A Dried Rose
folder
AtS/BtVS Crossovers › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
3,706
Reviews:
2
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
AtS/BtVS Crossovers › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
3,706
Reviews:
2
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS) or Angel, the Series (AtS); nor any of the characters from them. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter Two
Three hours after Buffy had left, Xander was still unconscious.
Tara had just gotten to the hospital but Anya had arrived two hours ago and was currently glued to Xander's side. Even though Willow had never really liked the girl, she had to admire Anya's concern for Xander. Willow found herself weeping for Tara's comforting arms. Goddess knew that she needed the comfort. Xander was the one who could make everyone feel better and Willow could feel herself missing his unique sense of humor.
A soft sigh interrupted her thoughts. Xander shifted and his eyelids twitched. Willow shared a relieved smile with Tara before moving to Xander’s side.
* * *
The highway was quiet as Buffy raced along it. There weren't many cars around this time at night and she appreciated the silence. Her thoughts rarely left Xander's condition and when they did she found herself focused on Faith. Her thoughts would skip back to the words of the note and she could feel her fury growing. Her guilt rose with her anger, as she reflected on her blame in this.
'I should have known something was wrong. My spidy-sense should have told me something. Damn, how could I not have felt something. Was I too taken up by thoughts of Riley to feel anything?' Each new thought made Buffy feel even more guilty.
Her anger at herself was beginning to rival her hate for Faith. 'She did it to make me pay. I should have known... I knew she hadn't changed.'
* * *
It was a slow night at the new Angel Investigations building. Wesley was spending time studying some old prophecies, Cordelia was out at an audition and Angel was... well, Angel was brooding in his office. Ever since Faith had gotten out on parole, he felt like something was about to happen. He knew Faith wanted to change but was she strong enough to fight the addiction to power?
The phone's low ring brought him out of his thoughts. He could hear Wesley answer it in the reception area. "Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." Angel's eyes drifted shut at the familiar words. Even after all these months, he could hear the echo of Doyle's voice repeating those words. He sighed, launching into a new level of depression. Before he could fully settle himself into his brooding, the door was pushed open. Angel's eyes shot open, focusing on Wesley's face.
"It is Mr. Giles. He says it is very urgent." Wesley's formal tone revealed his distaste for the man on the line. Angel picked up the phone on his desk, already wondering why Giles would call him.
"Giles." He acknowledged, waiting for the news. 'If anything's happened to Buffy...'
"Ah, Angel. I have some bad news. First of all I do need to ask you a question. Is Faith still incarcerated?" Angel wasn't completely surprised by the question.
"Actually, she broke out sometime last week."
"Why didn’t you inform us?" The British voice was clipped and hard.
"I didn’t see a need.”
"Ah. Well, I should warn you, Angel. Buffy is on her way and she is very angry. Do you know where Faith is?"
"No, she... she didn't come back here."
"Buffy believes that she visited Sunnydale."
"Believes?"
"Until Xander wakes up, we can't know for certain." Angel felt the hair on the back of his neck lift.
"Wakes up? What happened?" Angel was already cursing himself as memories returned to him.
"Buffy and I found Xander in the old mansion last night, hurt badly. He is still unconscious. Buffy believes that Faith is one who... hurt him."
* * *
A more recent memory haunted someone else.
The hunter smiled as she spotted her prey alone, unaware she was even there. Her conscience kept trying to distract her, telling her she was human, not an animal. She dismissed it, she had to, she couldn't let it take over and make her soft. 'Just him, and then... I'm free.' The Other whispered hungerly.
So she took him and she hurt him. Once he had drifted into unconsciousness, she had kissed him gently on the forehead before readying her new dagger for the killing blow. She couldn't do it. The Other hadn’t been pleased. She tried again and again but couldn't force herself to do it. So she had written the note and slipped out. She then returned to L.A. and rented a room in a cheap motel.
