Chapter 50
Faith sat with Dawn in the living room talking about Buffy's last call home. She had sounded really strange and Faith was planning on going up there to check on her. Giles scurried into the living room.
"Are you sure you'll all be all right?" Giles asked.
"You'll only be gone for two days." Dawn said.
"I think we've managed a bit longer than that." Faith said quietly.
"Right." Giles looked around nervously and then stopped. "Oh, Dawn, Vi's left her notebook on the mantelpiece. Would you mind running it out to the car?"
"Sure." Dawn got up and got the notebook.
"While you're at it, you smack her in the head with it and remind her not to leave it lying around."
"On it." Dawn said, walking out the door.
"I'm just a bit twitchy about leaving you alone here while.. While things are in such a state of flux. What with Buffy and Angel in LA." Giles said, sitting on the coffee table in front of Faith.
"I know. But you should go. This trip is important for the girls to understand the source of their power, and to know how to use it right." Faith said.
"Do you think they appreciate the gravity of what we're undertaking? It's frightening, and it's difficult. And then, apparently, someone told them that the vision quest consists of me driving them to the desert, doing the hokey pokey until a spooky Rasta-mama slayer arrives and speaks to them in riddles."
"That's not exactly how Buffy put it, she.." Faith was interrupted by Willow coming down stairs and entering the room. "Hey, how's Kennedy?"
"Still fluey." Willow said. She looked at Giles. "Bummed about missing the field trip. She says she wants you to meditate extra hard for her and to bring her back some smores."
"Ah yes. Smores. I'm going to end up singing campfire songs aren't I?" Giles asked. Faith smiled. "Oh yeah."
"Giles, you might want to get out there." Dawn said, coming back in.
"Oh God, what?" Giles asked.
"Molly and Rona are fighting over who gets to drive the first leg."
"Bet you wish you renewed that California State driver's license now, huh?" Faith asked.
"Rona won." Anya said, walking in. "You should probably let Molly out of the trunk." A car horn blew outside and Anya walked to the kitchen with Willow. "I never actually realized just how compact Molly really is."
"Please be safe while I'm away." Giles said to Faith.
"You too." Faith said.
"If Buffy calls, come get me immediately. With LA now in permanent darkness, she may need a lot more help than she lets on."
"I know. I might head up there later."
"Good." The horn blew again. "Goodbye Faith." Giles walked out the door.
Faith watched them go with a wave and then walked back in the house, shutting the door. She headed down to the basement where Spike was sitting on a cot, his wrists in chains attached to the wall.
"Hey." Faith said.
"Hey." Spike said.
"Giles is off.. on the retreat."
"Give us all a chance for a breather, eh?"
"From Giles?"
"From the constant pitter patter of clomping teenage girly feet."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Faith said with a shrug.
"Come on."
"No, I enjoy my responsibility as mentor, role model, life guide.. Oh, my God, I cannot believe I have a bathroom all to myself for two whole days." Faith plopped down on the cot next to Spike.
"It's like a bloody war-zone up there, and not in a good way."
"Have you seen the kitchen since they've been here?"
"I'm just trying to stay out of their way."
"I noticed."
"This is better. Believe me, it's safer."
"Ok. But you've been fine. In close contact with the girls."
"With you or Buffy or Angel by my side, yeah. You three won't let me hurt one of them. And that's the way it's gonna be until we're sure the First is done making me its bitch. Either we're together, or I'm on the leash."
"We just need to make sure the trigger's deactivated then. We've got a couple of days, lack of pitter-patter and all.."
"Faith.."
"What?"
"Ow."
"Ow?"
Spike's face contorted and started to twitch. "Ow ow ow!" He leaned back and thrashed against the wall.
"What's wrong?" Spike put his hands to his head. "Spike, what is going on?"
Spike started to calm down. "The chip. God. Why would..." Suddenly he screamed and held his hands to his head, writhing in intense pain.
"SPIKE!" Faith grabbed him and held him to her as he writhed. As if he couldn't take it anymore, Spike's body just went limp. Faith moved him gently to lay on the cot and then walked upstairs and almost ran into Willow.
"What's the matter?" Willow asked.
