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Seasons of Faith	By : norwalker Category: -Buffy the Vampire Slayer > FemmeSlash - Female/Female > Buffy/Faith Views: 4355 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Seasons of faith
Chapter 15
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Excerpt from Dawn's Journal
Things are getting really weird around here.
Buffy…oh, boy, she's totally freaky these days. I mean, she walks around here like she's in space somewhere, and looks at me like I got a third eye or something. Like, a week ago, she did some spell or something. All I wanted to do was watch, you know? I mean, I think magic's cool. Willow and Tara do magic, and that's totally cool. I told mom I wanted to Willow to teach me what she does with Tara someday…but mom got weird, and sent me to my room. What was that about? But anyway, Buffy was doing this spell…but she totally kicked me out of the room, and was so rude! I know it's just because she's jealous of me, cause I'm so much smarter and more mature than she is. But, still… and after that, she's like so weird, you know? I mean, even weirder than usual. If that's possible. So, anyway, now I got Buffy acting weird, if things weren't bad enough.
Then there's those people. On the street, and in the hospital when we went to get mom. Why do they keep saying those things? Like, I'm not real. That I'm really not here. What's with that, anyway? I mean, ok, one crazy, I could deal. But this is like all of them. They all start acting that way. Well, not all, I guess. Haven't seen all of them. But the ones I've met, say that. I guess I shouldn't let it bother me… I mean, they ARE crazy, right? But it does. Well, how'd you feel if everyone told YOU , well, you weren't real? You might be freaked, too!
And no one'll tell me what's going on with mom. I mean, it's some big secret. Yeah, sure… I'm 10, right? C'mon, already. I know mom's been sick… all those headaches and her fainting, and stuff. And she's going for tests again. So how come no one'll tell me anything? I'm not like some kid, I'm so grown up! I know stuff. I wish they'd stop treating me like a kid. It's like patrolling. Buffy won't let me even hang with the scoobies, except when there's no choice. And actually going out on patrol? Well, forget that. I like asked her once when I got to go, and she said " Oh, when you're Never!" Sheesh…she's such a pain!
I'm really worried about mom. Ever since she came back from the hospital, she's been having the headaches again, worse now. I'm scared. What if they can't fix it? What if she… no, Dawn, don't think that way. She's not gonna … I just wish I knew something. Anything. It'd be easier than just worrying all the time.
Cute boy alert. Totally studaliscious. Tom Jackson, new guy transferred in. Tall, muscley, and has totally dreamy eyes. He's sooo hot!!!!! That biotch, Melinda Peters, is trying to move in on him, but he's so mine. I mean, once he realizes how cool and sexy and hot I am, he's gonna so fall for me. Of course, unless Buffy screws it up for me. It's totally a bummer being the Slayer's sister. Guys like stay away in droves, you know? Doesn't help she has a girlfriend, either. They think gay runs in the family. So wrong! Damn, why does Buffy HAVE to be my sister, anyway? Why not someone cool… like, Willow. Yeah, that'd be so cool. But, no, I got Buffy
Drag.
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" Are you sure about this, Buffy?" Giles asked, looking rather concerned.
Buffy, Faith and Giles were sitting in the back room of the Magic Box. He'd locked the door for privacy. What Faith and Buffy had told him that night about the encounter with…well, as they described it, " The psycho-bitch demon woman" and the monk, and what the monk had told them before he died, had been rather astonishing. Some mystical force, called "The Key" that had been transformed into a human being…Dawn, no less…and sent to the slayer for protection. From the demon woman they encountered. And seems this demon was very powerful… Buffy, Faith and Spike(why HE was there was still a mystery) had barely gotten away from her alive. And she had destroyed the warehouse single-handedly. It seemed she was going to be a very formidable enemy, indeed.
Giles had done some research into this "key" and found some references to it. It was energy, pure energy, that held the power to create portals between dimensions. It'd been under the care of a group of monks in Bulgaria for centuries. But two years ago, more or less, something had happened to the order, and it'd disappeared. Along with any trace of this " key".
