Author's Note:
Here's the strange part. Faith isn't going to go evil and kill the Deputy Mayor. She's going to be "Buffy" while the real Buffy tries to stay away from the Slaying stuff. Doesn't work too well, as you could well imagine, with the Ascention and all. We get to meet Wesley and we get to see Graduation all through a nifty montage. And, once again, bits and cameos from "Bad Girls", "Dopplegangland" and "Graduation Day". Just pretend that vampire Willow came when she did. Please?
Oh, and I promise the crossover will come soon. I just needed a few chapters to set it up. The next chapter will begin the crossover, really.
And to the reviewers... especially the one who suggested that the Council hid ALL of the Slayer's pasts... well, there is an interesting tidbit I found in Goblet of Fire. I think I'm going to use it. As for Faith, she will factor in this story as well. As for where this tidbit is, it's in the pensieve chapter. Thank you for reviewing. I really hope you like this chapter. It's the last of the pre-crossover chapters.
I'll probably post the next one this weekend.
- - - - -
Chapter 3
A Time to Fall
- - - - -
Buffy closed her door softly behind her and glanced longingly at her bed. While she wanted ever so badly to crawl in bed and forget the events of the past three months, she knew it would be rather difficult.
It had all started the day Giles had been fired. Buffy had resisted temptation to murder the man who had given the order then and there. Instead, she had made the boldest decision of her life and had quit the Council.
Quentin had reciprocated with the cruelest and coldest thing one could imagine. He had given Buffy adoption papers, basically telling her that she wasn't the true daughter of Hank and Joy Summers. The folder she'd been given was mainly full of letters from Lily Potter to the adoption agency and the actual papers. There were several photographs, including one of Lily Potter. She had been a true beauty with her dark red hair and green eyes Buffy recognized as resembling her own.
She even found out her true name, the name she'd been given at birth: Elizabeth Potter.
Her birth certificate was inside the folder. Everything was there. It was as though Buffy Summers wasn't supposed to exist. Because, in reality, she didn't.
Buffy sat down on the edge of her bed and stared at her nightstand. She had framed the photograph of her birth mother. Lily's eyes seemed to stare at her, as though telling her it was okay to not understand what was happening to her.
She touched the picture before turning off the light and lay down on the pillows, feeling completely drained.
After she'd quit the Council, Faith had taken over. Buffy was impressed by the skills and logic Faith used to make sure that the forces of darkness were kept at bay.
Her new Watcher had arrived. He seemed awfully smug the day that Faith was introduced to him in the Library. She'd dragged Buffy out of History just to meet this guy, even though Buffy was no longer a part of the Council. He had been insulting Giles, because he walked around the room with a look of sheer superiority on his face while happily going through the books Giles had loaned him.
Buffy and Faith walked in together. The new man appeared to be a prim Englishman with a tight-fitting black suit and a smug smile. "Wesley Windham-Pryce," he introduced himself, offering his hand. "Which one of you would be Faith?"
"Does it matter?" Buffy asked, her voice cold. Wesley gazed at her face for a moment before turning back to Giles.
"I would assume the one that didn't speak is the one that is currently employed by the Council," Wesley said snippishly. Giles crossed his arms and glared back. Buffy moved to stand by Giles as Faith sized up the new Watcher.
"Screw this," she finally said, walking right back out. Buffy watched her go, longing to do nothing, but Wesley turned to her.
"You would be Miss Summers?" he asked, his voice turning almost offensive. "Would you go after her?"
Buffy sighed and said nothing, choosing instead to follow Faith. "Faith! Faith!"
Faith turned, wrapping herself in her leather jacket. "What's up, B?"
"I know this new guy is a dork, but he is still your Watcher," Buffy explained. "You can't just walk away from this. You can't do what I did. They'll destroy you."
Faith stopped at that. "I guess I really don't need you or Giles jumping down my back, do I?"
"You know I can't get involved in this, Faith," Buffy said earnestly. "They'll take me away. And I won't have a chance to do anything good here."
"This is really real, isn't it?" Faith asked, walking again. "They are really threatening to drag you kicking back to England."
In her mind, Buffy knew it would be better than that. They would rip her from the only world she knew and she would be forced to go back and face the music in England. That would force her to meet her family for the first time. Part of her knew it wouldn't be so bad, but the other part of her realized she was needed here.
