A/N: I'm dedicating this story to one person, a person who hates having stuff dedicated to her. But really, if it wasn’t for her, “Barriers" would have never been posted.

She kept pestering me, in a nice way of course, and she finally sat down at my computer and posted the first chapter for me, all with good cheer in the face of my less than enthusiastic response.

So to her I say, “Okay, I admit it - you were right and I was wrong. Posting was nothing but fun, and I should have listened to you a long time ago."

But that’s the cool thing about friends. Even though I can be incredibly stupid at times, she still likes me anyway.

Thank you, Kelly.

-Bobbi Manuel

BARRIERS

November 13, 2002

This is probably my last entry. She’ll rise tonight and it won’t be long before she finds me. She knows all the things we’ve done to stay alive these past few months, she knows all our “safe” spots, she knows where all our traps are set. She knows every trick we have up our sleeves…she knows everything.

She knows me too. That’s kind of what happens when you’re best friends with someone for almost seven intense years. It’s going to hurt so much when I see her, and I’ve got no doubt that she’s going to make it hurt even more. It will be nothing but fun for her now.

I finally stopped crying about an hour ago, but it feels like I could start back up at any moment. It makes me wonder how many tears the human body is capable of producing, and that’s just the kind of silly question I’d always ask her that she’d always know the answer to. Well no matter what the official amount is, I know I’m definitely fast approaching the record.

She’s gone, they’re all gone now. There’s just me, finally all alone and…Okay, no way am I spending my last free hours going over all of that. If you want the details, well that’s what the rest of this journal is about.

Everything’s written out in the previous pages, first by Giles, then Anya, then Xander picked it up. After, Dawnie took over for quite a while, and she did a really great job.

Sorry. Hopefully that’s not so smeared that you can’t make it out. Anyway, my point is that we’ve all written in this, I’m just the last to take my turn. That makes total sense, right? I’m Action Girl, not a Watcher in training.

I’m not really sure why I’m even bothering, it’s not like anyone’s going to read this. Yeah, I’m lying. I know exactly why I’m still writing. Giles said it was “imperative” that we keep an accurate record of events, so that’s what I’m doing. Here I am finally following his orders to a T, and he’s not even here to see it.

It will be sunset in just under ten hours. I’ve already made my plan, but I don’t know if it will work. I wish I had someone to bounce it off of, but I don’t. For the first time in nearly seven years, I’ve got no one to help me. It’s so weird and it makes me feel strange, like I’m no longer me.

Anyway, back to the accurate record keepage. Currently I’m just sitting on Bleeker Hill, no shade in sight. You don’t manage to stay The Slayer for as long as I have if you don’t fully appreciate the danger of shade, especially here in Sunnydale.

I can see most of the town from up here, the town I’ve given my life to protect. Time after time I’ve put it all on the line, and it strikes me as so ironic that in the end I’ve chosen to sacrifice it for the sake of the world. Is “ironic” the right word?

The barrier Will put up works great. There’s no getting in or out, not that getting out was ever an option for me. It was for them though, and I tried to get them to leave. They wouldn’t of course, and I’ve never been all that clear on what I did to deserve them. But I got them and they mean…They meant everything to me.

I know most likely I won’t be able to pull this off. The first problem is that I’m just one person, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to do everything I need to do in time for it to work. The second problem is that there are just too many variables, way too many ifs and maybes involved. It will only take one of them going wrong to bring the whole brilliant plan crashing down around me, and then that will be it.

So not a good scenario, but it’s not those huge problems that are going to trip me up. She’s going to trip me up, she’s going to be the thing that stops me. She knows the plan, she knows the backup plan, and she knows what I want to do.

I’ll deviate from the plans we made, but she knows what I can do, what I’m willing to do, and she knows exactly how my mind works. She’ll be able to anticipate any changes I try to make, and no matter what I end up doing, she’ll be ready for me.

Of course this should work both ways, I do know her too. But even though I’m smart, and I am, she’s way way smarter. She always has been, and that’s always worked in my favor before. In fact, it’s been one of my biggest weapons since the beginning. That’s not true anymore…and how I wish I could ask her for her advice.

They caught us last night. I killed so many of them, she did too, and for a minute I thought we were going to be okay. She was getting weaker, and I made sure to keep her close as I looked for our way out.

I saw it, but then more came and I lost track of her for just a second. It was just for an instant, I swear it was, but that was all it took. That’s all it ever takes.

She screamed my name, and as I turned I knew. They had her, good times for them, and something entirely different for us. We looked each other in the eye, and we both knew what I had to do. We’d promised each other if it came down to this, we’d do it. We were both too dangerous to let it go any other way.

But as I stood there staring into her eyes, all I could see was the sweet, kind, shy girl I’d met so long ago. She was my best friend, and she was all I had left in the world. I hesitated, and she yelled at me then:

“Buffy, you have to! Buffy!!!”

So I did it. I raised my crossbow and fired. I aimed right for her heart, but my hand was shaking so much the arrow went wide. The dusting that resulted from my bad shot let me cling to the idea that I could somehow save her.

I started fighting again, trying as hard as I could to get to her, but there were just too many of them. I kept killing them, fighting for our lives like a wild animal until I heard him:

“Slayer!”

At the sound of his voice, they all pulled back from me, forming a protective circle around him. As I stood there watching, he drank from her and then forced her to drink from him.

I tried again, but I couldn’t get anywhere near her and there was no longer a clean shot. I backed up, my escape route now clear, but I couldn’t go. I couldn’t just leave her, so I kept standing there as I listened to the screaming.

They left without trying to capture me, they had to go because the sun was rising. They took her body with them, and they were gone as if they’d never been there. It took me about five minutes to figure out that it was me who was doing the screaming.

And that’s how it is now. I’m sitting on Bleeker Hill in the bright warm sunshine, awaiting my capture that will most likely occur in a handful of hours. Or maybe not, but I think it’s safe to say the odds aren’t in my favor.

None of that really changes anything for me. I’m still going to fight, if you knew me you’d know there’s nothing that can stop me from doing that. I know that in the end it’s not going to matter what I do, but I’m The Slayer and I have to try. It’s in the job description, and I guess it’s in me too.

See, I’m the best Slayer ever. Not modest I know, but it’s true. I’ve done this longer than anyone ever has, and I’ve saved the world way more times than anybody else. I’m the only one who’s come back from the dead, and I’ve done that twice, well three times if you want to get technical. I am a hero.

I’m also the only Slayer who let the world be destroyed all because I couldn’t kill my friend when I had to. Sure I could try and make it something it’s not, I could turn the truth completely upside down if I wanted to. It’s not like there’s anyone left to call me a liar if I put a little flattering spin on the truth.

But I can’t do that because Giles told me we have to be as honest as we can be, and I trust that Giles knows…knew best. So that means there will be no painting things in a different light…and what does that mean anyway? Even if you did paint something in a different light, well sure it would look different but you’d still be able to…I guess it doesn’t matter now.

So where do things sit now? Well, Willow raised the barrier, and unless I miraculously manage to accomplish the impossible, she’s going to take it down. When she does, the Earth is going to be overrun by demons. The Hellmouth is going to open, and the monsters are going to take over. If anyone survives, they’ll be on the run forever. It’s pretty much the end of the world, at least the people one.

True, I’m still on the clock and I’m going to give it my best…Who am I trying to kid? My best would have been a crossbow arrow right through Willow’s heart. If I’d done that, I could have retained my title. I’d have gone down in history as the very best, bravest, all-around greatest Slayer ever. Instead I let my personal feelings kill us all.

In just a few hours, my best friend is going to rise. She’s going to be a vampire, and I already had a taste of what that’s like a few years ago. Add into the mix that she’s also the most powerful witch on the planet, well I think you can see why I don’t stand much of a chance. Again with the kidding because I don’t stand any chance at all.

The good news is that Willow can’t lower the barrier without me saying a phrase. It’s a secret phrase that only I know, thank you Giles for thinking so far ahead, and Will doesn’t have the first clue what it is. Of course we then have the bad news, and boy is it bad. She can take, if not all the time in the world, then certainly a good chunk of it as she tries to get me to say it.

I’ve thought about killing myself because you can’t make a dead Slayer talk no matter how powerful you are, but I can’t. If I commit suicide, the balance shifts somehow and the barrier will collapse on its own. They can’t turn me either because the second I die, the phrase is invalid and the barrier will remain in place forever. I don’t really understand the hows and whys, I just know the rules and so does Willow.

When we decided to raise the barrier, we were all still alive. Giles and Will worked it all out, but then they threw it aside when they discovered I’d have to be inside the barrier in order for it to hold. Again, fuzzy with the details. All I understood was that I was the big force of good required to secure the barrier, and then it was all “blah, blah, blah” from there.

They tried to find something else we could do, but I couldn’t let them just cast aside the best idea we had, the only idea we had. In no way did I want to be trapped inside, but I couldn’t let that stop us. We had no other options, and time was running out.

Sunnydale was already pretty much a ghost town, and it wasn’t going to be much longer before Spiran became a whole lot stronger. We couldn’t just let him tour the world, and without people to feed off of, Sunnydale wasn’t going to keep him interested for much longer. We had to do something and we had to do it now.

Xander came up with the original idea. We were going to trap the vampires inside the barrier, and after they’d been weakened by the lack of available blood, we planned to mosey back in and dust them all. It was a perfect plan until you factored in that I’d be trapped with the vampires. That made it a lot less perfect, at least for me.

We had a huge argument, the biggest we’d ever had, but I finally convinced everyone that it had to be done. I was The Slayer and it was my responsibility, whether any of us liked it or not. We all agreed with that, and that was when Xander stood up.

He looked so determined, so serious, and I knew what he was going to say:

“Yahtzee or cards?”

Okay, I didn’t know what he was going to say. We were all kind of like “huh?”, and he explained it to us slowly like we were complete and utter idiots:

“Do we bring Yahtzee or cards? We’re going to be on the run, so we’ll have to have some way to pass the time. It’s not like this town’s all that fun even when we’re not trapped here, so we’re gonna need something small and light to entertain us.”

I jumped in right then, explaining in no uncertain terms that they were not staying. It was my job, my destiny, my curse, my whatever. Thanks for the help, but this was where we had to part company. Everyone was quiet until Giles spoke up:

“I am your Watcher and I shan’t be anywhere but at your side. There’s no need for further debate, my duty is quite clear.”

“Yeah Buffster, we’re your bestest buds, so we shan’t be anyplace else either.”

“Listen to me, you guys are not staying. You need to leave and get as far from…”

Dawnie walked over to me and looked me right in the eye:

“You’re the Slayer, but we’re the Scooby Gang. We have to be with you, Buffy. We’d all rather die than leave you here alone.”

I appreciated their love and loyalty, but I still told them they were leaving. It wasn’t a democracy, we weren’t voting, and we weren’t discussing it any further. No one paid the slightest bit of attention to me.

“Xander if we bring cards, we’re going to need chips as well. Assuming a miracle occurs and we survive, we’ll want to settle up our debts just as soon as possible.”

“Guys, I mean it! You are not…”

“An honey, we’d just be playing for fun. It wouldn’t be a high stakes poker game.”

“Oh. Well then, what’s the point? It’s a shame we can’t bring the ‘Monopoly’ game, but I guess there are too many little pieces to keep track of. Still that at least has fake money, and that’s better than…”

“None of you are bringing anything! You are getting the hell out of here and…”

“Buffy, see my ‘Resolve Face’? You’ve seen it before, you know what it means. We can’t just leave you here, and you know it. Maybe we should, it probably would be for the best, but we can’t and we won’t. We’ve all made our choice so just accept it, and let’s get cracking. Raising this barrier isn’t going to be easy.”

And just like that it was settled, they were staying. We all fell right into our familiar places and started doing what we needed to do, just like we’ve always done. When it came time to erect the barrier, it crossed my mind to insist that Dawnie step outside. Apparently something gave me away because right then she linked her hand with mine and said:

“No.”

Will looked at me and I nodded, giving her the go-ahead. She started working the mojo, we all did the things we were supposed to do, and just like that the barrier was up. We were trapped, but we were together.

I guess I didn’t need to write all of that. I’m sure Giles already took care of it, although when I think about it, his entry’s probably so boring you didn’t really read it all. Okay then, so Buffy’s not irritating and repetitive, she’s kicky and helpful.

The main point here is that I can’t leave, I can’t kill myself, and Willow needs me to say the secret phrase to lower the barrier. I’m going to hold out as long as I can, hopefully forever. But even a Slayer can only take so much pain, you know?

I’m going to stay on the move all night, but she’ll find me. Locator spells, little lights of pure blue and green energy will lead them right to me, no matter where I go. There’s no place to hide, and I pray that I’m as tough as I need to be. I pray that I’m stronger than any Slayer’s ever been.

It’s time to wrap this up now. I’ve got about nine hours left and I want to think about all the good times, the people I love, the funny things we did. Then I’ll need some time to get ready for tonight, some time to shut myself down and become “The Slayer”, and nothing else. I’m not sure if I can do it, not when it comes to her.

Anyway, if you’re reading this, you’re thinking one of two things right now. Either the world’s just fine and I seem like a crazy person, or you hate me for not being able to stand the pain. It’s definitely a lose/lose for me. The whole “hero” thing doesn’t even factor in.

Well that’s how it is for us Slayers. We save the world time after time, and very few people ever know about it. I can deal with that, God knows that’s what I’m hoping for. I guess by the time you read this, we’ll both know how it went.

I’m Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. My Watcher is Rupert Giles. The current members of The Scooby Gang are: Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, Anya Jenkins, and Dawn Summers.

Previous members: Angel, Tara Maclay, Jenny Calender, Daniel Osborne, Cordelia Chase, Riley Finn, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, and believe it or not, Spike.

We did our best.

CHAPTER TWO

She’d given up all attempts at being quiet. That time was long past. They were closing in, and she knew that this was probably the end of the line for her.

For the last eight hours she’d been doing nothing but running and fighting, and none of it had done her any good. They were herding her to a spot where she would end up cornered, and there wasn’t a thing she could do to stop them. In one way she was terrified, in another she almost longed for it to be over.

The strain and horrible anticipation were draining her even more than the constant physical exertion. She’d yet to see Willow, and the dread she felt as that moment drew ever closer, had her fighting back tears. Still she kept moving.

A vampire shot out of the brush on her left and Buffy whirled on pure instinct, slamming her stake home. She had no time to celebrate as three more leapt at her. One, two, three dusted as well, but then more came.

She soon lost count as the air became cloudy with the swirling remains. She was the Slayer and she focused only on her job, determined to kill as many as she could. After what seemed like forever, a voice broke through the din of the battle:

“Enough!”

The vampires instantly backed off, forming a circle around Buffy that quickly parted to admit their new leader. Spiran was no more, Willow had dusted him less than ten minutes after she had arisen. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind just who was in charge now.

Willow sauntered forward, her smile a mere perversion of the one Buffy had always loved seeing. Without any hesitation she threw her stake directly into Willow’s heart, only to see it burst into harmless splinters before it got anywhere near its target.

“Gee Buff, is that any way to greet your best friend?”

Buffy began looking around for any sign of an escape route, but with over thirty vampires surrounding her, it didn’t seem to exist.

“What’s with the eager to kill me? You didn’t seem into it at all last night, and just between us? I’m thinking that was the only chance you had.”

Buffy kept silent, her eyes moving relentlessly as they sought a way out. Willow’s smile never left her face.

“Come on Buffy, you can’t get away and you know it. It’s just a big old waste of time to pretend otherwise, but I have to admit I’ve always admired how you never give up. I guess that’s one of the things that makes you such a great Slayer. Of course letting your personal feelings interfere with your duty, well gosh I’m afraid that’s gotta earn ya a great big buncha demerits.”

Buffy wanted to talk. She wanted to do her patented cocky smartass routine, but it was all she could do right now to keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks. Willow......

“So what’s it gonna be? You gonna surprise us both and take the easy way out?”

“Go to hell.”

Willow laughed.

“The hard way it is! I have to say I was hoping you’d make it a challenge. There are so many things we can do together, it’ll be fun. Well, fun for me. For you it’s gonna be agonizing, gut wrenching torment, but at least we’ll still be together. Gotta look for the silver lining, Buff.”

Buffy felt like she was being shredded inside, but she let nothing show on her face as she stood perfectly still.

“No one’s ever been able to break you, not really. Sure you’ve bent a little, but underneath it all you’ve always been ‘Buffy’. Heroic, noble, brave, strong, selfless, and oh so determined to do the right thing. I’m going to love taking all of that away from you. I can’t wait to see your face when you finally fail the whole world.”

“You’re going to have a long wait.”

“Maybe, but it’ll happen. And, Buff? I promise you, I’m going to do everything I possibly can to help you get there. After all, what are friends for?”

Some of the vampires were growing restless as they just stood around.

“Want us to grab her, Boss?”

“No, I’ll handle her. In fact, all of you can go.”

“Go?! Are you crazy?! She’s the Sla…Aarghh!!!”

He ripped apart slowly, and as his dust blew away in the breeze, Willow turned cheerfully to the remaining vampires:

“I like my orders followed without any questions, ‘kay?”

The vampires scrambled away, leaving just Buffy and Willow behind.

“Boy, it sure is hard to find good help these days, but I guess you know all about that. Well enough of that painful stuff, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about it later. Now it’s time for you to come here.”

Buffy didn’t move, her eyes showing nothing but defiance.

“Ooh look, the Slayer’s coming out to play.”

Buffy began calculating the odds as she tried to plan her escape, imagining a variety of paths she could take to her freedom.

“Ya thinkin’ of running? Want me to give you a head start?”

“…”

“Come here.”

“No.”

Willow’s smile increased.

“One last chance for my very best friend…Come here.”

“No.”

“Oh Buffy, this is going to be so much fun.”

Before she could respond, Buffy found herself being pulled slowly and painfully towards Willow. She fought it, but there was nothing she could do to stop her forward progress. The pain was increasing, but still she struggled.

“Just relax. The more you fight it, the more it hurts.”

That was no lie, but Buffy continued to resist. By the time she stood directly in front of Willow, she felt as if she were on the verge of passing out. She couldn’t move, and Willow pulled her close.

“Wow, my very own Slayer. Of course you’ll need to be properly trained, nobody likes a pet that bites. Guess that means it’s ‘Willow’s Obedience School’ for you. The lessons can get kinda painful, so you might wanna buckle up.”

She began nuzzling along Buffy’s neck, licking her way slowly up to her cheek and back again.

“Mmm…nothing tastes better than scared Slayer.”

“I won’t ever tell you.”

Willow continued tasting her and Buffy felt her grip tighten painfully:

“Aw, don’t lie to me, Buff. We’re still best friends, and it really hurts my feelings. Of course you’re going to tell me, the only question is when. Oh well, they say it’s all about the journey.”

Buffy could feel the fangs as they grazed lightly against her pulse point.

“The hardest thing is going to be not drinking every last drop of your blood.”

And then Willow was taking just a taste, and Buffy was praying she would lose control and drain her dry. But after only a moment, Willow pulled back with a groan:

“Goddess, you are so delicious! But there aren’t gonna be any easy deaths here, not for my Slayer. Nope, friends like you don’t just grow on trees.”

Buffy found she could move again, and she took a swing at her captor. Before her fist could strike its target, she was slammed hard into a nearby tree. The impact knocked the air from her lungs, and it felt like her back was broken.

“Hey now, none of that. I said friends like you don’t grow on trees, but that doesn’t mean I won’t throw you into one until I crush your spine.”

She pulled Buffy close again, this time jerking her arms behind her back and stopping right before the breaking point. Buffy couldn’t prevent a gasp of pain from escaping.

“Your spunky Slayer days are over with, and all you’re going to do is make me mad if you keep doing stuff like that.”

Buffy’s arms were still straining, and the sound of her pain filled breathing seemed loud in the silence. Willow said nothing for a couple of minutes, seemingly lost in thought.

“I don’t know, maybe I’m being unfair. I mean, I haven’t even explained the rules to you yet.”

Willow lifted just slightly and Buffy couldn’t stop herself from screaming out.

“Tell ya what, let’s get you home and I’ll go over everything with you then. Heck, I’ll even help you grasp the complex stuff, okay? But we need to go because that pesky sun’s going to be up soon.”

And then Buffy was knocked unconscious, dropping to the ground in a small heap. Willow hoisted her up onto her shoulder and began a quick jog back to her headquarters. She was pretty sure she had enough time to make it back before the sun caught her, but she was prepared to teleport if she needed to. She tightened her grip on Buffy as she increased her pace:

“Don’t you worry, sleepyhead. Willow’s got you.”

*********************************

It was such a beautiful day. Buffy sat with Willow at a picnic table watching Xander and Dawn throwing a Frisbee back and forth. Xander kept trying to catch it between his legs, and finally he did.

He went down with a groan, and Dawn laughed as she ran over to him:

“Xander...are you…are you okay?”

He answered in a ridiculously high-pitched voice:

“Fine Dawnie, but my prospects of ever having a baby are…”

“Blessedly reduced.”

Giles was reclining in the shade, reading as he feigned annoyance at the commotion.

“Giles, man to man now. I just took a Frisbee to the groin, can I get a little support here?”

“Yes, I suppose you’ve a point. Of course one wonders why you persisted in aiming your manhood at the Frisbee in the first place.”

“That’s easy to answer…Because it’s there.”

They sat down at the table, and Dawn instantly snatched up Buffy’s drink and downed it.

“Hey, that’s mine!”

Dawn let out a huge belch:

“Want it back?”

“Gross! Dawnie, that’s just disgusting. Where did you…”

Xander let out a rather large belch himself.

“Forget it, question answered before it was asked.”

“So Xand, when’s Anya going to get here?”

“Why Will, are you missing her?”

“You know strangely, I think maybe I am.”

He grinned at her:

“She’s supposed to get back tonight. I hope the other people were able to handle her.”

“I’ll bet it went great.”

“Thanks, but we all know how Anya gets when it comes to money.”

Giles looked up from his book:

“Well I for one find her actions rather admirable. ‘The Retail Owners Seminar’ is a much sought after ticket, and it’s quite an honor to be invited. I’m sure she was right at home.”

“Oh I’m definitely of the proud, I’m just hoping she let someone else get a word in edgewise.”

Willow patted his hand reassuringly and turned to Buffy:

“So Buff, what time’s patrol?”

“Well, uh maybe Giles should answer that.”

“I’m afraid, Willow, there’s no time for patrolling tonight. In light of your recent academic achievement, we all feel that a party is in…”

“A party?! I’m getting a party?! With cake and ice cream?!”

Buffy laughed as she bumped her shoulder into Willow’s:

“Yeah Will, and pony rides and a magician too. How old are you?”

“You’re never too old for cake and ice cream.”

Xander’s voice rang out with authority:

“But there will definitely be no clowns, because no age is ever right for clowns.”

“Of course no clowns, they give me the wig too. Will, we wanted to do something nice for you. We even made reservations.”

“At ‘Billy’s Barnacle Bucket’?”

Buffy rolled her eyes in apparent frustration:

“Are you not getting the picture? We’re talking grown-up achievement, ergo grown-up fun is required.”

Willow seemed to deflate slightly:

“…Okay. So where are we going then?”

“’Billy’s Barnacle Bucket’, where else?!”

“Really, Buffy?”

“Slayer’s honor.”

“Yea!”

“And they let us reserve the air hockey table too!”

“They did Dawnie, I love you guys!”

“I believe we must arrive at this…establishment by 4:30, wasn’t it, Buffy?”

“Yep. Will, if we get there before five…”

“Buffy?!”

“…we get free cheese sticks all night long!”

“Oh my Goddess, this is so exciting!”

Giles sat waiting patiently as the four children all talked at once in their excitement. As the noise died down, he spoke up:

“I’ve some additional good news as well. Although it’s nowhere near the wonder of free artery clogging sticks, I believe it will provide some sense of delight.”

“There’s more?”

“I’ve spoken to the curator on your behalf Willow, and I’ve managed to procure a meeting for you on Monday morning at 9:00. He was quite impressed by your stellar academic record, and he’s quite keen to talk with you. I sang your praises at great length, and I dare say I think this meeting’s a mere formality. I’m quite certain the job is yours if you…”

“Giles, are you kidding?!”

“No, I’m quite serious indeed. While it’s true I used my connections to assist in getting you the interview, this is something you’ve clearly earned on your own mer…”

Willow ran over and hugged him, spilling him to the ground in the process.

“Willow!”

“Sorry! I’m sorry, Giles, but I’m just so excited!”

“Yes, so I’ve gathered.”

“Thank you so much!”

He smiled as he lay sprawled on the ground, hugging her back.

“You are of course, most welcome. Now if you don’t mind?”

“What? Oh sure, sorry.”

She got up and offered him her hand as he stood up. She couldn’t resist giving him another quick hug before she ran over to Buffy.

“Buffy, we have to get home and figure out what I’m going to wear. Should I go fancy or plain? What about older? Maybe I should just be all business like, or do you think I should…”

“Will, it’s just ‘Billy’s Barnacle Bucket’. I don’t think they have a dress code, so you can just wear whatever…”

“She’s talking about the interview, Xander.”

“…Yes, of course she is, Dawnie. I knew that.”

“Perhaps we should call it a day here. Xander, would you make certain the fire is completely extinguished?”

“Sure. Does my favorite assistant wish to assist?”

“She does!”

“Then right this way, milady.”

“Excellent. I shall begin the loading preparations.”

“Gee Giles, it’s not like we’re trying to dock a spaceship.”

He folded up his chair as he looked over at her:

“Mock all you like Buffy, but the key to any successful endeavor is one’s preparedness.”

“Spoken just like a Watcher. Well I say ass kicking works just fine.”

“Spoken just like a Slayer. I shall prepare the jeep for the ass kicking you’re sure to deliver.”

He headed off carrying his book and chair, leaving Buffy and Willow alone. They sat side by side staring out at the lake until Willow leaned into Buffy:

“Hey, penny for your thoughts.”

“Just a penny? What can I buy for a penny?”

“Hmm, that’s a good point. Okay, let me see…I’ve got sixty-four cents, and it’s all yours if you spill it, Slayer.”

“Wow, how can I turn that down?”

“You can’t, so let’s hear it.”

“It’s nothing really. I was just thinking what a perfect day this has been. I don’t think I could be any happier, you know?”

“Yep, nothing beats a little downtime for the Slayer and her Scooby Gang.”

Buffy wrapped her arm around Willow’s shoulders and gave her an affectionate squeeze.

“I am so proud of you, Will.”

“I kind of am too.”

“And you should be. My best friend’s a genius.”

“Certified and everything.”

“So that means you’re certifiable?”

“Very funny…Hey Buff, how come Xander and Dawnie are back in the water?”

“Maybe they set themselves on fire.”

“Nope, looks like they’re just being immature.”

“Oh...Wanna join them?”

“Last one in’s a rotten egg!”

Willow took off running, but Buffy caught her easily. Without breaking stride, she scooped her up and tossed her into the water.

“Ha,ha,ha! Will, you should have seen your…”

Then Buffy was flying through the air, only to land right next to Willow as Dawn and Xander stood laughing on the shore.

“Speaking of faces, Buff…”

“You, Xander Harris, are going to be very sorry.”

“Uh, I think I already am.”

Buffy emerged from the water and began stalking him. He grabbed Dawn and held her in front of him.

“You wouldn’t hurt your baby sister, would you?”

“Hey, let go! Buffy, I didn’t do anything!”

Buffy didn’t respond as she got closer.

“It was her idea Buffy, here!”

Xander shoved Dawn at her and took a step back.

“Buffy, that’s not true! Don’t…”

She went sailing through the air as Buffy tossed her effortlessly into the lake.

“Come on now Buffster, who’s your bestest bud?”

“…”

“Buff?”

“…”

“Buffy?”

He took off running, but she caught him before he’d gone five steps. She carried him lightly in her arms, smiling as he desperately began trying to talk himself out of a dunking.

“I’m sensing a desire for revenge, but I know you’re bigger than that, better than that. I know if you just look deep inside yourself, deep deep inside, you’ll see…”

“Xander?”

“...Yeah, Buff?”

“All I see is you soaking wet.”

And then he was airborne. His impact with the water drenched Willow and Dawn, and they both yelled in outrage. Buffy was back in the water before Xander had even surfaced, and she was splashing everyone until they ganged up on her and pushed her under. Giles sighed as he placed his chair back down in the shade and reopened his book.

“Bored now.”

Buffy flinched at the sound of Willow’s voice, hard enough to jangle her chains. She couldn’t stop the tears that leaked their way down her face, and Willow saw them as she rolled the Slayer over onto her back.

“Aw, dreaming about happier days? What were we all doing this time?”

“…”

“Don’t you feel like sharing today?”

“…”

Willow straddled her, pushing lightly along her ribcage until Buffy moaned and tried weakly to pull away.

“Hey, does that hurt? Sorry, guess I went kinda hard on you this morning.”

Despite her concerned words, Willow soon had her screaming as she “examined’ Buffy’s various injuries.

“Wow, big ouchies, huh? Ready to say the magic words yet?”

Buffy looked at her then, her defiance plain to see as it burned in her eyes:

“Fuck you.”

“Gee Buff, I hate it when you get like this. Well okay, I guess you leave me no choice. I’m gonna have to punish you now, but what should I use? Hey I know, how about whips? We haven’t done those in a few days, it should be a lot of fun. What do you think?”

She pulled Buffy up by her hair, then flung her hard into the wall. Buffy groaned and almost fell, but she somehow stayed on her feet.

“Very good, Slayer. Now let Willow chain you to the wall.”

Buffy fought her, but in a matter of moments she was chained up in a standing position. Willow selected a whip and dragged it slowly back and forth over Buffy’s back and shoulders.

“Okay, if you’re ready I think we might as well get started. Now last time it took you a hundred and forty-six strokes before you passed out. I’m betting you can beat that today, in fact I’m positive you can.”

Willow leaned in, whispering right into Buffy’s ear:

“See I did a little spell, and let’s just say you won’t be passing out any time soon. No need for you to thank me, what are friends for?”

CHAPTER THREE

It had been almost six months now, and Buffy could barely remember what it felt like not to have pain coursing through her body. She was tortured everyday for hours, and her whole world had shrunk to a white-hot piercing agony that stayed with her constantly.

Willow tortured her physically and mentally with great skill, clearly taking pride in her work. She was completely in tune with Buffy, instinctively knowing just when to pull back and ease off. Buffy had lost track of how many times death had mercifully come to claim her, only to be thwarted by Willow.

At just the wrong moment, Willow would begin casting healing spells, saving Buffy’s life time and again. She would lessen or stop the torture altogether, and focus on helping Buffy rebuild her strength. She would force her to eat and allow her to rest, and as the Slayer grew stronger and the danger passed, Willow would joyfully begin breaking her all over again.

For a while, Buffy clung to the hope that she could hang on long enough to witness the vampires’ food supply dwindle away to only her. Then perhaps in a mindless hunger, they would drain her. Or maybe they would grow too weak to feed her, and then she could die of starvation. Her favorite scenario had the vampires weak and helpless as she broke her chains and staked them where they lay pleading on the ground.

It was now all too clear none of that was ever going to happen. The vampires weren’t weakening, even though she had long ago become their only food source. Willow had solved that big problem quite nicely.

Using samples of Buffy’s blood, she had somehow managed to manufacture a potent mixture that kept the vampires strong and healthy. There was nothing like a vampire witch with a real mastery of computers and chemistry. Toss in plenty of fresh Slayer blood on tap, and things couldn’t have been any worse.

Still Buffy held on, refusing to give up her secret. She lived on only because she was forced to, and her only hope was that Willow would make a mistake and let her die. As time went by, that seemed less and less likely, but Buffy had nothing else left to cling to.

She knew she would break eventually, in some small ways she could feel it beginning already. She also knew it would not happen any time soon. God, why couldn’t she just die? The answer came strolling into the room as if on cue, just like a prayer answered by the Devil.

“Hiya, Buff. Bet I know what you were doing. You were playing ‘Anywhere But Here’, right? I wanna play too! Okay, let me think a sec…got it! I’m outside this barrier, I’m in Italy. It’s a warm night, I’m in a dark alley and my teeth are in John Cusack’s neck. Pretty good one, huh? Your turn!”

“…”

“Aw come on Buffy, don’t be like that. You know it always makes me mad, and we both know what happens when I get mad.”

“…”

“Come on, say something.”

“…F…Fuck you.”

“Okay then, have it your way, Slayer.”

******************************

A year had gone by. One year, two months, and five days to be precise. Buffy had no way of knowing that. Time had long ago ceased to mean anything to her. She was barely recognizable as a human being, having been reduced to a bloody, bony heap of pain.

Right now, Willow was singing a jaunty tune as she slowly carved the skin from Buffy’s arm. Buffy couldn’t even scream, the best she could manage was a pitiful mewling noise like some kind of tiny animal. The pain was so great, and as even more stretched out before her, she could no longer bear it.

“Please.”

“Something to say, Buff?”

“Principal…Synder is a…little creep.”

And just like that, the barrier fell. Willow’s smile was huge as she leaned down to kiss Buffy on the cheek.

“Good girl, Buffy. Well I guess that’s it. Hey, wanna come with me and watch the Hellmouth open?”

Buffy began pleading then:

“No, please! Please don’t make me! Just kill me…please, just kill me.”

“Oh come on Buffy, you shouldn’t miss this.”

She dragged her outside by her hair to watch, and the tears streamed down Buffy’s face as she saw the vampires escaping the town they’d been confined to for so long. Then the ground began rumbling and it happened: The Hellmouth opened.

Demons and monsters began pouring out as fire shot impossibly high into the air.

“Cool, huh Buff? And it’s all thanks to you. Now don’t you worry, I’m going to make sure history gives you full credit for all of this. I mean, what are friends for?”

And with that, Willow sunk her fangs deep into Buffy’s neck, and Buffy could feel the life finally draining from her. Her last earthly thought was:

“Oh God, what have I done?”

Buffy shot up in her bed screaming. In a matter of moments her bedroom door burst open as Dawn rushed in, Willow close behind. Dawn reached her first, and then Willow leaned in to help calm her as well.

When Buffy saw her, she scrambled back in terror.

“No! No, stay away from me!”

Buffy was frantically trying to hide herself between the wall and the bed. She was crying and shaking, and Dawn reached out and grabbed her:

“Buffy…Buffy! It’s okay, it’s just me and Willow…Buffy!”

Buffy closed her eyes, her head shaking as if she were trying to clear it. After a few minutes, she slowly opened her eyes, and they finally seemed to focus.

“…D…Dawnie? Will?”

“That’s right, Buffy. It’s just us. You were having a bad dream, but it’s okay now.”

“It was just a dream?”

Willow tried to lighten the mood:

“Yep, and maybe next time when I tell you that eating like Xander is not …”

Buffy leapt over Dawn and held Willow tightly by the arms.

“…a good idea before bed, you’ll listen to…Buffy?”

Buffy was staring intently into Willow’s eyes, and Willow stared back with concern.

“You’re you? You’re human?”

“Pretty much all the time.”

Buffy burst into tears, then grabbed Dawn and pulled them both into a forceful hug.

“You guys are alive!”

“We’re okay, okay? Maybe you could try and calm down a little and let Willow…”

“What about Giles and Xander and Anya?”

“They’re fine too. Xander and Anya were going to pick up Giles on their way here.”

“Yep, everything’s good, Buff, we’re all okay.”

“We’re all okay? Everybody’s okay?”

Dawn began squirming around.

“Well I’m not so sure about us anymore, you’re kind of crushing now.”

“What? Oh, sorry. I’m sorry, Dawnie. I’m just…”

“No, I know, it’s fine, but breathing was sort of becoming an issue.”

Buffy looked around her room as if she’d never seen it before.

“This is my room, in my house, and we’re all okay.”

Willow walked over to her:

“Hey maybe you should sit down for a second and…”

“No, I’m okay now. We should get dressed and get to work. We can’t let it happen, no matter what, we can’t.”

The doorbell rang.

“Buffy, I need to go let them in. Are you going to…”

The bell rang again.

“All right, I’ll be right there! Buffy, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. You’d better go let them in before they break down the door.”

The bell rang again, this time followed by loud knocking that went on and on.

“Okay. Willow, could you bring the Sumerian Bible? It’s on my nightstand.”

“Sure, Dawnie.”

Dawn ran down the stairs yelling as she went:

“Hold on, I’m coming! Geez, have a little patience!”

Then she was gone, and Buffy and Willow stood facing each other. They were silent as Buffy stared at her like she was looking for something.

“…Buff?”

Buffy said nothing, but her eyes never left Willow’s.

“Okay then, so you’re okay. I’m just gonna go get that Bible and some other books from my room, for all the good they seem to be doing us.”

“Willow, could I have another hug?”

“Sure.”

They embraced again, and this time Willow could feel her trembling.

“Shhh…It’s okay Buffy, you’re okay now.”

Buffy said nothing as she continued to hold Willow close.

“…Buffy?”

“Uh-huh?”

“Do you think maybe we should let go now?”

“Just a couple more minutes, Will.”

“Okay.”

***************************

“Damn it, we’re not getting anywhere!”

They were seated at the dining room table with stacks of books scattered all over the place. Willow looked up from her computer screen:

“We’re trying Buffy, but it’s not…”

“Try harder!”

“Gee Buffster, remember just a few hours ago when you were so happy to see us? Can we go back to that?”

“…I’m sorry, I guess I’m still kind of rattled.”

“We all understand, of course we do, Buffy. But we’ve only been at this for a few hours, and it’s to be expected that we will need more time to ascertain…”

Buffy rubbed her hand across her face.

“I get that, Giles. It’s just that time isn’t something we’ve got a lot of. We…”

“If I’m not mistaken, according to your Slayer dream we’ve until mid- July before the barrier is raised, yes?”

“That’s right, but I don’t want us getting anywhere near…”

“Guys? I think I’ve got something…Yep, it’s our man, well, our vampire.”

“Excellent, Willow! What’ve you found?”

“He’s pretty old, but it doesn’t say exactly how old. There’s this big controversy, and no one really knows or seems to agree on an actual number.”

“So then he’s like those strange Gabor sisters Xander and I saw last night on ‘A&E’s Biography’?”

“Um…I guess you could put it like that, Anya...if you were you, which you are. Anyway, he’s like this legendary guy, sort of a celebrity in vampire circles.”

“Again just like the Gabors. Of course their circle was limited to ‘B’ movies and Hungarians, but I’d say the similarities are downright eerie.”

“Willow, may I?”

Willow stood up and let Giles take her seat in front of the computer.

“Sure, ‘Giles’ away, Giles.”

She pointed out a particularly relevant passage, and it wasn’t long before his face began revealing his concern.

“Dawn, would you please hand me the smallest book from that stack?”

After a moment he found what he was looking for, and it didn’t look like he was all that happy about it. They all waited for him to speak, and then Buffy couldn’t take it anymore:

“Giles, a little less with the worried face, and a lot more of the actual info please.”

“What? Oh right, sorry, Buffy…everyone. It seems this Spiran fellow will be a most formidable opponent.”

“Even more than he has been?!”

Dawn’s voice came squeaking out, her disbelief evident.

“He is reputed to possess some sort of special power, although what that is exactly seems more than a tad inconclusive. What is clear is that he commands respect and loyalty from nearly every vampire he encounters. It’s not at all unusual for him to quickly assemble a devoted cadre of followers, only to watch them burgeon almost exponentially into a veritable army.”

“And for those of us who didn’t understand a word you said?”

“Put simply, Xander, he gains fanatical followers quickly, too quickly for it to be explained away rationally.”

“Maybe they’re all scared of him because of his really cool, special power thing?”

“Perhaps a good hypothesis, Dawn, but I’m afraid until we know exactly what his power is…”

“Well, I for one? Not seeing the problem. Buffy said Will took this guy out in like ten minutes. Let’s just turn Willow into a vampire and let her loose. She can handle…”

“God, shut up, Xander! It’s not a joke, there’s nothing funny about…”

“Buff, I was just…”

“…any of this. You died, do you get that?! I watched all of you die, one by one, and I had to live with it for a year! I saw your heart ripped right out of your chest, and I couldn’t stop them! Dawnie…Dawnie’s head was…”

The room had gone silent, no one quite knowing what to say. Giles stood up and went to her:

“Buffy, it’s all right. Please sit down…Buffy, please.”

She stood there for a minute, the tears falling as she struggled visibly for control. Finally she sank back down into her chair.

“…I’m sorry, Buffy. I shouldn’t have been joking about…”

“No it’s okay, I’m the one who’s sorry, Xander…again. You were just doing what you do, what we all do. I’m just…Maybe I should go lie down for a while. Would you guys mind?”

“We wouldn’t mind at all, it’ll give us a chance to talk about you. You know, it’s quite possible that you didn’t even have a Slayer dream and you’re just going insane. If that’s true, it would certainly explain your violent mood swings.”

“Yes, thank you, Anya. Buffy, it sounds like some rest might be just the thing. We shall continue on with our research, we’re bound to turn up something useful sooner or later. You try and get some sleep, we’ll keep at it.”

Buffy hesitated, something clearly on her mind:

“Okay. Listen guys…I’ve decided…well, I’ve decided that I’m going to start patrolling on my own. I think it’s best if all of you…”

“What?! Buffy, that’s just crazy!”

“See, Willow agrees with me that Buffy might be going…”

“Will…”

“No, we have to stick together, now more than ever with ‘Mr. Charismatic Bad Guy’ running around. No way are you going out alone.”

“Yeah Buff, what she said. We promise to skedaddle if we see any barriers coming, but no way are we letting you…”

Buffy was on her feet again.

“You don’t ‘let’ me do anything. Look, I’ve made my decision and…”

“And it’s a dumb one! Hello, powerful witch here. We need to…”

“Buffy, I believe we all understand your desire to keep us out of the fray, but I don’t see how that’s possible or beneficial. Regardless, now is not the time for making major decisions. You’re tired and shaken, never a good time to put one’s foot down. After you’ve rested, we can discuss…”

“You can discuss it all you want to, but I’m not going to change my mind.”

Willow stood up now as well.

“Oh great, this is just what we need. Now you’re going to be stubborn while you make dumb choices?”

“Willow, please. That sort of response is not the most constructive of…”

“Will, I’m not getting into this with you. I’ve made up my mind and…”

“And that’s the trouble, because right now you aren’t making it up very good!”

Now Xander was up, standing next to Willow as the voice of reason:

“Will, let’s not yell at Buffy just because she’s acting crazy. She’s…”

“So we all agree with my insanity theory then?”

Giles placed a calming hand on Willow’s shoulder:

“If I may? Buffy, I remind you, Slayer dreams are not prophecies. They are merely harbingers of events that may or may not take place. While we will take your latest dream seriously, I don’t believe we can allow it to cause us to deviate from our normal way of doing things. While not necessarily a well-oiled machine, we are quite effective at getting the job done when we all work together.”

“I am not putting all of you at risk. You don’t…”

“All I’m saying is that you’re too shaken and exhausted to think clearly at this juncture. Surely you understand that our strength lies in our group cohesiveness. We cannot allow a dream, not even a particularly frightening Slayer dream, to destroy that. Please, just get some rest, I’m certain we can work this all out to everyone’s satisfaction later. There’s no need to make any decision right this moment, it will keep.”

“…Okay, I guess you’re right. Do I need to apologize again, or can we all just agree I’m obviously going to keep saying stupid things until I get some sleep?”

“We forgive you, Buffy. You’ve been under a great deal of strain for years now, none of us can blame you for finally snapping.”

“…Gee, thanks so much, Anya.”

“You’re very welcome, Buffy. Think nothing of it.”

“Okay. Guys?”

“I’m fine, Buffster. We were overdue for a big freak out anyway.”

“I’m good too. Just get some sleep and I’ll see what else I can dig up on the Internet.”

“Thanks.”

“Come on, I’ll walk you up.”

“I’m not a scared little kid, Dawn. I don’t need an escort.”

“I have to go up anyway, so stop being such a big grouch.”

When they got to Buffy’s room, Dawn straightened up the bed while Buffy changed back into her pajamas. She slid in underneath the blankets as Dawn tucked her in, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. When she turned to go, Buffy reached out her hand:

“Dawnie, could you stay with me for a little while?”

“Sure. Scoot your big butt over.”

She snuggled in with her head resting on Buffy’s shoulder, and Buffy began stroking her hair slowly. They rested quietly for a few minutes until Dawn just had to ask:

“It was really bad, wasn’t it?”

She felt the tremor shoot through Buffy, and even though her hand never lost its soothing rhythm, Dawn could tell she was struggling not to cry.

“Yeah, it was.”

“……So I guess you’re over that whole ‘wanting to be an only child’ thing?”

There was a pause, and then Buffy laughed and pulled her closer.

“Oh yeah, that’s lost all appeal now.”

“Hey, does this mean I can borrow your blue sweater then?”

“No, it does not!”

“But Buffy…”

“No way!”

“Okay fine, just thought I should give it a shot.”

They stopped talking then, and eventually Buffy gradually relaxed. Just before she began drifting off, she heard Dawn’s confident voice:

“It won’t happen Buffy, you won’t let it.”

“…Dawnie, I…”

“Shhh…just rest now.”

*****************************

Buffy’s sleep was peaceful at first, but it wasn’t long before images began flitting their way across her mind. They were just tantalizing flashes that were hard to make sense of, mere glimpses of something she desperately needed to see. They weren’t scary, in fact they were somehow comforting, but they made no sense to her.

Their meaning hung just out of her reach, just beyond her consciousness. It was frustrating. She could almost grasp the pictures as they went sliding past, yet no matter what she did, they kept slipping away. Her being felt fragmented and confused, and she knew it was that division that was keeping her from seeing.

A part of her accepted what she was being shown, but a larger part was rebelling. It couldn’t be right, it couldn’t all come down to this, yet somewhere deep inside herself, she knew that it did. It was complex in the way the simplest things always are, and she knew nothing she did could ever change the truth of it.

She was the Slayer, and she had a duty. It was Buffy who was rebelling, it was Buffy who was pulling away from the truth, and the Slayer could no longer allow that. She had to see, to accept, to understand…It was time.

Buffy surrendered, and for that one instant she became only the Slayer. She looked, reaching out to grasp the images as they floated lazily before her and…

She awoke with a gasp and shot up in her bed wide awake. She knew now what she had forgotten, what they needed. She had the answer.

She ran down the stairs, startling everyone as they sat gathered in the living room.

“Good Lord! Buffy, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, everything’s right!”

“You look kinda flushed, Buff. Maybe you should…”

“I’m okay, Will. Guys, I know what we need!”

“Hey Buffster, how about a cold cloth and a…”

“Hello, is anyone listening?! I know what we need to do!”

“Why that’s just wonderful news, Buffy… Xander, do we have a tranq gun anywhere in the house?”

