"Enemies"
Based on the Episodes "Doppelgangland" Written by Joss Whedon and "Enemies" Written by Douglas Petrie
The following story is copyright © 2022 by Mark Moore.
At Sunnydale High, Tara was sitting under the willow tree, relaxing.
Beside her, Buffy did sit-ups. "The Watchers Council shrink is heavy into tests. He's got tests for everything. T.A.T.s, Rorschach, associative logic..." She grunted and sat up. "He even has that test to see if you're crazy that asks if you ever hear voices or you ever wanted to be a florist." She did some stretching exercises.
Tara looked over at Buffy. "Hey, you wanna go to the Espresso Pump and get sugared up on Earl Grey?"
"I'm gonna pass. Hit the pool and do some laps."
"How come the sudden calisthenics? Aren't you sort of naturally buff, Buff?" Tara smiled and giggled. "Buff Buff."
"Well, they've got us running around on the physical side, too. A lot of reflex evaluation and precision training, you know. I-I just..." Buffy paused. "Well, I-I wanna do..."
Tara smiled knowingly. "Better than Faith?"
Buffy was embarrassed. "So very shallow."
Tara didn't respond to that. "You'll definitely ace her on the psych tests."
Buffy paused in consideration. "I know Faith's not gonna be on the cover of Sanity Fair, but...she had it rough. A really shitty set of circumstances, yet she still didn't fuck up as bad as me."
Tara thought about that in silence. She reached over and took Buffy's hand in her own.
Later, Tara and Buffy pushed the doors open and walked into the library.
"So he threatened you? With what?" Buffy asked.
"Well, i-it wasn't exactly anything he said. It was all in his eyes."
Buffy frowned. "Snyder needs me to kick his ass."
"Oh, no, Buffy, don't get in trouble. I stood up to him and told him no."
They reached the study table. Tara set down her books.
Buffy sat on the table and smiled. "Good for you."
"What's that?" Giles asked from his office.
Buffy looked at him. "Snyder wanted Tara to tutor some jock."
"I just hate the way he bullies people. He just assumes everyone's time is his." Tara lifted her bookbag from her shoulder and set it down also.
Giles came out of his office, sucking on a lollipop. "Tara, get on the computer. I want you to take another pass at accessing the mayor's files."
"Okay." Tara headed behind the counter to use the computer there.
Faith walked into the library, followed by an out-of-breath Wesley.
Faith smiled. "Well, that was a blast."
"How did it go?" Giles asked.
Faith pointed at Wesley behind her. "Princess Margaret here had a little trouble keeping up."
Wesley made it to the counter and leaned heavily against it. Buffy raised her eyebrows at the sight.
Giles looked at Wesley. "How did it go?"
Wesley panted heavily. "Faith, uh...did quite well on the obstacle field. Still a little sloppy, though."
Faith shot him an incredulous look.
"Do you feel up to, uh, taking Buffy out, or shall I?" Giles asked him.
"Oh, no, no, no. I'll be fine. Just give me a minute. And some defibrillators, if it's not too much trouble."
"You're gonna love it, B. It's just like fun, only boring." Faith grimaced.
Giles looked at her sternly. "Faith, this evaluation is a necessary part of the Council's-"
"I know. I'm on board here. Just shooting my mouth off."
"I better change." Buffy got off the table and started to walk out.
As she passed by, Faith leaned toward her.
"Good luck." Faith reached out, lightly brushed Buffy's shoulder with her hand, and gave her a little smile.
Buffy returned the smile weakly and continued out. Wesley took a deep breath and followed her.
Faith noticed Tara at the computer and hopped up on the counter to sit and watch. "Whatcha doin'?"
"I'm trying to access the mayor's personal files."
Faith was surprised. "Can you do that?"
"Well, he's got some tricky barriers set up."
"Can you get past 'em?" Faith asked warily.
"Possibly."
Faith watched intently as Tara continued her hacking.
Later, in a spacious new studio apartment, Mayor Wilkins considered Faith's report. "That's very interesting."
"Yeah, I thought so, too." Faith looked around. "Are you serious about this place?" She continued exploring.
"Of course, I am. No Slayer of mine is gonna sleep on a couch in some hippy-dippy witch's apartment. She has a very unsavory reputation. There are immoral liaisons going on there."
Faith checked out the kitchen. "Yeah, plus all the fucking that she does with her boyfriend. Bitch is loud. This place is the kick!" She walked past a leather punching bag hanging in a corner and continued into the sleeping area.
"Keep your things at your old place in case you need to see your friends there, but from now on..."
Faith jumped up on the bed and bounced.
"Oh, hey, hey, hey! Shoes! Shoes!" Mayor Wilkins yelled, appalled.
Faith hopped off the bed and went up to the mayor. She smiled sultrily. "Thanks, Sugar Daddy."
"Now, Faith, I don't find that sort of thing amusing. I'm a family man." He stepped aside to let Faith continue looking around. "Now, let's kill your little friend."
Faith gave him an uneasy look.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't ask you to do it. Not this early in the relationship."
Faith sat, doubtful.
"Besides, I think a vampire attack would be less suspicious, anyway. In the meantime, let's take a look at the rest of the apartment, huh?"
Faith stood up again.
"If I'm not mistaken, some lucky girl has herself a PlayStation."
Faith grinned broadly. "No way."
Mayor Wilkins grinned back proudly. "Yes way!" He chuckled happily.
Faith headed over to the TV to check it out.
That evening, Cordelia and Angel walked out of the Sun Cinema, having just watched Le Banquet D'Amelia. They were less than happy with their movie-going experience. Angel buttoned his coat and put his hands into his pockets while Cordelia crossed her arms against the cold.
Cordelia felt uneasy. "Well..."
"Well."
They began walking along the street.
"That was...very...artistic." Cordelia gave Angel a glance with raised eyebrows, trying to gauge his reaction.
"Yeah."
"It wasn't what I expected." Cordelia laughed nervously. "I-I've never actually seen..." She paused, unsure how to put it. "Well, we..." She paused again. "From the title, I thought it was about food."
"Well, there was food..."
They exchanged a quick glance but couldn't face each other.
"Right. Th-The scene with the...food. So...feel like getting some hot chocolate?" Cordelia uncrossed her arms and let them swing. "Or some cold shower?"
"I'm sorry." Angel shook his head. "I wanted to take you out somewhere fun. It's been a long time since I've been to the movies. They've changed."
Cordelia smiled and nodded. "A little scary." She stopped and faced Angel. "And a little not, which is also scary. I'm sorry." She inhaled. "I-I just don't like getting you worked up like that. We can't actually do any of those things." She exhaled. "You'd lose your soul, and...besides, I don't even own a kimono."
"Cordy, you don't have to worry about me." Angel grinned.
"I just don't like to rub your nose in it." Cordelia realized what she'd said. "Suddenly wondering where that expression comes from."
"Look, I don't need to see movies to get worked up. Just being around you does that just fine. It doesn't mean that I'm gonna lose control, or that I'm only frustrated around you. It feels nice just to feel."
"It doesn't drive you crazy? When we're close?"
"Watch this."
He slowly kissed her. She responded in kind, and they kissed. Angel put his arms around her as they kissed again and again. All too soon, it was over, and nothing bad had happened.
"See? Safe as houses."
Cordelia looked into his eyes and moved in for another kiss. Angel obliged, and they exchanged several.
Faith walked up to them and grinned naughtily. "Check out the lust bunnies."
Cordelia and Angel slowly stopped and let go of each other.
Cordelia gave him a little smile, turned to Faith, sighed, and smiled weakly. "Patrol?"
"Council has you back on active duty?" Angel asked Faith.
"Finally. They want me down by Mercer. B's waiting. Just came by to see if you wanted to join us, C-Grade."
"Don't call me that." Cordelia paused and considered. "Okay." She turned to Angel. "Good night." She backed away slowly while still holding his hand.
"I'll see you soon."
When she got close enough, Faith grabbed Cordelia's arm.
Faith smiled. "Don't worry, big guy. Just keeping her warm for you."
Cordelia gave Angel one last smile and then let herself be led away.
The two of them walked in silence for a while as they headed toward Cordelia's car.
"So how far did you get with him?" Faith eventually asked.
