Simple Choices
by rebelrsr
Chapter 19
[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: General spoilers for S5, starting with "The I in Team." Eh, who am I kidding? This is really AU now.
A/N: Thanks to Ivy for pre-reading and Zigpal for the beta. There would be no writing without you guys.
Faith jerked to a halt. Buffy's eyes were wide and filled with rage. The brunette Slayer's senses roared, and an answering rage raced through her. A voice deep inside chanted, *Yes,* with increasing volume. Ignoring that voice and the deep-seated fear shortening her breath, Faith forced herself forward. "Don't, B," she warned, voice shaking. "You wanna work out some anger on the vamp, we're good. Red's a different story."
Reaching out to Willow, Faith urged the hacker out of the way. "Move, Willow. In case you ain't figured it out, that's not Buffy." Her hands clenched into fists, nails driving deep into her own palms. Cold sweat slicked her skin. The voice inside clamored for release.
"No. I'm not leaving her like this." Faith's eyes closed briefly in frustration at Willow's refusal.
"That wasn't a request, Red." The words were sharp, almost desperate. Through their Slayer bond, Faith sensed the other Slayer's continued rage; although, it was now tempered with confusion. Her own Slayer still raged inside, and Faith fought hard to keep from simply responding to the need to fight and kill, to establish her dominance over the other Slayer. Willow didn't move. Her attention focused on Buffy.
No matter how afraid Faith was, she knew Buffy would never forgive herself if anything happened to Willow because of her own actions. Releasing some of the energy she had trapped inside, Faith dove forward, grabbing Willow's arm and pushing her away. Shrieking, the redhead staggered through the broken remains of furniture before falling to the floor at the other side of the barroom.
For just an instant, everyone froze. The stillness was shattered when Buffy growled. Faith cursed and ducked the fist aimed at her head. "Damn it, B. Snap out it." She didn't get to say more. Buffy continued the attack, hands and feet a blur as she alternately punched and kicked. Faith blocked what she could. It wasn't enough. She doubled over, gasping, as Buffy's booted foot slammed into her stomach.
"Fuck it all, B. Can we not do this again?" Faith pleaded. Her Slayer screamed inside, demanding a chance to attack. Buffy circled, clearly not ready to stop. Standing straight, fighting for breath, Faith looked for a way out. "Red, can you do something? Knock her out? Anything?"
She never heard Willow's response. Buffy charged again. Faith's head snapped back as the other Slayer landed two brutal blows. The tenuous hold she had over the Slayer inside slipped. Faith bared her teeth and let the power flood through her.
***
Buffy's Slayer felt the change in Faith and exulted. Finally, a worthy opponent. Spinning on her left heel, she lashed out with her right foot. The kick missed by a hair. A strong hand latched on to her ankle, pulling hard. The blonde Slayer hurtled through the air until the wall halted her progress. Snarling, she pushed away from the wall, grabbing a piece of a broken table as a weapon.
"Stop it!" The high, thin voice distracted the Slayer briefly. The blonde stopped in her tracks, trying to locate the new opponent. Willow stood a few feet away, hands on her hips.
The Slayer decided the glowering witch was no threat. Ignoring her, the Slayer stalked toward her rival. She gripped her makeshift club and swung low and hard. The other Slayer jumped back a little too slowly. Smiling in satisfaction, the blonde waited for the impact. It never came. Instead, her hand and arm felt encased in foam.
Willow moved into the blonde Slayer's view. "I don't care how much Super Solider Juice you've had, Buffy, you need to stop. Right now!"
Yanking at her arm, the Slayer didn't acknowledge the order. She glared at the brunette in front of her. The other Slayer was trapped in whatever held her own arm and weapon.
"I'm not going away. What is *wrong* with you?" Willow asked. The Slayer growled, eyes glowing orange. "Oh, enough with the eyes." Her voice was impatient.
The blonde Slayer blinked in surprise, some of the anger dissipating.
"Are you ready to let Faith go?" Willow asked. "We've got way more important things to do than beat each other to a pulp." She took a step closer, and a warm hand touched Buffy's shoulder. "Buff?"
Willow's voice confused the blonde. The overwhelming rage faltered. As the Slayer withdrew, the tiny portion that was simply Buffy rushed to regain control. "Will?" Buffy voice rasped out.
A relieved smile greeted her. "Right here, Buffy."
"What's going on?" Buffy stared around in confusion. Spike, bloodied and unconscious, drooped in a chair. Faith writhed in place inches away from her own hand and a club.
"I don't really know. You were...were beating Spike when Faith and I got here." Buffy could hear lingering fear in Willow's voice. "I had to use a spell to keep you from doing the same to Faith."
