Tornado Of SoulsPart Five
Xander and Cordelia knocked on the hotel door early the next morning and were greeted by an automatic pistol held by Faith."It's us," Cordy said in an irritated manner.
Inside Giles was waiting impatiently.
"Well?" he demanded.
"We played lost tourists and were turned away at the gate," Xander reported. "We managed to drive around most of the perimeter."
The young man pulled out a map and spread it out on the bed. Slayer and Watcher gathered around as Xander began pointing things out.
"I drew a general map of what we could see," he said as Cordy pulled out a large folded up piece of paper. "There's guard towers, actual towers with guys and guns. The main gate is manned by two armed guards and they are alert. A high chainlink fence surrounds the place."
"Suggestions?" Giles asked.
"We watched the place an hour before dawn, like you suggested," Xander said thoughtfully. "There are lights everywhere, it's worse than a prison. Very hard to get in and out, especially if Willow isn't willing to be rescued."
Giles frowned and leaned back against the headboard. The Englishman looked as tired as the rest of them felt. They had driven from Sunnydale to Los Angeles and then flown to Phoenix. They had gotten a hotel and rented two cars. Xander and Cordy driving out in the middle of the night to scout out the training camp and Giles and Faith to connect with some contacts he knew in the area through the Watchers.
As Giles had suspected, the Watcher's Council knew nothing about Aimsley, Krammer or Ryan's activities. The Council reported to Giles that the three Watchers were on vacation for two months in America.
Giles told the Council the wayward Watchers had appeared in Sunnydale and he didn't know why.
"God, how the hell am I supposed to keep Buffy's wolf nature from the Council? Especially if any of those bastards talk?" Giles complained.
"Do you think they will? They are going against Council directives aren't they?" Faith asked.
"By becoming active Hunters?" Giles asked. "Yes, to a point, but the Council just might like the idea of Hunters. Especially if they're becoming organized."
"If they find out about Buffy, she'll have to leave," Xander complained. "She'll have to go into hiding with the werewolves."
"I know, with Hunters all aware of her identity," Giles growled.
"Okay, anyway we can get in there undercover and find out where Willow is?" Faith asked Xander and Cordy. "Tackling all those buildings at night with spotlights will take too long."
"I agree," Xander nodded, remembering his "military training" from the cursed Halloween costume. "These long buildings here look like sleeping rooms, and this one is the food hall. I'm not sure about these two or the smaller ones."
"Searching room after room looking for Red? Too risky," Faith repeated, frowning over the hand-made map.
"New recruits?" Cordy suggested.
"No, they're highly secretive and organized," Giles frowned.
"Then some sort of service," Cordy said firmly. "They'll need laundry or food delivery. Unless they do it all."
"We need to know more about how they operate," Faith complained.
"Agreed," Giles nodded. "I suggest Cordy and Xander go back out there and observe the camp, especially any delivery trucks arriving. Get the names of companies doing business with them."
"Right," Xander nodded.
"God, do you know how hot it gets out here?" Cordelia demanded and Faith merely shook her head with a smirk.
"What about you two?" Cordy snapped.
"We're going to find the nearest demon bar and see what the other side of the coin knows about this place," Giles said calmly.
"Goody, I get to threaten people!" Faith grinned.
"Oh brother!" Cordy complained.
* * *
Buffy growled and shifted into glabro werewolf form, looking a lot like a female version of Lon Chaney Jr. She slashed out with her claws with a howl of delight as she flipped over a tombstone and landed in the middle of a pack of vampires in one of the many Sunnydale cemeteries.
She heard an answering growl and glanced over in time to see a huge, hulking monster werewolf leaping into the fray next to her. The vampires, most of them screaming in terror, tried to fight back against the manic werewolves in their midst but most of them fell quickly to fang and claw.
Buffy pulled out her trusty stake and slashed left and right, staking and wounding. Those she wounded, she either followed through with the stake or Angus came behind her and decapitated the wounded vampires.