"Spike's chip just went off. It was really bad." Faith said.
"Do you have any idea why? He didn't hit you did he?"
"No! Of course he didn't hit me. I don't know why it went off. Maybe the First is playing with it."
"Maybe. Why don't you go check on him and I'll, uh, make some tea. I was down here anyway."
"Needed a break from playing 'doctor'?"
"Yeah. Hey, there is no doctor playing of any kind!"
"Sure."
"Haha Faith. Go."
Faith laughed and walked down to check on Spike. He was still knocked out. Faith guessed the chip had stopped whatever it was doing because Spike was curled up and comfy looking on the cot. Faith stroked his hair gently and then walked back upstairs.
"Hey. How is he?" Willow asked.
"Oh, in the 'goes' part of 'comes and goes.'" Faith said.
"Well there seems to be a definite lack of screaming. That has to be good."
"You'd think." Faith watched Willow pour hot water into a cup. "That for the other patient?"
"Yeah. Thought I'd bring her some tea, help her feel better."
"Mm-hmm." Faith said with a smile.
"It's just tea."
Faith laughed and then paused. She glanced at the door to the basement and then looked straight at Willow. "Will, how much do you know about the chip?"
"Spike's chip? Well, I remember trying to dig up stuff back then, but, turns out, when a secret government agency studies vampires and puts chips in their brains that keep them from hurting people, they don't really build websites. Why?"
"Even with the chip, Spike was able to hurt all those people when he was brainwashed."
"Yeah, but he was under the control of the First."
"Maybe something's wrong with it."
"The chip is misfiring all on its own, then. Well this'll be fun."
"Remember when things used to be nice and boring?"
"No." Willow shrugged and walked out of the kitchen.
"Have fun.. delivering tea.." Faith called.
"Ok, not when you make it sound all dirty like that." Willow called back.
Faith smiled to herself and walked into the living room with Dawn. The teenager was staring at a picture of her, Buffy, and Angel. "Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing." Dawn said, putting the picture down. "Just thinking."
"Bout what?"
"Buffy. Something's up with her. She didn't sound like Buffy on the phone."
"I know what you mean. She sounded like she was hiding something."
"And she wouldn't let me talk to Angel when I asked. Something about he was incapacitated."
"Maybe they'd had a nice big brawl with some out of town vamps and Angel got hurt bad enough that he was laying down with bandages all over him. Maybe that's why Buff sounded so strained."
"I hope so. Well, not hope that Angel's hurt, just hope that Buffy.. Is.. I'll just be quiet now. You know what I mean."
"I'm just mad they're getting all the action up there. It's boring around here with nothing to kill."
"Wanna watch a movie? I hear they have Shallow Hal on HBO now."
"Sure, why not?"
Faith was dozing on the couch when the scream sounded. Dawn sat up and looked at Faith as the Slayer jumped up and ran downstairs. Spike was thrashing and holding his head tightly. Faith ran up and grabbed him, holding tightly to him with all her strength to steady him. When he stopped and laid back, Faith walked over to the dryer and pulled out a towel.
"Popped another blood vessel, I think." Spike said. Faith handed him a towel and he wiped blood from his nose.
"There's gotta be a reason why the chip is going all wonky. Maybe it's related to the trigger or maybe it has something to do with the new soul." Faith said, sitting next to him.
"Or maybe I wasn't meant to last this long. One more thing you and I have in common, eh, pet?"
"Well, we'll fix it. We'll hit serious research mode.."
"Good. Try Behavioral Modification Software Throughout the Ages."
"Ok. You're right. Not a book thing. It's a phone thing."
"Who you gonna call?" Faith looked at him funny. "God, that phrase is never gonna be useable again, is it?"
"Doubt it." Faith walked upstairs and dialed the Hyperion. Fred picked up on the third ring. "Hey Fred, is Buffy or Angel there?"
"Angel? He's uh.. Buffy's in the office." Fred said.
"Can I talk to one of them?"
"Um.. Not Angel."
"Is he still incapacitated?"
"Um, yeah?"
"Then let me talk to B."
"Um, ok."
There was an exchange of words and then a click. Faith thought the woman had hung up on her, but then Buffy's tired voice filled the phone. "Hello?"
