Title: Life Saver 6/10
Author: David A. Knapton
E-mail: If you want, but it is polite to let the author know you are doing so.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters belong to the owners of BtVS and the Gilmore Girls.
Spoiler: Season 7 of Buffy and mid to late season 1 of Gilmore Girls, so GG timeline is moved a few years.
Rating: 12A/PG-13.
Pairing: Lorelai/Luke eventually plus Buffy canon pairings.
Summery: Set around Dirty Girls EP. 7.18.
Notes: This was inspired by reading a couple of Buffy-Gilmore Girls crossovers and the fact that Hallmark (in the UK) started showing GG from the first season.
Notes2: It is unclear how long Willow's trip to LA took, but in this story, it was only three days.
It should also be noted that although a lot of the dialogue in this story comes from the scripts posted on BuffyWorld some of it is changed or even spoken by different people.
This part is going out unbetad like the last part.
'' Thought.
Feedback: If you wish.
Please note I am English, so is my spelling. Live with it.
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Buffy, Faith, and Spike walked through the front door of the Summers home. Dawn sat at the dining room table with Lorelai and Giles.
"Whoa. Memory Lane. Same old house," said Faith looking around.
"Yeah, well, every piece of furniture's been destroyed and replaced since you left, so, actually, new house," pointed out Buffy.
Dawn walked over to the doorway her arms crossed, "Buffy?" she said looking disapprovingly at Faith.
"We have a new house guest," pointed out Buffy.
"Hey, got a spare bed for a wanted fugitive?" said Faith weakly.
Giles stood, "Hello Faith," he said neutrally.
"Well, I guess wanted wasn't really accurate," said Faith.
"Does she have to stay here? Because there's some nice hotels that welcome tried-to-kill-your-sister types," snorted Dawn.
"Dawn," said Lorelai as she placed a hand on the teenager's shoulder.
Faith smiled, "Check it out. Brat's all woman-sized," she said before meeting Lorelai's eyes now stood just behind Dawn. "And you are?"
"Lorelai, I'm one of the potentials, so is my daughter Rory."
Faith looked back and forth between Buffy and Giles, "How did that happen?" she smirked.
"We are not sure exactly, we think Lorelai retained her potential because she had her daughter when she was sixteen," explained Giles.
"Oh a bad girl," smiled Faith in Lorelai's direction, who smirked in return.
"Look, I need to get to the hospital. Some girl was attacked on her way into town. We think she might be a..." began Buffy.
Dawn nodded, "We know. Willow's been calling."
"She's still there. She's going to call if the girl wakes up," said Giles.
Buffy glared at Giles, "Fine," she said walking out of the room into the living room.
"Well, Faith, we better, um, see if we can find some place to squeeze you in for the night," said Giles.
"Why don't you let me do that," said Lorelai, "You still have research to do."
Giles nodded and returned to the dining room table with Dawn.
"Not all that tension was about you. Giles was a part of a plan to kill me...for Buffy's own good," explained Spike glancing at Faith after the Watcher and teenager had left.
"Well, that makes me feel better about me, worse about Giles...kinda shaky about you," Faith frowned.
"Come on Faith," said Lorelai starting up the stairs, "I think we can squeeze you in with Rory and me."
"So bad girls together then," smiled Faith as she followed the other woman.
"Rory's not a bad girl, and I don't want you teaching her bad habits," said Lorelai looking back over her shoulder.
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Andrew stood in the kitchen with most of the potentials. They watched Faith through the window as he told them about her, "Faith. Her name alone invokes awe. Faith. A set of principles or beliefs on which you are willing to devote your life. The dark slayer. A lethal combination of beauty, power, and death. For years and years, or to be more accurate, months, Faith fought on the side of good, terrorizing the evil community. But like so many tragic heroes, Faith was seduced by the lure of the dark side. She wrapped evil around her like a large, evil Mexican serape. She became a cold-blooded killer. Nobody was immune to her trail of destruction. Not friends, not family... Not even the most pacifist and logical of races. Vulcans..." He held a knife pointing at Rona's chest from behind.
