Buffy didn't have time to answer before her bedroom door was flung open and Willow and Giles appeared each holding an axe that they had obviously grabbed from the weapon's chest after hearing the yelling. Faith whimpered at their sudden intrusion and it shocked her enough so that she practically jumped into the blonde Slayer's lap. She was still skittish and although the other Slayer was visibly terrified Buffy couldn't help but be happy that she had instantly chosen her to seek comfort from.
"It's okay it's just Willow and Giles," she said softly, wrapping her arms around the trembling girl's torso. The fever remained and Buffy felt her own skin flush where it touched the bare skin of Faith's arms.
"What's going on up here?" Giles asked his axe still raised.
"I-I don't know what happened," Faith said shakily.
"I do," Buffy sighed absently running her thumb over the soft skin of Faith's arm, "Angel knows a guy who has seen what happens when someone gets bitten by the Turok Han."
"Are we sure this guy is reliable? Giles' books have absolutely nothing in them," Willow said resting her axe on the floor.
"Angel seemed pretty convinced," the blonde Slayer said.
"What's happening to me?" Faith asked quietly her body still trembling.
"Let's get you back into bed and then I'll explain it okay," Buffy said smiling down at the younger girl.
It seemed that whatever energy Faith had had just moments before had all but disappeared and Buffy had to practically carry her from the floor and back to the bed. The dark Slayer was breathing heavily by the time they got there and Buffy took a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow using a cloth that was sitting on her bedside table. They shared a look and behind the fear and the pain that shone in Faith's dark eyes Buffy was sure she could see something that she was sure shone out from her own eye's whenever she looked at the younger Slayer. Giles returned with a glass of cold water which Faith took gratefully with shaking hands and both Watcher and Witch watched knowingly as the blonde carefully helped the brunette drink from the glass. They had known for quite some time, perhaps before the girl in question had even realised it for herself that there had always been a depth of feelings between the two Slayers. For the redhead it had been why she had been so jealous of the younger girl, not because she loved Buffy in that way herself but because she had felt that she would lose her best friend should the blonde ever realise how she felt for the other Slayer. Seeing them now she kicked herself for ever being so selfish, they were truly made for one another, the dark and the light and she would do anything for them to be able to be happy together.
"What did Angel say?" Faith croaked after she had finished her water. Buffy sighed looking at the younger girl before closing her eyes briefly. She knew she had to tell them what she had found out but it felt so wrong telling Faith who had been through so much already that her life was only going to get harder.
"His contact had witnessed the effects of the Turok Han bite before. Their fangs inject a poison into the bloodstream which moves around the body before finally reaching the heart. When it gets there it weakens the walls of the heart and penetrates through until finally it is only poison which is getting pumped through the body," she said keeping her eyes tracked on the younger Slayer's face. Faith had yet to react to what she was saying, in fact the only sign that she was listening was the hand that had gripped onto Buffy's forearm in what should have been a painful grasp but with her exhaustion was hardly even felt by the blonde.
"The body would not be able to survive without blood," Giles said taking off his glasses.
"No, it can't survive, not in its human form so it changes until it becomes..."
"A Turok Han," Willow finished her already pale skin becoming all but translucent at the thought.
The room was silent after that and all that could be heard was the sound of Faith's still laboured breathing. Buffy searched the other Slayer's face for anything that would give away what she was feeling but Faith's face had frozen as if she had gone into shock.
"I-I'm going to die? I'm going to become one of them?" she whispered finally letting go of Buffy's arm to hug herself.
"No you're not going to die, we won't let you, I won't let you," Buffy said tilting Faith's chin up so they were making eye contact.
"But I-I hit you, it's already started. I didn't wanna hit you but they told me to and I couldn't stop," Faith said.
"She hit you?" Willow asked finally noticing the large purple bruise on Buffy's jaw.
"She didn't mean to, she was confused. I know you didn't mean to and it's okay," Buffy said turning back to face the other Slayer.
"Still with her Slayer power and these new developments it may be pertinent that we take some precautionary measures just to ensure that everyone is safe," Giles mused, "Willow if you would perhaps head down to the basement and fetch the shackles we used on Spike."
"What? No! Giles you can't chain her up, she didn't mean to do it," Buffy cried.
"Buffy she's dangerous, we have all the Potentials and civilians to think about," Giles reasoned.
She's not dangerous. It isn't her fault. We can't just chain her up like some animal," Buffy protested.
"Do it," Faith interrupted, "You should do it, chain me up. I-I don't want to hurt anyone."
"You won't, I'll keep an eye on you, we all will," Buffy pleaded.
"And what happens when someone takes their eyes off me for a second and I snap? Are you really gonna let someone die because you don't feel like chaining me up?" Faith exploded. She wasn't really angry but something in her told her to be aggressive and she physically had to grab onto the bedspread to stop herself from lashing out.
"I'll get them," Willow said hurriedly after seeing the way the dark Slayer's eyes flashed furiously.
"It is not a punishment Buffy," Giles said, "You know I wish to see no harm come to Faith, it is to stop her hurting anyone or herself."
"I-I can't hurt anyone B," Faith said as she visibly deflated, "Especially not you," she finished softly.
"Okay," Buffy said finally, "But we have someone with her at all times and we hit the books harder than ever. We are not going to let this thing win. I want Anya to contact any demon types she knows and Giles anyone you know who could help and Will I want you to contact the coven," she said as the witch came back into the room, "I will not let this thing win."
