Chapter Four: Memories of Old

March 26, 2009

Edge of the universe

At the edge of the universe, monsters still roamed.

The massive Borg Drill and its vanguard of five Cubes continued on their voracious journey, consuming every last bit of technology they could get their hands on in either an attempt to repair the FTL drive, or to develop a wormhole that was capable of getting their fleet all of the way to Earth. So far, they had had no success.

However, that didn't mean that they hadn't gotten there with something smaller. And that was through sheer will.

They also couldn't assimilate new cultures. The galaxy they were inhabiting had been devoid of life for eons. The stars within it were slowly dying out, one by one. Within the next billion years, they would all go out, plunging that area into darkness.

In her alcove, high above the heads of her drones, the Borg Queen observed all of the data they had received, uncaring of that other little factoid, her eyes glowing with never ending rage. Even after almost thirty years of being trapped, the memory of what the Guardians had done to her was still strong. And it still hit her hard every time she remembered it.

Commander John Lehane's last desperate gamble had resulted in the worst defeat the Borg had ever experienced, period. Even their humiliations at the hands of Picard and Janeway paled in front of such a victory. Without their FTL drive, they wouldn't be able to reach the Milky Way. And the nearest galaxy was a good four point five million light-years away. Not only that, the crew of the Kelvin had gotten away, meaning there had been no chance to assimilate anyone. Even the ship itself had been vaporized by the explosion. Nothing salvageable. The Guardians were nothing if not thorough.

The damage caused by its destruction had forced the Queen to prioritize, to change the way she dealt with such unique circumstances. To that end, she had selected her finest drones, giving them a level of individuality that she would have never even dreamed of beforehand. It allowed them to think for themselves, while keeping them connected to the Hive Mind. With that slight change also brought ingenuity, and they had successfully created a device that could accomplish one of their goals; sending a drone to perform reconnaissance of the Earth, and perhaps weaken it.

But all of that didn't matter unless they were able to get there in force. One drone could only do so much on Earth without attracting attention. And bullets weren't energy based. One shot to the head, and they would lose any chance they had. And all of their efforts to create a larger model proved futile. So all she was capable of doing was wait.

INTERSPACIAL TURBULENCE LOCATED IN SECTOR FIVE-SIX-TWO-SEVEN. POTENTIAL WORMHOLE DETECTED.

Then again, perhaps they didn't need to wait for much longer.

The Queen's body was assembled within seconds, and she pacing down on what passed for a command deck within a minute. "Report," she said.

Six of Twelve, who had become, for lack of a better term, her 'first officer,' turned to her immediately. "Cube 4091 detected the turbulence only three minutes ago," he reported, his voice retaining the harmonic perfection of the Collective, though there were traces of his species inflection that somehow stood out. "Sensors confirm that it is a precursor to a wormhole event. What are your orders?"

"We will scan it, as we have done for a generation… and see if it will help us get to the Milky Way." Her head turned slightly. "What of our scout? What news does he bring?"

"The device is nearing completion. It will be ready for activation within the next year. He has also located two parts of the Trinity. It is in the form of two humans named Caroline Farrell and Tru Davies. Faith Lehane is a potential for the third part, but is nowhere to be found."

The Queen's lips pursed. That was to be expected, considering her history and abilities. Tru and Caroline had been in one spot for much of their young lives. They had been easy to track. The third piece was not so easy.

She had heard of Faith through computer files, of course. The supernatural element either cringed in fear at her name, or held her in awe. Her ability to survive impossible odds did indeed make her a possible contender as the third part of the Trinity. No spell could locate her, and no sensor could track her. She had effectively"Of course she isn't. And she won't be found… unless she is driven out into the open. And I know how." She turned her attention to him. "Have the drone do just that. This Buffy Summers will be the bait in which to set the trap. Use the planet's supernatural bounty hunters to do this." She paused as a thought came to her. "If they should find either Caroline or Tru… kill them."

"Of course." Not that she had needed to give the order. The destruction of a Trinity almost meant that it could never be accessed again. The Guardians would lose it forever.

And that was exactly what she wanted to do. It would be the ultimate revenge.

Earth, Four miles outside Tokyo

The station wagon roared down the gravel and dirt road at near breakneck speeds, its driver handling the rough turns with a supernatural skill that somehow kept it from jumping off of the road.

Of course, it helped that the person in question was supernatural, and knew how to drive.

Faith grunted as she navigated the difficult roads, glad that there were no sudden turns for her to worry about. Time was of the essence. A life hung in the balance.

For in the passenger seat, barely conscious, barely alive, was a young woman of about twenty five, her clothes soaked with her own blood. She was suffering from an abdominal wound, one that had almost killed her. And if she didn't get to the proper medical facilities, that was still likely to happen.

She had received that wound from a Nasa, a type of demon that fed on healthy human livers. It was a demon that Faith had been tracking for the better part of a year, following police and military reports from Africa to Southeast Asia before finally tracking it to the island nation. It had been the last link to the Senior Partner's latest attempt to end the world.

Not anymore. From here on out, the demon would finally be doing some good. As it turned out, Nasa demons actually made for both a very good fertilizer and an effective weed killer. Somewhere, a farmer was counting his blessings, and would most likely have a banner year in crops.

Unfortunately, in its failed attempt to extract the woman's liver, it had managed to destroy something else entirely, thus leaving the woman for dead. Something equally important. And it was more than enough reason for the Dark Slayer to tear the demon limb from limb.

So, Faith had stolen a car and made a beeline for the Slayer's regional base of operations, struggling to keep the woman alive.

She reached the main gate, grateful that the damn brakes worked perfectly, before sticking her head out the window. "Hey!" she shouted. "I've got an injured woman here, so someone better open the gate before I ram it down!"

Whoever was on duty that day was obviously very fast on the uptake. Barely a minute had gone by before the massive gate swung open. Faith was through less than thirty seconds later. She stopped again in the courtyard, heartened to see a medical team already standing by. "Passenger side," she explained quickly, getting out. "She has an abdominal wound, and she's lost a lot of blood. Pulse is weak, breathing shallow."

They were on the case immediately, gently lifting the woman out and getting her on the gurney. A bag of that miracle fluid was soon in place, dripping life back into her as they carted her off to emergency surgery. With a little luck and a lot of psychiatric help, she would survive the experience, and return to a normal life.

Now that she was in good hands, Faith finally relaxed, thinking about what had just happened. She couldn't even believe that she had managed to get to the woman in time. And why did it have to happen to her?

It was just another tragedy inflicted upon mankind, just another blip in the Grand Design. Another soul scarred, and there was nothing she could do about it. No matter what she did, no matter how many people she managed to save, no matter how many times she stopped the end of the world from happening, it would never be enough.

Of course, there was the little detail that even with thousands of Slayers now fighting across the globe, there were still more demons out there than ever before. It was almost as if evil would destroy mankind before they allowed the Slayers to finally win.

