Simple Choices
by rebelrsr
Chapter 18
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and lots of people in expensive suits. I'm not making any money here, just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.
Spoilers: I borrow heavily from "The I in Team" for this chapter. Big alterations ahead for the remainder of S5. Eh, who am I kidding? This is really AU now.
A/N: Thanks to the best beta crew: Malea, Zigpal , and Zenithar. There would be no writing without you guys.
A/N2: Seems y'all are giving Ivy a hard time about the beta title. *glares* Cut it out. *raises glass of sweet tea* To Ivy, pre-reader extraordinaire.
Buffy woke slowly, head pounding. Her Slayer senses screamed even through the headache and an accompanying nausea. She stayed limp and regulated her breathing. Afraid to open hers eyes even slightly, Buffy concentrated on figuring out where she was. Shoes scuffled over a hard surface, echoing slightly. Some kind of open space? She drew in a slow, deep breath. Stale sweat with a heavy overlay of beer. Still at Willie's. Either these were the dumbest vampires every Turned, or she hadn't been out very long.
Voices sounded and pain stabbed at her. She barely stifled a groan as the sound reverberated in her head. Through the fog in her mind, Buffy began to pick up pieces of the conversation in the room.
"Thanks, mates. I'll take our little Slayer to her new home now."
Spike. Buffy fought down the growl rising in her throat. Rage burned behind the lingering hangover. Her teeth clenched, and Buffy held the primal instincts of the Slayer back by sheer force of will. However, she promised herself as soon as she figured out what was going on, she'd make sure to kick his ass.
A new voice broke into her plans for vengeance. "When do we get paid, Spike? I mean," the speaker chuckled, "if you offered me a taste of the Slayer, I'd forget all about money."
Buffy thought she heard the whistle of wood in the air just before a pained gasp. "How about this? I dust you, and there's more for the rest of us?" Spike asked.
*Did he just dust one of the others?* Buffy thought. She needed to get out of here. Wherever here was. Through the fog in her mind, she tried to remember what had happened at Willie's. Six vampires plus Spike. So only five left. She'd deal with Spike after the others were out of the way. Using one of the meditation techniques Giles had taught her, Buffy pushed the pain into a corner of her awareness and focused totally on the task at hand.
The world slowed to the sound of her heartbeat and the feel of oxygen filling her lungs. From deep inside, the Slayer poured energy into her body. Her skin felt tight from the infusion of power. *Wait,* some inner voice whispered. *Wait.* Buffy wasn't sure where the command came from, but she stayed still. The power inside continued to increase until the air around her seemed to crackle. *Now!* the inner voice shouted.
Buffy exploded off the ground, eyes flying open. Spike jerked back, stumbling over a barstool. "Bloody hell!" A pale hand reached into his coat.
Not waiting to see what weapon hid there, Buffy grabbed the nearest vampire and pulled him in front of her. His body shielded her from the electrical current spewing from the tazer rifle Spike unveiled. Buffy got a better grip on the unconscious vampire and heaved him straight at the bleach blonde Englishman. Spike went down in a tangle of arms and legs.
Grinning at the curses coming her way, Buffy went after the four vamps still standing. The first made a newbie mistake and charged straight at her. With a contemptuous smirk, Buffy stepped out of his path at the last minute. Reaching out, she caught his head in her hands, twisting violently. Bones snapped, and he dropped to the floor, not completely out of the fight, but down for the moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Spike almost on his feet. No time for cute now. Repeating her actions from earlier, Buffy ripped apart another chair and tossed two of the legs. Two piles of dust appeared on the floor. The final vamp ran for the door. Buffy let him go.
Tidying his ruffled blond locks, Spike glared at Buffy. "I don't care how much that wanker is offering; you're history, Slayer."
"Let me think about that." Buffy pretended to think. "Nope. Sorry. Not tonight." She narrowed her eyes, feeling the Slayer pressing for a fight. Not used to feeling the Slayer so clearly, she paused for a second, confused. The primal scream inside got her started again. Tentatively, afraid of the consequences, Buffy listened to the inner voice a second time. The Slayer howled in her head and another surge of energy flowed. Growls tore from her throat and an orange haze covered the room.
