It's almost as if he was sleeping, but he's not. He's been in a coma for just over three days. The doc says he should come out of it in the next couple of hours when he first arrived… or least that is what they hope… but still he hadn't awoken.

He got pretty much banged up by the preacher guy. He very nearly had his eye tore out of him if it hadn't been for me throwing myself at the preacher. I managed to drag him out of here a super concussion and a bad bruises. Not surprising he got beaten up, the preacher was one tough son of bitch and Xander always did have more balls than brains. God, I swear if he wakes up, I am going to beat him for death for ever stressing me out like this. I can't bare to be away from him, haven't eaten anything and can't close my eyes without seeing him crumbled on the ground.

So here we are. In an hospital room with Xander laying on a bed, and I'm running my fingers through his dark hair. B had come by earlier all business and general like said I was needed back at her house with the troops, but I am not going anywhere. I don't care about anything or anyone at this moment. The whole world could be burning outside this room and I won't even bother to look up. My world is hanging by a thread before my eyes so who cares about anyone else's.

"Faith we need you back at house!" Buffy demands. "Willow has some paperwork on Caleb from the police and I need you to help go through it!"

"Go to hell B!" Comes my short reply. "You know I have never been good with the books." Technically that was a lie. True in Sunnydale I couldn't care about looking at research pile of books let alone start reading them. But since me and Xand started doing our dynamic duo routine in Alaska and since studying to become a guide I have dramatically improved my relationship with a study session and a research party… but I am not leaving my man's side for anything.

"Faith if you are worrying about leaving Xander alone I can get Dawn or maybe spare Willow to come and stay with him." Buffy suggested before adding "I know it's tough Faith, but I need to know that these girls are gonna be safe when I'm not around." I had to fight the urge to punch her. Here was one of her oldest friends lying on a hospital bed, a man who brought her back to life and she had barely shed a tear and was still playing general suggesting she will order other people around to watch him.

"You need to leave B before I put you in the ICU ward down the hall!" I snapped. "I am not leaving him, and I can barely look at you after what you did!"

Buffy frowned, "what are you talking about?" Typical B to be so far up her own ass to see what damaged she caused.

"He is here on the hospital bed because he followed your orders and led us to a trap in vineyard." I growled angrily standing up. B had led them like lambs to the slaughter and Xander, Rona, Amanda and Molly had paid the price.

B stammered and looked briefly ashamed before her face harden again. I could tell that her hardened almost emotionless face was almost second nature to her know. "I seem to recall walking in without a plan was your style back in the day." She sneered. Back with Faith was reckless and Buffy the perfect slayer. Back when Faith was stuck in a motel.

"So, what this is my fault now?" I growled standing up. B had better choose her next words carefully.

"No, it's not! It's just…" Buffy sighed gritting her teeth. "Look we don't have time for this! I need you back with the girls! We are this close everyone is working flat out to beat this thing and you are sitting here on the side lines!"

It took all my control not to throw a punch at B. All the self-restraint that I had built up over the years with Xander was threatening to crumble. "It's all so easy for you, isn't it B? Here in Sunnydale, everyone trips over themselves to kiss your ring." I closed my eyes and sank back down in my seat taking Xander's hand. "I'm not leaving him Buffy. You couldn't even drag me away."

Clearly seeing it was a lose cause Buffy simply left soon after and I was back to looking at Xander and waiting for him to wake up. Biting back a tear I squeezed Xander's hand and kissed it, "Just wake up Xander. That's all, just wake up. I need you." She whispered.

There was no reply.

XXXXXXX

"No! This isn't going to happen!" Faith said rising to her feet and rushing away from Xander. He followed her into the bedroom where she started throwing some things in a bag.

"Faith calm down!" Xander told her.

"It's got to be like this X!" Faith said as she continued stuffing some items into a bag. Moving to a pair of her boots and digging inside one she produced a wad of cash which she stuff into her back pocket.

"You can't leave!" Xander said alarmed.

"Watch me!" She muttered grabbing her bag and pushing him out of the way.

"Where are you going to go?" Xander asked her following her.

"Somewhere, anywhere doesn't matter." Faith said moving out of the front door. He was glad that Leon and Jackie the kind couple they where staying with didn't have to see this.

"Faith I can help seriously don't do this!" Xander grabbed her arm but she shook him off and spun around angry.

