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The Slayer	By : norwalker Category: BtVS AU/AR > FemmeSlash - Female/Female Views: 19613 -:- 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
- 33
- 34
- 35
The Slayer

By Norwalker

Part 33 of a multipart story.

Summary: What if Faith came first? If she were the slayer before
Buffy( if Buffy even became a slayer)? Just my take on what might have
happened. AU, of course.

Pairings: Cordelia/Faith; Willow/ Xander; other than that,
pretty much liquid. Even those might not be 'permanent'.

Rating: M( R )

Disclaimer: Characters depicted in this story, except for
original characters created by the author, are the sole property of Mutant
Enemy, Fox and Joss Whedon.

1

"Xander!"

Faith sees Xander walking down the hall. Hoping he might've seen
Cordelia, she calls after him again.

"XANDER!"

He keeps walking away, as if he didn't hear her.

No way, Faith runs after to catch him. I'm not that
far, and he's not that deaf�

She finally gets in front of him, blocking his way.

"Xander. Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"Nope�" He moves one way, then the other, to get
around her. "Can you move? I gotta get to class�"

Xander, wanting to go to class? Has the world started
spinning backwards? "What's up?"

"Told you. Gotta get to class, so can you move now?"
He makes another attempt of going around her.

Faith's arm shoots out, blocking him again. "OK, this is
just not right. What's with you?"

"Nothing's 'with me'. I just gotta go�"

"To class?"

"Yeah."

"This from the guy who gets hives when he has to open a
book?"

"That's just a rumor. Now, can you please move?"

Faith puts up her hands, and backs away.

"Whatever, Mr. Snarky. I was just trying to ask you
something�"

"Sorry, I don't have time to play 20 questions with
you�" Xander cracks as he starts to walk away.

"Ok, that's it�"

Faith grabs him, and starts dragging him along.

"Hey. HEY! Let me go!" Xander, looking suddenly
nervous, tries to pull away. "What're you doing?"

"Finding out what this 'tude is about�"

She pushes him through a door into the restroom.

The girls' restroom.

Fortunately, it seems to be deserted.

"HEY! This is the girls bathroom. I can't be in here!"
Xander complains, making for the door. "What if someone comes in?"

"Relax, no one's coming in�"

Faith leans against the door, arms crossed.

"So, what's the deal, Xander? Why the freezer routine? I've
seen warmer popsicles�"

"I told you. I've got class. Can I go now?"

"EEEEEEE!!!! Lie!" Faith frowns at him. "You're
not going nowhere til you tell me the truth."

"Oh, so what? You're gonna beat it out of me like your
girlfriend?"

Faith's jaw drops, which she quickly snaps shut. Then her face
loses some color, and she feels her guts twist inside.

Xander, seeing her reaction, suddenly gulps. He realizes he's
just confronted a crazy woman in the girl's room; a crazy woman that could
probably make him a grease spot on the floor. He feels very, very sick.

"It wasn't like that, Xander," Faith says in measured
tones. "She was acting crazy, and I had to calm her down."

"Yeah, and that worked so well�" God, what the fuck
am I saying? Bait the bear, why don't you?

"I didn't hurt her�" Faith gets defensive.

"No, you just humiliated her. In front of all of us�
especially Willow�"

"I didn't mean �." She stops suddenly, "What do
you mean, especially Willow?"

Xander just stares at her, like he can't believe she's that
incredibly stupid.

"Ok, Xander. Really tired of pulling teeth here. What's
really going on?"

"You really don't get it, do you?"

"Get WHAT?"

"Cordelia is right. You just don't see the crap going on
around you."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Faith shouts in
frustration.

"Cordelia. You. Willow. You don't see what's going
on?"

"Again with the cryptic? Just get to it, Xander, because
frankly you're making like zero sense here�"

"Are you blind? Are you stupid?" Xander suddenly feels
his anger rising.

"Ok, insults? Not helping," Faith, already upset,
doesn't have far to go

"You MORON!" Xander, taking his life in his hands,
yells at her. "Don�t you even get it? Willow is crazy about you! She's in
LOVE with you!"

Well, just knock Faith over with a feather, because suddenly she
feels as if the world is spinning upside down backwards out of control.

"That's just�. INSANE!"

Lots of things seem to be insane to Faith today.

"Are you calling Willow insane?" Xander feels his
Irish getting up. "You better take that back�"

"I'm not calling her insane. I'm calling you the nut
job!"

