AU Fic: Returning Home (working title)

[Tempest Duer]

EDITED: Rating changes to NC-17 as of Chapter 13.



That's right everyone, Tempest Duer has decided to actually write a bit of fanfic for the illustrious Pens board.



Title: Returning Home (Working title)

Rating: R, for violence, disturbing imagery and maybe sex if you're lucky

Pairing: W/T of course, maybe a bit of B/F if it works out that way, but there will be a lot going on before anything of the sort happens

Feedback: Please?

Notes: This is a strange fic, in which Sunnydale and Slaying and vamps and stuff don't really exist, and the evil at hand is totally different from anything ever seen on BtVS. The Hellmouth is a sort of parallel dimension where just about anything can happen.

Disclaimers: I don't own the characters. Joss does. I don't even really own the plot, which was inspired by Simon R. Green's book, Something From the Nightside. It's a great book. I really recommend it.



Prologue



Rosenberg's the name. Willow Rosenberg. My card says I'm a private detective, but that's not really what I'm about. Mostly I find things that nobody else is willing to look for. I'm very good at finding things.



But that doesn't mean I'm popular. I've a penchant for being brutally honest, even when a little white lie would make everything much easier for a client. I don't believe in lies, white or any other kind. They're too likely to turn on you at the most inopportune time. Somehow I manage to make a lliving though, if only because people know that they can count on me to get the job done after they've exhausted every other prospect.



So when a young man with the look of someone who's been running on coffee for quite some time staggered into my office, I wasn't the least bit surprised. All right, so maybe I was a little surprised to have a customer this month when business had been so bad, but his apperance didn't faze me. I took my feet off my desk and stared at him, waiting for him to say something.



I didn't have to wait long. "You Rosenberg?"



I decided that I didn't like him. If his wardrobe were anything to judge by, he was incredibly well off, and had no issues with flaunting the fact. I dislike the wealthy on principle, mainly because I know damn well I'll never be one of them. "I'm Rosenberg. What do you need?"



"I'm told you're pretty good at finding stuff." I witheld a snort of disgust. Despite all his money, they hadn't taught him how to form a proper sentence. "You as good as they all say?"



"I'm the best there is," I told him calmly. "I take it you've already been to the police. And that they've told you there's nothing they can do."



"Damn straight. Why else would I be here in a dump like this?"



Okay, so my place is a bit of a dump. That doesn't mean that he had to insult it, though. "Well then, why don't you take a seat and let's get down to business. Who are you and what do you want?"



"I'm Donald Maclay." He smirked. "You might have heard of me."



I responded in the negative.



"Guess you haven't been watching the news then. I'm the vice-president of Macrohard corporation, under my father the president." He sat down in a battered chair, looking distinctly uncomfortable.



"That only answers half the question," I told him, "and it was the less important half at that. Why are you here, Mr. Maclay?"



"I'm here because my sister has disappeared. It's not the first time she's run off, but this time it's like she's dropped off the face of the earth or something. Somebody told me I could find her on the Hellmouth, gave me your card and pulled a gun on me with the threat that if he ever say me again he'd blow me to kingdom come."



I couldn't blame anyone for wanting to blow this pretentious blowhard to hell anymore than I blamed the sister of his for running off, but the mention of the Hellmouth--my childhood home--sent chills up and down my spine. It had taken everything I had and then some to escape intact, and I'd promised myself that I'd never go back. It had been seven years... but what the hell, promises always had a way of biting me in the ass. But there was always a chance that they'd forgotten me...



...nah.



"So, Mr. Maclay," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady, "You're asking me to go to the Hellmouth to look for your sister. Well, let me tell you what Hellmough is like, since I'm sure nobody else will.



"It's the secret rotten heart of the city, but it's been around for as long as humanity itself. The Hellmouth is a twisted place of neon and asphalt, where anything can be bought for the right price. It's always three in the morning there. The sun never shines on Hellmouth, because there are so many things that can only be bought and sold under the cover of dark. The moon hangs low on the horizon, big and bloated and blood-red, casting yet another freakish glow over the already freakish place.



