Part: 23/24
Author: PsycGurl
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Set in season three of Buffy, around the episode 'Enemies'.
Feedback: R & R!

Distribution: Ask me or tell me where it's going.

Disclaimer: Don't sue me. I don't own anybody…and I have no money.

A/N I love ya guys for the 100 reviews! Thank you so much!!!

CHAPTER 23

SHOWDOWN-EVERYONE

" Buffy, don't you think we should have a plan?" Wesley protested as Buffy loaded up weapons into a bag, throwing some at Angel and others.

" Yeah, I've got a plan. I kill the Mayor…and if Faith comes in my way. I'll kill her."

" But Buffy…Faith's a human. We don't kill humans, 'it's not our way'!" Willow mimicked Buffy, flashbacking to Darth Rosenberg. [A/N Okay…I had to make a jib there…now I'm done.]

" Uhhhh…say what?" Buffy and the others responded.

" Kick her booty." Normal Willow responded.

" Do I have to come? Y'know, I'm really not into the fighting thing." Cordelia moaned as she was given a small axe.

" You don't like to research. You don't like to fight or move a nail unless it's for a manicure. How the hell do you fight for good in the future?" Xander proclaimed.

" Hey! At least I can kick ass in my future…unlike someone, who can't kick ass at all." Cordelia shot back. And once again the two began to argue, but were interrupted by Angel pushing them apart.

" We're going now. You guys can stay here and bicker or you can actually be useful." Angel yelled, the two ashamedly apologised and moved out of the library.

" Although, Cordelia did make a good point, Xander." Angel remarked to Xander with a smile as Cordelia began to laugh. Xander, on the other hand, looked horrified.

" Okay, these manifestations are really beginning to creep me out!" Xander exclaimed as he pushed his way past Wesley and Oz to the front, away from Angel and Cordelia.

The Scooby Gang continued to march towards City Hall and the Mayor's office.

" Wesley, do we know more about the visions?" Giles asked.

" Well, it says here that to remove the visions a special antidote must be drunk. One produced from the Kilionera demon itself." Wesley read from his notebook.

" Ewwwww! I'm not drinking demon poo or guts." Cordelia shrieked.

" It's the only way to remove the visions." Giles spoke.

" I like my visions." Cordelia pouted.

" Or you like the person in them." Willow supplemented. Cordelia blushed bright red and Angel awkwardly looked forward, his eyes focussed on a spot on a wall and not at Cordy.

" Shut up, Gothic Lesbo!" Cordelia shot back. Willow's eyes widened in horror as confusion covered the boys' faces and people began to talk concurrently.

" Cordelia, you promised you wouldn't tell them about that!" Willow exclaimed angrily. Gasps ensued.

" Well you promised you wouldn't tell people about how I like Angel!"

" You like me?" Angel asked quietly.

" You're a lesbian?" Xander asked his best friend, gob smacked.

" Willow, how come you didn't…?" Oz began awkwardly.

" Will you people shut up!" Buffy exclaimed, turning around.

" We are trying to attack people without them knowing…but if you people bitch louder then it's going to be a bit hard!" She yelled and then mumbled inaudibly, "God, even Spike would be more helpful right now than you guys."

" Spike?!?" Angel picked up, his tone confused and annoyed. Buffy flushed.

" Uh…"

" We're here." Giles interrupted.

~*~*~*~

The brown, furry and purple-horned demon stood blowing the cerise-colored mist over Faith, who remained in a chair. The overdose of the mist allowed her visions to emerge faster than the others had.

Now and again she would shiver, as a vision would hit her.

Memories of being in a coma, regaining consciousness, switching bodies with Buffy, torturing Wesley, killing and hurting people and demons, bonding with Angel and going to jail overwhelmed her mind.

She was then suddenly pulled out of her blackout with a gasp, much like when she awakened from her coma.

The Mayor handed the demon wads of cash, $100 bills to be exact, and then the Kilionera demon left the office.

" So, how was the trip?" Faith's boss asked sweetly.

" Mayor Wilkins, there are intruders in the building." A security man exclaimed barging into the Mayor's office, before Faith could answer.

