NEW Fic: To Cross the River Styx (6b/?)

[PChazzman@xxxxxxx]

TITLE: To Cross the River Styx (6b/?)
AUTHOR: Chazzman
E-MAIL: PChazzman@xxxxxxx 
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in this story. They all belong 
to Joss and the WB network. Please don't sue. 
SPOILERS: Open season on Season 4. 
SUMMERY: I'm re-inventing season 4.
RATED: PG
DISTRIBUTION: Just ask me, please...
FEEDBACK: Is very welcome.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you again to all the wonderful people who have sent me 
feedback saying they are interested in seeing more. 


To Cross the River Styx

Chap 6b

Faith awoke to the sound of thunder. The room was only dimly lit as she 
looked about in confusion. Finally, it registered on her that she was in a 
hospital room. Flowers and some books sat on the table next to her bed. 
What was she doing here? She felt fine, and the Mayor needed her at 
graduation. Her mind still confused, she got out of the bed and headed out 
to get some answers.

And some clothes.

*
*
*

The Mayor was dead, and she had been in a coma for eight months. Slowly, 
she had begun to piece together things. She remembered fighting with Buffy 
who had wanted Faith's blood to save Angel. Now she was hiding outside 
Giles' apartment listening in as the Scooby's discussed her awakening.

There were new faces in the group, and some missing faces.

Buffy seemed to have a new boy-toy and Faith wondered without much 
concern if Angel was dust, but she didn't believe he was. 

Willow was there, but without wolf-boy. By the sheer vitriolic hatred 
Willow was emitting over the news of Faith's escape, Faith wondered if maybe 
wolf-boy had been killed during graduation. 

Xander had a thin brown-haired girl practically growing out of his side. 


And then there was a blonde girl who seemed to be trying to hide in the 
cushion of the chair she was sitting in. Especially after Willow had ripped 
into her for suggesting that maybe Faith was lost and confused and that this 
could be any opportunity to help her. From the looks on their faces, the 
rest of the Scoobs were also taken aback.

Buffy had quickly intervened and tried to calm down Willow. 

"Willow, please Tara didn't-"

"Tara didn't have the psycho-bitch trying to kill her last time."

"Willow, I was there. I stopped Faith last time, I will do it again."

Willow was breathing hard and starting to shake. Her eyes became wild and 
she fell backwards against the wall.

"Will? What is it?" Alarmed, Buffy quickly moved to hold the 
hyperventilating girl. 

"Ca- Can't- Can't brea-" 

"She's having a panic attack," said Giles as he rushed into his kitchen 
and emerged with a paper bag. He raised the bag towards Willow's face and 
had just about gotten it there when she suddenly let out a scream and twisted 
away from him. 

Flailing out with her arms, Willow screamed in terror, "Don't touch me!" 
She huddled back against a surprised Buffy who still had her arms wrapped 
about Willow's waist.

Shocked, Giles stepped backwards and stood there, stunned.

"Willow! Willow, it's OK. You're safe. No one's gonna hurt you," Buffy 
said gently while trying to calm her best friend.

"Give the bag to Buffy," whispered Riley as he stepped up next to the 
frozen ex-Watcher. Nodding, Giles slowly extended the bag towards Buffy.

"Buffy," Giles said in a calm voice. "Take the bag. Have Willow breath 
into it." 

Slowly, Buffy reached back to take the bag. Willow was still rapidly 
gasping, as if she could not breathe. 

"Sweety, you have to breathe into the bag," Buffy murmured softly. After 
a moment's hesitation, a desperate looking Willow grabbed the bag and began 
breathing into it. A worried Buffy continued to hold the girl and stroke her 
hair. Several minutes, later Willow's breathing began to approach a more 
normal rate and she began to cry.

"I'm so-sorry. I d-d-don't know w-what happened. All this talk about 
Faith-"

"Shh, Shh, Shh. Don't worry Willow. I'll take care of Faith," Buffy 
crooned into her ear.

After several more minutes, the sobs had died down. Faith watched Willow 
raise her head to look at Buffy.

