Anya was sitting on a stool in the corner of the kitchen. Xander had asked her to come and help with the research. She was still confused as to why she had agreed. She had been content watching the workers putting the Magic Box back together, they were handsome and sweaty, and very attentive to what she was wearing each day. So why had she so readily agreed? Why was she stealing glances at Xander?

"Hey Red," Faith walked into the kitchen, setting her hands on Willow's shoulders and bending down, whispering something into the redhead's ear. Anya raised her eyebrows seeing their closeness. She had not realized there was a possible connection between the two. Willow frowned, and turned to Faith.

"I don't know." Willow said.

"Okay." Faith shrugged and looked up, catching Anya watching. The vengeance demon liked the brunette's forwardness. "What?" Faith asked.

"I didn't know you liked Willow." Anya shrugged; it didn't bother her what was happening between them, as long as they all stayed away from Xander. Not that she wanted Xander for her self; she just wanted to have the choice to decide that was all.

"Um," Faith frowned. Willow bumped her elbow into Faith's side.

"Let it go." Willow whispered. Faith nodded and looked over at Xander.

"You finding anything in that comic?" She asked.

"What? I resent that!" He exclaimed, slamming the book closed, hiding whatever he had actually been reading.

"Xander, this is important, we need to know what this freak is going to do." Faith said, her tone calm, but stern.

"Who made you the boss of the Scoobies, Faith?" He stressed her name. Anya found that odd. Why was he so angry? Sure she used him for sex years ago, and tried to asphyxiate him. But that was it. She had done much worse on any given day in her years in the vengeance business. How could he forgive her all those murders and tortures? He made no sense.

"If you don't want to help, you don't need to be here. No one expects anything from you." She snapped back. That hurt. Anya knew it did.

"I didn't say I wasn't going to help."

"What, you gonna go get donuts? Carry Buffy's jacket?" Faith growled. Willow grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Fuck you Faith."

"What is your problem with me? What is it? Cause you know I can't figure it out."

"You didn't want him." Anya said, and Faith turned to her, eyes questioning. "You threaten his masculinity. He had sex with you, and you sent him away without first telling him that he performed well."

"I told him it was great." Faith shrugged.

"No you didn't." He grumbled, looking ashamed.

"Yeah I did. I recall it like a track in my head. I told you it was great, then I kicked your ass out."

"Why did you?"

"What, kick you out?"

"Yeah!" He stood, slamming his hands on the table.

"Fuck!" Faith rolled her eyes. "Because I was disgusted with myself! You deserved better than me for your first time, Xander. I was using you to hurt B. You got caught in the crossfire. It should have been anyone else but me. But you know what. It wasn't. It was me, and yeah I used you to get off, and to hurt her. So you know what. Sorry. Sorry I didn't stroke your ego. I thought letting you fuck me was enough. I let you get inside a Slayer, something you had wanted for years." She pushed away from Willow and out the back door.

The screen slammed. Anya looked from Willow to Xander. His face was flushed.

"Do you feel better now?" They all turned to see Buffy standing in the door, arms crossed over her chest.

"No." He sighed.

"She is right, Xander. You either go hard or go home. We need everyone on board for this. Whether it is me, or Faith, or Mr. Strand giving the orders. If you want to be part of the team, you need to work with us." Buffy came closer. She looked very professional, so un-Buffy like, Anya noticed. Long dark skirt, her hair up, soft makeup. She wanted to ask where she had been, and why she looked so different. But she had learned over the years, that there were times to interrupt, and times not to. With the tension in the room, this was a time to not ask off topic questions. But on topic.

"Sorry, Buffy." He said, sitting back down. "She just, I mean."

"She is helping you Xander. Do you think I would even look at you if she hadn't been nagging me, telling me over and over again how sorry you were, how much you still loved me?" Anya slipped off the stool. "I am sorry you are so distrustful." She followed Faith's route out the back door.

The Slayer was sitting on the back lawn, smoking. Anya watched as she blew rings of smoke into the air.

