Vindicated

A/N: I’d like to give a special thanks to Pasha for giving me some great feedback and showing me the error of my ways, your 2 cents was very much appreciated and I hope this chapter gives you an idea of where I’m taking the rest of the fic. Well that’s it. Now read, enjoy… and hopefully review.


“You called to say you wanted out.
Well, I can't say I blame you now.
Sometimes you've got to fall
before you're found out.
Well thanks for waiting this long to show yourself.
Cause now that I can see you,
I don't think you're worth a second glance.”

-Dashboard Confessional, “Rapid Hope Loss”


Buffy pulled her lighter out of the back pocket of her leather pants and began playing with it between her fingers. She was becoming restless. She could hear Faith’s heart beating at a calm steady pace and it was driving her insane. All she wanted to do was get the fight with her started so she could hear it pounding out of control with fear.

The thought of ripping the slayers throat out and sucking her dry was playing over and over in her head. Each time it became better, the fight lasting longer, blooblood tasting sweeter, the kill bringing her more satisfaction.

She rolled her shoulders and neck trying to ease some of her tension. Her demon was still stirring, berating her for helping the slayer gain back her confidence and determination, telling her to run, insisting that the girl walking next to her was a threat, but she was finding that voice easier to ignore.

She gladglad Faith was ready. She wanted the slayer to be at her best when they fought. That was the entire point. That was why Spike had spent years hunting slayers down, it was for the challenge. And a challenge was exactly what she had been itching for.

“So I waste the vamps, and the preacher comes up, and he’s hugging me like there’s no tomorrow, when all of a sudden, the cops pull up and they arrest us both.” Faith smiled and tucked a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear.

Buffy lifted her eyes off the ground and looked at her. She hadn’t been listening and hoped it didn’t show.

“So what about you B? You must have some pretty crazy stories.”

Buffy shrugged. She had stories, lots of them. But most of late involved acts of mischief and mayhem where she was the instigator. So she thought it best to keep her ‘stories’ to herself. “Well you know how it is, a vamp here, an apocalypse there… nothing special.”

Faith sighed and began twirling her stake around in her hand. Buffy had said that if they cut through West Field Cemetery they would get to the warehouse faster then if they just stuck to the streets, but she was starting to think that maybe Buffy didn’t know what she was talking about.

Not that she was in such a hurry to get the fight with Kakistos started, it was just that the other girl hadn’t been very talkative since they left the hotel and she didn’t do the whole silence thing so well. “So…”

“Yeah?” Buffy absently said as she rummaged through her coat pockets for her cigarettes.

“Isn’t it crazy how slayin’ just always makes ya hungry and horny?”

Buffy raised her eyebrows. She hadn’t been expecting that. ‘It’s too bad I have to kill her. For a human she’s kinda fun.’ She pulled out her pack of cigarettes and lit one. “I’m not sure crazy is the right word for it… more like interesting.” She held the pack of smokes out to Faith in offering but younger girl shook her head.

“Interesting huh? In what way are we talkin’ here B?”

Buffy shrugged and took a long drag from her cigarette. “Well I guess that all depends on how you *satisfy* that post slayin’ hunger.”

Faith gave her a knowing look. “I’m startin’ to like the way ya think B.”

Buffy flashed her a fake smile. ‘You have know idea how I think F.’ She inwardly grimaced at the fraudulent look on her face. She may have been a vampire but she was for the most part against deception. She was evil and preferred to be upfront about it.

Faith abruptly stopped walking. “Did you hear that?”

Buffy frowned. Of course she heard it. She was a vampire for fuck sake. Not that Faith knew that, but still it had been a loud scream, not easily missed. “Yeah, I heard it.”

Faith looked around the graveyard trying to determine where the scream had come from when another suddenly ripped through the night air. This one was different though, deeper, more masculine. “It’s coming from over there.” She pointed off to their right in the direction of a mausoleum. “I guess it’s time for us to work huh B?” She said before she took off running.

Buffy clenched her jaw. She couldn’t believe what shit she had for luck. The last thing she wanted to do right now was go save a couple of idiot humans who didn’t have the brains to not going walking around Sunnydale's cemeteries at night.