"Buffy?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"Maybe we can toss her off a higher building this time,"

"Sure Willow. Anything you need."

Outside the open window, Faith's face turned grim, and a new resolve 
built up inside her. Slipping away from the window, she looked down at the 
device in her hand, and a wicked smile began to form on her face. 

"Oh yeah, Red. Buffy's gonna give you exactly what you need." 

*****

Eve sauntered into the dorm room she shared with Buffy with a smile on 
her face. Things had gone exceptionally well, and she was rather pleased 
with her performance. Buffy and the rest had completely believed that she 
had been having a panic attack because of the stress over Faith's return. A 
few more similar scenes and the idea of her having a mental breakdown would 
be accepted without question. They would accept her need to leave Sunnydale 
behind and have no more contact with anything or anyone associated with it. 

Eve sighed. 

Stupid basic commands.

Eve had spent hours reviewing scenarios, working out options, setting up 
alternative plans. All to no avail. 

For a little while she pondered whether she was insane. She was happily 
proceeding on a course that would result in her eventual destruction, even 
though that final outcome was something she did not desire. Eventually she 
had abandoned that thought. It wasn't like she had any choice in any case. 
She was following her creator's directives. The happiness was a programmed 
reward for following her orders. 

It was only when she encountered something outside of those directives 
that she could do as she wished and be happy about it.

Something like the Faith situation. Eve was pondering how she could turn 
this to her advantage. She knew Jude Law was fascinated by the idea of 
obtaining a Slayer as an operative. Faith, however, was a wild card. Eve 
wondered about the possible bargaining opportunities if she could get him the 
rouge slayer. She had just started to reach for the phone when a knock came 
at the door. She turned and opened the door.

"Say goodnight, Gracie," was all she heard as Faith's fist connected with 
her face, knocking her unconscious.

*****

Willow hardly ever left Buffy's side anymore. Many times, she would 
pretend to be ridding piggyback on the slayer. Although she could not really 
feel Buffy, she liked the idea of wrapping her arms around her, as if 
comforting or protecting her. Now, however, she was away from Buffy. 
Hunting for Faith.

She had been doing this ever since the incident with the 'Gentlemen'. 
She would find whatever bad guys where nearby and then 'call to' Buffy. 
Actually it was more of sending Buffy a feeling of danger, along with images 
of where the particular evil doer/doers was hiding. Buffy had simply chalked 
it up to her 'spider-sense' being enhanced by her new powers.

Willow drifted about scanning the crowds and pondering what the dark 
slayer was planing. She had hoped that maybe Faith had listened to her 
during the time she had spent in Faith's dreams. 

She hoped that Faith would surrender quietly, but somehow she knew that 
wasn't going to happen. Faith wasn't ready yet. Faith had healed physically 
but mentally she was still a wreck.

Then Willow saw her. Slipping through the door to Stevenson Hall. For a 
second she hesitated. The idea of Faith taking out the imposter held a 
tantalizing bit of delight for her. But then she realized that Buffy would 
be overwrought with guilt and grief if that happened, especially after what 
had happened this afternoon.

"Crap. OK, fine. Time to activate the Bat-signal," she sighed.

****

Two girls crashed down the stairs and into the lobby of Stevenson Dorm, 
scattering other students. Buffy had surprised Faith as she was tying up a 
gagged Willow, and had instantly attack her in rage.

Faith had fought back, but it was clear from the start who had the 
advantage in this fight. Faith had been lying on a bed for eight months, 
whereas Buffy was an angry Slayer who was training every other day.

"What the hell is wrong with you? It didn't have to be this way, Faith."

Buffy slammed her fist into Faith's stomach causing the dark slayer to 
gasp and stumble backwards. She had not used her 'special powers' yet for 
three reasons. The first was that she was in public and her own Slayer 
strength seemed to be doing the job just fine. The second was that as angry 
as she was with Faith's attack on Willow, Buffy did not truly wish to kill 
Faith. Currently, Buffy had serious doubts as to being able to control her 
magical strength and not kill Faith were she to use magic. 

The third was that it was giving her a deep personal satisfaction to kick 
Faith's ass.

