Title: Finding Faith
Author: Dennis Wellman
Email: merlin.enchanter@verizon.net
Rating: PG 13 for now
Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, and a lot of other people own Buffy. Chris Carter and Fox control the destinies of Mulder and Scully of the X-Files. I get no money by writing this, just hope for some kind words of encouragement.
Classification: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Faith/Xander relationship
Spoilers: a few here and there.
Summary: Xander and Faith face their first combat test together, can their relationship survive?
Authors Notes: If you look for a location, every place mentioned in this story really exists. Spent a lot of time looking places up.
Feedback: Yes please!!!!!
Distribution: If you like it... please feel free to place it on your site... but please tell me where it is.
Chapter 4
Royal Street Condo #307
New Orleans, LA
9:00 AM, May 11th 2006
Faith slowly drifted to wakefulness, becoming aware of her surroundings slowly.
Wow, did I sleep good for once or what. She thought, then became aware of the warm form snuggled up behind her, and the arm possessively holding her.
Mmmmmm, I could really get to like this. Faith thought as she lay quietly, luxuriating in the sensation of Xander. The feeling of warmth at her back as he lay spooned up against her, the feel of his arm around her, the feel of his hand on her stomach. The feeling of his breath hitting the back of her neck, it was just so wonderful.
Slowly Faith turned toward the person holding her.
He looks so peaceful, so relaxed right now. God how pathetic am I, liking the way he is holding me, wanting someone to love me. She mused.
Opening her eyes again she found herself staring into Xander's dark brown eyes.
"Morning." He said softly.
"Morning yourself." Faith said quietly.
"I slept better than I have in months last night." Xander offered.
"Me too, no nightmares, after the one anyway. And for me that is a miracle." Faith said.
Xander released Faith, and threw back the covers. He then noticed the clock on the nightstand.
"Wow, that's the most sleep I've had in a couple of years, you must be good for me." Said Xander, as her turned toward her.
His eyes followed her as she made for her bathroom, his eyes on Faith's very shapely behind, covered by a tiny pair of bikini panties. She smiled at him as she closed the door.
"Right, cold shower this morning." Xander muttered to himself.
* * * * *
The two ate breakfast much the same way as the previous day, and after putting the dishes in the dishwasher Xander called over his shoulder to Faith as she started to get up.
"Well time to try on one of you new suits today, we need to go into the office and get all your paperwork updated and introduce you to the life of an FBI Agent." He said.
"Okay Xan. But you have to help me so I don't embarrass you." Faith answered seriously as she left the kitchen.
Xander finished cleaning up the kitchen and headed to his room to get ready, he heard Faith's shower stop, so he took a quick one himself. Finishing he threw on a pair of black Dockers and a light blue shirt, then pulled on the custom shoulder holster for the desert eagle and chose a tie.
He wandered out of his room after brushing his hair and stood in the living room tying his tie, a dark blue Jerry Garcia tie that Joyce had got him for Christmas last year. He put the tie tack on and turned to see Faith watching him.
She boldly looked him over from head to toe.
"You look good Xan, you filled out and bulked up." Faith said softly.
Xander returned the look, she was wearing a charcoal DKNY woman's business suit with slacks and heeled boots. She looked professional, but attractive as hell, and the way the suit fit her slim form hinted at the curves underneath.
"So do you Faith, so do you." Xander said as he walked over to the gun safe.
He unlocked it and pulled out a huge dull silver pistol with black grips. While she watched he worked the slide, making sure that it was unloaded, the reached in and pulled out a clip with a red strip near the base and slipped it in a leather holder, along with another just like it. Another one without the red stripe slid into the pistol with a mechanical click. Xander then
slid it into the holster and snapped it in. A handcuff case with a pair of handcuffs inside was clipped to his belt. Walking to the closet he pulled out a black glove leather blazer and slipped it on covering the arsenal.
He walked back into the room and returned with his badge and ID card, and handed Faith hers.
"I still can't believe this Xan, this just doesn't seem real." Faith said quietly.
"It is though, Faith. It's something that you deserve, you fought the good fight alone for too long. Now you have help." Xander said with emotion as he stepped forward to hug her gently.
The two left the condo and drove to the New Orleans FBI office in silence.
Xander parked in one of the red marked parking spots close to the entrance and headed to the building, Faith at his side. Just before he got to the doors, he stopped and showed her how to wear the ID card outside while they were in the building.
Xander bypassed the metal detector at the doorway and passed the guards to the left side. He opened his coat to show his weapon and motioned to Faith.
"She's new here, and doesn't have a weapon yet, but knowing her, she has a dagger and a couple of wooden stakes somewhere." Xander said, the humor evident in his voice.
Faith grinned back at him, and dropped a dagger and two stakes on the table.
The guard chuckled and handed them back to her. Tucking them away she joined Xander and they headed to his temporary office.
Once there, Xander got them coffee and sent for Agents Matt Wilker and Tony Haas. While waiting, Xander called and got Faith's E-mail and computer accounts set up, as well as made an appointment for a new ID picture.
When the two men entered their eye's drifted to the attractive young woman sitting on Xander's desk.
Xander nodded to them as they entered and said. "Tony, Matt. I just wanted to thank you again for your help in finding Faith, and to introduce her to you."
"Guys." Faith said as she stood up and turned to them offering her hand.
The two men were stunned, realizing that this was the same young woman that they had found just six days ago, unconscious and injured.
"Agent Summers." Said Matt Wilker as he shook her hand.
"Wow. I thought you would be bigger." Said Tony Haas. At least until he squeaked when Faith gripped his hand, letting a little of her slayer strength into play.
