Actions & Consequences (7/?)

Xander strode into the drab building, noting the shoddy construction work with the eye of a professional.  As he made his way through the passages one look was enough to send the small-timers scurrying back into the corridor’s shadows, but then it wasn’t the small-timers he wanted.  Hearing the heavy sound of bass coming out of the cracked door at the end of the passageway, he smiled and pulled out the .38 he’d stolen off a drug-dealer two blocks away.  Taking a step back, he charged the door, hitting it shoulder-on.

The door splintered under his charge.  Hitting the floor on his shoulder he rolled up and fired at the first of the three men, taking his head off.  The second began to raise his Uzi but his head followed the first in splattering against the wall.  Instantly Xander turned to the third.  “Don’t,” he warned the heavily tattooed African-American reaching for his gun on his table.  “The life you save may be your own.”

The thickly-muscled dude looked up at him, his eyes burning angrily.  “You know who I fucking am you honky mother-fucker?”

Xander’s hand flashed out, the butt of his gun smashing into the man’s head, knocking him to the ground.  In an instant the muzzle of the gun was back pointing at the crumpled bodybuilder.  “I know who you are, Johnny ‘The Bull’ Banks.  You’re the biggest arms dealer in this part of town according to my informant, a real bad man.”  He crouched over the body.  “Guess what?  I could give a shit, I need arms fast and I don’t have any cash.  So I figured, a nice society-minded guy like you wouldn’t mind contributing.  Hell, I’ll even name my next kid after you.  Now, what have you got?”  He barely gave the two dead bodies a glance, low-life scum like that were unimportant.  What he cared about was his children, Wolfram & Hart were going to rue the day they kidnapped his kids.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Oh shit,” Angel’s brain was on overload right now.  Faith’s tough girl facade had cracked revealing the frightened kid beneath, Xander had disappeared, and Buffy was here, with a distinctly murderous look on her face.  It was days like this that made him think that perhaps hell was the easy option.

To his surprise, Wesley stepped between Faith and the newcomers, who had to be the new Slayers.  “Ms.  Summers, the situation is far from as it appears.  Faith did not kidnap or hurt Xander, nor did she go rogue,” the Englishman paused.  “Faith, if I may?”

The brunette in his arms looked surprised, hesitated, then nodded.    “They need to know Wes.”

“Very well.”  The Watcher nodded.  “You are of-course aware that when Faith was first in Sunnydale she slept with Xander.  Well, this liaison,” Angel raised an eyebrow, nice phrasing, still he was glad that Wes was doing this explaining rather than him.  “Resulted in two children.”

”WHAT!!!”

The Watcher continued as if the twin bellow from Buffy and Willow hadn’t happened.  Angel’s lips tugged up in a slight smile, nothing much phased the Englishman these days.  “Who were taken from a comatose Faith and given,” the Watcher’s voice trailed off as a suddenly crying Buffy stumbled out through the hotel doors.

”Damn,” Angel cast Faith a concerned look.  “Are you okay if I-.”

”I’m five by five big guy.”

 

Angel nodded gratefully.  “Wes, can you continue the explanation?”  The Watcher nodded.  Swallowing slightly, he walked through the massed ranks of Slayers, ignoring his demon’s whimperings at being surrounded by so many supernatural warriors for good.  Thanks to what Buffy and Willow had achieved in Sunnydale, he suspected the world would be forever changed.  Although for good or bad he really couldn’t tell.

Outside he found a sobbing Buffy slumped against the wall.  His unbeating heart tore at the look of anguished guilt on his former love’s face, the tears pouring down her face.  In an instance he was by her side, about to put his arms around her, but she pushed him away and shook her head, her golden blond hair swinging in the air.  “N…no,” she sobbed through gasping breaths.  “I don’t deserve comfort.  I stuck a knife in Faith and nearly killed two babies,” her eyes widened in shock.  “Xander’s babies.”  She broke down into a fresh, even more frenzied bout of sobbing.

This time, the shaking Slayer didn’t resist when he grabbed her by the shoulders.  “Listen to me Buffy,” he ordered firmly.  “Nearly isn’t the same as did and I should know.  And you didn’t know about the children when you fought Faith.  And you told me it was you or her.  What’s important is getting these children back safe and well.”

Suddenly Buffy’s head shot back up, her eyes puffy but suddenly determined.  “Who’s got Xander’s babies?” she grated.  His blood chilling at the look in the Slayer’s eyes, he told her.  If anything Buffy’s eyes grew harder.  “Wolfram & Hart?  And you’ve been battling them for four years?  What the hell have you been doing, playing charades?” he swallowed, suddenly too nervous to speak.  “In that case we better get my nephew and niece back.  And then we’re taking Wolfram & Hart to pieces, brick by brick.”

 

“Guys,” the hotel door flew open and Willow hurried out, her face excited.  “We’ve got a problem.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Giles glanced from side to side, seeing  that he was out-numbered four to one but with no apparent weapons on show he did the only thing he could.  “Dawn run!” At the same time he roared his order, he stepped back, his left elbow snapping backwards into the nearest man’s mouth, knocking him back a step.  Spinning round, he caught a karate chop from the other man flanking him aimed at his neck on the shoulder.  Grunting slightly at the impact, he blocked a right cross on his forearm before crashing his forehead into the bridge of his opponent’s nose, shattering bone, even as he slammed a fist into his rival’s gut.

