She hadn’t meant to kill him. 

Faith stared at her bloodstained hands. Oh, God, she hadn’t meant to do it.

“Faith!” Buffy said desperately, tugging on the other girl’s sleeve. “Faith, come on, sister,” she tugged again on Faith’s arm, barely aware of what she was saying. “We have to leave!” 

They had to tell Giles, they had to tell…Angel. Angel would know what to do. They couldn’t tell Giles, Buffy was hardly on speaking terms with him. And they couldn’t tell Wesley, either – the younger watcher would never understand. They had to tell Angel, he’d help. Help with what, Buffy didn’t know, but they couldn’t stay here, not here, not any more. 

Faith turned blank eyes to Buffy and the blonde could feel the fear coming off her sister. The fear and uncertainty and such a strong disruption in the energy the two slayers shared. Lifting her up, Buffy all but dragged Faith out of the alleyway – what was the deputy mayor doing there anyway? – and down the street. The brunette stumbled, not paying attention to where Buffy was leading her, staring at her hands. 

“I didn’t mean it,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it.”

“I know you didn’t, Faith,” Buffy soothed, gripping Faith’s hand tighter. Buffy didn’t care about the blood coating Faith’s hands, or the fact that it was now all over her. All she cared about was helping her. And she hoped the smell of fresh blood didn’t attract anything – Faith was in no condition to fight and Buffy was too worried for her sister to leave her. “I know you didn’t.” 

They arrived at the mansion and Angel was there, obviously waiting for them. The scent of blood had him instantly there; worried about his Buffy, worried she’d been hurt somehow. A deep growl was coming from him and Buffy shot him a scared and confused look; not for his growl, but for Faith. Still holding tightly onto Faith, Buffy let Angel steer them into the great room where a fire burned cheerfully in the fireplace. He’d been expecting her and their after-patrol snack lay out in a picnic next to the couch. 

Smiling at him, Buffy nevertheless sat Faith on the couch, wrapping a blanket around her shaking form. She didn’t know what to do, God, Faith had killed…what was she supposed to do now? 

“Here,” Angel said in a quiet voice. 

Buffy looked up and took the bowl of water from him, setting it on the floor and carefully washing Faith’s hands. The silence was broken by Faith’s occasional whisper, “I didn’t mean it.” 

“What happened?” Angel asked as he stood away from the shaken slayer and his lover. 

“We were ambushed,” Buffy said, “Kicked serious ass, but when we turned, he was there. It all happened so quickly, I barely had time to warn Faith, but it was too late.” 

“Who was he?” Angel wanted to know as he sat behind Buffy, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist, holding her close as she, too, started to shake. He didn’t think she was hurt, the scent of blood wasn’t hers, but he still worried; nothing bad was ever to happen to Buffy. Nothing. He couldn’t handle it if it had. 

“The mayor’s assistant.” They both looked at Faith when she said that. Her eyes were still glassy, her body shaking with fine tremors and she gripped Buffy’s hands tightly in her own. 

“What was the deputy mayor doing in the same alley as you were?” Angel wanted to know. “Was it purposely?” 

“Don’t know,” Buffy admitted, leaning back against his chest, her hands holding tightly onto Faith’s, drawing the other girl closer to her, unwilling to let her go. Eyes closed as she accepted the strength and comfort that Angel silently offered, Buffy missed the look Faith shot her.

The younger slayer was jealous, her eyes burning through the couple as they held onto each other. Buffy’s hands were still holding hers, Faith realized with a stab of confusion, and Buffy had moved Faith closer to the couple as well. Faith tried to break away; she frowned even harder when Buffy tightened her grip on Faith’s hands, tried to tug Faith closer. Confused even more now – this affection from Buffy, killing the deputy mayor, even her envy over Buffy and Angel together – Faith wanted to run. She wanted to leave the house and get as far away as she could. 

She wanted to curl into Buffy’s side and let her sister take care of her. 

“B,” Faith said but stopped. No, she wasn’t going to do it. She wasn’t going to be the one to…no, she wasn’t going to accept Buffy back after the other slayer betrayed her like that. Kept secrets and told lies and… 

“I gotta go,” she said instead and stood, tearing her hands away from Buffy’s desperate grasp. 

“Faith,” Buffy stood, “Wait!” 

Faith didn’t answer and raced from the room. Buffy moved to go after her, but Angel stopped her. Torn, she looked at her lover. 

“I’ll go,” he said instead. “I know what she’s going through.” 

Silent, Buffy nodded. He did, maybe better than she, but Buffy didn’t like it. She didn’t like leaving her sister alone. “Help her,” she whispered as she leaned up to kiss him. “Please, Angel, help her.” 

