Three Weeks later; 1300 hours.
The last thing a very confused Faith remembered as she looked into Willow's green eyes after the bright flash of light engulfed her was herself and Teal'c entering some woods after SG-1 arrived on P7T-673. The SGC had received information on one of the Ba'al clones having been sighted on this particular planet. It was in a tavern that Colonel Carter's handheld sensor led them to. The handheld sensor was tied into the frequency that all of the Ba'al clones were tagged with, a frequency that they were given thanks to results from the Goa'uld Athena's interrogation back on Earth. Incidentally, Athena was now in a cell next door to Nerus; the both of them separated by concrete walls under Area 51; one not knowing that the other was right next door. Faith remembered heading through the Stargate and onto '673 with the team. They walked down the pedestal with Willow by her side, Colonel Carter and Vala were together, and Colonel Mitchell, Daniel, and Teal'c were taking point.
"Carter?" asked Colonel Mitchell while Colonel Carter took out a device as the Stargate shut down, "anything on that hand held device?"
"At least we know the intel from Athena's been good," said Faith as Willow nodded.
"Fourteen of these Ba'al clones shut down by various SG teams ever since she gave up the frequencies," said Willow, "and this is our what? Third in seventeen days?"
"We need to find him first," replied Colonel Carter as she activated the device in her hand before looking over at Willow, "we find him? Then he's the third."
"True," said Daniel.
"Colonel Carter," asked Teal'c, "do we have a location?"
"Straight ahead," said the Colonel as she pointed toward smoke that was rising up into the air from a village in the distance that was surrounded by trees to one side, and then there was smoke rising from behind those trees, indicating another village. As the team walked along the trail for fifteen minutes, they soon came close enough to the village causing the device in Colonel Carter's hand to confirm that Ba'al was nearby. The team looked at the wooden stakes that made up the wall before looking at each other confused. Then they shook their heads while Willow made a quick mental scan of the people in her immediate area for any threats.
Telling the two Colonels that she didn't sense any threats as people, men and women were rushing past them. SG-1 noticed that a few of the residents looked at the newcomers, and then walked over to them cautiously.
"Hello," said Colonel Mitchell as a man approached him, "I'm Cam Mitchell and we've come through the Stargate from a planet called Earth, and.."
"Are you here to help us fight the demon that has kidnapped some of our villagers?" asked the man who had hope in his eyes as he looked at the seven people in front of him, "are you here just as the previous traveller was here to help us?"
"Umm… what?" asked a confused Colonel Mitchell.
"I'm sorry, sir," said Colonel Carter, "but you…"
"Goven, I am sorry.. my name is Goven," said the man, "I'm the head of this village and we are hoping that you have come to help us with the demon that has taken many of our people over the past few days."
"Goven," said Colonel Carter, "we've actually come looking for someone, a man who may have come here recently?"
"There was someone who came from a far off village only four days ago," said Goven as the other people surrounding him stared at SG-1 for a few more moments before walking way; Daniel and the others saw the hopelessness in their eyes, while Willow actually felt it. The redhead then mentally connected to her teammates to tell them that there seemed to be something wrong, that whatever was going on in the village was stressing the people to breaking point.
"Can you lead us to this person," asked Vala while Colonel Carter mentally told Willow that they'll check up on the missing people once they've taken in Ba'al, "you see, he is a very, very bad man. He is responsible for the enslavement and murder of many people throughout the galaxy."
At hearing what Vala said, the remaining people murmured among themselves while Goven himself looked on without a worry on his face.
"That person was murdered the night he arrived here," said Goven as SG-1 looked on confused, "he was stabbed in the room that was offered to him to rest. He claimed that he had come on business that he would discuss the next day, that he wanted to rest beforehand."
"Willow?" asked Daniel as he turned to the redhead who nodded her head, mentally telling the others that Goven was telling the truth. Willow mentally told them that while Goven was talking about the murder, she saw a loud thought from him and a couple of others from the village, two of whom were on either side of the man; they saw the body of the stranger who was stabbed repeatedly.
Willow: "It's Ba'al."
Teal'c: "Then how is it that we still have his frequency on Colonel Carter's device?"
Faith: "Is the body tagged, or is the symbiote itself that's tagged?"
Colonel Mitchell: "The symbiote. Which means… oh boy."
