"A Little Faith"
By C.K. Blake
The truck had run over another bump, and the sunlight spilling in from the boards was fading to a dark ruddy red. She was miles away from Sunnydale, headed to nowhere in particular, but there was unfinished business she'd left behind. She ran her tongue over her lips, rolled her head around, and loosened up her shoulders. Then let out a grunt and pounded her fist into her palm a couple of times. She kicked open the ratty makeshift doors of the trailer she was hiding out in, jumped out of it, and rolled until she was in the soft grass on the shoulder of the road.
It was time to go back to Sunnydale and take care of a little conquest she'd left behind. He promised to be a whole lot of fun. She smiled to herself and spoke in her husky sultry voice, "Hope Fang Boy can handle a little Faith, because I'm in the mood for a little confrontation. I don't tease a good looking guy and not follow through."
Not to mention the vampire had charisma, old William the Bloody couldn't fight back, so she could get rough and not worry about repercussions. He had turned into her kind of man. If good girl Buffy could get it on with a bloodsucker, then she had every right to give ol' Spike a taste. Riley was okay, the whole love talk was a bit much, but he gave a good wrestle in the sack, but with Spike, things would be like old times, a good one nighter and no talk of love and all that other mush. Still one problem remained, getting back to Sunnydale, it was a long walk, Faith smiled and stuck her thumb out as a red Mazda screeched to halt. Not bad, first try and she got a bite.
She sauntered over to the driver's side, and smiled her most daring smile as the window rolled down and some guy, probably in college, grinned at her. She grabbed the door handle, pulled him out of the seat, jumped in, took off, did a u-turn, and kept going before the poor sucker knew what hit him. She was still in control. She saw what she wanted and she took it, simple rule of her life, after all who else was going to provide for her?
She was back in Sunnydale within a few hours. Not that long a drive, that truck she'd been on was making bad time. She checked her boot, and smiled, glad to know she had at least one knife to her name. She'd have to do some window-shopping later. She debated on whether she would need a good sharp stake for her "date" and thought against it. Nothing like a long sharp piece of wood to take it out of a demon, and she wanted Spike to be up for anything.
So where would Spike, the self-proclaimed "Big Bad" hang out? The only place in Sunnydale that had a youthful pulse, The Bronze. Faith pulled into a sleazy motel in the poor side of town. Surroundings that she was familiar with. Luckily the driver of the Mazda had left his wallet in the passenger's side floorboard, and he packed some pretty heavy cash. She paid forty bucks for her room, took a shower, and then found a clothing store that had late hours. Lucky her. After being re-outfitted in leather pants and a blood red halter-top with matching blood red bra underneath, she donned her leather jacket and was ready for anything, even a harmless vampire with platinum hair.
She paid for the clothes she now wore with the money she'd gotten from the Mazda guy's wallet. She'd kept the cash, over a couple thousand in a variety of bills, and tossed the wallet. The walk to The Bronze was brisk and uneventful. She'd ditched the car, too. She was already in bad with the cops; a stolen car wasn't a smart thing to keep around since she was a wanted woman still at large.
She made it to The Bronze without being spotted by the Scooby gang. Luck was on her side for once. She'd have to be careful though. No dancing and no hitting on the regular guy. She had a target in mind, and she was going for him and him alone. She kept to the shadows, moving with the music, but not moving enough to catch a whole lot of attention. She looked at the bar, then to the place under the stairs where she'd last seen him. Damn he was a glutton for punishment, because there he sulked under the stairs, looking at the foolish humans dancing with the pulsing music. She got tired of the hiding and danced her way over to the sulking vampire. Oh yeah he was gorgeous grade A meat, even for the undead. She couldn't figure out why B didn't go for him, Spike looked like a nice animalistic type guy, while Riley had been too tame for her tastes.
She smiled and licked her lips as she approached him. If he was anything like she imagined she was looking at a fun night. She put a hand on his shoulder and he looked from her strategically placed hand to her beautiful face with the sultry pouting smile. He acknowledged her with a raised eyebrow and a scowl, and tried to shake her hand off. When that didn't work he grabbed her hand and put on his game face, that didn't last long when he grabbed his head as it exploded in pain. Damn that bloody chip. He couldn't hurt a human, couldn't even feed like the creature that he was.
"I owe you a confrontation Fang Boy," The girl with the dark hair and dark eyes said, her voice was as sultry as her body, he realized as he gave her a once over from head to toe. "I'm over a hundred and twenty-six years old and running. Who are you to call me boy? And who in the bloody hell are you?" Spike asked, sneer still in place. "You knew me when I was in Buffy's body. Damn, kinda confusing huh?" She answered with a smirk before continuing. "Look back when you told B you owed her a confrontation you were talking to me, and I was leading you on. I couldn't do you because it's wrong. Remember?" His jaw dropped a little, but he soon regained control. "Shut yer gob. You couldn't have been. Not unless Red messed up with her magic. That little witch is a menace. So this is the real you? Well, where's Buffy?" "I can't believe this. You're hung up on her too! I thought you were only responding when I was coming on to you. I should have known," The girl said in frustrated disbelief. Spike swallowed nervously. "What are you goin on about?" "Buffy. Even you want a piece of her. What's with the good girl routine getting all the guys?" "Ah hell, and what do you suggest I do? Go with the first thing with a nice rack and a nice ass?" "Stop thinking about Buffy, and have a little Faith. And you're looking at the Faith." "That an offer? You feel like a slayer. Before this bloody chip I would have torn into you and had a feast, now I'm more of a bleedin' puff than ol' Peaches." "Peaches?" Faith raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Angel, formerly Angelus, my sire's sire." "He led me on, like she is leading you on. You think that perfect little good girl would go for the 'Big Bad' defanged? Come on. I'm offering to save you from pining over her. One night with me, and you won't be her puppy on a leash anymore," Faith said and then leaned up and breathed into his ear, "You can't like being led on. It gets bored after a while, especially when you never get rewarded."
"Hey, I have a bloody chip in my head, Peaches has his soul. Don't even think we've been through the same thing. A woman is far more treacherous than any man," Spike snapped.
Faith smiled and ran a long nail under Spike's chin, "Good to know ol' Fang can be turned on with a little charm and put down. Come on, let's take this conversation to a place a little more private."
Spike's eyebrows arched and the corner of his mouth rose in a sneer, as she went on, "So your place or the dump I've rented for the night?"
He decided to grab a bottle, get plastered, take a chance, and make a huge mistake. The grin on his face told her all she needed to know, but he spoke his answer, more to convince himself than her, "Let me get a bottle of something and then we'll take a sit at my crypt. That alright with you or do you have a preference to dumps?"
"Bring on the cobwebs and marble, never threw down in a graveyard before. Sounds like an adventure," Faith said and gyrated her hips, giving Spike a little preview of the events to come.
"Sure, Faith is it? We'll have us a little adventure. Just don't dust me come dawn," Spike said and put his arm around her shoulders.
They left The Bronze, but not without a bottle of Jack Daniels purchased with the money Faith handed Spike. They even bought a second bottle and an order of Buffalo wings to go. Had to be ready for a little snack later. So with Spike carrying a take out box of Buffalo wings and Faith with the bottles of Jack, they walked through the cemetery to the crypt that Spike called home, at least it was home during the day.
Spike even had a television, a little fridge to keep his pig's blood fresh, and a microwave to warm it up. No one had noticed the extension cord he had running from the caretaker's home to his little nest, surprisingly Xander had come up with that. Anything to get Spike out of his room. Faith noticed the fridge and microwave with a smile. Spike put the Buffalo wings in the fridge next to the black coffee mug with 'You Devil You!' written in bright red on it. It was no surprise that the mug was filled with blood. Faith raised an eyebrow at the mug and her grin grew wider.
"Talk about all the comforts of home. My little room has a dingy fridge with things growing in it, and here your are with a nice little fridge, growth free with a microwave thrown into the mix. Well, well, unliving it up in style."
Spike shrugged, "Had to leave Xander's basement before we started sharing a wardrobe. I only borrow a bloody Hawaiian shirt and horrible khaki shorts once before getting the message. I can't wash clothes for shit."
"Sounds like a story behind that one."
"Naw just shrunk me clothes in the wash. Over a hundred years old and still need someone else to do the laundry."
"So what do you do for fun, since you obviously don't enjoy washing clothes?" Faith asked, and slapped her hips as she began to sway her body to music that wasn't there.
Spike grabbed one of the bottles of Jack, sat down on a chair he kept handy in the crypt, unscrewed the top, took a swig, and smirked, "Yeah, well you're putting on a good show Pet. Is that all you're good for? A little show?"
"Oh, is that a challenge? You think you're something so wicked and special?"
"It's whatever you want it to be. What can I tell you baby? I've always been bad," Spike whispered huskily as Faith took the bottle, tipped it back for a couple of swallows, and straddled him.
"So have I," She breathed and then draped her arm with the bottle over the back of the chair, and ran her other hand through his slicked back platinum hair before gripping the back of his head and holding him firmly as she snatched up his mouth with hers in a kiss laced with fire, before he had the chance to complain about her messing with his hair.
When the kiss ended she leaned back and readjusted herself around his waist, as he took a deep breath, not that he needed it, and said, "Always the bloody hair."
Then his arms wrapped around her and he returned the favor until her lungs burned with the need for air. He wasn't even winded, oh the perks of vampirism. Spike's hands reached under Faith's halter-top. She kissed him, stood up, grabbed the front of his black shirt and pulled him up with her. She snatched his leather jacket open and was pulling it down his arms before Spike had a chance to protest, until the jacket was on the floor at their feet. Spike had her jacket on the floor next to his a second later. He lifted his arms as Faith yanked his black t-shirt off.