"I grew up on the Hellmouth, and it made me a tough little motherfucker. But that was barely enough to get me out of there in one piece. It's the place of your dreams, Mr. Maclay. Especially the bad ones."



He smirked at me, obviously not impressed. "How melodramatic. You just love the sound of your own voice, don't you?"



"Not particularly. If I did, you'd have heard a hell of a lot more come out of my mouth. I could talk for a fucking month and still not tell you everything there is to know about Hellmouth. But that's not the point here. What are you going to give me to go back there?"



He scribbled in his checkbook, tore out the check and pushed it across my desk. "I trust five hundred thousand dollars will be enough. That and another like it when you bring my sister back."



I desparately wanted to reject him, but in a business like mine you can't really choose your clients. I hadn't had a case in over a month, and my bank account was nearly empty. And five hundred thousand dollars... no, a million really... that's a lot of cash. Enough to keep me going for a while.



You know what they say, don't you? Money doesn't stink. "I think you'd best tell me about this sister of yours, Mr. Maclay."



He pushed a wallet-sized photograph across the desk to me and I looked at it. A beautiful young woman with caramel-blonde hair stared out at me through ancient, knowing blue eyes. My heart skipped a beat, which has never, ever happened to me before. This woman was special.



"Her name's Tara," Maclay grumbled. "She's eighteen and a right spoiled bitch. Dad gave his life to Macrohard after Mom died so that Tara and I would never want for anything in our lives, but she never showed any gratitude for it. Oh, and I think she's a witch. Wouldn't be surprised, she's fucking strange and all."



I decided that I really didn't like this man. "Seems as though you'd be glad that Tara's gone. Why shell out a million bucks to get her back?"



"I'm glad she's gone, but Dad isn't. Says she reminds him of Mom. And crazy witch-bitch that she is, she's still family."



I pocketed the photo and check. "I'll take your case, Mr. Maclay, if only because it's about time I went home. I take it you still have my calling card?" He nodded. "If you need me, find a fire and toss the card in. You'll find me soon enough."



He leapt up as though the chair had caught fire. Which, actually, was a pretty good idea, but I restrained myself. I needed the money. "You're a witch! Just like my crazy sister, you're a fucking witch!"



"You're right," I told him. "I am a witch. And a damn good one too. I need all the skills I can get to survive. Now get out of my office, Mr. Maclay."



"I ought to--"



"I wasn't planning on hurting you, Mr. Maclay. Now get out of here before I change my mind."



He was gone by the time I finished my sentence.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

Edited by: Tempest Duer at: 12/9/03 8:13 pm

[The Rose24]

Donny is always a jerk. This is pretty good start. Keep it up.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

[Lady6string]

I love the bad ass attitude Willow's got here. My heart swelled with pride when she said, "I grew up on the hellmouth and it made me a tough little motherfucker..."



This is your first fic? Well then I say it's about time you started writing them! This is going to be fun and exciting... I can already tell. Great job, and keep it up!



~Cyn

[Tempest Duer]

Rose24 and Lady6string, thanks for your support. This isn't the first fic I've written, just the first Buffyfic. I haven't seen much of the show so I'm a bit hesitant to write things, but I decided to just go "what the hell" and write. I'm glad you're enjoying so far, I'm hoping that this will be an interesting read.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

[Doppelganger5x5]

I HATE DONNY!!!



hey- i like this fic so far. It seems pretty nifty!

and i agree with Lady6string, i love Willows bad ass attitude! Please update this story soon!!!

I will never know myself until I do this on my own,

And I will never feel anything else, until my wounds are healed,

I will never be anything till I break away from me.I will break away,I'll find myself today.-LP

[bluewillowwitch]

,

Donny sucks! I can't wait to se what i is like when gets home. Oh there is no way she would hand over to that ass! I love this fic. Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?







bluewillowwitch

--------------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[Tempest Duer]

Notes and stuff: See my first post. In this fic, Willow is about 23 or 24.



