Turned
by Bob Head
Chapter 14
[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, I thought, 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 Fourteen
After the sun had set, Buffy got ready to leave the house.
"Dawn!" she called upstairs. "I'm gonna do a quick sweep and then go by the Magic Box. You sure you're gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, Janice's mom is taking us to the movies." The teen replied.
"Okay." Buffy turned to leave. "Oh! Don't forget..."
Dawn poked her head around the corner at the top of the stairs. "Yes, I have my cross, my holy water, and my bag-o-stakes."
Worriedly, Buffy said, "Don't let that floaty stake thing of yours make you too cocky Dawn. I don't want you getting hurt."
"It's not like I'm going patrolling. I'm just going to the movies!"
"I know, just... be careful, okay?"
"I love you too, sis. Now go on before you miss all the vamps."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Like that's ever gonna happen." She waved and headed out the door.
"Finally!" Dawn sighed in relief.
Running back to her room she changed out of the jeans and t-shirt she was wearing for a pair of leather pants that she'd 'liberated' from Buffy's closet some time ago. She slipped a semi-transparent dark purple top over a black bra that, along with the matching thong, also belonged to her sister.
Dawn frowned as she appraised herself in the mirror. 'It's missing something.' Her face lit up. "Ooh! I know!"
She ran into Buffy's room and rummaged through a dresser drawer. "Aha!"
As she returned to her room, Dawn settled something around her neck. "Perfect!" she said excitedly, smiling at the image in the mirror, she now wore the silver cross Angel had given Buffy.
She donned a leather jacket and slipped out the back door on her way to meet Janice at the Bronze.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Vampires in Sunnydale are just more arrogant than in other parts of the world. It's the hellmouth that makes them that way. The energy surrounding it infuses the beasties of the night with a sense of power and invulnerability.
It also seems to have the effect of lowering their I.Q. by several points. Take for example, Marcus. In life, Marcus was a CPA. Not the most exciting person on the planet but reasonably intelligent. Until last tax season when he'd been so exhausted, he hadn't been as cautious as he should have.
Tonight, he was following a girl he'd seen walking alone after dark. Someone with sense might have asked him or herself, 'Wait a minute, this is Sunnydale, what girl in their right mind walks alone at night in this town?' But this was Marcus, a not too bright vampire. His only thought at this moment was how good this girl was going to look once he had her naked and chained in his lair.
As she approached the entrance to an alley, he decided to make his move. He closed the gap between them... and suddenly found himself hurled through the air as Buffy stalked into the alley after him.
After impacting solidly with a dumpster, poor Marcus looked up in confusion. The blonde, who he'd thought of as merely dinner and an evening's entertainment, was standing before him with a sweet smile.
She shook her head, "You know what? You'd think that, as long as I've been doing this, the vamps would learn..." Effortlessly, the Slayer Vampire pulled Marcus off the ground and slammed him into the wall. "But no. You still fall for the same old tricks! It's almost disappointing."
Turning, she threw him through the brick wall opposite. "Sorry. Sometimes I don't know my own strength."
Marcus struggled to pull his broken body out of the rubble.
"Oh, don't bother getting up." Buffy quipped. "I can't stay, and neither can you." She slammed Mr. Pointy through Marcus' unbeating heart. As he combusted, his last thought was 'What the...' there wasn't time to finish it.
(Ah, violence! Nothing like it to get the juices flowing.)
'Ordinarily I'd hate to agree with you... but you're right.' She sighed, and stretched. 'I always feel better after a good slay.'
Walking out of the alley, Buffy dusted herself off and headed off to the Magic Box whistling a jaunty tune.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
While Buffy was improving her mood, Slayer style, Willow's discussion with Giles was making the redhead feel infinitely worse.
"Well I can certainly see now why you didn't want me to know what you were planning." He busied himself pouring a cup of tea. "You do realize the risks you were taking? Sacrifice... even animal sacrifice..." Sipping at the tea didn't seem to ease his agitation. "Dark magic is very dangerous Willow!"
Eyes downcast, Willow said softly. "I know that Giles. But what else could I do?"
"Leave well enough alone?"
"How could I?" Willow said miserably. "It was Buffy... I'd have done anything to bring her back."
"I understand that Willow..." He sighed, "But this situation is unutterably dangerous."
"You said that already."
