Buffy the Vampire Slayer ? Intervention
FanFiction by Phoen Dusk
Chapter V: Facets
?Riley! C?mon, man, you were supposed to be helping
with the refreshments.?
?One of the many privileges of rank, Forrest: delegating.?
Riley barely caught a response muttered by his second-in-command
under his breath, though a few choice words were easily understood.
?What was that??
Turning to face his superior, Forrest caught a glance
from Graham out of the corner of his eye. The contact was brief,
but the message was clear: Don?t. Forrest found himself ignoring
it. ?I said, sir, that you weren?t like this before that blonde girl
came along.?
?That blonde ?girl? is a woman and her name is Buffy.
Correct me if I?m wrong, but did you or did you not encourage pursuit of
the aforementioned woman??
?Understood, sir. Yes I did, sir.? Forrest
stood at attention, raising his right hand in salute. ?Am I dismissed,
sir??
Riley noted the disrespectful tone in his friend?s voice,
but knew it would be pointless to argue it further. ?Dismissed.?
He watched as Forrest pivoted on his heels and proceeded into the kitchen,
his mind obviously in full military mode. Riley inwardly sighed,
wondering why a relationship once encouraged was now the source of so much
tension. He walked into the main hall, hoping to distract himself
with either the final party preparations or the prospect of seeing Buffy
later.
He found the latter to be much more effective.
<*> Angel?s Mansion <*>
?So, Giles, what was it you had to tell Buffy??
?What?? Clearing his head of the tangle of thoughts
brought about by Tara and Uriel?s departure, he was summoned back to the
group by the question poised by Willow. ?Ah, yes, of course.?
Turning to face his former charge, he caught sight of both Slayers? hands
linked together in a gesture of support and chose to ignore it. The
issue might need to be addressed later, but for now Faith?s help would
more than likely be necessary. ?Last night I was listening to the
Initiative operate in the field in case they stumbled across Adam.?
?Did they??
?No, Buffy, though one of their teams was accosted by
a trio of vampires.?
?So B missed a few vamps on patrol. No big deal,
Giles. We?ll get ?em tonight.?
?The vampires were assisted by a pair of large, horned
demons.?
?I thought demons hated vampires.?
?That is what we?ve come to understand, Willow.
It seems as though something, or rather someone, is now bringing them together.?
?Adam.?
?Precisely, Buffy. I located an entry in one of
the Watcher Journals from five centuries ago that seems comparable to our
situation. At that time, a powerful vampire and his Childe were accomplishing
the same task. I must say though, they were not nearly as successful
as Adam appears to be.?
?So, who exactly is this ?Adam? guy??
?Faith, imagine every really nasty demon you?ve ever run
up against dissected, harvested, then stitched together into a walking,
seven-foot death-machine that doesn?t even budge when you hit him and has
plans to? do we know what he?s planning yet, Giles??
?I?m afraid not, Buffy, though I doubt anything pleasant
for us.?
?So, standard game plan??
?Seeing as we have yet to discern any substantial information
about Adam thusfar, I would agree.?
?So, Buffy?s gonna do more extensive patrols, while you?re
in your apartment checking through your books. Maybe you can get Xander
and Anya to help. I?ll check the Internet and look for any helpful
spells with Tara. My guess is Faith?ll kill somebody before working
for Adam.?
<*> Adam?s Cavern <*>
?It would seem as though my plans in dealing with the Slayer
will need to be altered.? The hybrid construct consulted several
screens amid the workstation in his lair, while mentally replaying an oral
report given by a vampire who had happened by Sunnydale?s former high school
last night. He said the Slayer and an unknown man accompanying her
carried a dark-haired female out of the building. From her description
and records from the former Mayor?s office, he was easily able to determine
her identity. Faith. The Rogue Slayer.
?Bring me the vampire known as Spike. Tell him I
wish to make him an offer.? Four vampires made their way towards
a sewer access shaft in one of the cave branches, when they heard the voice
of their current master echo after them. ?Wait. He will not
consider you worth listening to, and will destroy you should you attack.
I shall make the offer in person.?
<*> 115 Degrees 30 Minutes W Longitude <*> 35 Degrees N Latitude <*>
?Um, I thought we were going back to the others??
Uriel gazed about at unfamiliar desert terrain, having expected to return
to the abandoned manor house after leaving Mt. Ziria. He sniffed
the air from the arid plateau he currently found himself upon, catching
a cool, fresh scent carried along on the wind.
?There?s something else I want to discuss with you first.?
?What??
?It has to do with Willow.?
?Something else??
?Um, kinda. I get nervous when I?m with her.?
?Any idea as to why??
