Chapter 13 Spike and Ruby.
The morning air was sweetly blowing down the gentle green surburbia which was Rovello Drive as the Vampire who hadn't experienced the sun in well over a 100 years was gliding towards Buffys home with some unknown purpose, his nose rose to the scent of the morning dew and he would have almost never been able to recollect the smell and feeling of soft sunkight on his skin if days ago he hadn't stumbled upon the gem of Amara. A ring he had not originally been searching for but was now more than ever happy he posessed as he needed the Slayers help with something he wasn't entirely sure he could deal with by himself and afterall, she's one of those good guys who love a wee bit of heroics and this certainly qualified.
He steeled himself as he walked up the garden path and could swear he almost felt his non existant breath catch in his throat, but he was well aware it was fear. his entire undead body was screaming at him that this was not the place to be, he felt his head screaming he should be as far away from here as possible but his paramour had returned and this time with back up for what Faith had done to Angel. Spike was already in both womans bad books but it didn't matter since they would both be dead when Drusilla found them.
Before Spike could even raise his hand to the door a confused Dawn had swung the big brown thing open and was looking the bleached blonde punk rocker of a vampire up and down like she'd seen a ghost. something that should be walking around under the sun and yet somehow was. her face was the very spirit of vexation as the cute brunette who was the same size as him had sprung upon him and tackle the confused vampire to the floor.
"Spike, how the hell are you walking around in the sunlight? did'ya miss me?..." Dawn giggled as she kept poking him all over as she was inspecting the miracle a bit too up close and personal for anyones liking. Faith had walked by with a cup of coffee in her hand dressed in blue jeans and a stylish silk black shirt that hung off her frame with the sleeve rolled up to her elbows and screamed she had quite a bit of style to herself still after so long away. her shirt was open and underneath she was wearing a red vest that clung to her well toned body as she leaned against the door frame with the ice cold look of a deadly killer.
"William, you know we were thinking about visiting you soon, heard you saved my Dawn here... but why on gods green earth are you standing at my girlfriends doorstep and not bursting into flames?" Faith asked the Vampire as Dawn crawled off him painfully slow and he only then managed to rise to his feet and give her somewhat of an answer as he dusted himself off and tried desperately to remain cool and composed.
"Well I'm here cause we're bout to be descended upon by my beloved muse Drusilla cause 'you' decided to murder that Nonce Angel... wait girlfriend?... no way, ya got the girl in the end tall dark and broody really is her type aint it?" Spike seemed amused by the whole situation until Faith started laughing as she stared him down with a deadly focus he had never seen before, but he knew he could smell dear in the headlights and they were coming in fast.
"Now wait a minute Dru's after all of us, i'm here to make sure we don't get offed just cause you did the morally right thing and killed that namby pamby ponce!" Spike was almost begging at this point but he still managed to maintain his calm and cool for whatever it was worth. But Faith just placed a single finger on his shoulder and before he knew what happened he was on the floor and his shoulder was completly broken.
Spike screamed in absoloute agony as he writhed in unbearable pain across the floor but no one could hear him as his ministrations were completly silent as his face reddened and blued out in pain as it turns out Faith had silently cast a spell to mute his screams as she had no intention of causing a scene outside Buffys door on the second day home.
"Shouldn't you heal him? before people ask why there's a punk rock mime is falling down my steps?" Buffy came from upstairs in the cutest outfit she could find, only to realise her and Faith would need to go shopping soon as their earth clothes were now severly lacking and no longer matching their own personal styles.
"Fine, But you hear all that... we gotta hunt ol Drusilla, if one of our spells haven't done the job already" Faith crossed her fingers towards Buffy and then returned and let a stream of light escape her hands and Spike began to quickly heal but slowly calm down. "Don't worry honey, vamps get really dramatic when you dominate them... good to know just a finger and an elbow is now enough to completly break him tho, pretty cool in all honesty" Buffy smiled as she undid Faiths mute spell and Spike could be heard now breathing heavy and completly flabbergasted at what he had just seen and experienced.
"New powers eh! you Slayers are always a bag full o' cats but we aint in the need for swinging em if ya catch my drift" Spike stumbled to his feet and was suprised by how healed his shoulder was and it even seemed better than new as he swung it around a bit and gave it a test run as the Slayers just looked bored as they waited for him to compose himself so they could figure out why he was still here and standing on their front porch.
"Well good as new and hey congrats on the whole new lover thing blondie, she's a huge improvement over the last and fuckin strong if you'll pardon my french! you gotta teach me how ya did that..." Spike seemed to be in good Spirits even as Buffy stepped forward and stared him down with her sharp gaze. pretty impressive for a woman who was alot smaller than him and yet her he was getting the full slayer pat down.
"Yh well she's the best thing that's ever happened to me William, i wanted to than you ya know for saving my sister over there but that only gives ya 10 seconds to explain why you're here before my muse over there is allowed to rearrange you however she wants too... oh and don't squirm, just submit we aren't as soft as we used to be all those years ago" Buffy continued to stare him down as he realised by girls actually looked different, a little taller, well Faith alot more but so was Buffy and more muscular and a hell of a lot more threatening than she used to be. she had the eyes of a killer now, like she had been in a hell dimension.
"You were in another dimension? that's why ya sporting a new look and deadly magic... shit i bet you two are twice as strong as you used to be maybe more?" Spike shook his head as he remembered why he was here in the first place. "Look, truce... you know i aint here to cause any trouble but she's got a gang and i was worried you guys couldn't deal with it if she blind sided ya and now i know you ladies have this and i can walk around in the day now. so we're all gravy" Spike turned to leave with his hand raised and Buffy was about to let him leave when she came up with an idea.
"Hey english man... wanna come with us to the magic box and meet someone interesting?" Buffy asked and he turned on his heel to give her a perplexed look as he had no earthly idea what she was up to. "Not overly, but you're all going i take it, even the little bit?" he nodded to Dawn and she told him straight that she was going as well and he should definetly come with caused he'd probably like Ruby alot.
Faith however had noticed the ring and realised he was obviously imbued with some magic from the moment she had seen him and a slight look from Buffy had also made her realise she was well aware of what Spike had managed to do. he either found or had made a ring that allowed him to not only day walk but for all they knew could have him shoot laser beams from his big old blue eyes so she welcomed him in and just decided it was better to ask him directly.
"So that rings pretty neat, lets ya day walk and who knows what. hope ya didn't torture a witch or warlock for it" Faith gave him a cold look that caused him to put his hands straight up in the air and come completly clean with his lucky find. "nah, nothing so macarbe, found it in an old tomb while i was searching for something, basically indestructable now so long as 8 got the ring on... well maybe, not sure what you two can really do anymore and that's a sobering thought.." Spike would have gone a whiter shade of pale at the realisation if he wasn't already an undead alabaster shade of pale white already.
