Note: Such great reviewers!! I love it. I hope I didn't make Giles too unfriendly. I just wanted him to be concentrated on getting Buffy back. I also happen to like the character of Riley (I know, don't flame me for it). I just need a character that will get under Wes's skin. So stick with it please.
Quote of the chapter (new feature my 11 year old thought would be cool, and no, he can't read this stuff I'm writing. It's R rated for goodness sake):
Buffy: Giles, the sarcasm accomplishes nothing.
Giles: Well, it was sort of an end in itself. –"Pangs"
Chapter Four -- Apples
Her watcher-man was on track for the moment and she intended for him to stay that way.
But the military still didn't trust them. As they were led into a conference room by a guard, Faith realized that this was more than researching. Giles sat in the room with Finn and a few other military types. They wanted an official accounting of everything that had happened.
Would Wesley be willing to share his personal tragedies with a bunch of strangers? The only reason she knew everything was because of the dream. And oh damn, their connection. That one she'd rather keep between the two of them. Food was put out in front of them. They obviously were going to be there for a while.
"Gentlemen, Faith," Riley started, "We would like an update of the situation firsthand from the inside. Faith and Mr. Wyndham-Pryce have just come from the war zone."
Another older guy, who looked to be Riley's superior couldn't believe that. "Major Finn, you'll have me to believe that these two civilians were able to fight their way out of there."
"Yes, General. The female possesses powers that not many others have. She's what is called a slayer." Faith wanted to nod off. Blah, blah, blah. "A slayer fights the forces of darkness, i.e., the demons, the vampires, whatever evil there is."
"Wait," the second man asked. "I thought that this Buffy Summers was the slayer."
"More than one. Was only supposed to be one. Buffy died for a few minutes, drowning. So Faith is a product of that calling after another girl died. They're both full-fledged slayers."
Faith tapped her fingers on the table. Wesley covered her nervous hand with his. How come these guys get to know all of this?
"History lesson aside, what the hell do you need with us?" Wesley finally interjected.
"Who is this guy?" the General asked. The second man handed him a folder, but it stayed closed.
"Wesley Wyndham-Pryce." He finished in his mind What's it to you, you ponce. God, he was channeling Spike now too, Faith thought.
"He was a watcher like Mr. Giles, but was fired. He now works for Angel Investigations in Los Angeles."
"Worked," Wesley corrected him.
Man, you usually couldn't shut the old Wesley up. This one gives you one-word answers.
"So, he's some two-bit private detective."
Wesley just glared. One more insult and he'd be gone.
"No, actually General, they hunted down demons who were hurting people. Provided a great service to the population, I believe." Giles had defended Wesley. Would wonders never cease?
"Mr. Pryce, you haven't made your case on why we should trust you." The General was annoyed. Wesley was getting more wound up by the minute.
"Beg your pardon, but I really don't give a rat's ass about whether you trust me or not."
"Wesley, we are trying to determine what happened and if we have a chance of stopping this from spreading."
"Oh, what, the bombing thing not your style, Rupert."
"Now is not the time, Wesley."
Wesley chuckled. "Never was."
"What happened to your people?" Riley asked.
Faith could tell Wesley didn't want to share.
"They . . ." was he thinking of something snide to say or could he even tell them. "They all died."
"Angel's gone?" Giles inquired.
"Trying to save Cordelia," Faith added.
Wesley was waiting for it. The censure, the blaming. But it didn't come.
"Cordelia was already dying when we went to the hospital, coma you see. Angel didn't want to leave her behind. It was a coordinated demon attack. We held them off for as long as we could. Angel pushed me out of the way. A few minutes later, a demon staked him."
"The rest of your crew?" Riley kept going.
"Burned. Seems we had pissed off a lot of demons. Took their revenge. All I found were burned corpses. It took me three months to get out of LA. The going was not pretty. And then I found Dawn. Resourceful girl. You and Buffy have taught her well."
Giles smiled a little. "Had to. The boy, Connor?"
"He'd left LA almost six months prior. He'd had a hard time of it and took off."
"What are their strengths and weaknesses? How many weapons did they seize? What the hell is going on there?"
Riley tried to clear up some of the confusion. "We can't get a satellite photo of any of California, much less the West Coast. They, whoever they are, have blocked us from seeing. Any teams we have sent in haven't been heard from again. Nothing's leaving that area and nothing's going in either."
"This cannot spread," the second man interrupted.
"That's why I finally called the Council in. They'd been working on it independently. I thought we could join forces."
"I really don't see how a bunch of young girls could go in." The General was not with the believing. She could show him.
"If you would like a demonstration, General, I'd be happy to oblige. Need to train anyway." Faith eyed Wesley. His hands were tense, twisting nervously. He obviously needed some tension release also.
"But just one? You said you had an army of them." The flunky guy was getting on Faith's nerves.
"Giles, they're not ready. Those baby slayers are not ready." She knew. She'd been helping them train.
"We may not have a choice, Faith. The best of them are on their way here. We'll evaluate them then."
"I am not going to get anyone killed."
"Millions, Faith. Millions unaccounted for. We need to try something."
