Title: Past
Series: Slayers in Space
Author: Sevangel
Disclaimer: Not mine
Rating: PG-13
-
Simon rolls over with a sigh, his arm reaching for Kaylee only to come up empty. Opening his eyes, he glances around the bunk he's in and automatically knows he's not on Serenity. The hull of the ship is too clean, too new.
He didn't think she would stay. He thought she was bluffing. Up until the Alliance cruiser flew away, he was expecting River to come running onto the ship with him. He never thought she would let him walk away, that she would choose Jayne over him. And then Kaylee; the look in her eyes after he kissed her will haunt him for the rest of his life. Walking away from her was the hardest thing he's ever done. He stands up and quickly gets dressed before walking out of the room he slept in.
"Dr. Tam." The main officer says.
"Where are we?" Simon questions.
"Almost to your parents home." He responds.
"No." Simon replies. "I don't want to go there."
"Dr. Tam, we have specific instructions." The officer begins.
"I don't care." Simon says. "I don't want to go to my parents. Take me to the hospital. That's where I have to be."
"I don't think that's wise."
"I don't care what you think." Simon sneers. "I'm sure you have instructions to follow my orders. I want to go the hospital. Don't worry; you won't get in trouble with my father. If anyone can understand wanting to go back to work, it's Gabriel Tam. Wave him if you doubt me."
The officer hits a few buttons and a few moments later, Gabriel Tam appears on the screen. "Mr. Tam, your son would like to speak to you."
"Simon." Gabriel says. "When will you arrive?"
"I'm not coming home." Simon replies.
"Simon." Gabriel warns.
"I'm going to the hospital." Simon says. "I've been gone long enough."
"That's a wonderful idea son." Gabriel replies. "Your mother and I will pick you up at the hospital in a few hours. We purchased a new apartment for you, a few moments ride from the hospital. We'll bring the entrance card and your new clothes to you. The Blacks are having a dinner party tomorrow night and they would like it if you attended."
"We'll have to see." Simon says. "I've been away for too long; it's going to take time to get back into the position I was in before I left."
"Yes, you must worry about your career." Gabriel agrees. "We'll discuss this when we pick you up."
"Very well, father." Simon says. He cuts off the connection before turning to the officers. "You can dock on the emergency pad." With that said he walks away to sit by the door. Mentally going over how much time had lapsed since he left, he realizes it's going to take weeks of work to redeem himself in the eyes of his former bosses. The next few minutes pass quickly and before he knows it, the cruiser is landing on the roof of the hospital he worked for. Not saying a word to the officers, he grabs his bags and exits the cruiser. Pulling his old ID out of his bag, he slides it in the slot by the door and walks into the hospital.
"Dr. Tam, it's good to have you back." Ciara Rimes, the assistant to the head of surgery, Dr. Brian Grey, says as he approaches her desk.
"Yes." Simon replies. "Is he in?"
"He's expecting you." She responds. "Go right in."
Simon walks through the door and approaches the desk his former boss is sitting at.
"Simon." Dr. Grey says. He stands up and shakes Simon's hand. "It's good to have you back. I understand if you need time to adjust…"
"I would like to get back to work." Simon cuts him off. "If that's alright with you."
"That's fine." Dr. Grey responds. "We don't have any open surgeries at this moment unless you would like to go down to the ER. I believe there was an incident with some men trying to rob an Alliance cruiser and there are some injuries that need to be treated."
"I'll go right down." Simon says. He starts to turn around when he remembers something. "I don't have any scrubs or equipment with me."
"We figured as much from what your father said when he contacted me." Dr. Grey says. "Ciara has some things for you to use until you can replace your old equipment."
"Thank you." Simon responds. He leaves the office and takes the box Ciara hands him. Walking down to the employee's room, he stores his suitcase and bag before changing into the scrubs provided. Throwing away the clothes he was wearing, he opens the medical bag and pulls out the equipment inside.
Walking to the elevator, he goes down to the first floor where the ER is located. Walking past the nurse's station, he finds the nurse in charge.
"What do we have?" Simon questions when he sees them wheeling in 4 injured men.
"Dr. Tam." Nurse Bridget gasps. "When did you get back?"
"A few minutes ago." Simon replies. "Where am I needed?"
