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Kick a warrior woman: Valid point 'cept Spike has never met Faith (As in the real Faith in Faith's body) so he wouldn't be able to tell that Tru wasn't her.
Allan Pitt: It's funny you should talk about the Bring it on crossover 'cos my friend wrote that one. It's not actually going to be twins separated at birth, to be honest the Faith/Tru look alike thing was just fun it's not crucial to the point of the story, just to the story bit of it (if that makes sense). Also I was actually going to have lots of repeats but you'll have to wait and see what I do!
A/N: As I gradually see more Tru Calling episodes (stupid England being so far behind) I realise a few things that I've kind of ignored like Luc and Davis knowing about Tru. Please excuse this on the grounds that I started the story after only 3 episodes before either happened.
Buffy turned around again and had nearly reached the doorway when Tru found her voice.
"What caused the change of heart?" She called, getting shakily to her feet. Buffy didn't pause but called back,
"Faith wouldn't have run."
Tru hurried after Buffy.
"Why didn't you run? How'd you do that?"
"It's what I do." Tru reached Buffy's retreating form and stood in front of her.
"But you're just like me. You're just a normal girl." Buffy was forced to stop and looked carefully into Tru's face seeing just how similar every feature was to a girl so different.
"That's what I keep saying." The impossibility of it all hit Buffy full on. The one wish she had made more than any other, the wish that only a few people knew about, was one that would never come true. Sometimes it was easier just to pretend, to do the things normal girls did but the world would never allow that for long, it always had a way to remind Buffy of just how abnormal she would always be and just how screwed up her life was as a result. Dawn was just one more reminder, just another apocalypse to test her, just another loved one whose life or death could save or destroy the world. Buffy gave Tru a small rueful smile. "Doesn't mean it's true." Tru was struck by Buffy's choice of word but also by the depth that was evident in the eyes looking at her so intensely.
"Let me help you. Please." Tru pleaded knowing within her that out of any calling she had had so far this was the one where her need to help was greatest.
"You can't. You're not involved in this, you have no idea what's going on and believe me you don't want to know."
"Now hold up one minute." Tru said standing in a pose that was not aggressive but was unyielding. "I flew across the continent to be here. I am involved and I really do want to know what's going on. I'm different. I can help." Buffy looked scrutinisingly at Tru in a manner that was incomprehensible to the dark haired girl.
"You'd better come inside then." The slayer said leading Tru to the door she had appeared out of like the figure of Tru's salvation.
Inside was a room that looked as if it was built for fighting. A punch bag was suspended from the ceiling and as Buffy walked past she hit it with such force that the heavy canvas sac swung back hard towards Tru. She caught it with both hands yet still staggered backwards and looked at the petite blonde girl with wide-eyed amazement, not understanding where such strength had come from. They emerged into the Magic Box, Tru a few steps behind Buffy as she paused to look at the display of weaponry on the wall of the fighting room. As Tru stepped out of the doorway behind the shop counter the older man replaced the telephone and was talking to Buffy.
"That was the prison." He said carefully cleaning his glasses. "She's err"
"Not Faith." Buffy interrupted to everyone's surprise. "I know."
"H-how?" the bespectacled man stammered with a curious frown, unable to understand how Buffy knew.
"Vampire." The Slayer replied by way of an explanation.
"Oh." Was the collective sigh from most occupants of the room then frowns creased the foreheads of all the listeners bar Tara and Spike so Buffy elaborated.
"She was running. Faith would have fought." The frowns passed collectively to Tru who looked at Buffy.
"That was a vampire?"
"Running. Faith would have fought. Faith would know a vampire. Yes because Faith's a slayer. She's not Faith." Anya contributed in typical fashion as Tru stared harder.
"Uh can I suggest that since the young lady is indeed not Faith we have some proper introductions." Giles said firmly crossing his arms.
"Right. Trust the British guy to want the politeness." Xander commented but to his surprise Anya cut him off.
"No I think introductions are a good thing."
"Yeah." Spike agreed. "That way if we kill her we know what to put on the gravestone."
"Spike." Buffy warned and turned to Tru. "I'm Buffy. This is Willow," Willow gave a little wave, "and Tara," Tara stared blankly at Tru whilst unconsciously fiddling with Willow's hair, "and Giles." Buffy was just building up a flow when Spike cut into her introductions.
"Might be more useful this way. She's the Vampire slayer." Spike indicated Buffy. "He's the geezer who does the training and the research and stuff."
"I believe watcher is the term most fitting." Giles said irritably but Spike continued.
"She's a witch, she's a witch when she's in her right mind, she's an ex-demon, he's human and I'm a Vampire" he finished then looked smugly at Buffy. "See not so hard. Now you are?" He turned to Tru."
"I'm Tru."
"My kind of introduction luv." Spike said lighting a cigarette. "The useful kind."
"I…Dead people ask me for help and I relive days to save them." Tru put it bluntly, leaving out all the grief and troubles it caused her.
"You're gonna get a lot of business round here." Spike commented and Buffy, Willow and Xander nodded.
