A super special thanks to my BFF who beta'ed this chapter for me even though her only Buffy knowledge comes from Wikipedia. :)

------

Previously in Chutes & Ladders...

The three teens panted in the silence as vampire ash swirled in the air around them. The tire iron fell from Oz's exhausted fingers and clattered hollowly against the floor. He crossed the room to where Buffy was slowly coming around, and helped her sit up.

"Faith?" She asked, looking around frantically.

Cordelia helped Faith over and she slumped down next to Buffy. "Right here, B."

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Faith's smile turned into a grimace as she moved her wrist the wrong way. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Buffy smiled tiredly up at Cordelia and Oz. "Let's get out of here."

Part 2, Chapter 1

Sunnydale General was bustling with activity. Although the incidence of injuries with barbecue forks had dropped off sharply since Fall of 1997, the holidays always brought in a host of interesting calamities. Ahead of Faith in the waiting room were a woman who'd shocked herself putting up holiday lights, a pair of men who'd been into a fistfight in a toy store, and an entire group of people who were periodically vomiting into bags dispensed by a nurse. When at last it was Faith's turn to be seen, Buffy, Oz, and Cordelia pressed themselves against the wall of Faith's triage cube and let the nurse get to work. The slayer was diagnosed with a fractured radius, which upon her very gruff insistence was splinted and wrapped instead of placed in a cast, and two cracked ribs. She lay uncomfortably on the narrow triage cot, Oz's button down shirt covering her after her own was regrettably cut away by hospital staff.

Faith huffed for the third time in as many minutes. "How much longer are we gonna be stuck here?"

Buffy settled into the only seat in the room and leaned toward her, gently touching the immobilized fingers of her right hand. "I'm sure they'll be back soon to let you go."

Faith's response was an irritated eye roll. She looked around the room in agitation before turning back to Buffy and asking quietly, "Do you think Giles is okay? I didn't see him anywhere in the house…"

Buffy looked down and Cordelia and Oz exchanged nervous glances.

"What?" Faith asked, alarmed.

"Uh, guys," Buffy glanced at the other Scoobies, "Can you give us a minute?"

"Sure," Oz said and grabbed Cordelia's arm as she was starting to protest. "We'll be out in the waiting room."

"What's going on, B?" Faith asked once the other two teens had left.

Buffy grimaced, unsure how to begin.

"Just spit it out."

"Okay," Buffy agreed. "We, umm, we know what made you lose your powers."

"What was it?"

"It was Giles." Buffy squeezed the other girl's fingers. "Cordelia was in the library when you came in this morning. She said he put you in a trance with the crystal and then he injected you with something. And she saw another guy there, who was from the council."

Faith carefully pulled her splinted arm back, letting Buffy's fingers drop. "Why?" She asked, her jaw clenched angrily.

"I don't know." Buffy watched the other slayer's face with concern, clasping her own hands together in her lap. "I was worried when I didn't see you after school, and Cordelia came to my house to tell me what happened. We drove around looking for you until we saw Giles's car at the boarding house."

Faith's eyes glittered angrily. "He said we were going to meet someone from the council who could help." She looked up to meet Buffy's eyes. "He said you had to go home for dinner and that's why you weren't coming with us."

The blonde shook her head gently. "I was looking for you the whole time."

Faith started to reply, but the curtained entrance to the room was pulled open abruptly. Giles stood there, his hair disheveled and a dark bruise forming on his forehead. "Faith!" He gasped, rushing toward the bed. "You're alright!"

Both slayers stared up at him, their expressions hostile.

Swallowing hard, the watcher looked back at the dark slayer. "I woke up in the woods behind the house. I-I must have crawled out after you came in."

"Why?" Faith asked emotionlessly.

"What?"

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what? I don't understand. Faith--"

"I know!" She growled, sitting forward suddenly. "What you did. Just tell me why."

Giles looked confusedly to Buffy. Her face was hard. "Cordelia saw you injecting something into Faith. And she saw someone from the council here."

"Well, Cordelia must be mistaken. And of course someone from the council was here. Faith, I told you he was here." His brown eyes blinked earnestly back at the two girls.

