FIC: Cleveland Calling (3?)

Feb '04

"You read this?"

Xander looked up in irritation when the door to his office crashed open and Faith marched in, carrying a print-out. "Please Faith," he muttered. "You know my door's always open to you."

"Yeah, thanks," Faith said, completely missing his sarcasm. The Bostonian slammed the print-out on his desk while continuing to pace the carpet before him, every movement of her tense body signifying her barely controlled rage.

Which was all he needed.

Still cautiously watching the ticking time-bomb in front of him, he picked up at the piece of paper and read it. It was a report from G-Man's second in command, Robson. He'd only met the guy once but he seemed pretty sound, a little early Giles maybe, but a tough guy nonetheless. "So?" he warily queried.

"So!" Faith's shriek threatened the sanctity and well-being of his ears. Yep, he was sure his left ear had popped. The Slayer poked the paper. "When are you asses going to realise Angel's on our side?"

Xander counted to five, calming himself. "Faith," he took a breath. "Giles is just being careful. We can't be sure what Angel is doing."

"Angel is a good guy!"

He shook his head. "Wolfram and Hart are the oldest most powerful evil organisation, heck they pre-date the Council!" He hesitated before continuing. "'Lest we forget, he's heading up the company that hired you to kill him."

Pain flickered in the Boston beauty's eyes. "Damn," Faith paused for a few seconds before continuing. "Tell me it's not personal."

Xander struggled to hold onto his temper. "Damn right it's personal," Xander agreed, his even tone hiding his growing frustration. "Angelus put us all through hell, killed the love of G-Man's life, and tried to end the world."

He noticed uncomfortably that Faith's hands clenched into fists, her knuckles whitening. "But he's Angel," she said through gritted teeth. "Not Angelus."

"Maybe he is, but maybe he isn't."

Faith slumped into the seat opposite. "He saved me, X."

"And you want to believe in him and I understand that," Xander nodded. He wished it had been him to help Faith, but she hadn't been in a place to help her, he understood that now. But it also meant that like Buffy she couldn't be objective about the Irish vampire. Which meant others had to pick up the slack. Comforting himself that at least now there were plenty of Slayers who wouldn't have a problem with slamming a piece of wood through the bastard's heart, he continued. "Maybe you're right. Maybe Angel's trying to turn around the law firm, but maybe he isn't, maybe he's given up." Faith opened her mouth. "It's a possibility, Faith."

Faith scowled at him for a second before reluctantly nodding her head. "Fine, but I wanna her."

"Say what?" Xander stared at the Slayer, confused. The way the Bostonian jumped from topic to topic was taxing at times, reminding him of babble Willow. "Not catching the segue-way."

Faith's eyes glanced towards the report she'd tossed onto his desk. "Dana, the nuts Slayer, Robson kidnapped from Fang," Xander's heart sank. "I want her here."

The headache that hit Xander reminded him of his 15th birthday, the last birthday of his pre-Slaying life. He'd naively thought it might be cool to be like his dad and had celebrated by stealing and drinking most of a full whiskey bottle with Jesse. The beating that he'd got from his dad for stealing his booze had paled into insignificance next to his hangover.

"Faith," Xander spluttered. "You can't be serious, the girl's nuts. I mean chopping Spike's hands off isn't a bad thing, but it isn't a sign of great mental health."

"Like I was," Faith countered.

Which was hardly a winning argument in his book. "Look Faith," Xander tried again. "The other girls-."

"Fuck X," Faith shook her head, her eyes angry. "You took her away from one of the only two people who have a fucking clue what she's going through. This shouldn't have happened, she shouldn't have been Chosen, we fucked up!"

Xander winced as the Slayer's words hit an uncomfortable chord. "This could blow up in all our faces," he pointed out.

"Let me help her," Faith's eyes softened, becoming desperate. "Read the report, she needs help. I can do it, like Angel helped me." The Slayer paused. "Please."

Xander looked from the piece of paper and to the Slayer. It all came down to trust. He had to be able to rely on Faith, and in turn she had to believe in his leadership, respect and trust him. And Dana did deserve better than a padded cell for the rest of her life. "I'll contact Giles," he said, "but no promises."

"Thanks X," Faith flashed him the smile that always dazzled him with its brilliance and left him with an empty feeling with its disappearance. The Slayer leapt to her feet. "I'll leave ya to it!"

