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Title: Unfinished Business (Also lovingly referred to as “Ha!”)
Author: Keren and Meredith and TBQ
E-mail: avssp@hotmail.com
Rating: R
Pairings: B/S (Nearly there)
Distribution: Sure, just let us know
Spoilers: Tenth episode in the series Strange Bedfellows: Being the Unlikely Adventures of a Vampire and a Slayer, an alternate Buffyverse which diverges after “Crush”. Follows Our Fair City.
Disclaimer: These characters aren’t ours. We just like to play with them. They belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, WB, UPN and any other copyright holders. Big Mac and McDonald’s are registered trademarks of the McDonald's Corporation. “It slices it dices…” was the slogan of Ron Popiel’s Veg-o-Matic. The Clash recorded too many albums to name here, the most recent of which is From Here to Eternity, 1999 Sony Records. Inspector Gadget was produced by DiC Entertainment and distributed by LBS Communications and aired from 1983-1985.
Feedback: Yes, please!
This is Part One of a two-episode very special crossover event with The Epiphany series by The Brat Queen. To read the companion piece, I’m So Happy That I Can’t Stop Crying, visit http://countylimerick.prohosting.com/fanfiction/buffy/
Unfinished Business
Nighttime in the Sunnydale cemetery. Buffy throws a newly arisen vampire over her shoulder and into a gravestone. She does a series of flips towards him, landing on his chest, and digs a stake into his chest, dissolving him to dust. She is rushed from behind by another vamp, who jumps on her back, causing her to drop her stake, and begins pulling at her hair. She grabs the vampire by her hair and throws her over her shoulder onto the ground. Buffy fishes around for another stake and finding none, grabs the vamp by the lapels, lifts her up and throws her into a low hanging tree branch. The branch punctures the vamp’s back and she explodes into dust as well. Buffy dusts off her hands and turns to see Spike walking up after having dealt with his own adversaries. Buffy walks over to him, her hair tousled, breathing heavily and flushed from the fight. She moves to him and straightens the lapel on his duster, looking up at him with excitement written all over her smiling face.
Buffy: That was fun.
Spike grins back.
************************************************************************
The next day at the Magic Box, it’s business as usual when Buffy enters. She makes a beeline for Giles, barely even saying hello to Anya behind the counter.
Buffy: Giles, I need to talk to you.
Giles: Of course Buffy, what is it?
Buffy: In private.
He leads her into the Danger Room, which is currently housing numerous boxes piled on top of the training mats.
Buffy: Redecorating?
Giles: (A bit awkward) Oh…erm…yes. It’s the season for Kriwej Gourds. They are only available for a short time and we are expecting a major run on them in the next few weeks. We simply had no other place to put the overflow.
Buffy: No big, I guess, been doing my training on the job lately. Which is kinda why I’m here.
Giles looks at her questioningly.
Buffy: I wanna go see Faith.
Giles: (Not expecting that at all.) You want to what?
Buffy: I want to go see Faith.
Giles: Buffy, last I heard there was no one more adamant than you that Faith was an incorrigible killer to be put down like…what was it? Oh, yes, like a rabid dog.
Buffy: I know. And I kinda still feel that way, but I think I need to talk to her.
Giles: Whatever for?
Buffy: Remember that dark side I was trying to get in touch with? I think I found it. And it scares me. I need to know where she went wrong.
Giles: Murdering innocent people is usually a telltale sign.
Buffy: It happened way before that.
Giles: Buffy, you and Faith are two completely different people.
Buffy: We are, but not as different as I’d like to think. Giles, we’re both Slayers. We were both put on this earth to slay things. To kill things.
Giles: Things Buffy, not people.
Buffy: I know! But who am I to judge what’s slayable and what’s not?
Giles: Demons kill people Buffy. You have to stop them.
Buffy: People kill people, I don’t slay them. They get a right to defend themselves. And not all demons are bad.