Daniel: "He's still here, the frequency vanishes after the symbiote is killed... so if the device is still showing a signal… then he's still alive."
Faith: "He jumped to another person."
"Goven," said Colonel Mitchell while Colonel Carter looked down at her handheld device and saw the bright pink spot that indicated that the symbiote was still around, "there's something we'd like to talk to you about. It's urgent, and.. and all we can say is that your village is in grave danger.
"Very well," said a worried Govan as he nodded his head, "but we would like help to recover our friends and family members who have vanished into the place we call the lone woods."
"It is forbidden for anyone to stray into those woods," said another woman, "not fourteen days ago, a child walked into those woods and was never seen again, and then his father… against all reason went after his son, and he was never seen again. We then lost five more in a fool's errand over the next few days."
"Against my better judgement, I gave in to the requests of the family members who lost their husbands and sons," said Govan, "I sent in a group of six to make a search of the small woods. Only four came back with abject fear on their faces claiming that the others were taken by light demons. They vanished without a trace… there was no blood, no bodies, no clothes. Nothing of them remained."
"Sounds like teleportation technology," whispered Vala to Teal'c.
"Indeed," said Teal'c as he glanced over at the two Colonels who looked at each other, and then at Govan.
"We'll help you," said Colonel Carter, "Daniel, Colonel Mitchel, Major Rosenberg, and myself would like to talk to you and those who found the body that night.. in private."
"Very well," said Govan nodding his head while the people still remained were excited that someone would be able to help them. Colonel Mitchel then turned and told Vala to stay at the Stargate to prevent anyone from leaving, at least not until they've managed to talk to them. He then looked at Teal'c and asked him to accompany Faith into the woods. It was then that Govan interrupted them and said that once of the men who returned safely will accompany them into the woods.
"Thank you," said Govan after Teal'c and Faith nodded their heads.
Back in the present, Faith stepped back from Willow who she had just been pushing back into a wall. She felt something in her hand and looked down as her eyes went wide open in surprise before she let the Taser in her hand fall to the floor while Willow looked on confused as she stepped forward, and Faith gasped again while stepping back while looking at the device.
"Faith?" asked Willow as she rushed over to the Taser and picked it up while Faith was looking around at her surroundings. It was when she looked back at a confused Willow that she realized where she was, the unfinished area of the Slayer Council where she tazered Willow all those years ago, "Faith? What is this? Why.. why was this in your hand and…"
"How did I get here?" asked Faith as she looked at Willow, "there was a bright light… I was with Teal'c and…"
"How do you know that name?" asked Willow who was even more confused by now as she took another step forward, "Faith? How do you know that name?"
It was then that the Slayer felt a vibration from the phone in her pocket. Taking it out while she looked at Willow who had a look of betrayal in her eyes, Faith flipped the phone open and then saw a message from Buffy asking if Willow was unconscious.
"Oh, God," said Faith as she closed the flip phone while Willow continued to ask her how she knew Teal'c's name. Faith looked around in disbelief while thinking to herself that something like this only happened to Willow, or to Colonel Carter; not to her, "this is that day though. My turn."
"Faith," said Willow, "I need an explanation about what the heck is going on."
"Red," said Faith as she stepped forward while Willow stepped back and activated the Taser in her hand. The dark haired Slayer stopped and put her hands up, she knew that she needed to explain herself, and given the opportunity to change future events… she took it, "listen to me.. something happened.. but I don't know what. I know about the SGC, about the Stargate, about everything."
"What?" asked Willow surprised as she leaned forward.
"I think I travelled back in time, or something," said Faith hurriedly since she could hear footsteps coming towards their location, "listen, to me…. Buffy and the guys broke into your file… or attempted to break into your file. They're scared, Red; that fear is gonna make them do something stupid and I need you to leave. Get out of here, Red.. get out and call Jack, call Sam…. I think the Prometheus has beaming technology by now, right?"
"How? No, but still… how did you know," asked Willow shaking her head as Faith looked over Willow's shoulder at the hallway, she could hear the footsteps now running. It was a few seconds later that Willow turned towards the same hallway when they heard someone shouting for Faith.
"Beaming?" asked Faith as Willow shook her head.
