Role Reversal: Chapter Five

[jesterladyfic]

Chapter Five: In Which Amulets and Betrayals Play a Part

I had definitely come to terms with some of my feelings over Angel’s death so I was feeling up. I walked down the hall with Willow and Oz feeling that life was on its way forward.

“So, Buffy, you Bronzing it with us tonight? The Dingoes are playing. You know, Oz’s band, the band Oz is in, his band,” Willow said proudly.

Oz and I shared eye contact that communicated Willow-fondness.

“I could probably stop by. I do have to patrol, unfortunately with Spike.”

“Poor Buffy. Well, at least we’ll load you up with warm feelings and good things before you have to see him.”

“Thanks, Will. I got to jet though, apparently Giles wanted to see me, stat.”

“Oh, that’s right. He told us,” Willow said.

“Did he say what it was about?” I asked. They shook their heads, but Oz offered,

“I think it was Watcher stuff.” Oh joy.

***

Faith sat straight up in bed, the sweat pouring down her face like she’d spent four hours wrestling with a crocodile in 120 degree weather. She hated nightmares. She didn’t know how much longer that she could take this.

“Maybe payback for B’s dreams,” she muttered and then caught her breath. “B,” she murmured thoughtfully,
tracing patterns on her comforter with her finger.


***

Giles eyed the young man unpacking books on his library table with some distaste but no actual animosity. He seemed sincere enough. Giles knew of him by reputation and his record had checked out with great success, but Giles supposed he would dislike anyone who was taking over his responsibilities.

Wesley Wyndham-Price straightened from the table and adjusted his bow-tie nervously.

“I must confess, Mr. Giles, at being somewhat timorous upon meeting Miss Summers. This is my first
assignment and while the Council has asked me to grind to a halt any contact she has with you and I would
appreciate no interference when it comes to my interaction with her, I could use your help in an advisory capacity.”

Giles stared at Wesley and wondered if he’d been this pompous when he arrived. He rather hoped not.

“Yes, well, I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Modern methods and all that.”

“Yes, quite. There have been tremendous advancements in the field since your day.” Giles winced at the
reference to his age. “So I’m sure I’ll be just dandy without you. But do stay on call, won’t you?”

Giles quirked an eyebrow, but nodded, knowing full well he wouldn’t go anywhere and leave Buffy behind.


***

I pushed open the library doors and entered a bit warily. The library had never exactly been my favorite place, but it had become a sort of sanctuary and lately had been more of a torture chamber. There was a young man, in his late-twenties perhaps, good-looking in the really-younger-than-Giles sort of way. But glasses and suit and all he fit the Watcher profile.

“New Watcher?” I asked Giles. He nodded. “Are you evil?” I addressed Giles Jr.

“Evil?” He seemed genuinely confused.

I sat down on the edge of the table with a sigh.

“The last one was evil.”

Recognition dawned on the younger bespectacled man in the room.

“Ah, Miss Post. Yes, we all heard. Still, no. Mr. Giles has checked my records thoroughly and I believe we’re
ready to start our work without any evil tendencies showing up.” He gave a little half smile. I rolled my eyes, but sat
down and proceeded to listen to the best, (I swear), of my ability. It took awhile to break Giles in; I shouldn’t expect
any less of this one. Not that I wasn’t still mad at Giles because I was.

New Guy started bustling around the table and fondling notebooks. Then he straightened up with a gasp. I wondered if maybe he’d left an important one of them behind in merry old England.

“I guess I haven’t introduced myself, have I? Most remiss of me; my apologies. Wesley Wyndham-Price.” He
offered me his hand. I shook it.

“Buffy Summers.”

“Right, now that that’s taken care of; let’s begin, shall we? Tell me all about last night’s patrol.” He got out a
notebook and pen and prepared to dictate with an enthusiasm that was frightening.

“Uh, well, I didn’t patrol last night. It was Spike’s turn and I let him-“ I stopped, realizing that mentioning Spike
was perhaps not the wisest course of action. Stupid vamp’s more trouble than he’s worth.

“Did you say Spike?”

Shoot, he caught the gigantic slip I made. Imagine that. They sure make them smart over there in the old
country.

