summary:

TITLE: An Unlikely World AUTHOR: halfofone
RATING: NC17 for language mainly CODE: F/W with some B/F and W/T
NOTES: Just a short update to prove it's not dead.
FEEDBACK: Yup. Tell me the truth.
SUMMARY: This is a Buffy The Vampire Slayer fic. Faith has been thrown together with an old enemy in prison. Together they have escaped and are now on the run from the living and the dead.
WARNINGS: This jumps off from the end of BTVS season six and there are some spoilers. What happens next bears no relationship whatever to the events of season seven. Except since now I have seen season 7, I will steal anything that I see fit.
ARCHIVING: If you want ... I would quite like to know where.
CREDITS: Not beta'd so beware and this is my first BTVS story.

disclaimer:

BTVS is the property of Mutant Enemy and Twentieth Century Fox. I'm just playing with their toys. No infringement of copyright/trade marks or other intellectual property is intended. This story was written for fun and not profit.

warnings:

Warning: This story includes same sex relationships between women. If you are offended by this or it is illegal where you live or you are underage then please read no further.

Full warnings, credits and disclaimers can be found in the contents page and chapter 1.

text:

Part 7

A woman answered the door. Even with the light behind her, she looked young, maybe 16. Willow guessed she was the baby-sitter. She was wrong.

"Mom?"

The girl gasped and took a step forward.

"Mom," she yelled and threw her arms around Mary.

They hugged and the girl was crying and carrying on about how worried they had been. 'They' presumably included the two men Willow could see standing a little way back watching.

"Umm, Mary ... can we ...?" Willow interceded gently, not wanting to interrupt the reunion but afraid for Faith, lying bleeding in the back of the truck.

"Oh sure, be right there."

"Who is she?" asked the girl, still hanging on her mother. She stared at Willow, curious but not afraid.

"Seems to me like she's the other hostage," said the taller and thinner of the two black men. "You okay Mare?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

"Sure am, now I'm home with my baby girl." Mary couldn't stop smiling and a nice smile it was. The happy woman, her arms still wound around her daughter, beamed at everyone until she seemed to realise that all those present were looking slightly bemused or embarrassed or both. "I guess you're all wonderin' what's going on. Willow...that's Alvin, he's a friend and that's Jordan, my little brother. And this is Tori, my little girl."

"Hi," said Willow thinking to herself that the definition of little girl had certainly changed. Tori was taller than her mother, certainly no younger than 16 and, now that Willow could see her, gorgeous by any estimation.

"Hey," said the girl and grinned at her.

Jordan also smiled (very like his big sister's smile) and greeted her. "Yo Willow."

Alvin, the tall thin guy, didn't smile. Cold dark eyes looked her up and down and then he pointedly glanced away and ignored her. Willow didn't feel she'd met a friend, then Willow didn't particularly care at this moment. Her concerns had narrowed to the slayer outside.

"Mary can we get some help for Faith now?"

"Uh," grunted Mary still cuddling her daughter. "Oh yeah, Alvin can you call Danny and tell him to get over here and bring his stuff. We got a hurt girl in the truck. Jordan help Willow to bring her in. You can take her up to the spare room."

"What is this shit?" asked Alvin halfway to angry. "She a sista out there? Cause otherwise I'm thinking we take her up to County General."

"Can't do that," interrupted Willow. "Police are looking for us."

"So? An' you think what? That we're gonna hide you ..."

"Alvin just shut up and call Danny." Mary implored. "I'll explain it to you later. None of this is like you think. Please just trust me on this." He scowled and looked to argue until Mary placed her hand on his arm, quietly entreating him. "I know this is strange Alvie but you don't know how much. Strange don't do tonight no justice, it is beyond strange. If you knew what I'd seen... what I've done, if you knew and you could even believe your own ears and eyes, you wouldn't be arguing an' carrying on. I know you don't like them here Alvie but I owe them my life and maybe more."

Giving nothing away, Alvin shook off her hand, took a cell-phone out of his coat and walked away, making a call, a few words that a suddenly suspicious Willow couldn't make out.

She jumped as a huge hand descended on her shoulder.

"Come on there Willow, we need to bring your friend inside before someone steals her" Jordan whispered in her ear in a soft alto voice. Willow gaped at the big man and he grinned and winked. "That's the kind of neighbourhood this is. People like to share what you got."

They headed out into the raw night air. Jordan clucked disapprovingly over the poorly parked truck until Willow impatiently pointed him to the tailgate. Faith was quite still under the tarpaulin, her face ghost-white in the hard moonlight. Jordan fumbled and cussed in the back of the pick-up, trying to get his arms under her body. He at last managed to get a good hold of her. She stirred, groaning, as he climbed off the truck.

