It Had To Be Done
Title: It Had To Be Done Rating: R (For Language later) Story: Action\Adventure Feedback: In lieu of a Faithbot yeah. E-Mail: [email protected] Disclaimer: I don't own the characters just worship at their altar. Author's Note (Or In This Case Long Rant): IMO the first three seasons of Buffy were about as good as TV gets - great acting, excellent characterisation, wonderful plots and sharp dialogue. Seasons 4 - 7 on the other hand, were patchy at best, the dialogue stayed just as funny but the introduction of weaker characters like Captain Cardboard, Anaya (VG but no Cordy), illogical plotlines (why didn't the Council or a vamp just kill Faith when she was in a coma? Why didn't the Scoobies just stake Spike when he turned up with the chip in his head? Willow's sudden head-long leap into lesbianism, when Faith returned to town why didn't she have one conversation with Xander to apologise? How in the hell can a soulless creature fall in love?), the marginalisation of entertaining and previously integral characters (Giles, Xander) and a fall in the quality of villains (Glory being the honourable exception) made the series still entertaining but not the must-see TV it was in its earlier years. In an effort to redress the balance, I've written my own ending for the series based around my three fav characters, Faith, Xander and, well you'll see.
PS. All you Spike fans out there, this isn't a knock on Spike, he was one of the most entertaining points of the later series', this is more a knock on the illogical plotlines that made him a part of the Scooby gang. Buffy fans, oh yeah this is a knock on Miss Whinny. Now are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.
* * *
Faith's temper flared, the Scoobies might never be her friends, her bad, but nobody spoke to them like that - not when she was around to do something about it. Pushing her chair back, she started to rise.
"Sit down Faith." The brunette glanced down across the crowded kitchen to the one-eyed man glaring intently at the bleached blond vampire. Surprised by the note of command in the man's voice, the Slayer found herself obeying. After a second Xander rose and strode across the kitchen until he was nose to nose with the suddenly uncertain-looking vampire. "I'm so sick of taking your shit," the man growled. "For six damn years it's been one thing after another with you. It's always been a mystery why we didn't stake your worthless ass when you were first chipped."
"Now hold on -."
"You've had your say, now shut the hell up!" the man growled causing the vampire to recoil in shock. Faith chuckled throatily, she was enjoying this. She idolised Angel but B's thing for vampires was wicked unnatural. "It wasn't just a one-way street you know, we did plenty for your precious Buffy."
"Yeah, like what?" Spike sneered.
"Like who was it who saved Buffy's life when Catherine Madison put a spell on her? Was it you, no I believe it was the G-Man. Who was it who brought her back to life after the Master drowned her? Wait, there was a souled vampire with me - no sorry it was Angel. Who was it who held off the vampires while Buffy battled the Master? Now I was there and Angel was there, no don't remember seeing you there. Who was it helped rescue Buffy from a reptile cult? Now I was there, Willow was, Angel too and so was G- Man, but no I don't remember any Peroxide Boys there. Who stopped Buffy from being killed by Egyhon? Now there was a vampire there no that would have been Angel. Who stole the grenade launcher from the army base that Buff used to kill the Judge, a demon you raised? Yep me."
"A grenade launcher?" Faith laughed. "There's a little bit of outlaw in you X-Man!"
The man ignored her interruption. "Who was it who backed Angelus off when he came to turn Buffy when she was ill in hospital? Me again." Suddenly the hushed room exploded into noise. Faith's mouth dropped open, she knew first-hand how tough Angelus was, but X-man had backed him off? He had to be bull-shitting, but a glance at the vampire's face told her different.
"Xander you bloody idiot!"
Faith blinked. So the Watcher hadn't known either, and judging from the look on Red's face neither had she. "Sorry G-Man it had to be done." Xander's gaze didn't move from the vampire. "And when you 'helped' Buffy save the world from Angelus what did you actually do? Oh wait, you grabbed your nutjob bitch and ran like the coward you are."
"Careful whelp," growled the vampire, his nostrils flaring.
"No, you be careful Spikey. Your mistress isn't here to protect you now," the vampire made to walk out. "Will stop him!" Suddenly the vampire slammed into the wall, manacles of coloured air around his wrists and ankles holding him there. "In this room is a Slayer, a man whose mother you murdered, another man who you watched being tortured and the world's most powerful Wicca - a woman who you've tried to kidnap and kill on more than one occasion. You're not leaving until I've finished. When the Sisterhood of Jhe tried to open the Hellmouth - G-Man, Buff, Faith, Angel and Will were there. You weren't."