"Stop!" Buffy demanded. "Just stop. Cordelia saw you. She saw you, Giles." Her voice broke and she looked away. "I can't believe you're lying right to my face." Her stomach felt twisted, and she swallowed hard, worried she might throw up. Giles. Giles, her watcher, had done this to Faith.

Giles sighed brokenly and pulled his glasses from his face to rub his tired eyes. "It's called the cruciamentum. It is a test performed on every slayer on her eighteenth birthday—should she make it that far."

"Why?" Faith demanded, while Buffy merely stared at Giles in horror.

"The council believes a slayer should not rely merely on her physical strength. She should be cunning and resourceful. So they weaken her and they set a vampire on her." Giles hung his head. "I am truly sorry, Faith. It was not my decision."

"But you knew." Buffy's eyes glittered as she finally spoke. "You knew and you helped them! Giles, you poisoned her."

"Buffy," He said softly, swallowing a lump. "Please try to understand. I have no real say in matters determined by the council. I-"

"So you'd do it to me then."

He faltered, gazing at her sadly. "I… No, of course I couldn't."

Faith snorted loudly and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, of course not. I'm the expendable one."

"That's not what I think." Giles insisted.

The dark slayer shook her head. Finally she looked away, staring past him to the wall. "You should leave."

The librarian deflated. "Faith, please-" He stepped closer and reached to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't." She growled.

He turned his eyes to Buffy, imploringly.

"Get out." She whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

The blonde slayer turned her back to the curtain as her watcher slid regretfully from the room. She felt Faith's fingers intertwine with hers again and swallowed hard. Blinking away her tears, she forced a watery smile. The corners of Faith's mouth tilted upward in response.

The two sat in heavy silence until the curtain was yanked open once more and a tired looking nurse entered. "Well," She announced. "I think we're all set here."

"I can go?" Faith asked, brightening slightly.

"You're free." The nurse affirmed. "Here's your paperwork. Just stop at the desk on your way out to discuss payment, okay?"

"Sure." The brunette agreed, accepting the papers the nurse held out to her. She struggled out of bed, shrugging off Buffy's hands when the smaller slayer tried to help her up. "I got it, B."

Buffy followed her quietly out of the room. When they reached the waiting room, Oz and Cordelia met them and the four filed out. "Faith, weren't you supposed to talk to someone before you left?" Buffy asked, as they were emerging from the hospital doors.

Faith shrugged. "Didn't give 'em my real name anyway. Let's go."

Relinquishing the front seat, Buffy climbed into the back of Oz's van with Faith. "You wanna stay at my place?" She whispered to the other girl.

"I should probably go home." Faith responded, looking over to Buffy.

"Oh." The blonde said. "Okay."

The older slayer heard the obvious disappointment in the other girl's voice, but she turned to stare out the window. After the day she'd had, she really wanted to be alone. It wasn't exactly like the council's involvement in her losing her power was really a surprise. Her basic outlook on life was to trust no one. But somehow it still hurt. The council. The fucking council. If there was anyone in the world who should be on her side, it was Giles and the rest of them. She was the slayer. Out there every night risking her neck and what did that earn her? They'd tried to kill her! The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

Buffy's hand was soft on her forearm and Faith realized that the van had come to a stop in front of her motel. Oz glanced over his shoulder and the dark slayer gave him a tilt of her chin. "Thanks." She muttered, clamoring out of the side door. Buffy's fingers fell away from her skin and Faith made the mistake of looking back at her face before closing the door.

The blonde's eyes were large and concerned. "Faith," She started.

The brunette stared back, her throat starting to burn uncomfortably. She shifted under Buffy's anxious gaze.

"Happy Birthday." The other slayer said quietly, managing a tremulous smile.

Faith swallowed hard and nodded. She slid the door closed and fished her key out of her pocket. Once she was inside, she locked the flimsy hardware and leaned her back into the wood, listening to the hum of Oz's engine moving farther and farther away.

----

"So let me get this straight. Giles was stealing Faith's powers. And Cordelia helped you find this out."

Buffy nodded patiently at the slack-jawed Xander.

"I can't believe it." The teen repeated for perhaps the fifth time. "Are we in an alternate dimension? Would we know if we were?"

"I wish we were." Willow interjected morosely. "I can't believe Giles would do something like this. It's so un-Gilesy."

