Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming, they give me inspiration! Also, the title of this chapter is a bit of a misnomer, as this really isn't anywhere near the beginning of the end of the story. This chapter just sets into motion the events that lead to the end of the story…eventually.

Previously:

Glancing up at the second level of the Bronze, Faith saw Buffy standing by the railing, gazing absently down at the first floor. The blonde Slayer's eyes shifted when she felt Faith's presence and she looked down at the dark haired girl. Faith smiled up at her slightly, her eyes soft and dark in the fading light. Buffy smiled back, suddenly realizing how beautiful the other girl was and how much she wanted to be sitting next to her. In that moment, she knew exactly how she felt for the dark haired Slayer. Moving away from the railing, she let her feet guide her towards the stairs, determined to tell Faith exactly what she wanted to know.

Chapter Seventeen: The Beginning of the End:

"Show me," Faith said. Every nerve in her body was tingling, lighting up as if on fire until she felt as though she had to move to release the energy building in her muscles. Kate watched her knowingly with a small smile adorning her beautiful, but withdrawn, features.

"Where is the nearest cemetery?" Kate asked, gazing at Faith intently. The young girl bore a sadness that Kate had not witness before in a person so young. She wondered what had caused the sorrow that lingered behind her charge's eyes. Faith was very beautiful, but in a dangerous sort of way that Kate recognized as the presence of the Slayer. Unlike most girls, Faith had never been trained as a potential. She was unaware of her calling and its requirements. Kate knew that convincing Faith that the world was full of demons and other supernatural creatures would be difficult, but she knew also that seeing was believing. When she had discovered about the true state of the world for the first time, she had been attacked by a vampire. She had smelled the scent of decay on him, felt the fear that came from staring down his yellow eyes, and heard the hiss of breath as he opened his mouth to bite. She had been saved and she had vowed to devote her life to helping future Slayers in their quest to destroy evil.

"The nearest cemetery?" Faith asked confusedly. "Why do you want to know that?"

"You wanted to see," Kate reminded her softly. "I can show you. But we have to go to the nearest cemetery."

"It's raining outside," Faith noted.

"It's just water," Kate smiled. "It won't hurt you."

"Two blocks from here," Faith relented. "I can take us there."

"Let's go then," Kate nodded curtly, rising to her feet. Faith sighed heavily, wondering exactly what she had involved herself in before standing as well. "I have something for you," Kate added. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a long, wooden object. Faith took it from the other woman's extended hand and eyed it warily. The object looked like a stick, though it was wider, and had been sharpened at one end.

"What is this?" Faith inquired curiously.

"A stake," Kate replied simply. "That will be your primary weapon."

"This?" Faith asked. "Shouldn't I have a gun or something?"

"No," Kate shook her head. "Rarely will you ever find the need to use such a grotesque weapon."

"So why does this work?" Faith questioned.

"Come," Kate said, opening the door of the motel room. "We'll talk on the way." Faith nodded, grabbing her keys. "You don't have a jacket?" Kate asked in surprise.

Faith shook her head. "No," she replied. "My mother wasn't very well off."

"We'll have to remedy that," she murmured. "Wasn't?" She wondered aloud.

"She's dead," Faith said darkly, moving passed the woman. The rain had lessened, though it still poured from the sky in a steady flow. The first splashes touched Faith's forehead, as if baptizing her into a new life, and she closed her eyes, tilting her face towards the sky.

"How did she die?" Kate asked, walking out and closing the door. Faith turned back and locked it, though she possessed nothing within that she would miss.

"She overdosed," Faith answered mechanically.

"I'm sorry," Kate said sympathetically.

"I'm not," Faith replied stoically. Kate arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. "It's this way," Faith added, nodding down the street. A flash of lightening lit up the sky, illuminating the world around them. A boom of thunder immediately followed it, echoing in Faith's ears, reminding her of the gunshot that had taken her girlfriend's life.

"Are you alright?" Kate asked sincerely.

"Five by five," Faith muttered in return. "So why do I use this," she asked, looking down at the stake, "but I don't use a gun?"

"Guns are ineffectual against vampires, which are the most common demon that you will fight," Kate explained. "Vampires are quite numerous. Slayers are primarily concerned with fighting them, as they are the most dangerous to mankind, simply because of their numbers. Other demons can be quite dangerous, but there are fewer of them in the world. Additionally," she lectured, "not all demons are evil. You see, some people are simply born demons. They can't help what they are. As such, they live their lives, trying to be the best that they can, without hurting anyone."

"So this will kill a vampire?" Faith asked.

"A wooden stake pushed through the heart will kill a vampire. Holy water injures them, as do crucifixes," Kate continued. "Fire will kill a vampire. Finally, decapitation will also destroy it."

"Decapitation?" Faith asked warily.