?Well, she did manage to join me in a dreamwalk a few
hours ago. I was out here venting some of my frustrations about not
being able to be with her and somehow? she found me.?
?Venting??
?I called a thunderstorm.?
Uriel shook his head, remembering an incident years ago
involving a very young Thyra being thrown from the back of a pony.
She began to cry, her tears soon joined by a torrential downpour that seemed
to purify the area, washing away the dust from the roads and the sweat
from every form of man and beast in sight. ?Well, that explains the
odor.?
?Huh??
?Nothing.? He allowed a smile to greet her slightly
confused features, then watched as she blinked twice and resumed a rather
serious _expression_. He also noticed a slight bit of color rising
in her face, as he wondered what else there might be to this story.
?Now, what was this about a dreamwalk??
?She joined me.?
?Meaning?? He grinned as her blush deepened, then
continued spreading outward.
?It? it isn?t important.?
?Uh-huh. Is that why your cheeks are trying to match
her hair color??
?I?m not getting out of this, am I??
?No, and not just because I think this is going to get?
interesting.? Uriel watched as Tara attempted to direct a stern glare
his way, then broadened his smile when he saw she was incapable of maintaining
it. ?Do you have any idea indication to her potential yet??
?No, though I can sense she?s barely halfway there.?
?Talesin.?
?Um? wow. Really??
?Yeah.? Reaching inside his duster, he pulled out
a pack of clove cigarettes and a black Zippo. Placing one to his
lips and lighting it, he enjoyed a short drag before returning to the conversation.
?Still not sure how I got stuck with this case. Things of this magnitude
should be handled by true Angels, not wingless Fallen.?
The blonde witch reflected thoughtfully for a moment,
recollecting a tale from her youth. ?Didn?t you once tell me that
Angels can only act indirectly with humanity? Things like influencing
others to do what needs to be done??
?You actually remember that story??
?Sure.? Her face lit up slightly before continuing,
realization dawning in regards to his doubts. ?Maybe that?s why you
have to do this? because you can take an active roll in her life.?
?If it were just Willow, I might have an easier time with
that notion. The problem is, I am supposed to help her, Faith, Elizabeth?
even Rupert and some guy named Alexander.?
?Alex? you mean Xander??
?Possibly. Do you know him??
?No, not really. I mean, Willow talks about him,
but I haven?t met him yet. He sounds like a pretty nice guy though,
once you get past the quirky exterior.?
?Okay, so neither of us has any real idea in that department,
then.? He started to replace the cigarettes, then extended the pack
towards his companion. ?Care for one??
?No thanks. I quit smoking a few decades ago when
they started putting in all the additives.?
Nodding, he returned the supplies to his coat and proceeded
to take a healthy drag from the one between his lips. ?Yeah, nothing
quite like the taste of cyanide as it billows into your lungs. Nice
to know these lack that particular problem.?
?That was one reason I stopped, but I also wanted to attend
school at some point. Elementary school records aren?t hard to forge,
but trying to get into college is almost impossible without a full transcript
and a recommendation from a guidance counselor in this Age. So, I
regressed my appearance to adolescence and enrolled in a high school in
northern California half a decade ago.?
?So, what was it like??
Tara lowered her head, shaking it from side to side slightly.
?A miserable experience. For an enlightened era, people seem to be
even more judgmental.?
?Welcome to what your mother feared.?
?She knew??
Taking a long drag and exhaling it slowly, the fallen
angel answered her inquiry. ?Yet another of the other reasons she
left your family. Had she maintained the perceptions they held and
instilled them in you, we would not be able to have this conversation.?
He regarded her for a moment, giving voice to a thought that had been forming
the last few minutes. ?You are much better at this than I remember.?
Puzzlement visible, she replied. ?Better at what??
?Changing topics.?
Casting a look of mock innocence towards him, she countered
his accusation. ?You were the one that brought up Willow?s potential?
and Xander.?
?True, but you did say the reason we came here was because
of the dreamwalk.?
Tara drew in a deep, relaxing breath, holding it a moment
before exhaling and releasing her anxious tension. She then spoke
three words, attempting to convey in them the delight and contentment she
felt the past few hours each time she mentally replayed the event they
described.
?We touched souls.?
Uriel never felt the cigarette fall from his fingers,
nor did the desert seem to respond to its landing. His voice was
faintly louder than a whisper as he voiced his next question. ?How
much did she learn??
?The bond was only beginning to move past the emotional
level when she was pulled away, but I think she knows it was me.?
?I fail to see a problem, then. It seems like she
feels the same way for you that you feel for her, so why?? He stopped
his train of thought as a worried frown slipped onto her face, and another
memory flashed behind his eyes. ?Are you afraid she might end up
like Allene??