Giles: And no one is suggesting you kill those that have demonstrated good intentions.
Buffy: It’s kinda right there in the whole stake first ask questions later policy. I mean, what about Anya and Spike? Both of them were happy to go on killing for hundreds more years, it’s not like they “demonstrated good intentions,” but they had a second chance rammed down their throats and they dealt with it. Eventually. Still dealing really… (She trails off for a second) Any one of those vamps I stake or demons I kill could be them. Who am I to decide they don’t deserve a second chance?
Giles: So what are you planing on doing? Setting up a vampire rehabilitation center? Revoke your demon in ten easy steps? Or shall we just mass produce the chip and do a spot of nightly brain surgery in the graveyard?
Buffy: No! I just want to know what I’m doing is right. I don’t want to become the demon.
Giles: (Puts his arm around her.) Buffy, I hardly think you are in any danger of that. We are talking about creatures that kill for sport.
Buffy: I know, and sometimes it feels like that’s what I do too.
Giles: And how is talking to Faith going to do anything more than confuse you further?
Buffy: Maybe it won’t do any good, but she knows what it feels like to be on the teetering point. I need to know what that is so I don’t topple over.
Giles: If you really feel that strongly about it, then you should go. I’ll call the Council, see if they can arrange something.
Buffy: Why do we need the council, doesn’t jail have visiting hours?
Giles: It would hardly do to have you talking on a prison phone about Slaying in front of a room full of policemen. You’ll need more time and more privacy.
Buffy: (Gives him a hug.) Thanks Giles. Can you guys hold down the fort? Spike and I will go as soon as the Council works their magic.
Giles: Yes, certainly we… (Realizing what she just said) Spike?!?
Buffy: He has a car.
Giles: So do I. So does your mother.
Buffy: Spike offered already.
Giles: Spike knows about this?
Buffy: Well, he was kinda there when I had the revelation. (Giles starts to look uncomfortable, as his imagination starts to run away with him. Buffy notices and clears things up) In the cemetery? After patrol?
Giles: (Much relieved and cleaning his glasses) Ah, yes. Nonetheless, surely it would be advisable to take someone more…stable? And less flammable.
Buffy: A. We’re leaving early and coming home late – he can hole up somewhere while I’m with Faith. B. Stable is good. Stable is sensible. What I’m doing is not. And C. Spike is the only one besides Faith who gets this side of me.
Giles: (paces around a bit, and mumbles with his back turned) That’s what worries me.
Buffy: What? You think that a two-hour car ride and one-time jail visit will turn me all rogue Slayer?
Giles: (Turns back to face her) Of course not! It’s just…when Faith brought this side out in you, you made some unwise decisions, and you started to shut out your friends, your family…the things that keep you grounded. Since you have been spending so much time with Spike, I’ve seen some similar troubling signs. You must admit, the two of them together in one day doesn’t sound like a very good idea.
Buffy: I see him every night, I don’t think some time stuck in traffic is gonna send me down the Darth Vader path. I’ll be fine.
Giles: All right Buffy. I’ll call the Council, but are you certain she’ll want to speak with you?
Buffy: She’s in jail. What else does she have to do?
************************************************************************
A couple of days later, arrangements have been made, and Buffy and Spike are on the highway, sometime around 3 am. Buffy has a large bag of McDonald’s between them and is eating a Big Mac.
Spike: Bleedin’ hell Slayer! You’re drippin’ special sauce all over my seats!
Buffy: Your seats are covered in cigarette burns and (looks questioningly at something on the side of Spike’s seat) I don’t even wanna know what that is!
Spike: Yeah, well, it’s my car.
Buffy: Yeah well…too bad.
Spike: Brilliant comeback Slayer.
She sticks her tongue out at him and they sit in silence for a bit, Buffy munching on her late night snack, and Spike attempting to steal fries from her when she’s not looking.
Buffy: What are we listening to?
Spike: Music.
Buffy: Is that what you call it?
