Title: A Lover's Return
Series: Help From The Future For The Past
Author: Kimberly aka last_days_of_pern
Email: [email protected]
Feedback: I have come to live for it, so pretty please :)
Rating: never over R
Pairing: Willow/Tara, Buffy/Faith, Anya/Xander, Cordelia/Kate, Dawn/Danny, Iz/Samantha
Disclaimers: I don’t own anything, please don’t sue me.
Summary: Riley comes back to take Marci and the other "invisible assassins" home, but the Scooby gang stands in his way, will he go against his once friends and lover, or will he follow the orders of his black and white world?
************************************************************************
*Willow and Tara’s apartment*
Tara snuggled in closer behind Willow under the covers, and sighed contently. “So what do you want to do today?” Willow asked sleepily.
“This,” Tara replied kissing the back of Willow’s neck and then kissing her way over to her ear to nibble softly.
Willow giggled, “besides that?”
“There’s a ‘besides that’? And here I am thinking that this is all that matters. Hmm…”
Willow giggled again and rolled over so she was facing her soul mate, “I think I’ve turned you into a complete sex monster haven’t I?”
“Well of all the monsters that could be created I’m sure a monster wanting to make love to her girlfriend is the best kind. Too busy to fight or hurt anyone,” Tara replied smiling and leaning down to kiss Willow on the lips, “you know how much I love you right?”
“As much as I love you,” Willow answered confidently, “from the bottom of my heart, to the tip of my soul.”
A single tear slid down Tara’s face and she leaned in to give Willow a more lengthy kiss, filled with passion and love. “Good answer, now you get a reward.”
“Oh a reward, is it a cookie?” Willow asked in a playful tone of voice.
“Nope, something much better.”
“Better than a cookie, what’s better than a coo….”
Tara again pressed her lips to Willow while her hands slid under the covers to begin giving Willow her reward. Which she then returned, again and again…
*************
*Cordelia and Kate’s apartment*
Cordelia walked out of the bathroom wrapped up in a towel, “it’s not fair, summer and I’m stuck working while all our friends are out having fun,” she whined to her girlfriend who was sitting on the bed putting her shoes on.
“Hmm, seems to me that most of them are with you there most of the day anyway, and it’s not really like work, Giles lets you do whatever you want like Angel did.” Kate said thinking how she would trade jobs in a second.
“Damn you and your logic,” Cordelia crawled on the bed till she was just behind Kate and wrapped her arms around her, “now see this I could do all day.”
Kate turned her head to the side and kissed Cordelia on the lips lightly before getting up, “sorry I have to get going.”
Cordelia pouted, “party pooper,” Kate walked out of their bedroom with a smile on her face, “have a good day Katie.”
Kate called back over her shoulder, “you too Delia, love you.”
“You too.” After that Cordy heard the door open and close, she sighed and finished getting ready for work.
************
*Summers’ Home*
“Where is Sam and Iz, they’re both up before dawn usually,” Faith asked Marci as she came into the kitchen.
“Breakfast picnic,” Marci answered without looking up from the newspaper laid out before her.
“Hey whatcha doin’?”
“Trying to find a job that doesn’t involve an education,” Marci replied somewhat perplexed.
“Thank god for slayin’, if I ever had to get a real job I wouldn’t even know where to start,” Faith looked over Marci’s shoulder at the classified section of the paper and grimaced, “good luck.”
“Thanks. I don’t even know what I’m good at, how am I supposed to get a job?”
“Why don’t you get your GED first,” Buffy said butting into the conversation, “then you could try college or something.” Faith and Marci both pulled a face of utter dislike at Buffy’s comments, “hey it was just a suggestion.”
“That thing is like four hours long though,” Marci whined.
Buffy came and looked over Marci’s other shoulder, “well you could always clean hotels, or hey factory worker,” Buffy gave Marci a look that said ‘yeah right.’
“Grumble, grumble is all I have to say to that. But I’ll do what I have to, hey maybe I could be a cop, I know stuff for that.”
“Need a high school diploma or equivalent, which means…GED,” they all finished unison. “But once you get it Kate could probably help you out if you asked. They love her over there, she actually works and stuff.”
“Well it gives me something to think about, hey Faith don’t suppose you’d go with me and take the test too?”
Faith looked trapped, Buffy and Marci were both looking at her with puppy dog eyes, “that would be a good idea Faith.” Buffy said noting the sudden lack of color in her girlfriend’s face.
“Um…well…hey listen the door I’ll get it!” Faith dashed off to answer the door.
“Chicken,” Buffy and Marci both called after her.
Faith opened the door and let the people in, “Will Tar you have to help me, B and Marci have gone nuts!”
Willow and Tara suddenly looked very upset and worried, “what happened?”
“We want her to get her GED and a job, like me,” Marci explained walking into the foyer with Buffy.
“See, they’re nuts!”
“Oh yes, I can see that, completely insane, we should commit them before they hurt themselves,” Tara said sarcastically.
“Oooh, I could tutor you and help you guys get good scores,” Willow said beaming.
“AHHHH, It’s spreading!” Faith ran up the stairs, and everyone just laughed at her departing form.
“Ok, I knew she didn’t like school, but that’s just sad,” Willow said all of them walking into the living room where Dawn was watching TV.
“What’s sad?”
“Hey Dawn, Faith is freaking out that people say it’s a good idea for her to get a GED,” Willow moved into the room and sat down by the younger girl on the couch.
“Make Tabitha tell her to do it and she will, scared or not,” Dawn offered.
“Oooh good idea, Tabby always gets her way with Faith…Whoa that sounded way wrong,” quickly wanting to change the subject Buffy asked. “So what have you two
been up to this morning?” of Willow and Tara.
Both Willow and Tara turned bright red at the memories of just how they had spent their morning, Willow finally answered, “um, spells.”
Buffy gave them a knowing smile, remembering how she and Faith had spent the pre-dawn hours; Dawn however didn’t catch on, “what kind of spells?”
“Um, ah…different kinds and ah…” Tara stuttered out. Dawn was about to ask more when there was a knock at the door.
Faith started down the stairs wondering who was at the door now when Buffy walked past, “who could that be, everyone else we know works now.” Buffy opened the door and didn’t move, she heard Faith gasp from the bottom of the stairs. She couldn’t believe it, she didn’t think she would ever see him again, “Riley?”
“Hey Buffy, I’m back…I’m guessing that’s not happiness to see me,” Riley looked up and saw the figure frozen behind Buffy, “did you know there’s a murdering psycho behind you?”
Buffy turned around and saw Faith standing there, her face now an unreadable mask, “she’s not a murdering psycho, and what are you doing here?”
