Turned
by Bob Head
Part 10
[reviews]
Disclaimer: None of the characters below belong to me. All the BtVS/Angel people belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox. (Damn it!) I'm just trying to have fun.
Pairing: Buffy/Willow, of course.
Spoilers: A few general ones for Season Six and a few specific ones for 'Once More With Feeling'.
Distribution: IKOLY, BtVS Wishful Thinking and the Immortal Slayer. Anybody else, just ask.
Rating: NC-17 for language, violence, and the occasional sexiness between B/W.
Feedback: Yes please! frank_8281@yahoo.com
A/N: I know that many people don't like the musical episode of BtVS. I am NOT one of them. I liked it. The only part that I didn't like was that damn kiss at the end. So, what if that kiss had ended... differently.
A/N 2: For the purposes of this little AU, the so-called Trio are not an issue so I'm just gonna ignore them.
A/N 3: (Buffy's demon.)
Turned
Part Ten
Xander bringing Giles up to speed was a process that was punctuated by several 'Dear Lord's' and much polishing of eyeglasses. Finally, the carpenter finished relating the tale. For long minutes, the watcher simply sat there, thoughtfully absorbing the information.
"And Willow is sure Buffy still has her soul?" He asked.
Xander took a deep breath, "She seems to be... "
"But?" Giles prompted.
"But it's Buffy..." The carpenter pulled the old Desoto up to the curb and shut off the engine. Shaking his head, he continued. "And I'm just not sure how... objective Will can be."
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Willow's eyes slowly fluttered open to see a smug grin on her lover's face. "Feeling a little pleased with yourself?" she asked.
Buffy slid closer and put her arm across the redhead's waist. "Don't I have a reason to be?"
Willow snuggled a little closer to her lover, playing with a stray blonde lock of hair. "Well..." she teased. "I think that maybe you cheated just a little."
"Cheated! Oh come on Will, you passed out." The Slayer Vampire said
The witch looked chagrined, "I really did, didn't I? But i-in my defense, that thing you did... with uh..." her face began to redden with every word.
"My tongue?" Buffy supplied.
Willow nodded. "Is... is it always like that? When you... you know, get all 'Grr'.
"Well, uh... I... honestly never noticed before." The Slayer said with a sheepish expression on her face. "I mean, it's not like I talk funny or... or anything and I've never had to stick my tongue out at anyone... or, uh..." She trailed off, for once thankful for her vampiric system which made blushing impossible.
Undeniably confused by Buffy's almost incoherent babble, Willow asked, "But... then how did..." Understanding dawned. "Oh! Your... your demon, she told you?"
Buffy nodded slowly "You're not uh... mad, are you?"
Willow placed a gentle kiss against the Vampire's lips. "No, I'm not mad." She entwined their fingers together and rested her head on Buffy's shoulder.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
After a little more snuggle time, Willow and Buffy joined Dawn in the living room. The brunette was still watching the antics of an overly made up TV preacher's ex-wife and her housemates. Buffy casually reached over and 'liberated' the remote from her sister's grasp.
"Hey!" Dawn exclaimed. "I'm watching that!"
"Oh no." Said Buffy. "Reality TV is evil."
"But I like watching normal stuff. After the weirdness that is our life? I need the break."
"Normal?" Incredulous, the blonde pointed at the screen. "That's what you think is normal?" Shaking her head, she said, "Oh, we sooo need to have a talk."
"Yeah right." Dawn slumped further into the couch and crossed her arms. "Like you're an expert on what's 'normal'."
"Hey, for Buffy, the abnormal is normal."
Dawn giggled at the glare Buffy directed toward the redhead.
Willow settled on the couch next to her lover and the younger Summers girl to await Giles and Xander's arrival.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
As the minutes passed, Buffy grew increasingly agitated. Finally Willow asked, "What's wrong?"
"Giles is going to be so disappointed in me." Buffy whispered.
The witch smiled reassuringly, "He's gonna be so happy to see you that he's not gonna care about anything else."
Buffy looked skeptical. "Not care that I got myself turned? I don't know Will. That's asking a lot, even from Giles." Both girls started at the knock on the door.
"Geez, tense much?" Dawn asked as she opened the door to reveal Giles, with Xander standing behind him.
