*****
Xander's voice echoed over the intercom, causing Giles to jump. "Faith!?"
"Shhh..." Sidney said, "Listen."
*****
Faith took a step back, pressing against the locked door behind her, until she remembered who she was and who was facing her. She sneered slightly at Xander and stepped forward again. "How'd ya guess, Zeppo?"
Xander didn't react, outwardly at least. "Have a friend who can read aura's. You really confused her you know... She could tell that you weren't Buffy... but she could also read the Slayer essence in you. It's been a long time since she's seen something new."
"What are you talking about?"
The first glint of humor showed through his mask as Xander matched Faith's advance with one of his own. "If you hang around long enough, I'll introduce you."
Faith cocked her head, "You think you'll be in any shape to talk by that time?"
Xander stood his ground as she advanced on him. "So tell me, is your looks just a spell? Or is that really Buffy's body?"
Faith stopped, smiling at him as she ran her hands along her body. "This old thing? It's all real, lover."
Xander nodded, ignoring the 'lover' jab. "G-man, I hope your getting this. Get Crow and find Buffy. NOW. Faith and I have some personal problems to work out."
Faith stared at him in shock, "What are you...?"
She broke off when Xander held the remote up, a red light blinking over a button marked 'intercom'. She screamed and rushed him.
*****
"Good lord." Giles muttered from outside the Dojo doors as he listened to the sounds of a fight over the intercom. He and Sidney had both tried to open the doors, but without Jarod or Xander's knowledge of the security codes they couldn't override Xander's orders to the system.
"Go!" Sidney ordered, "You heard him, Buffy might be in trouble. I'll work on the door."
Giles looked uncertain for a moment.
"Go!"
He finally nodded and turned, heading down the stairs.
*****
Xander sidestepped her first charge, catching her unprepared with an edge hand across the throat. Faith's momentum was halted by the potentially lethal hit and her legs were swept out from under her. She hit the ground solidly on her back, her hands grasping for her throat in shock.
Xander winced and stepped back. He hadn't really intended to do serious harm, and he didn't think he had, but that shot could have killed a normal person. He rubbed his own throat with some empathy for the shock and pain Faith was feeling.
His eyes were welling with tears as he stepped back, shaking his head as it sank in. I just hit Buffy. No! No. It's Faith... and she's not going to listen to reason yet... she's got too much anger in her still... His eyes cast upwards as Faith staggered back to her feet. God please let me get through this without killing my best friend's body.
*****
Giles was rushing out the door when a thought struck him and he stopped. Slowly he turned and looked at the basement door. He swallowed and entered the access code to the basement, slowly walking down the stairs.
He looked over the cabinets and selected one from memory. Opening it he pulled out a Berreta pistol, and several clips. His slapped one into the pistol and racked the slide back, wincing as some bad old memories returned.
Giles sighed, placed the pistol in his pocket, and headed back up the stairs.
*****
Faith held her throat as she got up, "Nice shot." She rasped hoarsely.
Xander just shook his head, "That would have killed anyone else, Faith. Don't come at me like that again."
Her smile slowly returned as she heard the catch in his voice. "What's the matter, lover? Don't want to hurt blondy's body?"
"Or you Faith. Or you."
"Gee thanks." She said, wiping some spit from her lips with the back of her hand. "But I don't think that'll be a problem."
Xander suppressed a groan as he watched Faith shift into a fighting stance, "Don't make me do this, Faith. I don't know if I can stop you without killing you."
"Then don't." She said as she flew in with a fast combination of punches.
Xander didn't back off, instead he ducked past the fists, letting her clip him lightly as he did. He got in so close that their faces were practically touching, and he could feel her breasts against his chest. "Sorry." He said, then he drove his hand like a dagger into her sternum.
The two fighters broke apart, Faith gasping for air and Xander cradling his hand in pain. "Shit! Like hitting a damned brick wall!"
Faith was down on one knee, sucking air as fast as her body would allow, but she was grinning. "You've got better, Lover. That hurt."
Xander leaned against a wall and crooked a grin at her, "Tell me about it. I think I might have broke a finger."
Slowly, Faith got up with a feral smile twitching on her lips. "I'd offer to kiss it better for ya, but I think I'll just break the other ones instead."
*****
"Talk to me."
"Mr. Crow?"
"... Yo, Rupes. What's up?"
Giles grimaced, "I need some help. A council team is in town after a rogue slayer, and I believe they might mean harm to Buffy."
"She's gone rogue? Good for her."
"No." Giles shook his head, "Another Slayer."
"That's not possible, Rupes."
"I'll explain it later, suffice to say that Buffy is in danger and I believe that Xander sai you wanted to have a word with the Council?"
"You've got a point. Meet me at the Church down the road from the kid's place."
*****
Xander danced back, keeping out of the Slayer's reach. If this had been the Faith her knew a half a year ago he would already be dead. Her movements were erratic, her mind was unstable. She wasn't playing with a full deck.