"Oh, really?" Xander, frustrated, angry still about
breaking up with Willow, the source of his pain right in front of him, starts
swinging his arms and pacing back and forth. "So, how do you explain how
she's been acting lately, then? How she's totally jealous of Cordelia? How,
whenever she's not mad at you it's always ALL about you. God, it's "Faith
said this" and "Faith did that!". Does she even once talk about
me like that? Hell no. She's always spying on you and trying to see what you're
up to. Dammit, she keeps having us play Nancy Drew and Joe Hardy to keep tabs
on YOU, because she's so damned obsessed with you. You, You, You, it's all you.
And this week! God, you'd think Cordelia was drowning kittens, the way she's
been treating her. It was almost funny, it was so pathetic. All because she
couldn't stand the fact that anyone had you but her�"

"You sound like the jealous boyfriend�"

"Well, so? Maybe I've kinda earned the right to be jealous?
I mean, I've loved Willow� god, I really don't even remember how long I've
loved Willow. But she's always wanted to keep it friends, you know. Until
recently�" He remembers that night at the Bronze, and how much of a knock
out Willow was� and how much his head hurt head butting Larry�"I mean, up
to then, I was just a friend, cuz that's what I thought she wanted.� And I wanted to be close to her any way I
could. But you show up and wow, she's all over the place, and it took me awhile
but I realized why�"

Faith walks over, and blocks Xander's progress. She takes his face
in her hands, and holds his head still. She stares into his eyes.

"Xander, stop. Stop!" Faith says firmly, "You're
babbling. Listen to me, ok?"

Xander, a little taken aback, nods.

"Ok then. I'm going to put it as plainly as I can. Me and
Willow? Nothing. No, that's not right. We're friends. But that's it. Nothing
else. And to be perfectly clear, there will never, EVER, be anything else. I
can't help Willow's feelings, but I also DO NOT share them! Is that
clear?"

Xander swallows, and nods again.

"Good, because somehow you and maybe her have gotten the
idea that there's something else. There isn't. There will never be. I love
Cordelia. Get that?"

Another nod.

"Good. Even if there wasn't Cordelia, or you, there would
NEVER be anything between her and me. I don't feel that way about her, and I
don't think that way about her. She's a friend, and that's all it will ever be.
Ok?"

Xander starts to nod again when there's a sudden crash behind
them. Both turn towards the stalls.

Willow, looking suitably embarrassed, is on her hands and knees.
The stall door looks to be half off its hinges.

Willow had escaped to here before, hiding out in a stall,
wanting to be alone. After Xander had dumped her, she couldn't handle class, or
people, or anything, and her face and makeup are a testament that she's been
crying, a lot.

She heard them come in. She pulled up her legs to hide, standing
on the toilet. She leaned on the door for support.

And it gave way.

"Willow? What? What's going on�" Xander suddenly looks
at Faith, and his face closes like a book. "Is this some kind of set up?
Did she put this up to it? IS ANYTHING you said even REAL? God! I'm a total
asshole!"

Xander, looking slightly livid, storms out of the bathroom.

"What is wrong with you? You just made it worse!"
Willow, getting up, goes on the attack.

"Whoa up!" Faith, her own face getting very grim,
approaches Willow.

Willow gulps, realizing that she could be in a lot of pain in a
very few minutes. She backs against the wall.

"I made it worse? Oh boy, that�s gotta be� ARE YOU A NUT,
OR WHAT?"

Willow quivers a little under Faith's wrath.

"You know, I didn't want to believe it. I guess that makes
me the biggest moron of all time. But it's true, isn't it? You've done
everything they said, and probably stuff they didn't even talk about. You
little� I should�" Faith raises her fist, then lowers it. "Just go,
get out. Get out of here. Go find Xander and fix this. God, how can you be so�
so� selfish? Why don't you want me to have even a little happiness? All I asked
you to do was�." Faith, getting more furious by the second, turns away.
"Get out.� Get out now, and if you
see me coming, don't EVEN try to talk to me. Go the other way. Because�"
She raises her fist�

There's a slam of the bathroom door behind her.

For a moment, Faith is perfectly still, her fist still raised
over her shoulder.

Then she begins to shake, and she leans against the sink,
laughing loudly.

"Idiots! God, what a bunch of loons. I can't believe the
soap opera I've stepped into. "

She stands there for a few minutes, until the laughter dies
down, just letting the tension flow out of her.

"God, I hope she got it. She better crawl back to
Xander�" Then a huge sigh escapes her. "God, Cordelia. Talking about
crawling. I better get a set of knee pads for myself. How could I be so
stupid?"

