Title : White Knight, Black Queen - Episode 1 - Tarnished Armor
Author : Tenhawk
********WARNING!********
This is *not* part of the Journeyverse. Some SPOILERS for S7 contained within!! You have been WARNED!!
*********WARNING!********
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.
Summary: Post Season 7, Xander leaves Sunnydale on a mission with an unexpected companion.
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.
*****
Oxnard, Dawn, Next Day
"How come you two get the beds?" Spike growled as he shifted on the ground, trying to get comfortable.
"Cause I'm a girl." Faith grinned at him. "Be a gentleman, Spike."
"And I'm paying for the room." Xander replied from where he was stripping off his shirt. "Besides, which one of us is used to sleeping in a crypt for hells sake?"
"At least my crypt had basic cable and a waterbed." Spike growled.
Xander shook his head, "How the hell did you get all that crap into a crypt anyway?"
Spike shrugged, "You'd be surprised the kind of service industry the demon community has. Most cable repairmen are Tethroc demons, you know..."
"That explains a lot." Xander muttered, "How about the electricity guys?"
"They're mostly human," Spike replied, "But demons own the companies so they don't ask too many questions when it comes to nighttime hookups."
"What a minute..." Faith sat up in bed, letting the covers fall down to reveal the skimpy t-shirt she was wearing. "Demons own the electric companies??"
Spike shrugged from his position on the floor and rolled over, "Sure. Who else would sell power to Texas when they didn't even have enough to cover local demand?"
Xander glanced over at Faith and shrugged. "Makes sense to me."
Faith shook her head, "And I thought the demonic lawyers were hiding in plain sight."
Xander chuckled as he took one last look at the lightening sky outside before pulling the heavy drapes over the window. "Let's get some rest. I have some things to do later, and we have a long drive ahead of us tonight."
"Speaking of which," Faith laid back, pulling the blankets up. "What the hell are we doing in Oxnard anyway?"
"I have some stuff to pick up." Xander said, "But the place doesn't open t'ill tonight, so we may as well get some sleep."
Faith shrugged, "Your call, Boytoy."
Spike snickered from the floor.
"Shut up, Spike." Xander grumbled as he got out of his jeans and slid under the covers.
"You know, boytoy," Faith grinned over at him. "Spike could have this bed if we shared yours..."
"I second that idea!" Spike grumbled from the floor.
"Faith..." Xander spoke slowly, "Don't take this the wrong way... but as tempting as sharing a bed with you may be to your average joe... I honestly can't see us getting much sleep in that case and there is no way in hell that I'm having sex with ANYONE in front of Spike."
Faith mock sighed, "Your loss, boytoy."
"Go to sleep, Faith." Xander said, shutting off the light.
"His loss? I'm the one breaking my back on this floor!" Spike growled.
"Shut up Spike." Xander groaned, covering his head with his pillow.
*****
Faith woke up a few hours later, tensing as she heard an unfamiliar noise. He looked around, uncertain as to it's source.
When she heard it again she easily pinpointed Xander as the source. He was laying on his back and she heard another low groan from him.
"Xander?" She whispered to herself, forgetting to use her common nicknames for him as she slipped out of bed and walked over to him.
"He's been like that for about an hour now." Spike said from his position on the ground.
"What are you doing awake?" Faith hissed.
Spike rolled over and looked up at her, the blankets sliding off him as he propped himself up. "I'm a vampire, luv. I don't need a ton of sleep, and droopy's whimpering gets on my nerves."
Faith shot the vampire a dirty look, "Has he been like this long?"
"'Ow should I know?" Spike asked, his accent becoming deeper as he let his irritation through. "I'm not in the habit of sleeping with him, now am I?"
"Go back to sleep, Spike." Faith growled, sitting on the bed by Xander.
"Hey... if you're gonna play nursemaid to the whelp, you mind if I take your bed?"
Faith shot the vampire another dirty look, and he shrugged and fell back to the floor. "Jeez... Shoot a bloke for asking a question why don't ya?"
Fath looked down at Xander, trying to ignore the grumbling of the vampire behind her. Xander's face was covered in sweat, and he was turning from side to side as if he were trying to escape something. She winced as she realized that his tossing had dislodged the patch and his injured eye was exposed to her sight.