Tara?s eyes grew wide with shock at the mention of that
name, then met his soft, concerned gaze. ?How? how did you know about
Allene??
?I met up with one of our mutual friends in Massachusetts
shortly after you left.?
Her head fell back to her chest, as she remembered her
previous lover. ?Oh. Did he tell you about the trial??
?He glossed over most of the details. He did mention
you left before it started.?
?I? I couldn?t watch, knowing I was the cause of her suffering.
She was so young? she didn?t deserve that.?
He saw a tear slide down her left cheek from behind her
hair and stepped forward to embrace her. He stroked her hair gently,
attempting to calm her fears. ?No one deserved to have that happen
to them. You are one of the most caring people I have ever met, Thyra.?
He felt her head tilt up against his chest, as if to protest something
he said, and quickly amended his last statement. ?Sorry. Tara.
Hey, I have known you a lot longer than they have.?
?Thanks for reminding me how old I am.?
?Anytime.? He chuckled at her attitude and briefly
reminisced about the days when he compared his age to that of the lovers
he shared a bed ? or any other solid, available surface ? with. ?Sad
to think I have to live vicariously through someone as young as you.?
She smiled at him, responding with a short, gentle laugh.
?Young??
?Your mother is a spring chicken in comparison.
What makes you think I would consider anything else in regards to yourself??
?I?m older than this nation.?
?Every current nation on the planet put together fails
to come close to my age. Your point would be what, exactly??
?I?m trying to earn their trust while continually lying
to them.?
?Specifically, trying to earn the trust of a certain attractive
redhead I might have met?? He saw her smile return, then caught a
spark of jealousy behind her eyes. It was quickly replaced by embarrassment
as his smile caused her to resume her blush.
?Maybe.?
?A certain redhead who is probably wondering where we
are at this moment??
She blinked once, clearing her thoughts of silken red
hair and the woman whose head it adorned, and focused on his statement.
?Oh. Right. I guess we should go back??
?Sounds like a plan. We can speak more on this matter
later if you wish to.?
Tara nodded in reply, giving a kind smile in lieu of voicing
her thanks for the shoulder offered. She silently gestured and the
two of them were gone in a small flash of light once more.
<*> Angel?s Mansion <*> Sunnydale, CA <*>
?So, Red, ignoring the cheap shot, what exactly is going
on between you and that little blonde hottie??
?Faith!?
?What did I say, B? She seemed to be thinking something
was going on with us when she walked in.? The dark-haired Slayer
shot an incriminating look across the room to the witch reclining on the
sofa. ?Maybe she was wondering if she could join us.?
?Hey!?
?Faith, enough!? Buffy took to her feet, pushing
the chair back a few inches in the process. She proceeded to stare
down her younger counterpart, who seemed rather content to sit and smirk
from the relative comfort of her own seat.
?No, Buffy, I want to handle this.? Willow stood
from the couch, taking a few steps towards the Slayers while switching
into her ?resolve face? mode. She jabbed a finger forward, poking
the younger Chosen just below her left collarbone. ?The last time
you came into Buffy?s life, you nearly got her arrested, murdered someone,
almost killed Xander and tried to kill Angel, so there is nothing short
of an intercession from some divine power that will make me even remotely
begin to trust you!?
?I think I can cover that marker.?
The quartet directed their attention to the source of
the statement, catching sight of the estranged seraph just inside the front
doors. Willow was the first to note that he was alone and redirected
her anger, not yet fully vented, to the newest occupant of the room.
?I don?t trust you, either? and where is Tara??
Ignoring the tangible ice in the voice of the redhead,
Uriel answered her query. ?At your dorm room, waiting to finish the
conversation the two of you were going to have.?
?Oh. Um, I gotta go.?
The assemblage watched as she quickly walked to and out
the double doors, with the dark-haired Slayer and Fallen both smiling at
her back. The three supernatural people then turned to face an Englishman
clearing his throat, now standing in front of the plush chair he had been
residing in.
?I think I shall take my leave as well. Buffy, do
take care. Faith.? He nodded to both Chosen, followed with
a warning stare into the face of the self-proclaimed former angel.
Giles proceeded through the wreckage of the shattered patio doors towards
the side entryway. As he stepped into the sunlight, he heard another
set of feet cracking the shattered glass behind him. He slowly wheeled
about, finding himself looking into the face of the tall man once more.
?What is it you want with them??
?If I knew, I would gladly share that information.?
?And yet you expect them to trust you with their lives??
?No, just hoping that I can save them when the time comes.?
