Thanks to all who have been reviewing chapters. It helps me keep writing,
knowing there's an audience. Also, sorry to Steve for mentioning the
dreaded Spuffy again, but they're an integral part of the story so....
Going on Faith - Chapter 5
Faith and Xander walked silently side by side. It was a cool night, clear and sprinkled with stars. A stiff breeze had risen at sunset and gusted around the tombstones, creeping through their clothes and chilling their bones.
"This is nuts. There's nothing stirring in this town tonight." Xander shivered. "Damn, it'll be nice to get to the Bronze and something hot to drink."
"Or a shot of scotch," Faith agreed, pulling Dawn's jacket tighter around her thin frame. "Third cemetery and still no action? I don't think you need a Slayer in this town at all." Suddenly she put her hand on Xander's arm, stopping him. "Sshhh. Listen."
A rustling, snuffling sound came from the bushes to their left. They lifted their weapons - Xander hefting an ax and Faith armed with a trusty stake - and edged toward the noise. A quiet growling and continued rustling of the undergrowth made the hair rise on the construction worker's neck. Didn't matter how many times they trudged through cemeteries and faced down unearthly beasties, his adrenaline always surged as it had the first time he'd ever seen a vampire.
He supposed that's what kept you alive, the heart-pounding, sweat-pouring willies, but he could swear it was carving his life off in inches. He'd wake some morning and find his hair prematurely gray. Meanwhile, Faith looked lit up from within - eager and vibrating with energy as she crept toward her target. She looked like a sleek panther with her dark hair and black leather pants. Admittedly, Dawn's frayed jean jacket with the hand- painted peace signs and happy faces took away from the image, but still...
A blur of brown and gray burst from the bushes before them. The monster leaped on Xander and knocked him to the ground before he could even think to swing the ax he held. He let out a little cry of alarm before the thing began devouring his face....no, wait, it was actually....licking his face. Through the pounding of his heart and the rush of blood in his ears he could hear Faith laughing. Laughing?!
The beast leaped off as suddenly as it had attacked and began running in excited circles around him. Xander sat up, wiping dog slobber off his face and trying to regain some modicum of dignity, while Faith continued to chuckle.
"Damn, I almost staked the little sucker." She reached out a hand to help Xander to his feet, the dog leaping against her legs all the while. "Hey, back off, Fido!" She kicked him away gently, but the wiry haired animal was immune to rebuffs. He pranced in and out, between and around the couple, barking blissfully.
"No brain, no pain," Xander commented, ruffling the dog's fur. "No collar. Must belong to somebody, though, 'cause he sure is friendly." The animal was medium sized and of indeterminate origin, though the wiry coat indicated some terrier in its lineage.
"Hey, guy, go on home now," the young man scolded. The canine panted cheerfully, showing no intention of leaving, and Xander spoke a little more sternly, "Go!"
"Jeez. Don't yell at him!" Faith protested.
"I didn't..."
"Just ignore him, maybe he'll go away." The Slayer started walking again, more briskly this time, and her partner fell into step beside her...so did their new buddy. After a few moments of following them, the dog's ears pricked and it went barking off after some small animal or leaf that attracted its attention. The pair picked up their pace hoping to lose their furry companion, but the dog soon caught up and began bounding in circles around them again.
"Great. We're not going to see any action tonight this way," Xander complained.
"Relax. Vamps'll just think we're a pair of yuppies out walking our dog and not paying any attention. We look like perfect targets."
The young man looked doubtfully at his battered corduroy coat and Faith's faux sixties jacket, not to mention the ax he held in one hand. "Uh, I don't think anyone is gonna take us for yuppies."
A sudden roar in his ear almost deafened him and Xander found himself knocked to the ground for the second time in ten minutes. He felt a choke- hold grip on his neck and reflexively pushed against the attacking body with his left arm while feeling around in the grass for his weapon with his other hand. He strained with all his might to push the creature off him, flashes of light zinging through his steadily darkening vision, as he slowly lost consciousness.
Dimly aware of the sounds of another fight raging nearby, Xander realized he couldn't count on Faith for help and continued to grope for his ax. The vamp above him snarled and dove for his exposed neck with its greedy fangs just as his fingers touched smooth wood - ax handle, good. He gripped it weakly and banged the head against his opponent's shoulder barely hard enough to shake loose the death grip on his throat. But a little was good enough, and he was able to gasp in a couple of breaths, sufficient to focus him again.
Xander took a firmer grip on the ax and beat again at the heavy body that pressed him down. The vamp seemed surprised at being challenged and actually pulled back for a split second - long enough for the construction worker to flip his attacker off and slither out from underneath. He crab- scuttled backward on the ground, as the vampire rose over him and lunged again.
From the corner of his eye he saw Faith engaged in furious duel with a scraggly haired vamp that looked like a death-camp refugee or a heroin addict. The thing fought like a viper though and had the Slayer backed against a crypt. With a quick leap and kick at its chest, Faith regained the advantage.
Xander's attention snapped back to his own opponent. He wielded his ax to intercept the vampire's lunge and was rewarded with a satisfying crunch of bone on blade as the vamp impaled itself. The attacker staggered back, the ax dangling from its ribcage. Damn! Missed the heart.
