Blood Tears 19 - Broken Hearts
Faith's head shot up and turned in the direction of the library double- doors. She began to stand, her eyes shining. "Xander!"
The door crashed open, bringing everybody else to their feet. Through it came a haunted looking Xander carrying a crumpled body in his arms. The brunette raced up to embrace her boyfriend only for him to sidestep her. Hurt and bewildered, she watched as he walked over to his friends, the icy cold expression on his face discouraging any questions.
The newly made vampire gently placed the body on one of the couches. Willow let out a gasp. "Amy!"
"Yeah," Xander stopped speaking for a second. "She's in a pretty bad way. She saw me kill Harmony and then I," the youth choked back a sob, "I raped her."
Oh no wonder he couldn't look her in the eye. Wanting to comfort him, to tell him that she still loved him, Faith reached out to hug him from behind. And flew across the room to land in a stunned heap when her boyfriend spun round and smashed a left hook into her jaw. She looked up at her cold-eyed boyfriend with a mixture of anguish and fear. But he couldn't, he had a soul, and yet he was striding towards her with a stake in hand.
"You damn whore," the youthful vampire grated. "How sick are you? Using me to ease your guilt over the brother you tortured and murdered nearly three hundred years ago. I'm sick of your games you slut!"
Whore. Slut. Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard herself called names she'd never dreamed her Xander would use to describe her. It wasn't true, she loved him, he was the only man she'd ever loved and he hated her. If he wanted to kill her let him, she couldn't, wouldn't, fight him.
"Xander! Calm down!" the Watcher grabbed at the newly-made vampire's shoulder. Xander let out a low growl before slamming his elbow into the Watcher's face, sending him crashing into the bookcase behind him collapsing it under the impact.
The vampire stood over Faith's crumpled body. She started to close her eyes, readying herself for the impact of the stake. "No!" Kendra hit Xander at shoulder-height sending the pair of them crashing to the floor. Xander let out an enraged roar and threw the Slayer off him before jumping to his feet, staring a hole through Faith, leaping through the window, and rushing off.
Buffy ran over to Kendra, pulling her fellow Slayer to her feet. "Kendra, you and Jonathan look after Faith. The rest of you help Giles. I'm going after Xander."
"Buffy, please." Faith wiped at her eyes. "P.please don't hurt him."
The Slayer smiled reassuringly. "I won't hurt him."
* * *
"Much," Buffy muttered as she dropped through the window and out into the school grounds. In the distance she could see the rapidly receding figure of Xander. Cursing, she set off after him. After a few minutes she caught up to him. Grabbing his shoulder, she spun him round and ducked under his right cross before delivering a kick to the vampire's knee that sent him down to the ground. "Don't try and get up Xander," she warned coldly, her cool eyes betraying none of the pain she felt. "I don't want to have to hurt you."
"Hurt me?" the newly-turned vampire laughed bitterly. "I seriously doubt anything you could say or do would add much to the pain I'm already in. In the past three days I've found the woman I loved was with me out of guilt, been raped and murdered, turned into a vampire, and I've raped and murdered. Throw in the conscience with a shit-load of guilt thrown in for free courtesy of Willow Express, the Wicca gift service that just keeps on giving, and I've had a bitch of a three days."
The Slayer's face nearly crumpled at the misery she heard in her friend's voice. "I can't help you with most of that stuff, but she loves you Xand."
"Love!" Xander laughed harshly, his eyes flickered golden for a second reminding the Slayer of her friend's new condition. "And what the hell would a slut who's spent the last century screwing man, woman, beast, and demon for cash know about love? Hell, if I'd saved up my birthday and Christmas money I could have probably hired her and a friend - twice the fun and none of the lies."
Enraged, Buffy drove a foot into the vampire's stomach, cracking ribs. "If I had some holy water right now," she fumed. "You have no idea do you? After you left just then, after Kendra had stopped you from killing her, do you know what she said? 'Please don't hurt him'."
