Fic: Triune (18/?) B/W/T NC-17

["TheBear" <thebear@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Triune

Author: The Bear!

Spoilers: up through season 5

Pairing: Buffy/Willow/Tara (Some of the other Scoobies might get a
little some-some as well)

Summary: Ends the Triad Trilogy- Sequel to the Please Trilogy. The new
Triad deals with an angry Hellgod and new relationships are on the
horizon

Warnings: NC17 Ahoy! I Love BDSM. I Love chains and whips. I love
Sex! If any of these gives you the wiggins, then so will this story.
(Part 18 is more of that darn story advancement- PG-13]

Disclaimer: If I owned 'em, they'd have to show it on the Ecstasy
Network.

========== BtVS ==========

Part 18

========== BtVS ==========

Gray. Everything she saw was the same fricken gray. The walls, the
sheets on her bed, the clothes on her back. gray, gray, gray. Even the
food was gray. And the other women. Inmates, guards, it didn't matter,
they were all gray too.

She knew she deserved to be where she was. She'd hurt people- killed
people even. She'd betrayed the only people who had ever cared even a
little bit for her. That was what hurt the worst, the looks in their
eyes when they found out. She pretended it didn't matter, that she was
better than them all, when it was really the opposite. She got mad at
them for looking down on her, for treating her like crap, when the truth
was that they were right; they were better than her. They sacrificed
themselves to do what was right, even when it cost them big time, while
she.

No, she definitely deserved to be where she was. It had taken her a
long time to realize it- even after she'd turned herself in, even after
they locked her up. it still took months before she really admitted that
she was wrong- that it was all her own fault. That every slight, every
wrong she had held against the others in her life- whether they were
legit or not- none of it excused what she'd done. Blaming everyone else
for the bad things in her life had given her an excuse to live
recklessly- she was a danger junkie because death didn't scare her,
death didn't matter because no one mattered, least of all herself.

There were days. days when the gray got to her and she had a hard time
not falling into old habits. Days like today when she was tempted to
give in to the anger and lash out- when she wanted to blame everyone but
herself. but it wasn't true. She guessed it was a sign of how far she'd
come that she couldn't lie even to herself anymore, not even for a
moment. The only problem with that was that, if she couldn't blame
others, if she had to accept responsibility for all the horrible things
she'd done. 

Days like today, she wanted to blame someone, wanted to hate someone-
and since she had only herself to blame.

Sometimes she constructed elaborate fantasies; how she'd get out and
make it up to everybody. and they'd take her back and she'd be part of
the team, fighting the good fight. She pretended that maybe she
wouldn't have to be alone, that she could reach out and they'd reach
back and for once in her life people would care about her- really care
about how she felt, and what she did, and. and she'd matter.

Hindsight really was twenty-twenty, 'cause she could see now how she
could have had that. right up to the fricken moment she walked into the
mayor's office. Buffy came to the docks to bring her back because she
did care about Faith's life, because she did. yeah, and things were
stressed between them and the trust was damaged and stuff, but it could
have worked. 

She could look back now and it was all so clear. The fantasy she'd give
anything to have happen was almost a reality once- till she'd pissed it
all away. And so now she was stuck in a gray fricken box with bars on
the front; like an animal on display.

"Too damn bad I couldn't see it then." She whispered aloud as hot tears
rolled down her face.

========== BtVS ==========

"So let me see if I'm understanding this," Cordelia said into the
resounding silence that greeted Giles explanation of the plan. "First,
were gonna go get Ms. Psycho Slayer out of prison- and hope she doesn't
decide to kill us all. Then, we're gonna troop up to Sunny D, where the
witches and slayers get all spelled up and Buffy fights a Hellgod, while
the rest of us get to guard the magic girls from attacking demons."

Through the amazing advances in digital technology, they were all able
to clearly hear the exasperation in Giles voice, as well as see it on
the screen as he answered, "Yes, that's it precisely, Cordelia."

"And during all this you'll be. elsewhere." Cordy added with unconcealed
sarcasm.

Buffy was quick to defend her Watcher. "I asked him to go; he's
protecting The Key. If we fail, keeping The Key out of Glory's hands is
the only way to save the world from a one-way ticket on the
roller-coaster to hell!"

"Well, there is that, I suppose," Cordelia said with little grace.

"How, exactly do you propose we get Faith out of prison?" Wesley asked.
"Surely you don't intend to have her escape."

"No, of course not," Giles said. "Her release documents are being
messengered to you right now."

Wesley nodded his head as if he had solved a puzzle. He said, "The
council. Of course." He followed up with, "Do you have a plan as to
when and where this battle should take place?"