"What the hell are you talking about? I thought Faith killed a Volcanologist," said Amanda.
Andrew laughed, letting Rona go; he put down the knife, "Silly, silly...Amanda. Why would Faith kill a person who studies Vulcans?" he asked.
Amanda rolled her eyes, "He studied volcanoes. He was a professor," she said.
"Ah, yes. Well, regardless..."
"I thought you weren't supposed to be doing this anymore, making up stories," said Molly.
Andrew shook his head, "I'm not. This is true. Except for that...possible...word misunderstanding," he sighed, "They're the things you need to know about." He looked out the window again at Faith finishing her workout in the back yard before turning to face the girls again, "Faith...has a history not to be taken lightly. She's a killer. Never forget that. You must stay on guard around Faith at all times. Your very lives may depend on it."
"Faith's had some things in her past she will have to live with," said Lorelai entering the kitchen with Rory, Madeline and Louise in tow, "Now let's go and make her feel welcome," she indicated for everyone to proceed to the back yard for morning training. "And weren't you supposed to be making a list of food we need," she said pointedly looking at Andrew before following the other potentials out the door.
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Sunnydale Hospital, later
Shannon badly bruised all over; lay in a bed covered with bandages. "He was a minister or something... At least, he dressed like one. I thought he was trying to save me...at first," she said with some effort.
Buffy, Willow, Luke and Lorelai stood beside her bed listening. "He—he picked you up on the side of the road?" asked the Slayer.
Shannon nodded, "Bringers were chasing me. He said they were his boys...right before he burned me," she pulled the bandage from her neck showing them the burn mark. Willow pulled a digital camera out of her purse and snapped a picture of it.
"He wanted to tell you something. Before he...cut me...he told me to give the Slayer a message," continued Shannon.
"What is it?" asked Buffy.
"He said, he has something of yours," Shannon told them.
Lorelai placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Everything's going to be fine, you just rest. Luke here will stay with you, he's my Watcher," said Lorelai smiling down at her, "He has a pager, help can be here in ten, fifteen minutes so don't you worry."
"Your Watcher?" Shannon frowned.
"Yes," smiled Lorelai, "I need to be going, so I'll let him explain it, bye honey, I'll see you later," she said before following after Buffy and Willow.
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Buffy stood at the end of the dining room table, which the potentials had started calling the war room, the Scooby Gang plus Dawn were present along with Faith, Lorelai, Kennedy, Spike and Wood, who sat as far from the Vampire as possible.
Buffy had just finished telling them about the message Shannon had relayed, "So if it isn't some trick to get us to walk into a trap, it has to be one of three things, he has a potential, the Guardian or the scythe," she concluded.
"Whoa back up, I'm coming into this blind," said Faith, "What's this Guardian and scythe deal?"
"Three days ago, Rory was badly injured by a Bringer, Willow used Lorelai, Madeline and Louise's energies to heal her," said Giles, "Something! We think that opposes the First. Was able to circumvent the rules governing its relationship with the Slayer line, gave Lorelai a message and a warning for Buffy. The warning pertaining to the First's chosen, probably the person that hurt Shannon, that was coming here and that until she found the scythe she could not hope to beat him."
"Okay, so what's this Guardian?" asked Faith beginning to get lost in yet another of Giles long winded explanations. 'God did I really break out of jail so I could just die here listening to him.'
"Buffy was also told to look for this Guardian. But as of this moment all our research into both this Guardian and the scythe have come to nothing," finished Giles.
"So you're thinking, find this guy's base and go in all guns blazing," surmised Faith looking at Buffy, knowing how her sister Slayer thought because, however much the two of them tried to deny it, they did think in a similar way.
"Yeah," said Buffy.
