Mercy

Disclaimer: See Part 1
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"Leaving so soon?" Z sat on the last step stopping Faith with nothing but her voice.

"I gotta go slay" Faith turned and gave her a smart look "You know as we slayers tend to do"

"Yeah, slay, party, bring home strange girls who's names you can't remember in the morning and storm out in a huff" Z nodded her agreement "Have fun" she turned and headed back up the stairs.

Faith shook her head at Z's antics and turned to leave. Something in the corner of her eye stopped her.

The cat.

Jace sat on the stair behind the one Z had been on. He was watching her with intelligent blue eyes that seemed to be asking a question.

"It only happened once. I remembered all the rest of them" Faith shrugged speaking to the cat.

Jace tilted his fluffy white head and mewed.

"Okay, so I don't remember any of them 'now', but at the time I knew them" Faith looked around guiltily "Why am I explaining myself to a cat?" backing out of the doorway she checked her stakes and crossbows, patted herself down and vanished into the night.

"Your a strange animal you know that right?" Z questioned the feline from the main landing.

The cat turned and mewed at her as well.

"I'm onto you. I don't know what you are, but I'm onto you" Z narrowed her eyes and vanished into her wing.

Jace watched until the door to her bedroom slammed. Stretching lazily he settled down to wait for the slayer to return for the night.

With or without a companion.
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"What did you do to me?" Mercy asked out of breath.

She stood in a public restroom staring at her reflection wondering what was different, but realizing she looked the same.

"You did something you had too. This can't be happening" she begged her reflection.

"Hey? You okay?" a strange voice asked her.

Mercy turned to find a dark haired girl standing behind her.

"Some chicks were talking about some girl in here talking to herself. Thought you might need an ear or something?" the girl hopped onto the counter next to where Mercy stood.

"I'm fine. Just reconnecting with my essence" Mercy turned back to her reflection. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind, she needed to focus, she needed...

Her.

Mercy's eyes shot open when she realized where her mind had taken her. It was telling to her to go to the vampire. Return to Willow.

"Just like she said" Mercy mumbled.

The girl on the counter heard her mumbled statement and shrugged "I don't quite know what's going on with you my friend. But be careful out there at night. It's Hellish in the dark"

"I will thanks" Mercy splashed water on her face "What's your name" facing the young woman at last she held on a friendly hand.

"Ryan" the girl took the offered hand.

They both tensed as powepower flowed through them.

"Your a witch" came their unified response.

Trelereleased each other's hands and stared in fascination.

"My name's Mercy" Mercy said after a pregnant silence.

"Well Mercy. If you ever need it, whichoubtoubt, there's a second witch to help you" Ryan climbed off the counter and pecked Mercy on each cheek "Farewell my sister witch"

"If I need you. How do I find you?" Mercy forced herself to ask before the other witch disappeared through the door.

"When the time comes, you'll know" Ryan smiled and left the small bathroom.

Mercy turned back to her reflection. Unconsciously she cast and the vision of herself vanished.

Willow appeared. She was resting on a bed in a large room. It was decorated lavishly, and Mercy could see the moon clearly in the background.

Suddenly the vision of Willow turned to face her.

"Come back to me little doll. I'll always protect you"

Mercy back quickly away from the mirror ended the vision. Her back struck the bathroom stall, and she slid to the ground.

"Why do I need you" she whimpered into her hands "You should be evil but you save me"

"Ooookay"

Mercy's head shot up at the new voice.

Before her stood a girl dark as the first, but this one dressed in leather, with an air of danger. And raw power.

Wordlessly Mercy fled the bathroom. She needed to get away. She need to go somewhere safe.

She needed Willow.

Faith stood alone in the bathroom, wondering what the gorgeous, but very insane, girl was talking about. Figuring it wasn't her problem she shrugged it off, washed the vamp dust off her hands and went to dance.
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Z was up late surfing the 'Net'.

