Begin at the Beginning
by Nykademis
Rating: NC17
Dedicated: This one's for you, Gina.
Author's Notes: This is AU. Taking place in the Wishverse, but I've
changed a few things to suit my purposes.
Summary: This is an idea I had, but I need to know if I should keep
going with it. Happens during and after Season 3's 'The Wish' in the Wishverse.
Print Version: Adobe Reader
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Chapter One
Buffy sat in a particularly empty part of the bus. Not
of her own choosing. When she boarded there had been several people in the
seats around her, but as the ride wore on, they all seemed to congregate
near the front.
It might have been the fierce frown on her face, or the soft growls she
uttered every time someone walked past her to go to the bathroom. She didn't
really care which it was. She had a job to do, and she was going to Sunnydale
to do it. And if no one wanted to sit next to her, well, fuck them.
Buffy took in the scenery, her expression never changing. Long stretches
of forest gave way to small towns and little cities. Quickly becoming bored
with the repetitive scenery, Buffy half dozed.
Sometime later the bus began to slow, pulling into its last transfer. Buffy
came away quickly, grabbing her things and departed the bus, looking for
the 13. The one that would carry her into the heart of Sunnydale.
She walked purposely through the bus station, ignoring the odd looks and
random whispers she received, striding as she was, her clothing torn and
dirty, with two large duffel bags bulging at being overfilled.
"Where's the 13?" Buffy asked the bus attendant, interrupting
his conversation with another rider.
"Oh, you don't want that bus, hun. Goes into Sunnydale. You don't wanna
be loose in that town at night. All sorts of freaks running around."
"Where's the 13?" Buffy repeated, letting a bit of her aggression
into her voice.
"Third corridor down, first bus on your right." The attendant
supplied, giving Buffy a dirty look. "It leaves in 5 minutes, you better
hurry."
Buffy grunted her thanks before striding off to the third corridor. Suddenly
she stopped, feeling eyes on her back. Not the eyes of the normal passerby,
which had been boring into her back since she departed from Cleveland. But
a gaze so focused it actually set her senses on alert.
For the first time since becoming a Slayer, Buffy felt not like the predator.
But like the prey.
She let her gaze flicker around the station, but nothing and no one caught
her eye. Shrugging the feeling off she continued to Bus 13.
She calmly surveyed the bus as the driver checked her ticket. It was nearly
empty, boasting only five occupants besides herself.
She quietly made her way through, heading for the back. She'd just taken
her isolated seat when the bus shook.
"Let go of me!" A young girls voice called out. "Let go.
No!"
The driver moved out of his seat quickly and grabbed something just out
of Buffy's sight, halfway down the stairs.
"Let go sir, or I'll be forced to call the police." He said calmly,
tugging at something.
"Fuck you." An older man's voice rang out. "She ain't runnin'
away this time."
Buffy sighed in anger, this little tiff was holding her up. Pushing out
of her seat she quickly made her way to the front. None too gently, she
removed the driver from the predicament.
A middle aged man, unkept and over-weight, held tightly to a girl a little
younger than Buffy herself. The girl's face was screwed up as she tried
to tug her arm from the bruising hold the man had on her.
"Let her go." Buffy stated flatly, staring at the man with malice
in her eyes.
"Fuck you, too, bitch." The man slurred, tugging hard and almost
pulling the girl off the bus.
Buffy sighed deeply. "Ok, the hard way." Stepping down she wrapped
her arm around the girl's middle, and used the heel of her other hand against
the man's forehead, sending him stumbling backwards to fall flat on his
ass.
The driver quickly shut the door and stepped on the gas. Both girls stumbled
to the side with the immediate momentum. Buffy caught herself on the side
seat, cradling the girl to keep her from falling.
They hurried up the two steps, Buffy squeezing past the girl to regain her
seat.
"This bus goes to Sunnydale, little lady." The driver informed
the girl.
"I don't care. Anywhere's better than with him." The girl muttered,
also making her way to the back. Stopping next to Buffy's seat she waited
for the girl to acknowledge her. "Thank you." She said softly,
before continuing to the back.