"Hey." Faith smiled up at her, when Anya stepped in front of the sun, casting the girl in shadow.

"He is scared, and feeling inadequate." Anya shrugged.

"Yeah well."

"Not because of the sex. Because you helped Willow. Because you are helping Buffy. He couldn't. He is the man, he feels the need, instinctually to fix things." Anya shrugged.

"He should fix what he did between you two."

"Xander is trying, as best he can." Anya accepted, saying it out loud to solidify it.

"Will you let him?"

"I am." Anya smiled. "Faith, I am glad you came back, for what its worth. And I am sure that Tara would be proud of you." She watched the Slayer's face fall, her eyes cloud. But then she did what she was famous for. Her walls crashed back down, and she looked cold and emotionless. Anya had so much more she wanted to say, but knew that the young girl would not listen. Instead she sighed, and walked away. She would enjoy the afternoon counting newly arrived inventory.

"You didn't have to get all dolled up for me, B." Faith said as Buffy sat down next to her on the grass. "Not complaining mind you." Faith winked.

"This?" Buffy looked down at herself, still feeling alien, not like herself. But it had seemed worth it. She was cringing already, wondering what Faith's response would be. "I, well, had a job interview."

"Really?" Faith asked, leaning back on her hands. "Doing what."

"Ugh." Buffy was dreading saying this.

"Come on."

"At the high school." Buffy said.

"Lots of different jobs there. What specifically?"

"You are making me tell you, aren't you?"

"Yes." Faith grinned.

"Working in the library." Buffy groaned, and dropped her chin to her chest. There was nothing. No laugh, no groan, no sarcasm. For an instant Buffy was afraid that Faith had passed out. She raised her eyes, and was greeted by a soft thoughtful smile on Faith's lips. She looked happy, and radiant. Buffy actually felt her gasp. Swallowing she quickly recovered. "Go ahead, make fun."

"Why would I make fun?" Her voice was husky, and Buffy wondered what she was thinking, and if it was oddly along the same lines of what Buffy had been thinking. That she would give anything to turn back time three years and let the two of them try again.

"You. Faith. Making fun." Buffy grinned.

"I think it is a great job for you." Faith shrugged, sitting up, and crossing her legs.

"Shut up." Buffy pushed her shoulder. "Come on! Where is the Faith I know and love? Make fun!"

"Okay, okay fine!" Faith laughed lightly. "How's this? You surrounded by books, will you learn how to read?" Buffy groaned. "I know, I am off today. Seriously, my hearts not in it." Faith shook her head. "It sounds good though. Good hours to work, freedom to keep an eye on the demographic that seems to turn into vamps."

Buffy burst out laughing, falling back on the grass.

"Okay, what?" Faith asked.

"You said demographic." She was still laughing. Faith stood up, brushing off her jeans.

"You know what, B, I am tired of everyone thinking I am stupid." She crossed her arms, glaring down. Faith really was angry.

"I was kidding." Buffy jumped up, setting her hand on Faith's arm. "I swear I was just kidding, Faith."  She searched the taller girl's face. "Thank you." She whispered, and the atmosphere around both of them froze and changed.

"For what?"

"You know what. Last night." Buffy looked over her shoulder, seeing the coast was clear. She stepped even closer to Faith, staring into her deep brown eyes. "I, I am going to need you Faith. I hate myself for not being there for you when you needed me. Really, I am still amazed that you offered to help me."

"I wasn't going to. I was going to just help them, and then leave." Faith said. "You hurt me so-" Faith stopped, and took a deep breath. "I told you. I will help you. Period."

"So you are going to stay?" Buffy asked hating the needy and hopefulness in her voice.

"Yeah. I am staying, and so is the tweed. You okay with that?"

"Very." Buffy nodded. They locked eyes again. Buffy felt the pull, and she stepped forward.

What is happening here? What do I want to happen here?

"Shit!" Faith stepped back, looking at the watch on her wrist. That struck Buffy. She never knew Faith to be responsible enough to wear a watch. The silver linked band sparkled in the sunlight.