Now, this monk shows up in Sunnydale, talking about the "key". Possibly he was a last surviving member of the order? And , why did he say that Dawn was the key? And, what did this demon woman want with the "key"? He'd have to do more research. Try to find out what this was all about. It was disturbing, to say the least. But what was most disturbing was what Buffy was telling him.
" Yes, I sure, Giles" Buffy says "I…I wish I weren't. It's just too…weird!".
" B? Are you sure? I mean, you did say that spell you did was like… totally a trip… like an acid trip" Faith says. " Maybe it was just a hallucination?"
"No, Faith, I'm sure. I did the Cartier spell…"
"Cloutier" Giles corrects
"Cloutier…whatever…anyway the spell to see things as they really are" Buffy continues," And…I admit, things looked weird, but what was weirder was when I went to Dawn's room….it kept changing from her room, to like a … well…place to keep all the junk in, back and forth. And, pictures of me and mom and dawn? She kept fading in and out. But what totally freaked me was when Dawn started fading in and out. And, it's like my mind opened up, and I knew…she wasn't real… not my sister, anyway. "
"Are ya sure you did the spell right, B?" Faith asks." I mean, you know, magic can be tricky. Look at Red, she's been doin' magic stuff for awhile, and her spells still go blooey sometimes."
" I did it right, Faith" Buffy says, maybe somewhat harshly." I was careful!"
"Gee… Ok, B. …. Ok. Don't bite my head off" Faith says, pouting a little. " Just askin, is all"
Things had been getting tense around Buffy again. Faith was noticing that Buffy was retreating from her… a pattern she recognized from back when they were first together, and Angel was still an issue. She was , damn, face it, she was shutting me out again, Faith thought. Ever since that night at the warehouse, and what that monk said about Dawn… and with what's happening with Joyce… Buffy has been pulling away again. God, I thought we so had THAT issue settled. When is she gonna learn I'm totally here for her all the time, in everything? But, no. something threatens the Summer's family, and boom. She circles the wagons, leaving Faith outside. Why does she keep doin' that to me? What do I gotta do to prove to her that she's like my all, and I want to help her, even with the tough stuff? When she does this , I gotta wonder if she really loves me, ya know? I mean, this is what couples do, don't they? Stand by each other? But she won't let me do that. She's always … like, well…pushing me away when stuff gets rough, or like bad. I guess she's trying to protect me, but Buffy, darling dear one, I'm not some whimpering little girl, I can handle myself…damn, B, I can kick your butt if I really want to. So, stop it, already? Aw, yeah, like I'm ever gonna say that to her.
Faith noticed that Buffy and Giles were in a deep conversation, and went into half-listening mode. Her mind worked furiously behind her eyes.
I shouldn't be jealous, I know that. I shouldn't let this get me. I… gotta see it from her side of it. Her mom… Joyce… is really sick. She's got that all messin with her. And now, she finds that Dawn isn't her sister? Freak out time. She can't tell like her mom, or even think of telling Dawn… God, Dawn would totally lose it. So ,for them, she's gotta act all normal and pretend things are weird. But I know she's gotta go somewhere to deal. Why not me? I mean, of course she had to tell G. This is important stuff. But why couldn't B … lean on me, for awhile? Let me be strong for her, like she's for me?
It breaks my heart sometimes to watch her. She feels she's gotta carry the whole world on her thin shoulders. I can see how the stress and strain works on her. I know inside, she's like crying her heart out. I know , somehow, she's finding some way to blame herself for all of this; her mom's illness, her sister…well…whoever or whatever she …it…is…God, it's Dawn, I can't think of her as an 'it'. But, Buffy somehow thinks that because of what she is, it's her fault the monks chose her to protect the key. Putting her friends and family in danger. She always does that, take all the blame. She won't let me help her, not the tiniest bit…not where it counts. I'm hoping I'm the closest person to her in the world, and she still won't let her guard down, let me in close enough to make it better.

I won't say she doesn't love me. She does, as much as she can, in her way. But I don't think she needs me. I don't know if she ever will.
"Faith? What do you think about that?" Giles repeats, looking a little irritated… and maybe a little worried.
