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Touched

Prologue

Everyone is talking at once in Buffy’s living room. “Power to the people?” asks Giles. “You sound like a child of the seventies.”

“What we’re saying is we’re in charge of ourselves,” says Kennedy. Faith tries to add a little order to the conversation, but Kennedy ignores her. “All I’m saying is now that Buffy’s not here, we finally have some say in how or when we lose our necks.”

Wood waves his hand across his neck. “Maybe you don’t have to be so blunt about the losing of the necks bit.”

“No, let the girl speak the truth,” says Anya. “We’re all on death’s door, repeatedly ringing the doorbell, like maniacal girl scouts trying to make quota.”

“I’m thinking that maybe everyone here shouldn’t have a say,” says Xander.

“We just have to find some way of having constructive dialogue without going completely mad,” says Giles.

“Do you know the parliamentary procedure?” asks Amanda. “’Cause that’s a convenient way of organizing—”

“I just wonder if those of us who have been here longer—” says Kennedy.

“Maybe we should break down into smaller groups,” says Wood, “so it wouldn’t be so chaotic? Faith, what do you think?”

“When I was involved with the Model U.N., We found the parliamentary procedure to be a total lifesaver…” says Amanda.

Giles tries to have a quiet word with Dawn in the back of the room. “She’s going to be fine. Really, it’s for the best.”

“Yeah?” asks Dawn. “Then why do I feel like this?”

Amanda’s still talking. “…only we had this system which allowed us to organize our conversation.”

“I hear what you’re saying,” says Faith, “but—”

“Shouldn’t we get down to business—” says Kennedy.

“You guys, I think we’re wasting time arguing about how to argue,” says Willow.

“Well, why don’t we—”

Vi cuts Amanda off. “Please don’t mention parliamentary procedure.”

“I second that,” says Caridad.

Faith gets up. “Everyone listen to me. Chill. All right?” She looks around the room. “It’s been a long night, and I don’t know about you, but I’m wiped. Maybe we should catch some sleep and figure all this out in the morning.”

“Do we really have time to waste?” asks Kennedy.

“Look, I understand you guys are wicked stressed,” says Faith. “Frankly, our situation blows. We’ve got to stay cool. That’s the only way we’re going to get through this. Can everyone handle that?”

There’s a general chorus of nods, and ‘yeah’s around the room.

“Yeah, we’ll get some rest,” says Vi, “and then tomorrow, things won’t seem so—” The lights go out, and there’s a chorus of gasps around the room. “What happened?” asks Vi.

“The lights went out,” says Caridad.

“I’ll get some candles…” says Amanda. “If we have candles.”

“I’ll check the fuse box,” says Kennedy.

Faith has been checking out the window. “Don’t bother. All the lights on the whole street just went out.”

“Which means?” asks Kennedy.

“That the people from the power company have got the hell out of Sunnydale,” says Faith.

“I think I’m freaking out,” says Vi.

Buffy slowly walks down the street. Most of the houses have been abandoned. She sees a family that hadn’t left yet packing all they can fit into their car. She keeps moving past them.

Buffy breaks into a darkened house. She slowly makes her way into it. A man suddenly appears from a hall, pointing a shotgun at her. “Don’t move! Get out of my house.”

“Hey.” Buffy reaches out and pulls the gun away from him before he can react. “I thought the place would be empty. I was looking for a place to crash. You know, you really should leave.”

“You can’t just kick me out of my own house!”

Buffy shrugs. “Why not? It’s what all the cool kids are doing nowadays.” She starts to walk through the house again, carrying his shotgun. “This is not your house. It’s not your town. Not anymore.” She doesn’t even notice that the man has taken her advice, and gone.

Buffy moves into the kitchen. She opens the fridge and looks inside it. “Got any Tab?”

Act I

Andrew lies on his stomach on the floor in the mission, kicking his heels in the air. He looks around the room. “I spy with my little eye something that begins with a ‘T.’”

Spike is sitting leaning against the wall and looking annoyed. “Tapestry.”

“Hey, good one,” says Andrew. “How did you—”

“Tapestry’s the only thing in the whole bloody room,” says Spike.

“Ah…so say you, but I say look deeper.” Andrew rolls over onto his back and looks at the ceiling.

Spike glares at him. “I’ll look deep into your jugular is what I’ll look at.”

“Don’t spaz out.”

“I’m not—” Spike pulls his temper under control. “Don’t say another word.”

Andrew lies still, looking at the ceiling for a moment, then he rolls back onto his stomach and looks at Spike. “Rock, paper, scissors?”

“What’s the matter with you?” asks Spike. “Don’t you understand what’s happening?”

“Uh…yeah. We’re waiting here till it’s night again so you can ride on your motorcycle without exploding.”

“And every minute we’re stuck here, the Slayer’s out there facing hell knows what!” says Spike.

“Come on. What’s the worst thing that could happen to her?” Andrew sees the way Spike is glaring at him, and gulps.

