Disclaimer: They don't belong to me except for Catherine Tyler.
Note: Ok folks. My desktop computer was wiped clean by a hacker program in my e-mail, so I lost everything, but it's recoverable since I give everything to a friend. I'm using my portable computer for now until I can get my modem working and my writing program reinstalled. So, these might take as long as before. Please bear with me.
Strength and Honor
By: Marcus
Dawn woke up in a small room on a cot; the door in front of her was locked closed. She got up and ran to it, pounding her fists on the steel door "Let me out!" she screamed, she continued again and again to yell until she heard the lock being undone.
She backed away a few steps as the door opened. In walked a man with blond hair, "Be quiet kid, and you'll be out of here without a scratch." She said to her angrily, his voice intertwined with hate and rage. Dawn gulped, biting down her fear, showing a tough look in fears place.
"Why did you kidnap me?" she asked him. The man paced to her a little, glaring at her angrily "You're our insurance, if your slayer friend Catherine doesn't comply with us, you're dead."
The Magic shop
Giles walked into the training room where he heard the sounds of grunts and curses, he walked in to see Catherine there training furiously, landing blow after blow on the punching bag that hung from the middle of the room. This reminded him of when Buffy would train when she was nervous, angry or on edge.
"Catherine? Are you alright?" he asked, walking up to her slowly with his hands in his pockets. Catherine didn't deviate from her exercise, she continued to punch and kick at the bag furiously. "No!" she growled as she punched the bags increasing soft spot "And do you want to know why Giles? Cause it's my fault, they were after me!" she said as she repeatedly kicked the bag with lightening speed, then back to the punches.
"They took Dawn! But they wanted me instead! They came here looking for me Damn it!" she said with her anger increasing to levels that Buffy never displayed, and it was making Giles uneasy, "Why? Cause I'm a Slayer Giles, A FUCKING SLAYER! And because of that, they just see me as an acquisition! Something they need! It's always about me being a slayer!" she said as her final kick sent the punching bag breaking from its chain and flying into the near by wall with a violent scream from Catherine "FUCK!" she cursed.
Giles put his hand on her shoulder softly, but she snapped it away, turning around to face him "I don't need your comfort, or anyone else's. I've lived this long without it. And I can live as long without it now!" she hissed at him before stomping out of the room.
Giles felt an almost audible snap in his mind, before he spun around and faced her "Don't you bloody DARE walk away from me like that!" he yelled out to her. Catherine stopped dead in her tracks as she was about to walk out the door, she turned to look at him, a look of shock on her face, she never had even the smallest of ideas that Giles could be like this.
Giles walked up to her quickly, and took hold of her "Don't you dare try and push me or any of us away! You think that because you've lived this long that you're above that? Bloody hell NO!" he said with a growl that rivaled Catherine's "Aside from you, no slayer has ever lived as long as Buffy, and that is because we were always there for her, even when she pushed us away, we refused to let her go. Because we all knew that death would be that result."
Catherine began to lower her head in shame of her words towards him as he continued, but at a more calmed tone once more "Catherine, don't push us away, we beg of you." Giles said. Catherine looked up at him "I'm sorry Giles…it's just that I've been on my own for almost as long as I can remember, and…those I did trust…betrayed me in a heartbeat." She said in a small voice, a whisper more like it.
Giles shook his head, removing his glasses "But surely you must know that you can trust us." He asked. Catherine nodded "Yeah, and look how I repaid that trust, because of me, Dawn was kidnapped."
Giles motioned to the seat against the wall with his glasses in hand, the dim light gently reflecting off the lenses, Catherine walked slowly next to him, her head down, her intense anger no longer present and she still felt the shame of lashing out at Giles.
They sat down, Catherine leaning forward a little, her hands and lower arms held together between her legs as she kept her head low. Giles took a seat next to her, placing his glasses on his face once more, looking at her with concern and curiosity all in one, wonder for what she's been through in the past.
"Catherine, talk to me, tell me what you've gone through, your life." He asked, his voice almost whispering beyond Catherine range of hearing, she was so hurt from what she did, it's the worst kind you know. Hurting yourself.
She turned to him, her face torn as she let those walls of iron and stone down around herself, like she wasn't worthy of his presence. After a brief, but torturous, moment of silence, she looked at him "Giles…look away for a moment, I want to show you something." She said, her voice loaded with a deep fear.
Giles looking deep into her eyes and complied without complaint, sliding where he sat away and spun around, with his back to her. For a few moments her heard clothing sliding against bare skin, a little bit of struggling, heavy breathing, fear induced, as well as nervousness and shyness. "Now turn around." She told him, her voice so low still, trembling clearly now like the rattling of air ducts.
Giles turned around back to where he was before, what he saw shocked him deeply as his eyes widened, and his breath nearly ceased. Catherine, with her bare back exposed to him, her arms folded around her front, covering her breasts, her hair flowing over her left shoulder, covering her face from him. The sight of her back was what shocked him; it was covered with deep scars.
Where there was once smooth, pale skin was now a view of scars ranging from the base of her neck to her lower back, around the middle, almost like a horrible work of art from a twisted mind.
He brought his hand close to her back, not touching, but the gape was a mere inch away as his eyes continuously scanned her scarred flesh. "Good lord…Catherine, what happened to…" he began to ask with sadness and concern for what she must have endured, but Catherine began her explanation, cutting him off as though his word had never been spoken.
"Giles, have you ever done things that defy your own thoughts and reasoning? Have you ever endured something so terrible that you almost lost yourself in the dark side of the human spirit? I have. What you see is the result of…rape. Not from a man or human being by any standards, but a demon." She said, her voice becoming louder and stronger, but still so afraid as she kept her back to him.
"I was fifteen, and had only been slaying for barely a year, I was patrolling an area of New Orleans, a real shit hole if you ask me, and I heard a struggle. I ran to check it out, but I was too little to late, the young woman was already dead and shredded to bits." She said before taking a deep breath, with Giles still sitting closely behind her, listening with every bit of attention and mind that he had to offer her.
