"Looks like I'm not going to miss all the fun after all."
Three heads turned at the sound of the voice. A dark haired young man in garishly colored button down shirt and blue jeans stood near Willow with hands in his pockets.
"Xander, what are you doing here?"
"Hi to you too Wil." He looked toward the hospital. "I followed Buffy tonight. Obviously, I wasn't the only one. Tell me she's not doing what I think she's doing."
"Xander I hope you brought weapons. We're about to have company." Four vamps were walking toward them.
"I've got one stake. Anyone else armed?"
"Armed, but not exactly dangerous to vampires. I'm agent Mulder and my partner is agent Scully. We're with the FBI."
"Wow. I'm impressed Wil. That computer hacking has moved you to the big leagues!"
"Hey! You have to bring that up now?"
"Well, if the keyboard fits."
"Do you two do this all the time?"
"Do what?" Both responded at the same time and looked at Mulder with surprise.
"This banter. Do you keep it up like this a lot?"
"We find that cheerful and witty conversation makes for happy and successful slaying. That and it takes our minds off the impending death that's usually coming toward us." Xander shrugged.
"You. Stop where you are and get on the ground." Scully's voice rang out crisp and clear in the night air. She stood next to the car and had her weapon trained on the group of vampires.
"Ooh, we better do what the lady wants. She might shoot us." The vampire started to drop to his knees. "On second thought, I say we just have a snack instead." He stood back up and the other vampires snickered.
"Do you have any pencils or other sharp wooden objects?" Willow's voice broke through to Mulder as he was sitting trying to decide what he should be doing.
"No." He got out of the car and drew his weapon. "Scully, we won't be able to kill them, but we can knock them down. Chest shots slow them down a little bit. Headshots knock them down and seem to stun them, at least momentarily.
"Great. Well, here goes nothing then." Willow began to chant again and fire shot from her hands, engulfing one of the vampires. The other three charged at them. Over the screams of the burning vampire, the sound of pounding on metal reached Willow's ears. "They're trying to break in the side door."
Xander charged the vampire that was heading for Willow and they went down in a tangle of limbs. The vampire quickly got the upper hand, only to have Willow jump on its back and begin clawing at its eyes. When it released its grip on Xander, he staked it, then got the wind knocked out of him as Willow fell on him.
Scully stood for a moment, mouth hanging open as she watched the burning vampire vanish in a cloud of ash, and then focused on the other approaching vampires.
"I'll take the one on the left," said Mulder.
Mulder and Scully put their vampires down with double taps to the head and then put them back down as they tried to get up. "Some help here guys?" Mulder didn't spare a glance, just called out hoping Xander or Willow would get the idea.
Willow grabbed the stake from the still gasping Xander and moved to a point from which she could stake the vampire. As soon as Mulder knocked it down, she rushed in and finished it, then did the same to Scully's assailant.
Xander got up, having regained his breath. "Wil, next time you fall on me, could you not put your knee right in my breadbasket?"
"Hey, beggars can't be choosers."
"It looks like the side door is holding, but the front doors may be a problem." Mulder pointed. The remaining two vamps from the six that were near the front door were visible in the lobby.
"Buffy can take two. We'd better go after the ones on the side of the building. The car would probably be useful." Willow started to get into the back seat.
"What about the people inside the hospital," Scully interjected.
"We probably couldn't get to them in time to save anyone they run into, and if we don't stop the ones trying to get in the side door, things will be a lot worse. Besides, if this many vampires are in one place they're probably after something specific."
"You think running them over will work?" Mulder looked skeptical.
"Not necessarily, but if we get there in time the car can block access to the door."
"Wil, you think you can burn anymore of them?" Xander looked worried.
"I doubt it. If it becomes necessary, I'll try, but I'm pretty drained now."
"Scully, are you okay," asked Mulder.
"Ask me later." She still wore the stunned expression that had been there since she'd seen the vampire get up after taking two shots to the head. She absently dumped her magazine and replaced it with a fresh one.
Mulder drove the car into the midst of the six vampires, pinning one between the left front fender and the brick wall. The side door was blocked now, but the driver side doors were also blocked. Scully and Xander piled out quickly and were followed by Mulder and Willow.
Xander charged one of the vampires, only realizing he didn't have the stake as it began to grapple with him. Willow staked it from behind and was rewarded with a face full of dust.
Mulder and Scully were knocking the vampires down as they did before. "Mulder, I don't think we have enough ammunition to keep this up long enough for them to get all of them."
"Just keep them down Scully."
Willow heard them and knew they were probably right. She tossed the stake to Xander and began to chant again. Flame shot out at two of the vamps, engulfing one, but the other was only lightly singed before the flame vanished and Willow collapsed.
Xander staked a vamp that Scully had put down, and then hurried to the next. He heard a metal clank then another noise as a magazine hit the ground as he staked the vamp. He heard two quick shots and another clank.
