Buffy walked descended the basement stairs to find Spike sitting on his cot, smoking a cigarette.

"A hundred plus years in this world and you still walk away from a woman."

"A hundred plus years in this world and I've only ever loved one of 'em."

Buffy looked at Spike with wide eyes.

"What?" Spike looked at the slayer.

Buffy sat on the cot.

"I love you. You're a bitch and an evil dictator, but I love you."

"I will kick your ass."

"No you won't."

"Sure about that?"

Spike nodded.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because you love me too."

"What?!" Buffy began to laugh.

Spike sat up and looked at his slayer. "You know, my may think it funny, but it's true. One day slayer, you'll realize that.."

"I can't love you Spike."

"Bloody why not?" Spike whined.

"Because every time I look at you I see the man who tried to rape me."

"Yet you come to me every night."

"I'm just—"

"Lonely?"

"Confused." Buffy scooted away from Spike. She leaned forward so that her elbows were on her knees. "Can we change the subject?"

"Buffy, I—I'm not that man any more."

"Just talk about something else."

Spike thought for a moment.

"Well, if you're deciding to be interested...some things have been happening."

"Like what?"

"Every night when I go out, something appears to me. Like a ghost or something, but it's

"The First...It knows you're important to this war."

"And then Angel..."

"Angel? What's he got to do with this?"

"He's been following me around, tellin' me I'm only here because you want me to be."

"I thought he left, when did you see him last?"

"Tonight."

------------------

Cut to: Willow's room.

Faith is still laying on her stomach, writing in her journal.

Aright, it's been a couple hours...Been a really long couple of hours. I looked everywhere I could think of for her. My Willow. I never thought I could care about somebody like this. Over the past few weeks, she's been so special to me. And that's so weird. I don't so special. Watching her sit and cry over Tara's grave sent shivers through my body. Made me clam up and tingle. Because she's beautiful, even when she cries. She understands me, actually listens and cares about my feelings. No one's ever really done that before...without wanting something in return-- sex, or murder...she just wants me, for who I am. And that's scary because now I have to figure out who that is. I hope she's ok, Willow. I hope she comes home to me soon. Tomorrow I'll find her. She'll be in my arms, and I'll be ok again.

Faith put her pen down and laid her head on her arm. Before long, the slayer was fast asleep, with thoughts of Willow in her head.

------------------------

cut to:

Willow sitting on the cold cement floor of a jail cell. We hear keys jingling. A female voice demands,

"Open the gate." Keys jingle as if someone is fumbling around looking for the right key.

We see a scared stiff security guard playing with the lock.

"Ugh! Here, let me do it." We see Glory, wearing a long, red-sequined dress. She takes the cell gate off with one easy pull. Glory walks over to her hostage and puts her fingers under Willow's chin.

"Look at me, Witch." Glory pulls Willow's head up. "That's better." She smiles. "So, tell me, are you gonna talk now or do you want meet another one of my friends."

Willow sat silently and looked Glory straight in the eyes.

"If you're not going to talk," Glory signaled to one of her minions. He walked in with a Bringer. The minion guided the bringer to the cell. "Rough her up. But don't kill her, not yet." Glory laughed.

"Sooner or later, you'll have to talk witch." Glory pulled Willow off the floor. She was now leaning against the wall with her hands and ankles still chained together.

"But Glorificus, what if she doesn't talk?" The minion said to his master.

"Then I'll have to find out from the Key herself...after I kill the witch of course."

"Of course, of course." The minion waddled away.

Glory watched as the Bringer took swing after swing at Willow. She endured the pain, trying her best not to cry, but the tears came anyway. Willow fell to her knees, and spit blood on Glory's shoes. The bringer was now on his knees and throwing hard blows to Willow's stomach.

"You stupid bitch!" She screamed. "Alright that's enough." She pulled the bringer off of the crying red head. "Now what do you have to say."

"Go to hell." Willow growled through clenched teeth.

"I'm not done with you yet witch. You will tell me what the key can do, even if I have to eat your brain to find out. Have a good night." Glory picked up the cell door and slammed it back into place. "I'll be back for you, so don't try anything funny."

Willow thought about doing a spell to get herself free, but she was too weak to try. She'd been thinking of a spell all night, something that would at least let Faith know she was ok. She was so tired, but out of fear, she knew she had to stay awake. She was so hungry, so cold, and she just wanted to go home.

All that could be heard were Willow's muffled sobs.

------------------

The Summers' residence; morning. Dawn is at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Sitting next to her is Kennedy. She's got a pop-tart in one hand and a magazine in the other.

"You know, these quizzes are crap." Kennedy took a bite from her pop-tart.

"You've been interested in them a lot since you started reading those magazines yesterday." Dawn laughed.

"Ah the wisdom that is teenage magazines." Faith sighed as she entered the kitchen.

"You ok?" Dawn looked up at the slayer.

"Sure... just waiting for big sis. We're gonna go find that weapon today."

Kennedy's eyes lit up as though she were a puppy.

"Buffy and I will be leaving shortly." Faith looked at the eager potential, stressing the words 'Buffy and I'

"Thanks for the heads up." Dawn smiled.

Faith turned and walked out onto the porch. Dawn went back to her cereal. Kennedy went back to her magazine.

---------------

Cut to: The front porch.

Faith is standing with a cigarette in her hand, looking up at the sky when Buffy stepped outside.

"Morning, Faith"

"Don't talk. Let's just find this thing."

"What's with you?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know, B."

"Fine. We won't talk then."

The slayers headed off in the direction of SunnyDale High.

"So, Spike said he and a run-in with Angel last night"

"So what." Faith huffed.

"Just wondering if you knew anything about it."

"No. Haven't talked to Spike...and Angel didn't mention anything."

"You knew he was in town?"

"He did his little disappear/ reappear act, yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Kind of hating you right now."

"When are you gonna get over that?"

Faith rolled her eyes.

"What no snotty remark?"

"I'm too tired for games. Let's just find this weapon and get the hell home."

The slayers walked on in silence.

--------------------

Cut to: Dawn is sitting in the living room. On the coffee table in front of her is Andrew with a comic book. Kennedy walks in.

"You guys are always reading something. Don't you ever do anything different?"

Andrew didn't even acknowledge her presence. He was too involved with his 'Justice League.' Dawn wasn't looking at the book on her lap. She was deep in thought, staring out the window.

"Dawn?" Kennedy walked over to the couch and sat down. "Dawn...." She sat down next to the pensive teenager. "You ok?" Kennedy put her hand on Dawn's shoulder. Dawn jumped a little at her touch.

"Umm... I'm fine, great." Dawn shrugged off Kennedy's hand and looked down at the book on her lap. When Dawn put her head down a little, a small tear fell onto the pages of the dusty book in her hands.

"Hey..." Kennedy said soothingly, "What's wrong?" She whispered.