A/N: Spartan 500, your review was interesting... Myopic, and cowardly considering given your refusal to leave an e-mail address, but interesting. So on the off-chance you read this.

1. I don't hate women. I have no respect for Buffy and Willow finding them self-centred and arrogant, caring about themselves to the detriment and exclusion of anyone else. Tara I liked, she was so damn nice. I respect Dawn's growth from brat to strong young woman, far more mature than her supposedly elder sister. Cordelia and Faith I admire for the changes they made in themselves. Anya, oh you're right I spelt her name wrong, was okay. Fred was basically Willow without the in-built arrogance and far superior discipline, oh and a hell of a lot less condescending. Kennedy showed more appreciation of Xander than Buffy did. Women-hater, no. Not keen on Buffy and Willow, guilty as charged and proud of it.

2. Your criticism of 'Wood He's A Dreamboat'? It was a spoof on Joss and Marti's hero worship of a Mary Sue they parachuted in, nothing more, nothing less. Obviously went way over your head. I didn't think it was that subtle, my mistake.

3. Self-centred, self-involved boy? That would be the Xander Harris who forced Angel into the Master's tunnels would it? The same Harris who stole onto an army base to get a rocket launcher? The same self-involved boy who backed Angelus off to save a sick Buffy? Or the same Xander who in one night saved Faith's life and stopped zombies from killing everybody? This would be the Xander who was the only person to have the backbone to stand up to Buffy about her running away and her deceit over hiding Angel's return. Surely if Xander was the character you said he was he'd have boasted about his heroics? My mistake, he can't be anything else, not a vampire.

4. All other men, complete non-entities? Not true, the only male white hats I didn't like were Spike (great bad guy), Wood, and Riley, Giles, Angel, Wesley, and Gunn I liked.

5. If you keep disliking my stories why the hell put yourself through it? Oh, and incidentally there's a reason why I only allowed login reviews – to allow myself the right of reply. If you haven't the guts to put up an email address up, don't bother. FlyinMonkey88 has made his\her views quite clear but at least had the courage to put up an email address so I was able to respond. You and others who've hidden behind the fanfiction review system to leave negative reviews without giving the chance of a response are, quite simply, cowards.

6. Unlike most people with an IQ above boiling point I like Spuffy. After all, if Spike and Buffy are abusing one another it means two decent people are saved from having to be in a relationship with either of those self- serving twits. They deserve one another, the only thing that would make it better was if they made it a threesome and threw in Willow.

Ah, that felt good. On with the story.

She's Gone 9 – Murderess Again

"It's finished," Warren proudly declared as he preened for his two subordinates, endeavouring to impress them with his brilliance. "The Cerebral Dampener is ready!"

He grinned at the awed looks that greeted his words. Obviously, his attempt was successful. "Really?" Jonathan babbled, his eyes wide. "We can get any woman we want?"

"We could have that new Slayer," Andrew suggested eagerly. "I've heard rumours about her!"

"Or how about that Tara?" Jonathan broke in. "Being with a lesbian. What a turn on!"

Warren smirked at the others' reaction. They'd been working together for a few weeks, so far their plans of wealth, power, and women had come to nothing. But now with The Cerebral Dampener they had the power to make any woman they wanted their slave. And he knew just the woman to start with. He could hardly wait.

* * *

Warren grinned as he looked around the crowded bar, practically drooling at all the gorgeous women in their skin-tight, skimpy outfits. All easy, tempting their men with their bodies and then pulling away with a taunting laugh or a sneer. But now, with the Cerebral Dampener, he could have his choice.

He made his way through the packed club, his eyes flicking left and right, as he both drank in the beautiful dancers around him and search for his ultimate target. His grin widened as he saw her.

"Hi babe," he attempted to put an arm around the brunette's shoulder but she pulled away, a look of disgust on her face.

"Warren," the girl spat out. "I thought I made it clear I didn't want to see you again after that business with the robot?"

"Hey Katrina," he tried for his best smile as he pulled the Cerebral Dampener and turned it on. "Are you sure about that?"

A half-second later and the anger left his ex's eyes, leaving behind a pathetic eagerness to please. "Hi Warren, what do you want me to do?"

"First," he reached up and stroked the girl's face, loving the submissiveness he saw there. "You can call me master. He laughed at the woman's dutiful nod. "Let's go." He was going to party tonight.

* * *

"Wow! This is great!"

