Chapter 24: Face/off
Disclaimer: No ownership. I've got most of the DVDs, though!
Rating: I think I'm boring everyone to death repeating the same thing each time. See the first fourteen chapters if you haven't, yet :)
(Apologies again for the long wait. I'm going to blame writer's block and leave it at that, just like last time. sigh. These few chapters have been really hard to write… but thanks for the reviewing! And thanks to BAKAMAN for reviewing! Hmm… Vamp Illyria? Don't really know the Angel series that well (although I plan to) but I'll leave that to your imagination. :P. And rest assured, all those who love Riley bashing. There will be plenty in the next chapter. :P. Because this time he deserves it. :D
Now, enjoy! And Review:P )
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"You two are not fighting over me like a bone," I spit. "I'm a person. A goddamn, person! You see, I've learnt a lot from you two in the last year. Learnt a lot about you as well. And you," I point at her, "Are an arrogant, holier-than-thou, self-righteous bitch."
She takes the words in her stride. "Oh yeah? Well you're just a crazy psychopathic bitch who went to the dark side. Where does that leave the both of us?"
I grin at her fire, because I feel it too, and then turn to him. "And you? You were funny. Kind. Gentle. You took care of me. Never hit me. Never hurt me. You loved me."
"As a daughter, Faith," he smiles. "I see that you've finally found out. You've finally made your decision."
"Yeah," I agree. "Because I've realized another thing. Want, take, have? Only applies when it's something worth wanting. Which means I gotta balance up the good side and the bad side. You see, you were a father to me. But you also wanted to become a demon and potentially destroy the world, and where would that leave me? Because, and I think B has realized this as well, being a Slayer isn't what you told me. Being a Slayer isn't about being sassy and having the best X-box. It's about saving the world. Keeping the balance between man and demons. How am I going for the inspirational speech, B?"
She grins as his jaw drops. "Fairly well, I'd say."
I can see that he's stunned. My heart wrenches, but I keep going anyway. "I'm sorry, boss," I whisper. "I love you too."
I turn around, and smile at B. She smiles back, and then gives me one of her famous glares.
"You still have a lot of crap to work through," she tells me.
"Don't I know it."
And then, most comfortingly of all, I feel my own knife coalesce in my hand. I lift it, and stare in wonder. The hilt is burnished copper, studded with onyx, striped black and white with strands of grey that curl around each thread.
And I smile.
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The 11 o'clock service in the morning had definitely been interrupted.
"You wouldn't believe this," Kyrel purred as she circled the terrified congregation. "If you hadn't touched it…"
"Felt it," hissed Thess, her fingers elongating into claws and then shifting back again. "It's jackpot, honey. She's done it!"
"So…" mused Kyrel as she ran her index down a parishioner's cheek. "What do we do with the cattle now?"
"I don't know," Thess smiled languidly.
The very air seemed saturated with fear as the two vampiresses moved sinuously around the seated people. Now, the atmosphere shifted as their movements became more predatory. They had fulfilled their mission. Now, it was time for play. The stained glass windows filtered out most of the sunlight.
"Maybe we could set them free? Give them a five second head start?"
"I don't know… how about we just start the killing?"
"Or, how about we sit down for a nice cup of tea and work things out?" a pleasant voice interrupted them.
They both turned around abruptly, to see a statuesque Slayer with rippling dark hair cascading down her shoulders smiling at them. "Do you guys ever get tired of this?" she demanded. "I mean, some of you tried the same thing last year. And that had a dusty ending, so hey…"
"You."
"Yeah, me," Faith grinned. "Nice to meet…"
Before Faith could even finish speaking, the two vampiresses had launched themselves at her with such blinding speed they were a blur to her Slayer-attuned eyes. She stumbled backwards, collected herself, and then attacked brutally back. Kick, punch, swing.
"Psst."
Silence. Just the bone-jarring blows of the Slayer and the two vampiresses. He allowed himself a quick glance at her. She was holding her own. Good.
