Faith The Series

Faith: The Series S1 Sp6 (6/???)

The beautiful brunette looked around as the five bikers surrounded her. “Woah! We got ourselves a real hottie here!” crowed one of the thugs.

“No you haven’t!” Suddenly Xander rappelled down the wall of the building, grabbed the lithe beauty around her tiny waist and, after kicking away the nearest biker, flew back up the wall to the top of the building. The girl looked at him, wonder in her soft eyes. “Are you alright miss?”

“I’m five by five,” she grinned at him. “Thanks to you hero.” He opened his mouth to say it was nothing when the girl suddenly plunged her tongue into his mouth and pressed her lips to his……

“XANDER! Get out of bed!”

Xander jumped at his mother’s screech. He looked stupidly around, his senses slowly returning. It had all been a dream. “Of course it was,” he muttered bitterly. Faith had made it clear he was nothing more than a friend to her.

* * *

“Miss Giles?” Faith stopped dead at the biology teacher’s call. “Could I have a word please?”

“Sure Doc.” Faith nodded reluctantly. “Tell G I’ll be at the library in a few,” she whispered to C before turning back to the tutor. “Yo Doc, what’s the sitch?”

The teacher stared at her, the intensity in his eyes almost enough to make her squirm. Finally the bespectacled scientist spoke. “I’ve read your profile, it’s common consensus you’re quite the trouble-maker.”

“Oh yeah?” Faith hid her anger at being written off again behind a nonchalant look.

“Yes,” the doctor grinned. “Of course I’ve always been one to buck the system. You have a first-rate mind and you can think on your feet. Imagine what you could accomplish if you actually did...”

“Homework?”

“Homework,” the doctor confirmed. “Now I think you have it in you to make the new principal eat that permanent record. What do you think?”

“Yes sir,” Faith grinned at the thought of force-feeding the record to their new dictator.

“Good, now chapters 6 – 8 tonight?”

“Yes sir, thank you sir,” Faith hurried out of the class.

* * *

Dr. Gregory chuckled as the young woman rushed out of the classroom. He loved teaching, but what he especially treasured were the potentially troublesome students like Miss. Giles, pupils who might not have had the best start in life but had a spark within them that meant all they needed was someone to believe in them to help turn themselves around. That was even better than watching a genius child reach their potential.

Turning back to his projector he began to pack up. Hearing the sound of the door opening behind him he turned to speak to the newcomer. And screamed as a monster loomed up over him, its claws ripping through his neck.

* * *

The Master smiled as one of his childes strode into his cavern. “Colin,” he turned to the boy by his side. “Say hello to Stavros.”

“Hello Stavros.”

The one-handed vampire nodded respectfully to the youngster before dropping to one knee. “You summonsed me Master.”

The Master beamed at his three hundred year old child. “Stavros, we have a Slayer in town.” The demon looked up. “I’ve killed six in my time, but this one is different. Darla,” he glanced at the fuming blonde. She hadn’t liked him sending for Stavros. “Darla was defeated in battle by her, and Luke slain. But you,” he glanced meaningfully at the fork, taken in penance for the last time the younger vampire had failed him, “won’t fail me again will you?”

”No sire,” Stavros shook his head.

* * *

Faith whistled cheerfully as she made her way towards class. For the first time ever she was looking to class. She’d done her homework and was anticipating showing Doc how much she’d learnt. She stopped as she entered the classroom, noting the teacher’s broken glasses on the ground. Crouching, she carefully picked the glasses up and placed them on the teacher’s desk. Weird, she was pretty sure the scientist was a blind as a bat without them. “Guess what I heard!” she turned to see a beaming Xander stood behind her. “No Dr. Gregory today. Ergo, those of us who blew off our science homework aren't as dumb as we look.”

“Why’s he not coming in?” she was beaten to the question by a concerned-looking Willow.

”Who cares?” Xander shrugged, his grin widening. “No homework!”

“But-,” her voice trailed off when she realised that for once Xander wasn’t listening to her. Rather, he, and every other male in the class including Jesse, were staring at the exotic beauty standing at the front of the desk. Slightly miffed at being usurped as centre of Xander’s world, Faith sat back in her chair.

