We Need Each Other

--


The girls stood their ground as the two Turok Han advanced slightly and then stopped. They held their positions in standoff until the two ancient beasts flanked out slightly. Undaunted, Faith began to advance when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't." Angel told her. "Back up until I call for you. Trust me, Faith."

Faith reluctantly backed up, giving in to Angel's instincts, and the vampire took place next to Buffy. They squared off with the monsters and Faith faded into the background. She was tense and ready. All of their adrenaline stores dumped into their systems as they prepared for battle.

Then, between the two grotesque beasts, the demure preacher stepped through the front window. He stepped off of the couch and stood between the two creatures, which were like leashed dogs at his side. Caleb stood and smiled almost sweetly. If one didn't know the evil that lay beneath, they would see nothing more than a modest and non-assuming priest. But, by now, he had proven himself much different.

"Hello Buffy." he smiled, then looked to the vampire at her side. "Angel..if I'm not mistaken that is. Nice to meet you. The Master has told me much. It's too bad that we won't have the opportunity to know each other better before you die."

Then the preacher's smile changed. It was now malicious and feral. "Kill everyone." he said, with a wave of his hand, and the two beasts sprang to attack. Buffy and Angel stepped into defensive stances as the beasts advanced quickly. Angel struck out and caught one with a backfist then a punch kick knocked the beast back a step, but it still advanced again.

Buffy hit the other demon with a hard sick, ck, that momentarily startled it. Then the beast struck back and sent her spiraling to the ground. She rolled to her back and kipped up to her feet, immediately striking back. The creature recovered immediately, rolling into Buffy in an effort to knock her off balance.

-

Caleb calmly sat down upon the couch in the Summers living room, watching the battle play out. Actually he was, indeed, watching. But he sat for a different reason. As soon as he had entered the house, he suddenly felt weakened. Not much, but still slightly woozy. What in the name of the Master was going on? The strength that he had been granted by The First was enormous. However, he felt it wane upon closer proximity to this house.

So there he sat, keeping his composure, unwilling to let his opponents see even a moment's weakness. After all, the blonde Slayer's whore was dead. Who could harm him now?

-

Willow awoke to the sound of the breaking glass. What the...? She sprang from her bed, jarring Kennedy awake with the sudden movement.

"Something's wrong!" Willow said to her sleepy lover, instantly knocking her into the rush that Kennedy always felt when a fight was near. The redhead ran from their room, motioning for Kennedy to follow and banging on every door as she ran down the hall to the stairway and waking all of the Potentials.

It was time to fight.

-

Faith was in the kitchen, itching like hell to get in on this fight. Her moment was coming soon. From her vantage point she could see Caleb but he couldn't see her. Bastard, she thought. What the hell can I... Her eyes fell upon the keys to Angel's car. They were sitting on the counter, next to the blender that Dawn used to make her chocolate pancake and ice-cream milkshakes.

Did he bring it? Maybe, if she was lucky.

Remembering Angel's earlier words to her, she decided that it was worth a chance. She snagged up the keys and bolted out the back door, running toward the spot where Angel had parked his '68 Plymouth Belvedere.

-

Angel backed up a step, as his opponent advanced on him throwing wild and ferocious kicks at his face and body. He knew what he was facing, and was wary of it. The Turok Han was the ancient predecessor to the vampire. It was stronger, faster and more ferocious. But was it smarter? Angel was determined to find out. The vampire with a soul kicked the beast as it drew back for its next strike, then he was suprised with a leaping kick to the chest. Angel flew back and into the china cabinet, breaking the glass and shattering wood.


Buffy struck furiously at the Turok Han, trying desperately to gain any advantage to get to her weapons chest. In there would be what she needed to dt tht these beasts. So that is where she needed to position herself. The normal weapons she used to defeat vampires would not be enough.

-

Willow descended the stairs, hearing doors open intermittently behind her. The girls were awake, so she knew she had some back up. But it was she who needed to do something, right this moment.

Hitting the bottom step, she saw the two Turok Han battling with Buffy and Angel. More importantly, she saw the preacher sitting contentedly on the couch, gleefully watching the battle. Where was Faith?

"Careo pravus creatura.." she spat, extending her hands and blasting scarlet energy into the First's servant. Caleb flew backward, lifted up and out of the house, from the force of the spell that he normally would have been able to block. He landed on his back and rolled to his feet.

