THREE STRIKES
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.
CHAPTER 12-COMING TO TERMS-AN OLD FRIEND
It took Faith several nerve-wracking seconds to get her mind back in working order again. After the doctor's announcement her body and mind had gone into a system wide emergency shutdown. When she glanced down quickly Faith was shocked to see how white her knuckles had become and the fact that if she didn't let go of the sides of the bed within the next few seconds then she'd have quite the hospital bill on her hands. She nervously let go of the side of the bed and ran her hands through her hair before they seemed to possess a mind of their own and they guided themselves to her stomach. At her side Cordelia sat in a state of shock nearly as far along. Cordelia snapped back to reality first and thanked the doctor before hurrying to usher him out of the room, using the excuse that the two needed some time alone to talk.
"Uh Faith…earth to Faith…," Cordy asked softly with a worried look on her face as she slowly crept back towards Faith, who seemed to be in a daze. As Cordelia got closer she began to hear a faint sound. Confused as to what it was she kept closer until she discovered that the sound was Faith softly whispering the diagnosis to herself.
"What am I going to do…I'm a slayer I can't be pregnant…," Faith moaned with a worried frown on her face as she half glanced up at Cordelia before returning her focus to the tops of her shoes.
"What does being a slayer have to do with being pregnant…Faith look at me…look at me…eyes up here…," Cordelia said with at first a slightly confused look on her face before her expression changed to a stern one as Faith looked up at her. "That's better…it doesn't matter that you're the slayer Faith…you're still human…and last time I checked when human women sleep with human men getting pregnant was a distinct possibility," Cordelia added with a serious and somewhat somber look on her face as she pulled the chair closer to the bed.
"Yeah but…what's Wes going to say…and Angel…," Faith asked with a worried but also slightly angry at the world scowl on her face as she rummaged around in her pocket for the pack of gum that she had put there earlier.
"Wesley will be tickled pink…or whatever color the English turn when they're tickled…and the only thing that you have to worry about with Angel is that he doesn't buy every baby item from here to New York like he did with Connor," Cordelia replied with a look on her face that told Faith that the former cheerleader was confident in her words.
"I wonder how they're doing right now…maybe I should call Wesley…," Faith asked with a deep in thought frown on her face as she slid off of the bed and looked at her profile in the full length mirror nearby.
"Nah…those guys are probably already on their way back to the Hyperion…," Cordelia answered with the best look of hope on her face that she could manage even though there was a nagging little voice in the back of her head that scared the hell out of her with what it was saying.
* * * * * *
"Cut the head off right…," Gunn asked with a nervous scowl on his face as he and Wesley backed up against each other in the hope that the zombies wouldn't be able to catch them by surprise no matter which way they came from.
"Yes…and don't hesitate to do it…even if you think that you recognize one of them…because they won't hesitate to kill you…," Wesley replied with an emotionless look on his face as he held his axe up in front of him, trying to quell the well of fear that was residing in the pit of his stomach.
"Guess you're getting a chance for a little payback…," Gunn joked with an unconfident smirk on his face as the first zombie stumbled around the corner at the far end of the hall and spotted them.
"A cashier's check would have sufficed…," Wesley mumbled back before his attention was placed far ahead of him as at his end of the hallway the zombies had already rounded the corner and were lurching their way forward.
Gunn started to say something in return but he stopped short as a door only a few feet in front of him flew open and a gaggle of zombies ambled out. Not wanting to get overrun Gunn charged into the oncoming horde of zombies, hacking and slashing at anything that moved with his axe. A few feet away Wesley took a very similar approach, although Wesley fought smart, only attacking certain zombies so that when it went down it'd take a few others with it and save him the effort. Even though both Wesley and Gunn were good fighters there were just to many zombies and before long the two began to tire. They ended up back to back again and breathing heavily, with the zombies closing in from all directions.