“Yeah-huh.” Guilt all over my face.

Wesley’s eyes got really wide, as wide as his glasses. I’m serious.

“Fascinating! Is this the very same vampire known as William the Bloody?”

“Afraid so,” I admitted.

“And you staked him?” He got quite animated. Maybe Spike had killed his great-great-grandpa or something.

“No, I kinda let him live, or be undead, or whatever the term is.” Wesley sank back down again.

“Was he too much for you? Admittedly he is one of the most notorious vampires known to mankind.”

Humph, maybe. Not like I would admit it or anything.

“He and I have a deal. He helps me with my evil issues, I let him research.”

“A vampire interested in research?” The wheels were spinning, I could tell. “Most interesting. Could I perhaps
meet him? In a controlled environment, of course.”

I wanted to laugh really badly, but, instead controlled my impulses, and proceeded to explain to the stuffy,
clueless human being across from me, my history with Spike.

“Again, quite fascinating!” Wesley was enthralled at Spike’s antics over the years. Funny how all the killing
and mayhem and death become study-worthy when the do-er is Spike. “I must tell the Council; they’d be extremely
interested.”

“NO!” Giles and I shouted together.

Wesley looked at us like there was a fire and we were circus loons, one of the two anyway.

“Why ever not? Buffy, these people are your superiors and are entitled to know about your abnormal dealings.”

“They’re entitled to know squat,” I spat at him. “You’re talking about the people who tried to kill me a few weeks
ago.”

“Now, Buffy, that was a regrettable accident, of course, but you mustn’t blame them. A good Slayer always-“

“A good Slayer is one who has people she can rely on,” I replied. “At the moment I trust Spike more than the
Council! Those jerks wouldn’t do a thing to help my mother when it was their fault she was kidnapped in the first
place!” Wesley sat back and didn’t say anything. “Please don’t say anything to the Council. I mean, you can’t. I
won’t let you.”

Wesley looked a little pissed off in a really wussy way, but I put on my scary Slayer face and he melted like butter.

“As you wish. I will, however, be keeping a close eye on this Spike situation and should anything alarming
occur I am going straight to the Council.”

“Just run it by me first,” I told him, bored of this business talk. I am a teenage girl after all. “I’ve got class, so
bye.”

“Wait please,” Wesley called after me. “Report back to me as soon as school is completed for the day to
discuss tonight’s patrol.” He turned to Giles. “Now, Mr. Giles, I will need all of your diaries on Miss Summers.”

Hold the phone. I turned around.

“You have diaries about me, Giles?”

“I’ve told you about the Watcher’s diaries, Buffy. They are essential for good training.”

I sputtered.

“Yeah, well, not about me. About everybody else, not me. Besides, you wouldn’t even let me read the Slayer’s
Handbook!”

“She hasn’t read the Slayer’s Handbook!” Wesley looked like he was about to fall over and die.

“She wouldn’t follow the rules anyway,” Giles muttered under his breath, but I caught it.

“I so would. I’d be perfect.”

Wesley nodded in support.

“I shall see about getting you a copy, Buffy.”

“Thank you, boss,” I told him just to get back at Giles. Wesley preened and Giles…smiled? Harrumph to
that. Turning around, I flounced out of the room looking like I enjoyed going to chem class.

***

Wesley had given me the boring job of rummaging around in a crypt looking for some stupid amulet or something. Sometimes the world of Slaying is not so glamorous. I kept getting this weird vibe from my senses, but I chalked it up to my stressed out-ness of the past few weeks. I can be dumb, I admit it, oh, but lucky for me it was just Faith stalking me. I turned with a weary resignation.

“Okay, let’s get this over with.”

She sauntered over to me wearing less clothing than an Amazon.

“Hey, B. Long time no see. What’s up?”

“You apparently. On drugs now to add to your psychosis?”

She laughed a little, but her face screwed up a touch as well. Score one for Buffy.

“Guess I deserved that. Listen though, got a proposition for you.”

I shook my head,

“What is it with you people? Is it Be Good For A Day in Evil-City or something?”

“What can I say? All the cool kids are doing it.”

“Cool kids do pretty stupid things, but most of them don’t kill people,” I said scathingly.