"B? You sound horrible."
"Bad couple of days. With Angel not being able to fight and the whole town turning into an amusement park for the undead and demonic kind, it's enough to make a Slayer of my stature sound horrible. It's just too much for me and Connor."
"Want me to come up there?"
"NO! You just stay there. We need an active Slayer on the Hellmouth. Especially now that the First has taken up residence there."
"You sure?"
"Positive. What did you need?"
"A phone number actually."
"For..?"
"Riley."
"Riley? Why would you want to call him?"
"He's the only one I know that can tell us what's wrong with Spike's chip."
"Spike's chip? Ok, I'm missing a whole lot, aren't I?"
"It just started today. Spike's chip is.."
"Faith? Who're you talking to?" Dawn asked.
"Dominos." Faith replied, covering the mouthpiece. "Go let Spike out of the chains please."
"Ok." Dawn walked off.
"Sorry B, I need Riley's number now and Dawn would take forever talking to you. She's worried."
"Spike's chip is what?"
"I guess the word would be malfunctioning. It's been.. Hurting him."
"As in.."
"As in hurting him for just sitting there. He needs help Buffy."
"Yeah, ok. Um, Riley's number should be in my desk drawer upstairs in my room. It's in my little personal phone book thing."
"Thank you Buffy. I'll go find it now. Hey, you sure you don't need.." Dawn walked back in with Spike. "A tip?"
"A tip?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, ok. Thank you. I'm sorry too. You, uh, you just lost a very valuable customer." Faith hung up. "Stupid people don't have pineapple for a pineapple and chicken pizza."
"Funny, they usually do." Dawn said.
"Uh huh. Don't you have homework?"
"Ok Buffy." Dawn walked up the stairs muttering, "Connor doesn't have to do his homework. He gets to help save the world and all I get is stuck here with a lame vampire and a bad liar of a Slayer."
Faith rolled her eyes and looked at Spike. "That was Buffy. She, uh, she gave me the number for Riley. I'm going to call him and see if he'll give up any information on your chip."
Spike nodded and watched her run upstairs. "I thought you said she gave you the number."
Faith came back down with a little black leather phone book. "She did. She told me where it was at." Faith looked up the number and then dialed. "Hello? Yes, Agent Finn, Riley. Tell him we're having a problem with Spike's chip. No his chip. Spike." Spike looked at her as she talked and thought that maybe she was going to too much trouble just for him. "Listen, pet.."
"No, no, Finn is his last name. Yeah. Well, did he used to work there and then he got transferred?" Spike's chip went off again. He thrashed on the stairs unnoticed by Faith. "Oh, is this actually a flower shop, or is this one of those things where I'm supposed to play along to show that I know it's really secret ops? Oh, maybe I shouldn't have said that. Oh, ok, right. Well, if some guy named Finn shows up to buy flowers.. Yeah. Thanks. She hung up and turned to Spike. "Wrong number. Or a giant government conspiracy, one or the.." Finally she noticed he was recovering from an episode. "Spike?"
"This one seemed easier than the others. See? Probably just gonna fade.." Spike screamed and grabbed his head again.
"Spike!" Faith grabbed him before he fell to the floor. He thrashed in her arms and Faith gently lowered him to the floor. As soon as the fit was over, she helped Spike stand. "Come on, let's get you somewhere comfortable." She started to pull Spike up to Buffy's room, but he held back. "What?"
"I can't.." Spike said. "It's Buffy's room. I don't want to get on her bad side by sleeping in her room without her permission."
"She won't care. It's Buffy. She cares about you Spike. Besides, I think she has a lot more to worry about than you sleeping in her bed."
Spike stared at Faith a moment and then allowed her to lead him upstairs. He laid down on the bed and buried his head in the pillow that smelled of Buffy and Angel. Faith started to walk out. "Wait."
She turned. "What?"
"Stay with me?"
"You don't.. Spike, we shouldn't."
"Why?"
"Because you're still recovering from the First playing mind games on you."
"I'll sleep better."
"Spike.."
