A Few Minutes Before Xander and Leo's Arrival
They were looking to her for support. Not for the first time, Faith had to wonder how her life had ended up this way. Being considered a 'responsible adult' was never in the cards for her. Hell, if you asked most, if not all, of the occupants of the Slayers' School, they would laugh at you for saying such a thing. No, Faith had tried to skirt past responsibility for most of her life. However, when it came to her slayers, there isn't a better way to describe her.
When she had originally been given a position of such responsibility of these 'special girls,' she had fought it tooth and nail. She had accused Giles of finally loosing it. She still wanted to know just what it was he had been putting in his tea when he got the idea to put her in charge of her own squadron of slayers, and baby slayers, that it was a good idea.
But the Brit had been right. She would never be able to explain it, but a bond like none other had been formed between her and her girls. Perhaps it was living with each other in small quarters. Perhaps it was the routine patrols that placed you in life and death situations. Perhaps it was needing help from some of her slayers to keep the baby slayers in line, and not out in alleys fighting the darkness like they so wished to.
That was another thing. She had never truly relied on anyone else in her entire life. She wasn't about to dwell on past choices, past bad choices. Everything that she had done in the past, misguided or not, had been done for want, not for need. But here, she found herself grateful, and in need, of both Vi and Rona.
They were both her 'seconds is command' or perhaps co-second in command. She still wasn't sure if there should be a title, but without them, she would be lost. When it came to the emotional turmoil of young girls, she was way out of her league.
Caring for them wasn't a problem. Well, only that caring for them could be exploited could it be considered a problem, or perhaps a weakness. But she wasn't about to change it, not for want or for need.
However, no one could dispute the fact that her slayers were of the most content in the school. They were competent fighters, and well adjusted to their new situations. Faith was known to go all out when it came to training, protecting, and dear god, even listening to her young charges. She was a far cry from the misguided girl that had arrived in Sunnydale all those years ago. There were many changes, most, if not all, were for the better. And not just in her, but in her slayers as well. However, there was one drawback.
Even in the short time, not even a full year, she and her squadron of slayers had become close. Close enough that they could tell her changes in mood, and how she was generally doing by just observing her. It was something that astounded her, and it was something she found herself more than capable of doing to her own charges as well. But as she stood there with 5 of her sister slayers, arming themselves to the teeth, that particular ability was coming back to bite her in the ass.
Some may have passed her tense movements off to the upcoming battle that supposedly would include a small army of vampire, demons, and even The First. But that wasn't what was on her mind. And what was worse, from the looks her charges were sending her, they knew that as well.
"Are you going to be ok, Faith?"
Faith looked at Vi for a moment. Taking a deep and calming breath, she nodded her head. Glancing to the left of Vi, was Rona. Both of them had placed as many weapons as possible over their body. Daggers, crosses, stakes, axes, holy water, and a plethora of other weapons were placed in various positions. They were expertly placed for optimum movement. Though, Faith would expect no less from her Intermediate Slayers, both of them she considered her Second in Command. The three slayers behind them, all in their Junior class, one step above the 'baby slayers' were still kitting themselves out.
Once they had completed prepping themselves, Faith looked over the Junior Slayers, and gave them each a pat on the back, signaling that they had kitted themselves properly. It was a routine that she did with her Junior Slayers, and would continue to do so until they reached the Intermediary level. She was about to compliment them on their readiness, when Rona's voice cut her off.
"Are you sure you're ok?"
Faith sighed and looked at her sisters. "I'll be fine." She glanced around the room, catching the worried glances that all of her slayers were sending her. Finally, she sighed in defeat. "Look, I'm fine, it's just going to be awkward."
"But, why?" A blonde haired girl, around 15 years of age, and of medium height, named Julie, asked.
"Because of what happened in our past."
Amy, another Junior Slayer spoke up. This one a little bit shorter, but with dark raven hair.
"But, we've heard nothing but good things about Xander." Amy's eyes darkened considerable, no one messes with her sisters. "What did he do to you?"
Faith shook her head sadly. "You have it wrong Aims. It's not what he did to me, it's what I did to him." Amy's eyes widened a bit at that. "You know I don't like to talk about my past, but you remember how I told you that I've done quite a bit of wrong in my past?" All three of the Junior Slayers nodded, both Vi and Rona were simply intently listening. "Well, sadly he's not even the worst of it. But, of all the bad things I've done, I'd say his was the most personal." She shook her head before sighing and looking at her two co-commanders. "You know, it was awkward to be around him in Sunnydale. And that too, was because of me. Though, he never made an effort to approach me" Shaking her head again, she continued. "But after everything I did, and said to him; I never even apologized."
"What did you do to him?" This came from the final Junior Slayer, Susan. She was short, no older than 14. Her blonde hair went to around her shoulders, and her green eyes were staring intently at Faith.
Faith turned around. Closing the doors to the weapons locker, she murmured, "Above all else, I tried to kill him." As quietly as she said it, it was easily picked up by all of those with Slayer hearing.
All of them in there knew some of her past. At least to a point. It wasn't something she liked to talk about, and it wasn't something that they pressed. Vi, however, spoke up.
"You know, it's not too late to apologize."
Faith turned back around to address the slender girl.