He realised the ring didn't heal him when they both attacked and damaged him, he came to the conclusion that he could also barely sense them anymore and they seemed almost invisble to his senses. whatever they had done, they were far beyond anything he had ever known before... he was sure of it. they were no longer Slayers Proper, they were skmething else entirely but it wasn't time to ask about it since he had a gang of Dru's lackies to deal with if he wanted to greet another morning sun.
"Don't worrl old blighty, we can taoe you down easy enough, but Dawn doesn't really seem to be into the idea and we could use all the help we could get and afterall... you did help her with the whole Acathla shit. what is it he said B...?" Faith motioned to her lover who answered as Spike collected himself and rose to his feet feeling a little wobbly.
"I like this world... something bout dog races and manchester united? Shame he doesn't have a soul really. would be nice to meet the old William before the monster took over, poet weren't he?" Buffy obviously had done her research about William the Bloody years ago and never forgot all the things she read, but damn if she wasn't good at reading between the lines.
Spike sniggered indignantly and ignored the insinuation "Always been bad love and poetry was a popular thing back then. Can't blame a guy for enjoying a bit of well worded prose now can ya?" Spike half asked but didn't really expect an answer but was shocked to receive one.
Faith gave him a soft, somewhat gentle look as she spoke to him with an air of understanding at his defensiveness. "We both write poetry William, i also draw and have become an art teacher in our home dimension. we are just here on weekdays to deal with evil, in fact we both would enjoy reading some of you work if you ever have the inkling to continue it" Faith found her hand being entwined with Buffys and raised it for a kiss on the back of her palm and a tender loving look that made her heart ache with happy feelings.
"Don't really write anymore love, lack of a soul keeps me... frozen in many ways." Spike suddenly had an arm wrapped around his shoulder from the slender brunette sister who was hanging off him like a soft silken shawl. "They're both very talented y'know. i read alot of their books they've both authored over two years and Spike... My big sis and her lady have a talent for the english langauge and also Buffys become a really good photographer! who woulda thunk it?" Dawn had dragged him playfully inside and the Slayers both followed suit and closed the door behind them.
They all stood by the front door as Dawn asked him, "You hungry, we were gonna have breakfast before popping to the magic box. Buffys making me train since soon i'll be as strong as a Slayer in maybe a year or more so i gotta toughen up" Dawn was just letting everything out and Faith face palmed herself as Buffy butted in and tried to divert the talk to no avail.
"So William tell us what exactly you did this time to get on the mad seeresses last nerve, drink the last vestal virgin bry before she got a sip?" Buffy was instantly ignored with an uncharacteristic look of dread across the vampires face as he turned to ask the petite blonde. "She... she's not a Slayer is she? she doesn't deserve that..." Spike said with a sense that he knew exactly what a cursethe slayer line truly was and hell he probably did after murdering two of them in a hundred years.
"No, she's enchanted to grow in strength, speed and a few other things, just slowly like we are... a god is coming to town William and we need to be prepared to fight it but first we're going to kill your sire and if you're a good boy we might even let you live... might" Buffy threatened and the bleach blonde vampire seemed happier in the knowledge that the thin brunette sister of the Slayer wasn't cursed like she was.
"Oh thank god, last thing we need is little sis being chased by the minions of evil. Don't get me wrong, you'd look cute doing it but the dust gets everywhere!" Spike chuckled as Dawn brought him in for a long hug as she was suprised anyone other than Buffy or Faith cared about her. she was never that close with Willow or even Xander over the years and Giles always seemed annoyed with her whenever she hung about for too long, but Spike never did. he always seemed happy to talk to her.
"Man, the dust never washes out either... but it's better than demon blood, god thaf shit sucks to clean" Faith motioned towards the kitchen where she had already prepared their breakfast beforehand but was rudely interrupted by the punk rocked walking up their garden path.
"Don't worry we can just teach the lil bit ta use a sword or... no bow and arrows, much safer and looks pretty cool too when ya get off a trickshot or three" Spike was let go of and led into the kitchen and coerced to sit right next to Dawn who Faith knew was nursing a crush on the vampire but refused to say a word so long as Buffy wouldn't blow her top as she obviously hadn't realised yet but then again Faith was always way more observant than she was.
"We don't have any blood Spike so, ya want some people food or a coffee or sommin?" Buffy asked him as she sat down to her full english that Faith had secretly used a portal this morning to pop back home for as they really did prefer the food of Al-Kufir to the chemical tastes of Sunnydale.
Spike put his hands up and declined the offer as he had said he had already drunk before coming here so it was all good and yet he found himself wanting but failing to ask alot of questions as he couldn't believe how different both Slayers were now since he had last saw them both. well technically this was the first time he had met Faith but he had secretly seen her a few times after returning early and hearing about the mayors acsension plan and the Dark Slayer.
He had decided to keep himself hidden until Buffy had sorted everything out as he was partying a little too hard after he found out Faith had finally killed that pillock Angelus and he hadn't stopped for 4 days until he accidentally stumnled on the Gem of Amara. But last night he had killed a messenger Drusilla had sent saying she would gut him like a priest for helping the Slayer whore kill her Daddy wirh her sapphic muse barbed shots. well it turns out Dru was on the money as per usual since Buffy definetly did have a Sapphically inclined muse who had shot the irish bastard to death and he couldn't find a single problem wrong with what she had done.
"So I'm assuming this god who's popping to town is a big deal since you're being so nice to me, take it ya'll need my help? surely you have the gang working hard finding it's weaknesses and the best ways to fight it or atleast banish the godly ponce from this plane of existance" Spike assumed way too much it seemed as Buffy snorted and confirmed they actually had no real plan to speak of as of yet.
"Glorificus will be here in a year and we have alot of time to prepare, plus at the momemt we have no idea if there even is a gang and William! you don't have to help in the slightest, but if ya come with us to Ruby she'll give you a choice and maybe even a reward if ya wanna help so... why not come with us and take a chance since in a year we might all be dead" Buffy smiled ckmpletly non chalant as if she really didn't care either way what happened to Sunnydale or this dimensional plane.
He noticed the quick look she had shot Dawns way in a micro second before continuing to eat and then he realised she had only come back to protect her, the god was either after Dawn or Buffy was worried about collateral damage when it came to town. Spike kept his mouth shut as he thought over the possibilities for a few quiet moments before Dawn asked him a rather unexpected question.
"Hey, Spike... could you also train me like Buffy and Faith? her voice was far from the weak and soft vocal interpretation he remembered and she also seemed to sit a little taller now as well and it caused a feeling to rise within the 100 plus year old vampire, pride in someone else finally finding themself after all this time and he liked the way it looked on the soon to be warrior.
Faith gave Dawn a concerned look and Buffy looked at her lover for a response of sorts, anything to break the silence they were all experiencing and it was finally Dawn who seemed to want to make herself clear as to why she had asked that in the first place.
