Something Wicked
by Jillbone
Old Home Week
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Chapter 7: Old Home Week
Faith and Buffy were just about to call it a night when half a dozen vampires surrounded them. Quickly staking the closest two, the slayers fought back to back, trying to find an opportunity to drive their stakes home. As Faith's second vamp dusted himself on a branch after being kicked a good ten feet, she turned to see how her sister was doing.
Buffy brought her arm up and knocked the two vamps' heads together momentarily stunning them. As she rammed her stake through one's chest, she saw Faith's remaining vampire turn tail and run. "Faith." She caught her eye and nodded her head towards the retreating vampire.
The brunette nodded and started running after him, calling over her shoulder. "I'm on it, B."
The last vampire used Buffy's temporary lapse in concentration to get the upper hand and flipped the slayer over his head onto a tombstone. As he brought his head down for a snack, Buffy pushed upward with her knee and slipped her stake into his chest. Coughing from the dust, she stood and tried to wipe off her clothes. (I need to start carrying a lint brush or something.) She heard deliberate clapping behind her and thought that Faith was back and making fun of her...until she heard the voice.
"Well, well. Thought you were dead, slayer. Guess I'm going to have to try a bit harder this time, eh?"
Buffy slowly raised her head locked eyes with the one vampire she had hoped never to see again. "Spike." The word barely sounded human, snarled out beneath flashing yellow eyes. Her eyes flickered to his left and took in the tall dark vampire beside him. (We should kill him now. I bet we could make the pain last for days.) Beyond reasonable thinking, the slayer agreed with her demon and charged the bleached blond with a growl.
Catching him off guard, Buffy was able to land two or three hard punches before Spike could react. He brought his hand up and clipped the slayer hard on the side off her head, throwing her several feet away. His face lit up as he saw the little blond panting on the ground. The vampire next to him had yet to move and just stood watching. "You always were too hot-tempered, luv." He slipped into game face and licked his lips. "I guess some things never change."
"And then again...some things do." Spike turned towards the voice and Faith jumped up and planted both feet squarely on his chest, knocking him backwards. She trotted over towards Buffy and helped her off the ground. Seeing that her sister was okay, Faith turned her attention on the two vampires. "Willy, long time no see." She cocked her head at the second silent vamp and smirked. "Who's your new boy toy?"
Spike growled and started in her direction when the dark vampire put a hand on his shoulder. "Stop." His voice was soft but commanding. "She's a slayer too...and now's not the time. The Master will take care of them soon enough. Come." They turned and walked away, with Spike throwing one last glare over his shoulder.
As Buffy began to hurry after them, Faith stopped her. "B, wait." The flinched from the glare the blond threw at her. "As much as I want to kill him too, we should probably tell Giles about this. Something doesn't feel right."
Buffy sighed angrily and pushed her hands through her hair, trying to get control of the bloodlust. "You're probably right, but next time..." Buffy looked off in the direction the vampires had taken. "Next time, he won't be so lucky."
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"You say there was another vampire with Spike? Can you describe him?" The slayers and Giles sat at a table in the library. Amy was waiting for everyone else outside the library.
Buffy sharpened her favorite stake and attempted to control her demon's hunger for violence. (Why are we sitting here? Let's go find Billy Idol and turn him into vacuum chow before he hurts someone.) She growled and pushed him towards his cage.
Seeing the her sister struggle, Faith piped up. "Oh, you know, tall, dark, and broody. Just the way Willy likes them." She paused in thought. "He seemed to have Spike's number though. He was like a puppy at Broody's every command."
"He followed this other vampire's orders? And mentioned a Master?" Giles looked pensive. "Interesting."
"What's interesting, G-Man? More hellmouthy fun?" Xander asked as he, Willow, and Amy settled around the table.
Giles removed his glasses and cleaned the lenses. "Well, yes. Something interesting from last night's patrol." He slipped his glasses back on and glared at the boy. "And I do believe I've asked you not to call me that." Xander shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "A powerful vampire has come to town. One that we have had dealings with before." He broke off and looked towards Buffy , unsure of how much to reveal.
"So what's the big? Buffy and Faith can go slay him and then we'll have pizza."
Buffy snarled and snapped her stake in half, causing the room to jump.
"It's not that simple, Xand-man." Faith sighed and looked at Giles, begging him to change the subject before Buffy completely freaked.
"Yes. It's rather complicated." He looked at Willow, Xander, and Amy. "Does anyone have a free period this morning?" Xander raised his hand and Giles smiled. "Good. You get to stay and help me research."
Xander groaned and laid his head on the table. "What, there's homework now? When did that happen?"