"I was foolish and head strong then Giles, I thought since I could do thing that no one else could that it would be easy, I hate myself for having ever thought that way." She said, her voice becoming sterile and loathing to herself, filled with disgust and pity. "He took me down in no time flat, and began to…" she said, about to explain the traumatic part, but Giles stopped her as he touched her scars.
"Don't go any further Catherine, you don't have too." He said, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into a warm and gentle embrace, and her breathing turned to sobs, tears flowed down her cheeks as she let go of everything.
What Catherine was coming to tell Giles was that what she truly fears at this time in her life is what could happen to Dawn, a child whom is the same age as Catherine was when this violation and abuse occurred to her. Catherine would now do anything, ANYTHING, to prevent that from occurring to the young teenager, by telling Giles this now, it showed her that if it needed be, Catherine would give her life to protect the young girl.
Elsewhere in Sunnydale
"Angel, don't tell me you never had this place cleaned since you last used it?" Host asked as he took one look around the old mansion where Angel had lived after his return from hell. There he was the Host, Loren, standing in the middle of a dirty room wearing nothing but designer clothes that cost quite a bit.
Angel shrugged as he looked around the place, "Well, it's not that bad." He said, defending himself from Host's attack on his ability for cleanliness.
Cordellia walked up with Gunn and Wesley with her "Angel, there is a dust Bunny over there that's walking around on its own, trust him when he says this is a really nasty place at the moment." She said, backing up her green skinned friend.
"I don't know Queen C, I kind of like it, just needs a little work is all." Faith said, walking in with Quentin Travers next to her, shaking his head at her still virtuously rebellious attitude towards all things (almost all things.)
"We shall set up our area of operations here." Quentin said as a group of his people walked in, lugging equipment with them and books, texts on various subjects. As they all finished bringing in their things, on young man rushed in quickly towards Quentin and Faith, along with the others "Sir! We've just received word that these so-called watchers have made another move." He sad, quickly catching his breath.
Quentin rose his hand to him, "Calm down Jacob, what have they done?" he asked. The young man known as Jacob, about Wesley's height and blue eyes and dark hair, took a breath deeply "They attacked a night club where the new Slayer and Mr. Giles' people were attending, they attacked, tried to take Catherine Tyler by force once more. But it ended with them abducting Dawn Summers instead!" he said with the impeccable sound of urgency within his tone.
"Dear lord." Wesley whispered as everyone else in their current circle went quiet, eyes widened. "Do you know where they are?" Angel asked. But before any answer came, a foreign voice answered "Right here." It said. They all looked to see a commando styled man standing there, with his weapon trained at them. Before anyone could react, the room exploded with gunfire as numerous other enemies bursting through the windows.
"Take cover!" Quentin called out as everyone reached for a weapon and took the defensive.
Nearby, outside
"I'm telling you, it's gotten pretty quiet since Glory was whacked by you Buffy." Xander said as he, Spike and Buffy were patrolling through the graveyard. Buffy, even though she was different and undergoing a dramatic change in herself, still couldn't deny the need to perform the duties of a slayer.
"He's right luv, all's been quiet, just the random idiot vamp here and there." Spike said, amazingly agreeing to Xanders statements.
Their conversation was cut off by sounds of battle, gunfire, screams and shouts nearby. Buffy and the others stopped as she listened, closing her eyes, narrowing down the direction. Her eyes shot open, realizing where it was from "Angels mansion." She said.
"Come on then, what are we standing around here for?" Spike asked irritably. Buffy flashed him a smile as the three of them burst into a sprint towards the nearby mansion. "The watchers must have arrived today!" Xander said, remembering that Giles had said something about them arriving soon. "My guess is that those renegade blokes got the drop on them!" Spike said, brushing past trees, trying to keep up with Buffy.
"Xander, when we get there, try to see if you can get anyone who's injured out of there!" Buffy said to her friend, brother being more descriptive of their relationship.
Angels Mansion
"We're pinned down! We need to get on their flank!" Jacob said, fear in his voice as he ducked down next to Cordellia and Gunn. Angel, Winifred and Wesley were pinned down behind a wall about ten feet away from them, Quentin and Host were elsewhere, Jacob couldn't see them, he only knew that they were alive due to Quinine's words into their communication headset.
"Jacob! Shoot out the lights, give us some better cover!" he heard in his ear. Jacob looked over the edge of the table, seeing the only source eof light in the room. He took aim, and fired.
The bullet flew through the air, cutting it as it took its target with unyielding vengeance, shattering the light, glass falling to the floor in shards, like a deadly rain shower. The light in the room vanished considerably; leaving everything in shadows, still, enemy fire ripped through the air, hitting down near them all.
Before they could even plan a strategy to take the offensive, the battle changed curiously. "Wait, you guys doing anything?" Gunn asked, listening to the change in their aggressor's attack, Jacob looked to him and Cordellia "No." he said.
"Listen." Cordellia said, noticing the change that Gunn had noticed, the fight was elsewhere now, yelling, sounds of metal clashing.
"Hey all." Xander said as he leapt over the table and landed in front of them. "Xander!" Cordellia said in surprise and joy to see her friend (and former beau) before her as she hugged him tightly, she pushed him away and looked at him "What's going on? What are you doing here?" she asked him urgently, the look of concern in her eyes and sound in her voice.
Xander hesitated for an instant before answering her "Uh, we'll discuss that later, but right now lets get the hell out of the line of fire!" he said, yanking at her, with Jacob and Gunn following closely behind them.
They reached Angel behind the wall along with Winifred and Wesley. "Xander?" Angel asked, surprised to see the last person he'd expect in this kind of situation. Xander nodded "I'll explain it all later."