"Guys, you are both stronger than me and i need someone to spar who can outwit you both and Spikes outwitted and helped Buffy quite a few times and somehow he always survives, you know how to adapt and think on your feet even when you are completly outmatched... and you two are basically demigods at this point and in a year i'm maybe going to be new born Slayer level! Spikes my best shot at a real fight with a real vampire who knows how to thrive and survive" Dawns logic was sound and Faith had even told Buffy how much they would have to physically restrain their powers to teach Dawn how to fight.
Spike was the obvious candidate but they would watch him like a hawk, even if he had a soul. "You make alot of sense and i would be all for it, if Spike here wasn't lacking a soul... Dawn and don't take this as an offence Spike... you killed two Slayers and god knows how many people in your hundred year slaughter across europe with angel and his brood." Faith bit into her breakfast and let Buffy continue on speaking for her.
"We couldn't trust you even if we wanted too, how do we know you wouldn't try and kill her the moment we turn our backs... i mean you wouldn't live a second past that but c'mon we know there's nothing in it for you. so why would you help us anyway?" Buffy waited for Spike or Dawns response and even Spike had given her a concerned and somewhat confused look he had never used on the girl before and it seemed to only shake her momentarily before she came up with a hasty response.
"We could give Spike a soul or hey we could pay him, or you could both promise not to kill him since it's kind of your jobs anyway and you never seem to do it... you always give him a get out of jail free card and he's saved me quite a few times you know!" Dawn turned away from her secret parents and looked the vampire directly in the eyes with a fierce determination.
"I really need you William... they wanna power me up for this god cause obviously it's obviously gonna be the worst big bad we've ever faced! you are my best chance at surviving and to be honest with you we both know you think way too deeply for a normal vampire, you've always done the right thing when the moment really and truly calls for it..." Dawn didn't sound like she was stroking his ego like so many women had before her, she was speaking so matter of factly that it seemed to resonate with the english vampire alot more than it should have.
"I'll do it, without a soul... i don't need no silly gypsy curse like that old twot waffle Angel did! plus, fighting a god... that's something way beyond a Slayer, just imagine if i could pull that off" Spike spoke with such a cocky charm you would think he was the one who was just charming Dawn off of her feet and not the other way round. Spike liked to be needed and he knew it stemmed from some deep motherly issues he had never truly worked out inside himself.
"We can give you a soul without the curse easily, theres like 50 different spells we know of plus we could literally just use a soul resurgence spell to give you your original soul back and bind it to you since Ruby has taught some some very cool magic as of late! but if you want it, you'll have to earn it... if ya even can?" Faith gave the vampire a cocky grin and he fell hook line and sinker for it to the point even Dawn couldn't believe how blindly competitive he was.
"I don't need a soul Slayer, but i could earn it any damn day i wanted too and don't forget it... i just came here cause i don't fancy killing the women i love and she's gunning for all of us cause you fell in love and believe me i'm happy you did it... more than you'll ever know but killing her sire has sent the bint even more doo'lally than usual" Spike laid his cards down in the tsble completly and made it clear he had no interest in a soul but he wouldn't turn down a good fight and both Slayers and aparently Dawn were thoroughly aware of that.
"Seems like Dru's gonna probably find us tonight or tommorow if she hasn't been destroyed already by our spells, then again she's a seer... she might already know everything about us? or maybe we could do something crazy..." Buffy gave Faith a look and grinned and the dark Slayers eyes shot open wide as Buffys eyebrows rose and made her plan unspoken but obvious.
"We can't ensoul Drusilla, she's mad as a hatter, ya told me all about her and What Angelous did... if we give her a soul! there's a chance she could become a hundred times worse and a whole lot more crazy!" Faith was obviously against the idea but Spike wasn't and his brow furrowed intensly as he thought about it all as the Slayers discussed the pros and cons and the myriad of possibilities they had to consider before even trying to do the crazy shit they were currently comtemplating.
"Do it! She was a good women before Angel... tortured her, i've never even met the real Drusilla, it might not work! hell it'll probably make her madder than a hatter but... we should give it a chance and if it works. You can ensoul me..." Spike had realised that this could be his only real chance to win the mad seeress back and he had to take it, he'd take his soul back by force for her if he had too and the Slayers suddenly seemed to realise just how selfless Spike truly was at times. especially when it came to his own ideas on romance, Buffy had seen him lay down his life several times for love at this point.
'Maybe Dawn was right about him?' both Slayers thought to themselves as the let the silence ride along as they continued eating and then finishing their deliciously cooked otherworldly breakfast. As Buffy was washing up Faith took Spike aside and went outside on the back porch and he lit up a cigarette, he offered her one but she refused him wordlessly as they both enjoyed the morning sun together before striking up their own conversation in private.
"She's probably still gonna be mad William, souls just gonna make her feel all guilty about it. Basically what happened to pedo boy Angel... you cool with that big man." Faith looked over to him and noticed how she now towered over him even though they were standing on the same deck, man could do with some lifts if he wanted to maintain the macho punk rocker thing he nad going on.
Spike was basically just basking in the sun as he responded with a calm but deep voiced tone, "Don't matter what happens Slayer, i haven't been able to stand under the sun in over a hundred years and for nearly the entirety of that time... it was me and her. i owe her something, i gotta try something! hell if you're down for it and we get the chance do it..." he gave her a soft but tired look he hadn't felt this tired in a long time and maybe it was the sun still affecting him somehow subconciously.
"And if we don't get the chance to subdue her, then what Billy idol?" Faith slapped him on the shoulder playfully but he didn't really react as he watched a bird fly by and away for the next few seconds before he gave her a simple answer.
"She deserves to rest, girls been through things i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. probably best to wing it, hell i'm sure you'd do the same for the blonde bomber in there if she was even half way as fucked in the head as Dru is..." Spike stubbed out his ciggarette, made sure it was out and chucked it into the neighbours garden.
"Nah, probably do what you did, stay with her for an eternity. that's the dream aint it english man, love above all else?" Faith was pretty much asking him at this point cause in that hypothetical she knew she would stay by Buffys side unconditionally but if Buffy was as mad to the degree her lover had told her she was... maybe a quick and sudden end was in order, but she could never live with herself after it and in her head she realised that it was possible that Spike was going through many of the same thought processes as she currently was or maybe more and darker thoughts she could barely comprehend.
Spike turned to walk back inside but before he did he told Faith "Y'know what, i would love to read some of yours and blondies work. it's been a long time sinde i put pen to paper myself and hell the old Suns making me think some weird things." Spike walked inside and left the door slightly ajar for Faith to enter behind him but she stood in place and looked out to the rising sun for a few moments just taking it all in.
"Gotta save a mad seeress and kill a god this year! man Sunnydale sucks ass. Can't wait to go home with B!" Faith whispered to herself and decided to enter the Summers houee and get ready for the long day ahead and then the night also. Plans were already made and prep work was going to be key if they wanted to survive and thrive in this hellish situation. they had a magically made daughter to look after and a hell of alot of training to do if they were going to stand a chance being able to step toe to tow with a damned god.
