Turned
by Bob Head
Part 11
[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 Eleven
Xander was elected to round up transportation for the group while Willow and Dawn helped Buffy pack. Though Dawn was complaining bitterly that 'helping' seemed to mean doing it for her while the Slayer Vampire made several phone calls.
Putting her hand over the mouthpiece, "Dawn quit bitching and help Willow, I'll be done in a minute!"
"That's what you said a half-hour ago."
Sticking her tongue out at her little sister she turned her attention back to the phone "Yeah Len, sorry about that... You uh, really got fired?" She listened for a second, "Listen, I just wanted to... Oh. Well I guess it's a good thing I was calling to let you know I was leaving town huh? ... Yeah, you too. Bye."
Catching the last part of Buffy's end of the conversation Willow moved up behind her lover and looped her arms around the blonde's waist. "Problems?" she asked.
"Not really." Replied Buffy. "I mean I was gonna have to quit anyway, right?"
"Well... yeah. But... Ooo, thought! What's to stop you from starting your own band after we get back to Sunnydale?"
The Slayer Vampire looked thoughtful, "You think?"
"Sure!" Said Willow. "You could find some people who can play music and you can sing and you could be playing at the Bronze in no time! Of course," She said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. "I could be your groupie."
"I can only have one?" Buffy asked.
"If you know what's good for you Slayer." The redhead said with mock fierceness.
Buffy stroked Willow's cheek. "That would be you, always."
"Darn tootin'."
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
There was a knock at the door. A grumpy Faith pulled the covers off her head and threw a baleful glare at it. The door, as inanimate objects often do, ignored this.
"Fuck." Said the dark Slayer as sat up and scrabbled for a smoke from the half empty pack on the nightstand. It lay there in silent defiance of the 'No Smoking' placard placed there by the motel management.
Another knock sounded at the door. "Double fuck." Faith spat as she fired up the cigarette and threw the lighter down. "Hold your goddamn horses, will ya? I'm comin'!"
Staggering sleepily to the door, she was reaching for the knob when she looked down and realized that she was dressed only in panties and a t-shirt. She sighed as she dragged the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her waist.
Just as a third knock at the door came, Faith ripped the door open and growled, "What the fuck do you want?"
She looked the person outside the door up and down as she took a drag of her cigarette. It was a woman in her mid-thirties, with glasses, dressed very prim and proper. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a severe looking bun.
"Miss Kir..."
"Its just Faith." The dark-haired girl said. "I ain't used my last name since my mom kicked me out."
"Well then... allow me to introduce myself. My name is Allistair, Victoria Allistair. I'm to function as your watcher." She said, a little nervously.
Faith snorted derisively and strode into the tiny bathroom dropping the sheet as she went. As she turned the water on, she heard Victoria ask, "Err, may I came in?"
The brunette Slayer sighed, "If you were a vamp I'd have to be pretty stupid to invite you in wouldn't I?" She stripped her clothes off and stepped into the shower.
"But... it's daylight." The watcher protested.
"Shady enough out there for you to get by and I didn't actually see ya in sunlight." She said pointedly.
Faith heard nothing further as she finished her shower. Wrapping a towel around herself, she went back to the main room to find Victoria standing just inside the now closed door. "Okay, you're not a vamp. We're makin' progress here."
She dug through her duffel and pulled out a comb. Dragging it through her tangled hair, Faith sat on the bed and asked conversationally, "So, they tell you what happened to my last two watchers?"
Victoria looked uncomfortable as she replied. "The first was murdered by Kakistos, whom you later slew. And um... the second was um..."
"Tortured. By me." Faith said continuing to comb her hair. "I like to think I'm a different person now than I was then. That I won't go back to that... dark place." She looked intently at the blonde. "But the truth is... I don't know. This whole 'weight of the world' thing... it's a lotta shit to have to deal with. 'Specially for someone like me."
Earnestly, Victoria said, "But that makes you the perfect choice."
Faith glared, "You mean the fact that I'm the only one left to do the job?"
"Well, um no. Actually I meant the fact that you've already been to the darkest place a person can go." She looked Faith in the eye. "And you came back Faith."
'Yeah.' thought Faith, her face somber. 'Back to Sunnyhell.'
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
They arrived back in Sunnydale four days later. The trip had been fairly uneventful, save for the usual road trip annoyances.
(I swear, one more chorus of '99 bottles of beer' and I'd have been asking you to let me rip his throat out!) Buffy's demon said.
"One more chorus and I might have let you." Buffy muttered.
"What was that, Buff?" asked Xander.
"Nothing." The Slayer replied as Willow led the way into the Summers house.
"Home sweet home." Said Dawn as she dropped her bags on the floor and headed for the kitchen.
"Yes quite." Said Giles.
"You guys wanna stay the night?" the redhead asked. "It's late."
