**********
We left Giles back at the library and told him to get in touch with the others. He needed to make sure they got there soon to protect the Hellmouth. As we headed deeper into the catacombs and tunnels below the city, I prayed that we could get there in time to save Faith.
The entire underground seemed deserted as we made our way deeper into the tunnels. I wondered where everyone had gone. The Master had to have some servants around here somewhere, unless...
...unless he had already risen and no longer needed them to be here.
"Faster," I said.
"We're almost there," he called back. And we were. Turning past the next corner there it was. The Church.
And there was Faith, lying face down on the cavern floor.
I quickly charged forward not caring if it was a trap. Kneeling down at her side, I found bite marks on the side of her neck and could smell the scent of her blood from the wound. I saw how pale she was when I touched her cold skin. And I could hear the quiet beat of her heart and shallow breaths.
She was ALIVE!
But not for long; I could tell she was dying. Her slayer healing was the only thing keeping her alive right now, and even that couldn't hold her here for much longer. Faith needed to get to a hospital and fast.
"Angel, give me your jacket. We need to wrap her up and get her out of here."
He looked at me quizzically for a moment before wrapping her up and picking her up. Together, we ran through the tunnels towards the nearest hospital with Angel telling me which way to go.
***
It took us less than five minutes running to get to Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. As soon as we exited the sewers, I looked over at Angel while still running.
"Once the hospital is in sight, I need you to make sure they take care of Faith. I'll head back to the school to help the others," I told him.
"You can't do much good there. I'll go," he shot back.
I glared at him. "No! I need you to make sure Faith is safe. I have a couple plans to take out the Master. I would have filled you both in on them when we met at the library, but now I don't have time. Just make sure that no matter what else happens, that you keep Faith safe. Got it?"
I heard a grudging "Fine" before the hospital sprung into view around the next corner.
"Keep going. I'll bring the others when I can," I shouted out before veering off in the direction of some cars parked along the street. I ran up to a fairly new Accord, brought my knife out, and smashed the window in with the butt of the knife. I quickly unlocked the door and settled into the front seat.
A couple of crossed wires later, I was on my way back to the school. It's sometimes a good thing to have a thief as an old friend. Max always was good at this sort of thing. Too bad I can only bring myself to use these particular tricks when it's slaying related. I would have made a pretty good thief if I ever really tried according to Max.
As I got closer to the school, I noticed the sudden surge of pedestrian traffic.
Undead pedestrian traffic.
Best thing to do in this senario?
Yep, that was just what I was thinking: Gun it.
I slammed through the vamps, scattering them to the side on my way back to the school. When the school came into view, I spotted that someone else had already had the same idea. Right in the front doors no less. Sitting halfway into the school was a car that someone had the bright idea to try to take into the SHS hallways and block my path.
I veered to the side of the school where a fire escape that led up the side of the building was at. The hoard of vamps did their best to follow, but I was able to give myself enough room to climb out and onto the ladder of the fire escape. One tried to climb after me but a quick spray from my water gun sent him tumbling back down. Spraying the rest of the water onto the ladder discouraged any pursuit.
Quietly and quickly, I made my way over to the skylight over the library to see how the others were doing. I heard signs of a fight coming from within the school and a tremendous roar as I neared the library window. I stopped short when I spotted what had to be the Master and two of his goons. He was the ugliest vamp I had ever seen with ridges running all over his face and blood stained lips.
Faith's blood.
I felt a growl rising from deep within my chest as I grabbed two stakes from my calf sheaths and charged. My growl startled his guards so they weren't prepared as I launched first one and then the other stake into their hearts.
The Master was quick, I'll give him that. When I lifted my left arm to fire off a stake from my wrist launcher, he dodged to the side letting the air propelled stake pass by harmlessly.
He grinned at me. "You must be the one that my children keep telling me of. The warrior worthy of our gift."
We circled each other as I drew out a cross stake to help hold him back so I could get another shot off with the launcher. I growled out. "Not likely. Besides, even if I did decide to join the other team, I wouldn't choose a guy who wore lipstick. Heck, you can't even put it on right," I finished with a smirk.
His grin faded. "Why is it no one these days shows the proper respect for their elders."
"Respect is earned, you damned raisin," I said as I charged with my stake leading.
He knocked the stake out of my hand earning a burn, while I aimed my stakegun at his heart. The Master's right hand clamping down on my arm stopped that move cold. I tried to get off a shot anyways, but he jerked my arm off to the side and clamped the other hand around my neck.
"Have I earned your respect yet, boy?" he sneered.
"Nah, but if you really want to you could try to stay awake for the entire JFK movie. Anyone who can do that should have everyone's respect," I wheezed out.