“Anya, I can hear you! I’m fine, okay? I’m just excited, well, and a little nervous. And yeah okay, I’m pissed too because why, you know? But none of that matters, not really. I mean it matters, but I just went through all of that with myself, so no it doesn’t.”

“Buffy, did something bad happen after I left your room?”

“No, of course not, but yeah kind of. Listen, I know what we need. And even though I don’t know exactly how it works or even how it really changes things…because true if you think about it, who knows? It could be good or bad I guess, but then why show me it if it’s just going to be bad? Where’s the point in that? Right, nowhere.”

“Buffy, perhaps you could sit down and calmly start again from the beginning?”

“‘Sit down’? Giles, who can sit at a time like this?!”

“Hopefully you can, Buff, because you’re kind of scaring the crap out of us.”

“What, Xander? Me? I’m scary? Okay, look, here I am with the sitting. Look at Buffy sitting down all calm, just like a normal person…who is talking about herself in the creepy third person and adding to the whole crazy vibe. Okay, I’m sitting down and I am calm in my excitement.”

Willow approached slowly:

“Um, maybe you could explain without all the crazy lady rambles?”

“Yes I can, just let me start all over. Maybe if I take a deep breath and…”

“Great idea, Buffy! Take many deep breaths…Xander, get the tranq gun!”

“You guys aren’t going to like this very much, but I’m going to have to ask you to trust me. I’ve got an idea, well it’s really more than just an idea. It’s a feeling, and not just any feeling.”

“And feelings are good, Buffy…The gun, Xander!”

“I had another Slayer dream, or something. It was…I don’t really know what it was, but it felt…Okay, this is where I need all of you to just trust me. Even though I sound crazy, I know what I’m saying, and I just need you to hear me out, okay?”

“I, for one, shall endeavor to keep an open mind.”

“Yep, one open-minded girl here.”

“You may call me the ‘King of Open-Mindedness’.”

All eyes turned to Anya:

“……Oh, all right! But I still think we’d feel much better if we just knew where the tranq gun was.”

“Dawnie?”

“Huh?”

“I’m polling here on open-mindedness.”

“You know that’s my middle name.”

“Open-mindedness?!”

“An…”

“You’re saying ‘Open-mindedness’ is your middle name? Was Joyce clinically insane when she named you girls?”

“Honey, it’s just an expression. That’s not her middle name.”

“It’s not?”

“No.”

Anya looked relieved:

“Oh…Well, okay then. Of course that still doesn’t fully explain ‘Buffy’, or even ‘Dawn’ when you think about it. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Joyce very much, but you have to wonder if she was drunk or just drugged out of her mind when she…Sorry, you were going to tell us your crazy idea.”

“I know what we need to do. It’s going to take us a couple of days to get everything ready, and it’s going to be hard in a lot of ways…but I’m positive this is what we need to do, no matter what.”

Giles began cleaning his glasses, his face thoughtful.

“So far Buffy, you’ve not told us exactly what it is you want us to do.”

“What if I told you guys we need to…”

CHAPTER FOUR

“Jesus Christ, Eddie! Already got the okay to just hang here, so what’s the fucking…”

“Whoa, don’t shoot the messenger. Just came to tell you you’ve got a visitor.”

Faith shot off her bunk.

“Soulboy finally showed?”

“I don’t think so. The word I got is that it’s a woman.”

Faith could feel the fear rushing through her, but she did her best not to let it show.

“A woman?”

“Yeah. They didn’t give me a name, but if you want I can…”

“I know who it is.”

“You okay?”

“Five by five. Let’s motor.”

She went first with the guard following close behind, standard prison protocol. They didn’t make their usual small talk, Faith was way too busy thinking and Eddie could sense the tension she was feeling. She looked just like she always did, but her mind was racing.

It had to be bad news, what other reason would Cordelia have for visiting her? Angel was in trouble…what if he’d been dusted? What if he was gone for good?

He hadn’t been by or called or even written in over two months. No one answered when she called, and none of her messages had been returned by anyone. She knew no fucking way this could be anything good.

As she waited to clear all the locked doors between her cell and the visiting room, Faith was sure she was going nuts. Not “Old Faith” violent psycho nuts, just the standard regulation total complete fucking freak-out. He could not be dust.

It seemed to take forever, but when she finally got there, she felt her legs trying to buckle. All she wanted was to run back to the safety of her cell and pretend she didn’t know Cordelia was waiting for her.

“Number twenty.”

“Huh?”

“You’re at number twenty…You okay?”

“Fine, thanks.”

All the way to the end in the corner…She wasn’t sure she was going to be able to make it that far without collapsing to the floor. She knew it wouldn’t do her reputation any good if she fell down screaming and bawling, so she forced herself to suck it up.

She started walking then, her mind trying its best to talk her through what was coming. Angel wasn’t dead, just busy. Reason Cordelia had come by was because she suddenly wanted to be pals, not because she was bringing bad news.

Besides, it probably wasn’t even Cordelia waiting for her. It could be that Fred chick Angel talked about. Maybe she’d made some big scientific breakthrough and just had to share her excitement with a murdering psycho convict, or maybe the Avon lady had come to………B.

Buffy Summers was sitting on the other side of the glass looking so out of place, she might as well have been dancing naked on the moon. She had a nasty gash running down the left side of her face, and she looked tired as hell. To a stranger her eyes looked just like they always did, confident and determined, but while not a friend, Faith wasn’t a stranger either. She could see Buffy was afraid, like something had her spooked.

Faith sat down in her chair and tried not to squirm as her stunning orange jumpsuit immediately began fighting its way up her ass crack. She lifted the phone and waited for Buffy to speak, but Buffy just sat there staring. Finally she seemed to clue into the fact that she had to pick up the phone on her side, and she did.

The first noise Faith heard was Buffy clearing her throat, and then for the next minute there was no noise at all.

“Only give me twenty minutes, B. Might wanna get to it, yeah?”

Again with the throat clearing, but this time it was followed by actual words, or word:

“Faith.”

Then that was it for another couple of minutes. Faith figured she should get the ball rolling, obviously something big was going down and Buffy was having all kinds of issues.

“So, huge surprise here. What’s the occasion?”

“…”

“B?”

“…”

“Buffy, what’s wrong?”

“We need help.”

“From me?”

“…Yes.”

“This has gotta be the shocker of all-time.”

“I guess maybe it is from your viewpoint.”

“Thinking from anybody’s viewpoint. What’s it been now, two years?”

“Yes.”

“Get my letters?”

“Yes.”

“Can’t say the same.”

“…I never wrote back.”

“Get my invites?”

“Yes.”

“Couldn’t make it even once?”

“No.”

“See how we all gotta call it a shocker?”

“…”

“Okay, despite how it sounds, not trying to rub your nose in anything. Don’t blame ya a bit, it’s all on me and I get that. So let’s just get to what you’re doing here.”

“…”

“B?”

“…I…I…”

“Gotta spit out at least the basics. Can’t help if I don’t have a clue.”

“I need you.”

“…”

“Faith?”

“Still here. Just went someplace else with that for a sec.”

Buffy’s face went beet red, and her eyes stared down at the floor. She looked even more uncomfortable than she had just a minute ago, not an easy feat to accomplish.

“Sorry, side effect of all women for two years. Ya get used to that kinda…Ah, who the fuck am I trying to kid? Guess I was just trying to wind ya up a little, you know how I am…Anyway, what’s the what B?”

“It’s bad and it’s complicated.”

“Sorry to hear that, but you’re the Slayer on duty. I’m just the fucked up murderer who can’t be trusted.”

“I know who you are.”

“So then what are we playin’ at here?”

“We’re not playing, at least I’m not.”

“What am I supposed to do? Case it’s slipped your mind, I’m doing twenty-five to life. Kinda booked for a while.”

“I know your sentence.”

“Was your request.”

“Yes.”

“So? Don’t tell me you’re one of them fickle chicks. Can’t just change your mind when it comes to prison.”

Buffy held up her hand, placing it right against the glass:

“See this ring?”

“Yeah, sure can’t figure it as your style.”

“If I break it, no one will ever remember I was here, no one except you.”

“Gotcha a ‘Red Special’ then.”

“Yes.”

“Nice, but ‘fore you take this any further, ya oughta know they listen in and tape these conversations.”

“Their system went down right before I got here, video too. We’ve still got a few minutes.”

“Wow, really worth her weight.”

“I’m driving my mom’s jeep. It’s parked right below that window.”

“Primo spot.”

“I’m going to say this, and then I’m going to leave: We’re in trouble and we need your help. It can’t wait until you and I sort things out, and it can’t wait twenty-five to life. It has to be right now. When I clear the last locked door, I’m going to smash this ring and wait five minutes. They’ll know you’ve escaped, and I’m sure they’ll come after you. Will thinks she can keep you safe, but I can’t offer you any guarantees.”

Buffy looked her right in the eye then, and as Faith stared back, she knew what was coming.

“Please Faith, I need you.”

And with that, Buffy hung up her phone and walked out. Faith sat watching her until she was out of sight, then let out a loud sigh. She knew her decision was already made.

She was a model prisoner, and thanks to the part she’d played in squashing a deadly riot, she was up for way early parole in less than two years. Save the lives of a buncha guards, and even the warden becomes a big fan. The guards develop some major appreciation too, and it was all to the good.

The other prisoners respected or feared her, and she had no beefs with anyone. Prison didn’t get any better than she had it, and all she had to do was stick it out for another twenty-two months. She could do that standing on her head.

The warden’s big brother was the governor, and with that kind of clout behind her, well she was going to go free and clear. Sins punished, slate scrubbed clean. For the first time in her life she was going to get the chance to make something good for herself. She was going to get a shot at really living.

If she left, all of that would be over. If they caught her, she’d definitely be serving the “life” part of her sentence. There’d be no chance of parole, no back-up from the warden, no finding the good side with any of the guards, not after making fools out of them. The rest of her life would be spent in a living hell, and there’d be no reprieve, not ever.

There were just some things she couldn’t risk, not even for Buffy. Hell, there were some things Buffy didn’t even have the right to ask for. So far, Faith hadn’t come across any of those things.

She stood up and jumped through the unbreakable glass. There were three guards and she took care of them as gently as she could, then smashed her way through the window that led to the parking lot. She fell two stories and landed on the hood of the jeep, denting it slightly with the force of her impact. She rolled off and was on the backseat floor in less than five seconds.

Buffy never said a word as she casually headed for the exit. She looked perfectly calm, like she didn’t have an on the run murderer in her car.

“How we gettin’ through?”

“Magic.”

The gate swung open, startling the two guards sitting inside the gatehouse. The jeep blew past as if invisible and they were already clear before the guards could even make it to their feet. Then the sirens suddenly began blaring out the news that a prisoner had escaped, and the guards turned away from nothing and began locking down the area.

Buffy kept driving, and soon they were out of sight and cruising down a side road.

“Some wicked ass mojo, B. These clothes for me?”

“Yeah. Sorry there’s no leather.”

“Long as it’s not orange, I’m feelin’ it.”

After a few minutes filled with a lot of grunting and groaning, interrupted only by some incredibly descriptive swearing, Faith landed in the front seat with her new outfit more or less in place. She was holding another bag and grinning.

“Guessing the pizza and beer’s all me too?”

“Yep.”

“Cool! Thanks, B.”

“Maybe you’d better not thank me until I’ve explained just what I’ve gotten you into.”

“Gotta tell ya, any shit’s worth it for this beer.”

They were quiet then, the only sound the noise Faith made as she devoured her food. It didn’t take long for her to polish it off, and when she was done she sat back with a loud and satisfied sigh:

“Man, was that good.”

“…Faith?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

There was silence again, both Slayers facing forward as they stared out through the windshield.

“…Still can’t resist ya, Blondie. Guess some shit’s never gonna change.”

************************

They took their time getting back to Sunnydale, they had no other choice. A multitude of roadblocks had begun popping up, and they were forced to follow a rather convoluted route home. Thankfully Willow had managed to tap into the network of police computers, and by keeping in close contact with her, they’d been able to avoid detection.

At first the search had been concentrated on the area immediately surrounding the prison, but when Faith didn’t turn up, the police assumed that she had somehow acquired a ride. The search perimeter had expanded quickly, and it made things somewhat tricky for the Slayers. A trip that normally took two hours was now well into its sixth, with many more yet to come.

Buffy had been prepared for the long trip home, and she had lots of food and drink stashed in coolers in the jeep’s cargo area. With Willow’s blessing, they decided to pull off and enjoy an impromptu picnic. They drove down a seemingly deserted country lane and found an overgrown and secluded spot.

It didn’t take long to unload the jeep and spread a blanket, and soon they were digging into a delicious meal. They ate in total silence, and it wasn’t until they were lazing in the shade that Faith finally spoke up:

“B, don’t we gotta talk?”

“Yes, I suppose we do.”

They were silent again

“Want me to lead it off?”

“Sure, okay.”

“Right...So how come you came and got me?”

“I thought I already explained that. Things couldn’t be any worse and…”

“Yeah, I got that. Way obvious another Slayer in the mix can only help, but that’s not what I’m getting at. How do ya know you can trust me? What makes you think I won’t do just what I did before?”

“Is that what you’re planning to do?”

“No, them days are long gone. But you got no way of knowing that’s true.”

“I’m not exactly sure how to answer you, Faith. I could say that I’m still mad at you, that I still want you to pay for everything you did, and I think I have the right to feel that way. But that’s not how I feel, it hasn’t been for a while now.”

“Wanna explain?”

“Not really, but I guess I owe you at least that much.”

Buffy didn’t say anything for a few moments as she stared down at the blanket. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft, almost shy:

“I just never thought you’d stay.”

“Ya mean in prison?”

“Yes. God, I was so positive you’d get bored with the guilt thing, then break out and…well let’s just say I didn’t think it would be pretty. But then time started passing, and I finally had to admit that you were serious about making amends. I knew how hard it had to be for you to stay there, but you just kept sticking it out, and I couldn’t keep the anger going anymore.”

“Asked ya how to make it better.”

“Yes you did. I said ‘jail’ to Angel because I was pissed off. I had no idea you’d pay any attention to me.”

Faith couldn’t quite stifle her laugh.

“What’s the joke?”

“Nothing. Never mind, B.”

“Well I am minding. I want to know, and if I’m not mistaken we’re trying to clear the air here, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So to me, an important part of that is no more secrets.”

“…Suppose that’s right.”

“Then tell me what’s so funny.”

“It’s just that…I’m not sure it’s the kinda thing you wanna hear.”

Maybe not, but I do know for sure I don’t want you keeping things from me. That I’m positive about, so let’s hear it.”

“…”

“Faith.”

“……Oh fuck…Okay B, I was laughing ‘cause since the first second I saw you, I haven’t done a thing except pay attention to you.”

“Yeah, you were definitely all about wanting to hurt…”

“Not what I mean.”

“Oh…Okay then, what do you mean?”

“…I was in love with you, and I guess it’s not off the mark to say it drove me nuts. Everything I did was because of that. It’s why I tried to kill Angel, it’s why I went to the Mayor, and it’s sure as hell why I went to jail when you said it.”

“…”

“B?”

“…”

“Buffy?”

“…But you’re straight. I mean, you’re the biggest liker of boys I’ve ever known.”

“Yeah.”

“Then how could you…What are you saying to me?”

“Saying I fell for you when I met you. I’m saying everything I did, I did because I was in love with you. Most of it was sick and twisted for sure…I went nuts because I knew I could never have you, knew you’d never feel anything for me, least not what I wanted you to. So I went all evil and crazy, and the big joke was that you were still all I could think about.”

“But you like guys.”

“True enough, but I loved you. Can’t explain it B, not even to myself. I just know it’s true.”

Buffy sat up, her anger beginning to build:

“So are you saying this has all been my fault?”

“Fuck no, all on me. Lots of people love people who don’t love’em back, and they don’t become murderers and shit. It wasn’t you Buffy, it was me. Kind of a long ass story, maybe one day I’ll get into it if you really wanna. For now, don’t think it matters, not with all this other stuff going down.”

“…Yeah, I guess.”

“So I figure we…”

“You said ‘loved’.”

“Big surprise for ya, I know. But you don’t need to worry about…”

“Past tense.”

“…That’s what I said, yeah.”

“Does that mean you don’t love me anymore?”

Now it was Faith’s turn to study the blanket underneath her.

“Faith?”

“Fuck, what do you wanna hear, B?”

“The truth.”

“Yeah, the truth…Ya know, life was goin’ good for me, as good as it could go in the joint anyways. Figured to hit early parole in twenty-two months, good behavior and shit like that. Guards treated me good, got all kinda special privileges…even had Warden Simmons backing me. But I fucked all of that over and I’m sitting here with you just ‘cause you said you needed me. What’s that tell you?”

“It tells me that I want a direct answer. Do you still love me, Faith?”

“Man…Yeah B, I do. I absolutely do.”

The silence stretched uncomfortably until Buffy found her voice:

“I’m not sure how to respond.”

“Well, could say ya feel the same, take off all your clothes and fuck my brains out. That’d work for me.”

“…”

“Jesus, I’m sorry, Buffy. Guess I’m still a long ways from mature. I don’t really wanna embarrass you anymore, just some asshole defense mechanism.”

“…”

“Look, no reason this has gotta change anything. I’m here ‘cause I wanna be. I just wanna help, and I got plenty to make-up for with you and the gang. Plus, crazy as it sounds, I like to do the right thing now just ‘cause it’s right. I’m a Slayer, a piss poor one so far, but I got a duty and I wanna do it. I don’t expect a thing from you, not your love, not your trust, not even your best wishes.”

Minutes passed with neither of them saying a thing.

“Got a bad sitch here and you need my help. Can give ya that, B. I’m not gonna snap and go crazy again. Not gonna start playing games, not gonna try and kill your friends and lovers, and I sure as shit am not gonna side with the other guy this time around. This time I got your back and I swear to you, I’ll die before I let anything get the best of you. I promise, Buffy.”

“…Okay.”

They spent the next hour resting, mostly lost in their own thoughts. Buffy was the first to make a move, and she began quietly gathering and packing everything up. Faith joined in, and the task was finished in just a few minutes.

She slammed the jeep’s cargo door closed as Buffy pulled out her phone.

“I guess I’d better get the update from Will.”

“Yeah, no sense gettin’ nabbed ‘fore we even get there.”

Buffy punched the ‘talk’ button, but when the dial tone sounded, she pressed it off again.

“Faith?”

“Yeah, B?”

“I’m kind of stupid, aren’t I?”

“’Stupid’? Not following.”

“About you, I mean. You didn’t even really hide it, did you?”

“Got to a point where I couldn’t. Doesn’t mean you’re stupid though, just means you’re Buffy.”

“I’m not sure I see the difference.”

“Don’t mean it’s not there.”

“I think maybe you’re just being kind.”

“Maybe, but when’s that ever been my thing?”

Buffy couldn’t stop the small smile that flitted across her face, and she couldn’t stop the sudden warmth she felt as she looked at Faith.

“You listen to me now, B. Ya can’t see what you’re not looking for, nobody can. Doesn’t make ya stupid, that’s just the way it is. So you missed that a psycho was head over heels for you, how’s that your fault? Think about it, why would anybody be looking for that?”

“But…”

“None of that matters anymore. What’s important is that you hang onto who you are. There’s nobody better than you, and that’s just the way it is too. Nobody can beat ya, B, not in the end…Now make your call so we can motor. I’m itching to kick this fucker’s ass, how ‘bout you, Slayer?”

****************************

As they turned down Buffy’s street, Faith tensed and began to fidget.

“Faith, it’ll be fine. Everyone’s grateful that you’ve come back.”

“Maybe so. Still doesn’t change shit.”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t. But right now, I don’t think the past matters to any of us. What’s going on right now is more than enough for us to worry about.”

“Yeah, guess that’s my break. Let’s do it.”

They entered the house to find everyone gathered around the dining room table, up to their ears in research. All conversation stopped the instant Faith stepped into view, and the silence lasted until Giles took charge:

“Faith, how very good of you to come.”

He stood and approached her, at first offering his handshake, but then deciding on an awkward hug.

“Glad to be here.”

Then all was quiet again, and although no one was outwardly glaring, no one looked exactly overjoyed either. It was Willow who made the next move. She hugged Buffy and then turned to Faith with what looked to be a sincere smile:

“You made it! It sure got hairy there for awhile, but once I accessed their central computer, they didn’t stand a chance.”

“You were great, Will. Did they…”

“Yep, first a warning call, then they dropped by. They offered to stakeout the house, but we told them we didn’t think it would be necessary. I guess they didn’t listen though because there’s an order in for drive-bys all night, and then a twenty-four undercover thing tomorrow.”

“Shit, I’d better hightail it someplace else. No way will I be able to come and go if…”

“Oh no don’t worry, I’ve got that covered. I’ll just do glamour and totally change your appearance. It won’t be real, but you’ll look totally different to them. To us and you, well you’ll still be the same old Faith.”

Willow looked sorry the second she said it, Faith looked guilty, and everyone else looked scared. Buffy had seen enough:

“Okay everyone, listen up. We all know Faith’s last visit wasn’t much fun for any of us, but that’s in the past now. Here in the present, we need her and she wants to help. For what it’s worth, I trust her completely, no doubts at all. So could we just stop with the super sensitivity crap and focus on what it is we need to do?”

Everyone murmured their agreement, everyone except Dawn. Instead she walked over and stood directly in front of Faith:

“I need more than that.”

“I…Not sure what you’re after, Squ…Dawn.”

“You hurt us all a lot. Now we need you and here you are. That’s great, but I need to hear you promise that you won’t betray us again. I need you to promise me, Faith.”

“Not gonna turn on you guys again.”

Dawn just stood there staring into her eyes, and although she was incredibly uncomfortable, Faith forced herself not to look away.

“I give you my word, you can trust me this time.”

“Okay then, welcome home, Faith.”

“Thanks, Dawn.”

Dawn smiled:

“You mean, ‘Squirt’.”

Faith’s face lit up:

“Yeah, I do.”

“All right then, excellent. Now that we’ve laid the matter to rest, perhaps we should update Buffy and Faith as to our discoveries? From there, I suggest we proceed onward to drawing up our battle strategy.”

Buffy pulled out a chair and sat down:

“Sounds good to me. Did you guys find out anything helpful?”

“Here Faith, take my chair. I’ll grab one from the kitchen.”

“Thanks, Xander.”

“While I’m in said area, I might as well grab us some snacks too. Who wants what?”

“Can’t we just order something?”

“My God Dawn, you just ate a scant two hours ago.”

“So? I’m hungry and I’m still a growing girl.”

“I’m with the Dawnster. Growing boy here, too!”

“Now that’s a relief. I’ve been planning to talk to you about your recent weight gain, but Willow said it was a touchy subject. It’s great that you already know you’re getting a little fat, that way I won’t be the one responsible for hurting your feelings.”

“…Thanks, honey.”

“Of course you’re more than welcome, and boy, what a relief!”

Dawn was up now:

“Guys, come on! I’m practically starving to death!”

“Dawnie, maybe you could just make a sandwich or…”

“Oh God, that’s so gross, Willow! Faith, come on! You’re always hungry, back me up here!”

“Well yeah, could go for some takeout. What about you, B?”

“Hmm…I guess I could…”

“Why are you asking her?! You know she’ll just say she wants a pukey non-fat yogurt. ‘Scrawny the Vampire Slayer’ is so not our friend when it comes to…”

“Hey, I am not scrawny! I’m pleasingly slim!”

“Whatever, Buffy.”

“And I love to eat! Can I help it if my Slayer metabolism…”

“Girls, please. We’ve a rather serious situation on our hands and we…”

“Fat Boy is voting for either pizza or subs. Mmm, maybe pizza and subs.”

“Xander, I think that sort of attitude might be part of the problem. Maybe you should…”

“An, I’ll diet tomorrow, okay? Right now I’m starving!”

“I mean, you’re making it sound like I’m Karen Carpenter!”

“Who’s she?”

“So not the point. The point is, I’ve got a perfectly healthy appetite and…”

“Well I’m not the one who said she just wanted yogurt.”

“Neither am I! Did anyone hear me say that? No, they did not. I was going to suggest we order…”

“Quiet! You may all order whatever you wish, my treat! Now may we please get back to the task before us?”

They all looked suitably ashamed.

“We’re sorry, Giles. Xander, you go order while Faith and I get the update. Okay, all business here, Slayers on duty.”

“Yeah Xander, you’d better shake a leg before Scrawny gets mad!”

“Dawnie, I am going to…”

“Maybe you could catch me if you weren’t so malnourished and…OW! Let go of me!”

“Not until you take it back!”

“Somebody help, Scrawny’s gone crazy!”

Xander called out from the kitchen:

“Giles, check, cash, or charge?”

“Stop it! OW, now look what you made me do!”

“It’s okay, Buff. I think I remember the page numbers.”

Xander called out again:

“Giles!”

“What is it?!”

Buffy and Dawn were nearly wrestling as they squirmed around, and Willow was resolutely picking up the books they’d knocked to the floor in their ridiculous struggle.

“I need to know how you’re paying!”

“...With my sanity, apparently. I shall be using money!”

“So, cash then?”

Anya yelled to Xander from the living room:

“Xander, find out if they honor the barter system!”

“Hiding behind Faith isn’t going to help you.”

“Xander, is money not considered cash in this country?”

“Gee, what’s with all the sarcasm? I’m just asking.”

“Could somebody bring a cracker or a rice cake to distract Scrawny?”

“Ow! What the fuck ya hittin’ me for, B?!”

“Stop trying to protect her.”

Willow was on her knees looking completely confused:

“Does anyone remember if this one was on 312 or 213?”

Giles stood up, clearly exasperated:

“I am now going to avail myself of the facilities…”

“Not tryin’ to do shit! Squirt, will ya let go of me?”

Xander walked back into the dining room:

“Food’s on its way!”

“So, can we trade old diseased blankets for the food?”

“’Old diseased blankets’? Anya, what are you talking about?”

“…and when I return, I shall expect to find this…”

“OW!!! You’re killing me!”

“You little liar, I barely touched you!”

“You missed it because you fell asleep, which is to be expected as the obese have less energy.”

“…childish behavior at an end.”

“B, could ya let me up? Not really in this and…OW! Dawn!”

“You stay put!”

“Now wait, I know this was on 132…123…something. Maybe a spell’s the way to go here…”

“Anya, what does my being fat have to do with blankets?”

“Well I saw this fascinating program in which your ancestors gave the Indians these old diseased blankets in exchange for valuable things.”

“Of course I shall also expect the sun to begin orbiting the Earth as…”

“Where would we even find ‘old diseased blankets’?”

Buffy yelped in pain from her spot in the three girl pile-up:

“OW! Stop pulling my hair!”

“Faith did it!”

“What?! No way do I do that girly shit!”

“…’cause the old-fashioned spelless way? Not too effective so far.”

“…magical pixies arrive to tidy the house and do the wash.”

“Hmm…that is a problem. Okay, technically I suppose they could just be old blankets.”

“Hey, no tickling allowed…Barfy!”

“This from the dirty hair puller?!”

“Seriously guys, just wanna stand the fuck up here.”

“An, we have to give them money for the food.”

“Well what about ugly blankets? Buffy has several of those and…”

“Don’t you wash your hair, Scrawny?”

“I am so going to…”

“Of course I don’t know any ‘Turn Books Back to Their Marked Pages’ spell anyway.”

“OW! Watch it, will ya, B?!”

“Stop being such a big baby, F.”

“…we’d be doing her a favor if we got rid of them.”

“Anya, stop with the blankets already!”

“No, I should be able to figure this out without magic. Okay, this one was definitely on 795…no, 975…shoot.”

“Don’t think I’m being a baby, just ‘cause I wanna…Fuck! Squirt, that hurts!”

Giles looked at the Slayer and her crack team:

“Bloody hell.”

*************************

The Slayers patrolled that night but it was dead quiet, never a good sign.

“Fuck, this is a drag.”

“I don’t get it, maybe they’re all girding their loins…That is such a strange word, ‘gird’. I wonder where it…”

“No flights of fancy, B. So what was your dream like anyhow? Know it was bad, but seems like it felt way real too.”

“It did, but you know what Slayer dreams are like.”

“Can’t say I do. Far as I know, never had one.”

Buffy stopped walking.

“What? What do you mean?”

Faith turned to face her:

“Mean I’ve never had one. Guess whoever’s running the show isn’t all that impressed with the job I been doing.”

“So…never?”

“Only good dreams I get are the sex kind. Wouldn’t mind if some of those came true. Pretty sure I could handle that.”

“That’s so weird. Maybe it’ll change now that you’re all good and…”

“Whoa there! First thing is, no way am I all good. Might be able to swing fifty-fifty on a real bitchin’ day. Second thing, based on the word of mouth, I don’t want’em anyway. ‘Specially not when they rattle you like this last one did. Can go right ahead and keep’em, no hard feelings.”

Buffy let out a rueful laugh and started walking again.

“I guess I can’t blame you there.”

“So in your dream, you held out for like a year? Can’t say I’m surprised, always were a tough little fucker. So what was the deal, you couldn’t say some secret phrase?”

“Huh?”

“The secret phrase deal, what was it again?”

“Oh, it was…it was, ‘Principal Synder is a little’…”

“Nah, wasn’t that just some cover deal? Something to think when they got a little too close?”

“What?”

“C’mon B, seriously now, what was the saying? Can tell me, you know I won’t tell a soul.”

“What are you…I’m not sure I should.”

“Why not? What’s it matter now?”

“I don’t…It just doesn’t…feel right.”

“So what, that was all just bullshit before? Thought you said you trusted me now?”

“I do…I do trust you…Faith…I mean…I trust Faith…You’re...not………No.”

“Bored now.”

Buffy opened her eyes to find herself huddled on the cold stone floor, Willow pacing angrily in front of her.

“This is getting a little old, Buff. I mean it’s been two weeks of almost constant togetherness, and what do I have to show for all my hard work?”

She kicked Buffy’s already tender ribs, hard enough to lift her completely off the floor.

“Okay sure it’s been fun, but I’m starting to get kinda cranky now. You don’t wanna make me mad, do you?”

“Fuck…you.”

“Good idea, maybe later. Right now all I wanna know is: what’s it gonna take to get that phrase out of you?”

“A lot more…than any…thing you’ve…got.”

“Hey look everybody, it’s the return of ‘Buffy, the Scrappy Slayer’!”

She kicked Buffy again, this time slamming her painfully up against the wall.

“I have to tell ya Buff, you are one stubborn little bitch. I knew your body was strong ‘cause hey Slayer here, but no way did I think you could take this much pain. It’s kinda inspiring, ya know?”

Willow crouched down next to her, running her hand along Buffy’s aching ribcage until she had her moaning in misery.

“But the biggest surprise? I had no clue that your mind was this strong. I’d have bet your life that last scenario had you beat, but nope. You just fought me off again, and even though it’s getting a little old, I guess I have to give you credit for being tough. Giles would be so proud.”

Willow stood and began pacing again.

“But see, now we’ve got a little problem. That last brain tour took a lot out of me, and I’m feeling all drained and weak. Hmm, what can we do to pass the time? Ooh, I know, let’s do whips, that’s always fun! Plus you cry every time now, and that’s a big happy bonus.”

Willow pulled her up roughly by her hair and flung her against the whipping post. As Buffy fought to stay on her feet, Willow manacled her securely into place.

“There, that’s better isn’t it? Now Buff, remember to do lots of screaming. Everybody loves hearing you so much, and it kinda breaks up the boring sunny parts of the day, ya know?”

Willow smiled as she looked at the Slayer:

“Aw, you’re shaking for me already.”

Willow pulled her close and licked along her jaw:

“Yep, that’s definitely the taste of fear. You know none of this would have to happen if you’d just say the magic words. If you tell me, I promise I’ll kill you fast. Think about it, there’d be no more suffering, no more pain, no more whips, just peace forever. Wouldn’t that be nice? Come on, Buff, just say it. Just say it and this will all be over.”

“…”

“And now you’re crying. Gee, I haven’t even hit you yet, what’s gonna happen when the flogging gets going for real?”

Buffy stood silently, shaking as the tears streamed down her face.

“Come on Buff, just say the phrase.”

“…”

Buffy jumped as the whip cracked right next to her head.

“Last chance.”

“…Fuck…you.”

“Okay then, better buckle up, Slayer. Willow’s angry.”

CHAPTER FIVE

“Bloody goddamn hell!!! It’s clearly not going to work! We haven’t even given it a proper go and already it’s gone barmy! We have nothing, not a bloody thing! What are we…”

“Maybe if we try to…”

Giles slammed the book he was holding down onto the dining room table, making everyone jump.

“We can’t do ‘maybes’, Willow! We’ve got to get this sussed out now before it’s too late! For all we know…”

“Giles, maybe you should try to calm down. We’re all scared, but it’s not…”

“You’ve something to share then, do you Xander? All done sitting about, twiddling your thumbs, are you?”

“Hey, don’t talk to him like that! He hasn’t just been sitting around, and I’ve never seen him twiddle his thumbs.”

“Ah yes, he’s been most invaluable. Who else could have managed to fetch all the…”

Willow got up in a hurry as both Giles and Xander stood:

“Whoa guys, stop. This isn’t…”

“At least I’ve fed us! What exactly have you done that’s been so…”

“Stop now! This isn’t helping us get any closer to…”

“And purchasing pastries is going to win the day, is it? Well isn’t that just bloody marvelous? All we need do is…”

“You’re not being fair or funny, Giles. You can’t just attack Xander because you feel useless. He’s doing…”

“Oh do jump in, Anya, but first let me assure you I couldn’t give a rat’s arse…”

“SHUT UP!!!”

There was immediate silence as Willow’s voice rang out in the room, and after a moment, everyone sat back down.

“This is not the time for this, not that there’s ever a time for tearing each other apart. We’re all scared okay, so no one say another word unless it’s something useful. Buffy’s counting on us, we have to stick together and help her.”

The silence hung heavy in the air until Giles let out a sigh:

“…You’re right, of course. Xander, please forgive me. I’m afraid I became somewhat unnerved by our latest failure, but I had no right to take my frustrations out on you. I’m deeply sorry, and I didn’t mean a word of that rubbish. I believe I went somewhat insane there for a moment.”

“It’s okay, I understand. I’m feeling kind of crazy myself.”

“Anya, I apologize to you as well. I shouldn’t have…”

“I suppose since Xander accepted your apology, I have to too. Fine, but you’d better watch your step, mister. One more attack on him like that, and you can kiss your precious jelly doughnuts goodbye...forever.”

“A punishment I would more than deserve. I’m truly sorry, Anya, everyone.”

“Well it sounds like you really mean it, so okay. I forgive you, Giles.”

“I appreciate that, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Willow took charge again:

“All right, so where exactly are we?”

“I’d say we’re pretty much nowhere.”

“I’m afraid I must concur with Xander. It seems we…”

Dawn stood up in a near panic:

“But there has to be something we can do!”

“I’m sorry, Dawn, but it appears as if we’ve utterly exhausted all our…”

“No, there has to be something…”

As Dawn began crying, Willow reached over and pulled her close:

“Shhh, Dawnie, it’s okay. God, Giles, is that your new plan? Terrorize Dawnie and sit back while Buffy gets tortured to death? You’re her Watcher, but that’s…”

“Figure to step in now since your voice of reason’s startin’ to lose it.”

Five heads turned at the sound of her voice…

“Faith!”

Willow began murmuring ominously as Xander scrambled for the weapons. Before Faith could move or say a word, she felt the air around her becoming strangely charged, and then just like that, she was burning.

“Hold up, just here to help!”

The pain made her stagger back a few paces, but she stayed on her feet.

“I believe I speak for the group when I say, ‘Not bloody likely’.”

“Shit! Look I’m sitting, okay? Hands locked behind my head. I’m…Fuck! Red, I get it! Wanna kill me? Go ahead but… Jesus! Please, just…just hear me out first…please.”

The air remained uncomfortably close and hot, but the pain receded to a tolerable level. Willow’s eyes were a solid black, and they never once left Faith.

“Fuck, that hurt. You guys can chain me up if ya wanna, alright? Whatever it takes to make you comfortable, but ya gotta hear me out.”

“We don’t need chains. One false move and all you are is an unpleasant memory.”

The pain increased again, and the sound of Willow’s voice was nothing short of terrifying. It was deep and menacing, and it didn’t sound a thing like her.

“Shit, I get it! I’m not movin’ at all. Just let me talk.”

“Go ahead.”

Faith was sweating as she sat with her back against the wall.

“Busted outta jail about five hours ago. Called in some…”

“And so what? You thought we’d be happy to see our very own murderer fleeing from justice?”

“Knew better than that, Xander. Just let me explain and if I got it wrong, I’ll turn myself right the fuck in.”

“Well odds are since you always get everything wrong…”

“Xander, while I understand and even share your hostility, I think we should let her speak. Perhaps she truly does have some useful information to impart.”

Xander’s expression clearly showed his unhappiness with Giles’ suggestion:

“…Yeah, okay, go ahead.”

“B’s in trouble. Some hotshot vamp’s got her, and you guys can’t get anywhere near her. There’s some kinda barrier in the way, and time’s startin’ to factor in. That part’s sorta confused ‘cause B’s a little jumbled up.”

The dropping of a pin would have been audible.

“Sudden quiet mean I’m on the money?”

“Yes, I’m afraid it does.”

“Damn.”

“Would you care to explain how you knew?”

“Been getting these dreams. First I figured’em for a reaction to the new menu or something, but they just kept coming so I started paying attention. They got clearer and I finally clued in. Think B’s been trying to give me the skinny.”

“Something akin to your shared dream concerning the Mayor?”

“Yeah, in a way.”

Giles was pacing back and forth:

“I see…So it was then that you so cavalierly decided to end your incarceration with no regard whatsoever for the consequences to yourself?”

“Wasn’t nothing ‘cavalier’ about it. Tried calling Angel first, ‘cause no way was I lookin’ to screw myself. Not too surprised when nobody answered, haven’t heard from him in like two months now. Fact, I was hoping you guys might have some info.”

Giles hesitated before answering:

“It seems he and Cordelia have gone missing. Wesley and the rest of Angel’s associates are currently searching for them.”

“Fuck! Anybody ask that little fucking shit Connor?”

“Sorry, who?”

“Angel’s kid. Tell ya, don’t trust that little prick as far as you can…”

Everyone looked confused:

“I’m sorry, did you just say, ‘Angel’s kid’?”

“Yeah, Angel’s son…Connor. What, you guys didn’t know?”

“I should say not!”

“Well now ya do, and you’re not missin’ much. Kid’s a real…”

“One moment please, why would Angel adopt a...”

“Didn’t. Him and Darla did the deed, here comes the kid.”

Giles could not contain himself:

“That’s utterly impossible! Two vampires cannot conceive a child under any circumstance!”

“What can I tell ya? Never say ‘never’, I guess. Look, know you wanna dig into it, but don’t we need to focus on B right now?”

Giles stopped cleaning his glasses, placing them back in their proper position:

“Yes, yes of course we do. The subject of Angel’s miraculous fatherhood can keep.”

He still looked somewhat lost in thought, so Willow decided to ask the next question.

“So why not just call us with your information? Why inflict your presence on us?”

Faith laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound.

“Knew if I called, you’d hang it up ‘fore I could even get it going. Plus, pretty sure I need to be here.”

“And what, you just expect us to believe you and roll out a great big ‘Welcome’ mat?”

“The delegate from ‘Chokeville’ votes a resounding ‘nay’.”

Anya patted his arm reassuringly, then turned back to Faith:

“I think this would be an ideal time to inform you that you may not have sex with him again. He’s mine now, and we only do that with each other. Also, you can’t choke him anymore either.”

“Understood. Xander, not asking you to trust me…Okay, guess maybe I kinda am. I’m sorry about what I did to you, to all of you, but none of that matters right now. I know none of you like me, and I know you don’t want me anywhere near you. I got it, loud and clear, but B’s in bad trouble and you can’t help her…leastways not by yourselves. I’m here and I’m offering.”

“And exactly what assurance do we have that this offer is indeed on the up and up?”

“…None, I guess. Only references I got are Angel. Warden woulda spoken for me, but thinking my big bust out on his watch sorta fucked that relationship up for good. I got nothing to give you guys, and I don’t blame you for having doubts. But I’m asking you, screw that, I’m begging you, to take a chance on me. You gotta do it, not for me but for B. Please.”

Her voice rang out with such sincerity, the Scoobies looked confused and conflicted.

“We shall need to discuss this first.”

“Okay.”

“Would you consent to Willow placing you in a binding spell? You shan’t be able to move and it’s somewhat uncomfortable for a Slayer.”

“Bind away.”

Faith felt a tingling, much less painful than what she’d already experienced, and then she found she couldn’t move a muscle.

“We’ll be back as quickly as possible.”

“I’ll be here.”

They returned twenty minutes later looking so grim and serious, Faith was certain it was bad news. She was just starting to panic when the spell was removed and Giles spoke up:

“We’ve decided we have no other choice but to accept your offer. None of us truly want to, but our backs are to the wall. God knows what is happening to Buffy, we only know that she has not appeared at any of the checkpoints in just over a fortnight now. Not knowing how she is or what she’s enduring…”

“I know. They got her just over two weeks ago, and it’s bad. Vamp’s got her thinking all of you are dead and that Willow’s been turned and is doing the torturing.”

“Me?!”

“He’s got some kinda mojo that fucks with her head, but she keeps fighting him off. He got her to say some special phrase…”

“That’s not possible. If she’d said it, the barrier would be down and we’d all be in the midst of apocalypse we’d stand no chance of stopping.”

“B gave him some fake deal, which then spun off into some whole other mindfuck he had going. Made her think it was just a dream that she came and busted me outta prison. After a while she saw through it, now they’re back to having Willow torture it out of her.”

Everyone looked shocked, and Giles felt the need to clean his glasses again.

“This is all rather…”

“It’s crazy and confusing as shit. All I can tell ya is that B’s being Buffy and hanging tough. Still, as much as this bastard’s abusing her mind and body, she’s not gonna last forever. We gotta get her outta there.”

“Wow, great idea, Faith! I know none of us have thought of that. Okay everybody, let’s go rescue Buffy. Faith came up with it all by herself.”

“Willow, please.”

“Not saying I invented the wheel, just saying we got a new player in the mix now. I’m here, and there’s gotta be a reason B’s been calling me. Wanna bust my balls every time I say somethin’? Go ahead Red, well within your rights. But while you’re jawin’, can we get moving?”

The silence was strained and awkward until Willow apologized:

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to keep the snide comments to myself.”

“No problem, I deserve it and more. Just don’t want it getting in the way of us pulling B clear. So you mentioned ‘checkpoints’, Giles?”

“Yes. When we erected the barrier, we knew Buffy would have to remain inside in order to hold it up. She would not allow any of us to stay with her, so we designated certain areas as ‘checkpoints’. These spots allowed us to see that she was all right, as well as devise new strategies based on any information she’d been able to gather. Sixteen days ago she failed to appear as planned, and we’ve not seen her since.”

“Time frame fits. Started having the dreams right about then. So what’s this time crunch thing?”

Giles began pacing again.

“Well it’s quite involved, but the short answer is that the barrier must remain in place for a total of sixty-six days. There are twenty-one more to go. If we can hold out until then, Spiran’s chance will have passed. He will be unable to open the Hellmouth and call forth ‘The Pernitum’.”

“And they are?”

“They are also called ‘The Harbingers of the Final Apocalypse’. They have been trapped in the Hellmouth longer than man has existed and they are…”

“Not somebody we wanna see in Sunnydale.”

“That’s correct.”

“So where’s this phrase B’s hanging onto come into play?”

Willow answered calmly, but she also shifted her position when Faith did, making sure to keep her in sight.

“I raised the barrier and I can lower it. Buffy was afraid if she got captured, I’d take it down and we’d try to rescue her.”

“Well hell yeah, but I’m still missin’ something here. Even if B says it, so what? Still takes Red to pull it down, right?”

“Normally you’d be spot on, but Spiran has three incredibly powerful mystics with him. We believe they are more than able to lower the barrier with Buffy’s cooperation.”

“So, all shakes down to how long B can take it.”

“She is truly all that stands between Spiran and the total destruction of mankind.”

“Lucky break for mankind, but B’s screwed.”

“Yes, it’s not at all ideal.”

Faith clearly wanted to move, but was doing her best to stay in a small area away from everyone.

“Am I right with the info I got? They can’t kill her and she can’t kill herself?”

“That is correct. The barrier would fall immediately if she were to take her own life, and it will remain forever in place should they kill her or attempt to turn her.”

“Both sides clear on the rules?”

“I don’t believe there’s any doubt about that.”

“Twenty-one more days…She’s not ever gonna tell him, no matter what he does. But she is gonna end up dead or nuts.”

“Neither of which we deem an acceptable outcome.”

“With ya all the way. How big’s this thing?”

“The barrier? It encompasses nearly half the town.”

“Shit. Blood supply inside?”

Giles looked shaken at the question, and it took him a few moments to reply:

“We, of course, did our best to evacuate as many as we could, but I’m afraid time became an issue. There are plenty of animals trapped as well.”

“Jesus.”

“It was not a perfect solution, but we felt it was necessary to do what we did.”

“Hey, no backseat drivin’ here. Know you guys did what had to be done.”

“So do you need any further clarification? Perhaps there’s something I didn’t…”

“Got the basics. Never did give a shit about the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’. Just wanna know what I need to, ya know?”

“Yes, I quite recall.”

“Don’t worry though. Learned how to play by the rules real good in the joint. Not gonna fuck it up this time through.”

“I sincerely hope that’s true…for all our sakes.”

“Think you could take me to this barrier deal? Kinda need to get a sense of it, see what we’re up against.”

“Yes, of course. We can go right now.”

“Like to use the john first, if that’s cool? Red, guessing you’re gonna wanna keep an eye on?”

Willow stood, her stance aggressive and cautious at the same time.

“’Wanna’ isn’t exactly how I’d put it, but no way am I letting you roam around all unsupervised.”

“Always been smart. Giles, when I get back, maybe we could all figure out how you’re gonna give me some weapons.”

Xander finally couldn’t take it anymore, and he almost leapt to his feet:

“Weapons?! You want us to figure out how we’re going to give you some weapons?! I think I already know how. How about, we’re not?!”

“Know it’s tough, no answer here…Guess maybe you guys are just gonna have to have some faith.”

No one made a sound, except Anya. She laughed like she’d completely lost it, and it took her some time to regain control of herself.

“Ha, ha, ha! Don’t any of you get it?! It’s a play on words…See ‘Faith’ is her name, while ‘faith’ is a word that means…”

“We get it, honey.”

“Well I think it was really witty, and hysterical too. No one mentioned that she was funny.”

Giles cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable about what seemed to be a most likely necessity.

“So Faith, exactly what weapons are you seeking?”

“A stake of course…Guess a knife and hopefully a battleaxe.”

