Severed Ties

Chapter 28

Cold

A/N: I just want to warn you, this chapter may not sit to well with a lot of people, hell, even I don't like certain parts of it. But trust me when I say that this has been plotted out from the beginning. I usually don't give such warnings but don't want people to think I did this on a whim. Quite the opposite, everything has been carefully planned and these next eight chapters or so are gonna be rough. Just putting everyone on notice.

June 10th, 2002

After midnight

Sunnydale Arms

"Crap," Hank muttered and turned the TV off, tossing the remote down by his feet. Sundays really weren't days for spectacular programming and, aside from a peculiar show about a girl facing the forces of darkness (whose lead actress bore an uncanny resemblance to his daughter) there was nothing that drew his fancy.

Of course, his lack of interest may have been due to the unpleasant rumblings of his stomach--a symptom that had only worsened since he'd been in Sunnydale.

A sigh followed Hank's furtive glance at the reddish glow of the digital clock. 1:17. Less than eight hours before he had to take the short drive across town back to Revello for a meeting he dreaded more than any court case. And this particular opposition? A five-foot and some-odd inch girl barely a hundred pounds and her taller, lankier sister.

His two girls.

The older man shook his head. His two girls that he hadn't been a father to for how many years now? Last time he saw Dawnie, she was barely four feet tall and now she looked down at Buffy. He missed so much of their lives and for what? Following a woman around that, in the end, left him for someone younger.

"Poetic justice, Hankie, that's all it is." Couldn't do much about it now except atone and taking Dawn, giving her a father was the only way he knew how to do that. So maybe they had to go to LA, but it's not like it was that far away. Two hours tops. So why was Buffy making a big deal about it? It wasn't going to be a permanent setup anyway; yeah, he hadn't told Buffy that because he really didn't know exactly how temporary the conditions were to be. A year? Two? Of course, by then Dawn would be of age and probably out of his life at her behest. And if that happened…if that happened…

A knock on the door startled the lawyer from his thoughts and Hank sat up, not holding back the scowl that painted his weary face.

"Who the hell could that be?" he asked and searched the room for some type of weapon. He settled for grabbing one of his dress shoes and cautiously approached the door as a second knock rang out.

"Who is it?" He called out, surveying the visitor through the peephole. The large frame of the man on the other side of the door and the poor lighting obstructed Hank's view and he could only identify generously gelled hair and a black leather coat. The other man's jaw was cut as if from stone and Hank's heartbeat picked up a few paces at the sight of a man who looked like nothing more than some gangster's muscleman.

"Mr. Summers," the voice was cold, unfriendly, "This is Angel, a friend of Buffy's. I'd like to talk to you for a minute."

"About what?"

"Buffy." The slight softening of the other man's voice tipped Hank off that the thug and Buffy had, at some point, a special relationship. Coupled with that Spike character and Pike from LA, her taste in men rated quite low on the scale of parental acceptance.

"What about Buffy?"

"Mr. Summers," Angel said and his voice had risen a tad in irritation. "Let me in so we can talk."

Hank chuckled. "Did Buffy send you? Ask you to convince me to change my mind? What is this, my little girl hiring thugs now to date her? First that bleached punk and now you." Hank jumped back when a growl reverberated on the other side of the wooden door but quickly righted himself. Puffing out his chest, he said, "Okay, you tried. Run along and tell Buffy that, okay. And I'll see her tomorrow."

"Mr. Summers…"

"I said leave. I don't want to call the police."

"Mr. Summers," Angel said and there was no mistaking the venom of his words, "it would be in your best interest to open the door."

"Or you'll what?" Hank challenged and backpedaled into the room.

"Trust me, Mr. Summers, you don't want to piss me off anymore than I already am." Hank gasped and his heart refused to beat for one excruciatingly long second. In his career, he had faced off with some of the worst people the world had produced. Killers, rapists, armed robbers; they all talked tough and though many of them could back it up, he never really feared for himself. Partially because of the safety around him but mostly because the consensus of a bark being worse than bite was true. That didn't mean that Hank hadn't met anyone that scared his shitless, cause he had. But this guy, this Angel, his voice tore into the lawyer much the same way Spike's eyes had bore into his soul a week ago. He truly believed that Angel would back his words and Hank found himself in a quandary. Let him in and take chances or call the authorities, which, by the time they arrived, could be sweeping Hank parts off the wall...

As if walking towards execution, Hank trudged towards the door. He ignored his shaking limbs as he unlocked it and pulled open his only shield.

The full site of Angel was even more menacing than his voice and Hank squeezed the shoe in his hand. Angel's eyes followed Hank's trembling hand and smirked, though there was nothing friendly about the gesture.