Spike: Just did, didn’t I?
Buffy: I’ll take more specific for $300 please, Alex.
Spike: What is the Clash?
Buffy: Good question.
Spike: (Heavy sigh) Oh right, I forgot. The ’80s are retro for you.
Buffy: Ok, grandpa.
Spike sticks his tongue out at her.
************************************************************************
Shortly thereafter, Buffy and Spike are in the parking lot beside the jail where Faith is incarcerated. It is barely an hour before dawn, and Buffy has been sitting unmoving and staring at the prison door while Spike smokes.
Spike: You goin’ in luv?
Buffy: Oh yeah, any second now. Brain still relaying message to feet. Come in feet. (She turns to Spike) Houston, we have a problem.
Spike: Nervous, pet?
Buffy: Does it show?
Spike: (Quirks a half smile) Could smell you a mile away. Fortunately, Faith doesn’t have vampire senses.
Buffy: What if she won’t talk to me?
Spike: You’ll think of something, you always do.
Buffy: No, Giles always thinks of something. I always hit something.
Spike: Also an option. C’mon Buffy, be a trooper. Go on in or your ride home’s gonna be a small pile of dust near the gas pedal.
Buffy: (takes a deep breath) You’re right. And when you’re right, you’re right. (Starts to get out and pauses) Where do I meet you?
Spike: Um…I’ll come pick you up?
Buffy: I know this is gonna take awhile, but hopefully not twelve hours. Where are you gonna be?
Spike: Uh…well…I was thinkin’…thought I might look in on…
Buffy: (incredulous and amused) You’re going to see Angel, aren’t you?
Spike: No! (Off her look) Ok, yes. Nothin’ wrong with that, I only…
Buffy: (laughs) Go do your man thing. It wouldn’t be my life if there weren’t guys trying to needlessly beat each other senseless over me. (Gives him a mischievous grin) In fact, I’ll meet you there. (Puts her hand on the door handle) Wait. (She takes off her T-shirt) Take off your shirt.
Spike: (unashamedly staring at her chest) Not that I haven’t been dreamin’ about this moment, but again, small pile of ash.
Buffy: Take off your shirt.
Spike: (eagerly does so) Fuck it. What a way to go! (He tossed his cigarette out of the window and moves towards Buffy, stopping when she hands him her shirt) What’s all this then?
Buffy: Put it on. He shouldn’t have shown up like that. Not on my turf. Now we’re even-steven.
Spike smiles as the beauty of this plan dawns on him.
Buffy: (leans over and kisses him before taking his shirt and putting it on) Have fun! (She exits the car, leaving a grinning still shirtless Spike in her wake)
************************************************************************
Spike arrives at the Hyperion Hotel as the first fingers of dawn appear in the sky. He parks the car out front, runs up the steps buoyantly, and opens the front door.
Spike: "Hi Honey, I'm home!" (Steps inside and closes door behind him)
Angel: (instinctually grabs an axe, whirls around to meet the intruder, sees that its Spike, and remains in his poised stance) Spike.
Spike: (as if to say “duh”, speaking slowly and distinctly) Angel.
Angel: Leave.
Spike: (enters further and heads toward a chair -- halfway there Angel reaches him, grabs him by the shirt and starts to drag him towards the door.) Now that's not very hospitable of you, sunshine. But out of the evilness of my…Aah! Bloody hell! (Angel has thrown him out into the new day and his skin starts to sizzle. Angel slams the door.)
Spike: You sodding pillock! (He stands yelling at the door for a moment before realizing it’s probably still not locked. He opens it again. Angel has taken a few steps back towards whatever it was he was doing. Spike comes in again, and shuts the door) Right. The Slayer's meeting me here when she's done her business, mate, and she won't be best pleased to find her ride home's become a pile of blasted ashes while she was out. (He is interrupted as Angel throws the axe, which imbeds itself in the wall about six inches above and to the left of his ear.)
