Actions & Consequences (11/?)
“Momma?”
Faith stared at Lex, her heart catching at the sight of her little boy, hers, stood by his bed, a protective arm around his twin’s shoulder. Every time either of them spoke to her, called her Momma or Ma or Mummy, her heart tightened with a combination of joy at finally at finding her babies and fear that she’d be a fuck-up of a parent just like her mom. Finally she found her voice. “Yes baby,” she scooped her children up into her arms and kissed them on their foreheads with a softness she’d never kissed anyone with before. “What’s up?”
She hid a smile at the troubled look on her babies’ face; they looked so sweet in the PJs Fang had found that had once been Connor’s. “You know how you and Aunt Buffy are real strong?”
“Yes baby,” she nodded. They’d explained about Slayers, her heart had nearly burst with pride when Hoppy had called her ‘a super-hero’.
“And how’s Auntie Willa can do magic,” Hoppy’s eyes widened at her comment. Again she nodded. “And Granpappy Giles knows everything?” Faith bit back a chuckle, better not let English hear that otherwise he would lord it over them.
“And then there’s Uncle Angel who’s a vampire,” Lex added. Faith could barely stop from laughing remembering how excited her babies had been when Fang had vamped out for them. “But,” her baby hesitated.
“Go on sweetie,” she encouraged.
”Why doesn’t daddy have powers too? Why isn’t he special too?”
“Hey,” Faith scolded gently before shaking her head. “You shouldn’t say that about your daddy he’s real special. Even though he hasn’t got any powers he saved the world once on his own, when Auntie Buffy and Granpappy Giles couldn’t,” seeing her children’s eyes widen she continued. “And he’s helped your Auntie Buffy save the world a ton of times and killed plenty of demons.”
”How does he do all that without any powers?” asked an awe-struck Hoppy, her
eyes wide with wonder.
“Because,” Faith stopped for a second wondering how to explain the concepts of honour, compassion, bravery, and loyalty to two three year olds, concepts she’d not believed in herself until recently. “Because he does have a power.”
“Really?” Lex looked so excited. She couldn’t resist giving him an extra squeeze and a soppy kiss on his cheek. “Mom!” A look of disgust on his face, Lex wiped his face clean.
Faith giggled at her son’s horrified expression. “Sorry baby. Your daddy’s power is he has the biggest heart in the world, all filled with love and courage.”
“Wow,” Lex said. “We’re really lucky to have him as our new dad aren’t we?”
“Yes you are sweetie, he’ll be the best daddy in the world,” Faith looked at the bed. “Now let me put you to bed. I’ll sleep in the chair, okay?”
“Momma,” Hoppy asked in a small voice. “Can you sleep with
us? Please?”
Faith smiled. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
In just a few seconds, she snuggled up to her babies, lying between them, holding them in a protective embrace. “Mommy?” Hoppy spoke, her voice sleepy. “You won’t leave us like our other mommy did will you?”
“Never,” she vowed. She was going to be a mom for her babies to be proud of.
* * *
Xander stopped outside the door to his children’s room, his forehead creased in thought. He looked down at the fairy tale books Fred have given him, with the shy suggestion that he might want to read his children a bedtime story. Finally he shook his head and backed away from the door, he couldn’t go in there, not after what he’d just overheard, not with his feelings all confused about Faith.
Turning, he started back towards his room. Maybe, just maybe, Faith had changed. Or maybe, he scowled, she’d heard him outside and said it to impress him, show him what a great girl she was. Wouldn’t put it past her, he still remembered what a devious manipulator she was.
“Xander.”
He jumped at the unexpected voice beside him. His heart thumping, he turned to the vampire by his side and glared. “Damn it Deadboy!” he growled. “You own this big ass hotel, but you still can’t afford a bell around your neck? What’s up with that?”
The vampire smiled thinly. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Uh?”
“It’s a question of style and you don’t have any.” Angel’s face turned serious. “Can we talk?”
Xander nodded even as he inwardly groaned. Great, here it came, a lecture on the wonderfulness of Faith. “Sure, your office?”
* * *
“Willow?” a hesitant voice came through the door.
Willow looked up from kissing the back of Kennedy’s neck, allowing her hands to drop from cupping her girlfriend’s breasts. “Come in Buffy,” she called. “Later honey,” she whispered a promise into the new Slayer’s ear.
The door swung open and Buffy walked in. Her best friend smiled at Kennedy. “Kennedy, can I have a word with Willow on my own please?”
Her girl friend glanced at her for guidance, she nodded. Kennedy’s answering smile seemed forced. “Sure Buffy.”
Rising Kennedy made her way to pass the oldest Slayer only for the blonde to block her path. “Thanks for what you did earlier; rescuing my sister and Giles, you did good work.”
Willow saw her girl friend’s lips, oh so kissable lips, quirk up in a smile. “Thanks, but you might want to ask Giles about that. He wasn’t best pleased to see me.” Chuckling slightly, her girl-friend left.
“What was that about?” Willow demanded as the door closed behind her girlfriend.
Buffy shrugged. “I don’t know although Giles was muttering something about pitying whoever ended up as her Watcher when they got back from being rescued.”
Willow crunched her forehead up in thought. How strange, it wasn’t like Giles to be ungrateful. “So,” she smiled expectantly at her best friend. “Not to be impatient or anything but I really wanted to get full use out of my girl-friend’s tongue piercing tonight.”
“Okay,” she was pleased when Buffy reddened. Payback’s a bitch; she thought. After all those years being embarrassed by her friend’s descriptions of her sex-life it was good to get some retaliation in. Honestly, the girl was second only to Anya sometimes. “Too much information Will,” her friend’s voice turned from dry humour to concern. “Will, what’s up?”
“I was just thinking of Anya and all the people we lost,” Willow wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Her heart dropped at the sight of Buffy’s face tightening. “Oh god Buffy, I’m sorry. I forgot about Spike!”
Shaking her head, Buffy knelt on the end of the bed. “Don’t worry, I’ve realised I need a for real normal guy, someone who knows about the Slaying but can deal with it, Spike was a mistake.” Buffy smiled at her doubtful look. “Honestly, a mistake with great abs but once he put his shirt on…. No,” her friend’s face shadowed. “I was thinking of all those new Slayers who got murdered. By my plan.”
“Buffy,” she breathed. “We won, we saved the world. Was there another way? Maybe if the Council hadn’t been blown-up, we had more time, an army of ensoulled vampires, but we didn’t, we were it. We did the best with what we had.”
Buffy looked doubtful. “But-.”
“No, no buts,” Willow giggled. “Well except Kennedy or Faith’s in lycra shorts. Look at me Buffy, this is resolve face, you and Xander know not to mess with this look.”
Buffy grinned then scowled. “Faith and Kennedy’s butts? What’s wrong with mine?”
“Why did you want to see me anyway?” Willow evaded, telling a friend she had a butt as flat as a pancake was probably not the best way to keep their friendship intact. Girl likes to have something soft to hold and squeeze... “Well get on with it!” she snapped with more fervour than she intended, but she really needed Kennedy right about now.
Buffy blinked at her tone and then continued. “So Xander and Faith having kids. How do you feel about that?”
Willow stared at her companion for a moment, uncertain what to say about the contrasting emotions swirling around inside her. “You know when I was a girl playing with my dolls,” her mother had disapproved, saying that a young woman of the twentieth century should play with ‘non-gender specific’ toys but she’d ignored her. “I always used to make Xander be the daddy -.”
She was interrupted by Buffy’s snort. “Sorry, I just had a vision of Xander playing with a doll. Serious blackmail information.” Her friend turned serious. “But how do you feel?”
Willow shrugged. She didn’t feel the same way she had about Faith, her turn to the dark side following Tara’s death had shown her how seductive evil could be, and it wasn’t like they were competing for the same boy, or even gender, anymore. And she knew who’s best friend Buffy was, that insecurity didn’t have the same bite it once had. But on the other hand… “I just want him to be happy and I’m glad he’s finally got them, but,” her face twisted in anguish. “Why didn’t he tell me about them?”
