Part 24
Wesley studied the stack of papers, absently noting the way Buffy hovered over the injured vampire. “This is quite fascinating.”
Buffy looked at her official watcher with annoyance and disgust. “In case you haven’t noticed Angel has been shot with an arrow. If Faith was a better shot, he’d be dust right now.”
“Are you quite sure it was Faith?”
“I’m positive, Giles. She is so going to pay for this. She has a serious ass kicking coming her way.”
Despite the pain he was in, Angel wanted to relieve the tension in the room. “I’m not sure what was worse about my night, an arrow through the chest or being a passenger while Buffy was driving.”
“Hey!”
“You drove?”
“What was I supposed to do, Giles? Angel was hurt and I still had to get all those papers here for you to look at. Angel had Cordelia’s father’s car.” She shrugged. “It’s not like I hit anything. I think I did a really good job.”
“You just have to remember that you’re supposed to stop at a stop sign.” Angel gritted his teeth when Buffy’s strong hands ripped the arrow free. “You didn’t even pause.”
“I was in a hurry.” Buffy finally glanced around the room now that she knew Angel would be fine. A part of her had been afraid the wood shaft might graze his heart as she removed the arrow. “Where is everyone? It’s a little early to call it a night.”
Giles and Wesley exchanged nervous glances.
Angel noticed. “Where’s Cordelia?”
“She took a few books home with her as did Xander. Willow and Oz decided to use her computer at home.”
“Cordy went home?” He glanced at his wound. “I guess its better she didn’t see me with an arrow through my chest, but I expected her to wait for me here.” He couldn’t keep the whine from his voice. Giles’s guilty expression went unnoticed.
“I think I’ll go home.” A small smile graced his lips before he remembered Buffy was in the room. He reluctantly banished the image of a beautiful brunette bathing him from his mind. He didn’t want to rub his happiness in his former love’s face. “I should probably clean out this wound.”
“I can do that. You don’t have to leave yet.” Buffy refused to think about his use of the word ‘home’ in relation to Cordelia’s house.
“That’s okay.” Angel tried to rise but a wave of nausea struck. He braced his hand on the table. “I…” His knees started to buckle. “What…” Before he could fall back into his chair, he fell forward, crumpling to the floor.
“Angel!” Buffy gently rolled him onto his back. “What’s wrong?”
“Poison,” came out in a whisper before he lost consciousness.
“Oh god, Giles. Do something.” Tears gathered in her eyes. “I can’t lose him.”
Giles crouched beside the unconscious vampire. “We’ll figure this out.” He glanced over his shoulder at Wesley who was now studying the blood-covered arrow. “What are you thinking?”
“We’ll need to run a few tests. I’ll contact the Watchers’ Council. I am quite confident they will be able to identify the poison Faith used.”
He nodded his agreement. “We should move him. We can—”
“We’ll take him to the mansion.”
“Buffy, I think he would prefer we take him to Cordelia’s house.”
His apologetic tone didn’t pacify Buffy. “I WILL take him to the mansion. It’s closer and it IS his home. Angel said he wanted to go home so that’s where we’ll take him.”
Giles chose not to argue. “Very well. I’ll call Cordelia. She can meet us there.”
“What can she do?” Angry eyes peered over at Wesley. “Don’t you have some tests to run right now? Call Willow. She can help.” She glanced back at Giles. “Willow will actually be useful to Angel right now.”
Buffy wrapped an unresponsive arm around her shoulders and stood, slightly staggering under the weight of Angel’s bulky form. “Are you coming, Giles?”
“Yes,” he said with a resigned sigh. “Wesley, please call Cordelia and tell her to meet us at the mansion. Don’t mention the poison over the phone. I don’t want her getting into a car accident. I’ll explain the situation when she arrives. Willow can perform the appropriate tests. I suggest you continue scanning the Professor’s papers until she has finished.”
Wesley chose not to balk at being ordered about. “I will take care of it. I suggest you hurry. It seems Miss Summers is leaving you behind.”
