Chapter 8: Getting Into Position

******The Next Day******

Damon and Alaric had gotten a room at the same hotel as Buffy and Faith. They agreed to meet up in the morning and discuss a more specific plan. They were hoping Willow would be able to pinpoint Stefan's location by then. Neither man was exactly sure how to handle the two powerful women who didn't play by the rules they did.

"So do you buy all that bragging Buffy was doing last night? Killing a hell god and the First Evil-whatever that means. Who talks like that?" Damon scoffed as they were getting dressed.

"But you believe the part about her killing the man she loves?" Alaric asked with a smile.

"Well, sure. That I believe! The guy probably pissed her off!" Damon said with a smirk.

"She doesn't strike me as a woman who needs to make up stuff. It's obvious that she's led a very different life than even you," Alaric said sagely. He found her utterly fascinating and was a bit disconcerted by that fact.

"Do you think all slayers are as hot as the two of them? All that fire and energy. I bet that are a lot of fun in the sack!" he said with relish.

"Like you'll ever find out!" Alaric told him.

"Sure I could. I bet if I put my mind to it I could have Buffy eating out of my hands," Damon bragged.

Alaric laughed in disbelief. "I really can't see that, but you go ahead and try. I'll buy tickets to the show. If she stakes you, you can't say you weren't warned!" he exclaimed.

"Nah, she won't stake me. I'm the good guy now, remember?" Damon said grinning.

"What about Elena?" Alaric asked. "Doesn't she require all your energy these days?" He wasn't sure why it bugged him so much to think of Damon making a serious play for the slayer even though he didn't really think Damon had a chance.

"What about her? She's told me more than once she loves Stefan. It's always going to be Stefan. You don't want her to be with me. Neither does anyone else. If Katherine taught me anything, it's to not waste my time one someone who is never going to love me," Damon said grimly, his eyes hard.

Alaric frowned, feeling a flash of guilt. He knew that Damon loved Elena, but he didn't feel Elena was ready for Damon. She still believed in romance and happily ever after. Damon was too jaded and cynical, too impulsive. Elena deserved the knight she wanted. If it couldn't be Stefan, then it would be someone else. He just didn't believe it would ever be Damon. "I'm sorry, buddy. I know you love her, but I just don't think it's meant to be. Humans and vampires don't work well in the love and romance department. Isobel understood that. And a part of me is grateful that she walked away from me rather than put me in the position Stefan has put Elena in. Elena deserves a normal life," Alaric said. He owed it to Jenna to make sure she had it. As long as she was in love with a vampire, however, she would never have a normal life.

"Elena deserves to be happy. If loving a vampire makes her happy, then that's her choice, Rick," Damon said flatly. He should be glad that Alaric didn't want her with Stefan all that much either, but he wasn't. Rick was his closest friend and Elena's guardian. It would've been nice if Rick were on his side. But he knew that he didn't deserve that and probably never would.

"Let's not argue about that now. Do you think Stefan will be convinced to come home with you?" Rick asked.

"He's coming even if I have to knock him out and drag him back home," Damon said resolutely.

There was a knock on their door. Rick opened it. It was the slayers. Buffy had her long hair pulled back, obviously ready for battle. Faith, on the other hand, looked like she was out for a morning stroll. "Will called. She finally was able to pinpoint Stefan's location," Buffy shared.

Rick stepped back and let them in. Damon got up and said, "Where is he?"

"About 30 miles from here," Buffy said. "We'll scout out the approximate location and find out how many people we're dealing with."

"Scout? What are you like a super soldier or something?" Damon asked dismissively. "There's no need to scout out anything. We go. We spot Stefan. I grab him and take him away. The end."

Faith snickered and didn't comment. She knew that Buffy would soon put the arrogant vamp in his place, and she couldn't wait!

Buffy took a step toward Damon until she was standing right in front of him. Her lips were curled with derision. "Listen, pretty boy. I'm in charge here! Not you! I don't live my days patrolling for babes and a pint of blood and booze. I am, for the most part, a super soldier. The best one you'll ever meet. I don't waste time, energy, or lives going off half-cocked. We assess. We make a plan. Then we execute the plan. That's the way it's going to be. If you can't fall in line, then you can stay here twiddling your thumbs. I don't care. It's my way or no way. Got it?" Buffy said pointedly.

"No, I don't. I don't need any more cute little girls telling me what to do!" Damon said sourly.

"Ah, you got a little girlfriend that likes to boss you around?" Faith asked with a wicked grin.

Buffy grinned. "He thinks I'm cute!" Buffy gushed. Then she smirked. "Too bad I don't care what you think. We are going to scout out the danger before busting in guns a blazin'."

"You use a gun?" Damon asked in surprise.

Buffy looked frustrated and put her hand on her hip. "I'm done talking. Fall in line or be left behind. We're leaving in an hour after we get the tire fixed," she said. Then she turned to leave.