Willow and Tara had decided it was taking way to long to answer the door and wondered into the foyer, “Riley you’re…you’re here, as in, in Sunnydale, and hey look at the time, me and Tara should go!” Willow grabbed Tara’s hand and led her out the door before she could protest, not that she would have. Marci and Dawn in the other room heard the commotion and decided it was best to sneak out of the area.
“Um hi Willow, and ah bye.” Riley waited till the Wiccans had left then turned back to Buffy, “can I come in, and talk?”
“Um, sure, I guess,” Buffy held the door open and he walked in, Buffy started to walk into the living room and noticed Faith was following as well, staying close to Buffy.
“Um alone maybe.” He stated giving Faith a none to pleasant look.
Before Buffy could say anything Faith cut in, “I’ll be upstairs B.” With that she ran up the stairs as fast as her slayer legs would carry her, all the while repeating the mantra ‘she won’t leave me, she loves me’ over and over.
“Riley why are you here?” Buffy asked watching her lover run up the stairs, a sad look in her eye.
“Well I have an assignment here, and then I’m back… for good.” Buffy sighed and sat down. “Look I know things were bad when I left, but… I’d like to work things out with you. Buffy I still love you.”
Buffy’s eyes began to tear up, “Riley, I can’t, I’m with… someone now.” For some reason she just couldn’t tell Riley whom she was with, which just raised more questions in her muffled brain.
Riley looked angry, “well that sure didn’t take you long, how long was I gone before you shacked up with someone else?”
“Riley please don’t, I…”
“No.”
“What?”
“I don’t care who you’re with now, I’m going to fight for you, ‘cause you’re worth the fight. I have a briefing, I’ll see you later.” And with that he showed himself out.
***************
*Meanwhile upstairs*
Faith paced around the small room she and Buffy shared. There was no way this could be happening, not when things were so good. She knew Buffy loved her, but she also knew that Buffy had loved the Beefstick. There was no way she could live without Buffy; it
would just be too hard. She needed to talk to somebody who was grounded and objective, she picked up the phone and dialed, “Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless.”
“Hey Wes, Oz there?”
“Just a moment.” There was a bit of scuffling sounds on the other end and finally Oz picked up.
“Faith?”
“Hey Ozzie.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Riley.” Faith said as if just the name explained everything, Oz however was just confused.
“Huh?”
“Beefstick came to visit B today, she’s down there talkin’ to him right now.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. I needed to talk to someone.”
“And I was the obvious choice, what with the non-stop talking I do.” Faith could almost feel his smirk at the other end of the line.
“Smart ass. No, I just, ah hell I don’t know what I wanted.”
“Advice?”
“Sure.”
“She loves you, trust in that. And talk to Tara.”
“Tara?”
“Yeah, awhile back I left Willow to tame the wolf, as you know. Well when I came back Will was with Tara, so I was the Riley, Willow the Buffy, and Tara was in your spot. She probably has some great wisdom to give.”
“I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard you say at one time.”
“And now you’re the smart ass. We have a client so I have to go, are you ok?”
“Sure thing wolfboy, talk to you later. Bye.”
“Bye.” They both hung up the phone, Faith felt a little better, not much, but a little. The door opened and Buffy walked in hesitantly.
“Hey, you ok?”
“Sure thing B, I’m not the one who just had their ex-lover show up.”
Buffy got an evil smirk, “hmmm, seems to me you slept with said ex-lover while in my body. So technically…”
“You’re funny B, really,” Faith said sarcastically, “are you ok?”
Buffy walked over to the bed and sat, leaning back against Faith, “he said he was going to fight for me, that I was worth it.”
Faith felt like her insides had just been ripped out, “you are.”
Not fully paying attention due to being deep in thought Buffy didn’t quite get what Faith had said, “huh?”
“You are worth fightin’ for. Shit you’re one of the main reasons I’m still fightin.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
*****************
*Will and Tara’s car*
“Poor Buffy,” Willow stated sympathetically, worried about how her best friend was going to take this.
Tara shook her head, “poor Faith.”
“Oh Goddess, I didn’t even think about that, she must be feeling awful. But Buffy would never leave her, right?” Willow asked not wanting her friends to be hurt, any of them.
“I don’t think so, but that’s up to Buffy, she has to make the decision, if there is a decision I mean.”
“Huh?”
“Well maybe he was in town and just dropped in to say hello, maybe he doesn’t want her back, therefore no decision.”
“Do you really think that, that was the case?”
“No,” Tara said sadly.
“Me either, she did love him, and she loves Faith, that’s a hard decision to make.” Tara reached over and held the hand Willow had resting on the stick shift in a comforting effort, knowing that this would bring bad memories, for both of them. “I made the right one though,” she looked over at Tara, “I’ve never doubted that decision.”
Tara smiled at her lover, “good. And hopefully Buffy will make the right decision too. What ever that is for her.”
****************
*Riley’s car*
“Damn it, I can’t believe she found some other guy so quick! She said she loved me, why would she do this; she had to know I was coming back. I told her how much I loved her! Oh god, it’s Angel, I bet it’s that god damned vampire with a soul. Shit, I’ll stake his ass.
No I’ll make him suffer, and then I’ll stake him. I won’t loose damn it, WHATEVER it takes.” Riley ranted as he drove to the briefing for his assignment of the three missing “employees”.
******************
*Buffy and Faith’s room*
Faith looked down to see that Buffy was sleeping peacefully, still leaning back into her. Slowly and carefully Faith extricated herself and laid Buffy down on the pillow. She silently walked out of the room being extra careful closing the door as to not wake
her lover.
Faith started walking down the street thinking about her life. More importantly her life with Buffy. She didn’t know what she would do if Buffy finally told her to get lost. Early on she dreaded everyday thinking that it would be the day Buffy came to her senses and got rid of her, bust she never did. And she allowed herself to get comfortable, get attached, hell not to just Buffy, but Dawn and the whole Scooby gang. The doubts that always swam in the back of her mind were coming to the forefront and laughing at her.
Faith looked up and noticed where her feet had unconsciously led her, “well Ozzie did say to talk to Tara.”
***************
*Willow and Tara’s apartment*
After getting home from their visit to Buffy’s house and seeing that Riley had come back, presumably for Buffy, Willow and Tara snuggled up on their couch and sat watching old movies. Neither paying that much attention to the screen, being too deep in their own
thoughts. Willow sympathizing with Buffy, remembering when Oz came back after he learned to control the wolf inside him. Wanting to reclaim the life he had left behind, and her having to make the decision of old and comfortable, or new and life changing. It was a very hard decision for her to make, just as she knew it would be hard for Buffy.
Tara sat thinking about what Faith must be going through right then. Knowing that the person you love may love someone else more. May leave you when your whole world had begun to revolve around them. She knew all to well what Faith would be feeling, and knowing Faith she would be hiding it inside, trying to always be the tough girl.
