Authors notes: Thanks for all the feedback so far!! Love it!! Keep it up!!
Time for Faith to get into action!!
*****
Faith walked into the Sunnydale highschool with a bright smile, until she saw Willow standing alone. She sneaked to the redheaded girl, and stood silent behind her. Willow suddenly noticed her appearance and turned around, nervously.
"Relax Red, I' m not going to cut you into pieces. Just a little talk."
"Oh, uh, okay!" Willow stumbled.
"I wanna discuss some things with you about X."
Willow still nervous, nodded.
"First I wanna say something I wanna to tell ya already from the beginning." Willow's nervousness grew by this. "You and Xander are the bravest people I have ever met! What you two have faced without running away horrified, is amazing. When I arrived here, you and Xander acted as friends to me. I had a hard time before I came in this doomed town and then suddenly I met two geeks who are braver then I am. It hurt my ego."
Willow nodded, biting nervously on her lower lip.
"It's funny, with Giles and Wesley I used force to talk with them. With you it would be just a waste of energy. You are already scared of me, a knife wouldn't matter." Then Faith went real serious. "I'm only asking you if you know what the term friend means?' she asked calmly.
Willow blinked. "Yes, of course!"
Faith shook her head. "Then why didn't you stand behind X, when he was called the Zeppo or when Giles and Buffy don't even notice him? You know him best! You know his real capabilities, but you still let him alone when it comes to this."
Willow tried to react, but couldn't as she opened and closed her mouth.
"And to Buffy? You know that Angel is dangerous for her, but still you play along with the whole romantic kind of thing. Just afraid of losing your only gal-pal."
Willow blinked again.
"That's all, thanks for listening!" Faith said while walking away.
Willow stood there, shocked.
*****
Giles, Faith and Wesley were sitting around the table in the Library. Xander walked to the tea pot in which he had made tea, and held it above a cup. "Computer, earl grey, tea, hot. Bzzzzzzzz," he mimicked Picard and the replicator, as he filled the cup.
Giles and Wesley looked at him, as if he had gone crazy. Faith just grinned.
Xander stretched his shirt straight and picked up two filled cups.
He place them on the table while he said, "Better then a coffee, huh?" Then he picked up a old book which laid on the table, dusted it off and looked at the title. "'Kepler's Law volumes.' Interested in astrophysics, Giles? It's a bit old, huh? Don't you have any Newton or Einstein?" Xander read and commented. He shook his head and continued. "No, that's even too old. Their theories don't even work out the existence of Wormholes and doesn't describe subspace propulsion." Xander wanted to explain some modern physics, but saw the faces of watchers.
Giles and Wesley looked dazed now. Faith had gained a big smile on her face.
"Ok. G-man. What's with the book?" Xander asked, cursious.
Giles removed his glasses and looked furious at Xander. "Don't ever, I repeat *ever*, use that infernal name for me again."
Xander stared in 'Ripper' eyes and gulped.
Giles calmed himself a bit down and spoke harshly, "How can I ever take you serious if you act like that with the tea or call me that."
Faith eyes darkened at that. Giles sighed. "Now, the reason I asked you two here is first about Wesley and about you two. Now I hate to say it to you, Xander . . ." Faith couldn't stand it anymore. The name Wesley and the disrespect he had shown towards Xander the past ten minutes was too much. She abruptly stood up, showing a blank face, serious.
"Giles, I wish to speak with you in private."
". . . but the way you got her saved was not very smart . . ." Giles looked up at her and watched her in her dark eyes.
Then he looked via Wesley and Xander back to Faith and nodded. Wesley gently touched a scar on his face as they walked out of the room and Faith closed the door, and swallowed as he had recognized those eyes of her and felt sorry for Giles . . .
Giles tried to turn around and to look at her, but before he knew he found himself on the ground. His nose was bleeding. He turned himself around and looked up to Faith. Her eyes were furious and she was aiming a gun at him.
"Three things Giles . . . First: what happened between me and Wes is a matter between us.
"Second: You never gonna talk to or about Xander like that again or I'll kill you! How can you ever expect any respect from him if you aren't able to return it? And about what he has done for this group. What you have done so far, doesn't even come close to Xander's accomplishments.
"Third: Where were you and your high British Noblemen when it was about me? Did you ever try to talk me out of it? Help me? No, Sir! You only care about Buffy and the rest of us isn't of any concern to you." She shook her head in disdain. "Oh, wait. I forgot . . . Willow! The brilliant genius, hacker extraordinary, who might become a Watcher herself. But the others? No it's Buffy! . . . Buffy! . . . Buffy! She is your precious little Slayer and you let me *rot* in my motel! And when I arrived in this goddamned place you didn't even know that I existed! Never came up in your brilliant mind or bothered you that there might be another Slayer running around. A souled vampire and a so called useless goofball were the only ones who tried to help me."