A smaller group than had filled Buffy’s living room is gathered in her basement, discussing their options by candlelight.

“All right,” asks Faith, “So, what do we know?”

“Well, we know we’re basically the last humans left in Sunnydale,” says Xander. The bandages over his missing eye have been replaced by an eye patch.

“And that all the evil in town wants us dead,” says Caridad.

“I don’t want to die,” says Vi.

“Don’t worry,” says Anya. “It’s far more likely you’ll live long enough to watch most of your friends die first. And then you’ll die.” This doesn’t make anyone feel better.

“We also know that Caleb told Buffy that everything’s going down at the seal,” says Kennedy. “I think we should head—”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” says Faith. “So, we know we’ve got a lot of enemies. We’ll start there.”

“Faith, I’m sorry—”

Faith cuts Kennedy off. “I got this, okay? So let’s go over our rogues’ gallery. Who exactly do we have here?”

“Well, there’s the First, who we can’t touch,” says Dawn.

“Then there’s our friend the Reverend I-Hate-Women,” says Xander.

“Who’s basically untouchable,” says Anya.

“There’s the ‘roid-rage vamps, who are pretty much the worst,” says Dawn. “And the—”

“Bringers,” says Faith. “I think they’re our weakest link.”

“Are you thinking of attacking the Bringers?” asks Giles.

“Maybe,” says Faith. “Or…okay, we could kidnap one.”

Kennedy snorts. “And what? Hold it ransom?”

“Yeah,” says Xander. “I’ll get the magazines and start ripping out the letters now. ‘Dear Mr. First. If you want your Bringer back… well, we’ll be surprised because you got, like, three million of them. So please disregard this letter. Yours sincerely—’”

“I’m saying we think about getting us a Bringer and making it talk,” says Faith. “Find out info on the First and Caleb that way.”

“How do you think we should catch one if they don’t want to be found?” asks Wood.

“Okay, I’m not sure this is such a good idea,” says Kennedy. “Why try and get information when we already know about the seal? Why don’t we send a team to the high school? Do some recon and—”

“No,” says Faith.

“Just like that?” asks Kennedy. “You’re not even listening.”

“Sweetie,” says Willow gently, “you’re pushing too hard.”

Kennedy ignores Willow. “I thought things would be different now,” she tells Faith, “but you keep shutting me down.”

Faith stands up. “Things are different, because now…I’m your boss.” Faith looks around at the group in the basement. “Look, you guys, I’m not Buffy. I’m not the one who’s been on your asses all this time. But I’m not one of you anymore, either. I’m your leader, which means I go first, and I make the rules, and the rest of you follow after me. Is that clear?” She waits for a moment to see if there’s going to be any comment. There isn’t. “So, Kennedy, back the hell off, and let me do my job, all right? Okay, let’s get down to business.”

A group of Bringers are working on a large stone. Some use hammers and chisels, others have power grinders and cutters that send showers of sparks into the air. The First, looking like Buffy, and Caleb stand watching.

“I was hoping you’d bring me some better news,” says the First.

“And I wish I had some,” says Caleb.

“Is this going to do anything?” asks the First. “Or is all of this just to make the Bringers sweat?” She looks up at Caleb. “Do the Bringers sweat?”

“Actually, I think they pant, like dogs,” says Caleb. “And I don’t know if this is going to do any good, but we have to try everything.”

“You realize what will happen if the Slayer and her girls get it, don’t you?” asks the First.

“They won’t,” says Caleb.

“That’s right. They won’t.” The First turns and walks away through the passage leading up out of the cave. “Because you’re going to kill all of them and everyone they know.”

“Hallelujah!” says Caleb.

Kennedy walks slowly down a dark and deserted street with her hands in her pockets. She turns into the alley beside the Bronze. She keeps walking.

A Bringer attacks her from behind. She suddenly ducks, and a rope drops over the Bringer’s neck.

Two more Bringers appear, as do Caridad, Amanda and another Potential. Giles yanks on the rope, pulling the Bringer that first attacked Kennedy off its feet.

Kennedy and the others quickly kill the other two Bringers while Giles ties up the one he’s captured. When the fight’s over Kennedy looks around, and catches her breath. “I’ve never been the bait before. That was, uh…actually, kind of scary.”

“We had your back,” says Caridad.

“You did well,” says Giles. “Your performance as a disgruntled minion was spot on.”

“I’m method.” Kennedy looks at the Bringer tied up on the ground. “Let’s get this back to the Captain.”

Act II

Giles leads Faith, Willow and Xander up from the basement into the candle lit kitchen. Dawn is sitting at the kitchen island with Amanda. “Oh, hey. So?” she asks.

“Uh, the Bringer’s dumb,” says Giles.

“You were expecting, what, a Rhode’s Scholar?” asks Anya.

“Dumb as in mute,” says Giles.

“Someone ripped out its tongue,” says Faith.

Amanda looks around at her. “Oh, gross.”

Dawn has an idea. “Hey…I’ve been reading this old Turkish spell book. There’s an old conjuration that the ancient Turks used to communicate with the dying.”