The four agents spent a little more time talking and comparing notes, and listening to stories of Xander's early vampire hunts.
"I will tell you one thing, I was never so shocked as when you pulled out that damn huge handgun and fired at that vampire; than when he started to burn inside before turning into dust." Said Matt.
"Yeah." Agreed Tony, "I didn't know how the bullets worked though, it never explained it in the manuals that came in the kit."
"Hmmm, have to check them out better next time." Said Xander. He noticed Faith's raised eyebrow and decided to explain.
"Scully is a consummate scientist, she saw a problem with slaying and searched for a solution. After studying what will actually destroy a vampire, she just started looking for a more efficient way to do it. She started out with one thing, then before we knew what she was doing she came up with this." He said holding up a bullet.
"It's made of silver nitrate metal and magnesium, we put it in a copper jacket, make it a hollowpoint and coat the exposed silver nitrate with Teflon to keep it from getting wet. When silver nitrate metal and magnesium get wet, they burst into flames, somewhat like a flare." Xander explained. "We have them in all sizes, but I like the .50 AE caliber because of the extra bullet weight."
Faith was slightly amused, and the other two agents were downright envious.
"Beats the crossbows and stakes we used to have." Faith smirked.
"Yeah, have to agree with you there." Xander replied. "Have to agree with you."
"So, when do I get to carry a gun?" Faith asked as the other agents left.
"Right now, Faith. If you're ready." Asked Xander.
* * * * *
The last few days have been repeats of each other, sleeping together, but not "together", traveling to the FBI offices, workouts, reports, meetings, then the shooting range on the way home and dinner and TV in comfortable silence.
The last eight days had brought the two closer together in a way that felt natural and comfortable to them. They shared the chores of living together, and accomplished tasks like a veteran married couple, each knowing what the other was doing.
To Faith, things were going well, she was happier than she had been in years. And Xander, well he felt like he was complete for the first time since they had slept together years ago. For both of them, things were good.
Today they had followed the usual morning process, they woke up intertwined, and yet well rested. Slipping off to their own rooms they showered and dressed, meeting back in the kitchen for coffee before leaving. Xander always smiled when he opened the gun safe and saw the two guns in there, together, like clothes in the same hamper and slippers under the bed.
Today would end up testing the relationship that they were building.
Leaving the condo they drove to Petunias where they had breakfast as usual, then to the FBI offices downtown.
Xander checked his messages first, finding out that Mulder and Scully were heading to Boston this morning to deal with several vampire type killings. Xander dismissed that, one of the better paranormal SWAT teams was in Boston, they would have excellent backup.
There was a possible sighting just out of Savanna Oklahoma, about a hundred miles south of Tulsa. Local investigators were checking it out. Faith was scheduled to shoot for qualification this afternoon, and there was a mandatory staff meeting at 3:00 pm..
Xander shut down the e-mail and locked the computer, then headed for the gym to workout with Faith. He changed into his workout clothes, a grey T-shirt and the bottoms of a black karate gi. When he entered the training room he found an argument going on.
"I really don't care what you think, trying to use all that fancy stuff on a vamp will get you killed." Faith was telling the huge man facing her.
Xander shook his head, he knew it was a mistake letting Faith down here by herself. Still he thought with a smile on his face, it'll be fun seeing Andre suck wind.
"What kind of trouble are you getting into now Faith?" Xander asked as he joined the little group.
"None, really. I was just telling Lurch here that getting cute with a vamp is an easy way to get killed." She replied.
André Baudouin, the Cajun hand-to-hand combat instructor glowered at the small brunette.
"And I say that beating down your enemy and then taking them out allows you to control the fight, as well as make them fear you!" said the instructor loudly.
"I think that YOU have been smoking something other than cigars then. You have no idea, a vampire has way more strength than a human, plus they don't need to breath, so they never get short of breath. Knowledge of any type of martial art is a plus, but with vamps, Jujitsu and Aikido are the best, they redirect a vamps strength back against them." Faith explained.
"That is not correct, la petite. In any type of unarmed combat, controlling your foe gives you a great advantage." Dismissed the angry instructor. "I have been teaching unarmed self defense for over fifteen years, I know what I am talking about."
Faith was livid. When the instructor turned his back on her dismissively, Faith started to reach for him, only Xander's hand on her shoulder kept her back.
"You know André, I would like to see how you would do against a vampire." Said Xander, a challenging tone to his voice.
"It would be a short fight." Said André with lots of bravado.
"You willing to go a round against Faith here? She's as strong as a vamp." Baited Xander.
André snorted. The big, self defense instructor looking at Faith differently. Then grinned evilly.
"But of course. He answered as he moved onto the mats.
"Protective gear, both of you." Demanded Xander.
Faith grumbled as she placed the helmet, and pads on, but grinned at Xander as she was doing so.
When they were both ready Xander addressed them.
"Okay André, you have just entered a vampire nest, Faith is the only one left, take her out." He said.
André stalked Faith, watching for an opening and then lunged at her with a sweeping roundhouse kick. He missed. Faith used plain old brute force and tossed him back hard.
André just looked at her venomously.
His next move was a sweep kick, to try to knock her down. Faith just leapt over him effortlessly.
Faith landed and turned around to find her attacker halfway into a straight punch that if it hit would likely take a normal persons head off. Faith just caught his hand. And when he tried to jerk it back, she just squeezed. For several minutes it was a battle of wills, André refused to yield, and Faith just smirked and held on.
"Enough!" Cried out Xander.