Spike didn't notice anything different in her appearance. However, he seemed to find the sounds emanating from her amusing. Pale lips lifted in a grin. "Never would have figured you for the beastly type, Blondie. Always had you pegged as the shy, virginal type."
Buffy reached down and picked up another chair leg. "You talk too much." She stalked slowly forward.
Her opponent was more experienced than his companions had been. Keeping his eyes on her, Spike slid away from the bar. They circled each other, tensed, looking for an opening. The vampire broke first. Fangs bared, he picked up a chair and swung. Buffy ducked. As soon as the furniture cleared her head, she was upright and moving forward. Spike didn't even have a chance to defend himself. The chair leg made a fantastic club.
With a flick of her wrist, Buffy smashed the wood into the vampire's head. The chair fell from his hands, and he staggered backward, crashing into a table. "Before this is over, Spike," Buffy commented with eerie calm, emotions caged behind the orange glow, "you're going to tell me who hired you to kidnap me."
"The hell I am," he shot back, regaining his feet. He dropped into a defensive stance.
"Better tell me know." Buffy twirled her crude weapon in her hand. Not as balanced as Mr. Pointy. "It might convince me to kill you quickly. If you resist, I foresee lots of pain in your future."
Spike licked his lips provocatively. "Bring it on then, luv." He held out his arms in a mocking invitation.
"Don't mind if I do." Buffy leapt across the room into his open arms. Her momentum took them both to the ground on the shattered remains of the table behind Spike. His head cracked onto the floor. Buffy took advantage of his injury. Standing, she dragged the larger man up by his coat collar. "I warned you, Spike. Here's a taste of what's going to happen." Hands jerked him down toward the floor, coinciding with a raised knee, and an enraged, pain-filled howl filled the air.
"Last chance, Spike. Who hired you?" Buffy waited a second. Spike didn't answer. "Oh, sorry, I guess you didn't understand the rules." He was still limp in her grasp, hands clenched over his damaged privates. Locating an undamaged chair, Buffy dropped Spike into in before landing a punishing right to his chin. His head flew to the side only to be met with a left. A few more rounds, and Buffy got tired of playing. Holding Spike's head up by his hair, she said conversationally, "You're going to tell me who hired you, aren't you, Spike."
His yellow eyes dull with pain, Spike hissed out, "Yes."
Buffy let go of his hair and stepped back. "Well? Who is it?"
"Adam." Spike spit blood from his mouth. "Adam hired me."
***
"Willie's?" Willow squeaked out. "You think Buffy's at a demon bar?"
Faith threw her hands in the air. "No, Red. You wanted to know where I went back in the bad old days to get away from you and the gang. I went to Willie's." Her voice rose.
The redhead blushed, glad the dark hid the bright color flooding her cheeks. "B-but you think she might be there? Drinking?"
"It's as good a place to look as any." Faith shrugged. "If she ain't drinking, maybe she's working out some of her aggression on Willie's usual patrons. There used to be a pretty good crowd of vamps and demons in there to beat up."
Exhausted from all the emotional upheaval, Willow acquiesced. "Willie's then." She stumbled along in Faith's wake, legs leaden and head pounding. Through the pain, she heard Faith's voice, but couldn't make out the question. "Sorry. What?"
Brown eyes regarded her quizzically. "You OK back there? We can find a phone, see if Mrs. S'll pick you up while I go to Willie's."
No way. Clenching her teeth, Willow forced herself to straighten. "I'm fine." A raised eyebrow mocked her claim. "I'm not leaving," she snarled.
"Whatever, Red." Faith continued to stroll along in silence, hands in her pockets. "Since we're bonding or whatever, where'd you find Blondie? She seemed kinda new to the Scooby experience."
"You mean Tara?" Willow frowned, not seeing the importance in the question. Shouldn't they be focusing on finding Buffy?