Once the door had closed behind Faith, Xander stared at the phone for a long, long time. This could well be -.

"I'm still waiting!" Faith bellowed impatiently from outside.

His eye shot to the door. "Faith," he growled. "Go, now." After a shake of the head, he picked up the phone and dialled. Just as he was about to hang up it was answered.

"Hello?"

Xander grimaced at Giles' sleepy voice. He'd forgotten about the time difference. "Uh, hi," he greeted. "It's me, Xander. Sorry, I forgot-."

"Xander!" Giles exclaimed, the pleasure evident in his surrogate father's voice. "Nonsense my boy, it's always a pleasure to hear from you. You phone far too infrequently."

"Uh, sorry."

"No problem, I should make more of an effort too, but we're both busy men these days," Giles paused. "And how is Faith settling in?"

"She's doing good."

"Excellent, that Wood was a bloody fool," Giles paused again. "The other girls?"

"They're okay too."

"Wonderful." For a few minutes they talked, discussing Willow in Rio, Buffy in Italy, and Dawn starting her first year at Oxford. Then Giles brought things back to business. "I assume there was a special reason for you ringing and waking me in the dead of night?"

"Yeah," Xander took a breath. "Faith read the fortnightly report and wasn't happy about Dana. She wants her to be sent here."

"Oh," there was a long silence. "I don't know if that's wise, Xander."

"I know, I know. But Faith feels guilty for creating her, heck I do too," Xander heard Giles' heavy sigh, obviously the responsibility laid heavy on the aging Englishman too. "And she thinks she can help her. It's not fair that Dana spends the rest of her life in a padded cell because of what we did to her."

"I think Faith might be making a big mistake," Giles warned.

"My mentor taught me that a Watcher should back up his Slayer no matter what."

Another long silence. Then Giles laughed. "Damn you for using reason, Xander, I expect better from you." He could almost hear the sound of Giles cleaning his glasses. "The transportation will take a few days to sort out, paperwork and all."

"I could give you the number of our police contact," Xander offered.

"Lt. Lockley? I've already got it." Giles yawned. "Now that you've got what you wanted could I possibly return to my nice warm bed for a few hours' peace?"

"Yes, sorry about waking you. I know how the old need their rest."

"Xander."

"Yes?"

"Bugger off." Giles laughed. "Night, son."

"Night G-Man."


Xander knocked on Faith's door. "Yo!"

"It's me," he replied to the Slayer's cry.

"Oh," there was a pause. "Yeah, come in."

Xander opened the door and walked in to find the Slayer sat cross-legged on her bed. "I spoke to G-Man, he said he'll have Dana transported over here in a few days."

Faith beamed at him. "Thanks X, I 'ppreciate this."

Xander nodded then spoke. "I think this is a mistake, but you're the head Slayer so I'm supporting you," he warned.

"Thanks X," Faith's face sobered. "This will work out great I promise. Dana will be my personal responsibility."

"All the girls are," he reminded. "For both of us."

"Sure X," Faith nodded. "I get that, but all Dana needs is a chance."

Xander nodded again. "Shall we go tell the girls?"


Breena's face lit up as Xander and Faith entered their gym. Sometimes Xander looked so sad and lonely, he needed a woman to look after him. But Miss. Lehane, she was just perfect for him. It was just a question of getting the two of them to realise it.

Stopping her benches, she joined the other girls in standing in the centre of the basement. "Hey guys," Faith greeted. "We're gonna get a new Slayer joining us."

"Yes," Xander put in. Breena noticed he looked nervous. "But she's a little different from the rest of you."

Breena and the others exchanged looks as their Watcher continued. It sounded as if things were going to get exciting around here.


"They're here." Xander's words stretched through the cold air as a security truck pulled up into the parking lot they were doing the exchange in.

Amy climbed out of the car to join Faith and Xander stood by the front of the car. The grey truck smoothly came to a halt and a tall, black girl with braided hair jumped out and hurried towards them. "Mr. Harris," the Slayer nodded at Faith. "Miss. Lehane, it's an honour-."

"She in there?" Faith interrupted, her tone tense and face tight.

The African Slayer blinked at Faith's bluntness. "Yeah, the other girls," the Slayer looked over her shoulder to where two Slayers were unlocking the truck's double-doors. "Are bringing her out."

