Chapter 51
Faith woke up to Anya yelling her name. She ran downstairs, Spike right behind her. "What the hell is going on here?" She scowled when she saw Warren. It was the guy that Willow has flayed and had caused Buffy all that trouble before. She punched him in the nose. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain on the floor. "Ow!" Faith stared at Warren.
Spike grabbed his head. "Faith.."
"Wait." Anya said.
"But if he's the First.." Dawn said.
"I'm not the First." Warren said.
"You're not the First."
"I know.
"Oh, my God!" Andrew said. He went to Warren. "You're back." He hugged Warren from behind, his hands touching Warren's chest.
"Hey! Bad touching!" Warren said, jumping away from Andrew. "Everyone please stop it."
"It's Willow." Kennedy said.
"I'm Willow."
"Are you sure?" Dawn asked.
"There is an incident where you borrowed a white shirt of Buffy's that you never returned to her because you spilt red fruit punch on it and couldn't get it out. I could call her right now.."
"Hey, Willow!" Dawn said, hugging Willow/Warren.
"What happened?" Anya asked as everyone inched closer.
"I don't know. We were there, and then I looked like him." Willow/Warren said.
"Oh, like a glamour."
"Maybe, but I probably brought it on myself."
"What makes you think that?" Faith asked.
"Well, it wouldn't be the first time. I have a history with my witchy subconscious making things go kerfloopey. Remember the wacky 'I can't see you, you can't see me' spell?"
"Not really."
"Oh, that's because you weren't back yet." The whole time Faith and Willow/Warren had been talking, Andrew and Dawn had started to poke at her/him.
"Guys!"
"It's so real." Andrew said, backing off.
"I'm all too aware." Willow/Warren said, brushing away Dawn's hand.
"Ok, say you're right, and you did do this to yourself. Why would your subconscious turn you into Warren?" Faith asked.
"Obviously because I feel bad-about killing him."
"We'll deal. We'll get help."
"No, I can handle this."
"On your own? Why?"
"I did it. I'll fix it. I don't want you seeing me this way anyway." Willow/ Warren walked toward the door.
"It's kinda a little late for that."
"Seriously, I'm not posing any big threat to the world. Looks like you've got your hands full already." Faith looked over at Spike. He was on the floor twitching. "I'll go, I'll handle it, I'll fix it, I'll be back before you even know I'm gone. Promise." Willow/Warren left.
"Spike." Faith said, kneeling by his side.
"Faith.." Spike groaned.
"I'm right here."
"The chip fired again."
"I kinda figured. Maybe they'll call back. Maybe they'll send help."
"Maybe we can't wait."
Faith stared at him. "What do you suggest?"
An hour later, Spike led Faith through the woods. They each held a flashlight. Spike stopped and looked at her. "Are you sure you still wanna go in this place with me?"
"Eh, nothing good on TV tonight." Faith said with a smile.
"Here we are."
"Here we are." Faith said as they kneeled on the ground. "You think the stuff's still good?"
"I don't know." Spike dug through the dirt. "Worked pretty good when the Initiative held me captive here. Every time I'd get a little.. rambunctious, the chip'd kick in. I'd feel like my head was gonna explode. They'd dope me up, and everything would be all daffodils and teddy bears. For a couple of hours anyway."
"Maybe we should search for files and stuff. Find out everything we can about the chip-shelf life."
"I'll take whatever I can get." He grabbed a chain in the dirt.
Faith grabbed the chain with him. "Ready?"
"Yeah."
Together they pulled on the chain. It was connected to a metal grate. The thing came up easily with the two of them tugging on it. Faith and Spike jumped down through the opening in the ground into a dark hallway. They started to walk and Spike started to tell her the story of what had happened there three years ago. Faith followed a little ways behind, becoming a little freaked out.
"Be careful." Faith said just as she stepped on something. She shined her flashlight on rotting bodies on the floor. "Oh, God. They just left them."
"They just sealed the place off. Left everything as it was." Spike said.
"I'm thinking brief stay."
"Yeah, you're not wrong." He shined his light on a door. "I think I can get us to the med lab, find the drug."
Spike walked to the door and opened it. Faith went through it first, followed by Spike. The door opened to an area lit dimly by red lights that lead to a large, dark room. Faith and Spike walked slowly through the room when they heard a noise behind them. They turned their flashlights to investigate, but they didn't see anything there. Faith sighed and turned to follow Spike. They walked through the large, dark room side by side. Something made a sound like groaning metal. They both stopped in their tracks, putting their backs together.
"You hear that?" Spike asked.
"Yeah." Faith answered, looking around.
"Think something survived?"
"Sounds like."
"You see where?"
"No, it sounded like it was coming from over there. Whatever it is, it's not.." Faith was cut off by something whooshing behind them. They turned to look, but saw nothing. They continued walking around. From out of nowhere, something grabbed Faith. She dropped her flashlight.
"Faith!" Spike yelled. He jumped into action, fending the demon off and away from Faith. Suddenly, his chip went off again. "Not now.." He collapsed to the floor.
"Spike!" Faith yelled.
