SPN/BTVS-To Live and Die in LA-Book Two-Part One
Buffy was drifting in and out of consciousness as she caught parts of conversations.
"You shot her?" Incredulous, a big voice but softened and deep. Had to be Grabby.
"In the leg." She knew that one. That was 'Dean', would be the one that shot her sounding so dispassionate. Casual.
"But you shot her!" Big boy again.
"Only a little." Grr.
"You can’t shoot anyone a little, Dean!"
And then Faith’s voice.
"You shot her?"
"I did."
"For me?"
A melty purr sound to Faith's voice that Buffy had never heard before and she wished she had a voice to speak- because she wanted to say Faith was dead meat. Not just for her antics in Los Angeles, but also for praising Dean for fucking shooting her.
Silence and then the sound of a kiss as she passed out again.
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Sam was kneeling down as he wrapped the wound in her leg "We’re still surrounded by cops." he said looking up at the two of them kissing.
Faith had her fingers in Dean's hair, cupping his nape as she brought him closer, wanting more. He tasted like gunpowder and sugar- and she wanted to hear what he sounded like when he lost control. She was thinking the counter by the register looked really promising about now, but they were interrupted by Sam making a frustrated sound in their direction.
Dean broke away from Faith reluctantly and looked over at Buffy. "So we take off and leave her to the cops." he said bluntly "Her damn fault we just lost Jessica." Dean saw the small flinch in his brother’s face as he heard the name and then went back to tending to the wound.
"We can’t." Faith said looking down at Buffy, the look on her face clearly showed she didn’t believe she was saying this as well "We have to take her with us." She winced at Dean's look but shrugged, resolute. She knew what she had to do, even if it wasn't a bucket o'fun. "Have to. She can't go to a standard hospital...no more than I can."
Dean looked at Faith in confusion and then saw the expression on her face. It registered in his head what Faith was saying, and there was a silent communion between them. After a few seconds he sighed and nodded "Ok Sam, you grab her shoulders."
Sam looked up "You have a plan for getting her out of here?"
Dean muttered under his breath "Wouldn’t call it a plan per se." louder he said to Faith "You better use the roof and meet us at the Impala." he said. He felt Faith move behind him and kiss his cheek.
"Thank you" she whispered. She stroked her nails just under his jaw and wanted to say more, but they didn't have time. Not right this moment. She went to do her part.
He nodded without turning as she took off. Looking over at Sam he said "You wanna ride with the ambulance or follow in the car?"
Sam made a face as he realized the plan "I’ll drive." he said "I hate hitting ambulance drivers."
Dean pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them over "Ok, best hurried shock face…" he said as they lifted the downed Slayer and began to sprint towards the front door.
As soon as they burst through the exit, Dean called out "We got a victim here! We need a stretcher!"
The campus police swarmed forward as a stretcher and two paramedics rushed in and took Buffy from them. Dean looked at Sam for a second and then proclaimed "I need to ride with her, she had the best view of what went down." the paramedics not caring much who rode with them nodded and rushed her to the ambulance. Sam went the other way, trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible.
Dean followed the paramedics into the back of the ambulance as one began examining Buffy in the back and the other jumped into the driver’s seat. Within seconds they were off.
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Sam made it to the car in record time. The cops, too busy flooding into the building looking for clues rather than wondering where the federal agents who had gone in were at was a nice help. Faith was waiting by the car, vibrating with tension. Sam thought she looked a little like a race horse primed to take off.
"Where?" she asked as he cut her off with his hand.
Sam unlocked the driver’s side as he said "They took her away in an ambulance, which we need to catch up with." he said unlocking the passenger side door. She didn’t even hesitate to jump in and strap herself down. He gunned the engine and they took off across the parking lot, Sam doing some math in his head "The closest hospital is St. Francis" he said more to himself "Which would mean they need to cut across Elm to get there." He pulled the car into a sharp right that made Faith grip the door tightly.
"You know where all the hospitals are?" she asked.
He nodded without looking at her "Our dad made it a priority to know the nearest hospitals, police stations and no questions asked motels wherever we went."
