The next morning Bruce and Faith headed down to Gotham PD to make a report. Sure enough, Gordon was right and the press were out in full force it front of their building, so Bruce decided to take the Lamborghini as the windows were heavily tinted and the press wouldn't be able to get much in the way of photographs of either him or Faith.
After Faith's comment from the night before, she seemed a bit subdued as they went to bed. Bruce held her all night and thought long and hard about what she could've meant by her statement. When the morning had come, he realized that sleep had eluded him...and he still didn't have an answer that satisfied him.
Once the statements were done, Commissioner Gordon came over to shake Bruce's hand and let him know that Miranda Tate had been booked first thing that morning and they would be transferring her to Blackgate later that morning.
Once they were on their way back to the Penthouse Bruce decided to find out where Faith's mind was at.
"Hey beautiful, would you mind answering something for me?"
Faith gave him a confused look, but nodded. "Sure, if I can."
Bruce looked out the front window and tightened his hands on the steering wheel for a moment before he gathered his thoughts. When he spoke, his voice was more emotional than Faith had ever heard it.
"I spent all night thinking about what you said last night, and I still can't figure it out today. Do you still think I'm in love with Rachel?"
Faith's breath hitched a bit, but she quickly got it under control. She gazed over at Bruce's profile and could see the tension in his jaw and his pulse moving faster down his neck. She could almost smell his nervousness, and she had to wonder if it was because he was afraid she'd finally figured his secret out. Sighing softly, Faith placed a hand on Bruce's leg and gave it a comforting squeeze.
"Why would you assume that?" Faith asked quietly.
"I don't know." Bruce said warily. "Something just feels off...like you're not telling me something and I don't like the feeling at all."
Faith nodded. "I can see how you might think that." Faith twisted her hands in her lap and decided to take the plunge and tell Bruce that she knew about his shrine to Rachel when their car was slammed into and then there was nothing but darkness.
Sometime later, Faith woke up and tried to move her hands and feet...but they were shackled to chains attached the wall behind her. She felt bruised and battered, but luckily nothing seemed broken...she gasped in pain and fear when she realized that Bruce was in the car and as she looked around to get her bearings...she noticed she was underground...probably part of the sewer system.
There were several men above her, all holding guns. She had no idea how much time had gone by but she had a pretty good idea what had happened. Her head ached so she figured she had a concussion and the restraints on her wrists and ankles were quite strong. She'd probably could break them if she had to, but she needed to find out where Bruce was and if he was okay.
"Ah, I see you're finally awake Miss Lehane." A strange reverberated voice said from above and Faith looked up to see the man they called Bane staring down at her. She couldn't make out much of his face behind the metal mask he wore, but she could see his eyes and they were amused.
"Where's Bruce?" Faith growled out.
Bane jumped down from the elevated walkway onto the pavement in front of her, about a 12 foot drop. Faith was unimpressed as the metal mask was some kind of steroid based system that gave the freak additional strength and stamina, according to Angel's research.
"Ah yes, Mr. Wayne...he was left relatively uninjured and is likely wondering what happened to you."
Faith breathed out a sigh of relief when she heard a female voice chuckle from the shadows. "Hello Faith, we meet again."
Faith turned her head and saw Miranda walk out of the shadows. So Bane had broken her out...probably during the transportation which meant they had someone on the inside of Gotham's PD helping them. Taking Bruce out beforehand was strategic, it would mean he couldn't intervene as the Batman.
"Well, I suppose I have to give you props Miranda, taking Bruce out and kidnapping me...to use me to lure the Batman here?"
Miranda's eyes widened as she considered the chained woman in front of her. "You seem to know a bit more than Bruce's average bimbos. His last paramour did, and she died a most unfortunate death...sad."
Faith chuckled. "Awwwww...Did that word vomit hurt coming out of your mouth?"
Miranda's eyes narrowed as she moved over and backhanded Faith, splitting open her lip. She took a step back and was surprised to see that Faith was openly grinning at her.
"Temper, temper...Miranda dear. Or should I call you Talia? Talia al Ghul?"
Miranda took a step back in shock and gave a sidelong glance to Bane before she faced her captive. "It was you?"
"Ding, ding, ding...we have a winner, ladies and gentlemen. You and your precious League...what a joke. That's the problem with people like you, never thinking that there might be someone out there whose more powerful, more well connected than you are."