Not expecting that answer, Rupert nodded in mild consent,
then turned and continued up the stairs. His heart wanted to believe
the unusual individual, but his mind refused to accept help from any further
outside sources. The Initiative looked helpful on the surface, but
their methods and actions were proving more destructive and devious than
he would have thought possible. He reminded himself that it was the
United States military he was considering and approached his auto with
mixed emotions.
Uriel watched the surrogate father to the blonde Slayer
disappear from view, then returned to find a pair of Chosen impatiently
waiting for him.
?So, now what, U??
?Simple. We train.?
?You and me? C?mon, we?ve already been down this
road, and I keep kickin? your ass.?
?The first time, I let you. The second time, I was
not expecting it. Now, do you really think I would be that easy a
target if I decided to not hold back??
?Only one way to find out. Ready, B??
?You need the practice more than I do.? The older
Chosen also wanted to assess his fighting abilities, just in case Giles?
suspicions held true.
?Suit yourself. Can?t promise I?ll leave you any.?
That said, the raven-tressed Slayer charged forward, using her speed to
enhance a right-handed haymaker. She blinked as she felt her fist
become enfolded within the palm of Uriel?s left hand. She looked
up to see the mirth gone from his eyes and a stern look etched upon the
rest of his face.
?Slow.?
Tightening his grip on her hand, the Fallen whipped her
about, sending her skidding across the stone floor towards the patio.
Her progress caused most of the shards of glass to scatter away from her,
though a few found their way through the leather of her pants and into
the vulnerable flesh of her legs.
Buffy watched as the kind, patient man she had come to
know over the past few hours suddenly became cold and detached. She
saw Faith rise to her feet and charge forward again, leaving a pair of
bloody handprints on the cold, stone floor. She raised her right
arm for another swing, but switched tactics on her last stride, planting
her left foot and using her momentum to deliver a solid backhanded strike
with her right hand. She felt the impact, and smiled inwardly at
the knowledge of connecting with the blow. It was short-lived, however,
as she felt her entire spinal column explode in pain as Uriel drove his
left knee into her unguarded back, just above her waist.
?Weak.?
The former angel continued his assault, the pain causing
Faith to unconsciously bend backwards, allowing him to deliver a vicious
overhand punch with his right to her left shoulder. Using the momentum
of the blow, the younger Slayer brought her right heel to bear into her
opponent?s jaw, resulting in a satisfying crunch. Gripping his right
wrist as she completed her back-roll, the younger Slayer found her footing
and yanked him towards her, delivering her right knee into his stomach.
Preparing to drive her elbow into his back, Faith never anticipated the
swift, forceful blow to her kidneys.
?Obvious.?
Still bent over, with his right shoulder against the washboard
stomach of the young woman, Uriel had used his left arm to deliver the
stunning punch. Repeating the process twice more, he felt the muscles
in his opponent begin to waver. Rotating counter-clockwise, the former
angel straightened his back and, using the added force of his momentum,
smashed his left elbow into the corresponding temple of the former Bostonian.
He watched as she fell, her head bouncing off the stone floor with a sickening
thud.
?What the Hell did you do to her?? Buffy had watched
the fight with trepidation, comparing it to her encounter against Adam.
When Faith fell, she wasn?t sure if her younger counterpart would ever
rise again. The small pool of blood forming from her mouth did little
to change that opinion.
?She still lives, Elizabeth. Just unconscious and
much more out of shape than I had thought, as I suspect you are.?
Noticing the blood flow, he walked calmly across the room, past the blonde
Slayer, and stopped at his backpack. Reaching inside, he procured
a small vial of purple liquid. ?Get her upright or she will choke
on this.?
?Wait a sec, what is it??
?Atlantean artifact. Speeds up the healing process
via corporeal restoration through genetic memory.?
?Huh??
?It restores her to the way she used to be.?
?You just beat her into an bloody mess, and now you expect
me to believe what?s in that vial is going to save her life??
?This from someone who was willing to end the life of
the person in question less than twenty-four hours ago.?
Acknowledging the truth to those words with her silence,
Buffy knelt on the floor next to Faith, bringing the young woman to a seated
position by grasping her shoulders. She watched carefully as Uriel
gently opened the bleeding mouth of her counterpart, applying three drops
of the odorless concoction onto her tongue.
?That should have her awake in about an hour.?
Lowering the younger Slayer back to the floor, Buffy stood
and cast a stern gaze at the other conscious occupant of the abandoned
manor.
?What??
?You think I?m out of shape??
?Willing to prove me wrong??
?Any time you?re ready.?
With little more than a nod between them, the two combatants
charged one another.
<*> Angel Investigations <*> Los Angeles, CA <*>
?So, what exactly will we be facing? Chaos demons?
A horde of vampires?? The forlorn stare Cordelia directed at him
made the Englishman internally cringe in fear of the possibilities.