"Careful," Willow cautioned. "She's hurt bad."

"What happened," he asked as they walked back to the house, carrying his burden lightly.

"She was shot."

"I guessed that much. All the blood kinda gives it away. I mean how was she shot."

Willow hesitated, unsure how much to say. She didn't have to say anything. In the hall light, Jordan had recognised the slayer. He jumped and nearly dropped her. Faith groaned again. "Shit! I know her." Jordan yelped. "She's the bitch that grabbed you and my Sis. I seen her on the television. Are you giving my sister shit? Cause if she's scared of you I sure as hell ain't."

Mary was standing in the doorway to the living room. "Jordan! Does she look dangerous?" she exclaimed impatiently. "Get the girl up to her room," she ordered. "I'm gonna explain it all to you all and it is nothing like you can imagine." She shook her head and troubled doubt creased her face. "I don't know how I'm gonna explain but I am."

Jordan tried and failed to match his sister's determined glare, he surrendered when she turned it up a notch. Knowing better than to argue anymore, he shrugged his massive shoulders, settled the wounded slayer against his chest and slowly plodded up the stairs, Willow following in his substantial wake. Third door on the left, he pushed it open with his shoulder - didn't bother with the light - crossed to a large bed just visible in the dim light and laid the slayer down. He was strong enough to be gentle, even so Faith whimpered in pain. Willow took the slayer's hand and pressed it gently. Faith's eyes opened.

"Hey Faith, I'm getting you some help. Just hang on..."

The fallen slayer gripped the witch's hand and Willow winced; an injured slayer is still very strong.

"Hey Red, where the fuck are we?"

"Mary's house."

Faith closed her eyes again and muttered faintly "Who the fuck is Mary?" Her head lolled to the side and her hand limply released Willow's and dropped back on the bed. She had passed out again.

"She don't look good," Jordan whispered. "Danny had better git here soon, maybe too late even so."

Mary called from downstairs.

"Jordan! I need you to get rid of that truck now."

"Coming Sis. An' I can't wait to hear you explain all this shit."

Willow stayed where she was, uncertain what to do next and unsure about how much she could trust her hosts. As soon as she could, she would try and get hold of Buffy and Xander. This was bigger than she could handle alone especially with her witchy powers out of bounds. She jumped nervously when someone hammered on the front door and then relaxed as she heard obviously friendly greetings being exchanged. After a few minutes, a smallish black man entered the room carrying a large black holdall.

"That's the patient I guess," he said looking at Faith. "And you are?"

"Willow... Willow Rosenberg. I'm a fri..."

"...a wanted fugitive according to Channel 9 news," he interrupted. He was already busy cutting Faith's prison shirt open.

"Are you a doctor?"

"Nope. But I will be this time next year" said the little guy briskly as he gently turned the unconscious slayer over, exposing a gaping exit wound. He whistled. "At least I don't have to go looking for no bullet."

"Are you qualified to do this?"

"Do you have any alternatives? Would you like me to treat her now or do you want to see my diplomas instead. Cause if I have to go back for them, I'm afraid your friend is gonna bleed to death meantime."

"Sorry," Willow said.

"If you want to help; get some warm water and towels, whatever they use for disinfectant round here and ask Alvie for a bottle of his best rum."

"For her wounds..."

"No! For me Rosenberg! Us unqualified witch-doctors need a strong drink before we mutilate our victims. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you?"

Willow scowled. "You're not related to anyone called Cordelia Chase by any chance are you?"

"Just do as you're told Rosenberg. Get moving."

Willow left the room and made her way downstairs. There seemed to be quite a few additional people now. Secrecy was not at the top of Mary's agenda. Willow felt uncomfortable under the mostly unfriendly stares and it was with some relief that she picked out Mary's daughter from amongst the small crowd.

"Hi! Tori. Umm... sorry, the doctor guy wants some warm water, disinfectant and towels and er... a bottle of rum. If you could just tell me where to get them..."

The girl turned a thousand watt smile on the flustered witch and removed herself from the lap of an obviously smitten young guy whom Willow hadn't seen before. "Hey no sweat. I'll get them for you. Mom'll be back soon. She just popped out for some supplies. We got a few friends coming round tonight."

Willow looked around at the gathering and mentally shook her head. A social gathering didn't seem like the best idea right now. Way to let the cat out of the bag. The whole family obviously knew about the prison break-out, so presumably everyone else did too. Mary's safe return to the fold was going to be noticed. It was just a matter of time before the prison authorities noticed too. She needed to get Faith away from here.

Tori came back clutching the towels a bottle of a medical disinfectant, and a tall bottle containing a clear liquor; her young man was in tow carrying the bowl of water. "We'll bring these up for you," she said. "This is Justin... my boyfriend," Tori introduced the young man very shyly and Willow guessed they hadn't been together that long.

