TITLE: High stakes
AUTHOR: Theresa Verhaalen
SPOILERS: post-The Gift,
SUMMARY: Faith returns to Sunnydale, ready to accept her duties as the Slayer, but a few surprises await her.
ARCHIVE: Ask first
FEEDBACK: Always treasured with glee. Constructive criticism too, flames staked without mercy.
RATING: PG-13
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Follow-up to "Chosen." When the words are given in italics, it means that the character is thinking, not saying what is written. Faith knows about Spike's chip.
Another lone bus ride back into town. Faith felt surprisingly relieved that none of the people in and around the station seemed to recognize her. She needed time to gather her thoughts. While waiting for a cab, she bummed a smoke from a greasy-looking stranger.
Angel had been nice enough to give her some cash to tide her over, though Cordelia objected. It wasn't much, but enough to get her some food, and maybe a few days' lodging at one of the seedier motels around. The only clothes she had she wore on her back, but she planned to handle that sooner than later.
"Ya ready to go?" the cabby said. He had a wiry frame and way more hair than a person should.
"Sure," she shrugged, got in, and closed the door.
Though hungry, she decided to visit the cemetery first. After all, this was B's town, and she had to go pay her respects. It wouldn't be right not to.
It was late afternoon by the time she got there.
The gravestone was illuminated by the dappled shadows of a nearby willow tree.
Buffy Anne Summers
1981-2001
She saved the world a lot
Quite an epitaph. She pondered for a moment what hers would be "Rogue Slayer"? She kneeled a few feet from the grave, bowed her head and said a short prayer. For a long time, she just sat there mired in thought. Tears fell down her face, silently.
I don't know what to say, B. They tell me that I'm the Chosen One now. But I'm not ready to be your replacement. I never thought that I would be. Truth is, I was ready to go first. Who would miss me, right?
But I've decided that I will be here-for you, your friends and family. I want to be the Slayer I should have been. Stricken with grief, she touched the earth. "I want to be like you…a hero."
"So, you're the Chosen One, eh? Yeah, I forgot all about you." Spike swaggered towards her, his long black duster trailing behind like a shadow.
Faith stood, wiping the tears from her face. "What are you doing here?"
Spike stopped for a moment, leaning on a nearby mausoleum. He whipped out a cigarette, lit it, and continued. It was getting dark. "Protecting Buffy's grave from looters."
Faith let out a harsh laugh. "Right, and I'm Britney Spears."
"Oh, bugger! You haven't been around. Truth is, The family's more friendly with me than would be with you." He let out a long billowing exhale of smoke.
Faith crossed her arms. "Really? Aside from me being Miss Unpopularity,
you're William-the-Sodding-Bloody. Pray tell, how did earn their good graces?"
It was fruitless. Spike chucked the cigarette. "You've got a lot to learn.
First lesson, Buffy's not the only one." He grasped her elbow and forced her along. "Didn't see this, did you?"
Faith tensed. It was another grave, next to Buffy's. Joyce Summers.
Incredulous, she turned to Spike. "Joyce, too? How?"
"It was a brain aneurysm. Happened suddenly." He took her hand. "There's more. I'll tell you on the way."
"Great, I don't think I can stand now, much less walk." She slipped away from him.
"I've got wheels, luv." He jerked his thumb towards a tan sedan. Faith accredited it as Joyce's. They let him use her wheels? Good God.
On the way over, she learned about Dawn, the Key, Glorificus, and the battle that had taken her former friend's life. Eating was the farthest thing from her mind.
Evening, Giles' residence, Sunnydale U.
As she exited the car, Spike, grabbed her arm. "One more thing," his eyes flashed with intensity. "Be gentle with them-they've been through a lot. Don't talk to Dawn, she's the worst of the lot. Lost her sister and her mother, the only family she's ever known." Faith half-smiled. "Thanks. But I know that they're not going to be happy to see me. I can deal with it. Been in prison, remember?"
"One more thing-hurt them, and you'll have to answer to me, personally." With that, he drove off into the night.
Giles' dorm was situated in the faculty building, a larger older structure adjacent to the main dining hall of the University itself. His dorm was located at the end of the wing, beneath an arched doorway carved from sandstone. A single overhead light cast illuminated the darkness. Beneath his window, a phalanx of overgrown bushes pressed protectively, as if aware of her presence.
The campus was for the most part deserted, even towards the end of summer. It was eerily silent. The door to 1C was bolted, she could hear voices within.
Here it comes. Faith paused. She knocked on the door, smoothed her long dark hair. The door opened slightly. It was Buffy. She smiled broadly at Faith.
"Hello, would you like to come in? I'm Buffy. I'm good with weapons." The blond then opened the door further for the rogue Slayer.
"B-but I thought you were dead!" Faith started, her mind reeling with confusion.
"Uh…Buffy, who is that at the door?" Giles asked. Faith could hardly believe this. The door partially obscured the rest of the gang, but the previous noise level from within had diminished.