Amy gasped at what she saw. A girl fastened to a chair, a Lectorish muzzle obscuring her face, and wearing a thick leather straitjacket further secured by chains across her limbs and torso, was being lowered down ramps to the tarmac. "You have got to be kidding me!" Faith turned a laser-beam glare onto the suddenly greying African Slayer. "She's not a fucking animal! Unchain her."

"Mr. Giles said-."

"Do it," Xander interrupted, his voice flat, emotionless. "Now."

The braided Slayer nodded. "Yes sir." Faith shot Xander a grateful look that went unnoticed as Xander continued to watch the girl being lowered from the truck.

Once the girl was unfastened, she stood, glared at the three Slayers surrounding her and started forward, growling, her eyes fixed on Xander. Faith stepped into the advancing girl's path. "Back off. Not going to happen."

"Just skin."

The words meant nothing to her, but Amy heard Xander's grunt and saw Faith pale. Despite that, the Bostonian beauty remained in her position, blocking Dana's route to Xander. "You saw that uh?" the brunette commented. "Then you probably saw X save my life, so you back the fuck off or I'll put you down hard. You dig?" Dana stared at Faith for a long second before dropping her gaze and nodding. "Good," the older Slayer's voice softened. "You ready X?" Xander didn't reply. "X?"

Xander shook himself. "Ready, you're in the back with our guest?" Faith nodded. Xander looked down at his hands and then at her. "Amy, can you drive?"

Amy blinked when she realised Xander's hands were shaking slightly, either from fright or from what Dana had said. "Sure, Xander."


The car journey was completed in absolute silence, the only sound the motoring of the 4 by 4's engine. Faith took the time to inspect the Slayer sat beside her. High cheekbones, silky black hair, pool-like eyes, and smooth, olive skin. Kick-ass body too. If it wasn't for the lack of focus in her eyes and her occasional, apparently uncontrollable facial twitch, Dana would be a total hottie.

Realising the car was coming to a halt; she spoke to her fellow Slayer. "I'll take you inside, k?" Without waiting for an answer she glanced towards X and Amy, "thanks for this, Xander." She turned to Dana and raised a challenging eyebrow.

After a second, Dana spoke. "Thanks," she grunted.

"Good girl," Faith praised before opening her door, "now come on."

Faith herded the girl inside and to the room that X had assigned her. "I guess you'll need some clothes. We'll go shopping in a few days. You can borrow some stuff -."

"Don't daddy it hurts."

Faith looked at the slyly-smiling girl and gritted her teeth. "I really wouldn't root around my head if I were you," Faith warned, her tone tight. "'Cause I will kick your ass, you dig?" The girl glared at her for a moment before nodding. "Good. Now you'll meet the other Slayers tomorrow, they're good kids so I wanna you to be cool with them. And there's Andrew, he's a prick but I don't wanna you scaring him either, right?" Dana nodded. Faith wasn't sure of the sincerity in the gesture but ignored her worry. Anything happened, she'd show the Slayer who was boss. "Everyone here wants you to get better, you were given your powers for a reason, k?" Dana stared at her for a second before nodding again. "Good," Faith looked at the other Slayer before turning back to the door. "Now, see ya in the morning."


Xander looked around the darkened corridor. He started at a soft voice behind him. Steadying his racing heart, he turned around. "Sorry, Amy." He forced a smile. "I was a million miles away. What did you say?"

"Are you alright?" the witch asked, her expression concerned. "You seemed -."

"I'm fine," he interrupted, the smile still firmly in place. "Just a little exhausted, so I'm off to bed."

"Okay," he was dismayed when Amy dropped in beside him, giving him unwelcome company as he made his way to his quarters. "What did you think of Dana?"

Dana. Just her name made his blood chill. It was a few seconds he could get his suddenly dry mouth to work. "She's intense."

"Yeah," Amy stared thoughtfully at him before continuing. "She is," the witch agreed. "What we do here is important. Not just training the girls and protecting the Hellmouth but," Amy momentarily glanced down, her face ashamed, before looking him in the eye. "Giving me, Faith, and Dana second chances, that's important too."

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "I know." He opened his bedroom door. "Well see you."

"Night, Xander."

