Part 3
Angel fell to the ground. An arrow stuck out of his chest and he tried to pull it out while he also tried to stand up. Suddenly he felt a foot on his chest pushing him back to the ground. He looked up and saw the wicked grin of the Dark Slayer.
"So 'great actor', how are you doing today. Any other lesson for me to learn?"
Angel's eyes widened and he tried to open his mouth. Faith twisted the arrow a little and Angel restrained himself against a groan.
"Tough, huh? Big boy!" she quipped and turned the arrow a little further.
"What do you want, Faith?" he spoke between his clansed teeth.
Her face turned serious. "You love Buffy, don't you?" she asked.
Angel blinked. "What? Yes, of course."
"And the other way around?" she asked.
Angel eyes narrowed, he thought he knew where this was leading too.
"See, what would she think or do if I finish you off, right now?"
"She would cut your gut open with your own knife!" Angel answered directly, cruelly and harsh.
Faith grinned. She pulled out the arrow and let him free. Angel looked stunned. "How far are you willing to go, to save me Angel?" she asked, seriously her eyes drilling in his, hitting his soul.
"Huh?" was his response, shocked now.
"Yeah, you know. The 'they will try and try again and never give up' sentence," she said mockingly, repeating his own words.
"What do you want, Faith?" he asked ignoring her tone.
"Stand up and fight!" she snapped.
Within the blink of an eye Angel swept out his legs and was standing on his feet. Faith easily dodged his legs and immediately punched him in the stomach, at least she tried. Angel blocked her attack and gave an counter attack by punching his head against her's "Wow, Angel. That's not nice," she quipped.
They fought for a while, until Angel had her in a grip. "Why are you doing this, Faith? You could have killed me when you had the chance."
"Yes, I could!" she answered.
"Why didn't you?" Angel asked.
Faith simply shrugged and then she ripped herself out of his grip. "It's just too easy. Maybe I like to play with my victims first?"
"The Mayor ordered you to kill me, didn't he?"
Faith just shrugged.
"You think this is a game?"
Faith shrugged again.
"People are gonna die, when he performs the Ascension. And you just want to kill me, play with me, to get back at Buffy?" he asked incredulously.
She flashed a wicked smile. "And you."
Angel shook head. "You're so . . . did you play with Xander first?"
Faith looked at him and shook her head. "It's funny that you mention him. I wanted to, but he kept on talking about redemption, honor, friendship. You know, the goody foody thing . . . It made me sick!" She paused a bit and then smiled at him. "Are you gonna try that too?"
Angel looked up into her eyes. The mention of rival made him try more. "You know that you don't have to do this, Faith," he spoke gently. "We can help you."
Faith rolled his eyes. "Oh, man. Can't you guys ever stop?" she snapped, tired of it. She answered him with a punch in his stomach. Angel flew back several yards and felt to ground, holding his stomach. "You don't like Xander, do you? You're jealous of him, hmmm . . . Or do you think he is just a big loser like all the others?" she asked him while he pulled himself on his feet.
Angel frowned and smelled an oppertunity to reach her. "Xander? The others think he was out of his mind for trying to get you back. I don't!"
Faith looked surprised and Angel saw it. "Yes, Faith. When he came first to you, Buffy had tried to talk him out of it, she knew what kind of person you are. Funny that she doesn't know him . . . she thought she had succeeded."
Faith looked even more surprised.
Angel sighed. "I never despised Xander or looked at him as a goofy guy . . . uh, well, that I did. But not as a loser. Yeah, I don't like him, he is huge pain in the ass to me. But he has his reasons for it, and I can understand that. He loves Buffy maybe even more then I do. It frustrates the hell out of him that she chose me above him combined with the fact that he despises me. Which he does for good reasons! He is the only guy who really has dealt with Angelus! He forced me to pull my ass out of the chair and help Buffy from her death with the Master."
Faith stared at him. #Xander was right about him,# she thought.
He continued, "I have never met someone so brave as him. Not only with the fighting evil thing. When I lost my soul, he took over the show. I never got to know him so well during that period. He came up with a plan to destroy the Judge, he saved Buffy at least two times from me. One time she was lying in the hospital, high fever and Willow and Cordelia were with her. He knew I would come. Didn't leave, didn't look for any weapon. He just waited for me to come and tried to talk me out of it!" He shook his head. "He saved myself from killing Buffy, Willow and Cordelia. My only friends ever!" he spoke softly.
Faith was stunned. Not so much about the hospital, but more about the The Judge thing. #Xander came up with that? . . . Damn, I should have known!# she thought while remembering Xander interrupting Buffy's explanation.
"We are rivals, Faith, but it's not as bad as it seems. We both want to be there for the Slayer. That means you too. You don't have to be with the Mayor, we can help. Just trust us . . ."
Faith looked up at him, interrupting him. "So, and how far are you prepared to go?" she growled at him. "Are you gonna kill me for Buffy?" she added to her question.
Angel was shocked about the sudden mention of Buffy. "For Buffy, yes! For myself, no!" he stated firmly.
