L.A. is a Battlefield

In Buffy and Dawn’s apartment in Rome, Dawn is sitting in the living room watching TV when Andrew walks in from being out all night, yet again. Smiling at Dawn he walks to the bathroom to freshen up for work. As he turns the corner, the phone rings. Dawn answers the phone.“Hello,” she answers.

“Yes I work for Angel and I must speak to Andrew. Tell him it is Lorne,” the voice on the other end of the line tells her.

Confused, she stops Andrew retreating from the room. Snapping her fingers, he turns to see her pointing to the phone.

“I'll be right back...so hold on,” she tells the person. Pushing a button on the phone that she thinks is hold, she waves Andrew over to her.

“Who is it? Dawn, what's wrong?” Andrew asks.

“It's some guy. Said his name was Lorne and he needs to talk to you. He said he works for Angel,” Dawn tells the once geek.

“Ah, yes the green guy. He was most fun...did I tell you Spike is alive?” Andrew smiles and draws into himself as he tells the young watcher about the once thought dead vampire.
“Well, he was never really alive. He was the undead,” Dawn tells him.

“Hey, you have me on speaker here. So can I talk to Andrew now?” Lorne calls from the phone.

Dawn rolls her eyes at the phone. “Green guy that works with Angel. Can he be trusted?” she asks.

“Speakerphone, can still hear you muffin,” Lorne sighs loudly. “Andrew, Angel’s in trouble and he needs back-up. Please stop talking about me and talk to me. We don’t have much time; the world needs your help,” he tells the two young watchers.

As Lorne told the two Angel's plan to take down Wolfram and Hart, Buffy and Faith wait in the living room. No one saw or heard them come into the apartment.

“So Angel is going to take on hell itself?” Faith asks, receiving a jump from the two watchers.

“Yes, I told him that he was crazy but this is his way,” Lorne told the group. “How are you doing sweet cakes?” he asks Faith.

“I’m okay, doing what I can...you know, fighting the other guy,” Faith said, rubbing her neck.

“Okay, so we need to get everyone together and moved out...how do we do that?” Buffy was the next to speak.

“I don’t know, but Lorne, I think it would be wise not to tell Angel that he’ll have back-up. He would never go with it. He would never want to put us into harms way,” Faith told the room and the man on the phone.

“Lorne, you just stay by the phone we’ll get everything ready here and contact you when we’re ready to move,” Buffy tells him and, without waiting for an answer, stabs the disconnect button on the phone. “Dawn, call Giles. Get Willow on the phone and let’s get a plan put together,” she gave her demands. Turning to Faith, she says “Look at you, getting all good idea-y. You should keep it coming.”
***

In the main conference room at the new Watchers Council, Buffy and company plan out how they would get the slayers and themselves to L.A. without alerting anyone of their presence.

Faith gets up from her chair, rubbing the back of her neck. She starts to pace. “I have an idea but it may be far fetched but hear me out.”

“Could it be any more far fetched than Willow making slayers from a scythe?” Xander asked.

“Okay, well, not as far fetched. But it’s coming from me so you know...far fetched.” Faith then put her hands on the table making sure she had everyone’s attention. “Willow and Kennedy will fly to Rome with all the girls you have, then all the slayers, watchers, and Xander will fly to California to different colleges within driving distance of Los Angeles. Then no one could detect a big slayer movement and no one will ever know that we’re meeting up in L.A.” Faith gave her thoughts. “Then when Giles flies to his college he can take the council’s jet and bring all the weapons,” she finished her thought out loud.

“Faith that is a great plan!” Willow pipes in on the phone.

“So we take forty girls each. This adding to 200 girls. What do you think Buffy, will that be enough?” Faith ends her plan asking Buffy what her thoughts were.

“Faith I have to stand with Will on this. You have come up with a great plan. So are we all in?” she asks the room and the two on the phone.

“Okay so we have a plan but who goes where?” Dawn asks.

Faith walks over to the big board that Andrew insisted they put up in the conference room. She rubs her neck again. Picking up a marker she turns to the group with a smile she writes out a list.

Dawn-Long Beach

Willow and Kennedy-San Francisco

Xander and Andrew-San Diego

Giles-Las Angeles

Buffy and Faith-Berkeley

“All of the colleges besides San Francisco are less than a day from L.A. So Willow and Kennedy you’ll have to leave first. Then we’ll meet in L.A. at UCLA. Any questions?” Faith turns to stunned faces. She smiles and moves back to the table. “We need to move on this now. Red, you and Ken will have to leave like, now, to get here. Dawn, I need you and Andrew to get all the plane tickets, car rentals, and hotels in order. Giles, the girls coming with Will and Ken and from other places won’t have weapons so Buffy and you need to get those in order for them and I’ll get the weapons in order for the girls going from here. Xander, there is research that needs to be done but you’ll like this kind. We need you to go through the database and find all the girls that have had the most field time. I think all the girls that fought in Sunnydale will need to be called. The rest of them left behind need to be ready to do their normal patrols while we’re gone.” Faith sat down as she thought of anything else that needed to be done. “Any input? I feel like I’m missing something,” she rubbed her neck.