Giles rushed after Buffy who’d already left the library.
***
Cordelia raced through the mansion. “Angel! Angel!”
“Cordelia, calm down.” Giles tried to keep his voice soothing, aware of frantic hazel eyes searching the dark corners of the mansion as if Angel might appear from the shadows at any moment.
“Where is he? Why the hell did you bring him here? Why didn’t you bring him to my house? Wesley said Faith shot him with an arrow. Why did you need to drive him here for that? He’s been through worse. What aren’t you telling me? What the hell is going on?”
“Take a breath and I’ll explain. I didn’t want Wesley to explain over the phone.”
Her legs suddenly gave way and she collapsed on the couch. “He’s not…” She couldn’t finish her question. A sob choked in her throat.
Giles crouched in front of her and clasped her hands. They felt like ice. His large warm hands began rubbing them. “Angel was shot in the chest with an arrow. It narrowly missed his heart. Buffy believes Faith was responsible and I am inclined to agree with her.”
She forced words out of her clogged throat. “So he’s okay?”
“It seems the arrow was poisoned. I just spoke to Wesley. Willow has already arrived and is running tests. The Council has almost every poison known to man or demon on file.”
“Almost?” She shook off her fear. Angel needed her to be strong. “Where is he? I need to be with him.”
“He’s in his bedroom. I feel I must warn you. He’s lost consciousness and he’s paler than normal.” He added in a quieter tone, “Buffy is with him.”
“Why does that not surprise me? I’ll bet bringing him here was her idea.”
“The mansion is closer to the school, which is where he was when we became aware of the poison.”
“Pfft. It’s closer by like what? A mile? We both know why she brought him here.” She glanced around the room. “I’ve only been here once. Where is Angel’s bedroom?”
***
Buffy dabbed Angel’s face with a cool damp cloth. His skin felt hot beneath her fingertips. He hadn’t regained consciousness and only moans escaped his lips. “You can’t leave me, Angel. You have to wake up. Talk to me, please!” A gasp made her head turn. She watched all the color drain from Cordelia’s face.
“Angel!” Cordelia rushed across the room, ignoring the blonde sitting beside her boyfriend’s inert form. She sat on the edge of the bed and cradled his pale hauntingly beautiful face. “He’s burning up.” She grabbed the damp cloth from Buffy’s hand and took over bathing his face with cool water. “Has he woken up at all?”
Giles noticed Buffy’s face turn red in anger at being practically shoved aside. He took a step forward hoping no violence would ensue but preparing to interfere should anything happen. “No he hasn’t.”
“Angel, I’m here.” Her free hand cupped his cheek. “Open your eyes for me, baby. Let me see those beautiful brown eyes.”
“He’s not—” Buffy froze at the sound of Angel’s hoarse voice.
“Cordy?”
“I’m here.” She smiled and brushed a tear off her cheek.
“What happened?”
“You forgot to duck, dumbass.” A half-chuckle half-sob bubbled up her throat. “I think you’re still a little rusty with the whole fighting thing.”
He managed to place his hand on top of her hand covering his cheek. “I think I did an okay job. I’m not dust.”
“Don’t joke about that! Not ever!” Tears streamed down her face as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.
Angel soothingly stroked her back. “Shh. I’m sorry.” It finally occurred to him where he was. “How did I get here? The last thing I remember I was at the library. I was about to go home. What am I doing here?”
“I brought you home.” Buffy motioned around the room. “We didn’t want you to be trapped in the library once the sun came up. Willow and Wesley are working on identifying the poison Faith used. We’re going to find a cure and then we’re going to stop the Mayor. Together.”
“Poison?” As if in response to his question, a flash of white hot pain seared his chest. His hands, holding Cordelia close, nearly crushed her as his muscles seized in response to the pain.
Cordelia struggled to breathe until his grip began to relax. She remained silent despite her bruised ribs. Her attention was focused on Angel’s pain. “Giles, we have to do something. Call Wesley. Maybe he’s found something.” Her heart ached watching her lover succumb to unconsciousness. “I can’t lose him, Giles. I can’t.”