Cordelia looked at her.
"Did he fuck you up the ass?" Faith asked.
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "None of your fucking business." She paused. "And no. Unfortunately."
Faith grinned. "Too bad. Anal's great. I was doing it when I was activated. Broke my poor boyfriend's dick."
"That's great for you, Faith. That's really great." Cordelia suddenly noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and stopped. She looked to her left.
In an alley, a girl with long brown hair was being held by a guy, who had his face pressed to her neck.
Faith looked. "Necking session?"
Cordelia noticed the girl's arms were limp at her sides. "That's one way of putting it."
The two girls ran into the alley. Cordelia grabbed hold of the girl, putting her arms around her waist. Faith jumped over both of them and kicked the guy in the head. He lost his grip on the girl and fell on his back. Faith pulled a stake out of her jacket, mounted him, and drove her stake into his heart, killing him.
"Omigoddess!" the girl exclaimed in fright.
"It's okay. You're safe." Cordelia turned the girl around and looked at her.
The girl appeared to be about her age. She had light wounds on her neck, and there were some blood stains.
Cordelia examined the bite marks. "You'll be fine. They'll heal."
"Was that a vampire?" the girl asked.
"Uh-huh. What's your name?" Cordelia asked.
"Sandy. Sandy Gray." The girl pressed her right hand to her neck wounds. "Am I gonna...become one of them?"
"No, not unless you sucked him off as well." Cordelia suddenly realized how that sounded and made a face. "I mean...did you drink any of his blood?"
"Uh, yeah, a little."
Cordelia looked closely at Sandy's lips. There was blood on them.
"I-I met him at the Bronze, and he bought me a drink. We left together and stopped here to make out. He - He had me under some kind of spell. I couldn't resist him. I-I'm sorry."
"Shhh, it's not your fault." Cordelia gave her a smile. "Do you go to Sunnydale High?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Go home and get some rest. If you feel anything unusual, call the library."
Sandy looked at her in confusion.
"It's where we meet. Someone there can help you. Me, Buffy, Giles, Wesley, Tara, Harmony..." Cordelia reconsidered. "Maybe not Harmony."
"Okay. Thank you both for saving my life." Sandy turned to leave.
"You gonna be okay getting home?" Faith asked her.
Sandy glanced back at her. "Yeah, my car's nearby."
Faith and Cordelia looked at each other and shrugged, and then they went on their way.
Later, in the cemetery, Cordelia, Buffy, and Faith slowly walked among the gravestones, although none were particularly alert.
"I gotta tell you, C-List. The willpower thing? Nice job."
Cordelia was preoccupied. "Thanks." She was confused and looked at Faith. "What?"
"The 'close but no cigar' deal with Angel. I don't know if I could handle, you know, the way you're not handling it." Faith giggled naughtily.
Cordelia was annoyed. "Faith, when it comes to Angel, do me a favor..." She saw something behind Faith. "Duck!"
Faith reacted instantly and dropped. Cordelia swung a hard right at a demon standing behind Faith, catching him off guard and causing him to stumble into the side of a mausoleum. Faith jumped back up, and the two Slayers pinned the demon against the wall.
"Oooowww! Ooh! What are you, nuts? Goin' around punching people?" the demon asked.
Faith pulled him away from the wall as Buffy pulled off his hat, revealing his horns and pointed ears.
"People?" Buffy asked.
She and Faith both reached into their pockets for stakes.
"So what, I'm a demon. That makes it okay?" He jumped back and held up his hands defensively when he suddenly saw both stakes up and ready to be plunged into his chest. "Jeez! Hold it! Whoa!" He inhaled a frightened breath. "Stake me now, and you'll never find out what I got for ya. Huh? Think about it." He looked at Buffy. "Demon seeks Slayers?" He looked at Faith. "Highly unusual?"
Buffy gave him a hard nudge to the shoulder. He let down his guard, and they lowered their stakes. Cordelia took a stake out of her own jacket and held it ready.
Faith nodded. "Talk fast."
"How'd you like to get your hands on the Books of Ascension, huh?" He smiled wickedly.
Buffy shrugged. "Never heard of 'em."
"Books of Ascension. Very powerful works, and I am not talking about the prose. They deal with some, uh, dark stuff, and the mayor, he would hate it if somebody got a hold of them before he, uh..." He shrugged. "Well, you know."
"Don't know. Before he what?" Buffy asked.
The demon faced Buffy. "Hey, hey, read 'em and weep. That's all I got to say. Tomorrow, I get the books." He faced Faith. "Meet me here, and, if the price is right, well, I give the books to you."
Buffy smiled impatiently. "Not really looking to trade with a demon."
"And if this were still a barter economy, that would be a problem. I want cash, princess. Five large for the whole set."
"So you can buy - I'm guessing here - some skin care products?" Faith asked.
The demon pointed at her and smiled at her joke. "Plane ticket out of the Hellmouth before it's 'Adios, Slayer loco.' So, five Gs? Whadaya say?"
"I think 'Die, fucker' sums it up, wouldn't you say?" Faith asked him.
The demon wasted no time getting out of there. Faith made a move to give chase, but Buffy stayed her, and they just watched him run.
"Oh, let him go. I don't think he falls into the deadly threat to humanity category."
"Demon's a demon."
Buffy thought about that for a moment and felt uncomfortable. "I'd like to know more about these Books of Ascension. Anything that would pin the mayor down would be great."
"Yeah..." Faith paused. "It'd be great."
Sandy parked her red 1990 Volkswagen Beetle in the driveway of her house, shut off the engine, took the key out of the ignition, unfastened her seatbelt, unlocked and opened the driver-side door, and got out. Each action was painful for her. She could sense something was wrong. She locked and closed the door and walked up the path to the front porch.
She climbed the steps, opened the screen door, unlocked the front door, and went inside. She closed and locked the door.
She turned off the porch light and living room light and walked upstairs.
She headed down the hall and entered her bedroom. She turned on the light and closed the door.
Each action was painful for her.
"Sandy? Is that you?" her mother called.
"Yeah!" Sandy replied.
"Did you have a nice night out?!"
"Yeah!"
"There's hamburgers in the fridge, if you want a bite!"
"Thanks! I'm pretty beat, though, so I'm gonna go to bed!"
"Good night!"
"Good night, Mom!" Sandy turned off the light and walked over to her bed. "Besides, I had a bite."
Sandy flopped down on her bed and was soon unconscious.
Later, in the mayor's office, Faith sat in one of the chairs facing his desk as he paced behind her.
"And what, exactly, did this demon look like?" Wilkins asked her.
"Demonic."
"Ah." He headed around the desk. "And you say he has the Books of Ascension or will soon, and he was, what, willing to sell them?"
Faith nodded. "That's what I said."
Mayor Wilkins rocked on his heels. "Hmm." He looked at Faith. "You know what I wish? I wish you'd pull your hair back.
Faith raised her eyebrows at his segue.
He shook his head. "I know, I know, fashion isn't exactly my thing, but, gosh darn it, you know, you've got such a nice face." He shrugged. "I can't understand why you hide it."
Faith felt uneasy. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever. It's just a matter of time before this demon guy's gonna spill. Then Buffy and the Super Friends are gonna-"
"You know, you worry too much for a girl your age. That's unnecessary stress. Luckily, I've got just the thing." He went over to a low cabinet, where a pitcher of milk and four glasses were set on a tray. He poured a glass and took it over to Faith. "There you go."
Faith took the glass but just stared at it while the mayor leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms.
"Now, first, you load up on calcium, then find this demon, kill the heck out of him, and bring the books to me."
Faith leaned forward and put the glass down on the desk. "And if Buffy gets to him first?"
"Oh. Well..." Wilkins sighed. "Frankly, I don't like to think about that. I like good, positive 'up' thoughts. If you failed me in that way, well, you know, replacing Mr. Trick was chore enough."
He chuckled, but Faith didn't think it was funny and fidgeted in her seat.
"Oh, come on, don't worry. Drink up. There's nothing uncool about healthy teeth and bones."
Faith just gave him a doubtful look.
In the library at Sunnydale High School. Buffy, Cordelia, and Tara were at the study table. Giles leaned in the doorway to his office, eating a banana while listening to Wesley grill Buffy about her encounter.