Within moments seven vampires were dust and two werewolves were howling in victory.
Joyce, waiting outside the cemetery in the car to pick up her daughter and friend, shivered. Her eyes suddenly widened and she was out of the car in a flash at the sound of gunshots.
* * *
Faith waited impatiently as Giles talked with the bartender of the third demon bar they had found in Phoenix. For being next door to a Hunter's training camp, there seemed to be a lot of demons, vampires and other "Wyrm" stuff, Faith complained to herself.
Her Slayer senses were going crazy in here and it made Faith very uncomfortable. Buffy and the others may have gotten used to dealing with a vampire and a werewolf but she hadn't. Faith wasn't sure she ever wanted to be comfortable around any of a Slayer's natural enemies.
Faith suddenly jerked as she considered her line of thinking. Did that mean Buffy was the enemy? If she believed Buffy and Angus, then Buffy was even more of a protector now than she had been before. The Slayer werewolf now had the responsibility of trying to keep the entire Garou nation safe as well as the rest of the world.
The brunette Slayer certainly didn't want Buffy to be the enemy.
Faith hated mental conflicts. She felt more than a little empathy and understanding for the Hunters. They were a lot like the Scooby Gang, they saw danger and evil and went after it. Like a Slayer.
The problem was getting them to see that most werewolves weren't the enemy but Faith was having a problem with that as well. Buffy and Angus had said there were bad werewolves. Garou who liked chaos and worked for it, just like there were good and bad humans. How could you tell the difference? How was a Hunter or Slayer supposed to know?
Before it had been simple: find, stake, kill, dinner. If a werewolf was out on a full moon, it meant evil stuff, kill it and hope it wasn't an escaped Oz. If it was a vampire, kill it, no need for questions, all vampires were evil. Even Angel had fallen back into Angeleus and had killed with delight.
Faith glanced around the bar and noticed a young woman watching her and Giles. That wasn't surprising, they were strangers, human and most of the supernatural types in there could sense something different about Faith. What caught Faith's attention to the blonde Viking looking female was the necklace around her neck.
The Slayer recognized a Thor's Hammer and a silver square with a glyph in the center. Faith's eyes narrowed, she had seen that before.
Faith approached the woman cautiously, keeping her hands in plain sight as the tall woman's eyes narrowed and her lips began to curl in a snarl.
"Peace," Faith said slowly. "I'm not a Hunter."
"You're human, that's enough," the woman snapped.
"I'm a friend of a Garou," Faith said calmly, sitting down on the stool next to the female werewolf.
"So what, someone is stupid enough to mix with humans, not my care," the woman growled
Faith frowned and traced a glyph in the condensation left behind from a bottle of beer. She hoped she remembered it correctly.
"Trouble? What would a human know of trouble?" the woman demanded.
"I know that there's a training camp outside of the city and they're training Hunters," Faith smiled as the woman turned pale. "An entire camp of Hunters and their trainees. Lots of guns, determination and bibles."
"Where?" the Viking demanded.
"Gift for gift," Faith countered. "I'm a Slayer, I particularly hate vampires."
"We agree on something," the woman nodded. "Among you, I am Hildgrun."
"I'm Faith," the Slayer nodded. "I tell you where the camp is, you and your tribe don't move against them for at least two weeks. I've got a good friend in there being brainwashed and I want her back."
"You're gift in this?" Hildgrun demanded.
"Two things," Faith bargained. "Your word of honor to Odin and Gaia that you and your tribe won't kill any humans. They hunt vampires and that helps all of us."
"Impossible demand. They also hunt Garou, that makes them dangerous to us and there are too few of us as it is," Hildgrun complained and watched Faith thoughtfully for a moment. "Life for lives, human."
"Talk," Faith nodded. She actually was enjoying the dealing, the Viking werewolf was direct and to the point and it was refreshing to the young warrior.
