Anything But Ordinary
by Nykademis
Chapter 3
[reviews]
Disclaimer: See Part 1
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Xander bopped around his tiny apartment (in his parent's basement) to the music in his head.
Spinning around and flopping down on his bed her preceeded to remove his boxers from a rather annoying (and recurring) wedgie.
"I gotta get new boxer's" he said outloud to himself.
"I kinda like those"
Xander leapt to his feet and searched frantically for something to cover himself. Finding his pants he turned only to drop them when he saw who'd spoken.
"F-f-faith?" Xander stared at the leather clad slayer in astonishement "I thought you...coma....sleeping...hospital"
"I'm awake. Hi Xander" Faith waved and walked confidently down the stairs "Your Mom let me in. Said something about girls not visiting you that often"
"Gee thanks Mom" Xander rolled his eyes heavenward asking what he did to get parents like his.
"Well anyway. Seen Red and B around but thought I'd visit you first. Seeing as how you me and got kinda close" Faith walked around Xander admiring all the places he'd filled out.
"Have they seen you?" Xander turned his head, craining his neck to keep the girl in his sight at all times.
"Nah. But doing that avoidy thing B's good at" Faith stopped and sat on his bed "It's not as hard as you'd think"
"So what do you want Faith?" Xander decided he had no time to play. His normal goofy attitude flew right out the window.
"I want you to call B and tell her I'm here" Faith said curtly cutting to the chase as Xander had.
"That I can do" Xander picked up his phone.
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"You have to do it James. Or else you can't go out" Arica crossed her arms and returned the stubborn look the girl was giving her.
"But it hurts!" Jamie whined sitting on the chair Arica had pretty much claimed as her own.
"It won't hurt as much after you do it for a while.
Jamie's tail twitched as she stared stubbornly ahead, not meeting the witch's eyes.
"Come on James, atleast get rid of the ears. Then we'll see what we can do about the tail" Arica sighed hoping this atleast she could get done before Carol came back from shopping.
Jamie concentrated on the mental picture of herself as a normal human. The rounded ears, fuller features, and less slanted eyes, came easy. They belonged to a part of her she could see clearly in a mirror. As the picture in her mind became clearer the features began to morph into the more human structures and lines.
Her tail was a completely different story.
When the transformation was done, her ears and cheeks tingled slightly from the magic she'd used to change herself.
Her tail twitched and waved stubbornly.
"What are we gonna do about this though" Jamie pointed behind her at the extra appendage.
"Can you roll it up and stick it in your pants?" Arica joked.
Jamie rolled her eyes "I could wear loose pants and wrap it around my leg"
"Won't that make you walk funny?" Arica frowned considering.
"Just a little. But lots of people walk funny" Jamie shrugged and wrapped her tail around her upper thigh. The forked ending found a place behind her knee. Standing she limped slightly over to the small case the held her clothing. Pulling out the baggiest pants she owned she slipped them on and walked around the room.
"Well your right. It's just a little limp" Arica acquisiced "But will you be comfortable with your tail like that all day?"
"No pain no gain" Jamie shrugged "But it's human enough right?"
"Yeah" Arica sighed and eyed the door "But will your Mom go for it"
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Buffy and Willow found themselves in Taryn's home early the next morning. They'd walked the girl home, only to watch her climb in her window to avoid the screaming, ranting, maniac she identified as her Mom.
Taryn stood frozen in the front hallway of her home staring in emotionless distraction at the shell that had once been her mother.
"You found her like this?" Buffy walked around the cold form of Taryn's mother. The woman had been found that morning by her daughter, laying still and cold on the couch. At first sight she appeared to be sleeping.
Taryn had found out otherwise.
"Yeah. I was leaving for school, and I dropped my books but she didn't wake up and yell at me" Taryn rubbed her dry nose and shrugged her shoulders "She was alive and bitchin' last night"
"Well it's definitely vampire related" Buffy turned the limp head to the side "see she's all fangy"
Two tiny punctures resided on the woman's jugular.
"Did you hear anything last night Taryn?" Willow spoke softly, rubbing the girls back.
"No. I put a deafening spell on my room last night. I didn't want to hear her" biting her lip the tears began to fall "I shouldn't have done that"
"Did you put a protection spell around your bedroom too?" Buffy tilted her head in thought "Cuz it's just 'way' too coincidental that a vamp eats your Mom the night you meet me"
"Yeah. So she couldn't come into my room and.." Taryn swallowed "so she couldn't come in when she was out of her head"
"Do you think somethings after her Buffy?" Willow ran a gentle hand through Taryn's hair. It was then in the harsh light of day she fully noticed the girls odd coloring.
Taryn had hair as red as Willow's, and caramel colored skin. Her black eyes shifted and changed in different lights.
"I think somethings after everyone in this town Willow. But it just made itself really obvious right now" Buffy took a sudden step back.
Moments later Taryn's mother sat up. Looking around her home she squinted at the sunlight coming through the front windows. Catching sight of the little blonde she moved on instinct.
She rushed forward. And directly into the light.
Taryn watched stoically as her mother turned to dust.
"Well that's that I guess" looking down she dug her toe into the stained hardwood floor "What do I do now?"