"And you say this demon wanted cash?" Wesley started to pace. "That's very unusual."
"Demons after money." Giles shook his head. "Whatever happened to the still-beating heart of a virgin? No one has any standards anymore." He took a bite.
"Well, he said the books were worth the price."
"What's this 'Ascension' mean?" Cordelia asked.
Wesley was at a loss and looked to Giles.
Giles furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure."
"No, not, uh, not really a common term in demonology."
Tara recalled something. "Oh, the - the Mehrenstadt Text. Uh, I think, in the section on genocide, they mention Ascension."
Buffy was impressed. "Wow." She looked at Cordelia. "We have a winner."
Cordelia looked at the Watchers. "And more importantly, two losers."
Giles went into his office to retrieve the volume in question. He came back from his office, flipping through the book. "Oh, yes, yes, here we are. There's a reference here to the journal of...Desmond Kane, pastor of a town called Sharpsville. 'May 26, 1723. Tomorrow is the Ascension. God help us all.' It was the last anyone heard."
"Of Kane?" Wesley asked.
"Of Sharpsville."
Wesley stepped over to look.
"The town more or less disappeared."
Buffy nodded. "So Ascension possibly not a love-in."
Giles looked at her. "I think you should meet with this demon, Buffy."
"Yeah? Anybody got five-thousand dollars?"
Wesley looked at her. "Tell you what. Why don't we try to find this demon sooner rather than later, perhaps persuade him to lend us the books free of charge?"
"I think Faith might be useful in that persuasion part."
"Hmm, I imagine so. Where is Faith, anyway?"
Faith kicked open the door to the demon's apartment and marched in. He was frantically packing his things for his exodus.
"Hey! Slayer! Um, you know, I-I wasn't expecting company. Give me a minute, and I'll have the place tidied up for you." He smiled.
"You got the books?" Faith asked.
"Well, that depends. You got my money?"
She faked him out with a little nod but then punched him with a hard left backhand, making him spin halfway around.
He straightened back up slowly and faced her again. "Y-You're tough in negotiations, and I respect that."
She made a move to hit him again, and he retreated to the kitchen but covered it by turning on the light. He pointed behind her, and she turned to see five old leather-bound books on the bed.
"Check 'em out. Now, uh, that is quality merchandise. That's worth five-grand, easy."
Faith quickly looked through each volume, checking for authenticity. "Books of Ascension."
"Mm-hmm. Original editions and everything. Um..." He paused. "Great condition. Okay, it's a little worn on one spine, some slight foxing, but otherwise perfect. Now, the five-grand, it's, um, you know, negotiable."
Faith pulled out a knife. "I don't like to haggle."
She spun around and plunged the blade into the demon's gut. He doubled over and began to fall. She yanked the knife back out and let him drop, then turned her attention back to the books. However, the demon wasn't dead yet, and he grabbed her ankle, making her drop one of the books. He got himself back to his feet and went for her neck, but she stabbed him again and wrestled him down. He got the upper hand, falling on top of her, but she reached up with her knife and stabbed him in the back. He jerked in pain but kept fighting. She stabbed him again, and this time he died, his body lying heavy on top of her. She rolled him off and dropped her knife. Her hands were stained with the demon's blood. She rolled onto her side and sat up, staring down at her hands.
Faith quietly arrived at the door to Angel's bedroom.
Angel was reading. He turned around to look. "Faith." He set down the book and stood up.
"Angel. I got nowhere else to go."
He looked doubtful.
"Look, I hate asking for help...but I'm asking, 'cause, uh...I'm in trouble, like the real bad kind."
Angel sighed. "It's okay." He went to her.
"No, it's a couple county lines over from okay, believe me."
"I believe you. Look, just talk. Come on." Angel gestured, inviting her in. "Start from the beginning."
Faith paced to his nightstand. "Mind if I skip past the 'Mom never loved me' part and get right to it?" She touched the lampshade and faced him. "I'm scaring myself."
"I know the feeling."
"That's why I came to you. I don't wanna get all twelve-steppy, but remember when you told me that killing people'd make me feel like some kind of god?" Faith showed him her blood-splattered hands. "I think I just came down to Earth."
Angel took her hands in his to get a good look.
"It's not human, if that's what you're thinking, not that that makes me feel any better or this guy any less dead." Faith stepped over to the bed and sat down.
"Faith, you need help. You can't do this alone." Angel sat also - but not too close.
"I know. For real now, I'm scared. Scared of what I am, what I'm turning into: cold-blooded, straight-up killer...like you." Faith looked at him with a very worried expression.
Angel shook his head. "Not like me. I didn't have a choice. But you do. Look, you can stop this."
"Believe me, I don't wanna end up the way everybody said I would, dead or alone or a loser."
"You don't have to."
"I dunno. Maybe it's too late for me." Faith looked down.
"It's not."
"Angel, I'm so scared." Faith reached out to him and hugged him close.
Angel hugged her back. "It's all right. Shh. It's okay."
They slowly pulled apart, but she left her hands around his neck, facing him, lips almost touching, moving in slightly closer in the hope that it might become a kiss. But Angel stopped her, putting his hands on her arms and pulling them from around his neck.
"Whoa." Angel shook his head. "Whoa, Faith. I..." He paused. "Look, I can be here for you, but not like that, all right? I'm with Cordy."
"Cordy, yeah." Faith looked away. "I didn't mean it like that." She looked back. "Maybe I did, but I wouldn't press it." She looked deeply into his eyes. "You love her, don't you?"
"I love her."
"Good for you. The two of you, you're lucky." Faith nodded her head slightly and just looked into his eyes for a moment. "We friends?" She smiled and briefly touched his shoulders again.
"We're friends."
"Then I'm lucky, too. I better go." Faith got up and walked out of the bedroom.
Angel followed her into the main hall. "Where?"
Faith faced him. "I need to cool down, spend some time alone. Don't worry about me; you've been a big help, just knowing somebody cares."
They looked at each other for a long moment.
Faith stepped closer. "Hey, I know I shouldn't be asking this, but...do you think, if things were different, that things between you and me'd be different, too?"
Angel shook his head. "We'll never know."
"Right. How could we?"
"Take care of yourself."
She stepped up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Just as she did so, Cordelia walked up to the atrium door and saw them.
"Lifetime of practice."
Cordelia watched them as they separated and Faith left. Rather than go in, she turned around and left also.
In Faith's apartment, she was sitting on her couch, filling in the mayor, who was leaning against the kitchen table.
"It's not like I wasn't trying, okay?"
"Hey, there's no need to convince me. I'm sure you gave it your level best. I just don't understand what that boy could be thinking."
"Try Cordelia Chase, like in a big fat one-track way."
"Hey, come on!" Wilkins stood up. "Don't be discouraged. You're a bright, young, energetic girl with a whole life ahead of her, and I won't tolerate brooding. So you couldn't give him that one moment of true happiness."
"I was thinking more along the lines of a long weekend, but okay."
"And he spurned your advances. So be it. There's more than one way to skin a cat. And I happen to know that's factually true." Wilkins paced. "We wanna take Angel's soul away. If we can't do it by giving him happiness, well, by golly, we'll just have to do it in the most painful way imaginable." He smiled.
In the library, Giles walked out of his office, toward the study table, and removed his spectacles.
Wesley took the steps down from the stack level, concentrating heavily on the book in his hands. "Find anything?"
"A six-course banquet of nothing with a scoop of sod-all as a palette cleanser." Giles sat at the table.
Wesley followed him to the table. "I've had no better luck." He put his book down and sat across from Giles. "There must be something about this Ascension somewhere."
Giles pulled out his handkerchief. "Perhaps I should contact the Council, maybe run a search through..." He blew his nose daintily.
"Uh, no, I don't, uh..." Wesley paused. "It should be I that..." He paused again. "The Council isn't entirely aware that I'm letting you work for me."
Giles looked up at Wesley.
"Uh, with me. I don't think they'd be very happy at the idea of the two of us collaborating."
Giles put away his handkerchief. "Well, I wasn't about to burst into glorious song about it myself. I'll let you call them."
Buffy walked into the library and toward the table.
