FIC: A Murder Of Crows (5?)

"You missed a hell of a party last night JL!"

Jonathan nodded. "I don't like parties," he lied. Truth was he hated sitting on the side watching while everyone else had a good time.

"Oh yeah?" Faith shot him one of her all-too knowing looks, the ones that ripped through his defences and rummaged through his deepest secrets. "You were lucky, anyhow a gang turned up, started a fight, and everything."

Jonathan blinked. "But they didn't hurt you?"

"Me?" Faith's dazzling beautiful smile almost made his knees buckle. "You're worried about me? You're so damn sweet." He blushed when the brunette patted him on the cheek. "I'm cool. Say," the Bostonian looked nervous, he'd never seen her look worried before. The east coast teen shuffled from foot to foot. "I'm kinda struggling with the Civil War-."

"I could help you study!" He eagerly interrupted. He knew he didn't have a chance with a gorgeous girl like Faith, but just spending time with her was his all-time favourite thing to do. "We could go to the library after class."

"Uh, I was thinking we could go round to my place," Faith looked embarrassed. "I kinda don't want the others knowing that I need the extra help."

Or that you're hanging with me, Jonathan's mood dropped. Forcing a smile, he nodded. "Sure."

Jack rose at the front door opening. "That you girl?"

"Hey Crow."

He wondered if it would kill his daughter to call him 'Dad', or 'Pop', or anything other than Crow. He prowled into the hallway. "You're home early," his voice trailed off as he registered his daughter wasn't alone, accompanied by a youth even shorter than she was and who wasn't one of the Scoobies. "Who's he?"

The boy jumped at his growl but his daughter just glared at him, which was all she seemed to do. "This is Jon. He's my bud and tutor," Faith winked at the youth before turning her glare back on him. "I need twenty bucks."

"What for?" That was another thing about having kids, they practically inhaled money.

"We need something to eat before we study, I'm gonna get some pizza."

"I didn't realise pizza was brain food," he commented sarcastically. "I thought that was fish."

"We'll have it with sardines," the Bostonian shot back before holding her hand out. "I'm waiting?"

Why did he bother arguing? Sighing, he pulled out his wallet and gaped when the Slayer snatched it off him, pulled out a wad of notes, and threw it back to him. "You've taken more than twenty dollars."

"Yeah," Faith pulled two boxes out of her bag and shoved them into his surprised hands. "It's candy. Seeing as the gym got burnt down by PCPers we have to sell that shit to rebuild it. You just took two boxes off my hands. Thanks." The supernatural warrior grabbed hold of the dazed looking teen, boy definitely had his sympathy, and pulled him out of the door. "Cya later!"

Jack looked around his empty hallway. "Now I'm the sort of man who buys charity candy?" Jack felt like his world was ending. Shaking his head, he tore open the box and pulled out a bar. "I bought them, might as well eat them," he groused.

"How is production going?"

Ethan glanced nervously at the vampire stood beside him on the factory floor before nodding. "Fine." The African-American vampire might wear a ten thousand dollar suit, but it didn't fool him for a second, he knew the bloody thing was a demon. He was starting to wonder if making this deal and returning to Sunnydale had been a bad idea.

He barely had time to blink as Trick grabbed a passing-by production worker, fed, and dropped the corpse by the stacked cardboard boxes. "I think that's 'fine sir' from now on?" the vampire arched an eyebrow. "Shall we give it a try."

Ethan gulped. "Fine sir." Oh he wasn't wondering anymore. Now he knew coming back to Sunnydale was a bad idea. If Ripper didn't kill him this crazy bastard would.

"And how is work progressing?"

Trick swallowed anxiously, his earlier assurance dissipating as he entered the office of his new boss. The Mayor was scary, more frightening than with his sire. At least with the Greek vampire you knew where you stood, it was mayhem, carnage, and torture all the way. But with this guy… One second he could be greeting a boy scout troop with a genial smile, congratulating them on some good deed or other. The next he could be ordering their deaths. Guy was erratic. "On schedule sir."

"Excellent," his boss beamed at him. "And when does Mr. Rayne say the candy will begin to take effect?"

"We'll see the first effects tomorrow."