"And it bears repeating!" Giles' tone softened, "I know how you feel about Buffy... but considering her current condition..."
"Considering her current condition..." Willow interrupted, "maybe we should be concentrating on a way to fix it instead of arguing."
Giles nodded, "The question then becomes, 'How?' I've never heard of a successful cure for vampirism."
"Well, me neither." Said Willow. "But these are unique circumstances! When Buffy was turned, she'd already been raised from the dead." She rose and began to pace. "So maybe, just maybe, we can find a way to reverse what Spike did."
"And if we can't?"
Willow's mouth settled into a hard line. "Then we find a way to make sure her soul is permanent."
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Faith had been a little surprised at Vicky's reaction to her visit with Giles.
When she'd returned to the Warehouse on Bleeker, the female watcher had asked testily, "Where have you been?"
"I left a note." Faith replied.
"So for the last seven hours you've been what, visiting with Mr. Giles, discussing my shortcomings as a watcher?"
'Geez Vicky! Insecure much?' Faith thought. "No, but we talked about the gang taking patrol."
"W-what?" Vicky stammered.
"You said you didn't want me to go out, remember?" The dark Slayer said, struggling not to laugh at the watcher's discomfort. "So I asked if they could cover patrol."
"Oh!" A confused look came over her face, "That took seven hours?"
"No, I took a walk after." Faith replied. "And what's with the third degree here? I thought you were my watcher not my jailer."
Seeing the stricken look on Vicky's face, Faith understood, "Shit, I get it now, you're both."
Shaking her head, Faith turned and walked out the door.
"Faith wait!" Vicky called after her. "I'm sorry..." the door slammed and she hung her head. "Bloody perfect."
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
The door to the Magic Box opened to admit a very cheery Slayer Vampire. She breezed past Anya; pointedly ignoring the glare sent her way by the ex-demon.
Dropping into the seat next to Willow, the blonde gave her girlfriend a quick kiss. "Whatcha doin'?" she asked.
"Research." Giles deadpanned.
"I can see that!" Buffy said sarcastically. "What are you researching?"
"You... and, uh your... situation actually."
Buffy looked over at Willow who was studiously ignoring her. "Still mad at me?"
"Depends." She muttered, not taking her eyes off the page in front of her.
"On what... exactly?" asked the blonde.
Willow turned the page, "On whether or not you ask me to kill you again. 'Cause, confidentially, not putting me in the mood for snuggles later?" She looked up briefly. "Not in your best interest."
Buffy caught the barest ghost of a smile on her girlfriend's lips, and relented. "Okay, we won't talk about it anymore, for now." She sighed. "So, what have you found out so far?"
Willow and Giles exchanged uncomfortable looks.
Looking from one to the other Buffy said, "That bad huh?"
"Well... our researches are... um, still very preliminary." Giles said cautiously.
Willow took Buffy's cool hand in hers, "We're gonna find a way to fix this, But I don't wanna get you're hopes up." She pushed her lover's hair back behind her ear. "It might take a while."
The Slayer Vampire pulled Willow close, "It doesn't matter how long it takes Will. No matter what happens, we'll get through it together." She looked up to find Giles cleaning his glasses. "All of us." She smiled.
(Oh god! Somebody put a stake in me before you all start singing 'kumbaya'!)
'Oh, get over it.' Thought Buffy, embracing her lover tightly.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Dawn and Janice collapsed giggling on the couch. They were in the upper level of the Bronze taking a break from dancing.
Catching her breath, Dawn asked, "Did you see the look on Billy Rogers' face when Jenny slapped him?"
"Can you blame her?" Janice replied. "He's had his eyes glued to your ass all night!"
"No!" The brunette exclaimed incredulously. "Really?"
Janice nodded, laughing.
A slurring voice came from a shadowed corner. "Sumbitch oughtta be starin'. Tight as B's clothes are on you."
Startled, Dawn and her friend peered into the darkness. "Who's there?" Asked Janice.
"Nobody." Replied the shadowy figure.
"Faith?" Dawn moved closer to the corner.
She saw Faith, sitting alone. The table in front of the older girl was covered in beer bottles, with a few on the floor.
Taking Dawn by the arm, Janice asked, "Do you know her?"
"Yeah." The teen knelt by Faith's chair and gently touched her injured arm. "What happened?"