"Are you sure you should be going back to work this soon?" She questions. "With what happened with your sister…"
"Unless you received your doctorate in the year I was gone, you have no authority over what I do." Simon cuts her off. "Now, where am I needed?"
"Room 4." She responds quietly. "Gunshot wound to the chest and leg."
"Thank you." Simon replies and then walks away.
-
"Welcome to Chosen: the live recording of the slayers of the vampires. My name is Andrew and I will be your host." A high-pitched male voice says. "It is a few days post end of world battle and let's see how are champions are faring."
The camera moves around the room to focus on a short, blonde woman standing rather close to a tall, dark haired man. "Buffy, the original slayer of the vampires and her demon lover, Angel. Both looked rather unscathed from the vicious battle they faced just 3 days ago."
"Andrew, get that camera off me." Buffy orders. "We've talked about this."
The camera quickly moves off them to focus on two men wearing glasses and arguing over a book. "Watchers." Andrew comments. "They guide and help the slayers of the vampires. Though they look to be more focused on an old book than training."
Giles looks up to glare at Andrew. "I liked him better when he was our hostage."
"I prefer the term 'guestage'." Andrew responds. He pans over to focus on two teenagers cuddling on the couch. "Dawn and Connor." Andrew says. "Is it any surprise they found love? Not to anybody who knows their roots."
"Honey, you can't hurt him." Dawn tells Connor, gesturing to the camera. "He's a human, remember."
The camera moves along to focus on a red head woman sitting on the lap of a dark-haired teenager. "Willow, the once dark witch and her lesbian lover, Kennedy." Andrew says. "Though she looks innocent, there is a darkness that lies deep in the witch, one I've faced myself."
Willow blushes and buries her head in Kennedy's neck. Kennedy glares at the camera and Andrew quickly moves on.
"The normal ones." Andrew comments as he focuses on Gunn, Fred, Cordy, and Xander. "Street wise fighter, a scientist, a seer, and a carpenter. All four a vital part to the fight against the darkness that threatens to take over the world."
"Move on, dork." Cordy growls.
"Very well." Andrew responds. He pans over to find a bleach-blonde man painting his fingernails while smoking a cigarette. "Spike, once a killer of the slayers of the vampires and now he's a guardian to them."
Spike flips the camera off before returning to painting his nails.
The camera moves around to focus on a dark-haired woman wearing leather pants and a tank top. "Faith, the renegade slayer." Andrew comments. "A woman's who's darkness was great but wasn't strong enough to beat her."
"If you don't get that camera off me, you're going to met my darkness when I pummel you with it." Faith warns, glaring into the camera.
The camera starts to move when someone yells 'Demons'. It quickly pans over to take in the 7 large demons bursting through the hotel doors.
"Hell yeah." Faith's voice can be heard. She runs past the camera to launch herself at the demons, Buffy, Angel, Spike, Connor, and Kennedy right behind her.
"Watchers, a little help would be appreciated." Spike yells as he fights one of the demons. "What the hell are these things?"
"Poinsetter demons, I do believe." Wesley voice says from behind the camera. "A rather strong demon, though they are lacking greatly in the brains department. They usually just attack for the kill not for any dangerous reason."
Faith goes flying in the air and the camera follows as she hits the wall behind the watchers. She stands up and grabs an axe before jumping back into the fight.
"That's nice, Wes." Faith yells. "You wanna tell us how to kill them?"
"Standard slaying." Giles responds for him. "Beheading or stabbing it various times should do it."
The next few minutes are filled with heavy fighting as the champions dispose of the demons. The camera moves between each battle, trying to record as much action as it can. Andrew's talking the entire time, commenting on each battle and he fails to notice one of the demons sneaking up beside him until it grabs him and picks him up.
The video goes shaky as Andrew screams. Suddenly, the shaking stops and Andrew crashes to the floor. He focuses the camera up to see Faith holding a bloody axe in one hand and the demon's head in the other. She drops the head and glares down at the camera.
"Thank you." Andrew says. "That was close."
"Next time, I'm going to let it kill you." Faith responds.
"Faith, that was cruel, even for you." Buffy says as she walks into the camera's range.