"What is your second demand first?"
"Information, you or someone you pick, help us scout the place so we can get our friend back," Faith said.
"In exchange, what else would you offer?" Hildgrun frowned.
"The right to call on me for any future mission as long as it didn't involve killing humans," Faith said slowly. It was a high price and she knew it and, getting an idea of what kind of things werewolves went up against, it was probably suicidal. "You know about Slayers, you know I'm good."
Hildgrun looked Faith up and down and nodded. "I have a price for the lives of the Hunters. Letting them live is a danger and the price is high."
"I'm a Slayer, I can't kill a human or help lead to a human's death," Faith countered.
"Would you offer life?"
"Explain," Faith growled.
"Garou are few and far between and we can't mate with each other," Hildgrun smiled as Faith's eyes widened, beginning to suspect what the Garou was going to ask. "We mate with humans and the Get of Fenris hate dealing with humans. You might be unique and worthy enough."
"You want me to get horizontal with one of your tribe and have a kid?" Faith demanded. "Isn't that a little medieval or something?"
Hildgrun shrugged.
Faith spun with her fist drawn back as a hand came down on her shoulder. Giles jumped back two feet and blushed.
"Faith, I'm sorry, I should have said something," he stammered.
"Giles, you look horrible, what is it?"
"I received an emergency page, Buffy has been shot several times with silver bullets and Angus is dead. We have to return immediately," he said softly, fighting back the tears filling his eyes.
"F**k," Faith muttered.
"Silver? Your Garou friends?" Hildgrun questioned.
"Yes," Faith nodded. "What about Red?"
"Leave Xander and Cordy here for a few days and hope they can find some information," Giles said slowly. "The Hunters knew we'd come after them and are forcing us to go back so we can't get to Willow."
Faith turned to the tall blonde. "Deal," she said firmly. "I get to pick?"
"Agreed," Hildgrun nodded firmly. "Where and how?"
"The how you guys can figure out with a couple of friends of ours, family," Faith muttered. "Giles, paper and pen!"
The Watcher handed over a small notebook and Faith began writing quickly.
"This is the hotel where Xander and Cordelia are, give them this note," Faith muttered as she wrote. "We'll tell them to expect you. They're family and Kin to our Garou, they might be annoying but you can't kill them or hurt them, agreed?"
"Yes," Hildgrun nodded.
"About the bargain, who….?" Faith said slowly.
"If not Garou, no interference," Hildgrun said. "If Garou, then they join the pack after first change."
Faith hesitated, considering the implications. She was agreeing to have a child, probably with a stranger and would have to give him or her up!? Faith had been raised in a drunken, broken home and wasn't sure she could give a child up.
"I stay close, total Kin thing," Faith demanded. She wasn't sure she understood how family and friends of Garou worked, she hadn't had time to really question Buffy and Angus about it. Faith was hoping she was making at least a bargain she could live with in the future.
"Agreed," Hildgrun nodded. "You and the others would be Kin to our pack, Tribe and the child."
"Child?" Giles questioned, dying of curiosity.
"Later, handsome," Faith muttered. "After we get our friend back."
"You have something with her scent and a picture?" Hildgrun asked.
"Yeah, back at the hotel," Faith nodded.
"Then we will get your friend back without loss of life," Hildgrun nodded. "Unless it is absolutely necessary. If someone has a shotgun of silver at my head and I can't knock them out, I will kill them, agreed?"
Faith again hesitated and then nodded slowly.
"I can sense the warrior in you," she said softly. "And I've heard about Rages, I want those humans alive. Only as a last resort can you kill them, agreed?"
Hildgrun frowned and then smirked.
"Agreed," she said softly. "Damn, it could have been glorious!"
"Here's the info, intro yourself to Xander and Cordy and we'll be in close contact," Faith said. "My oath as a Slayer to our agreement."
