Summer's Home
1630 Revello Drive
Sunnydale, CaliforniaJanet was astounded at the condition that some of these girls were in, it looked like only the worst injuries had received proper medical attention, and even that was limited. How could it have gotten this bad? Had no one noticed a house full of young girls covered in cuts bruises and an assortment of other injuries? There may be no one left in town but some of these injuries looked weeks old.
"You know this would be a lot easier if you gave me a bit of space" Janet turned and glared at Xander and Willow who had not let her out of their sight the entire time she had been there.
"I'm sorry if we don't trust you, for all we know you could be an agent of Caleb" Willow had been in a grumpy mood since the night before when they had been given the brush off by Sam.
Janet sighed, shook her head as she tried to ignore them while she wrote her notes on the girl she was examining.
Turning to face Xander she pointed at him "You" and then to the chair "Sit, I need to check that eye for you"
"Sorry lady, you may look like a Doctor and act like a Doctor with the gloves and thermometer and all that official professional type stuff but I don't trust you. You ain't gettin anywhere near this man's one eye"
Janet rolled her eye's and…
"There you see you're mocking me with the rolling of both your eyes"
Janet was getting really, really tired of this. Resisting the urge to once again roll her eyes at the young man, she pulled a tootsie pop out of her bag and waved it in front of him. She was always fascinated by how easy it was to get to a man through his stomach and Mr Xander Harris proved no different.
He reached out to grab to sucker but she moved it from his grasped.
"Sit" She commanded, in the voice she usually reserved for Jack O'Neill.
"Yes Ma'am." He moved to sit down, but before he could Willow grabbed his arm.
"Xander…?" she pleaded.
His eye strayed back to Janet, especially her hand "But… sucker"
"Yes you are, if you let her get her hands on you"
Typical Xander, Willow still didn't know how she had put up with him all these years, but then she knew deep down she wouldn't change him for anything in the world.
"We haven't decided if she's evil or not yet, remember"
"No one who offers tootsie pops can be truly evil"
Willow sighed "Ok fine. Go let the maybe evil lady poke and prod you. On your head be it" She poked him hard in the chest.
She finally got it. It had taken awhile for her to get, but now… Faith was seeing things… well lets just say her initial impressions from four years before were deeply skewed. Faith finally got understood, why things happened in Sunnydale the way they did. Sitting out on the Summers front porch, cigarette in one hand, drink in the other, she saw them all in a whole new light. Looking back she could see that they hadn't changed all that much: their view of the world was still so black and white. There was so little belief in the grey areas, especially as far a Xander was concerned. Everything was so simple, they we're the good guys, so if you weren't one of them that made you a baddie.
But then there was B. B had changed, more in some ways than Faith her self, as far a B was concerned black and white no longer existed; it was all shades of grey.
Faith still felt guilty about what had happened, in Sunnydale in previous years but what was the point in that. She had a job to do, and nothing was gonna stop her from doing it. She wouldn't screw up this time.
Those girls in that house we're scared, they didn't know what to do, who to trust or how to stay sane. Like Buffy, like Faith, they had a destiny, but they didn't get it yet. It was a long hard road to understanding.
She and B may be destiny's bitch but it would never stop them. They couldn't let it.
The others couldn't teach them this. They had chosen this life, to fight the good fight or some shit like that, but those girls hadn't been given that choice.
They had to know, and understand. That no matter what they would never loose. The Slayers, as long as they went down fighting…
As long as they went down fighting for what they believed in, they could never loose.
They would win this. Faith could feel it in her bones.
Nothing could stop her and B; they were the Chosen Two after all.
Abandoned house
Sunnydale, California
As soon as Buffy knew she was out of his sight she let go of the sob she had been holding back. The tears flowed freely down her face. It wasn't right. He was the Watcher, she was the Slayer, in a battle like this they should be working together, like peas and corn, or… or… peas and corn.
Not looking where she was going she ran smack bang into Jack O'Neill. Not having the presence of mind to keep herself up right, she let him hold her up as her legs gave way beneath her.
Jack was shocked, the emotionless and controlled young women from a few hours before had been reduced to a mess from a five-minute encounter with a man who was supposed to be her staunchest ally and supporter.
Not knowing what else to do he just held her and let her cry. Hearing another noise he looked up to Carter standing there, her face as black as thunder. Jack knew that look; Mr Rupert Giles was in big trouble.
