Author's Note: Looking through Adventures of a Line Hopper, I felt there needed to be a story that took place (from the Doctor's POV) between "Paradox" and "Date Night". The Doctor also mentions, in Elizabeth, that he'd dropped by the future and had made sure that Dawn was fine, so I needed that story, too. And there was a loose end that I really wanted to tie up after my 456 story (maybe I'm the only one who noticed). So I thought... let's smush them all together!
On an unrelated note, I need some good vampire names for my independent fiction. For both guy-vampires and girl-vampires. These are names that were chosen after they became vampires, that are divorced from their real names. Like "Spike" or "Dracula" (actually, more like Spike than Dracula; I'd rather not have any semblance of the old name). But it's gotta be terrifying!
If I like your idea, I'll use it!
Enjoy!
(Next up... Redemption!)
Before...
Faith first met the guy on a mission. Way back.
Hadn't even asked him his name, at first.
Not until everything had gone wrong, and the helicopter was swerving around, darting and dodging the tendrils of the Grionor Demon, as it flew through the air.
"Damn!" Faith shouted, adjusting her crossbow. "Can't line up the shot!"
"Where do you need to hit it?" The pilot called back.
"Heart," said Faith. "Under the third tentacle to the left."
The helicopter swerved, again. "That'd be the tentacle holding the great big club?"
"Got it in one."
The helicopter withdrew from the monster. Then dropped, suddenly, making Faith's stomach lurch.
"I'll see what I can do!" said the pilot.
As he carefully maneuvered the chopper up from below, dodging the kicking, clawing feet. So that Faith had the perfect shot.
Neat bit of flying.
And saved Faith's butt.
"You're pretty good at flying that thing," Faith said, when they were back on the ground. Tucked her hands into her back-pockets. "What's your name, again?"
"Todd," he said. With a smile. "Good to meet you, Faith."
Now
Faith should have known there'd be a good chance the Doctor was around. Before she'd ever shown up here.
She only knew for sure, though, when she heard the babble of a familiar English-accented voice, up ahead of her. Already in the exact spot where Ria had detected that unusual energy reading.
"…oh, very brilliant," the Doctor's voice said. "Astounding, as a matter of fact. Never thought a few Kelchops could construct a beauty like this."
Faith sighed.
The Slayer Institute had dealt with the Kelchops before. And after grinding them into the dirt, the Slayers had convinced the Kelchops to stop trying to take over the world, and live peaceful lives under the Institute's protection.
But then Elizabeth had shown up.
With Dawn and her friends — Ace, Shaun, and Donna — in close pursuit.
And after the havoc that Elizabeth had been wreaking, across the United States… no wonder the Kelchops were getting uppity, again.
"You'll see it keep happening," Dawn had warned them, when she was about to leave the Slayer Institute to continue chasing Elizabeth. "Ria's strategy almost killed Elizabeth. That means she knows Ria's a threat — and she'll be trying to stir up as many demons and monsters as she can, to distract you before you can stop her."
"So we'll stop her," said Ace.
Then they'd left.
That had been two weeks ago — and it was monster-central ever since.
"We know you, Doctor," one of the Kelchops snarled. "You have defied the Kelchops before! Your futile attempt to disguise yourself by changing your face has not fooled us!"
Faith crept forwards. And the Doctor, pinstripe suit and spiky brown hair, came into view. He whipped out a pair of glasses from his pocket, and stuck them on his nose. As he bent to peer down at the little gun-looking contraption that the Kelchops had constructed.
"No, really, it's brilliant," the Doctor continued. He reached out to touch a bit, as if in awe. "Is that real poly-bonded double-walled erlocium with a dash of—?"
The Kelchop nearest him grabbed the Doctor by the arm, and swung him away. The other Kelchops drawing out guns and pointing them at him.
"You will die, now, Doctor," the Kelchop leader said. "Our greatest enemy, crushed under the might of the Kelchop…!"
Faith noticed they weren't looking at the device, anymore.