"I, Slasher Thorhilder of the Get of Fenris, swear to rescue your friend with minimal loss of human lives," the Viking said firmly and shook Faith's hand, wrist to wrist – warrior to warrior.
"Come on, Giles, fill me in about the attack and I'll try and explain what just happened here."
* * *
"Mama?" Buffy whispered as she tried to open her eyes.
"I'm here, baby," Joyce said softly, gently stroking her daughter's hair.
Buffy moaned and looked down at the white sheet and beige blanket. Looking around she found the expected tubes, IVs and hospital machinery.
"What happened?"
"I heard howls and then gunfire," Joyce said softly, tears falling down her cheeks. "I found you and Angus."
"Angus? Where?"
"He's gone, Buffy," Joyce said gently. "I saw three men bending over him and…and a fourth was over you. I saw a large machete in his hands and fired at them. I don't think I hit them but they ran away."
"Hunters," Buffy said bitterly. "Angus?"
"They cut off his head," Joyce admitted and wiped at the tears flowing from Buffy's eyes as the Slayer closed them.
"Me?"
"Shot four times with silver coated bullets, the police called them Black Talons," Joyce was crying steadily now.
"Black Talons, they expand into shrapnel in the body, causes a lot of damage," Buffy said absently. "With the silver, I won't heal as fast."
"I know, I've talked with Giles," Joyce nodded, holding Buffy's hand. "He and Faith are on their way back."
"Will?" Buffy demanded.
"Looks like it's going to be hard to get into the training camp, Xander and Cordy are staying behind with some help," Joyce said calmly. "The doctors don't know how you made it, Buffy."
"How bad?"
"Some damage to the liver, a collapsed lung, and a broken leg," Joyce tried to remain calm as she answered. It had been a lot worse but Sunnydale doctors were very good at trauma cases. They got a lot of experience, you’ll recover totally.”
"Police?"
"Attack by a gang looking for money to buy drugs," Joyce answered, it was a common and good enough answer for Sunnydale police.
"Silver Black Talon bullets?"
"You and Angus were mistaken for rival drug dealers," Joyce explained the cover story. "I was there to pick you and your fiancée up when I heard the gunfire."
"Fiancee? Angus?"
"The police are reluctant to think bad things about a young high school student bringing her fiancée home to meet her mother," Joyce smiled ruefully.
"Clever, Mom," Buffy whispered and closed her eyes. "How long?"
"Doctors think it'll be at least a week or longer," Joyce frowned.
Buffy nodded slightly and slipped back into sleep.
* * *
"You can't be serious?" Giles shouted in the car on the way back to the motel.
"Think of it as surrogate motherhood or something," Faith muttered. "Look, I'm not happy with the idea. The last thing I ever considered was having kids but if this gets Willow back and Buffy safe then it's worth it, okay?"
"I don't think so!" Giles snapped. "This is…is insane!"
"Yep, total agreement," Faith nodded.
"I admit I don't understand, Faith," Giles said after a few moments. "I know the adjustment to Sunnydale and everyone hasn't been easy for you and I haven't known how to help. It seems like you don't care about anyone or anything, Faith. To pay this kind of price, why?"
"I do care," Faith admitted. "I…I. Buffy wants Willow safe and sane, that's what I'll do."
"But to offer your body, to bear children to a stranger?" Giles demanded.
"Okay, a little extreme, I'll admit," Faith blushed. "But you know me, Giles, not like it would be much different than the Bronze on a Friday night after a heavy night of slaying. Want, take, have."
"I also know that it's a front, Faith," Giles countered.
"What? Did Buffy…."
"Buffy didn't say anything but I've been around for awhile and I've seen a lot," Giles said calmly. "You're falling for Buffy, aren't you?"
"What?" Faith whispered. "Hey, I'll admit she's hot as hell, maybe a little annoying and whining at times but sexy as hell. It'd never work."
"Faith, try it without the bluster," Giles said softly.
"Go to hell," Faith snapped. "You're asking the impossible."
