Part 6B
Willow and Xander both tried to rush forward when they saw Buffy start to stagger but they didn't reach her in time. Melinda grabbed Buffy in her arms and laid her down to the floor gently. Melinda had been expecting something like this; she had just hoped it wouldn't really happen.
"Oh you've got to be joking!" Max cried as he turned around his arms thrown in the air. "That's..." He turned back around and pointed to Buffy. "...who's supposed to help defeat a Goddess...dear god we're screwed!" Max said angry and panicking.
"She won't have to do much of anything Max." Melinda said as she stood up as Willow, Xander and Tara picked Buffy up and started to carry her to the back room where there was a cot.
Giles wanted to follow the group into the back room but needed to understand what Melinda had just said. Giles saw Max pacing back and forth and he wanted to yell at the younger man for insulting his slayer because she passed out, only if he knew why it affected Buffy in such a way.
"I think you should stop..." Melinda said as she looked at Max. "...go home or to a bar either way you're really not needed." Melinda said as she looked at her watcher.
"You know, I think I'll take your advice!" Max said and grabbed his coat. "A Bar it is...I need a strong one."
Melinda and Giles watched Max leave and when the door closed behind the upset Brit Melinda turned to Giles. "If I can control my powers, a little better Buffy won't have to worry about Glori defeating her." Melinda said and watched Giles try to process this.
"How would improving your power enable Buffy to defeat Glori?" Giles asked.
"Because if I can create a barrier around Buffy while she fights Glori, she won't be able to be touched, and Glori's strength will be absorbed into the barrier making it even harder for her to penetrate it." Melinda said.
"You could do that?" Giles asked.
"I'm going to learn how." Melinda corrected.
"So you can't do it...yet?" Giles asked.
Melinda looked down ashamed she hadn't perfected it yet, she could create a barrier around herself to protect herself but she hadn't been able to perfect it by using the barrier on others, she'd been practicing with Max for a while and had started to practice with Faith but she still wasn't there yet.
"I can't do it yet no..." Melinda said but then looked up. "...but I will be able to soon!" Melinda said with conviction.
"Indeed." Giles said as he cleaned his glasses and started to walk toward the back room. "Before I go in there is there anything else I should know? Perhaps how to contact you?" Giles asked looking at the door to the back room, still cleaning his glasses.
"When you need me...I'll know." Melinda said. "As for knowing anything before going to the back room yes. Buffy is going to ask if you think I'm trustable." Melinda said and watched Giles put on his glasses. "I already know you're answer." Melinda said and walked to the entrance of the Magic Box. "Good day Mr. Giles." Melinda said as the shops door closed behind her.
Giles stared at the closed door and then placed his glasses on before taking a deep breath. "Well, things just got interesting." Giles stated and then let out a bitter laugh. "Things are always interesting on the hell mouth."
------2 days later--------
Faith walked around town for a little while killing time. She knew she'd have to be back at the house before sundown to get the jest of what happened. Max and Melinda just up and disappeared earlier that afternoon, something about the gang needing them. Faith sighed; it got really annoying to know she still wasn't welcome at the meetings even though Buffy and the gang knew she was back. Faith had decided along with Melinda and Max to let Giles tell Buffy she was back, and he had the day they arrived in town. Still...she wasn't allowed within five miles of the Summers' home or the Magic Box, while Buffy, Joyce or Dawn were inside.
They all had thought it better for Giles to tell Buffy she was here, so if and when Buffy ever came to terms with her she'd come and find her. It seemed like a great plan, except Faith was a nervous wreck. She never knew when Buffy would come looking for her and when she'd be allowed to attend the meetings. It just got on her nerves to know she was being excluded from things once again...like she had been the last time she was here.
The worst part of it was Melinda knew it and she couldn't do anything to help Faith, because she didn't know how to approach Buffy on the "Faith subject" because Buffy and her weren't getting on well as it were. Faith laughed at that…she had figured the Uber witch and Buffy would get along one, two, three…turns out they could hardly stand each other. Faith laughed when she thought back to the other day when Melinda had come home from running into Buffy, or for her Buffy the know it all Summers. It was funny to watch Melinda get upset about Buffy, it was entertaining and it kind of made her feel better to know not everyone fell to their knees while in Buffy's presence. Though…hell if given the opportunity Faith would fall to her knees in front of Buffy…for a very different reason.
"Oh…god…please stop thinking about that." Faith heard cried from inside the house. Faith laughed…she was on the porch to the house Melinda, Max and her now lived in and it seemed her thoughts were a little too graphic for the youngest member of the household.
Max looked up from his book confused. "Melinda, dear are you alright?" Max asked concerned.
"No….keep your thoughts at, at least an R rating!" Melinda exclaimed from somewhere deeper in the house.