Angel and Connor had fared better in the early going of their fight with the zombies that lurched after them. Angel had hacked into the first few zombies to come his way and ended up actually getting ahead of the onslaught for a few seconds before the sheer number of zombies pushed him back towards Connor. For his part Connor had at first gotten himself into a bit of trouble as he had rolled under an arm and found himself surrounded by angry zombies. Not letting his fear control him Connor attacked any zombie that came near him with almost a savage fury. A few minutes later he had forced a way out of his predicament and was back fighting at his father's side. As he continued to fight Angel swept his gaze all over the hallway and the surrounding area. He tried desperately to find a way out of the fight before he and Connor were overrun and killed. Finally looking up Angel took a chance on a wild hair and jumped straight up into the ceiling, knocking aside the lightweight panel and hoisting himself up and out of the fight. Going more on instinct than anything else Angel yelled down to Connor to follow him up into the ceiling. Connor looked up with a puzzled expression on his face at first before he decapitated one final zombie and followed Angel's example and leapt up into the ceiling and away from the murderous zombies.
* * * * * *
Even though he had only gone down a few flights of stairs Lindsey now found himself to be almost completely out of breath. Sweat ran in rivers down his back and forehead, stinging his eyes and causing him to stop every few steps to try and catch his breath. He was glad that he hadn't met up with anymore security patrols but his paranoia about how easy his escape had been had only continuously built upon itself. He finally went as far as he thought he could before he decided to try to figure out which floor he was on. He painfully made his way over to the door before opening it just a crack and instantly shutting and locking it as he caught sight of the zombies milling about just on the other side of the door, now alerted to his presence. His mind raced as he feverishly tried to figure out what to do next, he knew that the stairs weren't an option because he knew that he didn't possess the strength require to make it down them and the elevator was an unlikely choice as well because he bet that a security detail would be waiting for him no matter which floor he got off on.
He finally decided that he could at least descend a few more flights of stairs before he made up his mind. But as he began to stagger towards the top step the ceiling above him broke open and he was knocked unconscious by the two bodies that crashed down on top of him.
"Lindsey…guess we don't have to look for you anymore…," Angel said sarcastically under his breath before his attention was diverted upwards as the army of zombies on the other side of the door gave it another go and knocked the door off of its hinges.
* * * * * *
"Ah Los Angeles…the city of angels…," Arthur nearly shouted with a huge smirk on his face as the skyscrapers and bright lights of the city came into view.
"Should we wake those two…," Oz asked with a sly smirk on his face as he nodded his head towards the backseat. Even though the two had vowed that they would stay awake first Groo and then Kate had succumbed to the sandman. Arthur quickly stifled a laugh as he moved the rearview mirror so that he could get a good look. Groo had slumped down in his seat and rested his chin on one shoulder with his arm around Kate, who had inadvertently ended up with her head resting on Groo's other shoulder. The two looked happy but would probably bolt apart the moment they realized the position that they were currently in.
"Nah let em sleep…they look so cute together…," Arthur snickered softly over to Oz, who smiled and nodded his head before turning his attention back to the traffic ahead.
"But to be safe we'd better wake them up before we get to Angel's…," Oz added with a short snicker before he rolled down the window and surfed the breeze with his right hand.
"So is this Angel as good as everyone seems to think that he is," Arthur asked with a bored frown on his face as he pulled the car to a stop in front of a just red traffic light.
"What do you mean as good as everyone seems to think he is…," Oz asked with a perplexed look on his face as he turned away from the window.
"I didn't mean anything derogatory by it…I just meant that from what I've heard about Angel he seems to be able to do anything he wants…even fly…," Arthur replied with a slightly embarrassed smile on his face before Oz sighed and suppressed a quick laugh.
"Well sorry but he can't fly…unless he's grown wings…that'd just be freaky…," Oz said with a snicker as he turned back towards the open window and watched a few cars trying to find a parking spot in a parking lot nearby.