"As long as you can keep the new... dork... in check, I can help here," Buffy replied, gesturing wildly. "Because..."
"Buffy," Faith said, turning to her and taking her by the shoulders. "You know this better than I. You've been singing it a bit longer. If you were to leave now, I probably wouldn't be able to handle it. Your sanity is all that's keeping me together here."
"I've talked to my Mom," Buffy said, walking after Faith again, "and we both agreed it might be best if you took the spare bedroom, in case anything should happen to either one of us." Faith glanced at her in surprise. "Well, you know. That way, you'll be out of that dinghy motel room."
"I'll get back to you on that," Faith said, almost relieved at the suggestion. Even though Buffy had pulled herself away from the Slayage, she still wanted to be a part of the team. Having both Slayers under one roof would ensure that they would be able to work together. "It sounds like a good idea though. Your Mom put you up to it?"
"She's not my Mom," Buffy muttered, crossing her arms, "and it wasn't her idea. It was mine."
"It's a good one," Faith said, complimenting her. "And... do you want to talk about the whole Joyce-is-not-your-Mom deal? I mean, I guess by now you figured I knew some stuff. Giles told me you were adopted, but I never asked him to elaborate."
"The Council gave me a package the day after I quit the Council," Buffy said, her voice growing misty. "I opened it and I found that it was full of letters and a letter of adoption, plus my birth certificate and a few photographs. The name on the official documents was Elizabeth Potter." She paused a moment, shaking her head. "I can't believe I'm telling you this. I haven't told Willow or Xander or even Angel yet."
"Maybe you're telling me because I'm not going to get all weepy on you," Faith replied as she sat down next to Buffy. "What is it?"
"It had a picture of my birth mother inside. Her name is Lily Potter... and I can't help but think what she'd be like. She's very pretty, albeit a little young. The council must have gone through many channels to get that information," Buffy continued. She lowered her gaze a bit, her voice dropping. "Part of me wants to know about this world over in England. It tells me I have a right to learn about this new family. But the other part of me, this part... it wants me to stay here and save the world. And the only way I can have both is to live this life I'm living right now."
"B, this world wasn't made for you," Faith said gently. "I've lived a sucky life but that's nothing compared to what those morons in the Council will do if they ever found out you were collaborating here."
"It's my choice, my risk," Buffy said, looking Faith in the eye. "And I think it's worth it. That Wesley doesn't look so tough to me. We heard him insulting Giles by telling him the only field experience he's had has been under carefully controlled circumstances."
"The guy even spells wuss," Faith agreed, staring at the double doors she'd just come out of. "I'll go back in there if you come with me."
"It isn't safe, Faith," Buffy admonished her. "You know that."
"I know," Faith shrugged, "but it'll make both of us feel better. And you can insult the hell out of him and the only thing he can do is threaten you... and that makes it different than the past, what, three weeks?"
Buffy grinned and followed Faith back into the Library. Maybe it would be all right after all.
Wesley and Giles were arguing loudly when both women walked back in. "What's going on?" Faith asked, prancing over to a table, sitting down, and laying her legs across the table.
Wesley scowled deeply at Buffy as she timidly took the seat next to Faith. "You are not supposed to be here."
"You forget," Giles said coldly, "that this is still my Library."
Wesley glared at Buffy and Faith a moment longer before directing his attention to the Slayer and quickly relaying Council orders. Buffy quietly listened with interruption as Wesley finished talking. After one last long smoldering look at the Slayer, he grabbed his briefcase and a stack of books and swept out.
"I don't care what you say," Faith said, holding up a hand to drown out Buffy, who had just opened her mouth to speak. "He's still a dork."
A dork or not, he was still a Watcher. He may not have been a well-respected one, but he was very close with the Council and seemed to relay everything into them.
The worst was maybe a month before, when Willow had chosen to do a spell with a thousand-year-old ex-demon named Anya. They had started the spell to bring back Anya's necklace, or charm, or whatever she'd called it. But the spell had gone wrong and brought forth a vampire Willow from another parallel dimension. Council orders had been to destroy the vampire.
Buffy had stepped in to stop the vampire Willow from killing her best friend. And then she consented with Faith to allow the vampire to be brought back and released to her own dimension.
