From: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com (buffyfic-digest) To: buffyfic-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: buffyfic-digest V3 #16 Reply-To: $SENDER Sender: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk buffyfic-digest Wednesday, January 13 1999 Volume 03 : Number 016 In this issue: BUFFYFIC: "The Game Played" (5b/6) BUFFYFIC: "The Game Played" (5a/6) by Mace BUFFYFIC: "The Game Played" (4/6) by Mace See the end of the digest for information on (un)subscribing to the buffyfic or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 12:14:59 -0000 From: "mace" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Game Played" (5b/6) TITLE: The Game Played AUTHOR: Mace DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to be affiliated with Joss Whedon, Mutant Enem= y, the Warner Brothers, or Twentieth Century Fox. I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or related characters, topics, settings, or personalities. All this is owned by those mentioned above. Avoid suing me. I would appreciate it and so will you. SUMMARY: Buffy/Angel with some Willow/Oz thrown into it. This takes place after "Lover's Walk." Faith didn't like being used by her 'Watcher' or by one Alexander Harris. She decided it was time other people got what they wanted. With Cordelia in the hospital and Willow and Oz having their own problems, Faith turns to the person who wants nothing but happiness for h= er daughter. AUTHOR'S NOTE: I realize some of this might be off-character. I can't yet write for Faith or really Oz. I'll get better. Upon writing this, I reali= ze that there is very little plot, and it is primarily an emotional piece. I think you like it anyway because it's lacking all that **MUSH** and has s= ome substance. FEEDBACK: The phrase here is 'of course.' I really love feedback. Send as much as possible. Bubba, Snake, and Eugene are my biggest fans. They thin= k *everyone* should send feedback. We *know* you're reading this. Don't mak= e my biggest fans ruin their holiday (and yours) by making them come after you. Send it to: mace@digitechs.com ***** Part 5b ***** Buffy's mind was too clouded with grief to notice that her mother was sti= ll asleep. Buffy hadn't slept at all from the time she got home until she w= ent to school to confront the Watcher. She was running on pure emotion and adrenaline. The only thing on her mind: Angel dead and Faith about to be that way. "Maybe . . . maybe he's just . . . off someplace brooding," Willow tried lamely. "I=97 I looked everywhere. I=97 I can't find Faith or Angel," Buffy sobb= ed. "Buffy, perhaps you've been a little hasty in your grieving. It is *quit= e* possible that Angel has been soul-searching or . . . avoiding you. . . ." "Why would Angel do that?" Buffy asked, blinded by her anguish. "You did=97 uh=97 sever your friendship, correct?" Giles asked. "Look on the bright side," Xander said, "maybe Faith and Angel ran off together." That only increased Buffy's wailing. Willow sent Xander a look that woul= d have turned Medusa into a mewling child . . . or a stone statue. Fire li= t up Giles's eyes for just a moment because Xander had upset his Slayer eve= n more. Giles had the strangest inkling that something was going on that n= o one knew about, but he didn't have enough pieces to make the picture clea= r. "It's=97 it's all my fault," Buffy whispered to Willow. "I made him lose= his soul, and then I got him killed." << I'm so selfish. >> ***** Angel stifled a moan as his captors threw him into the cage. It seemed, = no matter how old he got, torture was always a favorite among the evil. Sur= e, Trick and his flunkies weren't anything compared to the timeless demons i= n Hell, but it didn't make the pain hurt any less. They hadn't even asked him any questions yet. Trick's minions just beat = and tortured him until he didn't want to move anymore. He wouldn't have even had a problem getting free if not for his summer vacation in Hell. It ha= d made him weak, and he hadn't been able to fight back. He was biding his time until the sun was almost set. The older you got, = the more tolerant you were to the sun. No, the older vampires couldn't *walk= * in the sun, but the pre-dawn vampire warning and pre-sunset twilight was more bearable. Angel was likely to have a massive sunburn on his face, arms, and bare chest << Stupid minions ruined my shirt! >>, but he would still be able to leave before most of the minions would think about following. ((**Yes, I *AM* inventing my own vampire lore. If you don't l= ike it, write your own fanfic.