Sighing, she reached into the back seat, pulling her swords out and strapping them on. Making sure that everything of hers was out, she turned to one of the younger Slayers. "Make sure the Takeuchi's get their car back," she said, handing her a note. "Let them know that someone was going to die if I hadn't done it." She quickly walked away, trying to ignore the reverent looks she was receiving from every girl present. This was the primary reason why she avoided Slayer strongholds these days. All of the impressionable girls literally tripped over one another for her autograph, or wanting to get stuff for her. She was very uncomfortable with the attention.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up."

Then again, there were some Slayers out there who were beyond hero worship. The head of the Japanese branch was one such person.

Grinning, Faith turned around to behold Satsu Akiko's smirking face, immediately remembering a time when she had been just another rookie Slayer. The Dark Slayer had personally trained her in combat, while Buffy had shown her the ropes on how to be a leader. Their combined efforts had paid off, apparently.

Faith shook her former apprentice's hand, dimpled grin out in full force. "Satsu. Good to see someone who doesn't hero worship me."

"I grew out of it. Wasn't hard to, considering your old track record," Satsu replied, returning the grin. She was a beauty, for certain. Her oriental features were flawless, despite the years of beat downs she received on a nightly basis. "So, how've you been, Boss?"

"Five-by-Five, more or less. I get by pretty well these days. How about you, Probie?"

"Oh, I get by. Being in command of a Slayer branch does have its perks. You want a drink? We can talk about it in more detail."

Faith shrugged. She was tired and hungry. Perhaps taking a few days off of her journey was in order. She could even remember the last time she had relaxed. "Okay," she replied. "You got anything non-alcoholic?"

Satsu's office was located at the top of headquarters appropriately enough, and was armed with the usual refinements; desk, paperwork, photos of family and friends. It even had a fully liquor cabinet.

And all in a room that used to house Kings and nobles.

The Slayers had commandeered this summer palace due to its location. It was on a mystical 'safe zone,' not to mention its proximity to Tokyo. From this relatively close location, they could teleport anywhere within the island nation without ill effects, and patrol Tokyo with relative ease. It also served as a sort of safe haven for anyone who was under threat from the forces of evil, and had even housed dignitaries. With Slayers and demons now an open secret, they had had to form ties with the governments they served.

But right now, Faith was sitting in that office, slowly sipping a glass of scotch, staring out into the courtyard as the younger Slayers went through their paces. She recognized a few of the styles used, and silently approved. With a little luck, most of those girls would live to make it to retirement.

"You sip like an old lady I once knew," Satsu commented, joining her at the window. "I seem to recall you draining a whole bottle of cognac at the 2003 Christmas party."

Faith smiled sadly as she recalled that night, the first Christmas she had celebrated since her Watcher died. It seemed like it had happened to another person. "It seems like a long time ago," she replied. "This is actually my first drink in over four years."

The younger Slayer whistled a little, impressed despite herself. Apparently, she had kept up with the scuttlebutt over the years. "Man, Kennedy wasn't kidding! You have been living like a monk!"

"Yeah… so, I heard you and B had a fling. How'd that happen?"

"Well, I loved her, and she was lonely. We never really made it past first base, though. Too much emotional baggage on her part."

Faith smirked a little. She had never thought it possible, but then again, Buffy was always full of surprises. "That's farther than any other girl alive, Sats. Consider that a boon. Means she finally got that stick outta her ass."

Satsu grinned, pleased with the compliment. Faith was never known to give those out like favors. Then her expression dropped. "Sadly, I think that's the last time she ever had a relationship, Boss. Afterwards, she started spending a whole lot of time in the library with Giles."

"Yeah, so I've heard." And it was distinctly possible that the isolation had gotten worse in the two years since Indianapolis. If an intervention wasn't done soon, Buffy would do the same thing Faith did; resign and disappear. Perhaps it was even too late for that. That much, their Slayer Connection told her.

The Dark Slayer decided to change the topic, if only for a few minutes. "So, I hear the Slayers have been having a problem with some idiot callin' himself 'Twilight.' What's his beef?"

"We're not entirely sure, but he says it's because of the fact that there are too many Slayers in the world. He attacked me and Buffy while we were on patrol, and proceeded to crush us. He's freakishly strong, he can fly, and he seems to know every weakness we Slayers have."

"So his goal is to effectively destroy us."

"He thinks that with the spell, we've disturbed the balance of the world. He thinks we'll eventually turn against the people we're sworn to protect."

Faith nodded, understanding. "It's a legitimate concern, but only if we let the Slayer control us." She knew that from personal experience, and prayed that no other Slayer went through what she went through. In fact, the first lesson she had always taught the newbies was how to keep their Slayer tightly contained.

Satsu finally set her glass down, smiling. "Enough on Slayer business. So, what have you been doing, Boss? Still being the thorn in evil's side?"

The Dark Slayer didn't answer verbally. She didn't see the need to. Instead, she simply rose, removing her long sword from its scabbard. "Here," she said, offering it to her former student handle first. "Give it a couple swings. Tell me what you think of it."

Satsu took it, somewhat confused as she made her way over to her training circle. Whirling it around for a few seconds, she began going through a standard series of strikes. "Excellent balance, no air resistance…" She slashed through one of the kendo sticks without any effort, whistling in appreciation. "Incredibly strong and sharp. And it has all of these Latin markings…" She handed it back to Faith, impressed once again. "No wonder the Senior Partners are afraid of you. Where'd you get it?" she asked, noting how the blade seemed to… glow with a holy radiance in the Dark Slayer's hand. "And where can I get one?"

Faith chuckled a little, setting the sword down on the desk reverently. Satsu was a sword woman, and one of the finest in the Corp. She wasn't surprised by the question. "Sorry, Probie. This blade is one of a kind, and the people who made it have been dead for over a millennium. I can tell you where I got it, though." Sitting down, she picked up her glass again, taking another sip. "Tell me, what do you remember about the stories of King Arthur and Camelot?" she asked. "More to the point, what do you know of the sword Excalibur?"

Ah, that definitely got the younger Slayer's attention. Her gaze shifted back to the sword, wide eyed as she stared at the impossible. "That's… that's Excalibur? The Sword in the Stone?"

"Big time."

"I thought it was just a myth."

"Yeah, and vampires exist only in goth horror and romance novels."

"And you… you found it?"

Faith nodded, taking another sip. "Completely by accident, Sats. Completely by accident." She leaned back, closing her eyes, remembering the fateful day when she did. Had it been really four years since then? "It was just two days after I had left the Scotland branch. It looked like rain, and I was trying to find a place to crash for the night…

"I was in the worst pain possible… pain that couldn't be healed with spells or potions…"

Scotland, 2005

Tears were running down her face, but for the first time in her entire life, Faith truly welcomed them. She didn't want to forget the pain, didn't want to forget everything she had had, even if it was just briefly. She didn't want to forget anything; the good and the bad. That would be unfair to everyone else, to all of the people she cared about most.

It had been almost two days since she had left the castle, leaving behind everything she had helped put together and had worked so hard to prove herself worthy of, and hit the road on her motorcycle. Two days of total loneliness, two nights of nightmares and tears. Two days of guilt and sorrow.

Two days of wondering what she was going to do now.

