There is one thing mentioned from GD part II about Faith, so if you wanna know what happens to her you may read, if not wait until July 13th to see it and the come back and read :)
SUNNYDALE: August 20, 2000
Always check your back…
Buffy strolled into Giles apartment. She did not bother knocking, tonight she was in a hustle. “Giles,” she said powerfully, but a response was not heard. she reflected to herself.
she said to herself. She had left most of her weapons at his house from their last practice session and learned that she still could not find her other stash of stakes from her packed boxes. Walking over towards the provisions, she noticed books were encircling the kitchen table.
Since Giles was reaffirmed last year, he had been swarming himself to catch up to his assistant in knowledge of the watcher books. The council had determined that to take Giles back on as Buffy’s watcher, he would have to let Wesley “intern” with him. As much as Giles did not fancy the notion, he had concluded upon Buffy’s reluctant requisition. She had grown fond of Wesley after time and learned that sometimes his vast erudition of demons and beast's had dragged them out of a few jams or two. Plus if Faith ever woke from the coma she would need a Watcher, one that could care for in the way she would be needed. Wesley had come a long way, granted he was far too much by the book.
The thought of Faith brought a stop to Buffy’s doing. It had been a year since Faith had been in her coma; she had not died according to doctors. Yet, she had sustained a great deal of blood loss that if she did ever wake from her coma that there was a possibility that she would have conjectured an incredible amount of brain trauma. Something that Buffy still had a hard time confronting, her condemnation. She tested hard not to think of it, but it was something she knew that someday she was going to have to face.
she thought to herself as she seized a few small stakes from the counter and threw them in her backpack. She walked up to the books, and thumbed over some of it.
The inscriptions on the books were worn, but still very visible. They did not look aged, yet. Buffy picked up the book that was opened and down. Taking a look a glance at the writings something seemed familiar to her.
Hearing a noise from the back she leaped, and shut the book. Looking around she saw nothing but a window drape blowing in the wind. she thought. Granted she remembered the Valentines Day with Angelus and nearly had to drag that information out of Giles.
her mind hinted to her. Hauling her alertness back to the current, she headed out on her way.
Walking briskly she turned down a street and glimpsed at her clock. she rushed herself more.
Only she ceased abruptly as her slayer sensations were kicking into high gear. Giles had always caution her that she was able to “feel” the occupancy of vampires around her. It was one of the best tools she had. Sighing awfully she trailed her instincts.
As she drew closer, she could distinguish a tussle of something combating. Running rapidly she turned a corner and found Willow Rosenburg fastened up against the wall. She started towards Willow when she was smacked upside the head from something. Looking around she noticed that boards were buoyant, knocking into everything but the five vampires enfolding her.
she chortled as she rubbed her head. Pulling out one of her stakes, she readied herself for a fight. She knew she was to confine so she sheded her leather jacket and tossed it to the side. Once able to move more freely she raced up towards the fight.
“You boys never learn do you,” she bantered as she elevated her stake up and cinder the closest Vampire to her. The others just turned and watched.
“You two take her down,” one of the Vampires said, “ we’ll deal with witch girl.” Buffy looked closely at the leader and perceived it was a female.
Buffy’s distraction had her flanged to the ground abruptly. One of the Vampires had hurdled on her and pinned her without trouble, causing the stake to the fall from her hands.
“No wood aloud little girl,” he seethed. “Welcome to my hell.”
“I hear that line all the time, yet haven’t had the nightmare of seeing it,” she lurched up and nipped the Vampires hand with her teeth. He pulled back his hand but still kept her easily trapped with the other. Buffy saw this has her chance and promptly jerked up her legs and flipped the Vampire over on towards his back. Hearing a loud thud, Buffy used her back to leap up. Reaching downward, she picked up her stake.
“You will not slay me, Slayer” he fought from her grasp.
“Haven’t you guys learned,” she bent in. “The best lines have already been taken, time to learn something new.”
The vampire squirmed from under her and surprised her from the side. Gathering himself up he charged towards her grabbing her arm and twisting it around her. Buffy reached from behind and tried hard to reach for any part of him, but failed. The vampire reeked of the dead; she tried hard not to breathe in to deeply.
“Your time is up little girl,” he laughed as he reached to grab for Buffy’s stake. “I’ve heard the blood of a Slayer is very sweet, guess I’ll finally find out.”
