Buffy turned around to face a girl with long dark wavy hair. Beyond her walked five others. A shy looking girl with glasses, another girl with short black hair, a stuffy looking man, a black guy, and the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. He was tall dark, handsome and broody.
Giles introduced each of the newcomers to Buffy. Angel, the handsome one was Angel. The name sounded familiar. Someone must have mentioned him to her. Maybe Tara had said something when she had attempted to show her photo albums and Buffy had tried to ignore her.
"Hi" Buffy meant the greeting for Angel alone and that was obvious.
"Hate to break up this sappy reunion slash introduction," Spike was rather jealous of the obvious affinity that Buffy showed for Angel but he tried not to show it, "but since all necessary parties are here now and we still have a couple hours of darkness left maybe we should do the ritual." Spike turned to Faith and addressed her. "What do we have to do Faith?"
That was the first time since they'd reached Sunnydale that anybody had spoken to Faith. The only time Faith had even been acknowledged was when Giles had introduced her to Buffy and that was said with obvious disgust on Giles' part. Faith recognized Spike from the time she had met him in the Bronze after she had stole Buffy's body. He was kind of cute, she wouldn't mind doing some of the things she had mentioned to him that night. Faith looked at Spike for a few moments and then something hit her and a worried look crossed her face. "You mean you don't know?"
"No" Willow said brusquely without even looking at Faith.
"Well I don't know either. You're the ones who always come up with the plans. You're the ones with the access to musty old books. I don't know. Why don't you know? You're supposed to know." Faith was growing panicked. She didn't like being in Sunnydale anymore then the others liked having her there. She was counting on just doing the spell and getting right out of there, a day maybe two at tops, now who knew how long she'd be around.
"Dawn just knew what to do. We thought you'd know too." Xander informed her.
"Well I don't. So if you don't know and I don't know, what are we going to do."
"The rest of the prophecy." Anya yelled out.
"Excuse me?" Wesley asked
"You never finished translating the prophecy." Anya reminded Giles. "You said it told us what to do, but you didn't translate it because Dawn knew what to do. Maybe it will tell Faith what to do."
"You didn't translate the whole thing?" Wesley asked a little annoyed.
"Yes well, Dawn said she knew what to do and she so we went and she did bring Buffy back but you know, it was a little hectic and I, well…I forgot."
"Well, you've been reminded, do you mind finishing now?" Gunn said.
"Yes well of course. Wesley and I can work on it but it might take a while it's in a very obscure ancient demon language. It could be a few days even with the two of us working on it."
"Yeah well maybe while you guys are doing your thing I should go out, do a little of mine. Put the fear of slayer back into those demons."
"Maybe we should come with." Xander wasn't sure he trusted Faith by herself.
"Don't you guys want to spend time with Buffy. I can handle this really I can." Faith held her hand up as though she were taking the girl scouts oath. "I swear I'll only slay demons." Faith needed to get away from the scoobies. She knew how they saw her. She had seen herself the same way when she had stolen Buffy's body.
"Are you sure you'll be OK by yourself." Angel spoke out of concern for Faith as opposed to Xander's concern for everyone but.
"I can go with her. I'm sure you all would rather I weren't around." Spike hated seeing Angel. The constant reminder that he was the one Buffy really loved was too painful. Spike took one look at Buffy after Angel had showed up and he knew that it was love at first sight. That was the kind of love that always ended with happily ever after. Buffy's first reaction to him had been disgust, and it wasn't even because he was a soulless demon. Spike couldn't be near that.
Xander had grown to trust Spike lately even if he still didn't like him. The others had too so they decided not to follow Faith out on patrol.
"So you're the infamous Faith."
"So you're the infamous William the Bloody all gone soft from that chip in your head."
Spike stopped short. "How did you know about the sodding chip?"
"You told me"
"When? We just met." He began walking again
"Not so much. You might remember this 'I can ride you at a gallop until your knees buckle and your eyes roll back.'"
And Spike did remember. It'd be hard to forget that kind of imagery. Spike calmed himself down and after a moment spoke.
"So that's the reference to body snatching I've been hearing about. You masquerading around town as Buffy. I was wondering what had gotten into her that night, looks like the answer is you."
"Do you know what that experience taught me?"
"What would that be?"
"I'm a monster. That's why I didn't want them to come with me. Do you have any idea what it's like to be forced in with a group of people who don't like you. Who are always comparing you to someone else? Do you have any idea what it's like to kill someone and pretend like it doesn't bother you? And do you know what it's like to know how truly evil you are?"
