The street was deserted, Faith had vanished. Buffy looked up and down the road, hoping against hope that she'd appear by magic from the shadows, then picked a direction at random and started walking. Her mind echoed with what she'd heard, or thought she'd heard.

Faith has feelings for me?

No, I imagined it, I must have.

But why would I...

She's leaving, it's upsetting me...

But I felt her kiss me...

Did I?

Why would I imagine it?

Do I want it to be true?

The same thoughts ran around in Buffy's head for hours, through streets and alleys and graveyards. She didn't know when the music began, it seemed as though it had always been there, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world when she began to sing, pouring her heart out even as she was attacked by first one vampire, then another and another.

I've been making shows
Of trading blows
Just hoping no one knows
That I've been

Going through the motions
Walking through the part
All to hide the aching in my
Heart

As her enemies' ashes scattered on the breeze, she cried out to the night sky.

I think I finally see
The problem here is me
I shouldn't even be
Alive

What the hell is going on? Faith turned the corner toward the Magic Box and immediately had to dodge out of the path of a streetsweeper, who went tangoing by holding his broom like a dance partner. She was reaching for the shop's door when she heard the voices inside.

What can't we face if we're together

You'll never be a part of that. A poisonous whisper crept through Faith's mind, brining tears to her eyes. For a moment she leaned against the doorframe, putting her mask back in place, then she pushed the door open just as the singing stopped. "Okay guys, what's the story? Last night I had a pair of vamps singing for mercy, and now there's a guy cross the street doing show tunes about his dry cleaning. Someone want to clue me in?"

Everyone froze as she came in. Giles cleared his throat and said "Ah, yes, well, actually we were just, er, tossing a few theories around. I think some research is in order."

"Great. Book me."

Okay, remember, act excited. This is all very weird, and totally not something I knew was coming.

Dawn burst into the Magic Box and ran over to the gang, who were still seated around the research table. "Oh my God, you guys will never believe what happened at school today!"

"Everything went West Side Story?" Faith asked without looking up from her book.

Dawn's look of disappointment was only half-faked. "I gave birth to a pterodactyl," she replied, a little put out by how calm everyone was. "So, you guys too, huh?"

"Yeah," Xander said. "Been there, sung that. What was your number about?"

"Math." Dawn sat down with them at the table, sneaking looks at Buffy and Faith whenever she could. Both seemed engrossed in what they were reading, but Buffy at least looked tense and uncomfortable. Faith just looked bored. "So, any idea's on what's caused the Broadwayathon?"

"Not yet," Faith muttered, "but if I end up doing Cats down Main Street, something's going to die."

"Oh come on," Dawn said, surprised at the anger in Faith's voice. "Don't you think it's kind of cool? Songs, dancing, what's wrong with that? It might even help some people, you know, bare their souls?"

"... and what about the silk pyjamas? I don't even own silk pyjamas!"

"Enough!" Giles flung up his arms in despair, finally bring a halt to the torrent of complaints Xander and Anya were pouring out at him. "Both of you, stop! I understand that your little matinee performance was disturbing, but there's more at stake here than your artistic pride!"

The underlying anger in Giles' voice stopped them both in their tracks. Xander turned to him, agitation replaced by uncertainty. "What's the matter, G-Man? It's just people singing and dancing, right?"

"No," Giles replied, his anger subsiding. "There have been several deaths reported, people burned alive."

"As in burnt up? Somebody set people on fire? That's nuts!"

"I don't know," Anya muttered. "One more verse of our little ditty and I would've been looking for a gas can."

Giles ignored her. "Well, clearly emotions are running high. But as far as I can tell these people burnt up from the inside, spontaneously combusted. I've only seen the one. I was able to examine the body while the police were taking witness arias."

"Okay, but we're sure that the things are related, right?" Xander said. "The singing and dancing, and burning and dying."