Nodding once, the vampire left the room. “Don’t leave tonight,” he called behind him, “I’ll be back soon. I want to know you’re safe.” 

“I’ll stay,” she agreed and sat back on the couch. “Just find her.” 

Angel left and Buffy wondered what to do now. She wasn’t hungry, didn’t think she could eat, but the food Angel had prepared looked good, baked chicken, sautéed string beans, and still warm rolls. Man, he could cook; where he learned, Buffy hadn’t a clue, but he was good at it. Considering her supped up slayer metabolism made her always hungry, it was a very good thing indeed. 

Sighing in defeat, Buffy sat on the blanket and ate.
~~~~~~~~~~
Angel easily tracked Faith to the docks. 

“Running away won’t help,” he called in the shadows he knew her to be in. 

“What do you know of it?” She demanded in a cocky voice that didn’t fool him. She was scared and alone and she had no idea what had just happened. Really truly just happened. 

Snorting, Angel took a step closer. “I know a hundred and fifty years of hunting and torturing and I know another hundred caring about it.” He paused, took another step and waited. He may not remember everything, but he did remember that. Angel remembered screaming in pain and torture when his soul was forced back in a body that had already freed it. He remembered seeing Buffy and realizing that a large burden lifted from his shoulders at her smile. He remembered taking her hand and knowing that she didn’t care about the blood from hundreds of victims that stained them. 

When Faith said nothing, he continued. “I know what you’re going through, Faith. But you don’t have to go through it alone. Buffy wants to help…and so do I.” 

“Why?” She demanded and stepped into the dim light. “Why do you care?” 

“Because Buffy does,” he told her. “Because she loves you and I want her to be happy. She’s hurting now because you are. I can help, so I am.”

“It’s always about her, isn’t it?” Faith said in a hard voice. “Buffy this, and Buffy that and why isn’t it about me?” 

“This is about you,” Angel told her, not moving any closer. She was unstable and he wasn’t sure she wouldn’t attack him. “This is only about you.” 

“Yeah, what-” 

Faith’s words were cut off when a vampire dropped off the street above and directly in front of her. What was this, pick on Faith night? Risking a glance at Angel, she saw that three other vamps were keeping him occupied while numbers four, five, and six tackled her. There was a seventh, but he seemed to be supervising off to the side. Great, Faith thought as she tossed one against the berthed ship. A Vamp Union. 

The fight wasn’t long; Angel disposed of the three that attacked him in short order. It helped that once the minions realized who they were fighting, they froze for several precious moments and Angel staked them each in turn. He moved to help Faith, but the slayer didn’t want his help. She didn’t need it, she told herself. She was the slayer; she didn’t need the vampire’s help. 

Another two dropped from the street above and engaged Angel while Faith went after the union representative. Feeling something break within her, something that was good and pure and connected to Buffy, Faith snarled at the vamp. He was well dressed, impeccably so, and she wondered why he was here when it was obvious he wasn’t used to doing the work himself. 

“Ah, the slayer,” he said with a slight bow. “I’ve been looking forward to this fight.” 

“Have you?” She wondered, taking another step towards him. “Looking forward to having your ass kicked?” 

With that the fight was on, Faith swung, catching the dark-skinned man in the jaw and sending him into the crates. Trick shook the blow off and leapt at her, snarling his anger at the lucky punch. Back and forth as Angel staked the two newcomers the fight went until Faith slipped the stake between their bodies, tuning the vamp to dust and smiling. 

At the mansion, Buffy started to cry. She curled up in a ball and desperately, frantically, tried to find the link that bound she and her sister. But it wasn’t there, or at least she couldn’t find it. What happened? What had just happened? 

“Faith!” She shouted. But there was no answer. 

Angel watched the change in Faith and feared it. Not for himself, but for Buffy. He recognized that look, the hungry predator, the need screaming inside for more, to feed, to hunt, to consume. Not her chosen prey. But humans. 

“Faith,” he called to her, quickly closing the distance between them. He turned her to face him and watched the look slowly fade from her eyes. It wasn’t replace with anything, and that scared him more. That spark he always associated with Buffy, the unique signature that screamed SLAYER to him, was missing. He needed to get back to Buffy, needed to see her, to speak with her, to hold her. 

But he’d promised he’d help Faith. 

“I’m fine, Angel,” she nodded as if she could sense his thoughts. “I’m fine. Tell B I’ll see her in the morning at school. I need…” she trailed off, shaking her head. Her eyes were unfocused, as if trying to find something and Angel wondered what that was. “I need to get out for a it. I’ll see her tomorrow.” 

“Faith,” Angel said again, “Come back to the mansion. Let me take care of you. Let Buffy take care of you.” 

Shaking his hands off, she shook her head. “No, I’m good. I just need to be alone for a bit.” 

He let her go and made his way back to the mansion and Buffy. When he arrived, he found her still curled in a ball on the floor, the remnants of her meal behind her. It was obvious she was crying, but she slept now, a restless sleep. Crossing quickly to her, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to their bed. 

“Faith?” Buffy asked, snuggling deeper into his arms. 

“Safe, gone but safe. I tracked her to the docks and we were ambushed there. She’s alive, but I don’t think she’ll ever be the same.” 

“She’s not there,” Buffy murmured as Angel lay her down on the bed. “I can’t feel her anymore.”

Angel frowned at that but said nothing. He’d tell her the rest in the morning, when she had a chance to sleep. And when he had a chance to think on what she meant. He had a bad feeling that they’d lost Faith; that something inside the second slayer had snapped and broken with the deputy mayor’s death. Something that Buffy had been trying to fix between the slayers since the revelation that he was back. 

The morning was soon enough for that, and soon enough to plan their next step. Angel had a feeling they’d need Giles, though the vampire hated that. But they’d need him and Buffy’s other friends to rein Faith in. To halt her destructive behavior and save her.
~~~~~~~~~~
Faith knocked on the door and waited. 