Angel looked around the corner to see the fight, his eyes could see as well in the dark as people could in the dark, what he saw intrigued him.
A woman, raven black hair, with an Egyptian styled sword, fighting all of the renegades, he watched as their weapons fired and a few hit her, but she seemed to keep coming, unfazed by the attacks. Watching as she flipped through the air, striking her blows with devastation to her opponents.
There was someone else out there, near her, a long coat, he couldn't make him out with the renegades all around him, but he recognized the voice as the unknown warrior struck at one of them "Bloody hell!"
"Spike?" Angel said, sounding amazed to see his former progeny and enemy fighting to help save them all. He saw Spike double over, clutching his head in pain as the three remaining renegades around him took their aim at his body. "No!" Angel yelled as he ran out there, leaping through the air with demonic strength as his fists found their desired target, colliding with the heads of the would-be slayers.
The third tried to shoot Angel, but with a jammed gun it was rather difficult, before Angel could move against him, Spikes fist rushed up rapidly, knocking out the attacker, and setting off his implant once more "Argh!" he yelled, grabbing his head again. Angel caught Spike, as he was about to fall over again from the pain.
Angel dragged everyone watched as a barely conscious Spike back to them. "What's he doing here?" Wesley asked, still remember who Spike used to be. "He's here to help." Xander said, looking down at Spike "More or less." He added.
"Who is that out there?" Gunn asked, noticing the woman finally. "Forget that for the moment, Where the hell is Faith?" Cordellia asked, noticing that through all this commotion, she was no where to be found. "There!" Jacob said, pointing to someone on the floor, wrestling with one of the renegades. But they became pinned down again as gunfire came at them once more.
They watched as Faith lost the better hand and became pinned underneath the large individual as he pulled out a knife from his ankle. "No!" Wesley yelled as he ran out to help her, through the raining bullets and flying bits of rock and pieces of the wall.
HE tackled the man just in time, rolling him off of Faith. Holding the mans wrist, trying to keep the knife from him now, Wesley struggled with all of his strength, but was fighting a losing battle as it inched closer and closer to his throat. "Hey!" they heard the renegade looked up in time to have Faiths fist violently collides with his now broken jaw. Faith ripped the knife from his hand, jumping on top of him she brought it up, the look in her eye was of blood.
Just as she was about to bring it down, the look of blood lust faded, realizing what she was about to do, she snarled at him, striking him once more, knocking him out. She scurried off of him and to Wesley. He threw her down and covered her with his body as more rains of bullets found their way near them. He looked up to be struck by another renegade.
Faith saw, as Wesley was now unconscious next to her, she looked up to the renegade who pointed his 9mm at her forehead "Say goodnight sweetie." He said, about to pull on the trigger. Just as the gun would have fired, Faith heard a blood curling scream that drew both their attentions, another woman had joined the battle, leaping over Faith, and over the renegades head she twisted around. Grabbing his collar from behind she let her foot push down on his back as she put all of her weight to go down backwards.
The man was helpless as he fell back with her holding him up as she rolled with it. The momentum of the maneuver sent him flying through the air as she let go, rolling like a tire more than ten feet away, he crashed through a wall in a very painful looking manner.
Faith looked up to this woman, her long black hair, tight form, strong. But it was only a glimpse as the woman grabbed Wesley and Faith and dragged them to cover where Cordellia, Gunn and Jacob had been awhile ago. The woman dumped Wesley next to them as she still held onto Faith, her arm going under Faiths arm and coming up to her other shoulder, across her breasts. One of her legs was mingles with Faiths, trying to keep her covered from whatever would come their way.
Faith found this to be…anything but uncomfortable. She looked over her shoulder to be barely an inch away from the woman's face. Feeling her chest rise and drop against her back, feeling the heat radiating from her. Faith put this out of her head and began with the questions "Thank you! But who are you?" she asked. The dark hared woman smiled at her "I'm Catherine Tyler, the slayer." She said.
Faith took gentle hold of Catherine's arm that was gripped across her chest, touching the mildly sweaty skin "Thank you." She said again. Feeling afraid, she almost died right there, not even having a chance to make up for any of the wrongs she had done, and the fear was showing in her eyes.
Catherine gently smiled at her, wrapping her other arm around Faiths waist, comforting her, keeping her safe now.
Buffy sent the hilt of her sword into the head of yet another renegade, she was doing quite well, most of them were out for the count now, but she still couldn't find a trace of the leader. She felt the blow of wind against her back, a strong gust of it in fact. Before the next renegade could attack her, they were all blow off balance by a powerful gust of wind, the door flew open to show Willow standing there, holding Tara's hand tightly "Back…off." Willow said, her eyes black, frightening.
The renegades rose to their feet, not listening to the order that the Wiccan had given them. Both Tara and Willow narrowed their eyes, as their minds flew out to them, casting their will upon them, they all went flying in all directions, as though an explosive had gone off right in the middle of them.
They still stood up, aiming their weapons at them, following their orders through their headsets most likely. "Pain." Tara whispered. Bolts of energy rushed out of her fingers, striking them all, like a firestorm the room was illuminated, casting light into every dark corner.
Finally, they ceased, dropping to the ground, no energy left within them they passed out. Buffy stood up and rushed to them "Thanks guys, but what are you two and Catherine doing here?" she asked. Willow released Taras had a little reluctantly "Catherine was staying here before she came to stay with us, she wanted to come and get a few things she left behind, good thing we decided to come along." Willow said, sounding back to her perky and cheerful self.
Buffy turned to Tara "I see you came up a level, that was good." She said, Tara nodded, looking tired somewhat "Thanks Buffy, but I'm feeling a little tired now." she said, touching her forehead with her fingertips. Buffy looked to see Angel and the others coming out of their protective areas, her eyes widened as she saw him "Angel." She whispered.
