3 Days Later: Night

Giles' Apartment: Courtyard

Hopping down the steps with merriment, Buffy inhaled a deep needless breath feeling as if she had awakened up from a long sleep. Everything seemed bigger and brighter. The colours were vibrant. The earthy scents seemed much more pungent. Buffy felt refreshed, clearer, and astute.

As Buffy reached the bottom steps of the apartment's entrance courtyard, she quickly reminded herself that she was supposed to be miserable with a soul. If she entered into the apartment with too much new zest for her undead life, she'd be immediately clocked.

Standing outside the apartment door, Buffy shook the gleaming evil off of herself. She needed to appear repentant. Her gaze lowered to the outfit she wore suddenly wondering if the red leather pants were too much of a giveaway.

Brushing her thoughts aside, Buffy wrapped her hand around the doorknob and entered the apartment.

Inside: Living Room

Buffy lifted her head as she entered the apartment to see the gang's wide eyes staring at her.

She raised her brows high up her forehead and nervously tossed them a shaky smile, realising that these looks were because she had disappeared for a few days without a word said.

Faith jumped up to her feet. The look on her face was one of surprise, relief, and aggravation.

"Buffy?" said Giles, looking at the vampiress with concern.

Buffy entered further into the apartment, closing the door behind her.

Stepping around Willow and Tara, Faith ran her eyes over the blonde. There was something very different about Buffy, but Faith couldn't put her finger on it.

Buffy wore red leather pants that clung to her fiercely strong legs. She wore a black boat neck tank top, black leather trench coat with matching boots, and her hair fell down her back in a long waterfall of loose ringlet curls.

Buffy appeared confident and powerful. Despite Faith's frustrations towards the blonde, she was very much attracted to her.

"The scooby gang's all here," Buffy said, walking past Xander, Giles, and Anya. She eyed them carefully.

Anya stared wide-eyed at the vampiress. As soon as the vampiress entered into that apartment, Anya sensed something different in the blonde. The ex-vengeance demon stared at the vampire with astonished admiration.

Noting the strangeness in Buffy's demeanor, Willow stepped closer to the blonde and quietly asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Buffy smiled at the redheaded witch as she fell back on the couch, taking a seat beside Tara.

Buffy knew that she wasn't doing a very good job acting like her souled-herself like she had done two years ago. In the few minutes from standing in the courtyard to now, Buffy decided that she didn't rightly care anymore.

Tara scooted away from the vampire, feeling dreadful, uncomfortable and even frightened of the blonde. There was a menacing gleam in Buffy's green eyes that struck Tara the wrong way.

The good witch stood from the couch and retreated to stand with Willow, keeping a distance from the vampire.

Buffy smirked at Tara for a moment then turned her gaze towards Giles. "So, what's the what? Any big baddies that needs a slay?"

The middle-aged Watcher removed his glasses, frowning at the blonde and replied, "We were going to find you, actually."

"Find me?" Buffy crossed a leg over her knee and shrugged. "Here I am. Found."

"B," Faith stepped around the Watcher, gaining Buffy's attention, "can we talk?"

Buffy gestured towards Faith to take the floor.

Shaking her head, Faith took a step closer to the vampiress and said in a hushed voice, "Alone."

Buffy released a heavy sigh and painted a tight-lipped smile across her face as she stood from the couch. She followed the Vampire Slayer out of the living room, down a narrow hallway and into the ground level bedroom.

Bedroom

Buffy entered the bedroom first.

Faith followed her inside and closed the bedroom door behind her watching.

Tossing her gaze around the dark bedroom curiously, Buffy turned to Faith when she was suddenly pounced by the Slayer in a fervent kiss.

Faith held Buffy's face between her hands and covered her mouth with her own, relieved that she was back from wherever she had been. The Vampire Slayer sought comfort in the blondes kiss but there was something off. Buffy was not kissing her back in the same way as she had in the cemetery only a few nights before.

Buffy wrapped her hands around the Vampire Slayer's wrists. "Hey," Buffy whispered with false concern.

"Sorry, I was freaking out." admitted Faith with slight embarrassment.

Buffy removed Faith's hands from holding her face and sidestepped away from the brunette, creating a small distance between them.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," said Buffy.

"Where've you been, B?"

Buffy shrugged. "Around."

"You just disappeared," said Faith, folding her arms across her chest.

"What? I took off." Buffy turned away to examine the bedroom they were in. She went to the dresser and fiddled with the various knick-knacks with interest.

Confused by Buffy's callousness, Faith dropped her arms at her sides. "But you didn't say anything. You just disappeared."