Spike: (reaches up and pulls the axe from the wall, creating a small shower of plaster, and hefts it in his hands) Well. That's more like it. Welcome the prodigal with gifts and entertainment.
Angel: Spike, get the hell out of here.
Spike: Wow. Seven whole words. That a personal best?
Angel: Well hey then, let's make it eleven. Fuck you. Get out.
Spike: (counting on his fingers) In your poncy dreams, and I'd love to but I can't, mate. (The last two fingers are, well, two fingers, and he studies them a moment, noticing the happy coincidence, and then holds them up, pleased)
Angel: (stares at him for a long beat) I'm tired and I'm armed. What do you want, Spike?
Spike: (puts the axe in an umbrella stand, comes in, sit down on the ottoman and crosses his booted ankles) Beer'd be nice.
Angel: Yeah, it would. Why aren't you leaving again?
Spike: (heaves a put upon sigh and makes a production number of getting up, walking to a small fridge and pulling out two beers. He twists the caps off both, walks over and hands one to Angel, then sits back down.) Big ball of fire in the sky? You've heard of it?
Angel: (looks at beer, looks at Spike) Yeah, it’s the thing that kills annoying vampires. Why don't you go take a look? I hear it's fun.
Spike: By comparison, yes. But I'm stuck here till the Slayer comes.
Angel: (look on his face like he's processing a few things at once.) Why are you with Buffy? Why are you here? Why do I care?
Spike: (gets a slightly exaggerated dreamy look) 'Cause she's strong an' brave an' her…(Spike brings cupped hands up to indicate breasts and Angel gives a sharp flick of the wrist, causing a stake to appear in his hand.)
Spike: Thank you Inspector Gadget.
Angel: Yeah, well, it slices, it dices, it juliennes…
Spike: (sighs) She wanted to talk to Faith. So we came down. I dropped her off at the jail to wait for visiting hours and came here to do a little father-son bonding.
Angel: (turns like he's heading in a direction) Sure. I'll get the chains.
Spike: And me without my riding crop. What's your safe word, anyway? "Hair gel"?
Angel: No. "Spike's here." I find that kills any mood.
Spike: (shrugs) S’ not what Buffy says.
Angel: (slams beer down on the counter, grabs Spike, throws him against the wall and holds a stake pointed inches from his chest.) Why should I let you live?
Spike: 'Cause you'd miss me, sunshine.
Angel: I was doin' fine before you got here, Spike. Don't really need you here now. But if you wanted to leave, I'd be happy to pretend I missed you.
Spike: Pretend I've left. Don't let me get in your way. (Spike reaches over the stake to pull out cigarettes from his, T-shirt pocket)
Angel: (steps back and now gesturing with the stake in his hand) I was doing that. I was doing that before you got here. I really liked it. Nothing to lose the soul over, but still. But then you showed up, instead of picking, gee, I dunno, any one of the thousands of bars, restaurants, hotels, and shopping malls in Los Angeles to stay in. 'Cause ya know, out of all those, I'm the one who's gonna give you a warm welcome. (Gives Spike a heavy eye-roll, goes back to the counter, puts the stake down and starts chugging his beer)
Spike: (walks over, lights the cigarette, takes a first drag and casually exhales in Angel's face) But where's the fun in that? Besides, this place has the best rate.
Angel: What makes you think I'm gonna let you stay here?
Spike: 'Cause you don't want to piss the Slayer off?
Angel: And she cares about you why again?
Spike: You'd have to ask her, mate. I'd say it’s a toss up between my classic good looks and my devastating charm.
Angel: Yeah, or maybe she just likes taking on charity cases.
Spike: (Jaw clenches, Spike gives another puff of smoke) No, 'cause she let you leave for L.A.
Angel: If anybody's around you, Spike, it's pity. (Grabs the cigarette out of his hand, and puts it out) And I didn't say you could smoke here.