But unless she wanted to give Faith reason for suspicion it looked like that was exactly what she was going to have to do. She looked up at the sky and shook her head. “You know my life has really degraded since I moved back to this town,” she muttered before following Faith.

Faith may have had the head start but Buffy was the faster of the two. She ran past the slayer, jumped off a headstone and landed on the roof of the mausoleum with her cigarette still intact.

Just off in the distance she could see a group of eight vamps circling around three humans. One of thas oas on the ground and the other two where standing on either side of their fallen companion in a protective manner.

Buffy took a drag off her cigarette. ‘Idiots.’ She jumped off the roof of the mausoleum and went towards the vamps at full speed.

‘I should probably have a plan of attack.’ She pulled her stake out of her waistband as she approached. “Fuck it.” She reached in her back pocket for her Zippo. 'My plans always end up going to hell' She flicked the lighter on and threw it at the nearest vamp.

The vampire instantly burst into flames and began running around his companions screaming in pain before crumbling into ash. Buffy stared at the pile of dust. “Wow! That was quite a thing.”

Growls erupted from the remaining seven, who had turned their attention away from their three captives and directed it at the blonde intruder.

Buffy looked at them with complete seriousness. “That wasn’t very nice, I know. But what you’re doing here, it’s wrong, and…” She shook her head and started laughing. “I’m sorry I just—that was too much for even me. Lets start over. I’m the slayer,” she pointed at herself with her stake. “Your vampires,” she pointed at them. “I think you know what happens next.”

All seven of them came at her at once, game faces on. She grinned wickedly. “Good, glad to see you all got the memo on that one.” She did a one handed cartwheel and flipped up kicking the two closest vamps in the chests before landing on her feet in the open space in front of the three humans.

“B-Buffy?”

Buffy furrowed her brow and turned around so that she was facing them. ‘Oh, my, fucking, god, you have got to be kidding me.’

Willow was staring at her in total shock. “You’re--you’re back.”

Xander smiled slightly. Given the circumstances how could he not be happy to see her? “Buffy, hate to sound grandma, but… you don’t call, you don’t write.”

Willow frowned. “You smoke? You’re a smoker? Since when are you a smoker…”

Xander pointed at the cigarette in her left hand. “Those things will kill you, you know?”

Buffy opened her mouth, but there were no words. This was quickly becoming the worst night of her life.

“Hey Buffy,” a calm voice said.

Buffy looked at the person lying on the ground. She smiled a little. The guy was always non-intrusive and stoic, even when he had a head wound and they were surrounded by vamps. “Hi Oz.” At the moment he was the only one of the lot of them she could stand.

Xander pointed behind her. “Buffy look--”

Buffy jumped back doing a flip over her oncoming attacker. She landed on her feet and thrust her stake into the vamps back making him instantly turn to dust.

“Nice one B.”

Buffy turned around to find Faith exchanging punches with one of the remaining six. “Took you long enough Faith,” she said as the slayer kicked the vamp in the chest, knocking him to the ground. “Did you get lost on the way over here, or do you just have a really bad sense of direction?”

Faith smirked as she bent down and staked the vamp. “What B, ya miss me?”

Buffy shook her head in annoyance. ‘I change my mind, it’s not too bad that I have to kill her.’ She grabbed the vamp that was charging at her by the shoulders and flipped him forward. He landed on his back right in front of Faith who wasted no time in plunging her stake into his dead heart.

Xander’s mouth was hanging open practically drooling as he watched Faith fight. “Wow, they should film this and show it every Christmas.”

Willow frowned and slapped Xander on the arm. “This is serious Xander, I think she’s…”

Oz weakly lifted his upper body off the ground so he was sitting up. “I’m gonna go out on a limb and say there’s a new slayer in town.”

Willow got down on her kneels next to her boyfriend. “Hey sweetie, why don’t you try not to move ok? Cause with the big bump on your head I’m thinking you might have a big old concussion.”

Oz just smiled endearingly at her and gave a small nod.

Buffy and Faith had each dusted another vamp leaving only two. Faith was getting about as many hits on her guy as he was getting on her. And Buffy, well, it seemed that her guy preferred more than just fists and fangs.

