FF: RoL II:: Revelations and Realizations (9/?)

[keeper444@xxxxxxxxx]

Hi Folks
Well I'm back, and I'm coming back with a bang. This one will probably
piss some of you off for true.<eg>
If it does hey you know how to reach me.
To make sure I'm including the disclaimers with this chapter. So sit
back relax and I hope you enjoy the ride.]:-P
Later
Alex
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Title: Revelations and Realizations (9/?)
Author: Alex P.
Feedback: Please any comments or suggestions to: keeper444@xxxxxxxxx
Archive: Whatever or whoever Just tell me
Summary: A year after "If Destiny Wills It" and a whole new threat has
come to town, that will test the Slayer and Great Sorceress's new found
powers. The next part of a small series "The Return of Legends" the
first of which was "Prophcey's Curse"
Spoilers: This is my own twisted little universe and, while there are
characters and Sunnydale from the show, their skills and places in these
stories are purely of my own demented imagination. Sorry if it offends
(not).  
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy, Willow, Giles, and any others from 
BTVS are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy etc. No
infringement of any kind intended and no money made. 
Warning: Contains scenes of a loving relationship between two consenting
women. If you have a problem with that (why are you here?) or it is
illegal where you live (I suggest you move to my end of the
gutter...quickly) then PLEASE DELETE THIS NOW !!!!! If you are under the
age of 18 I must insist that you go else where for reading material and
please comeback when you grow up. 
Oh yeah and when you do send feedback say what you really feel, I not
only don't mind, I live for it.
Rating: PG-13 to an R
Pairing: B/W and several other perriferial pairings that aren't on the
show, but I like them together. So there phffttt..]:-P
=================
Thanks to my beta Cheryl Hill, she's done the best she could with what I
gave her and she has a fabulous first name. Great work!!!
=================
   <>thoughts<>
   ***flashbacks*** 
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Revelations and Realizations (9/?)
By: Alex P.
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Joyce Summers, mother of the Slayer, lover of her daughters' watcher, 
and confidant of the Scoobies, turned her tired eyes to the tall 
confident and strong man that was her lover and studied the look in 
his eyes. 

She had seen that weary look before and it had always been at a time 
when he was faced with an exceptionally difficult decision. 

He noticed she was studying him and knew it was only a matter of time 
before she asked him the question he wished he would never have to 
answer.

"Rupert," the dark blonde woman queried hoping that whatever problems 
her lover faced she would be able to help him. "What's bothering you? 
You know you can tell me. Maybe I can help."

The ex-watcher looked at the warm and compassionate woman letting the
feelings he had for her take over his mind, in the hope they would 
drive out the thoughts that had been troubling him ever since he'd 
heard Cordelia muttering that name in her sleep.

"It's not about the kids, is it?" Joyce asked afraid that one of the 
two injured Scoobies had taken a turn for the worse while she had 
been away taking a shower and grabbing a quick burger and a shake on 
her way back. "Has something happened while I was gone? If it has you 
have to tell me Rupert. I think we learned a long time ago that 
keeping secrets from each other just leads to problems later on."

"I agree with you Joyce," the librarian said trying to sound calm but 
a slight wavering note in his voice gave him away. "It's just 
something I heard Cordelia say in her sleep has me worried, and I'm 
not sure what to do about it, if anything."

"What did she say?" she asked patiently.

"A name, Joyce, just a name." Giles stated then added "but it's the 
name of someone that has caused a lot of trouble for us in the past. 
I know I can do something about it right now but if I do it will be a 
dark stain on my soul. However if I do nothing and this person comes 
back to plague us again I wouldn't be able to look any of you in the 
eyes again."

"Who is it Rupert?" she asked her determination was clear in her tone
"and what is the thing so terrible, that would be so bad, that it 
bothers you this badly to even contemplate it?"

"It really isn't something I want to worry you with." he said hoping 
she would accept that and let it drop, but knowing she 
wouldn't. "It's just a problem I must discuss with Jeffery. I know it 
will put a strain on his conscience and I'd rather not place that 
kind of burden on you. You have enough on your mind with Buffy and 
Willow and these two in hospital without having to carry around my 
troubles."

Giles was trying to divert Joyce's attention away from him and back to
Cordelia and Xander, but it was a futile effort. Joyce was far too in
love with the stoic Brit to allow him to not share his burden. 

