Giles decided that they all should take the night to consider their
next actions, while he looked into the Senior Partners more. He was worried
they might seek further retribution. He suggested that those who felt up to
it should patrol and see what the situation was on the streets. Xander,
Kennedy, and Tiffany stayed behind to help Giles. Buffy and Willow left
together before anyone could join them, and Illyria disappeared, so Spike,
Angel, Faith, and Caitlin set out. "We'll hang with the vamps for a while,"
Faith explained to Caitlin, "since it's their territory. Plus, we're all a
little banged up." She pointed to the bandage taped to her temple.
They decided to check out the nearest cemetery, then try out a demon bar. Angel and Faith fell back a few steps, leaving Caitlin with Spike. She looked around, trying to look at anything but the creature next to her.
"So," Spike said twenty minutes later. "We both got stabbed in the belly."
She shot him a quizzical glance. As conversation starters go, that wasn't what she was expecting. "Uh, yeah."
"Good thing we heal quick."
"Hmmm. Good thing."
"You like being a Slayer?"
"I don't remember anyone asking if I wanted it, so I don't think anyone cares if I like it."
"Uh – yeah. Good point."
"You killed two Slayers."
He missed a step. "Well, yeah, I did at that, pet. They teaching ancient history at Slayer School?"
"Ancient history? One was twenty five years ago. For you, that's barely any time at all."
"Yeah, but I got a – "
"Don't say it." She said. "I don't want to hear that crap about a soul."
"But it makes a difference."
"No, it doesn't. It makes an excuse. And I don't see how a soul is such a great thing. You still killed people. Humans with souls do evil stuff all the time, and-"
Faith laid her hand on Caitlin's shoulder. "Caitie, let it go, okay. Save the philosophical discussions for another time. You got a cig, Blondie?"
Spike seemed almost relieved by the change of subject. "Anything for you, love."
Caitlin stopped, unwilling to let it drop. Then she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned toward the nearby alley. Angel had stopped when she did, and now he came up behind her. She liked that he didn't say anything, just focused on the same thing she saw. "Not good." She muttered. "There's no way to see what's going on without going in."
"So go in." He said. "Act like you're looking for someone. I'll be right behind you."
"I-"
"I know you don't trust me, but give me a chance."
She didn't know what to do, but then she heard a girl scream and it made up her mind. She walked right into the alley. There seemed to be four vamps, two girls. Not good odds unless Angel came through. She had to just hope for the best. "Hey, guys." She called out. "Have you seen a dog come through here?" She paused. "Hey, what's wrong with your faces?" She said, hoping they'd drop the girls and come after her, but only two of them came after her. One of the girls screamed again.
She waited until they got close enough to her, then spun and kicked both. They each reeled a little, but neither fell. She punched one, kicked at the other, then took a punch to her stomach that dropped her to her knees. One grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up, exposing her throat. She closed her eyes and prayed he'd come through.
They decided to check out the nearest cemetery, then try out a demon bar. Angel and Faith fell back a few steps, leaving Caitlin with Spike. She looked around, trying to look at anything but the creature next to her.
"So," Spike said twenty minutes later. "We both got stabbed in the belly."
She shot him a quizzical glance. As conversation starters go, that wasn't what she was expecting. "Uh, yeah."
"Good thing we heal quick."
"Hmmm. Good thing."
"You like being a Slayer?"
"I don't remember anyone asking if I wanted it, so I don't think anyone cares if I like it."
"Uh – yeah. Good point."
"You killed two Slayers."
He missed a step. "Well, yeah, I did at that, pet. They teaching ancient history at Slayer School?"
"Ancient history? One was twenty five years ago. For you, that's barely any time at all."
"Yeah, but I got a – "
"Don't say it." She said. "I don't want to hear that crap about a soul."
"But it makes a difference."
"No, it doesn't. It makes an excuse. And I don't see how a soul is such a great thing. You still killed people. Humans with souls do evil stuff all the time, and-"
Faith laid her hand on Caitlin's shoulder. "Caitie, let it go, okay. Save the philosophical discussions for another time. You got a cig, Blondie?"
Spike seemed almost relieved by the change of subject. "Anything for you, love."
Caitlin stopped, unwilling to let it drop. Then she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned toward the nearby alley. Angel had stopped when she did, and now he came up behind her. She liked that he didn't say anything, just focused on the same thing she saw. "Not good." She muttered. "There's no way to see what's going on without going in."
"So go in." He said. "Act like you're looking for someone. I'll be right behind you."
"I-"
"I know you don't trust me, but give me a chance."
She didn't know what to do, but then she heard a girl scream and it made up her mind. She walked right into the alley. There seemed to be four vamps, two girls. Not good odds unless Angel came through. She had to just hope for the best. "Hey, guys." She called out. "Have you seen a dog come through here?" She paused. "Hey, what's wrong with your faces?" She said, hoping they'd drop the girls and come after her, but only two of them came after her. One of the girls screamed again.
She waited until they got close enough to her, then spun and kicked both. They each reeled a little, but neither fell. She punched one, kicked at the other, then took a punch to her stomach that dropped her to her knees. One grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up, exposing her throat. She closed her eyes and prayed he'd come through.