"Go, we'll take care of this." Willow said to her, Buffy looked back to Angel and the others and back to Willow and Tara "Ok, I'll meet you back at Giles' place ok? See if you can find out where Dawn is from one of them." She said, touching them both gently on the shoulder before she vanished out the door.
"Is everyone alright?" Quentin asked as he and Loren appeared from their place of protection. Angel and everyone else emerged from their hiding places "Yeah, more or less." Gunn said. "Who was that who saved us?" Winifred asked, retaining to Buffy. Willow and Tara walked towards them "That's…a friend." Willow said. It wasn't their place to tell them the truth of Buffy's immortality, not in the least.
"Ok, so who's that who saved Faith and Wesley then?" Cordellia asked, motioning her hand gracefully to Faith and Catherine who were helping a semi-conscious Wesley. Xander interjected, smiling sheepishly at them as he pointed at Catherine "That would be Catherine Tyler, the slayer." He said.
Quentin walked towards her first, his hand outstretched towards her "Miss Tyler, I am Quentin Travers, head of the watchers Slayer division, pleased to finally meet you." He said with the sounds of pleasantness. Catherine stared at his hand for a moment, remembering her talk with Giles awhile ago. Looking into the mans eyes she smiled gently, taking his hand with hers "Good to meet you at last."
Powers that Be Bar
"Buffy, what happened?" Amanda asked as Buffy walked into the bar, her clothes were torn in a few places, a few scrapes of blood where her wounds had already healed. She looked at Amanda with sad eyes "You remember when I was telling you my life story, I told you about Angel?" she asked, walking up past Amanda, and behind the bar, noticing the short, quick work of covering the hole in the wall that had already begun repair.
Amanda sat opposite of Buffy at the bar, looking at the young woman "Yes I do, who could forget such a sad love story?" she asked. Buffy opened a bottle of beer and drank from it, she waited a moment, letting the cold tasting fluid wash into her mouth before bringing it down from her lips, looking at Amanda "He's here, in Sunnydale." She said, looking down at the surface of the bar.
Amanda looked at her still, seeming unfazed by this "Did you talk to him?" she asked. Buffy shook her head as she walked back around the bar, taking a sip of her beer and sitting next to Amanda "No, just saved him and the slayer watchers from those renegades, even Faith was there too." She said.
Amanda shrugged and looked at Buffy expectantly "So? Aren't you going to talk to them? Like you did with your other friends? What's holding you back?" she asked, frustrated. Buffy smirked as she took another gulp from her now warming beer. "It's easier for him if he thinks I'm dead, I saw a woman with him, close to him. The way they spoke, touched, looked at each other, I could tell that he's…" she was saying, but was cut off from the all to familiar voice at the door.
"In love?" Angel asked "That is what you were going to say right? That I've fallen in love with another woman? Well…yeah, I have." He said, walking towards her. Buffy put her drink down as she stared at him without yield "Angel." She said, almost whispering.
Angel smiled at her, she knew this smile, it was the one where he was about to do something along the lines of being crazy almost, "Yeah, that's me. But you, I just have to wonder about you. It was your scent I picked up at my mansion just awhile ago." He said, with almost an insatiable glee.
Buffy gulped, he was playing with her, trying to use up whatever patience she had and burn it up "So, you were in trouble, I was there to help." She said, hiding her fear and apprehension quite well. Angel stopped pacing in front of her and stood tall, hands at his sides, staring at her with such sadness in his eyes. "You're alive." He said, and then he turned around and walked away from her.
Buffy stood there, hands at her chest, feeling her heart bleed, "A-Angel…" she whispered out, trying to raise her voice, but it was too late, as all that was left of him in the room was the tail of his coat floating out the door.
Buffy turned around where she was, looked at Amanda for an instant, then slowly walked away to the back room, tears welling up in her eyes, feeling all that love that was now the past. Amanda stood up and rushed after her "Buffy." She began. Buffy stopped in her tracks, remaining very still, the dim lights making her almost a shadow in the room.
"Go to him, talk." Amanda said "Before its too late to." She added, sounding from experience. Buffy turned around, tears streaming down her cheeks "I can't, not until I have my sister back, I can't deal with anything else until then." She said, turning around and walking away again, walking up the stairs to her loft.
The Graveyard
"So, where'd you learn to fight like that?" Faith asked Catherine as they strode past headstones in the dark of night, the light of the moon reflecting softly off their skin. Catherine smiled gently, looking at Faith hesitantly "I taught myself how to, that's the only way I could growing up the way I did, alone."
Faith nodded "Yeah, tell me about it." She said, walking next to the other slayer whom had saved her life not even an hour ago. Catherine looked over to Faith "You grew up alone too?" she asked, finally finding someone with whom could understand her past. Faith nodded "I ran away, my parents…weren't too parent like." She said.
Catherine got the idea when Faith said it the way she did, abuse, god only knows what kind, but she wouldn't go further on that subject for now. "I guess we both come from the same side of the tracks then, mine died, and my childhood was filled with…traumatic events." She said, being discreet herself.
Faith stopped and looked at Catherine, looking into the black of her eyes, looking for something, as if trying to see into her soul "At least you never killed anyone before, a regular human I mean." She said, remembering the turn she took into her dark side, remembering the blood she had spilt, and almost again earlier, with that renegade.
Catherine remembered the instant where Faith had that knife in her hands, "I kind of got that idea from you." She said. Faith shook her head hesitantly and stopped, looking at Catherine whom stood before her, hands in her pockets "How would you know what I did?" she asked. Catherine shrugged, tilting her head to the side like a curious raven almost "Earlier, you were ready to kill that guy, I could see it in your eyes, the look on your face."
Faith looked away, shamed by the act she had nearly committed for a second time, "For an instant, all I wanted was his blood on the ground, for taking Dawn." She said. Catherine looked at her, seeing the shape of her body, the shine of the moons light in her hair, her strength, and her weakness that she was allowing herself to show right before her.