"André, I hate to be the one to tell you but you just died! Faith killed you and either just drained you, or worse, turned you." Xander said softly.
André Baudouin, FBI Agent, hand to hand combat instructor, and father of two, just stared at Xander.
"I really don't think you understand André, Faith is the other slayer, she really is as strong as a vamp. If this would have been real she wouldn't have been holding back!" André's eyes got bigger. "Vampires are way stronger than a normal human, they have to be taken down hard and fast, then staked. There is no brawling with them unless you are a slayer." Xander said, smiling at Faith before continuing. "Remember this guys, there is no middle ground with Vampires or Demons, they have no feelings or mercy towards humans, we are just food."
He started to stretch for his workout when his cell phone rang. Running to get it he answered.
"Harris."
Got one Xander, some kind of frog like creature, Giles called it a Grenouille de marche Demon from the description, sounded like some mutated frog to me. But it terrorized a dairy farm just outside Tulsa Oklahoma last night, and who knows what it will do tonight. Said Agent Mulder.
"Who's closest, and how do you want to handle it?" Xander asked.
Faith was observing Xander's body language and walked over to join him, knowing something was up.
I sent for Team Denver, they should be arriving soon, and will set up a perimeter and secure the area. The Citation is getting prepped now and will be waiting for you. Scully and I are just out of Syracuse New York checking out a couple of possible vamp cases, and are no where near a plane, so that leaves you in charge.
"Okay Mulder, I got it, I'll let the AIC here know what's going on and head up there within the hour."
Good hunting Xander, and good Luck!" Mulder said as he hung up.
"What's up?" Faith asked as he dropped the phone into his pocket.
"Demon sighting near Tulsa, Giles called it a Grenouille de marche Demon, whatever that means. Look Faith, I'll have someone drive you home, we will have to wait till tomorrow to go shopping though." Xander started to explain.
"WHAT?" Cried out Faith.
"Look Faith, I'm not really breaking our date, just postponing it till a later time." Xander said.
"Xander, I am going with you." Faith started.
"Not yet Faith, you haven't cleared Medical or Weapons yet, and you are not ready to be in the field after your injuries." Xander explained.
Faith started to say something, then stopped thinking for a moment. She looked deep into Xander's eyes and saw what he was trying to do.
"Xander, over the last week we have been building towards a relationship that I thought we both wanted. If you are trying to keep me out of danger by making me stay back here, that will end anything we had." Faith said, moving toward Xander and taking his hand. "I want a relationship based on trust and mutual respect. I want you to trust me to watch your back, and I want to trust you to watch mine. Xander, I have felt things for you that I have felt for no one else, but to be a team, you have trust me to do my part, and have trust in you."
Xander looked down at the ground and spoke so softly that, if not for slayer hearing, she would have missed.
"I can't help but want to keep you safe Faith. I failed last time. I wasn't there when you got out of jail. Then you got hurt and I was almost too late." Then he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. "I don't know what I would do if you left me this time Faith, either by getting hurt or killed. I know I can trust you to watch my back, but I don't know if I can be trusted to watch yours." He said sadly.
In a flash of understanding, Faith finally understood his "White Knight" complex. Xander was scared to death of failing someone he loved.
"I don't worry about you Xander. I know that as long as you are breathing you will be trying." Faith answered.
"So, lets go and get ready to go." She said, flashing a million-watt smile.
* * * * *
Tulsa International Airport
Tulsa, Oklahoma
2:55 PM, May 18th 2006
The Cessna Citation slowed as it neared the terminal that most corporate jets used.
The crew opened the door and lowered the stairs allowing the four special agents to exit. All carried overnight bags, but also carried special locked cargo duffel bags.
"Welcome lady and gentlemen, I'm Special Agent Lee Johnson, from the Oklahoma City office. Your 'visitor' showed up last night in Stroud, a small town about sixty miles southwest of here. Team Denver has secured the area, and they are awaiting your arrival. The State Patrol will get you there just as fast as possible, so if you would follow me." Said Agent Johnson.
Soon the four agents were flying down the road at speeds in excess of eighty miles an hour in two cars. Xander and Faith in the lead car were talking about their upcoming vacation, but in the rear car Matt Wilker and Tony Haas were talking about other things.
"What the hell did we get ourselves into Tony, We've seen vampires, are on our way to kill a demon, watched a woman take out André 'Badass' Baudouin, and are working with a guy as scary as anyone I have ever met." Matt wondered out loud.
"I know Matt, but it beats the hell out of checking out fertilizer purchases." Grinned Tony.
Matt just closed his eyes and moaned.
* * * * *
Special Agent Jim Cochrane grinned to himself when he saw Xander help the brunette out of the back of the state patrol cruiser, then did a double take when he saw her heft up the big combat kit. He knew how much those things weighed.
"Jim." Xander said offering his hand when he walked up to the Swat team leader.
"Xander." Jim replied. "See you brought some help this time."
"Yep, sure did Jim. Meet Faith, the other Slayer." Xander introduced. "Faith, meet Special Agent Jim Cochrane, head of Team Denver, one of our most experienced Supernatural SWAT Teams."
Jim held his hand out slowly to Faith. When she took it he started to squeeze. She squeezed back, letting Jim know she was the real thing.
He pulled his hand back shaking it gently, a smile on his friendly face.
"Careful there Jim, remember what Willow did when you doubted her." Xander chuckled.
"What happened?" Asked the giggling slayer.
"She filled his fatigues with demon slime. It took him a week to get all cleaned off." Xander Grinned.