He growled and tightened his grip on both my arm and my neck. Stars exploded across my vision as my throat constricted. My right arm that had been hanging limp, snuck into my jacket pocket to pull out the gun.
His grip loosened around my neck to let me breath again. "Despite your irritating qualities I will give you one last chance to join me. It is better to be with the winning side is it not?"
"Couldn't agree more," I choked out and shoved the barrel into the waist of his pants.
His eyes widened then he looked down to see the gun. Looking up, the Master began to laugh wildly. "You should know better than that. Vampires can't be harmed by bullets you fool!"
I looked down at my gun then back up at him as a wide grin spread across my face and I said, "You know, you're right."
And pulled the trigger.
Shock spread over his face as the flare began to burn through his body.
"Hope you enjoy the welcome home party in Hell!" I cried out spinning him around to face the skylight. "And be sure to give my regards to Lothos!" I shoved him back sending him screaming through the glass, disintegrating on the way down leaving his bones to scatter over the floor.
Walking over to the broken window, I looked within to see the shocked faces of Giles, Willow, Ms. Calendar, and surprisingly, Buffy. Oz only looked up with a slightly risen brow. He's a regular Vulcan boy alright.
"Everyone ok?" I called down.
"Um.. yes.. yes we are all fine," Giles stuttered out before glancing over at the bones strewn over the floor. "How.. how did you defeat..."
I waved his question away. "Later. Faith is in the hospital. We need to get over there fast."
"Faith.. She is... alive," he looked up questioningly.
"I hope so," was my only answer.
***
We gathered everyone into Oz's van and headed over to the hospital to see if Faith had made it. Entering the ER, I saw a surprised Angel get up from his chair in the waiting room.
Angel started to ask but I beat him to it. "How is she? Did they tell you anything yet?" I questioned.
"No, nothing yet. The doctors have been in there the entire time. What happened to you guys?" he looked me over questioningly stopping at my neck.
"Master's dead. Hellmouth closed. End of story," I stated.
"You need to get that looked at," he said pointing at my neck.
"I'll be fine. I've had worse." Boy have I had worse.
"What? Are you alright, Xander?" Willow asked. She turned me around and gasped at what I guessed was my rapidly purpling neck.
Giles turned me to him and looked wide eyed at my neck. "Xander, dear god. Why didn't you say anything?"
I shrugged. "No point. You couldn't do anything for it and it was more important we get to see Faith."
"But..."
Angel interupted him. "The doctors are coming out," he said pointing to the two doctors coming out of the ER. I quickly zipped up my jacket to hide my neck earning a glare from Willow and Giles.
"She's going to be fine. It was touch and go for a while there, but she is stable and will make a full recovery," the head doctor told us after coming over.
"Thank God.""Yes""Thank you""Wonderful" our voices cried out.
"Now she asked for you all, but you can't stay too long. You'll be able to see her again tomorrow during visiting hours."
He lead us to the room that Faith was recovering in. Her smile at seeing us was enough to make me forget all my aches and pains. We waited for the doctor to leave before we spoke.
"So, what happened? Did the Master get out? How did we do?" Faith asked.
"The Master's dead. The Hellmouth closed. The vamps went home. That's pretty much it," I told her.
"Who killed the Master?" A chorus of "he did" and pointing fingers answered her. I shrugged at the surprised look from Faith.
"But how..."
"I used the thing that I was going to give to you to use."
"What?"
I pulled the gun out of my pocket. "This. A flare shot into his pants did the trick," I smirked. Everyone burst out laughing at the image of the Master trying to put out a flare in his shorts.
A nurse chose now to come in to tell us our time was up. As we filed out still grinning, I told Faith we'd be back tomorrow to fill her in on the rest.
Oz offered everyone a ride home, but Giles insisted he needed to get back to the library to dispose of the Master's bones. Ms. Calendar said she'd help him while both Angel and I declined the ride. They left leaving me and Angel behind.
"So, you mind providing me an escort home?" I asked.
He glanced over at me surprised. "I would have thought you'd take the first opportunity to get away from me."
"Yeah, well I figured I could give you another chance since you helped me save Faith and all. And there is the fact that I can't really protect myself," I said tiredly as we walked out into the night. "Besides, I can't really ask them for help in getting rid of a stolen car, can I?" I smirked over at him.
Angel's quiet chuckle was my only answer.
**********
The end.
***
I had to do it this way since I've always been aggravated by the fact that the Master drained Buffy as well as drowning her. So even if Xander had revived her, she would be too weak from the blood loss to do anything. Thus in my AU Xander is the one stuck facing the Master.
Next up,
Troubled Past