Using her other hand, she grabbed his as he reached up to move her neck, which stopped him. Twisting his forearm with all her strength she could muster she felt him whimper. It was working, she could hear bones starting to move and crush together. The Vampire released her in pain, and started to rub his arm. Buffy swung her leg high and jarred him in the face. The Vampire hit hard spiraling a few times before landing on his back in a loud thud. Buffy quickly rushed over on top of him.
“Mr. Pointy hates when you don’t play right,” she quickly moved her hand up, when an another hand came down and stopped her.
* * *
Xander Harris was never one to go moseying around Sunnydale, but ever since he had returned, he had been itching to see something familiar. His year over in seas had showed him one thing that America was a good place to live. Even if it is directly on the Hellmouth. he laughed to himself.
Debating if he should head up to the Bronze and see if the old gang was up there he saw in the corner of his eye a fight. He tried to turn a blind eye, but knew all to well the late night activity in the wonderful dead streets of Sunnydale.
He raced down towards the street. The closest fighters were pinned towards the ground, as the other two were avoiding flying wooden boards. he said. He reached down and grabbed the nearest piece of weaponry he could find. A small-craved stake was all he could reach for. Looking down he knew all to well what was going on. Racing up he reached up and pulled down hard into the middle of the man’s back, praying he had hit the heart. In two seconds, dust was flying all around him, and he was able to view the person on the ground.
“Well, well Ms Summers I do believe I just saved your neck,” he laughed at the idea of what he just did. Buffy just jumped up quickly.
“No time for chit chat Xander, I think Willow is in trouble.” But as the turned to watch their friend they noticed the floating boards finally stop and rushing inwards crushing the vampires in a swift motion, leaving them nothing but dust. Both stunned just stared at the red-head girl walking towards them.
“I think I have even impressed myself,” she sheepishly grinned. Willow pushed her straight hair from her face and gave her friends a bright smile.
“Gone a year and still greeted by the locals the same way,” Xander laughed. Willow walked up and embraced her friend.
“You know its bad when we are help saving Buffy’s butt,” she returned the laugh. Buffy just stood there trying her best not to burst out giggling. she smiled to herself. She knew the hazard she brought to them, but it was nice to have someone in this town understand her chaos and glad it was not a watcher.
“You guys just know I was testing to see if you have learned anything from being friends with me,” she gave a playful shove to Xander, who went further then she had intended. Both just rolled their eyes.
“So Buffer’s what’s a guy got to do in this town to have some fun,” Xander slyly slide an arm around her, she gently removed it.
“Well…” She stopped, “On no,” she sighed loudly.
Both looked at their slayer friend and said at the same time. “What?”
“I had a date tonight and well,” she glanced at her watch. “Let’s just say I am really late.”
Xander looked her up and down, “And who is the lucky Sunnydaler?”
Buffy felt her face turn red, but she recovered herself quickly.
“His name is Gabriel…”
* * *
Rupert Giles walked into his living room; he had made a quick run over to his assistant’s house to gather some more data on the new demon rumored to be in town. He hated asking Wesley for help, but knew the man could at times be a walking book of knowledge on the land of creatures.
He walked over and landed down on his couch, tried of the harden chairs of his kitchen table. Flipping open the book he started to read aloud to himself.
“Seera a demon who controls time, possessing the ability to slow it down or speed it up. He formally was working for the devil himself but gave up to enjoy the fruits of punishing humans for good deeds. Seera has faced up to a few Slayers over time, crushing each one with the power of time. Though one, Mecca in 1459, was said to have caused great harm to him through a spell but was crushed before the power was released. In the early 1800’s he disappeared somewhere in London and was never seen again.”
Giles removed his glasses and started to bite at the ends. He was never a man who enjoyed little knowledge, and this book did a good job of giving next to nothing. Placing the book down he reached for his phone to call his assistant to have him recheck his references to make sure this was all that was available to them. He hated the idea of calling the council on something so trivial.
“Wesley, its me. That blasted book you gave me was only a paragraph of information. I am in need of finding a spell, once used by a slayer in the past by the name Mecca. The year of her slaying was in 1459, see if you can make yourself useful and gather up whatever magical spells the girl might have used.” He hung up the telephone without listening to the bumbling idiot try and talk his way through that one. He had just enough of Wesley as he could handle. As much dismay as he was against the idea of teaching the young watcher, he knew Buffy had a point.
“If Faith should ever recover you know they are going to send Wonder Boy to baby-sit. I would rather give up you to know that she would have someone with half a brain to guide her. But, if you can teach him how to understand we “modern” Slayers of the new millenium, then maybe this whole dying before we ever turn gray thing can go out of style.” Her eyes had pleaded him enough to cave into her. He agreed to the councils’ demands that having Wesley assist Giles with Buffy.