Faith looks at herself in the mirror, then splashes water on her
face. She sighs, knowing she's in major trouble.

"God, I wish I were back in Boston. People weren't loons in
Boston!"

With that, she turns and leaves the bathroom, continuing her
search for Cordelia.

2

Joyce Summers stands at the top of the stairs, gripping the
banister tightly.

Where am I? What was I doing?

Joyce is scared, more scared than she can remember being in her
life.

Everything is foggy lately. She can't seem to get a grip on
anything.

Those dreams, those awful dreams�

Yet even as she shivers over them, her body responds
differently. Much differently.

The depravity, the eroticism of them appeal to a part of her she
hates admitting to.

And the changes� how she looks, how she feels� how Cornell seems
to control her.

Scary, and strangely liberating�� no worries, no decisions, just follow orders�

Oh god�

�And she blanks for a
moment, again,� and the dreams, the
images come back in full force. She feels her body quivering, the heat and the
tingles, she feels her core getting damp� and for a moment she gives in�

Until she hears someone in the foyer.

She looks down, and is startled to see Cordelia standing in the
entry hall, standing alone. Looking all alone.

She's not supposed to be here, is she? She�

Something deep, something instinctive inside her rises to the
surface.

For the moment, her mind clears. She knows what to do.

Her instincts as a mother kick in.� Even from here, she can tell something is off with her.

"Cordelia?"

Cordelia, wrapped in her own thoughts and miseries, thinking she
is alone, is startled when she hears the voice. Looking up, she sees Buffy's
mother looking down at her.

Just what I need! Cordelia thinks, wanting nothing more
than to be alone.

"Hi, Mrs. Summers. Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you�"

Joyce starts down the stairs, holding firmly to the rail.

"Aren't you supposed to be with your friend? I thought you
were staying with her?"

"Oh yeah. That. Well� ummm� she's better now. She doesn't
need me around anymore�" Cordelia's voice trembles, just a little. "I
guess I'm back now?"

"You're not sure?" Joyce, reaching the bottom, crosses
to Cordelia. "Is she alright?" Joyce comes up to her, standing in
front of her. "Are you alright, dear? You look a little�"

"I'm fine, Mrs. Summers!" Cordelia says quickly, a
shade too quickly.

Of course, she wasn't fine. She was scared, and she was
hurting.� She wanted to cry, badly, but
she couldn't do it here. Not in front of this stranger. The one that looks
almost her age, it seems. Sort of creepily.

Yet, even with the changes, Cordelia senses something else from
Joyce Summers. A genuine caring. Somehow, she feels a bond with her, even if
she doesn't know her well.

She senses the mom in her, and she needs that. Desperately. It's
something she's never had, and this woman is the closest thing to it. And she
senses, is very good at it.

"Joyce, dear. I thought we'd gotten beyond the whole formal
thing�" Joyce smiles at her, and somehow, has slipped her hand over hers.

"Joyce, I'm fine, really�" if only my stupid lip
would stop quivering, Cordelia scolds herself.

Joyce knows a brave lie when she hears one. She slips an arm
around Cordelia's shoulders, and while still holding her hand, gives her a
little hug.

"It's ok, Cordelia. If you need to talk about
something?"

And the dam breaks. Cordelia almost falls into her arms, sobbing
and clinging to Joyce.

"Oh god, it's been horrible�" Cordelia sobs, burying
her head in Joyce's shoulder. "All I was doing was trying to help� I was
just trying to do things right� but I couldn't do anything right� and Willow,
she just kept at me, kept insulting me and making me feel like dirt � and no
one saw, no one cared� Willow is their pet, Willow can do no wrong,
Willow is perfect!� She's mean, she's
really mean, and so vindictive! And� and I told her� I told Faith, I told her
she had a thing for her, but she just� she just laughed at me, and I got made,
and we yelled and then she� then she� "

"What? What did she do, Cordelia?"

"She hit me!"

"She HIT you?"

"She� she pushed me over the library table, and she lifted
my skirt, and she spanked me! Right there, in front of all of them. In front of
WILLOW! God, I've never been so humiliated in my life� and I ran out of
there and I can never go back and I hate them, I hate them all. I HATE her. How
could she? How could she do that?"

"It's ok, dear, it's going to be ok�"

"No, it's not, It's never going to be all right again
�"

And at that moment, a bell goes off.

"Oh, god, that's her!" Cordelia stares at the door,
looking more than a little scared. "What am I gonna do?"

