Chapter two – Element of Mystery

Buffy didn't always say what she really felt at certain times, but she was true and down to earth when answering Giles question. He comforted her as she sulked on his shoulder. The image from before was still fresh in his head. Giles tried best to shift it away, to focus and concentrate on his 'ex' Slayer, but when he figured out how to get rid of the image; a new one replaced the space. Somehow the image came back every time: a woman, older twenties, early thirty's, leaning over a body on the floor of an old apartment, blood all around her kneeling form. There seemed to have been a fight or struggle of some sort, broken pieces of furniture and glass on the floor and a gun not too far away. A knife was slightly closer by. It seemed clear that the man was dead.

Andrew was speeding down the highway on his brand new motor bike on his way to Los Angeles. On his back he had his Star Wars rucksack, contain all the essentials. His mission was to go to Angel Investigations to report on what had happened seeing as none of the surviving Scooby Gang and co. had managed to save a mobile phone before Sunnydale collapsed so they had no way of contacting Angel. Even though he didn't know many of Angel's gang, he had spoken to someone called Fred once and that was who he was going to ask for first. Everyone had expected someone else to have saved a phone and everyone was extremely busy around the time before their fight and they were all concentrating on surviving and getting through what was going to happen when they entered the Hellmouth for the first time. So, Andrew was on his way to the Hyperion Hotel, with only a few hours left till he got to his destination. However, Andrew had something else up his sleeve. He had his own personal mission which would lead him to Los Angeles as well.

After Willow and Kennedy had finished their desert they went for a stroll in the near by park. Both the moon and the stars could be seen that night. They walked along the path gazing up at the sky and then sat down under one of the large trees and just started to talk about anything. To them it was perfect.

Xander had a quick bite to eat; he wasn't feeling too hungry, so headed back to his room and laid on the bed. Not long after he had fallen asleep.

Faith and Robin were just about two minutes away from REX, while the misty blue girls had zoomed on ahead and now just around the corner from the club and the sounds from their car had drowned out in the music coming from inside the club.

'Seven Nation Army' by The White Stripes was blasting out of all of the speakers in REX and the song could be clearly heard in the queue to go in.

And I'm talking to myself at night
Because I can't forget
Back and forth through my mind
Behind a cigarette
And the message coming from my eyes
Says leave it alone

Don't want to hear about it
Every single one's got a story to tell
Everyone knows about it
From the Queen of England to the hounds of hell

Faith and Robin pulled into the parking lot and strolled on over to join the semi-long que into the club. Dawn and the other girls were two spaces ahead in the line. Before they knew it Dawn, Naomi, Julie, Sarah and Belle were face to face with the bouncer dude. Naomi tried to sweet talk him but he wasn't interested in her. He let them in. but Naomi was pissed off at him and wanted to plan pay back. However, the rest of the girls told her to let it go, it was nothing to worry about.

The next people in the queue were causing more trouble with the bouncer so the line was held up a little. There were a group of guys in front of them who were rather loud but that wasn't a problem but one guy kept turning around and staring at Faith right in front of Robin. Robin got all defensive and then suddenly had a go at him and Faith tried to calm him down. The guy said something to Faith and Robin was blowing up.

"Woah! Robin. Calm down. I can defend myself, its okay," said Faith holding onto Robin.

Robin looked back and fourth between Faith and the group of guys. Robin had his eyes fixed on Faith now.

Faith turned to the guys looking at her, "Now once you guys get in, split and get the hell away from us. I don't want to see you again. Understand?"

They got the shock of their lives and just nodded their heads showing they understand and then turned to face the bouncer so they could enter REX.

"That's my girl," said Wood smiling at Faith and putting his arm around her but still breathing heavy from before when he get angry, "But I wish you would have let me handle it. You made me look like a wuss."

Faith nudged him on the arm, "But your my wuss," she said with a wink and walked towards the bouncer. Wood followed.

After Buffy had finished getting everything out, she started to feel better. Feeling it was time to go, she left Giles alone for some peace and quiet in his room. Buffy thought he started to act a little weird on at times but she knew if she questioned him now he wouldn't tell her much, so she thought she would leave it for another day and went off back to her room.

Buffy got back to her room and found Xander stretched out, sound asleep on his bed a sleep looking comfortable. Buffy grabbed her stuff and went into the bathroom to change in her pajamas and got into her bed. She stared up at the ceiling in the darkness of the room. Her minded wandered off to different things and events and then her mother came to her in her mind and Buffy re-lived happy memories of just her and her mother. They were the real memories, before Dawn came. Buffy did love Dawn but she new the truth was she was never her sister and she had always wished secretly she could remember her real memories. Now was the time her wish was granted. Buffy smiled and drifted off to sleep.

