Title: Scooby Snacks: A Little Faith in Kombat
Author: Michael Weyer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, all rights and
properties owned by Mutant Enemy.
Highlander, all rights and properties owned by Rysher Entertainment
The X-Files, all rights and properties owned by Ten Thirteen Productions
Steve St Wolf created by Steve Pantovich
Shaw
Hunter created by Tim Knight
Robin Goodfellow and Liam Danahure are my own creations and belong to me.
SPOILERS:
1.
Due to her drowning by the Master in “Prophecy Girl,” Buffy is now Immortal.
2. Kendra was not killed by Angel and is still alive. When she was badly hurt, Faith was Called. Faith has not gone to the dark
side and she and Kendra live in Sunnydale with the equally alive Joyce Summers.
3. Jenny Calendar was not killed by Angel and is engaged to Rupert Giles.
4. Jenny, Cordelia Chase, Willow Rosenberg and Amy Madison are Amazons. Xander Harris, Oz Green and Giles have empowerments by
Robin Goodfellow.
X-Files:
1. Mulder and Scully were killed in 1996 and became Immortal, trained by Connor
MacLeod.
2. The two are now married.
3. Skinner is their Watcher.
4. Scully is an Amazon, Mulder has an empowerment from Robin.
Tim had fun with his so here's my little "what if?" ficlet.
Basically answers the question more than one person has asked me: How would I have altered Immortal Kombat to fit in Kendra and
Faith? Now, rewriting ALL of IK would have been a nearly impossible task so instead, highlighting certain scenes, including the
one with the biggest twists. Enjoy.
Faith and Kendra exchanged a concerned look as Robin rose from his seat to confront this stranger who had appeared in the library. "Perhaps cutting our meetings in England short was not the wisest course of action," Kendra stated.
"Ah, Rob can take him," Faith said with conviction. "I'm just worried a bit about how G-Man is gonna feel about his library being trashed."
The two Slayers sat with their fellow Scooby Gang members, watching as Robin and the red-haired stranger suddenly threw themselves into a wild dance routine, heels clicking on the floor, both spinning a bit as they went on. The group watched as the two men finally finished and faced each other.
"You've improved," the man said in an Irish accent.
"I've been practicing," Robin replied. There was a long pause, then he and the man broke out into loud laughter, embracing each other. "Gods, I can't believe it!" Robin yelled. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"And miss seeing you unprepared? Not a chance."
Smiling, Robin turned to the group. "Guys, I want you all to meet my oldest friend. Liam Devlin O'Shaunnesgy Patrick Dillion O'Hara Paddywick McHale Thornton Danahure."
Faith raised her eyebrows. "Damn, did your mom just go nuts on the Irish baby name book?"
Liam looked at her and smiled. "Well, well, a true Irish lass. Boston?"
Faith nodded, slightly surprised. "Yeah."
"Thought I recognized the accent," the man replied. "Not as true Irish as Chicago but..."
As they walked toward the entrance to the Summers residence, Faith leaned in toward Shaw. "So, what do you think of him?"
"Whom?" Shaw asked.
Faith rolled her eyes. "Liam! I saw the look you gave him."
"I was imagining what might be the best way to kill him, Faith," Shaw dryly stated.
Faith snickered. "Sure that's all it was?"
Shaw threw her a sharp glare. "Why did you not go back with Buffy and Kendra with the Eye?"
"Hey, I wanted to talk to Lep-Boy," Faith shrugged. "It's been a while since I was able to communicate with a true Irish person."
"Oh, the Lady help us," Shaw moaned just as Joyce noticed her open front door.
Slayer strength or not, Faith couldn't help but let out a yell as she was slammed against Amy and Shaw as Liam's van took the corner on two wheels before righting. The leprechaun appeared to be surprisingly calm given the circumstances, trying to avoid the knocked-over streetlights, burning cars and the odd roaming ninja. "We're going the wrong way!" Faith yelled as she sat up.
"Out of this hell is not the wrong way, Faith," Robin informed her.
Faith leaned forward, her face intense. "Rob, we can't leave B and K and the rest back there------"
"We have to," the faery hissed. Faith was taken aback as she saw a look of intensity on Robin's face that she had never glimpsed before. "Contrary to what the army recruiters will say, running is often a great strategy."
Faith wanted to argue the point and was very tempted to throw herself out of the car and fight her way to the library but the speed (not to mention the fact she was between Amy, Shaw and Joyce) vetoed that idea. Instead, she tried to keep her emotions in check as Sunnydale began to turn into a living hell.
Faith tapped her fingers on the table before her in obvious impatience. It was a somewhat loud sound in the otherwise quiet tavern. In one corner, Mulder and Scully were on their cell phones, trying to contact someone, anyone, who could help them out. Robin, Liam, Amy and Shaw were outside trying to contact Artemis for help. That left Faith sitting at the table with Joyce who was as nervous but didn't quite show it.
"Are you all right?" the older woman asked. Faith looked up at her and felt a twinge go through her heart at the concern Joyce had on her face. Despite the fact her daughter and Kendra were stuck in Outworld at the mercies of a powerful madman, Joyce was still concerned about Faith.
The dark-haired Slayer brushed back at her hair and slowly nodded. "Five by five, Mrs. S."
Joyce gave her a look that said "don't try lying to the den mother." Faith looked down at the table and swallowed. "I'm worried about the guys," she admitted.
"I know," Joyce said. "I am too, especially Buffy and Kendra." She looked Faith in the eye. "It's okay to be scared, Faith."
