Episode 1e (Interlude):
"Days of Futures Not"
by Ironbear
Starring:
Elisha Dushku as "Faith"
Anthony Stewart Head as "Rupert Giles"
Nicholas Brendan as "Alexander 'Xander' Harris"
Charisma Carpenter as "Cordelia Chase"
Alyson Hannigan as "Willow Rosenberg"
Seth Green as "Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne"
Guest Starring:
Assumpta Serna as "Lirio"
Jason Hall as "Devon MacLeish"
Tyrone Benskin as "Nkuyu Lungombe"
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." - Maria Robinson
Chapter 1: All the Right People -
Thursday September 3, 1998; Chase family vacation cabin at Lake Cachuma, late afternoon/early evening.
Wandering through the four bedroom, two story plus loft log vacation house with Cordelia and Xander, Faith found herself struck by a deep sense of... 'envy' wasn't quite the right word, she decided. 'Want' was closer to the mark, and it was a want that 'take' and 'have' couldn't fulfill. This place was so far from the Southie brownstones she'd grown up in and around that it might as well be on another planet. Ditto for the lake, deep woods, and mountains backdrop... not that there weren't woods, mountains, and lakes in Massachusetts, but there was a difference to these that she couldn't put a name to.
Not envy. By now, Faith knew enough about Cordelia's family and the hidden loneliness and alienation that went along with her wealth and status that she wasn't even remotely tempted to envy the cheerleader any of it.
Want, though, definitely. This was the kind of place she'd like to have one of these days for herself, maybe in one of the real mountain states like Colorado. Glancing at the cheerfully bickering Cordelia and Xander, these were the people she wanted to share it with, also, she realized.
She didn't have the slightest clue how to go about it, but at least she had a goal. Hiding a grin, she moved up to join the other two.
With a bemused expression, Xander was looking over the glass fronted rifle cabinet in the lower floor game room and den. "Your dad really is into shooting, huh?"
"Look, don't touch, Dork," Cordelia sniffed, looking bored. "Or at least... touch careful like," she amended, opening the case. "Daddy brings clients and business contacts up here in the fall for entertainment in hunting season," she said. "It's more a tax write off for him than a real vacation home."
There was something about the emphasis Cordy put on 'entertainment' that drew a sharp look from Faith. 'Read: booze, schmoozing, and loose babes for entertainment, with hunting on the side,' Faith thought, 'And I'll bet I know what caused the haughty sniff and the way-too-bored expression there.' Not for the first time, she felt a pang of sympathy for the socialite.
Judging by the sympathetic look, quickly hidden, that Xander threw his girlfriend, she wasn't the only one that caught the subtext. Only a slightly uncomfortable hunch of the shoulders betrayed his understanding as Harris hid it under conversation.
"Hunting? I thought all of this was State or National Park lands?" Xander asked, giving Cordelia a sharp look.
"Other side of the lake," Cordelia made a vague wave. "This area's National Forest - different rules apply."
The blank look betraying that the distinctions between 'National Park' and 'National Forest' were lost on him, Xander gave her a knowing nod as he passed his hand lightly over a custom bolt action rifle, not quite touching the gleaming finish. "Nice," he remarked. "All custom work or rare stuff," Xander noted, running an apparently practiced eye over the selection.
"Nothing but the best for Daddy," Cordelia said. She flipped hair out of her eyes with a practiced toss of her head. "There's a couple of .22's at the back - we can take them out to the cove tomorrow afternoon and do some shooting where there's a backstop."
"Cool," Faith said. She slipped in between the two, putting an arm around each of their waists. "Pool tables, big screen TV in every room, bar, stocked fridge and freezers, gun cabinet - you leave this place open for looters all year round?"
"The caretakers live in one of the houses we passed on the way up," Cordelia said. "They keep an eye on the place all year, and take care of the stock. And not too many people come way up here - almost all of the tourists and summer people stay to the marina side of the lake."
"Speaking of stock... " Xander said, a half smile crossing his lips.
"Faith wants to see the horses," Cordelia said, grinning. "I know."
"Damn straight," Faith returned the grin with interest. "Can look at weapons any time," she remarked.
"We still have plenty of time before it gets too dark," Cordelia said. She considered for a minute or so, "They should all be out by the front pond at this time of day. Let's go down to the pasture."
...
Thursday September 3, 1998; Santa Barbara, Lirio's Mystical Items, late-afternoon/early evening.
"So," Lirio studied the dregs in her teacup briefly before pouring them both refills. "This young woman and her friends took it upon themselves to assist your Slayer, then?"
"My former Slayer, actually," Giles said, wincing slightly.
Catching the slight wince, she gave him a sympathetic glance. "She died, then?"
"No. Or, rather, we're not completely certain," Giles said. He shot her an apologetic glance and a small smile, "Apologies, I know that that makes things as perfectly clear as the bottom of the Thames." Taking a deep breath, he added, "I'll just say that she... encountered something which was something of an irresolvable conflict between her slaying duties and her personal preferences and once it was resolved somewhat, she left abruptly."