Buffy answered that one, "As for the when, I think it should be as soon
as possible."

Giles agreed, saying, "Yes, better to surprise her I think, rather than
wait for her to take the initiative."

"Do you know where her lair is located?" Wesley asked.

All four Scoobies nodded and Buffy said, "Oh, yeah. We know where she's
at- and I don't think she has a clue that we know."

Xander said, "Probably wouldn't care that we know, anyway."

Wesley struck a pose, left hand holding right elbow, right hand rubbing
his chin as though stroking a non-existent beard. "Some sort of
underground cavern? Maybe an abandoned factory?" he opined, trying to
sound knowledgeable.

Her voice flat, belying a twinkle of amusement in her eye, Buffy said,
"Luxury high-rise apartment building."

"Oh."

========== BtVS ==========

They spent about an hour going over possible plans- not that there was a
lot to plan; basically Buffy was gonna get juiced up with the enjoining
spell and go kick Glory's ass. The only questions were, where to set up
the spell, and how to isolate Glory from her minions so Buffy could
concentrate on the Hellgod.

Buffy figured a direct challenge to Glory would play into her ego, and
incite a one-on-one fight. Willow and Tara thought it was likely that
glory would feel the spell and probably send her minions after them
anyway. Willow had used her computer to discover that most of the
apartments it that building were empty, so they'd have their pick of
locations to set up.

"I guess Hellgods make for bad neighbors," Xander joked, trying not to
dwell on his 'job' in all of this.

"Rather," Wesley said. "Perhaps we should set up in the apartment
across the hall- that way if she does not send her minions we will be in
close enough proximity to engage them directly."

Everyone stared at him for a moment, causing him to blush. "That's a
good idea." Buffy said with a note of surprise.

Gunn added, "Me and Angel could back up Buffy, then fall back, sucker
them into the other apartment, where Wes, Cordy and Xan can ambush 'em!"

Xander tapped soldier memories as he said, "That's a good plan, but we
need more intel- a layout of the apartments, a headcount on the targets.
We're not talkin' vamps here, any special weapons needed to take these
guys out?"

Giles answered that question, "From my examinations of the 'specimens'
Willow and Tara provided us with, they seem vulnerable to any standard
weapons- they are essentially mortal creatures. What are you thinking
Xander?"

The A.I. team was looking at Xander with surprise while the Scoobies
were more accustomed to Xander's magical military experience.

"Well," Xander said, feeling warm and fuzzy from the looks of pride on
his friends' faces- and at the same time feeling a heavy weight in his
gut from the knowledge that using these memories and skills came with a
heavy price. He'd have nightmares again tonight, as he did whenever he
spent any time focusing on soldier-boy's memories. He mentally shook it
off- it would be worth it if he could keep his friends safe. "What I'm
thinking is, Willow, Tara, and Faith are going to be totally vulnerable-
and if we stick to hand weapons, there's a chance the bad guys could
overwhelm us with numbers and get to the girls."

"That is a possibility," Giles allowed. "What do you propose?"

"We'll need to see the layout, but what I'm thinking is. we set up down
the hall a ways, put the magic circle in a room that has one defensible
entrance and Angel and Gunn can fall back to that when they draw the
targets into the trap- Gunn goes in the room with the girls and has a
SMG waiting for him- I'm thinking MP5 or Uzi; Angel goes outside the
door with another SMG. We'll make a kinda fire-sack- Wes and Cordy will
set up at fixed points with overlapping fields of fire on the entry
room- they'll take out the bulk of them with a couple of SAWs- something
with a lot of capacity so they can just hose 'em down. I'll set up in
the opposite direction down the hall, and move into position once Angel
and Gunn Draw them away- I'll mop up any that don't make it into the
fire-sack or fall back once the bullet's fly, plus I'll be able to hit
any stragglers that might stay with Glory.

Everyone stared at Xander in wonder.

Xander continued- not noticing the dropped jaws. "We'll need a plan for
deployment if the targets don't fall for the bait. probably Angel and
me, so we don't leave the girls uncovered. We'll need hands-free radios
to coordinate communication, some range time once we get the guns to
familiarize everybody, and a rehearsal or two." He paused to think of
what else they'd need.

The room erupted as everyone at once tried to talk.

Xander's attention was fractured as he tried to listen to five different
questions at once, and finally he stood up and shouted, "Shut Up!"
surprising everyone once again. "Ok, one at a time- Cordy."

"We don't know how to use guns, Xander!" Cordelia said in a huff.