“Hey,” Buffy hugged her. “He knew how hurt you were by you being with Faith at the time, maybe he was afraid to hurt you even more. And of me kicking his ass.”
“But what about the way he reacted at the wedding?” Willow
added, all her worries surfacing. “I mean Xander’s a good guy and everything,
but can he be relied on to look after two kids?”
“Then we’ll have to make sure our nephew and niece gets the best home they can. What about,” Buffy hesitated. “What about Faith as a mom?”
Willow gnawed on her bottom lip in thoughtful contemplation. “I never saw hell raiser, ‘get some, get gone’ Faith as the earth mother type but the way she looked when we all walked into the room before, she was so frightened that we were going take her children away from her. And she idolises them,” she decided not to tell Buffy about the eavesdropping spell she’d cast when Xander and the second Slayer had left the room. If Xander had tried to blackmail Faith into sex, well her new nephew and niece would be down a daddy…. If she didn’t do it herself, she’d ensure that Angel and Giles were told. “You can tell by the way she looks at them, her pride when they call her mommy.”
“Yeah but,” Buffy pressed. “What if it’s a novelty?
Knowing Faith she could be bored in a couple of months, leaving on the back of
some biker’s Harley, leaving her kids behind, all heartbroken.”
Willow fought back the urge to swear. It appeared that
while she might have gotten over her issues with Faith, Buffy hadn’t
completely. “Just give her a chance Buff,” she counselled softly. “If it
doesn’t work out,” she shrugged. “Then Xander will have us all to help him
won’t he?”
“He will,” Buffy smiled unwillingly and stood. “They are little cuties aren’t they?”
Willow beamed. “Oh god yeah, Lex has got his daddy’s
smile, makes me want to cuddle him and never let him go.”
“Careful Will,” Buffy grinned. “Kennedy hears you she’ll
think you’re turning straight again.”
Willow giggled. “Just wait ‘til Alex’s 18, I’ll be his Mrs Robinson!”
“Ugh Will!” Buffy’s nose scrunched up. “That’s gross!” Her friend’s face turned serious. “What about all these powers after them?”
Willow felt her heart harden at the mention of the evil forces arrayed against them. “We’ll deal, we always do,” she said with a calmness she didn’t feel. And if any of them hurt a hair on those two children’s heads, she’d make them wish their names were Warren Meers.
* * *
“Angel,” Xander sighed from the other side of his room. “I figured you invite me into here for some reason other than to stare a hole into my handsome face?”
Angel started and nodded. “Sorry I was just thinking.”
“Ah,” Xander nodded sagely. “Takes extra time for thoughts to make their way through your hair gel.”
Angel shook his head; one thing he hadn’t missed from
Sunnydale were Xander’s attempts at humour. Taking an unneeded breath, he began
to talk, telling Xander of what had happened to Cordelia, he didn’t want to tell
the youth but he felt it best that Xander found out direct from the source.
Then at least he wouldn’t have to wonder when the explosion came. He finished
his recounting with a description of rescuing a comatose Cordelia from Connor.
“So he’s just disappeared?” Angel nodded; his son had leapt through a window
just after he’d been defeated. “I’m sorry.”
Angel blinked. That wasn’t the reaction he’d expected. “You’re not angry?”
“Angel,” his companion sighed. “I spoke to Cordelia a couple of times a month,” Angel blinked again, he hadn’t known that. “She was so proud of what she did here, your work here. It made her happy and fulfilled, you made her happy damn it. She chose this life; you didn’t force her into it.”
“Thanks,” he hesitated. It wasn’t any of his business, and
yet… “I heard what Faith was saying about you.”
Xander looked surprised for a second. “What?” then he
nodded. “Oh yeah, gotta love that vamp hearing. So?”
“What did you think of what Faith said?”
Xander shook his head. “Confused.” The youth paused; Angel remained silent waiting for the young man to expand. Well, it wasn’t like he was getting any older. “For the past four years I’ve hated Faith, for the way she treated me after we had sex, for trying to kill me, and most of all for stealing my kids away from me. Then I hear the person I hate the most of all in the world telling those self-same kids how much she thinks of me.”
“Xander,” Angel struggled for the words to comfort the youth. “You want to blame anybody for Faith blame me.”
“Uh?” the one-eyed man looked confused.
“Or blame guys like me,” he clarified. “Like Liam at least. I never raped or beat a woman,” well he hadn’t as a human. “But I’d use any line to get a girl, especially one as beautiful as Faith, and then, once I’d got what I wanted, she’d be dumped, pregnant, heart-broken, her reputation ruined. It’s because of guys like me when you went to see Faith after Finch she couldn’t believe that you wouldn’t want anything other than to use her, because that’s all she’d ever known users.”
“You managed to reach her.”
Angel shrugged. “There’s a darkness within both of us that gave me an understanding of her that you thankfully could never have,” he smirked. “And as I remember it, it hurt a hell of a lot doing it too.”
Xander chuckled. “Having a Slayer beat her frustrations out on you can’t be fun,” he commented.
“You have no idea,” he retorted. “Xander,” the younger man paused in rising. “Faith has her problems but she’s also loyal, honest, and has a lot of love to give to her kids - and the right man.”
“The right man?” Xander’s mouth dropped open. “Me and Faith? No way,” he shook his head. “There lies the path of madness.”
“Why?” he asked bluntly. “Faith’s beautiful, spirited, loyal, honest, brave, and funny as well as being the mother of your children.”
“As I’ve only got one eye now, sleeping with one eye open is going to be a problem.”
“Look Xander,” Angel sighed. “I’m not saying get married tomorrow or anything drastic like that. I’m saying open your heart, you forgave Willow,” Xander’s mouth dropped open. “She mentioned it after ensoulling me, she was so proud of what you did. Give her a chance to prove she’s changed. If you don’t….” he allowed his voice to trail off.
“That a threat Angel?”
Angel chuckled at the look in the youth’s one eye. “How stupid would I have to be to threaten you in a hotel filled with Slayers who to a woman adore you? Including the girl we’re talking about? No,” he shook his head. “I’m just warning you that you could be losing out on a great opportunity. But,” he flashed his eyes yellow. “I am warning you abuse her in any way, and Buffy and Willow won’t be able to stop me from paying you a visit.”
To his surprise his companion, didn’t flinch. “Good to know.”
* * *
Alone in his hotel room, Giles smiled as he remembered the look of wonder in his grand-children’s eyes as he’d regaled them with tale after tale. He’d never married, so the Scoobies were his surrogate children, and fine children they were. He was amazed how much the three of them had grown, Faith seemed completely different, especially when her children were with her. He just wished Anya, Tara, and Cordy were still with them, to share in all this.
Noting the early morning rays were beginning to come through the windows, he climbed into his bed, he needed to rest before tonight’s action. His smile faded, his face hardening into something Ethan Rayne would have recognised as Ripperish, as he considered the forces arrayed against them. They were all going to learn what a mistake it was to try and hurt his family.
* * *
The teen looked down from his crouched position on the hotel fire escape. He knew they wouldn’t be able to detect him, not with the skills his guardian and hard life had taught him. The loyalty he’d seen puzzled him, it must be…. “Family,” he muttered before disappearing into the night. The children were interesting…. He’d keep an eye on them.
Actions (12/?)
“Fuck,” Faith groaned. Whatever bar pick-up was slobbering on her face was so going to get his ass kic-.
“Momma,” a tiny hand slapped the crook of her arm. “You used the worst word ever!”
Suddenly her eyes shot open to see two sets of glaring eyes staring down at her. “Oops,” Faith forced a look of contrition, not one she had much practice with, she freely admitted. “Forgiven babies?”
Hoppy nodded immediately but Lex was made of sterner stuff. “Mommy you said a naughty word last night too!” her son shook his head, his look firmly disapproving.
“I’m sorry,” god if anyone ever got a tape of this conversation, she was turning psycho again and killing every last one of them. “Don’t be angry at Mommy. I’ll try harder.”