"Listen to me," continued Faith as she dropped her arms by her side, "you have telekinetic powers… but even you can't take all of the witches, potential Slayers, and Buffy. Break the windows behind me… wrap your telekinesis around yourself and float to your car. Drive the hell out of here and don't look back. I just changed my future, Red. I just changed your and Buffy's futures. Go!"
"Faith?" asked Kennedy as she, Rona, and Vi, came running into the room as Willow turned around stunned. Taking her chance, Faith rushed forward and pulled Willow behind her before telepathically telling the redhead to run… to get out before things got too far, just as it did in her own future.
"Buffy's making a mistake," said Faith facing the three surprised Potentials as she went on guard with her arms up in front of her. It was then that the three Potentials were pushed back by an unseen force against a wall. Faith relaxed and then turned to face a still surprised Willow. Faith could see that Willow wanted to speak, but it was the Slayer who spoke first… telling the redhead to scan her mind really quick.
"Oh God," said Willow with her eyes wide open. Willow saw the moment that they met again at the Slayer Council, she saw Faith's memories of the Slayer tazing her, and the Rona, Via and Kennedy arriving to take her to the cell before they said goodbye to a visibly upset Faith since they had to leave on a mission, then Willow saw herself throwing Angel to one side, and then breaking Faith's ankle. She saw herself with Faith standing in front of the Stargate, she saw the missions they were on in multiple flashes of memories…. And then she saw their wedding day. It was there that a surprised Willow stopped, "you.. you know everything? And… and we're…"
"Yeah," said Faith as she took the few steps forward and kissed the redhead hard on her lips before stepping back, "we, as in both of us, are."
"Faith," said Kennedy as she slowly got up, along with a groaning Rona and Vi, "you know Buffy said she's a threat, we need…"
"Nothing, you need nothing," said Faith as she looked at Kennedy, and then at Willow, "get out now!"
This time, Willow heard more shouting from the hallway as Faith told her that she could hear four sets of footsteps coming their way.
"Move it!" shouted Faith as she rushed forward and started to fight Kennedy and Vi together while Rona was still getting up, just as four more Potentials came into the room and looked on stunned as Faith was fighting both Kennedy and Vi.
"Stop standing there," said Kennedy, "get Willow and…"
"No," said Faith as she punched Kennedy in the abdomen and then threw her into Vi, just as Rona rushed towards Faith, and then tackled her to the ground. Faith was looking at Willow who knocked the four newcomers to the side using her telekinesis, "Red, go! Please, Willow…. Go."
"You're coming with me!" shouted the redhead to Faith as she telekinetically pushed Rona off Faith before she grabbed her head, "they… the witches are… are trying to overwhelm me and…"
"Listen to my voice," said Faith who could hear even more footsteps while she got up and ran to Willow and grabbed the sides of her head, "Red, you are much more powerful than you know. You are Willow, but you are also an Ancient.. I need you to dig deep and fight those witches, and regain control. Smash the window behind you… I need you to float down to your car and get out. Don't worry about me.. I…"
"Willow," said Tara as four other Potentials ran in with crossbows, "please stop… stop.., we just… just want to talk."
"Run," said Faith as she looked at Willow who nodded her head and then raised a hand at the window. Faith saw the glass shatter when she felt something sharp going right through her; gasping at the pain, she looked at the arrow that was sticking through her leg. Faith saw Willow look back with her eyes wide open in surprise, as was Tara and the other three Potentials who looked at the fourth young woman whose hands were trembling.
"Sorry, Tara," said Willow as she knocked them all out with a telekinetic burst before she rushed to Faith's side, "ready?"
"For?" asked Faith.
"You said I can fly," said Willow as she held on to Faith and looked into her eyes while they could hear shouts, "so…"
"You used your powers to float a long.. long time ago," said Faith, "when you were still an Ancient and…"
"No time like the present then," said Willow as she kissed Faith again before putting the Slayer's arm over her shoulders, and then hobbled over to the broken floor to ceiling window. They looked out of the opening and the redhead could just see the rear of her car parked on the other side of the building.
"Willow, Faith," shouted Buffy as she ran in with Xander, Giles, and Dawn, "don't.. I…."
"You said she was a threat," said Faith, "I can't let you do what I know you're gonna do, B."
"Buffy? Dawn?" asked Willow before she looked at Xander who looked away in embarrassment while rubbing the back of his head, "why… why am I…."
