Chapter Two: Unexpected Return
Back at the hotel Faith found herself worried. Xander had yet to check in. Don't get her wrong there had been times where they got split up but never had they gone this long without checking in. Dawn, who had been pacing about the room waiting for Xander to return had fallen asleep as the credits rolled on Jay Leno. Since leaving Sunnydale, the three of them had been ferreting out the last few pockets of supernatural fiends that were left over after the fall of The Hellmouth. She hadn't try to kid herself that it was going to be easy or that it wasn't dangerous, but it was a life that no one should have to live.
When things were finally taken care of in Sunnydale, it seemed like they could put it all behind them. The three of them took to Vegas for some action but not the kind they were looking for. Three weeks after the first attack in Nevada, they had gotten a call from Giles alerting them of the success in Cleveland. By that time they had already decided that there was no way they could stand around and just let the world be over run by demons. Giles had agreed with their suggestion and within a few weeks they had taken off to various parts of the world to battle the coming darkness.
Giles, Willow, Kennedy and Rona had taken off for London where the remaining Watchers had gathered and set to rebuild The Council. Out of all of The Scoobs, they were the ones who managed to keep the most in touch.
Buffy, Robin Wood, and Andrew took off for Belize where they met up with Riley and Samantha Finn. The last time they had heard from them, they had dropped off over some jungle nest full of some kind of jungle beasts.
Angel, Connor and Cordelia headed for Tibet where, last time he had checked, they were trying to help some Buddhist monks whose ranks were being thinned by some kind of flying demon.
As for the three of them, they stuck to the states. Traveling here and there, mainly following whatever they heard over the demonic grape vine. Ever since she had busted out of prison that day that Xander and Dawn came to visit, they had been stuck together. At first it wasn't the best of situations, however as time wore on they came to depend on one another. Stand by each other. Become a family of sorts. Especially for Dawn.
After the destruction of Sunnydale, Buffy had distanced herself from Dawn. Too broken up over what had happened to Spike to really care. Eventually, they had woken up one morning to find out she had left during the night, asking Xander to watch over her sister. Giles had sent Robin Wood and Andrew to find her, eventually running into her with Riley's platoon. Dawn had felt immediately betrayed. Once again to be pushed aside for the peroxide wonder.
Faith had always known Buffy to be self centered at times but never did she imagine she would abandon her own sister, over Spike. She knew what it was like not to be wanted and knew how hard it had been for her. Faith took the time to try and bond with Dawn, which she felt like they did.
"Is Xander home yet?" yawned Dawn as she took a seat next to Faith by the window.
"Not yet," Faith replied trying not to sound terrified.
"Something's happened, hasn't it?"
Faith could tell by Dawn's voice that she was scared.
"Nothing happened," Faith said reassuringly, however it was more for herself than Dawn.
"We don't know that!"
"Dawny calm down, its okay."
"We don't know that."
The two gave each other an intense stare. They didn't know that Xander was okay but they couldn't think that. Their concentration was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Xander!"
"No, Dawn. Wait."
Dawn exclaimed as she ran to the door and flung it open before Faith could stop her. Dawn stood at the door in shock. Unable to speak, unable to move. This had Faith worried.
"Dawn what is it?" Faith asked as she moved over towards the door. To her surprise it wasn't Xander. But a dirty, bloody and scarred Buffy.
"What are you doing here?" Faith asked stepping protectively between the other Slayer and Dawn.
"He's taken Xander."
With that Buffy moved past Faith followed by Giles, Willow and Riley.
"Whose taken Xander?"
Buffy took a look at Dawn with great guilt in her eyes before setting them back on Faith.
"Spike," she whispered softly as she plopped down on the bed.
Back at the hotel Faith found herself worried. Xander had yet to check in. Don't get her wrong there had been times where they got split up but never had they gone this long without checking in. Dawn, who had been pacing about the room waiting for Xander to return had fallen asleep as the credits rolled on Jay Leno. Since leaving Sunnydale, the three of them had been ferreting out the last few pockets of supernatural fiends that were left over after the fall of The Hellmouth. She hadn't try to kid herself that it was going to be easy or that it wasn't dangerous, but it was a life that no one should have to live.
When things were finally taken care of in Sunnydale, it seemed like they could put it all behind them. The three of them took to Vegas for some action but not the kind they were looking for. Three weeks after the first attack in Nevada, they had gotten a call from Giles alerting them of the success in Cleveland. By that time they had already decided that there was no way they could stand around and just let the world be over run by demons. Giles had agreed with their suggestion and within a few weeks they had taken off to various parts of the world to battle the coming darkness.
Giles, Willow, Kennedy and Rona had taken off for London where the remaining Watchers had gathered and set to rebuild The Council. Out of all of The Scoobs, they were the ones who managed to keep the most in touch.
Buffy, Robin Wood, and Andrew took off for Belize where they met up with Riley and Samantha Finn. The last time they had heard from them, they had dropped off over some jungle nest full of some kind of jungle beasts.
Angel, Connor and Cordelia headed for Tibet where, last time he had checked, they were trying to help some Buddhist monks whose ranks were being thinned by some kind of flying demon.
As for the three of them, they stuck to the states. Traveling here and there, mainly following whatever they heard over the demonic grape vine. Ever since she had busted out of prison that day that Xander and Dawn came to visit, they had been stuck together. At first it wasn't the best of situations, however as time wore on they came to depend on one another. Stand by each other. Become a family of sorts. Especially for Dawn.
After the destruction of Sunnydale, Buffy had distanced herself from Dawn. Too broken up over what had happened to Spike to really care. Eventually, they had woken up one morning to find out she had left during the night, asking Xander to watch over her sister. Giles had sent Robin Wood and Andrew to find her, eventually running into her with Riley's platoon. Dawn had felt immediately betrayed. Once again to be pushed aside for the peroxide wonder.
Faith had always known Buffy to be self centered at times but never did she imagine she would abandon her own sister, over Spike. She knew what it was like not to be wanted and knew how hard it had been for her. Faith took the time to try and bond with Dawn, which she felt like they did.
"Is Xander home yet?" yawned Dawn as she took a seat next to Faith by the window.
"Not yet," Faith replied trying not to sound terrified.
"Something's happened, hasn't it?"
Faith could tell by Dawn's voice that she was scared.
"Nothing happened," Faith said reassuringly, however it was more for herself than Dawn.
"We don't know that!"
"Dawny calm down, its okay."
"We don't know that."
The two gave each other an intense stare. They didn't know that Xander was okay but they couldn't think that. Their concentration was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Xander!"
"No, Dawn. Wait."
Dawn exclaimed as she ran to the door and flung it open before Faith could stop her. Dawn stood at the door in shock. Unable to speak, unable to move. This had Faith worried.
"Dawn what is it?" Faith asked as she moved over towards the door. To her surprise it wasn't Xander. But a dirty, bloody and scarred Buffy.
"What are you doing here?" Faith asked stepping protectively between the other Slayer and Dawn.
"He's taken Xander."
With that Buffy moved past Faith followed by Giles, Willow and Riley.
"Whose taken Xander?"
Buffy took a look at Dawn with great guilt in her eyes before setting them back on Faith.
"Spike," she whispered softly as she plopped down on the bed.