Buffy nodded at the 'thank you' before turning to look out the window. A
long stretch of highway lay before them. The only scenery being dirt and
the occasional dead bush.
Well, at least it was a little different.
Giles paced the library, a demon text in both hands and the phone clutched between his neck and shoulder.
"What do you mean you don't know if she got the message?" Giles snapped at his fellow Watcher angrily. "She's your slayer don't you keep in contact with her?"
"She's a bit of a wildcard, Buffy. She tends to show up where she's needed, whether I call her or not." Merrick assured Giles.
"Well, she's not here!" Giles growled. "And she's 'needed'. So I suggest.."
"Wait a second, Rupert, I have another call." Merrick cut him off mid-rant.
"The nerve." Giles took offense. Tossing one of the useless texts to the floor he concentrated on the other.
"She's in Sunnydale, Giles. She just called me from the bus station for your address. I told her to go to the High School." Merrick sounded triumphant.
"Thank you." Giles tried to sound sincere while rolling his eyes. "Let's just hope she's not too late to stop this."
"My prayers are with you, Rupert." Merrick sighed before the line went dead.
"My prayers always are." Giles muttered, hanging up as well.
Buffy wondered for the third time what she'd gotten herself into. After
calling her Watcher all she had left to do was to find a room.
When she spun away from the payphone she nearly ran into the girl she'd
saved on the bus.
"Sorry." The girl muttered before stepping out of Buffy's way.
She grabbed the dangling phonebook and began to flip through it.
"You got family here?" Buffy asked, not really knowing why she
cared.
"No, looking for the nearest motel." The girl said without looking
up.
"Two blocks down. It's 18 bucks a night." Buffy informed her,
grabbing her bags. "I'm heading that way, I'll walk you. It's not safe
out here alone at night."
"I'm Faith." The girl offered her hand.
"Buffy." The Slayer nodded to her, ignoring the hand. "Come
on."
Faith watched the girl walk away. She looked down at her own hand, which
was slightly sweaty. She wiped it her on black shirt and followed.
Buffy looked around the motel room. Luxury, it was not. Actually, shitty would have been a better description for it. But it had a bed, a bath, and a girl she'd rescued earlier that evening.
"Tell me again how you expected to rent a room when you have 'no' money at all?" The blonde shot the younger girl a withering look.
"I was kinda hoping to follow you around. Possibly annoy you a bit." The brunette joked from the bed.
"Annoy me and I'll throw your ass out." Buffy informed her with no humor at all.
"Okay." Faith bit her lip and looked around, not quite sure what to do now that she had shelter. The blonde was obviously not used to company. But she was generous. Sort of.
"Do you cook?"
The question hung in the air for a moment before Faith realized she'd been spoken to.
"Uh, a little. And I can clean. Whatever you want me to do." She shrugged. "He made me do all sorts of stuff."
Buffy made an uninterested sound. "Well, I gotta go meet someone about something. You stay here." She ordered. "Don't step a foot out of this room, and don't let anyone in. Hell, if someone knocks don't answer at all."
Faith nodded finding the commands weird, but after all it was her room. "What about food?"
"I'll bring you something." Buffy muttered as she dug through her green duffel bag.
Faith took a moment to look the other girl over.
She was a bit on the small side, maybe a half inch or so taller than Faith, holding on to the 'grunge' look with a vengance. Her pants were baggy and nearly colorless. The shirt was stained, but clean, her shoes well worn. But the blonde hair was clean, no tangles, and her skin was flawless. In short, even with her complete lack for fashion, the girl was beautiful, scarred face and all.
Buffy felt the focused gaze as she had earlier in the bus station. She looked up to find 'Faith' staring at her in consideration. "Got a problem?" She fairly growled at the girl.
"No, just...staring into space." Faith lied, she didn't want to piss her off.
Buffy frowned, the action causing the skin around the scar to pull, unconsciously she touched her lip before snarling at the girl. "I'll be back later, I have a key, don't open the door and don't talk to 'anyone', understand?"
