A/N: This part comes with a barf bag warning.
The Paladin Project (23/23) – Final Battle
"X..Xander," Faith's voice shook as she stared at the door to the basement where she'd been tortured. She closed her eyes but that didn't help; her ears roared with Caleb's hoarse laughter, and her tortured gasps and sobbing pleadings. "I...I can't."
Xander looked around. "Angel, can you take the others into the basement for me? I'll join you in a minute."
Once the door had closed behind the others, Faith spoke. "I...I'm sorry." She refused to look up from the floor, unwilling to meet Xander's commendatory gaze, she was such a fuck-up.
"It's okay." She looked up, surprised. Xander smiled sympathetically. "I'm proud of you. For the way you've changed. For the way you've fought back against Caleb. For having the good taste to want me." Faith giggled tremulously. "If you're not ready for this," Xander produced a knife and a plastic bottle. "Fill this bottle with some blood. I'll do the spell, you go up and help G-Man with the Charmed Ones."
Faith looked from her boyfriend and then towards the exit. If she left she wouldn't have to face that room but if she went and Xander or Angel died because she wasn't there... "Kiss me," she whispered. "Just kiss me."
"As you wish mi' lady." Faith shivered with delight as Xander wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her towards him as he lowered his head to her upturned face. Her boyfriend eased the tip of his tongue down her nose, the sensation causing her to moan deep in her throat. Next he turned his attention to her mouth, first running his tongue across her top and then bottom lip, even as his right hand glided up the curve of her back to tousle her hair. Finally Xander crushed his lips to hers, plunging his tongue into her eagerly waiting mouth, her own tongue springing up to meet his, wrapping itself around his. Eventually Xander pulled away, an affectionate smile in place. "See you later."
"No," she shook her head and took his hand, squeezing slightly. "I'm coming with you. By your side right?"
Xander's smile widened. "Right," he confirmed.
* * *
Faith swallowed as she entered the basement, her legs trembling. "You okay Faith?" Xander asked. Faith gulped before nodding and walking towards the seal. She smiled up at Angel's comforting squeeze on her shoulder, drew her knife, and sliced her palm open – apparently less blood was needed from her if it was given willingly. Wincing at the pain she turned her hand over and allowed the blood to splatter down on the glowing seal – the seal she'd been hung over. Forcing away the terrible memories she quickly intoned the short spell Giles had taught. For a second she thought she'd got it wrong but then the seal slid soundlessly open. Her stomach flip- flopping she started towards the opening. "You sure about this Faith?" Xander muttered.
Faith looked around, saw all the fellow Project members, some she'd fought beside for weeks, others who'd once been her enemies, and others who were new to her. But all who were now her allies. She'd spent too much of her life running away from things, and she couldn't let them down, they'd taken a chance to trust her on Angel's say-so. She couldn't let them or her mentor down. "No," she admitted in a whisper. "But I'm going in anyhow."
* * *
"Proud of you," Xander muttered before hurrying down the rock-carved steps. His heart stopped as he reached the cave's floor. "Oh boy," he muttered. The place looked like any cavern but Xander's ears could pick up the screaming of tortured souls and the stench of evil hung heavy in the air, pressing down on his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. "Oh yeah I'm definitely going to be a good boy from now on. No way I'm ending up here." Seeing Faith flinch at his muttered comment, he took her hand and squeezed. "Hey, neither are you," he hastened to reassure her.
The Bostonian smiled weakly. "Thanks lover, but that wasn't what I was worried about," the smoky-eyed brunette pointed. "Look."
"Oh shit," Xander's heart dropped as he peered over the chasm's rim and into the gaping pit beneath them. It was filled with a seemingly infinite numbers of snarling ubers. He swallowed, mustn't panic. "Maybe they don't won't notice us until the Charmed Ones have done -."
"Oh I don't think so." Xander grimaced as The First appeared in the guise of Jesse, stood in the centre of the horde of ubers. "Boys, get them!" Instantly the ubers began to surge forward.
"Fuck Xand," Faith muttered. "You just had to flap your gums and jinx us."