"Ha! Neither were you!" Spike looked triumphant.
"Nope I was in the school basement stopping four zombies trying to open the Hellmouth with a homemade bomb." Shit, it had finally happened, for the first time in her life, she was speechless. Faith glanced across the kitchen to see that while the potentials were chattering excitedly, Red and G were suffering from the same condition. Finally she managed a grin. "Hey X-Man, remember how I thanked you last time you saved my life?"
She bit back a laugh both at the glares her remark gained her from Anaya and Red, and the shade of red Xander turned. "I'll take an I.O.U. thanks Faith. When Faith went psycho, sorry Faith."
"Hey, it happened Xand."
"When Faith tried to strangle me," Faith shifted uncomfortably at all the looks she got from the potentials at that revelation. "I was real lucky that an ensoulled vampire turned up to save me. Wasn't you though, it was Angel. Who tried to help Faith, you? No Angel. Who led the troops at Graduation while Buff fought the Mayor? It was Spi -, no wrong it was me. Mind you we were real lucky to have you around when that Master vampire got his hands on the Gem of Amara. Wait no, you were that Master vampire. But then you got chipped and came onto our team -."
"Yeah, that's right."
"Except I don't remember it turning out quite like that. First you try and bite Willow in her dormitory room. Then despite that Buffy decides for some unknown reason we should look after you. In my damn basement, no less! Yet despite that G-Man has to bribe you to help him when Ethan Rayne turned him into a demon. And then to top it all off you still try and sell us out to Adam by attempting to split us up. Then, despite the Buffybot episode -."
"Excuse me, Buffybot?" Faith glanced across to see Red's squeeze with her hand half-raised. She wouldn't mind hearing this one either.
"A robot of Buffy that Spike had built so he could have his wicked way with it when Buff wasn't interested," Xander's gaze still didn't move from the vampire's face even at the potentials' collective 'eew'. Even Faith, who'd done plenty of weird shit back in the day, felt nauseated. "Still she elects you, Mr. Trustworthy, as the Dawnster's protector. And we all know how well that ended." Suddenly Xander's voice chilled. "But when Buff came back from the dead you didn't need the robot anymore because you could manipulate a confused girl into bed. And when she came to her senses you tried to rape her."
"What!" G's enraged bellow shook the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eye, Faith saw the Watcher's face contort in rage. Leaping to his feet, the Watcher tore a chair leg from his chair and started forward, a murderous glare in his eyes. "You soddin' bastard!"
"Easy there G," she got between the Watcher and the suddenly sweating vampire.
"Get out of my bloody way!"
Faith swallowed nervously. She knew that she could kick G's ass in seconds but that didn't prevent a pissed off G from being one very scary bastard. "G, you know you can't win a throw-down with me. I'm the boss now and this piece of shit ain't worth us fighting over. Please." She really didn't want to hurt the old guy, he was one of the few men she trusted and respected. After a second the man nodded curtly and went to sit on the window sill. The Slayer glanced towards a grinning Xander. "You planned that!"
"Yeah," the man nodded. "I figured it was time that Spikey felt an ounce of the terror and helplessness his victims felt." Faith shook her head, if there was ever a next time for her trying to kill X-Man she was definitely finishing the job. No way she wanted him pissed and coming after her.
Xander turned back towards the vampire. Faith noted uneasily that the young man's one eye was glittering dangerously, maybe Spike wasn't safe yet. "So then you run away, get a soul and come back. What did Buffy say? 'He has a soul now'. Like that makes difference, Hitler, Pol Pot, and Stalin all had souls too, didn't stop them massacring enough people to make you and Angelus look like amateurs. Faith," the man glanced towards her. "Faith gets condemned for killing two people, one by accident. But you, you kill nearly ten with your shiny new soul and we're meant to accept it. 'He can be a good person', don't make me laugh."
"I was under the First's control." Spike protested feebly.
"Yeah and we're supposed to trust that you're not anymore. I might have lost one eye but I'm not blind. We can all see Faith's changed," the brunette started, he really thought that? "But you're still the same arrogant bastard you've always been."
"I saved your life the other night you ungrateful wanker!"