"I think I can get that." Spike stopped to listen. Over to his right and slightly ahead he heard something rustling in the trees. "And get that, with a little help from you." Spike motioned to the spot he'd heard the sound from.
The two of them moved silently and swiftly towards the noise. When they got close enough Faith spotted three male vamps. She motioned to Spike to stay put and Faith strolled up to her prey."
"Oh thank god I found someone. I really need some help, my friends left me out here as a joke and I'm lost and it's kinda spooky out here." Faith turned on some innocent charm, flashed a little cleavage and a brilliant smile.
"Do you hear that?" The first vamp said. "The girl needs our help."
"It would be rude to leave her here lost." Vamp 2.
"Not when we could leave her here dead." As the third vamp said that he morphed into game face and lunged at Faith. Faith through a roundhouse kick at him and sent him flying backwards.
"Well looky who's been taking self defense classes." the first vamp commented.
Faith went to punch the vampire but he grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm. Faith heard something pop.
"OK Spike this would be the part where you can come out and help." Faith tried to ignore the pain but she knew her right arm was outta commission.
"Sorry" Spike screamed as he jumped out of the bushes and tackled the vamp that had twisted Faith's arm. He pinned him to the ground and staked him. By this time both Faith and the vamp she had kicked were back up. Faith charged that vamp while Spike took on the other remaining villain. Faith was beating the vamp up pretty good by kicking him but with her strong arm injured it was hard to get a good chance to stake him. Finally fait managed to trip him and he landed flat on his back, in an instant Faith was straddling him and she brought the stake down with her left hand. Faith landed with a thud on the ground as the vampire beneath her exploded into dust. Spike held a hand out to Faith and helped her up. He'd already dusted his vamp.
"You Ok?" He asked her.
"Dislocated my shoulder. Should be Ok once I get it back into place."
"You're bleeding too." Spike pointed to a gushing wound on her left upper arm. "Doesn't look like it'll need stitches but we should get it bandaged up. My place is right here got some stuff there."
"I shoulda been able to take those guys. Just vamps, not even that strong. Yet here I am with a gaping wound and a dislocated shoulder."
"Whoa take it easy, it's your first night back on the job. You'll get it back in no time."
"Yeah I guess your right." They walked the rest of the way back to Spike's crypt in silence.
Giles introduced each of the newcomers to Buffy. Angel, the handsome one was Angel. The name sounded familiar. Someone must have mentioned him to her. Maybe Tara had said something when she had attempted to show her photo albums and Buffy had tried to ignore her.
"Hi" Buffy meant the greeting for Angel alone and that was obvious.
"Hate to break up this sappy reunion slash introduction," Spike was rather jealous of the obvious affinity that Buffy showed for Angel but he tried not to show it, "but since all necessary parties are here now and we still have a couple hours of darkness left maybe we should do the ritual." Spike turned to Faith and addressed her. "What do we have to do Faith?"
That was the first time since they'd reached Sunnydale that anybody had spoken to Faith. The only time Faith had even been acknowledged was when Giles had introduced her to Buffy and that was said with obvious disgust on Giles' part. Faith recognized Spike from the time she had met him in the Bronze after she had stole Buffy's body. He was kind of cute, she wouldn't mind doing some of the things she had mentioned to him that night. Faith looked at Spike for a few moments and then something hit her and a worried look crossed her face. "You mean you don't know?"
"No" Willow said brusquely without even looking at Faith.
"Well I don't know either. You're the ones who always come up with the plans. You're the ones with the access to musty old books. I don't know. Why don't you know? You're supposed to know." Faith was growing panicked. She didn't like being in Sunnydale anymore then the others liked having her there. She was counting on just doing the spell and getting right out of there, a day maybe two at tops, now who knew how long she'd be around.
"Dawn just knew what to do. We thought you'd know too." Xander informed her.
"Well I don't. So if you don't know and I don't know, what are we going to do."
"The rest of the prophecy." Anya yelled out.
"Excuse me?" Wesley asked
"You never finished translating the prophecy." Anya reminded Giles. "You said it told us what to do, but you didn't translate it because Dawn knew what to do. Maybe it will tell Faith what to do."
"You didn't translate the whole thing?" Wesley asked a little annoyed.
"Yes well, Dawn said she knew what to do and she so we went and she did bring Buffy back but you know, it was a little hectic and I, well…I forgot."
"Well, you've been reminded, do you mind finishing now?" Gunn said.