She ducked the blade that was aimed at her head and then jumped kicked the vamp in the chest hard enough to make him stagger back. “Nice sword. Where’d you get it?” She looked at the design on the handle. “Okinawa?”

The vamp looked impressed. “That’s very good. Where’d you get that?” He pointed at her stake with his sword. “The local lumber yard?”

Buffy grinned. “You’re funny. I kinda like you.”

The vamp returned the sentiment and then came at her, his sword whipping through the air. Buffy dodged every swing but her stake wasn’t so lucky, everything above where her hand was gripping it was sliced off.

“Alright, that was uncalled for.” She chucked her now useless stake aside.

“Somebody get me a stake.” She yelled as she grabbed the vamps free arm and flipped him onto his back causing him to lose hold of his weapon. She looked over at Faith but the younger girl didn’t look like she was fairing out much better.

“Xander!” Buffy pounced onto the vamp’s chest, pinning him down. She turned and looked at the boy. “A stake would be good about now.”

“Oh! Right.” Xander grabbed the bag that Willow had packed full of weapons for when they went patrolling. He fumbled around for a second before pulling out the first piece of wood that his fingers felt and threw it to Buffy. “Buffy, catch.”

Buffy put her hand out to catch the weapon but didn’t take her eyes off of her opponent who was still trying to kick her off his body. Her hand wrapped around the piece of wood and she instantly felt a scorching pain. She looked at her hand and growled. Xander had accidentally thrown her a cross instead of a stake. She threw the cross out of her smoking hand and rolled off the vampire, clutching her now skinless palm.

“Oh my god,” Xander and Willow said in unison. Both stood staring at Buffy, their eyes wide with shock and fear.

Xander pointed at her. “She’s—She’s a—a…”

“Vampire.” Willow finished sounding like someone had just run over her puppy.

Buffy looked at them and clenched her jaw. ‘Guess the games up.’ She rocked her legs back to her chest and thrust them forward, throwing herself into a standing position. She ran over and picked up her opponents fallen sword and then came back over to him.

He looked up at her curiously, unsure of what she was going to do.

“You’re a good fighter. I try to make it a point not to kill our kind unless they’re a disgrace or a threat to my family.” She offered him her hand. “And you’re neither.”

Faith pulled her vamp forward into her kneel then threw him to the ground. She bent down and thrust her stake into his chest and grinned at the pile of ash that formed in his place. “Damn,” she looked at her shirt, it was torn and a large gash of blood could be seen in the opening. She couldn’t remember at what point in the fight that had happened, with her adrenaline pumping like it was she hadn’t even felt it.

The vamp took Buffy’s offered hand and she lifted him to his feet.

“What the fuck is goin’ on here?” Faith demanded as she walked towards them.

Buffy ignored the question and turned to the vamp. “You should go.”

He motioned at the weapon she was holding. “Can I have my sword back?”

She smiled. “Think of it as payment for letting you continue with your un-dead life.”

The vamp smirked and gave a nod before turning and heading for the woods.

“Oh I don’t think so.” Faith held her stake by the tip and threw it like a knife at the retreating vamp, but Buffy prevented it from hitting its target by slicing it in half with her sword.

Faith’s face was a mask of anger and confusion. She folded her arms across her chest and stared at Buffy. “I know I haven’t been doing this as long as you B, but I’m pretty sure helping the vamps run away isn’t part of the job description.”

Buffy remained silent. There was a calm almost amused look on her face.

“Hey! Uh,” Willow called out to the brunette. She nudged Xander. “What did Buffy say her name was?”

Xander shrugged.

“Faith,” Oz answered.

“Right.” She nodded. “Faith,” the redhead urgently yelled. “She’s not what you think she is, she’s a--”

“Vampire.” Buffy cut in as she morphed into her game face.

Willow and Xander flinched at seeing their best friend’s face contort into that of a monster, but Faith didn’t move. She maintained eye contact with the blonde vamp, looking completely unfazed by the turn of events.

After a long moment she broke from Buffy’s gaze and looked at the girl’s former friends. Her eyes had turned cold. “Give me a stake,” she said through gritted teeth.