"I know." Buffy agreed sadly. The trio of friends was seated on a bench in front of the school. Buffy hadn't wanted to go to the library.

Xander waved his hand dismissively. "Giles? Okay. But Cordelia? Helping others?"

"She's not all bad." The slayer protested weakly.

Cocking a skeptical eyebrow, Xander shook his head. "Yeah, on a scale from one to eating puppies, she's about a seven."

"And on a scale from one to loser, you're just a loser." Cordelia interrupted nastily, while passing the group in the courtyard of Sunnydale High.

Xander grimaced, but Buffy sent a tolerant smile after the cheerleader. "Morning, Cordy."

"'Cordy?'" Xander mouthed incredulously to Willow, who gave him a helpless shrug in return.

The tall girl paused a few steps away, glanced dismissively over Willow and Xander and focused on the slayer. "How's Faith?"

Buffy frowned. "I haven't talked to her."

Cordelia rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "I know you don't understand normal social practices, since you're like the head freak in the freak squad and all, but usually when someone almost dies, you call later."

"Your observation of human customs is starting to pay off." The slayer replied dryly.

Smiling slyly, the brunette turned to go. "I'm just saying, you guys are such close friends, you should probably check on her."

Buffy paled visibly but before she could respond, Willow laughed. "Are we talking about the same Faith?"

Cordelia merely shrugged, eyes twinkling amusedly at Buffy, before turning and disappearing down the hall.

"That was weird." The redhead glanced at Buffy.

Buffy flashed a strained smile, "Well, that's Cordelia. Not exactly in touch with reality girl."

"It's hard to be in touch with the little people when you're so far above everyone else." Xander added distastefully.

Suddenly, Buffy was climbing to her feet. "Xander, walk me to my locker."

"Huh?"

She grabbed his arm. "I need your help. Somewhere that is else. Now."

Confused, he glanced in the direction Buffy was looking and then snapped to attention. "Oh, yeah. We have to do that thing. With the locker." Catching Buffy's wide eyes, he fumbled. "And the… Corn Flakes."

The blonde sighed in defeat, grabbing his arm and pulling him after her.

Willow took in her departing friends with a furrowed brow. "Uh, I'll see you guys later then!" She called.

"Hey," Came a soft voice from behind her.

She turned to find Oz approaching on her left. "Oz. Hey." She bit her lip anxiously.

"Can I sit?"

"Sure, yeah. Sit." Willow shoved her backpack from the bench next to her.

"I thought we could talk."

"Talk? Uh-huh. Talking's good." She looked at Oz nervously.

"Yeah." He agreed, seating himself next to her.

"Oz, before you say anything, can I just tell you again how sorry I—oomf."

His callused fingers covered her mouth gently. "You don't have to say anything, Will." He looked down, letting his hand fall away from her face. "I just… I miss you."

"I miss you too!"

"I know." Oz said quietly, looking back up to meet her concerned eyes. "You say you wanna be with me and I want to believe you.... but… seeing you with Xander was…"

Willow watched with stricken eyes as her former boyfriend trailed off, unable to put the feeling into words. Cautiously, she reached for his hand. "Oz, nothing I say can change what happened. But please, please believe me, you're what I want."

They stared at one another for a moment. Finally, Oz nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" Willow asked hopefully.

"Yeah. I think we can try again."

"Really?" Willow practically leapt into his arms, squeezing him hard.

"Really." He said, threading his fingers into her hair. Oz closed his eyes as his face pressed into her neck. The final bell rang, and he pulled back, letting his arms linger around her waist. "We should get to class."

Willow nodded and climbed to her feet. Hesitantly, she held out her hand. Oz took it and they walked toward the school together.

-----

The sun shone brilliantly over the lawns of Sunnydale High as Wesley Wyndham-Price moved up the front walk with a spring in his step. He could already tell he was going to like California. It was sunny all the time, and even in December the weather was temperate and mild. He'd been informed last night that the girl had passed the test. Thrilled, he'd spent the morning searching out a small apartment to start himself out. Now that he knew he was to stay in Sunnydale, the council would provide him a small stipend he could use to furnish his space and tide himself over until he established more permanent employment. Reaching the front doors, he grinned widely and stepped into the empty front hallway. Glancing around, he decided to head left, hoping that way would lead to the library where he was to meet Rupert Giles.

