"Bad Girl"

Based on the Episode "Bad Girls" Written by Douglas Petrie

The following story is copyright © 2022 by Mark Moore.


In the cemetery, Faith and Buffy both fell backwards onto the mound of a fresh grave, fighting a pair of leather-uniformed vampires. But this didn't stop Faith from wanting to continue her conversation with Buffy.

"So, what, you're telling me never?!" Faith asked Buffy while struggling.

Buffy was also struggling. "Faith! Really, now is not the time!"

"I'm curious! Never ever?!"

The two Slayers both kicked up with their legs and sent the vampires rolling over and off them and then did back rolls up to a standing position.

"Come on, really. All this time, and not even once?" Faith blocked a high punch from her assailant, grabbed onto his shoulder, and flipped him forward.

He landed hard on his back.

"How many times do I have to say it?" Buffy ducked a swing. "I have never..." She did a backhand punch at her attacker. "...sucked a..."

The vampire staggered backward into a lamppost from the force of her punch.

Buffy did a full spin toward him. "...dick!"

She jammed her stake home, and the vampire died. Buffy looked over at Faith, who was still fighting.

"Realized I was gay before I ever went that far with a guy."

Faith leaped at her assailant, did a log roll in midair, and came down hard on him with her knee digging into his back, shoving him into the ground. She raised her stake and plunged it into his back, killing him instantly. She got up and stepped over to meet up with Buffy.

"So what about Tara?" Faith smiled sexily. "I mean...I'm sorry, it's just, all this sweating-nightly, side-by-side action, and you never put in for a little after-hours fuck?" She stuck out her tongue, made licking motions, and moaned.

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Thanks for the poetry. And not usually. I'm often sweaty and beat once I get back from patrolling, so it's just shower and out like a light." She grinned. "We fuck before patrol."

Faith grinned and started to leave. Buffy was about to follow her but then noticed something. She took a closer look at the boot prints on the muddy ground.

Buffy grabbed Faith's arm, looking down. "Hey. There's one more."

The two of them started to walk, following the extra set of prints, which led behind a gravestone.

"Okay. Count of three. One-"

Faith jumped ahead and shoulder-rolled over the gravestone. The vampire wasn't there, but he came running at her. He was also dressed in the leather uniform.

Buffy disapprovingly watched the fight start. "Three."

Faith tried to do a roundhouse kick at the vampire, but he caught her leg right before it connected with his head. He grabbed her shoulder, spun halfway around, and threw her against a tall gravestone. She hit the ground hard and immediately started to get back up. Buffy ran around them to catch the demon from behind as he looked down at Faith and pulled out two swords, one with a long blade, the other short. He spun his head around to see Buffy. She stopped in her tracks, holding her stake up in her hand. The vampire swung his long sword in a wide arc and sliced off the tip of the stake.

Buffy jumped in surprise but quickly dropped what was left of the stake as the vampire swung his sword down on her. She high-blocked the attack with her left arm, grabbed his left arm with her right hand, grabbed his right arm with her left hand, and brought both of his arms down hard, forcing him to drop the swords. She high-punched him in the head and tried to follow up with a double roundhouse kick with alternating legs. The vampire knife-hand-blocked both kicks. He gained the upper hand, grabbing Buffy by the shoulders, and tried to get in closer for a bite. She struggled to keep him at bay. Finally, Faith ran up behind him and thrust her stake into his back. He screamed and threw up his hands, then fell, dead, between the two girls, leaving Faith smiling at Buffy and Buffy leaning against a gravestone, catching her breath.

Faith took a step toward her, raising her hand for a high five. "Nicely diverted, B!"

She stopped mid-step when Buffy didn't return the gesture.

"Diverted?" Buffy asked, panting. "That was me fighting for my life, Miss Attention Span."

Faith sighed and turned to go. "This isn't a Tupperware party. It's a little hard to plan."

Buffy followed. "The count of three isn't a plan. It's Sesame Street."

Faith stopped and faced Buffy. "Hey, they're toast, and we're here, so it couldn't have been too bad, right?" She checked her arm. "Who were those guys, anyways?"

"I don't know." Buffy sniffed. "They didn't seem local." She looked where the swords were. "Look, why don't we grab the weapons? Maybe Giles..."

The swords weren't there anymore. Buffy gave Faith a confused look.


The next day, at Sunnydale High School, Buffy and Tara were walking through a hall.

Buffy looked at Tara. "I'm worried that I won't pass Mrs. Taggart's chemistry test tomorrow."

Tara smiled. "I can help. Chemistry's easy. Tonight?"

Buffy smiled. "Thanks."

The bell rang.

"Oh. I have to go see Giles, report on last night's patrol."

"Oh, yeah. He said he wanted to talk to you."

"What about? Is he okay?"

Tara was slightly concerned. "He's looked better."


In the library, Giles was sitting on the study table, facing the doors with his arms crossed, very bored while a somewhat foppish, well-tailored young man went through some books in a box on the table.

"Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day. Much greater emphasis on field work."

"Really?" Giles asked, very bored.

"Oh, yes." The man walked around to another box. "Not all books and theory nowadays." He reached in for some books. "I have, in fact, faced two vampires myself. Under controlled circumstances, of course."

Giles uncrossed his arms. "Well, no danger of finding those here."

The man looked up. "Vampires?"

"Controlled circumstances."

Buffy entered the library.

"Hello, Buffy."

The man overheard, looked at her, and smiled condescendingly. "Well..." He stepped to the head of the table. "Hello." He smiled smugly.

Buffy gave him a quick look up and down and then looked at Giles. "New Watcher?"

"New Watcher."

The man took a step toward her and held out his hand in greeting. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce."

