Potential for Something
by bad shot
Meeting Buffy
[reviews]
Title: Potential for Something
Rating: NC-17 eventually
Feedback: Always appreciated. Contact me at connor_53@msn.com
Summary: Willow meets someone who changes her life. Very, very, very AU.
Spoilers: General season 7 stuff, but since this is my story some of the stuff is bound to change a lot. Starts at Bring on the Night.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but the story is mine. Some of the content is taken from the show.
Authors Note:
1. Faith goes in Buffy's position. She was with Angel, and all that.
2. Kendra was the second slayer. Kennedy was called as the third, but for the sake of the story was 17 at the time.
3. Kennedy likes Willow, but Willow doesn't like Kennedy.
4. Buffy is 18 for the story, and is one of the potentials.
5. Faith didn't die, and come back they were able to stop Glory before she opened the portal up.
6. Kennedy turned evil, but came back, and helped instead of trying to steal Faith's body.
Chapter 1
"Faith," Giles says standing in the doorway with three girls behind him.
"Hey G-man," Faith said somewhat in shock that Giles was back.
"Nice place. Bit of a mess," one of the girls says in with a heavy British accent to her voice.
One of the other girls who has bottle blond hair walked in. She had hazel eyes that she hid behind her hair. Her hair went down to her shoulders, and had soft curls throughout her hair. She gave Faith a brief look, but her eyes linger on Willow who was on the other side of the room. When Willow met her eyes she looked away a small blush coming to her cheeks.
"So. You are the slayer. It's an honor to finally meet you," the last girl says holding out her hand for Faith to take. Faith shook it looking to Giles who had a small blush on his own face.
"So Giles what did you exactly tell these girls about me?" Faith asked crossing her arms, but stepping back to allow him room to come in.
Giles brushed the question off, "Sorry to barge in. We have a slight apocalypse."
The three potentials line up against the wall trying their best to stay out of the way, "They're all slayers?" Dawn asks inspecting the three with her arms crossed.
"Potential slayers. Waiting for one to be called. There were many more like them all over the world, but, um, now there's just a handful, and they're all on their way to Sunnydale," Giles explained briefly.
"They were murdered," Faith says remembering her dreams.
"In cold blood. As well as their watchers. We always feared that this day would come, when there'd be an attack against not just an individual slayer, but against the whole line," Giles said cleaning his glasses.
"The First. That's what it wants," Faith said everything starting to click in her mines.
"Yes, to erase all the slayers in training and their watchers along with their methods," Giles said gravely.
"And then Kennedy, and then me. And with all the potentials gone and no way of making another, it's the end. No more slayer. Ever," Faith said the full magnitude of what The First was doing hitting her.
"But we haven't found any information on The First. No documentation," Willow says. Her eyes never leaving the small blond potential.
Giles crosses his arm, "That's because it predates any written history, and it rarely shows its true face. The only record I know was in the Council Library."
"What about the Council? What do they say about this?" Anya asks.
"Gone," he looks at Faith who just stares back.
"What? How the Hell?" Faith said in shock.
"Obliterated. They were in session, and, uh, there was an explosion," Giles says somberly.
"That means all the Council's records are-are destroyed?"
"Annabelle," one of the girls picks a couple books out of a backpack, and places them on the table, "That's what's left. The mystic secrets of the Watchers. And whatever I could find on The First. When I learned what was happening, I-I, um, I stole them."
"And you blew the Council up! See, this is what happens when you're all stuffy and repressed. You overreact," Anya said flipping through one of the books.
"Not — I didn't. Must've been an agent of The First, after my little burglary session. The knowledge contained in these files had to be protected, and there wasn't time for-for bureaucracy or debate. The Council knows no other way," Giles states.
Still tied to a chair, Andrew lets out a melodramatic observation, "And it cost them their lives! Go on."
"Can we gag him? But what do these records say about The First?" Xander walks over to Andrew, and duct tapes his mouth shut.
"Uh, very little. It can change form. Uh, it only appears in the guise of someone who's passed away," Giles says.
"Our ghosts," Willow said remembering how it had got to her.
