Chapter 4: A Return to the Hellmouth

*****Two Days Later*****

Wearily, Steve and the team came back to the Magic Box. Spike's ex-minion had managed to elude them for two days. Yesterday, they'd cornered his group and had managed to take out more than half. The element of surprise was on their side. However, the leader had gotten away. Tonight, they'd managed to track him down.

"Glad we finally got that bloody bastard!" Spike said elated. "Thanks for letting me take him out." He said this to Steve, who had cornered the would-be leader.

"No problem," Steve said, giving the vampire a friendly smile. He'd killed several vampires already—dusted them was the word Xander used. It was a bit odd to be working with one, but as long as Spike was playing for his side, Steve had no problem with him. He understood, though, Xander's distrust. Having grown up on the hellmouth, Xander needed to keep his evil and good in clear lines. Spike may be a soulless fiend—it wasn't Steve's place to judge. As long as Spike kept fighting the good fight and didn't betray them to enemies, Steve would give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Killing vampires is so much nicer than killing demons," Canada said with a wrinkle of her nose. A few demons had been working with the vampire gang. The dismemberment—Xander called it slicing and dicing—was gruesome.

"Yeah, killing demons can get messy," Anya said in the too casual manner she had. "A good evisceration can work hell on the clothes. Buffy used to complain about it a lot. She loved clothes."

"Loves, Anya. She's alive now," Xander corrected.

"Death and life take on a whole new meaning in this town," Dave said in bemusement.

"That's true," Xander acknowledged. The past few days had been so surreal. First, Buffy's resurrection. Meeting Thor and Iron Man. Willow and Tara leaving with Thor. Then Captain America, his favorite superhero was in town. Xander had always liked the old Captain American comics because he was just a regular guy, who became extraordinary. Spending time with him the past two days had been amazing. Steve didn't treat Xander like he was less or that he needed to be protected. It was an incredible feeling to be treated as an equal by a guy like him. He even looked to Xander for advice. He had Dominic work on his fighting skills. Canada worked on his fitness. Dave trained him on weapons. Every minute that Xander wasn't at his money earning job, he was training. It was great!

Anya checked the shop's voicemail. "Darn!" She pouted. "Giles is coming back! I need more time with the money!"

"We talked about this, Anya. Giles pays you money to work here, but the place is his," Xander told her patiently.

Steve smiled at the couple. Xander was very patient with his girl. She was odd like Steve and didn't always get references. Steve felt a kinship with her even as he didn't understand how she was a thousand years old and newly human. Xander tried to explain it, but Steve felt that it was mostly above his pay grade.

The door to the shop opened, and everyone looked up. Faith was nervous as six pairs of eyes—only one did she really know—looked at her.

"Hey, Captain," Natasha said, strutting in like she owned the place.

Faith had soon realized that Natasha had the confidence Faith herself always pretended to have. She wasn't sure she exactly trusted the Black Widow, but she had been true to her word. Two days after Faith agreed to return to slaying in good ole' SunnyD, she was officially released.

"It's good to have you here," Steve said, holding out his hand to Natasha, who took it.

"Captain, this is Faith, the Slayer," Natasha introduced.

Faith was a bit star struck as Captain-Fucking-America shook her hand. In a daze, she shook it.

"Glad to meet you," Steve said, giving her a welcoming smile. The girl was beautiful and looked too wary for someone so young.

For some odd reason, Faith believed him. She looked around the room and gave Xander a tight smile. "Xan," she said.

"Faith," Xander acknowledged without any of Steve's warmth. "This is Anya, my girlfriend."

"Fiancée," Anya was quick to correct.

"Really?" Faith said with a grin. "Ready to take on an old ball and chain, huh?"

"I can't recall if you two met back when you were, you know, stealing Buffy's body and sleeping with her boyfriend," Xander said pointedly.

Steve gave Xander a hard look. "There will be no rehashing of past ills. The Slayer screwed up—badly. We all know that and have read the file. She is here to make amends. We're going to let her. Is that clear?" Steve said.

Faith's eyes widened as the greatest American soldier took up for her. Was this some kind of hokey spell she was under? Would she wake up back in her cell and discover it was all a dream after all?

Xander flushed, upset to be reprimanded by his hero. The soldier in him, however, immediately submitted to the leader's orders, nodding. "Got it, Captain," he said.

"Faith, meet my team," Steve introduced. "That's Dave, Dominic, and Canada." They all greeted her.

"So, how's it been going?" Natasha asked curiously.

"We've been busy," Steve replied.

Dave snickered. "That's an understatement. This place is cooler than shit. Something to kill as soon as the sun goes down!" he bragged. "The people in this town are so oblivious!"

"Actually, there used to be a very powerful warlock that was mayor for like a hundred years. I think he did a spell that helps the populace not flee in fear or notice what's happening," Xander said, unable to refrain from looking at Faith. "When we killed him, we thought it would wear off. It hasn't."

