Title: It Don't Come Easy
ABC series
Author: Frau Hunter Ash
Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@yahoo.com Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/
Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.
F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same and opposite genders and may even include 3 at the same time . If this offends or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.
Spoilers: Deviates from canon just after Wrecked.
Summary: Buffy is in the hospital recovering from an attack by Spike and the gang is determined to protect her. Buffy's not the only one Spike and Dru are after either.
Rating: Strong R for kidnapping and torment.
Author's Note: Pairings Giles/Willow, Faith/Buffy, Angel/Cordie, Xander/Anya
It Don't Come Easy
By Frau Hunter Ash
* * *
Willow growled as she made her way out of the stairway to the main lobby of the hospital.
She knew Giles was right and she shouldn't be angered or offended because the spell kept her out of Buffy's room. Willow also knew she should be grateful that Tara and Tracy were there to perform the spell and protect the Slayer in the first place but the vampire witch was angry and she knew it was at Spike rather than the spell.
Willow wanted Spike's head on a platter just before it disintegrated into dust!
The vampire calmed herself and moved to the row of pay phones and quickly looked up the number she needed.
"Buffy Summers' room, please," she said calmly.
"Summers room," a voice answered after the first ring.
"Dawn?" Willow asked with a smile. She and the others hadn't gotten a chance to really sit down and reconnect with the young woman since she had returned from school in San Francisco because of Riley's funeral. "It's Willow."
"Willow!" Dawn said excitedly. "Where are you?"
"Downstairs. I can't come in the room so I thought I'd call and let you know I'm here for you guys," Willow said softly, tears filling her eyes, regret almost choking off her voice. She didn't ever have the chance to apologize to Dawn for almost getting her killed two years earlier and then for disappearing.
"Hang on, Buffy is trying to grab the phone!" Dawn giggled.
"Will?" Buffy's voice sounded so wonderful in Willow's ear.
"Hey, Buff," Willow said calmly. "I'm on the restricted list and can't see you so I thought I'd call and bug you."
"Oh God, I'm glad you did," Buffy whimpered in her ear. "Tara and Tracy didn't mean to cut you guys out."
"I know, Buffy," Willow said quickly. "I'm not mad, honest. I just want to kill Spike right now. The important thing is to protect you and Dawn from him."
"Dawn?" Buffy's voice was a question.
"You share the same blood, Buff," Willow explained. "We don't know for certain if he can hurt Dawn or not or if it really was my spell that screwed up when you came back."
"You think Spike might be able to hurt Dawn because he can hurt me and we're kinda alike?" Buffy repeated and Willow could hear excited conversation in the background as the other witches and other Slayer began rapidly discussing the possibility.
"It's possible," Willow said. "Not likely, especially since we know my spells always went wrong in those days but just in case, she should stay close to you. Have everyone take extra precautions with both of you since Spike seems to have gone totally insane!"
"Will." Buffy hesitated. "He tried to hurt me."
"I know, Buff," Willow said softly, wishing she could erase that memory from her best friend. "We'll stop him."
"I love you, Will," Buffy said softly, her voice cracking. "Don't get hurt."
Noises filled her ear and then Dawn's voice came through.
"She's, uh."
"It's okay, I understand," Willow said softly. "Is Faith okay?"
Willow could hear Dawn moving away from the bed and her voice lowered.
"Yeah, Buffy is really clinging to her," Dawn said softly. "You sure Faith is alright and safe?"
Willow smiled, remembering her own distrust of the former evil Slayer.
"Yeah, she was just confused like I was," Willow said softly.
"Oh," Dawn hesitated. "Okay, Buffy explained about that."
"Sometimes we screw up in life, Dawn," Willow tried to keep the tears out of her voice. "I would do anything to change those two months."
"I know and it's okay," Dawn said slowly. "I can't believe it about Spike though! He.he was good to me and even protected me!"
"I know," Willow said, leaning against the wall. "I know. I don't know what happened, maybe that chip just finally drove him insane."
"Don't get hurt, Willow," Dawn demanded. "I want a very very long talk with you!"
Willow smiled. "Deal! Tell Buffy I love her and I'll see you guys when she gets out of the hospital tomorrow."
"Okay," Dawn said softly and hung up the phone.