“Oh, yeah. I think I’ve read a translation of it,” says Willow.

“There’s a translation of it?” Dawn takes a deep, calming breath. “I’m over it. Um, so the spell is used to communicate with people who can’t talk. Um, like if a person was dying, this spell would let them say their good-byes or, you know, gripe about how nobody came to visit them.” Everyone looks at her, wondering what she’s getting at. “Would this help us with Mr. No-tongue?”

Willow thinks about it for a bit. “Yeah, I think so. I just need to get together a few ingredients.”

“All right,” says Faith. “Well, cool. While Willow does that, the rest of us can—”

The front door opens. “We’re back!” calls out Andrew. Spike follows him back into the kitchen.

“Hey. Hi, everybody. I missed you guys a lot.” Andrew puts the football helmet he’s carrying onto a shelf. “Sorry it took so long to get back from our mission…mission, but we had to wait out the sun.” Andrew makes his way to the cookie tin beside the fridge. “Well, I think our mission went very well. We, uh, we rode on Spike’s hog, which was very cool, and, uh…uh, played some amusing games, and— Oh! We got some information.” He looks around at everyone looking at him. “You know what? I really need to urinate.” He leaves the kitchen, taking the cookies with him.

“He’s a breath of fresh air, isn’t he?” asks Spike. “Thank god I don’t breathe. So, I think we got a lead. Where’s Buffy?”

Everyone looks very uncomfortable. “Um…she’s not here right now,” says Dawn.

“When does she get back?” asks Spike.

Willow comes around the island. “Uh…while you were gone, we all got together and…talked out some…disagreements that we were having. Um…and eventually, after much discussion, Buffy decided that it would be best for…all of us if she…took a little time off, a little breather.”

Spike nods. “Uh-huh. I see. Been practicing that little speech long, have you?” Willow turns away from his gaze. “So, uh, Buffy took some time off right in the middle of the apocalypse, and it was her decision?”

“Well, we all decided,” says Xander.

“Oh, yeah. You all decided.” Spike laughs bitterly. “You sad, sad, ungrateful traitors! Who do you think you are?”

“We’re her friends,” says Willow. “We just want—”

“Oh, that’s ballsy of you,” says Spike. “You’re her friends, and you betray her like this?”

“You don’t understand—”

“You know, I think I do…Rupert,” says Spike. “You used to be the big man, didn’t you? The teacher all full of wisdom. Now she’s surpassed you, and you can’t handle it. She has saved your lives again and again! She’s died for you! And this is how you thank—”

“Hey!” Faith starts to walk slowly toward him. “Why don’t you take it down a notch or two? The time for speech-giving is over, bat boy.” She steps up in front of him.

Spike steps up to Faith. “Oh, is that right?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” says Faith. “Save your lack of breath.”

“All right.” Spike punches her and Faith falls back across the kitchen island.

Faith straightens back up again. “You’re pretty sweet on her, aren’t you?” She kicks Spike in the face. “I think it’s cute.” He punches her back. “The way she’s got you whipped.” She kicks Spike into the dining room. He smashes the bowl in the center of the table when he lands on it. He rolls off the table onto the floor.

“Enough!” shouts Giles.

Faith ignores him. She goes around the table and starts punching at Spike. He lets her get in a couple more shots before he shovers her away, and flips back to his feet.

“Finally got what you wanted, didn’t you?” Spike blocks Faiths next couple of punches, before he gets in a good shot of his own. “Where is she?” He punches her again.

“I don’t know!” Faith blocks Spike’s next punch, but he throws her across the dining room. She rolls quickly to her feet, and turns to face him, ready to keep fighting.

Spike throws his hands up in the air, and turns away from her. He walks out the front door.

Spike goes down the walk to the street in front of Buffy’s house. He pauses and closes his eyes. He smells the air. He turns to his left and moves off down the street.

Willow finishes up reading the Turkish spell. She looks at the Bringer shackled to the basement wall. “Speak to us.” Xander, Kennedy and Andrew are sitting around the table watching her and Giles with the Bringer.

The Bringer doesn’t say anything. “Maybe I should rough him up a little,” says Andrew.

Xander looks back at him. “Andrew!”

“Quiet!” snaps Kennedy.

Willow is disappointed that nothing seems to have happened. “I don’t know, guys. That should have worked.”

Andrew starts talking in a monotone. “I am a drone in the mind that is evil.”

“Could you just shut up?” asks Xander.

“I say I’m part of the great darkness,” says Andrew.

“Somebody needs a reality check,” says Kennedy.

“Or a muzzle,” says Xander.

Giles and Willow turn to look at Andrew. “Wait,” says Giles.

“I’m only a fragment of the we,” says Andrew. “We work as one to serve the First.”

Xander and Kennedy figure out what’s happening, and move away from Andrew.

“Okay, what do you— the we— do for the First?” asks Willow.

“We work to prepare for the inevitable battle,” says Andrew.