He leaned his head down, his nose in her hair, catching the scent of her, fresh shampoo smell, and a deep exotic savage smell, the smell of Faith herself. Spike leaned further down, ran his tongue down her cheek, across her jaw, and then flickered it over her throat. He moaned as a shudder ran through his body. She smelled so good, and his ears picked up on the sound of blood rushing through her veins and arteries. He stood straight up, trying to shake the feeling of wanting to taste her before the chip kicked in. Faith looked up at him as her hands worked on unfastening his black jeans.
"What's the matter, baby? Little warm under that cold collar? I can finish heating you right up."
He pushed her back and picked up the discarded bottle of Jack. He tipped his head and the bottle back and didn't stop drinking until only a fifth of the bottle remained. He looked at the dark haired girl that just stared at him, looking lost and alone, he blinked and the vulnerability was gone just like that, a simple snap of the fingers. He found that he liked the vulnerability he'd seen.
"What, you closed your eyes and saw her?" Faith snapped.
Spike looked up at her, his cool blue eyes sparking with fire and building passion, "Why would I need to think of anyone else when I'm here with you?"
"Great line, you lying piece of shit."
"Not a line. You smelled so good. I needed a cool down before this chip in me head went off. I haven't had a woman in such a long time, and you're a lot of woman, even for the likes of me."
"Bringing out your old poetic skill? I can see why they called you William the Bloody. Who cares how you get off? Down enough Jack to start again?"
"Bitch! Who are you to tell me anything? Chip or no chip I could tear out your throat right now," He growled in anger and his face changed.
He grabbed her and pulled her head back exposing her throat, he licked his lips and struck. He didn't stop drinking, despite the pain in his head, until she was only a few moments away from her death.
"Lesson the first a slayer must always reach for her weapon. I've already got mine," He said with a smile and looked at the girl gasping for her breath, "So Pet, want to give being a vampire a go? It's the only way you'll live. I took a lot of blood. Now I could open up my throat and let your taste immortality or I can watch you writhe on the floor as shock and death eventually set in. It won't take long now since you're so weak. Funny, I've never sired anyone before. A slayer for my childe. The headache was worth it."
Faith managed to pull the knife out of her boot and toss it to Spike. He nodded and smiled as he brought the blade across his throat with a yelp. "Ow, luv, that hurt."
Then he drew her close and held her head as her lips found the wound and she began to drink. She quickly developed a taste for it and he eventually had to push her away before she took too much from him. She smiled and wiped the blood from her lips. He looked at her and laughed, she was beautiful, funny how he hardly noticed that before. A lot like he'd been when he stumbled across Dru.
He could already noticed the changes in her. Although she'd been a slayer she'd still been human, now she moved with the full predatory grace of a vampire. She stumbled a little, but they had been drinking liquor. Still there was something beneath the new vampire surface, something that still breathed human, kind of like Angel. Spike looked at her; then took a look into her mind. She had all of her memories, and a conscience, not to mention a lot of control and the beginnings of hunger.
"How is it possible? Bloody hell. You have a." Spike trailed off in shock.
Faith jumped up, feeling alive, like she'd never lived before, funny how she was dead now and felt like she was finally living. She noticed the note of worry in Spike's voice and looked over at him, "A what? I have a what?"
"A soul. Oh, hell, Pet, you have a soul."
"I thought the soul left once you began to sprout fangs."
Spike nodded, "Yeah, that's how it works. Shit! You were a slayer. That might be the catch. I don't think a slayer has ever been turned into a vampire before."
"So you're saying I'm cursed with a soul because I was chosen before we had our little drinking party?" Faith got up and pounded her fist into her hand a couple of times, "Great. B would just love this. Before I let her stake me I'll tell her I have a soul. You know she's going to love staking me now that I'm this. This whole soul thing, wow. I'm like your Peaches. I can't even get a break now that I'm dead!"
"Welcome to the bleeding club. You think I've had it easy? Hell, Buffy has made my life a living hell since I met her. You know before I came to Sunnyhell I had some pretty good times. I went out at night caught a few humans, drained em like a couple of beers and was demon enough to hang on to my Dru. Beautiful times, those were. Then along comes Miss Sunshine, and I'm not demon enough for Dru and then I get this bloody chip. Any way you look at it, I can't win. What makes you think you can do any bloody better?"
"So what can a couple of broken down vampires do to have a little fun?" Faith whispered with a raised eyebrow as she ran her nails over Spike's smooth chest.
Spike licked the rest of her human blood off of his lips and smiled, "We'll come up with something, but first a little snack. I'll heat up some blood for the both of us and then we can have a sip. Say, do you like wheat-a-bits? I can crush some up and put it in your mug. You know a little texture can add to the taste."
Faith made a confused and grossed out face, "Let me get used to the blood idea first, kay sweet fang?"
"No one's ever called me that before."
"Well, you eat junk food, so you got a sweet tooth. Got a problem with me calling you a nickname or something? Didn't know vampires were so touchy. Can't imagine why B wouldn't go for you. She's into the bad boy sensitive type. She finds out about me, guess we'll both get it bad. She has a stake she calls Mr. Pointy. You know that? We'll probably meet with that soon as she finds out."
"Why do you think I have it so bad for her? Bloody hell. I almost married her once. I woke up to that whole thing a long time ago. She's wrong. Hell, she'd change me."
Faith sighed, "At The Bronze last night. You weren't coming on to me. You were getting off on me in Ihe/Ir body. I always get em after she stakes a claim. Well I didn't get Angel, but I got her little Beef Cake commando. Now he was fun till he started spouting out poetry and love. It was disgusting. I was disgusting. She has it all, damn her! The boyfriend, the friends, the mom, the daddy type with Giles, even you, and I have nothing, except a bad reputation, a conscience, and fangs."
"That sums up a lot," Spike commented as he got the blood out of the microwave and handed her a mug full of warm pig's blood. She downed it and was ready for more before he got a sip of his. He groaned handed her his mug and then added, "You must really hate who you used to see in a mirror to beat yourself up because of Miss Sunshine. What happened to you? In The Bronze you were catty, now you're a puff."
Faith looked up at him and growled. "I just realized how wrong I was about a lot of things. I had a taste of what life could be. I want that. The family, friends, and even the love would be nice. She probably doesn't even now how she's got the world by the balls."
Spike nodded and fixed himself a new mug of blood. No wonder Angel had seemed annoyed those first few weeks Spike had been a vampire. Fledglings ate a lot, and bitched and moaned almost beyond tolerable. Hell if their life were so happy they wouldn't have come so willingly to the bleeding dark side. Spike downed his blood before his new childe looked up at him with hungry eyes and he relinquished a third helping to her.
When he'd finished his mug full, Faith sauntered over to him with a strange smile on her face. Spike put his empty mug down and looked at the newly made vampire in awe. He'd made her, and she was beautiful. She was dark, strong, and despite the soul she was perfect. He rubbed the back of his head tenderly, still feeling aftershocks of the pain the chip had caused while he fed off of Faith. It was worth it, she was worth it, he knew that much.
She kissed him, her soft full lips still tasting of blood. The found themselves on the floor, Spike on top at first, but in a split second Faith had the situation changed. He shook his head, wondering how she'd done that so quickly.
"Little trick of the trade, Fang Boy; remember all of those muscles I mentioned?" She whispered and then nipped his ear with her teeth.
With that said she had his pants off and thrown into a corner, and her clothes followed. Passion filled the room, kissing, caressing, exploration, and something new to the both of them. Something inside of Faith seemed to be reaching at something buried deep within Spike. As they both reached their passionate peaks, something else was tying them together. Heat rose in Spike, ran through his veins, burning him, almost tearing him apart, and then his head felt like it was exploding. He screamed and when quiet finally settled in the crypt, Spike opened his eyes and took in his surroundings and the beautiful girl that stared down at him in fear and worry.
He sat up slowly, feeling slightly sick and rubbed the back of his head. There was a cut, he put his fingers in the wound and pulled out a small electrical device. He crushed it in his hand and looked up at Faith, but even with the chip removed there was something wrong. The demon inside him was no longer inside of him, just nature, and he felt remorse.
"Bloody Hell!" He screamed.
"What?"
"You, bitch! I get the chip out and you do this to me?"
"I've been called worse, now what the hell did I do?"
Spike glared at her and then hit one of the walls of the crypt, creating a deep crack in the wall as he howled, "A soul. A bleeding soul. You made me a puff. I get the chip out, can finally be my old evil self again, and what do you do? Give me a bloody soul. I'm still as useless as before. Now when I look at a human I can feel what they feel. I'm a bleeding empathic puff or whatever a soul bearing former demon can be called."
Faith started picking up her clothes and getting dressed, ready to run like she always did, but deep down she didn't want to run, not this time. She was almost dressed, was pulling her halter top down when the door of the crypt was open. Spike had just refastened his pants when the door swung open. Both vampires looked at the door as Xander, Anya, and Willow stood there staring at them. Faith grimaced and looked up at the ceiling of the crypt.
"Great, the Scoobies are here. So where's B? She'll be wanting in on this action. Got a stake ready for me? Hey Willow, I know you want a piece of me. Get me in a room, and face off with me, got that grenade you mentioned earlier? What about you Xander? Got the seven minute love fest out of your way to take me on again?"
Xander flushed as Anya smacked him in the shoulder and snapped, "You slept with a vampire! With her!"
"She wasn't a vampire then. She was a slayer, and if you want to get all technical she practically raped me!" Xander retaliated.
"Can't rape the willing," Faith threw in, "And you were very willing."