When Wesley had been informed he was assigned to be the watcher to an active slayer, he couldn't believe his luck. He was newly graduated from the Watcher Academy. An assignment like this was a boon usually given to an older, more experienced watcher who had put in time with at least one potential slayer. Still, he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He was here now and he was determined to live up to the faith bestowed in him with this assignment.

Finding the library with little trouble, Wesley slid nervously through the swinging doors. He was greeted by the vaguely musty odor of hundreds of books housed together on the battered library shelves. He took a solid breath, feeling comforted by the familiarity of that smell. "Hello?" He called out. "Mr. Giles?"

The older man's bespectacled face poked out of an office to the right. "Mr. Pryce?" He asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes, hello there." Wesley stepped forward, smiling and extending his hand. "Lovely to see you again, Mr. Giles."

"Rupert, please." Giles remarked absently, taking Wesley's hand in a cool palm.

"Rupert." The younger man agreed, beaming. Releasing Giles's palm he clasped his hands together in anticipation. "Well, I expect the slayers will be here soon? I was told classes let out around 3PM."

The librarian's brow furrowed. "Well, yes…"

"Excellent! I was able to read some of your reports, of course, and I'm anxious to meet Faith and get started with some proper training."

Giles pursed his lips.

Catching the other man's look, Wesley blushed faintly. "No offense intended. I understand Faith has only recently arrived and any failings in her training rest with Diana Dormer."

"The council found her methods lacking?"

"Her training reports were… adequate. But from your reports to the council, it seems as though the girl is reckless and in desperate need of more structured training and self discipline."

Giles stifled a smile. "Yes, well, best of luck to you accomplishing that."

The younger man looked up, surprised. "You think she'll be uncooperative?"

Removing his glasses, the librarian began to polish them with the handkerchief he found in his pocket. "I think managing Faith requires a lot of patience. She does not take orders easily and it's difficult to earn her trust." He reseated his glasses on his nose and looked to Wesley with a critical eye. "The cruciamentum may well have ruined whatever ground you may have had to start with."

Shrugging lightly, Wesley glanced around the library. "Have you received any boxes for me?"

Giles gestured to where several boxes were stacked behind the counter.

"Thank you." Wesley moved to open each box and verify the contents had arrived in adequate condition. "Surely the girl understands that the slayer is responsible to the council and must follow our orders."

Smirking at the new watcher, Giles shook his head. "I think you'll find it won't be that easy with her."

"And your slayer? How is she?" He retrieved a book from one of the boxes and flipped through it. "I wasn't privy to your field reports on Buffy, of course."

"Buffy is an excellent slayer. Extremely resourceful, determined. Fiercely loyal with a dedication to her calling that is truly remarkable." His faint smile faded. "I'm afraid this cruciamentum business will affect her relationship with the council as well."

"Well," Said Wesley breezily. "I'm sure they can both be made to understand that the test wasn't personal. It is simply the way things are done."

"You think Faith shouldn't take it personally that I drugged her and lured her to face a vampire in the council's employ?"

"Not at all. After all, watchers these days are facing vampires ourselves as part of our Academy training." He dusted off his clothes, rising to his feet. "There's much more field testing than in your day."

Giles cocked an eyebrow but didn't reply. Wesley closed the box he'd removed his journal from and moved to seat himself at the table. Checking his watch, he read the time as 2:55PM. Smiling, he flipped open his journal and jotted down the date in his careful cursive script. His slayer would be arriving any moment and he was anxious to get down to business.

-----

For the first time in a long, long time, Buffy arrived home from school before her mother was even finished working. She shrugged off her coat, draping it gently over a bench in the hallway. Kicking off her shoes, she headed into the kitchen to get a snack. She'd debated on going to the library after school, but in the end she wasn't ready to face Giles yet. It was so hard to believe that this person who she'd spent the last two years getting to know, trusting, allowing into her life and into her heart, was capable of doing this kind of thing. And regardless of what he'd said, Buffy knew if he could do this to Faith, he could do it to her.

