Slayerinthecity: Bitch on bitch action
It's late night and I'm out on the town, doing what I do best -- slaying. After a few run-ins with the old crowd, I'm craving a little solo time. All this group togetherness just gets me wicked restless, you know? It's not really my thing to sit around and chat over coffee like we're a bunch of old chums with a sunny past behind us. Catching up means tallying the body count, and call me crazy, but I'm just not finding the fun in recollecting about how half the folks up in the City Of lost their lives in some epic battle with Evil Incorporated. Details aren't gonna bring him back, so why bother? They don't even have a fucking body.
I thought I was cool, that I was totally over it after a few days of rooming with Red and focusing on her big bad claims, but after seeing Angel here - I don't know, it just brought it all back. Every time I look at the big guy, I get all these memories flooding back in, like I'm on that fuckin' Orpheus trip again. I close my eyes and all I see is Angelus grinning at me in that cocky I'm-gonna-suck-you-dry way, with Wes held tightly in his grip, life slipping by the second, and all that talk of choices and consequences and how I oughtta kill him before he snaps my watcher's neck. Man, talk about the things that shape us. Never knew it was such a big deal with me until now. Something changed then; something that's got me all wound up.
Anyway, it's only about 2 AM and I've already dusted a couple of vamps and a demon that looked like a cross between a wooly mammoth and the abominable snowman. Guess even the demons gotta adapt to the cold. Thing was huge, but wasn't much for the fight. Was more of the stomp and go type than the fast moving punch throwing one I usually get out here. Other than that? Everything's calm on the vamp front, no mob bosses sending their boys after me for a throwdown, so I'm thinking it's high time I made it back to the nest to see what's up with Soul Boy and Red.
I'm about half way back to my place when I get this itch on the back of my neck like I'm being watched or something. I figure it to be another vamp, but after 10 minutes of walking, the itch is still there and I got nothing for it other than this extra chill that I know ain't the weather. I finally stop in an alley, tired of this shit. I hold out my arms and check the roofs -- nothing. Guess the sniper theory's out. I spin full circle, sweeping the alley with my eyes, and then out of nowhere, this chick just *appears* like something out of a Sci-Fi flick. Whoa. I stop, blink, and take a good look at this girl.
"Aren't you supposed to be dead," I ask, recognizing the prissy dress suit and ice cold eyes immediately. What the Hell is Lilah Morgan doing here? Last I heard, she took a permanent trip to the great beyond after Angelus made dinner out of her. It's gotta be a fake out. This has The First Evil written all over it. Did we even wipe that out? I mean, we closed the Hellmouth, but can you really take something like that down? Whatever. Point is -- I'm not falling for that act this time. Wilkins wigged me out big time, but Lilah Morgan? She's got nothing on me other than an expired contract I never got around to making good on. I'm not gonna be shaking in my boots 'cause she thinks I owe her.
"Faith," and she says my name like she's just a little too sure of herself. You know, at one time, I found her act wicked hot. First time I saw her, I thought this chick was a total fox -- all dolled up and full of the attitude. But now? It's just tired. "Still as feisty as ever, I see. Do you still like black?"
I look down at my outfit -- black hip huggin' jeans fitting snug under a black duster -- and smirk. "You could say that. You still into diamonds?"
"It's a perk of the job," she smiles, catlike; meets her eyes with mine in a firm stare-down. It's then that I notice the thin line around her neck, like someone lopped off her head and glued it back on. Wes mentioned something about having to axe her -- guess that's where. Thing is, last I checked? The First didn't show up looking like a corpse. Wilkins came back just as together looking as always; not like he'd been blown to bits and sewn back together like Lilah's looking. Girl's a regular Frankenstein in this get up.
I cross my arms and get down to business. If this is the real deal, I wanna know why she's back to playing games with me. "So, let me guess. You want to do business again? Gotta admit, not a smart move on your part. I mean, after the last time, you'd think you'd know better than that."
Lilah grins again, this time amused. Girl's obviously got something up her sleeve; some trick she thinks I'll fall for. "You have no idea, do you?"