**)) ***** Cordelia Chase was back at school (not that she was too happy about it). After being accosted by Harmony and her clique, rammed into by a jock, an= d being late for her second period class, Miss Chase was feeling not at all perky or thrilled to be at school. She had been avoiding Xander Harris all day, and it was getting annoying. It seemed she was going through closet withdrawal, and it was giving her = a headache. On top of that, she really wanted to see what the *::big, echo= ing voice::* Mouth of Hell *::end voice::* was going to spit at them this wee= k, but she *knew* Xander or Willow would be there. She walked by the library, just to take a peek in, when she heard Xander'= s smart-alec voice make a comment and someone sobbing. << Buffy? >> She loo= ked in the window and found Buffy Summers Super Slayer draped over the edge o= f a chair and bawling in despair. Without a second thought, Cordelia went into the library to see what was wrong with Buffy. Not in all the months as Angelus posing as Angel did Cordy see Buffy so heartbroken. "Cordy?" Xander asked, though she was oblivious. "Buffy, what's wrong?" Buffy looked up at Cordelia and sniffed. "Angel's dead!" "What?!?" Cordelia asked, shocked. "I=97 I can't find Angel! Faith killed him! I know it!" Buffy said. Cordelia felt her stomach and all its contents fall into her feet with a squish. "I=97 I'm so sorry, Buffy," Cordelia whispered. It struck Cordy like a lightening bolt. No one had ever accused her of being too quick. In fact, some people thought she was quite dense, but Cordelia put what she knew together and came up with an answer. Joyce ha= d been by her room, and Buffy thought Faith had killed Angel. It all made sense. . . . in a sense that wasn't sort of way. << Oz, much? >> Cordelia gave her friend a hug in front of Giles, Xander, Willow, and Oz. ((*Boy, weren't they shocked?*)) Then, she tried to put pieces in that we= re still sort of fuzzy and bided her time until she could talk to the Slayer= 's mother. ***** Willow was alone in the library. Buffy had gone home to rest. Giles had taken her. Xander had mumbled something about a Twinkie and left shortly thereafter. Oz and the Dingoes were having practice tonight. And, the Scooby gang would reconvene after sunset. The red-headed hacker was chatting with some of her technopagan friends w= hen she heard the door close. Willow turned to see Joyce Summers standing th= ere with a framed drawing of some sort and a nervous smile. Willow smiled warmly and told her friends that she had to go. Willow wasn't really sur= e why she had to go, but the look on Misses Summers face told her that Will= ow was not going to be able to continue her chat. "Hey, Misses Summers, no one else is here besides me. Buffy already went home," Willow said. "I know. I saw Buffy and Giles heading for my house. =97Buffy tells me you're a witch," Joyce said bluntly. "Or, is that offensive? Should I c= all you a sorceress or a spell caster?" She trailed off. "I don't really practice magic, but I'm not offended by being called a witch. Wh=97 why do you ask?" "I was just wondering actually, and I kinda had this question. I was goi= ng to asked Mister Gi=97 Rupert, but I guess you might know," Joyce said. "Oh, is it about magic? I know about magic, but why would you want to kn= ow about magic?" A frown crossed Willow's face. "I'll just be quiet now." Joyce smiled a motherly smile at the shy (but less-shy than before) girl. "You probably know I run an art gallery." Willow nodded. "Sometimes, I g= et stuff that I don't know anything about." Joyce could be seen with a faint blush. "Like a mask that raises the dead. I got this print in a shipmen= t today. It's probably from Eastern Europe from the style of script, but I was wondering if it was some kind of spell." Joyce frowned. "I didn't wa= nt to put it up if it was." "Oh, I guess I understand that," Willow said. "I could look at it and ru= n it through the translator like=97 Miss Calendar did with Angel's=97 uh=97= curse." Willow scanned it and used the translator on the ancient text. It was cycling through all the possibilities when the phone rang. Willow went t= o answer. "Hello . . . oh, hi. . . . Yes, I'm still at the library. . . . You need = me to come home? Now? What's wrong? =97Oh, okay. . . . No, I'm not . . . = no, I just. . . . Yes, I'm on my way. . . ." "What was that about?" Joyce asked curiously. "My mom found a small cross I keep for protection in my room when she was putting some of my clothes away," Willow said. "What's wrong with that?" Joyce asked. "My parents and I are Jewish," Willow said as she tried to suppress an impish smirk. "Oh," Joyce said. Willow went on to explain what would happen once the work had cycled through. She started to explain how to print and save, but Joyce told he= r that she knew from Ted. Ted had set up the software for the gallery, and Joyce was not completely computer-illiterate anymore. Willow smiled, grateful she didn't have to explain anything and fled the library. Joyce couldn't believe how lucky she was getting. It was quite possible that Joyce would be able to fix things. << I'll have to give that nice ma= n at that shop some cookies or something nice like that. >> The frame on th= e spell (she knew it was a spell) had cost her an arm and a leg. ((*Not in the literal sense.