Chapter two

Buffy opened her eyes. She found herself standing in a brightly-lit corridor; students bustled pass on both sides. She staggered.

"Hey, give some warning before you stop!" A student said as he edged round, and barely missed colliding with her.

"Sunnydale High," Buffy confirmed out loud. "With walls and a roof. Hey, guys," she spoke to the ceiling. "This is cool. I'm impressed."

She started to make her way down the corridor, taking in all the long-familiar sights, sounds and people. She passed a classroom door. A black blind was pulled down on the other side of the window and Buffy caught her reflection and stopped short. "Oh my God, what am I wearing?" She said, horrified at the image before her. She was dressed in a low cut blouse and short skirt. "I can see my legs and…" she cupped her breasts, "…I was never this big surely. Boy, I've lost weight over the years. No wonder Xander was always staring at me."

"Will you get over yourself," a girl commented as she passed by Buffy.

"Cordelia!" The blonde called to the brunette.

The taller girl turned round. "How do you know my name when I don't know yours? Who are you?"

"Well….I'm new, I guess," Buffy paused briefly and looked to the side. "Hmm, my first day." She looked back up at the nervous girl who was not yet her friend. "It's my first day and someone pointed you out as being the person to talk to…..for advice and tips and such like…..you know, what to wear who to mix with," she played on the old Cordelia's sense of importance.

"Oh, the new girl. Yes, I was told there was one this year. You're from LA aren't you? We're gonna get along fine, I just know it," Cordelia enthused confidently. "A word of advice, though," she leant in close. "I would cut down on the talking to yourself gig. I've tried it. It's good for getting out of a couple of classes, but after that the staff start to think it's endearing and ignore it altogether."

"Thank you for that," Buffy responded with her best deadpan expression.

"Don't mention it. Come find me at lunch break and I'll introduce you to the in-crowd. In the meantime, try not talk to anyone as you may make a social faux pas by picking an untouchable."

Buffy was certain the modern Cordelia would be horrified at what had just transpired. They parted and she continued down the corridor, enjoying the nostalgia-trip and occasionally testing if her skirt would pull down further. She stopped again when she came to the door leading to the library. "Giles," she mouthed quietly to herself.

The library. She had not given it much thought since leaving school, but she suddenly regarded it as an old friend; an extension of the Scooby Gang. It was the place they always congregated to plan, and assembled after a plan had come to fruition. It was a sanctuary, a home of sorts. A psychiatrist, she thought, would probably interpret her thoughts as simple nostalgia or a desire to return to the womb, or perhaps a need for stability. The library was comforting with its old tomes; the silence it demanded and…..Giles emerged from the office behind the counter.

Buffy closed the small gap between door and counter. She slapped her hands on the flat surface and leapt over the barrier, and threw herself at the librarian, who barely had time to register shock. She clung to Giles; her legs wrapped round his torso, her arms round his neck. She did not kiss him or say anything, preferring instead to just hold him.

"Err…I'm new here, but…I'm pretty certain students are supposed to stay on the other side of the counter," Giles stammered.

Buffy released the stunned Englishman and stepped back from him. "You…you don't know me, do you?" She asked slowly. "But, of course you don't, we haven't met until now. This is so real," she said to herself, looking off to one side. Sensing the unease that defined his character, which she realised Giles had successfully overcome in the intervening years since this first meeting, Buffy looked up at him and smiled. She held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"Miss Summers! Of course," Giles became immediately animated. "I've been expecting you. I've read Merrick's diaries and I think we'll get along just fine."

"Merrick?" Buffy repeated. She realised she had not thought of her first watcher for nearly six years, and felt guilty for not thinking of him for six years.

"Yes," Giles continued, oblivious to her unease. She remembered his enthusiasm from their original first meeting. Everything else in this dream was different, but not the childlike eagerness of a watcher glad to meet his charge. "Yes, he err….he wrote at great length about you….full of praise. He…he said you showed great promise, despite an occasional odd sense of priorities."

"Did he…I mean, did he say I showed promise?" Buffy was quite shocked and moved.

"Hadn't you better go to class?" Giles broke her reverie.

"Class? I've got to go to classes as well?" She responded looking up at the ceiling. "I mean, yes I should go to class, thank you." She went to kiss him but thought better of it. Before she exited the library she turned round again. "I'll read the book later," she said cryptically.