She pulled up several Pagan knowing that most of the time, the stronger witches knew what went on in these places of magick.

The page came up and vanished completely.

"What do they have some type of witchy defense system?" Z muttered as she used everything she knew to pull the page back up.

After several minutes of nothing working she sighed in defeat.

"So much for help"

Suddenly the screen blinked off.

"What the fuck?"

Z tried pushing the command keys as well as the power button on the monitor but nothing helped.

She was ready to give it up and go to bed when the eyes appeared.

They were blue-grey and catlike. They were slanted and seemed to blink though there were no visible eye-lids to do so with.

Z pushed quickly away from her computer as two tiny blue entities flew out from the screen.

The entire room was lit to a magickal blue hue.

'What are the answers that you seek'

Z looked around to see who the disembodied voice belong too. But there was no one save the eyes on the screen. Even the little blue balls had vanished.

"Is the slayer in danger?" Z asked her voice shaking from fear and wonder.

'She is safe. Be it only that she understands the evil is not'

"That she understand what?" Z placed her hands on her racing heart "That she understand the evil is not what?"

'Evil'

The eyes vanished.

Z took a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding "Well that was cryptic"

The blue hue began to disappear from the room leaving a dim white glow.

The small blue entities reappeared before Z's eyes and flew directly into them.

Z screamed as she felt the piercing heat shoot through her skull. The pain was burning and neverending. It throbbed through her head. It felt as if it were burning holes into her very mind. She fell out of her chair writhing in pain.

"Zeynep?"

Z could hear her name being called. But it seemed like it was from so far away.

"Zeynep, answer me. Zeynep! Answer me"

It was her mother's voice. She was panicked.

Z tried to answer but all that came out was a garbled sound.

Then she started seizing.
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Willow could 'feel' Mercy coming. The sense of her being near was getting stronger. She could almost smell the citrus scent of her hair.

A knock came at her door before it opened on it's own.

"You really should lock that. It's dangerous out there you know"

Willow smiled "Yes I know. I'm one of the reasons it's dangerous out there"

The visitor smirked "Well your little 'doll' is being hunted as we speak"

That got Willow's immediate attention "She went through the park didn't she" the rhetorical question was said as Willow slid into her game face.

"Yep. It's that asshole Chaos Demon you stole the gem for the Master from"

Willow had the young man up against the wall choking before he knew what hit him.

"Don't ever mention the Master in my presence again" Willow growled at her half demon minion "In fact. After tonight I don't ever want to see you again"

Releasing him Willow ran out of the door and made her way through startled neighbors and doorman. She ran across the street without stopping, cars swerved to avoid hitting her. She ignored the crunching and horns as several accidents happened in her wake. She had her mind on one thing.

Protecting Mercy.
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Mercy drew several runes into the slime the Chaos demon that was carrying her off left behind him.

"You know, your one of 'the' most disgusting types of demon there is?" Mercy taunted hoping he'd drop her. He might kick her but atleast it would buy her some time.

The demon growled and chuckled "Your Willow's little toy aren't you? I'll enjoy taking something of her's"

Mercy gagged on the terrible smell he excreted when he spoke.

"Man you need a demon Tic-Tac" she kicked at his slimy face.

She was released, falling on her back after he'd practically thrown her from his shoulder.

"You little bitch"

Mercy rolled away as the slimy disgusting fist impacted the ground inches from her head.

"That woulda hurt. Lucky for me you fight like a blind 2 yr old" she taunted rising and running towards the brightest light in the park.

The Chaos demon, though large and ungainly, was quite agile and caught up her quickly. He shoved her forward causing her to stumble, but Mercy somehow kept her feet.

The demon had slowed thinking she would stumble and perhaps knock herself out, roared in anger as he again took up the chase.

Mercy made it to the cement stairs before the newest uneeded fountain in the park when she smelled the demon's angry breath. She wanted nothing more than to get down the stairs without him shoving her again.