*)) The man at the . . . Gypsy-supply store had been =91courteous' enough to hunt the spell down. Of course, she had to remin= d the man several times that Spike and Drusilla were *not* in Sunnydale, but everything else was great. The man had told her he knew what the spell did, but he didn't know exact= ly how. It was in all the circles that the red-headed hacker had performed = the Soul Restoration spell, and the shopkeeper thought maybe one of them woul= d want it. When Joyce had come in asking for just such a thing, he was onl= y happy to get rid of it. (Though, he pretended to be otherwise. It didn'= t pay to be a known nice guy. He was a business man.) When the spell was finished decrypting, Joyce printed it out and stuck it= in her purse. She deleted any evidence of what had been on the computer and closed the program. The only thing left to do was cast the spell. . . . ***** By all rights, it wouldn't be sunset for another fifteen minutes, but Ang= el knew he had to get out of there, and he had to do it fast. As quickly an= d quietly as possible (though that wasn't very quiet at all), Angel pried t= he wooden slats away from the window and burst through the second-story wind= ow. Angel landed on his feet (sorta) in a shower of broken glass and wood. H= e heard the very audible pop of a bone being broken and cursed the demons t= hat had made him weak. His body had been able to make that jump in February.= << Valentine's Day. >> He stumbled through the alleys in the shadows, trying to find someplace f= or shelter. The closest place was the library, but he knew he couldn't go there. It was *dark* by now, and the vampires would be after him. He wasn't more than twenty or so blocks away from wherever he'd been held captive when several vampires jumped him from behind. Angel was fighting = on instinct and emotion. His only desire, to get far, far away from the minions. Joyce Summers's slightly dented jeep pulled to a screeching halt beside Angel and the minions. She jumped out with a large wooden cross and thru= st it in the face of the nearest vampire. "Get in, Angel," Joyce said, being sure to invite *only* Angel into her c= ar. Angel, too much in pain and only half-conscious to care, dived into the driver's seat and slid into the passenger's side. Joyce stepped in the c= ar and floored it, running over a vamp in the process. She drove to the mansion where she knew Faith would be waiting. Angel was passed out with his head on the window. ***** Angel awoke as a bolt of energy lanced through him. He opened his eyes t= o see the *other* Slayer peering at him nervously and his girlfriend's=97 ex-girlfriend's mother watching him in apprehension. "Angel?" Joyce asked. "What happened? Joyce, what am I doing here?" Angel asked, confused. Joyce held her hand out to Angel. Angel, arching his eyebrow at her, too= k the object, the rose quartz, in his hand. Immediately upon touching it, = it turned to a light purple color. Joyce smiled and looked at Faith. Faith was grinning in accomplishment. "What happened?" Angel asked again. "Good news, Ang, there's no clause anymore," Faith said as she grinned. "Clause?" Angel asked dumbly. "We removed the clause from your curse," Joyce said. "You can have your moment of contentment now." Simultaneously, the Slayer's mother and the other Slayer turned around an= d started to walk away. "Joyce," Angel called. She turned. "You're sure?" Joyce nodded. "How? Why?" Angel asked, utterly bewildered. "=91Cause it was fun," Faith said. "And, because I was tired of people playing games with me. I wanted to do something to make up all the troub= le that's been caused." Angel looked at Joyce, expecting an answer. Joyce shrugged. "I'm just a meddling mother," she said as they left. Angel was too shocked to consider the consequences. He laid his head on = the sofa and promptly passed out again. It had been a really hard week for t= he immortal vampire. ***** END PART FIVE ***** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 12:15:30 -0000 From: "mace" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Game Played" (5a/6) by Mace TITLE: The Game Played AUTHOR: Mace DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to be affiliated with Joss Whedon, Mutant Enem= y, the Warner Brothers, or Twentieth Century Fox. I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or related