The fridge was stocked. Joyce had obviously already done the shopping for Christmas dinner. Buffy selected some sandwich ingredients and closed the door with her foot. Robotically, she began assembling her snack. She got as far as adding the cheese before she began to fall apart. Dropping the slice of cheddar hastily, she covered her mouth with her hands. A reluctant sob bubbled from her throat. It wasn't just what Giles did. It was that she couldn't see any way of moving beyond it. His actions hurt her. And they hurt Faith. Of everyone Buffy knew and loved, Faith was probably the person she was least close to. But… Faith was a slayer. The two of them fought the same battles night after night. Faith was the only person who would ever be able to understand the pressure and the helplessness she felt when she wasn't quick enough or strong enough to save someone. Her friends wouldn't be able to understand the rush she felt when she was slaying. They wouldn't understand feeling scared by how good it felt to kill things. It was the same power running through both the slayers, drawing them to hunt, but also drawing them to each other.

Consciously, Buffy hadn't gotten very close to the other slayer. On the surface they were complete opposites. But there was something that existed between them, almost on a cellular level. A primal recognition that they were both cut from the same cloth. She knew it in the way her spine tingled whenever Faith was close by. And the way her gut ached when she saw the other girl crushed by the loss of her slayer abilities. They dreamed together, for God's sake. Every slayer before her had been forced to fight and die alone. And Buffy had too. But that all changed, because now Faith was here. And she was new. She hardly meant anything to Buffy yet. She might not be worth losing a relationship with Giles over. But at the same time, Faith was everything. So Buffy could not forgive Giles. Not for betraying them both. Not for leaving Faith's life up to chance. And not for almost taking Faith from her.

She leaned against the counter precariously, angrily wiping hot tears from her face. Abandoning her sandwich, she walked upstairs to the bathroom, sniffling. She would jump in the shower and then go over to the motel and see how Faith was doing. Maybe her powers would have recovered completely and they could go patrolling.

------

After she'd gotten back to the motel the night before, Faith had yanked off her clothes and climbed beneath the covers with most of a handle of vodka. By the time she felt like crying, she was too drunk to move and instead she fell asleep. She woke up just as the sun was going down the next day, surprised to find she'd been knocked out for so long. The dark slayer kicked the covers off, still radiating anger at what the council had done to her. As she climbed to her feet, she grinned sharply in relief. Her legs felt strong. Reaching down, she gripped the bed frame and lifted it easily from the floor. She let it drop with a decrepit creak. Her power was back! A few impulsive back flips later, she accidentally slayed a table lamp and decided it was time to get a shower.

Standing under the lukewarm water, Faith contemplated her next move. Sunnydale had never really oozed with charm but now the thought of staying here made her skin crawl. She couldn't trust Giles and the council. And Buffy… well, whatever was going on between them, B was never going to pick her over Giles. And why should she? She was the good slayer, the trustworthy one. They wouldn't have jabbed her full of junk and thrown her to a vampire. Buffy would probably be better off too, once Faith was gone. She'd made it this long on her own after all.

Plopping some generic motel issue shampoo into her palm, she massaged it through her tangled hair gently. Her soapy fingers slid down, cupping the sides of her neck. The bruises left by the vampire's fingers had already faded, but her breath tightened in her chest when she thought of his strong hands gripping her. The brunette dropped her hands and forced herself to take deep breaths. Her anger at the council was like a snake coiling in her stomach. She could feel it winding tighter and tighter. She wrapped her arms around her middle, feeling like she could come apart at any moment. Since her calling, she'd never viewed being a slayer as a burden, the way it sometimes seemed like Buffy did. For Faith, it was empowering and freeing. But if she had to look over her shoulder all the time and even the watchers were out to get her, maybe sacred duty wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Faith flipped the water off and drew open the curtain to step out. The mirror had barely begun to fog, given the temperature the shower ran at, and she looked at her reflection seriously. Dripping, unkempt dark hair in need of a trim and some good conditioner. Smooth, unlined skin and the same bone structure that had made her mother beautiful before she'd gotten knocked up and aged well beyond her years. She smiled tentatively, her even teeth glinting dangerously even when she was going for benign. No doubt about it. She was young, hot, and strong as fuck. There was no sense in sticking around this sorry excuse for a town and taking orders from a bunch of pricks who'd tried to kill her.