The Council had phoned her mother the next morning and had given their final warning. If Buffy did anything else to interfere with the Council or with the Slayer, she would pay for her insolence. Buffy found the threat unfounded and even Faith got on the phone to argue, but it fell on deaf ears.
Buffy knew she was in trouble, but she no longer cared. The Mayor was getting stronger and had even recruited a surprising ally. Faith's only friend from life outside of Sunnydale had returned and had pledged her life to the Mayor. He had then sent a group of vampires to kill Faith.
Four weeks before graduation, she'd been put in a coma.
Wesley had immediately blamed Buffy. The blonde Slayer stood by the dark Slayer's bedside day and night, watching over her to protect her from the evil that lurked, desperate to finish off the job.
Faith awoke the night before, Buffy realized, reaching for a glass of water on her nightstand. She had asked Buffy for help because she was too weak to stand up to the Mayor alone. So Buffy had gone for Faith's friend, breaking nearly a month of silence. After putting the woman in the hospital that evening, Buffy was eagerly awaiting the Council's reply. They had usually looked upon her rebellions with a blind eye, but now that she was no longer under their control, they saw her as a loose cannon.
Giles told her that it was very likely that a group of stealthy Watchers would be sent to drag her, kicking and screaming if necessary, off to England.
She closed her eyes, begging for a dreamless sleep. The Mayor's ascention was coming on Graduation Day. That much Buffy had gathered in defeating the powerful vampire that night. Sleep was almost welcome as she drifted into it, begging that all bad dreams would stay away.
- - - - -
Faith was released from the hospital the next morning. Her first stop was the Summers house, where Buffy was getting ready for her second-to-last week of school. "Hey, B," she greeted from the blonde's doorway. Buffy had moved and hugged her tightly, holding onto her the way a sister would.
The past two months had brought them together as sisters. Faith had moved into the Summers' house a week after their conversation about Wesley. It really was a lot better than living in that cold motel room. It was warm and friendly, although Joyce and Buffy were constantly on edge. Faith was beginning to feel as though she were a part of this family, especially since Buffy had every effort in helping her to believe such a thing.
Buffy was even glad that Faith was becoming as close to her as a sister. By now she had told everyone what was going on, even Cordelia, because of her connection with the new Watcher. The brunette had been stunned at first, but offered the best advice Buffy could ever have hoped for. She had told Buffy to do what her heart told her to do.
Buffy had taken her words to heart. She'd picked up patrol duties when Faith was down. She'd taken out quite a few vampires and some other demons. She'd also run into Angel on more than one occasion.
It was getting harder to talk to him now. They had finally come to the end of their relationship, although both of them denied it.
But there she was, standing there, wearing clothes Joyce had left in case she was discharged. After pulling away, Buffy grabbed her bookbag. "We have a lot to catch up on," she said as both girls left the room.
Joyce drove them both to school and promised to be there by four to pick them up. Before class could begin, Buffy led Faith into the Library, where Giles, Wesley, Oz, Willow, Xander and Cordelia were sitting, discussing the Mayor.
"Look who's here!" Buffy said cheerfully, stepping away as Faith came into view.
Wesley looked as though he were about to cry he looked so relieved. "Faith! How... how?"
"It's the advanced healing powers," Faith said as she sat down on the other side of Xander, giving him a sort of appraising look. "It comes with the Slayer package."
She glanced at the surprised faces surrounding them. "What's going on?" she asked in a more normal tone.
"We believe we know when the Mayor will achieve ascention," Giles replied. Wesley glared at him from across the table and turned to smirk at Faith.
"When?" Faith asked, almost dreading the answer. As long as it wasn't tonight, she'd be fine.
"A week from Saturday," Xander said, cutting off Wesley. "Graduation day."
The conversation then turned to how they would deal and suit up for it. Faith noticed that Buffy was very quiet and didn't even say anything when she was openly insulted by both Cordelia and Wesley. She appeared to be ignoring everyone until the bell rang. All of the students stood up and left, leaving Faith alone with both Wesley and Giles.
She immediately turned on Wesley. "How can you treat her like that?" she asked angrily.
"She almost got you killed," Wesley said, his eyes narrowing, his voice rising as it always did when he was angry. "You can't begin to imagine the stunts she's pulled ever since you went down!"