"Yes well of course. Wesley and I can work on it but it might take a while it's in a very obscure ancient demon language. It could be a few days even with the two of us working on it."
"Yeah well maybe while you guys are doing your thing I should go out, do a little of mine. Put the fear of slayer back into those demons."
"Maybe we should come with." Xander wasn't sure he trusted Faith by herself.
"Don't you guys want to spend time with Buffy. I can handle this really I can." Faith held her hand up as though she were taking the girl scouts oath. "I swear I'll only slay demons." Faith needed to get away from the scoobies. She knew how they saw her. She had seen herself the same way when she had stolen Buffy's body.
"Are you sure you'll be OK by yourself." Angel spoke out of concern for Faith as opposed to Xander's concern for everyone but.
"I can go with her. I'm sure you all would rather I weren't around." Spike hated seeing Angel. The constant reminder that he was the one Buffy really loved was too painful. Spike took one look at Buffy after Angel had showed up and he knew that it was love at first sight. That was the kind of love that always ended with happily ever after. Buffy's first reaction to him had been disgust, and it wasn't even because he was a soulless demon. Spike couldn't be near that.
Xander had grown to trust Spike lately even if he still didn't like him. The others had too so they decided not to follow Faith out on patrol.
"So you're the infamous Faith."
"So you're the infamous William the Bloody all gone soft from that chip in your head."
Spike stopped short. "How did you know about the sodding chip?"
"You told me"
"When? We just met." He began walking again
"Not so much. You might remember this 'I can ride you at a gallop until your knees buckle and your eyes roll back.'"
And Spike did remember. It'd be hard to forget that kind of imagery. Spike calmed himself down and after a moment spoke.
"So that's the reference to body snatching I've been hearing about. You masquerading around town as Buffy. I was wondering what had gotten into her that night, looks like the answer is you."
"Do you know what that experience taught me?"
"What would that be?"
"I'm a monster. That's why I didn't want them to come with me. Do you have any idea what it's like to be forced in with a group of people who don't like you. Who are always comparing you to someone else? Do you have any idea what it's like to kill someone and pretend like it doesn't bother you? And do you know what it's like to know how truly evil you are?"
"I think I can get that." Spike stopped to listen. Over to his right and slightly ahead he heard something rustling in the trees. "And get that, with a little help from you." Spike motioned to the spot he'd heard the sound from.
The two of them moved silently and swiftly towards the noise. When they got close enough Faith spotted three male vamps. She motioned to Spike to stay put and Faith strolled up to her prey."
"Oh thank god I found someone. I really need some help, my friends left me out here as a joke and I'm lost and it's kinda spooky out here." Faith turned on some innocent charm, flashed a little cleavage and a brilliant smile.
"Do you hear that?" The first vamp said. "The girl needs our help."
"It would be rude to leave her here lost." Vamp 2.
"Not when we could leave her here dead." As the third vamp said that he morphed into game face and lunged at Faith. Faith through a roundhouse kick at him and sent him flying backwards.
"Well looky who's been taking self defense classes." the first vamp commented.
Faith went to punch the vampire but he grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm. Faith heard something pop.
"OK Spike this would be the part where you can come out and help." Faith tried to ignore the pain but she knew her right arm was outta commission.
"Sorry" Spike screamed as he jumped out of the bushes and tackled the vamp that had twisted Faith's arm. He pinned him to the ground and staked him. By this time both Faith and the vamp she had kicked were back up. Faith charged that vamp while Spike took on the other remaining villain. Faith was beating the vamp up pretty good by kicking him but with her strong arm injured it was hard to get a good chance to stake him. Finally fait managed to trip him and he landed flat on his back, in an instant Faith was straddling him and she brought the stake down with her left hand. Faith landed with a thud on the ground as the vampire beneath her exploded into dust. Spike held a hand out to Faith and helped her up. He'd already dusted his vamp.
"You Ok?" He asked her.
"Dislocated my shoulder. Should be Ok once I get it back into place."
"You're bleeding too." Spike pointed to a gushing wound on her left upper arm. "Doesn't look like it'll need stitches but we should get it bandaged up. My place is right here got some stuff there."
"I shoulda been able to take those guys. Just vamps, not even that strong. Yet here I am with a gaping wound and a dislocated shoulder."
"Whoa take it easy, it's your first night back on the job. You'll get it back in no time."
"Yeah I guess your right." They walked the rest of the way back to Spike's crypt in silence.