I will try to update twice a week, but I have a lot going on in my life. To facilitate faster updates, I will write a greater quantity of short chapters.



Chapter 1: The Queen of Whores



It isn't hard to get to the Hellmouth... not really. There are passages to it everywhere. You just have to look. The one I was headed for was just convenient. It was located in the alley behind my office. The payphone was there, at the end of the alley, just like it always. It rang smugly. I don't know why there's a phone, there just is.



I picked it up. "This is Willow Rosenberg," I said. "I'm coming home." There was muffled swearing on the other end, and a click as it was hung up. I dropped the receiver, and it clattered to the ground. There was no cord connecting it to the base. A long, dark tunnel appeared in the dirty stucco wall in front of me and I walked in, sincerely hoping that my apprehension didn't show.



I came out the other end of the tunnel into the bus station. At first glance, it was a filthy, decrepit place teeming with the wrong sorts of people for a respectable person to be dealing with. And a few respectable-looking people. People were coming and going, and when they weren't engaging in hushed conversations or knifing each other in the guts, they pretty much ignored each other. Fluorescent lights sputtered overhead, just emphasizing the silence.



At second glance, though, the place was just bloody scary. People aren't just quiet, they're actively quiet, as if they don't want to be noticed. And if you look closely, you'll see that the man in the corner wearing a black coat isn't a man at all, but a giant bipedal rat. Or maybe if you see that the group of children communicating in hushed voices in a corner have no mouths.



Oh, and don't forget the posters. Though really they're quite hard to, even when you desparately want to. They blatantly sell all sorts of things that no decent person would ever think of, or admit to. Any kind of sex you can think of, and quite a few more that you can't.



My reverie didn't last long. It was interrupted by the sight of a pretty brunette walking directly toward me... the Queen of Whores herself. She didn't seem particularly happy to see me, and the feeling was mutual. I braced myself as she opened her mouth.



"Well flog me with a goddamn razor. It's Red fucking Rosenberg."



"Hullo, Cordy," I said tiredly. "Lovely to see you again."



She looked amused, or at least as amused as her surgically altered face could manage. "How sweet. But surely you don't even imagine that I believe you for a second?"



"Of course not. Why would I miss you, Cordy? You never were big on making people happy."



"I never had a reason to make you happy."



"Sorry," I said. "Sometimes I forget what a calculating bitch you are. Must be that things soften as you forget them."



She pouted at me in an insulted sort of way, or maybe she was trying to look sultry. I couldn't really tell. "You never had much in the way of taste, Red."



I looked her up and down. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Cordy." I strode past her without another word, and got on to the nearest bus. The doors shut behind me and it started moving just as I managed to sit.



I didn't know which bus I was on, nor did I care. All busses go to Hellmouth here.



I looked at the two people on the bus with me, a man and a woman. The man was lithe and muscular, and clad in a perfectly tailored tuxedo that showed off his angular build to the best advantage. His short, thick hair was the color of burnished copper and fell across his face in waves that would make teen girls swoon. His face was just a bit too handsome to be really attractive, and was set in a slightly disdainful expression. So, an ordinary rich man.



But then I saw his eyes. They were a solid, blank silvery-grey. The only people with eyes like those were the members of the elite Brotherhood of Steel. Always armed and lethal with any blade, a member of the Brotherhood was a danger to everyone around him, unless you happened to have his allegiance. But unless you can get that, it's really just best to avoid them entirely.



I forced myself to look away from him and at the woman. She was fashionably slender and handsome rather than pretty, with the sort of comfort in her features that suggested she'd been born with them, rather than bought them in a body shop. Long, lustrous light-brown hair--which also appeared to be natural--cascaded down her shoulders. Dark glasses hid her eyes, but I had a feeling that they were real, too.



I blinked once, slowly. Which I don't make a habit of. Was this the girl I was looking for? I pictured her in my head... no. It wasn't. I was looking for a blonde, and one who looked younger than this woman. The girl was what... eighteen? Just a kid.