"Willing? That's it! I'm going to get back into the revenge business! Thought you had syphilis before? Wait until I'm done with you when I get my powers back!" Anya yelled.
"Anya wait, it's not how it sounds. She's been in a coma the whole time we've been together. Stop," Xander started going after her as she stormed off.
"A coma is your excuse for breaking it off with her?" Anya yelled back.
"Wait! Faith is a vampire. But how? When? Who made her?" Willow asked.
"I'm right here Willow. Why don't you ask me, or my sire?" Faith said.
Xander stopped in his tracks, and Anya turned around and watched the scene unfold around her. Maybe Xander wasn't lying. He couldn't be lying, not Xander. She walked back over to him, and let him put his arm around her, after she mentioned she was still angry with him.
Spike scoffed at the scene and looked at Faith, wondering how a wildcat like her would go for someone like laundry boy. He turned his gaze to the witch and noticed how she was looking at him. He went to the fridge, pulled out a Buffalo wing, took a bite, swallowed, and then spoke, "Well, I got drunk, got a headache, and made my first vampire. Don't think I'll ever do that again. The chip in my head is gone, but I'm going to have a hell of a hangover later on, oh and the former slayer has cursed me with a soul. So now I can feel how angry the ex-demon is at laundry boy and he's absolutely terrified that he's lost the best thing that ever happened to him. Oh and you Red, you've got something going on with a little witch back at your dorm and you're scared to tell your friends. How sweet, say what's her name?"
"How do you know all of that?" Willow asked.
Faith chimed in to save Spike the aggravation, "We can pick up on what you feel. That's what having a soul means, at least to a vampire. I can see why Angel was so moody all the time. I can't even imagine killing you without feeling sick."
Xander's head snapped up, "So you're good now?"
"I'm not a killer if that's what you mean, but don't push it. There are exceptions to every rule," Faith snapped.
Anya glared at Faith and said, "Xander is not your exception. If you hurt him I'll stake you or pull you out into the sunlight at noon."
"Awww, how sweet she's defending her little boyfriend," Spike spoke mockingly, then remembered that he was half dressed, "Hey, go do whatever it is that you're going to do. Tell Miss Sunshine or whatever, but leave. I'd like to finish getting dressed in peace. We'll be stopping in at Giles to find out about this soul business. Having a soul is almost as bad as that chip. By the way, does Giles have any peanut butter?"
The Scoobies turned around and began walking out. Spike pulled on his shirt as Faith tied her boots. Suddenly a scream sounded somewhere in the cemetery. Faith jumped up, ran out of the crypt, and found the source of the screams. A vampire was attacking Willow. Faith kicked the vampire in the back and it let go of Willow. Xander took something out of a canvas bag he'd been carrying and threw it to Faith. She grabbed the stake in midair and slammed it into the vampire's chest, and watched as it exploded into dust.
Willow looked up in shock at Faith.
"Why did you save me?"
Faith smiled, "Can't let B's friends end up like me. You know you should learn to defend yourself before going out to patrol the cemetery. Does she even know you're out here?"
"She's busy with other things," Willow whispered and looked down trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.
Faith rolled her eyes, "Like playing with that new boy toy?"
"No," Xander cut in, "She's out looking for a nasty cyborg demon thing."
"Faith has a point, she could be having sex with the commando. Xander, we should go home and have sex too. You know I got that new negligee thing and that whip."
Faith raised an eyebrow at the blushing Xander as he looked helplessly at Anya and started in on a lecture, "Remember that talk about sex not being common conversation? Especially in front of friends, vampires, and Spike?"
"Hey, I'm a vampire," Spike said as he caught up with the Scoobies and Faith, finally fully dressed, black leather trench coat, boots and all.
"No, you were a vampire," Xander corrected.
Spike glared at him and then smiled nastily, "Whatever you say, Spanky."
"Hey, I call him Spanky," Anya said and then looked at Xander, "I thought you said pet names were private!"
Spike grinned as he watched Anya storm off with Xander going after her like a distressed puppy. "Talk about a night. It only gets better when you get a rise out of those two. So, Red, need an escort to Giles? Faith and I need to get to the bottom of this soul thing. I'd like to get back to my former self some decade soon."
Willow sighed, and decided she could use the company, even if it was Faith. Spike wasn't so bad, and Faith couldn't be all bad if she'd just saved Willow's life. It wasn't long before they were at Giles' door. Willow and Spike walked right in, Faith was stuck at the doorway. Spike sighed and then looked at Willow.
"Well, she is a vampire. Red, she saved your life, you got to invite her in."
Willow looked at Faith standing at Giles' door, wondering if she should invite the vampire into a friend's home. It wasn't like Giles knew Faith was a vampire, at least not yet. Faith started pacing and looked through the doorway every now and then. She sighed and walked through the door before Willow had a chance to do any inviting. Both Willow and Spike looked confused since Faith obviously hadn't needed the invitation.
Spike began to yell for Giles to hurry up wherever he was in the house and help with some research. Giles came out of the hallway cleaning his glasses and said, "What's all this yelling about?"
He put on his glasses and looked up, his jaw dropped as he saw Faith standing next to Spike, with Spike's arm around her.
"Ok, let me rephrase that last comment and ask what is going on?"
Faith wrinkled her nose, stretched and pounded her fist a couple or times, then took it upon herself to answer. "Well, Giles, I decided I'd come back to Sunnydale for a while. I found a reason to stay. Don't worry I can't cause any more trouble, not since I got a little thing called a conscience. Oh, Spike has a little problem too. At least he thinks of it as a problem. You see, when he got his soul back he got rid of that little chip in his head, but the soul stayed too. I think a soul does him good, but you can't teach an old vampire new tricks, you have to beat those into him."
Giles looked from Faith to Spike and then turned to face Willow, "Right, now what's going on? Willow, I could probably get a clearer answer from you."
"Um. Spike made Faith a vampire and then got his soul, although I'm not sure how he got his soul. They say the chip is gone. This is all over my head. I can handle the computer stuff and the witch stuff, but the vampire stuff is more Buffy's thing."
"Faith is a vampire? How did she get in here? Spike couldn't let her in? Willow?" Giles looked at Willow with tired wide eyes.
"I didn't inviter her. She just walked in."
"Yes, right, of course. So you just let her into my home? At least with Spike we knew he was harmless, although not so harmless anymore if Spike changed Faith. Wait, she wasn't invited inside? He has his soul now? Right, then, what kind of spell was performed?"
"You out of work librarian! I didn't want my soul; I wanted the chip out. Look, can you help us. Let's have a look at your books or something. And speaking of souls, Faith has hers as well. Bloody hell, it's an epidemic. Red, you didn't have anything to do with this did you?" Spike continued to rant about Willow being a menace. "Of course it was magic. The witch hit me with one of her little tricks gone wild. Or the slayer planned this. Why didn't I see it coming? I wasn't miserable enough with the chip, so they throw a soul at me. Ah hell, stake me now!"
"You know that can be arranged," Giles said.
Faith stepped in front of Spike to protect him, "Over my undead body. He's the closest thing I got to a friend or family or whatever. I'm not a killer, but I will defend my blood."
"Awww, isn't she something? I got the perfect girl for my first childe? Wouldn't you say?" Spike beamed, put his arm around her, drew her close, and kissed her.
"This is almost as bad as when he was engaged to Buffy. Honestly why do I end up witnessing all of the eyesores?" Giles sighed and looked heavenward.
Faith pulled back, "So you really were engaged to B?"
"One of many of Willow's little mishaps. Honestly, can you picture me and Miss Sunshine married? Bloody hell! That is a revolting thought."
"Just so you know, I'm not the marrying kind," Faith said and kissed him.
He pulled back with a smile, "Neither am I when I'm in my right mind."
Giles and Willow were already going through books, looking for anything that might explain what happened with Spike and Faith. Giles made a comment that got Spike and even Faith into the research mood. Spike took a seat on a comfortable roomy chair with an ottoman, and Faith squeezed in beside him, threw her legs over his and they both flipped through their books respectively.
After a couple of hours Faith threw a book across the room and groaned, "I always hated this part. Give me something to go after. I'd rather kick some ass than do homework."
"Hey Pet, we're in this together, the more we know the better off we'll be? Giles you'll back me on this right? Red, what about you?" Spike asked.
"If she throws another book you'll replace my window," Giles answered while Willow continued to flip through a book.
Spike grabbed another book off of a stack of books by the chair and handed it to Faith with a look that said, "I'm not replacing any bloody windows."
She sighed and flipped open the book. She found something interesting about the blood of a slayer when Giles' door was thrown open and Buffy came in. Faith's head snapped up as Buffy's jaw dropped. Buffy looked at Giles and Willow for an explanation and then turned to Spike.
"I knew I should have staked you when I had the chance, if you weren't a defenseless pile of nothing I could do it without a second thought. Faith what are you doing here? I thought you'd be half way to Mexico right now, and what are you doing with Spike?" Buffy sounded confused bordering on a tinge of something similar to jealousy.
"Nice seeing you again too. Look I saved your little witch friend tonight and I woke up a new me. I also made Spike a soul man. Let's put all that other stuff behind us and move on. Who knows maybe we could be friends or something someday. You have it all B, all I had you took away, now I've got a whole new life, even if I am dead, and I got a family. You can take that too, or you hear me out and help us."
"Dead? What's going on?" Buffy looked at Spike and then back to Faith.
Spike pushed Faith aside stood up and smiled, "Bet not even the almighty slayer saw this coming. I sired Faith, got a soul, and lost the chip. Oh and Faith has her soul too. Now help with the research."
"Faith is a."
