"It's possible our situation has just gone from bad to much, much worse," Xander muttered to Spike.
Spike glanced at him. “That’s Faith? Nimble little thing, in’t she?”
“Faith,” Buffy hissed. “Got sprung from prison?”
“Yeah, B…about two years ago. Back on active duty, on the sly, on my home turf in south Boston,” Faith said easily. “But we’ve got time for catching up later. Seems we’ve got ourselves a little sitch here. So this is how we’re going to work it,” she told her, nudging Buffy with the crossbow. Buffy reluctantly began to move so that she stood among her friends, Faith in front of her. “You’re going to take a little nap now and we’re going to sort some things through.” The brunette’s eyes landed on Spike for a split second, then came back to Buffy. “And when you wake up…hopefully you’ll be in a better mood.”
Buffy smirked. “How you gonna take me out, Faith? You couldn’t do it before…I almost killed you, remember? Made you sleep for a looong time. How was that coma, by the way? Don’t think I ever got the chance to ask you that.”
Faith grinned. “You’re right, B. I can’t take you out right now.” Her eyes flicked to Spike and he heaved up the sledge hammer he had been holding. “But he can.”
Buffy whirled around just in time to receive a blow to her forehead. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious for the second time that night.
Darla began to look unsure of herself and slowly made her way to the door. “Ah ah…no leaving the party without playing games first!” Faith called out, shooting an arrow at her. It went wide and hit the door not two inches from the vampire’s face. “I brought some rope. Thought we might play hangman. Or…maybe we’ll just tie you up, but that’ll still be fun.”
Spike grabbed Darla’s arms. “There are chains in the basement…nice dungeon. Laren might like some company,” he told the Slayer.
“Works for me,” Faith agreed and walked to Angel. “Hey…” she said, almost shyly.
“Hey,” he said, letting out a deep breath.
She smiled hesitantly. “Look at you…all breathin’ and stuff.”
He mustered a smile. “Yeah…thanks…for this,” he said, sweeping a hand out.
She put a hand on his arm. “We’ll figure it out…don’t worry.”
Nodding he crossed to Buffy and picked her up. “She goes downstairs, unharmed,” he said to Spike. “Separate from Laren. Secure her then come back up here.”
“What do we do with Buffy?” Willow asked, her eyes never leaving her best friend’s face.
“I’ll chain her up somewhere up here.”
Darla growled. “You just lost your chance, Angelus. Your Slayer’s never going to see the sun again.”
“Shut your yap,” Spike snapped and shoved her out of the room.
“We got his back,” Gunn told Angel and he and Giles walked out.
Cordelia let out a deep breath and surveyed the scene. “Oh boy.”
***
Buffy was chained to a steel peg in the wall of the main hall and the windows were covered with heavy curtains for the impending sunrise.
Once Darla was imprisoned in the dungeon the gang regrouped. “Looks like Darla’s boys scattered,” Spike noted as they walked into the giant room. He crossed to a giant table and sat on top, lighting a cigarette and puffing on it worriedly.
Angel nodded, sitting down beside him tiredly.
Spike glanced at him, pulling long on the cigarette. “You okay, mate?”
His sire nodded again taking a deep breath and letting it out.
“Used to the breathing thing again?”
Angel let out a short laugh. “I guess so. It was easier when I didn’t have to.”
Spike grinned. “Yeah, I can see that. Lotsa things were probably easier. ‘Cept maybe tanning.”
They were interrupted by Faith. “So, you guys want to fill me in here? Watcher boys were only so informative.”
The group gathered around them, taking chairs if available. “The Council sent you here?” Wesley asked.
She nodded. “Yeah…like I told B, I got sprung two years ago, but they wanted to keep it quiet. I went back to slaying, on the down-low, in Boston. Then I got this phone call two days ago telling me to get my ass on a plane and head back to the Hellmouth.”
“Why did they want to keep it quiet? ‘Cause of the craziness?” Xander asked, bitterness creeping into his voice.
The Slayer immediately became gun shy. “That was seven years ago, Xander,” Angel said tersely.
Giles jumped in, trying to save the peace. “You’re here now, Faith, that’s what’s important. But, I’m a bit confused. That’s all the Council told you? And you just…well, forgive me…but you just did it?”
Faith shrugged, meeting his gaze evenly. “They also said that Buffy was is trouble, that all you guys were, that Angel was human and that some vampire was seriously not happy about you guys having a kid.” She turned to Angel. “I’d say a few pages are missing in my book.”
“Well, it all started about a month ago,” Cordelia pitched in. “We all got summoned through one magical being or another to come back to Sunnydale. Big trouble, prophetic dreams, yadda yadda yadda…turns out we’re the Ten.”