The four new arrivals joined in the laughter, then moved over to the table that they had set up with a map of the area on it.
"How bad was it last night?" Xander asked the group assembled there.
"No human casualties, but the owner of the farm lost about forty head of dairy cows. Only two were eaten, the rest just looked like they were tore up in anger. Replied a uniformed sheriff named Burt Winslow.
"According to our expert, the demon feeds, then kills only taking blood for the first two nights. Then it really starts feeding. This usually goes on for a week until it asexually reproduces and lays several dozen eggs. Usually after that, it leaves the area and hunts randomly until winter, when it hibernates. The following summer it repeats the cycle." Xander explained.
He tossed a folder on the table with a large illustration on top.
"The demon is closely related to frogs and toads, but walks erect. It has very strong legs, and can jump great distances. It has a huge mouth and three rows of very sharp teeth, it would be able to take an arm out easily or gut a man in one bite." Xander finished.
"Well shit!" Was the simple statement made by one of the deputy sheriffs.
* * * * *
The four new arrivals took the opportunity to get changed and geared up for the expected fight. Xander had showed Faith the combat gear that the FBI used, and saw the horror in her eyes. He knew she would freak out, Buffy did.
Then he showed her what Buffy had designed.
Buffy had a tailor make her a black leather outfit similar to what Diana Rigg wore when she was playing the part of Emma Peel on the Avengers TV show of the sixties. Then she had it altered to allow her to move, lined it with silk, and had a matching leather vest made that was lined with some very fine but tough chain mail, her version of a bullet proof vest. But Xander had to agree, take away a slayers agility and they were dead.
Faith exited the van in her cat suit as she called it, and walked to the command center. She was followed by catcalls and whistles until she grabbed the riot gun out of the hands of a deputy sheriff and bent it in half before handing it back to him.
Xander had to admit that there were perks to the outfit. Faith had put on a lot of the weight that she had lost, and she filled out the black leather very nicely.
They gathered around the table and Xander and Jim Cochrane placed the M82 sniper teams where they would have the best shots.
When they were ready they moved toward the pond where Giles said the creature would most likely be.
* * * * *
Faith ands Xander led the way, both being much more experienced than the rest of the team.
There was no sound from anything, except the soft footfalls of the advancing swat team. Faith was looking around swiftly, as if she was looking for something sneaking up on her. She waved everyone back, and started to back away herself.
She didn't get very far when the surface of the pond erupted and a dark shape leapt out of the water and flew over her head.
"Scatter." Screamed Xander.
The demon spun around knocking Faith down, then turned back toward the other members of the team.
As quick as lightning, it's tongue flashed out and wrapped around one of Team Denver's men. Slowly it started to pull him in.
Faith cleared her vision as best as she could with the blood running into her eyes, and leapt back into the fight.
Watching Faith fight was an experience one did not soon forget. She moved with a fluid grace that had no wasted motion at all, and she sometimes moved with such swiftness that it was easy to miss what had happened.
But this time the demon took all that she dished out and never wavered from pulling in his next meal.
Faith finally got hold of one of the demons arms and was starting to twist it when Xander made his move, leaping up and running at the agent who was frantically trying to prevent being dragged into the jaws of the hideous creature. Pulling out his combat bowie knife he grabbed the tongue of the creature and started slashing away at it.
The demon screamed and rushed at the man that was cutting its tongue, but Faith planted a kick in the back of its leg that dropped it to its knees. Coming back with a spinning back kick, the heel of her heavy boot impacted on the demons forehead stunning it.
Xander finished cutting through the tough muscle of the creatures tongue, and even though he was blinded by the creatures rank blood, he found the demons victim and started to pull him back.
The demon screamed loudly when the final cut was made and it's tongue snapped back into its mouth. Blinded by pain, the creature struck out at the closest enemy. Faith. Dodging its grasping hands, Faith blocked its attempts and delivered punches and kicks herself. After one devastating roundhouse kick to the side of the demons head, Faith drew her short sword and swung in a sweeping arc.
The sword hit about where the neck would be on a human, and cut most of the way through the creature's body, ending up near the demons right armpit.
Faith pulled the sword free as the creature dropped to the ground dead. She staggered back exhausted. Xander walked quickly to her side and looked her over for injuries.
There was the gash near her hairline that caused the bleeding in her eyes, but nothing else that he could see.
"Are you hurt anywhere else Faith?" Xander asked Gently.
"Not really, just some bruised ribs." She replied, lifting up her arm to show the torn vest and exposed chain mail. "Damn, Buffy sure did a good job putting this together."
"Yeah she did, took her over two years to come up with the combination." Xander commented. "I'm just glad this one worked so well."
Xander led her back to the command post where showers had been set up to clean any demon blood or slime off, and they could change back into clean clothes.
* * * * *
When the two of them walked over to the command center after cleaning up, they were met by a round of applause from the locals.
Xander and Faith stayed through the post contact analysis, and commented on what happened and why. Suggestions were made for future operations, and the locals were informed of how important keeping this quiet really was.
It was getting to the point where the National Enquirer and other tabloids were printing stories that were closer to the truth and it was getting more and more difficult to keep these supernatural experiences quiet.
Xander made arrangements to have the demons body shipped back to Scully's lab in Quantico then gathered up Faith for the trip home.
They declined a room for the night, wanting to get home as soon as possible to get ready to leave the next evening for their planned vacation to Aruba.
As the state police car drove them back to the airport, Faith lay her head an Xander's shoulder and drifted off to sleep. As she slipped into slumber she though she heard something.
"I love you Faith." She thought she heard.