"Silence girl.." he pointed at her, silencing Willow's chants and magic.

Willow moved further toward the front window, her eyes flickering like black obsidian. The First's preacher realized that his spell had not worked.

"Crusta vobis!" the Wiccan spat at him, finishing her banishing of evil and creating a barrier that Caleb could not penetrate around the Summers house.

No matter, Caleb thought. My minions will do the job for me.

-

Kennedy and the other Potentials descended the stairs, suddenly feeling a surge of power through them as they reached the first floor landing. It was as if Willow's spell had not only banished evil, but also empowered the good within its circle of influence.

Tiffany rushed for the chest of weapons that Buffy kept in the small space between the living room and kitchen, and Kennedy grabbed a knife to stab at the beast that had just knocked Angel on his ass. Seeing her coming, the ancient creature lashed out with its claws and raked across Kennedy's chest sending her stumbling into the dining area.

Buffy scrambled to her feet again and sprinted toward the creature, only to be stopped by a Potential's call.

"Buffy! Here!" she turned in time to see Tiffany toss a double edged sword in her direction. In one fluid motion the Slayer caught the weapon and struck in the direction of her opponent.

The beast's head separated from its shoulders and fell mere moments before its entire body exploded to dust.


-

Faith scrambled with the keys, finally finding the right one to fit into the trunk of Angel's car. Opening it, she began to throw items from it at random to search for what she was looking for. Finally, she laid her hands upon it.

I fuckin' knew it, she thought.

She grabbed the item and ran back toward the front window, from which the preacher had just been thrown. This could be it.

-

Caleb stood to his feet and suddenly felt himself getting weaker, even more so than before. He dizzily swooned before regaining his footing. What was happening to him? His connection to the First, that gave him his power was beginning to grow increasingly thinner. Somehow his power was being robbed from him.

Then Buffy attacked him.

-

Faith quickly closed the distance between herself and the two combatants. C'mon B, she said in her own mind. We can beat him. Together we're stronger than him, remember?

Buffy struck Caleb with the hilt of her sword and then took a slice at him. Caleb avoided the sword strike. But, he was slower than usual. Without both of his Turok Han, he would have to retreat.

-

"Kennedy, no!" Willow screamed as her hair turned black to match her eyes, and bluish energy surged to the beast that had just damaged her girlfriend. Willow wasn't about to let another lover fall. Not if she could help it.

The energy arcs leapt from Willow's eyes to the Turok Han, consuming and reducing it to ash. The anger that was in her was colossal. The darkness took over for a moment, and the feel of it coursing through her enraptured Willow.

Then suddenly, waking her out of her reverie, she felt Kennedy's arms. Holding her, thanking her. Tears were streaming down the young brunette's face, proving that she wasn't as hardened as she made herself out to be.

The witch, who was once again a redhead, sat holding her lover until it was all over.

-


Caleb avoided another sword swing and grabbed Buffy by her throat. He smiled as he squeezed her throat and lifted her from the ground. The blonde Slayer gasped for air and kicked at the First's minion who only continued to smile at her. As her vision began to get fuzzy Buffy saw Faith running toward the house, and the closer she got to the front porch the lighter the grip on her throat became. She was able to breathe again and lashed out hard at Caleb's groin with her foot.

He dropped her grunting in pain, and his strength faltered. Not only did Caleb find himself robbed of the strength to hold the girl, he was finding it difficult to even stand. That difficulty grew to impossibility when Buffy snap kicked him under the chin.

Slowly, the dark priest picked himself up to a kneeling position, seeing a pair of black leather boots ascend the steps and step onto the front porch. He looked up to see the face of the dark Slayer who only smiled at him.

"You...?"

"Hey Hellcat." Faith said. "Remember me?"

Then it dawned on him. This was his downfall. His strength hadn't been robbed from him. It had been shielded from him. The extinction of the Slayer bloodline was weakening his own connection to his master.

"Damn you." he spat. "Damn both of you to hell..."

"Aww, you still mad about our little tiff? I'm sorry we can't still be friends. But, it's better to make a clean break." She leveled the shotgun, resting its barrel on Caleb's nose. It was the same shotgun that Angelus had threatened to kill her with, back in LA.

Caleb said not another word, he only looked up into the eyes he he woman who was about to kill him.

Then Faith pulled the trigger, separating the evil servant's head from his shoulders.