"He knows the rules." Faith responds. "It ain't like he's a newbie. He knows to get out of the way when we're under attack, not to stand there recording like an idiot."
"Doesn't mean he needs to die for it." Buffy replies.
"Whatever." Faith mutters. "I'm out of here." She drops the axe to the ground and the camera records her stormy exit out of the hotel.
"Buffy, that wasn't necessary." Angel says, moving up behind her. "She's right. Andrew knows the rules. If she hadn't gotten there as fast as she did, he'd be dead."
"I know." Buffy replies. "I just snapped. I can't lose her again, not like before. I couldn't handle it. I don't want her slipping back."
"She's not going to." Angel assures her. He moves to hug Buffy but stops to glare at Andrew. "Turn it off."
The screen goes black.
The bridge is silent as they take in what they just saw.
"It's not over." River whispers.
Faith looks at her weirdly before returning her focus to the screen.
The camera goes back on but there's no narrating this time. A sad, Irish song can be heard in the back ground as Angel walks over to a large stone. He lights a candle and places it on top of the stone. He whispers a few words in Irish before stepping away. Spike walks up next and overturns a bottle of whiskey on the ground before walking away stiffly. Giles and Wesley walk over to the stone, each placing a hand on it, their heads bowed. They walk away a few moments later to let Willow, Xander, and Cordy walk up. Xander places a cross necklace on the stone while Willow places a quartz. Cordy drops a tube of bright, red lipstick on it before they walk away, all three crying quietly. Dawn and Connor are next but only stay a few moments before Connor has to practically carry the sobbing Dawn away. Gunn and Fred step up to the stone and say goodbye before walking away. Lastly comes Buffy in a black sundress. She's carrying a knife in her hand and she shoves it down into the top of the stone, embedding the blade deep. She wipes away a few tears before bending down to place a kiss against the front of the stone. She walks away, her shoulders slumped. The camera zooms back to focus on the stone. It's a large, black headstone with huge block letters across the front.
FAITH
SISTER, FRIEND, SLAYER
SHE SAVED THE WORLD
JANUARY 13, 1982-APRIL 23, 2005
The screen goes black.
Faith pushes past the gathered crew to run down the steps and out of the bridge. River turns off the cortex before following her sister slayer. She finds her in the common room outside of the infirmary and sits down next to the visibly upset Faith. The rest of the crew moves behind her, Kaylee moving over to sit down on Faith's other side.
"You know, I've seen some strange things in my life." Faith whispers. "I've done some strange things, some evil things, and some good things. But watching my own funeral, that takes the prize for weirdest thing ever."
"Yeah." Mal agrees. He's still trying to deal with his feelings for Faith and now to witness her funeral, it's spinning his world about.
"What I don't get is what they buried." Faith comments. "Cause here's my body. How did they even know I was dead?"
"Lorne." River answers. "Spike and Angel went looking for you when you didn't return. They found the spot where you died and smelt your blood. Buffy refused to believe it until Lorne read the vampire that killed you; he came into the bar a few days later and sang for him."
"Oh." Faith replies.
"Lorne?" Kaylee whispers.
"He's a demon but a good one." Faith answers. "He could read your future when you sang. He was fun."
"Buffy, Angel, and Spike lost it after that." River comments. "They spent weeks hunting down the vampire that killed you, killed hundreds of others during their search. When they finally found him, well, by the time they staked him, he was begging to die."
"Sounds like them." Faith says with a smile.
"Ya okay, Faith?" Mal questions quietly.
"Yeah." Faith replies. "I mean, I already knew I died and all but it was still weird seeing that. We got any of that whiskey left?"
"Yeah." Jayne answers.
"Good." Faith responds. She stands up and walks back to the mess. Searching through the cabinets, she finds the bottle and takes a long drink. "Now, R, I'm ready to hear about the first, since I'm guessing you all believe us now."
"Yeah." Mal agrees as he takes the bottle from Faith. He takes a drink before handing it to Jayne. Everybody sits back down, River on Jayne's lap, Zoe and Wash next to each other and across from Kaylee, Faith and Mal.