Faith cocked an eyebrow. “The who?”
“The Ten. The Chosen, the Champion, the Seer, that’s me, the Father, the Witch, the Wolf, the Weapon, the One who Watches, and the Tinman. Oh and the Saint,” she told the Slayer, pointing to each person as she spoke. “The Ten. Short version, we’re like some mystical prophesized force, and together we made Angel human. He took parts of each of us, our strengths, and they made him whole.”
Faith’s eyes were round. “Oh-kay…” She glanced at Spike.
“You and I get to be in the non-Ten club. We’re the negative numbers that don’t add in,” he told her.
“But Angel got to keep the demony strength and speed and stuff,” Willow chimed in.
Faith glanced at Angel. “Cool. So then what?”
“Well, you know Sunnydale,” Xander said, rising and beginning to pace. “Never a dull moment…or mili-second. Angel and Buffy go on this nice, relaxing two week jaunt to Hawaii and the moment they come back, boom! New problem.”
“And this problem is Laren, a vampire,” Faith concluded. “Watcher’s are real hopped up to have her taken out. She messed with a couple of their boys.”
Giles cleared his throat. “Yes, I suppose they are.”
“But the part I’m still hazy on is this kid you and Buffy are supposed to have? I’m not even supposed to know about that, I just overheard it when my Watcher was on the phone,” Faith said, turning to Angel once again.
Angel looked uncomfortable. “It’s part of the prophecy…The Champion and the Chosen together will form the Triumphant…a child…that will lead the good fight.”
Faith took a beat to let that sink in. “Wow, future all picked out for the little tyke. Guess you don’t have to save for that college fund then.”
“Laren, Faith,” Wesley began, “is a vampire that Angel turned before he got his soul back. She was pregnant but she was also a witch, or at least had powerful witchcraft in her bloodline. Before she died she cursed herself with the memory of the love for her unborn child, then drank from Angelus and was therefore turned. Since then she has searched the world over for him to exact her revenge.”
“And that’s another thing! She’s been searching for…what? A hundred years? Someone get her a new map,” Xander exclaimed. “Oh,” he backpedaled when everyone turned to him, “taking so long is a bad thing…right. Sorry.”
“So this Laren’s revenge was to turn Buffy?” Faith asked angrily.
“No,” Angel told her. “Laren wanted Buffy dead, but not turned. She gave her something…a drug, I don’t know what…Buffy couldn’t fight. It was like she had no strength anymore.”
“A drug?” Giles asked, his ears perking up. “What sort of drug?”
“I don’t know,” Angel repeated, frustrated. “She tried to fight…but she wasn’t strong anymore, didn’t have the agility. After Willow did that mind-thingy I went to the North Tower but I got stopped by some guards. When I got to the Tower I had just enough time to recognize Darla and Laren before I got slammed in the back of the head by what felt like a diesel-engine truck.”
“Then what?” Gunn asked.
“When I came to Darla was there. She told me that if I wanted to see Buffy again I had to come with her. I followed her and came out over there,” Angel said, pointing to the second floor balcony. “Standing in the center of this court was Buffy, being held off the ground by Laren. She tried to fight…to run, but she just couldn’t.”
“Why didn’t you go to her?” Spike asked quietly.
Angel glared at him. “I tried. But the guards shackled my hands and feet. I watched…” he said, his voice becoming very low and very angry. “In the end Laren bit her, and drank. At the last moment Darla jumped down and the guards took Laren away. To the dungeon. They were working for Darla the entire time; it was all a trick. Darla ordered the guards to bring me down here…and then she sliced her wrist and forced Buffy to drink.”
The room was oddly silent as the tale sunk in. Finally Faith spoke up. “Angel,” she said softly. “Why?”
Angel couldn’t meet her eyes. “She says she has the only cure…a spell that can reverse this, and make Buffy human again. But only if I give my life.”
Spike’s eyes flew open. “So what’s the bloody problem then?!” he hissed.
Angel’s head snapped up. “I have to give my life and become Angelus again. She has to change me. That’s the only way she’ll turn Buffy back.”
Spike stood up and walked to Angel, stopping only when they were nose to nose, sire to grand-sire. “As I said, so what’s the bloody problem then? You love her, right? Do you want to see her like this? This evil…thing?”
“Said the evil thing,” Xander quipped.
“Can it Harris!” Spike snapped before turning back to Angel. “There is no problem. You change…and we recurse you…”
“…or we kill you,” Giles gasped.
“Angel, no!” Cordelia cried. “No…you can’t. There has to be another way.”
“You guys are missing the point!” Angel cried, jumping up from his seat. “Whether we save Buffy or I change…the Triumphant won’t be,” he whispered.
