Title: They All Fall Down
Author: Shari
E-Mail: KittiKat-@prodigy.net
Disclaimer: I don't own them, They are the sole property of Joss and Mutant Enemy.
Distribution: Ask first.
Category: Mostly A/W
Rating:
Dedications: To Kaite for being there, and my sister Shi, for proofing it for me.
Spoilers: Up to and including Becoming P 1 and 2. Everything after that is AU.
Summary: Sequel to Not What It Appear.
Feedback: Would be loved.
 
 

Part 1

Willow laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She watched the
colors swirl around, seeing things this way took a lot of getting
used to. But with the help of Xander, Cordy, and later Angel she had
managed. It still bothered her that she couldn't see.

In a small way she blamed that on Buffy. If she hadn't left her
duties and her friends, this would never of happened. Willow would
have known what happened to Angel and not tried the dangerous spell
with no ones help.

But that was in the past and she couldn't live there. She had to
face the future, and learn to live with this slight problem. She
often wondered if when Angel turned her if her eyesight would improve
or stay the same.

There were only five people that knew she was blind, she had managed
to fool everyone else. Including her parents, well, when they were
home that is.

Oz showed up at her house before Xander or Cordy could get to her the
day it happened and he found out. But he promised not to tell
anyone. And he kept up the game even though he didn't know all the
details. She didn't trust him completely, after he had found out
about her and Angelus she had managed to get him not to tell Buffy.
By telling Oz that if she didn't do what Angelus wanted, he would
kill them all.

Everyone outside of her family thought that her and Oz were still a
couple. Buffy refused to see anything other than what she wanted to
see. And that included the changes that had happened to Willow and
Xander.

In Buffy's opinion, Willow and Xander were just there to do research
and patrol with Buffy so she wouldn't be bored. Buffy never once
asked if maybe they had something else to do, she just assumed they
were there for her personal use.

But that would end soon. Now that Spike was home they were going to
set the plan in motion.

But then the other slayer had showed up. Faith was everything Buffy
wasn't. She didn't mind the fate that had been thrust upon her. And
she didn't whine about it. Faith just did her job and went to find
someone to be with her for the night.

Willow had talked to the girl several times and learned that Faith
didn't care much for Buffy either. Willow wondered if she should
bring the girl into the family or not. She was the slayer after
all. And in the end they would all be vampires.

How well would Faith be living with a house full of vampires. But
having the other slayer on their side would help matters. And they
wouldn't have to kill two slayers. Willow still felt sad about the
murder she had planned, but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

A growl interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to Angel with a
smile. "Morning."

Angel was looking at her with a scrawl on his face, "I hate it when
you leave me like that."

Leaning up to kiss him softy on the lips, "I was just thinking about
Faith."

"The other slayer, why?" Angel wrapped his arms around her and held
her to his chest.

Willow snuggled closer to him, her lifeline. "Wondering if we should
bring her into the family."

Angel tensed for a moment, then pulled her face up to his, "Why would
you want to bring a vampire slayer into a family that will be all
vampires?"

Willow placed her hand on his cheek. "Because Cordy likes her."


Part 2

The group sat on the couches in the back of the Bronze. Willow next
to Oz, Cordy and Xander sitting with them. Angel was across from
them in one of the chairs, with Buffy sitting on the arm of his
chair. And Faith was sitting in the chair beside Angel.

Willow kept glancing at Faith reading her aura. She watched as Faith
would glance at Cordy and quickly turn away. So, Faith liked Cordy,
too. Willow smiled.

Willow didn't see anything in Faith that would hurt her family if she
were brought into the fold. But she wasn't sure if she could trust
her yet. Faith was hot headed and didn't like to wait on things.

And for their plan to work, they had to wait for just the right
moment. Willow glanced into the shadows across the room and spotted
Spike's aura. Since bringing him back into the family, he hadn't
been far from her and Xander.

She saw him nod and knew that the first step in the plan was set up.
Spike had become the new Master of Sunnydale. A position Angel
couldn't have right now, not and keep their little secret.

Willow was pulled out of her thoughts by Buffy's whiny voice, "Come
on, Angel, I don't want to patrol alone."

Faith scowled at the other slayer, "What am I here for, B?"

"You know what I mean, Faith, I would like to patrol with my
boyfriend."

Willow smiled as she caught Angel's small shudder at the words "my
boyfriend" coming from the blonde slayer's lips.

Willow knew that this couldn't last much longer. They'd have to put
the plan into action without Faith.

Willow knew that Angel was watching her, she could feel his gaze.
Glancing at Buffy, "That's a good idea, Buffy. Just remember to
fight the vampires."

Cordy, Xander, and Faith snickered at that commit, but Buffy just
huffed and walked away.

Oz stood to leave. He was playing with his band tonight. He leaned
down to kiss Willow's cheek, then sadly walked away.

Faith watched the three leave. "So, how long have you three had the
protection of a vampire? And is it Angel, or that blond that follows
you?"


Part 3

For the first time in almost a year, Willow was tongue-tied. Xander
spit his drink across the room, and Cordy just stared at the slayer.

Cordy was the one that found her voice first, "What do you mean under
protection?"

Faith stared at the three of them, and then shook her head. "Come on,
I can tell that something's up. When any of you patrol with me, the
minute a vamp lays eyes on you, they run like the hounds of hell are
after them."

"That tells me that either they're scared of you, or someone has
warned them from harming you. Which is it?" Faith grimaced at the
soda that doted her tank top. Taking a napkin from the dispenser, she
quickly dried the mess, tossed the soiled paper on the table, then
faced Willow again.

Willow stared at Faith and didn't see anything that would tell her
the girl meant them any harm. But could they trust her with their
plan? That was a hard question, everything hung in the balance of
Buffy not knowing anything until the last minute.
 