"No you've no idea Buff. Do you know why that slut got off her back and came to Sunnydale?" the vampire grimaced. "Because I reminded her of her brother. This is the boy who died at his sister's hands, the same sister who tore his virginity from him before making him watch as his parents were killed, then making him beg for his life before painting the walls of his backwoods cabin with his blood. Oh yeah, Angelus can't half paint a picture with a few words. That's the cold-hearted bitch I shared a bed with, made what I thought was love to. Somebody who was with me out of guilt."
"Guilt?" Buffy crouched over the crumpled vampire. "Maybe that's why she came her. But she took you into her home to protect you from your father because she cared. She trained you, even let you move Kendra into her home because she cared. She even defied her own Sire to protect you. That's not guilt Xander, that's love. And the last three days," Buffy shuddered at the recent memory. "When she found out you'd been kidnapped she really messed up Willy's."
"With all her experience with them you'd think she'd do a better job."
Buffy's fist slammed into the new vampire's mouth, snapping his head back. "I'm cutting you some slack because of what's happened but keep pushing and you're going to end up slain, promise or no promise."
"Gee, another woman who lies," Xander snorted bitterly, "imagine my surprise."
This time Buffy chose to ignore Xander's comment. "I wasn't happy when I found out about you two, but any fool can see she loves you. Each night she's torn through the city. Every demon or crook in the city stays in at night now for fear they'll run into her. And during the day Giles has been so worried about her, he's had Kendra and I off school to watch her in case she does something stupid."
"Like forget to charge?" the vampire pulled himself upright and started to stagger away from her. "Tell the bitch I said go to hell."
"Where are you going?" the Slayer hurried after the vampire.
"Well it's obvious you won't let me slay Faith without going through both you and Kendra. And if I could, which I couldn't, she's not worth it. So I'm going to kill my sire."
"What!" Buffy grabbed her friend's bicep and spun him round to face him. "Are you crazy? He's over 400 years old and has 20 plus vamps backing him up. You'll be killed!"
"You're forgetting I'm already dead."
Xander pulled away from her, his eyes determined he continued on his way. Buffy moved smoothly into action, sweeping the vampire's leg from underneath him, sending him crashing to the road's gravely surface. Before her friend had a chance to recover, Buffy brought her foot down hard on the man's head knocking him out. "Sorry Xand, can't let you go." Grunting slightly at the effort she lifted the limp body onto her shoulder.
* * *
Faith tensed as Xander's eyes flickered unsteadily open. She'd been shocked and angered when Buffy had carried a beaten and battered Xander back to the library but then relieved when the blonde had explained what Xander had planned to do. Face Angelus? A newly turned vampire, especially one sired by him, would have been torn to pieces.
After a brief discussion it was agreed that she and the two Slayers would take Xander back to the mansion while Giles and the others would take Amy to the hospital before meeting up with them at the mansion. And now he was awake.
Forcing a smile, she approached his bed and reached across to stroke his cheek only for his hand to snap up and grab her hand in a vice-like grip. "Don't," growled Xander, his eyes glittering.
"Xander please," she looked at her boyfriend with hurt in her liquid eyes. She could easily have broken his grip despite his newly augmented strength but she couldn't hurt him. "I.I love you."
"Love?" the man laughed bitterly before releasing her arm and forcing her back to her seat with the hatred in his eyes. "You spent a century banging anything that moved, are only with me because of guilt over the brother you tortured and murdered. What the hell do you know about love?"
The vampiress forced herself not to react to the pain her boyfriend's words caused her. "I know I love you more than I ever thought possible," she said softly. "All I want is a chance to explain."
"Fine, then explain."
Faith took an unneeded breath. Unable to meet the loathing she saw in the eyes of the man she loved, she looked down at the floor. "You're at least partially right," she sighed. "Six months ago I was working as a whore in Boston while still wallowing in my guilt. Then this demon called Whistler came to visit me -."
"Client of yours?"
The vampiress closed her eyes for a second before continuing. "He told me that the Powers That Be wanted me to fight on the side of good, to be a Champion like Buffy and Kendra. I refused so he showed me photographs of you all," she paused. "When I saw your photograph, I was freaked. Yeah, I came here 'cause you looked like Bucky."