Spike: Pity's your line, Mr. I Can Never Be Happy. Pity and guilt. The Slayer gave you her heart and you gave her Hell. She comes to me for a good time, and believe me, she gets it.
Angel punches Spike who falls to the ground.
Spike: (getting up) Truth hurts, doesn't it?
Angel: No, I hurt you.
Spike: Yeah. When you don't have an answer.
Angel: (flicks the other wrist and pops the other stake out.) I got my answer right here.
Spike: You gonna kill every boyfriend she gets? Or just the vamps?
Angel: Just you.
Spike: All right then. Tell her I love her.
************************************************************************
Meanwhile, Buffy is in a waiting area at the prison, idly flipping through a magazine with a publishing date five years before she was born. She appears bored and nervous. Finally, a guard enters and motions for her to follow. She is lead to a small windowless room with cement block walls that surround only two chairs and a small table, where a pitcher of water and two glasses sit. The overhead fluorescent lights blink intermittently. As Buffy stands fidgeting, a door on the far side is opened, and another guard escorts a cuffed Faith into the room. Faith looks up, shocked to see Buffy standing there waiting for her, and immediately is on her guard.
Prison guard: (to Buffy) Call us when you need us. (Leaves and shuts the door.)
Faith: Didn’t expect to see you here B. Sunnydale gettin’ too dull for you?
Buffy: It’s never dull. And no, I didn’t expect to be here either.
Faith: I don’t see any cuffs, so one of us must be here of her own free will. Which begs the question, why?
Buffy: (flustered and fidgety) I need to talk to you.
Faith: Now I wouldn’t a thought we’d be on terms for a heart to heart.
Buffy: (even more fidgety) I need to know...I need you to... (Takes a deep breath)
Faith: What could you possibly need from me? You’re the teacher’s pet. I’m the kid who gets expelled for blowin’ up the school. Oh wait, that was you too.
Buffy: That! That’s what I need.
Faith: Sarcasm?
Buffy: No. I need you to tell me what it’s like to be bad.
Faith: Tried to, but you weren’t listenin’.
Buffy: I’m listening now.
Faith: Yeah well, it’s not the great career move I thought it was. Food sucks, but the clothing is worse. Why do you care?
Buffy: Because I don’t wanna end up like this.
Faith: What’s the matter B, not so sure you’re the good girl without me around to be your wicked stepsister?
Buffy: No, I’m starting to feel like the wicked stepsister all on my own.
Faith: (sharp laugh) Now isn’t this a quirky twist of fate? Here’s me, takin’ the high road for once while you’re down in the sewers.
Buffy: That’s not it!
Faith: No? What is it then? Scared yourself didn’t you? What’d you do, jump Xander? Or Giles?
Buffy: (incredibly incensed) No! Eeew! No! Faith, I... (Visibly calms herself) I didn’t come here to fight with you.
Faith: (takes a chair, spins it backwards and sits with her cuffed wrists draped over the top) So why did you come here?
Buffy: (sinks into the other chair) Remember when you said that thing about knowing what you’re about because I have it in me too?
Faith: And see how well that worked out. Apparently I was wrong. So here’s me on the Stairmaster to redemption.
Buffy: But you were right.
Faith gives her an incredulous look.
Buffy: You were – it’s in me. No the whole murdering innocent people bit. Not yet. Not ever hopefully. I need to know where you crossed the line.
Faith: (mirthless laugh) You were right there B.
Buffy: No I wasn’t, but maybe I should have been. You didn’t cross the line when you staked the deputy mayor. That was an accident.
Faith: So you want me to pinpoint the exact moment my brain told me to “go evil?” I don’t know – it’s not like that. You don’t wake up one morning and think; today I’ll wear the red pants, grab a bagel and join the dark side.
Buffy: So explain it to me.
Faith: Explain what? You wanna hear how my mom was a drunk that never paid any attention to me?
Buffy: If that’s why, then yes.
