The Slayer
By Norwalker
Part 36 of a multipart story.
Summary: What if Faith came first? If she were the slayer before Buffy( if Buffy even became a slayer)? Just my take on what might have happened. AU, of course.
Pairings: Not sure yet. You might be surprised.
Rating: M( R )
Disclaimer: Characters depicted in this story, except for original characters created by the author, are the sole property of Mutant Enemy, Fox and Joss Whedon.
1
"What?"
Cordelia look over the top of her sunglasses at the waiter as he bends over her.
She is lying on one of the chaise lounges around the pool, working on her tan. It's gotta just be perfect tonight for the disco… and this isn't helping one bit she thinks, looking up at the smiling face hovering over her.
"I just wanted to see if everything was satisfactory, Ms. Chase," Stefan asks solicitously.
"Everything was fine, Pedro," Cordelia deliberately ignores the name tag on Stefan's shirt. "Until you showed up, blocking my sun. Think you can fix that?" She barely waits a moment before adding "now would be good."
Stefan quickly straightens up, stepping back a step to move his shadow off Cordelia's chaise. He keeps his smile fixed on his face with some determination.
"So sorry, Miss Chase. If there is anything I can get you?"
"Gone would be nice," Cordelia repeats her not so subtle hint.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call," Stefan beats a hasty retreat, all the while reminding himself he needs this job; he really needs this job.
Oh, sure, if I need another watered down drink or overpriced towel or a bottle of greasy suntan lotion, you're first on my list, Manuel, she grumbles to herself, settling back on her lounge. God, where did they get him? Incompetents R Us?
Why am I here again? Oh yeah, Daddy brought me here. Thought it'd be nice to get away from Sunnyhell for awhile… still, I swear Cabo San… she pauses for a moment, realizing she can't remember the name of the resort… it's something Caribbean-Latin American-topicalish – Wherever… gets worse every year… rooms are dingier, the staff doesn't even have a clue, and the food… well, at least there's the disco tonight. That's usually good. Plenty of potential there. Between the rich and pretty, and the poor and prettier, should be able to find something to pass the time. Cordelia grins a little, thinking about the potentials for a play toy. Hmmm… at least the eye candy is still fine here…
She settles back in her lounge, closing her eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her skin. She is just getting relaxed again when another shadow falls over her.
Oh, for God's sake!
"What now?" She sighs. Her tone is irritated. She doesn't open her eyes.
"Cor?"
"Excuse me?" her eyes open.
She looks up into the face of a brunette woman leaning over her. Despite her irritation, she feels a little ice in her tummy at the intensity of the look on the other woman's face.
"My name is Ms. Chase. You might want to remember that in the future," Cordelia snaps at her. The threat is implied.
"Cor, it's me!"
"Well, isn't that special for you? And you would be…?" Not that I really care.
"Cut the crap, Cordelia. I've been looking for you everywhere! "
"You're stalking me?"
"What?!" The brunette looks disconcerted. "No! What the hell?"
"Sounds like stalking to me," Cordelia says mildly. "You've been following me around, and I don't have a clue as to who you are…"
"Ok, the whole "I don't know you" routine? Not funny before, getting even less funny. Stop kidding around, for Christ's sake! It's me!"
"And again I'm going to ask you, that would be…?" She lets the question hang.
"FAITH!"
Cordelia suddenly feels somewhat nervous being so close to an obvious whack job. "Uh… ok, then. That's nice, really nice, ok? But really, not interested in being converted to your cult or whatever, so why don't you try some of the other guests?" Somewhere far, far away!
"What kind of game are you pulling here, Cordelia?" Faith glares at her. "Goddamn it, whatever it is, knock it off!"
"Game? I'm not playing any games!" Cordelia snaps back at her. "I'm not the one going around pretending I know someone I don't. What kind of loon are you, anyway?"
"I'M NOT A LOON!"
The conversations at the poolside suddenly cease, and you can hear a pin drop. Faith can feel all eyes on her, including Cordelia's. Oh, just too sweet! She crouches down by Cordelia's lounger.
"Fine. We'll play it your way," Faith leans closer, lowering her voice. "My name is Faith, and you're Cordelia, and you're my girlfriend and I'm…"
"GIRLFRIEND!" Cordelia shouts. That's the last thing she expected from crazy loony girl. "Ok, look here, Dyke-o, I'm no lezzy, ok? So go … try to pick up some other girl, 'k?"
Cordelia sees the look on the other woman's face, and suddenly the ice cubes in her stomach turn into an iceberg. Oh, shit…
"OK, I've had enough of your crap," Faith grabs Cordelia, hauling her to her feet. "C'mon you, we need to talk… somewhere else…"
"OW! OUCH!" Cordelia feels as if her arm is being pulled out of its socket. She struggles to free herself from Faith's grip. "Let me go, you weirdo!" She starts slapping at Faith's arm with her free hand. "Let me GO!"
Faith isn't having any of it, and continues to drag the struggling girl away from the pool.
"HELP! HELP!" Cordelia calls out, clearly frightened. "SOMEBODY! THIS CRAZY RELIGIOUS LESBO NUT IS TRYING TO KIDNAP ME! HELP!"
Even as her heart is beating like it wants to leap out of her chest, something else is happening inside. Something deep and shivery and … erotic.
At that moment, two rather burly, tall and muscle laden fellows put themselves in Faith's way, blocking her progress.
"Is this woman bothering you, ma'am?" The first one, with the shaven head and the tattoo on his neck asks Cordelia.
"I think you should let the girl go, now, and walk away," The other one, with a crew cut and a chin that looks like it's been chiseled out of granite addresses Faith. "Right now," He adds, looking at Faith menacingly.