“Faith, I think you have everything...great plan,” Buffy tells her counterpart.

“Well then, let’s move out!” the once dark slayer told the group.

“We’re on our way...Xander, I already have a list of the girls here and our plane tickets. See you all soon,” Willow says as she hangs up the phone.

Everyone left the big room all at once, getting to their jobs that Faith gave them.
***

In the weapons vault, Buffy, Giles, and Faith were gathering the weapons for the battle. Faith stopped in mid gather. “Giles, what happened to me back there? Where did the take charge slayer come from?” she put the question to the old watcher.

Giles takes his glasses off and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Faith, you always had the potential.”

“So it took something like this for it to come out?” Buffy asks, giving her counterpart a shrug.

“No. Buffy, Faith has shown that she had this potential before when she was in L.A. She took it upon herself to help Angel. From what I understand it was quite charmless and still a bit fuzzy, however, on the details, there seems to have been some sort of massacre and you had a hard time. Had to wrest some information from that dreadful dream. Angel did a vision quest and you trifled along with him.” He looked at his two slayers to find they were looking back at him with blank looks.

“Wow, Giles, can you vague that up for us?” Buffy smiles at her old watcher.

“You see, Faith, the potential has always been there. Today was just your time to lead,” he told her.

“So what he is trying to say Faith is...you done good!” Buffy giggled.

“So I am no longer the worstest?”Faith joined in with the giggling as she rubbed her neck.

They all went back to gathering the weapons. Buffy had noticed that Faith had been rubbing her neck. She thought it could be just the stress of the new battle coming up. Then it occurred to the blond that Faith had been rubbing her neck for a while. She couldn’t let the dark beauty go into battle with this going on, she had to find out what was wrong. Then Faith put the last of her weapons in the last bag and walked out of the vault. Buffy made a mental note to talk to her counterpart about this.
***

Willow and Kennedy made it to Rome with forty girls. Willow thought it was odd that no one questioned that such a large group of young women were flying halfway around the world. They didn’t even question as they went through customs. She was also concerned that most of the slayers had false passports and still made it through; she just knew they would have to do some touch up before going to the United States. Willow knew for a fact that customs would never let the girl with false passports into the country.

Xander waited at the baggage claim for his two friends and the slayers. He paced for what felt like hours, he could not wait to see Willow again. Before leaving, Buffy teased him about if he wanted to make a sign with a yellow crayon. He then thought of his time with Willow on the bluff and how much everything has changed.

Willow shook herself out of her thoughts when she saw her old friend. “You know seeing you is so nice but I thought you would have a sign,” she smiled at Xander as she gave him a hug.

“Make fun if you like, but I saved the world that day!” he pouted.

“Yes Xander, we know how you saved the world with your words and words about a yellow crayon,” Kennedy tried to tease, but fell short from the jet lag she was already feeling. “If this is going to happen every time I fly, then going to the States is really going to suck,” she complained, the whole time she was getting her and Willow’s bags.

“Okay girls, get your bags we have to hurry. We have a lot to cover before we can do anything else,” Xander told the girls that came with his friends. “We have to get back to the office before dark,” he went on.

“Problems with the pale and fanged types around here?” Kennedy asked.

“No, well, I don’t know. I’m not allowed out of the office much...I just can’t drive at night. Or at day.” He grabs some bags and walks towards the van.

“So if you can’t drive, how did you get here?” the young slayer asked.

“Well Ken, Andrew drove me and he will be driving you as well,” Xander tells her.

“Is that driving us to the office or crazy?” Willow smiles, remembering the times she, Xander, and Buffy joked back and forth.

“You know Will, I would love nothing more than to slide back into our old fun time banner but now isn’t the time. We have too much on our plates and if we lose track people die,” he says as he walks to the van, waving at Andrew as much as he could. He finds that he had grabbed most of the bags.

“Hello Willow, Kennedy, and lots of girls. Pile in, we have lots of room for the bags in the back.” Andrew greets the girls as the two made their way to the van.

“Wow all work and no play for these guys,” Willow whispers to her lover.

Kennedy nods and moves to get into the van. She wonders what had changed these two guys; one from a clown and the other a geek. She made a mental note that after the battle she would get to the bottom of their change. But first she would have to get these girls to L.A. and back in one piece. She then started thinking to herself of why this vampire with a soul would take on what could only be known as hell itself.

Back at the office there was no time for hellos and how are you’s they had to get right down to business. Faith, leading most of the meeting, was not wasting any time as the girls and other slayers moved into the office building. “Red and Ken, it’s nice to see you. Kennedy, I need you to help out on some strategies and get weapons techniques down. We have some new weapons that I think you’ll like to play with. I know Buffy and I had some fun,” Faith chatted with the two newcomers as they waited for the meeting to start.

