In the End
Chapter Fifteen
Faith sat in the back of Giles car changing her clothes as Giles drives them back to Sunnydale.
"So Xander almost married that demon chick?" said Faith
"Anya… and yes, he left her at the alter" said Giles
"Right. And, what, Willow is some mega witch that almost killed a guy?" asked Faith
"Yes, she has her powers under control now" he told her
"Uh-huh" she said climbing into the front passenger seat "Can I just ask—what the hell are you people doing?"
"Leading complicated lives, obviously" Giles grinned
"And B? What's her deal?"
"Seems the prophecy has got her in a tail spin" he sighed "That and Spike"
"Spike?" Faith frowned
"It appears after her return from Heaven, she entered into some sort of relationship with him"
"Wow, didn't know she had it in her" Faith smirked
"I wouldn't worry about the police coming after you. Not yet. An escaped convict won't even register on their radar" Giles changed the subject
Faith looked out of the window "And you want me to come to Sunny D and do what? Take over from B? I don't know what you thought you were springing me for but I'm not a leader Giles. I'll help sure, but this is Buffy's fight"
"I know. Just wondering if you're up to it" said Giles stopping the car
"If I'm—?"
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into…Maybe you're a little rusty" said Giles
Faith nodded "Maybe I am"
"Maybe we should find out" said Giles
"What did you have in—"
A vampire reached in through the rolled-down window to grab Faith by the hair and pulled her out of the car. Giles opened his car door into a vampire, knocking it to the ground. The vampire got up, but Giles knocks him down again. It gets up, but Giles stops him.
"Ah" Giles said pointing over his shoulder "She's the one you want"
The vampire looked over to see Faith fighting off a couple of vampires at once.
"Slayer" the vampire panicked and ran away
Faith was still fighting off the vampires. Giles tossed a stake to her. She staked and dusted the vampires with ease.
"Thought you could use a little release. Feel natural?" Giles asked
Faith shrugged "Ah, it's like riding a biker"
XXXXX
Spike sat with Buffy for most of the evening, holding her hand. He poured his heart out to her, telling her how he was feeling about everything. Hoping that something he said might trigger her to wake up and punch him.
Spike sighed "C'mon you've had your rest. It's time to get up now… The longer you sleep, the more worried I get"
"My heart is in my throat here luv, I can't lose you… not again. Almost bloody finished me off last time" he gripped her hand tighter "Alright, don't wake up for me. Wake up for your mates yeah? For Dawn? For the bleeding Watcher? I don't care. I just need you to wake up. Please baby just open your eyes for me" he cried
Buffy groaned "Ow"
Spike looked at her to see her eyes slowly open "Buffy"
"Spike?… what happened?" She asked
"I assume you got into a spot of bother… maybe you won't storm off in a huff next time" he smiled
"Hey, can we save the lecture for when my head does feel like it's splitting in two?" She said softly
"I suppose I can do that" he smiled at her "What do you need?"
"I could go for some pizza and probably some Tylenol" she smiled
Spike let go of her hand and stood up.
"Not yet… just sit with me for a while?" She said "I need a minute before everybody rushes in here"
"Okay luv, whatever you want" he told her
She smiled as he sat back down. She searched for his hand and grabbed it and squeezed it gently.
XXXXX
The gang stood around Buffy's bed, she had had forty minutes in silence with Spike before everybody came filtering in.
"So what happened Buff?" asked Xander
"It was Nahum, guys he's strong… every punch he dodged it like it was nothing" she told them
"Maybe going in alone wasn't so smart?" said Jessica
"I've already had that lecture from Spike, I don't need it from you too" said Buffy
"She's right Buffy, you can't fight him alone" said Dawn
"She's not" said Willow "There's something we've gotta tell you…"
"Where's Giles?" Buffy asked
The gang looked at each other awkwardly. "He's gone on a little trip" said Willow
"A trip to where?" asked Buffy
"Believe me this is the last thing any of us wanted" said Willow
"Where is he?" Buffy panicked
"He's visiting Faith" said Xander
"Faith?" Buffy's voice raised a little
"Visiting might not be the right word" Willow babbled
"He's gone to spring the girl from the slammer" said Spike
"What!" Buffy yelled, she panicked and tried to get out of bed
"Luv, lay back down" said Spike
"Don't tell me what to do," said Buffy. She tried not to show them how much it hurt, but as soon as she stood up, her legs gave way. Luckily, Spike was there to catch her and help her back into bed.
"Maybe we should leave you to rest" said Willow
Buffy didn't answer as she tried to get comfortable. Spike helped her by adjusting her pillows, while the rest of the group left the room.
"They're breaking Faith out of jail because they think I can't do this" said Buffy
"It was my idea" said Spike
"Of course it was" Buffy sighed "I'm not some weak little girl that needs somebody to fight my battles for me"
"I never said you were" he told her "But look at you Buffy, you're hurt and we needed help"
"You also just brought in a psychotic murderer… not only that but she was our only other option. If I die…"
"You're not going to die" he said firmly
"You don't know that, I mean c'mon one fight with this demon and I'm laid up in bed with a concussion and broken ribs" said Buffy "I feel so weak"
Buffy had never said the word out loud before. "Weak". But that's exactly how she felt. She was powerless against Nahum, who was stronger and quicker than her. She knew she had to come up with a plan and do it quickly.
"You're not weak, you're the strongest woman I've ever known Buffy. We will get through this and Faith… well it can't hurt to have her around" said Spike
Buffy sighed "I guess"
They sat in silence for a moment.
"I know you're mad at me right now…" said Spike
"You think I'm mad at you?" She asked "I'm not mad anymore, Nahum pretty much beat that out of me… I'm just hurt"
Spike's heart sank "I'm sorry I caused you pain"
"Thank you for your apology… but it doesn't change anything" she told him
"I didn't think it would" he said "I'm sorry I broke your trust in me"
"Me too…" she said sadly
XXXXX
Giles opened the front door and walked inside, closely followed by Faith.
"Hello?" Giles called out
The gang gathered in the hallway to greet him. Dawn walked down the stairs "Faith? What the hell is she doing here?"
"Nice to see you too, Dawn" Faith waved
"She's here to help" Giles told Dawn as she reached the foot of the stairs.
"Oh, gee, that's great. Oh, wait a sec. Wasn't she convicted of m*rder and sent to a state correctional facility for like a gazillion years?" Dawn yelled
"Murder Two, 25 to life, for the record" Faith smirked
"So now you brought psycho slayer out of retirement for what?" asked Dawn
"Dawn, you have every right to feel that way about me. You have no reason to trust me, but I don't have loads of time, so why don't we save it until after this is over. Cool?" Faith asked
Dawn nodded
"Good" Faith smiled
"Buffy is awake" Dawn told Giles
"Brilliant news" said Giles
"She knows I'm here?" Faith asked
Dawn nodded again
"Well Faith, I'll go and speak to Buffy. Maybe you hang fire for now" said Giles
"Gotta extinguish some flames?" said Faith
Giles nodded slightly and headed upstairs.
"Nice to see you Faith" said Willow
"Hey, heard you're a mega witch now" said Faith
Willow blushed "I wouldn't say mega…"
"Hi Faith, I'm Jessica"
"Heard about you… you're a demon fighter?" asked Faith
"Yes, excited to be working with you" said Jessica
Faith smirked "Well whilst Giles calms B down why don't we do a quick sweep. Show me your moves"
Jessica nodded enthusiastically and headed for the door. Willow grabbed Faith's arm.
"Don't worry, Giles filled me in" Faith whispered to Willow