Author: Karnythia

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss and the WB

Relationships: Too many to explain

Spoilers: BTVS season five and ATS season three

Notes: A scene that grew

Feedback : Sure, this is my first fic, tell me if it sucks.

Rating: NC-17 You need a strong stomach for this one!!!!

Superhero

“Stupid little.... How the fuck does she stand him?!!” Faith let out a small growl of frustration, “She’ll be fine, she’s a superhero! God, what a crock of shit. Now, I know why he couldn’t get anywhere with Cordelia.” Breaking out of jail, and making her way to Sunnydale hadn’t been easy. Getting up the nerve to sneak up to Buffy’s window had been tough, but listening to Xander run off at the mouth was making her ill. “Like he knows anything about it, B’s a Slayer yeah, but this shit...” Muttering to herself she crept away from the wall, as soon as she was far enough away, she took off at a run, heading straight for the cemetery. *I hope Spike’s not hard to find, the faster I make sure this Ligeia bitch has been put down, the faster I get my ass out of this God-forsaken hole.*

“Do you hear something?” Oz cocked his head, sniffing the air at the same time.

“No, but I’m still half deaf from all the noise in that place.” Kai took a deep breath, “All I can smell is blood, and death. This is a foul place, Alpha.”

“I know, my friend will be well soon. You can bail anytime, I know you need to get back to your practice. Thank you for helping her.”

“I’m not bucking to leave, at least not yet. I’ll grant you she’s healing well, but I want to be sure.”

“Okay, just so you know I’m not holding you here.” His eyes swept the room, he could swear he’d  heard...something.

“Oh I know that.” She cast a look towards Willow, “How long are you planning on staying?”

“Until I’m sure.”

“Of?”

“Her safety.”

“Which her? The blonde, or your lupa?”

“Stop calling her that. She’s...not with me...that way.”

“What way?” Willow interjected. She moved to sit on the floor next to Kai, “I keep hearing myself referred to as your lupa, would someone like to explain to me what that means?”

“Umm...” Kai glanced at Oz’s face, trying to figure out how to respond. At some unseen signal she relaxed, “It means you’re his lifemate...or in human terms, his wife.”

“We...I don’t remember anyone proposing.” Willow stammered.

“Werewolves mate for life.” Oz lowered his eyes at the expression on Willow’s face.

“Really? Is this another one of those things I don’t get a say in? Cause I gotta tell you, I’m not feeling real commitment prone just now. See, I’ve been told that little tidbit twice today, and I’m trying to figure out if that means I’m stuck with you for life, or just as long as you want me.”

“Other way round.”

“What?”

“He means he’s stuck with you for life, or as long as you’ll have him. Normally, when two werewolves mate, they bond to each other permanently, it’s trickier when humans get involved with our kind, you can move on, meet someone else, for us it’s different.“ She glanced at Oz, his hands balled into tight fists in his lap, “It’s permanent, we remain with our mates even into death.” She vaulted quickly to her feet. “I’ll leave you two alone, although I’d like to suggest you discuss this elsewhere.”

Willow tilted her head to the side, “Go for a ride?”

“Okay.” He stood, reaching down to help the red-head to her feet. “Xander, we’re leaving.”

“You coming back?” Xander’s voice was quiet.

Oz shrugged. “We have stuff to talk about.” They walked out in silence, Oz casting side-long glances at Willow’s face, trying to gauge her mood.

“I need a shower.” Buffy had finally stopped crying, now she glanced at the bandages and assorted goo covering her body.

“I’ll get your mom to help.”

“No! She’ll see the bruises!”

At the panicked expression on her face Angel decided not to point out that her mother had already seen them. “Okay, how about Willow or Cordelia?”

“No, Willow will cry, and I’m not ready for a Cordelia fashion moment.” She took a deep breath, “It’s better if they don’t have to see it.

“You still need help in the shower. I can get one of Oz’s wolves to help.”

“I don’t even know them. I know, if you run a bath and help me get to the bathroom, I can take care of the rest.” At his doubtful glance, she said “I need to get clean, I can’t function as long as all I can smell that place on me. As it is I need to burn my sheets.” She cast a wry glance at her bedding, “And my pillows, possibly the mattress, definitely whatever towels I use.”

“Okay, give me a minute to start the water and get everything set up.”

She took a few deep breaths after he left the room, trying to stay calm. *Keep it together girl, you’re the Slayer. You can handle being alone in your own damn room for five minutes.*

“Please don’t, please not again. I’ll be good I promise. AAAAAGH!!!!” She jerked in the chains as Spike used another cigarette, this time on her inner thigh.

“I told you to be quiet, let me watch the telly in peace, instead you’re over here whimpering and moaning about your little aches and pain. I can’t get comfortable if I’ve got to listen to you whining! Now, be quiet or I’m really going to have to hurt you.” He slapped her then, hard, and went back to his show.