Suddenly a yapping ball of fury launched itself at the vamp's leg. Evidently Fido had decided to weigh in on the side of good. The dog's teeth were currently buried in undead flesh and he was shaking his head from side to side growling, while the monster tried to simultaneously kick him off and remove the embedded ax blade from his side. Xander reached in to help, wrenching the ax out of his opponent's grip and its body and leaping to his feet for another assault.
He drew back the weapon then let fly with a mighty swing. The ax whistled through the air and cleanly cleaved the head right off the vampire's shoulders. A shower of dust marked Xander's kill and left the dog sneezing and confused, as its jaws snapped shut on nothing but dust motes.
Xander stood a moment, panting and exchanging a bemused look with the Canine Avenger, then he turned his attention to Faith's battle to see if he could lend a hand.
It quickly became apparent that the Slayer was toying with her victim. She spun, kicked, feinted, and punched with lightning speed, but it was all teasing. She would wait, poised, while the skeletal vampire regained his bearings after rushing her and missing, then she'd dance in to land a series of blows that practically rocked him off his feet. Xander appreciated her moves, but was a little pissed she hadn't curtailed her playtime and come to his rescue when he'd been this close to having two new piercings he hadn't paid for on his neck.
"Anytime now, Faith," he called, tapping his watch impatiently.
"Sure thing, Andy," she returned with a grin, then addressed her opponent. "Sorry, pal, workout's over." She impaled him with a neat twist of her wrist, sidestepped the dust shower and turned to face Xander shaking her hair back "Whew that felt great!! It's been too long."
The dog bounded over and jumped against her, his tongue lolling crazily out of one side of his mouth. Faith grabbed his head in both hands and tousled his fur. "Was it good for you, too? Did you have fun biting the bad vampire? Yeah, that's a good dog." She pushed the animal back down and sauntered over to Xander.
"Nice kill, Harris. You did Buffy proud. I don't remember you being so..forceful back in the day. You got some real nice moves."
"Well, you know, you live on the hellmouth long enough, you pick up some interesting skills..or die." Xander rested the ax head on the ground and leaned against the handle. He felt something trickling down the side of his face and lifted his hand to his forehead. It came away smeared with blood. He wiped it on the side of his coat.
"Here. Let me look at that." Faith moved even closer and reached up to touch the gash he had accrued during the battle, probably with the rebound of his own weapon. For just a moment he felt her lean into him ever so slightly as she balanced on the balls of her feet, then she placed her other hand on the back of his neck and drew him down to her level. Palming away the gush of red, she could see the cut wasn't long or deep, just bloody.
"I hope the kid wasn't too fond of the jacket," she remarked as she stripped it off and began dabbing at the gash with the sleeve. "It's this or my shirt."
Xander swallowed, picturing a topless Faith tending his wound, and held very still just enjoying her warm hand on his neck and her uptilted face, so close, frowning slightly as she cleaned him up. His downcast eyes got a good view of the front of her T-shirt and the topography the cold breeze was creating there.
Then, abruptly, the intimate mood shattered. He flashed back to another time when Faith's hand had wrapped around his neck, tight....tighter....thumbs pressed into his throat, cutting off oxygen. Her face had been this close - closer even, as she hissed all the things she could do to him and he was powerless to resist. It had been a twisted mix of incredibly erotic and horribly frightening, and was not a memory Xander wanted to revisit - ever. He shifted uncomfortably under her touch and Faith felt it. For just a moment their eyes held, recognition and remembrance passing between them, then the girl pulled away, her hand dropping from his face like it was burned.
"There. Good as new," she said briskly, stepping back and eyeing her work critically. "It's still oozing a little, but you can wash up in the john at the Bronze. Nobody'll notice. Nobody notices much of anything in this town." She slipped back into the bloodstained jacket, fussing with the buttons so she wouldn't have to face him again.
"Thanks," he managed to croak out, his brain still swimming in a soup of fear, lust, anger, revulsion and...was it, curiosity?
"No problemo." She hesitated then added, "Uh, sorry I was dicking around when you were kind of in trouble over there."
"I handled it," Xander said, shortly. "No big."
"Enough slaying for tonight. Let's get inside." Faith shivered and pulled the jacket more firmly around her as a stronger gust of wind whirled past them pushing a flurry of leaves before it.
"You don't have to ask me twice." He paused, looking down at the dog, which was now snuffling and digging at a mole hole. "What are we going to do about our friend here?"
"Walk fast and hope he gets distracted by something else?"
They cleared out of the graveyard and were soon on the sidewalk headed downtown, the scruffy gray and brown dog trailing at their heels.
********* Entering the noise and warmth and press of humanity, which was the Bronze on a Saturday night, was like entering the portals of heaven. There wasn't a table to be had so the pair pushed their way through the crowd to the bar, snagged a pair of beers and found a place to lean against one of the support columns scattered throughout the interior. Xander had just taken a long draught of frothy goodness when Faith pounded him on the arm, sloshing half the mug.
"Couch! Go! Quick!" she commanded, steering him toward an actual piece of sittable furniture just vacated by a trio of giggling girls. The warriors collapsed gratefully side by side and rested their heads against the back of the couch. Faith removed her bloody jacket and tossed it next to her to save the rest of the precious seating for the others.
"Good eye," Xander commented as he took another swig of his beer.