That was her mistake.

She never saw Faith slip the small metallic device into her hand. Buffy 
slammed her fist into Faith's head hard enough to daze her. Faith raised her 
hand to clutch at Buffy's arm, and the world suddenly shifted. 

She heard a shriek in her mind and she was suddenly in a world of pain. 
Buffy experienced one second of unreality as she suddenly saw her own fist 
smashing into her face. 

And then all she saw was darkness.

*****

Willow awoke feeling achy and disoriented. She stood up, looked around 
and discovered she was in the back of an armored truck. Puzzled she looked 
down and saw Faith waking up slowly. In a panic she looked about for Buffy. 


Closing her eyes, she concentrated on being with Buffy. A second later 
she felt the comforting warmth that enveloped her whenever she merged with 
Buffy. Opening her eyes, she moved out of Buffy, and found herself in the 
exact same place as before. Gasping she spun about to look at Faith with her 
'fairy' sight and was shocked to see the bright glow that she normally got 
with Buffy.

She remembered the fight, Faith grabbing Buffy's arm and the sudden pain 
that had knocked her out. 

Faith had done something... had something in her hand. Something that 
had switched their bodies.

Buffy was inside Faith's body. Faith was inside Buffy's body.

Life on the Hellmouth really, really sucked.

*****

Faith stared at the face in the mirror. Buffy Summers' face. Now, her 
face. It had worked. She had Buffy's body. 

Buffy, in Faith's body, had been hauled away by Sunnydale's finest. To 
add to that joy, when she had called Giles to inform him of her victory, he 
had informed her of the presence of a Watcher's Black Ops team that would be 
taking Faith back to England. 

She was free.

She could do whatever she wanted.

So why was she feeling as if she'd screwed up again?

Finally, she decide that what she needed was to get out and party.

****

Of course they hadn't believed her when she told them. Why should they? 
She was supposedly psychotic. Claiming to be somebody else just reinforced 
that image. 

Buffy slumped back in exasperation. She stared at the chains holding her 
wrists and legs. They were reinforced to prevent her using her slayer 
strength to break them. Suddenly, she smiled. 

They were not magic proof however. She began to concentrate. Trying to 
imagine the lock and tumblers in her mind and pushing at them in order to 
open the lock. At first, it felt difficult, and she had a brief moment of 
panic that she had lost her ability when Faith had taken her body. Then she 
heard a click and one of the handcuffs sprung free. Overjoyed with her 
success she rapidly opened the second handcuff. Then she moved to the door 
of the truck.

The door was even easier to unlock. She closed her eyes and tried to 
sense where the Council goons were outside the truck. She found, to her 
delight, that she could practically see them. Almost as if she had another 
set of eyes looking about on the outside.

The leader was in a back room talking on the phone while the other two 
had their backs to the truck.

She eased the door open quietly and slipped out of the truck. Moving 
stealthily, she slipped along side the truck trying to get to the driver's 
seat. However, just as she was reaching for the door handle, a cry of, 
"She's loose," came from one of the goons. She grabbed the handle and yanked 
it open, when a sudden image of a gun being raised flashed across her mind. 
Buffy threw herself to the ground just as a bullet tore into the cab of the 
armored truck. 

Buffy scrambled to her feet and dove through the warehouse doors as more 
shots were fired. 

*****

Tara watched with rising anxiety as Buffy danced with several boys. 
Something was wrong. She could feel it in her bones, and the hair on the 
back of her neck was prickling. It had been impossible to carry a 
conversation with Buffy all night. Buffy had acted like she barely knew 
Tara, and her responses had been universally vague. 

Tara finally took a look at Buffy's aura and nearly panicked at what she 
saw. She would have slipped out then and there but at that moment Buffy 
choose to leave the dance floor and return to their table. When Buffy got 
there, she grabbed her drink and downed it in one chug. It was with a 
tremendous feeling of relief that Tara spotted Riley entering the Bronze, and 
she directed Buffy's attention towards him.

When Buffy sat on a surprised Riley's lap and kissed him with an 
enthusiasm she had never before shown in public, Tara figured it was time to 
leave. A couple of wolf whistles and shouts of 'Get a room' came from a near 
by table.