"Yeah, I know. It was a shock to me to, and then in the graveyard I got attacked and she came out of nowhere and poof, the bad vampire was gone," Willow said in Faith's defense.
Faith looked at Willow in surprise. "You're defending me?"
"Well, you're not so bad as a vampire with a soul. Kind of like Angel only less brooding and you're not in love with Buffy."
Faith stood up and walked over to Willow, and then showed her what she'd found in the book Spike had given her. Willow got excited and then looked at Spike, Buffy, and Giles. She threw her arms around Faith and hugged her. Faith stiffened, but didn't pull back. Willow realized what she was doing and took a step back.
"Looks like Faith found something. I'm sorry. I just got a little excited. Um there's some bad news, at least for you Spike. The soul thing can't be undone, at least not if Faith gave you your soul. According to this, any vampire that changes a slayer gets his soul, and something else. The vampire and former slayer vampire become something called day walkers. It's a whole new type of vampire. It was all theory, and no record of a vampire-slayer thing has ever been found, but I think maybe that's what's happened. We can always wait until dawn to see if you can go outside without the poof effect," Willow said with her usual cheer.
"So you can uninvite me and let me burn? I don't think I like those odds," Spike said and then sniffed the air, "Awww, someone's been getting lucky. Let ol' soldier boy take a poke at ye, did you?"
Buffy's eyes widened as she grabbed a stake and threw it at Spike. It got him in the chest, but he didn't turn to dust. Faith rushed over to Spike and pulled the stake out. Spike was gasping, shocked, as the wound began to close.
"That was my heart, I felt it. Bloody hell, I should be dust right now. What saved me?" He asked.
Faith threw the stake and it was embedded into Giles' wall. "My blood mixed with yours. I think that theory is about to be proven. We can't die. Whatever we are we can't die, at least not like other vampires. Usually there is some way to kill anything, but I think we should give this day walking thing a try."
"You mean I can't kill him? Wow this night just keeps getting better. The ho that slept with my boyfriend in my body is now with the most annoying vampire in the world and I can't kill him. At least that was always an option before. Giles, help here please!" Buffy ranted at no one in particular.
Giles took of his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I could call the council, but I don't see them helping with this. I don't think we're dealing with demons though. I don't think Spike is a demon anymore. Um, do you need to drink blood?"
"Yeah, but killing humans is out of the question. The thought of killing someone makes me so queasy its ridiculous. It's worse than having the bleeding chip. Not to mention I can hone in on your emotions. It's sickening. Buffy is still swooning from her little rendezvous with soldier boy, and Willow is longing for her little girlfriend, and please tell me that you aren't thinking about Buffy's mom. I've never been aware of so many nauseating feelings before in my life. I don't even think I was that lovesick for Dru, and if I was why didn't someone stake me?"
Buffy shot a look of disgust Giles' way, "I thought you were over that last year after the thing twice on a cop car!"
"You go Giles. I could see you with Buffy's mom. That lady's good for some mileage," Faith said and gyrated her hips.
Giles took a deep breath and put his glasses back on, "I'll pretend like you didn't just say that. Now back to the issue. Faith and Spike are new types of vampires. Okay, so what are we dealing with? Willow, can I see that book?"
Willow handed him the book and sat down on the couch. Giles looked over the page and then turned it. "Ah hah! They're not demon based vampires. Somehow, Faith exorcised the demon out of Spike, but their bodies still crave blood, so they are still driven by bloodlust, but I suppose their empathic abilities make them detest the thought of killing people. How interesting. According to this her soul has to enter his body for that to happen. Well with all the kissing that could explain it, but oh. OH!"
Realization dawned on Spike, "You mean when we shagged her soul jumped inside of me, cleared out the demon, gave me my soul back, and turned me into a bigger puff than Peaches? Oh hell, I should have known you were trouble."
"Oh, my God. I did not want to know about your sex life Spike. I really didn't want to know about Faith's last conquest either," Buffy commented with a groan of disgust.
Spike looked up at Buffy, "Yeah well you think I wanted to know about you and Peaches? Ugh, the thought of that gives me the taste of bile at the back of my throat. So I can't kill humans. Faith killed a vampire, so I assume we can still kick some demon ass."
Faith smiled at the thought, she had an excuse to turn good. She couldn't be like Buffy, but she could do good, and maybe work on the friend factor. She'd never had any real friends before. She also found herself stealing glances at Spike. He wasn't so bad for a former demon. He looked pretty good and they had shared a lot. She felt something inside of her, a physical ache in her chest.
"Pet, what's wrong? You got heart burn or something?" Spike asked as he clutched at his chest.
Faith shook her head, "I don't know what's wrong. Hey B, can we join the light side, since we can't kill humans we can slaughter the next best thing. Wanna let your 'little sister' help with the patrolling and demon ass kicking? What do you say?"
"Well, if you can IbeI with Spike, you must have sainthood in you somewhere. I can't say you're in with the Scooby gang, but I guess you can help out if you want. I'm sorry about all that happened before. I mean about stabbing you and putting you in that coma. You were wrong, I thought about you every day, and night," Buffy whispered.
"Is that what that feeling is, remorse, regret, guilt, or whatever? I didn't think a day walker or whatever I am could feel indigestion," Faith said, "Did I ever thank you?"
Buffy looked confused, "For what?"
"Killing the old me and giving me a chance at a new life. You let me go B. You showed me what I was missing, I guess I forced that on you, and you set me free," and with that Faith did something completely uncharacteristic she hugged Buffy and then kissed her forehead, "That's for the time I woke you up in the hospital. It's funny what you're aware of when you're in a coma. When I wasn't dreaming of you stabbing me, I remembered that. You know I don't think I could have killed you if I wanted to. We're different sides of the same person."
"That makes sense. I mean there is supposed to be one slayer for every generation, but well for a time there were two slayers. Well Faith is technically dead so another one is probably waking up. Um, anyway, can I get in on the hug? I'm always left out with you two," Willow sighed with a smile.
Faith glanced over at the witch, "Sure, but grab my ass and I won't be held responsible for any reflexes."
"What's that supposed to mean? And what 'girlfriend' was Spike talking about?" Buffy looked at Willow.
"Remember when I introduced you to Tara."
"Can we stop with the bleeding love fest? I'm getting heartburn, indigestion, and whatever else Pepto Bismol is good for. Bloody hell, I'll test the sunlight thing if it will get me away from all this bloody emotion. Well, that is if you'll come with me Pet."
"Sure thing," Faith said and then made a face in pain as she clutched at her stomach, "Say Giles, speaking of Pepto Bismol, do you have any?"
"Um, yes. Say it's seven in the morning. We've been up all night? After we test the daylight theory I'm going to bed. Oh and Spike, there's a fresh box of wheat a bits in the cupboard, but leave my milk alone. I have peanut butter too," Giles answered.
"What's the point of wheat a bits and peanut butter without milk? Hey do you have graham crackers too?" Spike asked.
"Yes," Giles called from the bathroom as he found the Pepto Bismol.
As soon as Giles was back in his living room he handed the bottle to Faith and his door burst open as Xander came in wild eyed and out of breath, not to mention he was dressed in pajama bottoms with trains on them and bedroom slippers, sunlight filled the room and Spike in the line of the light tried to hide behind his jacket and stepped out of the direct sunlight, and then laughed.
"This day walker thing has its perks. Giles you really should mind your locks."
"She started talking about marriage and kids, all I said was it was a little too soon for that, next thing I know she goes crazy and starts throwing things. It's not like I said anything about bunnies. Willow do you have a forgetting spell or something?" Xander gasped while sucking in huge gulps of air.
There was a knock on the door, Spike went to answer it, and walked outside as Anya walked in. Not wanting to miss the show he followed her in and shut the door. Anya had on a robe and flip-flops as she started ranting about wedding plans, a family, and a dog that ate bunnies. Xander made the mistake of cowering behind Faith and Buffy.
"You came over here to hide behind one of your exes? Xander, that's it. We're doing the fighting thing again, and you were distracted last night. It's over!" Anya snapped.
Xander came out of hiding and grabbed Anya and kissed her. Spike glanced at Faith and caught the bottle of Pepto Bismol when Faith threw it at him. He downed the rest of the almost full bottle and watched on in disgust as Xander and Anya made with the kissie face.
"Bloody hell, Pet, we've seen enough, lets steal the wheat a bits, peanut butter, and graham crackers, go home, finish off those Buffalo wings and go to bed? Any more of this circus and we'll have to buy a whole crate of Pepto Bismol."
"Alright Fang Boy, snacks and sleep sound good right now. Sure its safe in the sun?" Faith asked.
"You have a little Faith in me don't you? Trust me Pet. We could probably get a tan without the worry of cancer. I haven't had a tan in a long time."
"Let's go Ihome/I. Hey B, I'll come here later on and we'll go out on patrol. Xander, good luck or whatever, and Will, I'll be seeing you and tell your little gal pal I'm sorry, I'll be on better behavior next time. Hey after patrolling we could do a little cool down at The Bronze. All of you up to it?"
"Um sure. I'll bring Tara. Hey Buffy, guess I was wrong for once. Oh, I don't even feel bad about being wrong. Or was I right about people changing? Hmmm, it doesn't matter."
Faith shut the door behind her, and took Spike's free hand in hers. He was loaded with 'groceries'. Giles' peanut butter was in his jacket pocket, and he had the boxes of wheat a bits and graham crackers under his arm. Faith felt her lips turn up in a smile. She looked around, fully aware of the world around her, and for the first time fully appreciative of it. She squeezed Spike's hand and he turned to look at her. He smiled, looked up at the bright morning sky, and thought of how beautiful Faith looked in the sunlight.
