FIC: Complications(Part 12 of the 'Who Am I?' Series)

COMPLICATIONS (OR - BEGGING FOR SOME DEEP PAIN)

Xander, Anya, Tara and Willow were still waiting for Buffy and Faith to get back. Buffy had quickly run back to them with Spike in tow simply saying to wait there because the Initiative was up to something, and then took off. That had been ten minutes ago. And Willow didn't know about anybody else, but she was starting to worry. Granted there wasn't much they could do directly where guys and guns were involved, but they had to do something. Buffy and Faith should have been back.

Willow put on her resolve face. "They're in trouble, I know they are. We should go help."

"They can take care of themselves." Xander said rather flippantly. "They're the slayers right? Probably off 'doing' something and forgot all about us."

Willow was taken aback by his sudden uncaring attitude. Tara was a little shocked, and even Anya looked surprised.

"What's your problem with this?" Anya asked him. "I mean, a lot of the women I granted wishes for ended up -"

"Faith's…she's done something to Buffy."

"Hey, they're not the only ones. Remember?" Willow pointed out; getting more annoyed by the second.

Xander had an almost sad look on his face. "Whatever she's doing… it must be affecting you too. I'll get Giles and we'll -" He stopped in mid-sentence, thinking he had had finally understood. He turned toward Tara, and began to stare at her accusingly.

Before she knew what she was doing, Willow slapped Xander across the face. "Don't even think about yelling at her."

"I can't believe you did that." He said, rubbing his face.

"I can't believe you're being such a jerk. Tell Anya why you're so mad. Does she know what you and Faith did?"

"What's she talking about?" Anya asked.

Xander stared at his feet. "We…uh…before I met you…Faith and I had kinda…a one night thing."

"You what?" She practically screamed, and then slapped him.

"Take him and go fight somewhere else. If he's not going to help, I don't want to...not see him right now." Willow said.

Seeing him about to blame and yell at Tara, and she knew he was because she had seen that look before, usually before he yelled at Buffy, made her very mad at him right now. Plus the not wanting to help keep their friends alive had her really peeved too.

"Oh, we're going to fight." Anya said icily. "Let's go, Xander."

Willow looked at the now retreating Xander, and then at Tara. With silent agreement, and apologies for Xander's behavior, the two wiccas started running in the direction Buffy had gone.

***

"The test run is going very well." The lead scientist commented.

"Congratulations, Doctor. We might get a few bonuses too." Graham said.

"Having two slayers to study would be a dream, I have to admit. Even if it is in a purely post mortem capacity. However, what interests me at the moment is Riley's belief that the one slayer, Faith, had something to do with his death.

"Suppressing his memory seems to have created an interesting side-effect."

"Well if he got that memory jumbled, what's that mean for the others?"

"If you're worried about his recognizing the Summers girl, don't be. If he were going to, it would have happened already. He showed no reaction to seeing her. My guess is that Faith's name has triggered an angry emotional response. A step up from the prototype."

"If the girls and the vampire escape from the cemetery, I'm calling the team back. We can't risk running all over town. And then we can come up with a tighter strategy."

"With any luck, they won't. I'll also have to take a close look at Riley."

They focused on the monitors once again, which allowed them to see from the perspective of any of the team members, through the use of built in cameras in the headsets. Nobody moved, except Riley, who kept approaching the slayers.

***

All Buffy saw as she looked at Riley, though it wasn't really him anymore, was a shell. A shell with dead, blank eyes. There was anger in them too, though he probably wasn't real clear who he was angry at. Well she was angry too. Angry at the Initiative for not letting him find peace. For turning him into…a thing. A machine.

She had always heard that soldiers were expendable to some military leaders. Grunts who protected somebody with more importance whether they wanted to or not. That soldiers were simply killing machines, and that if they died, there was always an endless supply to replace them.

The Initiative apparently took it literally. And if that wasn't bad enough, they made him human in appearance. Not like Adam, who was just pieced together. It was harder this way, and Graham must have known that.

She watched as Faith tried to roundhouse Riley's stilettoed hand, but he simply knocked her away, and into the hands of a commando. Riley focused on Buffy now, and pulled his arm back, prepared to use his weapon.

Instead of hitting her chest as he had planned, he sliced through Spike's side, because Buffy had lifted the vampire up to block his attack. Spike cursed, and she pulled him down with her, and they slid under Riley's legs, getting behind him.

