To Live in Die in LA:Book Two-Part Seven
Faith fell backwards.
"Faith!’ Dean yelled as he ran towards her.
Willow raised her hands as she began to cast a spell and Sam thrust his hand forward. His eyes turned black as she looked up in naked shock. The witch barely had time to register Sam's eyes before she went flying back through the plate glass window. She flew back like she had been struck in the chest by something moving fast. Meg looked on in amazement as the witch went hurtling back into the lobby, embedding into the wall.
"What the…" Meg muttered as Sam looked at her. His smile was as grim as she had ever seen on a human.
"Get out of her now." he growled as he concentrated solely on her. She began to cough as she felt herself being pushed out of Jessica’s form. She looked over towards the Conduit in desperation "Do something!" she choked.
Meg saw Buffy’s head look over at her with an expression that looked like she was regarding an insect and said "My part is done." she said and vanished.
Meg looked back at Sam as he pushed one more time. Jessica fell to her knees, coughing black smoke out of her mouth in great heaves. Sam could feel the demon inside struggling against him as she tried to hold on.
Dean knelt next to Faith, she was already growing cold as she refused to breathe. Setting down his shotgun he put a hand behind her head "Faith, you have to get up." he said moving the hair out of her face.
She continued to hold onto the axe with a death grip…with a strong grip as Dean tried not to lose it. If she was alive enough to hold onto the axe, she had to be able to hear him. He would not think otherwise. "Get up, Faith. I mean it." his voice was ragged and filled with jagged shards of emotion as he saw the color leave her face.
Jessica fell to the concrete unconscious as Meg was sent packing to Hell, a Sam Winchester no return label on her ass. Sam ran over to Jessica, taking his jacket off and draping it around her as she laid in his arms, unconscious but breathing. He released a huge breath he hadn’t even been aware he was holding as he realized she was alright. In the moment, fighting Meg- he had not been sure how Jessica's body would fare. There was no way to stop halfway through driving out Meg to ask Jessica how she was doing. Sam winced as he barely rested his palm to Jessica's clammy brow. She was alive. He had to keep telling himself that. He looked back over to Dean, who was kneeling over a girl of his own.
In an angry voice Dean called out to her "Get your ass up, RIGHT NOW!" She didn’t budge once as he felt hot tears begin to sting his eyes as he began to come to realize…she might be gone. No do-overs. No more Faith, and no more 'them'.
"You have to get up…" he said under his breath as his throat closed up with a sob "You have to get up…" he said almost inaudibly "For me?"
He saw a single tear fall from his eyes and splash on her face as he began to lower his head in defeat.
And her eyes flew open as if she were jolted by pure electricity. With her free hand, Faith grabbed the front of his shirt. He almost jerked back in shock as she looked him straight in the eyes and smiled "For you." she said and pulled him in for a kiss. She kissed him hard and a little violent, but she wanted him to know. He had to know. He was the One. She didn't have time to go Wizard of Oz on him and explain how he was there over the black rainbow and all. "I'd go anywhere for you. I'll always...come when you need me. I love you." She whispered the words because if she said them too loud, she would fucking cry. And she was not going to cry.
Sam felt himself tear up as he saw Dean hug into Faith with desperation and relief. He was seriously going to have to reevaluate his opinion of those two.
"You saved me again. How many I owe you now?" she said sitting up. The axe in her hand was throbbing with a power she had never felt before. This was what it felt like to be The Slayer?
"I did?" he asked drying his face quickly and then he smiled "I mean, of course I did."
She rolled her eyes as she shook her head "You are the only person I know, Dean Winchester, that can be annoying and endearing at the exact same time."
They stood up together as he smirked "It’s a talent." in a more concerned voice he asked "You ok?" She looked at him with an arched eyebrow and he raised a hand "Let me guess, five by five?"
She nodded "Now you’re getting it." she said taking a few steps towards Sam and Jessica. That was when a wave of energy came shooting out through the shattered windows of the lobby. Faith pulled Dean to the ground as it sailed over their heads. She could see Sam stand up quickly, both hands pushing against the wave of scarlet light as it flowed around him and Jessica like a wave around a rock. The statue in the center of the courtyard along with the stone Wolfram and Hart was pulverized as the power hit it with the force of a Mack truck.
