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Chapter 14: Answering Questions?

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When Faith pulled back from her kiss to Buffy she saw a different look in her eyes. She saw confusion and fear. Faith reached up and tried to stroke her cheek again but Buffy slapped it away and forcefully pushed Faith off the bed.

"What the hell!" She screamed at her.

Buffy was making her ways towards Faith, who landed on the ground, her back against the wall. Willow made her move to run but she felt Spike grab her on the arm. She tried to pull out of the grip but Spike wouldn't let down. Finally she just stood and watched the scene unfold.

Faith slowly got up from the ground. Buffy was less than ten feet away from her. She looked in to her eyes and saw that they were turning black. When Buffy was less than 5 feet away Faith took steps towards her also. Faith tried again to reach out and touch her cheek. For a moment Buffy's eyes returned back to her normal color, but in a matter of seconds they flashed back and Buffy slapped Faith.

"Don't you dare try that again Slayer!"

Faith pulled her head back up from the slap. She was shocked that Buffy would refer to her as 'Slayer' for hello? She to, is one.

"Buffy?"

Buffy sighed and her eyes slowly went back to her normal color once again. She looked at Faith and then saw everyone else in the room. She saw Jerae and her body shook. Buffy quickly looked back to Faith with pleading eyes this time.

"Please Faith…it's taking over again…"

Buffy's body started to shake as she tried to fight back. For once everyone saw tears stream down Buffy's face. She was in pain.

"What's taking over B?"

"Him…it…I don't think it has a name but please…Faith help…it hurts!"

Buffy collapsed and Faith ran towards her. She picked her head up and since she was kneeling she rested her head in her lap. She ran her fingers through her hair. Faith pulled Buffy's face and kissed her on the forehead. For a second the shaking stopped. But Buffy lost control again.

"Willow, Spike help me!?" Faith yelled looking up at the bystanders.

Quickly the two made their way over and Faith instructed them each to grab a limb. When they did and Buffy was pinned Faith only then asked Jerae questions that head been running through her head.

"What does she mean Jerae? Does this happen often?"

Jerae shook her head yes.

"I-I just thought it was normal…for y-you know being a slayer…"

"How long does this last?"

Jerae and Faith locked eyes.

"Depends on who wins."

Faith looked down at Buffy.

"Who usually wins?"

Jerae walked over and sat on the bed. She sighed before answering.

"Whatever takes over her usually wins…until it seems she has enough good in her to fight back. Seeing as you're here…she might have more strength now to kick whatever is in there out of her."

Faith thought about if the true Buffy really had feelings for her. Since Jerae said since she was here she'd have more strength to fight back. No…it was probably since she was a slayer…yay that's it. She thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Buffy's body suddenly got more violent. Black clouds started to seep out of every hole in her body. Her nose, ears, and mouth. In a couple of seconds. Buffy was totally still.

"What the bloody hell was that about?"

"Oh that was just me leaving her body."

Everyone turned and saw the twin of Buffy. Seeing her everyone turned back and sure enough Buffy was also lying on the ground.

"Who the hell are you!?"

'It' just smiled.

"I thought you Scoobies were smarter than that…oh well…you'll just find out the old fashioned way then."

Before any one could comprehend what was happening Buffy's double just vanished out of thin air. The group sat in silence letting what he said sink in.

Buffy started to stir. Faith focused all her attention on her, hoping in some way that what she felt when their lips touched was really real.

The older slayer looked up and tears were brimming in eyes. She looked down and saw Spike and Willow. She looked over and saw Jerae. Whom she gave a confusing look. It as if she didn't know her. But that thought was lost when she looked back at Faith.

"I was so l-lost…"

With a whimper Buffy sat up and wrapped her arms around Faith, holing on for dear life. Willow and the rest sat in the room waiting, the only sounds were Buffy's sobs. After a couple of minutes she pulled back and looked again at Faith.

Faith smiled warmly and squeezed her hand.

"I found you. It's time to go home."

Buffy nodded and wiped her eyes.

"I-I'll explain everything when we get back."

She stood up, followed by Willow, Spike, and Faith.

Willow walked over to her and hugged her.

"In time Buffy…you take your time right now."

Willow pulled back and looked around. She got out the ingredients and sighed a good sigh. She smiled.

"Well since we have the two people we needed…I guess I don't need your hairs since we got your bodies, which I got to admit, way more easier than hairs and just easier to more easier to complete the spell, and hey no more sneaking around!"