Grinning evilly at the man’s anguished cries he drove his knee upwards into the man’s groin.  Instantly the thug doubled up and crumpled to the ground.  Turning to face the first hoodlum, he was met with a punch to the mouth that sent blood splattering.  Ignoring the pain, he slid beneath a follow-up only to catch a left hook to the forehead even as he thudded a right body shot into his adversary’s stomach.  Suddenly something crashed into the head from behind, sending his world crashing into darkness.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

The instant Giles bellowed, Dawn moved.  She hated leaving Giles but if she could escape, she could warn Buffy where Wood was hiding Giles and then maybe they could rescue him, if she stayed, nobody would have a clue where they were.  She squealed in protest as a pair of strong arms grabbed her waist from behind before driving her heel back onto the man’s instep, just the way Buffy had taught her.

Her captor swore and loosened his grip.  Seizing the advantage, Dawn slammed her head backwards into the man’s chest, grunting slightly at the jarring pain.  The man swore again and this time completely released his grip.  Dawn started forward only for the fourth man to step forward and send a right crashing into her jaw. 

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Andrew Lexington crouched down over the two bodies.  When his surrogate son had arrived he’d warned them he’d been followed, that the Summers brat and Rupert Giles had tailed him.  Lexington pursed his lips together as he examined his unconscious country-man, a man maybe fifteen years his junior.  He’d never met his fellow Watcher before but had heard stories, stories that apparently had more than a grain of truth in them judging from what he’d just witnessed.  Savage, absolutely savage.

“Bastard!” Joe Dawson, blood leaking from his nose and his face grey with pain, drove a boot into Giles’ stomach.  “I’ll fucking-.”

“You’ll do nothing,” Lexington interrupted softly.  “Mr. Giles and Ms. Summers are our guests and will be treated with the requisite-.”

“That ponce broke my bloody nose.”

Lexington rose and stared at his subordinate who instantly dropped his gaze.  “Had I finished speaking?” the former British marine shook his head.  “Then do me the courtesy as your superior officer of keeping your bloody trap shut!” he growled.  “Your nose was broken because of his own poor reactions.  Mr. Giles is a man in his late forties, you both are twenty years your junior.  Yet, if I hadn’t stepped in with my truncheon, he would have beaten you both.  Completely and utterly pathetic.  Now bring him inside.”

He smiled to himself, now they had leverage.  With Ms. Summers’ sister and her surrogate father under their control, she wouldn’t dare make a move.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Buffy kept her eyes fixed on Kennedy as the brunette Slayer explained sending Giles and Dawn after Wood who was apparently a double-agent.  “And you’ve tried their mobile?” she couldn’t look at Faith, oh god what had she done?  Willow nodded.  “What about a locating spell?”

“We’re being blocked.”

”And I’m afraid there’s a larger issue too.”

She turned to Wes.  “What’s that?” 

“Faith’s children,” the Watcher glanced towards her sister Slayer.  She didn’t.  “Are the subject of prophecy.”

Buffy groaned, of course they were.  “It never rains it pours.  Let’s hear it.”

“To cut a long and convoluted story short, it was predicted 3,700 years that one day, two children would be born to a Slayer and that they would be either a great force for evil or good, on which the world could hang -.”

“Oh fuck.”

Buffy’s ears picked up Faith’s shocked whisper.  This was obviously news to her counterpart too.  “Most interesting because they came from the womb,” Buffy bit back a half-chuckle at the crimson flush that entered the Watcher’s cheeks at his utterance of the word ‘womb’.  Maybe Wesley hadn’t changed that much.  “Of an active Slayer they too will become active Slayers at the same age of their mother.”

“WHAT?” every set of eyes except hers turned towards Faith.  “They can’t, Alex is a boy.”

Buffy winced, oh god she’d named her son after Xander.  “Nevertheless,” Wes continued with firm softness.  “The prophecy says they will become the Slayers at the same age you did, which was?”

“Uh,” there was a pause as the younger Slayer struggled to focus her thoughts.  “I was three weeks from my sixteenth birthday.”

“Then we’ll say sixteen,” Wesley nodded.  “This makes it doubly imperative we track down these children.  Not only for Faith and Xander, but for the whole world.”

Buffy nodded.  Not that she needed extra incentive.  She was going to rip this town apart to find those children and if she had to create a LA sized crater to do it, then that was fine by her.  She glanced towards Angel.  “Angel?”

The vampire paused for a second before speaking.  “Wes, I want you to go with Buffy and Willow and cover the west side looking for any trace of Dawn and Giles.  Gunn, take the rest of the Slayers and go through the east side.  The rest of us will stay here and see if Xander turns up or Wolfram & Hart contact us.”

Buffy nodded before turning to Kennedy.  “Kennedy, can you bring the weapons in.”  The younger Slayer nodded before trailing the other new-comers out of the room.

“You really hate me don’t you B?”

Buffy’s head snapped round to see Faith stood behind her.  “N..no,” she shook her head.

Her counterpart smiled bitterly.  “Fuck B, don’t bullshit a bullshitter.  You can’t bear to look at me.  That’s five by five, not like I’ve given you a reason to like me.”

“It’s not that,” Buffy swallowed.  She and Faith had never had a heart to heart before.  “I nearly killed your children.”

Faith looked surprised then shrugged.  “Different time B.  I was trying to kill you remember?  Besides you didn’t,” the brunette smirked.  “My babies are tough.”

“Like their mom.”

Faith winked.  “Damn straight.”