Buffy backed off the bed. The walls were closing in on her. Angel barely even looked at her. He only had eyes for Cordelia. Cordelia was the one he held. Cordelia was the one he comforted. Cordelia was the one he woke up for. Buffy rushed out of the room, following Giles.
***
Willow stared at the results of her tests.
“I thought you were done?”
She glanced up at Xander. “I am. There’s just something familiar about this formula.”
“You study poison a lot, do you? Should I be worried?”
Her lips twitched to form a weak smile. “I work with a lot of herbs and such for my spells. I borrowed a few books from Giles about poison. I didn’t want to poison myself.” She shrugged her shoulders at Xander’s blank stare.
“Some spells require you drink stuff that doesn’t smell or look very good.” She returned her attention to the papers in front of her. “I’ve seen this before.”
Oz walked up behind and squeezed her shoulders. “Wesley is on the phone with the Council. I’m sure they’ll know what this is and how to cure it.”
“But we don’t know how long Angel has and Wesley has been gone for awhile. If I could remember where I saw this, we could cure Angel sooner.”
“All right, Will. Why don’t Xander and I go get all the books on poisons you read? Write down a list. We’ll get them while you keep using that beautiful brain to remember.”
“Thanks, Oz.” She quickly completed the list and handed it to him. “I’m almost positive it’s was in one of these.”
“OK. We’ll be right back.” Oz and Xander left the chemistry lab and headed for the library.
Xander waited until they were out of earshot. “I can’t believe I’m spending my night trying to cure the vampire that stole my girlfriend.”
“You’d rather let him die?”
“No. I’m mainly all talk. I don’t really want him dead. Besides I don’t think Buffy or Cordy could handle that.”
“You’re an okay guy, Xander.”
***
“Hey.”
Cordelia’s face lit up with a smile. “Welcome back.”
“How long have I been out?”
Her lower lip trembled. “Awhile. How are you feeling? Are you.. are you still in pain?”
Angel looked up into Cordelia’s anguished eyes. “Cordy, if I don’t—”
“We never finished our talk this morning,” she rushed. “I’ve been thinking about our future a lot. My parents are coming home in few days.”
“We don’t—”
“And I don’t think Daddy will let you live in the house with me.” Tears slid down her cheeks unheeded. “I’ve given this a lot of thought and I don’t want to be without you. Your home is my home.” Her throat tightened preventing her from continuing. Weak arms enveloped her, holding her to his unusually warm chest.
“Cordelia, if I don’t make it—”
She struggled out of his arms. “No! Don’t say that! I won’t listen. You promised me I wasn’t going to lose you, not to Faith and not to the Mayor. I intend to hold you to that. You are going to get better. That’s not up for debate. We’re talking about where we’re going to live after my parents come home.”
“Okay, baby.” He urged her back into his arms. “You could live here with me.”
“I considered that and I’m willing to do that.” She lifted her head to meet his eyes. “What if we start over somewhere new instead?”
“You don’t like the mansion?”
“I mean somewhere other than Sunnydale. What if we moved to Los Angeles? We could start a new life together without anyone expecting us to apologize for loving one another. I’m sure there are plenty of baddies for you to save the world from and I can work towards my inevitable stardom.”
“Your what?”
“My stardom, I’ll be a rich and famous actress, and you’ll be the handsome mysterious hero. You’ve already got the one-name thing working for you. Things will be tight at first. I don’t know what your bank account is like but mine will be pretty empty once my father cuts me off.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I want to be with you, Angel. The money isn’t important. I can survive, especially if I have you.” Her voice grew thick, “I need you.” She burrowed deeper into his arms. “I love you.”
“Our apartment would have to have sewer access so I could move around during the day.”
Cordelia wiped her tears away. “I have some artwork my grandfather left me that I can sell. We’ll need to buy a car. Mine is in my father’s name.”