Once he'd closed the door behind him, the shakes began, first in his hands, and then in his arms, spreading through his body. Xander dropped onto his unmade bed, the image of Dana's eyes as she'd advanced on him flashing before him. The ferocity and rage he's seen there had reminded him of another person who'd had a serious yearning to kill him.

Faith.

After a few seconds, he'd calmed himself enough to undress and climb into his bed. But somehow he doubted he'd sleep much tonight.


"They're here!" Breena reported through the gap in their dorm's curtains.

"Really," Penda peered over her fellow Slayer's shoulder. "She just looks like a girl!"

"What did you expect?" Astrid sneered. "A horned monster?"

"Yeah, but the stuff she's done," Penda commented. "Chopping the hands off a vampire!"

"And that's bad how?" Dae commented.

"I know, I know," Penda shook her head. "But still, that's serious psycho behaviour."

"Well," Breena dropped the curtain back into place. "I guess we'll meet her tomorrow."


"Fuck!" Faith's eyes shot open. It took a minute for her to get her uneven breath under control. "Son of a bitch!" She turned her light on before lying there for another couple of minutes, gathering her senses. She hated Slayer dreams. Throwing her bed sheets off, she began to dress, pulling on her panties and leather pants before grabbing a black wifebeater off her chair. She'd have to talk to Xander. "He is going to fucking shit."
"X, please, ya gotta."

Xander sighed at the Slayer's insistence. For hours she'd been nagging him with the same sort of insistence Anya had used to nag him for sex. And that was a memory he didn't need. "Faith, forget it, me and Angel," he shook his head. "Never gonna happen."

Faith took a breath before shaking her head. "Look it ain't about that. I had a Slayer dream, you gotta ring him."

Xander's breath quickened. "A Slayer dream? What was it about?"

Faith shook her head. "I ain't saying 'case I'm wrong, please."

After a long stare at the Slayer, he gave in to her pleading eyes. "Fine," he dialled the number to Wolfram & Hart's LA office. After seven rings the phone was answered.

"Hello," shrilled a slightly familiar voice. "You have reached the offices of Wolfram & Hart speaking. Harmony Kendall speaking."

Xander groaned. Well that clinched it, Deadboy had to be evil. "Hello Harmony, it's Xander here. Put me through to Angel."

"Huh," sneered the blonde vampire. "I don't think so, it's my job to shield my boss from losers like -."

"Listen very carefully," he interrupted, his teeth gritted against his anger. "I'm now a Watcher with seven Slayers backing him up, how about I come to LA and pay you a -."

"Putting you through!" Harmony squealed.

"Hello?"

"Deadboy, it's Xander, Faith said I needed to ring you. She had one of those Slayer dreams-."

"Oh," the vampire paused. "I..it's Cordelia." A cold weight settled on his heart as he waited for the demon to continue. "She's dead."

"No."

Angel continued over his muttering. "According to the doctors' she never awoke from her coma, she died two days ago. We're having a memorial service in two days' time if you want-."

"Thanks, but I don't think so," Xander hung the phone up and stared down at the desk.

"What happened X?" Faith asked her voice strained.

He looked up at the Slayer. "What did you see?"

"First there was Angel heading to this dark cavern, then Cordy was in his way, pushing him back, guiding him to a bright light. Then, there was a life support system flat lining, and the Fang Gang all crying." Faith paused. "What was it?"

"Cordy's dead," Xander muttered. "She died two days ago. They're having a memorial service in two days' time."

"Right," he was surprised by the shock on Faith's face. "That case, we better get you booked on a plane over there."

"No," Xander shook his head.

"Look, if ya don't wanna go over there on your own, me or Amy could go with you," Faith offered.

"I can't." Xander ignored the tightness in his chest and the hollowness in his stomach to shake his head. "Council rules dictate Angel shouldn't be contacted -."

"Fuck rules!" Faith shouted. "You cared about Queen C! You should be there." The Slayer leaned over the desk separating them, her eyes intense. "This is Angel, not Angelus! You can trust him!"

"I can trust him!" His nervousness around the Slayer and sorrow over Cordy's death dissipated before his burning rage. Kicking back his chair, he rose, looming over the Slayer. "I can trust him!" he laughed sarcastically. "Oh sure, he's so different from Angelus. 'Cause he didn't fool you with his Angelus act did he? Fool you when he knocked me out, left me in the middle of the street where any vampire could pick up a free Happy Meal!" He stared challengingly at the paling beauty. "I can trust Angel?"