The bus stopped with a screech of rusty brakes and the woman, with a hurried glance at the man, rushed out the doors. The man rose slowly and approached me. "Welcome home, Red."



Oh, shit. "Do I know you?"



"No," he said. "At least, I'm quite sure you don't. And your question merely refutes my theory. But I know you. I know you very well. Are you by any chance heading for the Bronze?"



I shrugged. "Maybe later. I'm not really sure. Can I count on seeing you there?"



He smiled. "No. But it would still be a good idea to go."



"I guess you'd have to say something like that." I took a breath to steady myself. "What's your name?"



"My name isn't important. But I'd like one bit of information from you."



I narrowed my eyes. "Why should I tell you anything?"



"You don't have to. I'm not going to press the matter if you don't wish to tell me. But may I assume that red is your natural hair color?"



I wanted to laugh, but didn't. You can never be sure about the Brotherhood, and they aren't known for their sense of humor. "You can assume what you like, but yes, it is. I saw no reason to buy myself a new set of features when the one I was born with did the job. Does that make any sense to you?"



"It makes a great deal of sense. Purchasing a new set of features is shallow and an act of weakness."



"God, you're a hypocrite."



"I am not a hypocrite. These are the features I was born with. Right down to the hair."



"Do you really expect me to believe that?"



"No." A slight smile touched his features. "I certainly wouldn't. Nobody else believes me either... not that it matters. But I suppose it's only right that I tell you my name... I'm known in some circles as the Second Red. You may call me Number Two."



I found this quite unsettling, but bolstered my poker face so that it didn't show through. "It's been interesting meeting you, Number Two. Knowing my luck, we'll probably meet again."



We stepped out of the bus, and the next time I looked he was gone.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

[bluewillowwitch]

,

I love this fic so far! You have Red and Second Red. Don't know why but I have a feeling that this will be important later. I can't wait to more and see what happens when meets . Update soon, please?





bluewillowwitch

--------------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[Betinha]

Hi



Ok, in just two updates I'm already hooked. I'm very interested in seeing where you go with this. I'm enjoying your writing and I like the dark atmosphere you're creating. I'll definitely be looking out for future updates!!



Take care



BTW: tee hee for "Macrohard"

[sabina]

Hey



Another fic for me to add to my "updates-to-look-for-first-thing-after-logging-in-to-the-board" list



I really loved this two updates



I find the story to be really intriguing.

Oh and Willow's bad ass atitude is quite refreshing



Update soon?

---

"I know I was born and I know that I'll die.

The in between is mine.

I am mine!" - Pearl Jam

[justin]

This is a very interesting story.



Firstly I like the idea of Willow as a detective. Also the way of getting to Hellmouth is interesting.



All the talk about people buying there appearance gives the story a Gibsonesque feel, though more supernatural.



I'm looking forward to seeing where you go with this idea and I'm definitely looking forward to Willow and Tara meeting.



Though I have to wonder just how bad things must have been at home to make Tara run away to somewhere like the Hellmouth.

Anya in a wimple...I'd pay full admission for that. Gods Served And Abandoned - by Antigone Unbound

[hot monkey luv 66]

hey there! this is really cool! i can't wait 'till finds ... good job!! I can't wait for an update!!!



~~**Monkey Luv**

Edited by: Warduke at: 10/1/03 1:03 pm

[Tempest Duer]

Thanks everyone! Update will come either later tonight or tomorrow, depending on how things work out.



Bluewillowwitch- You're right, Number Two will be important to the story later. We won't see much of him for a while, but he'll be back.



Betinha- I'm glad somebody got the reference.



Sabina- Wow, I'm on the updates-to-look-for-first-thing-after-logging-in-to-the-board list? I'm so flattered! Really!



Justin- I'll have some flashbacks after Tara shows up, and more on the Maclays in this universe. I want to make them an interesting-hatable, not just ordinary hatable.



Monkey Luv- That's a lot of praying for you to be doing... but don't worry, I'll update soon!