Spike had had enough, so he elbowed Buffy in the face, and she lost the weak grip she had still been holding him with. He barreled through two commandos, and ran off. Buffy figured running was a good idea too, so she kicked a gun out of a soldier's hand, which she caught.

They all wanted to fire, but they had to be careful not to hit Riley. He might have been close to indestructible, but Graham told them not to take chances. But Buffy was close enough, so that before she could fire the gun, one them was able to shoot her in the shoulder, and she dropped, in pain.

Faith heard the shot. "Buffy!" She struggled against her captor. "I'm giving you one warning. Let me go or you'll regret it." He didn't budge.

She brought her head back into his, and he loosened his grip some. Now that she could move her arms a little, she grabbed his, and flipped him in front of her. Riley, thinking Buffy was not worth his effort anymore, had turned back towards her. Faith grabbed the downed commando, and threw him into Riley, impaling him on the large stiletto-skewer.

Seeing them distracted, she was able to run to Buffy's side, and crouched down over her. Then five commandos held their weapons in the faces of the grounded slayers.

***

Willow and Tara ran into the cemetery, and saw the fight immediately, even though they stood just inside the gates. They needed to get closer, so they quietly inched forward, looking for anything they could possibly use to help.

"So…what exactly are we going to do?" Tara asked in a whisper.

"I…uh…haven't really thought that far ahead yet." Willow confessed.

Tara spotted a possible solution to the dilemma they were having. The great thing about vampires rising from graves was that headstones and statues were knocked from their placements, and down to the ground. They were close now, and they crouched to stay out of view. And stones and parts of statues were all around them.

"Remember when we moved that soda machine?" Tara questioned Willow.

"Yeah?"

"Well…we could do it again."

"Move a soda machine?"

"No. All this," Tara looked around, "stuff."

"You think we can?"

"If we concentrate, and want it to work."

"I do. They need us."

Tara smiled, and then they grasped hands and closed their eyes. They envisioned the commandos, the stones, Buffy and Faith's position, moving the stones…and then things began to fly. The majority of the objects hit their intended commando targets, knocking him out cold.

A few ran for cover, and when Willow and Tara opened their eyes, they shockingly recognized the larger man as Riley. The stones hitting him were just being annoying distractions. But it was enough.

They watched as Buffy and Faith ran in their direction, Buffy leaning on Faith for support. When the slayers reached them, they all started running out of the cemetery as fast as they could.

"Have I mentioned how glad I am that you're on our side?" Faith asked.

Buffy managed a strained, "Ditto."

"Don't -" Willow started.

"Mention it." Tara finished.

***

Spike stumbled into the cave, holding his side. He leaned up against the rock wall for support, and Adam came up to him.

"You've been injured."

"Great deduction powers, mate. First the damn slayers, then your bloody makers, and oh yeah. You've got a baby brother. Congratulations."

"Riley."

***

Willow and Tara entered Giles' first, and then still supporting Buffy, came Faith. Xander and Anya were there, obviously not speaking, as was evident by the looks on their faces. And the way Giles appeared to be downing Advil, he had been there to listen to the stormy fight. The older man immediately came over to them, as did Anya.

"We need to talk." She said.

"Not right now." Faith said.

"What happened?" Giles asked, trying to support Buffy's other side. But then he saw the blood and the tear in the shoulder area, and thought better of it. "Let's sit her on the kitchen floor. I can take it out. Doesn't look too deep."

They moved towards the miniscule kitchen area, Anya trailing.

"Yeah, she took a pretty good hit. Had me worried, B."

"Gotta keep you on your game somehow." Buffy joked.

"You had sex with Xander." Anya said, doing a complete one eighty, changing the conversation in the blink of an eye.

"I did. But you weren't on the scene yet. And we haven't gotten down and dirty since. Okay?" Faith sighed.

"No."

"I don't want him, and there's nothing you could possibly inflict any hurt on me."

Anya thought. "Well, he's really good in bed, so I guess I should thank you."

"You're welcome. Are we done?"

"I'll go glare at him some more."

Faith smirked. Giles was getting what he needed from his cabinets.

"How you holding up?" She asked Buffy.

"Better than Xander apparently."

"I can't believe how freaked I was when I heard the shot."

"I'm here." Buffy placed Faith's hand on her leg. "See?"