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," said Lorelai. "If he has the scythe, he is going to kill you before you can reach it and if he has this Guardian or a potential, he has probably killed them already, knowing that you will try and rescue them anyway, then same outcome, he kill's you because you haven't got the scythe."
"He may not have anything, knowing that you will still attempt to rescue his non-existent hostage," added Giles. "No a full on assault will get people killed."
Buffy slumped back into her chair, knowing they were right, "So what do you suggest? We just go on trying to find the scythe and the Guardian and assume that he hasn't got either, or a potential?"
"I'm not sure," sighed Giles cleaning his glasses, "I just think we should refrain from rushing in."
"What about trying to capture a Bringer," said Kennedy, "We could try and get information from it."
"Possibly," nodded Giles replacing his glasses.
"This Preacher, whether he really has or hasn't got something we need, will try and spring a trap when we go in," Xander mused digging deep into Halloween soldier boy's memories. "The First seems to be able to listen in on us, when it wants, and it is more than likely that it will listen to us plan any attack," he looked at Willow, "Is there anyway you could do to link us telepathically when we plan it?"
"I don't know, maybe," edged Willow.
"What have you got in mind Xander?" asked Giles.
"I'd rather not say at the moment, we can't be sure the First isn't listening," said Xander looking around.
"Very well," agreed Giles, "We'll wait an hour while we attempt to find a spell that can block the First from overhearing, if we have found nothing by then you tell us your idea anyway. Agreed?" Giles said looking around the table.
"Agreed," said Buffy. "Meanwhile I think a little recon is in order," she said looking at Faith, "You up for it?"
"Point me where you want me," said Faith.
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It was a little over an hour when Buffy and Faith re-entered the house carrying an unconscious Bringer between them, "We found this guy's base, an old vineyard just outside town. The place is crawling with bringers, thought we'd bring one back, save us the hassle later," explained Buffy, "Spike you wanna help Faith chain him in the basement?"
"Sure," said the Vampire grabbing it under the arm and helping to drag it to the basement door held open by Dawn.
"So any luck with the silence spell or whatever?" asked Buffy.
"Yes," said Giles, "It is called a sanctuary spell, it works in a similar way to the Vampire de-invitation spell, but only lasts as long as everyone remains inside the spell area," explained the Watcher.
"Right let's get on with it," said Buffy.
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They had moved the dining room table to the side of the room giving them sufficient room for the spell. Willow circled the others sprinkling coloured sand while being careful to remain inside herself. Some of the potentials that were not part of the spell, including Rory, stood outside the circle looking on curiously.
Willow handed the now half empty bag to Dawn who replaced it back in the satchel she held, "Right now everyone has to link hands and repeat after me," said Willow taking Kennedy's hand in her right and Dawn's in her left.
"Silent rising sun that lights the day come to me here in this circle.
Silent setting moon that lights the night come to me here in this circle. Eternal stars in your ever-silent vigil come to me here in this circle.
Let silence rain and protect our speech until it's done.
By my will so mute it be," as they finished the spell, Willow looked at Rory, "Can you hear me?" she said quite loudly.
Rory shook her head from side to side. "Great," said Buffy. "So what did you have in mind Xand?"
"It will still be risky, and it may not work, but if we don't attack I think the First will send this preacher guy here and then a lot more will die," said Xander.
"We've been in danger since this gig started Xand," pointed out Faith.
"Okay, well I figure the only three people here that even stand a chance against this guy are you two," said Xander looking at Buffy and Faith, "And Spike. So the three of you go in, if he does have a potential or this Guardian, two of you keep him busy while the other gets out with them..."
"But we've already been told that Buffy, and presumably Faith, can't beat this preacher," interrupted Lorelai.
"They won't be there to try and beat him, just keep him occupied and get any hostage out, while the main attack is happening," explained Xander.
"Main attack?" asked Giles.
