Stolen Destiny

Title: Stolen Destiny. Chapter Three.

Rating: R (For the time being.)

Summary: What if in season four of Buffy, Faith did happen to take that flight out of the country and not decide to save those in the church? And what if Buffy was left with nowhere to go other than Los Angeles to see a certain vampire who'd be most likely to believe her?

Briefing: Just so you know, Buffy had gone to Giles to explain what happened, but unfortunately for her, he didn't believe her. Before Willow and Tara could arrive, she had fled while Giles made calls to the others(The Scoobies, Buffy included) to let them know what 'Faith' was trying to pull. The Scoobies had met up at the Church where a group of vampires were holding civilians hostage. They, with the help of the Initiative, were able to take down the vampires. Faith in Buffy's body never comign to help. Instead she landed herself the first ticket out of Sunnydale and off to Mexico. Angel is still in Los Angeles with Wesley and Cordelia. The Hyperion comes into play a little earlier than in the show. Just 'cos I think it's a neat place. :P There you have it.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything here, save for the storyline. All characters and the like are trademark properties of Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy and it's affiliates. If lyrics are used, their also obviously copyrighted to their owners and etc. Please don't sue. I'm just a poor girl. Really, I am.

Pairings: Buffy(In Faith's body)/Angel, Faith(In Buffy's body.)/Various Original Characters, Willow/Tara, Xander/Faith(In Buffy's body.) -I know, confusing.

If you read and review I will love you forever and ever. Promise. :)

Oh, and I know. I have way too many stories that aren't completed up. I just tend to go from one story's chapter to the next story's chapter. It works well for me. Hehe.


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// Los Angeles. //

How she had managed it this far was a miracle to Buffy. There were cops all over Sunnydale looking for Faith...her. God, was that ever going to be hard to swallow. On the way out of the city, she was sure that the truck she was hiding in would be searched. Luckily for her the officers at the town line granted the truck permission to keep on ahead. Had they stopped the vehicle, Buffy wasn't sure what would have happened. All she knew then, and from now on, was that no matter what, she wasn't going into custody. Not by the city, not by the state or not by the Council.

Especially not of the latter.

They had stated what would pretty much end up happening once they had her back at the home land. How easily they would dispose of her.

Up until now, Buffy had always viewed the Council to be harsh. Not cruel. What they planned to do with a rogue Slayer was to destroy her. Why deal with a broken toy when you could toss it out and be given a shiny new one?

Now she was greatful to her decision to no longer take part as a member of the Council.

As the truck screeched to a hault, Buffy peered from between the cracks of the wooden boxing around her. It was hard to tell where she was with the darkness surrounding them. What might have been a light from above shining down, was only a sign from a pawn shop window breaking through the wooden cracks. The reflection bouncing off a large green street sign was good enough to allow the brunette Slayer to realize where it was she was.

Willing all of her remaining energy, Buffy moved as fast as she had ever done. The now long limbs still needed getting used to. Of course not too much getting. That would only mean bad news for the oldest Slayer. With the light now only turning green, Buffy jumped off the back of the loader truck and stumbled onto a busy intersection where no one took notice of a girl ditching a ride.

"Alright Buffy, you've lived here all your life, save the last four. You can find the Hyperion easily." She prided herself aloud and started down the first of many streets she'd be walking tonight.

Too bad she hadn't remembered that Los Angeles wasn't as small as Sunnydale. That everything took a long walk. One she was too tired to make, but had somehow mustered the force into traveling. Nothing was as she remembered. Everything took on a new light, or rather darkness, now. How easily things that had once brightened her smile, made her feel like hurting something or someone. Unless of course it was the body that was causing the reactions? Either way, Buffy felt as lost and afraid as she had never been before.

With some higher power overlooking her path, Buffy had found her way to the large hotel. The tingling sensation she always had in her old body that indicated Angel was close by, was still there. It spread like wild fire through her veins and bones. Her blood called to him as it would always do. It was her soul that kept her bound to Angel. Not the body itself. Her soul that would forever bind whatever body she was wrapped in, to him. With exhaustion creeping closer, Buffy closed the distance between herself and the inside of the Hyperion lobby.