She heard a throat clear behind them, and Buffy looked to see Xander standing there, looking like a little doe eyed puppy.

"I have to go." Faith said, looking at Buffy in a way that made her wish Xander was not there. "I'll be back before dark." She stressed the word dark, and Buffy was thankful. She was dreading nightfall, when she began feeling the pain even more.

"What where do you have to go?" Buffy asked.

"Work." Faith said, and then turned and walked out of the back yard.

"Did any one know she had a job?" Buffy turned and asked Xander who shrugged. "I wonder what she does?"

The two men walked up the front steps onto the large porch of this house. It was rare in Sunnydale. A traditional Victorian home, with wood shingle siding, painted a lush green. There were even Evergreen trees in the yard. It stood out at the end of the lane in this neighborhood that held Craftsman and the occasional Spanish style home. It was large and regal sitting apart from the other homes.

Holburn looked down again at the paper in his hand.

"This was the farm house, when this area was apricot orchards. Interesting." He said to Mr. Giles who was beside him. "For the size of the house it is an amazing the price."

"Well you will find that when the life expectancy of a town is twenty years, you will find many people not staying long here." Mr. Giles said, opening the front door with the keys that the real estate agent had provided. "It is quite grand and lovely." He offered stepping over the threshold.

"I did a lot of thinking earlier, about what you had said, and what Faith had said." Holburn offered following the older man inside.

"And?"

"These erm, well, Scoobies. They are very important to the success of the Slayer. I see that now. I also see that there is much I have to learn, and I am hoping that they will accept me, and teach me." Mr. Giles stopped and turned to face Holburn. His expression was one of shock.

"That is refreshing. I am impressed." He set his hand on Holburn's shoulder. "They have much to share, if you are open to it."

"I am." Holburn nodded.

"And does that explain the size of this home?" Giles asked grinning.

"It might have had something to do with it. It appeared cramped in the Summers' home." Holburn said walking through an archway into a large room to the right of the house. "I believe this place will accommodate us." He was imagining this room full of books and a large research table. Closing his eyes he could hear the voices of the group ringing through the halls. He could even hear Dawn's voice from the kitchen. He could not help his smile. Holburn Strand was nervous, but he knew enough to let go some of the ideals of the Council. Not all, he would keep Faith contained to an extent, for her own good. But this felt right. "When will you be leaving, Mr. Giles?" He asked the man as they both walked into the back kitchen.

"Tomorrow." He replied. "I will tell them all tonight."

"Why so suddenly?" Holburn asked.

"If I allow Buffy time to consider it, she will find a reason to keep me here."

"She loves you very much." Holburn conceded.

"And I her."

"How can you leave her then?"

"She needs to do this, live her life without me. She is no longer a child, and no longer in need of a Watcher." Giles smiled sadly. "Her family is all she needs."

"But you are part of that family."

"I know, and it really does pain me to leave." Giles revealed.

"Then why go?"

"For right now it is best. The separation. I know I will return, but right now Buffy needs to, erm, rely on someone else." Giles stumbled; oddly the man seemed not to know how to say something. And in Holburn's experience with him that seemed odd indeed.

"Faith?"

"You are observant." Giles laughed.

"After talking with Faith it was clear that there was something between them once. The level of hurt and anger was quite clear. I am astounded that they seem to have moved beyond that in the past day to be able to work together." Holburn said.

"The girls have always been able to push down their emotions when there is a danger to the lives of others. Until the situation with Langoustino is resolved, you will see them working together amicably." Giles removed his glasses and leaned against the tiled counter.

"After?"

"They need to accept what each has done in the past. Faith is not all to blame for what happened, Buffy is quite responsible for hurting her." Giles grinned. "You do understand the level of the emotional pain?"

"Faith was in love with Buffy. She has not admitted that to me, of course, but it is clear. Quite, actually. As Dawn pointed out, though I was considerably nervous at the time accepting it."