She could still remember vividly the day she went to see Willow and Oz answered the door so early in the morning. Willow coming to her and telling her she didn’t know what she wanted, and she telling Willow to do what made her happy. Sitting in the dark of the
blackout thinking of Willow with him, and then the knock that changed her life. Tara could still hear the knock in her head as if it was happening. KNOCK. KNOCK. Oh ok, so someone was knocking at the door, oops.
Willow got up and answered the door, “Faith hey.”
“Hey Red, Tar here?”
“Yeah come on in.”
“Thanks,” Willow led Faith into the living room where Tara was still sitting on the couch watching Jimmy Stuart in an old black and white movie.
“Faith, hi, what’s up?”
“Well ah, you know that um, well you were there when Beefstick showed up. And I needed to talk to someone, I ah called Oz, and he told me that you would be a good person. Something about the same thing happenin’ with you guys and all… But if this is a bad time I can go.”
“Have a seat Faith.” ‘Ok’, Tara thought ‘so maybe Faith wouldn’t hold it all in this time, I can be wrong every now and then’.
“I’ll be in our room, doing something…” Willow walked into her and Tara’s bedroom to allow some privacy for them to talk.
Faith for her part just stared at the carpet in front of her, Miss Kitty jumped into her lap, and she began to absent-mindedly pet the soft fur. But she didn’t say a word. After a few minutes of just sitting there Tara decided she would have to say something or this would go on forever, “Faith?”
Faith looked up, her eyes shining from unshed tears that she was barely controlling, “I can’t loose her Tar, she’s everything to me, I love her so much.”
Tara got up and went over to where Faith was sitting and sat down next to her, pulling her into a hug, “shh. It will be ok, I promise.”
Faith sniffled a little, “how do you know?”
“Because I see the way you look at each other, it’s the same way I look at Willow and she looks at me.”
“How’s that?”
“Total and pure love.”
“God I hope you’re right, promise me something?”
“What?”
“If for some reason B doesn’t choose me, I don’t want to loose you guys as friends.” Faith sniffled again, no long worrying about holding the tears in.
“Of course, you couldn’t get rid of us. And I know that goes for the whole Scooby gang, not to mention Dawn, she’ll be there to pester you till the day you die.” Tara smiled and pulled back from Faith hoping her attempt to lighten the mood had worked.
Faith let a small smile cross her features, “well let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” she managed to joke back.
“Better?”
“Much, I think I need to talk to B though.”
“Good idea, talk to you later than.”
“Yeah, bye.” Faith walked out of the apartment feeling much better about things. She and B really needed to talk, but she had this feeling that things would work out in the end.
*************
*Secret Sunnydale base*
“Clear on everything Agent Finn?”
“Yes sir, find the targets and take them out.”
“Good luck.”
“Thank you sir.” Riley walked out of the briefing just itching to get this job done, so he could start figuring out how to get Buffy back, the thought that it might not work never crossing his mind. All he had to do was find the three assassins that were sent here, failed to kill whoever it was they were here to kill, and take them out. Simple as that.
***************
*Backyard of the Summers’ House*
“Do you think it’s safe to go back in now?” Marci asked Dawn who was sitting next to her, watching the clouds go by.
“I don’t know, that was Buffy’s ex-boyfriend that came to visit, no telling what’s going on in there.”
“What happened?”
“Well Riley worked for this big secret government thing that captured demons and studied them. He left to go to the jungle, Buffy almost fell apart when he left.”
All of the color had drained out of Marci’s face, “you mean the Initiative?”
“Yeah that’s it, you heard of it?”
“Dawn I have to go!”
“What go? Go where?”
“Dawn I use to work for those people, and now, well lets just say they won’t be too happy with my job performance, I need to be where they can’t find me.”
“But you were invisible, how will they even know what you look like?”
“Pictures from before that all happened, now I really need to get out of here, tell Buffy thank you for me.”
“But where will you go?”
“I might go hide with Spike till I can get out of town unnoticed.” With that Marci snuck back into the house, and quickly packed up a backpack and left.
Dawn came running into the house, “Buffy!” She ran into Buffy and Faith’s room and saw Buffy taking a nap, “Buffy get up! Marci is leaving!”
Iz and Samantha were walking up the stairs to the house when Buffy came running out, “whoa what’s wrong?”
“Long story ending up with Marci leaving,” Buffy said as she ran to the car and got in.
“Leaving, what? Where’d she go?” Samantha asked as she, Iz and Dawn all ran after Buffy to go with her.
“Said something about staying with Spike till it was safe to get out of town,” Dawn said closing the door.
“Then we go to the cemetery,” Buffy threw her cell phone to Dawn, “call the gang and tell them what’s going on.”
Dawn called the whole gang and then paged Faith since no one seemed to know where she was at. It took only a few minutes for Faith to find a pay phone and answer her page. “B?”
“No Faith it’s Dawn.”
“Dawn? What’s wrong, where’s B?”
“Driving, Marci took off after she found out who Riley worked for, and we’re looking for her. She said she might stay with Spike till she could find a safe way out of town.”
“Ok calm down, I’m near the cemetery so I’ll meet you there. Bye.”
“Bye.” Dawn hung up and handed the phone back, “Faith will meet us there, she said she wasn’t far from there.”
*************
*Spike’s Mausoleum*
Spike woke up to an insistent banging on his door, “alright, wait just one bleedin’ minute will ya.” He angrily opened the door, careful to avoid any sunlight streaming in. “What the hell do you want?”
***************
Marci carefully walked through the cemetery, keeping an eye out incase anyone was watching her. When she got close to Spike’s place she immediately noticed something was wrong. The door was wide open so she walked in. The place was in ruins, not that it was the Ritz before, but now things were thrown everywhere, the TV was broken, and Spike was no where to be seen. “This can’t be good.”
**************
Faith was the closest to the cemetery, so she was the first of the Scooby gang to show up. When she got there she saw Marci’s bag outside the tomb, “Marc?”
Marci walked out, “Faith something happened here, and Spike is missing.”
“Ok wait out here, B and the others are on their way to talk you out of leaving, they’ll be here any minute.”
“What are you going to do?”
“This place has sewer access from the basement, I’m going to look for him.”
“Be careful.”
Faith gave Marci her patented smirk, “always.” She walked into the first room, Marci wasn’t kiddin’ the place was torn up, probably from a fight. She went further into the room, and opened the passage way to the lower level. It didn’t look much better, and the
door to the sewer access was open. Faith grabbed a torch and cautiously walked into the tunnel, the first thing she noticed was a light not much further ahead, slowly she started making her way toward it.
