Connection Part Two: Chapter Three
by rockangelz25
“Hey, Faith.” She looked up, exhausted. She didn’t want to know what Angelus had in store now. She was sure it wouldn’t get much worse—it couldn’t, after all.

There had been a steady parade of victims before her eyes, helpless people—or stupid ones—or sometimes both.

They’d all begged for a Slayer to save them. Once in a while, Angelus would turn them. And he would force her to watch that, too.

Their first drink, apart from the blood of their sire, was blood of the Slayer. They would drink enough blood to weaken her, and enough to fill them. Then he would turn them loose upstairs in the Bronze. She knew what was going on from the screams upstairs.

Willow, that was usually the worst part. Willow seemed to “help” her—trying to feed her blood, trying to play with her.

She hated it, especially when she remembered the way that the real Willow acted.

Once in a while, when she saw Willow and Xander, she could almost forget. Angelus recognized that, the evil bastard.

And she’d been stupid. She’d gotten tricked, once in a while. Angelus had acted like his soul was back, and Willow and Xander—they’d seemed right, too. They would let her out, and try to “help” her “escape”.

But it would always end the same way. She knew that they couldn’t break her, not after what happened in Boston. Living with her mother, if you could call that “living”.

Of course, these two about tied—living with her mother, living in this basement, they ranked about the same on the Faith scale of “comfort”.

And what Angelus did wasn’t quite as bad as Kakistos. She didn't like being reminded of Angel every time she saw him, but..... It could all be worse. And Buffy would show up sooner or later—Buffy would save her.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Just hanging here. It’s nothing I couldn’t do later.”

Angelus got right in her face. “Miss me?”

“You wish.” She laughed a little. Yeah, she could push all his buttons. She wouldn’t give into him.

“There were some nice people up there tonight. But I saw this one girl—made me think of you. Long, brown hair; firm looking ass; and everything was so bright. Hey, what do you think? Think I’ve got a shot?”

“With a nice girl like that? No chance. She’s probably got a life—likes living in the light, likes keeping everything in her body alive. And I’ll bet she’s got some boyfriend back in Pleasantville, Anti-Hellmouth capital of the U.S.A.”

“Oh. Got a shot with you?” He put hands on either side of her.

“The only chance you have with me is when I’m unconscious and tied up.”

“Let’s see what we can do about that.” He drew back his fist, slamming into the right side of her head. Blood came out, and her head crashed into the wall beside her. Her arms jerked in the chains, but she couldn’t pull them out.

Finally, she managed to loosen the chains enough to knee him between his legs.

“That wasn’t nice,” he told her, hitting her again…. And again…. And again…. Until she couldn’t see him anymore.

**

When she finally woke up, she was on the floor. Angelus was lying beside her, eyes closed. She didn’t believe for a second that he was asleep.

She knew what would happen, what always happened. He’d have his “soul” back. But it would be different this time. They couldn’t trick her again. She’d be ready.

“Hey, Faith.” He smiled, opening his eyes.

He appeared, standing, rising up from the ground somehow.

“Ready for another go-round? I think I finally understand how this all works.” He gave her a smile, bending down over her, and then his face changed. A dart was sticking out of his back.

Willow was standing in the doorway. Her hair was a little darker, and it was a new outfit…. But still, there was the leather and the dominatrix thing going on. Xander was behind her.

Angelus turned around, looking up a little. “This some kind of a new game that I’m not in on?” His voice was shaky. Faith hadn't seen him this weak--not ever, she didn't think.

“No.” Willow lowered the dart gun, aiming it at him again. “It’s actually a very old game.”

“One that you aren’t ready for,” added Xander softly. You almost needed vamp hearing to have heard that.

She shot him again.

His eyes closed again, and Faith thought that maybe he wasn’t faking this time. It had to be a new game.

“Faith?” Willow walked over to her. Faith almost swore that she could hear the redhead breathing. “Are you okay?”

“You could stop anytime,” she said stonily. “Won’t fool me this time.”

“Won’t fool you—they’ve done all kinds of things to you.” The redhead put a hand out, almost touching Faith's hair, but let it drop.

“I know who you are,” said Faith. “I know what you do. Don’t get what the game is, but that doesn’t matter.”

“You’ll need to get your clothes on,” said Xander. Willow stepped back as Faith carefully pushed up. She was bruised, but it didn’t hurt too much. A few places still bled, but that wasn’t so bad either.

“Here.” Willow tossed her a shirt that was on the floor. The shirt wasn’t too bad. She started putting it on.

Xander picked up pants that were obviously hers. “Um, you might not want these.” He looked through a hole in them.

“Stop,” said Faith. “I don’t care what your game is, don’t care what you’re trying to do to me. Just…. Stop.”

“Try on Angel’s pants,” said Willow quietly, throwing them to her. She put them on unwillingly. If she could get past them—if she could somehow escape them—no way was she running back to B’s place half-naked.

Faith pulled the pants all the way up. They were a little too big, but otherwise, they’d be fine.

“Let’s go.” Xander tossed her a stake. Without any thought at all, she rammed it towards Willow’s heart.

“Faith!” Willow managed to get out of the way, but just barely. The Slayer bounced back, then threw the stake at Xander. It hit him in the shoulder and she winced—she’d missed.

She knew that Xander could do anything, that no injury stopped him. Well, yeah, getting his head chopped off might help….

But he was bleeding. Why was he bleeding? Why was he on the floor, holding the injury? Why did it hurt him?

She saw his face screw up with pain, and realized what was going on. Somehow, the real ones were back. Xander and Willow were really here. She was really going to escape. She was really….

“Wakey, wakey, Faith.” She opened her eyes. It was Angelus. “Having a good dream? Wanna share?” He smiled, looking down at her.

She closed her eyes again. It was better, to not see what was going on. It had all been a dream….

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