She's Gone 3 - Loose Ends

Faith hurried through the shadowy graveyard, her heart thundering and her mind whirling at what had happened in the shop earlier. Tar seemed nice, Xand and G looked like they might give her a chance, and the Council stipend of $250 a week that G had mentioned during his brief was wicked cool. Pip was a problem though, she always kinda liked her, there had to be a way they could re-connect. But Red, what the fuck? She'd always been a bitch but what had turned her into the Wicked Witch of the west? Faith shook her head, after the day she'd had she definitely needed a release.

* * *

Spike looked up at the sound of his crypt door opening. He'd heard the heartbeat and smelt the human seconds ago but had figured she'd just walk past like they always did.

His mouth dried at the sight that greeted him. The woman stood in the doorway was gorgeous, with glossy, jet-black hair that flowed down onto her shoulders framing a high-boned face containing a pair of knowing liquid brown eyes and thick pouty lips parted in a cocksure grin.

And the body, the brunette's leather pants hugged every inch of her muscular legs and the sinful roundness of her arse. The black silk blouse the girl was wearing didn't stick to her body as much as he'd had liked but there was enough to suggest the athletic curves of her upper body and the generous swell of her breasts. But it was more than that, while Buffy had been innocence waiting, needing, to be corrupted, this tart thought she knew the darkness but he could show her different, twist and warp her. Maybe he wouldn't wait for Dawn to ripen to show his true self after all.

"Right there luv," his greeting faltered as he realised something else. Oh bloody hell, he began to back away his hands raised in surrender. "Listen Slayer I'm one of the good guys, the White Hats-."

"Chill blondie," the slapper interrupted. "I got the skinny from G and the others. I'm here for something else." The brunette made her way over to him, her slender hips swaying seductively as she did so. "Heard you got a Slayer kink. Question is," his eyes widened as the Slayer began to unbutton her blouse, "will any Slayer do?" An expectant gleam in her eyes, the brunette allowed her shirt to fall to the ground.

Spike took a second to drink in the wondrous sight before him. "Any port in a storm luv." He grinned as his eyes roamed over the woman's flawlessly smooth skin, taut stomach, and her full but pert breasts, her long nipples erect with excitement. Hypnotised by the sight before him he stepped forward but the Slayer pushed him back with a smoky laugh. "Slow down blondie," the brunette glanced behind him and grinned, "hey Spikey what I'd like you to do is grab that bottle of JD, pour half of it on my tits and lick it off while I drink the rest." The brunette winked at him. "Well what the fuck are you waiting for?" Chuckling slightly he turned away, oh this was going to be fun, he really wanted to test a Slayer's stamina. He reached for the bottle on the top shelf when the woman spoke, his voice smocking. "Spikey didn't your mama never tell you not to turn your back on a big bad Slayer?" He screamed as a stake entered his heart from behind.

* * *

"Stupid bastard." Faith allowed herself a shudder before picking her blouse up and fastened it. She'd been horrified when G had told her about Spike and his chipping. What if the chip had failed for Christ's sake? Or if the vamp had lead the rest of them into a trap? When she'd heard she was being sent back to Sunnydale she'd vowed that as B had died to protect Pip she'd do whatever she could to protect her and the first step was getting rid of the leech.

She snorted as she buttoned her shirt and pulled her jacket back on. Human or vamp, men were all the same - show them a wicked rack and they started thinking with their pricks. She could have walked in and started throwing punches, but she hadn't wanted to leave anything to chance. If the vampire had escaped he could have easily squealed to the others, causing them to distrust her. And if he'd been faking, waiting for the right moment to take the others out she could be in a hell of a lot of trouble considering he'd already killed two Slayers.

Now though, she looked around the empty crypt, there was one less problem. A smile playing on her full lips she brushed her hair behind her head, turned, and made for the door. Pushing it open, she stepped out into the night and took a deep breath, savouring the air's cold, crisp freshness after the crypt's mustiness.

"You kill or fuck him?"

Her heart stopped as Xander stepped out from behind a near-by statue of a cherub. Oh shit, she was in a world of trouble. ""Y..you followed me," her eyes narrowed, "I should have been able to sense you."

Xander tapped his head. "I've got the memories of a Green Beret who fought in Korea and Nam in here. Now," the Scooby's eyes turned flinty, "don't change the subject. What happened?"

Faith licked her lips before answering, her palms sweaty. "I.I killed him."

She was surprised when Xander flashed her the lop-sided grin she remembered from the last time in Sunnydale. "Good."

"G..good," now she was confused, "but I thought he was one of your crew?"