While toweling her hair off distractedly, she started formulating a plan. She could pack up what little she had and be gone the next day. She only had until Friday before that beady eyed little manager was going to be knocking at her door looking for his next payment anyway. She'd hitch, head for LA. After that, she'd get by. Living in Boston had taught her well how to get by on her looks and her quick fingers. Nudging open the bathroom door with her hip, Faith strode naked into her meager home, momentarily grateful that the heat had reached sauna temperatures. She unearthed some chocolate pants that had only been worn once and slid them up her legs, jumping up and down a few times to pull the tight material over her thighs. She pulled a white tank over her bare breasts before spying a flimsy satin bra she'd acquired on impulse while exercising her five finger discount at April Fools the week before. It wasn't really her style. It was delicate and sexy in a way that reminded her of the old time movie stars she watched on late night TV when she couldn't sleep. Tugging the tank top back over her head, she clipped the bra clasp closed and slid the thin straps over her toned arms. She rubbed her fingers across the silky fabric, looking at herself in the mirror. It looked like something Buffy would wear, all soft and white and virginal. Shrugging irritatedly, she tossed the tank top back on. There, that was a little more Faith. Now all she needed was some makeup and she'd be all set. If she was leaving Sunnydale, she might as well go out for one last hurrah.

Once her eyes were rimmed with kohl and her lips painted deep red, she snagged a denim jacket from the chair by the door, looking around the room apathetically. She was getting out of Sunnydale. And if she had any regrets about it, they didn't show on her face as she threw open her motel room and stepped out into the night.

-------

Buffy was aggravated by the time she made it to Faith's motel. She'd been waylaid by some vampires who were out looking for prey as soon as the sun dropped below the horizon. Her carefully constructed updo had been ruined and her blonde hair was falling in messy waves over her shoulders. She also suspected she smelled less like warm vanilla sugar than she had upon leaving the house. Still, she was here now and hopefully Faith was home. She rounded the corner that put her in the parking lot and paused, confused. Faith was standing outside the door to her room, arms crossed in front of her. A man stood in front of her wearing a suit and glasses. The other slayer didn't look pleased. Breaking into a jog, Buffy cleared the distance to the duo and planted herself firmly at Faith's side.

The man looked surprised momentarily and then his face cleared. "Buffy, I presume?" He asked genially, extending his hand to her.

The blonde cocked an eyebrow at the other girl. Who was this guy?

"New watcher." Faith responded tonelessly to the unasked question.

Immediately, Buffy's face hardened.

"Uh yes," The man said, allowing his unshaken hand to drop. "Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. Pleased to meet you both."

"Can't say the feeling's mutual." Buffy muttered.

If the young watcher was taken aback, he didn't allow it to show. "I was surprised when you didn't stop by the library this afternoon." He said to Faith. "I had thought that was your usual method of reporting in."

"I don't really… report." Faith gritted out. Buffy smiled to herself. That was an understatement.

His brow rose. "Mr. Giles didn't require you to report your patrol activities to him?" He pulled a small notepad from his suit jacket pocket and jotted something down. "That is most unusual."

The two slayers exchanged incredulous glances but neither responded.

"Well, obviously how Mr. Giles chooses to manage you, Buffy, is his business. But Faith, as I've been assigned to be your watcher, I think it best if we set up a regular schedule for you to report in. We'll also need to schedule dedicated training sessions."

The throaty laugh that emerged from Faith's mouth was anything but kind. Wesley stepped back involuntarily, but Buffy placed a firm hand on the other girl's forearm and Faith didn't move closer to him. Instead she shook her head. "You people try to kill me and then you have the balls to show up here and think I'm going to work for you?"

"I understand your feelings about the--"

"Do you?"

"Well, I believe I can empathize with--"

"Do you spend every night going out and fighting vampires and saving the world just so a bunch of stick in the ass British assholes can stab you in the back and poison you?" The dark slayer practically growled.

Wesley's wide eyed look to Buffy was met with silent agreement. "I'm afraid I can't say I do." He smiled in what he hoped was a sympathetic manner. "But Faith, the council was not trying to kill you, as you say. The Cruciamentum is a tradition performed on every slayer's eighteenth birthday. It was not personal."

In spite of Buffy's hand remaining on her arm, Faith stepped forward, making Wesley cower back another step. "Not personal?" She shook her head disgustedly. "I could have died!"