TBC
Author: Dennis Wellman
Email: merlin.enchanter@verizon.net
Rating: PG 13 for now
Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, and a lot of other people own Buffy. Chris Carter and Fox control the destinies of Mulder and Scully of the X-Files. I get no money by writing this, just hope for some kind words of encouragement.
Classification: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Faith/Xander relationship
Spoilers: a few here and there.
Summary: Xander and Faith face their first combat test together, can their relationship survive?
Authors Notes: If you look for a location, every place mentioned in this story really exists. Spent a lot of time looking places up.
Feedback: Yes please!!!!!
Distribution: If you like it... please feel free to place it on your site... but please tell me where it is.
Chapter 4
Royal Street Condo #307
New Orleans, LA
9:00 AM, May 11th 2006
Faith slowly drifted to wakefulness, becoming aware of her surroundings slowly.
Wow, did I sleep good for once or what. She thought, then became aware of the warm form snuggled up behind her, and the arm possessively holding her.
Mmmmmm, I could really get to like this. Faith thought as she lay quietly, luxuriating in the sensation of Xander. The feeling of warmth at her back as he lay spooned up against her, the feel of his arm around her, the feel of his hand on her stomach. The feeling of his breath hitting the back of her neck, it was just so wonderful.
Slowly Faith turned toward the person holding her.
He looks so peaceful, so relaxed right now. God how pathetic am I, liking the way he is holding me, wanting someone to love me. She mused.
Opening her eyes again she found herself staring into Xander's dark brown eyes.
"Morning." He said softly.
"Morning yourself." Faith said quietly.
"I slept better than I have in months last night." Xander offered.
"Me too, no nightmares, after the one anyway. And for me that is a miracle." Faith said.
Xander released Faith, and threw back the covers. He then noticed the clock on the nightstand.
"Wow, that's the most sleep I've had in a couple of years, you must be good for me." Said Xander, as her turned toward her.
His eyes followed her as she made for her bathroom, his eyes on Faith's very shapely behind, covered by a tiny pair of bikini panties. She smiled at him as she closed the door.
"Right, cold shower this morning." Xander muttered to himself.
* * * * *
The two ate breakfast much the same way as the previous day, and after putting the dishes in the dishwasher Xander called over his shoulder to Faith as she started to get up.
"Well time to try on one of you new suits today, we need to go into the office and get all your paperwork updated and introduce you to the life of an FBI Agent." He said.
"Okay Xan. But you have to help me so I don't embarrass you." Faith answered seriously as she left the kitchen.
Xander finished cleaning up the kitchen and headed to his room to get ready, he heard Faith's shower stop, so he took a quick one himself. Finishing he threw on a pair of black Dockers and a light blue shirt, then pulled on the custom shoulder holster for the desert eagle and chose a tie.
He wandered out of his room after brushing his hair and stood in the living room tying his tie, a dark blue Jerry Garcia tie that Joyce had got him for Christmas last year. He put the tie tack on and turned to see Faith watching him.
She boldly looked him over from head to toe.
"You look good Xan, you filled out and bulked up." Faith said softly.
Xander returned the look, she was wearing a charcoal DKNY woman's business suit with slacks and heeled boots. She looked professional, but attractive as hell, and the way the suit fit her slim form hinted at the curves underneath.
"So do you Faith, so do you." Xander said as he walked over to the gun safe.
He unlocked it and pulled out a huge dull silver pistol with black grips. While she watched he worked the slide, making sure that it was unloaded, the reached in and pulled out a clip with a red strip near the base and slipped it in a leather holder, along with another just like it. Another one without the red stripe slid into the pistol with a mechanical click. Xander then
slid it into the holster and snapped it in. A handcuff case with a pair of handcuffs inside was clipped to his belt. Walking to the closet he pulled out a black glove leather blazer and slipped it on covering the arsenal.
He walked back into the room and returned with his badge and ID card, and handed Faith hers.
"I still can't believe this Xan, this just doesn't seem real." Faith said quietly.
"It is though, Faith. It's something that you deserve, you fought the good fight alone for too long. Now you have help." Xander said with emotion as he stepped forward to hug her gently.
The two left the condo and drove to the New Orleans FBI office in silence.
Xander parked in one of the red marked parking spots close to the entrance and headed to the building, Faith at his side. Just before he got to the doors, he stopped and showed her how to wear the ID card outside while they were in the building.
Xander bypassed the metal detector at the doorway and passed the guards to the left side. He opened his coat to show his weapon and motioned to Faith.
"She's new here, and doesn't have a weapon yet, but knowing her, she has a dagger and a couple of wooden stakes somewhere." Xander said, the humor evident in his voice.
Faith grinned back at him, and dropped a dagger and two stakes on the table.
The guard chuckled and handed them back to her. Tucking them away she joined Xander and they headed to his temporary office.
Once there, Xander got them coffee and sent for Agents Matt Wilker and Tony Haas. While waiting, Xander called and got Faith's E-mail and computer accounts set up, as well as made an appointment for a new ID picture.
When the two men entered their eye's drifted to the attractive young woman sitting on Xander's desk.
Xander nodded to them as they entered and said. "Tony, Matt. I just wanted to thank you again for your help in finding Faith, and to introduce her to you."
"Guys." Faith said as she stood up and turned to them offering her hand.
The two men were stunned, realizing that this was the same young woman that they had found just six days ago, unconscious and injured.
"Agent Summers." Said Matt Wilker as he shook her hand.
"Wow. I thought you would be bigger." Said Tony Haas. At least until he squeaked when Faith gripped his hand, letting a little of her slayer strength into play.
