Outside, still

The slayer was finally alone, what better of a chance would he have? The young man silently approached the thoughtful blond, who seemed to be in quite a daze, staring at the glittering stars peppered across the seemingly calm night's sky. Resting his hands across the rail and clasping them together, he spoke now, causing Buffy to stir in surprise.

"You've come a long way... Since killing Angel."

"Goody," Buffy rolled her eyes with a serious lack of enthusiasm, "Did you come for a lecture? I'm so not in the mood..." She didn't even have to turn to look at who was speaking, the accent and her horrid memories flooding the mind took care of the imagery for her. For some reason or another, Whistler had chosen to make an appearance. The last time that'd happened, it ended with her jamming a blade through her lover's chest and casting him back to Hell.

"Not exactly," Whistler exhaled and continued to stare into the distance, ignoring her current mood."Actually, just here to-"

"Wait, let me guess..." Buffy bit her lip and shook her head, "-settle the scores between good and evil?"

"That's what I do. Doesn't explain why I'm here."

Buffy, seemingly enraged, gripped his shoulder and slammed him against the house with her hand on his neck. She stared him down carefully, as if affirming something, and then letting him go bitterly.

"Yeesh, do I wanna know what that was for?"

"Kinda because I wanted to, but mainly to make sure you weren't The First," heaving a heavy sigh, Buffy resumed her position standing over the rail with a distant look in her eyes. "A little tense with Faith back in the game, too... had to blow off some steam. You were convenient."

"Listen, kid... Time's of the essence. The Final Battle is at hand and you have to be ready. If you go down, the entire world gets sucked into the Hellmouth along with you."

"You still haven't told me anything useful..."

"You gotta keep your eyes peeled. If the dark slayer falters even the slightest, you can't allow yourself lose focus. Things aren't supposed to be this way, two slayers weren't supposed to coexist. Then again, things never fall into place like you want 'em to." A slight and regrettable mumble finished off his sentence, one that resembled 'Angel.'

"Faith," Buffy whispered with concern. "What do you mean falter? H-how am I supposed to keep focus if she's a threat to everything I'm trying to protect?"

"Because she will ultimately make or break you. The decisions aren't your own. They never were- but you still stand alone. You're still all you've got left. You may not see it, but when the time comes... if you can't realize that, it will be your own downfall."

Buffy tightened her hands around the porch railing, "She shouldn't have come back. Angel was wrong to have-"

"No. You need Faith."

"But you just said-"

"She tilted the scales slightly. After you died a second time, it nearly threw everything off balance once you were resurrected, giving evil a gap... A gap The First took as an opportunity. Either way, without her, you have no chance against what's to come. The First is the beginning, and his army is gaining strength, but the real power... I can't even explain it to you, Kid. Things have to be made right again. If it succeeds in becoming corporeal I'm hopping the next train out of this dimension. It's up to you to keep her on track. In order to do that, you have to know where you stand."

Buffy was quiet now, unable to formulate any words to contradict the apparently concerned intentions of the demon before her. She walked over to enter the house, yet turned back to look at him seriously, "My friends stand behind me. That means I'm in front, and I'll go down fighting... first... and for them." Without another word, she left Whistler on the porch so she could head off to bed.

"Remember that, Kid... remember that."

Downstairs...

"Our time is never up, Faith. We pay for everything."

Faith growled through clenched teeth as she landed yet another jab onto the punching bag in the basement as Angel's words repeated themselves in her mind over and over again. It wasn't that she hated Angel, she just hated the fact that he was right. She was surrounded now by people that she'd inflicted pain upon- what she'd done was both unspeakable and unforgivable. Words weren't going to mend anything, and one thing was for certain; payback was a bitch.

Not too long after her session had began, Faith's eyes moved up to the presence in the doorway of the basement. She recognized it immediately as the vampire she'd ran into at the cemetery earlier. Rolling her eyes, she steadied the punching bag and glared at the ensouled vampire with a slightly annoyed air. Wordlessly, she held a gaze on the bleach-haired one that clearly spelled out 'what?'

"Little Bit's terrified of you, ya know..." Spike started, crossing his arms and leaning in the doorway- not even bothering to take the stairs down to meet her.

"Justifiable." Faith studied Spike with confusion. "You want something?" Wiping her forehead, she sauntered over to the corner of the room, pull off her shirt and putting on a fresh one, apparently unconcerned that Spike was standing right there. "Cause if you don't start singin' a new tune, I'm about to go catch a few winks before we all swap battle tactics. Not that I'm one for the strategic approach, or nothing."

Raising a scarred brow, Spike shrugged and pushed off of the doorframe, "You seem to have made an impression..." Looking up, he brushed his hand across his jaw with a smirk, "And I'm not talkin about the welcome punch there, luv."

"Yeah, I do that on occasion. Somersaults, tornado kicks... murdering people- flashy at the time but they just don't look so hot on paper. Are you... going somewhere with this?" Faith's eyes narrowed as she watched the vampire with visible confusion.

Spike's eyes rolled toward the ceiling as if he were trying to think up something to say, though he shook his head and trod down the stairs casually, plopping down on his cot and resting his hands behind his head. He eyed her neck for a few seconds before he brought up something unexpected, "Captain Forehead took a chunk off your neck." The tone of the statement was anything near interrogative. "Well, that or you let a common vamp best you- I'm voting for the Paingel incident."

"Played him into my hands like we planned. I got the disgusting pleasure of meeting Angelus."

"So the poof hung up his cloak of redemption, then?" Spike let out a snort and shook his head with a smirk, "Shoulda known."

"It was a big apocalyptic incident, I didn't really bother to press the details. Wes'd summoned some forces to bring back Angelus... all I know is they came to me. My task was to wrassle up the big boy and reel his sorry undead ass back in one piece. That boy of his is a persistent brat- little replica of the worst of Angel's traits." She pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to Spike who willingly snagged it from her hands.

Spike did no more than simply raise a skeptic brow at the mention of Angel's 'boy.' Surely the prick could not have a kid, so he was obviously just some new addition to the do-gooder inspection team. "Don't need to bore me with details. Why'd you come here, then?" Spike took a drag on the cigarette and leaned back to watch her formulate a response.

"Nobody really wants me here, I dig... but I can't help but believe that something's goin' down here." Faith rested her foot against the wall after exhaling a puff of smoke, "Gut tells me it's prolly something B can't handle with her little gang of wannabes- and that's what I'm here for. Roll out the red carpet and enter the other slayer." She paused a moment, conducting a circle with the cigarette between her fingers. "Actually, add a little more emphasis on the word other... really doesn't matter." Faith heard Buffy re-enter the house and shot Spike a quick glance, "Well, blondie- looks like we can have another chat later- we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Maybe we can start some kinda... 'just got reformed' club." Her eyes moved over to the chains above his cot and she narrowed them slightly, "Oh-ho... Maybe I just shouldn't ask."

"Not what it looks like... Was dangerous for a bit is all, already over it."

"Glad to hear it, I guess," Faith continued to eye him with uncertainty as she headed for the steps.

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Aside: Thanks to those who have (and will) review(ed), I enjoy reading what others think, and am always looking for ways to improve stuff. Remember, this story has a general plot in mind, but the opinions of others still /do/ influence specific events. I appreciate your input, it makes me smile! (Sometimes do cartwheels) Although after I realize I am unable to produce an effective cartwheel, I just go back to smiling. Reviews also provoke me to continue faster. I promise to update as much as I can, but ideas only come as fast as my brain can process them XD


Edit Detail: Edited slightly since posting: Confrontation with Spike a bit more realistic.