Kennedy grabs the Bringer’s knife off the table. “How?” She presses it against the Bringer’s throat. “Tell me exactly what the Bringers are doing.”

“Kennedy, he can’t see the knife,” says Giles.

“We can feel the knife,” says Andrew.

“Kennedy?” Giles holds out his hand toward her. She reluctantly pulls the knife away from the Bringer’s throat, and gives it to him.

“We attend to the needs of the infinite evil,” says Andrew. “We exterminate girls and destroy the legacy of the Slayer. We build an arsenal beneath the dirt. We obey the commands of our teacher Caleb.”

“Wait.” Xander raises his finger. “Could we go back to the dirt thing?”

“We build weapons to prepare for the coming war,” says Andrew. “At the farthest edge of town. We are everywhere. We are like the ocean’s waves. We watch your efforts and are not scared. We will laugh at you as you die.”

Giles has heard enough. He uses the Bringer’s knife to slit its throat.

“What the bananas?” cries Andrew as he jumps to his feet. “You are so lucky that you did not just…magically decapitate me.”

“We’ve got enough here.” Giles heads for the stairs. “We need to get Faith in on this. Xander, gather some maps. We need to find a subterranean space large enough to house an armoury!”

Andrew follows Giles and the others up the stairs. “I feel used and violated, and…” He rubs his throat. “I need a lozenge.”

Buffy lies on a bed in the master bedroom of the abandoned house, covered by her coat. She can hear a knocking on the door, but she doesn’t move.

Spike appears at the bedroom door. “There you are. Do you realize I could just walk in here, no invite needed? This town really is theirs now, isn’t it?” Buffy still just lies not moving as Spike comes toward her. “I heard. I was over there. That bitch. She’s all about smiles and reformation when you’re on your feet, but the moment you’re down, she’s all about the kicking, isn’t that right? Makes me want—”

“It wasn’t just Faith,” says Buffy quietly. “It was all of them.” She finally looks up at him. “And it’s not like they were wrong. Please leave.”

“No,” says Spike. “This’ll change your tune. I came here ’cause I got something to tell you. You were right. Caleb is trying to protect something from you. And I think you were spot on all the way. I think it’s at the vineyard.” He looks at Buffy lying not moving. “So, you were right.” Buffy still doesn’t move. “Buffy?”

“I don’t feel very right.”

Spike comes closer. “You’re not fooling me.”

Buffy looks at him. “What do you even mean?”

“Well, you’re not a quitter,” says Spike.

“Watch me.”

“You were their leader, and you still are,” says Spike. “This isn’t something you gave up, it’s something they took.”

“And the difference is?” asks Buffy.

“We can take it back.”

Faith looks over the sewer plans spread out on the desk in Buffy’s room. “Sewer tunnel on the north side’s closest, so guess we’ll start there.”

Giles is looking over Faith’s shoulder. “Sounds fine. What time shall I tell everyone?”

“How about around 7:00?” asks Faith. Giles starts to go, but Faith decides she needs to sound more decisive. “7:00 sharp.” Giles heads for the door. “So, tomorrow we fight.”

“Tomorrow,” says Giles. “Good night, Faith.” He pauses on the way out the door. “Faith?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re doing just fine,” says Giles. He leaves.

Faith turns away from the door, and is startled by who she sees. “I’d say better than fine,” says Mayor Wilkins. “I’d say you’re doing a bang-up job.”

“Get out,” says Faith.

The Mayor giggles. “Well, gosh. I think, you know, a ‘hello’ or a ‘nice to see you’ might be a little more welcome. It’s the end of humanity, Faith, not the end of courtesy.”

“You’re wasting your time,” says Faith. “I know who you are, what you are.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Nobody’s explained to you how this works, have they?” asks the Mayor. “You see… I am part of the First, as you kids call it, but I’m also me, Richard Wilkins III, late Mayor and founder of Sunnydale. Here, I’ll prove it to you. Ask me a question only I know the answer to. Something like…” He giggles again. “Where did I hide the moon pies in my office? Or… who was my favourite character in Little Women?” The Mayor pauses for a moment, before he answers himself. “Meg!” He laughs. “I know. I know. Most people guess Beth, but Meg, she’s such a proper young lady. Remember when Jo burned her hair?”

“I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work,” says Faith. “But feel free to keep talking, ’cause, hell, I could listen to you yap all night.”

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Language!” says the Mayor. “You’re a leader now. You keep throwing the h-e-double hockey sticks around, pretty soon, the girls are going to pick up on it. Then what?”

“You let me worry about the girls,” says Faith.

“Of course. Of course. You’re doing a great job with them, by the way,” says the Mayor. “Much better than Buffy ever did. You were smart to kick her out.”

“That’s not what we—” Faith cuts herself off. “Buffy got ’em this far.”

“Why are you protecting her?” asks the Mayor. “You think she cares about you? She nearly killed you, Faith.”

“It’s different now,” says Faith.