The other Slayer turned away.  “Faith,” the raven-haired beauty turned back to her, a quizzical look on her face.  “How did Xander take it?  Finding out I mean?”

The Bostonian’s face fell.  “He already knew B, that’s why he was giving me the attitude not ‘cause I tried to kill him.”

“He’ll forgive you, that’s Xander’s power – he forgives people.”

“Maybe,” Faith didn’t look convinced.

Buffy decided to change the subject.  “When are you twenty-one?”

“Uh,” Faith thought for a second.  “9^th June, a week.”

“A week’s time,” Buffy commented.  “I think getting your kids back for you would be a pretty good present.”

Eyes watering, Faith nodded.  “The best ever.”

“We better make sure it happens then,” Buffy turned at a hand on her elbow.  It was Kennedy.  “Ready?”  Kennedy nodded.  “See you later Faith.”

”Bye B.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith jumped as her mobile rang.  After a second she pulled out her phone.  “Hello, this is Daniel Wolfe of Wolfram & Hart.  I trust you are well Faith?”

“Cut the shit,” she growled.  “You better worry about my kids’ health, you piece of s  -.”

”Really Faith,” the disembodied voice reprimanded. “Is that any way to speak to your future employer?  It’s hardly a good way to start employer-employee relations, causes unnecessary tension.”

“Whatever, just tell me where my babies are,” she demanded, her entire body shaking with anger and fear.

“Say please,” the lawyer taunted.

Faith gritted her teeth.  “Please.”

“That’s better, you’ll soon be well-trained, malleable.  Willing to do as you’re told without question, why I’m sure you’ll be up for employee of the month in no time.”  Faith’s blood ran cold.  “I want you at the park on 9^th Street in 30 minutes.  Oh, and bring the vampire.”

Actions & Consequences (8/?)

“Remember Faith,” Angel soothed.  “Keep calm.”

“Yeah calm,” Faith muttered, barely hearing the vampire’s words.  She was going to see her babies for the first time ever, but at what price?  She looked down at her trembling hands.  “You driving Fang?” at Angel’s nod she threw him the car keys.  “Let’s go.”

They’d be on the road for two minutes when she noticed something.  “We’ve got a tail.”

Angel nodded tightly.  “I know, we don’t exactly have time for evasive action.  Besides it’s probably someone from Wolfram & Hart making sure we don’t bring anyone else.”

Faith’s mouth twisted in distaste.  She was helpless, she fucking hated being helpless.  When she’d got her powers she’d thought she’d never be helpless again.  “Five by five.”  A troubling thought suddenly occurred.  “Fang, why do they want you here?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“I don’t know,” Angel lied smoothly.  He knew full well why Wolfram & Hart wanted him there.  He would be the deal-clincher, when Faith staked him she would get her children.  

But could he do it?  He’d die in a second to protect Faith and by extension her children.  But what if by doing that he tied Faith into a lifetime of slavery?  And if by doing that he left LA unprotected?

His mind was still whirling as he pulled up by the park.  His forehead furrowed when he looked around the dimly lit park, noting the trees and bushes for gunmen to hide in.  It was a perfect place for an ambush; indeed, he could see half a dozen shapes in the shadows.

Quelling his unease, he turned towards his companion.  “Let’s go.”  Faith nodded slightly, her face pale and the sound of her thumping heart deafening him.

They had barely entered the park when a suited man with eyes colder than any vampire and an air of smug superiority that had him wanting to tear the prick’s head off confronted them.  Behind him there was three armed men wearing fatigues and two children, Angel forced a smile, oh they were Xander and Faith’s kids alright, there was something about the way they glared at their captor that was reminiscent of their parents’ spirit.  “Ms Faith, I’m Daniel Wolfe, Wolfram & Hart’s lawyer in this custody matter.  It’s a great pleasure to meet such an illustrious personality.”

“Yeah sure,” his friend’s gaze was fixed on her children.

The lawyer moved between Faith and the children, blocking her view.  “Once we have the niceties over with you can have your children back,” the lawyer’s smile widened, Angel tensed, here it came.

The Slayer looked at the lawyer.  “Niceties?” she asked, her voice husky with pain.

“Kill Angel.”

“W…what?” 

“Kill the vampire, as a sign of good faith, if you will.”

Angel pulled a stake out of his pocket and threw it to Faith.  “Do it.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Buffy kicked the double doors of the demon bar open.  “I see subtlety still hasn’t entered your vocabulary,” Wesley muttered beside her.  “Maybe I could buy you a thesaurus.”

“Bloody hell!”  Buffy’s pleasure at the assorted demons and vampires’ died at one of the Falgara demons’ next words.  “Not you again, you and that Slayer nearly wrecked the place last time.”

“Ah good,” Wes smiled.  “You remember me.”  Buffy watched open-mouthed as the Watcher turned off the blaring jukebox with the unique method of blowing a hole through it with his shotgun.  Once the ringing in her ears had stopped she realised he was speaking.  “That should make things easier.  What do you know of the Order of Kali?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith looked at Angel.  “Do it,” the vampire repeated.  “I’ve had my time and more.  They haven’t,” he said.  “Do it for them.”

Faith looked towards the vampire, her hero, then towards the children, her babies, and finally towards the smirking lawyer.  God, she so wanted to smash that prick’s teeth down his throat.  Tears blurring her eyes, she raised a stake.  “I’m sorry Angel,” she whispered.

