Successor
Three
In a matter of seconds Willow and Kennedy were downstairs. Willow stood fully dressed and dried due to a small magical assisst. They surveyed the scene out in front of them. Two tall, white, skeletal demons were turning the Summers' living room into a bloodbath. they held one dead girl in their grips as Giles and Xander mercilesly tried to hack at the demons with swords.
The dead girl was thrown to the side. Her body fell inches away from Willow's feet. The Witch stared down at the girl, her lifeless eyes staring back. Willow whispered a prayer for the girl before she held out her palms.
A field of golden light appeared between the demons and Giles and Xander. The light acted as a forcefield keeping the demons away from the two guys and the cowering potentials. Xander looked over at the dead potential and drooped the sword in anger, "Dammit!" He muttered. Giles watched the demons try to force their way through the barrier of light. When he realized they weren't getting through any time soon, he too dropped his weapon.
"Is it over?" Anya asked peeking her head from behind a rather large blonde potential. "For the moment," Xander said. "Why were you hiding behind Heidi?" Kennedy asked. "What? You thought she was going to help?" Willow asked. "You obviously don't know Anya then," Willow told Kennedy.
"So what happened?" Willow asked the two. "Me and Dawn were in here alone when they came crashing into the window." Xander explained. Willow eyes darted from side to side looking for Buffy's kid sister. When she could spot the girl she asked Xander where she had gone.
He thought for a moment then cursed. "What?" asked a concerned Willow. "She ran into the closet...that's behind the field," he stated. "Great," Willow sighed. "I guess i have to let it down." She raised her hands to do so when she was stopped by Anya. "Are you taking your field down?" the former demon asked. "I have to," Willow replied. Anya walked away and huddled behind Heidi, "Continue," she called to the Witch.
Willow raised hands again and swiftly broughtly them back down to her sides. The barrier of light disappeared leaving the Witch and everyone else unprotected. Xander and Giles grabbed up their swords and stood next to Willow. Kennedy grabbed a crossbow and aimmed it at the demons. The demons scratched at the air where the barrier once occupied.
Once they noticed it was gone they attacked. Kennedy ran protectively in front of Willow and fired a bolt into the chest of the nearest demon. It slowed it down none as it grabbed the potential. It blew in her face then threw her aside with such force then wall cracked when she collided with it. Xander and Giles came next swinging the swords.
Giles managed to dismember one of the things fingers before he was swatted away. Luckily he landed on the unoccuppied couch. As Xander tried to impale his opponent, Willow turned her attention towards the demon going after the potential. She flicked her wrists at him and he instantly was set ablaze. Another wrist flick sent the screaming, burning demon out the broken window.
The closet door opened and out stepped Dawn. She ran back in when she saw the demon. Finally the demon got the better of Xander and cracked him in the face. Before he could further damage her friend Willow set him ablaze too.
She trotted over to the closet and opened the door. Dawn was huddled in the corner. "Are they gone?" she asked Willow. Willow nodded and Dawn walked out of the closet giving a disgusted groan as she walked past the burning demon. "Thank god that's over!" Anya exclaimed coming from behind Heidi for a second time.
"Where's Spike? Shouldn't he have come up here and helped?" Willow asked. "He's around somewhere," Xander shrugged. "We could of used Spike," Willow mentioned. "Speaking of people we could've used," Xander cut in. "What's taking Faith so long?"
The name hit Willow like a ton of bricks. There suddenly was a feeling of dread overcoming her. "I don't think she's coming back," Willow uttered, her voice barely over a whisper. "What? You think she ran away again? What nerve, I told you she couldn't be trusted," Dawn interjected. "No," Willow said. "She's dead."
"And your sure it was her?" Giles asked. The gang had moved the discussion into the basement while the potentials remained upstairs. Willow casted a protection field in case any more demons decided they wanted to break and enter. Or just enter since the window was diminished.
Willow nodded, "It was her. The First took her shape right down to her clothes. She looked the same. Talked the same." There was a heavy silence. Giles took off his glasses then slowly massaged his temples. "So what now?" Dawn asked breaking the silence. Everyone turned to look at her. "Well there's no time for a funeral, but I..."