Warren hid a smirk at the look of worship on his partners' faces. They were so pathetic, not real men like him. The adoration he saw in their eyes only matched that of Katrina's and at least she had the excuse of being brainwashed.

Ah Katrina, Warren looked at his girlfriend. As instructed she'd changed into a frilly French maid's outfit that was barely mid-thigh in length. A grin on his face, he ran his palm up the back of her leg, revelling in the feel of her thigh-length black stocking before slapping her ass, making his slave start. "Serve them their drinks."

"Yes master," the girl agreed robotically before walking over and serving the other two their drinks, their hands roaming her body.

Suddenly jealous that his property was being touched in such a manner Warren hurried over and knocked his accomplices' hands away. "Look don't touch!" she scolded. "She's mine. Remember that!" she grabbed Katrina around her tiny waist and began guiding her to the basement's side room.

"When do we get a go with the Cerebral Dampener?"

Warren's eyes rolled at Jonathan's whining. "Later. Katrina and I have some business to catch up on."

Slamming the door to the others' protests, he began eagerly kissing Katrina, his lips slobbering across her face. After a few minutes, he pulled away and grinned. "Tell me you enjoy that," he ordered.

"You're the best kisser in the world, master."

Warren's smirk widened. He knew what she could do next, she'd refused to do it in the past, had always said it was disgusting. Well she'd do it now. "On your knees," he ordered, closing his eyes in anticipation.

"Yes master." The girl obeyed instantly. But then. "You bastard."

Warren's eyes flew open and his head snapped down, his mouth drying with fear as he noticed the glassiness that had been in Katrina's eyes just a half-second ago had been replaced by its usual intelligence. "Kat I can - ugh!" His world exploded in pain as the knelt woman drove a fist into his groin.

Eyes watering he crumpled to the ground. Above the roaring in his ears, he could hear the woman screaming. "You bastard! I'm leaving! But don't worry, I'll be back! With the police!" Spinning on her heel, Katrina stormed out of the room. Lungs heaving, he followed as quickly as he could, crawling to the doorway. "Stop her!" he croaked.

After exchanging shocked stares, Andrew and Jonathan dropped their Sci-Fi magazines, sprang up, and raced towards Katrina. Warren groaned as the incompetents fouled up as they always did. Katrina knocked Jonathan down with a straight right and kicked Andrew in the nuts. Realising that if he wanted her stopping he'd have to do it himself, Warren snatched up the champagne bottle that Katrina had poured them drinks from by the neck and limped after her. He caught up with her half-way up the steps that led to the ground floor, grabbed hold of her arm, spun around her around, and brought the bottle down hard on her head.

The impact of the blow reverberated through his arm but the effect on his target was even more dramatic. Her eyes glazed over and she pitched forward, falling past him to land on the basement floor with an almighty crack. Jonathan ran up to the girl and felt her neck before looking up at him, his face ashen-grey. "W...warren she's d...dead."

Warren's knees almost buckled, his world tilted on its axis. The room sun round for a few seconds before slowly settling, legs trembling he stumbled down the stairs. "She can't be."

"She's not got a pulse. Try for yourself!"

After a second he reached out a shaking hand. He tried desperately to find a pulse but nothing. In the background he could hear Andrew hyperventilating and Jonathan sobbing. "Both of you shut up!"

"Oh god!" Andrew babbled, seemingly oblivious to the shout. "I'm going to be sharing a cell with a guy called Bubba!"

"The Slayer's going to kill us!" Jonathan added.

"The Slayer!" An evil smile twisted Warren's lips as an idea occurred. He turned to Jonathan. "She's done time for murder right?"

"Manslaughter," Short-Round corrected.

"Whatever. Let's," Warren tore away from the limp body. "Kill two birds with one stone." He ignored Andrew's dry heaving to continue talking to Jonathan. "Do you know a spell we can use to make the Slayer think she did it?"

"I don't have that sort of power-."

"Damn it!"

"But I know someone who does."
* * *

Willow's face remained impassive but she smiled inwardly as she heard the plan out-lined by the leader of the three snivelling worms before her. Although it had only taken a simple spell to heal her battered jaw the humiliating memory remained. But this would be sweet revenge. Grabbing hold of Amy's hair, she pulled her slave's head back and plunged her tongue into her toy's mouth, crushing her lips to her toy's as she pushed a hand down her pet's jumper, roughly groping her ripe breasts.

