes; she simply nodded sending tears dropping to the ground.
"There, There my dear, it will be ok I'll never hurt you. You're my Faith now" the mayor said watching the dark slayer very closely for any reactions. She was feeling what he wanted her to, abject defeat. If trick had allowed her to escape all of his plans would have come down around his ears. He had not, however, that meant that now once again he was in control of the situation and he had the perfect weapon.
"Please show Miss Faith into my private bedroom and allow her to rest, she looks so tired" Wilkins said to an aide, who leapt to the task showing the distraught slayer out of the office and to the mayors' private room. He used it often when it was to late at night to do anything other than drop into its small bed after a long day.
Trick appeared from the shadows of the office with wonder on his face, "How?" he said in awe.
Richard smiled at the vampire, "Simple my dear Trick, simple"
"But how?"
"That dart held Caltranious Fluid" The vampire looked at him blankly so he continued, "It was a gamble that you wouldn't allow her to escape but a beneficial one now. Basically Caltranious Fluid makes the person it is administered to bond to the caster of a special spell. I cast that spell, but it only lasts for a short while, if she had gone to her friends it would have worn away and we would have lost our window. Luckily, for you, Mr Trick you came through with flying colors"
Trick looked at his master warily, "Thank you" he said carefully. "So now you have a slayer, I can see it would help and her friends won't know what hit them, but she's only really a shock trooper"
"Oh no Mr Trick, not at all, don't you see?"
"No?"
"We now have the perfect weapon against the man you call the Consort. We have the one weapon that he cannot defend against, cannot hurt and cannot stop. Not only do we have a slayer we have the consorts heart."
Trick motioned to the screen, "Do we?"
"That" Richard said looking at Cordelia and Xander dancing and larking around, "is friendship deep friendship and if the Fluid wasn't twisting her mind to my will Faith would have seen that. I've studied this young man very closely since he joined the slayer, Buffy, and helped her in her fight. He is extraordinarily loyal and loving to his friends but as he proved the night of the harvest he can and will act against a friend if the need arises. But against her" he indicated the door the dark slayer had just vacated, "No way"
"Will he join us then?"
"I doubt that, but maybe"
"For a human, you're truly devious" Trick said without thinking.
The mayor of Sunnydale shot him a bright smile, "Thank you"
I don't know what I've done but I've done something. Faith didn't turn up for our date and when I got back to the house we share with ?Sey she was there in bed already. When I tried to talk to her over breakfast she was totally off with me and I just know I've done something wrong. I wish she would tell me what it is, and then maybe I could fix it. I can't bear the thought that I've messed this up. I need her in my life she was and is the only thing that has kept me going when I wanted to just curl up and die. The thing is she just say's that nothing is wrong and that she is fine. I don't believe that for a minute she is way to quiet and morose. She is still slaying with a passion though and still with the researching the big bad. She just seems to have caved into herself. I talked to ?Sey about it and she said she would talk to her, which she did. I think my chat with her about ignoring Faith over Buffy struck home. She then turned round and told me that Faith seemed fine and that nothing was wrong with her. They had, had a very long chat and Faith had told her that she had some things, private things, to think about.
I've screwed this up and I don't know how. If you can help me dear journal please send me a sign. I've been racking my brain for anything I may have done but I keep coming up with only one conclusion. She's fed up with me and she's realized what a loser I am and now she doesn't want me anymore. I'm not sure how I'll deal with it if she breaks up with me.
Xander sorted the cash with a practiced efficiency and logged the numbers in the manual system. He had tried to get ?Sey to buy a computer and have willow make them a stock control and accounting package but she had refused. She shared her cousin's fear of technology it seemed.
The bell on the door jingled as a last minute visitor arrived and Xander placed the cash into the safe and turned back to greet the customer. There was in fact two minutes of opening time left but he had cashed up early, no matter he would put any sale onto tomorrow's figures.
His customer wasn't. It was Faith and she stood across from him looking as gorgeous as she normally did her hand on her cocked hip as she popped her gum looking at him in a way she never had until a few days ago. He didn't like it; she was looking at him like he was a bug that was so beneath her notice it wasn't worth her effort to crush.
"Hey baby" Xander said with a smile, despite his own misgivings. Even his non-slayer hearing easily made out the muttered, ?Yeah right'.
"We need to talk" Faith said in clipped tones.
Xander was suddenly more scared than he ever felt in his entire life, from looking up at his fathers approaching fist to staring down Kakistos, nothing had made his spine turn to ice as those four words had. He nodded and walked round to lock up.
"No, don't bother this won't take long" Faith said in those same clipped tones.
"Okay?" Xander said trying to keep the waver out of his voice, it didn't work and Faith noticed her guts twisting at his fear. She maintained her cool façade however and closed her expression even further. The statues on Easter Island held more expression.
Faith started to pace, the only sign that she was bothered about what she was about to do, some part of her was screaming but the boss had said to do this and she trusted the boss. "We aren't working"
Xander felt the floor start to move.
"I just don't like you"
Xander's eyesight started to dim.
"You're a loser" Faith said her body aching to take it back but she couldn't, "I don't love you" she said her heart breaking in two clean halves and one half went out to Xander as the second seemed to curl up and die in her chest. She had just said the biggest lie of her entire life. "I don't want to be with you anymore, I want to break up" she said and with that she walked quickly out of the shop leaving Xander, who had not spoken at all alone.
She walked quickly round the corner into an alleyway and started to run to the apartment the mayor had given her. Once she was safely closed off from the world she sank down onto the floor and started to cry each sob tearing her soul to shreds and her heart blackening into a lump of dead coal in her chest.
Back at the magic box, Willow arrived just in time to watch her lifelong friend, one of the strongest people she knew, collapse down to the floor onto his butt and watched as tears started to stream down his face, he made no sound and that scared her more than she cared to admit.
"Xander!" she asked kneeling before him.
He didn't change his focus and not even his pupils dilated.
Willow flushed as she started to become really worried, she had hardly seen Xander cry and when she had it had ripped her up. This was different; he usually craved physical comfort as he sobbed. But he wasn't sobbing tears were simply leaking out of his eyes and those eyes were pools of pain.
"Xander?" She tried again, giving him a shake. As soon as she had moved her hand back she felt the power starting to move around the room as Xander's subconscious made his will real. She gasped as he borrowed some of her own power to construct a shield so total that it became visible as a light aqua blue wrapping over his entire body.
She reached out again and traced the shield now in place, almost in awe at its construction, because of Xander's talent he wouldn't tire he would continue to power the shield from the very air around him if needed.
There was only one person she could think off that would affect Xander this badly and she had just walked out of the shop with a grim expression. Faith had hurt Xander badly and she had no idea why or how, though she could guess how. They had seemed to be perfect for each other, but Willow had a horrible feeling that Faith had just ended the relationship.
Willow stood picking up the phone and dialing a number from memory.
"Giles, its me Willow. Who's there with you" she asked she had come to meet Xander for the normal meeting of the Scooby's so she had an idea that everyone would be there.
She paused as Giles spoke the other end of the line, "Good, bring them all over to the Magic Box, especially Lindsey I'll need her help. No, I'll explain when you get here"
With that Willow hung up the phone and sat on the floor next to her friend in worried silence.
Willow looked up as the door chimed and the gang arrived. Cordelia rushed over to them as soon as she took in the scene. Giles stopped dead feeling the power moving around the room, as did Lindsey.
"My Word" Wesley said as he felt it as well.
"What?" Buffy asked anxiously from behind them, "Let me through" Buffy pushed through the watcher wall and noticed Xander sat on the floor with tears pouring down his face as willow sat fearfully next to him. Cordelia was tracing the shield trying to give comfort with her presence. Buffy then rushed over to the same. As soon as she was within a step away from Xander the shield flared and changed to a solid red.
"Huh?" Buffy said stopping dead.
"Good Lord" Giles said.
"Buffy step back" Lindsey said.
"But?"
"But nothing, step back trust me"
Buffy did as she was told and step back, it was all it took for the shield to change back to the light aqua that it was before. Buffy's eyes filled as she realized once again the consequences of her actions from before. Xander may have forgiven her but he had a long way to go before he trusted her again; as was apparent from the shield.
"It's unconscious, frankly I'm stunned" Lindsey said stepping forward and tracing her fingers across the shield, "What happened, to make him do this?"
"I don't know" Willow said, "But I think it has something to do with Faith"
The watchers shared a look that did not go unnoticed by Cordelia. "Ok English people, what's the Sitch?" she demanded getting to her feet and staring at the trio with anger leaking from every pore.
"Now Cordelia" Wesley started
"Shut up wuss, I'm asking the grown ups" Cordelia said shooting the man down in flames.
He stuttered to s stop and looked at his feet.
Giles covered a smirk then glanced at Xander and all thought of humor left his face. "We have reason to believe Faith may have strayed from the path"
Buffy glared at him, "What does that mean in American?" she demanded. Oz arrived at that moment and took in the scene with his usual aplomb. He quirked an eyebrow and walked over to his girlfriend and gathered her in to a hug.
Lindsey answered Buffy with regret and sadness in her every nuance of body and voice, "Faith has slipped and is now working against us"
"How do you know this?" Willow demanded extracting her self from Oz's embrace as Cordelia and Buffy started to steam from the ears.
"It only came to our attention this morning and we were going to talk to you all about it tonight, it seems that Faith killed a man."
"What!" Cordelia said incredulously, "Faith wouldn't do that!"
"But she did. My contacts have made certain of their facts before reporting them to me, I assure you" Giles informed her with a sigh.
"Who" Buffy said her voice quiet.
"The deputy Mayor"
"Why are the police not crawling up our buts then?" Cordelia asked visibly shaking with fury.
"The mayor; I, we, have spent the day in research and have found that the mayor is in fact over 130 years old."
"Huh?" the three girls said collectively.
"Wesley, the door if you please" Lindsey said stepping into the room, "Giles will tell you as we work; Willow if you please"
The red haired Wicca joined the watcher and the focused their energies on the shielded man. As they worked Giles took up residence at the large central table. "It seems" he began as the others joined him, "that Mayor Wilkins has run this town and sculpted it into a haven for demonic kind. He has worked for the last century to do this. To what end I am not sure, and the really annoying thing is that as he is both human and the mayor of the town we are totally unable to move against him until we know what is going on"
"Why, I go I slay the bad man and we deal with Faith" Buffy said her old confidence and attitude showing itself.
"If only it were that simple, but the council expressly prohibits us moving against him until such time as we know his plans"
"Screw the council" Cordelia said gaining a nod from Buffy.
Off to the side Wesley watched with a growing sense of unease. He felt that things were quickly slipping from the council's control. Since arriving he had noticed and let slip a multitude of transgressions against the council. He was willing to ignore most of them, but a direct move against the councils orders he would not allow going unreported. His honor and sense of duty would not allow that, a lot was hanging on Giles's next words.
"I agree, but there is still the fact that he is the mayor and as such highly protected. We also need to know why; acting now would be frankly stupid. Until we know what it is that he is planning, for what he has worked for so long for? We have to wait"
"What about Faith" Buffy said accepting that and moving to the next problem.
"We call the council, they will send a retrieval team" Wesley said, "They will deal with her"
"What! We will do no such thing" Giles thundered, "You know what they will do"
"Yes, but she has gone ?bad', as the saying goes. As such it is her only punishment"
"No! I warn you Wesley, do not do this; we will handle it ourselves" Giles said sternly.
Wesley nodded.
"What's the big deal?"
"There is no way to incarcerate a slayer," Giles said
"Huh?" Buffy said as Cordelia went white.
"They'll kill her!" Cordelia said in a horrified voice.
"Yes" Giles said.
"We have to do something!" Buffy said
"What do you mean?" Cordelia asked.
"I mean she has betrayed her calling, maybe she deserves to die."
"Buffy!" Cordelia shot back shocked to the core.
"What do you want to do Cordelia, bring her in and give her slapped wrists, she killed a man. As Giles said you can't lock up a slayer, what else do we do?"
"She's right" Wesley put in; earning a glare from all including Buffy.
"So you just want to kill her, that's it. Slay her, never mind the fact she 's our friend. We don't know all the details and yet you're willing to just act. You remember what happened last time you did that; don't you Buffy!" Giles said, his words like ice.
A gasp from Willow and Lindsey distracted their attention as they both staggered.
"What is it" Giles said quickly moving to his cousins' aid as Oz did the same for Willow.
"He's back!" Lindsey said as Xander stood the shield rotating around the spectrum and eventually becoming transparent and then deactivating totally. His eyes locked onto Buffy and Wesley in turn. They were almost black from the power bleed and angrier than any of them even Willow could remember seeing.
"If anyone and I mean anyone, hurts a hair on Faith's head I Will Make Them Pay!" Xander said the last words said with a force that made sparkles of power float from his eyes. Then with a pop and a rush of air he disappeared from view. All the magically inclined staggered at the power used for the teleportation spell. Then they all started to move at the same time.
"Xander's gone bad as well!" Buffy said her face etched in worry.
Cordelia answered by slapping her, hard, "You're an idiot" she said and stalked out of the shop leaving a stunned Buffy holding her hand up to her face.
"What?" she said into the faces that were glaring at her.
Wesley slipped out of the door unnoticed as they all started to scream and shout, the pent up emotion boiling over.
My worst fears have happened, she's left me; gone, totally gone. As I sit here in my room with blood pouring from my nose and tears form my eyes, I know that my life will never be the same again. The light that I call Faith has gone leaving me once again in the dark. I teleported over here as soon as I got back from my little mind trip. I have hoped to catch her and talk to her, but her room is empty. I had heard the others talking, even in the state I was in I could still hear Buffy sign her death warrant. Sure Giles and Cordelia stood up to her but Giles will fold, Buffy has him twisted around her little finger. I don't think Lindsey would do anything to hurt her and I know Cordelia will stand up to Buffy until she does to her what she did to me. She had better not though otherwise I'll kill her, and I mean that with all my heart. If Buffy hurts either Faith or Cordy I'll hurt her back and I can make her hurt a lot. Sorry, I'm just a bit of a train wreck at the moment.
I'm only writing in this to help sort out my thoughts, do you think its working. No, nor to do I. I better go I think I just heard Lindsey pull up.
Lindsey turned the key in the lock with an audible click. Her heart was sitting heavy in her chest as she walked into her home, the home she shared with both Faith and Xander. She felt betrayed by Faith and scared for Xander. Betrayed because she had trusted Faith, even thought she felt partially to blame for her slip into the darkness she was only human and as such emotional against all logic. She was more scared for Xander than for anyone else. Since they had become an item, he and Faith, she had noticed that they leant on each other for support. Xander had seemed to be Faith's crutch and vice versa. Faith had no learned to stand on her own, or had found another, but Xander. Xander had only himself now, he had friends who would be willing but Lindsey knew the young man very well and she knew that Faith had been his reason.
Before they had met Xander had been bumbling through life without real direction. He had a drive to become a fighter, to protect himself. That was instilled in him after Buffy's retribution. But he didn't have a real reason to do anything other than to just survive. It wasn't enough to just survive, you needed to live and to live you needed a reason.
Then Faith became his reason and once he had learned to live, he was, frankly a glowing sun compared to some she had met. What would he be know without his reason?
She walked into the lounge then checked the kitchen and other shared areas until finally she walked to Xander's door and knocked softly. She almost wasn't expecting an answer but one came.
"Come in ?Sey" came Xander's rough voice. It was obvious that he had been crying from the note of dejection and once she had walked into the room the rid tint to them. She dropped her bag and quickly rushed over to him when she noticed the blood pouring from his nose.
"Xander!" she exclaimed as she tried to stem the flow of blood.
"Don't worry, it doesn't matter" Xander said brushing her gently away. "It will stop in a while," he said with a note of regret in his voice, almost like he wished he could just curl up and bleed to death.
"Xander!" Lindsey said with a sharp voice, "You can stop that right now" she told him harshly. She didn't want him to sink any further into the depression that he was already neck deep in. "Do you think that bleeding to death is the answer to your problems?"
Xander shrugged.
"No! I will not allow you to give up on me Lex!" she said.
Xander visibly started at her calling him ?Lex' only Faith called him that and she knew it, she wanted him to snap out of this as quickly as possible. "The man I have come to know and respect would not give up, ever!" she continued, not giving him a moment, "The man I consider my son is both brave and true of heart. He would not give up on his friends."
She paused for a moment before wrapping the young man into her embrace, "The Xander I know would fight" she said in a softer voice, "I know this is hard for you, but then life is hard. It's dirty, fraught with danger, hurtful and disappointing at times. But then, just when you think that it as dark as it ever could be and that nothing will ever looks bright again. Something unexpected will happen and make it light again. I know that you loved Faith"
"Love, I love Faith and I always will. Look, I know where you're going with this and there aren't any other fish in the sea. She is my catch, the one, and the only. I will not let anyone take that away from me"
"Good!" Lindsey said shocking him, "Fight for her then! Don't sit here feeling sorry for yourself. If you truly believe what you say you'll not allow this to change you. You're needed, to quote you youngsters, ?there's a new big bad' and we need your help with him."
"What about Faith"
Lindsey sighed, "I don't know, maybe you can still get through to her before it's too late."
Xander nodded, "Maybe I can." He paused and looked into Lindsey's eyes, "Thank you" he said his eyes brimming with emotion.
She just nodded not trusting her voice.
Xander looked thoughtful and got to his feet pacing, "Do you think she really killed that man?"
"You were aware then?"