Faith: There is no why. Shit happens, you know.
Buffy: You made it happen.
Faith: Yeah, I did. Look B, (leans forward) you do what you gotta do. You make one choice and you see where it takes you. Get to the end of the line and you make another. You gotta look out for yourself anyway you can ’cause no one else is gonna do it for you.
Buffy: You had people willing to help you. You didn’t have to go it alone.
Faith: I know that now, but it wouldn’t have made a difference. In the end, you’re always alone.
Buffy: I know what you mean.
Faith: (snorts) But you’re not. You still have team Sunnydale, the happy little Slayer support group.
Buffy: Not so happy and not so supportive of the late.
Faith: Oooh! Dissention in the ranks? What’s you do, fail English?
Buffy: (very small voice) Spike.
Faith: Spike...Spike... (Realization blooms) Good job B! He’s a hotty. Thought Angel was a one-time thing, didn’t realize this was your fetish!
Buffy: (blushing) It’s not like that! Well, not exactly. Look, this isn’t the point.
Faith: Oh, but I think it is. Level with me B, how’d it happen? Two of you, late at night, a little hand to hand...to hand. Goin’ at it hot and heavy, get him down and then...get down...
Buffy: No...It really involves more poems and bad pants and there was a horse...
Faith: Kinky.
Buffy: (blushes and even deeper shade of red) Again, no. More like psycho crush on Slayer.
Faith: (coyly) Now isn’t that interesting.
Buffy: I know... (Notices Faith’s look) What’s that look for?
Faith: Do you really wanna hear this?
Buffy: Probably not, but something tells me I should.
************************************************************************
Back at the Hyperion...
Angel: (angry and exasperated) What the fuck is with you Spike? What's the scheme here, huh? You've been goin' at this for months now and you know what? I'm bored. So whatever it is, lets just get it over with, ’cause I got enough to deal with.
Spike: (blankly) Months? I grant you this conversation feels like its been going on forever, but I just got here.
Angel: This whole scheme with Buffy, Spike. What's the goal?
Spike: Dating. Sex. Love. Y’know, holding hands in public and making Xander sick to his stomach?
Angel: Why Buffy, Spike?
Spike: 'Cause I love her. We did that bit.
Angel: (tosses the stake in his hand onto the counter with contempt grabs the beer and walks away) You don't even know what love is.
Spike: (picks up stake from counter, rushes Angel and tackles him to the ground) Don't you bloody tell me about love, Angel. You left her.
Angel: (leads with his elbow to get Spike off his back, and then, knocking the stake out of his hand, rolls over and pins Spike by the neck. He growls, a faint hint of yellow showing in his eyes) Yeah. I did. And if you loved her, you would too.
Spike: (growls right back.) What? Runnin' off when things turn ugly is how you treat someone you love? I shoulda known.
Angel: (grip around Spike's throat tightens) You don't know anything.
Spike: (gazes up at Angel steadily) I know I'll fight for her and I'll die for her and I won't fucking leave her alone.
Angel: She doesn't need you.
Spike: She needs someone. And I'm all she's got.
Angel: Got the whole gang of Scoobies, Spike. She doesn't need you.
Spike: Then what the bleedin' hell am I doin' here, huh? See any Scoobies?
Angel: I don't fucking care. She's lived without you before; she can do it again.
Spike: For how long?
Angel: (confused) What?
Spike: How long. How long would she live without me to guard her back when she takes on the sodding vamp hordes?
Angel: (in a tone of where do I even begin) Yeah. 'Cause if there's one thing a Vampire Slayer needs, it’s a vampire to help her.
Spike: “Super strength, rapid-healing powers, insight into the enemy mindset. And a partner who can supply the occasional quip.”
Angel: (pulls Spike up just a bit by the throat and slams Spike's head back down to the floor before standing up) Leave her, Spike.
Spike: (stands, hops up onto the counter and makes himself comfortable) Promised I wouldn't.