To all of you- be prepared to wait a couple of chapters before finally finds . I want to establish Willow's relationships with everyone in the Hellmouth first.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

[foreverpiper]

Hey!!



I just have to say that i am TOTALLY loving this! i'd read it earlier but i didnt have the chance to respond before my mother came barging into my room and literally pulled the plug on my computer, demading that i clean my room! *glares at mother*



anyway, i love the whole setup! Willow as a private detective!! I keep imagining her in one of those big trench coats w/ the black hat and sunglasses!



I cant wait to read more of this!!

Galahad: What a strange person. French Dude: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. Galahad: Is there someone else up their we could talk to? French Dude: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time. - Monty Python

[nika]

This is very impressive. I love detective stories and this one certainly has a very cool twist to it. I like it, I really like it.

[Tempest Duer]

foreverpiper- I'm glad you likey! Mothers can really be a pain.



Nika- You really think this is good? Wow... it's no Red Ace, but I do my best...



Chapter 2: Red, Red Wine



Cars whizzed by, along with some things that looked like cars but weren't. I wasn't sure what I should do first. I was home... finally... for the first time in seven years. I had no contacts, no leads, and no ideas. Oh, and a highly dangerous member of the Brotherhood of Steel who'd taken a strange interest in me. Even took his name from mine. Maybe he admired me. I hoped so, because that meant he was less likely to kill me. But still, he was part of the Brotherhood, which meant that I couldn't afford to trust him.



Number Two had mentioned the Bronze, and much as I hated to admit it, he was right to suggest that I start off there. It was the only place that I knew I could safely take a breather, and have a good drink as well. And maybe, just maybe, I could get a bit of information on my old friends. It's always good to know if your allies are alive.



I ducked off the sidewalk into an alley. Alleys are very popular in the Hellmouth. There are severyal practices that flourish there. I wasn't walking long before the heavy double doors and sputtering neon sign of the Bronze appeared in frind ot me. The Bronze isn't in any particular place at any particular time. If you want to get there, you just have to look, and there it is... assuming you're on good terms with the owner, which apparently I still was.



I shoved open the doors and stepped across the threshold. Instantly my world shifted. The Bronze is actually located in a pocket dimension within the Hellmouth that's always on the move, much to the displeasure of the Authorities. And yes, those are Authorities with a capital A.



All movement inside the Bronze stopped. Heads turned to look at me. Several people suddenly realized that they had pressing business to take care of elsewhere, and sprinted for the back door. It was somewhat comforting to know that my reputation was alive and intact, even if my abilities weren't.



I ostentatiously ignored them and walked to the bar. Giles was at the other end, but I knew he noticed my presence. It wasn't really that he was intimidated by me. Far from it. Nobody's ever been dumb enough to pick a fight with Giles, but if they did, the club itself would turn against them. The whole little pocket dimension in which the Bronze resides is like an extension of his being... and nothing happens in it without him noticing.



When I looked up, he was standing in front of me, drying a glass. "The usual, Willow?" Most people just call me Red, but not Giles. He always addressed me by name.



I raised my eyebrows at him. "That's it? No 'Welcome back, Willow?' No 'How have you been, I missed you?' What kind of a friend are you?"



He smrked at that. "Of course I missed you, Willow. I just can't afford to get sentimentally attached to any one customer. When somebody leaves my place, I don't know if you're going to come back. It's not my area of expertise. But honestly, Willow, leabing like that... if you were a lesser woman I'd have assumed you were dead."



I sighed. "Well, I might very well die here now that I'm back, Giles. But I never turn down a client, no matter how much I've decided I hate him. Especially for the kind of money he was offerng me."



"You always did have a good head for business." He plunked my drink in front of me. "There you go. I even gave you a clean glass."



I slugged back half of it in a single swallow. The combination of liquors burned my throat and made my eyes water. I wheezed. "Wow, Giles... I haven't had a drink this good since... well... ever!"