"Wake up Xander!" Faith growled. "You had what G said. Council team knows I am here, and they are on their way. We are blown! I got to run! I don't have a choice!"

"No, you do! You can stay here, and we can stop them!" Xander practically yelled back at her. "Here I can help you, if you leave now you will be dealing with them alone!"

"Are you stupid? You heard how Giles described them. They aren't stuffy little old men you have round for tea and biscuits! They are black ops. Off the books killers and I hardly think they are going to scared by the likes of you!" Faith fired back.

"Then I will make them scared!" Xander said stepping forward. "I don't care about them or anyone else. You came here all the way out here to find me well now you are stuck with me! You don't get to decide to drop me when you feel like it or when it gets a little rough. I'm like that stain on your shirt I don't go away! If they are coming for you then they are going to deal with me! Now if that means you use me as a human shield I don't care so long as you involve me!"

Faith looked at him. Boy she sure could pick him. Here was a guy, an average looking guy who she had travelled across America for just to hand over a book he left with her. She had done so because she cared for him or simply that she wanted to see him. She still couldn't work out why but when she saw him after so many months, she knew she had made the right decision. Now after a few weeks of hanging around each other here in Alaska some men were coming to take her away or more likely kill her. And damn him he wouldn't let her deal with it on her own. He had to be so stupidly noble, so annoyingly heroic and so frustratingly caring.

"Please Faith," Xander said softly taking another step towards her. "You don't have to go through this alone… let me help you."

She looked at him and nodded dropping the bag grabbing him and pulling him into a hug.

XXXXXXX

"…we tried talking to Buffy… tired to get her to understand that she needed to focus… to listen to us… I am afraid it did not go well." Giles sighed looking ashamed.

Jeez things were spiralling out of control. B typically didn't like chats when she felt she was being under attacked and the Scoobies bless them were never good at simply getting to the point. Stir in the end of the world and you have a recipe for the disaster Faith mused from her hospital chair. She had seemingly missed the invention at the Summers home as she still refused to leave Xander's side.

"Buffy has gone now… we are not sure where… but it is for the best I feel." Giles said chewing his glasses.

Why was he here? Faith wondered I mean it is nice she is being kept in the loop… Oh no! He can't be serious! Please god tell me this isn't about to happen?!

"You are second in line… I feel it is only natural for you to take charge…" Giles said and it Faith blinked staring at him like he had just asked for her hand in marriage. What the hell was this town? And where were all the sane people? Had she fallen into an alternate reality? Xander once told her about some reality where he was a vampire and the Master some vampire lord who Buffy killed was in power. Had the same thing happened to her? Buffy the saviour of Sunnydale, the centre of the Scoobies had found the entire house was against her and they had kicked her out. Now they wanted to thrust the leadership gig on Faith's shoulders. It was unbelievable so Faith reacted in a way she only could in this situation.

She laughed.

She let out a loose kind of crazy chuckle which Giles could not help but stare at her as if she had lost her mind. After managing to slow down and catch a grin she couldn't help but stare back at him with a grin.

"Are you serious?" She asked him.

"I assure you I am." Giles stated, and Faith couldn't help but shake her head. God they must be desperate and freaked out there if sending the old man to ask her to lead them!

"Giles," Faith started turning back to face him. "I got my man over there lying in a coma. The doctors told me he would wake up soon, but he hasn't… Now if you hadn't noticed the doctors are all gone. Even they fled from this place. A couple even offered to give me a ride. I had B yesterday ask me to come back to house and help and I am going to tell you the same thing I told her… go to hell."

"Faith please…" Giles began but Faith cut him off.

"You are as bad as her!" Faith shouted at him. "Expecting me to walk away and just leave him lying here! Expecting me to lead the girls and save the world! You don't understand he is my world! He is the only thing I care about! So, I am sorry for being selfish and a bitch right now, but I don't care about anything that is going on right now! About your little power struggles! About the First! About all of it!"

Faith moved to sit down on the chair next to Xander's bed where the young man lay.

"I am sitting right here unless he wakes up. If the world ends…" Faith turned to the window where the moonlight dominated now that the power was out. "… then we will have a nice view." She said sadly.