"Nah, I think I'll head on back to my place." He glanced at Giles, who was already contemplating the couch. "Got an extra bed you're welcome to."
"Oh, um... well then, we'll see you all tomorrow then?"
"Yes, tomorrow." Said Willow ushering the two men to the door. "Only not too early."
"Hey Xander, don't forget your tools." Called Buffy "We're gonna have to sun proof at least part of the house."
"Sure Buff."
Willow waved and shut the door. Leaning against it she sighed, "Oh thank god, they're gone." The redhead glanced at Buffy. "I love Xander, but that long in close quarters... sooo not wanting to do that again anytime soon."
The Slayer Vampire nodded enthusiastically.
"You coming to bed?" Asked Willow.
Buffy looked troubled, "Not... just yet. I need to go out for a while Will."
"Buffy... do you really think that's a good idea?" Willow moved closer to the blonde. "Faith's probably patrolling."
"I know." taking her girlfriends hand, she squeezed it reassuringly." I'll be careful, but I've been cooped up in that van and motel rooms... for what feels like forever."
Willow sighed, "Okay. But if you so much as smell Faith..."
"I'll head straight back here." She said with a grin and a mock salute.
"One more thing..." the redhead pulled Buffy close, kissing her gently, then with more urgency, finally breaking away to gaze into slightly dazed hazel eyes. "Don't be too long." She whispered throatily.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
In one of Sunnydale's numerous cemeteries, Faith followed a well-remembered patrol route. It had come back surprisingly easily, the side streets, the back alleys around the Bronze, the cemeteries.
'Sometimes, Buffy and me would change the order up, just to keep the vamps guessin'' The brunette smiled just a little as she reminisced. 'And to piss off Wesley.'
The thought of the former Watcher caused the smile to fade from the dark girls face. Too many bad associations from later years to focus on the earlier, happier ones. Which brought her train of conciousness to her current Watcher.
'Vicky.' She thought.
Her shrink, in prison, had told her that her habit of referring to people by their first initial was just another way of keeping her distance. So, she had really been making an effort to use whole names. But she just couldn't bring herself to say 'Victoria'.
'Too... hoity-toity, Vicky don't seem to mind though.' Faith rounded the corner of a crypt and saw the object of her ruminations peeking around the opposite corner. Moving quietly up behind her, the dark Slayer lit a cigarette.
Jumping at the sound, the blond Brit spun and shot her charge a dirty look. Faith merely chuckled, this was not the first time she had used her Slayer-stealth to startle the girl. "Are these childish displays really necessary Faith?"
The Slayer leaned against the crypt wall and smirked, "Yes, yes they are."
Vicky shook her head, "Can I have your report at least?" she sighed.
"Sure." Replied Faith, "Ran three sets of smootchers off and dusted three vamps, all newbies."
"Smootchers?" asked Vicky, her pen poised to take notes on her ever-present clipboard.
"Kids, couples makin' out." The dark haired girl took a drag off her cigarette.
The blonde looked over the top of her glasses in disbelief, "In a cemetery? On a Hellmouth?"
"Yeah, always kinda amazed me that people would even live in this town, much less go out into the dark for a make out session." With a thoughtful look, she continued, "Giles tried to explain it to me once. About how the Hellmouth protects itself by kinda camoflagin ,' the weird stuff to make people more acceptin'. I didn't follow it too well."
"Yes, Mr. Giles." The watcher said with an expression of mild distaste.
Surprised, Faith asked, "You got something against Giles?"
"What? No, not personally at any rate." Said Vicky.
"Then what?" Hands on hips she turned to face the blonde.
A little flustered, Vicky replied, "Well... it's just that, being the only watcher of an active Slayer to ever be sacked, he um... Well the academy has taken to holding up Mr. Giles as an example of what not to do."
"Izzat so? Well let me tell you something Miss Allistair! Giles is the best watcher I ever met, bar none!" She jabbed her finger into the other girl's chest. "And you could do a helluva lot worse than to take a few lessons from him!" Faith turned on her heel and stalked away.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
She hadn't meant to break her promise to Willow. She'd just happened to see the dark haired Slayer and had decided to tag along. Being careful to stay out of sight, Buffy had seen and heard the exchange between Faith and her watcher from a nearby rooftop.
She had bristled a little herself at the blonde's casual dismissal of Giles' abilities as watcher. Still, the Slayer Vampire had been a little surprised at how quickly her sister Slayer had leapt to his defense.
'There was a time that she wouldn't have cared what anyone said about Giles' Thought Buffy.
A movement in the shadows near the female watcher caught her eye. 'What the hell is that?'
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
A sound caught Faith's attention. She turned in time to see a looming seven-foot tall shape about to pounce on...
"Vicky!" She cried, running to shove the other girl away from the massive arm descending toward her.
Spinning to face the creature, Faith raised her left arm to block a deceptively slow moving swipe from a clawed hand. She cried out as her arm went numb from the impact.
