Chapter 8
Buffy watched Faith and Angel spar in the library while Wesley had his nose in the latest book.
“Aren’t you going to go inside?” Doyle asked.
“Not yet. I just want to watch them for a little while.” Buffy sighed. “I remember when Giles used to spar with me. I never saw the need when we did it for hours on end, but now I do, Doyle. Faith has a whole life ahead of her, and she probably won’t live to see her 25th birthday. I sure as Hell didn’t.”
“But times were different then.” Doyle reminded her. “She didn’t have Angelus obsessing over her.”
“You’re right, Doyle. She didn’t. But she has his back and he has hers.” Buffy told him. “Angel would die for her. He loves her like his little sister, someone who he has to protect until the very end. I know what that’s like. I had a little sister, too.”
“Dawn. I know.” Doyle sighed.
“And I couldn’t protect her from the one thing she needed. Me, vampire Buffy. I murdered my own sister while she begged for mercy.” Buffy continued. “And I didn’t care. Angelus always said family blood tasted much sweeter. I was a soulless demon. I didn’t care about anyone but myself. Vampires are selfish creatures, Doyle.”
“Do you miss her?” Doyle asked.
“Everyday.” Buffy nodded. “Even before you returned my soul, I prayed for her every night. Prayed that she found some peace in the afterlife.”
“She did, I’m sure.” Doyle promised. “Do you want to go in now?”
“I don’t know.” Buffy turned towards him. “How do I apologize for wanting to kill all of them? I sent Willow to do my dirty work for me.”
“I know, Buffy. I don’t think you’ll make this okay just by your words. But you have to start somewhere, you know?” He reminded her. “Do you want me to go with you?”
“I know that I should do this on my own, Doyle, but I’m afraid.” Buffy admitted. “Please come with me.”
“All right.” Doyle took her hand as they opened the library doors together.
Faith was able to flip Angel to the floor because he was too distracted by Buffy. She then looked to the door and saw said distraction.
“Can I help you?” Wesley asked.
“You’re Wesley, right?” Buffy asked.
“Yeah, who are you?” Wesley asked her. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here, Miss…”
“Summers, Buffy Summers.” She spoke pleasantly. “You know who I am, Wesley.”
“You’re evil.” Faith reminded her. “Came here to kill me, Blondie?”
“Sadly, no.” Buffy sighed. “This is Doyle. He’s a messenger for the Powers That Be. They restored my soul.”
“What?” Faith scoffed. “This has got to be the lamest plan you’ve ever thought up.”
“It’s not a joke, Faith.” Buffy replied seriously. “Doyle--he, uh….He restored my soul.”
“Sorry, sweetie. I’ve heard that one before. Besides, there’s only one vampire with a soul.” Faith pointed in Angel’s direction. “Right, Wes?”
“I’ve never heard of another vampire with a soul before.” Wesley shrugged.
“So, blondie, that means you can go bye.” Faith scoffed. “Unless, of course, you want to be staked.”
“You know what?” Buffy sighed. “Fine. Doyle, you might as well tell the Powers That Be that their great warrior is going back into retirement. Might as well take that soul back, too. What good is it now?”
She moved to leave. Doyle blocked her path.
“Doyle, please move out of my way.” Buffy said.
“No.” he defied. “Buffy, you can’t. If you just give up, then everyone’s still doomed.”
“What exactly do you expect me to do, Doyle?” Buffy growled. “I can’t convince them that you and I matter in the grand scheme of things and if I can’t convince them of that, how are we supposed to fight on the same side? I’m sorry, Doyle. I failed. I failed at slaying, and now I’m failing at saving the world.”
“Buffy--” Doyle called out to her as she ran out of the library.
The demon cursed under his breath and turned back to the three remaining people in the library.
“That--She’s your one last hope and the three of you threw her to the wolves.” he yelled. “Do you have any idea what she’s sacrificed for all of you? She doesn’t even like you, Faith, but she put her dislike for you aside to help save the world. And now, you, all of you, are going to make the world suffer because of your stupidity. You better pray that the Powers That Be give you a chance to make this right.”
Doyle exits the library and goes in search of Buffy. Faith just stands there, stunned. She eventually turns to Wesley.
“Well, umm…”she starts to speak but oddly enough, can’t seem to find anything to say.
“Do you want to say something?” Wesley directed the question towards Angel.
“What exactly, Wes?” Angel growled. “She gave up being a killer to save the world. What else is there to say?”
“You were her driving force for that, Angel. You know that.” Angel winced silently as Wesley reminded him.
“What are we going to do?” Faith interrupted them. She watched Wesley go into his office to do further research.
“About what?” Angel shrugged.
“About Buffy, about the world. I don’t want to die, Angel.” Faith sighed. “And if that means having to fight side-by-side with your ex-slayer-dead-vampire-killing-machine-girlfriend, then I will. I’ll put my hatred for her aside to save the world. You just give me the okay, and I’ll do it.”
“I can’t, Faith.” Angel explained. “Truth is, I don’t know. I don’t know whether to trust her or the Powers That Be. I just--If you want to put your hatred for Buffy behind you, you’re going to have to do it for your own reasons. I’m not going to be your backer or your reason for doing this. You have to decide for yourself.”
“Okay.” Faith sighed. “Fine.”
“It’s late. I should go.” Angel grabbed his jacket. “You’ll call me if she comes back here?”
“How do you know she’ll come here?” Faith inquired.
“She always had a knack for convincing the watchers to give her information, to get them to trust her. Wes is in no way different. He’ll help her because she was once a Slayer. An exchange of information.” Angel said.
“I’ll call you, big guy.” Faith laughed. “Are you still going to do a sweep tonight?”
“Might as well. Spike and Dru could still be out there, wreaking more damage on this town. I have no idea what Willow’s done.”
“Willow?” Faith asked. “About 5’6, red hair, wears a lot of leather?”
“You’ve met her.” Angel stated.
“Yeah, about a night or so back.” Faith nodded. “Good thing she didn’t take me up on that offer of giving her a lift. I would’ve been dead Slayer meat.”
“Stay away from her, Faith. She’s was Buffy’s best friend back in our past. Buffy made Willow do all of her dirty work for her, even made her kill people just to please her. That’s probably why she wanted you. I think Willow was sent to torture and kill you.” Angel warned her.
“I’ll be careful.” Faith promised. “See you tomorrow?”
“I’ll be by at sundown.” Angel sighed. “Goodnight, Faith.”
“Night, Angel.” Faith watched him leave.