Xander ignored the east coast native's comment, choosing instead to flip open his jacket and pull out the first of his M79s. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw his companions do the same. "On my mark." He waited until the rampaging ubers were 500 yards away. Judging that they'd be in the range by the time the WPs exploded he let out a hoarse bellow. "FIRE!"
The incendiary grenades flew through the air to explode into the front rank of the howling demons, tearing and ripping dozens of them apart, reducing them to ash. Xander nodded in satisfaction, if they were going down, they were taking plenty of the bastards with them. He pulled out his second grenade launcher and fired, further decimating the howling, snorting beasts below but still they continued to surge ever closer. "This is going to be a bitch."
* * *
The Bringers crept up to the oblivious soldiers watching the front of the school, using the army trucks behind the troops as cover. Suddenly the covers on the back of the trucks flew open and the sound of machine gun fire filled the air. The rounds tore into the unprepared Bringers, ripping them apart, sending them crashing soundlessly to the ground.
Dawn fought back the bile rising in her throat. Her plan to hide herself and the potentials in the back of the tracks to catch any possible attackers unawares had worked. Too well, Dawn swallowed as she looked at the hundred or so bodies on the floor, the stench of cordite clogging up her lungs. "Us or them," she muttered. They'd done the right thing, she had to believe that.
* * *
Throwing aside his last M79 Xander drew his Mossberg-590 and began blowing the heads off the nearest ubers. Finally he ran out of ammo. Not having the time to re-load, he flung aside his shotgun and unsheathed his sword. Hand to hand with an army of freaking super-vamps. "You couldn't just be the Zeppo could you?" he muttered before grunting as a vampire raked its claws across his chest, his Kevlar vest protecting from serious damage. He wondered how his vest would last. "Oh no, you had to get ambitious. Idiot."
* * *
Even as he decapitated his third vampire, Angel took a second to admire the skill of the 1,500 year old swordsman beside him. He'd fought alongside and against humans, Slayers, Immortals, and demons but none of them came close to the legendary knight thrusting, slicing, and ripping demons apart beside him. And yet he was 100% human. "Amazing."
* * *
Logan growled his delight as the demons charged him. This was what he lived for, no complications, no worrying about right or wrong. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Colossus grab a pair of demons by their necks, hold them at arm's length and squeeze. After a half-second the demons' head exploded off their shoulders.
An uber slammed into Logan's thickly built body knocking him back a half step. Chuckling slightly at what he guessed was surprise on the uber's face he shoved his claws through the beast's bull-like throat, ripping its head off. Another vampire collided with his shoulder but he shrugged his attack off before spinning round and slamming a trio of left jabs into the beast's face, smashing it to a gory ruin, before slicing its head off with a right-handed claw through its neck.
* * *
"Shit!" Faith screamed in half-terror, half-rage as she was hit by a trio of ubers diving at her from differing directions. The force of the first, hitting her on the left side knocked her off-balance, the second took her legs from under her at the knees, and the third caught her across the throat, hastening her descent.
She hit the ground with bone-jarring impact, the force of the blow driving the air from her lungs and her head slamming into the concrete, stars exploding in her vision. Immediately she attempted to rise but was restrained by the three demons on top of her, ripping, and tearing at her, slashing her vest to shreds. Panic rose in her throat, making it difficult to breath, as she struggled in vain. She was so fucked. She should have known, she gets just a little bit of happiness and this happens. Fucking typical.
And then the demons were torn from her and Xander was easing her to feet, a terrified look in his eyes. "You okay?"
In truth she felt like shit, bleeding from several wounds, and bruised all over but she forced a smile. "Five by five Xand," she drawled. "Thanks for the save."
"Xander!" she heard her boyfriend's earpiece crackle into life. "They've broken through."
Xander and her exchanged a worried glance. "Not good," he commented.
* * *
Gecko lifted his shotgun at the sound of the claymore booby-trap at the far end of the corridor exploding. "They're coming," he drawled, his casualness masking the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. "Get ready."