She'd made it to the middle landing when he caught up again.

Mercy tried to stop to keep her momentum from injuring her when she hit the hard ground.

The demon collided with her, covering her in it's smelly slime.

She began to choke as some made it to her mouth, when she was suddenly expelled. She flew forward over the last flight of stairs and closed her eyes in preperation for her no doubt painful landing.

Strong arms caught her and she felt herself spinning around before falling to the ground. She landed on top of a soft body. She opened her eyes to find herself straddling her would be savior.

"Willow my goddess" she wrapped her arms firmly around the vampire and buried her dirty face into the tight black leather covering her breasts.

"Don't you 'ever' touch anything of mine" Willow threatened the demon. She pointed her finger at him. A trademark move of her's to tell someone she was going kill them.

Electric sparks flew from her fingers striking the demon.

Her eyes as well as the demons opened wider as he began to bubble and dry up.

"Your magickal now?" he asked rhetorically before bursting into flame giving off a rancid odor.

Willow turned from the display, and smell, and headed steadily back to her safehouse.

After many silent minutes of Willow's quick pace Mercy lifted her head "I think I did it"

"Did what?" Willow kept moving never looking down at her girl in her arms.

"Whatever killed him" Mercy left a small kiss on Willow's bare throat "I left Zaprey runes in his slime trail"

Willow stopped and looked down at the girl in her arms "You knew electricity killed Chaos Demons?"

"I'm a witch" Mercy rolled her eyes at the vampire.

"I'd kiss you if you didn't stink and weren't covered in Chaos Demon slime" Willow spoke sweetly into her ear "But since I can't trust you to take care of yourself"

"I can take care-" Mercy begon to say only to be interrupted by Willow's finger convering her lips.

"I'm taking you home with me" Willow finished "and you'll be staying there"

"Is it anything like that hotel?" Mercy frowned.

"No it's a real home" Willow assured her as she came to the aftermath of her desperate run from the apartment building "Or it will be once your in it"

Mercy stared at the clean up crew. They were sweeping broken glass off the road before a large apartment building.

"What happened here?" Mercy asked as Willow carried her around the yellow tape and up to the front door.

"Accidents" Willow put simply.

"Ms. Rosenberg" the doorman spoke letting her through "Shall I call a private elevator for you and your guest?"

"Yes please" Willow spoke without looking at the man.

Mercy smiled at him as Willow carried her away, giving a little wave at his confused look.

The didn't have to wait for the private elevator. It arrived just as they reached the bank.

A woman from housekeeping was there with towels to wipe away some of the stinky slime they were both covered in.

Mercy from her ordeal, and Willow from catching her mid-flight.

"Thank you" Mercy smiled at the woman who was trying to cover her nose without seeming rude.

The woman nodded her answer and ushered them out of the car and into their hallway.

Mercy turned to Willow as the woman disappeared with the elevator.

"Why didn't you bring me here last night?"

"I didn't have it until this morning. I had a 'friend' of mine procure it for me" Willow said carrying her directly to the lavish bathroom.

"Are you rich?" Mercy asked fearless now. The vampire had saved her twice, and claimed her verbally as many times.

"We are" Willow replied simply.

She began to strip Mercy down, peeling away the damp slimy clothes and once again revealing the soft pale skin.

When she finally had her nude she stood back and stared.

Mercy glanced around the bathroom, studying everything she could see. Decorated in red and white, it was a gorgeous ensemble. Her gaze fell upon the floor length mirror to her right and she blushed.

"Your magnificent" Willow spoke touching her gently. She ran her fingers over the healing cuts and bruises she'd treated the night before. Quickly she began to disrobe.

"What are you doing?" Mercy panicked and covered her eyes.

"I'm going to shower" Willow said simply. She reached over and turned on the water.

"Who's going first?" Mercy stared down at the floor casting surrepticous looks at Willow's pale lithe body.

"Don't be silly" Willow chuckled grabbing the girl and pulling her under the spray behind her.