"But I bet you're gonna fill me in," I drawl out sarcastically, not about to give in to this bitch. I made that mistake once; I'm smarter than that now.
"He said you would be difficult to convince." I flash her a strange look. He? Who the fuck is he and what does he know about me? "Wesley," she clarifies, watching my reaction carefully. I shrug, playing off casual, so she continues without a hitch. "There have been complications in the plan, we've procured certain losses that were not in the initial proposal. I'd like to change that and I need your help."
I just stare. It's not the big words that got me stumped, it's the part about needing *my* help to do... what? I'm still not catching on. "Keep talking."
"What if I told you there was a way to bring back the dead?"
"Been there, done that," I reply in a bored tone. "B's on her third life and I hear Hell spit out Angel after a couple of months. You gonna tell me something I don't know?"
"All of those, they had consequences," she explains as if I'm some stupid kid without a clue. "There is no fine print clause in this procedure. The two of you could have a fresh start. I heard you made quite the team after Angelus had me as a snack."
This time, I narrow my eyes suspiciously at her, getting where she's going now. Lawyer bitch thinks that if we tag-team it, we can bring back Wes. Tempting offer... but I'm not ready to go throwing my soul away for some former Wolfram & Hart employee in some last bid effort that could end being a total bust. I know they had a thing, but damn. This is just weird.
"Why do you care?" I ask, honestly curious. "You two were fuckbuddies. Shouldn't you be glad he bit it? Boy's all yours now."
Lilah falters for a tick, a sort of wistful look sparking in her eyes in one of those blink and you miss it kind of things. Shit. She really cared about the guy, didn't she? I can't help it, I laugh. This is un-fucking-believable. She's gotta be pulling my leg here! I'm just not buying into her distressed lovelorn act. Lilah's a lot of things, but she ain't no damsel.
"Oh man, this is rich, real rich. You really think I'm gonna fall for the old fell-in-love-with-a-boy-and-now-I'm-a-changed- woman thing?"
Even I don't pull that kind of crap.
"Of course not," she spits out, regaining some of her old venom. Now we're talking. This doped up version of Lilah Morgan was seriously starting to wig me out. "Let me paint you the real picture here, Faith. Do you really think he went up to the place where all the good boys go? Well, here's a wake up call for you -- he didn't. You want to know where your boy is? He's trapped in Purgatory. You see, those under the contract of Wolfram & Hart go to a special kind of Hell. Ready to listen now?"
I don't hesitate when I ask, "What do I gotta do?"
"That's my girl," she purrs, smiling again. "Ever hear of ambrosia, Faith?" I shake my head in the negative. "I didn't think so. It was the mythical fruit of the gods. The Greeks believed that if a mortal were to ingest it, then they would become immortal. It's not real, of course. But there is a drug out there, named precisely that, and when given to the sick or the dead, it can replenish a person's body and soul. In simple terms -- bring the dead to life. This city just so happens to be in great supply of it thanks to a group of smuggling vampires. Wolfram & Hart once did business with them. They're not cheap, but I think you'll be able to find a way around the money issue. And no, I'm not paying you."
"So I kick ass and swipe it, I dig." Nothing new there. With more and more of the gang showing up by the day, I got myself a whole freakin' army out here. We can take 'em, no problem. "Anything else?"
Lilah glances back at me, this dead serious look in her eyes, as she says in this wicked creepy voice, "You'll need the body."
Shit.
"Shit," I mutter under my breath, hands coming up to cover my face. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Angel told it to me straight, Watcher man's bod is gone. Said maybe this thing called Illyria (what that is) took it, but she skipped out on the team and no one's heard from her since. Man, could this get any worse?
"Something wrong?" she asks... and there's worry in her voice. Never thought I'd hear this chick sound like that, but she's scared. Went all this work to make it out to the mortal plane, totally went out on a limb by knocking heads with a slayer, and now she's just found out it's all been a waste of her time. Man, what a bummer. I almost feel bad for the chick.
"Yea," I answer, sighing deep and heavy. God, this sucks. "No body."
