FIC: Slayer X (2/4)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Slayer X

Cilia

Chapter Two: The Calling

 

Buffy waved at Faith through the glass of the medical cubical, she’d successfully gotten her out of Boston withthe minimum of trouble, still they weren’t out of the woods yet since theagents of order never willingly gave up on their assigned target, so Faith was still in danger.

            “You going soft on me X?” Willow asked as she joined her.     

            “Just making the new kid feel welcome Doctor,” Buffy replied and rubbed her knuckles.

            “You’re bruised,” Willow stated as she took Buffy’shand and studied it.

            “It’ll heal, that demon had a pretty thick skull,” Buffy said and tried to withdraw the hand.

            “You probably fractured it and 'it’ll heal' is no excuse for you not to have it treated,” Willow said firmly as she dragged the Slayer into the nearest unoccupied cubical.

            “Yes Doctor,” Buffy said and rolled her eyes back.

            “Don’t yes doctor me,” Willow said with a small smile. “Sit!” she ordered and Buffy hopped onto the bed.

Willow studied Buffy’s hand, running her fingers over it and flexing it slightly.

            “Make a fist,” she said and Buffy clenched and unclenched her hand into a fist. “I’m going to set it,” Willow said as she reached for a kit.

            “You really…” Buffy started, but Willow placed a finger on her lips.

            “Just indulge me?” she asked with a bit of raw emotion showing in her green eyes. Buffy just nodded, scared of what she saw in Willow eyes. There was silence as Willow set Buffy’s hand and then placed a cold pack on her knuckles.

            “This should reduce the swelling,” she said as she held the back in place.

Buffy covered Willow’s hand with her own and for moment their eyes locked, but only for a moment and then it was gone and Willow withdrew her hand.

            “I’m putting you in charge of guarding Faith,” she said.

            “Understood,” Buffy nodded and left. Leaving Willow alone in the cubical thinking about how many protocol and regulations she had just come close to breaking.

 

Buffy entered the changing room and rammed her fist into the nearest locker, leaving a sizeable dent in the metal of the door.

            “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” she muttered to herself.

            “X?” Faith asked, causing Buffy to turn around. Faith was looking at her with a puzzled look, she’d been dressed in the trainee uniform, and the very same uniform Buffy remembered having hated when she was brought in. It was a school uniform, very British, very grey and very unimaginative. “You okay?” she asked.

            “Fine, just fine,” Buffy said. “Just beating myself over the head,” she explained.

            “Want me to help?” Faith asked.

            “Oh you are just a laugh a minute aren’t you kiddo?” Buffy asked.

            “Well Doc sent me to get you, some guy named Spike is returning with some guy named Angel,” Faith said. “Doesn’t anybody here have a normal name?” she asked.

            “Willow is normal Kiddo,” Buffy said.

            “The Doctor,” Faith stated. “Yeah real normal,” she said. “What’s up with you and her anyways?” she asked.

            “Slow down Kiddo, one thing at a time,” Buffy said as she led Faith out of the changing room.

            “Okay X and Doc’s UST a no-no zone, check!” Faith said and Buffy just sighed.

 

Buffy watched as the Harrier came toa stop in the underground hangar bay. The canopy was opened and two men stoodup. Buffy felt the slight change in air pressure as the doors hissed open and then the slight breeze as a young woman in a white lab coat brushed past them. Angel jumped down from the cockpit and ran to meet the woman.

            “They know each other?” Faith asked.

            “You might say that,” Buffy answered with smile as the two met in a fiercehug that quickly turned into kissing.

            “He’s been on recon in Canada for the past month,” Buffy explained.

            “Knock it off you two,” Spike said as walked past the kissing couple.

            “Faith I’d like you to meet Spike,” Buffy said with a grin.

            “This the new kid?” Spike asked, peering at Faithwith his one good eye.

            “Don’t scare the rookie,” Angel said as he joined them with his arm wrapped around the woman who had so eagerly greeted him.