"I'm tired and worried and really don't know if what you've done is wise or not," Giles complained.
"We'll just have to see down the road, Giles," Faith shrugged. "We get back to Sunnydale, protect Buffy, get Red back and see what happens from there."
"Right," Giles nodded, feeling very weary.
There was no way he could explain all of this to the Council. Tell them about Buffy being a werewolf? How to tell them about Faith's deal to become a mother to werewolves without telling them about Buffy? Not tell them anything? Giles had thought becoming Buffy's Watcher had made his life complicated; now he knew that had been easy compared to these complications. Even Angel turning into Angeleus hadn't been all that complicated for him, his only torment was watching Buffy suffer. That was the only reason he had held back from forcing her into killing Angeleus from the start. His mistake had cost Jenny her life and Giles his chance at love.
He wondered now what was the right thing.
* * *
"How is she?" Willow heard someone's voice nearby but didn't care to open her eyes.
"The fever is still high," a second voice said.
"Any improvement at all?" the first voice demanded and Willow realized it was Ryan.
"Not yet but it takes a few hours for the antibiotics to kick in," the second voice explained. "Her fever isn't getting any higher and she hasn't gone into full pneumonia."
"Okay, just keep me advised," Ryan demanded.
"Of course, Brother," the second voice said calmly.
Willow felt a coolness on her forehead and sighed, welcoming it.
"She's still calling for Buffy and Faith, Doctor," Tara's voice said softly.
"Yes, her closest friends, I'm told," the second voice, the doctor said.
Closest friends? That wasn't right. Xander and Buffy were her closest friends. She did miss Faith though. Those couple of days of working together instead of fighting had been nice.
Where was Buffy? Willow didn't feel well; she wanted Buffy and the others.
"Buff?" she whispered.
"Buffy's the one that's infected," she heard Tara saying. "How can she kill her best friend? I mean she's calling for Buffy in her delirium."
"I don't know. She hasn't even started training, though," the doctor pointed out. "She'll do what's right. Her friend is now a killer and Willow wouldn't have been brought here if she didn't know it was the right thing to do."
Right thing to do? Kill Buffy? Willow moaned and thrashed against the blankets covering her.
* * *
Buffy woke up again and smiled at the sight of Faith sitting in a chair next to her bed, feet propped up on the bed and a pistol in her lap as she napped. The blonde Slayer watched Faith sleeping for a few moments, letting Angus' words come back to her as she cried for her friend.
If she was going to stay in Sunnydale, Buffy knew she needed to analyze her feelings, motivations, and how she now interacted with the others.
Everyone had taken the news of her Garou self pretty well except that they really hadn't had time to deal with it. Buffy had no idea how they would really treat her once things settled down. Especially Faith.
Buffy frowned at herself, why was that so important, she demanded.
From Giles and Xander she sensed a trace of fear; from Cordelia acceptance, as if Buffy's werewolf state was just another aspect of Sunnydale to tolerate; from her mother total acceptance and sorrow and Buffy knew that being the Slayer and a werewolf was the last thing a parent would want for their child. Faith, she had no idea how the brunette Slayer felt about Buffy Garou status or about Buffy in general.
Oz, he was so wrapped up in dealing with his own new information about being a werewolf that he was barely aware of Buffy being like him. She knew that with Angus dead, Oz would turn to her for answers. She made a mental note to send word to the caern that she had a Lost Cub that needed escort to the Tribe.
Willow, that one hurt. Seeing and sensing the slight fear in Giles hurt a lot, almost as much as it did when her mother found out but not as bad as the absolute look of devastation on Willow's face as Buffy began to change.
She needed Willow back, Buffy admitted and she wanted Faith's friendship almost as much.
"Hey," she said softly and smiled as Faith opened her eyes and smiled back.
"Hey, B," the Slayer sat up and moved the chair closer to the bed. "Glad to see you awake there."