"I think the most expedient plan would be to find these Books of Ascension themselves."
Buffy walked around Wesley.
"Buffy, you and Faith must find this demon." Wesley concentrated on the book again. "And soon."
Buffy sat at the table. "Well, I'll go back to the scene, see if I can track him."
"Wait for Faith."
"That could be hours. I'll just go myself."
Wesley looked up. "Buffy, this is a job for the both of you. This demon could be anywhere. If these books are as important as he says, he has good reason to hide. Finding him's going to be extremely difficult."
Tara walked into the library. "Found your demon." She pulled out a scrap of paper with the address.
Wesley looked up at her incredulously, mouth agape.
Buffy looked at him. "Fashion tip, Wes. Mouth looks better closed."
Wesley closed up and gave Buffy a look.
Tara handed Buffy the paper. "Got the address. I bribed Willy the Snitch."
"How much?" Buffy asked her.
"Twenty-eight bucks." Tara looked at Giles. "Does the Council reimburse for that kind of stuff?"
"Did you get a receipt?"
"Damn!" Tara walked around Giles and took a seat next to Buffy.
Buffy read the address. "I know this. It's down by the bus station. Not the nicest part of town." She kissed Tara on the lips. "Good job, sweetie." She got up.
Giles was disgusted. "Again, see? No standards. I mean...any self-respecting demon should be living in a pit of filth or a nice crypt."
Faith walked into the library.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'll remember to mention that."
"Mention what? Where're we going, girlfriend? Faith asked.
She took Buffy's arm as she was about to pass, but Buffy pulled it back.
"Uh, actually, I can handle this one solo."
"Why should you get to have all the fun?" Faith smiled at everyone. "Share, share, that's fair, right?" She faced Buffy.
"Right." Buffy showed her the address. "Found our demon."
Faith took it. "Oh. Well. Just go look him up." She smiled weakly.
Buffy wasted no time getting on her way. A moment later, Faith followed.
"Is it me, or did it just get really cold in here?" Tara asked.
The Watchers weren't sure what to make of it.
Faith opened the door and just walked into the demon's apartment, knowing what was there.
Buffy followed her in. "Faith, careful."
"Right."
Buffy closed the door quietly and then followed Faith into the apartment. "Missed you earlier."
"Yeah, I was patrolling. No shortage of scum you gotta watch in Sunnydale, right?" Faith asked.
"So I've heard."
Faith reached around the wall, into the kitchen, and switched the light on. They both saw the mess on the bed and then the body on the floor.
"Looks like somebody got here first."
"Bettin' they got the books, too. Some hit." Faith looked at Buffy.
"This wasn't just a hit. This is somebody's idea of a party."
"Maybe the guy put up a fight."
They both just looked at the dead demon for a moment.
"We gotta get going. Come on." Faith tugged at Buffy's arm. "Nothing we can do here now." She started out but stopped. "You coming?"
She opened the door and waited for Buffy, who took one last look and then walked out the door. Faith followed her, pulling the door shut behind her.
The next morning, Sandy woke and got out of bed. She looked out the window. The sun wasn't up yet. She went to a mirror on her dresser and checked her neck. The bite marks were gone.
After taking a shower and putting on some fresh clothes, Sandy went downstairs for breakfast. She walked into the kitchen. Her mother and younger sister were sitting at the kitchen table, eating.
Megan Gray smiled at her daughter. "Morning."
"Hey." Sandy headed for the refrigerator and opened it.
"If you're looking for the burgers, I took the rest of them."
Sandy looked back at her thirteen-year-old sister. "Seriously, Kendra?"
"I tried to stop her. Just have some cereal, sweetie."
Sandy sighed and closed the refrigerator. She opened the freezer, took out two hamburger patties, grabbed a skillet from under the counter, and walked over to the stove.
"Seriously?" Megan asked.
Sandy set the skillet on the stove and turned on the burner. "I'm in the mood for...meat." She wasn't sure why, but she had had trouble searching for the right word.
Megan shook her head and continued eating her cereal.
Sandy took the butcher paper off the patties and put the patties on the skillet. She threw the paper into the trash basket under the counter and then stared at the patties, waiting impatiently.
The patties started to sizzle. Sandy stared intensely at them. She watched the juices pop. Red juices. Eventually, she couldn't restrain herself. Sandy grabbed a chunk of meat off one of the patties and shoved it into her mouth.
"For God's sake, Sandy, what's wrong with you?" Megan asked her. "Wait for them to cook."
"But they're starting to burn."
"No, they're not." Megan sniffed. "But something is."
Sandy noticed the light from the rising sun starting to shine through the kitchen window. She averted her eyes, shut off the burner, ate some more juicy raw meat, and then headed toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Megan asked her.
"I feel sick. I need to lie down. Call the school. Let them know I'll be out." Sandy left the kitchen.
In the student lounge at Sunnydale High, Cordelia and Harmony were sitting on one of the couches, reading.
Harmony noticed Cordelia wasn't really into her book. "Are you okay? Y-You seem a little on edge. Is there anything that's wrong?"
Cordelia shook her head. "It's nothing."
She looked at her friend, who gave her a look of disbelief.
"It's nothing."
Harmony intensified her look.
"All right, all right. Stop with the third degree. It's Faith."
Harmony turned her body to give her friend her full attention. "What about her?"
"I went to Angel's last night, and Faith was there. They looked sort of..." She sighed quietly. "...intimate."
"No way!" Harmony exclaimed.
"Faith would never do that." Even as she said it, Cordelia had her doubts.
"Faith would totally do that. Faith was built to do that. She's the 'Do That' girl."
Cordelia's anxiety was building. "Comfort, remember? Comfort here?"
Harmony tried to be comforting. "But, Cordy, Angel..." She paused. "There's no way he would ever do that. I mean...you're the only thing in the world to him."
"Sometimes, I wonder. Angel and Faith have a lot in common..." Cordelia paused. "And there's so much he doesn't tell me."
"But it's so clear, the way he feels about you. Cordy, y-you have to look at their actions."
Cordelia was sad. "I was."
"Well, what did he say?"
"Say? You mean when I straightforwardly asked him what the fuck was going on?" Cordelia asked.
"So you bailed?"
"I couldn't, I mean, not then..."
Harmony held up her hand. "Hey, enough. Stop with the crazy. Go talk to Angel."
Cordelia started to get up and smiled at her friend. "Thank you." She gathered her books and left.
Harmony smiled to herself and went back to her reading.
Megan knocked on her daughter's open bedroom door. Sandy was lying on her bed. She was jittery and anxious and unable to sleep. She was hearing strange noises and sweating profusely.
"Sweetie?" Megan asked. "How are you feeling?"
"Mom...I don't know what's wrong with me."
Megan looked at her daughter in concern. "Honey, have you been doing drugs?"
"No."
Megan gave her a doubtful look. "Be honest with me."
"I am!" Sandy snapped.
Megan recoiled. Sandy started crying.
"Do you think maybe you were...poisoned...last night?" Megan suggested.
"Yeah, that's a definite possibility." Sandy sat up. She reached for her phone and picked up the handset.
"Are you calling a doctor? I can drive you to the ER."
"A doctor can't help me." Sandy turned on the handset. "Could you bring those burgers up here, please?"
"Sure." Megan turned and left the bedroom.
Sandy dialed the school's phone number. The phone rang three times.
"Sunnydale High School. How may I direct your call?"
"The library, please."
"One moment."
Sandy was put on hold. She raised her free hand in front of her face and looked at it. It was shaking.
"This is Rupert Giles. I'm the librarian. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"
"Sandy Gray. I-I'm a student there. Listen, this might sound weird, but two of the students saved me from a vampire attack last night."
Giles paused momentarily. "I see."
"I think one of them was Cordelia Chase. I didn't recognize the other one. But I'm starting to feel really sick and hallucinate some weird shit, and Cordelia told me to call the library, if that happened."
"What - What sort of symptoms are you having?"
"Uh, sweating, jitters, agitation, irritability, restlessness. Um...hunger. I think. Cravings, definitely. Photosensitivity. Also, shaking, and I'm hearing weird noises, and my teeth hurt."
Giles was silent for a long moment. "I see."