BOOM! BOOM! “Open up blondie! I need to talk to you.”

“Hell’s bell’s, who the fuck is that?!” He snatched the door open, “Go away!”

Faith pushed past him, snapping, “Where is she? Did you kill her yet?!” She stopped short, caught off guard by the horrible sight before her. Ligeia dangled from a set of chains bolted to the ceiling, her legs spread wide, chained to two rings in the floor. She was nude, covered in blood and sweat, little round burn marks attesting to Spike’s new-found use for his smokes. “For the love of...I thought you were fixed, no hurting humans?”

“She’s not human, or at least not enough for me to care. I’ll tell you this, her blood tastes awful, and smells like rodents have been nesting in her body.” He gave a small shudder of disgust, “You are?”

“Faith, I’m the other Slayer.”

“Other? Oh, wait are you the one that went after the poof? Wound up in jail, something about a murder?”

“Yep.” She strolled over to Ligeia. “I’m here for her, she hurt Buffy. Now, I’m thinking she’s going to pay for that.”

“I thought you were the bad one.” 

“Nope, or at least I’m not as bad I used to be.” She cocked her head to the side, circling the bloody form. “This is interesting, I could have sworn you would be one for the quick kill.”

“Usually am, but I owed this little ‘toy’ some special attention. Once upon time she came after my Dru, now she’s got to pay.” He leered at his ‘toy’, smiling when she flinched.

“Dru, as in Druscilla? Sired by Angelus? Crazy as a shithouse rat, killer of small children?”

“Is there another one?”

She shuddered slightly, “I hope not.” She bent to examine a particularly painful looking cluster of burns near the bound woman’s knee. “So this isn’t about B?” She turned to face him, her lips pursed in confusion.

“Not yet.” *I’m sitting here having a very civil conversation with a Slayer  about torture, and she’s an evil one at that. Hell must be freezing over. That or I’ve completely lost my touch.*  “Why?”

“Well, she’s the one you helped rescue from this bitch.”

“Oh, well I haven’t gotten around to making her pay for that yet. She’s still being punished for Dru.”

“Can I make her pay for what she did to B?”

“Be my guest. Aren’t you still supposed to be in jail?”

“I broke out.”

“Ah-ha! The rest of them know you’re back, or is that supposed to be a secret?”

“Secret. I’m not on their list of favorite people, I just came back to deal with this.” The clenched fists and the look in her dark eyes told him all he needed to know about how she intended to deal.

“Right, well I’m feeling peckish, d’ya think you can amuse yourself and her, long enough for me to get a bite?”

“Yeah, I’ll find something to keep us occupied.” A small cold smile blossomed on her face. 

“There’s a bed and stuff through there, I’ll bring you something to eat.”

“Why are you being so nice?”

“Old military strategy, ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ Besides, I’m guessing you need a place to crash until you figure out a way to tell them you’re back.”

“I...yeah.” As he turned to leave, she whispered “Thanks.”

“For?”

“Trusting me.”

He shrugged, “At worst you’ll kill her, that’ll only irritate me briefly, I figure she’s earned a slow painful death, but a fast one serves the same purpose.” He walked out then, whistling softly.

“I like him, I’m not sure why, but I do.” Turning to a chest full of various implements of pain sitting off to the side, “What to do? What to do?” She found a rattan cane mixed in with the rest, “This looks promising,” She clapped a hand lightly to her forehead, “silly me, I didn’t introduce myself, I’m Faith, the other vampire Slayer. I occasionally share dreams with B, but these, these weren’t really dreams. More like watching through her big pretty eyes, while you hurt her, hurt us. The worst part of course, was when you let the men have her. I went through something like that once, it hurt and it helped make me the twisted freak I am today. Now B, she’s not like me, stuff like that it’ll make her turn on herself, hurt herself instead of the world, instead of you.” She struck Ligeia’s midsection with the cane, “I, on the other hand have no such qualms, see B she’s got this whole deal where she likes to see the good in everyone. Me, I figure most people are shit, and some more so than others.” She struck her again, and again, eventually falling into a steady rhythm.

“Were you planning on telling me we’re technically married?” Willow asked, turning to face Oz. They’d driven to their old spot, and she struggled slightly with the waves of deja vu.

“I...no.”

“Want to elaborate on that? Or am I just supposed to guess?”

“You’re with Tara, or at least you were. I figured you were happy. I wanted that for you, happiness isn’t really something I’ve given you, I thought if she could, I should just stay out of it.”

“And your little moment yesterday? You know, the part where you treated me like an extension of your arm?”

“I acted like an ass, I’ll admit that. I was jealous and scared, you were bordering on hysteria, and she didn’t seem to be helping. The thought of you with someone else tends to make me crazy, but I freaked when I got Cordelia’s message.”