"Lotsa practice," Faith answered. She took a look around the room and rolled her eyes at the band of choice for the evening. "God, this place hasn't changed."
"Naw. Same old Bronze."
"Don't you ever want to try something new?"
"I stop over at Larry's on Third Street about every day. That's where the guys on my crew go for a beer after work. But whenever Buffy wants us to meet somewhere, well..it's always the Bronze or the Magic Box. It's not like there's a lot of night life in this town anyway."
"Guess not. Hey, isn't that B's kid sister over there?"
Xander looked up to see Dawn standing next to her tall boyfriend, who was valiantly trying to get them a coffee at the espresso bar. She was scanning the crowd and waving at some of her friends, when her eyes met Xander's. Instantly her bright smile dimmed. She frowned and shook her head, tugging at Tim's arm and shouting something to him above the din as she gestured toward Xander and Faith. He nodded and continued to press his way toward the bar. Dawn slipped through the crowd until she stood in front of the couple on the couch.
"So, is this senior discount night or something?" she asked snidely. "I keep telling Buffy you guys have gotta find a new place to hang. I mean, look around you. Do you see anyone else pushing thirty around here? Jeez!"
"Pushing thirty?! Hey..!" Xander protested, thinking 'I'm only 23 - and feeling all of 50 tonight the way every muscle in my body aches.'
"You are SO cramping my style." Dawn flopped down on the couch next to Faith, picking up her jacket as she did so. "And, hey, is this blood?!!!"
"Yeah. Sorry about that. I'll wash it out."
Dawn shook her head in disgust at the ruin of her jacket. "Nothing takes blood out. I've wrecked enough clothes slaying to know that by now."
"You slay?" Faith asked, eyeing the teenager curiously.
"Sometimes." Dawn shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant but obviously proud of her abilities. "I mean, everyone had to help out last year, and Buffy finally figured out it was better for me to be able to protect myself than to try to Rapunzel me into a tower somewhere. So, yeah, she taught me some stuff."
"All right." Faith grinned and high-fived the younger girl. "You go, chica."
"But Dawn really shines when it comes to the research," Xander put in. "She's even more of a computer whiz than Willow."
"You just don't want me out in the field," Dawn said without rancor. "Good old, big brother Xander." She changed the subject, "So where's Buffy and Spike? Please tell me they're not coming here, too. It's such a thrill for my friends to have a faux-guidance counselor around all evening. Thank God she lost that job when the school blew up again!"
"They'll be here any time now."
"Great! Then I'll be gone," Dawn grumped. "Oh, Tim's got our coffee." She jumped up and dismissed Faith and Xander with a wave of her hand, "See ya, guys," and was off.
"Funny, kid. I like her," the Slayer commented.
"Yeah. She gives us a lot of crap, but she's a good girl. And after all she's been through, living in this town, she always seems pretty happy," Xander paused. "You know, Faith, I'm glad you came. Buffy should get her out of here! No kid should have to grow up like we did. I want Dawn out of this."
Faith was silent for a minute thinking of the part she herself had played in making Sunnydale a hellhole to live in. She opened her mouth intending to make some sort of apology, but the words stuck in her throat. It wasn't that she wasn't sorry or ready to admit her fault, but anything she could say seemed so inadequate. She opted for a flip retort as usual.
"You got that right, and I'm all primed and ready to take the job. Now you just have to convince Summers to let go." Faith slapped her knee, "Shit!! I still haven't called the Council. Blondie's right. I don't want to start out on their bad side. Now where'd I put that number?"
Xander was interested to find out if leather pants had pockets and, if not, where Faith might have tucked a slip of paper on her person, but she ended up retrieving the number from Dawn's jacket pocket. She downed the rest of her beer and with a "here goes nothing" attitude, went to find the pay phone.
Xander leaned his head against the back of the couch again. He only meant to rest his eyes for a minute, but must have drifted off, because he was suddenly jerked awake by someone kicking his leg.
"Hey, shove over. Make some room." Xander didn't have to open his eyes to identify the annoying British drawl. He shifted reluctantly and felt a body plop down next to him. A tang of fresh air, sweat and some flowery perfume let him know it was Buffy.
"What happened to you?" she asked with concern, reaching over to touch his forehead.
"Zigged when I should have zagged," he said, opening one eye to catch a glimpse of her worried frown. "Looks worse than it is."
Then both eyes flew open as he took in the bedraggled pair. "I guess you found the Kudur demons."
Buffy finger-combed her curls and tsked over the long tear down the sleeve of her coat.
"We took out a nest of 'em," Spike acknowledged. "Drink, pet?" he asked, running a hand over Buffy's rumpled hair.
"Mm, just water, and see if you can dig up a menu too, please. I'm starving." She smiled as she watched him go, then turned to Xander questioning, "Where's Faith?"
"On the phone," he explained. "Checking in with the Council."
She nodded. "How did it go this evening?"
"Three cemeteries, only two vamps."
"It's weird how quiet it is lately. I don't like it. Makes me feel like something's brewing. Plus, boring! Tonight's the first good action I've gotten in weeks....so to speak," she blushed as looked at Spike across the room.
"Who's getting action?" Faith's voice interrupted as she joined them, perching on the arm of the couch by Xander.