She hadn't seen it since the night it had happened, Xander didn't ever take off the patch as far as anyone knew, and it shook her to see how ugly the scarred tissue was.
"Oh X-man..." She whispered, running her hand along his forehead to slide the black patch back into place.
As her fingers touched his skin, Xander's hand shot up at a lightning speed and gripped her wrist hard enough that even Faith winced in pain. Her eyes widened as she looked down into his one good eye, that was open and staring at her with a vacant look.
"Ow... OW!" She said, "Come on, Xander... you're hurting me!"
He didn't respond, or even seem to acknowledge that she was there, but his grip on her arm loosened slightly after a moment. She waited for a moment, her heart beating loudly in her chest, as Xander closed his eye without seeming to realize she was even there and his arm fell back against his chest without letting go of her wrist.
Faith waited a moment, then tried to pull her arm free, but he didn't let go. She cursed lightly, "Come on, Xander... let go already..."
She tried to pry his fingers loose, but they were locked tightly around her wrist, holding so firmly that she was suddenly worried about breaking them if she used any more strength. Faith groaned to herself, "Jeez, X- man... A girl doesn't like such a clingy guy, you know..."
She sighed, receiving no response and not wanting to really try and wake him up. "Fine. You win."
She crawled up beside him, getting under the covers and laying her head down on the second pillow.
"I guess I get the bed afterall." Spike said, grinning as he got up off the floor and stole her bed.
"Laugh it up, bleach boy." Faith muttered.
"No need, luv." Spike grinned, as he lay back with his hands under his head. "I like to gloat quietly myself."
Faith groaned and buried her head in the pillow as she felt Xander's heartbeat through his grip on her wrist.
*****
Consciousness came back to Xander slowly as he realized that he was warm and feeling secure for the first time in weeks. For a moment he tried to figure out why he couldn't seem to open his left eye, then he remembered the reason.
He closed his right eye again and pushed his head back into the pillow, as it trying to drive his skull through the bed itself. After a long moment like that he opened his right eye again and turned his head around as he remembered where he was.
He felt a weight on his chest and looked down, frowning as he realized that his right hand was wrapped around something warm. What the?
Faith's head was resting on his chest, her wrist caught tightly in his grip. He blinked and looked around until he spotted Spike in Faith's bed, sleeping. What the hell?
He let his grip on Faith's arm go, tensing as the dark haired Slayer shifted in response and her arm wrapped around him.
"Hmmmmmmmm," She moaned into his chest, her arm snaking around him.
Xander shivered, though certainly not from the cold, as felt the low hum run through his bones. "Faith?" She looked up at him, smiling tiredly. "Bout time you woke up, boytoy. I've been kinda anxious to get my arm back."
"Huh?"
"You made some noises while sleeping," She said tiredly, "SO I came over to see if you were ok... You grabbed my arm and wouldn't let me go. I gotta tell you, Xanman, you've got one helluva grip."
He looked down at her wrist where it was laying on his chest and paled as he saw the ugly bruises in the shape of fingers. "Oh my god... Faith, I'm sorry... I didn't know..."
"S'alright, boytoy..." She yawned, "Slayer healing'll take care of it in short order."
Xander swallowed, feeling like he was going to be sick. God... can't I escape my father!? Is he going to haunt me for the rest of my life??
Faith frowned, "You don't look so good, X-man..."
"I... I..." Xander stammered, "I've got to go to the bathroom."
"Oh." Faith shrugged and rolled off him, "Sure. Knock yourself out."
Xander got up gratefully and headed straight for the bathroom. Inside, he quickly closed the door and leaned over the sink, staring at himself in the mirror. He glared at himself with his single eye, hissing angrily. "Get a hold of yourself you jerk. Do you want to turn into dear old dad!?"
He breathed hard, trying to calm himself, and finally lifted his hand up to his eyes and stared at it as it shook like mad. He just kept staring until the tremors died down and the hand reluctantly came under control.
"God dammit, Harris..." He hissed to himself, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Since, even after several moment, his reflection didn't have an answer he finally turned away. Xander quickly checked his watch and nodded.
Almost time.
He let out one last breath and decided to get ready.
*****
Faith looked up briefly as she heard the shower running, then laid back down and lost herself in her pillow.
She was still drifting comfortably between sleep and waking when the shower cut off and she heard the door to the bathroom open. She looked up briefly through bleary eyes to see Xander walk out in his underwear and start digging through his duffel bag.