"Definitely…" Now was not the time to be thinking 'those' thoughts. Dancing was one thing…. "Um…I'm gonna go watch the fireworks. Let G-Man tend to ya."

"Okay." Buffy smiled awkwardly.

Faith got up as Giles crouched at Buffy's other side, and began to work.

***

The tension from before had returned, but now that they were in an enclosed space, it seemed ten times as worse. Xander sat Indian-style on the floor by the TV, but it wasn't on. Faith sat at one end of the couch, and Willow and Tara sat at the other. Xander was watching them through the reflection on the screen.

Anya had given him the silent treatment for about five more minutes, and because of his not wanting to talk her, she walked out. Deep down he knew he should've said something to her, but when he got angry, his rational side shut off, and he blocked everything out. He had a problem with rage.

"So that forgiving me thing was an act?" Faith asked.

She was tired of this. Slayer hearing was great, but when a place was totally silent she could hear the littlest things. Like the wheezing sound Xander made from his nose when he inhaled. It was annoying her.

"If I had known what you were going to do, I never would have." He replied, still facing the TV.

"Last time I checked, B and I taking the extra step doesn't affect anything other than the two of us."

"Well it does. It affects everything."

"Actually, you seem like the only one with the hang up. But if you're gonna keep acting this way full-time, let me know so I can ignore you permanently, okay?"

"You've been doing that ever since -"

"Since we screwed? Do you want me to apologize for it or something? Ain't gonna happen. You went into it knowing the score. I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression, but that's the way it went down, and you weren't objecting."

"Like it would have mattered."

"Don't try to tell me what I would've done if you said no. I gave you what you wanted even though I could've found other ways to alleviate the tension. Wouldn't have been the first time."

Xander turned around. "So you were doing me a favor? Is that it?"

"You lust after every woman you look at, and I know a meaningful relationship isn't what you're hoping for when you drool on the floor. When someone finally acts on it, gives you your fantasy, you act all shocked that that's all you get. One good lay isn't love."

"You don't know what you're talking about. I love Anya."

"Now you do, but if love was the most important thing to you in the beginning, you woulda stopped the 'sex only' thing sooner."

Xander silently cursed. He was losing. "How do you know what love is?"

"Because when I look at Buffy, getting her horizontal isn't the number one thing on my list. I love her, and the physical stuff, it's like a bonus. Something…I have to earn first."

Xander scoffed. "You haven't slept with her?" She shook her head. "And you don't want to? I believe that. Right."

"I'm not saying it's not on the list, there's just other things that are just as cool."

"Yeah, like what?"

***

As Giles pulled the bullet out with a pair of sterilized tweezers, they both listened to bits and pieces of the conversation going on in the other room. Buffy hissed as it was removed, and he immediately applied a disinfectant-soaked gauze pad to the wound. She used her hand to keep it there, applying pressure, as he got up to throw the bullet away.

"I don't think I need to tell you how lucky you are." Giles said.

"Slaying's all a risk. I'm alive…but I'll be careful. I always am." Buffy said.

"I still worry." He smiled at her. "What happened exactly?"

"Commando ambush, almost got staked by an Adamized Riley…" Her eyes softened as she said the last part.

"Good God. To do that to a man…"

"Horrible, right? I thought so too. Looks like I'll end up killing my ex-lover yet again. I'm really not liking the cycle my life tends to go in, Giles."

He put his hand gently on her shoulder. She winced, but the pain was already fading. "Will you be all right?"

"Sure. I've still got some youthful innocence left to destroy." Buffy laughed quietly. "I'm good at the black cloud stuff, aren't I?"

"Your reaction…nobody can blame you for it. But remember, you have -"

"Support. Yeah, I know." She smiled at him again, as they both caught the conversation going on between Faith and Xander more clearly.

"…I love her, and the physical stuff, it's like a bonus. Something…I have to earn first." Faith was saying.

Buffy had a million-watt smile on her face. One, every time she heard Faith say the 'L word', good feelings overflowed, and she wanted to hear it again and again. She never got tired of it. And two, because Faith felt she had to earn something to get close to her. Buffy felt like she was the one who had to earn access to the final gate.

Then she looked up at Giles, and realized what he had just heard. "Um…look, Giles…"

"I knew."

"Xander?"

"No. I've noticed things change between you. Nothing obvious, but I recognize love when I see it."

"Oh. So you know that's what it is and not…"

"She loves you. That's clear enough to me. It was a shock at first, because I had never seen Faith look at anybody in that way before."