Once again, the Power That Be had seen fit to screw with her life. It was as if they didn't want her to be happy, as if they wanted her to live her life alone and without friends. Then again, that had always been the problem. The few friends she had had in her childhood had all died from vampires, car accidents, or their own parents. And her Watcher, her dear sweet Watcher, had been literally torn apart by Kakistos the Father right before her eyes. Then there was the whole Sunnydale fiasco, her coma, her attempt of suicide by ensouled vampire, and her incarceration in the Los Angeles Woman's Correctional Facility and monsters that lived within its walls.

And now, this. Just another tragedy in her life, destroying her faith in herself in an instant.

And damn it, here comes the rain! Just what she needed to complete her wonderful day!

Her gaze shifted all around, trying to locate a house, or a hole in the ground, anything that she could use to wait out the shower. And, not all of her luck had deserted her, as she keen eyes caught sight of a rather large entrance, located in the side of a nearby hill. She quickly altered her trajectory, making a beeline for it.

She reached her destination just in time, as the skies finally let loose, raining their fury down upon the world. And, lo and behold, it was just large enough for both her and her bike. Getting off her bike and pushing it inside, she followed up by beating the rain off of her leather jacket. "Stupid rain," she grumbled. It looked like Mother Nature definitely wanted to add her two cents in where she was concerned. She moved deeper into the cave, hoping to stay out of the rain.

She immediately almost lost her balance when her foot happened to chance upon a depression in the floor, and only her enhanced reflexes managed to prevent her from doing so. "Stupid, Faith. Really fuckin stupid. Get the damn flashlight before ya break your fuckin' neck." She quickly pulled the device out of her backpack, still grumbling to herself as she turned the device on… and the grumbling faded away when she pointed it to the floor. "What the…?"

The depression was, in fact, a step. Judging by the looks of it, it was the first going down a long tunnel, leading into the darkness. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that she had found the way to Hades.

Faith turned around, looking at the cave entrance. It looked as though the rain wasn't letting going to be letting up anytime soon. If anything, it was intensifying. She was definitely going to be waiting for quite some time. "What the hell," she stated to absolutely no one who could hear her. "Might as well see where this leads. Of course, knowin' my luck, it'll lead to a nest of uber-vamps." She hoped it didn't, but then again, she could never be too careful. So she started down the stairwell, slowly pulling her stake out of its holster. A Slayer was always prepared, in case they came across a vampire nest.

She didn't know how long or how far she descended into the Earth itself, but she did come to the conclusion that no demon's had ever lived here, or wanted to try. A brief inspection of the tunnel walls had revealed some pretty clear Latin markings, as well as very familiar symbols. Chief among them was the cross, set on the walls in a regular pattern. The cavern had probably been blessed by Christian Priests during the Middle Ages, thus keeping the demons from taking residence. Probably meant there was something here they didn't want them to get their hands on. She was curious as to what.

She hoped she would get an answer.

Finally, her journey brought her out of the tunnel into a… rather dark room. She quickly waved her flashlight around, but saw nothing. All she knew was that the walls here were just as smooth, with plenty of Latin having been literally chiseled into them. She also noticed that the holy protections that were apparently on were still as strong now as they were when they had been put on, as there was no demonic presence here. Relieved that her miniscule luck was indeed holding, she was ready to get the hell out of there. With that in mind, she started turning around.

Her flashlight passed over something set in the center of the room for but a split second. She immediately flashed back to it, her eyes widening in shock. "No fuckin' way…" she muttered, reminding herself to breathe.

There, in the center of the chamber, was a massive stone, bearing a Latin inscription. This unto itself wasn't a very big surprise, though it was still interesting. No, it was what was in the stone that had caught her full attention.

After all, it wasn't every day that you, through sheer accident no less, found yourself in the presence of the Sword in the Stone. The legendary sword Excalibur. King Arthur Pendragon's blade, which enabled him to unite the people of Camelot under a banner of peace. It was a first for her.

Curiosity gripped her, and she moved in to get a better look. Kneeling before the stone in something approaching reverence, she leaned forward, keeping her light on the inscriptions. Though she had never told anyone about it, she had proven to herself that she was a natural when it came to ancient languages. So when she looked at anything bearing a language, she could understand it as perfectly as she could understand her native tongue.

"Whoever can pull this holy sword from the stone will lead the people to true freedom," she read, her eyes barely even darting back and forth. "Only one who is truly worthy can pull this holy sword from the stone." She snorted a little in derision. "Well, I know I won't have to even try. I know that I ain't worthy." Seeing no real reason to remain, as she wasn't an archeologist, she rose, ready to leave.

A sharp searing pain suddenly made its presence known in her abdomen, making her double over. It was a relic from her nearly healed stomach wound. The doctors said that it would subside with time, but that the poison that had been on the spear had done quite a bit of damage. She would be feeling those pains for a good year to come, though they would be few and far in between.

Gasping for breath as the pain shot through her, one of her hands reached out blindly for something to steady herself with. And, by sheer chance, it gripped the handle of Excalibur.

All of a sudden, Faith could see the interior of the cavern, as a number of torches suddenly ignited. In that instant, simply more than the room was illuminated.

The pain now almost gone, Faith slowly rose to her full height, removing her hand from Excalibur as if burned. She took a look around, her gaze sharpening. "Great. Just fuckin' great. Now what did I do?" Whatever was going to happen, it wasn't going to be good, which was definitely going to fit in perfectly with how her life has been going. She started moving away from the sword, her hand shifting towards her knife as she made for the exit. There was no way she was going to get caught in a trap. Not this time.

But the ground didn't shake. The ceiling didn't start descending. The door certainly didn't disappear. Nothing changed in the chamber.

Faith quickly guessed that this wasn't a tomb for King Arthur. It was more akin to a safe house for his sword. But why was it here? If Excalibur was real, then wasn't Merlin supposed to have returned it to the Lady in the Lake? Wasn't that Arthur's final wish? What the hell was it doing here, where anyone could chance upon it? She had a thousand questions, and no answers for them.

As she pondered this, and other things, her Slayer hearing suddenly picked a sound she didn't think she would hear in such an obviously deserted place. Footsteps were approaching. 'Shit!' she thought, making her way to the exit again. 'Getting answers can wait for someone else. I'm outta here!'

That wasn't going to happen, though. When she tried to go up the stairs, she found that something invisible was blocking the way. Frustration bubbled through her, but she managed to restrain herself from lashing out. If it was a magic barrier, it would most likely be as tough as the rock around it, and she had a feeling that hitting it would probably end with her bruising her hand rather badly. Sighing, she turned around, bracing herself for the battle to come.

The footsteps grew louder as who or whatever it was drew closer… before finally entering the lit portions of the chamber, staring right at her.

Faith blinked a little in surprise. Did she just go through a time warp of some kind into medieval Europe? Because that was the only explanation she had for who she was seeing.

Her opponent was obviously a knight of some kind, decked out head to toe in armor as black as night. He was about six feet, five inches, and with possibly a rather impressive physique. A broadsword was strapped to his back, while a mace was gripped in one hand. He was obviously built to intimidate his opponents, thereby giving him a psychological advantage in combat.

The Dark Slayer, who had faced the likes of Angelus, the Beast, and the First Evil itself, who had suffered at the hands of her parents and over a dozen men as well as her own choices, was not impressed. Instead, she was merely irritated. Her grip on her knife tightened as she observed him, waiting for him to make his move.