* * *
With her Slayer senses, Faith too heard both Dawn's question about her and Willow's response and was grateful to the red-haired witch for the support. Getting accustomed to Buffy having a magically created sister was weird, especially when that sister had memories of things that didn't happen. Dawn "remembered" Faith and the Slayer's past in Sunnydale just like the rest of the Scooby Gang. The tension from the 17 year old was understandable; Faith had treated her and Buffy badly. Real events or not, Dawn's memories were one of Faith being a bitch to her.
The tension from Faith was because Dawn hadn't existed at the time and had no memories of the young girl.
Faith could only shake her head, there was no changing history or Dawn's memory of it. All she could do would be to keep proving herself to everyone, especially Buffy and Dawn.
Faith smiled slightly as she held Buffy in her arms, almost lying on the bed with the blonde Slayer. After waking up from Spike's attack, Buffy had been totally unlike herself, Faith reflected. Almost as if Buffy was afraid and that wasn't something Faith ever thought she would see. Buffy had faced death with a calmness that had worried everyone and had stopped the end of the world numerous times with a joke on her lips and fashionable boots on her feet.
Now she seemed really afraid since Spike's attack and it confused Faith. Not that she minded. It felt really good to be seen as the strong one for once and it felt even better to have Buffy turn to her for comfort.
Tara and Tracy finished casting a minor sleep spell and Buffy drifted off in Faith's arms. Faith looked up at the witches with a grateful smile. It was the first time Buffy was really sleeping peacefully since Riley's death.
"Come on, gang," Cordelia said softly. "Let her get some sleep. With Faith and Dawn here, no one will touch her."
Tara and the others nodded and followed the former society Queen out into the hall where Gunn still kept guard.
"Let's grab some dinner and find the vamps for planning," Xander suggested.
"Angel said Willow and Giles would watch things downstairs while he went in search of his Childe," Gunn informed them.
"Cordy, call your boyfriend back," Xander growled. "We don't need everyone going off half cocked."
"Amazingly, Xander, you're right," Cordy teased and pulled her cell phone out and dialed. "Angel, get your butt back to the hospital and we'll have a planning session over horrible food in the cafeteria."
"Hey!" Anya growled as Cordelia laughed and then frowned. "What do you mean you're outside the hospital looking for Willow? She was just on the phone with Dawn and Buffy."
Everyone became quiet as they waited.
"Damn!" Cordy snapped, shutting the cell phone. "Giles and Angel said that when they got off the elevator that she wasn't at the phones or in the lobby. The receptionist said she saw a gorgeous red-head following some woman outside and now they can't find her."
Gunn muttered something under his breath that was probably physically impossible with one's self and Tracy reached out for Tara's arm as Willow's former lover went pale.
"Okay," Gunn snapped. "Xander, you armed?"
"We're all armed with stakes, crosses, and pistol," Cordy snapped.
"Hook back up with Giles and Angel and find Willow," Gunn ordered, the tone of his voice a little less demanding under Cordelia's glare. "I'll stay here and guard the Slayers and kid."
"Sounds good," Xander nodded, letting Cordelia lead the way to the elevator.
The group: Tara, Anya, Xander, and Cordelia caught up with Giles and Angel in the parking lot, both vampires were frantic and nearly in a frenzy.
Tara quickly went to Giles and placed both hands on the side of the ex-Watcher's face. After a moment he calmed considerably and nodded.
"Okay, I'm are going to see if Willow had enough time to leave a magical trail for us to follow," Tara said softly. "Why don't you call Tracy and tell her not to open the door to anyone, especially while she's babysitting Jesse?"
"She's going crazy at the house with you here at the hospital," Xander grumbled.
"How about she drive over with Jesse and see Dawn and Buffy, we could keep them all safe at the hospital," Anya suggested.
"She's safer in the house, a vampire can enter the hospital freely but not the house," Giles reminded the boy's mother.
"He's right, An," Xander said softly.
"With Gunn and Faith there, Buffy and Dawn should be okay," Angel said thoughtfully. "I suggest that Xander and Anya go and protect Tracy and Jesse. A police officer or someone might talk their way into the house and it could be a trick."
"Okay, what about you guys?" Xander asked.
"With Giles, me, Cordy, and Tara; Spike wouldn't stand a chance," Angel growled.
"You are going to kill him, right?" Xander demanded. "Nobody's conflicted about this are they?"
Everyone looked at each other and saw the same resolve.
"No conflict here, especially if he's got Will," Tara said firmly and Tracy nodded, wrapping her arm around Tara's waist.