"God, yes! She's some kind of crazy psycho stalker or something," Cordelia says, trying to break Faith's grip. "Make her let go, please?"
"You heard the lady," The first man says, growling at Faith. "Let her go!"
"Say please…"
The second man starts to grab at Faith.
Faith knows she has to take care of these two quickly, as more will probably show up soon. She releases Cordelia's hand.
"Don't move!" She says, turning back to the men.
Without any hesitation, she wades in, kicking the second man straight in the family jewels. He goes down, grabbing his groin as her knee comes up, smashing him in the face.
The other man hasn't been idle, however, and blindsides Faith, knocking her over, onto her back. He leaps on her like a wrestler, but before he can land, she uses his own weight to force him to go flying over her head. He lands on the turf, face first.
Faith scrambles to her feet, and kicks him quickly between the legs. Even before he can yell, she delivers a few choice kicks to his head, putting him out of commission.
Suddenly, she's off the ground as the first man has gotten up, and put her in a bear hug. She struggles a bit, but can't break free of the iron like arms around her.
"So, not so tough now, eh, girly?" The man says, squeezing her harder.
Her boot manages to connect with his shin, and he releases her for a second.
That's enough, as she turns around, and once again, hits him where it hurts the most. As he starts to grab himself, she boxes him hard on the ears, twice. Then one blow to the chin, and it's over. He goes over on his back, out for the count.
During the melee, Cordelia has made like a bunny and bolted, only to crash into her father, who was coming out to the pool to join her. She quickly runs behind him, hiding.
"Cordelia?" Cornell says, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"
Cordelia points towards the pool, her breath coming out in gasps. "There… crazy woman… attacking me…and them…oh my god she's beating them… we gotta run!"
Cornell watches, faintly amused as Faith finishes up with the two security guards. He definitely doesn't seem to be too concerned by the turn of events.
"Don't worry, sweetie. I won't let anything happen to you…"
"But Daddy, she just took out the 'Roid twins. She's crazy, and strong! We've gotta…"
"Shhh… quiet, sugarpop. I've got it."
Faith, finished savoring her victory, turns and scans for Cordelia. Seeing her, she stomps over to where Cordelia is hiding herself behind her father.
"I thought I told you not to move!"
"I think you should leave my daughter alone!"
"You do, really?" Faith mocks him. "Cuz, I'm thinking not!"
Cornell moves swiftly, grabbing Faith by her shirt front, and lifting her off her feet. He begins to shake her.
"You're becoming more trouble than you're worth…!"
"Geeze, don't need to get so grabby, Pops," Faith brings her arms around, boxing Cornell's ears. "If you wanted to grab my tits, you shoulda just said so!"
"You worthless piece of garbage!" Cornell roars, tossing her like a rag into the grass. He starts to follow after. "I think we'll just end this right now…"
"Oh? Gee, and here I got something special for you, too…"
Faith scrambles to her feet, and reaching into a leg sheath, extracts a knife.
An ornately decorated knife with a large blade. A dull, red, throbbing blade.
Cornell stares at the knife, feeling something he hasn't felt in a very, very long time. Fear.
"Where did you get that?"
"You like it? My Grammy made it for me…" Faith grins at him. She starts to wave the blade about. "Why don't we see if it fits?"
She lunges at him, but Cornell manages to sidestep the attack. Still, the blade nicks him, and he cries out in pain.
"Daddy! No, run. She'll hurt you! She'll KILL YOU! SHE NUTS!" Cordelia grabs at him, trying to pull him away.
Cornell slaps her away. "Get back, Cordelia. This isn't about you now…"
Faith, her eyes narrowed, feints a lunge to his right, causing Cornell to block. She quickly shifts, and with an upward thrust, buries the knife in the left side of his neck.
"DADDY!"
Cornell grabs at the blade, pulling it out of his neck, a great amount of blood following.
It's too late, much too late for Cornell.
Cornell's body begins to ripple and undulate, even as he seems to grow double, then triple in size. He throws back his head, his eyes wide and his mouth thrown open. He falls to his knees, causing the ground to shake even as pure energy seems to extrude from all of his extremities. Beams of blinding light blast from his fingers, eyes, mouth, toes and feet.
The whole scene is blanked out until there is only the white light left. Everything is gone.
Except Faith, who is gripping the knife. And Cordelia, who is standing exposed.
The knife drips with a fresh gout of blood.
Faith turns to her, a slightly maniacal look on her face. She starts to approach Cordelia.
"Don't worry, Cor. More than enough left for you…"
Cordelia turns to run, and stops. She can't run.
There's a wall in front of her. "What the…?"
She turns around, and moans. Everything has changed again.
The bright white has been replaced by darkness, and at first she can't see anything. All she hears are some low moans, and some quiet rustling sounds. An occasional scraping sound, as if something is being dragged. And a popping, bubbling sound.
Then things begin to come into focus, and her eyes adjust to the dimness. She wishes they hadn't.
She is in some dark, dank filthy room somewhere. The only light is coming from the gaps in poorly boarded up windows. Vaguely in the dimness, she can make out shapes. Some couches line the walls, and on them are vaguely human shapes. Some seemed huddled together, sleeping. Others are lying half on, half off the couches, as if passed out, or worse.
She sees one couple, not too far from herself, the woman laying back on the sofa, her arm tied off with what looks like a piece of rubber tubing. The man is putting what looks like a needle into her arm. Over across from her, someone is smoking a small glass pipe. There is a burbling sound as a flame suddenly ignites under the bowl. His face lights up as he draws in the smoke. It looks beyond dead.
"What… where the hell am I?" She mutters, as she watches some form move to another. Her heart almost slams out of her chest when she sees it lean over, with the obvious wrinkling of a vampire. It bites into its victim, draining it.