"Ungrateful?" Xander shook his head and chuckled. "Me? See that saucepan?" the man pointed to the cluttered kitchen top. "I half-toyed with hitting Faith over the head with it and letting G-Man end your miserable existence but I figured I owed you one for last night. Now we're even, so you better be extra careful not to be caught out in sunlight because I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire." The man paused for a second before continuing. "And another thing, do you have any idea how dumb Buffy's scheme was? Well I've got the memories of a 20yr Special Forces veteran who fought in Korea and Nam, and I do. Taking demoralised and injured troops to fight exactly the same enemy, on the exactly same terrain and with the same tactics is complete idiocy. She might be right about the vineyard containing the source of the First's power or something important to it. If she'd listened to suggestions about taking in a small force for recon, then maybe yeah, but Buffy only listens to one person - you." Xander turned towards Willow. "Release the spell."
The suddenly freed vampire stepped towards Xander and growled. "I ought to rip your throat out, whelp."
"Go for it," Xander laughed. "To quote Fats Domino 'Be my guest' William the Bloody Useless. Oh, by the way what do you think your chances of getting out here alive if you do? Just leave, I'm sure Buffy's been missing her wagging dog. And when you find her, tell her she's only welcome here if she's willing to drop her Judge Dredd act and kick your worthless ass to the kerb. Now get out."
* * *
Faith stared at Xander, for once uncertain what to say. After the vampire had stormed out she'd instructed everyone else out to give her some time to talk to Xander. The man's mood was wicked scary and she was half-wondering if losing his eye had unbalanced him in some way. "You really got a problem with B's boyfriends haven't you?"
The man shook his head wearily. "No. It's vampires I've got a problem with. Buffy's meant to be a vampire Slayer not a vampire layer," she had to bite back a laugh at that one. "At least with Angel you can see a difference between him and Angelus. But soulled and soulless Spike are exactly the same arrogant bastard."
Okay, so she could see that but where was the idolisation of B she remembered? "From the sounds of things you got some serious issues with B too?"
"The first two years I idolised her, would have died for her in a second. But then," he shook his head. "When she wanted to restore Angel's soul, it didn't matter that he'd killed Giles' girlfriend, tried to kill us all, just that she could have him back - that was my first glimpse at the true self-absorbed Buffy Summers. And when the restoration spell went wrong, she ran away from her friends who would have supported her, left us - a geek, a middle-aged Englishman still grieving the death of his lover, a Cheerleader, a Werewolf and a trainee witch to do her job for her. When Angel did come back she betrayed us again, hid him from us, and when we did find out we were just expected to fall blindly," laughing bitterly the man closed his one good eye for a second, "in line like good little troopers," the man hesitated.
"Go on Xand," Faith encouraged. If nothing else it would do the man good to vent, god knows all those shrink sessions in prison had taught her that. "I'm listening."
After a second the man nodded. "When I came to your hotel room babbling about 'connections', I wasn't just talking about sex Faith. I'm guessing your home life was pretty shitty."
"Understatement of the fucking year," she muttered, thinking back to the succession of boyfriends of her addict mom had brought home, forcing her to runaway at 14 before one of them turned their attentions to the younger model.
"Well so was mine. My dad used to beat me pretty regular 'til a few months after I started Slaying. Guess I stopped giving off the victim vibe. After that he'd just settle for yelling insults," Xander shrugged. "At least he wasn't drunken in a stupor 24/7 like mom." The man shook his head. "Anyway point is that's the connection I was talking about - and there's Buff, with the amazing mom I'd kill for, a damn good father substitute, a great home, decent grades and a bunch of friends. And what does she do? Spend all her time whining about not being able to get pelvic with an undead mass-murderer!"
"Wow," Faith hadn't expected this level of bitterness; this had been eating away at X-Man for a hell of a long time.
"Then we get the same blind obsession with Spikey. I know if Buffy had to choose between the rest of us living or have to stake Angelus or Spike we're dead!"
"If you feel so strong, why are you still here? Last time I checked, Sunnydale doesn't make America's ten most desirable places, hell it doesn't make California's."
"Will, Dawn, An & G-Man are my family and I won't desert them," the man's one eye grew flinty. "And if it comes down to staking either of her lovers, I won't have a second thought."
The Slayer swallowed slightly at the man's cold certainty. "You ever try to get things back to the way they were between you and B?"