“Hello class, I’m Natalie French, and I will be substituting for Dr. Gregory.”

“You, where’s the Doc at?” Faith demanded, ignoring Xander’s muttered comment of ‘who cares’.

The replacement teacher glanced down at her class list before looking up at her. “I don’t know, Faith is it?” she nodded. “I just go where they want me.”

“I know where I want you,” Jesse muttered only to get a slap to the back of the head from Cordelia.

Miss French appeared not to have heard Jesse’s comment. “Now, instead of doing what Dr. Gregory had planned,” Faith’s heart sank, the one time she does her homework and what happens? It’s cancelled. Fucking marvellous. “Today,” the new science teacher reached into her bad and pulled out a plastic box, “we’re going to study the praying mantis. This insect lives alone. Does anyone know why?”

“Cause it’s so butt-ugly not even a Boston biker would touch it?”

“Hardly,” Faith was surprised by the rage in the teacher’s eyes. She took the subject waaay too seriously. “There is nothing ugly about these unique creatures. The reason
they live alone is because they're cannibals!” The tutor continued to talk but Faith closed her ears off, already bored.

* * *

“I wonder what she sees in me? It's probably the quiet good looks coupled with a certain smoky magnetism.” Xander smiled indulgently at her and Willow. “You two are probably a little young to understand what an older woman would see in a younger man.”

Faith rolled her eyes, for the last half-hour Xander had been going on about French wanting him to do an out-of-school assignment with her, making it out to be the love affair of the century. Deciding it was long past time to puncture her companion’s ego, she spoke. “No I get it. Younger guy, too desperate and blind to notice the older woman’s surgical improvements.”

“S..surgical improvements?”

”Ah,” Faith winked at Willow. “So young and innocent.”

“I don’t find it funny,” Faith groaned at Cordy’s snap. Oh shit, she’d forgotten about Jesse also going with Xander tonight. “If that man-eater thinks she can tempt my Jesse away from me, well I’ll scratch her eyes out!”

“Excuse me!” their conversation was interrupted by Harmony Kendall barging through their group with her usual disregard for others and making her way towards the back of the canteen. “I have to check this place for hygiene, otherwise daddy dearest will never let me eat here!”

“Watching Harmony in full flow, always a joy,” Faith muttered.

The blonde opened a refrigerator and screamed. “ARGGH!” In an instance, Faith had vaulted over the counter, the others hurrying after her. “His head?” Where’s his head?”

Faith stared in disbelief at the decapitated body in the fridge, her eyes drawn to the name tag. “Dr. Gregory.”

* * *

“Who would want to hurt Dr. Gregory?” Willow demanded, her voice shaking.

“Someone who didn’t like his clothes?” Cordelia guessed.

Faith looked at her Watcher for guidance, Giles looked wicked pissed, it was times like this the veneer of civility slipped giving her hint to the true bad ass G could be. “He didn't have any enemies on the staff that I'm aware of. He was a civilized man. I liked him.”

“So did I. He said I had potential,” she glared at the Englishman, daring him to question her. “We're gonna find out who did this. We'll find them and we'll stop them.”

“Doubtless.” Her Watcher squeezed her shoulder. “What do we know?”

“Not a lot, um...” Collecting herself she continued. “He was killed here on campus. I'm guessing yesterday.”

“How do you work that out?” Giles queried.

“He didn't change his clothing,” Faith replied.

Xander raised a hand. “This is a question that no one particularly wants to hear, but... where did they put his head?”

“Ugh gross,” Cordelia wrinkled her nose. “Trust you to bring that up.”

“W..was it a vampire?” queried Willow.

Giles shrugged. “Some vampires take trophies,” Faith shuddered. “But Dr. Gregory's blood wasn't drained, which leads me to believe it was something else entirely.”

“Oh, this is fun, we're on Monster Island,” Xander commented.

“Well, unpleasant things do gravitate here, it's true, but, we don't know anything concrete,” her Watcher turned to her, his gaze stern. “I know you're upset, but, uh, this is no time to go hunting, not until we know more. Please promise me you won't do anything rash?”

“Cross my heart,” Faith replied.

“Anyway,” Jesse glanced at Xander and grinned. “We’ve got to go, extra lessons.”