"Book?"

"The one you were going to show me…the really big one?"

"Oh… yes, I see. How did you know?"

"There's always a book, right?"

"I tend to find there is, yes."

"Cool….hey, you don't happen to have a slayer's manual back there, do you?"

"Why, yes I do. Hold on, I'll just fetch it."

Everything went blank.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"This sucks….big time," Buffy said out loud as she sidestepped a charging vampire, staking it through its back. "I mean, what's with the quantum leap?" A second demon was despatched just a quickly. "I really wanted to read that book," she pouted walking away from the scene.

She had found herself standing in a graveyard moments after having been in the library. She walked to its edge. The cemetery stood on a promontory affording its residents a view over Sunnydale. Buffy shared the vista. "I only wanted to see if I've been doing it right….the dying part notwithstanding." She suddenly came out of her mood. "Mom….."

Buffy ran the considerable distance from the cemetery to her house, fearful she would blank out again and find herself somewhere else. She was relieved to find she had her key and fished it out of her pocket whilst still running. At the front door she drove the metal into the keyhole, hitting home first attempt and pushed open the door. Her mother sat on the stairs facing her.

"Mom!" Buffy cried and leapt into her arms.

Joyce just had enough time to stand and receive the hug. She pushed her daughter to arms length away. "Where have you been, young lady!" She demanded. "Damn it, Buffy we haven't been here long and you're out all night. You should be doing your homework. You've missed too many lessons since the fire at Hemery."

Buffy stood back from her mother. She was too happy to see her to be bothered by the tirade and willingly took the scolding; relished its familiarity even. "I'm sorry, mom. It won't happen again, I promise."

"Well, you just make sure it doesn't. Now get to bed. I expect you up early for school tomorrow." Buffy nodded and started up the stairs. "Buffy," Joyce called after her. She looked round. "I feel good about this place. I think we can both overcome the past here….if we try." Her daughter smiled.

Buffy closed her bedroom door behind her. Tears flowed freely; joy at seeing her mother again. "Thank you," she said simply to the darkness of her room.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Buffy woke up to the sun shining through her bedroom window. The ray of light hit her bed, warming her feet beneath the duvet. She watched dust motes, caught in the spotlight, undertake their rhythmic dance. A slight breeze entered the open window and threw the tiny particles into confusion. Buffy sat up in bed and thought about the day ahead. She tried to remember what she had originally done on her second day at Sunnydale High. She had difficulty in conjuring up the memory after so many years. Yet it hadn't been that many. It was more that so much had happened; enough for two lifetimes.

She draped her legs over the side of her bed and immediately found herself in the school library. She slipped out of her thoughts and off the table she was sitting on. Giles, Willow and Xander stared at her. Buffy's confusion, whilst blissfully brief, was soon replaced by embarrassment.

"I….I fell off the table," was all she was able to say as she lifted herself back on. She then noticed how short her skirt was. "Oh, good grief." She lowered herself to the nearest chair and sat primly, knees locked together.

"Ah….as I was saying," Giles struck up, "Halloween being traditionally a night of rest for vam…."

"It's Halloween!" Buffy blurted out. "I mean….yay, it's Halloween…" she went silent again

"As I was saying….are you OK, Buffy?" Giles enquired. The slayer smiled enthusiastically. He looked puzzled which elicited a wider smile. "As I was saying, vampires tend to stay away on Halloween, so I do not think you will have any trouble on your evening begging for tooth decaying sweets."

"You're just jealous, admit it," Xander taunted, "Because sugar was rationed when you were a child."

"Just how old do you think I am?"

"I think we should check out the shop we hired our costumes from," Buffy suddenly announced. The others turned to her making her feel uncomfortable. The confrontation in the cemetery, back in the real world, was still fresh in her mind. "I mean, the owner was a bit suspicious, I thought…didn't anyone else find him….suspicious," she floundered.

"Obsequious, perhaps, but then he was English…" Xander took one step back and hid behind Willow.

"Yes, exactly," Buffy warmed to the subject. "I think he said his name was Ethan," she added and looked to Giles for a reaction, but got nothing to signify he recognised the name. "Do you know him?" She ventured.

"No."

Buffy was shocked at the obvious lie. "Oh…I thought, as he was English, you would….never mind."

"There are a number of us in this part of the country," Giles offered. "I believe there is a market for them to play butlers in your television shows."