"Twice. After Angel left after graduation and last year when Spike went off to get his soul, but they're like a drug to her. She's so damn hypocritical. You do time, come back changed but she punches you, takes pot shots, but if any of us have a go at her pet vampire."
"How do you know I've changed?" this was the longest, hell the only, conversation they'd had since her return, she'd avoided him out of shame. She couldn't see how he'd know.
The man shrugged. "First time here, you'd have either ignored or bullied the potentials. Now you try and encourage them, make them feel needed - which is more than Buffy did. The only person who was important to old Faith was you."
A small smile played on her lips, as an assessment it was blunt but accurate. "Thanks X-Man, I think. Oh," she coloured as she remembered something he'd said earlier. "And thanks for saving my ass with the zombies. It's a shame I didn't know about it back in the day."
"Why?" the man flashed her the crooked grin she remembered from her last stay in Sunnydale but hadn't seen since her return. "Would I have got a second go?"
She flipped the man the bird before sobering. "No but I might have realised that you had serious bud potential." She hesitated, "Xand I'm so- ."
Xander shook his head. "Doesn't matter," he interrupted. "It's in the past. You're fighting beside us, that's what important now." He started to stand.
"Xand, wait." Even more than apologising she hated asking for help. "I'm way out of my depth with this leadership gig. Tend to think with my fists -."
"Hadn't noticed."
She ploughed on over the interruption. Listening to him talk had convinced her he was the one she needed. "I need help, a good second in command."
Xander's one eye widened. "You're not serious! Hello donut boy!"
Faith shook her head. "Try and break B's programming X-Man. Seven years fighting master vamps, demons, mages and goddesses. Saved two Slayers' lives, hell according to what Red told me on the drive here, you saved the world with a freakin' yellow crayon." She chuckled at Xander's reddening face before sobering. "Xand you've also got those twenty years of combat experience in your head. But more than that, I know I can trust you. G and Red are great, but they've got split loyalties, but if you say you'll follow someone you'll do it." After a second, Xander nodded. Faith beamed. For the next half hour they threw around ideas, talked strategy. Finally they'd finished. As they rose, Faith spoke. "Standing up to Spike took serious balls."
Xander shrugged. "It had to be done."
Title: It Had To Be Done Rating: R (For Language later) Story: Action\Adventure Feedback: In lieu of a Faithbot yeah. E-Mail: [email protected] Disclaimer: I don't own the characters just worship at their altar. Author's Note (Or In This Case Long Rant): IMO the first three seasons of Buffy were about as good as TV gets - great acting, excellent characterisation, wonderful plots and sharp dialogue. Seasons 4 - 7 on the other hand, were patchy at best, the dialogue stayed just as funny but the introduction of weaker characters like Captain Cardboard, Anaya (VG but no Cordy), illogical plotlines (why didn't the Council or a vamp just kill Faith when she was in a coma? Why didn't the Scoobies just stake Spike when he turned up with the chip in his head? Willow's sudden head-long leap into lesbianism, when Faith returned to town why didn't she have one conversation with Xander to apologise? How in the hell can a soulless creature fall in love?), the marginalisation of entertaining and previously integral characters (Giles, Xander) and a fall in the quality of villains (Glory being the honourable exception) made the series still entertaining but not the must-see TV it was in its earlier years. In an effort to redress the balance, I've written my own ending for the series based around my three fav characters, Faith, Xander and, well you'll see.
PS. All you Spike fans out there, this isn't a knock on Spike, he was one of the most entertaining points of the later series', this is more a knock on the illogical plotlines that made him a part of the Scooby gang. Buffy fans, oh yeah this is a knock on Miss Whinny. Now are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.
* * *
Faith's temper flared, the Scoobies might never be her friends, her bad, but nobody spoke to them like that - not when she was around to do something about it. Pushing her chair back, she started to rise.
"Sit down Faith." The brunette glanced down across the crowded kitchen to the one-eyed man glaring intently at the bleached blond vampire. Surprised by the note of command in the man's voice, the Slayer found herself obeying. After a second Xander rose and strode across the kitchen until he was nose to nose with the suddenly uncertain-looking vampire. "I'm so sick of taking your shit," the man growled. "For six damn years it's been one thing after another with you. It's always been a mystery why we didn't stake your worthless ass when you were first chipped."
"Now hold on -."
