Tense. One word to sum up the atmosphere in Rupert Giles' apartment. Giles himself was in his study, researching something old and obscure which would probably come of no use at all. Faith paced the floor, fists clenched tightly by her sides, her arms rigid. Riley sat on the sofa gingerly, trying not to aggravate his injuries.

Willow and Tara huddled on the other couch, holding each other close. Doyle and Xander lay flat on the floor, nursing hangovers. Gunn had left with Dannielle, to go get more food and some stuff.

Faith was glad the other Slayer was gone. Sincerely speaking, Dannielle got on her nerves. Part of Faith's frustration was the fact that Buffy's safety was circumspect, that Xander- the only person she had learned to rely on besides herself- was in no condition to help out much, that Dannielle was… what was Dannielle doing?

Faith didn't know why Dannielle rubbed her nerves the wrong way. She just didn't like the girl and there was some hidden reason behind it, a reason that refused to make itself known to her and make her life that much easier. Faith growled, deep in her throat and turned about on her heel, walking briskly towards Giles' study.

" Hey, G," she greeted, not bothering to knock. Giles was staring down at a page, and by the way his eyes were glazed over, Faith could tell that he hadn't been reading.

" Faith," he spared her a glance and a mumbled reply, returning his gaze to the yellowed parchment of the book. Faith leaned on the doorjamb, folding her arms across her chest. She knew how far his territory extended and one step closer would bring the Watcher on battle ready alert.

" How you holding up, G?"

He seemed surprised by her persistence and searched for an appropriate answer. He gave up and decided on not looking at her and mumbling a vague, " I'm fine,"

Faith cocked a perfect eyebrow, exuding waves of disbelief. " C'mon, Giles, you gotta do better than that. You're not doing good at all,"

She shifted her stance, straightening her body and arms. Mistake. It made his instincts flare up and he automatically thought she was looking for a fight.

His head snapped up to focus on her, eyes blazing. " And what would it matter to you, Faith? You want to rub it in and tell me that Buffy is probably dead? You think I don't already bloody know that?"

His voice never raised above a harsh whisper, but the intensity in his tone was enough to convey his anger. Faith frowned at this sudden outburst, a side of Giles she had never seen before. Instead of retreating like others would normally have done, Faith instead took a step forward, eyes blazing with her own brand of headstrong fury.

" Shit, Giles, if you think I would sink that low, then I gotta say that you're one sorry motherfucker," she snarled, face twisting in a sneer. " I care about Buffy, no matter what you guys think. I don't wanna see her dead anymore than you do,"

" If you did care about her, why did you run off last night, when she bloody needed you?" Giles shot back, raging to his feet.

" Cause I care about Xander more! And I never want to see him hurt, by Buffy or by anybody else!" Faith closed down on the gap between them, till they were mere inches apart. " And how the fuck was I supposed to know they were gonna attack the shop that night? I ain't no psychic!"

" You're the Slayer, you're supposed to be prepared for these things!"

" Well, you're the Watcher, aren't you supposed to be prepared more? Aren't you supposed to take care of your Slayer?"

" I tried my best! You didn't do anything!"

" I had my own shit to deal with! In case it slipped your mind, I got boosted too remember?"

The volume of their voices quickly rose and the cordial conversation had become an enraged shouting match. The others outside looked on curiously, from the safety of distance. Only Xander dared to walk closer to the study and peer inside the room itself.

" And you didn't deal with that too well, either!"

" What the fuck do you want from me!" Faith screamed back into his face. " I'm just one girl!"

" You're not half the Slayer Buffy is!"

Faith recoiled backwards as if she had been physically slapped. " That was low, G. That was…," she trailed off and ran from the room and the apartment, slamming the door closed behind her. Giles looked deflated, and shocked at his words. The accusing stare Xander gave him was doubly worse and he fell into his chair in a disbelieved horror.

++++++

Buffy lifted her head blindly, ears pricked. She hated this. She was blind, mute and deaf, totally cut off from her senses. Her hands had gone numb from the tight hold of the chains and her mind had gone foggy from breathing all the stale air in the cavern. She wondered how they could tolerate prison. She tried to speak, but only more mumbles came out.

" Shh, it's me,"

Buffy didn't recognize the voice, but she could place the accent. Someone pulled away the gag, allowing her to speak. " Who are you?"