?Not more lawyers??
?I?m not sure, Wes, though I think even Wolfram and Hart
would try to avoid whatever this is. All I could make out was a brief
glimpse of Buffy. Everything else was too much of a blur.?
Tilting her head upwards, the aspiring actress shouted at the late afternoon
sky. ?Could you be a little more vague next time??
?Cordelia, do you really think it wise to question the
motives of so powerful a force?? Wesley loaded the last bag of weapons
into the trunk of Angel?s car, noting the descent of the sun. If
the almanac was correct, the last rays would slip past the horizon in little
more than two hours.
?Maybe if they were more forthcoming, I wouldn?t feel
like I was being used.?
Not knowing how to respond, the ex-Watcher simply closed
the lid of the trunk and began walking to the entrance of the building.
Turning to face the young woman, he spoke the only words which came to
mind. ?If your judgment is correct, then not a single being exists
who is not their pawn. How sad would life be then, I wonder??
?What is it with you British people? Do you enjoy
driving people further into depression??
With a slight grin on his face, he responded. ?I
think it?s the weather in London. All that fog and rain.?
Sighing in frustration, Cordelia Chase stormed past him,
heading inside to make last minute preparations for their pending departure.
Seeking out her employer, she found him in his office staring at a photograph.
Though she was unable to see it from her angle, the dark-haired woman knew
exactly who it was. ?Feels like you can never get away from her,
doesn?t it??
?No, more like chasing a rainbow. You think you?re
getting closer, that you can almost touch it.? Placing the picture
into a drawer in his desk, Angel turned to face his receptionist.
?Were you able to reach Giles??
?Had to leave a message on his machine. I told him
we?d be there around 9 o?clock.?
?Wes finish packing the car??
?I think so. I didn?t see any more bags in the other
room.?
?Then we just have to wait for sunset.?
<*> Willow and Buffy?s Dorm Room <*> Sunnydale, CA <*>
Willow was greeted by the familiar form of Tara, standing
anxiously outside her room. She reached into her pocket for her keys
while continuing forward, attempting to break the pseudo-hypnotic trance
the waiting woman seemed to have on her. By the time she had them
in hand, the redhead discovered she had already reached the portal, once
again meeting awaiting eyes.
?Hi.?
?H-hi.?
She glanced down to slide the key into the lock, noticing
the dull yellow sand that had gathered, almost reverently, onto the delicate
feet of the blonde witch. Returning her gaze to meet the one before
her, she found herself with more questions looking into those blue-green
orbs than she currently knew the answers to. She opened the door
and stepped into the room, beckoning Tara to enter. The open entrance
was forgotten as curiosity and concern overtook her.
?Are you okay??
?Y-yeah.?
?What did you need to talk to him about??
?U-Uriel? S-something he said re-reminded me of
a dr-dream I had.?
?How did you know who he was??
?He kn-knew my m-mother. I k-kind of r-remembered
him from w-when I was y-younger.?
?Oh.? Willow took a step closer, catching a whiff
of saffron drift off the blonde witch. ?Can we trust him??
?Do y-you tr-trust me??
The redheaded hacker again gazed into eyes mere inches
from her own, though the trepidation she now found there needed to be dispelled.
?Of course I trust you, Tara.? With those words, she watched a tear
begin its slow traverse down the left cheek of the blonde. On pure
reflex, Willow raised her right hand to wipe the saline drop away and felt
a small rush of heat greet her palm. Uncertain of how to respond,
she waited as Tara began to close the small distance between them.
The blonde witch responded by capturing the gentle hand
still resting against her cheek beneath her left palm. Slowly drawing
both down, she brought the supportive appendage to rest on her shoulder
before starting towards Willow. Gliding her fingers along the slender
arm, Tara was rewarded as the faint touch of the digits sent a tingle along
the alabaster skin of the long-time Scooby.
An electric shudder coursing along her spine, the redhead
stood transfixed as the blonde drew a little closer, fingers trailing along
her upper arm, then shoulder, and finally coming to rest at the base of
her thoracolumbar fascia. Willow felt her own arms wrap around Tara
as the right hand of the curvaceous blonde entangled itself in her crimson
locks.
?Thank you.?
The two words were an ethereal whisper as Tara gazed into
forest green eyes and brought her mouth to Willow?s. The peck was
feather-light, barely grazing her lips, but the emotion conveyed in that
brief contact removed any doubts the redhead still held as to the direction
their relationship had taken. Cupping the left cheek with her right
hand, Willow drew their faces together again.