He heard the upper-class British archaeologist behind him mutter a curse. "Oh bugger, I rather think I'll need a manicure after this."
Seth raised an eyebrow and snorted. Oh to have such distractions. All he could think of was reminding himself to wring Xander's neck when he saw him next. Seth's eyes widened as the first of the ubers came into view. "Oh shit," he muttered. If, god willing, they both lived.
* * *
As the vampires swarmed around him Draven shifted into his Crow persona and leapt to meet them, his hands and feet flicking left and right as he shattered bones, tore limbs from bodies and heads from shoulders. An uber bit down on his left forearm, tearing a chunk out, lumps of his flesh and blood splattering onto the ground even as the wound began to heal. Twisting round, he shoved his left fist through the monster's chest, splintering ribs, before grabbing its unbeating heart and tearing it out of its cavity. Instantly his assailant exploded into dust.
This was the fight of his unexistence; Draven mused as he slid beneath a claw attempting to rip his face off, grabbed hold of his rival's out- stretched arm at the wrist and elbow, and snapped it back, dislocating the shoulder and shattering the wrist and elbow. He cut short the monster's scream by tearing its head off. Even as the vampire exploded into dust, another took its place, barrelling into him, knocking him to the ground.
Oh yes, this was the fight to end all fights.
* * *
Faith pressed her back to Xander's. At least when they died they'd, Faith took a shrieking uber's leg off at the knee with a downwards slash before driving the pommel of her blade into the next vamp's face, die together. Damn it, she risked a glance at Amore, when was the Frenchie's amulet gonna do its shit?
* * *
"Oh no," Jack felt his limbs grow shaky as he slumped against the classroom wall, inside of which the Charmed Ones were magicing up a storm.
Just a second ago, a huge dog, the size of a pony, with blood-red fur and midnight black eyes had appeared out of nowhere, the drool dropping from its gaping maws sizzling where it hit the floor. But as bad the monster was it wasn't that that turned his limbs to jelly. It was the image of his long-dead son stood beside the demon, a most uncharlie like smile on his face. "Kill."
With an ear-slitting roar, the monster bounded forward. After a half- second O'Neill shook off his shock to join his teammates in firing round after round into the beast. Their hot lead tore into the beast's flanks but the bullets bounced off its body and it continued eating up the distance between them at a frightening rate. Teal'c let out a shout. "Cease fire!"
O'Neill's mouth dropped open as his friend charged forward, drawing his K- Bar and dropping on his ass to slide the last few yards separating him from the beast. As Teal'c skidded to a halt underneath the monster he thrust his dagger hilt-deep into the creature's throat. Yellow viscera spewed out of the wound, scalding the man underneath. The creature's mouth snapped open as it let out a keening screech. Ignoring his own discomfort, Teal'c's hands snapped up to grab hold of the creature's jaws and hold them open. Blood running down his hands from the ravages of the monster's teeth, Teal'c looked back at him, his face strained with pain. "O'Neill, grenade!" Jack's eyes widened in realisation even as he pulled a frag grenade of his belt, primed, and flung it into the beast's gaping mouth. Immediately Teal'c rolled away from the creature, but not fast enough to get out of the blast zone as the demon exploded, some of the grenade's red-hot fragments peppering his friend's body. Jack yelled into his earpiece as he hurried towards his convulsing friend. "Leo, get here now!"
* * *
Faith side-kicked an uber in the gut, even as it began to double up her sword flashed up, slicing its head from its thick shoulders with a single practiced swipe. She took a second to take a rattling, weary breath before quickly wiping the sweat from her soaked forehead, uncomfortably conscious of the combination of sweat and blood, staining her clothes, causing them to stick to her body like a second skin. "We're so fucked." She was aching all over, more weary than she'd ever been and every single one of her comrades were injured in some way. It wouldn't be long now. "Unless" Faith smirked as she realised that a light had started to flash out of Lance's medallion. "Xand!" she head butted a snarling uber while kneeing it in the groin. "It's started!"