"But…my thoughts are on a G rating…" Max whispered to himself as he looked at his book.
Faith laughed as she unlocked the door and walked in, throwing her keys into the bowl on the side table by the door. "She's talking to me Max…" Faith said as she walked into the Brits line of sight.
"Oh…" Max said looking up from his book to see Faith and watched the slayer walk toward the kitchen. "Well….that explains a lot." Max mumbled.
"I heard that!" Both Faith and Melinda exclaimed.
Max rolled his eyes and brought his book back up and began to read once again. Max looked up from his book just in time to watch Faith go flying through the air and land on the wooden floor sliding against the hard surface. Max dropped his book and was about to run over to Faith but saw Faith turn her head toward him and shake it, telling him to stay back.
"You think you can just come back….here and expect…expect to be welcomed back!?"
"Oh bloody hell!" Max said rolling his eyes and throwing his arms to his side, it was the other slayer, Buffy Summers. Max liked her, but hated her little temper tantrums….he had watched Melinda endure each one the blonde threw at her since they arrived, but now wondered if any of those compared to what he was witnessing at the moment.
Buffy stormed out of the kitchen and toward the fallen slayer, a malice look in her eyes. Melinda sighed as she rushed out of her bedroom. If it wasn't a demon, or a human that needed her saving it was Faith. Melinda had just seen a warlock casting a distraction spell, and then got a front row ticket to Buffy kicking the shit out of Faith and destroying all her brand new furniture. Besides, she didn't like Buffy's attitude, and this gave her an excuse to hit the blonde. Okay…she liked Buffy she just didn't like the ways she thought about Faith. They always moved from hating Faith to images of them together in bed and doing things that Melinda hadn't even known could be done.
"Faith….Faith…Buffy's…" Melinda stopped talking when she reached the stairs and saw Faith getting a fist to the face by none other then Buffy Summers. Melinda rolled her tongue and groaned, threw her hand as fast as she could up and watched as Buffy went flying to the other wall, and Faith just fell flat on the floor. "Damn it…!" Melinda cursed and she rushed down the last few steps and over to Faith, only to have the older woman push her away and stand on her own.
"Faith…" Melinda tried but failed to get Faith's attention.
"Not now!" Faith spat and walked over to Buffy, who was still trying to get out of the wall. "Stuck?" Faith asked as she glared at the blonde. "Here…" Faith grabbed onto Buffy's shirt collar and got ready to pull. "Let me help you…" Faith stated and tugged Buffy out of the wall and slammed her into the other wall in the small hallway, and held her up against the wall.
"Now…." Faith said and turned toward Melinda. "…you were saying?"
"She's under a spell." Melinda stated as she looked at Faith.
"A spell…?" Max asked as he stood from his chair and walked into the threshold of the house and looked down the hallway at Faith holding Buffy against the wall.
Buffy started to struggle against Faith's hold and Faith was losing her grip on the blonde and knew she was about to be slammed into the same wall that she had just helped Buffy out of.
"Little help here…" Faith stated as she blocked Buffy's kick only to get sucker punched and then another fist to her face.
Melinda rolled her eyes and snapped her finger, causing Buffy to stand still…a red barrier formed around her. Buffy tried to fight against it but, try as she might she couldn't break through it. Melinda rolled her eyes…it seemed slayers just were born stubborn. Max looked at Melinda and waited for the girl to explain to him how the top slayer in town was under a spell and why said spell would make her attack Faith. Okay…. there were hundreds of reasons to attack Faith…but even he knew not to take on the rouge slayer, he certainly didn't have a death wish and anyone that went up against with Faith had to have one.
"Max…not the right time to give me a headache!" Melinda said as she stepped forward. "Glori did this…she's trying to distract Buffy…so she can find The Key." Melinda stated as she stepped forward and looked into Buffy's eyes, seeing traces of emerald glow in Buffy's eyes. Melinda shook her head. "Max call Giles and get him to bring Willow and Tara." Melinda said, turned and walked to the door.
"Where are you going?" Faith asked as she caught up to Melinda, knowing Buffy wasn't going anywhere with that barrier around her.
"I'm going to protect The Key." Melinda stated.
"You know where it is?" Faith asked, grabbing Melinda's arm and turning the younger woman toward her.
"No…but Glori will lead me right to it." Melinda stated and turned to walk off.
"I'm coming with you…" Faith stated as she followed after Melinda, not really giving her the chance to object.
Melinda didn't object. Max could handle Buffy, while she was in the barrier and once Willow and Tara entered the house they'd undo the spell and get Buffy back. The only reason Melinda wasn't back at the house trying to find the spell to help Buffy, was because right now….The Key needed her more then Buffy did.
TBC….