"Yep, stay put, shut up, and ignore the outside world." Faith said cheerfully, as she kicked her legs.
"Right." Grabbing two stakes and quickly pocketing them, she grabbed her favorite dagger and left the room.
"Weird girl, not too social, but nice enough." Faith muttered to herself.
Giles paced back and forth across the floor of the school's library. Stopping from time to time he'd switch books to cross reference a certain statement or paragraph. So caught up in what he was doing, he was surprised to look up and find a grungy looking young woman standing just inside the double doors.
"Oh, I'm sorry can I help you?" He stammered out after jumping nearly a foot in the air in surprise.
"You should pay attention to your surroundings. Distractions could get you killed." Buffy said in greeting "I'm the Slayer. How can 'I' help 'you'?"
Chapter Two
Giles blinked at the reprimand, unused to having someone telling him he was wrong. The Council had all but abandoned him in the godforsaken town the Slayer 'should' have come to.
To that very day he wondered why she hadn't.
"Quite right." He said finally, after the silence stretched on for several moments.
"What do I need to kill? Point me in the right direction." Buffy asked, propping herself against the table.
"Do not lean on the table. A Master vampire rose about 3 years ago. Since his rise, he has turned this town into a breeding ground for the undead."
"Ok so. Old vamp rises, makes hell. Where is he? I'll kill him and it's all done." Buffy shrugged, staring Giles in the eye. She was tired and hungry, and she wanted to get back to the kid. She just didn't 'like' this town at all.
"It is not that simple. He has a veritable 'army' of powerful vampires serving under him. Some of them so viscious they kill their own kind for 'looking' at them funny." Giles stuttered. "You should properly research what it is you're up against before just jumping into the fray."
"Ok Jeeves." Buffy sighed.
"Giles." Giles corrected.
"Whatever. This is a have-stake-will-travel kinda deal. I come, I kill, I leave. Watchers research, Slayers kill. That simple. Where is he, how many vampires should I expect, and do you have bottled hellfire?"
"The Bronze, a club near Downtown Sunnydale, anywhere from 30 to 100, and yes, but I doubt you'd have the chance to use it against those odds." Giles answered in order.
"Oh." Buffy slumped into a chair.
"Are you ready to listen now?" Giles huffed slamming the books down.
"Yeah." Buffy muttered.
Faith leaned back on the headboard, cradling her grumbling stomach, as she watched the television snow in and out of 'My Three Sons'.
She wondered when Buffy was going to return. And why she'd taken sharpened sticks with her. Carrying knives was one thing. Hell, Faith liked sharp stuff herself. But pieces of wood? What did the girl think she'd encounter? Vampires? Legions of Undead?
Yeah right.
Rolling over onto her belly, Faith buried her face in the soft pillows. It was a cheap dive, but the bed was soft, the sheets were clean, and she wasn't paying. So at the moment, Faith felt like life was going in her favor.
Now if she could just get some food.
Checking the clock, she realized Buffy hadn't been gone for an hour yet. Faith decided to sleep, time moved faster that way.
Settling herself comfortably into the bed, she drifted off.
A short scream and a thump woke her up not twenty minutes later. After a moment of silence, tortured moans began to filter in from the breezeway outside. Either someone was hurt out there, or they were seriously getting some.
Faith chuckled, either way she should probably check. Rolling off the bed, she ran a hand through her tangled dark locks and made her way to the door. As she reached the threshold she heard and angry hiss, then several more thumps.
Then silence.
Suddenly worried, she threw open the door and stepped out.
Buffy stood on the breezeway, a young girl in her arms, being held up mainly by the wall at her back.
"Didn't I tell you not to leave the room?" Buffy growled as the girls eyes widened.
"I heard a noise." Faith shrugged backing towards the room again. She just hoped this didn't piss the girl off enough to throw her out.
"Here, take this and 'stay' in the room until I get back." Buffy tossed a brown paper sack to Faith, who caught it and rushed back into the room, closing and locking the door behind her.