And sprung into the air, doing a double flip and kicking out at the walls to increase her speed. She twisted around so she landed right in front of the device the Doctor had been examining.
And punched the button he'd been trying to press.
The whole device suddenly lit up in a dazzling array of colors and lights. The Kelchops turned to Faith, raising up weapons.
"Hold fire!" shouted the Kelchop leader. "You'll destroy the machine."
Faith turned. Examined the Kelchops in front of her. "Wanna get this thing back?" Shrugged. "You'll just have to fight me for it. Hand to hand."
They didn't move.
"Fine," said Faith, turning back to the device, and bending down to pick it up. "Finders keepers."
The Kelchop leader handed his gun to the Kelchop beside him.
Then barreled himself at Faith.
She noticed him out of the corner of her eye, and darted out of the way. Yanked out and caught his slimy arm with her hand, swinging him around and shoving him, hard, against a wall.
As the second Kelchop raced at her. And the third. And, soon, all the others.
And Faith launched herself into battle-mode.
Tearing, punching, and hitting each Kelchop in turn, using precise Slayer-style kicks to catapult them into one another. Set them off-balance, make them crazed with anger and rage so that they slipped up and let their guard down. Then Faith could go in for the killing blow — just below the right knee, like she remembered from last time these creeps had shown up.
The Doctor, meanwhile, had taken advantage of the distraction.
And raced over to the device. Poking and punching at it, until it gave a high-pitched whine. And all the lights died out, completely.
"No!" the Kelchop leader shouted, turning to see what the Doctor had done. It stepped away from Faith and the other Kelchops.
Then turned.
And fled.
"This is not over, Doctor!" the Kelchop leader shouted. "This is only the beginning!"
Faith had to disagree.
As she felled another Kelchop, and saw the remaining few survivors fleeing with their leader. Yeah, this fight was definitely over. No doubt about it.
She turned back to the Doctor.
"So — guessing you've got a better idea of what's going on than I do," Faith said. Crossed her arms. "What's…?"
She trailed off.
As she noticed the Doctor giving her a thunderous glare. His sonic screwdriver pointed at her, menacingly.
"It's over, Faith," the Doctor said. "Whatever you wanted this thing for… it'll never happen. Give it up."
Faith frowned.
She'd seen the Doctor a number of times since she'd started working for Ria and the Slayers. And she'd never seen him act like this around her. What could he…?
Hang on.
Time traveller.
Right. Gotcha.
"Hey, it's cool," Faith said, raising up her hands. "I'm on your side, now. Only bashed up those monsters to help you out."
The Doctor looked like he didn't believe her. His eyes flicking across the dead bodies of the Kelchops she'd destroyed.
Damn.
She forgot — he was all B-like and high-handed, not going in for death and destruction, even when it saved his life. He'd been Mr. Lecture on her the last time she saw him — with that Gixo Invasion in Florida.
Faith sighed.
"When was the last time you saw me?" Faith asked him.
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "You had some insane scheme," he said, "to feed Sunnydale to a giant snake. Then you snogged me. Then you tried to kill me."
Oh.
Okay.
That answered a lot.
"Changed, since then," Faith told him. "Prison. Some time with Angel. Helping fight off the First Evil." Shrugged. "Even helped save you from those unkillable vampires, few years back."
His thunderous expression faded, a little.
"Working for Ria and the Slayer Institute, now," Faith said. "Out here to save the world. Same as you." Turned around. "If you wanna stop sulking and help, could use it. Otherwise, knock yourself out."
She started walking away.
The Doctor soon caught up with her.
"That machine they built was a jumpstart motor," the Doctor said. "To start something a lot more powerful. That's what they meant, when they said it wasn't over."
Faith glanced back at him.
Now whirring around his sonic screwdriver, through the air.
"Nasty race, the Kelchops," said the Doctor. "Very territorial. Like to burn whole planets, long as they can claim those burnt husks as 'their property.'" He lowered the sonic. Checking the readings. "Rather not see what they'd do to the Earth, given half the chance. Is Seo around, anywhere?"