"I'm not," Faith said but knew as well as Joyce did it was a lie. She tried to shrug it off. "I don't like being like this, Mrs. S. Not able to do anything while the guys are being put through God knows what."
"Now you know how I feel every time you girls go out," Joyce remarked. She sobered as she reached over and held Faith's hand. "Try to be strong," she said softly. "That's the best you can do right now." Faith gave her surrogate mother a small smile as she did find herself feeling better.
"So, just who are these friends of yours?" Ivar asked. He was starting to get used to the fact that he was in a van flying over the ocean, Robin at the wheel, Faith next to him. Aideen and Torc were in the seats behind them, the Mystic Knights crammed into the last section in the back. The dark-skinned Immortal tried to settle in the tight section, still not crazy about being near Angus again.
"Oh, the usual," Robin spoke up. "We've got an Amazon witch..."
"Amazons?" Diedre asked with obvious disbelief. "As in Artemis worshipers?"
"Yep," Robin replied with seriousness. "Arty started it back up a year ago, she's got quite a few worshipers now. Which is what brought me to Sunnydale."
"Yes, and who are you again?" Ivar asked.
Aideen smiled. "Remember me telling you all about that Puck/Robin Goodfellow mixup that one time you saw 'Mid-Summers Night Dream?'"
Ivar frowned. "Yes, but I don't see what------" He broke off as his eyes widened. "You're not telling me..."
Aideen nodded, her grin as wide as Robin's. "And the last bit of the little trio is waiting back at the tavern."
Ivar stared at her. "Not that insane leprechaun you're always going on about?"
"The one and only," Aideen laughed.
Ivar shook his head and looked back to Robin. "Who are the others?"
"Well, two Immortals, so don't freak out if you feel the Buzz," Robin answered. "FBI agents, as a matter of fact. She's an Amazon, he's got an equal empowerment from me. Then there's Joyce Summers."
"What powers does she have?" Rhoan asked.
"She's a mother, she doesn't need them," Robin told him. "And of course, Faith here, who's one of the Slayers."
The Mystic Knights exchanged looks of confusion. "One of?" Rhoan said. "I thought there was only supposed to be one."
"Well, one got killed and became Immortal, then the other one nearly died and so we have Faith here," Robin said.
"Took 'em two tries to find the right one," Faith quipped. "An Irish one."
Ivar closed his eyes and began to wish he had stayed back in nice, warm Cario.
It was quiet in the kitchen, shafts of moonlight coming through the window. There was only one lamp, illuminating the table where Joyce, Shaw and Faith sat, sipping their cocoa. All three women were still in a mild state of shock at what they had just learned.
"Robin stopped the Game," Faith said, still not quite believing it. "Never would have imagined it..."
"Neither did I," Shaw agreed. "It's...It's quite a bit to take in."
Faith looked away, biting her lip. "I wanna tell B," she announced.
"Faith, you can't," Joyce said. "You heard Robin, you heard what might happen."
"She deserves to know the truth, Mrs. S," Faith said. "Steve too, he found the damn thing."
Shaw sighed deeply. "Faith, normally, I am for being up-front and honest. The misunderstandings that occurred in Sunnydale when I was not convinced me of that. However, in this case, I do believe it is far better to be silent." She took a sip of her drink before continuing. "While I trust Buffy and Steve's discretion, the likelihood of them letting slip about the Scroll is far too dangerous. You heard Robin about the consequences of such an action. If this gets out, we are literally facing the end of everything we know."
Faith rolled her eyes. "God, this just sucks."
"Think of how Robin must have felt," Shaw stated. "Keeping the truth hidden the last few months, ensuring that no one even suspect it, trying to make sure the Game did not start. I find myself respecting him even more now." She paused and shrugged. "Him and Liam."
Shaw raised her eyebrows. "Really?" A grin slowly moved onto her face. "Ooooh, elf-girl's got the hots..."
"I do not have the hots for him, Faith!" Shaw burst out. "I simply respect him a bit for what he did, that is all."
"Uh huh, I think Ivar can tell you all about this river in Egypt..."
"Faith!"
Joyce simply made a small smile and let herself enjoy a small slice of normal behavior amidst the chaos going around them.
"Ah, shouldn't we be going back?" Johnny Cage said as he glanced back at the clearing the group had left.
"Worried about the bodies?" Diedre asked him.
"Well, one in particular," Johnny remarked. "Your friend with the broken neck?"
"He's used to it," Rhoan stated. "We'll wait by the van for him."
"I can't believe you guys are just taking this so calmly," Johnny said. "Even my agent would pause at least a minute if he saw a corpse. At least long enough to get as far away from the crime scene before calling the cops."
"Johnny Cage," Faith said, shaking her head. "Oh, damn, I'm talking to Johnny Cage!"
Shaw looked at her, surprised to see that Faith actually appeared stunned in the actor's presence. "Faith...You actually sound in awe of this man."
"Awe? Harper, this is Johnny Cage! He's the man!"
"Oh, another fan?" Johnny said, sounding pleased.
"Damn, I've seen every one of your films! Twice!" Faith's smile was wide as she smacked a hand on Johnny's back. "Seeing that the shadow kick is for real? Man, and I thought staking a vamp gave me a hot rush!"
"Thanks," Johnny said, blinking. "I think."
Joyce rolled her eyes. *Shaw and Liam and now Faith and a movie star. And I thought Buffy and Steve were weird enough for me.*
"You know, I really think we should take some comfort from this failure," Kendra announced as the captured Scoobies watched Kahn ream the survivors of the failed ninja attack.
"How so?" Jenny asked with a frown.