By C.K. Blake
The truck had run over another bump, and the sunlight spilling in from the boards was fading to a dark ruddy red. She was miles away from Sunnydale, headed to nowhere in particular, but there was unfinished business she'd left behind. She ran her tongue over her lips, rolled her head around, and loosened up her shoulders. Then let out a grunt and pounded her fist into her palm a couple of times. She kicked open the ratty makeshift doors of the trailer she was hiding out in, jumped out of it, and rolled until she was in the soft grass on the shoulder of the road.
It was time to go back to Sunnydale and take care of a little conquest she'd left behind. He promised to be a whole lot of fun. She smiled to herself and spoke in her husky sultry voice, "Hope Fang Boy can handle a little Faith, because I'm in the mood for a little confrontation. I don't tease a good looking guy and not follow through."
Not to mention the vampire had charisma, old William the Bloody couldn't fight back, so she could get rough and not worry about repercussions. He had turned into her kind of man. If good girl Buffy could get it on with a bloodsucker, then she had every right to give ol' Spike a taste. Riley was okay, the whole love talk was a bit much, but he gave a good wrestle in the sack, but with Spike, things would be like old times, a good one nighter and no talk of love and all that other mush. Still one problem remained, getting back to Sunnydale, it was a long walk, Faith smiled and stuck her thumb out as a red Mazda screeched to halt. Not bad, first try and she got a bite.
She sauntered over to the driver's side, and smiled her most daring smile as the window rolled down and some guy, probably in college, grinned at her. She grabbed the door handle, pulled him out of the seat, jumped in, took off, did a u-turn, and kept going before the poor sucker knew what hit him. She was still in control. She saw what she wanted and she took it, simple rule of her life, after all who else was going to provide for her?
She was back in Sunnydale within a few hours. Not that long a drive, that truck she'd been on was making bad time. She checked her boot, and smiled, glad to know she had at least one knife to her name. She'd have to do some window-shopping later. She debated on whether she would need a good sharp stake for her "date" and thought against it. Nothing like a long sharp piece of wood to take it out of a demon, and she wanted Spike to be up for anything.
So where would Spike, the self-proclaimed "Big Bad" hang out? The only place in Sunnydale that had a youthful pulse, The Bronze. Faith pulled into a sleazy motel in the poor side of town. Surroundings that she was familiar with. Luckily the driver of the Mazda had left his wallet in the passenger's side floorboard, and he packed some pretty heavy cash. She paid forty bucks for her room, took a shower, and then found a clothing store that had late hours. Lucky her. After being re-outfitted in leather pants and a blood red halter-top with matching blood red bra underneath, she donned her leather jacket and was ready for anything, even a harmless vampire with platinum hair.
She paid for the clothes she now wore with the money she'd gotten from the Mazda guy's wallet. She'd kept the cash, over a couple thousand in a variety of bills, and tossed the wallet. The walk to The Bronze was brisk and uneventful. She'd ditched the car, too. She was already in bad with the cops; a stolen car wasn't a smart thing to keep around since she was a wanted woman still at large.
She made it to The Bronze without being spotted by the Scooby gang. Luck was on her side for once. She'd have to be careful though. No dancing and no hitting on the regular guy. She had a target in mind, and she was going for him and him alone. She kept to the shadows, moving with the music, but not moving enough to catch a whole lot of attention. She looked at the bar, then to the place under the stairs where she'd last seen him. Damn he was a glutton for punishment, because there he sulked under the stairs, looking at the foolish humans dancing with the pulsing music. She got tired of the hiding and danced her way over to the sulking vampire. Oh yeah he was gorgeous grade A meat, even for the undead. She couldn't figure out why B didn't go for him, Spike looked like a nice animalistic type guy, while Riley had been too tame for her tastes.
She smiled and licked her lips as she approached him. If he was anything like she imagined she was looking at a fun night. She put a hand on his shoulder and he looked from her strategically placed hand to her beautiful face with the sultry pouting smile. He acknowledged her with a raised eyebrow and a scowl, and tried to shake her hand off. When that didn't work he grabbed her hand and put on his game face, that didn't last long when he grabbed his head as it exploded in pain. Damn that bloody chip. He couldn't hurt a human, couldn't even feed like the creature that he was.
"I owe you a confrontation Fang Boy," The girl with the dark hair and dark eyes said, her voice was as sultry as her body, he realized as he gave her a once over from head to toe. "I'm over a hundred and twenty-six years old and running. Who are you to call me boy? And who in the bloody hell are you?" Spike asked, sneer still in place. "You knew me when I was in Buffy's body. Damn, kinda confusing huh?" She answered with a smirk before continuing. "Look back when you told B you owed her a confrontation you were talking to me, and I was leading you on. I couldn't do you because it's wrong. Remember?" His jaw dropped a little, but he soon regained control. "Shut yer gob. You couldn't have been. Not unless Red messed up with her magic. That little witch is a menace. So this is the real you? Well, where's Buffy?" "I can't believe this. You're hung up on her too! I thought you were only responding when I was coming on to you. I should have known," The girl said in frustrated disbelief. Spike swallowed nervously. "What are you goin on about?" "Buffy. Even you want a piece of her. What's with the good girl routine getting all the guys?" "Ah hell, and what do you suggest I do? Go with the first thing with a nice rack and a nice ass?" "Stop thinking about Buffy, and have a little Faith. And you're looking at the Faith." "That an offer? You feel like a slayer. Before this bloody chip I would have torn into you and had a feast, now I'm more of a bleedin' puff than ol' Peaches." "Peaches?" Faith raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Angel, formerly Angelus, my sire's sire." "He led me on, like she is leading you on. You think that perfect little good girl would go for the 'Big Bad' defanged? Come on. I'm offering to save you from pining over her. One night with me, and you won't be her puppy on a leash anymore," Faith said and then leaned up and breathed into his ear, "You can't like being led on. It gets bored after a while, especially when you never get rewarded."
"Hey, I have a bloody chip in my head, Peaches has his soul. Don't even think we've been through the same thing. A woman is far more treacherous than any man," Spike snapped.
Faith smiled and ran a long nail under Spike's chin, "Good to know ol' Fang can be turned on with a little charm and put down. Come on, let's take this conversation to a place a little more private."
Spike's eyebrows arched and the corner of his mouth rose in a sneer, as she went on, "So your place or the dump I've rented for the night?"
He decided to grab a bottle, get plastered, take a chance, and make a huge mistake. The grin on his face told her all she needed to know, but he spoke his answer, more to convince himself than her, "Let me get a bottle of something and then we'll take a sit at my crypt. That alright with you or do you have a preference to dumps?"
"Bring on the cobwebs and marble, never threw down in a graveyard before. Sounds like an adventure," Faith said and gyrated her hips, giving Spike a little preview of the events to come.
"Sure, Faith is it? We'll have us a little adventure. Just don't dust me come dawn," Spike said and put his arm around her shoulders.
They left The Bronze, but not without a bottle of Jack Daniels purchased with the money Faith handed Spike. They even bought a second bottle and an order of Buffalo wings to go. Had to be ready for a little snack later. So with Spike carrying a take out box of Buffalo wings and Faith with the bottles of Jack, they walked through the cemetery to the crypt that Spike called home, at least it was home during the day.
Spike even had a television, a little fridge to keep his pig's blood fresh, and a microwave to warm it up. No one had noticed the extension cord he had running from the caretaker's home to his little nest, surprisingly Xander had come up with that. Anything to get Spike out of his room. Faith noticed the fridge and microwave with a smile. Spike put the Buffalo wings in the fridge next to the black coffee mug with 'You Devil You!' written in bright red on it. It was no surprise that the mug was filled with blood. Faith raised an eyebrow at the mug and her grin grew wider.
"Talk about all the comforts of home. My little room has a dingy fridge with things growing in it, and here your are with a nice little fridge, growth free with a microwave thrown into the mix. Well, well, unliving it up in style."
Spike shrugged, "Had to leave Xander's basement before we started sharing a wardrobe. I only borrow a bloody Hawaiian shirt and horrible khaki shorts once before getting the message. I can't wash clothes for shit."
"Sounds like a story behind that one."
"Naw just shrunk me clothes in the wash. Over a hundred years old and still need someone else to do the laundry."
"So what do you do for fun, since you obviously don't enjoy washing clothes?" Faith asked, and slapped her hips as she began to sway her body to music that wasn't there.
Spike grabbed one of the bottles of Jack, sat down on a chair he kept handy in the crypt, unscrewed the top, took a swig, and smirked, "Yeah, well you're putting on a good show Pet. Is that all you're good for? A little show?"
"Oh, is that a challenge? You think you're something so wicked and special?"
"It's whatever you want it to be. What can I tell you baby? I've always been bad," Spike whispered huskily as Faith took the bottle, tipped it back for a couple of swallows, and straddled him.
"So have I," She breathed and then draped her arm with the bottle over the back of the chair, and ran her other hand through his slicked back platinum hair before gripping the back of his head and holding him firmly as she snatched up his mouth with hers in a kiss laced with fire, before he had the chance to complain about her messing with his hair.
When the kiss ended she leaned back and readjusted herself around his waist, as he took a deep breath, not that he needed it, and said, "Always the bloody hair."
Then his arms wrapped around her and he returned the favor until her lungs burned with the need for air. He wasn't even winded, oh the perks of vampirism. Spike's hands reached under Faith's halter-top. She kissed him, stood up, grabbed the front of his black shirt and pulled him up with her. She snatched his leather jacket open and was pulling it down his arms before Spike had a chance to protest, until the jacket was on the floor at their feet. Spike had her jacket on the floor next to his a second later. He lifted his arms as Faith yanked his black t-shirt off.