"Ah."
"Yes. Quite," Giles said. "Since then, her friends have taken it rather upon themselves to assume slaying duties upon the Hellmouth, and more recently, to assist the new Slayer."
"New slayer?" Lirio gave him a sharp glance that betrayed more than just a touch of confusion. "It was my understanding from the lore that... "
"A new Slayer is only Called when the former one is deceased?" Giles chuckled slightly. "Yes, that is usually the case. However, there is very little that is 'usual' about my experiences with Buffy Summers and her rather unorthodox group of associates."
"I see," Lirio said, giving him an encouraging look.
"The Slayer did die a couple of years ago," Giles explained. "However, it was temporary - she was revived via CPR, and another was Called. That one was... murdered, and her successor showed up on our doorstep some months ago following Buffy's departure."
"Two Slayers, then," Lirio said, nodding. "You are correct; there is very little that is 'usual' about the situation."
"Quite," Giles said, chuckling again. "Our new Slayer is also a bit... unusual. She managed to impress upon me that if her new friends are to continue to assist, then it rather behooves me to see that they have enough training to successfully survive doing so."
"She sounds like an interesting young woman," Lirio stated.
"You have no idea," Giles replied. "'Interesting' is somewhat of an understatement." Giles laughed softly, looking down into his teacup, "I've seen small cyclones have less impact than she has had upon our little group."
"Which should bring us back to your proposed student for me," Lirio suggested.
"Yes, rather," Giles said, nodding. Removing his glasses, he gave her a direct look. "Willow Rosenberg is a bit of a problem for me, I'm afraid. While she isn't a 'natural' or hereditary witch, unlike another young woman of our acquaintance, she is possessed of a great deal of potential power and ability. And, unfortunately, while I have a great deal of magical knowledge and theory, her potential ability outstrips my own by enough that I fear I am unable to instruct her adequately."
"Hmm," Lirio frowned slightly. "While a majority of true witches do inherit their talents, wild talents do occur on occasion. And they can often be quite powerful."
"Yes," Giles said, nodding again. "Couple that with coming into those powers atop the Hellmouth, and... "
"You have a situation that is a bit ripe for disaster, if I may be allowed an understatement," she replied. "While magic tends to be neither good nor evil in and of itself, the ambiance of the Hellmouth and similar areas is heavily aspected enough to corrupt even trained practitioners." Cocking her head slightly, she gave him a direct look and asked, "Has Willow had any training at all in her abilities?"
"Some. She was training under an associate of ours for a time, a Jenny Calendar," Giles stated. "However... Jenny died rather abruptly, and since then, Willow has been attempting to learn on her own."
"You didn't attempt to continue her training yourself?" Lirio gave him a sharp glance.
"I was, err, rather distracted at the time," Giles admitted, wincing slightly. "And for some time afterwards, I must admit." Replacing his glasses, he blinked at her.
"I see... " Giving him a thoughtful look, Lirio nodded after a time. "Very well. Bring Ms. Rosenberg up to meet me soon, if you would. I would like to meet her and speak with her before making a firm decision."
"Quite," Giles said. He gave her a grateful look. "That would be most acceptable." Pausing for a moment, he said, "It will be several days before I can make arrangements to do so. I must return to Sunnydale tonight and make preparations for leaving again to take care of some business elsewhere in California. I fear that that may take me the better part of the remainder of the week."
"No problems," she gave him a warm smile. "When you are able to arrange it, call me." Removing a business card from a small box near the table, she slid it across to him. "I am usually here, unless I have to leave for a buying trip, in which case you can leave a message for me with my assistant."
"Thank you so much," Giles said. Nodding, he slipped the card into his breast pocket before rising from the table. "I must warn you: in addition to her interest in magic, young Willow is possessed of a very scientific bent of mind. I fear that I haven't completely been able to impress upon her that unlike the sciences and her computers, magic doesn't always obey logical and causal rules." He paused, adding, "And she can be quite willful in disbelieving warnings about the dangers of anything she becomes interested in."
"That is often a problem with today's young people," Lirio said, laughing softly. "Never fear, it is not an insurmountable difficulty." Growing slightly thoughtful, she inclined her head, "My current student, Sarah, has had some recent experiences with abuse of power as well. It may be that she can help to impress upon Willow the dangers of power without discipline."
"One certainly hopes," Giles said. "Thank you for the lunch and tea - it was most lovely. I must be off now, however... I fear that I have a great deal to do over the next several days."
...
Thursday September 3, 1998; Chase family vacation cabin at Lake Cachuma, late afternoon/early evening.
The 'front pond' turned out to be what looked like several acres of green, tree dotted pasture surrounded by white slat style fencing with a large man made lake in the end nearer the house. There was another smaller pond off to the back end and a small cluster of various colored horses grazing lazily under some trees near the forward lake.
"Pretty," Faith leaned on the top rail of the pasture fence, resting a foot on the bottom rail and looking out. "Didn't know you meant 'herd' when you said 'horses'." Herd might be an overstatement - it was only six - but it was still more horses than Faith had ever seen in one place outside of a western movie.