"It proves that it does not matter if it is vampires or ninjas from another dimension," the Jamaican Slayer answered. "Idiocy among the minions is a constant in any universe." She paused and shrugged as much as she could. "I suppose the same point could be extended to the masterminds."
Glaring at her, Maeve unleashed a bolt of energy that rocked Kendra. The Slayer grit her teeth, trying to keep from crying out as she slumped a bit. As the pain of the blast faded, Kendra found her respect for Xander growing a thousand fold, considering the number of blasts he had already taken. She set her jaw as she spoke through the pain. "I will remember this."
"I should hope so," Maeve said. "Since you can reflect upon it and realize how foolish it was to hope you'd get out of this alive."
Kendra narrowed her eyes. "I would recommend such contemplation for yourself."
Mider studied her for a moment before turning to Maeve. "Are you *sure* this isn't the elf?"
Faith walked down the hallway of the house, peeling off her jacket as she went. She could still hear the talking downstairs between the Knights, Liu Kang and Johnny Cage. As far as she knew, Shaw was still chatting with Diedre and Sonya. *Elf-girl should be giving them lessons on living through pain. Too bad I have to miss that.* She paused by one doorway, her ears seeming to pick up something. She opened the door and sneaked her head inside. The lighting in the room was dim but she could just make out a figure leaning over Joyce, who was lying on the bed.
In an eye blink, Faith was inside, grabbing the man and throwing him back against the wall. She held up a hand to throw out a punch before she saw just who it was before her. "Okay, Iceman. Talk and fast."
Sub-Zero's eyes were as cool as his name, not reacting at all to how Faith was threatening him. "Were I your enemy," he said in a low voice. "You would not have a single unfrozen drop of moisture in your body at this instant." The way he said let Faith know he was more than capable of backing up his threat. She backed away, glancing at the sleeping Joyce.
"She will be all right," Sub-Zero said. "I merely wished to spare her the pain of any nightmares. She needed her rest."
Faith looked back at him with surprise. "Thanks," she softly said. "That was...nice of you."
Sub-Zero appraised her. "You care for her, do you not?"
Faith nodded as she turned back to the bed. "Yeah. Yeah, Mrs. S has been great to me. I'm glad she's here. If she wasn't...I don't know how well I could be dealing with all this. I want to make sure she's okay, try to help her as much as I can, you know what-----" She turned around only to see Sub-Zero had vanished. "How does he do that?" she muttered.
Turning back to the bed, Faith saw Joyce stretched out, a look of contentment on her face. Kicking off her shoes, Faith crawled onto the bed, lying on the unoccupied side. She took a moment to make sure Joyce was all right, then closed her own eyes and tried to soothe her ragged nerves. Perhaps it was the closeness to her surrogate mother or simple fatigue but she soon found herself drifting into a mercifully dreamless sleep.
Maeve smiled as she saw the spell in the gem take hold and Amy, Mulder and Scully fall under her control. She pocketed the gem and began to lead the entranced trio away. She hummed under her breath, grateful that she had enough control of magics to make this work. But she felt pressing her luck wasn't a risk worth taking. Not with stakes like this.
She was just about to reopen the portal back to Outworld when she felt a hand grab her from behind. The next thing she knew, she was being pressed against the wall, a grip of iron around her throat. She looked into the face of Faith, the Boston-bred Slayer wearing a look of utter disgust on her face as she glared at the witch. "Let 'em go," she hissed. "Now."
Maeve coughed a bit as she tried to breathe around the forearm pressing into her throat. "So. Faith. I was wondering if I was missing someone."
"I said let 'em go," Faith repeated, pressing down on Maeve's throat a bit more. Her eyes flared with anger and her face let Maeve know she wasn't at all afraid to go the extra step with her. "Or you're eating through a straw for the next century."
In the course of a very, very, very long life, Maeve had learned to always make sure she had a back-up plan. That bit of caution was paying off for her now as she fingered the gem in her pocket and gave out a mental command. She licked her lips and spoke out loud. "You know, it's a real shame we can't become more acquainted but I think two Slayers are really more than enough for the sacrifice to work."
Faith shoved her harder into the wall, her fist up and ready. "Only sacrifice is gonna be yours if you don't let them go," she barked out. "Are you gonna do it? Or you got any last words?"
Maeve smiled. "Nothing comes readily to mind but I do believe you've just spoken yours."
Faith frowned, confused by the answer. Suddenly, a searing pain struck her right in the back and she yelled out as her entire body felt like it was on fire. She slowly turned, a hand at her back and saw Amy standing before her, a blank look on her face and Faith's stake in her hand. Faith dully saw the red stain on the pointed end and realized it was her blood. Before she could say anything, Amy lashed out, the stake plunging into Faith's stomach. She felt herself choking, a small trickle of blood appearing at the corner of her mouth. She stared up at Amy as she pulled the stake out. The utter lack of expression on the blonde witch's face was more horrifying to Faith than the wounds she had suffered.
Maeve smiled as she reached over and pushed Faith into the wall. The Slayer felt her legs give way and she slid to the ground, a streak of blood on the wall behind her. Maeve took the stake from Amy's limp hand and twirled it in her own. She knelt down and grinned right in Faith's face. "Be a dear and give God my regards, will you?"
She reached out and gave Faith's hair a tousle. Rising, she walked away, the entranced Amy falling in behind her. Faith felt herself choking on her own blood, her vision growing dark. The last thing she heard before the darkness closed in on her was Shaw's scream of anguish...
