NEW Fic: To Cross the River Styx (6b/?)

[PChazzman@xxxxxxx]

TITLE:  To Cross the River Styx (6b/?)
AUTHOR: Chazzman
E-MAIL: PChazzman@xxxxxxx  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in this story. They all belong to Joss and the WB network. Please don't sue. 
SPOILERS: Open season on Season 4. 
SUMMERY: I'm re-inventing season 4.
RATED: PG
DISTRIBUTION: Just ask me, please...
FEEDBACK: Is very welcome.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you again to all the wonderful people who have sent me feedback saying they are interested in seeing more. 


To Cross the River Styx

Chap 6b

Faith awoke to the sound of thunder.  The room was only dimly lit as she looked about in confusion.  Finally, it registered on her that she was in a hospital room.  Flowers and some books sat on the table next to her bed.  What was she doing here?  She felt fine, and the Mayor needed her at graduation.  Her mind still confused, she got out of the bed and headed out to get some answers.

And some clothes.

*
*
*

The Mayor was dead, and she had been in a coma for eight months.  Slowly, she had begun to piece together things.  She remembered fighting with Buffy who had wanted Faith's blood to save Angel.  Now she was hiding outside Giles' apartment listening in as the Scooby's discussed her awakening.

There were new faces in the group, and some missing faces.

Buffy seemed to have a new boy-toy and Faith wondered without much concern if Angel was dust, but she didn't believe he was. 

Willow was there, but without wolf-boy. By the sheer vitriolic hatred Willow was emitting over the news of Faith's escape, Faith wondered if maybe wolf-boy had been killed during graduation. 

Xander had a thin brown-haired girl practically growing out of his side.  

And then there was a blonde girl who seemed to be trying to hide in the cushion of the chair she was sitting in.  Especially after Willow had ripped into her for suggesting that maybe Faith was lost and confused and that this could be any opportunity to help her.  From the looks on their faces, the rest of the Scoobs were also taken aback.

Buffy had quickly intervened and tried to calm down Willow.  

"Willow, please Tara didn't-"

"Tara didn't have the psycho-bitch trying to kill her last time."

"Willow, I was there.  I stopped Faith last time, I will do it again."

Willow was breathing hard and starting to shake. Her eyes became wild and she fell backwards against the wall.

"Will? What is it?" Alarmed, Buffy quickly moved to hold the hyperventilating girl.  

"Ca- Can't- Can't brea-"  

"She's having a panic attack," said Giles as he rushed into his kitchen and emerged with a paper bag.  He raised the bag towards Willow's face and had just about gotten it there when she suddenly let out a scream and twisted away from him.  

Flailing out with her arms, Willow screamed in terror, "Don't touch me!" She huddled back against a surprised Buffy who still had her arms wrapped about Willow's waist.

Shocked, Giles stepped backwards and stood there, stunned.

"Willow!  Willow, it's OK.  You're safe.  No one's gonna hurt you," Buffy said gently while trying to calm her best friend.

"Give the bag to Buffy," whispered Riley as he stepped up next to the frozen ex-Watcher.  Nodding, Giles slowly extended the bag towards Buffy.

"Buffy," Giles said in a calm voice.  "Take the bag.  Have Willow breath into it." 

Slowly, Buffy reached back to take the bag.  Willow was still rapidly gasping, as if she could not breathe. 

"Sweety, you have to breathe into the bag," Buffy murmured softly.  After a moment's hesitation, a desperate looking Willow grabbed the bag and began breathing into it.  A worried Buffy continued to hold the girl and stroke her hair.  Several minutes, later Willow's breathing began to approach a more normal rate and she began to cry.

"I'm so-sorry. I d-d-don't know w-what happened.  All this talk about Faith-"

"Shh, Shh, Shh.  Don't worry Willow. I'll take care of Faith," Buffy crooned into her ear.

After several more minutes, the sobs had died down.  Faith watched Willow raise her head to look at Buffy.