Faith rolled her eyes and walked closer, her palms out in a gesture of peace. Like I believed that for one
nanosecond.

“Listen, Buffy, get over it already. Now do you wanna hear what I got to say or shall I out myself from your
presence?”

I sighed, knowing my inevitable maybe-she-can-be-saved button had been pushed.

“What is it?”

Faith smiled like she knew what I was thinking. Darn her.

“Kinda sick of the Mayor’s happy and clean evil plan. Been missing me some of that girl time you and I used to
revel in. Thought I’d look you up, see if we could hang out?”

I almost fell on the floor laughing, but caught myself when I remembered this was probably what she wanted: an
opportunity where I’m vulnerable and she could slit my throat.

“You must think I’m an idiot,” I said. “I don’t have time for traps, Faith. Go bug someone else.”

She sighed.

“I knew you’d feel that way and I don’t blame you doing so, what with your lifestyle choices being so different
from mine, but I’m on the level here. I’m not saying I wanna be all white-hat or whatever, but I just want a truce.”

“A truce?” I scoffed. “A truce. So you don’t try and kill me so we can chill and share secrets and then you can
go back to the bad guy and reveal all? Come on, Faith. You can do better than that.”

“I just want to hang. Let’s go to the Bronze tonight and tomorrow we’ll be back on untrusting ground, deal?”

“Did someone put a sign on my forehead saying: I’m a moron--come make a truce with me?” I asked in real
confusion because I was starting to think that’s what had happened.

Faith threw her hands up and started to walk away. Finally. Whoops, no, here she comes again looking all
defenseless.

“Buffy, the truth is I’ve been having nightmares. I just need someone to be a sounding board so I can blow
some steam. I know I’ve no right to ask you, but you’re all I’ve got. I know you can do it real well, remember? I just
need someone who I know lives the answers.”

I sat on a coffin and pondered that awhile. Why, oh why, am I such a sucker for redemption cases? That was
Angel’s and my whole problem right there. Why did Faith have to know just the right spots to chink my armor off?
Mentally chastising myself and yet feeling such relief I could barely contain it, I gave a limp nod.

“Fine, whatever. Let’s do something.”

Faith nodded happily.

“That’s what I’m talking about. High five.” And she offered me her hand palm out. I stared at it a little blankly,
unsure of what this might mean. Somewhere deep within my deeply confused brain was the knowledge that I was
supposed to hit it, but that didn’t compute just then.

“Right,” Faith said, lowering her arm. “Guess we aren’t up to high fives yet. So, B, spotted a nest of little vamps about to ravage Sunnydale on my way. Wanna get some staking in?”

Numbly I nodded, vaguely thinking about vampires and stakes and traps and nests and how much fun it could all be.

“Oh yeah, I do,” I suddenly said, snapping out of my funk. “Please.”

***

Watching the departing, oblivious Slayers was a black-clad blonde vampire with one hand holding a cigarette to his mouth and the other hand around a dark-haired, scarlet-clad vampress giggling to herself.

“Come on, doll,” he said, pulling her after him into the crypt. Going to the coffin Buffy had previously been rummaging in, Spike pulled out something glittering from around the corpse’s neck and holding it up to the light, smiled viciously. “Let’s go. Now that we’ve done our part here the little girls will need watching.”

***

After we had cleared out the vamp nest, which was an absolute blast, by the way, Faith and I were on our way to the Bronze when some other vamps jumped us. They were your ordinary every day vamps, with uniforms and swords. Wait, that part was weird. Their leader, well, I assume it was the leader, because he had two more stripy things on his clothes than the others, came up all threatening at us. Faith and I exchanged eye rolls.

“Give us the amulet!” he demanded rudely.

“The what?” I asked in genuine confusion.

“Balthazar demands his amulet and His Holiness must be obeyed. Surrender the amulet, Slayer!” he
demanded again.

This guy was way too demanding. Faith looked at me and nodded toward the other vamps, I nodded back. I
looked at Leader-guy.

“How about this instead? I kill you and His Baltha-whatever-ness doesn’t get his amulet and I have some fun.
That sound good?”

With a growl he rushed at me and I side-stepped him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Faith egging on
several of the other vamps. That made me smile. But here was Mr. Vamp again, trying to kill me for no good reason,
this time with some friends.