            “And this is Liam and Cordelia,” Buffy said with a sly grin. “I hateto rain on your parade but Willow wants to see us,” she said.

            “Hi!” Faith said with a wave.

            “Babysitting, X?” Cordelia asked. Cordelia was special among the group in the fact that she was almost totally human. “Don’t let her give you any trouble,” she said and ruffled Faith’s hair. Once the pair and Spike were out of sight Faith turned to Buffy.

            “What’s up with that?” she asked.

            “Cordy and Liam can’t have children,” Buffy explained with a sad tone in her voice. “Let’s go meet Doc,” Buffy then said and led Faith back inside.

 

Willow watched as the group filtered into the conference room, she’d been in communications with the Watcher Corporations main office in London and they’d just sent in new orders.

            “Thank you for coming,” Willow said. “I’ll try to keep this brief,” she added with a slight smile at Angel and Cordelia.

            “What’s so important that it can’t wait for me to shower?” Spike asked placing his feet on the table.

            “I’ve just been sent communications by the main office,” Willow explained. “And the news is not good,” she said.

            “What is it this time, end of the world?” Cordelia asked. “Cause we’ve done that like ten times this year,” she said with a waveof her hand.

            “We are to prepare for the coming of The Calling,” Buffy said without looking up. “I’m right,” she added.

            “Yes, Buffy is right,” Willow nodded. “The Calling is coming and its center will be here,” Willow said and Faith raised her hand.

            “Yes Miss Spencer?” Willow asked.

            “What’s the Calling?” Faith asked.

            “The Calling is when a supreme Slayer is selected,” Spike explained. “And a supreme Slayer coming out on either side is very bad,” he added.

            “Supreme Slayer, so who’s supreme now?” Faith asked.

            “Nobody,” Buffy stated and there was silence until Willow spoke again.

            “You bunch are the best I’ve got,” Willow said. “Among you, you havethe most experience and you know the stakes better than anybody,” she said. “So be ready.”

            “Spike why don’t you give Faith the run of the place,” Willow suggested when the group was leaving. Once Spike and Faith were gone Willow and Buffy were alone again for the second time that day.

            “I can pull you from the mission if you want,” Willow said.

            “I can do it again,” Buffy said firmly. “It wasn’t that hardthe first time,” she added.

            “Damn it Elisabeth,” Willow almost shouted before she brought herself back under control. “I don’t want this to turn out likethe last time,” she explained. “Be honest with me, can you do it again?” Willow asked.

            “I…” Buffy stammered. “I…” she tried to form the words but they wouldn’t come, instead the memory of the night four years ago floodedher mind.

Her name had been Jenny, she’dbeen her tutor when Spike had brought her in, but what she hadn’t known was the Jenny was also a Slayer, a first waver. Then the Calling came and Jennyhad been turned to the cause of order. She had against orders gone out to find her and when she found her, she couldn’t save her and she’d been forced to end her life. Buffy snapped back to reality feeling Willow rocking her gently.

            “I know, she was my friend too,” Willow whispered.

            “I want you to promise me something?” Buffy asked in a low voice.

            “Anything,” Willow said.

            “If it’s me, kill me,” Buffy stated firmly.

            “I…” Willow stammered.

            “Don’t think about,” Buffy said. “When… if the time comes just…” she trailed of as she looked into Willow’s green eyes.

            “I promise,” Willow whispered. “They’ll see the flare for miles,” she added.

            “You know how many regulations we could be breaking?” Buffy asked.

            “I don’t care,” Willow muttered as she tightened her grip on Buffy slightly.

For the longest time they just sat there, huddled together on the conference room floor and just enjoying it for the first time, to be with each other.

 

To Be Concluded….

 

Title: Slayer X

Part: 2/4

Author: Cilia

Archiving: List archivers and anybody that carries my work

Disclairment: Saving ones ass, I own very little although this is a far stretch from the usual BtVS and Angel shows