"What is this place?"
The air itself is polluted with the sweet scent of rot mixed with sour smell of old sweat and urine. Cordelia feels very sick.
Cordelia is very sick. Her stomach suddenly revolts, and before she can stop herself, she leans over and loses its contents.
Straightening up, wiping her mouth, she sees Faith. She's standing a little ways off, staring at her and the room. Faith looks as shocked as Cordelia feels.
Cordelia almost trips over the bundle of rags that once was a living, breathing human in her haste as she rushes over to Faith.
"Faith!" She cries out, almost throwing herself into Faith's arms.
"You know me?" Faith looks almost as shocked by this as by the room itself. For a brief moment, she doesn't react.
"What is this place? Why are we here?" Cordelia, frightened, shivers.
Faith, feeling her fright, puts her arms about Cordelia, to comfort her. "It's … ok, I… I've been here before."
Faith remembers this room all too well. But why did she… they… come to this place? It doesn't make any sense at all.
"You have to stop this."
Both women, startled, break from each other.
The voice comes from Cordelia's right, and she turns, fearing the worst.
There's a girl there, barely 15, staring at her. She's dressed in some kind of white gauzy filmy gown, covering her from head to neck. Her face looks open and clear, but her eyes arrest you.
They look old, too old for someone so young. They've seen too much too soon.
Her hair, long dark and curly, hangs down over her shoulders.
"Stop this?" Cordelia asks. "Stop what?"
"This. All of this, what he's doing…" The girl approaches, and Cordelia backs away, afraid.
"You're safe here…" the girl says softly. "No one will hurt you here."
Faith looks startled. "Bree? What the hell are you doing here? I don't understand any of this! Why can she remember me now, when she didn't know me…" She waves vaguely in some direction, to a place that doesn't exist any longer.
"Not know you? How could I not know you?" Cordelia cries, suddenly hugging Faith tightly. Her body trembles against Faith's, in fear and in longing. "I've been so scared! I've missed you so much! Where have you been?"
Faith for a moment, loses it. She starts to cry, clinging to Cordelia. "Oh god, I didn't know where you were! I couldn't reach you! I was so scared he…" She holds her tightly, as if she'll never let Cordelia go.
Destiny, however, won't wait, and they are gently, but firmly, pulled apart.
"Not now. You'll have to have this tender reunion later, but I can't keep him away from here forever. You both have to listen to me, it's important!"
Cordelia and Faith look at each other longingly, but then Faith turns to Bree.
"Bree, I don't get it, why're you here? What's going on?"
"This is Bree? The one you talked about?" Cordelia looks at her carefully. "She's beautiful. No wonder you loved her so much."
"She talked about me?" Bree, for a moment, is distracted. "She told you about me?"
"Only how much she loved you…"
Bree, for a moment, seems to glow brighter.
"What's going on? Why are you here? Why are we here?" Faith pulls them back to the now.
"I'm sorry, I had to bring you both here, to warn you. It's the only safe place I could think of, away from him. Unfortunately, the PtB seem to be jokers, and my 'safe place', where I spend most of my time, is the place where I died… wait a minute…"
Suddenly the room fades away, replaced by the sights and sounds of a carnival. The loud yells of the barkers, trying to entice the rubes, is mixed with the cheesy sounds of a calliope, the sounds of shouting and laughter, and the whoosh of a roller coaster. Lights, strung on string wires, are everywhere. The scent of popcorn and hot dogs and cotton candy fill the air.
Bree is dressed differently now, more casually. She is clutching a Teddy bear, won for her what seems eons ago. She turns to Faith, smiling somewhat poignantly.
"I like this place better. They let me come here sometimes," She says softly. Then she sighs. "But that isn't important now…"
Bree turns to Cordelia. "You, you're the most important one right now. I can't hold you long, he's looking for you… listen to me carefully…"
Cordelia nods.
"He's using you. To hurt her…" Bree points at Faith. "He's seeking something she has, something that can destroy him. But she doesn't know about it yet, and that so far has kept her safe. But that's going to change. And if he finds her, and knows she knows…" Bree shakes her head. "It's over… so, you have to fight…"
"How can I? I don't… he's too strong, he…" Cordelia shudders at the horrors he's put her through.
"You have to, somehow. You won't remember this when you leave. He's wiped your memory of her. At least consciously. But here, deep down, you can never forget her. And it's here you got to fight him. Distract him, mislead him, whatever it takes. Until she's ready. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Cordelia nods.
"No, I don't think you do. Look! Because if you fail, this will happen." She points.
Suddenly, the scene changes a little. Faith is on the ground, a knife sticking out of her chest. Her blood is oozing from her chest wound, pooling beneath her body. Her face is frozen in a rictus of death.
"FAITH!!!" Cordelia cries, running over to her body. She kneels down by her. "Faith, Faith baby, what…" She turns on Bree, furious. "What've you done to her?"
"Nothing. I'm just showing you what could happen if he gets what he wants…"
"She can't die, she can't die," Cordelia turns back to the body, looking down at Faith's now pale face. The expression has changed. Her eyes are closed, and her lips are a bluish purple. Her eyes look hollow and bruised.
"She will die, if you fail."
Suddenly Faith's eyes fly open, and she stares at Cordelia.
"You killed me!"
Cordelia's eyes snap open and she almost flings herself out of her bed. Her body is covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and her heart is pounding rapidly in her chest. She has to choke back another scream.
She kneels on her bed, her chest heaving as she tries to catch a breath. She feels dizzy and confused.
"Cordelia!" Her door bursts open, and Cornell, dressed in a robe, rushes to her bed. "Are you ok?"
Cordelia, frightened out of her wits, clings to her father. She starts to babble.