"No," she interruptted. "I mean we're down a Slayer, the balance of power has shifted, what do we do now?" Everyone pondered this question. "She's right. Other than Super Wicca, Buffy and Mr. Vampire with a soul there isn't really much going for us. Who's going to help fight? Those wannabes down there? Me? Cause i can tell you right now, i don't plan on doing anything that will endanger my health." Anya said.
"Like thats anything new," Giles spoke. Willow looked over to Xander, he was being pretty quiet. Maybe Faith's death effected him more than Willow realized. She was his first so it would make sense if he felt something for her."
"We should tell Buffy," Dawn suggested. Willow agreed, "I'll go tell her." she said leaving to go break the bad news to Buffy.
Buffy entered Faith's room with Sarah and Rory, who was still knocked out over Buffy's shoulder. Buffy laid the unconcious girl in the chair that sat next to the bed. "What are we doing here?" Sarah asked. Buffy frowned, "There was someone here that wanted to see you but i guess she's not here." Buffy said eyeing the empty bed.
Just then the bathroom door opened and out came Faith. Instead of the hospital gown, she wore the clothes she had on before. Minus the bloody shirt. She obviously found another one. A winter green long sleeved shirt.
"Wow, something other than your basic black," Buffy teased. Faith looked down at her shirt, "Yea, well it was the only clean shirt they had, it was this or hot pink," Faith shuddered at the thought. "So are they releasing you? Cause if not then you better put that gown back on and hop back into bed."
Faith nodded, "I told them a lame sob story about how i had three kids at home and that they had no one to watch over them. So they released me, besides i think they were a little freaked when they saw the scar." she said lifting her shirt so Buffy could see the gash that had already began to heal. Faith pulled down her shirt when she saw that they weren't alone.
She walked around Buffy towards the girls. Sarah inched over to Rory. "Whats wrong with her?" Faith asked Sarah. Sarah looked down at Rory, "Nothing she's just tired. We had a long night." Sarah answered. "What were you guys doing out so late cause if you don't already know, sunnydale isnt the safest place," Faith inquired while taking a seat on the bed.
Before Sarah could answer Rory stirred then opened her eyes. "Man, that spell took a lot out of me," she said. She looked around, then at the two girls. One was sitting and the other was posted up against the far wall, both of them were starring at her. "Who are they? and where are we?" she asked Sarah.
"This is Buffy and Faith," Sarah said. "She's the one that helped us earlier." Rory looked at Faith, she remembered now. They were attacked and this girl risked her life for them. She was stabbed and healed by the hands of me. Rory shook her head, god she had a headache. When she looked back up at Faith she uttered a thanks.
"Do you two live around here?" Buffy asked. Both girls shook their heads. Faith frowned, "Why were you girls out so late and how were you doing that thing with your hands?"
"That's a long story," Rory said. "We arnt going anywhere," Faith said. The two girls looked at each other. Finally Sarah began.
"Rory's a witch and I'm a potential, and ...What?" she asked looking at Buffy's expression. Buffy shook her head, "Faith can i talk to you?" Her eyes shifted from the other Slayer to the girls. "Sure, B." Faith said walking over to Buffy. "What is it?"
"Remember when i told you that you were dead for a minute or two?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah."
"We'll you died!" Buffy said.
"I think i got the message before."
Buffy sighed, "I mean you died so another Slayer was called."
"Oh!" Faith said, her expression doing a complete 360. At first she was smiling then she was all serious. "What does this mean?" she asked.
"I don't know but I think i know who the third Slayer is," Buffy said turning her attention towards Sarah. "What makes you say that?" Faith asked skeptical the girl was a warrior for the powers that be. "You should of seen her tonight, I saw her take out two bringers and seriously hurt a third." Buffy explained. "Maybe we should take them back to the house, so we can sort this mess out," Faith suggested.
Seconds later Buffy's cell rang. "Hello?" she answered. It was Willow and she seemd frantic. "Slow down, Faiths what?" She waited a few seconds before she responded, "Faith's fine."
Faith listened to the one sided conversation. She watched as Buffy hung up the phone, "Xander's on the way."
"What was that about?" Faith asked. "I'll explain in the car."
The girls rounded up their stuff and left the room. After clearing all the paper work so Faith could leave, They headed out to the parking lot and waited on Xander. Sarah screamed when she saw two huge bulking figures move through the shadows towards them. "God," Buffy moaned. "Do we ever get a break?" Her question went unanswered as she prepared for a confrontation.