Buffy made no move to return the gesture but continued to eye him critically.

A moment later, Wesley stepped back. "It's very nice to meet you."

Buffy stepped over to Giles, never removing her eyes from Wesley. "Is he evil?"

Wesley was perplexed. "Evil?"

"The last one was evil."

"Oh, yes. Gwendolyn Post. We all heard. No. Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the Council, but I'm glad to see you're on the ball as well." Wesley took a secretive step toward her. "A good Slayer is a cautious Slayer." He stepped back.

Buffy looked at Giles. "Is he evil?"

"Not in the strictest sense."

"Well, I'm glad that's cleared up." Wesley walked around the table and picked up his Watcher diary. "As I'm sure none of us is anxious to waste any time on pleasantries, why don't you tell me everything about last night's patrol?" He flipped to a blank page.

"Vampires."

"Yes?"

"Killed 'em."

"Anything else you can tell me?"

Buffy glanced at Giles. He nodded that she should cooperate.

"Uh..." Buffy thought as she sat down on the table. "One of them had swords. I don't think he was with the other two."

"Swords?" Wesley set down his diary, went back to his box of books, and began to rifle through them. "Swords..." He found the book that he wanted and began to leaf through it. "One long, one short?"

"Mmm. Both pointy." Buffy looked at Giles. "With, like, jewels and things."

"Sounds familiar."

Wesley came back with the book. "It should." He held it out in front of Giles.

Giles took it. "El Eliminati. Fifteenth century-"

"Fifteenth century duelist cult, deadly in their day. Their numbers dwindled in later centuries due to an increase in anti-vampire activity and a lot of pointless dueling."

Buffy and Giles both looked up at him, surprised by his rudeness.

"They eventually became the acolytes of a demon called Balthazar, who brought them to the New World, specifically here."

Giles closed the book and handed it back. "You seem to know a lot about them."

"I didn't get this job because of my looks." Wesley went back to his box.

"I really, really believe that." Buffy nodded.

Wesley looked at her snidely. "I've researched this town's history extensively."

"So why have we not seen them before this?" Giles asked him.

Wesley came back. "They were driven out a hundred years ago. Happily, Balthazar was killed. I don't know by whom."

"And they're back 'cause...?" Buffy asked.

"Balthazar had an amulet purported to give him strength. When he was killed, it was taken by a wealthy landowner named..." Wesley saw their looks. "I don't want to bore you with the details."

"A little bit late." Buffy yawned.

"...named Gleaves. It was buried with him, and I believe the few remaining Eliminati are probably looking for it. For sentimental value."

"A-And you don't think that this, uh, amulet poses any threat?" Giles asked him.

Wesley stepped back to his box. "Oh, no, not at all. Nonetheless, we may as well keep it from them. Buffy, you will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight and fetch the amulet." He reached in.

"I will?" Buffy asked, offended.

"Are you not used to being given orders?"

"Whenever Giles sends me on a mission, he always says 'please'. And afterwards I get a cookie." Buffy grinned at Giles.

Giles smiled back modestly.

Wesley came back. "I don't feel we're getting off on quite the right foot."

Just then, they heard footsteps and looked up to see Faith walk in.

"Ah. This is perhaps Faith."

Faith stopped and critically looked Wesley up and down. "New Watcher?"

Buffy and Giles nodded. "New Watcher."

Faith snickered. "Fuck that." She turned right around and walked out.

Buffy looked at Giles. "Now, why didn't I just say that?"

"Uh, Buffy, would you...?"

"I'll see if I can get her back." Buffy slipped off the table and walked out. "Don't say anything terribly interesting while I'm gone."

Wesley watched her go. He and Giles both reached into their pockets for handkerchiefs, took off their glasses, and began to clean them.

"They'll get used to me."

Giles noticed their tandem actions, immediately stopped cleaning, and put his glasses back on before Wesley had a chance to turn around. When he did, Giles just smiled up at him, covering his handkerchief with his hands.


Buffy caught up with Faith as they walked around a corner in the quad.

"Faith, wait. Look, I know this new guy's a dork, but..." Buffy paused. "Well, I have nothing to follow that. He's pretty much just a dork."

"You're actually gonna take orders from him? After what the Watchers did to you?" Faith asked her.

"Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I've just barely managed to forgive Giles since the shit that they pulled last month. But we do need the resources of the Watchers Council for research purposes." Buffy sighed and shrugged. "That's the job. What else can we do?"

"Whatever we want. We're Slayers, girlfriend, the Chosen Two. Why should we let him take all the fun out of it?" Faith asked her.

"Oh, that would be tragic, taking the fun out of slaying, stabbing, beheading."

"Oh, like you don't dig it."

Buffy shrugged. "I don't."

"You're a liar. I've seen you. Tell me staking a vamp doesn't get you a little bit juiced. Come on, say it." Faith stopped and folded her arms, waiting for Buffy's answer.

Buffy couldn't help but smile and looked down to hide it.

Faith laughed. "You can't fool me. The look in your eyes right after a kill? You just get hungry for more."

Buffy shook her head, suddenly angry. "You're way off base."

"Tell me that, if you don't get in a good slaying, after a while, you just start itching for some vamp to show up, so you can give him a good..." Faith grunted and punched.

"You realize I'm not comfortable with this."

"Hey, slaying's what we were built for. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing something wrong." Faith started to leave.

Buffy sighed. "What about the assignment?"

Faith looked back. "Tell you what: you do the homework, and I'll copy yours." She grinned and left.


That night, Buffy slowly walked up to the Gleaves family crypt and turned on her Maglite. She stepped up to the door and opened it.