*************
“What the bloody hell do you want?!” Spike asked of his captor.
“Information.”
“You could have told me back there, what do you want to know?”
“Telling you I wanted info back there would have taken all the fun out of it. And I have two questions. First we sent three assassins here, and now all three are gone, what happened?”
“What are you going to do if I tell you?”
“Well Spike how about I tell you what I’ll do if you don’t tell me. I’m going to stake you, and this time it won’t be plastic that goes through your heart.”
“Did you get hit on you noggin out there in the jungle soldierboy? Stake me if you want, that’s nothin’ compared to what I’ll get if I talk.”
Riley’s features stiffened somewhat, “what guy did Buffy replace me with?”
**************
“Marci there you are, we are not letting you take off!”
“Ok.”
“Well that was easy,” Buffy looked into the door and saw the condition the room was in. “What happened?”
“I don’t know it was like this when I got here, and Faith went to go look for Spike.
Buffy threw her keys to Samantha, “take Marci and Dawn home and tell the gang what’s up when they get there, Iz come on let’s find Faith.” With that Iz and Buffy walked into the tomb, and the rest headed back toward the car.
***************
Faith walked through the tunnel leaving her light behind, so that she wouldn’t alert anyone to her presence. She got to the light just in time to here Riley’s last question. Walking out she said, “hey Beefstick, ‘fraid I’m gonna have to take our vamp back
now.”
Riley all but growled when he saw Faith, “what the hell are you doing here, you’re supposed to be in jail.”
“Nice to see you again too, now ‘bout that vamp, gonna let ‘em go or are we gonna have to get physical ‘bout it?”
“Faith?” Everyone turned when they heard Buffy’s voice at the beginning of the tunnel calling out.
Riley all but threw Spike at Faith and said, “this isn’t over, with either of you.” And with that he ran down the tunnel not wanting to Buffy see him torturing Spike and Faith, which he definitely planned on doing.
“Faith there you are, my god Spike what happened?”
“Your ex-boytoy decided to beat the crap out of me to find out some stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Oh you know, what happened to the lost assassins, who you’re dating now, that sort of stuff. Didn’t tell ‘im nothin’ though. Wouldn’t do that to Marci or the rabbits.”
Faith stood there saying nothing, her face in the mask she had worn for so many years, hiding what she was thinking.
“We need to get back to the house and talk to Marci, she came here to hide from someone finding her.” Iz said and started walking back the way they had come, the rest following behind her.
Riley stood watching them go, noticing how Buffy unconsciously grabbed Faith’s hand in her own as they walked. Now he really planned on torturing Faith, for taking his Buffy away from him.
***************
*Summers’ Home; sometime later*
Willow and Tara entered the house and saw Marci pacing around the room with a worried expression. “Well I guess they found you huh?” Tara asked of Marci while
walking into the room holding Willow’s hand.
“Me they found, Spike is the one we lost.”
“How did we loose a vampire in the day time? Oh he’s not…?” Willow asked somewhat worried, after all Spike had been a big help in the past.
“Huh? No I don’t think so, Faith, Buffy, and Iz went into the sewers to look for him. I have a really bad feeling about all of this; it just reeks of the Initiative.
“We shouldn’t jump to conclusions, I mean Spike has a lot of enemies out there, he is a vampire, one that kills other demons at that.”
“Yeah it could just be some other vampires who are ticked at him for all we know,” Tara said backing up Willow.
That’s when Buffy, Iz, and Faith walked back in the house. “Buffy did you find him?”
“Yeah, Riley decided to play punching bag with him.”
“So I was right, it was the Initiative?”
“He could have been sent after Spike because they are ones who put the chip in his head.”
“B he asked about the assassins sent here, that’s Marc.”
“So this guy is here to do what? Take me back, some how knowing the ones in charge, I don’t see that being the plan.” Marci stated dejectedly.
“Don’t worry ‘bout it Marc we got your back,” Faith said not knowing whether she was trying to calm the other girl down or herself. She had wanted nothing more than to beat the crap out of the guy, but she hadn’t, and she was damn proud of that fact.
“Buffy you were close to this guy, can you talk to him and find out what’s going on?”
Faith cringed at Samantha’s question, knowing full well what could happen if Buffy started spending time with her ex-guy. But she also knew it was the best plan of action, and she would have to trust Buffy, so she stayed quiet.
“I can try, but I don’t know how willing he will be after today.”
“This guy is just a normal guy, how ‘bout I put you under police protection till this is all over?” Kate asked not knowing how else to help.
“Na we can’t do that, not with the supernatural stuff always goin’ on around here.”
“Ok so we try and work with Samantha’s plan where Buffy tries to get close to Riley again, unless there is some other suggestion.”
Cordelia who was just walking in the door stopped abruptly at the entrance to the living room, and held onto the frame for support as a vision wracked her body. Everyone ran to her side, Kate kneeling at Cordelia’s head to cradle it in her lap. “Delia honey what is it?”
It took a few minutes before Cordelia could speak again, “some kind of explosion in the jungle. Chemical explosion, lots of people died, some got away. But all this already happened, I don’t understand why they would send me a vision we couldn’t stop.”
“Riley went to the jungle didn’t he Buffy?” Willow asked already knowing what the answer was.
“So what? You think the explosion did something to him?”
“It’s very well possible Buffy, something like that could alter someone’s personality a great deal,” Giles took off his glasses and began cleaning them in an unconscious movement, perfected over many years of worry.
“Will can you do some of that famous hacking and find out if Riley was there, and what happened to the other survivors?”
“Sure thing Buffy.”
“Spike didn’t tell him anything, but I still think that it would be a good idea if Marci stays somewhere else till we get this settled.”
Cordelia was the first to volunteer, “she can stay in our guestroom.” Marci nodded her head in silent thanks.
“I’m gonna go find Riley.” Buffy walked out the door, not noticing all the color draining from Faith’s face as she did so.
It was all Faith could do to stay standing as Buffy walked out the door to find her ex-lover. Tara quietly put her hand on Faith’s shoulder in a show of support, and Faith gave her a fleeting smile for her effort. “I’m gonna go to Willy’s see what he knows.” And with that Faith left as fast as she could.
***************
Riley was standing across the street watching the home of his beloved; he was about to follow Buffy when she came out, until he noticed Faith come out just seconds after her. He decided to follow Faith instead, checking his gun to make sure it had the darts he
Needed, he headed out after the dark slayer.
***************
Buffy looked everywhere that Riley might be; she talked to his friends, but still nothing. He hadn’t contacted anyone else since being back in town, it was like trying to find a ghost. But she refused to give up, after all he wouldn’t give up on her if she was in
trouble, would he?
***************
“Found it!” Willow stated happily, she may not have been spending as much time on hacking as she use to, but she still had it.
