Chapter 1

Summers Household

The house is in chaos, everyone talking at once not listening to what the other is saying, Faith rolls her eyes watching the once structured and fairly disciplined home fall apart. It's only been an hour since they kicked Buffy out, she wasn't afraid to admit that Buffy is what held this house together. Faith was one of the select few that didn't want B to leave, she told her sister slayer as much when she followed her up to her room.

Buffy had given her a sad smile, telling Faith that she didn't blame her for being thrown out, with the way she had been cut off from everyone else it didn't come as a complete shock. Before B left she gave Faith her cell phone number, in case she needed help with anything, it was nice to know that Buffy wasn't just leaving her high and dry.

Even gave her a few thousand dollars for when they all left Sunnydale, Buffy told her it was hers to do with what she wanted, she could tell the others or not. It was the plan after the First was defeated, for everyone to leave Sunnydale, too many memories that caused each and everyone of them pain; they wanted to start anew in a different town that wasn't built on a Hellmouth. Next B gave her the combination to a safe behind the painting above the mantel, 10-27-55, Joyce's birthday, Buffy proceeded to tell her that there was some more money there, not much but enough to begin a new life, and some things for Dawn.

Faith promised to give the items behind the safe to Dawn and make sure she was taken care of. After debating with herself the whole time Buffy was packing, she finally asked her the question of where she was going to go? B just grinned at her saying somewhere other than here; she hoisted up her two bags in her arms, gave Faith a kiss on the cheek and left the Summers home.

The constant yelling and interrupting was quickly getting on the brunette's nerves. Not being able to take it anymore she pushes off from the wall yelling to everyone "ALL RIGHT!" Silence instantly follows her outburst. "Now, all of you are going to shut up. I am not as nice as Buffy was, I would have kicked all your asses out way before now." Kennedy stands to talk back to Faith but she is shot down immediately. "You open your mouth I will kick your teeth in understand?" Her voice cold and leaves no doubt that she will do what she threatens.

"Faith you have no right to talk to anyway that way." Giles reprimands. He knows the younger Slayer has grown close to Buffy since arriving in Sunnydale and is upset over their treatment of Buffy but still that's no excuse for speaking to them in that manner.

"Shove it Giles. God dammit you people are so stupid. You kick out the one person that has never turned her back on any of you. No matter what any of you," She glares at the Scoobies, "have done in your past or even your present has she held it against you. Buffy opened her home to everyone of us, if it had been me…I wouldn't, no chance in Hell." A motorcycle engine stops in front of the home; Spike and Andrew are back from their mission.

Within seconds the front door is opened and Spike ambles in with Andrew trailing behind him talking about some onion thing. Spike's obvious irritation at the annoying bad-guy turned semi-good guy was written all over his face.

"Hey everyone we're back." Andrew picks up a bowl of stale chips and begins to munch on them. "Well, we were successful in our mission, we rode on the back of Spike's hog, that was fun. And I really need to urinate." He glances around the room and quickly leaves rushing upstairs.

"He's a breath of fresh air isn't he? Thank God I don't breathe. So where's Buffy, I got some information for her?" He sends a glaring look toward Captain Forehead, Spike can't help but want to dust the bastard, and although the feeling is nothing new to him it's more so now.

When Angel first showed up with Faith and Cordelia he saw how Buffy's face lit up, happy that her 'soulmate' was here to help her. But quickly her heart was shattered by the Poofter and Queen Snob, he had his arm wrapped around her waist holding her close to his body. And Cordelia had no problem rubbing it in Buffy's face that she had Angel now, even went so far as to tell the blonde Slayer that Angel can make love to her since his soul was made permanent a year ago.

Spike had to give the Slayer credit though she straightened her spine and came back with a come back that would make any man's ego bruise. Blondie told Cordelia in the snarkiest tone that Cordy could have him, after having had sex with him (Spike) and having the pleasure last for hours, instead of seconds, she wouldn't dream of going back to the second best vampire. Spike's laugh was loud and joyous after hearing Buffy tell off the Poof and at the same time getting in a dig that she fucked his Childe.