The large room was dark and dusty. In the center were two stone coffins. There were several drawers on one wall and a few urns on shelves. Buffy took the steps down into the room and went to the first coffin. She pushed the heavy lid aside and looked into it with the flashlight. All that was left of the body was the skeleton and a pile of hair and fibers.

"Strike one. No amulet there."

She went to the next coffin and pushed its lid aside. The body in this one had dried out and looked mummified. The clothes were still more or less intact, and around its neck hung the amulet.

"Game over."

She reached in for it but jerked back up when she heard noises coming from outside. Through the door, she saw torches coming closer and heard voices. She quickly jumped up onto the first coffin, rolled into it, and twisted off her Maglite just as the door opened. Buffy pulled the lid of the coffin back into place. Inside her coffin, Buffy looked over at the skull beside her but remained quiet and absolutely still. When Buffy heard the door close, she pushed the lid back open and climbed out, only to be startled by Faith's hand on her shoulder.

"Faith!" Buffy exclaimed.

"What are you doing, hiding in there?" Faith asked her.

"Looking for the amulet. Wasn't counting on the Special Guest Stars. Six against one." Buffy gestured at the coffin. "Hence the hiding."

"Well, it's six against two now, so come on." Faith rushed out of the crypt.

Buffy climbed out of the coffin and followed her out.

They got out in time to see the last two Eliminati jump down through a manhole into the sewers below. Faith made tracks for it.

"Wait. Stop. Think!" Buffy told her.

Faith stopped, defiant. "No, no, no!" She started again.

Buffy chased her. "It's a manhole. Tight space, no escape, six against two, not unlike three against one."

Faith grabbed Buffy's arm. "And there might be more, so come on." She let go.

"You're just gonna go down there. That's your plan."

"Who said I had a plan? I don't know how many's down there, but I wanna find out. And I'll know when I land." Faith shrugged and smiled. "If you don't come in after me, I might die!"

Without any further hesitation, she jumped in. Buffy couldn't believe it but realized she couldn't let her do it alone and jumped in after her.


In the library, Wesley was at the study table, going through a mass of books. Giles paced nervously.

"These are all the diaries, then? Yours included?" Wesley asked him.

"That's everything. Knock yourself out. Please?"

Wesley flipped through Giles' diary. "Oh, yes! Here's your first entry. 'Slayer is willful and insolent.'" He smirked. "That would be our girl, wouldn't it?"

Giles continued pacing and took off his glasses. "Well, you have to get to know her."

"Mm. 'Her abuse of the English language is such that I understand only every other sentence.'" Wesley looked up. "Oh, this is going to make fascinating reading."

Giles checked his watch. "She should be back by now."

Wesley checked his watch. "Not to fret." He reached for a mint. "My mission scenario has her back in one minute." He popped the mint. "Shouldn't be any trouble."


In the sewer, Buffy and Faith had their hands full fighting the Eliminati. Buffy did a low front snap kick to one of them on the ground. Faith backhand-punched another, and his head snapped hard to the side.

Buffy grabbed yet another and shoved him aside. "We're surrounded!"

"You noticed that, too?!" Faith backhand-punched another Eliminatus.

Buffy ducked a vampire's swing and did a roundhouse kick to the back of his knee, making him collapse to the floor. Faith sidestepped her attacker, grabbed his arm, swung him around, and threw him toward a wall. Buffy did a full spinning hook kick to an incoming vampire and followed up with a roundhouse kick to his head. Another one came at her from the side and tried to bring his sword down on her from above, but she stepped back in time, and it just clanged on the floor.

Faith threw her vampire up against a wall, and he collapsed to the floor. She did a half spinning hook kick to another Eliminatus behind her, and he fell dazed onto a raised area. Another vampire jumped up onto it and leaped at Faith. She sidestepped him and pulled him down over the other one.

Buffy did a back elbow jab at a vampire's face, causing him to step backwards and trip over a fallen vampire. Another one jumped into the fray and tried to punch her, but she middle-blocked him, grabbed onto his arm, and threw him up against the rock wall. He tried to come at her again, but she side-kicked him soundly in the gut, forcing him back up against the wall. The Eliminatus who was down was up again, and she front-snap-kicked him, knocking him hard onto his back.

Faith turned around just in time to get punched in the face by the lead Eliminatus. He tried to punch her again, but she ducked it and rose back up to roundhouse-kick him in the side of the head. Buffy blocked two punches from the vampire against the wall and punched him in the face and again in the gut. He went down.

Faith did a half spinning, jumping out-to-in crescent kick to the head of one of them. Then she high-blocked a punch from one behind her. Buffy got a roundhouse kick in the head and fell to the ground by a pool of water. Her attacker advanced on her, and she roundhouse-kicked him in the back of the knee, making him lose his balance. Faith punched one in the head, but he came back with a punch to Faith's gut and grabbed her.

"Lemme go!" Faith yelled.

He shoved her hard against a concrete wall. Buffy saw her predicament and threw her stake into the vampire's back as she got up from the floor. He fell down, dead. Faith gave Buffy a smile. However, with her attention on Faith, Buffy didn't notice the one behind her, and he grabbed her and held her still for the leader.

He held out his long sword, pointing it at her chest. "Let's settle this honorably."

Buffy jumped up against the one holding her and did an out-to-in low crescent kick, knocking the sword out of the leader's hand. It went flying into the pool of water. Then she shrugged off the one holding her, and he fell to the floor. The leader grabbed hold of her, though, and tried to thrust at her with his short sword. She jerked out of the way in time and grabbed hold of his arm, but he used this to his advantage and grabbed her around the back with his other arm, pinning her against the edge of the pool.

"Well, then, let's just settle it."

He dunked her head into the water. She struggled to get back up but couldn't get a good grip on anything in the filthy water. In the meantime, another vampire got Faith in a full Nelson hold. She saw Buffy struggling in the water.