We traded blows for awhile before I decided to take the fight to better places and turning, ran towards a nearby
crypt. I ran up the side and, turning around, kicked one of the vamps so hard his neck snapped. Ducking under
another blow, I tripped up Mr. Leader and got jumped from behind. Unknown Vamp tried to get my neck, but I bent
over and kicked him from behind and he slumped off. Grabbing his friend beside him, I threw him against the crypt
wall and staked him.

Overhearing Faith’s cries of joy from behind me, I looked and saw she had all but one of hers staked and was
playing with him. Some things never change.

“Any day now, Faith!” I called and she looked up and nodded.

Leader vamp was up now and running towards me. I side-stepped him again, this time snatching the sword
he’d drawn and, spinning around, decapitated my other vamp. Leader and I now faced off, me with his sword. He
wasn’t too happy about that and ran off in the other direction. Coward. But hey, I had the sword.

“How ya doing there?” Faith asked from beside me.

I grinned at her, relishing the joy of killing with someone, other than Spike and Drusilla, who knew what they
were doing.

“I’ll definitely say of the good,” I answered.

Faith grinned back at me.

“Know what I feel like?” she asked.

“Killing something?” I asked.

“Besides that,” she said, laughing a little.

“How about some really cute guys and loud music?” I guessed.

“You’re good,” Faith answered.

I smiled and, slapping her hand this time, we headed off to the Bronze.


***

I was having a blast. I hadn’t felt this free in a long time. I had the feeling somewhere in the back of my mind that Wesley and Giles should know about those vamps with the sword who were after the amulet I hadn’t gotten when I should’ve and that I was dancing in the Bronze with Faith who was evil and a dozen other guys I didn’t know. Well, they didn’t need to know about the guys. They’re my Watchers, not my Keepers. Well, Wesley was. Giles technically didn’t matter anymore. Anyway, this was awesome.

I was finally out of breath so I stepped out of the dance crowd toward my drink and who should be standing
there, but Spike. Good feelings slipping away.

“Having fun, pet?” he asked dryly.

“Not that it’s any of your business, Spike,” I replied scathingly.

“Isn’t that your evil twin?” he asked, unscathed, pointing to Faith who had come up behind me.

“Wow, B,” Faith exclaimed, “you got the nose for good-looking dead guys.”

Drusilla came out of nowhere and stood in front of Spike possessively.

“Mustn’t touch what’s not yours!” she growled.

Spike seemed pleasantly surprised.

“Why, Dru! You care,” he said.

She looked back at him and traced his lips with her finger.

“Just as you are, I am,” she answered cryptically. Now that was the Drusilla I knew.

“What do you want, Spike?” I asked, bringing the conversation back to its point. If it had one, I wasn’t sure at
this point.

“Seems to me you could use a little nudge back in a healthy direction,” Spike answered. “Aren’t you supposed
to be delivering this back to the Percy pair?” He held up an amulet on a chain. I made a grab for it but he swung it
out of my reach. “Ah, ah, Slayer,” he admonished. “I don’t think you’re really invested here.”

“Spike, stop being an idiot,” I said. “What the heck are you talking about?”

“Precisely this, pet. Those vamps with the swords are part of a religious order that worships the demon
Balthazar, who needs only this amulet to be a real contender here in Sunnydale. They will be wanting it and anyone
who can find it or knows how to use it.”

Realization dawned.

“Giles and Wesley.”

“Now she’s waking up,” Spike said lightly.

A cell phone rang in Faith’s pocket and she answered it while Drusilla imitated the ring rather well and rather
annoyingly in my ear.

“Yeah, boss. Sure thing. Nope, wouldn’t miss it for the world. Of course. Nope, just hanging out. Well, I
was bored. No, I’m behaving myself. No, I’m okay to walk there. Yeah. See ya.” Faith hung up the phone and
turned to leave. “Sorry, B, Mayor calls.”

I watched in disbelief and rising anger as she walked away.

“Faith, I could use your help right now!” I called after her.

Laughing, she called over her shoulder.

“Evil here, Buffy. But I’m sure Spike will do well. Gee, hope nothing happens to ole Giles while you’re here.”