"Thanks," Willow smiled warmly at them. The two teenagers followed her up the stairs giggling. Willow suddenly felt very old and rather sad. 'Don't be stupid' she berated herself silently. 'Enough with the self-pity.'

She pushed the door to the bedroom open. Dr Danny was laying out his instruments and assorted medical supplies. It was quite a collection and much of it clearly marked as the property of the local general hospital. Danny observed Willow's raised eyebrows. He looked a little guilty.

"I keep some stuff at home. In case."

"I'm not about to criticise," Willow said tiredly. "Escaped con here. We were just lucky to find you." She looked at Faith. What was left of her prison issue overall was soaked in blood. Danny had cut away much of the garment and placed temporary pads on the wounds to try and staunch the bleeding but a creeping red stain was already visible, seeping from under the temporary dressing. Faith's face was grey, drained of blood and covered in a film of dirt and dust. Even her hair looked grey, coated in the thin white dust from the tarpaulin she had been hidden under. She looked like an old woman, frail and ill. "How is she doing?" asked Willow. The witch was not even sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Not good. Still losing blood though not as fast. She needs a transfusion though but I can't really help her with that. I'm going to patch her up, try and stop the bleeding, clean out those bullet holes and start her on shots of antibiotics but without blood there ain't a whole lot else I can do... her pulse is weak... her blood pressure is dangerously low, her heart may stop anytime and I can't be certain the bullet hasn't caused some major trauma internally. Not to be too negative though, it looks like a fairly simple entry and exit and she's still breathing so the bullet probably missed any major organs."

Tori and her boyfriend were staring at the injured woman, fascinated horror on their young faces. "Is she going to die?" asked the boy.

"No," said Willow resolutely. "She is much stronger than she looks and she's been worse. Do your best Doctor."

"Well I admire your confidence Rosenberg. Wish I shared it," said Danny. He addressed the teenagers. "Now I want you two out of here. This is no place for kids." They both shuffled out reluctantly. Danny looked at Willow. "Are you sure you can cope with this?"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "I haven't been a kid for a long time. I'd better wake her."

"No she's better off unconscious."

Willow shook her head. "If you're going to be cutting holes in her you don't want her waking up suddenly believe me. She'd likely kill you." The witch placed her hand on Faith's shoulder and gently shook her. "Faith. Come on. You have to open your eyes." Willow increased the pressure and said loudly. "Wake up slayer." She shook her harder. There was no response. "I guess I'll have to bring out the big guns," Willow murmured. She leaned over and whispered in Faith's ear. "Buffy's here. She's got a knife."

The slayer's eyes flicked open. "Wha... Whaddya say. Where?" She peered round, confusion and fear marring her expression.

"Hey Faith." Willow gently ran her fingers down the slayer's cheek, brushing a few stray hairs from the grimy face. "This is Danny. He's a doctor I think." She smirked at Danny who scowled in return. "He's got to have a better look at your injuries. I'm afraid it's going to hurt."

Faith grunted. "What did you wake me up for then?"

"I didn't want you to be surprised and go all wiggy."

Danny opened the bottle of rum and held it out to Willow. "Get her to drink some of this, a lot of this actually. It'll relax her and dull the pain a little."

Faith's eyebrow lifted. "Give that here Doc." She lifted a shaking arm. He gave her the bottle. She tipped it up and took a swallow. "Whoa! That's good stuff!" She took another swig and grinned weakly at Willow. "Hey there Red. Wanna share?"

Willow smiled back and demurred. "Nah! That's all for you."

"Cool."

"I need to get started," Danny said. He tore the sterile packaging from an operating knife. "This is gonna hurt a lot. I have to clean some debris from this and check there's nothing else embedded in there, before I stitch you up. You have to turn on your side and keep still. Do you think you can do that?"

"Bring it on Doc. I love a little pain." Faith took another swig from her bottle and made a half-hearted attempt to look lascivious. Still flirting she looked up at Willow. "I'd ask you to hold my hand but that would be sappy plus I might break your fingers."

Willow took Faith's empty hand. "S'okay sap," said Willow, amused that the slayer looked a little shocked by the gesture. "I'll shout out if you hurt me. Are you sure you don't want me to say a little spell, ease the pai..."

"Red!"

"Just checking. See if you could be tempted." Willow gently squeezed the hand she was holding. "Brave little slay..."

"Fuck!" Faith yelled, announcing that Danny had started work. Willow winced at the abrupt crushing pressure on her fingers but said nothing. Faith noticed anyway and released Willow's hand.