"Huh? Oh, sorry G. Kinda distracted. You guys were talkin'… I got lost in my thoughts. Thinkin' about that Demon chick. Tryin' to think if I saw any weaknesses in her…sorry" Faith says, covering what she was really thinking about.
" So, did you think of any, Faith?" Buffy asks. She's giving Faith an odd look, like, where were you really?
"No… sorry…nothin'. That's one strong-assed chick!" Faith replies, a little relieved they bought it…or at least aren't calling her on it.
" Undoubtedly. However, as I said, We thought maybe that sphere you brought me might be related to her, somehow. I've done some research on it. Couldn't find much, but I believe it's something called a "Dagon's Sphere". It's very old. It's of course, mystical, and from what I can determine, is used to ward off evil. Ancient, primordial evil. Odd it would be where you said this demon was…unless possibly that monk was using it to keep her away?"
"So, maybe we found a weakness after all?" Buffy says, looking at Faith.
" Yeah… or Spike did" Faith says, reminding everyone exactly where that thing came from.
"That's odd, now that you mention it. I mean, Spike is a demon, also. Or at least, being Vampire, part demon. Yet, he wasn't affected by it?" Giles asks
"No…he didn't act odd. Well, not any odder than usual, anyway" Buffy says." With him, who can tell?"
" I still don't understand what Spike was doing with you when you both faced this…demon?" Giles asks.
"Long story, G. Really boring" Faith says, covering. No need to bring up the little toss up they had prior to running into the demon and monk.
"Well, this bears some more investigation, nonetheless. Evidently I don't know much of anything about this " Dagon's Sphere". Giles says, and sighs in frustration." I just wish I could access the Watcher's Council library. I've about exhausted my personal resources"
Faith and Buffy look at each other. If there is one thing they DON'T want involved, it's the council.
" I still have some connections on the council. Maybe if I got in touch with them…" Giles begins, but is interrupted by both slayers.
"Giles!" Buffy says, vehemently. "After what they did to me, and to Faith…"
"G-man. I know they're supposed to be the good guys, or somethin. But they tried to kill me!" Faith says, unhappily. " That Travers dude is just totally …evil"
" Quentin Travers no longer works for the council" Giles says, quietly. He'd never told the two slayers Travers' fate, or his hand in it.
"How? What?" Buffy says, surprised.
" Hey… no kidding?" Faith asks. She hadn't expected that one." He was the head dude…what happened?"
" His services were no longer … required" Giles says. That's all he'll ever tell them.
Both slayers look at Giles. They know there's more, a lot more, than what Giles is saying. But they don't ask. Maybe, better not to know. But they both know that Giles has surprised them. It's just one more little bit of the puzzle that is Rupert Giles. He doesn't often surprise them, but now is one of those moments.
" So… no more Travers. Ok, I got that. But I still don't trust them, Giles" Buffy says.
" Yeah, it's not like they're slayer-friendly or nothin' " Faith adds.
"I'll be discreet in my inquiries. Probe out a few of the less… tradition bound members" Giles says. That raises a small giggle from the two slayers. He is nothing, if not tweed. He gives them a look, and their quiet." I'm sure, if it's handled right, I can get the information without raising too much suspicion."
" Giles, this is important" Buffy says, firmly." They can't know anything about Dawn being the key. If you can avoid mentioning the key at all, that would be better still. But no matter what, they can't know about Dawn. Period!"
" I understand that, Buffy. But I'm going to have to make reference to the Key. It's too important to what's going on." Giles says.
Buffy doesn’t look all that pleased, but she knows that there's no real choice. They have to know what's going on here, what they're fighting. They seem to be at a dead end here. Like it or not, they have to use the council.
Faith, on the other hand, has the stomach roll thing going. Every encounter she's had with the Watcher's Council has been less than pleasant…mostly, for her. Unlike Buffy, she just wants to fight…she doesn't give a Rat's fanny what the hell this thing is. Just kill it. But she defers to the wisdom( yeah, right) of the other two. Boy, what she does for humanity!
"The details we have are rather sketchy… do you remember anything else about her? " Giles asks.
"Not really…just that she was kick ass strong" Faith says.