"I can't be certain of anything, though it would be an enormous coincidence if they weren't connected," Giles replied. "We've got a few leads, but nothing definite. Buffy and Faith are checking the local demon haunts - at least, they're supposed to be. Neither of them seems to be particularly focused at the moment."

Anya just rolled her eyes at that, as though Giles was simply stating the obvious, but Xander was watching him a little more closely. "You know something, G-Man. What's going on?"

"It's... it's private."

"No, it's not. We all know there's something wrong with those two, and if it's affecting their work, it puts all out lives at risk, not to mention everyone else in town." Xander paused for a moment, taking some of the venom out of his voice. "Look, when one of us has a problem, we all help, that's how it works."

"You're right, I know, it's just that they wanted to keep this between themselves as much as possible." Giles took of his glasses and began massaging the bridge of his nose. "Faith's leaving, and Buffy isn't taking it very well."

"What?"

"When?"

"Why?"

The detached, Watcher-trained part of Giles' brain wondered how two people could say three things simultaneously. "Faith is leaving. She thinks that her presence here is alienating Buffy from the rest of us and harming us as a group."

"And Buffy's not happy about it?" Anya asked.

"Buffy is extremely upset, although she's been trying to hide it from everyone. I think she's trying to protect Dawn as much as anything."

Xander mentally reviewed Buffy's recent behaviour. "When did all this start?"

"I can't say when Faith made her decision, but I learned of it while Buffy was visiting Angel."

"But that was weeks ago!" Xander protested. "If Faith's so hot to skip town, how come she's still here?"

"It's the vampire, isn't it?"

Giles nodded, surprised at Anya's insight. "Yes. Faith sees Lucas as her responsibility, the last loose end from her first time in Sunnydale. She intends to leave as soon as he's destroyed. You've noticed that she's recently been appearing later and later in the day? From what little Buffy's said to me, I'm certain that Faith has been staying out until dawn every night, trying to find something that will lead her to him. I'm starting to worry that she'll go after him on her own."

Anya's eyes widened. "You mean take on Lucas, Sean and who knows how many more by herself?"

"Why not?" Xander said. "Faith's never been big on forward planning."

"Great!" Anya threw up her hands. "So either Faith gets herself killed, or Lucas gets dusted and Faith leaves. Either way, Buffy's going to be a wreck."

"So what do we do?" Xander asked after a moment's pause.

"I don't know. I don't know!" Frustration and anger began to creep into Giles' demeanour. "I'm a Watcher, my Slayers need my help, and I don't know what to do!"

"The sun sets, and she appears. Come to serenade me?"

"So you know what's going on?" Buffy closed the crypt door behind her and walked toward Spike.

Spike laughed a little. "Well, I've seen some damn funny things the last couple of nights. Six hundred pound Shurago demon making like Yma Sumac - that's going to take some shifting." He brandished a bottle of whisky. "Drink?"

"A world of no." Buffy brushed some of the dust from the raised platform around the edge of the crypt and sat down. "So, any idea what's causing this?"

"Oh. So that's all. You've just come to pump me for information."

"What else would-" Buffy stopped herself. "No, not saying it."

"Well, don't let me bore you with small talk," Spike snapped, opening the door. "Don't know a thing."

Buffy closed her eyes for a moment, head bowed, then stood up and began walking to the door. Spike stopped her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Buffy shook his hand off and went to leave, but Spike slammed the door shut ahead of her.

"Tell me."

It was the gentleness in Spike's voice that broke through. Buffy's shoulders began to tremble and she covered her face with her hands, hiding her tears. "It's Faith..."

"What about her?"

"She's leaving me, Spike. She's leaving Sunnydale and I don't know if I can take losing her! She's been so cold lately, she barely even talks to me, but it's like the only time I even feel alive any more is when I'm with her!"

"Oh bloody hell!" Spike snatched up the whisky bottle and flung it across the crypt. "Look, Slayer, I get that you don't want me, but coming in here and moping because you can't have the one you DO want? Forget it, that's a step too low even for me."