"Like I was saying, the First came back, almost two hundred years ago." River starts again, leaning back against Jayne's chest. "It was smarter this time; instead of using human minions it used demons to do its bidding. But the people in power knew this time; they employed the greatest seers and witches and saw it coming. They formed the Alliance and came to the decision that the best thing to do is give the first what it wanted. They knew the battle wouldn't be for decades and it gave them the time to find another solar system and start terraforming new planets."
"Wait a gorram second, ya sayin they left Earth cause of this evil thing and not cause of it being used up?" Mal gasps.
"Mostly." River replies. "They would have left eventually but not as soon as they did. They didn't have the time to get most of the planets in good condition. Those planets became the rim and they took the poorer people there. They gathered up the watchers and slayers and left them on Earth to fight off the first."
"They just left them?" Faith questions.
"Yes." River replies. "The slayer line died there and stayed dead."
"How are ya one then?" Jayne questions.
"A few of the watchers were able to smuggle out documents, videos, and other things with family members." River replies. "They thought that the slayer story shouldn't just die out of existence, even if the slayers were going to. The video we just watched was one of the few things to survive. The objects we passed down for generations until someone who worked for the academy got a hold of them. He was a brilliant doctor but didn't understand there were powers that shouldn't be messed with. He made a new slayer line."
"How?" Faith questions, hoping it's not how the first one was made.
"Shadow story." River answers. "Made it the same way the first line was made."
"No." Faith yells. "No, R, please tell me those bastards didn't do that to you?"
"Do what?" Jayne growls, his arms tightening around River.
"How did they do it?" Mal questions. "Make the slayer."
"Rape." River answers quietly. "Over and over again."
"R, they didn't do that to you, did they?" Faith questions.
"Of course not." River responds. "I was their most promising student; they wouldn't have wasted me. Her name was Amy. She was 13 and liked to sing. She was smart but not too smart that they couldn't do it to her. She killed herself a few hours later, snapped her own neck. I was the 10th one called in 9 months."
"I don't understand." Zoe says. "How does raping make a slayer?"
"It's not rape in the sense you're thinking of." Faith answers. "It's probably worse. They tied the first slayer down and raped her repeatedly with the essences of a few demons until it became a part of her. From what B said, she was like an animal after it was done."
"The first few called didn't last very long." River says. "They couldn't handle the power or the darkness. Some killed themselves, some died during the training and a few were put down, when they weren't progressing fast enough."
"But you could handle it?" Zoe questions.
"Not really." River replies. "They would have killed me rather soon if Simon hadn't gotten me out. But I can handle it now."
"Will they try it again?" Mal questions. "Make another since River's gone."
"Can't." River answers. "Powers will only make one. Unless they can find someone to perform the same spell that Willow did there won't be another slayer until I die."
"Which ain't happenin." Jayne growls.
"I always thought the watchers council was full of a bunch of sick, power hungry bastards but this academy is sounding worse." Faith comments.
"Ya ain't wrong there." Mal agrees. "Now, I think it's time we all hit the sack, it's been a tryin day."
Everybody agrees and starts towards their rooms.
"Kay, you gonna be okay?" Faith questions.
"Yeah." Kaylee answers. "Just tired."
Faith watches as Kaylee climbs down into her bunk before turning around. Waving to River and Jayne, she walks down to her room and is asleep moments after her head hits the pillow.
-
Faith awakes with a start when she hears someone whispering her name. Opening her eyes, she sees Kaylee standing by the door.
"Can I sleep with ya?" Kaylee whispers. "I woke up and he weren't there."
"Sure Kay." Faith replies as she scoots over. "You have to go by the wall though, I have to sleep closest to the door."
"Okay." Kaylee whispers as she crawls onto the bed next to Faith.
Faith listens to Kaylee's quiet cries for a moment before pulling the mechanic against her. Rubbing her hand up and down Kaylee's back, she waits until she can tell the smaller girl's asleep before closing her eyes again.
-
Mal leaves the engine room, his search for his mechanic unsuccessful. He decided to check on her when he woke up and found her bunk empty. After searching the mess, bay, and the engine room and coming up empty, he went for the last place she could be. Opening the door to Faith's room quietly, he's glad to see Kaylee sleeping somewhat peacefully next to Faith. He moves over to the empty bed and sits down on it, watching both girls sleeping. Faith is on her back, one arm under Kaylee's head and the other hanging on the ground. Kaylee is curled into a ball, her back pressed against Faith's side. He watches them for a few minutes before standing up to leave. Right as he's walking past the bed, Faith's arm reaches out and grabs his leg.