Giles glanced at her as the two youths hurried out. “Xander and Jesse eager about extra lessons? Is this a portent of the apocalypse?”

”They’re with Miss. French,” she explained.

”Ah,” she groaned when her Watcher smirked, him too? “That explains it.”

* * *

“Hi! Come in!” Xander stared at his teacher’s cleavage as he and Jesse walked into Ms. French’s house. They’d both been unable to believe it when she’d said she wanted to study somewhere ‘quieter’ – her place. “Should I change? Is this too much?”

“No, no, it's, the most beautiful chest... dress I've ever seen,” Xander replied dazedly.

The teacher smiled and went into the living room. “Smooth, Xander, real smooth,” Jesse whispered in a snigger.

“Shut up,” he muttered as they followed the woman through.

“There you go boys,” Natalie smiled as she passed them both a drink with a sexy laugh. “I just need to relax a little, I'm nervous around you two big strong boys. You're probably cool as a cucumbers!”

“That’s me,” Jesse chirped up. “He’s as limp as lettuce, I’m as cool as a cucumber.”

“Oh, handsome and funny!” Natalie beamed as they sat down. “Now drink up.” Once they’d obeyed, the science teacher dropped onto the couch between them, her hands resting on their knees. “Can I ask you boys a personal question?”

Xander and Jesse exchanged glances. “ Sure.”

“Have either of you boys ever been with a woman before?”

“Ah,” Xander crimsoned. “What do you mean?”

“Only,” he was shocked when the beauty’s hand began to travel up his thigh. “I’m an experienced woman and I like to teach young men about the pleasures of the flesh.”

“We’re virgins!” they both shouted in unison. Man, this woman got him so hot he was turning feverish.

“I know.” Natalie smiled at them both in turn. “I can tell.”

“You can?” Jesse put in.

“Oh, I like it. You might say, I... *need* it.”

“R..really,” Xander hiccupped. The drink was making him woozy. He leant back on the couch, his vision blurring as he slumped into unconsciousness..

* * *

“Hey little lady, it’s dangerous out here!”

Faith stared with distaste at the bum, the stench of alcohol rolling off his well-proportioned frame. Dangerous? The biggest danger was from this jackass’ breath. “Yeah thanks for the tip, I’ll be going home now.”

“Good,” the down-and-out burped, “girl.”

Once the drunk had stumbled away, she continued on her way, casting cautious glances left and right as she swaggered through the moonlit park. She had to admit she loved the peace, how quiet things were in the breezy California night, a million miles away from the drizzly hell she’d left behind in Boston.

Suddenly a vampire leapt out of the bushes and swung a fist at her head. Faith ducked under the blow. “Shit!” her eyes widened when she realised it wasn’t a hand but a three-pronged claw. “Now they come with attachments?”

Gathering herself she drove her head into the vampire’s belly knocking him back a step. Eager to take advantage of her rival’s distress, Faith stepped behind her rival and drove an elbow between his shoulder blades. She spun to face the vampire only to get a backhand to the mouth from his remaining hand. Shaking her pain away, she dropkicked the demon in the chest knocking him head over heel across the road. In an instant the one-handed monster was on his feet and running away. “Hey come back,” Faith shouted. “I wanna play!” She hated it when they ran.

She followed the vampire through several streets until the beast leapt over a fence. Faith’s eyes widened as she saw the vampire charge towards a figure. “Miss French,” she whispered.

Somehow the teacher sensed the vampire. Faith’s mouth dropped open as the teacher’s head rotated 180 degrees round to face her would-be attacker. The demon hissed and ran away. Natalie watched the demon fled to a near-by manhole, pulled the cover off, and jumped down, while Faith slumped to her knees, hiding behind the fence. Just what was Ms. French?

* * *

“Listen G,” Faith pressed, pushing G like she had been doing all day. “There is something seriously icky about Frenchie. How many things is an undead monster with a fetish for shaving with his hand afraid of?”

“Not many. And not substitute teachers, as a rule.”

“And then there’s her whole Exorcist deal-.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Her head rotates all the way round.”

Her Watcher stared at her. “You didn’t mention that before,” the Englishman accused.

“So I forgot,” she shrugged. “Sue me.”