"Hurts," Buffy admitted.
"Press that button next to your hand, that thingy lets you self medicate yourself," Faith said. Buffy found the button trigger leading to a machine next to the bed and from that a tube ran to one of the IVs leading into her arm.
"What is it?"
"Demerol, I think," Faith shrugged. "It won't let you take too much and it helps keep the nurses free for their rounds and stuff."
"Giles?" Buffy asked as she pressed the button. She hated drugs and hated taking medication but she did admit that she was hurting. Buffy also knew she wasn't getting out of the hospital within the next few hours either.
"He's with Joyce Mom," Faith said.
"Gun?" Buffy asked, pointing at the weapon as Faith stuck it into her waistband.
"There's at least four Hunters who know you're here and alive," Faith said seriously.
"Will?"
"Xander and Cordy are looking for a way in and we teamed up with some of your types," Faith explained. "They're going to help get Willow out of there."
"My type? What?"
Buffy sighed with relief when Faith reached out and held her hand.
"Sorry, I meant Garou types," Faith said softly. "We ran into a warrior and she agreed to get her pack to help get Willow out of there and destroy the camp without killing."
"What Tribe?" Buffy asked, her voice still almost a whisper.
"Get of Fenris, she said," Faith said slowly.
"Fenris? They're totally nuts!" Buffy protested. "They love killing and fighting, they'll slaughter the Hunters."
"The very same guys that helped kill Angus, kidnapped Willow to brainwash her and will probably track you all the way to Siberia to kill you?" Faith demanded. "Look, I got her to swear by Odin and Gaia not to kill anyone unless a last ditch thing at self defense."
"That might work, they take oaths extremely serious," Buffy whispered and then her eyes filled with tears. "They killed Angus."
"I know, your Mom told us," Faith said softly.
"I don't know if I can stay in Sunnydale after this," Buffy admitted, looking away.
"Look, B, we'll work it out, okay?" Faith said, her voice becoming emotional.
"I don't want to leave you guys," Buffy whispered, her eyes closing as the medication began to take affect. "I don't want to leave you."
"B?" Faith questioned and frowned.
Buffy opened her eyes and tried to smile.
"Short life expectancy, Faith," the blonde Slayer smirked. "When I get out of here I might take you up on that challenge."
"Which challenge? We already know you're a better fighter than I am," Faith asked as Buffy's eyes closed again.
"What's left after fighting in your world, Faith?" Buffy asked, muttering.
"B?" Faith nearly squeaked as the blonde Slayer slipped into a drugged sleep.
* * *
"I don't like it, Sir," Ryan snapped as they watched Willow sleeping restlessly. "She's trainable in the traditional methods. Willow is highly intelligent, open-minded, already well versed in the occult, and extremely dedicated. We don't need to try this on her."
"We know that only the Watcher and Slayer went back to Sunnydale after Summers was attacked, that leaves the two students nosing around," Raymond Johnson countered. "We know they'll be back for Willow Rosenberg and we have to move fast. Her condition will actually help in the psych training and the drugs."
"We can move her to the Eastern training center," Ryan protested.
"It's my decision, Brother Ryan," Johnson said flatly. "After she accomplishes this task, she can be brought back and trained properly. We have a unique weapon here."
"It's very likely that the drugs could harm her mentally and physically, she wouldn't be any good to us then," Ryan growled.
"I'll take that risk," Johnson snapped.
"You won't be taking the risk, Willow will," Ryan snapped back. "Without her consent."
"It's decided, Brother," Johnson declared. "Start the program."
* * *
Faith sat up quickly when the hospital door opened but relaxed when Giles walked in.
"You really should get some rest," he scolded.
"Not until she's out of here," Faith growled.
"That will be at least a week," Giles said calmly. "Principal Snyder is on a rampage with everyone being out of school. So far Joyce is covering for everyone but he isn't satisfied."
"Well, he can't question Buffy being out of school with five bullets in her," Faith growled.