"Mmm, ow. I can't believe he bit me." The girl muttered as she slowly came around.
"What happened?" Buffy asked, standing her on her own two feet.
"I was on my way here from a house party." The girl flinched when she held her head up straight. "Some of the guys there got over zealous so I left. One 'polite' guy offered to walk me home. He wasn't drunk so I figured it was ok. But he got all huffy and bit me when I wouldn't invite him in." She stepped away from the wall, backing Buffy up a step as she did. "I didn't realize he was a vampire. I should've."
She stumbled again, but Buffy was there to catch her. If she held on too long, it wasn't because the girl's soft body was so warm, it wasn't because she hadn't had anyone touch her without trying to kill her for so long, it wasn't because she enjoyed the feel of her body pressed against another's. It was merely because she wanted to make sure the girl had her balance back.
She didn't believe it either.
"There are so such things as vampires." Buffy shook her head as she steadied that girl, holding her waist.
"Yeah, right. And you're not a Slayer, either." The girl managed to smirk as she opened her door. "Thanks for the save."
Buffy stood dumbfounded in the breezeway. How did she know? About vampires, about Slayers? But moreoever, how did she know that 'she' was the Slayer?
She knew this was the Hellmouth. But was everyone so...
Weird?
"Do you know who I am?"
Faith jumped when the harsh voice rang out into the nearly silent motel room.
"What?" She stuttered, staring wide eyed at the blonde before her "Whaddya mean?"
"Do. You. Know. Who. I. Am?" The Slayer growled as she slowly stalked towards the girl.
"Uh B-Buffy. Which is a pretty interesting name once you think about it-" Faith babbled as she shrank against the headboard.
"Don't play games with me." Buffy grabbed the girl up, pulling her to her feet, nearly turning over the goods on the bed.
"You're Buffy. At least that's what you told me. You're Buffy, a good Sumaritan that's hopefully not some kinda serial killer who's about to make me her next victim." Faith babbled, trying not to cower. She was suprised at how strong the blonde was, she'd lifted her clear off the bed. Only her toes touched the ground, just barely.
Buffy stared hard at the girl, trying to see if there were lies in her eyes. She looked long and deep and found none. But she did find a healthy dose of fear. Gently, she settled Faith back on her feet.
"Sorry. It's just. Someone knew me, and I didn't know them. It was...disconcerting." She grumbled, looking anywhere but at Faith.
"Okay." Faith backed up a step before collapsing on the bed, nearly upending the food.
Buffy saved the meal, moving it to the rickety table in the corner, which was probably a safer place than the bed.
"Faith. I need you to do me a favor. This is serious, no kidding involved here." Buffy stood with her back to the younger girl.
"Um. Sure, Buffy, whatever." Faith sat up staring at the blonde's tense back.
Feeling the steady gaze, Buffy turned to face her. A worried expression pulled at her features, bringing the scar across her lip into drastic relief.
"I need you to listen to me. When I tell you to do something or not to do something. You have to follow my directions. I don't want you out after dark. Don't open the door, don't answer when someone knocks. Don't leave, for any reason, after the sun goes down. This town is..." She paused, unsure of how much the girl needed to know "...this isn't a good place for a girl to be outside after dark, okay?"
"Whatever." Faith shrugged, unsure of why it was such a big deal. Buffy was putting a roof over her head and good food in her belly for the time being, so she'd listen. Don't piss off the gift horse, or something like that.
"Promise me." Buffy demanded.
"I promise. Whatever you say goes." Faith pushed herself back further onto the bed. "Who gets the bed tonight?"
"What do you mean? We're sharing the bed." Buffy's eyes flashed. She wasn't in the mood.
"Whatever, but I sleep naked." Faith smirked when the blondes hazel eyes momentarily widened, before narrowing.
"Not for the foreseeable future, you don't." Buffy informed her.
"What? Afraid I might touch you? Make you all hot in your sleep?" Faith lay back, putting on her sexiest pout, she ran her fingers down her firm body.
