Wishing Changes Everything

by declan4

Part 1 of 'The Wish Saga': A wish at Faith's bedside sends Buffy back in time to Faith's arrival in Sunnydale. Can Buffy changes things for the better between the two slayers? And what, ultimately, will be the price?

3. Chapter 3

Helpless: Part 1 (Future Girl)

Giles stopped his pacing to look incredulously at Buffy. "The mayor... turned into a giant snake, at your Graduation?"

Buffy was sat slumped over the desk, idly examining her nails. "Yes. A big, snake-y demon thing. Graduation, mortar boards, solar eclipse. "

Giles pondered this. "This demon, ah, was it similar to the one we observed in the sewers?"

Buffy raised her eyebrows as she thought. "Nope, way, way bigger. And, by the way, you observed, I fought, remember?"

Giles ignored her. "So, that would be three entirely separate demon snake-encounters in only two years...Hmn, interesting." Giles began pacing around the library again, glancing down at the notebook in his hand, "I don't suppose you remember a specific name of the demon."

Buffy pretended to think about it. "Personally, I like to think the Mayor decided to hold onto his own name, y'know, be all traditional. Maybe he shortened it to Richie, or Dick...yeah, that definitely fits."

Giles gave her a withering look. "I was referring to the name of the species of demon."

"Can't remember, all I know is that it was a 'pure demon', which translates as 'way huge', King Kong huge. The mayor had to pull off this whole Ascension deal to do it."

"Yes, about this Ascension, it's not a term I'm familiar with. Anything you can add there?"

Buffy frowned as she thought back. "No, that Anya chick told us all about it last time." She edited out the Faith parts, as always.

Giles flipped through his pages. "Anya is...Xander's future prom date, yes?" Buffy nodded, "What has she got to do with any of this?"

Buffy sighed, she was pretty sure she covered all of this a couple of nights ago. "'Cause she used to be into the whole vengeance demon thing in a big way, things went wrong and she ended up stuck as a human in Sunnydale. Apparently she witnessed one of these Ascension things a few hundred years ago."

"And now, because Xander and Willow weren't caught...ah, uh, anyway, Anya has no reason to be here at this time?"

Buffy shook her head. "It's for the best, believe me. Anyway you're missing the point. This Ascension thing took a while okay, it was complicated and meant lots of scheming." Buffy counted things off her fingers, "Balthazar, crusty demon guy selling Books of Ascension, magical boxes..."

Giles flipped through the notebook. "Yes, I made a note of you describing the Mayors efforts to obtain ...'The Box Of...poprocks..." He sighed, "Well, it's something to go on, at least."

"You're forgetting the contents; wiggins-causing, pants-wetting spider-creatures that eat peoples face off." Buffy slid across a piece of paper for Giles to look at, "Look, I even drew a picture of one."

Giles peered down at her efforts. "I'm quite sure I could have lived without the speech bubble," He commented dryly, "Though there are not many boxes of infinite spiders out there."

"You mean there's more than one? Who makes a spare one of those things? Did the minions of evil just get really bored one day and start boxing everything? Stupid evil."

Giles sighed and removed his glasses to clean them. "Yes, that's an inspiring rallying cry, Buffy. Let's do try and keep focused for a little while longer."

Buffy thumped her head down on the table. "Urgh, we've been at this for hours, days of hours, one after the other. I really don't know everything. I don't know how he became invincible, or immortal. Or evil. I don't know for sure if he is human anymore. Just that he has an army of vamps and F...uh, Mr. Trick was his right hand."

Giles looked at his watch thoughtfully. "Yes, well, perhaps you're right. I'm sure your Mother will be wondering where you are. Is Faith with her?"

"Nope, she's probably patrolling, killing things. I really miss those days. The vamps of this town are gonna be getting the wrong idea before long."

Though if Buffy was honest with herself patrolling with Faith lately had been about forty to fifty per cent smoochies, which Buffy kept missing out on because Giles was determined to have every little thing mapped out months in advance. Couldn't he trust Buffy on this? Things were golden for once.

Giles looked down at his notes, furrowing his brow. "Well, maybe with your birthday coming up you should both ease up on the patrolling?

Buffy frowned suspiciously at him. "Why would I need to rest up?"

Giles sighed and sat on the edge of the desk awkwardly. "Buffy, I have informed the council of your, ah, situation and it has been agreed that you can forego any, um, of the testing that is usually required. There can nothing gained by it. I promise that you are entirely safe."

Buffy felt herself relax. "Well, good. 'Cause I have plans. Ice-skating show plans. And since Dad bailed, again, then I'm going to ask Faith, see if she wants to go with me."

Giles regarded Buffy seriously. "Tread carefully Buffy, we still don't know everything about the wish and who caused it..."

"Only The First's apocalyptic threats."Buffy put in.

"...Precisely. And until we do we must ensure we keep everyone else in the dark about these future events. Including Faith."

Buffy shrugged a little uneasily. "I get it, okay? I mean, I don't like keeping things from the others but ...it's for the best. I'm onboard."

Satisfied, Giles got up and walked back towards the office. "It is for the best, Buffy. Good night."

The night air smelled of possibilities as Buffy made her way through the cemetery, her eyes peeled for signs of Faith. She hoped to find the other girl on patrol and make sure both there evenings ended well. If Buffy managed to slay any vamps in the mean time, well, that would be a bonus.

Buffy knew that Faith usually ended her patrol in Restfield so that's where she'd headed first, looking forward to the expression on the other girls face. They'd grown a lot closer since Christmas, feeling more like an actual couple. So much so that they'd had to be very careful and ease up with the intimate stuff around Buffy's Mom thanks to a few close calls at the house. This meant most of their 'couple time' happened while on patrol.

But Buffy's birthday was coming up and eighteen is a kind of landmark age, a rite of passage, which should be celebrated in some way. Maybe with a certain girlfriend and an object that was kept at the back of Buffy's bottom drawer...

A high-pitched scream cut through the air to interrupt her thoughts. It came from nearby and Buffy swore it sounded familiar. Then it happened again, the same scream, a little louder, but cut short suddenly. Buffy recognised it as Willow.

She took off through the cemetery, dodging gravestones and vaulting a park bench before bursting through a hedge into more open ground. That's when she saw them.

Willow was on the ground, lying flat, her hand reaching out for a nearby stake, looming over her was a leering vampire, his legs between hers, his arms on either side of her head, his face beginning to lean down to bite her. Buffy saw Faith pull herself to her feet nearby and launch into the thing atop Willow, slamming it off of her to send it crashing over a nearby tombstone.

To the left of her Buffy caught more fighting as she saw Xander grappling with a redheaded female vamp, he managed to break away and backhand it hard across the face before it growled and came at him again; he ducked under her outstretched arms and ran behind her, over to Faith.

He tapped her shoulder. "Tag, you're up. I softened her up for you though."

Faith nodded and gestured over her shoulder. "That one's getting kinda rowdy. You might wanna help Red."

With that she moved passed Xander and grabbed the redheaded vamp by the lapels of her biker jacket before swinging her round, using all her weight to redirect her and throw her hard against a tree. Bouncing off and landing heavily the redhead groggily tried to get to sit up before Faith, grunting with effort, slammed a stake into its chest. Grimacing, the vampire dissolved into grave dust.

Xander helped Willow to her feet as the male vamp reappeared, glowering at the three of them. Willow turned her head and saw Buffy running over. She waved cheerily. "Hi, Buffy!"

The male vamp didn't like the odds of four on one and skedaddled, turning to smash through the brush before disappearing into the gloom.

Buffy brought herself up short and stared at them, a little nonplussed. "I, uh, I heard screaming."

Willow looked embarrassed. "I-I panicked when I fell over, sorry Buffy. But I was in total control." Willow's face then lit up in excited pride, "Hey, and I totally got one. A vampire, that is, I staked it and then it went poof...which I guess is what they do, but still."

"You rocked, Red, no doubt." Faith said as she dusted of her jacket, "And Xander here manned up, bagged one too."

Xander beamed and twirled his stake. "Aw, it was nothin'. I gotcha back."

Willow's smile faded as she looked at Buffy. "Are you okay? We're not...I mean, its okay we came along right? Faith invited us and you were busy..."

Buffy waved a dismissive hand. "It's cool. Just as long as you guys were careful. I mean, with slayer back-up you're pretty safe anyway." She glanced shyly at Faith, "I, uh, got done early. I thought I'd surprise you."

Faith smiled, still seeming a little breathless; maybe the hungry's were kicking in."Yeah, I just figured me and the gang could hang and do somethin' together, y'know. Bond or whatever."

Willow nodded, still excited. "Patrolling with Faith is a lot like patrolling with you, only with a lot more grunting."

"Yeah, she's more Wolverine to your Spider-Man." Xander explained, "Less witty quips and more cool one-liners. All bad-ass and sexy."

Faith frowned at Xander and crossed her arms. "Wolverine's the short, hairy one, right?"

Willow raised her eyebrows. "You think Wolverine's sexy?"

Xander shrugged a little sheepishly. "It's very possible I'm concussed."

Faith seemed peeved. "I'm nothin' like Wolverine."

"You kept on calling me 'rookie'." Protested Xander, "And I more mean, personality-wise not physically. Heh, it's not like I ever imagined what Buffy would look like in web-covered spandex."

There was an awkward pause, Willow smiled knowingly while Xander reddened and coughed slightly.

Buffy smirked. "Good to know. Anyway you guys, I think you've gone above and beyond on this one, thanks. You can head home, Faith and can take it from here. Uh, Wolverine and Spider-Man team up all the time, right?"

Faith shook her head. "I ain't frigging Wolverine. I'm...that hot Greek chick, Elektra. Deadly ninja's more my style."

"Faith, even I know ninjas are from Japan." Buffy rolled her at Xander and Willow, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Willow waved bye and she and Xander walked away towards the street. Faith watched them go before stepping a little closer. "You sure it's cool me taking the guys out?" She looked questioningly at Buffy.

The blonde smiled. "I trust you to keep them safe. It's not a bad idea, y'know. All of us going out on a slay together." Buffy gestured between them both, "Might even keep our hormones in check."

Faith held up her hands. "Whoa, let's not do somethin' drastic. I like the patrolling just fine the way it is."

Buffy giggled. "You would...and I do to, but it's not exactly efficient, is it?"

Faith tilted her head and leaned closer. "Way I see it, Hellmouth's got two slayers, and if they're both doin' say, half the work? That still leaves one whole slayer guarding stuff, right?"

Buffy thought about it. "That does make sense, I mean mathematic..."

She was silenced by Faith's lips on her own; the brunette's hands pulled Buffy a little closer. After a few moments of really nice kissing Faith pulled away with a contended murmur and took Buffy's hand. "C'mon, I'm beat. Let's head home."

Buffy was surprised. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, a quiet night, four vamps dusted, and nothin' else." Faith wiggled her eyebrows, "This way we can eat somethin' and you can still tuck me in early."

Buffy smiled a little even as she found herself blushing. "Sounds like a plan."

They both started walking through the cemetery, cutting through one of the remembrance gardens as a short cut home. Buffy always found all the pretty flowers romantic, but usually she had no reason to linger here. No graves.

She squeezed Faith's hand comfortingly. "So, my birthday."

Faith nodded absently. "The big one-eight, huh? Got any plans?"

"I kinda wanted to talk to you about that. I've got tickets to an ice-show and my Dad...well, at the last minute he kind of got other plans, so..." Even the second time around it had been disappointing to see the sad bunch of flowers, the apology note and balloon with the tickets stuck to it. But Buffy could deal if Faith could take her. "If you wanted to go with me...you could. I would be fun."

Faith wrinkled her nose. "Ice-show? Like the ones where they wear costumes and stuff? I dunno, B..."

Buffy brought out the puppy-dog eyes. "Please? I promise you'll like it. I mean, it's something new right? You don't really know if you'll like it or not. And it's my birthday."

Faith turned and sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll go with ya, alright. Just stop with the guilt trip already." She mock glared at Buffy, "And if I don't like it, then for my birthday we're going to a strip joint, no complaining."

Buffy beamed at Faith without really hearing her words. "Okay...hey, when is your birthday anyway?"

Faith hesitated, before mumbling. "December."

Buffy frowned. "But we just passed December and you never said..? Why didn't you say anything?" She tried to keep the hurt from her voice. But probably failed.

Faith shrugged expansively. "Hell, I dunno, it's not like Birthdays were a big deal growing up, 'kay. And I'm not going for some pity thing or anything, it's just fact." Faith's voice rose a little in annoyance, "I never got a party, or balloons, or stupid paper hats, or a Mom who gave a shit 'cause she was too busy getting wasted to worry 'bout me." Faith huffed out a breath as she calmed herself, "Sorry."

Buffy looked at her solemnly. "Didn't you ever get a nice birthday?" She couldn't believe some people would treat there children like Faith described.

Faith backed up and sat on one of the low walls that dotted the remembrance garden. "Only one that stands out was when I was five...Pop took me to my first ever baseball game and I got my first hotdog. Ended up getting mustard up my nose... stung like a bitch I can tell ya. Then I spent the first couple of innings in the bathroom over the sink with Dad tellin' me t'keep blowing my nose." Faith shook her head at the memory, smiling. "He wasn't there for the next one...Birthday, Mom said he ran off, never came back. Not much point in celebrating after that."

Buffy felt a lump in her throat. "I'm so sorry."

Faith frowned. "Which is why I didn't say nothin', didn't want you feelin' bad, nobody's fault, just one of those things, y'know."Faith looked up at Buffy, her eyes sad, "It's just the past."

Buffy stepped forward and reached for Faith's hands, Faith let her take them. "That's right, it's the past. But you're going to have a pretty spectacular nineteenth if I've got anything to do with it." She smiled at the brunette, "Besides, my eighteenth could be good for you as well, if you, um, get my meaning."

Still holding her hands Faith stood up and gazed into Buffy's eyes. "You mean...you wanna do somethin' special?"

Despite some trepidation Buffy nodded shyly. "It feels right. Ever since Christmas...I keep thinking what it'd be like. To be with you."

"Like... all the way?" To Buffy's surprise Faith glanced away nervously, "You sure? We could probably wait a week or two, till you're positive."

Buffy tried to catch her eye. "I'm not rushing, and you've been really patient. I've given it a little thought...and if you still want..?"

Faith smiled in reassurance. "Oh, I wanna, ever since...I can't even remember not wanting to, I just don't want you moving too fast." She squeezed Buffy's hands, "How about, we go to this ice-show, have a great time, a big blow-out...then see how we feel 'bout the other stuff?"

Buffy felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment as she nodded. "Okay." She paused awkwardly ...so, ice is cool, it's like water, only not."

Faith smiled and they started walking again as the moment passed. "Lemme guess, that sounds like Oz."

"I thought his comment was very deep, it really makes you think."

Faith nodded. "I prefer thinkin' 'bout what ice does. Makes ice-cream, chills your beer, makes your tongue cold." Faith raised her eyebrows at the last one, grinning slyly at Buffy.

Buffy smirked and shook her head, sometimes she just couldn't figure Faith out.

Buffy gasped as the manacles bit tightly into her wrists, Angelus smiled, stood up and walked over to the fireplace. Faith sat on the table and watched as he went by.

She smirked at Buffy. "Bondage looks good on you, B. The outfit's all wrong, but hey."

Buffy felt a chill sweep through her as all the details of this situation came rushing back. Her eyes flickered over to Faith, decked out in her red pleather shirt. Red lips glistening as she smiled.

Buffy felt herself speak the words hollowly. "Faith, you don't know what you're doing."

Faith frowned in mock puzzlement. "Really? Weird. 'Cause something about all this just feels so right." Faith nodded to herself, "Maybe it's one of those unhappy childhood things."

Buffy felt the cold stone wall against her back and the warm, smoky air of the mansion, all of it just as she remembered. This was memory, pulled from her tumultuous thoughts, and she closed her eyes and tried to will it away.

'This is just a dream, a stupid dream, like before.'

Faith's voice spoke up, mocking. "But it's not just a dream, is it B? This all actually happened. You were there, Angel was over there and I..." Faith paused to stand up and present herself, "Was right here."

"I look good, don't I?" She commented, as her hands slid down her sides.

"You certainly do." Angelus replied, he eyes roaming over her.

Buffy's eyes widened as Faith sauntered over to her, standing close to lean in, hands on the wall either side of Buffy. Buffy tried to move her arms, but the manacles, unlike before, were shut tight.

"Now how does it go again? Oh, right I start whining about my childhood. Again. Seems however you play it B ya still hav'ta listen t'me yammer on about my upbringing."

Buffy squeezed her eyes shut. Tried to will herself awake, this wasn't memory, this was some twisted subconscious thing brought on by who knows what.

Faith grinned widely at Buffy's discomfort. "Anyway, as I was saying, when I was a kid I used to beg my Mom for a dog. Didn't matter what kind, I just wanted, you know, something to love." She leaned forward and licked the side of Buffy's exposed neck, the blonde girl shivered and tried to twist away, but she was still fastened tight.

Faith murmured into her ear. "A dogs all I wanted. Well, that, and toys." Suddenly a sharp scalpel was in Faith's hand, the other reaching and grabbing the bottom of Buffy's top.

Buffy sucked in a quick breath as Faith quickly drew the scalpel up her torso, slicing through the thin black material all the way to the neck. Scraps of fabric fell away on either side, leaving Buffy's golden skin glowing in the fire light, naked except for a lacy white bra.

"Somethin' t'play with." Faith's eyes gazed hungrily down Buffy's body before she called over in a sing-song voice. "Oh, Angelus. You might wanna get over here."

The vampire chuckled darkly as he examined the sharp surgical instruments. "No, thanks. Buffy's 'charms' lose their appeal fairly quickly."

Faith shook her head as she smirked. "He's so mean, isn't he? Can't believe you let him pop your cherry like that, B. But, thinking about it, maybe it's that you've got a type. If somebody tries t'kill you, what's your solution? Date them?" Faith sniggered mockingly, "I mean, if you wanted to experiment, why me, huh? Why not Cordelia? Well, okay, that's an obvious one, but what about sweet little Willow? She adores you y'know, wouldn't take that much to turn that crush into something a little more interesting."

Buffy grimaced. "Stop this...this isn't even real. So, shut the hell up."

Faith's expression twisted into a sneer. "It's just as real as playing 'happy families' with me. I mean sure, I'm probably dynamite in the sack; after all I've had a lot that practice, y'know? But could you ever really trust me, after all the things I did to you by choice, for the fun of it?"

Faith shook her head in fake annoyance. "But, darn it I'm going off script." Faith swirled the scalpel as she thought, "Skip over the Mom stuff, drink, abuse, yada, yada...Angel's a killer. Angel says..." She looked over at the vampire.

Angelus shrugged. "She's right, I probably will."

Faith turns back to Buffy pointing at her with the blade. "And that's where I reveal that a long, slow, torture is all part of the plan. 'Cause I just want you to know: If you're a screamer, feel free...Huh. I guess I really do know if you're a screamer, don't I?"

Despite herself Buffy felt tears forming behind her eyes. "Faith...please..."

"Well, I haven't got you begging like that just yet, Buffy, but give it time." Faith leaned in closer and suddenly for Buffy it was like the memory was playing again. "You know I come to Sunnydale. I'm the slayer, I do my job kicking ass better than anyone, and what do I hear about everywhere I go? Buffy. So I slay, and behave, and do the good-little-girl routine and who does everyone thank? Buffy."

Buffy opened her eyes, her tone plaintive. "That's not my fault."

Faith made a noise like a game show buzzer. "Sorry, thanks for playing, wrong answer, Buffy." She said sneeringly, "You resented me from the moment I got here. You got jealous, then you just settled for ignoring me...except of course when you needed muscle, then it was 'where's Faith, my bestest slaying pal.' From the instant I arrived until to second you stabbed me in the gut you only had one thought swirling in that empty little head of yours. That you were better than me."

Buffy shook her head. "You're wrong, you're twisting everything..."

Faith gave a harsh laugh. "Oh, get real, Buffy. You took more time mulling over whether to kill Angelus, y'know, the vampire who was killing people left and right, than you did me. Admit it, Buffy, you thought I was a loser from the first; a shallow, slutty, party girl, who enjoyed herself way too much for your liking. It was a relief to you when I went bad, 'cause then you were back to being special, number one. And even when you had everything you still had to take from me." Faith's voice started rising, "This was supposed to be my town. I was supposed to be the slayer. You should've been dead!"

Buffy frowned, suddenly realising something. "You're calling me Buffy."

Faith turned mid-rant. "Huh?"

"She always calls me B, even when she's gone over to the Mayor and laying out the master plan she always calls me B." Buffy glared at Faith, "I don't know what you are, but you're not Faith. You don't know her, and you can't act like her. So stop with the games."

Faith suddenly looked a bit sheepish. "Whoops, I guess I overplayed my hand. Got all caught up in the role. I guess I'll just have to cut this short." With that 'Faith' slashed her arm upwards, the scalpel gleaming as it raced towards Buffy's throat...

Buffy sat up in bed, her room reverberating with a strange high-pitched sound, after a few moments she realised it was her screaming, as Buffy's Mom burst into the room and switched on the light. "Buffy?"

Buffy was shaking and trembling as she cut off her screams and closed her mouth, her sheets seemed tangled and damp with sweat. She looked wide-eyed as her Mom came over and sat on the bed. "Honey, are you alright?" She combed some stray hairs away from Buffy's face as she cupped it. Buffy tried to control her laboured breathing as her Mom hugged her close. Over her shoulder Buffy saw a concerned Faith standing in the doorway, arms folded with worry. "Y'okay, B?"

Buffy didn't answer, just closed her eyes and turned her head. The contrast was too jarring. Two Faiths's, both real, both acting like completely different people, which one was Buffy supposed to believe in? Which one was true? Was what she dreamt... had that been the real side to her?

Buffy pulled herself back from her Mom. "I'm okay, Mom. Really, just a bad dream."

Her Mom ran a hand over her forehead. "Oh, sweetie you're burning up. Maybe you have a bug."

Faith scratched her arm. "Maybe I gave it her. Think I'm comin' down with somethin' too."

Her Mom looked Buffy over, her eyes wide with concern. "Do you want some warm milk? Or I could make some chicken soup?"

Buffy gave a slight shake of her head as she glanced at her alarm clock. "Mom, it's way too late for soup. I'm fine, really. Probably just ate some bad cheese."

Her Mom seemed to be judging her sincerity before nodding. "Okay, you see how you feel in the morning, if you're not up to it, you don't have to go to school, okay?"

Buffy nodded as her Mom got up and left, paused at the doorway to murmur something to Faith, the brunette smiled eagerly and nodded. Buffy's Mom left.

Buffy frowned. "What was that?"

"Hot chocolate, your Mom's gonna make some. She asked if I wanted in." Faith glanced down the corridor before coming forward to sit on the bed, "Y'sure you're okay?"

Buffy tried to quash her irritation at the question, and the old wariness that crept into her at Faith being so close. She nodded. "Just a nightmare."

"Musta been somethin' bad, havin' you screaming' like that." Faith curled her lips slightly, "Hey, play you're cards right, you could play hooky tomorrow."

Buffy sighed. "I don't want to play hooky...but I do need to get some sleep so..." Buffy looked pointedly at Faith and then at the door.

Faith's smile faded and she shrugged uncomfortably. "Uh, sure. Get some rest." She gave Buffy a searching look before getting up to leave.

Buffy flopped back on the bed as Faith left. She didn't need this, memories playing tricks on her. Thankfully the dream was already beginning to fade, but it had seemed...manipulated somehow, like the Faith in her memories was being used as a puppet...yeeug, puppet.

But still what dream-Faith had said resonated in Buffy, how can one person be so different? Faith wasn't Angelus, she'd done all those things with a soul in her heart, had fun and then...Buffy had stopped her, just like she'd stopped Angelus. Stabbed Faith and sent her to hell, or at least tried her best to.

Buffy knew that Faith could be kind, sensitive and sweet; but she could also be vicious, cruel and deadly. Which version was the true one?

Is this what the First meant when it had mentioned betrayal? That some things were inevitable and that wishing didn't really change anything?

'Well, screw that, Faith has a choice and so do I. No one's destined to do anything, not if I have a say in it.'

Buffy tried hard to shut out any dissenting, disquieting thoughts and buried her head in her pillow, hoping that sleep would bring some clarity, not more questions.

Buffy entered the library the next day, classes having crawled by like they were determined to turn her thoughts to grey mush. Restless feelings had meant Buffy had gotten little sleep the night before; she had decided to talk things over with Giles.

Buffy saw Giles come out of the office and, surprisingly, Faith was in tow. She looked unhappy. Had she told Giles about last night? The bad dream.

"Faith?" Buffy stopped and glanced between her and Giles.

"Good afternoon, Buffy." Giles greeted her, "Faith was just giving a short report on last night's patrol. Rather slow, I gather, which is good." He turned back to Faith, "I'll talk with you again tonight."

Faith nodded before giving Buffy a tentative smile before walking passed her and leaving, Buffy looked questioningly at Giles. "What's tonight?"

Giles sighed. "It seems I might have been a bit overzealous with our, ah, 'future review'. So much so that I have been neglecting Faith, so tonight we'll be sword-fighting."

Buffy perked up at that. "Ooh, a midnight duel. Can I watch? I wanna see Faith whup you."

"Buffy, I'll have you know I fenced at university. I'm not one to, uh, buckle my swash as it were, but I'm sure Faith will not have an easy time of it...Although she does have a natural predilection for weapons training, especially blades." Giles mused before regarding Buffy as he walked over to desk, "As for you witnessing said contest... Well that depends on whether you finish the assignment I'm proposing you."

Buffy followed him over. "Assignment? But I have Birthday plans tomorrow, remember? You know, getting off my case and letting me relax a little. I'd kinda like to break the 'horrible Buffy Birthday bash' streak I've got going."

Giles nodded patiently. "Yes, and tomorrow I'm sure you'll enjoy indecent amounts of sugary cake, but for now, an...opportunity has arisen." Giles offered her the paper, "The mayor is attending a charity event this evening. It seems, evil though he is, he can't resist..."

Buffy raised her eyebrows as she took the paper. "...Sugary cake?"

Giles allowed a small smile. "Publicity? Perhaps just the chance to keep up appearances? For whatever reasons the Mayor and some of his security staff will be in attendance. In the meantime you will infiltrate the town hall and try to ascertain how far along the Mayor is with his, ah, Ascension plans. Perhaps we'll find some clues that you missed the last time?"

Buffy frowned. "I suppose...but alone? I dunno, shouldn't I probably take Faith along with?"

"It was my understanding that you've infiltrated his offices before to steal the box? Surely you know the layout, the security weak-spots." Giles took off his glasses, "I'm not asking you to engage Buffy, just to gather whatever data you can and report back. As for Faith...reconnaissance isn't her strong suit and we would have to explain how the Mayor became a suspect in wrong-doing." Giles shook his head, "It will be easier if and when we have some evidence, Buffy. Surely you realise that."

Buffy pouted a little despite herself. "I...guess. Just been a while since I've gone all lone wolf." She paused before nodding determinedly, "I can do this...And be back in time to watch Faith kick your swash-buckled butt."

"Excellent." Giles nodded in agreement before looking over Buffy's shoulder, "Cordelia, can I, uh, help you?"

Buffy turned to see Cordelia standing by the library doors. "I'm here to talk to Buffy, actually." She gave a small, helpless shrug like she couldn't believe what she just said.

Giles cleared his throat. "Very well, but, ah, please make it quick. Buffy has some...errands to run tonight." He then made himself scarce by disappearing into his office.

Buffy looked at Cordelia cautiously, she hadn't really spoken to her since Christmas. "Hey, um, how have you been?"

Cordelia sighed irritably. "Can we just get this over with?"

Buffy smirked. "Get what over with? The game where I have to guess where this conversation is going? 'Cause as games go, not fun."

"I thought Xander would've told you that..." Cordelia stopped and rolled her eyes before taking a deep breath, "Fine. I'm sorry; I was out of line with what I said to you. Not that I totally didn't have a point...But I shouldn't have said it. I was mad at Xander and his, I don't know, hormonal fantasies or whatever."

Buffy looked warily towards Giles' office, she didn't really want him overhearing anything awkward. She waved a dismissive hand. "You didn't have to mad at Xander, okay. I asked for his advice, he's my friend. That's it."

"Buffy, please. The guys had a crush on you for like, forever. And I've seen the way he looks at Faith." Cordelia frowned, "And the two of you together..."

Buffy stepped forward and interrupted. "Cordelia, you love Xander, right?"

Cordelia made a face. "I...I guess. I mean, he makes me happy and when I think of him, us... together I feel, uh, better." She frowned at Buffy. "Why?"

"Because you have nothing to worry about. Xander, he might have daydreams, or make silly jokes. It's kind of how he copes with new situations, but he's with you because he loves you. You click together, y'know." Buffy walked a little closer and lowered her voice, "And when you click with somebody, it doesn't matter who, you don't notice anybody else, not really. I didn't choose to fall for Angel or...for Faith, these things just happen." Buffy scowled and shook her head, "And I'm so not a drama queen."

Cordelia smiled. "Little bit."

"Whatever. But if I was I'd certainly have the right to be." Buffy pulled her bag onto her shoulder, "How many eighteen year old girls have to spend their Friday nights saving the world?"

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Hypothetical?"

Buffy nodded and glanced to see Giles deep in book-mode. "Well, yeah...And you can tell Xander we're good now...We are good, right?"

"As good as we're ever going to be, I guess."Cordelia thought about it, "So the 'you and Faith' situation is for real, not just some attention getter?"

"For real." Buffy shrugged, "I mean, I tried the whole normal thing with Scott...it just didn't work out. Things with Faith..."

"Be vague." Cordelia stated flatly.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll be all flowery. Faith is like three different people rolled into one, she's...always surprising, and exciting, and she makes me happy. Does that make sense?"

Cordelia shook her head as she opened the library door. She was as blunt as ever. "Sorry, I'm a practical girl. Unless one of her 'three different people' has a penis, I'll remain mystified. Anyway, good luck with the save-age or whatever." And with that Cordelia left, things between them better than they had been, which Buffy supposed was something.

With a last look at Giles, Buffy left for her house. She would mention the whole dream thing later, when more vital things were done with. But for now she had to quick change into urban ninja mode and then go on to the town hall to do her civic duty.

'That's me, Future Girl to the rescue.'

With a final heave Buffy pulled herself off of the ladder and up onto the roof, swinging the backpack that had been Faith's Christmas present off her shoulder she crouched in the shadows and looked towards the skylight.

No sounds and no vampire security walking the grassy perimeter had made it a pretty easy infiltration so far. Buffy guessed that the Mayor thought that his anonymity was his best protection.

The last time Buffy had done this she'd been in the company of Willow and Angel and the only alarm system there'd been was the one for the big box o' spiders. Nothing electronic.

Buffy also remembered that the skylight led into a conference room, on the same floor as the main corridor that led to the suit of offices. One of which belonged to the Deputy Mayor. From there she could find the Mayor's office, and maybe a helpful 'how to become an invulnerable immortal while in political office' book while she at it.

From her bag Buffy pulled two fresh stakes, a length of rope and a stick of chewing gum. Popping the chewing gum in her mouth she made her way over to the skylight and peered down.

All clear.

Putting her backpack down to one side she put the stakes into her inside jacket pocket and silently opened the window, tied off the end of the rope onto a nearby pipe before dropping it over the edge into the room. Taking the gum out of her mouth she pressed it against the latch mechanism to stop it from locking when she closed it behind her. An open skylight would look wicked obvious to anyone coming into the room and casually looking around.

'"Wicked obvious"? I guess Faith's rubbing off on me...'

Swinging her leg over Buffy quickly descended, stopping only to gently close the window. Pleased that the catch didn't take she landed softly on the conference table, coiling the rope she threw it high up onto the top of one of some nearby cupboards so that it didn't hang down. As long as nobody turned on the main light it wasn't that obvious.

Scooting off of the table she cautiously approached the twin doors exiting the room, grabbing one of the handles she opened she carefully opened the door and peaked out.

Which is where her luck ran out.

Just as she was looking a large man in a dark suit and lime green tie was making his way down the corridor, his eye caught the movement of the door and he turned, seeing Buffy's profile.

Grimacing Buffy opened the door more fully. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I just got like, totally lost. Is the tour over?" Buffy said emphasising her valley girl inflections.

The man glared menacingly at her but didn't call out or reach for a radio or anything. "What are you doing here?"

"Not buying it huh? If I was Fletch you would've bought it." Buffy sighed, "Well, since you ask, I'm multitasking." She counted things off on her fingers, "I'm breaking into the Mayors office, critiquing all the crappy furniture that the Mayor somehow thinks is tasteful and, also, I'm kicking your ass." With that Buffy shot forward, grabbed the vampire by his lapels and yanked him with her, back into the conference room.

Startled the vampire never the less responded quickly, knocking Buffy's hands aside and taking a wild swing at her. She ducked, moving to get between him and the open door. She bashed it closed before turning and kicking him solidly in the back. He stumbled forward as she drew a stake. Time to make this quick.

But then Buffy staggered as she was hit with a dizzy spell, she blinked and swayed slightly as her vision swam.

'What the hell..? No, this can't...No crystals, there were no injections. Giles wouldn't...'

The vampire struck her in the face, knocking her back hard against the door. Growling and now in vamp face he forced himself against her and tried to drive his mouth against her neck. Desperately Buffy fought him, getting a hand under his chin and forcing his face up, with a forceful grunt her rammed her head against his face, knocking him backwards. She felt the strength in her muscles as she struck him hard, twice across the face before a powerful uppercut sent him sprawling back onto the conference table.

With a fast, clumsy lunge Buffy managed to jab the stake deep into his chest, letting go as she suddenly felt her legs give out from under her and she sank to the floor.

This wasn't weakness; at least it didn't feel like it to Buffy. It was similar to the dizzy spells that the serum had given her, like sudden vertigo that sapped the coordination from her limbs. Her head was spinning and she felt hot, feverish. Where had this come from? Giles wouldn't send her on this mission if he thought...

She had to get out of here, back up onto the roof. Buffy shook her head in an attempt to clear, by that just made it worse, blackness started to creep into he edges of her vision, before her eyes distinct shapes blurred like a mirage, rippling and blending with the black as the conference floor carpet got closer and closer...

It felt like Buffy had only closer her eyes for a second, forehead resting on cheap scratchy carpeting. She blinked, moved her head slightly to see feet. Lots of feet. Four pairs of smart black shoes and one pair of stylish brown spats at the front.

"Y'know slayer, there is a difference between being cocky and just plain stupid. And I think you just found the line." Trick squatted down a few feet away from her and smiled, "What's the matter, you gettin' puffed after staking one vamp?"

He cocked his head at one of his underlings. "Who'd she get?"

"Murdock." The vampire stated, sounding upset.

"Uh, which one was he?"

"Colourful ties." Another said dismissively.

Trick shook his head sadly. "Aw, see. Now that guy had... panache, why did you have to go and do that."

Buffy's head was clearing now; she looked up and saw three guys, security, in power suits. Definitely vamps. But surprisingly the fourth person was a nervous looking Finch; obviously the Deputy Mayor was working late.

Buffy tested her muscles; they seemed fine, a few pins and needles but no real sign of weakness. Her mind, senses were still a bit dull, no way she could hold her own against four vampires, especially if one of them was Trick. Buffy was in trouble, she knew it and more importantly Trick knew it too. But maybe there was something she could do to even the odds. Trying to be casual but deliberately failing she glanced at her watch as she sat up.

Trick caught the gesture. "You need to be somewhere?" He said dryly.

Buffy gave her best dead-eyed stare and bluffed him. "You really don't think I came alone did you? Maybe you forgot what we did to your last boss. We."

Trick lost his smile and stood up quickly. "You two check the Mayor's office first they spread out. Look for the other slayer. Check with security down stairs."Buffy felt a little better as two of the burly vampires hurried back out the door. Better odds.

Finch didn't move, just spoke up nervously. "I think we'll...I mean, shouldn't we have h-her escorted off the premises? Right away?"

Trick raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at Finch. "Oh, I don't think the Mayor would want that. Besides, she just got here; she should see something for her efforts."

Buffy moved in a blur, flipping to her feet and kicking Trick in the side. But she was slower than usual and he turned with the blow, evading it. But fortunately Trick stumbled backwards over a panicked Finch before he could counter.

Buffy tried to press her advantage and ran face first into a strong right cross from the second vampire that sent her reeling. He followed by charging into her, his flailing arms knocking her back before she could regain her balance. With a bone-jarring thud they both crashed against the wall, his hands seizing her throat and ramming her head back a couple of times before Buffy gripped his hands and twisted one of his thumbs under there was a dull cracking snap. Roaring in pain he slammed an elbow into her temple as she dodged under him and to the side.

Trick was already heading her way, his face vamped and grinning confidently. The last time they'd squared off properly Buffy had almost died, only Faith's timely intervention had saved her. She pulled a stake, shifted her stance and kicked back at the vampire behind her as he came at her again, her boot catching him in the stomach.

Pushing off against him she snapped a jab at Trick's face, saw him dodge easily as he turned into a spin kick. She should've read it better but instead caught a solid blow to the ribs and then a stinging backhand. Buffy just barely managed to dodge his legsweep by leaping backwards onto the table and kicking out with both legs. Her feet ploughed solidly into his chest and Trick flew back against the wall with a satisfying crunch.

But the other vampire grasped her outstretched legs and pulled her forcefully off the table. Buffy landed heavily on the carpet and wasn't fast enough to avoid the foot that stomped on her chest, and then a follow up kick to her stomach. Buffy winched as pain shot though her, she twisted onto her side to catch another powerful boot before kicking back and up into the vampire's groin.

With a strangled snarl he backed off only to be replaced by Trick who snatched Buffy, yanked her up and brutally smashed her head against the edge of the conference table. Buffy reeled as she broke his grip and tried to back up but Trick was quicker, hitting the side of her face with something heavy, a paperweight? And suddenly she felt roaring in her ears.

She was obviously slower than she realised from her light-headedness, she brought up her arms to block another blow to her head, but caught one to her throat instead. Coughing, Buffy snatched at the wrist, punched wildly at her opponent, the blows connecting solidly, before twisting the limb and throwing Trick to one side, watching as he slid over the polished conference table to crash heavily on the other side.

Buffy shook her head as she drew a stake from her jacket, slay one and run, get away before the whole security brigade comes crashing down. She snapped a look at the other security vamp that came barrelling at her, lashing out with a low kick to trip him. He collided with her and they both went tumbling, his heavy body bearing down on her so all she had to do was turn her wrist slightly and suddenly he was dust.

Buffy coughed in a lungful of air as she struggled back to her feet. Across the table Trick adjusted his suit, his yellow eyes glaring at her.

"Well, this has been fun, but..." He gestured behind her to where three vamps stood in the doorway, having returned after completing their sweep. Buffy felt her shoulders slump, she was already hurting, and for some reason not at her best, too slow and dizzy. So Buffy did the only thing she could think of, she charged at the remaining vamps and, just as she though they would, they charged her. She spun agilely on a dime and ran back towards the conference table, stepped up and kicked off it before flipping high over the security's rearing heads. Landing somewhat gracefully behind them she grabbed the double doors and pulled them shut as she stepped back into the corridor.

'Haven't been that acrobatic in a while...and, Ow.'

She spotted two more vamps heading up the corridor, speeding up suddenly as they saw her, while the doors in her hands vibrated alarmingly as the vampires inside tried to force their way out. Stepping backwards quickly Buffy grabbed a nearby chair, kept there for guard duty, and hurled it at the oncoming blood suckers, getting a little satisfaction as they tripped clumsily over cheap furnishings. She ran the other way down the corridor, ignoring office doors, looking for an emergency exit. Nothing, just a big frosted glass window at the end, and with them all being about three stories up...

She snapped a look back to see the couple of vamps had become a mob, Trick wasn't amongst them, but then he didn't need to be, in her condition they would tear her apart no problem. Buffy grimaced, braced herself and ran as fast at the window as she could, if she pushed off hard enough she could maybe hit the tree line around the building and break her fall.

