Gladiatrix

Title: Gladiatrix Rating: possibly R (for violence) ******************************************* Part 3 The bedside lamp wobbled, then fell to the ground, shattering in pieces. The room started to shake. Faith lost her balance and landed on top of Tara, the two of them tangled in arms and legs. Faith held on as the bed danced around on all fours, thumping against the wall. A loud banging came from the other room. "God dammit not again; could you keep it down over there! Or I'm calling management!" her neighbor yelled. "What the fu--!" She was cut off by the sound of the door and windows imploding inward. Faith covered Tara, trying to protect her from flying glass and wood. Shards of glass embedded themselves in the slayer's skin. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out. Faith pushed herself up on one arm, looking towards the open doorway. Her muscles were tensed, ready for a fight. She froze when a familiar figure glided into the room. "Willow?" She exclaimed. The red head's hair whipped wildly around her face. Black eyes stared at the scene on the bed. "Get away from her!" Willow lowered her head, glaring at Faith. "Permoveo!(move)" Willow yelled, her voice booming. Faith was snatched off Tara by unseen hands and thrown across the room. Faith tucked her body into a ball, uncurling just before she collided with the wall. She touched the wall with her feet, taking two steps up, and then flipped over to land on her feet. "Impressive, Faith. Maybe this time you'll put up a decent fight." The Chosen One walked into the room. Her hazel eyes flashed with emotion. "And Angel's not here to save you," Buffy said,pulling Mr. Pointy out of her back pocket. Faith stared at the blonde with a mixture of joy and sorrow. At one time they'd been friends, but that seemed like a lifetime ago. Maybe it was her jealousy or Buffy's lies that had driven them apart. To Faith, Buffy had everything she didn't. A mother who loved her, friends that risked their lives to fight side by side with her and a watcher that truly cared for her. Yet, she'd risked all of that for Angel, even after the vampire had terrorized them an entire summer and killed Giles' girlfriend, Jenny Calendar. But unlike Angel, there was no forgiveness for Faith. The passage of time seemed only to fuel Buffy's hatred. Faith glanced at the other two women in the room. Tara was huddled on the bed with her knees under her. Willow floated a few feet in front of the bed. Tara looked up catching Faith's eyes. "W-wait, d-don't hurt her," Tara pleaded. "She saved me from Glory." Buffy continued to stare at Faith. "You don't know her like we do, Tara. She's probably working with Glory." The blonde slayer narrowed her gaze. "We had a deal. You agreed to never come back here and I didn't turn you in. You broke the deal so now all bets are off." The little blonde moved faster than anyone in the room could see. Faith ducked a round house kick, barely avoiding having her head taken off. "Why is Tara in your bed! And what were you doing on top of her!" Buffy shouted. Faith smirked at the blonde. "You know me, B. I like it kinky," Faith responded. "So whatever you got," she raised a forearm blocking a blow from Buffy, "bring it on!" Faith shouted. Buffy was stronger than the last time they fought. And she wasn't holding back anything as she drove Faith backwards. As much as she still loved taunting Buffy, she wasn't going to fight her. She hadn't come back for that, but Faith refused to take a beating. Crossing her arms in front of her Faith caught Buffy's wrist in between them when the blonde slayer lunged at her with the stake. She twisted her body around dislodging the stake. When she came around, she had Buffy in a choke hold. "I wasn't hurting Tara," Faith said, holding onto the struggling Blonde. "We ra---," her words were cut off and she couldn't breath. She released Buffy, falling to her knees. She grabbed her throat, she looked up when felt someone looming over her. Willow was floating in front of her staring down with a smug expression. "Glory was trying to hurt me, not Faith," Tara explained. Faith's vision started to blur and veins popped out on her forehead as she struggled to breath. Tara looked desperately between Willow and Faith. "Glory mistook me for the key," Tara rushed out. Buffy and Willow froze; they turned to look at Tara. Faith collapsed on the floor taking a deep breath as air flowed back into her lungs. "Glory's been watching us. She thought because everyone's so protective of me that I was the key." Tara said. Buffy walked to the bed. "Are you okay? What else did she say?" Buffy asked. She glanced over her shoulder at Faith. "You didn't tell Faith about the key did you?" Tara shook her head. "I-It's not my p-place. But I think she should know. Faith can help us protect it." Willow frowned. Buffy reached out, helping the other blonde off the bed. "Why would you think that? She betrayed us once, she'll do it again," Willow said. She spared Faith a glance. "We don't need her help." Faith struggled to stand up. She used the bed for support. "Then explain to me why Tara was out alone. I didn't see the two of you out there helping her!" Faith snapped. Willow glanced sideways at Tara. Tara ducked her head. Buffy watched the two witches, her eyes narrowing on Willow. "I'm sure Tara had a good reason for being out. She and Willow can explain it later." Willow broke Buffy's stare, unable to hide her guilt. "Why are you back?" Buffy asked Faith. "Willow's right; we don't need your help," she said. Faith could feel her back pocket vibrating. She wanted to answer her cell phone. But she didn't think any sudden movement was a good idea. Buffy was tense, wanting a fight and her super side kick looked eager, too. "Angel asked me to come back, and I'm not running this time, B, not