Throwing her arms around the bespectacled Brit, the teen squealed happily. "Giles! You're finally here!"
"Yup," said Xander, "Door to door service and on time delivery, as promised." He grinned as Willow blushed.
As Giles returned Dawn's embrace, he scrutinized the pair on the couch. His sharp gaze flicked from their clasped hands to the high-necked sweater worn by the redhead.
Sighing, the Watcher disentangled himself from the teen. "Willow, Buffy, we need to talk."
Willow began to speak. "Privately." Giles said sternly.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
'Privately', turned out to be in the bedroom. Upon entering Giles noted a small bloodstain on one of the pillows. "Dear lord." He sighed.
Buffy sat on the bed looking at Giles apprehensively. "So, I guess Xander told you."
"Yes."
Willow sat next to her lover and glared at the watcher as she took a cool hand into her warm one. Blinking back tears, she asked, "Going to try it yourself or call in one of the council's goon squads?"
Confused, Giles said, "I'm sorry?"
"She means are you going to stake me yourself." Buffy said quietly.
"What!" The watcher sputtered. " I-I've said nothing about staking anybody, for gods sake! Although, I can't say I'm not annoyed with you. Both of you."
Indignantly, Willow asked, "What did I do?"
Giles peeled aside the neck of her sweater to reveal the recent bite mark. "I feel I would be remiss if I didn't caution you both. It is incredibly dangerous for a human to feed a vampire as new as Buffy."
"But... but it was necessary! Buffy was hurt and there wasn't enough blood. She'd been holding off cause she didn't want to feed in front of us..."
Smiling in spite of herself, Buffy interrupted the babbling redhead, "Willow, breathe."
"I'm sure you thought you had good reason Willow. I'm merely suggesting that you be more careful."
"So... Does this mean that you don't think I'm a danger?" asked Buffy.
With utter seriousness, Giles replied, "Oh no, I think you're quite dangerous." The Slayer Vampire's face fell. "Just not to any of us." He said with a smile.
Tears streaming down her face, she leapt up and enveloped Giles in one of her 'Slayer Hugs' as Xander called them.
Giles groaned, "B-Buffy... you do... realize that you are much, m-much stronger now?"
"Huh?" She released the older man. "Oh sorry, are you okay?"
The watcher sighed with relief, "Yes, yes I'm fine."
Buffy gave him a disbelieving look as she returned to her previous position on the bed.
"Well, a bit bruised perhaps." Giles turned to face the redhead. "Now Willow tell me more about this theory of yours, about Buffy still having a soul?"
"It's not just a theory!" The witch said defensively. "Buffy does still have her soul."
Giles leaned against the bedroom wall and assumed his best 'teacher voice'. "Alright, let's assume for the moment that you're right. How is this possible? Why would Buffy keep her soul when no other vampire has?"
Willow glanced worriedly at the Slayer. "Well, I-I think it was the spell."
"Spell?" Giles prompted.
"The ritual, the one I used to bring Buffy back."
The redhead sat next to her lover, taking her hand. "It was never finished."
"The Demon biker gang." Buffy said.
"Yes, they smashed the Urn of Osiris, forced us to break the circle. I thought we had failed because the ritual was interrupted." She turned to face Buffy, talking more to her than to Giles. "But what if, instead of ending the ritual, it just got... put on hold?"
"Huh?"
Giles took out his handkerchief and began polishing his glasses, "I see. If the ritual were still in progress..."
"Wait," said Buffy, "what are you saying, that I was never... brought back?"
"Oh no!" Willow said hurriedly, "You were brought back alright. I mean, that much is pretty obvious because, well, you're here."
Beginning to understand, the Slayer said, "But not all the way." A look of wonder crossed her features. 'Was that it? Was that why I... couldn't feel?'
The watcher looked thoughtful, "So it is your belief Willow that the binding portion of the ritual is still in effect?"
Buffy looked between Willow and Giles. "Binding whatzit?" She asked.
Willow replied, "Part of the spell that we used was supposed to bind your spirit to your physical body. It was supposed to end when the ritual did, but if it's still ongoing..."
"That's why I still have my soul?"
"I think so, yeah." Willow said. "Giles and I are gonna have to research some to, y'know, iron out all the little details. But that can wait till we get home."