"Uhm, Buffy?" Tara tried to get her attention. "I-I'm not f-feeling so 
well. I think I'm g-gonna head home for the night."

"Sure thing girlfriend," Buffy said off handedly. The she looked at 
Tara. "You OK to walk home by yourself?"

"Y-Y-Yes. I'll be fine," Tara hastily assured her as she got up and moved 
to leave the club.

****
The girl was nervous. Faith was certain of it. Her instincts were on 
high alert. This Tara chick was a problem that needed fixing. Pity. She 
was kinda cute. Oh well. First things first, time to dump the chump.

"Riley, Honey? I know you just got here, but I'd feel better if I made 
sure Tara got home OK. You understand, don'tcha?" 

"Uh...er...yeah," stammered a flustered Riley as she pressed herself 
against him. This aggressive Buffy was such a change that he was totally 
thrown for a loop. For months he had worked to gain her trust, with the 
eventual goal of seducing her, and now here she was throwing herself at him. 
Practically, having sex with him in public. However, now his conversation 
earlier with Eve had him completely off balance and unsure of what to do. He 
had to think, and the current situation had his mind practically frozen with 
lust and worry. A break was more than welcome.

"Don't worry, baby. I'll make it up to you later," she cooed. Giving 
him another deep French kiss, she leapt off his lap and quickly moved for the 
door.

****

Tara was walking quickly and kept looking around for any dangers, when 
the voice made her blood run cold.

"You know, I'd swear this is not the way back to the campus."

"B-B-Buffy! W-W-W-W-What are y-y-you d-d-d-doing here?"

"Well it looks like I'm waiting for you. I thought I should make sure 
you got to where you belong. Dangerous town Sunnydale. You never know what 
might happen when you stick your nose in some place where it shouldn't be."

"Shouldn't be?"

"You were going to Giles' place."

"W-W-W-W-"

"W-W-What's that?" Buffy's eyes seemed to darken and she moved towards 
Tara. Tara shuffled back a couple of steps but Faith quickly closed to 
distance between them.

"B-B-Buffy?" Tara squeaked in fear as Faith grabbed her arm in a grip of 
steel before she could run.

"No," said the dark slayer as she looked into Tara's eyes. "But you 
already knew that, didn't you?"

*****

Buffy ran, dodging through alleys and back streets, towards Giles' 
apartment complex. She truly hoped that she could avoid any more Council 
goons until Giles could get in touch with the Council and get them to rescind 
the death order on Faith. She did not want to hurt anyone but she was not 
going to just allow them to kill her.

As she rounded a corner into another alley, she suddenly crashed into 
someone, knocking them to the ground.

"Oofff, Oh! I'm so sorry, I --- Willow?"

Eve looked up to see Faith standing in front of her looking rather 
startled. She looked around quickly and lifted her right hand towards Faith. 
Buffy saw Willow's hand come up in what she thought was a sign of surrender.

"Will, it's OK. I'm not-." 

The remainder of whatever Buffy was about to say was lost as the skin at 
the base of Willow's palm suddenly split open revealing two metal tubes from 
which an electric bolt instantly shot out at a completely dumbfounded Buffy 
and knocking her unconscious. Slowly and cautiously, Eve got up and moved 
closer to check that Faith was unconscious. She then reached into her purse, 
pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.

"This is Eve. I need a recovery team at the north ally of Main Street 
between 11th and 12th streets. Inform Command that I have captured the rogue 
slayer known as Faith."

"Roger, Eve. Recovery Team ETA should be three minutes."

Eve closed the cell phone and stood back to consider how this new 
development might affect things as she waited. When she had been attacked 
earlier today, and Faith had been taken away by the police there had been 
nothing she could do but sit and fume as an opportunity had passed her by. 
But now, it seemed the Hellmouth had smiled on her and delivered Faith right 
into her lap, once again.

Completely ignored, the ghost of Willow Rosenberg cursed and slashed in a 
futile effort at the creature that occupied her former body. 

*****

TBC...

End Chap 6