Wesley and Giles looked up from their books as everyone rushed back into the Library. Giles could see Aragorn, but no Faith. He stood up and rushed over to them.
"Faith?" he asked.
Buffy shook her head. She led Xander over to the table and helped him sit down. The rest soon followed. Wesley looked from one to the other. He didn't understand. Why had they left Faith behind? Was she dead?
No-one was talking. They all just sat and looked sadly at each other. He noticed the two visitors in a corner whispering in a language he couldn't understand. The tall blonde was very upset about something and the dark warrior was having trouble calming him. He wished he could understand them. But he was getting used to being the one always left out of the loop. It had happened all through his life. Firstly at school, then when he trained as a Watcher. No-one took him seriously. But here, HE was the Watcher, not Giles. They would have to listen to him and follow his orders.
"Excuse me," he said loudly. "What happened and where is Faith?"
Everyone looked at him. Aragorn and Legolas stopped talking and joined the others. Then Wesley noticed everyone turn to look at Buffy.
"It was too late for Faith," she said softly, taking Xander's hand in her small one.
"She's dead?" Wesley gasped.
"She's joined them," Buffy replied.
Giles threw Wesley a filthy look. He was blaming the younger Watcher for this new development. She'd not been ready to go on Slayer duty yet, but Wesley had pushed her. He should have left Faith alone with Angel when he was trying to help her. His interference was to blame for this. He then noticed Angel wasn't with them.
"Angel?" he asked.
"He was with us," Buffy replied.
She didn't understand it. Why hadn't he returned with them? She also remembered the look he'd given her at the warehouse. His eyes, so full of anger instead of his usual love and tenderness.
"He left," Aragorn spoke up at last. "After the battle."
"Did he say where he was going?" Giles asked.
Aragorn shook his head. He'd noticed the way he'd looked at Buffy and also noticed the looks he'd shot at Legolas. Something was going on there and he didn't like it. But as soon as they retrieved the ring, he and Legolas would be gone. Nothing could come of anything here. Soon they would back in Middle Earth. Soon they would complete their quest and he'd be back in Arwen's arms, if she'd still have him. It was time to join their world again and for him to take his place in it.
Legolas couldn't take his eyes off Buffy. She looked beautiful even in her exhausted state. He wanted to take her in his arms and brush the dust from her cheek, kiss her nose, hold her till the sadness left her eyes. His heart wanted her, but his mind knew it was not to be.
Faith watched Boromir sleep. He definately was a good lay. She finally saw Buffy's attraction to the demonic kind. Angel was, after all, a Demon too. There was just something about them. Maybe the added evilness that banished all their inhibitions. Whatever it was, she liked it so much more than the "boys" she usually slept with. Take Xander......please...she thought to herself. What could she have been thinking that night? She shook her head and focused back on the ring. Her eyes wandered down to Boromir's finger.
The thin band of gold seemed to glow. It almost seemed to have a life of its own. She reached out her hand, her fingers wanting it. Wanting to touch it, feel it, possess it. She couldn't explain it. A desire was running through her body. All her senses and every cell of her body felt alive and the tingling was driving her crazy. She needed that ring.
Boromir stirred.
Faith pulled back her hand and watched. His eyes stayed closed and his breathing was still heavy. She had worn him out. Gently, she eased the ring off his finger. He didn't move. She stood beside the bed and looked down at the ring cradled in her palm. She could feel the weight in her palm, and warmth. An energy seemed to flow within it. She slipped it onto her finger. Instantly she felt its power. She felt like it was a part of her and it had come home.
Quickly, she dressed and made her way downstairs. The Vampires had returned and were sleeping. She could see the dust remains of some all over the warehouse floor. Buffy had been here. They had sent the blonde Slayer to rescue her. Yet she was still here and several Vampires had been slain. She wondered what exactly Buffy had seen.
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"Faith?" he asked.
Buffy shook her head. She led Xander over to the table and helped him sit down. The rest soon followed. Wesley looked from one to the other. He didn't understand. Why had they left Faith behind? Was she dead?
No-one was talking. They all just sat and looked sadly at each other. He noticed the two visitors in a corner whispering in a language he couldn't understand. The tall blonde was very upset about something and the dark warrior was having trouble calming him. He wished he could understand them. But he was getting used to being the one always left out of the loop. It had happened all through his life. Firstly at school, then when he trained as a Watcher. No-one took him seriously. But here, HE was the Watcher, not Giles. They would have to listen to him and follow his orders.
"Excuse me," he said loudly. "What happened and where is Faith?"
Everyone looked at him. Aragorn and Legolas stopped talking and joined the others. Then Wesley noticed everyone turn to look at Buffy.
"It was too late for Faith," she said softly, taking Xander's hand in her small one.
"She's dead?" Wesley gasped.
"She's joined them," Buffy replied.
Giles threw Wesley a filthy look. He was blaming the younger Watcher for this new development. She'd not been ready to go on Slayer duty yet, but Wesley had pushed her. He should have left Faith alone with Angel when he was trying to help her. His interference was to blame for this. He then noticed Angel wasn't with them.
"Angel?" he asked.
"He was with us," Buffy replied.
She didn't understand it. Why hadn't he returned with them? She also remembered the look he'd given her at the warehouse. His eyes, so full of anger instead of his usual love and tenderness.
"He left," Aragorn spoke up at last. "After the battle."
"Did he say where he was going?" Giles asked.
Aragorn shook his head. He'd noticed the way he'd looked at Buffy and also noticed the looks he'd shot at Legolas. Something was going on there and he didn't like it. But as soon as they retrieved the ring, he and Legolas would be gone. Nothing could come of anything here. Soon they would back in Middle Earth. Soon they would complete their quest and he'd be back in Arwen's arms, if she'd still have him. It was time to join their world again and for him to take his place in it.
Legolas couldn't take his eyes off Buffy. She looked beautiful even in her exhausted state. He wanted to take her in his arms and brush the dust from her cheek, kiss her nose, hold her till the sadness left her eyes. His heart wanted her, but his mind knew it was not to be.
Faith watched Boromir sleep. He definately was a good lay. She finally saw Buffy's attraction to the demonic kind. Angel was, after all, a Demon too. There was just something about them. Maybe the added evilness that banished all their inhibitions. Whatever it was, she liked it so much more than the "boys" she usually slept with. Take Xander......please...she thought to herself. What could she have been thinking that night? She shook her head and focused back on the ring. Her eyes wandered down to Boromir's finger.
The thin band of gold seemed to glow. It almost seemed to have a life of its own. She reached out her hand, her fingers wanting it. Wanting to touch it, feel it, possess it. She couldn't explain it. A desire was running through her body. All her senses and every cell of her body felt alive and the tingling was driving her crazy. She needed that ring.
Boromir stirred.
Faith pulled back her hand and watched. His eyes stayed closed and his breathing was still heavy. She had worn him out. Gently, she eased the ring off his finger. He didn't move. She stood beside the bed and looked down at the ring cradled in her palm. She could feel the weight in her palm, and warmth. An energy seemed to flow within it. She slipped it onto her finger. Instantly she felt its power. She felt like it was a part of her and it had come home.
Quickly, she dressed and made her way downstairs. The Vampires had returned and were sleeping. She could see the dust remains of some all over the warehouse floor. Buffy had been here. They had sent the blonde Slayer to rescue her. Yet she was still here and several Vampires had been slain. She wondered what exactly Buffy had seen.
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