from you or Glory." She paused, watching Buffy's reaction. The blonde balled her fists up at her sides. "So you do what you have to cause I'm staying," Faith stated in a low voice. " "Tonight, Faith, you have until tonight. Either you leave tonight, or tomorrow you'll be sitting in a jail cell. Remember there's no statute of limitation on murder. I will turn you in for killing Alan Finch," Buffy warned. Faith stood up straight. "It was an accident. You were there, B. Finch rushed me and I thought he was a vampire." Faith closed her eyes, the memory of Finch looking at her with wide scared eyes, her wooden stake sticking out of his chest, burned into her psyche. She'd never taken a human life before. When a vampire turned to dust she didn't have to look into their eyes and see the light of life extinguish or hear a final gasp for breath. "It was an accident." Buffy aggreed. Faith's eyes snapped open in surprise. Those were the last words she'd expected to hear from Buffy. "But what about the professor - was he an accident, too?" Buffy asked. Faith looked around the room. Buffy and Willow were looking at her with knowing expressions. Even though they had no proof it was her they'd already convicted her. Faith's gaze landed on Tara. When Tara didn't look away, Faith continued to stare at her. Unlike Buffy and Willow there was no judgment in her eyes. Only sad acceptance, as if she knew the answer before Faith spoke it out loud. "No, he wasn't an accident," Faith finally answered. "He was a mistake." She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She knew she'd just signed her own death warrant. The professor's death was premeditated; it could get her the needle in the state of California. "The Mayor wanted his scrolls and he didn't want any witnesses left." Buffy shook her head. "So you killed him because the Mayor asked you to?" Faith watched Tara, expecting to see fear. Instead the witch silently returned her stare, waiting for Faith to continue. "Yes," Faith whispered. "But if I could make it right, it would be the one thing in my life I'd do different." She could see tears forming in Tara's eyes. Faith swallowed, pushing back her own tears. She didn't want them to see her cry. Willow moved to stand in front of Tara, blocking Faith's view. "So if the Mayor had told you to kill us, we would've been just another mistake?" Willow asked. Faith stared at the red head with a blank expression. "He hinted but never asked." She answered in a hollow voice. She knew they wouldn't accept anything she said. "I think he knew I couldn't kill any of you. So he never asked." Buffy snorted. "You knew better than to goup against me. I would've wiped the floor with you then fed you to your precious Mayor," Buffy spat. "This is your only warning, Faith. If you're still here tomorrow, I'm turning you in." The little blonde stared daggers at Faith. "Buffy!" Willow yelled. "A normal prison won't hold her." The red head paused. "But I can send her to an eternal prison where there is no escape." Faith felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. A growl bubbled up from her throat. "Try any more of that hocus pocus shit on me again then you'd better send me someplace where they lock me up and throw away the key. Cause if I ever see the light of day I'm comin' to get your skinny ass." Buffy took a threatening step towards Faith. "No, Buffy," Willow said. "I'm not afraid of her anymore," Willow announced. "If she comes near me or Tara again, I'll show her how powerful I am." Willow held out her hand for Tara. "Let's go, baby." Her voice filled with warmth when she spoke to her lover. Willow frowned when Tara didn't take her hand. In a quiet voice, Tara said, "I believe you, Faith. You're not the same person you were two years ago." A soft smile graced Tara's lips. "Thank you for saving me." Faith nodded in Tara's direction. "Anytime, Glenda, anytime," she said. Tara stepped towards the doorway. She turned before stepping out of the room. She glanced at the other women. "We can defeat Glory. The four of us are stronger together than we are divided. If you can forgive Angel, find it in your hearts to forgive each other." She turned, walking silently out the room. Buffy and Willow followed. Faith stood alone in the middle of the destruction. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her cell. She checked the missed call list, and dialed the last number. "Hey, Cordy," she greeted after a few rings. "Everything okay?" she asked. The former prom queen let out a heavy sigh. "Why did I just have a vision of Willow kicking your ass? Cause that was just scary." Faith groaned. "She wasn't kicking my ass. She caught me off guard that's all," Faith defended. "Ummmhmmm," Cordelia drawled into the phone. "Did it have anything to do with you and the pretty blonde bumping and grinding?" Faith's mouth hung open. "I'm not sure why I had to see you two doing it. The last thing I need in my head is the memory of some girl making you scream her name." Cordelia took a breath. "What was her name?" the seer muttered. "Oh yeah! I'll never forget it. Tara." Faith's cell phone slipped through her fingers. After working for Angel for over a year she'd never known any of Cordelia's visions to be wrong. Faith stared around the room. It looked as if a tornado had come through. The door hung off its hinges, the windows were shattered, furniture was scattered all over. "I'm a dead woman." With that thought in her head she picked her cell phone up off the floor. She could hear Cordelia yelling her name. "I'm still here, Cordy," Faith told her in a strangely calm voice. She was back to stop a Hell God, Buffy wanted her in jail and Willow was a wild card. Faith asked the one question that she couldn't get out of her head. "Ahmmm, exactly what was Tara doing that made me scream?" (tbc)