Angel: Break it.
Spike: Die first.
Angel: Happy to help.
Spike: Why? I'm helping her, you moron!
Angel: You're a vampire, Spike. You can't help anybody. (With contempt) Just yourself.
Spike: (like a tourist who believes foreigners will understand English if you just say it slow and loud enough) Yes. Me vampire. You vampire. You help people. It's on your bloody business cards. Me help Slayer. Slayer hit things. Vampires, surprisingly, quite good at violence. If the Slayer ever decides to hand out Bibles, then no, probably not so much an asset to the bleedin' team.
Angel: (unconvinced) So what, you get this …chip thing in your head and now you're one of the good guys?
Spike: 'Course not. I help the Slayer. What's good got to do with anything?
Angel: (puts a hand to his head like he's getting a headache) Why didn't I kill you in 1884?
Spike: (the most obvious thing, we've been through this) 'Cause Dru threatened to cut up all your poncy clothes.
Angel: Oh, yeah, there was a good decision. Let you live, or have a shopping spree. (He shakes his head like he can't believe which one he picked)
Spike: Yeah, well. We had to get out of town in a bit of a hurry, and Nancy boy you didn't fancy roughing it till we got to Madrid.
Angel: I don't like sleeping in graveyards!
Spike: Oh, no, you'd rather pay a bloody fortune for a room with a view. Which you can't see ‘cause it’s dark out!
Angel: Darla liked the view and…shut up!
Spike: Oh that's witty repartee. Oscar Wilde's got nothin' on you. 'Cept for the clothes maybe.
Angel: No, shut up! (Holds hand up while trying to listen)
The door bursts open and a gang of humans and various demons rush in. Spike hops off the counter waiting for the action to begin.
Minion: Get him!
They rush towards the two vampires, and since neither knows who the "him" is, they both jump into the fray. Angel grabs his axe and immediately heads for the largest demon, hacking at him with the blade. The demon grabs the haft, and being much stronger than Angel had anticipated, manages to yank it from Angel's grip and send him flying across the room.
Spike meanwhile has two smaller demons holding onto each of his arms. He spins, sending one into the counter he had been sitting on, causing it to crack its nose against the Formica, and a spout of green goo, presumably blood, stains the countertop. As that demon slumps to the ground, Spike is torn away by the other and thrown across the lobby into the wall, where he himself slides to the floor, but only momentarily, as he hops up, ready for the next onslaught.
Angel at this point has regained his footing, and is in stance as two of the humans approach him holding crosses. He kicks out in an arc, disarming one of his holy symbol, and cracking the other in his head as his kick follows through. He then grabs their heads and clangs them together, dropping the two unconscious men to the ground. Spike on the other hand, is not having much luck with his human aggressors. Three have dogpiled on him and each time he attempts to wrench one off of him, he almost collapses under the unbearable pain of the shocking implant. As he is off balance, a demon holding an air rifle comes up behind him and fires a tranquilizer dart into his thigh. Spike snarls, wobbles, and goes to throw a punch, but the momentum takes him down to the ground where he remains, unconscious.
Angel whirls after taking down another two humans to see Spike on the ground, with a few minions wrapping him in blankets. As he lunges towards them, a second tranquilizer dart catches him between the shoulder blades. He goes to vamp face and turns toward the shooter, assuming it is a regular bullet, but falls at the demon’s feet, unconscious as well.
************************************************************************
Back at the prison...
Buffy: You said what!?!?!?! You were in my body and not only slept with my boyfriend, but you said that to Spike!! How could you? (Starts spluttering) He...(breaks down and starts laughing) his face must have been priceless!
Faith: (starts to laugh with her) You can’t even imagine.
Buffy: How do you come up with this stuff?
Faith: (shrugs) Natural talent, I guess. You want me to give you some tips? Looks like this Spike gets off on the dirty talk.
Buffy: (considers for a second and catches herself) That’s not the advice I came for. But thanks for asking.