"Faith, I know this is about the fight we had. I'm sorry about that. There's no way that I can make it up to you. There is no redemption for what I did to you. All I can really do is sit back and suffer, but I still love you." Faith looked at Spike. She still loved him and she still wanted him, but she wasn't ready to completely forgive him. "Please? Stay with me?"
After a moment, Faith nodded. "Fine, but no funny stuff."
"My hands are my hands and they'll stay at my side." Spike put his hands at his sides to prove his point.
Faith slipped into the bed next to him and laid her back against his chest. She felt a little guilty that she was sleeping in Buffy's bed, but the blonde Slayer had given her permission to do so. Closing her eyes, Faith let sleep take her.
Buffy woke up with a start. She had been lying on the desk dreaming about Angel when something had gone through her. Confused, Buffy looked around the office. She had fallen asleep on the desk. Connor walked into the office and Buffy stared at him as if she didn't know who he was.
"Geez mom, you look like death." Connor said, picking up a book from the shelf behind her. He held it up. "Fred wanted to look in here to see if any Beast references showed up that she happened to miss." Buffy stared at him funny. "You ok?"
Buffy shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "Yeah." She smiled, as her body lightened up and her brain pushed everything important off to the side. "I'm great. Just needed a nap."
"You sure?"
Buffy stood and looked down at her rumpled clothes. "God, how long have I been wearing this crap? I'm going to go change. Maybe take a shower."
"Good. You need to take your mind off Angelus."
"Oh, I'm not taking my mind off of Angelus for a second." Buffy thought about her vampire husband downstairs locked in a cage all by himself.
"Whatever. What did Faith want earlier? Fred said she called."
"I don't know. Something about calling Riley. Didn't really care. I'm going."
"All right. Have a nice shower." Connor walked out and handed Fred the book as Buffy strolled out of the office and looked at the monitor. Angelus was humming to himself. She smiled as he moved away from the wall. God, he was sexy. His muscles flexed under the tight shirt he was wearing and Buffy felt the need to go to him. She looked down at her disheveled self. "Not in this." She walked upstairs and hopped in the shower, washing away everything that had taken up her mind in the past few days and allowing one thought into her brain: Screw it all.
Faith sat with Dawn in the living room talking about Buffy's last call home. She had sounded really strange and Faith was planning on going up there to check on her. Giles scurried into the living room.
"Are you sure you'll all be all right?" Giles asked.
"You'll only be gone for two days." Dawn said.
"I think we've managed a bit longer than that." Faith said quietly.
"Right." Giles looked around nervously and then stopped. "Oh, Dawn, Vi's left her notebook on the mantelpiece. Would you mind running it out to the car?"
"Sure." Dawn got up and got the notebook.
"While you're at it, you smack her in the head with it and remind her not to leave it lying around."
"On it." Dawn said, walking out the door.
"I'm just a bit twitchy about leaving you alone here while.. While things are in such a state of flux. What with Buffy and Angel in LA." Giles said, sitting on the coffee table in front of Faith.
"I know. But you should go. This trip is important for the girls to understand the source of their power, and to know how to use it right." Faith said.
"Do you think they appreciate the gravity of what we're undertaking? It's frightening, and it's difficult. And then, apparently, someone told them that the vision quest consists of me driving them to the desert, doing the hokey pokey until a spooky Rasta-mama slayer arrives and speaks to them in riddles."
"That's not exactly how Buffy put it, she.." Faith was interrupted by Willow coming down stairs and entering the room. "Hey, how's Kennedy?"
"Still fluey." Willow said. She looked at Giles. "Bummed about missing the field trip. She says she wants you to meditate extra hard for her and to bring her back some smores."
"Ah yes. Smores. I'm going to end up singing campfire songs aren't I?" Giles asked. Faith smiled. "Oh yeah."
"Giles, you might want to get out there." Dawn said, coming back in.
"Oh God, what?" Giles asked.
"Molly and Rona are fighting over who gets to drive the first leg."
"Bet you wish you renewed that California State driver's license now, huh?" Faith asked.
"Rona won." Anya said, walking in. "You should probably let Molly out of the trunk." A car horn blew outside and Anya walked to the kitchen with Willow. "I never actually realized just how compact Molly really is."