The dark haired Slayer shook her head, "I fucked up again D. No big. Wasn't anything big sis couldn't get me outta." She pulled a whiskey bottle from beside the chair, took a gulp and then a swig of beer.
"Eeew, Isn't that gonna make you barf?" asked Janice.
"Maybe." Faith lit a cigarette, "Why? You wanna watch?"
"Uh... no, thanks anyway." Janice made a face. "Dawn, I know she's your friend and all but..."
Dawn sighed, "Go on. Can you get a ride okay?"
"Yeah, Gary's here."
"Gary?"
Janice nodded, grinning.
"Did you give him the mirror test?" Asked Dawn.
"Oh yeah!" Janice replied, "Ever since last Halloween any guy I so much as talk to has to have a reflection."
"Okay then. I'll see you Monday." Dawn waved and then returned her attention to Faith, who was staring at her very strangely.
"Halloween?" she smirked.
"Uh... yeah. We had a kinda double date with a couple of guys that turned out to be vampires last Halloween." The teenager said sheepishly.
"Figures." Faith sighed and took another drink.
"What does that mean?" Asked Dawn.
The dark Slayer made a face, "You Summers girls and vamps. What the fuck is up with that? I mean B and Angel, you and... whoever. What's the attraction?"
"I repeat; I did not know he was a vamp!" Dawn shook her head, "Look, It doesn't matter anyway, I'm not exactly dating right now."
Faith looked surprised, "I don't know why not." She reached out and cupped Dawn's cheek. "You're beautiful."
For just an instant, Dawn leaned into the Slayer's touch. Abruptly she stood up and turned away. 'No!' she thought, 'She doesn't mean it, not like that! She's drunk.'
The inebriated Slayer struggled to rise. "D? Wassa matter? Did I say somethin' wrong?"
Hastily, the girl wiped a tear away. "No, nothing." She turned and pulled Faith to her unsteady feet. "I need to get you home."
"Home?" Faith looked tearily at Dawn "Where's that Dawn? 'Cause I really don't know anymore."
Dawn gathered the weeping Slayer into her arms and just held her as they both sank to the floor.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Buffy was reading an old watcher's journal, "God Giles!" She said, "I thought it was just you, but all watchers everywhere are just as long-winded as you, aren't they?"
Giles gave the Slayer Vampire a withering look, which was completely ignored. "Well, there is a course at the Academy that teaches writing."
Buffy raised an eyebrow, "You mean there's actually a class in boring writing at the Watcher's Academy? What's it called? Prose for Insomniacs 101?"
"Actually it's called 'Journal Authorship In The Field'." Giles replied. "And while it may be less than... scintillating." The watcher said huffily, "It is designed to teach watchers to communicate facts in a clear fashion."
"And put their readers to sleep." Willow snickered.
Giles glared at them, "If you're quite finished poking fun at my alma matter..."
"We're sorry." said the witch with a yawn.
"You tired baby?" asked Buffy.
Willow nodded, "What time is it?"
Giles glanced at his watch, "Very late. Perhaps we should call it a night and continue our explorations tomorrow."
Buffy eagerly agreed, "Don't have to ask me twice."
She stood and offered her hand to a weary Willow.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
Dawn was maneuvering Faith down the stairs when she saw Xander come in the front door. Unfortunately, She wasn't the only one.
"Hey! It's the Xand-man!" cried Faith "Hey Xand! Over here!" She waved, throwing herself off-balance. "Whoa!"
"Oh crap." Groaned Dawn as she struggled to keep the drunken girl from tumbling down the stairs.
Dragging her back from the brink, both girls sat down heavily near the base of the stairs. Moments later, Xander reached them. "Are you all right?"
"Sure, 'm fine." Slurred Faith.
"I'm okay?" Dawn said hesitantly.
Xander glared. "Not when Buffy finds out where you've been tonight."
"Can you just help me get her home please?"
The carpenter shook his head, "Crap." He said as he scooped Faith up.
"Oooh Xander." Faith cooed, "You've filled out some since we went round the curves. Wanna 'nother ride?"
"Nah, that's okay." Xander turned and headed for the door. Stifling a flash of jealousy, Dawn followed.
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
They'd stopped on the way at a twenty-four hour diner. Buffy had insisted that Willow have steak and eggs over the redhead's protests.
