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What Is To Be

-Twenty-second-

By Annie

03-11-20

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"Hey."

The sound of Buffy's voice made Faith turn around to face her. The latter had been out in the garden for the past half hour as Susannah was taken back to her bed, Darren having himself another look at her as the others quietly spoke in the hallway about what had happened.

"You didn't feel like joining in?" Buffy now added to her greeting and Faith shrugged.

"Need to de-acclimatize myself first," she then replied and Buffy smiled tryingly.

Faith returned it a bit stiffly before picking up her strolling again. Buffy watched her for half a minute and then said:

"I'm sorry that I didn't..."

"I didn't either," Faith interrupted, stopping to face the other slayer again. "So, we're cool."

"Right," Buffy said, not very convinced. "I just don't want you to think that I forgot about you or anything, 'cause I didn't. I even missed your kick-ass 'tude sometimes..."

"Yeah?" Faith asked, smirking, then she grew serious as she added: "I thought maybe you were mad at me, for not writing and telling you... about Will."

Buffy shook her head, smiling reassuringly.

"Resentment didn't even cross my mind," she replied and Faith finally returned the smile whole-heartedly.

There was a small pause as they observed each other and then Faith picked up the drifting thread of conversation as she said:

"It sure has been a while."

Buffy smiled again, then nodded a little.

"Sure has," she agreed.

"So, what about William?" Faith wondered and Buffy cocked an eyebrow.

"What about him?" she then asked nonchalantly and Faith suddenly looked the most hesitant Buffy had ever seen her as she stared at the blonde.

"Well... You know he's...?" the former tried.

"Yeah, I know," Buffy nodded. "Felt his pulse, even. Just to make sure. And it's... great. Really. To have him back and everything." Faith raised her eyebrows questioningly. "What?" Buffy asked.

"Well... When he died you were all... And now you seem sorta..." Buffy looked uncomprehending and Faith sighed. "Shouldn't you be happier? I mean, I know you dealt with it way back when; but, I could see what it did to you, B. I wasn't blind. None of us were... You loved him, didn't you?"

Buffy kept her smile back, holding a straight and serious expression as she nodded slowly.

"Well, then...!" Faith began, being cut off by the topic himself stepping through the glass doors and walking up to join Buffy, who turned her eyes in his with a warm smile.

"Hey," she said and he smirked.

"Hey," he replied, kissing her temple gently before adding: "Emergency meeting in the conference room, Angel's orders."

"Yeah, when DID we have that vote for making him the boss of us again?" Buffy asked and Spike chuckled his agreement before giving a nod toward the doors.

"Coming?" he asked and she smiled once more.

"Just one more sec, 'kay?"

He returned her smile, then had his gaze in Faith's, who were turning her eyes from one to the other with a clear look of dawning realization on her face.

"Good to have you back, Belle," he said and at that her mouth put on a wide grin.

He smirked again before turning and walking back into the foyer. Buffy watched him go, and then she looked back at Faith, who seemed mildly amused by the Slayer's little joke.

"That was pretty dark," Faith muttered as she got herself moving, coming up to stand in front of Buffy.

"Couldn't resist," the latter apologized, then embraced the former in a hard hug and the brunette hugged her back before they pulled apart.

"Should probably," Faith remarked with a gesture to the spot Spike had disappeared a few moments earlier.

The two young women both started walking at the same time, entering the hotel and crossing the foyer floor. As they were about to enter the conference room Buffy had to ask:

"Belle?"

Faith smiled.

"His nick for me. Short for 'belief'. You know, faith - belief," she then explained and Buffy had to smile as well.

"So typically him," she mumbled and Faith laughed as they walked into the room, joining the rest of the gang.

***

"Wait, Forte's coming here tomorrow?" Cordelia inquired, pulling on the blanket around her shoulders to wrap it a little tighter.

"Yes," Angel answered her question, giving her a sympathetic look as she sniffled.

"Great; celebrity guests on the one occasion I'm in no shape to greet them," she muttered and he smiled.

"There's just the one," he offered as consolation and she gave him a friendly glare at that.

"And the bottle?" Fred spoke up. "I suppose he'll be wanting it back."

"We'll see," Buffy replied. "Hopefully he'll let us hang on to it for just a few more days."

"In a few more days he might not be ABLE to want it back," Gunn huffed and Buffy smiled a small smile before she locked her gaze on the artifact placed in the middle of the table.

Not one single drop of its contents had been spilt on its journey through the air earlier. When she had turned it upside down there had been no inclination of whatever liquid it contained wanting to be relieved of its prison. It truly was as much of an enigma as the rest of this prophecy. Not that she was surprised.

"Remember the 'black bird' deal from my dream?" she asked, looking around the table and all of them nodded, apart from Faith. Buffy met her gaze. "I'll explain later," the blonde promised, moving on with: "At Forte's I saw the bird. It's in the form of the Forte Incorporated's crest. In the dream Spike warned me that it's 'watching me'."

"In other words, Forte is," Wesley said.

"We already knew that, though," Spike chimed in and Buffy nodded.

"True; but I dreamt the dream before we knew."