"What's happening to me?" Sandy asked, afraid. "Am I becoming one of them?"
"I fear you already may be one of them. Tell me...do you have any sense of...disassociation? Like you're not yourself? Like you're...someone else?"
"No, why?"
"Um, never mind that. Listen, Sandy, I want you to stay inside and away from direct sunlight. Can you do that?"
"Yeah."
"I'll be over as soon as possible."
"Please hurry." Sandy ended the call.
Her mother returned to her bedroom and offered her a plate with two partially-eaten burger patties on it, now fully cooked. Sandy snatched the plate out of her mother's hand and started chowing down. Megan could only look at her daughter in worry.
Buffy followed Giles up to the front porch of Sandy's house. Giles rang the doorbell. They waited.
"What do we do, if she's already turned?" Buffy asked.
Giles gave her a brief glance but didn't reply.
The front door opened. Megan was standing there. She pushed open the screen door.
"Mrs. Gray?" Giles asked.
"Uh, Ms. I never married. You're from the school?"
Giles nodded. "Rupert Giles." He gestured at Buffy. "Buffy Summers."
Megan stepped aside. "Please come in."
"Thank you." Giles walked into the living room.
Buffy followed him into the house. Megan closed and locked the front door.
"Where is she?" Giles asked.
"She's in her room." Megan looked up the staircase. "Sandy, honey, they're here!"
Soon, Sandy walked downstairs. "Hello. Mr. Giles?"
Giles nodded. "Yes." He gestured at Buffy. "And this is Buffy Summers."
Sandy looked at Buffy. "The Vampire Slayer? Y'know, I've never actually seen you at school."
Buffy shrugged. "Not surprising, since I often miss classes."
"Let's sit down, shall we?" Giles suggested.
Buffy and Giles sat on the couch. Sandy walked over and sat to Buffy's left. Buffy felt a bit nervous.
"Does anyone want anything to drink? Eat?" Megan offered.
No one said anything for a while.
Giles eventually shook his head. "Uh, no, thank you." He looked at Sandy. "But speaking of drink...Sandy, you mentioned you had indescribable cravings."
Sandy nodded. "They're getting worse."
"I've got a theory." Giles looked at Buffy and nodded.
Buffy took a rosary out of her coat pocket and dangled the crucifix in front of Sandy.
Sandy looked at it but didn't react. Buffy moved the crucifix closer to Sandy's face.
Sandy's eyes darted back and forth in confusion. "Is something supposed to be happening?"
Buffy moved the crucifix close to Sandy's lips. "Kiss it."
"What?" Sandy asked.
"French-kiss Jesus!" Buffy ordered.
Sandy hesitantly pressed her lips to the crucifix. Then she stuck out her tongue and licked it.
Buffy observed her for a moment and then looked at Giles and pulled the crucifix away from Sandy. "Sometimes, it doesn't work. Maybe because they didn't have faith in it in life or whatever. I dunno."
Sandy was hesitant. "Well, I'm a Wiccan."
Megan looked at her daughter in surprise. "Since when?"
Sandy shrugged. "Been for quite a while. Is - Is that okay?"
Buffy smiled. "I have a couple Wiccan friends. It's fine."
"Yes, now that that's settled, how do we test if Sandy's a vampire?" Giles asked.
Buffy hesitated, and then she scraped the left side of her neck with the nail on her index finger, cutting the skin and letting her blood flow.
Sandy stared at the blood, feelings of bloodlust overwhelming her. She bared her fangs and lunged at Buffy. Buffy swiftly got out of the way, got to her feet, and kicked Sandy, pinning her against the couch with her foot.
Buffy stared at Sandy in despair. "There's our answer."
Megan started crying. "Omigod, my poor baby!"
Buffy gave Sandy a sorrowful look. "I'm so sorry." She hesitated for a moment, and then she withdrew a stake from her coat.
Sandy stared at Buffy in fright.
"No!" Megan ran over to Buffy. "Please don't hurt my baby!"
Giles looked at Megan. "Please get out of the way, Ms. Gray, and let the Slayer do her job."
"No!" Megan knocked Buffy's foot away with her arm and hugged her daughter. "Please don't kill her!"
Giles sighed. "She's already dead."
Megan looked at Buffy, her face red from crying. "Please! I'm begging you! Please spare her! She's my child!"
Buffy hesitated, and then she put the stake back inside her coat. Megan stood up straight and got out of the way.
Giles looked at Buffy, disappointed. "Buffy-"
"Not a goddamn word out of you." Buffy looked from Giles to Sandy. "Sandy, there are things that you're going to need to know, but I gotta get back to school, because lunch is almost over. I'll be back tonight, I promise. Don't get exposed to direct sunlight. You'll die. You're craving blood. Drink as much of it as you can." Buffy looked at Megan. "Go to the butcher shop or the meat-packing plant."
Megan nodded.
Buffy looked at Sandy and then kneeled on the floor and gently put her hands on her shoulders. "You're going to have to adjust to your new life, er, undeath, but it's doable. Do you trust me?"
Sandy nodded. "Yeah."
Buffy smiled. "Okay. I trust you, too."
She stood up and headed for the front door. Giles stood up, nodded to the Grays, and followed Buffy.
Buffy unlocked and opened the front door, pushed open the screen door, and walked outside. Giles followed, closing the front door behind him.
They walked down the steps and headed to Giles' car.
"You're taking a serious risk with that girl, Buffy. If anything should happen to anyone-"
"It won't. She's scared, Giles. I believe her fear and her basic goodness will keep the demon in check."
"She is the demon, Buffy. She has no soul."
"She still has a brain, does she not? That's as much - if not more - her than an abstract concept such as a 'soul'." Buffy paused and reflected on her words. "Jesus Christ, what happened to my vocab? I've been hanging around you way too long."
Faith arrived at Angel's mansion that evening. He had just finished tending the fire. When he stood up and turned around, he saw Faith standing there.
"Faith."
"Hey. Sorry to bust in uninvited."
"What do you want?"
Faith approached him. "Look, I'm not so good at apologies, mostly 'cause I think the world's out to fuck me, so I'm generally more owed than owing."
Angel retreated, walking around the table.
"But I've been thinking about last night, and I want you to know I'm really sorry."
He stopped and faced her, so she stopped as well.
"It's all right, Faith."
"No, it's not all right. Yeah, I was freaked. I needed somebody, but you're with Cordy. I should know better."
"Okay."
She tried to step closer, but again he retreated, taking a step backward.
"You don't trust me."
"I-It's not that."
"Hey, no problem. Join the club." Faith turned away.
Angel sighed deeply. "Look, Faith..." He paused. "Look, I know what you're going through, all right? I know how hard it can be." He stepped closer. "I-It's important that you have somebody who's been there, okay, who understands what you're going through..."
He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. She pulled away and took a step back.
"And I wanna trust you."
Faith looked disgusted. "Chump."
Suddenly, she lashed out with her arm and splattered a vial of blood onto his shirt. He jumped back. Angel looked up at her with a look of shock and betrayal. Out of the shadows behind them, a shaman appeared and held out his blackened hands, weaving them around as he chanted.
"Faith!" Angel cried desperately.
"I wanted to do this the old-fashioned way, but, hey, your loss."
"You don't have to do this."
Faith stared at him evilly. "I know, but it's fun. Now, relax. It'll all be over soon."
A ball of energy appeared between the shaman's hands, and a bolt shot out and surrounded Angel.
"No!" Angel screamed.
He found himself surrounded by a globe of energy. The globe flashed brightly again and again. Angel bent over backward in pain as the shaman completed the spell. Faith enjoyed the spectacle. The globe flashed and dissipated in a burst of energy. Angel collapsed to the floor, face down.
When it was done, the shaman backed away and disappeared into the shadows.
Slowly, Angel got up. Faith approached him from behind. Angel spun around and confronted her, baring his fangs. She smiled a little smile. He breathed heavily and growled at her. Quickly, he grabbed her arms, pulled her to him, and kissed her hard and fast.
Faith had her hands around his neck and was kissing him back just as forcefully. They continued sucking face for a long moment, then, just as quickly as he started it, he stopped it by shoving her away to arms' length. Faith smiled at him lustfully.
"Thanks...so much."