The kiss was subtly longer than their first, followed
a moment later by another. The redhead brought her tongue forward,
gingerly caressing the lower lip of the scarcely open mouth. Caressing
the small of her back, Willow felt the warm breath of her fellow witch
mingle with her own. Delicate tongues lovingly massaged one another,
enrapturing the hacker in incomparable bliss. The sensation was short-lived
though, as she felt the blonde pulling away.
?Tara?? Seeing tears again threaten to issue forth,
Willow reached forward to lend a reassuring hand, only to have the person
in question back out of the room completely.
?I-I?m s-s-sorry, W-Willow.? Turning, the woman
once known as Thyra broke into a run, suppressing the desire to stay.
Stunned, the redhead watched for a few moments as Tara
began her flight before being able to incite movement from her legs.
She watched as blonde tresses disappeared around a corner towards an exit
from the building. As she turned to face where the owner of that
hair should be, Willow found only a set of closed doors, though they were
less than twenty feet away. Confused as to what had transpired in
the last few seconds, the redhead discovered herself unable to answer the
new questions that had arisen in her mind and heart. Focusing for
a moment, she thought of someone who might possess the ability to enlighten
her and marched forward.
<*> Angel?s Mansion <*>
The sound of wood striking wood, coupled with someone breathing
heavily and leather scraping against stone was the first thing Faith heard.
Opening her eyes slowly, she found herself staring up at the ceiling through
a faint red haze. Ignoring her skewed vision for a moment, she focused
on the noises she heard. The weary breaths belonged to B? of that
there was no doubt. The younger Chosen attempted to sit up and was
answered by sore muscles unable to perform that normally mundane task.
Releasing a small groan of disappointment and pain, she discovered her
movement had not gone unnoticed.
?Stay down.? Uriel turned his head to face his newest
charge while still anticipating the attack from Elizabeth. ?You.
Still. Need. To. Rest.? Each word was punctuated
with a clash of weapons, with Buffy losing ground as the Fallen pressed
his attack.
Taking his words under advisement, the younger Chosen
complied with the request, though she rolled onto her side to observe the
battle.
?Do you intentionally drop your guard on your right side,
or is that merely utter lack of skill?? Uriel slammed the lower end
of his stave into the exposed ribs of the Slayer to illustrate his point.
Bringing the high end down, he inflicted an equal amount of pain to her
left forearm which had reflexively risen in response to the previous impact.
Buffy thought her muscles were on fire. In all her
battles, no one had caused her to hurt in so many places simultaneously.
It had been her idea to switch to armed combat after taking three shots
for each one she landed on the fallen angel in hand-to-hand for half an
hour. She allowed him to choose, asking which are he thought she
needed the most work in. When he tossed a six foot shaft of wood
to her, she thought it would put them on more equal footing. She
quickly began to see his point about her lack of experience with the weapon,
as he was brutally punishing her with it.
In the fifteen minutes they had been dueling, she had
not connected with a single offensive attack. For some reason unknown
to her, the blonde Slayer could almost swear he was becoming angrier with
each swing since Faith had regained consciousness. That gave her
a plan.
Pushing past the pain in her arms, she brought the left
end of her staff down hard, positioning his weapon perpendicularly to the
floor. Drawing on her reserves, the veteran Chosen viciously swung
the other side of her staff up, catching Uriel squarely in the chin and
snapping his head back. It was a blow that would have shattered the
jaw of a lesser being, possibly even remove their skull from their shoulders.
Her victory was short-lived as an extremely sharp pain struck the right
side of her head, causing everything to go dark.
<*> Basement of the Harris? House <*>
Xander was used to disappointing relationships. First,
there was the human-looking insect teacher. Then the life-sucking
mummy. Then Cordelia and Willow. The last name that was currently
causing his temples to throb more than usual was Anya. Following
the conversation in his ice cream truck, it had been decided that he was
going to the party to see his friends while she avoided the residence of
the demon-hunting soldiers.
Part of him felt very much like a loser. Here he
was, working a dead-end job, living in the basement of the house he grew
up in, with no visible means of escape. His friends were in college,
working towards degrees that would enhance and broaden their scope of the
world, while all he could see were the four walls surrounding him.
What kind of life was that to offer to any woman, let alone one who knew
what North America looked like when the Vikings first landed there?
Determined not to let the others be aware of his problems
later, he reached for his CD player and the most listened to disc in his
meager collection. Pressing play, Xander skipped over the first few
tracks until he reached the only piece of music he had ever memorized.
Setting the player to continually repeat the song, the young man collapsed
into his bed and allowed Ronnie Van Zant to once again ask the question
Xander pondered every day.
<*> Angel?s Mansion <*>
Uttering a small groan at the pain still throbbing in her
skull, Buffy went to push off of the floor beneath her. The softness
and lack of resiliency on the material beneath her palms caused her to
open her eyes. The most immediate thing she noticed was that the
?ground? under her hands consisted of cushions from the same couch she
had shared with Faith earlier in the day.