"Okay, so Forte clearly has some part in this, but we're neglecting the real reason why we're all sitting here, aren't we?" Cordelia asked, having everybody's eyes on her. "That!" she exclaimed, pointing to the still wrapped in linen object which Faith had brought with her.

Faith smiled, then rose to her feet after exchanging a look with Angel. She proceeded to reach out and pull the improvised parcel to her. Beginning to remove the fabric they could all finally rest their eyes upon the missing part of the prophecy.

"At last," Wesley mumbled.

"Took some time to track it down," Faith said, "but I always deliver."

"That, my girl, is an understatement," Wesley remarked and she smirked; pleased.

"Those IQ infected germs in your head itching for some dinner?" she asked and he smiled widely in acknowledgement. "Well," she added, putting her hands on the book before pushing it to slide across the table, where he caught it. "Let 'em have it," she finished.

The phone rang in the other room and Fred rose to go and get it. Angel leaned closer to Wesley, who was carefully fingering the first page of the book. Cordelia observed the two of them, though not inclined to join in the exploration. Gunn rose and moved around the table to look over the shoulders of the other two men. Buffy turned to Spike.

"How's Susannah?" she asked and he sighed.

"Considering the bleeding circumstances," he grumbled, then smiled a little as his eyes locked in her green. "She'll get through it. I know it."

Buffy smiled back, reaching out a hand and entwining their fingers.

"I would've bet twenty bucks on you two never seeing eye-to-eye on anything," Faith's voice reached them and they both turned their heads to her where she was sitting, her arms crossed over her chest as she tilted her chair back slightly and a rather amused smirk appearing on her face. "And here you are," she added, her voice now tainted with her mirth as she finished: "holding hands."

Both Slayer and mortal smiled as well, though theirs were merely warm at the picture the other's words painted.

"Only twenty bucks?" Spike then asked in faked shock and both slayers laughed at that.

"Buffy," Fred said from the doorway and the namesake looked up, wondering. "It's Giles for you," the former explained and Buffy raised her eyebrows before getting to her feet, giving Spike's hand a squeeze and him another smile before she walked out of the room.

Picking up the receiver of the phone placed on the counter of the foyer she said:

"Giles. Any news? Anything good? Please, don't give me anything bad 'cause I really don't wanna hear it right now, okay?"

"Yes, I'm quite fine, thank you. It's good to hear your voice as well," he replied sarcastically.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I'm a bit caught up in the whole need-usable- information-NOW."

"I understand," Giles assured. "I would appreciate a 'hello' before the labeling as Most Probable Bringer of Bad News."

"You sound grumpy. The books giving you a hard time?" she retorted and he huffed, but his voice got softer as he answered:

"Forte is as impossible to trace as - and pardon the worn metaphor - a needle in a haystack. There are the common details about him, but I've already given you those. The word on the street..." He paused as there was a small intake of breath from Buffy. "Are you by any chance suppressing giggles?" he asked.

"Well, it's just hearing you talk about 'word on the street' like that's something so typical of you to say... I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she stopped herself. "Do continue."

"Well, our INFORMANTS tell me that none of the things said about Forte has ever been verified."

"Such as?"

"Such as him being extremely eccentric, very interested in the history of the world, obsessed with ancient art and memorabilia..."

"Well, that last I can vouch for," Buffy cut in. "Even YOU would've had to make big eyes at his treasures."

"Really? What sort of things did he...?"

"Giles."

"Okay, to the rather good news. I believe I have found some things out about your bottle."

***

"It's called the bottle of Ritha."

Everyone looked up as Buffy reentered the room with a rather triumphant look on her face.

"Pardon?" Wesley asked, watching her as she walked up to the shelf and began looking at the backs of the books, selecting one she turned and walked up to the table.

"Our bottle is named after its creator, an ancient holy woman named Ritha," Buffy replied, putting the book down and opening it up as she began to search for the page she needed. "Giles said the information we need is in this book, only its not described the way a mortal eye would understand it and... Aha, see," she added, pointing to a picture in the book and nodding to herself. "There it is."

All those not close enough to see got to their feet and came around to have a look as well. Spike stopped behind her and leaned into her as he gazed over her shoulder and she smiled a little, then she noticed the frown on his face.

"What?" she asked.

He exchanged a glance with Angel, who seemed to have noticed it as well, and then he slowly replied:

"This is the book I used for my research on Satoch, and this picture..."

The people in the drawing knelt and crawled and lay on the ground before two human figures standing at the top of a long set of stairs -the front of a grand palace. In the sky was a fire painted black with flames dancing around it. But what caught his attention now, and which hadn't done so before, was the image of a young woman standing to the side and a few steps behind the royal couple. Attached to her garments, hanging by her hip, was unmistakably their bottle.

"That's Ritha," Buffy stated, putting one index finger on the young woman. "She created a key in case Satoch ever found himself confounded without the power to break free on his own. Why that would ever happen, I have no idea. Or more like Giles had no idea and so I don't either."

"Good old Giles," Wesley mumbled, his eyes still on the drawing though.