"He hurt Buffy, he might have my Willow, he's dead," Giles declared firmly.
Tara shook her head in amazement. It was if Giles were somewhere between early to mid 30s and the shy librarian was gone, replaced by someone confident, sensual, and with something of the air of a predator around him.
Cordelia turned to Angel, knowing he was the only one really that might be conflicted. Spike was his Childe and one time lover after all.
"No conflict here," Angel said firmly. "I want to break his goddamn neck!"
"Good," Xander growled, nodding in agreement. "Come on, Anya, I want to be with Jesse. You call the minute you know anything!"
"Yes," Cordy nodded as Tara went back to the front door of the hospital, within sight.
"I suggest Giles stays here and protects the hospital from down here," Angel said. The vampire wasn't surprised when Giles turned to face him with an incredulous look on his face.
"I'm going after Willow!"
"Giles, you're almost out of control," Angel said slowly. "You'd run head long into a trap. You're too young and I can't risk you losing it and endangering everyone."
Giles looked angry but nodded in agreement. "I don't like it but you'd better bring her back."
"Why would he take Willow?" Cordy asked as Xander and Anya headed for Xander's car.
"I'm not sure, maybe he's hoping she can use magic to short out the chip," Angel pondered.
"Or he's gone totally insane and is attacking any Scooby member he can," Cordy suggested.
"Being a vampire, that means me, Giles, and Willow. Possibly Dawn because of her blood connection to Buffy," Angel said thoughtfully.
"You know, before Buffy came to Sunnydale, I never appreciated being just human," Cordy smirked as they watched Tara.
Angel's eyes brightened. "They've got something!"
* * *
Willow moaned and tried to turn over. It only took a moment to realize that she couldn't move and someone had tied a gag around her mouth so she couldn't speak or yell either. The vampire witch screamed through the gag when she raised her head and saw Druscilla and Spike watching her.
Spike smirked and Dru looked at Willow curiously.
"I hate this soul thing, Spikey," she whined.
"Me too, pet," he nodded.
"That gag mars her beauty and the composition of the picture she creates on the bed," Druscilla complained.
"I know but without it she could cast a spell, get rid of those bindings and zap us, luv," Spike pointed out.
"So how do we get rid of that soul so she can play with us properly?" Dru whined.
"You're the one the stars speak to, Dru," Spike countered.
Willow screamed in anger at the two, her face shifting to vampire mode.
"Well," Dru purred, stroking the hair of the doll in her arms. "Miss Edith says if we torture her and put her into a frenzy, killing humans might just send her soul into darkness."
Willow's eyes widened in sudden fear.
"Well, pet," Spike grinned. "I can't do the human part."
"No, but the boys I brought along can and already have two silly humans waiting," Dru said cheerfully.
Spike grinned and looked down at the captive vampire.
"Always liked you, Little Tree," he said softly, moving closer to the bed. "Once we get you back being a proper vampire, maybe you can fix this chip thing and we can be one large family. Dru, you, me, Angeleus and Buffy. What do you think of that?"
Willow's enraged eyes reflected her anger and Spike laughed at the promises of pain he saw in them and moved over her body on the bed.
"Remember how it felt when you fed from me?" he whispered, taunting the vampire. "Do you remember how you ripped my shirt off and clawed
at my belt? I do and we never did finish that little romp."
"Miss Edith says we don't have much time," Dru said in a sullen voice.
"Damn," Spike muttered. "Oh well, fast and hard then. Come on, pet. Join in the fun."
Willow screamed and struggled as two sets of fangs sank into either side of her neck, quickly draining her.
* * *
"Oh God," Angel muttered as they approached the darkened house. Cordy looked up at her lover, alarmed.
"What is it?" she demanded as Tracy and Tara trotted back to them.
"Dru," he whispered. "Druscilla's here with him and there's more in there with them."
"What? Dru? That crazy bitch is back?" Cordy demanded.
"Yes," he nodded unhappily.
"Angel," Tara said urgently. "The magic trail Willow left leads here, we've got to go in and get her!"
"They'll be expecting us and we're outnumbered by vampires," Angel countered.
"What do we do then?" Tara demanded.
"Can you set up a magic alarm in case they try to leave?" Angel asked.
"Yes," Tara nodded. "Anyone tries to leave and it'll feel like something buzzing across my skin."
"We'll go back to the hospital, get Buffy and Faith and then attack this place tomorrow night in full force!" Angel said firmly.