"Sort of" he admitted, "Just not really wanting company at the time"
"We'll have to talk about that shield sometime. But in answer to your question yes, there is evidence to corroborate the story"
He stopped pacing, "Damn, now I have to ask this ?Sey do you think she did it on purpose"
"I don't know" Lindsey said with a shuddering sigh, "I hope not, but that doesn't change the fact she is now working for the other side"
Xander resumed his pacing. His eyes were dark with concentration. Lindsey stayed quiet knowing that despite appearances that Xander had an interesting mind that was often the source of amazing idea's and tactics.
The pacing continued for several long minutes during which Lindsey moved herself from the floor and perched on Xander's bed, which she had found he kept immaculate as with his room. A hang over from his soldier memories, she could literally bounce a quarter on the sheets. She cast her eyes round the room taking in the details. She had been in the room before but mostly just to get him or quickly chat. This was the most time she had spent there. It was a study in psychology. It was as neat as a pin with a few perfectly lined posters on the wall, depicting artwork. Don Quixote tilting his giant's was shown by a print from Picasso's painting. She had to smother a smile at that one. Across on the other side of the wall was another painting, with geometric lines that looked to be Matice, perhaps? She could only think that Joyce Summer's, Buffy's mother had supplied them as she knew very little about art.
There were also several framed and hung photos all depicting his friends and those he considered important to him. She was gratified to find that she had a frame of her own, as did Faith. The others were all group pictures of the three of them or of his older friends in varying states of laughter.
She could just glimpse through his open cupboard door something that would cause the ATF to soil themselves. There were several weapons all hanging on the inside door in perfect condition including a Glock and the huge hand canon that was the Desert Eagle .50. On display in the open was the dark bladed katana that was as mysterious as it was deadly and beautiful. Her research on the blade had found nothing, nothing at all. She had picked it up in a Garage sale because she liked it but once home had found it stuck in its guard. She'd tried everything, oil, soap and pliers to no avail. It refused to move. Eventually she had tossed it in her weapons trunk and forgotten all about it. Then Xander had found it and not only used it but used it well. He was good with a sword, better in fact than her or even Buffy and Faith. She was in the process of arranging a duel between Xander and Angel. She had learned that Angel was highly proficient in the sword and had lived in the era when it had been commonplace to carry one. She hoped it would help Xander to become even better. If that didn't work she would contact and contract a master from Japan. Money wasn't a problem for her; her side of the family was very rich, almost filthy with the stuff. So contracting the services of a special tutor for Xander didn't give her any pause at all. In fact she relished the idea of finely tuning him into the warrior she knew that he could be. He could be a warrior mage such as could only be found in one of the fantasy novels that Xander liked to read.
Lindsey continued looking round the room until her eyes came to rest once again on the pacing young man. The training had wrought changes on his. He was compact with muscle it was in the way he moved and stood. He wore quite baggy clothes despite Faith's wish that he would wear something tighter. But she could still make out the play of muscles in his thighs as he paced. She knew from training that he was now nearly all muscle a long departure from the junk food fat boy he had been when he arrived on her doorstep. But he had worked very hard to be so. She had trained him like a slayer, one to help her keep her skills short and because he wanted it that way. It had been hard on him, very hard and she hadn't gone all out on him as she would have an actually slayer but the training was arduous and he had never complained. She had pushed and pushed in the end trying to find if he had a breaking point. Physically he didn't, of course he did collapse from sheer bone tiredness but he continued to push at the wall of his fitness ever more sending it higher and higher.
Mentally he had pushed himself just as hard, learning magic and studying to better himself. Even without his reason for ?living' he had a drive not to fail. She had feared that had left him. Despite his strength in mind and body Xander had an Achilles Heal. His emotions were his weak spot. Yet again he had surprised her though because right now his mind was working hard to find a way to help Faith and his friends she could see the determination in his eyes, now. She was relieved that she had caught him when she had, if not; well Lindsey didn't want to think about if not.
She shifted her eyesight into a different realm using her teaching to see into the occult and watched his aura. She could see the power floating around him in eddies as he walked. He was still powered up from earlier. Xander was not a naturally powerful mage; in fact he wasn't powerful in the least, in the normal sense. His power lay in the ability to act as a capacitor for magical energy. He was able to literally charge himself from the surrounding area taking from anything and everything if needed. Once charged he had a finesse of control that went totally against the appearance he projected to others. Of course the time he needed to recharge could be considered a weakness but he was now able to charge quickly, it was still a slight weakness though and one with no cure that she could think of. He was rare in that ability, not unique, but very rare. Most magical users carried with them power in one form or another, some called on it from the older gods but even they had power themselves merely just to break through to the realm needed to contact the gods.
Willow was one of the most, if not the most, powerful Wicca that Lindsey had either heard of or met. She didn't have Xander's control however and didn't seem to have the right mindset either. Xander would take steps not to use his power 90% of the time saying that it wasn't a toy to used at his whim and Lindsey had to respect that attitude whereas Willow was almost his diametric opposite. Lindsey had seen her use magic to pick up a book when bending down would have been easier. Luckily Xander seemed to be an influence in that regard and the red haired beauty was now using her power less and her own self more.
Her ruminations were cut short by the sudden shift in Xander's power; Lindsey quickly tuned out in case he cast a spell and blinded her. His fingers snapped. "I've got to go see her" he said and concentrated his powers. He allowed his mind to wander even as Lindsey started to speak.
"Perhaps now is not the right time" Lindsey said only to realize she had lost her audience as Xander was in fact concentrating elsewhere. He was using power to ?look' for Faith's slayer essence; something he had found just the other week was as bright as a beacon. He shifted his perception scrying without the need for a bowel or mirror. It was a trick that he had found he could do. Even Lindsey didn't know how but he could. Then he spotted a bright light and discounted it knowing that it was Buffy, he knew that because her essence was older and not as strong for some reason. He carried on looking.
Lindsey waved her hand in front of his face and noticed that his pupils didn 't react. She knew then he was doing his scrying trick. They had found he could do that when a low level demon had snatched Cordelia last week. They had set up a location spell and Xander had watched with great interest. Then his off the wall brain had twisted the spell and made it his. Most of his magical use now was totally instinctive and whilst he was able to replicate the feat after finding the brunette. He was at a loss to explain it.
Lindsey sighed waiting for him to return once he had found the dark slayer. She didn't get her chance to talk to him as the power level suddenly rose and he disappeared with a soft bang.
"Oh marvelous!" she said to herself, "Bye Lin, see you later Lin, be right back Lin" she grumbled.
Faith sniffled drying her eyes as best she could despite the fact they were tears still flowing from them. She wasn't entirely sure why she was crying. The boss had told her to break it off with Xander and she had, it was that simple really. But she was still upset about it. Xander was just another guy, one who had been flirting with his ex; she would have dumped any guy for that. Let alone the fact that he along with the others had betrayed her just like the boss said. Mentally she wasn't sorry to let him go but still the tears came and would not stop.
She shifted from her seat on the floor and moved to the leather couch in her marvelously appointed home. The boss had given it to her saying that it was time for her to stand on her two feet and he was right, just like he always was.
Since she had hooked up with the mayor she had worked steadily removing demons that opposed him as well as the occasional vampire that had angered him. She did all that with a song in her heart because the boss had done something no one else had, he stood by his promises. The death of Alan Finch the man she had accidentally killed had been covered up with all of the police records disappearing into a hole. He had been consistently good to her giving her both his time and his attention, all for her. He had never ignored her and had always made her feel that she was special and not just a back-up slayer; the way the others had treated her.
<No> he subconscious said, <Not all of them; Lex didn't>
"Shut Up!" she said furious at her own mind.
<Lex stood by you>
"He's a man, just like the others, he let me down"
<Not Lex, Never Lex he promised as well and he didn't back down from it. >
Faith paused her feelings swaying like a reed in the breeze.
<He promised to stand by you always and has never done anything to make you think he hasn't and we know it>
"Shut up" Faith raged again getting up and pacing, "Great know I'm arguing with myself"
Since she had killed Finch and decided to work with the mayor a part of her, a small voice at first, had started to argue and whisper. She was coming to think of the internal voice as her personal Jiminy Cricket. She stalked over to the kick bag and started to whale on it trying to shut out the nagging doubts and her voices.
<It was an accident>
"No, I killed him"
<An accident, they happen, you know that. Remember when you hit Lex in the nose and he bled. That was an accident, although worse this is the same thing>
"No, I'm bad"
<Yeah, so what, you can be bad in a good way> the voice was she after all.
Faith stopped kicking the bag and went to her stereo turning it up and putting on some beats to drown out her voice. The tears continued to fall. She just couldn't figure that out. With an angry gesture she wiped her face and stalked back to the bag and continued to pummel it. Crawford Street Manor
Buffy flowed through the movements of the Kata that angel had taught her, her teacher and love was at her side gracefully moving through the steps leading her slightly as they worked together to calm her nerves and fears.
She had rushed over as soon as the shouting match had eventually died out. They had all said some hurtful things and most of all she had realized the errors in her thinking, partly. She agreed that killing Faith wasn't the way to go and perhaps that some form of rehabilitation could be carried out. Faith wasn't a cold-blooded killer and there had to be more to what was happening that it appeared. There always was, but it was in her nature to slay the bad guy. It was what she was, the slayer of evil. But that begged the question was Faith evil. She didn't really think so.
Eventually she had agreed that they needed to find out more and that if the time came they wouldn't kill Faith, capture not kill. That's what she would have to keep telling herself. The thing that worried her and really scared her as she came more round to their way of thinking was would Faith give her the choice?
"Stop" Angel's soft voice stilled her movements and thoughts. Her shot a slight grin at her, the closest he ever got to a full smile these days. "You're supposed to clear you mind and I can almost hear you thinking"
Buffy returned the grin and shook her head, "I don't know what to do Angel!" she said becoming more sober at the realization.
"I know, but you will" he said with sureness.
"I hope so"
"How's Xander taking this?"
"I'm not sure"
Angel cocked an inquisitive look at her.
"He was comatose when I got there but when he heard us talking about killing Faith he lost it, threatened to kill us if we hurt her and then just poof"
"Poof?" Angel said his brow creasing.
"Poof, ya know disappeared"
Angel's eyebrows shot up, "Teleportation!"
"Yeah, that's the bunny"
"He's quite powerful isn't he?"
"Oh Yeah, Willow is in total babble mode about his magical ability."
"I'll bet. Funny I should have sensed that sort of power on him from before I Urhh left, but I didn't"
"Yeah apparently he isn't powerful at all but like condenses it out of the air or something, Willow can tell you more"
"Apart from that, what do you think he'll do?" Angel said making a mental note to talk to Willow later.
"I don't know" Buffy said with a sigh, "He really loves her"
"You think he will side with her don't you"
Buffy nodded.
"Maybe" Angel agreed, "Love is powerful"
"It makes you do the wacky" Buffy said with a smile. Faith's Apartment
Faith kicked the bag over and over again until finally a disturbance in the air behind her made her turn around with her fist swinging before she realized what she was doing. It connected almost full force with the jaw of a dark haired man around her age sending him to the floor but not unconscious which surprised her. Then she noticed the identity of the victim of her punch.
"Lex!" she cried out in despair and dived at him pulling him into a embrace and cooing him saying Sorry over and over again until it dawned on her what she was doing and she quickly let go and backed away.
Xander felt his heart dip at her rejection then soar when he realized what her unconscious reaction proved.
"Hi Faith" he said getting to his feet slowly blood was now leaking from the corner of his eyes.
She looked at him horrified, "Did I do that?" she said pointing. Not trusting herself near to him.
Xander reached up and touched where she had pointed and pulled his hand away with blood on his fingers. He gave a hollow chuckle, "No babe that was me. Remind me not to teleport twice in one night"
He stepped towards her his knees buckling slightly and his vision swimming. "Yeah definitely remind me!" he said
Faith was between anger, chuckling and concern so she kept her features schooled to show nothing. "What are doing here Lex?"
"I came to talk"
"How'd you find me here?"
Xander winked, "It's a kinda magic, babe" then looked around him, "Nice place you got yourself Faith, working for the mayor must pay well"
"Yep, what do you want?"
"You Faith, just you"
"I don't want you X" she shot back her voice neutral but her body started to betray her as the tears started to fall again.
Xander felt a knife in his heart but pressed on noticing the tears, "I don't believe you Faith"
Faith looked at him with anger starting to smolder in her eyes, "Think that much of yourself do you"
"No, as you well know babe"
"Don't call me that"
"Why not that's what you are, you my baby, I love you Faith"
"I don't love you" Faith said trembling tears now flooding down her cheeks without her consent or conscious realization.
"I think you do" Xander said stepping closer as she backed away from him.
"Really" Faith sneered at him, "I think I know a way to convince you otherwise. Trust me it wicked cool" <No> her internal voice raged at her, <Do that and you'll loose him forever>
"What's that baby? Because I don't think there is anything you could…" Faith's foot hitting him in the gut cut off Xander. He fell back with a shocked look on his face but it cleared quickly as he stood up, "It won't work," he said with a sure voice.
Faith slapped him hard the sound of the blow ringing through the apartment. "I love you baby," he said not moving to rub the stinging handprint. She slapped him again, even harder so that his eyes jangled around in his head, "I love you" Faith kicked him again. "I won't leave you"
Faith didn't speak with tears still flowing she moved to attack in earnest. She let rip with a flurry of blows that Xander blocked but every blow hurt him both physically and emotionally. She pushed him back with her attack and he was soon against the wall desperately blocking her attacks. "I love you Faith. I'll stand by you always, I promised not leave"
Thwack, Faith's fist connected with his face and Xander went down only to spring back up his eyes glazed from the blow. He wouldn't be able to take much more; he was no match for a slayer.
"I love you" he said again, his voice thick with emotion. Inside he was being ripped apart.
<STOP> her subconscious screamed at her <Listen to what he's saying, before it's too late>
"I love you Faith, I won't leave you. You'll have to kill me because I won' t leave"
Faith's fist paused from the final blow that would have rendered Xander unconscious and possibly damaged him for life. His face was a mess of bruises already forming and blood covered it almost in its entirety. "I'm evil, I work for evil, I'm Bad to the bone Boytoy" she said her voice wracked with emotional pain. He had not once lifted a hand to attack her despite the beating she was dishing out and she didn't have a mark on her.
Xander looked deep into her eyes the world already dimming around him, "I don't care." He said before finally he slipped into unconsciousness.
Richard Wilkins sagged into his seat with sweat pouring off of his brow, the connection he held with the dark slayer had telegraphed every swing of her mood and every feeling that she underwent. His control had almost been broken several times in the last ten minutes and he felt as if he had run a marathon.
"You OK Boss" Trick asked looked at his master.
"Yes, thank you Mr Trick. I believe we may have slight problem"
"The Consort" Trick said with certainty, the dark haired man had been the single biggest cause for concern in his long life and he feared him. As such he had done his own research and found out as much as he could about both he and his friends. What he had found had not made him feel any better, but it was better to know what you were up against, even if what you knew wasn't good.
"Indeed I think it was; only Mr Harris could have caused my slayer to feel the things she has been feeling. I will admit to being surprised at his fortitude. I certainly wouldn't have liked to stand against an enraged slayer. Luckily even that wouldn't be a problem now of course"
"What shall we do?"
"It seems my plan for Faith will have to change, keep her out of everything to do with my ascension, just in case the consort manages to bring her round, eventually. In the meantime I suspect that there will be a great deal of dissention in the ranks on the other side"
"Why so?"
Richard Wilkins looked at the vampire with a gleam in his eye, "Because the consort will keep his promise"
Dark hair framed her face as she looked down and the unconscious form of her love. For that was what he truly was, her love; in every sense of the word. She was conflicted inside, her mind telling her that she should send him out of the door, her heart telling her to hold on with both hands. She just didn't know what to do, she had done everything she could think of to drive him away and he had taken it all without pause. She hated that she had hurt him, that she was no better than Buffy. Yet he had still said he loved her, that he would stay with her and that he didn't care that she was on the other side.
She brushed his hair back and used a tissue to clear away some blood from his face. He was so handsome to her that it made her heart swim. Even bloody and bruised he was simply the best looking man she had ever laid eyes on. He wasn't classically handsome, but the allure he held for her was undeniable. At the end of the day could they make this work? With the two of them on opposite sides of the line would they be able to stay together.
She knew straight away that he would do nothing to hurt his friends, even the blonde bitch slayer. She herself would not and indeed could not to anything to damage the boss. She would have to tell him, the thought of lying to him had never occurred to her, but she would also have to make it clear that she and Xander were separate from their battle against the Scooby gang, perhaps if she explained she may be able to stay with him after all. The boss had told her to break up with him, but she just couldn't be without him, surely he would understand, he seemed to care about her.
Faith shook her head, and lovingly caressed Xander's face, this was insane.
Below her Xander awoke and looked up into the face of his angel.
"Hey" he said with a lazy smile.
Faith looked down at him for a long moment without saying or doing anything, the frame created by her long hair cut out the world for both of them creating an intimate tent in which they couldn't be disturbed. They stayed like that for a long moment until finally faith made a decision that would change her life. She smiled softly and moved down to capture Xander's lips with her own.
Her dreams were disturbed; so long all she had were her dreams, the semi nonsensical ramblings of her subconscious to keep her company. Then out of the blue the call had come, she had slept for so long that it had taken her a long time to finally awaken. She stretched out her muscles and tendons creaking with the effort a low groan escaped her mouth causing the ground to tremble in anticipation.