Giles frowned and found himself unable to say anything. He had kept in contract with Xander and Faith over the years. Proud of both of their accomplishments, proud of the life they had built and proud to see them grow as people. He still found himself rather surprised. That the young immature man he knew had managed to become someone so important to another. He felt like an utter bastard for wanting to drag Faith away from Xander's side, but things were now at their worse. She seemed so small and younger than her years at the moment. A young girl who was terrified at the very idea of losing the boy she loved.

Moving forward and deciding he would try maybe tomorrow and give her the night to think about it Giles put a fatherly hand on Faith's shoulder. "He will come through this." Giles said softly.

"He better otherwise I will kick his ass," Faith replied looking at Xander's form on the bed.

"Xander has always been quite… stubborn." Faith snorted at Giles's remark. "He will recover from this I promise."

Faith felt her eyes watering and bit her lip. "It wasn't supposed to be like this." She found herself crying. "We were supposed to help, survive this shit, beat the apocalypse and make up with B and Red if not during, then after this fight. That's honestly what I wanted for him… for us. I know I have responsibilities and I should be helping more, and I know if Xander was awake he would telling me to do so but I can't function… it feels like I'm empty. I know if I leave this room it will only be to find that Preacher and beat him until there is nothing left! I can't lead cause it will be suicidal as getting revenge will be only thing, I care about… I just can't do it… I am hanging by a thread as it is."

"I understand," Giles said soothingly vowing not to ask her to lead again. "You are stronger than you know Faith. Xander will recover and you are doing fine as you are. Do not worry."

Giles departed soon after and left her alone in the hospital room staring at Xander.

"I'd say better than fine. I'd say you're doing a bang-up job." Faith spun around only to see The Mayor standing behind her.

"Get out." Faith said flatly.

The Mayor/The First laughed "Well, gosh!" He smiled at her. "I think, you know, a "hello" or a "nice to see you" might be a little more welcome. It's the end of humanity, Faith," he shook his head like a disappointed teacher. "Not the end of courtesy."

"You're wasting your time. I know who you are, what you are." Faith replied. That's it keep up the façade Faith she told herself. She couldn't physically attack what was before her so calm, cool, and in control would be her weapons for this conversation.

The Mayor/ The First nodded sensing her inner struggle. "Yeah. Yeah. Nobody's explained to you how this works, have they?" He asked as he paced passed her. "You see... I am part of the First, as you kids call it, but I'm also me, Richard Wilkins III, late mayor and founder of Sunnydale. Here. I'll prove it to you. Ask me a question only I know the answer to. Something like..." He laughed as if recalling a fact himself. "Where did I hide the moon pies in my office? Or... who was my favourite character in little women? Meg." He laughed playfully. "I know. I know. Most people guess Beth, but Meg, she's such a proper young lady. Remember when Jo burned her hair?"

"I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work." Faith rolled her eyes before leaning back in her chair. "But feel free to keep talking, cause, hell, I could listen to you yap all night." It would beat spending another night alone worrying about Xander.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Language!" The Mayor/First protested. "You are in a hospital! You keep throwing the "h-e-double hockey sticks" around, pretty soon, that will be last thing this poor soul hears when he finally gives up and dies!"

"You let me worry about the him." Faith growled really wishing she could punch this thing.

The Mayor/The First nodded "Of course. Of course. You're doing a great job with that, by the way. Much better than Buffy ever did. Buffy well she would always worry but then she would recharge and then kill whatever unstoppable monster she had to face… guess they don't build slayers like they used to." He finished looking at her unimpressed.

Faith's jaw tighten. Same old salt being poured into open wounds and yet it still stung. Being compared to B and coming out second best. Maybe it was a good thing that Faith hadn't been around when the group were kicking her out because both she and Buffy knew that if push came to shove, Buffy could take her down. She'd done it before and could do it again.

"Why are you pretending to be someone else." The Mayor/ The First continued. "You're a killer Faith. That is what Buffy will always see you as, not as a person. All she needs is an excuse and she'll finish what she started when she stuck that knife in your belly. Do you think any of them will stop her? You took him away. Their beating heart and for what? The promises of your flesh? You think deep down he cares about you like he does her? He went to down to face the Master for her. He nearly died for her… think he would do it for you, Faith?" It asked her.

"I know he would," came Faith's quiet response.

XXXXXXXXX

"We should just take her now." Weatherby's voice came on the comms and Collins rolled his eyes. Weatherby could be eager to the point of fanatical when it came to some of their missions.