"Spike, what-"

I died, so many years ago...

The Magic Box was a lonely beacon on a darkened street as Buffy arrived, long shafts of light filtering through the blinds and casting narrow beams across the road. Inside, Xander, Anya and Giles were at the table, surround by piles of books, while Willow and Tara worked at the counter behind a heap of magic supplies. A series of muffled thumps from the back room told her that Faith was training.

"Hey Buff," Xander said. "Get anything out of Spike?"

"Nothing helpful." Buffy looked around. "Where's Dawn?"

"We took her home about an hour ago, she said she was tired," replied Willow. "Don't worry, we checked the house, everything's locked down tight."

"Okay. Thanks. Have you guys come up with anything?"

Giles put his book down. "Possibly. We've come across a few accounts of similar events, all of which seem to revolve around a particular demon."

"And get this, the guy has to be summoned," Xander put in. "This isn't just random, somebody brought him here."

Buffy growled with disgust. "What is it with people summoning demons? Hasn't anyone figured out that it never ends well?" She took off her jacket and dropped it on the end of the counter. "So, any idea who's playing Dark Lord today? Lucas, the guys with the bank demon?"

"Nothing more than supposition, I'm afraid," Giles replied, flexing his shoulders. "However, Willow and Tara are working on something that should prove useful once we actually track down the demon."

Buffy looked across at the two witches with something very like relief on her face. "Thanks, both of you. I don't know what I'd do without you." Tara blushed and ducked her head, while Willow smiled at her. Neither of them saw Buffy's eyes flicker toward the training room door. "I'm going to go work out for a bit, okay?"

Faith didn't seem to notice when Buffy entered the room, her attention was completely focused on the punchbag. Buffy watched her for a few moments, then began changing into her training clothes. All the time, a few lines that Spike had sung ran over and over through her mind.

You're scared, afraid of what you feel
And you can't tell the one you love, 'cause then you'd have to deal

Buffy sat down on one of the benches. Spike thinks he knows what I feel? I don't know what I feel anymore. The one I love? Was he talking about Faith? She looked up at Faith, who was practically snarling as she launched another kick. I look at her, and all I feel is pain. How can that be love? And she acts like doesn't care about anything anymore. Or anyone. It's like the last time.

Last time, when she was hiding-

Faith launched a last flurry of punches and stepped back, turning her head around fast to catch Buffy staring at her. "You want something?"

Caught by surprise, Buffy stammered out, "I-I-I thought maybe you'd like to do some sparring, I mean, if you want..."

"Sure." Faith dropped into a fighting stance. Buffy sighed and went over to join her.

They circled each other for a while, then Buffy made a slow, clumsy attack that Faith evaded without effort, replying with a kick that knocked her sideways. "Come on, B, that all you've got?"

Buffy took a step back, stung as much by the venom in Faith's voice as by the bruise on her ribs. She attacked again, with the same result. The cycle continued, each half-hearted attack drawing a single blow in response, each one at barely less than full speed and power, followed by an insult. Eventually, Buffy over-extended her arm on her attack. Faith grabbed it and threw, slamming Buffy down onto the floor hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Before she could catch her breath, Faith was on her, twisting her arm behind her until her shoulder burned. "Quit fighting like a girl, B."

Faith released her grip and stood, turning away. A second later, Buffy's foot slammed into her legs, knocking them from under her and dumping her on her back. Buffy had her pinned down in moments, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Stop it!"

Faith sneered. "Stop what? You're the one wasting everyone's time! You want to train for real, give me a call."

"I know what you're doing!" Buffy grabbed her by the shoulders, her knuckles turning white. "Stop trying to make me hate you! I'll never hate you!"

"You can do it, B. Just like riding a vamp, it'll all come back."

"Faith! Stop hiding and talk to me, tell me why you're doing this."

"Just being me."