When it opened, she didn’t let her doubts show, pushed them deep down into the recesses of her mind, of her heart, where they begged to be set free. To remember what it was like and to reconnect to that which was like itself. Faith ignored that voice, that feeling, that memory. 

“You sent your boys to try and kill me,” she said with a cocky grin and a toss of her hair.

“Yes I did,” Mayor Richard Wilkins III said as he realized that once again they’d failed. What was it with the pair of slayers in his town? Usually they weren’t that hard to kill. 

“Killed him,” Faith shrugged. “They were in my way.” 

Richard grimaced, but what could he do about it? Obviously, they weren’t as good as Mr. Trick thought, or the group of them would’ve been enough to take down two slayers. Unless they had help. He’d heard that Angelus was back in town, that wherever he’d gone after that whole Acathla debacle – to hell or someplace else – he’d returned and was staying with the slayer now. 

“And Alan?” He wondered. The deputy mayor was a friend, a close one; one who knew all Richard’s secrets and one who was to rule at Richard’s right hand. Er, side. Whatever. 

“Accident,” Faith shrugged again. The voice she tried so hard to ignore screamed again, louder this time, demanding to be heard, begging, pleading, to be heard. Faith still ignored it. 

“Ah, well then,” Richard smiled, opening to door wider. 

“So it seems,” Faith continued, “That you have an opening for a new assistant.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy waited until nightfall before seeking Giles out. 

Angel had explained what happened the night before in more detail and that, coupled with what she felt – or didn’t feel – from Faith, led Buffy to believe they needed to save her sister before she was beyond saving. She didn’t want to seek her watcher out, didn’t want to talk with him ever again, no matter how that hurt. But it was necessary. 

Angel had offered to go with her, but she’d declined. This was something she had to do on her own. Besides, Giles wasn’t exactly Angel-friendly at the moment. 

Walking into the library, Buffy took a deep breath and made her way to his office. When he looked up, she stared at him for long, long minutes. Neither said a word, though there was much that needed to be said between them. Finally, Buffy took another step into the office and partially closed the door. 

“We have a problem,” she said, her body still desperate to find the link with Faith. “A big problem.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Angel asked the question he already knew the answer to. 

“No,” Buffy grimaced, ruefully. “I’m not. But it needs to be done and this is the only way. We tried the talking bit and that didn’t go over well at all.” Actually, Wesley had ruined that and was now recuperating with a broken arm for his troubles. 

Angel had kidnapped Faith – well, not really kidnapped her, but chained her up in an attempt to talk with her. It hadn’t worked. Wesley had interrupted with the Council thugs before Angel made any real progress; Buffy mounted the rescue to reclaim Faith from the Council, not trusting them at all. Giles, Xander, Willow, and Oz had helped and for a moment, it felt like old times. 

But then Xander left without a word and Willow didn’t know what to say. To Buffy, to Oz, to any of them. So she left as well. Oz had stayed, offering to help with Faith. For that Buffy would always be grateful. But there wasn’t anything the werewolf could do for her sister, so she declined his offer, leaving Giles, Angel, and herself there with Faith. 

And even Buffy couldn’t reach her.