He gave me a lipsided grin. "I finally perfected the formula for Dragon's Venom."



Dragon's Venom was an insanely powerful... drink... that Giles had had in development since well before I was born. It had always been the main ingredient in my usual cocktail. "I've also started serving your special to a very select number of very brave customers. I call it the Red Rosenberg."



"I'm touched, Giles." I was. I even gave him a quick, but genuine, smile. "Not only am I hated and feared byt the Authorities and most of Hellmouth's residents, I have a drink named after me."



"That's my Willow," he said affectionately. "Always got her priorities straight."



"Stop flattering me, man. I might get a big head."



Giles paused for a moment, and his smile faded. "Why did you come back now, Willow? You promised yourself that you'd never come back. What are you looking for this time? You shouldn't get yourself killed over nothing."



I pulled the picture from my pocket and handed it to him. "That's what I'm looking for. That's why I'm here. She's a rich executive's runaway daughter. I don't know what drove her to flee to the Hellmouth and I'm not sure I want to know. But a million dollars is a lot of money, and I do so enjoy eating regular meals and sleeping in a bed. The girl's name is Tara Maclay. Have you heard anything?"



Giles considered. "I think I'd notice her if she came in here, at least. She's a beauty. She's a runaway?"



"Yes..." I grinned. "And her brother says she's a witch, too."



"Will," said Giles sagely, "If I were in your shoes I'd tell this rich man what he could do with his money and ask this girl on a date."



"That doesn't sound like you."



"No," he said mournfully, "I suppose it doesn't. But it's just what I'd do if I were you."



"Ah... but I already took his money." I slammed down my glass with renewed vigor. "I think I'll be going now. Maybe I can find Buffy, or someone equally dangerous."



"Isn't it usually the other way around? Buffy finds you?"



I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "Knowing my luck, she actually will."



"Wasn't Buffy your friend?"



"She was. Still is, as far as I know." I slumped in my seat, the energy gone out of me. "I need another drink, Giles. If I'm unhappy to see a friend, I'll be a wreck when my enemies finally track me down."



Giles took my glass and handed me another drink. I sipped the contents glumly. My body had started to adjust to the strength of the drink and it no longer made my throat burn. I stared into the bloodred liquid grimaced. Even my namesake drink was scary.



"What's wrong now, Willow?"



"Ah, Giles... when I find this Tara girl, how am I supposed to make her cooperate? If she's heard anything about me, the instant she sees me she'll probably sprint for the horizon and not turn back."



Giles whipped away my second Red Rosenberg. "That's it. You've had enough."



"No I haven't. Give it back."



"Absolutely not. You always get whiny when you've had too much. And you don't know what's good for you."



"I know what's good for me. I just don't do it. It isn't practical. But I'd really better be leaving now." I stood.



"Be seeing you." Giles turned back to his array of bottles.



"Oh... Giles?"



He looked over his shoulder, a bit annoyed. "What?"



"It's good to be home." I turned on my heel and walked out of the Bronze.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

[The Rose24]

I wouldn't be surprised if Tara ran away to get away from her family. I like how you are setting things up here.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

[justin]

That was a great update. I like your version of Giles.



I really likes this line

Quote:

---

"Will," said Giles sagely, "If I were in your shoes I'd tell this rich man what he could do with his money and ask this girl on a date."

---

So true.



Looking forward to the next part.

Anya in a wimple...I'd pay full admission for that. Gods Served And Abandoned - by Antigone Unbound

[onyxsundrops]

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply, but I really like this fic and I'm interested in seeing where you take it! I'll be waiting for the update.



Yvonne

[sabina]

Hi



This was a very good update

Well, actually the whole idea is great so it's no surprise that the updates live to it



Will Willow meet Tara soon?

(I'm not bugging you, am I? )



Update soon?

---

"I know I was born and I know that I'll die.

The in between is mine.