"You are going to go in the living room and sit, dear. I'll
answer the door�"

"Nooo!" Cordelia protests. "I mean, I can do
this, I can�"

"Shhh. Don't be silly. You don't really want to see her
right now, do you?"

"No," Cordelia admits, almost in a whisper.

"Ok, then. You go into the living room, and I'll take care
of this. Then we can talk some more?"

"Ok" Cordelia says meekly, responding to Joyce's
subtle command.

Joyce smiles at her, and Cordelia turns and exits through the
living room door.

Joyce then turns, and straightening up, turns and walks to the
front door.

She has a determined,�
mother lion look on her face.

* * *

Faith stands nervously at the front door of the Chase mansion. She
is nervously rubbing her hands, waiting for someone to answer the door.

Well, at least this time I didn't get pounded into the sand
before reaching it. Maybe Mr. Creepy isn't home�

I don�t wanna be here, I don�t wanna be here, I don't, I
don't wanna be here�

To say Faith is a little scared is an understatement. The last
place in Sunnydale she wants to be is at this front door. But, after
what she's learned about what's happened, she has to talk to her.

Maybe crawl. Kiss her feet? Beg forgiveness? God� why does
this junk have to be so fucking complicated and hard?

She reaches out to press the bell again when the door opens.

"Can I help you?" Joyce says, her tone not at all
friendly.

Faith stares at the woman for a moment, having a strange sense
of D�j� vu. She knows this woman, or it feels like she knows this woman. But
she can't place where she's seen her before. �Never mind she's slightly this side of hottie�

"Do I know you?" the words seem to tumble out of
Faith's mouth. She feels embarrassed almost as soon as she does, and blushes.

Joyce Summers arches a brow, and looks at her.

"I don't believe so," She says, a little stiffly.
"Was there something I can do for you?"

"Uhhh� uhhh�"

"Dear? You'd look a lot less foolish if you close your
mouth�"

Faith snaps her jaw shut.

"I do know you�"

"I'm afraid not. I've never met you� but I think you might
be Cordelia's friend?"

"Yeah� I am� is she here?"

"And that would make you�?" Joyce hints.

"Faith, I'm Faith. Sorry�"

"And I'm Joyce. Joyce Summers. I'm� staying with the
Chases�"

"Summers?" Faith cocks her head. "Are you related
to Buffy Summers? Like a sister, maybe?"

Joyce blushes, smiling. "That's very sweet to say, but
hardly. I'm Buffy's mom�"

"Shut up! No way!"

"What did you say to me?"

"I mean, there's no way you can be Buffy's mom. You're way
too young�"

Little roses appear in Joyce's cheeks, and she can't help liking
the slightly�scruffy � girl at her doorstep. Still�

"Normally, dear, flattery would get you everywhere. But not
today. I'm assuming you want to see Cordelia?"

"Yeah, I do, " Faith says, snapping out of the
strangeness. "Is she here?"

"She is."

"Can I see her?"

"No, I'm sorry, but � Faith, is it?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"She doesn't wish to see you, Faith. She's very upset at
you."

"OH god," Faith groans. "I'm such a jerk. I know.
But please, I got to see her, gotta explain�"

"I'm sorry, but no. She doesn't want to see you. I'm afraid
you'll have to go�"

"Please� Mrs. Summers? Joyce? Please, let me see her. Talk
to her. Explain. I know I did bad�"

"You really did, Faith. Did you think you could just � hit
her like that in public and she'd be ok with it?"

"Oh. She told you�"

"Yes, she told me. She told me everything. How your friends
treated her shabbily, and how you attacked her and� spanked her? In front of
them? My goodness, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I mean, she was acting crazy, and I didn't know
what to do�"

"Well, you certainly picked the worst thing to do!"
Joyce looks upset. "Frankly, I don't see her seeing you any time soon. And
I think, young lady, before you come here again, you better think long and hard
on what you did, and maybe� try to learn how to act like a civilized
person?"

Faith steps a step back under the assault. Whoa, she is good!
She is a mom!

"Please, Mrs. Summers� I'll do anything. You can stay! You
can listen. I just need to talk to her� please�" Faith sinks down on her
knee, begging. "Please?"

Joyce, despite herself, can't help liking the young woman in
front of her.� Despite the clothing and
slightly brusque manners, she senses something genuine about her. Something�
good.

However, Cordelia is in no state to see her, and Cordelia comes
first.

"Get up, "Joyce says, firmly. "Stand up,
please."

Faith stands, looking miserable, still pleading.