"I don't think you'll need that."

Hank glanced down at his hand and threw the shoe back into the room.

"Invite me in," Angel said.

"Huh?"

"Please don't make me repeat myself." Hank nodded and offered the man entrance. A coldness swept across him as Angel walked into the room and Hank Summers knew that if Angel wanted to do something to him, he would be helpless.

"Now," the young man said and folded his arms across his chest, "like I said, I'm a friend of Buffy's. You and me, we need to talk."

~~~

"Damn it," Xander swore, "where the hell could she be?"

"Those lil slayer legs can move real quick, Xand. Especially for B."

Xander's frown faded slightly and his eyes traveled over Faith's leather-clad legs. "Like those stork limbs of yours, huh?"

Faith stuck out her tongue. "Bite me, Harris. Scratch that, lick me."

The brunette man shook his head. "You sure are innuendo filled today…hmmm, I wonder if it's a slayer thing."

"No, that would be beating vamp's down and, right now a second slayer's boyfriend is gonna get his ass kicked in the near future."

All levity drained from Xander's body and he tensed with anger, loosening a bit when he jogged after Faith. "That bastard. Wait till I get a hold of him."

"Ready to test out those super powers of yours, huh," she said and scanned the streets.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I've already told the gang about 'em but they haven't…hey! Is this a diversionary tactic to get me away from the kicking of Spike's ass?"

"Yep," Faith said unabashed. "Let's head towards Restfield."

"Faith, she's upset. Do you really think she'd go to slay after seeing her lover macking on a complete hottie from out of this world?" His eyes widened as the words left his mouth and he didn't have to see Faith to know that he was as good as staked.

"You know," she said calmly (too calmly), "after this is done and I lay the smack down to blondie, me and you baby are gonna have a little chat."

"I was just sayin' sweetie," Xander said as they ran towards Restfield.

"And I was just saying," she interrupted, "that we're gonna have a little chat." Faith stopped abruptly and grabbed Xander by the arm. Before he could protest, her lips were on his and he moaned as her tongue demanded his attention. It lasted only a minute before she pulled away and gave his burgeoning erection a tweak.

"You're gonna learn some respect." She slapped him lightly in the face and took off for the cemetery. Shrugging his shoulders, Xander again followed, a little less mad but still looking forward to the confrontation with a particularly annoying and unfaithful bleached blonde.

~~~

"Whoa, luv," Spike said and pushed the woman away for the sixth time. "Ease up now."

Morrigann simply smiled. Although his hands kept her lips from his, nothing could separate the undulations of their lower body as she ground against his erection, pressing him into the wall of the abandoned building.

"What, Spike?" She whispered, smirking when he shivered at her voice. "I thought said you and your ex were done." Spike lowered his head, trying to hide the shame and grief but she saw it. "I just want to make you feel better."

"Thanks, pet," he muttered and caressed the side of her face, "but not up for the whole cheer me up routine." He grunted when she squeezed his bulge.

"I think parts of you are up quite enough. And I think they'd like to be in something, too."

"Morrie, what are you…?" Spike never finished as Morrigann grabbed his hand and slid it underneath her skirt. She didn't even need to prod him as two fingers slipped into her already wet channel. "God, you are so hot. Pussy so tight." His other hand gripped her ass and Morrigann shivered at the imminent orgasm that…

"Spike!" She screamed and her body spasmed. Her nails dug into his shoulders, impaling the leather of his coat. Her head fell to his chest and she raised her leg and glued it to his hip, riding out the after crests of her peak.

She glanced up when Spike growled. His cerulean jewels had disappeared, replaced by the bottomless voids of his lust-filled gaze. A muscle in his jaw ticked and she knew that he was still fighting her charms. His will is great, she thought. In truth she intended to fuck him on the table in front of everyone. As easily aroused as she could become and though she had seen his face in a vision, nothing had prepared her for the sheer beauty of him up close. Add to that the feel of his muscles, the taste of his lips and tongue--only Gabriel and the power he bled into her could compare to this wanton sexual attraction that she had. Even without the plan, she would have seduced and bedded him.

Which is taking a bit more time than I thought. The resilience of the man before her was uncanny. Aside from Frost, who wanted no part of her touch, no man had ever held out so long from her feminine wiles, not even Gabriel. One kiss was generally all it took to have a man at her mercy. And Spike's resistance only made her crave him even more.

"Bloody 'ell," Spike moaned and tried to push her away. Morrigann chuckled. Each push had less conviction behind it than the previous. He was weakening and though she wanted him now, an idea flashed into her mind and the succubus smiled.