"Buffy!" Faith struggled with her assailant. "You son of a bitch!"

The leader kept holding Buffy's head underwater. She struggled valiantly to get up but just couldn't. It wasn't much longer before she started to get weak from lack of oxygen and stopped struggling, apparently passing out. He held her under for another few seconds, then let go and turned his attention to Faith. Buffy remained motionless in the water. He grinned widely at Faith, who kept struggling but to no avail.

Suddenly, Buffy leaped up, his long sword in hand, and swung it around at his head. He was too quick, though, and ducked it but was left off balance in a crouch.

"I hate it when they drown me."

She swung at him again, but he reacted instantly, somersaulting out of the way and back to his feet. He faced her, wielding his short sword. She made quick work of it, knocking it out of his hand with her first swing. She swung at him again widely, but he managed to dodge her. Faith broke out of the Nelson hold, spun around, and punched the vampire in the face. He staggered against the wall. She grabbed him and pulled him around, and he flew up and over the small raised area.

"B! Gotta go!" Faith yelled.

Buffy missed another swing but was determined. "We came for the amulet."

She jabbed the sword straight at the leader, getting the tip right between the chain holding the amulet at his waist. She lifted the sword, drawing the chain out from under his belt, and it slid down the length of the blade to the hilt. He hightailed it out of there. Buffy pulled the amulet from the sword and held it in her hand.

Faith walked up next to her, breathing heavily. "Tell me you don't get off on this!"

Buffy smiled at the amulet. "It didn't suck."


The next day, in the library, Wesley had the amulet in hand and inspected it under a magnifying glass. Giles stood in his office doorway. Buffy sat at the table.

"Well..." Wesley paused in consideration. "Looks authentic enough." He looked up. "Of course, there are tests to be made before actual verification."

"How about verifying that your 'nearly extinct' cult was out in magnum force last night?" Buffy asked him. "Faith and I got into a serious party situation."

"Are you all right?" Giles asked her.

"I had to lather, rinse, and repeat about five-million times to get the sewer out of my hair, but, otherwise, I'm of the good. Thank you for asking." Buffy gave Wesley a look, making it very clear that he should have asked as well.

"Perhaps there were a few more than we'd anticipated, but I'd expect you to be ready for anything." Wesley looked her in the eye. "Remember the three key words for any Slayer: preparation...preparation...preparation."

"That's one word three times."

The school bell rang.

Buffy got up. "I have a Chem test. So sad that I'm actually happy about that." She started out. "Giles, we need to talk."

Wesley stood up pompously. "Buffy..."

She stopped but didn't face him.

"I must ask you to remember that I am your Watcher."

She faced him.

"From now on, anything you have to say about slaying, you will say to me. The only thing you need discuss with Mr. Giles is overdue book fees. Understood?"

Buffy turned to Giles. "We'll talk."

"Of course."

Buffy left for her test.

Wesley looked at Giles. "You're not helping."

"No. I feel just sick about it." Giles took off his glasses and went into his office.


In Chemistry class, Mrs. Taggart passed out the exam booklets. Buffy and Tara were at the second-to-last table by the windows. Cordelia and Harmony were at the table behind them.

Mrs. Taggart handed Tara and Buffy their tests. "All right. You have one period to fill out your test booklets. Periodic charts are located on the back." She walked toward the front. "You're on the honor system, so remember: no talking." She then left the room.

Buffy opened the booklet but was interrupted, along with the rest of the class, by Faith rapping on the window pane, trying to get Buffy's attention.

Faith lifted the sash, leaned in, and smiled. "Hey, girlfriend." She looked around. "Bad time?" She leaned over to the next window, wiped the dust from it with her sleeve, exhaled to fog it, and used her index fingers to draw a heart with a stake through it. She looked at Buffy, smiled, and bounced her eyebrows.

Buffy considered for only a moment before deciding to blow off the test. She slid down from her lab stool and headed for the window.

Tara was shocked. "Buffy!"

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Cordelia asked Buffy.

Faith smiled and leaned back in to wait for her partner.

Harmony looked at Cordelia. "Is she allowed to do that?"

Cordelia stared at Harmony but didn't say anything.

"Buffy!" Tara tried again.

Buffy ignored her and climbed out the window. Faith lowered the sash after Buffy had climbed out. The Slayers walked away from the building.

"What's up?" Buffy asked.

"Vampires."

"Uh, Faith, unless there's a total eclipse in the next five minutes, it's daylight."

"Good for us, bad for them. Found a nest."

Buffy smiled, suddenly comprehending. "Has potential."


Buffy and Faith kicked in the door to the vampire nest. There were vampires lying all over the floor, waiting out the day. Bright sunlight washed in and onto one of them, who quickly burst into flames. The lot of them scrambled to their feet and began to run. The Slayers smiled into the nest.

Faith pulled out a stake. "Rise and shine, people."

Buffy pulled out a stake. "It's your wake-up call."

They both ran in for a good fight.


That evening, at the Bronze, Faith and Buffy were on the dance floor, gyrating to the hard techno sound of "Chinese Burn", performed by Curve. Three boys came over to them and danced around them. They pretty much ignored the guys and just humped the air around them. Eventually, Buffy noticed Angel standing at the side. When he saw her notice, he made a move to go. Buffy squeezed out from the crowd to go to him. Faith didn't miss a beat and started to paw at the boys, keeping them well entertained.

"What's the matter?" Buffy asked him.

"We better sit down. Come on."

He led her away to a small alcove behind the stairs. Angel sat.

Buffy plopped down next to him. "What's the what?"

"Balthazar."

"Dead demon."