"I'm sorry, but Cordelia simply isn't ready to see you.
Nothing you can say can change my mind�"

Faith's body seems to slump.

"But, I really do think you're sorry, and I'll tell her
that. No promises, and it's up to her when she sees you again. But I'll tell
her."

"Really? You will? Please, please, tell her I love her,
please?"

"You need to go now�"

"But�"

"You need to leave�" Joyce's tone is firm.

Faith knows a brick wall when she runs into it. She retreats
back, but makes one more plea.

"Tell her I'm so sorry, and that I love her and �"

The door closes in her face.

She stands there, her eyes feeling hot. She finds it hard to
swallow, because suddenly her throat is parched. A little moan escapes her, and
she turns, walking down the driveway.

"Stupid," She mutters to herself as she finds her way
to the street.

"I'm sooo stupid�"

* * *

Joyce stands at the door for a moment, staring at it.

Love is so hard. Goodness, does it ever get easier?

She realizes that this situation is a lot more complicated than
it seemed, and that it's going to take all her skills as a mom to make it
right.

Somehow, she feels more like herself than she's felt in awhile.� She kind of likes it, actually.

She hears a little whimper, and looks up to see Cordelia
standing at the living room doorway. She can see the tear tracks from here.

And now, for my next magical trick? Healing another broken
heart. Goodness�

She walks over, and putting an arm around Cordelia, leads her
into the living room.

No one sees Buffy at the top of the stairs, listening in.

No one sees the deep frown, or the angry look on her face.

She waits until her mother has disappeared into the living room
with Cordelia, then she descends the stairs, crossing to the front door.

She has stuff to do.

3

"Ok, vampire. I'm done playing with you. I want answers,
now!"

Night has fallen.� Faith is
in an alley behind the bronze. She has the vampire pinned to the wall, one hand
holding him there by the neck, the other with a stake aimed directly at his
heart.

"Angel. Where is he?"

The vampire, seeing the stake, would blanch if it could. It just
stares.

"I don�t know no�."

Faith jams the stake into the vampire's heart. It turns to dust.

"Wrong answer�"

She senses the other vampire before she hears it, and she turns
quickly, coming around with a roundhouse kick that catches it in the ribs. She
attacks him like a woman possessed. She uses punches and kicks to drive him
back against the opposite wall, and she pins him there, again with a stake
aimed at his heart.

"OK, asshole. You saw what happened to your buddy. Now, I'm
only gonna ask this once, so listen up good�"

She squeezes his throat for emphasis.

"Where's Angel?"

The vampire looks at her and the stake warily. He saw what
happened to the other vamp, and he has no plans on joining him in hell.

"Angel? You mean Angelus?"

"Whatever!" Faith presses the sharpened stake to his
chest. "Where is he?"

"They� They're holding him at Sunnyrest Cemetery. In a
tomb�"

"Which one?"

"The big one. In the middle�" He wriggles in her
grasp. "Can� can I go now?"

Faith takes the stake, and flipping it, smashes the blunt end
into the vampire's face.

"FUCK! WHY'D YOU DO THAT?" The vampire growls,
morphing into the demon.

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" She waves the
stake in front of him.

"I'm not! I'm not lying. Look I'll take you there? Ok, then
you'll let me go?"

"Sure," Faith says, loosening her grip. "Why
not?"

As soon as she does, the vampire tries to attack her.

She knew that was going to happen. Which is why she immediately
plunged the stake into its heart.

"Asshole. I know how to get to Sunnyrest. Don't need a
guide�"

She turns and quickly exits the alley, heading towards Sunnyrest
Cemetery.

She wends her way through the back streets and alleys, taking
the shortest route to her destination.

Her mind isn't really on navigating where she's going.

She's on a mission, and she's pissed.

Pissed at Willow, pissed at Giles, pissed at Joyce Summers for
not letting her talk to Cordelia.

Mostly, she's pissed at herself.

I fucked everything up! How could I be so stupid?

Well, I'm not fucking this one up!

She reaches the gates of the cemetery, and pulling on them,
finds them locked.

Well, duh, what did you expect?

She quickly climbs over the ironwork gate, and slips into the
cemetery.

Moving stealthily, keeping to the shadows,

She makes her way to the mausoleum in the center of the
cemetery.� She moves quickly, but
carefully, being extra cautious about where she steps.� She doesn't know how many vampires might be
guarding Angel, and she doesn't want to tip them off to her presence until she
has to.

She reaches her destination, and crouches down behind a large
tombstone. She listens for any signs of the vampires guarding� the tomb.