"X, I..I," grabbing his car keys off the desk, he strode past the stuttering Slayer and out of his office, slamming the door behind him.


"Andrew," Breena trilled, her eyes alight with excitement as she and the other Slayers bar Dana entered into his domain, the kitchen, and cornered him. "What's up with this Cordelia girl?"

"Yes," Astrid nodded, her eighties-style blonde hair bouncing up and down with the movement. "What's the big deal?"

"In my position as a keeper of the Scoobies' secrets I cannot divulge any details," he replied loftily.

"Oh please Andrew," Dae pouted at him, her long eye-lashes fluttering wildly.

Andrew caved under the Slayers' pleading. "Young Xander was the school outcast, the geek," he sighed theatrically. "We geeks carry a heavy load. Cordelia was the school princess, the head cheerleader, the richest, most beautiful girl in the school. Their paths would never have crossed but for Xander's gallantry in saving her life." He sighed again. "Her heart was captured instantly by Xander's selfless heroism, and soon they were the Sunnydale couple."

"What about Anya?" Astrid queried.

"Oh," Andrew nodded sagely. "She came later. After Xander-."

"You guys are like vultures!"

Andrew gulped at the sight of a pissed Faith stood in the kitchen doorway. "Hi Faith," he greeted with a weak smile.

"This has fuck all to do with any of you," Faith snarled. "You girls, 50 circuits of the grounds -."

"Faith-," Breena protested.

"Make that 100," Faith continued. "Any of you got anything else to say?" The girls rushed out of the back door. Andrew turned away as the Slayer turned her laser-beam gaze on him, looking down at the groceries. He started at Faith's cold whisper in his ear. "I was scared shitless when I came back to Sunnydale, wondering what everyone would think about me, how I'd fit in." Faith paused. "Guess who made it ten times harder with his flapping mouth?"

"I was just -."

Andrew dropped a can of beans when Faith slammed her fist into the table. "X's private life is just that, private. You don't blabber 'bout him 'less ya want me to deal with, dig?" Too frightened to speak, he nodded. "Good," the brunette beauty took a breath. "Now I'm going out for a while. See ya."


Faith roared down the highway, the wind whistling around her helmeted head. When G had taken over the Council, he'd changed it a hell of a lot, out when the one Slayer per Watcher deal, now it was four Slayers for a Watcher, and a Wicca too. He'd got rid of the Crucitamen bullshit too. And most importantly, Faith smirked as she glanced down at her ride, he'd decreed that instead of harbouring Council funds in Swiss bank accounts, working Slayers got an actual wage. Both her and B had got kick ass back-payments too, B for eight years, and her for five. She'd argued that she didn't deserve it for the time she'd in prison, but G had said something about collective responsibility which she hadn't really understood, but she'd took the money just to get him to shut up, eighty k in all.

And spent ten of it on a cool as fuck, spanking new, Harley. She'd spent her early teens hanging in biker bars, loving the power of the bikes arrayed outside of them, the romance of the open road, and the general coolness of the leather-clad knights of the road. Now she knew bikers were pretty much pricks, but she still loved hogs.

Pulling up, she looked at her destination, a grimy building front with a door, its red paint peeling, with an equally worn sign above it proclaiming 'Hard Knocks Boxing Emporium'. Taking off her helmet, she secured it and the bike, her eyes all the while fixed on the building. This was gonna be tough.

She'd found out about this place three weeks after arriving. She'd noted X's thrice weekly unexplained absences and wondered where he was going. Figuring he had a girl-toy shacked up somewhere that he had no right keeping from her, the others sure, but they had history, she'd followed him to find to her surprise that he was working out at a local gym. She'd been puzzled as to why he didn't work out with the others, but couldn't very well ask him seeing as she'd discreetly trailed him there.

"Guess I can ask him now," Faith muttered as she made her way through the tarmaced car-lot, noting X's 4 by 4 parked there. Shoving open the door, she walked in.