* * *
Xander's eyes widened at Faith's scream. He glanced over his shoulder and grinned when he realised she was right. "Faith, get out of here!"
"No way I'm leaving without you."
"Go! I'll be right behind you!" Without waiting to see if his order was obeyed he rushed over to the French knight, dropkicking an uber out of the way. "Lance, what's happening?"
"Alexander'" as the knight spoke through gritted teeth he exploded into a pillar of fire that danced around him while engulfing near-by ubers. "This is my salvation. Leave!"
A tear in his eye he turned to see a pale-faced Faith awaiting him. "I thought I told you to leave with the others," he growled, his voice hoarse.
"If ya expect me to obey ya this relationship's gonna be real rocky." The Slayer's dirt and dust covered features softened. "Come on Xman, leave him to -, shit!" Suddenly the entire cavern began shaking, flames bursting out everywhere, obliterating the already retreating ubers. "Run!"
* * *
No matter how many times Faith saw it she couldn't believe a crater enveloping a whole town. Shit, when she was bad she was dangerous, but when she was good she was fucking lethal. "What's gonna happen next?" she asked casually but her heart was thumping. She knew it was selfish, plenty of people had died for Christ's sake, but Xander had promised her so much, a home, a life, a purpose – all of it lying in Sunnydale's ruins. "Guess the Project's over uh?"
Her companion shook his head. "No, we'll set up again." Faith grinned at Xander's reply. "But it'll take a few weeks to get the money and resources together. So we're taking a month's vacation."
"A vacation?" Faith's eyes widened. She'd never been on a holiday before. "Somewhere foreign? Europe maybe? Hell, I wouldn't mind a few days in London city."
"If that's what you want."
Faith smirked. "We sure whupped evil's ass uh?"
She was shocked when Xander shook his head. "Only temporarily. Evil exists in every angry thought, every evil word, and every jealous action. Only one thing can beat it."
"Yeah," Faith felt her stomach hollow at Xander's grim words. "What's that?"
Xander grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him, his one word answer floating down to her just seconds before he pressed his lips to hers. "Love."
The End.
The Paladin Project (23/23) – Final Battle
"X..Xander," Faith's voice shook as she stared at the door to the basement where she'd been tortured. She closed her eyes but that didn't help; her ears roared with Caleb's hoarse laughter, and her tortured gasps and sobbing pleadings. "I...I can't."
Xander looked around. "Angel, can you take the others into the basement for me? I'll join you in a minute."
Once the door had closed behind the others, Faith spoke. "I...I'm sorry." She refused to look up from the floor, unwilling to meet Xander's commendatory gaze, she was such a fuck-up.
"It's okay." She looked up, surprised. Xander smiled sympathetically. "I'm proud of you. For the way you've changed. For the way you've fought back against Caleb. For having the good taste to want me." Faith giggled tremulously. "If you're not ready for this," Xander produced a knife and a plastic bottle. "Fill this bottle with some blood. I'll do the spell, you go up and help G-Man with the Charmed Ones."
Faith looked from her boyfriend and then towards the exit. If she left she wouldn't have to face that room but if she went and Xander or Angel died because she wasn't there... "Kiss me," she whispered. "Just kiss me."
"As you wish mi' lady." Faith shivered with delight as Xander wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her towards him as he lowered his head to her upturned face. Her boyfriend eased the tip of his tongue down her nose, the sensation causing her to moan deep in her throat. Next he turned his attention to her mouth, first running his tongue across her top and then bottom lip, even as his right hand glided up the curve of her back to tousle her hair. Finally Xander crushed his lips to hers, plunging his tongue into her eagerly waiting mouth, her own tongue springing up to meet his, wrapping itself around his. Eventually Xander pulled away, an affectionate smile in place. "See you later."
"No," she shook her head and took his hand, squeezing slightly. "I'm coming with you. By your side right?"
Xander's smile widened. "Right," he confirmed.