After what seems like a very long time, and hearing nothing but the
beat of her heart, she raises up, looking over to see if she can see anything.

Nothing! Shit, if that vamp was lying to me�

Then she hears a noise, and ducks back down.

Two vampires emerge from the crypt, closing the gate after them.
One leans against the wall, lighting up a cigarette.

"You should quit those, " The taller vampire says to
the shorter one leaning against the wall.

"Right, because they're going to kill me?"� The shorter vampire cracks, blowing smoke in
the taller vampire's face.

"No, but they stink. And you stink, you know?"

"Well, you don't exactly smell shower fresh yourself, pal,
" The shorter vampire crinkles his nose. "When did you bathe last? At
the turn of the century?"

"Great, I get a comedian as a partner. Just shut up and finish
that stinking thing already." He looks around nervously. "I want to
get back inside."

"What's wrong? Afraid the Slayer will catch you?" The
shorter vampire sniggers.

"Ha, ha, funny. Look, she almost dusted me when we attacked
the school that time. Believe me, it's not something I want to repeat�"
The taller vampire stops, and listens.�
Then he relaxes. "Nothing. Crap. Why are we here, anyway?"

"You heard the man. We're supposed to guard Angelus. So, we
guard Angelus."

"Yeah, well, not like he's going to run away. Why don't we
just chain him up like before?"

"Well, duh, were you even listening, you coward? He wants
Angelus to escape�"

"Well, DUH, why not just leave and let him escape,
then?"

"Because, clueless, he doesn't want him to escape until
he's ready for him to escape, ok? Is that so hard to follow?"� The vampire drops the cigarette, and stamps
it out. "Anyway, do you really want to go up against him? Remember what he
did to Charlie and Louie�"

"N-No�" The taller vampire remembers all too well what
happened to his 'buddies' at the hands of Cornell Chase. "I just don't
like being exposed like this�"

"Oh get over it, would you? We only gotta wait a couple
more hours, then we're outta here� and there's those cute twins I was telling
you about. We can get to them before sunrise. I can almost taste them
now�"

There's a sound like a string being plucked by a bow.

"What the hell was that?" The taller vampire turns to
his companion.

Just in time to see his companion crumble to ash, and a stake
hit the ground.

"What the hell�"

Is all he gets out before he notices a large stake piercing his
own heart.

"Well, fuck me dead�"

He crumbles to ash.

Faith, seizing her chance, quickly rushes to where her stakes
are lying by the tomb, recovering them.�
She looks at the piles of dust, and smirks.

"Good thing I come packing�" She says, taking a stake
in each hand.

She crouches down, and putting her ear to the wall, listens for
any more movement.

Maybe because she was still distracted from earlier, but she
almost didn't sense the movement in the shadows. She almost didn't sense the
approach of figure that separated from the shadows in the doorway.

Almost.

"Son of a BITCH!" She yells, leaping to her feet and
plunging at the shadows, stake held high.

And then, her arm is caught by something strong. Very strong.

Awww, shit! Can't I catch a break?

"You know, this almost killing me is getting old,
Faith�"

Angel, worse for wear but a small knowing grin on his face,
emerges from the shadows.

"ANGEL!"

Then just as suddenly, the grip loosens on her wrist, and Angel,
feeling weak, falls to his knees.

4

Buffy stands in the darkened schoolyard, staring at the only
lights on in the school.

The lights shining through the library windows.

"They're heeeeere�" She mutters to herself in a sing
song voice.

Moving quickly, she moves around back of the building, looking
for some way to enter. She knows the front doors will be locked� but maybe
they left a back door open. I mean, they have to get out some way, right?

Buffy is on a mission.

After the scene at the Chase house, she is feeling just a little
angry.� She doesn't like one bit the way
Faith treated Cordelia.

That dykey bitch and me? We gotta have a little chat. Show
her the way the cows ate the clover, and all that crap� Buffy chuckles to
herself.

For some strange twisted reason only known to herself, Buffy
feels offended by what Faith did Cordelia. Despite her cynicism and
don't-give-a-crap attitude, she's developed a soft spot for her weird, older
half sister. Not saying I love her or nothing, but she's family. And no one
messes with my family�

She moves from door to door, finding each one locked. Damn,
you'd think they think someone would want to break into this place! She
grumbles, moving along the row of doors.

Just as she is about to break a lock and make her own entrance,
she finds one unlocked.� Looking at the
plate on the door, she grins.

LIBRARY, Room 101

Employee entrance only.