"Wow." Buffy shook her head slightly. Flashes of the scene with Spike came back. Pushing those aside for the moment, Buffy watched Faith twist against unseen hands, eyes orange and enraged. "Can you let me go, but keep Faith where she is?"
Willow hesitated. "I don't think so." She blushed and looked away. "I'm kinda still trying to understand how the spell worked in the first place."
Looking into Faith's eyes, Buffy felt her rage and the power of the Slayer. "We have to help her find her way back, Will."
"Way back?" Willow frowned. "From where? She's right here in front of us."
"It's the Slayer. Somehow, the Slayer took control." Buffy maintained eye contact with Faith. When she spoke again, her voice was calm, soft. "Come on, Faith. Fight back. I felt you trying to help me earlier. I know you can block the Slayer."
Flecks of brown flickered within the orange in Faith's eyes.
Buffy smiled encouragingly. "Almost there, Faith. We need you here, not the Slayer. Spike told me about Adam and his plan. I can't do this without you," she coaxed.
A shudder ran through Faith. "Fuck. What a rush."
"I'm thinking the next time we want to experience a rush, we drive to LA and play tag on Wilshire Boulevard during the morning commute." Buffy slumped forward. "Completely back to normal, or should we give you a few minutes?" she asked Faith.
"Nah. I'm good." Faith smirked. "Me and the Slayer have crossed paths before. The only reason she won this time is because you were all with the need to fight, too. Got the blood flowing a little faster than I was used to."
Smiling at the bravado, Buffy turned back to Willow. "Cut us loose, Will? We need to get back to the house."
Willow nodded resolutely and raised her hands at the two frozen Slayers. She chanted quickly, slashing through the air with both hands.
Faith grunted, crying out as Buffy's club slammed into her stomach. "Son of a bitch! Jesus, Red, you could've warned me about that."
Dropping the table leg, Buffy helped Faith stand upright. "Let it go, Faith. We really don't have time." She moved away, examining Spike's body. Bile rose at his broken and battered appearance. The blood and torn skin of her knuckles gave mute testimony to her role in his torture. Closing her eyes against the knowledge, Buffy silently considered the options. Let Spike return to Adam, or make sure he was no longer a threat? The table leg was still in her hand. With one swift, sure movement, she slammed the wood through Spike's chest. Seconds later, his ashes drifted to the floor.
***
Willow sat on the couch next to Tara in a fog of exhaustion. She hadn't slept in nearly twenty-four hours. Buffy paced back and forth across the room.
"Look, Giles," the blonde said forcefully, "Spike told me Adam *needs* me for his project. He's got some kind of secret lab at the Initiative."
Looking impatient, Giles commented, "That's fascinating information, Buffy. However, you still don't know what that project is or why he needs you. We simply can't afford to charge into the Initiative without more information."
Hoping to forestall an all-out argument, Willow interrupted. "Buffy, what exactly did Spike tell you?" She tried not to think about the reason the vampire had volunteered the information.
Buffy frowned. "He said Adam was building toy soldiers in his lab, and that I had something he needed."
"Toy soldiers?" Xander sat up in his chair. "That's not good."
"Not good how, Xan?" Willow was the first to ask. "Not good like 'it's raining on my birthday?' Or not good, like 'we're facing another end of the world?'" She stared at her oldest friend, willing him to reassure them all.
Pushing his hair back from his face, Xander grimaced. "Don't think you're going to like my answer, Will. Think about it, guys. Professor Walsh created Adam as a kind of super soldier. What if he's trying to make more like him?"
"Good Lord." Giles ripped off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Wouldn't he need parts and shit for that?" Faith's leg bounced up and down.
Buffy spun around, face ashen. "He's already got them." Everyone stared at her. "When I got the grand tour, Riley showed me the containment cells for the captured demons," she explained. "They don't have room for many, though. Maybe there were cells I didn't see."
"What ab-about the human parts?" Tara asked. "Wouldn't Adam n-need people to mix with the demons?"
"B's boy toy and his crew fit the bill." Willow watched Buffy at Faith's comment. Her best friend paled, then blushed. "May be more than just soldier bodies, too," Faith went on. "What if B didn't get that drug by mistake?
"Why-" Willow broke off as Faith's point suddenly became clear. "Oh, Goddess. That's what Spike meant."
"Um, Will, for those of us lacking your large and amazing brain, you wanna explain?" Buffy cocked her head, obviously not following.
"All of the Marines in Riley's unit were getting the drug. It..." Willow struggled for the right words, "it alters emotions. All emotions, and turns them into aggression and anger. Like Riley in the bar, or you in the kitchen. No fear, no hesitation, just a need to go out and fight." She swallowed hard, looking from Buffy to Faith. "For Slayers, I bet it has another side effect."