Buffy's face instantly closed down at the sight of her former nemesis. "Kudur demons," she said, shortly. "Did you get ahold of Council? What do they want you to do?"
"Yeah. Got an earful for not checking in earlier, but I told 'em I was already hard at work here in Sunnydale. They want me to try to track down this Macardle guy. I don't know why they can't send someone else to do it. I'm a slayer not a detective."
"We can help you," Xander reassured. "Willow said she'd check all the local inns and motels, and we'll try and find if that car's been found abandoned or stolen. You don't have to figure it out on your own."
This time Faith didn't deny her need for assistance, but simply nodded agreement.
Buffy tried to pin a friendly smile on her face per Giles' orders. "He's right. We'll help you any way we can."
"Thanks for putting me up at your house tonight," Faith mumbled. "They'll be wiring me some cash tomorrow, but I would've had to sleep on a park bench or something tonight....so, thanks."
"The Council is wiring you money?!" Buffy's voice grew sharp as a razor and the smile slid away like grease from a griddle. "Like a paycheck money? Like a stipend for slaying that Giles hasn't been able to get for me after four years of trying?!"
"I don't know. Not a paycheck, I guess. I just told 'em I didn't have a cent and the gal said they would wire me some cash and told me where to pick it up."
Buffy nodded. "Of course. Why not?" She flopped back into a corner of the couch, scowling.
Faith looked at her, shrugged, then poked Xander in the shoulder. "Hey, I took a look outside and guess who's still waiting for you."
"You've got to be kidding."
"Nope. Looks like you got a new roommate."
"I'm not taking that beast home," he protested.
"What beast?" Buffy asked, shaking off her foul mood with an effort.
"Xander's got himself a little doggie," Faith explained. "Come on, Harris, you can't leave the poor guy out in the cold all night. Besides, he loooves you."
"Not doing it," he said, emphatically. "No dogs allowed."
Spike drifted up just then with drinks for Buffy and himself and another beer for Xander. When he saw Faith, he surrendered his whiskey to her.
"Thanks." She gulped it gratefully, though she still eyed the vampire with suspicion and doubt. He stationed himself beside Buffy, leaning on the couch and perusing the menu over her shoulder.
"Whaddya think? Potato skins and a salad?" she asked.
"Why do you even ask for a menu, love? You always order the same thing."
"You never know. I might want something different some time. Anyway, I like to look at the pictures." She reached up behind her and gave him a playful punch. He grabbed her hand and bit lightly on the knuckles.
"Well, you can track down your own waitress. I'm not doin' it for you, AND order me a drink while you're at it."
Buffy just smiled, complacently, knowing that she wouldn't have to move from her spot all evening and her will would still be done.
"Ookay," Xander said, his stomach turning at the display of affection. "You know what? I'll go place an order for you 'cause....ergh." He jumped up.
"Me too." Faith tossed back the rest of her drink like a pro and rose to follow him.
"Oh, by the way," Xander turned and was further icked out at the sight of Spike nuzzling Buffy's neck while she rested her hand on his cheek, "Dawn's around here somewhere so, if you don't want to humiliate her in front of her friends, you might want to....I don't know, maybe save it for the BEDROOM!"
He was rewarded by the sound of Buffy's laughter as he and Faith walked away. It was a sound he'd heard precious little of during the past couple of years, and Xander was reminded of why it was worth it to put up with the not-so-evil undead guy. Plus, a free beer - you couldn't fault Spike for lack of generosity...with Buffy's money.
Xander actually was able to snag a waitress and place an order right away, and he and his partner for the evening were pushing their way through the crush by the dance floor, when Faith tugged on his arm.
"Hey, Ace, wanna dance?" she shouted at him above the din.
"Uh..." This evening he wanted to dance about as much as he wanted bone cancer. His body was aching, his head hurt, and besides, he just wasn't very good at it and didn't feel like doing the white man shuffle in front of sexy, I'm-too-hot-for-my-clothes, Faith. "....sure."
They waded into the press of bodies, pulsing to some electronic techno tune. Xander swayed half-heartedly back and forth, while Faith slunk around him - again like a jungle cat. It wasn't fair for God to pack that much sex appeal into one person, leaving a shortage for the fat, the balding, the acne-riddled or verbally challenged masses.
The dark haired girl pressed against him, hips swaying seductively, and held him with her eyes. He could see her full, pouty lips moving but couldn't hear a word. For the second time that evening she slipped a hand around his neck and pulled him down to where her mouth could almost press against his ear.
"Loosen up!" was the message.
He loosened.
She took his hands and rested them on her hips, then slid her own hands up his belly to his chest and let him feel the rhythm flowing from her gyrating body to his. He let his eyes drift closed a little, the two beers helping with the relaxing, and began to let go. The beat, the heat, and the girl filled his senses and Xander danced.
***********
From her seat on the couch, Buffy leaned against Spike and watched the dancers, specifically a dark-haired pair, who were sinuously twining around each other. This was NOT the way Xander danced! Ever! What the hell was Faith up to? That girl was sex on two legs and could only be trouble for him. Xander couldn't handle someone like Faith, and if she thought she could use him and lose him like last time.....well, Buffy would put a stop to it. No toying with Xander this time around, big sister Buffy would see to it.
to be continued
(Ever wonder why these guys have to stick their noses into each other's business all the time - trying to 'protect' each other?)