"The vampires around town know that Angel would rip out their heart
if they harmed us." Willow finally said. Hoping that the slayer
would forget about her other question.

"And the blond?"

"Guess it was too much to hope for, Wills." Cordy laughed. "The
blond is a friend that wants to make sure we don't get hurt."

"You know, for a group of people that kill vamps, you three sure hang
out with a lot of them." Faith smiled.

Willow's gaze darted to the corner where Spike had been standing.

"He's still there, Red." Faith committed.

"Cordy, want to dance?" Xander stood, then held out his hand to the
girl in question.

With a nod she stood and walked with Xander to the dance floor.

"You've known all along that he was there?" Willow stared intently
at Faith.
 

"Well, yeah, I am a vampire slayer. If Buffy would quit trying to
get Angel to fall over her she would know it too. " Faith
answered. "And don't worry I won't tell B anything."

Willow saw Faith tense and realized that Spike whas heading towards
them knocking people out of his way to get to them. Spike skidded to
a halt beside Willow, and growled at the slayer when she stood to
confront him.

"Red, there's trouble. Something's wrong with Angel."


Part 4

Xander and Cordy came back when they saw Spike charging through the
Bronze. They knew if Spike was coming out in front of Faith then
something must be really wrong.

"What's the matter Junior?" Xander came to a halt beside them, nearly
knocking Willow down before he stopped.

Spike put his arm around the small red head until she got her balance
back.

"Good going, Grace!" Cordy smacked Xander on the arm.

"No!" Willow cried out her knees buckled.

"Red!" Both Spike and Faith called as they reached for the girl, and
caught her before she could hit the floor.

Willow looked up at Spike with tears in her eyes. "Take me to Angel,
please," she begged.

Spike nodded to the girl, lifted her in his arms and started for the
exit. With Xander and Cordy clearing a path for them. Faith brought
up the rear, watching the interaction between them.

Once they made it to the door, Cordy ran for her car. "I'll follow
you in case we need to move fast."

Spike nodded his head and took off running holding tight to Willow.
When they finally got to the park where the Slayer and Angel were,
Faith grabbed hold of Spike's arm.

Spike turned in full game face and growled at the slayer. "That's my
Sire!"

"You want to let B know that you are here?" Faith didn't back down
from the vampire.

"She's right, Spike, it's not time yet." Willow said looking up at
him.

Spike thought about it and finally nodded, then he put Willow on her
feet and stepped into the shadows.

Willow turned to the fight going on around Angel. He was lying on
the ground with a piece of wood sticking out of his chest. Willow
was terrified she was going to lose Angel again.

Without thinking about the questions it would raise, she whispered a
few words under her breath and held her arms out.

The four vampires that were fighting Buffy, suddenly screamed and
exploded into dust.

"Way to go!" Faith put her arm around Willow when she saw that she
was getting weaker.

"Help me," Willow begged softly.

She was having trouble seeing with all the emotions running through
her. She wasn't able to concentrate.

Faith looked at her askew and guided her over to where Buffy was bent
over Angel crying.

Willow heard the screeching of tires as Cordy slammed on the
breaks. "Oh goddess," Willow cried as she felt the front of Angel's
shirt and felt all the blood.

"Get away from him," Buffy cried, pushing Willow away.

"Willow," Angel choked out before passing out completely.


Part 5

Buffy looked up at Willow in surprise, "Why is my Angel calling for
you?" She demanded.

"Maybe Angel knows that Willow will do more than cry over him, B,"
Faith snapped. Then reached out to help Willow up from where she had
fallen when Buffy shoved her.

"What happened," Xander demanded running over to the group.

"We have to get him back to the mansion," Cordy said. "Get him into
my car. It will be faster."

Everyone nodded, and went to reach for Angel to get the unconscious
vampire into Cordy's car.

"Wait," Buffy demanded. "When did you start giving the orders around
here? I'm the slayer."

"B, unless you want this slayer to kick your ass, you will stop
bitching and help us!" Faith was losing her patience.

"Faith, please, now isn't the time. We have to help Angel," Willow
whispered, putting her hand on Faith's arm.

"Right," Faith answered. "Cordy, go open the door. B, help me lift
this mammoth of a vampire."

Cordy ran to her car and opened the passenger door for them. Buffy,
after giving Faith a dirty look, reached down to help pick Angel up.
Once they had him, everyone started walking away.

"Xander," Willow cried. She still wasn't able to see.

Xander looked at Willow, "Oh god, Wills." Reaching her side, he
leaned down, "Are you alright?"

"I can't see," Willow whispered back.

"Come on, just like we did at first," Xander took Willow's arm and
guided her to Cordy's car, where a fight was going on.

Cordy glanced over at Willow and Xander. "Willow needs to go so she
can fix up Angel, and I'm not going anywhere without Xander!"

"I'm going," Buffy yelled.

"B, why don't you just meet them there, it isn't that far," Faith
said.

"Fine," Buffy snapped.

Cordy and Xander got Willow in the car and Cordy left with a screech
of tires.

"Don't ever come between what's mine again, Faith," Buffy ground out,
after everyone had left.

"Whatever, B," Faith said flippantly as she walked in the direction
they had left Spike.

Faith knew the minute the other slayer had left and said, "They are
headed for the mansion but so is Buffy so be careful."

Spike stepped out of the shadows. "Thanks, ducks."

"Hey, fang," Faith called.

Spike turned back to the slayer. "What?"

Faith walked over to where the vampire was standing. "I want to
help."

"Help with what?" Spike raised a scarred eyebrow at the girl while
pulling out a cigarette.

"Help with taking out B." Faith smiled and started walking ahead of
him to the mansion.

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