Wilkins nodded. "Most satisfactory." The politician's smile disappeared, revealing the heartless black mage beneath. "After all, there can be no distractions when I make my move. None at all."

Buffy's heart stopped as she hurried into her home, she was already late because of the enforced hard labour that Snyder had placed them under to clean out the gym, Faith had skipped out on that, no surprise there, girl was a law onto herself. Add her clandestine visit to see Angel and she was seriously late. And her Mom was waiting in the lounge with Giles. Her Watcher and her mother together at the same time. Not a good sign. "Hi guys!" she tried and failed to put a sunny note in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you young lady," Giles stood, an all-too familiar disapproving look on his face. "And where have you been to this time?"

"Yes Buffy?" her mother cut in. "Where?"

Suddenly inspiration hit. "I was talking to a boy," she sighed. "Scott's dreamy." Normally her mother hated it when she dated, but after Angel, her mom wanted her dating anyone at all. If she turned up with Brutus the local biker gang chief she'd probably start picking out bridal hats. Just because Angelus had murdered half the town and tried to end the world, people were so narrow-minded.

Ignoring the pang that thought caused her, she pouted. "If I had a car I'd be able to get home earlier," she said, re-visiting an argument they'd been having ever for years.

She gaped when her mother dropped some keys in her hand. "Fine, you can borrow the car. But for one night, and it better come back in one piece." Buffy looked at the keys, her Watcher, her mother, and then the keys again. "What are you waiting for?" her mother asked.

"Uh, yeah." She hurried to the door. "See you guys later."

Giles grinned as Buffy hurried out of the house. "Bloody hell," he turned to Joyce. "I thought she'd never leave." Grabbing the older Summers woman by the hair, he pulled her into a long, passionate kiss.
Faith swallowed as B screeched the car around yet another corner. Before tonight she'd have sworn that station wagons couldn't go this fast or on two wheels. Or that she'd ever wet herself again. It appeared she'd been wrong on all counts.

"The freedom a car brings, it's so liberating."

"Yeah B," she growled. "That's why all the babes burnt their bras in the sixties, for the right to drive."

Her remark gained her a glare from B and a near hysterical giggle from Willow. She glanced over her shoulder to see the Wicca looked as terrified as she felt. "We're here!" Buffy screeched the car to a halt outside the Bronze.

"And still alive." Again B glared at her. Again she ignored it.

Buffy stared around the Bronze, her mouth dropping open at what she saw. The dance floor was filled with people her mother and Giles' age, and the band were the same age. Her eyes widened, she recognised at least three of the band as tutors from Sunnydale High. She turned to her companions. "What is going -." She paled as she noticed the body lying on the floor behind an all too innocent looking Faith, blood dripping from the man's nose. "Faith! What did you do to Snyder?"

"Me B?" Faith's look of wide-eyed innocence was about as convincing as Xander's. She just stared at her fellow Slayer. Finally the brunette shrugged. "The asshole felt my ass, I introduced him to the business end of my elbow."

"Faith!" Willow exclaimed between looks at her, her fellow Slayer, and the unconscious principal. "You'll get in big trouble."

"Fuck Red," Faith sounded disgusted. "They're all under a spell," Buffy blinked as her fellow Slayer back-handed a drunk who tried to paw at her chest over the top of the pool table. "I doubt Snyder will remember shit in the morning. If he does," the brunette shrugged. "Worse case scenario, they throw my ass out of school. Big fucking deal." Faith looked at her. "What's the sitch, B? To the bat-cave?" She looked confused, her fellow Slayer sighed. "The library?"

Buffy nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"That's the last of the buggers Joyce."

Joyce sighed. "That means," she threw an empty wrapper to the floor, "if we want some more we'll have to go out."

"Ah bollocks," Giles pulled her to her feet. "Grab ya coat love, looks like we're making a trip out."

"Give me that!" Buffy watched in bemusement as two grown men in their mid forties fought over a half-eaten candy bar lying on the pavement.

"Willow!" she shouted as she realised her friend had run over to pick up the bar. "This is no time to get the munchies."

"I hate to agree with B," Faith commented from beside her. "But she's got a point."

"Thanks for the whole-hearted support Faith," she replied.

