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More coming up...NOW!
*
Title: The Gingerbread Man
Rating: R, just for safety. It'll be PG-13 again soon.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is really all of the charachters, save...well, you'll see, if you care to read.
Chapter Summary: Tara and Faith talk to Xander, Spike talks to Liam, and much is revealed...
Feedback: Greatly appreciated
********************
Spike smirked as he dropped a bag full of money into the hands of Liam McCarthy. Liam stared back at the man, distaste evident in his eyes. He then passed the bag to Charles Gunn, who began to count it. As he did so, Liam and Spike just glared at each other.
“So Sheriff how’s Sunnydale?”
“I have the right to believe that you don’t care about the safety of this city. You understand that you are releasing a crazy-“
“Call her crazy Sheriff, I’ll kick your sorry little a-“
“I wasn’t finished Mr. Madison.”
“Ooooh little Sheriff wasn’t finished.”
Liam growled slightly.
2 hours ago, Liam had come to work, expecting another day of listening to Drusilla and wishing she made sense. Maybe if she had, he would have known about last night. He promised to try harder to decipher her rambling after he realized that somehow, she had known it was going to happen. When he went to open the door, these thoughts fresh on his mind, he had been met by Spike.
The man had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for Liam to get there. Needless to say, Liam had been so startled he nearly shot Spike. Ever since, the Bostonian blonde had been going on about how Sunnydale was the worst city ever, etc. It had only gotten worse when Drusilla woke up. Apparently the two were related.
Which was probably why Spike seemed to understand every word the woman said.
They had talked for ages, due to Drusilla’s random ramblings. When they had finished, Spike looked angry. Since then, him and Liam had been fighting like dogs. Eventually Gunn came in and shut them up, asking Spike if he just wanted to free the woman. Spike had only smiled and given them the money.
Gunn looked up from the money.
“Im afraid you don’t have enough Mr. Madison. You have enough to let out a normal prisoner, but there are rules about the…ah…mentally unstable. They cost more.”
If Spike had looked angry before…
“What do you mean ‘mentally unstable’?! Dru’s just fine. There is absolutely nothing unstable about her.”
Liam laughed heartily.
“Nothing unstable? Surely you’re joking. The woman is absolutely mad.”
Spike turned to the Sheriff, murder in his eyes.
**********
Faith looked at her surroundings with obvious distaste. When the man who had given her and Tara directions to the Harris home, they had warned her that it was a shack. She had shrugged it off, seeing as how the man had an air of snobbery about him. But as she took in her surroundings, she couldn’t help but agree.
The yard was mostly dirt and broken glass, surrounded by an old picket fence that was falling apart in many places. The only sign that someone lived there was the miniscule garden right in front of the house. 5 chickens pecked at each other under a small tree in the center that was more branches than actual tree. Chained to the tree was a dog, dusty and covered in sticks. The animal could have been passed off as dead if not for the sticks moving when it breathed. The actual house was an old, out of date log cabin.
Faith looked up upon hearing Tara move. The blonde looked around, obviously amazed at the massive amounts of broken glass. Chuckling, Faith followed the woman’s lead. The dog barked at the two as they passed, crushing already broken glass. The look of surprise on Tara’s face only made Faith laugh even harder. She was laughing so hard she tripped over a rock, ripping her pants leg in the process of falling down. Streams of curses leapt from her lips.
Tara pulled the brunette to her feet, covering her mouth, as the door opened.
A woman, probably in her early to mid 40’s was staring at the women with an odd expression on her face.
“May I help you?”
Tara, being as good with people as she was, stood there for a moment, before regaining her senses.
“Erm, Yes actually. Is this the Harris residence?”
The woman seemed tense, before sighing loudly.
“Damn the day that man was born…JOHNATHAN!! Johnathan Harris, you come out here this instant.”
Faith bit Tara’s hand. The blonde recoiled, more disgusted than hurt. Faith smirked at her friend, before taking matters into her own hands.
“Im sorry ma’am, I believe you have us confused. We’re here to see an Alexander Harris.”
The woman looked at the two, appearing to size them up. She then broke into a smile.
“So the boy finally decided to court someone other than that red head. If I may say so, the boy is in dire need of a real woman. Come in, please. I’ll go get the boy from the fields.”
Tara and Faith shared a confused look, before shrugging, and entering the home.