'Well, as mission successes go, this was about sucked out of ten.'

Buffy smashed through the glass at a dead run and dropped into darkness.

Helpless: Part 2 (What's Right About This Passage Again?)

Buffy limped into sight of the school just as she finished picking the last of the leaves out of her jacket with her free hand. Her other arm was still cradling her ribs after their sudden encounter with a tree branch.

She'd gotten away from Trick and his men, but not cleanly. She felt sore all over, arms and shoulders aching from breaking her fall, head and neck from the fight in the town hall, and a badly sprained ankle from a poor landing. In action movies they always show people parachuting or jumping into a tree line like its no big deal. Lying pack of Hollywood liars.

Forgoing the main exit, she didn't want to explain her battered appearance to any late-night janitor's; Buffy opted to enter the library through the back. Hissing every time she put her weight on her foot Buffy made her way as quickly as she could across the grounds, she knew Giles was still here; his car was in the faculty lot.

Buffy wasn't worried about her physical injuries, although the fact she was being beat up more this year than last 'year' was kind of distressing, but she would heal.

Some of the pain from her head and ribs was already fading, and in a couple of days she'd be good as new. But mentally, getting all waverey and lightheaded was far worse. Slayers who got dizzy right before a slay had a short shelf life like, some sort of fruit, a pear maybe? Buffy never knew when those things were ready to eat.

She'd even checked both her arms for fresh injection marks after fleeing the town hall, but nothing, no holes or bruising. So she didn't think Giles was responsible, big relief.

So Buffy would tell him, ask him for any thoughts he might have and then take the rest of the night and tomorrow off, ice-scapades beckoned. She needed some TLC from her failed infiltration mission, and since the mayor now knew that he was on her radar he'd be much more wary next time.

Buffy passed through a couple of side doors and ended up in the stacks at the back of the library, pausing in the gloom she slowly made her way forward.

As she did so she heard voices, Giles talking with someone, seemingly in sympathy.

"There, all done. Now that wasn't so bad now was it?"

"I guess not." The other voice was Faith, sounding pretty grumpy.

Buffy sped up a little, perhaps she'd missed the sword fight and Faith had somehow lost. She sure sounded upset about it. It would've been pretty surprising as well...but didn't Faith say that she was coming down with something? Maybe it was a cold.

Buffy suddenly got a bad feeling and stopped, deciding to just listen as the conversation continued.

"So when is this stuff gonna kick in? Shouldn't I be feelin' better?" Faith asked Giles.

"The effects should take about half an hour to make themselves known." Giles said reassuringly, "After that your strength and reflexes should start coming back."

"'S good, cus' I'm really off my game...barely gettin' by. Like my games' become...Lacrosse or somethin' lame like that."

Giles' tone was conciliatory. "Well, I'm aware that you started you training before your calling, that must have standed you in good stead."

Faith grunted. "Barely, though Xander and Red watchin' my back was a big help, y'know?"

"I did tell you to forego patrolling until you were feeling better." Giles admonished, "It was lucky nobody was injured."

"Nah, we had a system down, it's all good." Faith chuckled dryly. "Maybe we should use this super-juice on the Scooby's so they can help out some more."

"Yes, well I wouldn't recommend it...Some nasty side-effects." Giles seemed to be moving around and putting stuff away, "Now did you bring your weapons like I asked?"

"Sure, everything I could fit in a bag. What's up?"

Giles sighed, he seemed reluctant. "We've discovered the source of a new rash of undead activity in the area. It seems a vampire is busily siring left and right, trying to swell the surrounding vampiric population for an untold dark purpose." He coughed slightly, "We've located his lair."

Buffy could here Faith's doubt. "Who's we?"

"Buffy and I, we've been tracking attack patterns you see, looking for the source." 'Oh have we now...What the hell is Giles doing?'

"So where's Buffy?" Faith asked.

"Uh, oh I would think that she's probably waiting for you. I told her to scout the vampire's location; fortunately he seems to occupy a nest all on his own."

Buffy heard a chair scrape as Faith stood up. "Then where is she, I'll head there now."

"She's near an old boarding house on Prescott Lane. If she's not outside...she's probably waiting for you inside, you know how she is."

'Oh, hell no... Kralik, he's sending her after Kralik and using me as bait! This ends right now.'

Buffy stepped from behind the bookcase she'd been standing near for these long minutes, and immediately felt the familiar sense of vertigo kick in. She swayed and clutched the edge of the bookcase for support, she could still hear the conversation continuing, but the words echoed and distorted so much that couldn't make out distinct words. She tried calling out but she felt queasiness rising in her stomach so she stopped.

Buffy gritted her teeth and fought back rising the nausea as she pressed her forehead against hard wood and musty books, fingers strong and steady but her legs felt numb. She could feel her vision swimming behind her eyes, and a sensation like water sloshing back and forth in her ears. What the hell was this...?

She heard approaching footsteps. "Buffy..." Giles' voice, soft with surprise.

Buffy opened her eyes, still feeling queasy, and not just because of the dizzy spell. "You bastard."

Giles was standing at the top of the stairs, not looking particularly pleased with himself. "How long have you been...?"

Buffy tested her legs by moving away from the bookcase. "Long enough," She said glaring at him before calling out, "Faith! Faith!"

Giles looked around. "Faith left about five minutes ago, Buffy." He spoke softly and with sympathy.

She turned on him. "You said you weren't going to do it. You just stood there and lied to me, again!" Buffy said coldly, "You sent me on a suicide run and then used it as cover to send Faith somewhere to get killed. What the hell are you doing?" She started towards him but stumbled, she stopped herself from falling by hastily grabbing the banister.

Seemingly for the first time Giles took in her injuries, how she moved. "Buffy, what happened? Are you alright?"

Buffy grimaced as she swayed. "Like you care. How did you do it, huh? It couldn't have been needles because that's the first thing I checked."

"Checked..?" Giles frowned, "Buffy, I didn't do anything to you. I gave you my word...But the council, the preparations were already in motion and with Faith's birthday having just passed..."

"What? You Watchers thought you'd get her a present?" Buffy gave a harsh laugh, "What do you get for the slayer who has nothing."

Giles face was a mask of sorrow. "Every slayer must face the Cruciamentum. If it wasn't to be you then it was to be Faith. I'm sorry, Buffy but in matters of protocol I must answer to the council."

Buffy sneered at him. "So you betray her, the girl with trust issues and impulse control problems. That's real smart."

Giles sighed and took off his glasses. "You're more right than you know."

Despite herself Buffy asked. "What do you mean?"

Giles looked at her, his eyes tired. "Faith is…an exceptional slayer, but she does have faults. Her first instinct is to always attack, sometimes without thinking. I have tried talking to her but she's too stubborn. She's also reckless and overconfident and that…that I fear will eventually lead to her death. Or perhaps the death of somebody else."

'Alan Finch…' "So you're saying this is what, for her own good? …No, that's bullshit. That's just the council's 'she'll come out stronger' company line. She'll come out hating you." But Buffy's voice sounded unsure, even to herself.

"You think I don't know that." Giles snapped, "But it will keep her alive longer and I have to believe that the risk is worth taking." Giles sighed as his voice softened again. "…I didn't want to do this Buffy, but I had no choice. You must know that."

Buffy felt her anger growing again. "You want to know what I know…I know that your beloved superiors royally screw up this test thing. That Kralik escapes and murders his handlers before turning one of them. That's what I know."

Giles eyes widened in shock. "But you didn't say…"

"Because you lied to my face and told me the test wasn't taking place at all! I thought that was it. Done. But now everything…" Buffy froze as she thought of something, "Giles, did the Watchers know where Faith was staying, did they know that she was staying at my house?"

Giles nodded. "Of course, but why…Good lord, Joyce!"

Buffy made her way down the stairs and over to the front desk. "He's gonna take Mom again, use her to bait Faith. He has a thing for Mothers, that's what he told me last time."

Buffy grabbed the phone and dialed her house, waiting an eternity as the phone rang and rang. 'C'mon Mom, please…'

No answer, the machine got it. And Mom should be back from the gallery this late.

Buffy turned to Giles. "I don't care about your 'rite of passage' bullshit; I'm going after them both. Now."

Giles nodded understandingly. "Of course Buffy, but…your injured, badly. How did you come to…?"

"Tell you later, but Faith is not facing Kralik alone. She might not be able to…" Buffy shook her head but didn't finish.

A new voice spoke up from behind her. "That is the point of the exercise, Miss Summers."

Buffy turned to see Travers standing at the library doors. "You."

Travers regarded Buffy sternly. "Miss Summers, you are forbidden to interfere with the test."

She flexed her fingers and smiled dangerously. "I'd be kinda curious to know how you're going to stop me."

"Mr. Giles, control your slayer." Travers kept his voice firm, "Before she does something you'll both regret."

Giles fumed. "The test is over. Kralik has escaped and by now either Blair or Hobson will have been turned. This whole thing has spun impressively out of control. Quentin, I'm appealing to you to stop this at once."

Travers nodded somberly. "I am…aware of the situation. It changes nothing."

Giles just stared in disbelief as Buffy glared at him. "That maniac has my mother."

That seemed to give Travers pause. "Then…in that case you must rely on your fellow slayer to rescue her, just as you would trust her with your own life, night after night."

Buffy stepped forward but stopped herself just in time. "I am seriously considering hitting you."

Travers didn't even blink. "A slayer must be more than physical prowess, Miss Summers. She must have cunning, imagination, and a confidence that comes from self-reliance. Believe me when the exercise is over your friend will be stronger for it." Travers looked at Giles, "You've told me of this girl…her talents. That combined with Miss Dormer's notes…"

Buffy had had enough; she hurried over to Quentin and grabbed him. "This isn't an exercise, moron. This is people's lives you're playing with." She then shoved him hard to one side and raced out of the library, she'd lost enough time talking with that crusty old idiot. At least Giles understood the dangers now, but the question was did Faith?

The boarding house loomed before Buffy, doors closed, windows boarded and bricked up. A house of death with Faith and her Mom trapped inside.

Despite the pain in her chest and limbs, her weakness, the light-headedness that faded in and out, Buffy hadn't hesitated. She'd pushed out all those sensations, including the seeping feeling of helplessness that threatened to overcome her.

She'd pressed herself onward, sprinting over to this place as fast as she could, as nightmare after nightmare reeled through her head, of her Mom tied up and helpless, of hearing Faith calling out her name in fear and panic, of not being there in time.

Now with focused anger she kicked at the sturdy front door, feeling solid wood and lock tear away from the door jam, the noise was jarringly loud in the quiet of the night.

Buffy stepped cautiously into the house, its dilapidated surroundings coming back to her in eerily clear detail. But there were some differences, scattered across the foyer floor were a few weapons, splintered stakes, a dropped dagger, even a small axe embedded in the wall opposite, like it had been thrown.

But what caught Buffy's eye and made her insides freeze was blood.

Large droplets scattered across the floor, trailing to the stair case, like somebody was steadily seeping blood as they moved. Buffy reached and snatched up an intact stake, looking left and right towards the murky shadows. Nothing.

Buffy walked forward, heading for the foot of the stairs when she heard a creak from behind her. She turned to see a vampire lunge at her from behind the front door, its growl mixed with a snarl of pain as it had tore itself loose of a crossbow bolt that had pinned it to the wall.

Buffy dodged backwards and kicked out on instinct, her foot connecting low and making the vampire stumble past her. She twisted the stake as she spun and lunged at its back but, quicker than she had thought, the vampire turned and seized her exposed wrist. He slammed a fist into her sore ribs before throwing Buffy around and across the room with deceptive strength. Buffy stumbled forward as her foot connected with something heavy and she crashed hard against a crumbling sofa.

That's when she heard the female scream coming from upstairs, one not of fear but of pain. Buffy struggled to get up, cursing the sluggishness in her limbs as she was grasped around the back of the neck and hauled up.

"I'm getting real tired…" Without looking she jammed the stake backwards directly into the vamps heart, "Of grabby men."

She turned and walked through the exploding haze of dust, quickening her pace as she neared the foot of the stairs. The screams had stopped; all that greeted her as she ascended was ominous silence.

Despite her better judgment Buffy cried out. "Faith! Faith, hang on!"

Halfway up the steps Buffy paused to step over bits of broken banister, spotting a discarded penknife she recognized as belonging to Faith, as well as curious wood shavings littering one of the steps. Faith making new stakes? And where the hell was Kralik?

A voice from above answered her last question. "Well, what do we have here? Dessert? And I haven't even finished my main course." There was a dry chuckle.

Buffy gripped her stake as she looked up into the darkness, she saw Kralik descending, almost casually, and he held his pills in one hand. "Hey, you wouldn't have some water would you? I just hate dry swallowing…it, heh, drives me crazy."

Buffy readied herself, her legs tensing. "I've got something that'll make your pain go away for good, it's a regular cure-all." She looked into his eyes as they caught the half-light, "Where's Faith?"

He grinned and almost giggled. "I killed her." Buffy's heart almost stopped.

And that's when he struck out with a leg at Buffy's face, her eyes flickering with uncertainty, catching her solidly under the chin and sending her flying forcefully back down the stairs. Her back crashed hard against the hand rail, splintering old dead wood as it disintegrated under the force of her weight. The impact sent white-hot pain spiraling across her back, Buffy came to moments later on the floor in the lobby, shattered spokes and broken bits of wood lay all around her. She scrambled for her lost stake.

Suddenly Kralik brought his boot down on her searching hand, heel crushing painfully against her fingers. Buffy cried out as he clutched at the back of her neck and pulled her upright. She struggled against his strength, shooting an elbow into his stomach. He barely grunted, ignoring any pain, before swinging her around and face first into the newel post. Creaking timber exploded on impact as Buffy barely got her arms up in time to protect her head, she tumbled away onto the floor and rolled forward, partially blinded and feeling wetness on her face. She scrambled as she tried to get some space, a doorway between herself and Kralik so she could regroup.

Buffy pushed herself up and wiped her hand across her eyes, pushing away any fragments of wood. She saw a door up ahead, maybe the one to the basement?

But Kralik was relentless, seizing her shoulders in a vice-like grip, his voice a sing-song rasp in her ear. "Someone's in the basement. Let's go see."

With that he flung Buffy headlong at the door which shattered as it impacted against her. Stairs flew up to meet her as Buffy bounced down them, twisting and tumbling end over end as the floor hammered her body, ribs blaring out in strident agonizing chords as she crashed in a heap at the bottom. Her head swam as the dust settled; her brain was being filled with a chorus of painful signals. Something liquid trickled down into her ear, she wasn't sure if it was blood or sweat.

Buffy's limbs felt leaden but still she managed to pull herself up, blinking to clear her vision she sensed Kralik at the top of the stairs. She crawled across the floor, through the rubble and debris that was scattered everywhere.

Buffy saw her Mom, still gagged and tied to a chair to one side, held as a terrified prisoner. To her left stood Faith, battered and bloody, she looked at Buffy, her face grim. There were scratches on her forehead, bloody smears on her neck where she looked like she'd been bit, her bottom lip was split and her left cheek was beginning to swell. Faith didn't react to Buffy, or how she looked. Her jaw was rigid with tension, her cheeks pursed, her mouth clamped shut and her eyes unreadable. In her right hand she held a crossbow; the left was curled protectively against her side like it was hurt.

Buffy felt a hand clutch at her leg before she was hauled back into the shadows, hearing her Mom's panicked cries through her gag. Buffy tried to resist but her muscles wouldn't work, her limbs felt like useless dead weight and her nerves trembling with soreness. Kralik effortlessly pulled her upright.

He held Buffy rigid against himself, shielding himself from Faith's aim. "Now little girl, let's make a deal. I cast aside this...tasty meal when you toss your weapon. That sounds fair, hmn?" He chuckled darkly, his hand clamped on Buffy's throat.

Buffy tried to shake her head, to speak or make a sound but his grip was too tight, and she was too weak. It seemed like everywhere that didn't hurt was dead and numb.

She tried to read Faith's eyes, but all she saw there was fear.

Faith didn't say anything, didn't hesitate, she just threw the crossbow so it clattered between them. Buffy watched as her Mom's eyes widened in terror.

Buffy felt Kralik sigh and then toss Buffy like a rag doll, she slammed hard against an old industrial washing machine, she huffed out a painful breath as she hit the floor, and her head slumped. Blearily with her eyes she willed Faith to try and retrieve the crossbow.

But Kralik was walking towards Faith at a predatory stroll, and had already stepped over the discarded weapon. His hands held high. "See, I'm a man of my word. I'm not a monster...Well; actually I'm a monster of my word, but you get the idea." He glanced between Faith and Buffy's Mom and then tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I'll tell you what... after I turn you, you can decide which one to eat and which one to turn. One big happy family. How does that sound?"

Faith still didn't speak; her lips were pressed firmly together. But Faith's throat seemed to flexing involuntarily, her wide eyes fixed of Kralik as her right arm went behind her back before quickly pulling out a crucifix and brandishing it at Kralik.

Buffy's eyes widened in despair. 'That won't work, he'll get past it and... hurt her.'

Her eye's searched frantically across the floor before spotting the crossbow nearby, its bolt having skipped the groove and rolled to within reach of Buffy. She flexed her fingers, feeling a twinge in her shoulder as she did so, but she managed to scoot a little and close her fingers around the wooden bolt. She tested to see if her stiff legs could move. Trembling with effort she managed to pull them under herself. As she did so Kralik stepped to within a foot of Faith.

His teeth were bared at the cross, his body trembling with tension before he suddenly seized Faith's wrist and pulled her close, laying her hand and the crucifix against her skin. "Ah, that's...nice, a little lower. That's it." Smoke rose from his chest as he moved Faith's hand around, "This holds no fear for me, little girl, it's just wood." He leaned forward against her trapped arm, his mouth wide and smiling, "What are you afraid of?"

And the then Faith smile.

And spat.

A long stream of water came from her mouth, arching directly into Kralik's face and open mouth, splashing against his lips and blistering as it did so. Kralik screamed and choked in agony as his face and throat were engulfed in sizzling smoke. "Aaarrrggghh!" Kralik screamed, clawing at his throat and mouth, eyes wide and bulging. He released Faith's hand and she jerked the crucifix away and pulled it back.

"Ain't afraid of you asshole." Faith plunged the crucifix down into Kralik's face, its long stem sinking deep into his eyes socket. His screams and bellows became louder and higher pitched as he staggered and fell backwards onto the floor, his body writhing and jerking in agony. Faith followed him down, straddling him.

Faith snarled as she pulled the cross back, revealing that the long stem had been sharpened to a point. "Stake's just wood too, dumbass." She plunged it down, her face twisted in savage glee as she stabbed at his throat, again and again. Burning, holy wood punctured through undead flesh, burning and crisping as it did so. Kralik writhed in agony, parts of his neck and lower jaw were now smoking constantly from the burning holy water, almost beginning to blacken and melt.

Faith brought her hand back in a wide arch before stabbing down once more with full force, straight into Kralik's chest, and then the smoke was curling up from nothing but dust, Kralik's cries were silent and the basement was eerily quiet again.

Buffy pulled herself to her knees. "Faith! Faith...god, are you okay?"

Faith slumped back on her haunches, energy seemingly spent. Her voice was dull. "A little sticky...think my wrists broke."

"Don't worry we'll get you out of here..."Buffy stopped as Faith started crying, the brunette covering her face as harsh sobs wracked her frame, her shoulders trembling with a mixture of relief and sorrow. Buffy went over to her and hugged her shoulders.

To her surprise Faith resisted her, and pushed her away. "Where were you? You were supposed to be here..." Her voice was accusatory, "...Giles said you'd be..." She voice suddenly became dull with realisation, now that the terror of her situation was over, she was beginning to realise what had happened, what Giles had done.

Buffy backed off and made her way over to her Mom, concentrating on removing her gag and bonds, and then she could see about fixing Faith.

Because she was broken.

"Congratulations. You passed." Travers, with his hands in his pockets, nodded at Faith, "The exhibited extraordinary courage and clear-headedness in battle. The council is very please."

Faith sat at the desk, curled in a chair, her left arm now in a crude splint, her eyes dully watching Travers.

"Well goodie, now I feel all warm inside." She voice cracked with barely contained anger, Buffy, watching from across the table, could relate.

Travers nodded in understanding. "You think the test was unfair?"

"I think the next time I see you, you better be moving your tubby ass in the other direction." Faith snarled.

"We're not in the business of fair, Miss Lehane. We're fighting a war."

Buffy spoke up. "Actually, we're fighting it. You're watching. There's a difference."

"I'll get to you in due course Miss Summers; there are consequences for the actions you took."

Giles spoke up from behind Travers. "The test is done Quentin, you should leave. We're finished."

"Not quite." He turned to regard Giles, "The slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. You lost control of your slayer when you became personally involved." Travers sighed regrettably, "I have recommended to the council, and they have agreed, that you be removed from your duties as watcher effective immediately. You're fired."

Giles seemed a little taken aback. "On what grounds."

Travers shook his head in disappointment. "You took the side of your slayer against the council's wishes. It has become clear that your affection for her has rendered you incapable of clear and impartial judgement. And that is useless to the cause." His voice was firm now, "It would be best for you not to have any further contact with either slayer."

Giles shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere." He said firmly.

"No, well, I didn't expect you to adhere to that. However, if you interfere with the new watcher or try to countermand his authority in any way you will be dealt with. Are we clear?"

Giles didn't even try to hide his distain. "Oh, we're very clear."

Nodding Travers turned back to Faith, smiling softly. "Congratulations again."

"Screw you."

Travers frowned slightly at the disrespect, but shrugged it off as he left. "Yes, quite...Spirited girl."

Faith watched him go before slowly getting up, wincing as she did so.

Buffy hurried over. "Faith, don't move."

She looked at her dully. "Get away from me."

Buffy stopped and held back. "We need to get you to a hospital. We should've gone earlier."

Faith glanced between Buffy and Giles. "You don't seem t'be too surprised by all this, B. Why is that?"

"I..." Buffy hesitated, "I didn't know Giles was going to do this to you, I swear."

Faith eyed her suspiciously before turned on Giles. "Why?"

"It's a council test, Faith. It's done when the slayer reaches eighteen." Giles paused uncomfortably.

"And Buffy's eighteenth is comin' up so I get the short straw, is that it?" Faith limped passed them both, scowling. "Guess it don't matter. We know who the favourite is anyways."

Giles stepped forward hesitantly. "Faith..."

"We're done," Faith interrupted coldly, "I see you again, I'll kill you, I swear. The only reason I ain't is 'cause you're Buffy's watcher." Faith tilted her head slightly and smiled thinly, "Although, I guess you ain't anymore, huh? Well, how 'bout that. Best watch your back then, Rupert."

Giles held up a placating hand. "Faith, I didn't have a choice..."

"You better stop talkin' now; otherwise I'm huntin' ya down when I get my powers back." Faith's eyes burned into him, "How didja do it anyhow? I mean, apart from that last injection, obviously."

Giles shook his head, his face miserable. "A muscle relaxant in your water bottle, mixed with sedatives."

Buffy stepped in front of Faith. "Faith, please. I know how it feels. I know how angry you are, but we can get past this, okay? You don't have to forgive Giles, but we need..."

"No, actually you need to," Faith looked Buffy up and down, "And you don't know how it feels...to be...t'have everything that makes you special just taken like that. If you knew how it felt... there's no way you could 'get past' it." Faith stopped as she thought about it. "Tell me, B, if your Mom hadn't been there, would you even have showed up?"

Buffy looked disbelieving. "Of course I...I came to save you!"

Faith glared at her. "Well, you're hidin' something, I'm sure of that. And I'm done trusting blindly...So until you tell me whatever it is you're not tellin' me, we're through." She went to move passed her.

Buffy moved desperately to stop her, to get her to listen. "Faith, please just stop, don't do this. I can explain!"

"Move it, or we throw down, B. I mean it." Faith wouldn't look at her, "Joyce is waiting to take me to the hospital."

Dumbly Buffy stepped aside and watched the brunette leave, she couldn't feel anything. All the pain of her own injuries was swept away by the terrifying numbness that gripped her heart.

Holding her head Buffy slumped down on one of the chairs, dimly aware that it was now past midnight. Her birthday.

Giles spoke up softly, hesitantly. "Buffy...You and Faith, ah, is there something..."

Buffy spoke in barely a whisper, her throat tight, and her eyes holding back tears. "Don't Giles. Just, please... don't."

And through her head, those sentences from Christmas swirled. Echoing back and mocking her.

'"It's strange, don't you think that the most powerful hate is born out of love. All that jealousy and passion. Not to mention betrayal. It all burns so fierce."'

'"Faith...that's not her anymore, she wouldn't betray me."'

'"Interesting. You thought I was talking about her..."'

The Zeppo (Not The End Of The World)

Sewers.

Buffy had nothing against them in theory, but really, did they have to be so damn inviting to the denizens of the underworld. Sewers should stink more, or maybe smell really nice, something to make them off-putting to the various demon-y ugly types.

She sighed as she ducked a dripping overhead pipe and stepped over a puddle of liquid yuck to peer around the corner; ahead and on the right was where the cave entrance was supposed to be. Some overflow tunnel from back in the day that had collapsed and was now home to something nasty. Or rather three nasties.

Buffy heard Giles step up next to her; resting the tip of the sword he was carrying against the ground he wiped his forehead nervously. "Is that the place?" He said quietly.

"Suite 507, stinky plaza. Cave's been vacated by vamps, now home to three gnarly blue she-demons. I forget their name."

"Well, my sources aren't as reliable as they used to be. The council made sure of that when they relieved me of my duties. But if we're to find out what these demons are up to, we...I need to get a look at them." Giles looked at Buffy before remarking dryly, "Your assurances of the coming apocalypse not withstanding."

Buffy frowned at that. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it hardly a lot of notice is it. I've spent all week trying to research this Ascension, not to mention this dream invading fiend of yours, and then I offhandedly tell you of a recent upswing in vampire activity. One suggestion of clearing out a vampire nest and suddenly it's..." Giles lowered his voice further, "The end of the world."

"Well, I'm sorry I didn't write down specific dates in my big book of 'things to remember when I'm flung back in time'." Buffy sniped, "It's only when you said the other stuff that I remembered about the Hellmouth opening up. For some reason I've been preoccupied." She finished pointedly.

"Well, yes quite..." Giles muttered awkwardly, "How have things been between you and, ah..."

"Frosty, like arctic chill frosty. We're just two slayers that happen to live in the same house, that's it." Buffy shook her head sadly, "And I wasn't able to get hold of her on short notice. I don't even know where she patrols these days. So this time we're gonna have to do things a little differently."

Buffy didn't like it. The last time she'd faced these things Faith had been a huge help, and with Angel also inconveniently missing she'd had to call in anybody she could to lend a hand...

"I'm just saying why can't you light the candle now? We're kinda in the smelly armpit of darkness here." Xander grumbled as he finally caught up.

Willow was a least making an effort to keep her voice low. "It's for the spell. It's all pre-enchanted so I have to save it. Which means no light-y, understand?" Willow sounded like she was making an effort to control her nerves, "Besides, I don't know about you but I don't even want to know what I'm stepping in."

Xander defended himself. "Hey, I'm the poster child for the 'ignorance is bliss' philosophy. I just don't want to trip over in the dark and land painfully on my axe here. Just saying."

Buffy interrupted them sharply. "Guys, we're here, okay. A little less chat." Buffy paused and looked at the dank shadow that hid the cave mouth. That was their target, "Right, here's the plan. Giles and I will move to the entrance and get a look at them, and we'll lure one out and slay it. Willow, you'll cast the 'misty cloudy' spell to confuse things and then we'll all retreat. Xander...just stay behind Will, okay?"

Xander tried not to look hurt. "Right, great plan. Glad to be a part of it. Although if I felt any less manly my axe would wilt, so..."

Buffy didn't have time for this. "Xander, these evil, smurf-things are dangerous. I just can't risk you getting hurt, okay? Just watch Willow's back."

Willow nodded in agreement. "Don't worry; my protection spell should cover both of us if he remains close."

Xander nodded glumly. "So I'll just stand here and cower. Got it."

Buffy ignored him and gestured for Giles to move with her closer to the cave mouth, but she held up a hand as she heard voices coming from the other direction.

First a male voice, kinda whiny. "...tellin ya, they're all pointed ears and horny...I mean on their forehead, not like..."

The other voice grunted. "Keep movin'." Buffy's heart skipped as she recognised it as Faith's.

That's when she saw them; a guy dressed in a leisure suit, skinny with slicked-back hair a couple of medallions around his neck. Faith, all dressed up in her leather jacket and slaying gear was holding a stake in one hand. The other was on the vamps shoulder, holding him in front.

The man stopped, obviously nervous and gestured the same lair entrance that Buffy had been looking at. "There it is. A sweet little set up it was. Roomy, doesn't leak much or smell too bad, and then we get turfed out." He shook his head in a 'what is the world coming to' gesture, before looking over his shoulder, "Anyway, there's the evil, just like I told you. So, you'll let me go like you said, right?"

"Right," Faith said simply, before ramming her stake into his back and then shoving him away, "Just didn't say when."

The vampire staggered a few steps, splashing through brackish water, before disintegrating into dust.

Buffy saw Faith smile grimly at the sight before the brunette ducked her head and made her way towards the cave opening.

"Faith!" Buffy hissed, stepping into a shaft of pale moonlight drifting through an overhead sewer grating so the other girl could see her.

Faith turned and frowned. "Buffy?"

Buffy made a 'quietly' gesture before waving her hand to signal Faith to come closer. The other girl did so cautiously, but paused when she saw Giles and the others.

Her hard face turned sour. "What's going on, you waiting for me or somethin'?"

Buffy shook her head. "Or something. We're checking out that cave, the same one you are. We've got intel that it's crawling with demons." Buffy looked plaintively at the other girl, "Maybe we could work together on this."

Faith thought about it for second before shrugging. "Sure, you can tag along. Just don't get in my way." With that she moved back towards the opening.

Buffy went after her. "Faith, wait. We have a plan, okay? We can lure them out."

Faith didn't look back, just squatted next to the entrance and cocked her head. "No offence, B. But the last time I followed a plan that G was a part of, I almost got dead. Come if you're coming." With that she stepped into the cave mouth and vanished.

Buffy cursed in frustration, obviously Faith was still reckless as hell, never mind what Giles had been trying to do.

Still, they'd actually had a conversation. Sort of. A lot less dismissive grunts of than ever before, anyway.

Buffy scrambled over to the entrance after Faith, but Giles caught her arm. She glared at him in annoyance but all he did was offer the sword. "Take this, you'll need it. We'll make our way down and cast Willow's spell while you have these demons, um, distracted."

She nodded thanks, grabbed the sword and turned to follow Faith into the inky black. The cave mouth descended steeply in a slope of damp, crumbling brick, before dropping away onto a concrete platform scattered with rubble, things washed down from the sewers above.

Old stone and earthen walls were studded with broken-through tree roots. The odd ancient lighting fixture along the wall was the only illumination. Buffy saw Faith drop off the concrete skirting onto the earthen cave floor and look around cautiously. "Don't see nothin'..." She muttered before tilting her head to listen to something.

Suddenly from the dark rushed one of the she-demons, running into Faith and knocking them both to the floor. It's cracked, shrieking voice bouncing off of the cave walls as its clawed hands grappled with the dark slayer. Buffy moved quickly down the slope, jumping over bits of driftwood and wire mesh to land on the floor next to the two struggling figures. She raised her sword in a high arc above them, ready to strike, only to be grabbed from behind and yanked backwards. Callused warty hands twisted her at the waist and threw Buffy hard face first against the cave wall. She quickly dropped the sword and brought up her arms to brace before kicking backwards at the bellowing she-demon, a solid hit from her knocked it off its feet.

A third creature emerged from the darkness. It's strangled, cackling cry aimed straight at Buffy as it charged. The blonde pressed off the wall, ducking a vicious clawed hand before elbowing the demon in the back of its head. To the other side Faith had barely managed to get the upper hand, rolling on top and pummelling the she-demon below her with a forehand-backhand combination, grunting in anger as she did so. She reached into her waistband, perhaps for a stake or other weapon, before being torn off the downed demon, pulled up and backwards by Buffy's first opponent, both of them slamming against and bouncing off a stone pillar. Faith groaned loudly in pain and surprise.

Buffy kicked out at the demon trying to get up before twisting to avoid the talons of the one behind her, its ferocious raking drove Buffy away from the walls and her sword, the blue skinned creature tearing at the air where Buffy had been moments earlier.

She heard to scrambling sound of Giles and the others as they made their way down to join the fight, so Buffy acted quickly. She shot out her hands to catch the demon's thick and vieny wrists before quickly jerking it forward as she herself fell backwards and rolled. The she-creature rammed forward onto Buffy's outstretched legs and went flying over her, screeching even as it slammed heavily into the wall opposite.

Buffy flipped to her feet as one of the other demons did so, Faith was busy, having gotten her opponent in a headlock, and bashing its head repeatedly against a nearby rock formation. The she-demon in front of Buffy struck her with lightning fast speed, punching fiercely at her chest and stomach.

Wincing Buffy swiftly backed up and kicked out, trying to maintain a little distance from her opponent. The demon knocked away her leg, talons scratching her ankle, and then backhanded Buffy hard against a wall.

The blonde forced herself upright and ran aggressively, straight at the creature, feigning left before jumping right and kicking off a nearby rock. She spun into a high kick that caught the creature hard across the face before landing and using her momentum to turn into a leg sweep, her knee catching the creature behind its legs so it flew onto its back. Buffy nimbly sprung over her downed opponent before rolling on one shoulder and coming up next to her sword. She quickly snatched it up.

On her left the fight had been joined in earnest, one she-demon wrestled Xanders axe away from him before brutally smashing him in the face with a head butt. Giles managed to bodily shove the creature back into Faith's reach. The brunette grabbed the demon, stomped on the back of its leg to drive it to its knees and seized it around the neck before brutally snapping it and pushing the limp form to one side.

Another demon launched itself at Giles and Xander who desperately tried to fend it off. Giles was shoved backwards by a clawed talon and Xander was battered viciously around the head before been flung around and thrown hard across the ground.

Buffy charged forward as the demon woman turned to face her, wrinkled scaly features hissing in aggression as it did so.

But then a thick mist quickly shrouded the chamber, pouring around thighs like tidal water before drifting upwards, curling and spreading as it did so, covering everybody. Buffy broke off her attack, scrambling to one side to where Xander had fallen. She patted the nearby floor before finding his shoulder and feeling for his neck.

Xander groaned softly and coughed, choking slightly against the clay-like floor.

"Xander? Thank god, just stay down."

Buffy pressed her left hand against his back, her right trailing the sword through the mists, looking for an opponent. She saw movement, a shadow on the wall, the pointed ears and rasping breathing that marked these things. Buffy stepped up and brought back her sword, waiting. She knew Giles had enough sense to stay low and Willow had taken cover behind Faith, which was a comfort. The other slayer had already killed one of these things.

Then Buffy saw a creature, a meter or so the left, it's back turned away. She repositioned, turning her sword point on and lunging. But even as she did so the demon was turning, ears pricked. It scrambled backwards to deftly avoid the blade so Buffy twisted around turning her thrust into a slash and then into a riposte, always making the demon move back and away from her blade instead of attacking.

Until it ran out of room.

Its backside pressing up against the cave wall as Buffy lunged forward, burying the blade deep in its heart and driving it to the floor, even as a death rattle escaped from its throat.

Buffy straightened up as the mist started to dissipate, two down, where was the third? She saw a flicker of movement to her right as the she-creature suddenly bore down on her, Buffy pulled her sword out of the corpse in front of her but she was a fraction too slow. That is until Giles collided with the demons side, punching it solidly across the face twice before the demon grabbed him by the throat and threw him backwards, his back hit the ground with a dull thud.

But then Buffy struck, her blade sliding past a clawed hand and piercing the demon's abdomen, steel embedded in scaly flesh. The she-demon gave a roar of pain into Buffy's face and brought its claws around towards her throat in retaliation. But before it could connect an axe struck the creature in the side of the head, the axe head biting into its skull. The creature slumped lifelessly to the ground. A few feet away, Faith un-cocked her arm, her aim was as good as ever.

Giles picked himself up with a grunt, grimacing at the prone demon as he adjusted his glasses. "Well, that was...I think on the whole I prefer vampires."

Buffy anxiously looked around for Willow. "Will?"

"Uh, over here." She piped up; she was in the corner behind Faith, still clutching the candle.

Buffy looked her over as she and walked towards Xander. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She smiled bravely, "The shaking is just a side effect of the fear."

"Well, your clouding spell worked well."Buffy commented as she squatted down to nudge Xander, "Please tell me you're playing dead."

Xander held up his hand and made a 'thumbs up' sign. "Tip top." He mumbled.

Faith, steering well clear of Giles, made her way over to one of the demons and poked it. "These babes were wicked rowdy. What's there deal?"

Giles cleared his throat awkwardly. "I, ah, wish I knew. Judging by the markings they seem to be some sort of." He glanced over at Buffy, "Demon cult."

Something in Buffy's memory stirred. "Sisterhood!"

Xander managed to sit up, still slightly dazed. "If we're picking out super team names, I'm vetoing that one."

Willow made her way over to him. "Are you okay?" She made sympathy face.

Xander slowly got to his feet, wincing. "I'm surprising okay, for someone who's allergic to being hit."

"What did I say?" Buffy told him, trying not to sound too annoyed, "I told you to stay behind Willow."

Faith chuckled at that.

Xander acted like he was trying to knock something out of ear, possibly blood. "Excuse me; who, at the crucial moment, distracted the lead demon by allowing her to pummel him about the head."

Faith nodded as she smirked. "Yeah, some guys have a talent. You really take a beating like a pro."

Xander looked up from his hands. "I appreciate that. Are my eyes bleeding at all?"

Buffy patted him on the shoulder gently. "You're fine. Barely. Just don't get broken. You're kind of unique and hard to replace."

"Like a mascot." Willow said brightly, and none too helpfully. Buffy caught Xanders hurt look but she was distracted by Faith.

Faith stepped towards the entrance. "Well, that was a blast but I'm outta here."

Buffy moved after her. "Wait, Faith...we should probably, I mean these demons are all mysterious and need to be..."

"Burned?" Willow ventured as she looked around, "We should definitely burn them."

Giles was peering intently at one, like he was trying to place it. "I think we can just leave them. I'm more interested in finding out what they are or if we can expect any more of them."

"Definitely." Buffy said firmly and then turned back to Faith, "So maybe you could come to school tomorrow after class, so we could, um, maybe patrol together. Just to be on the safe side, y'know." She tried to ignore the awkward atmosphere that had settled in the cave since all the fighting had stopped. This was the first time Faith and Giles had been in the same room since...

Faith shrugged. "Reckon I'll be okay, now I know what to expect." She turned to Willow and Xander and nodded, "See ya." Then she left hurriedly.

On some level Buffy understood Faith's attitude, all that mistrust that had been melting away had surged back like the tide, leaving the slayer angry at Giles and distant from Buffy. What Buffy hadn't been prepared for was her Mom's reaction.

When Buffy had gotten home to an empty house she'd waited around, determined to see how Faith was when she finally came back from the hospital. Guzzling pain killers and coffee to keep awake and relatively pain free Buffy had sat back on the sofa and remained there until about four in the morning, when Faith and her Mom had got back.

If either of them had been surprised or grateful for Buffy's gesture they hadn't shown it. Buffy's Mom had simply informed Buffy that she should go out of house for her Birthday tomorrow, go somewhere with her friends and have fun. But it wasn't what she said that threw Buffy, but the way she said it, in that cool, disappointed tone Buffy had remembered from all the times that she'd been in trouble at school.

All those classes skipped, fights started, buildings torched and all the time Buffy's Mom standing there with quiet exasperation and embarrassment, making Buffy feel even worse.

So Buffy had gone to bed, unhappy but confident in the knowledge that after sleeping on it her Mom would come and ask for her side of the story, to clarify everything.

