Title: Standing On Your Own

Author: Hope

Rating: PG-13

Summary: When a demon kills everyone the slayer loves, she falls deep into depression: No will to live, no will to fight. Because her heart is no longer in slaying, the PTB send back a certain blonde vampire to help get her back on track.....

A/N Please review!!!

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It was almost nightfall when Buffy decided to head back into her room to check on Faith. The girl was still bound to the bed, scowling. Her wrists were red and her hands ad a slight purplish tint to them. Idiot. She had fought with the restraints and only managed to tightened them and cut off her circulation. Oh yes, Buffy was beginning to remember how Faith never felt the need to think before she acted. She shook her head at the girl and headed over to her dresser. She could feel Faith's cold eyes glaring at her as she shuffled through the drawers, producing an old black tank top. She headed to her closet. Pulling some worn jeans from a hanger and bunching them together with the shirt, she threw both garments on the foot of the bed. Faith watched her with angry eyes as she untied her wrists, her face remaining stonic.

"Get changed and get downstairs. You can eat and then go patrolling with us." Buffy said flatly as she turned to exit, leaving Faith rubbing her wrists as she sat up.

"What am I, B? Your new pet? I don't think so…." She spat at the retreating girl, glaring.

Buffy halted and turned slowly. Her voice was chilling, commanding. "No, you're a guest in this house and as long as you're here you will do as I say. Unless of course you'd prefer I let you go back to being your usual 'independent' self so you can get your sorry ass locked up again. I am not here to babysit you, Faith, try anything and even if I can't bring myself to kill you, you can be sure as hell Spike won't hesitate to snap your neck. Get dressed, we're leaving in twenty minutes." She gave the scowling girl one last look before marching out the door and heading downstairs. There was no way she was going to put up with that girl's shit, not a chance in hell.

"So, lil Priss Bitch Slayer in a better mood?" Spike asked, standing from the couch as Buffy entered the living room. He looped his thumbs through his pockets and stood there, looking the picture of innocence.

How the hell could a psychotic, chaotic, kill-crazy demon be capable of doing that?

Easy, he wasn't as psychotic….or chaotic…or kill-crazy as he used to be, well, at least when it came to humans. He still had a passion for whooping demons. But he was still a demon, wasn't he? A very human demon…..

"Well?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at the girl. She was just standing there, staring at him, seeming to be lost in thought.

"Huh? Oh, right. Sorry." She rambled, shaking her head. "Right, Faith. No better mood there, she's still running for the Bitch of the Year Award."

"Well then, she's got some fierce competition, ey?" He replied, smirking.

Her eyes went wide. "I am so no as bitchy as her." She crossed her arms over her chest, her nostrils flaring as his smirk transformed into a grin.

"Pretty damn close." He muttered.

"Am not!" She screeched, dropping her arms to the side. How dare anyone compare her to Faith.

"Are too, look at you now. You're being loud and your face is turning all red." He pointed out and continued to grin, quite amused. He missed being able to pick on the girl. It was one of his favorite pastimes.

"I am not all red. I'm not bitchy. And I am not loud!!!"

"Bitchy much?" Buffy turned at the sound of Faith's voice to find her walking down the stairs, giving her a strange look. She could hear Spike trying to keep from laughing behind her and turned to face him.

"Shut up before I dust you. Now let's go." She ground out, grabbing his shirt and dragging him out the front door. Faith began to follow.

"I thought I was getting food before we left?!" She shouted, closing the door and following after the pair.

"You can get a stupid hamburger….." Buffy spat as she released Spike. He fell into step next to her, keeping up with her quick pace as Faith continued to walk behind them.

"S'matter, luv?" He asked, smirking. She glared and kept walking. "Oh, come off it you little gnat. I was playing, you know that." He grinned as he threw his arm over her shoulder. "You forgot your coat." He pointed out, noticing that for once the girl wasn't drowning in his duster. She glanced down at her outfit, her face softening. She wasn't wearing it, was she? This was the first time since…well, that day, that she had left her house without wearing it. It was sort of like a security blanket, she supposed. It had made her feel safe, almost like he was there with her.

Almost.

But she didn't need that now, did she? She had Live-N-Kicking Spike now…………… well, at least Kicking…..

"Yeah, I guess I did…" She muttered, looking back up at him. She seemed to have completely forgotten about her anger and instead was focusing on how she actually felt safe. Hell, she even had Faith walking behind her and she felt safe. She was probably preparing to bury a blade in the back of her head or something, but that didn't matter, she had someone with her who loved her. It had been so long since she had that, someone to care whether she was alive or dead. He was smiling at her but it faded as her eyes filled with tears. She didn't deserve his love. He had died to get her out of that house after she had failed to save her friends, her sister…. He tried to save Dawn, all while she sat and watched Willow and Xander's lifeless forms. Some friend, some sister…

"Buffy?" Buffy turned her head to look back at Faith. The dark haired girl nodded her head to the side, motioning to The Double Meat Palace. "Food, remember? Haven't eaten in almost a day."

"Oh, right, sorry…" Faith's face scrunched up. Buffy wasn't being her usual fiery self for once.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Now it was Buffy's turn to be confused. Faith was actually showing a hint of concern for someone other than herself?  "….thanks."

"Whatever…" Faith muttered, feeling awkward. Civilized conversation and Buffy didn't mix. "I'll be back." She started to walk towards the building, but halted. She turned back to Buffy, smirking. "Money?"

"Oh, right." Buffy mumbled. She craned her neck, peering through the window. "Evlyn's working. Just tell her you're friends with me, she'll give you a few burgers or something." Faith gave her a weird look and shook her head before walking back towards the building. So the Buffster was hanging out with burger junkies now, aye? Tidbits of info like this were just priceless.

"You're not okay." Buffy's head snapped back to Spike as he spoke. She had almost completely forgotten he was there, despite the fact that his arm was still draped across her shoulder.

"I'm fine…" She mumbled, trying to sound convincing.

"No you're not." He said knowingly, waiting patiently for her to tell him what was wrong. That was another thing he had learned from her, patience. He had never been patient before he met her. Always 'get it done and get it done fast.' But lately he had learned he was better not to rush the blonde, especially considering the mental state she was in. Who could blame her though? She had been through so much in such a short time, seen so much more pain and suffering than most people could only imagine.

She let out a defeated sigh and cuddled up against him. "I'm cold."

"Vampire luv, no body heat. I won't very much keep you warm." He said, grinning.

"Yes you will." She said simply and quietly, not moving.

*****

"You failed to recover the Slayer." The grayed haired man said sternly, looking crossly at the young woman sitting across from him.

"The other slayer interfered." Lily answered flatly.

"Summers?"

"Yes."

"Interesting. That girl is a strange one, she is. Becoming a nuisence if you ask me." He said, a cold smirk crossing his features as he leaned back in his chair. "And the vampire assisted her?"

"Yes, Mr. Travors."

"We'll just have to take care of them then, won't we?"

"Are you suggesting we kill them?" Lilly inquired. The idea was completely absurd…..yet very tempting.

"Of course not. The Council would never put the blood of one of their own slayer's on their hands. We'll take care of the Summers girl and her vampire. Then we'll take care of Faith. I think it's about time a new slayer was called, for these two have become a bit too open minded for my tastes, agreed?"

"What do you have in mind?" Lily asked, smiling just as coldly. This was very intriguing……