Faith stood in the door and flashed him a smug look. "It's best to not argue with B. I had to learn the hard way, so will you," Faith advised. "Take it from me. Her way is always better. Not always as much fun. But better!" She gave them a wicked grin and left.

"You'll never learn, will you?" Alaric asked with a sigh.

"Excuse me if I don't just jump when the cute, perky looking slayer tells me to!" Damon said in a huff.

"She is right. There's no sense in just running into wherever Stefan is at and get me killed!" Alaric pointed out. "You always think I'm safe because of this ring. But what if Klaus decides to rip off my head? Think I'll come back from that?"

Damon frowned. He'd never considered that. "Fine. I'll behave. For now," Damon said.

"It won't kill you," Rick said.

"It might," Damon said. "Then how will you feel?"

Rick shook his head. "You're being ridiculous. Let's go get some breakfast. I'm hungry," Rick said. He grabbed his bag. "We should go ahead and check out."

Damon nodded and grabbed his own and the keys. "I hope this will be over soon," Damon said.

"It will be," Rick said. He patted him on the shoulder. He hoped it would be anyway.

*****Back In Mystic Falls*****

Elena had fallen asleep on the Salvatores' couch. She awoke to a lot of activity in the room. "What's going on?" she asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"We got him!" Bonnie said excitedly. "Willow finally broke through whatever barrier Klaus had around them. We have their location. Willow is talking to Buffy and Faith now."

"Faith? Remind me who she is again?" Elena asked.

"Faith is another slayer. Dawn calls her the dark slayer," Bonnie said. "When Buffy died for a few minutes her sophomore year-she was drowned by a vampire-another slayer was called. When that slayer was killed, Faith was called."

"Slayers live a dangerous life, don't they?" Elena observed.

"Giles said most don't live past sixteen. Buffy has lasted the longest. Faith is a year or so older than her, and she was called up at a later age. Buffy became a slayer at fifteen," Bonnie said.

"Fifteen? I can't imagine that. Our life became insane at sixteen, but it was more about survival, not seeking out danger," Elena said.

"Yeah, they basically do nothing but battle evil from what I can tell. Sunnydale was on a hellmouth and attracted all kinds of evil things. Willow said part of the reason Buffy has survived so long is because she went against custom. She brought them into her world to help fight. She wasn't alone. Most slayers fight alone. Or all used to before Buffy and Willow changed everything," Bonnie shared.

"I couldn't imagine going through what I've went through without you," Elena said, reaching over and squeezing her hand. "Are you going to go with Willow?"

"Yes. We're going to leave shortly," Bonnie said a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"Are you sure you can get there in time? They have to be hours away from here," Elena said doubtfully.

"Elena, Willow can teleport," Bonnie revealed.

"What? Teleport? What does that mean exactly?" Elena asked with a frown.

"She uses magic to travel from one place to another. And she says she can bring me, too," Bonnie said. She was both excited and nervous about the prospect.

Elena straightened up and looked anxious. "Are you sure about that? We don't know these people, Bonnie. We don't really know what they're capable of or how dangerous teleporting is," Elena pointed out.

"Look, Elena, you got to trust me. Willow is someone I can trust. My Grams wouldn't have told me to trust her if she wasn't someone I could count on," Bonnie said firmly. "You didn't see her face, Elena. She was so relieved that Willow was here. More importantly, she trusted Willow, and she told me to trust her, too. And her friends."

"But they're vampire slayers, Bonnie. What if they kill Stefan and Damon?" Elena asked, upset at the thought.

"They really seem to get that the vampires we know aren't like the ones they're used to battling, Elena. I don't think they'll slay Damon and Stefan," Bonnie said.

"Promise me, Bonnie, that you won't let them kill Damon or Stefan. Promise me!" Elena begged.

Bonnie couldn't find it in her to refuse her best friend. Although she barely tolerated Damon, she knew that Stefan was a good person. He was worth saving. "I'll do my best. I promise," she replied.

"Both of them," Elena said pointedly.

Bonnie nodded. She really would try. However, she knew that she was out of her league with Willow and probably the slayers. She no longer had the power she used to have, but she would do her best to keep her promise.

*****Buffy and Company*****

They drove to a secluded house surrounded by trees. "Are you ready, Faith?" Buffy asked.

"As I'll ever be. I'm not convinced that this Klaus fellow is indestructible. We've heard that before," Faith said with derision.

"I know," Buffy grinned. They got out of the car. Damon and Alaric parked next to them. Buffy went to the trunk to get out weapons. The guys joined them.

"So you got a grenade launcher in there or what?" Damon asked with a smirk.

"Nah. Too flashy. Used one of those once. It was fun," Buffy replied with a coy smile.

Damon blinked, not expecting her reply. His eyes widened when she pulled out her weapon of choice.

"Oh my God!" Rick exclaimed in awe as he looked at the ax that wasn't like any he'd ever seen before. The large axe blade was a glistening silver with a deep red inner blade color, the lower end of the blade had a pointed hook, and the opposite end of the handle ended in a wooden stake. "Wow! What is that?"

