'Buffy, where's that awesome scythe you have?' asked Faith one evening as they prepared to patrol.

'It should be in the box,' Buffy replied helpfully, buttoning her robin's egg blue trench.

'Mind if I use it tonight, B?'

'That's fine. Just be careful where you swing it,' Buffy warned.

'I will be,' Faith said breezily, lifting the scythe and letting it stick out at a rather dangerous angle.

Buffy grimaced.

'What's wrong, B? You jealous?' Faith brandished the scythe, grinning.

'Not in the least. Mostly worried for my head,' Buffy said truthfully, stowing a stake in her pocket.

Faith smiled, zipped her leather jacket, and linked her arm with Buffy's as they walked out the door.

'This night is gonna be rock 'em sock 'em, B.'

Buffy sighed. 'Whatever that means.'

The two girls walked briskly among the gravestones, their sneakers making the softest of squeaks on the wet grass. Buffy's golden hair fanned about her face, her cheeks pale in the moonlight. Faith caught herself staring and, laughing at her own silliness, turned away, scanning over the graveyard with dark, almond-shaped eyes.

'What is it?' Buffy asked, surprised to feel Faith pull away.

'Nothing, B. You're just a little too close for comfort, that's all.'

'Hey, you were the one who wanted to be all touchy-feely tonight, Faith,' Buffy reminded her fellow Slayer.

'Yeah,' Faith said. 'I'm-I'm cold, that's all.' She turned back to Buffy and looked her in the eye, a slight blush forming in her cheeks.

'It is pretty cold out,' Buffy agreed amiably, tightening her coat around her shoulders. 'Here.' She offered Faith her arm once more.

'Um,' said Faith. 'Yeah… thanks.' She took Buffy's arm and they kept walking. Suddenly Buffy stopped, dropping Faith's arm, and pointing to a gravestone a few yards away. 'There. Do you see the ground trembling? I think there's a vamp there.'

Faith lifted her scythe. 'Get ready, B!'

Buffy moved swiftly forward just as the ground split to reveal a struggling, muddy vampire.

'Watch out!' Faith yelled as the vamp lashed out at Buffy, who stumbled back.

Faith brought her scythe down on the vamp's head, cutting it in two. With a screech, it disinegrated.

'Thanks,' Buffy said a little grudgingly.

'Anytime, B,' said Faith.

'So, what are you gonna do?' asked Buffy as Faith flopped onto her motel bed. They'd finished patrolling minutes ago.

'What do you mean?'

'Sleep? Watch TV?' Buffy asked, looking curious. 'It's pretty late. Maybe you should get some rest.'

'Aw, I'd rather do somethin' else. Maybe I'll read a magazine or somethin'.'

Buffy looked around and spotted a pile of old magazines on the floor. 'Vogue?' she joked.

'No, Marie Claire, of course,' Faith played along, picking up a magazine and sitting primly. 'And after I browse the fashions, perhaps a cup of tea and some lovely scones with clotted cream.'

'Oh, stop it!' Buffy protested. 'You're making me hungry.'

'Slaying always does that. Hungry and horny after every single patrol,' Faith said, flipping the pages of her magazine.

'Yeah, I know how you get,' Buffy said, sitting down on the bed. 'How do get it all out, anyway? Sleep it off? Or dance it away? What?'

'Well, I think I know something that could satisfy us both,' Faith said smoothly.

'What?' Buffy asked, curious.

'Lemme show you, B.'