Episode 21- Buffy by C&S

(Streets)

Andrew is still trying to follow Giles to see if he can find out what is going on but it seems he has lost him.

Andrew: "Maybe he went into that hotel," he mumbles to himself opening the car door and sneaking to the closest window of the Hotel.. "Well I guess Giles didn't come here," he turns back towards his car but then hears a voice sounding like Rick around the corner.

Rick: "Things are going as planned, Relax. Faith is falling into my arms nicely. She wont know what hit her in the end.. She's strong, gorgeous, but so stupid. " We hear an evil laugh coming from himself and Giles.

Andrew ducks as the hotel doors swing open and shut again. He knows Rick is evil but who is he talking to? He begins to grow frantic knowing he has to tell Faith right away.

Rick:" You don't know what's coming to you either, you old fool. Rupert Giles the great watcher now lives in a ring." Andrew runs back to the car Panicking.

Andrew: "I knew he was up to no good, she has to be warned!" He looks frantically for his cell phone then realizes he left it back where he phoned Willow last. He starts the car speeding to the Summers home.

(Cut to summers home)

Dawn is in the kitchen fixing dinner, clem is speaking to Robin on the porch as Willow hangs up the phone.

Willow: "That was the police station, it seems they got a report that Faith murdered Xander. I need to get up with her," Dawn frowns.

Dawn: "Willow I think since u like her, you're going to act like Buffy and protect her even if she's wrong."

Willow: "Dawn, it was a mistake and it's nice u finally admit Buffy had faults too." Spike shuts off the TV after looking at it for a moment, the Xmen was on and he thought of Xander right away. He decided listening to the two women fight over Faith was more interesting and less sad.

Willow is looking a bit pale and quickly sits down as Faith comes in the door.

Faith: "Red, you ok?"

Dawn: "She'll be fine as long as you don't mistakenly kill her." She picks up her plate heading into the other room where Robin and Clem are.

Spike: "Think I'll go have a smoke," he walks out.

Willow: "The cops are looking for you, someone made a call saying you murdered Xander."

Faith: "So I hide till this jackass Caleb is finished then I'll go to jail where I belong."

Willow: "No, you will not go to jail because you didn't belong there. I do have an idea though, if you can promise me Caleb will die, I'll find a way to make it look like he killed Xander." Faith looks at her shocked.

Faith: "You can't do that." Willow opens and closes her eyes several times in some sort of pain.

Willow: "Watch me."

(cut to the (Richard Bradford) Inn)

Giles: "Buffy dear, you think Faith can save you really? Do come now, you're going to die here just as I am, it's to bad you gave up all your powers isn't it,"

Buffy grits her teeth holding back the fact that sure she didn't have her slayer strength physically but the mental tenacity was still there, the easy way to share slayer dreams, to block drugs from totally incapacitating you. She was in a bad shape but had more of herself collected than Rupert realized and it would stay that way. He didn't have to know the spell Willow did was for her to share the power. Thus leaving her with the mental strength and the potentials with the physical. She smiled on the inside and shed a tear outwardly.

(Cut to the road)

Faith is walking down the road to meet Rick but from out of no where, someone touches her shoulder. She grabs their arm flipping them over onto their back.

Faith: "Rick, man sorry dude. It's not safe to do that to me." She helps him up with an outstretched hand. "you okay?"

Rick: "Fine, well I wont do that again." A smirk plays across his face. "So where u heading off to?"

Faith: "I came to Find you, needed to get out for a bit. Things at that place really suck."

Rick: "I can imagine, Just remember it wasn't you who done that to your friend.""

Faith interrupts him: "But it was me."

Rick: "It was your body but was not your mind in control. U couldn't stop what was happening."

Faith: "I should have been stronger then that. I should have been able to over ride that thing that was inside me. That asshole is going to pay for what he done. With dealing with this shit , being at home just sucks the bag and having Buffy telling me something is killing her, and something to do with Bradford Inn." She has an exasperated look on her face as she makes motions with her hands while talking to show just how exasperated she is.

Rick looks shocked with what faith was telling him. Clearing his throat: "Buffy? Isn't she the slayer who died or something?"

