A/N: I had a reviewer tell me I'm evil – I took it as a compliment.
Thanx to all my reviewers – I'm glad you're liking the story so far (and reviewers are responsible for quick updates!)
Chapter 2 -- Goodbyes
The Scoobies stared at Buffy in shock.
"Buffster, I'm sorry, I thought you said you were leaving Sunnydale for Colorado," Xander said in shock.
The slayer just nodded her head as she watched her friends deal with her announcement. She had meant to let them know in the nicest, and gentlest way possible. She had a whole speech prepared but when they started to stare at her, waiting for her announcement, "I'm leaving for Colorado today," kind of slipped out.
Giles looked at her with concern. He was aware that Buffy was going through a difficult time. Not only had her mother died, but she had lost one father and gained another from out of nowhere. But he had never thought she would decide to move away – let alone today!
Buffy took a deep breath.
"I had a Slayer dream last night, and I think I have to go with my dad."
Buffy turned to Faith and said, "Faith is as good a slayer as me, probably better. I know she can handle the hellmouth alone. I just, can't stay here right now – even if I hadn't had the dream I would want to go with my dad."
"He's the only family I have left."
"That's not true, Buffy. You have me and Xander and Giles," Willows babbled, "and you just can't leave Sunnydale, I mean, we're going to graduate in a few months and then we have collage and I thought we were going to go to Sunndale University together and take the same classes..." Willow finally ran out of breath.
"Will, it's not like we're never going to see each other again," the slayer pleaded with her best friend. Her friend just stared at her, hurt written over her face. Xander stared at his feet, unusually quiet; it was the first time in Buffy's memory that Xander hadn't reacted with an ill-timed joke or comment.
The bell rang and the two teenagers headed off to class. As they reached the library doors they turned back to Buffy.
"Aren't you coming, Buff?" Xander asked.
"Um, no. I'm already unregistered for all my classes and my transcripts are being sent to my new school."
Without another word, the two left.
Buffy turned back to her Watcher and sister Slayer. As usual, Faith appeared completely unaffected by the news, while Giles was hiding behind his Watcher mask – the same one he wore when he had told Buffy about the prophecy foretelling her death.
"Giles, can you not tell the Council about my moving? I don't want to have to explain the sudden appearance of a Watcher to my dad."
Giles nodded slowly.
"I suppose so. I don't know for how long I'll be able to keep your secret, they have other ways of monitoring the Slayer's activities besides through her Watcher," Giles consented reluctantly.
"B, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, you don't even know the guy – and most guys are jerks," Faith asked, concern sneaking through her façade.
"In the dream I could tell my dad is a good guy."
"Buffy, tell me more about this dream. Are you sure it was actually a slayer dream, and not a result of the emotional shock you've gone through the last few days?" Giles asked.
"Yes, Giles, I'm sure. I can tell the difference between a normal I-am-going-crazy dream and a slayer I-am-going-to-suffer dream. Trust me. The dream said I had to go to Colorado to fulfill some contract with something called the Blood of the Universe."
Giles frowned.
"Blood of the Universe? I am not aware of anything by that name. I'll do further research and have Willow use the computer to contact you."
Buffy spontaneously hugged Giles, touched by his continued concern for her welfare – even after all she had put him through. Giles reddened and awkwardly returned her hug. The British man had come to consider Buffy a surrogate daughter.
Buffy left and Faith ran to catch up. The two slayers walked side by side until they reached Buffy's house. A moving van was already in place. Everything in Buffy's room would be transported to her dad's house – everything else would be sold. Including the house.
Seeing the house being emptied brought her sister slayer's departure into reality.
"You're really going, huh?"
"Yup."
The two watched the movers silently, neither knowing what to say. They weren't exactly friends – but they were more than friends. They shared a destiny that only Giles could dimly appreciate. Now they would be going from the Chosen Two back to the Chosen One. Continuing to carry their shared destiny alone.
Suddenly the blond slayer hugged her counterpart with all of her strength. Hesitatingly, Faith returned the hug but just as tightly. Sensing her father's presence the two broke apart.
"Are you ready?" he asked gently.
"Yeah, I'm just going to go and check to see if the movers missed anything."
The two people watched Buffy enter the house.
Faith turned to Jack and growled, "If you hurt her, there's no where on this Earth you could go and be safe."
Jack stared at the young girl, who looked as if she didn't have enough power to hurt anyone. But there something about her that caused the colonel to take her threat seriously. Gravely, he nodded in acknowledgement of her statement. Buffy walked up, and seeing the looks on their faces she was pretty sure she knew what had happened.
"Okay, I'm all set."
The two slayers embraced again. Faith stood in the street and watched as the truck drove out of sight along with the only person in the world who understood her.
In her room, Willow hugged her stuffed animal and cried as one of her best friends drove out of town.
Xander watched cartoons and tried to tune out his parent's yelling and thoughts of school tomorrow without Buffy seating beside him in class.
Giles quietly researched for any mention of 'Blood of the Universe', the last duty he could perform as his slayer's Watcher.
Silently, a vampire with a soul read the letter left behind by his former lover, realizing she had finally set herself free.
And in a truck crossing the State line, a Slayer watched the sun begin to set and said good-bye to her family made up of bonds other than blood.
TBC
A/N: Wow – I depressed myself on this chapter – and poor angel, all he got was a letter ::sobs::
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