Hands were on her face, pulling away the blindfold. She saw the grinning face of the stranger, his darting grey eyes and the spiky brown hair. " My name's Kaine. I'm here to help,"

He looked at the chains on her and frowned. " Pull away from the wall as far as you can,"

She strained against the bonds, but only managed about an inch or so of space. " I can't go anymore,"

" Good enough," Kaine replied, rising to his feet. " Hold still,"

He drew his sword and chopped down at the chains and sheathed the blade, all in one smooth motion. The thick, heavy metal links had been wrapped around her torso three times, but Kaine's blade severed all three like they were paper. There was a sharp ringing sound, echoing hollowly in the immense cavern. Only now did Buffy realize how big the chamber was, although she still couldn't see very well.

There was a sudden shout from outside, sounding very far away. The sound of running feet followed. " Oops," Kaine said, grin growing wider. He held a hand out to Buffy and pulled her to her feet. She was shaky and would have fallen if Kaine hadn't been holding her up. Her hand strayed to his chest, covered only in the leathery material of his suit. The muscles jumped underneath her touch and her hand lingered.

" Can you climb?"

" What?" she replied, frowning. Kaine pointed up, to an adjacent wall. She couldn't see anything but darkness. " I can't see anything,"

Kaine cursed under his breath. Suddenly the dim light from the doorway at the other end was blocked as several vampires charged into the chamber. Kaine cursed louder. "Can you fight?"

" I can't even stand without help," Buffy retorted, her voice coming out sharper than she intended. But Kaine either didn't notice or didn't care, and he drew his sword once more. His eyes scanned the darkness, somehow able to see despite the absence of light. Suddenly he was pulling her to the left, away from the wall he had been pointing at earlier.

She stumbled as unseen rocks fell into her path, but she managed to stay on her feet. As they neared the wall, she saw what Kaine had been aiming for. A small slit in the wall, about a foot and a half wide. She would be able to squeeze through, if she turned her body sideways and didn't breathe deep.

" Go first," Kaine whispered, waving her through with his sword. His eyes were trained on the vampires that were charging straight at them, still thirty feet away. They wouldn't take long to reach them. Buffy looked dubiously at the hole, but went in. Three steps inside, she got stuck.

She sucked in her stomach, thanking God for not giving her big breasts. Somehow, she was able to slide herself along the wall and continue on at a faster pace. Kaine was abruptly by her side. She hadn't even heard him move.

" Where does this lead?" she asked, looking back at him.

" No clue,"

She gaped, incredulous, but he pushed her forward. She moved reluctantly, not wanting to end up stuck in some hole with a dead end. Worse yet, a thirty foot drop at the other side. Kaine kept glancing back, and Buffy started to do the same after a while. She accidentally kicked aside a small rock and stirred up a huge cloud of dust.

" Are they still back there?" she asked, coughing. Kaine nodded. Buffy moved faster.

She suddenly felt a draft coming from nowhere and looked around. " What's wrong?" Kaine asked, seeing her slow down.

" I felt a breeze. Can you see anything?"

Kaine was still for a moment, then pointed some distance ahead. " I think there's a hole up there,"

They moved, silent once more. The scrabbling of rocks behind them told that the vampires were getting closer. Kaine kept his fingertips on her shoulder and pulled her back suddenly. " Over here,"

Buffy looked up, and saw blackness instead of rock. The hole would be a tight fit, but Buffy was a small girl. Kaine, though might have a bigger problem, with his broader shoulders. " Can you fit through?" she asked, gesturing at the hole, then at his body. Which, she had to admit, was very well-toned and goddamned sexy. She shook her head, wondering if the captivity had addled her brains. Maybe it was the bump on her head, which was rapidly dwindling in size.

" I'll make it," he answered, voice hoarse. It didn't take a genius to know that he had breathed in a lot of dust. Buffy nodded and reached up, easily finding handholds in the rough rock. She pulled herself up and disappeared into the gap. Climbing came easy to her, and she was moving smoothly and quickly up the surface. Looking down, she saw Kaine struggling to match her pace.

His body covered up her view and she couldn't see through the opening anymore. But then, her aim was up, not down. Her hand searched for a hold and found one, and she continued upwards.

++++++

" Sir, the Slayer has escaped!"