As Faith and Wood stepped into REX , 'We Used To Be Friends' by The Dandy Warhol's was playing.

A long time ago, we used to be friends
But I haven't thought of you lately at all
If ever again, a greeting I send to you,
Short and sweet to the soul is all I intend.

A, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh
A, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh
A, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh
A, ah-ahh-ahh-ahh

Come on now, honey,
Bring it on, bring it on, yeah.
Just remember me when you're good to go
Come on now, sugar,
Bring it on, bring it on, yeah.
Just remember me when.

Faith started dancing when she heard the lyrics as she started to walk into the building. Really Faith would dance to any song as long as it had a decent beat.

The set out of REX was some what similar to The Bronze, a few differences such as the bar and seating area in different locations and the stage in a different direction.

As Faith made her way to the dance floor, still walking and dancing at the same time, she tossed her hair about and Wood watched on as he followed her. She stopped in her tracks and Wood caught up. Faith watched him come over towards her way. As Robin was in closer reach to Faith he said, "You know I'm not a very good dancer."

"That's what they all say when they dance with me."

Robin raised his eyebrow, "Oh really?"

Faith smiled.

Robin reached out to hold her face and commented, "You have the loveliest smile you know," Faith pulled back and shook her head and her long brown hair covered her face. The color of her hair was a dirty brown.

"But seriously Faith," said Robin, "You should see me dance, ah I mean, you don't want to see me dance."

Faith looked at Robin, "Well your here, for some fun, so man, you gotta dance. We're at a dance club."

Faith began to get jumpy again.Robin sighed. He was doomed.

Meanwhile across the dance floor in REX were Dawn and the other girls sitting at a table having drinks and talking about all the cute guys around their age in the dance club. Dawn pointed out she liked the dirty blonde in the black and blue t-shirt with the baggy pants. Naomi and Belle agreed with Dawn, he did look the cutest and that brought them to a discussion and then they scanned the crowd once more for another guy to talk about. The guy they had just been talking about came up to their table and they were all in total shock when he asked Naomi to dance. Of course this fired up jealously in two of the other girls; while the rest just sat there waiting to find out what would happen next. Naomi talked to Brad for a while and then they went to dance.

"See," Faith said, "You can...um dance."

"Hey," replied Robin lightly hitting Faith in the head, "I heard the change of tone in your voice."

They wrapped their arms around one another and danced to the song.

The song ended and the next song that began took up a little more pace and Faith was dancing around crazy now and Wood tried to join in which was a funny sight.

Wood began to breathe a little heavily, "God how do you keep up dancing at that pace?"

"Maybe I'm just fit," she said with a slight smile while still dancing and showing off to him.

"It must have something to do with Slayer strength, yadda, yadda."

"Yeah yadda, yadda is part of it maybe I guess," Said Faith slightly smiling once more, "But yo! I am what I am and that's the way it goes."

"Oh don't go starting anything about being pretty now. We already went down that road remember?"
"Oh I don't remember so well but care to refresh my memory?" asked Faith playing games with Robin as she still dance around and well Robin tried to.

"Oh just about me being way prettier than you are. Something like that," said Wood starting to get some of his energy back and his pace of dancing went up a notch.

"Something like that, ay? Now if I recall you were incorrect but would never admit to it."

"I think that's where you get mixed up, I was right. Take a look in the mirror sweetie."

"Oh!" Faith stopped dancing. "I already did before I came, I'm sure I still look the same, can't say the same about you though."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Faith winked, "You figure it out, and I need to go get a drink. Ya want anything?"

"Ahh just a beer thanks."

And Faith just walked off like that through the crowd, leaving Robin to think about the things that just happened.

By now Naomi had danced to a few songs with Brad and he went back to his friends and Naomi went back to the group to share details. Dawn was annoyed, she had her eyes on him first but there wasn't much she could do.

With less than an hour till he got to the hotel, Andrew pulled into the next service station to by some food. He was hoping they would have those onion things that look like a flower but it's an onion. They didn't so he got himself a hot dog, ate it and was back on the road, towards the hotel.

Willow and Kennedy had gone back to their room and had fallen asleep. The only ones who were still awake were the ones out partying at REX.