"God, it was horrible. We were on vacation somewhere and some crazy woman showed up and started attacking me. Then these two Arhnold clones showed up, and she beat them up! And then she came, and she… and she… she killed you and then she was coming for me and …"
"Shhh… sugarpop… there, there…" Cornell comforts his daughter, stroking her hair. "It was just a dream. Just a dream. Look. We're at home, see? You're in your bedroom, safe and sound… go ahead, honey, look…"
He gently pries her away from him, and forces her to look around.
She does, and sees her room. The posters on the walls, the vanity, her furniture… everything normal, the way it should be. Still, she can't seem to shake the cobwebs of her dreams.
"It was so real…"She says, a slight awe in her voice. "It seemed so real…"
"I know…" Cornell says, soothingly. "You always get this way when you have a pint a Hagen-Daas before bed. Someone is going to have to knock off the snacking before sleeping, I think." He chides her gently.
Cordelia just clings to him, not able to calm her nerves.
So real… and who… why did that nut job look so familiar. Like I've seen her before… but that's crazy. I've never seen her …
"Are you ok now?"
"Huh?" Cordelia comes out of her reverie. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. Fine."
"Ok, then," Cornell says, "I think someone should try to get back to sleep then…" He looks at her pointedly.
"Right," Cordelia crawls back, and slips under the covers. She lays there, staring at the ceiling.
Cornell, looking concerned, kneels down by her.
"Are you sure you're ok?" He asks. "I can stay if you want…"
"No, no, I'm fine, really…"
"Ok, then…" Cornell leans over, kissing her on the forehead, "Well, goodnight again, Cordelia. Sleep tight."
"Night, daddy," Cordelia snuggles down under the covers as her father turns and heads for the door. "Daddy!" She calls out, before he reaches it.
"Yes?" He turns.
"Thank you."
"Any time, sugarpop!" He smiles, and opening the door, leaves.
Cordelia turns on her side, and feels her eyelids start to droop.
"God, I'm so tired…" She murmurs, as the world fades away. So real…
As does the room. She is now in a dark chamber, on something vaguely resembling an altar. Someone dressed in a dark crimson robe is holding a book, chanting over her. He sprinkles some herbs, and starts to chant again.
The air seems to shiver, and another figure appears out of the thin air.
It's Cornell!
"Idiot!"
Cornell lashes out, striking the mage upside the head. The mage, even with a strong protection spell in place, feels the blow, and is knocked to the ground. He huddles their, cowering in front of Cornell.
"You fool! I've paid you handsomely to get the information I need, and you've failed! It was so close, I could almost feel it… and she WOKE UP! MORON!" He kicks the craven wizard.
The mage scrambles to his feet, somewhat away from Cornell.
"She doesn't know!"
"What?"
"The dark haired one. The one you call the Slayer. She doesn't know where it is… or even what it is…"
"She has to know. It's close. I can sense it…"
"Her mind doesn't know it. She's like a blank page…"
"It's THERE! FIND IT!"
"These spells are complicated, rooted in the darkest magic. One small misstep could lead to disaster. I have to be very careful in using them."
"Then use all care, Mage, but find what I need! Find it for me quickly!" Cornell snarls at him. "Because if you don't…"
Even hooded, the fear is plain in the Mage's face. He quickly lifts the liquid from the flame, and dipping his hand, begins to sprinkle some liquid onto her prone body.
"I will…" he says in a choked voice.
"You better…" Cornell fades into the air.
The mage approaches his tome, and begins the spell again. He works carefully, but quickly.
He is well aware the cost of failure, and has no plans to pay it.
2
Cordelia is gone now, only Faith and Bree are left in that place. Bree walks over, and kneels by Faith's body, looking down on her.
Faith seems to be asleep. The knife is gone, the blood is gone, and she is breathing normally. Her eyes are moving furiously under their lids.
"I miss you so much," Bree says softly, leaning over and looking into Faith's face. She strokes her cheek gently.
She leans over further, and whispers, her lips almost on Faith's, "time to wake up, princess…"
She kisses her lips softly…
"WHAT THE FUCK!"
Faith's head jerks off the table in front of her. She stares out into space, a look of fear on her face. Her guts feel as if they've been all twisted inside, and she can hardly breathe. She gasps, chokes and coughs as she tries to get air back into her body.
A sudden, more urgent pain hits her, a little further below. It feels as if her bladder is about to explode, and she stands, starting towards the bathroom.
And then something hits her hard and painfully, and she grasps her head, her need to pee temporarily forgotten. She feels as if she's been pole axed. She drops to the ground, her vision swirling with darkness.
"Are you all right Faith?"
She looks up, startled. At first, she can only see the shape of a woman at the beaded curtain separating her alcove from the rest of the bar where she's been drinking for the last few hours. She feels her heart lodge in her throat.
The last thing she can remember is Bree leaning over, kissing her.
"Bree?" She whispers hoarsely, feeling confused.
"Bree? I'm sorry, who's Bree?"
The figure moves closer, and Faith can see her clearly now. Her expression takes on a vague look of distaste.
"Oh… well, what do you want?" She says, gruffly. She clambers up off the floor, and brushing herself off, makes for a chair. She sits down, still feeling a little dizzy and out of sorts.
"Well, it's nice to see you too," Agatha Hurley moves into the room, finding a chair across from Faith's. "May I sit?"
"Free country," Faith waves her hand dismissively.
"Thank you…" She sits down gingerly, checking the chair first. "Do you know where you are, child?"
"I'm not a child," Faith says, evenly, "And yeah, I know where I'm at. Why do you think I'm sitting in the back? Willy's normal clients don't like 'my kind' around here, much."
"And you came here because…?"