“Honest Indian?” Hoppy broke in, her eyes grave.
“Honest Indian,” she confirmed with a nod. God they were adorable and they were hers to look after. She wouldn’t mess this up, it was too important. “But only if…” she allowed her voice to trail off.
”What mommy?” Hoppy asked.
“If,” she linked her arms around her babies’ waists and pulled them to her with a laugh. “We cuddle!”
* * *
“No,” Xander shook his head firmly. “Not going to happen.”
”But daddy,” Lex looked confused as he stared up at the one-eyed man. “Isn’t
Uncle Angel doing a nice thing?”
Xander stared at his son. Angel sighed, as nice and novel as it was to see his old sparring partner stuck for words, this conversation wasn’t going anywhere fast. “Xander, can I speak to you in my office please?”
“Oooh,” commented Hoppy, her eyes wide. “Are you going to tell Daddy off Uncle Angel?”
Angel fought to remind himself that his image didn’t allow
for him laughing. “No Hope, your father and I have grown-up,” he winced,
grown-up with Xander Harris? “Things to discuss.”
“But you’re not going to shout at him?” Lex broke in, his face worried.
“No,” he shook his head, before crouching in front of the three year old. It was becoming an even greater struggle to keep his face straight. “Just talk.”
“Promise?” the toddler pressed with the tenacity of a congressional lawyer.
“I promise,” he replied, his expression grave.
“Okay,” Lex nodded his head slowly.
“Can we go now?” Xander asked, Angel noted the beginnings of a smile tugging at the young man’s face. Both children nodded. “Okay, you be good for your mommy and auntie Dawn?”
“Okay daddy,” the children chorused.
Angel’s vampire hearing picked up Dawn’s muttering. “Oh yeah, like that going to work.”
Once inside the office, Xander glared at him. “I’m not taking your money Deadboy.”
It was an effort but he managed not to throw the boy through the nearest wall. “Damn it Xander,” he growled. “Four damn years and you still haven’t grown up? Buffy and I have moved on, why haven’t you?” the youth’s face stayed impassive. Angel sighed, he had thought their talk last night had cleared the air, but obviously he’d been mistaken. “If you won’t take the money for yourself, how about them? Faith needs some new things, and god knows your kids do!” The youth’s eye looked down to the proffered notes but didn’t reach for them. Sighing, he tried again. “If you want call it repaying a debt.”
“Uh?”
“The night in the hospital with Angelus.”
“Okay,” Xander took the money with a nod. “Thanks. Angel, why did you stop anyway? We both know you would have torn me apart.”
Angel nodded. “He would have,” he admitted. “But he also
knew that all those security would have run in to stop me-.”
”They couldn’t-.”
“No they couldn’t,” he agreed. “But they might have given Buffy enough time to get away, and him killing you might have ended any conflict she had about killing him.” Angel sighed. “At heart, any vampire, any demon is a coward. The soul gives a human the choice of being brave or not. Angelus had killed four Slayers in his time, but Buffy and Faith, are different, less constrained by Council doctrine. Either of them could take him.” He turned to the door.
“Angel,” he turned back to see the young man, a pensive look on his face, after taking a breath the male Scooby spoke. “Thanks for jumping in front of the bullets last night.”
Angel smiled thinly, for a pair of innocents it hadn’t even be a second’s thought. “Forget it.”
Xander shook his head. “There’s some things you can’t
forget. I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he was surprised when the one-eyed man
held out a hand. “Fresh start?”
A smile on his face, he took the hand. “Fresh start,” he agreed.
* * *
Faith beamed as she glanced around the crowded mid-afternoon mall, she was having the best time. When she’d been a Boston Southie she’d never been a mall girl, never having the money or the friends to go with, responsible parents didn’t want their kids hanging out with a junkie whore’s daughter. She just hoped she would judge people by who they were and not who their family were. When she’d had gone to the mall, she’d always been on edge, either from having to shop-lift or knowing she’d have to put out in exchange for the food and stuff she’d been bought.
But this, this was different. She had money to spend, and her babies to spend it on. The look of excitement on their faces were so sweet she had to fight back tears of joy.
The only downer, the only slight shadow, was Xander. He joked with their companion, Dawn, and the way he was with their kids, he was going to make a great dad, but her, her he barely spoke to. “Give it time,” she muttered. Once he realised she’d changed, he’d give her a chance. And it wasn’t like he didn’t have a right to hate her after what she’d done to him. “Mommy!”
Turning, she crouched down beside Lex and kissed him on his forehead. “What’s the sitch little guy?”
“Daddy said we could go for pizza if you wanted. What you think?”
“How could I,” she lifted her son up, cradling him in her arm and resting his head on her shoulder. “Say no to those eyes?” Your daddy’s eyes, she was surprised to find herself adding mentally before stopping. What the fuck, she couldn’t be developing feelings for him could she? He hated her even more than she’d hated B when she’d come out of the coma. Faith groaned, ‘cause her life wasn’t complicated enough.
“What’s wrong mommy?”
She smiled at the concern in her son’s voice. “Nothing baby,” she lied. “Just you mentioning food reminded how hungry I am. Now where are the others?” Her eyes narrowed as she noticed a familiar figure in the distance, and then blinked as it disappeared. Must have been her imagination.
* * *
“Faith, can I speak to you for a minute?”
Faith glanced towards the Watcher standing by the hotel inner office. “Sure G.”
“Granpappy Giles!” Hoppy ran over to the Englishman. “I bought some new books today, fairy tales and everything! Will you read them to me!”
“I’ve a better idea.” She watched as the Englishman effortlessly scooped up her daughter. “Why don’t you read them to me?”
Faith hid a smile as her daughter pouted. “But I don’t read many words Grandpa.”
“Then,” the Englishman kissed Hope on the forehead. “We’ll read together. How does that sound?”
“You’ll help me?”
“But of course. It would be my honour.”
“You talk funny Grandpa.”
The Watcher chuckled. “So your father has frequently remarked. Now,” Giles placed her daughter back on the floor. “Why don’t you take your new things up to your room while I talk to your mother?”
“Okay Grandpa,” Hoppy nodded. “But you’ll come up later?”
The middle-aged man beamed. “Of course, how could I say no
to the most beautiful little girl in the world.” Once the others had
disappeared, Giles turned to her. “They really are delightful.”
Faith felt a surge of pride at G’s praise. No-one had ever
called her delightful when she was a kid, she was always ‘the brat’ or ‘the
nusiance’. “Yeah, they’re wicked.”
Giles winked at her. “If they’re anything like their mother, positively devilish.” The Englishman chuckled when she flipped him the finger. “Such manners from the mother of two young children why I do declare I see the fabric of American society dissolving before me.”
“Asshole.”
The Watcher winked before nodding towards the inner office door. “If you don’t mind.”
“Sure G.”
Faith stiffened as she walked over the office threshold and saw Wesley sat behind the desk. “Uh uh, a Watcher double-team,” she joked to hide her apprehension. Next to Xander, being around Wes made her more nervous than any of the others, partially because she’d hurt him the most, taken him apart piece by piece and revelled in it, her most calculatingly evil act. And also because of the changes in him, if she ever went bad again she knew that while the others were agonising about what to do, good old reliable Wes would be setting up a sniper rifle to blow her pretty little head off.
“Faith,” seeing Giles was indicating a chair opposite the younger Watcher she sat down but continued to look at the older Watcher, unwilling to meet Wes’ eyes. “I’ve called you here to give you this. Please bear in mind it’s dated for the 1st July when I officially gain the power to access council -.”
Faith looked down, her eyes widening as she realised she was holding a cheque for $ 250,000 made payable to her, Faith Wilkins. “W..what is this?” she managed to gasp.
“You are of course aware of my decision to start paying the Slayers four thousand dollars a month?” she nodded numbly at G’s words. “Well as you have been a Slayer since Apr ’98, that represents your back-pay so to speak.”
Finally she found her voice. “Guys, I hate to break it to you but I spent more than three years of that time either evil, in a coma, or in prison.”