She glared at Willow. "I don't need you to hold my fucking hand. This'll do me." She swallowed some more of the rum. "Go on quack. If you dare."

"Charming," murmured Danny. "I could just let her bleed out, if it suits you Rosenberg."

"Ignore it Danny. She's just a little crabby is all," said Willow. "It's her way when she's scared." Willow laid her hand on Faith's arm and held tight.

"What the... ?" The slayer didn't get a chance to express her outrage at Willow's statement. She screamed and gripped the bedhead with her left hand as Danny cut into her damaged back. It was the last sound she made. Somehow the slayer held her body motionless as the Doctor worked fast; all her pain directed at the the wooden head-board that twisted and groaned in her grip as Danny probed and prodded her wounded flesh, hunting for shrapnel. Eventually the wooden board could take no more torture; it snapped, splintered in two and as it did so Faith fainted.

"Thank the goddess," Willow murmured.

Danny grunted. He had begun to close up the wounds as best he could, turning Faith's limp body to get better access. Finally satisfied that he had done the best he could, he dressed and bandaged his handiwork. He stood upright, breathing a little heavily. "Not the right height for operating," he complained, as he rolled his shoulders and stretched his aching back. He pried the three-quarter empty bottle of rum from the slayer's unconscious grasp and took a swig himself, then he offered the bottle to Willow.

She shook her head. "I think I'm a little young for that stuff."

Danny eyed the broken head-board curiously. "She's pretty strong, isn't she?"

"She works out a lot," Willow replied disingenuously. The wicca stroked some hair from the slayer's sweat covered face. Willow had been doing some thinking and she was worried. "How soon can we move her Danny?"

"Depends, two or three days... course she may die long before then. Unknown complications, infections, heart failure. All possible."

Willow could hear laughter and talking from downstairs. A low-level thumping bass began: someone wanted to dance.

"Shit!" Danny exclaimed. "I'll get them to turn that down."

"It's worrying me: all these people and noise," Willow said quietly. "Danny, we have to move her tonight. The authorities are going to know soon that Mary's back home and then they'll come looking for us and if they find us here... it wouldn't just be Faith and me who suffer believe me. They'd take everyone who knew anything. Anyway to be on the safe side, Mary should be reporting in to the police; she might be able to throw off any suspicion that she helped us..."

"Ain't no-one reporting anything," said Mary firmly from the doorway.

"That's sweet of you Mary but it's too dangerous."

"I've already called the police..."
"What!" Willow started to panic.

"...and told them I've escaped from you. They are sending someone over to interview me. Meantime we have to hide you. Alvie is sorting somethin' out long term but I don't think they'll search the house now. I'll keep them downstairs and we'll move you later in case they get suspicious."

"Er... Alvin didn't seem so keen to help me earlier."

"It's true he don't like you, then he don't need to like you. He knows he has to do this to protect me. And you needn't worry about no-one else talking to the police neither. People round here know how to keep their mouths shut."

"Listen Mary, it's not that I'm not grateful but you know what we are up against here. You are going to have to hide as well. I can't protect you, and with Faith out of it, you, your family, your friends are all in terrible danger. We need more help than this. I have a friend, Buffy Summers, I have to find her. She is the only one now who can help us."

"Is she another..." Mary looked at Danny, embarrassed and then mouthed "...witch?"

"No. She's another Faith. Very strong. She lives in Sunnydale. I have to call her."

"Go right ahead, there's a phone in Tori's room across the hall."

"Great." Willow looked at the large silver cross on Mary's neck and thought of vampires. "Mary, you can't let anyone in. You understand what I'm saying and why. If anyone comes to the door: do not invite them in regardless of who they say they are; remember what I told you about them." Almost reluctantly she reminded Mary of the principal defence against vampires, knowing how slender a protection was being offered and how easily humans could be duped.

"What about the cops? They're due any minute. I can't keep them standing on the doorstep."

"If they're human they'll be able to enter without an invitation, so just let them follow you. Do not give an invitation, even to old friends... in case... they're not friends anymore."

"If they're human?" Danny queried. He looked amused. "Is this some kind of prison jive?"

"Shut-up Daniel." Mary glared at him and he subsided, smiling peaceably. It was plain that in her house Mary was used to getting the last word. The older woman was taking her lessons seriously though. "Okay! No-one gets asked in. Got it! Don't you worry girl. I don't want those things in my house for sure."

Willow smiled and relaxed a little. Mary was holding up better than she could have hoped. A siren howled outside and red and blue lights alternately penetrated the blinds on the bedroom window.

"Looks like the cops are here," Danny said peeking carefully through the blinds.

"I'll get the door," Mary said, looking determined and a little scared. She went out and Willow could hear her solid step on the stairs and her calling to Tori to leave the door.

tbc