Title: Come and Get Me
Disclaimer: This is purely for entertainment; none of the characters are mine.
Pairing: B/F
Rating: T

Chapter 4 – Verdict

Two o'clock rolled around after what seemed like it had been a lifetime of waiting. Both Giles and I headed back down to the Council, this time going in the front entrance and telling them that we were there for Faith's hearing. The guard didn't spot me; luckily…but he was the least of my worries.

I could still feel it; that buzz. She was here and I knew it, but I couldn't see her and I couldn't get to her.

We were told by another suit to wait outside of the hearing room, upstairs, where we sat on the wooden bench, adjacent from the large and closed double doors, that screamed traditional English. Same as the whole building. Everything was so beautiful and large; the stairwell, the hallways and the walls were panelled with oak. This place was so foreign to me, nothing I was used to. Hopefully something I wouldn't have to get used to.

I sighed out an anxious breath and clasped my hands together as I stared down at the space in front of me. Sitting tight. It was ten minutes to two.

'I'm scared, Giles. I mean really scared. What if we can't get her out of this?' I said after a while of silence, both of us perhaps contemplating the same thing. Could we get her back?

'We'll find a way, we always do.' His tone seemed so reassuring and certain.

Suddenly a door was opening and five bodies were exiting the room, and then heading in our direction, one of which was Faith.

I got to my feet upon spotting her, my eyes trying to catch the attention of hers. I saw her glance at me, but then avert her vision towards the floor.

'Faith…' I called near-quiet, though it was as if she was ignoring me, and as she was led by four other people into the hearing room, I felt my insides tighten.

I turned to Giles as he rose from the bench. 'But what if this is one of those times when we don't find a way? You saw her face; completely blank as if…as if…' I couldn't describe it. It was baffling me incessantly and I couldn't figure out what was going on inside her head.

'C'mon,' he nudged, and we headed inside the room.

I'd never been to one of these before. So I didn't understand a word of anything they all were saying, but we seated ourselves quietly in the corner, trying our best to go unnoticed. But again, all I was worried about was getting her out of there.

They sat round a "U" shaped table, Faith between two Gile's-lookalikes, and the other important people around the other side of the table, in front of us.

And all of a sudden her eyes were on mine, piercing, intense. I didn't dare blink; if just to miss one second of her beautifulness would be like depriving me of oxygen. I needed her to live. I needed her to breathe. And seeing her now, so far away from me, just out of reach was torture.

'Now we understand that the past few years have been somewhat a misfortune for you, Faith. Falsely called, you've lost two Watchers…and taking all of this into account we believe it would be unfair to simply solve this problem by…destroying you. Instead perhaps we appoint you a new Watcher, offer you a fresh start.' All the while this bearded Council member was speaking, I knew as much as she did that she wasn't interested in what he had to say.

Suddenly a larger, sterner member of the Council spoke out, his voice shaking Faith from her settled state in looking at me. She darted he eyes between each of the Council members, checking that they weren't watching her. 'Your Honour, I'm sorry, but I don't like the idea of us letting a murdering slayer roam free when it's clearly obvious that she's capable of murdering again.'

The Judge, a modestly shaped man with a grey beard and few hairs left on his head, eyed the opposing Council member. 'It would better benefit her if we gave her a second chance.'

I started to get a bit panicked when I realised this larger man was going to put up a fight for that innocent. 'That human being never got a second chance, your Honour must I remind you of the three broken ribs and neck strain the restraining attendant has suffered also? She's displayed clear and damaging acts of violence towards innocent people; what is to say that she won't do it again, once set free?'

I looked at the Judge, contemplating the words of the opposed.

'Your Honour, this is an example of pure evil. Look into her eyes! It's pure hatred, pure thirst for a kill.' The pompous man took a quick breath and pointed towards her, alerting her to him. Her wide eyes told me she was worried. 'This is a slayer gone wrong, your Honour and I order that she be put down.'

How the hell did he think he could talk about her like a dog? I sat forward almost bursting to say something, but felt a hand hold me back.

'Your Honour, she deserves no better treatment than any other criminal that is punished in this world.'

'The Government is against capital punishment in this country.'

'We are not the Government.'

There was an uncomfortable silence and I could feel myself dying to say something. To confess? Perhaps. If to save her. I certainly wouldn't have her dying for me, that's for sure.

Another man spoke up soon enough, allowing me to let go of a breath I was unaware was hitched in my throat. 'She's prevented very dangerous evils in this world. Kaskistos, remember? Gwendolyn Post…? We all remember her…'

'Brickton, she killed Gwendolyn Post!'

I could see the Judge absorbing the argument unfolding before his eyes. Though it seemed he had deeper sympathies that reached out to her. Perhaps he could see that she didn't do it. He licked over his lips quickly and cleared his throat, and leaned forward towards her. 'Miss LeHane, my offer still stands. We appoint you a new Watcher. No fighting, but a fresh start.'

No sooner than him finishing his sentence that man was interrupting. 'Your Honour this is injustice! What about that innocent? That innocent is just one victim; one of a potential many. You let her go free and she'll repeat those crimes.'

The Judge raised a hand to the pompous man and contained his gaze towards Faith. 'Miss LeHane, how do you plead facing these charges made against you?'

Moment of truth. Or lie…I caught her shooting a momentary look at me, her eyes unreadable, her expression likewise, and with all my will I attempted shaking my head, telling her not to lie for me.

But I never imagined she would actually say the words. So docile, yet disturbing, a felt my heart speeding up a thousand paces and my throat burning with the expectation of tears to come. 'I'm guilty.'

Dumbfounded. In disbelief. Shocked. I covered my mouth with my shaking hand, unable to believe that she'd confessed herself to this panel of powerful men who would decide whether or not she lived or died. She didn't do it.

The large man sat back, and sneered. 'See! She's confessed! Confessed, and now she must be condemned…'

'I WILL have order, Mr Tellman in this room.' I caught him sharing a look with Faith, who was even more unreadable than she had been before. The Judge shook his head in apology. 'I'm sorry, Faith, Mr Tellman is right,' he began quietly, and for sure the tears were falling from my eyes now, held back sobs caught in my throat, panic near unrestrainable. 'The correct procedure in this establishment for ensuring justice is to rid of the problem, rather than to discharge it. The only way to do so is to destroy you; by order of the Council you'll be given a lethal injection at seven o'clock this evening; that is all.' The Judge, visibly ashamed at his given sentence, hurried to exit the room leaving Faith behind in a shaken state.

I don't know whether it was catatonic, or shock, or catatonic shock, but I was unable to move or even sob now, and Giles was holding my hand, and watching Faith be led away by the same men that had led her in.

TBC