"Will," said Buffy as she took a step forward, "we… we need to know why your files are classified and.. and I need to know if it's a danger for us. We… we just want to talk and.."
"I can't," said Willow shaking her head, "I… I can't believe you broke into my files and were about to… we're friends, Buffy."
"Then please, for us…. Tell us what's going on," said Buffy, "we've been burned too many times, Willow. Please… just tell us and… and we'll change your memories and you'll never know what happened."
"Xander?" asked Willow as he looked away and looked at the floor, "Dawnie?"
"Buffy's right, Willow," said Dawn, "we need to…"
"Go, Red," whispered Faith as she hopped away from Willow after letting go of the redhead's shoulders, "you can't take the both of us… you.. you know what you need to do."
"No," whispered Willow as she looked at Buffy while there were more people running towards them. She looked over her shoulder and noticed movement at the rear of her car. She told Faith about what she saw, which led to the dark haired Slayer shaking her head.
"Fly," said Faith as she pushed Willow out of the window. She looked out the window, as did Buffy and the others as the redhead fell towards the asphalt before when she suddenly stopped, and then started to rise up to the opening where she looked at Faith, "get out of here."
"Stop!" shouted Buffy at the Potential Slayers as arrows were fired at Willow, who avoided them before she just told Faith she'll be back for her. Faith watched the redhead fly away and sniggered before she looked at Buffy and Dawn, who looked back at Faith in outrage, "why? She…. You agreed that she was a threat and…"
"I never agreed," said Faith as she was pushed against a wall by the Potentials, "you read what you wanted to read, B. I stopped you from doing something so stupid and blind that you… that you'd have regretted it for the rest of your life. You still have a way to salvage everything you have with Willow… in my time, she still hasn't forgiven us."
"What are you talking about?" asked Giles.
"The future's changed," said Faith with a smile, "the future's changed… and she'll truly forgive all of us; she'll finally forgive me."
It was then that Faith closed her eyes just as there was a bright flash of light. And then when she opened her eyes once more, they were looking in the brown eyes of a terrified man.
A very familiar, terrified, face.
A face that Faith would never forget as long as she lived.
"Professor Worth," whispered Faith as she looked down at the arm that was holding a knife, poised to stab the Professor. Faith then looked up at the man with eyes wide open before she took a few steps back, stumbling slightly in the process, while the Professor was now cowering and begging the Slayer not to kill him. He told her that she could take any she wants from his home and he wouldn't tell a soul. But all of that was background noise while all the Slayer could hear now was her heart beating fast, and the sound of blood rushing behind her ears. She looked at the room she was in again, and then at the frightened Professor, and then at the knife which she quickly sheathed before she ran to the older man and helped him up.
"Don't… don't," said the Professor as her heart broke when she remembered looking into his eyes as she stabbed him; Faith remembered watching the life leave his eyes just before she then slashed his throat… the blood spatter hitting a framed picture.
But here he was now, safe and sound. The Mayor's order was still ringing in her head, but she wouldn't follow it. Faith suspected that she was going back in time, that something must have knocked her out and brought her to the Slayer Council first, and now to the site of her one of her greatest regrets, Professor Worth's murder.
'I have a chance to change my future,' thought Faith to herself as she kneeled next to Professor Worth who was looking at Faith with fear in his eyes, 'a chance to save him and…. And help beat Wilkins. Show the Scoobies that I can be a better person, I can show Willow that I can be a better person. Willow… Red… she's seeing Oz now I guess and… and how do I… how do I just hope that she and Oz still break up. I'm sorry, Red… but I hope that you and Oz break up… not having you in my life will be a nightmare and… and I love you.'
Faith then shook her head as Professor Worth whimpered.
Back in the here and now, Faith gently put a hand on the Professor's shoulder and asked him if he had a car.
"You're going to steal.. steal my car?" asked the Professor as Faith shook her head.
"I'm gonna take you to some friends," said Faith as she stood up and reached down with one hand to the Professor who looked at it, and then up at Faith with confusion in his eyes, "but first I need you to do a few things.. look, I'm supposed to kill you.. at least that's what I would have done. Anyway, I need you to cut your palm on my knife."
'What?" asked Professor Worth confused while he was shaking his head.