"I knew it."
"But then I met you. On that first night when you searched for me in the rain because you believed in me, I remember holding you in my arms so frightened that you were going to die but then you insisted we went to the library to warn your friends, because of your loyalty. And then you moved in here with me," she smiled. "And your presence turned it from a house to a home. The last time I laughed before you was at another's pain but now you made me laugh with your puns and stories. Whenever I woke screaming from a nightmare, more often than not you'd be there to check on me. I remember how determined you were in training. And I remember my surprise when you first asked my opinion about something, nobody had ever cared about what I had to say before."
The vampiress looked up at Xander. The newly made vampire's face was expressionless but she could sense the hatred, anger, hurt, and confusion inside him. "That first night we were together was amazing. For the first time somebody was with not just because I was a nice piece of ass but because they cared for me." She wiped at the tears that always appeared at that happy memory. "You do look a lot like Bucky and even share his kindness and sweetness. But you're smarter, more loyal, and determined, and braver than he ever was."
"Don't be too hard on the kid. After all it's hard to be brave when the person you idolise and love most is the one torturing you to death."
Faith gasped in pain at Xander's coldly delivered words. It was over; he'd never love her again. She stepped towards the bed-ridden figure to slap his face only to turn and run out of the room, tears streaking down her face.
* * *
"Oh no."
Giles looked up from the paper he'd been trying without success to read. "Buffy?"
"Xander's awake."
Willow jumped up, a look of excitement on her face. "But that's a good thing!" her face fell, "isn't it?"
"Not if you're Faith," Kendra replied as she practiced stabbing thin air with her stake. "She's crying." She looked towards him, a hopeful expression on her face. "If Xander's hurt her, it's my turn to beat him up right?"
The Watcher blinked. It wasn't too long ago that Kendra had been Xander's biggest fan. Now it seemed she'd transferred her loyalties to Faith. "I think that's perhaps a little drastic," he ignored Kendra's pout. "Buffy, you and Kendra find Faith. Make sure she doesn't attempt to harm herself. I'll go and talk to Xander." He started to rise.
"I'll come with you."
The Watcher smiled at Willow's eagerness. "I'm afraid not," his heart hardened as Ripper took over. "It's time Mr. Harris and I had a man to man chat."
* * *
"Rupert can I have a word?" Giles turned to face the Apache Indian. "Yes Ms. Calendar?"
The woman faltered at the coldness in his voice. "We haven't spoken since you found out about my reason for being here. I need to talk to you, to explain."
"Well I'm afraid I don't have to listen."
He attempted to step around the woman but she blocked his path. "Rupert, I was sent here to spy on Faith, but my feelings for you aren't a lie," the woman hesitated. "I know you've researched the spell my tribe did on Faith and you'll know that only the chief shaman of the tribe can sanction such a spell. I risked the tribal high council's censure by performing the spell without permission but I did it for a lot of reasons, to help Xander, so that neither Buffy nor Kendra would have to slay him, but chiefly I did it for you."
However much he tried to resist the woman's plaintive tone and words tugged at his heart. Finally he nodded brusquely. "I'll think about what you've said," he said,"but no promises."
The woman nodded reluctantly. "All I want is a chance."
* * *
"You bloody idiot!"
Xander glanced up in surprise. He'd been so engrossed in thinking about what Faith had said he'd not noticed Giles' approach. His eyes narrowed at the look on the librarian's face, or should he say Ripper's? "Giles."
"Shut up," barked the Watcher, his eyes cold. "What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at boy? That beautiful woman adores you and you treat her like rubbish you bloody pillock!"
"Now hold on," Xander growled. "You don't have a clue what you're talking about Watcher."
Giles laughed derisively. The demon inside of Xander growled at the disdain he heard in the sound and he started forward only to recoil in fear when Giles produced a cross in one hand and a small crossbow in the other. "Sit down and shut your hole, I'm talking boy. So, Faith spent the last century as a whore? Has she slept around since coming to Sunnydale?"
"No, but -."