Instead she'd woken up to find Faith and her Mom gone, a simple note saying that they'd be out for an hour or so and that she didn't expect to see Buffy until much later on. So Buffy went and golfed with her friends, putting on a brave face, explaining to them all over again what had happened. Telling them that Giles had been fired, much to Willow's shock, and that Faith just needed some time to recover and then everything would go back to normal.

To Buffy's surprise she'd then arrived home to the sound of laughter coming from the living room; her Mom and Faith giggling together. Buffy entered to find them both on the sofa. Faith, her wrist in plaster, lay out on her back with her head on Mom's lap. A tub of popcorn balanced on her stomach. Buffy's Mom gently running her hands through Faith's hair as they watched some goofy cartoon on the television. On the coffee table stood a stack of rented videos, a few bags of cookies and some sodas. It all seemed pretty cosy.

"Hey, whatcha ya guys doing?" Buffy had asked happily, glad that everyone's mood had improved.

It didn't last.

The laughter quietened almost immediately and Buffy saw Faith tensed up a little. Buffy's Mom didn't look back at her, simply replying. "Just watching some videos, honey. How did your day go?" She sounded like she was asking just to be polite.

Buffy's smile faded as the atmosphere changed. "Um, pretty good. I managed to beat the clown's mouth. Mostly without the cheating... So you guys have been vegging out. Cool." She finished lamely.

She saw he Mom's head nod. "Faith and I have pigged out a little on snack foods, so you might have to cook something for yourself. Or there's some stuff for sandwiches."

Buffy felt her throat tighten a little. "Not really hungry." Which was true, now anyway. "I, uh, think I'll just turn in. All that golf...relaxing, y'know."

"Whatever you want, sweetie." Her Mom said, still without looking around. Apparently the cartoons were riveting.

"Well, goodnight." With that Buffy walked up the stairs, first her Dad doesn't care enough, and now she'd alienated her Mom. Boy, she was the best daughter ever. Buffy felt like crying.

But she hadn't, she'd gone to her room, curled up on the bed and moped. Did she deserve this? To be punished? Had she not run to rescue her Mom and Faith as soon as she was able? And getting slapped around by insane vampire guy in the process. So now she was what, some...domestic piranha? Or maybe it was pariah, she wasn't sure.

She felt like she was fifteen again, with all that trouble and her parent's icy behaviour and with the fighting and the shouting. Good times.

But a little while later her Mom had knocked on her door and came in, smiling sympathetically. "Hi honey, I was hoping you weren't asleep."

Buffy just stared at her before sitting up. She didn't trust herself to speak so she quickly shook her head.

Closing the door quietly her Mom had come over and sat on the bed. "Are you still hurting? I saw you hitting the Tylenol pretty heavily."

"Why do you care all of a sudden?" Buffy replied sulkily, she couldn't help herself.

Her Mom looked at her for a long moment. "Buffy, the reason I was acting that way...is because Faith needs to know that someone's on her side in all this. That there's someone she can still count on."

"I'm on her side." Buffy stated.

Her Mom just shook her head. "Of course I know that Buffy, but Faith...she doesn't. It's all I'm trying to do to stop her leaving and disappear off on her own somewhere. Nobody wants that."

Buffy felt tears forming behind her eyes. "Mom, I swear I didn't know Giles was going to do any of those things, or that Faith would even be involved."

Her Mom smiled sadly and pulled her into a hug. "Oh, I know that, honey. It goes without saying. I choose to blame the scary man who kidnapped me, held me hostage and hurt my daughter. And yes, I blame Mr. Giles a little, even if he did get fired for his troubles. I'll have a few stern words for him the next time I see him." She pulled back, smiled as she wiped her daughter's cheeks, "I'm proud that you came to get me, and I'm so sorry you got hurt...But for the next few days, I might not be able to show it. Faith needs someone in her corner, and well, I think she's earned it don't you?"

Buffy sniffed and nodded, suddenly embarrassed for being all weepy. "Okay, I get it. Just as long as you don't hate me or anything..."

"I don't think that'll ever happen. You'll always be my little girl and I'll always be proud of you." Joyce tilted her head and smiled, "I guess it must be a...slaying thing, because I feel the same way about Faith. I think she's very special."

Buffy laughed a little and sniffed. "Yeah, she is. I just...I really want us to be friends again, y'know?"

Her Mom patted her knee. "Leave it to my, honey. I may take a little time but we'll get there." With that said and one last smile her Mom had left, leaving Buffy an awful lot happier than before.

And all that had been a week ago, Buffy had thought 'a little time' would've been way littler, but then, she thought, Buffy's can't be choosers.

"...The end of the world." Giles stated gravely, the library counter was covered in pages of notes and a few star charts.

Buffy nodded glumly as she peered at some of his scribbling. "Told ya."

Giles took off his glasses. "You could be a little less flippant, Buffy. This is an imminent apocalypse we are talking about. And, may I add, I was up half the night confirmed your suppositions." Giles sighed as he scratched his forehead, "It required diligent research."

"Hence your crankiness...I get it okay." She looked at him expectantly, "Go ahead. Please. Refresh my memory."

"They're called the Sisterhood of Jhe, an apocalypse cult dedicated to bringing about the worlds destruction."

Buffy nodded. "And there're more than just three of them. That much I remember."

"According to the latest astral cycle they intend to open the Hellmouth." Giles continued and looked at Buffy levelly, "Do they succeed?"

Unhappily Buffy replied. "Pretty much. I remember we couldn't stop them. We did manage to, uh, bind? Yeah, bind the demon that came through. Y'know, the one that came out last time. And then we closed the Hellmouth again." Buffy shuddered as she remembered, "It took everyone; you, Willow, Angel, Faith and me working together. And even then we barely succeeded."

Giles cleared his throat as Oz walked in. "Oh, yes. Cutting it a bit close." He said glancing at the clock.

Oz stepped into the book cage, noting dryly. "You know me."

Turning back to Buffy, Giles asked. "What about Angel, are you positive that he hasn't left town?"

Buffy shook her head. "He said...we're gonna say our goodbyes when he's ready to go. He wouldn't leave without contacting me."

"Then you should make sure he's available, and I'll look into a binding spell powerful enough to stop this, uh, thing from over-running us."

Buffy remembered something. "Well, you should be ready for the fact that it's gotten way larger. Not Mayor huge, just very big. Like a big, giant...hippo, only not so much with the cute."

"I remember." Giles nodded thoughtfully, "And I'll adjust my calculations accordingly for the binding spell."Then he asked, "Anymore light-headedness?"

"You mean that feeling like somebody's poured a keg of beer into my brain? No, not so far, but I've been pretty much patrolling all the time with Willow and Xander just to make sure. I was wigging out...and it was definitely linked to the dream I had." Buffy gnawed at her bottom lip, "Nothing else makes sense."

"Well, I may have stumbled onto something there." Giles went to his office and brought out a dusty looking volume, "Now, you said that in the dream...memory that this thing spoke through somebody else and was, ah, taunting you?"

Buffy nodded, she'd spared Giles most of the details, just the stuff that mattered.

Giles leafed through the stiff pages of the book. "The dream manipulation coupled with the other symptoms reminded me of a few remarks made by the historian Æthelweard."

Buffy frowned. "A historian, so not an occultist or anything?"

"Hmn? Oh, no. He was a tenth century monk, a writer of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, and a scholar of some repute. But he made references in his notes to the strange fate of a Northumbrian monastery, that's in England. A priest by the name of Theobald came to his abbey in a state described as close to death, claiming that his former home had fallen under the control of...of well, Satan."

"Satan? As in red skin, forked tail and horns? Does he actually exist?" Buffy eyes suddenly widened, "Hey, wait, I didn't sell my soul or anything, honest."

Wolf-Oz suddenly howled piteously from his cage. Buffy shivered in response.

Giles made a subtle placating gesture. "Theobald's claim isn't accurate Buffy, and Æthelweard himself doesn't credit the influence of Satan; he states that it must be the work of a demon of some sort. But he mentions Theobald telling him of the abbot of the monastery being plagued by, ah, fever dreams of people he knew. And that he wore a mark on his skin. A mark with a stylized eye."

"Like my tattoo? So what happened to him?"

Giles shook his head. "Æthelweard's notes are somewhat incomplete. They end with him setting off on a journey to discover the fate of Theobald's companions and the abbot...But it does give me a place to continue searching, Æthelweard makes reference to a book called 'The journal of Amra'kzahn' an Islamic scholar, that he made use of. I'm sure I'll find more there."

Buffy was about to ask more when Cordelia walked in, glancing warily at Oz's cage, before looking at Buffy. "I'm not on Oz watch again; one night was more than enough for this girl."

Giles sighed heavily. "You may breath easily Cordelia, I have a lot of research ahead of me tonight so I may as well stay behind. If I may ask, why exactly are you here?"

"It's still a library isn't it? I can't, like, get books… to study." Cordelia said defensively then hesitated, "Also, I may have upset Xander."

Giles had already lost interest but Buffy asked. "What happened?"

Cordelia made a face. "This morning he was being threatened by that O'Toole psycho, and I kind of...poked fun. I said he should just get one of the Super-Friends to beat the guy up."

Buffy winced. After last night that's probably not what Xander wanted to hear.

"Anyway, he got all wounded and puppy doggy. So whatever weirdness is happening this week just, maybe include Xander, that's all." Cordelia gestured vaguely, "Make him feel special."

Buffy couldn't see that happening, Xander had been safe last time precisely because he'd stayed out of the whole mess. "Uh, Cordelia, that might not be the best idea. Things are...really intense right now. So maybe if you, um, keep him out of the way, just for a few days."

Cordelia frowned. "What's going on?"

Buffy didn't want Cordelia involved either. "Um, magic...a ritual-thingy, very boring...with lots of smelly, uh, stuff, candles and herbs. And possibly small animals."

Cordelia held up her hand. "I really don't want to know. I guess I'll think of some way to keep him out of your hair. I have tact." She gave Buffy a long-suffering look before leaving.

Buffy smirked at Giles. "Cordelia with tact. Isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse?"

Giles was already losing himself in reference books. "Mmn? Oh yes, it's in Deuteronomy I think."

"Fine, I'll leave you to nose the books. I'll be back here tomorrow for research and battles to the death. Fun all round." With that Buffy left, with Cordelia and Xander out of the way she just needed to recruit Angel and Faith. Really, how hard could that be?

Faith crossed her arms looked skeptical. "So the Hellmouth's gonna open, huh?"

Buffy blinked and nodded emphatically. "Yes. It's all…very imminent, so we'll need you close by."

"The world's gonna end tomorrow night, and ya only just found out about it?" Faith thought about it, "We should probably go tell your Mom, right?" She made a move to leave the kitchen.

Buffy quickly stepped in front of her. "I don't really, uh, tell Mom about all this stuff. Apocalypses. It'll just upset her."

Faith nodded with a slight smile on her face. "Well, sure, it's gonna be her last night of earth. That's pretty big news."

Buffy scowled. "Will you try and take this seriously? Those blue demon-y women are an end-of-the-world kinda deal. We need to focus on stopping them, all of us, together."

Faith rolled her eyes. "Couldn't ya have come up with somethin' a little more believable? You're overplaying your hand here."

"Over-playing…You think I'm making this up?" Buffy looked at her in disbelief, "B-But Giles has charts and graphs and stuff There's this thing with a globe…it's something about planetary alignment…"

Faith shrugged. "Don't wanna hear it. And I don't care about anything Giles hasta say neither. So if that's it…" With that Faith ducked passed her and left.

"If the world ends you're so gonna owe me an apology." Buffy called after her, "There'll be a big chicken on your head… laying egg after egg… on your face." But Faith wasn't listening. Buffy wondered if she should follow Faith from room to room and just whine until she came to school the next day.

'Not exactly the mature option, but it might work…'

Instead she should probably go and see Angel. That actually might be a less awkward conversation, sad to say.

"Buffy." Angel sat up from his couch, half out of his leather coat, "Is everything alright?"

Buffy walked over to him, her hands clasped nervously. "Not so much…uh, did you just get in from somewhere?"

Angel nodded. "Bought a car." He stated.

Buffy was surprised. "A car? That's, uh, that's good. Is it nice? I don't know much about cars generally, except that I can crash them real well. I actually think they're afraid of me…" She trailed off vaguely.

"So, the reason that you're here?" Angel asked delicately.

"Oh, right. Um, end of the world. There are these demons…"

Angel interrupted, nodding. "I've been hearing things, rumors of something big. And seeing portents, I didn't know what it meant when the car dealer suddenly started speaking prophetic Latin."

"Really sophisticated sales patter?" Buffy asked brightly, and then off the look Angel gave her, "its okay, we're all over this. We know when and where its happening, tomorrow night these demon chicks are going to try and open the Hellmouth. We're going to stop them and I need you onside to help out. Okay?"

Angel nodded grimly. "Tomorrow at sunset, I'll be there to help Giles. I promise."

Buffy smiled with relief. "That's…good. I haven't seen you around lately, I was afraid you might've gone."

Angel took off his coat and sat back down. "And miss an emotionally wrought goodbye, that doesn't sound like me." He glanced in Buffy's direction before asking, "How's Faith?"

Buffy smiled sadly. "Nice attempt at casual. …Things aren't going to well these days." Angel gave her his penetrating stare, "The Watcher's council, they did this stupid test…that stripped her of her powers to face a vampire alone, and it should've been me who..." Buffy shook her head in sorrow.

"The test was meant for me, and I think she blames me. She doesn't trust me…and I actually can't blame her, the lies I've told." She sat down next to Angel and looked across at him, "Aren't you going to ask if I was involved?"

"I know you Buffy. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt her. You're the most genuine person I've ever met." He looked at her, "You tell lies to protect the ones you love, but everyone does that. It's a way to shield them."

Buffy nodded. "I sense a but coming?"

"She needs to hear something from you. Something pure. A truth, so that she can believe in the two of you again." Angel looked into Buffy's eyes, "All you've done is trigger her defenses…but all those feelings, that rawness inside her. It's all still there. It hasn't gone away, and that's what scaring her."

Buffy nodded in understanding. "Then I'd better tell her before the world ends." She got up and smiled at him, "Thank you, Angel…I guess I'll see you tomorrow night?"

Angel nodded his goodbye. "You guess right."

Buffy entered through the kitchen door, the lights were still on downstairs so she thought she'd sneak in the back. She didn't really want to talk to Faith or Mom until she'd mulled over Angel's advice.

'Give her something true…something she can believe in. Apart from the end of the world that is…'

"…And you turned her down?" She heard her Mom's voice coming from the living room.

Faith's smoky voice replied. "Well, kinda. I though she was just shooting me a line, y'know. Just tryin' t'get us all friendly again. I mean, she's given me a lotta space…"

Buffy's Mom spoke up. "That's deliberate, Faith. She knows that you're hurting, and she's trying to let you heal."

Faith was dismissive. "Yeah, well I'm all better now. Healing kicked in a while ago."

"That's not what I meant." Her Mom's voice was soft, "You feel hurt because your friendship was damaged. You think that she kept this test-thing a secret from you."

"You don't think she did?" Buffy recognized the skeptical tone.

"Given how angry Buffy was, no I don't think she did. At least not that it would happen to you. I know my daughter well enough to realize that this, all of this, is just…tearing her up. All that guilt."

Faith sighed. "It's just…how am I gonna be able to trust her again. I mean, I wanna, I really wanna, but I just..."

Her Mom's voice was a gentle reproof. "People make mistakes, Faith. Everybody does. Buffy, myself, even you. That's what being an adult is, making mistakes."

"You talkin' about havin' kids?" Faith asked dryly.

Buffy's Mom laughed at that. "Sometimes. But really, children are a gift. And any parent who doesn't see that isn't a very good parent." There was a silence, "But people make mistakes, they fall and sometimes fail but they still try, Faith. Good people do at any rate. They recognize when they're at fault or when they've messed up. But if you really care about them, you give them another chance. Because when you mess up, you'll want them around to help you pick up the pieces."

A long silence followed. "So, how many times has B messed up?"

Her Mom chuckled softly. "Well, even making allowances for being the slayer, and a teenager, an awful lot. Last summer being the latest I can think of. But it's not like I made it easy for her, with all the arguments with Hank and then the divorce…"

Faith interrupted. "Guy sounds like a dog, Joyce. You're better off without him by the sound of it."

The older woman sighed softly. "But without him I wouldn't have Buffy…see how complicated being an adult is? Add to that all this…supernatural nonsense, well you girls need each other more than most. So, do you can think you could see your way to building some bridges, maybe?"

"…I guess I can think about it." Faith's voice was soft.

Buffy was sat in the kitchen listening in disbelief. 'She really is the best Mom ever.'

Maybe she could fix this after all, then all Buffy had to worry about was this world- destruction thing. She was way better at that.

Buffy and Willow were walking towards school the next morning. Willow was somber. "And if it opens?"

"Remember that demon that almost got out the night I died. The plant-calamari thing?"

Willow nodded, her face animated. "Every nightmare I have that doesn't revolve around academic failure or public nudity is about that thing. In fact, one time, I dreamed that it attacked me while it was late for a test and naked."

"Well, it'll be the first to come out. And it won't be the worst; they'll be a long line of far worse behind it. Unless we stop it."

Willow asked. "Do we know when this is supposed to happen?"

Buffy was glum at the prospect. "Soon. Very soon. Possibly tonight. We need to head into deep research mode, that is, if you're up for it."

"I'd be offended if you hadn't already counted me in."

Buffy put an arm of support around the redhead. "Thanks Will, I don't really want to alone right now, I get enough of that at home."

Willow comforted her. "I'm here for you; you don't have to be afraid…" She jumped and yelped in alarm as a car honked behind them both.

Buffy turned to see Xander pull up in his big, flashy blue car, all sunglasses and smiles. "You girls need a lift?"

"Uh, nice car." Buffy said, she guessed that this was some ego thing.

Xander, basking in his assumed coolness, replied. "Thanks, it's my thing."

"Your thing?" Willow wrinkled her nose in puzzlement.

"My thing." Xander emphasized.

"Your thing is very blue and shiny." Buffy said, attempting an impressed smile.

Willow cringed slightly. "Is this a penis metaphor? I can't believe my Mom was right about the symbolism…"

Xander explained. "My thing that makes me cool! You know, that makes me unique. I'm car guy. Guy with a car."

That reminded Buffy. "Ooh, Angel got a car."

Willow was surprised. "Really, what kind is it?"

"Well, I didn't actually see it...but it's probably nice." She saw Xander deflate somewhat, "But...yours is nice too."

"How can you afford it?" Willow asked.

Xander slid his hands over the steering wheel. "Uncle Roary stacking up the DUI's, letting me rent this bad boy till he's mobile again."

Buffy nodded. "Well, like I said...nice."

Xander gave her a look. "Could you sound a little less enthused?"

Buffy frowned. "Sorry. Evil with a capital E."

Xander raised his eyebrows and took off his sunglasses. "Big?"

"Biggest." Willow replied.

"Just trying to get a handle on it is all. Hence the mind being else where."

Xander looked concerned. "Then we'll handle it together. You know I'm here for you. Just tell me what I can do."

Buffy looked at Willow, thinking it was still best to stick close to the script, no matter how much Xander might wish otherwise. "Could you, maybe, go for some doughnuts?"

"I kinda feel bad for him." Willow said, looking blankly at a book.

"I know Will, but it's safer if Xander's out of this. He almost got killed the last time, remember? Besides, Cordelia said she's gonna take him to the Bronze, get him to relax and not over think the whole 'cool' thing."

"It's like a conspiracy...against a close friend." Willow said trailing off, before changing the subject, "Speaking of people, and relationships...um, how is Faith?"

Buffy pouted. "You might notice that she's not here."

"Well, yeah. But she was never really book-girl was she. 'Cause then she'd by kinda stepping on my shtick there."

Buffy put down her book. "I'd feel better if she was here. In a couple of hours I'll go out and find her, convince her that what's happening is actually happening. And not some ploy for doomsday sex..." Buffy blushed, "Not, uh, that we'd do...that."

Thankfully Willow ignored her comment, instead saying thoughtfully. "I think Oz knows a band called 'Doomsday Sex'..."

Giles stepped out of his office. "Buffy, a word please."

She got up and followed him inside, he seemed excited. At least English-excited, or maybe it was too much coffee. "I've found your culprit." He said triumphantly.

"Culprit, as in...You mean the wish? Shouldn't we worry about the coming end-of-all-things?"

Giles waved away her objections. "I perfectly capable of multitasking, thank you. And besides, this didn't require much in the way of research. A friend of mine has acquired a copy of 'The journal of Amra'kzahn'; it's in Arabic and dates from the time of King Solomon." Giles paused for effect.

Buffy just stared blankly.

Giles coughed. "Well, that's not really important. What is important is the subject matter of the book, one thing and one thing alone. Jinn."

Buffy frowned. "What, as in alcohol?"

"No, Jinn, As in Djinn. Known more universally as Genies is common myth."

"Genies? Like baggy pants, bald head, rub-my-lamp, three wishes kinda thing?"

"As I said, more commonly known as, I'm sure the truth is quite different."

Buffy nodded thoughtfully. Genies. Nice to know something definite after all this time. Maybe she should watch 'Aladdin' as research? Robin Williams was funny…But probably later. "Anything else?"

"Not as yet but Carlyle said he send it my way in the next day or so." Giles looked dubiously at the phone, "I suppose it would be a waste of time trying to contact The Council?

Buffy sighed and nodded. "That's how I remember it."

"Remember what?" Buffy turned to see Faith leaning in the doorway, her expression blank.

"Faith! You're here, uh, obviously. We were just...with the whole Hellmouth thing, when it opened up last time, and it being here in the library. We were just trying to remember what to expect."

Faith paused for a second before shrugging. "Whatever. So this deal's really happening right?"

Giles didn't say anything, but Buffy walked forward and led Faith out of the office. Safer for everyone that way. "I'm so glad you came. It means a lot."

"Yeah, well don't go gushing. I'm just not petty enough to let personal stuff get in the way of world-saving. I'm bigger than that." Faith swaggered over to the table, "Hey, Red. Where we at?"

Willow beamed at the other girl. "Hey, and we're still researching binding circles and also ways to kill these scabby demons."

Faith picked a jelly donut and bit into it, mumbling. "Breaking their necks works well enough."

Willow nodded in agreement. "Well, maybe a way to disrupt or weaken them. Make them an easier slay."

Faith sucked on her fingers. "Hey, just point me at 'em and say when. I'll check our weapons supply..." She walked over to the book cage and stopped when Oz growled at her. "Right, later then." She went over and sat on the steps.

Willow looked worried. "He's cranky. I mean, more than usual."

Buffy sat down and tried to find her place in a book. "It's a good night for it."

Willow thought about it. "Can't dogs sense when there's an earthquake? And they bark...Or cows lie down or something..."

Buffy scrunched up her face as she read a familiar passage. "...'celebrate victory in battle by eating their foes'...I guess that's one way to build team spirit."

Faith was eating another doughnut. "Yeah, as motivation goes it's kinda gross, they couldn't just take their shirts off? ...actually the eatin' thing is probably better."

Buffy sighed and closed her book. "I'm getting itchy feet here. And we're gonna have to move Oz soon."

Faith snapped her fingers. "I'm callin' it to use the dart gun." She said happily, and then saw Willow's pout, "Uh, Sorry, Red. 'Guess you should do the honours."

Giles came out of his office with a large bag in tow, muttering to himself. "Have you found anything?"

Willow shook her head. "But it's early days...which would be good if we had more than one day to find anything."

Buffy pushed a couple of books towards the witch. "Check the books of Furian. See if we get anything. If not then move Oz to the basement and wait for my call." She looked at Giles, "Faith and I are going hunting, see if we can't slim down their numbers by taking a couple out."

Giles nodded. "I have some resources at home I can call upon, as well as attempting to contact the spirit guides...ah, beings that exist outside space and time. It might be worth something. Whatever happens we must remain focused no matter...do you eat all the, uh, jellies?"

Buffy blanched guiltily. "I left you some!"

Willow looked about. "I'm sorry. Faith just had two!"

Giles looked to see Faith give him a challenging stare. He turned back and mumbled. "Well, uh, no matter. Maybe get Xander to make another run."

Buffy shook her head insistently. "No, Xander's not involved in any of this. He almost got killed the last time. I've got Cordelia keeping him out of trouble. Everything's just better that way."

Faith got up off the steps. "You wanna baby Xander, that's fine. But the guy's proved his worth more than once, just sayin'." She pounded a fist into her palm restlessly, "So, we goin'?"

Buffy nodded, and with one last look at Willow and Giles she left the library.

Buffy patted Willy's arm comfortingly as Faith looked around the devastated bar. "Why did they do this?"

Willy coughed. "They were looking for...Angel." He said weakly, getting both slayers attention.

Buffy had forgotten about this. "Angel...Why?"

"They said they were coming after you too. The both of you." He glanced over at Faith, "Said nothing could stand in there way because tonight was..." He cried out in a twinge of pain. Faith flinched.

Buffy cringed in sympathy; she couldn't believe she'd been too late again. "The ambulance is coming, just hang on."

Buffy and Faith had gone trolling for any sisterhood demons and came up empty. For apocalypse worshippers they were a pretty cagey bunch, but then Buffy had remembered that they'd hit Willy's bar, but the two slayers had arrived too late to do anything.

Willy's battered face stared at Buffy. "Kid, my clientele ain't exactly widows and orphans but I never seen anything like these demons."

"We're gonna stop 'em." Faith put in, clearly frustrated.

Willy shook his head blearily. "The Hellmouth opens, they're gonna be the last of your problems, is my train of thought." He weakly put a hand on Buffy's arm, "If I was you I'd go find Angel, go somewhere quiet together...I'd be thinking about how I wanna spend my last night on Earth."

Restlessly, Faith walked out of the bar, as Buffy heard ambulance sirens. "This isn't your last anything Willy, I promise. You'll be around long enough to get the bill for fixing this place up." With that she got up, hopped over the bar and went after Faith. "Wait up!"

Faith was looking up and down the street, spotting a distant ambulance she turned to Buffy, her face grim. "You were right."

Buffy blinked. "Yeah, I usually am...uh, about what exactly?"

Faith gestured around them. "The whole end-of-day's bullshit, I thought it was just..." She shook her head.

Buffy put her hand on Faith's arm. "Hey, I've faced these kinds of things before, same kinda fight, just bigger stakes. Heh, sometimes literally."

Faith took off walking, heading in the direction of Buffy's house. "So I'm gonna head to your house, pick up all the weapons stashed there and then... maybe, I dunno, hit a liquor store, get drunk. Seems like as good a time as any."

Buffy walked with her. "Faith, we can beat this, okay? These demons are tough and the Hellmouth...okay it's a big, bad, portal to hell, but we can close it." She tugged on Faith's shoulder, "Just don't freak out on me, please."

Faith glared at her. "I'm not freaking...okay, a little. I just thought..." She shook her head in frustration and then glanced at Buffy, "You gonna go and see Angel, warn him?"

"Angel should be fine; he'll be going to the library, helping Willow deal with Oz." Buffy gestured to Faith to start moving again, "We'll call her from my house, and get her and Angel over to the Magic Box to pick up some spell stuff."

Buffy tried to read Faith's thoughts as the two made their way home.

"Oh, hi girls, I was just going to leave you a note. I have to back to the gallery, so you'll have to fend for yourselves." Buffy's Mom smiled at the two of them, "Like street urchins."

Faith gave a weak smile. "Long as there's popcorn, I'm good."

"I think you ate the last of it, so you might have to defrost something." She looked between the two of them, noticing the tension. "Is something the matter?"

Buffy shrugged. "Not much. Usual demon-y happenings, nothing too major."

"Okay then, well I'll leave you to it." She kissed Buffy on the cheek, "Play nice while I'm gone." She murmured, and then left.

Faith watched as Buffy's Mom left. "You didn't tell her anything." She said flatly.

"Nope." Buffy opened the freezer and grabbed a couple of packs of chicken fingers. "Eatable in twenty-five minutes or less. This should do."

"You sure we got time for that?"

"You of all people should know a slayer's gotta eat." Buffy switched on the over, "You put these in while I call Willow."

Buffy picked up the wall phone a dialled the school library, told Willow where they were and was glad to here that Angel was with them. Safety in numbers counted for a lot now. She told Willow they were grabbing weapons at her place and that they'd be along in few hours.

That done she hung up; trying to think if she'd missed anything. But as far as she knew things were pretty much the same. The binding spell would be stronger, Giles had found a rare text that seemed to be written with Hellmouth's in mind, so the extra few hours of research had done some good. All being well Buffy and the others could beat back the Sisterhood and save the day. She hoped.

"Food's on." Faith called as she walked over. She stood awkwardly in the living room, obviously restless. "So, you're takin' the end of the world kinda in your stride."

"I've done this before...uh, not this exact thing but, the Harvest, the night I died, the Judge...a few times. Like I said, you can get used to it."

It occurred to Buffy that nobody had told Faith about any of the stakes the first time around, she'd just shown up at the library when needed and fought along side everybody else, she hadn't given it a second thought. Maybe Buffy shouldn't have told her, since Faith didn't seem to be processing the information well. "This is the same as all those other times, Faith. You don't have to be afraid."

Faith snorted hotly. "I ain't afraid, okay. Shit, I fought worse than those blue-assed bitches. I'm not scared of a good fight."

Buffy looked at her sympathetically. "Then what's got you all wiggy...upset."

Faith ran her hands through her hair and sat on the couch. "Look, bottom line...I don't care if I get hurt, but what about if somethin else bad happens..." Faith stared down at the couch and said softly, "Like if you get hurt."

Buffy sat down next to her. "You're worried about me?" She said it softly, slightly surprised.

"Yeah, guess I must be crazy. But if this thing is as big as you say..." Faith stopped and shook her head, "Y'know what, forget it, I-I can't do this..." She got up hurriedly, "I'm gonna hit a liquor store."

"Faith, wait!" Buffy got up quickly, "I know how you feel. It's exactly how I felt when I heard you were going to the house to fight Kralik, alone. I was scared for you."

Faith turned around and glared at her as she jabbed a finger. "Yeah, well, see there's the problem, B. You're still buddies with the guy who sent me in there, being all chummy with your Watcher after he tried t'kill me."

"I know what he did." Buffy said softly, "Giles was doing his job, it wasn't a nice thing that he did. But it wasn't malice towards you or anything like that Faith. You have to understand that, okay?"

Faith scoffed. "Just like that?"

Buffy snapped. "No, not just like that. You have to think about what the person did to you, and weigh up what they mean to you, and all the times they've helped you and put themselves out there. Then you decide if you can ever risk losing them, if you still want them in your life." Buffy stepped closer to Faith, "Forgiveness isn't easy, Faith. But it can be worth it."

Faith shook her head and turned away. "Easy for you to say, it didn't happen to you."

Buffy gritted her teeth in frustration. "It did. ...In a way it did. I was helpless, okay. I had to watch as the man I trusted more than anyone in the world put the girl I love in danger..."Buffy paused as she realised what she said.

Faith turned and looked at Buffy warily. "What did you say?"

Buffy felt flustered. "I said...that, y'know; trust is, uh, hard to..." She trailed off, before remembering what Angel had said. Give her something true, something to believe.

Buffy swallowed nervously. "I'm saying that I miss you, that I miss us. That I'm in love you."

Faith's jaw tensed. "Don't say that." Her eyes were hard.

Buffy stepped forward, her eyes glistening. "It's the truth, Faith. God, this could actually be my last night on Earth and all I can think about is you. About how I feel when I'm with you, when we're together. And how I miss it all so much." She stepped closer, her hand reaching up to gently touch the other girl's face, "It's also why I'm not afraid, I know that I can take on anything and win...just as long as you're with me."

Faith's eyes softened, she looked lost and unsure, maybe even a little afraid. "Buffy..."

Buffy's fingers stroked the other girl's cheek. "You don't have to say anything. I know how I feel...I just want you to know that I will never, ever hurt you. I promise."

Faith's eyes, so dark and expressive, searched her face. Her lips almost brushing against Buffy's own there faces were so close. "I-I don't...know how t'not have feelings for you. I thought, after everything that happened, if I just shut myself off then it would stop hurting, like I wanted it to...but I just ended up missing you."

Buffy looked deep into her eyes and whispered. "I'll make you feel better."

They kissed. Buffy felt Faith's soft lips against her and for a second she thought she heard the swell of music from somewhere. Her lips worked against Faith's passionately, her tongue grazing the other girl's as the kiss became deeper. Buffy found herself briefly forgetting about the end of the world, the night seemed to extend on forever as Faith wrapped her arms around her...

Then she heard someone clear their throat.

'Oh, God. Please don't let it be Mom...Please not Mom...if it is then this was totally a spell...'

Buffy pulled away and both girls looked towards the front door. Xander was standing there, looking a little frazzled. "Sorry...I, heh, I did knock and the door was open, so...This is a bad time...I mean, good time, just the wrong time. I'll just go."With that he left and closed the door behind him.

'What is he up to...didn't he do something like that last time? Walked in on me and Angel.'

Buffy shook her head slightly as Faith turned back to her. Her lips pulled back in an easy smile. "Guess he caught a show, huh?"

Buffy nodded a little breathlessly. "I, uh, hope he's okay." Her hands drifted to Faith's shoulders, "And, if you want...that could be the first act, y'know." She looked meaningfully at Faith. After all they were alone in the house and it was the end of the world...

Faith leaned in and gave Buffy another quick kiss. "I've had make-up sex before, but never before havin' actual sex." She looked Buffy over with a soft grin, "Definitely take you up on the offer, B. But we're gonna hav'ta save the world first. Reckon that should give us both somethin' to fight for. Doncha think?"

Buffy nodded in understanding. "So, are we...okay, again?"

Faith rolled her eyes. "You know I can't stay mad at you." Then a puzzled look came over her face as she sniffed the air, "Aw, shit, the chicken fingers!"

Buffy giggled as Faith raced for the kitchen. She guessed that they would have to wait to continue all the make-up smooching, probably for the best what with the apocalypse mere hours away.

While Faith tried to salvage their dinner Buffy supposed that she should ready any weapons they might have to hand. They were going to need them.

Buffy stood with the others in a tight group, weapons ready. Faith stood to her left, bow drawn, sword slung across her back. Angel was to her right hefting a large mace. Willow and Giles stood behind them, all faces turning towards the scene unfolding in front of them.

The library was illuminated by dark, hellish lightning that flickered and strobed from the dark, yawning abyss from where the creature had emerged. The creature itself screeched in newfound freedom, its very presence seemed to thicken the air around it. As if reality itself didn't want anything to do with it.

Buffy had remembered it clearly enough, spines and glistening, dripping tentacles. Too many teeth and what looked like eyes but were actually fleshy ridges and hollow knots of skin. The demon seemed blind, yet it sensed them and shrieked angrily.

Buffy heard Giles mutter. "My God...It's grown..." His voice heavy with despair.

Faith, her face twisted in disgust, turned to Buffy. "You wanna go first?"

Buffy hefted her axe. "We have to keep it busy until the binding spell works it's...uh, magic."

With that she charged forward, squinting into the flashes of infernal fulmination that boiled from the air around the creature. The heart, the key was the heart...

...she remembered some of the battle, nothing more than brief flashes, as she and her friends fought to the last.

...Faith shooting arrow after arrow until the creatures necks were brisling with shafts and blackish mucus dripped from its wounds down onto the floor...

...Buffy herself burying an axe into thick, sinuous muscle before being knocked back off her feet, landed yards away in the corridor. Running back into the fight as the spawn slithered forward...

...Faith stomping on a tentacle that had wrapped around Willow's leg, bringing her sword up in a glittering arc of steel, her teeth gritted in fury...

...Angel hacking at one of the Sisterhood demons, his face twisted into his vampiric visage as he dropped his weapon and seized it around the neck...

...Giles holding the scroll and calmly reciting words in a long-forgotten tongue, the demons foul, spewing maw mere inches away as it struggled to reach him...

...Angel throwing Buffy a large dagger as she jumped off of a nearby bookcase onto the demons back, hacking and stabbing down with mad abandon, plunging deep to strike at the creature's heart even as it reared and shrieked...

...rolling smoke coming off the creature's demonic hide as Angel and Faith wrestle with one of the she-demons...

...Giles holding onto Faith's arm as a toothy maw clamped around her thigh, trying to draw her closer. Buffy swinging her axe wildly at engorged muscle, tearing into it and being splattered by foul-smelling gunk...

...Willow smashing a bust down against a demons head, knocking the she-creature to the floor so Faith could stab it...

...Giles, his face bleeding heavily from contusions, shouting almost every swear word Buffy had ever heard as he stood close and chopped it with an axe. His arms covered with its black slime, as he tried to free Buffy's arm from its grip...

...the thing's true face, howling in defeat as it was hurled from this reality. The spell's energy rippling and shredding across its shuddering form...

...The library floor, having once been a dimensional vortex, now transformed back into smooth stone. Normal apart from pools of sizzling ooze, broken wood, drops of blood and dead she-creatures...

...Faith managing to pry one of the dissected heads of the creature off of her thigh. Willow sitting next to her to tend with a bandage...

...Angel helping a battered Giles to his feet. His voice soft with concern and the Watcher nodding like his wounds were nothing...

...Buffy her heart light with relief and pride at how they'd done it all. Again. And that the world would now exist to see tomorrow.

The next day everything seemed brighter, more colourful. Crowds of students walking by without a care in the world seemed somehow endearing. The soft burble of youthful conversation was a balm of normality, and it was almost head-spinning.

She was sat on one of the lunch benches with Giles, Oz, Willow and Faith. The other slayer had limped onto campus to check on Buffy, which was totally sweet, and also to indicate a wary truce with Giles. Saving the world together tended to lead to bonding, no matter what.

Oz was tentative. "But, Angel's gonna be okay?"

Buffy nodded, fidgeting with her sling. "He was only out for a few minutes. Close call though."

Willow still seemed a little shell-shocked. "I'll never forget that thing's face. Its real face, I mean."

"Thing's way too ugly to stay in the Sunshine State, that's for sure." Faith said lightly, although her tone was subdued.

Buffy looked at Giles admiringly. He'd saved her life... and Faith's. "What you did. It was the bravest thing I've ever seen."

Giles smiled bashfully. "The stupidest."

"That too." Faith nodded with an easy smile.

Giles looked around. "But the world continues to turn."

Willow marvelled softly. "And no one will ever know how close it came to stopping. Never know what we did."

"This whole anonymous thing sucks." Faith grouched.

Buffy smiled at her as Xander and Cordelia walked up, definitely all coupley. Cordelia had her head on Xander's shoulder, leaning against him. If Buffy didn't know better she'd swear Cordelia looked... proud?

Xander nodded at everyone. "Guys."

Cordelia smiled contentedly. "Morning."

Willow gave them both a quick smile. "Hey. Boy, you're lucky you weren't on campus last night. It was crazed."

Xander and Cordelia exchanged a look. Xander smiled. "Well, give me the quiet life. Hey, I'm gonna grab a snack, anyone want?"

Buffy shook her head. She was staring at Faith. She'd actually said the 'L' word to her. And meant it. And they were back together, everything had happened just the way...

"Oh, no, Xander. I'm not gonna be the girlfriend to Mr. Modesty. You saved all their asses last night, and they deserve to know it." Cordelia had turned to stare at them as Xander was trying to shush her, "You wanna know what we were up to last night. Well, it was anything but quiet. It started after we left the Bronze, which was totally dead, and ran into the back of O'Toole's car..."

Buffy's eyebrows rose up as she listened. Well, this was new.

Bad Girls Part 1 (Sugar And Spice)

Buffy and Faith slammed against the grass, struggling side by side, vampires growling as they bore down on the two girls.

"So, whaddya think?" Faith grunted.

Buffy grimaced against her vampire's strength. "Faith, just gimme a sec here, okay?"

Faith snapped a look at Buffy as she struggled. "You keep ducking me, yes or no?"