He took a backhand swing at her and sent her flying against a cabinet. She fell hard to the marble floor. He strolled toward her. He front-snap-kicked her in the gut as she was trying to get up, sending her back to the floor.
"No, really. Don't get up."
Faith clutched her abdomen in pain.
Angel meandered around the table and in front of the fireplace. "Ah...no tortured humanity to hold me down..."
Faith made a determined effort and did a kick-up to get to her feet.
"But you know what bothers me?" Angel asked her.
Faith tried to attack, but he reacted quickly and grabbed her by the neck, squeezing her hard.
"You don't seem to be getting the big picture here, Faith. Now, I don't know why you turned me, but let me tell ya..." Angel grabbed her hair and pulled her head aside, exposing her neck. "I'm just glad you did."
Faith jerked her knee up and got him hard in the balls, making him stumble back a step. She followed up with a low jumping snap kick to his gut, making him stumble back even further, but he managed to keep his balance.
"I got my reasons." Faith pulled out her stake and adopted a ready stance.
"Let me guess: you summoned back the true Angelus, because...you need a new boy toy. Sorry, it doesn't work that way."
Angel swung a left at Faith's head, which she easily ducked. She plunged her stake at him, but he middle-blocked her arm, then low-blocked her other one. She tried swinging her stake at him again, but he grabbed hold of her wrist before she had a chance to connect. The two of them struggled, he to hold her stake at bay, she to plunge it home.
"You wanna be smart, you listen to me."
"Funny thing about vampires, Faith..." Angel paused. "We don't establish meaningful dialogue with Slayers."
Faith did a hard front kick to the back of Angel's leg, making him flip down onto his back. She immediately straddled him and tried to stake him, but he caught her wrist and laughed at her while she struggled.
"I should've known you'd like it on top."
"You wanna listen, or you wanna die?" Faith asked him.
Angel chuckled. "As long as you're there, I mostly want you to wriggle. But I'm listening."
"Last time you got like this, Cordy kicked your ass all the way back to Hell. Do you wanna do better this time?" Faith asked.
"Still listening."
"Good boy. Now, all you gotta do is play nice and call truce, and I'll hook you up with the real power in this town. Interested?"
"Very."
"Then get ready to meet the new boss." Faith quickly leaned in and licked him across the face, then kissed him hard with all of the lust of a Slayer gone bad.
He kissed back, pulling her down onto him.
Sandy walked outside and down the steps of her front porch. She took a deep breath, inhaling the night air. She smiled tentatively, still unsure.
In the library, Tara, Buffy, Harmony, and Cordelia were all sitting around the table. Wesley was at the head of the table, lecturing. Giles leaned against the bookshelves behind him.
"Our enemy has us at a disadvantage. We seem consistently to be one step behind him. Now, he has the Books of Ascension. We must take definitive action. Where's Angel?" Wesley asked.
Cordelia shook her head. "I don't know. I went to the mansion, but he wasn't there."
"And Faith?" Wesley asked.
Buffy shook her head. "She's missing, too."
Harmony looked at Cordelia. "Which means nothing. Two unconnected events."
"What should we do?" Buffy asked Wesley.
Giles looked at her. "Buffy, I think you should try to retrieve the Books of Ascension. Check out the mayor's office, but be damned careful. Do not confront the mayor. We don't know a thing about him."
"I'll go home and stock up on weapons. Slip into something a little more break-and-enterish." Buffy got up and put on her coat.
"Right. Tara, how far did you get with the mayor's files?" Giles asked.
"It's all bad news. By the time I got through the encryptions, the files were empty. I guess he saw me coming."
"Well, what about the Hall of Records?" Buffy suggested. "Go to the source."
Wesley pointed. "Good idea. There must be information on the mayor there."
"Wesley, why don't you take the group and start looking?" Giles suggested.
"Right." Wesley grabbed his coat.
Cordelia stood up, grabbed her coat, and pulled it on. "Anyone mind if I skip the trip? I'm gonna cruise town and look for our missing peeps."
Tara and Harmony got up also.
Harmony smiled brightly at Cordelia. "Oh, I play that game with my parents every Easter. It's really fun."
Cordelia made a face, confused.
"I'll drive!" Harmony turned and left the library.
Cordelia looked at Buffy. "If I don't find them soon, I'll meet up with you, and we can scope out the mayor's office together."
"Cordy-"
"I have spoken."
Buffy sighed. "Fine."
Giles looked at everyone. "Anyone finds anything, check in with me. Be careful."
Tara looked at Buffy and kissed her on the lips. "Yeah, be careful, sweetie."
"I will."
Buffy, Tara, and Cordelia followed Harmony out of the library.
In the mayor's office, Faith had her arm linked with Angel's, having just introduced him to the mayor, who was sitting at his desk with his legs crossed.
Faith smiled widely. "So! Can I keep him?" She rubbed his shoulder.
"Let's just take things step by step for a moment. Now, then, Angelus..." Wilkins paused. "May I call you Angel?"
"Well, actually, I'm thinking more along the lines of you calling me Master."
"Ahh. You know, Angelus, attitude may get you attention, but courtesy wins respect." Wilkins chuckled. "I am the one responsible for your 'new' attitude."
Angel stepped up to the desk, took the steel letter opener, and let it drag across the desktop before picking it up. "That's why I'm here."
"No trouble with the transition? No side effects?"
Angel paced and played with the letter opener. "Hmm. Had a soul, now I'm free."
"That's terrific! Poetic, too. Not that I read much poetry. Except for those little ones in the Reader's Digest. You know, some are quite catchy." Wilkins chuckled.
"Hey, I don't mean to rush things here, but are you trying to get to some kind of a point?" Angel asked impatiently.
Mayor Wilkins smirked. "Kids today. Rush, rush, rush. Well, the point, Angel, is you're a very powerful young man. Good for Faith. And there just may be a future for you here in Sunnydale. I see you're admiring my letter opener."
"Well, actually, I was thinking of stabbing you through the heart with it." Angel slapped it into his palm several times.
The mayor uncrossed his legs and turned his chair to give Angel a clear shot. "Please do."
Angel gave Faith a look to see if she'd move to defend him. She gave him a brief glance, having no intention whatsoever of intervening, and just calmly looked back at the mayor. In an instant, Angel swung back his arm and threw the blade at the mayor's chest. Just as quickly, the mayor whipped his hand up in defense, and the letter opener stabbed cleanly through it but stopped just short of penetrating his chest.
He looked down at his hand, apparently not in any pain, turned it over to check out both sides, and held it up for them to see. "Nice shot."
He pulled his hand back, took the handle of the blade with his other hand, and slowly pulled it out. Again, he held his hand up for them to see. The wound at the center of his palm quickly closed up and was fully healed within two seconds, leaving no trace of a scar behind. Angel was dumbfounded.
The mayor opened his box of moist towelettes and pulled one out. "You see, I'm what you might call...impervious." He stood up and wiped the letter opener. "Can't be killed or harmed in any way." He walked around his desk. "And that's just the cornerstone in my plans for this great town of ours." He handed Angel the opener.
Angel took it. "Hmm. Can't be killed, but you don't like germs."
"Yuck. Eww. Awful things. Unsanitary. But my question is, now that Faith has brought you back, what are your intentions?"
"Well, gee, sir, I thought I'd find that Slayer that's giving you so much trouble and torture, maim, and kill her."
Mayor Wilkins smiled brightly. "Fine! You know, it's nice to see you're not one of those slacker types running around town today." He laughed. "Torture Buffy. Uh, killing her's fine, just make it a slow one-"
"My favorite kind-"
"Wonderful. Wonderful." Wilkins chuckled. "Have fun."
Faith smiled. "Let's do it." She took Angel by the arm and led him out of the office.
The Mayor grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. "Uh...try to have her home by 11:00."
Angel gave him a sly grin and put the letter opener into Wilkins' jacket pocket. He and Faith then left.
In Buffy's room, she and Cordelia were busy loading Buffy's weapons into a bag when Faith opened the door and walked in.
"Knock knock."
Cordelia looked up and saw Faith and Angel. "Where have you guys been?"
Angel went to her. "I'm lookin' for you. Good thing we found you before you left." He kissed her lightly on the head.