Tristan surged to his feet, already moving. But Faustus called him back, waved him down. " Don't worry, Tristan. I know where they'll emerge. Let me handle this one,"

Tristan frowned, but sat back down on the stone stool. Faustus got to his feet and faced the bare wall to his right. His arms were lifted above his head and he began chanting in some dead language. Abruptly he stopped, and returned to his seat.

" What did you do?" Tristan asked, leaning forward to peer at the wall, watching for a change.

" Wait and watch," was the mysterious reply.

Then it happened. The wall began to move and shift and vaguely humanoid figures began to walk out from the wall. Faustus smiled, chin resting on his gnarled knuckles. The shapes took on more definition and detail, the head and limbs becoming more pronounced and visible. Finally, they stopped and stood at attention.

There were two of them, huge stone humanoids. Jagged rock and stone jutted out from all places, and not one space was flat or smooth. The limbs were tree trunk thick, the hands and feet as big as melons. Hardly anything would survive an attack from two behemoths such as these, but this was the Slayer. Weakened or not, Tristan didn't want to take any chances.

" Are you sure two is enough?"

" Calm down, Tristan. Two will suffice," Faustus replied implacably. Tristan settled himself into his uncomfortable seat but his frown remained.

++++++

It was a dusty climb, and Buffy felt that the air she inhaled at the other end was the sweetest that could ever exist. Her head popped out of the hole and she hauled herself over the lip, rolling on the floor. She looked back into the hole and saw Kaine struggling to make it.

For him, it was torture in the purest form. His arms were badly scraped and the skin was raw and bleeding. His fingernails were chipped and a few had come off, from scrabbling his way out of tight gaps.

/It could be worse/ Soveliss said. /You could have gotten stuck inside and not come out/

/Remind me not to do that again/ Kaine replied, groaning.

/Like you'd ever listen/

/You sound like a cranky old man/

Soveliss started a retort, but was cut off by an earth shaking pounding. Kaine rolled to his feet, Buffy doing the same at his side. They were both breathing heavily, although Buffy wasn't in such a terrible shape. She was weak, but her strength had been slowly returning to her. She was, after all, the Slayer.

" What was that?" she sounded panicky.

Kaine shrugged, looking at her. " You tell me,"

The pounding came again, and again. Kaine suddenly realized that it was coming from the other side of the wall. As soon as the thought popped into his head, a boulder burst through the wall in a shower of dust and rubble, then drew back suddenly. It came again, then was joined by a second boulder.

Then Kaine realized that it was not a boulder, but a fist. The hole quickly expanded and a figure made entirely out of stone stepped through the wall's remains. Buffy gasped, nearly falling back in horror. Then it was joined by a second one and Buffy nearly fainted.

" What the hell is that?" Kaine muttered, to no one in particular.

Buffy didn't answer. She glanced worriedly at Kaine and then at the two stone behemoths. They were eight feel tall and about three feet wide. One punch from them would break every bone in anyone's body, Slayer or no.

" I think we should run," she said, hoping her voice wasn't trembling.

" Good idea," Kaine replied. " You go first,"

Buffy stared at him but he looked dead serious. Then again, he was gaping up at the huge stone thingies and she couldn't tell very well. Buffy took a deep breath and dashed forward. One of the beasts reached out to grab and crush her, but she ducked under its arms and rolled beneath its feet. She got to her feet, at the other side of the wall and took off at a dead run. Hopefully the things couldn't run very fast.

Kaine looked at her like she was insane, then realized that he was alone and both behemoths were staring at him. He started to run, then decided against it when a huge fist of stone came swinging for him. He jumped over it, drawing his sword. The second one swung at him as well, this time a double-handed over head blow.

Kaine dove to the side, sword flashing out. The blade sliced cleanly through one thick wrist, then suddenly stopped halfway. The golem looked at the steel embedded in its arm and tugged sharply. Kaine realized too late and kept his grip on the hilt. As a result he was pulled forward and flung into the air, stubbornly holding on.

The golem continued swinging Kaine back and forth like he was a child's toy and the vertigo was getting to him. If it didn't stop soon, he would throw up all over the floor and everything else.

Suddenly he fell, his sword and his body flying in different directions. There was a crash and Kaine saw the giant's left hand fall to the floor, neatly severed at the wrist. Kaine landed heavily on the stone floor, but was already scrambling for his blade. It reached the top of its arc as he got to his feet and started its downward path- straight into the hole Kaine had just come from.

