The Quickening

Notes: Sorry for the delay. I've had crazy amounts of schoolwork. The semester is almost over, so the updates won't be as frequent. However, I should be updating at least twice a week.

Previously:

"Well, don't worry," Cordy said confidently. "I'll keep you out of trouble. We outsiders have to stick together, yeah?"

Chapter Forty-Four:

"Can we talk about something?" Faith asked as she and Xander walked through the halls of Sunnydale High. She and Buffy had just gotten back from Willy's. They had arrived only to discover Willy badly beaten. The Sisterhood of Jhe had come looking for Willy, as he was a major source of information in town. They wanted both Buffy and Angel, thus making Faith feel a bit left out that she did not even rate on the evil radar. However, Willy had been able to give them some useful information regarding when the Sisterhood intended to open the Hellmouth. Unfortunately, that information indicated that the Sisterhood wanted to open the Hellmouth that very night.

"Sure, what's up?" Xander asked curiously.

"It's Willow," Faith replied.

"What about her?" Xander asked.

"I think she's into you," Faith said. Xander nearly tripped over himself when his brain processed her words. Stopping, he turned to face her.

"No way," he responded.

"She pretty much told me so," Faith indicated.

"But she's been my best friend for a very long time. It's just wrong," Xander said.

"My opinion too," Faith said. "But it's going to be a problem."

"Why?" Xander asked.

"She's making it a problem. She basically threatened me earlier today. Willow may not be a very intimidating person, but there's something there. Something lurking beneath the surface. Maybe it's the magic, I don't know," Faith said.

"Willow wouldn't do anything," Xander reassured her.

"Either way," Faith said, "could you just talk to her? Getting bitched out in the halls isn't exactly my idea of fun, you know?"

Xander smiled and nodded. Reaching over, he grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it. "I'll straighten everything out," he said, leaning in and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "You going to the library?" He asked.

"Yeah, Buffy and I are meeting there to report back to Giles about Willy's info," Faith replied.

"Okay, I'm gonna go talk to Willow right now," Xander said. "Don't worry about anything."

………………………….

"Hey, Will, can I talk to you for a minute?" Xander asked when he and Faith walked into the library. Willow, Buffy, Cordelia, and Giles were gathered around one of the library tables.

"Sure," Willow responded, smiling sweetly as Xander indicated that he and Willow should talk in the stacks. Willow rose to her feet and followed Xander. Faith watched them go, then looked over at Cordelia, who was watching her intently.

"Want me to follow them?" Cordelia whispered over to Faith when she sat down.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "Tell me what she says."

"Not a problem," Cordy said confidently, rising to her feet and following furtively following them. Cordy slipped into the stacks, positioning herself in the row across from Xander and Willow as they talked.

"So, Faith told me you confronted her today," Xander said, skipping any small talk. Willow looked up at him, wide-eyed for a moment, before recovering herself.

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure she was serious with you. I don't want her to hurt you," Willow replied.

"I think I'm a pretty good judge of when I'm getting played," Xander answered.

"What about Cordelia?" Willow asked bitterly. "Was that when of your moments of better judgment?"

"You don't know anything about Cordelia and I," Xander responded. "In fact, I'd go as far to say that you don't really know anything about Cordelia. So I'd be careful how I talked about her if I were you."

"All I know, Xander, is that you keep hooking up with these people who are using you when there are people who care a great deal about you right in front of you," Willow said.

"Faith was right. I'll be damned. You are into me," Xander replied, suddenly realizing the desire that lie in Willow's eyes.

"Maybe I am," Willow said, stepping closer to Xander. "Is that so wrong?"

"We've been friends for a long time, Will. That's all we are," Xander replied.

"But we can be so much more than that," Willow responded. Before Xander knew what had happened, Willow's lips had crashed into his. He could feel her tongue slip into his mouth. Then he pushed her away.

"What the hell are you doing?" Xander asked, stepping back as if he had burned himself on a hot surface.

"Tell me you don't want this," Willow said. "I know you do. I can see it in your eyes."

"No, I don't," Xander stressed. "I'm with Faith. I want Faith. Willow, I'm in love with Faith. Not you."