“Same jungle?” Tabitha asked.
“Yup, the place they were using as headquarters down there blew up, too many chemicals to even name, few survivors, and everyone is having bad side effects.”
“Such as?”
“Personality changes, increased paranoia, inability to control emotions with in reason, and a lot of physical things too.”
“Yikes, that doesn’t sound good,” Tara shivered a little, remembering when Riley was going through withdrawal from the medication they were giving him to increase his strength.
“We need to tell Buffy this,” Willow grabbed the phone and dialed her best friend’s cell phone number. After just two rings Buffy answered. “Buff, he was there, and lots of nongoodness could be happening to his mind right now.”
“Why would those bastards have him on active duty if he were there?”
“I don’t know Buffy, but be careful, the guy you’ll be dealing with won’t be the same guy you knew before.”
“Thanks Will, I’ll keep that in mind. Bye.”
**************
Faith was just entering the part of town where Willy’s bar was when she felt a sting in her shoulder. Thinking it was a bee or something she looked down and saw a little dart with a red feather at the end. Her mind didn’t even have time to process what this could mean when her entire world went dark.
Riley stepped out of the shadows he had been hiding in. “Not so tough after all huh?” He smirked and picked up the unconscious girl and carried her to the sewers knowing it would be better to carry her where no one could see him. “We’re going to have some fun you and I.”
The first thing Faith noticed when the darkness receded was that she was not where she was supposed to be; she wasn’t in Buffy’s arms, in their bed. No she was on a hard, cold surface, alone. The second thing she noticed was that she was tied to said hard, cold
surface. Then the memory of what happened came rushing back with a vengeance. Someone shot her with a dart, and she was out. This just wasn’t good at all. There
were no windows and no clocks, so she had no idea what time it was, or even how long she had been there.
The only light coming into the room was from the crack under the door. She could see feet pacing on the other side, and all she could think was that she hoped nothing had happened to Buffy.
*************
*Summers’ Home*
Buffy paced the length of the living room, “where the hell is she?!”
“Did she come home at all last night?” Tabitha asked worriedly.
Buffy was doing everything she could to just hold back the tears, “no.”
Everyone in the room shared a worried glance and Giles was the first to ask the question everyone seemed to be thinking, “Buffy, do you think Faith would run?”
For a few minutes the question didn’t seem to register in her mind, and then the implications of it hit her full force. “No, god no, she promised she would never run again, that no matter what we would do things together.”
Cordelia didn’t want to put her friend in any more pain, especially a friend who saved her life time and time again, but it had to be said, and she resigned herself that she would have to be the one to say it. “But what if she thought she was saving you from having to end it. As much as she loved you, maybe she thought it would be easier on you that way.”
Normally Buffy caught on to what people were saying rather quickly, but today her mind couldn’t seem to grasp anything, “what?”
“Riley. The way you went off to save him yesterday, you didn’t see her face, it was like you had ripped out her heart.”
“Oh god, she didn’t really think I would leave her for him. I had to help him, that’s what I do.” Buffy slouched down onto the couch, no longer caring about the tears now streaming down her face.
Tara sat down next to her, “Buffy for what it’s worth I don’t think she would leave without talking to you, and without any of her stuff. When I talked to her, yeah she was hurt and upset, but she said she was going to sit down and talk to you. Which was before
most of this started happening, but still, if she’s not here, then my guess is it’s not her choice.” Buffy buried her head in Tara’s shoulder and let the general calmness of her friend wash over her. Tara’s soothing voice convincing her that her worse fears weren’t
coming true and Faith didn’t just up and leave her.
Willow came and sat down on the other side of Buffy, and gently place her hand on Buffy’s thigh to get her attention, “we’ll find her.” She put on her most resolve, resolve face and looked her best friend directly in the eye, “I promise we will.”
Buffy nodded and got up, “ok, Iz check Willy’s that’s where she said she was going. I’m gonna get Spike and start on the sewers. Tabitha you and Giles stay here with Dawn and Danny in case she shows up. Willow, Tara can you do some of you magic to find her?”
“We can try.”
“Good, Kate how about on the police end, can you do something so that they will be keeping an eye open for her?”
“I’ll put out an APB saying that she is wanted for questioning.”
“Thanks, Cordy, Sam, and Marci check the park, her old motel, anywhere above ground that she might go. Oh and Giles, call Angel tell them to keep an eye out for her there. She went there once, she might again.” Buffy’s voice left no room for questioning and everyone set about their tasks. Buffy would find her, or she would die trying.
***************
The feet outside the door finally stopped pacing and walked to the door. There was a click as the lock was undone and the door creaked as it opened. Due to the light behind the person Faith couldn’t make out just who it was, she could tell it was a well-built guy,
but other than that she just couldn’t tell.
The person walked further into the room stopping to turn on a light hanging from the ceiling. As the old bulb slowly came to life a menacing smile could be made out from the still mostly shadowed face. And then he stepped fully into view, and Faith couldn’t help
but gasp.
“Riley? What the fuck is this?”
“You took her from me.”
“What? You’re out of you fucking mind, you left her for the jungle, remember that?”
“I was coming back.”
“How was she supposed to know that?”
“She could have seen clearer without you there to block her vision.”
“You’re nuts! Let me outta here.”
“Maybe, someday, after she’s mine again.” And with that Riley turned and left the room, locking the door behind him. Faith struggled with the restraints, but it was no use, she was still week from the dart. And she had a feeling he was going to keep her that way
for the duration of her stay.
**************
Riley walked up the stairs to the Summers’ house and raised his hand to knock on the door. On the other side Buffy’s hand had just reached out to open the door. She opened it and ran right into Riley. He caught her and held on for just a moment, “hold it tiger, what’s the rush?”
“Faith is missing and we’re going to look for her.”
That’s when Riley noticed the group of people standing just behind Buffy ready to walk out and search for their friend. “Really?” He asked his voice filled with concern, “well I’ll come with you and help you look.”
Buffy seeing no menace in the man before her nodded her head in consent and walked out of the door, Riley hot on her heals.
Being behind Buffy where she couldn’t see him he allowed a smile to cross his face, ‘this is going to be too easy, just pretend to care and help out, all they while leading them away from where Faith is, and in the process win Buffy’s heart back where it belongs. Easy’.
**************
“Ok I know I’ve never really believed in you, but I’m prayin’ anyway. No matter what is going to happen to me, just keep B and the gang safe. She’s my world, and I couldn’t live if something happened to her. Well that’s if Beefstick lets me live of course. Just please God let her be ok.” Faith closed her eyes, her mind filled with the happy images of her time with Buffy, while a tear slipped down her cheek, landing on her concrete bed.