He leaned his head down, his nose in her hair, catching the scent of her, fresh shampoo smell, and a deep exotic savage smell, the smell of Faith herself. Spike leaned further down, ran his tongue down her cheek, across her jaw, and then flickered it over her throat. He moaned as a shudder ran through his body. She smelled so good, and his ears picked up on the sound of blood rushing through her veins and arteries. He stood straight up, trying to shake the feeling of wanting to taste her before the chip kicked in. Faith looked up at him as her hands worked on unfastening his black jeans.
"What's the matter, baby? Little warm under that cold collar? I can finish heating you right up."
He pushed her back and picked up the discarded bottle of Jack. He tipped his head and the bottle back and didn't stop drinking until only a fifth of the bottle remained. He looked at the dark haired girl that just stared at him, looking lost and alone, he blinked and the vulnerability was gone just like that, a simple snap of the fingers. He found that he liked the vulnerability he'd seen.
"What, you closed your eyes and saw her?" Faith snapped.
Spike looked up at her, his cool blue eyes sparking with fire and building passion, "Why would I need to think of anyone else when I'm here with you?"
"Great line, you lying piece of shit."
"Not a line. You smelled so good. I needed a cool down before this chip in me head went off. I haven't had a woman in such a long time, and you're a lot of woman, even for the likes of me."
"Bringing out your old poetic skill? I can see why they called you William the Bloody. Who cares how you get off? Down enough Jack to start again?"
"Bitch! Who are you to tell me anything? Chip or no chip I could tear out your throat right now," He growled in anger and his face changed.
He grabbed her and pulled her head back exposing her throat, he licked his lips and struck. He didn't stop drinking, despite the pain in his head, until she was only a few moments away from her death.
"Lesson the first a slayer must always reach for her weapon. I've already got mine," He said with a smile and looked at the girl gasping for her breath, "So Pet, want to give being a vampire a go? It's the only way you'll live. I took a lot of blood. Now I could open up my throat and let your taste immortality or I can watch you writhe on the floor as shock and death eventually set in. It won't take long now since you're so weak. Funny, I've never sired anyone before. A slayer for my childe. The headache was worth it."
Faith managed to pull the knife out of her boot and toss it to Spike. He nodded and smiled as he brought the blade across his throat with a yelp. "Ow, luv, that hurt."
Then he drew her close and held her head as her lips found the wound and she began to drink. She quickly developed a taste for it and he eventually had to push her away before she took too much from him. She smiled and wiped the blood from her lips. He looked at her and laughed, she was beautiful, funny how he hardly noticed that before. A lot like he'd been when he stumbled across Dru.
He could already noticed the changes in her. Although she'd been a slayer she'd still been human, now she moved with the full predatory grace of a vampire. She stumbled a little, but they had been drinking liquor. Still there was something beneath the new vampire surface, something that still breathed human, kind of like Angel. Spike looked at her; then took a look into her mind. She had all of her memories, and a conscience, not to mention a lot of control and the beginnings of hunger.
"How is it possible? Bloody hell. You have a." Spike trailed off in shock.
Faith jumped up, feeling alive, like she'd never lived before, funny how she was dead now and felt like she was finally living. She noticed the note of worry in Spike's voice and looked over at him, "A what? I have a what?"
"A soul. Oh, hell, Pet, you have a soul."
"I thought the soul left once you began to sprout fangs."
Spike nodded, "Yeah, that's how it works. Shit! You were a slayer. That might be the catch. I don't think a slayer has ever been turned into a vampire before."
"So you're saying I'm cursed with a soul because I was chosen before we had our little drinking party?" Faith got up and pounded her fist into her hand a couple of times, "Great. B would just love this. Before I let her stake me I'll tell her I have a soul. You know she's going to love staking me now that I'm this. This whole soul thing, wow. I'm like your Peaches. I can't even get a break now that I'm dead!"
"Welcome to the bleeding club. You think I've had it easy? Hell, Buffy has made my life a living hell since I met her. You know before I came to Sunnyhell I had some pretty good times. I went out at night caught a few humans, drained em like a couple of beers and was demon enough to hang on to my Dru. Beautiful times, those were. Then along comes Miss Sunshine, and I'm not demon enough for Dru and then I get this bloody chip. Any way you look at it, I can't win. What makes you think you can do any bloody better?"
"So what can a couple of broken down vampires do to have a little fun?" Faith whispered with a raised eyebrow as she ran her nails over Spike's smooth chest.
Spike licked the rest of her human blood off of his lips and smiled, "We'll come up with something, but first a little snack. I'll heat up some blood for the both of us and then we can have a sip. Say, do you like wheat-a-bits? I can crush some up and put it in your mug. You know a little texture can add to the taste."
Faith made a confused and grossed out face, "Let me get used to the blood idea first, kay sweet fang?"
"No one's ever called me that before."
"Well, you eat junk food, so you got a sweet tooth. Got a problem with me calling you a nickname or something? Didn't know vampires were so touchy. Can't imagine why B wouldn't go for you. She's into the bad boy sensitive type. She finds out about me, guess we'll both get it bad. She has a stake she calls Mr. Pointy. You know that? We'll probably meet with that soon as she finds out."
"Why do you think I have it so bad for her? Bloody hell. I almost married her once. I woke up to that whole thing a long time ago. She's wrong. Hell, she'd change me."
Faith sighed, "At The Bronze last night. You weren't coming on to me. You were getting off on me in Ihe/Ir body. I always get em after she stakes a claim. Well I didn't get Angel, but I got her little Beef Cake commando. Now he was fun till he started spouting out poetry and love. It was disgusting. I was disgusting. She has it all, damn her! The boyfriend, the friends, the mom, the daddy type with Giles, even you, and I have nothing, except a bad reputation, a conscience, and fangs."
"That sums up a lot," Spike commented as he got the blood out of the microwave and handed her a mug full of warm pig's blood. She downed it and was ready for more before he got a sip of his. He groaned handed her his mug and then added, "You must really hate who you used to see in a mirror to beat yourself up because of Miss Sunshine. What happened to you? In The Bronze you were catty, now you're a puff."
Faith looked up at him and growled. "I just realized how wrong I was about a lot of things. I had a taste of what life could be. I want that. The family, friends, and even the love would be nice. She probably doesn't even now how she's got the world by the balls."
Spike nodded and fixed himself a new mug of blood. No wonder Angel had seemed annoyed those first few weeks Spike had been a vampire. Fledglings ate a lot, and bitched and moaned almost beyond tolerable. Hell if their life were so happy they wouldn't have come so willingly to the bleeding dark side. Spike downed his blood before his new childe looked up at him with hungry eyes and he relinquished a third helping to her.
When he'd finished his mug full, Faith sauntered over to him with a strange smile on her face. Spike put his empty mug down and looked at the newly made vampire in awe. He'd made her, and she was beautiful. She was dark, strong, and despite the soul she was perfect. He rubbed the back of his head tenderly, still feeling aftershocks of the pain the chip had caused while he fed off of Faith. It was worth it, she was worth it, he knew that much.
She kissed him, her soft full lips still tasting of blood. The found themselves on the floor, Spike on top at first, but in a split second Faith had the situation changed. He shook his head, wondering how she'd done that so quickly.
"Little trick of the trade, Fang Boy; remember all of those muscles I mentioned?" She whispered and then nipped his ear with her teeth.
With that said she had his pants off and thrown into a corner, and her clothes followed. Passion filled the room, kissing, caressing, exploration, and something new to the both of them. Something inside of Faith seemed to be reaching at something buried deep within Spike. As they both reached their passionate peaks, something else was tying them together. Heat rose in Spike, ran through his veins, burning him, almost tearing him apart, and then his head felt like it was exploding. He screamed and when quiet finally settled in the crypt, Spike opened his eyes and took in his surroundings and the beautiful girl that stared down at him in fear and worry.
He sat up slowly, feeling slightly sick and rubbed the back of his head. There was a cut, he put his fingers in the wound and pulled out a small electrical device. He crushed it in his hand and looked up at Faith, but even with the chip removed there was something wrong. The demon inside him was no longer inside of him, just nature, and he felt remorse.
"Bloody Hell!" He screamed.
"What?"
"You, bitch! I get the chip out and you do this to me?"
"I've been called worse, now what the hell did I do?"
Spike glared at her and then hit one of the walls of the crypt, creating a deep crack in the wall as he howled, "A soul. A bleeding soul. You made me a puff. I get the chip out, can finally be my old evil self again, and what do you do? Give me a bloody soul. I'm still as useless as before. Now when I look at a human I can feel what they feel. I'm a bleeding empathic puff or whatever a soul bearing former demon can be called."
Faith started picking up her clothes and getting dressed, ready to run like she always did, but deep down she didn't want to run, not this time. She was almost dressed, was pulling her halter top down when the door of the crypt was open. Spike had just refastened his pants when the door swung open. Both vampires looked at the door as Xander, Anya, and Willow stood there staring at them. Faith grimaced and looked up at the ceiling of the crypt.
"Great, the Scoobies are here. So where's B? She'll be wanting in on this action. Got a stake ready for me? Hey Willow, I know you want a piece of me. Get me in a room, and face off with me, got that grenade you mentioned earlier? What about you Xander? Got the seven minute love fest out of your way to take me on again?"
Xander flushed as Anya smacked him in the shoulder and snapped, "You slept with a vampire! With her!"
"She wasn't a vampire then. She was a slayer, and if you want to get all technical she practically raped me!" Xander retaliated.
"Can't rape the willing," Faith threw in, "And you were very willing."
