Thirteen: Home Alone

Buffy burst through the door, breathing hard.

"Mom!"

She ran into the lounge, then the kitchen, then upstairs to her mom's bedroom.

She ran back downstairs and stopped when a note caught her eye.

Hi honey

Gone out for some late night shopping. it's so much quieter.

See you soon

Love Mom

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief and then wondered how she was going to explain to her mom that even though she looked like Faith, she was actually Buffy.

Buffy shook her head.

She didn't need to worry about that right now. She could go upstairs and have a lie down before her mom came home without wondering where Faith might be.

Buffy climbed the stairs and went into her bedroom, shutting the door and turning on the little side light. She rested her head back against the door and let out a breath.

"Hey honey, glad to see you're home."

Buffy's eyes widened as she found Faith in her bed...not wearing much of anything.

"What...what are you doing in my bed?"

"Sleeping. Well, I was until you came in but now I'm wide awake and lookin' for a little fun. How about it?"

Buffy frowned down at Faith and tried to get over the fact that she was currently looking at herself.

"You steal my body, come into my house and now you have the audacity to ask for sex? Are you unstable?"

Faith shrugged as she sat up, holding the sheet to her chest.

"Some say that but personally, I think they can't handle me so they give me that label to make it seem that way. But you...you know better. Now c'mere, give us a kiss."

Buffy licked her lips and stayed where she was.

Faith let out a sigh.

"Don't make me come over there." She said, as she edged forward.

Buffy flinched.

"Please don't."

Faith grinned.

"Why? Afraid you'll cave?"

Buffy frowned.

She was definitely having trouble seeing Faith use her body but Faith seemed to be intrigued by it.

"Fine. Guess I'll have to sort myself out..."

She moved her hand down her body-Buffy's body- watching with a wicked grin as Buffy watched her.

She bit her lip, her head going back as she moved it further.

Buffy realised what she was doing and moved forward, grabbing her arm to make her stop.

"Don't-just... don't do that." She snapped.

Faith swallowed and looked at Buffy with her head tilted.

"Don't you wanna see how you look when you get off? Cause' I gotta tell ya, B. I'm curious as hell."

Buffy straightened.

"I'm with Riley now."

Faith winced.

"Yeah, I might've botched that for you, B."

Buffy frowned.

"What?"

"He told me he loved me-well, he told me he loved you-because he thought I was you-"

"Yeah I get the confusion, carry on."

Faith rolled her eyes at being interrupted.

"-and I said that I didn't want him, because for a while, I forgot I looked like you. You know me, B. Whatever I'm thinkin' just flies outta my mouth."

Buffy glared at Faith.

"You destroy everything you touch..." She said quietly.

Faith wrapped the sheet around herself and knelt on the bed, taking hold of Buffy's wrist gently.

"Yeah, I know but you should be proud of me, B. I was gonna screw him." She revealed as she brushed her own hair back but she knew it was Buffy that could feel it and that was all that mattered.

"Proud of you?"

Faith nodded and smiled.

"Yeah. I didn't screw him because I wanted someone else more than I wanted to get back at you."

Buffy frowned, this wasn't making any sense.

"You love getting back at me, Faith, who would you give that chance up for?"

"You, baby. I wanted you. It's why I came back here. I figured you'd be all worried about your mom and what I might do...so I came here. I've been waiting for you." She whispered as she lent forward, brushing her lips lightly against Buffy's.

She grinned against her own mouth.

"God I have a great lips."

Buffy closed her eyes and let herself be pulled down to sit on the bed.

"Yeah you do..." Buffy said distractedly.

Faith wrapped a hand around the back of Buffy's neck and pulled her closer.

"Admit it, B. You've always wanted me, wanted this. No one comes close to us, to our power. Not Riley, not Angel."

Buffy's eyes snapped open and she quickly got to her feet.

Fuck. Shouldn't have said Angel. Faith realised a little too late.

"You should leave." Buffy said quietly.

Faith smirked.

"Don't think so, B. I look like you. If anyone's getting thrown out on her ass, it's gonna be you."

Buffy caught a reflection of herself in the mirror.

"Why do you need my life, Faith? You can go wherever you want."

"And I plan to. I got a one way ticket to L.A first thing tomorrow morning. I'll be out of your life soon enough, don't worry." She said that last bit with venom in her voice.

Buffy frowned.

"You can't have my body, Faith."

Faith grinned.

"I already do, babe and you can't stop me. Too many people love you and hate me. They'll look at me and think it's you. I'm in the clear."

"Giles and the others know about this."

"Y'know, I thought they might but I'm not worried. I'll kill every last one of them if I have to but I am leaving here tomorrow, like it or not."

Buffy straightened as she walked out of her own bedroom.