"Not as dead as you think. Word on the street puts him in the packing warehouse on Devereau. He's looking for-"

"His amulet. It's supposed to restore his strength."

"From what I'm hearing, that's not something we'd like to see happen."

"No problem. We got the amulet."

"I know. I spoke to Giles, but he said you gave it to someone."

Wesley poked his head around the stairs and pointed accusingly. "Ah. There you are."

"Ah. Speak of the really annoying person."

Wesley looked around. "You're certainly giving me a run for my money." He sat next to her and leaned in close. "I think we ought to establish that, if you're going to go out slaying, you leave me a number where I can contact you."

"Where's the amulet?" Angel asked him.

Wesley snapped his head around and looked at Angel in surprise. "Who are you?"

"A friend. Do you have it?" Angel asked him.

"It's somewhere safe."

Buffy looked at his jacket, reached in, and pulled out the amulet.

"How did you know?" Wesley asked her.

"It pooches your jacket." Buffy tossed it to Angel.

"Now, hang on a minute..."

Angel held it up. "Walking around with this thing is like wearing a target."

"You're gonna put it somewhere safe that's actually safe?" Buffy asked Angel.

Angel stood up. "Yeah. I'll do it now."

Buffy stood also. "I'll do some recon on Balthazar."

Wesley joined them in standing, incredulous. "If I may...Balthazar is dead. Am I the only one that remembers that?"

They ignored him.

"Be careful."

Buffy smiled. "You know me."

"I mean it."

They both went in opposite directions, leaving Wesley behind.

Buffy walked onto the dance floor and grabbed Faith. She pulled her out of the crowd and toward the door.

Faith let herself be led away but pointed back at the boys. "Call me!"


Faith and Buffy looked for the packing warehouse and found it. They looked in through a crack in the door and saw Balthazar surrounded by the Eliminati. Balthazar was enormously obese with very pale, pasty, slimy skin. He sat suspended in a tank of filthy water while one of the Eliminati poured ladle after ladle of it over him in an effort to keep his skin moist.

"Okay, we got ten, maybe twelve bad guys and one big demon in desperate need of a Stairmaster."

"I say we take 'em all, hard and fast and now."

"We need a little more firepower than none. We should head back to the library."

"Well, I guess Jacuzzi Boy isn't going anywhere." Faith looked around. "I just...wish we had..." Across the street at the end of the alley, she saw Meyer's Sport and Tackle shop. She pointed Buffy in that direction. "Ah. That is too good." She headed for the store.

Buffy stayed put.

Faith looked around. "C'mon, B!"

Buffy adamantly shook her head. "Faith, what the fuck are you doing?!"

"When are ya gonna get this, B? Life for a Slayer is very simple: want...take...have."

"Think they're insured?" Buffy asked her.

"Strangely, not my priority. Now, c'mon!"

"I'll pass."

Faith dismissed Buffy and continued toward the store. Buffy watched in disbelief.

Faith kicked in the front door and went inside. She walked through quickly, looking for anything useful to her.

Faith found the Archery counter. "Ah. Score."

She spied a small crossbow, complete with 4x optical sights, on display beneath the glass countertop. She broke the glass with her elbow, reached in, and pulled it out. She checked the trigger mechanism. She walked to a vertical case and broke it. She reached in for a set of nunchucks and stuffed them into her pants. She turned around, saw a compound hunting bow under the glass of another display case, and kicked it in. Faith pulled the bow out and looked it over, then smiled. But before she could get any further, she was surprised by a gunshot. She spun around to see she'd been caught by two police officers. They both had their service revolvers aimed at her.

"Drop the weapons and get down on the ground! Now!" One of the police officers took a step closer, eyeing her. "I said drop the weapons, or I fire."

Faith gave in but wasn't gentle with the hunting bow, simply extending her arm and tossing it aside. The two officers visibly relaxed a bit but kept their guns up and ready.

"Now spread 'em."

"You wish."

The officers tensed up again.

"Hands in the air where I can see 'em. Slow!" one of the officers ordered.

Faith smiled at him but did as she was told and raised her arms over her head.

"Good." He looked at his partner. "Now cuff 'er."

His partner holstered his gun and reached into his belt for his cuffs. Faith checked out the one still holding the gun. She was handcuffed behind her back and taken outside.

As Faith was led over to the police car, she noticed Buffy watching her from the alley, upset. Faith smiled at her.

Faith got into the back seat of the police car, and the door was closed. The officers got into the front seat, and soon they were on their way. A heavy steel mesh separated her from the officers in the front seat.

"That's some artillery you were puttin' together. You with one of them girl gangs?" one of the officers asked her.

"Yeah. The Slayers."

The officer laughed. Faith didn't think it was funny. She slouched down in the seat. Faith raised her legs and push-kicked hard into the steel mesh, making it buckle and tear at the edges and hit the officers in the backs of their heads. The driver lost control of the car, and it swerved screechingly to the left and smashed into a parked car. The damage wasn't terribly serious, but the police car's radiator had burst, and the steam rose thickly, obscuring the view. Both officers were unconscious. Faith climbed over the seat, grabbed one of the officers' keys, and climbed out the front passenger-side door.

Faith looked around and spotted Buffy at a distance. "B!"

Buffy ran over to her. "What the fuck, Faith?!"

Faith was impatient. "I can't save the world in jail." She held up the keys.

Buffy sighed, grabbed the keys, and slowly fumbled with the keys, trying to unlock the cuffs. She looked at the officers. "We should call an ambulance."

"Five people already have, the racket I made, and they're fine."

Buffy saw she was right. One of them was already regaining consciousness. She got the cuffs unlocked.

"Come on. Let's get outta here." Faith started to run but looked back when Buffy didn't immediately follow. "Come on!"

