TITLE: Remembered Love epilogue
AUTHOR: Joe T
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB, others, and just about everyone but me.
DISTRIBUTION: You want it, just let me know where you're putting it.
SUMMARY: When it's all over.
SPOILERS: As always, everything is fair game
RATING: PG-13 implied sex.
Epilogue
Slowly and carefully walking through his kitchen, Xander smiles as he prepares for his next battle, putting together a breakfast without waking Cordelia and then surprising her with it. He has a lot of missed time to make up for, and fully intends to do so.
The phone ringing on the wall next to him shakes him out of his reverie, and he answers it, a split second of confusion hitting him as he hears the automated voice on the other end.
"This call is being placed from within the California penal system. It is being recorded and…"
'Penal system, who could be calling me from prison? I hope Uncle Rory didn't violate his parole.' He thinks.
"Xander?"
Realization hits the instant he hears her voice, although he has never heard her sound so unsure of herself, "Faith?"
"Yeah…hi."
"Hi, are you Ok?"
"No, I woke up this morning, and I started remembering things, and it was just weird, I couldn't figure out why I was in here at first and I…" Faith trails off, hoping for answers.
"Oh crap. I didn't even think of that, Willow didn't like you. Let me think for a second."
"What's going on? It's like I'm remembering things only…"
"Only not." Xander finishes for her, "Alright, Faith, stay where you are…"
Sarcastically, she interrupts, "I'm in prison Xander, I doubt that'll be a problem."
"When can someone visit you, like today?"
"Up until 5:00 P.M."
"I'll get Tara and Cordy and we'll be there as soon as possible, we'll explain everything then, Ok?"
"Alright. Please hurry."
One month later
Sitting in a small visiting room in one of the LA courthouses, Xander watches the small woman cuffed to the chair across from him.
"Any way, after we got everything sorted out with Faith, we contacted the Watcher's and tried to explain it all to them. They had a hard time understanding how it was you that started turning Faith into a super villain, and that the Mayor worked his own mumbo jumbo too. Luckily we got a hold of Giles, and he and Wesley put it into British-speak for them. They did their own investigation, which supported us, and then they pulled strings like you wouldn't believe. Faith will be released from prison in exactly nine days from now, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. They also were pretty upset at the damage you did, so I wouldn't expect any time off for good behavior or early parole or anything. They're making sure you serve everyday of the eight years you got."
A small shrug is his only reply.
Not deterred in the slightest, he continues, "While checking up on what else you might have done, some of the things I did when the Sisterhood of Jhe was in town came out. Man, Buffy and Cordy were so mad I didn't tell them. Spike thought it was funny how I interrogated a zombie though, he started giving me tips for next time, which was kinda gross."
"Why are you here?" Willow finally asks him, speaking her first words since he entered the room.
"No one else would come. Buffy is pissed you made her not be a friend to Faith just as they started to really get along, right when she needed one. Angel has this whole brother/sister thing with Cordelia, so he's mad. Gunn and Fred don't know you and now they don't want to, and Wesley wishes he didn't either right now. I don't think I have to explain why Tara and Cordelia aren't here, hell, I barely convinced Cordy that I should do this. Dawn is a minor, and Faith is still in prison, so they couldn't visit if they wanted to. Of course, since Faith is in prison because of what you did, I doubt it'd be a good idea letting her in the same room as you, ever."
"That's not what I meant, 'why' are you here? What are you getting out of this?"
Not bothering to answer her, Xander continues, "You know, I had figured you'd get away, not once did I think you'd be caught. I would have gone out into the boonies, find somewhere that everybody thinks a computer is like a calculator hooked up to a TV, and laid low for awhile. Wait until the next infamous criminal shows up and is what everyone is talking about. You just walked into a LA cyber-coffee shop, the most wanted computer hacker in the state. I thought you were supposed to be the smart one."
"I had my reasons."
"Hoping to get help from Wolfram and Hart?" Seeing the startled look on Willow's face, Xander continues, "Angel knows a lawyer in there, she's more of a grey-hat than a black-hat, and she owes him. She made sure they won't waste any of their time helping you, with the criminal charges or your powers."
Most people wouldn't have noticed the change in her demeanor, but Xander has known Willow for nearly his entire life. The slight slump in her shoulders, the shifting further back into her seat, all signs to what that news meant.
She is beaten, they were her last hope.