"That's ridiculous," she scoffs at me. Wow. Touchy, much? Damn. "There has to be a body, you just have to find it."
"What do you expect me to do?" I question, throwing up my arms in surrender, sufficiently frustrated now. "Fly out to LA and dig through the rubble? Sorry, but I'm no trashpicker. Find someone else for the job."
I'm about to up and leave this bitch, but she grabs my arm -- hard -- and pulls me back in, outrage clearly written all over her permanently sour expression. "You *have* to do this!" she hisses, grip still tight on my arm.
I grit my teeth, but I don't try to bail just yet. Something about this whole thing's got me buggin' -- Morgan's not telling me all there is to this story. There's something else. "Why me? Why not Angel? Or Spike? Or Hell, even Buffy. She's the slayer at the top of everyone's hero call list."
Lilah rolls her eyes, looks at me like I'm real stupid again. "Don't you get it? The ritual, it has to be done by someone close, preferably a family member. You were his slayer, that makes you the best bet in bringing him back."
"Yea, because we were so close," I snark right back at her, finally yanking my arm from the death grip she had on me. Damn. Death must have it's perks. There's a moment where we're both quiet, just glaring at one another, trying to size each other up. I know I got the upper hand here, but something about seeing Lilah so out of control like this creeps me out. Wes must be goin' through some serious shit if his bitch is out doing his dirty work.
Another minute rolls by when I break the eye contact and sigh. "Maybe I could get Red to hook me up with some kind of locator spell. If she can pinpoint his location, I'll do the damn ritual. Happy?"
"Ecstatic," she replies with her usual sarcasm.
"I'm not doin' this for you," I clear up, before Lilah gets to thinking too highly of herself. Can't let the bitch get the upper hand, you know? "I'm doin' it for Wes. I don't owe you shit."
"Likewise." Another pause, this one less intense, and she spins on her heels, turning her body away, though her head tilts in my direction. "Nice doing business with you, Faith. Don't screw this one up."
She disappears in a puff of smoke before I can get a comeback in, leaving me alone in the alley, wondering if I just dreamed all that shit up. Man, if I didn't still have Lilah's handprint on my arm, I'd chalk it all up to being some freaky mind trip. Looks like I'm finally gonna get some real action around here. Screw Red's mob theory, I'm all about evening the score and gettin' that second chance with Wes.
I thought I was cool, that I was totally over it after a few days of rooming with Red and focusing on her big bad claims, but after seeing Angel here - I don't know, it just brought it all back. Every time I look at the big guy, I get all these memories flooding back in, like I'm on that fuckin' Orpheus trip again. I close my eyes and all I see is Angelus grinning at me in that cocky I'm-gonna-suck-you-dry way, with Wes held tightly in his grip, life slipping by the second, and all that talk of choices and consequences and how I oughtta kill him before he snaps my watcher's neck. Man, talk about the things that shape us. Never knew it was such a big deal with me until now. Something changed then; something that's got me all wound up.
Anyway, it's only about 2 AM and I've already dusted a couple of vamps and a demon that looked like a cross between a wooly mammoth and the abominable snowman. Guess even the demons gotta adapt to the cold. Thing was huge, but wasn't much for the fight. Was more of the stomp and go type than the fast moving punch throwing one I usually get out here. Other than that? Everything's calm on the vamp front, no mob bosses sending their boys after me for a throwdown, so I'm thinking it's high time I made it back to the nest to see what's up with Soul Boy and Red.
I'm about half way back to my place when I get this itch on the back of my neck like I'm being watched or something. I figure it to be another vamp, but after 10 minutes of walking, the itch is still there and I got nothing for it other than this extra chill that I know ain't the weather. I finally stop in an alley, tired of this shit. I hold out my arms and check the roofs -- nothing. Guess the sniper theory's out. I spin full circle, sweeping the alley with my eyes, and then out of nowhere, this chick just *appears* like something out of a Sci-Fi flick. Whoa. I stop, blink, and take a good look at this girl.
