Act 2: Healer of the Broken Heart
© 2003 by Chris Regan
Spike's New Job
It was January 26, the day I had called Giles that the battle came, in the late afternoon every one was in place, we shadowed the players they didn't even know it which I though was strange for two where vampires. The battle was coming tonight or tomorrow night I could feel it.
Connor was at the library working on his résumé for college. The girls and the two dragon boys came into the living room for there assignments when my cell phone rang, I looked at the display it said Connor.
Hi Connor what's up?"
"Faith Angel came by for a friendly chat I think it's going down tonight."
I was in shock for a moment "Connor I want you to watch Angel if he needs help you know…"
"Yea I know…"
I was sitting there thinking with Connor tailing Angel, I would tailing Spike, Luna and Prince Garroway fallow Wesley, Nana and Prince Malin will fallow Illyria, I had Kennedy and Rona fallow Gunn.
The phone rang again it was Anna May "There all at Spike's place."
"OK were on our way."
We had loaded up, and in short, order was sitting out his places.
"Luna, you and Prince Garroway fallow Wesley."
"Nana and Prince Malin will fallow Illyria."
"I will cover Spike, Kennedy and Rona fallow Gunn."
One of my former boyfriends had been in Special Ops taught me there silent hand signals, which in turn I had taught the girls. It was handy to be able to communicate with out words that night.
I had fallowed Spike to a bar; I went up to the other end of the bar and ordered a beer while I watched Spike downing drinks.
"Hey sweetness you looking so fine"
I knew what he wanted and if I weren't working maybe I would of thought about it more but there was Robin and the job so I though not while I'm on the clock.
"Not interested"
He grabbed my arm "Ah come on sweet thing".
I smiles so sweetly just like I had seen Buffy do with these types of guys then I grabbed his hand and he found himself on his knees "I said I'm not interested." Then I pushed and he fell over with howls from a group at a table not far away.
Perth the bartender sat my drink down "How much" I said.
"$5.00 bucks"
I didn't see two more guys come up.
"I'll pay for the little lady's drink."
I looked at them "Your part of that pack of hyenas at the table?"
With drunken pride one says "Yes you want to party."
The guys were laughing and doing lude movements in there seats yelling.
Over the noise, I could hear Perth yell, "Stop that right now or I'll call the cops!"
"Shut-up old man!"
"Yea you tell him Renny."
"Shut-up Red."
"Go to hell Rab."
I looked at them then said, "Not if you were the last men on earth!"
"Why you cheap piece of gutter trash.
"You tell the little whore Peter."
"Maybe I am but at least I knew who my father was."
"Why you whore I will screw you so you walk bole legged for a week."
I took a drink of my Beer and looked around Spike hadn't saw me but I could see I was drawing more attention that I really wanted "Lets take it out side and you can put your money were your mouth is."
The guys from the table got up with a look of triumph and fallowed me out figuring they would pin me down and rape me.
They made a circle around me and a guy by the name of Peter lunged at me, I side stepped. Then the others started to come at me I went into slayer mode god did it feel good to be hitting this creep with blonde-haired long greasy haired.
I kicked trashcans as Perth came out with a load of trash. He dumped the trash and watched as I smacked a dark haired guy his body flew. I felt them come up behind me as I turned I heard some one say duck. That was when I saw Perth throw the last two guys in the trash.
"You know what I am don't you?"
"Yea I've seen your kind before."
"You know while I'm here?"
"You're trailing the Blonde Vampire, not to worry miss the League is behind you."
"OH so you're a member?"
"He smile, then limped back into the bar."
I was across the street when Spike came out of the bar heading up the street he stopped at a building I heard a fight then he came out with a blanket trapped around something I fallowed him, he stopped many miles away at a house where he left the bundle. I could see though the window two women cooing to the bundle. As he left and moved off I fallowed he stopped in an alley and stood in the dark, my phone vibrated I saw it was from Luna.
Luna with Prince Garroway in human form had fallowed Wesley.