The knight looked her over as well, trying to get a read on her. Finding that rather difficult, he also tensed. He did notice how she didn't seem the least bit fearful of him, and that concerned him. He had the feeling that he was facing a battle hardened warrior, one who knew how to use a weapon effectively, and with lethal intent. "You have touched the Holy Sword Excalibur, intruder," he intoned, hoping to gain a little information about her.

"Didn't mean to," Faith replied, before he could finish. Her muscles didn't relax one bit. "I wasn't really expectin' to find it." She shifted her stand slightly, ready to move at the right moment.

The Knight noticed her movement, and followed suit. Her words rang true, judging by how she was trying to give the sword a wide berth. Excalibur sang for her, which was the only way for him to be alerted. It wanted her.

And yet, for some reason he couldn't fathom, she reacted like it had burned her. "Who are you, to come and desecrate this holy sanctum, if you did not know of it?" he asked gruffly.

Faith's return question was as crude as it was direct, her temper now beginning its slow burn. "Who the fuck are you, chickenshit? A reject from the Medieval Knights Dinner and Tournament?" Ah, that was enough to give her opponent pause.

He recovered quickly enough from that, though he was a little ill at ease with her. Never before had he come across someone, let alone a woman, whose use of the English language included such vulgarity… or without fear of reprisals. His grip on his mace tightened a little. "I am the Black Knight, the protector of Excalibur, as decreed by King Arthur and Merlin of Camelot. Now, rude one, who are you?"

Faith slowly slid her knife out of its holster, entering into a defensive position. If he attacked, she would have to make sure that she aimed at one of the armor's weak points. "I'm Faith Lehane, the Vampire Slayer," she replied boldly, not backing down in the slightest. "And now, if you'll drop that force field ya threw up, I'll get out of your hair, Blacky."

Well, that wasn't what the Knight had been expecting to hear, and he observed her in a new light. It was the first time he had ever met a Slayer, though he had heard many stories about them. "You… are the Slayer?" he asked.

"Yeah, I am. One of 'em, anyway." She had bypassed fear completely, which was usual for her these days, and gone directly to anger, an anger that was starting to grow brighter. If he didn't get out of her way within the next minute, she was going to go right through him, and not stop.

The Knight, it seemed, either didn't sense that his life was in danger, or he simply didn't care. His stance shifted once again as he said, "You are the first person to enter this cavern within a hundred years… and yet, you do not want Excalibur." He was still trying to wrap his head around the concept. Who didn't want Excalibur?

"Good deduction skills, Sherlock. Now get the hell outta my way."

"Why are you so eager to flee, Slayer?"

The question, had she been asked it years ago, would have immediately been followed by denial from her, and no reasonable answer. Now though, Faith simply said, steel in her voice, "What I'm runnin' from and where I'm runnin' to is none of your fuckin' business. Now, are you gonna get outta my way… or am I goin' have to move you?"

His brow furrowed under his helmet, hearing the dangerous tone in her voice. Obviously, she didn't know of the test she would have to endure, or she just didn't care. Probably both. She was hell bent on leaving, and she didn't care if she had to take him out to do so. His concern went up a notch. Here was, quite possibly, the first genuine threat to his life in over a thousand years. More the fact, it was a threat that had seen human blood spilt. "If you wish to be free of this place, then you are going to have to go through me, as you eloquently put it." He gestured to the Stone. "Your knife will be insufficient in a fight with me. Remove Excalibur from the stone. It is the only way you can defeat me, and earn your freedom." Removing the sword wouldn't be a problem for her. Excalibur had already deemed her worthy of wielding it within the cavern. Now it wanted to see if she was worthy to leave with it. He stepped a little to the side, giving her a clear path to the sword.

Faith actually laughed at that, the bitterness in it enough to catch the knight by surprise. She didn't even give the sword a split second glance, which was somewhat telling. His concern ratcheted up a little at that. "You think I need any weapons to kick your ass?" She dropped her knife to the ground, before pulling her stake out, tossing it aside. "Win or lose, I'm gonna take you apart with my bare hands!" She gestured at him, entering a fighting stance. "Come on," she hissed.

The Knight stared at her for a second, not quite believing what he was seeing. She was going to fight him, without even her knife? It was pure suicide.

That revelation brought with it a deep suspicion. He suddenly had the disturbing feeling that she wanted to die. She truly didn't care whether she lived or not.

Shaking his head, he charged forward. If nothing else, he would try and honor that request.

Except the Slayer wasn't going to make it easy for him. She had already leaped upward, literally walking on top of his head, kicking him in the back for good measure. She quickly dodged his return kick, hitting the invisible barrier. Quickly ducking an overhead swing, she sent two powerful punches to his chest. Under normal circumstances, they would have been enough to shatter a man's ribs. Thankfully for him, his armor absorbed most of the damage. The force of the two blows forced him back, though. And he still felt them.

The knight ran a hand over his chest plate, feeling the slightly indentations made by her fists. His gaze remained on her, making sure not to lower his guard. "Most impressive," he said. Obviously, the powers of a Slayer had not been exaggerated.

"Drop… whatever this thing is, and let me go," Faith ordered, very softly, very quietly. It was a tone that promised death and worse to the poor soul who thought he could contain her.

"I cannot do that. As I already told you, the only way to earn your freedom is to defeat me." He tilted his head slightly, genuinely curious. "Though, I thought a Slayer lived for the hunt and the thrill of battle. And yet, you are running away. Why?"

Faith's eyes had hardened to the consistency chiseled diamonds. The gaze was so powerful, it actually sent shivers down his spine. "Why do you care? You're gonna get what ya want. I'm either leavin' here, or I'm gonna be dead. Either option is good for me!" She charged forward, fist coming up.

The Knight blocked her attack, bringing an armored boot up into her gut, forcing her back. He punched her in the face when she charged back in, swinging his mace down as she staggered back.

Faith quickly recovered, as she had been forced to do when she was younger, and blocked the blow with her forearm against his, instead of blocking the weapon itself. She noted his look of surprise at how quickly she had moved, before pushing him back, removing her jacket. "Don't want it ruined." She tossed it aside.

He nodded in understanding, though understandably confused with her priorities. She cared more for her jacket than Excalibur? Shaking his head, he charged forward. She followed suite.

The two combatants collided in a flurry of punches, kicks, and weapon strikes. Faith took a blow to her arm, one that would have broken most others bones. Ignoring the feeling of blood trickling from several gashes, she quickly grabbed his wrist, squeezing as she punched him twice in the helmet. When that wasn't enough to disarm him, she kicked him in the chest, then whirled around in a powerful kick. Her steel tipped boot caught the mace directly, knocking it out of his weakened grip. She struck hard with a straight punch to the gut, following up with a jab, then a right hook to the head.

The knight struck back before she could continue pressing her attack, two solid punches burying themselves into her gut and jaw. As she reeled back, gasping for breath, the Slayer came to the conclusion that that metal gloves definitely made up for a lack of superhuman strength.