Xander's grin disappeared to be replaced by a thin, grim line. "He wasn't part of our crew. Not to me and G-Man at least, we both thought he should have staked the first day he turned up with his damn chip, god knows when it could have failed." Faith hid a smile, well at least he wasn't pissed at her. "Then he betrayed us to ADAM. But still Buff wouldn't let me stake her," Xander shook his head, a disgusted expression on his face. "I loved her like a sister, but it was like she needed a vampire to lean on."

Faith decided to ignore the implied slight to Angel in the interest of harmony. "So why you following me Xand?"

The man stared at her unflinchingly. "Because G-Man wanted to know why you wanted to be alone."

So, suspicious. "Are you five by five," she glanced over her shoulder, back at the crypt, "with this?"

"Not a problem. We'll have to tell G-Man though." The man turned away and then back to her. "Have you cleaned up?"

"Cleaned up?"

"Make it look like he's left," Xander explained, his tone patient.

"Why?"

"The girls," Xander scowled, "are attached to Spike see him as some sort of pet I guess. When Dawn comes round after school -."

"You let her come round to a vampire on her own?" Faith couldn't believe her ears. "Do you deliver take-out to other demons to?"

Xander looked irritated. "No we don't let her, she come of her own accord. Point is we have to clean up, get rid of his dust, throw out his possessions. Make it look like he's got bored with Sunnydale."

She nodded, made sense. "Five by five," she followed the man back into the crypt and started cleaning up the dust left by the vampire's demise as Xander began to sort through the vampire's belongings. "What are you going to do with his stuff?"

"Dump it," Xander turned from bagging the vamp's clothes. "I've got a business trip to LA in a couple of days. I'll tell Anaya I'm taking a Greyhound, but take Spike's de Soto," the young man grinned as he jangled the car keys, "always wanted to drive it, dump it, and catch a bus back."

"Sounds like a plan Xman," she squinted at a box resting on a shelf. Intrigued she walked over and started rummaging through it. "You don't wanna throw this Xand."

"Why not?" the man moved up to stand by her shoulder. Slightly unnerved yet pleased by his closeness she glanced down at the box unwilling to confront her emotions. "These records are all signed, there's a guitar here," she lifted it out of the box, "signed by Billy Idol, a drum cover autographed by Keith Moon, and a g-string," her nose wrinkled, "autographed by Janis Joplin. You wanna take this stuff to a dealer in pop music shit," there was a word for it but she couldn't remember it.

"A memorabilia shop you mean?" she nodded, that was the word. "Whatever I get we'll split 5 0 - 50 okay?"

She shrugged. "You don't have to do that."

"Without you I'd have just dumped it, besides I owe you for staking Peroxide Boy."

Sensing a melting of the ice Faith decided to try the apology thing again. "Xand, I'm real sorry about what happened that night in my hotel room -."

"Which night?" the tightness was back in the man's face.

Thrown by the question she stared at the man for a second before replying. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"You could mean the night you tried to kill me." Well that was a little harsh she'd just been trying to get him to shut up. "Or the night I had sex for the first time, then got tossed aside like a piece of garbage!"

Faith's temper snapped. "You wanna try my first time!" she jabbed a furious finger into the man's chest. "You wanna try being a 13 year old kid whose drunk ma passes out on the sofa and whose boyfriend decides to turn her attention to the younger model!"

Shit. Too late Faith realised what she'd said. The man turned ashen-grey. "Faith, I'm sorry-."

"Save it." She attempted to retreat from her companion, anxious to get away from the memories. Fuck what had she done, that part of her life was over. "Just leave me alone -."

"No way," she tensed as the man grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her round to face him. She forced herself to look up into the man's eyes, instead of the expected disgust and contempt she saw only compassion. Suddenly the dam burst and she exploded into tears, her entire body shaking with unleashed emotion. Immediately Xander pulled her into a hug, allowing her to sob onto his chest, her tears soaking his jacket.

After a few minutes she pulled away, her cheeks reddening as she realised what she'd just done. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"No problem." She started as the man began to rub her face clean with a handkerchief. "I've been the shoulder to cry on for one Slayer already, I'm used to it."

"Thanks Xand," she whispered shakily. "You won't tell the others will you?" she asked in a small voice.

The man hesitated before replying. "Not if you don't want," she smiled gratefully. "Let's head back to my place."

"What about reporting to G?"

Xander grinned before reaching into his pocket. "The wonders of new technology," he waved a cell about, "I'll ring him, tell him Spike was faking his chip, and put up a fight so you're shaken up."

"Okay," she swallowed. "Xand, we five by five?"

