"I love you."
"No you don't."
"Buffy, we have to get out of here!"
- - - - - -
"Bloody hell!" Spike yelled as he picked himself up off the floor. He was in a strange room that was all white. Then he noticed his duster was the same color. "Wha..."
A figure materialized and walked toward him. "William the Bloody, aka Spike, recently known as Guardian."
Spike stuck his hands in his pocket, and smirked. "Since when did I call myself Guardian?"
The figure stopped short of him. "You didn't. We did. By gaining your soul, even if it was for the purpose of giving a slayer what you thought she needed, it was still a protective act. However, you wore the name Guardian the day you decided to protect Dawn. The soul just added to it."
Another figure appeared by the first. "The name is Whistler, and your life just got interesting."
"Kinda hard to have an interesting life when I gave it up."
The two looked at each other then back at Spike. "The Powers that Be would agree with that, except they are basically middle management. The owner on the other hand makes the policies. As for that silly detail about a goddess empowering the one female in all the world... well, the Watchers Council has been well known for getting things wrong before. However, He won't quibble till they come before Him. The Slayers have their duty after all."
"So what's the job mate? I assume you aren't here to make small talk."
"One thing needs to be changed, though it will not affect any of the major battles that Buffy and your other self will go through."
"And that is?" Spike started patting his pockets for cigarettes.
Whistler spoke again. "Faith. There are many reasons why she's reacted the way she has in the past. Why she can't get close to anyone, or why she can't trust. It's been decided that you should go back and change that, as a human with the strength you had as a vampire."
"Well, send me already then."
Whistler grinned. "As you wish Guardian. You will find an ID and cash, as well as a drivers license and check account. Also, as a fringe benefit, you are allowed to walk into the sun whenever you want. You will be human after all. Good luck." Whistler got ready to send him, then snapped his fingers. "By the way, you will not look like yourself or have the name you're used to. Also, you will be protected from any supernatural attacks. Faith needs you."
The other figure spoke. "There is one thing. You may do whatever you wish short of killing the person you will find with her."
"Wait, where will I find them?" Spike yelled as he faded.
"You will know, Spike."
- - - - - - -- - --
The whimpers would have been heartbreaking to anyone who heard them. But Faith was used to being ignored. She endured as always. If she hadn't been staring off into space, she would've seen a brown haired man in a black coat appear behind her father. She was surprised however to see Papa slammed head-first into the wall followed by being pounded mercilessly about the head and between the legs.
"Bloody hell, stupid bastard. You piece of crap!"
Whistler stood outside and smiled sadly. He looked at Joyce Summers spirit. "Now the one you always wanted to adopt into your family will be safe. Or as safe as a slayer ever can be in this world." He sighed. "Once our friend is finished, I think Faiths father is going to be spending the rest of his life as a vegetable. He'll be fully aware of everything around him, but unable to speak or move. It's the only punishment closest to being what he's done to her. As for Spike, he won't be arrested and the adoption will go through without any problems."
"As long as she heals."
"With an overprotective father like him, how could she not?" They both faded away, on to their individual tasks that they'd been set.
"No you don't."
"Buffy, we have to get out of here!"
- - - - - -
"Bloody hell!" Spike yelled as he picked himself up off the floor. He was in a strange room that was all white. Then he noticed his duster was the same color. "Wha..."
A figure materialized and walked toward him. "William the Bloody, aka Spike, recently known as Guardian."
Spike stuck his hands in his pocket, and smirked. "Since when did I call myself Guardian?"
The figure stopped short of him. "You didn't. We did. By gaining your soul, even if it was for the purpose of giving a slayer what you thought she needed, it was still a protective act. However, you wore the name Guardian the day you decided to protect Dawn. The soul just added to it."
Another figure appeared by the first. "The name is Whistler, and your life just got interesting."
"Kinda hard to have an interesting life when I gave it up."
The two looked at each other then back at Spike. "The Powers that Be would agree with that, except they are basically middle management. The owner on the other hand makes the policies. As for that silly detail about a goddess empowering the one female in all the world... well, the Watchers Council has been well known for getting things wrong before. However, He won't quibble till they come before Him. The Slayers have their duty after all."
"So what's the job mate? I assume you aren't here to make small talk."
"One thing needs to be changed, though it will not affect any of the major battles that Buffy and your other self will go through."
"And that is?" Spike started patting his pockets for cigarettes.
Whistler spoke again. "Faith. There are many reasons why she's reacted the way she has in the past. Why she can't get close to anyone, or why she can't trust. It's been decided that you should go back and change that, as a human with the strength you had as a vampire."
"Well, send me already then."
Whistler grinned. "As you wish Guardian. You will find an ID and cash, as well as a drivers license and check account. Also, as a fringe benefit, you are allowed to walk into the sun whenever you want. You will be human after all. Good luck." Whistler got ready to send him, then snapped his fingers. "By the way, you will not look like yourself or have the name you're used to. Also, you will be protected from any supernatural attacks. Faith needs you."
The other figure spoke. "There is one thing. You may do whatever you wish short of killing the person you will find with her."
"Wait, where will I find them?" Spike yelled as he faded.
"You will know, Spike."
- - - - - - -- - --
The whimpers would have been heartbreaking to anyone who heard them. But Faith was used to being ignored. She endured as always. If she hadn't been staring off into space, she would've seen a brown haired man in a black coat appear behind her father. She was surprised however to see Papa slammed head-first into the wall followed by being pounded mercilessly about the head and between the legs.
"Bloody hell, stupid bastard. You piece of crap!"
Whistler stood outside and smiled sadly. He looked at Joyce Summers spirit. "Now the one you always wanted to adopt into your family will be safe. Or as safe as a slayer ever can be in this world." He sighed. "Once our friend is finished, I think Faiths father is going to be spending the rest of his life as a vegetable. He'll be fully aware of everything around him, but unable to speak or move. It's the only punishment closest to being what he's done to her. As for Spike, he won't be arrested and the adoption will go through without any problems."
"As long as she heals."
"With an overprotective father like him, how could she not?" They both faded away, on to their individual tasks that they'd been set.