"I'd really rather just have pancakes."
"No." Buffy said firmly, "You haven't eaten anything but doughnuts today and you need the protein."
Giles gave them both an odd look over the top of his menu.
Buffy said sharply, "Don't worry! I stopped by Willy's on the way to the Magic Box." She sighed, "By tomorrow afternoon there'll be a supply of pig's blood delivered."
(Oh goody!) The demon said; it's mental voice dripping with sarcasm.
'Get used to it.' Thought Buffy. 'I'm not taking any more chances with Willow.'
~~~~~BtVS~~~~~
After they'd eaten, Giles dropped the girls at sixteen-thirty Revello Drive. Bidding him goodnight or rather, good morning, the girls entered the house. Suddenly Willow turned and planted a liplock on the Slayer Vampire that left her weak in the knees.
"Thought you were tired Will?" Asked Buffy.
Willow grinned, "Not that tired!" she squeezed the blonde's leather-clad butt. "I'm gonna take a shower, wanna come with?"
Buffy chuckled, "Is there gonna be actual washing going on?"
"Eventually." The redhead replied impishly.
"Ooo, count me in!"
They walked up the stairs first Willow then Buffy. At the top, the redhead turned with a shocked look.
"Buffy Anne Summers!" she cried.
"What?" Buffy replied apprehensively.
"I just figured it out!" She wagged her finger at her girlfriend. "All these years you've followed me up the stairs, in high school, the college, here!" she made an expansive gesture. "You've been staring at my butt all this time!"
A sly smile slowly curled the Slayer's lips. "You have to admit Willow, it's a really nice butt!"
Struggling to keep a grin off her face Willow mock-glared at the blonde. "You are a such a big perv."
"Moi?" An innocent look crossed Buffy's face.
"Yes, you!" said the witch.
"And you're just now noticing?" She shook her head, "Will, Will, Will." Reaching the top step, Buffy slipped her arm around Willow's waist and whispered in her ear. "You're supposed to be the smart one."
Willow stuck her tongue out. Quick as only a vampire can be Buffy captured it with her lips and pulled the redhead in for a kiss. Willow moaned into the blonde's mouth as Buffy's hands slid down the back of her jeans.
Breaking the kiss, Buffy smirked just a little at the dazed look in her girlfriend's eyes. "Why don't you go start the shower and I'll go check on Dawn."
"Oooh yeah... you do... that. And I'll... ow!" she ran into the bathroom door.
Chuckling quietly the blonde opened the door to her sister's bedroom. She glanced inside, closed the door and went to join Willow in the shower. She was actually in the process of stripping her shirt off when she just... stopped.
"Oh. My. God!"
Willow turned from adjusting the shower, already naked from the waist up, "Buffy? Is something wrong?"
"Wrong... wrong?" The Slayer Vampire tried to pull her t-shirt back down and found it tangled around her head. Growling in annoyance, she tried to remove it all together, and failed.
"Fuck it!" she cried and ripped the shirt in half.
Almost tearing the door from its hinges in her haste, Buffy rushed back to her sister's bedroom with Willow hot on her heels clutching a towel to her torso.
The Slayer Vampire threw the door open and stalked over to the bed. Willow was trying to hand her the second towel when she saw what had Buffy so upset. Dawn wasn't alone.
Willow's eyes widened, "Oh my god!"
"I said that already!" Buffy hissed.
Faith was spooned against Dawn with her face pressed into the taller girls neck. Her good arm was wrapped tightly around the brunette's waist.
"Are they asleep?" the witch asked, still in a state of shock.
"Faith is." She sniffed the air, "Maybe 'passed out' would be more accurate from the smell of it." Her features twisted with distaste. "But Dawn is awake."
The teenager opened her eyes and gave her sister a dirty look. "What gave me away?" she asked disgustedly.
The blonde knelt next to the bed and whispered in Dawns ear. "To me, a panicked heartbeat sounds like thunder. Also? I have a really good sense of smell."
'Oh shit.' Dawn paled. "I can explain Buffy."
Standing, she glared at her sister. "Somehow, I seriously doubt that."
Carefully the teen began disentangling herself from Faith. "Can we do this in the hall? I don't wanna wake her." Getting off the bed, Dawn grabbed her robe from a chair.
Buffy gasped, "Are you wearing my underwear?" she growled
TBC...