“Oh, I don’t think so.”  Faith’s head snapped round to see Xander rising out of the near-by bushes holding a shotgun.  Suddenly the air rang to the boom of gunfire.  One, then two of the men hit the ground, their heads blown off.  Faith’s heart stopped as the third man drew a bead on her frightened children, clinging to one another on the ground. 

Suddenly she heard an enraged roar and saw Angel moving at a blur, his vampiriac face showing, as he slammed into the man knocking him halfway across the park.  Hearing a bush rustle behind her, Faith moved into a spin-kick, her foot smashing into the man’s wrist, sending his gun flying into the air.  Moving forward, she grabbed the man around the throat and flung him headfirst into the nearest tree.  “Bastard!” eyes flaming she turned to look for the lawyer only to find he’d disappeared.   Her blood chilled as she saw another man rising out of the bushes behind her kids, too far for her to reach, she glanced at Xander.  He’d seen them too, but was busy re-loading.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Wesley winced as Buffy threw the bar owner the length of the bar and into the far wall.  “Where are the Order Of Kali?” the tiny blonde demanded.

“It appears Ms. Summers still has anger management issues.”

“Oh,” his red-haired companion commented.  “You have no idea.”

“I..I don’t know,” the demon sobbed.

“Then you’re no good to me,” the blonde’s sword flashed down tearing the demon’s head from his shoulders, splattering a green viscera on the grey wall behind.

“And,” he refused to look at the balls of fire his companion was juggling, keeping the bar’s patrons from rushing them.  “How are you Miss Rosenberg?”

“My girl-friend’s got a pierced tongue,” the Wicca proclaimed proudly.

Wesley’s cheeks reddened.  “How fascinating.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith screamed her fury as the man began shooting.  Suddenly  her hero was between her babies and the man, the rounds meant for her children impacting with the vampire’s chest, blood erupting from the wound and her ears ringing with Angel’s  pained bellow.

She started towards the shooter only for his head to explode into a red mist and his headless body crumple to the ground.  She turned her head to see Xander heading towards Angel’s crumpled body.  “You okay Deaboy?”

Faith was surprised at the concern she heard in her fellow parent’s voice.  The vampire smiled weakly.  “They don’t make guns like they used to.  Now the Colt Peacemaker, there was a gun,” the vampire winced.  “Need blood and then I’ll be okay.  The children.”

Faith looked around, her heart dropping as she realised her two kids had disappeared.  “SHIT!”  Where the fuck had they gone?

                        *                                  *                                  *

Kennedy glanced at the African-American beside her.  “Are you sure this is the place?” she whispered.

Gunn nodded.  “Yeah, my contact said they’ve been bringing stuff in and out of here for weeks now, preparing for some big ritual.  Strictly humans and not belonging to any of the known groups.”

“Sounds good,” Kennedy noted that Vi’s voice was bubbling with eagerness.  “How are we going to do this?”

Gunn grinned.  “I was figuring on the direct approach.”

                        *                                  *                                  *

“Come on Hope!” Alex Ashford gasped to his younger sister.  “We’ve got to get away from those weirdos!”

“I want mummy and daddy!” his little sister sobbed.

Alex’s own eyes burnt at the mention of mummy and daddy.  “I want them too little sis,” he replied.  “But we’ve got each other.  I’ll look after you.”

“Honest?” his sister stared up at him, her eyes scared .

“Honest Indian, come on Hoppy!”  His sister screamed.  Spinning round he saw a stranger picking up his struggling sister.  Heart pounding he charged forward.  “Get off Hoppy,” he roared, hoping to scare the nasty man.  Instead, the man hit him across the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Oh, you’re going to pay for that.”  Tears of pain blinding him, Alex didn’t see anything but heard a thud, a crack, a strangled gasp, and then felt a pair of strong arms lifting him.  He struck out desperately, attempting to free himself.  “Hey sweetie pie,” a woman husked.  “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

His vision clearing he saw the pretty woman from before effortlessly cradling both her sister and him in her arms.  “W..who are you?”

The woman’s face grew confused.  “I’m a friend,” her smile seemed real sad, like the one Hoppy would have when Greg Matherson would steal her dolls and he’d have to punch him in the nose to get them back.  “I’m here to help you, okay?”

“Are they alright Faith?”

The pretty girl smirked.  “I don’t know X,” she replied.  “What do you think Hope, Alex, you five by five?” he nodded, mesmerised by the woman’s smile.  The woman chuckled.  “They’re five by five X.  How’s Fang?”

“Needs some blood,” the man replied.  “But he thinks he’ll be alright.”

“Wicked.”

“W…who are you?”

The woman’s face darkened making his sister whimper.  “Don’t you hurt Hoppy!” he shouted, ignoring his own fright.

“Sticking up for your sis uh?” the pretty woman chuckled.  “You’re a brave little guy.”  He was surprised to see tears in the woman’s eyes.

“Don’t cry Miss,” he begged tearfully.  “I’m sorry.  Sometimes my daddy,” he felt his bottom lip begin to quiver at the memories.

“Hey, hey,” the girl clutched him to her chest.  “I won’t cry if you don’t little guy.  Deal?” he nodded.  “That’s a good boy.  Let’s get you two kiddos somewhere safe.”

“Who are they?” he pointed a shaking hand to the one-eyed man looking strangely at them while holding up a weird looking man.

“That’s Xander, and he’s Angel my best friend in the whole world.  They knew you were in trouble and came to help me make you safe.”  Suddenly he began crying.  “What’s up little guy?”

“They killed my mummy and daddy.”