"Then I need you to spread some of your blood along this wall, and I'm gonna make it like seem like we had a fight where you tried to fight me off," said Faith gently as she kneeled down next to the frightened Professor again, "once that's done… certain people will be watching us. You're gonna put your arm around my shoulder and I am going to take you to your car while you cover yourself with a jacket; make it look like I just stabbed you. Just act the best you can, and follow my lead."
"Bu… but why?" asked the Professor as he slowly stood up while looking at Faith, "why are you…"
"If I followed my orders and killed you," said Faith as she stood up while looking directly into the Professor's eyes, "then it's something that I will regret the rest of my life. I want you to take my knife, and then make a deep cut on the palm of your hand…. Spread the blood on the wall and then I'll dress it. I'd knock some of the furniture around and then I gotta make a call. Understand?"
"Al… alright," said the Professor as Faith handed him her knife, before she backed away. She ransacked the apartment while looking at the Professor wiping his bloodied hand on the walls. Once she retrieved the knife and wiped the blood off the blade before sheathing it, the Slayer tightly bandaged the Professor's hand using a piece of cloth before she rushed to the phone and then asked the Professor to put on his coat, and get ready for the act of a lifetime.
While the Professor was putting on his jacket, Faith picked up the phone and dialled the number to the SGC. She knew that tomorrow would be the night that Buffy was supposed to stab her, and then the following day was graduation day. The time of Wilkins' ascension. She knew that the SGC may not be able to help them in time, and that they wouldn't believe them until it was too late.
'If I remember my mission reports,' thought Faith to herself, 'the SGC just only started, and they're not as far advanced as in my time.'
"NORAD," said Walter's voice as Faith smiled.
"I need to talk to the leader in charge of Project Chappa'ai," said Faith as she looked at the Professor who was looking back at her with a mixture of confusion, and fear. She waited as Walter asked her to hold on before the call was transferred, and a voice appeared over the phone.
"This is General Hammond, young lady… how do you…?"
"George," said Faith softly, "there will come a time when a redhead will come to the SGC; if anything happens to me, look after her. Put her under SG-1's wings, and you'll see her soar."
"Who is this?" asked the General, "I am tracing this call and…"
"I may die in the next few days," said Faith, "if she comes to you, then please take her in. Her initials are W.R. That's all I can say without changing her future. If I'm alive, I'll push her towards the Academy… she'll be your finest officer. You'll see. goodbye George. Tell Sam, Jack, Teal'c, and Daniel I said good luck."
"Who is this?" asked the General, "how do you know those names?"
"Faith Lehane," she replied before putting the phone down, and then pulled the hard-line out of the wall. She then headed towards the professor and put his arm around her shoulder, before telling him to pretend that he was stabbed on his side.
"Oooh," said the Professor as he leaned to the side and pressed inwards, pretending that he had a stab wound.
"Come on you prick," said Faith as she stepped outside with the 'injured' Professor knowing that the Mayor's vampires were tailing her on foot, and they were all around the motel, "you're not dying at home. Oh no, I've got a better deal for you… you know, swimming down the Sunnydale River, and into obscurity."
"Please…" said the Professor, "no…. daughter.. my.."
"Yeah," said Faith sarcastically, "I'm sure she'll miss you… where's your car, sunshine?"
"There," mumbled the Professor as he pointed at a green sedan.
"Not liking the colour scheme old man," said Faith with a sneer as they hobbled towards the car, Faith watched the shadows move from the corner of her eyes, "you and me, are gonna go out for a little drive… I'll take pity on ya', you said you're a bachelor? Well I'll snap your head after you and I have some fun tonight. Get in the car."
Faith grabbed the keys from the Professor and then opened the passenger-side door, and then pushed the older man inside. She then closed the door just as three vampires walked towards her.
"Tell the boss that I wanna have my fun with him, and then he dies," said Faith as she tilted her head and smiled, "and I'll be back home the day of the ascension, I'll be right by his side when he ascends."
"Why?" asked one of the vampires, "you know the boss will have some things for you to do."
"Tell him," said Faith with a smile, "that his little firecracker has an idea to get Angel out of Buffy's hair permanently. After I get rid of the old man, then I'm gonna get to L.A. I just thought of a guy my old watcher knew, this guy had dust that could make anyone see what you want them to see. So I'm gonna collect that… can you imagine? Buffy will think that Angel's a demon, and Angel will think that Buffy's the Mayor… and we all know how they hate Wilkins."