“What kind of new weapons?” Kennedy questions with a smile.

“We have made a couple catapults,” Buffy fills in with a childlike hop.

“So where did you get catapults?” Willow asked.

“Andrew thought it would be a good weapon to have. We can cover more ground with them,” Giles puts to the new group.

“So Andrew downloaded the plans for one. Him and Xander made them,” Buffy said.

“Didn’t help that Faith was...assisting...and broke three of them. We don’t have time to play around and miss slayer here keeps breaking all the weapons...exactly whose side are you on?” Xander complained without his usual sarcastic smirk.

“He’s a little uptight.” Kennedy mentioned to her lover. She couldn’t figure out what made him so uptight and not his old joking way. “Will, what happened to him? He wasn’t this way after the battle with the First or before, for that matter. Can you talk to him?” She was getting worried about the young man and wanted answers.

“Kennedy, we need to go do weapons now. Don’t worry about Xander, he’s just getting cabin fever he can’t drive or leave the office without someone with him. That means no going out for walks alone or going on dates,” Faith told the worried young slayer.

“Well, not going on dates is good he’s demon magnet,” Willow told Faith.

“Will, you need to go with Dawn to plan out the traveling...and he dated Cordy so he wasn’t always a demon magnet...wait she was a mega bitch though.”

The day went on with everyone doing what was asked of them. Faith and Buffy showed Kennedy and the other slayers the weapons. They talked about strategies and techniques and Giles showed them how to use the catapults. Dawn and Willow worked on the travel plans. They needed to get all the money in order and fake ID’s to get the plane tickets and rental cars. They don’t want anyone tipping off Wolfram and Hart, so they had to have a good cover story and a plan to cover their tracks.

Xander and Andrew were at the airports getting the other slayers that were coming in. Faith had the new slayers use two of the three major airports in Rome. Xander took one of the slayers that was stationed in Rome to Fiumicino and Andrew went to Ciampino. This way no one could track a large slayer movement. As Xander waited for the girls, he thought to himself how far Faith has come from the first time he met the dark haired beauty. She had come so far and she is showing that she can be more than the girl that is dropped into the hornets nest. He never thought she would ever show any kind of leadership but she has proven him wrong, like everyone he works with. Xander didn’t know how to tell the people that he loved and fought next to that he was done with this life. He wanted to leave. He didn’t feel like he was useful anymore, not that he was before he lost his eye. He felt like he was just in the way and Buffy just put up with him because he was a friend. He thought about asking Willow if he could go back to Brazil with her but then he would be just in the way in another country. Xander didn’t know what to do, he just knew he had these feelings.

“Hey you just going to walk around and not say hello?” A voice called to him pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Vi, wow you look good! Come here and give me a hug,” he pulled the young slayer into a big hug.

Vi pulled back looking at the man that she had grown to care about. “So what had you so lost?” she asks.

“Nothing. I was just thinking. So, how many did you bring with you?” Xander wasn’t in the mood to tell the girl that he was indeed thinking about leaving all that he ever knew.

“Well, it’s like home coming around here. I brought forty girls and thirty-eight of them were in Sunnydale. So what were you thinking about that had me trying to get your attention for the last five minutes? Is it that bad that you can’t keep you mind on what’s in front of you?” Vi pressed the young man for information.

“No, just lost in thought of how beautiful Rome is,” he lied.

“Well, that it is, but we should get these girls back so we can get to work. The way Dawn sounded on the phone we’re looking at some hard work,” she told him not wanting to push anymore.

Xander snapped his head back looking at her. She was the one Dawn talked to. He couldn’t believe how far she had come from the scared little girl that would curl up in the coroner and cry every night. “So you’re the head person where your at, wow, that is really cool, you’ve came a long ways.” Now all he wanted to do is curl up in a corner and cry himself.

“Well, not so much as the head guy as much as I was closest to the phone. We really don’t have a head person to answer as we don’t have a watcher. So we all just watch out of each other. I do the paperwork for Buffy, but I wouldn’t call myself the head guy,” she couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. “Well, let’s go back to the office. I could use a shower before we get down to business.” She waved her hand to the other girls. Most of them Xander remembered. She pointed in the direction that he was walking for the girls to follow. ‘I’ll just ask Dawn what his deal is,’ Vi thought to herself as she climbed into the van.
***
That night at the office, the girls all gathered into a large courtyard, tables and chairs had been sat up. Notebooks with pencils had been laid out for them. Faith and Buffy took their place at the large table in the front of the courtyard. Andrew sat next to the large board he had brought out so plans could be written out for the slayers. Xander and Dawn sat at each end of the table with notebooks in front of them. In the back of the courtyard, at a table with books heaped around him, Giles could barely be seen. He was trying to find which demons they would be fighting. As the girls all came in and sat at the tables they were assigned, Buffy started the meeting.