?Enjoy your nap??
Twisting her head in the direction of the younger Slayer?s
voice, Buffy discovered two things. First, the raven-tressed young
woman was seated in the chair Uriel had occupied, eyes gently watching
her. Second, the motion had caused her pain to mercilessly flare
up, convincing her to lower herself back onto the couch.
?Ow.?
?I?ll take that as a ?no?.? Looking into the room
behind her, Faith shouted to an individual out of sight to both women.
?U, you got anything to deal with a headache??
The voice was audible, though at a much more comfortable
level. ?Yes, though I doubt your yelling helps it in any way.?
?Oops. Sorry, B.? Faith could see the confusion
behind Buffy?s eyes and adjusted her gaze to Uriel as he stepped into view.
?I don?t think she knows what happened.?
?Someone want to tell me then??
?Faith should. She had the best view of what transpired.?
Uriel rummaged into a side pouch on his backpack and pulled out a white
medicine bottle.
?Another ancient remedy??
?Hardly. Excedrin Migraine.?
Extending her right hand, she accepted two of the small
pills and popped them into her mouth, swallowing them dry. Closing
her lids, she heard Faith begin to recount the events.
?After you caught Uriel in the jaw, he took the end of
his staff that was on the floor and slammed you in the side of the head.
He wasn?t even looking, not that you ever saw it coming. He hit you
so hard you did three full twists in mid-air before you landed on the floor.?
?When I saw what I had done, I checked your injuries,
then brought you over to the couch. You have a serious concussion
and a lot of bruises, but no internal bleeding thankfully.?
?How long??
?Were you out? Well, Willow walked in about half
an hour after you went down. She yelled at U for nearly an hour about
you and her girlfriend, then she bailed, but not before ripping into me
for ten minutes. That was about half an hour ago, so I?d say a little
better than two hours.?
?You were watching me the whole time??
?Can?t say I didn?t enjoy the view.?
Though the words were softer, they seemed to be closer
than the last time Faith spoke. Opening her eyes again, she found
the younger woman only a few inches away. Dark brown orbs met blue,
searching for some sign of reciprocation. Buffy was unsure how to
react, then mentally recounted what she had been told.
?Willow was here??
?Yeah, something about that blonde chick ducking out on
her. Couldn?t hear the whole conversation.?
?Where did she go??
?Don?t know, she just stormed back out the front door.
She didn?t seem to be in much of a sharing mood.?
?We have to find them.? Placing her weight on an
elbow, the blonde again tried to stand, only to find her equilibrium still
askew. Guiding hands on both her shoulders led her back down to the
couch, where the room?s rotation was significantly lessened.
?Slow down, girl. You?re in no shape to walk, let
alone go running after people you have no idea where to start looking for.?
Turning towards the other end of the room, Faith addressed the most recent
addition to their strange group. ?U, don?t you have anything to help
her??
?Just a moment.? Uriel walked to where the couch,
motioning Faith to move a few paces back. Closing his eyes and placing
his palms together, he began intoning a short chant from long-forgotten
memories. An iridescent blue aura surrounded his hands, which he
lowered to the temples of the prone Slayer as he completed a second recital
of the ritual. The glow dissipated almost immediately, as clear,
focused eyes opened below him.
?Wow. No pain.? Buffy propped herself up on
her elbows as the former angel stepped away. Finding no discomfort,
she gained her feet, nearly losing them as a brief sensation of vertigo
caught her. ?Wait, could be wrong.?
?The effects are only temporary, unfortunately.
You will need a full night to recover completely. Faith, would you
escort her home please??
?No prob, U.? Inserting herself beneath the right
arm of the blonde Chosen, Faith started to guide them towards the door.
?I?ll even make sure to tuck her in.? She shot a Cheshire grin over
her shoulder, noticing the smile attempting to hide behind Uriel?s hand
as he shook his head back and forth.
As the two women exited the building, the Fallen caught
part of their conversation through the closed door.
?Faith??
?Yeah, B??
?You probably won?t believe me, but??
?What??
?I?m glad you?re back.?
Not hearing their footsteps, Uriel took it to mean they
were beyond his range. As he heard two sets of shoes again touch
cement, he heard Faith utter one last thing.
?I hope I am, B. I really hope I am.?
<*> Warehouse District <*>
As the sun was beginning to set over the ocean, the limousine
driver pulled into an abandoned factory just as he had been instructed
to. Assembly line equipment could clearly be seen in various areas,
while pallets of disregarded freight sat rotting and decaying by the loading
docks. It appeared as though the building had gone mostly unused
for a few years, though there were signs of previous habitation.