Faith shrugged. "Yeah. Tara." It was so unusual for Faith to actually use someone's full name that Willow glanced at her in shock. She received a smirk in response. "What? You didn't think I could avoid a nickname, Willow?" Laughter floated through the air
Wrapping her arms around her middle, Willow dropped her head. "Sorry."
Faith didn't say anything to that. She simply picked up her pace until Willow had to trot to keep up. "We'll be there in a few minutes. You sure you want to go in?"
"Of course." Willow wasn't standing outside while Faith looked for Buffy. It didn't matter if Buffy never remembered their kiss. They were best friends, and no way did she trust Faith with finding her alone. "I've been to Willie's before, you know." Not exactly true. She'd come with Xander once; only, she'd stayed in the car while he went in.
"Fair enough," Faith commented. "Then follow my lead and don't say anything. Let me do the talking. Willie needs a firm hand to cough up information."
The bar came into view. A single light illuminated the worn placard hanging over the door. "Maybe I'm wrong...aren't there usually demons and stuff smoking by the entrance?" Willow swallowed hard. Something wasn't right.
"Yeah. Hang on." Faith stood very still, eyes closed. "B's inside." Her hand shot out, keeping Willow from sprinting for the bar. "She's got company. Can't tell how many, though." She relaxed a little, eyes opening. Pulling a stake out of her jacket, she took off across the street.
Not wanting to alert the creatures inside the bar, Willow didn't yell at Faith as the Slayer left her behind. Instead, she contemplated magical ways to get even and hurried after the other girl. By the time Willow reached the door to the bar, Faith was already inside. With a slow movements, she pushed it open a crack, peering cautiously inside. The tiny opening revealed a swath of destruction through the room. Willow heard Buffy's voice. Her friend was angry. Willow's eyes widened. Very angry. She'd never heard the Slayer sound so out of control before.
***
Leaving Willow to catch up, Faith sprinted across the street to Willie's. Adrenaline and fear swirled through her. Eight months in a hospital bed. Did she still have what it took to kick undead ass? Hand on the door, Faith paused just long enough to push the doubt back behind her usual bravado. It didn't matter if she was in fighting trim. Buffy might need her. How often in the past had she gotten the chance to be the Slayer appearing just in time to save the day?
Faith knew little of finesse. She shoved the door open, leaping into the room and taking stock of the action. She stopped and stared at the scene playing out in the center of the room.
Buffy had a blond vamp in a chair. She systematically battered the bleeding demon, growling questions at him. Each time he refused to answer (which appeared to be often), Buffy added just a little more force to her blows. Moving a little closer, Faith nearly recoiled from the sudden energy infusing her body. Something powerful and almost angry woke deep inside. *No!* Faith screamed at the thing trying to take control of her mind and body. *No, I will not do this again.*
Shaking, conflicted, she dropped into a chair toward the back of the room. Breathing deeply and heavily, Faith fought the new energy back until the urge to release the Slayer dimmed. She heard Willow stumble into the room and feigned a nonchalance she didn't feel. Propping her feet on the table in front of her, she called out to the pale and wide-eyed redhead. "Pull up a seat, Red. Looks like your girl is trying to get some answers about Adam."
"You...You need to stop her." Faith thought Willow might throw up. Freckles stood out on her face, and her throat moved as she swallowed repeatedly.
"Nah." Faith grinned, dimples flashing, hiding her own unease with malicious humor. "B's got things under control. I think that vamp just begged her to let him talk. Maybe he'll know something to help us take out the Tin Man."
Tears streamed down Willow's face. "Please, you have to stop her. She isn't..." Willow's voice broke on a sob. "She isn't like this." Faith stayed put, refusing to respond to the teary green gaze turned her way. "Fine," Willow said, then spun away. Before Faith realized what the redhead was doing, Willow ran through the debris and grabbed Buffy's arm.
A snarl raised the hairs on the back of Faith's neck as she scrambled to her feet. Already moving to protect Willow, she watched Buffy turn angry orange eyes on the slender witch.