"Aren't you supposed to be dead," I ask, recognizing the prissy dress suit and ice cold eyes immediately. What the Hell is Lilah Morgan doing here? Last I heard, she took a permanent trip to the great beyond after Angelus made dinner out of her. It's gotta be a fake out. This has The First Evil written all over it. Did we even wipe that out? I mean, we closed the Hellmouth, but can you really take something like that down? Whatever. Point is -- I'm not falling for that act this time. Wilkins wigged me out big time, but Lilah Morgan? She's got nothing on me other than an expired contract I never got around to making good on. I'm not gonna be shaking in my boots 'cause she thinks I owe her.
"Faith," and she says my name like she's just a little too sure of herself. You know, at one time, I found her act wicked hot. First time I saw her, I thought this chick was a total fox -- all dolled up and full of the attitude. But now? It's just tired. "Still as feisty as ever, I see. Do you still like black?"
I look down at my outfit -- black hip huggin' jeans fitting snug under a black duster -- and smirk. "You could say that. You still into diamonds?"
"It's a perk of the job," she smiles, catlike; meets her eyes with mine in a firm stare-down. It's then that I notice the thin line around her neck, like someone lopped off her head and glued it back on. Wes mentioned something about having to axe her -- guess that's where. Thing is, last I checked? The First didn't show up looking like a corpse. Wilkins came back just as together looking as always; not like he'd been blown to bits and sewn back together like Lilah's looking. Girl's a regular Frankenstein in this get up.
I cross my arms and get down to business. If this is the real deal, I wanna know why she's back to playing games with me. "So, let me guess. You want to do business again? Gotta admit, not a smart move on your part. I mean, after the last time, you'd think you'd know better than that."
Lilah grins again, this time amused. Girl's obviously got something up her sleeve; some trick she thinks I'll fall for. "You have no idea, do you?"
"But I bet you're gonna fill me in," I drawl out sarcastically, not about to give in to this bitch. I made that mistake once; I'm smarter than that now.
"He said you would be difficult to convince." I flash her a strange look. He? Who the fuck is he and what does he know about me? "Wesley," she clarifies, watching my reaction carefully. I shrug, playing off casual, so she continues without a hitch. "There have been complications in the plan, we've procured certain losses that were not in the initial proposal. I'd like to change that and I need your help."
I just stare. It's not the big words that got me stumped, it's the part about needing *my* help to do... what? I'm still not catching on. "Keep talking."
"What if I told you there was a way to bring back the dead?"
"Been there, done that," I reply in a bored tone. "B's on her third life and I hear Hell spit out Angel after a couple of months. You gonna tell me something I don't know?"
"All of those, they had consequences," she explains as if I'm some stupid kid without a clue. "There is no fine print clause in this procedure. The two of you could have a fresh start. I heard you made quite the team after Angelus had me as a snack."
This time, I narrow my eyes suspiciously at her, getting where she's going now. Lawyer bitch thinks that if we tag-team it, we can bring back Wes. Tempting offer... but I'm not ready to go throwing my soul away for some former Wolfram & Hart employee in some last bid effort that could end being a total bust. I know they had a thing, but damn. This is just weird.
"Why do you care?" I ask, honestly curious. "You two were fuckbuddies. Shouldn't you be glad he bit it? Boy's all yours now."
Lilah falters for a tick, a sort of wistful look sparking in her eyes in one of those blink and you miss it kind of things. Shit. She really cared about the guy, didn't she? I can't help it, I laugh. This is un-fucking-believable. She's gotta be pulling my leg here! I'm just not buying into her distressed lovelorn act. Lilah's a lot of things, but she ain't no damsel.
"Oh man, this is rich, real rich. You really think I'm gonna fall for the old fell-in-love-with-a-boy-and-now-I'm-a-changed- woman thing?"
Even I don't pull that kind of crap.
"Of course not," she spits out, regaining some of her old venom. Now we're talking. This doped up version of Lilah Morgan was seriously starting to wig me out. "Let me paint you the real picture here, Faith. Do you really think he went up to the place where all the good boys go? Well, here's a wake up call for you -- he didn't. You want to know where your boy is? He's trapped in Purgatory. You see, those under the contract of Wolfram & Hart go to a special kind of Hell. Ready to listen now?"