Faith was taken back for a second, when Dean had explained they were raised as hunters she hadn’t quite grasped how hard a life that must have been growing up. Dean had a way of bypassing details and getting across his point without showing too much of what he was holding inside. His thoughts were sincere when he shared them, it just did not change that Dean had some aspects locked down. Not that they had had so much time to talk about their childhoods. They had been booking it since they met, truth be told. Dean might have plenty to say on the subject, if he could catch his breath. Still yet, she heard the almost hidden resentment in Sam’s voice as he explained and she could see…it wasn’t a bed of roses for them either.
And she was beginning to understand the younger Winchester’s reservations. About her and trusting her- having her drama and life around his brother. She could not exactly vouch for being an easy person to love or someone their dad would approve of. She couldn't bake or do weird things with her hair while she was talking. Laugh at jokes she didn't find funny. Girly stuff. Her attention was snagged back to the moment by Sam.
"There they are." Sam said spotting the ambulance in the distance, its sirens blaring away. The Impala surged forward again, tapping even more speed as Sam closed the distance within seconds.
Faith looked to the emergency vehicle then to Sam "Um…we have a plan or just going to ram them?"
She saw his jaw clench for a second before he answered, he was either running a bit hot or he was upset. With Jessica out there possessed she couldn’t blame him. In a low voice he said "Dean’s job to get them to pull over."
"And if he can’t get them to?" she asked.
With more than just a touch of pride in his voice Sam glanced at her and said "Trust me, there isn’t much Dean can’t do."
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Dean watched as the paramedic cut the side of Buffy's jeans down and examined the wound critically. He doused the area liberally with alcohol as he wiped the blood away.
"Not a lot of blood."
The medic said more to himself as he pulled a needle and bottle out of the side compartment. He plunged in into the side of her leg and her breathing relaxed a little. As the medic turned to snag some gauze Dean grabbed the needle and bottle and drew another dose from the small bottle. When the guy turned back around, Dean covered his mouth and shoved the needle into the guy’s neck. The E.M.T.'s eyes grew wide and then slowly closed as the sedative took effect.
Dean laid him down over Buffy as he opened the med cabinet up again. Drawing out a double dose of medication he checked the needle and moved up to the driver’s compartment. Holding the needle behind him he said "Your friend just passed out…is he diabetic or something?"
The driver slowed and looked over his shoulder as Dean yanked him back, stabbing him with the needle and injecting him. The driver moaned as he passed out, the ambulance swerved as Dean pulled him all the way out of the seat and into the back. Dean grabbed the wheel and shifted the truck into neutral. It slowed as he moved it to the side of the road.
He took a deep breath as he turned the ambulance off; he always hated that part of the plan. He sat there in the driver’s seat as he caught his breath, the back opened as Faith and Sam crawled in.
Sam examined the men as Faith moved up to Dean "You think you’re Indiana Jones or something?"
He looked over at her and smiled "We named the dog Indiana."
She had to kiss him for that. She did not have to try too hard to find reasons to kiss Dean. He had become her favorite flavor. They smiled to each other and then she glanced back towards Sam and Buffy.
"She out?" Dean called back to Sam who was checking their Slayer.
"For now." he said checking her pulse "How good are you guys with drugs and meds?"
Faith looked back "Real good." She cocked a brow at Sam's doubtful look. "I'm practically pre-med, swear. I can have her flying until we're in a good spot to...talk. All... nice like."
Dean nodded to the med case "Grab some extra for later."
Sam paused as Dean’s eyes hardened. Sam sighed as he began to scoop the narcotics out of the case and into his pocket. Dean moved past Faith into the back "We need to get somewhere away from here so we can treat her wounds and try and talk some sense into her." he said.
Faith followed him "We need to get out of here." he said to her. She nodded as she picked Buffy up and followed them out of the ambulance. She laid the felled Slayer down in the back seat as Sam got into the passenger’s seat. Dean looked over at him for a second and then jerked his head. It was a patented big brother move.
"What?" Sam asked.
"amscray the ontfray eatsay." Dean hissed under his breath.
Sam paused for a second "Why?"
"Ausecay Iway antway erhay otay itsay upway erehay." Dean said again.
Faith leaned up to the front seat. They were being awful cute. Sam looking all mutinous and indignant, Dean appearing to be considering lifting and shoving his younger brother over the seat if it came to that. Really didn't have to go that far. She smiled, her eyes catching Dean's in the rearview mirror. "You know I do speak pig Latin and it’s ok." she said chuckling. "I can stay back here and look after her."