“Yes, well, while not by any means an extravagant request, it is a somewhat…”

“…scary ass one. I get it guys, really I do. But I am a Slayer, real shitty one so far, but I’m all we got right now. I need weapons to do my job right, and I don’t see any other way we can go. Open to suggestions.”

Giles sighed and began rubbing his temples:

“Perhaps while you attend to your ablutions we can…”

“Huh?”

“While you avail yourself of the facilities, we shall discuss your request.”

“Okay, back in a few.”

Faith strode up the stairs, Willow close behind. The instant they were out of sight, Xander turned to Giles:

“So you’re just going to give her weapons?!”

“I know, but I’m not sure I see any other choice. Do you?”

“Yes! No! God, I don’t know…Do you think we can trust her?”

“I suppose if one were to look at it objectively, all the evidence skews in her favor. I doubt however that any of us can be objective, I know I’m struggling mightily in my attempts to get anywhere near that state of mind.”

Xander sat down heavily, his face revealing his despair.

“What’s going to happen if we trust her and she’s lying?”

Giles sighed as he seriously considered the possibility.

“I don’t know. I suppose we’ll all be killed off. I don’t have any better answer, all I know is that I believe we have to take the risk for Buffy’s sake.”

“…Yeah, I agree. I just hate it that we have to count on her in any way.”

Giles patted his shoulder as he returned to his seat:

“I know, it’s bloody insane.”

“…Guys?”

“Yes, Dawn?”

“If she’s telling the truth, Buffy called her and she came. That has to mean something, I mean something good.”

“Yes, I suppose it might mean that on some level she…”

“No, Giles. I mean it must mean that Buffy thinks Faith can do something. She called her because she knew she’d come and that she’d be able to help somehow.”

“She’s got a point, Giles. Maybe ‘The Murder Queen’ really can help.”

“It’s a very good possibility, but we’ve no real way to know at this point. We shall have to stay on our guard and hope for the best. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else we can do.”

“Yeah…Boy, isn’t this one big boatload of fun?”

“Well the good news is that she’s funny and extremely easy on the eyes. Now that I think about it, I don’t believe you ever mentioned just how beautiful she is either, Xander.”

“An, now’s not the time for…”

“I mean, she just exudes sexiness. I can understand why you slept with her, she’s just got something appealing about her. It sure seems like you left out quite a few things when you…”

“Anya, she tried to strangle me to death! That kind of became the main thing you needed to know about her.”

“Okay, don’t get all riled up. I guess that makes sense……Still as attractive as she is, I think it’d be only natural that you’d at least…I guess this should be a quiet time now.”

*****************************

“Hey, thanks for letting me take a shower. Fucking hot water’s incredible.”

“I guess.”

Faith finished toweling off and began putting on the clothes Willow had given her.

“Red, wanna tell you something.”

“I’m not interesting in hearing any apologies, in fact I’m not interested in hearing anything you have to say.”

“Know ya well enough to know that. It’s about B.”

“What is it?”

“Every single time I got the images of you hurting her, it was really bad. B can’t see it as anything but you as a vamp.”

“……Wow, how nice of you to remind me.”

“You’re missing my point here. She’s never once seen it as you. You she thinks about when she’s scared or in pain. When she needs to stay strong, she thinks about all the good times with you, all of you. She never ever thinks of you as the person that’s hurting her. She still loves you, you’re one of the biggest things helping her hang on. Don’t forget that.”

“…”

“Anyways, figured that was probably weighing on ya, and I know B would want you to know the truth…Okay, guess we gotta head on down and see if I at least get a Swiss Army knife.”

Faith hung her towel over the shower curtain rod and they headed for the stairs.

“Faith?”

“Yeah?”

“…Thank you for that.”

“Sure. Just ten million more good deeds, and we might start approaching square. Fuck, what a sitch, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

****************************

When Willow and Faith got downstairs, they found everyone else in the living room.

“Back, all fresh and abluted. These mine?”

“Yes. I believe you shall find all the items you requested.”

“Cool! Oh man, I love this axe!”

“Dawn remembered it as a personal favorite.”

“Fuck yeah! Thanks, Dawnie! Okay, we ready to go?”

“I believe so, yes. We are all coming along, perhaps we shall be able to discern something we’ve overlooked.”

“Be great, but what are the odds?”

“Certainly not in our favor, but better than before you arrived.”

“Least it’s somethin’. Let’s motor.”

Willow stepped up next to her, but well back from weapons range:

“Faith, if you try anything…”

“Got the message loud and clear before. Only thing I’m gonna try is to help B. If it looks like I’m getting outta line, just say the word and I’ll jump back in. All your show as far as I go.”

“Yes, well now that we’ve got the rules all straightened out, shall we?”

They filed out with Willow walking directly behind Faith and at the ready. Faith could feel her gaze drilling a hole between her shoulder blades, and she knew Willow’s attention wasn’t going to be anywhere else for a long time.

She found herself walking next to Dawn and figured she might as well go for it.

“Hey uh…Dawn?”

“…What?”

“Sorry to hear about your mom. Angel told me and…Well, I’m really sorry. She was a good woman, a really great mom.”

“Thanks.”

“Listen, we’re gonna get B back, okay? No idea how right this sec, but I know there’s a way and we’re gonna find it.”

Dawn never even looked at Faith, her gaze remaining front and center. A couple of minutes passed and then her voice came out all soft and scared:

“Promise?”

“Give ya my word, Squirt.”

Dawn couldn’t stop herself from smiling when she heard the familiar nickname.

“I’m trusting you, Faith.”

“Not gonna let you down, not this time.”

*****************

They’d been examining the barrier for twenty minutes, and Faith was becoming increasingly pissed off. Giles and Willow had successfully demonstrated just how strong it was and other than that, Faith hadn’t gotten a thing out of their visit. It was all just a big waste of time and…

“Goddamn it!”

She swung her battleaxe in a fury at the barrier, and to everyone’s surprise it went through to land with a loud clatter on the other side.

“What the fuck?”

She reached out to lay her hand on the barrier, but Giles pulled her back before she could make contact.

“No, Faith!”

“No?! What the fuck do you mean ‘no’?!”

“If indeed you can cross, which at this juncture seems more than likely, you must not enter unprepared.”

“Fuck that! This is what I came here for and I’m…”

“Faith, please, just wait a moment.”

She still looked like she wanted to jump right in, but she finally sighed and stepped back.

“Thank you. Willow, can you posit any theories?”

Willow was tentatively poking at the barrier, lost in thought:

“No, not really. The spell I did was tailored using Buffy’s essence…wait…No, it was tailored using her Slayer essence!”

“…And Faith shares that same essence, of course!”

“So even though Faith is just an evil rotten Slayer, she and Buffy share the same ‘Slayerness’?”

“Crude as that may be, that is the crux of it, Anya.”

Willow was practically shouting in her excitement:

“The barrier can’t distinguish between them. It’s all the same thing, the same Slayer signature. That’s got to be it!”

“So you’re saying I can get in because I’m a Slayer?”

“It would appear so, yes. Your Slayer lineage comes from Buffy and it links you in a variety of ways. My God, why didn’t I think of this sooner?”

Faith approached the barrier again.

“Okay then, stand back. I’ll head in, get B and we can…”

“Stop! No matter how hard it is to wait, we must think this through. Yes it appears that you will be able to cross through the barrier, but it seems just as likely that the same rules shall apply to you that apply to Buffy. Once you enter, you will be trapped.”

“One-way trip, got it.”

“Guys, I’m not sure I’m getting it.”

“I’m not entirely certain myself, Xander. We must…”

“Are you guys fucking nuts? I’m gonna go in, grab B, then stay on the loose ‘til the deadline passes. Once that happens, we’re gonna make the fuckers pay, and pay big.”

“That is a lovely plan, but we must research this thoroughly. By no means is any of this a routine matter, nor are we at all clear what is…”

“Ya get four hours, then I’m going in. Not gonna just sit around while B’s gettin’ torn to shreds. I can get in and I’m going…one way or the other.”

“Understood, and for the most part agreed with. I just want us to do this as safely as possible.”

Faith turned and looked him right in the eye:

“I get it, Giles, this is what you do and I respect that. But unless you end up telling me that you’re one hundred percent sure that my heading in collapses the barrier, I’m going in. I’ve seen it, I know exactly what she’s going through and I…I can’t deal with not going to get her, not when I know I can.”

Giles’ face softened, and he laid his hand comfortingly on her shoulder:

“Four hours should afford us the time we need. I suggest we all return to the house and get started.”

Everyone was quiet on the walk home, lost in their own thoughts, hopes, and fears. As the house came into view, Dawn spoke up:

“Giles?”

“Yes, Dawn?”

“Do you…I mean, if you had to guess…”

“I firmly believe this is the break we’ve been searching for. I am only urging caution in order to minimize the chance of making a mistake. We have to do this in the best way possible.”

“Yeah, but do you think…”

“We are going to marshal our forces and get Buffy to safety.”

“Okay.”

“Willow, I assume you’ve been…”

“Yep, I’ve already come up with a few things that should help. There shouldn’t be any problem having them ready in time.”

“Splendid, we’ll leave you to it then.”

They entered the house and headed straight for the dining room table.

“Xander, please set about gathering whatever Faith feels she needs to take with her. Make sure all the required weapons are in top shape. Anya, Dawn, I shall need you both on research. Are we all clear?”

“Everybody ‘cept me. After placing my order with Xander, what do you want me to do?”

“Perhaps you should try and get some sleep. It’s quite unlikely you’ll be resting much in the coming days, best to get all you can while you can.”

“Can give it a try, but kinda wired here.”

“Ha, ha, ha!”

Everyone turned to stare at Anya:

“What? Marionette jokes make me laugh, especially since Xander and I saw that ridiculous show in the park last year. You sure are funny Faith, even in times of great stress. No one told me about your sense of humor. All they said was that you were a slutty, murderous, backstabbing maniac.”

“I’d say that’s a fair description.”

“Well I’m finding there’s a lot to like about you. Come on, tell Xander what you want to take with you, and then I’ll walk you up.”

It didn’t take Faith long as she’d already figured out her requirements on the way back to the house. Her plan was to travel light, picking up supplies as she went. When she was done explaining her needs to Xander, Anya was as good as her word and led her up the stairs.

“So as I was saying, I like you very much, but we need to make sure you’re clear about a couple of things. First, no sex with Xander, ever, or I won’t be able to be your friend.”

“Promise you, Xander’s safe. No way I wanna mess up me and you.”

Anya’s smile was huge.

“That’s great! You know I’m not a lesbian, don’t you?”

“Yeah, picked up on that.”

“Willow is though.”

“Spotted that my last time through.”

Anya’s good mood seemed to disappear just like that.

“It was so sad when Tara was killed. She was really sweet, and even though she could be a little boring, we all loved her anyway. When she was murdered, Willow went insane and tried to kill us and end the world…Hey that’s kind of like what you did, only not because Tara died. Still, it’s pretty close, more than close enough…I don’t know why she acts so superior, clearly she’s no better than you are. I’m going to go ask her why she…”

Faith grabbed Anya’s arm:

“Uh no, probably not a good idea right now. Ya know, she’s doing those spells and we don’t wanna distract her.”

“Oh, good thinking. We definitely don’t need another disaster to deal with.”

“Yeah, best to keep the focus on B.”

Anya led her into Buffy’s room.

“You can sleep in here. Don’t worry, the sheets are clean.”

“Man, real bed sounds like heaven…Rather have B here though.”

“Poor Buffy, I guess it’s really bad for her right now.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Faith sat down and took off her shoes.

“Are you good friends with her?”

“Not exactly.”

“I heard you were more like mortal enemies, yet here you are just chomping at the bit to die for her…I mean, you’re dying to save her…Anyway, I don’t understand why.”

“I owe her.”

“Well I owe her twenty dollars, but you don’t see me…”

“She’s Buffy, ya know?”

“Yes, she’s definitely ‘Buffy’ all right. She and I are friends and I’ve grown to like her quite a lot, despite all of her very annoying flaws. She does have several good points, and she’s a really good Slayer.”

“Yeah.”

“Well even though it’s very stupid of you to break out of prison just to die a horribly painful death for a woman who hates you, I think it’s also very nice of you.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Okay, guess I’d better try and crash now.”

“’Crash’?”

“Sleep.”

“Oh…You know you’re very confusing and nothing like I thought you’d be. I really do like you, want to be friends?”

“Sure. Could use one.”

“Me too. I don’t really have any except everybody here. But can you try not to go all evil again? And no getting killed either because both of those things would stop our friendship before it could truly get going.”

“Makes sense.”

“Also, I think I’d be sad if you died.”

“Ditto.”

“Ha, ha, ha! Wasn’t that one of the worst movies ever?”

“Huh?”

“Aren’t you making fun of the movie ‘Ghost’?”

“Not on purpose.”

“Oh. Have you ever seen it?”

“Guess it slipped by me.”

“Well if we’re still alive when this is all over, let’s rent it before you head back to ‘The Big House’.”

“Sounds good.”

“You are going back?”

“Probably should.”

“Do you have a ‘Bertha’ waiting for you?”

“Nope.”

Anya pulled back the covers and waited for Faith to slide under them.

“Did you make someone your bitch?”

“No, just kept to myself.”

“That must have been hard. Are you sure you don’t want Xander again?”

“Positive. ‘Sides, never sleep with my friends or their honey.”

Anya was beaming now:

“That’s great! Another good thing nobody told me about. Can I ask you something in confidence?”

“Sure.”

Anya sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Was Xander a good lover right from the start? I don’t know how that would be possible, but he’s just so fantastic and that’s all I can think of to explain it. You know, maybe he’s just a natural at it, like a prodigy of the sexual kind. Of course his rather large penis has something to do with it, but it’s not just that either. When the two of you…”

“An! An, we need you down here!”

“Guess research is calling.”

“Ha, ha, ha! Calling Xander ‘research’. You’re such a nut! Okay, well try to get some sleep. And Faith?”

“Yep?”

“I’m really counting on you to save Buffy and live through this.”

“Gonna do my best.”

“I hope that’s good enough.”

“I hear ya.”

“Well I should think so, I’m standing right in front of you. Anyway, we’ll wake you when it’s time.”

***********************

The research went well, and Giles was reasonably sure that Faith’s presence would not cause the barrier to fall. He was just as certain that the rules already in place would apply to her as well.

“So what happens if they cap me? That mean the barrier stays put for good?”

“We’re just not sure, but our best guess at this juncture would be ‘no’. It’s all a tad muddled as of now, and truthfully I doubt we’ll know anything more until we experience it. Not too frightfully helpful, I know.”

“What the hell can ya do? It’s new, and we got what we got.”

“Faith, we don’t think they’ll do anything drastic, at least not at first. Spiran and his Mystics will sense something about you the second they see you, and no way will his followers risk doing anything without his permission. They’ll be scared of making a mistake, so that should mean there will be no ‘capping’ of you, at least not right away.”

“Sounds good Re…Willow.”

She bent down to tighten the laces on her shoes:

“Nice job with the clothes and boots, Xander. Fit like they’re mine.”

“There is one thing, Faith. Before you enter the barrier, we should attempt to narrow down all the possible locations where Buffy might be.”

Faith was busy securing her weapons, and she replied almost absentmindedly:

“New six story building ‘cross from some deli.”

“That would be the law offices of ‘Henderson, Henderson, and Finestein’.”

“You can gimme directions?”

“Yes, but that’s a fairly large building. It won’t be easy to find her, and with all the vampires roaming about…”

“She’s on the third floor, I’ll find her.”

“Oh, right then. Are we all ready?”

“Ready’s my middle fuckin’ name.”

“Now that’s just strange. No one knows your last name, your prison file just lists the Mayor’s name as yours, and now we find out your middle name is…”

“Anya, a discussion perhaps left for later?”

“Probably yes, Giles, but since it’s doubtful we’ll ever see her alive again…”

“An! Sorry, Faith.”

Faith shrugged into her jacket and continued towards the front door.

“All cool, not like something I don’t already know. Tell ya what Anya, I make it back, I’ll tell ya then.”

“That sounds good, it will give you something to live for.”

“Do you have everything you require, Faith?”

“Yep, and Willow’s clued me in on how to use it.”

“Excellent. Xander, is the jeep…”

“Ready and waiting.”

“Well then, shall we?”

They drove to the barrier crammed into Buffy’s jeep, no one saying a word. The tension was thick, but as they poured out of the car, Faith began laughing. They all looked at her somewhat nervously, and Giles braced himself for the worst:

“Is something funny?”

“Gonna be the biggest letdown in history if I can’t get in.”

That struck them all as funny, and their laughter mingled easily with hers.

“Okay, so I got it straight…B’s the key here. She’s gotta say the phrase, it’s her holding up the barrier. They won’t know what to make of me, might think I matter somehow. That gives us an advantage, least at first. Don’t wanna test it though, so no offing myself. That cover it?”

Giles had his glasses off and his handkerchief out:

“Yes, I believe that sums it up quite nicely.”

“Guess now I get how the Redshirts feel on ‘Star Trek’.”

“Sorry?”

“Have Xander explain it. Alright, listen up. I’m gonna grab your golden girl and we’re gonna haul ass. We’ll get to a checkpoint as soon as we can to leave you a sign. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from us for awhile, might take some time.”

“…Faith…”

“Got my promise, Squirt. I’m gonna get her out of there, and I’m gonna keep her safe.”

Dawn nodded as Willow wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

“’Sides, me and Anya got us a date planned. Not missing out on that.”

“She means as friends, not lovers. We’re best friends now, and renting movies is something best friends do. Willow, you and Buffy are more than welcome to join us.”

“Uh…sure, that sounds nice. Faith, are you positive you…”

A cocky grin lit Faith’s face:

“No worries. Not gonna blow myself up ‘fore I get B.”

“Good luck Faith, and do be careful.”

“You know me, but thanks G-man.”

“Stick close to Spock.”

“Gonna try. I’ll give you guys a sign the second I can. Remember Dawn, you got my word…all of you do.”

The Scoobies looked scared and unsure, but Faith could see they had hope now too. Hope and Faith, it was going to have to be the combo that worked because there was nothing else.

“Well…here goes everything.”

She stepped through the barrier like it wasn’t there, then turned back to face them. She tried to hand a stake to Giles, but she couldn’t. She was trapped.

“Okay, goin’ our way so far. Don’t panic, I’ll be in touch.”

And then she was gone, fading into the shadows as if she’d never been there.

“Well, can’t say we saw that one coming.”

“Quite right Xander, I know I bloody well didn’t.”

“I just hope she remembers my instructions because…”

“She does, Willow. She’s going to get Buffy too.”

“I think Dawn is right. Clearly she could have been trying to falsely reassure all of you, but she said it to me as well. Since we’re best friends, she’s not allowed to lie to me, she has to tell me the truth. That means at the very least, she truly believes she’s going to save Buffy.”

“Xander, perhaps you could explain the ‘Star Trek’ reference?”

“The Redshirts are the cannon fodder, you know the ones who get killed while the hero lives to tell the tale.”

“Ah yes, I see now.”

“Well I’d say our friendship is off to a great start, although there does seem to be a potential problem brewing. She just so incredibly sexy, don’t you all think so? Is it normal to be sexually attracted to your best friend? Willow, do you want to have sex with Buffy?”

“An, honey, we’re all kind of terrified right now. Maybe you and Will can talk about this later?”

Willow’s face was fire truck red:

“Or maybe we could talk about it never?”

“Oh, sorry, I’m scared too. I was just trying to provide us with some distracting small talk.”

“A gesture we all very much appreciate.”

Anya’s smile was huge as she practically glowed with pride and delight.

“You’re all very welcome. Of course, it was helping me as well.”

“Yes, of course it was. Might I suggest we all return to the house?”

They piled back into the jeep for the silent ride home, all their hopes now pinned on a rogue Slayer. There was no way it should have been a comforting thing. It was though.

CHAPTER SIX

Faith sat still, and aside from one brief stretching break, she had not moved from her spot. She was completely concealed as she sat studying the building, getting a feel for the place as she learned just exactly what the perimeter security was all about. The only way she could get that information was to sit and watch, so Faith sat and watched.

She saw right off where her advantage lay. The vampires were overly confident, and why not? There was no one left to challenge them, they had the Slayer locked up, and they had the numbers, boy did they have the numbers. So far Faith had counted upwards of sixty, and that was just in the area. What did they have to worry about? It was all going their way.

There were four guards posted at the rear entrance, and they moved in a rote pattern that Faith now had memorized. Somehow she was going to make that work for her, she just didn’t know how at the moment. She was close enough to overhear the random snippets of conversation, the jokes and insults, and the intense longing the vampires had to get out of Sunnydale. The biggest topic though, was the speculation on just how much longer the Slayer could hold out.

She sat there and listened while she waited, and she had it all figured out perfectly. She wanted to make her move about twenty minutes before sunrise, that would give her and Buffy the chance to use the sunlight to their advantage. There were still about two hours to go so she waited patiently, a word seldom if ever associated with her, and it was tough.

She desperately wanted to get Buffy now, but she knew she had to play this smart. She couldn’t just charge in and hope for the best, she had to take it slow and wait for her opportunity.

It was going to be nearly impossible to get Buffy out of there, and if she screwed it up they were both going to wind up dead. There was no backup coming, there were no other options, there was just her, and so she sat and waited.

Then suddenly there it was…her chance came just like that. Sure it was at the most perfectly wrong time, but it was there and staring her right in the face.

“Rick found a human!”

The vampire who’d come running up looked so excited, Faith wanted to stake him where he stood.

“Alive?! Are they alive?!”

“Oh yeah, they’re alive. Come on!”

Two vamps turned to go without even thinking about it, but the other two hesitated.

“You guys coming or not?”

“The Boss said to stay at our posts.”

“How’s he going to know? He’s back in with the Slayer, and you know how he gets when he’s with her. Come on, we’ll be back before sunrise, he’ll never even know.”

“I don’t think so. You guys go, I’m staying put.”

“Jimmy?”

“I’m going to stay here too. But you guys go, we’ll cover for you. I was there when they found the last one, sure was fun. They screamed and…Go on, enjoy yourselves.”

“Okay, maybe I’ll bring you back something.”

That left just two guards, # 2 and # 4. No sunrise was in sight for two hours yet, but there was no way Faith could pass this up. She knew she could take out two guards without anybody making a sound. This was her chance and she was taking it, ready or not.

She notched the arrow, drew back the bow, and waited. She didn’t move for eleven minutes, her body as still as a statue, and then it was right in front of her. The guards’ lazy and predictable patterns took them right in front of each other, and for just a split second they were perfectly aligned. Faith’s arrow caught them both in the heart.

They never made a sound before they dusted, and she was already at the door before their remains had fully settled. She tried to scatter their dust piles out of sight, but she couldn’t afford to stay exposed for long. She entered through the unlocked door, another sloppy mistake, and stood still as she let her eyes become accustomed to the gloom.

The stairwell was to her immediate right, but she avoided it. Instead she lifted herself up into the ceiling and made her way to the elevator shaft. Once there, she leapt onto the cable and began her ascent to the third floor. She made it easily, and once there she crept back into the ceiling.

She wasn’t exactly sure where Buffy was, so she knew she was going to have to rely on their Slayer connection to lead her in the right direction. She sat still and did her best to relax, and it was when she began drifting off that she felt Buffy.

Faith crawled slowly and silently until she was directly over the room where Buffy was being held. She was just a few feet away, and normally she would have been detected by every vampire in the vicinity. Not this time.

Willow’s spell was supposed to last for a few more hours, and Faith had absolute confidence in her abilities…especially when it came to helping Buffy. There was no way anybody was going to know she was anywhere near.

Now for the hard part. Faith sat unmoving again, listening to everything that was going on below her, and everything in her wanted nothing more than to drop down and start kicking ass. But she couldn’t, not if they were going to get out of this alive.

She could smell blood, Buffy’s blood, and she could hear how much pain she was in. The sound of a whip slicing into flesh had Faith flinching with every blow, and the fact that Buffy was screaming and crying made Faith’s heart feel as if it were breaking. Then she heard his voice…Spiran.

It was weird because his words sounded exactly like Willow talking to Buffy:

“Gee Buff, why are you making me do this? Do you think I enjoy watching you suffer? Well yeah, okay I do, but evil now remember? The point is, it doesn’t have to be like this. All you have to do is say the magic words and then we can go back to being the bestest of best buds. Don’t you want that?”

There was no sound except for the soft whimpers and groans coming steadily from Buffy, not until the whip cracked again. Buffy screamed and Spiran laughed.

“Wow, we’ve gone over this like a thousand times already, and you still can’t get it right. I know you’re not stupid, so I’m guessing that means you’re being all stubborn again. But just to be sure, I’m going to explain it to you one more time. Whenever I ask you a question, I want an answer. It doesn’t get any simpler than that, so let’s try it again. Buffy, don’t you want to say the magic words and be best friends again?”

Buffy remained silent and the whip laced into her.

“Answer me Slayer or I promise you, there won’t be a strip of skin left on your back by the time I’m through.”

“F…Fuck you.”

The whip struck again and again and again, and after way too long a time, Buffy was quiet. She’d obviously passed out, and Faith was thanking whoever was in charge of stuff like that.

“Damn it! Bring me The Brothers, I want her revived…NOW!”

“…Sir, we cannot do as you request. The Brothers are…”

“Right, that’s right. How long before they return?”

“At least an hour sir.”

Faith heard the sound of his fist connecting with Buffy, the chains clinking as her unconscious body was shoved back.

“This bitch is proving quite the challenge.”

“Sir, there are only twenty days left. What will we do if…”

“Silence! Do you think I’m not aware of how much time remains? She’ll break, I can assure you of that. I want guards on both doors, and remind them what will happen if they leave their posts. No one enters this room or touches her for any reason, not if they wish to go on living. Are we clear?”

“Yes sir.”

“I’ll be in my quarters.”

The other vampires nearly fell over themselves as they cleared a path for him, and he strode imperiously from the room.

“Shit, why’s he always gotta tell us the same goddamn thing every goddamn time?”

“Guess he wants to make sure we understand the rules.”

“Well I think I’ve got it now, no touching the bitch. No staying in here with her, no leaving guard duty, blah, blah, blah. I’m not an idiot.”

“You want to complain to him? Go right ahead, but I’m just going to concentrate on doing my job.”

“Mmm…smell that? Man, would I love a little taste.”

“Yeah, they say Slayer blood is the very best.”

“I can believe it, just the scent’s driving me wild.”

“Come on, let’s go. We can’t have any so…”

“Why not? We could just lick it off her. How would he ever know?”

“He’d know. Come on, it’s not worth getting dusted over.”

“I’m not so sure about that…Shit! Okay, let’s go.”

“I guess we know now why he doesn’t want us in here with her.”

They left, closing the doors firmly and locking them. Faith counted slowly to a hundred, then lifted the ceiling tile and dropped silently into the room. She landed less than two feet from Buffy, and for a second Faith thought she was going to vomit. Shit.

Buffy’s arms were manacled to a hook in the ceiling, her feet not quite touching the floor. She was naked, and Faith couldn’t see a spot on her body that wasn’t discolored or bloody. She hung awkwardly in her chains, one of shoulders clearly dislocated. The only sound was the raspy noise she made every time she took a breath, that and the slow steady dripping of her blood as it spattered onto the carpet.

When Faith walked around to look at her back, she could not stop the horrified gasp that escaped through her clenched teeth. Buffy’s back was a bloody mess, a road map of total destruction. The blood was running down her back to her ass to her thighs, and then it slid downward until it dripped almost leisurely from her feet. Faith had never seen anything like it, and she was wishing she never had.

She felt something running down her cheeks and realized she was crying. God, she had to get Buffy out of here. The chains were strong, really strong, but Faith didn’t care. She tried to pull them loose without making too much noise, but then Buffy started coming to:

“No…”

She began moaning softly at first, but gradually she became much louder, forcing Faith to clamp a hand over her mouth.

“B, shhh…I know it hurts, but ya gotta keep quiet.”

Buffy’s eyes were open now, and she was staring at Faith with total confusion.

“Fa…Faith?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Gotta get these off so we can…”

“No, you’re not…really here. Go away.”

“B, I am here and we gotta…”

“No…She makes me…see things…No, this isn’t…real.”

“He’s been messing with your mind, but this time I’m really…”

“I won’t…tell you. I’ll never…tell you.”

“Please B, ya gotta pipe down.”

Faith easily recognized the stubborn look on Buffy’s face.

“You’re not her…You’re not…Faith.”

“I know you’re confused, but I swear to you it’s me. Let’s…”

“Don’t be…lieve you.”

“Okay then look at it this way, you got something else to do? Just go along with me for now. If I’m not real, what have ya lost? If it is me, I’ll explain it all later. But right now we gotta get the…”

“Alright...but I know…this is a…lie. That’s all…it is. You don’t…love me…either. You…hate me.”

“No I don’t, B. Later for that though, for now let’s get outta here.”

Faith began working on the manacles again, but there was really no way to do that with jarring Buffy all over the place. Her pained groans were quiet at first, but as the agony escalated, so did the volume of her cries.

“B, I know it hurts, but you gotta…”

“…Can’t…Hurts…too bad. I…can’t be…quiet.”

Buffy started crying then, and Faith could barely take it.

“Not your fault. Shit, I gotta.”

“Got to…what?”

Faith smashed her forearm into Buffy’s temple, and Buffy was out cold.

“Sorry, B.”

She went back to work on the chains, but they weren’t budging no matter what she did. They had to be under some kind of spell. Just terrific.

Faith walked away from Buffy and stared out the window. It was a nice third floor view. A jeep with a flat tire was parked outside, and the sun was nowhere in sight.

The best thing to do was to leave Buffy and come back for her another time. Tough as that was, what else could she do? She couldn’t pull her loose, the timing was all wrong, and whatever she did from here on out would make a shitload of noise they couldn’t afford to make.

She had to leave her and come back later, that was the smart thing without a doubt. The thing was, nobody’d ever accused Faith of being all that smart, and there was no way in the world she was going without Buffy. She pulled Willow’s “whatever” out of her pocket, said some gibberish, and then tossed it into the air near where the hook was sunk deep into the ceiling.

All was quiet at first as a really pretty pink and purple flame glowed. Then there was the loudest fucking explosion in the history of explosions, and the hook pulled loose from the ceiling. Buffy hit the floor in a heap, the shackles still securely around her wrists. A few more confusing words, a few quick Slayer strength tugs, and the fucking things finally got the fuck off of Buffy.

It was all of the good, except for the fact that there were now about ten vampires crowding around both doorways. They were screaming for help, and from what Faith could tell, they were getting a big response.

“Hiya, guys! Hey, anybody know where the nearest emergency exit is?”

She stood at the ready, but to her surprise none of them rushed her. Then she remembered they were under strict orders not to enter the room. Wow, talk about being pussywhipped.

They just stood there growling and yelling, so Faith bent down and lifted Buffy up into her arms. It wasn’t too long before Mr. Big Shot himself appeared. He leaned casually in the doorway and smiled as he looked her up and down:

“And who might you be?”

“Might be lots of people. When I was a kid, wanted to be a fairy princess. Ya get older, gotta give that shit up.”

“I believe you’re holding something that belongs to me.”

“Really? Nope, don’t see your name anywhere. Not a surprise, last time I checked Buffy wasn’t anybody’s property.”

“My name is Spiran, and you are?”

“Not impressed, and just itchin’ to ram a stake up your ass.”

“…There is something familiar about you.”

“I get that a lot. Hey, what high school’d ya go to?”

“Twenty of my people are here. You won’t be leaving.”

“Twenty to two, tough odds for sure.”

Spiran laughed:

“’Twenty to two’? I doubt Buffy will be of much help to you.”

“Oh, I don’t know. She’s been kicking your ass for more than two weeks now, so gotta say I’m way comfortable with her on my team. Comes down to it, my money’s always on her.”

The fury flashed across his face, but he squashed it down:

“Well aren’t you just the bold and spunky one?”

“Just calling’em like I see’em. No hard feelings.”

“It’s interesting, but I can’t seem to sense you at all. Magic, perhaps?”

“It’s a crazy ass world. Guess anything’s possible.”

“You are amusing. Please do me the courtesy of sharing your name, I know we’ve met.”

“Really like to, but we gotta go. Don’t bother callin’ a cab, figure on walking it. Mind clearing the way now?”

“Sorry, but I must insist you stay a while. I’d really like to get to know you, and I’m not at all finished with Buffy. I’d suggest you put her down and focus all of your attention on begging for mercy.”

“Gee, sorry. Never was good at taking suggestions.”

Spiran was no longer leaning casually, he’d straightened to his full height, and the vampires gathered in the doorways were just waiting for his orders.

“I won’t kill you, not right away. There is something…important about you, and I wish to know what it is.”

“If wishes were horses, yeah?”

“You’re going to pay dearly for your insolence.”

“Usually do.”

Faith couldn’t even tell how many vampires were there, they were crammed so tightly in the doorways and hall, it was impossible to get an accurate headcount.

“Put Buffy down, and do be gentle. I’d hate to see her hurt by anyone but me.”

“Like to, really, but I’m thinkin’ she’s better off with me.”

“I’m not going to ask again.”

“Got that right.”

Faith whirled and headed straight for the window. She tucked Buffy’s face inward and spun at the last second so that her back crashed first through the glass. As they fell three stories, Faith twisted her body so that she hit first, cushioning the impact for Buffy. Thank fucking Christ the jeep was there.

They smashed onto the roof, denting it and exploding three of the windows outward. Faith felt the pain shoot all along her back, but she ignored it and rolled to her feet. She was carrying Buffy like a baby, but as she rounded the corner, she quickly flipped her up onto her right shoulder.

Faith’s left hand now held a stake, then it was gone and buried in an approaching vampire’s heart. She never broke stride and scooped up the stake cleanly from the dirty street as she flew past. Vampires streamed out of the building, way too many to fight even if she didn’t have an unconscious and brutally beaten Buffy on her shoulder. Fuck, even a full-powered Buffy wouldn’t have helped all that much.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny crystal.

“’Kay Red, let’em have it. Incendiere!”

She threw the crystal at the vampires, and about fifteen of them burst into flames and disintegrated. The others backed up, scared and blinded by the flash of bright light in the darkness. Faith didn’t stick around to see what was happening.

She was off and running, roaring down alleyways, clearing fences and other obstacles like they weren’t even there. Her memory was coming back as she ran on pure instinct, but there had been a few changes since she’d last roamed these streets. She could hear her pursuers gaining, and she knew what she had to do.

She flipped Buffy back into her arms, secured her head firmly and then leapt as high as she could. Her footing was precarious to say the least, but she jumped again without hesitating. Then it was another leap and another and another until she only had one left to go. She tossed Buffy back onto her shoulder and jumped again, grabbing for the ledge above her.

She caught it with just the fingertips of her left hand, and they dangled over the street, six stories up. Vampires ran below them, never once looking up because only a fool would try to escape that way. Clearly they didn’t know Faith.

Her arm shook as she fought to hang on, Buffy’s dead weight doing nothing to help her out. She almost laughed because without a doubt this was the craziest thing she’d ever done, and she’d done some really crazy shit in her fucked up life. Oh well, it was all about the living and the dying, everybody had to go some time. Or not.

Faith began swinging from side to side, trying to pick up enough momentum. She kept rocking, going faster and faster, and just as she felt the skin tearing from her fingers…she let go.

Yep, was all about the living and the dying and the taking of your chances. And right now? Well right now she was taking Buffy’s chances too.

It would have been a piece of cake if Buffy hadn’t been draped over her like a sack of potatoes, but she was, and there wasn’t a thing to do about it. But right then, suspended in mid-air just hovering high over their impending death, Faith started thinking prison wasn’t so bad when you got right down to it.

She knew they weren’t going to make it, they were going to come up short. The flagpole was too far away, and they were going to miss it and smash into the sidewalk way too far below. As they began falling, Faith tightened both arms around Buffy, somersaulted, and just managed to snag the pole with her leg.

Her tendons protested immediately as they stretched much further than they were ever meant to go, and then her back slammed into the building’s ornate overhang. Her arms went almost completely numb from the impact, but all she could think was “almost ain’t it”, and she hung onto Buffy. It was touch and go for a couple of minutes, but then she was able to swing her other leg around the pole as well.

So there they were, the Chosen Two, hanging upside down six stories above a street just swarming with vamps that were searching for them everywhere they could think to look. So far? Not one had thought to look up.

After taking a minute to catch her breath, Faith got a good grip on Buffy with her right arm, then swung herself up so that she could grab the flagpole with her left. She began inching them slowly and carefully towards the building, and after what seemed like a hundred years, they made it to the ledge.

There was just enough room for Faith to sit, her legs dangling over the edge with Buffy cradled in her lap. She sat there quietly trying to catch her breath, and she thought about how far they were from her brilliant and well-thought out escape plan. Oh well, she never did do well with plans. She figured it was some kind of character flaw.

She was trembling from the strain she was putting her body under, and her muscles felt like they were on fire. She knew if she just rested for a few, her body would bounce back and she’d be good to go. And that’s what they needed to do: get going.

Just hanging around wasn’t helping them at all. Every minute they sat still made the possibility of them getting spotted all the more likely. But Faith knew if she didn’t take a break, they’d have no chance of making it anywhere good.

What she wanted most of all was to get somewhere safe and give Buffy some desperately needed medical attention. She had a place already all set up with supplies and stuff, they just needed to get there. So far it seemed to be an “easier said than done” thing, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do it. It never did.

From the looks of it, the sun was at least an hour away, and they sure as hell couldn’t just sit where they were and wait for it. Sooner or later they’d get spotted, and there was way too much shade all around them to make it a safe place. If they stayed put, they’d get boxed in and be captured just after sunset. Definitely not an option Faith wanted to consider.

She was going to rest for a bit longer, and then they were going to get moving again. Buffy was still out and Faith was hoping that was going to hold until they got to where they were going. If she woke up she’d be hurting, and hurting bad, and Faith knew she’d have to knock her out again. It was hard enough doing the things she was doing, there was no way she could manage them with an awake and in pain Buffy.

Still, she’d really like to avoid cold cocking Buffy again. She already had plenty of problems, there was no good in adding a concussion to the list. If she had to, she of course had to, but she was keeping her fingers crossed that it wasn’t going to come to that.

At least she had a good view from where she was. She could see that the search was headed away from where they wanted to go, and that was a huge break. If she could just get them down from the building without killing them in the process, they should be able to slip through a couple of tough spots and have it made. First things first though, they had to get down.

The easiest way would be to go in through the nearby window and take the stairs all the way down to the street. That’d be just great, but they couldn’t. Although Faith didn’t have a clear view of her building’s entryway, she could see they were searching all of the surrounding buildings. No way was she stupid enough to think that her building was somehow exempt.

Even so, there couldn’t be that many inside. She could probably take them, but she couldn’t be sure they wouldn’t somehow get word out to the others. If that happened, there would definitely be way too many for her to handle, and that would be it. No, the key to winning this game was to remain unseen, so that was how she was going to play it.

It was time to go. There was a fire escape to her right, but no way in hell was she going to get on it. They were always noisy, unreliable, and the first place anybody’d be looking. No help there.

She knew what that meant, it was time for her high wire act again. Just the thought of it had her dreaming of her good old days back in prison. Maybe getting tossed into “The Hole” wasn’t as bad as she remembered it.

She looked around and planned it out about five moves in advance. That was as far as she could see, so after Move # 5, she was going to have to wing it. She wondered if anyone gave a shit that she was scared of heights.

“Okay B, here we go again. Consider yourself lucky ya get to miss this part…Fuck.”

She stood carefully with Buffy hanging over her shoulder, and inched her way slowly along the ledge. As she got to the corner, she tightened her grip on Buffy and sprung upwards. She twisted her body as she went up and around some freaky looking gargoyle, her boot pushing off on it as she went past, and just caught the lip of the roof.

They dangled over the street again, then she pulled herself up just high enough to peer carefully over the edge. The coast seemed clear so she slung Buffy up and over. She winced when she heard her hit, then she was flipping herself to relative safety as well.

She bent down and checked on Buffy. Although she was still out, she seemed to be showing some signs of coming around. Faith had no idea how long it would take her, but she was hoping for at least another hour.

Just as she picked Buffy up, someone started pounding on the access door. Faith dashed behind some roof thing she couldn’t name, and gently lowered Buffy to the ground. The door finally banged open and two vampires came strolling out.

“…and I’m just saying it’s a big waste of time. Only a Slayer could climb up here, but not in the shape she’s in. There’s no way.”

“Yeah but she is the Slayer. Maybe she…”

“Listen, I saw her just yesterday and she looked worse than ground beef. She’d be lucky to make it five steps.”

“Well what do you want from me? I don’t make the decisions, I just do what I’m told. They said check out this building including the roof, so that’s what I’m doing.”

“I know, it just pisses me off that they’ve got us wasting our time.”

“Wow, it’s quite a view from up here.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t all that crazy about it when they put up these high rises, but I like it now. I’d love to drain somebody up here.”

“Yeah, it’s not really the same with a rat, is it?”

“Damn, I’m starving.”

“Let’s look around. Maybe we’ll get lucky and spot them.”

“Right. They’re probably dead in a dumpster somewhere.”

Faith could hear the gravel crunching beneath their shoes as they began walking around.

“I wonder what the dark-haired one is. She has to be something to take a fall like that and just hop right up.”

“I heard she’s a witch. They say she did some magic and killed about twelve guys at once.”

“Well I heard she might be a Slayer.”

“A Slayer?! But there can only be one at a time!”

“That’s what I thought too. It’s just a rumor, you know how it is. Let’s go, there’s nobody up here.”

But the other vampire had his eyes closed, his head tilted back in the breeze.

“What?”

“Do you smell that?”

“What?”

“Blood…human blood.”

“…Nope, just getting some cat and maybe a little…”

“No, it’s definitely human.”

“It’s pretty windy up here, maybe you’re picking up the scent from…”

“No, it’s closer than that. It’s…”

He headed straight for the Slayers.

“Hey, maybe it’s bat. I can never tell that from dog unless there’s a lot of it. I don’t smell human at all, and you can bet if it was here I’d…”

He never got to finish his sentence, he was dust and never realized it. Faith was already on the bloodhound, her knife removing his head quietly and efficiently. She had it back in its sheath before the wind had fully blown him away.

“Okay B, that makes it three for us, twelve for Red. Sure she’s ahead for now, but I’m not worried. Know we’re gonna catch up ‘fore it’s all over. Now let’s get the fuck offa this building.”

*************************

No one slept that night, no one pretended to. Their pretense took place at the dining room table as they sat down to continue on with their research. It was a fruitless attempt, the letters merely a series of confusing shapes and squiggles that refused to give up their secrets to anyone.

Still they stayed at their posts, fighting to maintain the charade of normalcy until finally the strain became too great and they had to move. They went silently into the living room, moving as a single entity with only one shared purpose. No words were spoken, none were needed. They knew instinctively that they could not survive the night apart, and so they stayed together.

They sat quietly, voices muted as their minds were assailed by the terrifying images of what was most likely occurring somewhere they could not be. Imagining what might be happening on the other side of the barrier was not a new experience for any of them. For over two weeks now, they’d been living with the horrifying thoughts of just what might be the fate of someone they loved, and it was a fate they could do nothing about.

But tonight, well tonight there was a difference. Tonight there was hope, and the irony that a dark and dangerous savior was offering them that hope, was not lost on any of them. They had never believed in her before, had never trusted in her or her abilities, yet tonight they could do nothing else. They had to believe that her heart felt what theirs did, that her motives were their own.

She was moving now through their visions, lighting the way through the darkness and letting them believe that maybe, just maybe all was not lost. Her goodness and courage seemed to shine out before her, giving to them the hope that she could do this, that she really could pull off the impossible because she was a Slayer too, and that had to mean something. It just had to.

So they sat and waited, each moment plodding along until it grudgingly moved forward into the next, demonstrating with painful clarity that the waiting really was the hardest part. Time was their master now, and as the night went on it made them huddle even closer together. They had nothing else to cling to except their prayers that their faith had not been misplaced, a play on words that amused no one.

Logically they knew the end of this long night should bring no answers. To expect otherwise was unfair and more than unreasonable, but they could expect nothing else. No matter what they said, no matter what games they tried to play, they knew the answer they sought was just a handful of hours away.

That was just the way it was, there could never be any other way. They were all too aware of who was involved and what was at stake to exercise any patience. Logic had nowhere at all to stand, and calm soothing words were just that: words which had no value as the hour drew near to them.

The sun finally began its slow ascent over the horizon, blazing forth reluctantly into the eastern sky. They roused themselves to prepare a breakfast no one wanted, then sat around the dining room table feeling just as useless as before. The silence seemed to envelop them, but inside nothing was quiet.

Inside it was all chaos and panic. A simple prayer repeated itself over and over as if on an endless loop, surely it was not too much to ask. Not for the Slayer who had already given so much, and surely not for the girl they all loved.

The minutes ticked by until they resentfully added up, giving the clock no choice but to strike high noon. When it did, Giles was right there, refusing to let the moment escape their grasp:

“Shall we?”

No one hesitated, no one was unclear as to their mission. They piled quickly into the jeep, Xander at the wheel as Willow broached the question:

“Do you think we’ve given her enough time?”

“There is every chance we’ve not, but surely there is no harm in looking.”

His answer was a lie in every way. They all knew Faith had had plenty of time, and they all knew there was plenty of harm in looking. But no one said any of that, choosing to keep the obvious to themselves.

Outwardly they presented a calm front. They knew each other well enough to know they were all in the same boat, and they knew talking about their terror would only snap the tenuous grasp they held on their façade. They knew they had to hang on and so they did what they had to, just like they always did.

But a closer inspection revealed the small telltale signs that they were slowly falling apart. Dawn and Willow were holding hands much too fiercely, their fingers already turning white. Anya had found some change in the backseat ashtray, and she kept counting it over and over and over as if she somehow expected the amount to change.

The front seat had its own strangeness to contend with. The driver was oddly quiet. There were no jokes, no songs, no amusing commentary about the other drivers. In fact, there was no sound at all. There was just a young man desperately focused on the task at hand as if he could do nothing else.

His companion was a dignified and restrained man, yet despite his best efforts he was revealing more tension than all the others combined. He sat rigidly straight in his seat, nothing abnormal there, but his fingers could not stop moving. They tapped incessantly, first on the window frame, then the dashboard, followed by the gearshift, and finally his own leg.

He struggled to stop, but his success would last mere moments before his hand would resume its victory dance. The staccato rhythm sounded out loud in the car, meshing perfectly with the clinking of Anya’s coins and Willow’s periodic sighs. Dawn’s muted whimpers and Xander’s total stillness provided flawless background accompaniment.

They went from checkpoint to checkpoint, turning up nothing. There was no sign from Faith, and it was beginning to look like there never would be. Giles had long ago given up his attempts at pumping up the troops, his own fear and despair refusing him even that small comfort.