“Faith,” her guardian gave her his firmest look, “a Watcher must be appraised of every detail of his Slayer’s patrols.”

”Focus, G.”

“Yes,” after a final hard stare at her, her Watcher pinched his nose for a second. “The Praying-Mantis can rotate its head 180 degrees, but that is ridiculous, Miss French is rather too woman sized and shaped to be a bug.”

“G, don’t start drooling again,” Faith sighed. “You’ve just said yourself that only a praying mantis can rotate its head like that. And a vampire freaked at her.”

Giles thought for a second before nodding. “If you're right, then she'd have to be a shape shifter or a perception distorter. On a helpful note, I had a chum at Oxford,
Carlyle, advanced degrees in entomology mythology.”

“Say what?”

Giles sighed. “Bugs and fairy tales.”

“Ah,” Faith nodded sagely. “I knew that.”

“If I recall correctly, poor old Carlyle, just before he went mad, claimed there was some beast...”

“Before he went mad?” Faith raised an eyebrow. “High-quality witness G?”

The school librarian bristled. “Carlyle-.”

“Guys!” Both Faith and her Watcher turned to see a pale-faced Cordelia and Willow rushing into the library. “Jesse and Xander are both missing!”

* * *

“Oh my head,” Xander groaned as he pulled himself upright. He looked around his darkened, cramped cell, his head thumping. His heart stopped as he saw a giant mantis sat on a nest. “Miss French?” he gasped

“Please,” he could have sworn the giant insect smiled. “Call me Natalie.”

“Sure,” he muttered as he stumbled backwards, falling over Jesse’s slumbering body. “Whatever you want.”

* * *

It took them a good half-hour to calm the two girls down. Once they were, Faith turned to Willow. “Red, can you hack into the coroner’s office?”

“What for?”

Faith winced. This wasn’t going to pretty. “Autopsy for Dr. Gregory. I've been trying to figures out these marks that I saw on his corpse... I'm thinking they were teeth.”

“Y..you mean Xander and Jesse.”

”Just type Red, we won’t be able to do nothing ‘til we know more,” Faith glanced at her Watcher. “And you were saying something about a beast?”

“Yes,” after a last worried glance at Cordelia, Giles hurried into his office. “I just need to make one transatlantic telephone call.”

“Got it!” Willow exclaimed. “Coroner's report, complete with... Yuk! ...colour pictures.”

“They *are* teeth marks.” Faith winced. “Which match perfectly the one insect that nips off its prey's head.”

“Okay, I-I,” Willow stuttered, “I don't like this.”

“Huh!” Faith pointed out, she liked this, she had smarts. “It's the way they feed, head first. It's also the way they mate. The female bites off the male's head while they're...”

“No, no, no!” Willow shook her head. “Not Xander and Jesse.”

“Hey Red,” Faith winced. Fuck, when was she going to learn to keep her mouth shut? “I ain’t gonna let nothing happen to them.”

* * *

“I understand, Carlyle. Yes I'll take every precaution.” Giles swallowed, this was very bad. “Uh, absolutely, it sounds exactly like the creature you described.
You were right all along about everything. Well, no, you weren't right about your mother coming back as a Pekinese, but... uh... Try to rest, old man. Bye now!”

Hanging up the phone he hurried out of the office. After a quick glance at a pale faced Cordelia he hurried over to Faith who was busy calming a newly-hysterical Willow. “Dr. Ferris Carlyle spent years transcribing a lost pre-Germanic language. What he discovered he kept to himself until several teenage boys were murdered in the Cotswolds. Then he went hunting for it.”

“What was it Giles?”

He decided to put the impatience in the cheerleader’s snap down to stress. “He called her a She-Mantis. This type of creature, the Kleptes-Virgo, or, or virgin-thief, appears in, in many cultures. The Greek sirens, the Celtic sea maidens, who, who tore the living flesh from the bones of, um...”

“Giles,” Cordelia snapped. “Before I die of old age.”

Giles swallowed, this was tad delicate for female ears. “Well, basically the, uh, the She-Mantis assumes the form of a beautiful woman and then lures innocent virgins back to her nest.”

“Virgins?” Faith snorted. “They can’t-. ”

“They’re so screwed!” Cordelia stood when they all turned to her. “Do you think I’d let Jesse touch me?”