"I heard she saved your life," Faith cut back, "twice, if I'm not mistaken."
"Try three times," Giles retorted. "And I know that you practically carry a Watcher-cam in that briefcase of yours. I do hope you are at least informing the Council that Buffy is still adequate at being a Slayer."
"She is not our concern anymore," Wesley said waspishly. "She's yours."
Faith stood up so fast that Wesley cowered in his seat. The chair fell with a bang, but there was no mistaking the deep anger in her eyes as she towered over the younger Watcher. "You weasley little maggot," she hissed, her eyes narrowing as the Slayer rage overcame her. "You have no idea what this is about. She kept you alive. You'd be dead right now if it wasn't for her. At the very least, I hope you told your Masters that."
That said, she left the Library, the sound of her boots clicking the only sound that remained in the room.
The next week passed quickly. Buffy spent every spare minute in the Library, helping the others research ways to stop the Ascention. She also spent a lot of time around her Mother, who seemed to welcome the attention. They were both extremely tense and even began talking about what had happened eighteen years ago.
Joyce admitted she never met Buffy's true mother. "Your father's business trip was arranged for him. He didn't know that it wasn't really business, so he was angry we were tricked. I was still so weak after our daughter was stillborn. It was then I discovered that having children would be so dangerous for both me and the baby that we agreed we couldn't try. The agency contacted us our first night in London and asked that we attend a meeting the next morning..."
Buffy could guess what would happen from there. She'd been adopted by newlyweds Hank and Joyce Summers. She would be raised as their daughter until Hank left the family.
But part of her wondered if Joyce ever suspected anything. Buffy had been a Slayer three years before telling her Mother the truth. It wasn't a difficult thing to do, but it was the right thing to do.
They spent their last weekend before graduation together. It was then that Buffy convinced her Mother to leave town. Or, rather, it was Joyce that walked into her bedroom to find Buffy immersed in her closet, throwing items into a suitcase open at her feet.
"Buffy, I am your Mother, even if I'm not related to you by blood."
"I know," Buffy said, smiling softly.
"You know I am going to be there while you graduate. I have to be there. I know that your own birth parents would be there if they knew you were graduating high school."
"I know, Mom."
"There is nothing you can say that'll make me change my mind," Joyce continued, watching as her daughter continued to pack her things into a large black bag.
Buffy stopped short of dumping an armload of blouses and trousers into the bag and set them down on the bed instead. "You know I love you, right?"
"Buffy... what are planning to do?" Joyce asked, almost hesitantly. "Please don't tell me you're going to do something stupid."
"There are demons that even you can't begin to understand," Buffy started. "I can't explain it to you, but I need you gone. I can't protect you. Not if I'm..."
"You're going to fight?" Joyce demanded, standing up. "How can you fight? That Council will take you away from me if you do anything stupid, Buffy. Please, understand that I don't want that to happen."
"Do you think I want to go back to England?" Buffy asked angrily. "Do you think I want this at all? No! But I am not going to stand by and watch my friends die. I can't. I won't."
"What is going to happen, Buffy?" Joyce asked, tears swelling in her eyes. Her daughter's loyalty to her friends and to her sacred duty was astounding.
"The Mayor," Buffy explained, continuing to fold clothes into the bag. "I need you gone next weekend. I know it's graduation and all... but maybe someday you'll see the next one. Those moron Council members have decided that my college applications are no good and have terminated every single one of my choices for this fall."
"I hope so," Joyce said, standing up and walking over to Buffy, hugging her tightly. "If it's so important for you to risk everything, I will do what you ask."
Buffy gave her Mother a watery smile. "I love you, Mom."
"I love you, too."
Finals week started quickly, Buffy realized. Her last final was three days before Graduation. As she walked down the hallway to go to the Library, Wesley was walking out and spotted her first.
"I just wanted you to know," he said, his voice slightly cool, "that I told the Council what you did when Faith was in her coma."
Buffy held her breath. If he had told them what she thought he had, she wouldn't be graduating at all. She wouldn't even see her house again. She held her tongue as he opened his mouth to continue.
"I told them that you were brilliant and that you'd saved my life," Wesley said. "I don't think they approved of that much, but I'm willing to bet that in time you'll be a part of this team again."