”Hey, hey, hey,” the woman soothed.  “Don’t worry, I’ll look after you.  Nobody’s going to hurt you again.”

                                    *                                              *                                  *

Joe Dawson glared at the pretty white girl stumbling out of the shadows on the arm of a wog.  Bitches like her needed a white man to show the error of their ways.  Quelling the racist thoughts that had gotten him thrown out of the Marines, he looked towards his companion, nodded,  and unfastened his jacket allowing easy access to his automatic stepped forward and forced a polite smile.  “Can I help you?”

The brunette looked up, her lips parted in a smile.  “Yeah,” she nodded.  “We’d like our Watcher and Key back.”

Eyes widening, his hand dipped inside his jacket only for the girl to slam a palm into his jaw, shattering the bone, sending him plummeting to the ground.  Blood dribbling from his mouth he attempted to clamber to his feet but the brunette smashed a fist into the side of his head, knocking him out.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“That was,” Kennedy straightened, “pathetically easy.”  God, she hoped Dawn and Giles were alright, she’d got them into this after all.

“Shall we?”

Kennedy glared at Gunn’s offered crooked arm.  “Not funny.”

“Gee,” Gunn’s eyes rolled back.  “You try and be a gentleman.”

Actions & Consequences (9/?)

“Who are you?” the boy, her boy, her son, asked for what seemed the tenth time.

Faith looked at the kid, for once lost for what to say.  Suddenly Xander spoke up from putting a groaning Angel into the passenger seat.  “You know about how the stork delivers babies right?”

“And mamma found us behind a bush?” Hope broke in.

“Yeah,” Xander’s smile made their daughter giggle.  “Well your mummy wasn’t the first person to find you, Faith was.”  Two pairs of enquiring eyes turned to her.  Faith smiled weakly, oh god what was Xander going to say next?  Xander hurried to the other side of the car and jumped in.  “She really wanted to keep you, but she was only little herself and scared she couldn’t do a good job looking after you, so even though it hurt her a lot because she loved you with all her heart she gave you away.”

 

“So you’re our real mummy?” Hope asked.  Faith nodded, tears blinding her.  “B..but who’s our real daddy?”

There was a choked gasp from Xander and silence, then Angel spoke.  “Xander is, beautiful.  He was only little himself and he didn’t have any money.  Your mummy was scared to tell him about finding you so she didn’t.  But now, both your mummy and daddy want to love you.”

“Are you going to give us away again?”

“No,” Faith shook her head at her son’s question and hugged him.  “Me and Xander are going to look after you if that’s five by five?”

Alex face creased in puzzlement.  “What’s five by five?”

“Yeah,” commented Hope.  “Isn’t wicked naughty?”

Xander and Angel’s laughter filled the car.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Giles stood up, his ears picking up voices approaching their cell.  “Stay where you are Dawn,” he instructed in a hiss as he moved behind the door.  “I’ll handle this.”  He’d allowed her sister to die twice, there was no bloody way he was going to allow harm to come to Dawn.

The instance the door swung open, Giles went for a judo strangle hold.  And found himself crashing to the floor, a soft yet surprisingly strong form landing on top of him.  “Why Mr. Giles,” the figure said coyly.  “I never guessed.  But what will Willow say?  I think we’ll have to keep this development between the two of us.”

“Ha, bloody ha,” Giles hoped his glare conveyed his complete lack of amusement.  He was getting too old to be thrown about by girls half his size.  “Very amusing Kennedy, now are you going to let me up?”

 

Willow’s girl-friend grinned.  “But Mr. Giles,” she replied with a pout.  “I was just getting comfortable.”

Right that moment Angel’s African-American friend walked through the cell door.  Giles groaned, bloody marvellous, another witness to his humiliation.  The young man grinned at a giggling Dawn to the back of the cell.  “Never knew you swung both ways Kennedy.  You turned me down earlier.”

 

Kennedy winked at the newcomer.  Oh things just went from bad to bleeding awful.  “I was waiting for the right man.  You weren’t it, Mr. Giles was.”

 

“DO YOU ALL BLOODY MIND!”

“See,” Kennedy continued as if he hadn’t spoken at all.  “It’s how masterful he is.  Sometimes a girl likes to be taken in hand, to know who’s boss.  Mr. Giles,” Kennedy shivered, “he’s so dominating.”

Giles’ head sunk into his hands.  “I think I preferred it when I was a prisoner.”  Suddenly Xander didn’t seem quite so annoying.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Sire?”

Lord Pain nodded at his subordinate, his oldest childe, a four hundred year old Cossack.  “Sergi?”

The thick-set Russian nodded respectfully.  “The Two were in the hands of Wolfram & Hart,” Pain grimaced, even The Brotherhood would be hard-pressed to take on the law firm.  “But, they are now in the hands of the child’s mother and the traitor Angelus.”

Pain’s mouth parted in a smile.  He’d seen photographs of the children’s mother.  A striking beauty, a worthy addition to his collection of victims.  And to rid his race of the taint that was Angelus.  “Better and better.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Damn fools!”  Wolfe slammed his fist into the desk.  They’d nearly killed him.  That boy, the brats’ father if he remembered right from the file had meant to be nothing more than a buffoon, instead he’d wiped out seven of his best men.  How was that possible?  Measures had to be taken.  He pressed down on his intercom.  “I want the file on Xander Harris now!”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Angel glanced over his shoulder and smiled.  The pain coursing through his body was more than counter-balanced by Faith’s look of glee as she talked quietly to her children, her arms wrapped protectively around them.  He’d always sensed an aura of loneliness and pain around the Slayer.  Maybe if he had taken more notice of her before things had gone down with Finch, maybe her time in prison could have been avoided.  Maybe she’d never had to gone through her coma, losing her children.

