Stakeout

"Stakeout" belongs in Series 3 between "The Wish" and "Amends".

Disclaimer: Characters/concept belong to Joss Whedon. They are not my property, I just let my muses scuttle off into a corner with them for a couple of hours and this is what they returned with.

A/N: I'm thinking of writing this into a complete episode at some point, but I hesitate because I can't write action sequences. Do people think it'd be worth a go?
This is my first shot at a Buffy fic so if it comes out terribly... well, I'm sorry and I'll try harder next time.

A shower of dust rained down on the girls' shoulders as they slammed shut the aged and weather-crusted doors, Faith pressing heavily on them, struggling to hold them closed as Buffy wrenched a broken axe through the handles. They both put their backs to the doors, catching their breath, as the sounds of fists and weapons hammered on, just the other side of an inch of stone. Gradually the noises fell away, leaving only the slayers' breathing to colour the silence. Glancing sideways, Buffy exchanged a look with Faith and simultaneously they slid away from the door. Nothing. Faith shrugged and stepped forwards to take the makeshift wedge out of the handles. But no sooner had the axe scraped lightly against the door when something crashed against it from the other side. The ferocity of the blow sent Faith reeling, landing her on the ground at the bottom of the crypt's steps. The axe, still hooked in place, looked -for a second - as though it might give, but by whatever luck or miracle it stayed where it was and in one piece. As the door stopped shuddering, Buffy jammed the axe more firmly into place before jogging down the steps to Faith's side, the younger girl having picked herself up off her back, dusting cobwebs and who knew how many years of grime off her.

The banging continued for a minute or so, with both girls tensed to meet an invasion, but it died away without impact. The slayers exchanged looks. They weren't going to try that door again for a while. In an unspoken consensus, they turned and began to inspect the crypt. Buffy looked up at the high barred windows. Ornamental building, she guessed; why would it need windows? Wasn't like anyone in here was going for a tan. Faith was checking the ground for trap doors or panells that might let them out. It was useless, it seemed. They met at the back of the small stone room, both without report. "Nothing."

Faith responded with the well-affected superiority she so loved and an expression of 'no shit'. "Yeah, crypts aren't generally built for their easy access and efficient fire exits. Guess we just have to try the door again." She had no sooner started for it before there was another crash from outside. Testing the defences, it appeared, because none followed it.

"I don't think we're getting out of here tonight." Buffy sighed and pulled off her jacket, looking about for the cleanest bit of floor she could find. "We'll have to stay here until sunrise, then we can leave."

"You assume those things'll be gone by Dawn. Those weren't vampires, Buff. I'd'a thought the horns and wicked gross slimy stuff was enough evidence for even you." Buffy said nothing. She didn't assume. She hoped, because if they weren't she hadn't got a plan for getting out. She kept her eyes on the floor, refusing to meet Faith's incredulous stare.

"Well, the vamps'll be gone at least. I'm willing to wait for better odds." Finding the space with the fewest cobwebs, she dropped down on it, spreading her jacket over herself, pillowing her head on her arms. She missed Faith's quiet 'I'm not." Almost a minute went past before it occurered to her that Faith had not followed. She sat up a little and found the brunet pacing up and down like a caged tiger. "Faith..." She started to tell the girl to lie down and go to sleep, but when she turned around expectantly, Buffy found it felt useless. No point picking fights if she had to be cooped up with her for God knew how many hours. "Night." She finished stupidly.

"Night."

Faith did make some attempt at sleeping eventually, but it was half-hearted and unsuccessful. Buffy listened to her shifting and shuffling and twitching and stretching until she thought she was going to have to knock her out to keep her still. It might not be easy knocking out a slayer, but desperation might just do the job. A silence, of the kind that did not come with eyes drifting closed and softened sleep-dulled breathing, told Buffy any pretence at rest had been given up as futile. She felt an echoing resignation in her gut, but ignored it, in the hope that it was go away. She kept her eyes clamped firmly shut.

"B, I'm too jazzed to sleep." The brunet rolled over, wide brown eyes fixed imploringly on Buffy. The blonde might have her eyes shut, but she could feel the insistent tug of that gaze. "B..." God, that whine! So much for Faith the Big Bad Slayer; she was like a child! With a groan of exasperation, Buffy rolled over so she faced away from Faith; maybe if she thought she was asleep... "Buuuuffy..." Damn. The blonde felt fingers crawling up her spine. She stayed tense and motionless, right up until the fingers - now making their descent - started to creep around her waist.

"Faith!" She sat up sharply, knocking the jacket off her shoulders and glared at the girl - who grinned playfully in reply, having succeeded in her challenge. "Let me sleep!" A giggle. But a Faith-like giggle - low and somehow metallic, like a rose with an edge on it.

Faith was lying on her back, her own jacket rolled up beneath her head. "And let you Rest In Peace, you mean?" She glanced at their surroundings, turning back with a smirk. "Good one, B." Buffy rolled her eyes and sank back down onto the crypt's stone floor - this time yanking the jacket right up over her head. She was just cultivating a nice doze when her ears twitched at the sounds of Faith rising to her feet with an inappropriately energetic spring, and the scuff of denim against skin as she pulled on her jacket. "Well, don't know about you, B, but I'm not ready for a nice damp grave yet. And I suspect there are some things around here that could do with turning to dust right about now, so if you'll excuse me..."

No thought left for sleep, Buffy scrambled upright and crossed the short space separating her from the door, and Faith. As the brunet tugged on the heavy stone bar that bolted the doors shut, she found Buffy's hand restraining it. With a rough sigh, she shoved the bar back in to place, with a force that had Buffy whipping her fingers away before they could get caught. "Faith, what are you doing? You can't go out there!" Faith hung her shoulders, swinging around to face the other slayer with an look of frustrated disappointment.

"Buff, listen. " She paused waiting for her to do so. There was only silence. "There's nobody out there. The vamps are long gone. No point us wasting away in here while they're finishing whatever the Hell we interrupted. We should be out there kicking some undead ass."

Buffy was unaffected by the speech and her face remained grim and resigned. "Faith, we don't know what's out there. It could be anything..." The girl didn't seem convinced. "Look, what if it's a trap? You're just going to walk into it?"

"Well, I can't just stay here. I'm going crazy already." As argument seemed to be failing her, the enticing grin returned. She unwound her muscles silkily, like a cat - you could almost see the claws flexing. "C'mon, B, I've got energy to burn here!" Buffy sighed. If Faith didn't drop this, they were both going to go insane; Buffy couldn't put up with this until dawn - checking her watch out of the corner of her eye and seeing with dismay that it was only midnight. She couldn't look at those impishly pleading brown eyes anymore so she scanned the dark crypt again. The windows looked like the only way they were getting out before day. With the cold resentment of sleep-deprivation, she reached her fingers up to the crumbling sill and put a foot to the wall. Faith stayed below, watching, with the look of a shark waiting for the swimmer to jump. Skin itching with the feel of that liquid brown gaze on her shoulders, Buffy started to climb...

A/N: So... will they get out? Will they be stuck? Will whatever the wicked gross slimy things are be gone? Gads, so many questions. I really shouldn't try to do old-fashioned voice-over suspense should I? Oh well. Read and review if you'd be so kind. More coming on this soon. Ta ta for now, my lovelies.