Going on Faith - Chapter 5
Faith and Xander walked silently side by side. It was a cool night, clear and sprinkled with stars. A stiff breeze had risen at sunset and gusted around the tombstones, creeping through their clothes and chilling their bones.
"This is nuts. There's nothing stirring in this town tonight." Xander shivered. "Damn, it'll be nice to get to the Bronze and something hot to drink."
"Or a shot of scotch," Faith agreed, pulling Dawn's jacket tighter around her thin frame. "Third cemetery and still no action? I don't think you need a Slayer in this town at all." Suddenly she put her hand on Xander's arm, stopping him. "Sshhh. Listen."
A rustling, snuffling sound came from the bushes to their left. They lifted their weapons - Xander hefting an ax and Faith armed with a trusty stake - and edged toward the noise. A quiet growling and continued rustling of the undergrowth made the hair rise on the construction worker's neck. Didn't matter how many times they trudged through cemeteries and faced down unearthly beasties, his adrenaline always surged as it had the first time he'd ever seen a vampire.
He supposed that's what kept you alive, the heart-pounding, sweat-pouring willies, but he could swear it was carving his life off in inches. He'd wake some morning and find his hair prematurely gray. Meanwhile, Faith looked lit up from within - eager and vibrating with energy as she crept toward her target. She looked like a sleek panther with her dark hair and black leather pants. Admittedly, Dawn's frayed jean jacket with the hand- painted peace signs and happy faces took away from the image, but still...
A blur of brown and gray burst from the bushes before them. The monster leaped on Xander and knocked him to the ground before he could even think to swing the ax he held. He let out a little cry of alarm before the thing began devouring his face....no, wait, it was actually....licking his face. Through the pounding of his heart and the rush of blood in his ears he could hear Faith laughing. Laughing?!
The beast leaped off as suddenly as it had attacked and began running in excited circles around him. Xander sat up, wiping dog slobber off his face and trying to regain some modicum of dignity, while Faith continued to chuckle.
"Damn, I almost staked the little sucker." She reached out a hand to help Xander to his feet, the dog leaping against her legs all the while. "Hey, back off, Fido!" She kicked him away gently, but the wiry haired animal was immune to rebuffs. He pranced in and out, between and around the couple, barking blissfully.
"No brain, no pain," Xander commented, ruffling the dog's fur. "No collar. Must belong to somebody, though, 'cause he sure is friendly." The animal was medium sized and of indeterminate origin, though the wiry coat indicated some terrier in its lineage.
"Hey, guy, go on home now," the young man scolded. The canine panted cheerfully, showing no intention of leaving, and Xander spoke a little more sternly, "Go!"
"Jeez. Don't yell at him!" Faith protested.
"I didn't..."
"Just ignore him, maybe he'll go away." The Slayer started walking again, more briskly this time, and her partner fell into step beside her...so did their new buddy. After a few moments of following them, the dog's ears pricked and it went barking off after some small animal or leaf that attracted its attention. The pair picked up their pace hoping to lose their furry companion, but the dog soon caught up and began bounding in circles around them again.
"Great. We're not going to see any action tonight this way," Xander complained.
"Relax. Vamps'll just think we're a pair of yuppies out walking our dog and not paying any attention. We look like perfect targets."
The young man looked doubtfully at his battered corduroy coat and Faith's faux sixties jacket, not to mention the ax he held in one hand. "Uh, I don't think anyone is gonna take us for yuppies."
A sudden roar in his ear almost deafened him and Xander found himself knocked to the ground for the second time in ten minutes. He felt a choke- hold grip on his neck and reflexively pushed against the attacking body with his left arm while feeling around in the grass for his weapon with his other hand. He strained with all his might to push the creature off him, flashes of light zinging through his steadily darkening vision, as he slowly lost consciousness.
Dimly aware of the sounds of another fight raging nearby, Xander realized he couldn't count on Faith for help and continued to grope for his ax. The vamp above him snarled and dove for his exposed neck with its greedy fangs just as his fingers touched smooth wood - ax handle, good. He gripped it weakly and banged the head against his opponent's shoulder barely hard enough to shake loose the death grip on his throat. But a little was good enough, and he was able to gasp in a couple of breaths, sufficient to focus him again.
Xander took a firmer grip on the ax and beat again at the heavy body that pressed him down. The vamp seemed surprised at being challenged and actually pulled back for a split second - long enough for the construction worker to flip his attacker off and slither out from underneath. He crab- scuttled backward on the ground, as the vampire rose over him and lunged again.
From the corner of his eye he saw Faith engaged in furious duel with a scraggly haired vamp that looked like a death-camp refugee or a heroin addict. The thing fought like a viper though and had the Slayer backed against a crypt. With a quick leap and kick at its chest, Faith regained the advantage.
Xander's attention snapped back to his own opponent. He wielded his ax to intercept the vampire's lunge and was rewarded with a satisfying crunch of bone on blade as the vamp impaled itself. The attacker staggered back, the ax dangling from its ribcage. Damn! Missed the heart.