And was hit by a wave of sweat, the sound of men grunting, like she'd never heard that before, skipping ropes buzzing, fists thumping into bags, and trainers exhorting their fighters to greater efforts. "Hey sweet thing," she glanced behind the peeling counter to a see a hulking African-American in his mid-forties. "No women allowed."

"Yeah," Faith drawled. "I'll be speaking to my congressman about this discrimination. Don't worry, I'm here to speak to my bro, the one-eyed dude. Family emergency."

"Oh," the big black shrugged his broad shoulders. "Well, hurry. The trainers won't want you distracting their fighters."

"Sure big guy," Faith agreed. Shoving the door open, she stepped into the main area. "Um, a room full of sweaty jocks," she muttered. "Reminds me of my 15th birthday."

She winced when an expertly-skipping man's eyes widened at her entrance and he fell over the rope. "Bet that hurt," she muttered as she looked around. The massive gym was dominated by two boxing rings in the centre of it, the area between the rings was filled with trainers wearing sparring pads. The space near her was filled with a quartet of skipping boxers, now watching her with the sort of longing that an addict watches his crack. "Guess it's true what they say about boxers and sex," she chuckled before continuing her inspection.

The far wall was lined with exercise bikes, medicine balls, and stomach crunch boards while the area by the near-by wall was filled with heavy bags and speed balls. Not seeing Xander anywhere, she started through the gym. As she drew level with the first ring, one of the fighters hitting a speed ball looked towards her.

And got caught by the speed ball on the side of his head, knocking him into the wall. Shaking her head, she continued on.

"Not bad, not bad at all," Faith muttered as she found Xander. The former Scooby had his back to her and was stripped to his waist, revealing a surprisingly defined and muscular back as he smashed his gloved fists into his bags with an intensity that had her wondering if he was envisaging the bag as her, Angel, or Queen C.

Watching X, she had to admit she was impressed. She'd watched a lot of classic boxing tapes as part of her training, Ali, Robinson, and Tyson amongst others, and X was pretty good. Judging from the way the bag was shaking as he hit, X could throw a decent punch, good combinations too, his footwork was reasonable, and his defence, the way he dropped instinctively into his guard between combos, was smooth.

Whoever had taught him had know their stuff, and she already knew X could take a beating and keep on ticking. Summonsing her courage, she spoke. "Who taught ya to box, X?"

Xander stopped and half-stumbled at her voice. When the man turned to face her, she had to stop herself from licking her lips at the washboard abs and broad shoulders that greeted her. This sure as hell wasn't the fat ass she remembered from Sunnydale. But she did wonder about the three jagged scars across his chest and abs, they looked nasty. "How did you know I was here?"

"Followed you here once," she admitted shamelessly. "Ya wanna get out of here?"

"I haven't finished yet," X said, his face turning stony as his shock at her appearance receded.

"Please," she pleaded. "I just wanna talk. Not about Angel, please."

Obviously realising what an event it was for her to use the 'p' word, Xander nodded. "I'll be out in ten, wait for me at my car."

"K," Faith nodded.


"Hey X," Faith leapt off the bonnet of his car at his approach, hitting the ground with knees bent, in a cat-like crouch. "So where did you learn these bitchin' moves?"

"The summer you were in a coma," after the brunette's insistence over Deadboy, he couldn't help but feel a sadistic pleasure at her slight flinch. "I rescued a guy from a vampire. Well," Xander laughed at the memory. "I rescued the vampire from the guy really. He was beating the crap out of it but didn't know how to finish it off, so I staked it." Xander rolled his neck, still a little stiff from his work-out. "Turned out the guy was a local gym owner who'd been a two-time California and west coast amateur light-heavyweight champion, and armed forces champion too, in the early eighties. He took me under his wing, trained me every weekend for three years."

"Wow, well you looked the bomb in there X."

Xander ignored the Slayer's feeble attempt at flattery. "What do you want Faith?"

The Slayer's face dropped slightly at his tone but given Cordy's death and the way Faith slavishly followed Deadboy, he couldn't find it in himself to care. Mostly he was just emotionally drained. "I was thinking that seeing as you don't want to go to LA., how about you hold a memorial service here, me, Amy, and Kate could come, we knew her too," Faith paused, her boots nervously scuffling the ground. "I think it would be a good idea. To say goodbye," the Slayer shrugged.

"Yeah," Xander nodded slowly before smiling slightly. "That sounds like a plan."