"But you didn't! You passed the test, although the circumstances were less than ideal." He glanced pointedly at the blonde slayer. "And the council is thrilled. Now, if you will need another day to recover from the effects of the Cruciamentum, that will be acceptable. We can start training on Wednesday."

"You're not hearing me, English. I'm saying I'm done. I don't work for the council anymore and I ain't taking orders from you or anyone else."

Buffy glanced sharply at Faith's stoic face. Faith was quitting the council? Was that even possible?

"I'm afraid I don't understand." The councilman was baffled. "You are the slayer. You can't quit."

Faith's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Try and stop me." When the watcher seemed at a loss for words, she exhaled roughly and shook off Buffy's restraining hand on her arm. "Let's get out of here."

Buffy nodded wordlessly and turned to walk away at Faith's side. Once they were at the edge of the lot, she glanced at her counterpart. "You're quitting?"

Faith shrugged, her agitation with the meeting clear. Ignoring the question, she gave Buffy a careless smile. "So what were you on your way to see me for, B?"

"Oh." Buffy had to mentally regroup. "I wanted to see if you were up for some Bronzing."

"Yeah, sounds good."

"You wanna patrol first?" It was clear that Faith was worked up by the council guy's visit. Patrolling would be a good way to work off some excess energy before heading to the Bronze.

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "Let's do it."

-----

"Hey," Buffy said later, as they started for the Bronze. She bumped her shoulder gently against Faith's. "It's good to see you back at full strength." Their patrol had been fast and furious. The two slayers had taken out 9 vamps between them, their senses honed together beautifully, their movements synchronized. By the end, Buffy was grinning from ear to ear. It was so good to see the other girl back in action, flying through the cemetery and staking vampires without breaking a sweat. Every movement was flawlessly executed. Watching her slay was like watching a professional dancer. It was beautiful.

"Good to be back." Faith agreed, pushing back harder.

Buffy had to step to the side to maintain her footing. "Hey!" She grumbled. "Just because you got your powers back doesn't mean you have to beat me up."

Faith cocked a threatening eyebrow in the blonde's direction. "Oh, you think that was beating you up?"

Buffy smiled and shrugged.

"That was nothing."

"How about this?" Buffy asked, and hip checked the dark slayer hard. Faith landed on her butt on a neighboring lawn.

The dark slayer jumped easily to her feet. "You wanna go?" Her lips twitched, trying to hold down a smile.

"If you think you can catch me!" Buffy called, already running before she finished the sentence.

"Cheater!" Faith laughed and raced behind her, trying to close the distance between them.

The two girls tore through the darkened Sunnydale streets. At times Buffy slowed and Faith would come almost close enough to touch her, but then the blonde would plow ahead harder, fists pumping beside her, feet hardly seeming to touch the ground. By the time they neared the Bronze, her lungs were burning. Gratefully, she slowed as they entered the alley beside the club, laughing as Faith's arms enveloped her from behind.

"Got ya." The brunette's breath was hot in her ear as she maneuvered Buffy against the rough brick side of the Bronze, pressing into her from behind.

"I let you." The smaller slayer insisted, turning so that she was facing the other girl.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I coulda caught you any time I wanted."

"Then why didn't you?" Buffy challenged.

Faith looked down into her eyes and rubbed soft circles into Buffy's hips, where her hands were resting. "Was waiting til you wanted me to."

"I want you to now?" Buffy's hands slid up the other girl's forearms, resting on the rough fabric of her shoulders.

"Don't you?"

"Yeah," The blonde agreed, grasping Faith's neck and pulling her closer. "I guess I do." Their lips met and Buffy exhaled roughly when the brunette's arms pulled her in closer. Faith's lipstick was mostly worn away from numerous hits to the face during patrol, but Buffy detected a faint taste of almonds when the other girl's lips parted and their tongues met.

"Mmm," Faith growled into her mouth and Buffy giggled.

"You laughing at me?" The taller girl whispered, in between short kisses she was dropping on Buffy's mouth.

"Mhmm." Buffy breathed back, letting her hands wind into Faith's windblown hair. She drew the other girl's mouth back against hers, sucking Faith's bottom lip gently into her mouth.