Faith did a double-take, thrown by the change in topic. "Seo?"
The Doctor looked up at Faith.
And there was something terribly hollow and empty in his eyes. A grief too powerful for words.
"Wanted to check on her," he said. "After I heard what happened to… her… mum."
This was a B-thing.
It was always a damn B-thing!
Ever since Buffy had died, it had been non-stop B-this and B-that. Drove Faith crazy!
"Who died in that portal, yeah," Faith said, bristling a little. "Happened a while ago. Not seen Seo anywhere. Think she ran away."
The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, as he turned and began walking in a different direction. "A while ago. Yes. Suppose most of you lot are over it, now." Glanced at Faith, who raced over to walk beside him. "Course, you, Faith Lehane, never cared for her much. Even at the best of times."
Faith shrugged.
Decided it was better not to answer this.
"Promised I'd keep an eye on Dawn, though," the Doctor said. "Last I knew, she was traveling around the universe with Seo. Then ran into her, bit in the future from this point, when she was palling around with Ace."
Ace.
Faith grinned.
"Liked Ace," Faith said. "Not squeamish about killing monsters. Told us stories about Daleks and baseball bats."
The Doctor gave a small, proud smile.
Said nothing.
Letting silence linger between them, as he took another reading on the sonic. And followed it.
"You're right," Faith cut in, suddenly. Not really sure why she was saying it, except she had to get it off her chest, somehow. "Never liked B. Annoying, preachy-preachy, goody-two shoes little princess. Tried to hide my resentment. Tried to get past it. But in the end…"
The Doctor glanced over at her.
"That sister of hers, on the other hand," Faith said. "Dawn. Love her. She's got guts."
The Doctor grinned. "Certainly does."
"If it were up to me," Faith went on, "Dawn'd be the one who's remembered, into the future, as the hero of the Slayers. And all the B-crap would just… go away!"
The Doctor answered with a dismissive wave, and a complex explanation about how time was more complicated than that, with B's story getting compounded in with all the stories from all the other heroes around this time, until eventually, she'd become remembered less like a hero and more like a god.
At least, in the Slayers' eyes.
Faith tried really hard not to let that get to her. Hurt, a bit, hearing how B was gonna get the credit for everything she had done with Ria and Dawn and the other Slayers.
"Don't wanna talk about this," Faith cut in, before the Doctor could continue. Grabbed his arm, to shove the sonic right in front of his nose. "Let's get tracing those Kelchops."
Before...
"—thinks she can just come back into our lives, any time," Faith fumed, fists clenched, "and we'll welcome her with open arms?!"
It was right after B had shown up, again, with her daughter. Right at the outbreak of the Demon Civil War.
Todd just sat, listening.
"Oh, and the kid!" Faith continued. "Don't even get me started on the kid. Strong as hell, but doesn't wanna fight. What did she think she was gonna learn in a combat class, huh?"
"Yeah," said Todd.
This was what Faith liked about him. Rant like this to anyone else at the Slayer Institute, and they'd start defending B, or accusing Faith of being jealous. They'd get on her case about it.
Todd listened.
Didn't judge.
"Sounds like she's not planning to come back here for a while, though," Todd put in. "That's something."
Faith gave a small grin. "Yeah," she muttered. "Guess it is."
Now
"Cor!" the Doctor gasped, as they bent over the edge of the railing, looking down at the waterfall below them. "Knew they were hiding out somewhere. Never knew it was here!"
"Didn't used to," Faith said, also peering down at it. "Used to be in Cleveland. Ria scared 'em off."
The Doctor glanced up. "Ria Hiskaloph! How's she doing, these days?"
"Pregnant, again," Faith said, with a shrug. "I don't think she and Mark ever sleep."
That wasn't the whole story, of course. When Ria had first announced she was pregnant, Willow figured out, in her mathy way, just when Ria and Mark had done the deed. Right after the 456 invasion failed.