Xander and Willow looked torn. They understood that Buffy was a vampire, but it was so new. They weren’t prepared for something like this. They weren’t ready to kill their best friend.

Buffy sighed, she knew what her former friends were thinking. “Oz.”

The werewolf looked up at her.

“Why don’t you fetch Faith here a stake.”

Oz shrugged and grabbed their bag of weapons. He pulled out a stake and threw it to Faith who caught it without taking her eyes off of Buffy.

Faith gripped the stake tight in her hand. “You played me.”

Buffy nodded. “I did.”

“Why?”

“Besides the fact that I’m a vampire and therefore evil?”

Faith held her stake up ready to attack. “Yeah.”

Buffy lifted her sword a little. “You’re a threat to my family.”

Xander and Willow exchanged looks of confusion.

The redhead looked at Faith. “You were going to hurt Ms. Summers?” she sounded shocked.

“Willow.” Oz tapped on his girlfriend’s shoe until he got her attention. “I think she meant her vampire family.”

Willow did a silent ‘oh’ and nodded. “That makes more sense I guess--because Faith is a slayer--so why would she… I mean it’s her job to protect humans--so... so I’m just gonna shut up now.”

“You gonna use that?” Buffy casually asked as she pointed at Faith’s stake with her sword. “Or is it just for show?”

Xander nudged Willow with his elbow. “Will, she’s hurt.” He whispered into her ear. He pointed out the spot just below Faith’s ribs. The two friends exchanged looks of concern.

“Xander she’s losing a lot of blood. I don’t think she can beat Buffy in a fight like that.” The redhead whispered back.

Xander nodded in agreement and motioned for Oz to grab something out of the bag.

“Just for show?” Faith twirled the stake around in her hand. “I don’t know the meaning of the phrase B.”

Xander put his hands behind his back and Oz handed him a jar.

Buffy grinned at Faith. “You know I’d much rather fight you when you’re not,” she ped aed at Faith’s open wound, “bleeding profusely… but if you insist then who am I to deny.”

Faith returned the grin. “Oh I’m five by five B. This,” she motioned at her wound, “is nothing. Let me know how it feels when I plunge my stake into your cold dead heart.”

Just when it looked like Buffy was going to make her move Xander threw the jar at her.

Buffy moved but not soon enough. The jar smashed against her releasing holy water all over her body. She growled in pain as she felt her skin sizzle and burn.

Faith shot a disapproving look at the boy and then noticed that he and the redhead were each holding two more jars in their hands.

Even as her skin continued to smoke Buffy calmed herself. She inhaled a deep un-needed breath and morphed her face back to its human guise. Now wasn’t the time for this fight and she knew it. “Rest up slayer, casomesome time very soon you and I are going to have a confrontation. And it’s going to be the kind where only one of walks away.”

Faith nodded. “Count on it.”

With that said Buffy turned and ran for the woods. She moved so fast that she looked like nothing more than a blur and within seconds she was gone.

Faith let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding. She had come to Sunnydale to escape Kakistos and not only had he followed her here, but now she had a slayer turned vampire to deal with and it was only her first day in town.

“So…” Xander waved awdly dly at her. “You’re a slayer.”

Faith frowned. “*The* slayer by the looks of it.” She watched as the observation sunk into the three friends.

After a long moment of silence Willow spoke. “We need to talk to Giles… now.”

Faith furrowed her brow. “Giles?”

“Buffy’s watcher.” The redhead explained as her and Xander helped Oz to his feet. They each took a side and kept the werewolf steady as they walked.

“Well I guess you got your wish Will.”

The redhead gave her friend a confused look. "What are you talking about Xander?"

“Remember yesterday?”

Willow frowned still not having a clue what he was talking about.

“When you said wouldn’t it be great if Buffy just showed up tomorrow…” He sighed sadly. “Well it’s tomorrow... and here she was.”


“So much for all the promises you made, they served you well
and now you're gone and they're wasted on me.
So much for your endearing sense of charm, it served you well
and now it's gone and you're wasted on me.
Do what you must if that's what you wish,
I can't be a pardon to this
you have a sense that you were born with.”

-Dashboard Confessional, “Rapid Hope Loss”


TBC…