He slid across the floor, hand outstretched. Just as the hilt disappeared down the dark hole, his hand reached down and grabbed it, halting its fall.

/That was close/ Soveliss commented.

/No shit/

Then rolled onto his back, sword swinging upwards, severing the fingers off a huge stone hand. He rolled away, the stone slab that was a foot nearly crushing him into a meaty pulp. He ran, through the hole in the wall, following Buffy's lead.

++++++

" So, Gunn…what's Xander like?"

Dannielle kept her eyes in front of her, not wanting to meet his stare. She wanted the conversation to be casual and she wouldn't get that effect if she was jittering from nerves. Gunn stared at her in silence for a while, then finally turned away and shrugged.

" He's a nice guy. Loyal, funny, dedicated,"

" Oh… so how did you guys get into this slaying gig?" she continued. " Faith?"

" I've been in it all my life, ever since vamps got my parents. Xander was in it when Buffy came to the Dale," Gunn explained. " Faith just sorta came along after Xander did and we kinda got together,"

" What's the story?"

Gunn turned into the convenience store, automatically looking both sides for any ambushes. It was a pure reflex action and came to him naturally. A bad habit, some said. Others called it a lifesaver.

" It's a long story. You want the condensed version?"

" I could deal with that,"

" Xander came to LA in 99, I made friends with him. Later we found Faith in the hospital, in a coma. No one but Xander knew where she was, and even then, he didn't want to say. Only when she flat-lined did he decide she needed his help. Later, when she woke up, she joined up with us,"

Dannielle mused in silence. Gunn picked up a few cans of mushroom soup, tossing it into the basket she carried. " You want Twinkies?" he asked, to which she nodded absently.

" So, how did he know Faith? Was she from Sunnydale too?"

" If I answered that, it would make you sound stupid," Gunn said instead of replying. Dannielle thought it over and decided that he was right.

" Sorry, redundant, I guess," Dannielle shrugged sheepishly. Gunn waved it off, throwing in a few cartons of juice and a loaf of bread. " You do shopping often?"

" We take turns. Though Faith normally skips hers,"

They brought the nearly overflowing basket to the counter. Dannielle pulled out the wad of cash the others had pooled up. Only then did she notice Giles had given them three hundred dollars. She raised a quizzical eyebrow and nudged Gunn in the ribs.

" Does he think we're feeding an army or something?" she joked, indicating the cash.

" Probably not thinking straight. Xander never does when Faith's in trouble, so I guess the same applies to Giles when Buffy is," Gunn reasoned. This made Dannielle think again and her next statement was made in a carefully measured tone.

" So, Faith and Xander are… a thing?"

Gunn snorted in response, making her jump slightly. She was too nervous for her own good. " Everyone wishes they'd just get it over. He likes her, she likes him, but both are too damned stupid to do a thing about it,"

Dannielle hid her disappointed frown and bit off the remark she had on her tongue. She settled instead for a neutral sounding, " Why don't you and Doyle help 'em out then?"

" And risk incurring their wrath? There are less painful ways to die,"

Gunn handed her two of the five paper bags and strolled out of the store. Dannielle scampered to catch up and slid into an easy pace beside him. It was all a lie of course- her voice, her stance, her attitude. Inside, she was as nervous as a teenager on her first date(which wasn't so far from the truth) but as long as no one knew the truth, she was alright.

" What's with the questions anyway? You got a thing for Xander? Or Faith?"

Dannielle went red at the thought of her being found out, then quickly tried to lose her look. " You gotta be kidding me!" she yelped. Gunn smiled enigmatically in reply, then turned round the corner.

" Who knows? Shit happens everyday,"

Dannielle wondered what he meant by that.

++++++

Xander had just enough time to shoot Giles a look, then turned to rush off after Faith. She was out the door already and walking straight to the car. If Doyle knew she was driving, he'd scream blue bloody murder.

" Faith, wait up!" he called out, hoping to catch her attention, or slow her down. She had no intention of letting him do so and was already starting to drive off. Xander had to break into a run and leap the last few feet into the car to avoid being left behind. He landed in a heap on the backseat, then crawled to the front.

" Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, wincing when a sharp right turn caused him to smash his side against the door.