"Faith Wesley looks dead "
Prince Galloway touched him while Luna talked to Faith.
He yelled "His heart still beats Luna but very low, he won't make it to your hospital unless I give him part of mine."
He didn't ask he picked up the dagger that was on the floor smelled the blade, "Good no poison on the blade."
With a shake in her, voice "No, NO"
"Luna, talk to me, Luna, Luna"
Time slide by so slowly then Luna said, "Faith, Wesley Wyndham Price is alive, Prince Garroway gave him part of his heart."
"What happened?"
Quietly she said Mr. Price was to close to deaths door us almost lost him if it hadn't been…"
"Fly him to the hospital then both of you get some rest."
"Wouldn't you rather have us meet me you?"
"Yes but it's more important that you rest."
"OK Faith will do."
I stood in the shadows watching Spike as Angel came up the alley, Robin showed up next then Fred/Illyria.
My team quietly came up we where standing in the darkness watching the scene of Angel and his gang fighting.
"I stepped out of the shadows and leaned against the wall "Hey Angel could you use a hand with these bad boys or is this privet rumble?"
Angel sliced a demon in half then spun around, looked and saw me leaning up against the wall behind them.
"Faith, what the hell you doing here?"
At that moment a demon broke through there lines and head for me I drew my sword and got him "Been watching your back, thought you might need a hand with these bad boys."
He swung the sword at the dragon and slashed him "The more the merrier, Hey Spike, Faith's here."
Spike hit a demon with such a powerful punch that the person went flying "Hey Faith come on and join our party we can use all the help we can get."
Another demon got in my face and by the look on his he wished he had never come on this clam bake as I pulled my sword out of him "You guys mind if I bring some friends?"
"No, plenty to go around."
"Come on girls" they step out of the shadows and start fighting
Lena fought her way up next to me reported, "Faith, Clem said the dragons and demons are on there way."
"Thanks Lena" I said as and other wave of demons pushed thought our line.
As we fought Angel asked "Faith does Giles know your helping us out?"
With a block then a slash to a demons I said, "Yea he knows, I been keeping and eye on you guys. Watch out! There's another demon," as a strong wind came up.
"Guys you might want to move back toward the dumpster."
They moved back and dragons landed.
"Angel this is Nana and Prince Malin."
"Faith do you real thing this is the time for introduction?"
A demon ran up as I started to answer and Nana dispatched him, "Take Gunn to the hospital this is no place for him," said Faith.
Gunn protested kicking and screaming as best he could as Prince Malin tried to pick him up.
"No I'm staying right here!"
"Tell them Angel"
"Gunn Faith is right your going to the hospital I need you alive."
"No Angel I should be here!"
"Who will teach the kids if I die this night?"
"Dam!"
Without any further discussion, Prince Malin scooped him up and flew away. As Nana went into a battle, ready crouch for the next wave of demons, as he flew over the scene he saw a large black car drive up and two males get out. He could see them go to the back of the car open the trunk and take something out as he flew off.
The white dragon had been flying above the scene and watched the red dragon landed and stock up on Angel in his human form with blood dripping from the wounds that Angel had already inflicted on him.
She slide silently down into the next alley and with her were the new hatchings "Momma why do we have to save papa?"
She looked at her daughter "Because I love him and I'm sure once you get to know him you will too!"
With all the noise, no one heard the gate behind Angel open. Nor she and the little ones come on to the battleground until she pushed the human in red onto the ground and sat on him.
"Get off of me!"
"Israel what in the name of every thing holy is you doing?"
Moving he got up and rubbing his neck. "Dam Diamanta that hurt and what are you doing here.
She patted her foot in a tone that showed she was controlling her anger at him. "And pray tell why shouldn't I be here? You're here!"
"You should be at home tending the eggs!"
Out of the shadows, dragonets three to four feet high step out, she points at them, then one waved at him.
His face softens as he waved back.
"They have already hatched, if it hadn't been for Clem, the slayers the other female league members helping me we would have lost them."
