Title: Come To Play
Author: Starla
Email: starla@buffymail.com
Disclaimer: These Characters belong to Joss Whedon, except Gorlock, Alana, Adrian Townsend, and anyone else you don't recognize.
Distribution: Take it, but let me know. If you have any of my other fics, go ahead.
Author's Notes: It *will* be B/A I promise. I realise this part is a little depressing. Sorry. Season 4 did happen, Fish Boy did date Buffy, Angel went to LA, etc.
Spoilers: I dunno. Anything is possible, be warned.
Summary: 150 years after the Scooby Gang die, they return to Earth to help out the current Slayer and her Slayerettes.

Part 20


"Do you really want to do this, Faith?" Buffy asked. "Because you know, if we do this, there's no going back."

"There was going back before?" Faith replied. "What lifetime where you at, B?"

Buffy didn't reply at first, just stared at her. Finally, she spoke. "This is your last chance."

"No, B." Faith said. "It's *your* last chance." She sneered. "I know what you're thinking."

"Really?" Buffy stepped up to her, looking her squarely in the eye. "What am I thinking, Faith? Enlighten me."

"You're thinking about how you can help me. How I can reform, and everything can go back to normal. We can be best buds and do facials and paint our nails together." She snorted. "It don't work that way, B." Faith narrowed her eyes, erecting a mask so that Buffy couldn't see the fear in them.

"Do you ever get tired of doing the right thing?" Faith asked, crossing her arms and leaning backwards. "Little Miss Perfect, sitting in a tree."

"That's a label *you* put on me, Faith, not one I put on myself." Buffy said.

"One you always did your best to live up to." Faith snorted. "Answer the question, B."

"Of I course I get tired of it. I'm only human, Faith, and sometimes, yeah. I feel like going a little crazy."

"So why don't you, B?" Faith asked. "Could you be afraid?"

"Could you?" Buffy replied.

Faith snorted. "Afraid? Of what? You?"

"I think you're afraid to let us help you." Buffy murmured. "You're afraid that we'll break down your defences and then decide that you're not worth helping."

"That's bullshit." Faith said. "I'm not afraid of changing. I just don't particularly want to." She grinned. "Being bad is *fun*, B" You should try it." She stood closer to Buffy. "We could cause chaos in this town. This world. We could bring your boy Angelus into the deal. I kinda like the idea of the three of us...."

Faith smiled when she heard Angel growl, low and menacingly. "Oh, you like that idea, huh?" She moved around behind Buffy, brushing a hand across her shoulders as she moved. "Of course, that little Permanence of soul might be a problem." She crossed to Angel, leaving a hand on Buffy's shoulder leaning close to his ear. "I bet if we made him really, really happy. Y'know. Teamwork." She grinned when a muscle twitched in his jaw. She was getting to him. He was pissed.

"Don't. Touch. Me." He hissed.

"What's the matter, Angel? Not in the mood for fun?"

"With you? Not particularly." He replied, walking away from her and leaning against a headstone.

"Ah well. It'll come later." Faith smiled.

"Never gonna happen, Faith." Buffy said. "Oh well. Seems you've made your choice."

She assumed a fighter's stance, and Faith felt a twinge of fear in her gut. She'd been waiting for this for centuries, ut now that the time was here....she realised, suddenly, that she shouldn't have given herself so much time to think. Thinking led to doubt, and doubt was a weakness.

They stood there, regarding each other for a moment. Faith swallowed when she realized that she was no longer looking at Buffy's face. It had morphed slowly into Macy's, her little sister's eyes looking up at her.

"Faith." She whispered. "Please, Faith. It's so lonely here."

"I'm trying, Mace. It's hard...." Faith murmured back, her voice breaking slightly.

A tear rolled down Macy's face, and then it transformed into the Mayor's.

"No one can tell you who you are, Faith." He said, his voice loving and paternal.

She smiled thinly. "I can only be who I want to be." She said bravely.

"And who do you want to be?" He asked.

Faith blinked, shaking herself back to reality when she realized that she'd been hallucinating. Buffy still stood before her, ready to fight.

She pushed away the knot in her stomach, instead throwing a punch. It landed on Buffy's jaw, and Buffy's head snapped back, but only for a moment before she returned the punch, with just as much force behind it.

They pummelled furiously, hands a feet darting, kicking and punching, ducking and spinning. They'd trained together so often that they knew each and every move that the other would try next.

Fighting energized Faith. She could feel everything around her on a higher level. It was like a burst of adrenaline that coursed through her veins, leaving a delicious tingle all throughout her skin. The wind whipped through her hair, her leather jacket rustled against her neck. Buffy's fingers were warm when they slapped against her cheek, and the cool feel of the polished metal of her knife empowered her.

Problem was, every time Buffy hit her, Faith could feel how much stronger the other girl was. Buffy could have killed her long ago, but hadn't because she cared about Faith.

That should have given Faith the upper hand, but it didn't, because Faith felt the same way. Part of her was screaming in rebellion at the thought of killing the only friend she'd ever had.

The other part just wanted so desperately for the whole thing to be over.

And she didn't know who to listen to.

She fell to the ground when Buffy landed a particularly nasty punch on her temple.

The vulnerable part of her pushed to the surface, dying to take a breath, and stop being smothered by the evil within.

Buffy paused when Faith sank to the ground. She took a few deep breaths, waiting for Faith to rise.

Finally, the brunette snapped her eyes open. "Help Me, B." She whispered. "*Stop* Me." Her eyes were scared and vulnerable, and her lips where trembling.

And then, just as quickly, it was gone. Faith was hard and cold again, sneering as she jumped up, reading herself to fight again.

A scream sounded on the other side of the cemetery. "Buffy..." Angel started.

"Go!" She yelled.

Alana immediately obeyed, but Angel hesitated before running off in the direction of the shrieks.

Faith executed a perfect spin kick, taking advantage of Buffy's distraction.

Buffy turned her attention back to the fight, raining punches down on Faith's back.

Faith could feel herself tiring. There was only so long she could keep up the pre-show.

It was time to get to the big finish.

Using all her strength, she hauled Buffy off her and throwing her against the cemetery wall. There was a distinct crack as Buffy's head hit the concrete.

Faith jumped down, straddling Buffy's waist. She gave her a hard backhand to wake her up, then slid the knife from the waistband of her pants. She flipped it in her hands, then pressed it to Buffy's neck, smiling when she whimpered.

"End of the line, B." Faith whispered. "Sleep tight."




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