Buffy's gaze was drawn directly to the girl's fingers, where they drew imaginary lines down her body, momentarily hypnotized by the wanton display of quasi-exhibitionism. Then she caught on to what the girl was doing. And she'd done it well, not only had she broken the tension between them, but she'd created a far more, interesting, tension to reflect upon.
Buffy smirked and swaggered over the body displayed so wantonly across the bed. Leaning down she brushed her lips against the girl's pulse point, bracing her weight on her hands on either side of Faith's body. She kissed, nipped, and licked at the fluttering point, actually bringing a moan to the girl's lips.
"Oh, you don't wanna play with this fire, baby." Buffy whispered into the shell of Faith's ear, after nipping her way up to it. "I'd have you so hot, you'd be stuck in that place between pleasure and pain for eternity."
"Sounds like it'd hurt." Faith whispered, her sudden arousal having stolen her voice, making the sounds that left her lips husky and soft.
"Oh, it would hurt." Buffy pushed herself up and walked away, glad she had out-teased the tease. "I'm taking a shower."
"Can I watch?" Faith called as Buffy neared the door to the bathroom.
"Remember, I hurt." Buffy tossed over her shoulder, before slamming the bathroom door.
"But it would hurt so good." Faith whispered to herself.
Buffy heard her through the bathroom door and damned her Slayer hearing. The girl's voice was so husky, giving a hint to the heat her body would provide, the softness of the girl's skin she'd felt so briefly when she'd grabbed her. That husky voice that was promising much more than Buffy would take. And for that she damned her hearing.
Her evening had taken a rather interesting turn. From tired, to pissed-off, to turned-on to the point of self destruction. And most of it, thanks to the girl on the bed in the other room.
Buffy stripped, feeling the wetness in her panties from her recent slay, and the teasing from Faith.
"Ugh." She muttered. "Giles was right."
"This 'is' hell."
Chapter Three
Faith woke to the late morning light,
stretching her well rested body and let out a quiet yawn. It had been
a long time since she hadn't had to sleep with one eye open. Her stepfather
wasn't the most trustworthy of people.
Moaning in delight, she turned her head and found herself
caught in the ever watchful hazel eyes of the girl that had taken her
in. She jumped in surprise before forcing herself to calm down.
"I try." Buffy said dryly, rolling over and closing her eyes.
"Smart ass." Faith muttered standing and stretching again.
"If you plan on getting up right now, bother me and die." the slayer muttered pulling the sheet over her head.
"Well, can I at least shower?" Faith frowned.
"Yeah, but do it quietly." came the grumpy voice from under the sheet.
"Guess that means no singing." Faith muttered to herself.
"If you value your life!" Buffy yelled.
"Ok, ok. Silent shower." Faith rolled her eyes as she entered the bathroom.
The bathroom was slightly less gross than the rest of the place, well at least there wasn't any mold. There was a clean towel and even some generic shampoo. Only one clean towel. She smirked to herself as she ran and tested the water.
It quickly ran hot and she adjusted the flow to a comfortable level, before stripping out of her clothes.
Her first few moments under the spray were something close to heaven for her, after 3 months of living with her slob father. The man never bathed, drank himself to sleep, and pissed where ever he pleased. She was glad to be out, and not have to worry about a perverted audience while she bathed.
She cracked open the new box of soap and started to scrub herself down, thinking about where she'd go from there. She knew Buffy wouldn't let her stay forever. No one would just take in a teenaged girl with no question. There had to be a catch. She'd just wait until it presented itself, and then skip town or something.
Though most of the things she could picture Buffy demanding didn't seem so bad. She lathered her hair as she remembered the feel of the girl above her the night before. The way their skin brushed together, how quickly she'd responded to the extra heat, her nipples hardening, her breath short.
The darkening of those fathomless hazel eyes. She stopped herself. "Fathomless?" she whispered, "God Faith, you're starting to sound like some love sick kid. The last thing this chick needs is you crushing on her," ducking under the spray, she rinsed her dark hair clean.