Buffy saw the other officer start to come to as well. She looked around quickly a last time and ran after Faith.


They ran back to Buffy's van, and Buffy drove Faith home without comment. The whole time, and even as she drove home, she was contemplating what to do regarding Faith's actions.

Once home, Buffy quietly walked upstairs and entered her bedroom without attracting her mother's attention.

Tara was waiting for her. She stood up from the bed and crossed her arms, upset. She didn't say anything.

Buffy closed the door. "Hey."

"What the fuck was that?" Tara demanded.

"You're angry with me. I get it."

Tara started crying. "No, you don't. I spent hours last night tutoring you, because I wanted you to pass that test. More than any other person that I have tutored, Buffy, I was invested in you passing, because I love you, and you blew it off like it was nothing, like I was nothing. I'm not angry at you, Buffy. I'm disappointed."

Buffy broke down in tears, disappointed in herself for hurting Tara, who took her in her arms and hugged her.

"I'm sorry. I'm s-so sorry." Buffy looked into Tara's eyes. "Did you - Did you tell Mom?"

"No. When Mrs. Taggart came back, I pleaded with her to let you retake the test. I-I lied to her, told her you had a sudden panic attack. She agreed to let you retake the test on Monday, but you'll have to do it during lunch."

Buffy started crying all over again. "Thank you."

"Forget it. Let's shower and get to bed."


The next morning, at Buffy's house, Buffy entered the kitchen through the back door, bringing the paper in with her. She was engrossed in an article about the break-in and police car accident. There was no mention of either herself or Faith by name.

"Admit it."

Buffy looked up, surprised.

Her mother leaned on the island. "Some days, don't you wanna just wake up and say to Hell with the diet? Wanna make waffles? Big Saturday brunch?"

"No, thanks. I'm not really that hungry." Buffy turned the page.

Joyce sighed and went to the dish cabinet. "So...what did you and Faith do last night?"

"Nothing. Uh..." Buffy smiled thinly. "Nothing really important."

Joyce got a coffee mug. "Don't worry." She grabbed the coffee pot. "I'm not gonna meddle in your slaying." She poured a cup. "Just as long as you're careful."

Buffy was engrossed in reading. "I am."

Joyce stepped over to the island. "You sure about those waffles?"

Buffy looked up and closed the paper. "Yeah. But if you want them, I can help you make them."

"No." Joyce sighed. "They only don't have calories, if I make them for you."

Buffy didn't get it.

"Mom logic. You, uh, done with the paper?"

Buffy got up. "Yeah." She left the kitchen.


That evening, in their room, Buffy and Tara were sitting on their bed.

Buffy was sniffing a small black felt pouch that Tara gave to her. "Mmm."

"You like it?" Tara asked.

"It smells good. What is it?"

"A protection spell."

"Protection spell?" Buffy asked, wary. "Tara-"

"Amy and I worked it out together. It's fine."

"Good deal." Buffy sniffed. "I'm surprised, though, 'cause usually spell stuff's more-"

"Stinky. Yeah. That's why I added lavender."

There was a knock at the door.

Faith opened it and walked in. "Ready? Time to motor. Hey, Tara."

Tara was unenthused. "Hi."

Faith paced back toward the door.

Buffy kissed Tara on the lips and stood up. "Thanks for the protection spell."

Tara nodded.

Buffy gave her felt pouch a squeeze and followed Faith out of the room.


In Giles' office, Wesley checked out some of the pictures on the wall while Giles sat at his desk, fidgeting with his glasses.

"I didn't say you had emotional problems." Wesley turned to Giles. "I said you had an emotional problem. It's quite different."

"My 'attachment' to the Slayer is not a problem. In point of fact, it's been a very-"

"The way you've handled this assignment is something of an embarrassment to the Council."

Giles was miffed. "If you want to criticize my methods, fine. But you can keep your snide remarks to yourself. And while you're at it, don't criticize my methods." He put on his glasses.

"The fact is you're no longer qualified to act as Watcher." Wesley paced behind Giles. "It's not your fault. You've done well. It's simply time for somebody else to take the field." He turned around.

Giles looked at him, then past him, through the window, to the main area. "Now's a good time to start."

Wesley turned to look as well, and there they saw four Eliminati come to take them to Balthazar.


Buffy and Faith walked around a corner, into an alley near the packing warehouse.

Faith had the compound hunting bow with her and got an arrow ready. "You're quiet tonight."

"I just wanna get this done."

"Yeah." Faith smiled. "I'm dying to test out the longbow. I think it might be my new thing."

Buffy was upset. "I can't believe you went back for that shit."

"Hey, how do you feel about getting some ribs? You know, after we're done?" Faith suggested.

They were surprised by an Eliminatus doing a front tuck from above and landing in their way. The vampire roared and came at Buffy. She sidestepped him, grabbed him, and shoved him into the back of a truck. He came at her again and did a front snap kick at Buffy, which she blocked. She returned with a roundhouse kick to his gut, knocking him to the pavement. Buffy jumped on him, and they began to struggle. Another vampire joined in as Faith struggled with her bow, but they were in too close of quarters for her to use it against him.

"Fuck it!" Faith dropped the bow but held on to the arrow.

She ducked a roundhouse kick from the demon, and the momentum of the kick without a hit made him keep spinning before he landed. Faith did a side kick to his side, and he staggered into the side of a truck. Faith ran at him with her arrow and plunged it home as he turned around to attack again. He fell to the pavement, dead. Buffy got up, holding her stake, having just killed hers as well.

"I think we've got more comin'!" Faith told her friend.

They started quickly in the direction of the packing warehouse.

Buffy huffed. "We're never gonna make it to the warehouse."