"Home, to... to Sunnydale?" Said Giles. "That... um, might be problematic."
"Why?" Asked the witch, "We can rent a van or something and sun-proof the back. It won't get us there in a hurry but..."
"Yes, yes." the watcher interrupted. "Xander and I can do that in the morning. He replaced his glasses. "That really isn't the problem."
Buffy cocked her head, "Then what is the problem?" she asked.
"I... um, I went to England on business. Council business."
Buffy rose to her feet, her eyes narrowing. "You went to see the council? The Watchers Council? What for? Nothing that the council has ever been involved with has ever turned out well for me." She turned to Willow, "Did you know about this?"
Before the redhead could answer, "Of course she didn't, none of them did."
"Oh!" said the Slayer as she rounded on Giles once again "So you went to England on secret council business? This just gets better and better!"
Giles sighed, "Buffy, you must understand, you were gone, possibly dead. All of us, even with the help of the Buffybot when she was intact... we couldn't replace the Slayer. A-and the Hellmouth must have a guardian."
Buffy threw up her hands. "So how could the Council help?"
"Oh my god." Willow said quietly. "Tell me you didn't?"
The watcher nodded slightly, "I'm afraid so."
"Okay, what am I missing here?" Buffy looked at her lover.
"Faith." Said Willow.
"Faith?" Buffy turned to face her watcher. "You got the Council to get Faith out of jail?"
"Giles shrugged, "She'll probably be back in Sunnydale before we will."
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Buffy stalked out of the bedroom, followed closely by Willow. "Dammit Giles! How could you?"
"Willow please... i-it was necessary."
The redhead whirled to face the older man, "No, it wasn't! God Giles, don't you realize just how much harder this is gonna make just... just everything?"
Xander and Dawn, drawn by the commotion, joined the three in the kitchen. "W-what's going on?" asked the younger Summers apprehensively.
"Ask Giles." Said Buffy, as she drew a bottle of beer out of the fridge.
"Giles got Faith out of prison." Said Willow.
"Faith?" Xander sounded shocked; "Y-you got Faith out of jail?"
Exasperated, Giles said, "Would everyone please stop saying that! I did not get Faith out of jail! I had the Council do it."
Dawn snorted, "Oh like that makes a big difference."
"Okay, that's enough!" Buffy exclaimed, "Everybody just calm down." She took a pull off the beer in her hand.
Xander asked, "You have beer?"
The Slayer Vampire nodded, "Want one?"
"For about two days now." said Xander.
"Me too." said Willow.
"I'll have one." Said Dawn.
"Nice try." Said Buffy, handing her a root beer.
As she distributed the real beer to Willow and Xander Giles said, "And once again I am invisible to the eye, inaudible to the..."
Buffy looked irritated as she interrupted. "I only have Budweiser. None of that Guinea stuff."
Willow smiled, "That's Guinness sweetie."
"Whatever. Last call Giles."
"Whatever you have will be fine." He replied hastily.
"Good." She said, handing him the last beer. "Cause the bar is now closed. We are officially in serious planning mode."
"And we're planning... what, exactly." Asked Xander.
With a serious expression, Buffy said, "Going home."
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
At the Sunnydale Bus Station, a Greyhound pulled in with a hissing of air brakes. As the few passengers straggled off, one walked away into the darkness. She knew there was no one waiting for her in the brightly lit depot.
What few possessions she had were packed in the small duffel slung at her side. Though her brown eyes were downcast, she walked as if she were aware of her surroundings. She didn't look up until she reached a motel where a blinking neon sign flashed 'Vacancy' into the night.
She knocked on the security window until someone came and traded her a key for twenty dollars of her tiny cash reserve. Moving down the row of doors, she found the number matching the plastic tag in her hand. Unlocking the door, she entered.
Tossing her bag on the bed the dark haired girl turned and stood in the open doorway for a moment looking out into the night. Her right hand twitched as if curling around a weapon. Closing the door, she leaned her forehead against the cool metal and took several deep breaths.
Turning, she surveyed the dingy motel room and lit a cigarette. Taking a deep drag, she held the smoke in her lungs and then released it back into the air.
Sliding down the door to a seated position, she whispered sadly, "Welcome home Faith."
TBC...