Running firm fingers down her form, she helped the water strip away the last of the suds. When she reached the trim thatch between her legs she became aware of the moisture that had nothing to do with her bathing. 'Might as well take care of this now' she thought.
Bracing her back against the cool shower wall she slid knowing fingers between wet lips. Worrying her clit, gently thrusting two fingers inside. 'Don't wanna come too quick. I hate when it's soft'. She felt herself cresting, and slowed her thrust to a halt. She waiting long moments for her body to calm itself, ashamed that she'd come so close so quick, with just a memory of a girl she hadn't even had.
'Must be getting soft. Mmm I wonder if she likes it soft'. Faith slid her fingers in as deep as they'd go, as she manipulated her clit. Instead of thrusting she started a deep waving massage. 'Her hair would probably feel like feathers against my skin, and she'd taste spicy, and a little sweet. She'd grunt when I'd lick her, maybe pull my hair when it's good. Then she pictured Buffy coming, and did so herself.
"Fuck." she whispered as she felt her legs give a little. She did a controlled slide to a seated position, knee's beneath her chin. "Mmm. Not too bad." she smirked and laid her head back against the wall.
Shortly after the water turned cold and she exited the shower.
She didn't notice the faint red glow left behind where her body had touched the wall.
Buffy found she couldn't get back to a deep sleep after
the girl left the bed.
When she heard her name, broken off with a pant, she smiled harder. Then the scent hit her. The heated water carrying it strongly, bringing it out more in the heavy air.
She smelled sweet, but not cloyingly so. For a moment Buffy allowed herself to imagine what she'd taste like. But only for a moment.
Then came the deep sigh and whispered 'Fuck'.
She loosened her body and feigned sleep when Faith exited the bathroom minutes later.
She wondered how long it would take before she realized she didn't have anything to change into.
Faith kept her back to the bed as she patted herself dry. She pulled the towel up to squeeze excess water from her hair, exposing her backside and lower back.
A low whistle from the bed startled her. She spun quickly to find the blonde, head propped on her elbow, watching her with a dark gaze.
"Nice ass." Buffy commented before rolling over, turning her back on the blushing teen.
"Thanks." Faith paused uncertainly "Hey, uh, can I borrow.." she looked away feeling stupid though she knew Buffy wasn't looking at her.
"Light gray bag near the door." a callused finger pointed a bit to her left.
"Yeah, thanks." Faith made her way there. Pulling through the mostly gray, black or fatigue green garments, she frowned more with each item she discarded.
"Beggars can't be choosey or something like that."
Faith looked up to find Buffy standing before her, in nothing but a worn black t-shirt that barely came to mid thigh, a faded 'Dickies' written across it.
"OK, then pick me something you don't mind me using." Faith rose to her full height, arms crossed under her breasts.
Buffy picked up two items, green cargo pants and a fitting black top "Do you want me to dress you, too?"
Faith snatched the clothing from her. "No thanks, I think I can manage." she spun on her heel and made her way back to the bathroom.
Buffy mimed the snippy remark behind her back, rolling her own eyes at the closed door.
"Wanted me to see it last night, hides it during the day." pulling out clothing for herself, she slid into an almost identical outfit.
Giles looked up in surprise when someone actually 'entered'
the library during the day. Someone who wasn't one of his white-hats.
"I doubt it." Faith muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Excuse me?" Giled whipped off his glasses and cleaned them. "Then maybe you should return to your class?"
"She doesn't go to school here." Buffy tugged the girl along by her shirt. "She's with me. So, let's get this meeting over with, we got stuff to do."
"What could possibly be more important than saving lives?" Giles snapped as he tugged the heavy wooden table from the middle of the lower room.
Buffy moved to help him. Tipping the table towards her, she hefted it up and walked it up against the wall.
"Holy shit. How'd you do that?" Faith's eyes were wide as she stared at the blonde in surprise "You moved that shit like it weighed nothing."