"What do I tell them about you after you get yourself killed?"
"Anything you dam well want too Diamanta, you haven't wanted me around for months."
"Israel, I have been busy caring for our eggs for months. I'm sorry if you felt neglected but at the time our dragonets needed me more."
With a deep frustrated breath, "Every one needs your help more than I do".
"Fine, go ahead get yourself killed; I'm sure Angel would be more than happy to run you thought."
"Honey. I don't want to die, I want to see our dragonets grow up, but these people killed all the members of the Black Thorn! We have sworn an oath to kill them."
"Israel what haven't you told me about your dealings with the Circle of the Black Thorn."
One of the demons said "Come on Israel stop talking to your old lady, I want to fight and get drunk!"
"Is that what this is all about fighting so you feel like a young warrior?"
"In the name of all that is holy, I thought you were passed all that scrap five hundred years ago. I'm sure the rest of the mates thought the rest of you had gotten over that crape too."
All the female demons were shaking their heads in agreement; Mamie came out from the group of demons.
"Fyfe Gimalsnot! Fyfe I know you and most likely the rest owned the Black Thorn money from the weekly poker games."
He could be seen trying to slip to the back of the group of demons. The others pushed him out into the front of the group, he look like a whipped pup, his yellow eyes down.
"Mamie, honey, we all signed a pledge in blood to kill who ever took out the Black Thorn, we have to kill them don't you see. They said, they would kill our families if we didn't. Right guys."
I saw heads shake, and others that said
"Yea"
"Yes"
"Yes"
"That's right Fyfe you tell them!"
"Yea you tell her."
"Put her in her place!"
Mamie got pissed "Well guys there is only one member of the Black Thorn left I guess you want him killed too!"
"Right!"
"Honey we were told that they were all dead!"
"You're a fool some time Fyfe, I don't know were you get your information but your fighting him."
"Angel unbuttons your shirt."
He looked at her and did as she asked. She pulling it away so his left breast showed and waved her hand over it the Black Thorn symbol showed up.
The others gasped.
"If you still want to fight the girls and I are ready to rumble and you know we fight to the death."
"Mamie you and the girls wouldn't…"
"Fyfe you know we would…"
Spike starts to chuckle. "The women are putting the spurs to us. Dam you… It's a bitch to be puss whipped."
Faith puts her hands on hips "Yes Spike you would know all about that wouldn't you."
Spike points a finger at Faith, "Faith I don't need any of your gruff, Buffy has moved on neither Angel nor I, have her any more."
"Spike you are such a fool any of the slayers could tell you that she was stuck on you even after your death."
Spike stared at her for a moment then "That is nice but I don't see her here, I'm sure you told Giles that I was corporal again."
"She doesn't know, Giles and the Scooby's have been running things, Buffy's last act before she loss her senses was to install me here to watch Angel's back in case he got into trouble or turned into Angelus."
Spike starts to laugh as Angel speaks "Great Buffy thinks I need a baby sitter."
Spike looked at him, "You're the one that had her fallowed and she knows you always getting into trouble."
"Oh great, just what I need guff from my own sex and a vampire to boot!"
Illyria asked, "What does this mean Spike?"
"Buffy didn't trust him working at Wolfram and Hart so she had Faith watch him. She really loves Angel but she doesn't trust him."
"Oh"
"Shut-up Spike."
"Come on guys lets get drunk unless you want to fight and die," said Spike.
"No not really, let's get drunk."
The guys start to walk away with the females standing there knowing that they won this round. You could see Robin and Connor fallowing the group.
In quiet voice with a great deal of amazement, Luna said, "God Connor's got a nice ass!"
Quietly but with appreciation "I know what you mean Luna I think the same thing about Robin."
Quiet but with a great deal of thanks that they didn't have to fight the guys Mamie said, "Guys are such children."
Faith said, "Yea they can be but if we didn't love them we wouldn't keep them around. Plus we act like children sometimes too."