“You don’t need to sell anything. I have a car. It’s a classic.” He thought a moment. “I can drive you anywhere you want to go.”
“Is that your subtle way of saying you won’t let me drive your car?”
“It’s a classic car.” He tensed as pain radiated through his body.
Cordelia held Angel’s rigid form tighter wishing she could take his pain away. “OK. I won’t drive your car, but I think it’s unfair to go to this extreme to win an argument.”
Laughter rumbled through Angel’s chest despite the pain.
***
Wesley was grateful that only Buffy and Giles were present when he arrived at the mansion. He couldn’t bear to face Cordelia. She was the one person who befriended him; she didn’t dismiss immediately for not being Rupert Giles.
Not that disappointing his slayer wasn’t tearing him up inside. Despite his father’s assurance of failure, he truly aspired to become a respected and useful watcher. He just hadn’t been prepared for two unorthodox slayers with a propensity to not take orders. “How is he?”
“He’s resting. Cordelia is sitting with him.” Giles cautiously glanced at Buffy. She had fled Angel’s bedside. Watching her former love’s response to another woman had been too much. She had obviously wanted to be there in his time of need but she hadn’t been the one wanted.
“What did you find out? Was the Council able to help?”
“The Council’s orders are that we return our attention to the Mayor’s ascension.”
***
“I found it!”
Xander and Oz rushed to Willow’s side.
“It’s called… oh. It’s called the ‘killer of the dead’.” Sad eyes looked up from the aged pages.
“Oh. ‘Killer of the dead’ wouldn’t happen to mean something other than, you know killer of the dead, would it?” Xander knew the answer by Willow’s pain-stricken expression. “Well there’s got to be a cure.”
Oz’s eyebrow shot up but his stoic nature quickly returned. “I guess we have more research to do.”
***
Cordelia blinked away her tears. Angel’s strength had left him again.
“How is he?”
“He’s sleeping. Giles, I think…” A lump formed in her throat making it difficult to speak. “I think he’s getting worse. We were talking about… about our future. I think I may have pushed him too hard because he passed out again. He’s hurting. He’s in so much pain. I don’t know what to do. Have you… is there any word yet?”
“Wesley just left.”
“What? Why didn’t you get me? What did he say?”
“Cordelia, it seems the Council is unwilling to help.”
“What?” The room spun. “I don’t understand. Wesley wouldn’t— ”
“Wesley tried to convince them to help,” at least he hoped the pounce tried. “They are unwilling to help a vampire that was once… Their priority is human life.”
“Fuck that! It was a human that did this!” She gestured wildly at her unconscious vampire.
“I’m well aware of that, as is Wesley, but the Council, they’re cold-hearted bastards. They only see a vampire.”
Cordelia struggled to breathe. A whorl of thoughts raced through her mind. “This doesn’t make sense. They have to realize Angel would be an asset in stopping the Mayor and they have to know that if Angel were to… Buffy wouldn’t exactly be in top form. Maybe Buffy should call them. She’s the slayer. They have to—”
“Buffy has quit the Council. She’ll no longer be following any of their orders.”
“What? This doesn’t… I don’t understand. That idiot who fired you had to know Buffy would react badly. Why would they hold out on us?”
“I’m not sure. The others are still working on finding a cure. Buffy has gone to help them.”
Angel’s shivering drew Cordelia’s attention. She shifted on the bed to pull the covers over him. “I have to do something, Giles. I can’t just sit here and watch him…” She couldn’t say the words.
“I have to… Giles, I know this is a lot to ask. I mean Angelus tortured you less than a hundred feet from this room, but will you take care of Angel for me. I need to do something or I’m going to go crazy.”
He couldn’t deny her tortured eyes, but he couldn’t help remarking, “The changes I’ve come to see in you never cease to amaze me.”
“Huh?”
Giles couldn’t admit that Buffy had made the same request only moments ago but without considering how difficult it was for him to be in the mansion again. He’d reasoned she was too distraught but so was Cordelia.