Holding back a smile, Xander continues talking, "Wesley and Fred are working on being the cutest couple that hasn't officially dated yet, Angel and Spike are even getting along good, Spike says he might start working with them in LA once in a while. Tara doesn't stutter anymore, and she's a lot more comfortable with us all, now that she doesn't look for a place to hide when someone talks loudly. I'm letting her stay in my apartment, she's going to take over the rent when I get a new place."
A slight smirk appears as Willow asks, "And Cordelia doesn't mind? Or you didn't…"
"We told her what happened. Tara was afraid she'd want me to kick her out and never talk to her again. Cordelia understood though, she's grown a lot in LA. They had a sort of girls' night out with Buffy and the other girls that night. That was when they realized Faith could move in with Tara as I move out. Those two have been talking a lot and all, I think something might be happening there."
Grinding her teeth slightly, Willow says bitterly, "Sounds like everything is going fine then."
Smiling as he stands, Xander replies, "That's what I'm getting out of this. You worked so hard to make yourself irreplaceable, and now that you're gone, things are just fine. I wanted to make sure you knew that, cause it'll be a long time before you see any of us again. Buffy and Dawn will probably forgive you first, you messed with their minds the least, but don't expect anything soon."
As he leaves the room, Xander calls over his shoulder, "Maybe I'll visit on your birthday, let you know how things are then."
That evening
"TEN MINUTES UNTIL LIGHTS OUT!" As the guards begin doing the final sweep of the cells for the night, Willow is placed in her cell. Not looking at her cellmate, who didn't bother looking down from the top bunk either, she simply lies down and tries to keep calm, keep from showing how scared she actually is.
Turning on her side, her breath catches in her throat as she sees a picture taped to the wall across from her.
It is of all of them before graduation. Herself, Buffy, Cordelia, Giles, Oz, Xander, and even Faith is in this photo. Someone had held a match up to her face and burned it though.
"Oh no." she mutters before she can stop herself, fear now plain to see in her eyes.
Above her, her cellmate shifts around, her surprised face peering over the edge of her bunk, a smile breaking out as she recognizes Willow.
"And here I thought I was going to be bored for the next week." Faith states, cracking her knuckles, "You can't imagine how much I hoped I'd see you."
AUTHOR: Joe T
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB, others, and just about everyone but me.
DISTRIBUTION: You want it, just let me know where you're putting it.
SUMMARY: When it's all over.
SPOILERS: As always, everything is fair game
RATING: PG-13 implied sex.
Epilogue
Slowly and carefully walking through his kitchen, Xander smiles as he prepares for his next battle, putting together a breakfast without waking Cordelia and then surprising her with it. He has a lot of missed time to make up for, and fully intends to do so.
The phone ringing on the wall next to him shakes him out of his reverie, and he answers it, a split second of confusion hitting him as he hears the automated voice on the other end.
"This call is being placed from within the California penal system. It is being recorded and…"
'Penal system, who could be calling me from prison? I hope Uncle Rory didn't violate his parole.' He thinks.
"Xander?"
Realization hits the instant he hears her voice, although he has never heard her sound so unsure of herself, "Faith?"
"Yeah…hi."
"Hi, are you Ok?"
"No, I woke up this morning, and I started remembering things, and it was just weird, I couldn't figure out why I was in here at first and I…" Faith trails off, hoping for answers.
"Oh crap. I didn't even think of that, Willow didn't like you. Let me think for a second."
"What's going on? It's like I'm remembering things only…"
"Only not." Xander finishes for her, "Alright, Faith, stay where you are…"
Sarcastically, she interrupts, "I'm in prison Xander, I doubt that'll be a problem."
"When can someone visit you, like today?"
"Up until 5:00 P.M."
"I'll get Tara and Cordy and we'll be there as soon as possible, we'll explain everything then, Ok?"
"Alright. Please hurry."
One month later
Sitting in a small visiting room in one of the LA courthouses, Xander watches the small woman cuffed to the chair across from him.
"Any way, after we got everything sorted out with Faith, we contacted the Watcher's and tried to explain it all to them. They had a hard time understanding how it was you that started turning Faith into a super villain, and that the Mayor worked his own mumbo jumbo too. Luckily we got a hold of Giles, and he and Wesley put it into British-speak for them. They did their own investigation, which supported us, and then they pulled strings like you wouldn't believe. Faith will be released from prison in exactly nine days from now, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. They also were pretty upset at the damage you did, so I wouldn't expect any time off for good behavior or early parole or anything. They're making sure you serve everyday of the eight years you got."