"Probably because he anchored it to a talisman of some kind," Anya said. "Destroy that, and everyone probably would flee."

"How about we not?" Steve suggested. "We don't need to frighten the populace."

"Where's Giles and Red?" Faith asked.

"Giles should be here tomorrow," Xander said. "Willow got taken to task by Buffy's big brother, Hawkeye—did she tell you?" Xander gave Natasha a questioning look.

"Not everything," Natasha said.

"Her brother was really pissed at us for raising Buffy from the dead," Xander said.

"Yeah, she told me that part. She was actually in heaven?" Faith asked, a note of awe and envy in her voice.

"She died saving the world. She should be in heaven," Steve said, frowning. This entire raising someone from the dead disturbed him. He felt like he was back from the dead because he lost so much time. Unlike Clint's sister, though, Steve hadn't been anywhere. It was just like he was asleep for ninety years.

"Clint said that Willow is dangerous and out of control," Xander said, his disapproval of Clint's evaluation obvious. "He called this guy he knows—Thor, the god of thunder."

"No shit?" Faith asked.

"Yep. He came out of the sky in Buffy's backyard," Xander said.

"He is a flawless example of primal sexuality," Anya said with a dreamy smile.

Xander nodded. "He is pretty awe-inspiring. He took Willow to Asgard. Will's girlfriend Tara went with her," Xander said.

"Why? Buffy just let him take Red?" Faith asked in surprise. That didn't sound like Buffy. She was very loyal to her friends even if they were in the wrong. "Is she that pissed?"

Xander shook his head. "No, but she is a bit out of it. I think it's hard for her. She trusted Clint. Clint said that Thor's parents could help Willow. They know magic."

Faith nodded, trying to take it all in. Things were very different. "So where will I be staying?" she asked Natasha.

Natasha looked at Steve.

"There's an apartment building not far from here. I rented out eight apartments—two spares. I figure some of the team will eventually show here or more agents," Steve said. "You, Faith, Dominic, Dave, Canada, and me can each have our own apartment."

"That's good. Any work to do tonight?" Natasha asked.

"Nope. We cleared out the last of it a bit earlier," Steve said.

"What about him? He's a vampire," Faith said, pointing to Spike who had been lounging on the stairs on the other side of the room watching the exchange without comment.

"He's a member of the team," Steve said firmly.

Spike grinned. "I'm a member!" he said smugly.

Faith snickered. "I guess B really did tame the beast. Did you get a soul yet, too?" Faith asked coyly.

Spike stood up glaring. "I'm nothing like Peaches! Mr. Broods-A-Lot is a wanker!" Spike exclaimed, insulted.

Xander laughed. "Gotta agree with Spike there," Xander said.

Faith gave them a cold look. "Angel's the best friend I've ever had. Bad mouth him again and some bones are going to break," she warned.

Xander looked surprised. "Since when did you and Angel become pals? Last time you were here, you put a poisoned arrow in him, and he almost died," he said.

"Yea, well, that's ancient history," Faith said. "He got over it and saved me. He's the only one who's ever given a damn about me. I didn't see any of you visiting me in prison or putting money on my books. You think a slayer can stay fed on the crap they feed you in there?"

Xander frowned, not liking the guilty feeling Faith was making him feel. However, he would go down swinging. "Guess you shouldn't have gone dark and started with the murder, huh?" he taunted.

"Okay, knock it off," Steve said. "Let's call it a night. Tomorrow, Faith, I'd like to see you train. See what you can do. I've yet to meet the other slayer, so I need to know what I'm working with."

"Sure thing," Faith said, giving him a careless smile. Inside, though, she was excited to know that with this group, there would be no Buffy comparisons. She would be the one they knew. It really was like she was starting over. She was determined to not screw it up.

*****The Next Day*****

The apartment Faith was given had no furniture in it, so they went to the local Target and bought a few air mattresses, bedding, and some essentials. Natasha said that she had an expense card from her boss. They'd go shopping the next day. It was no big deal to Faith. She had made do with a lot less.

For the first time in two years, Faith woke up after the sun rose. The air mattress was not bad at all—better than her bunk at jail. Natasha got her a few sets of workout clothes, and a decent pair of tennis shoes to get around in. They would hit the mall later today. Faith couldn't help but be a bit excited. She couldn't remember the last time she went shopping.

After she got out of the shower, a knock on the door brought her out of the bathroom. She had one of the four towels that Natasha had bought the night before wrapped around her.

She unlocked the door and swung it open. Steve Rogers stood there. He glanced at her near naked form in dismay. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, his eyes widened as he took in her appearance. He quickly turned around.

Faith grinned. "I just got out of the shower. Come on in," she said, stepping back.