"Buffy?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"Maybe we can toss her off a higher building this time,"

"Sure Willow.  Anything you need."

Outside the open window, Faith's face turned grim, and a new resolve built up inside her.  Slipping away from the window, she looked down at the device in her hand, and a wicked smile began to form on her face.  

"Oh yeah, Red.  Buffy's gonna give you exactly what you need." 

*****

Eve sauntered into the dorm room she shared with Buffy with a smile on her face.  Things had gone exceptionally well, and she was rather pleased with her performance.  Buffy and the rest had completely believed that she had been having a panic attack because of the stress over Faith's return.  A few more similar scenes and the idea of her having a mental breakdown would be accepted without question.  They would accept her need to leave Sunnydale behind and have no more contact with anything or anyone associated with it.  

Eve sighed. 

Stupid basic commands.

Eve had spent hours reviewing scenarios, working out options, setting up alternative plans.  All to no avail. 

For a little while she pondered whether she was insane.  She was happily proceeding on a course that would result in her eventual destruction, even though that final outcome was something she did not desire.  Eventually she had abandoned that thought.  It wasn't like she had any choice in any case.  She was following her creator's directives.  The happiness was a programmed reward for following her orders. 

It was only when she encountered something outside of those directives that she could do as she wished and be happy about it.

Something like the Faith situation.  Eve was pondering how she could turn this to her advantage.  She knew Jude Law was fascinated by the idea of obtaining a Slayer as an operative.  Faith, however, was a wild card.  Eve wondered about the possible bargaining opportunities if she could get him the rouge slayer.  She had just started to reach for the phone when a knock came at the door.   She turned and opened the door.

"Say goodnight, Gracie," was all she heard as Faith's fist connected with her face, knocking her unconscious.

*****

Willow hardly ever left Buffy's side anymore.  Many times, she would pretend to be ridding piggyback on the slayer.  Although she could not really feel Buffy, she liked the idea of wrapping her arms around her, as if comforting or protecting her.  Now, however, she was away from Buffy.  Hunting for Faith.

She had been doing this ever since the incident with the 'Gentlemen'.  She would find whatever bad guys where nearby and then 'call to' Buffy.  Actually it was more of sending Buffy a feeling of danger, along with images of where the particular evil doer/doers was hiding.  Buffy had simply chalked it up to her 'spider-sense' being enhanced by her new powers.

Willow drifted about scanning the crowds and pondering what the dark slayer was planing.  She had hoped that maybe Faith had listened to her during the time she had spent in Faith's dreams.  

She hoped that Faith would surrender quietly, but somehow she knew that wasn't going to happen.  Faith wasn't ready yet.  Faith had healed physically but mentally she was still a wreck.

Then Willow saw her.  Slipping through the door to Stevenson Hall.  For a second she hesitated. The idea of Faith taking out the imposter held a tantalizing bit of delight for her.  But then she realized that Buffy would be overwrought with guilt and grief if that happened, especially after what had happened this afternoon.

"Crap.  OK, fine.  Time to activate the Bat-signal," she sighed.

****

Two girls crashed down the stairs and into the lobby of Stevenson Dorm, scattering other students.  Buffy had surprised Faith as she was tying up a gagged Willow, and had instantly attack her in rage.

Faith had fought back, but it was clear from the start who had the advantage in this fight.  Faith had been lying on a bed for eight months, whereas Buffy was an angry Slayer who was training every other day.

"What the hell is wrong with you?  It didn't have to be this way, Faith."

Buffy slammed her fist into Faith's stomach causing the dark slayer to gasp and stumble backwards.  She had not used her 'special powers' yet for three reasons.  The first was that she was in public and her own Slayer strength seemed to be doing the job just fine.  The second was that as angry as she was with Faith's attack on Willow, Buffy did not truly wish to kill Faith.  Currently, Buffy had serious doubts as to being able to control her magical strength and not kill Faith were she to use magic.  

The third was that it was giving her a deep personal satisfaction to kick Faith's ass.