"Psst!"
No-one noticed. They were still riveted on the fight in shock and horror and morbid fascination. He lost the little patience he had, and transferred to gameface.
"EVERYBODY GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"
That did it. People in shock responded well to more fear, he though wryly. Although this lot would probably be in counselling for a long time…
He shook himself angrily as they poured out of the door. Why would he care?
Before he could fume and berate himself more, he head Faith let out a cry of pain. Instantly, without thought, he flew to the noise. And saw what had happened.
The two couldn't have been more than fledgelings… but they were giving the Slayer a run for her money. It could have been the strange body, but… judging by the way they'd managed to combine efforts ruthlessly and throw her across the church to smash into a row of pews and then bear down on her suggested that that wasn't the case…
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The fangs were coming down. Faith couldn't believe it. What the hell had happened? Was her training off? Was it just this body? The aching that her soul, her being felt every moment away from where her true shell was? She cast a desperate look for Spike. Where was he?
Right there.
He snarled maniacally as he ripped Thess away, but she wasn't so easily dissuaded. Snarling, she launched herself at a very, very angry master vampire, effectively tangling him up even as he roared in frustration. With superhuman speed, he dodged under Thess' defences and staked her, but too late… Kyrel struck Faith another blow, and then bent down…
A blur sped out of nowhere and hurled the vampiress into a heap of splintered pews, where she dusted immediately. Faith regained her wits, only to see Buffy looking back at her, dried tears streaking her eyes. And then Buffy clasped hands with Faith, and they were lost in a flash of green light so overpowering Spike stumbled backwards.
"This…"
Buffy stared around. She was in her own body again, and she could see Faith standing in front of her, silhouetted against the light pouring in from a nearby window. She smiled at her.
"Hey, B."
"Faith…" Buffy shook her head, confused. "Why? What happened there?"
Faith grinned, and turned around. "Sit," she gestured to the newly made bed. It was as white as clouds, gentle satin that breathed around their skin. Hesitatingly, she sat, all the while studying the dark slayer.
"So? Spill. What's happened? Why'd you save me?"
A veil of indecisiveness ghosted across Faith's features for a second, but then it passed. "Long story, B. Let's just say that I figured out some things. You were right you know."
She held up her hand as Buffy moved to interrupt. "I don't think so, hero-gal. It's my turn to make a speech here."
A small smile curved on Buffy's face. "Hero-gal? Hardly."
"Yeah, well, you are you know. Saving the world and all. Anyway, you were right. I could hear you sometimes when you came to visit me. I think something happened, though. I feel as if I slept too long. I've been in a coma for the last two years, haven't I? Just feel way too… I don't know. Like I've just slept too long. Shoulda been about one year, shouldn't it?"
Buffy frowned. "I get what you mean. That feeling. But I don't understand why you've changed so much. I… when I talked to you…"
"You spilled your heart out to me, B," Faith cut her off. "The stuff that only Slayers can understand. And vampires. The hunter and the hunted, the predator and the prey, right?"
Buffy smiled again. "When did you get so smart?"
"Somewhere in between the freaky dreams," Faith deadpanned dryly. "Or it could have been the day I dropped out of school. Best decision I made in my life."
"Kinda miss having a normal school," Buffy sighed. "You know, in the days…"
"When you weren't a Slayer," Faith wrinkled her nose. "Come on, B. If there's one thing that still irritates me about you, it's the fact that you still haven't caught on."
"What do you mean?"
"Admit it. You know that you love the hunt, the kill. You wouldn't want the normalness. Normality's boring."
The blonde slayer glared at her. "No, you're wrong."
"Don't think so," Faith smirked. "Otherwise I wouldn't be getting such a reaction out of you, would I? Being a Slayer isn't a job. It's part of you. You know that if you didn't have the cool powers you'd be out there trying to stop the baddies simply cos you want your family and friends to be safe. And the hunt, remember? You slay the best when you're all worked up, and don't deny it because you told me that at least three times."
