Chapter 10

Remembrance and Regrets

by Buffyfan32578

(Spikes POV)

The sound of thumping feet wakes me up from my sprawled position on the couch, and for the second time I roll over onto the floor with a thud. The two witches are rummaging through Willow's coat, and the redhead extracts a black crystal.

"Whazzat?" I ask in a sleep-slurred voice, even as Buffy and Angel appear together at the top of the stairs. I flutter with a pulsating sense of hatred and jealousy, but they too are watching as Willow shows them the crystal.

"I think I know how to get our memories back!" She squeals, moments before she throws it onto the hardwood floor, and the crystal shatters into hundreds of sharp little pieces.

(Faith's POV)

I had camped out in my old apartment, the one the Mayor had given me. Apparently Sunnydale wasn't too hot on recycling abandoned buildings. Everything worth anything was gone, but a water stained mattress and couches ripped to shreds still remained. I slept there, curled on the floor, the cold seeping into the room from the broken window.

A window that brought back memories of a blonde-haired bitch who stole everything, my life.

So when the sun rose high at midday, I found myself walking down the Sunnydale streets, headed towards Revello Drive.

(Giles's POV)

I woke up on the floor of the den, my life flashing before my eyes, and for a moment I clutched my chest, certain that this was death. But soon it was over and I understood. I didn't want to believe, but I did. My hand drifted to my coat pocket, pulled out the plane ticket, and it was true.

Dear Lord.

(Buffy's POV)

Oh, great.

Well, on the bright side, I now know who I am.

On the downside...well, must we go there?

Apparently we must.

I have a crack-addict fiend of a magic Wicca for a best friend; I've been ripped back from the grave beyond into my own personal hell; and my lips just can't seem to stay off of a certain peroxide-haired vampire.

Oh yeah, things could be better.

(Tara's POV)

My eyes are watering, and everything is spinning around me. I look down at the crystal, now milky white again, and then at Willow, who also has tears staining her eyes, her lower lip quivering.

"Tara..." she says softly. Her voice stabs me, and I crumble when she touches my arm gently. I shoulder my way past her, taking the stairs two at a time until I come to our bedroom. Without conscious thought, the door flies shut behind me and magically locks itself.

In her cage, Amy squeaks at me.

(Willow's POV)

I want to run after her, but Buffy grabs me before I can move past her. Her face is solid, her eyes dim.

"Leave her for now," she says in a deathly, spooky voice. I comply. Angel skulks in the background, and for once he's the confused one, unsure of what our lives have been since Buffy came back from the grave.

I give the stairs one more longing look before following Buffy into the living room, where she sits next to Spike, who is now selfishly smoking a cigarette and flicking the ashes into an empty mug.

"So what do we do about Ms. Criminally Insane?" he asks.

That question is void of the need to be answered as with a loud crash, Faith herself stands in our midst.

"Rise and shine Scoobies!" she cackles, brandishing a long and potentially hazardous dagger.

(Faith's POV)

In a way, it's a shame that they seem to remember me. I had thought they'd forgotten, but B rose up immediately and grabbed a dagger that just happened to be shoved between the couch cushions.

"Oy! I was sleeping there! Warn a bloke next time!" Spike growls, stubbing out his cigarette and backing his Slayer. My focus is trained on Buffy, who slowly circles me, and I'm taken by surprise as Angel tackles me to the ground.

(Buffy's POV)

Faith seems to recognize her advantage over us as she kicks Angel away and grabs me by my hair. In Slayer-quick speed she yanks me with her out into the sunshine, where Angel and Spike can only watch helplessly. Willow pushes past them, already muttering something indiscernible beneath her breath.

As I knock Faith to the ground with a quick kick and wrench her dagger away, I look up and recognize the look of magic in her eyes.

"Willow! NO!" I scream, but before I can stop her, a bolt of magical energy shoots out, hitting the other Slayer squarely in the chest. Faiths' eyes blacken for a moment, before she blinks. She stares up at me, her face covered in confusion.

"Where am I?"

Here we go again.