Faith smiled. "We got the books."
They had Buffy's attention now.
Angel nodded. "They're at the mansion."
"We'd take 'em to Giles ourselves, but I think strength in numbers is the way to go. Come on." Faith turned and headed out.
Buffy picked up her heavy bag.
"Let me get those for you." Angel took them from her and headed out after Faith.
Buffy and Cordelia followed right behind him.
The four of them entered Angel's mansion through the atrium.
"Okay, let's get the books someplace safe. Where are they?" Buffy asked.
Angel let Buffy's bag fall onto the coffee table and turned to face the fire. "Actually, we have a slight change in plan, Buff."
Faith watched Buffy from behind, arms crossed.
"What's the matter with you?" Buffy asked.
"Nothing." Angel faced her and bared his fangs. "Matter of fact, I haven't felt this good in a long time."
"Angel?" Cordelia asked.
Angel approached her. "You know, I never properly thanked you for sending me to Hell."
"No..." Cordelia backed away.
"Yeah, and I'm just wondering...where do I start? A card? Fruit basket? Hmm?" Angel grabbed her roughly by the arms. "Evisceration?"
"No!" Cordelia yelled.
"Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Maybe there's still some good deep down inside of me that remembers and loves you, if only you could reach me." Angel shook her.
Cordelia winced.
"Then again, we have reality."
Cordelia knocked him off her and stepped back. "I will kill you before I let you touch me." She backed away.
Buffy looked at Faith. "Faith, we need to get out of here. Now."
Faith blocked the doorway. "Speak for yourself, B. Me? I like it here."
Angel let out a low growl behind Cordelia. She turned around only to be punched in the face with a hard right. She fell to the floor, unconscious. Buffy reacted quickly, but Angel knocked her to the floor as well, and she lost consciousness. Angel looked up at Faith, then down again at the girls. Faith stepped over to him and looked down at them also.
"One thing I learned about Cordy: she's so cute when she's sleeping."
Faith smiled. "Hmm."
In the library, Tara and Harmony were at a table in the stacks, helping Wesley with research.
Harmony yawned. "Hey, I know a way to make investigating the mayor even more boring."
Tara and Wesley glanced at her.
"On second thought, no, I don't."
"Hey..." Tara paused as she noticed an old campaign picture of the mayor slipped into a book. "Whoa." She took out the picture. "Holy shit. Guys, check this out."
She held the picture up to a recent campaign picture for comparison. Wesley got up and walked around behind her for a look.
Harmony leaned over to look also. "Wow. Like father, like son."
"How about like exact same guy like exact same guy?" Tara corrected.
Wesley looked at the dates. "Mayor Wilkins is over a hundred years old. He's not human."
Cordelia and Buffy stirred. Angel was kneeling before Cordelia, finishing chaining her to the fireplace mantel as she began to come around. Buffy was chained to Cordelia's right. Faith watched from the couch.
"Mornin', sleepyhead. You know what I just can't believe? All of our time together, and we never tried chains."
Buffy began to realize their predicament as she woke.
Angel stood up. "Well, can't dwell on the past. Especially with the future we have ahead." He stepped away.
Faith smiled. "Bondage looks good on you, B. The outfit's all wrong, but hey..."
Buffy looked at Faith. "You don't know what you're doing."
"Really?" Faith stood up. "Weird, 'cause something about all this just feels so right. Maybe it's one of those unhappy childhood things. See, when I was a kid, I used to beg my mom for a dog." She went over to Angel. "Didn't matter what kind; I just wanted, you know, something to love." She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close to her for a deep, passionate kiss.
Cordelia couldn't bear to watch.
Eventually, Faith turned back to Buffy. "A dog's all I wanted."
Angel kissed her neck.
"Well, that and toys."
She reached down to pull a dark blue sheet back from a set of surgical instruments, all laid out for the torture session to come. Buffy and Cordelia yanked at their chains.
Faith reached down and picked up a large forceps. "But Mom was so busy, you know, enjoying the drinking and passing-out parts of life that I never really got what I wanted." She shrugged and smiled evilly. "Until now." She approached Buffy.
"Faith, listen to me very closely. Angel's a killer. When he's done with us, he'll turn on you."
Angel checked out a pair of bone sheers. "She's right. I probably will."
"Yeah? Huh. Guess we'll just have to keep you around a while, then." Faith went right up to Buffy. "Before we get started, I just want you to know: if you're a screamer, feel free."
"Why, Faith? What's in it for you?" Buffy asked, her voice filled with fear.
"What isn't? You know, I come to Sunnydale, I'm a Slayer, I do my job kicking ass better than anyone. What do I hear about everywhere I go? Buffy. So I slay, I behave, I do the good-little-girl routine, and who does everybody thank? Buffy."
"That's not my fault."
"Everyone always asks 'Why can't you be more like Buffy?' But did anyone ever ask if you could be more like me?"
Angel didn't bother looking at her. "I know I didn't."
Faith gave Angel a quick glance before concentrating on Buffy again. "You get the Watcher, you get the mom, you get the Slayerettes. What do I get? Jack shit." She hit Buffy on the shoulder. "This was supposed to be my town!" She stomped off.
"Faith, listen to me."
Faith spun around. "Why? So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom? That it?" She went back to Buffy. "Do you think you're better than me? Do you?" She got in her face. "Say it." She turned and went back to the tools. "You think you're better than me." She put the forceps back down.
"I am."
Faith turned to Buffy, a look of disbelief on her face.
"Always have been."
Cordelia looked at Faith. "Me, too, F-Minus."
"Um, maybe you didn't notice: Angel's with me." Faith slipped her arm around him and checked out his instrument of choice: a long curved scalpel.
"And how did you get him, Faith? Magic? You cast some sort of spell?" Cordelia asked. "Because in the real world, Angel would never touch you, and we both know it."
Faith grabbed the scalpel in her right fist, stomped over to Cordelia, and punched her squarely in the jaw with a left backhand punch.
Cordelia took the hit in stride and looked Faith right in the eyes. "You had to tie me up to beat me. There's a word for people like you, Faith: loser."
Faith slammed the butt end of the scalpel into the wall between Buffy and Cordelia's faces. She smiled sweetly. "Uh-huh. You're just trying to make me mad, so I'll kill you. But I'm too smart for that." She grabbed Cordelia's jaw. "Stick around." She let go and went back to the instrument table.
"For what? Your boss' lame-ass Ascension?" Buffy asked her. "Like we couldn't stop it."
Faith faced her, smiling, and shrugged. "Ya can't."
Cordelia stared at her. "We will."
"Keep dreaming. No one can stop the Ascension. Mayor's got it wired, C-Ya. He built this town for demons to feed on, and, come Graduation Day, he's gettin' paid. And I'll be sittin' at his right hand. Assuming he has hands after the transformation. I'm not too clear on that part. And all your little lame-ass friends are gonna be Kibbles 'n Bits. Think about that when your boyfriend's cutting into you."
Buffy stared at her. "I never knew you had so much rage in you."
"What can I say?" Faith smiled back at Angel. "I'm the world's best actor." She looked back at Buffy.
"Fourth best."
Faith looked back at him, no longer smiling.
Buffy looked at Angel. "Graduation Day. You think we missed anything?"
"I think we know everything she knows."
"May I say something?" Cordelia asked.
Faith looked at Cordelia and Buffy. They gave their chains a good shake, and they fell from their wrists to the floor.
Cordelia held up her free hands for Faith to see, wiggling her fingers. "Psych."
"You played me." Faith glanced at Angel, then back at Buffy and Cordelia. "You played me!"
Faith grabbed Angel, swung him around toward Cordelia, and followed through with a swipe at Buffy with the scalpel, which Buffy sidestepped. Angel went careening into Cordelia, knocking them both to the floor.
Buffy roundhouse-kicked Faith in the back. She stumbled forward but came back up and backhand-punched Buffy with a right, followed by a left hook to the face, sending Buffy tumbling away in a shoulder roll over toward the instrument table. She grabbed a second scalpel on the way up, but Faith did a roundhouse kick to her face, keeping her down. Buffy did a backward leg sweep, which Faith jumped easily. On the way down, she dropped to Buffy's level and brought the scalpel up to her neck while the other Slayer did the same.