"Why? The Watcher Diaries make multiple mentions to the voracious sexuality of the Slayer. How they partner with all sexes, even demons." Giles offered.

"Of that I am aware. It was simply the idea of Faith, who had appeared so heterosexual." Holburn blushed.

"Just because the girl flirts with you, Holburn, do not take it as an invitation."

"Of course not!" he exclaimed.

"She flirts with everyone, it seems to be how she expresses her affection. If she does flirt with you, it means she is comfortable, but also, with you being a man, it enables her to have a small amount of power over you. She needs that." Giles said, putting his glasses back on.

"Based on her past experience, especially with a father figure, that is text book." Holburn sighed. There where many things that he and Faith still needed to discuss, and he hoped that he would be able to build a strong enough relationship with her that she would allow him to help her. "I feel sorry-"

"Never." Giles said strongly. "She is adamant to a fault that she never be pitied or that one feels sorry for her. Faith is a warrior, a survivor. For one as strong as her we should lift her up and an example. If she senses that you pity her, she will never let you close. Trust me on that." Giles looked around the kitchen. "This house is enormous. What do you think?"

"I think there is a perfect room for a library. The basement is nearly complete, just ready to become a training room." Holburn grinned, and Giles nodded for him to continue. "Five bedrooms, plenty for guests." He folded the paper in his hands. "Mr. Giles, the attic is unfinished, but I believe that it would make a wonderful apartment for her. Do you think that she would agree, to live here, with me?"

"Ah, Mr. Strand. That is difficult to say. Faith enjoys her freedom, her independence. She will fight you if you attempt to rule her." Holburn was about to protest, when Giles raised his hand to stop him. "She is no longer a lost teen. She is older, wiser. I dare say harder. Prison was a good thing for her to experience, to a point. She feels like she has paid some of the price for taking a human life. But, she was never just a child. So she will falter, she will rebel."

"And she should be allowed to." Holburn understood.

"Yes." Giles smiled. "Now if you can get the Council to approve this purchase, I would say well done to you, Mr. Strand." Giles walked out into the back yard.

The young Watcher looked around the room again. It felt right, and it felt safe. The question would be could they make it a home?

B was doing pushups in the back yard. The day had been a hot one, and it showed on her. She was only wearing a sports bra, and those painfully short cutoff sweats she loved. As she moved sweat rolled off of her shoulders, down her arms. I even noticed a drop rolling off of her nose. I opened the back gate, and leaned against it, crossing my arms and ankles. It had been a weird day. Not too bad at work, which was nice for a first day. But my thoughts kept coming back to her. How bad was she really? B always had the power to switch her emotions off and on. From wanting to gut me on the roof, to wanting to die herself, to sobbing uncontrollably for hours. Pinball Buffy, that was what I should call her.

"Must be hard," I called out to her, and she stopped on the up motion, raising her head and looking at me. Her cheeks were red, and all that sweat.

When did she start looking so damn sexy to me again?

"What?" She asked.

"Having to try so hard to compete with young, supple me." I grinned devilishly, sauntering across the browning grass.

"Supple?" She asked, pushing back to stand up.

"Mmm Hmm." I said, licking my bottom lip. Her eyes followed my tongue. Good B, just like old times.

"Don't know if I have ever seen," She started as I walked right up to her, letting my right index finger slide across her abdomen. That killed the words in her throat. "I missed this." She sighed.

"Did you?" my voice was a whisper over her shoulder as I walked behind her. B kept looking forward. She nodded. "Good. Me too." I set my hands on her shoulders, and squeezed, not to hard, not light little hinting touches, just my skin on her skin. Then I moved back in front of her. "How are you doing?" I asked, all arousal and flirtation gone. That was my Slayer voice.

"Cried a little earlier. Getting very antsy. And," She tilted her head to the side.

"And?"

"You look nice." She smiled. I looked down at myself. What? Pants, tight Lycra sleeveless shirt; all black, what else.

"You did dress up for me earlier. Thought I would do the same." I grinned. "So, and?"