"You've had your say, now shut the hell up!" the man growled causing the vampire to recoil in shock. Faith chuckled throatily, she was enjoying this. She idolised Angel but B's thing for vampires was wicked unnatural. "It wasn't just a one-way street you know, we did plenty for your precious Buffy."
"Yeah, like what?" Spike sneered.
"Like who was it who saved Buffy's life when Catherine Madison put a spell on her? Was it you, no I believe it was the G-Man. Who was it who brought her back to life after the Master drowned her? Wait, there was a souled vampire with me - no sorry it was Angel. Who was it who held off the vampires while Buffy battled the Master? Now I was there and Angel was there, no don't remember seeing you there. Who was it helped rescue Buffy from a reptile cult? Now I was there, Willow was, Angel too and so was G- Man, but no I don't remember any Peroxide Boys there. Who stopped Buffy from being killed by Egyhon? Now there was a vampire there no that would have been Angel. Who stole the grenade launcher from the army base that Buff used to kill the Judge, a demon you raised? Yep me."
"A grenade launcher?" Faith laughed. "There's a little bit of outlaw in you X-Man!"
The man ignored her interruption. "Who was it who backed Angelus off when he came to turn Buffy when she was ill in hospital? Me again." Suddenly the hushed room exploded into noise. Faith's mouth dropped open, she knew first-hand how tough Angelus was, but X-man had backed him off? He had to be bull-shitting, but a glance at the vampire's face told her different.
"Xander you bloody idiot!"
Faith blinked. So the Watcher hadn't known either, and judging from the look on Red's face neither had she. "Sorry G-Man it had to be done." Xander's gaze didn't move from the vampire. "And when you 'helped' Buffy save the world from Angelus what did you actually do? Oh wait, you grabbed your nutjob bitch and ran like the coward you are."
"Careful whelp," growled the vampire, his nostrils flaring.
"No, you be careful Spikey. Your mistress isn't here to protect you now," the vampire made to walk out. "Will stop him!" Suddenly the vampire slammed into the wall, manacles of coloured air around his wrists and ankles holding him there. "In this room is a Slayer, a man whose mother you murdered, another man who you watched being tortured and the world's most powerful Wicca - a woman who you've tried to kidnap and kill on more than one occasion. You're not leaving until I've finished. When the Sisterhood of Jhe tried to open the Hellmouth - G-Man, Buff, Faith, Angel and Will were there. You weren't."
"Ha! Neither were you!" Spike looked triumphant.
"Nope I was in the school basement stopping four zombies trying to open the Hellmouth with a homemade bomb." Shit, it had finally happened, for the first time in her life, she was speechless. Faith glanced across the kitchen to see that while the potentials were chattering excitedly, Red and G were suffering from the same condition. Finally she managed a grin. "Hey X-Man, remember how I thanked you last time you saved my life?"
She bit back a laugh both at the glares her remark gained her from Anaya and Red, and the shade of red Xander turned. "I'll take an I.O.U. thanks Faith. When Faith went psycho, sorry Faith."
"Hey, it happened Xand."
"When Faith tried to strangle me," Faith shifted uncomfortably at all the looks she got from the potentials at that revelation. "I was real lucky that an ensoulled vampire turned up to save me. Wasn't you though, it was Angel. Who tried to help Faith, you? No Angel. Who led the troops at Graduation while Buff fought the Mayor? It was Spi -, no wrong it was me. Mind you we were real lucky to have you around when that Master vampire got his hands on the Gem of Amara. Wait no, you were that Master vampire. But then you got chipped and came onto our team -."
"Yeah, that's right."
"Except I don't remember it turning out quite like that. First you try and bite Willow in her dormitory room. Then despite that Buffy decides for some unknown reason we should look after you. In my damn basement, no less! Yet despite that G-Man has to bribe you to help him when Ethan Rayne turned him into a demon. And then to top it all off you still try and sell us out to Adam by attempting to split us up. Then, despite the Buffybot episode -."
"Excuse me, Buffybot?" Faith glanced across to see Red's squeeze with her hand half-raised. She wouldn't mind hearing this one either.
"A robot of Buffy that Spike had built so he could have his wicked way with it when Buff wasn't interested," Xander's gaze still didn't move from the vampire's face even at the potentials' collective 'eew'. Even Faith, who'd done plenty of weird shit back in the day, felt nauseated. "Still she elects you, Mr. Trustworthy, as the Dawnster's protector. And we all know how well that ended." Suddenly Xander's voice chilled. "But when Buff came back from the dead you didn't need the robot anymore because you could manipulate a confused girl into bed. And when she came to her senses you tried to rape her."