“We’re well aware of that,” Giles replied, his expression understanding. “However given the circumstances surrounding your fall and the fault on both sides, consider the money as a sort of compensation -.”
“But-.” Faith began to protest.
“In fact as your children’s grandfather I would have to
insist,” Giles overrode her. “What sort of responsible parent turns down a
quarter of a million dollars?”
Suddenly she had an idea. “Split the money,” she bargained. “Put it half and half in two accounts for them for when they’re eighteen, sort of a college fund.” Her babies were going to college, they were both wicked smart.
Giles beamed. “What a splendid idea. I’ll get the paperwork drawn up as soon our current situation is cleared up.”
“Thanks G,” Faith nodded. The two Watchers rose. Licking her lips, she spoke, relieved that she couldn’t hear any sign of nervousness in her voice. “Wes, can I talk to you for a minute?”
The two Englishman exchanged a glance. After a few seconds Wesley nodded. “Certainly.” Once G had left Wes spoke. “Well?”
It took her a while but finally Faith found her voice. “I’m sorry.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Gathering her courage, Faith spoke, the words bubbling out like a torrent. “For that day I tortured you, what I did…” Her voice trailed off as she flashed back to that day, her ears filling with Wes’ pained gasps, he hadn’t begged but he’d been unable to keep the pain inside, her nose filled with the stench of Wes’ blood and sweat, and her eyes were filled with images of the wounds she’d caused. Suddenly she was shaking, bile choking her.
“Now there,” she was surprised to feel a pair of strong
hands on her shoulders. “There’s no need for this. And as your Watcher I
forbid it.”
She giggled slightly at Wes’ mock-severe tone. “This girl’s not too good at taking orders.”
“Really?” the Watcher chuckled. “I hadn’t noticed. I quite pity Xander, two mini-Faiths and the genuine article. I doubt the poor lad as a clue what he’s let himself in for.”
The remark was meant as a joke but Faith flinched nonetheless. At least X wouldn’t have to worry about his kids trying to kill him. “Faith, if I offended you?”
She shook her head and began to stand. “Nothing Wes, gotta jet-.”
“Bloody sit down!”
She flinched at the hard note in the Englishman’s tone and before she knew it she was sat down again. “Faith,” the Englishman’s tone had softened. “You know I didn’t help you with the Council hit-team for you don’t you?”
Faith nodded. “You did it for Angel.” Why the fuck would he want to help her?
Wesley confirmed her suspicion with a nod. “Correct. He believed there was good in you, that you deserved a chance at redemption. Just as,” the Watcher smiled crookedly. “He’d assisted me in a slightly different way. I had a debt to pay to a man I respected immensely and endeavoured to pay it. And,” the Englishman paused. “Found that despite my misgivings he was correct. Faith, you have done terrible evil in your time,” she grimaced. “And you should never forget that. But you should also remember the changes you’ve made, the good you’ve done, and be proud of that. The time to continue punishing yourself is long gone.”
After a second Faith nodded and smiled. “Thanks Wes.” If only Xander could see things that way.
* * *
“So we’re agreed, Wolfe has to die?”
While both Xander and Angel agreed to Giles’ question, Wesley hesitated. He thought about the scared girl who’d wanted nothing more than to have a friend, who instead he’d treated as nothing more than a tool. He thought of the evil he’d done for far less cause, setting the Council on Faith instead of trying with her, kidnapping Connor, imprisoning Justine, unleashing Angelus, and sleeping with Lilah. He’d done so much evil, unthinking or otherwise, it was time to redress the balance a little. “I don’t have a problem with that.” Killing an evil man to protect a girl he’d failed in the past and her children – it wasn’t even a choice.
* * *
“Do you think Uncle Lorne will sing to us Auntie Rona?”
Rona grinned down at the little girl sat on her lap. It amazed her that a hell raiser like Faith could produce such a sweet little angel as Hope. “I tell you what,” she replied. “Why don’t I sing you a song myself?”
Hope’s eyes widened. “That’s be wicked Auntie Rona!”
“Okay,” after clearing her throat she began singing ‘You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Born Woman’.
After a few seconds the door swung open and Lorne walked in, his face split into two by a beaming smile. “Now Aretha’s got comp-,” suddenly the demon’s face fell. “Girls! Get out of here now!”
Actions & Consequences (13/?)
He smiled as he heard the little girl ask the female warrior if Lorne would sing for them. He hoped the green-skinned demon would, he’d always found a sort of peace when Lorne sang. His brow furrowed as an unpleasant and very familiar smell reached his nose. “Vampires,” he growled deep in his throat. They wouldn’t be allowed to hurt the children. Turning, he leapt from the fire escape to the ground below. It was time for The Destroyer to hunt again.
* * *
“How sure are you that these tunnels lead to Wolfram & Hart?”
Wesley fought back the urge to slap Xander for repeating the question for what seemed like the hundredth time. “They did when Lillah told me about them six months ago,” he replied with a patience that was rapidly running out.
“Right,” the youth nodded, “but they’ve changed bosses since then. On account of the fact of the last bosses being killed?”
Wesley bit back a groan. Why couldn’t he have been assigned to one of the other teams. Oh yes, that was it, his special relationship with Lillah. Oh joy, the liaison that just kept on giving. “Xander,” Giles’ tired tone indicated his fellow country-man was growing as frustrated with the conversation as he was, “this is the best lead we have. After all, only Angel has an eternity to spare.”
Finally the youth sighed. “Sorry, just wigged out about my kids.”
Giles nodded and squeezed the Scooby’s shoulder. “I quite
understand son. Now,” Giles smiled coldly, “it’s time to do a good deed and
thin a few lawyers from the herd.” The new Council head turned to Angel.
“Angel, the grille?”
* * *
“Are you a follower of Quart’s theory of Magic?” Kennedy heard Fred ask Willow, the two women just ahead of her.
Willow shook her head. “No,” her girlfriend replied, “I believe in the teachings of Jonas.”
“Oh but wasn’t he disproved by Letish in the 700s?”
“Ah,” Willow trilled back, “there’s an interesting story about that!”
Kennedy fought back at a sigh, she doubted the story was very interesting at all. She loved Willow with all her heart but put her together with another nerd and things went downhill fast. Her eyes widened as Fred suddenly twisted to one side, raised her pistol crossbow and fired. A second later there was a cry and the sound of exploding dust. “Lordy but I hate vampires,” Fred stopped for a second, “except for Angel of course,” she babbled, “not only ‘cause he’s got a soul and all, but also because he’s my boss and he saved me from Pylea. You know when we got back from Pylea I had this giant crush on him for the longest time, he’s so -.”
“I get the idea Fred,” Willow interrupted. Kennedy hid a grin, maybe there was more to the shy Texan than first appeared.
* * *
“Girl likes her work don’t she?” Gunn commented, his eyes widening as Faith lifted a fur-covered demon about six times her weight and threw it into the far wall, the demon’s bones crunching on impact. In the two minutes since they’d entered, Faith had dusted six vampires, decapitated three demons, and injured another ten. All making him feel very redundant.
Beside him Buffy nodded. “Faith takes a pride in her wo-,” suddenly the blonde grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to the ground, just as another demon hurtled through the air above them. “Faith!” the blonde screamed angrily. “That nearly hit us!”
The curvy brunette looked over her shoulder and winked
cockily. “Just giving you a head’s up B,” the Slayer smirked, “head’s up, get
it B?”
“Very funny,” Buffy replied, her face tight, “he’s getting away.”
Faith glanced towards the bartender heading towards the
back door. “You sure about that B?” grabbing a ball from a near-by pool table
she flung it into the back of the bartender’s head, he dropped soundlessly to
the floor. “Looks like he’s going no-where to me.”
“Always with the smugness,” Buffy muttered as she pulled herself and Gunn to their feet, “you could have left some for me.”
Faith’s face darkened. “Don’t like people threatening my babies.”