"Nice buns, boytoy." She mumbled through the sleep.
"Thanks Faith." Xander muttered, pulling out a pair of slacks and a white shirt.
As he got dressed Faith frowned at him, "Where are you going?"
"Out."
She pushed herself up, frowning at him. "That's no answer, Boytoy."
Xander sighed, his breath catching as he noticed that her t-shirt was caught up a good deal too high on her left breast and she was, however unintentionally, flashing him. "I just need to meet someone I know, ok?"
Faith shook her head clear and adjusted her shirt, "I didn't know you knew anyone outside of Sunnydale..."
Xander rolled his eye as he buttoned up his shirt, "You don't know me, Faith."
"Jeeze." She grumbled, getting out of bed and grabbing for her own clothes. "Give a girl some time, will ya?"
"What are you doing?"
"Getting dressed."
"Why?"
"Cause I'm coming with ya."
"Oh no you're not." Xander said.
"Why not?"
"I said so."
"You think you can stop me, loverboy?" Faith countered.
Xander was silent for a long moment, glaring at her.
"Will both of you shut up!?" Spike grumbled from Faith's bed. "A guy can't get any sleep with you two around." "Shut up Spike!" Both Faith and Xander snapped in unison.
*****
"Come on, X," Faith wheedled, "Where are we going?"
"It's just a block down this way, Faith." Xander sighed.
"What is?"
"You'll see."
They walked down a block until they arrived at a club that had a large neon marquee that was adorned with an impressively hung outline of a man on one side, and an equally well endowed outline of a woman on the other.
Faith turned to Xander, smirking. "A strip club? Why, X-man... I didn't take you for the type who likes to watch..."
Xander muffled a groan and pushed his way through the door into the club.
Faith grinned and followed him in, walking with a cocky strut as she kept up with his stiff walk.
Xander walked up to the bar where a tall brunette was stocking the far wall. He grinned and took a seat on a stool, "Nice place you got here."
She didn't turn around, "First show's not until ten, if you want a drink I'll be with you in a minute."
Xander scratched his head, ruffling his hair as Faith took a stool beside him. "Well, at least I'm not here on ladies night this time."
The woman turned around, a bottle of rum in one hand, and stared at him. "Xander?"
The bottle dropped from her hand, smashing over the floor as she stared at him shock and surprise. "Xander!"
"Hello Sonya." He smiled, then winced as he looked down over the bar. "Damn. Good thing you own the joint or that would definitely be coming out of your salary."
"Xander!" she grinned and stepped over the glass, grabbing him by the lapel of his shirt and pulling him closer to kiss both cheeks. "My god, child! Where have you been!? It's been years..."
Suddenly she stopped dead and her face drained of color, "Xan... Alexander... What happened?" Xander pursed his lips as her fingers came up to almost brush his eyepatch, and he pulled away. "Accident."
"Oh... god, Xander..." She said, her voice mournful. "I'm so sorry..."
"I'll live." Xander said, "That's enough."
She smiled sadly at that, shaking her head. "You said you'd come back soon..."
"I know," he said, "I'm sorry... I got caught up in life on the hellmouth."
Faith stared at him in shock, blurting out. "Huh?"
Sonya looked over at her, "Who's this?"
"Sonya, meet Faith." Xander said, "Faith, this is Sonya. An old friend."
"Not so old as that, Xander." The brunette grinned at him, "It is good to meet you Faith."
"Uh... yeah. You too..." Faith said, uncertainly.
Xander lost his grin, his face turning sober. "I came for my things, Sonya."
Sonya grimaced, "I had hoped you would never need those again, Xander."
Xander shrugged, "Times change..."
She nodded, then waved over an employee. "Lise, please clean this mess up and stock the bar for me, ok?"
"Sure, boss." The blond said, nodding.
"Come on back, Xander... bring your friend too." Sonya gestured.
Xander led Faith around the bar and to a door way that led backstage. Once they reached back stage, they saw girls in various stages of undress getting into costume. None of them paid any attention to Xander or Faith except to eye Faith warily as she passed.
"None of the old girls still here?" Xander asked casually.
"Not tonight." Sonya responded, "Most of them are gone now anyway... Victoria still dances on Wednesdays, and Nikki is still here... they'll be sorry they missed you."