She inched closer to her, placing her hands on either shoulder gently "But you didn't, you fought that urge, that lust for that dark pit of your soul, that part we all have." She said, commending her for her strength.
Faith closed her eyes as she felt Catherine's touch against her body, again it didn't bring her discomfort, no odd feeling towards it, it even felt good, right too in some way she didn't understand yet. "Thank you." She whispered.
Catherine felt good, touching Faith, feeling her blood course through her veins, feeling the heat radiate off her body like a shining light from a candle. She shook her head, lost in thought she brought her hands back to her sides and in her pockets "Uh, sorry, lets keep going for a bit and get home huh?" she asked, moving away from Faith.
Faith shot back to reality, looking around to Catherine "Uh, yeah, let's do that."
Giles' Pad
"She's alive Giles, why wasn't I told, why weren't we told?" Angel asked as he paced around the room furiously, torn up by this deception. Giles sat in his chair, all of Angels group were there too, still absorbing this information that was thrust upon their unprepared minds.
"Angel, you have to understand, this wasn't voluntary, she had no choice in the matter, she only arrived two weeks ago back in Sunnydale, and revealed herself to us only a few nights ago, she was working up to calling you, but with Dawns kidnapping and all…" he said, defending his 'daughter'.
Angel jerked violently, Winifred stood up and took gentle hold of him "Calm down, she had her reasons Angel, don't be angry, please?" she asked, gently stroking his cheek. Angel took a breath and closed his eyes for a moment, regaining his calm. Opening them again he saw Winifred, looking at him with concern.
He smiled sheepishly, taking hold of her hand "Ok." He whispered to her.
"Ok, what about Dawn, how do we help her?" Wesley asked, sitting next to Giles, with an icepack on the bump on his head. Giles took in a breath "Currently, the watchers are interrogating these renegades for answers, shouldn't take too long knowing some of their…methods." He said, leading on that the so-called methods were a little more than what he led them to be.
"Ok, so, what do we do until then?" Cordellia asked, having no clue as what she or they should do until one of the renegades spilled the beans on Dawns location.
Giles stood up and yawned "Well, I am going to sleep, wish me luck." He said, walking up the stairs "Oh, feel free to stay if you like, help yourself to what's in the fridge." He added before vanishing to the upstairs rooms.
Gunn looked at the others after Giles had gone "And here I thought there couldn't be more than one Wesley." He said sarcastically. Wesley snapped his head at Gunn "I resent that remark." He said, sounding sleepy himself "Where did Faith go off to anyway?" he asked.
"Oh, she went off somewhere with that Catherine girl, and might I say, damn she's fine!" Gunn said, unable to keep the hormones at bay. Just then Giles appeared from the top of the stairs "Just so you know Mr. Gunn, she plays for her own team." He said, indicating Catherine's homosexuality before he vanished again.
Cordellia snickered as she saw the look on Gunns face, as did the others in the room. "Where did all the normal people go?" he asked sarcastically, waving his arms up in the air. Cordellia playfully punched him in the gut "Hey! She's normal, even if she does play for my team." She said, smiling wickedly. Gunn shrugged as he stood up "Oh well, I can work with it." He said jokingly.
Host walked in from the kitchen with whatever he could find for a drink "Ah, that's why your going to end up being very old and still very, very horny." He said, taking his seat next to Cordellia. Gunn shook his head with a smile and walked to the back of the room where there was a spare sofa for him to rest on "Whatever." He mumbled as he dropped down on the sofa comfortably.
"Actually, I think that Faith is going to be working it." Winifred said, trying to add in a joke. But instead they all stared at her in surprise, even Angel. She looked at them all nervously "What? Didn't you see how they were looking at each other before they left?" she asked, trying to defend against whatever it was they were staring at her for.
Willow and Taras place
"I should leave, I don't…" Faith began, trying to avoid going into a place where she thought she wouldn't be welcome. But Catherine cut her off, raising her hand "It's ok, Willow and Tara told me that they'd be staying over at Xanders place tonight, try and think of a way to find Dawn."
"W-Well, why don't we go help them then?" Faith asked, nervous, beginning to feel uncomfortable about taking Catherine's offer to stay the night. It was new to her, in her past, she had slept and been promiscuous with many men, but never a woman, but now it felt different than all those people, with Catherine there was hesitation, nervousness, the whole enchilada, even though she wasn't even planning on making any sort of move on her.
"Will you come in? You look burnt." Catherine said, opening the door to an empty home. Faith gave a sigh as she gave up and walked in, closing the door behind her.
"Look, I'll take the sofa, you can take the bed alright?" Catherine said, giving Faith the more comfortable place to sleep. Faith looked at the bed, Willow and Taras bed, and shuddered inside, remembering the time when she and Buffy swapped bodies, how she insulted Tara, insulted their relationship, she felt like shed be insulting it again by taking the bed where they slept, shared intimacy. "N-no, I'll take the sofa, you take the bed." She said hesitantly.
Catherine half winked an eye at her, wondering why she was so nervous "Are you ok here? Why are you so nervous?" she asked. Faith walked over to Catherine, and sat on the sofa, Catherine sitting next to her, listening to her words she was about to speak. "There was a time, before I came back from my dark side, I insulted their relationship, I mean I really slandered it. And I haven't talked to them since then really."
Catherine lowered her head, looking at Faith from the corner of her eye "You were a different person then, I'm sure in time they'll forgive it." She said, looking back at her.
Faith shook her head "I don't think I can forgive myself for the things I did." She said, berating herself, still loathing herself in that way, the way Buffy found out before Faith ran to Los Angeles, where she ultimately turned herself in to the authorities.
Catherine reached over, brushed some hair over the back of Faiths shoulder "Give yourself time, you'll learn to forgive yourself, ok?" Catherine asked, trying to help Faith with her still ongoing transition.
Faith smiled sheepishly at Catherine "Ok." She said, leaning back on the sofa, her legs still bent over the edge of the sofa, stretching her arm back under her head, taking a sigh of relief, she did feel better now.