“Count me off baby-sitting duties,” Gunn muttered under his breath. He preferred saving the world to that particular terrifying responsibility, he so didn’t want to be charge of the kids when something went wrong. “Shall we ask our questions?” he asked in a louder voice.
“Gunn,” Faith beamed, “I like you, you’re plan guy.”
* * *
“So what’s the plan?” Xander whispered. Not there was much point, he was sure that anyone in the vicinity would be able to hear his pounding heart.
“Plan is you and Giles follow Wes up to Wolfe’s office while I create a decoy,” Angel muttered.
“That’s it?” Xander’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re hardly Eisenhower are you?”
Angel shrugged. “We’re sort of working on the fly here Xander.”
”Fine,” Xander groaned. “Lead on Wesley.”
“I beg your pardon,” Wesley commented, “I though it was lead on MacDuff.”
“Two English comics,” Xander muttered, “why couldn’t I get the Two Ronnies? Oh no, I ended up with Giles and Pryce.”
* * *
“Blood Brotherhood?” the man gasped on account of Faith’s shapely knee crushing his larynx. Gunn watched her work with interest and more than a little queasiness, he was just glad he hadn’t been around when she’d gone bad because if this was her when she was good…. “I don’t know no Blood Brotherhood.”
”Okay,” Faith nodded before grabbing hold of the nose the Slayer had broken when
the man had attempted to pull a knife and twisting. The man screamed. “Then
let’s try the Apocalypse Foundation.”
“Hear rumours they’ve hired some mercs but I don’t know who or why.”
“See,” Faith beamed before giving the man a friendly slap across his face, “now you’re getting the idea. I knew you couldn’t be as dumb as you looked even after pulling that knife on me. You see,” the girl leaned down and whispered conspiratorially, “I have ‘faith’ in people. Buffy here,” the man’s eyes widened at the naming of the legendary blonde Slayer, “thought you were too dumb to talk. Although,” the Bostonian shook her head, “it wasn’t very smart trying to play the tough guy was it, not with a roomful of Slayers? Now one last question – you heard anything about a gang calling themselves the Kalian Order?”
“There’s a mob in some offices down Mercer Avenue, moved
there about ten months ago -.”
”About the time Wood,” Gunn noted Faith’s slight flinch at Buffy’s mention of
the brunette’s treacherous ex-boyfriend, “turned up in Sunnydale. It fits.”
Faith nodded, all semblance of humour leaving her face. Man, Gunn just hoped that one of them got to Wood before Faith, they’d just kill him, she’d dissect the bastard – not that he didn’t deserve it, but he shouldn’t be the scumbag that pulled Faith back into the darkness she’d crawled out of. “The address?” she snapped.
* * *
Rona looked up at the demon, confusion warring with suspicion, she didn’t care what Bufy said, in her book a demon was a demon, no distinction. “What’s up?”
“No time!” Lorne babbled. “We’re in more trouble than
David Gest at a Liza Minnelli fan convention! We’ve got to leave -.”
Suddenly the window behind her shattered and a black-suited intruder rappelled in. Instantly Rona threw Hope to Lorne. “Get them out!”
Spinning round, she snatched at the soldier’s sub-machine, directing its muzzle to the ceiling before slamming a right into his throat and a knee into his groin. The thug dropped soundlessly to the ground.
Seeing the room filling with more soldiers, she leapt into the air, grabbed onto the room’s light fitting and somersaulted behind the troops, her feet crashing into the heads of two as she did so. Even as a third turned towards her, she snapped out a heel, shattering the man’s knee. Seeing another’s gun raise towards her, she dived for the balcony only for her head to explode in pain and then nothing.
* * *
Angel smiled as he looked down through the air vent grille and to the three suited security guards watching the CCTV system. It made for the perfect diversion, not only would an attack here alert every security guard in the building, thus drawing them from their posts, it also gave him a chance to destroy the entire video surveillance system giving Wes and the others a free run at finding and dealing with Wolfe. Angel’s expression soured, he just wished it could be him doing the deed, Wes and Giles had too much blood on their hands already, and Xander shouldn’t be corrupted in such a manner. Shaking his malaise away, Angel leapt through the grille. “Showtime!”
Landing behind the three guards, he grabbed the nearest by the back of his head and drove him face-first into the control panel, splattering blood all over the desk, the next he grabbed by his collar and belt, and flung into the wall of monitors. The third he simply head-butted into unconsciousness. A grin on his face, he reached under the desk and pressed the alarm before climbing up onto the ceiling. “Hope they hurry,” he muttered. “I forgot to set the video for Friends.”
* * *
“Uncle Lorne, what’s happening!” Lex cried.
“I don’t know sweet pea!” Lorne replied, struggling to keep his voice calm for the children. The terrible images he’d seen, those two sweet girls murdered, well nothing, he glanced down at the children tucked under his arms, was going to happen to them. Faith had suffered too much in her young life, nobody was taking her children away from her. And that Xander seemed liked a fine young man. “But don’t worry,” he gasped through wheezing lungs. “Uncle Lor-.”
A man stepped out of the shadows, raised a pistol and fired. The bullet slammed into his upper chest, tearing through flesh and bone and sending him crashing to the ground. His last thought before he passed out was he’d failed to protect the children.
* * *
“Uncle Lorne!” Lex screamed in shock as he hit the floor beside the singing demon, the hole in his chest seeming crater-sized. People were always dying around him and his sister – their first parents, then Auntie Rona and Auntie Vi, and now Uncle Lorne. Screaming his anger he jumped up and ran at the naughty man who’d shot his uncle.
The man laughed scarily before smashing the side of his gun into his head. His head swimming with pain, he fell to the floor.
* * *
“Don’t hurt them,” Trent instructed as he stepped out of the shadows, barely able to prevent a well-earned smirk from surfacing. Everything had gone swimmingly. An hour ago their surveillance team had informed them that three groups of people had left the hotel, leaving the children with only minimal protection. Not very smart. He’d expected better of the renowned Rupert Giles.
Still, the two Slayers they’d left behind had accounted for seven of his men between them. Newly called too, if they’d had a chance to be seasoned they could have been truly fearsome. He chuckled, but they wouldn’t get the chance now.
“My mommy’s gonna get you!”
He smiled at the young girl’s threat. “Oh I do so hope Faith comes to call,” he smiled at the thought of getting his hands on the beautiful brunette. He’d never had a jailbird before – there was a delicious seediness to the idea. His smile faded, time for pleasure later. “Bring them out to the car.”
* * *
Wolfe looked up as his office door flew open under a heavy kick and a trio of men strode in. He recognised them all from their extensive files. The oldest of the three was Rupert ‘Ripper’ Giles, new Council head and former black arts mage that W&H’s London branch had considered recruiting in the mid seventies, Wesley Whyndham-Pryce, Angel’s right-hand man, and Xander Harris, friend and confidante to Buffy Summers and the father of the Kalian prophecy children. Heart racing, he lunged for his desk alarm.
“Oh I don’t bloody think so!” He screamed as Pryce shoved a knife through his hand, pinning it to the desk. “Our friend Angel has your security distracted, they really have their hands full, it wouldn’t be fair of you to distract them.”
“I have money,” he babbled, more scared than he’d been in centuries. “Mr. Giles, the Watchers Council’s Library was destroyed in the First’s attack on you, I can replace every book you lost, and more. Mr. Harris,” he turned to the stony-eyed father. “We have the best surgeons, healers that are normally available to our most exclusive clients. Healers that could have your eye back in a -.”
The youth’s fist collided with his mouth, snapping his head back. “You think you can buy me off with an eye. You think I’d sell my kids down the river for a fucking eye?” the boy almost-snarled. At this point Wolfe could almost believe the story in the files about the young man once being possessed by a hyena, there was something animalistic about him. Wolfe’s blood chilled as the youth reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gleaming hand-ax. He opened his mouth to protest.
* * *
Xander smiled at the terror in the lawyer’s eyes, how many innocents had this bastard terrorised, before sending the ax slicing through the man’s neck, his blood splattering the window behind. Next he pulled out a zippo and set the now decapitated corpse on fire. “No resurrection for you,” he muttered.
