Simple Choices
by rebelrsr
Chapter 25
[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 and Lilly for the beta. There would be no writing without you guys.
Willow whirled to face Anya. "The Slayer?" Her voice squeaked on the word. This was bad. Very bad. Buffy was already afraid of the Slayer, terrified of losing control again.
"Did I stutter?" Anya wasn't pleased at the questioning. "Buffy needs to get in touch with her masculine side or something. My Xander thinks it's the only way to win."
"You're joking, right?" Wrapping her arms around herself, Willow flinched as Buffy entered the conversation. "Do you have any idea what the Slayer can do? She tortured Spike, beat him to a bloody pulp and enjoyed it. You want me to let that loose? How is that better than Adam?" Buffy was nearly shouting at the end.
Slowly, not wanting to provoke the Slayer before the showdown with Adam, Willow turned. "It'll be alright, Buffy. We'll find a way to control her. It won't be like it was with Spike." She took a careful step forward. Buffy was pale, hands clenched.
"I can't do it, Will. I can't." As suddenly as it appeared, the anger was gone. Tears glittered in Buffy's eyes. "I can't let the Slayer have control again."
Willow was painfully aware of their audience. "It won't be like that this time." She took Buffy's hands in hers. The small fingers twitched restlessly, as if Buffy were seconds from running. "You were still coming down from the drug at Willie's."
"That's just it, Will. I don't want to feel like that again. When the Slayer was there, it felt like the drug. All angry and powerful and out of control." Buffy was shaking now.
Willow heard the rattle of a pan; she ignored it. Ignored the four human-shaped statues surrounding them, listening to Buffy come unglued. "Buffy, the drug and the beer, Spike trying to kidnap you. The situation was bad. The Slayer was all about saving you and getting answers about Adam. It saw a threat and it took action." Willow kept her voice low and soothing, and she took another step forward, wrapping Buffy in her arms.
"When I came up to you, did you hurt me?" she asked, pressing her point. Buffy's eyes lost a little of the wild look; the blonde head shook slightly. "No, you didn't. You were able to take control back. I wasn't a threat, was I?" Another shake. "Is your Mom a threat? Is Giles?" Willow felt Buffy relaxing. "See, baby? There's no problem. The Slayer will go after Adam. He's the threat."
"I won't let him hurt you, Will." Willow blinked at the change in focus. Buffy went on, "The Slayer protects what's hers." Buffy's voice had deepened. For just an instant, Willow glimpsed a hint of orange to the normally hazel eyes.
Responding to some inner call, Willow pressed a light kiss to Buffy's neck. "I know, Buffy. I expect her to keep me...all of us safe. I'm no more important than your family."
A cleared throat penetrated their intense exchange. "Before this go any farther," Joyce said dryly, "breakfast is ready."
Willow felt the blush race up her face. "Uh, yeah. Thanks, Mrs. Summers. Dinner was a long time ago and with all the running around and magic and stuff, I'm hungry."
"Hungry for Buffy, sure," Anya dropped into the vacuum left after the Willowbabble ended.
***
When Xander and Faith didn't move, Graham gripped their arms, dragging them down the path. "I'm not joking. I've got information on Adam. My bosses didn't want to give it up. There are armed Marines not far behind me."
Faith started trotting, easily matching Graham's pace. "How many are we talking?" If it were just a few, she might be able to take them out.
"Not sure. At least a platoon," Graham gasped out.
"Numbers, soldier boy. I need numbers." Faith glared at the young man running next to her.
Xander beat him to it. "Don't even think about it, Faith. Even you can't handle a platoon; that's thirty, maybe forty guys with machine guns."
Thirty or forty? Faith picked up the pace. "These guys local?"
If Graham was surprised, he didn't show it. "No. The Pentagon shipped them in after Adam broke free." They were at the edge of campus, the lights of downtown visible ahead.
"We're going to lose your friends without marching the troops through the streets of SunnyD." It might have been a while since Faith hunted evil, but she remembered every back street, alley, and hideout. "Follow me." Avoiding Main Street, Faith led Graham and Xander down an alley behind the movie theater.
During her employment with the Mayor, Faith had often stalked the Scoobies. She'd followed them, spying, listening for any hint they knew how to stop the Ascension. Boots echoing on the concrete and brick walls, the three pounded through the dim space. "Here!" Faith detoured abruptly, ignoring the complaints from her companions. "In here, hurry." Using a touch of Slayer strength, Faith forced open a narrow door well camouflaged by a dumpster and heavy shadows.