“As you see, you all have notebooks so you can write down the plan and where you are going to be. Andrew had drawn an ally in the cover of all your books. If you open them, you’ll see where you are to be stationed. Faith has covered who gets what weapons and you can see that all of you will have a sword. Faith also has covered who goes with whom and what colleges you’ll go to. So I guess this where Faith will take over,” Buffy finished the opening of the meeting. She was happy to turn the girls over to Faith and was equally as happy to see Faith taking charge. Not that she didn’t want the job, for she has had it for so long, but she was happy to see her counterpart become the leader that Buffy always knew she could be.

Faith stood up and walked to the board. She rubs her neck and then turns to the girls. “As you can see there are names and colleges on your tables. These are the people that you will join up with after the meeting and the colleges that you’ll be going to. Andrew has also put this information into your notebooks.” She turns to Andrew. “Thank you for your help on the meeting. Now can you please turn the board.” She smiled at him and moved out of the way so the boy could turn the board showing the ally he had drawn the night before. “This is the ally and we will have six points of attack and five waves in which we’ll attack. You’ll also find which squad you’ll be within your notebooks. The first and second waves will be stationed here; the second wave will be witches casting spells. Willow and Giles have given you that are witches the spells you’ll be using. If you have to have anything to go with the spell you’ll find a pouch in your books. I have no clue what this shit is, so I hope you do. You will also fight within another squad, so when your spells are done, you’ll find where you need to go in you books.” Faith stops and looks at Buffy. So if she had anything to add, this would be the time. Buffy nods at her to go on. Faith takes a deep breath and rubbing her neck, she moves on. “Third and fourth wave you’ll be stationed here; you’ll be too high for ground hand to hand. If any of the evil bastards get up that high, then you can get into the hand to hand. The fifth wave will be on the rooftops this is where you’ll have fun with large crossbows and the catapults. Andrew has built several large crossbows and catapults. They have already been sent to an ally in L.A. They will be there waiting for us. Those of you that will be working with these weapons have been trained on them. They are the same weapons, no surprises. Xander will be walking around giving everyone a head set. We’ll all be connected so every command will be heard.” She turned to Buffy once again to see if she had any input. Buffy smiled at her and nodded. Buffy was surprised on how well Faith was doing and how she had got this attack down to the communications. She was proud of the slayer; she was really coming into her own. Then there was Andrew. She couldn’t believe how he had raised up became one of them, then she wondered when all of this happened. She couldn’t remember Andrew complaining once through this whole thing. She smiled at Faith one more time. “So now that you have all the information, do any of you have any questions?” She turned her attention to the slayer army before her.

“Are we going to be in anything that is going to fall down on us or leaving a huge hole in the ground? You see, I kind of like L.A. where it is.” Vi asked, trying to lighten the mood in the courtyard.

“I don’t think L.A. will be a huge hole,” Faith smiled at the slayers.

“Good. Cuz that really sucked last time. Now what about first aid, do we have any?” she went on with her true concern. “I know that last time, we had first aid but there wasn’t enough, and in the end we lost some good fighters and friends.” Vi let her head drop at the thought of losing another friend in her arms.

“I know we didn’t have enough then and from that point we have stocked up. We have a moving hospital almost.” This time it was Dawn that spoke, she too had lost a good friend and never wanted to go into battle without the aid that would be needed. “I will be running the aid as it is needed and everyone will have a combat first aid kit with them and there will be a first aid person in every unit.” Dawn stood up and pulled out of a box the combat kit to show the girls what they will have. “Later on, you’ll all have a chance to look at this kit to see what you have and if you have any questions, they will be answered at that time,” Dawn finishes her speech. Buffy looked around at the slayer army and then at the leaders. She knew they had to win or it would crush Faith. She knew that this leader stuff scared Faith; the last time she took the leader roll she got herself blown up. Buffy was afraid that if everything didn’t go to plan, she would lose Faith. She knew that this was a turning point for Faith and she also knew that failure was not an option. Faith has come such a long way in such a short time. She has taken on this with no one pushing her to take the lead. Buffy looked up to the dark haired woman and saw how beautiful she was and how strong. Buffy no longer wanted to take Faith into her arms to protect her but to hold her close to feel her strength. “Okay, everyone knows what they have to do, so now it’s time to relax before the big move out. Dawn is set up in the main hall for those of you that have questions on first aid. Andrew has set up a concession table. If you want to get something to eat, follow him to the small courtyard.” Buffy moved over to Faith who was looking at the board rubbing her neck.

“So you going to tell me why you keep doing that or do I get to guess...multiple choice maybe?” She carefully laid her hand on Faith’s, stopping her rubbing. As Faith turned to face her, Buffy could see that she had been crying. “No, Faith don’t cry, you have to stay strong. You are their leader and they need you.” Buffy pulled Faith’s hand close to her chest. Buffy felt her own blood pump faster at the warmth of her touch. “Faith, remember, don’t be scared to lead them. Oh gods, I am so proud of you the way you stood up and took charge...” She was cut off by a voice from behind them.