"That's true," said one of the vampires who had on a Hawaiian shirt that made Faith want to vomit, but she still kept up her act.
"Go tell him, will ya?" asked Faith, "I'm gonna go kill this mook, and then I'm going to L.A. Tell the Mayor that I won't miss his ascension for anything. I'll be there, all the way."
The vampires nodded their heads before they went off to the Mayor to give him Faith's message. The young woman then walked around the car and got into the driver's seat and closed the door. She signalled to the Professor to keep quiet before she turned the ignition key, and the car started. She then accelerated out of the Professor's apartment complex and headed towards Sunnydale High.
"You're going to the school?" asked the Professor as he looked at Faith who looked at the rear-view mirror to check if she was being followed. Sighing in relief that she wasn't, the dark haired Slayer then glanced at the Professor and told him that his life was in danger, that the Mayor wanted to kill him because he knew a secret.
"What secret?" asked the Professor.
"You found something that proves the Mayor can die," said Faith as she stepped on the accelerator.
Sunnydale High Library.
Faith and the Professor ran through the side entrance of the school and then walked through the dark hallways hoping that there weren't any vampires following them.
'If there was, they would have come out by now,' thought Faith to herself as she held on to Professor Worth and then rushed up the stairs with his to the second floor. She sighed in relief when she noticed that the lights were on while she held on to the Professor's arm. The closer she got to the library, the louder the voices of the Scoobies drifted out into the hallway. The Slayer then opened the door to see the shocked faces of Willow, Buffy, Oz, Xander, Cordelia, Giles, Wesley, and Angel who had his vamp face on and growled at Faith while Professor Worth gasped and tried to run from Angel who leapt down onto the main floor while Buffy and Xander rushed around the table, Xander to guard Cordelia, and Oz to guard Willow.
Buffy, on the other hand was rushing at Faith, who pushed the Professor to one side before stepping back to avoid Buffy's kicks and punches. Giles and Wesley were telling Buffy to stop while Faith got hit a few times, before she kicked out and used her training with Teal'c, Colonel Carter, and the others to her advantage. After a few seconds, Faith had Buffy in a headlock with the blonde Slayer struggling to get out of it. It was then that Angel leapt forward and landed right in front of Faith.
"Stop, Angel," said Faith as she stepped back with Buffy, "you can hear my heartbeat?"
"Kill her," said Willow as Faith looked at the redhead, and her face fell just for an instant as she was reminded of her own Willow who used to be jealous of her; hateful of her. Faith looked back at Angel, who narrowed his eyebrows at the expression that held on Faith's face for those precious seconds, which then vanished when Faith looked at Angel.
"Can you hear my heart beat?" asked Faith.
"Yeah," said Angel, "so?"
"Lucky those vamps were new," said Faith as she looked at Professor Worth who was continuing to look at Angel with terror on his face. It was then that the others noticed the trembling man leaning against the counter, and Faith then introduced him to them, "that's Professor Lester Worth, and I was supposed to kill him."
"So you didn't kill him and you brought him here for…. what?" asked Xander.
"What do you think, genius?" asked Faith sarcastically as she let go of Buffy, before pushing her towards Angel, "that guy knows the Mayor's biggest secret. Why do you think he sent me to kill him, the good professor knows that the Mayor can die."
"He's invulnerable," said Wesley, "the books of ascension say…"
"Until he ascends," said Faith, "until the day of his ascension, once he's the snake he's always wanted to be, he can be killed."
"Snake?" asked Giles as he walked past an angry Buffy who was being held back by Angel, who was telling them that Faith was telling the truth, "Faith, what…"
"Olvikan," said Faith as she looked at Giles, "search for that name… you'll find it."
"But…" said Giles as the others at the table looked at each other confused about what was going on.
"Prof," said Faith as she looked at Professor Worth, "you did a dig on some lava flows, or a volcano, or something. All I remember was that you found something… something big."
"Ye… yes," said the Professor, "a large prehistoric creature that I believe was a dinosaur."
"Some genius decided to become Olvikan all those years ago," said Faith as she turned her head from the Professor to Giles, "and he did, and then he died when the volcano went off and killed him. Giles, you need to get the Professor protection... at least until after…"
"This is ridiculous," said Buffy a she put her hands up, "you betrayed us, and then you suddenly change your mind and come here, with someone who just happens to what… agree with you? Is he a vampire? Is this a trap? Because this feels like a trap."