"Oh, really. Well, let's find out!" and she kicked him to his stomach again. Only this time Angel was prepared and caught her foot, turned it around and swept her back. She made a full back flip and landed on her feet. "Nice try!" she quipped.
"You too," he quipped back. "How far must I go to stop you?" he asked her.
"Well, it depends on you. I heard rumors that if you survive this Mayor thing that you're going to L.A. Hire some people and try to get an investigion bussiness going that fights evil. Must be an hilarious team! I wonder if I may join?" she asked mockingly, grinning. She shook her head. "You think you are a Champion, aren't you? Trying to redeem himself. I guess you should know how much it must take to bring me back." She stared at him for a short while for any reactions and when none came she spoke again. "Lets make it simple. I just wanna know if you are really prepared to die for me? Give me the true answer and I'll let you live. Ok?"
Angel thought for a while, frowning. #I already told her that I would. And I mean it!# "How do you wanna find out?"
She grabbed in her pocked and pulled out a little bottle. "You know what this is?" she asked.
He shook his head. She grinned. "It's poison. It's a mystical compound, called Killer of the Dead. In other words it kills vamps. The Mayor told me that it's wickedly painful."
Angel's eyes widened. "You mean that . . ."
Faith interrupted him. "Yes. It was meant for the tip of the arrow. You would have died in horrible pain, unless . . ." She was silent again.
"Unless what?" he asked, frowning and a bit scared.
She flipped the arrow from the ground with her feet and in one smooth move she caught it. She opened the bottle and dipped its tip in the poison. Angel rushed a sudden attack at her as he realized what she was doing. She simply stepped quickly out of the way and pulled out her foot, tripping him. "Not so fast, fang boy. We were gonna do a test, remember?" she quipped.
She kicked him hard to the side of his chest. He rolled over and was lying on his back. A couple of ribs broken. She pressed him hard down to the ground and held her poisoned arrow against his chest. She looked at him, #Damn, it's more difficult then I thought,# she thought while restraining herself from not pushing the arrow in him. #Stupid bitch would be so horrified . . .#
She pulled herself back, shaking those thoughs out of her head and said, "Now answer me this question. What would Buffy do if I would poison you with this?"
"She would kill you or unless . . ."
"Unless what?"
Angel crowled. "Unless you tell me the unless!"
She grinned widely, realizing what he meant. "Oh? I forgot to tell you," she mockedly said, "There is a cure for the poison. It's very easy actually, you only have to drink the blood from a Slayer . . ."
Angel fell to the ground. An arrow stuck out of his chest and he tried to pull it out while he also tried to stand up. Suddenly he felt a foot on his chest pushing him back to the ground. He looked up and saw the wicked grin of the Dark Slayer.
"So 'great actor', how are you doing today. Any other lesson for me to learn?"
Angel's eyes widened and he tried to open his mouth. Faith twisted the arrow a little and Angel restrained himself against a groan.
"Tough, huh? Big boy!" she quipped and turned the arrow a little further.
"What do you want, Faith?" he spoke between his clansed teeth.
Her face turned serious. "You love Buffy, don't you?" she asked.
Angel blinked. "What? Yes, of course."
"And the other way around?" she asked.
Angel eyes narrowed, he thought he knew where this was leading too.
"See, what would she think or do if I finish you off, right now?"
"She would cut your gut open with your own knife!" Angel answered directly, cruelly and harsh.
Faith grinned. She pulled out the arrow and let him free. Angel looked stunned. "How far are you willing to go, to save me Angel?" she asked, seriously her eyes drilling in his, hitting his soul.
"Huh?" was his response, shocked now.
"Yeah, you know. The 'they will try and try again and never give up' sentence," she said mockingly, repeating his own words.
"What do you want, Faith?" he asked ignoring her tone.
"Stand up and fight!" she snapped.
Within the blink of an eye Angel swept out his legs and was standing on his feet. Faith easily dodged his legs and immediately punched him in the stomach, at least she tried. Angel blocked her attack and gave an counter attack by punching his head against her's "Wow, Angel. That's not nice," she quipped.
They fought for a while, until Angel had her in a grip. "Why are you doing this, Faith? You could have killed me when you had the chance."
"Yes, I could!" she answered.
"Why didn't you?" Angel asked.
Faith simply shrugged and then she ripped herself out of his grip. "It's just too easy. Maybe I like to play with my victims first?"
"The Mayor ordered you to kill me, didn't he?"
Faith just shrugged.
"You think this is a game?"
Faith shrugged again.
"People are gonna die, when he performs the Ascension. And you just want to kill me, play with me, to get back at Buffy?" he asked incredulously.
She flashed a wicked smile. "And you."
Angel shook head. "You're so . . . did you play with Xander first?"
Faith looked at him and shook her head. "It's funny that you mention him. I wanted to, but he kept on talking about redemption, honor, friendship. You know, the goody foody thing . . . It made me sick!" She paused a bit and then smiled at him. "Are you gonna try that too?"