A small shrug is his only reply.
Not deterred in the slightest, he continues, "While checking up on what else you might have done, some of the things I did when the Sisterhood of Jhe was in town came out. Man, Buffy and Cordy were so mad I didn't tell them. Spike thought it was funny how I interrogated a zombie though, he started giving me tips for next time, which was kinda gross."
"Why are you here?" Willow finally asks him, speaking her first words since he entered the room.
"No one else would come. Buffy is pissed you made her not be a friend to Faith just as they started to really get along, right when she needed one. Angel has this whole brother/sister thing with Cordelia, so he's mad. Gunn and Fred don't know you and now they don't want to, and Wesley wishes he didn't either right now. I don't think I have to explain why Tara and Cordelia aren't here, hell, I barely convinced Cordy that I should do this. Dawn is a minor, and Faith is still in prison, so they couldn't visit if they wanted to. Of course, since Faith is in prison because of what you did, I doubt it'd be a good idea letting her in the same room as you, ever."
"That's not what I meant, 'why' are you here? What are you getting out of this?"
Not bothering to answer her, Xander continues, "You know, I had figured you'd get away, not once did I think you'd be caught. I would have gone out into the boonies, find somewhere that everybody thinks a computer is like a calculator hooked up to a TV, and laid low for awhile. Wait until the next infamous criminal shows up and is what everyone is talking about. You just walked into a LA cyber-coffee shop, the most wanted computer hacker in the state. I thought you were supposed to be the smart one."
"I had my reasons."
"Hoping to get help from Wolfram and Hart?" Seeing the startled look on Willow's face, Xander continues, "Angel knows a lawyer in there, she's more of a grey-hat than a black-hat, and she owes him. She made sure they won't waste any of their time helping you, with the criminal charges or your powers."
Most people wouldn't have noticed the change in her demeanor, but Xander has known Willow for nearly his entire life. The slight slump in her shoulders, the shifting further back into her seat, all signs to what that news meant.
She is beaten, they were her last hope.
Holding back a smile, Xander continues talking, "Wesley and Fred are working on being the cutest couple that hasn't officially dated yet, Angel and Spike are even getting along good, Spike says he might start working with them in LA once in a while. Tara doesn't stutter anymore, and she's a lot more comfortable with us all, now that she doesn't look for a place to hide when someone talks loudly. I'm letting her stay in my apartment, she's going to take over the rent when I get a new place."
A slight smirk appears as Willow asks, "And Cordelia doesn't mind? Or you didn't…"
"We told her what happened. Tara was afraid she'd want me to kick her out and never talk to her again. Cordelia understood though, she's grown a lot in LA. They had a sort of girls' night out with Buffy and the other girls that night. That was when they realized Faith could move in with Tara as I move out. Those two have been talking a lot and all, I think something might be happening there."
Grinding her teeth slightly, Willow says bitterly, "Sounds like everything is going fine then."
Smiling as he stands, Xander replies, "That's what I'm getting out of this. You worked so hard to make yourself irreplaceable, and now that you're gone, things are just fine. I wanted to make sure you knew that, cause it'll be a long time before you see any of us again. Buffy and Dawn will probably forgive you first, you messed with their minds the least, but don't expect anything soon."
As he leaves the room, Xander calls over his shoulder, "Maybe I'll visit on your birthday, let you know how things are then."
That evening
"TEN MINUTES UNTIL LIGHTS OUT!" As the guards begin doing the final sweep of the cells for the night, Willow is placed in her cell. Not looking at her cellmate, who didn't bother looking down from the top bunk either, she simply lies down and tries to keep calm, keep from showing how scared she actually is.
Turning on her side, her breath catches in her throat as she sees a picture taped to the wall across from her.
It is of all of them before graduation. Herself, Buffy, Cordelia, Giles, Oz, Xander, and even Faith is in this photo. Someone had held a match up to her face and burned it though.
"Oh no." she mutters before she can stop herself, fear now plain to see in her eyes.
Above her, her cellmate shifts around, her surprised face peering over the edge of her bunk, a smile breaking out as she recognizes Willow.
"And here I thought I was going to be bored for the next week." Faith states, cracking her knuckles, "You can't imagine how much I hoped I'd see you."
