Of Birds and Slayers

(FC Kahuna – Hayling)

The Phoenix went into the forest surrounding Spencer’s Rocks and cut several trunks to make a kind of stack. She wanted her brother’s body to burn on an altar on the cliff, so his ashes would be blown away to the ocean. She doubted that he would have done that for her, but she still considered Zane as her brother. Even if they hadn’t grown up together, even if he had wanted to kill her.

‘Mom and Dad would have wanted that...’ she thought to herself, kneeling in front of Zane’s body. There were several black and white feathers around them. She picked up three of them, two blacks and one white. She tied up together one of her feather and one of Zane’s, carried his body on the altar and put the two feathers on his bare chest. Now that she was the only one Phoenix, she had Zane’s powers. She looked at her hand and after several seconds of concentration, a fireball appeared. Shannah threw it calmly on the wood and soon it began to burn. The brunette stared at the burning altar until Zane’s body was consumed, and there was nothing left but ashes. During this long moment, she held tightly the black crow feather in her hand. When the last flames vanished, she approached and picked up some of her brother’s ashes to throw them from the edge of the cliff.

“Goodbye Zane.” She said, a tear running down her cheek.


It was dark when Spike and Andrew were back from their trip to the abbey. When Buffy had learnt that the thing Caleb had was a weapon, Faith and her rushed to the vineyard, letting Spike and Willow protect the house. Caleb had been stunned to see the Chosen two emerging suddenly into his vineyard. He had no chance to survive against two angry Slayers. The two girls took the scythe and left the priest cut in half. On their way back home, they meet up with Angel who was glad to see them both. He gave them some information about the First and disappeared as fast as he had shown up. They found Shannah smoking in front of the house, obviously upset.

“You could have waited for me!” She said angrily.

“We thought that you would take some rest after all this crap! Look at that, isn’t it fucking cool?” Faith held the scythe to her friend who took it and stared at it.

“Good to cut some wheat...”

“Good to cut some priest!” Buffy smirked. Shannah let out a low whistle.

“Yeah, I guess! So, one big bad dead, a bigger one and a billion of others left” Shannah chuckled.

“Still as optimistic as before!” Faith teased her.

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“So...sleep for everyone?” Faith asked Buffy, they were in the blond girl’s bedroom.

“Yeah, like I said lately, now that we have killed one of our main problem, we can have some rest.” Buffy replied while pulling off her jacket covered with blood.

“Did you gave the necklace to Spike?”

“Yep, I think he understand this whole ‘Champion’ thing better than me.” Faith chuckled. “Hey, you’re the one who always says I’m a real blonde!” They both laughed.

“You’re sure it doesn’t bother you that I’m in your room?” The Rogue Slayer asked nervously.

“Well...let me think...a bunch of snoring teenagers or a psycho Slayer looking for redemption...I guess you don’t have the choice!”

“Okay...” Faith answered and began to undress, while Buffy slipped into her bed. Faith felt really nervous, she was shaking so much she preferred sitting at the edge of the bed.

‘No big deal, you’re not a coward! Come on speak to her!’ The brunette was having an argument with herself. She didn’t know Buffy was staring at her, as confused as her.

“B...” Faith spoke softly. It was almost a whisper.

“Yeah?” Buffy replied in a calm tone.

“There’s something I’d like to say to you...” she turned around to look deeply into the blonde’s eyes. Buffy’s heart was beating fast.

“Well...first I’m sorry for...you know...everything that happened between us. I was really fucked up and...” the brunette paused. “I think that somehow I hurt you because I couldn’t...”another pause. Faith’s mind was in turmoil. “I couldn’t have you.” The Rogue Slayer looked down at her hands, waiting for some reaction from Buffy. But there was nothing but silence, so she went on.
“There was Angel and ...you didn’t see me anymore. I thought that if I couldn’t be with you, then nobody would. I don’t really know what’s going on between you and Spike, but... I just want you to know that I’m here and...”

‘God, why is it so hard...’ Faith thought. Buffy was still staring at her attentively, her face motionless. The brunette mustered all her courage and stood up.