The demon dropped Faith and went to Spike, grabbing him by the heel and dragging him out of the room. Faith grabbed her flashlight and went to follow.
"Great. I've never been in this stupid place and my tour guide had to get taken away. I'm not coming back here, that's for sure. Maybe I should ask for my money back. Spike!" Faith called. Suddenly, the demon pounced on Faith. She grabbed a nearby snow shovel and swung it at the demon. He threw her across the room. She got up and kicked at it with both feet, pushing it away. When it came at her again, she thrust the shovel into the demon's chest. It growled and fell to the floor. Faith dropped the shovel and went to Spike. "Hey. Are you still with us?"
"Yeah.." Spike said.
"That guy was.." The lights came on in the room, and Faith looked up at a half-dozen army men pointing guns at her and Spike. "Just the beginning."
"What's happening?"
"Faith." The lead man said. "Agent Finn reported that you tried to contact him earlier today."
"I knew it! Faith whispered to Spike. "Government conspiracy."
The man waved the other soldiers off. They put down their guns. "He indicated you might be needing our assistance. We're to provide you anything you need to help ass-face here." Faith and Spike stared at him. "Those were his exact words, ma'am."
Faith looked down at Spike. "Ok, take him."
The soldiers helped Spike to stand and then led him to an examination room. Faith followed them, but the lead soldier shut the door before she could enter. Frustrated, she started to pace. She didn't know how long it had been when the lead guy came back out.
"Med team tells me they took a look at the chip. You were right. It's degraded. Leave it as it is much longer, it'll be fatal to him." Lead guy said.
"Ok. So, how long t.." Faith started.
"Now."
"Right, of course. Um, what do we do next?"
"Agent Finn said it was your call, ma'am."
"My.. What was my call?"
"All decisions regarding Hostile 17 are to be left in your hands. This chip.. we can either repair it.. Or remove it."
Faith stared at the lead soldier. She didn't know what to do. Buffy would probably have a heart attack if Faith had the chipped removed. They ALL would have a heart attack. It was Spike! Spike had done horrible things to all of them before he had gotten his chip. Spike had done horrible things to a lot of people before he had gotten his chip.
On the other hand, Spike had his soul. Just like Angel. Angel hadn't been able to kill people after getting his soul back. He had felt so guilty about it that it had driven him to live like a homeless person. His soul was stronger than Spike's soul was before they were changed though. Spike had been a poet-writing, lover boy while Angel had been a womanizing, drunk. Spike had been driven insane. Crawling around in high school basements and blabbing on about hurting Faith and all the people he had killed.
What was a Slayer to do?
Faith woke up to Anya yelling her name. She ran downstairs, Spike right behind her. "What the hell is going on here?" She scowled when she saw Warren. It was the guy that Willow has flayed and had caused Buffy all that trouble before. She punched him in the nose. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain on the floor. "Ow!" Faith stared at Warren.
Spike grabbed his head. "Faith.."
"Wait." Anya said.
"But if he's the First.." Dawn said.
"I'm not the First." Warren said.
"You're not the First."
"I know.
"Oh, my God!" Andrew said. He went to Warren. "You're back." He hugged Warren from behind, his hands touching Warren's chest.
"Hey! Bad touching!" Warren said, jumping away from Andrew. "Everyone please stop it."
"It's Willow." Kennedy said.
"I'm Willow."
"Are you sure?" Dawn asked.
"There is an incident where you borrowed a white shirt of Buffy's that you never returned to her because you spilt red fruit punch on it and couldn't get it out. I could call her right now.."
"Hey, Willow!" Dawn said, hugging Willow/Warren.
"What happened?" Anya asked as everyone inched closer.
"I don't know. We were there, and then I looked like him." Willow/Warren said.
"Oh, like a glamour."
"Maybe, but I probably brought it on myself."
"What makes you think that?" Faith asked.
"Well, it wouldn't be the first time. I have a history with my witchy subconscious making things go kerfloopey. Remember the wacky 'I can't see you, you can't see me' spell?"
"Not really."
"Oh, that's because you weren't back yet." The whole time Faith and Willow/Warren had been talking, Andrew and Dawn had started to poke at her/him.
"Guys!"
"It's so real." Andrew said, backing off.
"I'm all too aware." Willow/Warren said, brushing away Dawn's hand.
"Ok, say you're right, and you did do this to yourself. Why would your subconscious turn you into Warren?" Faith asked.
"Obviously because I feel bad-about killing him."
"We'll deal. We'll get help."
"No, I can handle this."
"On your own? Why?"
"I did it. I'll fix it. I don't want you seeing me this way anyway." Willow/ Warren walked toward the door.
"It's kinda a little late for that."
"Seriously, I'm not posing any big threat to the world. Looks like you've got your hands full already." Faith looked over at Spike. He was on the floor twitching. "I'll go, I'll handle it, I'll fix it, I'll be back before you even know I'm gone. Promise." Willow/Warren left.
"Spike." Faith said, kneeling by his side.
"Faith.." Spike groaned.
"I'm right here."
"The chip fired again."
"I kinda figured. Maybe they'll call back. Maybe they'll send help."