"Why? What's so special about Sunnydale? Who are you people? What's a Slayer? Vampires? What are you on?" Tru was learning more which was a step in the right direction but it was leaving her more confused. To her surprise it was Xander who let out a wry laugh.
"Of course. Let's just explain everything we possibly tried to keep secret to the next psycho girl who walks in the door shall we? How bout it Spike?"
"Xander do shut up." Giles snapped, his curiosity about Tru mounting.
"What if she's a robot?" Xander countered. "Hadn't thought of that now had you? What If she's a Faith-bot?" Spike walked over to Tru and drew a nail down her forearm. Drops of blood welled up though Tru barely winced and Spike then walked over to Xander, slapped him about the head and said,
"She's human. Like you. Now shut up." Xander did so and sat mutinously in his chair as Tru explained that she had flown to California to help Dawn.
"How did you know Dawn was in trouble?" Buffy asked Tru but before she got a chance to answer Xander stood up.
"Dawnie died today." He said and the faces of everyone in the room turned to stare at him.
"Yeah." Tru said looking with surprise at Xander who had seemed to change his mind about her with the speed of lightening. "How did you" but Willow cut her off, very aware of Buffy's fragile state of mind since her catatonic state.
"No, no, Dawn's not dead."
"Not now, but she was." Xander replied looking at Tru for confirmation. " I saw her, lying on the ground and then we were walking and then it was today…again. I'm just plum crazy aren't I."
"I'm not disagreeing with the boy." Spike said holding his hands up, palms forward.
"You're not crazy." Tru said softly to Xander. "You saw the day again too. I didn't know anyone else could…any more."
"What so no one else knows about these days. Everyone just wakes up and thinks they're carrying on their lives but actually they've gone backwards? You're the only person in the whole world who knows?"
"I guess. I mean there's a couple of people who know but only 'cause I told them. I don't know if Harrison really believes me but he knows and…"
"Harrison?" Buffy interrupted but Giles looked at her with a glance that said plainly 'let her carry on with the story.'
"My brother. I told him when I first found out, when I thought I was going crazy. Davis knows too. He works at the morgue with me."
"She works at a morgue, hey she'll fit right in with the graveyard crew." Xander joked but without his usual grin, he was more inclined to take Tru seriously now.
"Graveyard? I don't understand, what's the Slayer and how can you be a vampire?" Tru asked.
"As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world" Giles began as he had so many years ago but Buffy, as she did last time, interrupted him.
"He loves doing
this part."
"All
right. They hunt vampires, one slayer
dies, the next is called. Buffy is the
Slayer, please try to keep it quiet. Is
that enough?"
"Not really." Tru said struggling to absorb this information, "But I guess it'll have to do. So you have like super strength or something?"
"Pretty much. Strength, speed, vision, healing, bloody clothes, complete lack of time. All part of the job description really." Buffy answered with just a touch of a sarcastic smile at her lips.
"Explains the fight out there then. So who's Faith?"
"Faith, " Giles began slowly, "Is the other Slayer."
"The other…I thought you said there was only one?" Tru questioned with a frown. "One girl, another one when she dies. Isn't that what you said."
"I died." Buffy said simply then more slowly "and I was replaced. Then I was brought back. Xander saved me but there was another Slayer. She died and we got Faith."
"So why's the Slayer in prison then? I mean if you're the good guys, fighting vampires and stuff then why lock her away?"
"Faith had a bit of an evil spell, you heard what she did when we thought you did them." Xander explained. "She decided it was best if she was locked away, punished so she could be redeemed. She's just a touchy kind of subject, always has been really."
"So do we really look that alike?"
"Oh yeah" Was the simultaneous reply from Buffy, Willow and Xander.
"Ok, guess that answers that. So moving on, what're we going to do about Dawn? What's the deal?"
Buffy sighed heavily and briefly explained about the key and Glory finding it much easier to talk about it in a detached, third party sort of way. Tru listened open mouthed as the secrets of this whole world she never knew were divulged to her. "We have to stop Glory before the ritual starts, I have to save Dawn because she's all I have left. She's my sister." Buffy finished the emotion she had temporarily held under siege spilling out in drops of water that filled her eyes.
"Buffy, if we don't" Giles started but was cut off.
"No. I don't want to hear it again. We are not discussing this again. If Tru's been given the chance to save Dawn there has to be a reason, right?" Buffy appealed to the group.
"What if there is no way Buffy? Would you sacrifice the world for her?" Giles pressed but Buffy turned away, the unspoken answer on the tip of her lips.
"How did she die?"
"I-I don't know for sure but there was a tower, I think she fell, or jumped or was pushed or something. Listen B's right." Tru missed the flicker that crossed several faces at this spontaneous nickname and she turned to address the others. "There's always a reason, only one reason. The people weren't meant to die. Whether there was an accident or an argument or they were murdered, it doesn't matter. It's not their time to die."
So not a super-exciting chapter, please blame exams for the lengthy not updating. Also please let me know if you're interested 'cause if ppl aren't I'll put this on hold for a while at least until exams are over. Please let me know.