“Still haven’t told me how long you planned on keeping this tidbit of news to yourself. I mean, a girl should know when she’s gotten married. There should be dancing, and flowers, lots of flowers.” Willow knew she sounded bitchy, but she’d been willing to risk everything for Oz. For months she had no idea where he was, meanwhile instead of just being her ex-boyfriend he was her...husband.

“Cake too.” At the look on her face he decided jokes were a bad idea.

“Exactly, now how long before I got to be in on the secret?”

“Truthfully?”

“Yes.” She sat on her hands then, the urge to slap him overwhelming her usually passive nature.

“Never.” He put his hand over her mouth, preventing her exclamations. ”I’m an Alpha now, in order for us to truly be together I’d have to change you. You never wanted that, and I didn’t want to force you.”

“Asking me never occurred to you?” Willow grabbed his hand tracing patterns in his palm, “I’m not ready for us to get married yet, but it would have been nice to be able to talk to you, maybe go on a date or two. You know, stuff other people get to do.”

“I couldn’t trust myself around you, I want you too much, it’s hard enough for me to sit here with you now. Then, with the wolf still running loose I would have changed you, maybe hurt Tara, hell I almost ate her. That’s not really a good sign, baby.”

“Well, she’s out of the picture now, and I’d like for us to get to know each other again. I know I’ve changed since you left, and I’m pretty sure you have too.”

“I’d like that.” He squeezed her hand gently. “As long as this isn’t just a way for you to get over Tara.”

“It’s not, things were...rocky before you came back. Among other problems there was the fact that Tara’s gay, I’m bi. It makes for the occasional jealous moment. Speaking of which, we still haven’t really discussed that part.”

Oz gave another trademark shrug, “I’m not really sure what to say, it’s going to come up sooner or later, but as long as I’m the only man in your life, I figure we can work something out when it comes to women.”

“As long as you promise not to leave again. I hate not knowing where you are, I always knew you were coming back, but I’d rather not have to worry so much about you. So, can you hang out for a while?”

“As long as you want me, I’ll be around.”

“Good, hey wait a sec.” Her eyes widened, “How did Cordelia know where to find you?”

“I left her a phone number, in case you needed anything.” He ducked his head, waiting for her to explode.

“All this time, we’ve been e-mailing back and forth, she never mentioned she had the faintest idea where you were. I can’t believe she’s been lying to me.” She sat up, anger clear in her face.

“She hasn’t, after I met up with my pack, I kind of stopped communicating with them. I’d call occasionally, make sure everything was okay. But, mostly I focused on gaining some control, once I knew there was no cure for the wolf, I settled for reaching a balance with it. Until I got her message the other day, I hadn’t spoken to Cordelia in months. The number I gave her was only to be used in emergencies, I told her not use it for any other reason,...and not to give it to anyone.”

“Why?”

“I knew if you called me I wouldn’t be able to say no, and I needed to find my way. I couldn’t be who I wanted to be, if I couldn’t control the wolf. Then there were some other...changes, and I’m different now.” 

“Is there room for a friend in your new life?”

“For you, there’s always room, but I’m not the same person I used to be. My life isn’t necessarily one you want to be in...”

“Tell me about it then. Tell me  what your life is like now.”

“Okay, but it’s very...involved. You might want to get some sleep first, so I’ll make you a deal. I’ll take you home, you get some sleep, and tomorrow morning we’ll meet for breakfast and go from there. ‘Kay?”

“I guess it has to be.”

“I’ll take you back to your dorm.”

“No! I...uh...I’ve been rooming with Tara, and the last thing I want is to see her. Just take me back to my parent’s place, they’re out of town again, anyway.” She sighed as yet another feeling of deja vu swept over her. *I’d think I was in high school if it wasn’t for my hair being short. I’m in Oz’s van, Buffy’s hurt and my parents are out of town.*

“No. I’ll take you back to my house, most of the pack is gone by now. You can crash in my room again.”

“I’ll be fine at my parents.” She responded, mildly surprised by Oz’s tone.  

“We still don’t know for sure that Ligeia was alone, and I know how much you hate staying there.” He started the van, checking his rearview mirror, “I can crash on the couch if that’s what you’re worried about, but you’re not staying alone.”

“But...” She trailed off at the look on his face.

“This isn’t up for discussion.” He pulled back out onto the road. “You staying in the dorm was one thing, there are lots of other people there. But alone, in your parent’s house? Not going to happen, especially since Buff’s out of commission, I don’t want to know what’s been running around Sunnydale lately.”

She opened her mouth to argue, then thought of Glory’s threats. “You’ve got a point, okay I’ll stay at  your place tonight. But don’t go thinking you can be order-guy with me. I’m not one of your wolves.”

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