"Who is it Rupert?" she repeated sternly.
He let out a deep sigh knowing that he could no longer keep it from 
her. 

"Faith, Joyce" He said flatly "The name Cordelia called out for in her
sleep was Faith. I don't know how but I'm sure that somehow that girl 
is tied in with the reason that Cordelia hasn't regained 
consciousness. I only wish I knew what she was doing, but I will not 
allow that bitch to wreak anymore havoc on us. Even if I must kill 
her I will do what it takes to put an end to that threat once and for 
all."

The look in Giles eye as he said those words made Joyce shiver in 
fear, she could see that with all that had happened in the last month 
was about to drive her fiancé to doing something he would regret the 
rest of his life, and would very likely destroy their relationship.

"Rupert you can't." Joyce gasped the shock at his attitude showing
clearly in her eyes. "If you do that then you're no better than the 
evil beings you and Buffy and these kids fight. What comes after that 
Rupert? Do you ally yourself with some demon so you won't have to 
worry anymore. Or how about we just kill Cordelia and Xander, that 
way they wont be in danger of being turned. What do you say Rupert? 
It is easy isn't it taking an innocent life."

"Faith is hardly an innocent, Joyce." Giles huffed "or have you
forgotten
what she and the Mayor tried to do to this town or that she very 
nearly murdered your own daughter or the pain she has caused all of 
us before Buffy put her into that coma. Does any of this ring a bell?"

"Yes, RUPERT! I am well aware of the girls' past record." Buffy's 
mother roared at him "I also know she's been in a coma for the past 
four years and she hardly poses a threat to anyone except in your 
fevered mind. You are obviously not thinking right, and I think you 
should go home and get some sleep before you do something more stupid 
than threaten some poor defenseless girl laying in a coma!"

Joyce indicated toward the door and turned back to where Cordelia lay 
in the drug-induced sleep that Giles had ordered Jeffery to put her 
in. This was something that Giles hadn't told Joyce, as soon as he 
heard the name Faith he had called the doctor to Cordelia's room and 
insisted he give her something that would put the patient into a 
deeper sleep. Then he told Jeffery to wait for him in his office.

This was where Giles headed when he left Joyce instead of going home 
as Joyce had suggested strongly.

<>Bloody damn women<> the former watcher thought as he walked toward 
Jeffery's office <>I will never understand why they can't see reason. 
Yes that evil seed Faith was in a coma but who knows what powers she 
got from the abomination that was mayor. If Cordelia is saying that 
name in her sleep then I'll just wager that she's trying to warn us 
that the little bitch is up to something and I'd be willing to wager 
it's not something good <> 

He came to the door that bore the name Dr. Jeffery Fallon MD, Phd,
underneath that it said, Private Please Knock Before Entering. Giles 
had to smile at the command on the door, he was willing to bet that 
the hospital administrator would go crazy if he knew the true nature 
of the former monk's area of research.

Knowing that his friend might be involved in some delicate experiment 
he knocked lightly on the solid wooden door, and waited for the 
invitation to come in.

"Come in Mr. Giles," came a voice from behind the door. "I'll be right
with you."

The one time librarian entered the room and was amazed at the piles of
books and papers that were scattered around the room. It was so
cluttered that he had to remove a large unkempt pile of papers from a
chair so that he'd have a place to sit. Jeffery stuck his head out of 
a door that was behind the desk. He smiled at the look on Giles face
knowing the man was something of a neat freak.

"Why don't you come in here Mr. Giles," the former monk said with a
chuckle, "I use that front office as a kind of storage area for my
research. I do most of my work back here."

As Giles came through the door he was amazed at the difference between
the two areas. While the front office was a cluttered mess of papers 
and books ranging from ancient scholarly writings to modern fantasy 
novels and comic books. 

The back area was clean neat and brightly lit, it was so clean Giles 
was wondering if his friend was bringing him into a sterile area.

"This is where I spend all my time working on the research for our 
holy battles." Jeffery said, the influence of the church still came 
out in the young man. "The hospital has promised me an assistant 
soon. I'll probably test them out by having them straighten out that 
room, the first to stick around long enough to finish that Herculean 
task deserves to stay. It would probably mean they have the stamina 
to stick it out with this research. The hospital found out who I was 
and they couldn't wait to give me a title so they cold use me to 
gather more operating funds, because of the prestige of having an 
Oxford Fellow on the staff here. Or that is what Cher...ah...Dr. 
O'Bryan says."