"Willy doesn't ask a lot of questions, unlike others I know…" Faith takes on of the half finished bottles, and takes a swig from it. "Which kinda reminds me. You didn't answer mine. What do you want?"
"I want to talk to you," Agatha says, calmly. "If we can do that, and not have the pissing contest you seem to be aching for, fine. Otherwise, I won't waste my time here…" Agatha rises from her chair.
"No, wait…" Faith suddenly realizes she really doesn't want to be alone. "I'm sorry. It's just that I don't know you, and you suddenly appear out of nowhere, and I'm not getting it…"
"I came looking for you. I was worried when you left the meeting so abruptly…"
Faith arches a brow.
"Not personally. I don't know you that well…" Agatha continues, "but you're important to what we're doing, and also I sensed something happening to you…"
"Nothing happening here except maybe me getting a little drunk, so you can go home now and sleep, ok?"
"I'm not buying it, Faith."
"Buying what?"
"The tough act. Giles told me you put on this tough girl exterior, but I saw your face when I walked in here, and you were scared. What happened?"
"Told you, nothing happened," Faith insists. Then she sighs, seeing the woman wasn't going to buy that. "I had this dream… nothing important, probably cuz I was drunk…"
"Dream? What kind of dream?"
"A dream. I mean, what? They come in flavors now?"
Agatha stares at her a moment, assessing her. "Did Giles tell you anything about being a slayer?"
"What's to tell? I go out, I fight the bad things, and when my number's up, they get a new one."
Agatha shakes her head impatiently. "Dammit, that's not like Giles. He should've told you…"
"Told me what?" Faith suddenly is concerned. "What?"
"Being a slayer isn't just about going out and fighting demons and vampires, Faith. There's more to it than that. You've been imbued with the essence of a demon. This gives you your strength, your healing… but more, it gives you a sensitivity to supernatural events…"
"Right. Oogah-boogah stuff. Got it" Faith makes a noise. "A load of hooey, if you ask me."
"I wasn't asking you, and that oogah-boogah stuff, as you call it, is the reason why you're who you are. Slayers weren't just created as mindless warriors to go out and slash and hack. There's more to it, a lot more. Things Giles should have been teaching you… "
"Hey look. Don't dis Giles. Yeah, he can be a jerk sometimes, but he does his best, ya know?"
Agatha hides a small smile behind her hand. "Really? Is that so? Why didn't he explain the significance of your dreams, then? Did he explain that to you?"
"Uhhh… well, no, but he's been real busy with this big bad stuff, and hey… what're you talking about, anyway?"
"You're dreams, girl. They mean something. Especially when dealing with… big bad? Is that what you call an apocalypse?" She shakes her head. "Never mind. What was your dream about?"
Is this lady crazy, or what? Faith takes a moment to make up her mind. "Ok, here goes…"
Faith relates her dream as best she can, doing some selective editing. As she recounts the dream, she relives it. By the end she's sitting there, feeling a little disturbed.
Agatha listens intently, nodding occasionally while Faith relates her dream. She muses for a bit after Faith finishes, and then interrupts the silence.
"Bree. You mentioned that name when I came in. Who is she?"
"No one… I mean, no one now… she died a couple of years ago… seems like forever now…"
"Were you… close?"
"Look, lady, if you don't mind, I really don't wanna get into my personal life, ok? She died before I became a slayer… well… pretty much, anyway…"
"But she appeared in this dream… that's significant. Has she been in any of your other dreams?"
"Uhhh… no, I don't…" Faith pauses, " Wait… when I died… I was kinda in this empty place… and I was walking towards this light up ahead, but suddenly she came outta nowhere and kinda… well, she shoved me back. She told me something like…" It's not your time yet" I dunno, something like that…"
"Really?"
"Yeah…" Faith gets a little excited. "And, ok, I know this is gonna sound crazy, cuz I don't like believe in the hoodoo junk, you know? But a couple of times, she kinda… I dunno, appeared to me…"
"Appeared?" Agatha looks puzzled for a moment. "You mean, here, in the real world? Outside your dreams?"
"Yeah… weird, huh? I mean, I thought I was going Loony Tunes when I saw her…"
"When? When did this happen?"
"I don't know, really. Couple of times. Mostly when I was upset about something… she kinda helped…"
Agatha just sits there, shaking her head.
"Giles was right. You are special. I've never heard of a slayer having visions like you…"
"Visions? Like, crazy people?"
"No, visions, like prophecies. And this Bree… she's very significant. Most slayers don't get their own personal contact with the PtB, but that seems to be what she is…" Agatha looks a little awed. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"I dunno. I didn't think it was… I thought I was going nuts, ok? I didn't want Giles to call and have me fitted for a straight jacket…"
"Giles has made a fine hash of things," Agatha says tartly, obviously displeased, "And you… you haven't helped, acting like you have. Thinking you didn't need anyone. We could've had a better handle on things by now if … never mind. Spilt milk. What we have to do is work from what we have now…"
"Look, you don't know what's been going on around here, ok? So don't be coming here dissing me and Giles, cuz frankly, we're doing the best we can, ok? This isn't like a picnic, you know?"
"Calm yourself, girl, I'm not blaming you…"
"Faith, my name is Faith, Ok? Not girl, not child, Faith."
"Very well, Faith. I'm not blaming you, or Rupert. Actually, I feel responsible, to some degree. I should've come sooner, but I've had my own issues back in Devon. But I'm here now, and maybe if we can all work together, we can resolve this." She places her hand over Faith's. "Think we can do that?"