"What!" G's enraged bellow shook the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eye, Faith saw the Watcher's face contort in rage. Leaping to his feet, the Watcher tore a chair leg from his chair and started forward, a murderous glare in his eyes. "You soddin' bastard!"
"Easy there G," she got between the Watcher and the suddenly sweating vampire.
"Get out of my bloody way!"
Faith swallowed nervously. She knew that she could kick G's ass in seconds but that didn't prevent a pissed off G from being one very scary bastard. "G, you know you can't win a throw-down with me. I'm the boss now and this piece of shit ain't worth us fighting over. Please." She really didn't want to hurt the old guy, he was one of the few men she trusted and respected. After a second the man nodded curtly and went to sit on the window sill. The Slayer glanced towards a grinning Xander. "You planned that!"
"Yeah," the man nodded. "I figured it was time that Spikey felt an ounce of the terror and helplessness his victims felt." Faith shook her head, if there was ever a next time for her trying to kill X-Man she was definitely finishing the job. No way she wanted him pissed and coming after her.
Xander turned back towards the vampire. Faith noted uneasily that the young man's one eye was glittering dangerously, maybe Spike wasn't safe yet. "So then you run away, get a soul and come back. What did Buffy say? 'He has a soul now'. Like that makes difference, Hitler, Pol Pot, and Stalin all had souls too, didn't stop them massacring enough people to make you and Angelus look like amateurs. Faith," the man glanced towards her. "Faith gets condemned for killing two people, one by accident. But you, you kill nearly ten with your shiny new soul and we're meant to accept it. 'He can be a good person', don't make me laugh."
"I was under the First's control." Spike protested feebly.
"Yeah and we're supposed to trust that you're not anymore. I might have lost one eye but I'm not blind. We can all see Faith's changed," the brunette started, he really thought that? "But you're still the same arrogant bastard you've always been."
"I saved your life the other night you ungrateful wanker!"
"Ungrateful?" Xander shook his head and chuckled. "Me? See that saucepan?" the man pointed to the cluttered kitchen top. "I half-toyed with hitting Faith over the head with it and letting G-Man end your miserable existence but I figured I owed you one for last night. Now we're even, so you better be extra careful not to be caught out in sunlight because I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire." The man paused for a second before continuing. "And another thing, do you have any idea how dumb Buffy's scheme was? Well I've got the memories of a 20yr Special Forces veteran who fought in Korea and Nam, and I do. Taking demoralised and injured troops to fight exactly the same enemy, on the exactly same terrain and with the same tactics is complete idiocy. She might be right about the vineyard containing the source of the First's power or something important to it. If she'd listened to suggestions about taking in a small force for recon, then maybe yeah, but Buffy only listens to one person - you." Xander turned towards Willow. "Release the spell."
The suddenly freed vampire stepped towards Xander and growled. "I ought to rip your throat out, whelp."
"Go for it," Xander laughed. "To quote Fats Domino 'Be my guest' William the Bloody Useless. Oh, by the way what do you think your chances of getting out here alive if you do? Just leave, I'm sure Buffy's been missing her wagging dog. And when you find her, tell her she's only welcome here if she's willing to drop her Judge Dredd act and kick your worthless ass to the kerb. Now get out."
* * *
Faith stared at Xander, for once uncertain what to say. After the vampire had stormed out she'd instructed everyone else out to give her some time to talk to Xander. The man's mood was wicked scary and she was half-wondering if losing his eye had unbalanced him in some way. "You really got a problem with B's boyfriends haven't you?"
The man shook his head wearily. "No. It's vampires I've got a problem with. Buffy's meant to be a vampire Slayer not a vampire layer," she had to bite back a laugh at that one. "At least with Angel you can see a difference between him and Angelus. But soulled and soulless Spike are exactly the same arrogant bastard."
Okay, so she could see that but where was the idolisation of B she remembered? "From the sounds of things you got some serious issues with B too?"