Buffy tilted her head, ridiculous smile still in place. "What's your name? I'm Buffy. That's Giles, he's my Watcher."
Stone-faced, she blurted,"Faith."
"What?" Giles' voice went up an octave.
Not taking the cue, Buffy allowed her in. Immediately, all eyes were on her. "What the hell did you do to her?" Faith demanded, eyes furious. So much for going easy on them.
Giles stood, advancing on his nemesis. "Who the hell are you, barging on in here?" His breath reeked of brandy.
Faith didn't reply then, just stared as Buffy walked purposefully into the kitchen. "How could you!" she spat.
"Oh, that's not the real Buffy. She's just a robot," Anya offered helpfully.
"Anya!" Xander launched into an argument with her.
Faith turned her attention back to the former librarian. "Giles, a few nights ago, the prison was destroyed. Something happened, I don't know. Demons came, ones I'd never seen before. I had a dream. I saw Buffy, what she did, how she…died." Her voice wavered. "I didn't want to believe it. I went to Angel, he confirmed my worse fears. They told me that no new Slayer was coming to Sunnydale. Wes-"
Giles could see what direction this was taking. "So, you think that you're the Chosen One?"
"Great! That would be like Saddam Hussein being called, wouldn't it?" interjected Xander. Faith remained steadfast. "I AM the Chosen One."
Giles slapped her face. "Get out!"
"Hey!" Anya objected, rising to her feet. "We need all the help we can get. Besides, it isn't her fault she was chosen."
"No, but it was her fault for betraying all of us every chance she could get!" Then, to Faith: "I said get out!"
She expected no less, but stood her ground. "I am not going away, Giles. Or Xander," she looked in his direction, noticing that Willow was absent. "Short of Buffy returning, and don't think that Buffybot can handle it. You think I wanted to come back here ? I knew the reception I'd get. I'll patrol on my own, you won't see me." With that, she grabbed a wooden stake lying atop a locked chest, and left.During the day, she was ensconced in Twin Oaks, a local motel, reading, eating, and surviving. Luckily, Angel privately funded her stay. She adopted a low profile in town, around the cemetery and any Scooby-friendly locales. Spike provided her with the inside information.
She even dared to make nightly rounds at the Summers residence, while watching the inane Buffy robot go about saving face for the household. She grew to appreciate the protective efforts of the gang. God knew where Dawn would be if the truth were to surface.
And…Dawn. She was strong, resilient, fiery, and still pretty naïve. Faith could hardly look at her without feeling guilty. She had seen a private moment between her and the fallen Slayer, it was so real, too real for her to think on long. No, she was better at action.
Faith plodded through the dimly lit cemetery, night casting its own shadows, devoid of moonlight tonight. It had been a rough time so far. Dark hair stuck to her face, her clothes were all muddied up from thrashing a horde of vamps.
Once again, she approached B.'s grave.
The ground was moist from a fresh rain. It was hard to tread silently in such a scenario.
Faith almost dropped her stake with what came next. A lone figure, darkened by the receding sunlight, kneeled forward, almost prostrate before the headstone, digging rapidly.
Immediately, she felt the familiar darkness, lack of a soul. A vampire.
"Turn and show yourself!" she shouted.
The vampire slowed at its task, then stood slowly, its back still facing Faith. As it emerged from the shadows, smoothing the dirt from muddied hands, she noticed it was female. She greeted the Slayer with a piercing gaze.
Drusilla. Her eyes glittered mischievously, she drifted closer.
"I was just taking a closer look at Daddy's little girl. Meant no harm," she grinned sadistically. Her hands flitted around like sharp knives, long vermilion nails dancing.
Stunned, Faith was glued to her spot. She tapped the stake against her right hip impatiently.
"Sorry, but desecrating a grave is a stakeable offense."
Dru regarded her quizzically. "Miss Edith whispers of the stars, ahhh, there is a new Slayer. Locked up tight, where noone can find you."
Faith bit her lip. Obviously a reference to her incarceration. This was enough.
She launched forward with an uppercut and a roundhouse kick. Dru fell to the ground, surprised, her flowing garnet dress now caked with dirt.
She frowned, then stared back at the rogue Slayer blankly. "Mummy expects a picnic." Then she rose, her full vampire's countenance emanating forth.
She lashed out at Faith, hurling her back. Deftly, the Slayer moved her stake up, but it pierced lower than its intended target. She drew her knee up and flung Dru aside.
"Boy you are a bag of insanity, ain't ya?"
Faith rolled over and leaped to a standing position. Now, she could tell, Dru was enraged. Most vamps didn't mind a good toss on the ground, but anything that sullied this one's femininity…teased out her anger.
"You little shite!" Dru growled and scratched Faith's face. She lodged a sidekick which sent Faith sprawling.
Feverishly, she searched for her stake. It lay a few feet away. When she looked up, Drusilla was gone.
Faith grabbed her weapon and took off running.