Faith shrugs. "Yeah, sure…"
"Ok, let's talk about your dream…" Agatha takes a breath. "I think it's pretty obvious what's going on here. Cornell was using Cordelia to spy on you …"
"What? Hold on, no way! I mean, no way that Cordelia would do that. She… she's not like that. She wouldn't…"
"Patience, Faith. I'm not saying she was doing it, or going along with it. Cornell was using her, hoping to distract you, maybe seduce you over to his side of the equation. Somehow, anyway, eliminate you as a threat…" Agatha smiles. "But he made his first mistake… he didn't count on you two falling in love with each other…"
Faith says nothing, just looking at her.
"So now, he's running scared. Something has spooked him. He thinks you know something; something that will bring him and his plans crashing down. That's why he's using Cordelia to invade your dreams. He wants to know what you know. He doesn't right now, and that's good. Because if he's scared, if he's worried about it, then he'll make mistakes. Mistakes we can use against him…" She allows a small smile to form on her face. "Cordelia wasn't able to resist… he has a strong hold over …. But fortunately, there is the fact that you seem to have someone else watching out for you… this Bree… she must have cared for you deeply…"
"That was a long time ago," Faith looks away, her voice lowering.
"There are other people that care about you… if you let them…"
"If you're talking about Giles…"
"I am."
"He lied to me," Faith says quietly. "He did things behind my back… things I should've known about… important things…"
"He had his reasons, I'm sure…"
"What? What reasons? He … I don't get him. Sometimes he's approachable, and sometimes, he's just so distant. I can't figure him out. Like… this slayer stuff… shouldn't he have told me about that stuff? Why didn't he tell me? This is something I needed to know… don't you agree?"
"Yes, I do… but, it's not that simple, Faith."
"What's so hard? To be honest with me? Why is that so hard?"
Agatha sighs. "Did you ever consider that Rupert wasn't trying to hide things from you, but rather, he was trying to protect you?"
"Protect me? Why would he feel he needs to protect me? That's my job, to protect people. He's supposed to… he's my watcher, he should… I don't know. Not protect me!"
"What do you know about Rupert?"
"Huh? I dunno, I know enough, I guess. I mean… he's my watcher, and he's British, and sometimes I think…" She blushes a little. "… never mind about that last. But…" She shrugs.
"Precisely. Next to nothing. I think it's time you learned a little bit about him. Maybe you'll understand him better."
"Is this going to be a long story?" Faith squirms a little in her chair.
"It may take awhile."
"Ok, well, I better take a pee, then," Faith stands up. "I'm sloshing around pretty good inside."
"I wonder why that is?" Agatha murmurs softly to herself, looking at the bottles on the table.
Faith walks out of the little alcove towards the bathrooms.
So, Agatha, exactly how much do you tell her?
Indeed, how much is she ready to know?
3
"Ok, so wow me," Faith says, on returning from the bathroom.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Gimme the skinny on Giles."
Agatha looks at her blankly.
"You said you were gonna tell me about Giles?" Faith says, a little impatiently.
"Yes, of course. Sorry, I'm not particularly up on your colloquialisms."
"Yeah, ok, whatever. Just thrill me."
"I see…" Agatha leans back a little in her chair. "I suppose I should give you a little of my own history, as it intersects with Rupert's down the line, as you'll see later on."
"Since I was seven years old, I knew I was … different… from the other children. Actually, from most everyone. I come from a small village in the Midlands, and at the time I was born, things were a bit … primitive, you might say. Anyway, the heart of it was, I could do things others couldn't. I was what you'd call a natural adept. The ability was inborn."
"Ok, and this relates to Giles… how?"
"I'm getting to that. Anyway, where I lived, the people were rather… old fashioned. Read that as being conservative, and not very open to things they didn't understand. Needless to say, when word about my 'abilities' got out, there were some problems. Most people scoffed, which was good. But a few believed, and some of them were 'old guard'. That is, they were older, and grew up in times when someone like me was thought to be possessed by demons. Rather stupid, I know, but these people believed in it ardently…"
"What happened?" Faith, despite herself, is interested.
"Ah, yes. Well, a few called for an exorcism…"
"Oh my god!"
"Exactly. Fortunately, exorcism is strictly a Catholic thing, and this village was solidly Anglican, so that little idea didn't go very far. Others, however, thought I should be, well, banned from the village, me and my family. Needless to say, that was of some concern. My family had lived in that village for generations; it wasn't like now. You didn't just up and move away on a whim…" Agatha pauses, a little pain coming to her expression. "This caused some problems within the family too. I had a brother and sister, and my father, while he made enough to feed and support us, wasn't by any means rich. Also, at that time, finding work wasn't exactly easy in Britain. He couldn't afford to pack up the family and move; nor could he afford to send me away." Her tone grows a little bitter. "I learned much later, that more than one rather threatening letter was sent anonymously to my folks… they never told me about that… I found them after they passed on…"
"That's horrible! People can be so…"
"Yes they can. But they were frightened, and that will cause people to do foolish things… anyway, things didn't look good. Staying was becoming difficult, leaving wasn't a better option, and my folks couldn't afford to send me away to school. By this time, it didn't matter to me, because I didn't have many… any… friends left…" Agatha sighs. "And that, my dear, is when I first met the Giles'."
"How? I mean, how did it happen?"
"Well, Colin Giles, that's Rupert's father, had heard of my 'gifts'. Like his mother before him, and his son after, he was a member of the Watcher's council. He traveled up from London to see me, and to talk to my parents. To make a long story short, he arranged for me to go to a small private school down south. A school specifically set up for children with my unique 'abilities'."