"...Not the best time!" Buffy cried as she shifted her hips and thrust the vampire off over her head, rolling with it and jerking to her feet.

Faith did the same and pulled a stake, "C'mon, it's a simple question."

With that she turned, grabbed her vampire's clumsy lunge and effortlessly flipped him to the ground.

Buffy sighed as she ducked a vicious jab from her own opponent as he rose up at her, blocking a strong right cross before smashing him in the face and then spinning and jabbing a stake into his chest. The vampire snarled his last as he was dusted.

Buffy turned as Faith pounded a stake into the back of her downed opponent and then sprung to her feet again, curls bouncing. She regarded Buffy slightly exasperatedly "So, I'm guessin' you don't like my idea."

Buffy paused to catch her breath and also to think as to how to reply. "It's just...I'm not sure I want my, uh, first time to be in a motel. It's... not exactly romantic, y'know, what with the stains and the worn mattresses and the coin slot for the 'magic fingers'..." Judging from the indecent grin on Faith's face Buffy probably shouldn't have mentioned that last part.

Faith moved a little closer. "Hey, I didn't say motel, I just said room, somewhere private. 'Cause its gettin' t'be a major drag dodging around your Mom all the time..."

"Well, it's sorta her house Faith. We can't just evict her, well...physically we could, but only if the house was actually on fire. Otherwise she'd get cranky." Buffy gave the brunette a pointed look, "Anyway, the last time we were alone at the house you turned me down, remember?"

Faith blew out a breath. "I was being all noble and shit, okay. World in peril, seemed like the thing t'do. Guess you must be rubbing off on me..."

Buffy looked at the ground, seeing odd tracks and murmuring. "You say that like it's a bad thing..."She held up her hand.

Faith caught Buffy's gesture. "What's up?"

"Uh, a bad thing. Another vamp nearby. See those tracks."

Faith looked, tracing the footprints across the ground and to the right. "Thataway." She pointed.

Buffy cautiously approached the trail as it wound through the cemetery as Faith followed behind her; the vampire was definitely hiding off over to the left. Buffy remembered the guy had a pair of swords, so they had to be careful. "Okay, count of three."

Faith shook her head with a grin. "Better idea. You draw him out, I flank. And then vamp-dust." Without waiting for an answer Faith slipped back into the shadow of a nearby tree and vanished.

Buffy squinted for a sign of her, but nothing. She wasn't sure if this was more or less reckless that Faith's other plan of 'charge!'

Buffy silently counted to three and ducked around the tombstone, before suddenly finding herself face to face with a squat, snarling vampire that launched a kick at her. Buffy dodged backwards, drawing her stake as she did so, only to see the vampire draw two swords from sheaths on his back. A long and a short one. Like some kind of duellist.

Buffy sighed. "Right. Crap."

The vampire strode forward whipping his long sword out in front to try and chop Buffy in half. Buffy pirouetted backwards, using a move that was more cheerleader than slayer, before sliding past the vampire's arcing sword arm to grab his wrist with her free hand; she then punched at his face with the fist clenching her stake. Her opponent snarled and tried to tear his arm loose, jabbing at Buffy with his short sword dagger-thing. Buffy barely knocked the blade away with a well-placed knee block before the vamp suddenly arched his back, grimacing as he burst into ashes.

And there was Faith, standing behind him, grinning and twirling her stake like a gunfighter.

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "You okay?" She stepped forward to brush some dust of off Buffy's sweatshirt, "Didn't think vamps were allowed to use swords, like a union thing or somethin'."

Buffy nodded a little breathlessly. "It's rare, that's for sure. But these guys didn't look local. Uniforms and weapons, definitely something of the other."She smiled at Faith, "Still, we getting to be quite the well oiled machine."

Faith stepped closer and grabbed Buffy's hips. She leaned in close and smiled sexily. "More like two well-oiled machines that work well together. See, I like that image a lot better. 'Cause there's you and me, and then there's the oil makin' us all slippy..."

Buffy blushed a little. "I, uh, got your meaning, Faith. Plus the boat-load of imagery..." She was silenced by Faith kissing her, pulling her close and moaning softly against her soft mouth. Buffy squirmed against the brunette as the girl's tongue slithered from between her lips to gently explore Buffy's mouth. Buffy's hands went to the other girl's head, fingers running through coal dark locks. Even after a week or so she'd still missing this part of patrolling most of all.

'Okay, so there might be something so the whole hungry and horny thing...but only because of Faith. Maybe we're rubbing off on each other and... We're back to the imagery.'

Reluctantly Buffy pulled away from Faith, panting slightly against her mouth. "Okay, so a hotel room...could work. I've just got to think of an excuse for Mom and then..." She trailed off as she remembered the swords. She turned to fetch them but found that, like before, they'd vanished.

"Damn it. Is there some graveyard thief jonesing for sharp pointy things, 'cause if so..." She made a vague stabbing motion with her stake.

Faith shrugged in puzzlement. "Hey, relax, B. Those guys were toast anyways. So why worry. Just tell G about it tomorrow."

Buffy pouted a little. "Can't you do it? Why do I always have to give the reports? I do have classes' y'know, plus I really need to study for this upcoming chemistry thing..."

"Listen, B. We got different talents; you're good with the...remembering stuff. Plus, Giles gets this look on his face when I'm talkin', like he thinks I'm yankin' his chain."

"It's just all that Boston slang. Giles can barely understand my Californianisms, so you're throwing him a curve ball." Buffy thought about it, "And there's the whole tea party association, he'll always gonna see you as a rebel."

"So that's that. I kick ass, you give the reports...way of the world, B."Faith smiled to herself, "Besides, tomorrow I'll be shoppin' for a swanky hotel suite. Somethin' with a big-ass shower, bouncy double bed and room service with no questions asked." She smirked as her eyes roamed over Buffy, "Don't want neighbours complainin' 'bout all the noise."

'Oh, boy.' Buffy swallowed a little nervously. "And I thought you were going to be all tender and loving." She said as she shook her head in mock-disappointment, trying to hide her nerves.

Faith smirk softened into a warmer smile and she took Buffy's hand. They started heading off towards home. "Don't worry, B. It'll be everythin' you want...for the first couple of hours anyway. Then it might get a little kinky..."

Buffy gave Faith a searching look, but Faith just smiled guilelessly. Buffy couldn't tell if she was joking, and to her mild surprise she kind of hoped she wasn't...

The next day and normalcy in the lounge pervaded. Buffy, Oz, Xander and Cordelia watched as Willow poured excitedly through her collection of manila envelopes. College catalogues were spread out across the table as Xander busily went through a few of them, reading as he did so.

"Harvard, Yale, Wesleyan..." He shook his head in amazement.

Buffy smiled happily at the redhead. "Wow, Willow. Looks like early admission came early this year."

"Hence the name." Oz observed.

Cordelia, who was perched on the arm of the couch next to Xander in a very short skirt, frowned at Willow. "I don't think it's fair that you got so many scholarship offers. It discriminates."

Willow raised her eyebrows. "Against who exactly."

"The rich and stupid." Quipped Xander, "Those guys are always getting picked on."

Cordelia shook her head. "All I mean is that it takes more than academic excellence to succeed in college. They don't take into account other qualities, like school spirit or popularity. Tastes in fashion, maybe. They should want students who would look good to be in all their glossy brochures." She picked one up and looked at some of the pictures before tossing it back on the table in annoyance.

Willow frowned as she looked at a catalogue for some college in Germany. "Doesn't that sound, well, a little superficial?"

"Only on the face of it." Cordelia replied, "Colleges should look for well-rounded candidates."

Xander shifted slightly as his gaze swept up Cordelia's form. "I should probably get some credit for not making a lame Bondian pun at this point."

Cordelia smiled and slid onto his lap. "Then here's some credit." She said as she kissed him deeply.

Buffy and Willow exchanged an amused look. On campus smooching was easier to deal with than the bitter arguing the two of them had been engaging in the first time round.

Buffy handed a catalogue to Willow. "Embrace the wooing, Will. You've earned it. It's a whole new world out there. Just have to graduate." Then she remembered, "Not that I will graduate unless I pass Mrs. Taggart's chemistry exam. Who's ever needed Chemistry anyway?"

Willow smirked and shook her head. "Says the girl who lives on processed foodstuffs." She put down a brochure, "Listen, I can help with all that. Chemistry's easy. It's like witchcraft, only not so much newt. So, what do you say? Study jam at my house? Tonight?"

Buffy smiled her thanks. "I'm there." The bell interrupted their conversation, "Gotta check in with Giles though, and report on last night's patrol. Faith says it my lot in life." Buffy frowned, "I get a lot of lot. Too much actually." She saw Willow smiling, "What?"

"You and Faith, all coupley again. It's sweet is all."

Buffy huffed out a laugh. "If you came patrolling with us, you'd have to redefine your definition of sweet. Like a one-eighty." Off of Willow's look, "I'll explain tonight. Anyway, bye."

Buffy left them to talk to Giles about the upcoming badness.

Although some of the upcoming badness had clearly already arrived. Buffy walked in to see Giles looking fed up and irritated, sat on the desk, looking kinda rebellious actually, if you could get past the waistcoat.

"Hello Buffy." Giles greeted her gently, already seeming somewhat tired.

Buffy walked over, slightly questioningly until another man walked out from behind Giles, smartly dressed in a suit. Smiling proudly with his hair all quaffed.

'Oh, right...Wesley. That time of year again.'

Perhaps she could afford to try and treat him a little better; after all, though he was annoying, he did have a job to do. Just like Faith could be a better slayer, then maybe Wesley could be a better Watcher, with some help. Lots of help.

But she could still have some fun at his expense...

"Well, hello!" Wesley smiled at her formally.

Buffy smiled as she put on her 'valley girl' act. "Ooh, new Watcher. Wait; don't tell me your name. I'm good at guessing names. It's like a gift." She pretended to think hard, trying not to smirk at Wesley's bemused look as he glanced at Giles, "Well, you're English, so it's not gonna be anything cool like Jack or Brad or Ken...no, you look like a...Wesley!" She smiled, very pleased.

Wesley looked surprised. "Um, well...yes, indeed. Wesley Wyndam-Price, at your...oh, ha, very droll, Miss Summers. Mr. Giles must have told you of my arrival."

Buffy put on an innocent face and tilted her head. "Nuh-uh! After the last Watcher went all evil I was like, whatever. I'm totally not fazed anymore."

Wesley was on the back foot again. "Evil? Ah, of course. Gwendolyn Post, we all heard. A sad example of the seductive power of dark knowledge." He cleared his throat, "No, Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the council, but I'm glad to see that you're on the ball." He leaned in close and said, very conspiratorially, "A good slayer is a cautious slayer."

'What a doof.'

Buffy pursed her lips. "Oh, so how many slayers have you trained?" She asked innocently.

Wesley fidgeted a bit. "...Well, I, ahem. This is my first assignment. But fear not, I am thoroughly prepared for the task at hand. You may rely on me."

Buffy flicked her hair and smiled as she sat down on the desk next to Giles. "Well, that's a weight off my mind..." She said brightly. She saw Giles was struggling not to grin.

Wesley was clearly unsure of how to take her. "Well, quite. And with those pleasantries out of the way, lets get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?" He went over to a box and picked up a book, probably a journal, and flicked it open, "Why don't you tell me everything about last night's patrol."

Buffy thought hard and then said cheerfully. "Vampires!" Giles nudged her, he obviously though she was overdoing it.

Wesley looked up expectantly. "Yes?"

"Slayed 'em...or slew. Whichever."

Wesley tilted his head hopefully. "Anything else, ah, you can tell me?"

She decided to be serious, for Giles sake if nothing else. "Three guys all dressed in the same uniform, kind of a yellow tunic-thing. Good fighters for vamps." She looked at Giles, "One of them had swords. He was sniffing around, up to something. The other two were just looking for a fight."

Giles was thoughtful as Wesley straightened up and walked back to his pile of boxes, muttering about swords. He asked Buffy. "Swords? One long and one short?"

"Both sharp." She said pointedly before turning back to Giles, "they had jewels and stuff on them."

Giles' brain was ticking over. "Sounds familiar."

Wesley returned triumphant. "It should." He showed Buffy and Giles an open book, something about old vampire societies, apparently there were lots of them.

Giles read out loud. "El Eliminati. Fift..."

Wesley continued, seemingly from memory. "Fifteenth century duellist cult. Deadly in their day, their numbers dwindled in later centuries due to increased anti-vampire activity and a lot of pointless duelling." He clearly liked to lecture, "They eventually became the acolytes of a demon named Balthazar, who brought them to the new world. Specifically here." He said, gesturing to the library.

Buffy pretended to be puzzled. "So there was a library here, even back then? Weird." Giles chuckled.

Wesley sighed. "I...Ah, actually meant Sunnydale, Buffy. I've researched this town's history extensively."

"That's very thorough of you." Giles stated dryly.

"I didn't get this job because of my looks."

Buffy looked at Wesley. "So, like, where have they been all this time?"

Wesley failed to disguise his smugness. "They were driven out a hundred years ago. Happily, Balthazar was killed. I don't know by whom."

Buffy gave Giles a look and a small shake of the head. Giles spoke up, wondering. "In that case why have they returned?"

Wesley explained. "Balthazar had an amulet, purported to give him strength. When he was killed, it was taken by a wealthy land owner named Gleaves. It's buried with him and I believe the few remaining Eliminati are probably looking for it. For sentimental value."

"I see." Giles remarked, "And you don't believe that this amulet poses any kind if threat?"

Wesley gave a dismissive wave as he walked about. "Not at all." Buffy gave Giles a definite nod so he understood the real sitch.

"None the less." Wesley continued, "We may as well keep it from them. Buffy, you will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight and fetch the amulet." He paused before adding awkwardly, "Do you, ah, wish for me to write any of this down?"

Buffy smirked at Giles as she twirled her hair playfully. "Vamps want the amulet. I stop them from getting what they want...then I get a cookie."

"Yes, quite." Wesley said dryly. He was about to continue when the library doors opened and Faith swaggered in. She took in Buffy and Giles' expressions and looked Wesley over.

"Ah, this is perhaps Faith?"

Faith asked with distaste. "New Watcher?"

Buffy and Giles answered in unison. "New Watcher."

Faith shrugged. "Screw that." She simply turned on her heels and exited.

'I guess some things never change.'

Buffy sighed. "I'll see if I can fetch her. Play nice while I'm gone."

With that she hopped off the table and headed out after Faith, quickly finding the brunette sauntering out across the quad, hands in pockets.

"Faith! Wait up."

Faith turned, giving Buffy an easy smile and raising her eyebrows expectantly.

"Listen, I know this new guy's a complete dork...But, maybe we can work with him. Together; as in both of us."

Faith wrinkled her nose in disbelief. "You're actually gonna take orders from him?"

"That's the job..." Buffy hesitated. "Y'know, it's not as simple as taking orders, Faith. Giles isn't my boss...at least not when I don't want him to be." She shrugged, "But I listen to his advice because he's the guy with the knowledge. He helps me."

Faith thought about before frowning. "You know this guy's just gonna try and take all the fun out of it."

"With you there, how is that going to be possible?"Buffy tilted her head and took one of Faith's hands, giving Faith her best puppy dog look, "C'mon, just give this guy a chance...we can always ignore what he says anyway, okay?"

She could see Faith's internal debate; she clearly didn't want to go back. "I dunno, B. I'm not sure I even wanna take orders from G anymore, and now with this new guy..."

"Wesley." Buffy put in.

Faith's face twisted in disgust. "Jesus, really? Okay, so this Weakly's gonna be in charge now. I say no way; we can do whatever we want." Faith tugged on Buffy's arm, "C'mon, let's blow this off, have some fun."

Buffy had heard this stuff before; she'd hoped that Faith had changed enough to be a bit more responsible.

She pulled her hand away and frowned, "I can't do that, Faith. I have classes, then this assignment and then studying for a test. Now, as my girlfriend, do you want to help with any of that?"

"Aw, c'mon..." Faith whined before sighing in defeat. "Man, I am so whupped...Okay, alright, I'll come an' play nice."

"Thank you." Buffy leaned forward and gave Faith a quick kiss on the lips, oblivious to anyone who might be watching, "I appreciate it, really."

"Can't believe you pulled the girlfriend card." Faith replied sulkily, "Knew you were gonna be high maintenance."

Buffy just smiled as she led her back to the library, hand in hand. Although she didn't care who saw them as they made their way through the school, and there were a couple of side-long glances, she decided it was best to decouple in front of Wesley.

"One wayward slayer returned." Buffy said as she entered.

Giles was busily signing for a package but cast a smile in Faith's direction. The brunette just grunted.

Wesley stepped forward and offered his hand. "Now, let's try this again shall we." He said primly.

Buffy could see Faith's jaw tense up. But she grudgingly reached out and took Wesley's hand, giving it a firm, jolting, shake. "Hey." She said simply before letting her hand drop.

Buffy caught Wesley's eye, deciding to forego her former attitude. "I told Faith about the assignment tonight. If the amulet's there we'll grab it, but I've got chem. studying with Will so Faith'll bring it back here safe and sound. Cool?"

Wesley seemed perplexed. "Studying with...Will? Surely boys don't come before..."

Buffy interrupted him coolly. "Willow is my best friend, and smartest girl I know, she's helping me in not flunking my classes. That's the way it works around here, Wes."Buffy stepped forward and looked him in the eye, "Faith and I have non-slaying lives that you'll have to work around. We're not here just to be ordered about. Understand?"

Wesley cleared his throat. "Well, Buffy, that's just not the way things are..."

"Wesley, if you expect us to respect you and listen to you, then you've got to respect us. It's a two-way street, you got it? You can't come in here and change the way we've been doing things for years. That's just not gonna happen." Buffy gestured to herself and a smirking Faith, "Now, you have two slayers, an ex-watcher that we listen to and a group of occult investigators, who happen to be my friends. What would a good watcher do with all those resources?" She smiled sweetly.

Wesley swallowed a little nervously at her forthrightness. "Um, utilize them... perhaps?"

Buffy nodded and her smile became more genuine. "Good answer. Welcome to the team, Wes."

Wesley nodded hesitantly before giving a tentative smile. "Well, good...yes, ironing out all those rough edges, I see. And about your, ah, behaviour earlier?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Like, totally a prank, Wes. You're the new guy remember? You had to expect something."

"Yes, much joshing with the new ah, guy. Of course, naturally." Wesley straightened his shoulders and composed himself, "Well, girls, you have you're mission parameters. The Gleaves family crypt is located in the Ashburn cemetery, I believe. And I'll expect to see Faith later on this evening, with said amulet."

Faith smiled widely. "You got it boss." And turned and walked out.

Buffy smiled as she watched her go before looking at her watch. She sighed, late for class again. Poop.

Buffy and Faith walked along one of the wide, well-lit pathways that twisted their way through Ashburn. Looking for the big Gleaves crypt, Buffy had a vague recollection of where it was and was leading the way.

Faith was fiddling with her bow but otherwise had been pretty quiet, a small smile on her face.

"So, what are you thinking?" Buffy asked, maybe Faith had found a prospective hotel already, right before the weekend. That would be something.

"Just wondering which I dig more, take-charge Buffy or ditzy princess Buffy." Faith chuckled, "It's a close one."

Buffy smiled shyly. "I was just telling Wesley how it's going to be. I don't usually get all bossy like that. But he needed to hear it, better now than later. And the ditzy stuff was totally an act. And I just used the word 'totally' didn't I?"

Faith nodded with a smirk. "Totally."

Buffy sighed. "Well, it's not really me anymore either. But before I got called? ...Definitely."

Faith shrugged like she wasn't too disappointed. "Well, I guess I prefer bossy-pants you anyways, though I'm filin' away 'ditzy-cheerleader' Buffy as a birthday present or somethin'."

Buffy reddened a little before suddenly spotting the crypt up ahead. "There it is." She'd thought a lot about how to play this, fighting six vampires in a confined space seemed like an unnecessary risk this time around. Maybe the two of them could still thin their numbers though, before she told Giles that Porky the demon wasn't as dead as Wesley thought, and of his old connection to the mayor.

"Okay, I say we think this through for a few sec. Those guys with the swords were serious news, if they're onto the amulet this could turn into a serious party-situation."

"Here's hopin'."

"I'm thinking you go over there." Buffy pointed to some nearby bushes opposite the crypt, "I'll go in and search for the amulet. Then if you see anything, we can attack from two sides."

Faith looked at her in disbelief. "You want me t'hide in the bushes?"

"Faith, you have the bow. As in ranged weapon? As in surprise, sniper in the bushes? It makes sense, plus after you take a couple out you can still come and... take a couple more out."

Faith raised her eyebrows. "Just how many are you expectin', didn't Wes say these guys were a small-time deal?"

"Well, yeah. But they were a vampire society, and this is probably like their very own sacred relic or something. If they send anyone, they'll send a large posse."

Faith nodded in understanding. "Makes sense. But nobody sends a posse anymore, B. These guys aren't the Crips, y'know?"

"Whatever. Just get." She pointed to the bushes, smirking Faith ran on over and took cover. Buffy couldn't see her in the gloom until she stuck out a hand and gave a 'thumbs up' sign. Buffy made her way to the crypt, crept down the steps with her flashlight on and saw the two tombs.

Thinking quickly Buffy went over to the second tomb and opened it with a push, revealing the desiccated skeleton with the amulet around its neck. "Bingo."

But of course, if she took it now then the vamps would search the tomb and almost certainly find her. Better to let them take it and make them think that they'd succeeded. Then get them when their backs were turned. Classic ambush.

Buffy turned to the first tomb, opened it and switched off her flashlight. Then, hearing sounds of approach, she jumped in and pulled the tomb lid shut as quietly as possible, lifting it so it didn't scrape against the sarcophagus.

She felt the vampires without seeing them, six vamps on a mission, just like before, as they searched and found what they were after. Buffy hoped Faith would keep her head and not attack now, the other slayer was improving but Buffy wasn't entirely sure that her recklessness was all gone.

After a couple of moments she sensed them going and quickly pulled the lid back and stood up, glancing overhead to see the last flaming torch leaving the crypt. She jumped out and pulled her stake, only to hear cries of surprise and alarm from outside. She ran for the doorway, seeing through it the vampiric figures lit by torchlight, milling around in confusion.

She couldn't see Faith but already there were only five men now, and one of them was on his knees with an arrow sticking out of his chest. Buffy silently stepped out and swiftly stabbed one of the other vampires in the back, smiling grimly as he disintegrated to ash. Four left.

Two vamps, one of them the leader, noticed Buffy to the back of them and went to draw swords and attack. Though the second didn't get a chance, a dull thunk was heard as another arrow struck home, and the vampire staggered forward, collapsed and dissipated, his weapons clinking as they fell to the ground. Three now.

Then Faith appeared, leaping from the bushes with stake in hand, clearly eager to be in the midst of the fighting. Buffy struck while the groups' attention was divided and unsure, roundhouse kicking one vampire clean off his feet and hitting another with a combination of punches to drive him back.

Faith engaged the lead vampire, ducking under a sweeping sword blade to smash him across the face with her fist, then striking low with a knee before flipping backwards to avoid a slashing blade to the gut. Buffy concentrated on her two, one of which was still grimacing from an arrow in the chest, maybe an inch or two below the heart. For a snap-shot it wasn't bad.

Buffy ignored him as the other vamp growled and rushed her, lunging out with a powerful kick that forced Buffy to dodge to the side. She struck him high and low with a one-two combo before backing up into Faith. The brunette was reaching down to grab one of the swords on the ground.

"Y'okay?" She said breathlessly, smiling back at Buffy.

Buffy blocked another attack before swinging the guy around and hip throwing him to the ground. "Pretty good. You?"

She heard the sound of steel clashing against steel. "Five-by-five." Before Faith muttered a curse in her opponent's direction.

Buffy jabbed her stake down at her floored opponent but he managed to roll away as the other vampire, now free of his arrow, snapped a kick at her ducking form, catching her hard in the shoulder. But he quickly reeled back as Faith's blade whirled back and cut him across the face.

Buffy half-leapt at her opponent, jump-kicking him high in the bleeding face before landing to deftly block and then uppercut the other vamp under the jaw, both vampires went down hard. She followed one down as he fell, burying her stake in his chest.

Buffy saw a flash of movement in her periphery as she saw the lead vampire, sword in hand; flee for an open sewer exit. She snapped her head round to see Faith, down on one knee, grimacing and clutching her side. Buffy saw blood seeping through her fingers.

"Faith!" Buffy quickly dispatched her other foe before running over to the dark-haired girl and kneeling beside her, "You're hurt."

"Just a scratch...damn, I guess I need a little more sword practice..." Faith took her hand away to reveal a long, shallow cut about an inch or so above her waist-line. "Not too bad. Stupid." She muttered.

Buffy was torn, she knew she should follow. "He's still got the amulet."

Faith shook her head, her other hand coming up to reveal the amulet in her grip. "Nah, that's what got me stabbed in the first place. Me grabbing it off his belt. Then he saw how many guys he had left and rabbited."

Buffy let out a shaky breath and cupped Faith's face. "Don't scare me like that, okay?" She gently kissed her before pulling back and frowning at her wound, "Maybe we should both go back to Giles..."

"Buffy, we just wiped out that guys crew. He ain't comin' back." She pulled her shirt up a bit and glanced at her wound, "See, it's already stopped bleedin'. I'm good." Faith smiled at Buffy, "Go do the study-buddy thing, and I'll let G poke about with this." She waved the amulet a bit.

Buffy nodded reluctantly as she stood up. "Okay. But you show him your wound first, and if he wants to patch you up..."

Faith rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll act all wimpy. Just...go." With a grunt she pulled herself up, picking up her newly-acquired sword as she did so and looking it over, "Keeping this though, next time I see that dopey-lookin' mouth-breather..." She trailed off before smiling at Buffy, "Don't think I don't 'ppreiate you being all sweet, B. But it kinda goes with the job."

With that she stepped closer and kissed Buffy, one hand cupping the back of her head while the other, still half holding the sword, drifted down to cup her butt. Languid kissing quickly turned heated and after a few moments Buffy had to disentangle herself.

"Get a room." She said lightly as she pulled away.

Faith winked at her before sauntering off towards the library. "Workin' on it."

"...'Name the fundamental difference between a chemical compound and a chemical mixture'." Willow said as she read out the test question.

"..."

Willow paused to look at her blonde friend. "Okay, how about, 'name the chemical formula for salt.'...Buffy?"

Buffy looked over from her text book. "Salt is...is it a saline alkaline? Urgh..." She lifted her book and hit herself in the forehead, much to Willow's amusement, "I wasn't even answering the right question, was I?"

"Well, no. But if it's any consolation, you answered that question wrongly too...so at least you're consistent."

Buffy sighed and rolled onto her back on Willow's floor. "Sorry, it's just hard to switch off. From kicking vampire butt with Faith to," She paused to frown and look at her chapter heading, "'The properties of molecular bonding', my answer is that molecules shouldn't bond or own any sort of property...ba-dam bum."

Willow smiled knowingly. "But you've done it before slaying then studying, so what's different this time?" A little guiltily Willow moved her textbook to one side, "You mentioned something this morning, about the whole patrolling thing."

"I swear I didn't used to get like this. When I was on my own...it was actually kind of a drag, lonely. And when I was with Angel, well it was a little more fun, but still..." Buffy rolled back onto her stomach, "But with Faith, when we're in synch with each other, it's like... I can feel this force taking over."

Willow nodded. "I know what that's like, when I'm channelling some magic or other...It's intense."

Buffy looked at her friend searchingly. "Okay, so now imagine this; you're with somebody else who completely gets it, like you do. You're both connected to this...power, it flows through you; like the night belongs to you...It's unbelievable."

Willow got a faraway look in her eye. "Wow. That... would be kinda cool." She blushed a little self-consciously, "I mean, not the stuff I do with Amy and Micheal, that's small stuff, summoning the elements, protection spells. But the more powerful stuff; transmutation, communicating with spirits, that's intense." Willow nodded understandingly, "No wonder you're distracted."

Buffy nodded to herself. "It's not just that. Faith is...I can't believe I'm saying this about a girl, but she's way sexy. The way she fights, and talks, all those little insinuations, smutty stuff... "Buffy reddened, "It's just...well, we're getting towards the time that... when things get..."

"Get inevitable?" Willow finished.

"I was gonna go with physical but..." Buffy swallowed a little nervously and nodded, looking at Willow for a reaction.

The redhead looked a little shocked, but then smiled hesitantly. "Seize the fish?"

Buffy blinked and made a face. "Huh?"

Willow giggled. "Last year? Seventeenth birthday? You and a much, much older guy."

Buffy finally got it, but it had been longer for her. "Right. And we all know how that turned out..."

"Will you stop with the gloom? Do you know how many people have a 'perfect happiness' clause in their love lives? I'll bet it's not many. And has Faith even been cursed, even a little bit? Hmn? I didn't think so."

Buffy shrugged uncomfortably. "I know. Will. But I just can't shake the feeling that it'll change things between us."

Willow rolled her eyes. "Have you noticed how Cordelia hasn't said one mean, sarcastic thing to Xander in over a week? Why do you think that is?"

Buffy frowned. "That they... Did they? Really..? When did this happen?"

"Night of the living dead meatheads." Willow giggled, "You know, while we were saving the day...they must've..." Willow wrinkled her nose before continuing, "And now their closer, I guess. And me, I'm not afraid to be with Oz, I'm just waiting for the right time. And when we both want it, I know it'll bring us closer."

Buffy thought she should maybe bring up her real worry. "The thing is...Faith is kind of, um, experienced, with both the guy-thing and...with girls." Buffy bit her bottom lip, "What if, after all the build up, it's like this huge let down for her, and I'm not..." Buffy didn't finish, just shrugged unhappily.

"Oh, Buffy. I don't think it's just about the whole, uh, sex thing with her. Isn't it Faith who's letting you take things slow? I mean, Faith is built for the one-night stand, y'know. And now the two of you have been doing the dating thing for months. That's gotta mean something to her, it's has to." Willow thought about it absently, "Plus, there's the whole 'slayer' thing between the two of you. With all that dexterity and endurance..." Willow suddenly looked alarmed and slightly flustered, "One could...theoretically think about something like that and come to some, um, conclusions and, hey, talking of uh, practical knowledge-y things, we should probably get back to chemistry..."

Buffy smiled. "Thanks for the pep talk, Will. I was just in Buffy-panic- mode, needed to talk some stuff out." She flicked her textbook pages over and stared at the page, "Molecular compounds..."

Wesley was walking back and forth, whilst Giles seemed to be deep into some dusty text. Wesley was talking. "I spent much of last night verifying the authenticity of the amulet you brought..."

Without looking up Giles coughed pointedly.

"...And, with Mr Giles' invaluable assistance, came to the conclusion that it's genuine," Wesley looked pleased, and elaborated, "the Etruscan markings translate as..."

Buffy stared at him in boredom, twirling a bit of hair.

Wesley stiffened slightly. "...Well, I don't wish to bore you with the details. I will say congratulations are in order."

Giles spoke up and looked at Buffy. "I gather from Faith that you ran into a little trouble last night."

"Yeah, Wesley's nearly extinct cult had been on one hell of a recruitment drive." She looked pointedly at Wesley, "Luckily, Faith and I were prepared. Nothing we couldn't handle. We're good."

He smiled. "Glad to here it."

Buffy sighed as the bell rang. She put on her leather jacket and left Wesley to his posturing; she just hoped her last minute study-crash with Willow had helped.

She hooked up with Xander and Willow as they entered the classroom. "Morning guys."

Willow smiled back. "Hey."

Xander grinned goofily. "Buff. Get any action last night?"

Buffy looked around warily before she sat at her desk. "Just some vamps. Faith and I cut a swath. Five outta six."

Xander nodded strangely struggling not to smile. "As in five out of six vamps really prefer one slayer to two. Good going, swathing it up out there."

Buffy narrowed her eyes. "Why are you...you're acting weird."

Xander's smile turned sympathetic. "Uh, it's just...it might've gotten into the rumour mill that you...were holding hands and kissing a girl at school." He said the last part in a quick rush.

Buffy blinked as she reddened, maybe she could've been a bit more discreet. "What rumour mill?"

"...Uh, boy's locker room talk. You're quite the topic of conversation. I overheard."

"Boy's locker room?" Willow wondered, eyeing Xander.

Xander shrugged. "Sometimes I lurk." Then he looked a little alarmed, "But not in a gay way."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I think I can cope with guys and their 'gossip topics', heh. Who knows, maybe it'll make more popular." She frowned, "Not that I care, muchly." She turned back to her desk as the teacher entered the class.

Mrs Taggart started handing out test booklets and saying something. Buffy wasn't really listening. She was being gossiped about? Her and Faith were? Did that even matter? And should it matter. Buffy was a little embarrassed, but, surprisingly, hardly mortified, it was just one of those things. Anyway, who wouldn't be proud of dating somebody like Faith, all confident, beautiful and sexy?

"You have one hour." Mrs Taggart finished.

Buffy was tapping her pencil, staring at the test, but really, she couldn't focus. She sighed, thinking about Faith, what a surprise. In all honesty she'd rather be out slaying...come to think of it she couldn't even remember anything about this test...

A tapping on the window got her attention; she looked up and saw Faith at the classroom window. The brunette opened a window and leaned in, smiling widely.

"Hey, girlfriend. Bad Time?"

'I can't believe I forgot about this.'

Buffy pouted unhappily and gestured at her test paper, she could almost feel other people in the class staring at her.

Faith nodded and went to one of the window panes, just like last time she breathed on it to steam it up. Before finger-drawing a heart on it and then finger-staked it. She grinned at Buffy and wiggled her eyebrows.

'Oh, no... That doesn't have a subtext at all...'

Buffy turned to Willow and Xander. "Sorry guys. Gotta go."

Willow looked slightly dismayed. "Buffy..."

Buffy shrugged as she got round the desk, after all she didn't do the test last time, so where was the harm. "Cover for me. Duty calls."

Xander smirked. "More like booty calls." He looked at Willow who was still in shock, "C'mon on, that was funny. I've been waiting ages to say it."

A few classmates laughed and pointed as Buffy climbed out the window. Grist for the rumour mill or whatever. She stepped into stride with Faith as the other girl walked away from the school.

Buffy strode with her, already feeling her blood pumping. "Tell me you got something. I was beyond bored in there."

"Vampires." Faith stated simply.

'Yes.' "In the daytime? A nest?"

Faith grinned wickedly. "You bet. Good for us. Sucks to be them."

Buffy returned the grin. "Doesn't it always."

Bad Girls: Part 2 (First Time For Everything)

The Bronze seemed more alive tonight, tables and chairs filled with buzzing, excited conversation, boys and girls kissed as the air became charged with hormones, writhing masses of people on the dance floor moving to the pulsing, throbbing beat. The lights were dimmed low; the music pounded as lights strobed across the dance floor.

Buffy, in a dark corner of the club, was oblivious to it all.

Her lips drifted lazily over Faith's jaw and down her neck, feeling the other girl's racing pulse with her tongue, before nuzzling the side of her throat. She felt Faith's breathe hitch as she scraped her teeth across heated skin, part of her brain registering pride at the reactions with which Faith responded to her, the rest of her thoughts were just caught up in the brunette's scent, her taste and touch.

Buffy and Faith were both sitting on a couch tucked away under the balcony stairs. The blonde half-straddling the other girl with one leg draped across Faith's lap, the other leg tucked under herself. Bellies were pressed together, chests brushing as they moved, hands entangled in hair as they caressed each other, dark and light entwined.

Faith's searching mouth found Buffy again as they resumed their passionate kissing, tongues pushing against each other. Their muted gasps, soft moans and murmured endearments never left the cosy corner. As if they inhabited their own private, blissful world.

Breathing raggedly, their lips parted. Faith's eyes glittered darkly in the clubs soft lighting. "Y'wanna dance some more?"

Buffy shook her head gently. "I don't think what we were doing could be described as dancing. Making it on the dance floor, maybe, but we were starting to draw a crowd."

Faith pressed her forehead against Buffy's and smiled. "Yeah, I reckoned you might've wanted a time-out."

"To calm down a bit," Buffy smiled a little self-consciously, "Some hope of that."

Faith smiled, pleased with herself. "Sounds like someone got all juiced up from our slaying. Try tellin' me now that I was wrong."

"Fine. Just maybe..." Buffy sighed as she stroked the other girl's face, "Slaying...slaying with you makes me, um..."

Faith nuzzled her ear. "C'mon, say it, B. 'S not like it's a swear word."

Buffy felt a flush creep up her neck"...Horny. When I'm slaying with you, I maybe get a little horny."

Faith kissed her ear, causing her to shiver. "Atta girl. Still, sounds way hotter when you say it." Faith pulled back and narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, "Then again, maybe your jus' tellin' me what I wanna here, being my girl an' all. Gonna hafta check." And with that she quickly slid a hand across Buffy thigh and down to cup her between her legs, pressing firmly.

Buffy stiffened and gasped, her eyes fluttering slightly at the exquisite sensation, Faith's firm fingers against her warm, moist centre, stroking up and down against the material.

'Okay, no big...this is just third base. A natural step from second to this... really, uh...Ooohh.'

A moan caught in Buffy's throat as Faith leaned forward and kissed her neck, her other hand going behind Buffy, pulling her closer. Buffy sighed in disappointment when Faith's hand moved away slightly, upwards to the top of her pants. But then, with deft fingers, she undid her top button and started to slide her fingers down.

Buffy's brain vaguely wondered at the wisdom of doing something like this in such a public place, even in a shadowy part of it. That should make this wrong, not... way hotter.

But all she could think was about how good it would feel to have Faith's strong fingers inside her, that throaty, sexy voice whispering her name, those lips on hers as she...

Buffy opened her eyes so she could see what Faith was going to do, and so she could urge her to do it. But before she could she caught Angel in her periphery; he stood in looking into the crowds, agitated and obviously searching for her, hadn't seen her yet though. "Angel..." She murmured.

Faith froze, stopped what she was doing and pulled back from Buffy, her eyes narrowing a little in hurt.

Buffy shook her head and gestured to the centre of the club. Faith's gaze followed before registering the sight and nodding at Buffy, she still looked a little annoyed, but only at the interruption.

Buffy straightened her top and wiped at her face. "I'll go and see what he wants. Why don't you get us some drinks?" She got off Faith and stood up, giving the dark slayer a quick kiss before heading towards Angel, hoping she didn't look too frazzled.

"Hey." She said a little shakily. He turned to her, suddenly looking relieved. And, in Buffy's slightly lusty gaze, utterly gorgeous.

Angel nodded in greeting. "Buffy. I was worried. I didn't see you."

"Faith and I were just getting our dance on. She's, uh, getting drinks." She smiled, "So... what's up?"

Angel kept his face all business. "We better sit down."

He led her over to one of the large plush seats that dotted the area behind the stairs and sat down. He seemed tense.

Buffy sat opposite, catching his eye. "Okay Mr. Bad News, what's the what?"

"Balthazar." He stated, "I've been hearing rumblings about him, nothing good."

Buffy decided to play dumb; she knew how this played out. She shrugged. "All I've heard it that he's kinda dead. Faith and I are making inroads into making sure his groupies go the same way."

Angel shook his head. "He's not as dead as you think. Word on the street puts him in a packing warehouse over on Devereau. He's looking for..."

"His amulet." Buffy finished, "Which we now have. Please, hold your applause."

"Giles told me. He said he gave it to..."

"There you are." Wesley appeared before bustling over to them from around the corner, looking distinctly out of place. He looked around, taking in The Bronze with a slightly bemused look, "Well, you're certainly giving me a run for my money."

Angel gave Buffy a questioning look. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

Wesley continued. "I think we should establish that when you go out slaying, you leave me a number where I can..."

Buffy held up a hand to silence him. "Remember what we said about a good Watcher letting a slayer live her life? See, I was here trying to have a night off after a slay-heavy day." She turned back to Angel, "Faith and I'll do some recon on Balthazar."

Wesley was puzzled. "Balthazar? He is dead, Buffy. Please do try and remember that."