It was Giles turn to chuckle at his blushing friend when he slipped 
and almost referred to the beautiful trauma surgeon by her first 
name. From what Giles could gather from the hospital grapevine the 
two doctors were spending an extraordinary amount of time together, 
and many times emergency had found Cheryl in Jeffery's laboratory or 
the multi-talented Dr Fallon would accompany Dr O'Bryan to the 
emergency room to assist her. 
The entire hospital was awestruck at the way the Oxford trained 
doctor handled himself in the operating theater, many older highly-
experienced surgeons would fill the galleries to observe some unusual 
procedure the foreign physician was performing. All of this amazed 
Cheryl and drew her to the remarkably shy and socially inexperienced 
young doctor. 

While she admired his skills and massive reserve of knowledge in the
medical field, it was his inexperienced and innocent outlook on the
world that made her want to take him in and shelter him from all those
that would take advantage of the trusting young doctor, so far she had
become like an agent for him making sure that he received the proper
respect and consideration the hospital owed him.

Actually this was one of the few times that Giles had been able to 
talk to the newest Scooby without the presence of the doctor that had 
taken a close interest in Dr. Jeffery Fallon. 

"Well Mr. Giles what brings you to my inner sanctum?" the young doctor
quipped "I'm sure it is something you don't want the others to know
which is why you are here instead of having me come to your home."

"Yes, quite right Jeffery, it is refreshing to know you haven't
abandoned all your former teachings."
The statement was a shot at the former monk's less than professional
attitude toward his lovely new colleague, 

Jeffery wasn't at all happy
about Giles constant mention of his feelings for the woman.

"I was a monk *Mr* Giles not a priest." the irritated man snarled "In
any case I was released from my obligations by Papal decree and I am
free to pursue a life if I wish. Now what is it that has caused you 
to disturb my work."

Giles could tell he may have pushed the sensitive young man too far 
and knew if he wanted his help, then the former librarian would have 
to apologize.

"Sorry old man." he said, "I wasn't trying to make a judgment just 
making a jovial comment. It wasn't funny and I do apologize."

"Okay, I really am tired of everyone here trying to get into my 
affairs." he realized his mistake as soon as the words left his 
mouth. "Poor choice of words there, but you know what I
mean."       

"Yes I'm sure I do." Giles agreed not wanting the conversation to get 
sidetracked, "Now for the reason I asked to meet you here. I'm afraid 
that there is a recurring problem around here and it would appear 
that once again it is rearing its corrupted head, and it threatens to 
interfere with our work. I think we need to come up with some way to 
assure that the problem is taken care of and this time it will be 
permanent."

"What is the problem Giles?" the doctor inquired "Why have I not heard
of any problem until now?"
"Well for one thing it is not a proud moment for either myself or any 
of the rest of us, the council included." The ex-watcher began "The
problems name is Faith Spencer and she is in this hospital in a coma
that has lasted for four years after Buffy put her there."

For the next few hours Giles sat in the laboratory and told Jeffery 
the whole story of Faith from her unexpected appearance to the fight 
between her and the Slayer that ended with her laying in a coma.

"And that was the last we heard of her or the Mayor," Giles concluded
"until today when I heard Cordelia call her name during one of her
apparent seizures. I can't help but believe that somehow that damn 
woman is behind Cordelia's troubles and it's time she was dealt with."

"What do you mean 'dealt with'?" the doctor asked warily. 

Giles looked the young doctor straight in the eye and said without
batting an eye. "I do not want that young woman to come out of her 
coma. In fact I would say it was time for her to succumb to her 
illnesses and injuries."

Dr Fallon nodded his head and went over to a locked steel cabinet. He
opened the door and took out a small vial and showed it to the 
watcher.

"A small amount of this into her IV should take care of it. It will be
quick, painless and quite undetectable." He told the man as he sat the
vial down in front of him,the doctor's eyes flashed angrily when he saw
that Giles made no move toward the vial. 

"Am I supposed to do it for you. I have noticed from my research that
you watchers are great at life and death decisions as long as your 
lily white hands remain clean." He snorted his disgust at the man's 
embarrassed look and began filling a syringe with the clear fluid 
from the vial.

"It will be done tonight." The doctor said curtly, contempt dripping
from his voice "Go home watcher and make sure you are seen, so you 
will have an alibi."

