Disclaimer: none of the charcters are mine :-(

Authors note: thanks for the reviews you guys keep me going!

Chapter 6

BUFFY'S HOUSE

Buffy and Willow were currently downstairs in the kitchen making something to eat. Buffy was reluctant to leave Faith's side but she had decided to tell Willow about her feelings for Faith and she didn't know how she was going to react. She knew that what Giles had said was true, that her friends where their for her no matter what, but it didn't make this any easier.

They sat at the table and Buffy watched Willow eat whilst she was picking at her food. How am I gonna say this! Maybe I should do it quickly….like taking off a band aid…….yeah..here goes nothing…"Willow I think I'm Gay"

Willow, who had just taken the world's largest gulp of juice proceeded to spray it across the kitchen. "You think your what!" she choked looking wide eyed at Buffy and trying to get her breath back.

"oh my God, I knew you'd be wigged, are you wigged? I mean I am and it's happening to me, you don't hate me do you? I'm sorr-"

"Buffy I don't hate you, you're my best friend, you just took me by surprise. I mean its not exactly what I expected you to say and for future reference don't break major news when I'm drinking, you know I only save my fountain impersonation for parties." she joked and added. "I kinda thought something was going on, I saw the way you looked at her upstairs and how protective you where of her when she arrived. Subtlety isn't exactly your middle name."

Buffy still looked worried "But I'm scared Willow, I barely know her and the way I feel about her doesn't make any sense." Willow placed her hand on Buffy's.

"Love isn't supposed to make sense, it just happens. Believe me I know." she smiled. Buffy blushed.

"So your ok with this…you know…..me liking Faith?" Willow nodded. "what about Xander?" Buffy asked.

"Are you kidding me? He'll think all his Christmases have come at once. You'll probably have to fight him off with a stick." they both giggled Buffy was about to speak when she heard a crash from above them. She glanced at Willow before rushing upstairs.

She threw open her bedroom door and saw Faith crouched in the corner of the room growling. Buffy could see that her eyes where yellow like those of a wolves and her canine teeth had elongated. Buffy put an arm up to prevent Willow from rushing into the room behind her. "Willow" she said calmly "I need you to go to the library and get Giles and tell him to bring the tranquilliser gun." she saw Willow hesitate out the corner of her eye "Go, quickly, I'll be fine." when she was sure that Willow had left the house, Buffy cautiously took a step towards Faith, never breaking eye contact.

"Faith?…it's me…Buffy" she flinched when Faith let out a loud growl and backed further into the corner. "It's okay Faith, I'm not here to hurt you." she said speaking calmly and keeping her movements slow and deliberate, so as not to startle her. "I'm here to help." she slowly knelt in front of Faith, and cautiously reached her hand out to stroke Faith's cheek. Seeing Faith beginning to calm, she kept up her actions until she saw Faith's eyes return to their normal chocolaty brown colour.

"Buffy?" Mumbled Faith sounding confused and disorientated. Buffy smiled gently " Hey welcome back." she said "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit" Faith replied fighting to keep her eyes open. "tired" she mumbled before passing out, Buffy caught her before she hit the floor and scooped her into her arms. Standing up she carried her back to bed and tucked her in. She sat and watched Faith sleeping, I'll find a cure Faith I promise. She was broken from her thoughts when she heard a car draw up outside here comes the cavalry she thought. She gently placed a kiss on Faith's head and rose up off the bed, quietly heading out the room.

She had made it to the bottom of the stairs just as Giles flew in the front door tranquilliser gun at the ready. Buffy put her hands up "Whoa, chill Rambo crisis has been averted." Giles sheepishly put the gun down and looked at Buffy in concern. "Are you okay Buffy?"

"Yeah I'm fine physically, but mentally….lets just say its been a long day." She led them through to the living room where she slumped onto the couch and Giles sat down next to her.

"How is Faith?" he asked.