He pressed his newfound advantage, not yet finished with his assault. He peppered the disoriented Slayer with a series of punches, before smashing her across the face with a right hook. A gout of blood shot out of her mouth from the blow. She finally blocked two strikes, only to receive a head butt for her troubles. Her vision swam.

The knight grabbed her by the front of her shirt, holding her upright for a second as he observed her. Shaking his head in disappointment, he let her crumble into a heap on the ground, walking over to where his mace had fallen. "I am most disappointed," he informed her, picking his weapon up and walking back over to her. "I heard that the Slayer was the most ferocious fighter in the land, capable to defeating any demon that came their way. Instead, I find one who is not up to snuff, if she cannot defeat a simple human." He peered at her through his helmet, almost pityingly. "You have lost your way, woman. You refuse to fight for your life. You refuse to aspire to greatness."

"Greatness ain't what it's cracked up to be," Faith spat out, trying to get to her feet. She wasn't having much success in that department, as her head was still spinning slightly. Her legs felt like jelly. "People just knock you down for tryin'."

"But attaining greatness is what aspires men. Then again, I would not really expect a woman to understand." He brought his mace up, feeling nothing but pity for her. What a sad, sad creature she was, if she had given up on herself. And to think, Excalibur had had such high hopes for her. "After all, you are probably better suited having children and cooking our meals than being warriors."

Of course, he just said that last part just to see if she would rise to continue the battle with him. He had seen women who were born to wield a weapon, and men who were better off staying home and tending to the family. He was beginning to think Faith was better off being a housewife. She didn't seem to have the warrior's fire any longer. She should at least have the defiance before she found the peace she apparently craved.

His words would have the desired effect… but it wasn't the kind of fire he expected. And it would be something he would remember for the rest of his days.

The mace had barely reached the halfway point of its downward arc when Faith suddenly surged up, grabbing the mace by its spiked part in one hand. Not even wincing in pain as several of the spikes sank into her hand, she glared at him, barely aware of her surroundings. An all too familiar animalistic fury had begun pumping through her veins, his words striking entirely too close to home, reminding her of everything she would never have ever again. She slowly stood up, her grip tightening as her rage grew. "I… am… no… fuckin'… house wife… asshole!" she snarled. With each word, she exerted even greater force on the mace.

Until it finally shattered into pieces.

Those pieces had barely managed to hit the ground before her now bloody fist slammed into his head, almost taking his helmet right off, along with his head. The blow was so powerful that he actually went airborne, hitting the ground hard. She charged forward, now intent on destroying him completely.

The knight quickly scrambled to his feet, his eyes widening in shock. He had been understandably surprised by how quickly she had recovered, but even more shocked by how her entire stance changed almost immediately. And he sure as hell hadn't been expecting the sheer force she had exerted. As a result, he was rather slow to react.

Quickly, Faith managed to land several equally powerful blows, further damaging his helmet, the strength behind each blow telling him more than he had ever thought possible of her. She was incredibly powerful, meaning she had actually been holding back earlier. She also had limitless fury to call upon, and hatred beyond imagining. And at that moment, in this place of battle, all of that rage and hatred was now completely focused upon him. Without meaning to, his words had unleashed all of that suppressed emotion, making him an outlet for raw, unrestrained aggression. The very heart of the Slayer, multiplied a thousand times. Primal emotion transformed into pure, unadulterated power.

In short, Faith was genuinely going to kill him with her bare hands, just as she had promised she would. And it would most likely be very painful.

He finally managed to block one of her blows, wincing as it jarred his arm, and smashing her across the face with an armored glove. When she staggered back, he pulled his helmet off, wincing at the feeling of his bruised skin as dented metal rubbed over it, then removed his sword, swinging it in one continuous motion. This was no longer a test of worthiness in either of their cases. This was, quite literally, a fight for survival. He would have to treat it as such.

His efforts were in vain. Faith dodged the attack easily, backing up quickly as he came in, slashing at her. When he prepared for an overhand swing, she suddenly charged in, leaping up. He quickly shifted from offense to defense, reacting with a speed that rivaled hers. The flat of his blade moved to chest level, in a position that would absorb some the impact and weaken her attack. Then, while she was busy balancing herself out again, he would remove his own knife from his boot holster, and gut her with it.

Except her double kick was so powerful, so driven, that it shattered his sword into pieces, slamming into his chest as if it had cut through nothing but air. It was so powerful that he actually felt pain shoot through him as he went airborne once again. That flight ended when he literally went through the barrier and into the stairwell, hitting the ground in a senseless heap. Every muscle screamed in protest as he tried to move. He had never been hit so hard before in his life!

And before he could even think to get up again, the Dark Slayer was upon him, an animalistic snarl emerging from her throat, almost cutting off his air supply as one hand gripped his neck. Her bloodied hand was curled up into a fist, ready to drive right through his head and possibly into the step behind her. And her eyes…

Her eyes spoke of death.

The Knight was ready to meet this death head on, as befitted a soldier of Camelot. He looked into her eyes without flinching, without fear. "Well done, Slayer," he gasped, struggling to take in enough air to speak. "You have… defeated me, just as you have promised. Now kill me, and you will be free to… leave this place. Free to do what you will without consequence." He waited patiently for a minute, struggling to breathe, and was mildly surprised that she hadn't followed through. "Why do you… hesitate? Have… have you never taken a human life before? I am… certain that in your line of work…"

His voice tapered off when he caught sight of something that he hadn't noticed before. Something that he should have seen the second he had realized that he was still alive.

Faith's fist was trembling, and it wasn't because she was in pain.

The Dark Slayer had actually come within half a heartbeat of killing this man. The Slayer within her was urging her to do it, screaming at her to give in to the desire, like she had done in the old days. Back in the days when she felt invincible. And more to the point, her childhood memories were reminding her that men were monsters who hurt little girls. For the sins of his kind, this one should die.

Except… she couldn't do it. For just as soon as that desire flashed through her mind, memories of a different kind followed. Alan Finch. Murdered by her hand. The blood that would forever stain her heart and torment her soul. It was the moment that she had lost her way, and she had almost succumbed to the despair.

All of that flashed through her mind in a heartbeat, bringing her back to reality. The fury drained out of her as the adrenaline finally wore off. She suddenly found herself staring into the unafraid eyes of a grizzled, gray haired human being, who looked as though he was waiting for her to finish the job. That vision went through her mind within the second heartbeat.

Her next action was even faster.

She was off him in an instant, scrambling backward like she had been stung. Backing up quickly, she scrambled all of the way to the other side of the chamber, wide eyed. She sank to the ground, hugging her knees tightly, her head bowed.

The knight slowly stood up, blinking at this sudden turn of events. For whatever the reason, this woman changed moods faster than a dragon could fly. He started over to her, watching her carefully, confusion gripping his mind. What had prompted her to just… get away from him like that? What was going on? What had changed within her?

One look at the slowly rocking Faith, the almost silent sobbing and mumbling, cleared his confusion up completely. He didn't know the specifics, but he did know what had happened to her. And it filled him with both guilt and sorrow. The test, it appeared, was cruel where she was concerned. His words had hurt her in ways he couldn't even fathom.