Shaw was caught in two directions: On the one hand was the portal that was closing behind Maeve, Amy, Mulder and Scully. On the other was Faith, who was propped against the wall, blood all over her clothing. Even before she had realized she had made a decision, Shaw rushed to the Slayer's side, lifting Faith's head up and trying to see if she was still alive. "Faith...Faith! Oh my Lady, Faith..."
Joyce was soon at her side, her own face showing her anguish as she saw the condition of the young woman she considered another daughter. "Oh, God, please, no, please, God, no..."
Shaw looked up at Joyce, tears starting to come to her eyes. "I cannot feel a pulse...Joyce, I cannot..."
Liam took one look at the anguish on Shaw's face. He was on Faith in an instant, pushing Shaw to one side as he placed a hand on Faith's stomach. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting his magics flow. *Ma, Da, St. Peter, give me strength* His hand glowed brightly as he worked at the wound, trying to repair the damage that had been done to Faith. This was tricky work, especially considering Faith wasn't breathing. He could feel the tension of the others around him, especially Joyce and Shaw. He did his best to block them out, keeping his mind completely on the task at hand.
The blood loss stopped and the wounds on Faith's stomach and back began to heal. Liam raised his hands, the glow ceasing as he stumbled back a bit. Faith's eyes opened and her mouth drew in a loud gasp as she started to breathe again. "Oh...God..." she choked. "Oh, shit...no wonder B is always so cranky after coming back..."
That was all she managed to get out before being embraced by Shaw. The half-elf didn't bother hiding her tears of joy as she sobbed on Faith's shoulder. "Oh, my Lady...Faith...Oh, my Lady, Faith, you were...you were almost..."
"I may be again if you don't let go, Shaw," Faith got out and Shaw backed away. Faith had time for a single breath before she was engulfed in a hug from Joyce. The older woman was expressing her pain and worry she had been feeling for the last day as she hugged her surrogate daughter to her.
Liam groaned as he got back to his feet, Robin helping steady him. <You're wiped, aren't you?> the faery asked telepathically.
<Never tell anyone, Robbie, but I have me limits> Liam answered. <And raising the dead, while great on the resume, is hitting them.>
<But you did it.>
<Had to. For them as much as her.>
Shaw got to her feet and turned to face Liam. She had wiped her face but there were still fresh tears in her eyes as she walked toward him. She moved forward and embraced him, then gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Thank you," she said with true emotion.
"Not a problem," Liam said with a quiet smile.
"It was Maeve, right?" Sonya broke in. "She did it to you."
"No," Faith said. She groaned as she got back to her feet, Joyce at her side. She leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath before looking over at Robin and Shaw. "It was Amy."
The faery and the elf stared at her in shock. "What?" Robin softly asked.
Faith closed her eyes in pained remembrance. "Bitch must have put some whammy on her. She didn't know, she wasn't aware, she just had the stake and stabbed me without so much as blinking. Damn Maeve was using her like a puppet."
Sonya Blade and Jackson Briggs had performed some rather nasty work during their special forces careers. The Mystic Knights had lived for 1400 years and had been involved in some of the most infamous wars in history. Torc had once been Maeve's chief general. Johnny Cage had attended Hollywood production meetings. But every one of them felt a chill at the looks that came over the faces of Robin Goodfellow and Shaw Hunter.
"I am going to kill her," Shaw said in a clipped tone.
"Only if you beat me to her," Robin hissed.
"The line forms behind me," Joyce said, her face darker than anyone could have imagined.
"You're not getting away with this," Amy hissed at the group of villains before her.
Mider made a show of looking at a non-existent watch. "Well, well, someone finally said it. Who had a day and a half in the office pool?"
Maeve simply chuckled as she spun an object in her hand. Amy frowned as she recognized it. "That's Faith's," she said in confusion. "How did you get it?"
"You gave it to me," Maeve answered. "After you took it from her." She paused and dramatically and then shook her head. "Oh, no, wait, let me correct that. You took it *out* of her body *after* you stabbed her in the back and stomach with it."
Amy blinked, shaking her head. "What the hell are you-----"
An evil grin coming to her face, Maeve reached into her pocket and pulled out a small Polaroid camera. She raised it to her face as she whispered a small incantation...
Amy's eyes widened and her face dissolved into horror as the memories of what she had done came to her mind. "Oh, Goddess, no, no, no, no..." She felt her body begin to shake as tears erupted from her eyes. She was barely aware of the bright flashes as Maeve began to take photo after photo.
The witch grabbed one photo, cackling as she watched it develop. "Oh...Oh this goes on the wall," she said, holding it up to Mider, who admired it. "Ah, it's so nice to have a reminder of the times of your life." She looked up at the sobbing Amy and sighed. "Ah, letting you spend your last few hours on this world overwhelmed by guilt over murdering a friend. This is one of those moments when I really am satisfied with my job."
"You," Buffy hissed, tears stinging her own eyes. "Are so dead."
"And I," Kendra swore, "will be the one to send you to the Hell you so richly deserve."
Maeve laughed. "In which case, I expect to see Miss Madison right alongside me in the same circle of Hell." She looked at Amy and twisted the knife. "Ah, it is so true. Like mother, like daughter."
Amy simply bowed her head and let the tears flow.
Faith came up to Shaw, her eyes wary as she looked at the elf. Shaw was holding her sword, seeming to caress it and whispering, Faith realizing she must be casting some extra magic on it. But what struck the Slayer was the look on Shaw's face. It was cold, colder than Faith had ever seen it and she could guess the reason why.
"Shaw?" she spoke up. "You..." She trailed off, not knowing a good way to finish that sentence.