"Also it's not corporeal. It can't touch or fight on it's own. It only works through those it manipulates. And its followers, the Bringers," Giles says.
"Those freaks," one of the girls says.
"Shhh! Molly, Mr. Giles doesn't need us prattling on," Annabelle says to Molly.
Willow smiles still looking at the other girl who she still has no clue what her name is. She remembered when she used to be shy like that.
"The First is unlike anything we've faced before. I mean, there's evil and then there's the thing that created evil, the source," Giles says.
"And that's what this thing claims to be?" Faith asks.
"That's what it is. It has eternity's to act, endless resources. (stands) How to defeat it - I - I - honestly I don't know. But we have to find a way. If the slayer line is eliminated, then the hell mouth has no guardian. The balance is destroyed. I'm afraid it falls to you, Faith. Sorry. I mean, we'll do what we can, but you're the only one who has the strength to protect these girls - and the world - against what's coming," Giles says to Faith.
"But no pressure," Xander says sarcastically.
"That's it? That's the plan? I don't see how one person, even a slayer, could protect us. I saw what those bringer guys can do. They tore apart my watcher," Molly says moving forward.
"Of course we'll use all our resources," Giles starts, but is cut off.
"And if this thing is the root of all evil, isn't the hell mouth it's number one vacation spot? I mean, don't you think we should be hiding our asses on the other side of the globe?" Molly says.
"Molly," the other girl growls. This is the first time she spoke so of course every one looked at her. Molly stepped back though, and Willow assumed this other girl was some kind of leader, or something.
***
"So what's your name?" Willow asked moving up behind the blond who had still not spoken except that one time. Giles, and Faith were out so Willow was trying to get the sleeping arrangements.
The girl jumped when Willow touched her shoulder. Willow looked into the girls eyes for the first time. She was suprised to see such shyness in the girls eyes. Under the surface though she could see some lingering doubt, and fear.
"Ummm... Are you gonna answer the question because I wanted to know where you wanted to sleep," Willow said trying to appear nice, but get her to tell her her name.
"Well its B-B-Buffy," Buffy said quietly so Willow could barely hear. Buffy started to blush knowing how weird her name sounded.
"Buffy. Buffy I like that. It is a nice name. Your mom give it to you?" Willow asked setting down the blankets, and sitting by Buffy.
When Willow looked over at the blonde she was suprised to see tears in her eyes, "I never knew my mom. She died in birth, and my dad left her when he found out she was pregnant," Buffy said letting herself melt into the taller redhead's arms.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. But if you had no parents who brought you up?" Willow asked stroking up, and down the blonds back.
"No one. Well someone. A guy named Hanho raised me for a while. Helping me, but making me do some stuff I am not proud about. Giles just found me about two days ago," Buffy said.
Willow tried probing further, but the blonde pushed out of her embrace, and ran into the bathroom grabbing her bag by the doorway. Willow frowned determined to get the blonde to talk to her. She decided the best way was to room with her so she set about doing just that.
***
"Giles that thing was strong what was it," Faith says coming into the kitchen looking like she had been in a big fight.
Kennedy herded two of the SITs out of the room so that Giles, and Faith could talk alone, "Why don't we get to hear them?" Molly pouted.
"You will learn just wait a minute," Kennedy said to the SITs.
***
Willow came out into the living room to see two of the SITs sitting down. She looked into the kitchen, and saw Giles talking to Faith.
She looked around the room, and saw that Buffy was still in the bathroom. She frowned when she saw the door open, and Buffy came out with slightly bloodshot eyes, and a calmer more far away look on her face. Willow decided that she should check out Buffy a little closer.
***
"Buffy? Hey Buffy," Willow said quietly poking the blond to see if she was awake. When the blond didn't react Willow decided now was the time to search Buffy's belongings.
She only was able to shuffle through a few pockets of Buffy before she felt a hand grip her wrist, and pull it away, "Why are you looking through my stuff?" Buffy asked slightly defensive.
"I was looking for a... bra," Willow said.
"Oh ummm... Go right ahead," Buffy said pulling back, and going back to sleep. Leaving Willow awake.
