'My friend assures me, "It's all or nothing."
I am not worried -- I am not overly concerned.
My friend implores me,
"For one time only, make an exception."
I am not worried.'
Buffy sighed and turned over in the bed, Spike's cool arms wrapped loosely around her body. Two days had passed since she and Giles had first discussed what they would need to do in order to discover what had happened to Kendra. Two days of absolutely nothing but dead ends and more questions.
The subject of life after death pertaining to Slayers was an obscure and rarely studied field, providing only the barest selection of writings and grey allusions to rituals and theories long since lost and forgotten. The research into the life of Drusilla wasn't going much better. Aside from Spike's memories and a cursory biography, little was written about the mad vampiress.
Buffy let out another groan and rose from the bed into the cool night air. She shivered and reached for her jeans, pulling them on hurriedly along with a black knit sweater. Returning to the bed she placed her hand on Spike's chest, calling his name softly. He mumbled in his sleep, his eyes fluttering before he turned and buried his face in her pillow.
Buffy sighed in annoyance as she stared down at the blonde vampire. Her body was tight with tension and she'd had every intention of working it out somehow. Outside the wind howled menacingly for a California winter. She shivered involuntarily, her eyes drifting to where his duster hung draped across the chair. Her own leather jacket hung neatly in the closet, but instead of going to get it, she slipped on Spike's, inhaling his scent. From her duffel bag she pulled out a gnarled stake, her fingers roaming over it lovingly before depositing it in the waistband of her pants and heading out into the night.
The streets of Sunnydale were deathly quiet as she moved through them, her feet instinctively following remembered paths. Before long she found herself staring at the gates of the main cemetery, her hand balanced against the cool concrete pillars. Slowly she pushed open the gate and entered what had once been her most familiar hunting ground.
She was instantly assaulted by the memories, bits and pieces of conversation floating to her on the wind. The past was vibrant in her mind, pushing her farther into the graveyard, her arms wrapped protectively around herself as she sunk deeper into the protective covering of Spike's duster.
The first scream broke her out of her reverie.
'Wrap her up in a package of lies
Send her off to a coconut island
I am not worried --
I am not overly concerned with the status of my emotions.'
She took off at a run in the direction the scream had come from, her feet leaving the ground before the scene before had completely unfolded itself to her. She landed on the vampire with a loud thwack, jarring him off of the girl who scurried behind a nearby tombstone. Short red hair gleaming dully in the moonlight.
She was dimly aware of a fight happening beside her, but the vampire before her demanded her immediate attention, threatening to send her sprawling to the ground with his massive bulk. Finally she found the opening she was looking for and jabbed the stake home, whirling around towards the other fray, stake in hand, only to find herself staring into the eyes of a definitely human looking girl.
Buffy lowered her hands, the stake disappearing from view. Before she had a chance to question the girl she found herself tackled to the ground, warding off a flurry of angry blows. Hurriedly she grabbed at the girl's wrists, propelling her off of her and onto the ground behind her. Wasting no time she propelled herself from the ground and turned to find the other girl on her feet as well.
"Who the hell are you?" The brunette's eyes narrowed demandingly her full mouth poised in an angry frown, her wild hair disarrayed.
"Buffy," she stated, the familiar words rolling of her tongue, "the Vampire Slayer."
For a second the brunette looked take aback before an expression somewhere between mirth and disappointment flitted across her face, "Well, hell's bells." The brunette smiled expectantly, her teeth gleaming in the moonlight, "So you're Buffy. The name's Faith, you know, the other Vampire Slayer."
Buffy started, an image of Kendra's face drifting across her memory. Finally she gave a silent nod of assent and turned towards the tombstone where the girl still huddled with her back turned to them, hunched over the inert body of her companion. Buffy frowned, the familiarity of the short red hair sending the hairs on neck up in warning.
"Are you okay?"