"There was something the monk said about her. Called her ' the beast'…don't know if that means anything though" Buffy said.
" Ya know, now that I think of it… her attitude was weird" Faith said, puzzling it over.
"What do you mean, Faith?" Giles asks, also puzzled.
"Well… it's kinda hard to explain. When we showed up, she didn't act like it was any big deal, really. I mean, she more thought of us like pesky cockroaches, or something. Just in her way. Kinda like, if we hadn't invited ourselves to her little party, she would've just ignored us… does that make sense?" Faith says.
" Well, I don't know if she knew we were slayers, Faith" Buffy added.
"Even so… ever know a demon that didn't just kinda get all concentratey if someone threatens them? But, she acted like we were no threat"
"Maybe you two could patrol some. Ask around, see if anyone…or thing has heard anything." Giles says. " I'll see if I can find out anything from the council".
Buffy gets a pained expression on her face. Giles and Faith both notice it.
"I … really should check up on mom" Buffy says." And Dawn. Be sure everything is ok. She's going in to the hospital for tests in the morning."
" Yes, of course. This can wait, Buffy." Giles said.
"Look, B. Why don't I go and …well, pay a call on a few places, see what I can see?" Faith says." You go home, be with Joyce and Dawn. That way we can do both"
Buffy looks at Faith gratefully." Really, Faith? That'd be great".
" No big, B. Just part of the service" Faith jokes. Buffy's eyes blank out, like she didn't get the joke. Faith continues. " Um… well, I better get my ass movin' then." Faith, feeling a little flustered, leaves the Magic Box.
Buffy watches Faith leave. She has a slightly puzzled look on her face. What was that about? Part of the service? What, like she's some kinda … servant? Buffy shrugs. I don't get her sometimes. Sigh. I can't worry about that now. Mom needs me, and I gotta so watch over Dawn.
"Are you ok, Buffy?" Giles asks. " You and Faith. Is everything ok?"
Buffy is heading for the door, and turns back. She has a smile plastered on her face. " Yeah, sure Giles. Everything's fine. Peachy. As Faith would say, "5 by 5 ". She turns and walks out of the shop, closing the door behind her.
Giles stands there, a thoughtful expression on his face.
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Glory was in her… glory.
She sat in her bath, full of bubbles, luxuriating in the warm water. Mimosa in hand, minions surrounding her, attending to her wants( Ok, so they're short, dumpy and scabby. Still, they are faithful. Anyway, when I get back to where I belong, I'll get a better class of minions… as soon as I get my key….). Things should be perfect, but they weren't.
She'd still found out nothing about her key. And it was really, really upsetting her. It was HER key, and these…mortals insisted on hiding it from her… and she was totally not understanding that. Don't they get it? I'm a God? How can they, how dare they refuse my smallest wish? Never mind hold out on me with the key? Pesky, stupid bags of emotions. WhatEVER is their problem, anyway? I hate being here, anyway. It so…sucks. I mean, it's … so … mundane and boring. Trapped in this mortal plane of existence is making me insane. My head is all itchy inside, and I can feel the clouds burning…burning me…. I need something … to eat!
"Minions! Fetch me something to eat. NOW!" Glory said, her face ticking, the sweat starting to stand out on her brow. " I… need it .. now!" She screamed at them, clutching her head.
The minions, ever faithful( and fearful) scurry to find a 'meal' for the most exquisite Glorificus. They know they have to hurry. Otherwise, one(or more) of them might wind up on the menu. Not at all pleasant.
Glory, her mind beginning to lose its cohesion(little of it as there is), rages against her circumstances. " It's so UNFAIR! I'm a god, not some mortal. I shouldn't even BE here, except for the others. So jealous, I was always the most powerful. If they hadn't ganged up on me, and expelled me to HERE, I would be ruling over my dimension, as is my right. Well, I'm going to so set things right when I return. And I'll return at the proper time… IF I CAN FIND MY KEY!!!"