"We're five by five."

* * *

Faith looked up at the house before her, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions churning up inside. On the one hand the Christmas she'd spent there had been the happiest ever. On the other she'd also threatened and beaten up the closest thing she'd ever had to a mother. "Come on girl," she muttered as she dragged herself up the drive, "this time last week you were Queen Bitch in a fucking prison. What's one little kid next to that?"

Her words sounded hollow even to herself. But she wanted to be friends with Pip again, she'd always kinda liked hanging with the kid, basking in her hero-worship - she was kinda like the little sis she'd always wanted. After taking a breath she knocked on the front door. A few seconds passed and then the door swung open. "H.hello Faith."

"Hi Tar," Faith hid a wince at the Wicca's blood-shot and pained eyes. Long experience of Slaying had taught her not to wait for an invitation so she stepped into the hallway. "Hi Tar," she repeated before taking a breath, might as well take a chance. "Tar, I was kinda wondering if you'd like to hang out sometime, if you need someone to talk to." Might as well try and make friends with someone she hadn't actually tried to kill. She'd considered trying with Xander's ex-demon chick but that girl was wicked protective of Xand and gave off a weird vibe to boot. But she'd liked Tar from the get-go.

She was delighted when Tara nodded hesitantly. "I..I'd like that."

"Wicked," she beamed before shuffling from foot to foot. "Is Pip in?"

Tara nodded. "She's upstairs. Her room's the one with N'Sync blasting out of it."

"N'Sync?" she shook her head before winking at the Wicca and waggling a finger, you're sadly neglecting her musical education Tar!" She smirked at the honey-blonde's slight answering smile. "Can I go up?" Tar nodded. "Five by five."

"Hi little sis."

The girl laid on her front on the bed leapt to her feet, stormed over to her, and began shouting. "Little sis? My sis died, my real sis! The one you tried to kill, remember her? If you'd have been here you could have done something."

This wasn't going well. "Dawn I'm sor-."

The girl's palm smashed into her cheek, leaving a red handprint. "Don't tell me you're sorry!" Suddenly the girl burst into tears and fell against her.

After an uncomfortable second Faith put her arms around the girl's shoulders, just as Xander had for her the previous night. "Come on Dawn, let it out."

* * *

Giles stared at the two fidgeting girls in disbelief. "Faith that's a ridiculous idea."

"But Dawn's made from Buffy's essence right?" he nodded unwillingly. "Well that means she's a Slayer too?"

He pinched his nose, it appeared Faith and logic were still distant cousins. "Faith, Buffy was called two months after her fourteenth birthday. Dawn is now fifteen."

"I was almost sixteen when I was called," Faith responded, "Slayers aren't called at the same age."

Giles conceded the point with a nod. "True, but as Dawn was created from her sister's essence and is a Slayer, she would have been called at the same time." He shook his head. "No I'm afraid -."

"G-Man, can I have a word in private please?"

Surprised he turned and stared at Xander for a second before nodding. "Very well. Let's go through to the back."

Once he'd closed the gym door he spoke to his companion. "Xander, you can't agree with this idea, it's nonsensical!"

"Is it?" Xander replied. "I don't think Faith really believe that Dawn is a Potential Slayer. Training with Dawn is just a way of bringing them closer together, and we both want her to be more involved with us. Besides, Dawn could do with training - Hellmouth remember?"

"Oh dear Xander," Giles sighed, "it's not fair when you become logical. I really don't expect that from you."

"I get a lot of practice living with Anaya," Xander grinned. "You might want to try it as an argument sharpening tool."

"No thank you very blood much," he shuddered at the very thought. "Running a shop with her is quite bad enough."

"Hey that's my fiancée you're talking about!" Xander chuckled. "Even if it is true. So you're going to agree"

Giles nodded. "Let's go back through." Once back in the shop area he made his way over to the waiting girls, hiding a smile at their shared nervousness. "I've decided to agree to your request."

"Wicked!" Faith high-fived Dawn.

Faith quietened at a look from him. "There will however be caveats." Giles looked from Faith to Dawn. "Firstly, your schoolwork comes first. Secondly, training is not a game it must be taken seriously. Thirdly, training with a Slayer does not make you a Slayer you will not patrol," the younger teen's mouth began to open only to close at his glare, "no argument Dawn. And fourthly, your training will be purely unarmed." The thought of Dawn with sharp objects sent shivers down his spine.

"I'd like to add a condition of my own," he turned to look at Xander back in his position with Anaya, "if Dawn is called the Council aren't told."

After a second he nodded. "Agreed."