Deciding she'd given the three panting wimps before her enough of a show she pulled away, releasing her grip before smiling at their lecherous expressions. "I'll do it," she agreed. Sending the trailer-park trash back to prison for another murder, one she hadn't even committed, how delicious. She'd pay for de-flowering her Xander, for trying to take Buffy away from her, and for attacking her. Putting her back in a prison cell, broken, a failure in everybody's eyes. The only thing that would make it better was if she found a way to take the whore's powers away, leaving her defenceless against those who wanted her sluttish body. "I'll do it," she repeated. Her smile widened at the trio's grovelling thanks.

* * *

Faith strode through the hushed graveyard, her eyes flicking left and right as she checked but failed to find any sign of trouble lurking in the night's inky darkness. She was alone, Xander having taken Anya out for a romantic dinner, she pushed aside the jealous part of her that wanted it to be her, and G banged up from a brawl two nights ago.

Not that she minded. She enjoyed hanging with Xan and G, but she wasn't B, she didn't need the security blanket of others. After all she'd been fighting alone since birth.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a scuffle to her left. Turning she hurried towards it, her blood already beginning to pound in anticipation. Soon she forced herself in a clearing occupied by two eight foot demons accosting a female maybe 3 – 5 years her senior. A grin on her face, Faith charged the monsters.

And then things got weird.

It seemed as if everything went into slow-motion. One of the demons moved towards her, then disappeared only to re-appear behind her. "Fuck!" Faith spun around to face the demon but it had vanished again. Heart thundering, she spun back around. Her head exploded in agony when she was punched in the back of her head. Stunned, she stumbled away from an expected follow- up and kicked out as the second demon grabbed her.

The next few minutes were a bizarre hell as she was battered and pummelled at will by the two teleporting monsters, always she was a little too late with her attacks and defences. Then suddenly they disappeared.

Faith's relief died when she looked down at her feet and saw the body lying there, its neck bent at an impossible angle. "Oh no," she whispered as she fell to her knees.

For what seemed an eternity she knelt there staring at the body, willing it to move but knowing what she'd done was irreversible. She tensed at the sound of approaching feet and leapt up. Tears rolling down her finely- sculptured cheeks, she hurried into the shadows. She'd done it again. She'd killed a human.

* * *

Faith laughed as she propelled her stake into the woman's chest. Pulling out her weapon she released Tara's limp body, allowing it to fall the ground. An evil grin twisting her usually gorgeous features she viciously kicked the body at her feet in the ribs, her smirk widening at the sound of ribs splintering and the blonde's wheezing. Blood bubbled out of Anya's mouth and her eyes closed as death took hold. Finally she turned to the battered and bloodied figure tied to the room's only chair. "Every girl's dream," she swayed over to the body and ran a finger down her prisoner's stubbly cheek, glorying in his trembling. "Her own little Xander-bear!"

Faith bolted upright, the bed-sheets falling off her sweat-soaked body. It took her a few minutes to get her rapid breathing back under control. Given the power of Slayer dreams... Her heart tight she laid back down and stared up at the ceiling. She knew what she had to do. It wasn't fair.

* * *

"G," Faith kept her voice low as she looked around the shop. The others were at the back of the shop while her and her Watcher were behind the counter. Not ideal but she had to tell the Englishman now, all day they'd either not been alone or she hadn't been able to muster the nerve for a confession. "Can we talk?"

The Watcher smiled. "Of course we can."

Faith took a rattling breath before starting her story. By the time she'd finished the middle-aged man had his arms around her, pulling her into a comforting hug. She allowed herself to be comforted for a couple of minutes before reluctantly pulling away, she didn't deserve it. "I'm gonna turn myself in," she whispered.

The former librarian looked alarmed. "Faith," he attempted to soothe her. "You can't do that. If you go back to prison, the Council will have you killed. Let us help you."

"It's too risky," she shook her head. She wanted to believe the Watcher but she couldn't risk hurting anyone but most of all, she glanced towards Xander, him. "I might go psycho again." Her decision made she vaulted the counter and hurried towards the door, ignoring the Englishman's cries ringing in her ears.
* * * "Oh bollocks!" Giles cursed as the Bostonian raced out of the shop, if she just trusted him to help her...

"G-Man, what's up?"

He turned at his surrogate son's worried voice, seeing the others' anxious faces as they all rose from the table. "Dawn, get the coroner's office reports up on the computer." Seeing the girl's mouth open he snapped. "No questions, just do it. Find me the autopsy reports from two nights ago for any females around Riverview Graveyard."