"Working at Wolfram and Hart I've seen a lot of freaky things…most that I couldn't even tell my wife or family about…to top secret, that's how I found out about you three…or at least that's how this all started," Arthur said with a sad look of nostalgia on his face before the light turned green and he directed the car forward.
"So what are you going to do when we get to Angel's, I mean Groo, Kate, and I already know him and he'll help us with whatever Wolfram and Hart did to us but what are you going to do…because I don't think that you'll ever be able to go back to work where…," Oz said with a confused and somewhat concerned look on his face as he checked his watch and wondered how much longer the trip was going to take.
"I don't know…I just have a funny feeling…you know almost like a promotion that I'm not long for this world…," Arthur answered with an emotionless look on his face as he turned his turning signal on and changed lanes.
"Freaky…," Oz mumbled with a nervous and somewhat scared look on his face as Arthur drove on through the night.
* * * * * *
Cordelia and Faith walked nervously into the waiting room to it full of people. They first went to the front desk so that Faith could get a bunch of pregnancy pamphlets that the doctor had told her about. Initially Faith had vehemently refused to get the pamphlets saying that they were a waste of time but Cordelia had been able to talk her into at least picking them up, even if in the end she only used them as kindling. The two had to look for around for a few minutes before spotting Elaine and Fred sitting near the exit.
"So how'd it go…what's the good word…," Fred asked meekly with an extremely nervous look on her face as she cringed slightly and backed away, as if she expected Faith to attempt to bite her head off.
"I'm fine…it's nothing…really…," Faith mumbled softly with a hint of anger in her voice as she crossed her arms and looked away.
"Hold on there sister…you're not getting out of it that easily…or rogue slayer here's pregnant…nine months away from diapers and baby wipes," Cordelia exclaimed with an overly excited smile on her face as she nearly began to hop up and down.
"Thanks a lot Cor…," Faith mumbled angrily before she was interrupted by an exuberant shout from Fred.
"Congratulations…," Fred shouted in glee before she surged forward and gathered a startled Faith into a very tight bear hug.
"F…Fred…get off…me," Faith growled in only a half angry tone of voice as she nervously pushed the excited Texan away.
"Sorry…silly me…you're not the touchy feely type, you're the tough guy type that has no emotions…," Fred said with an embarrassed look on her face as she shrank back a bit away from Faith and stared at her shoes.
"Damn straight…no…I mean…," Faith stammered back in reply proudly at first before her newfound strong conscience reared it's head and made her regret her initial response.
"I think what Faith means Fred is that she's still in a state of shock over the fact that she's pregnant and how Wesley will take it, she's afraid that he won't be happy," Cordelia said with a look of disbelief on her face as she crossed her arms and looked away slightly.
"I don't think you have to be worried about how Wesley will react Faith…if I know Wesley even an iota as much as I think I do then he'll be thrilled that you're pregnant," Fred said with a look that was full of hope as she nodded her head several times as if to try and further emphasize the point that she was trying to make.
"Well whatever's going to happen it won't happen here…c'mon let's go before I get a ticket," Cordelia said with a frustrated frown on her face before she ushered Faith out of the hospital.
* * * * * *
Wesley and Gunn tried their best to fend off the advancing army of bloodthirsty zombies, but because of the fact that they had been battling as ferociously as they could their energy had soon dwindled. They kept together, back to back, hacking off any limb or head that came to close as the ring of zombies around them began to slowly tighten up upon them. Both men had received numerous cuts and scrapes, but both had been lucky and careful enough so as to not allow the zombies to bite them. Gunn had come close a couple of times but Wesley had thought fast and pulled him back out of the way. By now both of their axes were covered in blood and other various body fluids.
"This is getting out of hand…," Gunn shouted sarcastically before he swung his axe and decapitated another zombie.
"No argument here…but I don't see a way out of here unless something miraculous were to happen and the zombies…," Wesley started to say with a grim scowl on his face before the zombies suddenly stopped their assault and formed rigid lines up against each wall.