"Now Faith," he stumbled looking scared at the gun, "could you please remove that infernal thing there?"
Faith grinned and instead of removing it she moved it to his kneecaps. "You're right about one thing. I'm still a wicked, out of control and easily pissed off Slayer who is better of dead."
Giles' eyes grew as she slowly moved the trigger. His fears grew fast as he realized that she was having a internal battle.
Faith stared in the face of Giles fighting her urge to shoot until she saw drops of sweat forming on his forehead. She smiled inwardly, but outwardly she was still pissed of. She released some pressure on the trigger as she slowly moved the gun towards his heart and was rewarded with an even highter fear in Giles face as he stopped breathing. Faith waited for some moments. "You watchers have no idea what it is to be a Slayer. The constant fear, watching people suffer and the constant battle for humanity's sake with its only reward: die young and horrible." She stared intensly at him for a moment. "I might be better off dead, but guess what? I don't want to be dead." Her eyes widened and paused for a moment. "You do?" she asked as she pressed the trigger again, watching Giles pale face. She shook her head. "I don't need to kill you." She moved the gun towards his groan."Just have some fun!"
Giles closed his eyes as he waited for the sharp pain. But to his surprise it never came as she spoke again. "This was all I wanted to say. Just keep in mind my promises. And think 'bout what I said. Maybe there is one day in the future that you can understand it." She slowly moved the gun over various body parts, just to see him scared, and then towards her pocket in her leather jacket.
They walked in the library again and Xander looked up. "That was short?" he asked, not even having a clue about what had happened. A pale Giles saw the relieved face of Wesley as he nodded in understanding.
"Just making my point clear, Xan," Faith said, nodding to a somewhat white Giles. "Now where were we," she asked to nobody, "oh, yeah, you wanna say something 'bout Xan?" she asked to Giles.
Giles got the hint. "Uh, yes. Well, I don't have anything to say anymore. Lets discuss the plan."
Xander raised his hand. "I had one thing to mention before we come to that . . . I want to ask you . . . now and not with Buffy, 'cause with this whole cru, uh, cruciamentum thing . . . but . . . Uh, how far can we trust the council?"
*****
After Xander explained his plans Giles took the word.
"This is madness . . ." he gulped as he saw Faith narrowing her eyebrows ". . . Uh, what you want for Cordelia is great . . . But this is a very dangerous plan, Xander. The chances that it fails are huge and . . . uh, well, you're putting a lot of faith in it . . ."
"It's called trust, Giles," Faith commented, "Lets gonna see what the others think of it . . . or don't they count?"
Giles watched her questioning face and nodded. "I will put up a meeting here in twenty minutes, we have a hurry. See if you can find the others."
*****
Xander immedialely left the library, leaving Faith behind him. He walked in the hall in rounds nervous and angry about the disapproval of his plan by Giles, although he understood it perfectly. #Why can't they simply trust her?# His worried thoughts were gently disrupted by a familiar and happy voice.
"Hi, Xander. You know that I'm your best friend, don't you?" Willow asked friendly.
Xander looked a bit surprised. "Yes, of course I know, Wills. Why the sudden question?"
"Uhm, nothing . . . just to wanna hear it, that's all. I, uh, wanna thank you for saving my life from that Bit . . . uh, Faith. She was gonna cut me open like an apple."
Xander showed his lopsided smile. "More like a strawberry or tomato or . . . like an orange . . ."
"Xander!"" Willow snapped.
Xander laughed and slapped his hand on her shoulder.
"No thanks, Wills. You took a lot of risk there to get some info about the Ascension. I'm not gonna let you get killed, by anyone. You know that! What are you doing here, anyway?"
"There are benches set up for the graduation in front of Sunnydale High. I just thought you might wanna know," she said.
"I know, Wills. We have a meeting in twenty minutes in the Library. I will explain everything . . . But that's not why you're here, are you? It's Faith, isn't it? Are you still afraid or mad about her?"
Willow stared at him and slowly nodded. "She's dangerous, Xan! I don't trust her, she is still on my nerves and has this attitude and she's dangerous and she always grins wickedly to me, and I don't trust her, she is too unstable, and she is on my nerves, did I already say that she was dangerous . . ."
"Calm down, Wills! Breath! She is trustworthy, she is just playing with you and yes, her emotions are still unstable, but she will manage. She has to learn to trust you, to know you better. I'm sure that you and her can be friends."