"We'll sleep on each end of the sofa then, I really don't feel like taking the bed either." Catherine said, shedding her coat, and shoes. Faith opened her eyes a little to see what she was doing as she too shed her jacket, shoes and shirt, leaving a sports bra on and pants. She took her half of the blanket that was folded on the back of the sofa and unfolded it.
Her eyes nearly popped out as she saw Catherine stripping further, shedding her pants also, against her wishes, she let out a gasp, as she tried to hide it, it was useless as Catherine turned to her, wearing a shirt and underwear "What?" she asked, she saw Faith pointing at her nervously. Catherine looked down at herself "Oh, sorry, I'm not uncomfortable, you can too, I won't peek." She said, smirking at her as she took her half of the blanket and lay down on the inner end of the sofa next to Faith.
Faith saw as Catherine turn on her side away from her for her benefit, Faith slowly stood up and shed her pants also, leaving herself in her underwear only, she peeked over at Catherine who was still laying next to her, still and breathing slowly.
As she lay there, after awhile the discomfort of it all faded, feeling Catherine's legs along her back as she felt Catherine's back wit her feet. She kept her eyes closed, feeling more and more relaxed. Until she felt the sofa shift, she peeked her eyes open to see Catherine sitting up slowly, shedding her shirt, revealing her nude form from the waist up, the light from outside shone on her breasts, and along her back.
Her back, Faith's eyes widened as she saw the scars on her back, deep scars. From her lower back to her shoulders. "How did that happen?" Faith asked, sitting up and startling Catherine. To Faiths surprise, Catherine rolled on her back to cover her back, and folded her arms, covering her breasts from her view.
Faith backed off, "I'm sorry, I felt you moving. Your back…what…" she asked, but trailed off as she reached out, feeling the end of one of the scars along the ribs of Catherine's body. Catherine closed her eyes slightly and shuddered at the touch, she hadn't let anyone touch her in so long, the feeling was so foreign to her now. "It was a long time ago, I was…raped. I was young and cocky, I underestimated that demon…and I paid for it."
Faith took in a deep breath, "Looks like we've both had bad times with the male, I used them, I was rather…I was a slut, I'll come out and say it, I was a fucking slut. I'd sleep with any guy cause it'd give me a roof over my head sometimes." She said, admitting to another dark aspect of her past. Catherine looked at her, eyes half open "And now?" she asked calmly.
Faith took a breath, looking around, at Catherine mainly "Now…I don't really care for guys." She said. Catherine blinked slowly, keeping a respective and charming calm to herself "Neither did I after that. And my first time with a woman after that wasn't so great either." She said, coming closer to Faith on a personal level.
Faith looked at her, tilting her head to the side "Turn over." She whispered to her. Catherine looked at her curiously and reluctantly, her scars were one of the things she kept private the most of all. "Come on, I wont hurt you." Faith said, whispering as her head inched closer to Catherine's, gently tugging at her shoulder.
Catherine did as Faith had politely requested, unfolding her arms she turned over to her stomach, folding them and resting her head on them. She felt fingers gently caressing her back, tracing the scars with gentle touch. Massaging her muscles, running her hands along the length of her back, over the skin as she felt Faith take a seat on top of her carefully.
She gasped deeply, drawing breath as she soon felt lips kissing her neck, moving down her back to the small of her back, feeling her Faiths fingers run along her sides, from her breasts to her hips, still being so gentle with her.
Soon she felt the pressure of Faiths body on hers, arms wrapping around her chest and waist, kisses along the nape of her neck that was free of her long hair.
And then, came Faiths whispers "In all the time I slept with a man, none of them ever touched me like I touch you now. None of them ever caressed me, gently touched me. All they ever did was fuck me, not caring for who I was, they didn't want me, just my body. I don't think either of us ever felt that, the gentleness of a touch. But right now, I want you Catherine." Faith whispered into her ear.
Catherine felt a tear fall from her eye, creeping down her cheek slowly. "No, we haven't." she whispered back. Turning over, Faith gently fell over next to Catherine as she came face to face with her, and looked into her eyes, seeing what was really there, someone who cared about her.
Catherine slowly brought her lips to Faiths, letting them touch barely at first, but with each kiss it grew more intense, deeper than the last. Faiths hand gently made their way from Catherine's hips to her breasts, cupping them softly, gently running her fingers along the outlines of them. Catherine touched Faith as well in the same place, feeling through the fabric of her bra as she caressed them gently, caring, as though they were fragile antiquities.
They paid no attention to the rain that had started outside the window, the sounds of droplets hitting the glass in a smooth, comforting rhythm, the lighting gently flashing in for an instant, and the rumbling of thunder. It seemed to make it all feel the more better for them as they continued onwards into the night.
Buffys Loft
"How you feeling luv?" Spike asked as he help Buffy by the window, her head resting back on his chest as they looked out through the rain covered window. "I don't know." She answered back to him.
"I'm feeling…nervous, scared. Wondering if Dawn's alright." She said. Spike tightened his hold on her, "It's alright, I be the little cupcake is just fine." He said, trying to calm her emotions.
Renegade headquarters
Dawn struggled with the cuffs around her wrists, bounding her hands together. "Let me out!" she yelled, slamming both her fists on the metal door, dropping to the ground.
She looked at the side of her hand to see a deep cut shed her blood, she shook her head "It's all my fault, this would have never begun if it wasn't for my blood." She said, hating herself for her existence. Her train of thought was diminished when she heard sounds of fighting on the other side of the door, she jumped on the small bed and huddled into the corner.
She pressed herself against the wall harder as she heard the door unlocking and the latch holding it closed move away, letting it open.