Angel stared at Wesley impatiently. "Where's the amulet?"

Without missing a beat Buffy reached into Wesley's jacket, grabbed the amulet and pulled it out.

Wesley spluttered. "How did you..?"

Buffy smirked. "Pooches your jacket." She handed it to Angel. "You'll put this somewhere safe that's actually safe?"

Wesley bristled indignantly as he stared at Angel. "Now hold on a minute. Who are you?"

Angel ignored the question, just brandished the amulet at Wesley. "Wearing something like this is like wearing a target on your back. You're better off without it."

Buffy glanced at Wesley. "Faith and I'll report in tomorrow, got it?" Then she stood up, Angel did the same. "Be careful."

Buffy smiled confidently. "Always am." She saw Faith approaching with drinks and left quickly to intercept her.

Wesley stood up and looked lost. "Will somebody tell me what is going on?"

Buffy took Faith's arm. "C'mon, we gotta go."

Faith turned with her, grinning widely. "It's nice that you're all eager t'get me somewhere private."

"Demon needs killing." Buffy said simply.

That got Faith's attention; fingers intertwined they grabbed their jackets on the way out of the club. The two slayers stepped out into the clear night air, leaving the warm and vibrant atmosphere behind, now they were on the hunt.

Buffy felt her head clearing a little as she focused, although her body was still alive and buzzing from her closeness with Faith, all that dancing and grinding and caressing. Fingers still laced they made their way swiftly and easily across town, down towards Devereau. Buffy could feel the hot blood coursing through them both, the eager, easy smile on Faith's face when she occasionally glanced in her direction. Otherwise both their faces cast about them at the shadows, looking for any scattered secrets in the dark.

"Over there." Buffy pointed to the dilapidated warehouse she recognised from before. The two girls approached, entering the twisting alleyway between the two looming buildings. A slight sense of unease coiled in Buffy as she recognised that this place was the last place that she and Faith had been together...really together, before Allen Finch and the spiral of panic and despair that had began that night. Tomorrow night.

'Well, not this time. I'm making damn sure of that.'

Faith moved passed the spot and over to a window, eyes taking in the interior. She made a gesture for Buffy to come closer, cautiously Buffy left the dumpster, stepping nearer and looking in.

Through the boards on the windows she saw the fat, pool-dwelling demon and about nine or so vamps, Faith and her having done a little more damage this time around.

"Okay, so we've got maybe got eight or nine vamps plus the Jabba wannabe."

Faith glanced at Buffy. "You're thinkin' that's our boy? No surprise that Weazley's wrong on this one as well."

Buffy nodded thoughtfully. "Nice that he's consistent."She suddenly found herself eager to take care of this tonight.

Faith sighed in frustration. "Don't suppose the new guy told you if Jacuzzi-boy has any kinda special demon-y powers?"

Buffy blinked in surprise. "Uh, no actually. Why?"

Faith seemed to be weighing things up. "Eight vamps, by surprise we could take 'em, no problem. But Mr. Pudding over there? Kind of an unknown. Too risky."

Buffy looked at the other girl, pleased she wasn't going to have to reign in Faith's recklessness. "I suppose. Plus we have zero weapons on us. We could swing by the library, grab something."

Faith shook her head. "My bow's at your place, remember? I'm thinking I get up someplace high, like on a catwalk, and rain down some pointy death on those suckers. Thin their numbers."

Buffy leaned in closer, smirking. "Look at you with all your shiny new tactics. I'm actually impressed."

Faith gave her a look. "Hey, we can get all wild an' crazy if ya want. Just don't go whining if this dude has some secret laser-eyes or somethin'."

"You read too many comic books...But okay, no poking fun." Buffy took Faith's hand as they quickly made their way back down the alley, "I like 'solid plan' Faith, hopefully in future she'll come out and play a bit more often."

"Not too much, don't wanna make you look bad."

"Oh don't worry, I can hold my own."

Faith slyly. "That's a shame."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Faith chuckled huskily. "Here, lemme show you."

Buffy squealed out in surprise. "Faith!"

Buffy opened the front door and called out. "Mom?" She walked inside and looked around. No car in the driveway, but sometimes she decided to park her car in the garage, depending on how security conscious she was feeling that week.

Faith stepped in behind her, tossing her denim jacket onto the sofa. "I'll fetch the weapons. You rustle us up some food." With that she headed up the stairs two at a time.

Buffy wandered from the living room, through the dining room to the back of the house, glancing into the kitchen. A few lights were on, but where was Mom?

Buffy went over to the fridge, opened it and found it stuffed with deli foods; cold meats, potato salad, coleslaw and other goodies. Pinned on top was a note, written by Mom.

It read:

Buffy,

I've put this note somewhere that I know you'd find it. I've had to leave and go back to the gallery to handle a minor shipping catastrophe. There's food here for you and Faith. Don't panic if I'm not back till late, in fact, if things go too slowly and drag on (and when don't they) I might end up spending the night here.

If so, make sure there's fresh coffee for the morning.

Love you.

Your diligent, hard-working Mother.

Buffy stared at the note. She didn't remember this from last time. But then Fridays could be busy for her Mom, getting things ready the last night before the weekend crunch.

Still, deli food was nice. Mom knew to play to Buffy's strengths, no cooking, just opening containers of food, putting it on plates and eating. She was really good at that last part.

She walked back through to the living room and called up to Faith; she could here the other girl clomping around. "Mom's not here, but she left us deli if you're interested."

Silence. Then Faith appeared at the top of the stairs. "Your Mom's not here?"

Buffy stood at the bottom and nodded. "There was some gallery emergency thing and Mom had to bail. But you caught the part about food right? So, you wanna to eat now or..?" She stopped because Faith was smiling at her funny, "What?"

Faith tilted her head. "You hear that?"

Buffy listened hard, nothing. She shook her head in puzzlement.

"That's 'cuz we're the only ones here." Faith spoke slowly, deliberately. An easy, sensual smile curled her lips, "Come up here a sec."

Suddenly Buffy understood what Faith was implying, she could be so blonde sometimes. "Oh...Uh, Faith, but the demon ..."

'...Will still be there tomorrow night, just like he was last time.'

Buffy tentatively walked up the stairs, her stomach clenched with nervous tension, her skin shivered slightly with excitement. Her eyes never left Faith who stood, one hand on the banister, her dark eyes dilated and vivid with desire.

She was so beautiful that Buffy's breath caught in her throat; dark curling tresses framing features that could go from innocent and vulnerable to blisteringly sexy in a moment. Tight jeans and top that emphasised her lush, curvy figure, her firm breasts and graceful hips, strong, lean legs and toned, bare arms.

Buffy came to one step down from Faith and stopped, still anxious. Was this really going to happen? Not sometime in the future, not a week or so from now but actual now?

Buffy licked her lips nervously, the last time she'd had sex it had been impulsive, an intense need to cling to Angel after nearly losing him not once but twice. But this time, it was like a force, gently but inexorably, pulling Buffy closer to Faith, like it was just meant to be. Like it always should've been.

Faith seemed to sense Buffy hesitation; she reached out and took Buffy by the hand. Drawing her up to the top step next to herself, her other hand cupped Buffy's face, thumb stroking her cheek tenderly.

"We don't hafta do anything, B. I'm not gonna lie, I wanna, real bad. But...I ain't gonna try anythin' that you don't want. 'S not me, okay?"

Buffy's throat was tight with so many emotions. "Okay." She said softly. She then leaned forward and kissed Faith sweetly and delicately on the mouth, lips softly caressing the other girl's. Her hands went to Faith's waist and drew her closer until their hips touched each other.

Buffy pulled back to look into the other girl's eyes and whispered. "I want you. Now."

Something hungry seemed to come alive in Faith's eyes, her smile widened until it was practically indecent. "Well, alright then."

With that Faith gently manoeuvred herself and Buffy back and around until she had Buffy pressed up against the wall opposite the stairs. Buffy's hands moved the Faith's shoulders to steady herself, as the other girl's scent filled her nostrils, making her light-headed.

Buffy tried to control her breathing. "Aren't we, uh, going to the bedroom?"

Faith nuzzled her. "In a little bit." She drew her hips back from Buffy and she gazed down the blonde girl's form, her hands quickly going to Buffy's pants. Buffy felt fingers undo the button and then heard the sound of her zipper being pulled down. Her groan was surprisingly loud as she felt Faith's hand slide down against her taut belly; fingers pressing under and past the elastic of her panties so that they brushed against the top of her mound. Fingernails tracing across hot skin through sodden, damp curls as they curled lower. Faith glanced away from her hands downward journey, eyes locking with Buffy's, lips parted slightly with desire.

"Damn, B. Guess you weren't lyin' 'bout being horny." She murmured as she leaned in, kissed Buffy passionately, her breath ragged.

Buffy exhaled into Faith's mouth as the brunette's dextrous fingers gently cupped her, massaging her mound with firm, rhythmic motions before scraped down her groin, over her clit, and sinking two slick digits between her sopping lips. Buffy's head jerked back, a short cry of pleasure escaping her mouth. Her hips stiff with longing and she found herself trying to push her legs out a little wider, anything to make it easier for Faith to do...Faith-like things.

The brunette teasingly brushed her lips against Buffy's, while her fingers were more insistent, moving deeper into Buffy's centre before slowly sawing their way out, drawing back and up against Buffy's clit. It felt like the blonde slayer could feel every ridge of Faith's finger as it rasped against her, back and forth, before again sliding into her deeper.

Buffy felt her knees buckle and weaken, but before she could say anything Faith shifted her thigh forward, under her, pressing up against her soft centre.

Buffy's head was buzzing now, her blood feeling thick and heady as it flowed around her. Her lips mashed against Faith's clumsily as she rolled her hips and clenched around the other girls questing fingers, shifting herself forward to help the other girl. Faith, for her part, seemed content to leave her fingers inside Buffy as she now pressed and ground her thumb incessantly against Buffy's clit.

Buffy groaned, feeling stabs of white hot pleasure every time she moved against Faith. The brunette was doing so many things, her mouth was now against Buffy's neck, sucking her pulse point, the other hand cupping her breast roughly; stiff fingers inside her, thumb pushing and rubbing her continually, sparks of pleasure shot through her every time Buffy moved her hips or Faith shifted her thigh.

Buffy's breath came now with short squeaks and cries of passion, she felt her stomach tense and un-tense as small contractions ran through her frame. She heard the soft buzz of words, Faith saying something, the sound a minor sensation on a sea of building euphoria. Buffy was beside herself, her body at the mercy of every caress or jolt of motion, nerves thrumming with pleasure. Her quivering thighs, stomach, all her insides seemed to tense into an exquisite knot, squeezing her.

When her orgasm came it seemed to come from everywhere at once, with no starting point, just a total release, an uncoiling of bliss. Buffy squealed as she clamped down hard on Faith's fingers, she felt herself contract and tense, pulse after pulse of pleasure tearing through her, each one subsequently weaker than the last, but still powerful enough to produce waves of pleasure that overloaded her brain.

Slowly though, Buffy came back to herself, to the drifting feeling of soothing relief that flowed through languid limbs. She groaned slightly as Faith shifted backwards and away from her tender body, withdrawing her fingers and steadying Buffy's waist.

Faith kissed Buffy gently on the neck, making the blonde girl tremble slightly.

"That...was hot." Faith breathed against her ear, her voice heavy with lust, "C'mon, we're just getting started."

Taking Buffy by the hand she led the slightly dazed girl into her bedroom and sat her down on the bed. Buffy watched Faith quickly kick off her doc martins and peel off her socks, fingers dancing eagerly as they undid her jeans and pushed them off and to one side with a bare leg. Then she standing there clad in brief black panties, before catching the other girl's eye.

Faith smiled sexily at Buffy as she slowed down a little, her hands going to the bottom of her shirt. Buffy was watching keenly as more of Faith's body was revealed. Her senses seemed to have recovered somewhat, though her body hadn't really calmed from her orgasm. Her heart was still racing; her pulse was still quickened with desire. The edge had been taken off, but to her surprise her hunger hadn't been sated in the least.

Faith drew her shirt over her head, revealing a smooth taut stomach and bra-clad breasts; the bra was one of those black push-up ones that gave a lot of support. Buffy couldn't tear her eyes away, seeing the way they swayed slightly as Faith tossed her shirt to one side, before her lips curled again.

"Seen that look from a lot of guys before." She let out a small husky laugh as Buffy blushed slightly, "Way hotter comin' from you, though."

Then she stepped forward, putting her hands on Buffy's shoulders. Leaning down she kissed Buffy hungrily, her tongue pushing deep to explore Buffy's eager mouth, gently tracing unfamiliar territory, softly pressing against the inside of her cheeks and before stroking Buffy's own tongue and withdrawing, leaving both girls panting.

Faith tossed her hair back as she reached around to unfasten her bra. With a flick of her wrist she casually dropped it by the side of the bed as she placed a knee on the mattress between Buffy's legs and leaned forward a little, presenting herself. Faith's naked chest heaved with her breathing; a slight glistening of sweat on her upper body made her appear all the more gorgeous. Her breasts stood proud, round and full, nipples taut and straining. Her eyes impossible dark and wide, her mouth bit her bottom lip a little bashfully as she allowed Buffy to take her in.

Buffy just stared; she'd never considered breasts attractive. Her own... sure they were nice, not too big for her figure, considering how petite and athletic she was. But enough to give her a nice feminine shape and fill out a bra. But Faith's... were spectacular, not just because they were bigger, a little bigger anyway. But they were just like the rest of her, impossibly well-proportioned, firm and perfectly shaped.

Tentatively Buffy reached out, sliding her hands up Faith's sides, gliding over smooth, heated skin. Feeling firm, toned stomach muscles, and the ghostlike impression of ribs before her finger tips brushed the underside of Faith's breasts. Buffy gnawed a little at her bottom lip before forcing her uncertain hands up to cup the other girl's perfect mounds, feeling springy nipples push against her palms as Buffy felt their warm weight. Faith's breath caught a little as she hissed a sigh of relief, her own hands reaching to stroke Buffy's arms, offering encouragement.

Almost experimentally Buffy gently squeezed Faith's breasts, getting used to their softness and supple heaviness. She massaged them, pushed them together, and brought her fingers down to catch the nipples between them. She gently rolling them under her thumbs, watching as Faith inhaled sharply, groaning huskily as she arching into Buffy's touch. Faith tilted her head back and let her hair stream down behind her.

Feeling a little more confident and daring Buffy sat up straighter and leaned forward, kissing the underside of Faith's pillowy-soft breast, testing the warm, pliant flesh under her tongue. She felt Faith's husky groan become louder a little more drawn out, sending small vibrations through her diaphragm.

Letting her tongue trail around the skin between soft tentative kisses Buffy mouth crept up, moving in smaller and smaller circles towards Faith's straining nipple before moving away to kiss another ignored spot of skin. She did this a few times before Faith's hands went firmly to the sides of her face and gently guided her to where she wanted.

But instead Buffy firmly grabbed Faith's hips and pulled her forward, flopping back on the bed as she did so. With a small gasp of surprise Faith fell forward on top of her, managing to brace herself on the bed, her arms going either side of Buffy's head.

Faith's questioning look was interrupted as Buffy craned her neck up and took one of her nipples into her mouth, gently sucking on the tender nubbin as Faith tensed with pleasure, torso held aloft on rigid arms. Buffy's hands reached up to cup, stroke and caress Faith's hanging breasts, while her mouth peppered the sensitive flesh with small kisses, soft licks and the occasional gentle bite. Soon Faith was quietly groaning almost continuously, shifting impatiently on her knees above Buffy.

Half on instinct and half aping what Faith had done to her earlier Buffy brought up a leg, putting her foot on the bed so her thigh pressed up between Faith's legs, even through her pants leg and Faith's panties Buffy could feel wetness against her thigh.

Without any prompting Faith began grinding herself backwards against the blonde girl's thigh, her hips rolling sensuously as she rode down against Buffy's firm muscle. Faith's held her head up; Buffy could see the straining chords of her throat as she worked towards her release, biting her bottom lip in an attempt to steady her breathing. Buffy concentrated on Faith's breasts, revelling in the newness of kissing and stroking the warm, yielding flesh, the almost intoxicating taste and smell of the other girls skin, feeling the crinkled surface of the brunette's nipples against her lips, her tongue, even occasionally her cheek or eyelids

Between Faith's husky moans became the occasional strained grunt, every shift of her hips seemed to drive her harder against Buffy, increasing the pressure as her own thighs clamped more firmly around Buffy's. Faith's rhythm became more rapid, the tilt of her hips meaning that she slid herself up and along Buffy's leg, sliding her wetness back and forth as she climbed towards her climax.

Buffy's own hands went to Faith's curving hips, urging the brunette on as she stroked across her glistening sides. She strained her neck up to kiss the side of Faith's neck, leaving soft butterfly kisses on hot skin before moving her mouth to kiss her behind the ear.

Those soft, gentle touches seemed to be all Faith needed to tip herself over the edge. With a long, husky cry she shuddered backwards against Buffy's leg, head rolling and body trembling as she rode out her orgasm. With a final sigh she fell onto the bed next to Buffy, landing on her side, legs curling up against her body as she huffed out quivering breath after quivering breath.

Buffy leaned over and kissed her breathlessly, Faith responded after a moment, her mouth fluttering hesitantly against Buffy's more aggressive kisses. The blonde rolled so that she facing the other slayer, one hand curling against her side, the other reaching up to stroke away Faith's tousled hair.

Buffy stared into Faith's eyes. "God, Faith. That was...you're so beautiful." Her voice was soft with wonder.

Faith blew out a breath. "...I needed that."She smiled shyly at Buffy, "I'm not usually so...uh, quick, y'know. You get me all worked up."

"I do, huh?" Buffy asked playfully.

Faith rolled forward and kissed Buffy forcefully, her lips working passionately against Buffy's mouth. Buffy squirmed, her clothes suddenly feeling too tight against her skin.

Faith pulled back at sat up on her elbow. She gazed hungrily down Buffy's body. "You're wearing too many clothes." She slid down off the bed and grabbed Buffy's feet, pulling her boots off.

"You always say that I'm wearing too many clothes." Buffy commented lightly.

She watched as Faith tossed her shoes to one side and started tugging her pants off; Buffy arched her back so her butt came off the bed. Her pants slid off easily. Buffy quickly grabbed the bottom of her shirt and dragged it over her head, throwing it away somewhere.

She sat there as Faith took her time gazing at her, clad in skimpy pink bra and panties. She'd been feeling a little daring that morning and right now, with the way Faith was staring at her, she was glad she had.

Faith bent down, sliding her hands up Buffy's smooth, bare legs to her thighs. She leaned in to kiss the blonde girl before backing off slightly, her fingers brushing against the delicate elastic of Buffy's panties.

"Lift your butt, B." Faith's voice was half playful, half heavy with lust. Buffy felt herself tremor in anticipation, but lifted her hips up so Faith could drag her underwear down her thighs and away. Buffy felt cool air against her bare pussy, smooth sheets against her butt, and could almost feel Faith's heated gaze on her body. She shifted on the bed, pulling herself up on her arms

"What now?" She said in a quiet voice, still a little nervous despite all the desire and excitement flowing through her.

"Move up the bed. Get comfy." Faith said simply, as she kicked of her own panties. Buffy saw a shadow of dark hair between her legs.

Buffy pulled herself up the bed until her neck was nestled against cool pillows, almost as an after thought she removed her own bra and dropped it over the side of the bed. Faith knelt on the mattress before slinking her way up the bed on hands and knees, stopping when she was level with Buffy's chest. Her eyes glittered in the pale light coming in through the window.

"You're...perfect." Faith's voice trembled slightly. That, more than anything, warmed parts of Buffy that had nothing to do with desire or lust or sex. Those words were said with love.

Buffy didn't say anything, just reached up to stroke Faith's cheek, then idly playing with a couple of loose curls, hoping that that tender action would communicate the feeling she couldn't voice, she was that overwhelmed.

The brunette leaned forward, soft lips kissing Buffy's neck, teeth gently nipping at tender flesh. Faith kissed across her chest as Buffy sighed softly. There was no nervousness at this moment, it were blotted out by raw anticipation and longing for the other slayer.

Faith kissed up the gentle slopes of Buffy's breasts, not teasing as much as before she cupped them both, stroking soft satiny skin before sucking an aching nipple into her mouth. Buffy's sighs became quiet gasps, her hands making fists of the bed sheets either side of her as she writhed a little, she raised a leg to brush up against Faith's side, running a foot down her supple flank.

Faith lightly nibbled one of Buffy's mounds, flicking her tongue across the sensitive surface, before dropping her head to kiss lower. Murmuring in soft appreciation as she traced her tongue across Buffy's toned stomach, around her navel, then descending lower still.

To Buffy it wasn't just Faith's tongue that sent her nerves singing, the brunette's hands tugged her thighs up so that they were on either side of the brunette, allowing Faith to run her fingers over Buffy's hips, tummy and the tops of her thighs. The dark haired girl used light, feathery touches and kisses that, to Buffy, seemed to be everywhere at once.

After a while Buffy began to shift her hips in frustration, as Faith's tongue traced warm, wet patterns on her inner thighs while avoiding any other intimate area. One of her hands gently caught a handful of Faith's hair as she tried to guide the other girl to where she wanted, no needed, to be touched.

With a dark chuckle Faith began softly tracing patterns on Buffy's outer lips with the tip of her tongue. Buffy softly gasped in a mixture of pleasure and satisfaction, her other hand reaching up to capture one of her breasts as she revelled in the new feelings.

From slow teasing Faith switched to lightly flicking her tongue across Buffy's sensitive clit. The blonde girl's hips jerked in time to the rhythmic caress, she felt the familiar building of tension, more powerful than before, and jogged her hips slightly to maximize contact against any part of the dark-haired girl.

Instead Faith backed off, pulling her head higher to kiss Buffy's undulating tummy as her hands stroked her quivering thighs. Buffy bit back a moan of frustration, part of her not wanting to give Faith the satisfaction of pleading for her release.

But instead Faith suddenly thrust a finger into Buffy's tight channel, making her squeak in surprise. Faith's finger withdrew slowly before moving back in again quickly, this time adding a second. She set up a rhythm, slow then quick, somehow twisting her fingers for an added effect, causing a rippling through Buffy's core. Buffy licked her lips unconsciously as her breathing became more shallow and jerky.

She then started to roll her hips, whimpering slightly as she ground herself against Faith's hand, moving herself in time with Faith's thrusts. Then the brunette clamped her mouth over the top of Buffy's mound, her tongue lashing and stroking the already sensitive flesh.

Buffy felt the tension in her body ratchet up a gear, feeling like her body was a champagne bottle being shaken, her skin tingled and muscles went taut. She felt her back arch and legs stiffen, almost involuntarily.

Cries and moans bubbled up from Buffy's throat as she moved both hands to her breasts, her hips surged so forcefully that she was dimly worried than she might hurt Faith in her throes. Her thighs clamping down powerfully on the other slayers head. She ground her head back against her pillow; powerful waves of pleasure were pounding against her like waves on a shore. Subsuming her, dulling all her senses apart from touch, her nerves jolted from misfired electric signals as she found herself thrashing wildly, undulating ripples of bliss coursing through her, wringing every drop of sensation from her.

Buffy found herself cresting, before suddenly being hit with more waves of pleasure.

Faith hadn't stopped. Her fingers, Buffy didn't know how many, were still moving against and inside Buffy, curling and caressing her inner walls even as they contracted and squeezed. Her mouth, lips and tongue were pressed tightly against her moist centre, lapping firmly against her clit, causing more explosions of sensation to rock Buffy's frame.

Again and again Buffy thoughts were torn apart and lost in blinding white hot sparks that shot through every part of her, from her scalp right down to her toes.

For a dimly held moment Buffy thought it would never stop, that her mind was lost in a torrent of intense ecstasy, like she had been torn loose from the world and set adrift somewhere else, floating. Then she slowly came back to herself, becoming aware of damp sheets against her back, the warm air on her skin, Faith's hair tickled slightly as her head moved up Buffy's body, before she felt a wet, passionate kiss against the side of her neck. She moaned and turned her head, her eyes catching the other girl's.

Faith grinned as she bit her bottom lip. "You okay?"

Buffy blinked to see if her brain was still working. Yep. "I-I...Wha? Where did you learn to do that?"

Faith sniggered slightly. "Maybe I'm just naturally talented. Or maybe seeing you naked makes we wanna do all sorts of things t'you." She bent her head to kiss Buffy at the base of her neck, "I've been with girls before, Buffy. Just practice is all." She wiggled her eye-brows slightly.

'I guess practice makes perfect...'

Buffy swallowed and tried to think of something intelligent to say. "That was like nothing I've..." Buffy's nerves suddenly returned with a vengeance, "Do...you, uh, want me to do that...to you?" She didn't think she could make Faith feel that good; the whole thing was just too daunting.

Faith laughed a little, and smiled. "Well, you don't hafta, it's not like I'm gonna make you, y'know." She eyed Buffy sympathetically, "Buffy, just relax, okay. We're havin' fun, it's not a test or nothin'... Just being with you...is." She shook her head and thought about it.

Then her eyes lit up. "We could use that toy of yours. You seemed to really dig it last time, made me kinda jealous." She stroked a hand down her side deliberately drawing Buffy's gaze to her body, "You wanna make me feel good, right? We've got a night. I haven't even done half the things I wanna."

With that Faith leaned in and kissed Buffy on the lips, weakly Buffy realised that she tasted herself on Faith's tongue but she didn't care. Astonishingly she felt her body start to respond to the dark haired girl's passion, embers of desire still smouldered in her belly, her skin still hummed with need and energy still coursed through her. She pulled back a little and smiled against Faith's lips. "Okay. But you'll have to get it. For some reason my legs aren't working..."

Faith returned her smile. "It's not like your gonna be anywhere anyways, not for a while."

With a final, trembling cry Buffy rolled off the other girl, chest heaving in breath after shaky breath. All her muscles trembled with exhausted passion; her skin was slick and sticky with sweat. Her nipples, thighs and pussy felt tender from hours of stroking, kissing and nibbling.

She ran a hand through her matted hair, she felt like a mess. A mess that felt really, really good.

Buffy dimly thought that they should maybe open a window it was so warm and stuffy in here, but that would require moving from the bed, and that wasn't going to happen. She doubted she could move even if the house was on fire. Hnmm... fire pretty.

She felt Faith shift around next to her, kicking damp sheets away from their cooling bodies. Faith rolled onto her side and pressed up against Buffy, putting an arm across her chest.

Buffy strained her head up and looked at her alarm clock. She dimly made out a two. As in two in the morning.

'Oh, god...that was...hours, as in more than one or two hours. I...maybe I've broken something in my brain, I mean it's a miracle we haven't already broken the bed...'

Faith murmured tiredly in her ear. "Y'okay, B?"

Buffy smiled widely and contentedly. "I think my days of okay-ness are a distant memory. That was...we should've done that a lot sooner, like maybe the first night we met."

She felt Faith's chest rumble a little as she laughed. "Nah. Wouldn't've been as good. All that build-up, tension, takin' it slow, s' what made it so good...Well, not the only thing y'understand." Faith shifted a little as she sat up on an elbow, she seemed to look at Buffy for a long time, her face half in shadow, "Y'know, I...I love you, Buffy."Her voice was quiet.

Buffy felt her heart flutter and melt at the same time. "You do?"

Faith swallowed and nodded.

Buffy leaned up and gave Faith a long, slow, tender kiss. She leaned back and smiled. "That's lucky, 'cause I love you too."

Faith shook her head. "Never thought I'd be this lucky. Somethin' usually goes wrong right about now."

Buffy looked into Faith's eyes. "And I told you that things would be different this time, didn't I?"

Faith just nodded and lay down next to Buffy, snuggling next to her. Her warm, smooth skin against Buffy's was both comforting and slightly arousing. "Just, don't blame me if I do somethin' t'screw this up."

Buffy smiled absently and nodded, letting her contented, happy thoughts drift as her mind became foggy with sleep. She would never let Faith screw this up. Ever. She would do anything to keep hold of this, all of this. She was the slayer, she could do that. No loneliness or nervousness or fear. Just passion and love and happiness.

Perfect happiness.

Bad Girls: Part 3 (Meant To Be)

Buffy came awake slowly, in that lethargic, unhurried way that she often did on a weekend. Hazily becoming aware of her surroundings, of the chirping of birds outside, the gently pressure of dappled sunlight on her eyelids, the rippling sound as the wind blew through the branches of nearby trees, and the quiet tinkling of next doors tacky wind chimes. Dimly Buffy realised that the window must be open.

Then she became aware of her body, the lazy, leaden tiredness in her limbs. The warm cosiness of soft sheets wrapped around her. And the mild soreness in her abs, arms and legs that made her smile at the recently made memories. She'd sometimes felt this way after a tough fight, but the slight aching and throbbing in some areas definitely added a new quality. Buffy groaned softly as she moved her thighs together and set off a gentle ripple of pleasurable signals throughout her body. She stretched luxuriantly and wondered if Faith was feeling anything similar.

Buffy reached out her arm and snuggled closer to the other side of the bed, only to find an empty space. She opened her eyes sleepily and frowned. No Faith, just unfilled warmth beneath the covers.

Buffy felt a twinge of uncertainty in her mind as she slowly sat up, confused. Her thoughts racing back to another time, another night of passion and another empty bed. Where was Faith? They'd fallen asleep snuggled close together, having said...important stuff to each other. Why would Faith run off like that?

'Maybe after saying that she loved me she panicked, got all defensive and...'

Buffy suddenly heard movement out in the corridor, and a light knock on the door.

"Buffy? Are you up yet?" It was her Mom.

Stricken, Buffy scrambled to look around for her and Faith's clothes, but saw only her own, flung about in a haphazard manner.

"Just a sec." Buffy croaked out, her voice sounding a little hoarse so early in the morning.

But too late because her Mom had already opened the door and stuck her head round, her face puzzled. "Buffy, it's almost ten o'clock and you're still in bed. Are you feeling okay?" She managed to make her question sound half admonishing and half concerned.

Buffy tried to seem as innocent as possible, whilst frantically trying to remember where she'd last put the vibrator. "Um...late night. With fighting! Uh, it was a vampire nest, very intense. I'll bet Faith isn't even up yet."

Her Mom frowned. "Faith?"

And for one horrible moment Buffy briefly thought that she'd just had a really long, really involved dream and that maybe her Mom had just come home now that the Graduation panic was over.

But her Mom just shook her head. "Oh, well, I'm only just in but I think I heard her in the shower a few minutes ago, she's up already."

Then, to Buffy's horror, she entered the room, frowning slightly, "Honey, you shouldn't leave the window open like that all night, it's bad for..." She trailed off, her frown deepening, "And what is that smell?"

'Oh, God...this is a nightmare... a horrible nightmare and I'm still asleep, otherwise the Hellmouth will just have to open up under me and swallow me now before...'

Then Buffy heard Faith's voice out in the corridor. "Don't worry, Mrs. S. 'S my fault." Buffy's Mom turned and stepped back out into the hallway.

Buffy was out of bed in an instant; still half wrapped up in bed sheets she quickly closed the window. She wrinkled her nose at the smell; the air was filled with some strong flowery perfume scent, like one of the ones Mom usually wore. Sweeping her eyes across the floor she saw the discarded vibe, clearly visible, on the floor next to the bedside table.

With a quick flick of her foot she kicked it under the bed as her Mom came back in. "...if that's the worst you girls get up when I'm not around to then I'll count my blessings." She turned to smile at Buffy, "I remember when every chance you got you'd always secretly be trying on all my clothes and shoes, back when you were little. Now look at you, all grown up." She tilted her head and gave Buffy a fond look before speaking up so Faith would hear her, "If you girls are interested, how about I make waffles. A big Saturday brunch?"

"Count me in." Faith called out, sounded like her mouth was full, probably cleaning her teeth.

Buffy smiled, partly with relief. "Sure...that sounds great. I could go for some serious starch right about now."

Her Mom returned the smile. "Better get your skates on then." She gestured to Buffy's ice-skates that were hanging up on her wardrobe. Smiling at her private joke she left the room and Buffy flopped down on the bed, sagging with relief. That had been way too close.

A few moments later Faith walked in, hair damp and skin still ruddy from the shower, clad in her cut-offs and white t-shirt. She gave Buffy a mischievous, dimpled grin. "I'm thinkin' I should get big thanks for pulling off my brilliant cover up in about thirty seconds flat."

Buffy gave her a bemused smile. "Huh?"

Faith walked closer as she ticked off things with her fingers. "Heard your Mom pull up outside the house, so I jumped outta bed, opened the window, picked up all my clothes and tossed 'em in my room. Then I went and grabbed somethin' stinky from your Mom's room to cover up the smell. Otherwise she might've twigged to us doing the nasty." She stopped in front of Buffy and reached out to brush some stray hair away from her face.

"Sounds like you were very busy."Buffy replied shyly, "I –I, um, woke up and you weren't here."

"Well I had to hop in the shower to get all squeaky clean." Faith said with a smirk, "Last night I kinda got a little sticky, so..."

Buffy blushed despite herself. "Yeah, I was so beat from, uh, all the 'nasty' I probably would've slept right on through. So thanks for the save..."

Faith leaned forward and put a knee on the side of the bed next to Buffy. "Only reason I was awake is cuz I was watching you sleeping. You're cute."

Even as she touched at her bed hair self-consciously Buffy felt her heart skip slightly. "Oh, yeah, all sweaty and mussed. If you think this is attractive you should see me with stomach flu."

Faith tilted Buffy's head up slightly and leaned down to press her mouth against her. Faith tasted strongly of peppermint, her cool breath mixing with Buffy's as her tongue slipping between Buffy's lips to gently probe her mouth.

Slightly hesitantly Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith's waist, hands sliding over her hips to the small of her back, fingers playing over thin cotton material and the firmness of the muscles beneath.

Faith broke the kiss, her own hands still stoking Buffy's hair. "You taste nice, y'know."

Buffy managed a playful sceptic look. "Really? 'Cause most people don't go in for morning breath."

Faith's smile broadened into a sly grin. "Wasn't talkin 'bout your mouth."

Buffy frowned. "Then what..?" Oh!" Buffy was pretty sure she had turned scarlet.

Faith snorted out a laugh and sat down on the bed next to her. "'S a compliment, B."

Still embarrassed Buffy murmured. "You just like messing with me."

"I do like seein' ya squirm. Think I proved that last night." Faith said lightly but then looked at Buffy a little awkwardly, "You're still okay, right? With what happened. With us..."

"Yes." Buffy replied quickly, "Very, definitely yes. Last night was just... amazing for me." She paused before asking softly, "What about you?"

Faith grinned at her. "Oh, yeah. You've got some skill. Bit shy gettin' goin', its part o' your charm, but...think you're a natural. You... were perfect." She shook her head slightly at Buffy's shyness, "And I guess I don't need t'ask if I was any good. Still got me a bite mark on my thigh from last night."

Buffy tried to defend herself. "That was your fault." She hissed in discomfort, "How was I supposed to react when you put your tongue..." She didn't finish.

Faith's smile became knowing. "Didn't hear you complaining, not over all that loud moanin' anyways. Besides, you've got a cute butt, couldn't resist."

Buffy bit her lip shyly at the compliment. "I was just...surprised, y'know. The shock of the new and all."

"Was a good night for it." Then Faith shrugged expansively. "Still, if y'don't want me doin' it again..."

"I didn't say that." Buffy said a little hurriedly, "Just, um, maybe ask next time, okay?"

"Fine. Buffy." Faith said looking deep into her eyes, her voice soft and tender, "Next time we're in bed... would it be cool if I flip you over and kiss your..."

"Buffy?" Buffy heard her Mom call out, "The fridge is still full. What did you girls eat last night?"

Faith almost burst out laughing at that and it was all Buffy could do to silence her giggling. She ended up hitting the dark haired girl over the head with a pillow. "Uh, Mom we just decided to eat out..." More muffled sniggers, "I mean, uh, on the way home, I'm sorry, we didn't know you'd buy stuff..." To Faith, "Shut up!" She hissed. Then she called out. "We'll be down soon!"

Faith calmed herself after a minute as she lay back on the bed, grinning happily. "Hell of a start to the day."

Buffy had to agree.

It was around one o'clock by the time they'd finished the breakfast brunch feast, where Buffy had consumed a truly astonishing amount of food, she told Mom she had to head over to Giles to report on last nights patrol. Faith had walked out to the front porch with her and given her a quick kiss goodbye.

"Sure you don't want me to come with?" Buffy just shook her head. Faith gave her a lingering look, "Then hurry back, 'kay."

Buffy gave her a big smile. "Sure. But tonight will be a bit more fight-y and less...action, clear?"

Faith smirked and leaned back against the porch. "I can wait till Sunday. I'm all about willpower, B."

With a last wave Buffy set off for school, trying not to skip or anything goofy like that, though she did notice a bounce in her step as she walked down Main Street.

Buffy tried to focus her thoughts on upcoming events, tonight they had to fight Balthazar and his goons, keep Giles and Wesley from being taken hostage, grab and keep Deputy Mayor Finch safe. Then find out what he knows about the Mayors plans before acting on them. Buffy didn't like to dwell on the fact that the last time she'd visited the town hall she'd tipped her hand and got her ass kicked all at the same time, quite an achievement.

That probably meant that the Mayor knew that Buffy might know something about his plots. But who knows.

So far there hadn't been any differences, but maybe that would change. Maybe Finch wouldn't show himself, unable to slip away from the Mayor, or maybe Trick would be waiting for them in the alley with a whole gang of vamps. Or maybe the Mayor would give Balthazar some kind of heads up somehow.

Urgh, so many options, so many things that could go wrong now that everything was perfect. Buffy sighed to herself; she just had to be wary, and not get ahead of herself. And not let Faith stab anybody, that last part was key...

Buffy stopped, the hairs on the back of her neck bristling slightly, like she was being watched. She frowned and turned to look back down the street where she'd come. Watching townsfolk go about there business. She almost dismissed her jumpiness before she saw a figure, standing on the street corner about thirty feet away, turned in her direction.

Not a typical Sunnydale resident, the figure was dressed in a hooded cloak, black and ragged, that covered him from head to foot, leaving the face in darkness. Not a Californian designer label to be sure, more like something out of a swords and sorcery flick.

The figure, seemingly unnoticed to anybody walking near it, slowly raised an arm in Buffy's direction and pointed at her, or maybe somebody near her. Maybe he was just giving a passerby some directions. Evil directions. She noticed that the finger pointing her way was old and gnarled. Gross.

And just as she was getting uneasy the figure vanished, a woman wearing a painfully loud bit of knitwear moved in front of Buffy's vision and the cloaked man was gone. It was possible he could've ducked back round the corner out of sight, but still. Spooky.

After a moment's hesitation Buffy turned and continued walking to school, the bounce gone from her step, but she shook off the sense of unease that had settled around her. Today was gonna be a good day.

"Good morning, Giles." Buffy said happily as she entered the library. Apart from a couple of long-suffering teachers condemned to work on the weekend the school was pretty much dead, Giles and she were alone.

Giles looked up from the desk, looking a little haggard. He smiled distractedly. "Uh, hello Buffy. Are you well?"

Buffy looked around expectantly. "That depends, is Wesley around?"

"He has yet to make an appearance, but I'm sure he'll show himself. Unfortunately." He closed the book in front of him as he rubbed his eyes, "You could have warned me about him you know."

"And deprive you of the singular experience of that first meeting? What am I a monster?" Buffy smirked and headed over to sit down, "Speaking of, we have a Balthazar sighting. Not as elusive as the whales he's trying so hard to be like."

"I see." Giles nodded in understanding. "Did you and Faith attempt to engage in any way?"

Buffy blinked, startled. "Engage in..? Oh! No, just strictly recon. Angel gave me a tip-off and we went to investigate. No weapons though, so we'll head back there tonight." Buffy pondered for a moment, "It might be better if you and Wesley get gone until we do though. Last time around you both got taken hostage at sword-point."