"Mulder, I'm out."
"Me too." Mulder rushed the remaining vampire and found out just how strong they really were. He felt the world go all wrong as the punch knocked him off his feet and then he was struggling for breath as he got to his knees.
Scully also rushed in and managed to land a few good punches when Xander grabbed it from behind. Mulder saw the stake slip from Xander's hand and bounce a few feet away from him. He picked up the stake and ran forward to stake the vampire. It disappeared in a cloud of dust, leaving Mulder and Scully with a fit of coughing.
"Wil, are you okay?" Xander was cradling Willow in his lap. "Talk to me Wil."
Her eyes fluttered open and she started to sit up. "Mmm. Xander. Hi. I think. I need. a nap." A small smile crept across her face and she slumped back into his lap.
Xander picked her up and put her in the back seat of the car.
"So, what do we do with that one?" Mulder inclined his head toward the vampire that was still clawing at the hood of the car in an attempt to pull its legs free.
"I'd say we let Buffy have a talk with him. Right now, he's going nowhere."
Buffy had seen the flash of light through the windows of Faith's room and thought it might be lightning. The gunfire that followed told her that the assumption had probably been wrong. She was faced with a dilemma. Should she go help the FBI agents or stay with Faith? The decision was made for her as something began trying to break down the door she'd come in through. She had to stay to protect Faith. Faith moaned and grasped her hand tightly.
"It's okay Faith. Everything's fine." The gunfire had stopped, but the pounding on the door continued. She heard the roar of a car engine, then the pounding stopped. The gunfire began again, but much closer to the building. She pulled the bear out from under the covers and tucked it under Faith's arm, then gently disengaged her hand. Faith's eyes were moving rapidly beneath her eyelids and she moaned again. She put her hand on Faith's forearm and said, "It's going to be okay." That seemed to calm her.
The sound of the door opening drew her attention. "I thought I told you I'd see you after I got done here." She realized her mistake when she saw the vampire coming into the room.
"That's very kind, but I think I'll see you here." It drove her back until she hit the window, shattering it.
Buffy knocked the vampire back toward the door with a series of punches and kicks. She reached behind her back and pulled out a stake and started trading blows, looking for an opening. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door open and another vampire rush in, heading straight for Faith.
"Faith! No!" She screamed and tried to disengage herself from the one she was fighting, but to no avail. He grabbed her and kept her from catching the second one as it lunged for Faith's throat.
Three heads turned at the sound of the voice. A dark haired young man in garishly colored button down shirt and blue jeans stood near Willow with hands in his pockets.
"Xander, what are you doing here?"
"Hi to you too Wil." He looked toward the hospital. "I followed Buffy tonight. Obviously, I wasn't the only one. Tell me she's not doing what I think she's doing."
"Xander I hope you brought weapons. We're about to have company." Four vamps were walking toward them.
"I've got one stake. Anyone else armed?"
"Armed, but not exactly dangerous to vampires. I'm agent Mulder and my partner is agent Scully. We're with the FBI."
"Wow. I'm impressed Wil. That computer hacking has moved you to the big leagues!"
"Hey! You have to bring that up now?"
"Well, if the keyboard fits."
"Do you two do this all the time?"
"Do what?" Both responded at the same time and looked at Mulder with surprise.
"This banter. Do you keep it up like this a lot?"
"We find that cheerful and witty conversation makes for happy and successful slaying. That and it takes our minds off the impending death that's usually coming toward us." Xander shrugged.
"You. Stop where you are and get on the ground." Scully's voice rang out crisp and clear in the night air. She stood next to the car and had her weapon trained on the group of vampires.
"Ooh, we better do what the lady wants. She might shoot us." The vampire started to drop to his knees. "On second thought, I say we just have a snack instead." He stood back up and the other vampires snickered.
"Do you have any pencils or other sharp wooden objects?" Willow's voice broke through to Mulder as he was sitting trying to decide what he should be doing.
"No." He got out of the car and drew his weapon. "Scully, we won't be able to kill them, but we can knock them down. Chest shots slow them down a little bit. Headshots knock them down and seem to stun them, at least momentarily.
"Great. Well, here goes nothing then." Willow began to chant again and fire shot from her hands, engulfing one of the vampires. The other three charged at them. Over the screams of the burning vampire, the sound of pounding on metal reached Willow's ears. "They're trying to break in the side door."
Xander charged the vampire that was heading for Willow and they went down in a tangle of limbs. The vampire quickly got the upper hand, only to have Willow jump on its back and begin clawing at its eyes. When it released its grip on Xander, he staked it, then got the wind knocked out of him as Willow fell on him.
Scully stood for a moment, mouth hanging open as she watched the burning vampire vanish in a cloud of ash, and then focused on the other approaching vampires.
"I'll take the one on the left," said Mulder.
