Living For Love - (1) Rolling Into Town

Tasha

Chapter Summary: Faith and Wesley arrive in Sunnydale. Spike and Buffy are there to greet them. Words are exchanged, and the newcomers are given the opportunity to see the truth from the lies they've been told. Will the newcomers listen to what the find out, or will their prejudices and preconceived notions make them turn a blind eye to the possibilities of a new life in Sunnydale?

Disclaimer and Distribution notes are listed on the Index page of this story.

"Will you stop shaking already, Watcherman?" Faith rolled her eyes in annoyance at the man standing next to her.

"But the vamp ... vampires," Wesley stuttered. Dressed from head to toe in tweed and loafers, the Watcher looked like an easy target for any hungry vamps. The threatening cross in his hand lost most of its danger factor because it shook heavily. He rubbed his elbows and knees to get rid of the dirt and dust on them from his rolling fall in the middle of the street during the fight.

Faith brushed her hands off. "Were you absent during your Watcher training on vampire staking day?" She tucked the stake back in her waistband, up along her spine. "They're gone. I'm not worried about a couple fledges, and neither should you."

"There is no need to be insulting Miss ... " Wesley held onto his glasses with one hand while Faith pulled him along behind her.

Faith stopped abruptly, swung around to face her Watcher, and pinned a steely glare on him. "So help me if you call me Miss anything again you won't need to worry about vampires because I'll kill you myself."

Wesley huffed and puffed in astonishment. His Slayer showed no respect for his training, leadership, or position with the Council. He'd already learned the futility of arguing with Faith. "I still don't understand why the Council didn't arrange for daytime travel accommodations from the bus stop. It is unsafe to travel at night on a," He looked back and forth to check for anyone around them, "Hellmouth," he finished the sentence in a whisper.

"Hello, Slayer here." Faith wanted to throttle her new Watcher. He was quite cute to look at, but his fears were getting on her nerves. She held no doubts about why the Council assigned him to her. "Didn't you get the memo Watcherman? The Council wants me dead, and I'm afraid you are a bonus along for the ride. Two for the price of one deal at the morgue today."

"That's preposterous!" Wesley puffed up his pathetically lacking chest. "My father is renowned with the Council. They wouldn't dare do this to my family."

"You must have disappointed Daddy Dearest one too many times," Faith quipped. She'd only known Wesley for a week, and she already wanted to kill him herself.

A deep male voice emerged from the shadows, "'Fraid that I have to agree with Sparky there Tweed Boy."

"You weren't sent here to save puppies and Christmas," An equally dark, but female voice, followed shortly after the male's voice. "You were given a one-way ticket to Hell and a push to speed up the journey." On the side she muttered to the man next to her, "And Giles thought I was hard to handle?"

Wesley's and Faith's heads snapped in the direction of the voices. Wesley trembled, and Faith took up a defensive stance. Her previous Watchers told her stories about Sunnydale's turned Slayer and her vampire Mate. The tinglies at the back of Faith's neck gave off conflicting vibes from the two that stood before her. Light and dark clashed and mingled together.

"I can tell this one is even more unconventional than you, pet." Spike's shocking blond hair practically glowed in the darkness of the night. His confident swagger radiated his lack of fear in Faith's presence.

The two Slayers sized each other up. Buffy knew she was in no danger from the feisty brunette. The girl had some spunk and fire, but Buffy knew the new Slayer hadn't tapped into her full potential yet. She sensed the tension and repression within the girl even towards her calling. There was a lot under the surface that was waiting for the new Slayer to explore.

Faith knew the creature before her was the Buffy Summers she'd heard about. The Council lied to her about many things, but Faith felt the power that surrounded the blonde couple. Something about that power drew her to it, as if something within her recognized a call was being sent to her. Buffy Summers was a force to be cautious of, and she was dangerous. After the visit from a very interesting woman in England, Faith wondered if she really needed to be afraid of Buffy, or were they on the same side?

"I see the Council hasn't lost all its gall," Spike said before he lit the end of his cigarette. He took a long drag from it before he added, "You would think they'd learn after the last little incident." He shifted from his game face back into his human guise.

"I would have relished the look on Travers' face when the Coven taught him a lesson last time." Buffy shifted her weight back on her left foot and crossed her arms over her chest. She'd already retained her human face shortly after she emerged from the shadows. "It seems he might need a refresher course. I believe we told him never to send any of his lackeys our way again. Yet, here we have a new pair entering our town."