"Hey no problem, fellow warrior for good!" Faith shook her head the moment she spoke. "Shit. I'm hanging with JL way too much."

"I'm not hungry," Willow exclaiming before shoving the bar in her hand. "Look at it!"

Buffy looked down. It was one of the bars they were selling to rebuild the gym. "Not seeing the point here Red." She nodded in agreement with Faith.

"Don't you see, they're fighting over the bars!" Willow exclaimed. "They're causing it!"

She glanced at Faith. Her fellow Slayer shrugged. "Worth a look I guess," the Bostonian said. "Not like we've got any better leads."

"The chocolate factory it is."

"What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at?"

Crow glanced away from leering at Joyce to sneering at the clearly irate Englishman in front of him. "I was wondering how a real woman like Joyce ended up with a fucking limey."

The insult was barely out of his mouth when Giles' fist slammed into it, knocking him back a half-step. "You prick!" he snarled before throwing a right that the Englishman ducked beneath before lunging in and grabbing him around the stomach. He instantly responded with a knee to the stomach.

The limey grunted, released his grip and stumbled, crab-like, backwards. As the Englishman straightened, he snapped a left jab into his face, catching his adversary in the eye. "You bugger!" His nose exploded in pain when the librarian ducked his follow-up, slid inside, and headbutted him in the face.

"Fuck!" he stumbled backwards, blood spurting everywhere. Ignoring the pain he staggered back towards the Englishman, intent on pummelling him.

Buffy blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing. A riot outside the candy factory. "We have a winner." She noticed her fellow Slayer wasn't looking in the same direction as her and Willow. Instead she was mouthing a swearword repeatedly as she looked slightly to their left, into some shadows. "Faith what's up?"

Faith shook herself before replying. "You never told me your mom was a skank B."

"My mother's not a skank!" Buffy screamed.

The other Slayer grinned weakly. "Oh yeah? Then why are G and Crow kicking the crap out of one another over her while she makes out with another guy. Sounds like a skank to me, B."

Her mouth dropped open as she realised just what the Bostonian was alluded to. "Oh crap! Faith-."

"I'll grab Crow, you take G, Red you're on Joyce detail." The east coast native chuckled. "Get her away from that guy who's mouth she's investigating."

As usual her glare bounced off Faith. The Bostonian was enjoying this too much. After hurrying across the street, she dragged Giles away from the fight. Seeing that Faith had matters in hand with Crow, she glanced towards her mom and her paramour.

"Here's ten bucks!" Willow was screaming into the protesting man's face. "Go buy yourself a lap-dance from another floozy!"

"Hey Willow!" Buffy protested. "My mom's not a floozy!"

"No Red," Faith agreed. "We decided before she's a skank."

Faith looked around the factory. It was hard to see anything, what with the lack of light and the boxes stacked everywhere. Having to control her horny pop wasn't a bundle of laughs either. "What are we looking for B?"

"Something magical," the other Slayer whispered back at her.

"Could you be any vaguer?"

Suddenly G let out a shout. "Ethan! You bloody ponce!"

Seeing G recognised the stranger and figuring that if her Watcher didn't like him, he had to be a bad guy, Faith leapt towards the man. "Look after them B!" she shouted. The guy's face paled as he started to run away, but she cut him off. The man snarled and threw a decent right haymaker that she ducked under, grabbed the man's wrist and threw him facefirst into the wall. As the man staggered back she kicked him in the lower back. The man squawked and fell to his knees. Grabbing his collar, she flipped him onto his front, knocking him onto his back.

Before the man had chance to rise she was straddling his stomach, fist raised menacingly. Instantly the man stopped struggling, eyes filling with fear. "Smart guy," she praised. "Who is he anyhow?" she glanced over to the rapidly approaching others.

"Him and Giles ran in a gang in the early seventies, real tough nuts," Willow babbled excitedly. "Giles went straight, Ethan didn't. He's caused trouble twice in Sunnydale"

"Oh yeah?" Faith glanced to her Watcher with interest. Hidden depths uh? "So why you're here English?" She asked Ethan.

"I've heard rumours about the striking new brunette in town," the Englishman smiled at her.