Buffy turned to Faith and leaned back against the dresser tossing her one time lover a sultry smile. "Yeah. Like I really wanted to stick around after that."

"What?" Faith's face fell.

"You got a lot to learn about fucking, kiddo. Although I guess you proved that the other night."

Faith took a small step towards Buffy, unsure if she was hearing any of this correctly. "B, what are you saying?"

Rolling her eyes, Buffy was bored with the conversation. "Let's not make a thing out of it, okay?" She lowered her gaze to inspect her manicured nails. "In fact, let's not talk about it at all." Buffy stood straight and pushed herself from the dresser with the intent of exiting the bedroom. "It happened."

Faith's hand launched out and grabbed Buffy by the elbow. "I don't understand. What are you saying, B? Was I not good? Did you not…?"

Buffy's beautiful face twisted with amusement as she laughed at the Slayer's obvious insecurities. "Oh, Faith, you were great. Really." She snidely smirked. "I thought you were a pro."

Insulted, Faith wanted to cry and scream in a fit of anger. "How can you say that? What's wrong with you?"

"Lighten up, Faith-y." Faith's eyes snapped to Buffy's face in realisation. "It was a good time. It doesn't mean we have to make a big deal about it."

"It is a big deal! B, what we did changes everything!"

"Everything? Faith, what did you expect? Bells ringing, fireworks, a dulcet choir of pretty little birdies?" Buffy laughed. "Come on, it's not like I've never been there before." She reached her hand out to touch Faith's face when the Slayer jerked back. Buffy pouted. "Should've known you couldn't handle it." Buffy stepped around the Vampire Slayer and opened the bedroom door.


Arriving back into the living room, Buffy looked around at the Scooby Gang with an ominous smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She headed to the front door as she said, "Hey, guys, I gotta go."

The room stared at the vampiress with surprise.

"Buffy," Giles began, "we really wanted to discuss something with you."

"You know what," Buffy picked up the flip phone sitting on a nearby table and held it up to the room, "if the apocalypse comes, ring me." She spun away on the heel of her designer boot.

Faith grabbed Buffy by her shoulder to whirl her back around. "Buf—" Buffy's powerful backhand launched Faith to the ground.

Faith winced and looked up at the vampiress. Her eyes were wide with horror as Buffy loomed over her. Her beautiful disguise was hidden by her demonic face. She wore a fanged-toothed smile.

Buffy grabbed the Slayer by her shoulders, forcing her back onto her feet and crushed her mouth against hers before shoving her away again.

"It's good to have the taste of a Slayer back in my mouth." Buffy laughed and kicked the brunette in the stomach, making her stay down on the floor. "No, please, don't get up." Buffy morphed back to her human features as she grinned.

"Don't do that!" Xander charged the vampire.

Without much effort, Buffy shoved the young man away. "Oh, I think I'll do that," said Buffy, moving towards Faith.

"Buffy…" Willow began to approach the vampire when Giles held out his arm to stop her.

"She's not Buffy anymore." Giles looked at Buffy. "Are you?"

Buffy stood straight and faced the Watcher, wearing girlish pout on her face. "Well, gee, Mister, if I'm not Buffy then who am I?"

"Oh, my God." Anya stared at the blonde, starstruck. She walked over to the vampire and curtsied as she took Buffy's hand in a vigorous handshake. "Lady Elizabeth, it's an honour. I'm truly a great admirer of yours. The Essex Massacre in sixteen-six—"

"—Ahn!" Xander shouted at his girlfriend with annoyance.

"What?" Anya turned to her boyfriend with confusion of the interruption.

Buffy rolled her eyes and returned her attention back to Faith. "You know, on my way over here, I came up with this whole big plan. I was really hoping Faith wouldn't be here."

"Why? 'Cause you're afraid of getting your ass kicked?" Faith asked, ignoring the shooting pain in her side as she stood back onto her feet.

"No," Buffy shook her head. "I wanted to send you a message."

Angrily, Faith glared at the vampire. "Here, I am. What's the message, B?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends." Her green eyes shifted around the room with a widening smile.

"What happened to you? There must be some part of you inside that still remembers who you are," said Faith.

"Dream on, college girl." Standing in Buffy's blind side, Giles quietly grabbed the crucifix nearest to him and slowly stepped around to sneak up behind the vampire as Faith distracted her. "Your girlfriend is dead. You're all gonna join her. Y'know, I really did miss Sunnydale. Nice climate, shopping malls… and people." She slowly exhaled an unneeded breath. "Billions of idiotic people walking around like Happy Meals with legs." Faith angrily attacks Buffy with a flying fist which was easily blocked. "But you know what really bothers me?" Buffy clenched her hand around the Slayer's throat. "You don't seem to be getting the big picture here, Faith." She shoved the Slayer away.