First one shoulder moved, then the other displacing the earth from around her and pushing thousands of years of sediment away from her body allowing her to slowly but surely push her way out from under nether the rubble and dirt from a millennia of sleep. She opened one eyelid then the other surveying her surroundings with little more cognizant thought by the second. She shook her head quickly dispelling the final cobwebs of sleep away from her highly intelligent mind. Then as her higher brain functions came online she allowed her self a moment of introspection.
It had been so long since she was last called, no one worthy in a several millennia, since well before the birth of Christ she had slept and waited until the call came. The call from her life bond and partner since almost the beginning of time. He was strangely enough singing at that very moment, she could here the words from a song that had never been sung by human throat. A song that predate some volcano's yet there it was the lyrical expression of joy at the death of he unclean. Her long tongue flicked out and lashed at her elongated canines she could well remember the taste of the unclean. Her nostrils flared with anticipation and she reached out and touched minds with her bond mate. It was time, finally, to go back into battle.
Angel sat resting after a nights patrolling with Buffy. He still wasn't actually one hundred percent and the fighting took a lot out of him. He idly flipped the pages of the book he was reading, a book of ancient Celtic lore that he had yet to read. It was both rare and boring but he read it because he hadn't done so.
The book went flying to the air as a voice startled him, "Hello Deadboy"
Angel span round ready to attack but was pulled up short buy the identity of the intruder. "Hello Xander" he said as calmly as he could. There was something about the boy that had always worried him, it was a strength of presence that he wasn't quite able to put his finger on. That and the fact that he had been a serious contender for Buffy's heart however much she denied it.
Xander was seemingly studying the vampire with a steady gaze that was starting to worry the ancient vampire.
"What can I do for you" Angel said eventually, just to stop the silent inspection from Xander.
Xander continued his silence for a beat or two before finally speaking, "It' s like this DB, I want to know something"
"OK, if I can help I will" Angel said, he and Xander had actually managed to beat out an uncertain friendship recently, but they still had some way to go.
Xander took a deep breath, "Do you love her"
The 'her' was obvious so angel was able to answer quickly and with assuredness, "Yes"
Xander nodded, he had been expecting that answer and he knew it really, "How much?"
"I'm not sure what you want me to say"
"Would you die for her?"
Angel paused, thinking not about the question but why he had been asked, "Yes"
"You went through hell for her, that's quite a commitment"
"It wasn't exactly all my doing" Angel said carefully.
"I know, but you forgave her without thought"
Angel nodded.
"What if she went bad, what would you do then?"
Angel almost smiled, he finally had a clue where this was going, but it was a good question. A slayer working for the other side was dangerous, but then he'd been there. "I would never stop loving her" he said simply. That was true at least but he had a horrible premonition what the next question would be.
Xander surprised him by switching topics, "Why'd those gypsies's curse you with a soul?"
Angel almost went, 'Huh?' but restrained himself, "Because it would hurt the demon, cause it never ending pain"
"I know you feel the pain, but, what about the demon?"
Angel nodded emphatically, "Oh Yes"
"What about that clause?"
"It worries me" Angel admitted, "Buffy made me truly happy for the first time in my existence, but I worry that perhaps if I saved a child…."
Xander nodded, understanding, "Seems dumb to me"
Angel nodded, "Yes I'm not sure I understand it either"
Xander looked deep into Angel's eyes not saying anything for a long time before smiling the first truly feral smile that Angel had ever seen on a human, "This may sting a bit" Xander said unleashing his stored power and directing it with skill and precision.
Angel's only response was a high pitched scream as the agony infused his body.
She looked around at the school with distaste, following the sense trail all the way from her last resting place. She could sense her life bond wasn't far away but he wasn't here, at least not now but he had been.
She gave a sigh that shook the windows and once again set off.
Xander leaned against a crypt idly tossing his katana in the air, allowing it to flip around and then landing hilt first back in his hand. It wasn't the most respectful thing to do to a Katana but he wasn't overly worried about hurting its feelings. He'd killed his fair share of vampires that night and had more than honored the blade. The light didn't flick off of the blade as it would a normal sword; the katana was a dull grey colour, almost gun metal grey. Xander knew very little about the sword except that he was the only one who could draw it. He thought that a sword with an Arthurian scabbard should at least be mentioned somewhere, but both Giles and Lindsey had not a jot of luck finding anything.
The vampires seemed to have disappeared for the night, not that he was too concerned about that. An easy night wasn't to be scoffed at in his opinion.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ANGEL?"
Xander jerked around at the shout and faced a furious Buffy, "Angel?" Xander said with an innocent look.
"Don't mess with me buster, fess up"
Xander held his hands up, "I didn't do anything bad I promise"
Buffy placed her hands on her hips and stared at him disbelievingly.
"I promise" Xander urged, not wishing a repeat of her beating.
"Then what did you do?"
Xander smiled, a large and genuine smile, "I cursed him"
"WHAT!"
"God slayer, chill the fuck out" Xander said harshly, "Get off your frickin' high horse and listen for a change"
"You CURSED Angel"
"Well actually I kinda cursed Angelus"
"Huh?"
Xander walked behind the bereft slayer with a small smile. It was lucky for him that she had yet to ask about the fading bruises on his face and he hadn 't given Angel the chance. He'd managed to calm Buffy down a bit but she had insisted that he return to the scene of his suspected crime. He'd agreed, more to hide the strange feeling of guilt that he was feeling in his stomach than to help her.
They entered the large mansion one after the other and Xander found that Giles had obviously been summoned as had both Willow and Oz. At least he assumed that was the case as he didn't think that Giles in particular had any love of the vampire that had killed his young love.
"Xander, what have you done?" Giles asked with a slight frown as he noticed Xander's arrival.
"Not much" Xander said with a shrug.
Buffy blew out an annoyed breath and glared at him, "He keeps doing that. He told me that he's cursed Angelus, not Angel"
Giles shot Xander a look that held understanding, "Is this true?"
Xander nodded and then started to smile, just a small grin that was soon being replicated on the face of ripper.
"Did it hurt" Ripper asked, using Giles's voice then he sobered at Buffy righteous glare. He held a hand up to still her protest, "I apologize, I realize that's not pertinent to the matter at hand"
"True, but yeah it did" said a groggy Angel sitting up from where he had fallen. No-one had wanted to move him.
Xander stifled a laugh; so far this was working out quite well. As soon as he had found the ancient scroll of amendment in a shipment for the Magic Box he had known that he would be doing this. Of course the fact that it served to distract everyone from asking any difficult question was a plus.
True, he had intended to run this past Giles and 'Sey first, but this was as, 'Advantageous' to his current predicament.
Angel stood up with help from Buffy and surprisingly from Giles. He lent heavily on both of them and looked at Xander with an almost hurt expression, "I thought we were becoming friends"
Xander smiled even wider.
"See I told you he was going to go bad" Buffy muttered.
"We are Angel, we are. I hope we always will be, after all you give you friends the best gifts"
Angel looked at him askance, then his already pale complexion, paled. "You were asking about the curse"
"Give the man a peanut" Xander said with a sardonic smirk.
"Curse, what… Oh the gypsies curse" Buffy said.
Xander felt like mocking her a bit, but didn't. She was after all supposed to be his friend and he liked her. Sometimes she was just a little slow on the uptake. Of course at others she was far too fast.
"I've sealed the curse" Xander said, putting them out of their misery.
"Sealed the curse?" Buffy asked.
"I can't lose my soul?" Angel said with careful hope.
"Nope, not even if you and the Buffster go at it for eternity; and Eww to that mental image!" Xander said a growing smirk.
"Angel's, free?" Buffy said her complexion losing colour quickly.
Xander now smiled softly, his eyes held warmth for his old friend, "Yes, Angel is free"
Buffy rushed Angel and kissed him passionately and then they held each other for all they were worth. Giles stepped away from the ecstatic couple and joined Xander as they followed a shocked Willow and Oz out of the manor. They all knew by joint but silent consent that they should leave them alone.
Willow turned on her oldest friend as soon as they had walked out of the door, "How?"
"Scrolls of Amendment" Xander answer her, with some honesty.
"Ah, and how did you come into possession of those?" Giles asked.
"Got them shipped to the magic box, or at least someone did. They just showed up there"
"So how did you amend the curse?"
"Simple really, I just made sure the demon would never be getting out again and removed the happiness clause. Once Angel is killed for the last time, the soul is freed and the demon sent back to hell"
"Marvelous" Giles positively gushed.
Xander cocked an eyebrow at him but Giles was in researcher mode, "Sorry guys, look I gotta go" Xander quickly said as both Willow and Giles drew breath.
With that he turned tails and basically ran from them, but then he was going to be late for his date with Faith if he didn't hustle. The last thing he needed to do right now was attempt another teleportation spell.
He left two very confused people in his sudden wake, and one slightly perturbed werewolf.
"What, has gotten into him lately." Willow said with a small shake of her head.
Giles remained silent as did Oz, to them it was obvious. Apparently it wasn 't to Willow however.
Oz decided that for now at least it was worth misdirecting her further, "So what are the scrolls of amendment?" he asked.
He and Giles shared a look full of understanding before Giles finally answered him, "They contain a very ancient and powerful spell, written by the first gypsy magical users"
Oz's idea appeared to work as Willow became involved in the discussion her eyes alight with interest, "What does the spell do exactly?"
"Allows the caster to change, or amend a curse placed by the gypsy elders"
"Wow" Willow said reverently, she still remembered the feeling of power and wisdom flow through her when she had cast angels re-cursing.
She landed with a thud that shock the floor and looked around. The trail was leading into this small looking town. There would be no where for her to hide in the day as there had been in Boston. Now was time for an old skill to come into play.
Focusing ancient energies around herself she shifted her appearance to better blend in, Her true form was fine for speed, but now wasn't the time for speed. It was the time for caution. She could sense both great good and great evil in the approaching town. That was almost normal for her, but what had her scared for the first time in millennia was the presence of an active hellmouth and it was close, very close.
Where she stood was suddenly encased in bright light that seemed to flow around in a dizzying display of pyrotechnics. The vortex of light span faster and faster shrinking in size and flowing through thousands of colours until finally it collapsed in on its self. In its place was standing a young woman. Her long blonde hair hung around her shoulders and down forwards covering her bare breasts. She was naked as the day she was born and seemed totally unaware of that small fact as she stepped forward and started padding towards the town.
She walked for around about ten minutes before she came across any trouble. Which, for Sunnydale at least was a record. Three vampires melted out of the shadows and eyed her form for a long moment. They took in her well toned physique with lustful eyes. They drank in her beauty and nakedness with obvious interest. They slunk forward with evil intent. Then when the blonde haired beauty noticed their presence they died with screams in their throats as fire consumed them.
One a female around her size she spared, she walked up to the now terrified vampire and eyed it with disgust. It was wearing a gothic set up which was very tight on it and revealed her to the eye. It wasn't the best choice but it would have to do.
"Strip" she commanded slowly as if tasting the words as they left her lips.
The vampire tried to bolt but the blonde caught her before she had taken a step. The vampire tried to struggle free to no avail. The slim blonde had it totally under control. The vampire using what was left of it intellect started to strip.
The blonde beauty waited until the clothes were handed to it and then spared the scared vampire a thin smile, "Thank you" she said.
"I can go?" the vampire said hopefully.
The blonde laughed, the sound like a thousand fairy bells twinkling in the wind, but the expression in her eyes was not so innocent, "Good grief, no, whatever made you think that" she said and her eyes flashed angry red, her pupils appearing like a snake's for a moment. The moment ended at the exact same time the vampires un-life did. A blood curdling scream was all she was able to say before conflagrating into ash.
The blonde didn't move away from the now smouldering ash pile, she simply dressed in the gothic clothes allowing her outward appearance to shift once again, her hair changed from golden blonde into a raven, blue black. Her lips filled out slightly and changed to a deep crimson. Her eyes lined with Kohl and the clothes morphed to her figure, clinging in a way the vampire wished they had on her. From blonde cheerleader-type to gothic goddess in a blink of an eye she walked on. Now her boots tapped out a staccato rhythm as she read the environment around her constantly leaning and adapting to her environment as she hadn't had to in a very long time.
She got all the way into the centre of town before the screams had to start again. All in all she was fairly lucky. The vampires that crossed her path were not.
At one point a large male vampire managed to buy himself a moment of extra life by asking a simple question, "Wait, what's your name?" he asked in desperation, hoping against hope that she would answer and he would have chance to escape.
It worked far better than he could ever have hoped. The angry red eyes faded back to the green they were normally and her hand dropped to her side. Full lips moved for a full second. She cursed herself, had it really been so long since she had spoken her name, that she had forgotten. Then like a white lance of fire the answer seared itself across her mind. Yes, that was it now she remembered. She smiled at the vampire, who stupidly was actually waiting for her to answer. Her confusion had caught his attention for a moment. The smile was radiant and full of joy and the vampire felt its dead heart skip a beat. "I remember it no, so silly, I forgot" she said finally her voice mirthful.
"Well?" the vampire asked, his attention captivated by the dark goddess.
She dazzled him once again with her perfect teeth; she drew a breath and spoke the name that had escaped her for a moment; a name not remembered to her for longer than America had been founded. Her voice was soft yet the single word seemed to reverberate through the town as she finally answered the doomed vampire's question; Doomed, because as she spoke her name it died in a fiery explosion of death.
"Tiamat"
Xander pushed back the dark haired woman that was currently stealing his air supply, grudgingly. The last thing he wanted to do was to make her stop kissing him, but then he also needed to breath. Apparently more often than she did for sure. That said she was as flushed as he was and things were becoming increasingly hot in the spacious apartment that Faith now occupied.
He had come here with the intension of leaving the town and heading towards he nearby Oxnard. He figured there, at least, they could go out without fear of being disturbed, or rather discovered. They had by mutual agreement decided that it was better not to tell his friends about their continuing relationship. Xander suspected that they were not as clueless as all that but he certainly hadn't told them. He never would either, not when he had promised his faith that he would not.
As far as faith was concerned she had told her boss. She had also been surprised at his total lack of reaction. She had expected to be fired, shouted at, killed or even roughed up a little. Instead he had smiled at her with a gentle smile and told her, that she was free to see whomever she wished. He had only asked that she and Xander not discuss her work. As this was something she and Xander had already covered she had been fine with that. It was better for them both if he knew nothing of the happening's at city hall.
"Faith, I need some air" Xander panted finally. His eyes dark with lust.
Faith smirked down at him her long hair brushing his face, "How 'bout I breathe for you" she said leaning down and stealing another kiss. She pulled up and away and Xander smiled up at her.
"Oh, okay then" he said pulling the slayer back down into his embrace.
Angel looked down at the sleeping form of his soul mate with a light feeling in his chest. They had just tested the curse to within an inch of its life and so far still good. He felt alive somehow, full of purpose full of that after sex glow that just won't go away.
Buffy stirred in her sleep a small soft snore escaping her lips that caused Angel to actually smile for what felt like the first time in 100 years. Then as she started to rhythmically snore like a buzz saw his lips quivered and his eyes watered until finally he couldn't hold it back anymore. The deep emotions flowing through him were too much. But it was the small snort and smacking of her lips that let it finally slip into the night and the sound of Angels joyful laughter was heard for the first time since his turning.
It winkled around the manor's bedroom and flowed around the mansion like liquid fire seeming to lift the brooding atmosphere into a new lighter realm. When Buffy was finally roused from her slumber by the noise Angel was sitting on the edge of the bed laughing his arse off with a big mental smile on his face.
His eyes were lit up with mirth and his laughter was so infectious that Buffy found herself laughing along with him without even realizing why or how. They held each other as the joy flowed out of the souled vampire like a flood. This was the laughter of a truly happy man. For so long he had been bound to his demon. No more, no more demon to fear. One of the worst vampire's to have walked the earth in the last two centuries was laughing for life and for love.
When the mirth finally died down Buffy tilted her head the happiness she felt expressed in her eyes. "What's so funny?"
"You Snore!" Angel replied without thinking. The smile disappeared from Buffy's face in a flash. He noticed his mistake and started to back track, and grovel.
She managed to hold out for a total of twenty seconds until they were back at testing the curse.
Xander ducked under a punch and struck out with a well aimed retaliatory hit to the solar plexus. The vampire 'offed' and sank down right into the uppercut that Xander sent his way. It went down with out further comment and Xander used his sword to behead it and dust it with an almost lazy stroke.
He stood proud once again only to take a side spin kick to the chest that sent him flying backwards into a gravestone stealing his breath. It was his turn to 'oooff' and the vampire that had attacked him now stalked forward. Xander shock his head to clear his mind and received a smack across the forehead from the vampire's foot. He span over the gravestone backwards bleeding from the temple. The vampire reached over the marker and grabbed the helpless young man. It smiled a feral smile, "Got you" it said.
Xander's eye's cleared, "Never!" he said with feeling then spat, "Ignis"
"Cheat" the vampire said just before exploding into dust.
"Damn right" Xander agreed vehemently as he dusted himself off. He moved round the gravestone wincing as he did so. He leant back on it and held his side as he watched. Faith had asked if he would help her take out a vampire clan. He'd known of course that this must be on the orders of the mayor and as such not of the good. He had also realized that the less blood suckers he had to deal with later the better. He would have been patrolling tonight anyway. This way he got to stay with faith for a little longer and watch her back. Or, as his eyes drifted, other parts of her anatomy. He pulled his eyes upwards from her backside with reluctance. He needed to watch her back, not her ass.