"You come with us" Buffy said simply "My Mom can take care of you until we figure something out" kicking away the dust at her feet she held up a welcoming hand "Go pack some stuff"
"I'll help you" Willow physically turned the girl around and nudged her towards the stairs "Buffy you clean up...that"
Buffy sighed and searched for a broom "Atleast I don't have to vacuum a carpet"
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Carol walked back towards the hotel constanly checking over her shoulder. She kept getting the feeling 'something' was about to happen. She just wished she knew what.
Bumping into something solid and warm she dropped the bag she was clutching.
"Oh. Dreadfully sorry" a polite British voice came.
A middle aged man bent down and handed the bag back to the startled woman. Shaking out the articles that had fallen out he folded them and added them back in "Didn't see you there Miss"
"That's quite alright" Carol whispered automatically reverting to her old British accent. She'd learned to hide it, almost constantly sounded American.
Carol hurried away, she didn't want to be on the street too long. Lest the girl who'd chased Jamie last night happened to be around.
Giles glanced at the harried woman in curiousity before shrugging and headed towards the Magic Box.
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Joyce Summer's opened the door, completely surprised to see her daughter, surrogate daughter, and a young stranger on her stoop.
"Buffy! Oh I'm so glad to see you. Come in" ushering the three in she took a moment to study the bags the third lugged in with her.
"Mom, this is Taryn. She recently had a vamp eat her Mom. Can she stay with you a while?" Buffy said quickly hoping if she said it fast enough her Mom woudln't question much.
"Sure" Joyce looked at the girl 'odd coloring' she thought "You can have Buffy's old room. She's never here"
"I don't want to put you out" Taryn shook her head.
"It's not putting anyone out. Mom likes taking care of people" Buffy assured her before Joyce could object.
"Yeah just look at us. All grown up and healthy" Willow smiled indulgently "She's a great Mom"
"Thanks...dear" Joyce stammered blinking rapidly at the perky redhead "Buffy I had the oddest call about an hour ago"
"'Bout what Mom?" Buffy wandered into the kitchen searching for snacks she knew were hidden.
"Xander called. He said something about Faith wanting to speak to you" Joyce rubbed her forehead in confusion "sweety I thought that Faith girl was in a coma"
"She is" Buffy said around a mouthful of cinnamon roll.
"Well I could've sworn I heard her in the background" Joyce shrugged again "This way Tara is it?"
"Taryn" they all corrected.
"Well up here sweetie let's get you settled" Joyce grabbed a bag and led the way.
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"Is B comin' yet?" Faith bounced impatiently.
"Her Mom said she'd give her the message if she saw her. There's still no answer at their dorm and Giles hasn't seen either of them all day" Xander flopped onto his bed.
"Xander would you an' your friend like some snacks?"
Xander flinched a bit at his mother's words.
"Yeah Xan, feed a girl already" Faith teased.
"Sure Mom" Xander ground out, managing to sound happy through gritted teeth.
"So Faith. You're out of the coma. Back after what? a year and a half" Xander eyed the dark haired girl "What do you want?"
"I want to talk to Red and B" Faith shrugged going suddenly quiet and less cocky "Got amends and stuff"
"So your over the whole helping the evil guy end the world stuff now?" Xander asked sarcastically "good to know"
"I was mixed up. There was alot of shit" Faith sighed and leaned back "It all got jumbled and confused. B didn't trust me. Red and you hated me. I don't think I liked myself much"
Xander considered her words "So you tried to end the world?"
"No" Faith rolled her eyes. She needed him to understand. She needed Buffy and Willow to understand "Xander. Have you ever wanted to..to...fit I guess. But you couldn't seem to find your.." Faith trailed off looking for the right word.
"Your niche?" Xander finished. Hearing Faith's tone. The look on her face. Xander knew this girl. Intimately once. He'd seen her happy, at her highest, at her lowest, even at her evilest. But for some reason he knew she was telling the truth.
"Yeah your niche. You want it, need it, but can't find it for the life of you?" Faith frowned. She could feel the hot heavy tears fill her eyes. But she refused to let them fall. She needed understanding not pity. She had to explain.
"Yeah. Like a Zeppo" Xander spoke more to himself then her.
"A what?" Faith eyed him strangely.
"You know the one without a place" Xander nodded hoping he didn't seem so dumb. He hated when he did that.
"Yeah that" Faith hiked her arms up and leant back on her elbows.
The move squished her breasts together which gained Xander's undivided attention.
"All I wanted was to fit...but there wasn't a place" Faith looked down, staring at nothing "I thought there was. But then I killed that guy and..."
Xander's mother made her way downstairs, carrying a tray of goodies. Chips, candy, veggies, just about anything she could put on it.
"Thank you Mrs. Harris" Faith said sweetly.
The woman smiled at her, sent Xander a look that said 'finally' and quickly left.
Faith grabbed some chips off the tray and chewed thoughtfully for a moment.
"I killed that guy and I panicked. B was there. She'd seen me do it. She had this disgusted look on her face. I'd of given anything at that moment not to be me" Faith said after a pregnant silence.
Xander leaned forward and listened.
Maybe Faith wasn't so bad at all.
Just maybe.
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