" Ah, our guests have arrived. I'm sure they played a good role in your future." The Mayor proclaimed, making his way out of the office. Faith looked up at him, her eyes darkened.

" They played a helluva big role…and they're gonna get what they deserve for it." Faith bit out and she stood up and stormed past the Mayor.

" That's my girl."

~*~*~*~

" Okay, by now the Mayor must know we're in the building. Buffy, Angel when security comes through there…we'll take care of them.  You both go after Faith and the Mayor." Giles instructed.

" Ahmmm!" Wesley cleared his throat.

" I'm sorry Wesley…you're in charge." Giles sighed irritably, realising he had forgotten that Wesley was now the Watcher.

" What's your plan, Wes?"

" Well…I-I think we should…go with Mr. Giles' plan." Wesley sighed, defeated.

" So, Cordy and Xander you guys get the back. Will, Oz the middle. Giles and Wes the front." Buffy ordered, standing in her fighting stance in front of large double doors.

" Well, well…this is exciting isn't it? All of you here…with little weapons. You don't really need them…I'm here to talk." The Mayor greeted the slayer, once he had opened the doors. Faith stood behind him and there was no security.

Buffy quickly stabbed the Mayor through the chest with a broadsword.

" Ms. Summers…I'm sure Angel must've mentioned that I'm impervious. Did he forget to tell you? Of course, he may have been slightly of his guard because of my Faith." The Mayor replied as he pulled out the sword from his chest. The wound quickly repaired.

" We're not here for you…yet. We're here for the demon." Buffy responded, determined.

" Oh, you liked my present did you? I must say…I wanted it wrapped and with a bow. But you won't believe how hard it is to find boxes big enough to fit a giant demon." The Mayor exclaimed.

" Where is it?" Buffy repeated.

" Well, if I were to hand you the demon…what would be the fun in that? Fine, fine…you'! You can have the demon…better yet, you can have ready-made potions." The Mayor responded, as he motioned to the side. A suited man from a side entrance brought in a tray of little bottled potions and placed them in the middle of the room.

" Are they real?" Angel asked and the Mayor nodded.

" Then what's the catch?" Buffy asked.

" You're a smart one. Are you going to university? Harvard or Columbia? Or are you planning on staying here? Growing older, wrinkly, senile while still staking vampires with an immortal Angel at your side, lurking in the shadows."
 
" Just tell me what I've got to do?" Buffy demanded, not as strong as before. The Mayor's words had made an impact on her.
 
" I just wanted to give you some fatherly advice. You do seem to be lacking a father figure. Well, as you want the potions, to free you from those impending visions…then I guess all you have to do is go through my Faith…" The Mayor answered. 
 
More suited vampires then entered the room and they captured each member of the Scooby Gang, except Buffy, dragging them out of the room. Some, such as Angel, attempted to fight but were tasered.

" Alone." He finished.

" I really hope you survive against Faith…'cos if you don't all your friends will die. And worst yet…you won't be able to bear witness my ascension." The Mayor added, before retreating.

" Faith, go easy on her." He whispered to his slayer, before he went.

Buffy then turned to her nemesis, Faith.

" Faith." Buffy stated, as she held up her broadsword to her side, in a fighting stance.

" B, you ready to cut loose?"
 
"Try me." Buffy then began to attack Faith by hurling her left fist at her. Faith pulled out her dagger swiftly and ducked at the same time. Buffy's back was then to Faith and Faith kicked her, causing Buffy to go flying forwards. Buffy then quickly turned around and kicked Faith's legs sending her crashing to the floor. Buffy tried to make it to the tray of bottles, but was pulled back by Faith. Buffy flipped in the air and kicked Faith off her. She then made her way to the fallen Faith and just when she was towered over her, Faith kicked Buffy in her chest. Buffy held her ribs in pain as she got up off the floor and attempted to slash Faith's shoulder with her broadsword, but Faith avoided the blow.

" You had a chance, Faith. You had a chance to reform." Buffy responded as she punched Faith in the face.

" Cut the crap, B. You know that I was a lost cause." Faith responded, punching Buffy back. Little drops of blood fell from Faith's nose.