"Oh, wonderful. After being battered into unconsciousness no doubt." Giles remarked dryly.

"Actually no, you were very stabby, with the swords and everything. But still, best not to risk it again."Buffy remembered something, "Ooh, you can check out the hall of records, scope out the history of the Mayor and get everybody on the same page, y'know. The 'he's an evil mastermind' page."

"Hmn, I suppose I could contact Willow and Xander and ask for their co-operation in the matter. Anything to mitigate Wesley's presence." Giles looked at Buffy searchingly, "And what about...ah, have you had any more, well, episodes?"

"Episodes? Oh, no, actually, I'm very much enjoying the lack of vertigo. So maybe it was some weird virus? Or a lame spell."She stopped and looked at Giles, "What's up? You have your thinking face on."

Giles sighed. "This book I was sent is...somewhat troubling? The text about the Djinn."

Buffy swallowed. "Uh, in what way?"

"Well, there are passages...whole pages actually, that are missing, lots of them in fact. Vital information... well, it would seem like some chapters have been deliberately vandalised, as if it's been edited."

Buffy shrugged. "Did you talk to your buddy about his shoddy book-keeping skills?"

"Yes, and he maintains that was how it was given to him. And I do believe him...but I think he was hiding something else from me."

"Like what?"

Giles shook his head. "I'm not sure. But I detect a deliberate hand in all of this." He adjusted his glasses, "However, there is another avenue of investigation. A guest lecturer is visiting Sunnydale University, and he happens to be an expert on the medieval occult. I think with this journal and the copies of Æthelweard's notes I might be able to garner a bit more information about the, ah, Djinn and its handy work." He gave Buffy a comforting smile, "Not to worry. When it comes to investigating the Mayor I'm sure Wesley and your friends will be sufficient to the task."

"What task would this be, Mr. Giles?" Wesley remarked pointedly as he entered, "It would be nice if myself and the loop became reacquainted."

Buffy stood up and walked towards Wesley. "Well actually the loop says that Faith and me got a total eyeful of Balthazar last night. But that really wouldn't emphasize the grossness of actually looking at him. Point being, Wes, he is very alive and very flabby. So unless we want to wait until he dies of shame, you'll want him slain, right? That's where I come in."

Wesley's mouth opened and closed a couple of times as he took this in. "Balthazar is alive? But how..."

Buffy interrupted. "He has his vamp minions taking care of him. Y'know, with the whole protecting and the feeding and the, urgh, bathing their master." Buffy shuddered slightly, "And that's why they had a mad-on for his amulet. Plus, here's something extra newsworthy. We overheard Balthazar mentioning the Mayor."

Wesley raised his eyebrow as he digested this. "The Mayor? As in The Mayor of Sunnydale?"

"Uh-huh. Balthazar seemed to blame him for his current blobbyness."Buffy looked to Giles, "They seem to have a connection."

Giles spoke to Wesley. "Buffy and I have suspected that the Mayor of Sunnydale may have a darker side for some time now. This is just another conformation of that."

Wesley bristled. "And why wasn't I told about this sooner?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You've been in Sunnydale for two days now, Wes. This is as sooner as it gets. Besides, apart from hanging around in sewers and hiring vampires as night security this is the first solid lead on anything bad the Mayor might be plotting." She walked over to him, "We'll take out Balthazar, but I was thinking that somebody should take the gang and check out the Hall of Records, go to the source and dig up some dirt on the Mayor, his history. You up for that?"

Wesley straightened as he thought about it. "Good idea. Yes, the more information about the Mayor we can garner the better, and as to the reason why he would be fraternising with demons." Wesley paused, "If this is Balthazar...Buffy, he was extremely dangerous in his prime, cruel, murderous and immensely strong." Wesley walked over to one of his boxes and selected a book, "If I recall correctly he had the ability to, uh, draw things to him by sheer force of will. I would recommend keeping a distance, even in his weakened state; he might be able to..."

"I'll keep it in mind." Buffy said distractedly and turned to Giles, "And I'll contact Angel and tell him to meet us at the warehouse. The three of us can handle Balthazar. It's the Mayor I'm more worried about."

Giles stood as he looked at his watch. "Well, good luck, Buffy. I have that, ah, errand to run. But I'll see you later tonight when you report back."

"Ring the others before you go. Get them onboard with helping Wesley, okay?" Satisfied that pretty much everybody would be out of danger Buffy quickly left the library. She could get in an hour of Faith time before prep work, dusk and patrolling sent them back to the warehouse.

Buffy got home and was surprised to find Willow and Faith talking on the couch. Faith was already dressed for slaying, with leather pants, t-shirt and vest. "Oh! Hey, Willow, whatcha doing?"

Willow turned and smiled goofily at Buffy. "Hey there."

Buffy saw that Faith was preoccupied with holding up a pouch to her nose and carefully smelling it, making funny faces as she did so.

Willow gestured at Faith as well as to the small black bag she was holding in her hand. "Here, got a surprise for you. To help with tonight's slayage."

Faith looked up and smiled at Buffy as she playfully twirled her little bag. "Look, B. My own bag o' stinky magic herbs."

"For your information that's lavender you smell. And anyway, it's a protection spell." Willow said in her pretend snooty voice.

Buffy walked in and sat near them as Faith nodded, impressed. "Good deal. Thought witch-stuff would smell..."

Willow looked pleased with herself. "Stinky, right? I guess I could've added aloe or cinnamon instead to make it smell nicer. Give me time and I'll be the first Wicca to do all my conjuring in pine-fresh scents."

"Well, gotta say, Wicca smells way better than Church, usually that just made me wanna heave." Faith tossed her bag to Buffy. "Here, take a whiff."

Buffy caught it as Willow asked Faith. "Did you go to church a lot?"

Faith smirked good-naturedly. "My name's 'Faith', Red. Once upon a time my Mom and Pop thought they were all religious, used t'take me when I was little. Didn't last." She shrugged, "Guess I lapsed too. Point was Father Joseph was always wicked eager with the incense. Like he was tryin't a smoke us out or somethin'."

Buffy spoke up. "This is really nice of you Will. Uh, thanks."

Willow nodded. "I figure it would come in handy tonight. So what's the plan?"

Buffy hesitated at Willow's expectant look. "The plan?"

"With tonight's slaying. Faith says that you guys could use the help."Willow looked at Faith for confirmation. Buffy just raised her eyebrows at Faith.

The other slayer nodded at Buffy. "Tried to get hold of Xand, but his Mom said he'd left already. So it's just gonna be the three of us."

Buffy frowned at Faith, before giving Willow a concerned look. "Is that...Is that such a good idea? I mean, with you and the coming along with?" Having Willow along could complicate things. Dangerously.

Willow's smile faltered a little. "But I've done this sort of thing before, like a million times. I can totally handle myself. Besides," She held up one of the bags, "Minty fresh protection."

Faith looked nonplussed. "Yeah, B, what's the big? Red was there when the world was gonna end, vamps ain't even in the same league."Faith made a face as she nudged Willow, "But, just warn ya, there might be a couple of points where you might think about looking the other way. This demon's guaranteed t'make ya wanna hurl."

Willow smiled at that, before her gaze turned back to Buffy, eagerly wanting her consent.

Buffy stood up, getting a little agitated. "Look Will...Faith and I have got this. I mean, why risk your life if I don't have to?"

"Because I'm your friend."Willow said quietly, trying to hide her hurt.

Buffy looked at her. "Exactly. And with the big, hairy danger...I want you safe."

"Yeah, so where's safer than with two slayers, huh?" Faith spoke as she got up, "C'mon, we can't turn down having a little mojo to back us up." She turned to Willow. "Hey, why doncha go and fetch a few stakes from upstairs. Me and B'll call Angel."

Willow looked at Buffy, but when she didn't object Willow bounded off the sofa and quickly went upstairs.

Faith watched her go before glancing at Buffy. "We got a problem that I don't know about?"

Buffy frowned at the other girl. "I just, I don't like putting my friends in danger unless I have to. You seem pretty blasé about it."

"Willow's my friend too, B. And, like it or not, it's not always up to you." Faith shook her head, "Willow knows the risks, and she's careful, y'know, smart. Lot smarter than us at any rate. No reason to bench her."

Buffy shrugged helplessly. "But I'm the slayer, Faith. It should be my call."

"Yeah, well I'm a slayer too, 'less you're gonna pull rank on me, I think she should come along." With that Faith went into the dining room where she'd already laid out her bow, a sword and a couple of mean looking axes. "Anyways, we should get tooled up. You call Angel, tell him to motor."

Buffy sighed. She knew she couldn't push the issue, in a way she was actually glad that Faith was sticking up for Willow. She put a hand on Faith's shoulder. "Okay, but...just watch out for Will, okay. One of us is near her at all times."

Faith nodded. "You bet."

The three girls approached the alley leading to the warehouse. Buffy glanced either way before crossing the street, the sword she was holding made her look conspicuous enough. Willow was by her side, stake at the ready. Buffy could tell that the other girl was both excited and nervous.

Faith was ahead of them and had taken point, bow drawn as she moved gracefully forward and eyed the shadows, but otherwise she was pretty relaxed. "So after we get done, where d'you wanna go eat?"

Buffy hadn't really been listening. "Huh?"

"I could go for some pizza." Willow piped up, "Or maybe some nacho's."

"That's one vote for cheese." Faith said lightly as she moved passed a dumpster, "Me, I'd prefer some ribs, maybe a steak."

Buffy skirted a suspicious looking crate. "The way my stomach's going, I'll probably just want some ice-cream."

Faith chuckled. "Don't have t'be so nervous, B."

"Yeah, I can be nervous enough for all three of us."Willow's voice was quiet but shaky.

Suddenly a figure leapt at them from above, agilely flipping over them with a menacing growl. Willow squeaked in surprise but Buffy saw it coming and calmly kicked out at the vampire as it landed, sending it tumbling to the ground. She turned to see a second vampire coming at them from behind so she pushed Willow to one side.

Drawing two knives the vampire attacked her, steel ringing out against Buffy's sword as it tried to drive her back with sheer ferocity. In her periphery Buffy saw Faith send an arrow racing into the vampire she's kicked as it rushed her. Saw as it cried out and turned to so much dust.

Buffy's own opponent was skilled, neatly slicing at the air where Buffy's throat had been moments earlier as she backed up to swing. Her sword was good for a warehouse, not so much for swinging about in a narrow alleyway. So Buffy readied the blade so she could run her opponent through. But then the vampire, instead of pressing its attack, abruptly reared back in pain, dropping its weapons and crumbled to ash before Buffy's eyes.

Then she saw a wide-eyed Willow standing there, holding a stake. "Yay on me. I got one."She said breathlessly.

Buffy smiled in relief as Faith reloaded her bow. She spoke up, sounding a lot more serious. "I think we got more on the way. So much for the element of surprise."

Buffy nodded. "We should keep moving. Will, stay between us."

Willow nodded emphatically, still wide-eyed.

Faith scanned the rooftops overhead. "Let's hope they still keep on coming one at a time."

Just as she said that another two came at them from the shadows, knives drawn. One pushed Faith to one side before she could use her bow, its knife blow barely being knocked away by the brunette's arm. The other vampire bore down on Willow, teeth bared. Buffy snapped a low kick at it to get its attention, before backhanding it with her free hand. The vampire spun with the blow and lashed out at Buffy with its blade, gleaming steel striking her sword. Willow backed up to the corner of the alley, knuckles white as she gripped her stake.

Faith, bow abandoned, threw her opponent hard back against the alley wall, and rained a couple of telling body blows into it before driving her stake deep into the vampire's chest. Both she and Willow snapped a quick look at Buffy as she blocked another thrusting dagger blow before kicking her opponent face-first across the alley.

Suddenly Willow yelped n surprise as somebody grabbed at her shoulder from around the corner. But Faith was faster, quickly kicking the shadowy figure so hard in the chest that it threw him back against a dumpster. Faith then raised her stake and moved over to the prone form, before driving her arm down.

Buffy turned as she finished off her opponent, just in time to see what was about to happen.

"Faith, NO!"

Buffy, heart in her throat, raced over to Faith as she crouched over the downed man. His body laying slumped and limp against the dumpster. Willow stood stock still; her eyes followed Buffy as she squatted down by the other side of Finch. Buffy's mind was frozen by the simple, searing fact that it had happened again. In spite of everything she had done, everything Faith had been through, this horrifying moment had been repeated, and Finch had been slain at Faith's hand.

Except... when she looked down she didn't see any blood on Finch's lips, or any gaping chest wound. Buffy saw that even though Faith's stake was pressed hard against Finch's chest there was no blood. Then Faith gently moved her hand back and prodded his torso with the end of her stake. The blunt end. The sharp end was hidden in Faith's fist.

"It's just some dude." Faith said evenly, her breath shaking a little from the adrenaline.

"You didn't..? I though you were going to..." Buffy didn't say anything else; her chest seemed to seize up.

Such a powerful wave relief washed over Buffy that for one brief moment she felt like laughing, she actually felt the giggles building up in the tightness of her chest. But she focused and stopped herself; maybe she should just give Faith a big hug instead.

Willow was sympathetic. "That was a close one, Faith. I mean, what kind of guy goes around grabbing strangers in alleys, anyway. Big, dumb... man."

Faith shook her head slightly. "Felt something was off when I kicked him. Way too soft to be a vamp." She prodded him again, "Think I knocked him out though, he banged his head pretty good." She sounded a little guilty.

That was when Buffy laughed, huffing out big snorts of delight. She couldn't help herself. Finch was alive and Faith was worried that she'd made him bump his head. Life was wonderful.

Faith gave Buffy a puzzled look. "Y'know, B. When they say laughter is the best medicine, they mean it for the one who's actually in pain."

Willow spoke up quietly. "I don't see any other vampires nearby. But still, not the best time to get the giggles, Buffy."

Buffy waved a hand in apology as she cupped her other hand over her mouth and tried to control her breathing. "I'm sorry. I just...it's just all the adrenaline. I'm fine, really."

Faith seemed to be considering something. "Yeah, well. What're we gonna do with him. We need to get to the warehouse now before they realise their guards are toast."

"You took out the last of them. They're unaware, for the moment." Angel spoke up from the shadows. Willow let out a small eep of surprise.

Buffy stood up and looked over at him. "Angel, glad you could make it. But this guy isn't just anybody, it's the Deputy Mayor."

Faith leaned over to grab her discarded bow before standing as well. She shrugged. "Politician, huh? Well, makes me feel better about kicking him."

Angel crinkled his forehead. "So he's important. The question is; what was he doing in this part of town?" He asked pointedly.

Buffy stared hard at the prone man. "I'm thinking he was looking for us. No way is this coincidence."

Willow thought about it. "Hey, maybe he just wanted to give both of you a-a...good citizen award or something. Because of all the, y'know, good deeds and stuff."

"And the dark alley at night was what? Just t'add mystery?" Faith shook her head, "Guy's up t'somethin'. Or maybe he's in trouble and needs our help."

Buffy looked around. "We can't just wait around wondering. We need to move."

Faith nodded. "'Kay, this guy's comin' with us, so we can keep an eye on him. Red and I'll find a ladder, get up somewhere high." She handed her bow to Willow, "You and Angel kick in the front door, and make some noise, and I'll be there t'back you up."

Angel nodded and gestured over his shoulder. "There's a fire escape on the north side that leads up to a back office. It should be a good enough place to stash your friend there."

"Be careful, both of you." Buffy watched Faith as she easily hoisted the limp but breathing form of Finch onto her shoulder. With a slight smile and a wink at Buffy she headed off into the shadows, Willow quickly followed leaving Buffy and Angel alone.

Buffy tried to ignore all the giddiness and relief that she was feeling about the near miss and focus on Angel and the upcoming battle. She moved cautiously towards the front of the warehouse and waited there for a few minutes, readying her sword. "How many of them are in there."

"Eight or so, and something that used to be Balthazar." Angel seemed a little hesitant, "Did I, ah, hear you laughing back there?"

"Uh...yeah, it was a thing. But relax; wacky Buffy's taking a break." She stopped by the front entrance and inclined her head towards it, "Anything else I should know?"

Angel thought about it. "Do you know any fat jokes?"

Buffy nodded. "Quite a few actually."

Angel gestured at the front door. "Then you're good to go."

Buffy quietly opened the door and heard Balthazar's grating, angry voice echoing through the warehouse. "...you will find them all! The Watchers and their allies. You will bring the slayers to me!"

Buffy spoke up in a puzzled voice. "But I'm already here. Oh, do you want me to go over there so you don't have to shout so loud?"

"Slayer!" Balthazar squawked from a prostrate position in his water tank. The group of vampires that surrounded him turned as a group to face her, a couple of them drew swords.

Buffy held up a hand. "Please, don't get up."

The fat demon burbled angrily. "You have something that belongs to me slayer, and I will have it."

Buffy began to close the distance, slowly moving towards Balthazar. "Okay, so how do you want to do this? Oh, lemme guess, you want to win it from me in some sort of...pie-eating contest?" She said brightly. From the corner of her eye Buffy saw Faith appear from the upper shadows, readying her bow.

"Very droll." Balthazar barked, "But no, I will simply pry it from your cold dead hands...when they are brought before me."

Angel stepped forward, his face demonically twisted in preparation for the fight. "Actually, in that case, you'll want my cold dead hands."

"Enough. I'm already bored. Kill them!" Balthazar roared and the vampires rushed them both.

With a small nod of satisfaction Angel charged three of the group, driving them off into one corner of the warehouse, while the other five fanned out to try and flank Buffy. But she didn't stay still; instead she swiftly went at one of the assassins, swinging her sword to drive him back and to the side so that she could leap up onto the loading dock and took the high ground before they had a chance to surround her.

The vampires all changed their direction immediately, one vampire quickly clambering up over wooden pallets to land next to Buffy. Another of the lead vamps paused to briefly touch his chest in puzzlement, his fingertips brushing over the tip of the arrow that had appeared there before disintegrating to ashes.

Buffy delivered several stinging jabs to the vampire to her left, driving him back, and then lashed out to kick another vampire in the face as he tried to climb up after her. She then ducked the returning vampire as he charged, sweeping her sword down to trip his legs so he sprawled onto the solid concrete ground as he went past.

Across the warehouse Buffy saw Angel backhand one vampire across the face before kicking the other in the crotch, slamming a hard knee into his downed opponent's face so he tumbled away before head butting the first vampire back into a stack of packing crates. He then grabbed an attempted kick by the third vampire before yanking him forward into a brutal clothesline that slammed him to the ground.

Buffy kicked one vampire back into his companion, slammed a boot down onto his ankle so he dropped to one knee in agony, she then sliced her sword crossways at the vampire behind him, smiling grimly as her blade caught him at neck height and beheaded him.

Another vampire, charging in behind her, screamed in pain as he burst into a moving dust cloud. Faith was making her shots count.

Buffy blocked a downward hacking blade before punching her assailant under the chin, elbowing him in the throat, then grabbing and twisting him around, throwing him through the air so he slammed hard against some nearby oil drums.

Buffy now turned to face two vampires, one of which busily pulled an arrow out of his neck and threw it to one side; his face was a grimace of hatred and pain

Suddenly he was smashed off of the raised group and impacted hard down onto a packing crate, Buffy saw Faith drop to the ground next to her, hands letting go of the rope she'd swung down on, and then she pulled out a hand axe from her jacket.

Faith grinned at Buffy. "Always wanted t'do that."

"Glad you decided to drop in." Buffy smiled, "Get it? Drop in. Boy, tough warehouse."

Faith shook her head even as she eyed up their remaining opponent. "These guys haven't got that much to smile about, B. Let's put 'em out of their misery."

"I'm cool with that." They then both moved forward swiftly, weapons clashing together as the slayers surged off of the high ground, driving the vampire down onto the warehouse floor. Buffy caught her foe under the chin with a brutal knee, before catching him in the side with a snap kick and then a roundhouse to the head then sent him flying.

She saw Faith viciously punch another vampire as it surged at her from behind a crate; she caught him hard in the face with a one-two combination before grabbing him by the hair and spinning him around, and then redirected him so he flipped onto his back. She brought her axe down in a gleaming arc to chop him at the neck and finish him.

Buffy snapped a look to Angel who was handily dealing with the last of his opponents; another two unconscious figures lay about him. Buffy's vampire was the last one and he fought back like he knew it, attacking her with a strength borne of desperation. Buffy ducked under a frantic swing of his sword to kick him in the back of the knee, smashed the pommel of her sword into his face as he twisted for balance and then spun around, blade extended at head height, to neatly decapitate him.

Buffy turned to smile at Faith but her victory was short lived. With a gasp of surprise Faith was lifted through the air and sucked back by a wave of rippling, distorted air, which seemed to paralyse her even as it dragged her backwards into Balthazar's waiting grasp. His podgy hands coiled firmly around Faith's head, his grip strong enough to ignore her as she struggled to get free.

"Now, slayer. You have no choice. You or your vampire will GIVE. ME. MY. AMULET!"

Buffy froze, eyes darting over to the overhead light fixture she'd pulled down the last time, but it was too far away. She tried to stall him.

"Right...your amulet. What did it look like again? Was it gold, or, y'know, is that too flashy for a demon that clearly has body issues..."

But then she saw Willow. The redhead was standing on the overhead catwalk, hefting an axe over her head then she swung it against a support cable. There was a small burst of electrical light as sparks flew and then the overhead lamp dropped down into Balthazar's tank of water.

The demon roared hideously and dropped the struggling Faith to the ground. He flailed and splashed as arcs of electricity coursed over his bulging, glistening flesh. The skin smoked and reddened and a sickly sweet odour filled the air. With one last, surging cry, Balthazar heaved his last, his skin blistering and splitting as he did so.

Buffy scrambled over to Faith as the dark haired girl picked herself up, shaking her head slightly. "What the hell was that?"

Buffy caught her under the arm to steady her. "Some demon-y superpower. So, was it better or worse than heat vision?" She said lightly, relieved.

Suddenly the waters around Balthazar surged as he righted himself, his eyes fixed themselves on Buffy and Faith as they turned to him, startled.

"Slayers..." He growled, his voice hushed and liquid sounding, "You think you've won?" He gave a harsh, gargling chuckle, "When he rises...You'll wish I had killed you all." With a wet rasp he breathed his last, his hideous features twisted in a smile.

"Cryptic last words." Angel replied dryly as he joined them, "You two okay?"

Faith shrugged. "Little woozy...I'm cool though."

Buffy nodded before looking upwards. "Uh, Willow?"

The redhead waved down from her vantage point. "Hey guys, you all good? That's good because after that just happened I'm going to go now because I think I'm going barf." With that Willow hurried along the gantry towards the exit.

Faith blinked slowly a couple of times. "I should go and fetch that guy..."But Angel put a hand out to stop her.

"I'll do it." Angel said, "You shouldn't go clambering around high places any time soon."

Faith didn't argue and let Buffy lead her out of the warehouse.

"What's happening tonight?"

The fresh-faced politician squirmed in his seat, the personification of nervousness, and clearly uncomfortable being the centre of attention. Buffy stood next to him while Willow, Oz, Xander and Cordelia sat round the table, looking at him warily. Wesley and Giles were half-glancing through the documents Finch had taken from the town hall.

Finch swallowed. "He calls it... the dedication, it's, ah, v-very important to him. I'm not really too clear on the details. He mentioned something called an Ascension and, uh, a hundred days."

"That's one creepy sounding boss you got there."Faith commented dryly. She was sitting cross-legged at the end of the table, examining her fingernails.

"And you're certain of the fact that this ritual takes place at midnight tonight?" Asked Giles then more thoughtfully, "That tends to be a very auspicious time for castings, especially powerful ones."

"That doesn't leave us much to work with though, what, four hours at most." Angel said as he paced back and forth across the library.

"Well, it could be this is how the Mayor maintains his ageless appearance as we discovered in the historical records." Commented Wesley, "An immortality spell linked to lunar cycles could very well..."

"It's nothing to do with the moon." Oz said firmly.

Wesley turned to him. "Are you sure? My calculations..."

Oz gave a wry smile. "Trust me, its not."

"It's his hobby." Willow smiled and patted Oz's arm. Wesley looked bemused.

Buffy turned back to Finch. "What else can you tell us?"

Finch shifted slightly. "Well, after your attempted...that is, the break-in at the town hall, security was heightened. About ten or so guards' are on the grounds day or night, with another four armed guards on the second floor at all times. Plus, there are some... mystical enchantments. I wasn't privy to any of those."

"Our tax dollars at work." Xander snarked before asking Finch, "How can you stand to work for this guy?"

Finch shrugged. "It was all...necessary, to begin with, trying to keep a lid on the town's more unhealthy aspects. Trying to protect people from things that...they wouldn't be able to deal with. We were doing good. But...all of this year, um, things have been different. He's been more concerned with something else."

"And I'm guessing it not election time." Buffy said, "That tribute-sacrifice thing in the sewers, that was big. Plus he's obviously afraid of Faith and me interfering. This is more than just a stay young and pretty kinda deal."

"'Dedication' is a rather vague term." Replied Wesley, though he did glance in Giles'direction. Giles, though, seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts and didn't add comment, "Most likely an appeal to a demonic patron for power or protection. They can be rather...tricky to perform, or so I'm lead to believe. 'Ascension' is even more of an odd term."

Finch gestured to the folders that had been in the back seat of his car. "What about the documents I brought, will they help at all?"

Giles, who absently flicked through a few more of the pages, nodded. "Yes, this is all very detailed. Judging from these notes the Mayor has obtained quite a few, ah, esoteric items over the years." He looked over at Buffy, "With some research we should be able to narrow down possible spells, counter-measures he has in place. And, ah, find a way to counteract them."

"Good, because whatever this deal of his is, it's not happening." Buffy turned to Finch, "The Mayor, I'm guessing he'll want you there tonight."

"W-well yes." Finch swallowed and nodded, "But now I'm here, you can protect me, right?"

She shook her head. "No, you're going to go back to him. You say that you saw Faith and me fight and kill Balthazar, but it took a lot out of us. We got injured. That should help him relax a bit before his big night."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, B." Faith spoke up, "Ol' Finch here doesn't look like the 'cool under pressure' Donnie Brasco-type. He's gonna squeal."

Xander tapped the table. "Yeah, I second that movie comparison."

Oz looked thoughtful. "Guys, depending on how twitchy the Mayor is, we might not have a choice."

Buffy looked around at the other slayer and at her friends as she explained. "Agreed. If Finch doesn't show tonight then the Mayor will be even more paranoid, and I don't want him to see us coming until its too late."She then gave Finch a hard stare, "I'm sorry, but we haven't got another option, you have to go back. But only until we get there, then you get out as fast as you can. 'His honour' will be too busy with us to worry about you."

The younger man blanched at the thought. Maybe Faith was right, but Buffy couldn't see another option. They needed anything to get the Mayor Richard Wilkins to lower his guard just a little. They needed a little surprise on their side.

Finally Finch nodded. "If I have to do it, then I should go now. The sooner the better and put any suspicions to rest...and I'll tell him about Balthazar. Good news always makes him, uh, very chipper." Reluctantly he got out of his chair and looked over at Buffy, "Thank you for doing this."

With that he made to leave the library.

Buffy watched him go. He was a weak man, a man complicit in the deaths of who knows how many others, no to mention the evil schemes of a truly horrible person. But he was also somebody who, ultimately, had wanted to help them before it was too late. He hadn't deserved what happened to him the last time.

But then again, neither did Faith, there had been two victims that fateful night, and in a way two lives had ended.

Angel moved over to Buffy. "I'll help him find his way back, and stake out the town hall in the process. See if I can get a sense of their security patterns, locate a weak spot. When you show, I'll find you."

Buffy gave him a nervous smile. "Be careful."

Angel simply nodded and left in Finch's footsteps.

Wesley gathered up Finch's papers before speaking up in his most commanding tone. "Mr. Giles and I will see if we can't uncover something more about this dedication, and what it could be regarding."

Buffy watched as Wesley and Giles went into his office. She frowned; Giles had been a little too quiet, like his mind had been on other things. She thought about trying to get him alone and ask if he was okay, but there really wasn't the time.

Xander looked over at Willow. "So, you burned a demon. You're becoming quite the stellar witch there Will."

"Technically, I boiled him." Willow said glumly, "With an electrical thingy, not a fireball."

Cordelia held up her hands. "Oh, please don't mention the smell again, or the anything else about that story ever. I think you've put me off hot-tubs for the rest of my life."

Xander looked upset at that. But Willow just shrugged. "Well, all I know is that I'll never want to eat bacon again...or ever really, cause of the whole Jewish thing. But still, it was so horrible."

Buffy gave her friend a comforting smile. "That's the perils of field work there, Will."

Oz stroked Willow's shoulder. "And if it's any consolation, the way you tell it, that demon guy sounded really rude."

Xander nodded in agreement. "Yeah, like French rude. He so deserved to be fried." He turned to Buffy, "So, Buffy. Tonight, what's the plan of attack? D'you have any thoughts on stratagems or blueprints and stuff."

"I do," Buffy nodded and looked over at Willow. "How about it. You up for some juicy hacking to take your mind off of other things? We could do with you getting some blueprints from..."

Willow interrupted excitedly. "...From the water and power mainframe. I've hacked that before, it's a sinch." With that she moved over to her laptop and started to power it up, all her bad thoughts lost for the moment.

Buffy looked at Xander. "Okay, Xand, I need you to get together all your walkie -talkies from your Nighthawk days. We're gonna need them for a coordinated strike."

Xander stood up. "They're back at my place. I'll go fetch and slip into something a bit more commando-y while I'm there."

Cordelia got up with him. "A lot more commando-y actually. You're wearing a Snoopy shirt."

Xander paused to think about it. "You could come with, help me pick something out. If you wanted."

Cordelia smiled widely. "Okay."

Buffy sighed and called after them. "Guys' don't be too long, okay."

"We'll be real quick." Xander said. Cordelia raised an eyebrow at him, "Actually, forget I said that."

Buffy watched them go before turning to Faith. "So, what do you think; me, you and Angel in a frontal assault, with the others, Giles, Willow and Xander, going in by the roof. Then they can disrupt this ritual thing before it gets going."

Faith shrugged, seemingly a little distracted. "Sounds solid. 'S long as I get to pound somethin' I'm good."With that she slid off the table and made her way over to the weapons locker.

But Buffy stepped in front of her and caught her eye. "Are you okay, any, uh, side-effects from the fight?"

Faith just shook her head.

Buffy smirked. "Then what's up? Impending violence not doing it for you these days."

Faith sighed. "It's nothin'. It's stupid...it's The Rustic Inn."

Buffy tried to follow. "The...Rustic Inn, is stupid? What did they ever do to you?"

Faith chuckled a little. "Nah, it's just...today while you were out I called 'em up. They're out on the edge of town, great views, and private cabins near the woods. All snugly but kinda expensive." Faith shrugged awkwardly, "Anyway, they had a free cabin...and, I guess, I booked it... for tonight. I thought, after Balthazar, we could, y'know, relax. Now that's a bust."

Buffy, pleased, smiled a little. "You booked somewhere for us, already?"

"What can I say blondie, you make an impression."Faith shook her head, "Anyways, its stupid, what with all this evil stuff goin' down. I guess that's more important."

Buffy thought about it. "Okay...so how about you go and phone these people up, you explain that you're going to be arriving late, because car trouble or whatever, and that it's going to be past midnight when you get there, but you will get there." Then Buffy reached and took Faith's hands, "They'll understand if you call ahead. And they'll save you the room. Then after all this is finished...we can celebrate and have a long Sunday." Buffy looked up at Faith through her lashes.

Faith gave her a searching look before smiling widely. "You sure?"

"I'll tell Mom I'm bunking at Willow's and having a non-slaying day." Buffy smiled at her. "And what can I say, you make an impression too."

Faith grinned and quickly moved over to the book cage, seemingly energised. "In that case, I'll get the weapons organised, thinkin' nothing too fancy; plenty o' stakes, holy water, crossbows for the Scooby's. And maybe we can use Oz's van as mass transport, all of us gettin there together, plus a quick getaway." Faith turned and nodded determinedly, "this Mayor-guy isn't gonna realise what hit him. Bank on it."

Buffy blinked a little in surprise. She smiled, a little impressed. "Look at you, getting all commander-y."

"Yeah, well, I've got the best motivation."

Bad Girls: Part 5 (The Way It Is)

Oz pulled the van to a stop across the street from the town hall; the building looked deceptively quiet at this time of night, only a few dim lights in the foyer giving any indication that there might be people inside.

Wesley turned and looked into the back of the van at the others. "Now, if we can all synchronise watches." He hissed dramatically, "I have just after..."

Buffy raised her eyebrows and Faith smirked as they both lifted up empty wrists. Willow looked sheepish as she did the same.

Wesley sighed. "Yes, Typical."

"Well, we'll all just have to count, huh guys?" Xander spoke up from the back, "One-Mississippi-one, One-Mississippi -two..."

Impatiently Faith opened the side-door and stepped out onto the street. Cordelia, eager to be free of the cramp confines, quickly followed. "I still don't see why we couldn't have stopped off for some throw-pillows along the way. Damn lumpy amp."

"Let's all try to be a little more cautious and circumspect shall we." Giles warned as he got out of the passenger side, "Now, Oz, do stay with the van and keep an ear out for any..." He gestured to the walkie-talkie on the dashboard.

"Got it." Oz nodded simply, appearing the soul of calm next to Wesley's fussy nervousness, though Buffy noticed he did give an uneasy glance back at Willow as she followed Xander out of the van.

So did Faith. She leaned over and patted his arm through the open window. "Hey, relax, man. B, Angel and me are gonna be in the danger zone. There not even gonna know Will's doin' her little spell."

Out on the street Xander and Cordelia, both dressed in more commando-y outfits, which for Cordelia only meant slightly less designer clothes, stepped to either side of Willow, holding a couple of bags of ingredients for her approval. Giles held onto the backpack containing the book the disruption spell was in; his mind still seemed to be somewhere else though.

Buffy took him to one side. "Giles, is everything okay? You're kind of...spacey tonight."

"Oh, ah, well. It just feels that we're rather being overtaken by events, that's all. No matter." Giles frowned before looking at her, "But afterwards, everything being well, if you could come back to the library...I-I have some things I'd like to share with you."

Buffy looked at him, her concern obvious. "What's with the cryptic, you're starting to worry me."

Giles made a placating gesture. "Please Buffy, don't take it amiss. It's just some, ah, information I acquired this afternoon, specific knowledge with which we'll finally be able to act."

Buffy nodded in understanding. "Act? Well that's good, with the acting. To act is to do things... and means it can be made better, right?"

Giles gave a tight smile. "Quite. Anyway..."

Buffy turned to the group to see Xander leaning in close to Faith. "Thanks for the courage."

Faith smirked at him. "No prob, Xand. Anythin' to help ya keep that bounce in your step."

Xander gave a smile that was half pleased and half embarrassed, before an annoyed Cordelia pulled him away.

Buffy turned to them. "Okay gang, just so we're clear, when we bring the noise, get up onto the roof. Angel will cut the power to take out the alarms, but any mystical ones you'll have to deal with yourselves when you see them." Buffy held up her walkie-talkie, "When I give the signal cast your disruption spell and then we'll go in after the Mayor."She paused and remembered, "Oh, and if you see a cute little backpack up there, it's mine. It's a present from Faith so if you could bring it back with, I'd appreciate it."

"Break and Enter. Magic, magic. Steal. Get out. For the last time, we got it." Xander said, "Now stop mooching around and go and kill something."

Buffy and Faith left them to skirt around the town hall. As they moved to the left side of the building Buffy watched as her friends disappeared into the thick shadows opposite with a slight sense of unease. Hopefully her friends wouldn't see too much action tonight. But all this was a chance they couldn't pass up, taking it to the Mayor, getting at him before his Ascension had even begun.

Then, big relaxing for the rest of the year, except for those creepy telepathic demons and the devil dogs at Prom.

As the two slayers made there way to the low wall near the sidewalk Faith shook her head in mock disappointment. "Can't believe you lost my present like that, B. Little careless if ya ask me."

Buffy pouted. "For your information I was battling the forces of darkness...and had to leave it behind when I, uh, strategically withdrew...out a window."

"Shoulda taken me along with." Faith commented but held up her hand before Buffy could reply. "Here comes our boy."Faith gestured to Angel as he moved over quietly to them.

"I spotted maybe four of the Mayor's men in the lobby; a couple more are looking out of the windows on the top floor, not exactly alert." Angel looked between the two girls, "I just saw Giles and the others, what's the plan?"

Buffy thought about it. "Frontal assault. Confusion. Sudden violence. Draw most of the security down to the ground floor. Then you cut the power and I let the others know its time to infiltrate from above. Giles says that the spell they're gonna cast is a specific disruption spell to mess up the..." She tried to remember the words he used.

"Ritual of Laudation. "Faith finished, "It's a whole big brown-nosing deal, means this dude gets to become unkillable for a long stretch."

Angel took this all in before nodding. "Right. Let's go to work."

With that the three of them made their way towards the building. Faith, bow strapped across her back, kept to the shadows on the right, while Angel purposefully moved up on the left. Buffy pulled a stake from her jacket, her eyes watched for signs of movement or alarm, while in her mind the words speed and surprise kept repeating themselves over and over like a mantra.

All three of them mounted the step a few feet from the door when the area was flooded with light from bright overhead halogen lamps. The front foyer doors opened and a mass of smartly dressed vampires made their way out onto the front of the building. There were move than ten, maybe half a dozen more again, that fanned out into a loosely organised mob. At their rear stood Trick, dressed in stylish but muted dark blue suit and casually carrying a sword in one hand.

He grinned. "Good evening Slayers. I'm guessing you don't have an appointment?"

Buffy tried not to look worried as she surveyed the grinning mob of vampires; she gripped her stake tighter in her fist. "So much for the welcome committee."

Trick shrugged easily. "Well, this is what you wanted, right? Make a lot of noise, draw everybody outside."

Buffy felt her heart sink. "Finch."

"Slimy little bastard." Faith muttered.

Trick chuckled. "Knew he was hidin' something the moment he came back. For what its worth he held out for as long as he could, hell, I was almost impressed. The Mayor...wasn't."

"So where is he now?" Buffy asked as she reached behind her and started to untuck the walkie-talkie from her belt; she had to warn her friends before it was too late.

Trick picked his teeth with his tongue as he gloated. "Late night snack in the end. That's the price for not being loyal." Trick waved a dismissive hand, "But it don't matter what files he stole, your friends ain't gonna be able t'bring the cops here cops. Not till its too late anyhow. Mayor will be all set by then, and you won't be around t'tell your side of things."

Buffy felt a sudden surge of relief and pulled her hands back. 'Finch didn't tell them everything, this could still work.'

Angel glowered at Trick. "One chance, step aside."

"Well, check out the pair on Angelus over here. Sorry buddy, I don't care how old y'are. Your three." He gestured to the three of them, "Don't beat my full house. 'Specially without your ace."

He then turned to his men. "Take 'em down. And don't go sampling until I've got a taste, y'hear."

Buffy and the other two took wary half-steps back and turned so that they covered each others backs as the vampires moved forward. "So, five each?"

"I'm just gonna stake whatever's not breathing." Faith growled as she tossed her bow into the bushes, the weapon being no good for an up-close brawl.

"I'm standing right here."Angel protested mildly.

And then the vamps charged, crashing into the three of them as they twisted and feinted, twirled around each other, parried and redirected, punched, kicked and staked. Buffy saw Faith stake one vampire she threw against another, she saw Angel punch his stake into one guy he knocked to the ground before he was overwhelmed. Buffy herself managed to stab and dust two vamps before her stake was knocked from her grasp and she was grabbed from behind. There were just too many of them and before long two vampires were holding her roughly, her arms pulled tightly behind her back.

She snapped a look to see that Angel and Faith were being grappled in the same way. Buffy squirmed against her captors as she managed to get one hand pressing down on the button of her walkie-talkie. "Let us go!" She said.

Trick walked over, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Lemme think about that...nope, not gonna happen."