Queen Diamanta stands there watching her husband in his human form go around the corner and says "True."
"We better fallow them. They will probably get so drunk we will have to pour them into taxi cabs."
Queen Diamanta said with humor in her voice "Can you imagine the sensational head lines my husband would make in the morning paper ""Dragon Found Intoxicated in Alley.""
Faith and the others started to laugh as Faith said, "That would make a hell of a headline."
It was about twenty minutes later that the ladies got to the Bucket of Blood and sat down at a table not far from the guys.
The guys are sitting around Spike and Angel well into there bottle slurred out "Women, they get you to fall in love with them then, they wipe the deck with your heart."
Angel not himself said softly but with angry intensity "Yea they do, hell It was just like Buffy to send the girls into the fight, what was she thinking that I couldn't defend myself against a bunch of demons."
Softly, but with anger and slurred "She was afraid she would lose you Liam, she doesn't know I'm a live."
Softly with sadness and tiredness "Maybe, I don't know."
Fife with anger in his voice "Hey at least she wasn't here and you didn't have to face her rage in front of every one you know and I still have the marks."
A demon pops up with mirth in his voice "Yea she whipped your butt."
"You don't need to rub it in Joe."
Spike yells and pounds the table "Bar Keep, More beer and another bottle of whiskey."
"Okay Spike, I'll have Mary bring over more booze."
"Joe don't forget to take the keg to the dragon."
"Yea Sure boss."
"With a laugh in his voice Zeno yelled, "Yea I've seen the Sunnydale Slayer whip Spikes ass."
With a little anger to his voice, Spike says, "Well she wasn't here tonight, she sent her girls to save Angel. You see she love him, I, I was just her play toy and the guy that watched her back and screwed for the last two years."
"Mephit said skeptically "Yea right Spike you slept with the Slayer, more like she beat you up every day."
Angel took a swing at Spike and missed as he said, "Shut-up both of you."
Spike and the demon looked at Angel and with anger in his voice, Spike says "No way Buddy boy she is mine! You will see I'll get over to where she is and all hearts and flowers."
Then Spike saw a switch of personality from Angel, with a very self-destructive edge to his voice that Spike hadn't heard before Angel said "You will never have her, Buffy is mine so keep your meat hooks off her Spike or so help me I'll put you in your grave permanently."
"You and what army Angel."
Angel stands up swaying like a strong wind came though the room his chair falls over, he dives across the table at Spike. The table fell with Angel as Spike jumps up. Angel got up and kept to throwing punches at Spike with all the underworld demons, and the dragon cheering them on.
Then Faith tried to stop them and hit one of the demons the fight was on with Faith in the middle. Around two in the morning the brawl was over, they left the Bucket of Blood.
We walked out of the bar all of us looked like crap Luna was cooing over the fact that Connor had a black eye but she didn't look any better with her split lip and magenta eye. The other girls had there cuts, bumps and bruise too. I looked at Robin with his split lip and saw around his eye was darkening as I could feel my own swelling. That was when I thought about how strange this night had been.
"Faith, Faith!"
"Ah, yea Connor."
"The dragons are heading out I thought the girls and I would leave too."
"Ok Connor thanks for your help."
"Sure any time."
I picked up my beer and looked at it then put the cold bottle to my lip. Vampires don't get drunk from over drinking alcohol they do get the headache. Something in my brain clicked and I got this shiver as if I felt some one walking on my grave.
I heard a car come up and a voice "Faith" I looked and it was Robin out side the bar I was standing in front of a big black American made convertible.
"Wow! I haven't seen one of these in a while, I use to have one.
Faith shakes her head; she looks up at the night sky "Guys! If it isn't women, its cars."
"Bull Shit! I don't have a thing about cars Angel does."
"I do not!"
"Yes you do you never want me to take out the cool cars!"
"That isn't true Spike!"
"Angel then why ever time I take one of the cool cars from the company lot that is your favorite car you throw a fit.