"I heard what you said, when I fell asleep on the couch."

Faith froze for a split second. "What're you talking about?"

"I heard you. You said you were leaving because of the way you feel about me, and then you kissed me."

"You've got a weird imagination, B..." Faith tried to sound dismissive, but her voice was wavering.

"Why did you kiss me at Tara's party?" Buffy demanded, watching a hint of panic creep into Faith's eyes.

"What? I was just... I was..." Faith's voice cracked as she gazed up into Buffy's eyes, seeing the anguish there fully revealed for the first time. She fell silent, the mask slipping from her face.

Buffy watched the arrogance and attitude drain away, leaving Faith looking as scared and alone as Buffy had ever seen her. Without making a conscious decision, she lowered her head until her lips brushed across Faith's. Faith's body tensed for an instant, then seemed almost to melt away, relaxing completely as her lips began to move. Supporting her weight on one arm, Buffy began to stroke Faith's cheek as the kiss deepened.

After what seemed like hours, Buffy lifted her head and looked down at Faith, whose cheeks were wet with both their tears. "I know you felt that too."

"Get off me!" Faith flung her arm out, knocking Buffy aside, and scrambled away.

"Faith?" Buffy regained her footing, pain and confusion welling up inside her. "What's wrong?"

Faith picked herself up, turning to face Buffy as fresh tears streamed down her face. "God damn you, Buffy!" She burst out through the back door and disappeared into the night.

Everyone was still engrossed in their work when Buffy emerged from the training room, back in her street clothes. She'd dried her tears, but her eyes were still red and puffy. Willow was just looking up when Spike burst through the front door, propelling what looked like a human-sized puppet ahead of him. "Lookie lookie what I found!"

"Is-is this the demon guy?" Tara asked.

Spike shook his head. "Works for him. Has a nice little story for the Slayer, don't you? Come on, then. Sing."

Music rose in the background, but instead of the expected song the demon's voice was almost conversational. "My master has the Slayer's sister hostage at the Bronze because she summoned him and at midnight he's going to take her to the underworld to be his queen."

Giles rolled his eyes, as if to say 'not that one again'. "What does he want?"

"Her." The demon pointed at Buffy.

Spike began, "If that's all you've got to say, then-" but the demon broke free and fled before he could finish. "Strong. Someday he'll be a real boy."

"Dawn's in trouble," Buffy whispered to herself. "Perfect."

Willow had gone deathly pale. "Buffy, I'm so sorry, we thought-"

"It's okay. Not your fault, you didn't summon this thing. Is your spell thing ready?"

Tara nodded. "A-almost, we just need a few more minutes."

"Okay, I'll go to the Bronze, make sure Dawn's okay. You guys follow soon as you can."

"What about Faith? Where is she, anyway?" Xander asked, looking toward the back room.

"Forget Faith, she's gone." Buffy pulled on her coat.

"What?"

"Don't worry, Slayer, I've got your back."

"I thought you wanted me to stay away." Buffy's voice was heavy with bitterness. "Isn't that what you sang?"

Spike almost snarled. "Fine. I hope you dance 'til you burn. You and the little bit."

As Spike stormed out, Giles turned to her. "Buffy, you shouldn't go alone, we still don't entirely know what we're dealing with. Just wait a few minutes, or contact Faith-"

"It's Dawn, Giles. There's no time." Buffy ran out before he could respond.

Giles stared after for a second, then went over to the counter. "Finish your work." He picked up the phone.

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why did she do that?

Faith slammed her fist into the alley wall, the rough brickwork tearing at her knuckles. For a moment she watched blood welling up in the tattered skin. Figures. Everything with B ends in blood and pain.

Her cell-phone rang, startling her out of her reverie. For a moment she almost ignored it, then dug it out of her pocket. "Yeah? Giles? What... I'm rolling." She stuffed the phone back into her jacket and tried to run for the Bronze, but for some reason her legs wouldn't move faster than a purposeful walk. Somewhere close by she heard a guitar start up, and then the words were coming out.