"B," said Faith, "you're just as grating now as the one I know, so shut it and listen to me. People are gonna die during the ascension…. And if…"
"Faith?" asked a familiar voice as everyone looked at Willow who was standing next to Oz.
"That wasn't me, I swear," said Willow as the voice once again reverberated throughout the library with everyone looking around confused.
"Faith, can you hear me?"
"Red?" said Faith as she smiled while looking up and around, and it was then that the others gasped as another Willow appeared out of thin air wearing a red polka bot dress. Faith looked the new arrival up and down, and then looked at the younger counterpart, and then back to the other, older, Willow, "how did you travel through time?"
"Time travel?" asked Buffy, "ok, this is…"
"She believes it," said Angel while Giles and the others looked at the new, older Willow.
"Oh wow," said the younger redhead as she rushed past the table, and then stood next to Buffy while grinning, "you're me? From the future?"
"Ummm.. no," said the older Willow as she looked at her younger version, and then at Faith, "Faith I know that everything here seems real. It's not, you're attached to an Ancient machine… you've been in here for nearly six hours."
"What?" asked Faith as she stepped back while shaking her head.
"Umm… Willow," said Xander as the younger one looked at him, "I meant the older one, umm… what?"
"They're not real," said the older Willow, ignoring Xander, "they're all part of an advanced mental test that's supposed to help with the final part of ascension, getting go of your burdens. Faith, Daniel's read the scripts on the control console… it's been programmed to take any person with the Ancient gene, and place them on a device. Daniel's still working on the details on why this is still up and running... but the point is that it helps people come to terms with their burdens, with their regrets; it lets people change that particular point in time so that it eases the ascension process, it helps them leave their burdens behind."
"No," said Faith shaking her head as Buffy and the others looked on confused, "no…. it.. it can't be. I changed our future… I changed… I was supposed to change us… supposed to…"
"You changed the future?" asked Wesley, "that isn't possible and…"
"What do you mean?" asked the older Willow as she walked towards Faith.
"At the Slayer council, I saved you… I told you to get out, to get help before we did what we did," said Faith with tears in her eyes, "I wanted you to forgive me, Red… and…"
"Faith," said the older Willow, "come back to me, if you finish this how it's going to end… you'll go on to your next regret, and the next, and the next. You'll overcome your burdens and then a sedative will be injected into your body to help you relax while your mind works on ascending you. And then another one would slow down your heart until it stops, and you have to ascend before it does. And we both know that there's a lot more to ascension than just letting go of your burdens."
"You're planning on ascending?" said Buffy, "I knew it."
"No!" said the older Willow as Buffy rushed to Faith and punched her. Faith then stepped back before kicking out at the blonde Slayer, all the while Giles and Angel were attempting to interfere and hold the two back.
"Let me go," shouted Buffy as she struggled to move while Angel held her back, and Faith jerked away from Giles.
"Faith, listen to me…" said the older Willow, "you need to do what you did in real life. I know how you felt about what you did to Professor Worth and…"
"No, Red," said Faith, "I… how about George, Walter.. I called the SGC and I heard them."
"The machine talks the information from your brain," said the older Willow, "everything is going how you want it to go."
"But… I saved the Professor and…" said Faith as she looked at Professor Worth.
"He's dead, Faith," said Willow as the others looked at the Professor who had his eyes wide opened in fear, "he's already dead. The only reason he's alive right now in this construct, is because you regret killing him… you still haven't gotten over it, and he is not real. What happened at the Slayer Council happened, you and I can't change that… Faith, come back to me.. come back to the real world."
"I…" said Faith as she looked at the Professor and closed her eyes. She remembered the blood pouring out of the Professor's wounds as he fell onto the floor, she remembered just looking down at him before she stepped over the body and walked away.
"You'll always regret this, Faith," said the older Willow, "but we'll work through it together. You and me, and our friends. The only reason y you're seeing this.. seeing the Professor again is because you haven't gotten over the guilt, you haven't moved on. And this isn't the place to deal with this since you're not ready for ascension… you'll die. And there is no way I'm gonna let you leave me.