The red head whirled around her pale face fading to near transparency as she took in the sight of the petite blonde before her. She gasped as Buffy tumbled backwards, her eyes wide a the familiar face. The Slayer's voice trembled nervously as she spoke the familiar name, "Willow?"
The red-head nodded tremulously, a slow smile spreading across her impish features. "Buffy?" She queried unbelievingly before launching herself from her arms into the blonde's tight embrace. Awareness of Faith's presence vanishing from their minds.
Buffy let out a relieved sob against her friend's shoulder, taking care not to squeeze the petite girl too hard. Finally, they pulled apart from each other, each eyeing the other precisely as they took in the changes that had occurred over the year.
Willow smiled, "You let your hair grow out."
Buffy returned the smile, "You cut yours."
They continued to stare at each other happily, the smiles growing broader by the moment, completely oblivious to Faith's silent departure. It took the sound of a low moan from behind the tombstone to wrench the girls apart as they turned to stare worriedly at Oz who had risen from his spot on the ground and was blinking at them rapidly.
His expressionless eyes met Buffy's and he shrugged lightly, "Hey."
'"Oh", She says, "We're changing."
But we're always changing.'
Buffy and Willow sat across from each other in the twenty-four hour diner. Oz lounged next to Willow, his face stoic as always, one hand casually resting on Willow's shoulder. Buffy had spent the last hour explaining the events since they had last seen each other and now Willow sat deep in thought, a slight frown on her face, "Maybe it was a warning."
Buffy leaned in closer, "About what, though?"
"Well," Willow chewed nervously for a second on her bottom lip, "about the new Slayer. That's who the other girl in the graveyard was, right?'
Buffy nodded, "Yea." With a deep sigh she pushed back from the table, "But that still doesn't explain Dru's connection to everything and Kendra's anger."
Willow worried her bottom lip some more, her face lightning up as a thought occurred to her, "Research party."
Buffy smiled at her friends enthusiasm, "Guess so." Then she frowned, "You've got to promise me something, Will."
He redhead nodded, concern etching it's way onto her face, "Anything."
"Don't tell Xander anything."
I am not worried -- I am not overly concerned.
My friend implores me,
"For one time only, make an exception."
I am not worried.'
Buffy sighed and turned over in the bed, Spike's cool arms wrapped loosely around her body. Two days had passed since she and Giles had first discussed what they would need to do in order to discover what had happened to Kendra. Two days of absolutely nothing but dead ends and more questions.
The subject of life after death pertaining to Slayers was an obscure and rarely studied field, providing only the barest selection of writings and grey allusions to rituals and theories long since lost and forgotten. The research into the life of Drusilla wasn't going much better. Aside from Spike's memories and a cursory biography, little was written about the mad vampiress.
Buffy let out another groan and rose from the bed into the cool night air. She shivered and reached for her jeans, pulling them on hurriedly along with a black knit sweater. Returning to the bed she placed her hand on Spike's chest, calling his name softly. He mumbled in his sleep, his eyes fluttering before he turned and buried his face in her pillow.
Buffy sighed in annoyance as she stared down at the blonde vampire. Her body was tight with tension and she'd had every intention of working it out somehow. Outside the wind howled menacingly for a California winter. She shivered involuntarily, her eyes drifting to where his duster hung draped across the chair. Her own leather jacket hung neatly in the closet, but instead of going to get it, she slipped on Spike's, inhaling his scent. From her duffel bag she pulled out a gnarled stake, her fingers roaming over it lovingly before depositing it in the waistband of her pants and heading out into the night.
The streets of Sunnydale were deathly quiet as she moved through them, her feet instinctively following remembered paths. Before long she found herself staring at the gates of the main cemetery, her hand balanced against the cool concrete pillars. Slowly she pushed open the gate and entered what had once been her most familiar hunting ground.
She was instantly assaulted by the memories, bits and pieces of conversation floating to her on the wind. The past was vibrant in her mind, pushing her farther into the graveyard, her arms wrapped protectively around herself as she sunk deeper into the protective covering of Spike's duster.
