Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy, Inc. Own them. But since they aren't using them at the moment, then I am going to borrow them again.

Authors Note: We continue with our little story. Thanks for following along. Hopefully, it is bringing you enjoyment and amusement

" By the pricking in my thumbs,

          Something Wicked this way comes"  W. Shakespeare, MacBeth

Summer of faith

Chapter 7

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Buffy was worried about Faith. Since their little adventure, since the motorcycle ride… oh, Buff, just say it, since the kiss… things had gotten a little strained and strange between her and Faith. She had grown somewhat cold, distant. She was back to her bloody vamp killing ways, after having tried to tone down her killing style. Often as not, after patrolling she went to clubs… alone. Buffy felt her pulling away, distancing herself… and she couldn't find a way to pull her back.

But Buffy knew it wasn't the kiss. Or, it wasn't just the kiss. There were issues there, that had to be dealt with. But there was something else, something that wasn't being talked about. She could see it in Faith's eyes. Because when she got the chance to look at Faith, when  Faith wasn't aware she was looking at her, Buffy saw fear in Faith's eyes; fear and hatred. And that was scaring Buffy even more.

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They had been patrolling for about an hour. They had just dusted a few vamps, and were taking a little breather before continuing. Buffy took another stab at bridging the gap that had grown between them.

Buffy: Hey, Faith. How about, after we are done patrolling, we go do something? Maybe a movie, or ummm… dancing? We haven't had much downtime together lately, and I miss spending time with my best bud.

Faith looks at Buffy, almost wistfully. Like she would like that…

Faith: Not tonight B. Not really into the social thing. Feeling tired, maybe get a drink after then go to bed.

That was another thing worrying Buffy. Faith was drinking more… and sleeping less. She could see dark circles forming under the younger slayer's eyes. She decided she would just have to come out with it, try to get Faith to open up.

Buffy(small voice): Faith, what did I do?

Faith( not understanding): What? Do?

Buffy(quietly): What did I do to upset you?

Faith(covering): I am not upset, B. Everything's 5 by 5

Buffy: No, it's not (pause).Is it the kiss?( looking down)

Faith: B. That is ancient stuff. Let it go. No big, like I said.

Buffy: Something is wrong

Faith: I just told you, everything is good

Buffy: No, it's not.(pause). Why won't you talk to me?

Faith: I talk.

Buffy: You know what I mean.

Faith: No, B. I really don't

Buffy: You hardly want to be with me anymore. More often than not, you go off alone. You stand off, won't talk about anything important. You… seem to be pulling away from me. Trying to tell me you don't want me around. I can feel it Faith. I want to know what I've done to make you feel this way. Please talk to me

Faith stands, a little stunned. But she recovers quickly

Faith: B.(grins) I don't want to "get rid" of you. I… I've some stuff I have to work out, that's all

Buffy: Faith, please, let me help. Talk to me.

Faith: You can't help B. Sorry, but you can't

Buffy: Faith. You made me promise to work things out with you. I'm asking the same. Please, let me help

Faith: B. There is nothing you can do. I gotta do this alone

Buffy: No secrets, Faith. Don't keep secrets from me. Tell me

Faith: B. let it go. (pause). I am tired. We have patrolled enough tonight. I am going

Buffy: Faith. PLEASE. Don't shut me out!

But it was too late, Faith had left. Buffy stood awhile, a hurt and confused look on her face. Then she sighed, and headed home.

Neither slayer saw the dark figure, back in the shadows, observing them.

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" So, she is here. She is in Los Angeles"

" Yes, master, I saw her myself"

" Good, it is time to finish this. To exact my revenge. I am tired of following her across this accursed country"

" There is more, master"

" More?"

" There is another. Another with her"

" A  Watcher, you mean? That is nothing"

" No, I mean another. Another like her. That fights vampires"
"What?" Kakistos  was curious. " Another slayer?"

" Yes, master. One who fights and kills vampires, like she does"

" That is impossible. There is only one slayer at a time. You have made a mistake"

" No, I haven't, master" The vampire insists " I saw it myself!"

Kakistos pondered this news. It wasn't possible. According to all known sources, there is only one slayer, and one alone, at any time. More than one was unheard of.

Yet, there was the one prophecy. Old, older than Kakistos by far. It spoke of a time of  two slayers. One light, one dark. Who would join together to fight the darkness. But no one had taken it seriously. It was considered the ravings of a lunatic.

But, there is the evidence of an eyewitness. Two slayers, working together.

He rubbed his chin with his cloven hand. This needed thought. What if… What if he destroyed them both? Or turned them both, made them his slaves? This indeed would add to his power. Yes, there was more at stake now, he could see.

