Chapter 63: Faceoff
Over an hour later, the sound of a car slowing to a stop woke Buffy from her sleep. She gently patted Spike on the chest to rouse him.
“Can you go get Dawn?” she whispered. Spike paused for a moment, concentrating.
“She’s fast asleep, luv. Homework must have bored her into her dreams.”
“I don’t wanna wake her up.” Buffy moved toward the door, hands beginning to sweat. “Maybe his being here isn’t such a good thing. I don’t wanna upset her.”
“You want me to leave you alone?” Buffy shook her head.
“Stay. Please.” Spike nodded and took Buffy’s hand, giving it a little squeeze. He watched as she hesitated with her other hand on the doorknob. Footsteps approached the door, and he could hear her heart beginning to pound. He brought his hands to her shoulders and leaned in, whispering into her ear.
“It’s alright, luv. Whatever it’s about…it’s ok.”
“Yeah,” she whispered. “I guess so.” With a deep breath, she opened the door. Standing before her was the image of her father, but he had changed so much since she’d seen him at Christmas.
His face was pale, and his hair had become a little greyer around the ears. His eyes were wide and frantic, and the features of his face immediately told her he’d dropped more than a few pounds.
“Dad?”
“Buffy.” The breath he let out contained a mixture of emotions and just a hint of whiskey. He reached out for her, bringing her into a startling hug. Buffy closed her eyes, feeling a lump forming in her throat. The man in front of her couldn’t be the selfish bastard her mind had painted him to be over the past few months.
“Dad,” she whispered, pulling back, tears in her eyes. “What happened?” Hank looked down the moment he and Buffy separated, and his wide eyes came back to rest on hers the moment realization struck.
“You’re pregnant?” Buffy was silent, though inside of her mind was a little red flag popping up, reminding her to toss out the carousel that he had supposedly sent. Spike stepped up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder again. Buffy’s hand moved to rest upon his, and she nodded.
“Yeah,” she said softly. “We can talk about that later, Dad. Just tell me what’s going on.” They moved into the living room, and Buffy motioned for her dad to sit down. The three sat in total silence for several minutes, as Hank’s hands fidgeted with his coat and looked around the room curiously. The place hadn’t changed much since he’d seen it last, but it felt so much different now. It was a stranger’s home. “Dad. I tried to call you…”
“I never got those calls, honey,” he said quietly, looking away. Was he ashamed? “A couple days after you left, I got a call at the office, and it turned out that some of my business partners weren’t exactly as legit as I thought. I didn’t think, and I immediately went to my boss, who of course wanted to know everything. I told him what I knew, and my partners found out. They put a hit out on me, and I was hiding. They also tried to make it look as if I’d had a part in it. But Buffy, I swear to you, I didn’t. I…I didn’t.” Buffy nodded.
“It’s ok, Dad. I believe you. What happened?”
“I don’t know. I went into hiding. I couldn’t contact anybody. I was afraid you’d get hurt, and I didn’t want to hurt you and Dawn again. Not after everything I’ve already put you through.”
“Dad, you could have…”
“No. I didn’t want to get you involved.” Buffy looked at Spike and then at her father.
“So why are you here? What changed?”
“Buffy, I thought the police were after me. And then this woman shows up.” Buffy’s spine tingled.
“Woman?”
“She came bursting into my apartment, and she said she was an old friend of yours. D-D-Dana, I think. Dana Mullens.” Buffy let out a heavy sigh and hung her head, running her fingers through her hair. “She said her boss took care of my problems here, but I wouldn’t be safe until I delivered a message. I didn’t want to bring you into anything, but she said something…and now I think I know what she meant.”
“Dad?”
“She said…it doesn’t have to be difficult. And…and they know the secret you carry. It has to be destroyed.” Buffy immediately shot a glance to Spike, who stiffened up. “Buffy, I think she wants your baby dead.”
“Yeah,” Buffy whispered. “Not just her. The man she works for heads up the Watcher’s Council.”
“I don’t understand…well, a lot, Buffy. But why? Why would they want to harm your baby?” Buffy cleared her throat, and she took a deep breath.
“Dad, before I explain, there’s something you need to know about Spike.”