Xander nodded, "I wish I could stay long enough to see them again... but I'm just passing through."
Sonya glanced back as she came to a stop by a locked door. "Oh?"
"Business in Louisiana." Xander replied.
"Same as what happened here?"
"More or less."
Sonya shook her head. "I wish you weren't into this, Xander... It's dangerous."
"So's living, Sonya." Xander smiled as he watched her unlock the door.
The dark haired woman shook her head and motioned Xander inside.
"It's all where you left it."
Xander nodded and walked across the small room that was setup as a makeshift bedroom. He pulled the bed away from the wall and felt along the wall for a moment. Suddenly there was a click and the wall opened up like a pair of doors. Xander stepped back and opened them wide, looking over the supplies.
"Whoa." Faith muttered in shock.
Xander quickly selected a pair of pistols from a rack, then pulled an Ithaca shotgun and a couple boxes of buckshot and slugs from a shelf. Next he pulled a heavy Second Chance vest and a SWAT tactical harness down from a hanger. A heavy Kukri knife in a leather scabbard followed them and finally he pulled out a small black case.
Satisfied he closed the wall and turned back to Sonya, "You mind if I leave the rest here?"
She smiled and nodded, "You know you have a place here whenever you need it, Xander."
He nodded, "Thanks."
"We owe you, Xander." Sonya said.
"You don't owe me anything, Sonya." Xander protested. "I didn't do anything."
"You saved my girls, Xander." Sonya responded. "You kept them from becoming food for those things. You did a lot."
"Xander?" Faith looked around, "What the hell is going on here?"
Sonya looked over at Faith in surprise, "He didn't tell you?"
"Hell no." Faith said, disgustedly. Sonya smiled disarmingly, "Come... I'll pour you a drink and tell you a tale to chill your bones, Child."
*****
READ THIS!! :
If you want more stories/faster updates in this and/or the Journeyverse series don't ask me. Just go to my Yahoo group and check it out for DAILY updates. I only post here when I get around to it... which can be any stretch of time at all. FF.Net simply isn't a priority given the recent uncertainties in posting here. So far I've been lucky, only a couple of my fics have been deleted, but a lot of stories are biting the big one for little to no reason.
www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/journeyverse
********WARNING!********
This is *not* part of the Journeyverse. Some SPOILERS for S7 contained within!! You have been WARNED!!
*********WARNING!********
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.
Summary: Post Season 7, Xander leaves Sunnydale on a mission with an unexpected companion.
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.
*****
Oxnard, Dawn, Next Day
"How come you two get the beds?" Spike growled as he shifted on the ground, trying to get comfortable.
"Cause I'm a girl." Faith grinned at him. "Be a gentleman, Spike."
"And I'm paying for the room." Xander replied from where he was stripping off his shirt. "Besides, which one of us is used to sleeping in a crypt for hells sake?"
"At least my crypt had basic cable and a waterbed." Spike growled.
Xander shook his head, "How the hell did you get all that crap into a crypt anyway?"
Spike shrugged, "You'd be surprised the kind of service industry the demon community has. Most cable repairmen are Tethroc demons, you know..."
"That explains a lot." Xander muttered, "How about the electricity guys?"
"They're mostly human," Spike replied, "But demons own the companies so they don't ask too many questions when it comes to nighttime hookups."
"What a minute..." Faith sat up in bed, letting the covers fall down to reveal the skimpy t-shirt she was wearing. "Demons own the electric companies??"
Spike shrugged from his position on the floor and rolled over, "Sure. Who else would sell power to Texas when they didn't even have enough to cover local demand?"
Xander glanced over at Faith and shrugged. "Makes sense to me."
Faith shook her head, "And I thought the demonic lawyers were hiding in plain sight."
Xander chuckled as he took one last look at the lightening sky outside before pulling the heavy drapes over the window. "Let's get some rest. I have some things to do later, and we have a long drive ahead of us tonight."
"Speaking of which," Faith laid back, pulling the blankets up. "What the hell are we doing in Oxnard anyway?"
"I have some stuff to pick up." Xander said, "But the place doesn't open t'ill tonight, so we may as well get some sleep."
Faith shrugged, "Your call, Boytoy."
Spike snickered from the floor.
"Shut up, Spike." Xander grumbled as he got out of his jeans and slid under the covers.