She finished off her dance partner with the minimum of fuss still showing that brutal power that he'd noticed in Boston. She was poetry in motion. Buffy had a more flowing style, but Faith was simply primal.
Just then he felt his sword, twitch. There was no other word for it. Then the strangest thing happened that he'd ever had happen to him. Having grown up in Sunnydale, that was saying a lot. Because at that moment his sword started to sing. It wasn't in words, there was no voice, there was just a musical and melodic tone emitting from the blade. He brought the unsheathed blade to his eyes and found his own reflection staring him back. Which was odd to say the least, his katana was dull grey, it didn't reflect light.
Then the reflection showed movement behind him and he span to face the source. There in front of him was a beautiful raven haired woman who looked to be in her twenties. Her hair was long and straight framing her face and making her pale complexion stand out in stark contrast, as were her crimson lips that were twisted up into a beatific smile that was showing perfectly white teeth.
Xander found that his throat had constricted totally and that he had not a single word in his mind to say.
Luckily she beat him to it; "Hello" she said her voice light and chiming. There was a strange echo to it, as if it wasn't just coming from her throat but the effect was mystifying rather than scary.
Xander was still unable to muster a response luckily Faith was on hand and had watched her partners' reaction with growing anger and some fear, "Who the fuck are you lady"
The goddess turned her green eyed gaze toward the dark slayer still with that smile on her face. She studied the dark haired woman closely for a few moments before her smile turned to a smirk, "You can call me Tia, babe"
"Nice to meet you Tia, now get lost!" Faith said stepping up behind Xander and placing a possessive arm around his shoulders and leaning on him.
Tia's eyes flashed fire for a moment as Faith touched Xander but so quickly that Faith almost didn't notice. Then her smile was back from the snarl it had been.
Xander meanwhile turned his head towards Faith and looked at her for just a second like he couldn't remember who she was, then his eyes cleared and he smiled at her. Then he looked back to Tia with a confused expression. His sword still singing that mournful tune and clear bladed as a freshly forged one.
"Do I know you?" he asked finally, now in possession of his vocabulary once again.
Tia looked him in the eye her smile turning flirtatious, "Not yet gorgeous, but you will"
"Now hang on a minute gothic Barbie" Faith said stepping forward angrily, straight into Xander's restraining hand.
She glanced at him and he shook his head once. She knew that look; he was concentrating his magical abilities again. It was the most serious look he ever got.
"Tia here is just a little powerful, aren't you?" Xander said turning back to the mystery dressed in Goth.
"Well done sweetness, well done. Been awhile since I met one like you, and you" she said turning her eyes to look at Faith, "A Slayer. I do so hate that name"
"You're not making friends here, Morticia" faith said with her stance and voice cocky.
Tia's brow furrowed, "No, my names Tia!" she said in a slightly aggrieved tone.
Faith just glared at her in return. Then with a pop of sound and a powerful pulse of energy that caused them both to stagger Tia was gone. Los Angeles International Airport
Wesley glanced at the expensive Rolex on his wrist. It had been a gift from his father when he had graduated to field work. His father had instilled in him a sense of duty and honor. As a lifetime member of the Watchers himself he had passed onto his son the belief that the council were always right. It was this belief that had driven Wesley to contact the council himself and inform them of Faith slip into the darkness. He had allowed may slurs against his beloved council but he couldn't and wouldn't allow a rogue slayer on the loose. The few times that it had happened in history had ended with a large amount of blood being spilt.
A rogue slayer had to be dealt with. He was sure of that. He watched the passengers he was waiting for arrive and pass through the gates from London with a sense of both relief and a strange feeling of foreboding. The men that were now walking up to him held the air of hard men. He had been told of the retrieval teams, those men that worked for the council doing 'wet works'. They were hired from all branches of the forces, the tougher and meaner the better.
The lead man, the leader by the look of him walked up to Wesley causing the timid man to flinch back slightly, "You wussley?" he asked.
"Wesley, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce" Wesley said bristling slightly.
The team of men shared a collective chuckle and the leader slapped Wes on the back, nearly knocking him down, "Sorry, Wesley." The leader said with no sorrow in his voice, "Now why don't you show us this pesky slayer then"
Xander sat back in the cafeteria, with his chair balanced on two legs, just as he'd always been told never to do. Last night had been strange to say the least. His sword had started, 'Singing' then a total babe turns up out of nowhere and talks with he and Faith for a moment before disappearing again. Strange, to say the least but then that was his life lately. He was a mage that had no power, dating a slayer working for the bad guy in a town built on top of the hellmouth. He had cursed a vampire to make him happy and had spent the night doing the bidding of the enemy. Nope his life was totally normal, not at all complex in the least.
A jock walked past and kicked at the legs of his chair, a normal jock type thing to do. Make you fall on you butt and humiliate you in front on the entire school. Unless of course you were balanced on two legs using magic. Not something he would normally do, but the magic was so much a part of him now that it just made his will happen. Most of the time he concentrated to make sure that didn't happen. Right now he was lost in thought and didn't even notice the large jock drop to the floor when he kick caught on the leg of the chair and met with irresistible force. Thus the man fell to the floor face first into his dinner.
All of which Xander missed completely as he noticed five dark clothed men walking towards the library, out the window. Something about the bearing of the men screamed military to his memories and their dress and demeanor screamed danger. He decided that he'd have to have a look and got out of his seat. In his haste to leave he walked over the jock stuffing his face back down into the mash potato.
The cafeteria went silent as the swinging doors closed behind Xander leaving a food encrusted and very angry jock with the almost the entire student population looking at him with laughter in their eyes. None dared to laugh, not until the jock stormed out to clean up. Once he had gone the entire room erupted into raucous laughter.
Giles looked at his and Lindsey's Aide with disgust. Beside him and cutting a very imposing figure was the leader of the retrieval team that Wesley had brought down on Faith. Giles wasn't happy at all; in fact he was in the land of ripper mad.
"What the bloody hell do ya think you're doing you little pillock" he demanded of Wesley stalking towards the younger man, who shrank back in fear.
Michaels the team leader held up his hand and stopped ripper dead with an equal look of ferociousness. "Now, the lad did what any responsible council member would've done. You ain't with the council no more, and neither are you" he said turning to look at Lindsey Hamilton, "You're fired, straight from the council offices"
Wesley turned white and looked at the woman who had befriended him even when the others had not. She still thought he was a Prat, he knew that, but she had at least been kind to him. He would never have intentionally hurt her. His father had always said honor had a price. He had never thought someone else would be paying it though.
Lindsey just inclined her head and smiled, "I'm so very pleased to hear you say that"
"I'm not sure why love, your green card will be suspended as will Mr. Giles' s" Michaels said with vindictive glee.
"That won't be a problem" Willow said as she walked into the room her face set in what her friends knew as resolve face. Oz backed her up looking surprisingly scary for a man with blue hair.
"We don't want no trouble" Mitchell said, Michaels aide-de-campe, "We're just here for the rogue, then we'll be on our way. What happens after that don't worry us none." He said trying to be diplomatic.
"What will you do with her" Willow asked.
"Kill her you silly girl, what else would we doOOOO…" Michaels was cut off buy his sudden rise into the air.
Willow was standing below him her eyes a lovely shade of jet her hair moving in a sudden breeze, "I don't think so sparky" she said her voice solemn and deadly. Just then she felt a sudden shift in the powers of the room and Michaels was lowered to the floor and she was thrown backwards across the room. Oz rushed to her side as she smashed into a stack of library books sending them flying.
Michaels straightened himself out with a cock sure smile, "Funny thing 'bout this job. You learn to use all the tools you can, ain't that right Thomas?"
Thomas stepped forward, the smallest man of the group, with thinning balding hair, he was the sort of man ones eyes shifted over without really seeing. Average, not noticeable, apart from his jet black eyes and the power that seemed to crackle around him. "Yes, Boss" Thomas said his eyes shifting back to the watery blue that was their norm.
Willow struggled to her feet with Oz's help as Giles, Lindsey and surprisingly Wesley all moved to attack the retrieval squad. They were covered in an instant by automatic pistols and sneering smiles, "No I don't think we'll have any of that" Michaels said.
Willow suddenly smiled, "Oh Man" she started gaining the squads guarded attention, "You guys are fucked"
Her words caused everyone to look at the dainty girl, who looked as if butter wouldn't melt. Even her friends, most of whom had never heard her swear either.
Michaels shook it off quickly and his sneer reformed on his face, "Why's that little girl"
"Because Xander is SO gonna kick your ass!" Willow said her eyes flashing with ire.
"Yeah, who is he and where is he now, when you need 'im?" Mitchell asked a vicious smirk on his scared face.
"I'm Xander, and I'm right here, buddy!" a deep voice informed them. Thomas staggered slightly but quickly regained his footing and cast a protection spell over the entire squad.
"What in the hell" Michaels asked when a fairly unassuming young man walked into view with a strange smile on his face.
"Nice shield" Xander said nodding towards Thomas.
"T.T.Thanks" Thomas stuttered. His fellow team members looked at the normally erudite man with concern. There was sweat beading his forehead as he maintained the spell over his squad.
Xander walked towards them and the team shifted their weapons onto him, "Oh that's not a good idea" Xander said sardonically.
"No" Thomas shouted out stilling the actions of his friends.
"Where's Buffy" Lindsey asked Giles in a sotto voce.
Giles smiled slightly, "Sleeping I should imagine" he said, a little humor in his voice.
Lindsey shot him a strange look but didn't press the matter at this time, she looked to her friend, and student. If he could truly be called that anymore. He had mastered and created his own branch of magic from what she could tell. It was certainly giving the councils' mage trouble. The small man was now sweating profusely and Xander was as cool as a cucumber. None of the magical adept dared shift their perception into the arcane at this point. If they did, they would be blinded by the large amounts of power moving around. Thomas was pouring more and more power into the shield, knowing as he did that Xander was a fellow mage. He didn't not know that he was just helping to charge Xander up.
However, no one except Xander knew that he was low on power and tired from his recent exploits. He had channeled huge amounts of magic for his teleportation's, and the curse changes had worn him thin. It was true that he didn't run out of power while there was still air or anything around him, but his circuits as it were could become temporarily worn.
However Xander didn't show any of this he just circled the sphere of shielding with steady and calculated steps looking each team member in the eye before moving onto the next. He spared an evil smile for Michaels and Thomas however. Michaels ignored him, but he was truly scaring Thomas who was starting to become quite grey in skin tone.
Then with a larger smile Xander reached out and traced his finger along the shield causing it to flare at the point of contact. At the same moment Thomas's knees sagged and he fell down onto them. The shield dimmed noticeably, and then started to funnel out and spread up and around Xander's own form as he stole some of Thomas's own shield.
"Not a bad shield this" Xander commented as the shield bled away from his form, "But I really think it's time we made a move don't you"
Then from nowhere the humiliated jock barreled into him knocking to the deck, where he hit his head hard on a step. Suddenly Thomas seemed to come alive and his body sprang up like it was on strings.
The jock snarled down at Xander's prone form and started to kick it repeatedly. "That's what you get" he was so enraged that he didn't notice that anyone else was in the room until he was flung away from Xander by an invisible force. Unleashed by non other than Lindsey who was glaring at him with true murder in her eyes. She was being restrained by Giles who looked ready to have a go himself. It was then the Jock, Andy Stammers realized his mistake. The elder man was a teacher and he'd just attacked a student right in front of him. It didn't sink into his brain that anything else, say more important, was going on. That's what his mind latched onto and held to.
Then he was cold cocked by a pistol butt. Michaels looked down on the jock with a grin, "No way to thank you I know mate, but thanks anyway" he said.
He looked over at the assembled Scooby Gang with a nasty look on his face, "We'll finish this later, of that you can be sure."
With that he and his team backed away carefully making sure to cover the entire gang until they were well out of the door. At that point they quickly headed out of the building. It was in the car park that Mitchell finally turned to Michaels, "We didn't find the location of the rogue"
"Oh, I think we'll find her" Michaels said with a secret smile.
Back in the library Giles looked down at Xander with a sad smile, "Of all the ignominious things to happen"
The clouds parted before him, as he cut through them with ease. He could feel the air whistling past the length of his body soothing the fires within him. He could smell heat, feel sulfurous odors. In fact he could see the heat as well. His senses were alien to him, yet it wasn't worrying him in the least. He loved the freedom from his human sense, yet he was still human wasn't he. He caught a glimpse of himself as he flew down through the clouds over a crystal clear lake. His long body stretched out for aerodynamics and either side stretched out huge ……
Xander's eye's flickered open and he looked around him confused from his dream until his memories surfaced and his persona took over the driving seat once again. There was however a gaping gap in his memory. He could hear voices, very loud voices in fact. One of them sounded like the wuss, another like Buffy?
"Where am I? What the hell hit me?" he asked groggily.
The raised voices stopped and footsteps thundered over to his position. He turned to see Buffy hanging back slightly but looked as though she wanted to do what Willow and 'Sey were, namely hugging the hell out of him and fussing over him. He found himself wondering when she had arrived and then just how long he had been out.
Buffy looked at her friend with a sad smile, contrary to popular belief, she was not heartless. She had her reasons for attacking Xander all that time ago and felt justified in her anger. That said; she knew that she should not have hurt him as she had done. Her anger sometimes got the better of her, usually with Xander as well. She wasn't really sure why, he was just able to get under her skin. Combined with what she had perceived as a jealous act against her and Angel, well she'd gone on the boil. She knew that she needed to control her temper even before that fateful attack. If she hadn't attacked him, he wouldn't have left. Had he not left then she and he would perhaps have worked through her anger and been better for it. Xander said he forgave her and did, to a point. She knew that if she were to go over and try to hug and fuss he would immediately lock up. She didn't want that, it hurt her but she was mature enough to realize it was a consequence of her actions.
If one good thing had come of that night for her it was a new sense of reason. She now had a very good handle on her temper. She just wished she had it before and not because of the attack. So she smiled at her friend with the hope that one day she would be able to feel his strong arms around her in a friendly hug once again. It was funny how you didn't realize how much you needed something or someone until there were no longer there.
"Faith!" Xander suddenly exclaimed shooting up from the floor and dislodging his nurse's in the process.
Buffy shot forward as he lagged and started to wilt and caught him. To her relief he just gave her a worried sort of gratefully smile and allowed her to lead him over to a chair.
"Damn, messing with that guy took a lot out of me" Xander said in annoyance.
Lindsey eyed her surrogate son with worry. She had never seen him suffering form the sort of fatigue that most magical practitioner could and would feel after large spells. That said he had teleported at least twice to her knowledge in the last two days. That was enough to tire anyone. The power may not be his, but bending it to his will still took will power and that took energy he obviously was running out of. Then she felt something that mad her eyes widen, "Xander, NO!" she yelled as he started drawing power.
"I've gotta get to Faith" he said desperately.
"No way, you're too tired, you could end up anywhere!" Giles put in firmly, "We'll do this the old fashioned way"
Xander was about to argue when he felt a familiar pull and his head turned to the door of its own volition.
"That won't be necessary" Tia said as she stepped into the library. She was wearing the same clothes from before, looking pristine and relaxed. Somewhat like a couching tiger.
"Who the hell are you lady!" Buffy said stepping forward to protect her friends, her family.
Tia smiled, "Another slayer, how very interesting. As for how I am ask the sex pot" she said nodding towards Xander with a flirtatious smile.
Willow leaned into her friend of many years with a slight smile, "What is it with you and brunettes anyway?" she asked under her breath.
Xander shot her a wan smile then looked at their new visitor, "Hey Tia!" he said weakly the room starting to spin again as a snake of blood dripped from his hairline and down his cheek.
Michaels looked around with a sneer on his face. They had followed the usual trails, talked to the sort of people that every town had. The barman at the local demon club had been only too willing to help, especially when he had seen the pile of green notes that Michaels had slapped down on the bar. So following the trail it had taken less than two hours to get to this stage.
He was in the lions den as it were, but so far the lioness was not at home. He was faced with a dilemma. He could stay and wait for the slayer hoping that the boyfriend hadn't warned her or he could go out looking for her, hoping to find her out and about. He glanced out of the large window thoughtfully. It would soon be nightfall the sky already turning color. The slayer would want to be out and about in her natural and instinctive home, the darkness. He knew that slayer's were driven to hunt at night. He knew as much if not more than most watchers about slayers. He knew the habits, strengths and weaknesses of slayers by heart. He had never had to hunt one down before but his predecessors had. That knowledge had been passed down through generations and leagues of men until it finally landed upon his shoulders. Now he had to apply that knowledge to one of the deadliest foes he would ever face.
"Right, come on. Make sure we leave no trace. The slayer will be out stalking the graveyards; We'll find her there, if not we know where she lives" he said finally.
He watched as his men professionally set about their business and gave a sharp grunt of satisfaction. Then he saw Thomas who looked to be asleep on his feet. That was no good, no good at all.
"Thomas, come ere!"
Thomas started as if he had indeed been asleep and staggered over to his leader, "Yes Guv."
"What wrong?"
"Tired sir! Took a lot out of me!"
"Why you and the boy didn't do anything! Not like that dark mage last year, all those fireworks. He just walked around!"
Thomas nodded with a grim smile; it was true to the unseeing there would have been nothing to see. To him and other magical users, well that was a different story. The amount of power flowing around that room would have run New York for a month. But how to explain that to a man who thought magic were funny colored lights, no matter how useful said lights were?
