Chapter 11

Faith and Willow sat quietly talking while the rest of the gang put the finishing touches on room for the Rite. "So, just one last time: what is going to happen once you start the mojo?"

Willow bit her lip. "Even with all the reading and re-reading, I don't know for sure. I do know what while the Rite is going on, your body here will essentially be in a coma..." she paused as she saw a very unhappy look passed across Faith's face. "Sorry. Bad choice of words. Anyway, your body will essentially be asleep while your consciousness travels to the past. Everyone has very strict instructions not to try to wake you up or let you be disturbed in any way. If your body tries to revive while your consciousness is... elsewhere, bad things can happen."

"What kinds of bad things?"

"Bad. As in, 'zombie Slayer' is one of the better options."

Faith swallowed. "So let's make sure that doesn't happen. And you?"

Willow took on a look of nervousness. "That's even more ambiguous. As far as I can tell, probably nothing until you come out of it. But there are hints that I'll have some sort of connection with you while you're... gone. Just what that means, none of us could figure out. But I've told everyone to not disturb me, either, during the Rite. They'll just keep an eye on us and make sure nobody outside tries to disturb us. Especially any creepy types from any evil law firms."

Faith nodded. "Can I make one suggestion?" Willow nodded, eager to hear Faith's idea. "Let's not eat or drink anything for a couple hours before the Rite, and make sure we go to the bathroom just before starting."

Willow nodded. "There's nothing in the Rite instructions that says we have to fast beforehand, but there's nothing that says we should eat or drink anything special, either. Since we don't know how long this will take, I think that's a good idea." She smiled happily. "I remember this one time Tara and I were experimenting with this protection spell, and just before we started I chugged down an extra-large mocha. It turns out that the spell lasted almost four hours, and by the time the shield dropped my back teeth were floating."

Tara smiled softly. She'd learned that Willow had controlled her babbling instincts to the point where she only let it slip when she was around people she trusted, and took it as a good sign. She found herself slightly envious of Tara. Oh, well; at least she'd had the fun of flirting with Willow over the past week or so.

BTVS BTVS BTVS

Faith, bladder freshly voided, settled back on the Chesterfield. She carefully rested her head in Willow's lap and closed her eyes. Funny how all the pressure for this was on her, and he only job was to basically take a nap.

"OK, one last time: once I start this, nobody is to disturb either one of us, or allow anyone else to do so. There's nothing in the Rite that says that anything bad would happen, but it's similar enough to other rituals and spells where that is critical, so nobody take any chances. And since we've got nothing on how long it takes, you're not allowed to get nervous or impatient. Is everyone cool with that?"

After a long pause where Faith imagined Willow got confirming nods from the entire assembled Scooby Gang, she felt soft fingers place themselves around her head. Willow began chanting, and Faith felt herself slipping off to sleep. She didn't fight it, just let herself drift.

BTVS BTVS BTVS

Faith found herself awakening in what looked like a classroom. It was night, and the room had been seriously trashed. On the floor was a computer, still smoking, and nearby was the ruins of a printer.

"Well, this is helpful as hell. No clue where I am, no clue when I am, no clue what I'm supposed to be doing. The only difference between this and my standard nightmare is that I'm wearing pants." She quickly patted herself down; she was actually in her full vamp-hunting regalia, with leather pants, jacket, and a pair of stakes to go along with a pair of knives and a crucifix around her neck.

I know this room. I just can't place it...

Faith started at the voice in her head. "What the hell?"

Faith, you can hear me?

"Is that you, Red? Are you tagging along inside my head?"

Apparently that's how I'm supposed to "guide" you. Now try answering me without actually talking out loud.

You still hearing me?

Five by Five, Faith. This is cool!

Save playing tourist for another time, Red. We got a job to do, and you're supposed to "guide" me into what I'm supposed to do.

Fine. Let me think... oh! Now I know! This is the computer lab in the old school! The Rite is definitely working!

How are you sure about that?

Because we blew up the old school, including this lab, about a year and a half ago. So we're definitely in the past. But why here? What could be going on here that... oh, no. Oh, no.

What's the matter? Red, you gotta be more helpful!

Look for a calendar. There's supposed to be on to the left of the blackboard.

Faith glanced over. It was turned to February 1998.

Oh, no. This must be the night Angelus killed Miss Calendar. Faith, we've got to save her!

So I gotta go up against Angelus? I gotta face Angel, the guy who fought to save my soul, and kill him?

Not Angel, Angelus.

Same face, same body, same difference.

Well, maybe we don't have to kill him. We just have to stop him.

Then we better get a move on. Where's he supposed to kill her?

I don't know! We didn't even know that it happens at the school! We just found her body in Giles' apartment! But there's gotta be a reason we're here at the school, in her lab!

Faith tried to think in a reassuring tone. Hang on, I got some Slayer mojo I can try. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She listened very carefully, then her eyes snapped open. Two people running. Upstairs, off to the right. You remember where the stairs are?

Following Willow's instructions and her own hearing, Faith raced through the school. After passing through several doors with broken locks, she found one that was locked. Inside she could hear one person's heavy breathing. She forced the lock as quietly as she could, then glided into the room. She spotted a steel yardstick, and silently picked it up. One thing she'd learned from Buffy was how to improvise and use whatever was at hand as a weapon. About the only way she could kill Angelus with this was if she swung it hard enough and took off his head, but it'd be a good way to get his attention.

A dark-haired woman was gasping in exhaustion and terror, looking back over her shoulder, and didn't notice the tall, menacing figure in the shadows almost directly ahead of her. As Faith watched, he lunged forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. Faith hurled the yardstick right at his back, using just enough force to go through him without risking impaling the woman as well.

"Sorry, Jenny, this is where you get – AUGH!"