***
Faith tossed her half-smoked cigarette onto the ground and stamped it out before continuing on through the graveyard. She’d headed back toward home…or at least her temporary residence at the moment, but she’d decided to go out again and see if there were any late risers in the vampire department.
Sighing, she leaned up against the side of a crypt, and she closed her eyes, listening to the sounds around her. All she could think about was how Dana had been taken over so quickly by Travers. She’d seen what he’d done to her, and the only thing Faith knew was that whatever Dana was doing, it was because she thought it was what was right. Travers had done so much worse than take away her painful memories. He’d brainwashed her; made her into his killing machine. She was a puppet used to do his bidding until he was completely satisfied. He’d never be completely satisfied, not when his miracle drug was working so well. She wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to bottle and sell it.
“Faith.” Faith spun around to see the figure stepping out of the shadows, coming around the crypt wall. Faith said nothing as she peered at the face of the girl she’d once started to think of as a friend. Dana smiled a little. “Come on, Faith. Aren’t you going to say hi to an old friend?” Faith, acting on instinct, reached for her knife boot and sent it soaring through the air. Dana caught it, throwing it back. It clattered against the crypt wall, and Faith caught it before it hit the ground.
“What are you doing here?”
“I followed you, silly. I’ve been here watching you. I’ve been watching Buffy, too. Let me tell you, Mr. Travers was pretty surprised to hear about Buffy’s little predicament. And let me tell you, he wasn’t very happy.” Faith felt her mouth go dry. Travers wanted Buffy’s baby. And Dana was here to collect.
“What’s it any of his business?”
“Spike’s a vampire, and he’s not supposed to have children. Any good Slayer knows that.”
“You’re not a Slayer,” Faith spat. “Maybe you’re walking around in her body, but you’re not her.”
“I am, Faith. I remember so many things. I remember you were nice to me, even when you didn’t want to be.”
“I was nice to Dana. Dana had a past. Dana would have known that this is wrong.”
“I am Dana, Faith. I keep telling you. You just don’t understand. Mr. Travers made me see that the only thing a Slayer can do is keep the world safe from all threats, and that includes the threat of a vampire spawning with a Slayer. Who knows what’s coming out of there.”
“Buffy’s baby’s human, Dana. It’s innocent.”
“It’s fathered by a vampire. There’s nothing innocent about that.” Faith shook her head. She honestly couldn’t believe she was standing here defending Buffy, but right now, the thought of Dana being controlled by that psychotic Travers was enough to make her do crazy things, including defending Buffy Summers.
“So if you’re here to take care of the problem, why haven’t you made your move yet?” Dana flinched.
“I’m pacing myself.”
“Travers doesn’t seem like the kind of man that waits around for the right time, if you know what I mean. B’s not due for a long time yet, Dana. If you wanna make your move, why not now? She’s…”
“Right now, she’s talking to her father. She knows why I’m here. She’s going to come after me.” Faith’s eyes widened. “I really didn’t need to track him down, but I figured that throwing one more person into the mix might make her rethink her choice to carry the demon spawn. Maybe it’ll make her think twice.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that someday, it might come down to a choice. Her or them.”
“You’re threatening to kill an innocent person if she doesn’t…”
“I’ll do what I have to do to keep this world safe. That’s what a Slayer does!”
“A Slayer doesn’t kill innocent people! You and me? We both know that. We’ve been through it. Only thing murder gets you is time behind bars. Doesn’t make the power go away. Doesn’t make the nightmares go away. Just reminds you of everything you did to fuck things up just a little bit more, while the rest of the world goes to hell around you, and you can’t do anything about it.” Dana stepped closer to Faith.
“Join me, Faith.”
“Fuck you.”
“Faith,” Dana urged, suddenly brining her hand to her forehead. The dizziness obviously caught her off guard, and she found herself leaning into the crypt to keep from swooning. Faith’s eyes narrowed. “I…” Dana closed her eyes and after a few moments, they flew open, and she stepped toward Faith. “Faith, please. I’m still your friend. I just see clearly now. What we were doing? The things we were trying to find about Mr. Travers…we were wrong. He wants the baby dead, because if Buffy has it…well, she won’t be the kind of Slayer she’s supposed to be. Having a half-vampire child?”