Faith had heard him walk to her, then stop. She heard him step to the side, then sit down beside her, an armored glove coming to rest gently on her shoulder. "Not gonna kill me?" she asked hoarsely, blinking her tears away.

"… I don't think that will solve anything for either of us," he replied softly, observing her. "But I think I understand a little about why you don't want Excalibur. You honestly don't believe that you're worthy of it."

"…I know I'm not. I'm just a fucked up punk from the streets of Boston who'll never find happiness. Excalibur's meant to be wielded by someone… noble, like a king. It shouldn't be held by… by damaged goods."

His eyes crimped at the sheer pain and bitterness in her voice, and found himself wondering how she had managed to survive all of these years under its burden. The pain told all he needed to know about her. Verbal, physical and sexual abuse, the loss of loved ones, terrible choices that nearly cost her and others their lives, and even a moment of suicidal thoughts. It was more than any person should have to take, or should be able to take. He found himself cursing whoever it was who had hurt so terribly, and wishing that their souls suffered eternal damnation for it.

At the same time, he found himself filled with pride for this young woman. Perhaps her pain was great, but all it did was make her want to live even more. She was seeking peace, and she wouldn't stop searching until she finally found it. Even if it took her the rest of her life and beyond.

Despite everything that had happened to her and those she cared about, she still had hope for the future. Hope that something better would come. If not to her, then to those she cared about. For the world itself.

"You passed the test, by the way," he said after a moment of contemplation.

"Huh? What?" She couldn't have heard him right. There was no way that he had said that. "What test did I pass?" she asked, looking at him as she wiped the tears from her face.

"The battle, in fact." Smiling, he stood up, lending a hand to help her rise as well. "Had you managed to kill me, you would have been forced to take my place as the protector of the Sword, which is a rather tedious task, I can assure you. You would have never been free. If I had defeated you, you probably would have died." His smile grew at her dumbfounded expression. "But you defeated me, and you did not kill me. Not only that, you refused to use Excalibur in the battle against me, opting instead to battle without any advantages whatsoever, aside from the ones the Slayer Essence bestowed upon you. Now, not only can the both of us leave this place and never return if we don't want to, you can also take Excalibur with you, with no catches whatsoever. In fact… I think you should. It may help you in ways that we do not yet realize."

Faith didn't think she could, but there was something in his words that told him that he was telling the truth. She could have removed Excalibur at any time during the battle, but the pride in his voice told him that he thought she was beyond worthy, regardless of her past. Shrugging, she picked up her other weapons, putting them in their respective holsters. Picking up her jacket, she quickly decided to appease him, and try and remove the sword from the stone.

After putting her jacket on, she wrapped her hands around the handle. If nothing else, she would prove to him that she wasn't worthy enough. With that thought in mind, she pulled up.

Of course, that was the original plan, and that didn't take surprises into account.

So it was to her great surprise when the sword did, if fact, slide out of the stone like it was moving through air, the blade suddenly glowing with a holy energy as it emerged. It seemed to infuse her entire being, bringing great luminance to the chamber for a second. So great was her surprise in fact, that she almost dropped the blade. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, like new strength had been bestowed onto her. In short, she felt better than she had felt in so long, like she could take on the world.

She looked at him, feeling completely lost now. She truly didn't know how this was possible. It was beyond her that anything would find her worthy. "What… what does this mean?" she asked, as if he could give her the answers. "Why me? Why did it choose me?"

The knight grinned, seeing a spark of simple, childlike innocence trapped underneath that warrior shell that he hadn't seen before. A spark that was just starting to emerge. She was still a child in so many ways, even if life itself had robbed her of her childhood, had hardened her. There was innocence there that could never be destroyed, no matter how terrible the situation. It was a desire for one thing; to be worthy, to help others. "One day, God willing, you will understand why. And so will I, for that matter. But you must discover the answer for yourself." His grin widened. "But I can say this. You are destined to do great things, my friend. Now go, Faith Lehane. Do what you were born to do, and save this world. If you still believe yourself unworthy, prove that you are… to yourself.

"And one day, you may find peace."

She turned around, still gripping Excalibur in her good hand, and made her way to the stairwell. She stopped though, and turned around again to look at him. A thought had just occurred to her, something so insignificant that she felt a little foolish. "Who are you?" she asked.

"…I am Sir Galahad, appointed by my father to protect Arthur's great symbol after he had died. He hoped that one day, someone would prove worthy of it in the future, and lead the world to a new era of peace and prosperity. And, one day Slayer, if you ever need my help, I shall be there." He bowed to her.

Faith looked down at Excalibur, then at him, a small smile slowly appearing on her face. Suddenly, the future looked a little brighter.

"Thanks, dude," she said, resisting the urge to hug him. "That means a lot."

Present Time

"… And that was it," Faith finished with, setting her glass down. "I still haven't figured out what he meant by all that, but I get the feelin' that it'll reveal itself… when I'm really ready. Kinda like a big puzzle, ya know?"

Satsu shrugged gamely, not sure how to respond to that. Then again, she was trying to wrap her head around the whole damn thing. In Faith's hands was one of the most legendary swords ever in human myth, one that treasure seekers and historians alike would have killed to acquire, and she found it completely by accident. Not only that, she had been found worthy of removing it from the stone, even though she didn't think so. "Maybe the PTB's are trying to give you something back, after everything that's happened to you," she suggested. "After all, not many people can take what you've taken and come out of it. I mean, look what happened to that Slayer that Angel and Spike found. She had it as bad as you, and it almost destroyed her."

Faith looked at her. "She had it worse, Sats. Way worse. I was never put in a psych ward for goin' crazy."

"Still, you earned that sword. And you keep on earning it."

"You'll be happy to know that half of the juniors agree with you. The other half just wanna have my babies."

The two Slayers laughed at that, even though there was a level of truth to it. Almost every Slayer that had heard of the Ghost or met her up close and personal almost worshipped her. Satsu had watched as several of her subordinates undressed Faith with their eyes. If she hadn't told them to get back to their posts, they would've probably started trailing her like little puppies. And Faith wasn't the most tolerable person in the world when it came to stalkers. It would have been a complete disaster.

The Dark Slayer finally chucked the rest of her drink back, letting out a breath. "Damn," she gasped, the alcohol burning down her throat. "I almost forgot 'bout that." She stretched out a little, before looking down. She had almost forgotten the fact that her shirt was covered in blood. "Well, it's been one hell of a day, Sats. Ya think I could get a shower and get this offa me?"

Satsu nodded. "No problem, Boss. I can even set a room up for you tonight. It's reserved for visiting dignitaries and the like. Even has its own private showerhead."

"Thanks, Probie. I really appreciate it."

"No problem."

'Well, the water's warm,' Faith thought, running her hand under the steady stream of water. 'This is gonna feel sooo good.' Strapping her weapons from her person and setting them down gently, she began to remove her bloody clothes.

Hot water was a rarity for her these days, just as it had been for the first twelve years of her life. She either had cold showers in whatever dive she was staying in, or she swam in the nearest body of water she could find. That, and she never really had a good bottle of shampoo.

Pulling her pants down, the Dark Slayer paused for a second, before pulling her thong off. She also removed her ring, one that she had returned to Boston to obtain from some very dangerous warlocks, and set it on top of her bag. Then, standing in front of a mirror, she turned around, looking over her shoulder at her naked backside.

