Chapter Twenty-Four

Buffy and Faith sat alone in the kitchen, hands folded on the kitchen table.

"Hey guys." Willow said cheerfully as she entered the kitchen. "What's up?"

"Will, we need to talk." Buffy said.

"About what?" Willow asked, grabbing an apple out of the bowl.

"About you." Faith said. "About you using magick."

Willow's face lost all color as she sat at the table. "O-okay."

"It's nothing bad, Will." Buffy said, placing her hand atop her friend's.

"You were in our dream." Faith said. "As the person with enough strength to cast The First Evil out of here."

"But no, the one time I tried to do a big spell-." Willow started.

"Willow." Faith said. "I understand. I know what it is to have a power inside of you that you can't control. And what it's like to touch that darkness inside. And how hard it is to use those powers again, getting so close to the primal urges, the feeling that you can do anything and no one can stop you."

"I can't." Willow said, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Willow." Buffy said. "You still have that power inside of you. You're still a strong person. You always were. I need my Willow. The Willow who gave up days and nights to research with me, the Willow who - albeit terrified beyond belief - did powerful spells to help me, to help everyone. I need the Willow who overcame her fears and helped to fight countless monsters. You're strong Will, you need to remember that and believe it with all of your heart."

"I can't." Willow cried. "I'm not her anymore."

"Then be someone else." Faith said. "You can't go back. You can never go back. I understand that. But you have to go forward."

"We love you Will." Buffy said. "We all love you. We're here for you."

"But, what if I, you know, turn evil again." Willow said softly.

"Then we bring you back." Buffy said.

"You don't think I think of that every time I fight." Faith said. "Every time I touch the fire in me to kill. You have something here for you. We both do. Buffy, Mr. Giles, Wesley, these girls, the whole gang, we're all here for each other. We need you Willow."

"You have the power we need." Buffy said.

"And we need it now." Faith said.

Willow nodded. "Okay." She said. "For you. I trust you. I'll be the Willow you need."

Buffy smiled and held her friend's hand tightly. "I love you, Willow."

Willow smiled.

Faith put her hand a top of Buffy's and smiled. "Together."

-

Everyone gathered together. Gunn and Rondell stood by the staircase with the boys; they were gearing up for battle. The newly empowered slayers were together, each loading up with weapons. They knew tonight would be more dangerous than anything they had seen so far.

"Everyone knows the drill?" Buffy said from the doorway. "Fight them back. Kill them if you can. Sunrise is in a couple of hours. We stick to the plan. At daybreak, we hit City Hall."

"No small teams tonight. We're going out in force and we're going out together." Faith said. "No one gets left behind."

Everyone nodded. Wesley began gathering his favored weapons and prepared for the battle. His face was hard and cold. Giles gathered his choice of weaponry and mentally prepared himself. It wasn't his first time in the field and he was sure it wouldn't be his last.

Willow gathered her supplies as well as a few choice weapons, nothing to heavy, but all something she could use. Xander stood next to her, checking out the weapons still in the chest. He took a wooden stake, knowing that it wouldn't help against the Turok-Han, but it made him feel safer somehow. He grabbed a long sword and let it hang at his side. Anya stood by Xander as she raised the axe Xander had handed her. She took a deep breath and hoped for the best.

Dawn put Mr. Pointy in her bag and collected a few lightweight but sharp daggers, a hunting knife and a short sword that was just a little longer than her forearm. She placed the sword against the wall and moved to the side.

Connor and Angel gathered their weapons and geared up for the evening. Connor handed Fred a long sword and a knife, both lightweight but extremely dangerous.

Spike pulled his leather duster on and took a sword. The burns on his face had begun to heal; he slicked his blond hair back and readied himself for the battle.

Buffy and Faith nodded as they looked out to the group before them. "If we get separated, we meet at dawn at city hall." Faith called.

"Try and stay alive." Buffy said as way of a command.

Oz nodded at Buffy and crouched low and forced himself into the wolf; he began pacing by the door. Dawn pushed a bag of Oz's clothes into her weapons bag and walked to the door.

"Cover each other." Giles said.

The team nodded and set out the front door.

Faith closed her eyes and whispered to Buffy, "Some of us won't be coming back."

"I know." Buffy said softly.

"Buffy." Faith said softly, placing her hand on Buffy's shoulder. "If anything should happen to me, make sure I don't come back."

Buffy nodded stoically and asked Faith to do the same for her. The two girls exited the house together, both fully armed and ready for battle.