"Friends? Never!"
"Wills! You can trust her. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
"Yes it is! And you should know it. She almost killed you twice!"
Willow stood up and walked away.
"Wills? C'mon, don't be like that! Wills . . ." he tried to say, but she was already gone . . .
Xander walked after her, but was disrupted by Faith. "Hold it, boy toy. I made her angry, so I will resolve it."
"Why did you do that?"
"I had some issues with her. Don't worry, it's not your concern."
"It *is* *my* concern, Faith! She is my childhood friend. I need to talk with her," Xander almost snapped as he walked away.
Faith blinked and then rushed after him. "I'm sorry Xan, for messing up with your friend. I need to solve this. I want to clean up my own mess."
Xander watched her for her intentions and shook his head. "You want to clean up your own mess? So, you do see this as a mess?" he asked with curiosity.
"I . . . it's not what you think, Xan. I don't want to hurt her," she said trying to convince him of her honesty.
"You don't want to hurt her? And what is this?" Xander snapped.
Faith nodded. "I know . . . they all have reasons to mistrust me . . . Willow the most of all. I need to . . . to convince her of my trustworthiness . . . Without your help."
Xander was surprised. "Why? Why not with me?"
"You're already my friend, Xan. My only one! She knows that. You couldn't convince her of my honesty . . . she . . . she is jealous, you are her best friend and now I am in the picture . . . and she is afraid. I wanted to cut her open, remember? . . . I need to see her . . . without you . . . I know she is very important to you, that's why I need your confidence," Faith tried to explain and convince him.
Xander thought for a short time, scanning the honesty on her face. He saw her insistent face and remebered his own words to her. #"I trust you, Faith!"# and felt forced to agree. "Okay, but, please don't be so harsh with her. You think you can do it?" he asked.
"You did trust me, didn't you?" she asked and walked in the direction of where she left as he nodded, hoping she was right.
Xander stood there for a moment and began pacing again, very worried, feeling his hands tied. Everything went out of proportion. First his nightmares, then Giles objecting his plan and now this. He had placed his trust of dealing with the most important thing in his life in the hands of a deadly girl who was a former enemy . . .
The dark Slayer rushed after Willow and saw the little girl from a distance walking, mad. Faith was worried, but then she suddenly smiled.
Willow walked stubbornly towards the girls' room until a person blocked her way which turned her angry face into a surprised one . . .
*****
Faith walked into the Sunnydale highschool with a bright smile, until she saw Willow standing alone. She sneaked to the redheaded girl, and stood silent behind her. Willow suddenly noticed her appearance and turned around, nervously.
"Relax Red, I' m not going to cut you into pieces. Just a little talk."
"Oh, uh, okay!" Willow stumbled.
"I wanna discuss some things with you about X."
Willow still nervous, nodded.
"First I wanna say something I wanna to tell ya already from the beginning." Willow's nervousness grew by this. "You and Xander are the bravest people I have ever met! What you two have faced without running away horrified, is amazing. When I arrived here, you and Xander acted as friends to me. I had a hard time before I came in this doomed town and then suddenly I met two geeks who are braver then I am. It hurt my ego."
Willow nodded, biting nervously on her lower lip.
"It's funny, with Giles and Wesley I used force to talk with them. With you it would be just a waste of energy. You are already scared of me, a knife wouldn't matter." Then Faith went real serious. "I'm only asking you if you know what the term friend means?' she asked calmly.
Willow blinked. "Yes, of course!"
Faith shook her head. "Then why didn't you stand behind X, when he was called the Zeppo or when Giles and Buffy don't even notice him? You know him best! You know his real capabilities, but you still let him alone when it comes to this."
Willow tried to react, but couldn't as she opened and closed her mouth.
"And to Buffy? You know that Angel is dangerous for her, but still you play along with the whole romantic kind of thing. Just afraid of losing your only gal-pal."
Willow blinked again.
"That's all, thanks for listening!" Faith said while walking away.
Willow stood there, shocked.
*****
Giles, Faith and Wesley were sitting around the table in the Library. Xander walked to the tea pot in which he had made tea, and held it above a cup. "Computer, earl grey, tea, hot. Bzzzzzzzz," he mimicked Picard and the replicator, as he filled the cup.
Giles and Wesley looked at him, as if he had gone crazy. Faith just grinned.
Xander stretched his shirt straight and picked up two filled cups.
He place them on the table while he said, "Better then a coffee, huh?" Then he picked up a old book which laid on the table, dusted it off and looked at the title. "'Kepler's Law volumes.' Interested in astrophysics, Giles? It's a bit old, huh? Don't you have any Newton or Einstein?" Xander read and commented. He shook his head and continued. "No, that's even too old. Their theories don't even work out the existence of Wormholes and doesn't describe subspace propulsion." Xander wanted to explain some modern physics, but saw the faces of watchers.