"You bring it back dirty and scratched that's why!"
"I do not!"
"Yes you do!"
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do!"
Faith shakes her head and looks at Robin with his eye that was starting to show swelling and blackness which she knows will get worse before getting better."
She yells, "We are taking both of you home!" Both stop and look at her in silent. "
No way the night is young I want another drink!"
"You and Angel have had enough Booze, Spike it is four in the morning, all the bars are close!"
"We'll go to my place I have a cellar full of booze" said Spike.
"Fine let's go," said Angel.
"Guys that is a bad idea, you both need sleep and it is all most dawn."
Angel loudly yells, "Go to hell! Now you sound like Buffy that is exactly what she would say!"
"Angel I'm just…"
Spike yells, "Who do you think you are our mother!"
"If I were, I would paddle both of you for acting so juvenile."
"Wow Faith I didn't know you were into kinky stuff too!" Said Spike in a very slurred voice.
"Robin you talk to them maybe they will listen to you." Faith turned and walks away from the group of guys.
Faith in back round while guys are talking, Robin unsure of what to say to the two vampires but willing to give it a shot.
"Something isn't right! Angel is acting different I wonder if Spike has noticed must ask him some time soon" thought Faith.
"Sure Faith."
"Not you Too!"
"Guys I know the two of you are a hell of a lot older and stronger than I am but she is right and she is thinking of your well being plus I would hate to see Buffy on the war path again, you know she would be angry if either of you got killed again."
"Just because she loves us so much," said Spike.
"Find we'll go to Spikes place."
"What do I tell Faith? Do we drop the two of you at Spike's place?"
"Yea that sounds better than being out in the sun at sun up."
"Sure at least she will know were we are supposed to be."
"Have you noticed how mother hennish she has gotten over the last few months how do you take it being with her twenty-four, seven."
"Yes, she has gotten that way but that is from looking after more than just her self. When Buffy gave her this gig she grew more than she thought she would."
"Robin is the guys ready to go."
"Yes, they want to sleep it off at Spike's place."
"I still don't think it's a good idea but get in the car and we will drop you guys off." Faith could tell by the look on Angel's face he wanted to drive it she whispered something to Robin he threw Angel the keys.
"Angel you drive Spike rides shotgun."
"Dam Faith I wanted to drive!"
"Maybe next time Spike."
Angel is driving down the street "Wow! She is smooth to drive just like my old car."
"Yea she is. Here's your stop."
They change places Robin gets behind the wheel and Faith is in the front seat. As they drive away, Faith asks Robin a question.
"Robin what do you remember about Angel's history?"
"That he was one of the biggest boldest vampires on the planet. That He was Drusilla's sired; it was he that taught Spike all about being the worst vampire on earth.
My mom's watcher told me there were six other male vampires that were his equal, I don't remember there names right now but I will, they are presumed dead by the rest of the watchers but my Mom's watcher didn't believe they were.
"Why were they presume dead?"
"No one has seen there style of killing for something like eight thousand years."
"Wow! That is a long time."
"In some of the watchers journals, I have read they suggested something happened to the vampire but they didn't say what."
"When I was still living with my Mom's watcher I did some research on all of them and found that their back rounds were linked all had different life styles but some of them had abuse in their home. Others were extremely sensitive and mistreated by there lover."
Usually there was a second love interest that they didn't see in life who mourned there death deeply. In a way it was lucky for the unwanted lover for he would have changed her after his death."
"So what do you think happened to them?"
"I don't know for sure I do have a theory, I think that the vampire fell in love with a slayer. The way Spike did with Buffy."
"So what are you saying that slayers and vampire have a natural attraction for each other?"
"Maybe but I don't think all of them do. You had no sexual attraction to Angel or Spike." "It has to be something that is on the primal level Faith, something that connects the two for life and in death. Look at Buffy she has mourned Spikes death deeper than any human I have ever seen."
"That is true now, but when I came to Sunnydale the second time I was draw to Spike. But I was into getting back at Buffy and I saw there was an attraction between them."
