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Chapter 21

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By the time seven o'clock came Buffy was anxious to get out of the school. The last few hours had been spent trying to catch up on school work that Fred had given her, and it had left her with a splitting headache that she had only managed to get rid of a couple of aspirins later. She was now sitting on the bottom step in the grand entrance, waiting for Anya to join her. She glanced down at her outfit, praying that it was appropriate for wherever they were going tonight. After much deliberation she had settled on a pair of jeans, dressed up with a black top and high, black slip-ons. It was casual yet stylish, and would hopefully be suitable for her night out.  If only Anya would hurry.

The blond girl skidded to a stop beside Buffy, her breathing labored from her quick jog down the stairs. "Sorry I'm late," she said. "You ready?"

"Yep," Buffy replied, standing up and stretching her legs. "Let's go."

There was a taxi waiting outside the school, and she saw that someone was already in the backseat.

"Who…" she began to ask, but the car door swung open and Faith hopped out.

"Faith!"

"Hey, B," she said, stepping onto the curb. "Happy Birthday."

"Uh, thanks."

"Come on people," Anya called from the taxi. "We've got a whole night to party. Let's move it!"

Buffy exchanged a grin with Faith and hopped in the backseat. They refused to tell her where they were going, so she resigned herself to expect anything. It was only ten minutes later that they pulled up along side a large crowd of people.

"Where are we?" she asked, but they only smiled and pulled her from the cab. Loud, throbbing music assaulted her ears and she realized that they were at the same club she had saved that girl at all those weeks ago.  

"Faith," she yelled. "This is an overage club."

"And we're overage!" she shouted back, before dragging Buffy through the protesting line up of people. They walked straight to the door, and she ducked her head in embarrassment. How did Faith think she could walk past all these people and then get in without ID? Buffy was thoroughly amazed when the bouncer at the door addressed Faith by her name, and then stepped aside to let her pass without even blinking as Anya and she followed her. There were a few angry shouts from the people lined up, but a glare from the beefed bouncer shut them up quick.

Buffy knew she was staring with her mouth open like an idiot, but she was awed by the sight in front of her. The club was two levels, joined by a circling staircase and packed with people. They danced and bounced and moved in their own little worlds, forgetting everything but the music. Their bodies pulsated against each other, grinding together as if there was no tomorrow. Sweat appeared on their foreheads as Buffy watched, and she was drawn into the excitement. Faith dragged her to the bar and waved over the bartender.

"Faith, my girl, what will it be tonight?" he asked.

"Hey Harry. I'll have the usual, and same for Anya, but it's B's birthday today, so how about a birthday special on the house?"

Harry grinned. "Anything for my girl." He grabbed two cosmopolitans and handed them to Faith, who winked at Buffy. Harry placed three shots of something that Buffy didn't recognize, and she stared helplessly at the alcohol until Anya slapped her on the back.

"Come on, Buffy, drink up!"

She picked up one glass, and eyed it doubtfully. Faith shoved her drink forward, and Anya copied her. Buffy glanced from girl to the other and shrugged. She had drunk before, and she at least deserved a night without remembering the terror in that small cell. She clunked her glass against theirs and downed the shot in one go. She was immediately handed another one, and after she had gulped the third shot she suddenly felt light headed.

Faith and Anya grinned, pulling her onto the dance floor. She allowed herself to give in to the music's beckoning and felt her body respond to the sharp, quickening beat. The three girls were instantly surrounded by boys and men, and Buffy only felt a slight twitch of alarm at their situation. It was gone in an instant though, when Faith smiled. Faith wouldn't bring her into a dangerous situation, so she relaxed and continued to let the men think they would be going home with her tonight. The minutes they danced turned into hours, and when Anya finally motioned to the bar they left the dance floor to replenish their fluids. Faith ordered a beer, but Buffy and Anya stuck to soft drink. Not as accustomed to the effects of alcohol as the brunette was, they decided to forego it this time around.  

Buffy slipped onto a spare seat and shot up with a gasp. Her Slayer sense was going wild, and it was the most intense sensation vampires had given her yet. She swallowed in dread when she thought how many were in the club. Suddenly the music stopped. There were shouts of protest from the crowd, which were hushed when the lights went out. A scream rose from the room and Buffy was instantly on her guard. She heard the scream stifled, and when her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she ran towards the sounds of struggling. It was a feast. Vampires were everywhere, drinking from both women and men, and Buffy didn't know where to start.

Struggling to remember everything she had been taught Buffy pulled a stake from where it was strapped to her thigh. She allowed the tingles down her neck to guide her to the feasting vamps, and after staking the first one and handing the bleeding girl to her friend, hurried on to the next. Before she knew it, eleven were dust and more were arriving. Yelling to Faith to get the people out of there, she kicked a young male vampire in the jaw, and after following it with a punch, thrust the stake into his chest. Soon the others had lost interest in their meals and circled the Slayer, who groaned.

Anya saw Buffy's predicament and tugged on Faith's arm.

"You need to wish me out of here," she said.

Faith spun around and wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "What?"

"We need Angel and the teachers to help us, but I can't apparate that far. You need to wish me there, so I can warn them!"

Faith nodded and wished that Anya was back at ASG. She blinked once when the girl disappeared, but returned to helping everyone out of the bar. Pushing a young couple through the door, she turned around the come face to face with a vampire. He sneered at her, and she raised her eyebrows before clouting him and knocking him out cold. She only gave Buffy a quick look before returning to the terrified patrons. They were too scared to move, and it took all the soothing words she had to make them get out. She searched the room for any other people, but her eyes caught on Buffy. She was amazing. Her limbs were flying in a flurry of movements, and Faith could not keep up with her. The vamps were exploding to dust everywhere, and she never once stopped.