"You know, boytoy," Faith grinned over at him. "Spike could have this bed if we shared yours..."
"I second that idea!" Spike grumbled from the floor.
"Faith..." Xander spoke slowly, "Don't take this the wrong way... but as tempting as sharing a bed with you may be to your average joe... I honestly can't see us getting much sleep in that case and there is no way in hell that I'm having sex with ANYONE in front of Spike."
Faith mock sighed, "Your loss, boytoy."
"Go to sleep, Faith." Xander said, shutting off the light.
"His loss? I'm the one breaking my back on this floor!" Spike growled.
"Shut up Spike." Xander groaned, covering his head with his pillow.
*****
Faith woke up a few hours later, tensing as she heard an unfamiliar noise. He looked around, uncertain as to it's source.
When she heard it again she easily pinpointed Xander as the source. He was laying on his back and she heard another low groan from him.
"Xander?" She whispered to herself, forgetting to use her common nicknames for him as she slipped out of bed and walked over to him.
"He's been like that for about an hour now." Spike said from his position on the ground.
"What are you doing awake?" Faith hissed.
Spike rolled over and looked up at her, the blankets sliding off him as he propped himself up. "I'm a vampire, luv. I don't need a ton of sleep, and droopy's whimpering gets on my nerves."
Faith shot the vampire a dirty look, "Has he been like this long?"
"'Ow should I know?" Spike asked, his accent becoming deeper as he let his irritation through. "I'm not in the habit of sleeping with him, now am I?"
"Go back to sleep, Spike." Faith growled, sitting on the bed by Xander.
"Hey... if you're gonna play nursemaid to the whelp, you mind if I take your bed?"
Faith shot the vampire another dirty look, and he shrugged and fell back to the floor. "Jeez... Shoot a bloke for asking a question why don't ya?"
Fath looked down at Xander, trying to ignore the grumbling of the vampire behind her. Xander's face was covered in sweat, and he was turning from side to side as if he were trying to escape something. She winced as she realized that his tossing had dislodged the patch and his injured eye was exposed to her sight.
She hadn't seen it since the night it had happened, Xander didn't ever take off the patch as far as anyone knew, and it shook her to see how ugly the scarred tissue was.
"Oh X-man..." She whispered, running her hand along his forehead to slide the black patch back into place.
As her fingers touched his skin, Xander's hand shot up at a lightning speed and gripped her wrist hard enough that even Faith winced in pain. Her eyes widened as she looked down into his one good eye, that was open and staring at her with a vacant look.
"Ow... OW!" She said, "Come on, Xander... you're hurting me!"
He didn't respond, or even seem to acknowledge that she was there, but his grip on her arm loosened slightly after a moment. She waited for a moment, her heart beating loudly in her chest, as Xander closed his eye without seeming to realize she was even there and his arm fell back against his chest without letting go of her wrist.
Faith waited a moment, then tried to pull her arm free, but he didn't let go. She cursed lightly, "Come on, Xander... let go already..."
She tried to pry his fingers loose, but they were locked tightly around her wrist, holding so firmly that she was suddenly worried about breaking them if she used any more strength. Faith groaned to herself, "Jeez, X- man... A girl doesn't like such a clingy guy, you know..."
She sighed, receiving no response and not wanting to really try and wake him up. "Fine. You win."
She crawled up beside him, getting under the covers and laying her head down on the second pillow.
"I guess I get the bed afterall." Spike said, grinning as he got up off the floor and stole her bed.
"Laugh it up, bleach boy." Faith muttered.
"No need, luv." Spike grinned, as he lay back with his hands under his head. "I like to gloat quietly myself."
Faith groaned and buried her head in the pillow as she felt Xander's heartbeat through his grip on her wrist.
*****
Consciousness came back to Xander slowly as he realized that he was warm and feeling secure for the first time in weeks. For a moment he tried to figure out why he couldn't seem to open his left eye, then he remembered the reason.
He closed his right eye again and pushed his head back into the pillow, as it trying to drive his skull through the bed itself. After a long moment like that he opened his right eye again and turned his head around as he remembered where he was.
He felt a weight on his chest and looked down, frowning as he realized that his right hand was wrapped around something warm. What the?
Faith's head was resting on his chest, her wrist caught tightly in his grip. He blinked and looked around until he spotted Spike in Faith's bed, sleeping. What the hell?