" To find B," she replied, voice flat and devoid of emotion. He could see that she was suppressing everything, not trusting herself to let it out. Xander wasn't sure he wanted her to, but he had to try.

" Faith, you don't even know where to start looking," he tried to reason.

" Who was that snitch B always went to? Willie? That's a good place as any to start,"

Xander thought it over and nodded, although dubiously. " Okay, so we can get that far. What if he doesn't know anything?"

" At least I tried. I'm not moping about in some fucking library, telling other people they suck at what they do," Faith shot back angrily.

" Faith, you know he didn't mean it,"

" Oh yeah? Sure sounded like he did,"

" He was pissed, you were pissed. This sorta things come out, y'know?"

" Doesn't matter. I still should do something. I ain't gonna let B hang out to dry,"

Xander heaved a loud sigh, settling back into his seat. " Turn left here," he pointed out, which earned him an appreciative glance from Faith. He shrugged and rubbed his forehead. " Someone's gotta keep you alive," he explained. " You won't be helping anyone if you die,"

" Oh yeah, you think?"

It took little to tell that Faith was still angry. She wasn't one to let go if things so easily.

" Look, you gotta lighten up, okay? Everyone's stressed, and that includes everyone," Xander tried coaxing her into a more genial mode, to no avail.

" I'm stressed, you don't hear me railing at Giles for being a bad Watcher,"

" That's cause you don't think so,"

" So he thinks I'm a bad Slayer? He really meant it, didn't he?" Faith shot back, turning a little sharper than she needed to, slamming Xander against the door again. He hurriedly buckled his seatbelt, wanting to avoid several broken ribs.

" No, Faith, no one thinks you're a bad Slayer,"

" Fuck it, you're talking in circles! Tell me what you fucking mean before I throw you out!"

" Fine! I think they're still pissed at you for switching sides three years ago, for siding with the Mayor. You've done little to show that you've improved, so they have no reason to think you have. Happy?" Xander forced steel into his voice, which he didn't want to do. Right then, all he wanted was to take her into his arms and cradle her till she fell asleep, but sometimes you have to you take what you've been given.

" Yes, I'm happy, thanks a lot, Xander!" Faith retorted, loading her words with a venom she didn't feel. Xander met her angry glare- fake as it was- with a fury of his own- as fake as it was.

" What are you shouting at me for, you asked for it!"

Faith fell silent, unable to challenge the truth of the words. They drove in silence the rest of the way, Xander mutely pointing out the directions.

++++++

Doyle watched as Riley paced the room, hands clasped behind his back. The half-demon was sprawled on the floor, hangover much too strong for him to handle without copious amounts of coffee. The witches were in the study, trying to coax Giles out of his funk.

" Stop that, Farmboy, you're making me dizzy," Spike suddenly complained. Riley turned to favor him with a glare, but said nothing. "I really didn't mind when Faith was doing it. At least she had a nice ass,"

It didn't take a genius to tell that Spike was bored and was provoking Riley out of a lack of something better to do. Doyle grinned at the thought, studying Riley's reaction. The man kept silent, deep in thought, ignoring Spike completely. Doyle turned to the vampire, then shrugged apologetically.

Riley abruptly turned on his heel and left, still not saying anything.

Doyle frowned, then struggled to his feet, intending to follow. He managed to stagger to the door before having to lean on the knob to avoid falling down.

" Someone's got sea legs," Spike noted, lighting a cigarette. His second pack of the day.

" Try a bloody hammer to the head. You won't be far off," Doyle replied. Spike raised his scarred eyebrow, drawing deep on the fag.

" Irish, are you?"

" Yeah. You really Cockney?"

" Does it really matter?" Spike drawled in response, waving the question, and the smoke, away. " What difference would it make?"

" None actually. Alright, it think I can make it out the door now,"

He stepped back and reached for the knob, turning it, he swung the door open.

And promptly proceeded to fall on his ass. Spike burst out in laughter.

" Give it a rest. Why'd you wanna follow Captain Cardboard around for anyway?" he asked.

" Wouldn't want him to get into trouble," Doyle groaned.

" A lot of help you'll be then,"

" As sad as that is, it's also true. Can I have one of those?" he gestured at the cigarette clamped between Spike's lips. The vampire reached inside his coat for the pack, then realized that it was empty.