"Yeah, he came up with the foundation," Buffy nodded with a small smile. "You'll have to build us something pretty."

Wesley smirked at that, then nodded.

"Yes, I believe I should get started straight away. After all, the longer we simply sit here the more time we waste... I'll begin my interpretation of the second part of the prophecy as well."

"Giles said you can call him at any hour if you get stuck or have any questions," Buffy said.

"Quite the 'good old' all around, isn't it?" he replied and recieved a smile from the Slayer.

"I'll order us some food," Fred stated, getting to her feet. "I'm starving."

Gunn smiled and rose as well.

"Well, then," Angel said, also rising. "Let's leave the man to his work."

Buffy stepped to the side, taking another step forward when she felt the warmth of Spike's chest leave her back and she turned around, questioningly.

"Not coming?" she asked and he smiled a little sheepishly before he shrugged.

"You forget I'm pretty good at this stuff, Slayer," he replied and she smiled widely back before she stepped closer again, giving him a long kiss and then pulling out of his arms slowly.

"I'll be around," she murmured and he smiled a little, watching her as she left the room.

***

An hour later Buffy and Spike climbed the stairs taking them to the second floor and Susannah's bedroom. She had been sleeping since they brought her up there; they had all been checking in on her from time to time. Now, however, it was time for her to wake.

The two entered the room silently and walked up to the bed, Buffy taking a seat on the edge of it and Spike standing at her side.

"Do you think she already knows?" Buffy asked in a hushed voice and Spike shook his head, then answered:

"I'm not sure."

Buffy looked up at him, then bent forward and reached out a hand, shaking Susannah gently and soon she stirred, opening her eyes and locking them in the Slayer's.

"Buffy?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Susannah, we have something important to tell you," Buffy replied and Susannah furrowed her brow as she tried to blink the last remains of sleep from her eyes.

"What... is it?" she asked, pulling herself up slightly and then looking up at Spike. "Hi," she added with a trying smile and he immediately returned it, to calm her.

"Hey, you," he then answered and her smile got more confident at the sight of his.

"Susannah," Buffy again spoke, trying to find the right words as she once more had the other woman's eyes in her own. "How much do you know about your past?"

"Well, I remember all of it, apart from when the demon took over..."

"Sorry, rephrase," Buffy interrupted. "How much do you know about your family? Its history?"

Susannah looked perplexed at the question for a few moments, then answered:

"Nothing. I mean, I never thought there was anything to know... My grandparents died when I was very young."

"Your dad's parents, or your mom's?" Buffy inquired and Susannah frowned again.

"My dad's," she replied. "My mother's parents died when she was little."

Buffy looked up at Spike again and he nodded for her to go on.

"We have found something out about your past which might be a little hard to get your head around, but we think you should know about it. You have a right to know."

"Okay..." Susannah said hesitantly, looking from one to the other.

"Aria isn't only a word, or name, we humans use..." Buffy began. "There's a branch of ancient demons called Theros. They have ties to Egypt, and are great worshippers of the old gods... They use the name Aria in their religion."

"For Satoch?" Susannah asked after a short pause and Buffy shook her head.

"No," she answered. "For Nefertiti."

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Oh, my goodness! I can't believe how long its been! I've had a million things to do and since I've been working I haven't been able to do them and due to stress I suffered a mild writer's block (which TOTALLY freaked me out because that was seriously the first time I ever experienbced anything like it) but now I've had a couple of days off, I've gotten to make a list and cross it off and best of all - I've gotten back in the game. I am very sorry, but I am also quite confident that you know exactly how it is!

I really, really, really, really hope you enjoyed this chapter!!!

Now, to the special thank yous - maribel (Glad that you liked that! Hope this fitted as well!:) Great to hear from you!) ;), wolf116 (Zup? So, so happy to read your comments! I'm glad I'm still keeping you wondering! And... how'd you like this?) :), blackeyedgurl (and I LURVE reviews! :) Nice to read one from ya, girl. Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving very late to you too! :)And I'm not in the States right now. Well, I hope the plot isn't about to disperse for you now, but that it holds that whole... thickness! Hope you enjoyed!) ;), Winters1 (Yup, some of Faith. Hope it was enough aaaaand that you approve!) ;), darklover (thanks, my friend! Glad you seem to like it!) :), ali-lou (Hey, COOL that you think so. *smiling widely* Glad you enjoyed it and if you read this chapter as well, hope you liked that as well!) :), Captain (Aw, nice to see your name up there! And wow, and wow, and wow and thank you so much! Awesome, absolutely awesome that you like it that much. I can only bow my head in honest thanks and hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter!) :), Rachel9 (hey, good to have you back, Rach! Also happyhappy you still like it! Glad you enjoy the C/A deal and yeah, from what I've heard about the show it seems AWFULLY complicated for those two, poor little dears. Well, guess CC wanted out of the show... *sighs* Okay, still glad that you like and hey, Happy Thanksgiving to you too - a bit late. And as once said, actually I'm not in the States right now...) :)

Thanks, as always, for wonderful feed back! Hope to see you again!

A.M.L, Annie.