She's Gone (13C/?)

"I love this place!" Xander crowed as he entered the bar. Everything about it was ten leagues up from the Bronze. The gorgeous cocktail waitresses, he slapped an especially well formed ass before shoving his way into the bar and grabbing a beer from one of the tables, a single glare sending the runt who's drink it had been scurrying back into his seat. The decor was way classier too, the music system of a far superior quality, he bobbed his head in satisfaction to the beat, and the strobe lightning that was illuminating the dance floor.

"Speaking of which," a predatory grin worked its way across Xander's face as he inspected the dancers, looking for the lucky woman he was going to take into the back alley behind the club. Finally he found her, a five and a half foot tall Latino wearing a skin-tight black lycra dress that started mid-way up her long, muscular thighs, slid up a well-rounded ass built for grabbing, worked its way up her taut belly to end just above the nipples of two of the biggest tits he'd ever seen. The face wasn't bad either, coal- black hair framed a cupid shaped face containing a pair of laughing chocolate brown eyes and heart-shaped ruby-red lips. "Um, baby," he ran his tongue over his lips. "You make me all tingly." His grin widening, he started across the dance floor, shoving patrons out of the way. Once he was behind the girl he reached out, grabbed her ass, and squeezed, running his fingers over the supple flesh. Um, it felt just as good as he thought it would. "How you doing babe?"

"Clem!" Faith hurried over to the demon, her heart pounding, now that she knew it wasn't Xander, not really, she knew she had to protect him. "What trouble is Xand in?" she demanded. Noting the fear in the demon's eyes, she stepped back and lowered her voice. "Sorry, just scared is all."

"Yeah," Clem smiled. Faith smiled back, Clem was such a sweetie, she couldn't help but like a guy with such a kind smile. "I met up with Xander in Willy's."

"WHAT!" Clem stepped back, but this time she couldn't control herself. "Tell me his name, which demon hurt Xander?" she grated.

"No demon hurt Xander," Clem shook his head. "It was him doing the hurting, he killed this vamp 'Slick-Moves Stevens', then set about bullying Willy, I tried to talk to him," Clem reddened and looked down at the ground. "He was pretty insulting about you and threatened me."

"It's five by five," she soothed the big lug with a friendly squeeze of the arm. "It's not Xander's fault, he's under a spell."

Clem nodded. "I thought so."

"What happened next?"

"He shot the jukebox and walked out. I followed him, to make sure he was okay."

"Thanks."

"He's my friend, I wouldn't want him to get hurt," Clem's blush deepened at her gratitude. "Anyway, I followed him to that club, 'Tokyo Jo's," Faith grimaced, damn she had hoped Xan was going to take her there. "He hid his shotgun," Clem passed her the gun in question, she quickly unloaded it. "Behind a dumpster, then went in, after beating up the three bouncers. I couldn't go in, being a human bar and all, so I came to get you. Saw the light on and took a chance."

Faith blinked. But then she supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Xman had surived fighting vamps and assorted demons for over five years, he had to be tougher than average, throw in a complete lack of conscience, and he was probably a real bad ass. "Just great," she muttered.

She looked up as G strode back in. "Tara's on her way."

"Without Dawn?"

Her Watcher nodded gravely. "I thought it best. She doesn't need to see Xander in this condition."

"Makes sense," Faith agreed. None of them did. She turned to Clem. "Thanks for your help big guy."

The demon beamed. "My pleasure Faith," he shuffled his feet slightly. "Movie night Tuesday?"

"Who's showing?"

"I was thinking Abbott & Costello?"

Faith grinned at her buddy. "In that case I'm there," she gave the big guy a hug. "See you later Clem." Giles chuckled as the demon left. "What's so funny G?"

"I was just thinking that's who you and Xander remind me of, Abbott & Costello."

"Did remind you of," she corrected. "G, what if the spell doesn't work? What if he's like that for good?"

The Englishman's face sobered. "Faith, we've got plenty of time." He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked It'll be fine."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Faith nodded, but what if he'd meant all those things he'd said and losing his conscience just made him more honest?

Rosa Rojos grinned as she felt her boyfriend's hands on her ass, squeezing, touching. Her grin died when she tossed her hair back and looked up to see a stranger leering down at her. "Hey babe."

"Get off!" She attempted to pull away only for the stranger to grab her round the waist and start to grind his crotch into her, his breath hot against her neck. Suddenly panicked she let out a scream. "BRIAN!"

"This is the place?" Giles looked doubtfully at the front of the glitzy club, it was seeing places like this that reminded him how much he missed the good old traditional British pub. "Oh how marvellous," he muttered sarcastically. He'd thought the Bronze was bad, but this place made it seem the very model of refinement.