Miranda's body language was wary as she stared at Faith. "Who are you?"
"I thought we'd established that already...Faith Lehane, at your service."
"I admit Miss Lehane, I had you investigated when it first came out that you were attached to Bruce and there wasn't anything on you that was remarkable. Not much of anything at all actually...at least, not to have the kind of resources you're claiming to. I think, you're trying to save your precious boyfriend...don't worry dear, you'll be reunited soon enough."
Faith just smirked and tilted her head back, signaling she was done with the conversation. Closing her eyes, she sent her Slayer senses out into the surrounding area. It was amazing how much easier it was to sense things and people around her. There were at least 15 people within this room and another half dozen outside the immediate sewers patrolling. They all had guns, so that was problematic. She had the tools to take out most of them, but guns were something else entirely.
Clearing her mind, Faith sent out her thoughts and called for Willow. After a few attempts, she made contact.
"Faith!" She heard Willow yell into her mind.
"Damn, Red...quietly please. I have company."
"Sorry, you okay?"
"Five by five...is Bruce with you?"
"Yeah, he was relatively fine after the accident for the most part. The person hit your side of the car and took you, leaving him unconscious. He's beside himself Faith. Where are you?"
"Underground in the sewers. Miranda is here so I'm assuming the press knows about my abduction and the break out."
"Yes. It's been all over the news."
"Fuck. Look I'm kinda in a jam here and I'm sure Bruce, if he hasn't been contacted yet, will soon enough."
"Tate has a magical tracker, if you're with her... Bruce, Angel, Buffy and Spike can be there soon."
"There's about two dozen trained mercs here with automatic guns. As good as I am, I'm not sure I can handle that kind of firepower and I'd rather not out Angel or Buffy. They want Bruce and they're going to want him to come alone. I'm sure they'll kill me if he doesn't. Buffy told me about the Enjoining spell that you all did to defeat Adam. Any chance you, Giles and Buffy could help a girl out?"
Faith heard Willow chuckle. "Sure...I'll get right on it. We will have to set up somewhere relatively close and from the looks of it your right under Wayne Enterprises."
"Figures, fucking bitch. Hurry alright...I really want to kick her ass."
"Five by five Faith. See you soon!" Willow signed off and Faith sighed in relief.
Faith opened her eyes and saw Bane watching her closely and she winked at him...which caused his eyes to narrow dangerously. He made to come over when Miranda stopped him by placing a hand on his arm and shaking her head. The monster backed down instantly like the good little dog he was.
"You have your Pet well trained Talia. Nice mask, by the way...makes him look all scary...I'm sure it plays well with the lackeys."
Miranda's lips pursed and Faith could see Bane becoming agitated. "I'd rather wait until Bruce is here so I can kill both of you at the same time, however if you don't stop speaking I'll let Bane here have a bit of fun before we kill you, understand?"
"Five by five."
Miranda looked irritated for a moment before she turned her back and spoke with a few of her men. Faith listened to the conversation and relayed to Willow where the men would be waiting for the Batman in the sewers.
It wasn't too long after her conversation with Willow that Faith could hear static coming in over their communication devices. She could also hear gunshots out in the sewers reverberating through the din.
Holding her breath, her eyes widened in relief when she saw Bruce in full Batman gear, walking through the entryway and onto the elevated walkway...and as soon as he was clear, the metal gate slammed shut, trapping him inside the room with her.
Bane was waiting for him, standing like some kind of fucking freakish sentry, with his hands grasped onto the harness he was wearing.
"Mr. Wayne, so kind of you to join us."
Bruce looked down and saw Faith chained to the wall...she gave him a quick wink and Bruce felt his body relax slightly.
Faith could hear Bane chuckle behind the mask. "Theatricality and deception are powerful tools to the uninitiated, but we are...aren't we Mr. Wayne? Both forged by the League and now, you will suffer the same fate you bestowed upon Ra's."
Bruce moved forward like a panther as his body braced itself for what was to come.
"You were excommunicated by a bunch of psychopaths!" Bruce growled deeply.
When the two adversary's were within arms reach, the fighting began. Faith watched mesmerized at the brutality of the blows being traded. An uppercut here, an elbow to the head there...kicks and punches were met and measured with unerring efficiency and she couldn't help but pull on her chains, but the sound of guns being locked back on her position stopped her cold.