"Mal." Faith whispers. "Wanna help me?"
"With what?" Mal questions.
"Getting out from under Kay with out waking her up." Faith answers.
Mal nods before reaching down and gently moving the mechanic off Faith's arm. His hand brushes the side of Faith's breast and they both jump. Faith waits until Mal steps back before standing up quietly. She walks to the bathroom and pees before brushing her teeth. Walking back into her room, she follows Mal to the mess, neither one of them talking.
Mal fixes them both a cup of coffee and carries them over to the couch in the corner of the mess. He hands Faith her cup before taking a drink of his own.
"Ya okay?" Mal questions.
"Yeah." Faith answers. "It's just…when I got here, I knew me and R would either get along great or not be able to stand each other. There really is not middle ground with slayers. Me and B might have cared deeply for each other but we didn't get along at all. I'm glad that me and R do get along as well as we do. Kay, on the other hand, I didn't expect her. She just somehow crawled under my skin and I can't stand seeing her like this. She shouldn't have to be so sad. Part of me wants to beat the hell out of the doc for doing this to her but a part of me understands that he needs time."
"Yeah, I can't stand seein her like this either." Mal agrees. He sets his cup down on the table before looking back at Faith. "And most of me wants to beat the hell out of Simon."
"You and Jayne both." Faith responds as she sets her own cup down. She starts to say something else when Mal leans over and kisses her deeply. Faith moans before kissing him back. The kiss for a few minutes, their tongues dueling, when Faith pulls back suddenly.
"We can't do this." Faith pants.
"Why not?" Mal growls. "We did before."
"That wasn't real." Faith replies. "Just a bet."
"Ya sayin that didn't mean nothin?" Mal questions angrily.
"Yes. No." Faith responds. "Hell, I don't know. All I know is I like you."
"That feeling's mutual, Faith." Mal replies.
"I mean really like you in a way I've never liked another guy. And I don't want this to be just about us feeling bad over Kay and trying to comfort each other." Faith continues as though he didn't say anything. "I've done that before and I don't want to do it again. I want what I've never had before, what R and Jayne have. If we ever do this, I want it to mean something."
"It does." Mal responds. He reaches over and pulls Faith onto his lap. She automatically straddles his thighs before looking up at him.
"Really?" Faith questions quietly, hating the vulnerability that she knows she's showing.
"Really." Mal replies with a smile.
"Cool ass." Faith responds before pulling his mouth back to hers. Her hands move into his hair while his move to play with the small of her back. She shudders and moans when his hands move under the back of her shirt, his hands kneading her back muscles.
Mal runs his hands up Faith's smooth back, enjoying the feel of her skin under his hands. He knows she just showed him a part of herself that nobody else has ever seen and he's glad. She's one of the strongest people he's ever met and to see her being weak because of what she feels humbles him.
-
"I'm hungry, wifey." Wash says as the leave their bunk.
"So am I." Zoe agrees. "Didn't get to each much last night."
"Yeah." Wash agrees. "Thems some gross stories that Faith tells."
They almost make it to the mess door when River runs in front of it and holds her arms out, blocking them.
"River, what the hell are you doing?" Zoe questions. River doesn't answer. Zoe can hear footsteps behind her and glances back to see Jayne walking towards them. "Jayne, what's your girl doing?"
"Hell, I don't know." Jayne grumbles. "She woke up from a dead sleep, got dressed and moved out of the bunk before I could even form a thought. Baby, whatcha doin? We wanna eat."
"Can't go in yet." River replies.
"River, we're hungry." Wash whines.
"You'll have to wait." River responds.
"Jayne, move her." Zoe orders.
"Hell, no." Jayne replies. "She's libel to throw me cross the room if'n she don't wanna move. Ya wanna move her, do it yourself."
"What's goin on?" Kaylee asks sleepily as she walks towards them.
"River won't let us pass." Zoe answers.
"Stay here." River orders as she opens the mess door and closes it quickly.
"I'm thinking we should listen." Wash says. "River ain't one to give orders so if she is, it's gotta be something important."