“Damn it Xander!” Giles spun him round to face him, the Englishman’s face furious. “I’ve killed before, you shouldn’t have done this!”
“My children, my responsibility,” he replied before turning to a strangely expressionless Wesley. The younger Watcher had changed, back in Sunnydale he’d have been throwing up. “You best call Angel.”
* * *
“Get them in the car,” Trent ordered. Soon, his organisation would be the most powerful in the occult world.
“I’d rather they came with me,” a strong voice intoned in his left ear. Trent opened his mouth to scream as a hand grabbed his throat and his neck erupted in pain but only a croak escaped.
* * *
Lord Pain beamed as he dropped the corpse, his fangs dripping blood onto the cold pavement. He looked around to find the corpses of the special forces soldiers similarly littering the pavement. It had been most fortunate, the other group arriving and dealing with the Slayers for them. A smile on his face, he turned to his minions holding the children. “Load them into the van.”
“You can’t have them.”
Lord Pain turned to see a scrawny male teen stood in the alleyway behind his men, holding a pair of stakes. Pain’s brow furrowed in puzzlement. He didn’t know this youth, hadn’t seen him with Angelus’ group. “And who might you be?”
“Connor, son of Angelus and Darla,” the boy’s eyes shone with an untameable ferocity. “You can’t have them.”
FIC: Actions & Consequences (14/19)
Lord Pain beamed. First the Slayer’s children and now Angelus’ get. Oh this was a day to remember. He could just see Angelus’ face when showed the traitor his son’s flayed body. Oh the pain, he could almost taste it. He nodded to Klaus. “Bring him to me.”
Klaus lunged towards the youth. Pain’s mouth dropped open when the boy slid beneath the attack, grabbed the centuries-old vampire’s right arm at the wrist and elbow and twisted it back, the snapping bones sounding like gunfire.
Even as Klaus’ mouth opened in a scream, Connor’s fist slammed into it, cracking yet more bone. Klaus swung a right, but the teen ducked beneath it before crashing a right of his own into the demon’s throat. Klaus stumbled backwards but the boy was unstoppable, his movements a whirlwind as he rocked the demon with a dozen or so blows in the space of a couple of seconds before thrusting a stake deep into the German vampire’s chest. Connor grinned at him through the dust. “Who’s next?”
Pain blinked. Obviously the son had somehow inherited his mother and father’s powers, and yet was apparently a living, breathing human. Interesting. But the children were the priority. “Sergi, take them to the car. The rest of you,” he glanced at the six minions he’d brought with him, it was lucky he had others back at base, “kill him.”
* * *
“No!” Connor bellowed his fury as he watched the children be dragged away. What sort of coward didn’t fight his own battles? It was dishonourable.
Lips parting in a snarl, he leapt into the air and into a somersault that resulted in him landing behind the advancing demons. Even as they started to turn to face him, he’d already rammed his stake into one of their chest and executed a flawless standing spin kick to the face that sent a second crashing to the ground.
Sensing another demon behind him, he flung his left foot out in a back heel kick. The vampire grabbed his foot. “Too slow boy,” his target growled
Connor grinned. “You think?” Using his trapped foot as leverage, he leapt into the cold night air, spun around to face his opponent and slammed his stake into his adversary’s heart. “Seemed plenty fast to me,” he crowed.
Even as he landed, he felt a hand grab him by the throat and attempt to fling
him backwards. Normally he would have retained his flawless balance - except
for stumbling over the vampire he’d previously knocked to the ground. As soon
as he hit the ground Connor tried to jump back up but one of the vampires swept
his legs from beneath him, knocking him back down.
In a second all four of the remaining vampires were kicking at him. Connor covered up, wincing slightly at the impact of the blows reigning down on him. Finally he saw an opening, hooking one of the vampires’ feet in his arm, he yanked, knocking the vampire off-balance and into one of his fellow demons. Taking advantage of the respite, he rose to his knees, grabbed an in-swinging foot and flung his attacker into the last of the demons assaulting him.
Rising, he cannoned a side heel kick into the nearest vampire’s chest, knocking his rival onto the rubbish-strewn ground. Scooping up his stake he dropped onto one knee over the monster and slammed his stake home. Hearing a foot swinging to his head, he leaned away from the attack, snatched hold of the foot and twisted, grinning slightly at the demon’s howl.
His amusement died when a pair of hands grabbed him by his shoulder and propelled him into the far wall, the back of his head smashing into the concrete. Ignoring the stars circling his head, Connor spun away from the monster’s follow-up lunge, slamming a heel into its knee, propelling the vampire to the ground. Before the demon got any further up than on its hands and knees, he thrust his stake through its back.
A plank of wood shattered against his head, knocking him down onto his side, his head colliding with the hard road. Looking up, he threw his stake, javelin-style, into his assailant’s heart. The vampire’s mouth opened in shock a second before he exploded in dust.
Before he had chance to rise, the last vampire was on him, choking the life from him. In his weakened and dazed state his attempts to escape were ineffectual. Soon his vision began to darken. “First the son,” his attacker crowed. “And then the father.”
“Nobody’s killing anyone,” came a voice from behind the demon. “Well except you.” Suddenly the vampire exploded into dust. Connor looked up to see, a heavily wounded Lorne leaning up against the wall, crossbow in hand and blood seeping down his brightly coloured shirt. “Hey kiddo, does daddy know you’re home?”
“Lorne!” leaping up he caught his father’s friend as the demon pitched forward. “Are you alright?”
The demon coughed up blood before replying. “Now if that ain’t the dumbest question I’ve heard this millennia,” Lorne coughed again. “I’ll be fine, dumbasses didn’t know Pyleans hearts are in their asses. Just blood loss.” Lorne’s eyes grew concerned. “The kids?”
“Vampires got ‘em.”
Lorne snarled, the uncharacteristic sound making Connor blink. “Never let anyone tell you life’s fair kiddo, ‘cause it isn’t. Bad things happen to good people. Now get me inside.”
* * *
“Connor!” Angel’s elation at seeing his son was dampened by the desolate look on Buffy’s face and the tears streaming down Willow as her girlfriend held her. His eyes widened as he noted the heavy bandaging around Lorne’s chest. He growled deep in his throat, his patience was fast running with his boy, if he’d hurt his friends again…. “What happened?”
“The Blood Brotherhood happened. Somebody,” Gunn entered from the inner office, “we figure the Foundation attempted a hit, killed Rona and Vi,” Angel winced. More deaths. “And snatched the kids. They got outside, the Blood Brotherhood grabbed them. Connor tried to stop them, killed seven-.”
”Six, Lorne killed one,” his son interjected.
“Why?” Angel demanded.
Connor looked up at him, his face strained. “Families
should be together.”
Angel nodded, he didn’t have any argument with that statement. “Where’s Faith?”
“She went up to her room,” Willow replied, her voice trembling.
They’d let her go on her own? Angel opened his mouth to remonstrate with Buffy and Willow for their thoughtlessness. “And you just let her!” he turned to see a cold-eyed Xander, his skin ashen grey, and his face tight with grief. “She could be doing anything up there!” Xander moved towards the stairwell.
Angel blocked the one-eyed man’s path. “Xander,” he kept his tone soft. “Maybe you’re not the best person to be doing this.”
The other man’s gaze was unflinching. “My kids too,” Xander’s voice was husky with pain. “I can’t think of anyone better.” After a second he nodded and stepped aside. “Thanks.” Xander moved to the bottom of the stairway. “Go see your son. Make it up to him Angel.” Angel looked towards Connor, yeah that was a good idea.
* * *
Faith stared at the teddy bears resting on the bed, tears streaming down her face. They were only small brown teddies, with red silk ribbons around their neck and the cutest white feet, but she remembered when she was the same age as Lex and Hoppy always wanting a teddy but never getting one. When she saw the matching teddies in the shop she’d bought them immediately ‘cause her babies were going to have everything she hadn’t. But now they were gone, and their teddies were still here. It wasn’t right, they should have their teddies.