Wesley gaped at the pair in shock. Quentin Travers was never someone that it was wise to upset. The fact that the pair spoke so nonchalantly about putting the head of the Council in his place sent a chill down his spine. No one would dare go up against Travers in such a blatant manner. Right? If they were willing to take Travers head on, what else were the demons capable of?

Spike watched Wesley's every move. He had no worries about Buffy's abilities, but people weren't always what they seemed. He inhaled deeply with the next pull of nicotine into his body. "Ah, there's nothing like the fresh smell of fear to start the day off right." He flicked his cigarette butt at Wesley.

"Stop teasing them, Spike." Buffy moved a step closer to Faith. "He's not that bad once you get to know him."

A small streak of bravery shot through Wesley. "I do not wish to become acquaintances with vampires and other demons." He decided that he'd die with at least a little dignity.

Spike laughed softly. 'He has a bit more backbone than I thought he had, pet.' He spoke to Buffy's mind without looking at her.

"If you want to learn the truth, and survive on this Hellmouth, you'll make many demon friends." Buffy made a promise to Giles to bring the new Watcher and Slayer to their group, but the stuck up man was making that difficult. "Not every demon is bad, and not all humans are good." She resisted the urge to grab Wesley by the collar and strangle him.

"That wanker Travers is right up there in the evil human category," Spike piped up. He walked up next to Buffy, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. "He's done things that many demons wouldn't think about doing to another human." He offered Buffy his support through his touch and nearness.

"I'm Buffy Summers, and this is Spike," Buffy made brief introductions. She looked at the confused expression on Wesley's face. "You probably know him as William the Bloody, the Slayer of Slayers." She directed her comment at the Watcher. When Wesley's eyes widened, she knew her message of just how dangerous they could be was well received. "We're here to tell you that the Council is not welcome in this town."

"How nice," Wesley took a couple steps back as he spoke, "We'll just be going then." He had no wish to die, and retreat sounded like the best option. He was confused as to what reason the slayer of Slayers would have for being aligned with a vamped Slayer. He assumed that Buffy Summers must be evil if Spike was willing to keep company with her.

"The Council isn't exactly a friend of mine either. They don't appreciate my style." Faith extended her arm behind Wes before he was able to turn around and move too far away. "They haven't done me any favors. I had a feeling this trip was a death sentence."

"Faith!" Wesley exclaimed. "Surely you aren't considering going anywhere with these demons?"

Spike growled, "Be careful who you call demon, Watcher Boy." His advance was halted by Buffy's soothing voice.

"Don't judge what you truly know nothing about." Buffy set a thick wire-bound book on the ground and a couple scrolls. "You have 36 hours to read these and decide whose side you're on. Your safety in this town is guaranteed until then."

"And after that?" Faith asked.

Spike interrupted Buffy's response with a threat directed at Faith and Wesley, "If you go about killing some of Sunnydale's faithful non-human citizens, your safety is null and void." He narrowed his gaze on both of them.

Wesley gulped, and Faith nodded her head in understanding.

"There are instructions for contacting us among the documents," Buffy explained.

Spike finished the explanation, "Either you contact us before the 36 hours are up or leave this town. The Hellmouth is well guarded without the Council's presence here."

"You may only take with you what you brought in, which means you leave the information we just gave you." Both blond supernatural beings vanished back into the shadows. Buffy's voice drifted off into the night, "I hope we can count on you, Faith."

Wesley picked up the book and scrolls. "You do realize this is even ludicrous to consider? We should report this to the Council at once."

"Wake up and smell the Earl Grey, Watcher." Faith was more than exasperated with the tweedy whiner. "The Council sent us here to die." She snatched the book from Wesley's hands and walked down the street towards the nearest hotel.

"You have only the word of two demons to support that hypothesis." No matter what the two demons had said, he refused to believe his assignment, as Faith's Watcher, was a death warrant.

"Let's just say I had a bit more of a warning than you did." Faith rolled her eyes. "We have a 36 hour reprieve right now. Why don't you call your precious Council and see just how surprised they are to hear you're alive still?"

Wesley followed Faith into the first hotel they found. "I believe I shall call, if only to prove your support of the demon's accusations is wrong."

Faith checked them in at the hotel, and Wesley blustered at her choice of a double queen bed suite. He was used to his privacy, and he was not accustomed to sharing a living space with a young woman. "We should not sleep so close to each other. It is not proper."

Faith rolled her eyes. She argued that it was the most economical way to stretch their funds on hand. She told him to shut up, slapped a key card into his hand, and headed for the elevator. "I'm sure I can keep myself from ravishing you, Watcher. Don't worry about it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Review Me Please! Icon created by Dasugraphics.
Living Index	Next Chapter