"I know." She swallowed. "Doesn't make it less awkward." In the old days, she would have put up a tough front to show that none of this was affecting her. Here, with these girls, that was no longer an option. However, that did not preclude the fact that she had to appear weak.
She took another calming breath. Steeling herself, she pressed on. "But it's something I can handle." She smirked at her sisters, a look they knew all too well. "Let's concentrate on kicking some incorporeal ass." The familiar smirks she received back did her heart a world of good.
It was at this time that a new sensation emerged from within. The slayers looked at each other. Each could tell that the others were feeling something similar. It was like thunder rolling and pulsating throughout their entire being. It was power, pure and simple. And to make matters worse, it was very close by.
Rona looked at Vi, then turned to Faith. "What the hell is that?"
Faith looked around the room, then turned her head towards the basement ceiling.
With a snarl she flew out of the room. Her words easily deciphered to the five slayers no more than a few paces behind her.
"An attack."
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Upstairs was a rather large room, which had been dubbed 'The Nursery,' that stood between the 3 rather large bedrooms that were the dormitory for the baby slayers.
Sitting in the room, which had been converted into a recreational area for the young girls, were two Junior Slayers, covered in bandages from various wounds, and two parents.
The man, General Andrew Goode, USAF, and his wife, Dr. Maryanne Goode, were talking to the two junior slayers.
Jennifer Stein, a 5'4, 110 pound brunette, was sitting across from the parents. Her right arm was in a sling from where it had been broken just over a week and a half ago. Her Slayer healing had her out of her cast within no time. And, soon enough, she would be fully recuperated, and out there slaying, where she belonged.
General and Dr. Goode's daughter, Ashley, was currently asleep at this late hour, along with the rest of the Baby Slayers. The two parents were currently conversing with Jenn about what they could expect their daughter to have to go through. Also, whatever they could do to help.
This, of course, had come after much denial, screaming, and a whole host of other emotions that had gone by earlier in the week. Sitting next to Jennifer, Dawn had actually been the one to walk them through everything. Their daughter had latched on to her from the moment they had met. Even her parents were beginning to refer to Ashley as 'Dawn's-Shadow.' In actuality, it had made everything quite a bit easier. In the end, they realized that their young daughter of only 8 years of age couldn't escape her destiny; and it was also clear to all involved that both of her parents had every intention of being there with her, every step of the way.
The other Slayer, Allison, was currently laying across a couch, just off to the side, half listening to their conversation, and half falling asleep. With her foot currently in a brace, with orders to stay off of it, there wasn't much for her to do. And those little energetic rug rats tired her out. And that was saying something for someone with pent up slayer energies.
As tired as she was, it didn't stop her from bolting upright, into a sitting position at the same time Jenn jumped to her feet. They both stared at each other, Allison ignoring the shooting pains.
The three non-slayers looked curiously at each other. Before Dawn could ask what was going on, the doors to the Baby Slayers rooms opened, and from one emerged Ashley, who made a bee-line for her mother, then went over to Dawn.
"What's going on?" Dawn asked to the room in general.
It was Jennifer who answered. "Something, or someone is here. And whatever it is, its frickin' powerful." The other slayers were nodding along. Jenn slowly turned around and pointed towards the direction Ashley had come from. "It's coming from that direction."
Dawn looked at the wall to which Jenn was indicating.
"Hmm, Giles' office is in that direction." She looked at the two Junior Slayers. "Perhaps Xander is here, and whatever brought him is powerful." She looked at Jenn with a worrying glance. "Uhh, is it just powerful, or is it evil too?"
Jenn seemed to think for a second. "I'm not getting any 'evil' off it, per se. But it's still giving me goose bumps."
Dawn was going to reply, when a shriek of 'Xander' and a little blonde streak that had once been Ashley flew out the door.
Dawn glanced over to Ashley's parents. The General was standing with a gun in his hand, he had a slightly amused, and slightly worried expression on his face. The mother was just looking at her.
"You just had to start talking about him like that didn't you." She smiled slightly at Dawn. "You realize she now idolizes someone she has never met." She glanced around at the other Baby Slayers, and smirked. "And it seems, she's not the only one. Perhaps the most impulsive though."
Dawn blushed slightly as the General Andrew addressed his wife. "Did you see what your daughter just did?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "My daughter?" He simply nodded. "What? You mean, this?" With that she took off and out the door, to chase down her daughter.
The General just shook his head. He glanced over at Dawn, who had an amused expression on her face. Dawn just patted him on the shoulder as she, and the Junior Slayers, made to round up the rest of the Baby Slayers.
Within a few seconds, they were all rounded up. The General, with his gun, were taking point, with Jenn taking rear. They cautiously made their way down the hall to see the mother holding her daughter tight against herself, as Faith and her slayers got ready to bust into Giles' office.
Before Dawn could say anything, Faith and her slayers had readied themselves for entrance. With their minds set for a fight, both Faith and Vi smashed the door inwards. The attack team covered the door while trying to assess what was inside, and hopefully not injure any of their own.
As the dust seemed to settle, Dawn had to hold herself back from chuckling at Xander's startled voice exclaiming, "Faith?" Soon followed by a "Bloody Hell!" from Giles.
'Well' Dawn thought to herself. 'This should prove interesting.'