Faith: Not that I’m not loving the gossip, but where are we going here?
Buffy: I don’t know.
Faith: Conversation over then. Can’t help you get where you’re going if you have no destination in mind.
Buffy: I don’t know where I should be going, but I know where I don’t wanna be.
Faith: Jail?
Buffy: There is that. It used to be so easy...well no, it used to be really hard and painful, but it used to be simple. Vampire bad, Buffy good. Buffy kill vampire. End of story.
Faith: Still the job description, unless I missed a memo.
Buffy: Job description still intact. Actual job not so clear. Who am I to decide what’s good and what’s bad?
Faith: The Slayer, last I checked.
Buffy: That doesn’t mean anything! It means I have the strength and speed to kill really big, fast...things. It doesn’t tell me how to decide which ones deserve to die.
Faith: Kill ‘em all, let god sort ‘em out.
Buffy: But what if they could’ve changed?
Faith: Not seein’ a lot of vamps turnin’ vegetarian.
Buffy: But Spike, Angel.
Faith: Angel had that forced on him. He would still be Angelus if he had had a choice. As for Spike, don’t know his full story, but my guess is he didn’t walk up and ask to be neutered. They’d never have taken this road willingly.
Buffy: Neither would you.
Faith: I...
Buffy: But you’re on that road now, that’s the point. You didn’t deserve a second chance, but you got one. Who am I to say they can’t?
Faith: Somebody has to.
Buffy: And that somebody’s me?
Faith: Until someone better comes along. Look B, much as I’m not lovin’ the company and the spacious accommodations, I needed to be here.
Buffy: But you turned yourself in.
Faith: And if I hadn’t, you would have killed me. You would have made that call.
Buffy: But how do I know if I’m right?
Faith: You don’t. I told you, you make a choice; you see where it takes you. Thing is, when you get there, you gotta keep your eyes open and deal with the consequences.
Buffy: Dealing, dealing is good. Dealing is scary.
Faith: Welcome to my world. But not dealing ends up scarier. You take the bad shit, shove it in that closet in the back of your head and pretend it never happened and then one day you go to get your bowling ball and it all comes crashing down.
Buffy: Bowling ball?
Faith: Visualize, B. So what is it you’ve been trying to put into storage?
Buffy: ‘Member the whole hot and bothered grunting bit?
Faith nods.
Buffy: It terrifies me. I shouldn’t enjoy it. I shouldn’t...
Faith: Get off on it?
Buffy: Yeah, that.
Faith: Why the hell not?
Buffy: Because it’s gross!
Faith: Grow up Buffy.
Buffy: But how can I trust myself knowing that? How can I know if I’m doing it for the right reasons?
Faith: How many people actually get to enjoy their job? Go with it.
Buffy: But isn’t that where you went wrong? "Want, take, have" became "steal, maim, kill."
Faith: I did it because I could. You’ve always been about saving the underdog. So what if it excites you? As long as you’re goin’ the right way, why not enjoy the trip? You’ve always been strong. Be yourself and you’ll be fine.
Buffy: (teary-eyed) Thank you. (Goes over and smoothes back Faith’s hair.)
Faith: (embarrassed and moved, but shakes her hair into her face to cover it) Hey yeah, no problem. Look at me, Watcher’s Council scared straight program.
Buffy: (Makes eye contact) You gonna be ok?
Faith: (gives a brave smile) Five by five B.
Buffy: (smiles back) What does that even mean?
************************************************************************
A little while later, a taxi pulls up to the Hyperion, where Buffy exits and pays the driver. She sees Spike’s De Soto parked out front and smiles, surprised and amused that Angel hasn’t kicked him out. She opens the slightly ajar door.
Buffy: Angel? Spike? Anybody home?
She enters to find the room in complete disarray and obvious signs of a struggle. She leans down and picks up Spike’s cell phone off the floor and looks around her very worried.
Buffy: What the...?