He shook his head, maybes didn’t matter.  Right now his protégée looked happier than he’d ever seen her, that was the important thing.  He turned his head to inspect the car’s driver, he didn’t think he’d been ever so surprised as when Xander had stepped out of the bushes and started firing his guns like something out of an Arnie movie.  “How did you do it Xander?  Soldier boy?” he guessed.

He was surprised when the youth shook his head.  “No.”

“How then?” this came from Faith.

After a second Xander laughed, it was a bitter sound belonging to a man in his dotage and not a young man with his life ahead of him.  “Every family’s got a black sheep right?  ‘Cept the Sunnydale Harrises had to do that different too.  Our black sheep was the brother who actually amounted to something.  Older brothers Tony and Rory were a pair of bums but Marcus, he was a different thing entirely.  Born in the sweltering summer of ’58, he had the right idea, get out of Sunnydale soon as possible.  Didn’t get the grades to go to college so he took the only route out – the army, the US. Rangers.  Did twenty years from ’76 to ’96 before returning home to open a Martial Arts dojo.”

”He trained in the arts in the service?” Faith’s tone held a note of professional interest.

Xander chuckled.  “He was US. Armed Forces Cruiserweight Champion in Judo, Tae Kwon Do, and Aikido in ’84, ’86, and ’88, so yeah he’s trained.  Got black belts in all three and one in Shotokan .  He’s also cross-trained at Escrima, Hapkido and Krav Maga.”.

“Krav Maga?” he heard of the Filipino and Korean arts but the other one was new to him.

Faith replied for Xander, a note of respect.  “Israelis teach it to their special forces, your uncle sounds like a real bad ass.”

”Oh!” Alex sounded outraged.  “You used a naughty word.”

”I’m sorry baby,” despite the note of contrition he heard in his friend’s voice, he also heard amusement.  “You’ll forgive me?”

“Don’t do it again,” Hope scolded.

“I’ll try not to.”

Angel’s ribs ached with the effort of not laughing at Faith being told off by two toddlers, looking across his companion he saw Xander’s jaw twitching uncontrollably.  “That’s going to be an effort,” Xander finally gasped.

That was enough to set Angel over the edge and start laughing, soon Xander joined him.  “Mummy,” Hope piped up.  “What they laughing at?”

“Just silly big boy things,” Faith replied loftily.  “He see action Xand?”

“Got a Silver Star in Grenada and a Bronze Star in the Gulf.”

Faith whistled.  “So he train you X?”

 

Xander nodded.  “When Buffy ran away after-, in ’98,” after sending him to hell, Angel silently added.  “I figured I needed to learn how to fight if I was to be going up against vampires so Uncle Marcus taught me.  I have a black belt in Judo, and brown belts in Aikido and Tae Kwon Do.  He also taught me small arms usage and other stuff too.”

“Wow,” Faith.  “Now Alex, Hope, when we get out of the car you have to give your daddy a big hug and a thank you for helping us okay?”

 

“Okay,” the children chorused.

Angel glanced out of the window as they pulled up outside his base of operations.  “Faith, you take the kids in,” Xander said.  “I’ll help Angel in.”

“But mommy said we’ve got to give you a hug,” Hope protested.

“I want a hug too,” Xander looked into the back.  Angel saw a tear welling in his companion’s eye.  “But wait until we’re inside.  Good girl?”

“Okay daddy.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

It was a struggle to get the groaning vampire out of the car and into the hotel, the adrenalin and fear that had fuelled his beaten body earlier dissipating, but when he got into the lobby, he stopped dead in amazement.  His kids were sat on Lorne’s knee listening to the green-skinned demon sing nursery rhymes as Faith and Fred looked on.  “He’s safe right?” he muttered.

“Lorne wouldn’t know how to hurt them,” Angel reassured him.

After a second he nodded uncertainly.  “Okay,” he looked around.  “Where’s the blood?”

“Through there,” the vampire nodded towards a door to the back of the lobby.

“Let’s get you in there then.”  Once he’d sat the vampire down he rummaged through the fridge, his face wrinkling in distaste.  “Deadboy, do you need a bib?”

“Funny guy Xander.”

“I try Captain HairGel.”

“Xander,” he turned to see Faith stood in the doorway, a rare uncertain look in her eyes.  “I’m gonna take the kids upstairs to my room, okay?”

He was momentarily surprised that Faith was asking his permission but nodded.  “Sure.”

                                    *                                  *                      *

Faith looked up from playing with her babies to see Xander enter the room she’d been occupying for the past thirty or so minutes.  Her stomach hollowed with fear as she saw Red, B, G, and Pip.  She was on the outside again, they were all X’s friends and not hers, if it came to a court contest for her babies she wouldn’t have a chance.  She smiled nervously as her babies hurried to their father and he started introducing his friends, Giles pulling a slight face at his description of ‘Grandpa Giles’.  Finally Xander looked at her, his expression unreadable.  “Faith can I have a word with you outside please?”

“Daddy-.”

Xander crouched down beside Hope.  “Listen sweetie pie, me and your Mummy have talk boring grown-up stuff, but your aunties and grandpa want to play with you, and we’ll be right back.  Okay?”

“Promise?”