"A charmer." Faith nodded thoughtfully. Then punched the Brit in the chest, making him gasp in pain. "Cut the crap and talk."

"I'm subcontracting. It's Trick you want. I'm just helping him collect a tribute... for a demon."

"What demon?" Buffy demanded.

Ethan's eyes went shifty. "I don't remember."

Faith punched the man in the mouth, sending teeth flying. "Wanna tell me the truth?"

"Lurconis," the Englishman replied, blood bubbling out of his mouth. "Demon named Lurconis. They wanted a way to get the tribute away from people."

"So you're just Diversion Guy?" Buffy put in.

"Rather more than that," huffed her prisoner. "They said the tribute was big, so big that people would never let them take it. That people had to be out-of-it. And later on, when the candy wore off, they'd blame themselves."

"So where's Trick?" Faith queried

"I don't know exactly."

Faith gut-punched the man. "Wanna try again?"

"No! I-I-I really don't know. Delivering the tribute."

"Wanna share?" Buffy pressed. "What's the tribute?"

Mayor Wilkins stood at the back of the tunnel observing the ritual. "Oh heck," remembering something he took out his cell and quickly dialled his secretary even as he watched Trick supervising the four vampires who had stole the children as they chanted in Latin, standing on the wide concrete rim of a small pool. One of the demons stepped down with a shallow bowl of water taken from the pool and began to anoint each of the crying babies with it. All was going swimmingly.

Finally his secretary answered the phone. "Carol. Hi. Yeah. Call Dave on the public works committee tomorrow about sewer maintenance and repair. I have some concerns regarding exposed gas pipes, infrastructure, ventilation. And, uh... cancel my 3:00."

He nodded in approval as the last two babies were anointed. Suddenly Buffy dropped down from above, followed quickly by Faith. Heart racing, the Mayor stepped back into the shadows.

In an instant the two Slayers move to meet the vampires. The first swings at the blonde who ducks and stakes him, her smooth movements mimicked by her sister Slayer. "Extra-ordinary," he muttered as he watched the Slayers in action. "Like poetry in motion." The moment the last of the Slayers' group had entered the tunnel, he climbed up the ladder and escaped.

The final surviving vampire attempted to dart around them but Faith caught him with a contemptuous side kick, knocking it into the pool. She heard a deep rumbling. "That can't be good." The vampire got to his knees. Just then a huge demon snake appeared

through a huge hole by the water. Seeing the vampire it swallowed him whole before retreating into the tunnel. Faith gulped. "I'm thinking that was Lurconis."

"See you!" Trick raced out of the tunnel.

Faith winced at the returning sound of the rumbling. Buffy yelled. "Light your lighter and throw it in the air!" She obeyed instantly, flinging the lit lighter into the air. "Duck!" She dived at the floor and looked behind her to see B jerk a gas pipe from the ceiling sending gas exploding into her lighter. The gas stream turned to flame, hitting Lucronis in the face, engulfing him. "Let's get out of here!"

"I hear you!" Faith muttered.

"And your friend?"

Trick shifted uneasily in his seat, hating the Mayor's tone. "Paid him. The man did his job. No reason to burn that bridge."

"This didn't turn out the way I had planned."

"Where's the downside?" Trick defended. "You just got yourself one less demon you

have to pay tribute to. The way I see it, I did you a favour."

"I guess you did." Suddenly the Mayor was in front of him, leaning into him. "In the future... I'd be very careful how many favours you do for me."

"Hey G."

Giles looked up to see a surprisingly nervous looking Faith stood in his office doorway. "Hello Faith," he squinted. "You weren't here for training before class," he accused.

"Yeah I know," Faith looked down. "I didn't know if you'd want me around after Crow and you got into a throw-down. Me being his daughter and all."

"Faith," Giles sighed. This poor girl had been neglected her entire life leaving to believe that she'd be rejected at the slightest opportunity. "We were both under a spell, I'm not going to hold a grudge. And if I was, I would not direct my dislike towards you for something Jack had done. Understand?" The girl nodded. "Good." He chuckled. "Truth be told, it made a pleasant change to be fighting someone who couldn't press six times my weight above their heads."

"G," he saw that the curvy brunette's eyes were twinkling. "You'd have totally kicked his ass."