In walked two men, holding swords, both had short hair, only one had his in a more shaggy fashion where as the other on had in more neat and proper. "W-Who are you?" Dawn asked them, looking at their plain clothes and their swords, one was thin and simple looking, with the head of a dragon at the hilt, the other was a broad sword, thick and stronger looking.
"My name's Methos, this is Duncan MacLeod, we're friends of your sister, we came to get you out of here." One said, the one with the broad sword, Methos. Dawn leapt off the bed, rushing up to them "How did you find me?" she asked, as Duncan took her hands and began picking the locks on her cuffs "These renegades attacked some of your friends, Angel was his name, we followed those who escaped back here." Duncan said.
Before anything else could be said, the door slammed shut and locked behind them, they all looked at it, and heard someone speak through it "Now we have triple the price, thanks!" the man said, walking away as he laughed. Duncan took the cuffs and threw them to the ground in a fit "Damn it!" he hissed.
Dawn lowered her head and shook "Thanks for trying anyway." She said, throwing her fist at the air, letting a few drops of her blood fly into the wall "I wish I were with Buffy!" she yelled, saying it with all her heart and convictions. Duncan and Methos watched as the blood on the wall began to glow a bright, brilliant green "What the…?" Duncan asked as the light grew larger and larger until it covered the entire wall.
The light faded and vanished except for the borders of this doorway that opened, beyond it they saw Buffy and Spike, in each others arms looking back at them. "Buffy!" Dawn cried as she saw her sister get up and walk towards her end of the door way in a hurry "Dawn! Duncan, Methos!" she cried out to them.
Without thinking, Dawn ran to the portal, or doorway, whatever one would call it, and leapt through. Duncan and Methos saw no other reasonable act so they followed right behind Dawn.
Buffy stretched her arms out as Dawn flew into her, holding her tightly as they collided into Spike whom kept them from hitting the floor hard. "Dawn! How?" Buffy asked, still speechless over how this portal had opened and delivered her sister and two friends back to her.
"We're just as curious as you are Buffy…" Duncan began as they watched the portal close behind them and vanish with a ripple in the air like a rock dropping into the water. Spike walked up next to Buffy and Dawn in each others arms.
The Powers that Be Bar – A few hours earlier
"I don't really see what you really want with someone like me working for you." Methos said as he sat at a table with one of the head watchers, Ethan. "Mr. Pierson, what we're suggesting to you is a very valuable opportunity for all of us, someone to be a living witness to the slayers to come, mainly to Buffy who will hopefully go on for years as a slayer or whatever else she desires to be, we're asking you to be one of our watchers." He said, explaining the whole idea to Methos once more.
Methos sat back in his seat, arms crossed as he looked blankly at the table and Ethan who sat before him, it was a unique opportunity, that was for sure, but to have Buffy continue with something that she didn't truly want for what could be eternity? That was something for her to decide.
"I'll do it, but only if Buffy wishes for it." He said to Ethan. Ethan nodded with a grin as he clapped his hands "Thank you Mr. Pearson, you won't be disappointed!" he said as he got up and left the bar in a hurry back to the mansion.
Methos sat there at the table after he left, thinking about his answer, 'YES'. He began to wonder if it was the right answer to give Ethan, Sure, Methos cared for the young blonde immortal very much, as close as he would for Duncan or Amanda, but this was a different situation than they were, they weren't slayers, or destined to possibly do what she does now.
He got up off the table seat and walked over to the bar, disposing of his empty glass he leaned forward of the bar, thinking. The hole in the wall was all fixed up now, leaving no trace of it ever being there. "God forgive me Buffy if I've made the wrong choice.
The door suddenly flew open and Duncan was there looking at him "Methos, I need your help, we're getting Dawn back." He said. Methos nodded as he knew that Duncan had a plan of action, being a former watcher to immortals, he knew Duncan quite well.
Buffy's home – Now
"So that was your brilliant plan of action then huh? Kick the crap out of everyone and grab Dawn?" Methos asked as he paced around the room with Buffy holding Dawn tightly and Spike next to them. Duncan shook his head as he turned around to Methos, falling into the trap of continuing this immature banter with him "Ok Methos, it didn't go exactly to plan, but we got out didn't we?" he asked irritated from Methos' complaints.
Buffy didn't pay attention to their argument as she looked at Dawn with a glowing smile on her face "Can you tell me what happened?" she asked, gently running a hand across her cheek. Dawn shrugged as she smiled back at Buffy "I don't know, I cut my hand, some blood got on the wall and I yelled out how much I wanted to be with you and then that happened, my blood opened up like a door." She said, giving the best explanation she could.
Spike patted Dawn on the shoulder as he kneeled next to them "Must be the fact that you're the Key, that energy must be coming out in some ways now." he said, being the next best thing to an expert on the supernatural. "Shouldn't we go tell the others? I mean, we know where they are now, we can catch them all right?" Dawn asked, referring to ending this situation with the renegades.
"Yeah, sounds good." Spike said, looking at Buffy with a nod they got up and got ready to break up Duncan and Methos who now had their swords pulled out and throwing immature insults at each other "My swords bigger than yours!" Methos said like a four year old brat. Duncan chuckled as he shook his head "Oh ho ho! Now you're going down you wuss!" he said as he was about to rush at Methos like a brat himself.
"Enough you two!" Buffy yelled as she ran up to them, tripping Methos and kicking Duncan in the chest quickly that sent him to the ground as well "Will you two grow the hell up? You, Duncan, you're over 400 years old! And Methos, your 5000 years old for crying out loud, don't you know what a grown up is?" she asked, yelling at them both angrily "Besides, I just got this place, I don't want blood stains so soon."
Duncan and Methos both stared at her and soon burst out into laughs, rolling around like children still "You have no idea how much you sound like Mother Goose just now!" Methos said as he got up, helping Duncan up also. Buffy's eyes widened as she snarled at them "Mother Goose? Did you just call me that?" she asked as they both stopped acting like children and suddenly became very still.