Buffy and Faith chuckled at her babble mode. Spike and Jerae just looked annoyed.

"Well…let's get this over with." Spike pushed.

Willow set up the ritual and said the entire words word perfect…in Latin of course. The portal opened and she was the first to walk through. Then Jerae. After that Faith boldly took a hold of Buffy's hand, she in turn accepted it with a light squeeze. They were next followed by the white haired vampire. In less than seconds the group was back in the dimension that was 'ruled by humans'.

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It was getting near dawn and there was still no sign of Willow or her freaking sister. The whole gang had already gone to sleep. Dawn had come back from her little walking spree. She got a major lecture from Giles and all she did was play the 'I'm not a child' card 'I'm 15!' Giles just said until she was eighteen she will be considered a child in his eyes. That just made Dawn even madder.

Ahh nothing like the love of a daughter and her wanna be dad. Kennedy chuckled at the memory of Dawn's face when she was caught. All Giles did was make her sit on a tomb stone.

'Man, I bet he cleaned his glasses like 50 times during that whole speech…'

Kennedy's thought were interrupted by the sound of the portal opening. She turned around to face it just as Willow came running through. Kennedy was tackled to the ground and kissed madly by her girlfriend.

When Willow pulled back she was already blushing at her actions, but Kennedy just shrugged and pulled her back down for another passionate kiss. When Willow pulled away and they both stood up, Kennedy started to chuckle. Willow looked at her questionably.

"What?"

"It's just…hehe…me with my slayer strength and you come running and just sweep me off my feet like some feather."

"Oh you think that's funny?"

Kennedy stopped laughing and pulled a serious face.

"Yes Miss Rosenberg I do."

Willow smiled mischievously and started to tickle Kennedy. They both fell back on the ground.

"Oh come on…haha…no fair!" Kennedy squealed.

Willow stopped when she heard someone clearing their throat. She quickly stood up and Kennedy followed again.

Giles took off his glasses and just started to clean them again. He shook his head but couldn't help but smile.

It was then Kennedy realized that everyone they meant to get was here. She smiled at Willow. Her girl did it! She couldn't help but notice that Buffy and Faith and were holding hands. She looked at Faith who saw this and shrugged, but followed with a smile. Kennedy knew she was happy at that moment.

Giles put his glasses back on.

"Why don't we all just head back to the house and rest? Then around lunch time we will have a sort of um…debriefing."

"Yes sir!" Xander said. Everyone looked at him and he just looked like deer in head lights. He shrugged, smiling, "Hey couldn't help but get a little commando vocab in there."

Faith just rolled her eyes. Everyone else laughed. The Scooby gang headed back to Slayer Central just as the sun was rising.

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Lunch Time…In Gile's Words…Scooby Debriefing:

"So let me get this straight…Buffy was taken over by something evil for how long?"

Buffy was looking at her hands. She had told all this to Faith privately so she decided to answer for her.

"Right after she left Sunnydale…that's all she remembers."

"And she would have fits…like when she tried to get control again?" Giles was the one asking the questions.

Faith nodded.

"Does she remember anything so that we can find out what exactly had enough power to take her over like that for so long?"

"She told me that 'it' didn't say anything remotely to what it was."

Everyone sat in silence at this. They all knew that whatever took over had to be pretty damn powerful to take control of a slayer, whether good or bad. Buffy was fighting something with herself. But she knew in order for her to gain back their trust she had to tell them. Even if she thought this information was nothing.

"H-he did k-keep saying something to m-me…"

She said quietly. Though it was loud enough for Giles to hear.

"Well come…say it." Giles urged. Buffy looked up at him and answered in a voice with no emotion. "He kept saying you've never dealt with the 'first' so you might as well stop fighting me."

When she was finished she looked back down at her hands. Faith reached down and interlocked their hands, giving a squeeze for reassurance.

"C-can I go upstairs now?" Buffy asked. Giles slowly nodded.

Buffy looked at Faith who smiled. The two stood up and walked upstairs slowly. Giles also stood up and addressed the group.

"I think I need to research this on my own. Anya I'll be at the store."

Giles walked out the door, cleaning his glasses as he went, before anyone could say anything. Eventually the whole group left leaving Willow and Kennedy on the couch sitting in silence.

"What now?" Willow asked. Kennedy shrugged. Before Willow could react she leaned forward and caught her lips, kissing her with all her heart."That sounds good…" Willow muttered as she leaned back in for more.

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