They both stopped in a standoff, both in a position to kill at the slightest provocation.
Faith glanced down at the blade at her neck, then looked up at Buffy. She smiled. "What are you gonna do, B? Kill me? You're not ready for that." She knocked Buffy's hand away, grabbed her shoulder, pulled her forward, and kissed her soundly on the lips. "Yet."
She released her, jumped up, and ran out into the atrium and away. Buffy just watched her go.
Cordelia rushed up to her friend and got down next to her. "Are you okay?"
Buffy just stared blankly out the door for a moment before getting to her feet. Cordelia looked over at Angel, knowing, although it was all planned, it was never meant to get that intense or that intimate. He looked away.
At Sunnydale High, in the library, the shaman spoke briefly with Giles on the stack level.
"The task is finished."
"Yes. Thank you for coming to me and for that rather effective light show you put on."
The shaman nodded. "This restores the balance between us, Rupert Giles. My debt to you is now repaid in full. Do not call upon me again."
"I shan't. Peace with you."
"And with you." He took a few steps backward and faded from view.
Giles turned around and walked down the steps to the others.
"His debt to you is repaid? What did you do?" Tara asked him.
"I introduced him to his wife."
"Well, I, for one, protest. You've pitted Slayer against Slayer in a dangerous charade that could've gotten them both killed. Without informing me!" Wesley yelled angrily.
Giles just gave him a stare.
"I'm telling the Council." Wesley headed toward the office.
"I think you should."
Wesley stopped and looked back.
"We have a rogue Slayer on our hands. I can't think of anything more dangerous."
Buffy looked at Giles, worried. "At least, now, we know."
Tara put a comforting hand on top of Buffy's hand.
Giles shrugged. "And we know a little bit more about the Ascension."
"Graduation Day." Harmony smiled at Cordelia. "At least, Angel's not bad, though. That's good, right?"
Cordelia couldn't bring herself to smile back. "He was only acting, Harm. It was just an act."
In Faith's apartment, she was staring out the window at the town beyond.
The mayor was sitting in the leather chair, mulling things over. "Well, you win some, you lose some. From where I'm sitting, it's batting average that counts. So you lost some friends."
Faith turned around and walked into the room. "I wouldn't exactly call them friends."
"Well, look, what are you worried about? Chin up! You don't see me looking disappointed, do ya? Heck no! You know why?" Wilkins got up. "Because I know you'll always have me, Faith. I'm the best, the most important friend you'll ever have. Besides, once the Ascension starts, the 'in crowd' you're so concerned about? Whoo! They'll be lucky if there's enough of them left to fill a pothole. Promise."
Faith didn't find that thought terribly uplifting. She stepped over to a chair and sat.
"Still unhappy? Hmm. Okey-doke. I've got two words that are gonna make all the pain go away." Wilkins crouched next to her. "Miniature...golf." He laughed at his own sense of humor.
At first, Faith could only raise her eyebrows at him, but soon she saw the silliness of his words and couldn't help but shake her head and smile.
The next day, Buffy was leaving her first-period class. She headed for her locker.
"Buffy."
Buffy turned around. A figure wearing a hoodie, gloves, and sunglasses approached her. When the hood and sunglasses were removed, Buffy saw it was Sandy.
"Sandy." Buffy paused. "How-"
"Carefully. Very. Carefully." Sandy shrugged. "Besides, I don't wanna miss any more school."
Buffy laughed. "I'm sorry that I didn't get back to you yesterday. I was dealing with some crazy shit."
"It's all right."
"How are you holding up?" Buffy asked her.
Sandy shrugged. "Well, the blood's taking a little getting used to, but I think I prefer pig over cow, and chicken comes in dead last."
Buffy shrugged. "Well, that's a basic truth of life. But you're staying away from the human stuff, right?"
Sandy nodded. "Right."
Buffy nodded. "Good girl."
Sandy smiled goofily. "You could say I'm a 'vegetarian'."
Buffy found that lame but didn't comment on it. "Hey, after school, do you wanna go out? I know a place." She considered for a moment. "I wouldn't exactly recommend it, but it's a safe haven for your kind."
"My...kind..." Sandy didn't like the sound of that, but she forced a smile. "Sure. Sounds like fun."
Buffy and Sandy walked into Willy's Bar. They went over to the counter and sat next to each other on stools, Sandy to Buffy's left.
"Can we be in here?" Sandy asked. "We're not legal."
Buffy shook her head. "Trust me, Willy does not fucking care."
Willy walked over to them. "Aw, great, you. Hey, everyone, it's the Slayer!"
Various patrons started to stand up.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Sit your asses down. I'm not here to start a fight." She looked at Sandy. "Order something. It's on me."
Sandy looked at Willy. "Vodka tonic."
Buffy thought for a moment and looked at Willy. "Same."
Willy started preparing the drinks.
"So what else do I have to know?" Sandy asked. "About being a vampire."
"Um, holy water might hurt you. Maybe. Or maybe not. Keep a vial of blood on you for sudden cravings. Resist the urge to do evil. Fight your inner demon."
"What's with all of the weird shit that I've been hearing?" Sandy asked her.
"Those are the worms in the earth."
Sandy made a face. "Oh. Lovely."
"You'll also find your strength and speed have increased. Comparable to that of a Slayer." Buffy paused and thought about that, never having made the comparison before.
"Anything else?" Sandy asked.
Buffy thought for a moment. "That's about the it. If you need more expertise, I can introduce you to Angel. He's a vampire with a soul. He'll be a good guide."
Sandy froze, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well...you don't have a soul." Buffy sighed. "I'm sorry, I guess I should have mentioned that, but I thought you knew."
"Do you sense the presence of your own soul?" Sandy asked her.
"No, I don't suppose I do." Buffy sighed again. "Sorry. The way that I've had the process explained to me is a demon comes into your body, and your soul leaves."
"So...am I still me?" Sandy asked, confused.
"The fact that you have to ask that indicates to me that you are. Listen, the way that I see it is, as long as you've got that brain inside your head, and it's fired up and running, you're still you."
"If my brain's still functional, why would my soul leave my body?" Sandy asked.
Buffy shrugged. "The demon kicked it out, I guess."
"So why does Angel still have a soul?"
"It was restored through magic."
"So why doesn't the demon kick it out again?" Sandy asked.
Buffy was genuinely stumped. "I...don't know. Maybe the spell strengthened it?"
"You don't seem to have many concrete answers. What if I really am just a demon?" Sandy asked her.
"You have a demon in you, and you have to fight it, but you also have a human mind and human will. I have faith in you, Sandy."
The girls had been so engrossed in their discussion that they hadn't noticed the two glasses in front of them until now. Sandy picked up her glass and sipped her drink. Buffy picked up her glass, sniffed her drink, and made a face.
Sandy looked at her and smiled. "If you're not used to it, it's best to just chug it."
Buffy downed the vodka tonic, stuck out her tongue in disgust, and made a series of vocalizations to match.
A sudden thought occurred to Sandy. "If you're right about me still being me because of my brain, then isn't that true for all vampires? And wouldn't you be destroying what's left of them when you kill them?"
Buffy looked at her and thought of her theory that the physical human person and the soul might be separate entities. She looked at Willy and set her glass on the counter. "I'll have another."
Cordelia walked into Angel's mansion. She saw Angel sitting against the wall by the fireplace, rubbing his hands.
"How you doin'?" Angel asked her.
"Been better."
"Not hard to believe. You were a real soldier last night, Cordy." Angel stood up and faced her.
"That's me. One of the troops." Cordelia looked down.
"I know how hard it was for you."
Cordelia was deeply disturbed. "I really doubt that." She looked at him.
"If there's anything I can do to make it better..."
Cordelia attempted a smile. "Look, I know you only did what I asked, and we got what we wanted."
Angel shook his head. "I never wanted it to go that far."
"I know that. It's not even a question of that. I-It's just...after...I need a little bit of a break."
Angel didn't say anything.
"Please?" Cordelia asked imploringly.
After a moment, Angel gave her the barest of nods. Cordelia turned to go.
"You still my girl?" Angel asked her.
Cordelia turned around again and gave him a little smile. "Always."
Again, she headed toward the door and went out.