Xander parked alongside the next to last checkpoint, and when he turned off the engine no one moved. They sat demoralized and they sat in sorrow. It didn’t look good, and maybe that in itself was the only sign that Faith would ever be able to give to them.

It was Giles who made the first move. He sighed deeply and opened his door, forcing everyone else to follow suit. They moved slowly as if under water, none of them eager to get any closer to what seemed to be their new reality. They had no desire to face the truth of what had gone on behind the barrier last night, and none of them knew how they were going to live with the knowledge that there was nothing they could do.

Eventually they spread out into what was now a familiar search pattern, looking intently for something, anything, that would indicate the Slayers had been there. After several minutes, they had to face it. It was just like all the other times before, there was nothing. Not a speck of hope, not even the glimmer of a chance. There was nothing at all.

Dawn could no longer hold back her tears and as they streamed down her face, Willow moved to embrace her. Xander’s silence finally came undone as he began to cry, rushing over to pull them into a hug that offered up what solace it could. The three of them stood there weeping for everything they’d lost, and it was a lot.

Giles could do nothing but watch, his own eyes sad and glistening with the tears he was trying his best to contain. He felt helpless, knowing that any words he had to offer were meaningless and stupid. He felt the desire to comfort these children he thought of as his own, but he knew there were no words in any of the languages he spoke that would ever make it all right. Nothing was ever going to be all right again and…

“Um…excuse me?”

The crying had increased in volume. Xander’s heartbreaking sobs had merged with Willow and Dawn’s as if they were one voice, and Anya was forced to shout in order to be heard:

“Excuse me…Guys!”

“…Not…now Anya.”

“But I see something. I don’t have any idea what it could mean, but you said to look for anything out of place so…”

“Now is not the time for…Pardon me? Anya, what exactly are you saying?”

Anya looked at him as if he were somewhat feebleminded:

“I’m saying again, Giles, that I see something that seems out of place. If it’s a sign, well it’s really subtle, but you did say it would have to be…”

“Yes, that is correct. A certain subtleness would be essential, but I don’t see anything amiss.”

The tears were still falling, but Willow, Xander, and Dawn were now peering intently through the barrier trying to see what Anya saw.

“Well I don’t know about ‘amiss’, but it sure looks weird.”

“Please Anya, just tell us as succinctly as possible what it is that you see.”

“Stones.”

“Stones?”

“Yes, stones.”

“Honey, we’re outside. Of course there are stones.”

Giles began cleaning his glasses, his shoulders slumping as all his hope faded.

“I’m afraid I must concur with Xander. The appearance of some stones does not constitute the sort of anomaly that…”

“But why are they there?”

Giles put his glasses on with a gesture that plainly expressed his growing anger.

“I do not wish to be rude Anya, but I’m quite certain I’ve not the patience for this kind of…”

“But there aren’t any others around like that, and these are just sitting there in two groups.”

“Honey, Giles is right. Two little piles of rocks aren’t…”

“Are you people blind or something?! The first pile has five stones in it and so does the second one. They’re just sitting there next to each other!”

Giles appeared stunned, and stood completely unmoving for a moment. Suddenly the biggest smile he’d ever smiled was on his face, and he began laughing almost hysterically. He embraced Anya, lifting her off her feet as he twirled her around and around, and no one knew exactly what to do.

They’d never seen such a reaction from him before, and they had not the first clue what was going on or how they could help him.

Willow approached him slowly, and Xander trailed quietly just behind her:

“Hey there, Giles…Um…hey, Giles?”

“So Giles, feel like maybe…oh I don’t know, putting An down?”

He lowered Anya back to her feet and turned to face them, clearly elated.

“Hey, maybe Will can get you a cold cloth when we…”

“Don’t you see? The stones are not next to one another…”

“Xander’s right, we should get you home and…”

“…they are five by five!”

There was absolute silence, and then pure chaos erupted. Anya stood there puzzled as she watched the celebration. She knew whatever it was it was good news, even a fool could see that, but she had no idea why or what it all meant.

It was a long time before everyone calmed down but the instant they did, Anya was ready with her question:

“Could someone explain to me what ‘five by five’ means?”

“It means dear girl, she has her. Faith has Buffy.”

*********************

They reached their hideout not a moment too soon. As Faith ran through the woods, Buffy began coming around. Her loud moans made it more than clear that being jostled all over the place was not a pleasant experience for her.

“I know, B. Just hang on, we’re almost there.”

Faith kept going and let out a sigh of relief when she spotted the red handkerchief. As they passed by, she pulled it down and stuffed it into her pocket, never breaking stride.

She moved towards an area that looked identical to the surrounding woods, but once she crossed a certain point, it became clear that there was nothing ordinary about the place they were now standing in.

“We’re here, B. We’re safe.”

Buffy’s only response was a pain-filled gasp as Faith lowered her gently to the ground.

“Gimme a sec. Gotta heat up some water and grab the first aid stuff.”

She moved quickly, pouring two large bottles of water into a pan, then propping it over an already set up campfire. She struck a match and the fire roared to life instantly. She adjusted the pan, picked up the first aid supplies, and headed back to Buffy’s side. She put down the bag, and then cautiously stepped outside the circle.

As she stood there she noticed that even the faint smell of smoke had disappeared, and even though she was staring right at the spot where she knew Buffy was huddled, Faith saw nothing but the woods. Willow’s concealment spell was working like a charm.

She re-entered their little magic circle and knelt down next to Buffy.

“We’re good here, B. Now let’s see about helping you feel better, okay?”

Faith dug into the bag and pulled out a jar of Willow’s special ointment. It was supposed to speed up the healing process, plus it had the added benefit of numbing the pain. That was great because if anybody needed some pain numbed, it was Buffy.

Faith lifted her into a sitting position as carefully as she could, but it was easy to see that it hurt her anyway.

“Sorry B, but I gotta get this stuff on your back. It’s gonna help it heal and should ease the pain some too.”

She scooped out a generous amount of the cream and began applying it as softly as she could, but Buffy was clearly not a big fan of the procedure. She began squirming and crying, and it wasn’t long before it reached the point where she was seriously trying to fight Faith off. She was becoming almost frantic in her efforts to get away, hurting herself even more in the process.

There was nothing Faith could say to calm her, there was really nothing that could be done. Buffy was in agony, and Faith had to make it worse before she could make it better. She never hesitated, she knocked her out again.

She made the most of her time, popping Buffy’s shoulder back into place, cleaning her up as much as possible with the assistance of the now warm water, dressing all the wounds she could, then spreading Willow’s special goop all over her back. Her hands were shaking by the time she finished up…Jesus, Buffy was in bad shape.

Faith held her for a while, avoiding what she knew was next on her “to do” list. Finally, reluctantly, she laid Buffy down, trying to angle her to the left to avoid placing pressure on the two broken ribs on her right side. The ribs had to stay unwrapped because there was no way Faith could put something around Buffy’s back. It’d be best, healing and pain-wise, to just leave her back exposed.

It sucked, but Faith knew she had to treat the worst wounds first, and nothing anywhere could be worse than Buffy’s back. It was something that had to be seen to be believed, but nobody in their right mind would ever want to look at it. It wasn’t just bad, it was a fucking nightmare.

Faith rolled her jacket up and placed it under Buffy’s head, then covered her up to the waist with a blanket. It was nowhere near the luxury accommodations you’d get at a five star hotel, but it was a damn sight better than getting the shit stomped out of you. As Faith stood there looking down at her, she dreaded what she knew was up next.

No matter if she liked it or not, she needed to go leave a sign for The Scoobies. A part of her just couldn’t wait to share the great news, but there was a big problem. More like what Faith would call a big huge fucking problem.

She was going to have to leave Buffy alone. The closest checkpoint wasn’t too far off and Faith figured she could get there and back in just under an hour. The odds were plenty good that Buffy would be out a lot longer than that, but no matter what the odds had to say, it was still a scary risk.

Buffy was for sure in no shape to run, but if she somehow managed to stumble her way outside the magic area, well it could be trouble. She could get spotted, maybe even captured… Obviously the safest thing would be to tie her up.

Right. Faith wasn’t going to kid herself about that. Buffy had been restrained for weeks, and now that she was free again, well there was no way Faith was going to take that away from her. Not even for an hour, not even when she should. She just couldn’t.

Technically the gang shouldn’t even be expecting any word yet, but then again there was nothing technical about any of this. No matter what they’d agreed to, no matter what common sense had to be screaming at them, Faith knew they were just counting down the minutes until they could start looking. How in the hell could she blame them for that or even expect anything else?

Yeah, of course they should be patient and wait…just like Faith should have been patient and waited for a better time to pull Buffy out of there. They could all play the stupid “Should Have” game forever, but what did it matter? Things were what they were, and when it came to Buffy, none of them could be patient. It just wasn’t in them, and they all knew it.

The situation they were in now was simple. The Scooby Gang was going to come sniffing, and if they didn’t find some kind of sign that their girl was out of that hellhole, well they were going to be devastated whether they should be or not. It wouldn’t matter what logic had to say to them, it wouldn’t matter that she had told them it could take awhile. All that would matter was the possibility that she had failed and their hopes were gone for good.

Still she hesitated, wondering how she could possibly leave Buffy all alone, and then it hit her. Buffy would want her to go, no question about it. She’d be all worried about everybody else, and she’d want nothing more than to let them know she was safe. That was just the way Buffy was, and there wasn’t anything anybody could do about that either.

Faith began laughing then. Even unconscious Buffy was in charge, and she could still make Faith jump through hoops to please her. Okay then, that was settled. It was time to roll the dice again, all on the Slayer’s say-so. She could live with that.

Her body was tired, but she took off running anyway. Stuff needed doing, and right now she was the only one who could get it done. She’d volunteered for this gig, there’d been no gun to her head, and that meant she had nothing to kick about.

Sure it was tough, it was hard, and she was tired. But she figured she’d rest great when she was dead, which could turn out to be a lot sooner than she was planning on. Whatever. The point was: rest later, deal now.

She arrived at the checkpoint in about fifteen minutes but she stayed back, hidden among the trees. No way was she just going to charge down into a trap. Who knew where and how they’d caught Buffy in the first place. They could know all about the checkpoints and be waiting for her right this second. She wasn’t stupid enough to just waltz her ass right into a setup.

Twenty minutes passed as she stood motionless, letting her eyes scan relentlessly for any sign of movement. All of her senses were on high alert and by the end of her surveillance period, she was pretty damn sure nobody but her was around. Still it wasn’t anything she was going to bet her life on, and it sure as hell wasn’t the sort of thing she was going to count on for long either.

There was plenty of deep shade all around, there were even a couple of buildings sitting way too close for comfort. No way had this been a popular spot with Buffy, if she ever came here it was only because she had to. This location was nothing but dangerous, and Faith knew she needed to move quickly. Just leave a sign, then motor her ass as fast as she could.

But what could she leave for them to find? No way could it be anything obvious, their campsite was way too close by to start leaving clues all over the place. The vampires would just love to know she’d been here, it would give them a great place to start their search from.

She had to think and she had to think fast. It had to be something only somebody looking hard would see, and it had to make sense only to the Scoobies. That way, even if Spiran’s crew did spot it, it wouldn’t make any sense to them. They’d skim right over it, and they’d miss it.

It was a fucking great idea, but she didn’t have a clue what she could do that would fit all of those requirements. She was pissed off now, she should have thought this part through before she got here. Of course she had been a little busy fighting for their lives. It wasn’t like she was some slacker going to a picnic or something, and it sure as hell wasn’t like everything was all five…

A smile crossed her face as the idea came to her. She bent down and cleared off a small area, then gathered up ten rocks. She arranged them carefully, making sure the Scoobies would have a clear sightline from a bunch of different angles.

As far as signs went it was pretty subtle, more subtle than she’d ever been in her whole life. But it was a good sign, and it did stand out if you were looking for it. She just had to hope they weren’t too panicked to see it.

She looked it over one last time, then slipped back into the woods. She stood there waiting until she’d slowly counted off five minutes and when she still didn’t sense anything, she took off. It was time to get back to Buffy, and she wasn’t leaving her again.

It was strength in numbers now, and two Slayers were better than one, no matter how beaten up they were. She hoped for their sake they saw the sign, it seemed way clear to her, and the message was simple. She had Buffy and she was going to keep her safe. Then when Buffy was healed up enough, well they were going to rain down holy hell. That was definitely five by five with her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Faith was heating up some chicken broth and Buffy was still unconscious. It’d been a rough few hours, and Faith knew it wasn’t anywhere close to being over yet. The next however many days were going to be a real bitch, and there wasn’t much she could do about it. She’d prepared as much as she could, now whatever went down was going to be what went down. All she could do from here on out was her best, and she was going to have to make sure it was good enough.

Right now she needed to get Buffy eating and sleeping naturally again. Both of those things would go a long way in helping her Slayer healing kick back in. Of course the real trouble was that they didn’t have time for a long rehab. In a couple of days Willow’s spell was going to lose its mojo, and then they were going to have to be on the move.

There was no way Buffy was going to be anywhere near full strength by then. She’d be lucky to hit one quarter over the next few days. Only time was going to get her on the mend, and time was a luxury they didn’t have.

Faith figured there was no point in worrying about any of that now. It wasn’t something she could control, so why waste the energy? Right now the soup was ready, and that meant it was time to get Buffy back into the land of the awake.

She tried shaking her lightly while calling her name, but she got not the slightest response. Next she tried slapping her cheeks, but still nothing. Faith kept calling to her as she splashed water on her face, and finally Buffy began to stir.

“B, c’mon now…stay with me here. B! That’s right. C’mon, it’s time to eat a little something.”

Faith held her in a sitting position, letting Buffy lean against her while she got her bearings. As Buffy became more alert, she began trying to pull away:

“…N…No.”

“Just some broth, okay? Thought we’d see how your stomach handles that before…”

The next thing Faith knew, Buffy had knocked her to the ground. She’d fallen forward on top of her and was now slugging Faith with everything that she had. It didn’t really hurt, but Faith knew she needed to put a stop to it before Buffy injured herself further.

“Whoa. Easy, B. It’s okay, just…”

“Not her…Tired of…playing…games.”

“I am her, B. Just…Ow!”

Buffy caught her hard on the jaw, and Faith saw stars for a second.

“Fuck, that hurt! Would ya just stop and let…Shit!”

She could feel the blood trickling down from her nose, and she knew she had to gain control of the situation right now. Buffy might not be up to her usual standards, but she was still Buffy, and that was clearly more than dangerous enough.

They grappled for a few moments, each fighting to claim the upper hand, and then Faith managed to grab onto both of Buffy’s wrists. She just held her there as she fought to break loose, then was forced to tighten her grip when Buffy nearly succeeded.

“B, c’mon…Buffy, stop now. Not gonna hurt you.”

Buffy responded by jamming her knee into Faith’s ribs and applying as much pressure as she could. Faith yelped, but she didn’t let go. She brought her own legs up and squeezed tight, preventing Buffy from moving at all.

Normally she would have just flipped Buffy onto her back and pinned her to the ground, but there was no way she could do that right now. All Faith could do was let her stay right where she was, making sure to keep her grip Slayer strong while she waited her out.

After what seemed like a long time, Buffy went limp with exhaustion.

“B, swear to you this is real. Spiran’s fucked up your head, but if we can stay clear of him for a few…”

“Don’t…don’t believe you. You’re…not her.”

“Okay, I know. Let’s just get you something to eat, you’ll feel better.”

“Won’t…tell you…Never…tell you.”

“I know that. Good thing I’m never gonna ask, yeah?”

Faith sat up and adjusted Buffy onto her lap. She reached over and pulled the soup closer, lifting out a spoonful.

“Let me help ya eat. You’re tired and I don’t mind…Hey B, c’mon now. All ya gotta do is open up and…”

“No.”

“Food’ll help ya get better. Kinda jump-start your Slayer healing, right? C’mon B, please? Just eat a little and…”

“Fuck…you.”

“B?”

“…”

“B?”

“What?”

“Are you hungry?”

“…”

“Are you?”

“…Yes.”

“Okay then, what’s it matter who the fuck I am? Here’s some food for ya, eat it.”

“…Or what?”

“Or nothing. Not gonna force ya, I just want you to.”

They stared at each other for a few moments, and then Faith tried again:

“Buffy, will ya please try some? Please, B?”

Buffy opened her mouth and Faith quickly spooned some in. She swallowed with difficulty, but then turned her head towards Faith for the next bite. It got easier as it went, and it wasn’t long before she’d eaten the entire amount.

“…Can I have more?”

“Little later, okay? Should make sure you can keep that down.”

Buffy tried to lie down, but she couldn’t get comfortable. She obviously couldn’t lie on her back, her left side was out because of her sore shoulder, and her ribs ruled out her other side. She began crying softly, and Faith so wanted to kill Spiran.

“Hey…hey it’s okay, B. Ground’s just too hard, is all. C’mon, you can sleep on me.”

“No.”

“It’s what we did before I made the soup. Works pretty good once you get squared away.”

“…You’re not…No…This isn’t real.”

“Yeah it is, but that’s not the point right now. Just let me hold ya, you’ll fall right asleep.”

“…”

“Please, B? If you don’t like it, swear I’ll let ya go.”

Buffy nodded and Faith carefully picked her up. She sat down with her back leaning against a tree and let Buffy shift around until she found a comfortable position. It took a while, and Buffy squirmed and whimpered a lot, but then she was okay.

“You just sleep now, B. Best thing for ya. I’ll keep you safe, don’t worry.”

“You…you can’t be…Faith……Faith hates…me.”

“No I don’t, I never did. Now shhh…just go to sleep.”

And then Buffy was out cold, her body leaning heavily into Faith’s as her muscles relaxed.

As she sat there holding her, Faith could feel the rage building inside. She could feel it coming for her, and she let it start filling her up. That son of a bitch was going to pay, and he was going to pay so big there wasn’t even a word for it.

No matter what it took, no matter what it cost her, Faith was going to make it her personal mission to make sure he got what was coming to him and more. Nothing was going to stop her, nothing was going to get between him and her. She didn’t care what she had to do, who she had to…

She knew she had to stop, and she knew she had to stop right now. The feeling coursing through her was one she was intimately familiar with. It led right to everything that was bad in her, and although it felt good, it wasn’t good. It was what made her a murderer, what made her evil, and it was what made her need jail to save herself.

Being that person, going back there, was something she never wanted to do again, not for any reason. She’d fought too hard to get clear, and no matter what happened she was not doing it again. She knew if nothing else, she owed the woman she was holding in her arms better than that.

Faith stared down at Buffy and began taking deep breaths, centering herself as much as she could. It was tough, but she kept struggling to narrow her focus until she could see what she needed. After a few minutes, she found what she was looking for.

She could see the place she needed to be, and she put her energy into getting there. Here she wasn’t a killer, she wasn’t evil at all. She was a Slayer, a force of goodness, and she was someone who could be counted on and trusted to do the right thing.

All of that was inside her too, and she clung to it until she sensed the evil fading into the background. She was going to do this right this time, the darkness could just go fuck itself. She was Faith, the Vampire Slayer, and that meant more to her than almost anything.

Her arms tightened around Buffy as she smiled:

“Don’t worry B, I gotcha.”

************

They stayed like that for three hours before Buffy awoke with a gasp. She pulled away from Faith as forcefully as she could, and landed right on her back. She screamed in pain, and Faith grabbed her arm and quickly pulled her up into a sitting position.

“You’re okay, B. It’s okay. Here, don’t…”

“Get away from me!”

“B, it’s just me. You’re safe, just stop…”

“No, get away from me! Don’t touch me!”

Faith let go of her slowly and moved away.

“It’s okay, okay? Not coming anywhere near you, alright?”

Buffy looked like a scared animal, and Faith knew better than to try to approach her. She could see how much she was hurting, so she dug around in the bag for the jar of cream. She found it and held it up.

“B, see this stuff? I put some of it on your back when you were out cold. It helps with the pain and speeds up the healing. Just time to do it again, is all. Red says it lasts about four, maybe five hours, then we gotta…”

“What…What did you say?”

“That it lasts like four hours, then we…”

“Where did you get that?!”

“Easy B, Red gave it to me and…Oh shit, okay guess we’d better talk about…”

“Willow’s dead…you goddamn bitch…This isn’t…real…No!”

“This is real. Spiran’s been fucking with your mind, messing you all up. Nobody’s dead, Willow didn’t get turned, and she’s not the one who’s been…”

“Shut up! I’m not…listening. This…this isn’t real. They’re all dead…I saw them…One by one I…”

Buffy began sobbing then, and Faith took the opportunity to edge a little closer.

“They’re not dead B, none of them. Look you need to rest, let’s talk about all of this later. For now let’s just…”

“I won’t tell you…Not ever.”

“Did I ask ya to?”

“…What?”

“Did I ask you to tell me?”

“No.”

“Not gonna either. I’m not asking you to believe me, and I sure as hell ain’t asking you to trust me. But we got some rough days heading our way, so all I’m asking is for you to let me take care of you.”

Buffy looked confused and uncertain as her eyes met Faith’s.

“If it turns out this is all some big ass mindfuck, well ya can’t stop it anyways, right? So please B, just let me put this on your back. It’ll make you feel a lot better, you’ll see. Please, Buffy?”

“…Okay…but you don’t…fool me.”

“I know that. Look, this hurts pretty bad when I put it on. Last time I had to knock you out, but I can’t keep doing that.”

“Just put it on.”

Faith’s heart skipped a beat because even though there were still tears glistening in Buffy’s eyes, there was now steel in her voice. Just like that, Buffy was The Slayer.

“Okay. Brace yourself, B.”

Buffy flinched and gasped, and by the end she was flat-out crying, but she let Faith apply the ointment. When that was done, Faith fed her some more broth and gave her some water to drink. She then pulled her back onto her lap, and Buffy fell asleep almost instantly.

There was just enough time for a good nap before sunset, so Faith let herself doze off as well. She was sleeping, and yet she was totally aware of her surroundings. It was a skill Angel had taught her, kind of like meditating, and she’d become a master at it in prison. It was coming in way handy now.

Four hours later, Buffy awoke moaning in pain. They repeated their routine, and then Faith carried Buffy to the edge of their campsite and helped her go to the bathroom.

“Check it out B, T. P. and everything. Even scored some of that soap ya don’t need water to use. Let’s get ya all cleaned up and ready for supper.”

Buffy drifted off while she was eating, and Faith sat quietly with her on her lap. The vampires came looking for them a couple of hours later.

Faith just sat there holding a sleeping Buffy while the vampires walked all around them, never sensing them for a second. Willow had promised that no one would be able to see anything but the illusion, and her word was as good as gold. Still Faith held her stake at the ready, just in case.

There was no need though because despite the fact that one of the vamps was standing mere inches from her leg, he was picking up on nothing. He was completely oblivious that what he was seeking was sitting right next to him.

“Damn it! What the hell did they send us way out here for? How would they even make it this far?”

“Well the talk is the dark haired one’s a Slayer too.”

“Yeah, right. There’s only one at a time, everybody knows that.”

“The story I heard is that the first one died, but got revived. While she was dead, the other bitch got called.”

“And where’s she been all this time?”

“I heard she went evil and the other Slayer killed her or she went to jail or something.”

The skeptical vampire bent down to pick up a rock, which he then tossed off into the woods.

“So now she comes back to help? That sounds like fairy tale crap to me. Why would she even want to help out the first Slayer?”

“I don’t get that part either, but the rest of it kind of makes some sense. I mean, how’d they get away in the first place? She’d have to be something to…”

“Look I don’t know what she is, but I do know she’s not a Slayer.”

“But Eric says that The Brothers did some magic, and Spiran knows her now.”

“That’s convenient. How come he didn’t know her when he was talking to her?”

“Supposedly she had some kind of spell going that sort of cloaked her.”

Another rock went sailing off into the thick grouping of trees.

“And the Boss confided all of this to Eric?”

“No, he says he overheard him talking.”

“Well I’m not buying any of it.”

“Yeah it does sound a little…”

“It sounds like bullshit, is what it sounds like. Man, I am starving.”

“Food’s definitely getting harder to come by, that’s for sure.”

“Boss had better break her fast or we’re going to be chasing squirrels.”

“Don’t even joke about it. Shit, where could they be?”

“Well, they’re nowhere out here. Let’s go.”

They moved off, and after several long minutes, Faith put her stake down. All of her muscles were flexed, and it took her quite a while to calm down. Buffy had mercifully slept through the whole thing, never so much as stirring.

Faith had to laugh at how stupid the vampires had looked, wandering around a campsite they couldn’t perceive. Funny for sure, but scary and tense as hell too. The good news was that Willow’s magic was working just like it was supposed to, and Faith had overheard some valuable information.

So Spiran knew who she was now, well that made them even. She’d been wondering what his problem was, but since he didn’t seem to remember her, she’d figured there was no reason to clear it up for him. Way she saw it, there was no reason to make anything easy for him.

When she thought about it, it seemed way possible that the spell used to mask her scent had also covered up something else. That something had somehow confused the shit out of Spiran, how and why, well Faith had no idea. She didn’t understand that stuff, and she didn’t want to. She couldn’t see how it mattered, things were what they were.

The night passed, as did the following day. Faith fed Buffy, treated her injuries, and got her to sleep as much as possible. All of her free time was spent planning for the fast approaching time when Willow’s spell was going to die out. It wouldn’t hold much longer, and then they were going to have to be on the move.

It wasn’t going to be easy. Buffy was incredibly injured, and that wasn’t even the worst of it. Her mind was still all fogged up, and based on the best guesses of Giles and Willow, that was likely to be the case for at least two more days. There was nothing to do about it except ride it out and stay clear of Spiran. If Buffy didn’t have any contact with him, her mind should clear and his “special talent” would never work on her again.

That sounded good to Faith, really good. She could see that Buffy was already starting to shake off the effects, but it was slow going. Evidently this mind warping stuff was something that Spiran had been doing for well over two hundred years, no wonder Buffy didn’t know up from down.

Buffy stirred, rousing Faith from her thoughts. Her eyes snapped open suddenly and she moved away as quickly as she could, even though Faith hadn’t moved a muscle.

“You’re okay, B. Everything’s good.”

Buffy looked at her like she was a lying sack of shit, and Faith supposed from Buffy’s point of view, that’s exactly what she was.

“How ya feeling?”

“…Better.”

“Look better, for sure. Wanna try some ‘food’ food?”

“Maybe.”

“Got doughnuts and juice boxes. Not exactly a gourmet spread, but after an all broth diet, well it’s gotta be kinda tasty.”

Buffy looked around, obviously confused:

“What’s…what’s happening? What is this?”

“We escaped from Spiran. He’s been fucking with your mind, making you see things that aren’t real. Gonna be a few more days before you…”

“No! I won’t…I won’t ever tell you.”

“I’m not gonna ask. Remember we talked about this? You think it’s a setup, I don’t blame ya. But I promise, I’m not gonna ask you for anything, okay? All I want is to take care of you, and you agreed to let me. Not looking for anything else here.”

Buffy stared at her and then smiled:

“You? You want to…take care of me?”

“Crazy as it sounds, yeah I do.”

“………Give me the juice.”

“Sure, okay, here ya go. Think I could get a look at your back, maybe put some of this on it again?”

Buffy didn’t answer. She merely inhaled her juice and asked for another. Her eyes never left Faith’s, but after a couple of minutes, she turned around.

It was still really horrible, but it was clearly improving. The combo of Willow’s magic paste and Buffy’s Slayer healing were truly doing wonders. It was still plenty gruesome looking, but at least the sight of it didn’t make Faith feel like she was going to hurl her doughnuts back up.

“Looking way better. Can I put this stuff on? You remember how much it hurts?”

“Just…do it.”

Faith’s touch was as gentle as she could make it, but Buffy still groaned and flinched through the whole process.

“Shit, I’m sorry, B.”

When Buffy spoke, her voice came out all strangled:

“I…know you…are.”

Then they were finished, and Buffy downed some doughnuts and another juice. She was sitting up under her own power, but she looked like she was beginning to fade. Faith moved slowly and sat down next to her.

“B, maybe you should lean on me, yeah? You’re looking a little tired.”

“…Thanks.”

“Sure. We’re gonna have to be on the move soon. Pretty sure Red’s cloaking device is gonna hold through the night, but no way’s it gonna go…”

“…Willow?”

“Yeah. She gave me this little red crystal thing that…”

“Will was the…last one. She was the only one left.”

“Buffy…”

“I let them…I let them kill her. Willow died.”

“No she didn’t, none of them did.”

Buffy’s body had become tense, her eyes clouded as she remembered:

“I never should have let them stay…I let them stay inside the barrier and…”

“No you didn’t. B, Spiran’s twisted it all up on you. Nobody but you stayed inside and…”

“He turned her right in front of me…I…I had the shot, but I hesitated…I broke my promise and he turned her…Willow…”

“No, none of that’s real, B. None of that happened.”

Buffy clearly wasn’t listening:

“She killed him after she rose.”

“No she didn’t.”

“I saw it!”

“How?”

“…What?”

“You’re saying you saw Red kill Spiran?”

“Yes…She rose and killed him…about ten minutes later.”

“Yeah? You weren’t there, so how’d ya see it?”

“…What? I…”

“You’re saying you saw Willow rise, right? Saw her kill Spiran?”

“Yes.”

“How? You weren’t there, you musta already been on the run.”

“I wasn’t…I mean…No.”

“Shhh, it’s okay. Ya don’t gotta figure it all at once.”

They sat quietly for a long time, and then Buffy whispered:

“How did I see that? It…it doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it doesn’t. The Scoobies found out Spiran’s special skill thing is that he can make people think shit that’s not real. It seems real B, but it’s not. That’s why you…”

Buffy grabbed onto Faith’s arm:

“Faith…is it you? Are you really…real?”

“Yes.”

“…And everybody else? Dawnie…is Dawnie…God, they died, Faith! They all…”

“No they didn’t. They’re all safe and sound on the other side of the barrier.”

“…Safe? We’re all safe?”

“Could put it that way, though can’t say I’m positive about us yet. Not like this is the safest place we…OW!”

Buffy’s punch took Faith completely by surprise, and she was knocked onto her back several feet away.

Buffy was on her quickly, and she stunned Faith with another blow to her temple. As Faith tried to gather her wits, she felt Buffy’s hand fumbling around unsheathing her knife. The next thing she felt was the blade against her throat.

“Now we’re going to talk, and if I don’t like what you have to say…”

Faith winced as she felt the tip of the knife draw blood.

“Who are you?”

“B, you know who I am. It’s me, Fai…OW! Shit!”

“You’re lying. Who are you?”

“Black sheep Slayer reporting for…Jesus!”

Faith felt the knife slice off a chunk of her skin.

“B, please…”

“Shut up! I asked you a question, and all I want to hear from you is the answer. Who are you?”

“Already gave you the…Fuck!”

Faith could feel the blood rolling in a steady stream down her neck, and now the blade was right against her jugular.

“B, I am Faith. Much as I’d like to talk this out, wicked tough with a knife at…Shit!”

Buffy dug the knife in, and Faith didn’t like the look in her eye:

“You’re not even real, are you? I could just slit your throat and then what? Would I find myself still chained to the wall or the ceiling? Why don’t we find…”

“Sorry, B.”

Then Buffy was screaming as Faith smacked her on the back. The knife fell from her hand, and Faith tossed it aside. Despite being in agony, Buffy tried to come back at her, but Faith was able to restrain her easily.

“Okay, it’s over now. Just stop, B.”

“Let go of me! You’re…not…Faith.”

“Yes I am. Shhh, it’s alright, okay? Shhh…”

Buffy continued to struggle, but her strength faded fast and she practically collapsed. Faith pulled her onto her lap.

“You’re okay, B. Just rest now, you’re okay.”

Buffy didn’t protest, and Faith reached over and grabbed some gauze for her neck. They sat quietly and then just as Buffy began drifting off to sleep, Faith heard her voice. She sounded scared and weak, like a little kid terrified of the monsters under the bed:

“What’s wrong with me?”

“You’re under a spell. Won’t be long ‘fore it wears off, don’t worry. You’re gonna be just fine real soon, I promise.”

“It’s…it’s really you, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it really is.”

“…But don’t you hate me?”

“Never, B. Shhh, we’ll talk about it later. Just rest now.”

“Okay.”

And with that, Buffy was fast asleep and Faith let out a sigh of relief. Her neck was killing her, and she was just about willing to return the favor for a cold beer. Instead she grabbed a box of warm cranapple juice and was damn grateful for it.

She had to laugh. Here was Buffy, beaten to an actual bloody pulp and barely able to stand, and she’d still somehow hauled Faith way too close to the white light. Buffy was tough, the toughest person Faith had ever known, and if it wasn’t clear before, it sure as hell was now.

Buffy was The Slayer, there was no doubt about it. Even in her condition, hell even in her sleep, her goodness blazed out of her brightly like a beacon or something. She was a hero all the way, and just like heroes do, Buffy willingly put her life on the line to save others. She fought every step of the way and she never gave up because she was all about doing what was right.

She was The Chosen One, and whoever picked her knew exactly what they were doing. Buffy would never betray her duty, she would never stop trying. Even when she thought she had nothing left, even when she thought everyone she loved was dead, she still hung on. She was amazing and she was beautiful, and Faith still couldn’t believe what a miracle she was.

After a while she let herself nod off, waking only when Buffy did. They went through their usual paces, and there were no more throat cutting episodes. Faith remained alert in case Buffy had any more surprises planned, but nothing happened that wasn’t supposed to.

They settled back down, and Faith decided to stay awake. The sunrise was fast approaching and she figured she might as well greet it. Today promised to be busy and jam-packed, so there was no time like the present.

She waited until Buffy had fallen back into a deep sleep, then gently eased her onto the ground. She stood up straight and stretched, and God did it ever feel good. Being a human mattress, even Buffy’s, wasn’t as much fun as it sounded.

She yawned and started puttering around the campsite like she was some housewife out in the suburbs. She was just getting the fire going when she heard it. There was a loud snapping noise, and then the air around them began shimmering.

It was just like watching the heat rising up from a blacktop on a blisteringly hot summer day. Then white and gold flashes started flaring up all around the perimeter, brighter and brighter until they became so intense, Faith was forced to look away. And then just like that it was over, and although nothing looked different, Faith knew everything had changed.

There was no more cloaking device, the Klingon vessel was now just sitting there for everyone to see. It wouldn’t take long before the Enterprise started closing in and when that happened, well things were going to become extremely dangerous for all involved.

From here on out, it was nothing but down and dirty. There were no more magic tricks, no more cool little gizmos to whip out when things got tough. All that was left was them and whatever they could manage to bring to the game.

Against all odds, that thought had Faith laughing right out loud. They were Slayers. Yeah sure they were a little banged up and under the weather at the moment, but they were still Slayers nonetheless, and what they had to offer was pain and death to every evil thing they could get their hands on. It was their calling and they were going to answer.

Sure things didn’t look so good right now. There was no denying that Buffy wasn’t in tiptop shape, but that didn’t really matter at all, not when you got right down to it. It all came down to payback, and man, was there a lot of it to start handing out.

Faith herself had explained a long time ago that payback could be a real bitch, now it was time to make it clear just what happens when you piss off a couple of Slayers. You could call it a lot of things, Faith didn’t much care what words were used. She already knew what it was, and she was ready. Hell, she was way past ready.

“Step right on up, you motherfuckers. It’s time to play.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Faith was perched in a tree waiting for just the right moment. Buffy was also sitting in a tree, but her job was much different. She was supposed to sit quietly and stay out of sight, a plan Faith could only hope she would follow. There was of course, not even the slightest guarantee of that.

Buffy’s mind was beginning to clear, but although she had longer and longer flashes of coherence, she was still extremely confused most of the time. She went in and out, and now would be absolutely the worst time for her to have a bout of the crazies. It would bring them nothing but more trouble than they currently had, and Faith knew what they had was already more than enough to deal with.

Physically Buffy was still way below par. For the last three days Faith had been lugging her around, moving almost constantly in an attempt to stay hidden and on the loose. Buffy was able to walk for short periods of time, and Faith was letting her stretch those out a little longer every day in an effort to rebuild her strength and stamina. It was working…slowly.

It was the mind thing though, that had Faith most on edge. If Buffy kept getting stronger and her mind remained cloudy, well they were going to have a real situation on their hands. Buffy was already dangerous enough, there was no way Faith was looking forward to trying to take her on when she was closer to full strength. Handling her now was a big enough challenge and Faith had no desire to see things escalate.

But right now she couldn’t worry about any of that. Right now her focus had to be on the five vampires grouped in the little clearing below. They were searching for any sign of the Slayers, and they’d been coming uncomfortably close for the last few hours now. Faith knew she had to take them out, but she also knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

They were big, they were fast, and they seemed much more professional than the usual vamps. Apparently Spiran was sending out a higher quality flunkey as the time ticked away.

“Let’s spread out, but not too far. We know they had to have been here so…”

“I’ve got something!”

The vampires gathered around eagerly.

“Jones, can you tell…”

“They’re both moving, but one’s still hurt. You can tell from the way these impressions change in depth that she’s favoring her right side. Every step’s causing her a lot of pain.”

“Okay, look alert. Most likely they’re someplace close and…”

The crossbow bolt ended his sentence prematurely, and as the others tried to comprehend the fact that their leader was now just dust, another looked down to see that she had a stake embedded in her heart.

Faith was among them then, having leapt to the ground as she threw the stake. Three to one were much better odds, but these vampires were tough and they fought together like a finely trained unit. She was taking as good as she gave, but she finally managed to dust another one.

The maneuver she’d performed to get herself into staking position was brilliant, but it ended with her foot grazing an exposed tree root upon landing. She stumbled just slightly, but that was the break the two remaining vampires needed. Before she could regain her balance, they were on her.

The largest one grabbed her from behind and quickly yanked her arms up into a full nelson. With her upper body immobilized, Faith tried to bring her legs up to flip herself over him, but he whirled her around and slammed her hard into a tree. The second vampire kicked her legs out from under her, throwing her painfully off balance.

“Well, well, well, looks like somebody’s caught.”

Faith continued to struggle, but he merely tightened his grip, straining her shoulders to the max. She bit down hard on her lip to avoid making any noise, but her extreme discomfort was obvious.

“Now we’ve got some questions for you, and you’ve got a couple of choices to pick from. Choice # 1: You can answer us and then we’ll drain you quick. Choice # 2: Well, this choice isn’t so nice. It involves torturing you until you tell us what we want to know, and then we’ll drain you quick. So, which one is it going to be?”

“Kiss my ass, fuckhead.”

“Choice # 2 it is then. Let’s start simple, okay? Is your name Faith?”

“…”

“Boss says it is, but I like to get confirmation whenever I can.”

“…”

“I’m going to have to insist that you answer me.”

“Yeah? How ‘bout you go fuck…”

Her insult ended in a yell as the vampire in front of her lifted her shirt, flicked on a lighter, and held the flame against the bare skin of her stomach.

“Faith…can I call you ‘Faith’? I’ll bet that really hurt. Maybe we should just cut to the chase.”

“Sounds great.”

“See, there’s really only one question we need answered. Why don’t we just focus on that, and let all of this other stuff go. You ready?”

“For sure.”

“Good. So where’s the other Slayer?”

“No clue. We got separated and…”

Faith screamed this time as the flames burned along her abdomen for at least fifteen seconds.

“One of the guys you killed? He was an expert tracker, and he’d been reading your tracks for hours. They led us right to this spot, pretty neat, huh? Man, I wish I had a skill like that…Anyway, I’ll ask you again, Faith: where’s the other Slayer?”

“…”

“So you want to see your skin turn black?”

“…”

“Fine. Light her up and don’t stop until I say so.”

“…No, wait! I’ll tell ya, alright? The bitch nailed me about twenty minutes ago and hightailed it with our supplies.”

“Hmm…I should have told you that the Boss is just about positive that killing you won’t affect the barrier in the slightest. Now the other one? Well she’s the one we have to keep alive, nobody really gives a shit about you. We can torture you until we get the info we need, then we can drain every delicious drop from your body. See for days now, all we’ve had is animal blood…I can’t begin to tell you how good Slayer blood sounds.”

He slammed the side of her head into a tree, and for a second the world went black as she fought to remain conscious.

“Last chance, bitch…Where’s the Slayer?”

“I’m right here.”

A crossbow arrow caught him in the left cheek, the only open spot Buffy could see. He screamed, well actually gurgled, and let go of Faith. She punched the other vampire, knocking him onto his back several feet away, then spun and pulled the arrow from “Mr. Big Talk’s” face. He screamed again as it was pulled clear, and Faith continued with the motion, throwing the arrow through the other vamp’s heart as he struggled to rise to his feet.

The last vampire took the opportunity to run for his life, but another arrow from the crossbow caught him in the leg, knocking him to the ground. Faith was on him then, and she had him secured in just seconds. She turned to see Buffy notching another arrow as she limped her way over painfully. Their eyes met and Faith could have jumped for joy when she saw how clear Buffy’s were.

“Hiya, B.”

“Hey, F.”

“It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back. I guess we need to talk.”

“Absolutely, but first…”

Buffy followed Faith’s gaze to the vampire cowering on the ground.

“Oh right. I’m sorry, where are my manners? I wouldn’t want our guest to think I’m rude.”

“Yeah, I’m thinking this pincushion’s got plenty of info to share.”

“I don’t know any...Aarrgghh!”

“Hope for your sake that’s not true. Know what floors me, pal?”

“N…No.”

“What floors me is just how fucking fast the tables can turn. Makes a girl dizzy just tryin’ to hang on.”

The vampire was groaning and pleading already as Faith persistently twirled the arrow that was still protruding from his leg.

“Please, I don’t know anything!”

“Real shame in a way, you taking this approach. See, I can keep doing this forever. And if I finally get tired? Well, pretty sure The Slayer here wouldn’t mind dishing out a little payback. Thinkin’ she’s kind pissed, ya know?”

“Really, I swear I don’t know…”

His words were lost when Faith pushed the arrow in deeper. Buffy leaned in close, her eyes offering only misery and death:

“Here’s your choice: tell us what you know and we’ll dust you quick. Keep stalling and I am personally going to do to you what your boss did to me.”

“Wh…What do you want to know?”

Faith took charge again:

“What’s he know about me?”

“Nothing really, just what she does.”

“Yeah…and?”

“He knew about you, but he thought you were dead...or in prison…He didn’t research you because…he didn’t figure you’d factor in.”

“What else?”

“He said…he said it made no sense that you were helping her. You’re supposed to be evil.”

Faith twisted the arrow again, and the vampire cried out.

“I am evil, but I guess you already figured that out.”

“Yes! Yes, please stop!”

Buffy leaned back in again:

“Why can’t Spiran’s mystics track us?”

“…I don’t kn…”

His statement ended in a shriek as Faith roughly pulled the arrow from his leg and rammed it in, just millimeters from his heart.

“Listen up asshole, I dig hurting people, ‘specially vamps. Wanna dick around with us? Works great for me. Always did wonder just how many pieces you could cut off a vamp before they dusted…Hey B, grab the machete, will ya?”

“No, wait! They’ve been turned into vampires, the Boss got hungry or something…Anyway certain spells don’t go right now, I don’t know why… Plus they ran out of some of the stuff they need, and nobody but the witch on the Slayer’s side can do spells without the right ingredients…You need too much power.”

“How many vamps are stuck in here?”

“I…I don’t…God, please stop!”

“Already explained the rules. Talk or suffer.”

“I guess about two hundred…I don’t know exactly.”

“Two…two hundred? How is that possible? There couldn’t have been that many people left when…”

“I don’t know, I swear I don’t know!”

Faith looked at Buffy and saw how shook up she was.

“B?”

“…”

“Hey, B?”

“…”

“Buffy!”

“What? Oh…Uh yeah, I’m done.”

“Look Slayers, we can work together. You guys have worked with vampires before and…”

Faith shoved the arrow all the way in and walked over to Buffy as the vampire crumbled into dust.

“You okay?”

“…Fine.”

“No you’re not. Sit down for a sec. C’mon B, sit down.”

Buffy sat down looking shell shocked and Faith waited quietly, trying to give her some space. After several minutes passed without Buffy showing any signs of snapping out of it, Faith decided to step in.

“B, it’s not your fault.”

“…Two hundred people.”

“So he says. ‘Sides, no real way to know how many of those come from the people who got left behind. They coulda already been with Spiran, it doesn’t mean…”

“What does it mean then, Faith? That it was only a hundred and fifty?! Maybe just a hundred?! I should have never raised the barrier! I should have…”

“Stop this shit right the fuck now!”

Buffy flinched, but when her eyes rose to meet Faith’s, they were filled with fury. That was just what Faith wanted.

“Christ, no matter how things change, they always stay the same. You’re still so fucking full of yourself it’s incredible. Well big newsflash Blondie, the world’s not spinning on your orders. There’s plenty of people and things that do what they wanna do, no matter what the fuck you want. You’re not responsible for every shitty thing that goes down, hard as that is for you to believe.”

“Just shut up!”

“What, still can’t stand to hear the truth? God Buffy, you did what you had to do, what needed doing. Were you supposed to just let this asshole crack open the Hellmouth and roam all over the world killing everybody? Okay sure, it was a hard choice, but B, that’s the only kind you ever get. You’re the Slayer, that’s just the way it is. Way shitty for you yeah, but doesn’t get any luckier for the rest of us. You gotta do the rough things and save our sorry asses time after time, and no way is it fair. So what? Just gotta suck it up, Slayer.”

“…”

“B, you’re never gonna know how many of Spiran’s crew came from the people who got trapped in here. Gotta let it go now, not like we don’t have plenty of other shit to deal with.”

They sat silently for a bit, and then Buffy let out a soft laugh:

“I still hate it when you’re right.”

“See? All stays the same.”

“I guess it does. Okay, what’s the sitch?”

“What do you remember?”

“Pretty much everything, I think. Some stuff’s still kind of confusing, but I do know it wasn’t Will, and I know you’re really you.”

Faith grinned happily:

“That’s a good start, for sure.”

“So everyone’s okay?”

“Yep, all safe and sound on that side of the barrier. Course they been way worried about you.”

“Can we see them?”

“Up to you. Figured you guys had some kinda code worked out, so I’ve just been waiting for your brain to unscramble itself.”

“Well, we can leave them a message at a checkpoint, then they’ll leave us a time and place to rendezvous.”

“All right.”

“I just want them to know I’m okay.”

“Think everybody needs a good visual. All works for me, unless that’s how you got snagged in the first place.”

“…It’s not.”

“So how did it go down?”

“…Could we…Would it be okay if we didn’t talk about it right now?”

Buffy suddenly looked on the verge of tears, and Faith knew that meant something pretty bad must have led to her capture.

“It’ll keep. Fact is, don’t ever gotta talk about it if it doesn’t factor in.”

“It doesn’t. Thanks.”

“Sure. Okay then, first priority is to leave a Scooby Gang message, then wait for’em to get out their decoder rings.”