"What's wrong, lover?" She cooed in his ear, lapping at the tender flesh just below his jaw.

"I need to go," he muttered, his breaths coming in uneven gasps, "I need to see my girl…"

"I'm not holding you down," she said and nipped the other side of his jaw. The hands that were at her waist cupped her breasts and Morrigann knew she almost had him. But there would be no fucking tonight. No, she could wait. But that didn't mean she wouldn't give him a going away present.

"Morrig…what are you doing?" But it was too late. She'd already fallen to her knees, dropped his pants, freeing his aching cock and took it between her heated lips. Spike's cries of ecstasy only quickened her pace and her fingers kneaded the cool flesh of his ass.

"Please, don't…" he whimpered and his helplessness drove her on. She took it all in when she felt him start to shake and her second orgasm began to approach. "Stop, please…Morrigann…please don't…Morrigann!" The feral cry of her name, hands tangled in her hair, pushed the succubus over the edge and as he filled her mouth, her legs quivered at her release.

Morrigann recovered first, standing on wobbly legs and tucking Spike's flaccid member into his pants. She smiled and licked her lips, temporarily satisfied. Spike refused to look at her. She slipped a finger under his chin and noticed the watery gaze that flitted over her face.

"What's wrong, lover? Did I not please you?" She slid a hand under his shirt, maximizing contact to further her influence.

"It's not…it's just…" He took a deep breath. "I just soddin cheated on my woman."

"The woman who blames you for her sister being taken away?"

He shook his head. "No, that's…no…I have to go. Please, get off." Morrigann shook her head. Still, after making him come he had yet to totally succumb. This calls for drastic measures.

"How about this," she said and kissed him chastely on the lips. "I let you go but we meet again tomorrow night. Say, the cemetery?"

Spike shook his head. "I can't. No…I can't…"

"Well," Morrigann said, "guess we have to do this the hard way." Without warning, her fangs elongated and she bit down on his exposed neck.

Spike groaned, at first in shock and then bliss as Morrigann drained his blood, leaving the essence of her power in its place. As they fell to the ground, the blonde vampire in her arms, the succubus laughed. He had resisted her thus far but he would never be able to overpower the spirit of lust now flowing within his veins.