That was his sole advantage. He could dodge her berserker attacks with ease, always staying one step ahead of her flailing fists. But it didn't get him anywhere. He needed to reach her, and that wasn't going to happen if he didn't wear her down. And she was the Slayer, she wasn't going to tire herself out like this... She'd tire him out long before.
He hardened his heart and moved on the offensive. I'm sorry Buffy.
*****
Buffy ran. She could hear the Council team running behind her, cursing and scrambling through the alley as they tried to run her down. And they were succeeding. Faith's body was tiring fast, only the fact that she was the Slayer kept it moving at all.
"Bloody hell!" A voice cursed behind her. She heard the sharp pang and whine of a silenced bullet ricocheting by her head and he pressed on, forcing her legs to pump faster.
*****
"So how's that piece of junk going to find the Slayer?"
Giles didn't look up from where he was staring intently at the San'Quai. "This piece of junk, as you call it, is an ancient device that even the Council believes to have all been destroyed. It tracks magical energy."
"Can that thing track a vamp?" Crow asked, his curiosity aroused.
"Certainly, though I doubt it would be much use here. A vampire's energy would be difficult to tell apart from the background signature of the Hellmouth."
"Where the fuck did you get something like that anyway?"
"Xander stole it from the Initiative."
"Where did they get it?"
"Presumably the stole it from a demon."
"Why would a demon be running around Sunnydale with that thing?"
"That, Mr. Crow, is the question of the day."
*****
Xander barely ducked a wild punch, rotating his body and putting his entire weight into an elbow strike that doubled the Slayer over. He straightened up from his crouch, driving his shoulder into her face and putting her on her back again. He stepped back, wiping blood from his split lip and waited for her to size up the situation.
It was a move that went against every instinct he had, and he could feel the voices inside him screaming against him as he held his place. The Hyena, still present in the back of his soul, screamed in a feverish voice that demanded, alternately, blood and lust. The Soldier was cold, it wanted the fight finished, at any cost. And even Elanthielle was sullenly against the quarter he was allowing the rogue slayer.
This is unwise, Alexander. her voice echoed through him, "Finish it quickly and worry about her mental health when you are safe. This girl is quite capable of killing you.
I know that. But there are only so many ways to reach a Slayer, Elan, and usually the easiest and fastest is also the most direct.
You're going to *beat* her into talking to you!? Elan asked incredulously, That is suicidal, Alexander. You are NOT a Slayer.
Xander didn't respond. He didn't have too, she knew as well as he did that Slayer or not, walking away wasn't in the books for him. He watched as Faith picked herself off the ground, swishing blood around in his mouth for a moment before spitting it out onto the floor and looking back at her.
"Nice backhand, Faith." He said, rubbing his tongue along the slip inside his cheek. "But you know, your style is piss poor. Out of practice I guess, huh?"
She felt her nose as she straightened up, wincing as she felt the fracture under the skin. "You broke Buffy's nose." She said, incredulity filling her voice.
Xander shrugged, keeping the inner turmoil he felt over that capped under a mask of indifference. "I'm not exactly the same guy you knew, Faith."
"Let me out of here!" She demanded, for the first time speaking instead of attacking.
"No." He said simply, "You want out, you have to go through me to do it. One way, or another."
"Fine by me, Lover." She sifted back into a combat stance, this time moving with more deliberation and focus.
Oh shit. Xander thought, The Slayer's Back.
*****
Buffy ducked through a chain link fence, her pursuers literally on her heals, and scrambled along the ground through the broken boxes and refuse that scattered the alley.
"Get her!"
"She's too low! I can't get a clear shot through all the crap lying around!"
"I don't give a shit! Stay on her!"
The men scrambled under and over the fence, struggling to keep up with the escaping Slayer.
Buffy ran for the exit to the alley as fast as her weakened body could take her, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the sun shining on the shops of main street. As she exited the Valley a strong pair of hands grabbed her, covering her mouth and dragged her to one side.
*****
"Xander!" Willow screamed as she burst into the building, tara hot on her heels. "Giles!? Anyone?"
"Up here, Ms Rosenberg!"
Willow and Tara looked at each other, slightly confused. "That was Sidney wasn't it?"
Tara nodded.
They both headed up the stairs toward the voice.
"Sidney?" Willow asked tentatively when she saw him futilely tapping codes into the door.
"Xander locked himself in there with some person named Faith..." Sidney said.
"What!?" Willow screamed as she pushed him out of the way and took a crack at the door herself. "She'll kill him!"
"That would appear to be her intent..." Sidney admitted, "Though as of a few minutes ago he seemed to be giving as good as he got."
"Where is Giles!? And Buffy?"
"Giles is out looked for Ms. Summers with Mr. Crow. Apparently this 'Faith' person somehow managed to assume Buffy's identity."
"W.. What?" tara asked, confused.
"She apparently stole Ms. Summers body somehow..." Sidney shook his head, "Quite frankly I'm starting to wonder if my years at the center finally cracked my mind. Body snatching... really now..."