" Sorry mate, all out,"

" Fuck," Doyle cursed. " Just my luck,"

" Now, now. Watch your language,"

" Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Doyle reiterated.

Spike uttered a hoarse laugh, crushing the cigarette pack in his hand. " Did I ever tell you how much I like Irish?"

" To eat?"

" That too," the vampire acknowledged with a rueful frown. " Something to do with all that whiskey you drink,"

" Sorry to disappoint, but I'm strictly a scotch man," Doyle said. " Anyway, my blood won't taste that good either,"

" Oh? Pray tell,"

" I'm half-demon. I'd probably poison you,"

" What type?" Spike inquired, leaning forward.

" Forgot. Someone told me once, but it slipped my mind,"

Speaking of which, the Powers then decided to send a message straight into his brain, making him cry aloud in agony, clutching his head. Spikes erupted from his skin, courtesy of his demon side.

Spike looked on in mild curiosity. " That's one hell of a hangover,"

Willow, Tara and Giles were already rushing out of the study, going to Doyle's kneeling form. They helped him into a chair, Tara pressing an icepack onto his head. " Thanks, princess," he muttered in gratitude.

" Vision?" Giles asked.

" What else? Oh, God it hurts," he laid the icepack onto his head, sighing in relief. Spike nodded with a faint sense of comradeship.

" I know what you mean, mate," he said, his hand straying to his scalp where the chip had been implanted into his brain.

" What did you see?" Giles continued urgently. The look on Doyle's face was one of pure fear, with a little bit of horror and bafflement thrown in for good effect. Either way, Giles and Willow exchanged worried frowns.

" Angelus,"

++++++

" Graham,"

" Riley,"

Both men looked at each other with expressions of controlled neutrality, their voices flat and emotionless. Riley was the bigger of the two and he used the advantage to its very fullest- standing as close as he dared to Graham, looking down his nose at him, keeping his fists clenched and ready by his sides.

Graham was apprehensive when Riley had called, but had come anyway. He had four units as backup, a pair around the corner, another in the alleyway beyond the basketball court. He wasn't taking any chances, especially not with Riley Finn.

" What do you want?"

He didn't bother keeping the hostility out of his tone now, which was a mistake. Riley immediately looked suspicious, his eyes scanning the surrounding areas with a panoramic sweep. No doubt he already knew by now where Graham had placed his units; Finn, after all, had been the one to train Graham.

When their eyes met once more, Graham flinched and almost took a step backwards. The look in the ex-Initiative commander's eyes told of violence and pain- lots of pain. It didn't matter that he had a bandage wrapped around his head, and that every deep breath was causing him pain. At that moment, Riley looked like he could pound Graham into the floor without hesitation, and Graham believed him.

" Info," Riley finally said, having won the contest of wills.

" What do you want to know?" Graham replied. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the pair at the corner slink a few steps closer.

" The new hostiles in town. Where are they located?"

Graham was aware of the fact that Riley had slipped and called them 'hostiles'. That pleased him, though he was sure to keep it from showing. " Any reason why I should tell you?"

The bravado was false; they both knew it. They both also knew Riley didn't have much longer before Graham's men made their move. All they needed was his go-ahead. Then Riley did the unexpected.

He pulled a gun from his inside his jacket, the move so swift that Graham only had time to blink before the barrel was pressed to his forehead. " Answer the question," Riley growled through gritted teeth. " And tell your guys to back off, or I'll blow your fucking brains out,"

" You know, if you do that, you won't get any information from any of us. What'll you do then?" Graham tried stalling further, just a few more minutes were all they needed. His gamble did not pay off.

" I'll take my chances," Riley said, pressing harder. Graham could feel his skin succumbing to the pressure, creating a perfect circle on the middle of his forehead. " Now, answer the question,"

" Fine," Graham reluctantly muttered. He knew when not to try his luck. With a wave of his hand, his men fell back though Riley didn't let up the pressure. " They're at the old caves,"

" The Initiative caves? In the forest?"

" No, deeper down," Graham replied. " The older tunnels,"

" The Hole?" Riley's voice had just the right tinge of fear.

" The Hole," Graham acknowledged, nodding as best as he could with the gun to his head. Riley turned and ran for his car.

++++++

Buffy looked back over her shoulder as she ran blindly down the corridor. It was dark and she had no idea where she was head. All that mattered was that those things were behind her. And so was Kaine.