"And who is this girl, exactly?" Giles questioned crossing his arms, looking very British.
"She's a friend, okay? Let's just get down to business." Buffy rolled her eyes and acquired her fighting stance. "Though why I have to do this I don't understand..."
Her rant was cut off when Giles made a quick chop at her. "Too slow." she said with a raised brow seconds after she blocked the hit. With a quick twist of her arm she set him on his ass.
"Well, I see Merrick trained you well." Giles said from his position, flat on his back.
"Didn't pull any punches." Buffy considered helping the man up, but decided not to. "Faith have a seat, read a book, there's plenty of them."
The girl rolled her eyes and scanned the library with disinterest. "Can't I just wander around the school?"
"What happens if someone sees you and asks what your doing in the hallway?" Buffy gave a girl a withering stare.
"You kick their ass?" Faith wiggled her brow.
"Uh no. Find something to do 'inside this room'. Okay?" Buffy lifted a brow of her own.
"Aye, aye, Captain B." Faith gave a jaunty salute and clicked her heels before heading in the stacks.
"Bit of a smart ass, isn't she?" Giles said, coming right up behind Buffy.
Startling her enough to knock him on his ass, again.
"Sorry, reflex." Buffy grimaced and helped him up.
Faith wandered aimlessly through the stacks, glancing over book titles, taking in little or nothing from each as she tried to amuse herself.
She'd always been easily bored growing up. Always quick to figure out how things worked, her mind moved at an almost restless pace at times. And often got her into trouble.Apparently there was such a thing as being 'too' intelligent. Not that she'd admit it.
Becoming bored with Science she switched stacks coming upon a section marked 'Mythology'. Figuring it was better than reading boring Biology shit, or the pointless 'teen' fiction, she grabbed the biggest, dustiest leather bound book.
Hefting it off the shelf, she settled in for a little reading.
"Vampyre." she embellished in a stage whisper.
Buffy allowed the ever cautious Giles to put her through her paces, so that he could 'gauge her level of effectiveness' in several different conditions. Which, for some odd reason, included carrying sacks or various weights on her back while fending off his, better than average, attempts to knock her down.
"Well, you are a very well trained Slayer. Not that I expected less from a reputation such as yours." Giles gasped wiping the sweat from his face and brow. "You have quick reflexes, your movements are strong and sure. Yet you lack such simple tactical thoughts it amazes me.""Yeah well, come in fast, kill 'em all has worked for me so far." Buffy monotoned as she glanced around the library for Faith. It had been well over three hours ago when she'd told the girl to find something to do. Which apparently she had.
"Well, it's not going to work in this instance. The gross number of vampires in his control nearly outnumber the people of this town. One girl, even with your gifts and strength, simply cannot take them all." Giles sat down heavily in the nearest chair, still trying to catch his breath.
"Yeah, that's what you said yesterday." came the bored reply to which Giles simply sighed.
"Well, the only reinforcements I myself can offer are three teenagers. Volunteers who know the truth of this town, but it is nowhere near the type of...of...fire power that we need to do this. The Master is planning something big. So big that this town will no longer be as it is. It will become a human farm for them. The citizens nothing more than cattle." Giles slammed his fist down on the table, causing even Buffy to jump. "I will 'not' allow that to happen."
"And it won't. Not if I have anything to do about it." Buffy lightened her voice. Allowing him to understand that she was taking this seriously. Not just as another town and another kill. "But we won't accomplish it all in one day. So I'm gonna take the kid, get some food, meet you here at dusk, and we'll work something, okay?"
Giles looked astonished. He hadn't expected dealing with Buffy to be this easy. All the word from the few Council members, who deigned to answer his questions, was that Buffy was difficult and unbending, doing her own thing above all else. "That's wonderful. Thank you."
"Whatever." Buffy reverted back to her monotone. "Hey kid, I'm leaving." she turned on her heel, heading for the door.
"You know you shouldn't have her with you. It's dangerous enough as it is. If she distracts you..." Giles began to lecture only to stop when Buffy turned a cold gray green glare his way.