Angel looked up into her eyes. The mention of rival made him try more. "You know that you don't have to do this, Faith," he spoke gently. "We can help you."
Faith rolled his eyes. "Oh, man. Can't you guys ever stop?" she snapped, tired of it. She answered him with a punch in his stomach. Angel flew back several yards and felt to ground, holding his stomach. "You don't like Xander, do you? You're jealous of him, hmmm . . . Or do you think he is just a big loser like all the others?" she asked him while he pulled himself on his feet.
Angel frowned and smelled an oppertunity to reach her. "Xander? The others think he was out of his mind for trying to get you back. I don't!"
Faith looked surprised and Angel saw it. "Yes, Faith. When he came first to you, Buffy had tried to talk him out of it, she knew what kind of person you are. Funny that she doesn't know him . . . she thought she had succeeded."
Faith looked even more surprised.
Angel sighed. "I never despised Xander or looked at him as a goofy guy . . . uh, well, that I did. But not as a loser. Yeah, I don't like him, he is huge pain in the ass to me. But he has his reasons for it, and I can understand that. He loves Buffy maybe even more then I do. It frustrates the hell out of him that she chose me above him combined with the fact that he despises me. Which he does for good reasons! He is the only guy who really has dealt with Angelus! He forced me to pull my ass out of the chair and help Buffy from her death with the Master."
Faith stared at him. #Xander was right about him,# she thought.
He continued, "I have never met someone so brave as him. Not only with the fighting evil thing. When I lost my soul, he took over the show. I never got to know him so well during that period. He came up with a plan to destroy the Judge, he saved Buffy at least two times from me. One time she was lying in the hospital, high fever and Willow and Cordelia were with her. He knew I would come. Didn't leave, didn't look for any weapon. He just waited for me to come and tried to talk me out of it!" He shook his head. "He saved myself from killing Buffy, Willow and Cordelia. My only friends ever!" he spoke softly.
Faith was stunned. Not so much about the hospital, but more about the The Judge thing. #Xander came up with that? . . . Damn, I should have known!# she thought while remembering Xander interrupting Buffy's explanation.
"We are rivals, Faith, but it's not as bad as it seems. We both want to be there for the Slayer. That means you too. You don't have to be with the Mayor, we can help. Just trust us . . ."
Faith looked up at him, interrupting him. "So, and how far are you prepared to go?" she growled at him. "Are you gonna kill me for Buffy?" she added to her question.
Angel was shocked about the sudden mention of Buffy. "For Buffy, yes! For myself, no!" he stated firmly.
"Oh, really. Well, let's find out!" and she kicked him to his stomach again. Only this time Angel was prepared and caught her foot, turned it around and swept her back. She made a full back flip and landed on her feet. "Nice try!" she quipped.
"You too," he quipped back. "How far must I go to stop you?" he asked her.
"Well, it depends on you. I heard rumors that if you survive this Mayor thing that you're going to L.A. Hire some people and try to get an investigion bussiness going that fights evil. Must be an hilarious team! I wonder if I may join?" she asked mockingly, grinning. She shook her head. "You think you are a Champion, aren't you? Trying to redeem himself. I guess you should know how much it must take to bring me back." She stared at him for a short while for any reactions and when none came she spoke again. "Lets make it simple. I just wanna know if you are really prepared to die for me? Give me the true answer and I'll let you live. Ok?"
Angel thought for a while, frowning. #I already told her that I would. And I mean it!# "How do you wanna find out?"
She grabbed in her pocked and pulled out a little bottle. "You know what this is?" she asked.
He shook his head. She grinned. "It's poison. It's a mystical compound, called Killer of the Dead. In other words it kills vamps. The Mayor told me that it's wickedly painful."
Angel's eyes widened. "You mean that . . ."
Faith interrupted him. "Yes. It was meant for the tip of the arrow. You would have died in horrible pain, unless . . ." She was silent again.
"Unless what?" he asked, frowning and a bit scared.
She flipped the arrow from the ground with her feet and in one smooth move she caught it. She opened the bottle and dipped its tip in the poison. Angel rushed a sudden attack at her as he realized what she was doing. She simply stepped quickly out of the way and pulled out her foot, tripping him. "Not so fast, fang boy. We were gonna do a test, remember?" she quipped.
She kicked him hard to the side of his chest. He rolled over and was lying on his back. A couple of ribs broken. She pressed him hard down to the ground and held her poisoned arrow against his chest. She looked at him, #Damn, it's more difficult then I thought,# she thought while restraining herself from not pushing the arrow in him. #Stupid bitch would be so horrified . . .#
She pulled herself back, shaking those thoughs out of her head and said, "Now answer me this question. What would Buffy do if I would poison you with this?"
"She would kill you or unless . . ."
"Unless what?"
Angel crowled. "Unless you tell me the unless!"
She grinned widely, realizing what he meant. "Oh? I forgot to tell you," she mockedly said, "There is a cure for the poison. It's very easy actually, you only have to drink the blood from a Slayer . . ."