Faith regains her footing and charges the vampire.

They exchange blows, but Buffy, unaffected by the fight. She half heartedly blocked the Slayer's punches and kicks there were thrown at her in a fit of emotional rage.

Pushing the Slayer away from her, Buffy watched as Faith grabbed a stake on the table.

Buffy rolled her eyes with boredom. She begins to cross her arms when Giles shoves the cross into Buffy's face from behind.

Buffy reeled back with a growl and back hands the Watcher across the face, knocking him into Xander, and they collapsed to the ground.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Willow and Tara whispering together as they conjured up a spell. Buffy grabbed a nearby object and hurled at the witches, buying her enough time to escape before the spell could be resumed.

As she attempts to make her escape from the apartment, Faith grabs the vampiress by Buffy's leather coat, spinning her around.

Buffy clenched her hands around Faith's face, the vampire held her close. Faith inhaled a frightened breath.

"Things are about to get very interesting," whispered Buffy as she then crushed her mouth against Faith's in a violent kiss before shoving to the ground.

Faith watched as Buffy ran out of the apartment.

"Faith, you okay?" asked Xander, rushing to the Slayer's side.

Faith did not respond. All she could do was stare at the open front door as terror consumed her.

"Faith?"

Faith swallowed knowing that they were screwed. Their worst nightmare was back and she was back with a vengeance.

Crawford Street Mansion: Main Area

"Wow," Nina turned her eyes around the massive mansion as she and Angelus entered. "This place is amazing."

Angelus smirked, following her inside. "Yes, it is, isn't it?" He held his hands inside his front pockets.

"How'd you find it?" Nina turned to Angelus as she walked backwards, taking in the splendid grandeur of the massive and historic mansion.

"It's quite well-known around here," said Angelus. "But," he began as he reached her hand pulling her against his front, "there is one room that I want to show you. It's the best room in the place. It has vintage wines dating back to the eighteenth-century."

"Really?"

Angelus brushed his mouth over hers, as his fingers entangled with hers. "Is this something that you are interested in seeing?"

"Yes, please," she grinned, circling her arms around Angelus' neck and crushed her mouth to his in a passionate kiss.

Wine Cellar

Pressing down on the latch door handle of the heavy wooden door, Angelus pushed it open and gestured for his lover to enter into the cool and dark cellar first.

He smirked at her, giving her reassurance that all is well and that there was nothing to fear.

Excited, Nina stepped into the blackened room that smelled musty and damp.

Walking further into the pitch black room. "Is there a light?" asked Nina, focusing her eyes to use a bit of her werewolf genetics to see in the dark.

Angelus flicked the light switch on the wall lighting up the surprisingly large basement room.

Nina's blue eyes widened, taking in the walls of shelves covered in wine bottles, arranged neatly, their colourful tops gave the impression that they were shooting at you, if you looked long and hard enough. Against the corners of the large closet-like walls were barrels, most likely filled with wine.

In wonderment, Nina's gaze circled around the room until they landed on the blonde she recognised from the Bronze. She sat in a red velvet Victorian red chair with a leg over her knee.

There was a sinister look etched the beautiful blonde's features that startled the werewolf.

"What do we have here?" said Buffy, smirking up at her mate's lover.

"I brought you something, a ghrá (my love)," Angelus stepped up to Buffy, standing behind the chair.

Buffy let him take her hand. She watched as his cool lips brushed over her knuckles. "Bringing me gifts, how thoughtful."

Angelus smiled charmingly at the vampiress. "I have lost time to make up for." His fingers threaded between hers.

"W-what's going on here?" asked Nina, suddenly feeling uneasy. "Who is she, Angelus?"

"My mate," said Angelus, keeping his eyes on Buffy as he spoke. "We had a brief falling out."

Buffy returned his smile. "But we're working through it. Aren't we?" She looked up at him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Yes, we are." Angelus kissed the back of her hand. "We shall never part from one another again."

Buffy kept her eyes on her mate for a minute longer when she suddenly shifted her attention to the werewolf. "Now, what to do with you?" Buffy stood from the chair and crossed the short distance to her mate's lover.

As Buffy circled around the werewolf like a predator sizing up her pry, Buffy sneered with disgust. "Why is it that werewolves have such a distinct stench? Don't you dogs self-bathe or something? Isn't that like a thing?"