"She's fine. Does what she's told. Let me worry about her." Buffy continued to glare at him until Faith joined her at the door, an odd look on her face. "Say goodbye for now." Buffy instructed her.
"Later, Cheebs." Faith smirked, having heard Buffy's last comment.
"I'll see you at dusk." Buffy left without a look back, knowing the dark haired girl was behind her. And that the Watcher still had the stunned look on his face.
"Okay, so I was reading this book right?" Faith
said nonchalantly skipping every few steps behind Buffy.
"Uh huh." the slayer said distractedly as she dodged between the students of Sunnydale High as they left campus for the day.
Faith bumped into a tall dark haired girl who gave her a dirty look. "Sorry"
The girl rolled her eyes as she stalked away.
"Bitch!" Faith yelled after her, tossing her the bird for effect.
Buffy glanced back at the younger girl, brow raised at the unbridled response.
"Anyway," Faith started again once they'd cleared the campus grounds. "I get to this weird section of the library, and there's these books on Vampire's and Demons and shit, right?"
Buffy slowed her walk and gave the girl an evil look.
"Sure, I can wait 'til we get to the Motel." Faith pasted on a sweet but obviously fake smile and followed docilely behind the blonde.
The walk to the Motel was silent after that. Buffy scaring half the town out of her way with the dire look on her face, only made worse by the scar, and Faith following behind like a trained seal, smiling goofily as people crossed the street or took big steps back when the blonde came close.
She could tell Buffy was pissed. Each person they passed made her tense a bit more, Faith was sure her face was a stone mask by the time they reached the door.
As soon as her feet passed the threshold, she spoke again.
"Well, Vampires and Demons right? So there's this thing called a-"
"Slayer. The one girl in all the world blah blah blah kill evil shit blah blah die young and unhappy. Yeah, I know." Buffy threw herself down on the bed, hoping the girl would drop it.
"So I figure 'YOU' are this Slayer chick. I mean you're strong as hell, you've been pissed off since I met you. And that Jeeves guy?"
"Giles." Buffy interrupted hiding her smile behind her hand.
"Whatever, he's all 'protect and stake, and Master Vampire' so he's a Watcher, right?" FAith bounced on the bed beside the blonde, hoping to annoy her into conversation.
"You got all this from a book?" Buffy uncovered one eye long enough to half glare at her.
"Well, six books, actually. I kinda skimmed more than read." Faith rolled her eyes when Buffy scoffed. "So that's what you did last night? You went out and killed the boogeyman?"
"I haven't met him yet." the blonde said honestly, sitting up. "But this town is like a evil magnet. The bastards took over their nights a while ago. I'm supposed to kill some old ass vampire and scare them away now. But Jeeves-"
"Giles." Faith interrupted.
"Whatever, he won't let me run in and kill it so I can move on." Buffy rolled her eyes. "You hungry?"
"Yeah, but don't change the subject. I say we go in-" Faith jumped when the blonde sat up abruptly.
"There's no ' we'. I'm the Slayer. I kill things, there is no we in this. You stay here where they can't eat you, and I go kill things. You got that?"
Faith stared straight at her, an angry heat in her eyes as she stared the blonde down. "You're not the boss of me."
"I'm feeding you, housing you," she glared at their matching outfits wondering why she dressed them alike, oh yeah all her clothes looked alike. "and clothing you, for now, so you do listen to me. I'm the boss, and I say that you stay your skinny little ass here. Or else."
"Or else what? You'll spank me?" Faith put all the attitude she could muster into her retort.
Buffy advanced so fast she only had a chance to flinch.
Faith found herself crushed to the blonde, whose strong hands held her close and whose surprisingly soft lips were pressed to hers. She reacted, gripping the soft hair and deepening the kiss.
Buffy pulled them apart before she lost all control and tried to taste the girls mouth. "You stay here. Got it?"
Faith panted and nodded "Got it."
"Good." and with that the blonde stormed from the motel room.
Slamming the door behind her.