"Please be safe while I'm away." Giles said to Faith.
"You too." Faith said.
"If Buffy calls, come get me immediately. With LA now in permanent darkness, she may need a lot more help than she lets on."
"I know. I might head up there later."
"Good." The horn blew again. "Goodbye Faith." Giles walked out the door.
Faith watched them go with a wave and then walked back in the house, shutting the door. She headed down to the basement where Spike was sitting on a cot, his wrists in chains attached to the wall.
"Hey." Faith said.
"Hey." Spike said.
"Giles is off.. on the retreat."
"Give us all a chance for a breather, eh?"
"From Giles?"
"From the constant pitter patter of clomping teenage girly feet."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Faith said with a shrug.
"Come on."
"No, I enjoy my responsibility as mentor, role model, life guide.. Oh, my God, I cannot believe I have a bathroom all to myself for two whole days." Faith plopped down on the cot next to Spike.
"It's like a bloody war-zone up there, and not in a good way."
"Have you seen the kitchen since they've been here?"
"I'm just trying to stay out of their way."
"I noticed."
"This is better. Believe me, it's safer."
"Ok. But you've been fine. In close contact with the girls."
"With you or Buffy or Angel by my side, yeah. You three won't let me hurt one of them. And that's the way it's gonna be until we're sure the First is done making me its bitch. Either we're together, or I'm on the leash."
"We just need to make sure the trigger's deactivated then. We've got a couple of days, lack of pitter-patter and all.."
"Faith.."
"What?"
"Ow."
"Ow?"
Spike's face contorted and started to twitch. "Ow ow ow!" He leaned back and thrashed against the wall.
"What's wrong?" Spike put his hands to his head. "Spike, what is going on?"
Spike started to calm down. "The chip. God. Why would..." Suddenly he screamed and held his hands to his head, writhing in intense pain.
"SPIKE!" Faith grabbed him and held him to her as he writhed. As if he couldn't take it anymore, Spike's body just went limp. Faith moved him gently to lay on the cot and then walked upstairs and almost ran into Willow.
"What's the matter?" Willow asked.
"Spike's chip just went off. It was really bad." Faith said.
"Do you have any idea why? He didn't hit you did he?"
"No! Of course he didn't hit me. I don't know why it went off. Maybe the First is playing with it."
"Maybe. Why don't you go check on him and I'll, uh, make some tea. I was down here anyway."
"Needed a break from playing 'doctor'?"
"Yeah. Hey, there is no doctor playing of any kind!"
"Sure."
"Haha Faith. Go."
Faith laughed and walked down to check on Spike. He was still knocked out. Faith guessed the chip had stopped whatever it was doing because Spike was curled up and comfy looking on the cot. Faith stroked his hair gently and then walked back upstairs.
"Hey. How is he?" Willow asked.
"Oh, in the 'goes' part of 'comes and goes.'" Faith said.
"Well there seems to be a definite lack of screaming. That has to be good."
"You'd think." Faith watched Willow pour hot water into a cup. "That for the other patient?"
"Yeah. Thought I'd bring her some tea, help her feel better."
"Mm-hmm." Faith said with a smile.
"It's just tea."
Faith laughed and then paused. She glanced at the door to the basement and then looked straight at Willow. "Will, how much do you know about the chip?"
"Spike's chip? Well, I remember trying to dig up stuff back then, but, turns out, when a secret government agency studies vampires and puts chips in their brains that keep them from hurting people, they don't really build websites. Why?"
"Even with the chip, Spike was able to hurt all those people when he was brainwashed."
"Yeah, but he was under the control of the First."
"Maybe something's wrong with it."
"The chip is misfiring all on its own, then. Well this'll be fun."
"Remember when things used to be nice and boring?"
"No." Willow shrugged and walked out of the kitchen.
"Have fun.. delivering tea.." Faith called.
"Ok, not when you make it sound all dirty like that." Willow called back.
Faith smiled to herself and walked into the living room with Dawn. The teenager was staring at a picture of her, Buffy, and Angel. "Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing." Dawn said, putting the picture down. "Just thinking."
"Bout what?"
"Buffy. Something's up with her. She didn't sound like Buffy on the phone."