Suddenly a yapping ball of fury launched itself at the vamp's leg. Evidently Fido had decided to weigh in on the side of good. The dog's teeth were currently buried in undead flesh and he was shaking his head from side to side growling, while the monster tried to simultaneously kick him off and remove the embedded ax blade from his side. Xander reached in to help, wrenching the ax out of his opponent's grip and its body and leaping to his feet for another assault.
He drew back the weapon then let fly with a mighty swing. The ax whistled through the air and cleanly cleaved the head right off the vampire's shoulders. A shower of dust marked Xander's kill and left the dog sneezing and confused, as its jaws snapped shut on nothing but dust motes.
Xander stood a moment, panting and exchanging a bemused look with the Canine Avenger, then he turned his attention to Faith's battle to see if he could lend a hand.
It quickly became apparent that the Slayer was toying with her victim. She spun, kicked, feinted, and punched with lightning speed, but it was all teasing. She would wait, poised, while the skeletal vampire regained his bearings after rushing her and missing, then she'd dance in to land a series of blows that practically rocked him off his feet. Xander appreciated her moves, but was a little pissed she hadn't curtailed her playtime and come to his rescue when he'd been this close to having two new piercings he hadn't paid for on his neck.
"Anytime now, Faith," he called, tapping his watch impatiently.
"Sure thing, Andy," she returned with a grin, then addressed her opponent. "Sorry, pal, workout's over." She impaled him with a neat twist of her wrist, sidestepped the dust shower and turned to face Xander shaking her hair back "Whew that felt great!! It's been too long."
The dog bounded over and jumped against her, his tongue lolling crazily out of one side of his mouth. Faith grabbed his head in both hands and tousled his fur. "Was it good for you, too? Did you have fun biting the bad vampire? Yeah, that's a good dog." She pushed the animal back down and sauntered over to Xander.
"Nice kill, Harris. You did Buffy proud. I don't remember you being so..forceful back in the day. You got some real nice moves."
"Well, you know, you live on the hellmouth long enough, you pick up some interesting skills..or die." Xander rested the ax head on the ground and leaned against the handle. He felt something trickling down the side of his face and lifted his hand to his forehead. It came away smeared with blood. He wiped it on the side of his coat.
"Here. Let me look at that." Faith moved even closer and reached up to touch the gash he had accrued during the battle, probably with the rebound of his own weapon. For just a moment he felt her lean into him ever so slightly as she balanced on the balls of her feet, then she placed her other hand on the back of his neck and drew him down to her level. Palming away the gush of red, she could see the cut wasn't long or deep, just bloody.
"I hope the kid wasn't too fond of the jacket," she remarked as she stripped it off and began dabbing at the gash with the sleeve. "It's this or my shirt."
Xander swallowed, picturing a topless Faith tending his wound, and held very still just enjoying her warm hand on his neck and her uptilted face, so close, frowning slightly as she cleaned him up. His downcast eyes got a good view of the front of her T-shirt and the topography the cold breeze was creating there.
Then, abruptly, the intimate mood shattered. He flashed back to another time when Faith's hand had wrapped around his neck, tight....tighter....thumbs pressed into his throat, cutting off oxygen. Her face had been this close - closer even, as she hissed all the things she could do to him and he was powerless to resist. It had been a twisted mix of incredibly erotic and horribly frightening, and was not a memory Xander wanted to revisit - ever. He shifted uncomfortably under her touch and Faith felt it. For just a moment their eyes held, recognition and remembrance passing between them, then the girl pulled away, her hand dropping from his face like it was burned.
"There. Good as new," she said briskly, stepping back and eyeing her work critically. "It's still oozing a little, but you can wash up in the john at the Bronze. Nobody'll notice. Nobody notices much of anything in this town." She slipped back into the bloodstained jacket, fussing with the buttons so she wouldn't have to face him again.
"Thanks," he managed to croak out, his brain still swimming in a soup of fear, lust, anger, revulsion and...was it, curiosity?
"No problemo." She hesitated then added, "Uh, sorry I was dicking around when you were kind of in trouble over there."
"I handled it," Xander said, shortly. "No big."
"Enough slaying for tonight. Let's get inside." Faith shivered and pulled the jacket more firmly around her as a stronger gust of wind whirled past them pushing a flurry of leaves before it.
"You don't have to ask me twice." He paused, looking down at the dog, which was now snuffling and digging at a mole hole. "What are we going to do about our friend here?"
"Walk fast and hope he gets distracted by something else?"
They cleared out of the graveyard and were soon on the sidewalk headed downtown, the scruffy gray and brown dog trailing at their heels.
********* Entering the noise and warmth and press of humanity, which was the Bronze on a Saturday night, was like entering the portals of heaven. There wasn't a table to be had so the pair pushed their way through the crowd to the bar, snagged a pair of beers and found a place to lean against one of the support columns scattered throughout the interior. Xander had just taken a long draught of frothy goodness when Faith pounded him on the arm, sloshing half the mug.
"Couch! Go! Quick!" she commanded, steering him toward an actual piece of sittable furniture just vacated by a trio of giggling girls. The warriors collapsed gratefully side by side and rested their heads against the back of the couch. Faith removed her bloody jacket and tossed it next to her to save the rest of the precious seating for the others.
"Good eye," Xander commented as he took another swig of his beer.
"Lotsa practice," Faith answered. She took a look around the room and rolled her eyes at the band of choice for the evening. "God, this place hasn't changed."