"Sides, she locked us out." Kaylee points out.
-
Mal's hands move off Faith's back to play with the soft skin of her stomach. He slowly slides his hands up, intent on feelin this nipple ring himself, when somebody coughs. Pulling his mouth away from Faith's he looks up to see River smiling at them.
"It's breakfast time." River says. "The crew is hungry."
"Five more minutes, R." Faith replies.
"They're going to kill me if I go out there and say that." River comments.
"If they don't, I will." Faith growls.
"You need to work on your people skills." River says with a smirk.
"Yeah, yeah, just go be diversion girl." Faith orders before placing her mouth back on Mal's.
River smiles at Mal's confusion before moving back into the hallway.
"The captain has requested that we return in 5 minutes." River tells the waiting crew.
"What?" Zoe replies. "Why?"
"Well, actually Faith requested that we return in 5 minutes but the captain wasn't arguing." River corrects.
"Is this that whole 'she watched for ya and now ya gotta watch for her' thing?" Jayne questions.
"Yep." River responds with a smirk. "I'm on smoochie patrol."
"Smoochie?" Wash says with a laugh.
"Yep, smoochies." River replies. "So we wait for 5 minutes."
Everybody stands outside the mess quietly for five minutes, all of them staring at River. She suddenly turns around and opens the door. "Time's up." River announces before walking into the mess.
Faith jumps off Mal's lap and pulls her shirt back down. "Hey." Faith says lamely.
"Hey Faith." Jayne responds. "Enjoyin your smoochies?"
"Yep." Faith answers.
Mal stands up slowly, still a bit confused and harder than a gorram rock.
Faith, River, and Kaylee quickly make breakfast and set it down in front of the crew. River moves to sit down next to Jayne and Faith sits beside Mal. Kaylee looks between her two friends and bursts into tears.
"Kay, what's wrong?" Faith questions.
"It's just that you're all happy and paired off." Kaylee says. "I'm like a fifth wheel or somethin."
"Technically it would be a 7th wheel." River corrects.
Kaylee cries harder.
"R." Faith growls.
"But you aren't that either, Kaylee." River finishes. "You're a vital part of this crew."
"I think I'm just gonna start becoming like this black plague." Kaylee whispers. "Makin everyone all depressed. Maybe I should just go home."
"NO." River and Faith yell.
"You're not leaving, not because you feel like a 7th wheel or something along those lines." Faith replies.
"I'll stop sleeping with Jayne." River says.
"WHAT?" Jayne bellows.
"We'll have to be kept on separate sides of the boat but I'll stop." River continues, ignoring Jayne's yell.
"And I'll stay away from Mal." Faith adds.
"Huh?" Mal mutters.
"No." Kaylee replies. "This ain't what I'm wantin at all. I just…why's it gotta hurt this much?"
River and Faith both move to sit down beside Kaylee. "We don't know, Kay." Faith replies.
"All we know is you're not alone." River adds. "You have us."
"Can we get movies on that screen thingie?" Faith questions.
"Yes." River replies. "Why?"
"B said after Angel went evil, Red used to come over and they would watch chick flicks and pig out on chocolate." Faith answers. "We can do that. Drag the mattresses off beds in my room and take them into one of the shuttles."
"We can make brownies." River adds. "We have the ingredients for it."
"Then we can talk trash bout the guys in our lives." Faith puts in. "Zoe, you wanna join us?"
"Um." Zoe replies.
"Good." Faith responds.
"We'll have a girl's night in." River says. "No boys allowed."
"We'll do it after breakfast." Faith replies. The slayers move back to their seats and start eating quickly. They finish in record time and move over to the sink to wash their dishes.
"We're gonna go move the mattresses." Faith says as she drops a kiss on Mal's lips.
"See you later." River says before dropping onto Jayne's lap and kissing him.
"Ya ain't gonna stop sleepin with me, right?" Jayne growls against River's lips.
"Just for tonight." River responds. She breaks the kiss and drops a light kiss on Jayne's nose before following Faith out of the mess.
"What're are we supposed to do?" Wash asks when Kaylee and Zoe follow the slayers out of the mess.
"Get drunk." Jayne replies.
"Sounds like a plan." Mal agrees.
-