***************
*Sunnydale sewers*
Buffy and Riley walked along the damp chambers of the sewer system. Although Riley had attempted it many times, he could not get Buffy into a conversation, about anything. So finally he decided to use the one subject he knew would get her attention, “so when did you and Faith make nice?”
Buffy almost tripped over her own feet when she heard Riley’s question, well now was as good a time as any to tell him, “a while ago. Look Riley when I told you that I was seeing someone you may have gotten the wrong impression about who…”
Riley cut her off, “it’s Faith.”
If she hadn’t been so worried about her lover she would have been shocked right then, quietly she said, “yup.”
“I still don’t understand how you went from hating her to loving her,” Riley was trying very hard to keep the anger out of his voice and eyes, he didn’t want to give the secret away so soon.
“I never hated her, it was… complicated is all.”
“Right.”
Buffy stopped and turned around to face her former love, “I didn’t want to hurt you, I didn’t even know you were ever coming back. But I tried Riley; it was just never right between us. And you were right, I never gave you everything, ‘cause part of my heart was with Faith even then.”
Riley snorted but didn’t say anything back, they continued on their way. The exact opposite direction of the place he was keeping Faith hostage.
**************
“105, 106, 107, wow that’s a lot of cracks for a ceiling. God I want to go home. I wonder if they’re looking for me, they must have noticed I was gone. I mean it’s been for frickin’ ever, so in real world time I’m guessin’ a day or so, not countin’ how long I was out. But with slayer strength I probably wasn’t out all that long.” Faith stopped talking to herself
when she heard a growl on the other side of the door. Fear graced her features and in a small voice she said, “good doggy, I hope.”
***************
Buffy walked into her house with Riley trailing behind, “anything?”
Everyone shook their heads to the negative; it was like Faith had just disappeared. “Maybe we can’t find her ‘cause she doesn’t want to be found.” Riley looked at the group, some he knew, others he didn’t. He knew if he could persuade the gang that Faith ran away, then they would take care of convincing Buffy. Then he would swoop in on the rebound and reclaim what was his.
The phone rang and with every bit of slayer strength she had Buffy ran to it and answered, “Faith?”
“Sorry Buffy this is Marci, I was just calling to see if anything had turned up, guess not though.”
“No nothing yet Marci.” Riley’s ears perked up when he heard the name of one of the people he was here to find. ‘Could Buffy really be hiding the wayward employees?’ He wasn’t sure if that would make his job easier or harder.
“Ok then, We’ll keep looking and check back in later. We’ll find her.”
“Thanks Marci, bye.”
“Bye.”
“Marci? New friend of yours?” Riley asked in what he hoped was a casual tone. Buffy didn’t seem to pick up anything, but the way the group looked at each other, they had.
“Yeah something like that. Look I’m gonna go take a shower to wash of the sewer goo, then go back out.” With that Buffy went up the stairs, she could have gone without the shower, but she felt a breakdown coming on, and she didn’t want to have it in front of
everyone else.
**************
The growling outside the door was now accompanied but wild scratches. “I sure hope Beefstick used good locks, unless this was his plan, would make it look like an accident though. Damn this is so not fair, I knew all that shit would catch up to me eventually.”
The door burst in to show a creature that looked like big foot. He tilted his head to one side and growled a little. But instead of it being the frightening growls it had given off outside the door, it was more like that of a little puppy dog. “No way… Ok, here boy, can
you get me free. God I’m glad no one is here to see this. *whistle* Here boy.”
***************
Once Buffy was up stairs where her slayer hearing couldn’t pick up on anything the group all turned to Riley who was still standing in the same spot. “It won’t work.” Willow stated off-handedly.
“What’s that Willow?”
“Trying to swoop in and steal her from Faith, they love each other.”
“Not to mention the fact that you’re here to hurt one of our friends,” Iz added.
“You mean the ones sent here to kill you guys.”
“Aw that’s for the rabbits.” Everyone smiled at the inside joke and Tara continued, “Faith will be back, and they will live happily ever after.”
With a hard glint in his eye and steel certainty in his voice Riley replied, “no. She. Won’t.” Then he just walked out.
“You don’t think that…?” Willow asked uncertainly.
“You did say the chemicals could have done all kinds of things to him,” Kate pointed out.
“Should we tell Buffy?” Iz asked.
“Would she believe us?” No one had an answer to Tara’s question and they all just sat there unsure of what to do.
**************
The creature looked at Faith for a moment, sniffing the air. Then deciding that the scent wasn’t threatening it came closer, cautiously. “Good boy.” Faith held up the chains, “think you can break ‘em big boy?
The thing tilted his head again, and then gave what could be the most hideous smile ever seen, and broke the chain Faith held up. The other three followed it, and Faith was free. “All right big foot! Well I think you’re big foot at least.” She scratched it behind the
ears as you would a dog, and then hopped off the hard cement table she had been attached to. She was about to walk out when she heard a little whimper behind her. She turned and sighed, “all right big fella come on, but for your sake I hope it’s dark up there.” The two left leaving the door open, and headed for home, well Faith’s home, big foot was so not coming in the house, B would kill her.
**************
Riley walked down to the area he had been holding Faith in, muttering to himself about the damn Scooby gang. When he got to the door he saw it was wide open, beat in by the looks of it. Inside the room the chains had been broken, and Faith was gone. “Damn it, that bitch!” He ran off in the direction he assumed Faith would have taken to get home, the most direct route. Hopefully he could catch up to her before she got to Buffy.
*****************
Faith was walking so fast she was almost running up the steps to her home. She opened the door and immediately walked into the living room. Everyone sat with shocked expressions on their face. “Where’s B?”
Willow was the first one to be able to speak, “shower.”
“’K,” Faith started to head up the stairs when she remembered her savior, “there’s a fella who helped me out with escaping and all, I’ll explain later, but can you go make sure he gets into the back yard.” With that she sprinted up the stairs.
When she came to the bathroom she heard the water running. She opened the door and saw Buffy crouched at the bottom of the shower crying. Faith slid back the curtain and got in behind her and pulled her back into an embrace, “shh it’s alright.”
Buffy looked shocked at her girlfriend, “Faith you’re back?” She buried her head in Faith’s still clothed shoulder.
“Course I’m back B, didn’t think you could get rid of me that easily did you?”
*****************
The group walked outside, expecting to see some guy, and what they actually saw shocked the hell out of them. Iz was the first one to be able to speak, “bigfoot?”
“Xander is going to be sooo mad he missed this,” Willow said through her disbelief.
“Um, maybe we should get him into the back yard like Faith said.” The creature looked at Tara as she spoke, then shook his head as if he understood, and began heading to the backyard. “Well that was easy.”
Iz hadn’t made much progress in getting past her shock, “bigfoot?”