Faith: "Actually we don't know what happened to her, But this all occurred in my dream last night. Man it felt so real, like she was actually touching me, and I was running to her side. All the while she was screaming they're are killing me.. But I woke up then took a shower to get all the sweat cleaned off."

Rick getting all flirty: "shower?" He has a big smirk on his face.

Faith playfully hits him: ""I'm talking all serious to you, it freaked the shit out of me."

Rick jumps around her playfully: "Faith, it was a dream, it was your imagination. With the shit you've been threw u need to have some fun. what do u say, you, me, I'll buy," He teasingly pokes her sides to make her laugh.

Faith: "Ok lets go, but one thing."

Rick: "Yesssssssss?"

Faith: "Don't ever poke me again or I'll break your fingers." They both laugh as they walk on towards the bar but she was tensed up inside. She never liked to be played with like that. To her, it was part of letting someone get in your mind, letting them have control, and although she liked Rick, no man would ever get that control or that much trust. There was only one man she trusted that much, Xander Harris and she murdered him.

Rick:" Deal," we see him with a evil smirk on his face.

(Cut to summers home)

Andrew: "Willow, I need to talk to you, or Robin, or someone, oh hey are you ok," he sees her face is white as if she'd just gotten sick.

Willow: "I will be, thanks for asking, what's up?"

Andrew: "It's this Rick guy, he's, he's," Dawn screams.

Willow: "Later Andrew," she runs up the stairs.

Dawn: "He was looking in here, Caleb, I saw him," Willow gets out her cel phone as we get a small glimpse of Andrew passing out. (cut to the bar)

Faith and Rick are dancing and having a drink when the phone rings.

Faith: "Yeah?"

Willow: "Faith, I know you're out having fun with Rick but, we've got real trouble here, now get your ass here and watch the house, Caleb was outside watching for Dawn and Robin is with Spike doing your patrol or something and,"

Faith: "Red, chill a bit would ya? I'll be right there," she hangs up. "Rick, gotta jet."

Rick: "So they hate you until they need protection, blow them off, you need to relax."

Faith: "Don't ever suggest that to me again," she gives him a look that would send shivers down any normal person. "It's my job, understand, a job you weren't to know about, you've got enough crap in your life with your dad man, we're cool ok, just don't get into my job," she lets go of his arm.

Rick: "Faith, calm down, you're over stressed with that dream and all and, by the way, did you tell them about it?"

Faith: "No, look man, just don't get involved in my job, we can hang, that's all cool, but it ends there, I like you but lets just chill ok?" She walks out leaving Rick to ponder what just happened.

Faith is walking thinking, maybe it was just a dream, maybe B doesn't need help, maybe she's happy with, she stops seeing Caleb heading inside an old church.

Spike whispering: "Slayer, we got it, we'll keep watch awhile, go on about your duties," she continues walking.

(Early Morning)

The clock shows 5 am, we see Faith sleeping on the couch. She hasn't been there long from keeping watch outside the house. She'd been deciding maybe it's just a crazy dream.

As she sleeps Buffy comes to her in tears. She'd been double dosed by Giles and really wasn't sure how long she could hold on.

Buffy: "Faith please," the two women are standing outside the Bronze. It looks to be a more simple time before Faith went bad, was this a sign for Faith that all was forgiven? "Please help me, we're coming, but, I'm," she cries hard as Faith puts her arms around the former slayer. "I'm so scared."

Faith: "Don't be afraid B, I promised remember. I never kept a promise in my life but I swear B, I'll keep this one." She awakes in a start. "Damn it, fake or not, I gotta keep my eyes open. I can't dismiss it, I promised twice." Willow is standing there seeing Faith's shaking hands.

Willow: "Faith?" She sits down and puts a hand forward but Faith moves. "Faith stop it, you're not running from us, do you hear me? Now what's wrong!"

Faith: "It's B, I'll save her Red I promise." She looks into Willow's tired emerald eyes. "Red you know I'm so sorry about Xander. I would do anything to take it back."

Willow: "I know Faith," she rubs Faith's hand with her thumb knowing she's seeing her in a rare vulnerable moment.

Faith: "Yeah but there's work to be done. I can't dwell on it just now." She pulls away from the tender moment as Andrew opens his eyes shaking his head, seeming to be having trouble remembering the day's events.

(fade to black)