That had been a blow to the blonde, realizing that she couldn’t reach her sister. Realizing that whatever was broken within Faith refused to be fixed. Realizing that she didn’t want it to be fixed. 

Their new plan was desperate and concocted only because Angel had seen Faith with Richard Wilkins, talking like they were old friends. Giles, of course, hadn’t believed Angel, but Oz had changed his mind. The werewolf could smell the mayor on Faith, backing up Angel’s scent of the same thing as well as his visual observation. Willow, after a moment’s indecision, backed up her boyfriend, thus backing up Buffy and Angel as well. 

It was the first step towards reconciliation for all. 

Still, Buffy wasn’t sure about this plan. It wasn’t that she doubted Angel’s feelings for her, it wasn’t even that she doubted this would work. It wasn’t about her friends that were slowly being drawn back into her circle, either. Or her mother who was just beginning to speak with her after Buffy had confessed Angel’s role in her life – a role that included every aspect of her life. No, Joyce hadn’t liked that at all; Buffy still thought it was a tossup as to which was worse in Joyce Summers’ eyes: the revelation that Angel was back from Hell or the one where they were sharing a bed. 

“We have to do this,” she nodded now and let Angel wrap her in his arms. “That shaman guy told Giles what was happening and…” she trailed off, not bothering to say the rest. They both knew the rest, anyway. The shaman wasn’t their only source of information. 

Besides both Angel and Oz’s theories and facts, Buffy sensed something else, too. Her sister held a deep black pit within her soul where once love shone. Love for her, Buffy, and for their calling. Now it was full of dark jealously, bitter hatred, and black as night pain. 

Faith wanted Angel. 

She figured that if Buffy had him, then he must be worth having for herself. The problem was, Faith didn’t want Angel’s sweet soul. She wanted Angelus. All of Angelus. Faith didn’t bank on two things. One was her plan being discovered and the second was that Angelus would never want her in return. 

Oh, maybe he was attracted to the slayer deep within Faith, but that was because the slayer held the same spark as Buffy did. That, however, was the extent of that attraction. Angelus wanted Buffy – according to Angel – nearly as much as Angel himself did. He wanted her light and her warmth, he wanted that which he tried to snuff out and couldn’t. The strength and the passion. 

Angel growled now, partly in response to Buffy’s hesitation and partly in response to her change in scent. Fear and arousal. 

“What’s wrong?” He demanded, slipping into his vampiric face. 

“I don’t like it,” Buffy admitted. “I don’t like that we have to do this and that you have to pretend. I hate that Faith did this and that I can’t save her.” 

“You tried,” Angel reminded her. “You tried and that’s all you can do.” Personally, Angel only tried for Buffy but that wasn’t the point. 

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “Sure, whatever; I tried. I tried so hard she decided that she wanted to completely switch everything we were together and now wants you.” 

“She can’t ever have me,” he reminded her with a soft kiss. “You have me.” 

“Yeah,” and now she smiled softly at that eyes regaining some of that particular spark tat so drew him to her. “Yeah I do.” 

“So,” he said, releasing her and taking a step back. He was expecting Faith here in less than an hour, but neither would put it past her that she’d be early just to catch one of them. Faith wasn’t stupid, just reckless and angry. 

“Ready then?” 

“As I’ll ever be,” Buffy murmured, kissed Angel once more and left. 

She slowly walked back to her house, anticipation heavy in her veins. Her heart pounded and her blood raced and she was surprised by Angel’s restraint. Usually when she was like this he couldn’t help but have her, taking her in such a sexual frenzy that she couldn’t hold anything back. And didn’t want to. 

She made her way into her house, closing the door gently behind her. Joyce was right there, a glass of coffee in her hands. Buffy smiled at her mother, doing her best to push everything deep within her. She knew what was going to happen and while she knew that Angel and Angelus both wanted her, both needed her, and that this new…merged, for lack of a better word, Angel would never betray her, that wasn’t what bothered Buffy. She hated that this was necessary at all. 

And God, did she want Angel! Maybe she should have insisted on a quickie before Faith arrived… 

“Honey, are you okay?” Joyce asked as she continued to stand there and watch her daughter. 

“Yeah, mom,” Buffy smiled and ignored everything else. She still had time before everything happened and Faith and Angel arrived to take her to the mansion for step three in their plan. “I’m fine.” 

“Good, honey,” Joyce smiled. The fear for and of her daughter was carefully hidden behind her ‘I’m the mom’ façade she showed Buffy. They were a family of lies anymore. “Want some dinner?” 

“No,” the thought of food sickened her. She still wasn’t used to the link between she and Faith being so broken. So mangled with hate and jealously and black desire. “But I’ll sit with you as you eat,” she offered. 