"So that's in the past. You've forgiven far worse acts. You've forgiven Cordelia for making your school life a living hell for ten years. You've managed to ignore my own acts of murder and demon summonsing. So what is the problem?"
"She never told me!"
"Maybe she was ashamed. I wasn't exactly proud of Ripper you pillock!"
Xander grimaced, what Giles said was true, but. "That's not the real problem is it though? She's not with me because she loves me; she's with me to ease the guilt over raping, torturing, and killing her brother who happens to look like me!"
Giles shook his head. "Dear god, you're a plonker. When Faith first arrived in town, the day after you moved into her place I came round to give her your adoption papers. While there she told me of your resemblance to her brother. She felt that with you she had a chance to put the past right."
"See, how sick is that? Being with someone because they look like someone you killed?" Xander felt no elation at being proven right only a hollow emptiness. He'd been in love with a lie.
"I hadn't finished. Four weeks later she turned up at my apartment and asked my advice. She told me she'd fallen in love with you. That you made her laugh, listened to her like nobody had ever done before, and that she loved your bravery, loyalty, kindness, and gentleness." The Watcher's face hardened. "These are qualities you are showing precious little of at this moment in time. You are acting like an obnoxious and selfish wanker."
"Now hold on -."
"I accept that you have undergone some drastic changes in the past few days and have uncovered shocking secrets. But your attitude towards a woman who has shown you nothing but love and affection has to change. After tonight, when we've dealt with Angelus, you have to come to a decision. If you don't want to continue your relationship with Faith then that's you choice, you can either move in with me or back into your own house. But before letting Faith go you might want to consider how happy she made you feel. And if you do decide to finish with her, you will act like a gentleman towards her. Otherwise you will be forced to leave."
Xander's eyes glittered. "This is my hometown," he snarled dangerously. "Let the bitch leave."
"'The bitch' has a life here, friends, a home, and a purpose - for the first time she has people who care about her. I wouldn't allow you to ruin that for her, she's not the one behaving abdominally." The Watcher smiled coldly. "Behave yourself and grow up, or you will be slain. If the others won't do it, I'll do it myself."
Faith's head shot up and turned in the direction of the library double- doors. She began to stand, her eyes shining. "Xander!"
The door crashed open, bringing everybody else to their feet. Through it came a haunted looking Xander carrying a crumpled body in his arms. The brunette raced up to embrace her boyfriend only for him to sidestep her. Hurt and bewildered, she watched as he walked over to his friends, the icy cold expression on his face discouraging any questions.
The newly made vampire gently placed the body on one of the couches. Willow let out a gasp. "Amy!"
"Yeah," Xander stopped speaking for a second. "She's in a pretty bad way. She saw me kill Harmony and then I," the youth choked back a sob, "I raped her."
Oh no wonder he couldn't look her in the eye. Wanting to comfort him, to tell him that she still loved him, Faith reached out to hug him from behind. And flew across the room to land in a stunned heap when her boyfriend spun round and smashed a left hook into her jaw. She looked up at her cold-eyed boyfriend with a mixture of anguish and fear. But he couldn't, he had a soul, and yet he was striding towards her with a stake in hand.
"You damn whore," the youthful vampire grated. "How sick are you? Using me to ease your guilt over the brother you tortured and murdered nearly three hundred years ago. I'm sick of your games you slut!"
Whore. Slut. Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard herself called names she'd never dreamed her Xander would use to describe her. It wasn't true, she loved him, he was the only man she'd ever loved and he hated her. If he wanted to kill her let him, she couldn't, wouldn't, fight him.
"Xander! Calm down!" the Watcher grabbed at the newly-made vampire's shoulder. Xander let out a low growl before slamming his elbow into the Watcher's face, sending him crashing into the bookcase behind him collapsing it under the impact.
The vampire stood over Faith's crumpled body. She started to close her eyes, readying herself for the impact of the stake. "No!" Kendra hit Xander at shoulder-height sending the pair of them crashing to the floor. Xander let out an enraged roar and threw the Slayer off him before jumping to his feet, staring a hole through Faith, leaping through the window, and rushing off.