"Stupid, stupid slayers. How DARE they take my monk? How dare they hide the key from me? And try to fight me? If it ever gets out I fought with slayers? I'll be a laughing stock. So common, such underlings. Where is it? WHERE IS IT? What did they do with it? I'll tear this town apart, brick by brick, to find it if I have to. But, I don't have time for that. I HAVE TO HAVE IT NOW!!!"
She throws her Mimosa against the wall, watching as the liquid runs down the wall. Almost as if on cue, the minions enter, clutching a postal worker between them. Glory is shaking, she feels the ants crawling under her skin, the worms nestling in her brain. She looks at the human, and says to her minions" Bring him closer, here….HERE, you moronic know nothings!"
The man, scared to death, begs " Please, Lady, I gotta family. Wife and kids. Please, just let me go… I won't say anything!"
Glory, ignoring him, lays the tips of her fingers on the side of his head. Finding the spot, her fingers seem to sink into his head, and a glow emerges from them. Looking at her face, you can see the change take over her. She is more composed, more in control. A smile of satisfaction plays over her lips as the insanity, the creepy crawlies are pushed back, once again.
The postal worker, his eyes glazed over, walks around in a daze. He mumbles out " They watch me, I know they do. I can see them…". It's obvious he's joined the ever swelling ranks of the insane wandering Sunnydale.
"Take the garbage out, you idiots!" Glory says to her minions. Her expression is one of cool indifference. For awhile, she's settled, back in control." Then, return, I have work for you!".
As the minions grab the now insane man and hustle him out, Glory settles back into her bath. She's more content, now. Ah, much better, she sighs. She relaxes in the warm bath, waiting for her minions to return. She doesn't have to wait long, and they bring more of their kind with them.
" Listen up. It's pretty sure that the monk told the slayers about the key, and where it is . Since they're not cooperating, not bringing MY key to me, I need to find it by other means. You two" she points to two of the scabby ones." Follow the slayers, see where they go. They will eventually go to the Key, and then we have it!"

"Your wish is our life, O most beauteous and supreme one!" The two minions grovel at her tub.
"Well…NOW would be good, don't you think?" She says, her voice irritated. They are so INCREDIBLY STUPID, SOMETIMES!!!
"We go now, your Magnificence!" They declare, crawling backwards from her sight.
"You!" She points at another of her minions. " Bring me another mimosa. I'm thirsty!"
Glory settles back in her bath, reveling in her utter splendor.
~~&~~&~~&~~&~~&~~&~~&~~
Faith walked along her patrol, lost in her thoughts.
She was headed in the general direction of Willy's. She knew that any information about the demon woman they'd encountered in the old warehouse would likely be gleaned from there. A little "gentle persuasion", sweetened perhaps by a little folding green, would probably loosen the lips of Willy. Possibly some of his clientele would also be forthcoming. With the right amount of persuasion. In other circumstances, Faith would be smiling at the thought of the fun to be had at Willy's Place.
Now, however, her thoughts were elsewhere. On that last little exchange she and Buffy… well, she(since Buffy didn't say anything) had. To the casual observer, she would look normal, no hint of the storm inside her. But anyone familiar with Faith would catch the signs: the pursed lips, the arched brow, and the slightly hardened look in her eye. All indicated a bit of an internal squall going on.
Faith was kicking herself for her little "joke" back at the Magic Box. That's all it had been, a joke. But somehow, like a lot she said or did these days, it got turned around somehow. She'd watched the joke not only fall flat; it'd crashed through the floor, and found a tunnel directly to the Hellmouth, all under the gaze of Buffy. She was kicking herself because she'd known better. The way Buffy had been lately, she knew better than to joke with her. Which kinda pissed her off, cause how the hell ELSE was she supposed to lighten the mood up?
" What the hell am I supposed to do, anyway? I'm tryin' my best to be there for her, anyway I can. Anyway B will let me be there. Not like she's exactly welcomin' help from me. Or support. Or anything. She's got this nutso idea in her head that she's gotta deal with it all, no one can like, take any off her. That's why I volunteered for this little mission. 'Cause it was the first chance I got to like do anything to help her out.