* * *
Faith swallowed as she entered the basement, her legs trembling. "You okay Faith?" Xander asked. Faith gulped before nodding and walking towards the seal. She smiled up at Angel's comforting squeeze on her shoulder, drew her knife, and sliced her palm open – apparently less blood was needed from her if it was given willingly. Wincing at the pain she turned her hand over and allowed the blood to splatter down on the glowing seal – the seal she'd been hung over. Forcing away the terrible memories she quickly intoned the short spell Giles had taught. For a second she thought she'd got it wrong but then the seal slid soundlessly open. Her stomach flip- flopping she started towards the opening. "You sure about this Faith?" Xander muttered.
Faith looked around, saw all the fellow Project members, some she'd fought beside for weeks, others who'd once been her enemies, and others who were new to her. But all who were now her allies. She'd spent too much of her life running away from things, and she couldn't let them down, they'd taken a chance to trust her on Angel's say-so. She couldn't let them or her mentor down. "No," she admitted in a whisper. "But I'm going in anyhow."
* * *
"Proud of you," Xander muttered before hurrying down the rock-carved steps. His heart stopped as he reached the cave's floor. "Oh boy," he muttered. The place looked like any cavern but Xander's ears could pick up the screaming of tortured souls and the stench of evil hung heavy in the air, pressing down on his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. "Oh yeah I'm definitely going to be a good boy from now on. No way I'm ending up here." Seeing Faith flinch at his muttered comment, he took her hand and squeezed. "Hey, neither are you," he hastened to reassure her.
The Bostonian smiled weakly. "Thanks lover, but that wasn't what I was worried about," the smoky-eyed brunette pointed. "Look."
"Oh shit," Xander's heart dropped as he peered over the chasm's rim and into the gaping pit beneath them. It was filled with a seemingly infinite numbers of snarling ubers. He swallowed, mustn't panic. "Maybe they don't won't notice us until the Charmed Ones have done -."
"Oh I don't think so." Xander grimaced as The First appeared in the guise of Jesse, stood in the centre of the horde of ubers. "Boys, get them!" Instantly the ubers began to surge forward.
"Fuck Xand," Faith muttered. "You just had to flap your gums and jinx us."
Xander ignored the east coast native's comment, choosing instead to flip open his jacket and pull out the first of his M79s. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw his companions do the same. "On my mark." He waited until the rampaging ubers were 500 yards away. Judging that they'd be in the range by the time the WPs exploded he let out a hoarse bellow. "FIRE!"
The incendiary grenades flew through the air to explode into the front rank of the howling demons, tearing and ripping dozens of them apart, reducing them to ash. Xander nodded in satisfaction, if they were going down, they were taking plenty of the bastards with them. He pulled out his second grenade launcher and fired, further decimating the howling, snorting beasts below but still they continued to surge ever closer. "This is going to be a bitch."
* * *
The Bringers crept up to the oblivious soldiers watching the front of the school, using the army trucks behind the troops as cover. Suddenly the covers on the back of the trucks flew open and the sound of machine gun fire filled the air. The rounds tore into the unprepared Bringers, ripping them apart, sending them crashing soundlessly to the ground.
Dawn fought back the bile rising in her throat. Her plan to hide herself and the potentials in the back of the tracks to catch any possible attackers unawares had worked. Too well, Dawn swallowed as she looked at the hundred or so bodies on the floor, the stench of cordite clogging up her lungs. "Us or them," she muttered. They'd done the right thing, she had to believe that.
* * *
Throwing aside his last M79 Xander drew his Mossberg-590 and began blowing the heads off the nearest ubers. Finally he ran out of ammo. Not having the time to re-load, he flung aside his shotgun and unsheathed his sword. Hand to hand with an army of freaking super-vamps. "You couldn't just be the Zeppo could you?" he muttered before grunting as a vampire raked its claws across his chest, his Kevlar vest protecting from serious damage. He wondered how his vest would last. "Oh no, you had to get ambitious. Idiot."
* * *
Even as he decapitated his third vampire, Angel took a second to admire the skill of the 1,500 year old swordsman beside him. He'd fought alongside and against humans, Slayers, Immortals, and demons but none of them came close to the legendary knight thrusting, slicing, and ripping demons apart beside him. And yet he was 100% human. "Amazing."