Buffy ran over to Kendra, pulling her fellow Slayer to her feet. "Kendra, you and Jonathan look after Faith. The rest of you help Giles. I'm going after Xander."
"Buffy, please." Faith wiped at her eyes. "P.please don't hurt him."
The Slayer smiled reassuringly. "I won't hurt him."
* * *
"Much," Buffy muttered as she dropped through the window and out into the school grounds. In the distance she could see the rapidly receding figure of Xander. Cursing, she set off after him. After a few minutes she caught up to him. Grabbing his shoulder, she spun him round and ducked under his right cross before delivering a kick to the vampire's knee that sent him down to the ground. "Don't try and get up Xander," she warned coldly, her cool eyes betraying none of the pain she felt. "I don't want to have to hurt you."
"Hurt me?" the newly-turned vampire laughed bitterly. "I seriously doubt anything you could say or do would add much to the pain I'm already in. In the past three days I've found the woman I loved was with me out of guilt, been raped and murdered, turned into a vampire, and I've raped and murdered. Throw in the conscience with a shit-load of guilt thrown in for free courtesy of Willow Express, the Wicca gift service that just keeps on giving, and I've had a bitch of a three days."
The Slayer's face nearly crumpled at the misery she heard in her friend's voice. "I can't help you with most of that stuff, but she loves you Xand."
"Love!" Xander laughed harshly, his eyes flickered golden for a second reminding the Slayer of her friend's new condition. "And what the hell would a slut who's spent the last century screwing man, woman, beast, and demon for cash know about love? Hell, if I'd saved up my birthday and Christmas money I could have probably hired her and a friend - twice the fun and none of the lies."
Enraged, Buffy drove a foot into the vampire's stomach, cracking ribs. "If I had some holy water right now," she fumed. "You have no idea do you? After you left just then, after Kendra had stopped you from killing her, do you know what she said? 'Please don't hurt him'."
"No you've no idea Buff. Do you know why that slut got off her back and came to Sunnydale?" the vampire grimaced. "Because I reminded her of her brother. This is the boy who died at his sister's hands, the same sister who tore his virginity from him before making him watch as his parents were killed, then making him beg for his life before painting the walls of his backwoods cabin with his blood. Oh yeah, Angelus can't half paint a picture with a few words. That's the cold-hearted bitch I shared a bed with, made what I thought was love to. Somebody who was with me out of guilt."
"Guilt?" Buffy crouched over the crumpled vampire. "Maybe that's why she came her. But she took you into her home to protect you from your father because she cared. She trained you, even let you move Kendra into her home because she cared. She even defied her own Sire to protect you. That's not guilt Xander, that's love. And the last three days," Buffy shuddered at the recent memory. "When she found out you'd been kidnapped she really messed up Willy's."
"With all her experience with them you'd think she'd do a better job."
Buffy's fist slammed into the new vampire's mouth, snapping his head back. "I'm cutting you some slack because of what's happened but keep pushing and you're going to end up slain, promise or no promise."
"Gee, another woman who lies," Xander snorted bitterly, "imagine my surprise."
This time Buffy chose to ignore Xander's comment. "I wasn't happy when I found out about you two, but any fool can see she loves you. Each night she's torn through the city. Every demon or crook in the city stays in at night now for fear they'll run into her. And during the day Giles has been so worried about her, he's had Kendra and I off school to watch her in case she does something stupid."
"Like forget to charge?" the vampire pulled himself upright and started to stagger away from her. "Tell the bitch I said go to hell."
"Where are you going?" the Slayer hurried after the vampire.
"Well it's obvious you won't let me slay Faith without going through both you and Kendra. And if I could, which I couldn't, she's not worth it. So I'm going to kill my sire."
"What!" Buffy grabbed her friend's bicep and spun him round to face him. "Are you crazy? He's over 400 years old and has 20 plus vamps backing him up. You'll be killed!"
"You're forgetting I'm already dead."