“That’s hot...that’s really hot.” Looking back, Buffy saw a young girl standing behind them with a smile.

“Rona...well nice to see you.” Buffy felt her face turning red but she never dropped Faith’s hand nor did Faith move her hand.

“Buffy, we need to get work done. We have to get these girls...no slayers, to the airports in the morning and some have to leave tonight.” Faith looked at Rona, who never took her eyes off the two. She then bent down and pressed her lips to Buffy’s.

They kissed until Rona left the room. Buffy broke the kiss for more of the need of air. “Wow, you’re not just a great leader with a pretty face,” She was red but she didn’t know if it was from her kissing this beautiful woman in front of Rona or if it was because Faith had never done that to her before.

“Yeah, well, dreams come true when you wait for them,” Faith smiled at the red faced woman.

“You dreamed of being a leader?” Buffy joined the smile, looking down she still had Faith’s hand held tight. She loved the feeling of Faith that close to her. She didn’t think she wanted them to be anything more, but she did know she never wanted to let this beauty that had become so special her go. Buffy looked up into big dark eyes.

“Well I can say I never dreamed of being a leader so I guess it’s the kiss.” She moved away, then walked to the door, turning to look at Buffy, smiling. “But the question is, whose dream was it; yours or mine?” Then she turned and walked into the building.
****
Later that night, the office building was alive with activity. Willow and Kennedy and their slayers were getting ready to leave. “Hey Red, when you get to San Francisco get your car right away. You’ll need to get on the road. Do you have your directions to your hotel? And you have enough money for food and gas?” Faith knew she was worried about the wrong person but she was worried about everyone. She knew she was their leader and ultimately she had to take care of all of them, no matter who they were.

“Faith, we’ll be just fine. And if I don’t get a chance to tell you, I’m proud of you!” Willow leaned down and gave Faith a kiss on her cheek. “You’ve been a good leader. I can’t wait to see how the rest turns out.” Then she walked out the door to catch up with the others.

“Wow, Faith, everyone wants to kiss you today,” Rona says throwing her bag over her shoulder.

“Yeah, but I think I’m going to stop with Willow. Don’t want Kennedy here to think I’m after her lady.” Faith slapped Kennedy on the shoulder as she walked by.

Kennedy smiled and walked to the door, handing over her bag to the girl waiting for it. She smiled at Faith. She didn’t want to get in to the prefight banter too early. As she walked through the door she looked over at Xander who was sitting by himself. She thought this was odd for him to not be with the gang. She couldn’t get the thought out of her head the feeling that they would be fighting Xander and this feeling was killing her. Faith watched her watching Xander. She knew the young slayer had been questioning what Xander’s problem was so she had to put an end to her worry. Faith knew that there was no room for worry in a battle. There was no way to keep your mind on what was going on around you.

“Hey Ken, come here I need to talk to you before you go,” Faith called to her. Kennedy walked over and sat down next to Faith. “Look, Xander’s fine. Well not so much, but he’ll be ok. He hasn’t been the same since Sunnydale. He lost so much there, he didn’t just lose Anya; he lost his family. Buffy told me one night that he couldn’t get his folks to leave and they were killed. So yeah, he’s in his head a lot. I haven’t told anyone but I think this may be his last fight. If he comes back with us then it will only be to get his things, I think we have lost him.” Faith let her head drop so she could wipe a stray tear.

“That would be a shame. We would be losing a great fighter. Man, his whole family?” Kennedy didn’t know where to put her hands. She couldn’t start to think how it would feel to lose her whole family, she felt so bad for him. She finally put her hand on Faith’s, making the dark woman look at her. “You know we’re your family, right?” she asked not knowing if the tear was for Xander or herself. She knew that Faith didn’t have a family and she knew the girl didn’t always feel like she fit in.

“I know that you all are my family and that makes this whole battle even worse, because I know I won’t be bringing you all home.” She then let another tear fall, this time not catching it. “I saw a poster one time. It said ‘Soldiers by Choice Brother by War’ and I thought it was the corniest thing I ever read, then I went back to Sunnydale and fought the First and found that I do have a family. Now what do I do, I’m leading all of these young girls into a battle that we don’t know if any of us are coming out of it alive. Fuck Kennedy, I used to like to be on top, now...not so much.” She then let the last of the fighting tears fall freely. Buffy had heard the conversation. She moved over so the younger slayer could leave. Kennedy looked into Buffy’s eyes and knew that Faith would be in good hands. She knew that look. She had seen it a thousand times from Willow.
***

The next day, Xander and Andrew waited at the gates to escort the slayers and squadron leaders to their right gates. Then they escorted their slayers to their plane. Xander was joking with Vi, the whole way to the plane and the whole plane ride to their first layover. Vi, somehow, was able to get through to him, to get him to come out of his shell. They sat together and made fun of the movie and food. When they fell asleep, they would snuggle together. Others on their plane thought that they were getting really close. Andrew prayed that night that nothing happens to Vi, he was afraid that if she didn’t make it, the slayer world would lose more than one good slayer; they would lose Xander as well. He didn’t know how much loss Xander could take before the unthinkable would happen.
***

The plane finally landed on the runway and taxied to a stop. Willow reach her other hand to Kennedy laying it down gently. “Kennedy, baby, you can let go now, we’ve stopped. Baby, please let go of my hand. Pain...hurting now!” Willow finally convinced Kennedy that planes don’t fall off the runway and she was safe. Willow then started to think about the false passports and hoped that they would get past customs. She took some deep breaths. She didn’t want to be the one getting caught because she looked suspicious. As the made their way to customs, Willow was surprised to see the line wasn’t all that long. “Guess no one wants to come to the U.S. today,” she joked with her lover.