* * *
Logan growled his delight as the demons charged him. This was what he lived for, no complications, no worrying about right or wrong. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Colossus grab a pair of demons by their necks, hold them at arm's length and squeeze. After a half-second the demons' head exploded off their shoulders.
An uber slammed into Logan's thickly built body knocking him back a half step. Chuckling slightly at what he guessed was surprise on the uber's face he shoved his claws through the beast's bull-like throat, ripping its head off. Another vampire collided with his shoulder but he shrugged his attack off before spinning round and slamming a trio of left jabs into the beast's face, smashing it to a gory ruin, before slicing its head off with a right-handed claw through its neck.
* * *
"Shit!" Faith screamed in half-terror, half-rage as she was hit by a trio of ubers diving at her from differing directions. The force of the first, hitting her on the left side knocked her off-balance, the second took her legs from under her at the knees, and the third caught her across the throat, hastening her descent.
She hit the ground with bone-jarring impact, the force of the blow driving the air from her lungs and her head slamming into the concrete, stars exploding in her vision. Immediately she attempted to rise but was restrained by the three demons on top of her, ripping, and tearing at her, slashing her vest to shreds. Panic rose in her throat, making it difficult to breath, as she struggled in vain. She was so fucked. She should have known, she gets just a little bit of happiness and this happens. Fucking typical.
And then the demons were torn from her and Xander was easing her to feet, a terrified look in his eyes. "You okay?"
In truth she felt like shit, bleeding from several wounds, and bruised all over but she forced a smile. "Five by five Xand," she drawled. "Thanks for the save."
"Xander!" she heard her boyfriend's earpiece crackle into life. "They've broken through."
Xander and her exchanged a worried glance. "Not good," he commented.
* * *
Gecko lifted his shotgun at the sound of the claymore booby-trap at the far end of the corridor exploding. "They're coming," he drawled, his casualness masking the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. "Get ready."
He heard the upper-class British archaeologist behind him mutter a curse. "Oh bugger, I rather think I'll need a manicure after this."
Seth raised an eyebrow and snorted. Oh to have such distractions. All he could think of was reminding himself to wring Xander's neck when he saw him next. Seth's eyes widened as the first of the ubers came into view. "Oh shit," he muttered. If, god willing, they both lived.
* * *
As the vampires swarmed around him Draven shifted into his Crow persona and leapt to meet them, his hands and feet flicking left and right as he shattered bones, tore limbs from bodies and heads from shoulders. An uber bit down on his left forearm, tearing a chunk out, lumps of his flesh and blood splattering onto the ground even as the wound began to heal. Twisting round, he shoved his left fist through the monster's chest, splintering ribs, before grabbing its unbeating heart and tearing it out of its cavity. Instantly his assailant exploded into dust.
This was the fight of his unexistence; Draven mused as he slid beneath a claw attempting to rip his face off, grabbed hold of his rival's out- stretched arm at the wrist and elbow, and snapped it back, dislocating the shoulder and shattering the wrist and elbow. He cut short the monster's scream by tearing its head off. Even as the vampire exploded into dust, another took its place, barrelling into him, knocking him to the ground.
Oh yes, this was the fight to end all fights.
* * *
Faith pressed her back to Xander's. At least when they died they'd, Faith took a shrieking uber's leg off at the knee with a downwards slash before driving the pommel of her blade into the next vamp's face, die together. Damn it, she risked a glance at Amore, when was the Frenchie's amulet gonna do its shit?
* * *
"Oh no," Jack felt his limbs grow shaky as he slumped against the classroom wall, inside of which the Charmed Ones were magicing up a storm.
Just a second ago, a huge dog, the size of a pony, with blood-red fur and midnight black eyes had appeared out of nowhere, the drool dropping from its gaping maws sizzling where it hit the floor. But as bad the monster was it wasn't that that turned his limbs to jelly. It was the image of his long-dead son stood beside the demon, a most uncharlie like smile on his face. "Kill."