The Mayor steps toward her. “No matter what you do, Buffy will always see you as a killer, not as a person. And now you have what she so desperately wants: the respect of these girls. All she needs is an excuse, and she’ll finish what she started when she stuck that knife in your belly. You stay on guard, Faith. Buffy’s dangerous. If you’re not careful, she’ll destroy you. I’m just saying.”

Act III

“No?” asks Spike.

Buffy shakes her head. “No.”

“You mean ‘no’ as in eventually?”

Buffy is sitting on the edge the bed looking up at Spike. “You really have problems with that word, don’t you?”

“You can get them back.”

“Can, maybe. Should?” Buffy sighs, and rubs her hands across her face. “I’m so tired.”

“They need you!” says Spike.

Buffy drops her hands into her lap. “Well, I…”

“It’s bloody chaos over there without you.”

Buffy seems slightly cheered by that. “It is?”

“Yeah!” says Spike. “Yeah, it’s, uh… There’s junk…you know? Food cartons, sleeping bags not rolled up. Everyone’s very scared and, uh, unkempt.”

“Sounds dire.”

“Look, I didn’t see a lot.” Spike sits down on the bed beside her. “I came, hit Faith a bunch of times, and left.”

“Really?” Buffy is cheered by that news too. “I mean, not that I’m glad, but—”

Spike sees that Buffy’s starting to smile a bit. “Oh, you say the word, and she’s a footnote in history. I’ll make it look like a painful accident.”

Buffy’s smile quickly fades. “That’s my problem. I say the word, some girl dies…every time.”

“There’s always casualties in a war,” says Spike.

“Casualties. It just sounds so…” Buffy shrugs. “…casual. These are girls…that I got killed. I cut myself off from them…all of them. I knew I was gonna lose some of them, and I didn’t…”

Buffy gets up off the bed and turns to look at Spike. “You know what? I’m still making excuses. I’ve always cut myself off. I’ve always— Being the Slayer made me different…but it’s my fault I stayed that way. People are always trying to connect to me, but I just…slip away. You should know.”

“I seem to recall a certain amount of connecting,” says Spike.

“Oh, please,” says Buffy. “We were never close. You just wanted me because I was…unattainable.”

Spike stands up. “You think that’s all that was?”

“Please, let’s not go over the past.” Buffy moves around Spike and sits back down on the bed.

“Oh, no, no. Let’s hold on here,” says Spike. “I’ve hummed along to your pity ditty, and I think I should have the mic for a bit."

“Fine.” Buffy shifts herself a bit to get more comfortable while she listens. “The stage is yours. Cheer me up.”

“You’re insufferable,” says Spike.

“Thank you,” says Buffy. “That really helped.”

“I’m not trying to cheer you up,” says Spike.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I don’t know!” Spike starts to pace. “I’ll know when I’m done saying it! Something pissed me off, and I just… Unattainable, that’s it.”

“Fine. I’m attainable,” says Buffy. “I’m an attain-a-thon. May I please just go to sleep?”

“You listen to me.” Spike leans close to Buffy, and then gets down on his knees in front of her. “I’ve been alive a bit longer than you…and dead a lot longer than that. I’ve seen things you couldn’t imagine and done things I prefer you didn’t. I don’t exactly have a reputation for being a thinker. I follow my blood—which doesn’t exactly rush in the direction of my brain—so I make a lot of mistakes. A lot of wrong bloody calls. A hundred-plus years, and there’s only one thing I’ve ever been sure of: you.”

Spike reaches up to touch Buffy’s cheek. She flinches, and turns her face away from him. He pulls his hand away. “Hey, look at me.” Buffy slowly turns her head back to him. “I’m not asking you for anything. When I say I love you, it’s not because I want you, or because I can’t have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are. What you do. How you try.” A tear runs down Buffy’s cheek.

“I’ve seen your kindness and your strength,” says Spike. “I’ve seen the best and the worst of you, and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. You’re a hell of a woman. You’re the one, Buffy.”

“I don’t want to be the one,” she says softly.

Spike smiles. “I don’t want to be this good-looking and athletic. We all have crosses to bear.” Buffy almost laughs at that.

Spike stands up. “You get some rest now. I’ll check in before first light.” He starts toward the bedroom door. “You can decide how you want—”

Buffy starts to lay back against the pillows, but she sits up again. “Spike?” He stops and looks around at her. “Could you…stay here?”

“Sure.” Spike looks around and sees an armchair. “That diabolical torture device: the comfy chair. Do me fine.” He takes off his duster and lays it across the back of it.

“No. I mean…here.” Buffy moves over a bit on the bed to make room for him. “Will you just hold me?”

Spike looks at Buffy for a moment. He comes and lays down on the bed beside her. Buffy rests her head on his shoulder, and he wraps his arm around her.

“Deep down, you always wanted Buffy to accept you, to love you, even,” says Mayor Wilkins. “Why do you think that is?”

“You a shrink now?” asks Faith.

“You keep looking for love and acceptance from these people, these ‘friends’ of yours, but you’re never gonna find it,” says the Mayor. “The truth is nobody will ever love you. Not the way I love you.”