"You remember who you and Arnold used to wrestle?" Thomas began thinking of the gargantuan Icelandic man that had been killed last year while dealing with a Kavroc demon. The man was essentially a walking monolith.
Pain flashed in Michaels's eyes for a second as he thought of the large man he had befriended. It was true that he used to like testing his strength with the much larger man. Kept him trim for the entire time he'd been with the team. A useful trait when fighting things a lot tougher and stronger than you were. He'd once managed to gain a standoff with the man, neither moving just pushing against each other without any visible sign of strength. That was when Thomas's meaning became clear. The two mages had been pushing against each other just as he and Arnold had done. He nodded to show that he had got the point, "So who won?" he asked with a glimmer of anger in his eye. He had a horrible feeling he knew the answer to that.
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, "Well Guv, I'd put that one as a draw, but only to save my own ego. He was lapping up everything I had. If that pillock hadn't of turned up…" he left the end trailing but Michaels knew what he meant. He also knew what that meant in for the next round. The boyfriend would have to be dealt with quickly and got out of the way.
"Mitchell, get Alfie, I've got a job for you two" he shouted suddenly, his decision made and a course of action laid in.
The tension in the room was almost palpable as the dark haired beauty looked at them all in turn with an arrogant smile twisting her features. Then she looked at Xander and her face shifted at once to one of concern. She attempted to move forward to him but suddenly found that Buffy, Willow and Oz had all taken up positions in front of her. Giles and Lindsey hung back slightly but still standing in front of their injured friend.
She stood down and looked at them again this time with a look of worry etched on her beautiful features, "I mean him no harm. He needs healing" she said with a note of urgency in her voice.
Giles nodded, "That is certainly true, he does need attention and I can guarantee you that he'll get it. In the meantime why don't you tell us who you are and what you doing here"
Tia growled low in her throat the sound far too loud for it to her come from her slender throat, it reverberated throughout the library causing the windows in Giles's office to rattle. "I need to see him now!" she said with iron in her tone.
Buffy stepped forward, "No!" she said firmly, "We don't know you from Adam lady"
"Fine, then let me tell you slayer." Tia paused then waived her arm sending everyone but Xander flying towards the wall and hanging halfway up unable to do anything but watch. "While I work" Tia finished stepping forward to the man who was currently slumping down in his seat the room darkening.
Willow let out a growl of her own and started to marshal her own powers only to find them blocked at every turn.
"That won't do you any good little girl" Tia said with a slight smile, "I don't have time for your spells right now"
She stepped right up to Xander holding her hands palm inwards to his face either side of his head. Her eyes fluttered closed for a second as she assessed his condition properly. She also took a moment to get a feel for the man and was pleasantly surprised at what she had found. She was no lover of the human race; in fact she only defended them because her hatred for the unclean far outstripped her dislike of humans. To her they seemed a sometimes cowardly and mostly dishonorable race. Humans were always fighting amongst themselves over petty squabbles or baubles of power.
This one was human, so he had those faults but he had in a larger supply the characteristics that stopped her from hating humans. He was courageous, loving and kind. He was true of heart and loved without thought. He was also at times petty and small minded but those were small thing in comparison to the feelings of honor she felt.
Giles cleared his throat, it had become very dry as he watched the strange woman standing so close to his friend.
Lindsey looked at him hoping he had some idea but it was to no avail, the power holding them there was staggering. She turned her attention on the woman herself hoping she might be able to talk her out of hurting Xander. "Why are you doing this?" she asked.
Tia spared her a glance and then smiled warmly. "He needs healing. I have not quarrel with any of you and mean you no harm, rest easy" she said.
"I believe you said you'd tell us who you were etc" Giles said raising his voice over Buffy and willows enraged sounds of struggle. Sometimes he wished they were more like Oz, who was currently perfectly still and not struggling at all. He was calmly assessing the situation instead of raging against it.
"My name is Tiamat"
Giles started stuttering as Lindsey's eyes flew wide open, "Not THE Tiamat?" Giles finally managed.
Tia smirked still concentrating her attention on Xander and healing his injuries magically.
"I believe so, unless there have been others?" she said sardonically.
"What's the big whoop?" Buffy asked finally giving up on getting down anytime soon.
"The whoop as you put it is that Tiamat was a large part of the Babylonian creation myth. She was apparently against the creation of humans and supposedly slain. At least that's the official story."
Tia snorted, a very un-lady like sound, "Slain, me, I don't think so"
Lindsey had a quizzical expression on her face for some moments until she finally voiced her question, "She was also supposedly a dragon?"
Faith reached out and knocked on the solid looking door. She was standing in the corridor of a well appointed apartment complex on the campus. She had been sent to do a task for her boss a task that even now her inner voice was raging against. It was surprising to her but so far things weren't actually too bad. The mayor had gotten her to slay various demons and wipe out vampire gangs. Well that was after all what slayers were supposed to do wasn't it? Xander had even helped her with the last gang, before that mysterious woman had shown up. Faith was sure of only one thing about that stranger, she did not like the way she was looking at her man, nor did she enjoy Xander's reaction.
"Just a moment!" came a muffled voice from within the apartment and faith felt her guts shift once again.
Then a second later the door opened to reveal a pleasant looking balding man who faith would've pegged as a professor even if she didn't know exactly who he was, "Hi, I'm looking for Professor Wirth. "
"Oh, well, that's me, but I should ask you to come back during office hours. Students generally make an appointment"
"Uh, I'm not from the college. I work for Mayor Wilkins. I'm Faith"
"Oh, well, come in, please. I was so surprised when he called. Didn't expect a politician to be interested in my research" the man said with excitement lighting his face up. Faith once again heard the screaming of her inner voices, she tried to shut them down but she just couldn't do it.
"He's a big fan, professor" Faith said noncommittally.
"Oh, Lester's fine." The professor said with a smile.
Faith took a deep breath, "We alone here, Lester?"
"Well, yes. Lifelong bachelor. I like my space." He said with a self deprecating smile.
"I hear that" Faith said and drew a wicked looking hunting knife, "You want to turn and face the wall, Lester." She said with a note of pleading in her voice.
Lester looked amused for a moment but soon sobered when he saw the look in faith's eye, "What are you doing?"
"I'll make it quick." Faith said quietly.
"Put that away. I'll scream." Professor Wilt said trying to muster courage that his soft academic life had not instilled in him.
Faith allowed herself a sardonic smile, "Who wouldn't?"
"Please." Lester tried to plead hoping to get through to the homicidal young woman.
"Sorry," Faith said sounding sincere, "boss wants you dead" the conviction she was doing the right thing surged within her but still her voices argued against it.
The professor looked confused, "Why?"
Faith paused for a moment, his confused expression hitting her as his pleading had not. "You know, I never thought to ask" she said striking out.
Tia beamed at Lindsey, "Supposedly?" she asked with false innocence.
"Well if you are who you say you are" Lindsey replied coolly.
"I am" Tia said her eyes flashing to an angry red her pupils elongating to ones of that of a lizard or snake. Her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once and the room went up sharply several degrees. "Surely you have heard of dragons taking other forms" she said her eyes returning to normal.
Lindsey nodded dumbly shocked to the core at the possibilities of their being an actual dragon in their midst.
"Dragon?" Buffy snorted, "Yeah SURE you are" she drawled with a sarcastic look on her face, "I've seen Willow do that trick with her eyes, or something like it, and vampires do it all the time. That does not a dragon make"
Tia looked at Xander, power flowing through her to the severely injure young man. He had sustained a serious knock on the head which had opened a hairline crack on his skull. If he had been left for any longer he would have died without hospitalization for some time. Time they didn't have. Tia knew all about the retrieval team having tracked them whilst they found and then followed Faith's trail. On one hand them catching faith would remove a problem for her, on the other Xander would not be receptive to her if he found out about her hesitancy. She spared Buffy a glance rare humor showing in her eyes for a moment; "There really isn't room in here for me to demonstrate properly" she told the blonde slayer.
Buffy smirked at her not believing the wild story for a moment, even if her watchers seemed to buying the line of crap the woman was feeding them, "If you hurt Xander I will slay you" Buffy promised her looking at the insensate form of her friend a man she owed much too.
"I would no more hurt the bearer than I would myself" Tia snapped finally.
"The bearer?" Giles asked his academic curiosity peaked.
"I take it you know the myth?" Tia said running her hands across Xander in a flowing motion her palms glowing deep red.
"In the Babylonian Eden-Myth, Tiamat is presented as a wise dragon-like reptile and as a god. Tiamat was married to Aspu. While the gods were discussing whether or not to create men, Tiamat opposed against that idea…."
Tia snorted, "Too right I did" she said.
Giles was now fully into his lecture flow and continued without pause, "The god Bel, a son of Tiamat" again Tia snorted but Giles ignored her, "fought against Tiamat to make the creation possible. Aspu was killed first," Tia let out a sad sigh that made Giles falter but he pressed on, "Tiamat lost the fight and men were created. Tiamat was also presented as the great mother, the mother of Chaos, bearer of the earth and the sky, after she had been killed. Before that, she was the salt-water while her husband Aspu was the fresh-water. Tiamat and Aspu had children, human-like gods. One of those gods was called Marduk, the great stone god. While those gods wanted to create order by creating men, Tiamat opposed and she lost: it was a heavy fight because Tiamat created lots of other dragon-like creatures and other beings but she was overran by a trick. After killing Aspu, Marduk split Tiamat in half after opening her mouth with wind. Her upper half was then made into the sky and the lower half into the earth. From that moment on she is the bearer of the sky and of the earth."
"That's, well gross actually, but what's that got to do with this?" Buffy said
"The ancient Babylonians were a strange bunch" Tia started with a laugh, "It is true that I opposed man being created, but then look at the world and tell me I'm wrong"
"No hang on…" Giles started but was cut off by Lindsey.
"What of the rest of the legend?" she asked.
"Overly artistic and flowery but then ancient holy men were usually out of their tiny minds on drugs" Tia said, "I stood against Bel, but he was an elder god not my son, nor was Marduk, he was in fact the leader of the gods in those days. Instead of killing me I was punished for my beliefs stripped of my form and powers then banished down to earth to watch over you. I went willingly I wanted to prove myself right when you all made a mess of things. However as time went by I found that you didn't. In fact some of you" she paused, glancing at Xander again, "are rather interesting. Then came the unclean, the ones you call demons. They over ran you for millennia and I was unable to help, to do anything due to my non-corporeal form at that time. I went to Marduk and we fought day and night for a year until finally he relented and allowed me my body and powers back. Then he gave me a sword, it contained the soul of Aspu my soul mate and beloved. His soul empowered the sword. Gave the ability to kill demons with a single swipe. The bearer of the sword is protected against heat and they were given me"
She paused again raking them all with her eyes which were two intense green pools of pain. She debated telling them just exactly what that meant but decided that discretion was the prudent course. She held the gaze of each person in the room then continued, "I was unable to touch or love my Aspu to be so close and yet so far it was torture." She stopped talking again the room silent save for the whir of the air conditioning. She shook herself physically as if to clear the thoughts from her mind, "I turned my attentions instead to helping the bearer of the Sword Aspu giving them aid where needed but then one of the ancients of the demon world tricked the bearer into handing over the sword. The ancient then stole the sword away so even I could not find it. It was the act of a desperate entity as soon after demons were driven from earth. I laid my head to rest in a chamber and there I have lain for many, many years until I heard the song of my Aspu once again. It appears he was found and now has another bearer" She then suddenly clicked her fingers.
Xander arched out of the chair gasping in breath as red fire crawled around his form healing him but causing him large amounts of pain in the process. His back arched off of the chair and the back snapped off of it under the pressure. Then his eyes snapped open and he let out a giant roar that seemed to fill the room with sound. From nowhere his sword, no longer the dull grey of old appeared in his hand and he was pulled to his feet. There he stood with a wild eyed gaze. "MAN What a rush!" he exalted to a shocked audience.
Faith looked down at the body at her feet with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. What was she doing, could it be that finally she was as evil as her parents seemed to think? Was she 'Bad' for real? She knew she was what was considered a Bad-Girl and frankly she loved it, the freedom the flirting and generally winding people up was not of the bad as far as she was concerned, but had she crossed the line into 'Evil' terrain.
More importantly, if she had not yet done so, should she? Sure she was working for the mayor now, but why was she working for the mayor anyhow. She wasn't sure as to the answer to that question and that made her very un-easy.
She looked down at the small professor crumpled on the floor and the tears started to run down her face once again. She suddenly wished her Lex was here so she could hold onto him for some support. Then it occurred to her, he could be.
She walked over to the phone grabbing a handkerchief from the prone form of the professor along the way. She carefully picked up the receiver and wrapped the cloth around it both to stop her finger prints and hopefully disguise her voice. She dialed a number she knew only too well, she knew that in all likely hood it may not be Lex that answered the phone, but she had to risk it. She couldn't do this on her own, not anymore.
The phone rang and her breath became baited.
Xander looked around at the strange situation with a frown on concern on his face. "Uh, what's going on?" he asked. "And why are the gang making like astronauts'?"
Tia waived her hand again and the Scooby gang fell their feet returning to the ground. "I just needed them out of the way" she said almost sheepishly.
Lindsey rushed over to her friend and student, "Are you alright?"
"I'm good 'Sey and you? Enjoy the flying experience" he said with a slight smile.
Buffy stalked over to Tia with murderous intent but stopped short of actually attacking her. "What was the big idea?"
"He is healed is he not" Tia said by way of an answer.
Buffy huffed and looked ready to draw back for a punch. Just then the tense atmosphere was broken by the sound of a telephone ringing. Oz wandered into Giles's office unheeding of the tension all around him. A few seconds later he reappeared with a concerned look on his face, a sure sign of big trouble. "It's for you" he said nodded towards Xander.
Xander's brow creased in both annoyance and confusion but he shrugged and walked into the office without a word. Moments later he ran out of the room and straight out of the library doors leaving a shocked room and a pair of swing doors behind him. They all starred at each other for a few moments until suddenly Buffy also bolted for the door. Her movement prompted them all into movement and they rushed as a single entity towards the door. The only person remaining was Tia who had an amused look on her face. She had heard clearly both sides of the conversation and whilst she wasn't cognizant of all the facts she had a shrewd idea.
With a swing of her hips she turned and walked calmly out behind the rushing crowd.
Outside Xander was running for all his worth. He had tried his magic and found that he could draw power but far too slowly. He had decided that he would run for it, UC Sunnydale wasn't that far from the school. All he had to do was to run through the quad then out past the kitchen cut through the alley at the back and he would be well on his way.
Just as he turned into the alleyway he pulled up short in surprise. There in front of him were two of the retrieval team, both wearing identical looks of shock on their faces. Unfortunately they recovered first and Mitchell raised a large silver gun and pointed it at Xander.
The muzzle of the huge hand gun filled Xander's vision for a moment before he exploded into action. He moved a nanometer before he quite clearly heard the Click-Boom of the gun being triggered into action, and then there was only a blinding white light and pain.
Mitchell looked down at the young mans body with no expression whatsoever as he fired another three rounds into the carcass. The body shuddered under the force of the bullets entering it and then lay still, very, very still.
He looked at his partner with a professionally satisfied smile on his face. "Mission Accomplished" he said
His partner in crime nodded and swept the area for possible witnesses, normally this would have been done before hand, but there had been no time. It had been a spur of the moment thing. As he cast his gaze around, carefully examining the area he found nothing that could come back to them.
"Clear" he said his voice clear.
Mitchell nodded again, "Let's get out of here"
"The body?" Alfie asked carefully
Mitchell snorted "Fuck it! The bin men can pick it up"
Alfie nodded with hooded eyes, he didn't like Mitchell's casual disregard for life, but then he was a mere sharpshooter who was he to argue.
Just then a blonde bombshell flew round the corner and slap dang into them. Her hazel eyes swept the scene in less than a heart beat, this time even their battle hardened reactions couldn't save them. This time they didn't have time to move before an enraged blonde slayer ripped into them.
The rest came round the corner to find Buffy repeatedly punching Mitchell in the face whilst Alfie was lying on the floor breathing shallowly.
"Buffy!" Giles shouted sharply.
Buffy turned a furious gaze to her watcher then back to the beaten man her fist hanging in air.
"Don't do it, don't cross that line" Giles said softly.
Buffy looked back at her watcher and gaze a nod dropping the bleeding man to the floor. She then seemed to inwardly crumple falling to her knees beside the still form of Xander. Her eyes spilled out tears. Willow suddenly found herself feeling weaker than she had ever done and dived next to her friend as the others looked down with horror etched on their faces.
So as they all crowded round Xander's body, none noticed his dropped sword starting to glow an angry crimson red.
Faith paced nervously as she waited for Xander to arrive. She had been lucky; it had been Oz that had answered the phone. She knew that he knew who it was but she also knew that he wouldn't say anything straight off. If there was danger then he would report but Oz was an OK guy in her opinion, for her the highest regard.
However, waiting was so not her forte.
There was a tentative knock at the door and Faith bolted across the floor and swung it open, only it wasn't Xander standing there.
"You!"
The slender form of Tia stepped nimbly round Faith before she had chance to react. "Close the door dear there's a draft" she said. She walked over to the professor's body looking it over with mild concern.
"What are YOU doing here, how did you find me" Faith sputtered gearing herself up for a fight.
"I heard your call to, what's his name, Xander"
"And you just thought you'd drop by?" Faith said incredulously, then she paused fire entering her eyes, "Where's Lex, what did you do to him you bitch!"