Xander said, "I know that, Cordelia. What I'm thinking wont require a
lot of skill- you and Wes will be set up with machine guns on bipods-
you'll each have a defined field of fire, and all you'll have to do is
squeeze the trigger and sweep the gun back and forth in that defined arc
of movement. No skill involved, and we'll get some range time in to get
you used to the gun. Angel and Gunn will actually have to aim, but it
won't be any more difficult than shooting a crossbow, and I know you
guys have done that before.

"I know how to shoot." Gunn said, not elaborating on how he might have
come across that skill.

"What about you dead-boy?" Xander asked, turning to the silent vampire.

Angel opened his mouth to respond, but glanced up briefly at Tara and
quickly shut it. Looking back down at the floor, he quietly said, "I've
fired a gun, but it's been a while."

Xander smirked when Angel didn't rise to the 'dead-boy' bait. "Oh yeah,
Tara whipped you good!" he thought. Out loud he said, "Like riding a
bike- you'll pick it up quick."

The thought of guns made Willow nervous, but not as nervous as the
thought of sitting there unable to move while a hoard of demons rushed
five defender armed only with swords and axes, so she didn't say
anything.

Buffy spoke up, "Gotta say, I'm not too thrilled with the idea of guns,
but it would be stupid not to use every advantage we can get."

Giles spoke up in agreement. "I agree, absolutely; however, where will
you get all of this military hardware?" 

It was Gunn who answered that, "I know some people. Two days, if we can
pony up the money."

Wesley said, "Perhaps the council could be persuaded to offer some
assistance."

Giles took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Another
call to Quinton. oh, joy."

"We have, what, two weeks till the deadline for the ceremony?" Xander
asked.

"A week from next Saturday, at approximately two o'clock in the
morning." Giles answered.

"A couple days to get the hardware, a day on the range and then another
to rehearse. we could hit her this Friday night- a week early, so she
might not be too panicked yet about where you and The Key took off to,
Buff."

"Friday's fine," Buffy nodded in agreement. "I just want it over. I
want the rest of my family home," she said while giving Tara and Willow
a squeeze. "I want to go back to patrolling and slaying nice, simple,
non-apocalypse-causing vampires."

Tara was the only one that noticed Angel averting his eyes when Buffy
said that. She felt a little sorry for him, the angelus stuff wasn't
his fault. What happened today- that was his fault and she didn't feel
the slightest bit remorseful for her response.

"Ok, so now what?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, it would appear that I have another phone call to make. Wesley,
do you have an account where the council could wire the money?"

"Yes, yes of course." Wes mumbled.

"Yes, well I'll have them contact you directly." Giles said- already not
looking forward to another call to Travers.

"Do you think the council will get on board with this?" Xander asked.

"I expect that there will be much screaming and gnashing of teeth, but
it isn't as though they have another choice. or a better plan."

"No I suppose not," Wesley said, musing on the reactions he imagined
Travers and his ilk would have.

"I'm gonna go see some people, find out what it's gonna cost ya," Gunn
said as he headed out the door.

"Who's going to go get Faith?" Willow softly inquired. She wasn't all
that eager to see the brunette Slayer, but at least this time she could
handle herself if Faith wasn't all the way 'rehabilitated'. She
marveled once again at how far she'd come in just over a year's time.
The last time she'd seen Faith, she'd been scared to death- knowing
Faith could kill her without the slightest chance Willow could fight
back. Now, Willow could take the Slayer out five ways to Sunday and not
even break a sweat.

Tara spoke up, "If Xander doesn't mind driving. I thought he and I
could get her." She knew Buffy wasn't eager to see Faith, and after
being dominated so strongly this morning, she might need a little time
with her own pet to get her in the right frame of mind. 

At Buffy's confused frown, Tara said, "I thought you and Willow could go
do that shopping you've been talking about." Buffy was always saying
she needed to get some sexier clothes for her pet- fuzzy sweaters and
overalls just didn't do justice to today's Willow Rosenberg.

Buffy's face split into a smile at the mental image of taking her pet
shopping. She looked at her Mistress with gratitude in her eyes and
whispered in her ear, "Thank you, Tara."

"What about me and the broody one?" Cordelia asked.

Tara smirked, "He can buy his own clothes." At Cordelia's glare, she
said, "You can always go with us to get Faith."

Cordelia stood up and said, "How about not?" She walked toward the
office. "I'll stay here in case a 'paying' client calls." she snarked.

With that, everyone got up and walked away, leaving Angel to sit. and
brood.

========== BtVS ==========

end part 18



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