Weight of the world. No wonder they wanted Buffy instead of her.
"So we send this woman in with a bunch of girls. They take out the leader. Then what, Finn?"
"I have teams gearing up as we speak."
"Guerilla warfare. It'll be just like Vietnam if we're not careful."
"Oh, and with the eight foot demons who can crush your skull with one punch. Sounds like fun. Faith? Time to train?"
Faith could feel that itch that Wesley was so obviously feeling. He needed to punch something. Why'd he have to get that nasty character trait from her? It was actually one she had learned to control. With Wesley around to enhance her slayer abilities, it made it harder. She'd have to ask Giles about a different meditation technique.
"Giles, we'll need our weapons back," Faith asked as Finn got up from the table.
Wesley grabbed an apple to eat on the way out.
"It's to eat, Wes. No projectiles, please." Faith would really have to keep him on a leash. A very short leash.
Riley turned to glare at Wesley. He just smiled and took a bite.
"Good apple," he said as he passed Riley.
"I'm not sure what is wrong with him Faith, but you need to rein him in and quickly," Giles told her as they walked to the infirmary.
As they entered, Dawn waved them over to her bed. Connor's was set up next to hers. He smiled some too when he saw them coming.
"Look, they gave us matching beds. Isn't that cool?" Dawn was giddy.
"Dawn, they're hospital beds. They're supposed to look the same."
"And you're supposed to be the fun slayer, Faith."
"Connor, how is your arm?"
"Better. I'll be in this cast for a little while longer though. Itches like crazy."
"And they've been feeding us like every hour. How about you two?"
They'd had breakfast at 8:00 p.m. And the damn apple Wesley was still crunching on.
"Yeah, we're good kid."
"Good apples, Faith," Wesley grinned to her.
"We're going to train. Lots of energy after sleeping for nearly twenty-four hours."
"Was it really that long? I can't remember what time you woke me up."
The dork Wes knew when she woke him up. He was just baiting both Riley and Giles.
"The children need their rest. If you would like to train now," Giles said as he tried to lead Faith and Wesley away.
"Not a child, Mr. Giles." Connor looked a little angry with him.
"Son, when you're as old as I am, then you qualify."
Wesley laughed and threw his core of the apple into a trashcan. At the other end of the room. Bulls eye.
"Ready Faith? Wesley took her hand in his.
"Yes. Now," she commanded.
Riley led them down several corridors, reaching a gym. A few people were present, but there was plenty of room for them.
"Show off," Faith whispered to Wesley.
"I could do that a long time before this, darling."
"Oh. I knew that." Like she knew it, but really didn't.
"Faith, would you like me to . . . ," Giles started to ask.
"Rupert, I'll take this one," Wesley said as he walked by.
"Sorry, Giles. Next time." Faith smiled.
The two stood beside each other.
"Let's try to determine what abilities have changed and what have stayed the same, shall we?" Wesley whispered, leaning into her.
"I don't want to hurt you," Faith told him a she put a hand on his arm.
"I need this more than you do. Unless you want to go back to the room." They'd run out of protection, so that would have to wait until much later.
"This'll do, big guy."
Faith circled Wesley, looking for an opening. He stood looking at her, not bringing his arms up to fight. But she knew better. He was ready.
"We should warm up first."
"Already warm."
"Not what I'm talking about." Faith took a swing and he ducked.
"Take your time. Find your opening."
"Oh, I will, watcher. I will." Faith kicked out, hitting nothing but air.
"Not bad."
"I missed. Not good either."
Both Giles and Riley watched from the sidelines. The general and his flunky were at the side of the room, getting their fill also.
"Now?" he finally asked her.
"Now," she yelled as she charged. He was ready for her. More than ready. He blocked and spun like a pro. Like a slayer. Faith couldn't seem to land a punch. She finally brought him down though by sweeping his legs out from underneath him.
"Good one," Wesley pointed out as she extended a hand out to help him up. He took the opportunity to drag her down on the floor, flipping her over him. "Let your guard down."
"That's it. You're going down, Wes." He'd pissed her off on purpose, so she'd stop holding back.
Her roundhouse kick connected. He grunted but put out a kick of his own. Ouch, he did hurt when he did that.
"Long legs. Puts you at an advantage."
"Don't be a baby, Faith." Same taunt she had used against him when he was hurt. "And you're not following through like you should."
"Thanks. You're a peach."
They kept up the sparring for another fifteen minutes, both satisfied with their discoveries.
"You're strong," Faith told him after.
"I could hold my own before, but now?"
"I know, I know."
"Tired?"
"A little. I'll go another round if you want."
"How about another sparring partner, Faith?" Riley called to her from the sidelines. Wesley just grinned. The military types had left after their demonstration.
"Tired, Finn. Must be the altitude. Wesley'll take you up on it."
And she'd get to see exactly what he had gained. She could tell his speed and agility had increased, but he knew her moves. He couldn't read Finn's mind though.
"Him? Sure."
TBC
Next chapter: Continuation of the fight. Yes, there will be more Connor/Dawn stuff soon. Please review.