"I'll wait until you get dressed," he said, still not looking at her.

"Suit yourself," she said. "I won't be long."

Steve's face was flushed red in embarrassment. Natasha was bold, but he had never caught her in a state of undress before. This slayer reminded him a bit of the Black Widow, yet Steve sensed there was a hidden vulnerability to the younger woman. It was five minutes before or so when she came back to the door.

"Okay, it's safe to look," Faith said, amusement in her voice.

Steve turned back to find her wet hair in a ponytail and her wearing shorts and a t-shirt. "Sorry about that," he said.

"No harm, no foul," she said with a shrug. "I'm not particularly modest. I realize that since you were born in, like, the thirties, you're probably a bit old school."

Steve nodded, looking sheepish. "Yes, I try not to violate anyone's privacy. It's probably best if you don't open the door in a towel. Just keep the chain on and tell me what's going on," he said.

Faith chuckled. "I can do that. Are we ready to get started?" he asked.

"How about some breakfast?" he asked.

"Sure. Is Natasha joining us?" she asked.

"No. Canada is showing her around. I think she said she'd order some furniture for the two of you. That's okay?" Steve asked.

"Fine with me. I'm not picky," Faith said with a shrug. "Anything's better than jail."

"I can imagine," Steve said.

Ten minutes later, they were at a nearby diner that Faith had never been to before, ordering breakfast.

After they gave their orders to the waitress, Faith looked around. "I've never been here," she said.

"You lived here a while?" Steve asked.

"About a year," she said. "Late nights slaying and patrolling kept me from most breakfast places."

"Makes sense," he said. "This kind of diner reminds me of home."

Faith nodded. "I can see that," she said. She was working her to contain her nerves. Here she was a convicted murderer having breakfast with a living legend. He wasn't looking at her like she was a monster. Nor did he even seem skeptical about trusting her. It was hard to wrap her mind around all the changes in her circumstances in such a short time.

Their food came after some idle chit-chat. He talked about his time in the War. His best friend Bucky, who was lost in the fighting.

Finally, Faith had to say something. "So give it to me straight, Captain. What do you expect from me? What's my limitations and restraints?" she asked.

Steve wiped his face and put down his fork. "Before you left prison, you drank water that had a GPS tracker in it. A kind that you won't piss out. If you run off, we will find you. Then you'll be back in prison," he said.

"Seriously? I've been low-jacked?" Faith asked, angry at the invasion of her body.

"All of us have some type of GPS on us in case we're captured by the enemy," Steve said. "Natasha wasn't sure of your willingness, so she didn't ask."

"The bitch," Faith muttered in annoyance. She should know better than to trust anyone.

"Don't be upset with Nat. She just expects the worst from everyone," Steve said. "As for my expectations, I hope you'll work with us to keep this hellmouth contained. I can't stay here permanently. Neither can Natasha. My team will, though. It's important that you assess their strengths and weaknesses and figure out how best to use them."

"I'll get to do that?" she asked, surprised.

"When I'm not here, you'll be in charge with Mr. Giles overseeing everything," Steve said. "You're the slayer. I've read your file. You made some bad choices and took orders from a man who wanted to enslave or eat people."

"He cared about me," Faith said quietly, looking away.

Steve nodded. It was what he suspected. She had been a young girl looking for affection and was preyed upon by someone older who knew how to manipulate someone with her vulnerabilities.

"I hope you learned from what happened here before," Steve said. "I don't want to rehash it or point fingers. I know you and Xander have a history. It'll take some time to get past it. But he's a crucial member of the team. My team is working on training him to be an even greater asset. Xander has done so much without any formal training—it's impressive. You can make it up to him by showing up each day and going to work. Keep it as impersonal as you can until he's willing to let it go."

"So just go to work?" Faith as in surprise. Was this guy for real? It couldn't be that easy.

Steve saw her look of suspicion and smiled reassuringly. "It is exactly what I've said. I'll trust you until you give me a reason not to," he told her.

"Just like that?" she asked skeptically.

"Just like that," he replied. "Sometimes, you just gotta have faith, Faith."

Faith rolled her eyes.

Steve laughed. "I had to say it at least once," he insisted.

She smiled to let him know he was forgiven for being lame. "I'm ready to get started," she said.

"Did the waffle, bacon, eggs, and biscuit and gravy fill you up?" he asked, grinning at her.

"Hey, you're the last one who should criticize how much someone eats!" she said. "You ate even more than me!"

Steve gave their server some money as they stood up to go. "I burn a lot of fuel," he said.

"I can relate," Faith said, following him out the door.

"Let's go work off some calories," he said.

Faith walked next to him down the street, feeling better than she had in a long time. She was back on the hellmouth and life was looking good.

*****The End*****

Please take a minute to give me a final review. Thanks again to Sharon for catching some things I definitely missed!