Three hours later and the blonde Slayer found herself watching Faith as she dozed fitfully on the bed. Her now shackled wrists and ankles clinked loudly with every move she made and Buffy found herself abandoning the book she had been reading and walking over to sit on the edge of her bed.
"You can't just die," she said to Faith, softly tracing her fingers over the younger girl's scrunched up brow, "I can't lose you, not again." Faith whimpered in her sleep and Buffy had to turn away to bite back the sob that was threatening to escape.
"How's she doing?" Xander asked from where he stood in the doorway.
"Not good," Buffy sighed, "She's in pain and i-it hurts to see her like this. I can't lose her Xander, I just can't do it all over again," she broke off as the tears started to stream heavily down her cheeks.
"You won't, we won't," he said rushing forward and gathering her in his arms, "I promise we'll figure this out. We're the Scoobies after all, we always figure it out."
"How can you be so sure?" Buffy sniffed.
"I just have to be," Xander said pulling back and looking into her eyes, "There is a lot of badness in this town but I know she is not meant to be a part of it, you just got to have a little faith."
"Pun fully intended," she chuckled wiping her eyes and looking over her shoulder at the slumbering girl on her bed, "I love her Xand."
"I know," he whispered back.
"You do?"
"Of course, the only two Slayers to ever exist at the one time. That has fated love written all over it," he smirked.
"What about Kendra?"
"Kendra doesn't count 'cause I'm pretty sure she was a robot," he said, "Oh and just for the record, Slayer on Slayer lovin' I am definitely a fan of that."
She laughed and smacked his arm, glad that he could still make her laugh in this horrible situation.
"Thank you for being supportboy."
"It's supportoman but you're welcome," he said, "Anyways I've come to relieve you of your duties. There's some food downstairs and Giles wants you to talk to the Potentials."
"If anything changes come and get. I mean it Xand, as soon as she wakes up," Buffy said as he pushed her towards the door.
"You got it," he said, "We will find the cure," he reassured as she shot a longing look at Faith.
"I'm going to hold you to that."
After she had had something to eat Buffy had to explain to the girls what was going on with Faith and to ban them all from going into her room if Buffy wasn't with them. By the time Xander called down the stairs that Faith was awake the blonde was beyond exhausted. She grabbed a plate of food from the kitchen and headed back up to her bedroom to see the other Slayer.
"So sleeping beauty finally awakes," she teased setting the plate down on the nightstand.
"Turns out poison in the bloodstream really takes it out of ya," Faith rasped clearing her throat.
"Well I have the cure for that. Turns out no one in this house can really cook so Anya got take out and so we've got delicious Thai goodness for you," Buffy said sitting on the edge of the bed, "And apparently nobody trusts me with the keys to your chains so you're going to have to deal with me feeding you," she said sympathetically.
"It's okay, I don't think I would trust me with a knife or fork right now either," Faith said quietly looking at her hands.
"Hey, hey look at me," Buffy said tilting Faith's chin up, "I trust that you wouldn't help anybody if you could help it. That person who wants to hurt people, that isn't you, I know you don't want to hurt anyone and until you say you believe me there will be no Pad Thai for you."
"Okay, I believe you," Faith laughed.
"Good, because that Pad Thai is so good I would've probably have given it to you anyway," Buffy smirked helping Faith sit up on the bed and smiling when she realised Faith's fever had gone down, "Hey you're not hot anymore."
"What? Now that's just mean, here I am poisoned and dying and you're telling me I'm not hot. Low blow B."
"No, that's not what I meant, I mean of course you're hot, anyone without eyes could even tell you were hot, I know you're hot but okay bad Buffy babble. Point is your fever has gone down," Buffy flushed.
"You're cute when you're embarrassed," Faith muttered her eyes widening when she realised what she'd said. Buffy chose to ignore it but it made her heart warm to know that maybe she wasn't alone with how she felt.
"Open up or I'm going to eat this all on my own," Buffy said picking up the plate.
Faith eyed her wearily for a second but complied taking the fork into her mouth. She chewed for a second screwing up her face.
"B, I don't know if there is something wrong with your taste buds but that Pad Thai is not good," she said shuddering as she swallowed.
"What are you talking about? That Pad Thai is so good I nearly cried when I ate it," Buffy said.
"Slayer," Spike said from the doorway, "And other Slayer. You're awake and you look good in chains," he smirked.
"Shut it Spike," Buffy said but she was grinning, "Anyways Faith I don't know what you mean that Pad Thai tastes fine."
"I know what good Pad Thai tastes like and that is not it. That is gritty and tastes kind of like sand," Faith grimaced.
"Sand?" Spike said from the doorway his eyes widening before he disappeared from the doorway.
"Let me see," Buffy said taking a mouthful and chewing it, "Well obviously you can't appreciate good Thai food because that is amazing."
"Maybe it's you who can't appreciate good Thai food."
"For that I'm going to sit here in front of you and enjoy this and you're just going to have to wait for me to finish before I go and get you something else to eat," Buffy said taking a big forkful of food and putting it in her mouth, "Soo good."
"I bought something for you," Spike said standing with his hands behind his back in the doorway again.
"For me?" Buffy asked around a mouthful of food.
"Not you, the other Slayer. Does it smell good?"
"What the hell sort of question is that?" Buffy asked.
"Just let her answer, Dark One does it smell good," Spike said glaring at Buffy before turning his attention back to Faith.
"Yeah it does," Faith said smiling, "See B, whatever Bleached Blonde is hiding behind his back is real food."
"It's not a good thing love," the vampire said producing a mug from behind his back.
"Why? What's in it?" Buffy asked with her fork halfway to her mouth.
"Blood."