The four agents spent a little more time talking and comparing notes, and listening to stories of Xander's early vampire hunts.
"I will tell you one thing, I was never so shocked as when you pulled out that damn huge handgun and fired at that vampire; than when he started to burn inside before turning into dust." Said Matt.
"Yeah." Agreed Tony, "I didn't know how the bullets worked though, it never explained it in the manuals that came in the kit."
"Hmmm, have to check them out better next time." Said Xander. He noticed Faith's raised eyebrow and decided to explain.
"Scully is a consummate scientist, she saw a problem with slaying and searched for a solution. After studying what will actually destroy a vampire, she just started looking for a more efficient way to do it. She started out with one thing, then before we knew what she was doing she came up with this." He said holding up a bullet.
"It's made of silver nitrate metal and magnesium, we put it in a copper jacket, make it a hollowpoint and coat the exposed silver nitrate with Teflon to keep it from getting wet. When silver nitrate metal and magnesium get wet, they burst into flames, somewhat like a flare." Xander explained. "We have them in all sizes, but I like the .50 AE caliber because of the extra bullet weight."
Faith was slightly amused, and the other two agents were downright envious.
"Beats the crossbows and stakes we used to have." Faith smirked.
"Yeah, have to agree with you there." Xander replied. "Have to agree with you."
"So, when do I get to carry a gun?" Faith asked as the other agents left.
"Right now, Faith. If you're ready." Asked Xander.
* * * * *
The last few days have been repeats of each other, sleeping together, but not "together", traveling to the FBI offices, workouts, reports, meetings, then the shooting range on the way home and dinner and TV in comfortable silence.
The last eight days had brought the two closer together in a way that felt natural and comfortable to them. They shared the chores of living together, and accomplished tasks like a veteran married couple, each knowing what the other was doing.
To Faith, things were going well, she was happier than she had been in years. And Xander, well he felt like he was complete for the first time since they had slept together years ago. For both of them, things were good.
Today they had followed the usual morning process, they woke up intertwined, and yet well rested. Slipping off to their own rooms they showered and dressed, meeting back in the kitchen for coffee before leaving. Xander always smiled when he opened the gun safe and saw the two guns in there, together, like clothes in the same hamper and slippers under the bed.
Today would end up testing the relationship that they were building.
Leaving the condo they drove to Petunias where they had breakfast as usual, then to the FBI offices downtown.
Xander checked his messages first, finding out that Mulder and Scully were heading to Boston this morning to deal with several vampire type killings. Xander dismissed that, one of the better paranormal SWAT teams was in Boston, they would have excellent backup.
There was a possible sighting just out of Savanna Oklahoma, about a hundred miles south of Tulsa. Local investigators were checking it out. Faith was scheduled to shoot for qualification this afternoon, and there was a mandatory staff meeting at 3:00 pm..
Xander shut down the e-mail and locked the computer, then headed for the gym to workout with Faith. He changed into his workout clothes, a grey T-shirt and the bottoms of a black karate gi. When he entered the training room he found an argument going on.
"I really don't care what you think, trying to use all that fancy stuff on a vamp will get you killed." Faith was telling the huge man facing her.
Xander shook his head, he knew it was a mistake letting Faith down here by herself. Still he thought with a smile on his face, it'll be fun seeing Andre suck wind.
"What kind of trouble are you getting into now Faith?" Xander asked as he joined the little group.
"None, really. I was just telling Lurch here that getting cute with a vamp is an easy way to get killed." She replied.
André Baudouin, the Cajun hand-to-hand combat instructor glowered at the small brunette.
"And I say that beating down your enemy and then taking them out allows you to control the fight, as well as make them fear you!" said the instructor loudly.
"I think that YOU have been smoking something other than cigars then. You have no idea, a vampire has way more strength than a human, plus they don't need to breath, so they never get short of breath. Knowledge of any type of martial art is a plus, but with vamps, Jujitsu and Aikido are the best, they redirect a vamps strength back against them." Faith explained.
"That is not correct, la petite. In any type of unarmed combat, controlling your foe gives you a great advantage." Dismissed the angry instructor. "I have been teaching unarmed self defense for over fifteen years, I know what I am talking about."
Faith was livid. When the instructor turned his back on her dismissively, Faith started to reach for him, only Xander's hand on her shoulder kept her back.
"You know André, I would like to see how you would do against a vampire." Said Xander, a challenging tone to his voice.
"It would be a short fight." Said André with lots of bravado.
"You willing to go a round against Faith here? She's as strong as a vamp." Baited Xander.
André snorted. The big, self defense instructor looking at Faith differently. Then grinned evilly.
"But of course. He answered as he moved onto the mats.
"Protective gear, both of you." Demanded Xander.
Faith grumbled as she placed the helmet, and pads on, but grinned at Xander as she was doing so.
When they were both ready Xander addressed them.
"Okay André, you have just entered a vampire nest, Faith is the only one left, take her out." He said.
André stalked Faith, watching for an opening and then lunged at her with a sweeping roundhouse kick. He missed. Faith used plain old brute force and tossed him back hard.
André just looked at her venomously.
His next move was a sweep kick, to try to knock her down. Faith just leapt over him effortlessly.
Faith landed and turned around to find her attacker halfway into a straight punch that if it hit would likely take a normal persons head off. Faith just caught his hand. And when he tried to jerk it back, she just squeezed. For several minutes it was a battle of wills, André refused to yield, and Faith just smirked and held on.
"Enough!" Cried out Xander.