Maybe she needed a rapier with some enchantments since her ax wouldn't have the reach to keep this god at a distance, plus she would look all cool and refined in front of her soul mate and that made her enjoy the idea even more. she could even wear a tight fitting suit and really blow Buffys mind with how well she could clean up and add a cool looking sword and boom! B's a puddle of mush on the floor, putty in her hands and she could barely hide her grin as she took the blonde Slayer into a loving embrace whilst Spike was in the background teaching Dawn how to throw a mean right hook.
~~*
Ruby was enjoying a cup of green tea with a hint of mint as the red headed Witch Willow entered her store, she was thoroughly aware of who she was after her research into this dimension and of course her Slayers had told her everything about the young fledgling Wiccan and her tendency to do the things she does without regard for anyone but herself and her own desires. Ruby could sense she was gifted magically and she desperatly needed to be honed into a real Witch with realistic control and Boundaries but unless Faith asked her to deal with it Ruby had decided to remain impartial as of yet.
Ruby in her human form was quite tall and many would say she had muse like features with wavy but shrt dark hair that hung just a little below her chin but not anywhere near the middle of her slender white neck. Ruby had modelled herself off of Faith but decided to go for a more librarian style of disguise with a tall but slender form, well dressed and piercing purple eyes which she had read were rare and could be a great conversation starter. plus Faith had told Ruby it made her look more mystical and since she now owned two buisnesses in seperate dimensions, why shouldn't she look a bit more magically inclined.
Of course her original form would scare anyone who saw it, except Faith. she was never afraid of what she really looked like under all her robes, the myriad of hands and her blue skin and her alien like skin really scared alot of demons let alone humans. Ruby remembered the first time her friend had seen her without a robe on by complete accident, she hadn't even screamed like everyone always did. she just asked her how her morning was and if she knew where she had misplaced her gunbelt, which had funnily enough led her to but the 1911 she currently uses since they never did find that gun or the belt she had completly lost that day.
Willow came over to where Ruby was standing in her stylish very stylish boho chic looking skirt which was a deep eye catching blue with golden trim and her blouse was a flowing crisp white with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and it was tucked in with a button or two open too show oh her new magically evoked 'assets'. from the nervous way the pretty young red headed witch was acting it was obvious her disguise was quite the success it seemed.
"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be Ruby would you?" Willow managed to finally choke out whilst having alot of problems trying to find a place to rest her eyes and failing every single time as the Beautiful Enchantress turned elegantly on the baclls of her feet and used one hand to lightly slam a magical tome shut and face the cute freckled with with a domainant, piercing gaze.
Her voice was the same as always, femimine but full of dominance and commanding and it made the nervous redhead almost shrivel up as the taller enchantress began speaking. "Ahh! good morning Miss Rosenberg, Your friend will arrive shortly as you may already be aware, she is currently on Edmire street and from what i can see will not be dilly dallying... oh wait, Dawn just dragged Faith into the coffee shop. but of course you should already know that with your own abilities". Ruby was well aware the witch couldn't sense auras yet or see from afar with altered projection, hell she was sure the girl had no idea how to even astral project herself yet either.
Willow stuttered nervously in response. "Umm, no, no i have no idea how to do those things... i'm new to all the witchy mojo and spooky stuff" Ruby motioned over to her diligent worker Anya who was on her way to help a customer over the other end of the shop. she turned back to Willow with a slight cocky smile as she was thoroughly aware of the girl and many, many other things by now and had done copious amounts of physical and magical research during her immagration to this dimension.
"Well that is quite a shame since Buffy always spoke so highly of you, she was absoloutly adamant you knew what you were doing more than anyone here in this dimension... well i wouldn't have so readily bslieved her if my dear Faith had not concured with her evaluation of your abilities. such a shame you obviously have no formal training. mind you this dimension is not really filled to the brim with talented magic users..." Ruby manouvered herself over to the back of the magic box and Willow followed her like a lost sheep as the witch was completly aware why she was here in the first place.
"You obviously crave power, i will not teach you unless Faith condones it. do you understand me Miss Rosenberg?" Ruby had almost read her mind with ease as she placed a quick yet powerful blocking spell on all the dark and light magical tomes in the shop so Willow could no longer see or read them.
"What, did... you do, i can't focus on the books, i'm not even sure they are really there anymore" Willow rubbed her eyes until the books were just completly invisible to her and Ruby suddenly closed the gap between them and leaned down towards the girls face and whispered with a strong tone to her voice.
"Unless my Faith deems it so you will find no power here and anyway, if i teach you... you will learn to listen because your little ego that you are secretly hiding in the back of your pretty little head will never get the best of me!" Ruby then waved her hand and Willow was now sitting at the table with a cup of tea in her hand and Ruby was across from her with her own cup and was lightly sipping her mint and green tea as she allowed Willow to react to the non chalant use of her formidable powers.
"I thought you were the boss, why on earth would you listen to Faith you're stronger, bett..." Willow couldn't even finish her sentence as her throat closed instantly and her cup floated silently to place itself perfectly upon the table as she was magically held in place for a few seconds as her face turned blue and her eyes became blood shot as she was deprived of air.
"You will never offend my dear friend in my presence again, she has more class and elegance in a strand of hair than you possess in your entire being! you do not know her, you have no idea who she is you jealous and petty weak willed little dimestore witch!" Ruby allowed her breath again and as the Witch panicked and choked on her sharply inhaled breaths Anya was helping the customer she had been turned to with his purchase and he left the store with a happy smile on his face.
Anya knew the customer hadn't seen or heard a thing as Ruby had cast a spell to disguise what she was saying and doing to the witch from anyone who she didn't want to be privy to her conversation. Anya decided it was better to just look on as the red headed girl crashed to the floor and heaved as she tried to get control of her breathing again.
"When you are done choking on your words down there little one, pretty please with a cherry on top... apologise for your words before i lose my temper!" Ruby sipped on her tea again as Willow choked out an apology as she managed to rise to her feet after a few moments and slide back onto her seat rather unelegantly as she was still coughing and heaving on her lost breath and her skin slowly began to look less purple again.
"I'm Sorry... I..." Willow began but Ruby didn't want to hear it and magically sowed her mouth shut to where the skin had bonded together and the witch began to panic but noticed the enchantress was completly calm and she decided it was in her best interest to calm down and listen. panicking wasn't getting her anywhere.
"You will learn to have a bit of class in my presence Red! and i promise if i ever hear one single solitary god damned word of disgust or disdain directed towards my close friend ever again... Buffy and she will never have to worry about your lack of good decision making skills ever again!" Ruby magically unsowed her mouth and Willow remained completly silent yet wide eyed as she realised that this magical gifted Enchantress before her was more than she could ever begin to handle.