"Well," Red steps forward ringing her hands together nervously, after all he was chip-less now and he could kill her if he chose too. "We all got together and ah, Buffy decided, that umm, she needed to take a break…a little breather. So she decided it might be best for her to cool off and spend some time away."

Skepticism radiates from his face, "Uh-ah, so Buffy took a break right in the middle of the Apocalypse and it was her decision." Spike puts his hands on his waist glaring down at Willow.

"They kicked her out, can you believe that?" Faith shakes her head standing separate from the group.

"You ungrateful traitorous lot. Who do you think you are treating her that way?"

"We're her friends Spike, we did this because Buffy needed to cool down she was out of control." Xander tells the bleached blonde vamp.

"You weren't here vampire," Kennedy stands up wanting to rumble. "Buffy's crazy, I wouldn't be surprised if she lead us into the vineyard the first time on purpose just to pick some of us off." Willow tries to stop her from continuing but the rebellious potential shakes her lover off. "Now that Buffy's gone we can actually get some say in how we go about this. I say good riddance."

The only sound that can be heard is Spike growling at Kennedy, immediately the lights went out and the once silent house is a mass of chaos yet again. Girls were screaming and crying, Rupert was doing his best to calm everyone down, Cordelia was huddling in Angel's shirt whimpering like a baby and no one but Faith noticed Spike slip out through the front door quietly.

Buffy had been lying on the couch when the power outage happened, glancing up at the ceiling she shook her head and makes her way out to the side of the Mansion where she knew there was a pile of firewood. While she gathered wood she began to think about how she would get passed Caleb once she got to the vineyard.

As she stood, armfuls of wood in her grasp her Slayer-sense goes off, vampire…but no danger. "Hello Spike." Buffy continued into the Mansion where she made her temporary home, "Come on in." She never turned around knowing he would follow her.

"Why am I not surprised you're here?" Spike mumbles entering the large building with Buffy. When he left the Summers home he stuck his nose in the air hoping for even a minute trace of her scent, luckily there was more than a little and he was easily able to track her down. "You do realize that now the powers gone out they are likely to come here."

"They won't tonight, they'll wait for morning. Walking around after dark would be like walking the gauntlet, they won't risk it." Buffy set down the firewood and began to build the fire.

"Yet they had no problem throwing you out in it. You should have seen them goin' nuts at the lights going out. Chicken's with their heads cut off if you ask me, Faith was calm though, gotta give the girl credit for that." Spike smirked while taking a cigarette out of an almost empty packet, stuck it into his mouth and lit it.

Her vampire friend tosses the lighter to her and watches as she lights the logs. "Faith's really grown up, I'm proud at how far she's come."

"Then what's with that somber tone I hear in your voice?" He shrugged off his trench coat taking the spot near Buffy who doesn't look up from the fire.

She granted him a half smile but continued her staring contest with the flames. "I'm proud of her, I really am, but it doesn't stop the sting of knowing they picked Faith over me." Buffy pressed her lips together, then finally looks Spike in the eye, tears were flooding her beautiful vibrant green eyes threatening to spill over.

Unable to stand that hurtful gaze he eased closer to her and wrapped a muscle encased arm over her shoulders pulling her to his side. The second he laid his cheek against her hair he felt droplets of her tears land on his chest and jeans. Buffy wasn't full out crying but she was letting go a little, enough where she could ease a few bits of hurt.

Spike and Buffy are so deeply embedded in their private moment they don't hear the quiet shuffling of someone entering the darkened Mansion. The two supernaturally enhanced beings don't notice till the intruder speaks. "Wow, I'm surprised I've never been in this place before, it's really big." The shuffler grinned at Buffy, "Hey kid."

TBC

A.N. Need a little input about what I want Buffy to do when she leaves Sunnydale and goes to Smallville. I'm having some difficulty deciding whether or not Buffy is going to be Lex's personal assistant or a Guidance Counselor. So tell me what you would like better Lex's assistant or counselor.Or ifneither of those appeal to you tell me what might.Thanks.