He let his grip on Faith's arm go, tensing as the dark haired Slayer shifted in response and her arm wrapped around him.
"Hmmmmmmmm," She moaned into his chest, her arm snaking around him.
Xander shivered, though certainly not from the cold, as felt the low hum run through his bones. "Faith?" She looked up at him, smiling tiredly. "Bout time you woke up, boytoy. I've been kinda anxious to get my arm back."
"Huh?"
"You made some noises while sleeping," She said tiredly, "SO I came over to see if you were ok... You grabbed my arm and wouldn't let me go. I gotta tell you, Xanman, you've got one helluva grip."
He looked down at her wrist where it was laying on his chest and paled as he saw the ugly bruises in the shape of fingers. "Oh my god... Faith, I'm sorry... I didn't know..."
"S'alright, boytoy..." She yawned, "Slayer healing'll take care of it in short order."
Xander swallowed, feeling like he was going to be sick. God... can't I escape my father!? Is he going to haunt me for the rest of my life??
Faith frowned, "You don't look so good, X-man..."
"I... I..." Xander stammered, "I've got to go to the bathroom."
"Oh." Faith shrugged and rolled off him, "Sure. Knock yourself out."
Xander got up gratefully and headed straight for the bathroom. Inside, he quickly closed the door and leaned over the sink, staring at himself in the mirror. He glared at himself with his single eye, hissing angrily. "Get a hold of yourself you jerk. Do you want to turn into dear old dad!?"
He breathed hard, trying to calm himself, and finally lifted his hand up to his eyes and stared at it as it shook like mad. He just kept staring until the tremors died down and the hand reluctantly came under control.
"God dammit, Harris..." He hissed to himself, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Since, even after several moment, his reflection didn't have an answer he finally turned away. Xander quickly checked his watch and nodded.
Almost time.
He let out one last breath and decided to get ready.
*****
Faith looked up briefly as she heard the shower running, then laid back down and lost herself in her pillow.
She was still drifting comfortably between sleep and waking when the shower cut off and she heard the door to the bathroom open. She looked up briefly through bleary eyes to see Xander walk out in his underwear and start digging through his duffel bag.
"Nice buns, boytoy." She mumbled through the sleep.
"Thanks Faith." Xander muttered, pulling out a pair of slacks and a white shirt.
As he got dressed Faith frowned at him, "Where are you going?"
"Out."
She pushed herself up, frowning at him. "That's no answer, Boytoy."
Xander sighed, his breath catching as he noticed that her t-shirt was caught up a good deal too high on her left breast and she was, however unintentionally, flashing him. "I just need to meet someone I know, ok?"
Faith shook her head clear and adjusted her shirt, "I didn't know you knew anyone outside of Sunnydale..."
Xander rolled his eye as he buttoned up his shirt, "You don't know me, Faith."
"Jeeze." She grumbled, getting out of bed and grabbing for her own clothes. "Give a girl some time, will ya?"
"What are you doing?"
"Getting dressed."
"Why?"
"Cause I'm coming with ya."
"Oh no you're not." Xander said.
"Why not?"
"I said so."
"You think you can stop me, loverboy?" Faith countered.
Xander was silent for a long moment, glaring at her.
"Will both of you shut up!?" Spike grumbled from Faith's bed. "A guy can't get any sleep with you two around." "Shut up Spike!" Both Faith and Xander snapped in unison.
*****
"Come on, X," Faith wheedled, "Where are we going?"
"It's just a block down this way, Faith." Xander sighed.
"What is?"
"You'll see."
They walked down a block until they arrived at a club that had a large neon marquee that was adorned with an impressively hung outline of a man on one side, and an equally well endowed outline of a woman on the other.
Faith turned to Xander, smirking. "A strip club? Why, X-man... I didn't take you for the type who likes to watch..."
Xander muffled a groan and pushed his way through the door into the club.
Faith grinned and followed him in, walking with a cocky strut as she kept up with his stiff walk.
Xander walked up to the bar where a tall brunette was stocking the far wall. He grinned and took a seat on a stool, "Nice place you got here."
She didn't turn around, "First show's not until ten, if you want a drink I'll be with you in a minute."
Xander scratched his head, ruffling his hair as Faith took a stool beside him. "Well, at least I'm not here on ladies night this time."