Without another word Giles got up and left too ashamed of his own
cowardice to defend his actions. He went straight home and waited by 
the phone for the news that the dark Slayer had slipped away in her 
sleep. 
===============
Cordelia was completely confused, she felt the same way as when she 
was transported to the place where she met that strange woman that 
called herself Goddess, but this wasn't anything like that place at 
all. 

That place was solid and had substance, all that was here was thick
dense grey fog. She was lucky if she could see three feet. There was 
no hallway lined with pictures from her past, no opulent room 
occupied by that exotically beautiful woman that had known everything 
about her family, right down to those secret things no one ever 
talked about.

The former cheerleader and most popular girl in school was beginning 
to get frightened, there was nothing in sight she couldn't even see 
the ground she was standing on, even that was obscured by the dense 
fog. She was feeling isolated and alone for the first time in her 
life Cordelia Chase was completely alone there was no one anywhere to 
be heard or seen. 

It was a terrifying experience for her and one she had no desire to
continue or repeat.

<>This must be what Faith felt like before she turned to the Mayor and
his followers<> The frightened woman told herself as she felt the
loneliness as if it were a living thing attacking her heart and soul
tearing them to shreds <>It was my fault, I should have gone to her. I
could have saved her from all the pain and torture she has suffered 
all this time. It's all my fault. <>

That Epiphany drove the beautiful brunette to her knees, tears of 
guilt and shame stung her eyes blurring her vision. She knew now that 
her prejudice and cowardice had driven the younger inexperienced and
frightened girl into the welcoming open arms of the demonic mayor and
his Darkness worshipping allies. 

Then ultimately to her untimely destruction, not that the battered and
abused young girl from the wrong side of Boston was dead, no that 
wasn't good enough to end her life of torture and degradation, oh no, 
that would have been merciful, no the fate that Faith ran into like a 
brick wall, when her true soulmate refused to save her, the destiny 
Cordelia's cowardice had sentenced the pretty young Faith to was far 
worse than death. 

The second Slayer was damaged almost beyond repair, laying in a bed in
the same hospital cut off from the world totally alone and abandoned
being kept alive by machines and the tubes that ran into and from her
body. 

No hope, no future, no joy of life, no one to see or speak to her,
totally alone forever all because the almighty Queen C was too afraid 
of losing her popularity and position. 

Trying to evade the guilt and self loathing that was beginning to 
build inside her Cordelia wondered into the realm of if onlys.

<>If only I had another chance, I'd do better. <> the brunette swore
silently to any higher power that might be listening, then she spoke 
out loud. "If the Goddess would just give us another chance I know I 
can be what she needs. If she'll just let me try, I know I can be the 
kind person that the Goddess said I was destined to be."

A sense of panic began taking root in Cordelia's mind as thee feeling 
of isolation and loneliness built up in her mind. Kneeling there in 
the dense fog the scared young woman began crying, filled with 
hopelessness and sorrow, sure that she'd been abandoned in this cold 
silent place to finally pay for her numerous sins and for the way 
she'd abandoned Faith when she had needed the brunette the most.

"Please don't make me be alone anymore." Cordelia cried into the solid
walls of impenetrable fog "I can't stand this any longer I can't be
alone again. If I can't be with someone then please just let me die,
right here right now."

Just as those words were leaving the frightened brunette's lips she 
felt a shift in the atmosphere of the place of her exile. 

Then there was a tingling sensation going up her spine and the hairs 
on the back of her neck stood on end. Without looking she knew that 
she was no longer alone in this mysterious place. The familiar knot 
in her stomach told the still weeping brunette exactly who had joined 
her in this seeming prison. 

While she watched a slender feminine form with medium length light 
brown hair slowly came into her line of sight. Even if Cordelia 
hadn't already known, that deceptively casual yet dangerously 
aggressive stance would have given her visitor away. 

Even after all this time there was no way Cordelia would mistake that
stance and form for any other, especially after she had spent hours
surreptitiously watching that particular forms every move and nuance.

Cordelia tried to speak but at first nothing would come out. Even 
though the woman was facing away from her she still had the power to 
render the former cheerleader speechless. 
Her throat was dry and rough; it was nearly impossible to force any 
sound through it. Finally a foreign sounding croak escaped, forming a 
name Cordelia had thought she'd never get the opportunity to say ever 
again, and the name she had begged to never stop saying as long as 
she could speak.

"Faith?"

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END 9
TBC
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