When this began
I had nothing to say
I was so lost in the nothingness inside of me
I was alone
So I let her in, only to find
That she's found another way to send me out of my mind
And now I know
That all the agony her words revealed
Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel
Nothing but pain
Just stuck, hollow and alone
And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own

I want to heal, I want to feel what I thought was never real
I want to let go of the pain I've held so long
Erase all the pain till it's gone
I want to heal, I want to feel like I'm close to something real
I want to find something I've wanted all along
Somewhere I belong

Across town, Buffy heard the same guitar music, felt her own words rise inside her.

And now there's nothing to say
I can't believe I didn't see what was in front of my face
I was confused
Looking everywhere only to find
That it's not the way I had imagined it all in my mind
So what am I
What do I have but negativity
'Cause I can't justify the way my friends are looking at me
Nothing to lose
Nothing to gain, hollow and alone
And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own

I want to heal, I want to feel what I thought was never real
I want to let go of the pain I've held so long
Erase all the pain till it's gone
I want to heal, I want to feel like I'm close to something real
I want to find something I've wanted all along
Somewhere I belong

Streets apart, the two Slayers' voices merged into a single refrain.

I will never know myself if I must do this on my own
I will never feel anything else, until my wounds are healed
I will never be anything till I break away from me
I will break away, I'll find myself today

Buffy reached the main door to the Bronze and kicked it open, just as Faith did the same with the back door. Their eyes met across the dance-floor and they stopped in their tracks.

"Well, what have we here? A double feature."

The languid, almost contemptuous voice dragged both Slayers' attention to the stage, where they saw a terrified Dawn, dressed in a ball-gown, seated next to a smirking, red-skinned demon in a shiny blue suit.

Buffy stalked into the nightclub, Faith mirroring her on the other side. As she reached the pool table, Buffy asked the demon, "You got a name?"

"I've got a hundred."

"Well, I ought to know what to call you if you're going to be my brother-in-law."

Dawn gasped. "Buffy, I-"

"Don't worry. You're not going anywhere." Buffy's face was like stone. "I am."

"What?" Faith and Dawn burst out together.

Buffy ignored them. "Deal's this. I can't kill you, you take me to Hellsville in her place."

"No way, B."

"Shut up, Faith."

The demon chuckled. "And what if I kill you?"

"It's been tried. Never sticks."

"We'll see." The demon snapped his fingers, and half a dozen puppet-men emerged from the shadows, fanning out around the Slayers

Instinct took over. Buffy and Faith moved back to back, staying close together. It was over in seconds, the six puppet-men lying dead or unconscious on the floor. Buffy tried to move toward the stage, but Faith grabbed hold of her arm. The lethargy that Buffy had shown at the Magic Box was gone, and this time it was Faith that was thrown across the room, skidding to a halt by the stage steps. She was on her feet again in moments. "You're not doing this, B!"

"You don't get a vote!" Buffy yelled back as the rest of the Scooby Gang arrived through the wreckage of the main doors. "You're the one walking out on me!"

The demon's smirk widened, and once again electric guitars could be heard, loud and discordant. Everyone was looking at Buffy, but it was Faith's voice that joined the music.

You pretend everything is what you wanted to see
And I'm exactly like what you had always thought I should be
So I pretend to forget about the killer that I am
Acting like it never happened just 'cause you say I can
But I can't pretend this is the way that I'll stay
Why can't you see the truth?
I can't pretend I'm who you want me to be, so I'm

Lying my way from you
I want to be pushed aside so let me go
Let me take back my life, I'd rather be all alone
Anywhere on my own, 'cause I can see
The very worst part of you is me

Faith turned to the other Scoobies, some of her old resentment burning in her eyes.

