Cut to: The basement.
"Slayer." Spiked nudged Buffy, who was still asleep on his cot. Her limp body was half on top of him.
"Mmm." She groaned.
"How can you sleep through all that?"
"I don't have vampire hearing, remember?"
"Right." Spike put his head back down on the pillow. "Buffy?"
"Hmm?"
"What is this—us—thing?"
Buffy paused for a moment before answering. "It's two people who just need someone to hold them."
"That's it?"
"What do you mean 'that's it?' That's a lot… to me."
"Nothing. Go back to sleep."
"What? Tell me? Please, Spike?"
"Just forget it, Slayer, and go back to sleep." They laid there in silence for a few short moments. Just as Buffy started to fall asleep again-- "It's just that--"Buffy was startled a little at the sound of his voice. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "We never have a real conversation about this. We avoid it, or you won't talk or we just shag."
"That's not true--"
"Ok, not the shagging part, but the rest of it's true and you bloody well know it."
"Spike!" Buffy growled, "It's too early for this." The slayer rolled back into a ball and promptly began snoring. Spike watched her sleep for a moment, and then places a soft kiss on her head. He lay his head down and instinctively, he started twirling her hair with his fingers.
------------------
Cut to: Willow's room. Afternoon.
Willow is sitting on her floor with her legs folded and a small votive candle in each of her hands. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing slowly, but deeply.
Willow's concentration was broken and she jumped a little at the knock on her door.
She let out a big sigh. "Come in." She said shakily.
"Hey."
"Oh. Hey Dawnie. Come in, sit down."
"Willow, what's wrong?" She asked with a bit of concern on her face.
"Nothing, I was just meditating."
"Oh. I'm sorry—I can go."
"No. It's ok. I want you here. We should talk."
"Yeah- that's why I'm here. Remember the spell we did to find out about my past?"
"Yeah- are you thinking?"
"It might work." Dawn smiled very proudly.
"I'll go get the scythe then." Willow stood.
"I'll go get the herbs." Dawn stood.
The girls hugged and then went to find what they needed.
------------------------------
Buffy came up from the basement rubbing her eyes.
The kitchen was empty and so were the dining room, and the living room. Buffy looked out the back window and saw Giles and Faith training the girls. Anya, Xander and Andrew were sitting to the side carving some steaks and various other weapons.
"Looks like you're got everything under control." Buffy said to Faith as she stepped out into the back yard.
"Faith was just showing us some yoga poses." Molly said quietly.
"Wanna join, B?"
"Yoga?" Buffy looked at the brunette slayer in disbelief.
"I thought you liked yoga."
Buffy motioned for Faith to come to her. Both slayers walked toward the side of the house.
"What are you doing Faith?"
"The girls got a little juiced and I thought it would be a good way to relax."
"Shouldn't you be going over a game plan?"
"Already got one, B. Talked about it last night with the G-man."
"Why didn't you fill me in?"
"You were in a mood. I didn't wanna get the wrath of Buffy, but I guess it's too late for that."
"Are you gonna tell me or not?"
"I don't know, B. You're not my favorite person right now."
"If we're gonna be in this together we gotta get along Faith."
Cut to: Willow's room. Late afternoon.
Dawn and Willow are sitting on the floor across from each other. They're both sitting with their legs folded and they are both holding firmly onto the scythe, which is glowing. There is a cloud of purple dust whirling around the girls at a million miles an hour.
Images are swiftly swirling through the air; of Dawn and her mom when Dawn was just a baby; Images of Willow and Tara laughing together; Willow sitting by Tara's grave; Willow hugging Faith. Dawn's first kiss. The images become so fast they are too difficult to decipher, and with one bright flash, everything stopped. They dropped the scythe onto the rug and it made a loud thump.
Both women look at each other and sigh. Dawn falls onto her back from her sitting position. Now she is laying on the floor.
"I think we need the actual slayers if this thing is gonna work."
Willow nodded in agreement.
"Knock, knock." Faith said as she gently tapped the door.
"Come in!" Dawn and Willow shouted together.
"Everything ok in here? I heard a noise."