Willow just shook her head, ignoring the information for the moment as she worked on cracking the security Jarod had built around the lock-down systems.
*****
Xander hit the ground, rolling away just one step ahead of Faith's followup kick. His ribs felt like they were cracked and he was having trouble seeing through both eyes. One was swelling up fast and the other was filling with blood from a scalp wound he had gotten when she through him into a wall.
Faith, for her part, wasn't in much better shape. Xander had managed to catch her with a shot to her armpit that certainly cracked at least two ribs, though probably not severely. Her own face was bloody from the shot her nose had taken, and she could taste the copper on her tongue as blood flowed from a split lip.
"You've toughened up, Lover."
Xander shrugged, weaving slightly as he tried to keep his feet. "It was that or die. Had a sink or swim kinda teacher."
"Nice guy." Faith muttered as she circled around him.
Xander shook his head, grinning through the pain. "Not really. He was a sick son of a bitch who liked to hunt humans for sport."
"Sounds like my kinda guy, Lover."
Xander winced again under her verbal dig. "Maybe, but He has this 'honor' thing that you probably wouldn't understand."
"Honor don't pay the bill's."
The two fighters continued circling, content to use verbal jabs instead of physical ones as they tried to get their breath back.
Xander grinned, "Tell me about it. You think this place came from hard work and fair play?"
Faith looked at him curiously, "Where did you get the money to buy this place?"
"Friend of mine stole it of course." Xander grinned, "But don't worry, the guys he took it from don't need it right now. Most of them are running from the military police, or rotting in some hole of a prison."
"You put 'em there I suppose?" faith shot back sarcastically.
"Well the military sure as hell didn't, they couldn't find snow in the arctic."
*****
Buffy tried to scream as strong arms pulled her tight, trapping her arms against her body. "Shush up Slayer, Xander thought you could use a hand."
The Jerk?
The hand let her go and Crow flattened her against the wall, motioning to Giles who was standing on the other side of the alley opening. Giles nodded back at him and they both shifted to a 'ready' position.
As the council team ran out into the open Giles caught the first one across the teeth with his Berreta, knocking the unfortunate man to the ground with a single strike. He then pointed the Berreta at the ones in behind, leveling the automatic pistol with a steady hand.
"I'd suggest you don't move."
The Council team froze, staring down the barrel of the 9mm weapon, and looked at the man with a little confusion.
"Rupert?" one of them said hesitantly.
"Hello Michael."
"Rupert, we're only here after the rogue. Council orders. You know that we can't let her go."
"Even if that was Faith, I wouldn't let you have her Michael. I know what the Council would do to her, remember? She's my responsibility. Go back to merry old England and tell Travers to suck an egg."
"Be reasonable, man!" The Team Leader stepped forward, "She's a killer. Can't have that runnin 'round the country 'elping the demons."
"As I said, My Responsibility."
"Not no more." The leader flashed a signal to the rest and their weapons came to bear on the ex-Watcher.
"Giles!" Buffy screamed in terror for her mentor.
*****
"Not bad, lover." Faith said, wiping away some more blood from her mouth.
"Pretty good yourself, Faith." Xander said, neutrally as he followed suit.
"You know you can't win, right?" She grinned at him.
"I don't have to win to *win*, Faith. I just have to convince you to accept help."
"From you?" She said scornfully.
"Not necessarily." Xander shrugged, "But if you want it to be me, then yes. If not, well I can find someone willing."
"Why!?" She demanded, her voice trembling with rage, or terror, or something Xander couldn't identify. "I'm a KILLER!"
Inwardly he was trembling. He felt sorrow, anger, fear, pity, and an entire mix of emotions he didn't want to try to identify. Outwardly his face may as well have ben carved in stone. He had learned to hide things very well through his life, and had mastered the art when hunting with Ruatcha. The old Yautja was always watching for weakness, always ready to pounce on any sign of inadequacy. The old hunter had once told him that feeling weak was acceptable, even natural, but showing it, well that was a death sentence.
"You know what a friend of my once told me? He once told me the secret to earning forgivness."
Faith snorted in disgust. "Oh Yeah? What's that?"
"Ask for it."
Faith was silent for a long moment, her face gone blank. Then she loked back at him and her face contorted into a visible rage. "I don't want to be forgiven! I'm EVIL! I KILLED PEOPLE!"
She rushed him, raining blows across his face and chest faster then he could see, let alone stop. "I don't deserve forgiveness!! I'M EVIL! A KILLER! YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT!"
Xander countered, not with a defense, but with an attack. He caught her with a palm strike to the chest that cracked another rib, and followed through with and arm-bar that sent Faith face first into the Dojo wall.
"Oh No!?" He said, his voice raising with tension. "You think you're the only one who's killed people Faith? I've got your body count beaten by at least a dozen. EASILY!"
Faith slumped down the wall, an unbelieving look of shock on her face as he slowly turned to lie on her back. The fight drained out of her as she stared into Xander's dead eyes and realized that he wasn't kidding.
*****