Now, there's not enough time to explain in detail everything Nina had Faith
do that week. Faith saved both Xander and Willow's lives (after Nina of
course set up the situation, but no one knew that), helped Buffy beat some
of the oldest demons they had met so far, and had passed the councils
tests. Unfortunately, the council didn't find all that Faith did, to be
enough. In the end they had their meeting. Nina knew there was a meeting
going on at the library that night, but there wasn't much she could do
about what they were saying. In fact, she didn't even go because she knew
the verdict would find her. She was with Spike that night, in his crypt.
Faith had gone out partying. They were lying on his bed. She had her head
on his chest and was gradually falling asleep. The second she did, she fell
into a dream. This is what she saw.
A vision of the Sunneydale High school library floated into view in
her head. The Scooby gang was seated at the library table, the council
members standing at various points around the room. Buffy had always wanted
to believe Faith could come back to the good side, so she was fighting on
Faith's side at the moment.
"Nina showed us that Faith could be caring, smart, and that she could
work in a team, which are quality's I never knew she possessed. I think she
deserves another chance!"
"Well," said Mr. Travers, cutting in, "I don't. Ultimately, Nina
probably set up all the situations in which Faith succeeded, and therefore
used her own manipulated situations to show us quality's that she herself
possesses. None of those things would have been Faith's doings on a normal
occasion, and they probably never will again. She's just a rebel without a
cause, and a powerful one at that. She needs to be stopped!"
A bunch of council members moved and nodded their heads in agreement,
but Buffy stood up.
"Once, we were out on the pier fighting, and I was down. In fact, I
was being dragged across the pier by a rope around my throat. Not only did
she help me, but slayed the vamp who was attacking me and probably saved my
life. This was after she was a rebel without a cause. She's also one of the
strongest people I know. I know she can come back. Nina has already helped
her so much, I'm sure she could be the one to push her over the line, and
back on our side. You need to give her another chance."
By this time Buffy was right up in Mr. Travers face, looking him
square in the eye. He calmly took a breath, and a step back.
"As compelling as that speech was, the choice is ultimately mine. And
not only mine, but also the board of the council. We find her to be too
much of a liability. We are supposed to be saving innocent people, not
killing them. That is our, or rather your job description. Faith doesn't
fight fit the description. So, we say, she dies."
"No." Buffy started. But at that exact second, someone slid out of
the shadow at the library doorway and into the light.
"No, B, you fought enough," said the voice. "If they want me dead,
they can come and get me."
Nina woke with a start, as did Spike.
"Nina, what's wrong?"
"We have to get to the library."
"Why?"
"Faith," explained Nina, climbing off the bed and grabbing her coat
from the chair. Spike followed suit.
"Why? What happened? What did you see?"
"Faith's there now. And the council just decided, that they want her
dead."