Once they were in the small blind, Faith slid the door home.
Xander sank to the floor, sucking in massive amounts of air. Graham was in a little better condition. "Thanks," he panted. "How did you know about this place?"
Shrugging, Faith avoided answering. "What did you find that was so important your bosses are hunting you?"
"I don't know." At her snort, Graham repeated, "I don't know. Really. I was going through some of Riley's files. He kept a stash of work in his room. Completely against regs." Faith watched him run a hand over his short hair. "One of the files had diagrams — looked like some sort of circuitry. There were hand-written notes underneath, in Ry's handwriting. The diagram was of Adam. That's when I paged Buffy."
"Wires and notes. Willow will be so happy," Xander quipped, still mostly prone. "What happened? Why the unwelcome wagon?"
Graham grimaced. "I screwed up. The stuff in Ry's files didn't make sense. I went to one of the guys, asked him to take a look."
"He wasn't a team player?" Faith leaned against the wall, senses on alert. So far, she hadn't heard anyone pass by their hiding place.
"Not for my team. For the brass'? Yeah." The admission seemed to bother him. "Forrest was one of us. Like a brother to me and Riley. As soon as he saw the notes, though, he radioed for backup. He read me the riot act and called me a traitor."
Xander had finally recovered enough to sit up. "How long do we stay here?"
It took a minute for Faith to realize he was asking her. "Uh, they ain't even gone down the alley yet, X-man. I'm thinking we let them get past us then try to get back to the gang. Better question is: how long will they look before they pack up and go home?"
"Tomorrow." Graham sounded very sure of his answer. "The unit's being recalled. We were scheduled to ship out at oh-five hundred."
"That was before you got the goods, though," Faith said. She crossed her arms over her chest, meeting his eyes. "If the information is so important they're putting armed troops downtown, will they leave before finding you?"
This time, Graham didn't respond immediately. "Probably."
"Don't sound so convincing," Xander mumbled. "I mean, it's not like they've got big guns and won't stop to ask questions before shooting us."
"They've got a timetable. When the Initiative deployed here, there was always a risk of civilian exposure." Graham started to pace the small room. "Once the order to pull out was issued, the unit only has forty-eight hours. Two days to destroy all traces of our being there, delete computer files, shred documents, and create cover stories for those of us pretending to be college students."
Faith held up a hand. Multiple footsteps sounded in the alley. "Company," she hissed.
***
Buffy sprang to her feet, taking a quick step in Anya's direction. Only a small hand on her arm kept Anya safe.
"Eat your breakfast, Buffy," Willow said softly. "We need to find out how to get you and the Slayer safely together and see what information Graham has. Ignore her."
"Will-" Buffy protested. She was already holding hands with the Slayer. A growl echoed in the kitchen.
She slumped when Willow pointed to her plate. "Breakfast."
"Fine. Breakfast." Dropping into her chair, Buffy picked up her fork and viciously stabbed the eggs.
The fork bent in her hand when Anya's chirpy voice commented, "I don't know why you're so worried about the Slayer, Buffy. Willow seems to have her under control."
"Anya!" Joyce jumped in while Buffy pried her fingers off the now twisted metal. "Why don't we go and start some laundry? Those Council guys don't seem like good housekeepers." She moved across the kitchen and pulled Anya from the room.
Relaxing a little, Buffy went back to eating. When Willow perched on the chair next to her, one hand on her thigh, she relaxed more. "Sorry, Will. She just..."
Giles' throat clearing interrupted. "Ah, Buffy, Willow, I take it congratulations are in order?" When Buffy hastily glanced in his direction, she saw the slight blush covering his face. The small smile, though, told her once and for all he was OK with the relationship.
However, before Buffy could catapult across the room and hug her blushing Watcher, Willow shattered the mood. "Um, guys, before we get all with the happies, I have a question."
"Yes, Willow?" Giles met Buffy's eyes. He looked suddenly tense.
"Anya said I was controlling Buffy's Slayer. Great. Whoo hoo." Despite the cheery words, Willow didn't sound very encouraged. "If we have Buffy and Faith go after Adam, who gets to control Faith's Slayer?"