“Okay, okay,” Faith interrupted, “so this thing is breeding and we need to find and snuff it. Any tips on the snuffing part?”

Giles nodded. “Uh, Carlyle recommends cleaving all body parts with a sharp
blade.”

“Ah, the classics,” Faith nodded. “Slice and Dice.”

“But you had better be quick,” he added. “This beast is extremely dangerous.”

“Hello Slayer? I feed on danger and dine on death,” at her Watcher’s look, Faith shrugged. “So I like the Road Warriors, big deal. Your buddy Carlyle faced it, and he's still around.”

“Yes, in a straitjacket, howling his innards out day and night.”

“Well that’s inspiring.”

“Sorry,” Giles replied.

“What are we going to do about my boyfriend?” Cordelia demanded in a voice so shrill that he wasn’t entirely sure he’d hear properly for quite some time.

Collecting himself, he began to bark out orders. “Willow, see if you can get Miss French’s address off the substitute rolls. Faith, and you need to record bat sonar, and fast!”

“Eh?”

“Bats eat praying Mantises,” he explained as he led the Slayer to the stairs. “The sound of a bat sends their nervous system haywire. I’ll get your short sword ready.”

* * *

“This is the address right?”

Giles nodded at her question. “What now, exactly? We can't just kick the door down.”

“Yeah,” Faith raised an eyebrow, he really didn’t know her at all, “that *would* be wrong.” She brought her leg up to kick the door open only for it to swing open to reveal a white-haired and wizened old lady.

“Hello, dear! I thought I heard...” the woman smiled. “Are you selling something? Because I'd like to help you out, but... You see, I'm on a fixed income.”

Faith exchanged confused glances with her Watcher. “We’re looking for Miss French.”

“I'm Miss French,” the old lady beamed at them.

“Natalie French, the substitute biology teacher?” Giles put in.

“Goodness, that's me! I taught for over thirty years. I retired in 1972.” The teacher peered at G. “Did I teach you sonny?”

“That some make-up you use lady, can I-.”

Faith pushed Cordy back. “I can't believe this! She used Miss French's records
to get into the school. She could be anywhere!”

“No, dear!” the retired educator beamed. “I'm right here!”

Faith scowled. “G, I got an idea.”

* * *

“Jesse!” Xander kept his eyes on the terrifyingly huge insect sat on the nest. “Wake up!”

“W…where are we?” finally his friend’s eyes opened.

“Oh,” Xander swallowed. “No where we want to be.”

* * *

“You got your cuffs on you G?”

“Wait!” Cordelia grabbed the Watcher’s elbows. “You carry cuffs on you?”

“Oh yeah,” Faith drawled. Even in a crisis she couldn’t resist a chance for a little fun at her Watcher’s expense. “Sometimes when I’m a naughty Slayer, Giles cuffs and spanks me.” She glanced at a dazed looking Jonathan and whispered conspiratorially. “That’s the bit I like best about being a Slayer.”

The response was all she’d dreamed off, Red and Cor were glaring at a rapidly reddening G, while a mouth-agape Jonathan was clearly in a world of his own. “Faith!” her Watcher stumbled over an explanation. “Sometimes it’s necessary to interrogate a vampire before staking them, as a result I carry cuffs on me.”

”Sure that’s the reason,” Faith winked at a still stunned Jonathan. Guy wouldn’t sleep tonight thinking about it. “Give me the cuffs G.”

“What do you intend to do?” Giles glared at her as he passed the requested restraints over.

“I saw Frenchie walking past this park with her grocery bags. She lives in this neighbourhood. And,” she pointed towards the manhole cover, “that’s where Claw Dude disappeared. I’m gonna hunt him out.”

“Be careful Faith,” Giles warned.

“Why?” she smirked at her Watcher. “If I’m not will you discipline me?”

* * *

“Here nice little bloodsucker!” Faith cooed as she made her way through the sewers, thanking god she hadn’t worn her $100 leather boots tonight because thanks to the crap swilling around her knees, her jeans and trainers were ruined. “Come taste the lovely Slayer bl-.”