Bane finally managed to get the upper hand and grabbed Bruce by the neck, his feet dangling from the ground.
Bruce used an EMP to cut the main lights but Bane just chuckled. "You think you own the darkness, that it's your ally? I was forged in the pit, I was moulded by the darkness and now I've come for you."
Bane tossed Bruce over the walkway to the floor below and Faith gasped as she strained against her bindings, watching with horror as Bruce stood back up, but was clearly injured from the fall. Before he could get his bearings, Talia moved out of the shadows and plunged a knife into his side between the Kevlar plates. Faith screamed 'No!' But it was too late...Bruce fell to the ground and Faith could see the blood coming down his side. He crawled his way to her and eventually his body sagged on the wall next to her, as Bane jumped down and stalked towards them.
Miranda took her spot next to Bane as she chuckled. "Poor Bruce...you're simply no match for the power of the League of Shadows."
Faith opened her mind to Willow and said "Now."
"And now I can avenge my Father and complete his work."
Above the ceiling in the basement of Wayne Enterprises, Willow, Buffy and Giles were sitting in a three point circle just above where Faith was located in the sewers below.
Willow lit the candles and placed the magic gourd into the circle. Lucius watched the group with interest as he had been the one to let them into the basement.
Willow then began to speak...
"The Power of the Slayer and all who wield it
Last to ancient First we invoke thee
Grant us thy domain and primal strength
Accept us and the Powers we possess
Make us mind and heart and spirit enjoined
Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will.
By the generous will of the Ancients, the almighty power of the Divine Spirits...
Your supplicants humbly beseech thee to behold us, and that which we possess...
The moieties of the One, the Avatar...
Then Willow took out the Tarot Cards, handing the first card to Buffy...who said the word 'Animus'.. Heart...then to Giles, who took the next card from Willow and said, 'Sophus' mind...Willow took the next card and said 'Spiritus'... Spirit...
And Manus...the hand...
We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel, the hand...
Daughter of Sineya
First of the Ones
We implore thee: admit us
Bring us to the vessel
Take us Now!
We are heart...we are mind...we are spirit
From the raging storm...
We bring power to the Primeval One."
They finished the last part in unison as they all arched their heads back while Lucius watched in complete astonishment.
Back in the sewers, Faith whispered silently to Bruce to stay still and he nodded.
"You don't look quite so smug now, Miss Lehane?" Miranda mocked.
Faith glared up at Talia for a moment before she smiled. "You still haven't figured it out, have you? Both of you...who pay homage to the darkness...the League...never realizing that there are forces out there in the world that are the darkness, and that even the darkness fears."
Miranda's look was confused while Bane just titled his massive head at the woman held captive.
"And you are the darkness?" Miranda mocked. "You can't even defend yourself."
"That's where you are wrong." Faith tilted her head down for a moment before she lifted her eyes, that were glowing a bright orangish red...while Bane's voice echoed menacingly, "You won't live much longer."
"We will, we are forever." Faith's voice reverberated with the joined echo of Giles, Buffy and Willow...Shaminenden...gashtumienden...zumienden...okushtameulabatumaduen..."
"Interesting." Bane said warily as he lifted his hand and signaled his men to open fire.
"Amanshandal..." with those words, the Sumerian spell erected a powerful protective barrier around her and Bruce, the hail of bullets falling harmlessly onto the shield and dissolving...then in a flash, Faith's chains fell away as she stood up.
"Very interesting." Bane said deeply as his eyes glittered with curiosity and a tinge of fear.
Miranda and Bane took a hesitant step back, as Bane signaled his man to open fire again but Faith put her hand up and in an instant...all the guns were turned into bats.
Faith then waved her hand again, and all the men in the room collapsed unconscious. She then flicked her hand and bound Talia with ropes...so the woman couldn't move.
Faith wasted no time going on the attack. As she moved into Bane's space he went on the offensive quickly but Faith twisted her body away and around from his punches before she took the offensive back. When he threw a right cross, she blocked it with one hand before she gave three blistering punches to the head and pushing him back with the force of her blows...