“I appreciate your concern but I’ll be fine. I believe the others are still in the chemistry lab researching.”
“Thanks, Giles.” Cordelia brushed a kiss across Angel’s trembling lips. “I’ll be back soon.” She glanced in Giles’s direction. “If he wakes up while I’m gone, remind him I’m holding him to his promise.”
“I will.”
***
Willow nervously glanced up from her computer screen. One moment Oz had been reading a passage from one of Giles’s ancient texts and the next she, Willow Rosenberg, was willingly becoming an accessory to murder. She tried not to think about it. She tried to pretend that this was just like the million other times she’d hacked for information that Buffy needed.
Only this time WAS different. This time she was searching for an address for a human. A human Buffy intended to kill and feed to her ex-boyfriend.
Oz could see the tension radiating off his girlfriend. He slipped his arms around her waist. “Do you want me to do the search for you?”
She leaned back into his comforting embrace. “I don’t want Angel to die.”
“I know.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
Willow watched Buffy gather weapons while Xander hovered anxiously over her, talking quietly. “I still think we should call Giles and Cordelia.”
“I know but you heard what Buffy said. Giles will try to stop her. He won’t be able to stand back and let her do this.”
“I know but Cordy has a right to know what we found out.”
“I doubt Buffy will see it that way.” Oz buried his nose in Willow’s hair. “I think Cordelia would want us to do whatever we had to do to save Angel, but I’ll go call her if you want me to.”
She took a deep breath. “No. Giles is with her and Buffy’s right about his reaction. Cordy would do anything for Angel.” Willow began pecking away at the keyboard again. “I found her.”
Oz kissed her cheek. “I knew you would.”
“After Faith is dead, we’re going to have deal with the roles we all played.”
“I know, baby.”
“Did you find anything, Will?”
“Yeah,” she handed her friend the printout. Wishing Buffy good luck somehow didn’t seem appropriate. “Be careful.” Willow silently watched her best friend, her confidante, her hero leave to go kill a troubled, psychotic, extremely dangerous, teenage human girl.
***
Buffy knew Angel didn’t have much time but she still did a sweep of the area surrounding the building Faith lived in. It would be hard enough beating a fellow slayer. She had to be sure the Mayor didn’t have any lackeys in the vicinity.
She also needed to be sure there wasn’t anyone who would see her leave with the body. Once she finished her sweep, she quietly entered the building.
***
Cordelia pushed the library doors open and headed straight for the cage.
“Cordy!”
“I don’t have time for you, Xander.” She began rummaging through Giles’s weapons supply.
“What are you doing?” Xander tried to see what Cordelia was loading into the bag she had draped over her shoulder. “We figured out what Faith poisoned Angel with.”
“The ‘killer of the dead’ I know.”
“How did you—”
“What don’t you get about ‘I don’t have time for you, Xander’? I’m in a hurry.”
“I thought you might like to know what the cure is but I guess I was wrong. Don’t worry though. Buffy has already gone to get it.”
“What?” Cordelia spun around, her eyes flashing. “Buffy went after Faith?”
Xander nodded mutely.
“That stupid bitch! Doesn’t she ever stop to think?” Cordelia brushed past Xander and approached Willow, who seemed to be burrowing into Oz’s arms. “Where did you send her?”
Willow lifted her head. “Huh?”
“Buffy? Where did you send her?”
“Cordy, you can’t—”
“Shut up, Xander! Willow, please help me.”
Willow nodded slowly and printed out the same information she’d given Buffy. She’d no sooner handed the distraught brunette the paper then Cordelia raced out of the library like she were being chased by demons.
“Can we please call Giles NOW?”
***
Buffy refused to think of Faith as human. She was the monster that tried to kill the man Buffy loved. Buffy was just seeing justice served. Faith had created the situation. Faith had made her own death necessary. Buffy was doing what had to be done. She was NOT a killer.