And come tomorrow night, she'd have him in bed and a nice surprise for that uppity little slayer.

~~~

"What do you want?" Hank asked and took a seat on a chair, making sure to keep his distance from the vampire.

Angel smirked. He could taste the other man's fear and, try as he might, couldn't hold back the gleeful roar inside as the demon sampled the potential victim. "I told you, I want to talk to you about Buffy. And, more specifically, Dawn."

"What is it your business? Buffy and Dawn are my children, not yours."

"If that were the case, then where have you been the last five years?" Hank sagged but held his chin high, defiant. The other man's pride, unable to admit his wrongdoing, infuriated the vampire and Angel roared. He crossed the room before Hank could move and slammed the other man against the wall.

"What the fuck…?"

"Listen to me you egotistical, arrogant bastard. You don't know the hell your daughter's been through since she's been here. You don't know her successes, her failures, her fear or her accomplishments. You didn't even have the decency to show up when Joyce died. You never sent a card or flowers, either. Buffy was alone. Her friends were here but they couldn't help her." Angel lowered his voice, ashamed to admit it but said, "I couldn't help her. And you know what? As bad as last year was to her, this past year was even worth.

"Pay close attention, because I'm only going to say this once. Buffy has done things for us, for this world, that you couldn't believe. She's faced down things that even on your worst nights you couldn't imagine. She didn't choose to do it, but she does it anyway. She's one girl in all the world and she's saved our asses more times than I can count and maybe half a dozen people will ever know that.

"She doesn't get paid for it, she doesn't get a slap on the back or paraded around the city. But that doesn't stop her from going out there every night. That doesn't stop her from risking her life, for giving her life…so that we can live."

Angel lowered a terrified Hank to the ground and wiped his eyes. He took several steadying breaths before looking back up to the shaking man. "I love Buffy, always have, always will. At one time I loved her more than words could ever explain. And I hurt her. Hurt her as bad as any man has hurt her. The only person that has come close to hurting her like that is you."

"But I…" Hank trailed off and refused to make eye contact.

"You don't have to tell me, I can see it in your eyes."

"I didn't mean to."

Angel laughed mirthlessly. "But you did. Doesn't matter what you intended, your selfishness hurt Buffy more than you know. The question is, do you care."

The vampire saw the fire that lit behind the other man's hazel eyes and he was reminded of the woman that had held his heart for so long.

"Of course I care. Do you think I enjoy being the louse that I've been in the past six years? Breaking promises to my sweet girls, not being here with them? Every time I look in the mirror, I'm reminded of what I did to my three girls and it won't go away." Hank slid down the wall and dropped his head in his hands.

Angel squatted in front of the shaking man and cocked his head to the side. He waited until Hank's teary eyes stared back at him before he spoke. "I've found that words are just that, words. I told Buffy once that I would always be here for her and, when we found out I couldn't be there for her the way I wanted, I left. It wasn't until later that I realized how badly I'd hurt her. I didn't mean it, and I did it under the guise of being noble but it wasn't noble. It was selfish. I couldn't have all of her so I didn't want any of her. I never tried to look for a way around the impediments, you know why?"

"It was easier to just go away…" Hank whispered.

"Yeah. And I lost her. We still talk, still cordial, but it's not the same and it will never be. I love someone else now and so does she. But there will be a part of me that will always love her and another part that will always feel guilty for leaving her.

"I was her first love. I can never make up what I did but you can. You may have been gone from her life, Hank, but she does have a father figure. A man that will do anything for her, just like I will; just like her friends. You can't take his place, so don't try. But you can become a part of her and Dawn's life again. But not like this, not by forcing them into something they don't want."

The tears flowed freely down Hank's face and Angel finally understood. It wasn't that he didn't love his girls or didn't care. His problem was pride and an inability to touch that soft part of himself reserved for 'Daddy's little girls'. But as Hank cried silently, Angel hoped that he could find it for Buffy and Dawn's sake.

"I just want my girls back," Hank whispered and closed his eyes.

Angel put a hand on the other man's shoulder and softened his gaze when their eyes met. "Then talk to them; be honest. Don't let your pride get in the way. You've already lost Joyce and I know the guilt of not being there for her will haunt you for the rest of your life, trust me. Don't let that happen with Dawn and Buffy."

Angel squeezed Hank's arm gently before standing. He walked out the room, his chest a little lighter. He'd never told anyone the guilt he still felt, and always would, for deserting Buffy. He had never gave their love a chance to overcome his curse and would never know if it could've been possible. True, he had Cordelia now and despite his burgeoning affections--no, love--for her, there would be that part of him that even she could not touch. It was and always would be reserved for Buffy.

He was walking through the door when Hank called his name.

"Yeah?"

Hank stood up and ran his fingers through his hair. "That guy, the other one at the house…"

"Spike?"

"Yeah, him. Is he the one that Buffy loves now."

"That would be him," Angel replied, barely holding back the growl.

"Well, I don't like him."

That made the vampire chuckle. "Well, join the club. No one really does, except for Buffy…and Dawn."

"So…so he's good to her? Good to them?"

"Yeah he is." Angel sighed and said, "Unlike me, Spike'll stick around come hell or high water."

"He won't hurt my girls, will he?"

"He'd give his life before willingly hurting them." Hank nodded and Angel walked out the room, closing the door behind him. But before the lock clicked into place, his vampiric hearing picked up the lonely whisper of Hank Summers.

"Well," the voice said, "he's better than me already."

Angel got in the car and drove away. As the wind greeted his face, he allowed himself to finally admit that the disdain he had always held for the platinum blonde was not contempt but envy. Spike had always transcended what was expected of demons. He did it while running with three of the most vicious vampires to ever roam the earth and he did it now, at Buffy's side. Even with the soul, Angel didn't think he could have pulled it off.

William, my boy, he thought as his drove through Sunnydale. You're better, all right. You're better than us all. Just take care of her.

"Like I never did."

~~~

By the time they reached Buffy, Faith saw the resignation in her sister slayer's posture. Gone was any spark, be it exhilaration or anger, replaced by the downcast guise of a woman thoroughly defeated. Her left arm hung limply at her side, covered with some bright sheen that looked very much like ice. The right side of her face was bloody, her hair matted with the red ichor. A short demon, whose eyes glinted with anticipation of the kill, raked its claws across her midriff and Buffy screamed. Her retaliation was automatic, smashing her knee to the demon's face, sending it to the ground. But as she held her stomach, another creature--it must have been hidden by the tombstones--crept up behind her. It lifted an arm that held not a hand, but a metallic object high, ready to strike the unsuspecting slayer.

"Buffy!" Faith yelled and lengthened her strides, leaving Xander even further behind. Her scream caught the attention of both combatants and Faith saw the eyeless visage of the attacker. It smiled at her before lowering its metallic arm and Faith noticed a bluish-green fire simmering from the steely surface before Buffy slammed her heel into its side.