"Maybe we can't wait."
Faith stared at him. "What do you suggest?"
An hour later, Spike led Faith through the woods. They each held a flashlight. Spike stopped and looked at her. "Are you sure you still wanna go in this place with me?"
"Eh, nothing good on TV tonight." Faith said with a smile.
"Here we are."
"Here we are." Faith said as they kneeled on the ground. "You think the stuff's still good?"
"I don't know." Spike dug through the dirt. "Worked pretty good when the Initiative held me captive here. Every time I'd get a little.. rambunctious, the chip'd kick in. I'd feel like my head was gonna explode. They'd dope me up, and everything would be all daffodils and teddy bears. For a couple of hours anyway."
"Maybe we should search for files and stuff. Find out everything we can about the chip-shelf life."
"I'll take whatever I can get." He grabbed a chain in the dirt.
Faith grabbed the chain with him. "Ready?"
"Yeah."
Together they pulled on the chain. It was connected to a metal grate. The thing came up easily with the two of them tugging on it. Faith and Spike jumped down through the opening in the ground into a dark hallway. They started to walk and Spike started to tell her the story of what had happened there three years ago. Faith followed a little ways behind, becoming a little freaked out.
"Be careful." Faith said just as she stepped on something. She shined her flashlight on rotting bodies on the floor. "Oh, God. They just left them."
"They just sealed the place off. Left everything as it was." Spike said.
"I'm thinking brief stay."
"Yeah, you're not wrong." He shined his light on a door. "I think I can get us to the med lab, find the drug."
Spike walked to the door and opened it. Faith went through it first, followed by Spike. The door opened to an area lit dimly by red lights that lead to a large, dark room. Faith and Spike walked slowly through the room when they heard a noise behind them. They turned their flashlights to investigate, but they didn't see anything there. Faith sighed and turned to follow Spike. They walked through the large, dark room side by side. Something made a sound like groaning metal. They both stopped in their tracks, putting their backs together.
"You hear that?" Spike asked.
"Yeah." Faith answered, looking around.
"Think something survived?"
"Sounds like."
"You see where?"
"No, it sounded like it was coming from over there. Whatever it is, it's not.." Faith was cut off by something whooshing behind them. They turned to look, but saw nothing. They continued walking around. From out of nowhere, something grabbed Faith. She dropped her flashlight.
"Faith!" Spike yelled. He jumped into action, fending the demon off and away from Faith. Suddenly, his chip went off again. "Not now.." He collapsed to the floor.
"Spike!" Faith yelled.
The demon dropped Faith and went to Spike, grabbing him by the heel and dragging him out of the room. Faith grabbed her flashlight and went to follow.
"Great. I've never been in this stupid place and my tour guide had to get taken away. I'm not coming back here, that's for sure. Maybe I should ask for my money back. Spike!" Faith called. Suddenly, the demon pounced on Faith. She grabbed a nearby snow shovel and swung it at the demon. He threw her across the room. She got up and kicked at it with both feet, pushing it away. When it came at her again, she thrust the shovel into the demon's chest. It growled and fell to the floor. Faith dropped the shovel and went to Spike. "Hey. Are you still with us?"
"Yeah.." Spike said.
"That guy was.." The lights came on in the room, and Faith looked up at a half-dozen army men pointing guns at her and Spike. "Just the beginning."
"What's happening?"
"Faith." The lead man said. "Agent Finn reported that you tried to contact him earlier today."
"I knew it! Faith whispered to Spike. "Government conspiracy."
The man waved the other soldiers off. They put down their guns. "He indicated you might be needing our assistance. We're to provide you anything you need to help ass-face here." Faith and Spike stared at him. "Those were his exact words, ma'am."
Faith looked down at Spike. "Ok, take him."
The soldiers helped Spike to stand and then led him to an examination room. Faith followed them, but the lead soldier shut the door before she could enter. Frustrated, she started to pace. She didn't know how long it had been when the lead guy came back out.
"Med team tells me they took a look at the chip. You were right. It's degraded. Leave it as it is much longer, it'll be fatal to him." Lead guy said.
"Ok. So, how long t.." Faith started.
"Now."
"Right, of course. Um, what do we do next?"
"Agent Finn said it was your call, ma'am."
"My.. What was my call?"
"All decisions regarding Hostile 17 are to be left in your hands. This chip.. we can either repair it.. Or remove it."
Faith stared at the lead soldier. She didn't know what to do. Buffy would probably have a heart attack if Faith had the chipped removed. They ALL would have a heart attack. It was Spike! Spike had done horrible things to all of them before he had gotten his chip. Spike had done horrible things to a lot of people before he had gotten his chip.
On the other hand, Spike had his soul. Just like Angel. Angel hadn't been able to kill people after getting his soul back. He had felt so guilty about it that it had driven him to live like a homeless person. His soul was stronger than Spike's soul was before they were changed though. Spike had been a poet-writing, lover boy while Angel had been a womanizing, drunk. Spike had been driven insane. Crawling around in high school basements and blabbing on about hurting Faith and all the people he had killed.
What was a Slayer to do?