"I am fine," Shaw replied. She glanced over at Faith, concern still on her features. "How are you?" she asked.
"Five by..." Faith felt at her side and winced a bit. "Two or three."
Shaw looked at her and then glanced away. "It was not Amy," she flatly stated.
"Hell, Shaw, I already know that!" Faith said. "I ain't blaming Sabrina, I'm blaming the Lone Ranger! I swear, when I get my hands on that bitch-----"
"Do not bother," Shaw stated. "Maeve is mine." She held up her sword and gave it a spin.
Faith looked at Shaw and tried to suppress a chill at the look on the other woman's face. "Shaw...Don't do anything crazy."
"On the contrary," Shaw replied. "I assure you I will be most lucid when I slice Maeve's head from her shoulders and cut apart her body."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on here, Hunter," Faith said, holding up a hand. "Now, God knows, I'd like to waste the bitch myself but actually planning to do it is starting to cross a line..."
"I do not care," Shaw bit out. Her face was tight and Faith saw it was taking a monumental effort for Shaw not to burst into tears. "She almost killed you, Faith. And she used Amy to do it. If she is awake now, Amy believes she murdered you. I am not going to let that stand."
"Yeah, but murdering the bitch-------"
"I believe justifiable homicide would be the correct term." Shaw turned and began to walk away, considering the subject closed.
"Shaw, I know how you feel------"
"You do not!" Shaw snapped.
"Hello, remember those wonderful dates we had a couple of weeks ago?" Shaw became silent as she remembered. Faith's face was now showing anger as she stepped forward. "I wanted to kill those two shits, Shaw, God help me, I did. But you stopped me. You stopped me from making the biggest mistake of my life. Shaw...if you do this, if you kill Maeve in cold blood with no defense from her...You're going to regret." Faith softened her tone as she went on. "Shaw, you spent so many years in that hellhole of a dimension with your spirit becoming cold. You do this and you're going back there and it may be even harder to pull yourself out."
Shaw stared back at her, her lip quivering. "She used Amy," she whispered. "She used my kin. I cannot..." She turned and marched away. Faith closed her eyes and shook her head, feeling even more pain than when Amy had stabbed her.
Shaw walked down the hallway, her entire body tense and coiled, ready for action. At the sound of a small cough, she spun around, her sword pointed at the figure before her. "Easy," Liam said, holding up his hands. "We haven't even gone on one date yet."
Shaw lowered her sword but her face remained drawn. "I am in no mood for your frivolity," she stated.
"No, but you're in the perfect mood for some advice," Liam answered. "I know how you feel."
"Do you?" Shaw said.
Liam looked her right in the eye. "Yes. I do."
Shaw sniffed. "If you think so...then prove it. Read my mind. All of it."
Liam was surprised but the look on Shaw's face convinced him. He reached out to touch her mind, his face slowly becoming one of sympathy as he took in all Shaw had been through in her life. "Oh, lass..."
"I did not do this to have your pity!" Shaw snarled, turning away.
"I don't pity you, lass. I understand ye now." Liam sighed. "And I do know how you're feeling. I felt the same way with Kathleen."
Shaw turned to face him, slightly confused. "Who?"
Liam looked down at his feet. "She was always the one woman closest to me heart. I loved all my wives, never doubt that. But Kathleen...she's still the one. She was taken from me by a demon. And it...it wasn't an easy passing."
Shaw felt some of her inner rage cool as she saw the pain in Liam's face, a pain she had known all too well. "I am sorry," she whispered.
Liam tried to brush it aside. "It was a long time ago. I found the bastard, made him pay..." He looked Shaw in the eye. "But it didn't make the hurt any easier. It never does. I know what you want to do, Shaw. And part of me would say go for it. But Faith's right. You kill her in cold blood...And you're back in that hell with a lump of ice where your heart is." He stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "You're better than that, lass," he whispered. "It's your decision on what to do. But I'm hoping you don't go down the wrong path."
He walked away, leaving Shaw before him, trying to figure out what was more striking: Liam's words or how good she had felt hearing them.
"Well, I do rather hate to cut this short," Maeve announced as she marched toward the center of the throne room. She spared a smirk at Amy, who still had tears in her eyes. "As much as the sobs of guilt have been music to my ears, we do have things to do and a world to conquer."
Tightening against her prison, Kendra hauled back and spit out at Maeve. Her aim was perfect, hitting the witch right above the eye. Xander grinned and tried to make a "high-five" motion toward the Slayer. "Told ya you were a natural at that, Ken!"
Maeve slowly wiped the spittle off her face and tightened her jaw. "Saliva as your last offense? What a sad legacy to leave behind."
Mider rolled his eyes. "Maeve, I love a good gloat as much as the next person and seeing the others try and fail to talk the Madison witch out of her agony has given me more pleasure than I've had in far too many centuries but can we move on?"
Before Maeve could reply, Shang Tsung whipped his head around as if he was hearing something. "My Lord! We have intruders in the realm!"
"That is not possible," Shao Kahn replied. "There is no way anyone powerful enough to penetrate our shields would dare to-----"
The doors to the throne room were blasted inward, wood sailing forward, along with the bodies of several ninja. Everyone stared at the three figures that materialized from the smoke.
"Hello..."
"Hello..."
"Hello..."
"HELLO!" Robin, Liam and Aideen announced as they all smiled.
"It is about time!" Kendra announced with a flash of irritation. "I had expected you hours ago!"
"Hey, chill out, K," a familiar voice drawled from behind the three faeries.
Amy's face shot up, her eyes wide as her expression became one of hopeful disbelief. "Faith?" she whispered.