"Willing? That's it! I'm going to get back into the revenge business! Thought you had syphilis before? Wait until I'm done with you when I get my powers back!" Anya yelled.
"Anya wait, it's not how it sounds. She's been in a coma the whole time we've been together. Stop," Xander started going after her as she stormed off.
"A coma is your excuse for breaking it off with her?" Anya yelled back.
"Wait! Faith is a vampire. But how? When? Who made her?" Willow asked.
"I'm right here Willow. Why don't you ask me, or my sire?" Faith said.
Xander stopped in his tracks, and Anya turned around and watched the scene unfold around her. Maybe Xander wasn't lying. He couldn't be lying, not Xander. She walked back over to him, and let him put his arm around her, after she mentioned she was still angry with him.
Spike scoffed at the scene and looked at Faith, wondering how a wildcat like her would go for someone like laundry boy. He turned his gaze to the witch and noticed how she was looking at him. He went to the fridge, pulled out a Buffalo wing, took a bite, swallowed, and then spoke, "Well, I got drunk, got a headache, and made my first vampire. Don't think I'll ever do that again. The chip in my head is gone, but I'm going to have a hell of a hangover later on, oh and the former slayer has cursed me with a soul. So now I can feel how angry the ex-demon is at laundry boy and he's absolutely terrified that he's lost the best thing that ever happened to him. Oh and you Red, you've got something going on with a little witch back at your dorm and you're scared to tell your friends. How sweet, say what's her name?"
"How do you know all of that?" Willow asked.
Faith chimed in to save Spike the aggravation, "We can pick up on what you feel. That's what having a soul means, at least to a vampire. I can see why Angel was so moody all the time. I can't even imagine killing you without feeling sick."
Xander's head snapped up, "So you're good now?"
"I'm not a killer if that's what you mean, but don't push it. There are exceptions to every rule," Faith snapped.
Anya glared at Faith and said, "Xander is not your exception. If you hurt him I'll stake you or pull you out into the sunlight at noon."
"Awww, how sweet she's defending her little boyfriend," Spike spoke mockingly, then remembered that he was half dressed, "Hey, go do whatever it is that you're going to do. Tell Miss Sunshine or whatever, but leave. I'd like to finish getting dressed in peace. We'll be stopping in at Giles to find out about this soul business. Having a soul is almost as bad as that chip. By the way, does Giles have any peanut butter?"
The Scoobies turned around and began walking out. Spike pulled on his shirt as Faith tied her boots. Suddenly a scream sounded somewhere in the cemetery. Faith jumped up, ran out of the crypt, and found the source of the screams. A vampire was attacking Willow. Faith kicked the vampire in the back and it let go of Willow. Xander took something out of a canvas bag he'd been carrying and threw it to Faith. She grabbed the stake in midair and slammed it into the vampire's chest, and watched as it exploded into dust.
Willow looked up in shock at Faith.
"Why did you save me?"
Faith smiled, "Can't let B's friends end up like me. You know you should learn to defend yourself before going out to patrol the cemetery. Does she even know you're out here?"
"She's busy with other things," Willow whispered and looked down trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.
Faith rolled her eyes, "Like playing with that new boy toy?"
"No," Xander cut in, "She's out looking for a nasty cyborg demon thing."
"Faith has a point, she could be having sex with the commando. Xander, we should go home and have sex too. You know I got that new negligee thing and that whip."
Faith raised an eyebrow at the blushing Xander as he looked helplessly at Anya and started in on a lecture, "Remember that talk about sex not being common conversation? Especially in front of friends, vampires, and Spike?"
"Hey, I'm a vampire," Spike said as he caught up with the Scoobies and Faith, finally fully dressed, black leather trench coat, boots and all.
"No, you were a vampire," Xander corrected.
Spike glared at him and then smiled nastily, "Whatever you say, Spanky."
"Hey, I call him Spanky," Anya said and then looked at Xander, "I thought you said pet names were private!"
Spike grinned as he watched Anya storm off with Xander going after her like a distressed puppy. "Talk about a night. It only gets better when you get a rise out of those two. So, Red, need an escort to Giles? Faith and I need to get to the bottom of this soul thing. I'd like to get back to my former self some decade soon."
Willow sighed, and decided she could use the company, even if it was Faith. Spike wasn't so bad, and Faith couldn't be all bad if she'd just saved Willow's life. It wasn't long before they were at Giles' door. Willow and Spike walked right in, Faith was stuck at the doorway. Spike sighed and then looked at Willow.
"Well, she is a vampire. Red, she saved your life, you got to invite her in."
Willow looked at Faith standing at Giles' door, wondering if she should invite the vampire into a friend's home. It wasn't like Giles knew Faith was a vampire, at least not yet. Faith started pacing and looked through the doorway every now and then. She sighed and walked through the door before Willow had a chance to do any inviting. Both Willow and Spike looked confused since Faith obviously hadn't needed the invitation.
Spike began to yell for Giles to hurry up wherever he was in the house and help with some research. Giles came out of the hallway cleaning his glasses and said, "What's all this yelling about?"
He put on his glasses and looked up, his jaw dropped as he saw Faith standing next to Spike, with Spike's arm around her.
"Ok, let me rephrase that last comment and ask what is going on?"
Faith wrinkled her nose, stretched and pounded her fist a couple or times, then took it upon herself to answer. "Well, Giles, I decided I'd come back to Sunnydale for a while. I found a reason to stay. Don't worry I can't cause any more trouble, not since I got a little thing called a conscience. Oh, Spike has a little problem too. At least he thinks of it as a problem. You see, when he got his soul back he got rid of that little chip in his head, but the soul stayed too. I think a soul does him good, but you can't teach an old vampire new tricks, you have to beat those into him."
Giles looked from Faith to Spike and then turned to face Willow, "Right, now what's going on? Willow, I could probably get a clearer answer from you."
"Um. Spike made Faith a vampire and then got his soul, although I'm not sure how he got his soul. They say the chip is gone. This is all over my head. I can handle the computer stuff and the witch stuff, but the vampire stuff is more Buffy's thing."
"Faith is a vampire? How did she get in here? Spike couldn't let her in? Willow?" Giles looked at Willow with tired wide eyes.
"I didn't inviter her. She just walked in."
"Yes, right, of course. So you just let her into my home? At least with Spike we knew he was harmless, although not so harmless anymore if Spike changed Faith. Wait, she wasn't invited inside? He has his soul now? Right, then, what kind of spell was performed?"
"You out of work librarian! I didn't want my soul; I wanted the chip out. Look, can you help us. Let's have a look at your books or something. And speaking of souls, Faith has hers as well. Bloody hell, it's an epidemic. Red, you didn't have anything to do with this did you?" Spike continued to rant about Willow being a menace. "Of course it was magic. The witch hit me with one of her little tricks gone wild. Or the slayer planned this. Why didn't I see it coming? I wasn't miserable enough with the chip, so they throw a soul at me. Ah hell, stake me now!"
"You know that can be arranged," Giles said.
Faith stepped in front of Spike to protect him, "Over my undead body. He's the closest thing I got to a friend or family or whatever. I'm not a killer, but I will defend my blood."
"Awww, isn't she something? I got the perfect girl for my first childe? Wouldn't you say?" Spike beamed, put his arm around her, drew her close, and kissed her.
"This is almost as bad as when he was engaged to Buffy. Honestly why do I end up witnessing all of the eyesores?" Giles sighed and looked heavenward.
Faith pulled back, "So you really were engaged to B?"
"One of many of Willow's little mishaps. Honestly, can you picture me and Miss Sunshine married? Bloody hell! That is a revolting thought."
"Just so you know, I'm not the marrying kind," Faith said and kissed him.
He pulled back with a smile, "Neither am I when I'm in my right mind."
Giles and Willow were already going through books, looking for anything that might explain what happened with Spike and Faith. Giles made a comment that got Spike and even Faith into the research mood. Spike took a seat on a comfortable roomy chair with an ottoman, and Faith squeezed in beside him, threw her legs over his and they both flipped through their books respectively.
After a couple of hours Faith threw a book across the room and groaned, "I always hated this part. Give me something to go after. I'd rather kick some ass than do homework."
"Hey Pet, we're in this together, the more we know the better off we'll be? Giles you'll back me on this right? Red, what about you?" Spike asked.
"If she throws another book you'll replace my window," Giles answered while Willow continued to flip through a book.
Spike grabbed another book off of a stack of books by the chair and handed it to Faith with a look that said, "I'm not replacing any bloody windows."
She sighed and flipped open the book. She found something interesting about the blood of a slayer when Giles' door was thrown open and Buffy came in. Faith's head snapped up as Buffy's jaw dropped. Buffy looked at Giles and Willow for an explanation and then turned to Spike.
"I knew I should have staked you when I had the chance, if you weren't a defenseless pile of nothing I could do it without a second thought. Faith what are you doing here? I thought you'd be half way to Mexico right now, and what are you doing with Spike?" Buffy sounded confused bordering on a tinge of something similar to jealousy.
"Nice seeing you again too. Look I saved your little witch friend tonight and I woke up a new me. I also made Spike a soul man. Let's put all that other stuff behind us and move on. Who knows maybe we could be friends or something someday. You have it all B, all I had you took away, now I've got a whole new life, even if I am dead, and I got a family. You can take that too, or you hear me out and help us."
"Dead? What's going on?" Buffy looked at Spike and then back to Faith.
Spike pushed Faith aside stood up and smiled, "Bet not even the almighty slayer saw this coming. I sired Faith, got a soul, and lost the chip. Oh and Faith has her soul too. Now help with the research."
"Faith is a."