I wonder is she knows how useless she makes me feel sometimes? I mean, I know Sunnydale is like on a Hellmouth, but two slayers? Really needed? But I'm here. 'Cause she's here. And where she is, I am, ya know? At least, that's how it is now. But I gotta wonder, is that what she wants? God, I don't know. I thought we'd done this all. But here we're at it again. Same stuff. She's got problems, something maybe I could ease, or at least she could bounce it off me, to feel better. But it comes back to …she's got her own stuff she don't want to share with me. I can betcha that if I hadn't been there with the monk, I'd never have known about Dawn. She'd run to G, and tell him, but me? Uh, uh. No way. Not Faith. I try, and I try, and I still can't understand it. It just don't make sense to me.
I can understand. She's possessive of her family. Sharing is not her thing here. But, I thought I was part of the family. I know Joyce makes me feel that way. Even lil nut, when she's not being 14 year old total brat, makes me feel that way. But, B comes along and knocks all those pins right down. It really hurts. I want so much to just be part of it. Why can't she see that?
I hate thinkin' this stuff. I hate feelin' this way. I want only to think about her, make her happy… or at least, ease what she's carrying around. I want to be focused on her, not "us". I hate especially feelin' like I can't understand what she's goin through, and can't help. I mean, ok, I didn't have what you'd call a family. Know that. But that don't mean I never wanted a family. I want it all, the good times, the bad time, all of it. But I don't get that.
Don't ya get it, B? I want…ok, I understand right now, I can't be number one. But I want some number, some place in the mix. Some sense of what I'm to you, but you don't give me that. That I'm needed. I need that, B. To be needed. By you. But I don't get that. I guess I know I'll never get that from you.
So, I gotta make some kinda choice. Do I accept what I got, and just do my best to let it roll off me? Or, do I … move on? But, where am I gonna find somebody I love like her? I don't know what I'm gonna do. I just don't know….
STOP IT FAITH, DAMMIT!!!! STOP THIS. Ok, maybe you don't know if Buffy needs you or not. We'll deal, somehow. But what she doesn't need right now is you doing this. She needs you to do what you said you do. Go, find out more about this Demon chick. Then, after we deal with the monster, we can…deal with this. Not now. Get a grip, Faith. You can do so better than this mooning around crap!
Drawing herself up, she sets herself to her purpose. She heads towards Willy's, for some good clean-beat-the-crap-outta-the-weasel fun.. Her mouth gets her trademark smirk, and her eyes get that 'this is gonna be wicked fun' look.
Willy's Place is a rat hole. Set in the worst part of town, it's the watering hole for the towns demons and other low-life dwellers of the underground. But, even if Willy's catered to a human crowd, it's not someplace you'd want to take a date. Unless you wanted to roll her. It's never seen better days, this place has always had the patina of despair and hopelessness around it. It's dark, it's smelly, and it resembles some drunken nightmare.
Willy is the biggest rat in the place. A small, thin man, he has a ferret face(my apologies to ferrets everywhere) and beady little rat eyes. He exudes greed and corruption. If he had an ounce of backbone in his body, he might be dangerous. However, he's a total coward. He hears everything, and says nothing… unless the price is right. In short, the perfect bartender for this place.
Willy is behind the bar, wiping up the mess with a rather suspiciously dirty rag, when Faith walks in. His expression changes to one of a combination of loathing and fear. Loathing, because … yup, their they go, he thinks as three less than stellar vamps get up to leave…she costs him business every time she walks into this place. Fear, because… well, he knows she wants something, and cracking his skull is not off the table. Matter of fact, she'll probably USE the table to crack it with. He groans at the thought of it.
Faith, grinning large, walks over to the bar. " Heya, Willy, my favorite snitch!" Faith says, her voice over bright, laced with a generous dose of sarcasm." How's tricks?"
" Hey, slayer" Willy replies, in his weasely, nasal voice. He's sweating bullets already," What can I get ya? I got some fine bourbon back here…" Willy turns for the bottle, but is stopped by the strong grip of the slayer, who turns him back towards her.
"Nothin for me, thanks, Willy" Faith says, eyebrow arched." Not in the mood to be slipped a Mickey, ya know?" Faith pats his face, none too gently." Hate the headaches after. Hate to have to turn your face into my personal punching bag. Got it?" She smiles, not too pleasantly.
