"Hey B what you doing sitting up here in the dark. Why don't you go to that party that is going on downstairs?" Faith asked her blond friends who was again mopping in the dark.

"Its been over a month…." Buffy said softly as through in awe of the words that came out of her mouth. She was staring into a fire place that was lighting her face an odd red and yellow color. She sat in a red old fashioned chair. Her chin resting on the heel of her palm.

"You gotta stop mopping about that B. Its gone. Its all gone. Good riddance's I say. Didn't need that hell mouth of a town any way," Faith said taking a seat beside her. She shook her head knowing this had nothing to do with the town or even the fact they were the not the only slayers anymore.

"Do you think I could have saved him?" she asked softly. Faith sighed shaking her head. This was not the first time she had been asked.

"No B I've told you this before you couldn't. He had to die and go to dust at sometime. He ain't coming back. Not for you and definitely not for me. Death is the end. Its what we live in, breath in and end up being. Live life to the fullest and take dead when it comes to you with a fighting resistance," Faith told her with a determined sound in her voice.

"Maybe death is not end. Maybe the soul lives and is…" Buffy started then Faith interrupted her.

"Reincarnated. I don't think so. Soul is just a funny way saying God. Its nothing but a fixation humans made up to make sense of shit they didn't understand," Faith told her.

"But Angel and Spike had souls…." Buffy started and Faith interjected.

"No they felt guilty. I have to say whatever that glowing thing was changed Angel, but I don't think it was a soul. Had to be magic or something….But that's not why I came to see you," Faith said softly.

"Your leaving again huh?" Buffy asked softly. Faith nodded.

"Its not working here. All these people wanting me to be a general of some slayer army, training kids, paper work its not for me B. I gotta get out of here. I think I'm going to take a trip you up north. You know maybe go fight more vamps or maybe take a break. I mean with all the new slayers an old one taking a vacation isn't going to hurt anyone," Fait told her.

Buffy's eyes were still wide and emotionless, but holding in tears. Her body looked vacant, hollow even.

"You need to loosen up B. Takes some time off. Meet a new guy. Have some kids or something," she told her clearly grieving friend.

"I don't want a new guy…." she said tears at the edge of her eyes.

"I know, but you'll find one if you want it or not. Guys seem to jump out at you," she said and getting up. She paused for a moment and turned to say, "See you later B."

Buffy nodded then turned to look at her friend.

"One more thing," she said with a smile life returning to her eyes,

"Yeah?" Faith asked wanting to get out of that place without some emotion outburst.

"What's with that hair?" she asked teasingly. Faith stroked hand through her newly permed hair. It made large curled throughout the length of it which went down to her shoulders.

"What don't like it?" Faith asked with a smile and a wink. She picked up her bag and walked out the door.

Her head suddenly spun as she stepped out the door. She felt like the ground had been plucked out from under her. She groaned at the feeling of helplessness. She felt a tug on her body sending her backwards faster then anything she had ever experienced. She left out a scream of rage and confusion. In the back ground she heard a man's voice young and shaky saying,

"Bring forth the one to save us all

Let the Slayer of Vampires hear my call

Our need is for an army but we call on one

Blessed with the power to bring vampires into the sun

Bring us the killer of evil and the keeper of peace

We ask the heaven to lease

Them from time and space

We ask with the worlds of our grace

For the key player

We summon thee of the power of the Slayer"

She held her hands over her ears to make the horrible echoing words out of her head, but it didn't work. She fell further, faster then she thought possible. She couldn't breath. The air around her seemed more like a vacuum then atmosphere. She of course wasn't thinking about that. She was trying to fight the hold of the invisible hand that was taking her.

She wondering what Buffy was thinking. If she was being taken too. Then shook it off her mind. Now that didn't matter it was survival of the strongest and she was sure Buffy would make it.

Suddenly she landed, her feet touched the ground and she was grateful to be steady once more. She looked up to find something odd. She was in the middle of a crowd. The woman were wearing long skirt and bonnets. She looked at then confused. Who were bonnets how a days? She scanned the area. All the buildings looked old, warn down and very old fashioned. She raised a brow. Had she ended up in a movie set or a freaky city recreated to look like the old days?

Everyone was looking at her with disgust. She looked down. She had a low cut, tight fitting, black tank on with a pair of tight jeans to go with it. She was in tennis shoes, but she doubted that was the reason. Maybe she was ruining the affect for other people in this masquerade game.

A man behind her out of her line was vision was walking through the crowd. He was dressed all in black with gloves and a hate. The brow of his hat was pulled down over his eyes and a mask coved his mouth none of his skin showed. Unless you knew him there was no way to tell who he was.