I am mine!" - Pearl Jam

[foreverpiper]

hey! this is really interesting...your willow's really different i like that! and i really like your giles too hope theres more soon

Galahad: What a strange person. French Dude: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. Galahad: Is there someone else up their we could talk to? French Dude: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time. - Monty Python

[shuyaku]

You know I use to think I didn't like detective stories, but after reading Red Ace and this - I'm hooked!



I love this so far. I can't wait to see how all the other characters turn out in your AU. And I can't wait for Tara to make her entrance...



Great stuff!

-shuyaku

------------------------------------

"Oh God, Willow—you’re giving me the gift of Karen Carpenter. Just when I think I grasp the full extent of your love." - Tara

"Why do birds suddenly appear? It’s because, you are queer…" - Willow (Gods Served and Abandoned by AntigoneUnbound)

[Tempest Duer]

TheRose24: Yes, she's running from her family, but there will be more on the family dynamics, and my own version of her mother's death, and many other such things. You'll see.



Justin: I'm glad you liked that line. Giles has to be kind of tough, since I made him the bartender and all...



onyxsundrops: I'm glad you like it! I'll update as soon as I can...



sabina: I'm very flattered that you think so highly of me. You're not technically buggint me... Tara will show up at the right time. Now it's looking like it'll be chapter four.



foreverpiper: I hope you like the others, too.



shuyaku: Well, I don't really know how like other detective stories this fic is, but I'm glad you're enjoying it nonetheless. Tara should be making her appearance within a week or so...



Note to everyone: I don't usually write like this, but this idea walked into my head fully formed and refused to go away until I wrote it. If I like the way it turns out, I may write more in this universe as well.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

[hot monkey luv 66]

there! I am really enjoying it , and ya, ur right, it's not Red Ace, there's no sex in the 1st chapter, but its coming along just as well , I hope you update it again soon! great job! ::thumbs up!!::

~~**Monkey Luv**



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tara:"Until I realized that was her yummy face"

WILLOW: "There's something between us. It-it wasn't something I was looking for. It's just powerful."

Edited by: Warduke at: 10/9/03 8:18 pm

[bluewillowwitch]

,

I love this fic! I like how different you have Giles and . I can't wait to see what , Buffy and who ever else you use are like. I like the idea behind this fic nd find myself wondering what' gonna happen next. Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?







bluewillowwitch

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"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[Tempest Duer]

Monkey Luv- I'm not much of a smut writer, certainly nowhere as good as many of the ones on Pens. That would be why...



bluewillowwitch- It wouldn't be a real AU if they were the same, would it? I'll have Faith in here too... and Cordelia might come back to be the butt of a joke or two.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

[Tempest Duer]

Hey... no more comments... oh well. Here's chapter 3.



Chapter 3: Testament of Faith



I decided to avoid the main streets and stick to the numerous alleys. There were still plenty of people there, but they were more likely to leave me alone in the alleys, on principle that whoever was there was most likely interested in privacy.



Sooner or later I would run into Buffy. She prowled the alleys, killing unpleasant residents that lurked in the shadows and made a habit of preying on the innocent residents. Well, as innocent as you can be while surviving.



That was the difference between us. Buffy did what she thought was right, while I ran a business. Buffy was an experienced killer and had laid hundreds--maybe thousands, I don't know--of Hellmouth's residents to their final rest. Most of them were vampires, demons, or something equally unpopular, but she wasn't above dispatching a sorceror who'd made one deal too many.



I don't like killing. Never did. It's too messy for one, and in Hellmouth, you don't know whose flunky you may have killed, so thyere's always the revenge factor to worry about.



But the Authorities never saw Buffy as a threat, if only because it was a pretty simple matter to avoid her. So they bolstered her reputation as a hero with their clever propaganda, while I got shafted as a danger and an enemy of just about anyone. But guess who's more likely to kill you?



I was still musing on Buffy and this general morbid stuff when I felt a fist connect with the back of my head with inhuman strength. I reeled, cursing myself for letting my guard down in the alleys. Somehow, though, I managed to keep my feet and turn around to face my attacker.