There, nestled in the small of her back, just above the cleft of her tight buttocks, was the ultimate mystery to her. Her birthmark.

She knew for a fact that a lot of people had birthmarks, some of which held a mystical presence. But she had never felt anything different with it. The mark itself was unique as well. The ancient symbols of Hope and Light intersecting with one another perfectly, both visible, and completely mysterious. Witches and demons alike had never been able to figure out what it was for, only that it was special.

Of course, she had only shown them a picture of it, never telling them where it was. Only two people in all the world had been allowed to see it; her Watcher… and Buffy.

Stepping into the shower, Faith felt the water sluice over her body, letting out a moan of contentment. She began to slowly clean the blood and dirt from her body, luxuriating in the feeling.

As she remembered the first time she had ever had a hot shower… and something other than soup from a can…

December 15, 1994

Twelve year old Faith Lehane came to the conclusion that hot water rocked. It was the best thing God ever made, in her opinion. She would have to send him a THANK YOU card, and wondered if they made a stamp that went up to Heaven. Would He accept express?

A knock on the door caught her attention. Jumping slightly, the young girl stuck her head out of the curtain fearfully. "Yeah?" she asked, with more bravado than she felt. She couldn't afford to show that fear to anyone. That would only get her hurt.

"I was just wondering if you were done with your shower," an only slightly familiar voice said from the other side, the cultivated British accent as friendly as any she had ever heard before in her life. "Dinner is ready. I also have a shirt that you can sleep in tonight, which I'll leave outside the door for you."

"Oh… okay." She reluctantly turned the water off, reaching out blindly for the towel. She had wanted to stay in longer, but that would be just rude. And if there was one thing she wasn't, it was rude… to people who had given her no reason to be, at least.

About ten minutes later, wearing a t-shirt that was about two sizes too large and cinched at the waist, Faith was at the table, mowing through a bowl of beef stew like it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Then again, considering the fact that she rarely had anything other than sliced bread and chicken noodle sop from the can, it was to her.

Her host, the woman who had found her and taken her off of the streets, now watched her. She could feel that gaze, but it lacked the heat that she grown accustomed to, just as it lacked judgment. Rather, there was something else in its place. Something she couldn't identify.

Irritated, the kid looked up, staring at the woman defiantly. "What?" she snapped.

The woman shook her head, not intimidated in the slightest. "Nothing much. It's just… you act as if you've never had beef stew before."

"I haven't. Never really had anythin' 'cept sandwiches and soup."

"Ah. Your family was poor, I take it."

Faith shrugged. "That's one way of puttin' it, sure. My dad's a piece of shit, and in jail. My mom's dead. She was a drunken slob without any kind of tender feelins' in her." She suddenly looked up. "And don't feel sorry. I'm glad they ain't around me anymore."

The woman just looked at her sadly. "I don't feel sorry for them," she said. "I feel sorry for you. I mean, I don't know anything about your family, but if they were still here, I sure as hell wouldn't be returning you to them. But… what happened?"

Faith went back to eating, refusing to reply. To reply meant to open the walls of her emotions. And she would never be weak before anyone ever again.

The woman nodded, accepting that she wasn't going to get an answer from Faith. "Would you like some more stew?" she asked.

"Sure." The little girl watched as the woman filled her bowl again, really confused. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why help me? Why feed me? Give me a place to sleep for the night?"

The woman set her bowl back down in front of her, smiling. "Why not, Faith?"

"And how'd ya know my name? I never gave it to you. Don't even recall you introducin' yourself."

"Well, I could say that it was a lucky guess, but that would be a lie. I could say that I am a friend of your mother's, but that would be a lie as well. Personally, I think the truth is better than a lie." Sighing, the woman took a spoonful of stew, chewing and swallowing. "The truth is, I was sent here to find you, and to take you away from your family. To prepare you for a possible destiny that is uniquely yours. It seems that in your case, that was far more prudent that I realized."

"So ya want me for somethin'," Faith summarized, not surprised. "What?"

Now her host chuckled. "My, you are an inquisitive one, aren't you? Well, I won't tell you that tonight. After all, I think you've had enough excitement for one day. I will tell you tomorrow." Her gaze darkened slightly. "You may wish I didn't, though."

Faith finished her second bowl of stew, accepting the answer. "Can ya at least tell me your name?" she asked. "Proper greetin' and all that, ya know?"

"Of course. My name is Adelle Dewitt, though I also go by the alias of Diana Dormer. I am a professor and a geneticist, among my many talents."

Faith stuck her hand out, which Adelle immediately shook. "Pleased to meet ya, Addie. I'm Faith Lehane, future street punk…"

Present Day

Stepping out of the shower and grabbing a couple of towels, the Dark Slayer smiled as she remembered those first few days. She had never thought for one second that that simple handshake would mark the beginning of one of the most significant relationships in her life. Adelle had become the mother she had always wanted and dreamed of; caring, considerate, a full one eighty from what she was used to.

Fishing into her bag for her only other set of garments, Faith quickly got dressed, slipping her ring back onto her finger. It had been Adelle's final gift to her, on the day she had become a Slayer. And she would never lose it again. The design was simple; two serpents forever caught in an endless loop. One of the serpents was made of gold, the other of silver, marking both the power and knowledge of Slayer.

It had been the only thing she had been allowed to have in jail, and that was because they were afraid to take it from her in the first place. She had almost ripped the arm of one inmate out of its socket when she had tried to take it away. The guards had let her keep it, even though they never gave her a reason. And every Slayer that she had ever met had seen the ring, and spent much of their first year coming up with ideas as to what it meant.

Adelle had had a similar ring of her own, though slightly more elaborate. "They are passed down from Mother to Daughter," she had said. "Your ring is a present, signifying that you have become part of a great house. The second ring, which you will receive upon my death, will signify you as the head of said house. During the Arthurian period, they were even used as wedding rings for King Arthur and Lady Guinevere."

The stories of Camelot had been among her favorite topics when she was growing, at first serving as an escape from the real world. After Adelle took her in, it became a part of her studies into ancient cultures. She learned everything she could about Camelot; her customs, its history, even Excalibur.

And now she held it in her hands and with it, her legacy was apparently secure. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

Brushing her hair with her hairbrush until it flowed down her neck, Faith looked herself over in the mirror, taking a deep breath. Worrying about her legacy, or her future for that matter, was something she never did, and she sure as heel wasn't going to start now. "Okay," she muttered, steeling herself, "let's see what they've got to eat here."

Anything was better than chicken noodle soup.

Scotland

Buffy finished packing her suitcase, double-checking to make sure that she had everything. Satisfied that all was well, she snapped it closed, grabbing Faith's jacket off of the bed and slipping it on. The Dark Slayer's final gift to her, it seemed.

No, the older Matriarch of the Slayers wasn't retiring, though she had definitely earned the right many times over. Even in her semi permanent depressed state, she was more than capable of leading the younger girls into battle, and saving the world from the Forces of Evil. So retirement was out of the question.