Xander ruffled her little girl’s hair, damn it seemed so natural to him, maybe they would be better with him.  “I promise, sweetie pie.”  He looked up at her.  “Faith?”

She nodded shakily.  “Sure.”  What was he going to say?

Actions & Consequences (10/?)

“After everything that’s happened,” Xander glared irritably at the corridor’s other occupant.  “Faith, will you stop it with that damn pacing, you’re making my head spin.”

“Sorry.”  The Slayer leaned against the opposite wall, her arms crossed and expression anxious.

“After everything’s that happened I’m pretty set up financially, I’ll be getting 100 K for my eye, seven hundred for Anya,” he winced, the love of his life’s death, how do you put a price on that?  “She played the stocks and apparently there’s one hundred and fifty K in our joint bank account.  And G-Man,” Xander shook his head in amazement, this was the weird part.  “Has told me the Council owes me about 400K for the past seven years working as an unpaid Operations troop.  So I was figuring I could buy a house for me and the kids and look after them properly-.”

The brunette let out a pained gasp. “Please X, I know I screwed up,” the Bostonian babbled, her eyes filling with terror.  “I know I hurt you a lot, I know I deserve to punished, but not this.  Please don’t take my babies away.  They need me, I need them.”

“Just wait,” he interrupted.  “Not finished yet.  I was thinking you could move in with us, if you wanted.  There’d be conditions.”

”Anything X, anything you’ve ever wanted to do to a girl, I’ll let you do it and I’ll enjoy -,” the Bostonian moved closer, her eyes pleading as she cupped his face in her shaking hands.  “I’ll take wicked care of-.”

“Whoa!”  Xander stepped back.  “Not those sort of conditions.  I just lost the woman I love, why in the hell would I want you?” 

The Slayer looked confused.  “What then?”

It took him a second to get his mind back on track after Faith’s admitably attractive offer.  “First you get your GED, it’ll be hard teaching them about the value of education when their mom hasn’t finished high school.”

“Got it in prison.”

“Okay,” Xander was momentarily surprised.  “Well done.  Second, you stop Slaying, teach self-defence or just stay home, but I’m not explaining your death to them, not after  their other mother and father’s.  Three, you stop smoking.  You can’t get lung cancer but they can.  And four, what you do with guys is your own business, but you hire a motel room or do it in a car backseat, you don’t bring it into our home.”

“I..I’m not like that anymore X.”

“Whatever,” he snorted.  A leopard couldn’t change its spots or a slut her ways.  He’d learnt that with Faith the hard way.

“I’m not,” the brunette insisted.  “They’re my priority now, not getting laid or partying, looking after them.  Where would we live?”

 

Xander shrugged.  “I haven’t worked the details out yet.  Well, what do you say?” he hoped his indifferent tone conveyed his complete lack of interest either way.

Faith nodded.  “It sounds like a wicked offer,” the Bostonian smiled weakly.  “Me and you, a fresh start, like buds.  I really appreciate thi-.”

“Don’t bother,” he interrupted.  “I don’t like you, but you are good with them and I’m not going to take you away from them.  I’m doing this for them, not you.  Right now, I’d rather do Deadboy a favour than you.”  Turning, he headed back into the room.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith stared with frustration at Xander’s back as he strode back into the room, her heart clenching with pain at his attitude.  If he’d just give her a chance to show him how much she’d changed.  Even more than a proper mom or dad she’d wanted a big bro, some one to hang with, look after her, and tell secrets she couldn’t tell her parents.  She’d been an only child, fuck an unwanted one at that, and guys had never wanted to be her friend just get her on her back, but Xand, he’d tried to be her friend but she’d blown it.  “Fuck,” she muttered.  “Living with him’s going to be a barrel of laughs.”  But she could it for her kids.

She smiled unwillingly as she re-entered the room and saw her babies shrieking with joy as Willow showed off her magical skills by levitating the two kids in the air.  “Look Mummy!” Lex yelled.  “Auntie Willa’s making us fly.”

“I can see baby,” she called.  “Are you having fun?”

“Yeah, auntie Willa’s the best!”

“And,” Hope broke in.  “Auntie Buffy’s as strong as you.  She lifted us both over her head!  It was wicked!”

She chuckled to hear one of her catchphrases from her daughter’s mouth.  “I bet baby.”

“They really are wonderful children, a real credit to you.”

Faith flushed at Giles’ whispered praise.  “I didn’t do nothing ‘cept supply an egg,” she muttered.

“So far,” the Watcher fixed her with a piercing look, the sort that made her feel sixteen and back in the library that he’d made his domain.  “But now you have to take on the responsibility of being a parent.”

“I’m scared G,” she admitted in a whisper.  “I love ‘em and want to be a good ma, but my ma was a pretty lousy example.  I’ve fu-, screwed up everything I’ve ever done.  Maybe-.”

”Maybe nothing,” the Watcher interrupted, his tone firm, the sort that in more innocent days had always had her diving for cover.  “You have a good heart Faith, and I’m sure that you have plenty of love to give those two children.  I’m positive you’ll make a fine parent.”

“Doubt Xander sees it like that.”

Her mutter was picked up by the Watcher.  “Xander is very angry Faith, and you can hardly blame him for that.  Give him time and he’ll come round.  If not, then I will have a word with him.  He can’t go around creating a bad atmosphere for your children.”  The Englishman’s tone lightened.  “You’ll have plenty of support, built-in babysitters with all their aunts and apparently,” she giggled at the Watcher’s injured tone.  “Their grand-father.”  She was surprised when the middle-aged man put an arm around her shoulders.  “They’ll doubtless be times when you do or say the wrong thing, that they’ll disappoint, scare, or hurt you-.”