"Go!" Sam yelled as Willow floated out of the lobby, both hands glowing with power.
Faith didn’t need to be told twice, one hand on the axe, the other in Dean’s hand they ran towards the lobby, at the end she was pulling him along as he tried to pull back "What about Sam?"
"He’s got this." she called out, hoping she was right. Since Willow’s corruption had come from Sam’s blood, Sam seemed the closest choice to handle her. It was time to make quick choices, like the soldiers that they were. She could feel Dean hesitate for a second and then follow her into the building. He hated leaving Sam but he knew this was going to be a bigger fight than that.
Four men came rushing out, all dressed in black suits and ear wigs providing communication. The new building’s security no doubt. The turnover around here had to be off the hook. Dean’s shotgun was deafening in the enclosed space as one of the men went flying back into the wall. Faith brought her axe up in a wide swing, from the way it hummed with power told her these men were not humans.
In less time it takes to tell the four men were dead or unconscious.
Dean looked over and smiled at Faith as the elevator car dinged and the doors slid open "Really dreadful the quality of demonic security these days."
She looked over at him as they walked in "Yeah you get what you pay for." She pushed the top level as the doors closed, leaving the bleeding and dismembered bodies of the security team spread out across the floor.
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There was a rush of heated air and suddenly the Conduit was there.
Azazel was watching Faith and Dean tear through their forces and enter the elevator through the closed circuit cameras. He looked over behind the huge desk and saw Buffy’s body with its feet propped up on the desk as it smiled at him "Problems?"
He growled as he turned towards her "Faith isn’t dead and Sam Winchester just sent my daughter to Hell." he said.
She shrugged slightly "Isn’t that where she’s from?"
"Do something!" he roared.
She looked up at him and the sense of gathering power filled the room as she stood up slowly "You want me to do something?" Small objects around the room began to burst into flame as she walked around the desk "You want to see something, you misbegotten demon?" He could feel the windows start to vibrate as everything glass in the office began to shatter. Lamps, clock faces, televisions, everything just began to shatter as she came within arm’s length of him "Still want some more something?" he could feel his own demonic presence begin to writhe in pain.
"N-no" he choked out. When she continued, he eeked out a small "Please."
The Conduit cocked its head as it looked at the tiny thing in front of it beg "And why should I?"
Faith’s voice called out "Because you are going to need both hands to deal with me."
Azazel’s body fell to the floor as The Conduit spun on Faith. They locked eyes for a moment and Buffy’s mouth asked in a sneer "Didn’t I kill you?"
Faith gave her a smirk back "Didn’t take." and she raised her hand, motioning for her to bring it.This creature in front of her had killed Buffy. It was using Buffy's body like she was nothing more than a suit of clothes. It burned deep into Faith, and she had so many things she wanted to say to her almost-friend, but she never would. That meant doing right by Buffy in other ways. Kicking this fuck's ass and then? Being the best Slayer she could be. Not making the sacrifice meaningless."Soup's on, come and get it."
Dean moved out of the way as Buffy flew through the air like a bullet, crashing into Faith, pushing them into the main reception area. Dean looked back at Azazel as he began to get to his feet slowly. "Ah, a Winchester" he said as his eyes glowed yellow "How did I know one of you…"
And Dean shot him in the face.
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Willow bore down on Sam with more power than she had ever channeled before.
Dark energies raced through her body as she concentrated everything she had at the tall man. Sam felt the energy move around him, it hummed at a frequency right out of his hearing…but still he could tell…
It was calling to him. It wanted to come to him. Not tear him apart, but fill him up. Love him, as much as power knew love.
Closing his eyes he felt the energy around him and pushed it back at her. Like a cat batting at yarn, Sam moved the power to where he wanted it. Willow’s eyes flew opened as it cascaded around her from all sides, overwhelming her defenses in a matter of seconds. Sam felt the energy from the attack swell within him as he pressed it down on her again and again. Magical barrier after barrier shattered as Willow burnt the demonic force out of her, defending from the attack. As the last dregs of energy left her body, her eyes cleared to normal and her mind cleared instantly.
"Custodia sanctus diabolus!" she called out.
The magical energy obeying Sam crashed against a golden wall of light as Willow caught her breath. She could see Sam’s black eyes and demonic visage and knew, this fight was just beginning.