"Details," She mutters, as she slips through the door
and into the school.

* * *

Giles is upstairs in his office, putting an ancient book in his
briefcase. He needs to do some research, but decided to take the work home.

It's been a long, frustrating and somewhat tiring day. He's bone
weary, and frankly, he just can't stand being here any longer.

Mostly, he hopes to avoid seeing Faith again tonight.

The scene from earlier today again plays in his head, and he
knows that if he runs into her, it's just going to be repeat performance. He
really, really doesn't need more arguments about his judgment, or his
decisions.

I did the right thing, and it had to be done. Faith just has
to accept that!

So why does he feel unsure? Why does he feel guilty?

Sighing deeply, he lets himself out of his office, and locks the
door.

He's tired of feeling guilty. He's tired of all of it. Right now, he needs to
relax, and really needs the buzz a few scotches would give him.

He turns around, and almost has a heart attack.

A young woman is standing very close to him. She's smiling at
him.

"Hey. What's up?" Buffy says, brightly.

Giles staggers back against the door, groaning when the door
handle hits him in the back.

"Young lady, do you have any idea how �" Giles stops,
taking a breath. "What're you doing here? What do you want?"

"Hey, you ok?" Buffy asks, noting his pallor.
"You're not like having a heart attack on me, are you?"

"Sneaking up on people can have that effect, you
know," Giles says, trying to calm his thumping heart. "Again, I
repeat. What are you doing here? What do you want? The library is closed�"

"Oh gosh, really? You mean I can't check out a copy of War
and Peace tonight? And here I was looking forward to some light reading
tonight�"

"I think you should leave, now. I don't find you or your
attempt at humor amusing�" Giles' voice grows stern.

"Oh, get over it Mr. Belvedere�" Buffy says, standing
firm. "Look, lets cut to the chase, shall we?" She cocks her head to
the side. "I'm not here for a book�"

"Well, that really doesn't surprise me," Giles snaps,
growing more irritated.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Mr. Chips. Look, let's level
here. I know who you are. I know who your 'assistant' is. I need to have a talk
with her. Where is she?"

Giles stands there a moment, doing his best to push down the
anger he feels building in his chest.

"I'm sorry, Miss. But frankly, I'm not following you. I
don't have a clue as to what you're talking about, and as to my assistant, and
her location, I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Ok, were you even listening? I know who you are� let's see
if this jogs your memory�." Buffy looks heavenward, then begins to recite
from memory.

"In every generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the
world, a Chosen one, with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, and to
stop the spread of their�"

"Where did you hear that?" Giles has gone pale; paler
than before.

"Well, duh, from my watcher� when I became the
Slayer!"

"Miss� " Giles has to think for a moment. "� Miss
Summers?"

Buffy touches the tip of her finger to her nose, and points the
other one a Giles.

"Bingo, right on the first� well, not the first guess, but
close." She gives Giles a look. "Now, about that assistant of
yours�" She grins. "Or should I say, the other Slayer�?"

Giles doesn't get an opportunity to answer, because at that
moment the doors to the library burst open, and Faith runs in, looking a little
out of breath.

"Giles! GILES!" She shouts out, looking around.
"Where the hell ARE you? I found�"

She stops cold when she looks up and sees Giles standing by his
office, flanked by some girl.

Some blond girl

Some blond crazy psycho girl!!!

"Talk about your timing," Buffy says brightly, turning
around and looking down on Faith. "Just the girl I wanted to see!"

"What the HELL is she doing here?" Faith takes the
stairs two at� a time. "This is the
girl, Giles. This is the nut job I told you about!"

"So rude," Buffy says calmly, shaking her head.

"Pardon?" Giles, confused, looks at Faith, then at
Buffy.

"The psycho girl. The one at Cordelia's house. I told you
about her. She attacked me, tied me up, and then later, started screaming her
head off and attacked me and Cordelia!"

"Excuse me, but I remember it differently. You were
breaking into the house I was staying at, and I just �stopped you. And later, I
wasn't screaming, but you two came in and attacked me. That's how I remember
it�"

"Listen you little lying bitch�"

"Faith�" Giles tries to get between them.

"No, this bitch has a whole can of whoop ass due her. I am
so going to take her apart�"

"And yet, I'm the crazy one?" Buffy stands there, arms
folded across her chest, smirking.

"FAITH!"

"WHAT?"

"If you would calm down, please?"

Faith stands very still, and counts backwards under her breath.

"Ok, what?"

"I would like to introduce you to Miss Buffy Summers�"

"Giles, I really don't think�"

"� the other slayer�"

"WHAT?"