Xander pulled away from her, his eyes determined he continued on his way. Buffy moved smoothly into action, sweeping the vampire's leg from underneath him, sending him crashing to the road's gravely surface. Before her friend had a chance to recover, Buffy brought her foot down hard on the man's head knocking him out. "Sorry Xand, can't let you go." Grunting slightly at the effort she lifted the limp body onto her shoulder.
* * *
Faith tensed as Xander's eyes flickered unsteadily open. She'd been shocked and angered when Buffy had carried a beaten and battered Xander back to the library but then relieved when the blonde had explained what Xander had planned to do. Face Angelus? A newly turned vampire, especially one sired by him, would have been torn to pieces.
After a brief discussion it was agreed that she and the two Slayers would take Xander back to the mansion while Giles and the others would take Amy to the hospital before meeting up with them at the mansion. And now he was awake.
Forcing a smile, she approached his bed and reached across to stroke his cheek only for his hand to snap up and grab her hand in a vice-like grip. "Don't," growled Xander, his eyes glittering.
"Xander please," she looked at her boyfriend with hurt in her liquid eyes. She could easily have broken his grip despite his newly augmented strength but she couldn't hurt him. "I.I love you."
"Love?" the man laughed bitterly before releasing her arm and forcing her back to her seat with the hatred in his eyes. "You spent a century banging anything that moved, are only with me because of guilt over the brother you tortured and murdered. What the hell do you know about love?"
The vampiress forced herself not to react to the pain her boyfriend's words caused her. "I know I love you more than I ever thought possible," she said softly. "All I want is a chance to explain."
"Fine, then explain."
Faith took an unneeded breath. Unable to meet the loathing she saw in the eyes of the man she loved, she looked down at the floor. "You're at least partially right," she sighed. "Six months ago I was working as a whore in Boston while still wallowing in my guilt. Then this demon called Whistler came to visit me -."
"Client of yours?"
The vampiress closed her eyes for a second before continuing. "He told me that the Powers That Be wanted me to fight on the side of good, to be a Champion like Buffy and Kendra. I refused so he showed me photographs of you all," she paused. "When I saw your photograph, I was freaked. Yeah, I came here 'cause you looked like Bucky."
"I knew it."
"But then I met you. On that first night when you searched for me in the rain because you believed in me, I remember holding you in my arms so frightened that you were going to die but then you insisted we went to the library to warn your friends, because of your loyalty. And then you moved in here with me," she smiled. "And your presence turned it from a house to a home. The last time I laughed before you was at another's pain but now you made me laugh with your puns and stories. Whenever I woke screaming from a nightmare, more often than not you'd be there to check on me. I remember how determined you were in training. And I remember my surprise when you first asked my opinion about something, nobody had ever cared about what I had to say before."
The vampiress looked up at Xander. The newly made vampire's face was expressionless but she could sense the hatred, anger, hurt, and confusion inside him. "That first night we were together was amazing. For the first time somebody was with not just because I was a nice piece of ass but because they cared for me." She wiped at the tears that always appeared at that happy memory. "You do look a lot like Bucky and even share his kindness and sweetness. But you're smarter, more loyal, and determined, and braver than he ever was."
"Don't be too hard on the kid. After all it's hard to be brave when the person you idolise and love most is the one torturing you to death."
Faith gasped in pain at Xander's coldly delivered words. It was over; he'd never love her again. She stepped towards the bed-ridden figure to slap his face only to turn and run out of the room, tears streaking down her face.
* * *
"Oh no."
Giles looked up from the paper he'd been trying without success to read. "Buffy?"
"Xander's awake."
Willow jumped up, a look of excitement on her face. "But that's a good thing!" her face fell, "isn't it?"
"Not if you're Faith," Kendra replied as she practiced stabbing thin air with her stake. "She's crying." She looked towards him, a hopeful expression on her face. "If Xander's hurt her, it's my turn to beat him up right?"
The Watcher blinked. It wasn't too long ago that Kendra had been Xander's biggest fan. Now it seemed she'd transferred her loyalties to Faith. "I think that's perhaps a little drastic," he ignored Kendra's pout. "Buffy, you and Kendra find Faith. Make sure she doesn't attempt to harm herself. I'll go and talk to Xander." He started to rise.