"Of course, my parents had to accept his offer. It was like a godsend to them. After all, if that 'strange Hurley girl' were to … leave, while it wouldn't dim the gossip, at least there wouldn't be talk of them being run out of the village…" Agatha sighs. "Of course, that didn't exactly make it easier for me. It's hard at that age to be separated from your parents and family, but to be honest, what choice did they have? I know it was hard on them, and it was terrible for me…"
"So, I went. And I grew used to be away from my family, and they would come down on holidays to see me… so did Mr. Giles… I mean, Rupert's father, Colin… and after awhile, I made a few friends… some I still have to this day… but I know that I'm glad that Wicca is more accepted these days, and things have changed a bit since then. It's terrible to separate a family like that, even if it's for the best."
Faith nods, a little curtly. She doesn't want Agatha to see her own feelings on the subject.
"I guess I met Rupert when I was in upper form. That would be equivalent to a senior in high school here … his father sent him to a school close by, one sponsored by the Council to train future Watchers. Colin brought him along a few times when he visited me during holidays, but I didn't really get to know him until we were going to University…" She smiled. "I went on scholarship, of course. No money for that, otherwise."
"I didn't know then, but if I hadn't qualified for a scholarship, Colin had arranged for a 'fund' for my education. It was later still that I found he had paid for my private schooling, too, and my parents expenses to come see me during holidays. He used his own money, out of his family's estate, not the council's. He never told me, so I never had a chance to learn why, exactly. But I do know I owe him everything I have… and more…"
"That however, isn't relevant to our story. It was in my third year of University, and Rupert's second, that he rebelled against his 'destiny' to be a watcher. He dropped out of school, and started running with a rather … tough crowd…"
"Giles? Rupert Giles? The one they use to mold British guys with? That Giles?"
Agatha chuckles a little. "Don't always judge a book by its cover, Faith. Giles wasn't always so…straight laced, you know. In those days, he was a bit wild…"
"Whoa, we're talking about Giles here?"
"Yes, Rupert Giles. Wait a minute…" Agatha puts her rather large purse on the table, and digs around in it a bit. "I know I have it here… somewhere…" she searches a bit more, then cries triumphantly. She pulls out a small bound book, almost like a small notebook. She flips through the pages, and points to a picture. "There we go…" She hands the book to Faith.
Faith looks at the picture, shrugging a little. It's a picture of two women and a man, all posing by a motorcycle. "So?"
"Look carefully. The woman on the right… by the handle bars? That's me… and the woman riding on the back seat? That's Margaret Chasborne. We called her Chaz in those days… and look carefully at the man sitting in front of her…"
Faith looks again, and then looks up at Agatha. She looks down, then up, then down once more. "No freaking way! NO WAY! That can't be… " She looks. "Well damn … "
"That was rather what Colin Giles said when Rupert first showed up on the estate riding the bike. To say he wasn't pleased would be an understatement."
"Still can't wrap my mind around it. Giles, rebel biker. That's just… wrong."
"As I said, Rupert wasn't exactly the man you know now. He was called "Ripper" in those days, and you really didn't want to get on his bad side. He had a temper…"
Faith just shakes her head, still not believing it.
"He fell in with a bad bunch in those days. Mr. Giles, his father, grew concerned, and … well, he asked me to look out for him. How could I refuse, really? Considering what he'd done for me? So, that's why I'm part 'of the gang". It was the only way I could keep an eye on Rupert, try to keep him from getting into too much trouble."
"The problem was, I had the same restlessness he had. I gradually began to hang out with the characters he did, and then we met Ethan Rayne…"
Faith can tell from the tone and expression on her face, that Agatha definitely didn't like this Ethan Rayne person.
"A bad 'un, huh?"
"Worse. Ethan was an old school chum of Rupert; they had attended prep school together, and went to the same university. Ethan somehow managed to get into trouble, dragging Rupert with him and somehow, Ethan always came out smelling like a rose, while Rupert… well, he bore the brunt of any disciplinary actions. That didn't help his relationship with his father. And it was Ethan that finally got caught doing something really bad at University; when he got expelled, he convinced Giles to drop out."
"Sounds like a peach," Faith says, cynically.
"It gets worse. Ethan began getting into some very obscure, and very dark magics. At first, it seemed harmless enough. But then something happened… we played with something they shouldn't have played with…"
"What?"
Agatha looks at her, and slowly shakes her head.
"You don't need the details. Believe me, it was…wrong. Very wrong. It cost the lives of a couple of members of our group… and the rest of us… " Agatha sighs deeply. "Some of us are still paying the price for that…" Agatha pauses, a dark expression on her face. "Ethan, as usual, got off nearly Scott Free… but if I ever see his face again, I swear I'll…"
Faith straightens up in her chair. The look on Agatha's face causes her to feel ice in her stomach.
"Again, something you'd rather not know. The only reason I told you about it, is because this is when Rupert met, fell in love with, and eventually married Margaret Chasbone… Aka Chaz… or Maggie, as Rupert called her…"
" Rupert came out of that experience a changed man, and he joined the Council of Watchers soon after he graduated from University. His father of course, was happy, but you could see the look in Rupert's eyes, and you knew what happened there would haunt him all his days…"
"The only good thing to come out of those times was that Ripper and Chaz, or Rupert and Maggie, if you prefer, found each other, and were married. Chaz, like Rupert, worked the council for a number of years, until the happy day when Claire came along. All the love they felt for themselves, they poured all that and more in to their precious daughter…" Agatha smiles at the memory. "I know it was one my happiest, and proudest days when they asked me to be her godmother…"
"Giles is married? He has a kid?" She blushes a little at thinking of when she flirted a little, innocently, with Giles. God, how dumb could I be?
Agatha looks at her with a little sadness.
"He was, yes… and he and Chaz had 9 wonderful years with Claire. Then Rupert was assigned to Malta…"
Faith feels a coldness inside. She knew, by Agatha's words and expression, she wasn't going to like the next part.