That was her mistake.

She never saw Faith slip the small metallic device into her hand.  Buffy slammed her fist into Faith's head hard enough to daze her.  Faith raised her hand to clutch at Buffy's arm, and the world suddenly shifted.  

She heard a shriek in her mind and she was suddenly in a world of pain.  Buffy experienced one second of unreality as she suddenly saw her own fist smashing into her face.  

And then all she saw was darkness.

*****

Willow awoke feeling achy and disoriented.  She stood up, looked around and discovered she was in the back of an armored truck.   Puzzled she looked down and saw Faith waking up slowly.  In a panic she looked about for Buffy.  

Closing her eyes, she concentrated on being with Buffy.  A second later she felt the comforting warmth that enveloped her whenever she merged with Buffy.  Opening her eyes, she moved out of Buffy, and found herself in the exact same place as before.  Gasping she spun about to look at Faith with her 'fairy' sight and was shocked to see the bright glow that she normally got with Buffy.

She remembered the fight, Faith grabbing Buffy's arm and the sudden pain that had knocked her out. 

Faith had done something... had something in her hand.  Something that had switched their bodies.

Buffy was inside Faith's body.  Faith was inside Buffy's body.

Life on the Hellmouth really, really sucked.

*****

Faith stared at the face in the mirror.  Buffy Summers' face.  Now, her face.  It had worked.  She had Buffy's body. 

Buffy, in Faith's body, had been hauled away by Sunnydale's finest.  To add to that joy, when she had called Giles to inform him of her victory, he had informed her of the presence of a Watcher's Black Ops team that would be taking Faith back to England. 

She was free.

She could do whatever she wanted.

So why was she feeling as if she'd screwed up again?

Finally, she decide that what she needed was to get out and party.

****

Of course they hadn't believed her when she told them.  Why should they?  She was supposedly psychotic.  Claiming to be somebody else just reinforced that image. 

Buffy slumped back in exasperation.  She stared at the chains holding her wrists and legs.  They were reinforced to prevent her using her slayer strength to break them.  Suddenly, she smiled. 

They were not magic proof however.  She began to concentrate.  Trying to imagine the lock and tumblers in her mind and pushing at them in order to open the lock.  At first, it felt difficult, and she had a brief moment of panic that she had lost her ability when Faith had taken her body.  Then she heard a click and one of the handcuffs sprung free.  Overjoyed with her success she rapidly opened the second handcuff.  Then she moved to the door of the truck.

The door was even easier to unlock.  She closed her eyes and tried to sense where the Council goons were outside the truck.  She found, to her delight, that she could practically see them.  Almost as if she had another set of eyes looking about on the outside.

The leader was in a back room talking on the phone while the other two had their backs to the truck.

She eased the door open quietly and slipped out of the truck.  Moving stealthily, she slipped along side the truck trying to get to the driver's seat.  However, just as she was reaching for the door handle, a cry of, "She's loose," came from one of the goons.  She grabbed the handle and yanked it open, when a sudden image of a gun being raised flashed across her mind.  Buffy threw herself to the ground just as a bullet tore into the cab of the armored truck.  

Buffy scrambled to her feet and dove through the warehouse doors as more shots were fired.  

*****

Tara watched with rising anxiety as Buffy danced with several boys.  Something was wrong.  She could feel it in her bones, and the hair on the back of her neck was prickling.  It had been impossible to carry a conversation with Buffy all night.  Buffy had acted like she barely knew Tara, and her responses had been universally vague. 

Tara finally took a look at Buffy's aura and nearly panicked at what she saw.  She would have slipped out then and there but at that moment Buffy choose to leave the dance floor and return to their table.  When Buffy got there, she grabbed her drink and downed it in one chug.  It was with a tremendous feeling of relief that Tara spotted Riley entering the Bronze, and she directed Buffy's attention towards him.

When Buffy sat on a surprised Riley's lap and kissed him with an enthusiasm she had never before shown in public, Tara figured it was time to leave.  A couple of wolf whistles and shouts of 'Get a room' came from a near by table.