*****************
“Where were you?”
“Beefstick thought it would be fun to chain me up and wait for me to die.”
“Riley did that?”
“Yup, but someone helped me out.”
“Who?”
Faith smirked, “once you’re dressed I’ll introduce you, you won’t believe me if I tell you.”
It was then that Buffy seemed to realize that they were in the shower still. “Your all wet.”
“So I am, come on let’s get dry and back down stairs, I know Red is just itching with questions by now.”
Faith stood and pulled Buffy up with her, then turned off the water. They walked out of the bathroom grabbing towels on the way. And after a few minutes both were dry, dressed, and ready to head back down stairs. The process could have gone quicker if they didn’t keep getting distracted by kissing, and the occasional grope.
When the two of them made it down the stairs no one was around, so Faith led Buffy to the back yard. Everyone was standing around gawking at the large animal just sitting in the middle of the yard looking upwards. “Buffy meet Bob, Bob this is Buffy.”
Buffy looked at Faith like she had completely lost her mind, “Bob?”
“What you don’t like Bob? How about Herb?”
“Ok let me get this clear, this is who helped you escape?”
“Yup, I was too weak to break the chains, but he wasn’t, were ya fella?” Bob, or Herb, or whoever looked over at Faith and smiled, then waved to Buffy, whose mouth was severely hanging open.
Iz walked over to Faith, “tell me that isn’t a sasquach.”
“I dunno, he’s big, hairy, and has big feet, the term Bigfoot doesn’t upset him, so who knows. We’ll have G-man and Tabby look into it later. Ok now that this is done what are we doing ‘bout Beefstick, he should know I’m gone by now.”
Marci who had stood unnoticed behind everyone finally spoke, “I’m gonna take care of that.” Everyone turned to look at her; her posture said that she wasn’t going to take any lip about her decision. “Half the reason he’s here is because I disappeared…”
“So what are you going to do?” Sam asked cautiously.
“Reappear. Mind if I borrow Bob though?” Marci asked with what could only be considered an evil grin.
“Be my guest, he likes it when you scratch behind his ears, he’ll do anything for ya then.” Everyone looked at Faith oddly. “What?”
“Seriously Marci what are you going to do to him?” Buffy asked, even after everything she couldn’t find it in her to want him hurt, ok maybe hurt, but not seriously so.
“I’ll try reason first, if that doesn’t work I don’t know what will happen.”
“Want backup?” Faith asked all to eager to see some major hurt put on her tormentor.
“That’s what Bob is for. But you guys will have to leave, ‘cause I’m sure he’s on his way here right now.”
“Ok I’m starvin’ let’s go find food, and talk to the watcher types about Bobby-boy here.” Faith grabbed Buffy’s hand and led her out. Followed closely by the rest of the gang that was at the house.
***************
It only took Riley about 15 minutes to get to the Summers’ house. But when he got there he was completely seeing red. He didn’t bother knocking on the door, he just burst in, all ready to fight whom ever was there.
“Well that was rather rude.” Marci said dryly from her perch on the steps.
“Who are you?” Riley asked angrily.
“Agent Finn I’m shocked you don’t know already.”
“The assassin gone missing.”
“One of three.”
“The others?”
“I’m sure they’re hoping around somewhere.”
“Going back the easy way or the hard way?”
“Only way I’d go back is dead.”
“Easily arranged.”
“You know she hates you now. There would never be a chance with her again.”
“We’ll see about that. She’ll come around eventually, once I get rid of that damn bitch.”
“No, you ruined your chance with her,” Marci shook her head sadly, “even going as far as to pretend to help looking for Faith, I think that was the breaking point, where you crossed the line.” Riley seemed to deflate some at Marci’s words. “Only so much of it can be blamed on the chemical explosion. The higher ups don’t even know you were in it do they?”
“No.”
“You need help Riley.”
“No.” Anger again flashed in his eyes, “I’m bringing you in, and I’m getting Buffy back, and nothing can stop me.” With that he lunged at Marci, who didn’t bother to move.
Riley jumped at Marci, but didn’t get but a few inches when Bob knocked him over. “What the hell.”
“Riley meet Bob, he’s who got Faith free.”
“What the hell is it?”
“I believe your branch calls it an HST. I’m trying reason here Riley, trust me you want to listen to me. You have to stop, and get help.”
“And if I don’t listen?”
“Plan B.”
“Which is?” Bob growled at him and pressed a little harder down into Riley’s chest.
“You don’t want to know plan B.”
“Why’d you do it? Leave I mean.”
“That wasn’t the life for me, Faith and the rest helped me see that. Even after trying to kill Tara they still helped me. They’re a great bunch of people.”
“I was part of that once, I don’t know what’s going on anymore.”
“Chemical warfare testing, you got caught in the crossfire.”
“The explosion was planned?”
“Is it that hard to believe?”
“No I guess not, um can you ask him to let me up?” Riley asked motioning to Bob.
“Go in the backyard Bob. Ready to listen to reason?”
Riley put his hand behind his back, “no.” He pulled out a gun from his waistband and pointed it directly at Marci’s face.
“You don’t want to do that.”
“It’s my job.” Riley pulled the trigger.
***************
*Tabitha’s apartment*
“Big foot?” Danny asked around a mouthful of food.
“Helpful big guy too.” Faith said grinning at the young boy.
“I don’t see why he would be in this area, they are generally found around wilderness, Giles?”
“Oh yes quite,” Giles and Tabitha walked into the library to start their research.
“They enjoy that way to much,” Danny muttered.
“Aw come on their cute, in an old, stuffy, watcher type way,” Tara giggled at Willow’s statement and squeezed her hand, which she was holding.
“How do you think it’s going back at the house, I mean it’s been over an hour and still no word?” Buffy kept looking at the clock nervously.
“B I’m sure Marc can handle herself, that’s sorta her job, but if you want to go back we can.”
Buffy shook her head, “I’ve got a bad feeling, I don’t want anything happening to Marci, she’s just getting her life back together and all.” Everyone except Dawn and Danny got up, and after a quick goodbye to Giles and Tabitha left.
***************
It only took about 15 minutes to get back to home Summers, Sunnydale being such a small town. Walking up the sidewalk they noticed the door open, Buffy motioned for everyone to stay back and she and Faith cautiously walked up the stairs.
First thing they saw was Bob sitting with his back to the door. The ground around him was covered in blood. He looked up when the came in and whimpered a little. Faith walked over to him thinking he had been hurt somehow, but then she saw Marci cradled in his lap, bleeding very badly. She yelled behind her, “get an ambulance!” Faith carefully took Marci’s head and cradled it in her lap, “Bob go hide, NOW!” He slowly
got up and walked out of the house heading for the sewers.