"There was a master vampire holed up in Malta called "Kakistos". That is Greek, roughly translated it means "Worst of the worst". He was rumored to be over 2000 years old, having been sired before the birth of Christ. His viscous ways, his cruelty, were legendary. He wasn't satisfied any longer to just take victims; his twisted sense of humor required he do it in the most sadistic ways possible. He had a cult of followers, much like Aurelius, whom you killed I understand not too long ago. It is also rumored that Aurelius sired Kakistos, and then threw him out because his nature was too uncontrollable. No matter. It was Rupert's job to scout Kakistos, and set up a team to destroy him."
"In those days, Rupert was at the top of his game. He led a team of watchers, and the current slayer; after some time, he located and destroyed most of Kakistos' nests. They even cornered Kakistos himself, but as luck would have it, the master vampire escaped, killing a number of the team, and the slayer, in the bargain."
"Kakistos is nothing, if not vengeful. He knew Rupert was responsible for his misfortune, and he was determined to repay him in kind. Rupert had Chaz and Claire installed on one of the small Grecian islands, where he would visit them when he found some time away from his assignment. It wasn't long after the debacle on Malta that Kakistos, having recruited another group of vampire followers, struck back."
"It was actually Robeson, another friend of Rupert's on the council, that found Chaz. The villa they were staying on had been attacked, and what was left of Chaz was …" Agatha pauses, the memory obviously difficult, "… was found scattered throughout a few rooms. Blood was everywhere, and written on the one of the walls was Is eram esculentus roughly translated "She was delicious". However, look as they might, they couldn't find any trace of Claire. Robeson went to Rupert, to try to stop him, but in the end, he couldn't, and Rupert went to the scene."
"He searched high and low, and finally, in a small potting shed out back, he found Claire. She wasn't dead… or at least, it appeared that way at first. She had been hurt… Kakistos and his men had brutally raped the child, but she was alive. Or so it seemed…"
"As a finally jest, the vampire had turned the child. She never would've survived their assault otherwise. But the worst thing was, he had turned her, and left her hungry. Left her alone for over 2 days in that shed. She attacked the first person through the door, and that was of course, Rupert."
"He managed to stop her, and restrain her. He knew what he had to do; the only thing he could do to give her some peace. Others offered to do it, but in the end, he knew he had to do it. Kakistos had his final revenge. Rupert was forced to destroy the thing his precious daughter had become…"
"There is some bad blood between Rupert and the current head of the Watcher's council, Quentin Travers. That originated 8 years ago, when he attempted to block Rupert from going after Kakistos. He wasn't Chair at that time, but he led a faction that argued against creating another team and using more resources to track down this vicious killer. Rupert, however, still had considerable pull in those days, and there were a number of council members that had worked with Chaz. He formed a team, including the new Slayer, and they hunted down, and finally destroyed the monster. Rupert worked with an almost ruthless precision, and he took no special joy in watching the monster die. It was his job, and he did it. Simple as that."
"Then he simply disappeared. Rupert, I mean. He was gone for a month. No one could locate him. Rupert was clever, that way. When he returned, he resumed his duties. But anyone that knew him, from the old days, knew he wasn't the same. Something vital, something precious was lost. Even now, he's still …" Agatha stops, unable to go on.
Faith is sitting very still. Her eyes, her cheeks, are flooded with tears.
"It took a long time for him to go back into the field. For years, he worked in research, where his only companions were the old books and scrolls. He became expert in dead languages, which was useful to the council. It's not until the last couple of years that he's actually gone back into the field. You are his first major assignment, after that time…" Agatha looks at her. "How old are you, Faith?"
"Uhhh… almost 17," Faith manages to choke out.
"You are just about the age Claire would be now, if she had lived."
Faith says nothing; she simply stares at the table.
"I believe, actually, you've been a good thing for Rupert. He was too caught up in those old musty volumes to actually live. I believe you're the first person he's actually let close since his personal tragedy." Agatha reaches out, touching Faith on the arm. "So, perhaps, you might cut him a little slack when he does the things he does. I don't believe he does it out of any desire to hurt you. I think he's only trying to protect you, as best he can."
Agatha takes a few tissues out of her purse, and hands them to Faith.
"No tears girl. I don't believe he'd want you to cry over him…" Agatha stands up. "I would prefer it if you didn't tell him about our little chat. If he wanted you to know about this, he would've told you himself. And I admit, sometimes I put my nose in where it doesn't belong. But I saw the tension between you two, and I thought you needed to know."
She walks to the beaded curtain and turns. "Go home and get some rest, Faith. We have a busy day tomorrow…"
She leaves through the beaded curtain.
4
Cornell sits quietly in his darkened study. He stares out into space, frowning.
He's worried, and he doesn't like being worried.
Time was drawing short, and things weren't falling into place as expected. More and more, he was concerned that his opposition was on to him; that they had found out his weakness, and were even now moving to exploit it.
Exploit it, and use it to stop him. That was unacceptable.
He had worked too long, much too long to be stopped by this group of humans. Pitiful little mud crawlers, how could they even think to oppose him? Him, a virtual god to them! It's unthinkable!
Yet, it was so. Even as things were finalizing, more and more, things were not going well.
And he knew why it was so.
It was her. The slayer. The 'chosen one'. She was the difference.
He had seen many, many slayers come and go, but this one, this one was different.
The Powers that Be, the real enemy, was giving her special consideration.
They were cheating! That's how they defeated us the first time. They cheat!
A wicked little smile crosses his face.
Even so, their 'champion' has her own weaknesses.
He wasn't above exploiting them. Cheating himself, if you will.
After all, what mattered in the end was who won. Who came out on top.
And he was going to make certain that was him.
He stood up, and walked towards the door. He knew what he had to do. Now was just the time to do it.
Then it would be Game. Set.
And Match!
To be continued.