"So it was for revenge not love."
"Yea it was, he was the bad boy, I was the bad girl and Buffy was Snow White the little miss perfect I wanted to bring her down and rip her world to shreds. I almost got away with it too.
"What changed you then?"
"When I came to LA I did some terrible things to Angel and his team which I'm ashamed of now. Angel believed I could change, he was the one person that didn't judge me I own him a lot."
"Well I think tonights work has evened your debit."
"Yea I would agree."
Robin stops bring out the gate control, gate opens they drive through as the gate closes. They park the car in the garage get out of the car and go inside.
"Faith I don't think you were truly evil; you were just screwed up a lot. Angel in the form of Angelus was evil because of his treatment as a human. That was why he could reach you when no one else could."
"I don't like vampires but Angel is okay."
"Something is going on with him he isn't himself."
"He isn't? What makes you say that?"
"Since Cordell's death, he has been different. He has with drawn from every one until tonight when he and Spike got into it over Buffy."
"He has feelings for her Faith; he is afraid that Spike is going to loss it and bit her."
"First birthing dragon, then helping dragons and demons stop a war, what's next!"
"Maybe creating a new world who knows, it's getting late we better go in and get some sleep."
"Yea I guess we should."
Spike and Angel were at Spike's place, there was a six-pack and a Bottle of whiskey sitting on the coffee table. Spike had refilled the shot glasses with whiskey and picked his up and took a sip. While he watched Angel slug his, back a pour another.
"Cordella had this way of filing that drove me nuts, hell no one could find any file in the old office but she could."
"Yea, if you say so."
"She was something! She had this fighting style that was amazing she could be the perfect lady one moment and a warrior the next."
As he rubbed his jaw "Yea, I could tell she was tough she hits hard."
Angel sat back on the couch with a beer in one hand and a whiskey in the other he slugged the whiskey then sat the glass down on the table.
In a voice that was just above a whisper he said, "We would spare down in the basement of the old office the way her body moved it was magical."
"Yea Buffy had this stray patch of hair on the back of her neck I loved to play with it. It drove her nuts she use to say it tickled. "
"Yea I remembered it."
"I loved seeing her fight, the way she had so much power packed into that small frame."
Spike was feeling angry he didn't want to talk the finer points of Buffy to Angel. He realized Angel was pushing his buttons, but he wasn't sure why.
"Angel she is gone let it lie. Why do you want this heart to heart any way?" Spike drank the rest of his shot of whiskey.
"Spike I want you on salary."
Spike spit out the whiskey "Angel what the hells going on, I know some think is up!"
"I had to sign my soul away since then I have felt strange. I've been blacking out for seconds at a time. Finding myself walking down streets and not remember how I got there."
"At first, I wasn't sure but I started to record each time it happened."
"And?"
"The time span that I am gone lengthened this last time I had human blood on my clothing, I was gone for roughly thirty minutes.
"Are you sure Angel?"
"Yes, with the blood on my clothing, I cleaned up and checked in the morgue there was a new body down there. When I thought about it, I found myself, walking few blocks from where she was killed. I'm afraid I was the one that killed her. I need you to watch my back Spike. I need some one I can trust, that is strong enough to put me down if I'm turning again."
"Sure Angel I have no problem with staking your ass."
"Angel why didn't you tell Faith about this?"
"I didn't want to worry her, Faith would reported it to Buffy and with everything over the last few years I didn't want to worry her until I was sure."
"When do I start?"
"Tonight"
"What's my salary?"
"$100,000.00 a year same as Gunn and Wesley, you are also on the exclusive staff."
"Sounds interesting, but what is my job title? What do I do?"
"I what you to be my second in command."
"Wow Angel this is big!"
"I will teach you as long as I can but if I start slipping you're going to have to take over."
"When are we going to tell the whole deal?
"I don't know, I was thinking in a couple of Weeks we'll let them know you're my second. The rest will be up to you as it happens."
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