"André, I hate to be the one to tell you but you just died! Faith killed you and either just drained you, or worse, turned you." Xander said softly.
André Baudouin, FBI Agent, hand to hand combat instructor, and father of two, just stared at Xander.
"I really don't think you understand André, Faith is the other slayer, she really is as strong as a vamp. If this would have been real she wouldn't have been holding back!" André's eyes got bigger. "Vampires are way stronger than a normal human, they have to be taken down hard and fast, then staked. There is no brawling with them unless you are a slayer." Xander said, smiling at Faith before continuing. "Remember this guys, there is no middle ground with Vampires or Demons, they have no feelings or mercy towards humans, we are just food."
He started to stretch for his workout when his cell phone rang. Running to get it he answered.
"Harris."
Got one Xander, some kind of frog like creature, Giles called it a Grenouille de marche Demon from the description, sounded like some mutated frog to me. But it terrorized a dairy farm just outside Tulsa Oklahoma last night, and who knows what it will do tonight. Said Agent Mulder.
"Who's closest, and how do you want to handle it?" Xander asked.
Faith was observing Xander's body language and walked over to join him, knowing something was up.
I sent for Team Denver, they should be arriving soon, and will set up a perimeter and secure the area. The Citation is getting prepped now and will be waiting for you. Scully and I are just out of Syracuse New York checking out a couple of possible vamp cases, and are no where near a plane, so that leaves you in charge.
"Okay Mulder, I got it, I'll let the AIC here know what's going on and head up there within the hour."
Good hunting Xander, and good Luck!" Mulder said as he hung up.
"What's up?" Faith asked as he dropped the phone into his pocket.
"Demon sighting near Tulsa, Giles called it a Grenouille de marche Demon, whatever that means. Look Faith, I'll have someone drive you home, we will have to wait till tomorrow to go shopping though." Xander started to explain.
"WHAT?" Cried out Faith.
"Look Faith, I'm not really breaking our date, just postponing it till a later time." Xander said.
"Xander, I am going with you." Faith started.
"Not yet Faith, you haven't cleared Medical or Weapons yet, and you are not ready to be in the field after your injuries." Xander explained.
Faith started to say something, then stopped thinking for a moment. She looked deep into Xander's eyes and saw what he was trying to do.
"Xander, over the last week we have been building towards a relationship that I thought we both wanted. If you are trying to keep me out of danger by making me stay back here, that will end anything we had." Faith said, moving toward Xander and taking his hand. "I want a relationship based on trust and mutual respect. I want you to trust me to watch your back, and I want to trust you to watch mine. Xander, I have felt things for you that I have felt for no one else, but to be a team, you have trust me to do my part, and have trust in you."
Xander looked down at the ground and spoke so softly that, if not for slayer hearing, she would have missed.
"I can't help but want to keep you safe Faith. I failed last time. I wasn't there when you got out of jail. Then you got hurt and I was almost too late." Then he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. "I don't know what I would do if you left me this time Faith, either by getting hurt or killed. I know I can trust you to watch my back, but I don't know if I can be trusted to watch yours." He said sadly.
In a flash of understanding, Faith finally understood his "White Knight" complex. Xander was scared to death of failing someone he loved.
"I don't worry about you Xander. I know that as long as you are breathing you will be trying." Faith answered.
"So, lets go and get ready to go." She said, flashing a million-watt smile.
* * * * *
Tulsa International Airport
Tulsa, Oklahoma
2:55 PM, May 18th 2006
The Cessna Citation slowed as it neared the terminal that most corporate jets used.
The crew opened the door and lowered the stairs allowing the four special agents to exit. All carried overnight bags, but also carried special locked cargo duffel bags.
"Welcome lady and gentlemen, I'm Special Agent Lee Johnson, from the Oklahoma City office. Your 'visitor' showed up last night in Stroud, a small town about sixty miles southwest of here. Team Denver has secured the area, and they are awaiting your arrival. The State Patrol will get you there just as fast as possible, so if you would follow me." Said Agent Johnson.
Soon the four agents were flying down the road at speeds in excess of eighty miles an hour in two cars. Xander and Faith in the lead car were talking about their upcoming vacation, but in the rear car Matt Wilker and Tony Haas were talking about other things.
"What the hell did we get ourselves into Tony, We've seen vampires, are on our way to kill a demon, watched a woman take out André 'Badass' Baudouin, and are working with a guy as scary as anyone I have ever met." Matt wondered out loud.
"I know Matt, but it beats the hell out of checking out fertilizer purchases." Grinned Tony.
Matt just closed his eyes and moaned.
* * * * *
Special Agent Jim Cochrane grinned to himself when he saw Xander help the brunette out of the back of the state patrol cruiser, then did a double take when he saw her heft up the big combat kit. He knew how much those things weighed.
"Jim." Xander said offering his hand when he walked up to the Swat team leader.
"Xander." Jim replied. "See you brought some help this time."
"Yep, sure did Jim. Meet Faith, the other Slayer." Xander introduced. "Faith, meet Special Agent Jim Cochrane, head of Team Denver, one of our most experienced Supernatural SWAT Teams."
Jim held his hand out slowly to Faith. When she took it he started to squeeze. She squeezed back, letting Jim know she was the real thing.
He pulled his hand back shaking it gently, a smile on his friendly face.
"Careful there Jim, remember what Willow did when you doubted her." Xander chuckled.
"What happened?" Asked the giggling slayer.
"She filled his fatigues with demon slime. It took him a week to get all cleaned off." Xander Grinned.