"Nothing bad" Tia said with a taunting smile which turned a little confused, "I did however think he would be here by now"
Faith's brow creased, she knew that Tia was deliberately antagonizing her for what reasons she wasn't sure.
Tia looked down at the body at which she waived a hand, "He's not dead"
"I know that!" Faith nearly screamed, finally slamming the door shut.
"The way you were going on I thought you'd killed him"
"That's why I was sent here" Faith admitted, though she wasn't sure why she had.
"Won't your employer be disappointed?"
Faith shrugged, "I'm not so sure I want him as an ……" Faith cut off as a searing pain went through her body causing her to lock up completely.
Tia's eyes widened a fraction as she saw what looked like a giant black hand starting to squeeze the dark slayer. She knew that it was the physical manifestation of some sort of dark control spell. The slayer started to wilt before her eyes and she was once again faced with her quandary. Again she found in favor for Faith and marshaled her own energies. The hand around Faith started to glow, first a light pink then finally to a dark blood red. It released Faith who slumped to the ground.
Mayor Richard Wilkins the III let lose a blood curdling scream of pain as he started glowing a blood red, the light covering his entire body from head to toe. Trick stood by in frozen confusion not knowing what to do until finally he dived into the light from the shadow and grabbed his boss. His own flesh was scorching but the red light faded away at his own contact.
Tia's eyes snapped open and a smile twisted her lips in an evil looking smile. She had touched the enemy and more importantly had broken his control over the dark slayer, it would be interesting to see what happened next. Now admittedly she'd been asleep for millennia but this was the most interesting things had been for her in a long time. She was suddenly glad that she had woken up. When she had laid to rest, she'd never thought to rise until the end of the world and she was able to return to her god-like status.
This, this she wouldn't miss this fun for even that prize. It would be interesting to see if the slayer would still be working for the wrong side anyway, although she doubted it.
"Shame" Tia said wistfully, it would have made her life a little easier. She stepped forward with a sigh and started to wave her hands across Faith insensate form, healing with her energies. It was essentially the same forces as she used to dust vampires but with substantially less energy. Where the energy dusted vampires at that level at a lower one it healed other beings. The waves of power washed away the final tendrils of poisonous energy that had imprisoned the dark slayer and bent her will to the mayors. The spell that had caused her devotion to her 'boss' was washed away with careful application of pure power.
Eventually the dark slayer's body arched as Tia upped her energy to revive the patient just as she had done to Xander. Faith was standing before she realized what was happening with an exalted look on her face and panting heavily.
"Whoa, what a rush" she managed between pants.
"Funny, I've heard that before" Tia said dryly.
Faith was ignoring her however, "Lex!" she cried out and bolted for the door with Tia hot on her heels. She had felt it too, a sudden feeling of dread.
The sword lay nestled in the grass that lined the wall of the alleyway gently glowing to itself with no one paying it any attention whatsoever. No one saw as the ancient katana quirked then shuddered. Then it seemed to rattle around for a moment like an earth quake had hit, then it stopped dead. A few seconds passed before the sword swung cleanly and smoothly to its point sticking straight up in the air. Still glowing the crimson red it started to slowly rotate on its point rising slightly in the air.
Above the body of Xander the faces of Willow, Buffy, Lindsey, Giles and even Oz looked down on the lifeless body of a once good and true friend. They had done all of the necessary checks, pulse breathing etc but to no avail. Giles had breathed for his son figure as Lindsey had massaged his heart. Nothing happened. No one had yet moved to call the ambulance; they all knew that it was far too late for their help. Eventually one would have to rise and call them in to remove the body. Right at that moment, none had the heart to do so. All were tearful, Oz with unshed, Giles holding his back. Lindsey and the others were weeping without care for their beloved friend.
They were all so wrapped up in their misery that none saw the katana rise up over their heads a good eight foot from the ground spinning like a top and putting out tendrils of red energy. As the speed grew a sound started to invade upon their consciousness. At first they thought it the siren of an approaching police car, that perhaps someone else had done the calling. However as the seconds ticked the sound grew louder but also in pitch.
Finally Oz looked above tracking the noise, his eyes then didn't leave the bizarre sight, he just reached out and grabbed Giles's shoulder roughly shaking it. Giles turned in annoyance about to chastise the young man but followed his gaze instead.
"I think, I think we should perhaps back …" he began. He was cut off as the sword suddenly stopped spinning and flashed down towards Xander's body, set to impale him on the point.
Despite the fact that man has yet to learn to fly unaided, faith was doing a remarkable impression of flight. The strange twisting feeling in her gut had returned full force since leaving the building, a feeling of deepest dread. At her side was the mysterious Tia who looked almost as worried as she, Tia however was also seeking Xander's position through her link with her soul mate. What she could sense was deeply troubling her, very deeply.
Faith flew down the steps leading to the entrance hall three, four even five at a time until she reached the bottom whereupon she geared herself up for a moment and was about to run.
Some instinct born of the adrenaline coursing through her system caused her to duck sideways by a scant few inches. Her hand snapped out and plucked a dart out of the air, her slayer speed now showing itself. She then dived to the floor and rolled off to one side grabbing Tia as she went and shoving her behind the relative safety of the stairs.
"What the hell are you doing slayer!" Tia demanded angrily.
Just then the sound of automatic gunfire and the panicked scream of students filled the air.
"Saving your life, babe" Faith shot back with a little of her old fire in her eyes.
Tia spared her a glare of death but Faith was already taking stock of the situation and ignoring her. She had spent enough time around Xander to have learnt several things. First she needed more information that was the priority. This could be a simple drive by type attack, unlikely she decided looking down at the sophisticated looking tranquilizer dart in her palm. She risked a quick glance over the steps they were hiding behind. She could see a tall blonde haired man firing what looked to be an MP5 into the air scattering the non-combatants. OK, that made sense remove obstacle before going for the primary which she grudgingly admitted was more than likely her.
She risked another glance to find that several other men seemed to be fanning out about the perimeter cutting off avenues of escape. Whatever she was going to do it would need to be soon. The trouble was that she had absolutely no idea what to do. Dealing with this sort of situation wasn't in the slayer handbook. She decided that she'd have to talk to 'Sey about that, IF she got out of this alive.
Xander had mentioned Wesley wanted to call the council on her, she surmised that he had and now they were after her. Of course she'd pictured a load of old men hurling books not tough army types packing modern weapons.
Faith looked up her breathing heavy, that dart had to have come from somewhere. Even distracted as she was she'd have noticed a man with a rifle firing at her. No, there had to be a sniper. Her dark eyes concentrated on one lump on the roof after another until finally she saw a flicker of movement that could only have been the sniper.
She gave it about a nanoseconds thought then hefted the dart. She drew back her arm as far as she could then taking careful arm she threw the dart like, well, a dart. It soared through the air with perfect aerodynamics spinning slightly on its axis. Then a very shocked black clad figure felt a piercing sensation in his neck. As if it was a mosquito his hand went straight to the pain to find a dart embedded in his neck.
He had just enough time to murmur, "Bugger" before toppling off of the roof and hitting the ground below with a distinct thump.
"Damn" Faith whispered softly, she'd not meant to kill the man. If she'd wanted that she had a knife in the small of her back.
Tia looked at the slayer with new found respect especially when she saw the look in her eye, "Hey" she said sharply but under her breath.
Faith's gaze locked with Tia's, "It doesn't matter, and they're trying to kill you. Trust me on this"
Faith gave her a curt nod.
Tia smirked, "By the way, nice shot"
The automatic fire had stopped as the snipers body had made contact with the floor. The sudden silence was repressive in the extreme.
"Faith!" came a booming voice with a slight cockney accent. Faith risked a quick peek and saw another tall man, this one dark calling out towards their position.
"Faith!" he said again, "Come quietly and this doesn't have to hurt"
"Oh yeah, that's such a comfort" Faith shouted back.
"Believe me love, after killing one of my men, it'll hurt a lot else" Michaels said with evil intent dripping off of every word.
Faith gave a soft snort desperately wishing for Xander. The feeling of dread was still there and she wanted nothing more than to be with him wherever he was.
Red Light filled the surrounding area at a distance of 10 foot. The sword had stopped its downwards momentum just above Xander's heart as it hit what had been invisible up to that point, there was a force where none had been before. It was working its way around Xander's body in much the same way as Tia had been earlier. Before 5 sets of shocked eyes Xander's body started to jerk as if on strings. The sword was spinning around again quickly gaining speed as it seemed to drill a whole against the force around Xander' s body. But as they watched it became apparent that the energy feed was in fact coming straight from the sword itself and not from an external source.
The Katana sped up more and more and more, now moving so fast it looked to be reversing its direction like a speeding car wheel. Then the sound started. It came from nowhere and everywhere all at the same time. It was like music, a sad mournful melody that entered your mind straight from the heart bypassing the ears altogether. The sword sang to them its voice tinny at first and then growing into a plaintive note then a melodious soprano. As the swords 'voice' gained strength so did the red light. By now it had totally cocooned the once too still form of Xander Harris, beloved of Faith the slayer and a friend to another, friend to two watchers, a witch and a werewolf.
All those present watched in fixed amazement as the light started to cycle around the spectrum at points shifting into ultraviolet and infrared. The light show stretched into eons before their frightened gaze. Then the song grew in intensity and seemed to be joined by a baritone voice that seemed somehow familiar. Then a laugh was heard that was so well known to all they smiled as one.
The sword started to wobble on its axis seemingly loosing control of its dance, but the tempo was merely changing as it started to spin and flick on both axes at the same time creating a dizzying display of pyrotechnics.
Then there was a scream of pain a flash, a boom and a click and then there was silence.
Faith ducked her head back down as a volley of bullets ripped about the stone. "Shit" she cursed, then she kicked the wall, "Shit!"
"Calm down and think slayer" Tia said with impatience.
"You think!" Faith shot back.
"I don't need too, I've got you" Tia replied with a straight face, but faith just KNEW she wasn't being straight with her.
"OK, just shut up then!" Faith spat looking back over the wall to find that four of the team including Michaels himself was creeping up on her position.
Her wild eyed glance shot around the location again seeing nothing but an old bike chained to a supporting strut and a bucket.
"I suppose I could wear the bucket as a helmet and ride outta here" Faith said with gallows humor.
"I'd quite like to see that" Tia remarked with a thoughtful pout. The two woman exchanged a quick smile and faith walked over to the bike with her own thoughtful pout.
"I was just kidding" Tia said finally.
Faith looked at her then smirked a bad ass smile and grabbed the bike. The chains lasted a mere moment before they gave way. Then she kicked up the bucket and flicked it towards Tia, "You wear it. It'll improve your looks"
Then without waiting for the biting retort she started to spin like a shot putter. Tia backed up straight away as Faith became a whirlwind the bike finally trying to get away from the force and Faith holding on for dear life. When she was satisfied she gauged carefully and let rip. The bike sailed off into the air straight over the heads of the approaching team. Despite their training the site of a bicycle flying over their heads distracted them for a second. A second more than it should have.
Faith exploded from behind the stairs moving like quicksilver she nailed a wet-worker in the head with a perfectly executed side kick. Then as he fell she snatched up the mp5 and let rip with it scattering the remaining team members. Except one, Thomas had erected a shield straight away and the rounds were bouncing harmlessly off of it. Faith threw the gun to Tia who held it like a snake, in fact with even more care as she quiet liked snakes. Faith didn't notice that however she was focused on Thomas with her eyes dark. She took two quick steps and flipped 360 degrees in mid air. Her foot impacted with the shield and smashed it like glass.
Thomas could only look on in shock as his perfect shield was rendered totally and utterly useless with brute force and a lot of determination. He was then reminded of one of the laws of physics as Faith kept flying forward and nailed him. Perpetual motions a bitch.
Faith spun as she hit the floor moving without thought as she started to run. Tia watched her go with a quirky smile on her face; despite herself she liked this Faith.
Tia started to walk ignoring the men shouting and firing behind her and sauntered along behind Faith.
Faith charged through the town using a short cut that she'd been shown by Xander once. It was a nice quick way to three cemeteries, via the school. She stumbled into the end of the alleyway that would lead her to the back of Sunnydale high and stopped dead.
Up ahead there was the gang, minus Cordelia, all standing back from red glow and now she was still she could hear music? Then she noticed the prone form of Xander and her fear of the others disappeared in a flash. She was moving instantly her feet moving in a blur as she careered done the alley. She was within five foot of her love when the strange glow seemed to explode and the music stopped. She was pulled up short by the blast that knocked her and everyone else down onto the ground.
Behind her Tia stepped into the alleyway with a large smile on her face. Somehow she had managed to be just behind Faith despite the fact she was almost meandering along. She daintily picked her through the dirty alley and then past the groaning forms of the Scooby gang until she came to a rest by Xander and the still slowly spinning sword.
"Hello, My Love" she said her voice joyful.
The sword seemed to understand and span a little fast a glow peeking from its blade. The song started again and Tia closed her eyes her still smiling lips pulling even high up to widen the smile.
"Yes, I know I was detained. What did I miss?"
There was a pause and the song ebbed and flowed a bit then Tia's eyes flashed open, "What? Impossible!"
The song insisted its veracity.
"Well, that's new. Shared you say?"
The song seemed to indicate that it did indeed say just that.
"Well, that's very interesting. I knew he had potential but that, well that makes things interesting. So He's alive?"
The song paused and then sprang forth with a much more intricate tune than it had before.
"Well, that it interesting" Tiamat said finally. She reached out and stroked the blade with almost phallic motions the sword seemed to purr metallically.
Faith came back to her senses first and scrambled across the floor to Xander lifted her head into her lap and stroking his hair. There was blood still showing on his shirt and he seemed very pale and still. Faith tenderly stroked his face as all around the pair the gang came to life.
As soon as Buffy came to she saw faith and Xander and sat up bolt upright. Her first instinct was to protect her friend from a possible threat but as her brain kicked in so did her heart and she found she was unable to act against the suddenly frail looking Faith.
Tia stopped stroking the sword and looked at Faith with true pity in her eyes for a second then she smiled. "He's not dead" she said simply
Faith looked at her with hope building in her eyes, "What?"
"Dead, he's not, just tired" Tia elucidated.
"Not Dead?" Willow asked as she shook herself and Oz hugged her gently.
"Yes, he certainly seemed it" Giles put in helping Lindsey to her feet.
Tia glanced at them all, "Well I suppose you could say he wasn't at home for a while"
"Pardon?" Lindsey inquired.
"Can we do this somewhere private" Oz said as he heard a dog suddenly start yapping.
Tia nodded and clicked her fingers. They were all bathed in a red glow and then as suddenly as it had began it dissipated leaving them sat in the library with Xander carefully arranged on a desk and a very surprised looking Wesley standing with his mouth agape at them.
Faith looked at Tia with murder in her eyes, "Why didn't you do that earlier?" she asked her voice strained.
Tia shrugged a smile playing at her lips, "You didn't ask"
There was a strained silence for several very long moments until finally faith's lips quivered slightly. The entire room was watching the dark slayer all with varying degrees of worry, things had been a strain for her of late, all of them in fact but they weren't working for the dark side as it were.
Then Faith's lips quivered again and it appeared for a moment that she was about to explode. Then she did her laughter echoing across the large room.
Tia smiled at the laughing slayer whilst she regained her composure. She darted a few looks at the still form of Xander but it was obvious to see that he was finally coming round as his color was better and his chest rising and falling evenly.
Then she noticed that Xander's eyes were starting to flicker, "He's coming round" she said in a normal voice that still managed to cut through the laughter like a knife.
They all turned as one and crowded around Xander on the table watching him like a hawk.
Finally those chocolate brown orbs that they had all come to know so well flickered open and looked up. For a second nothing happened until a familiar lopsided grin appeared, "What the hell you all looking at? Have I got something on my face?"
Faith smiled a truly beatific smile, "No Lex, just a bullet hole in your chest. You scared me baby"
Xander's smile was soft as he looked at his partner, "Sorry" he said quietly. Then in a louder voice, "What happened anyway, I'm a bit hazy on that?" he said trying to rise but they all tried to keep him down. He slapped their hands away gently and managed to pull himself into a sitting position with Faith supporting him. He suddenly looked confused, "What are you doing here anyway?" he asked softly with a hint of a smile, "I was supposed to come to you"
Faith shrugged, "Got fed up waiting Lex"
Xander laughed slightly and stopped; holding his side slightly with a wince. "It only hurts when I laugh" he said with a chagrined smile.
His eyes rested on Tia, and that was all it took to unleash a flurry of emotion and visions into his mind. His eyes snapped closed and he swayed heavily but faith was there, with Buffy to help him.
He opened his eyes again after a moment and smiled at the human form of Tiamat, "Well, Tiamat it seems we'll be getting the pleasure of your company from now on?"
Tia nodded gravely.
"Hey, what are you saying?" Faith demanded.
"Remember my sword?" Xander asked her cupping her face with his spare hand.
Faith nodded, "Yeah?"
"She'd bonded to it basically, where the sword goes she goes. It's that simple"
"Not into your room she won't" Faith spat out.
Tia graced her with a sardonic smile, "In the past I've done a lot more than go into a bearer's room dear"
Faith nearly jumped at her but Xander was holding her in a surprisingly strong grip, "Chill!" he said sharply, "and you quit it" he said nodding at Tia, "That! Will not be happening with us"
Tia pouted, "Shame, you don't know what your missing"
Faith growled.
Buffy glanced at willow and they shared a small smile despite the situation.