"You know Giles is going to kill us if we know where Willow is and didn't go in after her," Cordelia pointed out.
"Yeah, that's why I left him behind," Angel explained. "I had a feeling someone was behind Spike. If we go in there right now, they'll capture all of us. All of you will be turned, without the benefit of keeping your souls. They might just torture and kill me. Odds are they want to force me to lose my soul again."
"Can they do that? Willow sealed your soul and hers," Cordy asked with a frown.
"Anyone can lose their soul if pushed too far," Angel commented. "If any of us were to start killing humans and doing evil things, there's a good chance the demon could push the human soul aside and take command."
"Can he do that before we get to Willow?" Tara demanded.
"I don't think so, it would take a hell of a lot to cause one of us to lose their soul," Angel said, shaking his head.
"The Watchers kept her almost in a frenzy for two years," Tara pointed out. "Isn't that almost at the point of madness for a vampire? Wouldn't that wear on you?"
Angel closed his eyes and then opened them slowly.
"Yes, Willow is strong and older than Giles in vampire terms but that's countered by her past," Angel pondered. "It's possible but I can't risk losing you in there. Not to Spike and Dru."
"Lover, we go into danger all the time," Cordy pointed out.
"Not like this, they know I'm here," Angel pleaded.
Cordy frowned and looked at the house.
"He's right," Tara said softly. "There's movement in the shadows of the windows. We'd be walking right into a trap."
"What about your magic stuff?" Cordy demanded.
"Druscilla's psychic, I don't know if we can surprise her," Tara said.
"We need Slayers," Angel said firmly.
"Then let's get Buffy out tonight," Cordy snapped. "I don't want to leave Willow in there with them!"
"I understand," Angel said, pulling Cordelia into his arms. "More than you know."
"Why the hell did Wesley go back to LA now," Cordy whined.
"Let's go back to the hospital, either the Slayers and the rest of you take on this place during the day or we come back at sundown," Angel growled as Cordy began to cry.
"We can't leave Willow with them," she sobbed as Angel began to lead her away.
"I don't like this, Angel," Tara said firmly and the vampire turned and looked at her in surprise.
"We don't have enough weapons or people for this," he snapped. "There are at least four servant vampires and Druscilla. Spike can't hurt the three of you but he can kill Willow and me. He might just kill her if we get too close."
"We don't leave one of our own behind," Tara growled.
"Let's get out of sight," Angel growled. "Cordy, call Xander and Faith. Have them grab Giles and Gunn and meet us here with more weapons. Send Tracy, Anya and Jesse to the hospital to stay with Buffy and Dawn. We go in within the hour."
* * *
"Repeat that again, Queen C," Faith said softly. "They've got Willow? How the hell did that happen?"
Faith moved off the bed, trying not to wake Buffy as Dawn turned in the chair to watch the dark Slayer closely.
"No, I'm not going to wake her up," Faith protested. "Buffy nearly died last night! Frickin vampire was going to rape and turn her, she's in no condition to play super hero!"
"Faith, what is it?" Buffy asked as she opened her eyes and Dawn saw Faith's jaw tighten.
"Something that me and the gang can handle, Buff," Faith said firmly.
"You said Willow, what is it?" Buffy demanded.
"I'll be there with the others in a bit, Cordelia," Faith snapped and hung up the phone, turning to face Buffy. She looked into Buffy's stern blue eyes and sighed. "Spike and Druscilla have Willow and a bunch of vampires and humans are helping them. Angel doesn't want to go in without some major backup but the others don't want to risk leaving Willow with those two for an entire night and day."
Faith wasn't surprised when Buffy sat up on the bed and swung her feet over the side.
"You're not going, B," Faith said firmly and almost stumbled back under Buffy's glare as the Slayer looked up.
"Willow knew coming to Sunnydale to warn me about the Watchers would probably lead to her getting killed and when I was shot and dying she traded her life for mine," Buffy snapped. "I'm going."
Faith merely nodded as Dawn's eyes widened, watching them.
"Xander's on his way over with more weapons," Faith explained. "Tracy and Jesse are going to stay here with Dawn."
"Okay," Buffy nodded, grabbing her clothes out of the wall closet.
"I'm 18 now, I can fight," Dawn protested. "I was taught by Buffy."