"Oh that's it!" she yelled as she pulled out her sword and began to chase them around the room, yelling obscenities at them as they threw whatever they could to stop her.
Spike and Dawn stood away back looking at them silently "You think we ought to stop this?" Spike asked curiously, a little amused by this. Dawn shook her head as she looked up at him "What, and miss this Kodak moment?"
Willow and Taras home"Whoa." Faith said as she lay on top of Catherine, sweat matting her hair down as their skin was slick against each other. Faith rose her head up and smiled genuinely at Catherine as she moved in and kissed her passionately "I never thought it would be that good." Faith said, resting her head back down on Catherines chest, her arms wrapped around her.
"Neither did I." Catherine said as she gently stroked Faiths hair in a soothing pattern that made Faith feel more and more comfortable with each stroke.
"What do are you thinking about?" Faith asked curiously, wanting to know Catherine more than just on a sexual level (which was a surprising revelation to her.) Catherine Smiled softly as she closed and opened her eyes slowly "I don't know really, I guess about everything in a sense, life, dying mostly." She said, sounding a little off over the question.
Faith shifted and rested her head so that she looked up to Catherine from her chest and looked at her with full attention "Do tell." She asked, listening readily. Catherine smiled at her with a wink as she took in a deep breath "Ok, I'll ask you first, what do you believe in?" she asked "I mean like religion or something like that."
Faith looked away, staring blankly for a bit as she thought about it, she hadn't realized that she never really believed in anything before "Nothing." She whispered to Catherine.
Catherine continued to stroke Faiths hair as she looked at her silently "I believe in an old religion, I don't know what it is really, but it has to do with death…" she began as Faith listened to her intently to every word, "…A black bird, a crow, comes for you on the day you die, carries you to the land of the dead. All your life it follows you, becomes an unknowing part of you, sees all that you are and decides whether or not if you're worthy of being brought to the land of the dead." She said.
Faith sat up and looked at her with an almost worried expression "Why would you believe in something like that?" she asked. Catherine sat up also, being eye level with her "Because on the day I die, I want to know if I did the right things in my life, no matter how lost I feel, I want to know if my choices were the right ones." She said seriously with compassion in her voice.
Faith gently touched Catherine's face, touching the beads of sweat on her naked body "This wouldn't be like on that movie the Crow now would it?" she asked jokingly. Catherine smiled as she took hold of Faiths hand and held it by her heart "Believe it or not, the show was based from that religion, some do say that if one dies from such a horrible wrong in their life, they sometimes are given that chance to come back and make it right, or never rest in the land of the dead at all."
Faith took her fre hand and took a gentle hold of Catherine head from the neck and slow brought her lips to hers, passionately kissing her gently, letting their tongue dance in each others mouths for what seemed like forever, a perfect moment. When it ended. Faith held Catherine close to her, pressing their bodies together tightly as she looked slightly down at her, their breasts pressed together, Faiths legs on either side of Catherine's hips "For what it's worth, you're judgment will be better than mine will." She said softly.
"You'll pass judgment Faith, keep doing the right things in life and you'll be fine." Catherine said as she brushed a few stray strands of hair from Faiths face "Are you gong to kiss me again or what?" Catherine asked with a smile as she pressed herself harder against Faith and kissed once more.
The kiss ended with the phone as it suddenly burst into a shrewd ringing sound, ending the moment. Faith got off of Catherine and covered her breasts with the blanket as Catherine got off the sofa and walked over to the phone in the nude, which made Faith eye her intensely.
"Hello?" Catherine said as she picked up the phone quickly on its fourth ring.
"Catherine? It's Tara, we're all at the magic shop, Dawns back, it's a long story, but you should get over here. By the way, have you seen Faith?" Tara asked as she sounded a little excited over the line.
Catherine looked back to Faith and smirked wickedly "Yeah, Faith's with me, we'll be there as soon as we can ok? Alright Tara, bye." Catherine said as she hung up the phone.
Catherine walked back over ot Faith and sat on the sofa next to her "We have to get to the Magic Shop, Dawn's come back, I don't know the details, but everyone's there waiting for us." She said. Faith nodded "Ok, should we shower first?" she asked, still feeling a little turned on by seeing Catherine walk nude. Catherine smiled as she shook her head "Is sex all you think about?" she asked as she grabbed her clothes and threw them on quickly.
Faith shrugged "Hey, it's good exercise, and I love to work out a lot." She joked, "What should we tell the others though? About us? Are we just having sex…or is it more?" she asked, scared of the answer almost. Catherine looked at her and smiled "I'd like to tell them is more, how about you?" she asked.
Faith only kept silent as she moved in and kissed Catherine, giving her an answer. When it ended she looked at her with wide eyes "I like that idea, but after this is all over ok?" Faith said, asking for a discreet relationship for a little bit.
Catherine nodded "That's a good idea."
The Magic Shop
Catherine and Faith walked into the shop to see everyone they're waiting for them, some watchers, the immortals, and the Scooby gang along with Angel's group. "So, what's up?" Faith said as she saw Dawn for the first time since her return OT the hellmouth.
"Faith!" Dawn said as she rushed up to her and gave her a warm, tight hug, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Dawn, I'm glad you're alright." She said, smiling as she hugged Dawn back.
"So, what are we gonna do about these renegades?" Wesley asked as he decided to address the issue of the renegades and their presence in Sunnydale.
Duncan stepped up "Well, Methos and I found where they are, and I'm betting that they don't know we're out of there yet, or will find out soon enough." He said, hearing Methos mumble a remark in the back ground "Yeah, your brilliant idea." He said, causeing Duncan to look in his direction.
"I have to handle this…alone." Buffy said suddenly, loud enough for them to hear her. Everything went silent as they all stared at her, shock and confusion. "Buffy, it's suicide!" Duncan warned, But she just rose her hand "I have to, this started over a slayer, they wanted one…Well, I'm going to give them one."
End Part 6