Simple Choices
by rebelrsr
Chapter 33
[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, Lilly, and KK for the beta. There would be no writing without you guys.
"Blow up?" Willow stared at Faith. "That's a joke, right? Very funny." She forced a tinkling laugh.
No one else joined in.
"Oh, Goddess." Sinking back into her chair, Willow rubbed tired eyes.
"Before we lose ourselves in panic and despair," Giles commented dryly, "perhaps we should let Faith tell the rest of her story." He gestured at Faith. "What, exactly, did Agent Finn tell you?"
***
Faith hadn't imagined her moment of glory quite like this. In her head, this moment was more about rushing in to save the day. With swords or stakes. Definitely not explanations. "Uh..." Looking around the room, she realized everyone except Willow was watching her.
"J-just take it sl-slow, sweetie." Tara rubbed a hand over her thigh.
"Right." Slow. Faith sucked in a deep breath and tried to remember the argument between Riley and the older man. "B's boy didn't actually tell me anything. I ran into him when I was on campus. He was having a fight with some grey-haired guy."
Faith was so focused on the memory, she twitched in surprise when Graham asked, "About my height, short hair, nasty temper?"
"Sounds right." Faith looked at him and raised her hands, palm out. "I wasn't really looking."
He grimaced and waved a hand for her to go on.
Her leg started bouncing, and Faith decided she was sparring with Buffy the second this planning session was over. She really needed to beat on something. Buffy would have to do. "Anyway, they got real intense over blowing up the caves. The old guy said they didn't want to leave the equipment or something for the college kids to find."
"That's S.O.P," Graham said.
Now he was the center of attention.
"Standard Operating Procedure." He smiled tightly. "We don't leave expensive and potentially dangerous materials behind. We either evac it, or we destroy it."
"See, now that's the problem." Faith pointed a finger at him. "That got Riley all wound up. He thought the caves might get destroyed with the equipment."
The rustle of Joyce bundling up the empty grocery bags was deafening.
"You were much better when you were in a coma." Anya's irritated voice sliced through the sounds of the plastic. "At least then you could not bring us bad news."
Faith froze. Was she supposed to laugh? Or was Xander's girlfriend serious?
"Better we know now than after we had already made our plans." Faith relaxed when Giles gave her a half-smile of encouragement. "It seems, however, that our tentative strategy needs some work. Suggestions?" He looked at Xander and Graham.
***
"We could stick with the current plan, and move up the timetable," Xander replied thoughtfully. "Daylight might have given us the element of surprise, but we might get lucky and hit before Adam's ready for us."
Graham disagreed. "If we move now, rather than later, I can't get to my men. It would just be the nine of us." He scanned the room. "I don't like those odds."
Buffy didn't, either. However, it was a better chance than they usually had when things went wrong. "It doesn't matter," she said slowly. Her mind moved sluggishly, examining all the information. "We have to get Adam." Biting her lip, she added, "And Riley. The demons in the holding cells are for later, if we get a chance."
"Buffy?" Tara peered at her through her hair. "The b-bombs will take care of the de-demons, right?"
"I guess so." Buffy wasn't sure where Tara was headed. She looked at the military experts. "If the caves go boom, won't the demons go, too?"
Xander nodded. "Yep. No need for stakes and blood. Just C4 and an ignition switch."
"Then we stop worrying about the actual base." Tara's voice picked up confidence. "Adam is still keyed into my magic. What if we draw him away from the base — from his Plan? We take him out while Graham and the Marines make sure the demons don't get loose before the explosion."
Before Buffy could really take in Tara's idea, Faith bolted off her stool. She spun, grabbing Tara roughly by the arms. "No! No way!"
Buffy climbed carefully from her chair. The Slayer rumbled a soft warning, alert and ready if Faith lost control.
"You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm letting you be some kind of bait for the Tin Man." There was an edge to Faith's voice Buffy had never heard before. Not bravado. Not the Slayer needing to be in charge.
Dear God. Faith sounded scared...for Tara.
"Faith," she said softly. "We'd all be there to protect her." Buffy blindly reached out for Willow's hand and gripped it tightly.
"I said no, B." Faith's head snapped around. Her eyes were dark and intense.
Staring hard into those eyes, Buffy couldn't see the Slayer. This was just Faith. For now.
Extending her hand toward Faith, Buffy tried again. "I understand."
Faith's eyes hardened further.
"I do. If it was Willow..." she let the words trail off and swallowed hard. "If it was Willow, I'd be trying to find a way to chain her up. Keep her safe."
Faith's head dipped in a short nod. "Then you know we ain't doing it this way."
"If it was Willow," Buffy continued, feeling Willow's fingers squeeze hers, "there wouldn't be a chain strong enough to hold her if she knew she could help."
"B..." Faith pleaded. Buffy could see the fear in her eyes. "We can't...It's Tara."
There was no way out of this. Buffy knew it, and she knew Faith understood that, tooe, even if she didn't want it to be true. "I know." The quiet, almost-apology would have to be enough. They were running out of time.
***
"Why don't you guys w-work out the details?" Tara asked, looking directly at Buffy. Faith was poised in front of her, tense, on edge, and ready to explode. She needed to make sure that didn't happen. "Faith and I will be in the living room when you're ready."
She could tell Buffy wasn't thrilled with that idea. Her lips pressed together, and Tara sensed the refusal.
"Please." What else could she do? Tara slid from her seat and stepped around Faith. As she did, she took both of Faith's hands, drawing the other girl's arms around her own stomach. "Come on, sweetie. Let's go talk."
They had to maneuver around Buffy's still form on the way to the door, but they made it. The door swung closed behind them.
"It ain't happening, T." Faith yanked away, stalking past her and pacing frantically across the room.
Tara watched her for a few minutes, considering her options. She could try the same technique she'd used in the kitchen. However, Faith's protective streak was working against her this time. She had to get Faith focused on the fight and on her job as a Slayer.
No handling this time, just honesty.
"Yes, it is," Tara responded. "It has to, Faith."
Even expecting a response, she took a small step back when Faith whipped around to glare at her.
Fighting the need to cross her arms protectively and hunch forward, Tara raised her head and glared back. "This isn't about me or you, Faith. This is about killing Evil." She enunciated the last sentence. "You're the Slayer."
"B's the Slayer," Faith denied immediately.
Tara bit back a scream of frustration. "Faith," she forced out as softly as possible, "a Slayer or The Slayer...it doesn't matter. Your job...Buffy's job, too, is to kill Evil. Right now, that means Adam and whatever else the professor created."
She saw Faith's head nod in agreement. Willing or not, Faith understood her job.
"Using me is the only way to get Adam out into the open." Tara walked forward. "It's dangerous." She took Faith's unresisting hand. "That's why you, Buffy, and Willow will be there with me."
"I still don't like it," Faith mumbled.
Tara raised their joined hands, pressing a soft kiss to Faith's knuckles. "You don't have to like it, sweetie. You just have to do it."
Faith's callused fingers rubbed against hers. "We won't let him hurt you."
Eyebrows rising, Tara peered at Faith in surprise. "Sweetie?" She felt a sudden pull at the rough, near growl in Faith's voice.
The warm copper tinge to Faith's eyes reached out to her, too.
"I..." Faith faltered, appearing confused for a second. Then the frown wrinkling her brow smoothed. "We will keep you safe. We promise."