"Are we going in or what?" Beside him Faith was practically jumping on the spot with eagerness.

"Very well," for his part he was far from looking forward to seeing the new 'improved' Xander. "Does this place," he sniffed disdainfully at the club. "Have a dress restriction?"

"If I was you G," Faith winked. "I'd be more worried about an age restriction."

"Ha, bloody ha."

"L..look," Tara whispered, pointing a finger towards the club entrance.

"Oh bloody hell," he muttered. Faith had said that Clem had seen Xander take apart the bouncers but to see all three of them loaded into an ambulance.

"Let's go G," suddenly all semblance of humour had left his Slayer's face leaving behind a grim mask. "Somehow I don't think getting in is going to be a problem anymore."

"Indeed," Giles somehow thought club security was now the least of his concerns.

"Hey, get off my girl." Feeling the man's hand on his left shoulder, Xander shot out his left elbow, the point of it colliding with the man's face with a satisfying crunch. A grin on his face, Xander spun around, and drove his knee into the man's groin. Grabbing hold of the crumpling man by his collar, he hastened his descent by slamming him face-first into a near- by table before allowing him to fall to the floor, blood pooling around him. Seeing the man's friends approach he pushed back his overcoat and drew his automatic, stopping them dead in the tracks. "Chill your jets kids. Me and the senorita," the girl moaned as he pressed the muzzle between her cleavage. "Are just going to have a little fun."

"I don't think so. Xander, let her go."

He winced at the familiar, husky voice. "Damn it Faith!" realising he needed both hands, he shoved the girl away before turning to face the Slayer. "Hey baby! I told you not interested, I mean if you wanna go kinky, a little bondage maybe. But otherwise, no way, been there laid that. Time to move on. But hey," he grinned before glancing around the packed bar. "A hot piece like you, I'm sure there's plenty of takers. Hell you could make a couple of K tonight."

He was pleased when the brunette flinched. "Xander, son-."

He cut off the Englishman with a laugh. "Hey ladies! G-Man's on the look for a new girl friend, he likes them young too. Been hanging with teen babes for years!" his grin widened at the Englishman's thunderous expression before turning his attention onto Tara. "H..hello T..tara, w..where's y..your g..girlfriend?" he laughed at her hurt expression. "But wait one of you is missing. Where's Dawn? You've left her all alone?" he shook his head. "Naughty, a poor defenceless girl like that in this mean old town. Maybe I'll just have to go round and see her, pop her cherry for her. Make a change, god knows the last two sluts I was with weren't exactly chaste."

"You go near Dawn," Faith growled. "And there won't be enough left to get a DNA sample."

"Temper, temper Slayer." He scolded. "Remember where that temper got you last time."

"You're under a spell Xander," Faith's face was tight with tension. "Give me the gun."

He grinned. "A Slayer, fucked one. Never fought one. Come take it."

There was a flicker in the Bostonian's eyes, a pain in his wrist, and then the gun dropped out of his wrist. He looked with disbelief at Tara. "You bitch!"

The distraction gave Faith the chance to close the twenty feet separating them with a blur, driving a fist into his stomach. Instantly he doubled up, the booze he'd digested earlier spewing up to splatter onto the floor. A second later, he felt the Slayer's iron-hard arm round against his neck. "Just chill X!"

"Fuck you!" he attempted to fall backwards, crush the brunette beneath her, but the Slayer retaliated by releasing her hold around his neck and kicking him in the hamstring, knocking him onto his hands and knees. Thinking quickly, he shot out an arm, grabbed her foot, and pulled, sending the Slayer crashing to the floor. "On your back again Faith?"

Eyes flashing, the Slayer leapt back up, just at the time he reached his feet. Grabbing hold of the beer bottle 'Brian' had dropped onto the floor, he swung the jagged end at the east coast native's face. A grimace on her face, the Bostonian bent her knees slightly, allowing his attack to pass harmlessly above her head before grabbing his wrist and twisting.

Pain flared through his wrist. "SHIT!" Instantly he dropped the bottle. Before he had time to react the Slayer had changed her grip to around his collar and the seat of his pants. A second later, he was flying across the bar to collide into the bar counter and slump to the floor unconscious.

Nostrils flaring, Faith strode towards the crumpled body. Nobody, spoke to her like that, nobody! "Faith no!"

At her Watcher's shout, Faith stopped and took a breath before nodding and shooting her Watcher a grateful look. "Let's get him home."

"You're not taking that bastard anywhere! He put three of my boys in hospital!"

Faith looked up to see the head bouncer and four other bouncers charging through the crowd. "And I took him out," she pointed out coldly. "You really think you can take me?" The head bouncer paled. Faith nodded. "Smart guy," she praised before lifting Xander's limp body over her shoulder. "Back to his place, G?"