“I don’t know if there was any planes left for anyone else; the Slayer Girls took almost all of them from Rome.” She could see the closer they got to customs the more nervous Willow became. They were next and Willow look like she would say just about anything.

“Welcome to the United States. Are you here on business or pleasure?” The customs officer asked the red head.

“So how long do you think Buffy and Faith have been together?” Kennedy asked her lover to bring her back to the earth.

“Pleasure and we should be here for a month. Here’s my passport.” Willow shot a look at her lover.

“Oh you’re an American. Welcome home,” the officer spoke again.

“Thank you,” she said then walked through.

“Hello, welcome to the United States. Are you here for business or pleasure?” the customs officer asked Kennedy.

“Pleasure, as long as the evil of L.A. is under control,” she said as she handed over her passport.

“Thank you and god bless, of course.” Then she blew the officer a kiss. Willow turned as red as her hair and dropped her head into her hand.

“I think you somehow became the old Faith...she didn’t have a glowing thingy, never mind. What do you mean, how long Buffy and Faith have been together? They’re not together. Buffy would have told me, or at least Dawn would have. How could she do this and not tell me. So I live in another country. Does that mean she can’t tell me things? I thought we were best friends,” Willow babbled.
***

As they all met up at UCLA, Buffy and Faith started over to the others. Willow could see that they were walking close to each other and holding hands. “Oh gods, Kennedy, you were right! Look they’re holding hands,” she cried to her lover.

“Um, yes dear...but somehow you missed the big black bag they’re both carrying. But I can see how you thought they were holding hands. Now I think you need to get over this, I was joking,” Kennedy laughed at her lover.

Rona walked up to the two lovers smiling. “Oh Kennedy, I think she’s right. I saw them kissing the other day in the courtyard.” She couldn’t help herself. She loved the way Willow squirmed at the thought that her best friend had a secret.

“Rona, how about you go and see if the catapult shoots well,” the dark haired slayer told the young girl.

“How do I do that?” she asked.

“You sit in the bowl and pull the rope.” She pointed in the direction of the alley.

“So sugar cakes, we all here?” Lorne asks he walks out onto the quad.

“Yeah Lorne. Good to see you,” said Faith, giving the green demon a hug. “So what’s with the Humphrey Bogart look?”

“I’m on my way to meet an unsavory gentleman and I thought less I attracted attention the better. I have to meet him soon so we have to make this quick. Your catapults and crossbows are in position at Angel’s rendezvous point.” Lorne then told them where the alley was. “Good luck peach cakes, I won’t see you after the battle. This will be my last song and dance.” Then he turned and walked away.
***

The slayers, watchers and Xander walked into the alley. Andrew spoke up for the first time. Most of the girls didn’t know he could talk, he was always so quiet. “Okay ladies, I need you to put on your hearing apparatus so I can test them.” He watched as most of the girls didn’t know what he was talking about.

“What Obi-can’t-get-none means is your headsets,” Faith tells the group and watches as the girls puts the headsets on.

“Ok so check, check, check 1, 2, check 2, 3...” Andrew checks the sound.

“ANDREW! They work. Now kindly shut up,” Buffy tells him as nicely as she could.

“Okay enough fooling around. We have work to do. Now you all know where you need to be, so get there,” Faith ordered.

“Wait for the signal,” Buffy tells the girls as they ran to their positions.

“What’s the signal?” Xander asked.

“Remember when the Hellmouth opened in the library?” Giles questioned.

“Yes.”

“Well it will be like that. Just a lot bigger,” Giles told the young man.

“Oh, bloody hell,” said Xander.

“Hey, that’s my line.”

Faith, Buffy, Xander, Willow, Kennedy, Dawn and Giles all stood in a circle in silence. They looked at each other in awe that they are now back in the States fighting all together again.

“So what do you want to do afterwards?” Buffy asked.

“I vote for mini golf. I know this town has to have one,” Xander answered and the banter was on.

“Shopping,” Dawn put her idea in with a child like hop as she clapped her hands.

“Dancing. Something you do after slaying,” Faith spoke up.

“You mean to help with the hungry and horny’s?” Kennedy asked plus she liked to see Willow squirm, too.

“So we going to fight or go over our sexual habits?” Giles asked.