Nina looked over to Angelus, pleading for him to step in and save her. Angelus stood in the background with a dancing grin across his face.

Buffy followed Nina's gaze to Angelus and smiled, "Do you really think he's going to save you?" She asked the frightened werewolf. "Angel, what game have you been playing with this one? I don't understand what you see in her," Buffy said, reaching her hand out and tucked a piece of Nina's hair behind her ear.

"She's cute," said Angelus as he walked over to one of the barrels in the corner. He opened the lid and reached inside taking out long metal chains. "But not too bright, though. I liked giving her the puppy dog 'I'm all tortured' act." He laughed.

Buffy ran her eyes over the seemingly sweet looking girl her mate has been screwing. "You clearly have no style or fashion sense. You have just awful judgement in men because if you had a semblance of a brain then you would've realised quickly that there is nothing innocent and kitten-like about the man you've been sleeping with."

Nina lashed out and swung her arm to punch the powerful vampiress. Buffy caught Nina's fist and knocked it back into the werewolf's face.

Staggering back, Nina's back hit the hard brick wall behind her with a hunk.

Buffy approached the young woman and sought out her vengeance for Nina's relationship with her mate. She hits Nina with a roundhouse punch with her right fist, sending her spinning.

Nina rolls to her feet and kicks Buffy in the face.

Catching her footing, Buffy touched the bit of blood at the corner of her mouth and looked at Nina. The smile that slid across the vampire's face made Nina uneasy. She seemed to take great amusement that Nina was beginning to fight back.

"Time's up," said Nina morphs into a werewolf and growls. She bared her teeth at vampiress. She leaps into the air, toppling Buffy to the ground. They start to wrestle on the floor.

Angelus crossed his arms over his chest and licked his lips. "I've missed watching this."

Nina tries to bite Buffy, but she is kicked away.

Nina scrambles to her feet just as Buffy backhand punches the werewolf then jumps into a roundhouse kick followed by a backhand fist right into the werewolf's face, sending her flying back onto the ground.

"When you look back at this, in the three seconds it'll take to chain you to my wall," Buffy calmly walked over to the injured werewolf. "I think you'll find the mistake was touching what's mine."

The werewolf gets back up and growls at Buffy with an angry snarl.

Angelus appeared behind the werewolf and wrapped the heavy link chain around Nina's neck forcing her to stay down. With his heavy boot, Angelus stomached on the werewolf's neck, knocking her unconscious.

The werewolf morphed back to her human disguise.

Buffy picked the lint off of her black shirt as Angelus tossed the heavy chain up to a large hanging hook. Angelus finished tying the werewolf's claw-like hands together over its head and pulled the long chain, lifting Nina from the ground.

"Oh, wait," said Buffy, walking over to the shelves of wine and torture devices. She carefully looked over the tools at her disposal.

After a minute, Buffy picked up a metal circle with ten rusty iron spikes.

She walked over to Angelus standing at the wall with Nina and unlatched the thick iron lock that closed the torture device and wrapped it around the werewolf's neck.

"Wake up!" Buffy clapped her hands together in Nina's face startling her awake. "I need you awake." Nina started to nod off when Buffy slapped the werewolf's cheek. "Be a good puppy," commanded Buffy as she fixed the device around Nina's neck. "This is a test of your stamina, puppy. So, you will not be sleeping or eating for some time."

Nina tried to break free of the chains.

"Heel, puppy," Buffy flicked the tip of Nina's nose.

"I forgot that we had this," Angelus said, checking the tightness of the neck torture device around Nina's neck. The vampire ran the back of finger along Nina's jaw and smirked. "We mustn't live in the past, especially with the future you have ahead." He dropped his hand and the hinting smile dancing on his face dropped.

Buffy folded her arms across her chest and watched as Angelus raised the werewolf up higher off of the ground.

Crying out in pain and in fear, Nina begged for someone to rescue her.

Grabbing the wooden pole propped against the wall, Buffy poked up to the cage hanging all the way up to the ceiling. "Darla, don't be rude, welcome our new guest." She knocked on the cage. "Be a good girl and I'll give you a treat."

Darla yelped with pain and screeched, unable to form words.

"Buf," Angelus extended his hand out for her to take.

Buffy turned her head to Angelus and put the pole back to where she had found it. She faced him wearing a soft smile across her face. She took his extended hand and let him pull her towards him.

She hugged herself into his side and closed her eyes as his lips pressed to the top of her head. Buffy lifted her chin upwards to look at him. Her green eyes fell to his slanted mouth and watched with anticipation as he lowered his head, capturing her mouth into a searing and passionate kiss.