Xander had moved on though and was now steadily holding Wesley's terrified gaze. He'd been trying to pretty much make himself invisible even playing with the idea of casting a spell to actually bring that about. Now, however, Xander's dark eyes had glued him to the spot and he felt the entire world like a small furry animal with a big cat crouched over it.
Xander struggled free of his friends and stood on his own two feet, he rolled his head feeling the tendons in his neck pooping and freeing themselves. Then he stalked toward Wesley.
"Xander, No!" Lindsey called out moving to stop him only to be stopped by none other than Buffy.
"Leave him" she said, "Xan won't hurt him as much as I would"
Faith looked at her in surprise and Buffy noticed. "Oh we aren't finished either but Wesley called the goons that nearly killed Xan, no one hurts my friends" Buffy told her ice dripping off of her words. Faith just nodded slowly.
Willow was standing nervously behind Buffy giving her support but her eyes held no hate in them for Faith nor did any of them. She knew she wasn't off of the hook yet.
"She was being controlled you know" Tia said out of the blue appearing between Faith and Buffy.
"Huh?" Buffy said, wondering {A} how she'd gotten there so fast and {B} why she was protecting Faith at all.
"The Mayor, old and powerful magic there, I broke the connection, she's her own woman now" Tia looked back at Faith, "Well Girl anyway"
Faith growled again but the stand off was killed as Wesley suddenly let out a yelp. They span and looked at where Xander was standing with his katana at Wesley's throat.
"Lex! Don't it's not worth it" Faith said.
Xander didn't look round as he answered, "Oh isn't it. He tried to hurt you Faith"
Faith's mouth opened and closed a few times in shock. Here she was totally unharmed without a scratch on her and Xander was worried about her with blood still on his shirt from being shot! She tried to shake it off, "He was doing his duty Lex"
The combined members of the Scooby gang turned slowly and stared at her in shock, "You can't penalize him for that"
Xander now turned and looked at his love, "You know I love you right?" he said his eyes wet.
Faith nodded and moved forward to be embraced by her boyfriend.
Tia glanced around and yawned, "Well that's all very sweet but I really need to stretch my wings, been asleep a long time don't you know"
Willow turned to Oz as Tia left the library, "Wings?"
Oz shrugged.
Richard Wilkins was sat calmly behind his desk watching the immaculately dressed vampire known as Mr. Trick pacing back and forth across the expensive rug. The blinds were pulled down in deference to his visitors extreme sun allergy the sun itself was know starting to set and thus causing the room to have a dull red hue.
Trick stopped, "I'm telling you it's the consort" he said with a slightly annoyed tone of voice.
Wilkins ignored the poor discipline for the moment, the argument, if you could call it that had been bouncing back and forth since his link with faith had been severed. "My dear Mr. Trick, The force I felt was unlike anything I've ever experienced, it simply could not have been the 'Consort'"
Trick gave a slight sigh, "Then it is someone connected with him, who else would want to break your connection with the dark slayer?"
Wilkins nodded, "I'll grant you that's likely, but I would imagine the blonde slayer" Wilkins paused a smile quirking his lips, "Buffy would want to do something to stop me"
Trick snorted, "I've seen nothing that explains why the demons are all so afraid of her"
Wilkins smiled, "Perhaps it is the fact she is the longest lived slayer in history?"
"The consort had a hand in that, from what I heard"
"As did all her little friends, but I agree the consort is dangerous to our plans, but he is simple not powerful enough to stop me once I have ascended and no-one can hurt me now"
Trick gave a strained grimace, "Are you so sure, you looked to be in pain before" he asked carefully.
Wilkins nodded, "I miss-phrased, nothing can kill me now. I can be hurt as you saw but it took a lot of power to do it"
Trick carefully regarded the mayor for a long moment, "Does that mean though, that with the right amount of power you could be killed"
Wilkins became quiet for a long moment that stretched into long moments his hands a steeple in front of him, "No I don't think so it would take a god and they aren't interested in this plain anymore"
"And when you have ascended?"
"Even then, I'll be a full demon with none of the impurities of your kind, no offence"
"None taken"
"What's more I'll be a second circle, almost a god myself"
"I still think more guards would be prudent. Are you sure about graduation day; is it the correct time and place. Would it not be better too ascend in private then wreck havoc?"
"I'll need sustenance whilst I transform, the kiddies will be perfect for that"
"I can gather them for you, take them to a warehouse?"
"No, I've planned this for a hundred years, I'll not let a girl, her friends and a trumped up geek upset that now"
Trick champed at the bit but he knew that his master would not be swayed on this point, and then he had an idea, "A pre-emptive strike then, I take a large number of demons and we squash the slayers and her friends now before graduation"
Wilkins was about to refuse when he actually really thought about it, "Agreed" he said finally nodding. It was good to have a crony that actually knew how to think, unusual in a vampire.
Trick flashed a large smile of glee, "Finally I can kill them" he said with an evil smile.
The windows were steamed up in the classic Pontiac firebird as the couple engaged in what young couples have been doing since the invention of cars. Parking, to park with a guy or girl was something that cars were invented for. There was privacy, there was some room and there was an atmosphere that grew warm quickly. Better than a motel room because you didn't have spotty clerks leering knowingly, and it wasn't like you could get away with it at home.
Cordy pushed Mick back slightly to gain some breathing room for a moment things were becoming just a little too hot and heavy. Her adventures in the janitors' closet had prepared her for this a little, but oh boy was this intense. She'd parked before, as most girls her age had but with Mick it was strangely different. He wasn't pushy even though she knew for a fact he was just as aroused as she. He seemed more than willing to let her lead. She could not believe her luck actually. From Xander she'd drifted through a couple of very quick relationships with football player types. Nothing had stuck though. She'd found that once she'd had a decent man she didn't want to go back to a 1 dimensional relationship. Now she had Mick, so different from the others and more like Xander than not. Of course they didn't look the same, well they both had dark hair but that was as far as it went. Mick was tall and broad built like a Sherman tank according to Giles. He was rich, which was a plus but nowadays not the top of her list. He was kind, gentle and respected her and what she had to say, that WAS at the top of her list.
"You OK, Cor" Mick asked trying to regain his breathing. This woman was unlike anything he'd every met. She was intelligent, funny and caring. She cared about the way she looked without becoming a fashion sheep and was brutally honest. Most of the girls his own age had yet to reach the level of maturity that Cordelia had and he had to admit he was falling for her hard and fast. There was only one problem; Xander. Mick liked the guy, even if he had hurt his beloved car but Cordelia was still, even if it was just a little bit, holding out for him. Or at least that was the way it felt to Mick anyway. He was sort of cool with that but it did sometime make him want to rip Xander's head off and go bowling.
Just then he noticed that Cordelia was no longer looking at him and her breathing was even faster than it had been at the height of their passion, "What is it Cor?" he asked.
"D.D.D.D." she managed pointing behind him.
He turned and looked out of the window of his car his jaw dropping and becoming slack.
The sweeping majestically past was the strangest sight he had ever seen, despite living on a hellmouth. Nothing that being involved with the Scooby gang could have prepared him for the sight of a twenty foot long dragon flying past. From the tip of his almost house shaped muzzle with fiery red eyes down past the huge muscular body with scales that shone in the fading sunlight. Down past the massive leathery wings that beat slowly keeping the gigantic monster aloft or the long serpentine tail topped off with three two foot long spikes.
"It's beautiful" Cordelia breathed in awe.
"We, we, we" Mick paused and swallowed repeatedly, "We better tell the gang"
Cordelia just nodded dumbly her awe taking her voice away again.
Michaels pounded his fist on the table in pure anger. So far this operation had been one cluster fuck after another and now it seemed that Mitchell and Alfie had failed. He looked at the badly beaten men with a scowl on his face.
"WHAT do you MEAN, he's alive!"
Wesley gulped nervously. Despite the fact that faith had given him a reprieve Xander's attention had soon returned to him and he was not entirely convinced he would get out of this alive.
Xander stood with Faith at his side looking at Wesley with the most serious expression that any of them had seen even Faith. "Faith thinks you were doing your duty, funny how the one you set up for death is now saving your life. Ironic even"
Wesley nodded slightly and Xander smiled a shark's head grin, "She'd brought you another chance because I like honorable people. I don't know if the rest will agree but as far as I'm concerned you deserve another chance, IF and it's a big if, you think long and hard about your place with the council"
Wesley stood up a little straighter, "I am loyal to the council" he said primly. "If that means my death then so be it"
"Now that's more like it boy" Giles growled stepping forward, "I lean towards Xander's way of thinking on this but we can't have you grassing us up to the council every time we do something you don't like or don't think the council won't like"
Wesley stood his ground as firmly as he could when faced with the legendary Ripper. "I do not think the council has given up on retrieving Faith" he said carefully.
"Nor do I" Giles agreed stroking his chin; he glanced at his cousin who shook her head agreeing with their assessment.
"So what do we do?" Willow asked.
"That's a good question" Giles said.
"Look, Faith was deceived by a clever and inventive foe that used large amounts of black magic and tricks to ensnare her. I just wish I had seen that before." Wesley said shocking them all. He gave them a disarming smile, "That is what I'll be telling the council, various altercations with the Wetworks team are understandable in the circumstances, wouldn't you say Miss Hamilton? Mr. Giles?"
Giles's smile sank further into his teenage years, "Yes I do believe that's a marvelous answer, but you do realize they will think you hit the panic button too early?"
Wesley shrugged, "I am loyal to the council, and I can only hope that they will be loyal to me"
Giles and Xander shared a long look, "If they are not, we will be, if you do as you say" Giles said after silent communion with Xander.
"I'll do it now" Wesley said, "If I may, of course, use your phone and office?"
Giles nodded.
Wesley left the room quickly and Oz attracted their attention, "You believe him?"
Giles nodded, "I do, he is actually an honorable young man, even if he is a bit of a…"
Lindsey nodded as well, "… Prat, but I believe him as well."
Faith and Xander found each others eyes across the crowded room and moved towards each other.
"Well isn't this nice!" A now familiar voice said from the library doors.
"Michaels you dick!" Giles spat out
"Well that's not nice" Michaels replied with a smile on his face, well he had reason. The entire room was covered from his viewpoint and his team had now surrounded the library and covered everyone present. He reached behind him and pushed a gagged Cordelia and one of his team hefted the unconscious form of Mick roughly into the room.
"Cordy!" Xander shouted dashing forward and grabbing his ex-girlfriend, "You ok?" he said removing the gag.
Cordy's eyes spat fire as she shot Michaels a loathing look. "I am but Mick took a nasty hit from the ape over there" she nodded her head towards one of the Wetworks team sporting a nasty black eye.
"Well, Well, looks like we have the whole gang here doesn't it" Michaels began his voice was slightly mad, "I'm so very pleased to see you all in one place, you've all given me a lot of trouble. I've lost team members on this mission, that's not something I take lightly"
"You'll lose more if you don't leave right now" Xander said slipping Cordelia his small derringer from his boot.
"That's mighty big talk for a dead man" Michaels said lifting a desert eagle and pulling the trigger in one smooth movement. Xander was moving as the gun lifted, his hand flicked up and a shield sprouted forth with no hesitation. The large caliber bullets flattened on what appeared to be thin air causing it to ripple slightly. Then Xander started to stand with fire in his eyes.
"I'll give you another chance; even now the council will likely be rescinding the contract with you on this. It was the work of the real big bad round here and we need to be dealing with him we don't have time for this"
Michaels nodded thoughtfully, "Well that's all alright then, I've lost team mates because of a mistake!" he fired the gun again this time aiming at Faith. The shots didn't come close to connecting as Xander unconsciously spread the shield.
Thomas stepped carefully into the room his face a mask of concentration and his jaw a livid blue-like black from the contact Faith's foot had made earlier. He was mumbling in an ancient language calling on a very old and positively black spell.
"Ahh, I knew we would be meeting again" Xander said with a lopsided smile that was normally disarming but at the moment looked dangerous.
The spell ready Thomas looked at his foe, his eyes a nice shade of jet, "Morticus!"
Xander was already soaking up all the magic in the room drawing from the mage and sapping his own energy to reinforce the shield he had built. The one thing the shield did was to stop the first attack which left Thomas as a streak of dark energy and flattened against Xander's shield wiping it out within seconds.
"Impressive" Xander said still smiling, "But I've got one for you. 'Noli Illegitemi Carborundum'" He called out. Thomas ducked under nothing as Xander picked up a chair and threw it by a leg hitting the man in the head from across the room.
Giles who even in the heat of battle was still a man of learning smirked, "I do like that spell" he said loudly. "Don't let the bastards grind you down, excellent advice"
"I thought it fitting" Xander said back taking cover as all hell broke loose. He dragged Cordelia behind the overturned table with him and glanced around. He was happy to see that Faith had ducked into cover with Buffy and the rest of the gang had spread around as best as was possible. "Hey Cor, having a nice night" he asked distractively.
"You're insane you know that right" Cordy said with a smile tugging the corners of her mouth.
Xander smiled wolfishly, "Only way to be Cor, only way to be" he paused looking back over the table. "Doesn't look good, think people are going to die, damn it. Dumb ass, stupid English pride"
"I don't want to loose any friends, Xan" Cordy said after a moments pause.
Xander turned back to her from eyeing the situation, "Who said anything about loosing… Oh No I meant them. It's just a waste ya know?"
Xander dug his hand into his jacket and came out with a large Desert Eagle .50 BMG, then he hefted his sword thoughtfully and looked from to the other. "You know it would be cool if like you could get magical guns or something, but there're always swords or axe's or battle staffs. Why can't you have a souled gun?"
"Xan, please notice the extremely nasty English guys trying to kill us" Cordelia said with a note of impatience, "Fight now, Babble on later Geek-Boy. Do your thing already"
Xander's smile could no longer be called Wolfish, nor could it be a sharks head, it was just too predatory; "Well since you asked so nice" with that he counted to three in his head and jumped up letting rip with three shots all of which hit their targets. Sudden screams rendered the night, "That got the bastard that shot me" Xander said under his breath as Mitchell fell slowly to the ground holding his chest. Then as shots splattered into the luckily thick table that was their cover he started to count again and when he'd reached three the guns seemed to run empty. There was a shift in power as he erected a shield, "Stay here Cor, Don't move and you'll be safe. If anyone comes within three foot, use the derringer" Xander said.
"Wait, were are you going?" Cordelia said with a hint of fear in her face.
"I've gotta do my thing" Xander smiled at her and then leapt up virtually cart wheeling across the floor sideways to the next cover over. There he met Giles and Lindsey who were throwing books of all things, at their attackers, "All these Melee weapons and you don't have a single gun on you?" he asked the middle-aged librarian and his cousin.
"Hello, where'd you come from" Lindsey said her eyes bright from adrenaline.
"Mom told me the stork brought me" Xander said with a grin; his head dived out from cover and back again a few shots fired in retaliation streaked past. There were eight of them all with automatic weapons and whilst they were being cautious because he was armed, it wouldn't be long till they realized that's all they had. "Basically, we're fucked!" Xander said at some length.
Giles was nodding before he spotted the language and by then it was far too late. "What we need is a miracle" he commented.
"Sorry, fresh out" Xander told him with a glint of humor.
"I must say you're taking this well" Lindsey commented.
"Nothing, no matter how it looks is impossible" Xander told her wisely.
"Well I would say that this situation is a least untenable" she told him a smile growing. She knew Xander fairly well, she knew that he was serious when he needed to be and if he wasn't being serious he wasn't that worried.
"OK, take my Glock" Xander said handing his Glock to Lindsey, "When I say now lay down some cover" He signed to three using his fingers, "Now!" he said and stepped out as soon as Lindsey took some shots, he had made sure himself that both Faith and Lindsey were able to handle modern firearms, particularly when he knew his guns could slay vamps due to the blessing he'd given them. As soon as he had time he vowed to himself to get more and do the same. A gun with a silencer would be nice and effective on a nightly patrol.
As he stood he brought up his sword in one hand whilst he held the large and heavy Israeli Eagle in the other. Bracing himself slightly he took quick aim and fired at various limbs and basically anything he could see. He kneecapped one of the squad and winged another all the time moving across the floor. Then he saw a flicker of movement behind the library doors and grimaced.
He quickly dived over to where Faith was hiding with Buffy. The last few feet on his backside as he dropped under a barrage of fire and slid across the highly polished floor.
"Lex, What the hell do You think you're doing"
"No Time for that, Listen we've got more company coming and I really don't think they're with the council. Vampires in about four seconds knowing them. Take the Eagle keep the Council interested I'm going to creep around and go hand to hand" With that he shoved the gun into Faith's hand along with two spare clips from his jacket.
"Hold up Xan, I'm coming with" Buffy said moving to his side. She glanced at Faith who gave her a grudging nod.
"OK, let's Go!"
Then things really started to become interesting as Trick and his goons exploded through the Library doors.
Trick grabbed the first body he saw and pulled them into an embrace draining them in three seconds flat. Then he let the body drop to the floor in the sudden silence. He smiled with his game face showing and blood dripping from his fangs.
"Is this a private Party or can anyone join in?" he asked.
The room was silent except for the tinkle of ejected shells for several seconds as the Wetworks team turned as a single entity from various positions spread out across the library. They were faced with 40 vampires with Trick at the head of them still smiling a gruesome smile.
"Well?" he asked his head tilted to the side in a inquisitive way.
From behind a row of stacks Xander turned to Buffy with a grin, "It's my good buddy Mr. Trick" he whispered. Then he stood up and cupped his hands around his mouth.