Drawing the creature away from Vicky, Faith backed away. As it came further into the light, she saw more of what she was up against.
"Oh fuck."
Barrel chested with reptilian skin, grayish green in color. One of its arms was as thick around as Faith's legs and its knuckles would easily drag the ground. It would probably look a great deal like an ape if it's head didn't seem to be composed almost entirely of teeth.
Darting inside the creatures reach, the Slayer launched a kick at its knee, only to hear a loud thud instead of the satisfying crack that she expected.
The thing roared, more in annoyance than pain. Faith rolled out of its reach as a huge fist slammed down leaving an impression in the asphalt. Scrambling to her feet, the dark haired Slayer faced off with the lumbering behemoth.
Breathing hard, her left arm still dangling uselessly Faith snarled defiance. "Come on ya walkin' cuisinart, let's do this." She spat and lunged to the attack again.
Stars filled her vision as the demon landed a glancing blow to her temple. Backpedaling desperately, she stumbled over a curb and landed on the sidewalk. Through her wavering vision, she saw the thing bearing down on her.
Closing her eyes, she whispered, "I'm sorry Buffy, I fucked up again." And waited for the final blow.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Buffy was already in game face as she hit the demon at a dead run, forcing it away from Faith and her watcher. Rapid-fire blows into the monsters midsection were accompanied by the sound of snapping ribs. Taking a step back, the Slayer Vampire launched herself straight up and delivered a snap kick to the jaw, smashing all it's teeth with a sound like shattering porcelain.
As it staggered back, roaring in pain, Buffy stalked around behind it. Almost casually she sprang onto it's back. Wrapping her arms under its chin she gave a mighty twist. With a wet sounding snap the demon slumped to the ground dead.
Out of the corner of her eye Buffy saw Faith staring at her. Slipping out of game face she stood and turned to face her sister Slayer.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
After an endless moment, Faith slowly opened her eyes. 'How come I'm not dead?'
Hearing the sound of conflict, she looked down the street toward the demon. "Who the fuck?"
Unsteadily, she rose to her feet as a small blonde blur proceeded to easily dismantle the demon that was a hairs breadth from killing her. She glanced in Vicky's direction and saw that the watcher was huddled against the base of a wall across the street.
Moving beside her, Faith quickly found no injury except for a small bump on her forehead. 'Damn. What is it about watchers and getting knocked out?'
Rearranging the girl to a more comfortable position, Faith limped toward the scene of destruction as the other girl was dusting her clothes off.
When she was finally close enough to be sure, "Buffy?"
"Hello Faith."
For long moments Faith just stared, taking in the changes in her opposite number. From the Goth make-up and black highlights to the all leather outfit she saw a very familiar image. "Jesus Buffy, you taking a page outta my fashion guide?"
The Slayer Vampire looked behind herself as if to see who the other girl was talking to. "You using full names now? Cause I'd kinda gotten used to you calling me 'B'."
Faith shrugged and then winced. Favoring her left arm, she took out a smoke and tried to light it. "It's a thing. My shrink turned me on to it."
Buffy took the lighter and lit the other girl's cigarette. "You see a shrink?"
"In jail." She replied, "S'posed to see one here, startin' next week." She took a drag. "So... uh, you back now? Patrollin', slayin'?"
Buffy shrugged, "I don't know yet. Just got back in town a little while ago."
Faith looked pointedly at the demon remains.
"Yeah, well, I was in the neighborhood. You looked like you could use a hand."
"Uh huh."
Buffy glanced over at the unconscious watcher, "She oughta be coming around soon." She looked back at Faith, "If it's all the same to you, I'd just as soon the Council not know I was back yet."
She took a deep drag from her cigarette. "That wouldn't have anything to do with you bein' a vamp now would it?"
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Buffy's jaw dropped in astonishment. (She knows!) 'Way to state the obvious.'
"What?" said Faith, "You thought I wouldn't notice?"
"Willow and Xander didn't know till they saw my face change." Buffy said sourly.
"They don't have Slayer senses." She tapped Buffy's chest. "No heartbeat."
"So, what now?" asked the Slayer Vampire.
"Now," said Faith, "I take Vicky home." She gestured at the now stirring watcher. "We patch each other up and I'll see ya around."
"You're okay with this?"
Faith shrugged, "Hey, murderer here. As long as you're not killin' humans, I don't have a problem with ya. You're not, right?"
Buffy glared.
Faith chuckled, "Just checkin'." She turned in the direction of her groggy Watcher.
Buffy took the opportunity to make a quick exit. She stopped and looked back to see Faith helping Vicky to her feet. (So, that's Faith, huh?) The demon asked.
'Yeah.' thought Buffy, 'Dammit.'
(What?)
Buffy sighed, "Will is gonna kill me!"
TBC...