“Get out!”

“They’ll forever see you as a killer.”

“I said get out!”

“I’ll always be with you, Firecracker,” says the Mayor. “In everything you do.” He vanishes.

Faith feels a hand on her shoulder and spins around, ready to kill her attacker. She stops.

“Faith?” asks Robin Wood.

“You shouldn’t sneak up like that,” says Faith. “I almost took your head off.”

“Sorry,” says Wood. “I knocked.”

“What’d you see?” asks Faith.

“Just…you looking spooked,” says Wood. “What happened? Are you sure you’re all right?”

“What, you want to rap about my problems now?” asks Faith. “You lookin’ to be the guy who puts the ‘pal’ in principal for me?”

“Okay, you know what? I came up here to talk to you about weapons.”

“Sorry.” Faith turns away from him. “I don’t know what I’m doin’. I’m just…”

“Listen, I’m gonna leave you alone.” Wood starts toward the door. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“It was the First.”

Wood stops in the doorway. He turns around and comes back into the room. He closes the door behind him. “Well, you’re really in the game now, Faith. the First doesn’t show itself unless it thinks you matter.”

“Lucky me. I’m a player.” Faith holds up a hand, and looks at it. “Man, look at that. My hand’s shakin’. Demons, vampires, women in the penitentiary system— none of that freaks me out.”

“That’s exactly what the First does,” says Wood. “Finds your Achilles’ Heel.”

“Nah, it just talked to me,” says Faith. “What, it does a heel thing, too?”

Wood pauses, and blinks for a bit. “Um, it’s, um— it’s a phrase. Your weak spot.”

“Oh. The school thing. I was kinda absent that decade.” Faith goes and sits on the foot of Buffy’s bed.

Wood sits beside her. “So, who was it, the First?”

“He was like, an old boss of mine.”

“Just a boss?” asks Wood. “And he’s got you shakin’ like this? Wouldn’t give you a raise, huh?”

“Yeah, right. No, it…it sounds retarded, but he’s like a dad to me.”

“Oh. It was my mother when it came to me, and I mean it was her, right down to the perfume.”

“Sorry,” says Faith.

“Yeah.”

“I’m so pissed off at myself. I knew it was a trick.”

“Yeah, so did I, but I still wanted my mother to hold me like a little baby…in a manly way, of course.”

Faith smiles. “Of course.”

“Listen, nobody wants to be alone, Faith,” says Wood. “We all want someone who cares, to be touched that way. I mean, the First deals in figments, but that wanting is real.”

“Hitting things and a whole lot of Jack D. dulls it some.”

Wood smiles. “Among other things.”

Faith gets up off the bed. “When it came to you, the First tell the truth?”

“Yeah.”

“It said to watch out for Buffy,” says Faith. “That Buffy’s dangerous.”

“And what do you think?”

“Could be.” Faith starts to pace. “I mean, we’ve given her pretty good reason to be pissed off.” She stops and looks back at Wood. “You know the messed-up thing? the First is telling me to worry about her, and I just wish she was here. In a couple hours, I’m gonna lead these girls into some serious crap, and she’s the only one—”

“She’s not the only one,” says Wood. “You’re a Slayer, too, Faith, and I think you’re a good leader.”

“I’m an ex-con who didn’t finish high school.”

“Yeah, well, I’m the principal of a school where nobody finished, and I am completely out of my league in this.”

“Oh, I hear otherwise,” says Faith.

Wood stands up. “So, um…tomorrow, then?”

Faith moves toward him. “Forget about tomorrow. This is tonight.” She takes his hand and pulls it up to her cheek. “Been a while. Am I out of line?”

“Hey, you’re the leader.” Wood kisses her.

Wood picks Faith up and she wraps her legs around his waist. They fall back together onto the bed. She straddles him. “Touch me.” She kisses him.

Willow enters her room with sewer plans in hand. “Okay, guys, Giles said Faith wants us to start early in the morning, so—” She looks up and sees that her room is almost empty. “What happened to the girls?”

Kennedy is alone in the room, lying in the bed. She smiles at Willow. “Looks like there’s only one girl here.”

“But what about the other ones with their sleeping bags and their headgear and their snoring and…” Willow smiles. “They’re not here, are they?”

“Nope.”

Willow closes the door. “That’s nice,” she gets into bed beside Kennedy.

Kennedy kisses her. “Mm-hmm. Nice…and necessary.” She takes the plans from Willow and throws them onto the floor. “Come here, you.” She pulls Willow down into the bed. “Our foreplay was threatening to turn into twelve-play.”

Willow breaks off the kiss, and rolls away, so her back is to Kennedy.

Kennedy snuggles up behind her. “Something not right?”

“No,” says Willow. “No, I just, uh…guess I’m a little scared.”

“It’s probably stupid to ask why, huh?” says Kennedy. “Death, war, apocalypse.”