The room stood in silence again until Cordelia walked to her friend and put her arms around him. He didn’t return her embrace. Instead he pushed her away gently and left the room.
“Jeez,” Xander muttered. “I didn’t even think about that.”
“Angels' only chance to have a child,” Willow said softly.
“That’s harsh,” Gunn agreed, his heart breaking for his friend.
Giles cleared his throat. “Angel has a lot on his mind right now. And we’ll be here for him. But we have work to do right now.”
“What do you propose?” Wesley asked, moving to his side.
Giles sighed. “We need to find out what this spell is that Darla seems to think she has. And I’d like to know what the drug is that Laren gave her.”
“I think Wesley and I can take care of those two things…I’m up for playing bad cop,” Gunn told them.
Spike stood up. “You boys don’t get to have all the fun.”
“No, you boys, don’t,” Faith said, joining them.
“Fine. Willow, Xander, Cordelia, Anya…stay with me,” Giles requested.
Anya nodded. “Sure…but, what are we going to do? We don’t have any books or anything. I mean, all of yours are in Sunnydale, and that’s like two hours away, even if Angel drove, and the hotel’s in tiny, burning pieces.”
Willow interrupted. “I might be able to change that…if you and Cordelia will help me.”
“What are you going to do?” Oz asked her.
“Transportation spell…bring some of the books forth, maybe some spell ingredients and stuff…it’s not hard, I just have to remember the spell off the top of my head. I’ve only done it a few times and some of the wording is tricky.”
“That would very helpful, thank you Willow,” Giles said wearily.
The group started to split up when Faith suddenly cried out. “Giles! Wait, I almost forgot. I don’t know what kind of code this is in, but the Council said to tell you ‘Geoffrey Simon.’ Ring any bells?”
Giles and Wesley exchanged horrified glances. “Uh…yes, yes it does. Thank you,” Giles stammered before he and Wesley walked away quickly and began whispering.
The group stared after them. “Whatever” Faith shrugged. “We’ll find out soon enough. I wanna go meet the chick who started this whole mess.”
“Follow that…ass…” Spike said, gazing appreciatively as Faith left.
“You’re a sick man,” Gunn told him.
***
“I know you’re down here, Darla, I heard them bring you. Your little plan failed,” Laren called out from her cell.
Darla rolled her eyes and leaned her head back against the stone wall of her own cell. “Because yours was the epitome of success, Laren. I had you from the start.”
“And you’ll die with me, traitor.”
“We’re not going to die, you twit,” Darla told her. “At least, I’m not.”
Laren rattled her chains. “What makes you so special? Angelus killed you once. He’ll do it again.”
“Because I have something he wants. You’re lacking in that area.”
Laren laughed, low and mean. “What could you possibly have that would make him spare your life?”
The door to Laren’s cell opened. “You should probably be asking yourself that same question right about now,” Faith told her. She glanced around, smirking at Gunn, Giles and Spike. “Then again, Angel isn’t here. And we are. And we’re kinda pissed off, and a few of us are looking for a fight…too bad you’ve got those chains on. It’ll make it tough to hit back.”
Laren watched her carefully as the Slayer circled the room. “And you are?”
Faith assumed a mock-embarrassed expression. “Oh, I’m sorry! We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Faith, and I’ll be kicking your ass in about thirty seconds.”
Laren cocked an eyebrow. “Is that right?”
“You betcha,” Faith said, grinning. Behind her stood Spike and Gunn, both trying to suppress smiles at the Slayer’s candidness.
“What makes you think that, girl?”
“Well…I’m angry. When I get angry I like to fight. You know, get in a little one-two,” she said, demonstrating by punching the air, “let out the rage and all. And secondly, there’s the fact that I’m a Slayer. For the moment I’m the only Slayer. I’d probably have to kill you even if I didn’t feel like it…sacred duty and all that.”
Laren’s eyes flew open. “Two Slayers?”
Gunn laughed out loud now. “This is going to be more fun than I’d hoped.”
Spike grinned back at him and glanced at Giles who was also trying to keep a smile off his face.
“How are there two Slayers?” Laren demanded. “And what do you mean you’re the only one for the moment?”
From the cell across the hall came Darla’s laughter.
“I’ll take care of this,” Giles told them and headed out into the hall.
“I’d better go make sure gramps doesn’t get himself killed,” Spike said reluctantly and followed him.
“It’s like this,” Faith continued. “One plus one equals two. For the moment you’ve taken out one Slayer…well, she’s down but not out. Two minus one equals one.”
Laren’s eyes flashed. “Spare me the math lesson,” she spat.