"A vampire is a vampire Of Course, Of Course, unless Of Course the Vampire Is the Wonderful Mr. Trick" he sung mockingly. As he continued through the first verse Trick lost his smile, "And Mr. Trick is a pile of dust walking" Xander finished with a deadly tone. He grabbed Buffy's hand and dragged her round to another stack silently. To her expression of confusion he winked.
"FIND HIM!" Trick screamed out suddenly enraged.
"Vampires!" Xander said rolling his eyes. "So easy to manipulate. So reckon the Council will be on our side now?" he said not waiting for an answer as he stepped into view. Buffy was standing next to him in a flash creating quite the visual impact her blonde against his dark even down to the clothes they wore.
Trick looked at him with loathing, "The consort, Have you got yourself another slayer, I must say this one is more too my taste" he paused, "or she will be" he finished.
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Man, that's so droll. How long did it take you to come up with that one!" she remarked with sarcasm dripping off of every word.
Xander flourished his sword and started to spin it using his wrist the sword making a whoop, whoop noise as it traversed a wobbly circle. "Are we going to talk, or like fight?"
"Well, what are you waiting for, Go!" Trick said grabbing the nearest Vampire to throw him but finding him turn to ash as Faith stood and shot the vampire with the blessed gun.
"Oops" Faith said with a false innocent voice. She switched hands on the gun and pulled out a stake as the vampires charged as one.
The Wetworks team joined the fight Michaels had stowed his gun and found a broken piece of table as he fought vampires left and right making a good account of himself. His entire team had trained for years for this but even then many fell almost immediately including Thomas who was sucked dry were he lay.
Buffy and Xander separated each giving the other room to fight as Buffy did what she did best and started to drop vampires like they were going out of fashion. Faith was pushed back slightly under the onslaught only to find herself right next to her blonde counterpart. They immediately started to fight as a single unit one setting up kills as the other took them. Willow and Oz were standing back to back Oz with a crossbow he'd gotten god knows where as Willow poured magical fire on approaching foe. Giles and Lindsey fought side by side the loud retort of the Glock smoking vampires as Giles fought hand to hand. Cordelia was hiding in the lee of a desk tripping vampires for Giles to then reach down and stake.
Inside of Giles's Office Wesley found himself a crossbow and was picking Vampires off from the doorway. He watched in awe as he found out first hand why the Sunnydale crew was such an amazing fighting force. The two slayers were like water accepting vampires into their midst and then swallowing them. Willow and Oz were a force of nature as were Lindsey, who was an astounding shot, and Giles was hand to hand almost as good as his slayer. Wesley lost his concentration for a moment when suddenly there was laughter from just to one side and up a bit from him. He glanced over and his jaw dropped.
Xander was laughing his head off with a mad chuckle as he took vampires with his sword. Just as Wesley watched Xander span like a dervish, decapitating three vampires including one who was creeping up on his back. Then something really weird happened.
The room was filled with the sound of music, a joyous melodic tone of a rapturous hunter. At first Wesley thought it to be Xander himself but it took only a moment to realize that Xander was still chuckling with adrenaline. No it was his sword; the once grey katana was now as bright as a star and moving like quick silver singing the entire way. It was like swords of legend the fantastic and legendary Singing swords. But how had Xander come across one and one from the looks of it as Xander stabbed a vampire, could dust vampires without decapitation.
Xander ducked a punch chopping a vampire off at the knees then on the rise gutting him, his elbow drove back and broke the nose of another then with a twirl of his blade he lopped the vampires head of and turned the blade and stabbed back dusting the next. Three stepped in to replace them though and Xander just smiled at them. He pushed out his hand sending out a ball of fire taking the two in front of him out and without looking swept his sword round in an arc nearly chopping the rear vampire in half.
He then started to draw in power from everything around him including the vampires, this was not going anywhere fast. As she felt the draw of power Willow's eyes snapped over to Xander and widened. It almost looked like he was having fun but as her gaze dragged down she saw Buffy with a look of total concentration on her face, as expected. Faith, however, was smiling like the Cheshire cat. Willow spat fire incinerating vampire without looking; it had been about to bite Cordelia after all. Oz's hand snapped out with the cross bow pointing over her shoulder and dusted vampire that had been trying to take advantage of her distraction.
Then She caught Xander whirling around the flash of his sword killing another four vampires. He stood his hand outstretched at the greater bulk of the vampires and roared out, "Facere Ignis" suddenly half the remaining vampires turned into pillars of fire. Xander sagged slightly as the charged energy left his body in one single rush to take on the Herculean effort of dusting ten vampires at the same time. All round him the vampires that had been trying to take him burned away without comment.
Trick noticed his force disappearing started to try to extricate himself from the melee only to find his way out blocked by the few remaining Wetworks members. Faith, Buffy, Giles, Oz, Willow and Cordelia who was by this point guarding Mick's' body finished off his remaining force in the blink of an eye. This left Trick standing alone in the middle of a rapidly tightening noose.
Xander limped down the stairs from the stacks his sword almost dragging along the floor. He was more tired than he had ever felt in his entire life. They had been 'On-The-Go' for nearly 24 Hours in circumstances that could most certainly be called stressful. All he wanted to do now, if possible, was go back home and curl up with Faith.
He stepped in front of Mr. Trick with a tired Smile, "Tricky, how's it hanging?" he said over the singing of his sword. Trick found his eyes clued to the Katana that Xander was holding. The song had taken on a sudden bloodthirsty edge.
"Consort, we meet at last"
"We've met before bone head"
"But not in such surroundings" Trick said slipping back into his human guise.
Xander eyed him for a long moment, "Faith, you wanna do it? He's been as much a pain in your ass as mine"
Faith eyed trick in much the same was as Xander had, "Nah, I'm up to my quota, don't want the Union on my back" she flashed Xander a grin.
"Perhaps there is some deal we can come too?" Trick said realizing he was in deep.
"Like?" Xander said raising his sword. The steel had a strangely red tint to it and the note of the song was not as loud but Trick was sure it wanted his blood.
"The Mayor, I know all his plans" Trick said looking at Xander's sword with fear
"Go On"
"You gotta promise"
"OK, I promise" Xander said seriously, "I won't kill you. And as Buffy knows I'm a man of my word. Ain't that right Buff"
Buffy hid a smirk and nodded gravely.
"OK, listen it's like this…" Trick spoke for the next ten minutes detailing every thing he knew of the mayor's ascension and exactly what was going to happen in a week's time at the graduation. He told them how the mayor was invulnerable already and that he had everything he needed. He then told them of Wilkins's Plans for Faith which left Xander gripping the handle of the katana so tightly his knuckles looked ready to protrude from their skin. He basically spilled his guts. "So, I'm free to go"
"I would say that leaving Sunnydale, the quickest way would be prudent" Wesley said earnestly.
Trick nodded with some exuberance. "I'll tell you something else; That Wilkins is one evil bastard"
"I agree, Buffy!" Xander said as trick turned to leave. Even the weary Wetworks team had started to part way for the vampire; they too had heard his story with horror written on their faces.
Buffy's arm flashed out and placed a stake in the air. It traveled at the vampires back at just under the speed of sound and impacted like a bullet. Years of practice had perfected her aim, and it struck true to the heart. Trick didn't have time to change expression before he was turned to a dust statue which quickly lost cohesion and fell to the floor spreading out in a slight cloud of dust.
Wesley turned on Xander, "You Promised!" he said in a shocked voice. "You said you wouldn't kill him"
"I did, but I didn't say I would let him go" Xander told the young watcher with no expression on his face whatsoever. "Besides, I didn't kill him, did I Buff"
"Nope" Buffy said with a perky little smile.
His legs sagged only for Faith to appear as if by magic and support him. Xander spared her a slight smile and looked at the now bloodied and tired looking Michaels, "You've heard the evidence?"
Michaels nodded, "Yeah"
"We good?"
"Yeah, I still don't like you or your girl, she did kill one of my men"
"Accident, he just fell the wrong way, I swear" Faith said with a look of pleading in her eyes.
"Whatever, but I think there are bigger fish to fry" Michaels said waiving her away.
Xander turned a confused look to Lindsey and Giles as did the others, "Another target" Giles filled in for them.
Xander's expression cleared, "Oh, you mean the Mayor?"
"Yeah, that's what I said" Michaels retorted with annoyance etched on his face, "I'll need to call the council but I think we should stay and help with that bastard"
Xander nodded, "Let us know, Yeah gang?" he said looking to his fellow Scooby gang members They all nodded their agreement.
"Then we're good, for now" Michaels said turning and ordering his men to retreat and stand down. "We'll be back tomorrow at noon" he said over his shoulder as he left, the last of the council's squad to do so.
Xander turned to his friends, "Well, that was sure an fun packed day"
They let out soft laughs. Just then Mick stirred and sat bolt upright holding his head he shouted, "IT'S A FRIGGIN DRAGON"
Well my dear journal it's been a blast the last few days. There are a few highlights I want to share with you though. Firstly and most importantly, Faith and I are together, and second Faith is back on the side of angels. She'd never really left I suppose I mean the Mayor was controlling her and I can tell you that she's going to need to major therapy over that little fact. She's broke down in tears more times than I want to think about. It' s really screwed her up; I've tried to tell her that Finch died of stupidity and that the sniper was just a dumb accident. Thing is she doesn't see it like that. She thinks it's her fault and the gang isn't really helping. Oh, they're trying to be supportive, especially once I'd had a word with them. Trouble is they are still freaked out about it and they are being weird around Faith. Well that's not what she needs - she needs normal. Well, normal for the Hellmouth anyway. 'Sey is helping her though and so is Giles.
Wesley called the council, as have Michaels and his team. The council has backed off and given Lindsey her job back but they are holding off on giving Giles his back. I don't know why, but they are. The Wetworks team is still here and helping with patrols, we have a kind of uneasy truce with them; there are only four of them left, Michaels his second in command the man who 'Killed' me, Mitchell and two goons. They're alright once you get to know them but they won't have anything to do with Faith, even though they said that the sniper, a guy by the name of Franklyn, was an accident. I get that, I've still got some memories left and your unit is your life. It's the rest of the gang that are getting to me, anyway the council. 'Sey, as I said, is back working with them and Wesley has been bumped up to a full watcher even though he is still assisting 'Sey. Wesley is as Giles said a pillock or, if you're 'Sey, a Prat. He's also kind of all right, he stuck to his guns even against all of us combined and he's trying really hard to fit in and help Faith. Out of all of them he feels most responsible for her.
Turns out Tia knew all about or altercation with the Council and Trick, When I asked her why she didn't help she said and I quote, "If you can't handle a couple of old vampires and apes with guns Pass the sword onto someone who can" Suffice to say I don't think we can count on her help with anything below Armageddon level. She and Faith get on like a house on fire, you know with the screaming, fighting and burning down of buildings. I know this sounds weird, but I'm kind of glad of that because its one of the few times Faith's as fiery as ever.
The Mayor, I've left the best till last. It's now T minus 1 Day till graduation and we've found out a fair bit of information. We managed to snag the books of ascension from one of Dead boy's old friends it appears that old Dick will be becoming a very large, very nasty demon called Holfekrzgrm. Yeah, I know, cool name, not! Anyhoo, he's a sixty-foot long snake like demon that eats and eats and eats. That is why he'll be ascending at the graduation ceremony, food an all you can eat buffet of high schoolers.
Next fun thing is that apparently he's got an army of vampires and demons' coming to the party, near the end of the ritual the sun is eclipsed and that is when they come out to play. I think they will be the rear guard action that will channel the 'food' towards the mayor to make things easier for him. I'll give the bastard one thing; he's certainly planned it out well.
Oh well, I've got to go to the shop. I've been on light duties because basically after the fight and when the Wetworks team left I feinted, too much magic use. Faith and Buffy are patrolling with the Wetworks team; or rather they're with Buffy and Faith tags along, but still at least their helping. I'm not allowed to fight; I've got to "conserve my strength" apparently.
Oh and I forgot, Mick and Cordy saw Tia, apparently she really is a friggin dragon as Mick put it.
"Hey B, on your left" Faith called out as she dusted her last vampire. Tonight, thankfully in her opinion the Wetworks team was the other side of town, which left her and Buffy to patrol the west side by alone. Faith had just been about to talk to Buffy about what had happened when suddenly they had to deal with a ton of vampires.
Buffy ducked the vampire coming at her on her left and stabbed out with her stake dusting the final blood sucker with a flourish. She stood up from her stoop and smiled at her sister slayer carefully. Faith had changed, she was more withdrawn only really coming out of her shell to fight, either vampires or strangely with Tia. She knew that with Xander she was the same as she had always been. She after all was the same with Angel despite the trip to hell thing. It was still strange to see the once fiery and vibrant girl changed into a pale shadow of her former self. Buffy didn't like it one little tiny bit, but she wasn't sure what to do about it. "Faith" she began
Faith turned to her sister slayer, her dark eyes darker than usual and her brow lifted inquisitively. "Yeah B?"
Buffy battled with herself for a moment before walking to the taller woman and looking up into her eyes intently, "I'm sorry"
Faith's face twisted into a picture of confusion, "What…"
"I'm sorry that I went all gung ho on you. I try to stop my slay instinct and use my head but I'm still having a little problem with it, you know?"
Faith actually smiled at that, "Yeah B I kinda do"
Buffy smiled, if there was one person who could understand that Slay instinct then it was Faith. "I should've been a little more open to the possible causes, it could just have easily been me. Except for the whole Xander thing"
Faith frowned, "Xander thing?"
"Yeah I was talking to Giles, he thinks that the reason he picked you, was because of your relationship with Xander. He wanted to remove one of the biggest, if not THE biggest threats, to his position"
Faith frowned again, leaning back against a gravestone her lip trapped between her teeth thoughtfully, "Shit" she said finally, "I hadn't realized that"
"What can I say, Giles has a big brain" Buffy said with a chuckle, "But you got to admit it makes a whole hell of a lot of sense"
Faith nodded, "I really hate that guy" she said vehemently.
"Yeah, I know, me too"
"Why, it was me he used to hurt you guys"
"Yeah, but he hurt you in the process." Buffy said with a serious expression, "You're my…" Buffy trailed off trying to think of a way to say what she felt, "Like sister, only more so you know. I know we didn't get the best start and that we've had our problems, but I respect your dedication and you actually. Not many could have gone through what you have and still be out here doing patrol. That takes guts faith, and I respect that more than I can ever tell you"
Faith ducked her head, her long, dark tresses hiding her face and the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, "I killed a man, two in fact B, I'm bad"
Buffy tipped faith's head up gently with a finger, "Both accident's faith, accident's that were caused by Wilkins playing you. Do you think Finch was there by accident that night? If not for that the Wetworks team wouldn't have been there and you wouldn't have been forced to protect yourself. You following me here Faith?"
Faith nodded her eyes growing hard, "I'm getting ya"
Buffy smiled, "Good, because we're taking that son of a bitch down for what he's done to us"
Faith nodded, "Yeah damn straight we are"
"And the Wetworks team" Buffy began, "Are like an army unit, they now it was an accident, and they don't really hate you, but they are hurting from the losses they suffered, they'll come round. Just give it time"
Faith smiled gratefully at her sister slayer, "Thanks B…Buffy"
Xander lifted the cool damp clothe from his head, his head that was still thumping like a jack hammer was at work in his brain, and let out an irritated sigh. He really, really didn't like being so cooped up and unable to do anything useful.
"I hate this" he growled to himself and pushed up off of the couch, with the intension of going out on a little patrol of his own.
"Xander!" Lindsey said as she walked into the room, "Just where do you think you're off to?"
"Out" Xander said innocently, "Why?"
"You're on rest duty" she admonished him with a slight smile.
Xander groaned slightly, "Do I have to?"
"Yes" she answered emphatically, "Still got that headache?"
"Not so much" Xander replied, truthfully but leaving out a few details, such as 'Not quite as much'
"Uh huh, besides, you've got a visitor," Lindsey said stepping from the door and revealing Tia standing behind her with a slight smile on her face. Lindsey smiled and stepped out of the room, leaving Dragon and Sword Bearer alone.
"Hey Tia" Xander said, by way of greeting.
"Hey gorgeous, UP for a visitor"
"You know for an ancient Dragon, you're awful flirty," Xander said with a painful chuckle.
Tia just pouted her lips at him with her eyes dancing merrily, "A girl's got to get her fun somehow. Where's your shadow tonight" she said looking around.
"Faith? She's on patrol with Buffy"
"Good" Tia said walking into the room and taking a seat next to Xander, "Us time"
Xander shuffled away from her as politely as he was able, "We've been through this Tia; I'm with Faith"
"Calm yourself child" Tia said with a slightly annoyed expression, "I'm not here for that"
"Oh, that's cool, what can I do for you?" Xander asked carefully.
"You're the first bearer in a very long time that is also a mage, I just wanted to talk to you about a few things that may help you out"
"That's seriously cool, tell me-tell me" Xander said with a large smile.
"I've been talking with watcher girl out there, she tells me you've got no power of your own?"
"That's true, I'm just a big capacitor on legs"
"Well, you need to draw power then draw from your sword"
"How, I've never felt any power from it before?" Xander asked in confusion.
Tia smiled, "I'm here now, the bound in two way and my darling didn't want to reveal his full powers too soon, lest you turn on him"
Xander nodded, "I can understand that I suppose" he said with a thoughtful look, "So what do I do then?"
Tia smiled and set about explaining the details to a very interested Xander who lapped it all up enthusiastically.