Every punch thrown, every kick rendered were done with full force. Buffy wasn’t holding back anymore. She might think about the parallel if she weren’t in a fight to the death. After all, she’d held back in all her fights with Angelus until she had no choice but to kill him, just as she’d held back in her fights with Faith until now when she had to kill her too.
The main difference would be that Angel hadn’t stayed dead but Faith would.
“Do you really think you can kill me, B? I don’t think you have it in you to become a killer.”
“You threw your life away the moment you poisoned Angel.” Buffy fist connected sending Faith through the air only to slam into the wall.
Faith wiped the blood dripping down her chin away with the back of her hand. “He’s a vampire, B and I slay vampires. Why are you so upset anyway? I saw how cozy your boy, Angel was with the cheerleader. You should be thanking me.”
Faith was a little surprised by the array of emotion that passed through Buffy’s features before the blonde slayer charged her like a wild animal.
Buffy threw every kick, every punch, every combination that Giles had ever taught her. She wanted this done and done quickly.
Faith managed to deflect Buffy last kick and begin an attack of her own. There was no way she was going to be fed to a vampire. She wasn’t going out like that. She was better than that. She was better than Buffy.
A vicious kick to Buffy’s throat sent the blonde flying and crashing through Faith’s glass coffee table. “Was it good for you, Buff?” She leaped over the couch intending to land on Buffy but Buffy flipped up onto her feet.
Buffy caught Faith mid-air with a roundhouse kick to the stomach. “Well THAT felt good.”
Faith scrambled to her feet before Buffy could attack again. “Let’s quit playin’ games.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Buffy pulled a dagger out of her waistband.
“That’s nice,” her hand reached under a cushion on her couch, “but mine’s bigger.” She pulled out the knife the Mayor had given her. She twisted it, allowing the pristine blade to catch the light. “You ready to play with the big kids, B?”
“I’m ready.”
“God you both have too much testosterone for your own good.” Before either could register her words or her presence, Cordelia pulled the trigger.
Faith looked down in shock before crumpling to the floor.
“Grab her and let’s go.”
“What did you do?” Buffy’s gaze kept darting between the fallen slayer and Cordelia.
“I shot her with the tranq gun Giles keeps in the library for Oz.”
“But…”
“Questions later. Angel is running out of time. Now grab her and let’s go. My car is downstairs.”
Buffy complied. She was still too stunned to think straight, although she thought to grab Faith’s knife as well. It really was bigger.
***
“Good lord! You killed her. Willow called me but I didn’t believe you’d actually take a human life.”
“She’s not dead, Giles.” Buffy dumped the still unconscious slayer on the couch. “Cordelia showed up and shot her with a tranquillizer dart.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know and so far she isn’t answering my questions.”
“I didn’t want to go through it twice.” Cordelia glanced around the room. “Where’s Wesley?”
“I fired him. Now I want some answers before I get really pissed off.”
“Are you going to kill me too, Buffy? Have you decided killing humans isn’t really a big deal anymore?”
“I had no choice. Angel needs to drain the blood of a slayer. Faith poisoned him. It’s only right that Faith cures him.”
“And what about Angel? Do you really think he’d be okay with being responsible for another human death?”
“Faith is a killer!”
“Yeah and I’m sure the former ‘Scourge of Europe’ would have no problems with that distinction.”
Buffy crossed her arms defensively. “He wouldn’t be responsible for her death if she were already dead.”
“Now there’s brilliant logic! Did you come up with that by yourself, Buffy? You don’t think Angel would have a problem with his former girlfriend turning herself into a killer for his sake?” She rolled her eyes. “Have you even met Angel?”
“Angel is DYING! Do you even care?”
“Of course I do,” her calm tone was betrayed by a slight tremble in her voice. “But I love Angel enough to think before I act.”
Giles put a restraining arm on Buffy’s shoulder. “What exactly is your plan, Cordelia?”
“I’d show you but Wesley still isn’t…”
“I’m here.” Wesley hurried into the room. He set his bags down on the couch Faith was sprawled on. “I’ll get started right away.”