Maeve took a moment to recover from the shock of seeing the Boston Slayer alive and then threw up her hands. "Why is it so hard for any of you to simply take the hint and die like a normal person?!"
"KILL THEM ALL!" Kahn screamed. Whether he meant the Knights, the Kombateers, the now-freed Scoobies or the Faery Armies hovering outside was unclear. But his soldiers took to the command easily and immediately went on the attack.
"All right," Faith smiled. "Been wanting to nail a couple of these assholes for a while----ULP!" She broke off as was practically mugged by an overjoyed Amy.
"Oh, goddess, Faith, I am so sorry..." the blonde witch wept.
"Okay, ass-whipping first, emotional reunion later!" Buffy snapped but Faith could see she was as happy as Amy to see Faith alive as well.
"Just what I was hoping for," Faith grinned. "Anyone sees Racoon Lady, save a piece of her for me."
"If there's anything left," Shaw sourly remarked as the battle began.
Kendra ducked a sword swing from a ninja, leaped into the air, and kicked him in the face. When she landed, she grabbed the staff of another and hauled him forward, right into the fist she threw at him. Another ninja rushed at her so she simply grabbed him and threw him forward toward Faith. The Dark Slayer grabbed the ninja and savagely backhanded him. Then she kicked him in the gut and smashed an elbow on the back of his neck. She glanced up in time to see Kendra throw her leg backward, taking a rushing ninja right off her feet. "Getting out the kinks, K?"
"I have had a lot of energy to burn off," Kendra hissed as she punched another Outworlder in the face.
"Really? Maybe I oughta call Joe, see if he's eager to-----"
"Faith!"
Maeve swallowed as she looked up at the slew of angry faces around her in the library, particularly the one resting a blade against her neck. "Well...I would imagine there must have been quite the little lottery to obtain this particular honor."
Amy's face was one of pure loathing, much the same expression Robin had on his face when he had sliced apart Baraka only a few minutes earlier. "I never thought I'd live to hear myself say this about anyone," she hissed. "But what you did to me was actually worse than my mother's actions." Her eyes were starting to blacken, her hands taking on a light glow as she felt her magics start to rise with her anger.
"You won't kill me," Maeve sniffed, sounding as if she was trying to convince herself more than stating a fact.
"Perhaps," Shaw said. She let Maeve hang for a minute before she slid her sword away. "But there is one who has already called...dibs."
Maeve frowned. "Who?"
"Me."
Maeve turned around just in time to catch Joyce's fist rocketing into her face, sending her staggering back. "That was for dropping a dead body in my house," Joyce hissed as she threw another punch. "That was for blowing up my shop." She punched again. "That was for totaling my car." She kicked Maeve in the stomach, then hit her with an uppercut. "That's for all the taxes I'm going to have to pay for the repair work for the damage you did."
Maeve countered with a swing of her staff, but Joyce caught it and snapped it in two with a kick. "Thanks." Joyce grabbed one piece and slammed into the side of Maeve's head. "That's for trying to kill my daughter." She slammed the other piece into Maeve's skull. "That's for trying to kill her friends."
She reached out, grabbing Maeve by the hair and with a howl, slammed her face first into a bookshelf. "That's for what you did to Faith." She smashed Maeve into the shelf again. "That's for what you did to Amy." Another smash followed. "That's for what you nearly did to Shaw."
She lifted Maeve up, a tad disturbed at the satisfaction she felt at the woman's bloody nose. She went into a series of punches and kicks, that left Maeve gasping for breath. "That's for anything I might have forgotten," she said. "And this...this is for me." She let both fists fly up and smash Maeve in the face, sending her flying onto her back, spitting out a tooth.
Joyce was on her, a broken piece of wood pressing on Maeve's neck. "For what you've done to my family," she hissed. "I couldn't possibly kill you enough."
"Joyce, no!" Steve yelled. "She's not worth it!"
"She tried to have Amy kill Faith," Joyce hissed in a voice that actually gave the Immortal chills. "And she tried to kill my baby."
"Joyce..." Shaw warned. "If you do this...you will not be able to live with yourself."
"You'd be amazed at how quickly I adapt, Shaw," Joyce stated.
"Joyce," Faith quietly said. "Please...Don't. If you do...Trust me, you don't want to go down that road."
Joyce looked Maeve right in the eye and spoke. "Give me one reason not to kill you."
Maeve spat out some blood and smiled. "Nothing comes to mind readily. I'd do it if the positions were reversed."
"You would, wouldn't you?" Joyce replied. "And I should too. God knows I should."
She stabbed the stake downward, landing it...
One inch to the side of Maeve's face.
"Then I'd be just like you, wouldn't I?" Joyce said with a tiny smile.
"Damn," Buffy, Kendra and Faith simultaneously whispered in awe.
Shaw couldn't help but groan a bit as Liam helped her settle on the bed and took her shoes off. "Liam," she softly said.
"Yes?" he asked as he looked up at her. He was struck by how beautiful she looked, her eyes showing actual warmth to them as she reached out and held his hand. "Again...Thank you for Faith."
"Don't mention it," Liam said.
"And..." Shaw swallowed. "Thank you for what you said to me. You were right." She gently smiled. "You are a good man, Liam Danahure."
Liam smiled and reached down to pull the covers up. "Get some sleep, lass," he softly said as he let a small Irish lullaby out. Shaw let her eyes close and succumbed to the fatigue. She was rather surprised at how good it felt to drift off to sleep under this man's eye...