"Good, silence is golden. Anya, my dear Slayers will be here soon and we will be adjourning to the training room to discuss buisness. you are in charge of the shop floor while i am away" Ruby smiled softly towards the giddy blonde who was happy she had something to do that wasn't vengeance or Xander related for once. "ok boss, i'll do my best, just don't torture Willow too much, Buffy is really protective of her and it never ends well when people attack her friends" Anya warned the enchantress who just looked at the blonde blankly and then towards the witch who could tell Ruby was completly unphased by the seemingly empty threat.
"I'll take my chances, especially since the god Glorificus is coming to town next year, we have so much to prepare for! it's all rather fun don't you think little witch?" Ruby place her tea cup down gracefully on the table and Willow was too frightened to answer as she heard the door open and in rolled her best friend, her lover, her sister and somehow from the early morning sun Spike of all people.
"Hey Red beat us here? thank god she can help us with Dru!" Spike was sipping on a coffee that was just a little too sweet for his undead taste buds but he didn't find himself chucking it away so it was a good thing he let Dawn convince him to have a coffee as well as everyone else, except for Faith who had a Dr pepper.
Ruby arose from her seat and glided almost impossibly across the floor of her magic box and was met by a smiling Faith who brought her in for an embrace quicker than she usually did. "oh you poor thing, i can sense it all over you both, how much you miss home" Ruby whispered so only Buffy and Faith could hear her as Spike was i troducing himself to Anya and Dawn was looking around at the magical paraphanalia perfectly perched upon many shelves and tables.
Buffy spoke back in a low and breathy tone that wasn't unpleasent to Faith or Ruby's ears. "the sooner we can go home the better, i miss everything and nothing here feels right! even Dawn slept in our bed last night" Buffy found herself bringing Ruby in for an unexpected hug and suprisingly Ruby had hugged her back and even began stroking her hair to try and calm her down somewhat.
"Our poor little Goldielocks can't wait for friday it seems, thank the snake lord you'll be home every weekend eh! hold out until then, you have us you know... don't forget that" Ruby let her go and stepped to the side and pointed her hand towards the freshly choked red head who looked absoloutly petrified that she was even in this store and Buffy figured that Ruby had given her a much needed taliing too, much like the first time she met Buffy and the blonde Slayer had really needed that for a kick in the ass.
"You slapped the fear of god into her Ruby! the poor girl has never met someone like you... you could have used a softer hand ya know!" Faith rushed over to the witch and noticed how she recoiled in fear as Faith moved way faster than anything the girl had ever seen and was kneeling down next to her at the table and using magic to heal her bruised neck which was now purple and discolored.
"Please, i can sense the ego and lack of control in the girl, she'll be evil in a year or two after she over uses the dark magic of thos dimension. all the magic here is tainted, even the wicca based nature stuff... this dimension needs a rebalancing magically" Ruby was now walking over towards Dawn and began chatting to her as she left Faith and Buffy to deal with their friend.
Faith whispered an apology to Willow, "Hey Red... she's tough but she's just looking out for you. but i'm sorry she choked you" Faith was now almost completly fi ished healing the witch and she was shocked to her core as Willow rushed her and brought her into a vice like grip of a hug.
Willows voice cracked and faltered as she whispered in Faiths ear, "please... don't let her hurt me... she's evil" Faith sighed as she picked the girl up and told Buffy she would take Willow into the training room until she felt right again and Buffy trusted her dear lover to deal with her best friend as she discussed the 'Spike' problem and that soon they would have vampire visitors hunting him down.
Buffy hated to see Willow like that, her eyes wide and frightened but Ruby was right in the long run and she always was. the magic was corrupting her and she was becoming way too reliant on it to the point she hadn't seen her best friend anywhere near a computer for up to a year before they graduated. Maybe she was going off the deep end, Red was eagle eyed with most things but magically was something Buffy could not argue with and yet the fact Faith was the first to defend her once best friend really brought out the distance Buffy truly felt with everyone here except her Dawn.
"You are allowed to feel the way you do Buffy, they've always lived vicariously through you. the slayers are the heros of this dimension, if she wanted too truly be the hero she could... but she will not and you know it deep down" Ruby had sent the words telepathically so only they could hear each other silently amidst a room of people.
"She's a good woman deep down, but you hit the nail on the head... Faiths too kind with her but i like that, i adore how soft she can be... even with someone who despises her with a passion" Buffy wordlessly spoke back through their magical connection and a worried look to her eyes which caused Ruby to ask Dawn to go and make sure her mother was ok also wordlessly and without Buffy aware that she had specifically called Buffy her 'mother'.
Dawn had become acutely aware and accepting of her faux sisters actual familial designation in her life and had all but in words fully accepted Buffy as her mother and Faith as her Father, "Sooo how long till we get down to planning and someone teaches me how to sword fight or swash buckle... wait is swash buckling always sword fighting or just general pirate mayhem... could i swash buclle with a candle holder?" Dawn asked trying to lighten Buffys mood.
It seemed to work as she sniggered and tried to hold in a stifled giggle "I would trust you with the sword alot more than a candle holder, didn't you almost stab yourself once with the sharp one mum chucked out. but we could get you a neat eye patch, that's piratey themed". Buffy Looked over to the closed training room door and back towards the others and decided she would go and check on Faith and Willow.
Buffy was worried Willow was probably giving her the buisness as she had always posessed a sharper tongue around her beautiful brunette lover and it had began to annoy Buffy along time before they had even started dating and this was Buffys longest and deepest relationship and she really didn't need Willow placing a wedge between them. she couldn't succeed but Buffy was already worried about the effect this place had on them for so long and she loved the way they both were now.
Buffy had secretly had a plan that if anything went wrong she would kidnap Faith and force Ruby to close off this dimension and make sure she brings Dawn with her as well, Ruby had even agreed to it and even had the magic prepared just in case Glorificus was too much to handle. Faith was obviously left in the dark but she had to be for her secret backup plan to work in the long run if anything went wrong.
"I'm gonna go check on Faith, Rubles Dawn will fill you in on the Drusilla situation and i dunjo beat up William over there and ensoul him if ya get bored i dunno!" Buffy smiled and winked as Spike held him hands up in surrender as the pretty enchacntress gave the vampire a look which shook him to his very core. Dawn thankfully took charge and began to explain the situation as Buffy entered into the back room Ruby and Anya had turned into their own personal training room for the Slayers and she snuck in and closed the door behind her silently and stayed in the shadows and listened to Faith consoling her friend.
"Hey Red, you are going to be safe ok, i'll deal with Ruby and make sure she never does this again... but don't bad mouth people to her! Rubys a short tempered kinda girl ya know" Faith was kneeling before Willow and looking up at her as she massaged the poor girls hands she was holding and was holding her gaze with a soft and understanding look.