Dean glared at Sam and muttered "Ockcay ockerblay" and started the car. "Where to?" Dean asked not even looking at his brother.
"Ahead about four miles then to the left." Sam said trying not to sound like he was pouting…and failing miserably. He was always shotgun. He wasn't so sure he liked this 'new way' Dean seemed to be considering.
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They got a room at the crappy motel Sam had scoped out before hand. Faith and Dean was able to walk Buffy in having her hand on their shoulders, Sam made sure they kept any weight off her leg.
They laid her out on one of the bed as Sam pulled out their medical kit and began to really clean the wound.
Faith went and splashed some water on her face as she tried not to lose it, because she knew damn well what Buffy here meant. She could practically feel a weight around her throat, settling thick and heavy- like a steel collar. The oppressive phantom feeling of being taken to the Council and punished- or tested, which was the same thing with more questions. She wanted to bolt and drag Buffy with her by one ankle. The Winchesters did not need to deal with the Watchers. It was bad enough they were all up to their asses in demons.
Dean sat and watched both Sam and Faith with one eye, this was a bad situation that could dovetail into a disaster at any moment.
After about ten minutes, Sam sat up and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Nice graze." he said "Nothing but flesh…she’s already healing."
Dean nodded, knowing he had taken aim to make sure all he hit was the side of her leg. But as anyone who ever shot a gun knew, bullets had a mind of their own. "Ok she’s gonna be ok." he said standing and looking at Faith "So why you still looking like you killed someone?"
Her tone was harsher than she wanted but she was too emotional to edit right now "I did kill someone Dean." she said taking a step forward. Some part of her mind registered he didn’t take even a half step back. He was not spooked by her. Didn't act like she was going to dissect him in a fit of temper. "That bitch in my body killed someone and they think I did it." she said turning away to continue her pace. She felt his hands on her shoulder and she tensed "They think I’m bad again, Dean."
He kissed in-between her tense shoulder blades lightly and she felt her entire body shiver. "We’ll figure it out." he whispered "I promise."
She spun on him and saw him freeze "Don’t." she said "Do not promise me something you cannot deliver." It sounded like they were talking about what he just said, but they both knew it was far more. Their eyes were locked and they were saying something silently for a very long time when Dean just nodded slightly.
"Ok" he said in a very low voice "I won’t." He turned around and walked towards Buffy and looked down at her for a second. His eyes cut back to Faith. "We will figure this out." he said in a much louder voice "I promise." There was nothing in his voice that would gave anyone any indication he was unsure about his declaration.
Faith was forced to recall Sam saying earlier 'There isn’t much Dean can’t do.' Sam believed it. She was starting to get into the same religion. Her dark eyes smoldered with her thoughts as she crossed her arms over her chest, not averting her gaze from Dean's. She was not daring him with a look, she was letting him 'see' how he touched her.
Sam coughed slightly in the pause "She’s waking up."
Dean looked down and saw he was right, she was indeed waking up.
"Buffy?" he said leaning down trying to rouse her.
Her eyes flashed open and her fist shot out under his chin. He flipped backwards over the other bed before landing on the floor. She surged off the bed and into a fighting stance "Hi Dean, I’m Buffy." she said struggling to stay upright. Sam moved off the bed behind her and she shifted slightly.
Faith was kneeling down checking Dean as Sam moved to the side. "Faith we don’t have to do this." she said not liking the odds at all. The tall one didn’t look happy she just clocked his brother "Just come back to the council and take your medicine."
"Medicine?" Faith repeated, standing up "What medicine is that, Buffy?" Clenching her fists, the dark Slayer lifted her chin.
Buffy cocked her head "Rabies shot?" she said smiling "Temperament?" she snapped her fingers "Oh I know…penicillin?"
And that was it.
Faith kicked the bed up and over towards the blonde Slayer. Buffy blocked the bed as Faith punched through it and into her stomach. Buffy went flying back across the room into the motel door with a solid thud. Sam moved out of the way as Faith moved past him as Buffy tried to get on her feet.
She never would.