characters, topics, settings, or personalities. All this is owned by those mentioned above. Avoid suing me. I would appreciate it and so will you. SUMMARY: Buffy/Angel with some Willow/Oz thrown into it. This takes place after "Lover's Walk." Faith didn't like being used by her 'Watcher' or by one Alexander Harris. She decided it was time other people got what they wanted. With Cordelia in the hospital and Willow and Oz having their own problems, Faith turns to the person who wants nothing but happiness for h= er daughter. AUTHOR'S NOTE: I realize some of this might be off-character. I can't yet write for Faith or really Oz. I'll get better. Upon writing this, I reali= ze that there is very little plot, and it is primarily an emotional piece. I think you like it anyway because it's lacking all that **MUSH** and has s= ome substance. FEEDBACK: The phrase here is 'of course.' I really love feedback. Send as much as possible. Bubba, Snake, and Eugene are my biggest fans. They thin= k *everyone* should send feedback. We *know* you're reading this. Don't mak= e my biggest fans ruin their day (and yours) by making them come after you. Send it to: mace@digitechs.com ***** PART FIVE ***** "Buffy!" Xander yelled breathlessly as he ran into the library. Giles was=97 as always=97 researching some demon. Buffy was beating the stuffing out of a dummy. Willow was =91Net surfing, and Oz was content to watch the red-headed hacker. Startled, Buffy didn't pull her kick and br= oke the dummy in half. Its upper body landed somewhere in the stacks. "What?" Buffy asked. "Faith is gonna kill Angel!" Xander said. "WHAT?!?!" Buffy and the gang practically screeched. Giles, however, remained silent. "It's all a plot. Them being *friends,* hanging out together, her apologizing. She's gonna kill Angel night after tomorrow night!" Xander said. "Xander Harris!" Willow yelled. "That is *NOT* funny!" Xander was taken aback. They didn't believe him? "I swear to God and everyone on this earth, Faith asked me to keep you gu= ys busy two nights from now so she can kill Angel," Xander said. Buffy wiped the sweat from her neck, grabbed her Slayer bag, and started walking toward the door. She stopped by Xander and opened her mouth to speak. Giles, however, interrupted. "Where are you going?" he asked. "To find Faith or Angel or both," Buffy said with steel, daring him to sa= y otherwise. "I can't say I'm against it, at all, Buffy," Giles said in his impeccable British manner, though harsh. Buffy's whole face turned cold with barely concealed rage. "*I* *don't* *care,*" she ground out. "He tortured me for hours!" Giles hissed. "*THE* *DEMON* tortured *me* for *six* *months*! Don't you try to tell m= e how much you've suffered, Giles! This is my decision! I *AM* *NOT* goin= g to let Faith murder Angel, no matter how much you may hate him," Buffy sa= id. "You love him," Giles said. "Even now." Buffy said nothing, but turned to Xander. "If you're lying to me. . . ." she hissed as she strode out the door. << It wasn't supposed to happen like this. . . . >> Faith thought as she listened through the stacks. ***** "Faith?" Joyce asked at the Slayer's grave expression. "It didn't work!" Faith said. "She's not going to save him?" Joyce asked, a frown appearing on her face. "Yes, but she's going to kill me too! She and Giles had this *huge* figh= t, pulling out all the stops. And, Buffy left the library in a blaze of fire= , and Giles was shakin' so bad, I though the man was having a stroke!" Fait= h said, more than alarmed. "I'll see if I can find her, Faith," Joyce said, grabbing her jacket, pur= se, and keys. "You stay here until I tell Buffy what *was* really happening.= I can't believe it turned out like this! For God's sake, I only wanted my baby-girl to be happy!" She rushed into the night to find her daughter or the immortal vampire th= at would save everyone a lot of trouble. Oh=97 everyone was going to be fur= ious. Joyce couldn't help but smile at what her meddling had caused. For, if s= he didn't smile, she would probably break down in tears. ***** Buffy first went to the mansion. Angel was not there, and it looked as though he hadn't been there for some time. Buffy was rapidly losing her anger and gaining worry. << Oh, God, don't let him die. I don't care what it takes. I'll give up= my life=97 anything=97 so he doesn't die. I need him so much. . . . >> She knew she was lying to herself earlier. If Angel had said he didn't l= ove her, she thought maybe she would be able to let go. But=97 oh=97 it hurt= so much. Faith was no where to be seen. Her apartment . . . motel room . . . was empty and actually had food in it. This meant that Faith hadn't been hom= e in the last eight or so hours. There weren't any vampires out that night= , but Buffy