"That one's Keanu, the golden looking one." Cordelia pointed, "Blooded Palomino Morgan... He's mine - the rest are Daddy's."
"Pretty. That one looks like the Duke's from Rio Bravo," Faith said, indicating the one she meant.
"The Appaloosa?" Xander asked.
"That what the spotted ones're called?" Faith gave him a curious look and he nodded. "Yeah, the Appaloosa, then," she said. "Not quite the same, but it's close."
Xander gave her his quirky half-grin. "I kinda like the big gray over there," he pointed to a black maned and tailed dappled looking horse.
Cordelia nodded. "Our Brazilian Marchador," she said. "He is pretty." Holding her hand over the fence, she whistled loudly and several of the small group of horses perked their ears forward and came trotting over. When the golden one she'd identified a Keanu stuck his head over the fence, nudging her, she laughed and fed him a lump of sugar from her palm.
"Well, anyone can get them to come if you cheat," Xander said, smirking. Cordelia grinned at him, sticking her tongue out.
"It's called being prepared, Doofus," she said. Faith backed away from the fence abruptly as one of the other horses stuck his head over, sniffing at her.
"Whoa," she said. Cordelia laughed and Faith threw her a mock glare, "They're a lot bigger up close."
"He thinks you have sugar," Cordelia told her. "Here," she held out a couple of cubes to Faith. Scowling slightly, Faith glanced at the big gray and back at the cheerleader, sticking her hands in her pockets.
"They don't bite, do they?"
"Naw. Just nibble a bit. Here," Cordelia said, again.
"We finally found something the Slayer is scared of," Xander said, snickering. He put up his hands hastily at the glare Faith sent him, giving her an apologetic look that still didn't hide his half-smirk.
"I'll show you scared, Harris," Faith told him, scowling. She took one of the sugar cubes from Cordelia and stepped forward, holding it out a bit gingerly on her open palm and then laughing when the big gray lipped it off and started nuzzling her hand looking for more. Grinning, she stuck her tongue out at Xander, reaching up hesitantly to rub under the horses chin and neck.
Laughing, Cordelia rubbed her cheek alongside of Keanu's, then giving him a light slap on the neck to send him back over to the others. "Sugar's not really good for them, but I figure since I only make it up here a few times a year, it can't hurt too much."
"Now that's just cool," Faith said as the gray spun away to trot off after the other two back to the pond. She put both hands on the top of the fence, giving herself a light boost and turning in mid air to land sitting on the top fence slat.
"Can you ride at all, Faith?" Xander asked.
"Does the pony ride at the carnival count?"
"Not really," Cordelia shook her head, grinning.
"Then, no," Faith said. She grinned back at her friends. "Figure I can learn, though."
"I know you can ride, Doof," Cordelia stated, looking at Xander. He ducked his head, grinning, as Faith raised her eyebrows at him.
"Riding stables when we were kids?" Xander said. "Back when Sunnyhell still had a riding stable?"
"And your first Junior High job, wasn't it?" Cordelia nodded at him.
"Wow." Faith shook her head, watching the other two. "You guys really have known each other forever, haven't you."
Nodding, Cordelia climbed up to sit on the fence top near Faith. "Willow doesn't like to remember these days, but we even used to all be friends, the five of us. Her, me, Xander, Jesse, Aura... "
"Up until around the fourth grade," Xander agreed. "Then your folks started getting on you about the crowd you ran with and you turned all mean and uppity on us."
"I so did not," Cordelia sniffed, sticking her tongue out at him. "I turned mean later."
"And she's still mean," Faith said, laughing. "So, what happened then? I mean, if you guys were all friends as kids an' all?"
"What Dweebo here said, mostly." Cordelia responded to Xander's surprised expression by reaching out and nudging him in the shoulder with her toe. "Hey - when you're right, you're right. It just doesn't happen very often," she said, grinning.
Xander gave her a mock wounded expression, rubbing his shoulder with exaggerated motions. "I'm always right," he said. "It's just no one recognizes it."
"As if," Cordelia said. She glanced at Faith, "A lot of things happened. Mother and Daddy started really stressing the importance of social consciousness and 'knowing all the right people'. Harris... well, the Harrises just weren't in that group." She exchanged a long, intense look with Xander. Faith caught the look, and the sense of unspoken communication between the two, so intense she could almost feel it.
"And so Queen C and the Cordettes were born," Xander said, nodding. "And the three Musketeers rose to oppose them in all their infamy wherever they were to be found."
"Not so very effectively," Cordelia said, nudging him again.
"Things changed, though, huh." Faith stated, nodding.
"No." Cordelia's thousand watt grin came her way. Reaching out to capture Xander between her feet, she drew him in next to her against the fence, wrapping her legs around his shoulders and chest. As he wrapped his own arms around her thighs, looking surprised, the cheerleader said, "My definition of 'all the right people' changed."