Buffy grunted as she kept her finger on the transmission button. "You can't win this."

"Can, will, have." Trick stated and cocked his head, "And I don't hear any sirens so I'm guessing that yours friends didn't make any impression on the cops. Anyway..."

He stepped closed, his eyes yellow, fangs bared at Buffy." I hear once you've tasted a slayer? You never want to go back."

Faith was fighting hard against her captors; she managed to wretch one arm loose. "Get off of her!"

Angel snarled as he tried to escape. "Buffy!"

Trick was amused at their struggling as he moved closer to Buffy's bared neck. "Well, look at you. Aren't you popular."

Buffy glared at him. "Oh, yeah. I've got a whole bunch of friends."

That was when headlights suddenly appeared from the street and the light flooded over them, the sound of a gunning engine filled the air and Oz's van mounted the sidewalk at top speed, the front of his van ploughing into the assembled group and striking full on. Immediately four vampires were sent flying off their feet and through the air, to smash back and through the glass fronted foyer.

Almost instantly the side door slid open and Wesley leaned out, a crossbow held in each hand. He shot once and the bolt buried itself in the back of one of the vampires holding Buffy. With a strangled snarl it was dusted. In an instant Buffy was lashing out a foot at Trick, heel smashing him under the chin so he collapsed and rolled backwards, Buffy then pivoting and punching the vamp to her left, clenched fist impacting against soft throat before jabbing a hard right to the ribs, leaving the vamp gagging down on one knee.

Buffy scooped up a dropped stake and whirled with lightning quickness to bury it in the back of one of Faith's captors while he just stood there, still confused by the frenetic events around him.

Faith took advantage and viciously head butted the vampire next to her, before grabbing his lapels and throwing him around, dashing him to the ground, his face slamming hard against cracked concrete paving.

Wesley had already adjusted his aim as he again fired into the melee, his second shot sinking into the neck of one of the vampires now grappling with Angel. The creature let out a strangled cry and let go of Angel to clutch at his neck, allowing the souled vampire to twist the arm of the other vamp, breaking his grip, and incidentally, his wrist, before slamming a straightened forearm across his chest that smashed him to the ground. He then twirled with balletic violence to kick the first vamp low in the stomach and yank the bolt from his neck before plunging it home to finish him off.

Faith kicked the vampire that was near her on the ground with such force that he flew back and up to collide with another two running that were running to his aid. Buffy threw the brunette her stake before grabbing another one from her jacket, ducking a clumsy grab from a vampire before catching him in the chest with a solid roundhouse, a quick backhand and then a vicious kidney punch before spinning him to the ground.

One staking later and the vampires were looking distinctly thinner on the ground.

Faith jumped over to the pile of vamps that struggled to right themselves, throwing hard right after left to send them tumbling across the ground as they tried to scramble away. She slammed her stake into the back of one before spinning into a deft roundhouse that sent a second flying in Angel's direction. Still using the discarded crossbow bolt Angel quickly finished the job, brutally staking the stunned demon in the back.

Buffy watched as the last remaining vampires that were still conscious ran off into the night, their loyalty to the Mayor fading as their numbers dwindled. Surprisingly Trick was staying, standing square and centre with that easy smile still on his face, made slightly less appealing by his demonic yellow eyes and vamp face.

Buffy twirled her stake at him. "Seems like your brilliant plan didn't really paid off like you wanted, Trick."

Faith cracked her knuckles as she stood next to her. "Just watch it, B. He's probably gonna dazzle us with his next one when he tries to high-tail it outta here."

Trick backed up a little, still smiling. "Well ladies, I've always been less 'dazzle them with brilliance' and more 'riddle them with bullets'." He swiftly put one hand into his jacket before pulling out a dark, compact machine pistol and pointing it at the three of them, "It's a new age my friends." With that he opened fire.

Buffy had frozen when she'd seen the gun, mostly from surprise, but partially from the overwhelming sense of unfairness. Since when do vampires use guns? Was that even allowed?

But Angel had never stopped moving, he knocked Faith off to his right so she rolled across the ground and behind some low bushes. Simultaneously he shoved Buffy hard in the shoulder; she tumbled forward into cover behind Oz's van.

The staccato sound of gunfire cut through the air and Buffy saw Angel hurled off of his feet as a burst of bullets tore into his chest. Trick fired another volley at the van, sweeping the gun back and forth; Buffy heard the pinging of metal on metal as bullets punched holes in the side, and zinged off of the ground underneath. She saw both Oz and Wesley had taken cover behind the front wheel well.

Buffy turned to Wesley and mouthed. "Crossbow?"

Wesley gestured helplessly to the back of the van, indicating that in the scramble to get to cover he'd left his weapons behind. She guessed that it was too much to hope that his competence would last more than a few minutes.

"Slayer." Trick called out in a sing-song voice, "Hey, c'mon now and stick your head out. I'll make it quick. Plus, if you don't I'm gonna have to dust your boy right here." Trick's voice changed as he mused to himself, "Y'know, I'm tryin' to decide whether to just stake this mother or try somethin' else. See, back in... hell musta been thirty one, I saw a vamp get dusted with a Tommy gun. That many bullets got shot at him that they just tore his head right off his shoulders. It sure was somethin' t'see."

Buffy risked sticking her head out to see Trick standing over Angel, who was groaning with pain and clutching at his chest. Trick held the gun loosely in one hand while the other reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a sharpened stake that he held loosely by his side. Casually he let loose another round directly into Angel's head and Buffy cried out in shock as Angel jerked and then lay still. Trick's head snapped up and brought the pistol up towards her.

Then Faith made her move.

She rushed at Trick from the side, she kept low and she was only a couple of feet from him when he spotted her and started to turn. Faith must have lost her stake while she was diving for her life because now her hands went to the gun, grabbing it yanking it up and away from both of them before slamming a fist into Trick's shoulder and wrenching his wrist backwards so that he lost his grip. The gun clattered to the ground as Faith spun and delivered a perfectly delivered punch to Trick's face. But the vampire took it well and simply stepped forward and drove his sharpened stake up into her chest.

Buffy saw the sharpened wood punch into Faith's jacket just above where her heart should be. The vampire did it with such force that Faith was lifted off her feet, Trick's other hand caught her shoulder, turned and flung her dismissively backwards and to the ground. Faith bounced as she landed in a limp heap, hands clutching at her front, back arching in pain.

Buffy felt a deafening roaring noise in her head as she broke the cover of the van and sprinted straight towards Trick. Her legs pumping hard before they pushed off the ground when she was about six feet away and she drove the heel of her foot hard into his face. She landed, ducked under a wild swinging stake before slamming clenched fist after fist into Trick's stomach and chest, then hopping forward on one leg to smash a fierce elbow to his face.

Buffy parried a skilful stake thrust and shrugged off a solid right hook before both of her arms seized his left arm, the one holding the stake, and pulled Trick forward and off-balance. With all her strength Buffy twisted Trick's arm until she felt his elbow grate and snap, then tugged the limp arm up and back on itself, the stake sinking deep into Trick's chest.

"...Didn't see that comin'..." He said as turned to dust.

Buffy then wasted no time in running over to Faith, the dark-haired slayer lay prostrate, the occasional cough racked her body as she struggled to breath.

"Faith!" Buffy knelt next to her and put a hand on her t-shirt, which was already soaking wet. Faith groaned and coughed weakly, "Oh, god! Faith, please...just don't move. You're gonna be okay."

"Ow..." Faith hissed, one hand clutching at her jacket, "Damn, think I'm busted."

Buffy shook her head frantically as she searched her pockets and then Faith's for a rag, anything to stop the bleeding. She pulled out Faith's battered wallet and a candy wrapper, nothing else. "No! Faith, you're not gonna die! You hang on, you hear me..."

Faith wrinkled her face and looked up at Buffy like she was crazy. "I know that B...my flask...its busted." She carefully reached into her jacket and pulled out her silver flask, which was now steadily leaking strong smelling bourbon from a jagged hole where the stake had punched it. "First thing I ever stole. Dammit."

Buffy blinked and gasped before grabbing Faith and pulling her close. Squeezing her hard in relief Buffy felt like laughing or crying, she doubted her heart couldn't take another near-miss like that tonight.

Faith squirmed. "Ow...Buffy, jeez. You tryin' t'finish me off?"

"Oh! Um...sorry." Buffy pulled away anxiously as she relaxed her grip, "You really scared me, Faith. You've gotta be more careful."

Faith raised an eyebrow as she slowly sat up. "Hey, saved you from getting your ass shot off...just didn't see the wood is all. What kinda vamp uses a stake anyhow."

"One that's riddled with bullets." Groaned Angel as he sat upright, one hand clasped protectively over the side of his face, "Haven't been shot with that many bullets since the war..."

"Angel!" Buffy winced as she turned and looked at him. She wanted to see if he was okay, but at the same time didn't really want to leave Faith, "Are you, y'know, okay?"

"I'll live. Did you kill him already?" Angel sounded slightly disappointed that he hadn't witnessed it.

"Sorry. I know he deserved a long slow death but... he pissed me off." Buffy stood as Faith got to her feet, her hands supporting the dark-haired slayer's waist, "Are you going to be alright?"

Angel stood up as Oz and Wesley came out of hiding, both armed with stakes.

"All well?" Wesley piped up in a strained voice.

"Man, Angel. You're really shot." Oz remarked dryly.

"I'll be okay." Angel grunted, before gesturing at the two slayers, "But you better get going, there isn't much time and I'll only slow you down like this."

Faith gave up attempting to wring out her sodden t-shirt as she walked over and picked up her bow. "Angel's right. Clock's ticking, B."

Buffy nodded. "Right."Then she quickly stooped and snatched up Faith's wallet, best if they didn't leave things like that lying around.

Then there was a squawk of static from her radio as she heard Xander's voice. "...Guys, are you okay? We heard guns; I mean it sounded like guns. Did Oz do a drive-by? Because if it was I so should've been in on that part of the plan."

Buffy smiled tiredly as she answered. "We're good. Faith and I are heading up now. Five minutes to cut the power and then you guys get casting, got it."

She heard Xander mutter. "...dammit, I forgot to say 'over'. Roger that Buffy, we've got you six, Nighthawk out, over."

Buffy raised her eyebrows at Angel. He just nodded. "I've got it, just go, now."

The two slayers turned towards the building, Buffy with two stakes, Faith with her bow. Stepping over shattered glass and broken vampires they disappeared inside.

Buffy and Faith were in the top floor stairwell when the lights went out, flickering for a moment and then blinking off.

The two slayers had been moving cautiously but quickly up through the building, watching their backs for signs of any other vampires, but nothing. Trick's mob was probably all of the Mayor's forces but it still paid to be careful.

Buffy pulled out her small flashlight, holding it in her left hand she turned it on and shone it at the floor. Her right still gripped a stake.

"All set?" Faith whispered.

Buffy nodded and cracked open the door, she heard confused murmurs in the corridor beyond. More vampires? How many did the Mayor own?

She gave Faith a cautious look as she quickly peered into the dark to see four figures standing by a set of double door over to the right.

Buffy held up four fingers to the other slayer, before stepping out into the corridor. The four figures turned in confusion towards the two girls.

"Any of you order an electrician slash vampire slayer?" Buffy asked perkily, she shone her flashlight at them. She saw four demonic faces grimace in discomfort in the light, before all four of them raised their arms and pointed handguns at the two of them.

'Oh, for fu...'

Faith slammed into Buffy's back and the two collided with the wall opposite as the four vampires opened fire. Muzzle flashes illuminating their silhouettes as boom after boom of gunfire reverberated down the corridor.

The two slayers took cover behind a long mahogany table which they tipped in front of them.

"Shit!" Faith gasped as she jerked her hand back, "Guess these guys have a shoot first bite later deal going on." She ducked as a bullet tore a hole in the ceiling, showering them both with plaster dust.

Buffy grimaced as she tried to make herself as small a target as possible. "Yeah, I'm really hating that whole second amendment thing right now. Stupid founding fathers."

"I'm pretty sure dead guys don't have the right to bear arms, B." Faith muttered dryly. The gunfire ceased, presumably because the vampires were reloading. "These guys don't have any rights, that why there's girls like us."

Buffy held her breath as Faith stepped out into the corridor, in a side on profile and quickly drew her bow, unleashing two arrows in quick succession before ducking back against Buffy, grinning broadly. "Got one."

The gunfire started again immediately, holes tearing out of the carpet, and chips of wood flying off nearby corner tables. None of the bullets seemed to come close to either girl. Then Buffy remembered something.

"Darla." She muttered thoughtfully.

"Huh?" Faith struggled to hear her over the gunfire even though they were close together.

"First year I was in Sunnydale. A vampire came at me guns blazing." Buffy remembered, "I mean she emptied two guns at me and hit pretty much nothing." She looked at Faith, "These guys have even worse aim. The only reason they've got us pinned down, is 'cause they know where we are."

"And they've got the advantage 'cause some bright spark decided cutting the power was a good idea."Faith snarked.

Buffy frowned as the gunfire abated again. "Hey, I like my plan. I didn't hear you objecting at the time."

Faith shrugged as she risked a peek out. "I told ya, when you get all bossy I get distracted. Its abuse of power is what it is."

Buffy shook her head. "The point is vamps aren't good at hitting slayers if we keep moving, and split up. We won't get anywhere pinned down like this."

"Got it." Faith tucked and rolled out into the corridor, coming up on one knee to fire another arrow at the demons before throwing herself sideways and crashing against a door opposite.

Buffy flipped a stake in her hand so she holding the base of it, before diving forward and rolling across the floor. Coming up on her haunches she flipped her stake end over end until it buried itself in the chest of one of the remaining vampires. He even managed to look slightly impressed as he was dusted.

The two remaining vampires frantically reloaded as Buffy sprinted down towards them, her last stake tightly gripped. One vampire raised his gun and snapped a shot off, Buffy banked sharply left to avoid the bullet, jumped up and to her left, kicked off the wall to rebound right. She landed, tucked and rolled forward, to come up and throw her stake at the vampire as his gun tried to bank towards her. The stake flew true until it was snatched out of the air by the other vampire's hand.

'Crap! I so deserved to pull that off.'

The first vampire grinned as his gun levelled with her face...before an arrow sunk into his chest and he fell backwards, dusted. The other vampire threw Buffy's stake dismissively to one side and pointed his gun at her, cautiously turning side on so Faith couldn't nail him in the heart with an arrow. He allowed a small grin of triumph, even a bad shot couldn't miss her from where he was.

Suddenly behind him the conference doors crashed open and Xander barrelling into the vampire from behind, tackling him around the legs like a football player. Surprised, the vamp fell forward and slammed heavily to the ground, his gun slipping from his grip in the process.

Cordelia hurriedly stepped over the two men as they scrambled to get up, and, stake held high, she brought it down and jabbed it firmly into the vampire's back, before popping back up and grinned. "I did it! I finally got one!" She pointed at Buffy, "And you totally owe me for the save."She said brightly.

Xander grunted as he still struggled. "Uh, Cordy. Guy kinda didn't go anywhere!"

Buffy pointed down. "You, uh, missed the heart there, Cor." Cordelia eeped in surprise as Buffy grabbed the stake from her hand, "Let me."

She pounded the stake down hard and the last vamp was dusted.

Cordelia huffed. "That still counts as mine though. Or I should at least get an assist."

"Then what do I get." Xander complained as he picked himself up and patted vamp dust from his jacket.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I saw you trip over yourself."

He shrugged awkwardly. "All part of my master plan."

Buffy tried to get them to focus. "Thanks guys, but did Will and Giles get to complete the spell?"

Cordelia thought about it. "Well, it did get really stinky. So I guess something went right, unless it all went kerplooey." She shrugged helplessly.

"Okay then, just stand well back." Buffy stepped back and turned towards what must be the Mayor's office.

Faith was listening against the door as she readied her bow. She notched her last arrow and frowned at Buffy. "I still hear chanting goin' on. Somethin' Latin-y?"

"Let's knock and find out." Then Buffy kicked out hard at the double doors, dark wood splintered apart as the lock tore itself free, revealing a large gloomy room beyond, a conference area that had been cleared of furniture.

The only objects within were a few scattered arty looking statues, a cage in the far corner where one of the El Eliminati was being held captive, and Mayor Richard Wilkins the third, kneeling in the centre of a pentagram, the flickering candles at its corners cast weaving shadows across the walls.

Faith scowled and raised her bow as Wilkins finished the last of his invocation. Then followed a rumbling that seemed to grip the entire building, doors banged and clattered, Buffy heard the distant sound of breaking glass and a few of the nearby statues tottered, one falling over with a dull thump.

Smiling in satisfaction Wilkins stood and brushed off his knees before reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief.

He regarded Faith with a mixture of amusement and disapproval. "Now girls, you're a little late to the party, what with all that property damage and bursting in without even knocking." He shook his head, "And didn't you're elders teach you not to point weapons at people."

Faith sneered. "What can I say, my elders don't know jack."

"Well, that's a grim outlook for such a young lady like you to be having." He sighed, "Not that it matters. The incantations done. I'm...impervious, as in can't be harmed. The magics have done their job and now there's nothing for you to do but run, missy, because by morning I'll have the entire police department out looking for the both of you, not to mention all your law-breaking little friends."

Buffy tilted her head. "Oh yeah? Well, we've got magics too, and I'm betting that your little powwow didn't work as well as you think."

"Yeah, it's a nice bluff Dick, but I call." With that Faith stepped forward and swiped her foot through the pentagram, smearing the dark powdered line and kicking over one of the candles so it spluttered and died.

"Oopy." Buffy looked at Faith, "Look what you just did. You see, this is why we can't have nice dark rituals."

Faith nodded in agreement. "Can't take me anywhere."

"You insolent little girls." The Mayor snapped.

Then they heard something, a murmuring sound that seemed to come from all around them, a distant roar like hearing a stormy ocean from far away, but getting ever closer. Buffy noticed that the shadows on the walls were writhing strangely, dancing and jumping but not like they were reacting to the candle light, their movements were too rhythmic.

Faith took a wary step back and lowered her bow as she glanced at the walls cautiously, Buffy watched as the shadows whirled faster and faster, now bending and twisting along the walls, waving like shadowy branches in the wind, dark tendrils reaching across the ceiling towards each other to merge and coalesce above Wilkins himself.

Wilkins looked up, his expression showing a flicker of fear for the first time. "Well...gosh."

Then he screamed as the shadows burst out and seemed to pour down over him as if it were pure, liquid darkness, blotting him from sight. All the surrounding flames guttered and snuffed out, plunging the rest of the room into gloom. Buffy didn't see what happened next; she only made out a wet crunching noise that wasn't quite drowned out by the roaring cacophony of unintelligible whispers.

Faith cast a wide-eyed look at Buffy before suddenly, with a blast of hot, fetid wind, the shadows dissipated and the electric lights flickering to life, revealing that there was nothing left in the circle but a heap of clothing that the Mayor had been wearing; all other traces of him were gone.

Buffy grimaced. "I really could've lived without ever hearing that, on a side note I'm probably never going to eat lobster, like, ever."

Faith let out a shaky breath. "Guess the guy got what was comin' to him, B." Her eyes twinkled a little as she suddenly smirked, "End of the day, just like any other politician. Empty suit."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "It's nice to see that you're still unfreakoutable. Does anything get under your skin?"

"Yeah. Unfinished business." Faith narrowed her eyes and stepped forward into the room, cautiously treading around the outside of the broken pentagram until she was only a few feet from the cage in the corner. And the vampire that was inside it.

Faith chuckled huskily. "Well, look-y here. Was just thinkin' about what I was gonna slay next."

The vampire growled. "Slayer. Release me now."

Faith tilted her head. "I dunno. Is the rematch ever as good as the original fight?" With that she simply drew back on her bow, arrow quivering with tension.

"You would slay me while I am defenceless?"The vampire glowered as he rattled angry against the cage, "Where is your honour?"

Faith's voice was cold. "Left it in my other pants. That's too bad for you, huh?" With that she let the arrow fly and bury itself in the vampire's chest; all he could do was he grimace as he turned to ash.

Faith turned and smirked at Buffy, her ruthlessness gone. "Like shooting vamps in a cage. Hey, y'think that could be a new saying I just created?"

Buffy wrinkled her nose. "Like the fish in a barrel thing? Could be. Not the sort you could really drop into casual conversation but still..."

"Wow, check out the swinging den of evil this guy has going on." Xander said as he popped his head round the door, "Very cool...evil, still evil. But also cool."

"Well, you didn't speak to the guy. Talk about lame squared. Evil Mr. Rogers." Faith shook her head in disgust as she walked back towards them.

Buffy took one last look around and nodded, daring to maybe think it was actually over. "Yeah, I think we're done here. I've had all the excitement I can stand for one night."

"Gotta say B, sorry t'here that." Faith stepped closer to Buffy, an easy smile on her face as she leaned closer, "'Cause I was planning on giving you another heart attack."

Buffy smiled a little shyly as she looked at Faith. "Well...I meant bad excitement kind, not, uh, good excitement. My quota is way down on that stuff."Then she wrinkled her nose, "Although, on the down side, you smell like a drunk."

Faith looked down at herself and almost pouted. "Guess I should probably change before we get all cosy."

"Agreed." Buffy leaned forward and kissed Faith warmly on the cheek, "That'll have to you satisfied until we finish up."

With that the two slayers moved back into the corridor, met up with the others and made their way outside into the quiet night. They found Angel, Wesley and Oz standing by the van, saw there collective relief as the two groups met.

Willow pouted at Oz. "Your van! Your beautiful van."

Oz gave her a gentle hug. "It'll live again. Summer project. One of the speakers didn't make it though."

Willow sighed. "I will remember him always."

"Her." Oz corrected gently, "All speakers are female. You didn't know that?"

Willow simply shook her head.

Giles regarded a rather frazzled Wesley. "Perhaps you'd care for some tea." He offered up a flask.

Wesley smiled thinly. "Ah, perhaps something a little stronger, Mr. Giles."

Giles smiled in understanding. "Welcome to the field."

Xander stared at Angel's face. "Don't be the one to wanna tell you this man, but I think your getting a zit."

Cordelia agreed. "I'm not surprised, with those pores."

"I was shot, okay." Angel replied grumpily.

Giles turned to Buffy. "Well fought Buffy, I take it the Mayor is no more?"

"He got taken."Buffy wrinkled her nose, "Or scrunched, or chewed, or whatever. He's gone."

"All those decades of prep work, down the drain." Xander shook his head, "So much for forward planning. See, this is why, as a man who lives in the now..."

Cordelia interrupted. "Sweetie, nobody wants to hear your slacker philosophy. Now come on and walk me home."

Buffy smiled as she watched them both walk away into the night. A couple that somehow worked in spite of the two people involved. At least Xander seemed happier this time around.

She turned to see Faith helping a stiffly moving Angel into the back of Oz's van. Willow was running her fingers over a bullet hole in the side of the van. "You okay Will?"

Willow was a little wide-eyed. "It turns out Oz was in way more danger than I was."

Buffy offered a comforting smile. "How did it go, with everything?"

Willow found her own smile. "Intense and spooky, but also...everything went really well. For us, I mean. If it went well for the bad guys... that would've been bad."

"You really went all out tonight, Will. With Balthazar and now this. Very slayer-like."

Willow shrugged bashfully. "Well, you slayers do need some mega-mojo in your corner occasionally. A-And I like to help, with the evil fighting."

Buffy stepped closer and gave her a hug. "I kind of love you."

Surprised Willow hugged her back. "Aw, I should have known mass battles get you all gooey." She pulled back before blushing a little, "I-I mean emotionally gooey n-not...um, oh, look there's your girlfriend."

Buffy turned as Faith sauntered over. "Not making moves on my girl are ya, Red."

Willow blushed and Buffy slapped Faith's arm. "Quit teasing. So what's the plan now?"

Faith's face twisted anxiously. "Well B, that's the thing. There's somethin' I gotta do that your not gonna like."

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Oh, what's that?"

Faith scratched the back of her head. "Well, it kinda involves me takin' Angel's shirt off..."

'Huh?'

Consequences: Part 1 (Things Fall Apart)

"Aaaarrrgh!" Angel cried out as he flopped back against the sofa, his hands curling into fists, his face strained and damp with sweat as droplets of blood splattered against his bare chest.

By the fireplace, half turned away and peeping out from behind one curled fist, Buffy cringed in sympathy. She couldn't even watch this, never mind help out. Listening to all it was bad enough and it seemed to be going on forever.

She warily peaked over her knuckles to see Faith sitting up on the couch and twirling a blood-stained knife. "Please tell me that was the last one?"

Faith looked over at her, smirking. "Yep, got all five out, no sweat. It's kinda like 'Operation', only with more fluids and stuff."She leaned over and dropped the last bullet into the dish that was on the table.

"Were you really bad at 'Operation'?" Angel asked in a sour tone as he glanced down at his chest, taking in the bloody mess that was his torso.

"Aw, quit whining, you'll heal. You were the one that didn't wanna go digging around inside yourself for all the caps this guy popped in your ass."She smiled sweetly as Buffy came over, "Anyway, here comes B with the TLC." Faith chuckled at her rhyme-iness and scooted backwards. Then Buffy sat down with the box of tape and bandages.

"Your first aid box is kinda limited." She shrugged apologetically as turned to Angel and reached out with some cotton wool to dab at and clean up his chest. He winced a little but gave Buffy a small, stoic smile, encouraging her to keep on going.

Buffy felt Faith lean against her back and put her chin on Buffy's shoulder. "So, come clean big guy. In your dreams are me an' B wearing like skimpy nurse's outfits while we do this, or are we just naked?"

Buffy felt herself redden. "Faith!"She hissed.

"In my dream there's a lot less pain and blood and stabbing knives." Angel replied wryly, before adding softly, "...and maybe the outfits."He gave a helpless shrug to Buffy, "Hey, I'm the one who got shot here."

Faith gave a short husky laugh while Buffy just shook her head as she finished cleaning the last of the bullet holes. "You shouldn't give her any encouragement. Faith's like a puppy, she needs discipline."

Ignoring the puppy comparison Faith's voice seemed to perk up with interest. "Discipline? Hey, now you're talkin'."

Buffy sniffed at the other slayer. "I mean like a rolled up newspaper across the nose, not paddles and stuff." Buffy couldn't believe she was actually having this conversation. Angel just sat there, smiling slightly in bemusement. At least he didn't seem to be as embarrassed like she was.

"Ooh, paddles? Think yer lettin' the cat outta the bag there, B." Faith sighed wistfully, "Always the good girls that surprise you."

Angel sat up and gently pushed Buffy's hands away from his chest. "I think I'll be okay now. The bleedings stopped." He reached over a grabbed a nearby fresh shirt.

Buffy frowned down at the box. "But, I have bandages..."

Angel chuckled softly as he carefully pulled on the shirt. "Really Buffy, I'm feeling a lot better. In fact..." He looked away as his smile faltered a little, "We should probably talk...I'm thinking about leaving."

Buffy tensed up, and felt it when Faith did the same. She raised her eyebrows and tried to sound casual. "Oh, leaving?"

Angel looked at her sombrely and nodded. "With the Mayor out of the picture, and two slayers guarding the Hellmouth...I'm not needed here."

"Listen, I'm gonna just..." Faith mumbled softly before quickly getting up and walking out into the gardens, leaving the two of them alone.

Buffy watched her go before turning back to Angel. "When?" Buffy asked quietly.

"Tomorrow." Angel said firmly, "There's a place in L.A I can stay until I think of somewhere more permanent."

Buffy looked down at her hands as she tried to form an encouraging smile. "Oh, well that's great! Uh, well not great in the sense that..."

"Buffy." Angel interrupted and took her hands, "Just listen." He seemed to frown as he considered his next words, "I've been giving this a lot of thought, some way to tell you what I..." He paused, "About leaving you with something that isn't going to make you feel guilty for moving on to someone new. You know I love you, I've never loved anyone the way..." He paused again as he looked into her eyes, "But you're more than that to me. You always have been. In all the years that I've existed I've never known if what happened to me ever mattered, or if I just existed to be punished, to suffer."

Angel smiled softly at her in that way he had that always made her melt slightly. "You gave me a reason, a purpose. Something to fight for. And that's something of yours that will always be with me, wherever I go."

Buffy didn't know what to say. "Oh." She said quietly. 'Yep, I'm a genius. An eloquent genius.'

Angel glanced through the French windows into the garden where Faith was trying so hard not to notice or listen or even care about what the two of them were saying. The brunette paced back and forth, swinging her arms slightly, looking up into the night sky.

Angel shook his head slightly. "I like Faith. I should be jealous...I am jealous, but I still like her." He turned back to Buffy, "I hope she makes you happy."

Buffy swallowed and found her voice. "Angel, you don't have to be all noble, okay. I know this...that none of this is fair."

"Buffy. I should've died over two hundred years ago in a drunken bar brawl, I wasn't a good guy back then. Instead I've gotten to see and do many things; and some of those things weren't even horribly evil." Angel shook his head and stood up, Buffy stood up with him, "I've had no right to complain about fair from the moment I first met you."

He brushed some hair behind her ear, Buffy shivered a little at his touch as his hands cupped her shoulders. "Goodbye Buffy."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead, it was a platonic kiss, a nice, sweet goodbye kiss. But it still hurt, but it was a dull ache, not as bad as the time before.

Buffy wondered, not for the first time, if she'd ever truly be over Angel. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe she didn't really want to be, to say goodbye to those possibilities and the feelings that came with them.

Maybe she could just put all those feelings away in a box somewhere, unused but still intact, protected in case one day she ever wanted to dust them off and...

"Hey." Faith spoke up, her voice subdued.

Buffy opened her eyes as Angel pulled away, turning to look at the other slayer. "Goodbye Faith." Then he turned and walked over to the fireplace, picking up the ruins of his tattered shirt as he did so, and threw the remains into the flickering blaze.

Buffy turned to Faith. "Hey." She walked over and took the other girls hand, without saying a word and without looking back she led Faith outside into the gardens. They were both silent as they headed up the outside stairs and back out into Sunnydale, Buffy squeezed Faith's hand comfortingly.

After walking along the street a little while Faith spoke up. "So," She said slowly, "That was probably a barrel o' laughs, huh?"

"Well, it wasn't 'plucking out bullets' fun, but..." Buffy shrugged, "I guess it had to be done."

Faith's voice was unreadable. "You guess?"

Buffy smiled at that. "Yes, Faith. Like a trip to the dentist. Necessary but unpleasant, it has to be done."

"Right." Faith shrugged uncomfortably, trying so hard to be casual, "So, uh, where's he gonna go?"

"He wasn't specific and I didn't ask. All he said was...he told me what I meant to him, and that he'll always care about me." Buffy shook her head, "Difficult stuff."

"I get that." Faith nodded in understanding, "Kind of a long night, y'know. What with that demon guy and then Finch and then Trick and the Mayor. Now with this, you must be pretty wiped."Buffy heard another edge to Faith's voice, sometimes the other girl wasn't hard to read at all.

Buffy sighed in mock exasperation. "Yeah, I know. And now I have to go back to the library and have a long debrief with Giles. He mentioned something about a power vacuum or power sucking...to be honest I wasn't really listening." Buffy stopped and turned to Faith, "Look, why don't you go on home, okay?"

"...Yeah, okay." Faith gave a weak smile. "Good luck with Giles or whatever."She turned to go, but Buffy kept a tight hold of her hands.

Buffy gave her an innocent look. "Wait, aren't you going to ask me what I want?"

Faith frowned. "What you...want? Did I miss somethin'?"

Buffy sighed playfully. "What I want in my overnight bag. Remember? Rustic Inn, Willow coverage, all our sexy, illicit happenings? Is this ringing any kind of bell?"

"But...you, I thought you just said..?" Faith stopped and rolled her eyes as she smirked, "Right. You were playing with me."

Buffy giggled as she slid her arms up around Faith's neck. "Little bit."

She looked into the other girl's eyes, "You don't have to dance around anything Faith, if something's on your mind, just tell me, okay? And, for the record, the thing that kept me going through all of this was the thought of being with you tonight, and tomorrow, and possibly tomorrow night as well if I can manage it."

She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Faith's lips, revelling in their soft lushness as her tongue stroked across the other slayer's bottom lip, mouths melding against each other and Buffy's breath became more rapid. Teasingly she slid her hands down Faith's jacket and around her waist to cup her firm backside, fondling her ass through leather pants.

Faith gasped into Buffy's mouth as the blonde girl pulled back slightly, smiling. "See? You're getting me all excited."

"Yeah?" Faith drawled as she nuzzled Buffy, "Then how about blowing Giles off?"

Buffy sighed wistfully. "I can't. He's expecting me, and if I don't show he might get his worried Watcher- face on and ring my Mom. Badness will surely follow."

Faith thought about this before nodding, with some effort she seemed to reign herself in and relax her hold on Buffy.

Buffy gently kissed the side of the other girl's neck and murmured. "Look at the upside, you'll get to decide what to pack for the sleepover, so."Her kisses led up to Faith's ear as she put on her best sexy voice, "You get to pick what panties you want me to wear tonight, or not."

"Damn, B." Faith groaned huskily and Buffy felt her shiver with desire, "Here I was thinkin' you were a good girl."

Buffy pulled away with a smile. "I'm full of surprises."

Faith laughed. "I'm getting that."

Buffy gave her a longing look as she took another step backwards, still holding onto Faith's hands. "I'll be as quick as I can, okay. And we'll meet up later, just leave your cabin lights on and I'll find you."

Faith nodded happily. "Got it."

"Ooh and snacks!" Buffy remembered, "Get snacks from...from a gas station, or a machine or something. We'll probably want to eat later, after...stuff."

Faith nodded and made a shooing motion. "Get goin', okay. And hurry up." Then Faith turned and headed for home.

Buffy watched her go; thinking about the night ahead was making her feel better already, it felt like tonight had been a rollercoaster, exciting, terrifying, wonderful and then sad. And Buffy reckoned Faith had been a big part of that. Dating her would never be dull. The other girl always managed to stir things inside Buffy, not just the slaying side of her, her calling, but also about the way Buffy saw things, her friends, her life, her future.

Twirling on her heels Buffy made her way towards the school, trying unsuccessful to quash her excitement so she could be all serious with Giles. Whatever he had to say, they would deal with.

Buffy quietly made her way across the school parking lot, she could see a few dim lights on in the library and the big campus clock was reading a quarter after one. Buffy calculated a fifteen minute talk with Giles, then about a half hour at slayer speed to get to the cabin. That meant it would be about two o'clock at the earliest for Faith-kissing.

Sigh, being responsible sucked.

"Buffy Summers."

Buffy turned at the sound of her name and was surprised to see Mr. Platt, standing between two of the cars in the faculty lot. He smiled hesitantly and walked over.

Platt gave her a friendly smile. "Buffy, you realise there's no school on Sunday, plus its night-time."

"Oh. Mr. Platt, hi there." Buffy's mind blanked for a moment, what were the chances of running into anybody at this time of night, "I, uh, needed- need something from my locker."

He was a little sceptical and raised an eyebrow. "And it couldn't wait till the morning? Sure you're not doing something unwise like breaking into the chemistry lab to huff fumes."

Despite herself Buffy smiled. "Huff fumes?"

He shrugged. "Well, that's what they did in my day. Just as long as you aren't up to anything shady. No returning to form, you here?"

Buffy nodded uncomfortably, maybe he had heard about her cutting class the other day. Still, she'd given up the whole starting fights thing. That was something...personal growth or whatever.

Suddenly she looked him over, not seeing a briefcase. "Well, I-I could ask you the same. So what is a school councillor doing out so late, huh?"

Platt gave a long-suffering smile gestured casually back to one of the cars. "Oh, it's just some emergency prep work for a returning student. She's coming back on Monday. Actually you might know her, Debbie?"

"Debbie? Yeah, I...I heard what happened with her boyfriend. It's great that she's coming back after every..." Buffy blinked a couple of times as her vision suddenly seemed to swim. She took a couple of steps to the side and put a hand out to lean against a car.

'What the hell...this again? This is getting really... old.'

Platt took a step towards her. "Are you alright? You don't look well. I was actually kidding about the whole fumes thing. "

Buffy shook her head, the dizziness was coming in waves now, fuzzy blackness crawling at the edges of her vision. Her stomach clenched and unclenched as she fought for balance, her legs felt rubbery and unsteady. Then, to her alarm, she felt a slight, familiar tingling at the bottom of her spine.

'What the..? Oh, no...'

"To be honest Buffy, I was really proud of how you turned yourself around, what with your grades, cutting class and all those terrible, violent impulses. But it seems it's all going to be for nothing. You see, your going to run off again." Platt's face turned demonic, teeth growing into fangs and forehead twisting, "You're going to disappear and no one's going to see you, ever again."

Platt gleefully slammed a fist straight into Buffy's face, knocking her back over the front of the car. Buffy grunted in pain as she slid across slick metal and fell to the ground on the other side. Her head spun and her lip stung from the hit and her mouth was filled with the slight metallic taste of blood. Buffy managed to pull herself to her knees, pushing off the side of the car with one hand as she fought against climbing vertigo. Then Platt...the demon, kicked her hard in the side, the impact knocking any breathe from her chest, before grabbing her around the neck and hauled her up to her feet.

Platt grinned in delight as he squeezed her neck. "You'll be the second delinquent I've had tonight...well; you can never just have one."

Buffy cried out as his grip tightened, she felt his dead breath against her as his face closed against her neck.

Desperately she flung out an elbow that caught Platt under his chin, knocking his head back and loosening his grip enough for her to wrestle free. She leaned against the car and kicked out, hard. Striking the former councillor in the ribs and knocking him backwards on to his haunches.

Platt cracked her jaw and smiled. "Huh, so you've got some fight in you. Always knew you'd be feisty."

Buffy glared at him even as her world was spinning. "You have no idea." She concentrated and tried to blink away the red spots that danced behind her eyes.

Platt didn't wait, he rushed her as her eyes became unfocused, but Buffy was still ready. She caught his outstretched arm and used his momentum to swing him past her, smashing him into the passenger window. The tinkling of glass was loud in the deserted parking lot.

Roaring in pain Platt lashed back and caught Buffy hard across the face, throwing her off balance so she had to roll backwards and came up on one shoulder. Platt rushed again, lashing out with a strong kick which Buffy caught and flung off to knock him away form her.

Buffy came up at him in a rush, punching him hard again and again as her managed to drive him back, but her dizziness made her sloppy; Platt dodged a clumsy right cross, grabbed her arm and rammed her hard against the car, her chest crushed painfully against the damaged car door.

Platt twisted Buffy's arm painfully up and behind her back; her shoulder throbbed in sharp pain as he seemed to want to try and wrench it free of her. Buffy felt the pain of screaming tendons and grinding bone cut through her dizziness, adrenaline kicking feeling back into her legs as she threw her foot back and up into his crotch. Platt grunted and his grip loosened so Buffy twisted around to face him.

Teeth gritted with determination Buffy slammed her head into Platt's face, then twisting her arm so she firmly gripped his wrist. Buffy ducked low and braced herself before diving back into the car through the open, broken window, landing in the front seat covered in chunks of broken glass. Platt was slammed forward bodily against the car, Buffy's legs were braced against the inside of the car door and her grip on his arm kept him pinned in place. Platt snarled in frustration as he tried to twist himself free.

Buffy frantically looked around the car's interior, searching for any sort of weapon, something sharp to cut off this things head or...

Above her, tucked away under the sun visor, was a pencil. Blunt at one end and with an eraser at the other. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Buffy heaved on Platt's arm again, feeling something crack and give in his arm as he screamed in rage and pain. She reached up, snagged the pencil with her right hand, gripped in tightly in between her knuckles, before curling herself up and forward and punching Platt full on in the chest.

Platt froze, staggered back clutching his chest, before giving Buffy one last desperate look and disintegrating. But as he did so, the dust from his form seemed to coalesce in the air for a moment, grey dust swirling into a black cloud. Within the cloud two dark amber eyes appeared and looked straight at Buffy, seemingly through her. Buffy felt a chill down her spine as the eyes seemed to bore into her, she became aware of a smell catching in her throat, the same subtle, exotic aroma from the hospital just before...