"As I said it is still risky but this will be our best chance. As I said, the First and this chosen will spring a trap when Buffy, Faith and Spike go in. So after they spring their trap, we spring our own, the rest of us attack and take as many of the bringers out as possible, if the First's army of Turok Han are in the Hellmouth and we can eliminate a lot of the bringers it may give us an advantage later."
Giles removed his glasses and began polishing them, "It's a bold, but risky plan Xander," he pointed out.
"Yeah, but do we have any better," asked Robin.
"No," said Giles replacing his glasses. "So what had you in mind for this attack, more than just charge in I hope," he said looking at the young man.
"Well, we split into four groups, Willow, Madeline, Louise and Dawn in one. You, me, Anya and half of the more experienced potentials in a second. The rest of the best potentials with Luke, Robin, Lorelai and Kennedy in a third group. Which leaves the rest of the potentials with Andrew as a reserve, they can also help protect Willow's group and be in position to help just in case we need them."
"Why will I need protecting?" asked Willow.
"Well I was thinking you could use some spells to stop the bringers and preacher guy from leaving the vineyard when we leave. Would you be able to do that?" said Xander.
"Yeah I think so," said the redhead.
"I'm thinking we should set the place on fire after we're all out," said Faith.
Buffy smirked at her sister Slayer, "I thought arson was my thing?"
"Maybe," said Faith returning the smirk, "But I'm thinking that if we burn the place down and they still stick around, it is probably the location of this scythe everyone is looking for... assuming we don't find it when we go in."
"Yes, good point and it is doubtful that any normal fire would harm a mystical weapon," said Giles.
"Right well our group goes in behind Buffy, and Luke and Robin's group go in from the other side. The reserve group should be armed with all the missile weapons we have so they can support our escape," explained Xander.
"Okay, let's go with it," said Buffy looking around the group and receiving nods. "Right let's get started," she said stepping out of the ring which flashed blue for a second before fading.
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Xander stood holding a spiked baseball bat looking around at the potentials. "Now remember, we're looking for killing blows only, people." He handed the bat to Rona, "So, chest and throat if it's a vampire. Stomach, chest and face if it's a Bringer."
"What if it's something else?" asked Rona.
Xander nodded, "Could happen. Something other-worldly. And here's a handy rule, don't go for the flashy tentacles just because they're waving 'em about trying to get attention. Go for the centre, brains, heart, eyes. Everything's got eyes," he said pointing to each.
"Except the bringers," pointed out Dawn.
"Except the bringers," conceded Xander.
"I don't want there to be tentacles. I'm not good with squishy," said Molly.
"Just imagine you're making sushi... not that I know how to make sushi," said Lorelai lightly.
"I don't care if it's Godzilla," smirked Kennedy raising a claymore, "I want to get in this thing."
"Godzilla's mostly Tokyo-based, so he's probably a no-show," said Andrew.
"Besides, if Matthew Broderick can kill Godzilla, how tough is he?" pointed out Amanda.
"Xander..." whined Andrew crossing his arms petulantly.
"Matthew Broderick did not kill Godzilla. He killed a big, dumb lizard. That was not the real Godzilla," explained Xander.
"You people are even crazier than her," sighed Rona.
"Than who?" frowned Xander.
"Buffy, man. I mean, taking us right into the bad guy's lair," said Rona.
"Well, that's where, generally speaking, you'd go to find the bad guy. And it is generally my plan, Buffy's just leading it. I don't think you came here to fight plaque."
Rona shook her head, "No, I came here for protection."
"Well, we signed on to fight," said Lorelai firmly.
"Look, I know, but..." Rona sighed, "This plan is going to get us killed."
"Rona honey, if we don't take the fight to the First, it will just send its chosen here and then a lot more will die," explained Lorelai.
Rona still did not seem convinced, "Buffy doesn't care how many of us she puts in danger..."
"Let me tell you something about Buffy. In fact, you should all listen to this," said Xander.
"Uh, we kinda were," pointed out Kennedy.
