Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Dark horse etc. and whoever else own the rights that I wish I owned. I make no money from anything since I'm homeless and unemployed.
Unlike really great writers such as bkitty and Electra126, I never really know where a story is going to take me. I start with a basic idea and let the characters lead the way. So I was tinkering with Fork in the Road and this is what I came up with.
Alternate Fork
Chapter 1
by justagrump
The petite blonde opens the door and waves a hand in front of her nose at the cloud of smoke escaping from the noisy bar. The many times repaired jukebox in the corner belts out an old Led Zeppelin track. A chorus of loud cheers and low groans follow close on the clack and thump of billiard balls falling into hard leather pockets in one corner of the hazy room. She can't quite suppress the lopsided grin and shake of her head as she makes her way past the bodies and tables scattered about the place.
The low throaty voice filtering through the smoke-filled air causes her eyebrows to raise slightly. "Thanks boys. And just so's there's no hard feelings, next round is on me, k?"
Two brunette's weave their way towards a tall table to reclaim their bottles of beer. The taller of the two gets the attention of a passing waitress and orders another round before turning back to the conversation of her companion. The relaxed smile and easy laughter make her seem younger than her years. A practiced hand lights a cigarette and she inhales deeply.
"That last shot looked impossible, Faith. I can't believe you made it and I was watching the whole time."
"Been playin' pool since I was knee-high to a beer keg and I'm tellin' ya Ken, it's all in the angles. Shootin' pool's no harder than taking out a vamp nest at high noon. Know what you're doing and its money in the bank."
Kennedy spies the little blonde approaching the duet and breaks out in a rare, cheerful grin as she approaches. "Buffy, you finally made it! You should have seen it. Faith was awesome tonight. She really kicked ass!"
The elder Slayer does nothing to keep the sneer from her lips or the contempt out of her voice. "Wow, and there's not even a single body to hide. Color me impressed."
Faith finishes the last of her beer to hide the flinch at the harsh words from the older woman. She drops a couple of twenties on the table as the waitress arrives with the fresh round of drinks.
She hooks a thumb over her shoulder as she addresses Kennedy. "I'm gonna go hit the can and then head out. Catch ya back at the house, k? Sherry, keep the change." Faith had worked plenty of crap jobs herself and knew that waitressing in small town bars didn't pay well so she always made certain to tip as well as she could.
As she heads out Kennedy calls to her, "Hey Faith, what about your beer?" but the only response is the wave of a hand before she disappears down the back hall. The young brunette slides the unoccupied beverage in front of her. "Waste not, want not I guess."
Resentment and anger cloud Kennedy's face as she eyes the small blonde standing rather uncomfortably across the table from her. She had been looking forward to spending some quality bonding and drinking time with Faith all day and instead ends up with Miss Holier Than Thou. "So what's the deal, Buffy, busy night?"
"No, not really. Kinda slow out there actually. Just another routine patrol. Why do you ask?"
"You knew that Faith has really been looking forward to this pool tournament tonight. The least you could have done was show up to cheer her on!"
Buffy holds up her hands to fend off the accusation. "Whoa, slow down a minute, Ken! What are you talking about? What pool tournament? I didn't know anything about it until just now."
"What the fuck, Buffy? Faith's been going on about it for weeks now. Where have you been?"
"Faith hasn't spoken more than two words to me since she showed up at the door three weeks ago. You've seen her, Ken. Every time I enter a room, she leaves. Whenever we're supposed to patrol together she gets somebody else to go in her place. She won't train with me. She won't even go to the same store if I'm going! So no, I didn't know anything about any tournament!" Buffy throws her arms up in frustration at the end of her rant.
"Well if you weren't so busy being such a bitch whenever she is around maybe she wouldn't feel the need to disappear all the time. What I don't get is why she puts up with it. Everybody knows she's the better Slayer and could kick your ass all the way back to Sunnydale. We've all heard the stories, Buffy. Everybody knows what went down between the two of you. And you know what? We don't care! Everybody screws up, it proves we're still human. Even you. At least Faith is trying to change!"
"Hey! I know I'm not perfect Kennedy, you don't have to keep reminding me. Faith killed a man and hurt people who I love. I will never forgive her for that."
"Three words, Buffy." The feisty brunette follows each word with an upraised finger, " Angel, Spike, Willow."
"They're different, Kennedy, and you know it!"
"It always is, isn't it, Buffy? It's always different when it's someone you love annd care for. Whatever. I'm outta here." With that, the brunette pushes off from the table and heads out into night.
Kennedy is half way down the street before the furious blonde Slayer manages to exit the bar. Being so angry that you can't see or think straight can make it hard to find the door. Spying the younger woman as she passes beneath a street lamp, Buffy takes off after her. The adrenaline boosted Slayer quickly catches up to her target. Reaching out, she grabs an arm and spins the rebellious woman around.
Shaking with barely suppressed anger Buffy lets out a low growl. "You don't get to do that! You don't get to have your say and then just walk away. Try that again and I will beat you down!"
Kennedy just couldn't pass up a challenge. She had always wanted to know how she measured up to the Chosen Two in an all out fight and here was a chance to satisfy that curiosity. With a naked sneer of contempt she utters six more words. She chose them because she knew the story behind those words and the effect they would have on the other woman.
Kennedy smirks in victory as Buffy's face blanches a pale white. She has always had a knack for finding and pushing peoples buttons and the woman before her had so many it was almost too easy. The snarl of pure rage reaches her ears milliseconds after the lightning one-two combo meets her face. The crunch of her nose being flattened by the right fist and the shattering of her right cheekbone by the left fist are the first clues that she might have stepped a little too far over the line this time. A powerful jab to the solar plexus that doubles her over and the knee coming up to meet what remained of her face only confirms Kennedy's stunned observation. The sharp crack of skull meeting concrete puts the exclamation point to her last thought before unconsciousness takes her away from the sudden flare of excruciating pain, the same last thought that hundreds of vampires and demons had had over the years.
"Oh Shit!"