"Yeah, I know. It was a shock to me to, and then in the graveyard I got attacked and she came out of nowhere and poof, the bad vampire was gone," Willow said in Faith's defense.
Faith looked at Willow in surprise. "You're defending me?"
"Well, you're not so bad as a vampire with a soul. Kind of like Angel only less brooding and you're not in love with Buffy."
Faith stood up and walked over to Willow, and then showed her what she'd found in the book Spike had given her. Willow got excited and then looked at Spike, Buffy, and Giles. She threw her arms around Faith and hugged her. Faith stiffened, but didn't pull back. Willow realized what she was doing and took a step back.
"Looks like Faith found something. I'm sorry. I just got a little excited. Um there's some bad news, at least for you Spike. The soul thing can't be undone, at least not if Faith gave you your soul. According to this, any vampire that changes a slayer gets his soul, and something else. The vampire and former slayer vampire become something called day walkers. It's a whole new type of vampire. It was all theory, and no record of a vampire-slayer thing has ever been found, but I think maybe that's what's happened. We can always wait until dawn to see if you can go outside without the poof effect," Willow said with her usual cheer.
"So you can uninvite me and let me burn? I don't think I like those odds," Spike said and then sniffed the air, "Awww, someone's been getting lucky. Let ol' soldier boy take a poke at ye, did you?"
Buffy's eyes widened as she grabbed a stake and threw it at Spike. It got him in the chest, but he didn't turn to dust. Faith rushed over to Spike and pulled the stake out. Spike was gasping, shocked, as the wound began to close.
"That was my heart, I felt it. Bloody hell, I should be dust right now. What saved me?" He asked.
Faith threw the stake and it was embedded into Giles' wall. "My blood mixed with yours. I think that theory is about to be proven. We can't die. Whatever we are we can't die, at least not like other vampires. Usually there is some way to kill anything, but I think we should give this day walking thing a try."
"You mean I can't kill him? Wow this night just keeps getting better. The ho that slept with my boyfriend in my body is now with the most annoying vampire in the world and I can't kill him. At least that was always an option before. Giles, help here please!" Buffy ranted at no one in particular.
Giles took of his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I could call the council, but I don't see them helping with this. I don't think we're dealing with demons though. I don't think Spike is a demon anymore. Um, do you need to drink blood?"
"Yeah, but killing humans is out of the question. The thought of killing someone makes me so queasy its ridiculous. It's worse than having the bleeding chip. Not to mention I can hone in on your emotions. It's sickening. Buffy is still swooning from her little rendezvous with soldier boy, and Willow is longing for her little girlfriend, and please tell me that you aren't thinking about Buffy's mom. I've never been aware of so many nauseating feelings before in my life. I don't even think I was that lovesick for Dru, and if I was why didn't someone stake me?"
Buffy shot a look of disgust Giles' way, "I thought you were over that last year after the thing twice on a cop car!"
"You go Giles. I could see you with Buffy's mom. That lady's good for some mileage," Faith said and gyrated her hips.
Giles took a deep breath and put his glasses back on, "I'll pretend like you didn't just say that. Now back to the issue. Faith and Spike are new types of vampires. Okay, so what are we dealing with? Willow, can I see that book?"
Willow handed him the book and sat down on the couch. Giles looked over the page and then turned it. "Ah hah! They're not demon based vampires. Somehow, Faith exorcised the demon out of Spike, but their bodies still crave blood, so they are still driven by bloodlust, but I suppose their empathic abilities make them detest the thought of killing people. How interesting. According to this her soul has to enter his body for that to happen. Well with all the kissing that could explain it, but oh. OH!"
Realization dawned on Spike, "You mean when we shagged her soul jumped inside of me, cleared out the demon, gave me my soul back, and turned me into a bigger puff than Peaches? Oh hell, I should have known you were trouble."
"Oh, my God. I did not want to know about your sex life Spike. I really didn't want to know about Faith's last conquest either," Buffy commented with a groan of disgust.
Spike looked up at Buffy, "Yeah well you think I wanted to know about you and Peaches? Ugh, the thought of that gives me the taste of bile at the back of my throat. So I can't kill humans. Faith killed a vampire, so I assume we can still kick some demon ass."
Faith smiled at the thought, she had an excuse to turn good. She couldn't be like Buffy, but she could do good, and maybe work on the friend factor. She'd never had any real friends before. She also found herself stealing glances at Spike. He wasn't so bad for a former demon. He looked pretty good and they had shared a lot. She felt something inside of her, a physical ache in her chest.
"Pet, what's wrong? You got heart burn or something?" Spike asked as he clutched at his chest.
Faith shook her head, "I don't know what's wrong. Hey B, can we join the light side, since we can't kill humans we can slaughter the next best thing. Wanna let your 'little sister' help with the patrolling and demon ass kicking? What do you say?"
"Well, if you can IbeI with Spike, you must have sainthood in you somewhere. I can't say you're in with the Scooby gang, but I guess you can help out if you want. I'm sorry about all that happened before. I mean about stabbing you and putting you in that coma. You were wrong, I thought about you every day, and night," Buffy whispered.
"Is that what that feeling is, remorse, regret, guilt, or whatever? I didn't think a day walker or whatever I am could feel indigestion," Faith said, "Did I ever thank you?"
Buffy looked confused, "For what?"
"Killing the old me and giving me a chance at a new life. You let me go B. You showed me what I was missing, I guess I forced that on you, and you set me free," and with that Faith did something completely uncharacteristic she hugged Buffy and then kissed her forehead, "That's for the time I woke you up in the hospital. It's funny what you're aware of when you're in a coma. When I wasn't dreaming of you stabbing me, I remembered that. You know I don't think I could have killed you if I wanted to. We're different sides of the same person."
"That makes sense. I mean there is supposed to be one slayer for every generation, but well for a time there were two slayers. Well Faith is technically dead so another one is probably waking up. Um, anyway, can I get in on the hug? I'm always left out with you two," Willow sighed with a smile.
Faith glanced over at the witch, "Sure, but grab my ass and I won't be held responsible for any reflexes."
"What's that supposed to mean? And what 'girlfriend' was Spike talking about?" Buffy looked at Willow.
"Remember when I introduced you to Tara."
"Can we stop with the bleeding love fest? I'm getting heartburn, indigestion, and whatever else Pepto Bismol is good for. Bloody hell, I'll test the sunlight thing if it will get me away from all this bloody emotion. Well, that is if you'll come with me Pet."
"Sure thing," Faith said and then made a face in pain as she clutched at her stomach, "Say Giles, speaking of Pepto Bismol, do you have any?"
"Um, yes. Say it's seven in the morning. We've been up all night? After we test the daylight theory I'm going to bed. Oh and Spike, there's a fresh box of wheat a bits in the cupboard, but leave my milk alone. I have peanut butter too," Giles answered.
"What's the point of wheat a bits and peanut butter without milk? Hey do you have graham crackers too?" Spike asked.
"Yes," Giles called from the bathroom as he found the Pepto Bismol.
As soon as Giles was back in his living room he handed the bottle to Faith and his door burst open as Xander came in wild eyed and out of breath, not to mention he was dressed in pajama bottoms with trains on them and bedroom slippers, sunlight filled the room and Spike in the line of the light tried to hide behind his jacket and stepped out of the direct sunlight, and then laughed.
"This day walker thing has its perks. Giles you really should mind your locks."
"She started talking about marriage and kids, all I said was it was a little too soon for that, next thing I know she goes crazy and starts throwing things. It's not like I said anything about bunnies. Willow do you have a forgetting spell or something?" Xander gasped while sucking in huge gulps of air.
There was a knock on the door, Spike went to answer it, and walked outside as Anya walked in. Not wanting to miss the show he followed her in and shut the door. Anya had on a robe and flip-flops as she started ranting about wedding plans, a family, and a dog that ate bunnies. Xander made the mistake of cowering behind Faith and Buffy.
"You came over here to hide behind one of your exes? Xander, that's it. We're doing the fighting thing again, and you were distracted last night. It's over!" Anya snapped.
Xander came out of hiding and grabbed Anya and kissed her. Spike glanced at Faith and caught the bottle of Pepto Bismol when Faith threw it at him. He downed the rest of the almost full bottle and watched on in disgust as Xander and Anya made with the kissie face.
"Bloody hell, Pet, we've seen enough, lets steal the wheat a bits, peanut butter, and graham crackers, go home, finish off those Buffalo wings and go to bed? Any more of this circus and we'll have to buy a whole crate of Pepto Bismol."
"Alright Fang Boy, snacks and sleep sound good right now. Sure its safe in the sun?" Faith asked.
"You have a little Faith in me don't you? Trust me Pet. We could probably get a tan without the worry of cancer. I haven't had a tan in a long time."
"Let's go Ihome/I. Hey B, I'll come here later on and we'll go out on patrol. Xander, good luck or whatever, and Will, I'll be seeing you and tell your little gal pal I'm sorry, I'll be on better behavior next time. Hey after patrolling we could do a little cool down at The Bronze. All of you up to it?"
"Um sure. I'll bring Tara. Hey Buffy, guess I was wrong for once. Oh, I don't even feel bad about being wrong. Or was I right about people changing? Hmmm, it doesn't matter."
Faith shut the door behind her, and took Spike's free hand in hers. He was loaded with 'groceries'. Giles' peanut butter was in his jacket pocket, and he had the boxes of wheat a bits and graham crackers under his arm. Faith felt her lips turn up in a smile. She looked around, fully aware of the world around her, and for the first time fully appreciative of it. She squeezed Spike's hand and he turned to look at her. He smiled, looked up at the bright morning sky, and thought of how beautiful Faith looked in the sunlight.