The four new arrivals joined in the laughter, then moved over to the table that they had set up with a map of the area on it.
"How bad was it last night?" Xander asked the group assembled there.
"No human casualties, but the owner of the farm lost about forty head of dairy cows. Only two were eaten, the rest just looked like they were tore up in anger. Replied a uniformed sheriff named Burt Winslow.
"According to our expert, the demon feeds, then kills only taking blood for the first two nights. Then it really starts feeding. This usually goes on for a week until it asexually reproduces and lays several dozen eggs. Usually after that, it leaves the area and hunts randomly until winter, when it hibernates. The following summer it repeats the cycle." Xander explained.
He tossed a folder on the table with a large illustration on top.
"The demon is closely related to frogs and toads, but walks erect. It has very strong legs, and can jump great distances. It has a huge mouth and three rows of very sharp teeth, it would be able to take an arm out easily or gut a man in one bite." Xander finished.
"Well shit!" Was the simple statement made by one of the deputy sheriffs.
* * * * *
The four new arrivals took the opportunity to get changed and geared up for the expected fight. Xander had showed Faith the combat gear that the FBI used, and saw the horror in her eyes. He knew she would freak out, Buffy did.
Then he showed her what Buffy had designed.
Buffy had a tailor make her a black leather outfit similar to what Diana Rigg wore when she was playing the part of Emma Peel on the Avengers TV show of the sixties. Then she had it altered to allow her to move, lined it with silk, and had a matching leather vest made that was lined with some very fine but tough chain mail, her version of a bullet proof vest. But Xander had to agree, take away a slayers agility and they were dead.
Faith exited the van in her cat suit as she called it, and walked to the command center. She was followed by catcalls and whistles until she grabbed the riot gun out of the hands of a deputy sheriff and bent it in half before handing it back to him.
Xander had to admit that there were perks to the outfit. Faith had put on a lot of the weight that she had lost, and she filled out the black leather very nicely.
They gathered around the table and Xander and Jim Cochrane placed the M82 sniper teams where they would have the best shots.
When they were ready they moved toward the pond where Giles said the creature would most likely be.
* * * * *
Faith ands Xander led the way, both being much more experienced than the rest of the team.
There was no sound from anything, except the soft footfalls of the advancing swat team. Faith was looking around swiftly, as if she was looking for something sneaking up on her. She waved everyone back, and started to back away herself.
She didn't get very far when the surface of the pond erupted and a dark shape leapt out of the water and flew over her head.
"Scatter." Screamed Xander.
The demon spun around knocking Faith down, then turned back toward the other members of the team.
As quick as lightning, it's tongue flashed out and wrapped around one of Team Denver's men. Slowly it started to pull him in.
Faith cleared her vision as best as she could with the blood running into her eyes, and leapt back into the fight.
Watching Faith fight was an experience one did not soon forget. She moved with a fluid grace that had no wasted motion at all, and she sometimes moved with such swiftness that it was easy to miss what had happened.
But this time the demon took all that she dished out and never wavered from pulling in his next meal.
Faith finally got hold of one of the demons arms and was starting to twist it when Xander made his move, leaping up and running at the agent who was frantically trying to prevent being dragged into the jaws of the hideous creature. Pulling out his combat bowie knife he grabbed the tongue of the creature and started slashing away at it.
The demon screamed and rushed at the man that was cutting its tongue, but Faith planted a kick in the back of its leg that dropped it to its knees. Coming back with a spinning back kick, the heel of her heavy boot impacted on the demons forehead stunning it.
Xander finished cutting through the tough muscle of the creatures tongue, and even though he was blinded by the creatures rank blood, he found the demons victim and started to pull him back.
The demon screamed loudly when the final cut was made and it's tongue snapped back into its mouth. Blinded by pain, the creature struck out at the closest enemy. Faith. Dodging its grasping hands, Faith blocked its attempts and delivered punches and kicks herself. After one devastating roundhouse kick to the side of the demons head, Faith drew her short sword and swung in a sweeping arc.
The sword hit about where the neck would be on a human, and cut most of the way through the creature's body, ending up near the demons right armpit.
Faith pulled the sword free as the creature dropped to the ground dead. She staggered back exhausted. Xander walked quickly to her side and looked her over for injuries.
There was the gash near her hairline that caused the bleeding in her eyes, but nothing else that he could see.
"Are you hurt anywhere else Faith?" Xander asked Gently.
"Not really, just some bruised ribs." She replied, lifting up her arm to show the torn vest and exposed chain mail. "Damn, Buffy sure did a good job putting this together."
"Yeah she did, took her over two years to come up with the combination." Xander commented. "I'm just glad this one worked so well."
Xander led her back to the command post where showers had been set up to clean any demon blood or slime off, and they could change back into clean clothes.
* * * * *
When the two of them walked over to the command center after cleaning up, they were met by a round of applause from the locals.
Xander and Faith stayed through the post contact analysis, and commented on what happened and why. Suggestions were made for future operations, and the locals were informed of how important keeping this quiet really was.
It was getting to the point where the National Enquirer and other tabloids were printing stories that were closer to the truth and it was getting more and more difficult to keep these supernatural experiences quiet.
Xander made arrangements to have the demons body shipped back to Scully's lab in Quantico then gathered up Faith for the trip home.
They declined a room for the night, wanting to get home as soon as possible to get ready to leave the next evening for their planned vacation to Aruba.
As the state police car drove them back to the airport, Faith lay her head an Xander's shoulder and drifted off to sleep. As she slipped into slumber she though she heard something.
"I love you Faith." She thought she heard.
TBC