The woman turned around, a bottle of rum in one hand, and stared at him. "Xander?"
The bottle dropped from her hand, smashing over the floor as she stared at him shock and surprise. "Xander!"
"Hello Sonya." He smiled, then winced as he looked down over the bar. "Damn. Good thing you own the joint or that would definitely be coming out of your salary."
"Xander!" she grinned and stepped over the glass, grabbing him by the lapel of his shirt and pulling him closer to kiss both cheeks. "My god, child! Where have you been!? It's been years..."
Suddenly she stopped dead and her face drained of color, "Xan... Alexander... What happened?" Xander pursed his lips as her fingers came up to almost brush his eyepatch, and he pulled away. "Accident."
"Oh... god, Xander..." She said, her voice mournful. "I'm so sorry..."
"I'll live." Xander said, "That's enough."
She smiled sadly at that, shaking her head. "You said you'd come back soon..."
"I know," he said, "I'm sorry... I got caught up in life on the hellmouth."
Faith stared at him in shock, blurting out. "Huh?"
Sonya looked over at her, "Who's this?"
"Sonya, meet Faith." Xander said, "Faith, this is Sonya. An old friend."
"Not so old as that, Xander." The brunette grinned at him, "It is good to meet you Faith."
"Uh... yeah. You too..." Faith said, uncertainly.
Xander lost his grin, his face turning sober. "I came for my things, Sonya."
Sonya grimaced, "I had hoped you would never need those again, Xander."
Xander shrugged, "Times change..."
She nodded, then waved over an employee. "Lise, please clean this mess up and stock the bar for me, ok?"
"Sure, boss." The blond said, nodding.
"Come on back, Xander... bring your friend too." Sonya gestured.
Xander led Faith around the bar and to a door way that led backstage. Once they reached back stage, they saw girls in various stages of undress getting into costume. None of them paid any attention to Xander or Faith except to eye Faith warily as she passed.
"None of the old girls still here?" Xander asked casually.
"Not tonight." Sonya responded, "Most of them are gone now anyway... Victoria still dances on Wednesdays, and Nikki is still here... they'll be sorry they missed you."
Xander nodded, "I wish I could stay long enough to see them again... but I'm just passing through."
Sonya glanced back as she came to a stop by a locked door. "Oh?"
"Business in Louisiana." Xander replied.
"Same as what happened here?"
"More or less."
Sonya shook her head. "I wish you weren't into this, Xander... It's dangerous."
"So's living, Sonya." Xander smiled as he watched her unlock the door.
The dark haired woman shook her head and motioned Xander inside.
"It's all where you left it."
Xander nodded and walked across the small room that was setup as a makeshift bedroom. He pulled the bed away from the wall and felt along the wall for a moment. Suddenly there was a click and the wall opened up like a pair of doors. Xander stepped back and opened them wide, looking over the supplies.
"Whoa." Faith muttered in shock.
Xander quickly selected a pair of pistols from a rack, then pulled an Ithaca shotgun and a couple boxes of buckshot and slugs from a shelf. Next he pulled a heavy Second Chance vest and a SWAT tactical harness down from a hanger. A heavy Kukri knife in a leather scabbard followed them and finally he pulled out a small black case.
Satisfied he closed the wall and turned back to Sonya, "You mind if I leave the rest here?"
She smiled and nodded, "You know you have a place here whenever you need it, Xander."
He nodded, "Thanks."
"We owe you, Xander." Sonya said.
"You don't owe me anything, Sonya." Xander protested. "I didn't do anything."
"You saved my girls, Xander." Sonya responded. "You kept them from becoming food for those things. You did a lot."
"Xander?" Faith looked around, "What the hell is going on here?"
Sonya looked over at Faith in surprise, "He didn't tell you?"
"Hell no." Faith said, disgustedly. Sonya smiled disarmingly, "Come... I'll pour you a drink and tell you a tale to chill your bones, Child."
*****
READ THIS!! :
If you want more stories/faster updates in this and/or the Journeyverse series don't ask me. Just go to my Yahoo group and check it out for DAILY updates. I only post here when I get around to it... which can be any stretch of time at all. FF.Net simply isn't a priority given the recent uncertainties in posting here. So far I've been lucky, only a couple of my fics have been deleted, but a lot of stories are biting the big one for little to no reason.
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