It was more than an hour later when Angel and Faith arrived. Buffy’s stomach clenched and yet she forced a smile when she felt them walk through the door. She waited for Angel to enter her room, waited for the signal that the plan had worked. Waited, waited, waited. She wasn’t good at waiting. Crossing to Angel, she hugged him and turned to Faith. The look in the other slayer’s eyes was enough to tell her that yes, everything had worked. 

And Faith was completely lost to her. 

“What’s up?” Buffy asked, forcing only curiosity into her voice she waited. This whole thing sucked, but then again, Angel looked damned sexy in his leather pants. And really, did Faith think that Buffy couldn’t see, feel, know the differences between Angel and Angelus? The clothing alone gave it away, but Faith didn’t see that. 

All Faith saw was what Angel wanted her to see was what she wanted to see. She wanted to see herself win, wanted to see herself wanted. Faith never understood that Buffy wanted her, needed her; needed that link between them. No, all Faith saw was that she couldn’t have what Buffy had: friends, mom, watcher. Ha, Buffy thought bitterly, she could have them. Friends: betrayers; mom: never understanding what and who her daughter was; watcher: tried to get her killed in an archaic ritual that his precious council ‘ordered’ him to do. Whatever, Faith could have them all. 

But she couldn’t ever have Angel. Angel was Buffy’s, and there would be no sharing there. None. 

This plan was nearly perfect, Buffy thought. Except that she desperately wanted Angel, wanted his strength and wanted his passion. Oh, she wanted his passion; wanted this primal need to protect her, this deep-seated urge to play a role he wasn’t exactly playing at. 

Yes, she knew he was really Angel, but this charade reemphasized the qualities about both Angel and Angelus that attracted her. Angel so sweet, hot passion, obsessive loving, and gentle. Angelus all dark rage, primal, and going for what he wanted. Both of those men, all of those things blending to make up a sweet, gentle Angel. One who was openly affectionate and loving with her and yet primal and possessive and assertive. Sure of what he wanted and what he wanted was her. Yet deadly and dangerous to those he perceived are their enemies.

Faith was now her enemy, making her Angel’s enemy as well. 

And, God, did she still want him. Her reaction to all this was caught by Angel…he could not only sense it, but scent it as well. The demon within him reared up, scenting its mate and her reaction to him/them/Angel/Angelus. The soul within sighed and relaxed, scenting its mate and her acceptance of him/them/Angel/Angelus. 

This was Angel. This was how he returned to her, how he was now, what he was. And she loved him. All of him, this primal male and the sweet man who made her dinner. 

“Been looking for you,” Angel said in that voice that curled heat through her veins. “Good thing we found you before we left.” He leaned down and kissed the top of Buffy’s head, his hand running down her back in a soothing gesture. 

Faith smiled, watched Angel behind Buffy and the blonde forced the instinctive jealous hatred to clear from her face. No matter the state of their slayer connection, Buffy wasn’t willing to take the chance that Faith would somehow realize their trap. “We got the books.”

“They’re at the mansion,” Angel said, moving a step away from Buffy. Faith was so damned gullible it was ridiculous, but she was observant. 

“We’d take ‘em to Giles ourselves,” Faith said with a smirk, “But I think strength in numbers is the way to go. Come on.” 

Picking up the weapons bag, Angel forced eye contact with Faith and said, “Let me get those for you.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Faith swaggered down the street, sister on one side, potential on the other. 

It was a shame, a small, small part of her thought, that she no longer wanted to please her sister. All she wanted was that sister’ lover. Angelus was adamant on that, however. He didn’t want Buffy finding out about their deception before he had a chance to see the look on her face. Faith could appreciate that, but really wanted a ride with the vampire. 

The now soulless vampire thanks to her, Faith smirked. Quickly wiping that off her face, she continued walking down the street with Buffy and Angel…Angelus. 

Faith wanted to please the mayor, someone who wouldn’t betray her, someone who provided for her and who wanted to please her. Not demanding pleasure from her. It was a nice change. Besides, she got to kill Buffy. And that didn’t exactly suck. Well, yeah, it did. But she ignored that. 

There was no way she could go back now. Now turning away from Richard and no turning back to Buffy. Faith had no illusions as to what he’d do to her should she betray him. And besides, Buffy had already betrayed her once; she wouldn’t forgive or forget that. So Buffy died at her lover’s hands, her sister looking on. And if this whole soulless thing didn’t take with Angel…? 

She got to kill him, too.

Next Part       Previous Part

You Can Never Tell What One Will Do For Love Index        Home