"I've been through more battles with Buffy than you all can ever imagine. She's stopped everything that's ever come up against her. She's laid down her life, literally, to protect the people around her. This girl has died two times, and she's still standing. You're scared? That's smart. You got questions. You should. But you doubt her motives, you think Buffy's all about the kill, then you take the little bus to battle. I've seen her heart, and this time, not literally. And I'm telling you, right now, she cares more about your lives than you will ever know. You gotta trust her. She's earned it," said Xander.
Andrew and Dawn began crying.
"Damn. I never knew you were that cool," Faith's voice came from behind Xander, everyone turned to look at the slayers.
"Well, you always were a little slow," said Buffy.
"I get that now," Faith smirked.
"All right, let's saddle up," announced Buffy.
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Buffy, Faith, Spike walked up to the front door of the old vineyard, Buffy paused to look at the others, "Shall we?"
"Let's dance," said Spike as Buffy pushed the door wide.
Buffy groaned, "That's so corny!" she said as she led the way towards the stairs at the far end of the room.
"Yeah well haven't been feeling myself lately," sighed Spike.
"Not what the girls say," laughed Faith looking around. "So evil vineyard, huh?"
"Like Falcon Crest," said Spike.
Buffy looked into the shadows as she descended the stairs, "Stay alert, you guys, bringers are here somewhere. Just need to find out where."
"Shouldn't be too hard," said Spike as bringers came out of the shadows and from behind wine barrels.
The fight was savage but against the two slayers and Spike in such a confined space, the bringers were outclassed. Faith jumped over the banister, kicking a Bringer in the chest and sending it flying into three or four others behind, they all crashed into the wall and slumped to the ground either unconscious or dead.
Buffy back-fisted the Bringer that charged her, spinning him around then kicked him in the lower back and into the wall breaking his neck. She ducked under the slash of the next Bringer, upper cutting him as she straightened back up, sending him high over the other oncoming bringers, before kicking the next in its midsection.
Spike snarled as he let his Vampire out, ignoring the slash to his chest he grabbed the Bringer by the head and with a quick twist, snapped its neck before throwing it into others coming at him.
Suddenly, the bringers stopped fighting and backed slowly into the shadows.
Caleb walked out into the light. "Well, now, you girls are just burning with righteousness, aren't you? Problem is, you think you're blazing like suns, when really you're burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness. You having fun? Now, I hope my boys haven't worn you out too much, I need you fit for when I purify you," he said.
"Save the sermon, padre. I heard you have something of mine," said Buffy.
Caleb chuckled, "Well, I do now. You liked my little message, did you? You know, I ruined a perfectly good knife on that girl. Got her soiled blood all over the place. I may have to get a new truck." Buffy gave him a look of disgusted. "So, you're the Slayer. The Slayer. The strongest, the fastest, the most aflame with that most precious invention of all mankind, the notion of goodness. The Slayer must indeed be powerful." He said walking forward, with one powerful punch he sent Buffy flying across the room. "So, what else you got?" he said before flying backwards himself.
"Me," said Faith taking up a defensive stance.
"My," smiled Caleb rising and brushing his clothes down, "You must be the other one, the spare, the tag along."
Faith growled and would have attacked him, had Buffy not been there grabbing her arm, "No, don't take the bait," she said as she began hearing fighting above. "Spike go help the others, Faith and I will keep Preacherman busy."
"Be careful Slayer," said Spike as he ran back up the stairs.
Buffy and Faith split up, "Let's dance Preacherman," smirked the dark Slayer.
"You know you can't win against me dirty girl," said Caleb solemnly. "Gutting you will cleanse your soul of righteousness," he said coming forward and sending his fist at Faith's head.
Faith ducked and Buffy kicked Caleb in his side sending him against the wall once more, "I'm thinking you have to catch us to gut us Preacherman," smirked Buffy.
"Stop playing around Caleb, kill them," said Buffy/First coming out of the shadows.