didn't really pay much attention to the lack of vamps. It had been like that for some time. Angel. Angel was gone. Though it wasn't unusual for him to just disappe= ar and turn up at will, he hadn't done it since he got back. . . . From Hell. Buffy wondered if maybe he was feeling better and back to his old, broodi= ng self. It didn't figure, though. Suffering in torment was more like it. Even though he seemed to be=97 normal (or relatively so), Buffy could tel= l he was in more pain than he was letting on, both physical and mental. << And, I just let him go. I didn't help him when he needed me most? Wh= at kind of girlfriend am I? Or ex-girlfriend? Or just friend? =97Oh, Angel= . . . >> ***** "So, you're the infamous Angelus?" the man asked. Angel's only response was an arched eyebrow. "Not too talkative are you?" he asked. Angel sat silently. "Well=97" he said, "Trick, could you come in here for a second?" The well-dressed vampire walked in. Angel could feel him smirking as he came in. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Angelus. How are you, man?" Trick asked. "What do you want?" Angel ground out. "Well=97 here's the thing," Trick said. "I am a man of business, a man o= f the world. My employer here, he's a sort of a=97 politician." << Oh, God! Demons and vampires and Hell, and now, a politician! >> Ange= l thought. "It's not good business to have *two* Slayers running around, fouling thi= ngs up," Trick said. Angel was silent. "So, we want you to do something about it, Angel," Trick said. "Trick, you obviously should know me well enough to know I won't help you= do anything to either Buffy or Faith," Angel said harshly as he eyed the May= or (though he didn't know it was the Mayor). "Wait! Wait! Angel, my man, before you turn us down, you should listen = to what we want to do. . . ." "*I* *don't* *care,*" Angel hissed. "We'll see," the Mayor said. ***** By the time Joyce got home, it was nearly dawn. She hadn't seen Buffy or Angel, so she assumed they were off somewhere together. It irked her motherly instincts to think her seventeen-year-old daughter was with a ma= n=97 vampire, but this was what she wanted and was willing to accept *some* of the consequences. She would just have to have one of the real . . . semi-real talks other mothers had with their daughters. Faith was sleeping on the couch. It startled Joyce that *someone* was th= ere because usually her house was empty. "Faith," Joyce whispered from across the room. (Generally, it was a bad idea to wake a sleeping Slayer.) "Huh?" she mumbled. "You should probably get home. Buffy will probably be back soon, and eve= n though you didn't do anything, she might be upset," Joyce said. Faith drowsily went home just as the sun peeked over the horizon, so she = was safe from vampires. Joyce trudged up the stairs and practically passed ou= t on her bed from exhaustion. She didn't hear Buffy come in, didn't hear h= er practically crawl up the stairs, didn't hear Buffy collapse into bed, did= n't hear her daughter sobbing. No, things were not going as planned. ***** END PART 5a ***** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 12:16:10 -0000 From: "mace" Subject: BUFFYFIC: "The Game Played" (4/6) by Mace TITLE: The Game Played AUTHOR: Mace DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to be affiliated with Joss Whedon, Mutant Enem= y, the Warner Brothers, or Twentieth Century Fox. I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or related characters, topics, settings, or personalities. All this is owned by those mentioned above. Avoid suing me. I would appreciate it and so will you. SUMMARY: Buffy/Angel with some Willow/Oz thrown into it. This takes place after "Lover's Walk." Faith didn't like being used by her 'Watcher' or by one Alexander Harris. She decided it was time other people got what they wanted. With Cordelia in the hospital and Willow and Oz having their own problems, Faith turns to the person who wants nothing but happiness for h= er daughter. AUTHOR'S NOTE: I realize some of this might be off-character. I can't yet write for Faith or really Oz. I'll get better. Upon writing this, I reali= ze that there is very little plot, and it is primarily an emotional piece. I think you like it anyway because it's lacking all that **MUSH** and has s= ome substance. FEEDBACK: The phrase here is 'of course.' I really love feedback. Send as much as possible. Bubba, Snake, and Eugene are my biggest fans. They thin= k *everyone* should send feedback. We *know* you're reading this. Don't mak= e my biggest fans ruin their day (and yours) by making them come after you. Send it to: mace@digitechs.com ***** PART FOUR ***** "Hey, Willow," Oz said. "I was gonna say that=97 only without the Willow," Willow said. Oz