"Is there something between you two?" asked Cordelia as the younger Willow and Oz looked at each other, and then at the older Willow.
"Faith," said the older Willow as she ignored the incessant questions from the younger version of herself, Buffy, Oz, and Cordelia while the others looked on, "I know you're not sure if I'm the real Willow… or at least the one that you know. We're still looking for Ba'al, we know he's in the village and Colonel Mitchell, and Vala, are up there looking for him while Teal'c is now guarding the Gate. But they need us back up there.. and I need you. Please… have faith that I'm real. I love you."
Faith then looked at the Professor with tears in her eyes as she took out the knife. It was that act that prompted Buffy to act once again, but this time she just phased through Faith after she dove at her sister Slayer.
"What the…" said Buffy as she fell onto the floor and looked at Faith who was looking at the knife in her hand, and then at the Professor who was now cowering and asking for help.
Faith could see that the others were making a move to protect the Professor, but the Slayer moved much faster.
"I'm sorry," whispered Faith with tears in her eyes as she dug the knife into the Professors chest just before Angel reached her, "I'm so, so sorry."
Faith was then enveloped in a bright white light, which soon faded to reveal Willow, her older Willow, looking back down at her. The redhead's hand caressing the Slayer's cheek as tears went down Faith's eyes while she remembered the look that the Professor had given her when she stabbed him again.
Willow watched the device that was attached to Faith's head come off before she reached around the Slayer who started to sob, and hugged her tight. Willow felt Faith tighten her hug while she sobbed, and at the same time… Willow looked at all of the other bodies of the villagers who had vanished.
They were all dead, except for the little boy who they found was lying frightened and hungry in the corner. This was meant to be a one-way trip for anyone who came here and didn't know the code to leave, something that Willow bypassed when she was beamed into this larger room. While she listened to Faith's sobs, she recalled Teal'c running back to the village with the other villager who had gone with him and Faith to tell them that Faith had vanished.. that the process looked like the Ancient beaming device that had been used when they were in Merlin's lab. At hearing that, it was Willow who was out of the door first after getting permission from the two Colonel's to check it out; she was soon followed by Daniel and then Colonel Carter. After running for a few minutes, Teal'c and Willow stopped close to where Faith had vanished. Willow asked Teal'c to wait as she took another step forward, and was enveloped by a bright light. She then found herself in a closed room where almost immediately gas was sprayed into the room. Willow placed a telekinetic shield around herself just as quickly, but she took in some of the gas and was already getting dizzy, but her shield held. Then there was another flash of light that enveloped her, and she found herself lying at an angle on a chair… her telekinetic shield still active and preventing a device from being placed onto her head. Willow then rolled off the chair and fell onto the floor before she struggled to get up, her mind still dizzy from the gas.
She slowly stood up while squinting her eyes as everything started to spin around her. She had seen Faith lying unconscious with a device consisting of wires and a plastic-like tube attached to her head. The redhead saw an Ancient console in the corner, and she stumbled towards it in the brightly lit room, and it was on the way to the console.. and through her dazed vision that she saw movement in the far corner of the room.
"Hello?" asked Willow as she shook her head and wiped her eyes, which made her vision clear for just a few seconds as a child got up and looked at her with terror in his eyes, "you're one of the villagers and… oh, I'm gonna be sick."
Willow pressed a button that activated the console and saw a screen to her left pop up. She then pressed more buttons to bypass the system, but she could feel herself weakening. Using her telekinesis to move her arms, while keeping her standing… the redhead pressed on a few more buttons before looking at the screen, and smiling. She then pressed a few more buttons before a flash of light brought down Colonel Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c into the room before Willow said, "hey guys", and then collapsed.
The redhead would be out for hours before finally regaining consciousness. It would be then that Daniel told her what was going on, and she then immediately connected her mind to Faith's telepathically.
And now, as she was hugging Faith, Willow 'heard' and 'saw' Faith's loud thoughts about the Slayer Council simulation. The redhead saw what Faith felt should have been done so that she gains Willow's forgiveness, and to ease the regret in her heart at what she helped Buffy do.
"I forgive you," said Willow with all her heart as Faith hugged the redhead tighter, "I forgive you, Faith.. for everything."
"I… Iove you," whispered Faith as she struggled to breathe between her sobs, "I love you so much."
"I love you too, my everything," whispered Willow.
TBC.