With an ear-slitting roar, the monster bounded forward. After a half- second O'Neill shook off his shock to join his teammates in firing round after round into the beast. Their hot lead tore into the beast's flanks but the bullets bounced off its body and it continued eating up the distance between them at a frightening rate. Teal'c let out a shout. "Cease fire!"
O'Neill's mouth dropped open as his friend charged forward, drawing his K- Bar and dropping on his ass to slide the last few yards separating him from the beast. As Teal'c skidded to a halt underneath the monster he thrust his dagger hilt-deep into the creature's throat. Yellow viscera spewed out of the wound, scalding the man underneath. The creature's mouth snapped open as it let out a keening screech. Ignoring his own discomfort, Teal'c's hands snapped up to grab hold of the creature's jaws and hold them open. Blood running down his hands from the ravages of the monster's teeth, Teal'c looked back at him, his face strained with pain. "O'Neill, grenade!" Jack's eyes widened in realisation even as he pulled a frag grenade of his belt, primed, and flung it into the beast's gaping mouth. Immediately Teal'c rolled away from the creature, but not fast enough to get out of the blast zone as the demon exploded, some of the grenade's red-hot fragments peppering his friend's body. Jack yelled into his earpiece as he hurried towards his convulsing friend. "Leo, get here now!"
* * *
Faith side-kicked an uber in the gut, even as it began to double up her sword flashed up, slicing its head from its thick shoulders with a single practiced swipe. She took a second to take a rattling, weary breath before quickly wiping the sweat from her soaked forehead, uncomfortably conscious of the combination of sweat and blood, staining her clothes, causing them to stick to her body like a second skin. "We're so fucked." She was aching all over, more weary than she'd ever been and every single one of her comrades were injured in some way. It wouldn't be long now. "Unless" Faith smirked as she realised that a light had started to flash out of Lance's medallion. "Xand!" she head butted a snarling uber while kneeing it in the groin. "It's started!"
* * *
Xander's eyes widened at Faith's scream. He glanced over his shoulder and grinned when he realised she was right. "Faith, get out of here!"
"No way I'm leaving without you."
"Go! I'll be right behind you!" Without waiting to see if his order was obeyed he rushed over to the French knight, dropkicking an uber out of the way. "Lance, what's happening?"
"Alexander'" as the knight spoke through gritted teeth he exploded into a pillar of fire that danced around him while engulfing near-by ubers. "This is my salvation. Leave!"
A tear in his eye he turned to see a pale-faced Faith awaiting him. "I thought I told you to leave with the others," he growled, his voice hoarse.
"If ya expect me to obey ya this relationship's gonna be real rocky." The Slayer's dirt and dust covered features softened. "Come on Xman, leave him to -, shit!" Suddenly the entire cavern began shaking, flames bursting out everywhere, obliterating the already retreating ubers. "Run!"
* * *
No matter how many times Faith saw it she couldn't believe a crater enveloping a whole town. Shit, when she was bad she was dangerous, but when she was good she was fucking lethal. "What's gonna happen next?" she asked casually but her heart was thumping. She knew it was selfish, plenty of people had died for Christ's sake, but Xander had promised her so much, a home, a life, a purpose – all of it lying in Sunnydale's ruins. "Guess the Project's over uh?"
Her companion shook his head. "No, we'll set up again." Faith grinned at Xander's reply. "But it'll take a few weeks to get the money and resources together. So we're taking a month's vacation."
"A vacation?" Faith's eyes widened. She'd never been on a holiday before. "Somewhere foreign? Europe maybe? Hell, I wouldn't mind a few days in London city."
"If that's what you want."
Faith smirked. "We sure whupped evil's ass uh?"
She was shocked when Xander shook his head. "Only temporarily. Evil exists in every angry thought, every evil word, and every jealous action. Only one thing can beat it."
"Yeah," Faith felt her stomach hollow at Xander's grim words. "What's that?"
Xander grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him, his one word answer floating down to her just seconds before he pressed his lips to hers. "Love."
The End.