Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Everyone ready?" Giles asked as he buckled himself into the driver's seat. With a collective 'yes,' he slammed his foot on the gas and the camper rambled forward, heading out of town.

Chapter Twenty-Two:

"Well, that sucked," Xander said as he and Buffy helped drag a wounded Giles into an abandoned gas station. Their RV was a smoldering mass of twisted metal and they were surrounded by a group of heavily armed knights. Willow quickly put a barrier around their hideaway, thus keeping out the overzealous swordsmen.

"Lets put him over there," Buffy said, motioning toward a dusty counter in the corner. "You know, Giles, you're a lot heavier than you look," Buffy said as she and Xander negotiated Giles onto the cracked countertop.

"I'll make a note of that," Giles ground out through the pain. Though Kara had informed him he would be injured, he hadn't quite been prepared for the amount of pain he was experiencing. Shooting a glance in the future slayer's direction, he saw Kara flash him an apologetic smile.

While Buffy, Willow, and Xander were tending to Giles's wound, Faith and Spike were chaining the captured Byzantium general to a pole in the back room. Tugging on the chains to make sure they were tight enough, Faith circled around in front of the man, a dangerous gleam in her eye. "What do you think you can do to me, little girl?" The man asked, spitting on the ground next to Faith in defiance.

A cruel smile twisted Faith's lips and she stood back, folding her arms across her chest. "You tried to kill my friends, the people I care about. I think the appropriate question is what can't I do to you. 'Cuz right now, I'm thinkin' just about anything is an option," she growled. Next to her, Spike bounced back and forth on his feet nervously.

"Hey," Dawn said, coming up behind Faith and laying a hand on her shoulder. She could practically feel the rage coming off the dark slayer. Though Dawn knew Faith would never hurt her or any of the others, she honestly felt afraid for the captured general. "Buffy could probably use you out there," she said. "Besides, you shouldn't really be moving around. You know, whole gunshot wound thing."

Faith looked back at the girl, her anger immediately dissipating. "Yeah. Walk with me, huh?" Faith said, shooting a glare back at the chained man. Then she and Dawn walked back out to the main room, Dawn leading Faith over to a couple of crates, where Joyce, Kara, and Callum were sitting. Then Dawn went to check on Giles. Anya was sitting near Joyce, holding Tara's had and trying to soothe the frightened woman.

"Feeling alright?" Joyce asked as Faith sat down beside her. She noticed Faith wince when she moved, absently running a hand over her wound.

"It's hurts a little," Faith admitted, much to the shock of everyone who heard her. The old Faith never would have admitted any weakness. Willow smiled sadly, looking over at the former rogue slayer.

"What's up, Will?" Buffy asked, noticing her friend's expression.

"I really misjudged her," Willow said, motioning to Faith. Buffy smiled.

"We all did," she whispered, gazing at her girlfriend with pride and love shining in her eyes.

"We really need to get him to a doctor," Xander said, capturing the two girls' attention.

"Yeah, but how? We've got an army outside waiting to kill us," Willow reminded him.

"True, but we've got something they want," Spike said, joining the group. "The little toy solider back there means something to them."

"You think we could negotiate for a doctor?" Buffy asked hopefully, glancing down at her watcher. He's face was drawn and pale, a thin layer of sweat covering his body.

"Don't see why not," Spike reasoned. "It's worth a try anyway."

Kara watched as Willow, Buffy, and Spike left the gas station, breaking through their own barrier to negotiate with the knights waiting outside. A short while later, they came back in with Ben in tow. "This is it, huh?" Callum whispered to her, looking up at her nervously.

"Yeah," Kara whispered back. Faith turned to look at them curiously, her slayer hearing allowing her to catch their hidden conversation. Moving over to them, she sat down beside Callum.

"This is what?" Faith demanded, speaking lowly enough for only Kara and Callum to hear. Kara studied her for several moments before leaning forward and speaking.

"Whatever happens in the next few minutes, just stay here," Kara said sternly. "You try to stop it, she'll kill you."

"Who?" Faith asked, Kara's tone chilling her.

"Glory."

Faith was about to respond when Ben dashed across the room, banging on the wall to be released. "You have to let me out!" He yelled.

"What's his problem?" Faith asked, watching him suspiciously. Dawn rushed over to him, trying to calm him down.

"Just watch," Kara said, laying a hand on Faith's arm to prevent her from moving. Faith looked back at her alarmed.

Before their eyes, Ben suddenly transformed into Glory. "Ah, that's better," Glory said, stretching out her arms. Then she noticed Dawn standing directly in front of her. A wide smile covered her face. "Well, well. Little Ben finally did something right," she said and then noticed the chained up general. "Oh look, it's Gregor," she said, picking up an old hubcap. Flicking her wrist, she sent the piece of metal shooting through the air. It slammed into the general's chest, killing him nearly instantly. "Now it's not." Grabbing Dawn by the arm, Glory dashed out of the gas station, breaking through the barrier without a second thought.

Buffy ran after her, but couldn't break through the barrier herself. "Willow!" She yelled. "Get it down!" Willow released the barrier, but by the time Buffy ran out into the parking lot, all of the knights were dead and Glory was gone.

Faith looked back at Kara, her features grim. "Why did you let that happen?" She demanded, though still low enough for only the two of them to hear.

"Certain things have to happen in order for others to be stopped. Dawn's gonna be okay," Kara said seriously. "The Powers sent me back here because they knew I could make the tough choices. Can you?"

Faith studied the girl sitting in front of her, for the first time seeing the depth of her destiny. "Yeah," she said simply, pulling herself to her feet. Joyce stood beside her, tears silently streaming down her face. "Everything's gonna be okay," Faith said, wrapping her arm around the woman and leading her out of the gas station. Callum and Kara followed after them. The rest of the group had already assembled outside, surveying the damage Glory had done and trying to get Buffy to respond. Buffy sat on the ground, her face marred with grief, completely catatonic.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Faith asked, watching her girlfriend with worry.

"Yeah. She needs to see," Kara said.

"See what?"

"Death is her gift," Kara replied, looking over at Faith with a primeval light shining in her eyes. "But so is life."