" Watch them. Keep an eye on them. Do nothing to them… yet" Kakistos told his minion

He moved off to think.

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She was having the dreams again.

Faith looked at the bottle she had been drinking from, and was disgusted with herself. She had nearly killed it, and it still wasn't helping.

Nothing helped. Nothing would stop the dreams. She could drink herself stupid, drink until she almost forgot she loved Buffy, and still nothing could keep the dreams away. She dreaded sleep. Sleep meant dreaming, and the dreams haunted her. It meant he was back, he was close. The thought of confronting him frightened her. She had watched, helplessly, while he killed and tore apart her Watcher. The woman she had thought of as her mother. She had gone crazy, wounding him, but not killing him. She had run, run fast, and run hard. But still he came, he always came. And she had run again.

Now, she was at the wall. She couldn't run anymore, but she couldn't stay either. If she ran, she would lose Buffy. If she stayed, she put Buffy in danger. Either way was unacceptable. She had to find a way; a way to kill him this time.

Buffy had pleaded with her to let her in. To let her in on this. But Faith couldn't do it, couldn't let Buffy help. She might…she might get hurt, or worse…. Oh, God, she couldn't deal if something happened to Buffy. If she lost Buffy. She didn't mind dying. If Buffy lived, she could deal with dying. But if Buffy died, and she lived…she didn't even want to think about it.

Faith took the final swallow out of the bottle, and threw it hard against the wall. It shattered. Like her dreams, it was in pieces. She was pushing Buffy away. Trying to keep her safe; but she knew if she kept it up, she would lose her. She heard her tonight, loud and clear. The hurt in her voice. The confusion in the way Faith was acting. Trying to reach out to Faith, and Faith slapping her away. It was killing Faith to do it, killing her to push away her love. But she knew it would kill her more if Buffy was hurt, or killed.

The alcohol kicked in, hard. Faith felt woozy… she lay back in the bed, and swore she would just lie here for a minute. Just a minute.

And she drifted off…

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She's  in bed. It's warm, and smells of her and Buffy.

They have  made love, and Faith is basking in the afterglow. Buffy's at a counter, it looks like a kitchen counter, making something. She was dressed in an oversized man's shirt. She's humming some little tune, and her bottom wiggles enticingly under the shirt.

Faith thought of how adorable she looked,  like a little blonde pixie. She moves back and forth, doing something. Faith is enamored, just watching her.

And then, the bed isn't a bed, but a cold stone slab, and she's tied, hand and foot. And Kakistos appears, beside her. He's grinning evilly, looking at her nude form. He paws at her , while she struggles to get away from him.

" My, my don't we look tasty. Oh, what? Don't you like my caresses? Perhaps someone else's attentions are more desired?" Kakistos laughed

Faith called out " Buffy, RUN, RUN. Get away"

But Buffy just answered " But why, baby? Don't you love me anymore?" And she turns to Faith.

And Faith stares in horror, because Buffy has a Game face on. Her forehead was grooved. She had the amber eyes, and the fangs. She had been turned.

And faith watched, in horror and fascination, as Buffy removes her shirt, revealing her pert, tight body to Faith.

" Isn't this what you want, Faith? Isn't this always what you wanted?"

Buffy ambles over to Faith, her muscles moving sinuously and sensually. She climbs up on the slab, and then straddles Faith's stomach. She leans in close to Faith, and whispered sensuously " Don't you love me , Faith?"

Faith noticed how pale she was, like the moon, white, colorless. Her touch was not warm, but cool. She saw her lips were crimson, crimson with blood. Faith feels like a mouse hypnotized by a snake; frozen, unable to move.

" Maybe this is what you want" Buffy said, changing her face back to normal. " You're sweet, innocent slayer"

Buffy then captures Faith's lips in a deep kiss. Faith is frightened and excited at the same time. Her mind is abuzz with conflicting feelings and longings

"No.. no" she struggles against it, but can't resist. It's too much, too powerful for her. She gives in to the kiss.

She felt Buffy's hands upon her, cool, but giving her fire. Touching her where she so desperately wants Buffy to touch her. Caressing her, making her blood hot, and cold at the same time. She feels Buffy's breath upon her neck, cool, but stimulating. She feels her tongue, licking her, sending fire to her center. She's… helpless. Then she feels the fangs as they sink into her neck.