smiled. << I really love her. >> Even after everything she had done, h= e still loved her enough to accept her apology. He had expected something like this for some time, and he was surprised it hadn't happened earlier. He knew she had a crush on her best-friend, and he knew it was only a mat= ter of time before the oblivious teenager woke up. What he didn't know was t= hat she *really* cared about Oz, and she just had to get over Xander. This infinitely pleased Oz. "The Dingoes aren't playing tonight. And, I'm gonna ask you to go to din= ner with me tonight. And, I'm kinda back to that sweaty-palms-and-barely-able-to-form-a-coherent-thought stage. So, dinne= r?" Oz asked hopefully. Though Oz tended to be a little lacking an emotion except cool, Willow co= uld clearly see the anticipation in his voice. "I'd like that a lot, and you don't have to be nervous. I was gonna say = yes anyway," Willow said. "Where will we eat?" "It's a surprise, but look nice. Not that you don't always look nice=97 really nice=97 but dress up. Unless you don't want to, then we can just = go to the Bronze. Completely no pressure," Oz said. "Willow! Oz!" Xander said as he came through the door. Oz tensed slightly, but he didn't let it show. << Oh, man!!! >> Oz though= t. "What?" Willow asked, fidgety. "Who is here? Giles? Faith? Buffy?" Xander asked as he looked around. "The Fuhrer asked Giles to see him. Faith won't be here until the sunset= s, and Buffy hasn't gotten here yet," Willow said. "It's just you two?" Xander asked. Oz nodded in affirmation. "Good. I saw Faith last night at the Bronze," Xander began. "And?" Willow prompted, slightly disinterested. "She was going to meet someone," Xander said. "That's none of our business," Oz interrupted as he and Willow started to leave. "It was Angel," Xander said. Willow stopped. "I know. They're friends," Willow said. "I=97 uh=97 didn't know that, and well=97 I followed her," Xander said. "Xander!" Willow admonished. "I know, I did *another* very bad thing. But, I eavesdropped, and I foun= d out that they're going to start going out together. They're going out tonight. With each other. On a date," Xander said. "Angel and Faith?" Willow asked. "This is still none of our business. Xander, don't say anything!" "What about Buffy? You know she still loves him, and he still loves her. Someone should tell her before she finds out on her own. I think she'd t= ake it better coming from us that accidentally seeing them together," Xander said. "You kinda had this kill Angel thing going on earlier. How come you're s= o worried now?" Oz asked. Xander had no response. "So, we should just keep this quiet," Willow said. No one said anything for a long moment. "It's not really our business=97 what Angel or Faith does," Oz said slowl= y. "And Angel and Buffy don't go out anymore." "But=97 but it's Buffy," Xander said. "We should tell her." "You just want to get Angel in trouble because you don't like him," Willo= w accused. "I don't like the guy, and he's already caused all of us pain. We should get this over as quickly as possible. Buffy deserves to know, and she's gonna find out anyway. . ." "Find out what?" came the blonde Slayer's voice from the doorway. The three Slayerettes looked like they had gotten caught with the hands i= n the cookie jar. They all tried to come up with some plausible lie, but n= one was forthcoming. Willow stepped out of the midst and approached the Slay= er. "Xander followed Faith last night because she was going to see Angel, and he=97 uh=97 heard Angel and Faith. They're going to start=97 uh=97 going= out," Willow said. Buffy's face contorted in pain. << No, no, no! Not like that! Not pain! Jealousy! >> Faith thought as = she watched from the stacks. << You're supposed to be mad! I'm a terrible person!!! >> "He=97 he deserves something, especially everything's been taken," Buffy = said softly. "Maybe some happiness=97 or less pain=97 is what he needs." Faith slipped out of the back of the stacks and went to Joyce's gallery. ***** "Faith," Joyce said, "did everything . . . ?" "She's as bad as Angel. She wasn't mad or jealous at all. She just deci= ded to let him go," Faith said. "Oh, great," Joyce said slowly. "Now what?" "Well=97 you can get Angel away from the mansion tonight, right?" Faith a= sked. "Of course," Joyce said with a smile, "I'm a mother." Faith nodded thoughtfully. "So what we have to do is figure out what would convince Buffy to go afte= r Angel if she's not jealous of her ex-, soon to be current, boyfriend," Fa= ith said. A smile spread across Faith's face, and soon, it became a smirk. Joyce looked at Faith with an amused expression on her face. "I think I have an idea," Faith said. "What are we gonna do?" "Well. . ." ***** "Buffy, you came!" Cordelia