By the time Faith was in fighting distance, the blonde had collapsed to one knee. Sliding in front of the injured slayer, Faith pulled a dagger from her waistband and glanced at the demons that were beginning to recover.

"B, you all right?" Faith bit her lip when she saw those hazel eyes overflowing with tears and grief beyond what the brunette slayer had experienced, at least from the angle of love. "It's okay, B," she said, not knowing what else to say. "Let me take care of these Piranha-faced fuckers and we'll get you taken care of."

"Don't bother, Slayer," the eyeless demon said, massaging its ribs, "we have no life quarrel with you."

"Life quarrel?" Faith asked, her hand still on B's shoulder. "What the fuck is that? Some Klingon ritual? Whatta ya know? Even demons have their Trekkie dorks goin' for wholesale. I think there's a convention in LA next week; maybe you two should check it out…Oh, my bad, you'll already be dead."

The shorter demon, with its obsidian hair blowing in the wind had joined its trench coat wearin' brethren. Faith comments didn't sit too well with short stuff and the taller demon held it back.

"Watch it, bitch," it said, its voice somewhat nasally, not at all like the smooth, rough tone of the other one. "Ask that slayer bitch in your arms; if we wanted you dead, you'd be dead."

Faith sneered. "Lotta talk comin from you, ankle biter, but I see no action. What? Your boy need his seein' eye dog to hold on to?"

The resounding growl warmed Faith's blood and she rose to meet what was inevitably gonna turn into a good old-fashion donnybrook.

"Stand down, D'bahn," said the icy voice of a third party. Faith whirled around and saw a man dressed in complete white glide (she had no other word for it--it sure as hell wasn't walking) towards them. She frowned at Xander's ashen, yet resigned face as he, too, approached.

"Uh, sorry, Frosty," Faith said and contained a shiver. "But Christmas ain't for another couple of months. Though his mouth was covered, she knew he smiled when the crimson black eyes turned up slightly.

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting a slayer," he said and regarded the two women with curious eyes. "Not counting Seth's once whore." At the casual reference to her daughter, Buffy jumped to her feet and Faith was thankful that the other slayer was weak cause there was no way in hell to stop that hundred pound powder keg once she got started.

"You speak that way about my daughter again," she spat through clenched teeth, all the while Faith holding her tight around the waist, "and I will tear your fucking heart out."

The man bowed in supplication but more surprisingly, he said, "My apologies. Far be it from me to make light of the misfortunes of a prisoner abused by her captor. There is no honor in that; that is the principle reason why I take no prisoners." He cocked his head to the side. "Isn't that right, Alexander?"

Faith stared at her boyfriend, who lowered his head and said nothing.

"No matter," the man said, "he knows what I mean. As I said before, this is my first opportunity to meet such warriors that slayers are renowned to be. It will be a pleasure to engage you in a battle to the death when the time has come. Alas, that time is not upon us and shall not be for some time."

He nodded at his two companions and strode off into the night, stopping several yards away as the other two demons walked on. "Make no mistake," he called over his shoulder, "you shall see us again. And we shall duel. But death shall not come for you until He permits it."

Faith watched as the sparkling white of the man disappeared into the trees. When he was out of sight, Buffy's tense body sagged and Faith barely had time to catch her before the both tumbled to the ground.

"B, you okay." But Buffy said nothing. She wrapped her good arm around Faith's neck and cried into the brunette's awkward embrace. The other woman followed her instincts and patted the distraught Buffy gently, stroking the tendrils of blonde hair out of her tear-streaked face. "It'll be okay, B," she whispered, "I'm here, everything's gonna be okay."

She continued her litanies of comfort and when she braved a look at her boyfriend's face, knew that all her words and assurances held no truth to them. If tonight was anything to base the future upon, shit was about to fall into the realms of a serious cluster fucking of the likes they had never seen. And where the old Faith would have been indifferent to the potential death and chaos, this particular version, the new and improved Faith, was scared shitless. Back then, when she was in league with the Mayor, she'd had nothing to lose. One look at Xander and the subsequent feelings that roiled in her gut--feelings that continued to grow each day--Faith knew she had everything to lose.

When she realized that her tears commingled with Buffy, Faith understood that, no matter how dedicated she was now to Xander and the Scoobies, even if she gave her all against the coming storm, it might not be enough. And if that was the case, she prayed she was the first to go when the badness finally claimed them. She may have been strong, but there was no way in hell she could watch them taken from her. Cowardice or not, it was the truth. She only hoped it never came to that.

She wouldn't count on it, of course; hope had a way of bailing when you needed it most…

TBC in Estranged…