The door shattered behind the Slayer as Faith barreled into her at full speed. The two of them went tumbling out into the walkway with a tangle of limbs, Faith not giving the blonde even a second to breathe.
Buffy felt them roll away from the room and towards the center of the motel courtyard. Faith lunged a knee into her gut, trying to push her back towards the pool. But Buffy lashed out and grabbed the iron gate that surrounded the water with a hand, halting her momentum and tripping up Faith for a second.
Using the gate as leverage, Buffy spun around and landed a swinging kick to the other Slayer’s head. Faith felt Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots slam into her temple, tossing her to the left, towards the pool for a second. Buffy used the rest of her swing to jump up and land in a crouch. Seeing Faith’s momentary flash of unsteadiness she pounced forward with a loud yaaa! tackling her in the waist as the two of them plunged into the pool.
Dean was leaning on Sam as they made their way out to the pool area. His jaw was swollen as he watched them both pitch into the pool locked in combat. "Thee’s gonna kill her" Dean said through a swollen mouth.
"Please stop talking." Sam said holding him up "You sound like Daffy Duck.’ he said watching the two of them fight in the water. After thirty seconds it was obvious neither one was coming up for air. He leaned Dean against the gate "Stay." he said making sure he wouldn’t fall and then took three steps towards the pool and dove in.
All Dean could see were the three forms on the bottom of the pool, all of them moving as one for a second. After about twenty unbearable seconds of waiting Dean saw them rising up to the surface. He leaned in quickly.
Sam surfaced first, a Slayer in each hand as he gasped a deep breath. Both Buffy and Faith were snarling at each other, but Sam’s reach was longer than theirs. He tossed Faith back to the shallow end as he pushed Buffy towards the edge of the pool "Knock it off already!" he roared as Faith felt ground beneath her and Buffy felt the pool wall hit her back.
Faith was panting as Buffy glared at her "This is what is wrong with you Faith!" Buffy screamed "You can’t handle anything if it isn’t by swinging at someone!" Buffy pulled herself out of the pool with as much grace as she could. Faith wanted to shoot something back but knew…
Buffy was right.
As always whatever control she had possessed and built up was lost the moment that her smug slayer majesty showed up and started spouting off platitudes. She led with her fist…again. Which was going to make proving the Buffy that she hadn’t killed anyone even harder.
"Buffy look…"Faith tried but the other Slayer wasn’t having any of it.
"Save it Faith. I don’t care anymore." she looked up at dean leaning on the fence "You shot me I punched you." she said sounding tired "We even or you want to go another round, champ?"
Dean shook his head and said "You got this all wrong."
Buffy just nodded "Says the guy who shot me." she began to walk past him "Hard to believe how anyone would think you guys as bad at all."
Dean walked over and helped Faith out of the pool, realizing he had nothing to say to that. Sam hauled himself out and chased after the retreating slayer "Buffy!’ he called out "Wait!"
She slowed as he ran up on her; his clothes were sticking to him in a way that was a bit too distracting to her. She looked up at his face and forced herself not to look anywhere else "Look…I agree we didn’t handle this right. But there is a lot that’s going on you don’t know." he said trying to impart as much honesty in his voice that he could.
"Like?" she said putting a hand on her hip.
"Well for one when you jumped Faith we were trying to force the demon in that girl’s body out of her." he said. He was rewarded by seeing her face pale slightly. "Yeah the girl you let walk out the door? She was possessed." he said as the panic of wondering if Jessica was ok rose in his voice. Taking a deep breath he said "We both leapt without looking…can we try this again?" he said, his eyes wide.
Jesus, even looking at his face was dangerous she thought as he hit her with a thousand watt puppy eyed stare. She felt herself take a deep breath and say "Ok fine. I can listen."
He smiled and she mentally tried to look away "Great.’ he said sounding far more pleased than any one person should. He held out a huge paw of a hand "I’m Sam."
She looked at him to see if he was joking, but his sincerity was just oozing out of him. She shook it "Buffy."
His grin was infectious "Welcome to the team." he said.
Previously on To Live in Die in L.A.
Prelude// Part One// Part Two/ Part Three/ Part Four/ Part Five/ Part Six/ Part Seven/ Part Eight/ Part Nine/ Part Ten