And once again, Faith's jaw seems determined to hit the floor.
She stares agog at Giles.

"What the hell are you talking about? Other slayer?"

"Well, actually," Buffy looks around casually, "I
think I'm the only real slayer here, then there's the psycho bitch�"

"That will be enough, Miss Summers."

"Just saying�" she trails off.

"Giles, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Ah yes, that�" Giles sighs. "Well, evidently,
when you had your accident a few months back�"

"You mean where Cordelia tripped me?"

Buffy giggles.

Both glare at her, and she subsides.

"Yes, and you died briefly�"

"She died?" Buffy's eyes go wide. Too bad it didn't
stick.

"Only for a minute�"

"Evidently that was enough. It seems that another Slayer
was called� Miss Summers here, to be precise�"

"Get out!"

"Excuse me?" Giles says.

"Get OUT. There's no way that the cover girl for Insanity
Fair is a slayer!"

"Sticks and stones�" Buffy says, sarcastically.

"I assure you, Faith, when Merrick, Miss Summers watcher,
came to me with this story, I checked it out. It's true. Miss Summers is
evidently, a second slayer�"

"I think of myself as number one. She is just living on
borrowed time�"

"Is that a threat?"

"I don't make threats!"

"Ok, that's it. I went easy on you last time, bitch. But
let's see exactly what kind of Slayer you are�" Faith goes into a stance.

"FAITH!"

"Well, well, I guess proof's in the pudding, huh?"
Buffy crouches, also. "So, Puddin', let's rumble!"

There is a sudden, and loud bang.

Both girls, startled, look at Giles.� He is flushed red with anger.

"THAT. IS. ENOUGH!"

Both girls look like they were caught smoking in the girls'
room. Both look at him, somewhat guiltily.

"Sit DOWN!"

Both sit.

"Aren't things bad enough around here, Faith, without you
picking fights with more people�?"

Faith looks remorseful, and Buffy smirks triumphantly.

"As for you, Miss Summers, we really don't need your
attitude at the moment."

Buffy looks at him, and the lowers her eyes.

"And we REALLY don't need any more fighting amongst
ourselves. Am I perfectly clear?"

"It's not my fault!" Buffy bursts out. "She
started it!"

"I started it? You started it the day you moved here, you
little�"

"BE QUIET!"

Silence, blessed silence.

"Now, Miss Summers. You said you came her to see my
assistant. May I ask why?"

"No, you may not" Buffy mocks him.

"Miss Summers, didn't we just talk about your
attitude?"

"Fine, fine, fine. I came here to whoop her dikey ass! She
attacked my sister!"

"There are more of you?" Faith snipes. "Look
here, Blondie. I don't know your sister!"

"The hell you don't! You've been sleeping with her. Or
maybe you've forgotten Cordelia already?"

Once again, Faith feels as if her world has been turned on its
head.

"You lying bitch! Cordelia doesn't HAVE a sister! She's an
only child! I know that for a fact�"

"Well, gee. Poor sis didn't even know I was her sister
until a week ago or so. So, you know, family and stuff, so weird�" She
stands up. "But if you think I'm gonna let some bitch like you attack my
family, I think you better think it again�!"

"Sit down, Miss Summers!"

"Excuse me? Who made you boss of me?" Buffy glares at
him.

"I am a member of the Watcher's council, and that makes me
your boss. Sit!"

Buffy grumbles, and then sits.

The phone rings in Giles' office. He looks at it, annoyed, but
it continues to ring.

"I'd best get that. As for you two� you will sit here,
quietly, until I return."

Faith stands. "There is no way I'm sitting looking at �
that� "

"Faith, sit down and stop acting like a child!" Giles
barks. He closes his eyes briefly, then opens them. "I will be right
back."

Both girls sit there, across from each other. Faces tight,
glaring.

"Let's cut the act, bitch. I know what you are, and maybe
you fooled that old fart in there�" She nods back at the office. "�
but I'm not fooled!"

"What the hell are you talking about, you insane�"

Faith doesn't get any further, because Giles returns to the table.

He stands there for the longest time, staring down at Buffy.

"What? What is it?" Buffy says, squirming under his
gaze.

"Giles, what is it?" Buffy sees his face, and it
worries her. It's ashen.

"It's about your watcher, Buffy," Giles voice is gentle.
"There's been an accident. I'm afraid �" he pauses.

"Mr. Merrick is dead."

To be continued.
- 33
- 34
- 35
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The Slayer