The first scream broke her out of her reverie.
'Wrap her up in a package of lies
Send her off to a coconut island
I am not worried --
I am not overly concerned with the status of my emotions.'
She took off at a run in the direction the scream had come from, her feet leaving the ground before the scene before had completely unfolded itself to her. She landed on the vampire with a loud thwack, jarring him off of the girl who scurried behind a nearby tombstone. Short red hair gleaming dully in the moonlight.
She was dimly aware of a fight happening beside her, but the vampire before her demanded her immediate attention, threatening to send her sprawling to the ground with his massive bulk. Finally she found the opening she was looking for and jabbed the stake home, whirling around towards the other fray, stake in hand, only to find herself staring into the eyes of a definitely human looking girl.
Buffy lowered her hands, the stake disappearing from view. Before she had a chance to question the girl she found herself tackled to the ground, warding off a flurry of angry blows. Hurriedly she grabbed at the girl's wrists, propelling her off of her and onto the ground behind her. Wasting no time she propelled herself from the ground and turned to find the other girl on her feet as well.
"Who the hell are you?" The brunette's eyes narrowed demandingly her full mouth poised in an angry frown, her wild hair disarrayed.
"Buffy," she stated, the familiar words rolling of her tongue, "the Vampire Slayer."
For a second the brunette looked take aback before an expression somewhere between mirth and disappointment flitted across her face, "Well, hell's bells." The brunette smiled expectantly, her teeth gleaming in the moonlight, "So you're Buffy. The name's Faith, you know, the other Vampire Slayer."
Buffy started, an image of Kendra's face drifting across her memory. Finally she gave a silent nod of assent and turned towards the tombstone where the girl still huddled with her back turned to them, hunched over the inert body of her companion. Buffy frowned, the familiarity of the short red hair sending the hairs on neck up in warning.
"Are you okay?"
The red head whirled around her pale face fading to near transparency as she took in the sight of the petite blonde before her. She gasped as Buffy tumbled backwards, her eyes wide a the familiar face. The Slayer's voice trembled nervously as she spoke the familiar name, "Willow?"
The red-head nodded tremulously, a slow smile spreading across her impish features. "Buffy?" She queried unbelievingly before launching herself from her arms into the blonde's tight embrace. Awareness of Faith's presence vanishing from their minds.
Buffy let out a relieved sob against her friend's shoulder, taking care not to squeeze the petite girl too hard. Finally, they pulled apart from each other, each eyeing the other precisely as they took in the changes that had occurred over the year.
Willow smiled, "You let your hair grow out."
Buffy returned the smile, "You cut yours."
They continued to stare at each other happily, the smiles growing broader by the moment, completely oblivious to Faith's silent departure. It took the sound of a low moan from behind the tombstone to wrench the girls apart as they turned to stare worriedly at Oz who had risen from his spot on the ground and was blinking at them rapidly.
His expressionless eyes met Buffy's and he shrugged lightly, "Hey."
'"Oh", She says, "We're changing."
But we're always changing.'
Buffy and Willow sat across from each other in the twenty-four hour diner. Oz lounged next to Willow, his face stoic as always, one hand casually resting on Willow's shoulder. Buffy had spent the last hour explaining the events since they had last seen each other and now Willow sat deep in thought, a slight frown on her face, "Maybe it was a warning."
Buffy leaned in closer, "About what, though?"
"Well," Willow chewed nervously for a second on her bottom lip, "about the new Slayer. That's who the other girl in the graveyard was, right?'
Buffy nodded, "Yea." With a deep sigh she pushed back from the table, "But that still doesn't explain Dru's connection to everything and Kendra's anger."
Willow worried her bottom lip some more, her face lightning up as a thought occurred to her, "Research party."
Buffy smiled at her friends enthusiasm, "Guess so." Then she frowned, "You've got to promise me something, Will."
He redhead nodded, concern etching it's way onto her face, "Anything."
"Don't tell Xander anything."