" So, whaddya want then, slayer?' Willy whines." I gotta business to run here, ya know".
" Information, Willy. You got it, I want it. Give me the right answers" Faith says, taking a 20 dollar bill and waving it in front of Willy's rat-like little eyes(oh, how they glow with greedy desire!)," And I give you a little bonus. Wrong answers, and … well… you don't want to do that. Trust me" She grins.
" Awww, c'mon, slayer, I don't do that stuff. I run a legit business here. I can't be squealin' on the clientele. I lose my shirt!" Willy says, trying to find an out, somehow, somewhere.
"EEEEEEEH, Wrong answer, Willy" Faith says, slapping his face, again, not too gently. Willy groans." That isn't helpful to me, now is it Willy?"
" C'mon, slayer, give me a break, already!" Willy says, his face white except for where Faith's palm connected with it.
Faith takes Willy's hand, and bends back the ring finger… not enough to break it, just enough to hurt… a lot. Willy grimaces, and makes a hurt noise.
" You don't want me to give you a break, Willy." Faith says, her tone low, but subtly threatening.
"Alright, alright, ALRIGHT slayer. Whatta ya want?" Willy says, hoping to get his hand back in one piece.
" Thatta boy, Willy. That's the attitude I'm lookin' for!" Faith says, grinning. She releases his finger. He quickly snatches his hand away, and rubs the knuckle. " See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
"Whatta ya want?" Willy says, snarling in his rat like way.
"Temper, temper,. Willy" Faith says, taking his hand and lightly twisting it He moans.
" Ok, ok, ok. Just ask already, slayer" Willy says, fearing he won't go home in one piece.
" Demon bitch. New in town, real powerful. Kinda pretty in a psycho slut sorta way. Who is she, where can I find her?" Faith asks..
" Aint heard of her, slayer" Willy says, his tone oily and evasive. He's so lying. And Faith so knows it. Oh, goodie, fun time.
"Willy, Willy, Willy. What AM I gonna do with you?" Faith asks, clucking her tongue. Before he can react, she grabs his head and slams it on the bar. " Now, I'm gonna ask all nice again. Who is the new demon bitch in town? Where can I find her?"
" Honest, slayer, I don't know nothin…" Willy says, but changes his tune when Faith makes to grab his head again." … ok, ok…just don't do that again! Glory…her name is Glory!"
Faith smiles a tight, evil tinged grin." Better, Willy. Much better!" Faith reaches to pat his face, but Willy's having none of that. He backs up." Now, Willy, I wouldn't hurt you… much"
"Yeah, right slayer" Willy says, all brave now that he's out of reach…or so he thinks.
"So, Willy" Faith continues, positioning herself to grab him again." Where can I find this .. Glory?" Faith asks.
" Dunno, slayer. Honest" Willy says. Ah, will he never learn? Before he can think , Faith has grabbed him by the shirt, and pulled him close, where his nose meets her fist. " OW, DAMMIT. I don't KNOW !" Willy insists. Fist to nose, again. " I really don't know!" Faith loosens her grip, but doesn't let go of his shirt. " Look all I know is she's in one of those fancy houses on the hill. Don't know which."
Faith lets him go, and drops the twenty on the bar." See, Willy? Not so bad, was it?" Willy just looks sullen. " Buy yourself a beer, and maybe a bandage or two" Faith grins, then pops him again on the nose.
"HEY…what was THAT for? I told ya what I knew" Willy whines, holding his nose.
"I know" Faith says, walking away without explaining. She starts for the door, thinking that while she didn't learn a lot about this demon chick…Glory….at least got a name, and a general direction of where she lives. Now , she and Buffy gonna have to stake out the Hilltop homes and see if they can catch a glimpse of this broad.
A familiar voice assaults her ears." Well, well, slayer. Out to play a little " Pop the weasel" Are we?"
" Fang, Jr." Faith says, addressing a rather familiar bleached blonde vampire." Always nice not to see you…so why not make it nice for me?"