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Faith felt something give in her chest as Buffy flew into her. Not the first broken rib she’d have, probably not the last. Probably not the last tonight. Slashing down with the axe Faith felt the blow deflect off the Conduit’s shields as Buffy’s fist drove into her midsection again.
Kicking her off, Faith cursed under her breath as she saw Buffy begin to fly off of her and then coast to a stop in midair. "Oh fuck me" she said scrambling to her feet.
Buffy’s crooked smile was chilling as she said "Maybe later.." she gestured with her hand as half of the office furniture in the room came sailing towards her. Faith flew into a series of flips and spins, dodging almost all of it, but even almost wasn’t everything. A solid stone paperweight sent a loud snap as it ricocheted off her temple. She staggered in place for a moment as another barrage of items came hurtling towards her.
She was done dodging.
She swung savagely with the axe, cutting whole desks and chairs in half as she began to spin it in front of her butterfly style. Wide arcs decimated the once fashionable office design into kindling. Faith glared up at Buffy’s body "That it? You afraid to come down here and fight me for real?"
Buffy’s face hardened as she dropped to the ground and launched a powerful kick to the other Slayer’s head. Faith barely moved as the foot drove itself through about two feet of steel pillar. If the Conduit connected with that kind of force she was dead. As Buffy looked at her and smiled icily, it was obvious both of them knew that little fact. In a mocking voice Faith heard 'it' mimic her."You afraid to fight me for real?"
Faith answered by unloading a series of attacks with the axe. She was disheartened to see Buffy block each blow with her bare hands. A flash of energy was released each time the metal made contact with flesh. A quick feint and Buffy almost snapped Faith’s leg out from under her as her right knee went numb. She backed up as the Conduit tried to finish the job with another blow. Buffy’s arm sank into the floor up to her elbow.
"Crap" Faith muttered as she backpedaled best she could on one foot. This was one of those times to start thinking outside the box. The box full of teeth and collapsing walls.
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Azazel slowly looked back towards Dean.
Half of his head had been blown off, leaving a skeletal half face grin leering at the hunter. In a lisping voice he asked "Wassthh that the bessth you got?"
Dean took a moment for the revulsion to pass as he cocked the shotgun again "Damn, what the fuck…Terminator was easier to beat than you." He pointed the barrel to the thing’s face as he fired again and again and again. Pumping the shotgun as fast as he could, he unloaded a full load into the yellow eyed face of the demon. When the weapon clicked empty, Dean pushed a hand into his jacket pocket to grab more shells when the figure blurred and broke the shotgun in half like straw.
Dean had to pull his hands back as the metal and wood shattered like a child’s playtoy. He stumbled backwards as he tried to pull his pistol from his jeans but never got it to bear. Azazel leaped on him, a bleeding skull with pink meat clinging to it grinning at him as he pushed Dean to the ground. Dean felt his head hit the floor hard as he threw an elbow up to stop the teeth from tearing into his face.
"What the hell, dude." he exclaimed "No means no." he said pushing him off with his legs. The demon sailed over his head, slamming back first into the floor. Dean got halfway to his feet when the thing scrambled forward, jumping on his back. Dean felt the thing begin to tear into his jacket with talon like claws as he hissed into Dean’s ear "Gonna gut you boy. Gonna make you scream…just like I did to your mama!"
Dean wasn’t even sure if he was screaming from the pain or the rage as the demon bit down on his neck.
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Willow encircled herself in a barrier as Sam pushed the attack forward.
She knew the allure of demon blood that flowed through his veins. He was drunk with power and the more he used the more he wanted to use. Right now, to Sam she was a puzzle and he wanted to take her apart. It wasn't personal. She was a curiosity and he was puzzled. His power told him he could do whatever he wanted and by not flying into little pieces of meat, she was defying that need in him to tear the world apart. She knew the problem well. He lashed out again and again, but she was ready and her shields were in place.
She knew she could sit here and hold the line indefinitely. He didn’t have enough juice to break her shields now that she was ready. But he looked…well at least part human. Which meant the more he burned the farther away from human he got. She needed to stop him and stop him fast.