“Thanks, Wes. I knew I could count on you.”
“What the hell is going on? What the hell is he doing here? I want answers and I want them NOW!”
Giles squeezed Buffy’s shoulder, trying to calm the agitated girl. “I repeat, what exactly is your plan, Cordelia?”
“According to the Council, Angel doesn’t actually have to drain a slayer. He only needs 6 pints of slayer’s blood to cure him.”
“Only? The average human body contains 10 to 12 pints of blood. Even with a slayer’s healing abilities, that could kill her.”
“So what?” Buffy’s eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘according to the Council’?”
“I mean according to what the Council told me.”
“Why would they help you when they refused to help me?”
“I’m starting to believe you really are a natural blonde.”
Buffy’s hands clenched into fists but she remained silent.
“The Council knew the only cure was the blood of a slayer. Now let’s think about this real hard. Why would they not want to tell you? Could it be because they thought you might go out and kill Faith and feed her to Angel? I mean they already had one homicidal slayer. What’s another one in the grand scheme of things?
Or maybe they thought you’d force Angel to feed from you and quite possibly die in the process leaving the hellmouth vulnerable to the Mayor and Faith? What WERE they thinking?” Cordelia ignored Buffy and glanced at Wesley.
Giles kept a wary eye on Buffy. “None of this changes the fact that Faith could still very well die. 6 pints is a lot of blood to lose.”
“Duh! As a non-blonde I realize that.” Cordelia nodded to Wesley. “Roll up your sleeve, Buffy. You’re donor number two. The Council assured me it would only be a matter of hours for a slayer to recover from a blood loss of three pints.”
Buffy collapsed next to Faith. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. No one had to die.
Wesley worked quickly, grateful his training had prepared him to perform this task, although not with this particular situation in mind. After Buffy’s blood began to flow through the tube, he returned to Faith.
“I suppose I can understand why the Council was less than cooperative given what the cure entailed, but I still don’t understand why they were willing to talk to you.”
“They weren’t at first, but I was very persuasive.”
“I’m done with Faith.”
“Thanks, Wes.” Cordelia braced herself for Giles’s reaction. “I cut a deal with one of the uppity ups.”
“I beg your pardon. A member of the Council accepted a bribe?”
“Not exactly.” Cordelia nodded to Wesley’s questioning look.
“Gentlemen!”
Three men Giles recognized immediately walked into the mansion at Wesley’s shout.
“What have you done, Cordelia?”
“I agreed to an exchange. They gave me the information I needed and I gave them Faith.”
The three men only acknowledged Wesley with a nod before binding Faith’s hands and feet.
“You do realize these… men may very well kill her, don’t you? The last time…”
“The Council says they intend to rehabilitate her. Look Giles. Faith poisoned Angel. She wanted him to suffer a slow and painful death. You have no idea what she had planned to do to me when Willow and I were captured. I’m giving her a fighting chance to start over.
Daddy has a holding company that operates out of LA. They have a cargo ship bound for South America leaving tonight. I arranged their passage. No one will be questioning them. The Council assures me they’ll have bribed the right people by the time the ship docks. From there, the Council will have them flown to England.”
“That’s plenty of time for Faith to break free.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “They’ll keep her drugged until she’s recovered from the blood loss and then they’ll give her that same drug… Buffy got for her 18th birthday. She’ll be alive and hopefully she’ll get the serious mental help she so desperately needs.”
Cordelia watched Faith being carried out. “My compassion for her ends with the part where she gets to live.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
Cordelia moved to stand in front of Giles. “Something had to be done about Faith. She teamed up with the Mayor. She killed that professor. It wasn’t an accident. We all know the police would never be able to handle her. We couldn’t just kill her, despite Buffy’s moment of insanity. Maybe my plan isn’t perfect. I don’t know if the Council can be trusted, but we have limited options right now. It could be a lot worse.”
Giles slowly nodded.
“I’m done with Buffy.”
“It’s feeding time.” Cordelia managed a small smile. Angel was going to be fine.