“That’s how it goes.”

“Sounds cool. Hey B, can I ask ya somethin’?”

Buffy met her eyes again:

“Of course.”

“Not trying to rock the boat or nothing, but what makes ya so sure this is all on the up and up?”

“It’s hard to explain, but everything’s so clear. It’s clear just like it’s supposed to be, like I’d forgotten it should be. My mind feels light instead of like there’s a big heavy fog pushing down on it. I feel like I’m here, really here.”

“You are, and I’m really glad you’re back.”

“Me too. Besides, it doesn’t matter. I’m never telling you or anyone else what the secret phrase is. Never.”

“Never gonna ask ya either. Sure were smart to throw that into the mix. If ya hadn’t, Willow’d have hauled that sucker down days ago.”

“I guess I thought we should be prepared in case it went bad.”

“You figured it right, just like always.”

“So what’s our plan?”

“What, expect me to keep doing it all? Fuck, was sure once you got all squared away, you’d be back in the lead dog spot.”

“Faith…”

“Hey, this here’s a shitload of pressure! I’m a borderline psychotic with some major homicidal tendencies. Think you’d better step up to the plate now. ‘Sides, I’m way more used to starin’ at another dog’s ass than I am to lookin’ out at the open road.”

They both laughed at that, but as the laughter faded, Buffy’s gaze turned serious. Faith quickly became uncomfortable under Buffy’s unwavering scrutiny, and she looked away under the pretense of scanning the surrounding area.

“Faith?”

“…”

“Faith?”

“So we better get movin’. Bound to come looking sooner or later, no reason we gotta be here when they show up. Figure we can…”

“Faith.”

She let out a deep breath, gathered up her courage, then let her eyes meet Buffy’s head-on.

“Yeah, B?”

“You saved my life. I don’t know how you managed to get me out of there, but I do know you must have risked your life time after time to do it. There’s a lot of history between us, and isn’t that just the world’s biggest understatement, but that’s all it is, history. It’s in the past, so let it stay there. Don’t go back, it’s not where you belong and it’s not where I want us to be.”

“…”

“I kept calling to you because I knew you’d come. No matter what happened between us, I knew nothing would stop you from coming to get me. I don’t know how I knew that, but I did Faith, I bet my life on it. So no more looking back, for either of us. Deal?”

Faith could feel the tears welling up, and she did everything she could to prevent them from falling. A few still managed to make it to freedom and as they rolled down her cheeks, Buffy pretended not to notice. She just smiled the warmest smile Faith had ever seen.

“And I think you’re right, we should get out of here.”

They got to their feet, and Buffy was more than a little bit shaky. Faith grabbed their backpack from behind some bushes and slung it around her neck, letting it come to rest on her chest.

“Okay B, hop on.”

“No it’s okay, I can walk.”

“Not up for discussion. Offered you the reins, ya didn’t wanna grab’em. That makes me the boss, the big cheese, the head honcho. What I say goes and I say, ‘Hop the fuck on, Slayer’.”

Buffy laughed.

“Boy, you’re really loving this, aren’t you?”

“A little, yeah.”

Buffy hopped onto Faith’s back, her arms lightly encircling her neck.

“Good, B. Now was that so hard?”

“A little, yeah.”

“Smartass. Okay, sunrise is just three hours off. Figure we’ll just keep on the move, leave a sign when we can, then make camp someplace.”

“That’s fine with me. Do we have any water?”

Faith unzipped the backpack and handed her a fresh bottle.

“Got two more left.”

“Mmm…that should be plenty for me. What are you going to drink?”

“Ha, ha. Got some stashed nearby. If it’s there and nobody messed with it, we’re good. If not, we’ll have to hit a store or a house. First let’s just concentrate on clearing the next few hours.”

“I’m ready when you are…Mush!”

Faith blew the swig of water she’d been trying to swallow all over the ground.

“What the…Did you just tell me to ‘mush’?”

“Well you are the lead dog and all.”

Faith took another sip, then calmly placed the bottle back into the backpack.

“Hey B, been meaning to ask…”

“Uh-huh?”

“You been gainin’ weight? Feels like ya weigh at least fifty pounds. Now we can’t score ya any of that pukey non-fat yogurt you love, but maybe we can grab a rice cake or a piece of cardboard for ya.”

“Shut up.”

“Just sayin’.”

CHAPTER NINE

The meeting was scheduled to take place in about two hours, and Buffy was chomping at the bit. They’d left a signal for the Scoobies yesterday, and the Slayers had received their answer last night. The meeting was at 3:00 this afternoon, and if something prevented it from happening, they would all try again tomorrow at noon.

Faith didn’t understand the system and she didn’t bother trying to learn it, despite all of Buffy’s arguments that she should:

“But Faith, if something happens to me, you’ll need to…”

“Nothing’s gonna happen to you that doesn’t get me too.”

“Maybe, but just in case you…”

“B, can ya pipe down? That shit’s boring, and all I’m looking for is to grab some Zs.”

“Okay fine, but don’t come crying to me if I get killed.”

“Promise I won’t say a word. Hey why don’t you try doing that right now, show me how it’s done?”

“Very funny, smartass.”

“I do what I can.”

Faith leaned back against a tree and pretended to sleep, but that wasn’t possible with all the fidgeting Buffy was doing. She knew Buffy wanted to pace, but she wasn’t quite ready for that yet. Technically, she was nowhere near ready for that.

Her back still hurt her, her ribs were still tender, and she was generally sore and weak. She was way too thin, she was still covered in cuts and bruises, and she had deep dark circles under her eyes. Physically she was off, but mentally she was all Buffy.

She let out another Slayer-sized sigh, and Faith gave in.

“Okay B, wanna talk or something? Might help pass the time.”

“That’d be great.”

“What do ya wanna talk about?”

Buffy shifted awkwardly, trying to find a comfortable position.

“Well…maybe it’s more what we ‘need’ to talk about.”

“…Yeah, probably.”

“So how did everyone react when you showed up?”

“’Bout like you’d expect. Red damn near incinerated my ass.”

“What stopped her?”

“They were all so scared for you, had to hear me out.”

“Yeah, I guess they’ve been a little freaked.”

“’A little’? B, nobody’s got the right words to explain how worried they’ve been. Fuck, even G-Man was losing his cool.”

“Giles?”

“Yep, your Watcher was starting to melt right the fuck down.”

Buffy smiled and shook her head slightly at the thought:

“Wow, you don’t see that every day.”

“Not every day you’re gettin’ the shit beaten outta you.”

“Yeah.”

Faith began fiddling with the grass next to her leg.

“Uh…Faith?”

“Yeah?”

“Um…What about…”

“Know where you’re heading, but maybe we oughta just let that lay. No sense complicating the sitch with…”

“I think the ‘sitch’ is already way more than complicated. Besides, I need to get things as clear as possible, and that part’s still a little fuzzy and confusing.”

“Like that for me too and I wasn’t even under a spell.”

“See? It’ll help you as well if we talk about it.”

Faith gave her an incredulous look:

“B…”

“Maybe you could just tell me what you experienced, how it was for you?”

“Pretty sure you don’t wanna hear any of this, Blondie.”

“Since I’m the one who’s bringing it up…”

“Yeah, but do ya even know what you’re bringing up?”

“Look, can we stop with the cryptic stuff and just talk honestly to each other?”

Faith sighed and stared off into the distance looking nervous and uncertain. It took a while, but when she finally turned back to Buffy, she seemed resigned to her fate.

“Okay B, honest talk. Not so run-of-the-mill when it comes to us, but I’ll give it a shot if you will.”

“I’m in. Okay, so what was it like when you got the…what should we call them? Visions, dreams, messages?”

“Musta been the first night you got caught. Was sleeping in my bunk, then all of the sudden I could hear you. Was real faint, not like that time we…you know, after our big fight. When I woke up I was freaked ‘cause I could still feel how scared you were. But then I figured it was just my fucked up mind messing with me, so I kinda forgot about it.”

“What changed? How’d you finally figure it out?”

“Kept hearing you, then I started getting a look. Saw what they were doing to you and then I got these little flashes of things, the things he was making you think were true. Saw Red as a vamp, saw Xander getting his heart yanked out, shit, I saw it all. I could feel you fighting to hang onto what was real, and I felt it when it slipped away from you.”

“God, that’s amazing.”

Faith began pulling up blades of grass and letting them float away on the breeze.

“Then it got more intense, like I was standing in the room with you. I tried to get through, but I guess the pain and confusion were too much. Got so even awake I could hear you calling to me, begging me to come…so finally I did. How’d you know I’d come, B?”

“I don’t know, I just did. I’d overheard Spiran and his Mystics talking, and I thought it might be possible for you to enter the barrier. If it wasn’t, I knew you needed to be in Sunnydale in case I couldn’t hang on and the barrier fell.”

“As if that’d ever happen.”

“Anyway I trusted you, and I was obviously right to.”

“So far. Wouldn’t start countin’ my chickens if I was you.”

“Don’t try to play the ‘Bad Slayer’. I know that’s not you anymore, and you know it too. Just be ‘Faith’.”

“Not always too sure who the fuck that is.”

“Well if you’ve got any questions, just ask me. It turns out I’ve finally figured her out.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then Buffy spoke up:

“Faith, I never sensed you. I mean, not like what we shared when…you know, the Mayor thing.”

Faith sat there dreading what was coming, but there was really no way to avoid it.

“Yeah.”

“But there was one time I did feel you.”

“…”

“Faith?”

“Not sure what you’re getting at, B.”

“…”

“Anyways, what time ya got? Maybe we oughta…”

“Faith?”

Buffy’s voice was patient, but her eyes had now lasered in on Faith.

“Christ B, just leave it.”

“I can’t…I need to know.”

“And ya gotta know right the fuck now?”

“I’m thinking I needed to know a long time ago.”

“Don’t we got plenty goin’ on? Can’t see the sense in just prying open the biggest can of worms and…”

“I won’t force you, not if you truly can’t do it. But if you can, please try, Faith. I really need to talk about this.”

“………Fuck me, this never fucking changes, does it?”

“What?”

“You, me, us! Every fucking time I’m near you…Buffy, what do you want from me? I already said…Jesus, it doesn’t matter. Not like it’s gonna change a fucking thing so…”

“Everything’s already changed. I just want to talk about this while we’re both conscious and sane. I’d let it go but with our track record, well I’m thinking that’s way on the risky side. I need to talk to you about this, I need to hear you say it.”

Faith stood and began pacing. She seemed angry, and Buffy left her alone. It was a long time before she finally sat back down:

“Fine, let’s get it over and done with. Ask your questions and I’ll answer’em.”

“Thank you.”

“Yeah whatever, go.”

It wasn’t the most inviting opening, but Buffy took it anyway.

“Okay…So um, that picnic dream…That was really us, wasn’t it?”

“…Yeah.”

“But how? I mean, do you have any idea how we did it?”

“Maybe.”

“Faith, I know this is hard, but one word answers aren’t really answers at all. Could you please just…”

“I’m not sure. Just know I was all worried about you like last time when The Ascension was…you know.”

“So you were concerned about me?”

“…Yeah.”

“Even after we fought back then, after I…stabbed you, you were still…”

Faith began fidgeting as she fought the urge to stand and pace again:

“Listen, just wanted you to hang on, is all. Not somethin’ we gotta analyze to death, just how it was.”

“And it’s happened twice now. I’m thinking maybe it’s you who makes it…”

“Hey, I got a great idea! When we get outta this, you and Giles can figure it all out. He’ll definitely be able to come up with…”

“…happen. Anyway, this time you just kind of went with the scenario. Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”

“…Tried to give ya the heads-up, but I couldn’t. All I could do was kinda go along, was having enough trouble just sticking there.”

Buffy was staring off into space as she thought back:

“It was weird because I could feel that something was different. I guess I must have known it was you.”

“Had to settle for giving you a pep talk, was all I could seem to do. Tried to stay, but I woke up and could never get back. Was like a wall went up.”

“Maybe Spiran figured it out and blocked you somehow.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Well I guess that explains it all.”

Faith looked incredibly relieved.

“Yeah, guess that answers…”

“Did you mean what you said?”

Faith remained silent as her relief evaporated just like that.

“Did you?”

“…B c’mon, this isn’t gonna take us anywhere good.”

“I think you’re wrong about that, but I still need to know.”

“And it’s always gotta be your way, yeah?”

“That isn’t fair, and you know it.”

“Seems to me I’ve had plenty of unfair shit just rainin’ down and last I looked, nobody was crying about any of it.”

“Would it help you if I…”

“Wanna know what would help? Be a big help if you fucking dropped this and let us both forget how I spilled my guts to you like some dumb fucking girl. Think you can do that, Buffy?”

“Is that really what you want?”

“Between the two choices I got? Fucking right that’s what I want.”

Then the silence was back, and it lasted until it was broken by Buffy’s soft question:

“What if you had another choice?”

“Huh?”

“What if you had another choice?”

“’Another choice’?”

“Yes.”

Faith shot to her feet looking angrier than Buffy had ever seen her. She stalked over and thrust her face right in front of Buffy’s, her lips pulled back in a snarl:

“You listen to me and you listen good: I am not playing this game with you. There’s too much riding on the next few days and no way can I…You know, I never thought you’d pull this shit. Sure you can be a little self-involved sometimes, way oblivious at others, and we all know you’ve got the whole ‘holier than thou’ thing down cold. But that’s just you, and I’m cool with it most of the time. Hell, guess I’d have to say I even dig it most of the time, but I never, and I mean even at your worst, never thought you were such a fucking bitch.”

Buffy labored to her feet, her own anger pushing Faith away from her and into an upright stance.

“You wanna talk about ‘self-involved’? God, just like always you think you know it all, and you don’t know a damn thing! But hey, don’t let that stop you for a second F, make sure you strike first before I can hurt you. I can’t believe how stupid and infuriating you are! Do you think any of this is easy for me? You’re a girl Faith, and so am I! None of this has ever been…”

“Oh geez, please forgive me, Your Highness. Know it’s gotta be pretty upsetting to realize a homicidal dyke’s in love with you. But no worries B, anybody’d feel like you do. Your precious rep’s still all pure and intact.”

“Faith…”

“Sincere apologies I scare you so fucking much, but hey, ever think about me? Last time I went nuts ‘cause I couldn’t have you. Yeah that’s right, the master of the one night stand, the one who lived by the motto ‘Get Some, Get Gone’, went and fell for a little uptight girly girl. What kinda sick fucking joke is that? Never loved anyone my whole shitty life, then I gotta get saddled with you!”

“Will you…”

“Jesus! I know you’re way outta my league and I know for damn sure you’re always outta my reach. You don’t gotta explain it anymore, alright? I get it.”

“Faith, will you just…”

“Fucking got it the first goddamn second I saw you. You’re the Slayer, the one who always does the right thing. Me? Just some big cosmic joke, a fuck-up who wouldn’t know the right thing if it bit me in the ass wearin’ streamers. But don’t worry, came to terms with that. I’m not gonna go nuts again and jump sides when it starts goin’ down. Just gonna do what I’m told, and then I’m headin’ my ass right back to…”

Buffy kissed her, softly at first, but then with a passion that set them both on fire. When they pulled apart, Faith looked stunned and Buffy looked happy.

“Okay, at least I got you to shut up.”

“…What…What the fuck did you just do?”

“Well I admit I’m not at my best, but surely you could tell that I was kissing you.”

Faith raised her hand to her own lips, tracing them slowly, almost reverently:

“Kiss was fine…best I’ve ever…What the fuck were you…”

“Faith, I’m trying to tell you that although I’m confused…I feel something for you. Yes it throws me, boy does it throw me, but I don’t care anymore. I’m through running.”

“You’re ‘through running’?”

“Yes. I think maybe I’ve always been scared or maybe I was just stupid, probably both. I guess it doesn’t really matter anymore.”

“Exactly what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I don’t know what it means, but I want us to figure it out together. Obviously this isn’t the time or place, but I want you to know that I have feelings…I mean, feelings for you. Not just feelings either, but ‘feelings’ feelings. I don’t know what I’m feeling, but I do know I’m feeling ‘feelings’ feelings when it comes to you. And I know they’re the kind of feelings that make me feel…”

This time it was Faith who shut Buffy up. When they broke apart, they both looked dazed and happy.

“Damn B, kissed a shitload of people and it’s never been like this.”

“I understand completely.”

“You do?”

“I do.”

The smirk on Faith’s face was all the warning Buffy got:

“…Hey, did we just get hitched?”

“Shut up, you idiot.”

“But B, you said you do, and I sure as hell do! Man, this is great! Always wanted a wife to cook for me and do my laundry and fetch my slippers.”

“I don’t cook, I shrink everything, and you don’t wear slippers.”

“Aw, why ya gotta ruin the fantasy?”

“That’s your fantasy?”

“Well when it comes to you, guess I got some others lined up.”

“You do?”

“Still with the vows. So tell me B, just how long you been jonesing to tie the knot with me?”

“Oh, you wish.”

“Guess we’d better swing by a jeweler’s and score ya a ring. Do we still gotta get an engagement one, or is the whole ball and chain thing gonna be enough?”

Buffy could not stop laughing. Faith was back in her element teasing and embarrassing her, and they were both having a blast.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“What? B, I’m shocked! Supposed to wait ‘til the ring’s on your finger ‘fore ya start puttin’ out. Gotta admit though, if you’re offering, I’m happy to take you up on it.”

“I meant, let’s go meet the gang.”

“Now that could get sorta tricky. Don’t think they like me all that much. Didn’t wanna say anything B, but your family’s kinda irrational and judgmental sometimes. I mean, what’s a little attempted murder between in-laws? See that shit on ‘Jerry Springer’ all the fucking time, and those people seem okay.”

Buffy was still laughing and it felt good. In fact, it felt wonderful.

“Would you please just turn around? I thought you could give me a ride now, and that way I’ll be able to walk when I see them.”

“Be happy to give you a ride, but if I do it right, well no way are you gonna be walkin’ when it’s over.”

“Faith!”

“What?”

“You know what.”

“Alright, gonna be good now.”

“I’ll have to see it to believe it.”

Faith turned her back to Buffy:

“Hop on. Gotta go show’em their girl’s okay.”

They began making their way to the checkpoint, staying under as much cover as they could while carefully avoiding the deep shade.

“Think they got any ideas how we stop this fucker?”

“Maybe. If they don’t, they’ll come up with some soon.”

“Hope so, ‘cause I really want him dead.”

“I’ll see you and raise you on that want.”

They continued on in a comfortable yet alert silence, aware of every noise and movement around them.

When they arrived at the rendezvous spot, Buffy slid slowly from Faith’s back. She looked almost nervous as she straightened her clothes and ran her hands through her hair.

“How do I look?”

“Like the Slayer.”

“That’ll work.”

“Sure does for me.”

Buffy smiled at her shyly, their eyes meeting and holding.

“Hey, B?”

“Uh-huh?”

“You’re really something.”

“You’re not so bad either.”

“Maybe, sometimes. But you? You’re money in the bank.”

CHAPTER TEN

Faith was nestled on a little ridge among some trees, crossbow held at the ready. She could see the gang pacing nervously on the other side of the barrier, and she asked Buffy for her opinion.

“So what do ya think, B? Seems good to me.”

“I’m not sensing anything supernatural, are you?”

“Just you. I say we go for it.”

“Agreed.”

“Still, be careful.”

“You too.”

With that, Buffy stepped out into the open and made her way as gracefully as she could to where the gang was waiting. She walked slowly, doing her best to minimize her limp as well as her shakiness. There was no sense in getting everyone more worried than they already were, so she concentrated on looking a lot better than she actually was.

Dawn spotted her first:

“Buffy!”

The others whirled around to watch as Buffy got closer, pressing as tightly to the barrier as they could in a vain attempt to reach her. Faith kept her eyes moving, searching for any sign that something wasn’t right. So far, so good.

When she looked back, Buffy had finally reached the barrier, and no one was saying a word. They were all a little teary, even Giles was wiping at the moisture that had fallen onto his cheeks. It was obvious they all wanted to hug each other, but that wasn’t going to be happening any time soon.

After a few moments, it was Giles who managed to get the conversation rolling:

“Buffy, it’s so good to see you. Are you all right?”

“I’ve been better, but trust me when I say I’ve been way worse.”

“Understood. And where might Faith be?”

“She’s here, but she’s keeping watch.”

Dawn looked incredibly disappointed:

“We’re not going to see her?”

“Not if she does it right.”

“But I wanted to thank her for keeping her promise.”

“I’ll make sure to tell her, but you can always wave to her if you want.”

“Okay!”

Dawn waved wildly as if she were signaling for a rescue ship from a deserted island. The sight made Faith crack up, it was so Dawn and so cute.

“Do you think she sees me?”

“I don’t think she can miss you.”

“It’s so great to see you, Buffster. We’ve been a little worried.”

“By ‘a little worried’, Xander means insanely frantic and terrified.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured you guys would…”

“And even though you look just awful, I’m happy to see you too.”

“Thanks, Anya.”

“You look so tired, are you sure…Are you really okay?”

“Hey, you should see the other guy. No really, Dawnie, I’m okay. I’m just a little banged up, but I’m feeling a lot better now. Faith’s been taking really good care of me.”

Anya stepped forward, fairly beaming with pride:

“She’s just great, isn’t she? Did she tell you we’re best friends now? Her and me, not you and me. You can like her too, but you have to keep Willow as your best girl friend. You’re not allowed to horn in on what Faith and I have.”

“Check, no claiming Faith as my best friend. Got it.”

“Good. Now that we have that settled, she really is something, isn’t she?”

“She’s more than something.”

“’More than something’? I’m not sure that’s even possible. The word ‘something’ seems to already indicate…”

“An, I’ll explain it later. So Buff, what exactly happened to you? Were you…”

Giles interrupted, and Buffy looked at him gratefully:

“As time is short, perhaps that’s a topic best suited for another day, yes?”

Xander picked up on Giles’ message right away:

“Yes, right. Sorry, Buff.”

“It’s fine. So did you guys come up with a way to kill Spiran? How do we make him dead, like the very deadest of the dead?”

“Nothing on that front as of yet, I’m afraid. Our energies have been somewhat focused elsewhere, but perhaps now that you’re safe we shall be able to muster…”

“We were all too scared to do anything useful.”

“I get it, Anya. Look I know our original plan was to wait out the deadline, but I don’t think that’s an option anymore. There are a lot of vamps in here, and I think Spiran’s got another agenda.”

“Be that as it may, without proper access to the Hellmouth, what could he possibly hope to accomplish?”

“I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure I heard him and The Brothers talking about somehow bringing the Hellmouth to them.”

Giles nearly did a double take:

“…Did you just say, ‘The Brothers’?”

“Yes. Why, have you heard of them?”

“I have, and this is so much worse than anything we’ve yet to imagine.”

“Even worse than Buffy getting tortured to death?”

“Xander, technically they couldn’t kill her, so they were only torturing her to ‘the brink’ of death. See the difference?”

Giles began cleaning his glasses almost absentmindedly as he explained:

“The Brothers are incredibly powerful, and they have been so for over five centuries. I don’t quite understand why they would be offering their services to Spiran. It makes no sense at all.”

“Wild guess here, but maybe it’s because they’re evil?”

“But that’s just it Buffy, they are not evil. Although it’d be a bit of a stretch to classify them as good, they simply do not involve themselves in these sorts of things. They consider situations like this to be beneath them, and I suppose truthfully, they very much are.”

“Hey, it must be because of that weird mind control thing he does!”

“Yes, normally a most astute observation, Dawn, but I’m afraid not in this case. His unique abilities would not hold The Brothers in thrall for long. They’ve too many powers at their disposal to allow anyone or anything to control them.”

“Plus with the whole vamp thing they’ve got working for them…”

“Pardon me, did you just imply that they are vampires?”

Buffy looked nothing but puzzled:

“…Aren’t they usually?”

“Buffy, are you saying that Spiran has turned The Brothers?”

“Well I didn’t personally see him do it, but they’re definitely vampires.”

“My God, are you absolutely certain?”

“Giles, I think I know a vampire when I see one...when I’m not all crazy and confused…Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Yes, yes of course you are. Sorry, a bit back on my heels here.”

“Okay, I’m not positive what that means, but I think maybe I’m kinda there myself.”

Giles began pacing as he tried to organize his thoughts.

“All right let’s go over this, shall we? He had them with him before the barrier came to fruition, so clearly some secondary, almost Machiavellian dynamic exists and…”

Buffy interrupted:

“Yes, clearly. Giles, we’re still in college and one of us barely made it through high school.”

“What? Oh right, my apologies, Xander.”

“Hey, how do you know she’s talking about me?”

“What I’m trying to say is that The Brothers were with Spiran before we’d even contemplated raising the barrier, so clearly there is some other reason they are here.”

“Great. And that reason is?”

“I don’t know, Buffy. We must research further and re-examine what we’ve already uncovered. It’s imperative that you recall everything you can. Our fate may well hang on your ability to recollect some vital scrap of information.”

Buffy rolled her eyes:

“Gee, but no pressure here.”

“Giles, the Buffster just got her noggin on straight again. Don’t you think you could maybe give her a minute?”

Giles looked somewhat guilty, but he held his ground:

“Buffy, I’m sorry, truly I am. I know it seems harsh but…”

“It’s okay, I get it, Giles. Faith and I will go over everything again. Talking really helps bring back my memory, and I’m finding I remember a lot more than I think I do.”

“Splendid! On our end, we shall endeavor to find some explanation as to what The Brothers’ purpose may be.”

“So we still have to hit the books?”

“Yes Xander, but now that we know the name of Spiran’s mystics, there’s bound to be a virtual cornucopia of information to delve into.”

“Yea?”

“It is good news, we may finally be able make some decent progress.”

“But I thought we just decided this was all on Buff now.”

Giles lifted his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose:

“Xander, if you please?”

“Okay, but you can’t blame a guy for hoping.”

“No, but a guy…”

“Fellow.”

“What in God’s name are you going on about?”

“A real Englishman would say ‘fellow’, not ‘guy’.”

Buffy smiled as she listened to Xander deliberately irritating Giles.

“Really? Well shall I tell you what else a real Englishman calls a…”

“So boys, it’s some news of the good at last. I’m on the mend and putting my thinking cap on, you’re all stuck doing research, and Will, you’re going to keep at it from the magically mystical side of things?”

“…”

Giles rushed to fill the silence of Willow’s non-response:

“…Ah yes, Buffy. You may rest assured we shall use everything at our disposal.”

“That’s good to hear. Will?”

“…Uh-huh?”

“How come you’re not talking or even looking at me?”

“What? Me? Um…no reason…I am, not I mean…What?”

“Will…”

Willow was suddenly very talkative:

“So it’s all good then. We’ve got our plan of attack, so let’s go get all booky and magicky and let Buffy and Faith try the whole remembering thing.”

“We should meet up tomorrow to discuss our progress and examine all our options, yes?”

“Yes. How about 11:00 at Checkpoint # 4?”

“That sounds perfect. Hopefully we’ll have something useful to impart by then.”

“Buffy…are you guys going to be okay?”

“Way more than okay. I’m getting stronger every minute, and you know two Slayers are better than one. Don’t you worry, Dawnie, we’ll be just fine.”

“…I wish you could come home.”

“Me too. I’m dreaming of a hot shower and my own bed, but it won’t be much longer. I’m just glad you’re okay…all of you.”

“All shipshape here, Buff. Heads attached, hearts on the inside of our chests.”

Anya pulled him close and snuggled in:

“And that’s definitely how yours needs to stay, Xander.”

“Buffy, would you please convey to Faith just how very grateful we are? What she did…”

Giles’ voice broke and tears glistened again in his eyes. He cleared his throat and continued on:

“Needless to say, we are all very much in her debt, and it is not something any of us will ever forget.”

“Yeah Buff, we’ve started up the ‘We Love Faith’ fan club. I’m the president.”

“I don’t recall voting on that. Besides, it seems only logical that since I’m her best friend, I would be the president.”

“Hey, did I even get considered? Just because I’m the youngest doesn’t mean you can automatically overlook me. That’s not remotely fair, and I’ll bet it’s not legal either!”

“Buffy, perhaps you could pass along the somewhat alarming fact that her greatest admirers are fighting amongst themselves over an imaginary position?”

Buffy laughed as the argument continued to rage:

“Oh, I’m definitely passing that on.”

“Right then, Checkpoint # 4 at 11:00 a.m.?”

“We’ll be there. Guys? Hey guys? Could you give me and Will a minute?”

“What?! We don’t need a minute, time’s a-wastin’!”

Giles patted Willow’s shoulder as he rounded everyone up:

“You girls take your time. We’ll wait in the jeep.”

“Be careful, Buffster.”

“…Buffy…”

“It’s going to be okay, and no wearing my clothes!”

Dawn let out a giggle:

“Hey, I never even thought about that!”

“Oops, guess I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Ha, ha, Buffy, can’t stop me from in there!”

“I mean it, Dawn!”

“Bye!”

“Buffy, please be careful and make sure Faith stays safe as well.”

“You can count on me, Anya.”

“Yes I always thought so, but then you allowed yourself to get caught. Now I’m not sure of your…”

“Time to go, An. See you tomorrow, Buff.”

And then it was just Willow and Buffy left standing on opposite sides of the barrier. Willow seemed completely and utterly entranced with the ground, and Buffy wished she could just reach out and grab her.

“Will?”

“…”

“Willow, come on.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For not coming up with a better idea, for letting you stay in there, for…”

“First of all, it was a good idea and everyone agreed with it. Second of all, for your information you did not ‘let’ me stay in here. I chose to stay, and I don’t regret it. Besides, between the two of us, which is the boss of me?”

A slight smile formed on Willow’s face as she heard her own words from so long ago said back to her.

“And anyway, that’s not what this is about and we both know it.”

“…”

“Will, it wasn’t you. I know that.”

“…”

“I saw what he made me see. He made me think all of you were dead, he turned you right in front of me. I could have stopped him, I had the shot. I…You begged me to take it and I just couldn’t do it, but none of that matters because it wasn’t real. I know that now.”

“…”

“It’s not like I chose to think any of that, he made me. He tried all kinds of things, but I never once thought of it as you, not once, Willow.”

“God Buffy, how could you not?! It wasn’t that long ago I was trying to beat you to death in real life. Are you going to stand there and tell me you don’t remember that? Are you going to pretend that if it wasn’t for you, I would have killed Giles? You were there, you saw me hurt Anya, threaten to kill Dawnie. Do you honestly expect me to believe you…”

“Stop it! Of course I remember, I remember it all. But the thing I remember most is that my best friend had just lost the woman she loved. You went crazy with the pain and grief, and you let the darkness control you. But you know what? That wasn’t you either, Will. You would never hurt me, I know that. That’s why I never thought of it as you, how could I?”

“But Buffy…”

“When it got bad, when I needed to stay strong and hold on, I always thought of you guys. I grabbed onto the love we have for each other and I wouldn’t let it go, no matter what he did. That’s why he couldn’t break me, you wouldn’t let him.”

“But it was me he used, wasn’t it? He must have found something inside of you that’s afraid of me and…”

“And all he could get was the ‘Alternate Reality’ you. Why didn’t he make me think you’d gone all dark and evil again? He couldn’t because I am so over that Willow, it’s nothing to me. I’m not afraid of you, not even way deep down. I trust you with everything inside of me, nothing will ever change that. There’s nothing that could.”

“…”

“Now that whole ‘Vamp Willow’ thing? Well that was just freaky. I mean, her clothes alone are enough to put me into a panic.”

“…I just hate it that you had to see me.”

“I know, me too. But it doesn’t mean anything, not really. Please don’t do this to yourself, to us. I need you to be strong, Will, I need you to be okay…Just knowing you’re alive makes me so happy, it’s all that matters to me.”

Willow finally looked up from the ground:

“You’re right. I’m sorry, Buffy. Here you are going through this horrible…”

“Hey, we’re all going through it, you don’t need to apologize for being upset.”

“…Okay, so it’s all aboard ‘The Research Train’ then?”

“Sounds like that’s our best bet. Faith said that you and Giles are pretty sure that Spiran’s mind warp thingy won’t work on me anymore?”

“Do you want the long or short version?”

“The short.”

“Yep.”

“Okay, maybe the medium would be good.”

“It’s like a spell. It won’t work twice with the same essence, so you should be completely impervious.”

“Does that mean Faith should be safe too?”

“That part, not so clear. We don’t know if her essence is different enough to let him do his thing, or if it’s too much the same and he’s out of luck. I’m way big with the hoping, but I’m just as big with the worrying. There’s really no way to know until they meet.”

“They already did. She said they had a little talk when she was rescuing me.”

“Did she tell him anything?”

“Faith? She was a little pissed, so that’s a big fat ‘no’ on the sharing of info. She said he felt power in her and something familiar, but it was like he couldn’t sense her or something.”

“That makes sense. The spell I did to suppress her scent and make her undetectable must have screwed up his method of reading people. It’s complicated, but it made Faith seem like she wasn’t ‘Faith’ and that must have confused him.”

“So next time they meet…”

“He won’t have any trouble recognizing her.”

“Great. If you had to guess, do you think he can get to her?”

Willow began pacing as she thought it over.

“I just don’t know. It’s not a simple thing, he has to weaken his victim to gain full control. Causing intense emotional or physical pain is definitely the fastest way to get things going.”

“And Test Case # 1 can definitely confirm the effectiveness of pain.”

“Did Faith pick up anything when she talked to him?”

“Like?”

“Like did she feel strange or a little out of control?”

“I don’t think so. He seemed like just another vampire to her.”

“That’s sounds good, but to be on the safe side…”

“No letting Faith get captured.”

“I think that’s our best bet.”

“We’re all on the same page there. Look, I should probably get going. It’s not the smartest thing to stay out in the open for too long.”

“Oh yeah, of course.”

Buffy’s eyes searched for Willow’s:

“Will, are we okay?”

“I think so. I mean we were always okay, we’re us. It’s just that we weren’t ‘okay’ okay, okay? But there are different kinds of okay, and we were already most of them. But now that we’ve talked and you’re okay, I’ll be okay too, and that makes us both okay.”

“I think I should be scared that I followed that so easily.”

“Why, what do you mean?”

“Ah, ‘Willow Babble’. How I’ve missed it.”

“Hey, you babble too! You do!”

“Ooh goodie, now it’s ‘Willow Rhyme Time’.”

“Oh, shut up.”

They were both smiling now, and Willow seemed almost a hundred percent normal.

“All right, I guess…”

“Buffy, how are you really? I know you didn’t wanna worry Dawnie, but I can tell…”

“It was a lot worse than this, a lot. My back was…well it was bad, but your magic cream works like magic. I had some broken ribs, but they’re on the mend now. I’ve got a bunch of cuts and bruises, but they’re healing too. I’m just shaky and sore, but I’m getting better. I’m eating and sleeping now, and my Slayer healing’s finally kicking in at full force. That’s a huge help of the hugest kind. I’ll be okay.”

“You just look so tired.”

“I don’t have too much energy yet, but we’re working on it. Faith carried me here so I could walk to you guys. I just wanted to look as normal as I could. Did I pull it off?”

“You did a great job, especially where Dawnie’s concerned.”

“That’s a relief. How’s she holding up?”

“It’s been a bad couple of weeks, but I think seeing you has made all the difference. She’ll be okay too.”

“Thank God she’s got you guys.”

“Buffy?”

“Yeah?”

“No more getting caught, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You’d better get going. Um…Could you make sure to tell Faith that I said, ‘Thank you’?”

“Don’t worry, I’m going to make sure she knows just how grateful everyone is and…”

“Good, that’s a definite good…I mean about something else though.”

“Something else?”

“Just something she said to me at the house.”

“Oh, okay. So what did she say?”

“We can get into it later, but I want her to know it really helped me, she really helped me. Would you tell her that for me?”

“Sure I will, Will. Ha, it ‘Rhymey Buffy Timey’!”

“Oh brother…”

“You are so jealous! You never could stand the rhyming competition, could you?”

Willow rolled her eyes as she began laughing:

“I think what I can’t stand is…”

“I’m not just a Slayer you know, I happen to be a very smart and well-rounded individual.”

“Well-rounded in a square peg life.”

“Was that an insult? Don’t try using all your fancy ‘Willow’ words on me.”

“I don’t think ‘square peg’ is…”

“It’s a metaphor! No wait, a simile, a facsimile…a homily? Help me out, Will.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘inanity’.”

“I’m going to have to take your word on that.”

They laughed together, everything just like it was supposed to be between them.

“Be careful, okay? Both of you.”

“We will be, I promise. See you tomorrow.”

“We’ll be here, hopefully with something helpful.”

Suddenly Willow began blushing furiously, but before Buffy could ask her why she was embarrassed, she had the answer.

Willow was waving to Faith, not quite as maniacally as Dawn had, but she was going at it pretty vigorously.

“No reason Dawnie should have all the fun.”

Buffy’s smile was huge:

“None at all.”

“Just between us, Buff?”

“Uh-huh?”

“I think I’m the president.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The night passed quickly. At first they talked about just how grateful the Scoobies were, how much they appreciated what Faith had done, and it was clear that Faith was embarrassed by the praise. What was also crystal clear was that having their respect made her happier than Buffy had ever seen her.

Despite the severity of the situation, Faith looked like a giant weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she could not stop smiling. It was like she was on vacation at the world’s best amusement park, and she looked just like an excited and joyful child. Buffy thought she was absolutely beautiful.

After a while, the conversation made its way back around to the business at hand. They stayed on the move as they talked, hoping that somehow, something would trigger Buffy’s memory. They kept at it all night, searching for that elusive piece of information that would turn the tide in their favor. As the sunrise began approaching, they had to concede their failure, at least for now.

“So B, whaddya think?”

“I think we can stop. It’s less than thirty minutes until sunrise so…”

“…it’s pretty unlikely they’ll be out this far.”

Faith eased her down and began setting up their camp.

“Just gimme a sec and I’ll have this bitch goin’. This is it for the lighter fluid, so we gotta score some more.”

She squirted every last drop onto the pile of wood she’d gathered, tossed a match, and watched as the fire roared to life. She turned to face Buffy with a cocky grin:

“Am I fucking Grizzly Adams or what?”

“Hmm…Well since I can’t recall you having sex since you’ve been here, I’m going to have to say ‘no’.”

“Very funny, but ya might wanna start dishing out a little of the ass kissin’ here. Last I checked, I’m holding all the important shit.”

“You mean…”

“That’s right baby, here’s the shampoo and looks like I got the extra water too.”

“What kind of shampoo is it?”

“Herbal Essence. Only the best for you.”

“I don’t really care, just as long as I get some of it.”

Faith laughed as she began pulling supplies from their backpack:

“Tell ya B, those commercials were hot shit in the joint. The dykes went practically nuts whenever…”

“Faith, I…”

“…they came on. I thought it was stupid, but now…”

“…need to talk to you about…”

“…I’m seeing the appeal. In fact, kinda hoping maybe you can…”

“…when I…when I got caught.”

“…put on a little show. Nothing too nuts, just…What, B?”

“…I said I need to…”

“I heard you.”

Faith put the provisions down and walked over to Buffy.

“Look ya don’t gotta, not if it’s too hard.”

“No, I need to. I feel like I have to get it out, okay?”

“Yeah sure, that’s fine with me. Whenever you’re ready.”

Faith sat down facing her and waited.

“Okay…Um…”

Buffy stood up and began pacing, then abruptly sat back down. She was obviously too sore and tired to walk and talk, but it didn’t take a genius to see that she wanted to move.

“Right, okay…Boy, it sure seemed a lot easier to talk about in my head.”

“Yeah, always that way. Just relax and take your time.”

“……I guess I should start from the beginning.”

Faith remained silent, she could see this was going to be bad. Buffy looked shaky, almost raw somehow, and Faith braced herself for what she was about to hear.

“So we raised the barrier. The plan was for me to stay out of sight as much as possible. It was a waiting game, but I still felt like I had to slay when I could, you know?”

“Course ya did.”

Buffy exhaled loudly and a tremor ran through her small frame. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly and huddled into a tiny ball.

“So that night wasn’t any different. I’d been moving around, dusting vamps whenever I could…Finally I decided to find someplace safe to wait for the sunrise. I’d seen plenty of action and it didn’t seem smart to keep pushing my luck. Then I just sort of stumbled onto four vampires. Somehow they didn’t notice me, so I started backing away as quietly as I could. Then I saw what had their attention…they had two people.”

She laughed then, a laugh so filled with bitterness and pain, Faith felt a chill roll its way down her spine.

“They weren’t in great shape, the woman was already dead. As for the man…I knew I couldn’t save him, but he was still…and they were going to…”

“It’s okay, B, no hurry.”

She was silent for a few long minutes, her gaze staring off into the darkness as if she longed to disappear into it. Her voice was soft and low as she picked up the story.

“I knew I could take them and I couldn’t just leave him there, not like that. I was worried there might be more of them nearby, but I was hoping to get in and out before anyone even knew I was there.”

“Good plan, for sure.”

“I jumped right in and staked two of them before they even knew what hit them. Two more came running up, but I had it under control. They weren’t good fighters, and it wasn’t long before there was only one left……That’s when he called out to me.”

**Slayer!**

“I turned around, and there he was. I knew I needed to get out of there, he always traveled with a lot of back-up. The most important thing was that I not get captured.”

Buffy’s eyes were closed and her slight tremor had turned into a constant shaking. She was breathing hard, and Faith wasn’t sure if she could keep going.

“It was just him and the other vamp, but I knew I had to go. I picked up the man and turned to run…That’s when…that’s when I saw…I saw…”

“…Buffy?”

“He had…a little boy.”

“Oh fuck.”

“He was about seven or eight, and he was crying for his mommy. There was blood…on his neck and his right arm was…it was…”

Buffy had gone completely white, her words fainter and fainter as she struggled to go on.

“I froze, it felt like my heart stopped beating. I decided to hell with the plan, I was going to kill that bastard right then and there…But just as I…”

**Now, now Slayer, none of that.**

“He grabbed him by the neck and lifted him into the air. He started squeezing slowly…choking him. The boy was crying and then he saw his father…He kept asking…He wanted his dad to make the bad man stop hurting him.”

“Christ.”

“Spiran…Spiran was just laughing like it was the funniest thing ever…Then he offered me a deal.”

**Slayer, if you surrender I’ll let the boy go.**

Tears were streaming down Buffy’s face, but she didn’t seem to notice them.

“Suddenly the man was conscious, and the next thing I knew he was standing up. I don’t know how he did it, I mean he was literally dead on his feet…The boy yelled out, ‘Daddy!’ and the man tried to go to him…I held him back and he collapsed in my arms. He pleaded with me to save his son…then he died.”

Faith sat as still as she possibly could, afraid to move or make a sound.

“So there we all stood. Spiran began applying more pressure, and the little boy was turning purple. I told Spiran I’d surrender if he let him go…He eased up, but he didn’t let go.”

**And what makes you think I would trust you? You lay down your weapons and step forward, then I’ll let him go.**

“I knew if I moved forward my escape route would be gone, but what else could I do? I did what he told me to, except I stepped forward first, then put my weapons down. I put the handle of my axe on a little rock, and laid my stake across it. I was hoping I could flip them up into my hands when the time came.”

**Okay, they’re down. Now let him go.**

**As you wish, Slayer.**

“So he let him go, and the little boy ran over to me. I hugged him and told him it would be okay. By now there were about thirty vampires surrounding us. I knew they weren’t going to let him go, and even if he somehow got away, I knew they’d just…”

“Shit.”

“He asked me if his parents were okay, and I told him they were just sleeping…Spiran was laughing and talking about what he was going to do to him while he forced me to watch. The vampires were closing in…There were way too many for me to take…”

“B…”

“So I kissed him on the forehead and told him he was so brave. I told him his parents were really proud of him…I said he was going to be okay…and then…and then…I broke his neck.”

“…”

“I fought them for a long time. They had to make sure they didn’t kill me, so I had that going for me. I dusted about fifteen of them, but they just kept coming…Finally they took me down.”

“…”

“So that’s how I got captured.”

“…Jesus B, there was nothing else you could have done.”

“I know.”

“At least he didn’t suffer anymore.”

“Yeah.”

Buffy was completely shut down. Her face held all the expression of a brick wall.

“We’re so gonna kill him, I promise you that, B.”

The sun was slowly peeking over the horizon.

“Okay, well I guess I’ll go wash my hair now.”

“B…”

“Unless you’d prefer to go first? It doesn’t really matter to me, just as long as I get my turn.”

Faith reached over to hug her.

“No, don’t! Don’t touch me!”

“Buffy…”

Buffy scooted back and tried to get to her feet, but Faith was too fast for her.

“I said ‘no’! I don’t want to be touched! Get away from me!”

Faith pulled her in tight, her arms hanging on as Buffy struggled to break loose.

“Shhh, it’s okay.”

“Let go of me! Goddamn you, let me go!”

“It’s okay, B. Just get it out.”

“Let me go…I can’t…Faith, I can’t…”

And then Buffy was sobbing and Faith held on, murmuring words of comfort that really had no meaning.

Buffy cried for a long time, shedding more tears than it seemed possible for the human body to contain. There was nothing Faith could do except be there, so she stayed right where she was.

Eventually Buffy’s sobs dwindled away, and she fell into an exhausted sleep. Faith waited until she was positive that Buffy was totally out of it, and then she let her own tears fall silently. She felt like her heart was broken.

What a thing to have to live with. It wasn’t fair, and as Faith sat there, she cursed whoever was in charge. She didn’t care if it was God, The Powers That Be, or who the fuck ever, she cursed them with everything she had.

She hoped one day she would come face to face with them so she could beat them to a bloody pulp. She’d spit on them with her last breath, she’d hate them all the way down on her ride to Hell. They were motherfucking bastards, and she would never forgive them for letting this happen to Buffy.

She sat there a long time as she fought to regain control of her emotions. When she finally did, she looked down at what she held in her lap. Buffy was sleeping on her, something they hadn’t had to do for days. Faith gently kissed the top of her head, then lightly stroked her hair.

The woman she held was so incredible. She was such a hero, such a powerful force of goodness. How she could be so strong, so brave, so noble, so goddamn amazing, was just anybody’s guess. What wasn’t a guess was that she was every inch The Slayer, and Faith knew there had never been a better one and there never would be.

Buffy slept for about two hours and when she began to stir, Faith had to admit she was relieved. The position she’d been sitting in hadn’t exactly been the most comfortable, and the left side of her body had gone numb. Still, Buffy squirming around on top of her was always a positive.

“Faith?”

“Hey, B.”

“I guess I nodded off.”

“Coupla hours ago.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“Shut up, I don’t care. Be your bed anytime ya want.”

Buffy smiled and snuggled in a little closer.

“You are kind of comfy.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you, ya know…feelin’ better?”

“Surprisingly, yes I am. I guess it really does help to get things out.”

“That’s what they say.”

“I’m not so sure about the insane, out of control crying part though.”