"I'll come with you."
The Watcher smiled at Willow's eagerness. "I'm afraid not," his heart hardened as Ripper took over. "It's time Mr. Harris and I had a man to man chat."
* * *
"Rupert can I have a word?" Giles turned to face the Apache Indian. "Yes Ms. Calendar?"
The woman faltered at the coldness in his voice. "We haven't spoken since you found out about my reason for being here. I need to talk to you, to explain."
"Well I'm afraid I don't have to listen."
He attempted to step around the woman but she blocked his path. "Rupert, I was sent here to spy on Faith, but my feelings for you aren't a lie," the woman hesitated. "I know you've researched the spell my tribe did on Faith and you'll know that only the chief shaman of the tribe can sanction such a spell. I risked the tribal high council's censure by performing the spell without permission but I did it for a lot of reasons, to help Xander, so that neither Buffy nor Kendra would have to slay him, but chiefly I did it for you."
However much he tried to resist the woman's plaintive tone and words tugged at his heart. Finally he nodded brusquely. "I'll think about what you've said," he said,"but no promises."
The woman nodded reluctantly. "All I want is a chance."
* * *
"You bloody idiot!"
Xander glanced up in surprise. He'd been so engrossed in thinking about what Faith had said he'd not noticed Giles' approach. His eyes narrowed at the look on the librarian's face, or should he say Ripper's? "Giles."
"Shut up," barked the Watcher, his eyes cold. "What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at boy? That beautiful woman adores you and you treat her like rubbish you bloody pillock!"
"Now hold on," Xander growled. "You don't have a clue what you're talking about Watcher."
Giles laughed derisively. The demon inside of Xander growled at the disdain he heard in the sound and he started forward only to recoil in fear when Giles produced a cross in one hand and a small crossbow in the other. "Sit down and shut your hole, I'm talking boy. So, Faith spent the last century as a whore? Has she slept around since coming to Sunnydale?"
"No, but -."
"So that's in the past. You've forgiven far worse acts. You've forgiven Cordelia for making your school life a living hell for ten years. You've managed to ignore my own acts of murder and demon summonsing. So what is the problem?"
"She never told me!"
"Maybe she was ashamed. I wasn't exactly proud of Ripper you pillock!"
Xander grimaced, what Giles said was true, but. "That's not the real problem is it though? She's not with me because she loves me; she's with me to ease the guilt over raping, torturing, and killing her brother who happens to look like me!"
Giles shook his head. "Dear god, you're a plonker. When Faith first arrived in town, the day after you moved into her place I came round to give her your adoption papers. While there she told me of your resemblance to her brother. She felt that with you she had a chance to put the past right."
"See, how sick is that? Being with someone because they look like someone you killed?" Xander felt no elation at being proven right only a hollow emptiness. He'd been in love with a lie.
"I hadn't finished. Four weeks later she turned up at my apartment and asked my advice. She told me she'd fallen in love with you. That you made her laugh, listened to her like nobody had ever done before, and that she loved your bravery, loyalty, kindness, and gentleness." The Watcher's face hardened. "These are qualities you are showing precious little of at this moment in time. You are acting like an obnoxious and selfish wanker."
"Now hold on -."
"I accept that you have undergone some drastic changes in the past few days and have uncovered shocking secrets. But your attitude towards a woman who has shown you nothing but love and affection has to change. After tonight, when we've dealt with Angelus, you have to come to a decision. If you don't want to continue your relationship with Faith then that's you choice, you can either move in with me or back into your own house. But before letting Faith go you might want to consider how happy she made you feel. And if you do decide to finish with her, you will act like a gentleman towards her. Otherwise you will be forced to leave."
Xander's eyes glittered. "This is my hometown," he snarled dangerously. "Let the bitch leave."
"'The bitch' has a life here, friends, a home, and a purpose - for the first time she has people who care about her. I wouldn't allow you to ruin that for her, she's not the one behaving abdominally." The Watcher smiled coldly. "Behave yourself and grow up, or you will be slain. If the others won't do it, I'll do it myself."