"Or the mysterious enigmatic villain," Xander added.

"Exactly," Buffy stood up and stepped forward to emphasise her point. "Which is why I think we should investigate."

"But why, Buffy," Willow asked. "I mean, do you think he's cursed the costumes, cos' that would be cool…..I meant to say odd and disturbing," she shrunk behind Xander.

"I'll look into it," Giles said seriously, exerting his authority over the proceedings.

The bell rang for lessons and the pupils left the library. Buffy was filled with thoughts of seeing her friends dressed in their costumes again and Angel coming to the rescue. At the intersection between two corridors a familiar figure walked past them.

"Willow," Buffy stopped and turned to her friend. "What do you think of Oz?"

"Oz?" Willow was puzzled at the question. "He's in the year above us, isn't he?" Buffy nodded. "He's kind of cute…in an adorable sort of way. We go to the same computer studies club. Why do you ask?"

"Why don't you ask him out?"

"What?…..no….No! What if he turned me down? What….God, what if he said yes?"

"I think he'd say yes. You have a lot in common."

"Such as?"

"Well….you both like computers and….." Buffy struggled to think of something else. If it was Tara, she could have made a list. "You've both got the same colour hair…..most of the time," she added weakly. "…..and you're both short."

"Hey! I'm taller than you, Little Miss Slayer."

"OK OK, bad example."

"Jonathan's taller than you." Willow added.

"Hey! He is not! You are not!" Buffy repeated, looking up at the ceiling. "Sorry." She looked embarrassed when Willow looked at her curiously. "A touchy subject."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Willow and Oz were being very friendly on the comfy chair opposite Buffy. She had walked into her class ready for biology, only to find herself walking into the Bronze and a further slip in time.

It seemed so natural seeing Oz with her friend again, but at the same time it was odd. When did Willow realise she was gay? Buffy thought to herself. She could not recall a blurring of the line from Oz to Tara. It was none of her business, of course. Buffy loved Tara like a sister and missed her being with Willow. She had to admit to herself she felt better able to confide in Tara than Oz. It made her feel sad when she also realised she could talk to her better than Willow, in fact. Perhaps it was because everything she said to her close friends lately felt like a confession, and Tara was sufficiently remote to play the part of priest.

Buffy put all such thoughts to the back of her mind, however; this night she had more pressing concerns. Cordelia joined them on cue, Xander in tow.

"Check out the slut-a-rama and her disco-date," she gestured to a dark haired girl dancing with a fan of 70s culture. "What was the last thing that guy danced to, KC and the Sunshine Band?"

"See," Willow levelled at Buffy. "If you go dance with Scott, you'll not look the worst on the dance floor."

Her one-time brief boyfriend had only moments earlier asked Buffy to dance, and she had turned him down. Again. Buffy couldn't conjure a hint of attraction for him now. It worried her; he was a nice, kind friendly guy, and attractive with it. She put it down to the fact she was in reality 21 and he only a senior, but it didn't stop her from wondering whether her tastes had changed for the better or worse.

"I'm a good dancer, thank you very much," she said eventually. "….aren't I, Xander?"

The dancing brunette allowed herself to be led from the club by her partner. He might as well have worn a large V for vampire on his shirt.

"You may want to follow those two," Buffy suggested cryptically.

Willow perked up "You mean he's…."

Buffy nodded. "I'll follow you," she lied. When her friends had left, she stood up and left via the rear door. Faith Day One called for some more preparation.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The following day found Buffy in the same time zone. She realised she was going to have to face Faith. She pushed her way through the main entrance to the school, her eyes closed in case she orbed somewhere else, but her surroundings still remained the same. "Great," she sighed dramatically.

"Hi, Buffy," an enthusiastic Willow skipped up to her side. "What happened to you last night?"

"I…I chased a group of vampires away from the back door."

"You should have come back to us. Buffy we have another slayer," the redhead blurted out.

"We do?" Buffy tried her hardest to be surprised, made harder by her amusement at her friend's excitement. She was willing to wager she didn't get much sleep the night before.

"Yes," Willow continued, skipping backwards so she could face Buffy as they negotiated their way along the hallway, only occasionally bumping into other students on the way.

"What's she like?" Buffy asked.

"Faith…that's her name, by the way…you'll like her."

"Yea, but what's she like?" Buffy eyed her friend suspiciously.