“Arghh!” Faith ducked a half-second before the vampire screamed, having sensed him just before, causing the claw to screech against the wall, sending sparks flying. Spinning round, she grabbed the out-stretched arm and leveraged the monster face-first into the wall. The demon grunted and began to turn to face her, but she drove a knee into the small of her adversary’s back, the impact of her attack driving the demon’s head back against the wall. Dazed, the vampire was helpless to prevent her cuffing him.

* * *

“Pooh!” Cordelia’s nose wrinkled up. “You stink!”

“I’ve been in a sewer C, what do you expect Chanel?” Faith demanded before turning to her captive. “Come on! Come on, where is she? Which house is it? I know you're afraid of her, I saw you!” Suddenly the demon reared back, his eyes filled with terror. “What is it? This is her, isn't it, this is her house? Better than radar! Thanks!” She drove her stake into the vampire’s chest, exploding him into dust. “’Ppreciate the help.”

* * *

Faith kicked the window open with one foot. Jumping through to the house, she saw the insect advancing on the cell holding Xander and Jesse. “Shit no wonder she has to wear a disguise to get a date,” Faith shuddered at the hideousness of the massive insect. “Hey bitch!” The insect turned towards her. Faith pulled out two insect repellent cans and began spraying. The monster reared back and wailed. “Hey!” Faith taunted. “I’ve always wanted to do that to a teacher, but then I’ve got authority issues.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jonathan, Cordelia, and Willow getting the boys out of their prison. “Take this you cad!” Giles was by her side, putting on the tape that she’d taped for him. “’It is important to have order in all of one’s life’,” Giles gulped. “Oops, I appear to have caught the fast forward button!”

“You think?” She cursed when French knocked her Watcher across the room. “Oh just great!” She caught a mandible across the face, ripping open a cut. “Shit!” she stumbled backwards, blood dripping down her face. Fortunately she wouldn’t scar but it hurt like a bitch.

Forcing herself to focus she pulled out her machete and leapt towards the monster only to be knocked down onto her side. Winded, she could only watch helplessly as the creature loomed over her.

Suddenly the screech of bat sonar filled the air causing the creature to flail helplessly. “Hurts like a bitch uh?” Faith crowed as she leapt to her feet. “Well so does this!” In an instant she was gleefully ripping through the monster until it was just a pile of dismembered parts on the ground.

“Are you okay Faith?”

“Five by five X,” she turned at Xander’s voice and grinned. “So a virgin uh?” she tilted her head at the boy’s reddening. “Although maybe I shouldn’t be surprised!”

Chuckling to herself, she turned away only to be pulled around by an angry looking Xander. “Go to hell Faith!” A second later Xander stormed past her, leaving her stunned and hurt.

“Yo X!” she yelled. “It was just a fucking joke!”

* * *

Faith’s heart thumped as she waited for her phone call to be answered. Finally the phone was picked up, and she heard a man’s voice. “Yeah Xander it’s-.” She blinked in disbelief as the phone at the other end was hung up.

* * *

After knocking on Faith’s bedroom door, Giles walked into Faith’s bedroom to find his charge sat on the side of her bed. “Are you alright Faith?”

Faith nodded at his gentle question. “Scar will be gone in a couple of days.”

“That’s not what I meant Faith, I was talking about Xander.”

Faith shrugged. “Asshole doesn’t want to be friends fuck him.” He stared at the girl, she sighed. “I didn’t mean nothing by it. Just my way right?”

“Right,” he sat down beside his young charge. “But you insulted Xander in the area where a young man is most sensitive. And you know how he feels about you. And, with those feelings, and the situation, and then you make a comment that, in that situation, he couldn't help but take it as a hurtful, remark...”

“Yeah but,” Faith rubbed at her forehead. “If a guy was pissed off with what I’d said in the past, he’d crack me in the mouth and that would be it,” Giles hid a wince at the matter-of-fact way Faith described her abuse. “But Xan and the guys are different. I like hanging with them.” Faith’s eyes filled with hurt. “I didn’t mean it.”

“I know Faith,” he squeezed his Slayer’s slender shoulders. “But give it time, Xander was scared and fraught, emotions were bound to be running high. Once he’s calmed down....”

Hope filled his girl’s eyes. “You promise?”

“I promise.”