"Naw. Same old Bronze."
"Don't you ever want to try something new?"
"I stop over at Larry's on Third Street about every day. That's where the guys on my crew go for a beer after work. But whenever Buffy wants us to meet somewhere, well..it's always the Bronze or the Magic Box. It's not like there's a lot of night life in this town anyway."
"Guess not. Hey, isn't that B's kid sister over there?"
Xander looked up to see Dawn standing next to her tall boyfriend, who was valiantly trying to get them a coffee at the espresso bar. She was scanning the crowd and waving at some of her friends, when her eyes met Xander's. Instantly her bright smile dimmed. She frowned and shook her head, tugging at Tim's arm and shouting something to him above the din as she gestured toward Xander and Faith. He nodded and continued to press his way toward the bar. Dawn slipped through the crowd until she stood in front of the couple on the couch.
"So, is this senior discount night or something?" she asked snidely. "I keep telling Buffy you guys have gotta find a new place to hang. I mean, look around you. Do you see anyone else pushing thirty around here? Jeez!"
"Pushing thirty?! Hey..!" Xander protested, thinking 'I'm only 23 - and feeling all of 50 tonight the way every muscle in my body aches.'
"You are SO cramping my style." Dawn flopped down on the couch next to Faith, picking up her jacket as she did so. "And, hey, is this blood?!!!"
"Yeah. Sorry about that. I'll wash it out."
Dawn shook her head in disgust at the ruin of her jacket. "Nothing takes blood out. I've wrecked enough clothes slaying to know that by now."
"You slay?" Faith asked, eyeing the teenager curiously.
"Sometimes." Dawn shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant but obviously proud of her abilities. "I mean, everyone had to help out last year, and Buffy finally figured out it was better for me to be able to protect myself than to try to Rapunzel me into a tower somewhere. So, yeah, she taught me some stuff."
"All right." Faith grinned and high-fived the younger girl. "You go, chica."
"But Dawn really shines when it comes to the research," Xander put in. "She's even more of a computer whiz than Willow."
"You just don't want me out in the field," Dawn said without rancor. "Good old, big brother Xander." She changed the subject, "So where's Buffy and Spike? Please tell me they're not coming here, too. It's such a thrill for my friends to have a faux-guidance counselor around all evening. Thank God she lost that job when the school blew up again!"
"They'll be here any time now."
"Great! Then I'll be gone," Dawn grumped. "Oh, Tim's got our coffee." She jumped up and dismissed Faith and Xander with a wave of her hand, "See ya, guys," and was off.
"Funny, kid. I like her," the Slayer commented.
"Yeah. She gives us a lot of crap, but she's a good girl. And after all she's been through, living in this town, she always seems pretty happy," Xander paused. "You know, Faith, I'm glad you came. Buffy should get her out of here! No kid should have to grow up like we did. I want Dawn out of this."
Faith was silent for a minute thinking of the part she herself had played in making Sunnydale a hellhole to live in. She opened her mouth intending to make some sort of apology, but the words stuck in her throat. It wasn't that she wasn't sorry or ready to admit her fault, but anything she could say seemed so inadequate. She opted for a flip retort as usual.
"You got that right, and I'm all primed and ready to take the job. Now you just have to convince Summers to let go." Faith slapped her knee, "Shit!! I still haven't called the Council. Blondie's right. I don't want to start out on their bad side. Now where'd I put that number?"
Xander was interested to find out if leather pants had pockets and, if not, where Faith might have tucked a slip of paper on her person, but she ended up retrieving the number from Dawn's jacket pocket. She downed the rest of her beer and with a "here goes nothing" attitude, went to find the pay phone.
Xander leaned his head against the back of the couch again. He only meant to rest his eyes for a minute, but must have drifted off, because he was suddenly jerked awake by someone kicking his leg.
"Hey, shove over. Make some room." Xander didn't have to open his eyes to identify the annoying British drawl. He shifted reluctantly and felt a body plop down next to him. A tang of fresh air, sweat and some flowery perfume let him know it was Buffy.
"What happened to you?" she asked with concern, reaching over to touch his forehead.
"Zigged when I should have zagged," he said, opening one eye to catch a glimpse of her worried frown. "Looks worse than it is."
Then both eyes flew open as he took in the bedraggled pair. "I guess you found the Kudur demons."
Buffy finger-combed her curls and tsked over the long tear down the sleeve of her coat.
"We took out a nest of 'em," Spike acknowledged. "Drink, pet?" he asked, running a hand over Buffy's rumpled hair.
"Mm, just water, and see if you can dig up a menu too, please. I'm starving." She smiled as she watched him go, then turned to Xander questioning, "Where's Faith?"
"On the phone," he explained. "Checking in with the Council."
She nodded. "How did it go this evening?"
"Three cemeteries, only two vamps."
"It's weird how quiet it is lately. I don't like it. Makes me feel like something's brewing. Plus, boring! Tonight's the first good action I've gotten in weeks....so to speak," she blushed as looked at Spike across the room.
"Who's getting action?" Faith's voice interrupted as she joined them, perching on the arm of the couch by Xander.
Buffy's face instantly closed down at the sight of her former nemesis. "Kudur demons," she said, shortly. "Did you get ahold of Council? What do they want you to do?"