Everything about her was provocative, from the revealing, skintight leather clothing to the arrogant, devil-may-care smirk on her lips. She stood with her hips stuck out at a highly suggestive angle with the knowledge that nobody, least of all me, was immune to her charms.



I rubbed the back of my head and tried not to wince. "Hi there, Faith. Been a while."



"I thought you were done with Hellmouth, Red. Never coming back?"



"So did I. Did you really have to hit me that hard?"



She ignored my question. "Where's B?"



"I don't know," I told her. "It's been quite a while."



"You're so full of shit, Red. She was your friend. You should have some sort of witchy way of homing in on her."



"Well, I don't."



"Haven't you seen her then?" She was starting to get irritated.



"I've only just gotten back," I told her. "I saw Cordy at the bus station, and met a man on the bus who must have belonged to the Brotherhood of Steel, and then I went to the Bronze to see Giles, and I've only just left, and Giles would have known if anything had happened to Buffy and he would have told me, but he didn't so I'm assuming she's fine. I've been wandering around the alleys for about five minutes because really the only way to find Buffy is to let her find you, but then you found me, and here we are."



"You're babbling, Red," said Faith dispassionately. "But obviously you won't be of any use to me. I need to find her."



"Why are you so concerned about Buffy? I don't want you to try and kill her again."



"I'm not going to kill her, Red!" Faith looked shocked. "A lot's happened since you left. B and I have been tolerating each other's existence. I guess she needed somebody she could see as an equal."



I hesitated. This wasn't the Faith I remembered. "You've changed."



"That's an understatement if I ever heard one, Red. It all started with that business on the Street of Gods before you left... but you left too soon to see what had happened.



"I'm stronger and faster than I ever used to be. I'm at least as strong as B now, if not more so. I can't die. I've had wounds that would have killed anyone twice and shrugged them off like they were nothing... woke up in the morning and they were gone. And I guess I adopted a bit of a taste for B's particular brand of justice."



"Well, will wonders never cease," I grumbled. "Buffy and Faith. I really should have just turned that bastard's case down."



Faith rolled her eyes. "You're here on a fucking case? You're nuts, Red. Fucking nuts."



I ignored her last comment. "Have you heard anything about a witch named Tara Maclay? Apparently she ran off and disappeared." There was no point in making conversation. I was afraid that if I got to know this new Faith, I might like her.



Faith took one look at the photo and handed it back to me with a leer. "Sure you aren't just looking for a warm body? She's a pretty one. That's why you took the case."



"She is pretty, I'll give her that much. But actually, I took the case for a million bucks."



"Damn!" Faith grinned. "She's pretty, but not that pretty. Who's willing to shell out that kind of money to get her back?"



"Her obscenely rich father. But if he's half has bad as his pretentious blowhard of a son, then I don't really blame her for running off."



"Well, ain't that lovely." Faith's grin became a smirk. "But I've gotta run, Red. Good luck in finding your honey." She winked once and zipped past me, disappearing into the shadows.



Only after she'd gone did I realize that she'd pinched my butt.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.

[bluewillowwitch]

,

I loved this update! Faith was cool. I have a feeling will have to watch out for those hands.

Quote:

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Only after she'd gone did I realize that she'd pinched my butt.

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I can't wait to and see what you have up your sleeve. Update soon, please?



bluewillowwitch

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"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[justin]

That was a great update.



Your version of Faith is interesting. Though I guess she was exagerating when she said she couldn't be killed. I think that a pool of lava of a nuclear explosion would do the job quite nicely.



I'm looking forward to reading more. If my calculations are correct Tara should be in the next part

Anya in a wimple...I'd pay full admission for that. Gods Served And Abandoned - by Antigone Unbound


You know the worst thing about people in a relationship? The fact that they're in a relationship. - Hilda Spellman

[Tempest Duer]

bluewillowwitch- oh great, you're bowing and it's only the third chapter. Great. Just great.



justin- I'm going to be an evil author and not tell you if your calculations are correct. But there may be a dancing banana.

Choosing not to decide is still a choice.