"If they keep coming one at a time, we got a shot."

Suddenly, another Eliminatus landed in front of them and thrust at Faith with his short sword. She reacted instantly, catching his arm and shoving him into a crate, then pulling him off and swinging him backward onto a pile of several chords of wood. Buffy stepped right in and staked him. The two Slayers continued along the alley at a brisk pace.

At the end of the building, an arm reached out and grabbed Buffy by the shoulder. Instantly, she grabbed the man and threw him against a dumpster. Faith jumped right in to stake him. He slumped down to the ground, hurt by the impact against the heavy steel container. Faith was too caught up in things and didn't realize he was human.

"Faith, no!" Buffy yelled.

Faith swung down with her stake and plunged it into his heart, then pulled it out. He grabbed his chest in pain and surprise. Blood poured out freely, pumped out by his now-punctured heart. Faith backed away as Buffy quickly got down beside him to try to help him. He pulled his hands away and looked down at them covered in his own blood, shaking hard as he went into shock.

Buffy looked at the wound and saw its severity. "Don't move!"

Faith was shocked. "I didn't...I didn't know. I didn't know."

"We need to call 911, now!" Buffy yelled to Faith behind her.

Faith was paralyzed with fear. The man shook even harder as the blood loss increased. He looked up at Buffy.

"Don't move, i-it's okay..."

She tried to apply pressure to the wound, but the blood just kept coming.

"I-I need - I need something to stop the-"

He began to convulse. His eyes went wide as blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth. He tried to say something but couldn't get the words out. Buffy could only watch in despair, unable to help. He looked down at his chest one last time, then reached up to Buffy, but his arm never made it. It fell to his side, and his body relaxed against the dumpster, finally dead. His eyes remained wide open, staring up into nothing. Buffy stared back at him in open-mouthed horror.

Faith began to panic. "We gotta go!" She grabbed Buffy and pulled her up. "Come on, we gotta go!"

They ran from the scene. The Slayers ran down the alley. Buffy stopped to look back.

Faith grabbed her arm to get her to follow. "Come on." She climbed up on some crates and jumped over a wall.

Buffy decided to continue down the alley to a fence and climbed over it instead.

She ran to a street. Buffy waited for a car to pass on the street and walked into another alley. There, she was surprised by Angel coming out of the shadows.

"Angel!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Buffy, I've been looking for you."

He took one of her hands and held it up to see the blood on it. Buffy jerked it back.

"Your hand."

"It's okay."

"I've just been to the warehouse. I was waiting for you. They got Giles."

Buffy was instantly worried.


Faith slowly stepped up to the man's body. In the distance, she could hear a police siren getting closer, then further away. Faith kneeled down beside the man and reached out for the wound. She touched it and immediately yanked her hand back. She looked at him, full of guilt and horror at making the worst mistake that she possibly could: killing a human.


In the packing warehouse, Giles and Wesley were being held before Balthazar, but he was ignoring them for the moment as he insistently instructed the vampire with the ladle.

"The front! The front! Moisten the front!"

He groaned as a ladle full of water was poured across his chest. Giles and Wesley watched in disgust.

Wesley was very nervous. "Oh, God!" He looked around desperately. "Oh, God!"

"It doesn't seem too promising, does it?" Giles asked him, calmly.

Wesley was trying not to panic. "Stay calm, Mr. Giles. We have to stay calm."

"Well, thank God you're here. I was planning to panic."

Wesley looked at Balthazar. "What is that thing?"

"That would be your demon. You know, the dead one?" Giles asked sarcastically.

"There's no need to get snippy."

Balthazar finally turned his attention to the Watchers. "Bring them closer."

Two of the Eliminati grabbed them and shoved them closer.

"You know what I want."

"If it's for me to scrub those hard-to-reach areas, I'd like to request you kill me now."

Giles was hit hard in the back for his insolence.

"Ow."

Wesley began to panic. "Are you out of your mind? This is hardly the time for games!"

"Why not?" Giles asked him. "They're going to torture us to death, anyway."

Balthazar snickered happily. "You're not wrong about that." He wheezed.

"Now, hold on. We - We - We can deal with this rationally. We have something you want. You have something we want."

"Hmm...a trade. Intriguing." Balthazar paused in consideration. "No. Wait. Boring. Pull off his kneecaps!"

Two of the vampires grabbed Wesley.

Wesley was horrified. "Nooo! No, no, no!"

They let go.

Wesley caved. "The Slayer g-gave it to someone. A tall man, a friend...a friend of hers. I can tell you everything."

"Quiet, you twerp!" Giles muttered under his breath. "They'll kill us both."

Wesley panicked. "But I'd like to have my kneecaps."

"You will tell us everything!" Balthazar demanded.

"Yes! Sir."

"What is this friend's name?"

Wesley was at a loss. "I didn't actually catch it."

Giles tried to fake him out. "Look, um, tell you what: let Captain Courageous here go, and I'll tell you what you need to know. How's that deal?"

"There is one deal! You will die quickly, or you will die slowly! The man who has my amulet! What is his naaame?!"

"His name is Angel." Angel walked into their midst and immediately grabbed the two Eliminati holding Giles and Wesley, pulling them away and slamming one of them into a wall, the other into some metal shelves.

Another one moved to take their place holding the Watchers, but Giles headbutted him, and he fell.

Buffy jumped in now, too, coming from the other direction, backhand-punched one vampire, and punched another in the face. The first one raised his sword and tried to attack, but she blocked him and grabbed his arm. She brought it down and kneed him in the gut, making him drop his sword. Giles saw Buffy catch it and turned his tied hands toward her. She swung the sword in a high arc and brought it down on the ropes binding his wrists, slicing them cleanly. The pieces fell to the floor as Giles grabbed Wesley and pushed him out of harm's way.