"Oh, and I looked through that book you mentioned. Wills brought it by."

I nodded to her.

"You may be right, you may be wrong." She started and I shrugged. It was true, I just told her what I thought. "I decided that it doesn't matter where I was or why. I am here now."

"Okay, but what about accepting who you are now. You are not the same Buffy Summers you once were. I can tell you that just by looking." I said. This was the problem, had been the problem for a while. "You refuse to accept the things about you that you can't change." That she liked to fight, that she liked fucking Spike, and that she would have liked fucking me.

Whoa, Faith, back up the Buffy-sex train! No thinking like that. She hurt me way too much to open that can of worms again.

"What things?" She asked huskily, and this time it was her who stepped closer and licked her bottom lip. I wondered if the lip thing was like a mating ritual for slayers. Like a sign. Here I am, sensually licking my bottom lip, maybe even taking it between my teeth, come and get it! Naw, that was fucked, up. Maybe I'll ask HS.

"FUCK!" Came the loud call from the kitchen. It was Red. Both B and I bolted for the house.

Two breathless Watchers rushed in from the front of the house, two sweaty Slayers from the backyard. Willow's eyes bounced back and forth between the four of them, then back down to the book. Buffy was the first to touch Willow's shoulder.

"Wills, what is it?" She asked.

"Oh, wow I found it!"

"What?" Giles sat down at the table, his eyes trying to read the book from where he was sitting.

Faith was beside her other shoulder, and Willow looked up at her.

"You know how you said look for what is needed to open the Hellmouth right?" Willow asked up at Faith.

"Yeah," Faith replied, drawing it out.

"You had a plan?" Buffy asked Faith, and the brunette shrugged, but Willow noticed a slight color in the bottom of her cheeks.

"Well look at this!" Willow pointed to the laptop screen. The Watchers came around behind Willow as well. They were all looking at a summary page for an item on e-bay. "It is a scroll," Willow added.

"Hey, I've seen that!" Faith tapped the screen.

"Don't touch the screen." Willow snapped, moving Faith's finger away from the LCD screen. Giles audibly gulped, probably expecting Faith to snap, but she only nodded at Willow. "Erm, well, yeah, the Mayor, he kind of used to own it." Willow added about the scroll softly. Faith winced, but only Buffy noticed.

"Oh, right." Faith acknowledged, and took a step back.

"Anyway it was sold just last month." Willow added.

"On the internet?" Buffy asked.

"Yupe." Willow tapped a few keys, and the picture of the scroll enlarged.

"Wicked cool." Faith slapped her hands together.

"Faith, really, it's not." Giles began.

"Sure it is. We can get Red to trace this stuff when it goes on the market. Oddities, rare items, spell books, that kind of thing. She can write a program or something. Then maybe we can get the Council to buy these type of things, lock them up." Faith offered.

"Well that is cool." Giles corrected, and Buffy laughed.

"I will get right on that, Faith. Brilliant idea." Holburn added, and Faith beamed from ear to ear.

"Good plan. But we should worry that this is out there somewhere, probably in Langoustino's hands right now." Willow brought the attention back around, and moved to the book beside her. "This is what I have translated. Giles, maybe you can get some more out of it. My Latin is rusty."

"I doubt that Willow, but I am sure Holburn will be more than happy to review,"

"Of course." Holburn leaned closer, looking at the passage in the tome.

"This is what I have. It is not prophetic, it is more like a laundry list." Willow looked at her notes. "I have here, that when a Hellmouth has been closed, it can be opened when, ‘the mage wields the key.' That's the basics."

"A witch and a key." Faith mumbled.

"And a wardrobe?" Buffy added, and Faith groaned. "Sorry."

"Willow, there has to be more." Giles pressed.

"What I have gotten is that the witch will pull the energy from the key, into herself, and direct it at the seal of the Hellmouth, which will shatter the seal. There may be something else here, and I am sure there is. I am just not seeing it." Willow sighed, pushing the book towards Holburn.