Rather, she was heading to Los Angeles for Willow and Kennedy's hand-fasting ceremony, though if she decided to stay there permanently, she had a feeling no one would complain.

Least of all the person who managed to hit the squeaky board just outside her door. "Are you and Renee ready?" she called out.

The door opened, revealing Xander Harris, one of the few people she was still talking to outside of an official capacity. His one eye twitched as he tried to glare at her. "How is it every time I come to talk, you know it's me?" he asked grouchily.

She turned around, flashing him a small smile. "Xander, I've been listening to you try and sneak past my door for the better part of six years," she informed him. "You always manage to hit that squeaky board."

"Well, he can't help it," a new voice stated. "That board was placed just right. I mean, didn't you have Willow enchant it so you'd always be aware if there was something solid and moving outside?"

"That is so not the point. Besides, I had to. You two were sneaking past my door so many times that there were impressions left in the floor." Still, Renee Proudfoot was nothing if not observant. She had to be as a Slayer. She was also a nerd and proud of it, which was the only reason why she was still with Xander. Faith had trained the young Sioux descended woman next to Satsu, and had asked that she take her place in the inner circle.

The other Slayer grinned. "You also wanted to torture us."

"All part of my master plan. You walked in on me and Satsu. This was payback." Buffy immediately switched back to her original question. "Now, are you two ready?"

Xander nodded, smirking. "Portal's open, and I am assured by our mystics that we will not lose our lunch this time around. We were actually waiting for you." He stepped in slightly. "Are you ready for this?" he asked.

She looked over at him, knowing why he was asking that question. She had been asking the same question of herself. After all, this would be the first time in four years that she would be going to Los Angeles, hell, the first time she would be statside. More to the point, she had more than just her best friend's marriage on her mind. A new threat was fast approaching, one that no Seer could identify. The only thing the Seers had said was that it would be more implacable and more relentless than any that had come before it. And the only one who could stand a chance at stopping it was the last of the old Chosen.

Unfortunately, Faith was unavailable to fulfill that prophecy, due to the account that no one could find her. And even when she showed up at a Slayer base of operations, it was only long enough to grab supplies, and maybe grab a bite to eat and a shower, before disappearing again into the world.

Buffy just wanted her to come home. Wasn't four years long enough to punish oneself? Did she even have to punish herself for something completely beyond her control?

It didn't matter to Buffy. She just wanted Faith. She wanted her so badly she could taste it.

Coming back to the present, the blond shook her head. "No, not really," she answered. "It's been years since we've had to deal with an apocalypse. And it's been just as long since I've in the States. I don't even know how to talk to anyone, and I know it's my fault."

Xander sighed, moving into the room. "Buffy, you can't keep blaming yourself for Faith leaving," he said. "We both know that for whatever reason, she had to leave. Besides, you weren't the only one hurt by her leaving. We all were."

"I know, Xander. And I have tried to move on… but this Slayer Connection the two of us share makes that impossible." She closed her eyes, fighting her tears back, like she had been doing for years. "It's hurting both of us," she confessed. "Ever since Willow brought me back, it's even stronger. I can almost hear what she's thinking. Neither of us really sleep well anymore. Now I'm practically living in the library, and she's trying to avoid human contact as much as she possibly can. Very un-Faithy of her. Very un-Buffy of me."

Xander and Renee looked at each other, now understanding the situation a little better than before. They had originally thought that Buffy had just overreacted, but none of them, not even the gods themselves, could fully understand the link between the two matriarchs, a bond that transcended both telepathy and magic. It was a bond that death itself hadn't been able to dissolve, and there was no power in the universe that could dampen it.

The young man brought his second best friend in the world for a hug, rubbing her back soothingly. "You know, Buffy," he began, grinning, "after we've saved the world yet again, we are taking you out on the town. Get you back on the dance floor, maybe find somebody for you take home for the night. Normal stuff like that. Who knows, maybe it'll help you take your mind off of Faith, even if only for a minute."

"We can also have a girl's night only party," Renee added. "Comfort food, movies, and embarrassing stories of our friend back then. I need more material on Xander, after all."

Buffy let out a little chuckle. "I'll just be talking about boring stuff. Homework and Slayage. Nothing really embarrassing there."

"Except for you being turned into a mouse by Amy," Xander reminded her gently.

"Good point. Remind to find her and beat her to a pulp."

Renee grinned. "And now that we have that plan set up…" she reached over and grabbed Buffy's suitcase, "let's go and save the world for the fiftieth time, and maybe see Willow and Kennedy tie the knot."

"Yeah let's. And I thought it was only thirty times." Buffy sighed. "My, time does fly when you're saving the planet."

"It certainly does," Xander replied, mock nostalgic.

Tokyo

Every Slayer in the cafeteria was torn between eating their lunch and staring over at one particular table, whispering among themselves excitedly.

Faith had entered about fifteen minutes ago, piled her tray high with enough food to feed two Slayers, made her way over to that specific table, and just started eating. Within those fifteen minutes, she had cleared about eighty percent of the food from her plate.

As she did so, she studiously ignored the stares and whispers goin on around her, and found herself thinking about how much she had changed. Before, she would have enjoyed all of the attention showered upon her. But now… now all she wanted to do was disappear into her room, and get out of the building as quickly as possible.

'Completely psychological,' she thought, 'stemming from past traumas too numerous to count. It's gonna be a while before I'm able to mingle… if ever.' Right now, all she wanted to do was finish eating, then return to her room and sleep. Three days without rest did take a lot out of a girl.

"I just got word from Willow. She and Kennedy are tying the knot in about two weeks."

Faith almost choked on her food, though she was unsure as to why. It was either because the two girls were finally going to do it, or the fact that it had taken them so long to do it. "Ohio finally lettin' them get hitched?" she asked, after catching her breath. "And how the hell did ya get so sneaky, Sats?"

Satsu slid into a seat next to her, grinning. "You were trying to block out everything around you," she replied. "I can't really blame you. To answer your other question, they're actually going to Los Angeles. Finally lost patience, I guess. I received an invitation to the happy gathering. Want me to pass your congratulations on for you, boss?"

Faith grinned a little, feeling like yet another great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had an excuse to go see old friends at long last, and she wasn't going to miss the opportunity. "You kiddin,' Satsu? I'm gonna be there when they tie the knot! Made a promise to Kenn-girl that I'd be there."

"… No way. You're going, then."

Faith stood up, her grin in full force. "So, are we gonna go straight to Los Angeles, or can we stop at Cleveland first? I've gotta pick up something along the way."

A delicate eyebrow arched. "What do you need to pick up exactly?"

"… Something I asked Kennedy to keep and eye on, Probie. Something very important to me."

Nothing more was said. Nothing more needed to be said.

Here is Chapter Four, all ready for inspection. As you've guessed, I've taken a few liberties with the legend of King Arthur and Excalibur… but if you read Digimon: Silver Star Story, you can guess as to why. Please read and review. I do want to know if there is someway I can make each chapter better.

Chapter Five will focus on Tru and Caroline, and the events that will lead to an AU "Needs." Now, as this is AU, there will definitely be changes to how it unfolds, and how it turns out. And hopefully, I'll be able to throw in a few surprises along the way.