She slowed a little, torn between continuing on and running back to help him. Then she saw a vague, dark form some distance away, running towards her. Kaine.

She turned and sped up, only to collide face first with a burly, muscular chest. She bounced back from the impact, though the figure before her didn't. A vampire, that she knew for sure. He was also naked, as she could slowly make out. Buffy still couldn't see her hand in front of her face, and had no idea how she was going to handle a vampire without her sight.

To make matters worse, she was weak and hungry and tired. And this vampire was huge, not to mention built like a brick outhouse.

" Slayer," he rumbled, and she thought she could feel the earth shake underneath her. " Going somewhere?"

" Yeah, though I can't see how that's any of your business," she retorted, then darted forward, meaning to duck and spin past the vampire. Hopefully his size meant that he was slow.

No such luck. His arm shot out, barring her path. She ran straight into it, head first. Falling backwards, she heard, felt and sensed another vampire coming up to them.

" Oh, I believe it is our business, Slayer. Buffy, wasn't it?" the new vamp said. It was female, and Buffy could tell she was nude too. What, did they all go around without clothes down here? Buffy scrambled backwards, trying to get to her feet, but the female vampire pounced on her, pinning her to the floor.

" Bad Buffy, trying to run away while we're scolding her," she admonished. Buffy could feel the cold skin of the vamp on her and the fact that she was nude made things much more uncomfortable. Buffy struggled, but her cold, dead hands were clamped onto her wrists, keeping them on the floor. The female was straddling her, wriggling her hips seductively. Eww.

" What do you say, daddy?" the female continued, voice rising above Buffy's grunts. " Can we have some fun with her first?"

The male stepped closer, towering over her. " I don't know, Sophiel. Some people might object,"

Buffy could tell that the female was pouting. " Oh, they take the fun out of everything,"

Then a brilliant blue light flared through the tunnel, lighting it. Buffy averted her gaze reflexively, though the two vamps did no such thing. When her eyes had adjusted, she took a look at her assailants.

Her first thought when she saw Sophiel was, /It's just not fair. No one can be so beautiful and still have such big…/

She craned her neck upwards and saw the hulking figure of the male facing… Kaine. Oh, thank God. His sword was emitting the bright blue light, and he didn't seem much bothered by it.

" Am I interrupting?" he asked, cocking his head to the left. She noticed that he was covered in sweat, dust and his arms were bloody and scraped. There was a gash on his head, and blood had caked over it. Yet he held his sword steady, his back was straight and proud and his gaze was full of confidence.

" Daddy, make him go away," the female pleaded, in a pouty little voice. Now, Buffy really hated her. Seeing that her attention was distracted, the Slayer snapped her legs upwards, slamming her shins into the back of Sophiel's head. The vamp flew forward; weak or not, Slayer strength still ruled supreme.

At the same time, Kaine leapt forward, sword flashing out in a bright arc, leaving a light trail much like a lightsaber. Buffy inanely wondered if he was a Jedi Knight or something like that.

Sophiel was suddenly on her again, and Buffy only had enough time to get to her knees and ward off the enraged female's slashing claws. Finding an opening in the female's pitiful defenses, Buffy slammed the heel of her palm into her jaw, sending her flying back again. She clambered to her feet and this time, attacked first.

After watching Riley and the college football team do it so often, Buffy knew what to do when she launched herself fists first at the other blonde. She ducked her head, locked her elbows and shoulders and let hard bone connect with soft, dead flesh. Vampire or not, that had to hurt.

Now Buffy was on top, and Sophiel was on the floor below her. But the impact had stirred up a cloud of dust, which had insinuatingly made its way into her nose. That never happened in football games. Sophiel took the chance to rake her claws across Buffy's cheek, snapping the Slayer's head sideways.

Buffy snapped her head back to glare at the vampire like she was an offensive bug. " That hurt, bitch," she snarled, driving her fist downward into the female's face. Only it wasn't there, as she managed to jerk her head out if the way. Still, the force of the blow drew web-like cracks on the stone surface.

Sophiel scrambled away, getting to her feet warily. Buffy slowly rose, collecting herself. Then, her right hip facing the vampire, she reached out with one hand and beckoned the vampire forward. " Just bring it," she muttered.