She feels the pain, and the ecstasy of the Bite. How it makes her dizzy, how she feels her life slowly slipping, slipping away. In her mind, she hears Buffy calling to her, calling

" Drink of me, my love. Drink. Become with me. We will be together. We will kill Kakistos, and then take our revenge on those who have hurt us. Drink, drink my darling one. Become and be with me forever"

She feels Buffy's wrist against her mouth. The blood on her lips. She feels her mouth open, and the blood trickle down her throat. She drinks

And she hears Kakistos' insane laughter in the background

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Buffy sat up in her bed, gasping for breath. The dream. The dream was awful, She had been turned. Turned by some monster. And … she was turning Faith. Talking about how they would be together, forever, as vampires. She shuddered

It was her worst nightmare. Being turned, killing or turning her friends. She shook to her core, it was awful.

But she knew it wasn't an ordinary dream. It was a slayer dream. A portent of things to come. And it involved Faith. And her. And dying. And that scared her most of all.

She paced the room. She was scared, and had no one to talk to about it. Not Giles, not the scoobies. No one. But she knew she had to talk to Faith about it. Had to. Faith was in danger, like she was.

She got some change, and went to the hall to use the phone.

Faith lay staring in the dark. The dream. She was covered in sweat, and scared. So scared. It…was awful and attractive at the same time, and that is what scared her most.

She heard the phone ring, and nearly jumped 5 feet. She got up, running to the phone to shut it up. She answered.

Faith: wha? 'lo?( her voice blurry from sleeplessness and drink)

Buffy: Faith, it's Buffy

Faith: wha the hell, B? it is 2 am ..Whatta ya want?

Buffy: I had a dream Faith

Faith: B? You are callin' me at 2 am to tell me about a goddamn dream?

Buffy: This is no ordinary dream. It is a slayer dream

Faith; Whaaa… what're you babbling about?

Buffy tells Faith about her dream, in detail Faith feels a cold chill down her back, and her stomach tighten

Buffy: We need to talk , Faith. I'm coming over.

Faith: No, B. no, there is nothing to….

Buffy: This is it, isn't it?

Faith: This is what, B?

Buffy: What you have been hiding from me

Faith: No, B. it's nothing. You had a bad dream

Buffy: I'm coming over.

Faith: No, B. We'll talk about it tomorrow

Buffy(steel in her voice): Now. Make sure the door's open, or I'm breaking it open ( she hangs up)

Faith lets out a low moan. This is exactly what she doesn't want. But she knows, by the way Buffy sounded, she's on her way over, and would break down the door. She went over, and opened the lock, and pulled the chain.

She sat down on her bed, head in her hands.

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Fifteen minutes later, Buffy is standing in Faith's doorway.

She looks around the place, and her heart sinks. It's worse than she thought. Empty and half empty liquor bottles were everywhere. The place reeked of alcohol. Faith… has been drinking herself to sleep for awhile, it looked like.

She looks at Faith, and her heart breaks. This was not her friend. She looked like a helpless child; scared confused and not knowing what to do. She sat on the bed, her head in her hands, and her body was shaking.

Buffy goes to Faith, and sits next to her. She takes her friend in her arms, and pulls her to her.

Buffy(softly): Why didn't you tell me, Faith?

Faith(her eyes bright with tears, her face anguished): I couldn't B, I just couldn't( she starts to shake again)

Buffy(gently): Faith, you know I will be with you, stick with you through anything

Faith(her voice choked with tears) B…B...But what if something…oh, god, what if you were hurt...or…(she can't continue)

Buffy(soothing): shhh…it's ok, honey….shhh(she rocks the anguished girl in her arms)

Faith clings to Buffy, her lifeline, and her rock.

Buffy: I will do anything I can to help you, anything. But you have to let me in, Faith

Faith(whispering, hoarse): I… I just can't B, I can't

Buffy(taking Faith's face in her hands): Faith, you, me, we're good together. We're great together. We're a team. We can fight this

Faith: B… I… I'd die if you got hurt…I'd…die…

Buffy: I'll be fine, Faith. Trust me. Believe in me, Faith. Like I believe in you

Faith(small voice): really?

Buffy(smile): Yes. Really.

Faith clings tighter to Buffy, finally able to let it out

Faith: I've been so scared, so scared B. I … I …I've tried to be strong, but I'm scared

Buffy holds her, soothing her, comforting her.

Buffy: Shhh…shhh… I'm here now, I'm here.

She holds Faith for an hour, slowly calming her down. She finally gets Faith to lie down in the bed, and she covers her with a blanket. She gives her a kiss on the forehead, and makes ready to leave.

Buffy: I will be back tomorrow, we will talk more

As she turns, she hears Faith crying. She turns back, and sees her friend sobbing like a child.

She makes her decision. She walks to the bed, slips under the covers.

She holds Faith all night.

For the first time in weeks, Faith sleeps without dreams.

TBC