“Think that’s a big part of it, least it was for me.”

Buffy’s hand was absently tracing random patterns on Faith’s forearm.

“When was this?”

“…Long time ago.”

“Faith, you just saw me have a total meltdown. I think you can at least tell me when you cried.”

“…With Angel…after I…after I hurt Wesley.”

“Oh.”

“Kept asking him, begging him to kill me. Obviously, no dice.”

They were silent for a few moments, and then Buffy piped up:

“God, we’re a lot of fun, aren’t we?”

Faith laughed:

“Yeah, them good times is just rollin’ with us.”

“For sure.”

They sat quietly, lost in their thoughts of each other.

“Thank you, Faith.”

“For what?”

“For holding on.”

“…I’ll always hold onto you, B. Nothing anywhere that could ever stop me.”

Buffy smiled and lifted Faith’s hand to her lips:

“Who knew you could be so sweet?”

“News to me too. Guess you’re makin’ a real wimp outta me.”

“Oh so it’s my fault, is it?”

“Hell, yeah! Not like I act like this with anybody else.”

“Uh-huh. I’ll bet you’ve always been a secret softy.”

“Have not! I’m one tough fucking bad ass, and you know it!”

“Whatever you say…Faithy Poo.”

“Take it back!”

“Aw, is your itty bitty feelings hurt?”

“That’s it!”

Faith began tickling her, and in her struggle to escape, Buffy ended up trapped. She was still on Faith’s lap, but now she was facing away from her, held in place by Faith’s unyielding arms.

“Better take it back, Blondie.”

“What are you going to do about it if I don’t?”

Faith didn’t answer, at least not with words. She merely tightened her hold and blew softly into Buffy’s ear. The squirming began instantly.

“Hey!”

“Yeah?”

“That tickles!”

“Bet it does.”

Faith blew again.

“Faith, stop!”

“Not ‘til you take it back.”

“I don’t think I can just…Faith!”

“Yeah, B?”

“Stop it!”

“Sorry, can’t hear ya.”

“Apparently you can’t stand to hear the truth either.”

“Fine, have it your way.”

“No! Okay, I take it back. You’re not a big softy.”

“And?”

“God…Okay, you’re a real bad ass. In fact, you’re the toughest, meanest, baddest bad ass ever…”

“Now that’s more like it.”

“…to have such a soft squishy inside!”

“Buffy Summers! I oughta…”

Buffy turned her head and captured Faith’s lips. Faith’s hold loosened almost immediately, allowing Buffy to turn and face her. When they pulled apart, they were both smiling and laughing.

“Not sure, but I kinda think that’s cheating.”

“Oh, it absolutely is.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“I absolutely am, especially when it gets me what I want.”

“Good to know.”

Buffy tucked her head underneath Faith’s chin and snuggled in again.

“So have I ever told you just how much I like a soft squishy inside?”

“No, but I sorta noticed.”

“I love the whole bad ass way too…Gee, I wish I could just find someone who was both of those things.”

“Might be in luck ‘cause I’m thinkin’ when it comes to you, I can maybe pull it off.”

“Really?”

“Yep, but just for you.”

“Hmm…that sounds enticing.”

Faith grinned and wiggled her eyebrows:

“That’s me, all about the enticement.”

“Does that mean you’ll help me wash my hair?”

“If ya want.”

“Oh, I want. I most definitely want.”

“Hey, who’s doing the enticing here?”

“It’s kind of hard to tell. I’d call it a draw.”

“…Can call it what ya want, but if you keep movin’ like that…”

“What?”

“Gonna find out it’s dangerous to entice an enticer.”

Buffy’s eyes darkened as her smile grew:

“Is it really?”

“Absolutely.”

“Promise?”

Faith’s breathing had become ragged.

“…B…”

“Yes?”

“…”

“Wow, I sure hope you’re not one of those ‘all talk’ kind of bad asses.”

“…Never been much of a talker.”

“And yet that seems to be all you’re doing.”

“This going where I think it’s going?”

“Well, I’m sure doing my best to take it there. You on the other hand, seem to be holding it back.”

“Buffy…are you sure about this?”

“I very much am.”

“Oh, fuck.”

“Why don’t we start with a washing of the hair, and then see where that takes us?”

Faith’s smile started off slowly, but it soon took over her entire face:

“Works for me. Which hair ya wanna lead-off with?”

“Faith!”

“What?”

“You know what.”

“Hey, just meant ‘mine or yours’. Geez B, gotcha a mind like a sailor.”

“I think the expression’s ‘a mouth like a sailor’.”

“Whatever. Point’s the same.”

“I suppose that’s true. Speaking of mouths, have I ever told you that you have the most beautiful mouth I’ve ever seen?”

“Nope.”

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me, I’d remember that.”

“Well you have the most beautiful mouth I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Should see what I can do with it.”

“Faith!’

“What?”

“You know what.”

“Just sayin’ I can play the harmonica and whistle ‘Dixie’. What’d ya think I was gettin’ at?”

“I know exactly what you’re getting at.”

“Ya do, do ya?”

“Oh, I absolutely do.”

“Always a plus.”

“Can we heat up some water first?”

Faith smiled happily:

“Sure, don’t see why the water should get left outta this.”

Faith started to get up, but found herself held in place. She looked at Buffy, clearly puzzled.

“Uh, B? Ya wanted the water heated up.”

Buffy traced her finger along the grooves of Faith’s dimples.

“Um, gonna need to get up if I’m gonna…”

“God, you have the best dimples ever. Have I ever told you that?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me, I’d definitely remember that too.”

“Oh. Well you have the best dimples I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, they make your cheeks…”

“Which ones?”

“Faith!”

“What?”

“You know what.”

“Yeah, guess I do. Best if ya just accept it, B. Gotcha a real bad ass on your hands.”

“That works for me.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Hi, guys. What do we have?”

Giles was all Watcher as he spoke up:

“Perhaps it would be best to start with what you’ve recalled.”

“That bad, huh? I don’t have much either, just the memory of Spiran saying something about a contingency plan.”

“Splendid! And that plan is?”

“Contingent?”

“Buffy…”

“I’m sorry, Giles, but unless I make something up, that’s it.”

“Hey don’t feel bad, Buffster. You’re still way ahead of us.”

“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”

Giles had his glasses off and his handkerchief out:

“Well this certainly isn’t the treasure trove of information we so desperately need.”

They stood silently until Willow piped up:

“Okay guys, it’s not the end of the world. At least not yet anyway.”

“Maybe not for you, but just the thought of having to do more research…”

Willow bumped shoulders with him:

“C’mon Xander, are we going to let some musty old tomes get the best of us? No we are not, for we are the Scooby Gang! We’ll just hit those books until…”

“Pummel.”

“Uh, right Buff, pummel is a much better word for sure. So we’re just going to go back and pummel those books until they…”

“No, I mean they said they were going to ‘pummel the Hellmouth’.”

Giles was clearly mystified:

“Buffy, I’m afraid I don’t quite understand. Perhaps you could explain how it makes sense that they are going to ‘pummel’ the …”

“Hey, maybe that said ‘pommel’? Buffy, did they say, ‘pommel'? Xander and I have discovered those have lots of uses and…”

“No not ‘pummel’…it was ‘tunnel’.”

“Of course! They’re going to ‘tunnel’ the Hellmouth! How could we have been so blind? It’s so obvious and…Okay, I don’t get it.”

“Nor do I, Xander. In fact, I fail to ascertain…”

“No…it wasn’t ‘tunnel’…It was something else.”

“Was it ‘irritating’, because this sure is. Weren’t you and Faith supposed to do this on your own last night? If you’d done that, we wouldn’t all have to be annoyed by…”

“An, nobody said it’d be a piece of cake so…”

“That’s it!”

“She didn’t mean anything, Buff.”

“They said ‘funnel’!”

“’Funnel’? And Xander’s mention of ease made you…”

“No Giles, it was the mention of cake that…”

“Ooh, you mean that cake we get every year at the fair?”

“That’s the one, Will. And they definitely said ‘funnel’.”

“Of course! They’re going to ‘funnel cake’ the Hellmouth! How could we have been so blind? It’s so obvious and…Nope, still don’t get it.”

“Giles, does it make any sense to you?”

His glasses were off and dangling loosely from his hand.

“Possibly…Buffy, do you perchance recall hearing the term, ’Covalent Dispersal’?”

“…Yes…no…maybe…I don’t know. It seems familiar somehow, but it’s all kind of fuzzy and mixed-up too.”

“Well we know time is growing short and his inability to break you, now even find you, has to be…But my God, to take such a risk…”

They all stood there watching him think and Buffy’s impatience grew.

“Hello? Earth to Giles, do you copy?”

“Pardon?”

“Wanna share our only maybe lead?”

“Oh yes, of course. A bit lost in thought there for a moment. All right, as I’m sure you all know, the very term ‘Covalent Dispersal’ is an almost perfect oxymoron, if one were so disposed to affix such labels. Most certainly, its antecedents are strongly immersed, if not outright…”

Buffy’s irritation was obvious:

“Giles, you’re talking to us. We need it explained in stupid talk.”

“Yes well, ‘Covalent Dispersal’ is quite the scientific impossibility. The two words are almost exact opposites in a way.”

“And yet we’re still with the worried because?”

“It is believed possible through the use of magic.”

“Just believed?”

“But therein lies the worry, Buffy. There are very few individuals powerful enough to even risk performing the ritual. It can only be done at a very specific time, and the execution requires a precision far beyond the capabilities of most everyone. In point of fact, it’s only been done once in recorded history.”

The look on Buffy’s face was not a happy one:

“And Spiran’s powerful enough to do it? He can perform this ritual of…’Coherent Dispensation’?”

“’Covalent Dispersal’, and no he cannot.”

“Hey check out Giles, bringing the good news!”

“I’m afraid the news is not good at all, Xander.”

“Yeah, but you just said Spiran can’t…”

“But I’ll bet The Brothers can.”

“Right you are, Willow. They most definitely can.”

“Geez, so much for the new and improved Giles.”

Buffy didn’t look the slightest bit happy:

“Well isn’t this just great?”

“While certainly not the best of news, at least we’ve solved the mystery of why Spiran needed the Brothers. They were his back-up plan in the event that anything should go amiss.”

Xander grinned:

“And I’m guessing the raising of a barrier, along with the most stubborn Slayer in history, kind of falls under the heading of ‘World’s Biggest Amisses’?”

“Yes, I’d say we’ve bollocksed things up quite nicely.”

“But doesn’t this mean the whole barrier thing was for nothing? We were trying to stop him from opening the Hellmouth, but now he can just do it from in here anyway.”

“Perhaps Buffy, but even if he succeeds, the Hellmouth shall remain contained inside the barrier.”

“Okay, and I’d be jumping for joy if you didn’t have some major ‘But Face’ going on.”

“Yes…well…”

“Giles, just say it.”

“The barrier is going to collapse under the immense pressure.”

“Boy, this just keeps getting better and better.”

Giles began pacing again as he thought through all their options:

“We can however, slow down the process.”

“Okay, how do we do that exactly?”

“Willow, you will need to vigorously maintain and support the barrier whilst we ascertain a way to reseal the Hellmouth.”

“I will?”

“Yes, but not to worry. It’s certainly not at all beyond your capabilities. I believe you to be much stronger then even The Brothers, so at least we’ve that in our favor.”

“Yeah, that’s great. But…um…Giles?”

“Yes?”

“Um…Do I…I mean...is it…”

“My apologies, but I’m not sure what it is that you’re trying to ask of me.”

Anya let out an exasperated sigh:

“For crying out loud, Giles! She wants to know if she’ll be required to use dark magicks!”

“Oh.”

“And it’s a darn fine question if you ask me because if she loses control again, she’s probably going to kill us all this time.”

“Anya’s right, I’m not sure if I should be…”

“I seriously doubt what you need do will endanger any of us.”

Anya wasn’t appeased in the slightest.

“No offense, Willow, but I think we should talk about this a little bit more. It wasn’t that long ago she was tossing us all around like rag dolls while she tried to destroy the world and my business.”

“An…”

“No Xander, she’s right. Giles, at a certain point I’m going to have to battle them directly, right?”

“Most likely there will be a direct altercation somewhere down the line, but I promise you Willow, we shall ask nothing of you that will cause you to lose control.”

“…Are you sure?”

“I am. But you are a good deal stronger than you give yourself credit for, and I’ve no doubt you can harness your power. Still, perhaps we should ring the coven and…”

“No. If you’re sure, that’s good enough for me. I’m in.”

“It will be all right, Willow, and I shall monitor you every step of the way.”

“Xander, will you be able to come up with another crayon story if we need one?”

“Don’t worry honey, I’ve got millions.”

“You do?”

“Yep.”

Anya began smiling as she looked at him:

“You’re so cute.”

“And you’re beautiful.”

“Okay people, could we speed this up? Xander and I need to go have…love.”

“My, isn’t that just a lovely image?”

“Sorry, Giles. Honey, we talked about this, remember?”

“Of course I remember, that’s why I didn’t say…s…e…x.”

“Right. Okay, in that case, nice job.”

“Thank you…Now can we go?”

“Shhh, still in the very important meeting.”

“Oh all right, I’ll wait. But let’s get it moving.”

Buffy shook her head as she tried to get back to business:

“Giles, if the Hellmouth opens in here…”

“It won’t be at full force right away, although it will still be most unpleasant.”

“Then Faith and I are voting to stop them before they get it open.”

Giles blew out a frustrated breath, running his hand through his hair:

“Yes that would be ideal, but I’m not at all sure we can prevent that occurrence from happening. I’m sorry, but at this point I hesitate to even speculate as to what we might be able to do. I’m afraid I’m woefully lacking in all the requisite details.”

“Geez Buffster, wanna lay off? You know what a slacker he is.”

“Yeah…Hey, do you think it’s too late for me to request another Watcher? I need one who actually knows stuff and is prepared to help me out. I’m sorry, Giles, but I just can’t keep carrying you.”

Willow wasn’t about to be left out:

“And to think he was my educational role model in high school.”

“Yes fine, you three all have a go. Rest assured I shall know what we’re dealing with come tomorrow’s meeting.”

“Okay, but if you’re not ready by then, I’ll have to deduct half a letter grade from your final score. Sorry, but it’s in the Slayer handbook, at least that’s the rumor.”

“Strangely Buffy, the words, ‘sod off’ keep resounding in my head.”

Buffy laughed as she watched him struggling to keep the smile from his face.

“But you wouldn’t say that to me, would you? I’m your cheeky charge, your cute, loveable, way plucky Slayer.”

“Oh, do shut up.”

They all laughed then, the tension of another impending apocalypse lessening to a familiar and bearable level.

“Does anyone have anything else to add? If not, might I suggest…”

Buffy suddenly shouted out:

“No, wait! Spiran has some sort of force field protection thingy around him, and we have no idea how to…”

“I read about this! It’s called a ‘Reflectus’ spell, and it’s no big deal. If I was in there, I could tear that sucker down in like five seconds……Of course, I’m not in there.”

“Which then makes it a big deal. Faith’s just dying to kill him, a sentiment I way support, by the way. I remember throwing a stake at him, but it just bounced right off.”

“That’s exactly what it did, only not at all.”

“Wow, thanks so much for the clear-up, Will.”

“I’m just saying it didn’t bounce, so much as veer away from him.”

“Well in this case, isn’t veering pretty much the same as bouncing? No matter what we call it, it means we can’t get anywhere near him.”

“That’s right, only completely wrong.”

“Will, a little more of the sense talking please.”

“The stake couldn’t get near him because it’s a thing. The spell only works on objects and certain other spells.”

“So people can get to him?”

“Right, only they can’t.”

“I see…Hey, could somebody smack Willow for me?”

Willow looked shocked:

“Me? What did I do?”

“You’re confusing me!”

Giles stepped forward:

“Willow, perhaps I should explain from here?”

“…Fine, be my guest.”

“Yes, well you see Buffy…”

Willow began muttering rather loudly to herself:

“I mean, why should it matter that I’m the one who found the info in the first place? I don’t remember seeing anyone else still awake, but oh no please, you guys go right ahead and…”

“Willow, please, if you don’t mind?”

“Fine, being quiet girl now.”

Giles turned his attention back to Buffy:

“As I was saying…It seems very likely that either you or Faith will be able to force a stake through the spell’s perimeter. The trick is that you must be holding onto it at the time.”

“And that’s because?”

“BecauseyouguysareSlayersandstrongerthanregularpeoplevampiresandmostdemons!!!”

All eyes stared at Willow.

“Sorry.”

“Boy Will, you sure wanted to get that out.”

“Like you’ve never wanted to say something first.”

“Well at least you didn’t fall down and start kicking and screaming. Remember that time in third grade when you…”

“Shut up, Xander.”

“Yes honey, that sounds like one of your potential ‘save the world’ stories. Don’t waste it, we’ll probably need it soon.”

“Back to your question, Buffy. As with everything associated with this blasted situation, we’re not one hundred percent sure. All we have to offer you is our best, somewhat educated guess.”

“Well hey, it’s worth a try. And trust me, we won’t mind at all if we have to kill him with our bare hands. It’s just good to know he’s not invincible.”

“He’s not, Buff. He’s totally of the vincible...which I know from my late night research.”

“And that’s definitely news of the good. Okay before I go, Dawnie what’s up with the no talking? Are you guys taking turns at being all avoidy?”

A voice could be heard from somewhere:

“Me? I’ve been talking.”

“And why are you all back row girl?”

Dawn’s head peeked around Xander:

“No reason, just stayin’ out of the way.”

“Right. Come over here.”

“No thanks, I’m good.”

“Xander, move so I can see her.”

“Sure. I don’t know what…OW!”

Dawn now held Xander’s arm in a death grip:

“Don’t move.”

“But Buffy told me to…”

“So? She’s not the boss of you.”

“Yeah but she’s…”

“Be a man, Xander.”

“Oh trust me, he’s all man. Last night we had…love…for nearly…”

“Not now, Anya. Dawnie, you’re hurting me.”

“Xander?”

“Yeah, Buff?”

“I promise you, if you don’t move…”

His gulp was audible:

“C’mon, what can I do?”

“You can step aside…now.”

“Dawnie, let go!”

“Stand up to her, she’s just trying to intimidate you.”

“Well, it’s working.”

“She can’t do anything to you.”

“But she’s looking at me!”

“So? She looks at you all the time.”

“Yeah with ‘Buffy’ eyes, but those are ‘Slayer’ eyes!”

“Don’t panic, she’s just trying to scare you.”

Buffy’s voice came out calmly, and that somehow made it all the more frightening:

“Xander?”

“Bu…Buffy?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“Dawnie, please!”

Xander struggled, but couldn’t quite pull his arm free.

“I’m going to count to three.”

“God, she’s counting!”

“One…”

“Don’t move, Xander.”

“Dawn let go, she doesn’t do halves!”

“Two…”

Xander did the only thing he could do. He sat down, leaving Dawn fully exposed to Buffy’s gaze.

“Dawn Summers! What are you wearing?!”

“Um…clothes?”

“Is that my blue sweater?”

“What? No, of course not. I…I bought this with my allowance.”

“You don’t get an allowance anymore. Come over here!”

Dawn took a tiny, almost non-existent step forward.

“Dawn, you’d better…Fine. Xander, bring her here.”

“Me?! Why me?!”

“Now!”

“Come on, Dawn.”

“No.”

He sighed, resigned to his fate as he took hold of her arm:

“Just come along peacefully and nobody gets hu…OW!!!”

“I said, ‘no’.”

Xander was hopping around on one foot as he tried to rub his aching shin:

“What’d you do that for?! Are you trying to break my leg?!”

“Oh please, I barely even kicked you.”

Giles had seen enough:

“All right then, perhaps we could return to the topic of…”

“Dawn, all I was trying to do was…”

“You were trying to manhandle me over to her.”

“Xander?”

“Buffy, what do you want from me? I tried to…”

“Try harder.”

“Dawnie, will you just come on? She’s getting mad at me!”

“I don’t care.”

“But Buffy said…”

“God Xander, if she told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?”

“You know, that’s a very good question. Would you do that, Xander? Would you leap to your death like an idiot just because Buffy told you to?”

“Of course not, Anya, not unless…”

“Dawn Summers, you get over here right this second!”

“Why should I have to just because you’re all paranoid?”

“I am not paranoid! You’re wearing my…Willow, will you please grab her?”

“Oh, I see. I’m not good enough to explain the important stuff, but I’m plenty good enough to provide the muscle.”

“…it was necessary to live. Or unless she asked me to.”

“Well that makes no sense at all and is easily the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Buffy snorted as she responded:

“’The muscle’? You think you’re ‘the muscle’, Will?”

“Hey, not exactly ‘The Incredible Hulk’ yourself. You’re even smaller than me!”

“Well sorry, Anya, but it’s kind of hard to think smart when I’m in intense pain.”

“Uh, Slayer here. In case you forgot, all ‘Hulky’ without the size and greenness.”

“Fine, but that doesn’t make you the strongest person…Well okay, yes it does…but that doesn’t mean you just get to…”

“Intense pain? Xander, are you hurt?”

“My shin is throbbing!”

“Serves you right for grabbing me.”

Again Giles attempted to step in:

“Children, might we forgo this rather childish display of immaturity? We do have an…”

“I did not ‘grab’ you. I was just…”

“…laugh at me. I can do strong things sometimes, and…What’s with the staring?”

“Willow Rosenberg, are those my brand-new earrings?!”

“Are they? Dawnie, you come over here and let Buffy talk to you. Hang on Buff, I’ll go get her.”

“Don’t you ‘Buff’ me. And no moving either!”

“…trying to grab you.”

“Well I guess you learned your lesson then, Mr. Grabby.”

“Xander, will this pain prevent us from having…love…later?”

“All I know is my leg’s killing me. See how bad it is, I’m too scared to look.”

“Does somebody want to tell me what in the world is going on? Why are you guys even in my room, let alone shopping your way through my stuff?!”

“But you said I could wear these some time.”

“Yeah, after I wore them first!”

“Brace yourself Xander, there is a bump.”

“I knew it! Proud of yourself now, Dawnie?”

“Let me see…That’s just a mosquito bite!”

“So? Thanks to you it’s all itchy now!”

“Goddess Buffy, it’s not like there’s a law or a rule about borrowing stuff.”

“Yes, there is! There is clearly a rule that the owner gets to wear ‘whatever’ first!”

“Well I didn’t know anything about the rule, okay?!”

“I can’t believe you’re making such a big deal about a tiny bug bite.”

“That’s not the point! You kicked me!”

“What?! That’s always been the rule! Everyone in the whole world knows that rule!”

“Maybe they do in ‘Buffy World’.”

“So what’s next Xander, are you going to start bawling like a little girl?”

“Well I hate to tell you, but you’re part of ‘Buffy World’.”

“Uh no, I don’t think so. You’re part of ‘Willow World’.”

“Giles, will you please tell them they can’t touch my stuff?!”

“Yes, and now that we’ve got that all sorted out, perhaps we can turn our attention towards the impending…”

“I’m telling!”

“Go ahead, sissy boy.”

“I am not!”

“Are too!”

“I am not! Buffy, your little sister’s completely out of control!”

“Oh, really? I think I know that! Didn’t I just ask you to bring her here?”

“I cannot believe you! You’re just a…a big nancy-boy tattletale!”

“I am not! Buffy, Dawn just insulted me in English, then again using English. Make her stop it!”

“Well maybe next time when I ask you to help me with her…”

“And just why is it that Xander has to do your dirty work? It’s not fair, and while we’re on the subject, stop telling him to jump off bridges!”

“Okay Buffy, do you really want me to take them off? That seems way more than a little control freaky to me, but…”

“I never told him to jump off a bridge! I merely asked him very politely to help me with Dawn and…”

“He could have been killed or seriously injured!”

“Killed? Anya, I barely even kicked him!”

“…they are your earrings. It’s just really hard for me to believe that after everything we’ve been through, you’d really make me take them off and…”

“Oh my God, shopping at ‘Guilt-Trips R Us’ much?”

“QUIET!!!”

“Gee Giles, what’s with the screaming? Somebody might hear.”

“You think so, do you Xander? Well I am not screaming, merely raising my voice in order that it might be heard over the ridiculous cacophony of your puerile squabbling. Good Lord, here we are, confronted with an incredibly difficult situation of the greatest severity, yet you all choose to squander our precious time with this frivolous bickering. Is it truly necessary to remind any of you that once again the fate of the world rests firmly upon our shoulders?”

They stood silent and chastised with their heads bowed.

“…Now then, I believe Buffy was asking…”

“All I was asking is that they quit stealing my stuff. I don’t think it’s too much to ask that they stop pawing…”

“’Pawing’?! There was no ‘pawing’! I knew exactly which tops I wanted and…”

“’Tops’?! Did you just say ‘tops’?! As in the plural of ‘top’?!”

“Hey, no ‘pawing’ here either! I very delicately, some would even say gracefully, picked out the earrings and…”

“Man, this is like torture! I can’t stop scratching…An, am I getting a scab yet?”

“Hold still and let me look.”

“Dawn, just how many tops did you steal?!”

“…I also gracefully caught the jewelry box before it hit the floor.”

“Nope, you haven’t even come close to drawing blood. You know, this reminds me of the time I covered an unfaithful husband’s back with itchy welts. I made it impossible for him to scratch them and…Ha, ha, ha! It was so funny, he was completely insane in less than three hours!”

Giles drew himself up to his full height:

“All right then, I’m afraid you’ve left me no choice.”

“I cannot believe you guys! How would you like it if I just waltzed into your rooms and took stuff whenever I felt like it?!”

“Anya, that’s not a funny story! It’s a horrible…OW! What are you doing?!”

“I’m trying to make you happy.”

“By doing what?!”

“Go ahead and waltz all you want to, Buffy. No way am I stupid enough to just leave all my good stuff out in the open.”

“And excuse me ‘Ms. Waltzing U.S.A.’, but that’s exactly what you do all the time!”

Buffy looked at Willow as if she were an idiot:

“Well of course I do, but not with your new unused stuff!”

“Goddess, enough with your stupid ‘first’ rule already!”

“By trying to make it bleed more. I have to get it started or you’re never going to have enough blood to form a scab.”

“I don’t want a scab, I just wanna know if I have one!”

“’Stupid’?! It’s not ‘stupid’, but I’ll tell you what is!”

“I feel I must indeed retreat to the jeep until the lot of you can behave in a mature and responsible fashion.”

“See how he is? Anya was just trying to help you, and you have to get all...”

“’Stupid’ is you claiming to be all graceful!”

“What?! You take that back! Maybe I’m not all big shot Slayer graceful, but I have a way about me.”

“Oh yeah, and that way includes the vase.”

“You know now that you mention it, I do see how he is. What’s your problem, Xander?”

“Me?! I don’t have one except for the blood that’s now pouring down my leg!”

“I can’t believe you’re bringing that up! One lousy time…Okay, three lousy times I almost broke it, but that’s all!”

“It pains me to have to take such drastic measures, but I’m afraid you’ve all made it necessary.”

“Yeah, that’s because the third time was the charm!”

“OW!!!”

“There, now it’s really bleeding.”

“Anya, are you insane?!”

“Don’t act like you’ve never broken anything!”

“I don’t think I am, but I’ve never really been tested.”

“I can’t believe you did that!”

“Well it was bugging me…Ha, ha, ha. That’s so inadvertently funny!”

“No it’s not!”

“I haven’t ever broken anything!”

“Oh please Buffy, I’ve lost count of all the doors and windows you’ve…”

“That’s work related!”

“Well, Dawn’s laughing!”

“Well, Dawn’s crazy.”

“I am not!”

“How is slamming the kitchen door because you’re having a tantrum, ‘work related’?”

“Hey, stop shoving! You’ve already done enough damage, crazy girl!”

“You take that back too!”

“One time, Willow! I lost my temper one time!”

“Dawnie is crazy, Dawnie is crazy!”

“Take it back, Xander!”

“Or what? Hey, watch it!”

“…Oops.”

“Dawn, did you just get blood on my sweater?!”

“I didn’t, he did!”

“This is exactly why I didn’t want you wearing it in the first place!”

“Buffy, that’s truly amazing! How did you know that the blood from Xander’s mosquito bite was going to end up on your sweater?”

“I didn’t!”

“But you just said…Did anyone else just hear Buffy say…”

“I was just…God Anya, do you always have to be so literal?”

“Xander, does she mean that literally or is this one of those questions that doesn’t require an answer?”

“Bloody hell.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

To say that Faith was unhappy with the plan did not quite do justice to her feelings. She was extremely unhappy, violently discontent, blazingly dissatisfied, and majorly pissed off. She didn’t approve of the plan, she didn’t like her role in the plan, and she most definitely didn’t like Buffy’s role in the plan. The plan sucked, Faith hated it, and yet here she found herself right smack dab in the middle of it.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want Buffy involved, far from it. Buffy was the Slayer after all, and she was better at it than Faith could ever hope to be. And even though Buffy wasn’t quite at a hundred percent yet, she was still more than capable of doing what needed doing.

The problem was that what needed doing was risky and dangerous. It was also scary as hell, and it was calling up a lot of flashbacks. Faith would have been happier if they could have just switched roles, but oh no, none of that. Buffy was determined to do it just the way they were doing it, and that was that.

So here they were, and there was no turning back now. They’d made their plan and all that was left to do was make it a success. They were locked in. No stopping or changing allowed, that time was past. Great. Fine. Just freaking fantastic. But Faith was still unhappy, and she still hated the plan.

She sat hidden in the same strip of trees she’d hidden in before, only this time it wasn’t about a rescue, it was all about providing some backup. That little switch in goals didn’t really make it seem that different. In some ways, it just made it worse.

She was still staring at the building where Buffy had been tortured nearly to death, and her main weapon was still a bow and arrow. She was still sitting still and watching, and it seemed like déjà vu all over again. Really crappy déjà vu.

The meeting yesterday had led them here, and no matter how hard Faith tried, she could not understand how something that had seemed so good and so fucking about time, had suddenly turned into a nightmare. It was all just a blur now, and how the hell Point A connected to Point All Fucked Up was completely lost to her. She did know it didn’t seem right that something that had initially made her so happy, now had her guts churning like she was going to puke.

It was Giles who had come up with the plan. It was Giles who’d done all the research and knew how to make what they needed. It was Giles who had gotten them all fired up.

“So when you say ‘blow up the building’, you do mean in a totally total destruction kind of way?”

“Yes Buffy, I do. There’s a very good chance we can damage the focal point or maybe cause them to miss their window of opportunity. Perhaps we can even sever…”

“Can sever their fucking heads from their fucking bodies, is what we can fucking do.”

“Yes, that’s of course another delightful possibility. It would be nothing short of wonderful to even up the odds a bit.”

Buffy’s excitement was plain to see:

“I am loving this plan. In fact, I am marrying this plan!”

“I’m diggin’ it too. Definitely owe these bastards some pain, and we’re way overdue for the payback.”

So there it was. All of the good, no bad anywhere in sight. Yeah, right. She knew better, but somehow she’d forgotten. She was blaming it on Buffy and her “Buffyness”, maybe not fair, but she was sticking with it.

There’d been about an hour, one short hour to savor all the good feelings before the bad came calling to kick her ass. And now they were right in the thick of it, and Faith was just scared and unhappy. Plus her ass was really starting to hurt.

She just sat there in relative safety, laying down silent and so far effective cover fire, while Buffy went about placing the charges in all the right spots. It was all going as smooth as silk, and it was that very smoothness that had her anxiety shooting skyward.

She’d already passed the acceptable level for a seasoned Slayer long ago, and the problem was that her peak seemed to be nowhere in sight. It was crazy and embarrassing for sure, but there didn’t seem to be anything she could do about it. All she could do was sit and watch Buffy sneaking all around Hell Central, and it was not an easy thing for her to manage.

The other shoe had to be getting ready to drop, most likely it was getting ready to kick them right upside their stupid heads. It had to be, there was no way apparent to Faith that things would run so perfectly in their favor. She might never do things according to the odds, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know what they were, and this time the odds were freaking her right the fuck out.

She nailed another vampire as he exited the building and began strolling casually around the corner. It was the corner that Buffy was currently crouched behind, her hands confidently handling explosives as if she’d done it all her life. Faith had to admire her, Buffy could do anything she had to, and she always did it well.

Faith knew Buffy’d heard the vampire approaching, but she had never even looked up. The only indication she gave that she knew she was in danger was the smile that crossed her face as she heard him explode into dust. Everything about her revealed the complete confidence she had in Faith and that plus the smile, had Faith feeling all warm inside.

It was just that kind of reaction that had made her agree to the stupid plan in the first place. Buffy had her wrapped right around her finger, and Faith knew it. Be that as it may, she could not stop the answering smile that flooded her own face, nor could she feel anything but an intense happiness:

“Fuckin’ right I got your back, B.”

It was about an hour before sunrise, the exact time they wanted it to be. The plan was to get all of the charges in place, then detonate them with as many vampires inside as possible. Hopefully the ones not obliterated in the blast would find themselves exposed to the burning rays of the sun. The hour leeway meant not as many were hanging around, too busy roaming their little corner of Sunnydale before the dawn forced them inside.

Spiran had not changed his base of operations, and that could only mean one of two things. Either he was overconfident and didn’t consider the Slayers to be much of a threat, or he had to stay right where he was. If it was the first reason, he’d made a big mistake. If the second reason took the prize, it meant the focal point was somewhere inside the building.

Whatever the reason, it was a huge weak spot, one they were doing their utmost to exploit. Their objectives were to disrupt whatever they could and destroy as many vampires as was slayerly possible. Personally, Faith was shooting for killing every last fucking one of them. She knew that was a little on the unrealistic side, so she was willing to settle for the pleasure of spotting Spiran’s head as it went flying by on its way to Dustville.

The bombs they’d assembled were definitely going to do the trick. Giles had given them extremely detailed instructions, he was Giles after all. The thing was, they were so detailed it made it clear to all involved that he was much more than just a youthful offender. He’d obviously gone way past that at some point.

Faith didn’t know the whole “Ripper” story, but damn. She would have loved to just kick back and listen to all his crazy criminal stories, but there was no time for that kind of fun. Besides, it was pretty unlikely that Giles would be willing to share them anyway, short of some sort of earth shattering occurrence making him spill the beans. Well, maybe one day.

The main thing was that he knew several ways to make bombs using all kinds of common everyday items. That in itself was crazy enough, but when he started explaining the “necessary sequence of explosive concussions required to bring down a building of this size”, well he looked like Giles…if Giles had suddenly morphed into a straight up killer. He was scary and intimidating, and Faith was nothing but impressed.

So after getting all the technical stuff squared away, the Slayers took off to gather the supplies they needed. The store they hit was heavily guarded, but it didn’t pose too much of a problem. With some creative teamwork they made it in and out without getting spotted, then hightailed it back to a relatively secure location.

As they began assembling what needed assembling, they began discussing their plan.

“Okay, so I’m thinking one covers while the other places the charges.”

“Thinkin’ the same. Need something silent, figure on a bow and arrow to get the job done.”

“That sounds right, plus you’re an expert with it.”

“Yep. Show ya the ins and outs, then we’ll…”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, won’t take much to teach ya all the…”

“I was thinking you’d play ‘Robin Hood’ and I’d handle the explosives.”

“Good one, B. Really crack me up sometimes. ‘Kay, we’re gonna need to…”

Buffy carefully laid down the bomb she was working on:

“I’m serious, Faith.”

“…You’re what?”

“I’ll plant the explosives and you’ll cover me.”

“The hell I will!”

Faith placed her bomb down a lot less gently as she shot to her feet.

“Faith…”

“Have you lost your mind?! No fucking way you’re…”

“Just calm down.”

“…going anywhere near that building!”

“Will you stop yelling and just listen to…”

“Shit, you’re barely at half-speed! No way am I letting you…”

“Hey, I’m at least eighty percent, and with you watching my back I’ll…”

“Already seen plenty of your back. Not lettin’ you…”

Buffy decided to stand now as well.

“That’s the second time you’ve said that.”

“Said what?”

“’Letting me’. You don’t ‘let’ me do anything, and I don’t recall asking you for permission to do my job.”

“Yeah? Well do you recall me being in this up to my fucking neck? I’m half of this attack force Blondie, so save the big shot Slayer shit for somebody who gives a fuck.”

“I’m not saying…”

“So what is it now? Can’t trust the crazy bitch with the delicate explosives? Scared I’m gonna fuck it all up and blow us sky-high ‘fore we even…”

“How about shutting up and…”

“…get it going? Gee, thanks so much for the big vote of confidence.”

“What in the hell are you talking about? I didn’t say any of that, I wasn’t even thinking any of…”

“Case you forgot, I’m a Slayer too. Might be a real fucked up one, but still the real deal. Just too goddamned bad if…”

“Faith!”

“What?”

“What is this? Why are you…”

Faith began pacing back and forth, her anger almost visibly shimmering off her.

“Can tell you for sure right now you don’t get to boss me around. Can also tell you I’m up to the fucking job, and I’m gonna be the one doing it!”

“Look, I don’t have an agenda here, it’s simply a matter of you being the better shot. We can’t afford a miss, and I’m not as good as you are.”

“I can show you and you’ll be just fine.”

“Why should we risk that? How does that make any sense at all?”

“Don’t give a shit if it makes sense.”

“Faith…”

“I don’t! I’ll teach ya how to use…”

“Stop being stupid! I can take care of the hand to hand action, and if it gets too intense you’ll be right there.”

“You’re not up to specs yet and…”

“I’m good enough to do this and you know it.”

“Says you. I never said anything like…”

Buffy walked over and laid her hand on Faith’s cheek:

“Hey, what’s this really about?”

Faith tried to turn away, but Buffy grabbed her arm with a firm grip as her other hand forced Faith’s head back up. She stood waiting until Faith met her eyes:

“Come on, tell me.”

Faith stood there glaring defiantly, but as Buffy softly stroked her cheek, her face finally softened:

“…It’s just…Look, let’s just do it some other way.”

“Why?”

“I don’t…Fuck Buffy, I don’t want you to have to go back in there.”

“I know but…”

“No, you fucking don’t know!”

“…Explain it to me then.”

“Christ B, you almost died! It was a fucking nightmare hellhole, and I don’t want you reliving it. I’ll put the fucking charges down, and if something goes wrong…”

“Faith…”

“No. If somebody’s gotta go in it’s gonna be me, not you. Not up for debate, so just fucking…

Buffy kissed her. Faith tried to move away, but Buffy wouldn’t let her. After several intense moments, Faith stopped fighting and pulled her closer.

When they slowly parted Buffy sat down, tugging on Faith’s hand until she joined her.

“I wish we didn’t have to relive it, but what else can we do? This is our job, right? We can do it, we’ll be okay.”

“Uh-huh. Trying to say you’re not freaked by the thought of…”

“Of course I’m freaked. If the structural whatever’s like Giles thinks it is, I’m going to have to go in, and trust me when I say I so do not want to go in.”

“And ya don’t have to. Just let me do it, that way…”

“That way makes us weaker, less effective. I’m better than you at the hand to hand, and you’re better with the bow and arrow. I’m sneakier and quicker, you’re better with the direct stuff. We need to do what we do best. I’ll be okay and if something happens, you’ll be there to help me.”

“…”

“F?”

“…Don’t want you to have to see him again.”

“And this time I probably won’t. I’m going to have to at some point though, and when I do, I’m planning to dust him about a million times. But that’s not what this mission’s about, now’s not the right time for that.”

“B…”

“Besides, you definitely need to stay away from him. We don’t know for sure what kind of effect he’ll have on you, so there’s no point in taking any unnecessary chances. We’re pretty sure I’m all ‘Immuno Girl’ now, so it makes even more sense for me to do it.”

“Already told ya, I don’t give a shit what makes sense. I don’t like this, I don’t fucking like it at all and…”

Buffy kissed her again, but this time it was more than a kiss. It was a declaration, and it said everything they could and could not say. It was passionate, it was intense, and Faith could feel her head and heart spinning when it ended.

“I’m a Slayer too, remember? I can handle myself and I’m well enough to do this. It’s my job, and I’d be doing it all alone if you weren’t here…well, assuming I wasn’t still getting flayed alive.”

“Buffy…”

“But you are here, and that changes everything. We’re going to beat him, I guarantee it. And you can ask anyone, the ‘Buffy Summers Guarantee’ is one hundred percent guaranteed. So stop with all the worrying, and let’s just do what we have to do.”

Faith didn’t respond.

“Okay?”

“…B…”

Buffy edged even closer.

“Hey, am I gonna have to make it an order?”

The pouting look on Faith’s face would have made Buffy laugh if the situation hadn’t been so serious.

“…Not taking orders from you. I’m in charge, your choice.”

Buffy did smile then:

“Oh yeah, that’s right. Hmm…”

She began placing feather light kisses on Faith’s shoulder as she slowly worked her way up.

“Okay, tell you what…you let me have my way…on this one…and next time I’ll follow…your orders without…question.”

“Look, not some…”

“Please, Faith?”

“…”

“Please?”

“…Want it on record I hate this fucking plan.”

“Duly noted, but maybe we’ll take a lot of them out of the picture while we’re messing up the focal point.”

“Yeah B, I know the drill. Just don’t like it.”

“Oh, come on! Are you telling me the thought of blowing up a hundred vamps at one time doesn’t get you all…”

“’All’ what?”

“You know.”

“Sorry, not followin’.”

Faith’s smirk clearly revealed that she was a liar.

“Faith…”

“Guess you’re gonna have to explain it to me.”

“F…”

“Hey, wanted to be the big shot leader. Start leadin’.”

“Okay, fine…You know…all…‘unh’.”

Faith burst into laughter:

“Was that what I think it was? Man, that’s gotta be the lamest…”

“It was not!”

“’Unh’ yeah, definitely was.”

“Are you saying I’m lame?”

“Guess I am.”

“Really?”

“’Unh’-huh.”

“You little…”

They began struggling and when the dust settled, Buffy was on top. She began nibbling along Faith’s neck, following a slow meandering path down to the front of her chest.

“So tell me F, how lame is this?”

“…Can’t always…distract me with…sex…B!”

“I can’t?”

“No, ya can’t. Not sure…this…this…uh…conver…sation’s…”

“Shhh.”

Faith had no choice as Buffy took charge of her, and it wasn’t long before she had Faith reduced to a quivering mass of need.

“God, B…”

“I’m sorry, were you saying something?”

“Huh?”

“That’s what I thought you said.”

“…Hang on, remember now. I was saying…I was saying what…a bitch you…”

Her voice was cutoff as Buffy’s lips claimed hers.

“F?”

“Mmm hmm?”

“Trust me, okay?”

“I got a choice?”

“Not really, but I like to pretend you do.”

“Okay, but you get yourself killed…”

“…I won’t come bitching to you. Now could we concentrate on more pressing matters?”

“Only thing ‘pressing’ is you on my…”

“Well you seem so tense, I’m just trying my best to help you relax.”

“Works good for me.”

“See? I’m doing wonders already.”

“…Doesn’t mean…”

“Shhh, trust me.”

So she did, but she still didn’t like the plan. That part didn’t matter at all though, because Buffy was now making her way over, and the time for wishing things were different was long gone.

“Okay, so far, so good. All we’ve got left is the east side. I’ll give you a couple of minutes to set-up over there before I head back.”

“B, if you gotta go in…”

“I’ll go in alone. There’s no point in risking both of us, and you don’t need to go anywhere near him. I’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, like this ain’t the world’s biggest foreshadowing.”

“Hello, could you stop with all the pessimism already? I like to be perky until I’m actually being killed, okay?”

“…Gimme about three to get squared away.”

Buffy leaned in to give her a quick kiss:

“Be careful.”

“You too.”

“I promise.”

“…Fuck.”

Buffy watched her go, marveling at how gracefully and quickly she moved and blended into the darkness. She supposed she did the same thing, but it was cool to see someone else doing it.

She ran a hand through her hair and began breathing as deeply as she could. She already knew she was going to have to go inside, she’d picked that fact up from Giles. He hadn’t wanted to worry everyone else, but he’d managed to convey the ugly truth to her without words.

The east side of the building was crucial, and it had a few structural differences that made it necessary for her to place the charges in a couple of spots on the inside. Some safety precaution or adjustment because of the land the building stood on, at least that was Giles’ explanation. Buffy’s was much simpler: somebody somewhere hated her.

She was going in, but she knew it wasn’t that easy. She was absolutely terrified, and the thought of voluntarily entering the building where she’d suffered so much pain was almost more than she could stand. Almost.

There was no way she could let Faith go in, they couldn’t risk Spiran messing with her mind and besides, the whole bow and arrow thing was true. If a miracle somehow occurred and she didn’t need to go in, Faith had her covered. If real life came calling, she was faster than Faith, and that meant she could get in and out in less time. It also meant Faith was going to have to cover her as she hauled ass.

There was little doubt that she was going to get spotted if she went in, and there was also little doubt that Faith could do a much better job of getting her clear than Buffy could ever do for her. Faith was truly a master with a bow and arrow, and they were going to need every bit of her skill if they were going to get the job done and live to tell the tale.

Buffy knew the plan was the right one, she was sure about that. It was just that it was dangerous and scary, and it was not something she wanted to do at all. But what else was new? It was just another normal day for the Slayer…Yippee.

There was no more time to think things through, it was time to get the job done. She knew Faith was in place by now, so she made her way carefully to the east side. So far, so good.

They’d already killed eight vampires, Faith had taken care of seven of them without a sound. Yep, everything was going their way, and Buffy knew from experience that meant now was the time to exercise extreme caution. She wanted no surprises at this point, none at all.

She arrived at the designated spot and began checking it out. She was hoping against hope that Giles was wrong, but it didn’t take her long to see that her Watcher was dead on. Of course he was, this was way too important for him to be anything else.

Buffy looked back then, and the look of sheer terror on her face had Faith dropping her bow and rushing to her side. Well that was her plan, but before she could even make a move, things changed. Faith caught the flash of a wistful smile, and then it just happened.

Buffy’s shoulders straightened, her eyes turned deadly, and her power practically radiated from her. No longer a scared young woman, she was Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, and she just turned around and went inside. Just like that.

Faith’s adrenaline was skyrocketing, and she was hyperaware of everything around her. She wanted nothing more than to run in after Buffy and start kicking all the undead ass she could get a hold of, but she was a Slayer too. There was no time to follow her heartfelt desire, there was only time to stay put and wait. There was only time for her to do her duty.

She sat silent and unmoving while she waited for her opportunity to present itself. She was going to be ready for it when it came, and she was going to get it done, no matter what. It was truly déjà vu all over again, except this time she knew her moment was coming sooner rather than later.

A few long minutes passed, then a window exploded outward on the second floor as a vampire came sailing out. He was already dust as he cleared the window frame, and The Slayer was falling through his swirling remains. She landed hard on a dumpster and the sound of the impact made Faith wince, but her eyes never strayed from the nearest exit door.