"I will look." He mumbled taking the book.

"Okay, wait, so they need a witch, and a key with energy?" Faith asked, and she and Buffy turned to each other.

"Dawn!" Both Slayers exclaimed at the same time.

"Bloody hell." Giles moaned.

"I'll go." Faith said moving towards the door.

"Faith," Buffy set her arm on Faith's. Willow tried not to look, but she couldn't help it. She could see the Slayers communicating between each other, without saying words. Buffy moved her fingers down Faith's arm, and cupped her hand. "Okay. You go, we'll stay here." Buffy finished softly, squeezing Faith's hand. Faith stepped forward, and whispered into Buffy's ear. The blonde's face clouded, but then she blinked and nodded. Faith stepped back, looking over the group.

"We need to try and find out what witches we have around town." Faith said towards the group. "I'll be back in an hour with Dawn, even if I have to knock her out." Faith grinned and slipped out the back door.

It did not pass Willow's notice that Buffy looked out the door after her.

"It will be okay, Buffy. Faith will protect Dawn with her life." Willow offered.

"I know." Buffy smiled and turned back to the group. "Giles, can you get a list of witches and warlocks in the area written up?"

"Actually Buffy, you and I need to talk." He took off his glasses. Willow knew that was a bad sign. Buffy nodded and the two of them left the room.

We were making progress, and that was good. I needed to know who I could beat the shit out of. That was a good thing. I could imagine Martha Stewart looking over at me and saying, "Faith getting to kick ass, now that is a good thing." And it was.

But this was the worst possible time for B to have even the slightest possibility of something happening to the Kiddo. I knew B, instead of working on getting herself into a better place she would shove all of it away from the front of her mind, and focus only on protecting her sister. Sure protecting the Kiddo was important, but she needed to work on her, that was what I told her when I left. That she needed to chill, and I would look after Kiddo. It was something that I knew I could do. And I was rushing though the late evening streets, on my way to my least favorite place in the world. The Mall. If that didn't prove I was changed, then nothing would.

"You are leaving." Buffy repeated what Giles had just told her, and felt her stomach lurch. "That's just it, you are just up and leaving!" She rose from the couch. How could he do this to her?

"Buffy, you knew that this was coming. I never told you I was back for good. I was quite clear. I came to stop Willow from ending the world. And I saw to it that your group regained some of its strength." He grinned.

"She came back, just like we needed her to," Buffy conceded. "I am going to be mad at you for leaving right now." He nodded. "But I will get over it, and feel happy for you. Not right now, but eventually."

"I love you Buffy." He said squeezing her hand.

"I love you too, Giles." She grinned it at him, feeling bad inside for being angry with him. Knowing it was for the best. She would accept it, get over it. He deserved to be happy. They all did.

"Oh! There is a book, a register we were keeping, that lists all of the casters in the area! It's at the Magic Box. I can call Anya, she can bring it over." Willow offered.

"She and Xander are at the beach today." Holburn offered, not looking up from the book. Willow shook her head smiling. This new Watcher was fitting in just fine.

"Oh, I can run over and get it then." Willow sighed, logging off her laptop, and standing with a stretch.

"Where's Will?" Buffy asked Holburn as she walked into the kitchen.

"She went to the Magic Box. To retrieve a book." He replied, sitting up watching the Slayer as she sat at the table. "Buffy, may I have a word?"

"Just one?" She asked.

"Caught me. More than one."

"Sure."

"I am pleased that you are seemingly agreeable to the current situation." He closed the book on his finger.

"I never said I was okay with it, but I am dealing." Buffy crossed her arms and leaned back.

"Trust me when I tell you that I understand your position. You feel like you are being replaced. Let me again assure you that is not the case, and if I made it seem that way, I was completely wrong. At the time I was unsure as to the dynamic of your relationship with Faith, and what her wants would have been." He smiled, trying to show her that he was sincere. "I am sure she has told you that we will be staying, and we would be so honored to have you with us."