"The first two years I idolised her, would have died for her in a second. But then," he shook his head. "When she wanted to restore Angel's soul, it didn't matter that he'd killed Giles' girlfriend, tried to kill us all, just that she could have him back - that was my first glimpse at the true self-absorbed Buffy Summers. And when the restoration spell went wrong, she ran away from her friends who would have supported her, left us - a geek, a middle-aged Englishman still grieving the death of his lover, a Cheerleader, a Werewolf and a trainee witch to do her job for her. When Angel did come back she betrayed us again, hid him from us, and when we did find out we were just expected to fall blindly," laughing bitterly the man closed his one good eye for a second, "in line like good little troopers," the man hesitated.
"Go on Xand," Faith encouraged. If nothing else it would do the man good to vent, god knows all those shrink sessions in prison had taught her that. "I'm listening."
After a second the man nodded. "When I came to your hotel room babbling about 'connections', I wasn't just talking about sex Faith. I'm guessing your home life was pretty shitty."
"Understatement of the fucking year," she muttered, thinking back to the succession of boyfriends of her addict mom had brought home, forcing her to runaway at 14 before one of them turned their attentions to the younger model.
"Well so was mine. My dad used to beat me pretty regular 'til a few months after I started Slaying. Guess I stopped giving off the victim vibe. After that he'd just settle for yelling insults," Xander shrugged. "At least he wasn't drunken in a stupor 24/7 like mom." The man shook his head. "Anyway point is that's the connection I was talking about - and there's Buff, with the amazing mom I'd kill for, a damn good father substitute, a great home, decent grades and a bunch of friends. And what does she do? Spend all her time whining about not being able to get pelvic with an undead mass-murderer!"
"Wow," Faith hadn't expected this level of bitterness; this had been eating away at X-Man for a hell of a long time.
"Then we get the same blind obsession with Spikey. I know if Buffy had to choose between the rest of us living or have to stake Angelus or Spike we're dead!"
"If you feel so strong, why are you still here? Last time I checked, Sunnydale doesn't make America's ten most desirable places, hell it doesn't make California's."
"Will, Dawn, An & G-Man are my family and I won't desert them," the man's one eye grew flinty. "And if it comes down to staking either of her lovers, I won't have a second thought."
The Slayer swallowed slightly at the man's cold certainty. "You ever try to get things back to the way they were between you and B?"
"Twice. After Angel left after graduation and last year when Spike went off to get his soul, but they're like a drug to her. She's so damn hypocritical. You do time, come back changed but she punches you, takes pot shots, but if any of us have a go at her pet vampire."
"How do you know I've changed?" this was the longest, hell the only, conversation they'd had since her return, she'd avoided him out of shame. She couldn't see how he'd know.
The man shrugged. "First time here, you'd have either ignored or bullied the potentials. Now you try and encourage them, make them feel needed - which is more than Buffy did. The only person who was important to old Faith was you."
A small smile played on her lips, as an assessment it was blunt but accurate. "Thanks X-Man, I think. Oh," she coloured as she remembered something he'd said earlier. "And thanks for saving my ass with the zombies. It's a shame I didn't know about it back in the day."
"Why?" the man flashed her the crooked grin she remembered from her last stay in Sunnydale but hadn't seen since her return. "Would I have got a second go?"
She flipped the man the bird before sobering. "No but I might have realised that you had serious bud potential." She hesitated, "Xand I'm so- ."
Xander shook his head. "Doesn't matter," he interrupted. "It's in the past. You're fighting beside us, that's what important now." He started to stand.
"Xand, wait." Even more than apologising she hated asking for help. "I'm way out of my depth with this leadership gig. Tend to think with my fists -."
"Hadn't noticed."
She ploughed on over the interruption. Listening to him talk had convinced her he was the one she needed. "I need help, a good second in command."
Xander's one eye widened. "You're not serious! Hello donut boy!"
Faith shook her head. "Try and break B's programming X-Man. Seven years fighting master vamps, demons, mages and goddesses. Saved two Slayers' lives, hell according to what Red told me on the drive here, you saved the world with a freakin' yellow crayon." She chuckled at Xander's reddening face before sobering. "Xand you've also got those twenty years of combat experience in your head. But more than that, I know I can trust you. G and Red are great, but they've got split loyalties, but if you say you'll follow someone you'll do it." After a second, Xander nodded. Faith beamed. For the next half hour they threw around ideas, talked strategy. Finally they'd finished. As they rose, Faith spoke. "Standing up to Spike took serious balls."
Xander shrugged. "It had to be done."