“You have sexual habits, Giles? Oh please, don’t tell me. I think we should do a vid night.” It was Willow’s turn to add her thoughts.

“Well, I think we can keep those habits to ourselves. I know I feel more comfortable...yes, yes alone is better,” Giles said.

“Again with the blood hell,” Xander spoke as he reached for Buffy’s hand.

“I’ll see your bloody hell and raise you a gross.” Buffy took his and Willow’s in the other.

“Check.” Faith took Dawn’s and Kennedy’s.

“I call.” Kennedy takes Giles’s

“Oh the world should most definitely fold,” Giles said as he takes Xander’s hand. They all look at each other then break and walk off the their positions. They would not see each other until after the battle.
***

The slayers walked to the opening of the alley looking to the back they could see a junk yard. This would be where Dawn would set up her first aid station. Looking up from the junk yard on the building on the right side, Andrew took his place on the fire escape and hid in the shadows. Giles made his was to the top of the same building. This way he could see the battle unfold and call any technical options. The two buildings at the front of the alley the witches made their way to the rooftops and readied themselves for the spells they would cast when the battle began then take to the weapons the large crossbows and catapults. Buffy and Willow took one building with the witches and Faith took the other. The feeling of deep fear came into Buffy’s heart as she looked over at the dark slayer. She could see her big dark beautiful eyes and her strong arms that seem to call to her. Buffy shook the feeling off. She knew that she would be in Faith’s arms soon and Angel would be still alive to help save the world.

Faith had told all the slayers that this would be a divide and conquer mission. They would have waves coming from the sides, top, and back. If any slayers survive then full on killing spree. Faith’s words rang loud in all the girl’s ears as they took their places. “We’re going to bring the hornet’s nest to us!”

In the same building as Faith, the slayers took their places in windows of every floor and doorways to the alley. The rest of the slayers would wait a few blocks down the street to give a surprise attack from behind. Kennedy stands in the light. No one knows this slayer and she can walk in the open. Kennedy can’t bring herself to hide. She knows that Willow and the others that she cares for are all in the alley facing what can only be certain death. She wanted to be by Willow’s side, she wanted to be there to hold her hand or to give her their last kiss. “I know I have no right to ask. I know I took her heart but I love her. I need you to look over her at this time that I can’t. Please bring her back to me. I don’t pray but I can beg so this is me begging. Please Tara, watch over her.” Kennedy then took her place with her slayer sisters.
***

The four last standing heroes of Angel Investigations talk as the demons of the underworld are coming down the alley after them. They stand and ready themselves for the battle that would never be won. Andrew steps out of the shadows. He had perched himself on a fire escape over looking the alley below.

“Let's go to work!” Angel tells his friends.

“Oh, yes, shall we?” Andrew says to himself. He watches as Angel and company fight with no knowledge that back up has come. Andrew stands tall, bringing his arms above his head, talking into his headset he gives his commands.

“FIRST WAVE...ATTACK!” Slayers came from all doors into the demon mass, swords stabbing and cutting as they made their way through the first ranks of demons. Screams of slayers and the undead called out into the night air as blood of all colors fell to the ground and the bodies of the fearless fighters crashed to the floor making the first of the body count. Calls of young girls calling for first aid could be heard from the rooftops. Dawn stood strong, she knew that she had to stay where she was and not run to the cries for help. She knew that the slayers were well trained and she had armed them well.

“SECOND WAVE WITCHES READY...ATTACK!!” Smoke poured from the rooftops as demons fell to their deaths, heads exploding and bodies crumbing under the power of the witches’ spells. Then the powerful women took to their weapons and awaited orders from their squad leaders.
***

On the roof of the building that Andrew calls his commands from the fire escape, Giles is watching the battle below. He felt a presence behind him. Drawing his sword, Giles comes face to face with a green demon. “Hey cupcake, could you put that pointy offence down before you hurt someone? I work for Angel. Well I did, that is. My name is Lorne.”

Giles lowered his sword and returned it to its sheath. “I apologize. I was unaware of your affiliation with the vampire.” Giles moved to the side so Lorne could look onto the battle below.

“Who ever contacted us was smart and timely,” Giles said as he watched the battle and smiled when he saw one of the slayers take off the head of the giant.

“Yes, one last job.”

“Was this planned for us to be called for back-up?” Giles questions, trying to put the plan into place.

“No...I thought they could use the help...this is my last hand in this game. Angel called the bluff,” Lorne tells the watcher.

“Wait, so you were the one that called,” Giles asked.

“Yes...and I fold.”

“You'll fight no longer?” Giles questions with a disbelieving tone.

“No, and if Angel makes it, remind him to never call on me again,” Lorne tells the watcher with a sad tone.

The dragon blows out its fire and buildings were lit, smoke poured from everywhere. Giles turned to ask another question but Lorne was gone. Gone in a puff of smoke and Giles knew he would live up to his word and Lorne would never be seen again.