If there was one thing about Sam Carter that never ceased to amaze him it was the fierce protectiveness that she had for the people she cared about. Nothing would stop that woman on a mission to save someone.
Their eye's met and he shook his head, telling her to leave it, she gave him a cold hard stare and walked out, leaving Jack to look after Buffy. Rocking back and forth slightly to try and calm her down, he wondered what condition Rupert Giles would be in by the time Carter was finished.
Summers Residence
1630 Revello Drive
Sunnydale, California
"Ok" Janet leaned back up against the dining room table, arms crossed over her chest "If you want my professional medical opinion I would suggest that you take every single one of these girls out of this town, you take the injured ones to a medical facility and get the wounds checked properly and cleaned out, some of them are getting infections…"
Anya slipped out of the room; she didn't really care what the short bossy lady had to say. She didn't really like any of the girls anyway. Opening the front door quietly she walked out on to the front porch and sat down next to Faith. Turning her head to the side she decided to say exactly what she had to then leave Faith alone.
"Tell Buffy I'm not sorry, for what I said" Faith turned to look at her incredulously
"And why the hell should I give her that type of message"
Anya pouted "Because, you two going off on your own to solve this is the best thing to do. You can't win this while looking after those whiners in there. I like Buffy, I really do, she's saved the world and my life a couple of times, but when she gets on a holier than thou kick its kind of annoying, she really needs a good orgasm friend to get rid of the tension."
"So in other words, were doing the right thing kicking you guys outta town and B needs a good screw" Faith snickered
"I'd stick around and help but I don't think Buffy likes me too much any more" She stood and nodded her head sharply "That's all I have to say and I hope you guys live through this, because if you two die then the rest of us are screwed"
"Weird girl" Faith muttered as Anya walked back inside the house.
Faith was still sitting there waiting when she saw Dawn coming up the footpath, tear tracks down her face, grass and dirt stains on her pants. The girl looked at Faith warily,
"Buffy didn't send you did she"
"Nope" Faith took a drag of her cigarette "We got a Doctor to come and check on the girls"
Dawn nodded
"You all right kid?" not that Faith cared too much but… the kid looked like she could use someone to talk to.
"Yeah…" Dawn sighed. "Just been talking to Mom" she smiled wanly. "Been doing a lot of thinking you know?" She looked at Faith, a question in her eyes "Do you ever do that? I mean talk to someone who not really there?"
"Sometimes" Faith grimaced "I used to talk to The Boss" seeing Dawns look of confusion "The Mayor" she embellished "but since The First decided to visit me… it just doesn't seem right somehow…"
Dawn nodded, and the two of them sat there in silence until Janet exited the house.
Abandoned House
Sunnydale, California
Sam stalked into the lounge; her anger dissipating slightly as she saw Rupert Giles slumped in a chair, his head in his hands. She decided not to pummel him at this point although she may change her mind in the future.
"Mr Giles…"
He looked up startled "Sorry, I… I didn't hear you come in"
She nodded in understanding "Please, do what we ask. We want those girls safe. You may not give a damn what I think but please believe we have those girls' best interests at heart."
"And how do you propose I get 40 people out of here all at once?" Giles didn't mean to sound snarky but the stress of the situation was getting to him.
"It may have been my imagination but did I see an abandoned school bus or two on my way through town" She held her hands out, palm upwards in a half shrug.
"Hmm… thankyou Miss Carter" He stood, and started to leave the house when he stopped and turned slightly "Look after her… please"
Their eyes met in a moment of solidarity, Sam nodded her agreement "Of course"
She stood there and waited for a few minutes trying to gather her thoughts before turning around and going to see how The Colonel was dealing with Buffy.
Wandering down through the hallway, she discovered that they were no longer there, she headed up the stairs when she saw The Colonel coming quietly out of one of the bedrooms "She cried herself to sleep, so I brought her up here" Sam smiled grimly "When was the last time that girl got a good nights sleep?" He asked not really wanting to know the answer
"You mean a good solid 8 hours, no interruptions or dreams and night mares?" Jack nodded "Not for the last two years that's for sure… When you've lived your worst nightmare after knowing peace, it kinda sticks with you"
"22?" He asked referring to Buffy's age
"Yeah" Sam admitted sadly
Jack ran his hand through already dishevelled hair in bewilderment.
"There any cake around here?" crying women had never been his forte
"Dunno Sir, wanna go have a look?" Falling back on familiar territory Jack and Sam went down into the kitchen to look for cake.