Mulder and Scully put their vampires down with double taps to the head and then put them back down as they tried to get up. "Some help here guys?" Mulder didn't spare a glance, just called out hoping Xander or Willow would get the idea.
Willow grabbed the stake from the still gasping Xander and moved to a point from which she could stake the vampire. As soon as Mulder knocked it down, she rushed in and finished it, then did the same to Scully's assailant.
Xander got up, having regained his breath. "Wil, next time you fall on me, could you not put your knee right in my breadbasket?"
"Hey, beggars can't be choosers."
"It looks like the side door is holding, but the front doors may be a problem." Mulder pointed. The remaining two vamps from the six that were near the front door were visible in the lobby.
"Buffy can take two. We'd better go after the ones on the side of the building. The car would probably be useful." Willow started to get into the back seat.
"What about the people inside the hospital," Scully interjected.
"We probably couldn't get to them in time to save anyone they run into, and if we don't stop the ones trying to get in the side door, things will be a lot worse. Besides, if this many vampires are in one place they're probably after something specific."
"You think running them over will work?" Mulder looked skeptical.
"Not necessarily, but if we get there in time the car can block access to the door."
"Wil, you think you can burn anymore of them?" Xander looked worried.
"I doubt it. If it becomes necessary, I'll try, but I'm pretty drained now."
"Scully, are you okay," asked Mulder.
"Ask me later." She still wore the stunned expression that had been there since she'd seen the vampire get up after taking two shots to the head. She absently dumped her magazine and replaced it with a fresh one.
Mulder drove the car into the midst of the six vampires, pinning one between the left front fender and the brick wall. The side door was blocked now, but the driver side doors were also blocked. Scully and Xander piled out quickly and were followed by Mulder and Willow.
Xander charged one of the vampires, only realizing he didn't have the stake as it began to grapple with him. Willow staked it from behind and was rewarded with a face full of dust.
Mulder and Scully were knocking the vampires down as they did before. "Mulder, I don't think we have enough ammunition to keep this up long enough for them to get all of them."
"Just keep them down Scully."
Willow heard them and knew they were probably right. She tossed the stake to Xander and began to chant again. Flame shot out at two of the vamps, engulfing one, but the other was only lightly singed before the flame vanished and Willow collapsed.
Xander staked a vamp that Scully had put down, and then hurried to the next. He heard a metal clank then another noise as a magazine hit the ground as he staked the vamp. He heard two quick shots and another clank.
"Mulder, I'm out."
"Me too." Mulder rushed the remaining vampire and found out just how strong they really were. He felt the world go all wrong as the punch knocked him off his feet and then he was struggling for breath as he got to his knees.
Scully also rushed in and managed to land a few good punches when Xander grabbed it from behind. Mulder saw the stake slip from Xander's hand and bounce a few feet away from him. He picked up the stake and ran forward to stake the vampire. It disappeared in a cloud of dust, leaving Mulder and Scully with a fit of coughing.
"Wil, are you okay?" Xander was cradling Willow in his lap. "Talk to me Wil."
Her eyes fluttered open and she started to sit up. "Mmm. Xander. Hi. I think. I need. a nap." A small smile crept across her face and she slumped back into his lap.
Xander picked her up and put her in the back seat of the car.
"So, what do we do with that one?" Mulder inclined his head toward the vampire that was still clawing at the hood of the car in an attempt to pull its legs free.
"I'd say we let Buffy have a talk with him. Right now, he's going nowhere."
Buffy had seen the flash of light through the windows of Faith's room and thought it might be lightning. The gunfire that followed told her that the assumption had probably been wrong. She was faced with a dilemma. Should she go help the FBI agents or stay with Faith? The decision was made for her as something began trying to break down the door she'd come in through. She had to stay to protect Faith. Faith moaned and grasped her hand tightly.
"It's okay Faith. Everything's fine." The gunfire had stopped, but the pounding on the door continued. She heard the roar of a car engine, then the pounding stopped. The gunfire began again, but much closer to the building. She pulled the bear out from under the covers and tucked it under Faith's arm, then gently disengaged her hand. Faith's eyes were moving rapidly beneath her eyelids and she moaned again. She put her hand on Faith's forearm and said, "It's going to be okay." That seemed to calm her.
The sound of the door opening drew her attention. "I thought I told you I'd see you after I got done here." She realized her mistake when she saw the vampire coming into the room.
"That's very kind, but I think I'll see you here." It drove her back until she hit the window, shattering it.
Buffy knocked the vampire back toward the door with a series of punches and kicks. She reached behind her back and pulled out a stake and started trading blows, looking for an opening. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door open and another vampire rush in, heading straight for Faith.
"Faith! No!" She screamed and tried to disengage herself from the one she was fighting, but to no avail. He grabbed her and kept her from catching the second one as it lunged for Faith's throat.