Andrew called to his troops, “THIRD AND FOURTH WAVE WEAPONS AT THEIR READY...ATTACK!” Slayers with crossbows with flaming arrows emerge from every window of the buildings along the alley. With makeshift catapults on the rooftops with fire billowing from the bowls. With a swift hand gesture from Andrew, they fire their weapons, finding their targets true and whole. The screams of the demons below ring out.

The slayers from behind ready themselves, waiting for Kennedy’s battle cry to attack. They wait with swords and crossbows. Kennedy calls into her headset, her commands loud and true. “CROSSBOWS UP...FIRE! HAND TO HAND...ATTACK!” Arrows put to flame fly through the air like a glowing canopy in the smoky night sky. Slayers with swords gripped in sweaty hands run headlong into the fight.
***

Andrew makes his way to the roof. He walks to Giles. “Faith was right, divide and conquer was the way to go...but I wonder, did hell think it was a good idea as well?” he asks, almost frightened that the warriors of hell may have the same idea.

“Do you see any signs of the demons dividing?” Giles questioned, almost smugly.

“No...just a lot of goo.” Andrew looks down at the scene of the ending battle before them. Brown and green goo was quickly building up in the alley below. Slayers slow their swords, crossbows are lowered, and the catapults cease to fire and all falls quiet on the battlefield. As the smoke settles, Angel and slayers making their way out of the wreckage, tired and broken. Angel looks around to find Gunn’s body. With tears falling from his eyes, he looks up to see Faith and Buffy standing before him. Looking around, he see all the slayers walking out of buildings and through the mass demon and human body count. He turns back to the two women before him. Grabbing them, he falls to his knees and began to cry openly.

“Thank you.”

Spike moves to the shadows and then turned to leave. He feels a powerful hand pushing on his chest. “You can not run this is your place as well as Angel’s,” Illyria tells the fleeing vampire. “You are in her heart, as is he, but she loves another. You are a hero, a champion, and you are needed here. Shall I lie to you? Would the girl’s face help you feel the truth?” The god asks as Fred comes before Spike.

“Please don’t, please don’t be her.” Spike turns, catching Buffy’s hazel eyes looking back at him. He knew that he was needed, as his dead heart fell for he was no longer wanted.
****
The slayers, Angel and company took rooms at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel to get showers and much needed rest. Dawn set up a first aid station in her suite. With the help of Vi and Rona, they ran the station with the competency of a hospital. The generals sit in a large conference room talking about the battle and filling Giles in how the plan went down.

“Lorne called days ago for Andrew. He thought he was our go to guy.” Dawn looked to the group for hidden smiles. “Anyway, moving on....”

“So Dawn here puts him on hold to find out if he was cool or not...did I tell you all that Spike was alive? Look!” he points to bleached hair vampire. Andrew pulled a stupid grin on his face. “We so have to put that on the board.” He gets up, runs to the big board he found in the room and draws a bad picture of Spike then draws a heart around him. “If Spike is alive, will Buffy fall into his cold awaiting arms or will she run back to Angel, her first love? May we even ponder the idea that there is yet another love for the blond beauty?” Andrew speaks.

“Buffy, can I get a crossbow? I would really like to shoot him now,” Faith says. “I don’t mean to be rude but you’re blue. So shouldn’t we have killed you in the alley?” Faith asks Illyria.

“No,” The god answers without looking to the dark slayer.

“So Angel, are we done? Is there more Wolfram and Hart?” Dawn asked.

“Dawnie, I’m sorry, but there will always be a Wolfram and Hart. But I killed their inner circle, so I think they may have slowed down,” Angel told the teen.

“Where is Cordy?” Buffy asked. Looking around, realizing she hadn’t seen the drama queen.

Angel didn’t know how to tell her what had happened to his good friend. So he looked to Spike to answer the blond. “Buffy, Cordy was put into a coma when she gave birth to a god that brought world peace. So Angel here killed the god. Cordy died in her sleep, she never made it out of the coma.” He looked to Angel to see if he had told the story right.

“Cordy gave birth to a god that brought world peace. Is that right?” Buffy asked.

“Yes, she did,” Angel answered.

“So, you killed the god that brought world peace?” Buffy asked again.

“Yeah I did.”

“Do you not like world peace?”

“Well, yes, that’s what we’re fighting for.”

“Well, you’re making it kind of hard, killing the world peace god thingy.”

“She was all maggots and ate souls!”

“We all have are down falls!”

“Dose everyone have to be in a coma?” Faith asked.

“Cordy was put into a coma because of a god.”

“Yeah, but I was first. So Queen C just thought she was being left out.”

“Faith, you’re tired. We should get you to bed,” Buffy told her.

“Um, Buffy, you’re going to take her to bed?” Angel asked.

“Yes.”

“So the dork was right, you have another love?”

“Still baking, so shut up.”

“She’s dangerous.”

“You killed world peace.”

“Um.”

“I win...Faith, bed, now!”

TBC*** Feed back please