"Yeah, we just can't do the spell." Dawn was still laying on the floor.
"Why, what's up?" Faith asked as she sat down next to her girlfriend.
Willow looked at Faith. "We think it wouldn't work for us because we're not the slayers."
"Well, I guess we'll have to go into this battle with our eyes closed." Faith said firmly.
"Why? What's wrong now?" Dawn sat up, worried.
"Nothing new. Do you think you'll be able to convince your sister into doing the spell with me?"
"That might be difficult. But I'll try."
"Thanks Dawn."
Dawn stood and went to find her sister.
Both Faith and Willow were still sitting on the floor. Faith turned to Face her girlfriend.
"So what happened?"
"Well, there were lights and smoke and we saw some interesting things, but they were about me and dawn, not about the scythe."
"And you think you need both me and Buffy…"
"I guess if Buffy doesn't want to… But you'd need a second person."
"That's why I have you." Faith smiled at the witch. "But Will, The stuff you saw, it is personal stuff?"
"Kinda."
"Maybe I don't wanna do this with her after all."
"Why not, baby. She's your sister slayer."
"She's always looked down upon me, and if she sees some of the things I've done in my past…"
"You don't want her to think any less of you than she already does?"
Faith nodded. The was a long silence.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Willow stood and offered her hand to the slayer.
"Where we gonna go?"
Willow just smiled and kissed her on the cheek.
---------------------------
Cut to: The back yard.
Buffy is sitting on the grass with her legs folded. Giles is sitting next to her.
"Remember when a simple demon was the worst of our problems… and we thought it was the end of the world…"
Giles nodded.
Buffy looked at her hands in her lap. "What if this is really it? What if it's really over?"
"It's not over. It's not the end." Dawn said, walking into the yard.
"Dawn…I was just--"
"Don't make excuses anymore Buffy." Dawn sat down next to her sister. "I know you're scared. It'll all work out."
There was a long pause. Giles sat and stared, waiting for the younger girl to speak.
"Buffy, if you and Faith work together—"
"I knew that's what you were getting at. Dawn, Faith doesn't want anything to do with me… and.."
"Buffy. That's not true. You just have to give her a chance. She's been trying to be on your side but you're so hot and cold…that she feels like the outcast."
"Well, she certainly outcasted me by taking the girls out without me."
"See—you both have things to be sorry for. Buffy, at least talk to her."
-------------------------------------------
Cut to: the front porch.
"Where are you taking me?"
Faith asked the witch.
"I don't know. I just need to get out of the house."
"Ok." Faith sat on the top step. "Will?"
"Yeah?" Willow sat down next to her girl.
"I think you're the one who needs to talk to Buffy."
"No, Faith. That's not a good idea. She can't forgive me and she thinks Dawn's interest in magic was my fault."
"She never said that."
"She doesn't have to. I know her." Willow leaned her head on Faith's shoulder and clung to her arm. "I just don't want to start anything. I'm tired of all the arguing around here. I just wanna rest my mind for once."
"I know you do. We all do, Red."
"Hey…" Buffy said as she came out from the back year around to the front.
"Hey yourself." Willow whispered as she kept her eyes to the ground.
"Why's everyone look so glum?" Buffy asked cheerily.
"B…" Faith started.
"I know... I just wanted to break the ice a little."
"I—I'll go so you guys can talk." Willow said, starting to stand.
"No, Will, I wanna talk to you both, together…" Buffy stood on the ground in front of them, both Willow and Faith looking at her, waiting. "I know I haven't been the most pleasant to be around…and I know I've treated you both badly, but I wanna be a part of this. Faith—I want us to do this together. I wanna do it right this time."
"Why should I trust you, B?"
"Faith—" Willow started.
"No. Will, she's right. And you of all people should be most mad at me. You're my best friend—well, were until I went all crazy and I'd give anything to get that back with you."
"Anything?" Willow's ears shot up like a cat.
"Will, I know haven't been there for you at all lately. I've been the one pointing the blame-y finger but—"
"I know what you can do to make it better."
"What— (pause) Will?"