"You're supposed to be evil, why do you even care what happened? why would you give a damn if she choked me to death, you won... you stole Buffy from us" Willow wasn't angry as she let those words out into the room and Faith wasn't even angry, she sighed and seemed saddened by her words which wasn't the response Willow was expecting.
"I never pretended to be good Willow, i'm myself and i can be a bit rough round the edges and hard headed... i'm working on it. But i wouldn't want you choked to death, never wanted it once, maybe sometimes you deserved a slap. more than twice, but i don't hate you, wouldn't be any point too anyway" Faith lifted her hand up and cupped the witches hands together and began breathlessly casting a spell for calm she had learned to soothe her girlfriends mind recently whenever she was too stressed.
After the spell had ended she explained what she had done. "I learned that spell recently for B ya know, she's been scared to come back hree and if you can't tell by now, she wants to gk home with me and Dawn in tow. I didn't steal her Red, i loved her from the first moment i saw her in the bronze, i was so jealous of Angel, that she would choose him, some pedophilic vamp over me..." Faith looked down and averted her eyes from looking the witch directly in the face. the memories still stung as those feelings came back with a steely vengeance as they pierced her heart.
"Ya know the first time i saw her was a year and 2 months after i fell through that portal, i... i had given up by that point, i had friends but i was always alone, i threw myself into bounty hunting. i didn't drink, i went home every night and just read books or sketched way too much..." Faith was rubbing the bacm of Willows hands again as softly as with as much cade as she could.
"Then she just popped outta nowhere, after we had come back from a bounty and you know B, she attacked me on sight" Faith chuckled at the memory and al the strange feeling she had felt suddenly rushing back to her as if it was yesterday once more.
"I choked her out, i was vastly stronger and yet i instantly knew without any hesitation that i had to help her, it's a rough place Al-Kufir and i couldn't let her make my mistakes and she never did, hell we made it the safest little town and now one of the richest..." Faith said the last words with pride as Willow listened to what she had to say.
"The first night she stayed in my house, our house now and... can you keep a secret Red?" Faith asked her and Buffys ear perked up from her hidden spot by the door and she listened intently as she had no idea what her girl was about to say.
"I had it in my head and she doesn't know this but i wanted her to kill me, i had no intention of fighting her back if she had attacked me i would of let her do it. no if's or buts... hell she nevef even noticed the knife i left on the bedside table for her to do it with. But she held me, i was weak and she held me, she let me feel something i had never felt before and if she had slit my throat in my sleep... it would have been the happiest moment of my life" Faith gave the Witch an almost dead eyed look as Willow realised what the dark Slayer was telling her and what she was really admitting too.
Buffy hadn't noticed the knife that night she hadn't even known that Faith was feeling suicidal, she was more confused by the way the tall and vastly stronger brunette made her feel as they spent the night in eachothers embrace. for her it was a freeing moment of love, for Faith it was an admission of truth, acceptance and a bid for oblivion. she knew from Faith directly in private how dark the womans thoughts could get, but she had never known how truly suicidal she was back then, Faith had never said. she had just looked after her and made sure she was ready for all the trials they had faced ahead of them.
"i never took her from you Red, she stole me... i was planning to make sure she had everything she needed, get her a portal home before Ruby learned some crazy new magics she had never had interest in before and then she would of been here in Sunnydale with you! you would of never seen me again, i'd probably have put a gun in my mouth and been done with it all, had a plan too..." Faiths clciked her jaw and shook her head as Willow couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Why are you telling me this, why would you ever tell anyone?..." Willow asked with a shocked and very perplexed and worried look upon her face.
Faith put willows hands back down on her lap and placed hers upon them as she looked her directly in the face with an honest look scribbled across her face. "Because it's just how it is and was, Buffy saved me... she's my hero Red! and i know i don't deserve her, i know that every damn day... but she, she... she allows me to feel something i've never felt before, she fills this horrid life with so much light and warmth." Faith smiled softly as she let Willows hands go and stood up and turned her back on the girl.
"She's the only person in this fucked up world whose ever loved me and i really didn't know why, why she would love something as disgusting as me... as pathetic..." Faith found herself chuckling lightly to herself as she spun back round on her heel and looked at the teary eyed witch sitting on a wooden stool still and waiting for her to finish her words up even though she didn't have any idea on what to say in return.
"Maybe one day you can ask her? but me, i aint gonna question it anymore... she wants me, she loves me and i've never been happier. sometimes i can't believe this is my life, i got the first person i ever fell in love with and we built a beautiful life together... but she doesn't wanna be here Red and you guys helped do that too her, not me... i will never be your scapegoat!" Faith almost found herself pointing her finger in her face and stopped herself before she did.
"I'll help you with Ruby, Red... i'll fix your friendship with Buffy if i have too and hell i'll even convince Ruby to train you magically if ya want..." Faith began to walk away but stopped in her tracks as Willow asked "Why? why would you do this for me, what do you want from me?" Willow seemed to still think this was all apart of some evil plan and yet she seemed to also believe what Faith had told her fully without reservation.
"I don't want a damn thing from you Red, i just want Buffy to be happy and if i ever die for some reason, hell maybe from this god that's coming next year... she's deserves to have her best friend by her side. even if you can be a complete an utter cunt waffle at times" Faith continued towards the door until she saw Buffy looking back at her as she stepped out of the shadows and Faith realised she may have heard everything she had just said.
The darker, taller slayer looked like a deer in the headlights and even Willow tightened up as she realised what had just happendd. Buffy however came out of the gate guns blazing.
"Don't you ever! EVER! think about killing yourself again... you are my world Faith! i love you more than anything or anyone else in this world or the god damned next!" Buffy closed the gap between them and suddenly slapped the taller girl who just stood there in place and worldlessly took the lightning fast whip crack of her lovers palm and it forced Willow to jump back off her seat and slowly move herself back away from the girls in an act of self preservation.
"B, i..." Faith couldn't muster another word as Buffy silenced her with another slap that she stood there and took whichout movjng a muscle or raising her own hand in defence.
"You are the love of my life you jackass, my soulmate! i stayed with you because you give my life warmth and meaning. you make me want to wake up in the morning just to see you laying next to me! i promise you that if you ever die i will be right behind you Faith Lehane! you don't get to exist without me and i don't care how selfish it sounds! you are mine, i am yours!" Buffy angrily grabbed her by the scruff of her shirt and pulled her close.
"You have no idea how much it hurts me, to know you wanted me to kill you! and to tell her that and not me... i stayed with you because you are my home! because wherever you are is always where i want to be" Buffys bottom lip was quivering with rage and hurt as her heart felt as if it was burning in pain as she had to suffer hearing how Faith had felt.
"She has to know the truth Buffy, you know how little i care about myself... you know everything about me, all my secrets are yours... i've told you before many times i never cared once if i live or die. all i care about is you, it's only ever been you baby!" Faith fell to her knees as she felt Buffy forced her too with her magic and she did as she was forced to do and Buffy pulled her close and held her head against her rock hard abs and stroked the back of her head.