“Me,” says Willow. “I’m just scared that if we… Then I’ll… And then…”

“And then?” Kennedy kisses Willow’s shoulder. “Isn’t that the good part?”

“Good. Yeah, good— good feeling…”

Kennedy snuggles closer. “Mm-hmm.”

“But also…”

“Bad stuff like…unrestrained moaning…and screaming with joy?” asks Kennedy.

Willow turns to face her. “Well…sort of. The unrestrained part, but I’ve just kind of been in a space where I… I should be restrained. I’ve been controlling myself, and I… If I lose that control, let myself go, I… I could just go.”

Kennedy pushes Willow’s hair back behind her ear. “You’re worried you’re gonna turn into big bad Willow?”

“It’s not stupid,” says Willow. “When we first kissed, I… I turned into a… Warren.”

“It’s not stupid…but it’s not gonna happen.” Kennedy gently caresses Willow’s arm. “I just want you to know that you’re safe with me.”

“Yeah?”

“You can float around, and I’ll tether you down.”

“You’ll be, like, my kite string?” asks Willow.

“Mm-hmm,” says Kennedy. “You’ll be a kite, and I’ll be your kite string. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Okay. Come here.” Kennedy pulls Willow close and kisses her.

“They could show a little respect, you know.” Anya takes a bite of icecream, and looks up at the ceiling.

Xander takes the spoon, and has a bite for himself. They seem to have decided to eat it all before it melts. “Mmm.”

Anya takes the spoon back. “I mean, they should at least acknowledge the fact that some people might not want to listen to an a cappella concert of people, you know, moaning and groaning.” She gives the spoon back to Xander.

“Mmm.”

“It’s disgusting is what it is,” says Anya.

“A little jealous, huh?” asks Xander.

Anya takes the spoon. “Of course I am. I’m a lot jealous. I mean, if we’re done having sex, then… I think other people should just knock it off.” She gives the spoon back to Xander.

Buffy and Spike lie holding each other in the bed.

Faith makes love with Robin Wood in Buffy’s bed.

Kennedy kisses Willow’s belly. She moves her mouth up, and slides her hand up across Willow’s breast. Willow holds her close as Kennedy runs the stud in her pierced tongue along Willow's neck.

Anya has Xander down on the kitchen floor. He’s on his back with her straddling him. Her skirt is hiked up to her hips as they make love.

Buffy goes to sleep with her head pillowed on Spike’s shoulder. He gently kisses the top of her head.

The First looks off into space. “I envy them. Isn’t that the strangest thing?”

Caleb steps up behind her. “Well, it does throw me a tad. I mean they’re just…well, they’re barely more than animals feedin’ off each other’s flesh. It’s nauseatin’. But you…you’re everywhere. You’re in the hearts of little children. You’re in the souls of the rich. You’re the fire that makes people kill and hate. The fire that will cure the world of weakness. They’re just sinners. You are sin.”

The First smiles. “I do enjoy your sermons.”

“And you’re in me,” says Caleb. “Give me strength no man can have.”

“And you’re the only man strong enough to be my vessel,” says the First. “And I know you feel me, but…” It keeps looking off into space, seeing things no one else can see. “I know why they grab at each other. To feel. I want to feel. I want to wrap my hands around some innocent neck and feel it crack.”

Caleb smiles. “Amen!”

Buffy wakes at dawn. Spike’s head is pillowed on her shoulder. She lies looking at him for a moment, and then she makes a decision.

Andrew lectures everyone in Buffy’s living room. “So it turned out that all these stone tablets basically said the same thing: the First and Caleb are protecting something, and we don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s something powerful, and they don’t want the Slayers to get it. I’m thinking it could be a weapon, and if we’re looking for an arsenal—”

Faith is standing in the doorway. “You’re not coming.”

“If one is looking for an arsenal,” says Andrew, “what better place to find a…”

“Weapon. Okay, got it. Good.” Faith smiles at him. “Good thinking, Andrew.”

Andrew smiles back. “It’s a pleasure, Faith. Back to you.”

Faith comes into the living room. She turns to Dawn, Willow, Xander and Anya, sitting along the sofa. “Okay, I need you four to suss out the situation on B. I don’t want you talking to her or getting in her way or for that matter, letting her know you’re there. Just do a little recon.”

“And where do you want me, Faith?” asks Wood.

“By your phone,” says Faith. “I’ll call you when I need you.” Wood blinks, and looks away.

“What are we looking for?” asks Dawn. “I mean, is there some reason we should spy on Buffy?”

“We’re just makin’ sure she’s okay,” says Faith. She looks around at the girls carrying weapons. “Those of you who are coming with me to the arsenal, you know who you are. Everybody ready? Let’s do this thing.” She leads her group toward the door.

Spike wakes up and discovers that Buffy’s gone. There’s a folded sheet of paper on the pillow beside him. He opens it and reads the note she left him.

Caleb and the First walk through the winery cellar. “Shouldn’t be long now,” he says. “Prophesies say one thing. Brute strength says another. We’ll get it out.”