"I'm sorry to say that you'll find yourself doing many things that you never would have thought," Kate said apologetically. "This life is quite difficult, but it's your destiny. It requires concentration, determination, and consistency. You have to train very hard to keep a constant level of physical fitness. You'll have to learn many modes of fighting. Be proficient in many different weapons. It's a difficult life, but it's rewarding. You can live knowing that you're protecting mankind from things which desire to see its end. You'll save people and you'll destroy evil."

"How did I get to be the Slayer?" Faith asked as she and Kate walked down the sidewalk. The cemetery loomed closer. Already, Faith could see the outline of its black gates under the light of the streetlamps.

"The powers of the Slayer are inherited through a line extending back to the dawn of man. When a Slayer is killed, another is called to take her place," Kate explained softly.

"So I was called because the girl before me died?" Faith asked, feeling sickened by the thought that she had come into her destiny only because another girl had failed in hers.

"Yes," Kate nodded slowly, glancing over at Faith to survey her reaction.

"What was her name?" Faith asked softly.

"Kendra," Kate replied. "She was a good Slayer. But her Watcher didn't teach her in a way that I would have. He required her to maintain a mechanical sort of fighting style, repressing her emotions, and fighting only from the desire to kill."

"That's not your style?" Faith smirked.

"No," Kate replied. "I believe that emotions are one of our greatest assets. Passions sets us apart from animals. If you fight with passion, you fight with the will to live."

"And now I'm the only one," Faith stated.

"Well…," Kate began hesitantly. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean?" Faith asked in surprise. "What happened to the one girl in the whole world speech?"

"There is another," Kate admitted. "Though it's a complete anomaly. Her name is Buffy Summers. She was the Slayer before Kendra."

"Was?" Faith asked. "I thought you were intimating that the girl is still alive."

"She is still alive," Kate nodded. "But you're the Slayer. She's just a Slayer now. The line has moved on with you."

"What happened to her?" Faith asked, feeling a strange kinship with her sister Slayer, though she had never met her.

"She was drowned by a master vampire," Kate explained. "But someone resuscitated her. Thus, she's alive when she shouldn't be."

"We're here," Faith stated, glancing warily at the ominous cemetery gates.

"Are you ready for this?" Kate asked, looking down at her concernedly.

Faith sighed and nodded. "I'm ready."

………………………………….

With a renewed sense of purpose, Buffy directed her steps down the stair case that descended to the first level of the Bronze. The nightly moaning of the zombies seemed louder than usual – a wailing that pierced down to her bones, shaking the foundation of her soul. When her feet hit the bottom stair, she paused, inhaling deeply, and briefly closing her eyes. She could feel Faith watching her from across the room, where the dark haired Slayer sat at the bar with Tara and Willow. Though Buffy knew exactly what she wanted to say to her sister Slayer, when she opened her eyes and looked into Faith's face, every thought fled from her mind.

People were lighting candles throughout the Bronze, preparing for the swiftly descending night, and the light from the tiny fires flickered on Faith's face, casting a warm glow on her skin. Moving forward, she steeled her resolve, swallowing the fear and anxiety that threatened to force its way into her consciousness. Faith noticed Buffy walking towards her with a purpose. She desperately hoped that Buffy felt the same way for her that she felt for the blonde Slayer, but she had learned long ago not to trust hope. She could sense the nervousness pouring off of the other girl and she smiled slightly, hoping that the action would reassure the older Slayer. Buffy saw Faith smile dimly through the fading light and her anxiety seemed to wash away, replaced by an intense love that she felt for the younger girl.

She surprised herself with the thought of love. She knew that she liked Faith in a

'more than friends kind of way,' but she had not recognized the beginnings of love within her heart until that moment. She was in love with Faith. She was closing the distance between them when she heard a voice calling for her. Forcibly shifting her gaze away from the dark haired girl, she noticed Riley walking up to her. "Buffy," he said, smiling when she stopped.

"What?" She asked, more sharply than she had intended. Riley's face fell briefly, but he shook off his disappointment and continued talking.

"I'm sorry about earlier…with the guns," he began. "I know that you have experience with weapons, but my men don't know that. They look at you and they just see a girl who's never handled a firearm before. It made them nervous."

"I get that," Buffy nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "But I still think that I should have one."

Riley smiled patiently. "I know you do, but we're perfectly safe here."

"Is that all that you wanted to talk to me about?" Buffy asked eagerly, impatient to proceed with her conversation with Faith.

"Have somewhere to be?" Riley asked pointedly.

"No," Buffy shook her head. "But I was hoping to talk to someone."

"Who?" Riley questioned curiously.
"That's not really any of your business," Buffy stated and turned to walk away. Riley, however, called her back.

"Buffy," he said regretfully, "I'm sorry. You're right. It's none of my business who you talk to. But I did want to ask you something."

"What?" Buffy asked apprehensively.

"My men…well, they aren't qualified leaders. They were new to the Initiative before the attack. While I trust their judgment, when it's time for us to leave here, I would be more comfortable having someone else in charge besides them."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"What I'm saying is that I would be grateful if you could take charge of one of the groups. Our plan is to split everyone into two groups, find some school buses, and ride out of town. With four soldiers, there will be two soldiers per bus. But I'll only be able to ride on one bus. The other will have two inexperienced soldiers on it. I would be more comfortable knowing that you were in charge of the bus that I'm not on," Riley stated.