"Uhm, Buffy?" Tara tried to get her attention.  "I-I'm not f-feeling so well. I think I'm g-gonna head home for the night."

"Sure thing girlfriend," Buffy said off handedly.  The she looked at Tara. "You OK to walk home by yourself?"

"Y-Y-Yes. I'll be fine," Tara hastily assured her as she got up and moved to leave the club.

****
The girl was nervous. Faith was certain of it.  Her instincts were on high alert.  This Tara chick was a problem that needed fixing.  Pity.  She was kinda cute.  Oh well.  First things first, time to dump the chump.

"Riley, Honey?  I know you just got here, but I'd feel better if I made sure Tara got home OK.  You understand, don'tcha?" 

"Uh...er...yeah," stammered a flustered Riley as she pressed herself against him.  This aggressive Buffy was such a change that he was totally thrown for a loop.  For months he had worked to gain her trust, with the eventual goal of seducing her, and now here she was throwing herself at him.  Practically, having sex with him in public.  However, now his conversation earlier with Eve had him completely off balance and unsure of what to do.  He had to think, and the current situation had his mind practically frozen with lust and worry.  A break was more than welcome.

"Don't worry, baby.  I'll make it up to you later," she cooed.  Giving him another deep French kiss, she leapt off his lap and quickly moved for the door.

****

Tara was walking quickly and kept looking around for any dangers, when the voice made her blood run cold.

"You know, I'd swear this is not the way back to the campus."

"B-B-Buffy!  W-W-W-W-What are y-y-you d-d-d-doing here?"

"Well it looks like I'm waiting for you.  I thought I should make sure you got to where you belong.  Dangerous town Sunnydale.  You never know what might happen when you stick your nose in some place where it shouldn't be."

"Shouldn't be?"

"You were going to Giles' place."

"W-W-W-W-"

"W-W-What's that?"  Buffy's eyes seemed to darken and she moved towards Tara.  Tara shuffled back a couple of steps but Faith quickly closed to distance between them.

"B-B-Buffy?" Tara squeaked in fear as Faith grabbed her arm in a grip of steel before she could run.

"No," said the dark slayer as she looked into Tara's eyes.  "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

*****

Buffy ran, dodging through alleys and back streets, towards Giles' apartment complex.  She truly hoped that she could avoid any more Council goons until Giles could get in touch with the Council and get them to rescind the death order on Faith.  She did not want to hurt anyone but she was not going to just allow them to kill her.

As she rounded a corner into another alley, she suddenly crashed into someone, knocking them to the ground.

"Oofff, Oh! I'm so sorry, I --- Willow?"

Eve looked up to see Faith standing in front of her looking rather startled.  She looked around quickly and lifted her right hand towards Faith.  Buffy saw Willow's hand come up in what she thought was a sign of surrender.

"Will, it's OK.  I'm not-." 

The remainder of whatever Buffy was about to say was lost as the skin at the base of Willow's palm suddenly split open revealing two metal tubes from which an electric bolt instantly shot out at a completely dumbfounded Buffy and knocking her unconscious.  Slowly and cautiously, Eve got up and moved closer to check that Faith was unconscious.  She then reached into her purse, pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.

"This is Eve.  I need a recovery team at the north ally of Main Street between 11th and 12th streets.  Inform Command that I have captured the rogue slayer known as Faith."

"Roger, Eve.  Recovery Team ETA should be three minutes."

Eve closed the cell phone and stood back to consider how this new development might affect things as she waited. When she had been attacked earlier today, and Faith had been taken away by the police there had been nothing she could do but sit and fume as an opportunity had passed her by.  But now, it seemed the Hellmouth had smiled on her and delivered Faith right into her lap, once again.

Completely ignored, the ghost of Willow Rosenberg cursed and slashed in a futile effort at the creature that occupied her former body.  

*****

TBC...

End Chap 6