“I heard you, Caleb,” says the First.

“We’re almost there.”

“Yes, that’s true,” says the First. “Now rouse the Bringers. Get them back to work.”

Something comes thumping down the stairs. It’s a dead Bringer. Caleb and the First look up and see Buffy standing at the top of the stairs.

Buffy looks down at them with her hands on her hips. “Hey. Heard you got something of mine.”

Act IV

Buffy comes down the stairs and slowly circles Caleb, while staying out of his range.

“Well…if it ain’t the prodigal Slayer.”

“Where is it at?” asks Buffy. “I’m gonna find it sooner or later.”

“No, you’re not,” says Caleb. “I lay one hand on you, and you’re just a dead little girl.”

“Lay a hand on me,” says Buffy. “If you can.”

Caleb swings a punch at Buffy, and she leans back. His punch goes through empty air where her head had been, and he staggers off balance. Buffy has danced away from him before he recovers.

Caleb goes after Buffy, but she dodges and weaves, always staying one step ahead of him, moving rapidly, running across barrels. Her eyes scan the cellar as she moves, looking for something.

Caleb charges at Buffy, but she once again dodges away, and he blunders into a stack of barrels. He falls to the floor in a pool of wine from the fractured barrels. He looks up and sees Buffy, sitting on a barrel looking down at him. But it isn’t Buffy.

“Caleb, this is getting embarrassing,” says the First.

“Do you have to look like that?” asks Caleb.

“Will you concentrate?” asks the First.

“It’s just a little confusing,” says Caleb.

“Fine,” says the First. “Go. Kill.” It vanishes.

Faith leads a group of about ten Potentials, including Kennedy, Vi and Amanda through the sewers. Their flashlights find a collection of gas cylinders. “Everybody stop,” says Faith. “I think we just found it.”

They shine their lights around, illuminating a stockpile of weapons. Swords, axes and other things.

“Look at all this,” says Kennedy.

Vi picks up one of the swords. “I don’t get it. Why did they abandon all this stuff?”

A Bringer drops down from overhead. “Maybe ’cause they didn’t,” says Faith.

More Bringers appear out of the darkness.

Buffy dances away from Caleb yet again, running across the tops of more barrels as she evades him. Caleb is getting more and more frustrated.

Faith and the Potentials battle the Bringers in the sewers. It is total chaos, with only the flashlights the girls are carrying for illumination.

Caleb starts to smile when he sees that Buffy has cornered herself. He moves slowly toward her. Buffy backs away toward a wine rack.

Faith slashes at the Bringers with a knife in each hand. The other Potentials around her are fully engaged too, using the weapons they brought, or some of the weapons that had been stockpiled there.

Caleb’s fist pounds at Buffy’s head, but she ducks, and it smashes through the wine rack. She ducks around him while he’s recovering his balance.

Amanda takes aim with her crossbow at one of the Bringers. She fires, but the shot misses. She reaches back into the quiver slung over her shoulder for another bolt, but she discovers it’s empty. She shouts, and charges at the Bringer, using the crossbow as a club.

Vi slashes with a sword at one of the Bringers, and then drives the sword through it when it falls. Faith stabs another Bringer with a knife.

Buffy runs away from Caleb, to the opposite side corner of the cellar. “You whore!” shouts Caleb after her.

Buffy stops and turns around. “You know, you really should watch your language. Someone didn’t know you, they might think you were a woman-hating jerk.”

Caleb charges toward her. He knocks a barrel out of his way, and Buffy sees what was behind it. There’s an open trap door in the cellar floor, with flicker torchlight coming up through it. She smiles. That’s what she’s been looking for.

Buffy ducks under Caleb’s lunge, and he keeps stumbling forward. She dives for the trap door in the floor, going through it head first. She bumps the door as she passes through and it falls shut behind her. A barrel that had been leaning against the open door falls down on top of it, and comes to rest upright on top of the trap door.

Faith looks around the sewer. The fight is over. All of the Bringers are dead, and none of the Potentials have suffered any serious injuries.

“Is that it?” asks Vi. “I mean, not that that wasn’t fun, but…”

“Yo, Faith!” calls Kennedy. “Check this out.” She’s found a stairway leading down.

Buffy moves through the cave under the winery cellar. She sees something up ahead.

Faith leads the Potentials down the stairs, into a deeper part of the sewers. She takes one of their few remaining flashlights from one of the girls and shines it ahead into the darkness.

Buffy sees an object embedded in a rock. It looks something like an axe, but it has a handgrip down at the blade end and what would be the axe ‘handle’ ends with a sharp wooden stake. She starts to smile.¹

Faith shines her flashlight on an old trunk. There’s a padlock on the lid of it. She breaks the lock with a single kick, and lifts the lid.

The box is full of high explosives. There are eight seconds remaining on the timer sitting on top of them.

“Everybody get down!” yells Faith.

Death Toll

Notes

1. Readers of Joss Whedon’s Fray comic will be familiar with this weapon. For more information click here.