I don't hesitate when I ask, "What do I gotta do?"
"That's my girl," she purrs, smiling again. "Ever hear of ambrosia, Faith?" I shake my head in the negative. "I didn't think so. It was the mythical fruit of the gods. The Greeks believed that if a mortal were to ingest it, then they would become immortal. It's not real, of course. But there is a drug out there, named precisely that, and when given to the sick or the dead, it can replenish a person's body and soul. In simple terms -- bring the dead to life. This city just so happens to be in great supply of it thanks to a group of smuggling vampires. Wolfram & Hart once did business with them. They're not cheap, but I think you'll be able to find a way around the money issue. And no, I'm not paying you."
"So I kick ass and swipe it, I dig." Nothing new there. With more and more of the gang showing up by the day, I got myself a whole freakin' army out here. We can take 'em, no problem. "Anything else?"
Lilah glances back at me, this dead serious look in her eyes, as she says in this wicked creepy voice, "You'll need the body."
Shit.
"Shit," I mutter under my breath, hands coming up to cover my face. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Angel told it to me straight, Watcher man's bod is gone. Said maybe this thing called Illyria (what that is) took it, but she skipped out on the team and no one's heard from her since. Man, could this get any worse?
"Something wrong?" she asks... and there's worry in her voice. Never thought I'd hear this chick sound like that, but she's scared. Went all this work to make it out to the mortal plane, totally went out on a limb by knocking heads with a slayer, and now she's just found out it's all been a waste of her time. Man, what a bummer. I almost feel bad for the chick.
"Yea," I answer, sighing deep and heavy. God, this sucks. "No body."
"That's ridiculous," she scoffs at me. Wow. Touchy, much? Damn. "There has to be a body, you just have to find it."
"What do you expect me to do?" I question, throwing up my arms in surrender, sufficiently frustrated now. "Fly out to LA and dig through the rubble? Sorry, but I'm no trashpicker. Find someone else for the job."
I'm about to up and leave this bitch, but she grabs my arm -- hard -- and pulls me back in, outrage clearly written all over her permanently sour expression. "You *have* to do this!" she hisses, grip still tight on my arm.
I grit my teeth, but I don't try to bail just yet. Something about this whole thing's got me buggin' -- Morgan's not telling me all there is to this story. There's something else. "Why me? Why not Angel? Or Spike? Or Hell, even Buffy. She's the slayer at the top of everyone's hero call list."
Lilah rolls her eyes, looks at me like I'm real stupid again. "Don't you get it? The ritual, it has to be done by someone close, preferably a family member. You were his slayer, that makes you the best bet in bringing him back."
"Yea, because we were so close," I snark right back at her, finally yanking my arm from the death grip she had on me. Damn. Death must have it's perks. There's a moment where we're both quiet, just glaring at one another, trying to size each other up. I know I got the upper hand here, but something about seeing Lilah so out of control like this creeps me out. Wes must be goin' through some serious shit if his bitch is out doing his dirty work.
Another minute rolls by when I break the eye contact and sigh. "Maybe I could get Red to hook me up with some kind of locator spell. If she can pinpoint his location, I'll do the damn ritual. Happy?"
"Ecstatic," she replies with her usual sarcasm.
"I'm not doin' this for you," I clear up, before Lilah gets to thinking too highly of herself. Can't let the bitch get the upper hand, you know? "I'm doin' it for Wes. I don't owe you shit."
"Likewise." Another pause, this one less intense, and she spins on her heels, turning her body away, though her head tilts in my direction. "Nice doing business with you, Faith. Don't screw this one up."
She disappears in a puff of smoke before I can get a comeback in, leaving me alone in the alley, wondering if I just dreamed all that shit up. Man, if I didn't still have Lilah's handprint on my arm, I'd chalk it all up to being some freaky mind trip. Looks like I'm finally gonna get some real action around here. Screw Red's mob theory, I'm all about evening the score and gettin' that second chance with Wes.