"We're showering together"
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Isabelle paced the waiting room of Sunnydale General holding her cold cup of tea.

The doctors had taken Zeynep in nearly and hour before to do tests. As of yet they had no idea why she'd started seizing.

"Isabelle?"

Isabelle turned at the sound of her name.

Faith stood behind her looking worried and tired.

"She just started screaming" Isabelle finally let the tears began to fall "When I got to her she was just..."

Faith moved forward quickly, catching her watcher a as she fell to her knee's.

"What's wrong with my baby?" Isabelle wept into the soft leather of Faith's jacket, while she clutched tightly to her arms.

Faith said nothing. She didn't have an answer. But she knew one thing.

Neither of them had the strength to live through losing the girl.
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Z came too with a splitting headache.

She opened her eyes to a dark closed room that smelled like disinfectant.

"Eww, hospital" her voice came out raw.

The burning sensation in her head was gone, though her eyes tingled.

She sat up in her bed and pushed the buzzer for the floor nurse.

The door swung open moments later, flooding the entrance with white light.

Z blinked away the spots in her eyes.

"She's awake!"

Z thought she recognized the voice as being Faith's. But Faith hated hospitals. She'd never come.

"Z? What happened to you? You scared your mother, they had to sedate her an hour ago"

It 'was' Faith!

Z held out her arms and was surprised when the slayer hugged her tightly.

"I dunno what happened" she ground out.

Faith searched for water for her parched throat. She poured some from the jug by the bed and held it up for Z to drink.

"You can't do this to us. We're kinda fond of you" Faith whispered joining Z on her bed and hugging her.

"Sorry" Z blushed as Faith ran her hands through her tangled hair.

"Just don't do it again"

Faith kissed the top of her head.
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Deep beneath Sunnydale water bubbled. It's clear clean color changed to a dark purple and the underground spring overflowed it banks.

Faint tremors were felt in Sunnydale and it's surrounding area's.

Slowly a dark head rose from beneath the now boiling purple pool.

It moved forward towards the damp bank of the undergound caves. Pulling itself from the disturbed and now poisoned pool it rose to it's feet.

"And she shall swallow them up, and spit out their bones for the dogs. For the evil that has a soul, shall be seen in the light, and Love shall be the death of many" Spike finished reading from the ancient book. Tossing it aside her walked towards the caul covered being trying to break free of it's birthing prison.

Ripping the thin layer of skin away he stood back as it rose to it's feet.

Before the bleach blonde vamp stood a child. No more than 6 or 7.

"You summoned me?" it spoke without moving it's lips.

It had no lips to move. It was faceless. No eyes, nose, or mouth. Long blue-black hair fell to it's shoulders, and it's body remained drapped in the birthing caul.

"Yeah I did" Spike paced back and forth before it "I have a slayer problem. Now see there's this Prophecy.."

"Ahh yes the Prophecy of the Four" the being lifted part of it's face with a small hand. Two gray eyes appeared.

"Yeah tone\one" Spike flicked away his cigarette butt "I need to kill it. Your gonna help me"

"As you will it" dragging the small fingers from the forehead down an entire face appeared.

The little girl looked angelic. Her cherubic features in direct contrast to her true nature.

"Well that's one hell of a disguise for a billion year old magick" Spike remarked reached for it's hand.

"I am older than your time" the little girl laimlaimed.

"Well excuse me" Spike pulled his hand away before making contact and lead the way to the sewers "First we gotta get you some clothes. The whole grown man with a naked little girl thing might draw some unwanted attention"

Spike turned back to the being and smiled.

The girl stood behhim him fully dressed. A purple and blue plaid dress went perfectly with her dark features. White tights and patent leather shoes finished her outfit. Even her hair fell in childish curls.

Her smile took him by surprise. It was particularly angelic. Beautiful to distraction.

"Now that's what I call magick" he laughed.

It sounded insane.
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