"...kind of Gothic."

"What, like Wuthering Heights?"

"More the Cult, actually…..but I'm sure you two will get along."

"Of course, what with my habit of wearing pastels and all."

"I feel she may be hiding something," Willow added thoughtfully. "You know? As though she has a history or is hurting deep inside."

Buffy was impressed. "Wow, that's three well worn clichés. Either you're very astute or you've been hanging with me way too much. I wonder what Giles will say."

"We took her to Giles last night. He likes her, I think."

"Oh….," Buffy wasn't expecting that development. "Did he think she was 'Gothic' too?"

"Oh, you know Giles," Willow replied. "Mention Gothic to him and he thinks Wagner."

"Faith the Valkyrie?" Buffy mulled the vision over in her head. "Buffy the Valkyrie? Now that sounds quite cool."

"You haven't the stature."

"Granted, I admit. It sounds better than Slayer. That's so negative…..intimidating."

"Isn't that sort of the idea? Buffy the social worker would kind of fall flat."

"I suppose so," Buffy conceded with a smile. "It's just not very inspiring. What do you do, Buffy? I slay."

Willow nodded her head sagely. "But, you could always say you save the world and make it a better place to live in."

Buffy laughed. "OK, PR girl. You'll be charging commission next. So, you liked…..Faith."

"She has some….. interesting stories. You must ask her to tell you about the time she hugged a vicar naked…..Xander likes her."

They both headed for the library for their morning briefing with Giles.

"I should warn you, Giles may be a bit cranky," Willow advised as they stood by the door to the Watcher's domain. Buffy looked questioningly. "Apparently there's a Watcher's retreat in England…..Faith's watcher is there. Giles has never been invited."

"Poor soul," Buffy smiled at the memory.

"Oh…and Faith thinks Giles is cute."

"Does she? I think I may have to speak with her."

They pushed through the library doors.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"But first lets go somewhere completely different and relive another exciting moment," Buffy said to herself when she caught herself from tripping down the last step that led into the courtyard. "Come on!" She shouted to the sky in exasperation. She then saw Willow up ahead. Her friend looked round briefly, a sad look on her face, which worried Buffy.

"So, Buffy. I wanted to…there's a thing I wanted to ask you," Xander said.

Buffy was startled to find him standing alongside her. "What?" She asked.

"Let's go over there and sit." He pointed to a stone bench a few feet away. After ushering away a student already sitting there, they both sat down.

"Hi, Xander," Buffy finally got around to saying.

"You know, Buffy, Spring Fling is a time for students to gather…."

Buffy suddenly looked horrified. "Oh no, Xander, this isn't the time you ask me to the dance is it?"

The young man looked away briefly. He turned to face her again, his hands nervously tapping the bench. "Buffy, I want you to go to the dance….what do you mean is this the time I….did Willow tell you?"

"No, no I…." Buffy stuttered and paused for some inspiration, desperate to avoid the awkwardness she recalled from when he has asked all those years ago, but realising she had already blown it. She wondered whether she should say yes this time.

"I bet she did," Xander continued. "Never mind, it's out in the open now. What do you say….the dance, I mean…..you me going…..?"

"Xander…."

"Buffy, I like you….a lot, and I know we're friends and we've had experiences…we've fought some blood sucking fiends….."

"Xander…."

"You know, when I planned this in my head there were less interruptions. Buffy, I want more….and that didn't sound near so desperate when I said it to myself….."

"Xander, please. The answer is no. I don't feel the same way you feel about me. I'm sorry…I….."

He stood up, a young man rejected. "It's OK….I'm not him. I mean I guess a guy has to be un-dead to make time with you."

Buffy knew she had said something in reply before, but the comment now was too close to home and she looked away. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Why don't you ask Willow?" She suggested, a hopeful note in her voice.

"What?"

"Ask Willow….in fact, I'll put it to her and…"

"I don't believe you," Xander interrupted upset at the suggestion. "You're offering me a consolation prize? I don't want to go with you, but I can get you a replacement?"

"That's not what I meant. I would never treat Willow that way…or you."

"I'm sorry. I guess I don't take rejection well…funny, considering all the practice I've head, huh?"