"Hey…I…I…don't like this…," Gunn started to stammer out with a look of dark foreboding on his face before two large demons stepped around the corners at each end of the hallway. "Who the hell are these guys…," Gunn asked with a growing look of concern on his face as the two demons curled their lips up into a slight grin and began to advance towards Wesley and Gunn.
"Kungai demons…of Asian origin…very large, powerful, and deadly…whatever you do don't let them get near you with that horn on the top of their heads…it's their tack horn…it's used to suck out the life essence of the victim," Wesley replied with a slightly nostalgic frown on his face and look in his eyes before Gunn interrupted.
"Okay so we know who these guys are…now how do we kill them…," Gunn asked with an impatient shout as he tried to appear as menacing as he could to the Kungai advancing towards him.
"Honestly…I don't have a clue…when Angel and I faced a Kungai demon shortly after I arrived in Los Angeles it's tack horn had already been removed and it was bleeding to death…I don't see how we could…," Wesley answered with a very grim scowl on his face as he feigned a couple of advances towards the Kungai demon that was stalking towards him. Just as the Kungai demon was about to attack Gunn the ceiling above it caved in and Gunn and Wesley were barely able to move before they saw a flash of steel and the demon's head rolling along the ground.
"Maybe we could just try cutting their heads off…that seems to work…," Angel quipped with a sly smirk on his face before he turned sharply and pulled Wesley out of the way of the Kungai demon's first attack.
"Yeah but there's a lot more of them…," Gunn shouted in alarm as several more Kungai demons rushed around the corner, followed closely behind by a couple of vampires that Angel could have sworn that he had seen before.
"We have to figure out where all of these zombies and demons are coming from…," Wesley added with a very grim and slightly angry scowl on his face as he raised his axe and feigned a charge towards the nearest Kungai demon.
"We're a little busy right now Wes…maybe we should wait for the deep inspired discussion portion of the night…," Angel interrupted with an impatient look on his face as one of the vampires walked to the front of the group and smiled.
"Hello Angelus…it's good to see you again…," The vampire said with a delighted sneer on its face as Angel stared on in shock.
"It can't be…Penn…," Angel gasped out breathlessly as Penn began to laugh arrogantly and crossed his arms.
"But Kate drove a stake through your heart years ago…how…," Wesley asked with a confused and growing scowl of concern on his face as he shared a quick nervous look with Angel.
"That she did…but the bitch got lucky…this time that fate will be yours…," Penn replied with a look that seemed to say that he was supremely confident in his grasp of the situation.
"Wait…if he got staked then how'd he come back…," Gunn interjected growing more concerned by the minute at the familiarity between Penn and Angel.
"Wolfram and Hart…those bloody bastards did it again…," Wesley snapped angrily before sighed nervously and shook his head.
"Then I guess that means that I get a second chance to kill you…," Angel remarked with a forced cocky grin on his face before Penn unfolded his arms and he, the other vampire, and the Kungai demons charged down the hall towards Wesley, Gunn, and Angel.
* * * * * *
"Hey you guys wake up…we're here," Oz whispered loudly with a sly smile on his face as he reached back over the seat and shook Kate softly by the shoulder. Groggily her eyes flittered open before she noticed the position that she was in and her eyes grew wide before she bolted upright.
"Oz…why didn't you…," Kate demanded angrily as she tried to regain her composure while Groo lazily opened an eye and took a look around.
"Have we arrived at the hotel," Groo asked politely as he sat up and looked around while Oz turned around and suppressed a laugh.
"Yep…we're here, let's go…," Arthur said with an excited smile on his face before he turned the car off and got out.
"Hey wait for us," Kate shouted in some bit of alarm as she opened her door and quickly followed after Arthur.
"I do not understand that woman," Groo said softly with a completely perplexed frown on his face before he yawned deeply.
"Join the club pal…join the club…," Oz muttered back with a cheesy smile on his face before and Groo got out of the car and followed Arthur and Kate into the Hyperion.
END OF CHAPTER 12