Sounds like you two had one hell of a celebration over Earth's victory, Faith had told Ria.
Ria had coughed, a little. We were happy to be alive.
Yeah, real happy, Faith had said.
"She celebrated a victory," Faith muttered, to herself, as the Doctor checked his sonic screwdriver, again. "And never spared a second thought for the one person didn't save. The one she left…!"
She stopped herself.
Didn't want to think about it.
"About… halfway down the cliff," the Doctor announced, examining the readings. Leaned over the railing, and peered down. "Must be a cave behind that waterfall. Trying to use the hydro-electric power to create a massive surge, to make up for the startup motor we destroyed." Ran a hand through his hair. "If only we had some way to get down to…!"
Faith pulled two long grappling cords from her Slayer-Kit.
Dangling them in front of the Doctor.
He looked at them. His face breaking out into a huge grin.
"Oh, Faith!" the Doctor said, yanking one from her. "You are brilliant!"
Before...
Faith saw him, in the early morning light, when the 456 tried to invade. Watched him getting into the chopper.
"Hey," she said.
Shuffling a little, hands in her jacket pockets. Pretending she'd just happened to be walking that way — even though it was pretty obvious that everyone in their right minds was working on this kid-speaking-in-unison thing, instead of taking random walks.
Todd paused, before he got into the chopper. Grinned at her. "Here bright and early — and radiant as ever."
It was a lie, of course. Faith was anything but radiant. She'd been plagued by nightmares the whole night. Slayer dreams of impending disaster. She was almost relieved when she got the emergency call to check in to the Slayer Institute.
"Wanted to prove I could get up this early," said Faith.
Todd laughed. "You? Just assumed you hadn't actually gotten to sleep, yet."
Faith tried to laugh, too. But it sounded forced.
They just stood there, for a bit.
Awkward.
Not saying a word.
"So… yeah," said Todd. "Better head out." Nodded at Ria and Willow, waiting inside for him. "Mystical artifact to track down, and this chopper won't fly itself."
He turned, to climb into the cockpit.
"Just… don't do anything stupid," Faith called out.
He looked back at her. Gave a little salute. "Anything you say, Lehane."
Now
They were sopping wet, when they got into the hideout.
But just because the Doctor was shivering from being drenched in ice-cold water… didn't mean he'd actually shut up. He was talking the whole time they'd been climbing down here. And, now that they'd arrived… he was still talking. To the Kelchops.
Maybe all that chatter helped his species stave off hypothermia. Or something.
"…bit desperate," the Doctor was telling the many Kelchops pointing guns at them. "Having to resort to hydro-electric power."
Faith leaned in, her eyes on the alien machinery implanted into the walls of the cave. "Is it…?"
"Just what we suspected," the Doctor confirmed. "Hydro-electric power to start it up. And… end result? Burn Earth to a cinder." He raised his voice, so the Kelchops could hear. "With you lot still on it. Now, what's the point in that?"
"We will be safely in our ship," the Kelchop leader roared, "when the planet…!"
The Doctor sighed. "Oh, don't give me that," he said. "The components used to construct that rather impressive jumpstart motor were from your ship. Recognized the tech."
The Kelchops said nothing to this.
"You've got no way off this planet," the Doctor told them, "and no matter how territorial you may be, your race isn't big on kamikaze missions." He dropped his hands a little, to try to wring some water out of his hair. "So what's the real plan? Or… can I guess?"
The Kelchop leader growled.
But Faith figured there was no stopping the Doctor, now. He was really big on the showing-off-his-smarts thing. And no one could shut him up in mid-genius-streak.
"You didn't know your ship was out of order, when I first ran into you," the Doctor guessed. "But when you raced off, you found out the truth. Dodgy spare parts in your engines?"
The Kelchops grumbled.
But didn't deny it.
Faith guessed that sabotage was down to Elizabeth, too — she never helped someone without driving the knife into their back, later.
"Faith kept saying it was suspicious how easy you lot were to track, here," the Doctor pointed out. "And from the way she kept bracing herself for combat or shots while we were climbing down, I'd say she was expecting you to kill us before we ever made it to your base."