said. "I said I would," Buffy said cheerfully. Cordelia paused in a moment of indecision as Buffy sat down. She seemed = to gain some resolve before asking . . . "How are Xander and Willow?" Buffy paused. "What do you mean?" Buffy asked. "Together. Are=97 are they happy?" Cordelia asked . . . hopefully(?). Buffy wanted to look at Cordelia like she was insane. Xander had been particularly silent about what had gone on between Cordelia and him, but = she wasn't aware that Xander hadn't told Cordelia about Willow and Oz. Buffy glanced around the room before finally settling her eyes on the injured girl. "Cordy, Xander and Willow=97 they don't, I mean, Willow and Oz are still together. I thought Xander would have told you," Buffy said slowly. "I haven't seen Xander since the morning after . . . after they were kissing." There was a pause. "When *I* saw them," she added bitterly. "= I=97 I told him to leave me alone. How come Willow and Oz are . . . I mean, wasn't Oz mad?" Buffy was wondering if Cordelia and Xander might have a chance. . . . "Well=97 He was Oz, but . . . Willow's had a crush on Xander since they w= ere kids," Buffy said. Cordelia nodded. "And, Oz kinda figured that this would happen someday. But Willow was ju= st wondering if she was still in love with Xander or if she just couldn't le= t go of her crush. She found out. She loves Oz," Buffy said. "They're still together." Buffy let Cordelia absorb all this for a minute or two. "Xander was pretty heartbroken, huh?" Cordy asked. "He's pretty okay with Oz and Willow, and there's not really any tension between the three of them," Buffy said. "Oh," Cordelia said emotionlessly. She brightened considerably. "What about you and Angel?" Queen C asked. "Haven't seen him since I told him we couldn't be friends. He and Faith = are getting along though," Buffy said. "Getting along, getting along? Or just getting along?" Cordy asked. "What do you mean?" Cordelia almost sighed in exasperation. << Dense much? >> "I mean are they like gonna go out?" Buffy looked stricken. Cordelia didn't want to do something like this to Buffy, but no pain, no gain. She watched as Buffy gained some order on he= r faculties. Buffy leveled her eyes at Cordelia, and Queen C was disturbed= by the pain reflected there. "He deserves some happiness," Buffy said. "Isn't happiness what started this whole mess in the first place?" Buffy flinched. << Cordy, why won't you just shut up? I was doing just fine! When did you get so insightful? >> Buffy ranted in her head. "Well, a friend then. Or even a girl friend," Buffy replied. << She was right. Buffy really is willing to let him go. >> Cordelia sat there for a second and waited. "Since when did Faith get so pro-vamp? I thought she tried to kill Angel= ," Cordelia said. "Are you sure she wants to be friends?" Buffy was almost too shocked to come up with a response. "I=97 I don't know. She went over to apologize, and I guess they're just friends," Buffy said as she frowned in perplexity. "I could be wrong. I mean, she could just find him . . . good company. Maybe he lead an interesting life," Cordelia said as if she was trying to comfort her friend. "He never told me about his life," Buffy said softly. It seems like it would have been appropriate for her to sniff. "I'm sorry, Buffy. I was just trying to help," Cordelia offered lamely. "No. It=97 it's okay. I *need* to get over him. To move on." Her voice intensified. "Why do I have to be so dependent? So fragile? I'm the Slayer, for God's sake!" << So in love? >> Cordelia wondered. Buffy suddenly figured out she was tirading aloud in front of Cordelia. = A blush stained her cheek bones, and she sat quiet and still for a second. "I=97 I should go, Cordy. I'm sorry for laying all this on you," Buffy s= aid. "Bye." Buffy departed without another word. Cordelia lay motionless for a while= , and someone came in the room. "I still don't understand," Cordelia said. "Why do you want Buffy and An= gel back together? I figured you'd be all psycho-mom when you found out he w= as alive." Joyce smiled. "I'm going to give you a lesson in motherhood. If your child wants it ba= d enough and can't live without it, if it's the one thing that her heart desires, and you can provide it, you had better give it to her," Joyce sa= id. "So what does Faith killing Angel have to do with anything?" Cordelia ask= ed. Joyce smiled as she walked out the door without answering. ***** "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Joyce asked the Slayer. "I'm too far already to stop," Faith replied. "=91Sides, somebody's gott= a help B and Angie." "Everyone will probably be furious at you, Faith," Joyce said. "Yeah. They'll be mad at you too." "Maybe," Joyce agreed, "but I'm just some meddling old