The vampires appeared and Faith’s hands became just a blur as she used her bow and arrow to greatest effect. It was a weapon designed for distance and stealth, not speed and multiple targets. Of course, it wasn’t designed with a Slayer in mind either.

She launched a seemingly impossible barrage of arrows, all of which found their mark. Her last shot caught one of the vampires grappling with Buffy right in the throat, and she tossed him aside as she staked the other. She then whirled and began running toward the tree line, at least fifty vampires swarming out of all the doors Faith could see.

The plan had now changed, Faith knew it and Buffy did it too. She leapt impossibly high, somersaulting as she went, and Faith hit the detonator. They both knew she had to.

The explosion seemed to rock the whole area. The windows shattered, and the building swayed and shuddered. Large chunks of debris flew out in front of it, several pieces landing on Buffy as she huddled for protection behind a row of decorative boulders. Only Buffy was no longer there.

She’d gone up into the trees, jumping and swinging at Slayer speed away from the crash point. Faith was also moving back, all too aware that she was way too close for comfort. She could feel the ground shaking as the building began its collapse, and she tried to pick up speed as she ran for her life.

Some concrete caught her hard on the leg making her stumble, but she didn’t go down. A strong hand grabbed her outstretched arm, and then she was up and being swung still further away. She used the momentum to catch the next branch, and soon both Slayers were clear and running to safety.

The building was down, taking trees and huge sections of other buildings with it. More than a few vampires had gone along for the ride as well, and their screams of pain and anger sounded out loud behind the escaping Slayers. They never broke stride, never even looked back.

Faith glanced over at Buffy:

“So, havin’ fun, Tarzan?”

“Sure doesn’t suck, Jane.”

Faith grinned at Buffy’s response. It was fun, and they were just getting started. Buffy was limping slightly, but she was still moving good, and her smile was nothing but deadly.

Oh yeah, The Slayer was back and she was ready to play. Faith’s own smile grew until her lips couldn’t stretch anymore.

“Defcon One, B.”

Buffy laughed:

“Absolutely, F.”

They kept running.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

They rested all day and were on the run all night. Apparently Spiran didn’t see the funny in their attack, and he was determined to deliver a firm response of his own. The vampires were always right behind them no matter where they went, but the Slayers were able to turn the pressure to their advantage.

Thanks to their skill at eavesdropping, as well as some very creative interaction with their foes, they managed to gather tons of valuable information. Faith was particularly adept at extracting what they needed, but as the time wore on, Buffy noticed she was becoming increasingly silent.

During their next mini-break, she decided to find out what was going on.

“Hey, what’s with all the quiet?”

“Nothing.”

“Right, that’s definitely a ‘nothing’ face you’re wearing.”

“C’mon, we need to get moving. Be daylight in a couple so…”

“Faith, what’s wrong?”

She answered casually, but Buffy noticed her eyes never really looked at her.

“Just told ya, nothin’s wrong. Course I am gettin’ sick of running from a buncha lame ass…”

Buffy grabbed her arm, pulling her backwards as she did. Faith found herself wrapped up in a tight hug, her back resting snugly against Buffy’s front.

“B, no time for this. Let go and let’s…”

Buffy began nuzzling along Faith’s neck, murmuring sexily as she went:

“God…You smell so good. How is that possible?”

“I don’t know…B…”

“Mmm, you smell just like…Faith.”

Faith jumped as Buffy’s tongue snaked out and traced a leisurely path up to her ear. It swirled softly around the lobe, only to be replaced by lips and teeth that sucked and nibbled until Faith groaned out loud. Buffy’s voice came out in a low whisper:

“And you taste like cinnamon…and sex.”

“Fuck…B, knock it…off.”

“Ooh, look at all the goose bumps.”

“Jesus…”

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

As far as Faith could tell, nothing was wrong. Buffy’s hands were starting to roam, what could possibly be wrong?

“Faith, tell me what’s bothering you.”

Reality was easing its way back into Faith’s brain, but she no longer had any barriers up, and she just blurted it out:

“Too close to the old me.”

“What is?”

“Me…When I torture them, makes me feel like I used to.”

“It makes you…Oh Faith, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

Buffy turned her around so that they were face to face.

“God, I can be such an idiot.”

“Not your fault. Gotta be done.”

“Yes, but not by you. I can…”

“No! I don’t want that. There’s no reason for you to…”

Buffy’s hand stroked soothingly along Faith’s arm:

“There’s every reason. It’s hurting you, and I can help.”

“Look, I don’t want you getting your…”

“Not a debatable topic.”

“B, we’ve already been over this. You’re not in charge, so don’t try acting like you…”

Her protest died as Buffy’s lips glided over her own. She managed to gasp out a few desperate words as Buffy headed back to her neck:

“Can’t settle…everything…with sex.”

“Hmmm…”

“I mean it, B…I…”

“Uh-huh…”

“Don’t want you…”

Buffy’s laugh was low and sexy:

“Yes you do.”

“Huh? No…I mean...Yeah…I meant…doing…Fuck…”

“Shhh…God, I so wish we had time.”

“…Yeah.”

“Later, I promise.”

“…Gonna…hold ya…to that.”

“Good.”

With one last searing kiss, Buffy reluctantly pulled away:

“Okay, I’ll be good now.”

“Not sure if I won or lost.”

“Both. Listen, I’m thinking we already know what we need to know.”

“Yeah, guess that could be true.”

“Well we know we wiped out about a hundred of them, we know the focal point’s in the basement…”

“Fucking ritual’s in two days…”

“So what else do we need?”

Faith’s answer was immediate:

“Know I definitely need…”

“I mean, information wise.”

“Oh…Fuck if I know.”

“So I propose we put it to a vote. All in favor of no more torture?”

“Got my vote.”

“Then it’s unanimous. Time to be all avoidy for the next…hour and a half.”

“B, you sure we don’t need…”

“Positive. No more interrogations required.”

“…Good.”

“So come on, we need to get moving.”

They linked hands as they started walking.

“How many ya figure he’s got left?”

“It can’t be more than forty or fifty, not if you don’t count the ones who are too messed up to fight.”

They both laughed at the memory.

“Guess gettin’ a building dumped on your ass hurts, even if you are dead.”

“Yep, I’d say they’ve got a long healing process ahead of them.”

They walked in silence for awhile, alert to all the sounds around them.

“Faith, I want you in the next meeting.”

“Not a good idea. Don’t wanna leave you unprotected.”

“I think the risk’s minimal. They’ve been after us all night and they’re too depleted to hunt us in the daytime.”

“Probably, but I’d feel better keeping an eye out.”

“We need your input on this.”

“…You ‘need my input’? You saying you want me to suggest shit?”

“Yes.”

“B c’mon, I’m just a grunt. Point me in the right direction, then let me fight. That’s what I’m good at.”

“You are so much more than that. We need your ideas, your insight, your experience, we need everything you’ve got. This fight isn’t going to be easy.”

“Can say that again.”

“Okay. This fight isn’t going to be easy.”

Faith laughed and raised Buffy’s hand to deliver a quick kiss to her knuckles.

“Smartass. Alright, if that’s what ya want. Just don’t expect Einstein to show up.”

“I don’t think he ever fought vamps or demons. Anyway, it’s you I need.”

“Okay then, I’m in.”

“Thank you.”

“So what’s left…an hour and twenty-two minutes ‘til the fucking sun rises.”

“Are you going to count off every minute now?”

“Well let’s see B, somebody got my motor all revved up with no place to go…Fucking right I’m counting down.”

“Hey, I’m suffering too!”

“Oh fuck, what a baby. What? Gotta carry your ass around again?”

“No, but I wouldn’t mind if you did something else to it.”

The look on Buffy’s face was not helping, not in the slightest.

“…B, we gotta wait or we could get killed.”

“True, that’s definitely true……Okay, I’ll risk it if you will.”

“Hey c’mon now, Slayer. Gotta toughen up. We die, so’s everybody else.”

“Right now that seems like a small price to pay.”

“’Small’? No fucking way am I hittin’ the afterlife with Giles all pissed. What am I supposed to tell him? ‘Hey sorry about the apocalypse G-man, had to screw your Golden Girl instead’.”

Buffy laughed.

“Faith, that’s so…”

“It’s right on the money, is what it is. Got more than enough strikes against me, no way can I afford another. You just hang on for…”

“…An hour and eighteen long minutes.”

“You can do it B, you’re the hero of the story. Got all that intestinal fortitude and shit…Ha, ha! ‘Intestinal shit’, fuck that’s funny!”

“For a third grader.”

“Wow, no sex and ya get all cranky.”

Buffy bumped her shoulder against Faith’s:

“Fine, I’ll wait…but only because I have to.”

“See, now that’s how it’s supposed to be. You’re Buffy, you always do the right thing. Don’t try changing that, don’t want my world gettin’ all turned around.”

“I might be a hero, but so are…”

“Don’t say that or I’m gonna have to pound ya.”

“But you are, Faith.”

“Oh yeah, got hero stamped on my ass for sure.”

“Okay, maybe not before, but now? No one could do it any better than you have. The things you’ve…”

Faith cut her off again, clearly wanting to end the discussion:

“Just tryin’ to pay back some old debts.”

“But that doesn’t make what you’ve done any less incredible. In fact, it makes you even more amazing.”

“Whatever. Guess we oughta head this way. Don’t think they’ll wanna be out here with the sun on its way, so we…”

Faith’s arm was nearly pulled out of its socket as Buffy refused to move.

“Ow! B, what are you…”

“What do I have to do to get you to listen to me?”

“Heard ya, now let’s get…”

“Maybe tie you up?”

“Hey if you go all kinky, better make sure the cuffs are up to Slayer code.”

“One day you are going to listen to me.”

“Wouldn’t count on it.”

“But I am.”

“B, wanna stay on track here?”

Buffy stared into her eyes for a few moments, then smiled:

“Okay, have it your way…this time.”

“Fuck, really? I’m gettin’ something my way?! Damn, call the paper, alert the media!”

“Shut up.”

Faith grinned at her:

“Aw, just hang on. Only…”

“…an hour and fourteen minutes.”

“Don’t worry, Blondie. They say time really flies when you’re fightin’ for your life.”

“Is that what they say?”

“Something like that. Buncha other stuff too.”

“Like what?”

“Hell if I know. Not like I listen to them either.”

Buffy rolled her eyes:

“Well they must have had plenty to say about the world’s most annoying Slayer.”

“Now that ya mention it B, they did have a shitload to say about ya.”

“Ha, ha, ha. You’re a real riot.”

“Always figured myself more like a four-star alarm. But hey, who the fuck am I to argue?”

“You’re Faith.”

“Damn, if that’s all it takes, ya better stand back.”

“There’s no chance of that ever happening.”

“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

Buffy tugged on her hand as she smiled.

“Consider me warned, but I’m not scared.”

“You’re not?”

“Nope. Sorry.”

Faith let out a huge sigh:

“Well shit, there goes my rep.”

“You’ll live.”

“Don’t know about that. How long now?”

“An hour and eleven minutes.”

“Damn.”

“I know......I think we have the hots for each other.”

Faith looked her in the eye then, her face completely serious:

“B, I got the infernos for you.”

“Hey, I was totally willing to cast aside my sacred duty for a quickie with you.”

“True. Just took a pissed off Giles to bring ‘Little Miss Perfect’ back onboard.”

“Well, a disappointed Giles is a scary Giles.”

Faith stopped walking, pulling Buffy close to her, so close their breath began mingling:

“B, for real now.”

“Uh-huh?”

“I think time’s standin’ still here.”

“Faith…”

“Maybe a spell.”

“There’s no spell.”

“Then let’s go find some vamps and kill the shit out of’em.”

“We can’t.”

Their hips were pressed against each other, and Faith was moving seductively.

“Faith…”

“It’d make the time pass and help us blow off some steam.”

“We can’t…just start…hunting.”

“C’mon B, feels like I’m gonna blow a gasket.”

“We have to…Stop moving…stick to…the plan.”

“...Okay…Fuck, okay!”

She pulled back a couple of shaky steps:

“Sure’s a bitch doin’ the right thing.”

“Yeah.”

“You always make it look so easy though.”

“I do?”

“Course ya do.”

“How’s that?”

“’Cause you’re ‘Buffy’, B.”

Faith seemed to think that said it all, but Buffy was still waiting for an explanation.

“And?”

“And nothing. That’s the only way to explain it.”

“Well that doesn’t really clarify anything for me.”

“Sorry, that’s all I got. Just kinda somethin’ you gotta see to get.”

“I guess I’ll just have to take your word for it.”

“No ya don’t, ask anybody. They’ll all say the same thing.”

“God, you are so sweet.”

Faith moved closer again:

“Yeah, big mushy sap when it comes to you.”

“I told you, I like it when you’re all mushy.”

“Why I keep doin’ it.”

“Speaking of which…”

“Fifty-eight ass dragging minutes.”

“Maybe you’re right, maybe time really has stopped.”

“Just gotta hold on. We’ll be each other’s support group.”

“Okay, but you probably shouldn’t put your hand there.”

“Why?”

“F…”

“Just being supportive. Never know when ya might collapse into the splits or somethin’.”

“…We won’t last fifty-eight seconds if you don’t move your hand.”

“Like this?”

”Oh God…”

“Or maybe more like…”

“…Faith, please...”

It took her a minute, but Faith finally removed her hand.

“…Fine.”

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, fucking hero over here.”

“A-ha! You just admitted…”

“Shut up, B.”

“Ooh, now who’s all cranky?”

“Never said I wasn’t.”

They began walking again and Buffy leaned into her:

“Aw, poor baby.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll live.”

“My hero.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

They met up with the others the next morning to discuss their strategy, and Faith was surprised at how easily she fit in. Everyone welcomed her and acted as if she had every right to be there. It was like she was where she belonged, and she couldn’t have been happier.

“Faith, we all owe you a debt we can never repay, but I feel we must again focus on the task at hand. With time growing short, perhaps you’ll excuse my seeming lack of gratitude?”

“Sure. Wouldn’t be the G-man if ya didn’t keep your eye on the ball.”

“Rest assured when this is all over, I shall be heaping vast quantities of praise upon you.”

“Throw in an ice cold one and we got us a date.”

“You may count on it. All right then, the bad news first. Everything we’ve turned up so far indicates that it is highly unlikely we can prevent them from opening the Hellmouth. I suggest we not waste our time trying.”

“Boy when you say ‘bad news’, you really mean bad news.”

“Yes Buffy, unfortunately I do. And that’s not all, I’m afraid.”

“There’s more of the bad? Gee Giles, I know I’m a Slayer and you’re a Watcher, but would it kill you to offer up some news of the good? It doesn’t have to be big, I’d settle for a memo or even a headline. At this point, I’m not gonna be picky.”

Giles looked somewhat confused:

“I’m fairly certain I should just charge ahead, yes?”

“Woot, woot!”

“Willow, please.”

“Hey, I’m just trying to provide a little of the back-up and…sorry.”

“As I was saying, I believe our efforts will be best spent trying to close the Hellmouth after it’s been opened.”

“Sure, because trying to close it before it opens sure wouldn’t make much sense.”

“Xander, if you don’t mind?”

Buffy was all business:

“So any ideas on how we do that?”

“No, not as yet.”

“But that’s not really true, is it?”

“Anya, we’ve already discussed the merits of…”

“No Giles, we didn’t discuss anything. You just yelled at us until we all stopped talking.”

“Be that as it may…”

Anya wasn’t backing down:

“They’re the Slayers. I think they should know.”

“Yes, well I’m afraid that’s not your decision to make.”

Buffy was clearly not enjoying being kept in the dark:

“Hey, this Slayer wants to know what you’re arguing about.”

The sudden quiet was complete and absolute as all eyes studied the ground.

“Giles?”

He did not utter a sound, nor did he look at her, so Buffy turned her gaze to Anya:

“O…kay. Anya?”

“We have plenty of ideas, Buffy…it’s just that they all end up with both of you dying a horrible death.”

“All of them?”

“Well no, that’s an exaggeration. There is one you might live through.”

“Okay, I vote for that one. All in agreement?”

“Unfortunately you will both go insane as well as become hideously disfigured.”

“Oh.”

“Guess we can scratch B’s gung-ho approval.”

“Yeah, strangely I’m not that fond of it anymore.”

Giles seemed to have regained his composure:

“Hence my suggestion we not waste time going over options we cannot use.”

“Boy, this sure is peachy with a side of keen.”

“Is it really, Buffy? I thought it was just terrifying and upsetting.”

“She’s doing the sarcastic thing now, An.”

“Oh, well good. I thought maybe she didn’t fully understand just how awful the situation truly is.”

Giles was back on target, trying his best to put a positive spin on things:

“The bright spot amidst all this doom and gloom is the fact that we need not have all the answers by the time they open the Hellmouth. Willow shall be able to buy us an extension of sorts by maintaining the barrier until we can…”

Willow did not look all that overjoyed.

“Okay, now this is the part of the plan I’m not all that crazy about.”

“And I think that’s a good thing, because the last thing we need is a crazy all-powerful witch trying to destroy us and The Magic Box again.”

“Willow, I assure you this is well within your capabilities.”

“I’m not worried about being able to do it, I’m worried that I might do it too well. What happens if I lose control and go all ‘Grrr’ again?”

Giles patted her shoulder reassuringly:

“Just as we did when we raised the barrier, I shall monitor you closely. If at any time you exhibit the slightest sign of losing control…”

“He’s got a stun gun.”

“Anya, please!”

“A stun gun? You’re prepared to use a stun gun on me?”

Giles took off his glasses, then abruptly put them back on.

“…Well, yes I am. It seems only prudent as you’ll be dealing with…”

Willow’s hug cut off the rest of his sentence.

“Giles, it’s perfect!”

“…It is?”

“Yep, this way I’ll feel safe! I’ll know if I start going all power hungry, you’ll be able to stop me before I really get going.”

“And Giles is going to show all of us how to use it, just in case!”

“Dawn, you may not go near the stun gun.”

“Buffy, come on!”

“No, and that’s final. Giles, I mean it, no matter what she says.”

“I’m not a little kid anymore!”

“I know that, but you and weapons with moving parts do not mix.”

“Yeah, two words Dawnster…’Miss Kitty Fantastico’.”

“That’s three words you moron, and who even asked you?”

“Technically no one, but I think I make a great point.”

Dawn shoved him slightly:

“Nobody cares what…”

“Hey, why am I the bad guy because I don’t feel like getting accidentally stunned into next week?”

“What makes you think it’d be an accident?”

“Excuse me, honey, but does it even have the capability to do that? I thought the effects lasted no longer than an hour or so.”

Buffy had heard enough.

“Hello! Guys, we so don’t have time for this. No stun gun Dawn, that’s final.”

“But Buf…Fine...”

“Okay, so what do we…”

“…but that crossbow had a hair-trigger…trigger.”

“Enough, Dawnie! Giles, what’s our best option so far?”

“I see no reason to go over it, Buffy. Clearly it’s not something…”

“That bad, huh? Let’s hear it.”

“Perhaps we should focus on…”

“Giles, Watcher to Slayers now. We need to know…just in case.”

He looked unhappy and somewhat angry, but his duty as a Watcher could not be avoided.

“If a Slayer throws herself into the opening, The Hellmouth will seal itself closed. There is energy in every living thing, and a Slayer’s energy is like concentrated goodness. The opening would not be able to withstand the pressure and the spell would be severed.”

“And?”

“And those who cast the spell would be destroyed almost instantly.”

“What would happen to the Slayer?”

“…That’s a bit more dodgy, but everything indicates that she would be consigned to an eternal torment. There would be no way out…She would be trapped inside The Hellmouth, literally forever.”

Everyone was silent as they pondered the imponderable.

“Gee, you guys are on our side, right?”

“So what’s the problem, Buff? All you have to do is take one for the team again, and we’re off for pizza.”

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t get any.”

“Man, how selfish can you get?”

“Xander, I don’t think it’s fair to call Buffy selfish. She’s merely following the same biological imperative we all have: the desire to stay alive. That’s not at all selfish, it’s just human nature.”

“Thanks for understanding, Anya.”

“You’re very welcome, Buffy. Besides Xander, there are plenty of other examples of her being selfish. When you really think about it, there are probably too many to count. If you just wait a few minutes, I’m sure she’ll do something that…”

Giles interrupted, hoping to diffuse the situation before it spiraled out of control:

“All right, clearly we need other ideas. There must be something we’ve overlooked.”

Dawn’s voice rang out forcefully in the silence that surrounded the group:

“Well I’m all for overlooking the part where my sister throws herself into The Hellmouth.”

“We’re with you there, Dawnie.”

Willow coupled her words with a comforting hug that Dawn leaned into.

“Can promise ya Squirt, big sis stays topside.”

“She’s right Dawnie, I’m not going anywhere. We’ll find another way.”

“Oh God no!”

“Xander? Good Lord, what’s the matter?!”

“Research…you’re going to make us do more research.”

“Oh for…Do stop being such a ponce.”

“Buff, Faith, a little compassion here. What’s an eternity of torment compared to several hours of research?”

“Like to help ya, but way too attached to this life now.”

Buffy looked at Faith and smiled warmly.

“What she said, times a million. I guess you’re on your own, Xander.”

“Boy, some friends you two are.”

“Right then, I think it prudent we meet again before sunset.”

“Hey, I’ve got it!”

“Anya, you’ve something you wish to…”

“Faith, is there any chance you might turn all evil again?”

Faith looked around, more confused than offended.

“Me? Uh…not too likely.”

“But there is a chance?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Anya, if it wouldn’t be too much the bother…”

“No it’s no bother, Giles, it’s just not going to work.”

“Honey, what’s not going to work?”

“Of course I have to admit, I do feel a huge sense of relief. It’s hard enough making friends, I wouldn’t want to lose my best one so soon. We just started this relationship and…”

“Anya, what the bloody hell are you going on about?!”

“Isn’t it obvious? I was thinking if Faith was going to go all evil again, Buffy could just toss her in when the time came. Problem solved.”

“Anya!”

“What, Xander? I didn’t say I wanted it to happen, and even if Faith did go all evil, I’m not sure I could ever approve of something like that. Plus we’re friends, and she’d be trapped in The Hellmouth forever. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone…not even a lying, cheating, scumbag of a man.”

Everyone was staring at Anya with varying degrees of horror and amazement.

“No offense, Faith.”

“None taken. Like how your mind works.”

“Really?”

“Hell yeah, it’s wicked cool.”

Anya looked happy and relieved:

“Oh well, just another great idea shot all to hell…mouth. Ha, ha, ha! I just love it when I make these accidental puns.”

“Oh, you’re definitely laugh out loud funny.”

“Thank you, Buffy. I think so too.”

“I know you do. Okay then, so I guess that’s all cleared up. There will be no throwing Faith into the Hellmouth.”

“That’s unbelievable!”

Faith looked at Buffy:

“You do it B, way too scared here.”

“What’s wrong now, Anya?”

“Thankfully we had this little chat, since you were already thinking about doing it. Honestly Buffy, sometimes I forget just how ruthless you can be.”

“Yeah. Hey, wanna see just how…”

Giles stepped in quickly:

“Perhaps now that we’ve ruled out homicide as a viable option, we can turn our attention to our immediate problem.”

“Like how me and B survive in here with the Hellmouth open for business. Last time I saw it, the shit coming outta there wasn’t exactly a day at the circus.”

“Quite true, but I believe it will be manageable at first. The opening will be small at the outset, much too small for anything daunting to emerge. Eventually it will expand, allowing all manner of creatures to burst forth, but we will have a bit of time before that actually takes place.”

“So what do we do while you guys are researching? Should Faith and I poke around and see what…”

“No, it’s imperative that you both stay clear of the Hellmouth for now. We aren’t at all sure of the magicks involved in the spell they’re using, and given Spiran’s unique abilities, I feel it wise to exercise all possible caution. Just let them open the Hellmouth, no matter how tempting it might be to try and stop them.”

“So were supposed to just sit back, Giles?”

“Shit G-Man, do we gotta?”

“I understand your frustration, but we must…”

“I’ve got it! Buffy, is there any chance you might turn evil?”

Buffy’s eyes narrowed:

“…Trust me, I’m considering it right now.”

“When do you think you’ll know for sure?”

“An, maybe you should just…”

“You’re right, Xander. I’m sorry to rush you Buffy, but time’s a factor here…You know on second thought, maybe you’d better not go evil after all. Dawn would really miss you and we’d all be upset. Just try to forget that I even brought it up. It’s a good idea, just not for us. There are too many emotions involved, almost all of them sad ones.”

“Okay then, I’m ‘non-evil Buffy’ only.”

“Right then, that’s all sorted. Does anyone have anything else to add or should we adjourn and…”

“Plus it wasn’t that long ago that you jumped to your death. That was such an awful time, and I doubt any of us want to relive it if we can possibly avoid…”

“Xander?”

“On it, Giles. An, could you come with me to the jeep?”

“What? But we’re right in the middle of…Hey, wait a minute, are you trying to get me to be quiet…or is this about…you know.”

“Yes. Come on.”

“I’ll go with you guys too!”

“The more, the merrier. Shall we ladies?”

“If Dawn’s going with us, this is clearly not about sex.”

“Right you are.”

“Okay, I get it. Bye Buffy, bye Faith. Please be careful and no throwing each other in, no matter how appealing it seems.”

Faith looked nothing but amused:

“Got the message.”

“Me too, Anya. Thanks for clearing things up.”

“You’re welcome. See you two later.”

Everyone watched as Xander linked arms with Anya and Dawn on their way back to the jeep.

“Fuck, not gonna find another one of those, no matter how hard ya look.”

“Indeed. All right, might I suggest you girls get some rest? We’ll attempt to suss out what we need, and I’m quite optimistic we shall turn up something useful.”

“You’d better, because I’m not too happy with our new ‘Hellmouth’ future.”

“Try not to worry Buffy, we shall figure this out.”

“So Will, how long do you think you can hold the barrier?”

“Maybe a day or two…maybe longer…maybe less…I don’t really know.”

“Okay then, so we’ll need to work fast. Giles, are you sure that Faith and I can’t just scout around a little and…”

“I’d rather you didn’t. Let’s reduce the chances of you two stumbling into the area of the ritual. We should first ascertain exactly which spell they’re most likely to use, and once we’ve narrowed that down, we can proceed from there. Shall we meet up in…say six hours? That should afford us the time we need, as well as allow you both to get some well-deserved rest.”

“We are tired. Faith?”

“Huh?”

“Did you want to add anything?”

“Not really.”

“Okay then, well I guess that concludes another exciting episode of, ‘The Slayers Sit Around and Wait While the Bad Guys Get to Do Whatever They Want to Do’.”

“Gee Buff, that title seems a little on the long side to me.”

“I’m going to work on it during the intermission.”

“Buffy, I know how difficult this is, but I assure you, you will have the opportunity to stop Spiran. However, we must proceed carefully at this juncture, no matter the hardship it causes you.”

Buffy sighed as she kicked at the ground.

“I know, I get it. It’s just frustrating.”

“Yeah G-man, getting pretty fucking old running and hiding.”

“I understand, but let’s not forget your recent destruction of Spiran’s headquarters.”

“But Giles…”

“’But’ nothing, Buffy. Not only did you thin the herd considerably, you both managed to come out of it alive. That is our goal, to stop Spiran and have both of you safe and sound at the end. We must take our time and do things right.”

Neither Slayer said a word.

“So I may rest assured that neither of you will attempt anything rash until the next meeting?”

“…”

“Girls?”

“Slayer’s honor.”

“Yeah, onboard all the way.”

“Splendid! We must not forget that they still possess more than enough manpower to…”

“’Peoplepower’.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You said, ‘manpower’. They have female vampires too.”

“Willow, I hardly think now is the time for a feminist lecture. I’m quite certain everyone understood the point I was trying to make, so if you…”

“Well just because it’s a stressful time doesn’t mean we can be all sexist and…”

“’Sexist’? Me? Have you gone completely ‘round the bend? I’m probably the most…”

“Well disregarding all the female vampires seems a little on the…”

“Excuse me Abbott and Costello, any chance we could set up the next meeting?”

“Oops, my bad.”

Giles was clearly still irritated, but he managed to control himself:

“My apologies as well.”

“So we’re meeting at Checkpoint Three in six hours.”

“And we shall certainly have some answers by then.”

“I hope so, Giles, but six hours doesn’t seem like enough time to…”

“But you’re forgetting that we’ve already made quite a bit of progress. Also, there are only so many spells that can be used to perform the huge task they have in front of them. We will have the answers at our next meeting.”

“Okay then, we’ll see you later.”

“Be careful, guys.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll…”

“Aha!”

“What?”

“You just referred to Buffy and Faith as men!”

“I did not!”

“Bloody right, you did!”

“When?”

“You just called them ‘guys’.”

Willow was furious:

”’Guys’? That’s not the same thing at all!”

“It is too! You my dear Willow, are a classic chauvinist pig.”

“I am not! Giles, you take that back!”

“Not until you retract the rather slanderous…”

“I cannot believe you! You know what I…”

Faith looked bewildered as Buffy took hold of her arm.

“B?”

“Let’s just go.”

The Slayers merged back into the tree line, alert to their surroundings.

“Christ, look at’em.”

“They’ll make up by the time they get to the car.”

“Yeah?”

“Yep.”

Faith looked doubtful, but it wasn’t like there was anything she could do about it anyway.

“So B, what do ya wanna do? Hit ‘The Bronze’ or rent some flicks and stay home?”

“Let’s do the rental thing and order pizza too.”

“Can we grab some beer to go with?”

“For you, yes. For me, beer bad.”

“Aw c’mon B, live a little.”

“Okay, maybe one.”

“Whoa, take it easy, you wild woman.”

“Trust me on this, you do not want to see me drunk.”

“Why? Think I’d dig it.”

“Hmm…you’ll probably never know.”

“Man, what a tease.”

“That’s me.”

They walked in a comfortable silence for several minutes with their hands linked, until Faith let out an enormous sigh.

“What?”

“Wish we could just kill these bastards already.”

“You and me both.”

“Sick of having my thumb stuck up my ass.”

“Ewww…and I agree.”

“Six hours to get through.”

“I guess we should get some sleep.”

“Was a long night.”

“I suppose.”

They continued walking, and again it was Faith who broke the silence:

“Any other ideas?”

“Maybe.”

“I got some.”

Buffy smiled because she knew just what kind of ideas Faith had in mind.

“You do? Really?”

“Ah, you know me, B.”

“Yes I do.”

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Ya wanna?”

“Hmm…I don’t know.”

Faith tightened her grip on Buffy’s hand, her eyes pleading:

“C’mon, please?”

“But we just did it.”

“Yeah, but that was before. Now it’s now.”

“True.”

“So c’mon, B.”

“…Oh, all right.”

Faith gave her a quick kiss:

“Great! Tell ya what, you can go first.”

“Well how nice, since it’s my turn.”

“Uh, no. Definitely not your…”

“Silence!”

“What the…You must be drunk already.”

“All bow before the Checker Queen.”

“Excuse me, Your Highness, I’m like fifty billion games ahead.”

“Are you insane?”

“No, what I am is the fuckin’ champ.”

“Oh you poor girl, we need to find you some shade. The sun’s clearly affecting your mind.”

“I am in the lead!”

“You wish.”

“I fucking know!”

Buffy took her by the arm and led her over to a tree:

“Shhh…here. You can rest here now.”

“Admit I’m ahead.”

“Well you’re certainly ‘a head case’.”

“No fucking way are you in the lead.”

“Except in every fucking way.”

Faith was unzipping their backpack and hauling out the checkerboard.

“Okay, right now, Blondie. All or nothin’.”

“Sure, I’ll be happy to take it all.”

“You are so gonna be sorry.”

“Yes, I’m just terrified.”

Faith pulled out the baggie of checkers and began setting up the board.

“Would be if ya had any brains.”

“When you lose, are you going to throw the board again?”

“Only did that one freakin’ time.”

“That’d be ‘two freakin’ times’.”

“Who the hell’s counting?!”

“I am, since apparently you can’t.”

“Oh fuck, I am so gonna teach you some respect.”

“With checkers?”

“With whatever it takes!”

“God, you are just ridiculous.”

“Look in a mirror!”

Buffy sat down with a sickeningly sweet smile on her face, then deliberately turned the board around.

“What the fuck ya think you’re doin’?!”

“I’m black.”

“No way! I’m always black!”

“Sorry, not this time.”

Faith was furious:

“Fine, be a little weasel!”

“’Weasel’?! Did you just call me a ‘weasel’?!”

“Yeah, I did!”

“How dare you call me names?!”

“I dare just fine!”

They stared at each other across the checkerboard.

“F?”

“B?”

“Screw the checkers.”

“Or somethin’.”

“Make it ‘someone’.”

“My pleasure.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Buffy was afraid, more afraid than she could ever remember being. Faith was currently standing next to Spiran, his hand firmly holding her by the throat, and her eyes were showing none of their usual fire. Buffy could feel herself descending into a first-class panic, and she struggled to stay in control. She had to stay in control, no matter what.

Faith looked dazed and not quite there, probably because she wasn’t. Or was. Whatever. All Buffy knew for sure was that one minute Faith was fighting by her side and the next she was strolling over to Spiran like they were old friends.

At first it seemed as if Faith would fight him off. Her body moved towards him, but it was a jerky, almost uncoordinated journey. She displayed none of the innate grace which normally infused her every move, in fact it looked like she was unsure just how to get her muscles to respond.

But then she was with him, offering not the slightest hint of resistance. A part of Buffy clung to the hope that it was all an act, a reckless but clever way to allow Faith to maneuver herself into striking distance, but one good look into her eyes ended that hope. Faith was under his spell, fully and completely, and Buffy could not get to her.

She fought her way closer, and as she neared, Spiran began laughing:

“And here comes the hero to save the day.”

It had all started off so well. Well maybe “well” wasn’t exactly the best word. Their meeting before sundown had been productive, and it had given them their plan. As plans went, it was a good one. Crazy, stupid, risky, but good. By the time they got it all worked out, they were in total agreement: it was just what they needed.

They’d approached it all wrong at the start. The original strategy had been for Buffy and Faith to close the Hellmouth by themselves. Willow had been valiantly trying to teach them the words they would need to work the spell, but they weren’t having much success. It was Buffy who finally stated the obvious

“Damn it, this isn’t going to work! Assuming we can ever get the words down, how are we supposed to fight while we’re trying to do magic?”

“Perhaps you girls could…I don’t know.”

“Great Giles, that’s just great!”

“Maybe we can stay outta sight while we work the mojo, then…”

Willow shook her head at Faith’s suggestion:

“But you guys are going to have to be near the opening for the spell to work. It doesn’t seem too likely that there’ll be a big hiding place right where you need it to be.”

Buffy began pacing back and forth:

“Giles, they’re going to wipe us out before we can say five words.”

“It looks grim I admit, but Buffy this spell is our only real chance to seal…”

“’Real chance’? It’s no chance. It’s chance of none. Just call us ‘chanceless’ with this chance. We need to…”

“Might have an idea.”

Buffy stopped talking and turned to her:

“Faith?”

“Up to you guys to figure, but thinking maybe we’re focused on the wrong deal.”

Giles’ glasses came off as he massaged the bridge of his nose:

“Yes? How so?”

All eyes were on her, and she looked incredibly uncomfortable as she continued:

“Seems to me we gotta get Red in here. No way me and B can do the spell, not and kick ass at the same time.”

“Hey yeah, Willow and Buffy could just lower the barrier!”

Giles began cleaning his glasses as he thought it through:

“I’m afraid that’s not a viable option, Dawn.”

“But she’s right, Giles. If we did that, Will could do the spell and the rest of us could help Buffy and Faith fight the vamps.”

“Xander honey, that’s such a stupid idea.”

“Okay this guy’s tough, I get it, but we’ve handled a million bad guys before and…”

“I’ve been around well over a thousand years, and Spiran is by far the most powerful vampire I’ve ever seen. He might just be the most powerful ‘anything’ right now.”

“Anya’s quite correct, the barrier gives us a slight cushion in the event the Hellmouth opens wide. We can’t lower it unless we’ve at least a reasonable chance of…”

Xander refused to let go of the idea:

“Okay, Spiran bad, Spiran very bad. But right now our best plan has Buffy and Faith taking on fifty vampires, The Brothers and Spiran while they try to close the Hellmouth using a spell they can’t even pronounce. The Buffster’s right, that’s no chance or plan.”

“Giles, there’s no way Faith and I can handle all of that. Maybe we can pick some of them off over the next few days…Will, how long can you hold the barrier?”

“It turns out only a day or two at best.”

“That’s nowhere near long enough. What about blowing them up again?”

“I think that’s very unlikely to work a second time. They will surely have guards in place to prevent just such a recurrence.”

“G-man, there’s no way to get Red in here? No special gizmo she can use, no freaky mystical…”

“No, there isn’t. Unfortunately one can’t just transmute oneself whenever the fancy strikes. There are of course numerous laws and many assorted………Oh good Lord…”

Buffy’s head snapped up, her eyes riveted on Giles.

“Giles?”

“…”

“Giles, you’re making that face you make. What is it?”

“…There is a way…Buffy, there is a way!”

“Great, so why with the scary face?”

“Because it’s incredibly dangerous…Willow, have you ever heard of ‘The Emerson Ride’?”

Willow’s face screwed up in concentration.

“It sounds kind of familiar, isn’t that……Oh.”

“Yes, I’d say, ‘oh’ sums it up rather well.”

The exchange left them silent, but Buffy wasn’t allowing any more quiet time:

“It’s nice you two know what you’re talking about, any chance you could fill the rest of us in?”

“What? Oh yes, of course. ‘The Emerson Ride’ is a mystical, shall we say ‘journey’?”

“You can say whatever you want, just explain.”

“It was invented, for lack of a better term, by a crazy old mystic named Hans Emerson. The short of it is that he would seek out fissures or pockets of mystical energy, and then ride along their streams to their final destinations. He was quite successful at it, recording nearly a dozen such journeys in a three year period. No one knows exactly when he stopped.”

“Fuck, can bet this doesn’t end good.”

“On his last journey, it seems something went wrong. No one knows for sure of course, but it’s likely that he got lost or miscalculated or perhaps the energy stream was just too powerful. Whatever the reason, he was never heard from again.”

Buffy looked nothing but confused:

“Okay, definitely a fascinating story, but what does it have to do with us?”

“I can do it.”

Buffy turned to look at Willow, her confusion still obvious.

“Do what? What energy thing is there for you to ride?”

“…I can ride the Hellmouth.”

“What?! Are you crazy?!”

Giles stepped forward:

“Buffy, perhaps Willow…”

“No Giles, no. We are not even considering this! It’s way too crazy to even…”

“Buff, just hear me out. I…”

“Oh I did, I just heard you out of your mind! You want to ‘ride’ the Hellmouth? Well the answer is ‘no’.”

“We might not have a choice and…”

“We have a choice. There’s always a choice.”

“But Faith’s right, I need to get in there.”

“Not like this! There has to be another way that doesn’t involve you bodysurfing the Hellmouth.”

“Well there isn’t.”

“Okay then, fine. We’ll just go with the original plan.”

“You mean the one that has you guys outnumbered fifty to two? The brilliant plan that gets you slaughtered, lets the Hellmouth open, and ends with everyone in the world dead?”

Buffy was on her feet, her anger propelling her as close to the barrier as she could get.

“That was the plan a minute ago, a plan you were all, ‘Yea, go team, go plan’ about.”

“Well, that was all we had then. And what about the spell? You can’t even…”

“Faith and I will do the stupid spell, okay? We’ll…”

“You’ll get killed, is what you’ll do.”

“Maybe, but there’s no way you’re going to do anything like…”

Now Willow moved forward until she was standing nose to nose with Buffy:

“You can’t just tell me what I can and can’t do! Since when are you the official decider of me?!”

“Since you went completely insane about two minutes ago!”

“We need to talk about this, Buffy. We can’t just ignore a…”

“We did talk about it, and we said it’s a stupid idea.”

“No, there was just you going all, “Oh hey, look at me…”

“Girls please, this is accomplishing nothing. Might I suggest we all calm…”

“…I’m the Slayer, the big boss of everyone!”

“I am the Slayer, and I…”

“And I’m the Slayer’s best friend!”

“I know that, and that’s exactly why you’re not doing this!”

“You’re not the boss of me!”

Xander eased his way up next to Willow:

“Will, Buff, come on. We need to…”

“You can say whatever you want to, Willow, but you…”

“B.”

“…are not going to risk…”

“B!”

“What?!”

“Just calm down and let Red talk. We can…”

“No! She’s not going to…”

Faith looked at the others:

“’Scuse us.”

She pulled Buffy away roughly, marching her off until she thought they were out of earshot.

“Let go of me!”

“B…Buffy, stop it.”

“Stop what?!”

“Stop being an asshole.”

“I’m not! I…”

“Yeah, you are.”

“Why, because I don’t like the crazy plan my best friend has to kill herself?!”

“No, because you won’t shut up and let anybody hear it.”

“It’s insane, Faith! It’s a bad plan, a dumb plan!”

“Maybe, but she’s got a right to talk about it.”

“Well I’ve heard more than enough! There is no way…”

“Shut up!!!”

Buffy looked pissed, but she shut up.

“I know how you feel, okay? The plan does sound nuts, but Red’s smart, so’s Giles. There must be something to it, yeah?”

Buffy was glaring, but at least she wasn’t yelling anymore.

“Listen, let’s head back over there and let her and Giles hammer it out. When they get done, if you don’t wanna do it, I’ll back ya one hundred percent. Can be your call, but we gotta look at all the options, right?”

Buffy said nothing for a minute as she stared at the ground.

“…Yeah okay, you’re right.”

“Holy fuck, you kiddin’ me?!”

“What?”

“Now I wanna get this straight…You, Buffy Summers of your own free will, you’re saying I’m right?”

Buffy began laughing.

“I can’t fucking believe this. Course I got no witnesses.”

“Shut up, you idiot.”

Faith smiled:

“Now see, that’s more like it. Everything’s back to normal.”

“Come on, let’s go hear the cra…new plan.”

When they reached the barrier, Willow had calmed down as well. Everyone looked relieved to see that Buffy was much more reasonable, and Giles jumped right in:

“So, where were we? Willow, you would be willing to consider attempting such a dangerous journey?”

“Yes. I think I can do it and stay safe. I don’t remember every little detail but…”

“Nor do I, but we will rectify that as soon as Xander and Anya return with the necessary books.”

“I do know I’ll need to do a couple of protection spells, and then I’ll have about a thirty second leeway to jump in.”

“Into the Hellmouth?”

“No Buffy, not into the Hellmouth…just into the Hellmouth.”

“Right, well that sounds just great to me. Everybody?”

“Buffy’s right, Willow. I thought we agreed nobody was jumping in.”

“I know that, Dawnie, but this isn’t the same thing at all.”

“Really? Because over here on this side of the barrier, it sounds exactly the same.”

“It’s not! Okay, maybe it sort of is…but I know I can do it.”

Faith put a reassuring hand on Buffy’s arm as she spoke up:

“Based on what, Red?”

“Willow, perhaps I should have a go?”

“Sure, it’s not like I’m doing so great.”

“Thank you. Willow will enter the Hellmouth yes, but ‘The Emerson Ride’ would allow her to coast along on top of its energy. It would be much like riding a wave, cresting with it, and then leaving before it crashes.”

Buffy’s question was asked with what could only be described as an ominous calm:

“What happens when it crashes?”

“If Willow were still with it, she would be taken down into the depths of the Hellmouth, not a scenario we wish to entertain.”

“Well whether we wish to or not, what happens if that happens?”

“It won’t Buffy, I’ll get out before then.”

“Giles?”

“She must exit before the energy stream arrives at its final destination. Otherwise she’ll lose control and be flung down into Hell…with no hope of escape.”

“Oh, is that all? Gee, why did I ever think this was a crazy idea?”

Willow’s reply came quickly:

“But that’s not what’s going to happen. I’ll follow the energy signature, and I’ll know exactly when I need to leave.”

“How sure of a thing is that, Red? Seems pretty easy for you to get lost like the nut who took all the joyrides.”

“I won’t. There’ll be this trail, like a groove in between, and I’ll follow along inside of that.”

Giles spoke up, his voice ringing with confidence:

“I agree with Willow on this part of it. She’s an incredibly powerful witch, staying on target should pose little problem.”

Willow smiled:

“See, Buffy? Giles agrees this is a…”

“However, there is a serious, potentially deadly obstacle in our path.”

Buffy looked like she wanted to hit something:

“Oh, definitely color me ‘surprised’. What is it?”

Giles looked at Willow who was no longer smiling.

“Shall I tell them or do you wish to?”

“Is there a third option?”

“Willow…”

“I’ll do it, Giles. There’s one little problem…I won’t be able to get out.”

The look on Buffy’s face was totally incredulous:

“Okay seriously, I cannot be the only one who sees how crazy this whole thing is?”

“I for one am definitely seeing the crazy, and you guys promised that no one was jumping in.”

“Gotta agree with Squirt, seems way nuts. Maybe me and B should just…”

Willow sounded almost desperate as she rushed on:

“But I can get out with help. That’s where you come in, Buffy.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re going to have to pull me out.”

“Will…”

“I should be able to get my hand out through the opening, so all…”

“No.”

“…you’ll have to do is grab me and pull me clear.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be good.”

“No, let’s just say the situation’s never happening.”

“Willow, it would be incredibly risky, and Buffy would only have the one chance. The forces emanating from the Hellmouth at that point would be exceedingly powerful, perhaps too powerful even for a Slayer.”

Buffy’s sarcasm was lost on no one:

“Oh, this just keeps getting better and better.”

“But I can help! I can do a spell that might make it easier for you to pull me out. I know we can do this.”

“Willow...”

“It will not be easy, and if Buffy should miss…”

“But she won’t miss.”

Buffy anger was palpable:

“Okay, let’s recap what we know: Willow is going for a dip in the Hellmouth, and Faith or I have to grab her and pull her clear before she gets sucked down into Hell forever. Did I leave anything out?”

“…Um…Kind of.”

“What, Willow?”

“…You’ll be the only one who can sense me. It’s because of the spells and stuff, but you’ll be the only one who’ll be able to see my aura.”

“Your ‘aura’? Again with the ‘what’?”

“I’ll have to mask my energy so The Brothers can’t pinpoint me, and the forces in The Hellmouth will mess everything up. Because we’re so close, you’ll be the only one with a chance of getting me.”

“Now there’s just ‘a chance’ of getting you?! Giles?”

“I’m not happy with this either, but unless something contradicts what I remember, we’ve nothing else that seems at all likely to succeed. I believe we must take this risk…Willow, are you quite certain you want to do this?”

“Well ‘want’ isn’t exactly how I’d put it, but yes. I don’t see how we can not do it.”

Buffy asked the question on everyone’s mind:

“But Will…what if I don’t get you?”