“Okay, here is the thing!” The Rogue Slayer exclaimed in a more ‘faithish’ voice. She started pacing around the room. “My whole life changed the day I met you. You kinda brightened the day and you made me feel beautiful. It took me a lot of time until I was finally able to figure out what was this feeling I had when I was around you. And even when you weren’t around, I could still feel it! Now I know what it is...and it’s still in me.” She stopped to kneel in front of Buffy and stared at those hazel eyes. “I love you Buffy...”
The blond girl didn’t take her eyes off Faith’s and a smile appeared on her face.

“It took you a while...” She said very softly before kissing gently the brunette. Soon, the kiss became heated between the two of them and the few clothes they were wearing landed on the floor.


Meanwhile, a potential slayer and a very special girl were smoking in the backyard.

“It took you a while...” Kennedy said.

“I-uh...I needed to stay alone, figure things out...I’m sorry.” Shannah apologized.

“And how did it go?”

“It was confusing. But I came to think about one thing.” The Phoenix took Kennedy’s hands in hers. “If I had lost you up there, there would be something...in fact a lot of things that I would’ve regretted. The first one is that I’d have never told you how I’m sorry for all the harm I did to you. And the second one is that I’d never have the chance to show you how much you mean to me. ‘Cause I love you.” Shannah said truthfully. Kennedy tightened her grip on the girl’s hand and sighed sadly.

“And you’re telling me this now, when the Great Battle is nearly there...” she chuckled.

“ I’m telling you this because I think we’ll live. No, I know we’ll live. And I wanna be with you.”

Kennedy leant in to kiss the Phoenix gently. The brunette put her hand on the Latino girl’s hair and stroked it softly. She didn’t want to screw this up once again, so she let Kennedy drive the kiss. Soon, it became heated and both started breathing heavily. They pulled away when air become an issue. Kennedy sighed once again, but it was a sigh of frustration.

“What’s wrong?” Shannah asked quietly

“I wish we had a room...” Kennedy smiled.

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Buffy couldn’t sleep...even after the steaming sex Faith and her had just had. She started pacing around when she heard a voice coming from behind.

“Pretty, ain't it?” The thing said with Caleb’s voice.

“You're not him.” Buffy replied coldly.

“No, you killed him right and proper. Terrible loss. This man was my good right arm. 'Course, it don't pain me too much. Don't need an arm. Got an army.” The First said, and a sardonic smile appeared on the priest’ face. Buffy hated that smile.

“An army of vampires. However will I fight-”

“Every day our numbers swell. But then you do have an army of your own. Some thirty-odd pimply-faced girls, don't know the pointy end of a stake.” He feigned concern. “Maybe I should call this off.”

“Have you ever considered a cool name? I mean, since you're incorporeal and basically powerless. How about "The Taunter?" Strikes fear in the heart-” Buffy tried to sound bitter, but the fear in her voice was betraying her.

“I will overrun this Earth. And when my army outnumbers the humans on this Earth, the scales will tip and I will be made flesh.”

“Talk on. I'm not afraid of you.” She crossed her arms. Caleb/The First rolled his eyes.

“Then why aren't you asleep in your lover's arms?” He looked over at Faith who was still sleeping. “'Cause she can't help you. Nor Spike, nor The Phoenix, certainly not your friends or your wanna-slay brigade. None of those girlies will ever know real power unless you're dead. You know the drill...” Buffy shivered slightly when The First changed into a familiar figure.

“Into every generation, a slayer is born. One girl in all the world. She alone will have the strength and skill to— There's that word again. What you are. How you'll die. Alone. Where's your snappy comeback?” Buffy heard her own voice saying. She was staring at her reflection calmly.

“You're right.”

“Hmm. Not your best.” The First pouted. Faith started moving in her sleep and sat up in a star, fully awake. The brunette noticed her lover standing in the middle of the room.

“What’s wrong?” She asked anxiously.

“No. Yeah. I just realized something. Something that really never occurred to me before...” The blonde was staring away. “We're gonna win.” She stated.

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Yeah basically, I keep the storyline and all...hope you still like it.