“It’s human, Dana,” Faith reminded her.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s a mystical pregnancy; one that Buffy never should have had to deal with. She’s not thinking clearly. She’s pregnant, and that is her child, and she doesn’t understand that it could be dangerous.”
“Could? You don’t know, Dana. He’s feeding you this crap so that you won’t feel bad about the fact that he’s about to make you commit murder.” Dana shuddered a little, and she shook her head.
“It’s for the greater good.”
“Okay, I’m done. You go ahead and try to do what you think you have to. All I can say is that I’d rather Buffy kill you than let you go on letting Travers brainwash you like this. Sorry for what happened to you, Dana. But I don’t know how to help you.” Faith turned to walk away, and Dana moved after her. She reached out, grabbing Faith’s arm.
“It’s for your own good, Faith.” Faith heard something unzip, and then she saw the needle out of the corner of her eye. Taking a deep breath, Faith closed her eyes and bent forward slightly before snapping her head up, hitting Dana right in the face, knocking her backward to lie in a crumpled heap on the ground.
Faith picked up the needle and glanced at it. Crouching down, she emptied the syringe onto the ground before grabbing the other Slayer and hoisting her up to lean against her shoulder.
“It’s for your own good, Dana.” She half-carried, half-walked the unconscious, limp form of her sister Slayer across the cemetery and toward Revello Drive.
***
“So…you’re…you’re telling me that Spike is a vampire, and you’re carrying his human child because of a…what did you call it….claim? And you’re married to him?”
“Yeah,” she said softly, squeezing Spike’s hand. “I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense. But I’m pretty sure it doesn’t make much sense to the Council either. The baby’s human, but Travers still wants it dead, because under normal circumstances, this baby shouldn’t even exist.”
Hank Summers scratched his head and blinked a few times, looking at his daughter and his new son-in-law.
“You’ve…you’ve been through a lot since you left.”
“Yeah, well…so have you, Dad.” Buffy cleared her throat. “I thought you…I thought you just didn’t want…”
“Buffy, if I thought it was safe, I’d have called. I just didn’t want to risk you or Dawn getting hurt. I’m sorry. You must have hated me.”
“No,” Buffy said quietly. “But it doesn’t matter anyway. You’re sure you’re safe?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think I’ll be going back to work anytime soon. I think I’d rather start living a more laid back life, you know? Maybe find a place closer to you girls.” Buffy’s eyes widened.
“Dad, if Dana’s coming for me, you need to get away from here. I might send Dawn with you just to get her safe.”
“No, Buffy. I’m not walking away. I’m staying until I know you and Dawn are safe.” He looked at Buffy’s stomach. “And…my grand…”
“Granddaughter,” Buffy pointed out. Hank smiled a little.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she whispered, smiling at Spike. He gave her a half-smile and squeezed her shoulder.
“I’ll make up the couch for you, Mr. Summers,” Spike offered.
“It’s ok. I can find a…”
“You’re staying here. If Dana’s coming back to town, which I’m sure she is, then I want everybody I care about to be where I can protect them.” Buffy stood up and turned to Spike. “Where’s Faith?”
“Still out patrolling, I think.”
“Can you call her cell?”
“I’ll try.” Buffy nodded, and Spike headed off to make the call. Buffy turned to her father.
“Look,” she said gently, “whatever happened in the past…it’s done, ok? I’ve got too much to worry about right now. You coming here to warn me…it means a lot. And if you want to stay, I won’t argue with you. I want my family safe, and that means you too, Dad.”
At that moment, the sound of Faith’s ringing cell phone broke through the room when the front door opened. Spike looked up to see Faith walking in, and he put the phone down and hurried over to help her with the load she was carrying. She handed the unconscious girl over to Spike, who lowered her to the ground. Faith closed the front door and leaned against it, breathing heavily. Looking at Buffy, she half-smiled and with a little shrug, she asked: “Somebody order a brainwashed Slayer?”
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Chapter End Notes:
Hi guys! I had a GREAT vacation, and I'm feeling so much better, health-wise. Please excuse any editing problems in this chapter, unless it's something glaringly awful. I'm still half-asleep from the 10 hour car ride home yesterday. Anyway, PLEASE let me know what you thought of the chapter! Thanks!