Buffy let him walk away. When he had disappeared into the main building she rubbed her eyes. "OK, that wasn't so much fun," she said to herself. "I can't believe I handled that worse than the last time." She looked up at the sky. "And it's such a beautiful day." She allowed the sun to warm her. Her memory grabbed her attention back. "Spring Fling? That means I have to face the Master tonight," she smiled. "I'm only sixteen. I don't want to die….now that's funny." She laughed out loud, oblivious to the puzzled stares it elicited from passing students.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The entrance to the Master's cave led into her kitchen

She found herself mesmerised by a brunette devouring food. Faith sat at her dining table and helped herself to another serving of fries from a large bowl positioned in the centre.

"Faith!" Buffy couldn't help exclaiming. She was facing one of her worse enemies, or at any rate, one of the mortal ones. She knew she would have to face her eventually. This tour of her past made it inevitable. She just wasn't expecting to see her like this, although she recalled the day in question.

"Sorry," the younger slayer looked sheepish, thinking Buffy was commenting on her taking more than her fair share of the food.

"So you're a slayer too," Buffy's mother stated. She sat at the head of the table. Buffy sat down opposite Faith. "Isn't that interesting. Do you like it?"

"God, I love it," Faith replied.

Joyce spooned some more food on to Faith's plate. Buffy held up her own plate hopefully. "Buffy never talks about it," Joyce continued. "Why do you like it?"

"Where's Dawn?" Buffy asked suddenly.

"Who dear? Is that another friend? Should I lay another plate?"

Buffy was shocked by the reply. Whilst she knew Dawn never existed at that moment in time, she had memories of her being there. She recalled her sister being enthralled by the mysterious guest. She had gone to bed that night and written several pages in her diary. Buffy knew that because she had sneaked a peak. Why wasn't she here now? Was it a flaw in the monks' spell? She missed her.

"Well, when I'm fighting," Faith picked up on the earlier question. "It's like the whole world goes away. I only know one thing; I'm gonna win, they're gonna lose. I like that feeling."

"It doesn't always work out that way, unfortunately," Buffy added.

"I don't let that kind of negative feeling in."

"Right. Right," Joyce latched on enthusiastically. "That can get you hurt. Buffy can be awfully negative sometimes. See, Honey, you have to fight that." She got up from the table and went to the kitchen to get some more drinks.

"She's cool, huh?" said Faith.

"Best mom ever." Buffy agreed. She watched Faith continue to devour the food. She was experiencing mixed emotions; her mother was there, but Dawn wasn't, and the girl before her was not the person she had grown to hate. Not yet. What had changed her from the girl she was looking at now to the one she nearly killed on the terrace a year later? Her mother re-entered the dining room with extra drink and a fresh batch of fries.

"Mom, can Faith stay here?" Buffy asked. She looked to the other slayer for her acceptance to the suggestion. "It's better than a motel, surely," she added.

"Of course, that sounds a great idea. It'll be like having a sister, won't it? I've always felt guilty we never had a second child to keep you company."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Late the following evening the two slayers pushed their way through the library doors. The rest of the gang were seated round the table, apart from Giles who stood in the doorway to his office. It was burger night and various wrappers and milkshake cartons were strewn around.

"What I'm saying is, you should show a little more control and a little less…self," Buffy said to Faith as they approached the others.

"What do you mean, B?"

Faith wasn't paying total attention to her partner, it being primarily levelled at Xander. She winked at him. The young man was in the process of cramming several fries into his mouth. He caught the gesture, however and looked left and right to see if anyone else was there to receive it.

"I mean, a little more thrust with the stake and on to the next vamp, and a little less wiggling it just over the heart until it faints from the pain," Buffy continued. "At the same time taking the trouble to check if your companion needs any assistance." She noticed Xander's look of discomfort. "And what is it with you and kicking to the groin?" She added for effect.

"Hey," Faith responded, turning to her. "I'm with Machiavelli on matters of war."

"Uh huh?"

"The end justifies the means."

"How interesting," Giles perked up. "Have you read The Prince?"

"Yea, cool book."

"Rule number one in the library," Buffy said as she walked up to the table. "Don't make Buffy look small in front of her watcher. I mean, it's not as though I don't already have a height problem. Xander, did you eat all the fries?"

Silence followed as the remainder of the food was eaten. Eventually, everyone stood up and prepared to leave. Xander cleaned the table of the remaining fries that thought they had got away.