Then, in an instant, the eyes were gone; the form was lost as the vampire dust was blown across the lot by a warm breeze.

'What the frigging hell just happened!'

Buffy, fighting off her dizziness, burst through the library doors and saw Giles standing by the counter, steadily sipping coffee. "Buffy?" He voiced lightly coloured with concern at her appearance.

"Platt just attacked me." Buffy stated.

Giles put down his mug. "Mr. Platt? The school councillor?"

Buffy shook her head, which was a mistake. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the room spinning. "Formerly. Now Mr. Platt the vampire. He came at me in the parking lot, just when I was hit with another dizzy spell. I barely managed to stake him Giles, something bad is going on. And I saw something else, when I staked him, Platt. These eyes staring at me, glowey, yellowy things in mid-air. The poof, gone with the wind. I'm really freaking out here."

"Then it's true..." Giles nodded thoughtfully, his voice mild. "What else? How did you leave things with Angel?"

Buffy hurried over to the desk. "Giles? Hello, could I get something a little more Watcher-y, like a 'goodness', or a 'dear lord'. I mean, at this point I'd even settle for a raised eyebrow."

Giles nodded grimly. "Yes, Buffy. I'll get to that, but how did you leave things with Angel? He said his goodbyes?"

Buffy was getting exasperated at Giles' unfreakoutability. "What has that got to do with...Wait, how did you know about that?"

"He and I discussed things when he helped out with those Apocalypse demons. Angel indicated and I agreed that he would leave whenever the Mayor was dealt with, although I didn't realise at the time that it would be so soon." Giles pushed his coffee to one side with a sad sigh, "I thought we'd have more time."

Buffy struggled to follow his thinking. "Time? Giles, talk to me, please."

"Firstly, you and Angel, did you...get whatever closure you hoped for." Off Buffy's look he added, "Please Buffy, it's important."

Buffy pressed her lips into a tight line of frustration but answered anyway. "Yes. Angel said his goodbyes...it was hard but I'm cool with it. We both agreed the move on with our lives. Happy? Now what aren't you telling me?"

Giles looked at Buffy solemnly. "It's the wish, Buffy. I'm sorry to say that it's killing you."

Consequences: Part 2 (The Way It Has To Be)

Buffy felt like the bottom had fallen out of her stomach. "...What do you mean killing me? You said, no you told me not to worry, that..."

"Buffy, please." Giles put up a placating hand, "The first thing to do is not to panic."

Buffy looked incredulous. "Well, nice going there, I'm sure my not-panicking will kick in right after you tell me why the thing you said wouldn't kill me...is killing me."

"That was before I knew about the Djinn...what little is known that is." Giles rubbed a hand against his forehead in frustration, "I talked to an expert this afternoon, and he was very certain about the fate that befell the...this monastery. I-It was utterly destroyed, wiped from existence."

Buffy couldn't speak, she just shook her head looked questioningly at Giles, and so he continued.

Giles brought some printed pages out from under the counter. "The monk Æthelweard wrote a detailed account of what happened to that monastery, but for centuries it was suppressed by the Catholic Church as heretical nonsense. After reading some of the text, I can almost understand why." He pushed some notes around, "According to his account the priest Theobald, worried for the souls of his fellow brothers, had come to him claiming that the abbot, an abbot Hugo, had bargained with dark powers to guarantee the safety of the surrounding lands and all its peoples."

Buffy blinked slowly as she tried to recover her wits. "What…Why?"

"Many reasons; outlaws, plague, famine, but mostly the persistent raids by Vikings, Northmen at the time were in the habit of targeting wealthy churches and monasteries and looting them before putting them to the sword, leaving nobody alive. But this monastery and the surrounding valley, remained untouched by all these harmful outside forces. There was peace for everybody."

Giles cleared his throat. "But as time passed, life inside the monastery became rather, ah, strained, starting out with little more than lies and whispers at first, then possessions went missing and people accused each other, the monks would become irritated or jealous of one another over some imagined slight or disagreement. And in the surrounding valley it was worse, family disputes led to barns being burnt, cattle was poisoned or stolen. And then the abbot lapsed into a fever dream."

"What has that got to do with…?"

"Your dream Buffy, Remember? The one pulled from your memories, people and places that were familiar to you. And afterwards, you were left weak and dizzy." Giles fingered the pages nervously, "If you'd been any ordinary girl then that dizziness would have drained you and laid you low, like a severe illness. But your, um, slayer-qualities managed to fight it off, if only for a time."

Buffy remembered. "That was on my birthday…"

Giles nodded in agreement. "But now it's happened to you again, and will continue to happen, until it's too late."

Buffy frowned and shook her head. "Then we research, we get the gang and we find something to fight…"

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple Buffy, we know what we're dealing with but I'm afraid we're out of time…"Giles reached under and picked up a newspaper and handed it to her, "This was dated ten days ago. You'll recognize the, um, picture there."

Buffy looked at the picture, it showed Pete. Abusive boyfriend Pete. The accompanying article read; 'Teenaged Inmate Kills Six.' She frowned. "I don't understand?"

Giles rubbed his eyes. "The authorities didn't understand the nature of Peter's…power, for want of a better word. He was being held in juvenile detention awaiting trial when he, uh, lost his temper a-and killed two guards and four other inmates before being restrained." Giles reached down and picked up another newspaper, this one dated three days ago, "And this article explains what happened to Debbie."

He handed the paper to Buffy who blinked at the headline. 'Cause Of House Fire May Have Been Troubled Teen.' Apparently a fire in the early hours of Tuesday morning had led to the deaths of Debbie, her parents and her little brother.

Giles continued, his voice sorrowful. "Apparently, her breakup with Pete… and all the notoriety that came with it was too much for her. She decided to end it all."

Buffy was beginning to understand. "So everybody I saved…"

"…By using your knowledge of the future, they end up with even worse fates awaiting them. With more people hurt. That is how the Djinn works, Buffy. No matter how noble or well-intentioned the wish, and yours was a fine one, that power comes with a price. The wish will always be twisted, warped in the cruelest way. Every life you benefit…the Djinn will then be able to affect. And now with Platt, it's obvious that events are catching up with us at an accelerated rate."

That meant Buffy had put every body at risk, Willow, Xander, Oz…Faith, everybody that she'd helped or changed was now in danger.

"How? I mean, what is the point of all this, if I can't even do anything good!" Buffy felt like tearing her hair out in frustration, things were going so well, with everything, with Faith, and now…

She blinked as she tried to clear her mind. To focus on what they did know, and how to fight it. "What about the monastery? What happened?"

"It seemed that the abbot was killed before the wish could…consume too many people. Æthelweard actually mentions a Slayer, though he doesn't actually use that word. He says a…' spirited girl' named Merewyn and a steward, presumably her Watcher, managed to rescue a handful of the monks and kill the abbot before the area was consumed by a strange magical force, a… sandstorm, not typical weather for northern England. Witnesses claim to have seen a pair of glowing amber eyes within all the dust and chaos. That's the only description I've yet to find of the Djinn itself."

Buffy could only nod, she felt a little punch-drunk. She really wasn't sure how things could go wrong so quickly. "So…I've got to what, die? To stop all this from happening I mean. From everybody suddenly going all backstabby on each other."

Giles allowed a small, comforting smile and he quickly moved off into his office. "No, there is another way. Now, although it wasn't in the monk's notes there was a reference to a spell that could save the supplicant…the person who was granted the wish, from being, well the words used translate as 'consumed' so I assume it was nothing good." Giles came out with a book and a brown bag. He gestured with it, "Magic shop supplies."

Buffy hugged herself, and felt herself calming slightly. She knew Giles wouldn't let her down. "Well…that's good. Nobody wants to get consumed after all."

"If you weren't the slayer Buffy then it would already be too late, and the ritual itself is highly dangerous to the recipient. That would be you. Unfortunately some pain on your part will have to be endured, I'm afraid that is unavoidable."Giles nodded and continued as he laid out some of the supplies on the table. "Now, it will take a little time. There's a ritual circle to be laid out, some foul-smelling substance to be mixed and a litany in Arabic which I have to memorize and then recite. All told it should only take a couple of hours and then, ah, the wish will be undone."

"A couple of hours sounds…wait a sec, what do you mean 'undone'?"

Giles paused and pondered. "Imagine it like this; the wish is an invisible thread between you and the Djinn, connecting you. This is how, I believe, it is draining you, feeding off of you. That same mystical thread also allows it to warp reality, to bend time and space to grant you your wish. But if the thread were to be severed somehow, as this spell is designed to do, then the wish is broken and reality would revert to what is was before. Its control works very much like a vengeance demon's power source. Afterwards, you would still be weakened, but would eventually heal…"

Buffy interrupted as she stepped towards him. "Wait, so what? Everything goes back to normal and it's like nothing…"

Giles nodded slowly. "I'm afraid time will revert to as before and Angel will still die, Buffy. That's the price, I'm afraid. But it has to be this way, and it's why I was glad to hear that you got to say your goodbyes to him, to say all those things that you didn't…"

Buffy slowly shook her head with horrible realisation. "No, Giles, no, we can't okay? We just…t-there has to be something else we can do, hit the books, like, all the books. Every single…"

Giles looked dour. "Believe me those medieval notes and the edited journals are everything I've been able to find, Buffy. And without any of my contacts within the Council…"

Buffy gestured wildly. "Then we get Wesley involved, okay. We tell him something, anything, and make the council work for us for once."

Giles looked pained. "Buffy, that will take weeks. I assure you I know exactly how the Council works, extremely thorough but also painfully slow, especially with something this obscure. We simply don't have the time." Giles regarded her sympathetically, "Look at it this way, you got to spend just a little more time with Angel. All those things…"

"It was Faith!" Buffy cried out in frustration, "It wasn't Angel, it… okay, it was Faith all along. That's why I made the wish."She shuddered in realization, "God…I didn't think it mattered but everything…I'll lose everything."

Giles paused as he took this all in. "Then Faith...is dead?"

Buffy shook her head guiltily. "No, she's in a coma."

Giles' voice was strained with frustration, perhaps anger at the revelation. "Why you didn't just tell...It doesn't matter, clearly you should have told me. How did it happen?"

Buffy didn't know where to begin, she felt like her chest was being crushed. "I..."

Giles was firm, although his voice was still softened by sympathy. "No more lies, please Buffy. If I'd known the whole truth to begin with then perhaps we could've done something sooner."

Buffy tried to control her voice, she spoke softly. "I did it. I put her in the coma." Buffy shuddered at the memories, for what she thought would just be a bad dream, a series of avoidable mistakes, would now become reality again, "When Faith...when she arrived in Sunnydale I-I wasn't the friendliest towards her. She tried to...and we were becoming closer, but then Mrs. Post came along she-she got inside Faith's head and she ended up believing her... and we fought."

Buffy looked at Giles plaintively. "I lied about Angel coming back, to all of you, kept it a secret, and when Xander found out, he and Faith... they thought Angel had attacked you, but it had been Post. Everything just went so wrong."

"And then what happened?"

"We didn't hang out much after that. Faith didn't come by the school, no Watcher...she really wasn't big on the trust with anybody, you, me or my friends. But then we made up at Christmas." Buffy smiled at the memory of Faith standing nervously on the porch, saying that she hadn't really had other plans.

"We were good for a while...And then, when we were hunting for Balthazar...and, Finch was there to meet us but he surprised us and Faith...Faith, she..."

Giles swallowed in realisation. "She killed him."

Buffy nodded. "It was a total accident but afterwards she freaked, we both did. We tried to keep it a secret, she even hid the body and... But when the police came investigating, s-she tried to blame it all on me. I was still trying to help her when Wesley had her arrested, she freaked and...Then she teamed up with the Mayor."

Giles face was like stone. "So...it was Faith who aided him in the run-up to the Ascension, not Trick?"

Buffy nodded miserably, remembering her confrontation with Faith in Angel's mansion, knives drawn at throats, death threats and jealous ranting.

A Faith that was a million miles away from the Faith she now knew. "She helped him, killed people for him, and poisoned Angel to distract me from the Mayor's plans. The poisons cure was the blood of a slayer...so I...did what I had to, tried to get at her to save Angel, but she fell...and I." She swallowed and felt her face begin to crumple, "...I can't go back to that Giles, I just can't."

Giles' face turned from concern to alarm as he stiffened and looked towards the library doors. "Faith..."

Buffy spun around to see Faith standing by the door, half leaning against it. Her eyes dull with realisation.

Buffy put a hand to her mouth. "Faith, no...I."

"My wallet, B. You've still got my..." Something caught in her throat and she stopped talking, her eyes flickering rapidly between Buffy and Giles before suddenly the brunette slayer turned and disappear, the door swinging shut behind her as she ran.

"Faith!" Buffy went after her, panic overwhelming every other emotion as she seemed to be rushing towards oblivion.

Faith hadn't run far, she had simply ducked into one of the classrooms, dark and deserted. She was there standing facing the window when Buffy entered, eyes staring out into the night. Body hunched and tense, like she was ready for a fight.

Buffy stopped, frozen. Paralysed by what she should say first. How much had Faith overheard? How could Buffy even begin to explain how things had gone so wrong for them in so short a time?

She saw Faith's body shift as she realised that she wasn't alone. Buffy swallowed hard and concentrated on keeping her voice steady. Soft and soothing. "Faith? Please, you have to listen..."

She saw Faith's head turn towards her, a curtain of hair. "I heard enough." Her voice was cold and flat.

Buffy took a cautious step towards her. "I-I wanted to tell you."

"But you didn't," She voice was still cold, but there was a jagged undercurrent of roiling emotion, turmoil, "From the first night I got here you've been lying t'me."

Buffy took another step forward, she kept her voice gentle. "Faith, I didn't even know how to tell you, I was... still figuring things out and I was confused about stuff. Why it all was happening."

A small, hard chuckle at that. "So you figured out the best way to keep me on-side was to what, get me in the sack, right? Make me feel better so I wouldn't go psycho on you?"

Her words struck Buffy like a knife. Buffy felt her chest shudder in response. "No! Faith, please, I...I didn't mean for any of this to happen...I started off just wanting to be your friend."

"You expect me to believe that? No, B, you were just using me, this whole time. Take care of 'little miss unstable', keep her close and keep an eye, take pity on her. Then when were done you can tell me t'get lost." Faith turned more fully, her face still in shadow, her voice still low and dangerous, "You must've been having a real laugh, right? Gettin' under my skin. So, when were ya gonna tell me, huh? Tonight, right? Were you even gonna show at all, or were you just gonna turn up and dump me? Really, I wanna know?"

Buffy shook her head desperately. "Faith, I wasn't faking, any of it. I was telling you the truth about how I felt, I promise. I...love you..."

Buffy didn't see Faith's fist until it was too late, but she felt her head snap to one side, pain lancing through her jaw as one of her legs folded under her and she fell to her knee. Then Faith grabbed her shoulders, picked her up and slammed Buffy against the far wall. Buffy's head cracked solidly against the wall and she felt her dizziness returning.

"Bullshit! You're just another lying bitch!" Faith shook her hard, "You think I'm stupid, you only tell somebody you love 'em if you want something from 'em. Want 'em to be quiet and behave it's 'I love you', want 'em to make you feel better for 'accidentally' stubbing out that ciggie on your arm then its all 'I love you.'" Faith let go of Buffy's shoulders and let her go limp, Buffy saw that the other girl's face, a mask of ache and hurt and anger, "It's just 'nother way to use somebody, I know that, guess I've always known that. Just too stupid to catch on."

Buffy fought against the dizziness, against all the anguish that gripped her chest like a vice, clawed at her throat. She tried desperately to steady herself, tried to think of a way to make Faith understand.

"I never lied to you, Faith, I swear. Not about what mattered, about how I felt. Not about how you made me feel all the times we were together." Buffy straightened up and caught Faith's gaze, "Deep down you know that. You saw me struggle and freak out because I was falling in love with you...I don't know how to make it any clearer, after all we've been through..."

"After all you've been through with her you mean. Psycho, murderer me, teaming up with the fucking Mayor, of all people, killin' folks, tryin' t'kill Angel. After all that you just, what, 'spect me t'believe you went all gooey for me." Faith shook her head and sneered in disbelief, "What a crock of shit."

Buffy tried to keep the tremor out of her voice, whether from fear or heartbreak she wasn't entirely sure. She knew that in her current condition Faith could seriously hurt her, but she couldn't not try to reach her. To convince her how she felt.

"You didn't do any of those things, Faith. Okay. That's what I know; you're not the same person that I met before."

Faith suddenly leaned in close, face inches from Buffy's. "If you really believed that then you woulda trusted me enough t'tell me, but you didn't." She straightened up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Buffy reached out a hand. "Faith, please just listen..."

Faith stepped back, her eyes going hard. "Don't follow me, don't come looking. If I see you again...I'll kill you."She turned and stalked out of the classroom, body stiff and brittle with anger.

Buffy felt the last of her strength leave her legs and she slid down the wall, curling up against her knees on the floor.

'I won't cry...I won't cry...I won't cry, dammit. I need to think. If I could just think I could fix this.'

She wept instead.

Buffy walked back through the deserted school, the cool, eerily quiet corridors mirroring her own feelings; empty and dark.

'Let that be a lesson to remember, emos don't have a fucking clue about pain and suffering.'

She didn't know how long she had lain in that classroom, weeping softly. All of Faith's harsh words bouncing around her head, spiteful recrimination for something she should have, but couldn't have told her.

But that's not what haunted Buffy, she didn't care about the anger, she cared that Faith thought everything that they had shared had been a lie. That it hadn't mattered. That it hadn't made Buffy happier than she'd been in a very long time. She wanted, no needed, Faith to believe that she was worth loving, that all those little, intimate moments had been pure and true and...

Buffy sighed, maybe Faith was right. Maybe in the end, none of it would matter. After everything the wish could be reversed and maybe... she could just forget. Would that make it better or worse? Would that be some sort of comfort?

"Buffy?" Giles spoke to her softly as he walked into her sightline. Buffy had wandered aimlessly, listlessly back to the library, and now was standing there like an idiot.

She blinked dopily and rubbed the redness from her cheeks. "Giles...I, um, sorry I was..."

Giles shook his head. "It doesn't matter Buffy, are you...are you alright? Is Faith..?"

"I don't think she's coming back." She replied softly, delicately, like her own voice would fracture at the realisation of what she was saying.

Giles nodded, clearly not knowing what to say. "I...the ritual can take place within the hour."Without saying anything else he turned and attended to his magics.

Buffy nodded dully. She looked at the clock, almost turned five, Giles must've been getting worried. What with her moping in the dark for hours.

Buffy couldn't believe that it was just this morning that she'd woken up, with Faith, having had the most incredible night of her life. Her sweetness, her sexiness, her comforting words and her soft touch that made Buffy shiver in remembrance. Now it was all ash, or dust in the wind, whatever.

"Will I remember anything?" Buffy looked over at Giles as he put the finishing touches to the ritual circle he'd painstakingly constructed.

Giles nodded slowly. "I thought you'd ask, and I honestly don't know. I..." He hesitated.

Buffy stared at him intently. "The truth Giles, please. I need to know."

"In all likelihood... yes. When the wish is broken everything will revert, people, events, reality, no life you've changed will stay that way. The people you've saved..." He shook his head gently, "But the supplicant, you, will remember everything. I just don't know if it will be something dream-like, a vivid hallucination, or a crystal-clear memory. I honestly can't say more than that."

Buffy took that in. Breathed in the knowledge and let it swirl around her, and was glad. Ignorance might be bliss, but in the end Faith...Faith was more than just bliss.

Giles picked up a pestle and mortar and started grinding something into a paste. "We're almost ready, shouldn't be long now."

"Thank you, Giles. You must be...this all must be disappointing, finding out about the truth, the real me."

Giles sighed. "I understand why you thought you had to lie Buffy, and what's happening now is...a cruel punishment for so understandable a mistake. I just wish I..." He chuckled darkly, "Well, perhaps not that, but I don't know why you specifically were targeted, people make idle wishes all the time and nothing happens, nothing is looking over their shoulder."

Buffy sighed and mused. "Maybe it was a guilt demon; they exist right, trying to ruin me. Telling me what I've lost, what I could've had, what I'll never get back."

"Buffy..."

Buffy waved a dismissive hand. "No, Giles...I-I loved her. I loved her more than I thought I could ever...and I wrecked it. It was perfect and I..."

A soft voice. "Hey, B."

Buffy turned to see Faith standing just inside the library, looking awkward, her head bowed sorrowfully. "I...I, uh, look, I freaked, 'kay. I didn't...I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't, I'd never hurt you, that's not in me, okay?"

Buffy moved slowly, irrationally thinking that any quick motion might spook the other girl and she'd hightail it and disappear, or maybe dissipate like a mirage. "Faith...I-I didn't think you were gonna come back."

There was a muted cough. "I'll just...adjourn to my office." Giles muttered uneasily before doing just that.

Faith shrugged with a curiously child-like awkwardness. "Me neither. I mean, I was just walking and thinking 'bout stuff and I had...I mean, I don't know how I could end up like that...or maybe I do and that's why I freaked. Nobody likes t'think they might turn into a monster."

Buffy shook her head. "Faith, please don't say that."

Faith waved away her objections. "Listen I just...I just wanna ask a couple of questions then I'll go, okay?"

Buffy nodded tentatively. "Go ahead. Ask."

Faith's features twisted in anguish. "How...how many people did I kill?"

"Faith, don't..."

Faith shook her head in frustration. "Just, tell me."

Buffy breathed out. "Three... that I know of. Finch, which was an accident, A-And a couple of others. Some criminal type guy and a Professor...Worth."

Faith nodded, grimacing. "'Kay, so... I did that. Did I try and kill anybody that ya care about, apart from Angel that is?"

Buffy hesitated. "Xander and Willow."

"Ah, shit." Faith hissed in frustration, "What the hell was I thinkin'...did I hurt 'em any?"

"Xander...you sort of choked, but Angel stopped you. And...you threatened Willow with a knife when you kidnapped her."

Faith actually huffed out a dry laugh. "Kidnapped, Huh? Wow, I sound like a real badass. So Giles and Wes and Oz, they're all cool."

"You might've punched out your Watcher." Buffy shrugged lightly, "But who hasn't done that."

Faith looked into Buffy's eyes. "How many times...how badly did I hurt you?"

Buffy flinched and looked away, before steeling herself and meeting her gaze again. "Badly. You...She tried to turn Angel into Angelus, she was going to tie me up and torture me, almost killed Angel, for real this time. We got into a real big fight before I...I stabbed her."

Faith didn't react to any of this, just nodded solemnly. "But I survived right; I'm still, like, in a coma or somethin'."

Buffy smiled and nodded. "I was actually at your bedside when I...wished that things were different."

Faith seemed to be turning something over in her mind. "You...you gotta promise me something, B. When you get back...just, would ya just kill me already, just put a pillow over my face and..."

"No!" Buffy interrupted, "No, I couldn't."

Faith stepped forward, her voice becoming more forceful. "If all I did was hurt people, then I know that deep down I wouldn't really wanna live. You'd...you'd probably be doin' me a favour."

"But you didn't do just bad things." Buffy dared to move closer and saw Faith tense up a little, "You did help, and you did good things."

Faith laughed at that. "Yeah, I sound like a real peach, don't I?"

"You killed Trick...He was going to bite, kill me, but you staked him before he could. You saved me." Buffy thought about other things, "You helped out with the apocalypse the first time. You, uh, patrolled with me, killed plenty of vampires, and...you took down Oz when he was all wolf-y. That's lots of things."

Faith seemed sceptical. "Sounds like you had to think hard about all that stuff. Anythin' else, or have you run out, 'cause that ain't much."

Buffy ran a hand through her hair; she was wondering why she was trying so hard to convince Faith about this, and how this conversation had gotten so surreal. "You, uh...slept with Xander. I think the polite term is 'made him a man'."

Faith put a hand to her mouth as she looked like she was about to smile. "Me and Xand...no way would I, hey actually I could totally see that." Suddenly the smile morphed into a frown, "That's...that's not when I tried to choke on him is it?"

Buffy shook her head. "That was later." She edged a little nearer, "But the main thing the other Faith did, even after I tried to...kill her, w-we had a shared dream, while she was in a coma, like a slayer connection. She told me how to kill the Mayor, or at least how to get him to do what I wanted. That's why I...I knew that deep down she had good in her, that after everything she would still be willing to help, to make up for what she'd done."

Buffy stepped so she was in touching distance of Faith, looking into the other girl's eyes. "And I was right, because you're here. You're the proof that the good in her outweighs the bad. The things you've done, everything that you told me and shared with me that she never did, and you know what, it's not enough, I want to know more. That's why I can't do what you want. I'm sorry."

Faith's eyes flickered between Buffy's own, sometimes looking down at her own hands, her face soft and vulnerable. She sniffed slightly. "I'm real sorry I hit you."

"I'm okay."

Faith bit her bottom lip. "I just...I've always had this temper, y'see. And I just, after everything. I figured, why would anyone like me, after all that stuff I did."

Buffy reached and took her hands. "I love you."

She leaned in and kissed Faith softly and sweetly, for what was probably the last time. She savoured her plump lower lip, tongue playing over that adorable cleft, she breathed in her breath, savoured her taste, the remnants of something sweet that she'd eaten.

Buffy's hands stroked into the other girl's hair, running fingers through soft curls, then her hands drifted down over firm, slender shoulders, toned arms, obvious even under her jacket, to her waist. Without conscious though Buffy's hands reached up and cupped Faith's chest, softly running her fingers across the material of her shirt. Faith gasped into her mouth, murmuring her name as she did so.

Giles cleared his throat. "Ah...um, Buffy it's time to begin."

Reluctantly Buffy pulled away, leaving one last whisper of a kiss on Faith's lips as she stepped back.

"We're having a sweet moment an' yer gotta try and touch me up like that, B." Her voice was straining to be her old playful self.

Buffy tried to match her tone. "Sorry, couldn't resist. And I don't even know when I'll get another chance." She smiled sadly.

Faith's face was full of sorrow as she stared into Buffy's eyes. "Don't give up on me, B. Please."

Buffy blinked away tears. She didn't want to remember Faith through blurry eyes. "I won't."

Buffy turned to Giles, who was looking fairly uncomfortable, and walked to him. "Okay, let's do this."

Giles was looking over her shoulder. "...Faith, I would appreciate, um, if you could help. Would that be possible?"

"I an't goin' anywhere, G. What do you need me t'do?"

"Some sandalwood incense needs to be burned and then wafted counter-clockwise around the circle once Buffy has stepped inside."

"You got it."

As Faith approached Buffy went to step into the circle but Giles stopped her. "Buffy, when you, ah, get back to where you started it's vital that you tell me...the other Giles everything, as soon as you can. About the Djinn and the events that took place here. Maybe about the avenues of research if you can remember them. The Djinn, even if the wish is broken it will still have an interest in you, or perhaps Faith and it may be stronger now."Giles paused and seemed to weigh what he said next, "But it appears someone has gone to great lengths to keep any details about the Djinn, its history, its powers and weaknesses, hidden...and until we find out the reason why, you can't tell anybody else, only me."

Buffy paused. "So your saying that the Djinn...I mean it might have people working for it, hiding stuff about it."

Giles looked pensive. "It's possible, but it's also possible, given that the Djinn prays upon peoples unconscious desires, that the lack of knowledge of the thing could be a deliberate way of thwarting it, of denying it power. Until we know for sure..."

Buffy tried for fake chipper, some Summers gallows humour. "I'll just lie to my friends. That will be a new and exciting experience."

"Not just your friends. Everybody you care about. Even Faith, if she ever wakes up, can't ever know, not until we find out more. It's too much of a risk."

Buffy digested this, how can she see Faith, her Faith again and not think differently, not tell her that things had changed, that she'd changed. She nodded at Giles, not trusting her voice.

With nothing else to say she stepped into the circle.

Wrinkling her nose at the joss stick being waved in the air by Faith, Buffy looked over at Giles. "Shouldn't something be happening right about now?"

Giles had finished the chanting about five minutes ago, and an hour before that had smeared some foul smelling yellow paste on the tattoo on her neck. After that it had been pretty boring, magic-wise.

Giles was concentrating on the book in his hand; his other hand reached over and grabbed a weird looking knife from the table.

Buffy tried to make a joke. "Hey, it was an innocent question, no need to get testy."

"This blade will cut the link, when it appears." Giles said, still half-concentrating on the book, "Once that happens the spell will unravel instantaneously."

"Oh."She said simply.

Buffy looked over at Faith who had stopped circling her and was now standing next to Giles. Her big beautiful eyes looked at Buffy sadly.

Buffy didn't want to remember them like this, Giles trying to be all dispassionate and Watcher-y and Faith holding back the tears while her bottom lip trailed on the floor.

Buffy took a breath. "You know, Giles. I didn't tell you everything about what I changed this time around."

Giles nodded and readied the knife. "Oh?"

Buffy allowed a small smile. "Uh-huh. Like, the first time round, you had so much of that Band Candy and went all youthful rebellion for the night."

That got a reaction, he raised an eyebrow. "Ah, well, yes, that must've been awkward for...everybody."

Buffy nodded thoughtfully. "Especially my Mom. You and her were so totally weird around each other for some reason. It was probably the whole having sex on top of a police car thing."

Giles' mouth dropped open and as he stuttered. Faith started smirking, and then her face broke into a grin, dimples showing, looking beautiful. That was what Buffy had wanted to see.

And then it happened.

The library was suddenly awash with pale yellow light, emanating from above their heads. At first Buffy thought it looked like a crack had appeared in mid-air, showing a wispy glow from the other side of wherever-the-hell. But the 'crack' moved, twisting and winding in an invisible wind, one end drifting lower to brush the tip of Buffy's head, the other dissipating into the ether, leading somewhere else. Buffy felt a light breeze, against her skin and a scent, that same scent she'd smelled from before, only stronger this time.

And she saw eyes. Glowing, flaming amber orbs, turning towards her, looking at her from some far off place. Gaze crawling over her skin.

She tensed before shouting. "Now Giles, now!"

Giles stepped forward and sliced high and wide, the blade, a curiously old-fashioned looking one, slashed through the air, through the wisping pale light and out the other side. Buffy saw to her alarm that the blade was glowing red hot, and looked like it had partially melted from simply touching the amber light. Giles dropped it quickly, hissing in pain.

And then the light was gone, along with the breeze and the wind and the smell. With one final puff of coloured light the library was plunged back into gloom.

And Buffy felt the dizziness return and her world fall away.

Buffy saw visions, memories in darkness fluttering behind her eyes. Images played backwards, rolling along in reverse.

'I do like to see ya squirm. Think I proved that last night.'

'Yeah, see, me and your Mom, we kinda did the bonding thing...'

'You don't know what you want...I'm not what you want.'

'I feel wicked stupid.'

'It's like I keep tellin' you, B. All men are beasts; some just make better pets is all.'

'What can I say; I'm a gal who likes to indulge her appetites.'

'Hi, I'm Faith.'

And then nothing, a void. A glimmer of amber light, viewed at a distance. And a voice that seemed to vibrate the air around her, a roar. "NO PEACE."

Buffy jerked upwards with a gasp, blinking at the harsh flickering hospital light. Slowly becoming aware of the low beep-beep of the medical machinery around the bed.

Faith's bed.

Buffy looked down to see Faith, bruised and battered, dead to the world, lying pale and broken beneath her. No dimpled grin, no husky tones, no shining eyes.

Nothing.

Buffy had done that to her.

"Buffy?" She heard Giles voice, tired but now alight with surprise, "What are you...oh, I see."

Buffy twisted on the side of the bed, still feeling some slight dizziness, flushed and heated skin. Her legs were sore from being in the same position for so long.

Not long enough. Nowhere near.

"Giles?"

Giles, looking a lot more ragged than she last saw him, moments ago, raised a plastic cup of coffee and gave a sympathetic smile. "I, ah, rode in the ambulance with Wesley...He's fine by the way. The doctor's say that it's mostly just a badly sprained neck for the poor man. Minimal spinal damage. Though, on the bright side it does prove that he has one."

Buffy's face crumbled as the tears came again, as she realised what she'd lost. "Oh, Giles..."

Epilogue: Graduation Day Part 2

Buffy sighed as Giles put down another generous tumbler of brandy in front of her. "Are you sure that's a good idea. 'Cause technically you're corrupting a minor here."

Her voice was a little hoarse from all the talking she'd been doing. Not to mention the large amounts of crying that had happened earlier on.

Both she and Giles left the hospital after Buffy's first bout of tears had stopped, Giles had acted all concerned and confused, thinking that Buffy was just only now feeling the after effects of guilt about what she'd done to Faith.

It wasn't until they were properly settled at Giles apartment that Buffy had filled him in on everything, from those first confused moments in the alley to the ritual in the library at the end.

Guilt was just one of the many emotions that she was feeling. Regret, heartbreak, anger and fear all had their place in Buffy's head. Things were getting crowded in there.

Giles gestured to the brandy. "Purely medicinal, and I think under the circumstances, rather necessary." He sat down next to her on his couch, hands cradling a glass of his own, "I don't really know what to say about all this."

"It still hasn't sunk in yet." She looked over at the older man, "But you do believe me right?"

Buffy knew she sounded desperate but she didn't think she had anything left in herself to try and persuade him.

"Oh, of course I do Buffy." His voice was soft with sympathy, "It's just, after all this, the year you have had to endure, the last thing you needed was..."

"A re-run?" She sighed and sniffed sadly, "Actually, apart from the tragic ending a lot of it was pretty nice. The things that happened...I found out stuff I didn't know about before."

"About Faith." Giles stated evenly.

"Not just Faith, about my friends...about myself." She said softly, "But yes, mainly Faith-stuff."

Another pause. "That she could've been an ally?"

Buffy paused to sip her brandy, feeling better as the liquid burned a path to her stomach. "If I'd done things differently, Giles, if I hadn't been so self-absorbed, with Angel and everything, things would've been different. Things wouldn't have gone so wrong." Buffy stared into her drink, scolding herself, "She was a slayer and I treated her like..."

"A stranger." Giles reminded her, "You didn't know her Buffy, you didn't know how unstable she was, how tormented..."

"Or how lonely or how frightened..." Buffy shook her head in recrimination. "I didn't want to know any of it, Giles. Not until it was too late to do anything."

Giles sighed at her tone. "Buffy, we all wonder about the roads not taken, about decisions we may not have made or made too late. It's very rare that people get to revisit those choices, to see where they lead."

"Well I got to see, I got to live it and then have it all taken away. And nothings changed, except now I feel...I feel like the bad guy, Giles."Buffy rubbed her face, "I tried to kill her, tried to kill Faith, and I know that it didn't have to be that way."

Giles put a hand on her shoulder. "Faith made choices too, Buffy. You must remember that. She chose to trust in the Mayor and not you."

"Right, caught between the Mayor and the Watcher's Council, she made a bad call." Buffy looked at the older man, "What would you have done?"

Giles cleared his throat and didn't meet her gaze. "I...don't know. Perhaps if I'd questioned the council earlier I could've done something more for her." Giles took off his glasses and blinked at the pad of paper in front of him, it was filled with scrawls about everything Buffy could remember about the Djinn, "There is plenty of blame to go around Buffy. You shouldn't carry it all on your shoulders."

'But, in the end, I was the one that stabbed Faith, deliberately went to her place to kill her. Didn't appeal to her slayer to slayer, didn't try hard enough to reach her...'

Buffy tried to press down those thoughts, she knew she'd have to deal with them later, but for now..."Do you have enough to start researching this Djinn. Giles, uh, the other-Giles says that my wish may've made it stronger or something. That it still could be a threat, still out there. We didn't have time to find out what it wanted...what it wants."

"I think I have enough to be going on with. A summer project perhaps."He regarded her with concern, "And what about you?"

"Well, the memories, all of it, aren't fading; I suppose that's a good thing. I'll just have to manage with the two sets, that's all."Buffy bit her bottom lip, feeling like she was going to be overwhelmed and start crying again, "I just can't get over...everything I went through and none if it mattered, nothing's different and I can't even tell my friends..." She shook her head, "Wishing really doesn't change anything, in the end."

"Oh, no Buffy. That isn't true at all." Giles squeezed her shoulder, his voice firm and understanding, "You've changed. The things you've done, the things you've been through. You see things differently and that isn't nothing. That is everything."

Buffy just shook her head, trying not to cry and failing. "But Faith..."

"She isn't dead, Buffy. Faith is hurt, she is sleeping but one day she will wake up. She is a slayer after all. And when she does...that's when you get your second chance, a chance to change things, to make them better than they could've been."

Buffy looked at him tearily before sniffing wetly. "Thank you."

Giles cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Buffy...and please do bear in mind that I'm asking this as a concerned, um, mentor figure and not as a, well, a lonely, middle-aged man but, you and Faith...you were, ah, perhaps intimate?"

Buffy felt herself colouring slightly. "Um...what does that even...?" She sighed, "Is it really that obvious?"

Giles frowned down at the couch. "The way you talk about her, in very... warm terms, it would explain most of your unhappiness."

Buffy wiped at her eyes. "That's me all over, always falling for the wrong type. God, maybe Cordelia's right and I'm just addicted to the drama."

Giles scoffed at that. "Or maybe you just happen to fall in love with extraordinary individuals. Perhaps it is you who sees something in them that nobody else does." He paused before adding dryly, "Although, God knows, teenagers do tend to love their histrionics."

Buffy gave him a mock glare before chuckling. "Well, I'm not going to go and tell Cordelia that's she got a point. No way."

Giles nodded. "I think what you should do is get some sleep, I can't imagine how tired you must be."

Buffy thought about it before responding firmly. "No, there's something I need to do first."

Buffy stepped onto the balcony of Faith's place, stepping through the broken glass to climb in through the window.

Into the battleground.

Faith's apartment, parts of it with police tape scattered about. Broken furniture, cracked glass, dents where Faith and her had gone at it. Punching and kicking, a pretty epic fight, both of them going all out.

Buffy set down the empty bags she'd brought with her, a few trash bags, her backpack and an old suitcase she taken from the basement. She survived the room, taking in all of Faith's possessions that lay scattered about.

And got packing.

When the police realised what Faith had done, now that the Mayor couldn't cover for her anymore, they'd be all over this place, impounding evidence. The police were stupidly slow sometimes but they got there eventually.

Careful not to leave any fingerprints Buffy went through Faith's closet, picking out all her clothes, jackets, pants, the vast array of low-cut tops that Faith was so fond of, and packed them up in the suitcase.

Next came the personal stuff, walkman, music, spare pair of boots, a few weapons, Faith's bow...

('This is the kick...')

Buffy shook her head and zipped up the backpack.

She looked around, eyeing the large amount of comic books and magazines that Faith liked to have scattered around. Shrugging Buffy packed them too, puttin them into a plastic bag to sort through later.

There, the sum of her life in three bags. Not much really. No family stuff, no mementos, no stuffed animals...no sex toys.

Buffy resisted a smirk, she was pretty sure that happy thoughts were going to be few and far between for a long while. That might've be the last of them.

'At least everybody will still think I'm mooning over Angel.'

She thought about where to hide them, all the belongings of a murder suspect...murderer, and settled on the closet in her room, Mom knew better than to go in there. Better put a lock on her weapons chest just to be sure, double security.

Dragging her three bags Buffy made her way over and out onto the balcony, stealthily easing herself down onto the street and heading home, listening to the night, feeling somehow that everything was different now. Like her whole view would never truly be the same thanks to one little 'w' word.

Buffy's path had been diverted, not by choice, but by something malevolent, something that played with her and taunted her and made her weak.

But she wasn't weak. She was the Slayer.

The only thing this Djinn had done was make her alone, given her a secret.

But alone was her birthright, secrets were her daily life.

The only person, who could change that, could make that better, was Faith.

If it wasn't already too late.

But that was Buffy's choice, she knew now what she had lost, but also, maybe what she could one day gain.

One day.