"Yeah. Got an earful for not checking in earlier, but I told 'em I was already hard at work here in Sunnydale. They want me to try to track down this Macardle guy. I don't know why they can't send someone else to do it. I'm a slayer not a detective."
"We can help you," Xander reassured. "Willow said she'd check all the local inns and motels, and we'll try and find if that car's been found abandoned or stolen. You don't have to figure it out on your own."
This time Faith didn't deny her need for assistance, but simply nodded agreement.
Buffy tried to pin a friendly smile on her face per Giles' orders. "He's right. We'll help you any way we can."
"Thanks for putting me up at your house tonight," Faith mumbled. "They'll be wiring me some cash tomorrow, but I would've had to sleep on a park bench or something tonight....so, thanks."
"The Council is wiring you money?!" Buffy's voice grew sharp as a razor and the smile slid away like grease from a griddle. "Like a paycheck money? Like a stipend for slaying that Giles hasn't been able to get for me after four years of trying?!"
"I don't know. Not a paycheck, I guess. I just told 'em I didn't have a cent and the gal said they would wire me some cash and told me where to pick it up."
Buffy nodded. "Of course. Why not?" She flopped back into a corner of the couch, scowling.
Faith looked at her, shrugged, then poked Xander in the shoulder. "Hey, I took a look outside and guess who's still waiting for you."
"You've got to be kidding."
"Nope. Looks like you got a new roommate."
"I'm not taking that beast home," he protested.
"What beast?" Buffy asked, shaking off her foul mood with an effort.
"Xander's got himself a little doggie," Faith explained. "Come on, Harris, you can't leave the poor guy out in the cold all night. Besides, he loooves you."
"Not doing it," he said, emphatically. "No dogs allowed."
Spike drifted up just then with drinks for Buffy and himself and another beer for Xander. When he saw Faith, he surrendered his whiskey to her.
"Thanks." She gulped it gratefully, though she still eyed the vampire with suspicion and doubt. He stationed himself beside Buffy, leaning on the couch and perusing the menu over her shoulder.
"Whaddya think? Potato skins and a salad?" she asked.
"Why do you even ask for a menu, love? You always order the same thing."
"You never know. I might want something different some time. Anyway, I like to look at the pictures." She reached up behind her and gave him a playful punch. He grabbed her hand and bit lightly on the knuckles.
"Well, you can track down your own waitress. I'm not doin' it for you, AND order me a drink while you're at it."
Buffy just smiled, complacently, knowing that she wouldn't have to move from her spot all evening and her will would still be done.
"Ookay," Xander said, his stomach turning at the display of affection. "You know what? I'll go place an order for you 'cause....ergh." He jumped up.
"Me too." Faith tossed back the rest of her drink like a pro and rose to follow him.
"Oh, by the way," Xander turned and was further icked out at the sight of Spike nuzzling Buffy's neck while she rested her hand on his cheek, "Dawn's around here somewhere so, if you don't want to humiliate her in front of her friends, you might want to....I don't know, maybe save it for the BEDROOM!"
He was rewarded by the sound of Buffy's laughter as he and Faith walked away. It was a sound he'd heard precious little of during the past couple of years, and Xander was reminded of why it was worth it to put up with the not-so-evil undead guy. Plus, a free beer - you couldn't fault Spike for lack of generosity...with Buffy's money.
Xander actually was able to snag a waitress and place an order right away, and he and his partner for the evening were pushing their way through the crush by the dance floor, when Faith tugged on his arm.
"Hey, Ace, wanna dance?" she shouted at him above the din.
"Uh..." This evening he wanted to dance about as much as he wanted bone cancer. His body was aching, his head hurt, and besides, he just wasn't very good at it and didn't feel like doing the white man shuffle in front of sexy, I'm-too-hot-for-my-clothes, Faith. "....sure."
They waded into the press of bodies, pulsing to some electronic techno tune. Xander swayed half-heartedly back and forth, while Faith slunk around him - again like a jungle cat. It wasn't fair for God to pack that much sex appeal into one person, leaving a shortage for the fat, the balding, the acne-riddled or verbally challenged masses.
The dark haired girl pressed against him, hips swaying seductively, and held him with her eyes. He could see her full, pouty lips moving but couldn't hear a word. For the second time that evening she slipped a hand around his neck and pulled him down to where her mouth could almost press against his ear.
"Loosen up!" was the message.
He loosened.
She took his hands and rested them on her hips, then slid her own hands up his belly to his chest and let him feel the rhythm flowing from her gyrating body to his. He let his eyes drift closed a little, the two beers helping with the relaxing, and began to let go. The beat, the heat, and the girl filled his senses and Xander danced.
***********
From her seat on the couch, Buffy leaned against Spike and watched the dancers, specifically a dark-haired pair, who were sinuously twining around each other. This was NOT the way Xander danced! Ever! What the hell was Faith up to? That girl was sex on two legs and could only be trouble for him. Xander couldn't handle someone like Faith, and if she thought she could use him and lose him like last time.....well, Buffy would put a stop to it. No toying with Xander this time around, big sister Buffy would see to it.
to be continued
(Ever wonder why these guys have to stick their noses into each other's business all the time - trying to 'protect' each other?)