"I had a horrible thought." Alexander said later that night, he and Corda were lying in his bed in the apartment area he'd built in the former Sunset Club. "What if the potential of the Slayers is their soul? What if, whoever created the Slayer, choose to bind the power to a few souls. And the souls are reborn as potential Slayers over and over again. Slayers becoming Slayers over and over again. Condemned to an endless cycle."

"That is a horrible thought. But it would explain why only a few have this potential. Gods, an endless cycle of pain, misery and death, just because a few people didn't want to be the ones doing the fighting. Then to call it the will of the gods. Something does have to change. We need to figure out how to close that rift, we find out if there are others and we close them. Then we figure out how to destroy the creature that animates a dead body to make vampires. They're the largest number of daemona. It could take years, but it's a worthwhile goal."

"It is. We can call it the Altimah Project."

"Ambitious, but so worth it."

Two weeks into October, Faith showed up in Sunnydale.

"Looks like a new vampire in town." Buffy observed the badly dressed guy doing a really weird dance on the dance floor. "And we should help the girl dancing with him, I don't think she knows what she's getting herself into."

"Especially since it looks she's leaving with him." Johnathan noted.

The five of them got up and followed the girls and the vampire outside. Then they saw the girl whaling on the vampire.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say there's a new Slayer in town." Oz said dryly.

"Hey, Slayer." Alexander called out. "Could you take a step back, I don't want you to get hit."

"What?" She pulled back from the vampire and then jerked in surprise as the tall dark haired guy pulled out some kind of gun and fired a burst of hot light at the vampire. It was incinerated.

"What was that?!" She exclaimed.

"Pulse pistol. It shoots a burst of heat and light and destroys vampires. Welcome to Sunnydale, you must be Faith. I'm Alexander, this is Corda, Buffy, Johnathan and Oz." He said, indicating each of them in turn. "Giles said you were in Boston."

"Yeah, well I'm Watcher free for awhile, so I thought I'd check out the infamous Buffy."

"I'm infamous?"

"Well, since no one seems to know how you're still alive, not to mention, I heard you put down an ancient vampire, called the Master."

"Buffy's alive because Alexander revived her when she drowned." Corda said. "Simple as that."

"Well, since it seems you just saved my life too stud, how should I reward you?"

"Never call me stud again and understand, that I'm taken. Very taken."

"As in private property. Mine." Said Corda, feeling rather amused. This girl was going to be fun to have around.

"Too bad, we could've had some fun. Oh well. That gun of yours is pretty cool. So, what else can we do for fun around here?"

"Hang out at the Bronze, it's the only teen hang out spot in Sunnydale." Johnathan told her. "We don't have alot of town. Unless you like bowling or miniature golfing."

"Yeah, not so much."

"Didn't think so. So what's your policy on werewolves?" Oz asked.

"Why? You know a werewolf?"

"I am one, so are some of my family."

"They're responsible and don't hurt people." Alexander told her. "And werewolves aren't demonic. The condition is caused by a virus."

"Then no problem. As long as you don't hump my leg."

"No interest in it."

"Good enough for me. So, any more vamps around?"

"Not really. The one you were dancing with is a newcomer. We've pretty much cleaned out the town of vampires and demons. And the old warlock who ran Sunnydale for a century and was sacrificing people. Nowadays, it's just a matter of dealing with the newcomers." Alexander said.

"Really? Because my Watcher said this place was pretty much Hell and alot of people die here."

"Well, it has the Hellmouth that draws demons, it was created by that warlock he mentioned, but we've been cleaning things up, so it's a lot quieter." Buffy said cheerfully. "So unless something followed you here, it should stay pretty quiet."

Turns out, something followed Faith to Sunnydale, two somethings actually.

"Buffy haven't you learned by now that taunting Murphy is a baaad idea?!" Alexander exclaimed.

"This is not my fault!"

"Look, I'm sorry, I didn't know they followed me." Faith said.

"You also didn't tell us your Watcher was dead." Giles said sternly. "Now tell us about these vampires that have pursued you to Sunnydale."

"Kakistoes and Trick. Kakistoes is a big ugly sucker and Trick dresses fancy."

"Kakistoes, Greek for worst of the worst. A vampire far older then the Master." Giles said. "Tell us what happened."

"He grabbed Diana, my Watcher and used her as bait. I couldn't not do something to help her. But it was too late. What they did to her. Anyway, I managed to hurt Kakistoes and ran. I've been running ever since."

"Then it's time to stop running, Faith." Corda said. "We'll deal with Kakistoes."

"How? You think that gun of yours is going to do any good?"

"Here." Alexander said, handing her the one he and Corda had made from the parts from Ted. "This is one you can use. And yes, it will stop him. Just keep shooting until he's dust."

When Kakistoes showed up later that night, she did just that. It was rather satisfying to see the the surprised expression on his ugly scarred face as he burst into flame. Right up until he was reduced to ash.

"Oh no." Trick said. "This no good."

"It is for me." Faith told him and with a smile, she shot him too.