Amy let out a grateful moan as she lay on her bed. After being strung up for the last two days in that bizarre prison, being able to just stretch out in one of Steve's guest rooms was almost heavenly. She kicked off her shoes and was about to close her eyes when a knock on the door sounded. Frowning, she raised her head. "Come in."
She couldn't help but suck in a breath as the door opened and Faith stepped in. The Slayer closed the door behind her, leaning on it as she gave Amy a quick smile. "Hey," she softly said. "You okay?"
Amy's lower lip quivered as she tried to keep her emotions in check. "Hey, Faith. Um...I, ah..." She closed her eyes and bowed her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Faith was immediately at her side, pulling her into a hug. "It's okay, Amy," she softly said. "All right? It's really okay. It wasn't you, I know that."
Amy backed away and wiped at her face. "Oh, goddess, Faith...I remember it all. I remember shoving the stake into you and out and then back in-----"
"Yeah, so do I, so let's skip it," Faith interrupted. She looked at Amy, her usual attitude and sarcasm lifting and replaced by heartfelt concern. "Amy, it wasn't your fault, not any of it. I know that. It was that bitch, Maeve, and that stupid spell she had you under. I'm not blaming you one bit, got it?"
Amy shook her head. "I still feel horrible about it."
"Hey, it wasn't a pleasant feeling for me either," Faith told her. "But you've gotta work past it, Amy. Take it from someone who's had to deal with a ton of guilt on her end. You don't want this haunting you for a long while. That's a cold road and trust me, the last thing you want to do is go there."
"Thanks," Amy softly said. "Thank you, Faith."
There was another knock and the two looked up as Robin entered. "Hey," he said. "How are you two?"
"It's all good," Faith said. "Surprised to see you back, thought you'd be slamming down a few with the Irish Brigade."
"Oh, Liam and Aideen are still with them, keeping an eye on them while they sleep it off."
Faith raised an eyebrow. "They're already passed out? Funny, I figured a 1400 year old Irishman could hold his or her liquor."
"Oh, they barely drank anything," Robin told her. "No, they're sleeping off the spell. It takes a while for it to settle in. I'm sure Xander, Giles, Oz and Larry have explained that."
Faith and Amy stared at him, then at each other, then back at Robin with astonishment. "How...how did you..." Amy stammered.
Robin made a wide grin. "Ladies, the next time you guys plan a little ambush, make sure there isn't a nosy mother hanging nearabouts."
Faith's eyes widened. "Mrs. S told you?!" She threw up her hands. "Damn, the gal's on fire tonight!"
Robin chuckled. "Well, let's just say the guys are in for a slight surprise tomorrow." He sobered. "The reason I'm telling you two is because...well, you two were put through the wringer the most and I thought that letting you get the flack from that was a bit much."
Amy raised her eyebrows. "You want us to back out of it? You're warning us? Why, Robin, are you growing soft?"
"I am still the master prankster," the faery informed her. "But apparently, being human has tempered the nasty streak I once had." His gaze softened as he looked at Amy. "Especially if it means hurting you."
Seeing the look in his eyes, Faith rose and headed toward the door. "Okay, I'm getting some shut-eye so I don't miss a thing tomorrow." She threw a grin at Robin. "Gonna be one hell of a tape, Rob." Giving him a thumbs-up, she walked out, shutting the door behind her.
Robin knelt down so he was able to look Amy in the face. "How are you?" he softly asked.
"Still hurting a bit," the witch admitted. She shrugged. "But getting over the guilt."
"Always a good sign," Robin said.
Amy swallowed before speaking. "I...I didn't get a chance to speak to Shaw about this. How...how is she..."
"She knows it wasn't your fault," Robin told her. "And she's hoping that you won't be destroyed because of this. She knows just how it feels, Amy. She went through the same thing with Ares."
"But she didn't actually..."
"It doesn't matter," Robin broke in. "You weren't any more responsible for that than she was then. You have to know that, Amy."
Amy slowly nodded. "I do," she whispered. "But it still hurts so much...Oh, goddess, if Liam hadn't been there..."
"Yeah, Shaw said the same thing," Robin said. "She seemed grateful to him for what he did for Faith and for helping rescue you."
A slight smile came to Amy's face. "Say, if Liam's staying in town..."
"I was thinking the same," Robin said. "I do think Shaw's feeling a little more open to him than she was before."
"She could use that," Amy sighed. "She shouldn't be alone the way she has been."
Robin was quiet for a long moment, licking his lips and clearing his throat. "I love you."
Amy looked up at him, her face totally blank. "What?" she whispered.
Robin brushed her hair with his fingers as he continued. "I love you," he repeated. "I didn't really realize it until the other night, when Liam and Aideen made me face it. Seeing what happened to you...seeing you taken...it made me realize just how deep it was. And I didn't want to lose you before I could let you know that I'm feeling something for you I have never felt in my entire life and believe me, that covers a lot of ground. I love you, Amy."
Amy's eyes were filled with tears as she moved in to kiss Robin on the lips. They reclined on the bed, both feeling the emotion washing over them as Amy realized that a little pain could truly lead to greater joy. And that even after the worst of combat, there was always hope for a better tomorrow.
"You sure you two want to sit this out?" Steve asked as Faith and Amy sat on a nearby bench. "I thought you'd want to have a hand in the fun."
"Still not quite up to speed, Steve," Amy lightly lied. "Don't worry, I won't miss any of this."
"I'll let you guys get the good shots," Faith said with a perfectly straight face. "Me and Sabrina will make sure the tapes are running fine."
"We'll try and make it worthwhile," Kendra stated with a smile.