"I will, but you didn't tell me both of them were coming?" he said rising again.
"The Witch was able to block me somehow," said Buffy/First.
The slayers exchanged a smirk, "I think it's time to leave," said Buffy.
They turned and ran up the stairs. Looking about the room, the potentials were battling bringers all around; Buffy spotted Xander and Giles fighting off three bringers near the door. "Xander, we need to get everyone out now," she shouted as she absently dodged a Bringer and pushed him down the stairs as she and Faith started moving towards Xander and their Watcher.
"Let's go," shouted Xander as he brained one of the bringers in front of him.
Lorelai blocked the knife of the Bringer who had attempted to stab Rory in the back, as her daughter helped Molly up. She then kicked it to the floor and plunging her sword into his chest, "Get Molly out, it's time to leave," she said hearing Xander call the retreat.
The potentials slowly moved towards the doors, some carrying the wounded. Lorelai and Rona joined Kennedy, Amanda and the two slayers holding back the advancing bringers as the rest exited the doors.
"Leaving so soon?" said Caleb standing at the top of the stairs. Moving inhumanly fast he reached Kennedy in less than a second, punching her hard in the chest and sending her into some barrels.
"Kennedy," cried Rona as she ran towards the other potential, but Caleb cut her off. She swung her spiked baseball bat at him.
Caleb easily caught it and looked her in the eyes, "Miss, I do believe you have your own problems you should be worrying about," he wrenched the bat from her hand and twisting arm quickly and snapped her forearm in half.
Rona staggered back in agony. Caleb chuckled and bent down picking up a knife from the floor, he tossed it to a nearby Bringer, who swung it back ready to plunge it into Rona's body. But his swing was suddenly blocked by Faith who twisted the knife into the Bringer's stomach and Xander swung his axe at its other side.
"Oh. You're the one that sees everything, aren't you?" said Caleb grabbed Xander and turned him around so they faced each other. "Well, let's see what we can't do about that," he said as he plunged his thumb into Xander's left eye, gouging it out.
Xander screamed in agony. Spike charged into Caleb, knocking Xander away from him. Bleeding from his eye, Xander stumbled back; Lorelai caught him before he could fall. She and the partly recovered Kennedy helped him outside with Rona following quickly behind.
"Spike, Faith, out NOW," cried Buffy as she kicked Caleb from the side and using the sword she had recovered from one of the injured potentials, decapitated two of the bringers before hurrying out the door herself.
Spike almost tore the head off one of the bringers before swinging the corpse into the others, giving him time to reach the door.
Faith, using two of the bringers' knives, was doing a good imitation of a tornado as she stabbed and slashed at the bringers that surrounded her before suddenly stopping and with a backflip over their heads, she ran out the door.
As the remaining bringers went to follow a shout of "Fire," rang out and a dozen crossbow bolts were released sending many to the ground, the remaining then ran into Willow's barrier.
Caleb strolled out looking at the retreating potentials and their allies; he stood observing the two slayers and Spike as Dawn lit each of their Molotov cocktails and watched as they threw them over the barrier and with a whoosh, the three bottles exploded against the wooden upper storey, the flames quickly spreading.
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Later that night, Sunnydale Hospital
Buffy, Faith and Lorelai walked through the hospital, past the beds of potentials who had been hurt. And onto Xander's bed where Willow sat at his side, holding his hand.
"I'm so sorry Xander," said Buffy her eyes misting up as she stood on the other side from Willow.
"Don't be," said Xander, "It was my plan, we all knew the risks," he hesitated for a moment, "How many didn't make it?" he asked solemnly.
"Three, and two more don't look like they are going to make it through he night. Five others, including Rona have broken bones and a dozen others have concussions and various minor injuries," answered Lorelai. "But what choice did we have? If we hadn't gone, you know as well as we do, that Caleb would have probably turned up at the house, at least we were ready, we took out a lot of bringers."