This was exactly what she needed to hear to cheer her up. She smiled shyly at the new Watcher and muttered her thanks before walking past him and into the Library. Faith was inside, sharpening a stake. She looked past her before noting the look on Buffy's face. "What is it, B?"
"I just talked to Wesley," she said, joining Faith and grabbing a knife, eyeing the large stack of blunt stakes on the table. "Have you talked to Giles yet?"
"And Xander," Faith reminded her. "They both promised we'd have all the supplies by Saturday."
"Good," Buffy nodded, rubbing the sharp edge of the knife along the weak side of the stake. "At least there's some good news from all of this."
"It'll make pretty colors," Faith replied, setting the stake aside. She noticed the blank look on Buffy's face as she continued sharpening the stake. "How are you doing? Really?"
"I'm all right," Buffy replied, setting her own stake aside. "I asked Mom to leave for the weekend."
"That was probably a very smart thing to do," Faith said, her voice echoing the respect she felt for the older girl. "I'm sure someday she'll appreciate it."
"I'm just wondering if I'll ever see her again," Buffy replied, picking up another stake. "Aside from all of these eclipses and a very large demon coming out of... the Mayor... I don't think the Council will appreciate what I'm doing."
"You're not interfering," Faith told her gently. "You're intervening. If you weren't here, we'd be screwed."
"Thank you, Faith!" Buffy said with a grin. "You always know how to make me feel better."
"Just trying to lighten the moment," Faith teased.
The door opened and Giles walked in with Willow by his side, both deep in conversation. As soon as they saw Buffy, they fell silent. "What is it?" Buffy asked, glancing from one to the other. "What's going on?"
"Buffy, we have to talk," Willow said, moving to take the stake and knife from Buffy's hand and pulling her into Giles' office.
"What is it? Is it about the Ascention?" Buffy asked, her voice dropping to a shuddering whisper.
"Yes," Willow said, sitting down. "Buffy, if you do anything... anything at all, you know that the Council will snap, right? Even with all of the encouraging news Wesley has been giving them. Unless you agree to abide by their orders, they're going to use this as the excuse to take you away from us."
"What would you have me do?" Buffy asked, biting her lip to stop the flow of tears. "Would you have me sit back and let my friends die? Would you watch me as I walked away without doing anything? I can't, Wil. You don't get it... this isn't about the risk. This is about my destiny. I am a chosen one, even if the Council chooses to ignore me. This isn't about intervention anymore. It's about choices. I've made my choice and if they think they have the power to deport me and wallop me into the eighteenth century, so be it."
Willow watched as Buffy's voice grew more solid and more angry.
"I know the Council is angry with me, but unless Wes tells them that I am breaking the rules, I'm safe."
"He wasn't being completely honest," Willow admitted. "Giles and I overheard them talking about how you took over when Faith was down. He said that you were incapable of making a command decision when you led us down into that vampire nest."
Buffy could feel her anger start to surface and averted her eyes. "Tell me this isn't happening," she begged softly. "Please tell me this isn't happening..."
"Did you ask your Mom to go away?" Willow asked instead.
Buffy nodded. "Tonight I'm going to talk to Angel. God, Wil. Graduation is two days away and it'll be the biggest day of our lives. Everything we've ever thought of doing after, it's coming. The Council may have the power so that even the Clown Community College will deny my application, but I know you have the power to do whatever you choose to. I love you, Wil. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
Her eyes suddenly cleared and she glanced at the back of Faith's head. She appeared to be deep in conversation with Giles. "Oh, my God," she whispered. Standing up, she left Willow standing inside Giles' office as she grabbed Faith's shoulder. "Faith, do you have a moment?"
- - - - -
It was a bright sunny morning the day of Graduation. Buffy sat up, stretching, staring at her bedroom walls. She glanced around her bedroom, which had mostly been cleared out. She figured that after today, she'd never see it again.
She could hear Faith moving in the next room. Good, she thought. The quicker they started getting everything ready, the better. They didn't have much time left.
Both Faith and Buffy dressed and drove over to the mansion, where Angel was also preparing for the big day. He promised he would show up at the school an hour before graduation before the women left.