A cold hand slipped around her neck and she clutched it, trying to pull it away. It didn't budge, though, and her head was pulled back. She glanced up to see two long fangs smiling down at her and before she could yell they slipped into her neck. It hurt, a lot, and she froze. Being drained of blood was a strange sensation, and Faith found it sickening. It was a demeaning experience, and she hated feeling weak and helpless. With a burst of anger, she stomped her heel onto his foot, and he let her go with a howl. She kneed him in the groin and he dropped to the floor. She grabbed a stool from the bar, and snapped off a leg. It was harder than it seemed and she had to struggle a bit before finally breaking it off. The guy was struggling to his feet when she turned around. Grinning at him, she leapt forward and pushed it into his chest. It barely went it a few centimeters, but it pierced the heart nevertheless and he groaned before exploding into dust.

She gave a loud whoop and jumped in the air excitedly, and then remembered where she was. Instantly sobering, she turned to watch Buffy again. Buffy's training was obviously helping her, because Faith had never seen anything like this from the potentials in their self defense class. But as she watched three of her opponents snuck up behind her while she was busy with another one, and she shouted to warn Buffy. The Slayer executed a spinning kick, which sent one of them flying towards her. Before she could move the vampire knocked her off her feet, and the two of them were propelled over the bar counter and into the glass case of spirits. She glanced up to see the case come crashing down, and quickly rolled away. The vampire was not so lucky, and was crushed beneath the shelves. Struggling to her feet, she saw that Buffy was in trouble. There were too many and she was slowing down. A chair come soaring at her, and she ducked behind the bar to wait for Anya to return with the teachers. She wished the girl would hurry up, and leapt back in surprise when Anya appeared in front of her. The blonde girl looked around in confusion, and then saw Faith clutching her chest.

"You wished me back, didn't you?" she asked. Faith nodded. "Thought so. Thanks for saving me the trip back. Angel and the others are on their way."

Faith cringed at the mention of Angel's name. She had not seen him since he had kicked her out, and the thought of doing so turned her stomach. She had done plenty of terrible things in her life, and she couldn't have cared less about the people it affected. Angel was the first person she had disappointed, and it made her want to take it all back. She had never had the desire to go back into the past and change things, mainly because she knew how pointless it was. She always lived in the present, and didn't care what had already happened, or what was going to happy. There was just no point. But Angel had given her a place in life, trusted her and made her feel wanted; the realization that she had disappointed him tore her to pieces. Her first night in Fred's apartment she had spent lying on the couch, promising herself that if she ever got another chance she wouldn't ruin things again. But it didn't look like happening.

She snapped from her musings when the doors burst open, and sighed in relief when the teachers poured into the bar. Buffy could breathe a little easier when she saw the help arrive, and took a moment to rest before jumping back into the fray. As she fought one particularly large biker vamp, she saw Faith scamper over the counter and make her way towards the fight. Before she could tell her to go back, Angel grabbed the brunette's arm.

"Faith, get back behind the bar," he ordered.

"But I can fight…"              

Angel held her gaze and Faith could see that he was worried. "Please, Faith, go back."

She nodded, and moved back to where Anya was huddled. This was her second chance, and there was nothing that would make her muck up again. When she peered over the counter with Anya, she sought out her friend, and when she did not find her among the ruckus, become anxious.

"Anya, can you see B?" she asked, and the blond shook her head.

"I can't see her anywhere."

The back door slammed open, and the two girls jumped in fright. Spike stood behind them, fury making his eyes flash.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"We can't see her," Faith replied. "She was there only a moment ago-"

But he didn't wait to hear her answer, vaulting over the bar and hurtling across the room.

Spike was not sure which he was feeling more: anger or worry. She was a good fighter, great even, but she wasn't ready for full time battle against this number. He searched the mass of bodies, looking for a hint of her golden hair. He thought he saw her, but when he came closer he felt no heart beat or warmth in her body, and when she turned around he saw that it was just another blonde vampire. Pushing his way through to the other side, staking vamps as he went, he grabbed Angel's shoulder.

"Where is she?" he shouted over the din.

"She was here only a moment ago," he replied. "I saw her fight some biker vamp, but I haven't seen her since."

Spike growled and slammed his fist into the face of a pale young man, and staked him when he vamped out. He heard a familiar voice, taunting and teasing.

"Is that all you've got? My grandma could hit harder than you!"

In the cloak room beneath the stairs, Buffy was trading blows with the same biker guy. Whatever she threw at him he just threw back and neither of them could get the upper hand.

"I just realized something," he snarled, and Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"You're this Slayer they've been talking 'bout," he said.

"We have a quick one!" she declared, but as she spoke her guard was lowered and he lunged at her. He caught her around the neck and thrust her against the wall. She struggled in his grip, but it was like iron, and she could not escape.

"If you're the Slayer," he continued. "That means you have the urn they're looking for. Tell me where it is."

"What urn?" she gasped. "I don't…know what you're talking about."

"They say only the Slayer knows," he insisted.

"I have no idea what you're on about!" Buffy struggled in his grip.

He shrugged. "Must have heard it wrong then. I guess it won't matter if I kill you then."

He cocked his head and reached forward, but then glanced at her in surprise. She watched as he exploded into dust, and once again, Spike stood in front of her, smirking.

"You feeling a sense of déjà vu here?" she grumbled, rubbing her sore throat.

"The little lady seems to always need my help," he replied with a smirk.

As she joked with him, her mind was turning with questions. What had the vampire been talking about? She didn't know anything about any urn, whatever that was, except someone thought she did. And who was 'they'? They were all questions she needed answers to, but for some reason she felt reluctant to tell Giles and the others. Why she felt the way she did, she wasn't sure.