Calling upon Parvati, the Hundi divine mother, Willow called forth a ring of pure light to erupt around him. Feeling himself caged he lashed out at the walls, funneling even more power from his form. Bolts of power shot up around the perimeter of the circle, each one grounding him to the light even more. He screamed as he tried again to break free but he was in her house now.
Narrowing her eyes she envisioned a platform of light beneath him. Slowly, inch by inch, she began to raise the light from his feet to ankles to his calves. He called out in fury as the light cleansed every cell of his blood of its demonic possession. He fought her every inch of the way; it became a battle of wills between them. His black orbs locked with her glowing white ones. Clenching her teeth she raised the platform higher as he screamed. She was so consumed in the battle she was clueless to anything else around her.
Which meant she was completely unprepared for the bolt of eldritch energy that came flying into her back. Throwing her concentration out as she screamed out in pain. Her world blacked out as she fell to the ground. Sam looked up panting in confusion…
Lilith stood in the doorway with a small smile on the child’s face. Glaring at Sam she said "So you’re the one I’m supposed to fear?"
Sam felt the energy sputter as he concentrated at her, disoriented. "Kid, I don’t know who you are." he said feeling the demonic presence in her.
She smiled slightly "Oh you will." she said as her eyes turned white.
Sam closed his eyes and drew up as much power as he could to defend himself.. Lilith’s power lashed out striking Sam’s squarely in the chest. He went tumbling back across the courtyard in surprise. He felt his face bleeding as he looked up at the shocked look on Lilith’s face. She wasn’t ready for him to be alive. He went to raise his hand again as she gestured at him savagely. He felt himself grabbed and jerked into the air like a ragdoll. She tried to cover his face as he went hurtling facedown into the fountain. His entire world was engulfed into blackness as his head was forced under water. A pressure sat on the center of Sam’s back as he struggled to get up.
Lilith stood at the edge of the fountain watching him drown "Aww poor Sam…you use too much power fighting the witch?"
Sam tried again and again to summon whatever power he had to get him free of the water. But he felt his entire body exhausted as his head began to spin.
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Dean felt the entire world explode into white flashes of angry light as he spun around trying to dislodge the damn thing from his back. He threw himself back into a wall as he felt the thing impact against the stone wall. "Get" he said slamming it into the wall "The fuck" he slammed again "Off my back!" he said slamming again. Except this time it was gone. Dean felt the brick crash into his head as he almost passed out form the blow. He staggered as blood trickled down his back, he looked up with the one eye that was still open and saw the same leering skull grinning at him.
The thing shrugged as it said "You asked me to get off your back." it said grabbing the front of Dean’s jacket and throwing him across the room. Dean sailed the twelve feet from wall to wall and landed on the solid oak desk with a thump. He rolled off it as his body refused to move. In his mind he kept calling to himself "Get up get up get up" but his muscles refused to respond. At first he thought he was being lifted up by the demon’s hands until he hit the ceiling and stayed.
He slowly flipped around as he looked down at Azazel, one hand extended. The skull chuckled "Awww…you look like your mom up there." He began to trace a line in the air, passing over Dean’s stomach.
Dean cried out as he felt a razor slice into his abs, cutting him deeply.
"Winchester" the demon said shaking his head "All of you…useless to the end."
Dean closed his eyes as the pain became overwhelming, his vision blackening out for a moment.
And then the pain stopped. He felt himself start to fall and then stop. Standing in the doorway was an older man, grey haired, glasses. Very asture looking. He was holding a hand up, levitating Dean above the desk. Slowly he set the young hunter down as Azazel looked on in shock. As Dean fell into the chair the man said in a British accent "My name is Giles." and he took off his glasses as he looked at Azazel "You can call me Ripper." and gestured his hand backwards. Azazel felt his entire form fly back and crash into the far wall.
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Lilith felt his struggling get weaker and weaker as she continued to push down on him. Finally the motions stopped, the body slowly floating to the surface. She smiled as she looked down at him "Not much to be scared of at all, is there?" she said in that little girl voice.
And then a gunshot rang out across the courtyard.
She looked up and saw the steely eyed stare of John Winchester, pointing what looked like an ancient pistol at her. She looked down and saw blood start to stain her dress.
"Get away from my son, you demon bitch." he growled as he cocked the gun again.
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