by Mox_Jet
Page One
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Buffy was NOT in a good mood. Last night, patrolling with a vengeance (she had been feeling a lot more slayer-y lately, it seems her “workouts” with Spike had rekindled the Faith in her, but she hated to admit it) she hadn’t found any vamps, Spike showed up, making her feel all weak and tempted, and on top of everything else, Dawn was being a pain. Apparently, some of her teachers had actually forgotten what Dawn looked like, since she was skipping so many classes.
The last thing she needed was someone knocking on the door at 7:00 AM. Mumbling to herself as she made her way downstairs, she heard Willow talking to herself in her room. Well, it didn’t SOUND like chanting, so it wasn’t important. In an absent-minded way, she was still very worried about Wil. Losing a loved one was something Buffy knew about, but going through withdrawal? From Magic? Well, thinking about the way she felt about Spike made her realize that maybe she knew about that too.
Wondering who could be knocking at this hour, she opened the door and said “Hellooo” before she really saw who was there. Then it hit her.
Hair pulled back. No make up. Wearing a respectable cotton dress that actually covered her knees, was Faith.
“Hey B.”
Shocked,, Buffy stepped back, managing to say “ Faith?? B-b-b-but you’re locked up?” Faith reached out for her and Buffy brought her hands up in a fighting stance, remembering who she was dealing with.
“What do you want?” Buffy demanded.
Faith just stood there, and looking at Buffy, sighed. “Relax Buffy. I am not here to hurt anyone. And you are right, I was locked up. Now I’m not. Could I come in, or are you gonna make me stand here all morning?”
Buffy hesitated, remembering everything Faith had done to her in the past. Faith noticed and said “This is business Buffy. Council Business.”
Part 2
Just then, two things happened. Willow started coming downstairs, and Dawn came out of the kitchen.
Willow saw Faith, shouted out “Buffy, look out!!” and reacts without thinking. She began speaking in latin, while her hands moved in the air in intricate patterns. Willow looked at Faith with jet black eyes and pointed, dark energy swirling around her body. Just as Willow was going to release her spell, Dawn saw Faith, and let loose with an eardrum shattering “AAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIII”
The high-pitched shriek disrupted Willows spell and after a bright flash, all the light bulbs in the room cooked off and exploded.
“No, no, no, I didn’t mean to Buffy” Willow sobs as she runs upstairs. Dawn, re-charging her vocal cords frantically asked Buffy, “What is SHE doing here?”
“That’s a really good question Faith, I suggest you start making with the answer” Buffy said in a flat, dangerous voice. “ Last time I checked, you were in prison for murder”
Faith looks down, and a look almost like shame came over her face. Speaking softly, she replied, “yeah, I was, but we both forgot something Buffy. The council follows us. They see what we do. And they saw you die. When that happened, they knew another Slayer wouldn’t be called, since you had already died once. But With Kendra dead and me in lockdown, they were short one Slayer. So they came to see me.”
Faith paused then, and again there was a look almost like shame on her face.
“They needed a Slayer, but I was all they had. So they started working to get me released. Lawyers, appeals and all the rest, if I would agree to take up where you left off. I’m not the same person I was Buffy.”
Buffy, still hostile and on guard sneered “Well, if the council knows so much, then they know that I’m back and they don’t need you anymore, so why are you here?”
“When they sensed that you had…come back, they were going to send me back to prison,” Faith explained “ but then they realized that you were…different. So they sent me to see you.”
“What do you mean she is different? She’s my SISTER and you’re still evil,” Dawn hissed at Faith.
“ I am here to make sure you’re ok Buffy. “ Faith finished, looking down.
Part 3
Buffy closed the door behind Faith, still not sure of what to expect. The last time she had seen Faith, she had been in a Los Angeles police station, apparently confessing to the murder of the Mayor’s assistant. Buffy had gone to LA to track Faith down and get some payback. Faith had stolen her body then seduced her boyfriend. Buffy had been out for blood, and only Angel, and a group of Council henchmen had gotten in the way.
Now, here she stood, even looking respectable, and claiming to have been sent by the same Watcher’s Council.
“Dawn, don’t you have to be getting to school? “ Buffy asked.
Dawn, not the biggest fan of the Sunnydale Independent School District these days , saw her chance and took it. “No way Buffy, I am not leaving you here with HER”
Faith quietly reminded Dawn where she was, “Dawnie, if I wanted to throw down with your sis, Slayer to Slayer, what exactly could you do about it? “
“Well,, “ Dawn stammered, “ I could….”
“Stand there and scream? “ Buffy asked her, with raised eyebrows. “ That’s a pretty good scream Dawn, but Slayers are fairly resistant to it”
“Buffy, are you sure?” Dawn pleaded.
“Yeah Dawn, I’m sure. You need to go to school and prove them wrong about the Summers girls. Go get your learn on, I’ll be fine” Buffy almost managed to sound sincere. She wasn’t really sure WHAT to think at this point.
Once she got Dawn out the door Buffy went back into the living room and sat down in front of Faith.
“Fine, so tell me , what does the Council want with me this time?” Buffy asked, “if they were so concerned, why didn’t they keep Giles here in Sunnydale?”
Faith, to her credit , managed to look Buffy in the eye. “Buffy, you know that the Council has some pretty serious reservations about Giles, they decided that for the time being they want to see how you are adjusting before they make any decisions.”
Buffy interrupted ” But why send YOU? Last time I checked we were’nt having sleep over and pillow fights. The Council knows that”
“True enough Buffy, but considering the way you treat them, Travers thought I might have a better chance. He mentioned something about you throwing swords at people?” Faith asked.
Though she tried hard to suppress it, Faith was terrified. So much depended on this initial meeting. Aside from her continued freedom, which wasn’t that important to her, her very LIFE was at stake, and countless others along with her.
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