Hearing a knock firmly on the door, he pulled his attention towards the present. “Come in,” he spoke.
The door swung open as Buffy emanated from the blackness outside. She was mussed up with her hair covered in crushed leaves and some dirt smudged on her smooth skin. She was not alone as Willow and Xander followed in suit.
“You know I could be your friendly welcome wake up call for vampires with an ‘invitation’ like that,” she mocked loudly.
“I-I-I I thought I gave you the night off,” he stammered trying hard to cover for his carelessness. He hated when they showed up unannounced it made him think the Hellmouth was in chaos again. “Nothing is wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong Giles,” she taunted as she swung her body down hard on the chair. “I was on my way to do a quick sweep like you and Wesley informed me to do when little old me found that I had no stakes. So I came here, and Willow was on her way over here looking for me when some vamps jumped her.”
Willow gave a beaming smile to Giles; he had missed that smile. It was good to have her back, and to have her work that cursed computer again.
“I see… but no harm,” he peered into their faces.
“Nope, Slayerettes saved the day as usual… once again the world is saved from the evil that wonders the streets of Sunnydale.” Willow spoke firmly.
“Oh and my date for tonight… sorta thinks I stood him up so I have to make big time apologies to him tomorrow morning. But we figured it has been a long time since the four of us have seen each other in one room so….” She opened her hands.
“I guess this part of the neighborhood is starting to fall apart to,” Xander joked as he extended a hand for Giles. Giles took the hand and gave a warm smile. Though over the years it had taken him a long time to understand Xander, he understood he would lay his life down for Buffy in a minute, something few good souls would ever be. “G-man been a long time.”
Giles shook his head, “and you haven’t given up on that cursed name.”
* * *
Buffy flung herself down into the nearest chair as Giles placed some tea down for them. Willow and Xander had called it a night and headed back to their homes. Buffy though did not seem ready to head back to an empty house.
“Been awhile since we had a meeting like that, felt good some how,” Buffy said delicately. Giles flashed a look over at her and smiled briefly. It was refreshing for him to hear Willow and Xander’s stories of their vacations, but he observed Buffy’s face and her despondency fall around her. When she came back from her trip from her father’s abruptly, he believed her when she said he had business that was important. Yet, there was something behind Buffy’s eyes that made him believe she was not letting in the whole truth. He had let it go she would tell him all in due time, even if he had to force it out of her.
“Uh yes it has been. Buffy I-I-I’ve been meaning to talk to you… well, um about a new demon that seems to be rumored to be back from the missing,” he stampeded out.
Buffy transferred her gaze onto him. Her fierce green eyes blazed to him; he knew she was ready for anything. Her face and determination had always told him that. However, it disheartens him to beseech her to more baneful. Especially when he was not all too clear on the details of this new bloke.
“So give the 411,” she said.
Giles altered his heft and sat down his tea.
“Well there isn’t much…”
“That’s not new ground for us,” she snickered.
“Oh yes quite right, quite right. Well from what Wesley and I have read is that he was a demon that worked for Satan until he grew tired with dealing with the devil and moved on to do business for himself sorta say. He is said to have vanished sometime in the early 1800’s.”
Buffy nodded her head, “what’s the name?”
“Seera, a demon guardian of time,” Giles spoke as he removed his glasses.
“Great a walking stop-watch.”
“Well… um…I guess you can see it that way… y-y-yes.” Giles walks over and picks up a grimy book from the counter and heads back over sitting closer to Buffy.
“Seera has been broached in our Watcher’s books. He is said to emerge as a n-n-n-normal man, one of distinguished charm even. The other part is that he also acquires a rather large assessment from facing off and massacring Slayers. One Slayer from the mid-fifteen hundreds attempted to place a spell on him, b-b-but with his inclination to m-m-manipulate time…”
“Annihilated her anyway.” Buffy shook her head and sighed. She rejected the stories in were she heard of past Slayers. Sorrow filled her for the lives they were never granted to lead, due to a destiny some did not choose. Though it took her a extensive time to contemplate hers she still knew how they most of felt to know their dreams would never become real. She glanced up towards Giles and mustered up a premium smile for him.
“Well if Mr. Warp-Time-Guy strikes, I’ll be ready. Just find me that spell and I’ll be the next Samantha Stephen’s,” Buffy mused to herself.
Giles looked up from his book, “Who?”
“Giles you really need to catch up on your Nick at night.”
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