The rest of the group that had been waiting outside came rushing in and saw all the blood on the floor and Marci’s lifeless body. “Is she…?” Iz asked walking closer.
“She’s breathing…barely.”
The rest of that night was a blur to everyone; the ambulance came and took Marci to the hospital. Hopping into their cars, and following behind it. Waiting in the hospital waiting room for some kind of word. Being told that Marci was in a coma, if she woke
up there would most likely be brain damage from the loss of blood.
Tara and Willow were acting as moderators between the nurses and doctor, and the waiting Scooby gang. “She’s in ICU, they said she is stabilizing though,” Willow
said as she walked over and sat down in one of the tacky, uncomfortable chairs that adorned all hospital waiting rooms.
“There’s nothing we can do here, maybe we should go and try to figure out what we are going to do next,” Tara suggested as tenderly as she could.
Faith stood, “I’ll tell you what we’re going to do, we’re going to catch his ass, and beat him to next Sunday!” She walked away from the rest of the group without waiting for anyone to argue, not that anyone was about to.
************
Riley paced around the room that once held Faith captive, he knew this is where they would look for him. He had killed one of their own, there was no way they, she, would take him back now. All he could do was wait for what he knew would enviably come. And he didn’t have to wait long either. About an hour from sunrise he heard footsteps outside the door.
Only one set, heavily placed, like the owner didn’t care if he heard their approach. For a fleeting moment he had hoped that it would be Buffy, coming to tell him it was all ok, that they were ok. That hope was smashed to pieces as Faith walked into the room
staring at him.
“Figures they’d send the murderer after me, no one else have the guts?”
“They all figure they’d throw up if they had to see your face, I on the other hand have a strong stomach.”
“Then what are we waiting for?”
“You try takin’ my girl away from me, then you chain me up to die, followed by shooting my friend, and you know what?”
“What?”
“I know the perfect punishment for all that shit.”
“Well what are you waiting for?”
Faith glanced down at her non-existent watch and pretended to actually think about it. While she was doing this Riley lunged at her. Quickly stepping out of his way, Faith just looked pityingly at him. Again he charged a clumsy attack, which Faith again easily
sidestepped.
“Fight me damn it!”
“Sorry Beefstick, I’d kill ya if I did, and I’d rather…” Sirens began blaring outside. They could hear police running down the stairs. Faith walked right up to Riley and got in his face, “yeah I’m a murderer, but that was the past, I’d rather let you rot with the things you did. And trust me it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
The police lead by Kate rushed into the room, shouting for him to put his hands in the air. Roughly throwing him to the ground and cuffing him. All the time he kept his eyes locked with Faith’s. “This isn’t over!” He declared as they struggled to drag him out of the room.
A gentle hand was placed on Faith’s shoulder, “are you ok?” Kate asked sincerely.
Faith studied her friend for a moment, “yeah, five by five, give me a ride home?”
“Sure thing.”
****************
Later after all the paper work had been taken care of Kate finally pulled up in front of the Summers’ home with Faith. They both got out of the car and walked up to the house. As soon as Faith walked into the door Buffy pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, “is it over?”
“Yeah B, it’s over. How’s Marc doin’?”
“The doctor called and said she was in her own room, and is doing better than they could have hoped.”
“That’s good. Where is everyone, figured they’d be here.”
“I sent Willow and Tara home to bed, they were falling asleep on the couch. Cordy left then too, and Dawn is still at Tabby’s. Iz and Sam are in their room.”
Kate watched the two younger girls for a moment, then left with out saying a word, they needed some alone time. And she couldn’t wait to snuggle up with Delia in bed after the extremely long day they had had.
“You ok B? About, well about everything.”
“No, someone I cared about tried to kill other people I care about, that upsets me. But I’m getting’ better, with you back.” Buffy rested her head on Faith’s shoulder and breathed in her scent. “I was so worried, I just kept thinking I was going to loose you in all this.”
“Never B, you’re not getting' rid of me.”
“Good.”
***************
The next morning for breakfast the whole Scooby gang was gathered around in Marci’s hospital room. Marci had just woken up and saw all her friends standing around her, which made the doctor’s news just a little easier to swallow.
“I hate to have to tell you this ma’am, but due to the bullet wound you won’t have usage of your right arm, probably ever again. There may be some other problems that make themselves known in the future, but we’ll deal with things as they come.” Marci thanked the doctor and he left the room.
The first thing she said to her friends was, “so what’s for breakfast?”
That broke the somber feeling that had enveloped the room and Tara said, “well you’re in a good mood considering.”
Marci smirked at her, “considering what? Who really needs a right arm anyway, I’m a lefty. Plus I see big hush money coming from the government, which means I can get out of the house-o-Summers.”
“Hey what’s wrong with my house?” Buffy asked huffily.
“Other than the five other people living there, lack of room, or of alone time, absolutely nothing. I told you in the beginning that I didn’t want to be a burden, and I don’t.” Buffy just huffed, and sulked into the corner.
“Lefty huh?” Faith asked.
Not understanding what Faith was getting at Marci answered, “yeah.”
“So when we doin’ this GED thing?” Marci and Faith smirked and Buffy came hopping out of the corner that she was sulking in.
“You two are actually going to take it?” She asked half hysteric, half unbelieving.
“Well I’m thinkin’ that we’ll make Will do some major tutoring, and yeah, why not?” Faith looked over at Marci to make sure she was still up to it, and she nodded.
At her name being said Willow looked up, “me, huh, why me?”
“Aw plllleeeeeaaaaaasseeeee.” Marci and Faith said in unison giving her their best puppy dog eyes.
Willow sighed; there was no way she could resist the double-teaming like that. Tara looked at her love and gave a small smile; “looks like you have something to do this summer now.”
Willow looked back at Tara and raised one perfect eyebrow, “ooh, don’t even think you’re getting out of this, If I’m tutoring, so are you.” When Willow was done talking Faith and Marci looked over at Tara, their puppy dog looks still in place, that added to
Willow’s resolve face. There was no way she was getting out of it, and she knew it.
Of course that didn’t mean she had to give in gracefully, she stuck out her bottom lip and pouted, “no fair.” The room all cracked up at Tara’s priceless look, and soon they were planning when their sessions with Professor Willow and Tara would begin.
All in all, things turned out much better than they could have.
*****************
A woman with an impeccable suit walked into the room where the young man was sulking. “Riley Finn?”
“Yeah what the hell do you want?”
“My name is Lilah, I work for a firm called Wolfram and Hart, I’m here to represent you in your trial.” She gave him a feral smile and sat down across from him.
“Nice to meet you.” He said with an equally predatory smirk on his face.
Series TBC in "Amnesia of the Worst Kind"