Willow watched him for a moment, seeing the truth of his words in his eyes. Cordelia watched Willow's face fall for a moment, before she looked back at him with steely resolve in her eyes. "Remember this moment when Faith leaves you humiliated and broken like Cordelia did. Then you'll know what you just gave up."

"That's not gonna happen," Xander replied. "And maybe you should start thinking about what you have. Oz is a great guy. Don't ruin what you have with him. You'll regret it." Xander looked at her for a long moment before turning and walking out of the stacks, back into the library to rejoin his girlfriend.

"How'd it go?" Faith asked when Xander sat down.

"I'll tell you later," he replied. "But I don't think we'll have to worry about her anymore." Faith nodded, noting that Cordelia had yet to return. Perhaps everything had not gone as well as Xander imagined.

"That's some stunt you just pulled," Cordy said, stepping into view of Willow. Willow looked up at her, surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Willow asked.

"Eavesdropping, actually," Cordelia honestly replied.

"Why?" Willow asked, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at Cordelia to belie the fact that the other girl intimidated her greatly.

"I'm Faith's friend. Friend's look out for each other. I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to try anything with her boyfriend. Looks like my concerns were justified."

"Are you gonna tell her?" Willow asked, suddenly fearful that the younger slayer's anger would get the best of her.

"No," Cordy replied smugly, walking up to Willow. "I'm not going to tell her anything. I think I'll just handle this myself." Grabbing Willow by the collar of her shirt, Cordy slammed her against the book case behind her. It wobbled for a moment, creaking with age, before settling. "Stay away from Xander. Stay away from Faith. Me and Xander, we may not have been destined for anything other than a quick fling, but he and Faith are in it for the long haul. I can see it in their eyes. I'd hate to see something ruin that. Are we clear?" Cordy asked, her eyes flashing angrily. Willow audibly gulped nodded.

"Yeah, we're clear," she responded weakly. Cordy smiled, satisfied, and let go of the other girl.

"They'll be expecting us," she said, turning back toward the door to the library. "Take a minute to collect yourself. You look kinda pale."

…………………………..

"Do we really have to do this?" Buffy asked, holding the tranquilizer gun in her hands.

"We have to move Oz," Giles replied. "The demons are going to break through in the library. The last thing we need is a werewolf escaping and complicating matters."

"Just be careful with him," Willow pleaded with them from her place in Giles's office with Xander and Cordelia. Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"We will," Giles reassured her. "Alright, Faith. Open the cage door."

Faith nodded and quickly opened the cage door. Oz leaped out, straight at Buffy, who pulled the trigger on the tranquilizer gun. The dart lodged itself in the werewolf's shoulder. He stumbled back, but shook off the effects and charged again. "Another!" Faith yelled. Buffy shot the gun again and, this time, Oz went down.

"Come on, B," Faith said, picking up the werewolf by the legs. "Let's get him into the classroom." They were going to move Oz into a nearby classroom so that he would not be in the way when the fight started with the Sisterhood of Jhe.

"What's going on?" Angel asked, opening the door for the two slayers as they carried Oz out.

"We're moving Oz until this is over," Giles replied. "Is there any activity outside yet?"

"Yeah," Angel replied. "Demons are everywhere. They're incredibly restless. They know what's going down tonight." Buffy had gone to Angel's mansion as soon as she and Faith left Willy's. After warning Angel that the Sisterhood was after him, she instructed him to meet her at the library later that night.

Buffy and Faith dropped Oz by one of the classroom doors. "I don't think this is going to hold him," Buffy said reluctantly.

"Well, we gotta put him somewhere for now," Faith answered. "We'll get Xander to scout out a better place."

"Good plan," Buffy replied. Hoisting Oz up, they placed him as gently as they could in the classroom and closed the door behind them. "Let's just hope he doesn't wake up before then."

"What's the plan for all this anyway?" Faith asked as she and Buffy began walking back towards the library.

"Willow and Giles are going to perform a binding spell, which hopefully, will stop the Hellmouth from opening," Buffy answered.

"And if it doesn't?" Faith asked.

Buffy shrugged and replied, "the world ends?"