"Really?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"Yes," Riley said. "I trust your judgment Buffy. Like I said, I'm sorry that I was so harsh before, but this is a difficult situation. I'm just trying to keep everyone happy and safe."

"I know," Buffy relented. "For what it's worth, you're doing a good job."

"Thanks," Riley said, smiling as he looked down at the floor. "Well," he finished, looking back up at his former girlfriend, "I'll let you get on with your business."

"Thanks, Riley," Buffy said sincerely as she walked away. She reached Faith, who was looking at her inquisitively.

"What was that all about?" The former rogue Slayer asked, her voice lined with jealousy. Buffy smiled at the thought that Faith was jealous of Riley.

"Riley wants me to be in charge of one of the groups when we leave the Bronze," Buffy answered.

"Really?" Faith asked. "It's about damn time he figured out that you were the best one for the job."

"Thanks," Buffy mumbled, blushing slightly. "Anyway," she cleared her throat, "I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay," Faith nodded.

"Alone," she said, smiling sheepishly over at Willow and Tara. Tara smiled and nodded, grabbing Willow's hand, and pulling her away.

"We c-can take a hint," she said, throwing an inconspicuous wink back at Faith. "We'll be u-upstairs if you need us." Faith smiled amusedly at Tara's action.

Buffy waited until the two witches had gone before sitting down next to the younger girl. Faith looked over at her curiously, waiting for Buffy to speak. However, when several long moments had passed, and the blonde Slayer had remained silent, she nudged her with her elbow. "B?" She asked. "I thought you said that you wanted to talk to me."

"I do," Buffy nodded quickly. "I'm just trying to figure out what to say."

"Looked like you had a good enough idea when you started walking over here," Faith smirked.

"I did," Buffy replied defensively. "But then my mind went blank."

"I can wait," Faith sighed. "But I am getting kinda hungry," she joked, "so don't take too long."

Buffy laughed. "About what you said earlier," she began. "I didn't kiss you because I had just broken up with Riley and wanted to be with someone. I kissed you because I wanted to."

"Again," Faith stated, "why?"

"I've battled with this for a long time, Faith. You have to understand that. When you first came to town, you were this revelation to me. You were everything that I wanted to be. I wanted you then, but I didn't understand it. Then Angel came back and everything just spun out of control," Buffy explained.

"I killed two people and turned evil," Faith finished. "I know, B, I was there," she reminded her counterpart.

Buffy smiled patiently. "Will you just let me finish explaining, please?" She asked. Faith nodded, allowing Buffy to continue. "I didn't understand why you turned against us, though I have a better idea now. I'm not saying that it wasn't your fault. A lot of it was. But some of it was my fault too. I know that now. When you betrayed us, I guess a part of me felt vindicated for refusing to give in to my feelings for you. Stabbing you…," Buffy faltered, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"You don't have to keep going," Faith said, hating to see the older girl suffer.

"Yeah, I do," Buffy replied softly, looking down at her hands. "Stabbing you was the worst thing that I've ever done in my life. I can't tell you how sorry I am for that. And don't give me any of that 'you had to' shit," she said firmly, holding up her hand to silence Faith, who had opened her mouth to respond. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But I'm still allowed to feel bad about it. When I saw you again, all of these feelings just came back to me. It took me a while to sort through them. But I have now."

"And?" Faith asked breathlessly, waiting for Buffy's answer.

"And I think that I love you," Buffy replied softly. "I think I always have, I just never wanted to admit it. But I can now. I love you," she said softly, looking over at Faith, who was staring back at her intently.

A brilliant smile broke out on Faith's face. "You love me?" She said, half astonished and half jokingly.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. Caressing the side of Faith's face with her hand, she leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to the younger girl's. The kiss was gentle, but filled with the same passion with which Buffy had kissed her earlier. It was a lazy kiss that spoke of all of the time in the world that they would have to explore their feelings for each other. When Buffy pulled away, she smiled softly.

"I…I love you too, B," Faith whispered, struggling for a moment to say the words. It had been so long since she had uttered that phrase to anyone.

"Good to see that we're on the same page," Buffy joked. Faith smiled.

"Yeah, it is," she replied. She was about to respond further when she noticed something strangely out of place.

"What?" Buffy asked, noticing that Faith's brows had furrowed in confusion.

"Do you hear that?" Faith asked.

"What?" Buffy replied, listening closely to the sounds of the night. "I don't hear anything," she stated.

"That's my point," Faith said slowly. "I don't hear the zombies anymore."

"That's a good thing, right?" Buffy asked.

Faith felt her Slayer senses scream to life as the hairs on the back of her neck stood erect. "I don't think so," she whispered gravely. As she spoke, the main doors of the Bronze suddenly burst open and a horde of zombies charged into the club.