"Willow and Oz are coming to my place for the night. We're having a Star Trek marathon. Anyone else want to join us? Pizza is on the menu, cooked in the family oven, I might add. That's worth it alone as it seldom sees any use."

"I would but…well no I wouldn't," Faith replied. "I mean, Star Trek? Please! See you around." She grabbed her half drunk cola and waived goodbye to the others, sucking at the straw at the same time.

"Buffy?" Willow offered.

Buffy watched Xander's puppy dog look at the lost opportunity as Faith left the library. She held back from laughing and turned to Willow. "No thank you, Wills. I've got to….return something. I'll catch you tomorrow."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Half an hour later Buffy entered Angel's house. The mansion was empty and her footsteps echoed. She stood in front of the imposing fireplace and pulled from her trouser pocket the claddagh ring Angel had given her the year before. She placed in on the stone floor and stepped back to the far wall. Lowering herself to the floor, she prepared herself for what Angel had later told her would happen. It still came as a shock, however. After a couple of hours of waiting, a brilliant flash of light startled her. She flattened herself against the wall when she saw a figure fall from a vortex above where she had laid the ring. A naked Angel landed heavily on the floor in front of her.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The following night she approached the mansion again, this time with Faith. She stopped short of the entrance and turned to face her sister-warrior, only just avoiding a collision of slayers.

"Some warning would be good," Faith suggested.

"Sorry." Buffy stepped back slightly and looked to the entrance. "Faith…..I need to show you something."

"Sounds intriguing. I guessed there had to be a reason for dragging me up here."

Buffy pushed open the door and ushered her in. Faith squeezed pass and stood to let her lead the way. When she saw Buffy wasn't going to move from the doorway, she made her own way forward. Buffy eventually followed and nearly walked into Faith.

"I don't know what I was expecting to find," the brunette said. She turned to face Buffy. "But I can tell you it certainly wasn't this." She turned away again and looked down at a dark haired half naked man chained to the far wall. "I have to admit, B you surprised me. I didn't think you'd be into the whole master slave thing." Buffy approached her and stood by her side. "Mind you, I can see the appeal. I've even tried it a few times."

"No," Buffy cut her short. A vision of a blonde vampire flashed across her mind. "No," she repeated with a hint of desperation. "Faith, this is Angel."

"Oh. That clears up the chains question, but opens up a whole lot more."

Faith walked confidently closer to the sleeping vampire, noticing his dishevelled appearance. He suddenly woke up and immediately started thrashing wildly. Behind her Buffy flinched back, but Faith didn't move. She just observed the mad-thing for several seconds. When she turned to her companion she caught Buffy wiping her eyes. Faith's expression became one of shock, but Buffy thought she saw a brief flash of rare emotion. Perhaps the gamble was justified.

"You took a big risk in showing me this," Faith stated.

"You're a slayer, like me. You needed to know I had a vampire chained up. I want you to be able to trust me."

"I trust you, Buffy. Do…..do you trust, me?"

"Yes." Buffy responded. She saw vulnerability and a strange contentment in Faith's eyes, and felt guilty at the blatant manipulation; her playing with hindsight. She wondered why she was even bothering to change things, when she could find herself somewhere else by just walking through the next door. It occurred to her that Faith was just as much a victim. They weren't so much opposites as mirror images.

"Do we hug now?" Faith asked.

Buffy smiled. "I don't think so."

"But he might like it." She gestured to Angel. "It might arouse him…..from his present state."

Buffy looked down at her former lover. He was watching them closely; whether judging if he could rip their throats or hide from their stares, she didn't know. "He'll wake up soon," she said confidently.

"OK, although that wasn't what I meant."

"I know what you meant, Little Miss One Track."

"Don't come the innocent with me," Faith taunted good-naturedly. "You're excited by those shackles. The hint of violence makes you feel alive." Buffy looked away. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." She placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder. Buffy turned to her. "There's nothing to feel ashamed about, B. We're slayers, unique, special. We live our lives on the edge. Adrenaline keeps us going and everything else is monotony, grey. Try as we do to squeeze something from life; friendships, whatever are never enough….say, can he break free of those?" Faith changed the subject.

"Yes, but it'll make for a beautiful moment when I catch up with him."

"I can imagine."

They made to leave the mansion and Angel. Buffy stopped short. "Faith, do you ever…..do you ever tire of life?"

"Are you kidding? I can't get enough!"

to be continued