"Witnesses remember. Witnesses. Do you want this to be another 'Milan' incident?" Collins replied back on comms and was met silence being Weatherby's reply. Collins looked to the direction where Weatherby was monitoring and could just make out a shrug. Turning back to the bar he brought his comm back his mouth. "Smith you still got a clear view in there?"

"Yeah, she's all over some trucker… no sign of kid she was meant to have hooked up with." Smith whispered from his table inside the bar. Taking a seat in the corner Smith had a clear view of the brunette slayer who was teasing and very clearly flirting with some biker by the pool table. She enjoying the attention, so it seemed wiggling her ass while taking a shot. God could she be any more of a slut?!

"Well, her profile did mentioned she wasn't one to hang around guess she got bored of the kid." Collins mused on the comms. The kid might be nursing a broken heart but at least he would live.

"Works out better for us she and the trucker will leave to do their thing and then we will do ours." Weatherby added.

Then Weatherby and Collins heard a sharp intake of breath on the comms almost in shock and his voice came on the comms. "She is looking right at me," he hissed.

"What?" Collins questioned.

"She is looking right at m-." His voice was cut off and from his position Collins could hear some noise and commotion now coming from the bar across the street. A second later Faith, the slayer they were here to capture came bursting out from the front door. She ran to the right of bar past some trucks in the parking lot.

Collins who had been by a payphone ran across the street as from inside the van he had been sitting in Weatherby gunned the engine burning the tires as he moved away from his position. Smith came stumbling out of the bar holding his head which was now bleeding.

"What happened?" Collins yelled reaching Smith.

"She threw a pool ball at me!" He wailed in a state of shock.

"Get it!" Weatherby yelled as he screeched up to his colleagues his eyes on Faith the whole time who was sprinting down the street moving away from the bar that was out in the middle of nowhere. Collins and Smith jumped into the van and Weatherby took off in pursuit. Faith moved quickly at Slayer speeds, but the van began to pick up speed closing the gap. Faith moved off the road and over a fence into a forest.

"There!" Collins yelled at Weatherby spotting a dirt road leading in the same direction of Faith's escape. Weatherby spun the van into the road causing Smith to crash against the van's wall but no one spared him a glance as they raced down it keeping an eye on Faith as she moved through the trees. However, she disappeared from view as the forest got thicker.

"Stop I've lost her!" yelled Collins and Weatherby slammed the brakes immediately bringing the van to a halt. The trio of men got out from the van all eyes on the direction that Faith had disappeared in. "She is in there somewhere," Collins said to his men pulling out his gun from his jacket while holding a touch. "Spread out but keep on comms." He ordered and the men moved forward into the thick forest.

Weatherby moved over some broken tree branches carefully as he scanned the area. Bollocks to this slayer for making him go hunt for her in some forest after driving across America to find her. She had made a mockery of her calling and of the Watchers Council. He decided then and there that when they captured the slayer that she would suffer some 'accident' while in transport and arrive in England a corpse. He doubted the higher ups would shed a tear nor do a meaningful investigation. Weatherby spun to his left as he heard a noise. Moving carefully in that direction coming to a clearing he scanned the area moving his touch to the shadows. A noise came from behind in and he spun round his gun ready to find Smith.

"Don't shoot!" Squealed Smith ducking from Weatherby's gun.

"Shut up you bastard!" Swore Weatherby lowering his gun. Smith straighten back up looking around nervously.

"I caught a glimpse of her moving towards here… she must be close." Smith said nervously.

"Closer than you think!" Faith replied coming from behind some trees holding her hands up clearly.

Both men spun around weapons ready pointing at the girl. "Bad move little girl," Weatherby sneered at her.

"No good move… for you I'm offering you a chance to walk away." Faith said calmly despite the guns pointing at her. "Walk away and don't come after me again."

Smith looked at Weatherby nervously who just laughed. "Silly girl," he laughed. "I don't care how powerful you think you are slayer." Weatherby spat the last word as if it was poison. "No punch that you throw is fast enough for a speeding bullet." He declared clocking his gun at her.

"True which is why I brought my own," Faith replied and made a fist with her right hand. Suddenly gunshots landed close to Weatherby and Smith's feet. The two of them looked startled and moved around in every direction looking for the shooter. Faith remained still merely opening her hand again and the shooting stopped after a couple of shots, a clear warning.