"It's a scythe. A mystical one. It can kill a vampire in more than one way. The weapon of the slayer. It's not just a scythe though. It's got power of its own. It's what Willow used to turn all potential slayers in the world into slayers," Buffy shared. She handed it to Rick to examine.

He was blown away by the elegance and symmetry of the weapon. "I've never seen anything like it!" he said.

"Nor will you. There is nothing else like it," Buffy said. She smiled as he swung it around. He was very cute. He gave it back with a sheepish grin.

"You have great toys," Alaric said.

"Oooh! Naughty!" Damon couldn't resist saying. He smirked at Alaric who really wanted to pop him one.

Buffy laughed. They both were very cute. Too bad Damon knew how cute he was. Made him a bit less attractive to her.

"Let's see Klaus survive a beheading," Faith said with an arrogant smirk.

"Wait a minute! What do you mean it turned slayers into slayers?" Damon asked as he replayed what Buffy had just revealed in her statement. "You mean there's more of you out there?"

Faith chuckled. "More than you can imagine. More all the time. Willow unleashed something that the world has never known. Buffy decided that a bunch of men ages ago didn't have the right to decide that there's just one chosen one. We're not alone anymore in our fight," Faith shared, the satisfaction evident in her voice..

"I have an army. An army that grows larger as we speak. Klaus may be the biggest baddest thing you've ever faced, but trust me when I say we can handle him," Buffy said confidently.

Damon and Alaric exchanged looks. Alaric was excited at the possibilities of being a part of such organized power. Damon, on the other hand, was torn. He couldn't imagine that an army of vampire slayers was a good thing for him or his brother. However, he did know he couldn't kill Klaus on his own. So he'd have to take whatever help he could get. Then when Klaus was dead, he'd work on figuring out how to prevent his hometown from being invaded by an entire army of slayers.

All of a sudden they were all knocked back by a wave of energy. Dust and air blew in their faces. Damon held up his arm to shield his face from the debris.

Suddenly in the midst of them, Willow and Bonnie appeared. One minute they weren't there; the next they were. "What the hell?" Rick asked in alarm. He jumped back.

It took all Damon's control not to join him. Bonnie grinned excitedly. "That was so cool!" she exclaimed as she let go of Willow's hand.

"You weren't kidding," Damon said to Buffy.

"Nope. So if Klaus gets past me and Faith, he won't get past Willow," Buffy said confidently.

She hugged Willow. "Thanks for coming," Buffy said. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Bonnie. She's a witch, too," Willow said happily. "Bonnie, this is Buffy and that is Faith."

"Hey," Faith said with a smile.

"Very nice to meet you, Bonnie," Buffy said.

Bonnie gave her a small smile, feeling a bit intimidated for the first time. The two slayers exuded power and strength in a way that Willow didn't. Willow mostly appeared harmless unless you were someone who could sense such things. The two slayers, however, had energy that came off them in waves. How anyone could mistake them for simple girls was incomprehensible to her.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Bonnie said. She looked over at Rick and Damon, glad to see two familiar faces.

"Look at you! Getting your witch on!" Damon teased.

"Willow said she can teach me how to do it on my own!" Bonnie said so excited that she didn't care that it was Damon.

"Very cool," Damon said, suitably impressed.

"So have you spotted the targets?" Willow asked.

"Target as in one!" Damon reminded them pointedly.

"I was just about to send Damon here to scout out the perimeter," Buffy said, giving him a small smile.

Damon just knew when he was being baited, and he wasn't going to be made to look foolish in front of Bonnie by antagonizing the slayer. There was no telling what the woman would do, so he just nodded. "I'll be right back," he said.

He quickly made it to the back of the house. He saw movement inside. It was Stefan. He bent down and picked up a small pebble and threw it lightly at the window. Stefan glanced up and spotted his brother. He frowned. What was Damon doing here? Klaus was reading a book, not paying attention. Stefan said, "I'm going to get some air."

Klaus waved a hand dismissively, not looking up.

Damon went behind a tree to wait for Stefan. "What are you doing here, Damon?" Stefan asked when he appeared next to him.

Damon looked his brother over, checking for signs of distress. Relieved that his brother was unharmed, he said, "Hello, brother."

The two brothers stared wordlessly at one another, words unnecessary for a brief moment as the bonds of blood and brotherhood rose up to bind them together. Then Stefan stepped back, breaking the connection. "You can't be here, Damon. You have to leave!" he ordered with a concerned frown.

Faith suddenly appeared. "That's so not going to happen!" she warned, giving Stefan a wicked grin. "Hello, lover," she said to him.

Damon's mouth fell open in surprise. "Lover?" he asked in disbelief.

Stefan barely registered his brother as his eyes took in the sight of the woman he had been with so briefly but so memorably. His heart raced in excitement, Klaus and his brother momentarily forgotten. "What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"After I beat you senseless, we're taking you home," Faith said, surprising him.

"What?" he asked, looking questioningly at Damon.

"You've missed a lot, brother," Damon said. "Let me fill you in."