"I can't believe you're so cool with this. I'm glad, though. Really glad."

"I have no reason not to be. You two, I assume, know what you're doing, and who am I to stand in the way of that?"

"Wish Xander could be as fine with it."

"When he acts like this, there's no getting through to him." Giles shook his head. The boy could be real hardheaded when he wanted to be. Then he remembered Olivia's call. "I hate to say this…but I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"What could possibly make this day any worse?"

"The Council's…returning for Faith."

Buffy had been holding her breath. "Tell me that was just a really bad joke."

"I'm afraid not."

"Then hurry up and get me something I can hit." She said as she clenched her fists. It wasn't fair.

***

Buffy entered the room ahead of Giles, and sat close to Faith on the couch.

"This is the other stuff I'm talking about." She looked over at Buffy, and then at Giles' solemn _expression_. "What is it?"

"Guess everybody should hear cause you'd all find out anyway." Buffy said.

"Just say it, B. You're driving me nuts."

"The Council is…they want to try and take you…again."

Faith shut her eyes. No, this couldn't be happening to her. Not again. Just when she was getting used to where she was and her new life…and then she felt Buffy hugging her and whispering in her ear.

"Don't you start getting crazy ideas. I'm not letting you go without a fight."

"Buf -"

She put her finger to Faith's lips. "No. Okay? Positive thinking. We'll figure something out."

Xander stood up. "There's no need to tax our brains over this. We've got Adam, the Initiative, Spike, and Riley to worry about. Why add another problem to the list?"

"I'd keep quiet if I were you, Xander." Giles warned him.

"I agree." Willow said, glaring at him.

"You can't be okay with this, Giles. The four of them -"

"It's not something I'm concerned about. It's their lives, and I won't get involved unless I'm asked. You'd be better off doing the same."

Buffy stood up, and went face to face with Xander. "What is your problem? Is it because we're all girls? No that can't be it. That's every guy's fantasy. It can't just be because of Faith, because I saw the looks you were giving Will and Tara, and you have a girlfriend…so what is it?"

"I'm just trying to look out for -"

"Cut the crap."

"She'll hurt you. She's a slut." Buffy slapped him across the face. That was happening to him a lot. Only this slap knocked him to the ground. "And she's evil." He said, trying to pinpoint where the bruise was going to be.

"You don't know when to keep quiet, do you?" Faith asked. "And I like to think of that period as my 'maybe if I had had decent therapy it wouldn't have gone that far' phase. It's long past."

"No it isn't just you, Faith. He's disliked everyone I've ever been with. He's only really gotten the opportunity to yell about you and Angel. Oh he got some good shots in on Riley too." Buffy said.

"He even had the nerve to not like Oz when we first started to go out." Willow commented.

"So he's just a guy who's not satisfied with what he has, and despises anybody who's with what he can't have. Which is every woman on the planet. Typical guy." Faith said. "Sad really."

"It really is." Tara said, speaking for the first time. "Losing best friends over something so silly."

"I think you'd better leave, Xander." Giles said.

Xander got to his feet. "But it's vamp rush hour." Willow tossed him a cross and a bottle of holywater that was on the table.

"Why help Faith? Cause I love her, Xander. When you can deal, then we'll talk."

Buffy sat back down next to Faith, and Willow and Tara started talking. Giles went to go make tea. Xander walked out, not looking back. When he was gone, Willow spoke up.

"Why did he have to do that? I really don't like being mad at him. I can't believe I hit him."

"Look, I know you guys are close," Faith said, "but he's -"

"That's Xander's dark side. He can't slay his anger out, so he just lashes out. It usually blows over, but, and I didn't want to hit him either, I didn't know what else to do." Buffy said.

"There's nothing more any of you could possibly say to him." Giles said from the kitchen. "The most pressing matter at hand is to decide what to do about the Council. They'll be arriving tomorrow night."

"That soon?" Willow asked.

"Plus the cyber monsters and soldier guys." Tara said.

"And the list goes on." Faith muttered.

"Let's get to it then." Buffy said.

***

Inside the Initiative, Riley sat in specialized quarters. All he knew were facts and to listen to orders when given. The emptiness and plainness of the room he was in, didn't even register. He was controlled, which was why the outside signal entering his head surprised him some. It was a signal he had never felt before, but was somehow strangely familiar.

That's when he could make out the voice.

"Brother..."