Buffy opened her mouth, closed it, opened her mouth again, and then closed it.
"Nice with the goldfish imitation, B," Faith grinned, amused. "Anyway, your first question? I dunno. I just finally realized what you and your friends are all on about. When… when I was in your body, I was…"
Now it was the brunette's turn to struggle for words. She finally hit upon one.
"Accepted," Faith breathed. "And… it's like… I was…"
She couldn't even say the words.
"Loved," Buffy murmured. "You felt loved."
"Loved again," Faith nodded. "It's just… you know the Mayor? He… he loved me."
"He tried to become a big snake and rule over the world," Buffy said softly.
"I know, dammit!" snarled Faith. "But he loved me. I know he did. That's why he sent me the body-swap thing. To give me a chance. A chance at life. But it's just… you've showed me I can have a chance. And then your friends… it just…"
"You want to make good, huh?"
"Yeah," Faith swung around, frustrated. "Man, that just sounds so cheesy…"
"Heh, it does, doesn't it?" Buffy agreed, then her tone grew serious. "Well? How are you going to start?"
"A-angel," Faith stammered out. "It's just… he's gone through the same things I have, right? And… and you're not together anymore, right?"
"No, I'm not," Buffy stated, and she was surprised that it only twinged a little. "I think I'm getting over him."
Faith gave her a soul-searching look. "No you haven't," she said bluntly. "You're not even close."
"I'll get there, though," Buffy parried. "I can't believe that I'm saying this, but I know… I think I always knew we weren't gonna be a forever thing…"
The brightly lit room started to vanish around them.
"What the hell?" Faith exclaimed.
Buffy smiled faintly. "I think someone decided we both needed to face some home truths."
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"Slayer? Slayer! You alright? Dammit! Bloody hell!"
I woke woozily to shouting, wondering dazedly what had happened. Then I saw it. Two fiercely glittering azure eyes that danced as I opened mine and looked up at them blearily.
"Uh…"
"Lie down Slayer, don't try to talk. The vamps are gone. Miss. Sunshine over there is still fast asleep. We're at the Watcher's…"
Abruptly, the eyes moved away, and I wanted them to come back instantly. They were my connection to this place. I heard loud noises mixed with hushed whispers that echoed inside my head as a prelude to the headache I knew was bound to come. But, strangely enough, I felt safe. I belonged here. In this body. And the beautiful eyes that were so concerned had returned, and the smooth voice with that gorgeous accent that called me Slayer…
Hang on a sec.
Wait…
"Spike!" I shrieked, and sat bolt upright as everything came rushing back. They were the thoughts of a confused person, I comforted myself. A very, very, very confused person who had just undergone the bodyswap. Yes. That was the reason. Safe? Smooth? Beautiful? Gorgeous? Not words I would use to describe our favourite pain-in-the-ass. No… not even on those…
No. Stopping evil thoughts. Right now. Right…
"Whoah, calm down, Slayer. Yeah, it's Spike…"
"Are you alright, Buffy? You look a bit dazed…"
"Well of course she's dazed, Watcher," Spike snorted. "She just switched bodies again. And been unconscious for seven bloody hours."
"I didn't ask for your opinion, Spike," Giles said absentmindedly. Even through my somewhat 'dazed' mindset, I could still see Spike's eyes harden as he looked away, and my heart clenched involuntarily before I shrugged it away. Heart palpitations. From stress. Yeah.
"Faith's alright?" I croaked
"She's fine," Giles assured me. "Now we both need to get you out of here before the police become too curious."
I don't know how we got out of there. I imagine Spike carried me, somehow wrapped under a blanket, because the last thing I sensed was the smell of him; leather and smoke and danger. Giles probably dragged Faith. But as I collapsed, I knew that everything was alright. In a way. There was something nagging at the back of my mind…
But then I fell unconscious before I could deduce what it was.
Funny, that.
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