woman." Faith grinned. "You, however, are the *other* Slayer. They'll be more forgiving toward me than you." "I'm willing to take that chance," Faith said as she headed out the door = and toward the Bronze. ***** "Xander," Faith said as he entered the Bronze. "F=97faith," Xander said almost nervously. "I wanna talk to you for a couple of minutes," Faith said. << Yeah, sneak= ing behind my back. You'd better be nervous around me, kid. >> "I guess you were pretty confused when I told you I was going to see Ange= l last night, right? =91Cause, I mean, I don't exactly have any love for t= he vamps," Faith said. Xander nodded. "Well, I went about it wrong last time. Angel is a murderer, and he need= s to die. B doesn't see that, and she won't get over him until he's gone. It's easier now that Buffy and Angel aren't hanging out anymore, but I st= ill need a diversion . . ." "A diversion?" Xander asked. "Yeah, so I can get to Angel without Buffy or Willow or Oz or Giles, for that matter, trying to stop me. And since you probably want him dead mor= e that I do, I figured you might help," Faith said convincingly. "Me? What can I do?" Xander asked. "I need you to keep everyone busy night after tomorrow night. It will be Buffy's night to patrol, so it shouldn't be too hard to keep her busy. W= hen she's finished, try to convince everybody to go to the Bronze," Faith sai= d. "Why night after tomorrow night?" Xander asked. "What about tonight or tomorrow?" "Tomorrow is my night to hunt, and I wanna to *kill* as many vamps as I can," Faith said. "And tonight, I supposed to meet Angel," she finished with a grin. "What about Buffy? I mean, she still cares for the murdering vampire. Don't you think it would be better just to leave him alone?" "You aren't going all soft on me, Harris, are you? Xander Harris the vampire lover? Come on, sweet cakes," Faith said in a teasing manner. "I'm just worried about Buffy," Xander said weakly. << Moment of truth, girl friend. You're likely to give up the best frien= ds you've ever had, >> Faith said to herself. "Who cares what Buffy wants?" Faith said with an air of arrogance. ***** Angel was hunting. It had really been a slow couple of weeks. Since the infamous Spike and Drusilla fled Sunnydale and the sadistic sociopath Angelus had been vanquished by the Slayer, Sunnydale had been deemed uninhabitable by most of the vampire population. Rumors floating around said Kakistos had been wiped out by the new Slayer and the old one only added to the lack of vamps The only thing left in Sunnydale was a few stragglers left from the Acath= la incident and some demons. He really only hunted to hone his senses. Hel= l had really done a number on him. Before, he and Buffy probably could hav= e taken those vamps out with no problems, not to mention Spike was helping. But, he'd hurt himself fighting them, though, he didn't tell Buffy. She = had enough problems to worry about without him adding to them. << Buffy. . . . >> He could feel her=97 somewhere in Sunnydale. The othe= r Slayer Faith, he was getting an inkling of. If he concentrated, he could feel the resident werewolf somewhere. << Isn't he Willow's boyfriend? Oz= ? >> He wondered about Joyce and what she had said. Though he knew there was something going on, he wasn't exactly sure what. First, Faith had come t= o apologize. Then, the Slayer's mother had *talked* to him twice. It was bizarre and somewhat startling. While feeling the earth and the sky and the wind and the moon and Buffy a= nd everyone else, he wasn't concentrating on what was closest to him. He fought hard, but the five vampires overpowered him, and he was trapped in the net within ten minutes. "What?!?" Angel asked through vampire fangs. "Mister Trick wants to see you. . . ." one of the vampires said malicious= ly. "Trick? Why does he want me?" Angel asked, honestly perplexed. "Because, he wants the Slayers," one replied. ***** END PART FOUR ***** ------------------------------ End of buffyfic-digest V3 #16 ***************************** To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command subscribe buffyfic-digest or subscribe buffy to majordomo@xmission.com. You will need to go through a confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually approve your subscription request, so it may take some time. To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@xmission.com with unsubscribe buffyfic-digest or unsubscribe buffyfic in the body. Back issues of this digest can be found at: ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/ Dalton Spence has also provided an index of the buffyfic archive at: http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/BUFFYFIC.HTM For help, contact Jill Kirby (jtkirby@mcs.com) or sah (romana@mindspring.com)