“Not exactly filling me with a confident glow there G.”

“But they’ll also be school plays, prize-days, track meets, dances, and other moments you’ll savour forever Faith.  You’ve missed out on their first three years.  Cherish the rest of their childhood.”

“Thanks G.”

“You’re welcome Faith, and remember I’m only ever a phone call away.”

“Granpappy!  Come tell us a story!” Alex shouted excitedly as Willow lowered the levitating infants to the bed. 

“Granpappy, bloody marvellous,” Giles groused.  “I swear Caleb should have ripped Xander’s tongue out rather than poke out his eye.”  She giggled again.  “And you don’t need to laugh young lady.  Now,” the newly named grandfather turned his attention to her children.  “Have you heard the story of Ali Baba?”

“No!” two voices chorused.

“Do you want to?”

”Yeah!” the two voices exclaimed.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Excuse me,” Giles glanced away from his two grand-children sat on his lap, he was going to enjoy getting to know them, help their parents do the best job possible, to his fellow Englishman in the doorway.  “Angel’s feeling better, we’re ready for the council.”

Giles felt the joy evaporate from the room as its occupants were returned to the grim reality of their situation.  He started to stand only for Alex to grab his hand.  “Granpappy tell us another story!”

“And finally,” Xander muttered.  “He finds somebody who enjoys his stories.”

“Daddy,” Hope looked shocked.  “Granpappy tells the best stories!”

“My mistake,” Xander looked around.  “Who’s going to sit with them?”

“I am,” the green-skinned demon friend of Angel entered.

“Lorne!  Lorne!” instantly Alex released his hand and rushed over to the demon, followed by the boy’s sister.  “Are you going to sing for us, please?”

Laughing, the stylishly dressed demon scooped up the boy.  “If that’s what you and this pretty one want!”

“Ah,” Xander sighed and looked at him.  “G-man, so easily replaced.”

Remembering the children Giles resisted the urge to tell Xander to piss off.  “Shall we go down?”

He was surprised when Hope rushed back to him and grabbed his hand.  “Don’t go granpappy!”

He crouched down by his newly discovered granddaughter. “ I’ll come back later,” he replied.

“With more stories?” the pleading look in the girl’s eyes made his heart catch.  How many times in her childhood had Faith looked up at her mother with those eyes and been either ignored or hit?

Finally he managed to speak.  “With more stories.”

“Got a fan there Giles,” Xander commented as they walked down the corridor to the meeting room.

He looked at his surrogate son.  “They’re wonderful children,” he enthused before resorting to a darker tone.  “They’re a credit to you, to both of you.  You’re both very lucky to have them.”  His point made, he continued on.

Upon entering the room, Angel stood.  “You want to take this meeting Giles?”

After blinking in surprise he nodded at the vampire and sat.  “As I see it, we have three adversaries – W&H, the Kalian Order, and The Blood Brotherhood’.”

“What about those others?”

Giles turned to Dawn.  “What others?” his brow creased.  “Oh yes, when we were being questioned, I overheard one of Wood’s,” Faith grimaced at the mention of her former love.  “Companions discussing a group known as the Apocalypse Foun-.”

“Oh bloody hell,” Wesley groaned.  “Their leader is Archibald Trent.  He was three years ahead of me at Watcher School, a bully and lech who got thrown out of the Council for experimenting with dark magics.  He founded the Apocalypse Foundation to further his powers in the occult world.”

“Very well,” Giles re-ordered his thoughts.  “Angel, I need you to come with me into the Wolfram & Hart building.”

“Wes knows his way round there best,” the vampire interjected.

”Very well,” he nodded.  “And then I want -.”

“I’m coming with you.”

After a second he nodded, knowing full when that when Xander got that expression on his face it was pointless arguing.  “Very well.”  He turned to the African-American.  “Gunn will take Buffy and Faith to find any trace of these groups, while Fred,” he nodded at the shy girl, “will take Willow, and Kennedy.”

“And me!” Giles opened his mouth to disagree but Dawn pre-empted him.  “They’re part of my family too.”

He sighed, he never won any of his arguments.  “Go with Gunn’s group.  Neither Gunn’s nor Fred’s group are to engage any of our enemies, only find out where they are and what numbers they have.”  He saw Buffy’s mouth open.  “I’m not risking a pre-emptive strike that allows some of the enemy to escape.  The other Slayers will be split between both teams, with the exception of Vi and Rona who will stay here with Lorne to guard the children.”  To his surprise instead of the expected anger at being left out, the two Slayers looked excited.  Mind you, you needed the bloody energy of a Slayer to keep up with those rug-rats.  “Any questions?”  When there were none he rose.  “Tomorrow night people.”

He turned towards the door.  “Giles, can we speak, alone?”

 

He turned to the vampire and nodded.  “Certainly.”  Once the others had disappeared to get armed, he spoke.  “Well?”

“You realise that Wolfe has to die don’t you?”  Giles nodded, that was why he hadn’t put any of the Slayers in their group.  “And?” the vampire pressed.

For a moment he saw Alex and Hope’s smiling, laughing faces before him.  “I don’t have a problem with that.”  No one was hurting his grandchildren, no-body.  And if he had to tear W&H down with his own two hands then that was – how would Faith put it?  Ah yes, five by five by him.

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