Faith chuckled and headed for the door with the others as the bell rang. "It's all part of the glamorous world of vampire slaying."
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After first period, the gang burst into the library hoping to reap the fruits of research. The banging doors startled Xander out of his nap. Giles walked out of his office with a worried appearance.
As everyone else sat down, Buffy paced, noticing her watcher's expression. "What? What is it?"
Giles sucked in a deep breath, knowing no other way of breaking the news to his slayers. "I believe the Order of Aurelius is in town."
Faith jumped up and headed towards her sister. Buffy's eyes were yellow and feral. As Faith reached her, the slayer growled, warning her to back off. Hesitantly, she took a step back. Willow, Xander, and Amy looked on in shock and confusion, while Giles and Faith simply looked pained.
(This is the last thing she needed to hear.) Giles cleared his throat as Buffy headed for the door. "Buffy? Don't."
As she pushed open the doors, Buffy stopped but didn't turn. Her words were barely distinguishable between growls. "I won't. I just...can't be here right now." She slipped out of the doors before anyone could stop her.
"Ok. What's with the freakfest?" Xander asked looking at Giles and Faith.
The brunette clenched her fists and breathed deeply. "Shut it, Xander." Seeing Willow move towards the exit, she gently grabbed her shoulder. "She'll be alright. Just leave her alone for a while." The redhead turned and cocked her head at Faith, her eyes showing her concern. "I promise." (It has to be. I can't go through that again.)
The bell rang for the next period and everyone agreed to meet after school. As Faith split off to head for her class, Willow's soft voice stopped her. "What's going on? Why would she just bolt like that?"
Faith's eyes met hers, full of pain and unshed tears. "It's not my place to say. Sorry, Red." She moved in the direction of her own classroom, leaving behind an even more confused redhead.
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When Buffy failed to show up back at school, Willow decided to skip the meeting and look for her. She was anxious to find out what made the slayer so upset. Ruling out cemeteries and the Bronze because of the hour, she headed to the Espresso Pump to think. Walking in, she immediately spotted Buffy in a corner booth with an untouched coffee. She ordered a mocha and slid in across from the blonde.
Buffy's head whipped up and Willow noticed she looked less angry and more frightened. (She looks so lost.) "Missed you in class today." Buffy looked back down into her cup. "I got your homework for you." Still no response. (Maybe I should try being direct for once.) "What happened? Why did you leave like that?"
(Should we tell her?) (No way. She'll think we're weak and leave. Who wants a slayer that can't defend herself against one measly vampire?) Buffy shook her head at the demon. (She's going to hear about it eventually, you know.) The demon scoffed at her. (Alright. You're in charge. Just remember...I warned you.) Buffy lifted her eyes to Willow's, realizing she hadn't said anything out loud yet. With a deep breath, she began the tale she had hoped never to tell anyone again.
"I've dealt with the Order of Aurelius before. Back when we lived in Boston. Almost a year ago, I ran across one of the younger members, William the Bloody, also known as Spike. He's close to 200 years old, but still one of the youngest members of the Order." Willow gasped and Buffy rushed to continue. "Anyway, he was sent to kill me. Seems his specialty is killing slayers. I know he's bagged at least two." She hesitated, looking deep into the redhead's eyes. "Well, three...if you include me."
Boston 1996
She tried to duck, but Spike's fist caught her in the jaw, knocking her backwards several feet. Jumping quickly to her feet, Buffy circled Spike, looking for a chance to strike. She swung a foot at the vampire's head, snapping his head back.
"Feisty, aren't you, luscious?" He licked his lips as his eyes traveled up her body. "Don't worry. I like that in a slayer. Makes the reward even sweeter."
Buffy swept at his legs, trying to knock him off balance, but lost her own when he hooked her leg and pulled. She fell face forward onto the alley floor. Spike bent down to whisper in her ear. "Maybe I'll go visit 'sis' when I get through. Wonder if she tastes as good as she looks?"
Buffy brought her head back with a growl catching Spike in the face. She spun around, eyes yellow and full of anger. "No vampire will ever touch my sister." Thinking only about wiping the smug grin off of Spike's face, she threw a punch which would have flattened him. If he hadn't caught her fist first.
Squeezing her hand, the vampire promptly landed several blows to her face and body. Buffy was rapidly losing consciousness as he continued to pummel her. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was Spike's fangs getting closer to her neck.
Sunnydale 1997
"From what I've been told, Faith found me in the alley, face down in a puddle. I'd been drained of quite a lot of blood and wasn't breathing. She started CPR and rushed me to Giles." Buffy turned her head away. "I didn't even know I had really died until we found out the next day that Faith had been called." She cleared her throat and looked down at her coffee. "So that's the whole sordid story. Pathetic, right?"