Giles and Wesley looked dazed now. Faith had gained a big smile on her face.
"Ok. G-man. What's with the book?" Xander asked, cursious.
Giles removed his glasses and looked furious at Xander. "Don't ever, I repeat *ever*, use that infernal name for me again."
Xander stared in 'Ripper' eyes and gulped.
Giles calmed himself a bit down and spoke harshly, "How can I ever take you serious if you act like that with the tea or call me that."
Faith eyes darkened at that. Giles sighed. "Now, the reason I asked you two here is first about Wesley and about you two. Now I hate to say it to you, Xander . . ." Faith couldn't stand it anymore. The name Wesley and the disrespect he had shown towards Xander the past ten minutes was too much. She abruptly stood up, showing a blank face, serious.
"Giles, I wish to speak with you in private."
". . . but the way you got her saved was not very smart . . ." Giles looked up at her and watched her in her dark eyes.
Then he looked via Wesley and Xander back to Faith and nodded. Wesley gently touched a scar on his face as they walked out of the room and Faith closed the door, and swallowed as he had recognized those eyes of her and felt sorry for Giles . . .
Giles tried to turn around and to look at her, but before he knew he found himself on the ground. His nose was bleeding. He turned himself around and looked up to Faith. Her eyes were furious and she was aiming a gun at him.
"Three things Giles . . . First: what happened between me and Wes is a matter between us.
"Second: You never gonna talk to or about Xander like that again or I'll kill you! How can you ever expect any respect from him if you aren't able to return it? And about what he has done for this group. What you have done so far, doesn't even come close to Xander's accomplishments.
"Third: Where were you and your high British Noblemen when it was about me? Did you ever try to talk me out of it? Help me? No, Sir! You only care about Buffy and the rest of us isn't of any concern to you." She shook her head in disdain. "Oh, wait. I forgot . . . Willow! The brilliant genius, hacker extraordinary, who might become a Watcher herself. But the others? No it's Buffy! . . . Buffy! . . . Buffy! She is your precious little Slayer and you let me *rot* in my motel! And when I arrived in this goddamned place you didn't even know that I existed! Never came up in your brilliant mind or bothered you that there might be another Slayer running around. A souled vampire and a so called useless goofball were the only ones who tried to help me."
"Now Faith," he stumbled looking scared at the gun, "could you please remove that infernal thing there?"
Faith grinned and instead of removing it she moved it to his kneecaps. "You're right about one thing. I'm still a wicked, out of control and easily pissed off Slayer who is better of dead."
Giles' eyes grew as she slowly moved the trigger. His fears grew fast as he realized that she was having a internal battle.
Faith stared in the face of Giles fighting her urge to shoot until she saw drops of sweat forming on his forehead. She smiled inwardly, but outwardly she was still pissed of. She released some pressure on the trigger as she slowly moved the gun towards his heart and was rewarded with an even highter fear in Giles face as he stopped breathing. Faith waited for some moments. "You watchers have no idea what it is to be a Slayer. The constant fear, watching people suffer and the constant battle for humanity's sake with its only reward: die young and horrible." She stared intensly at him for a moment. "I might be better off dead, but guess what? I don't want to be dead." Her eyes widened and paused for a moment. "You do?" she asked as she pressed the trigger again, watching Giles pale face. She shook her head. "I don't need to kill you." She moved the gun towards his groan."Just have some fun!"
Giles closed his eyes as he waited for the sharp pain. But to his surprise it never came as she spoke again. "This was all I wanted to say. Just keep in mind my promises. And think 'bout what I said. Maybe there is one day in the future that you can understand it." She slowly moved the gun over various body parts, just to see him scared, and then towards her pocket in her leather jacket.
They walked in the library again and Xander looked up. "That was short?" he asked, not even having a clue about what had happened. A pale Giles saw the relieved face of Wesley as he nodded in understanding.
"Just making my point clear, Xan," Faith said, nodding to a somewhat white Giles. "Now where were we," she asked to nobody, "oh, yeah, you wanna say something 'bout Xan?" she asked to Giles.
Giles got the hint. "Uh, yes. Well, I don't have anything to say anymore. Lets discuss the plan."
Xander raised his hand. "I had one thing to mention before we come to that . . . I want to ask you . . . now and not with Buffy, 'cause with this whole cru, uh, cruciamentum thing . . . but . . . Uh, how far can we trust the council?"