"Trap," Faith confirmed. "Gotta be."
"So," the Doctor concluded, stepping forwards, "since you're not killing us… and you let Faith stick by me, without trying to kill her… I'm guessing you lot want my ship."
Sure enough.
The very back of the cave burst into sudden illumination. Revealing a blue police box, nestled at the far end.
"You will give us the key to your ship, Doctor," said the Kelchop leader. He gestured at the Kelchops nearby, who surrounded Faith, pointing their guns at her. "Or the female human dies."
The Doctor seemed delighted with this.
"There! See! Right all along!" He practically bounced on his toes, with excitement. Winked at Faith. "Told you I knew what I was doing."
Faith gave the Kelchops a hard stare. "Think you can best a Slayer?" she asked. "Remember what happened, last time?"
"Your Slayer forces have been divided along many fronts," said the Kelchop leader. "You are alone, now." He stepped towards her. "One little human girl cannot hope to defeat a force as mighty as us."
Faith and the Doctor exchanged a knowing look.
Then turned back to the Kelchops.
"Guessing that means you've never heard the Slayer Mantra," said the Doctor. "In every generation, and all that." Gestured at Faith. "Care to tell them?"
"Rather show them," said Faith.
Darted forwards, punching one of the Kelchops in the ribs.
Then flipped through the air, out of the way of the shots they all fired at her, with their guns. Twisted herself around, so she could land just in front of the Doctor — who'd already dashed towards the machinery to do something clever.
Long as she was in front of the machine, they couldn't use guns. Or they'd risk hitting the controls. That meant it was hand-to-hand all over again — and that was Faith's strength.
"Out-fought by a girl, huh?" Faith said, kicking and striking at the Kelchops nearby, providing the Doctor with cover. "Bet you'll never live that one down."
She broke one of the Kelchop's arms.
And shoved another away.
"Hydro-electric power wound up being too slow for a great big bang!" the Doctor mused, as he started buzzing at things with his sonic screwdriver. "Just what I thought! And that means… I can…"
Faith ducked a punch from a Kelchop. Reached up and grabbed its fist. Twisting until something in its arm tore, and the creature howled in pain.
"How much longer do you need?" Faith asked the Doctor.
"Few minutes," the Doctor said, getting to work, frantically buzzing at things with his sonic and rewriting them fast as he could go. "Try not to kill them, if you can help it. Who'd you lose, by the by?"
Faith was so startled by the question, she almost missed the next swing by the Kelchop leader, and only just leapt out of the way. Delivering a flip-kick, in retaliation.
"I lost nobody," Faith retorted.
Grabbing an alien gun from the nearest Kelchop and cramming it down another one's throat.
"You said…" the Doctor shook out his fingers, as something inside the machinery sparked. "…Ria never spared a thought for… someone. Left behind. Friend of yours?"
Faith blocked a punch.
Then faked out one of the Kelchops running at her, so she could make a lunge for the Kelchop leader, who was racing towards the Doctor. Hurled him at the wall of the cave.
"Todd," said Faith. "Flew the Slayer Chopper, for a bit. Nothing special."
The Doctor didn't answer her.
And Faith, through the fighting, felt the weight of that silence boring through her.
Like an accusation.
"You can't get tied down, when you're the Slayer," Faith snapped, while delivering a spinning flip-kick to a Kelchop. "Lovers come and lovers go. You know how it is. Flings. Affairs. Boyfriend or two, in the middle." One of the Kelchops swung at the Doctor with a metal pipe, and Faith kicked it out of the creature's hands. "Not a one-man kinda woman, that's what I always said. But Todd… he was always there. Through everything. Everyone."
"Ah," said the Doctor. Buzzing something with his sonic.
The machine began to hum, strangely.
"Hey, it wasn't like you think," Faith snapped. "Just… friends, you know?"
She yanked a gun out of a Kelchop's hand, then rushed him, striking him with its butt along the back of his head.