He saw the outline of Faith out of the corner of his eyes. He also noticed the crowd staring and backing away from her. He heard the low chorus of the words 'harlot, whore, tramp' being spat in her direction. He caught his first good sight of her from the back. Her long black curly standing out to him like a large sign that said only one thing to him. His heart leapt in hope.

"Anna!" he called pushing his way through the ground, "Anna!! Anna its me." He ran over to her and forced her to turn. She wasn't Anna of course. He had known that.

Faith looked at the man that had turned her with a glare. Why the hell was he calling her Anna? Who did he think he was touching her like that? She gave him a quick once over. She thought his long hair was a little odd, but it seemed to match his eyes. He didn't look too old, but the years had took their toll on him. She couldn't tell if he was handsome or not due to the mask he wore.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she asked and a few people around her gasped. They covered the ears of their children and walked away. She rolled her eyes and looked back to the man.

"I'm sorry miss I mistook you for someone I once knew," he said softly.

He let his eyes take a short field trip own her form. He was astonished by her dress. Not only was the whole outfit skin tight but she was in pants made of a material he couldn't think of name for. He was sure whatever top she was wearing must have been an under garment to something, because a woman would never wear something so relieving and small willingly.

"Please take this," he said taking of his coat and putting it around her shoulders. She shrugged it off.

"No thanks buddy. I don't know who you are or who your looking for, but I don't want anything to do with you. I'm trying to figure out where the hell I am," she said dropped the coat to the ground. She marched out of the crowd. She made her way out of down. The place was small and they were at the edge of it. She quickly made a bee line for an empty space.

He picked up his coat and fallowed her. He took her by the arm. They had moved to somewhere a bit more private. Faith had lead them to a street in this area were lined with homes. Most decent folk were asleep by this hour.

She swung round with speed he had never expected from a woman. She grabbed his wrist and flipped him over with a strong angry grunt. He gave a quick gasp as she tossed him with power he would not have thought possible. He landed with a grunt of pain.

He looked up to the woman. He coughed and sat up indignantly. She was in a fighting stand. A determination shone in her eyes that told him to be careful. He could tell this was a wild one. Most likely low born right off the streets. He got up slowly he head down to show weakness and surrender.

"I was only going to ask you if you were lost and if so volunteer assistance," he told her softly trying to watch for any attack.

"Yeah fine I'm lost. What's the name of this freak show town?" she asked him. She wasn't about to beat up an information source. Maybe he could help her get back to the State.

"This is London," he told her softly. What type of woman walked around in nothing but an under garment not knowing where she was? Maybe she wasn't too clear in the head. He would have asked but she seemed very strong, and he was not in the mood to fight with a loon.

"London are you joking? What is this a dress up party? Then who are you supposed to be Van Helsing?" she asked with a laugh. This was a joke. This must be a whole city party, where they pretended it was a different time and got really into it. She huffed and turned walking off.

"How did you know my name?" he asked softly from behind her. She laughed and looked behind her.

"Your joking aren't you? Getting a little to into character don't you think?" she asked stopping.

"I don't know what you mean," he told her still dumbfounded on how she had guessed it was him. Sure there were wanted posters up all over but it wasn't like

"Would you stop it alright not funny. Just tell me where the next pay phone is and I'll you without a scratch," she said with an animals grin.

"I do not know what you refer to," he told her. What did she mean by 'pay phone.' it sounded like a Inn name maybe that was it. What else could it be?

"Oh you Medieval freaks are always way to into character," she said and started walking forward again.

He chased after her not thinking a crazy woman with her strength should be wondering free. She most likely had escaped her keeper. She could be a danger to herself and more importantly others. He could not let someone like that wonder the streets.

"I don't know what your talking about my lady, but I would like to help you. My name is Van Helsing. This is London. I think you're a little confused," he told her trying not to make her angry.

She rolled her eyes and turned. This guy was starting to annoy her now. She walked over to him. She stopped inches from his body a teasing glint in her eyes, a flirty smile on his lips. His eyes looked taken aback and concerned. She smiled more at his reaction. She put her hand on his mask.

He held up a hand to stop her thinking it was now a trap. His eyes scanning the shadows for gaurds. Who would dare use a woman, even one such as this, as bait?

She took his wrist and squeezed as hard as she could. He let go from the pain. She held his hand out of the way. With the other she took down the mask.

He had a bit of a whiskery bread coming in like he needed shave. She looked over his features with interest. She had seen them before. She had to make sure. She flipped his hat off. His lips remained locked in a defiant line, his eyes watchful, careful, and strong. His hair was just as it should be. He looked jsut right for the part. She let short laugh.

"You have got to be kidding,' she said in a low voice.