// Hyperion Lobby. //


It wasn't Angel that first spotted her. Infact, it wasn't anyone Buffy was glad to see. Why was that? Because she knew that despite his staying here with no Slayer of his own, Wesley was still in contact with the Council.

"Don't." Was all Buffy warned to the surprised and frightened former Watcher.

"You seem a tad presumptuous of my actions, Faith." Wesley calmly choked out. His fingers itching for the phone at the edge of the front desk countertop.

"I'm not Faith. I'm Buffy." She confessed as one foot took a step forward, followed by the other in the heavy Doc Marten's.

Poor Wesley looked as if he had just seen a ghost. "Faith, listen to me. You've just come out of a coma. It's only natural for you to be a bit confused. I'm just going to call the Council and let them know you're alright." Came his tranquil attempt at getting the Slayer in front of him to calm down.

"I'm NOT Faith, Wes." Sighing in exasperation, Buffy decided that she needed to be a bit more threatening if she wanted the British pain in the ass to listen, "I swear to god, if you go for that phone once more, I'm going to let you make one call and it'll be to the hospital." Buffy all but growled out.

Wesley decided to not take his chances with calling the Council up immediately. They were in England. What he needed now was some help that was in the vicinity. Setting his hands at his side and letting his feet carry him safely from the phone, Wesley eyed the distraught looking Slayer cautiously before shrilly screaming, "ANGEL! HELP!"

Lifting her shoulders in a vain attempt to relax herself, Buffy sank into the large sofa in the middle of the lobby. "I could have done that." She said matter-of-factly, just as the sounds of two pairs of feet, though one much quicker, came running down the flight of steps.

All of the fear inside Buffy rose up again. This time settling in her throat where no words were able to escape as dark orbs landed on her figure.

It was hard to tell at times what Angel was thinking.

Too bad the same couldn't be said for Cordelia, who was now two feet behind said vampire.

"Oh god, she's out of her coma?" Was the first of many remarks. "You know, someone seriously should have pulled the plug on her ass." Peering from behind Angel, Cordelia quipped again, "You look like Hell Faith."

Wesley, too, had made his way behind the broad back of Angel and the much more narrow one of Cordelia. "Don't provoke her, Cordelia. What if Angel loses? Then she'll likely spend much more time torturing us." Former Watcher interjected.

"I was being honest. Not like I was saying it for the sake of hearing myself speak." Everyone thought otherwise at that statement of Cordelia.

Hues of brown were locked onto one another. Each frame of adequate powers stood and sat in complete stillness. Time lost all it's meaning. As did any and all conviction. Just as it would until Angel decided to speak to the brunette before him.

"I'm not going to torture anyone." Buffy said in all honesty. Her eyes breaking away from the trance Angel's own pulled her soul into, to look at the terrified Watcher and pissy bitch.

Would he know?

Could he know?

It was all so maddening and she had to find out.

Turning back at him, Buffy noted the way Angel's features had softened. The way his eyebrows knitted together so innocently that she wanted nothing more than to kiss the wrinkles away. "Buffy?" He asked slightly confused. There was no confusion on who it was before him. It was just confusion on how who was before him was in who's body was before him.

That thought even hurt his own brain.

"That be me." As if Faith would ever answer as softly spoken or kindly as that. Pfft, cheah right.

Offering Angel a thank you for being the only one to recognize who she was behind the troubled eyes, was done in a smile.

And there it was. The answer to his question. Though he really didn't need one. The ends of full lips twitched into a tired smile. Nonetheless a bright one that only his sweet golden girl could create. A smile that warmed and beated his cold and dead heart.

Again there was silence. Only to be broken with the sound of a body crashing to the floor.

"Wes?" Cordelia turned behind her to see the walking Demonology bookworm on the floor passed out.

-To be continued.