Thirty seconds later the pale-faced teen passed him a print-out. As he scanned its contents his grief turned to blistering rage. "She didn't bloody do it!"

"Do what G-Man?"

Giles forced his eyes away from the sheet of paper and towards Xander. "Somebody cast a spell on Faith to make her believe she killed this girl last night. But she died two nights earlier and had been killed by a blow from a taller person while Faith is several inches shorter. Also the police believe the body had been moved from where it was originally." Remembering himself he nodded at Dawn. "Thank you for your help. I apologise for shouting at you. The question is who did kill her?"

"Remember that girl who's boyfriend who made a robot of her last year?" Dawn asked. Giles nodded slowly. "That's her, I recognise her. And her name was Katrina."

Giles nodded again, a cold fury building within him. "And what was her boyfriend's name?" he grated, it made a sickening sense, he didn't believe in coincidence.

"Warren Mears."

"Dawn, get me this young gentleman's address. Xander, have you got the car?" the youth nodded. "Good, get to Faith before she reaches the police station. If she confesses with her record.."

"I'm on it."

* * *

Faith trudged through Sunnydale, her head bowed and heart breaking. Two months ago she'd been so excited, scared too, but thrilled at getting a second chance. And she'd blown it. She'd killed again. The Council were going to kill her for sure this time, they'd only let her live last time because they had B and they were frightened of Angel. But now with B dead, they couldn't afford to have their only living Slayer out of action in the big house.

"You're not doing this Faith." She looked up to see Xander blocking the alley. For a second she stared at him, remembering every detail, a sort of photo to keep her warm on the lonely prison nights. Then she spoke. "Xan, get out of my way. I'm doing the right thing," she started to walk part him, determined not to cry.

"No Faith," her patrol buddy grabbed her shoulder. "Lis-."

Spinning round she snatched hold of Xander around his throat and slammed him against the wall. "Damn it Xan!" she snarled. "Just let me go! It'll solve all your problems, no-one to remind you of the kiss that never was!"

Despite her anger Xander didn't flinch. "Are you going to finish off what you started in your hotel room?" he challenged. "Or are you going to listen for once?"

"Fuck!" Her fist smashed through the brick to the right of her companion's head as she released her grip. "So talk!"

Instead her patrol mate passed her a sheet of paper. "Read this."

Her forehead furrowed in concentration Faith slowly read the document before looking up. "I..I didn't kill her?" Faith felt her spirits lift and then. "Who set me up?" she grated.

Xander grinned. "Oh don't worry about that. G-Man's taking care of them."

* * *

Giles took a deep breath to calm himself. It didn't work. What this cowardly shit had tried to do to a fine young woman, his charge, who was struggling like bugger to put her life back together after terrible setbacks made his blood boil. He was going to pay. Raising a foot he slammed it into the door.

The door splintered with a crack and flew open. "You bastards!"

The trio of youths inside the basement began to turn towards him. He darted down the stone steps, grabbed the rail and vaulted over it to the floor. Seizing hold of the nearest youth, the only one he didn't recognise, by the back of the head he shoved him nose first into the rail. The bone shattered on impact and the wailing youth tumbled to the ground.

"You can't come in here-."

Giles cut off Warren's bluster with a well-placed knee to groin. The geek doubled up and joined his companion on the ground. "Don't," he slammed a boot into the man's stomach, "you bloody well tell me what to do!"

Giles turned his cold eyes on the shaking midget cowering in the corner. "Mr. Levinson, after all we've done for you, you ungrateful bastard. Buffy should have let you blow your damn brains out." Striding over to the youth he grabbed hold of Levinson's shirt collar and flung him into a cluttered table, knocking the young man and the table to the floor. "I suppose you're the one who," he stamped on his rival's left hand, breaking fingers. "Cast the spell?" The weeping man nodded. "Well if you know what's good for you -." Sensing Warren on his hands and knees behind him, he turned and kicked the nerd's hands from underneath him. "This is what you'll do."

* * *

"Why didn't you tell Mr. Giles about Rosenberg doing the spell," Warren demanded in a whisper as he looked around their prison cell. "We could have used that as leverage!"

Jonathan couldn't believe what an idiot he'd been for getting involved with Warren. "A Slayer's scary," he replied. "But the power I could sense coming off Willow," he shook his head. "Not even she wants to mess with that."