She tensed as she felt a pair of arms envelop her from behind. “Hey super-tough Slayer,” a voice whispered in her ear, “what you crying for? We’ll get them back.”
Faith jolted with surprise. If anyone came up to comfort her, she’d have figured it to be Angel or maybe one of the Watchers. But Xander? “Y..you promise?” her tough-bitch facade crumbled before her fears.
“You’re joking right? Between you, Deadboy, and Buff you must have thwarted what twenty – thirty apocalypses. Some minor-leaguer isn’t going to get away with kidnapping our babies.”
“Tell me about our life together,” she pleaded. “Tell me about all the things we’re going to do, me, you, and our babies.”
“Uh okay,” Xander tensed slightly when she turned to face him, pulling him into a hug, resting her head against his chest. “I figure we’ll get a house in the suburbs, somewhere quiet where they’ve never heard of vampires or Slayers, with plenty of open spaces and parks. Three bedrooms, one for the kids, and one each for us.”
“Sounds nice,” Faith muttered. “What about Christmas? We’ll decorate and give them tons of stuff right? Really spoil them?”
“Yeah,” Xander smiled softly, she’d never realised how kind
his face looked before, before he’d just been the fool-hardy geek. “And in the
summer we’ll spend the whole school vacation touring the theme parks –
Disneyworld, Disneyland, Magic Mountain, making sure our kids have fun. That
sound good?”
Faith nodded. “It sounds real good Xander.” But it wouldn’t happen, good
things never happened to her, she was a bad person who didn’t deserve good
things. But her babies, they’d never hurt anyone. Slowly anger began to
replace fear, nobody was going to hurt her babies. “Let’s go down,” she
whispered.
* * *
Angel stared at Connor for an eternity. He twitched at a touch on his elbow. “Wesley has told me much of what occurred between him, you, and Connor,” Giles muttered. “Your son is a true miracle, I’m sure Cordelia wouldn’t want you to waste your second chance, talk to him.”
Angel swallowed before nodding. “Connor,” his voice sounded strained even to his own ears. “Can we talk in the inner office?” His son looked at him for what seemed an eternity before nodding, rising, and following him through. He gestured to the seat. “Sit down.” After his son had obeyed he continued. “Thanks for trying to -,” his voice trailed off. “Just why were you here anyway?” Connor shrugged, his face uncomfortable. “Connor?”
“Last night, I came to kill you.” Angel blinked, that wasn’t especially a surprise but still disappointing. “But I saw the children and heard that they were being threatened.” Connor stopped, his face confused. “It isn’t right, people threatening children. They should be with their parents, protected. I decided I had to defend them but failed.”
“Son,” Angel squeezed the youth’s shoulder. “You killed six demons trying to save them. That’s a good effort and we’ll get them back.”
“Do you think Faith will be pleased with my efforts?”
Angel bit back the urge to groan at Connor’s hopeful expression. When his boy got crushes bad things happened – reappearance of ancient evils, city wide devastation, that sort of thing. And Liam had thought a dose of the clap was bad. After uttering a silent prayer that he was wrong, he summonsed the courage to ask the question. “Why do you ask?”
Connor’s reddening face confirmed his suspicions. “Faith is a beautiful and mighty warrior, she would be a worthy mate.”
Faith as a daughter-in-law, Angel shuddered at the
thought. And he thought his family was dysfunctional before. For a few seconds
he struggled for words. “Son, I don’t think Faith’s thinking much beyond her
children at this moment.”
“The children must always be a mother’s priority,” Connor nodded slowly. “What of the one-eyed man who went up to see Faith? If I wish to win her hand must I challenge him?”
Oh where was the nearest wall to bang his head against? Angel had a feeling he just wasn’t getting through. “You remember Faith beat you when she was here?” Connor nodded slowly, his eyes filling with admiration. “Well,” he pointed out of the office window, towards Buffy. “See that blonde there? She’s perhaps the only person in the world who can beat Faith in a fight, and those girls around her are all Slayers like Faith and Buffy. And if you laid a finger on Xander, they’d take turns ripping you apart.”
Scorn filled Connor’s eyes. “Is he not a coward to hide behind women?”
Angel fought back the urge to laugh at his son’s words. Coward was not a word he’d use to describe Xander, congenital idiot maybe. “You remember Willow ensouling me?” he pointed at the weeping red-head.
Connor nodded slowly. “She has great power.”
That was an understatement if Angel had ever heard one. “Last year, a man killed her love. Willow went insane, Buffy couldn’t stop her, Willow was going to end the world, but Xander stopped her.”
After a second his son bowed his head. “He is worthy of her, I will not contest my claim.”
“Thank god,” Connor looked up at his comment. He grinned at his son. “Somehow I doubt Darla would approve of her son being with a Slayer.” Connor smiled uncertainly, perhaps sensing but not understanding he’d made a joke. “Son,” Angel turned serious. “Faith is one of my dearest friends, but she is a lot more experienced in life than you,” that was a delicate way of putting it. “Maybe you need to consider girls your own age, learn more about the world today, not the world Holtz told you about.”
After a second Connor nodded. “I guess that makes -.”
”Fang, we’re planning what happens next. You in?”
Angel’s blood froze as he glanced towards the raven-haired Bostonian stood in the office doorway. The last time he’d seen that intense of a look in her eyes had been three years ago when he’d rescued Wesley from her clutches and she’d tried to kill him. It was almost enough to make him feel sorry for Pain. Almost. “I’m in. Connor?”
His boy stared dazedly at Faith for a second before replying. “I’m in.”
Faith nodded. “Thanks. Shall we?”
He grabbed his son as he started to follow the Slayer out. “After this is over I’d like to try again,” he pleaded.
His heart leapt at Connor’s reply. ”I’d like that too. Family’s important.”
Actions & Consequences (15/19)
“No way!” Xander glared at him. “No fucking way!”
Angel resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. It was safe to say that Xander wasn’t happy. He opened his mouth to try and persuade the young man only for his ex to put both feet in it – as usual. “Xander, we’re only trying to keep you safe-.”
”SAFE!” Xander’s glare switched from him to Buffy in an instant. “I’ve had
seven years of you trying to keep me safe and where has it got me?” suddenly
Buffy was paling and backing away from her friend. Angel winced as the young
man flipped up his eyepatch to reveal the hideous scarring beneath. “One eyed
and girl-friendless! And what about my children? They’re not safe!” Just as
suddenly as the young man’s rage had erupted it evaporated. “They’re not
safe.” Suddenly Xander looked completely and utterly lost.
Angel saw Willow start towards Xander and moved forward himself. After all who else could better understand what Xander was going through?
Except a pale-faced Faith who grabbed Xander’s elbow, whispered something in his
ear, and guided him into the inner office. Buffy and Willow started after the
pair, he glanced at Wesley beside him and nodded. Together, they stepped in the
Slayer and Witch’s path. “I believe they need to be alone, Miss Summers,” Angel
hid a grin at Wes’ snooty tone, after all these years the former Watcher still
had no idea how that English ‘tea and crumpets’ tone irritated the hell out of
many Americans. Or maybe he did and just couldn’t give a shit.
“But,” Willow attempted to protest.
“Willow,” he smiled down at the red-head, sometimes it was hard to believe just how powerful she was. “Give her a chance to get through to him, please?”
“FINE!” he could tell from the look in Buffy’s eyes she was far from happy. He was suddenly very happy she was still cookie dough.
* * *
“X,” Faith forced her voice to remain steady. “I know it’s hard but you need to calm down, we both do-.”
“Yeah ‘cause we all know what happens when Slayers lose it don’t we-,” she flinched at the Sunnydaler’s words. Xander’s face fell. “Faith, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to…” the man’s voice trailed off.