When he went to land another punch, Faith blocked it again and gave him a roundhouse kick to the chest, knocking him back at good five feet, with Bane landing on his knees...when he flung his arm back in defense, Faith grabbed it and twisted in underneath his body as she grasped his neck in a choke hold.
"Impossible..." Bane breathed in shock... "How can you?"
Faith's voice reverberated in the open space as she spoke, "You can never hope to grasp the source of our Power."
Faith then flung Bane through the air, his body doing a complete 360 before she slammed him back the the ground and gave him a series of blistering punches to the face and body before she grabbed for his mask and pulled.
Bane tried to stop her, but he wasn't powerful enough and Faith ripped the mask from him...effectively rendering him defeated.
She took the mask and eyed it curiously as said with her otherworldly voice... "But yours is right here."
Bane collapsed completely, crumpling in on himself as Talia watched on in horror. The mask was then held aloft as it floated in the air with Faith chanting..."tamealaubmadeun...amanshandal..."
With that, a portal opened and Bane's mask vanished into the ether.
Bruce sat back against the wall panting, but completely stunned at the primeval power of his Slayer...she had dispatched Bane in less than a minute. His eyes moved to Talia's, who was looking at Faith in abject fear and horror.
"What are you?"
Faith's orange glowing eyes turned towards Talia and she grinned, before she tilted her head back down and Bruce could see the spell leave her body...for when her gaze locked on his, he could see her beautiful eyes once again.
Faith walked over to him and raised an eyebrow as she checked the wound, proclaiming that, "you'll live," before her gaze was focused back on Talia. Sauntering forward like a predator, Faith stopped directly in front of the woman.
"I'm what the darkness fears." Was all she said, watching Talia shudder when she sent out her aura and slammed it into the woman in warning. "I won't kill you Talia...you'll go to prison...for a very long time...perhaps I might even be tempted to return you to the pit from which you came."
Talia's breath hitched in terror. "You wouldn't?"
Faith grinned evilly. "Oh, but I would. D'Hoffryn, could you come to me please?"
In a flash, a portal opened and the Lord of Vengeance was standing before her with an equally irritated and bored expression on his face, while Talia gasped in fear.
"What now, Slayer? I thought we had a deal?"
Faith chuckled. "We did...I just need your expertise for a teeny tiny moment."
The demon bowed his head before he considered the captive woman staring him completely dumbfounded, then her eyes cleared in understanding as she gazed back at Faith in wonder. "You're the Slayer?"
Faith rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Didn't he just say that?"
Bruce chuckled while D'Hoffryn merely grunted with impatience. "I'm not getting any younger Slayer."
"Please...you look damn good for 40,000 years old."
Bruce smiled as he watched the demon preen at the compliment before he bowed his head. "Very well...what can I do for you? This is the last time, correct?"
Faith opened her mind and confirmed that after this, she wouldn't be seeing him again. The demon nodded in understanding. "Miss...whatever the fuck she wants to be called, needs a little binding spell so she can't do the evil anymore. She needs to go to prison...but if she screws up and decides to go after Bruce, or anyone he cares about...I want her sent back to the pit she was born from...permanently."
D'Hoffryn chuckled viciously. "Ah, Slayer...such a waste. You would have been my crown jewel...a truly gifted Vengeance Demon."
Faith chuckled. "Don't tempt me, you sweet talker."
This got a real laugh out of the demon, and Faith smiled in response while Bruce just shook his head in amusement.
D'Hoffryn took out a pendant from his robes, that was quite a bit different than the ones he gifted to his lackey's. He placed it around Talia's neck and she hissed as it burned into her flesh...leaving the imprint of the necklace like a permanent tattoo. When D'Hoffryn removed it...the markings were still there and Faith grinned in appreciation.
"Nice one."
The Vengeance Lord bowed and smirked. "I'm so glad you approve. This is goodbye Slayer. May your journey be victorious."
Faith nodded and silently wished D'Hoffryn well...reminding him how much she had appreciated his generosity where she and Bruce were concerned. He bowed formally, before the portal opened and he disappeared.
Faith then silently called for Willow to bring the Calvary as the battle was done and Bruce was injured. She lifted him up slowly and let him lean on her as he tilted his head down and whispered into her ear... "Have I mentioned to you that you're absolutely perfect in every way?"
Faith smiled softly and winked. "Not today, Wayne."