Buffy sighed "I honestly don't know. She was still unconscious after you'd left. When Wills arrived we went downstairs. We were only downstairs for about ten minutes when I heard a crash, and when I went into my room faith had gone……..feral. It's like she'd lost control of her wolf. I managed to calm her down and she was 'Faith' again but then she passed out. What was in that dart Giles? What made this happen?" she asked and Giles couldn't help but the see the worry evident on her face.

Giles took off his glasses and started to polish them. "The dart contained a mixture of Wolfs bane and a mystical drug called Ordenus. When combined they are quite powerful." he sighed and put his glasses back on. "The purpose of the dart was not to kill Faith as I had first thought but to distract us and put her out of the game. The Wolfs bane causes her to change into her wolf form, and the Ordenus subdues her human side. However by mixing the two drugs together it means that-"

"She will lose her humanity." Buffy finished quietly looking at Giles as the realisation of what he was saying sunk in.

"Yes, I'm afraid in essence she will lose her soul, causing her to loose control of her wolf. I do not yet know if this will be permanent or temporary, but what I do know is that it isn't safe for you to keep her here Buffy, she has to be chained up for your safety as well as hers."

"No, I can't chain her up like an animal, she's ill. I can't leave her on her own Giles." Buffy stated adamantly.

"Buffy it has already started, she lost control tonight and you managed to bring her back, I know, but what if you can't the next time it happens, you could be hurt, or even killed. I can't let that happen." he watched as Buffy sighed in resignation and sunk further into the couch.

"Where would we put her?"

"Willow and Oz are at the mansion preparing everything." seeing her about to object he cut her off "Buffy there is nowhere else safe enough to put her. The mansion is secluded enough to give some privacy and sound enough to provide shelter and protection."

Buffy sighed "I can't help feeling that we're abandoning her Giles. She'll be up there alone, she's confused and sick. This isn't right." she mumbled. Putting an arm round her shoulder Giles said "I know Buffy, but don't let your feelings for Faith cloud your judgment. We don't know the full extent of what she is capable of in her wolf form. It is safer for everybody this way. We will find a cure Buffy, I promise." when she looked up at him he could see the tears forming in her eyes, but he could also see her determination and he couldn't help but smile to himself. He saw her visibly pull herself together and watched as his slayer stood before him. "I'll help you take her over to the mansion. I'm going to stay with her tonight" she stated firmly. Giles nodded and followed her upstairs.

MANSION

It had taken them half an hour to get Faith over to the Mansion. They had sedated her for the journey as they didn't know how she would react in her confused state. Buffy had left a scrawled note in the kitchen for her mom saying that her and Faith where staying at Willows.

When they arrived at the mansion Giles went in to see if everything was ready whilst Buffy sat in the back with Faith. She looks so peaceful. she thought, gently stroking Faith's hair. She was broken from her thoughts by the return of Giles. "Everything's ready Buffy." he said quietly. Together they gently lifted Faith out of the car and carried her into the mansion where they laid her on a mattress on the floor. Buffy stepped back and watched as Giles moved forward and began attaching chains to Faiths wrists and ankles. Her arms and legs where chained individually to the wall and where long enough to allow her enough movement to stand and walk around a small area of the floor. "Thanks guys, it's getting late, you should probably go home and get some rest, school tomorrow after all."

"Are you sure Buffy I mean we can stay with you if you want."

"No Wills….it's okay….. I'll be fine, thanks for your help though." she pulled Willow into a hug and said goodbye to her and Oz.

When they had left she turned to Giles when he spoke "Are you sure you will be okay Buffy?"

"Honestly Giles I'll be fine. I have the tranquilliser gun and I'll phone if there are any problems, I promise."

He nodded still looking somewhat reluctant. "I'll come round in the morning to relieve you of your duties, I shall see you in the morning Buffy. Goodnight." he called over his shoulder. Buffy watched him leave before turning back to Faith.

She laid down on her fold out bed opposite Faith and watched her as she slept, it wasn't long before Buffy joined her.