***
Willow went back downstairs, and shook Giles awake, "Hey Giles. I need to talk to you about Buffy."
Giles shook his head, and ran a hand through his hair, "And what do you need to know?"
"Everything."
"Well I knew she had no parents. Grew up on the street, and that is it," Giles said, "Now may I go back to sleep?"
"Giles I think she is doing something," Willow says trying to get Giles attention.
This seems to do the trick as Giles sits straight up, and pulls on his glasses, "Do you have any proof, and what do you want me to do?"
"I need you to help me go through her stuff. The only proof I have at the moment is what she looked like once when she came out of the bathroom."
"Well you will owe me for this okay," Giles said going back to sleep.
"Giles I want to do this as soon as possible say tomorrow?" Willow asked.
"Fine can I get some sleep though?" Giles says as Willow walks away with a worried look on her face.
***
Buffy woke up in the morning. She gave a huge yawn, and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She looked around quickly. Seeing Willow still sleeping she pulled herself into the bathroom.
Willow got up when she heard the bathroom door click shut. She rushed over to Buffy's bed, and pulled her bag out from under it.
She pulls it downstairs where Giles is waiting sleepily, "Okay Willow you better be right about this," Giles says sternly.
Willow growls low, but starts to open up the pockets.
After five minutes Willow still can't find anything. She lets out a growl in frustration, but also a small sigh in relief, "Okay Giles I think..." Willow was distracted from saying the rest when she found the false bottom in Buffy's bag.
She pulled it up along with the items in it. In a small plastic baggy was a small rock, and several other items Willow could only assume helped d something to the rock.
"Dear lord!" Giles says when he sees Willow pull the baggy out.
"Hey I don't now Red was a stoner?" Faith says coming into the room.
"I am not!" Willow cries out, "Buffy is," she says quietly.
"Whoa Blondie has a little freak in her," Faith says looking from Willow to Giles.
Willow growls, and pushes Faith a little, "No I don't think so. She told me yesterday that she had no parents, and was raised by some guy... She said she did some stuff she wasn't proud of so... What do we do?" she directed the last to Giles.
Giles started to clean his glasses, "Truthfully I don't know. I have never dealt with something like this. My only guess is take it away, and try to get her back to normal so that she can help."
"G-man has a point Red. I have never been on the stuff, but I have seen some people that tried to get off it is not very pretty," Faith said to Willow.
"So should I go talk to Buffy?" Willow says.
"Why?" came Buffy voice from the stairwell. When she reached the bottom she gulped when she saw what was happening.
"Buffy wait!" Willow said as the blonde ran upstairs. Willow followed her into their room.
She found Buffy curled up in the bathroom, "I never wanted to do it. When I was ten Hanho gave it to me one night, and every time I try to quit it just reminded me how lonely I was so I took it again to make everything go away."
Willow didn't respond in words, but instead picked Buffy up, and pulled her out of the bathroom, and onto the bed. Willow let the blond curl up to her, and hugged her, "You can quit now. Because you aren't alone. Look around you we barely know you, but we are still gonna help you. Okay?"
Buffy gave a small nod, and tried to go back to sleep. Only focusing on the small motions of Willow's hands on her back.
***
Willow woke up to feel Buffy shaking. She looked at the clock to see that they had been sleeping for around thirteen hours. She gets up, and runs downstairs, and pulls Faith up not noticing the bruises on her, and Kennedy's bodies, "Geeze Red what you need?"
"Help," Willow simply says showing Buffy to the brunette.
"Well it started to most you can do is hold her. Keep her from hurting you, or more importantly herself," Faith says looking over the now sweating blond. She had her arms wrapped around her knees pushing them into her stomach.
Willow climbs in sitting up against the headboard, and pulling the blond in between her legs. She stroked the hair away from the blondes forehead, "Hey Faith I need you to get me a small tub, and a washcloth, so I can at least make her more comfortable."
Faith gives a nod, and goes back down the stairs. Willow starts to whisper small soothing things to Buffy who in turn calms down. A little.
***
"Faith what's up?" Xander says seeing Faith filling a bucket under the sink.