I wanted to kill her, but instead, very calmly turned to my vampire helper and his mate, and discussed the
situation rationally.

“You better figure out where this demon guy is,” I told Spike. “I’m going to see if Wesley and Giles are okay.
Keep the amulet for now; they won’t think you’d have it. Meet me back at the library.”

“Sure thing, Slayer,” Spike replied and grabbing Drusilla from where she’d been ogling a dancing couple on the
floor, headed out the door, reassuring her. “Soon, baby, they’ll be sinking to the floor with your teeth tearing the
flesh…” I didn’t hear the rest for which I was thankful.

I ran out the door and to the library where my worst fears were realized. Giles and Wesley were nowhere to be seen, but Giles’ office had been messed up and there was blood on the floor.


***

Faith was a little annoyed with herself as she walked back to the Mayor’s office. She had just meant to hang out a little with Buffy and calm herself from the fright of her nightmare and maybe keep Buffy a little off balance, but instead Faith had really enjoyed herself.

“Just what B needs thinking I’m all save-worthy, I’ll never get any peace,” she muttered to herself. But Faith put
all that aside as she entered the Mayor’s office and found him watching a couple of his vampire minions drawing on
the floor and lighting candles.

“What’s this all about?” she asked.

“Faith!” The Mayor turned with a great big smile. “This is just all part of the ritual I’ll be undergoing in...” he
checked his watch, “...about two minutes. Why don’t you wash your hands before we get started and don’t forget to
get under the fingernails.”

Faith nodded vaguely and went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her hands. When she came
back out the Mayor was kneeling in the diagram on the floor and speaking some funky language. In a few minutes it
was over and he stood up.

“Did it work?” she asked. It looked like nothing had happened.

“Well, let’s try and see.” The Mayor looked unperturbed as usual. He gestured to one of the vampires and he,
in turn, opened the door behind him. The very same leader of the vampires that attacked Faith and Buffy earlier
rushed out at the Mayor and swung another sword at his head, splitting it in two.

“No!” Faith cried out in horror. The Mayor’s head wavered for a moment and began to shake, then slowly
fissured itself back together without even a line to show where it had been broken.

“Well, that was certainly interesting,” the Mayor said. Faith started forward and then stopped. The Leader
vamp was standing beside her, as nonplussed as she was. Sighing, she pulled his sword from his hand and
knocked off his head.

“Faith, what have I told you about slaying on my carpet?” The Mayor reproved. “So unhygienic. But we’ll let it
slide this time. After all, this is a big day, the start of the one hundred and twenty days before my Ascension.
Nothing can harm me until then.” He pulled out a notebook from his vest pocket and checked off something on it,
then put it away with a smile. “How about some ice cream for my favorite girl?”

Faith looked at him and wondered if he was for real but smiled and went with him leaving the vampires to clean
up the mess.


***

I was on the phone with Xander and Willow when Spike and Drusilla came back.

“Got the location, pet,” he informed me.

“Good,” I said, brushing past him and grabbing a sword and crossbow from the weapons cabinet. “They’ve
definitely got Giles and Wesley so we need to hurry.”

“Drusilla, I want you to stay here,” Spike told her. “You haven’t fed in awhile and you’re weak.

She pouted a bit but then saw the blood left on the floor in Giles’ office and sort of glided over there with her
tongue licking her lips. I felt sick and decided now would be the opportune time to leave.

“Let’s go!” I told Spike sharply. He held out his hand and I slapped an axe in it and we left.

Arriving at the run down warehouse we took scope of the situation. A huge tub of water stood in the middle of
the room and a horribly obese and warty looking demon sat in it being sluiced down by some more vampires of the
sort I had met earlier that evening. Giles stood at the tub with his head clamped in between two pasty clawed hands
belonging to Tub Guy. Wesley was practically melting on the floor but I noticed he was also cleverly cutting his
bonds with a penknife. That would take awhile and, in the meantime, Giles looked like he was in pain.

“Where is my amulet!” screamed Fat Boy. I suppose his name is that B name or whatever but I can’t be
bothered to remember such a thing at the moment.

“I’ve told you already,” Giles said calmly, “I have no idea where it is or why it would be needed. Of course, I
could always do some research.”