"I fucking hate this hellhole, we should of never come back here... i should be forcing to drag us home and close our dimension off fully wnd just let the idiot god Glorificus destroy this disgustjng place" Buffy was absoloutly pissed but she needed Faith to be held against her, she needed to feel her soft long and wavy hair curl through her fingers.
Willow suddenly spoke up "Don't you even care about what happens to us here, you would run away and close your other dimension off and leave us here to die?!" and Buffy shot her a look which made it clear that 'yes, she would' but Buffy made it clear and answered her.
"i left this place to you Willow, you were my replacement, the hero and you kept trying to drag me back because you couldn't handle it... you wanted this fight Wills, you told me yourself and you used to be much stronger than me and yet i have to come back here and fix everything again! for what?" Buffy looked down towards Faith as she looked upnat her with a loving look in her eyes.
"Everything i have ever wanted, doesn't want to live and i can't live without her... you have no idea what love is Willow, you have no damn idea who i really am and i don't think you ever did in the first place" Buffy knelt down and kissed Faith passionatly and whispered in her ear.
"We are one, if you die i will die with you. i am yours Faith, i forgive you but from now on, when you feel these things... only share them with me. i know you want to help and you always fix my problems but i can't exist here in this hell without you... promise me! you will never discuss these things with anyone but me and Dawn... we are your family Faith! we are your blood!" Buffy held her forhead to her soulmates and sent happy and loving feeling mentally with magic too make sure Faith was aware fully of how she really feels.
Willow was angry and lost, writhing with emotions and also still shocked about how little Buffy cared about her anymore, how distant she was from her once best friend and fellow fighter of dark forces. but she remained silent and made a decision at this point. she needed to learn how to be a stronger witch.
The red headed witch had slowly began to realise as time went on that although Buffy was passionate and she was with Angel, her and Faith were on a higher plane and as her best friend was holding her lover closer and consoling her she was shocked at how silly she had been this entire time. fhey were like a deeply in love married couple and as Buffy had obviously grown exponentially in power, she had aged in mind as well.
Suddenly a door in the back opened up slowly and creaked open as Drusilla herself and an army of 20 vampires appeared out of what seemed to be the basement. Buffy and Faith had already sensed them a minute ago and were completly ready but knew Drusilla couldn't ignore a monolouge before doing battle.
Buffy whispered softly 'hands, guns or magic baby?' and Faith replied with a soft kiss on her lips before she spoke in her usual husky tone. "protect Red, i'll clean this up as an apology to you my love' and Faith turned to meet the vamps and her magically silenced 1911 appeared in her hands and she noticed a long saber with a regal handgaurd and decided today was the day she put her fencing practice with her girl to good use for once.
"The Slayers bonded in blood, soon to be untainted, united before glory... you plan to steal my brave knight and murdered my Angel!" Drusilla danced as she spoke but hadn't even noticed the speed at which Faith moved and she had already blasted 3 vampires who turned to dust from head shots which was quite a suprise as Faith was a hundred percent sure it would be a disabling type thing and was pleasently suprised it was otherwise.
Buffys gun was too loud and they hadn't placed any sound dampening spells but Faith had already struck and lunged with the space of 3 seconds stake 5 vamps expertly through the heart and was dancing around Drusilla as her goons exploded about her in a frenzy of slowed down panic and wide eyed realisation of what this Slayer truly was.
As Drusilla stopped and faced Buffy terror invaded her senses as the vampires around her had all dissapeared and a thick cloud of their dusty remains fell all around her and Faith had dropped her saber for the last vamp and just hooked his head clean off his neck and he exploded in front of the terrified vampress who was now paralyzed in fear.
"You vamps are alot slower and more paper like then i remember... B, we're never gonna break a sweat in Sunnydale ever again it seems" Faith mocked as Buffy asked Willow if she could go and get Ruby since they were about to do something a little crazy and the witch quickly ran the length of the training room and was out of it in seconds flat and was definetly the fastest either slayer had ever seen the young girl move before.
"You are both wrong and new? detached by oceans of time among stars you lived freely and... plagued by love! you murdered my dear sire for love?" Drusilla was shaking and almost jumped out of her skin as Faith waved her hand and the basement door closed and locked itself quietly and that scared the immortal vampress more than anything else. a controlled Slayer beyond her abilities and now able to calmly control magic far better than their red headed witch.
"Things have changed a little bit Drusilla, oh and Angel deserved it! i regret nothing but hey if you wanna leave this earthly plane finally. who am i to stop you" Faith magically retrieved her long silver saber and held it out in preparation for a strike but held firm as she heard the door open and Spike burst through it and slightly behind him only Dawn and Ruby who looked like she was fully aware of what was happening.
"My brave knight has come to liberate his princess from her high and treachorous tower! there is a light on the horizont... twilight or mayhaps, the dawn" Drusillas eyes darted from William the bloodys worried face and straight to the confused countenance of the Slayers magical blood and held in place for longer than anyone would have liked.
"Finally fhe mad seeress has arrived... i even left the sewer entrance open for you and you couldn't even last 10 seconds... oh well my Faith is beyond compare as usual, also she was playing with them. you can go alot faster than that" Red cheekily grinned as she watched her friends hold the demoness in place and keep her full focus on the goal in sight.
"Sorry i overestimated their abilities Ruby blue, she brought over twenty and they didn't even have time to barely react. plus did you know my 1911 can dust vamps, must be the enchantment or sommin" Faith grinned but remained focused as Ruby glided over to the deadly vampiress dangerously close and began to adress her directly under and powerful fierce gaze.
"You have a choice seeress, Faith here will free you of this mortal coil and your torment will finally be ended. it's almost a gift at this point for you, don't you think?" Ruby slyly grinned and Drusilla knew she couldn't even lay a finger on the witch before being eviscerated and it had nothing to do with the uber Slayer on steroids she had at her obvious beck and call. Drusilla could see in her eyes that this Sorceress was dangerous and something to be feared so she kept her mouth uncharacteristically shut.
"Or you and William over here will have your souls returned, none of that silly happiness curse your little girl loving sire had to endure. just your soul returned to you plain and simple with absoloutly no chains attached" Ruby turned her back to the regally dressed gothic woman and allowed her to think for a moment and was waiting for a complete and outright refusal of the offer.
But the vampress was silent and looking at everyone in the room one by one but ended up on Spike at the very end and asked him "Is this what you want William, for us to suffer under the morning light. nothing can save us but ourselves, we are born and live of the night and nothing can change change what truly are" Ruby understood her perfectly it seems and she was anout to give Faith the go ahead but it was Buffy who stood between them and said her piece for Drusillas defence.
"She might be mad, but we don't know if she'll be her original self or not when she has a soul, same as Spike over there. it's a gamble! but its one we should take... i mean they both deserve a chance don't they? Buffy looked worried that they would both lose any chance at absoloution they could get, that they would always remain evil but with a soul they would both have the chance to try and live again and maybe together at that.