Willow sat stunned with tears streaming down her cheeks. (Oh God. She really died.) Silently, she stared at the blonde. (What do you say when someone tells you they died?) After a moment or two of silence, Buffy raised her eyes to meet hers. Willow could see the pain and fear in the slayer's eyes as Buffy reached over to wipe away her tears. The redhead closed her eyes as a shiver ran through her. (I could've lost her before I even found her. It hurts so much.) Her eyes flew open. (I think I'm falling for her.) Unable to process the thought so soon after Buffy's tale, she jumped up and ran from the coffee shop.
Buffy could see the surprise and panic on Will's face before she ran. She crushed her cup and never felt the hot liquid on her hand. Her demon sneered at her in disgust. (Told you so.)
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Buffy stalked through the cemetery trying to ignore the group with her. (I don't care what Giles said. They should have stayed home.) She looked back at the rest of the group, her eyes catching Willow's. (How can I avoid her if she's always here?) She sighed and picked up her pace.
"How come you get to be Shaggy?" Xander whined. Again.
Faith rolled her eyes and smirked. "'Cause Buffy and I do all the dirty work. You know, getting chased around and shit. Giles is Fred since he always comes up with the plans. Red is obviously Velma the smart one."
Willow snorted unsure whether she was flattered or insulted. She tuned Faith out and stared at Buffy's back. (Wish she would slow down. I need to explain about this afternoon.) Putting on her resolve face, she squared her shoulders and jogged up towards the slayer. (No time like the present.) "Buffy, we need to talk."
Knowing there was no way left to avoid this, Buffy slowed her pace to walk beside Willow. (Can you get the brush off speech before you're even together?) "Yeah." She cleared her voice when it cracked. "I guess we do. Will, I ..."
Willow held up her hand to interrupt. "Me first. I need to apologize about earlier today. When I ran out. It's just that all of a sudden I understood that you really could've died and I realized something. Something good, but it scared me. I got scared and I ran. I'm sorry. I know that's not what you needed right then, but I couldn't help it."
During the babbling, Buffy's demon taunted her still. (I bet she realized what a loser you are. Should have listened to me and not told her.) The slayer flinched and then stopped. (Wait. She said 'something good.' What?) As the redhead paused to take a breath, Buffy broke in. "What did you realize, Will? What scared you?"
Willow sucked in a deep breath and her eyes locked with Buffy's. (It's now or never, Rosenberg.) In a voice so soft only a slayer could hear, she took the plunge. "I realized that I'm falling for you...hard."
Shocked almost beyond comprehension, Buffy indicated that they should stop for a minute. She looked back towards her sister motioning for her to keep the others away and to keep an eye out. She took Willow's hand and led her over to a tombstone. Sitting, she shook her head in disbelief still not believing she had heard correctly. "I don't know what to say. I mean, that was the last thing I expected you to say." She felt Will's hand start to pull away and continued quickly. "But it was the one thing I'd hope you'd say. I think...no, I know I fell for you that first day in the library. I looked in your eyes and knew you were meant for me."
Buffy paused unsure of how to proceed. "There's something you need to know first though, before you decide to be in a relationship with me. You won't just be in a relationship with me." She saw Willow's eyes widen. "Oh no. I mean it would just be you and me, but there's more to being a slayer than Faith and I have told you guys. We...we have another side to us. A demon. They're what makes us stronger, faster, more agile than normal humans. They're controlled. And they're not evil, just aggressive and a tad violent. It's the side you see when we slay." She took a deep breath. "Being with me means being with all of me."
Willow shuddered delicately and met the slayer's sincere gaze. (Could I really back out now?) She could feel the anxiety flowing from the slayer. (She trusts me so much with her secrets. She trusts me...And I trust her.) She smiled softly at the nervous blonde. "I trust you." Before she could say anything further, Faith gave a shrill whistle and pointed behind them.
Without tearing her gaze from the redhead's, Buffy tossed one vampire over her shoulder and thrust her stake back into another. She held the other on the ground with her foot and casually flicked the stake into his heart. Never pausing, she grabbed Willow and crushed their lips together. As her tongue slipped past Willow's lips, she caught the hacker's gasp and held her tighter. (Mine.) (Hell yeah. You finally did something right, slayer.)
A few feet away, Xander and Amy gawked at the pair as Faith smiled. "Isn't it funny how slaying makes you hungry and horny?" Two sets of eyes turned towards the brunette who shrugged and walked off towards the Bronze leaving the sputtering duo to catch up.