"Look, Dawnie," Buffy growled, standing behind the closet door to change. "I know you can fight but I want you to protect Tracy and Jesse. With Druscilla involved, who knows what the plan is with that crazy vampire!"
"You're just saying that to keep me here," Dawn protested.
"No, I'm not," Buffy countered, stepping out from behind the door. "You can defend yourself, I know that. I also know that you don't have Slayer strength but you make up for that in protectiveness. It's Tracy and little Jesse you'll be protecting and you're the only one left."
"Okay," Dawn agreed reluctantly.
"Angel thinks they're going to torture Red to make her snap and lose her soul," Faith muttered as Buffy bent over to put on her shoes.
"Damn, that must be the plan," Buffy growled. "Make Angel, Giles and Willow lose their souls, turn me and possibly you, kill everyone else and take over Sunnydale."
"Two Slayers turned vampire? A powerful vampire witch, Angeleus, Druscilla and Spike?" Faith said thoughtfully. "Oh God, not much could stop that lineup."
"I know," Buffy nodded. "If they think about it and turn Tara and Tracy, they could end up opening the Hellmouth again."
"Are you up for this? It was pretty rough on you last night," Faith asked.
"I'll fill you in on everything after this is over, Faith," Buffy promised. "Including the fact that I died for several months. I suffer from PTSD a bit."
"Months?" Faith whispered and noticed Dawn looking away. "That's not a joke, is it, B?"
"No, no joke," Buffy said, shaking her head sadly. "I died and Willow brought me back. It was a little rough though, that's one reason she had the melt down with the magic. Things didn't go back to being normal after that."
"No kidding," Faith muttered.
"Let's rock n roll, Faith," Buffy said firmly. "I owe Willow my soul and life a few times over now."
* * *
"How's it going, Dru my love?" Spike asked as Willow screamed through the gag again. The cuts along her arms had finally stopped bleeding and Druscilla had moved on to an assured torture for a vampire: Fire.
Willow screamed as another lit match hit her stomach.
Druscilla smiled and struck another match and watched the flames for a moment.
"Careful you don't set the bedding on fire," Spike warned. "Last thing we want is to burn her to ashes."
"Don't worry, Miss Edith says we're careful," Druscilla said in a child voice, dropping the lit match on a bare thigh. "Just a little bit longer and we'll take Red Willow to her first real meal."
Spike smirked. "God, it's good to have you back, Dru. I almost feel normal again."
Tara! Giles! Help me! Willow screamed mentally.
* * *
Angel wasn't surprised to find Buffy jumping out of the car, confident and impatient. He knew Buffy well enough to know that she'd do whatever was necessary to get things done and then collapse later.
Just like when she ran away after sending him to Hell, he reflected.
"Where's Will?" she demanded.
"I think she's in the basement," Angel said slowly as they looked at the house from up the street. "It's hard to tell with Druscilla and Spike there. Willow's not my Childe and there are a lot of vampires in there and some humans."
"Game plan?" Faith asked, surprising Angel. He expected her to just bust in the door, bang heads and figure out strategy later.
"I suggest the Slayers go in as a team with Tara," Angel suggested. "I'll take the back door with Gunn. Giles, Anya and Xander go in behind the Slayers and work their way to the basement and get Willow out of there. No one split up, stay very close together. We're walking into a trap."
Buffy nodded in agreement and turned to Faith as the others arranged their weapons from the trunks of the cars.
"Faith, we haven't had time and I've been an emotional wreck," Buffy said softly. "Nothing about the past matters, it died when I died. I want to see if we can still love each other when this is over."
"I.I love you, Buff," Faith said softly. "I won't disappoint you in there."
"Even though Will is a vampire now?" Buffy teased lightly and Faith blushed.
"No, you're right, she almost died a bad vampire death to save you," Faith said thoughtfully and then growled. "I just don't like you getting horizontal with her!"
Buffy laughed lightly, pulling out a crossbow and a glock pistol from the trunk of Angel's car.
"A pistol?" Angel questioned.
"Some of them are human, right?" Buffy asked.
"I thought Slayers didn't kill humans," Cordy frowned and Faith looked away quickly.
"I'm not a Watcher's Slayer anymore," Buffy pointed out. "If someone tries to kill me or my friends then I think it's called self defense."
Angel turned to Giles but didn't find any support from the impatient vampire.
"Don't kill them, Buffy," he said in a flat voice.
"I will try my best not kill a human," Buffy compromised.