I remember what you thought of me
Remember all your whispered talk of who I ought to be
Remember coming back and hearing it from them again

Her head snapped back around to face Buffy, and she began circling the other Slayer.

But you pretended up a person who was fitting in
And now you think this person really is me
And I wish it could be the truth
But the more you push the more I'm pulling away 'cause I'm

Lying my way from you
I want to be pushed aside so let me go
Let me take back my heart, I'd rather be all alone
Anywhere on my own, 'cause I can see
The very worst part of you is me<

On the last line, she grabbed Buffy by the shoulders, standing so close she could feel her breath on her face and Buffy could see the pain and self-loathing in her eyes, her voice falling to a whisper as faint wisps of smoke drifted from her. The others watched, unable to speak.

Slow clapping from the stage broke the silence. "Now that was a performance from the heart. Not quite the fireworks I had in mind, though."

"Get out," Willow growled.

"Hmm, I smell power. More than you realise." The demon stood up. "I guess my bride-to-be and I should be on our way." Dawn shrank away from him.

Giles' voice was as cold as Willow's had been angry. "That's never going to happen."

"I don't make the rules. She summoned me, she wears my talisman." The demon waved his hand at the pendant around Dawn's neck.

Faith turned away from Buffy. "I don't care."

"Too bad." The demon took Dawn by the arm.

"Get your hands off her!" Faith leapt toward the stage.

The demon's smile became malevolent, music rising again in the background. In one movement, Willow and Tara raised their hands, intertwined around a crystal. "Silentium!"

A pulse of white light shot out from the crystal like a shockwave, overtaking Faith in mid-air and leaving dead silence in its wake. The demon's mouth flapped uselessly for a moment before Faith crashed into him. By the time Buffy reached the stake, Faith had yanked a stake from her coat pocket and driven it into the demon's eye.

Willow let go of the crystal. It hit the floor and shattered, the sound breaking the silence and the spell. Buffy ran over to Dawn and flung her arms around her. Dawn collapsed in tears against her. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

"Why, Dawnie?" Buffy whispered, clutching onto her sister as though afraid she'd slip away again. "Why did you do it?"

"I didn't know what would happen! I thought it was just songs and people saying how feel," Dawn sobbed, her voice muffled against Buffy's shoulder. "You were both so unhappy, and then I heard Faith say she was leaving, and I just wanted us all to be happy again. You've got to make her stay, Buffy."

"I don't think I can..."

"Please!"

Blinking tears away, Buffy looked around, but the stage was deserted. "Where is she?"

The others, who'd been transfixed by Dawn's outpouring, seemed to break out of a trance. Tara said, "She didn't come this way, she must have slipped out the back."

"Get her back, Buffy." Dawn whispered, releasing her grip on her sister. "I don't want to lose anyone else."

Buffy got to her feet. "I will, for you."

Dawn shook her head. "For you."

In the alley behind the Bronze, Faith collapsed against the wire fence, trying and failing to hold back the tears, and the words that came with them

I'm so tired of being here
Condemned by all these doubts and fears
And if I have to leave
I know that I should just leave
But instead I still linger here
Like I can't leave you alone

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

If you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
If you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears
And I'd hold your hand through all of these years
And you would have
All of me

Her head jerked up in surprise as Buffy's voice answered hers.

You used to fascinate me
Like a diamond in the night
Now I'm trapped behind a pain I cannot hide
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

If you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
If you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears
And I'd hold your hand through all of these years
And you would have
All of me

Faith stood and walked toward her, their voices blending again.

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
That though you're still with me
I've been alone all along

Less than an arm's length apart, they reached out to each other.

If you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
If you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears
And I'd hold your hand through all of these years
And you would have
All of me

As the final notes died away, their lips met, the salt of their tears dissolving in the kiss. Both of them knew that the others were watching from the doorway, but in that moment they were the only people in the world.

Then it was over. Faith broke the kiss and stepped back. "I can't, I'm sorry..."

She ran.

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