"I know what you mean. She sounded like she was hiding something."
"And she wouldn't let me talk to Angel when I asked. Something about he was incapacitated."
"Maybe they'd had a nice big brawl with some out of town vamps and Angel got hurt bad enough that he was laying down with bandages all over him. Maybe that's why Buff sounded so strained."
"I hope so. Well, not hope that Angel's hurt, just hope that Buffy.. Is.. I'll just be quiet now. You know what I mean."
"I'm just mad they're getting all the action up there. It's boring around here with nothing to kill."
"Wanna watch a movie? I hear they have Shallow Hal on HBO now."
"Sure, why not?"
Faith was dozing on the couch when the scream sounded. Dawn sat up and looked at Faith as the Slayer jumped up and ran downstairs. Spike was thrashing and holding his head tightly. Faith ran up and grabbed him, holding tightly to him with all her strength to steady him. When he stopped and laid back, Faith walked over to the dryer and pulled out a towel.
"Popped another blood vessel, I think." Spike said. Faith handed him a towel and he wiped blood from his nose.
"There's gotta be a reason why the chip is going all wonky. Maybe it's related to the trigger or maybe it has something to do with the new soul." Faith said, sitting next to him.
"Or maybe I wasn't meant to last this long. One more thing you and I have in common, eh, pet?"
"Well, we'll fix it. We'll hit serious research mode.."
"Good. Try Behavioral Modification Software Throughout the Ages."
"Ok. You're right. Not a book thing. It's a phone thing."
"Who you gonna call?" Faith looked at him funny. "God, that phrase is never gonna be useable again, is it?"
"Doubt it." Faith walked upstairs and dialed the Hyperion. Fred picked up on the third ring. "Hey Fred, is Buffy or Angel there?"
"Angel? He's uh.. Buffy's in the office." Fred said.
"Can I talk to one of them?"
"Um.. Not Angel."
"Is he still incapacitated?"
"Um, yeah?"
"Then let me talk to B."
"Um, ok."
There was an exchange of words and then a click. Faith thought the woman had hung up on her, but then Buffy's tired voice filled the phone. "Hello?"
"B? You sound horrible."
"Bad couple of days. With Angel not being able to fight and the whole town turning into an amusement park for the undead and demonic kind, it's enough to make a Slayer of my stature sound horrible. It's just too much for me and Connor."
"Want me to come up there?"
"NO! You just stay there. We need an active Slayer on the Hellmouth. Especially now that the First has taken up residence there."
"You sure?"
"Positive. What did you need?"
"A phone number actually."
"For..?"
"Riley."
"Riley? Why would you want to call him?"
"He's the only one I know that can tell us what's wrong with Spike's chip."
"Spike's chip? Ok, I'm missing a whole lot, aren't I?"
"It just started today. Spike's chip is.."
"Faith? Who're you talking to?" Dawn asked.
"Dominos." Faith replied, covering the mouthpiece. "Go let Spike out of the chains please."
"Ok." Dawn walked off.
"Sorry B, I need Riley's number now and Dawn would take forever talking to you. She's worried."
"Spike's chip is what?"
"I guess the word would be malfunctioning. It's been.. Hurting him."
"As in.."
"As in hurting him for just sitting there. He needs help Buffy."
"Yeah, ok. Um, Riley's number should be in my desk drawer upstairs in my room. It's in my little personal phone book thing."
"Thank you Buffy. I'll go find it now. Hey, you sure you don't need.." Dawn walked back in with Spike. "A tip?"
"A tip?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, ok. Thank you. I'm sorry too. You, uh, you just lost a very valuable customer." Faith hung up. "Stupid people don't have pineapple for a pineapple and chicken pizza."
"Funny, they usually do." Dawn said.
"Uh huh. Don't you have homework?"
"Ok Buffy." Dawn walked up the stairs muttering, "Connor doesn't have to do his homework. He gets to help save the world and all I get is stuck here with a lame vampire and a bad liar of a Slayer."
Faith rolled her eyes and looked at Spike. "That was Buffy. She, uh, she gave me the number for Riley. I'm going to call him and see if he'll give up any information on your chip."