"Let's do this!" Giles snapped, almost growling.
"He's right, let's rock n roll," Faith grinned.
* * *
"Miss Edith says they're coming," Dru frowned. "All of them!"
"Damn, I'd thought they rush in, not wait for reinforcements," Spike growled. "Both Slayers are with them."
Spike watched as the group walked confidently down the street, weapons in hand. Both groups knew the LA and Scooby members were walking into a trap so the good guys were marching right in with confidence and arrogance that unnerved the young vampires and human ghouls watching at the windows. They began glancing at Spike with worried expressions.
"Right," Spike said softly. "This is not a win situation, Dru."
Druscilla curled up in a chair and began whining, holding Miss Edith close to her chest.
"Okay, boys," Spike snapped loudly. "The deal is this, anyone think they want to take on the Slayers, stick around. I'm taking Dru out the back."
"What about the red one?" one of the vampires asked.
"Leave her where she is, they can deal with her," Spike growled. "Almost as good a deal. Scatter and meet at the crypt tomorrow night."
The blonde vampire walked over and stood over his insane vampire lover and frowned. "We'll come back when there aren't so many of them and pick them off one at a time, Dru."
"Miss Edith says Daddy is mad at us," Dru whined as Spike lifted her into his arms.
"Yeah, maybe even enough to kill us this time," Spike muttered. "Especially after they see Red."
"The stars say we should leave for a season," Dru whimpered. "I want the Slayer's blood!"
"I know, luv," Spike whispered. "We'll be back and I won't have this damned chip either."
* * *
The group from Sunnydale and Los Angeles were confused by the sight of a car speeding away from the driveway of the house and the servant vampires and ghouls all running in different directions.
"What the hell?" Faith demanded.
"We scared them off?" Xander asked softly.
"Looks like!" Buffy grinned and then frowned. "Willow!"
The group broke into a run and split into groups, still keeping to the assault plan just in case the running vampires and humans had been a diversion.
Once inside the house, Buffy and Faith rushed through the place looking for the door to the basement and kicked it open.
"Willow!" Giles yelled, dashing up behind them.
"Hang loose, tweed type," Faith advised. Buffy flipped the light switch and the two Slayers moved slowly down the stairs, eyes watchful for any movement or traps.
Buffy and Faith moved down the stairs slowly.
"Oh God, no, please," Buffy begged, stopping on the steps.
"Buffy?" Angel called from the top of the stairs.
"Angel, we need you down here," Buffy called, slowly continuing down the stairs, watching the vampire carefully. "Giles, you stay up there!"
"What's wrong?" Giles demanded.
"Willow's alive, just stay up there for a minute!" Buffy shouted back.
The Slayers moved cautiously, both stunned at the sight of the red-haired vampire in full vampire face and claws. She was chained to the brick wall and lunging at them with blood lust in her yellow eyes.
At the feet of the vampire were two dead bodies, young teenage females, their throats ripped out.
"Oh God," Angle muttered as he caught sight of the enraged Willow.
"Can we help her?" Buffy demanded. "Has she lost her soul?"
Angel walked down the stairs slowly and walked up to the vampire confidently, allowing his own face to shift to vampire. Vampire Willow screamed and tried to attack the vampire but the older, taller, and stronger Angel grabbed her shackled wrists and held her tightly, staring deeply in her eyes.
"She still has her soul but she's like I was when I came back from hell," he said softly, releasing her and moving back. Willow growled and tried to claw at the Slayers and vampire.
"What do we do?" Faith asked, her voice soft and troubled.
"Feed her bagged blood, talk to her and hope she comes back," Angel said sadly.
"Buff, she killed two people," Faith said slowly.
"She was also tortured into it," Buffy countered. "Want to go up there and tell Giles we're staking her?"
"No," Faith shook her head and looked pained. "I know what it's like to have killed somebody and mine was accidental."
"We'll get her through this," Buffy said firmly. "Angel, can you deal with Giles?"
"Yeah," the vampire nodded and trotted back up the stairs as vampire Willow growled and fought against her chains.
"At least she doesn't seem to be thinking rationally," Faith said softly. "I'd hate to think of a soul-less vampire with magic abilities."
"Me too," Buffy said wearily. "Can't we slow things down for awhile, for everyone?"
"I don't know about you, B, but I'm not sure it ever slows down for us," Faith said softly, wrapping her arms around Buffy.
END