Buffy swung the sword back at the Eliminatus, but he caught her hand and swung the sword down against the edge of Balthazar's pool, forcing her to drop it. He did a backhand swing at Buffy's face, making her trip forward, but she returned with a back kick at him and then shoulder-rolled onto a large crate to avoid being sliced by another one's sword.

Balthazar flailed his arms in a tantrum. "Un..." He sputtered. "Unacceptable!"

Angel ducked a swing from an Eliminatus and then did a right hook to his face and punched him hard in the gut. He turned around and backhand-punched the one behind him, blocked a return swing, and punched him again.

"Unacceptable!" Balthazar screamed, very displeased.

Out of the way of the fight, Giles untied Wesley's hands. Behind him, a vampire roared, and he looked back in time to see and duck his sword. It hit on a shelf, and Giles grabbed the blade and back-elbowed the vampire in the face, taking the sword from him. He swung it around and jammed the hilt of the sword into his face as well, then spun around in time to take on another one.

The Eliminatus swung his sword at Giles, who parried it with his own. The vampire swung again, and again Giles blocked it. The demon spun around and swung down from above, but again Giles had his sword up in time to block. He swung his arms around and down, forcing the Eliminatus' sword to the floor and making him bend down with it, and then kneed him in the face. The vampire jerked backward and fell to the floor, dropping his sword.

In the meantime, the one whose sword was taken away by Giles grabbed Wesley from behind, pinning his arms behind his back.

"Giles!" Wesley yelled.

Giles raised his sword and started to swing it. "Down!"

Wesley bent over fast, and the blade caught the vampire on the neck and sliced through. The beheaded Eliminatus fell to the floor. Wesley stood back up, shocked at what just happened.

Buffy got to her feet on a raised area of the floor. An Eliminatus came at her with a sword, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him past her, over a crate, and into a barrel. Another one swung at her, and she middle-blocked him, punched him in the gut, ducked another swing, and then backhand-punched him in the face. He fell to the floor. Buffy picked him up and sent him spinning into a huge pile of rope. As he tried to come at her again, she did a full spinning wheel kick to his face. He quickly regained his balance and tried to punch her, but she redirected his fist and held onto it while she elbowed him in the face. She swung him around and threw him into a bunch of stacked oil barrels.

Angel delivered a side kick to his attacker. Another one tried to front-kick him, but he grabbed his leg and threw him into a back layout. Another one came for Buffy. She just grabbed him by the arms and threw him from the raised floor to below. She blocked a roundhouse kick from another and nearly got punched in the face. She punched him in the gut, and he doubled over, backing away a bit. This gave her room to fly into a double spinning out-to-in jumping crescent kick. The vampire flew upward, spinning fast, and landed hard on a crate, then rolled off onto the floor below.

An Eliminatus got Angel in the face with a jumping out-to-in crescent kick, but he was not fazed. Angel blocked a high punch from him, punched him in the gut, grabbed onto him, and threw him through the air and into a wall.

Balthazar held out his arms. The air between him and Angel became disturbed, and Angel found himself being sucked back toward him. He landed on his back on the edge of the pool. Balthazar seized his head in both hands. Angel struggled to get away, but the grip was extremely tight. Buffy saw what was happening and looked for a way to help. She spied an electrical cable hanging down from a lamp directly above Balthazar. She grabbed it and yanked hard, and the lamp fell from the roof with sparks flying right into the pool. Balthazar immediately let go of Angel and writhed in agony as he was electrocuted. Giles and Wesley stared in amazement. Soon, Balthazar seemed dead, and the circuit breakers shut off the power. Buffy rushed over to help Angel. He was shaken but fine. She looked at Balthazar and was startled when his eyes whipped open, and he took a sudden breath.

Balthazar was weak and wheezing. "Slayer! You think you've won." He chuckled and wheezed. "When he rises...you'll wish I'd killed you all." He let out his last breath and died.

Buffy looked at Angel, wondering what he meant.


Faith was in the bathroom in Jenny's apartment, scrubbing at her shirt in the sink, when she heard a knock on the door and looked up.

"Faith, it's me."

Faith left the shirt in the sink and went to answer it.

There was a long moment of silence as the two Slayers stared at each other.

"Hey."

"Hey." Faith walked back to the bathroom and continued scrubbing the shirt.

Buffy walked into the apartment, closed the door, and followed Faith to the bathroom.

"So...I, uh..." Buffy saw Faith scrubbing. "How are ya doin'?"

Faith still scrubbed. "I'm all right. You know me."

"Faith, we need to talk about what we're gonna do."

Faith looked at Buffy. "There's nothing to talk about. I was doing my job."

"Being a Slayer is not the same as being a killer."

Faith finished scrubbing. "Yeah, well, you're both, so don't get all high and mighty."

"Faith, please don't shut me out here. Look, sooner or later, you're gonna have to deal."

Faith looked the shirt over. "Wrong."

"I can help you."

"I don't need it." Faith pulled the plug from the sink and hung the shirt to dry.

"Yeah? Who's wrong now? Faith, you can shut off all the emotions that you want. But eventually, they're gonna find a body."

Faith faced Buffy. "Okay, this is the last time we're gonna have this conversation, and we're not even having it now, you understand me? There is no body. I took it, weighted it, and dumped it. The body doesn't exist." She turned away.

Buffy was shocked. "Getting rid of the evidence doesn't make the problem go away."

Faith faced Buffy. "It does for me."

Buffy was very concerned. "Faith, you don't get it. You killed a man."

"No, you don't get it." Faith smiled daringly. "I don't care!" She turned away again to tend to her things.

Buffy was speechless with disbelief.