Spike nodded and watched her run upstairs. "I thought you said she gave you the number."
Faith came back down with a little black leather phone book. "She did. She told me where it was at." Faith looked up the number and then dialed. "Hello? Yes, Agent Finn, Riley. Tell him we're having a problem with Spike's chip. No his chip. Spike." Spike looked at her as she talked and thought that maybe she was going to too much trouble just for him. "Listen, pet.."
"No, no, Finn is his last name. Yeah. Well, did he used to work there and then he got transferred?" Spike's chip went off again. He thrashed on the stairs unnoticed by Faith. "Oh, is this actually a flower shop, or is this one of those things where I'm supposed to play along to show that I know it's really secret ops? Oh, maybe I shouldn't have said that. Oh, ok, right. Well, if some guy named Finn shows up to buy flowers.. Yeah. Thanks. She hung up and turned to Spike. "Wrong number. Or a giant government conspiracy, one or the.." Finally she noticed he was recovering from an episode. "Spike?"
"This one seemed easier than the others. See? Probably just gonna fade.." Spike screamed and grabbed his head again.
"Spike!" Faith grabbed him before he fell to the floor. He thrashed in her arms and Faith gently lowered him to the floor. As soon as the fit was over, she helped Spike stand. "Come on, let's get you somewhere comfortable." She started to pull Spike up to Buffy's room, but he held back. "What?"
"I can't.." Spike said. "It's Buffy's room. I don't want to get on her bad side by sleeping in her room without her permission."
"She won't care. It's Buffy. She cares about you Spike. Besides, I think she has a lot more to worry about than you sleeping in her bed."
Spike stared at Faith a moment and then allowed her to lead him upstairs. He laid down on the bed and buried his head in the pillow that smelled of Buffy and Angel. Faith started to walk out. "Wait."
She turned. "What?"
"Stay with me?"
"You don't.. Spike, we shouldn't."
"Why?"
"Because you're still recovering from the First playing mind games on you."
"I'll sleep better."
"Spike.."
"Faith, I know this is about the fight we had. I'm sorry about that. There's no way that I can make it up to you. There is no redemption for what I did to you. All I can really do is sit back and suffer, but I still love you." Faith looked at Spike. She still loved him and she still wanted him, but she wasn't ready to completely forgive him. "Please? Stay with me?"
After a moment, Faith nodded. "Fine, but no funny stuff."
"My hands are my hands and they'll stay at my side." Spike put his hands at his sides to prove his point.
Faith slipped into the bed next to him and laid her back against his chest. She felt a little guilty that she was sleeping in Buffy's bed, but the blonde Slayer had given her permission to do so. Closing her eyes, Faith let sleep take her.
Buffy woke up with a start. She had been lying on the desk dreaming about Angel when something had gone through her. Confused, Buffy looked around the office. She had fallen asleep on the desk. Connor walked into the office and Buffy stared at him as if she didn't know who he was.
"Geez mom, you look like death." Connor said, picking up a book from the shelf behind her. He held it up. "Fred wanted to look in here to see if any Beast references showed up that she happened to miss." Buffy stared at him funny. "You ok?"
Buffy shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "Yeah." She smiled, as her body lightened up and her brain pushed everything important off to the side. "I'm great. Just needed a nap."
"You sure?"
Buffy stood and looked down at her rumpled clothes. "God, how long have I been wearing this crap? I'm going to go change. Maybe take a shower."
"Good. You need to take your mind off Angelus."
"Oh, I'm not taking my mind off of Angelus for a second." Buffy thought about her vampire husband downstairs locked in a cage all by himself.
"Whatever. What did Faith want earlier? Fred said she called."
"I don't know. Something about calling Riley. Didn't really care. I'm going."
"All right. Have a nice shower." Connor walked out and handed Fred the book as Buffy strolled out of the office and looked at the monitor. Angelus was humming to himself. She smiled as he moved away from the wall. God, he was sexy. His muscles flexed under the tight shirt he was wearing and Buffy felt the need to go to him. She looked down at her disheveled self. "Not in this." She walked upstairs and hopped in the shower, washing away everything that had taken up her mind in the past few days and allowing one thought into her brain: Screw it all.