Anything could happen after they receive their souls, hell Drusilla could be crazier but they had made a deal with Spike and if she was honest with herself completly. she would prefer an ensouled Spike walking around than the evil bloodsucker who was rarely ulturistic unless he directly could profit from it.
"Well look luvs, Dru's as mad as a hatter at the best of times so how about instead of staking her and sending the poor girl to the big old bearded ponce in the sky, how about we just get ensouled and try our hardest to overcome what happens cause if she goes... i aint far behind" Spike wasn't speaking like his usual cocky self, he was almost beggin and wore a face of worried fear but not for himself. he was worried for what Ruby or Faith would do and was pleasently suprised that Drusilla of all people was being given a chance by Buffy, someone who loathed and despised her for many reasons.
"Well... it is a possibility and a non mad seeress would be a great boon for us before the mad idiot god appears, i'll leave the decision up to my wonderful girls. Buffy, Faith make a decision and tell me what to do and it shall be so" Ruby turned to the nervous vampiress and gave the undead monstrosity and piercing look as she raised her hand and placed it powerfully upon her breast.
"Save her!" Faith and Buffy said in unison and Ruby began to chant in some unknown language before outstretching her other hand and Spike flew towards her and began to be filled with a soul shattering light as Drusilla herself screamed and the room shook with a deep and violent shaking which made Dawn imagine the entire shop collapsing upon them with how long it lasted. the poor girl felt wobbly on her feet as the moments passed by quickly and Ruby suddenly let thrm both go and they both fell to the ground unconcious.
"Well now we wait and see what happens, lock the back and basement doors magically and when they awake we shall greet them and see what kind of problems a new soul will encroach upon them both after so long without one" Ruby left the training room and noticed how quickly Buffy herself was locking the doors magically as she had commanded and was shocked at how obedient the blonde bounty hunter could be.
Faith walked Dawn out behind her and left the training room door open for Buffy as she knew for a fact she would be joining them quickly and then they could finally go over their game plan for dealing with the evil in this dimension.
Buffy herself was looking forward to finally dealing with not just the god to come but the hellmouth itself, then they could finally go home and stay there and she could live the dream she had always wanted to live. her happy ending with the one she loves more than anything and now her magically evoked daughter. of course she would give Dawn a choice to live in whatever dimension she wanted but to her and Faith Al-Kufir was home. this place seemed more like a bad memory day by day and this was their second.
"Always thought wensdays were tough... oh well, when you two wake up we'll already have our plan worked out start scouring this town of all its evils... kinda hope you both get your happy ending. lord knows i want the same" Buffy whispered to herself as she left the training room and closed the door behind her but didn't lock it as she wanted them both to come this way the first chance they got so they could control any frenzy or mild psychosis they experienced from being reinsouled.
~~*
After a lengthy discussion and suprise visit from the rest of the gang, Xander, Giles and Oz were shocked to hear what they were planning to do and just how dangerous this god was to the very fibre of their dimension. Ruby had left out Dawns magical birth as that was only something to be discussed between the slayers and her, Dawn herself was subconciously aware but not fully aware in her everyday. she just knew for a fact in her heart and soul that Buffy and Faith were her parents and felt a strange ambivalence towards Joyce who she called mother but seemed more to her to be a grandmother.
Ruby had made it clear that they could tell Dawn whenever they wish but it wasn't going to end well as technically the girl was a little over a month old with false memories they were all burdened with, all except Ruby of course as the magics the monks had used was vastly inferior to anything she could now conjure. her new mastery of all these new types of magic from her homeland was a natural progression for her clan and in another 100 or 200 years she may be even stronger and she was excited at the prospect.
But her future magical abilities did not matter right now as the more human of the group had decided they were all completly screwed and couldn't really do much at all compared to Ruby herself and the new and improved Slayers. Buffy was suprised how quickly Willow took a stand and had decided that she would join the fight, she wanted to learn more magic and she needed to be better than the person she feared she was becoming as of late.
Ruby had told Faith if she wlled it to be then Willow could join in on their magic lessons and they could all learn together, afterall they all needed as much training as they could get before Glorificus arrived and this dimension was filled with evil just ready to be on the receiving end of a magical genocide.
"So weekdays are training both magical and physical until the new school year start and Dawn is back in school and Willow in university and then we'll have to change the timetable a bit. also me and Faith will be home every friday night to monday morning... Ruby goes home every night the lucky..." Buffy had to stop herself from swearing as the enchantress had to stifle a cheeky laugh and pretend she wasn't secretly amused by the fact Faiths lover was jealous of her simply going home ever night.
"Faith and i will basically be here to train and hunt, we work here for Ruby and receive a paycheck so everything is above board and we don't seem like directionless retards tk the outside observer, i.e the goverment" Buffy smiled cutely as Giles came forward and asked what exactly he would be doing in the grand scheme of things and it was Faith that answered him directly from her seat next to Buffy on the table.
"You can do whatever you want Big man, find a wife, settle down... have fun and hey if you wanna help us and Ruby out just do so. no one is stopping you from either staying or going but it would be preffered if you stayed personally" Faith wasn't angry sounding or mean, she was just simply more matter of factly as Giles could stay and fight if he wanted and hell so could Xander but he had just told thrm he was close to landing a possible job in construction which peaked Anyas interest quite a bit.
"I must admit i don't quite know what to say or do anymore, it seems like everything has changed so quickly im in quite the tailspin as you americans would say" Giles gave a light but subdued chuckle and decided he would go home and spend some more time thinking about what he would be doing in the coming months as he was now sure he was certainly not needed anymore by his Slayer or her partner either.
Giles said his goodbyes and promised he would soon return after making a somewhat educated decision on what he was going to do but first he was going to visit a lady friend and simply enjoy himself a bit before he decided to walk down one specific path.
Xander was looking forward to the possibility of his new job and Anya seemed even more interested in him and was being rather blunt ss per usual but Xander was having none of it as he left not long after Giles and told them all he would be around to keep fighting the good fight and if they needed him they should call. Buffy was happy knowing she wouldn't be completly losing her old friends and it was at that moment she realised Faith had been right to not throw them all under the bus.
Willow herself was looking forward to learning as much magic as she could get her hands on but Buffy did warn there was alot more meditation and reading than she was used to and it seemed like thst made the young redhead all the more happier and her enthusiasm was quite contagious as Faith took her and Dawn to the side and began to go over the very basics again and again until it was drilled Into their heads.
"So Rubles, lots a training and lots a waiting it seems" Faith was enraptured in the learning process they could all share together just like Willow was and that was when she truly knew this whole thing could work. all she had to do was work her ass off to get it all done, no matter the cost. this was for Buffy and Dawn, their future was everything to her and she would give them a future no matter the cost.