"What the hell!" Smith yelled looking around in horror while Weatherby cursed at being led into a trap.

"That's my back up there," Faith declared, and the two men slowly looked back at her. "He freely admits he isn't the best shot so for all we know that is him aiming at your head. Still if you want to run that risk that is on you. Me? I would say to myself 'I have a nasty slayer and now a shooter… I think its time to go back to jolly old England'."

From his vantage point on the hill Xander looked into the scope waiting for Faith to send him another signal to open fire again. He silently thanked Leon for letting him use his hunting rifle again no questions asked. Lying flat on a hill overlooking the clearing that Faith had led the men to he had a good view of what was happening. So, focused on what was happening down in the clearing he didn't hear the movement behind him until he felt a gun against his cheek.

"Nice try kid but sloppy always establish how many you are up against before opening fire," Collins declared, and he gestured to Xander to get to his feet. Xander did so slowly cursing his rotten luck. He was so sure that this was going to work.

"Look you don't have to do this!" Xander implored holding his hands up in the air. "You can- "

"Save it son," Collins cut him off rather dismissively holding his gun steady at Xander. "I am one of ones who argued with the bureaucrats in the council that she should have smothered with a pillow while she was in a coma. So, no sob story you tell me now is going to make any difference to me."

"You son of bitch," Xander spat out only to have Collins raise his gun to his head.

"Careful kid," Collins warned him. "The only reason why I don't shoot you is because you are the one who split the slayerline… you be surprised how many watchers back at HQ are impressed with that. But it's only bought you so much credit." He moved his radio to his mouth. "You can relax I have the shooter."

Faith's eyes widened as she picked up the message that Collins had just passed to Weatherby and Smith. Her eyes darted to the hill she knew Xander had taken positioned at and she could just make out two figures. She looked back at where Smith and Weatherby were now standing straighter and for smugger than they had been before. "Aww too bad!" Weatherby mocked before shaking his head at Smith who had pulled out a syringe from his jacket. "Forget the tranquilizer you muppet! I'm not letting this disgrace of a slayer give some sob story to the soft old relics on the council! I'm taking her out now!" He said raising his gun.

Faith darted as Weatherby fired gun at her. She moved fast dodging round to kick his gun out of his hand. She spun and threw a punch at Smith's direction who cried out as it connected with his head dropping both the gun and syringe. Wetherby used this opening to punch Faith's ribs and drove his foot in her back. Faith stumbled and Smith grabbed her and tackled Faith to the ground. Faith pushed him off her and quickly threw herself at Weatherby just as he was picking up his gun on the ground. They rolled on the ground Faith landing on top and slamming Weatherby to the ground knocking the wind out of him.

"Shoot her!" He croaked out and Faith only to see Smith inches away from her with the syringe. Her quick reflexes caused her hand to shoot out grabbing Smith's. Ignoring him crying out in pain she brought his hand and the syringe slamming it into Weatherby. His eyes went wide in shock as he looked down and saw the syringe sticking out of his chest. "I said… forget the tranquilizer… you git…" he muttered before succumbing to the effects of the tranquilizer.

Faith duly slammed her head against Smith's knocking him out and he fell to ground next to Weatherby. Getting back up to her feet she heard a gunshot coming from the hill Xander was on. Faith felt a chill run down her spine. Oh no she thought please no! She took off running towards where he was her mind racing with the possibilities of what might have happened. She should have left him, refused his help and faced these guys on her own. She moved quicker getting desperate. Rushing out of some bushes she stopped dead in her tracks.

Xander was standing there facing her. The body of Collins the council agent lying on the floor. Xander was holding his gun, looking startled and white as a sheet breathing a little heavily but just a little defiant.

"When the shooting starting down there," he gestured to the clearing where Faith had been moments before speaking almost like in a trance. "He glanced slightly in that direction… I just moved forward and grabbed the gun… I think… plan it… just acted… we grappled for the gun and it just went off."

Faith stood there wide eyed. He had killed a man for her. She felt agitated and slightly sick. He shot someone. A person. Not a vampire, demon...she paused in her thoughts... for me. What was she doing? Changing him into a killer like her? Corrupting him? Destroying who he was?

Xander coming out of his daze to sense what she was feeling. He dropped the gun as if it was fire and looked straight at her. "I had to stop that guy," he whispered. "No one hurts any one of my girls."