"No," Giles agreed.
"Any word from Xander and Cordy?"
"Yes, that Garou you made the deal with is being very helpful," Giles said slowly, watching Buffy sleep as he and Faith talked by the door in whispers. "Several of her pack members have scouted the place, getting very close. Xander and Cordy have also noted several companies who do business with the Hunters."
"Can we get in and get Willow back?" Faith demanded.
"It looks like it," Giles said slowly. "They're going to try in four days, the next delivery of linens to the Hunters. A small group of Garou will sneak out and wait until dark and then search the housing area."
"How will they get Will out?" Faith demanded.
"Tranquilizer dart, disable all the vehicles but one and crash out," Giles finished and then frowned as Buffy moaned in her sleep and his pager went off in his pocket. "I'll be back."
Faith turned back to Buffy's beside and gently stroked Buffy's forehead and smiled when the Slayer opened her eyes.
"Hey, B," the young student said softly.
"Hey, Faith," Buffy whispered and nodded as Faith picked up the usual cup of water next to the bed, she sipped slowly. Faith leaned over and worked the button to raise the upper half of the bed until Buffy was in a sitting position. "Will?"
"Working on, B, we're working on it," Faith smiled and resisting a desire to get closer to the blonde.
"Why the frown?" Buffy demanded, her voice a little stronger.
"I, uh, nothing," Faith stammered.
"Is it about Will?" Buffy frowned.
"No, just lost in my own thoughts, B," Faith smiled, trying to re-establish her trademark smirk.
"About us?" Buffy whispered, her eyes bright.
"Us? What us?" Faith's throat was suddenly very dry.
"Honesty, Faith," Buffy said softly. "I need total honesty. Is it just a game with you or is it deeper than that?"
"You know me, B," Faith said, desperately trying to sound nonchalant. "Love 'em and leave 'em."
Faith was suddenly unable to meet Buffy's saddening eyes.
"Okay," Buffy said softly. "I… I'm going to call and talk to Mom for awhile, okay?"
"B?" Faith asked softly.
"Nothing, Faith," Buffy shook her head. "Forget anything was said, okay? Go play with Scott or something."
Faith frowned and looked hurt.
"Look, B, we haven't known each other long," Faith said softly but Buffy cut her off.
"And I'm only 17 and you're 16," Buffy said sadly. "I've only seriously dated one guy and he turned evil and I had to kill him, you haven't even dated, I know. Just forget it, okay?"
"I'm not the one you want, damnit!" Faith snapped. "I'll get Willow back for you and you two can live happily ever after, alright?"
Buffy looked confused.
"Faith, I love Willow and I think she's cute but…"
"But….?" Faith demanded.
"Look, I'm Garou," Buffy snapped. "We feel and sense things more intensely and it feels like there's something between us. Something that could develop. The doctors say I can get out of here in two days. We get Will back and then I'll leave."
Faith continued to frown.
"I…I don't want you to leave, B," Faith said softly.
"It's done, Faith," Buffy said firmly. "I lost Angel, I've probably lost Will. We may be only teenagers but we're also Slayers and now I'm being hunted. I don't have time and I'm not in the mood for games."
Faith's frown deepened and she started to say something but they both turned when the door opened. Faith went on alert and then relaxed when Giles walked in.
"Giles?" Buffy asked, noticing his distracted expression.
"I'm not sure," he muttered. "I just had a most unusual page from your mother. Seems that someone contacted her, trying to get to me."
"Giles, make sense, please," Buffy snapped.
"I called the man back, it was Timothy Ryan, one of the Hunters that took Willow," Giles said slowly. "He knows Faith and I are here with you and that we know where Willow is."
"What does he want? To threaten us?" Buffy asked.
"He says he wants to help, actually," Giles said, pulling off his glasses and beginning to clean them.
"Whoa," Faith muttered.
"Yes, exactly," Giles nodded.