" I tried to be your friend. But you hurt my friends and you backstabbed me." Buffy spat, kicking Faith her ribs.

" Friend? Take a reality check, B. You never tried to be my friend. No matter what I did, it wasn't good enough for you or your friends. And I guess you make that obvious when you jump at the chance to send me to jail." Faith argued, slashing Buffy's elbow with her dagger. Buffy yelped in pain and fell to the floor.

" Jail?" Buffy asked confused as tears welled in her eyes from the pain in her body. Faith kicked her again.

" You got a glimpse of your future. So did I. You saw yourself screwing a vampire…well I saw nothing. I felt nothing, saw nothing, said nothing through most of my future, because I was in a coma…because of you." Faith began, kicking Buffy at each pause. Blood came out of Buffy's mouth. She attempted to get up, but was kicked down.

" And when I woke up, I found out that the world had changed. You had a wicked life B. You had a new boyfriend, you were at uni and you were having fun. You were all different…the world was different. And then you screwed it up for me again." Faith slashed Buffy again with the knife.

" I changed bodies with you. I was going to live the life you live…a better life, but you wrecked that. I went to L.A…away from you, away from memories." Faith continued as she punched Buffy square in the face.

"But I ran into your lover boy there and he still tried to help me atone…and he actually succeeded. Then you came…and you wrecked it all again. I tried to say sorry…but all you were hell-bent on wanting me to suffer. And I eventually did, because of you. I went to jail…and I stayed there…I wanted to stay there. I went voluntarily because of the guilt you put on me." Faith finished, tears flowing from her eyes, she had stopped hitting Buffy. Buffy looked up at her.

" You went because you knew it was the right thing. You went because you wanted to atone for your wrongs." Buffy mumbled sympathetically with blood spurting from her mouth.

" I didn't! I wouldn't!" Faith exclaimed, and then her tone softened. "I wanted to die, B. I wanted someone to kill me…to end my tormented life." She cried as she collapsed to the ground, across from Buffy.

" You can fix that now. You don't have to wait for the future…you can fix yourself now, Faith." Buffy reasoned, noticing that Faith was most likely having a manifestation.

" I can't. I'm not her. I don't have the same feelings as her. I just want to…" Faith choked up.

" Faith…"

" B, take the potions and leave. Quickly." Faith interrupted as she indicated the tray.

" What about you?" Buffy asked as she stumblingly got off the floor.

" I'm stayin' here. My boss…he's like my father. I've never had someone care enough for me like him, B."

" We care about you Faith. You can be strong now…you can leave now and then you don't have to harm others."

" I'm not leaving. If I do…all of you will die. I'll forget everything after that potion anyways." Faith mumbled.

" Are you sure?"

" Yeah. Go, now. Before they come and see both of us here, alive." Buffy scrambled over to the potions and put them in a bag Faith threw at her. Buffy then walked away and stopped at the doorway.

" I'll always know there's good in you, Faith…in the future too. I've always known." Buffy responded as she walked off, tripping in pain. Faith clutched her stomach and fell to the floor in pain.

~*~*~*~

When Buffy entered the room she realised that there were piles of little dust around the floor.

" I was just coming to help you." Angel responded, a stake in his hand.

" What happened here?"

" We staked all the vampires." Willow replied.

" And Wes here, kicked ass." Xander added patting Wesley on the back.

" I only staked three." Wesley replied.

" That's…uhhhh good." Buffy replied as she slightly stumbled in pain.

" Are you okay?" Angel asked her softly as he ran up to her. He and Xander helped her into the room.

" I'm fine…really."

" So Faith is…?" Giles asked.

" No. She let me go." Buffy choked out.

" What?"

" It's a long story…l-let's just get home." Buffy answered. They all began to walk out of the Mayor's office.

" What about the potions?" Wesley asked her.

" I have them right here…but I want to do something before taking it." Buffy responded.

" What?" Cordelia asked.

" Why?"

" Apparently any memory of my future and this whole incident will be wiped once I take this potion…I just need to…I need a little longer to absorb everything." Buffy explained.

" I understand." Giles responded.

" We all have to process some stuff." Willow replied in agreement.

" So, tomorrow we'll all take the potions."

~*~*~*~