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Part 4
Gunn sat back from the group. He was just watching her. His entire crew was gathered
around her. She was talking about vampires. Things that she'd learned. They were all
enraptured. Gunn smiled to himself. This was a little of what she needed. To feel like she
had something to offer.
Everyone jumped when the door to the place was slammed open, and Angel stalked in.
"I need your help."
"What else is new?" Gunn said as he stood.
"That girl. Faith. I need you to help me find her."
"Angel, I'm right here."
She physically flinched as his eyes met hers. He was seething in anger. At her,
apparently. He stared for a minute before he stalked over to her and lifted her to her feet
by her throat. Her hands wrapped around his wrist trying to alleviate some of the pressure
but with little success.
"Angel! Hey!" Gunn screamed.
"Stay out of this, Gunn. It's between the 'slayer' and I."
The way he spat out 'slayer' made Faith's gut twist. She closed her eyes as the tears
started to fall. He thought she'd hurt Buffy. He didn't trust her. None of them did. And she
didn't blame them. She wouldn't trust her either. Not after all she'd done.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Buffy was off the bike before Wesley had even come to a full stop. He didn't want to know
how she knew where Faith was. She went running into what looked like abandoned
warehouse. Wesley yanked his helmet off.
"Dammit, Buffy! You'll tear your stitches!" He chased after her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Put her down." It was said with dead calm.
Everyone looked in the doorway. Buffy was standing there. In her hospital gown and
Wesley's jacket. All Faith could do was stare. The person she'd always wanted on her
side had showed up to rescue her.
"Buffy-"
"Angel, put her down. NOW!"
"She hurt you. She hurt Cordelia."
"She hurt Cordy?" Faith squeaked out.
"She did." The other Faith stepped out of the shadows, laughing. "You should have seen
poor little Cordy. Of course I gotta give the girl her due. She didn't cry. Not even when I
cracked her wrist with the bat." She mimicked a baseball swing.
Faith growled and wrenched Angel's hand off her throat. She stalked up her mirror image.
"I have had enough of you."
"Oh, Killer, whacha gonna do?"
"Live up to the nickname you've given me."
Faith punched her in the face. The other returned fire. They two slayers started pounding
each other. Everyone just stared. They were matching each other blow for blow. Suddenly
Buffy stiffened. Angel looked up. There was a very large group of vampires just strolling
into the warehouse.
Buffy groaned. "Oh-"
"Shit." Wesley finished for her.
The Faiths stopped.
"I see the rumors were true. The slayer is in town." One of the vamps hissed.
Buffy stepped forward. "Which slayer are you referring to? Me?"
"Or me?"
"Might even be me."
Buffy slid out of Wesley's jacket. She tossed lavender dress Faith a stake. The vampires
looked at the three girls. They judged them not to be much of a threat. Then they rushed
in. They soon realized their error. The slightly dirty Faith in the lavender sundress was
landing kicks right and left. She did a particularly brutal high kick that ripped her dress up
to the waist. Buffy was no less amazing. Her fists were doing some serious damage. The
two eventually ended up back to back.
"Like old times, B."
"Synchronized slaying."
They moved together back to back. They were taking out vampires right and left. Gunn
and his gang were doing some serious damage themselves. In a matter of minutes there
were a bunch of humans and a souled vampire looking at a very dusty floor.
The leather Faith started clapping. "Look at you. Sister soldiers. Miss goody and her two
shoes. This is what you've always wanted, Killer."
Buffy and the Faith next to her exchanged a look.
"I owe her one. Let's get her."
"I'm in, B."
They both and started to circle the other Faith.
"Two against one is cheating."
"Darn, you must have missed the memo that reneged the whole 'life is fair' thing." Buffy
quipped.
Lavender Faith kicked the back of the other's knee. She lost her balance and fell to her
hands and knees. Faith grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. The knife suddenly
appeared in her hand. She put it to the other's throat.
"Faith, no!"
She looked at Wesley. He was looking at her. His whole face was wanted her to be bigger
than the evil's little nickname for her. To not be the killer this time. To be the girl who
walked in the light. Her hand started to shake, and the knife clattered to the floor. She
released the other's hair and took a step back. Silent tears fell from her eyes.
"Weak. Weak. Weak." The evil whispered. She grabbed the blade, spun around, and
drove it into Faith's gut.
Buffy screamed. It was ear-piercing.
The next thing the other Faith knew, she was flying through the air and crashing against
the wall. She shook herself out and tried to stand. She was grabbed and slammed against
the wall, hard. Then she was being punched repeatedly. Buffy's hand was like a vise on
her collar. The other was raining hard hits on her face. Her nose started bleeding. She felt
one lip bust, followed shortly by the other one.
"Buffy!"