"You'll never make it to that plane. I promise." She said over her shoulder.

Faith just laughed and settled down in Buffy's bed.

...

The airport was busy as Faith paid for her ticket and waited for her plane to be called.

She smiled.

New body. New life. It was like a second chance and Buffy hadn't made good on her promise. She wasn't here and Faith was almost disappointed.

She shrugged to herself and went to stand by the window, watching the planes come and go and started fantasizing about when she would be on one and watching this little town get smaller and smaller as the plane took off.

She started thinking about where it had all gone wrong.

She had always been a wild one. Her mom used to call her fire cracker, well, when she wasn't drunk that was.

Her mom's boyfriends had always tried it on with her and she'd either gone with it or beaten the crap out of them, whichever worked or it sometimes depended on the mood she was in.

When she had been called, after Kendra died, she felt this surge of power.

She felt invincible and it didn't take long before Faith took off, leaving everything behind and throwing herself fully into the role of the slayer.

Her watcher was proud of her, that was why it had broke her heart so much when Kakistos had killed her and done those terrible things.

Faith squeezed her eyes shut at the memory and forced herself to stop thinking about the past.

When she opened them again, she found herself standing there and for a second, she wondered if she was having some weird trippy mind crap thing but then she spoke and Faith realised it was Buffy.

This body swap was becoming a real bitch, especially when Faith was deep in thought like that.

Faith grinned knowingly.

"You came."

Buffy only nodded.

"I said I would stop you."

"Aw, and here I thought you were coming to say goodbye." Faith said with a mocking pout.

Buffy folded her arms.

"Last chance, Faith."

"Or what? What are you gonna do to me, B? In a place full of people, you haven't got many options."

Buffy opened her mouth to speak when the TV caught both their attention.

'People are trapped inside this church just outside of Sunnydale. One man who managed to escape out the back before the attackers came, described them as men with strange faces and sharp teeth.

We'll update you when we have more.'

Faith and Buffy both looked at each other.

Faith sighed.

"Whatever, I'm leaving."

She walked away when Buffy called out to her.

"So that's it? You're supposed to be a slayer, Faith. There are people in trouble and you're gonna leave them to die?"

Faith turned around, giving the other slayer a shrug.

"What do they need me for when they've got you? I'm no one."

"Two is better than one. We can beat them, Faith, but I need your help." Buffy told her, meaning every word.

"I don't see why I should. I'm not needed so don't pull all this crap that I am."

Faith turned away again as she heard her plane being called.

This was it. A new life. No turning back now.

"I need you!"

Faith stopped and raked her hair back but she didn't turn around.

She was so close.

She heard Buffy walk up behind her.

"I can't do this without you, Faith. Please...stay. Help me."

Faith closed her eyes briefly and then turned around to face Buffy, her expression close to anger.

"We save these people, then I'm gone. Deal?"

Buffy nodded.

"Ok...deal."

Both slayers arrived at the church and stormed the place as one.

Vampires in daylight and inside a church, it was new to say the least.

Faith and Buffy charged at the vampires and took them out together as the people fled from the church.

Buffy started fighting with the leader, the only one left alive, and he managed to pin her beneath him.

He lowered his fangs to her neck and Buffy tried to push him back but he was strong.

Then he turned to dust and Buffy felt the weight leave her as Faith stood above her.

Buffy brushed herself off as Faith extended a hand and helped her up but as soon as she did, she felt something between their hands.

Faith glared at her as a shock went through the both of them and they fell backwards.

Buffy sat up and looked at Faith.

They were back in their own bodies.

Faith touched her face gingerly as if she couldn't believe she was back in her own body.

Buffy moved towards her.

"I'm sorry... but I saw my chance and I took it."

Faith dug her hands into her hair as she brought her knees up to her chest.

"No...I don't wanna be her. She doesn't deserve to live. She's nothing, she's no one-" Faith started muttering incoherently.

"Faith-" Buffy went to her.

She slapped the other slayer's hand away.

"Don't touch me!" She shouted.

Buffy backed off but she was more concerned about Faith's mumbling.

"Who doesn't deserve to live, Faith?"

Faith looked up at Buffy and the blonde saw the hurt in Faith's eyes as she replied;

"Me."

She then jumped up and took off running.

Buffy went to chase her but stopped herself.

Maybe Faith really was beyond help.

Maybe this was someone that no matter how hard Buffy tried, she would never be able to fix her.

This thought weighed heavily on her mind and she got to her feet.

Willow's job of making the same spell Faith had used to switch their bodies without the need for the metal thing, had worked a treat and she would thank Willow once she got home.

Oh yeah and she had to fix things with Riley and see how her mom was.

Another one of Faith's messes to clean up.

Buffy wondered where the other slayer would end up this time.

Author's Note- Next stop...L.A!