Good old Giles and his research. But it didn’t seem to go over with He Who Must Be Watered.

“Unacceptable!” he screamed at the top of his lungs like a baby without his rattler.

“I’m sure it’s around somewhere,” Wesley reassured him in a totally scared out of his mind voice. “I know it
was in the cemetery because I sent Miss-“ he stopped, probably realizing he shouldn’t have said that. Frailty, thy
name is prissy British guys. Don’t be so surprised, sometimes I read.

“Information,” crowed the demon. “Hurry, break his kneecaps.”

Wesley wilted even further, but passed his penknife to Giles.

“But I like to have my kneecaps,” Wesley whined.

I decided now was the time to intervene.

“I’ve got your amulet,” I said, calmly dropping down into the midst of them. “But I’ll only give it if you say pretty
please.”

I decapitated two of the vamps standing around like nothing was wrong. I started fighting off the guards around
Giles and Wesley. Giles was having much better luck with the penknife, especially since the Big Guy had dropped
him to his knees beside the screaming Wesley.

Spike broke down the door just then and used his axe to chop off a few heads. We got down to the serious
fighting while, all the while, Mr. I Need My Amulet Fix ranted and screamed about the unacceptability of it all. If I may use a Cordelia phrase, what is his childhood trauma?

Giles broke his bonds and also Wesley’s and I tossed him a sword one of the vamps had dropped. He stood
up, pulling Wesley along with him and I tossed the Quivering One my crossbow and, surprisingly, he caught it after a
few fumbles and didn’t shoot his own foot.

Spike and I had pretty much decimated the vampire guard, but, upon seeing that, Wart Man used his pretty
telekinesis powers to grab Giles’ head again. Wesley cowered and hid behind a box and used the crossbow to
shoot at random things he seemed to think might be attacking him. He shot a couple of vamps actually. I was quite
proud. He was toughening up faster than Giles had. Maybe it was my growing talents.

Anyway, Giles was in danger so I chased a vamp up a couple of boxes stacked up beside the water tank and after
dusting him, cut the cables that led to the water heater and then stuck it into the tub full of more flesh than water and walla! extra crispy fat demon.

Giles dropped to the floor holding his head and Wesley, coming out from his corner, went to him. Spike staked the
last couple of vamps and we all gathered at the water tank.

Then Mr. Fat and Creepy opened his eyes suddenly and said,

“Beware the Ascension. You’ll wish I’d all killed you then.”

Cheerful fellow, isn’t he? The vote for going back to the library was unanimous, not that I would’ve cared about any
vote besides mine. Wesley and I supported Giles who said he had a migraine. I surprised myself by actually caring
and Spike strode along like the dark creature of the night he must be.

When we got back to the library we found Drusilla laying on the floor coughing up a storm. Spike rushed to her and
picked her up.

“Dru! Dru! What’s the matter, love?”

“Stars are veiled, Spike,” she murmured. “I need my blood cure.” Spike stroked her cheek and then set her down on
the table. He turned around and stormed over to me all irate. Oh great. The perfect end to my night.

“Right, Slayer,” he said warningly, “I want some research done. I’ve been holding up my end of the bloody deal. If
you don’t start working on Dru’s problem, the truce is off and you and I go at it right now.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Giles, if you feel up to it, you and Wesley can work on that little problem while Mr. Melodramatic takes Her Royal Sickness home.”

“I mean it,” Spike told me dangerously. “She comes first.”

Then he stalked over to Drusilla and picked her up and carried her out. Thank God. Just then Xander and Willow
rushed in, all concern. We had to explain the whole situation to them and everything. Oh well.

***

Spike carried Drusilla to the Bronze where he killed a canoodling couple outside in the alley and fed them to her. Drusilla drank eagerly and then was able to support herself.

“I don’t like this, baby,” Spike told her. “The blood seems to drain out of you somehow, quicker and quicker
each time. We have to get that cure fast.”

“We will, my love,” Drusilla calmed him. “Then you can win the prize and I can have the trophy. What a giddy
day for Miss Edith.”

Spike quieted and rested his head against Drusilla’s.

“That bint gets on my nerves.”