"I mean, yeah, we had some fun, a few times," said Faith. "Friends with benefits. Didn't mean we were close. Doesn't matter what happens to him, or if he's locked up for life just because the government needs someone to blame for what happened with the kids. I don't care."
A crack, through the machine.
As the Doctor leapt to his feet.
And the Kelchops looked on, in horror.
"Doctor, what have you done?!" the Kelchop leader roared.
"Inverse implosion," the Doctor said. Checked his watch. "In about… five minutes, give or take. I'd start running, if I were you."
Then he grabbed up Faith by the wrist.
Yanked her behind him.
"TARDIS!" the Doctor cried, pulling her towards it.
With the wheezing groan of engines, Faith looked around the inside of the ship. Trying to take it all in.
"That's… I mean, this ship, it's… no way," Faith insisted. Measuring the inside dimensions of the small police box she'd seen so many times before. "Just… no way!"
"Bigger on the inside," the Doctor confirmed. Punching a few more buttons on the central console, to make sure they were well away. "Dimensional transcendentalism. Terribly clever. This 'Todd'… where is he?"
Faith snapped her head over. "What?"
"Well, we can't go on a rescue," the Doctor explained, "if I don't have a location."
Faith gave a nervous laugh.
Shook her head.
"Can't be serious!" she said.
But she was hoping he was. And she couldn't shake this buzzing feeling, deep down inside, whenever she thought… maybe this was for real.
Maybe she could actually save…!
"You did me a good turn, just now," the Doctor said, adjusting dials and levers on the console. "Only fair that I do you a good turn, back."
He raced over to the scanner screen.
"Lessee," he muttered, squinting down at it. "News reports… right around your time… aha!" He pointed at the scanner, which paused. "There we are. Todd Clyring. Suspected terrorist."
Faith's breath stopped in her throat.
And the Doctor noticed.
"Definitely the right one, then," he said, racing around the central console. Throwing the ship into motion. "Hold on!"
Faith just barely managed to grab onto the edge of the ship, as it shook. And she was nearly thrown to the floor.
"Gonna rescue him?" said Faith. Gave an uneasy shrug. "Yeah. Well. Bet he'll be happy."
The Doctor looked up at her, past the rising and falling column in the center of his ship.
And Faith swallowed, hard.
Looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "We're just friends," Faith insisted. "Not even. Doesn't matter to me what…"
"That's the thing," the Doctor cut in. "I was in Sunnydale, short time ago. 2001. And just thought… funny how you never realize quite how much someone means to you… until they're gone. And you start thinking of all the things you should have done, while they were still around."
Faith didn't answer.
"Something to think about, anyways," the Doctor said, turning back to the central console.
And slamming the ship into materialization.
No one at the Slayer Institute saw Faith for about two weeks, after she left to track down that unusual energy reading and face the Kelchops.
But when she came back… her face was glowing. The hints of a smile on her lips.
And no one could figure out where she'd been.
"Been busy," Faith answered them, pushing past everyone else. "None of your business."
"Are the Kelchops still a problem?" Xander pressed.
"Rustled 'em and bagged 'em," said Faith. "Two weeks ago." Waved a hand. "Told you. It's all—"
That was when everyone noticed the wedding ring on Faith's hand.
And realized where she'd been and what she'd been up to.
A two week honeymoon.
"She can't have…!" Vi gasped.
Faith turned away from them. A little shame-faced.
"She did," said Kennedy, no less shocked. "It's impossible, but… she did." Crossed her arms. "So who's the lucky guy?"
"Just… Todd," Faith muttered. "You know. Rescued him from jail. Did the President some favors, to get Todd a presidential pardon. Then Todd and I got talking and thought… why not? So we got hitched."
All the Slayers exchanged looks.
Still not quite sure they believed… that Faith… actually got…!
"Don't look at me like that," Faith said, turning away from them. "Or I'll deck you."
Then walked away.
Same as always.
But maybe… a little different.