**********
Spike walked into the Bulls Eye like a hurricane. He was in dire need of a drink and a good roll in the sack. That, or a nice long talk with Tara. The woman could always make him feel better, and right about now, he felt like shit. All that trouble he had gone through to get that money, and it wasn’t enough. It was only enough for a ‘stable’ prisoner.
Please explain to me how any one PRISONER is stable.
He looked around the saloon, scanning every nook and cranny for Tara. When he finally remembered that she had gone to find the witnesses. Sighing in defeat, he threw himself into a bar stool and was about to order a drink when he realized that he had no money. The bartender raised an eyebrow at him.
Spike glared at the man, before ordering a drink.
Rubbing his eyes, he tried to recall Tara’s speech from earlier that morning…
Tara stood in front of Faith, Anya, and Spike, loading her father’s shotgun. Faith held her pistol tightly, looking anxious, yet trusting. If anyone had faith in Tara as a leader, it was Faith. Anya looked slightly annoyed, and Spike couldn’t suppress his excitement. This was the moment that had all been waiting for…
…Today, they would take action.
Stowing the shotgun into a holster at her waist, Tara smiled. She knew how each of them felt, having felt it for almost a year. A year of running away from her fate. And it all came down to this moment. It all came down to whatever she said next.
Taking a deep breath, she began her speech.
“Almost a year ago, Faith and I were attacked by the so called ‘Gingerbread Man’. For a month, we stayed in Charleston, being blamed for a murder we had only seen. We were blamed, and we were hunted. Not by sheriffs, but by the killer himself. We all know what he does. Murders a random well-known figure in a city, then proceeds to murder all the witnesses…One by One. But this time, he won’t finish it. It’s us against him, four against a mass murderer…”
Tara stirred her tea, still surprised at how much stronger it was than any other she had ever had. Xander sat with them, looking more than a little scared. When his mother had told him there were women here to see him, he had been eager to come inside. However, when he saw the women who had beat him up the night before, he lost every ounce of eagerness.
Tara seemed to sense his discomfort, because she offered him a smile. Xander smiled slightly in return, recognizing the gesture for what it was- a peace offering.
“So…what are you two fine ladies doing out on a Sunday morning? Shouldn’t you be at church?”
Tara’s smile widened considerably at this.
“Shouldn’t you?”
Taking the hint, Xander shut up. The three sipped on their tea, silent once again. Faith was looking a little antsy from being still for a whole 5 minutes. Tara looked overly calm, seeing as how what they were here for was a do or die situation. All they had to do was wait. All Xander had to do was tell them.
“I…I should be at church. But something happened last night…something…big.”
Tara lay her hand over Xander’s, silently encouraging him to go on.
“…Every one of us has been affected by this man. Spike lost his family and might have lost his sister. I lost my father and both Faith and I were forced from our homes. Anya lost her family and fiancé. We all have a bone to pick…”
“It was so hard…seeing him like that. He…he…He gave his life for us. And I…I have to do something. For Buffy, and Dawn. For Willow…oh god Willow…”
Tara stroked his hand lightly, allowing him all the time he needed to cry. Through his tears, he explained what had happened to him. Faith stood behind him, patting him on the shoulders softly, looking to Tara for help. The blonde nodded, before making her move.
“…For nearly a year, we’ve run…”
“…Spike, the man your friend fought with; Faith, the girl right behind you; Anya, whom you have yet to meet; and Me…”
“…17 cities, and not one where he had not killed. Not one that he had not scarred. One year of being attacked by him whenever our paths crossed. And now, its time. Today, we find the witnesses. We find them…”
“…And promise to protect you with our lives.”
Xander looked at the blonde who now stood above him. Her eyes glinted slightly in the sunlight, her demeanor was far from scared. She looked strong, yet gentle…determined. She held her hand out towards him. All he had to do was take it, and he had their help. Her, and 3 others. Slowly, Xander stood.
Grasping his hand, Tara smiled softly, hoping that the red head would accept her also.
I guess she's gonna go find the witnesses and have a little chat.........and Willow will be there! 
by veiled isis moon » Mon Jun 28, 2004 5:20 pm 
& 
to join up ( in more ways than one 
) and go after the SOB. 
Hey.
Poor Willow I hope she doesn't start blaming herself. Can't wait till the next update. 