'She'll kill me this time. She won't have a choice. She'll find me and kill me.' The brunette sat carefully on the stiff motel bed. She wasn't aware of the tears streaming down her cheeks. 'God, I hope she does.'
Tara had just gotten to the hospital but Anya had arrived two hours ago and was currently glued to Xander's side. Even though Willow had never really liked the girl, she had to admire Anya's concern for Xander. Willow found herself weeping for Tara's comforting arms. Goddess knew that she needed the comfort. Xander was the one who could make everyone feel better and Willow could feel herself missing his unique sense of humor.
A soft sigh interrupted her thoughts. Xander shifted and his eyelids twitched. Willow shared a relieved smile with Tara before moving to Xander’s side.
* * *
The highway was quiet as Buffy raced along it. There weren't many cars around this time at night and she appreciated the silence. Her thoughts rarely left Xander's condition and when they did she found herself focused on Faith. Her thoughts would skip back to the words of the note and she could feel her fury growing. Her guilt rose with her anger, as she reflected on her blame in this.
'I should have known something was wrong. My spidy-sense should have told me something. Damn, how could I not have felt something. Was I too taken up by thoughts of Riley to feel anything?' Each new thought made Buffy feel even more guilty.
Her anger at herself was beginning to rival her hate for Faith. 'She did it to make me pay. I should have known... I knew she hadn't changed.'
* * *
It was a slow night at the new Angel Investigations building. Wesley was spending time studying some old prophecies, Cordelia was out at an audition and Angel was... well, Angel was brooding in his office. Ever since Faith had gotten out on parole, he felt like something was about to happen. He knew Faith wanted to change but was she strong enough to fight the addiction to power?
The phone's low ring brought him out of his thoughts. He could hear Wesley answer it in the reception area. "Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." Angel's eyes drifted shut at the familiar words. Even after all these months, he could hear the echo of Doyle's voice repeating those words. He sighed, launching into a new level of depression. Before he could fully settle himself into his brooding, the door was pushed open. Angel's eyes shot open, focusing on Wesley's face.
"It is Mr. Giles. He says it is very urgent." Wesley's formal tone revealed his distaste for the man on the line. Angel picked up the phone on his desk, already wondering why Giles would call him.
"Giles." He acknowledged, waiting for the news. 'If anything's happened to Buffy...'
"Ah, Angel. I have some bad news. First of all I do need to ask you a question. Is Faith still incarcerated?" Angel wasn't completely surprised by the question.
"Actually, she broke out sometime last week."
"Why didn’t you inform us?" The British voice was clipped and hard.
"I didn’t see a need.”
"Ah. Well, I should warn you, Angel. Buffy is on her way and she is very angry. Do you know where Faith is?"
"No, she... she didn't come back here."
"Buffy believes that she visited Sunnydale."
"Believes?"
"Until Xander wakes up, we can't know for certain." Angel felt the hair on the back of his neck lift.
"Wakes up? What happened?" Angel was already cursing himself as memories returned to him.
"Buffy and I found Xander in the old mansion last night, hurt badly. He is still unconscious. Buffy believes that Faith is one who... hurt him."
* * *
A more recent memory haunted someone else.
The hunter smiled as she spotted her prey alone, unaware she was even there. Her conscience kept trying to distract her, telling her she was human, not an animal. She dismissed it, she had to, she couldn't let it take over and make her soft. 'Just him, and then... I'm free.' The Other whispered hungerly.
So she took him and she hurt him. Once he had drifted into unconsciousness, she had kissed him gently on the forehead before readying her new dagger for the killing blow. She couldn't do it. The Other hadn’t been pleased. She tried again and again but couldn't force herself to do it. So she had written the note and slipped out. She then returned to L.A. and rented a room in a cheap motel.
'She'll kill me this time. She won't have a choice. She'll find me and kill me.' The brunette sat carefully on the stiff motel bed. She wasn't aware of the tears streaming down her cheeks. 'God, I hope she does.'