As the car came to a stop, the demon turned the vehicle off, stepping out
to open the door for his passenger. He held out his hand in courtesy
and it was met with a pale feminine one, nails painstakingly painted a
delicate shade of eggshell white.
As the woman he was simply to address as ?Mistress? emerged,
he looked inside to check on the manicurist they had picked up near Los
Angeles. She was naked and lying on the floor of the passenger area;
all signs of life had fled her small frame. The young woman, probably
around nineteen years, had red hair with sun-bleached highlights enclosing
a delicate face. It was in that countenance where he discovered something
odd. He could tell she had been drained of her blood by the puncture
wounds at the carotid artery? that much he had been expecting. It
was the look on her face that caught his attention ? she seemed to have
died happy. If he wasn?t mistaken, the smile on her bloodstained
lips indicated she had died very happy. The voice of the Mistress
returned his gaze to her as he wondered why the Council had chosen this?
vampire as their newest envoy. He found himself locked in her eyes,
unable to tear away, and suddenly understood their reasons.
?I had considered letting her live. She told me
she was a natural redhead. She lied.?
The demon, named H?Dolnyr, watched as the Mistress slowly
walked across the cement floor, surveying their new base of operations.
He could have sworn she had a wistful look on her face as she gazed a little
longer at a certain spot, but any emotion she might have felt was quickly
swept away and replaced with a visage of impassiveness.
?I remember this place. It looked somewhat different
the last time I was here. Business first, though.? She pivoted
on a bare left foot, causing the crimson, ankle-length skirt she wore to
flare slightly. ?We need? friends. Find us some, H?Dolnyr,
and bring them here.? She began to continue her walk through the
abandoned building when she stopped and cast a glance at the demon over
her shoulder. ?Try to find pretty ones like our friend in the limo.
You should know I like to play with? pretty things.?
The Mistress shifted her gaze back into the limousine
and seemed to postpone the surveying for the time being. She turned
and virtually glided across the floor to the still open door and stepped
inside. Gently, almost reverently, she arranged the girl?s body flat
against the floor, placing the arms in repose across the former manicurist?s
chest. The Mistress stretched languidly along the wide leather seat,
parallel to the faux redhead, and began tracing the nail of her right index
finger delicately along the smooth curves of her dormant Childe?s stomach.
?She?ll be awake soon. Please hurry.?
H?Dolnyr nodded curtly, then stepped out into the gathering
darkness of the night, allowing the Mistress time to be with her Childe.
Demon or not, there were some things that even he preferred not to know
when it came to vampiric family structures. He sniffed the breeze,
sifting through and separating the various scents. Selecting a distinctly
familiar odor from an eastern current, he began to follow it in search
of ?friends.?
<*> Angel?s Mansion <*>
Uriel dwelled on the notion of the ?Chosen Two? after they
left the mansion, shaking his head in amusement. The nocturnal denizens
of Sunnydale would soon be in for a surprise: a cooperative Slayer patrol,
unseen in over a year. He mentally reviewed an ancient kata of his
own design, hoping to relax after the workout. He rediscovered entire
groups of muscles he had forgotten existed, his body unaccustomed to performing
anywhere near peak levels for several decades. Though he would never
admit it to her, Elizabeth had given him quite a challenge. Had he
not possessed his vast knowledge of combat techniques, she might have defeated
him. As he gave consideration to what injuries might have resulted
from the training sessions, a shudder rippled its way down his back.
It was followed by a warm breeze, heavy with a distantly familiar odor,
wafting across the nape of his neck. The voice carried upon it made
him recall the scent immediately.
?You know, little brother, you always did have absolutely
no luck when it came to the endgame.?
The fallen angel slowly pivoted about, bringing his gaze
to bear on a strikingly handsome man. He stood an even six feet in
height, with short, dirty blonde hair and goatee. His eyes were a
blue so pale they were nearly transparent. His golden skin, reminiscent
of Greek gods, seemed to emit a radiance of its own. His attire consisted
of a white linen suit, a button-down shirt the same color as his eyes and
huarache sandals, none of which seemed to have been worn more than ten
minutes.
?Luc. Long time, no see.?
?You know how much I hate that nickname, little brother.
We made a deal, remember?? The well-dressed gentleman removed a cigar
from his left breast shirt pocket, lighting it from a small blue flame
produced in the palm of his left hand. He inhaled a modest drag,
savoring the flavor before releasing a blue-white cloud of smoke.
?You don?t call me ?Luc,? and I don?t call you ?Urie.? ?
The dark-haired man winced at the name for the second
time today. ?Thanks for the reminder. All right, then? what
do you want, Lucifer??
<*> <*>