They arrived at Sunnydale High just as Giles arrived. "Oz, Xander and I got everything ready last night," he said in a rush of words as the three swept into the school. "In fact, I--" The words had died on his lips as his eyes froze toward the other end of the hallway.
Buffy and Faith both followed his gaze. Buffy's blood froze when she noticed Wesley. And he wasn't alone.
There were four others with him and they didn't look happy.
"I'd like a word with Miss Summers, please," Wesley said. He didn't look like he'd take no for an answer. Buffy allowed herself to be led away, ignoring the glances both Faith and Giles were sending her way.
"We need to speak with you about the ceremony this afternoon," Wesley said, crossing his arms in front of his chest and glaring at her. "Our orders are very clear. If you join the fight, even when the Mayor achieves Ascention, I'm afraid these gentlemen will act irrationally. Their orders are very clear."
Buffy bit her lip and stared at Faith and Giles, who had been joined by Xander and a few other students, looking harried. "I am going to act with the rest of my student class," she finally said, turning back to the others. "If you feel that this countermands your orders, feel free to act as you will. Otherwise, I'm going to act just like an ordinary Jane."
Wesley looked slightly suspicious, but let her off with her final warning.
Buffy had a feeling she'd need it as she collected her bag with a cap and gown inside.
Three hours later, the class of 1999 was walking down a narrow aisle and filing into several rows of seats. Buffy was one of the last students to sit down as Principal Snyder began his speech. After a few moments, Mayor Richard Wilkins III took the podium and began a long-winded speech on change and civic unity. If he wasn't about to turn into a large demon and devour their entire class, she may have believed him.
All at once, the sun was eclipsed by the moon. As the students gasped, the parents freaked and began backing away as the Mayor started shifting and grunting, the notecards tumbling from his hands. He let out one last bellow before transforming. Buffy heard Willow gasp next to her. She didn't notice Faith moving in from the 'Family' section, but soon Faith was standing next to Buffy, handing the older Slayer an ornate dagger.
A large demon was standing before them in the darkness. As the parents panicked and began to backtrack, a large group of vampires overtook them. Buffy turned to Faith, who watched as a member of the faculty became the Mayor's first victim. "Now!" she shouted out.
The entire student body pulled off their gowns, revealing weapons around their neck or sheathed at their waists. The battle began. Oz and Xander turned their flaming arrows onto the vampires attacking from the rear while Faith used her own onslaught to attack the snake demon.
It was all going good until Faith suddenly tripped and fell over a row of chairs. The Mayor spotted her and bent into to attack. Buffy stood there, with a dagger in her hand, not knowing what to do. "Fall back!" she called out, taking charge as Faith dodged the demon's thrusts. "Fall back!" She turned to Willow. "Go."
Moving to Faith's side, she managed to drag the wounded girl away. When the Mayor made to attack again, she lunged at him, swinging the knife. Its eyes suddenly focused on the blade and it straightened, glaring at her, as though daring her to challenge him.
She did and he was soon following her.
Faith opened her eyes and stood up, moving to the edge of the fray, grabbing a battle axe as she moved. After dusting several vampires, she actually stepped on her Watcher, who'd been knocked to the ground.
Buffy raced through the school, running as fast as she could to the Library. Once she burst in through the doors, the sound of crunching wood and breaking glass alerted her to the Mayor's arrival. She launched herself behind the stacks and burst through a window, landing hard next to Giles, who was crouching near a small box.
"Do it, now," she said quietly.
Giles pressed down hard.
The students gasped as a large explosion shook the ground. The explosion continued, blasting the glass dome from the top of the school. Flames burst out the front doors and began licking down the grounds.
"Oh, my God," Buffy gasped as Giles helped her to her feet. They'd managed to get away, barely in time. It was almost a shock to realize that the Ascention was over. The Mayor was dead. And the entire student body had worked together to bring him down.
They moved to the front of the school, where fire engines, police cruisers and ambulances were careening to the remains of the high school, which burnt brightly against the eclipsed sky.
Breathing hard, Buffy didn't even notice the group of Watchers approach her. It was only when she heard the sound of her own name did she turn, bleeding and bruised. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice holding a deep hatred for the men and women who had turned her life upside down.
"It's over for you here, Buffy," the woman in the group said. "You have three days. I suggest you use them wisely."
- - - - -
Dun dun dun dun...