Faith looks up at him. She dips her hand in the bucket to check the temperature. Finding that it is right she pulls it out, and drapes a washcloth on the side, "Willow needed some help with something."
"Okay that was vague so I say. What?" Xander asks blocking the exit from the kitchen.
Faith rolls her eyes, "One of the potentials had a... Bad life, and is now paying for it, and we are trying to help her through it," Faith explains trying to respect the blond's privacy.
Xander sighs, but lets her through, "I just thought after last night when you, and Kennedy took out the uber vamp thingy you would be tired, or something."
Faith smiled at him but said, "Thanks, but no thanks. I got this, and I have a feeling blondie wants to keep this under wraps for a bit."
***
"Hey Red got your stuff," Faith said. Upon seeing the look of worry on Willow's face she guided the washcloth into her hand. Willow began a gentle back, and forth motion on Buffy's head. Faith brought in a towel from the bathroom, and placed it under the water bucket to keep the water off the sheets.
"Faith. Is this kinda like what happened to me with the detoxing from black magic?" Faith gave a nod, and Willow felt empathy for the blond since she had gone through the same thing. In a way.
Faith left looking back at the pair. A small smile was able to work it's way onto her face.
***
When Willow felt the sweat start to soak through Buffy's shirt, and pants she figured now would be a good time to change the girl.
She left Buffy feeling slightly guilty at leaving Buffy like this. She went into Dawn's room, and called out for the girl. Dawn leapt up from her bed, "Hey Will. What you want?"
"Hey Dawny. I need to borrow some P.J's for Buffy. Is that okay?" Willow asks.
"Buffy?"
"Oh yeah. She was one of the potentials. The one who didn't talk a lot," Willow explained to the teenager.
"Ya sure. What for exactly?" Dawn asked moving to her dresser, and throwing some P.J's to Willow.
"Well I looked through her stuff, and she didn't have anything that would help right now," Willow said not thinking about how that had sounded.
Dawn raised an eyebrow at that, "And why were you going through her stuff?"
"Well... I... Ummm... Dawn don't you have some homework, or something?" Willow says trying to get out of this.
"Well some, but that is not the point..."
"Dawn you know what Faith says. Homework first. Even though she really never did do her homework, but you get the idea."
Dawn raised her hands up in defeat, and opened up her back back.
***
Willow pushes the door to her room open holding the P.J's in her free hand. She looks around the room quickly looking for Buffy. Her eyes find the small lump under the covers.
She smiles, and pulls back the covers, "BUFFY!" Willow yells grabbing the blonde's hands, and pinning them. She pulls the left arm up, and uses a spell to get the arm to freeze.
'Whatever. One spell won't do anything.'
She runs into the bathroom quickly bringing out the first aid kit, "Buffy. Why did you do this to yourself," Willow says dabbing at the arm Buffy had ripped open with a washcloth.
Willow looked at Buffy's other hand, and saw the blood on her fingernails. She thought to herself about how she had felt when she was detoxing from the black magic, 'I had felt like it was crawling under my skin, but I never did that.'
She pulls out some neosporin, and dabs it into the wound. She had to use about the whole bottle because Buffy had ripped off so much skin.
She brought out a gauze pad, and put it over the entire wound. She then wraps tape around her arm pinning the gauze in place.
She pulls the blond back into her arms, and cradles her grabbing her hands in her own so Buffy wouldn't hurt herself more.
She felt tears start to wet her shirt, and looked down at Buffy. She placed a small kiss at the tip of her nose. She didn't know why, but it just felt right at the time.
Buffy gave a small whimper, and pushed herself up until her, and Willow's lips met in a soft kiss. She settles back into the safe, warm arms, and goes to sleep. Leaving Willow to her own jumbled thoughts.
'How do I do this should I get together with her?'
'No. It is to soon since Tara.'
'Ya, but I feel something for her.'
Willow groaned trying to stop the thoughts as they continued to jump around in her head.
A/N: Wow. That took a while. Just had an idea, and decided to run with it. Hope you like. Review if you want me to continue. Happy Valentines Day everyone!