Thank you to all who reviewed =) I really, really appreciate them, I do. And I did have fun, thanks =) But I'm back now and won't be going away again =( lol. So, here's a chapter. And there'll probably be another following it soon.


Buffy stood in the hallway at her locker, Faith and Willow on either side of her. She was sorting through it, trying to find her english book while the two talked around her.

"So, you're coming tomorrow night, right Buffy?" Willow asked.

"Huh? I'm what now?" she asked, looking over at her friend.

"Coming to Xander's surprise party. You didn't forget, did you?"

"No, no way... Surprise for what?"

Willow sighed. "It's his birthday."

"Right. I so knew that," Buffy said. "My bad."

"So, you're coming?"

"Yes, yes I am. I just have something I need to do before... But, I will be there. Yes," she said. "Aha, I found it."

Buffy grabbed the text book and pulled it out, causing her bag to fall to the ground. Sighing, she reached down to gather up her stuff, Faith and Willow coming to her aid.

"Here's your, um... Your stake?" Willow asked, holding up a pointed piece of wood.

"Huh? My what? Oh, that. Heh. That's um, that's for a... Project. You know, the... For the... I call it Mr. Pointy."

"Oh," Willow said, handing it to Buffy. "Clever."

"You don't, you know, stick it through vampires hearts by any chance?" Faith asked.

"Um... What?" Buffy said, trying her best to look confused.

"Faith's just being funny. Right Faith?"

"Yeah," Faith said.

"Why don't we get to class? The bell's going to ring soon," Willow said.

"Um... I'll meet you there," Buffy said. "I have to, uh, put this stuff away."

Willow nodded and grabbed Faith's wrist, walking to their classroom.

"I think she knows we know," Willow blabbered as the two took their seats.

"Relax. There's nothing to know. You heard her, it's for a project."

"Faith, as much as you hate to admit it, the facts are all right there. What other girl in the school carries around a piece of wood by the name of Mr. Pointy? Hmm? Buffy's the Slayer. Or "a" Slayer."

"I'll talk to her," Faith said, standing.

"No, no. It's best to act as if we don't know what we know. If she's a Slayer, where would the most likely place to catch her in the act be?"

"The cemetery," Faith said.


Buffy stopped in front of the gates of the cemetery, Giles beside her. It was her first night out patrolling since she'd been put in the hospital. And for the first time since she was called, she was nervous about what hide in the shadows behind the gate.

"I'm the Slayer Giles, I'm not supposed to get scared," she said, looking over at him. "Why am I scared?"

"Everyone gets scared Buffy. Your being the Slayer doesn't make you immune to fear."

"I know. But I've been to hell and back... Literally. And even though I was scared, it never hit me like this. It's like I had more courage, and now... Now I have more fear."

"You'll work through it and soon you'll be back to your old ways. It's just it's been a while since you've been out patrolling. You haven't killed a vampire in over a week."

"I know. And at first I was ok with just being a normal girl and not going out every night to kill vampires. But as the time passed, it's like something inside of me just started to stir and I wanted to get out like a caged animal. I wasn't able to do what I was born to do."

"Well you're back now."

"Yeah, I am," Buffy said smiling. "And I see a vampire who won't be as thrilled about it as I am."


"I told you not to push me," Faith said, kicking a vampire in the head, sending him to the ground. "But you didn't listen. Naughty boy."

"Isn't that how you like 'em Slayer? Naughty?" he teased, getting up.

"I like my bed toys human, thanks," Faith said, hitting him.

"That's not what you said last night," he said, smirking.

"You're really liking this, aren't you?" she said, walking closer to him. "Cause I know I am."

He licked his lips as Faith pressed herself against him, the stake still firmly planted in her hand. She brought her two fingers up to his lips and ran them down his neck, resting upon his chest.

"A Slayer who likes the undead," he said. "I haven't met one of those."

"And you never will," Faith said, plunging the stake into his heart.

She stood back and watched as he turned to dust, a smile on her face. She'd beat him without really beating him. All it took was her seductive smile and he was puddy in her hands, dead or alive.

She could hear people talking in the distance, and walked a few steps before resting against a tree.

Buffy was walking through the cemetery, their librarian, Mr. Giles beside her.

"Got ya," Faith said.

"What are you doing out here?"

Faith whipped around, her stake in the air, ready to attack. She sighed when she saw that it was only Angel and lowered her arm.

"Jeez Angel. Think I'd hesitate to wrip your arm off sneaking up on me like that?"

Angel smiled. "Sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

"Patrolling," he said.

"That's my job, if you haven't caught on yet," she said.

"I needed some air. Thought that I could do a quick sweep, see if you missed something."

"Oh... Well, I didn't. So, get lost."

"What's up Faith? I'm getting the not-wanted vibe."

"That's cause you're not-wanted... Look Angel, I can handle patrol by myself, thanks. I'm a Slayer if you haven't noticed, it's what I do... Alone."

Angel raised an eyebrow. "You mean you're "the" Slayer, not "a" Slayer."

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

"Yeah."

"Yeah... So are you leaving?" Faith asked impatiently.

"Be safe Faith, don't get yourself into anything you can't get yourself out of," he said, turning to walk away.

"Ok Boss."

Faith turned around and looked in the direction that she had last seen Buffy, but she was no where in sight, neither was their librarian.

"Damnit Angel."