The tingle that Faith usually felt in the base of her neck whenever Buffy was nearby liquefied and ran down her spine, pooling in her lower back and expanding. The blonde's nails scraped against her scalp as Buffy tried to pull her even closer. Faith obliged, pressing the other slayer's back into the wall and crushing their hips together. The smaller girl's mouth was completely pliable, her lips soft and open to Faith's eager exploration.

Buffy's hand snaked out of the dark locks and cupped Faith's neck again. The dark slayer hissed when the blonde's small palm unexpectedly slid down her arm, grazing her right breast, before gripping her waist to hold her close. Her fingers slipped under the hem of Buffy's top, stroking her lower back languidly. The blonde arched in her arms and Faith stifled the moan in her throat as Buffy's small breasts pressed into hers. With a last little nip of the blonde's lip, Faith pulled away and the two stared at one another.

Smiling shyly, Buffy reached for her fingers. "I guess we should go in."

Faith started to reply, but became aware of someone approaching. Someone whose heels were clacking loudly on the concrete. Cordelia drew near to the two girls, and Faith backed from Buffy's space.

"I see you're feeling better." Cordelia smirked.

"Yeah," Faith smiled back lazily. "Guess I am." Beside her, Buffy looked nervously at Cordelia, who had obviously seen the spectacle the two slayers had been making.

"You coming in or are you going to make out in the alley all night?" Cordelia shook her head at Buffy. "It's a little déclassé, even for you."

The blonde finally regained some composure. "Next time we'll be sure to look for a broom closet."

The cheerleader leveled an approving smirk at her. "See you in there then." She tossed a sincere smile to the dark slayer. "Glad you're okay."

"Thanks." Faith managed, surprised. Once Cordelia was out of sight, she raised her eyebrows at her sister slayer.

"I have no idea." Buffy replied. "Cordelia is beyond human comprehension." Together they started for the door. Buffy stepped in first, quickly scanning the room for the Scooby gang. She smiled, looking back at Faith.

Faith's eyes too found the table where Willow, Xander, and Oz were seated. The three were wearing party hats and a chocolate cupcake sat on the table before them, complete with a candle Xander was hurriedly lighting. The surprised slayer glanced over at the grinning blonde. "What's up, B?"

"It's your birthday!" Buffy chirped, grabbing Faith's arm and hustling her toward the table. "It's a big deal."

"Not really." Faith protested, but she was smiling now.

"Yes, really." Buffy insisted as they arrived in front of the group.

"Happy Birthday!" The Scoobies chorused.

"Thanks, guys." The dark slayer responded, but her eyes remained on Buffy.

"You're welcome." The blonde said, cheeks flushed. "Now make a wish!"

Her biggest wish had already started coming true. But a little luck never hurt anyone. So Faith leaned down to blow out her candle and concentrated on her wish. Buffy. Just Buffy.

-----

Giles had just poured himself a hearty three finger serving of a delicious single malt scotch when the knock sounded on his apartment door. Rolling his eyes, he reluctantly set down his drink and smoothed his palms down his rumpled dress shirt. Wesley stood on the other side of the door. "May I come in?" He asked.

Giles stepped aside with a sigh. "Let me guess, it didn't go well?"

The younger man was tugging his scarf free from his coat with great frustration. "She told me she quit! She refuses to work for the council!"

Wincing, Giles gestured for Wesley to seat himself, then took a neighboring chair. "I did warn you, Faith is difficult to deal with under the most ideal circumstances."

"This was beyond my expectations! The girl shows no regard for the council whatsoever."

"She may come around in time." Giles offered, although he didn't sincerely believe that.

"Well, I certainly hope she'll come around soon." Wesley removed his glasses and cleaned them enthusiastically with a handkerchief he unearthed from his pocket. "Quinton Travers himself told me what the next step will be if I am unable to convince her to work under us."

"And what might that be?" Giles asked uninterestedly, already wondering how quickly could he get this fool out of his apartment. He hardly cared what difficulties Wesley was experiencing with Faith when he had no idea how to go about repairing his own relationship with Buffy.

"I thought you were aware…" Wesley responded, startled. "Of course it's hardly ever been employed because slayers usually do not become aware of the Cruciamentum. But there have been cases--"

"Of what?"

The young councilman smiled grimly. "If the slayer doesn't fall in line, she will be eliminated. The council cannot afford to have rogue slayers running about."

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