"Oh, I'm sure you will," Amy said with a sneaky smile of her own. As she and Faith settled back to wait, they watched as Giles and Shaw came up to them. "Faith," Giles began, adjusting his glasses. "I, ah, hate to once again have you relive this but you were...well, dead. For a brief time anyway."
"Guess so," Faith said, attempting to sound glib about it. "Though I really can't tell you much about it."
"Yes, well, that brings up a very interesting item," Giles remarked. "I, ah, heard from the Watcher's Council this morning. Do you remember Kennedy?"
Faith took a moment before brightening in recognition. "Oh, yeah, one of those Potentials me and K ran into during that our time in jolly ole England. Good gal, why are you------"
Giles had to hide a smile as he could actually see Faith's face lighten up as the idea struck her. "No way," she whispered. "You're telling me, she..."
Giles nodded. "She was walking through a park and set upon by some vampires. She was barely holding her own, then the next thing she knows, she's throwing them around and staking them as if she's done it a hundred times before. No doubt about it, she's a Slayer."
"Four Slayers?!" Amy erupted. "Holy shit, has that.....I mean, wow, what does this mean?"
"It means we're going to be having a visitor soon who needs a quick training regimen with her fellow Slayers," Giles said. "It may even be an extended visit."
"Oooh, you'd better warn Willow," Faith muttered.
Giles frowned. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Trust me, Red is gonna need it," Faith said.
Still frowning, Giles decided to leave the subject alone and went back to discuss the situation with Buffy. Shaw reached out and placed a hand on Amy's shoulder. She licked her lips as she spoke. "When I saw you...what happened...I felt like I was going to die." For once, Faith took the tactful route and decided not to mention how she herself had died. "To see you taken...and to know what guilt you were living under." Shaw took a deep breath. "You helped me through me own dark period last year, Amy. After...New York. I hope you do not need too much of my help getting over yours."
Amy smiled. "No prob, cuz," she said, rising to hug Shaw. "I'll be okay, all right? Robin and I already talked and he's helped me deal with it."
"It is nice to have someone with you now," Shaw said. "I had to go through my period alone.
"Maybe not for long if Liam gets his way," Faith said with a smirk. "Come on, Hunter, dish the dirt! How was that kiss?"
Shaw threw Amy a glare before shaking her head and turning away. "I believe I shall leave this topic to rest for now," she said as she walked off. "I need to prepare for the sparring."
Faith watched her walk away, then turned to Amy, grinning widely. "Ooooh, elf-girl's got it bad."
"Yeah she does," Amy said. "But let's not push her, okay? Let her take it slow."
Faith glared at her. "Hey, you ain't wimping out, are ya?!"
Amy smiled. "You didn't see the way she described that kiss. Trust me, Faith, Shaw's feeling it. And she knows it."
"Well," Shaw gasped, having just had her lungs handed to her by Johnny Cage. "That was an exceptionally humbling experience."
On the bench, Amy and Faith couldn't contain their laughter at the sight of their teammates having been soundly defeated by the newly empowered Knights and Kombateers. Amy had gotten an odd kick out of seeing Kendra dominated by Aideen. Faith wiped her eyes as she exchanged a high five with Robin as the rest of the team realized what had happened.
"Oh, God," Xander groaned as he rose up. "He did it again! He did it again!"
"Did what?" Cordelia frowned.
"Cordy, hon, think about it. Sudden assault with higher fighting abilities with Robin sitting back and enjoying it all?"
Cordelia closed her eyes as she got it. "Oh, goddess, he did it again!"
"You didn't want to become Amazons?" Willow gasped as she looked at Sonya and Diedre.
"Sucking up to the gods ain't my style," Sonya replied.
"And an Irish Amazon?" Diedre added. "That sort of demeans the honor."
"You wouldn't demean the honor of being an Amazon," Willow insisted.
"No, I meant the honor of being Irish," Diedre answered. "After that, anything's a step down."
"Preach it, sister!" Faith called out from the bench.
Everyone looked at her, the Sunnydale group seeing the smiles on the faces of her and Amy. "You told them?!" Buffy shrieked, her eyes wide.
Faith held up her hands in innocence. "Not us, B."
"It's true," Robin said. "I had help." He looked over toward the doorway and smiled. "Oh, help?"
Buffy's eyes widened further as she saw the woman who entered the room. "MOM?!"
"Getting sneaky, Mrs. S," Faith laughed. "Knew I was rubbing off on you."
"I can assure you that won't count toward the wardrobe," Joyce answered.
Amy had to laugh again at the looks of disbelief on her friends. "Oh, cheer up, guys. Think of all the wonderful laughs you'll be bringing everyone who watches the tape!"
Shaw stared at her cousin in disbelief. "Amy...how could you..."
"Well, cuz, as much as I love you, I did need a good laugh," Amy pointed out. She smiled as she rose to her feet and embraced Robin. "Besides, when my man comes up with a good plan and invites me to take part in it, how can I say no?" She and Robin moved in for a long kiss.
Shaw moved her glare from Amy to Liam. "I assume you were a part of this?"
Liam smiled at her. "Ye get to know me, lass," he said. "And ye'll learn that I'm second only to Robin in sneakiness. And in getting what I want."
"Really?" Shaw let a small smile come to her face. "I may have to test that."
Liam's eyes gleamed as Faith chuckled and leaned in toward Kendra. "She's got it bad..."
Kendra glared at her. "You could have warned me."
"And how long have you known me?" At Kendra's eye roll, Faith laughed again. "Admit it, K. You'd have been sorry if we had ever missed this."