Buffy nodded.

"She really needs your acceptance and support Buffy." He confided.

"Mr. Strand. I know what she needs. All that I couldn't give her before. But I am going to try now." The phone rang, and she stood. He looked back at the book before him. "Hello? Hi. Yeah. Okay, just get her home. What? No, nothing yet. Willow went to look. Something about a book at the Magic – Faith stop cursing. What? Oh, fuck. Put Dawn in a cab, I am leaving now." Buffy slammed the phone down.

"Buffy? What is it?" Holburn asked, having stood hearing her side of the conversation.

"You know how we were wondering who the witch could be?" Buffy asked, moving towards the door. "We forgot that Willow is the strongest witch in Sunnydale." The door slammed behind her.

"Oh, hell." Holburn moaned, slapping his forehead. How could he have forgotten?

She was arguing with me. Didn't she know that I could block out the annoying sound of her voice? Hell I was doing it right now. The cab stopped in front of the mall, and in front of us. I opened the back door, and turned to her. Kiddo's face was red from the exertion of her pout.

"I won't hear any of it, Kiddo. You are going home."

"This is so unfair. I can protect myself you know." She set her hands on her hips. She wanted to play; I'd shut her down. I took her arm in my hand, and pulled her against me, speaking into her ear.

"Dawn, listen to me. There is a vampire out there who probably knows you are the Key. And he figured out that he could use you to open the Hellmouth. I can't take you home, because this same fucker may be on to Willow, and I need to help get her safe. Don't fight me on this. Just get in the car, and go home, and stay there." I let go and took a step away from her. Yeah, that worked. Her blue eyes were huge, and she nodded, slipping into the back of the cab. I leaned forward and gave the driver the address, and then watched them drive away. It was sundown. I took off for the Magic Box, praying that this Vamp was stupid, and had no idea who Willow was, or what Kiddo was.

The bell sounded over the door. Willow spun around. She had thought she locked the door behind her when she had come in a few minutes ago. The book in her hand dropped as she watched Amy walking down the steps.

"Hello, Willow." She said with a crooked grin.

"Amy, what are you doing here?" Willow asked, hating the shake in her voice. She could feel magic sparking off of Amy, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Oh, I think you know." Amy stopped a foot away from her. "You can't just turn your back on us, not just like that."

"Us?" Willow squeaked.

"You killed Rack. Do you know what this town is like without someone as strong as him to feed us? Do you?" Amy sneered. "Little Willow, not even giving a shit about anyone but herself. What else is new? I mean, you did leave me as a fucking RAT for years! To busy sucking off your girlfriend."

Willow felt that like a slap. "I don't do magic, I won't do magic ever again, so you can just leave, Amy."

"Nope. Don't think so. I know you are hungry for it, Willow. I know some one who can help you get that power back. You know you loved it, feeling it coursing through you, knowing that no one could stop you." Amy raised her hand. "Let me show you, just a little taste."

Willow fell against the counter as the magic surged through her from Amy. It was a throbbing of power moving up and down her body, filling her limbs. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she moaned deeply.

"Always a moaner." Amy bit her lip. "Let me hear you scream." She held out her palms to Willow, green light shooting from her hands, hitting Willow in the chest, and her head fell back as she screamed.

Clapping, caused Amy looked over her shoulder as Langoustino stepped closer to her.

"So this is the one?" he asked.

"Yes, this is her. She's been off it for a few weeks, but it is still there, the power." Amy nodded. Willow was panting looking up at them.

"Thank you, Amy." He smiled, and then pulled her roughly to him, his fangs puncturing her neck. She squirmed against him for a moment, but then stopped fighting as he drained her. His head swam with the added power of the magic in her blood. He dropped her, licking his lips as he turned to the red head that was whimpering on the floor. "I can offer you so many things. But I have the feeling you will turn them down. So how about this. You do this for me, and I won't kill her."

"Who?" Willow whispered.

"Her." He nodded his head towards the door, and two vampires came in, holding Dawn between them.

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