“You really don’t know?” Gunn asked, coming to Faith’s side. “You’re what, a hundred years old? You’ve supposedly made killing Angel your mission, or at least stopping he and Buffy, that’d be Slayer number one,” he clarified, “from having a kid, and you didn’t stop to educate yourself? That’s a damn shame.”
Faith grinned at him. “Seriously. The education problem in this country,” she said, shaking her head. Walking over to Laren she knelt down in front of her, brown eyes staring into black ones. “Buffy’s been turned. Your pal in there? The blonde in dire need of a touch-up job? She pulled a Benedict Arnold on ya. You may have drank Buffy, but Darla took it one step further. She turned her.”
Laren hissed and reached for Faith but the shackles held her back. “So what?!” she cried. “No matter. The Triumphant will not be, that was my goal.”
Faith considered this. “True. That part may be true,” she said easily. “But now you’ve got one terminally pissed off Slayer and one Slayer who couldn’t care less what happens to you. Up to you which is which.”
“Not to mention three ex-hostages who are itchin’ to work out their issues with you, one hella powerful witch, a werewolf, a vampire who can only hurt evil things…oh, and Angel,” Gunn chimed in, testing the weight of the sledgehammer he had borrowed from Spike. “Last I saw him…he was in a bad needin’ anger-management kinda way.”
Faith stood up and joined him. “So let’s get on with this,” she said and took the sledgehammer from Gunn. Crossing to Laren she stopped just in front of the vampire. “Nighty-night,” she said through gritted teeth, and brought the weapon down across Laren’s face. The vampiress slumped to the ground, unconscious.
***
Across the hall Spike and Giles were getting nowhere with Darla.
“It doesn’t matter what you do,” Darla mocked them. “Angel won’t kill me…and neither will you.”
“What makes you so bloody sure about that?” Spike asked her angrily.
“Because my boy’s still clinging to the hope that he can convince me to give him the spell. But you and I know that won’t happen, don’t we William?” she asked, her voice dripping with loathing.
Spike back-handed her. “Maybe so…but I can amuse myself for hours with this kinda stuff.”
Darla’s head snapped back and blood trickled from her lip. Wiping it away she grinned up at him. “You remember I like it rough…oh wait, you wouldn’t would you? Because I’ve never looked at you twice. Angelus was the only one I ever wanted…you weren’t even a close second. All those years we four traveled together…and not once, not even for a second…did the thought of giving you a try cross my mind.”
Spike struck her again. “Like I’d ever wanted you…you were a whore before you were turned…you were worse after.”
Darla rubbed at her jaw. “But I know you looked at me…thought about me. You were jealous of Angleus…he had what you could never…and it seems that happened again, didn’t it? You were in love with the Slayer…and history repeated itself. She jilted you for Angel.”
Spike roared and ran at the vampiress, stopping only when Giles grabbed him and through him backwards. “Spike! No…this is not the way. She’s testing you…getting your hair up.”
Spike growled and glared at Darla but stood back. Pacing the room angrily he punched the wall then turned back to the chained vampire. “You shouldn’t be the one talking here, Dar. For all those years that you two were together…for all the kills and feeds you took…the hunts and the raids…he still staked you. He killed you…for her. And when you came back and Dru turned you again? He tried to kill you then, too. Seems to me that in the end…”
“…in the end there was too much talking outta you and not enough outta her,” he was interrupted by Faith as she and Gunn walked into the cell. She breezed past them and headed for Darla, lifting her up and slamming her back against the wall. “Now…let’s get acquainted.” Swinging the vampire around she slammed her against the ajoining wall. “I’m Faith. Enough said. Tell me how to perform the spell.”
Darla groaned at the ache in her skull but said nothing.
“Your friend in there?” Faith asked, jerking her head towards Laren’s cell, “She’s taking a little nap now…with the persuasion of a sledgehammer. Her I got no use for, for the moment. But you…you I need.”
“I think that gives me the advantage,” Darla said haughtily.
Faith cocked an eyebrow and brought a knee up to Darla’s stomach. “Rethink that.”
Gunn, Spike and Giles exchanged a glance. “Faith…” Giles began.
“I’m busy right now, Giles,” Faith growled, her eyes never leaving Darla’s. “Now then…I want to know about this spell and I want to know right now.”
“No chance in hell.”
Faith glanced back at Gunn. “Go get some more shackles. Blondie, you get that crossbow ready.”
The men looked at her inquisitively but did as she asked. As Gunn left the room Faith yanked Darla from the wall, pulling the shackles out as she did, and threw her across the room. Darla hit the opposite wall and landed in a heap on the floor.
“You freed her!” Giles cried.
“That’s where the crossbow and the other shackles come in,” Faith told him, shifting her stance to defense mode. “She and I are going to play for a bit.”