She grabbed the sides of Faith's head and slammed it into the wall. The slayer was
effectively knocked out. Buffy turned and looked at Angel.
"Yes?"
"What the hell is going on in here?"
Everyone turned to see Kate Lockley in the warehouse with her gun drawn. No one moved
or said anything. Then Buffy had a brainstorm. She pointed at the evil Faith.
"This escaped convict tried to kill us."
"Who's that then?" Kate pointed at the fallen Faith with the knife protruding from her gut.
"Her sister, Anne."
Buffy and Faith's eyes locked. Buffy walked over to the other slayer. She was bleeding
everywhere. Buffy wrapped her hands around Faith's. "Hang on."
"Don't know if I can, B."
Wesley dropped to her other side. He put his hands over Buffy's. "You must. The fun's
just starting."
She smiled at him. "You are mine." She looked at Buffy. "Love you, sis." Her eyes
closed.
Angel grabbed Kate's arm. "Get us an ambulance. Now!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Faith walked up to the picnic blanket the was set out. A sunny day in Sunnydale. Buffy
looked up at her.
"You came."
"Sure."
"They'll come to."
"Who?"
"It's not important now. You'll be ready."
"Ready?"
"They watch you."
"Who?"
"Later. I have something for you."
"If it's a severed head, I'm gonna be very upset."
"Don't be silly."
Buffy reached into the picnic basket next to her and pulled something out. She hid it
behind her back as she stood. Faith looked at her in confusion. Buffy pulled out the
plastic tiara and placed it on Faith's head. She kissed her cheek.
"Welcome home."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Faith woke with a start and jerked up in bed. She winced at the pain in her side. She
startled Wesley into wakefulness. He'd been asleep holding her hand.
"Faith?"
"Wes?"
He jumped up and ran out of the room. The next thing she knew the room was flooded
with doctors and nurses poking at her.
"How are you feeling Miss Wyndham-Pryce?"
"WHAT?!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"It was relatively easy."
"You could have told me, but no. Just had to be rushing-out-of-the-room guy, huh?"
"I wasn't thinking. You'd been out for several days."
"I still can't believe it only took you a few days to secure documents naming me as your
adopted sister. Faith Anne Wyndham-Pryce." She shook her head.
"That was Angel's doing. He stills feels rather guilty about the whole thing."
"Just what Angel needs. More guilt. I still don't get how I'm not in a prison hospital."
"Buffy explained the other was your long lost psychotic twin, and she was trying to steal
your identity. They arrested her and she's the one in the prison hospital."
"Next on As the Hellmouth Turns...."
Wesley laughed.
"And the Watcher's Council?"
"It seems I am back in their good graces by helping to return the 'rogue slayer' to her
incarceration."
"So they aren't after you and Angel anymore?"
"Apparently not. They still don't approve of Angel, but they feel him no longer a threat."
"How nice." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Rather."
"I don't trust them."
"Well, neither do I, but that's another thing altogether."
"What about me? Anne?"
"They don't know about you. They never will. We'll keep you safe. A change in
appearance might be a good idea. I think a hair cut and dye job. Jet black, maybe? And
perhaps another tattoo to throw them off. And Cordelia insists on a new wardrobe."
Faith smiled. He'd really thought this over.
"Knock. Knock."
They looked up to see Buffy in the doorway.
"Hey, B. Come on in."
The blonde slayer drug Angel in the room. They were followed by Giles, Gunn and
Cordelia. Faith took in Cordelia's fading bruises and cast on her wrist.
"Oh shit, Cordy. I'm so sorry."
"It's cool. If I can forgive Angel for Angelus's remarks on my acting, I can forgive anything."
Gunn reached over and squeezed Faith's hand. "I'm glad to see you're still among the
living. My crew sends their regards and wishes you a speedy recovery because they
wanna see you slay many more vamps." He looked at Buffy. "You two have officially
reached living legend status with them."
"I'll be up and staking in no time. It's not like I've never been stabbed in the gut before,
huh, B?"
Buffy ducked her head in embarrassment.
"Faith." Wesley gasped.
"That was a joke. You gotta lighten up, B."
Faith looked at Angel. He wasn't even looking at her. He hadn't looked at her at all since
he'd been in the room. Cordelia looked at the two of them.
"I hear they have coffee in the cafeteria here."
"Oh yum."
"Coffee yes."
"Sounds good."
"By all means. Let's go."
The room cleared, leaving Angel with Faith. He looked at her.
"Subtle."
"I'll say."
"Faith-"
"Don't."
"But-"
"No. No more guilt for you. You have enough.
"But I let you down when you needed me."
"No, I needed Buffy. Now I need YOU."
"You've got me."
"You realize I plan on earning your trust."
"It won't be easy." He smiled.
"The best things never are."
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