*****
After Xander explained his plans Giles took the word.
"This is madness . . ." he gulped as he saw Faith narrowing her eyebrows ". . . Uh, what you want for Cordelia is great . . . But this is a very dangerous plan, Xander. The chances that it fails are huge and . . . uh, well, you're putting a lot of faith in it . . ."
"It's called trust, Giles," Faith commented, "Lets gonna see what the others think of it . . . or don't they count?"
Giles watched her questioning face and nodded. "I will put up a meeting here in twenty minutes, we have a hurry. See if you can find the others."
*****
Xander immedialely left the library, leaving Faith behind him. He walked in the hall in rounds nervous and angry about the disapproval of his plan by Giles, although he understood it perfectly. #Why can't they simply trust her?# His worried thoughts were gently disrupted by a familiar and happy voice.
"Hi, Xander. You know that I'm your best friend, don't you?" Willow asked friendly.
Xander looked a bit surprised. "Yes, of course I know, Wills. Why the sudden question?"
"Uhm, nothing . . . just to wanna hear it, that's all. I, uh, wanna thank you for saving my life from that Bit . . . uh, Faith. She was gonna cut me open like an apple."
Xander showed his lopsided smile. "More like a strawberry or tomato or . . . like an orange . . ."
"Xander!"" Willow snapped.
Xander laughed and slapped his hand on her shoulder.
"No thanks, Wills. You took a lot of risk there to get some info about the Ascension. I'm not gonna let you get killed, by anyone. You know that! What are you doing here, anyway?"
"There are benches set up for the graduation in front of Sunnydale High. I just thought you might wanna know," she said.
"I know, Wills. We have a meeting in twenty minutes in the Library. I will explain everything . . . But that's not why you're here, are you? It's Faith, isn't it? Are you still afraid or mad about her?"
Willow stared at him and slowly nodded. "She's dangerous, Xan! I don't trust her, she is still on my nerves and has this attitude and she's dangerous and she always grins wickedly to me, and I don't trust her, she is too unstable, and she is on my nerves, did I already say that she was dangerous . . ."
"Calm down, Wills! Breath! She is trustworthy, she is just playing with you and yes, her emotions are still unstable, but she will manage. She has to learn to trust you, to know you better. I'm sure that you and her can be friends."
"Friends? Never!"
"Wills! You can trust her. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
"Yes it is! And you should know it. She almost killed you twice!"
Willow stood up and walked away.
"Wills? C'mon, don't be like that! Wills . . ." he tried to say, but she was already gone . . .
Xander walked after her, but was disrupted by Faith. "Hold it, boy toy. I made her angry, so I will resolve it."
"Why did you do that?"
"I had some issues with her. Don't worry, it's not your concern."
"It *is* *my* concern, Faith! She is my childhood friend. I need to talk with her," Xander almost snapped as he walked away.
Faith blinked and then rushed after him. "I'm sorry Xan, for messing up with your friend. I need to solve this. I want to clean up my own mess."
Xander watched her for her intentions and shook his head. "You want to clean up your own mess? So, you do see this as a mess?" he asked with curiosity.
"I . . . it's not what you think, Xan. I don't want to hurt her," she said trying to convince him of her honesty.
"You don't want to hurt her? And what is this?" Xander snapped.
Faith nodded. "I know . . . they all have reasons to mistrust me . . . Willow the most of all. I need to . . . to convince her of my trustworthiness . . . Without your help."
Xander was surprised. "Why? Why not with me?"
"You're already my friend, Xan. My only one! She knows that. You couldn't convince her of my honesty . . . she . . . she is jealous, you are her best friend and now I am in the picture . . . and she is afraid. I wanted to cut her open, remember? . . . I need to see her . . . without you . . . I know she is very important to you, that's why I need your confidence," Faith tried to explain and convince him.
Xander thought for a short time, scanning the honesty on her face. He saw her insistent face and remebered his own words to her. #"I trust you, Faith!"# and felt forced to agree. "Okay, but, please don't be so harsh with her. You think you can do it?" he asked.
"You did trust me, didn't you?" she asked and walked in the direction of where she left as he nodded, hoping she was right.
Xander stood there for a moment and began pacing again, very worried, feeling his hands tied. Everything went out of proportion. First his nightmares, then Giles objecting his plan and now this. He had placed his trust of dealing with the most important thing in his life in the hands of a deadly girl who was a former enemy . . .
The dark Slayer rushed after Willow and saw the little girl from a distance walking, mad. Faith was worried, but then she suddenly smiled.
Willow walked stubbornly towards the girls' room until a person blocked her way which turned her angry face into a surprised one . . .