Anxious to press the advantage the man’s contrition gave her, she squeezed his hand. “It’s five by five X, but I think you should give Fang’s plan a chance,” seeing the male Scooby’s remaining eye flash, she hurried on to head off another explosion. “Xman it makes sense. According to what Red’s spells have found out there’s close to forty of them, there’s six Slayers, one Wicca, Fang, and Connor, whatever the hell he is. We can’t carry mortals into this one Xan.” Again she hurried on at his opening mouth. “Besides, it’s only gonna be G, Wes, and Gunn going after Wood’s gang, they need extra muscle. And if we split up that doubles the chance of at least one of us making it out alive to look after our babies. They can’t lose both of us.”
After Xander nodded, his expression grudging. “Fine.” The man turned to leave, she grabbed his sleeve.
”X, if I die,” she swallowed. “You will tell our babies that I always loved
them won’t you? Even though I gave them away that I never forgot them?”
“I’ll tell them that they had a beautiful mother who was brave and loved them very much, okay?” she nodded mutely, turning away to hide the tears burning her eyes. God, they had to be alright, they just had to be.
“X,” she grabbed the man’s arm as he moved to the office door. “If anything happens to you, I’ll tell ‘em that their daddy was the bravest and kindest man I ever knew and that they were real lucky that he was their pa and not some no-account loser.” Given the number of no-account losers she’d ‘known’, real lucky.
Xander smiled slightly. “Thanks Faith, but it isn’t going to matter because we’re both going to make it out of there, right?”
Faith grinned, enjoying the fact that she was finally connecting with Xander, if
only slightly. “Damn straight.”
* * *
“Just you wait!” Lex screamed through the bars of the cell he and his sister were prisoner in. “When my mummy comes you’ll be sorry!”
“Yeah!” Hope screamed in tandem beside him. “My daddy and all his friends are coming too! You’re in big trouble!”
The vampire stood at the other side of the prison door growled at them. “Shut up you little shits!”
“No! You shut up you,” for a second Lex struggled for a word to say then he had it, his mommy had said it this morning, “you fuck!”
Hope giggled at his language. “You’re a stinky poop!”
The vampire growled. “I ought to rip your damn heads off.”
“Touch them and you’ll regret it.” Lex moved back against the far wall, dragging his sister with him. That voice belonged to the vampire boss, he was real scary, even the other vampires were frightened of him. “Now children,” the demon smiled through the cell door. “you’re going to be good from now on aren’t you?” Too scared to think of a smart reply, Lex nodded his head even as he clung to his whimpering sister’s hand. The demon’s smile widened. “There you go Andre, the carrot works much better than the stick. And Andre?”
“Yes boss.”
“Hurt a hair on their head and I’ll have to make an example of you, are we understood?”
Lex heard the other vampire swallow. “Yes boss.”
The boss demon chuckled. “Always knew you were a smart boy Andre. I see real potential in you. Bye now children, be good.”
It was a long time before either Lex or his sister taunted the guard again.
* * *
“Giles?”
Giles looked up to see his pale-faced son stood over him. Shoving the last of his equipment in his pack he straightened. “Yes son.”
”W..w,” Xander swallowed. “Why are my children so important?”
Giles hid a sigh. He’d been dreading this question since this began. “Many rituals require a blood sacrifice, the rarer the blood, often the more powerful. Also creatures that drink blood, such as vampires often seek rarer blood, like a vintage. Such creatures prize a Slayer above all others, your children would be even more sought after. Then there’s their destiny, according to the prophecy they are to be twined Slayers, warriors for good or evil, they could be very useful to organisation such as Wolfram & Hart.”
Xander looked even more scared. “Even after today they’re going to keep coming aren’t they?”
”Xander,” he squeezed his son’s shoulder. “You’re going to have the full
resources of the Council to help you protect them. Okay?” his son nodded.
Giles forced a smile. “Excellent, now I believe the others are waiting?”
* * *
“This the place?” Wesley nodded at his question. Xander gritted his teeth as he stared at the office block, one thing was for sure - either he or Wood weren’t leaving this building alive. “Shall we go then?”
“Wait,” Xander sighed impatiently as he turned to Giles. “Willow was good enough to download the building plans from the inter-thingy,” he snorted at Giles’ techno-babble. “Oh do shut up Xander,” the Englishman huffed. “It appears the buildings on this business estate are all serviced by the same series of workmen’s tunnels, I propose breaking into one of the near-by empty buildings and using the tunnels to get into the building.”
Wesley nodded. “Most ingenious Mr. Giles. Xander?”
Xander jolted when he realised they were all looking to him for approval. “Yeah,” he muttered. “I guess that works for me.” Wood was going, the bastard was going to understand what it meant to threaten his children.
* * *
“Hi guys.” The moment the two vampires standing guard outside the magically located Brotherhood headquarters started to turn towards him, Angel’s broadsword swung left and right, taking their heads from their shoulders. Seconds later only dust remained. “Coast’s clear.”
“To kill an enemy from behind is dishonourable,” intoned Connor, his tone disapproving as he stepped out of the shadows.
”Ain’t he quaint,” Faith muttered half-heartedly, the smirk that usually
accompanied her jibes missing, in its place was a thin hard line. “Lesson to
you kid, in this game we don’t get to worry about honour, that’s for the
innocents we protect. You wanna play with the big boys Con, learn to play by
the big boys’ rules. Otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?” his son demanded, his face petulant.
“Don’t plan on lasting long,” Faith looked toward Willow. “All mojoed up Red?”
The Wicca nodded. “Door’s unlocked,” the witch reported.
“Wicked.” Faith stepped forward but he stepped in her path.
”Faith, I know you’re anxious but we need to stay calm.” He took an unneeded
breath at the momentary flash in her eyes. “If we rush in there half-cocked we
could ourselves or them hurt.” Or killed, he added silently.
After a second Faith took a heaving breath and nodded. “Five by five, big guy. You and nose boy,” she nodded towards Connor, “gonna lead the way?”
“That’s the plan,” he confirmed. “Willow, keep your eyes out for any magical defences okay?” he smiled at the red-head’s nod. He squeezed Faith’s shoulder. “They’ll be fine Faith.”
* * *
“This the service exit?” Gunn muttered. He wondered if it was a symptom of hanging around with Angel for so long that he hardly noticed the sewer’s stench any more. Although he still worried about the rats.
”It is,” Wesley confirmed with a nod. “And I’ve done a spell that confirms
there aren’t any men in the basement above us, so, all we need now is to fashion
a way in -.”
“In that case,” the older of the two Englishman interrupted, a glint in his eyes convincing Gunn that the guy was nuts, not that he needed much convincing, not after some of the tales he heard recently, “it’s lucky I brought this.”
Gunn’s eyes widened when the Englishman produced what looked like…. “Is that a bomb?” he croaked.
He cringed when the Watcher began juggling said object. “I prefer to call it an explosives device. Don’t worry,” the middle-aged man beamed at their increasingly ashen faces. “It’s perfectly harmless without the detonator.”
“H..how do you know to use explosives?” Xander gasped.
“During my wild phase I did a couple of works safes with a former army demolitions expert.” Gunn’s jaw hit the ground, Giles had done safes? “Shall we?”
In just a couple of minutes they were inside the basement, a cold dingy place with absolutely no redeeming features except for its emptiness. The older Englishman smiled. “Just the right amount, enough to ‘blow the bloody doors off’ as Michael Caine might say, but not enough to alert our hosts. Now Wesley, you go with Xan-,” the Englishman’s face fell. “Oh bollocks, where has that boy got to now?”
* * *
“Oh shit,” Faith muttered, the blood draining from her face as she stared down on the sight beneath her. Connor’s tracking skills had lead them to a cavernous underground chamber, the sides of which were lined with fifty or so vampires which made for crappy odds even by her shitty maths. Worse still, her heart caught, was the pentagram in the centre of the floor and the two side-by-side altars with her babies on them and the massive vampire stood between them intoning in some ancient mumbo-jumbo. Her lips bared in a snarl. “Pain.”
But what really frightening, absolutely fucking terrifying was the eight foot, muscle-bound, red-skinned turok-hun with two curved horns sticking out of its forehead stood in the centre of the pentagram. “What the fuck is that?” she muttered