" Touchy, aren't we? What? Missing your main squeeze this evening?" Spike rejoins, noticing Faith is solo." Where is the bitty blonde one, anyway?"
"And that is your business… how?" Faith queries, giving him a hard look.
"Actually, I don't give a bloody damn. But, seeing how tight you two are, seems odd you're all alone here tonight. What? She making kissy face with someone else tonight?" Spike jabs. Faith, caught off guard, reacts violently. She grabs the vampire by the throat, and slams him up against the nearest wall.
"Listen, Fangless. NOT that it's any of your business. But Buffy is with her mom and sister. Her mom is sick, and she's worried about her, got it?" Faith growls, tightening her grip on his neck. Kinda useless, since vamps don't breath, but he gets the message. And sees he's hit a nerve. His expression changes to one of concern( well, as close as he gets, anyway).
" Joyce is sick? Is she going to be ok?" Spike asks, strangely, his concern is genuine.
"What's it to you, Fangless?" Faith growls.
"If you must know, Joyce is the only one of your lot I can stand. She's always treated me fair…not like some freak" Spike says.
"Her mistake!" Faith shoots back.
"Sod off, slayer. I'm just saying she's a decent person. I'm sorry to hear she's ill, is all." Spike says." At least, Blondie has her priorities straight" He mumbles.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Faith says, tightening her grip. Her eyes look like she's ready to kill.
" Just that she's at home with mom, and has you out doing her dirty work" Spike grins. " Kinda convenient, that , don't you think."
" I volunteered to do this, Spike. She didn't ask" Faith replies. Her expression is unreadable, but her brow is furled.
"Oh, I'm sure. Just so you'd be valuable to her" Spike comes back." Of course, right now, that's the point, isn't it?"
" Is there a point to this?' Faith asks, getting exasperated. She pulls out a stake" Or, maybe I should give you this point?"
" Now, now, slayer, don't get all pissy. I'm just saying" Spike says." You got to be wondering how valuable you are to Buffy right now, with all this other going on?"
"Whatta ya mean, Spike?" Faith asks, her tone betraying her doubt.
" I mean, she's got her mum to worry about, and her sister, and this new Big Bad…so where exactly do you fit in?" Spike asks, eyebrow arched.
"What do ya mean, Spike? Are you saying Buffy don’t want me anymore?" Faith looks at him, her eyes hard and cold. "That's just stupid!"
"Of course she 'wants' you Faith." He says quietly." The question is, does she need you?"
Faith's eyes narrow, and her mouth tightens. He's hit a nerve.. a big raw one. She slams him against the wall, drops him and turns to go.
"Don't you want to know what I know about this "Glory" ?" Spike calls out. Faith stops. " Might get you brownie points with Buffy."
Faith turns, and steps closer to him. " Ok, Fangless. What do you know?" Faith asks, her voice hard.
" Well, now, slayer. I feel a little compensation is in order. After all…." But Spike is interrupted by a now furious Faith. She grabs him, slams him against the wall and puts the business end of the stake to his heart.
" Talk, Bleach boy, or I'm just going to put you out of my misery" Faith growls. She's had enough of Spike's games.
"Fine. Just fine." Spike whines, then decides best to come clean. Not ready to be Hoover material just quite yet." I heard she's looking for something called " The Key". It's her whole big thing, reason she's here in Sunnyhell. So, find the key, maybe you find her".
Faith looks at him stone faced. She's not about to reveal that she knows where, and who, the key is.
"That's your big news? Well, thanks so very much. Got that, Fangless." Faith sneers. She drops him and turns to leave.
"Well, you might be interested to know, she figures you and Buffy know where the key is. She's got her minions…scabby little gits, look like hobbits with leprosy, following you two around. So, you might want to be careful." Spike adds.
"You might wanna be careful, Fangless. Or one of these days you're gonna wind up with a stake splitting your heart" Faith threatens. She turns, and walks out of the bar. He sits there, watching her. Knowing he's planted a little seed of doubt in her mind.
"Well, right that, then. But, lets see whose heart gets split first, shall we?" Spike muses.
He fades back into the shadows, a small grin on his face.

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Seasons of Faith