Title: Standing On Your Own
Author: Hope
Rating: PG-13
Summary: When a demon kills everyone the slayer loves, she falls deep into depression: No will to live, no will to fight. Because her heart is no longer in slaying, the PTB send back a certain blonde vampire to help get her back on track.....
A/N Please review!!!
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Spike trailed a few feet behind the slayer, watching as she walked towards the cemetary. She hadn't said much of anything since last night apart from muttered curses as the alcohol she took in made her sick. Despite his argument that she should lay down for awhile, she insisted on slaying.
And, seeing the feral look in her eyes, he wasn't about to protest.
She walked quickly, his leather jacket swirling in the wind around her. She looked like a predator, her eyes gleaming with pure hatred. Seeing Faith had hit a nerve and she wasn't about to be shown up by the renegade slayer.
She was better than her, she would prove it.
Marching through the cemetery gates, she looked around. She really wanted to kill something right now. What better way to take out your frustrations?
"Buffy?" Spike finally asked after following her around the cemetery for over an hour. The patrol had been silent up until this point and she jumped at the sound of the voice, forgetting he was there.
"What?" She ground out, sitting down on a large headstone.
"I don't think there's anything here, luv." He said gently, sitting next to her. She didn't speak as she scowled, focusing her eyes on the ground. How was she supposed to be better than Faith when there were no vampires around to slay? "Come on, pet. Whatta you say we go check near the Bronze, there were quite a few 'round there last night." He stood, offering the girl his hand.
"Fine.." She muttered, allowing him to pull her to her feet. They resumed their silent walk, heading towards the other end of town. They cut through a small alley, neither speaking once again, but the silence was broken by a loud sound from over head. They exchanged glances before running towards the main street to get a better look.
"What the..." Buffy instinctively took a step towards Spike, huddling against him in the middle of the street. They stood under the lights of one of three helicopters, all of which had lights searching the area. Spike squinted against the beam, trying to get a better look at the chopper. Even over the loud roar from the low flying choppers, they picked up on a sharp scream from nearby. Turning, they saw Faith emerge from around the corner of the street, running frantically.
"Faith?" Buffy's eyes returned to the sky as the lights went from them to the running slayer.
"Faith. Give it up, there's no use in running." The loud voice echoed through the air, coming from the speakers of one of the choppers.
Lily.
A group of men, some carrying guns, rounded the corner in pursuit of the girl. Spike and Buffy both watched, stunned, as the group of at least twenty men cornered Faith against a building, blocking off all means of escape.
The Council.
Faith's eyes grew wide as the men approached her, obviously ready to take her back into custody. Two grabbed her arms and she kicked at them, knocking them from her. Suddenly, all of the men were on the flailing girl, trying to constrain her. She managed to knock a few out, but a shot rang out. She fell to her knees, a tranquilzer dart protruding from her neck. Two more of the men hauled her to her feet, dragging her limp form towards one of the landing choppers.
They never made it.
They were sent sprawling to the ground by an angry blonde slayer. She glared at them as Faith's body slumped to the ground. The rest of the group exchanged glances before lunging at the second slayer, prepared to take her out as well. She easily knocked most of them to the ground, but was over powered as more lunged at the same time, pinning her flailing limbs. One raised a tranquilizer gun, ready to subdue the girl, but never got the chance as the weapon was knocked from his grasp by a snarling blonde vampire.
"Not a good idea, mate." He ground out, smirking as he crushed the gun under his boot. The man went to swing at Spike, but the vampire caught his fist in midswing, twisting it and throwing him to the ground. His brow furrowed in confusion and he looked to Buffy, who looked just as shocked as him.
Why could he hurt humans?
Shrugging, the pair went back to beating the living daylights out of the council's goons. One of the men grinned as he shot Spike with a dart. Spike turned, looking at the man like he was the stupidest person alive. He pulled the dart from his neck and tossed it to the ground. "Vampire. These don't work." He said before punching the guy in the jaw and sending him to the ground. Buffy knocked the last guy out with a boot to the head as Spike spooned Faith of the ground. He lifted her limp form as Buffy walked up next to him.
"Well done. I'm impressed." They turned to find Lily standing behind them, an unamused look on her face.
"Bugger of, wench."
"I'm afraid I can't do that. Now if you would be so kind as to hand over the girl so she can be confined, I shall be on my way."
"Why would you want to confine her? I thought she was your slayer?" Buffy asked defiantly.
"No. She was a tool to get you slaying again. She was useless compared to you, so we used your jealousy of the girl to get you slaying again. It worked, seeing as you have spent the night patroling, am I right?" She smiled smuggly, obviously quite proud of herself.
"So you used her to trick Buffy?" Spike asked coldly, glaring at the woman.
"Quite so. Now, if you don't mind, I will take the girl and get her out of your hair. Permanently." Lily took a step towards Spike, but he and Buffy both took a step back, glaring.
"No." Buffy said simply.
"Pardon?" Lily asked, quite surprised. She had expected Buffy to be glad to get rid of the girl, seeing as they hated each other so.
"I. Said. No." Buffy's face was cold as she walked towards the woman, stopping mere inches in front of her. "Now get out of the Hellmouth before I make you leave."
Lilly cocked her head to the side, studying the girl. "Why do you insist on protecting her? I do believe she has tried to kill you and your friends on numerous occasions, correct?"
Buffy smirked, walking backwards to stand alongside Spike. "She's not the only one. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer...." They both smirked as they turned to leave, walking back towards her home and leaving a stunned Lily in the center of the street.
"What now, Miss?!" A man shouted from the grounded chopper. Lily clenched her jaw and walked back towards him, hopping into the chopper.
"Get us out of here. We're going home." The man nodded, signaling for the pilot to take thm back up to join the other two choppers in flight. Lily watched the two slayer and the vampire below as they flew off into the night. Let them live, they'd kill each other eventually anyway....
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Almost done. Next chapter will tell why Spike can hurt people. Please review!!