Everyone was exhausted. Buffy was exacting. She made them do the research, form the plan, and then do it again until everything had been checked ten times and had no possible unknowns. Neither of the other two questioned her or why she was so dead set on these double and triple checks. They humored her knowing that more was at stake than a backfired spell. When everything was said and done the spell was written out on two pages. The ingredients weren't many, things that could be found at the local magic shop. Thankfully, his collection carried most of the harder to source materials. Willow had co-opted a powerful gem he had collected from his days as a freelance demonologist. She was fairly certain it would house the demon long enough to get their answers.

"So what do we do now?"

"We've been over this a million times," Xander complained, holding his head in his hands.

"So let's make it a million and one."

Willow nodded and laid out her plan, walking Buffy through the spell that they had laid out one more time. She spoke in excruciating detail, leaving nothing as granted. When she was finished and the Slayer was satisfied she nodded and sat down, relenting. The other two gave sighs of relief. Everything that had led them here felt so far away now - Deirdre, Ripper, bringing her home, Faith and Gile's engagement, everything. It felt like another lifetime that someone else had lived. It certainly didn't feel like it had only been months ago.

"When can we do this?"

"I don't know Buffy. I think first we all need some sleep. Then we need to find somewhere secluded."

"I'll find somewhere."

"No!" The witch had had it up to here with the blond's cavalier attitude. "You're going to go to bed right now. You're no good to me if you can't keep your eyes open. Go!"

Buffy protested until she was shut into her room and had no choice but to sleep. When she woke up the others were still down. Her phone rang, which was odd, and she rushed to it to see Giles pop up on caller ID.

"Faith!" She pressed the talk button, hand trembling. "Faith?"

"Hey B." The other slayer sounded awful. She cringed.

"I'm guessing this isn't a good phone call."

"No," the other agreed. "I need you guys to come to the warehouse tomorrow night."

"It's a trap, isn't it?"

"No. Pretty sure it's only a trap if you don't know about it."

"How bad is it going to be?"

"About as bad as you think. He knows everything, B. Everything we talked about and everything we didn't say out loud."

"Oh." She paused, letting that sink in. "Is he listening now?"

"Yeah."

"Are you ok?" It was a stupid question, she knew it.

"No." The line crackled. "Just come tomorrow night. Bring Willow."

"I'll be there."

The line went dead and she put the phone down, feeling hollow. She wasn't comfortable with their plan, not comfortable at all with how unprepared she felt. She wanted to talk to Giles first because at least she was confident in his knowledge. He would know what to do to help them and he wasn't there. They were having to do it on their own now.

"Will!" She shouted even as she started walking toward her friend's bedroom. Her and Xander were lying on the bed, a blanket thrown over them, snuggled up as friends. They both woke up, one more slowly than the other. Willow turned her eyes on Buffy and sat up quickly.

"What happened?"

"It's Faith. She said everything is going down tomorrow night."

"That's not a lot of time."

"Nope. We need to be ready."

"We will. I just need to…" she glanced back at Xander who finally had his eyes open. "I'll gather up everything and write it all down."

Faith closed the phone and set it on the desk while the demon looked on behind her. He didn't make any move toward her when she sat down, showing displeasure over what was said. He smiled cruelly, picking up the device where she'd placed it and turning it in his hand. He looked up at her after a beat and put the phone back down. He sat in his own high backed leather chair, leveling his gaze at her.

"Do you think she'll come, knowing what's at stake?"

"She doesn't know what's at stake," she corrected quietly. "She thinks I'm in danger."

"You are if the witch doesn't come."

"You might be if she does."

"I'm much too powerful to be unseated so easily, pet. After tomorrow night we'll be too many to destroy."

"If you say so."

"I DO!" He roared, rising up so quickly that the chair clattered and slid a foot or two. "I have worked too hard to make my plans. I will succeed or I will make this world bleed until I do. You would do well to remember who you are talking to!"

"How can I when you're afraid to speak your name?"

He surged forward and struck her. She toppled sideways and was on her feet in a moment, finding strength she didn't know she had. She punched him back against his cheek, delighting as he went down to his knee to keep from pitching sideways entirely. His eyes began to glow red; he was up again and glared, his hand rising to hit her or worse. She stood strong this time, the imminent risk to her loved ones emboldening. She dared not back down for even a moment, even as she saw his hand glow with magic. Then his eyes widened, his face slackening to a smile.

"I see what you're doing. Very foolish, pet. You want me to break you before tomorrow so you won't have to hurt your friends."

That hadn't been her point but a part of her didn't entirely hate the idea. No, she needed to be there to help Buffy, however she could. It was good she knew nothing about what they had been doing or what their plan was; she couldn't betray them to the demon in front of her. He obviously knew they would not walk into this blind and knew what she and Buffy had said in private. He didn't ask, didn't seem at all concerned. She saw that same ironclad confidence in him now, bringing his magic laden hand close to her neck. She flinched, and he delighted in it by the shining of his eyes.

His voice turned to a rumbling growl, the tone she had loved in her fiance and hated in him.

"I want you fit, Faith. I want you ready for my triumph. I know you and your friends have grand plans but it won't matter. There's too much magic, too much preparation. I won't let you all destroy my plans. I will kill you if I need to, make no mistake about that."

"If you kill me, you know he'll fight harder against you. They all will."

"He can't defeat me. Don't you think he's tried?"

"Wait until he's heartbroken." She set her jaw hard and stared into his eyes, willing her lover to hear the words.

"I control him, Faith."

"We'll see."

He let the magic drop and his hand as well, surprising her. He laughed, pushing her back into her chair with little care for whether she landed in it or not.

"Get this bitch out of here and see that she doesn't disturb me again until I need her tomorrow."

An unseen guard, she was completely inured to their presence, grabbed her arm and tugged her out of the room. He quickly led her upstairs and put her in her room. She sat on the bed fuming, wishing she knew what to do and praying that Buffy, Willow, and Xander had some way out of this that didn't end with all of them dying. She had to take it on faith that they could make it work, figure it out. Other than that there was nothing she could do but wait.