“You will.”

“But what if I don’t?”

“You will.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Willow looked at her as if she were insane:

“Because you’re ‘Buffy’, Buffy.”

Buffy heard the snort of laughter from Faith and whirled to face her.

“Told ya, B.”

“Don’t be so smug. Besides, this is all your fault for insisting we find a way to get her in here.”

“Hey, was you who insisted I sit in. As for the other, facts is facts, B. Ya are who you are, just gotta deal.”

Buffy smiled then, her anger dissipating in the face of their confidence in her.

“All right guys, how does this work?”

“I’ll go to the school, do my own little opening spell, and when they start bringing the Hellmouth to them, I’ll come along. You’ll grab me, you guys will kill them, and I’ll close the opening. Then it’s home for take-out and movies.”

“Red, am I missing somethin’? If you open the Hellmouth on your end…”

“It won’t be a real opening, more of a mystical thing. It’ll allow me to enter, but it’ll seal up right behind me. There won’t be any time for anything to come out, just time for me to get in.”

“So not making another problem then?”

“Nope, that part I can guarantee.”

Buffy was solidly behind the idea now, and she was all business:

“Guarantees are of the good. How am I going to know when you’re coming?”

“There’ll be like this huge energy surge when I jump in, you won’t be able to miss it. They won’t either, but they won’t be able to stop me. They’ll still be a little on the drained side of the force, and they wouldn’t be able to sense me anyway. You’ll just need to get to me and help me out.”

“Not tryin’ to rain on the parade, but I thought the opening was gonna be small at the start?”

“It will be, Faith. I’ll just be able to get a hand out and Buffy’s going to have to pull me through. The downside to that is that it will make the opening bigger, and not in a tidy way. It’ll start expanding pretty quickly, so we’re going to have to close it a lot faster than we’d planned on.”

“Another negative is that the barrier shall not remain in place for long. All Willow’s efforts will be concentrated on closing the Hellmouth…Ah, here they are.”

Xander and Anya climbed out of the jeep with several books between them.

“We come bearing gifts. Are my bestest best buds all friendly again?”

“Yep, we’re back on track. Anya, can I have that green one?”

“Sure Willow, please feel free to take them all.”

“Here Giles, these are yours. I’m glad you guys made up, you were upsetting Dawnie.”

“No they weren’t! I mean they were, but it’s not like I was bawling about it. I’m not a little kid anymore.”

Anya ruffled Dawn’s hair in what was for her, an affectionate manner:

“I don’t think age has anything to do with it. Xander cried when we got to the house. He was talking about how someone was probably going to have to go into the Hellmouth, and he just got all choked up.”

“…Thanks for sharing that with everyone, An.”

“It was okay? That’s a relief because right in the middle of it, I thought maybe I was sharing inappropriately again.”

“Yeah, you’ve been working really hard to know where the boundaries are.”

Anya beamed at him:

“Yes I have, and I think I’ve made a lot of progress. For example, I know not to tell them that I had multiple…”

“Here it is! A moment please…Yes, we’re spot on! There seem to be no surprises here, but Willow, we shall need to go over the necessary spells very closely. We’ve no margin for error at all.”

“And what can the rest of us do while the ladies do their thing?”

Giles never looked up as he began searching through another book:

“Actually quite a lot, Xander. We shall assist with vampire control once the barrier does finally collapse, and it’s also very likely we’ll be able to aid Willow in her attempt to close the Hellmouth. There will be plenty for everyone to do.”

“Hey, does this mean I get to use the stun gun?!”

“No!”

“But Buffy, I’m going to be right in the middle of it and…”

“No Dawn, and that’s final.”

Dawn didn’t look happy, but she could tell Buffy was serious:

“Fine, but it’s sure going to be ironic if I end up saving all of us with it.”

“So me and B wanna whittle’em down before the barrier takes a dive?”

Giles nodded, already engrossed in another book:

“Yes, then you will be backed up by a rather motley cavalry.”

“I’m cool with it, but the odds are still fifty to two. Throw in their big guns and….”

“Spiran and The Brothers will be temporarily out of the fray. You girls need only keep them at bay until Buffy extracts Willow from the Hellmouth.”

“Well I must say this is a much better plan than the original one. Now there’s at least a small chance we won’t all die. I like it!”

“Me too, An. The whole gang’s together, just like it’s supposed to be.”

Faith felt an unexpected happiness welling up inside her as Xander said that. He was looking straight at her and grinning his goofy “Xander” grin. It was a familiar look, but not one Faith had ever seen directed so warmly at her. She could do nothing except smile back, her heart feeling years younger.

“You know, if I had the stun gun, I might be able to…”

“Dawn Summers, that’s enough! You are not getting the stun gun. You can have a broadsword though, now will you please be quiet?”

“Really?! I can have a broadsword?! Oh man, I am so going to kill these guys! I’m going to…Shutting up now.”

The Hellmouth was opening at midnight, just a few short hours away, and they spent the next half hour trying to cover all the bases. There seemed to be a million particulars to go over, but they were finally forced to give it up and go their separate ways, for now.

As they made their preparations to leave, Buffy and Willow hung back. They stood on opposite sides of the barrier as they stared at each other affectionately.

“Will, are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“For sure?”

“I’m sure. The absolutely surest of the sure.”

“…God, what if I don’t get you?”

Willow began laughing like a nut.

“Will, this isn’t funny!”

“I know, but Buffy there’s no way you won’t get me. I’m not worried about that at all. I’m worried about going all ‘grrr’.”

“You won’t, I know you won’t. You’re going to close the Hellmouth, and when it’s all over, you’re still going to be you.”

“But what if…”

“Hey, there is no ‘what if’ here. I’m giving you my personal ‘Buffy Summers Guarantee’.”

“Okay, that makes me feel better. It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“We’ve got total confidence in each other, but in ourselves? Not so much.”

“Yeah…Is ‘ironic’ the right word?”

“I’m not really sure. I always get it mixed up with…”

“Me too, and that song sure didn’t help.”

“No, ironically it just made things even more confusing.”

“Dawnie used it right before, right?”

“Yeah, I think.”

Progress made, and then it was lost, just like that.

“God, what if I don’t get you out?”

“Well look at it this way, at least I’ll have good company in Hell.”

“’Good company’?”

“Buffy, I know if you miss, you’ll come in after me. Then the Hellmouth will seal closed, and we’ll both be trapped forever.”

“…Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“That’s what I was shooting for. Kinda ironic, don’t you think?”

They both laughed then.

“I love you, Willow.”

“I love you too. See you in a few hours.”

“Up close and personal.”

“Yep! Then we’re gonna kick some major……some major booty!”

“Will, I think if you’re going to be jumping into the Hellmouth, you’re allowed to say ‘ass’.”

“Probably, but it just seemed wrong somehow, you know?”

“I know.”

They turned to walk away, but Willow’s voice stopped them:

“Buffy?”

“Yeah?”

“If something…If I do lose control…”

“You won’t.”

“But if I do…”

“I’ll be there.”

“But Buffy…if it gets bad…I wouldn’t…I mean, if I got thrown into the Hellmouth, well that’s a way I could be stopped.”

“It won’t come to that.”

“But just in case, okay?”

“Okay, just in case. But if that happens, I’m still going in with you. And I’m really not all that keen on spending eternity in constant torment. I was kinda hoping we could hit the mall tomorrow.”

Willow laughed:

“Boy, this sure is lots of fun.”

“Oh yeah, first-class tickets on the big old train marked ‘Fun’.”

“We’d better go. Be careful, Buffy.”

“I will be. You too.”

And that was that until it came time to actually set the plan in motion. It had all started off so smoothly, and she should have known better right then and there.

Buffy and Faith had timed their arrival perfectly, showing up just as the Hellmouth was opened. The unavoidable risk they’d taken by being so close to it when the spell was cast, was just as Giles had predicted. They experienced a momentary dizziness, and then it was all just business as usual.

They began fighting, maneuvering their way closer to the opening. The Brothers and Spiran seemed drained, but there was no time to take advantage of their weakness. They had to concentrate on holding their ground until Willow appeared.

The relative smallness of the room and its partially collapsed state worked in their favor. Their enemies could not attack all at once, and Buffy and Faith were dusting vampires left and right. Then the room went supernova for an instant, and Buffy turned to face the opening.

Spiran struggled to his feet:

“Something’s happening!”

But it was too late, Buffy was already moving. She leapt high over a charging vampire, staking another as she landed. Suddenly Willow’s hand appeared, and Buffy picked up speed. An enormous vampire stood between her and her goal, and she knew she had no time to fight him. She yelled for help:

“Faith!”

Faith spun and saw nothing at the opening. There was just a mass of swirling light and energy and no sign of Willow, at least not to her. But she knew Buffy saw her, and she knew time was short.

She kicked the vamp standing in front of her in the balls, effectively doubling him over. She then jumped onto his back and hurled her axe over the group of bad guys that was now rushing her.

Buffy never hesitated, and she was already diving through him as the vampire blocking her way turned into dust. Faith saw her reach down and pull back straining, and suddenly there was Willow. She looked a little disoriented, but then she was shaking it off. Buffy had already turned from her and was fighting to keep the pressure off until Willow could get her bearings.

Relieved, Faith rammed her stake through the back of her undead ladder and landed lightly on the floor to confront her own difficult situation. A grin slid its way across her face as she saw that she was now surrounded. She pulled out another stake, one for each hand, and her grin became something else.

“Gee, not lookin’ good.”

“Yeah, we’ve got you outnumbered, Slayer.”

“Oh yeah, guess ya do. But see, I meant it doesn’t look good for you guys.”

They charged and Faith met them head-on. In just minutes, only one vampire remained.

“Get what I’m sayin’, asshole?”

He roared with anger and ran at her, but he was dust before he’d taken a second step. She didn’t even bother watching him explode as her stake found his heart. Her gaze was already scanning for Buffy and Willow, and what she saw made her laugh.

Buffy being Buffy, was using everything around her to hold her ground. Rubble was flying and vamps were falling and dusting all over the place. They kept trying to get past The Slayer, but she wasn’t cooperating because that’s where Willow was, calmly chanting in Latin with her eyes closed.

Spiran was leaning heavily against a wall, but he barked out an order to The Brothers:

“The witch! Stop her!!!”

The Brothers linked hands, and Faith started for them. She didn’t know what they were going to do, but she knew it couldn’t be good. She also knew she had to get to them before they…She didn’t make it.

There was a crackling sound, and then ugly yellow bolts of what looked like lightning, were sailing directly at Willow. Buffy yelled out a warning, but it was all happening too fast. Willow was just seconds from being incinerated and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Well, except for Willow. She never stopped chanting, she never even turned her head or opened her eyes. She merely raised her left hand, and the yellow bolts were somehow on their way back to The Brothers. They screamed as they burned, and then they were gone, not even a pile of ash remaining to mark their passing.

Faith couldn’t believe it. The way Giles had talked them up The Brothers were wicked powerful, even as vampires, yet Willow had just taken them out without so much as a glance. Speaking of Red, that was now a real loose description.

Her hair color kept changing, first red, then black, then white, then all three at once which looked way funky. In fact, Faith was getting sick of looking at her, and of course there was still Buffy to stare at.

All her focus was on defending Willow, and of course that meant she hadn’t done a thing to help Faith. Shit, that’s just how it was, second-class Slayer over here. Buffy and her buddies didn’t give two shits about her. Never had, never would.

Yeah okay, so she’d killed a guy, big fucking deal. How many assholes had she saved by now? Scales were tipped way the fuck in her favor, but oh no. Nothing was ever gonna be right or good enough for Little Miss Perfect. She wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than a big ass breakdown, all complete with a buncha bawling and pleading for help.

Well it wasn’t gonna happen, she didn’t have time to feel bad. The guy was dead, was his own stupid fault. Ya hang out in a dark alley where a Slayer’s doing her business, better stand the fuck back or start throwing down. It was an accident sure, but the way she saw it, she did the world a favor. Dumb fucking idiot needed killing. Stupid bastard was just taking up space.

But the point was, if she needed somebody to watch her back, there wasn’t gonna be anything coming from Buffy. No loyalty, no real concern, nothing but her perfect and oh so pretty little matching outfit, as Her Highness rolled outta her picture perfect life to visit the shit side of town. Taking her dainty little steps so the filth didn’t mess up her shoes as she tried so hard to help the less fortunate, the scum of the earth.

God knows there’s no time to pay any attention to the trashy Slayer. Don’t even look twice, Blondie. Just miss every signal ever sent your way, ignore it when you feel whatever this is flowing between us. No sense wallowing in the dirt, is there baby?

It’s all great, B. Wicked cool with me if ya wanna run off to screw a corpse. Everybody knows even a dead guy’s gotta be better for ya than a slutty dyke who keeps mooning around making an ass of herself. Yeah, it’s all good.

Can’t tell ya how fantastic it is to be in love with the poster girl for straightness. Throw in all the perfection and goodness, oh yeah, like a match made in heaven. Figure we gotta be soul mates or something.

So fucking far outta my league it’s like we don’t even play the same game. And I know you B, you’re gonna be more than happy to show me over and over again that I don’t stand a chance with you. For the rest of my life it’s gonna be you way up there and me way the fuck down here, just beggin’ for scraps. Just like some fucked up dog waiting for anything you’ll toss my way.

Well fuck that and fuck you. I don’t need that shit. You and your little Scooby pals, always looking down your lucky ass noses at me. Fuck all of you, just shove it. Wanna play it this way? Works for me, I been playin’ all my life, and this time it’s gonna be me on the winning side.

Fuck right and wrong. This is win or lose, and I’m all done with losing. ‘Sides, not like “right” ever did shit for me, might as well give “wrong” a shot. And just look at him, guy’s flat-out lovable. What can ya do?

Yeah sure he’s a little weird, got a shitload of hang-ups and stuff, but he’s okay. Never once tried to get in my pants, never does nothing but hand out the attention and respect. So he’s got a few plans sittin’ on the shady side, shit we all got some kinda deals goin’ down. Least he’s honest about it.

Guy acts like a dad, and no fucking way do those ever come around. Been great to me, and the big shocker is that he really loves me. Don’t know how it happened, but it did. No lies, no games, ain’t gotta jump through hoops for it. Just gotta be me.

And I can do loyal, fucking know I can…unlike some people. So I’m gonna pay him back in spades and she can kiss my ass, they all can. But ‘specially her. Ya don’t wanna love me? Then fucking don’t, you fucking bitch. Gonna be way happy to…

**Faith!**

Wow, she sounds all worked up. What is it now? My shirt too tight? I got ahold of the wrong fucking fork? Maybe I said the wrong thing again, hit a little too close to the truth. Well don’t you worry, ya prissy little cunt. You can make all the fucking comments ya wanna when I rip your guts out and…

“And here comes the hero to save the day.”

“Faith!”

“I’m sorry, but Faith is with me now.”

“Fuck you.”

“My, you’re such a rude young woman. I hate to see that, but your generation just doesn’t seem to appreciate the…”

“Faith, don’t listen to him!”

“Gosh, all this yelling from such a little scrap of a girl. I’m glad my Faith isn’t like you.”

“Fight him, I know you can do it!”

“How’s the back doing? All better now?”

“…”

“I’ve missed you.”

“You son of a bitch, let her go.”

“Language. You know, they say profanity is the last remaining refuge of the ignorant.”

“Faith, listen to me!”

“Scream all you want, you know how much I love hearing you. As for Faith? She belongs to me now. We’ve reached, well I guess you could call it a meeting of the minds. She’s feeling quite…ah, ah, ah…Any more of that, and I’ll be forced to snap her neck.”

Buffy froze.

“This is all so familiar, it’s reminding me of something. Now what could it be…Oh yes, I remember now. So tell me, Buffy…killed any little kids lately?”

“…”

“My, my Slayer, you look all upset. Something I said?”

“Fuck you.”

Spiran laughed and tightened his grip on Faith:

“Your favorite refrain. I guess you’ll never change, will you?”

“Let her go.”

“No.”

“Faith!”

“Want to see a neat trick? Watch this…Faith, I’m thinking Buffy is getting a little too dangerous, what with ‘The Ascension’ just around the corner and all. I was wondering if you might be interested in taking her out of the picture.”

Faith’s eyes lit up, shining with hate, anger, and insanity.

“Sure thing, Boss.”

“Okay, but first I need to work out the details. No sense putting my little firecracker at risk unnecessarily.”

“Cool, just gimme the word. Been itching to show her what real pain’s all about.”

“He’s not the Mayor, Faith. We’re not back there.”

Spiran held Faith tightly around the neck, yet he looked so relaxed it was like he was standing on a yacht. Buffy stood before him, her body tense and begging to spring into action as she forced it to remain still and do nothing.

“It’s interesting. I’ve been doing this for well over two hundred years, you wouldn’t think anything could surprise me anymore. But take our Faith here. I slid right in, no obstacles at all. I think it has something to do with the time you and I spent together, but who really knows? The important thing is not only can I make her see things, I can also control her, at least the part of her that was evil. I’ve never done anything remotely like it, and I must tell you Buffy, it’s incredibly exciting and more than a little sexy.”

“You are so going to die.”

“Did you know that she loves you? She always has. You met in…Faith, just relax now…ah, there it is. You met in an alley and the second she saw you, she fell head over heels. It almost makes you believe in destiny, doesn’t it? But then love didn’t run smoothly for you Slayers, not even close. It’s such a thin line between love and hate for all of us, but with you girls it barely even exists. All that passion and it could have gone either way. My poor little firecracker, she just didn’t know how to handle it.”

“Faith!”

“She’s got this huge section that’s just for you. It’s filled with all of it, the hate, the shame, the regret, the guilt, the anger, the joy, the happiness, the wonder, and always the love. It’s the whole package of human emotion, and it’s all just for you.”

Buffy’s anger and hatred were urging her to attack, but she stayed where she was.

“But there’s something new, something she’s sealed off from me…I wish I had more time to dig it out of her…But alas, this is the part where you and I make a deal. Now I must confess, I believe I’ve fallen for you myself. The sound of your screams, the smell of your blood, the way you cry yet refuse to break. It’s intoxicating, Buffy, so I’ll tell you what I’m willing to do. I will let her go unharmed if you agree to come with me.”

“What?”

“You for her…Now, now Faith, stop trying to fight me.”

Faith’s body had tensed, each muscle clearly defined. A small whimpering noise was escaping from her lips, her eyes were closed, and sweat was shining on her face.

“Faith, I said stop fighting me…There’s my good girl.”

She was all relaxed again, her eyes dazed yet somehow glittering with an intense hate.

“In case you’re curious, Buffy, she’s having bad thoughts about you right now. Naughty thoughts, all bloody and violent, yet deliciously sexual. Oh the things she wants to do to you…Your Faith, my dear Slayer, is crazy as hell.”

“Fuck you.”

“And look, here comes your witch. I think she’s gearing up to send a very powerful spell my way. Sorry, Ms. Rosenberg, but I’m fully protected from all…AARRGGHH!!!”

The blast knocked him backwards and Buffy rushed him. Before she could reach him, he quickly regained and tightened his grip on a suddenly struggling Faith.

“Stand back, Slayer. Now, or she’s dead!”

Buffy stopped advancing, her eyes on Faith’s. They seemed clearer, more present, more like Faith. Buffy’s heart began racing, was she coming out of it?

“Yes, she’s resisting me again. She’s very much like you in some ways, stubborn, brave, and oh so annoying. Now if you please, do be so kind as to tell your witch she must cease and desist, otherwise I will kill this filthy little slut.”

Buffy gestured at Willow to stand down.

“And no more trying to close the Hellmouth either, Ms. Rosenberg. Let’s just let nature take its course, shall we? Ah…and here comes the rest of the gang.”

Everyone crowded around behind Buffy, uncertain what to do, but ready to do whatever was needed. The problem was that at this point, no one seemed to have a clue just what that might be.

“You sir, must be the esteemed Rupert Giles. Your name is quite well known in my world, but it’s through Buffy that I’ve come to feel as if I know you. Yes, your charge would cry for you, struggling all the while to make you proud. Sometimes she would scream in agony as she begged you to save her. It was all so very touching when she thought of you as her father, but then she’d remember how you deserted her just like the real one did. I wish you could have seen her face when she…”

Giles started forward in a rage, but Buffy’s strong hand on his arm stopped him.

“Now now, old chap, this isn’t the time to let the Ripper loose. Say, is that sweet little Dawnie back there? Did you know that your sister sobbed for hours on end over you? She could never see your rather gruesome end without breaking. She would…Faith!”

Faith was restless now, her moans nearly constant as she struggled weakly. Her eyes were shut again, her muscles straining as she stood frozen at Spiran’s side.

“Let her go. You can’t get out of this.”

“I beg to differ, Buffy. Your witch has to refrain from closing the Hellmouth, so it should open fully in mere minutes.”

“If it does, you’ll be the first one in it.”

He threw back his head and laughed delightedly.

“My God, you are magnificent. But surely you’ll admit…Young and foolish Xander, unless you’d like your heart torn from your chest for real, I’d advise you and your demon whore to return to the rest of your group. So loyal and oh so brainless…Buffy, please discipline your most faithful puppy.”

When she didn’t respond right away, Spiran twisted Faith’s neck just enough.

“I won’t ask again.”

“Xander, Anya.”

They returned to their spot behind Giles.

“All right then, what’s it going to be? As I’ve already confessed my deep affection for you, you know where I stand. You may rest assured though, if you choose not to come with me, I am leaving with Faith. She’ll be a poor substitute, but she is a Slayer and I’m sure she’ll provide me with many hours of entertainment. It’s up to you, oh great leader. You decide who shall accompany me.”

“You can be certain that neither Slayer is leaving here with you.”

“Strong words, Rupert, but what of your sacred duty? Didn’t you swear to protect all of mankind? Well if you’ll look right over there, you’ll see that the Hellmouth is opening. We’re just minutes away from the eventual destruction of every human being on this planet, all on your watch. I’m afraid we’re going to have to sacrifice someone if we’re to prevent that from happening.”

“Okay.”

“I’m sorry, Buffy, what did you say?”

“I’ll go with you.”

“You bloody well will not!”

“First let Faith go.”

“Oh I think not, I plan to leave here undead. You come to me, then you have my word I’ll let her go.”

Willow grabbed Buffy by the arm:

“This is crazy! You can’t trust him!”

“Pardon me Ms. Rosenberg, but the Slayer and I have made an exchange like this before. I kept my word that time, didn’t I, Buffy?”

“…”

Everyone saw how upset Buffy looked, but it was Xander who asked the question:

“Buff, what exchange? What’s he talking about?”

Spiran laughed:

“Oh my, haven’t you told them what you did?”

“Fuck you.”

“I’m afraid I must inform all of you that your hero has feet of clay. She’s not…”

…This can’t be right. B…B’s not like that. She’s…

“Faith, stay on track.”

“I…I don’t get this…Is this…”

“You know Faith, you’re like the daughter I never had. No father could ever be prouder than I am. Now no more worrying about Buffy, do you think she’s worried about you?”

“…Well yeah, think…I think she is…She…I love…”

“Quiet! Your precious Buffy is a double dealing whore, and she’s not worth a minute of your time. When I think of how she’s treated you, how she chose to love a vampire instead of you, well I think she needs to be taught a lesson. No one treats my Faith like that and gets away with it.”

“Boss…something…This doesn’t feel right…Like it’s…Feels like it’s not real…”

**Faith!**

“B?”

“Now you listen to me young lady, no one else cares about you, not like I do. I love you, Faith, and I can’t wait to see all the great things you’re going to do. But you have to understand, Buffy doesn’t care about you, she never will. Deep down, you know that.”

**Faith, fight him! He’s lying!**

“What’s that voice?”

“Just some workers in the hall. They’re finally getting started on the renovations. Hey, want a cookie and a glass of milk? There’s nothing healthier for a beautiful young girl than a glass of milk.”

“…Yeah sure, okay.”

**Faith!**

“Boss…sounds like B.”

“It’s not! My God Faith, is this what you really want? To spend your life mooning after a woman who couldn’t care less about you? I’m offering you something important here, the chance to make something of yourself, the chance to be someone who matters.”

**Faith!**

“…I do…matter. I…I matter to…her.”

“No you don’t, and don’t think it makes me happy to say so. But heck, that’s her loss. She’s the one who’s not worthy of you, Faith. She never was and she never will be.”

“B…”

“She doesn’t love you, she can’t love you. You’re a liar, a murderer, a selfish slut who cheats and steals and hurts everyone you come into contact with. You’re filled with nothing except hate and fear and anger. How could she ever love that, Faith?”

“No…that’s not…not me, not anymore. I’m…I don’t…”

“But I love you Faith, just like you are, and I see your potential. I see the greatness in you and I’m more than happy to help you bring it out into the open. Together we’re going to make sure the entire world sees just how special you really are, what a force you are to be reckoned with. I don’t want anything from you in return except a little loyalty, and gosh darn it, that doesn’t seem like it’s too much to ask.”

“…It’s not…Boss…”

“You fit in here, this is where you belong. You’re an extraordinary girl with special skills and talents, and I understand that. I know what you want, and I’m going to do my darnedest to see that you get it.”

“…Thanks...I…Means a…lot…”

“The important thing is I’ll always be here for you, always. You’re my Slayer, and I can tell you right now I’ve got the best one, hands down, no contest. So come on, drink up and we’ll make our plans for…”

**Faith!**

“But I…I hear her.”

“You know, you’re starting to seem a little ungrateful, young lady. I’m offering you everything you’ve ever wanted, and this is how you repay me? Maybe you don’t understand, but the simple truth of it is: you’ve got no one else. No one.”

**Faith!**

“I got her, asshole.”

Faith’s punch caught him by surprise, knocking him back several feet, and Buffy was on him as Faith collapsed in a heap. Willow was back at the Hellmouth, frantically yelling out instructions to Giles and Dawn, while Xander and Anya ran to Faith as she struggled to get to her feet.

“That was remarkable. That little bitch is the first person to ever break my hold.”

He and Buffy were circling each other as they looked for an opening.

“She’s special like that.”

“There’s no need for us to fight, Buffy. My people are all dead, thanks to those evil little balls of sunshine your group is so fond of using. Somehow that seems like cheating.”

“Oh well, too bad.”

“I will leave here and our paths will never cross again. Just let me go.”

“Hmm, a new fantasy. Nope, can’t say I’m buying it.”

“So what do you intend to do?”

“I intend to end you.”

“I won’t go easily.”

“Maybe not, but you’ll go.”

“You’re so confident, it’s hard to remember you pleading and crying and shaking in terror.”

“For me too.”

“Do you remember the sound his neck made as you snapped it?”

“…”

“You should have seen your face. There you were, The Slayer, Defender of the Innocent, suddenly reduced to nothing but a cold-blooded killer. It was my greatest hour.”

“Really? Well this is your last one.”

The battle was brutal, but it was short-lived. It wasn’t long before Spiran found himself pinned to the ground, Buffy’s stake hovering directly over his heart.

“Buffy, you don’t want to do this.”

“I…I don’t?”

“No. It would be best for everyone if you let me go.”

“Let you…go?”

“That’s right, Buffy. Just let me go.”

“You know, unless you’re being all metaphorical…nope.”

“Buffy…”

“I imagined this moment about a million times. All the ways I was going to make you suffer and pay for what you did.”

The terror on Spiran’s face was plain to see.

“And?”

“And that’s just not me.”

“…It’s not?”

“No. See I’m Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, and you? You’re history.”

She rammed the stake down with extra force to make sure it penetrated the spell surrounding him, and his eyes showed nothing but surprise that he was dead. Then he was dust, and Buffy stood up.

“Took care of him pretty easy.”

“Yeah, he wasn’t much of a fighter. I guess all those years of playing mind games left him kind of rusty. Plus I think Will kind of messed up his reflection spell.”

Faith’s face looked guilty and uncertain as she struggled to meet Buffy’s eyes:

“…B…”

“Shhh…Are you okay?”

“Yeah, back up to snuff.”

“God, I was so…”

The ground began shaking ominously, jarring large pieces of the building loose.

“This can’t be good. Will?”

“I need more time!”

Giles was with Willow, chanting as he ran around trying to set up some talismans, but it was evident there wasn’t going to be enough time. The Hellmouth was opening, and it was opening now.

Buffy picked up her axe and Dawn handed her broadsword to Faith before she ran off to join the others. Buffy calmly looked at her partner:

“You ready for this?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Willow and Giles were still doing whatever, but now Xander, Anya, and Dawn were the ones scurrying around as they tried to follow the shouted instructions.

Buffy stared at the Hellmouth, wondering how they were ever going to stop what was coming.

“B?”

Faith tapped her gently on the shoulder, so gently that Buffy couldn’t help but smile as she turned back to face her. The world was ending, yet Faith could still make her happy just by being near. God, all the time they’d wasted…

“Hmmm?”

The blow caught Buffy right on the chin, lifting her off her feet and leaving her dazed as she hit the ground hard.

“Sorry B, it’s the only way.”

She never broke stride as she ran past the Scoobies:

“I got it, guys. Take care of B.”

And with that, Faith dove into the Hellmouth. There was nothing anyone could do to stop her. She was a Slayer after all, and she was moving way too fast.

As she began her dive, a blur lunged at her from behind, and Buffy just managed to grab her around the ankle. The problem was their momentum and the pull from the Hellmouth kept them moving forward, and forward was not the direction Buffy wanted to go.

It was Xander who moved next. He dove quickly, latching onto Buffy’s legs as they desperately scrabbled for purchase on the concrete floor. Anya and Dawn followed, each wrapping their arms tightly around one of Xander’s legs. Giles finished off the Scooby chain by encircling each girl’s waist with his arms, and then wrapping his legs firmly around a nearly blown to bits radiator.

It worked, and the Slayers stopped moving. Buffy held Faith with her right hand, her left desperately clutching an exposed pipe. The strain was enormous as the Hellmouth was determined to have its very own Slayer. Buffy’s arm was already beginning to shake, but her face showed nothing but determination.

“Let go, B!”

“No! Will?!”

“Not yet!”

“Buffy, let go!”

“No!”

Buffy held her dangling there, neither pulling her up nor letting her go, and the Hellmouth appeared confused by this turn of events. It strained to pull Faith all the way in, yet kept trying to expand as there was no real reason not to. The building was creaking and groaning, and yet none of them seemed to register the danger they were in.

“B…”

A medium-sized creature best described as a dragon, tried to squeeze past Faith, but she caught it by the neck and twisted. It flopped harmlessly to the floor, its broken neck assuring everyone that it no longer posed a threat.

“Goddamn it B, let me go!”

“No!”

“Let go or I’m gonna make ya!”

“I swear Faith, I’ll follow you in!”

“Buffy…”

“I mean it! Will?!”

Another creature made a break for it, tearing a deep groove along Faith’s arm as it exited. She snagged its leg as it sailed by, wrenching it back down. As it turned to attack her, she sliced her sword across its neck, the severed head bouncing onto the floor as the body drifted back down into the Hellmouth.

“B, I can see’em comin’! Let go!”

“Not in a million years! Will?!”

“Get ready!”

Willow was standing now, her hair completely white. More monsters were rushing towards the opening, and Faith was thrusting and parrying as she hung upside down. They could all hear the terrifying screams as the denizens of the Hellmouth began surging upward.

Buffy closed her eyes and tuned them out. She was listening for only one voice, and she could hear nothing else.

“By the Goddess Hecate, I command you...Close! Now, Buffy!”

Buffy pulled with every ounce of strength she had and jerked Faith clear just as the Hellmouth snapped shut. The fissure sealed smoothly, the only sign that it had ever existed was the bodies and severed heads littering the floor.

The Slayers fell back breathing hard, but they were in a lot better shape than they had any right to be. Faith had a nasty looking gash on her arm and several small deep cuts on her cheek, while Buffy had a painful looking abrasion on her forehead and a severely bruised chin. Besides a myriad of unseen bumps and bruises, that seemed to be the extent of the damage.

“Okay guys, I think you can let go now.”

The human chain slowly began unlocking their various grips.

“You ladies okay, Buffster?”

“We’re perfect, thanks to you. That was really quick thinking.”

“Well it’s not like I could just let two of my favorite girls fall into the Hellmouth. I’ve heard through the grapevine they don’t even have any pizza down there.”

“Ha, ha, ha! Xander, that is so funny! Just the image of a grapevine actually speaking!”

Giles stood and began brushing himself off:

“Willow, are you quite all right over there?”

“A-okay. I’m not sure what color my hair is, but I don’t feel all dark and veiny.”

“Hair’s red, Red.”

“Okay, that’s good to know. I was kinda worried ‘cause I…”

“Although you now resemble a skunk.”

“What?!”

“An!”

“What? I didn’t put it there!”

Dawn went into damage control:

“Don’t worry Willow, it looks cool.”

“You know, I believe there’s a remarkable resemblance to Bonnie Raitt.”

The look of horror on Willow’s face surpassed anything they’d seen all day:

“What?! Oh Goddess, I look like an old woman?!”

“Bonnie Raitt’s not at all old. In fact, I’d say she’s quite sexy and…”

“What?!”

“Giles, we beg of you…no more with the talking.”

He looked totally perplexed:

“Well I must say, Buffy, I’m not at all sure what I’ve managed to stumble into and…Oh all right, fine. Xander, would you please bring the jeep ‘round?”

“Sure. Hey An, I might get lonely, wanna come?”

There was a slight pause and then Anya smiled happily:

“Do I want to…Oh Xander…”

“Please you two, just concentrate on bringing the car right next to this hole in the wall. That way we won’t have to carry everything all the way around. No extracurricular activities, if you please.”

The frown on Anya’s face made it clear she wasn’t pleased.

“Xander, I think he means we can’t have our victory sex yet.”

“Gotcha, Giles. We’ll be right back.”

They walked off giggling, their arms entwined around one another.

“Those two are completely insatiable. Well, I believe I’d best check on Willow in the meantime.”

“Okay, but no skunk or sex talk please.”

“Buffy, I was merely attempting to…Oh, sod off.”

“Hey I heard that!”

“That’s what you get for having Slayer ears.”

Giles walked off, patting Dawn fondly on the shoulder as he passed by.

“Guys, look at all the vamp dust! Have you ever seen so much in one place at one time?!”

“You know, I don’t think I have.”

“Me neither. Hey Squirt, kinda lost your sword.”

Dawn was busy kicking the dust all around:

“This is so gross!”

Buffy rolled her eyes:

“Well maybe you could stop playing around in it then.”

“But there’s so much of it…Ugh. Faith, did you say something?”

“Was telling you I lost your sword when B hauled me up.”

“I don’t care, we’ve got lots more.”

“Thought it was your fave?”

“Nope, I never use that one because something might happen to it.”

Faith laughed and shook her head.

“Makes sense.”

“Yeah, if you’re a weirdo.”

“Takes one to know one, Buffy!”

“Whatever, Dawn.”

Xander and Anya came roaring up in the jeep, honking all the way.

“Xander, is that cacophony really necessary?”

“No, but it’s fun!”

“Quite. I guess I can’t argue with youthful enthusiasm.”

“Hey, guys? I could use a little help over here, some of this stuff’s recyclable.”

Xander climbed back into the room through the hole, then reached out to help Anya:

“On our way, you little skunk witch, you.”

“You know, I might just turn you into a skunk if you keep it up.”

“Aw come on Will, it’s already fading.”

Willow’s relief was apparent.

“It is? How come nobody told me?”

“It’s faded a lot, Willow. Now it just looks like a big streak of urine.”

“What?!”

“An!”

“Well it does. And could you tell me why you keep acting like I put it there?”

The Slayers watched everyone arguing as they cleaned up Willow’s magic supplies, and finally Buffy turned to Faith:

“We did it.”

“Looks like.”

The Slayers stood side by side as they stared down at the now closed Hellmouth. It was a comfortable silence, a beautiful silence that lasted for several moments, and then Buffy punched Faith, knocking her to the ground.

“Ow! What the hell are you doing?”

“No, that’s my question. What did you think you were doing?”

“…Righting a few wrongs.”

“Not even close. All you were doing was scaring me to death.”

“But I…”

“All the wrongs are righted Faith, all of them.”

“Yeah but…”

“No ‘buts’.”

Faith smiled up at Buffy almost shyly:

“…Okay. I’m sorry, B.”

Buffy offered her hand and pulled her to her feet. Faith tried to step back, but Buffy pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her waist.

“It’s okay, this time. But I swear, if you ever try anything like that again…”

“Not gonna, not without your say-so.”

“God, if anything had happened to you…”

“Hey c’mon, you’d be okay. Life’s gotta go on.”

“Maybe, but I need you with me when it does.”

They stood staring at each other until Dawn’s voice interrupted them:

“Hey guys, come look at how these things are melting!”

“In a minute, Dawnie.”

Faith looked around nervously. Everyone was still too busy to notice, but Faith knew that could change at any second.

“Let go, B. Ya don’t want everybody knowing we’re…”

Buffy pulled her closer:

“Now see, you’re all wrong again. I want everyone to know how I feel about you.”

Faith tried without success to put some distance between them.

“No ya don’t, not really. Just on a high from kicking all that undead ass.”

“Oh, I’m definitely hungry and horny, but you’re the cause of that.”

Faith squirmed to move away, but Buffy’s arms held her in place.

“B, I’m a big girl. I get I’m not somebody you want other people to know about. It’s okay if ya just wanna…”

“F?”

“Yeah?”

“I am deeply, passionately, insanely in love with you.”

“…”

“You’re everything I’ve been waiting for, everything I’ve been dreaming of. I’m yours if you want me…God Faith, I’m yours even if you don’t.”

Faith couldn’t utter a sound.

“Cat got your tongue?”

“I…You love me?”

“Like I’ve never loved anyone.”

“You…love me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Maybe…Just way hard to believe.”

“Well, hopefully it won’t take you long to get over that part of it.”

“B…Buffy, are you sure?”

Buffy’s hands entwined themselves in Faith’s hair, pulling her so close their lips were just a breath apart.

“I’m so sure I…I’m as sure as…Okay, not great with the analogies, but I am nothing but sure. I’ve never been surer in my whole life.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah. ‘Sure’ is my middle name, probably my first and last too.”

“Will you two hurry up and…Hey guys, what are you doing?”

Buffy’s eyes never left Faith’s as she answered:

“Kissing the woman I love.”

And then she did. It was a kiss full of promise, a kiss full of love and light and everything good, and Faith never hesitated.

She kissed Buffy back, trying her best to convey all that she felt, all that she wanted to give, and all that she wanted to take. She let Buffy have it all, everything that she was, and Buffy only pulled her closer.

When their lips finally parted, Faith found herself staring into the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen. There was nothing but warmth and love in them, and Faith felt like she was just floating. What she had always wanted most was now hers, and she could not believe she’d gotten so lucky.

“You are the best kisser ever. I could kiss you for hours and never get tired of it. Ooh and look, now I get the dimples. It’s almost like you’re happy about something.”

“…B, you know how I feel about you?”

“Yes I do. Now, I absolutely do.”

“Fuck, is this for real?”

“Nothing’s ever been realer.”

“Excuse me, but when you freaks are done making out…”

“Shut up, Dawnie.”

“You shut up…Barfy!”

“Um, Buff?”

“Yep?”

Willow’s smile was huge.

“I take it you two are a couple?”

“You take it right.”

“In that case, let me officially welcome you both into the club.”

“Thank you. I’m deliriously happy to be here.”

“Woulda been a member sooner if I’da known B was a…”

“Ow! Anya, what was that for?!”

“I don’t like the way you’re looking at them.”

“I’m just sur…”

“I know men supposedly like the girl on girl action, but I’m not…”

“…prised. Honey, you’re the only girl I want.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Oh, Xander…”

Anya snuggled up against him as his arms went around her. It was a sweet and tender moment, and it lasted for about five seconds.

“Xander, does that mean there are some men you want?”

“What?! No! Gross, I’m not gay!”

All eyes turned to him.

“Not that it’s gross or wrong or bad to be gay, of course it isn’t. I could be gay, of course I could. Nothing wrong with that, not at all. And sometimes people think I’m gay, but I’m not! But it would be just fine, it’d even be great if I was gay, which I’m not, at all.”

Giles attempted to get things back on track:

“Yes…Now that that’s been sorted, perhaps we could all…”

“It’s okay, honey. I understand.”

“You do? Oh thank God, because I…”

“I’ve had urges ever since I met Faith…not that I plan on acting on them. I love you, and I really want to keep her as a friend. Plus now that Buffy’s involved, well she doesn’t strike me as the type who’d be willing to share. Hmm…what’s her official position on sharing her lovers?”

“What?! How would I know?!”

“Well I saw how good-looking Angel was, and everybody knows you had a huge crush on Riley.”

“Riley?! I did not!”

Giles was beet red as he tried to soldier on:

“…head home? Surely Buffy and Faith would very much like to avail themselves of a bed and…”

“Got that right, G-man.”

A heart attack seemed imminent, but his voice stayed level:

“I was of course, referring to sleep.”

“And I of course, was referring to fuc…Ow!”

“Yes, we are tired, Giles.”

“Thank you, Buffy. Xander, perhaps you’d assist in procuring room in the jeep for everyone?”

“Ah, at last. A manly job for a manly man.”

“Wow, talk about overcompensating.”

“Shut up, Will. I just meant instead of that sissy book research we’ve been doing nonstop.”

Anya linked her arm with Xander’s:

“Well if Xander’s going, I am too.”

“But of course, Anya, that goes without saying. I’ve certainly no wish to interfere with your constant and annoying togetherness.”

“You’ve got no idea how annoying togetherness can be. One time there was this wife who wished her husband would never leave her, and because she was such a shrew I…”

“I assure you I have no wish to hear this particular tale, so would you please…”

“I wanna hear it! What did you do?!”

Dawn tagged along excitedly, eagerly awaiting all the sordid details.

“I made them Siamese twins.”

“You did not! Did you?”

“I suppose the proper term now is ‘conjoined’ twins.”

“But you joined them?! How did they go to the bathroom?! Ewww, don’t answer that!”

“It wasn’t pleasant, but that was the least of their problems.”

“What else?!”

“It gets funnier. I made it so they had to…”

Their voices mercifully faded away as they walked to the jeep, and then it was just Willow and the Slayers.

“Faith, before we go…well I wanted to…”

“All cool Red, don’t gotta say shit.”

“Maybe, but I want to. Thank you for everything you did.”

“No big, we all chipped in. Should be thanking you for even giving me a shot. Not like I deserved it.”

“I think you deserve all kinds of things now, every one of them good.”

“Don’t know about that, but sure wanna take’em.”

Faith began fidgeting, but she made herself stop.

“Willow, I’m sorry about everything before. Got no excuses, none at all. I was messed up and I let some way evil shit just start running me. I got in and I couldn’t get out. Was like I was lost, so I used that as an excuse to head in even deeper. I’m sorry for hurting you and the people you care about. Know I don’t have the right, but I’m kinda hoping maybe one day you might see your way clear to forg…”

Willow slammed into her with a forceful hug.

“I’m sorry too, Faith. I never really gave you a chance, not after I saw how much of an affect you had on Buffy. I was jealous, not in a sex way, just a friend way…Of course since I’m gay…hey, maybe it was in a sex way. I was probably repressing an attraction to her, and that kind of thing can make you all repressey and repressed, you know? I’m not positive…I mean, I know I liked her, and I for sure noticed how pretty she was the first second I saw her, but did I ‘like’ like her? I just don’t know…it’s all sort of vague but…”

“Will…”

“…I know for sure I had a major crush on Xander, and of course I was crazy about Oz too. But Buffy was…”

“Will!”

“What?”

Buffy was laughing:

“When’s the intermission?”

“Oh, was I doing it again?”

“Yep, the ‘Willow Babble Meter’ was going full force.”

“Sorry, sometimes I forget the true extent of my powers.”

“All cool with me, I dig chicks who ramble.”

Buffy blushed slightly as she smiled:

“Oh you do, do you?”

Faith’s arm slinked around her waist, pulling Buffy up tight against her as she kissed the top of her head.

“Crazy for’em.”

“Good to know. And Will, you know how huge I am with the love of Willow…the friend kind, not the ‘love’ kind…Anyway, Giles wants you.”

“Giles?! God Buffy, that’s not even funny. It’s just repulsive and…”

“Pardon me Willow, I believe we’re going to need a spot of magic to deal with these blasted weapons. Could you…”

“Oh, that kind of ‘want’. Okay, that’s a relief.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Scary misunderstanding. Hmm…I guess I could just shrink them…No, I’ll conjure up a rope to…Hey, a container that we can tie to the…”

She was off in a blaze of excitement, leaving the Slayers all alone.

“So B…”

“Yes?”

“This mean you’re my girl?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Think I could get used to that.”

Buffy didn’t wait long:

“What about you?”

“What do ya mean?”

“Are you my girl?”

“Since the second I saw you, for better or worse.”

“Hmm…I see.”

“See what?”

“I think we just got married.”

Faith began grinning, she knew what was coming.

“How ya figure?”

“Well you did say ‘for better or worse’. Put that together with the previous ‘I dos’…”

“Think there’s some other stuff involved.”

Buffy pretended to think about it, her face scrunched up in concentration.

“That’s true. Okay, what about in sickness and in health?”

“Absolutely.”

“‘Til death do us part?”

“Even longer.”

“Do you promise to honor and cherish me?”

“Gonna fuckin’ worship you.”

“And it goes without saying you’ll always obey me.”

“Got us a sticking point there.”

“Really?”

“Not too good at taking orders.”

“Now that’s a shame.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, I was going to order you to kiss me.”

“Oh.”

“But if you don’t want to follow orders…”

Buffy pretended to walk away, and Faith dragged her back.

“Thinking I could learn. Probably just need some practice, is all.”

“I could help you with that.”

“That’d be nice.”

“Faith?”

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me, that’s an order.”

Faith pulled her close and happily did as she was told.

Buffy was hers, they were going to build a life together. Faith smiled into the kiss, she couldn’t help it. The joy she felt was impossible to contain, and she almost melted as she felt Buffy smiling back.

All it had taken was an apocalypse to finally bring them together, and the way Faith saw it, it was a small price to pay. The kiss was still going, Buffy’s hands were now moving, and everything was heating up perfectly. Then Willow was back, and this time her face was all business.

“It’s time.”

Buffy’s mouth left Faith’s reluctantly, her voice almost pleading:

“Just a couple more minutes, Will.”

“I’m sorry, Buffy. It has to be now.”

“Geez B, take it easy. Can definitely kiss you in the car.”

Buffy turned back to her in a near panic:

“You have to promise me.”

“Sure thing. Gonna kiss ya like there’s no tomorrow.”

“Promise me you’ll remember that I love you.”

“Trust me, no way I’m ever forgetting that.”

“Faith, promise me!”

“Hey, calm down, B. What’s the matter with…”

“Promise me!”

“Yeah okay, I promise.”

“Buffy, we have to go.”

“Faith, say it! Say the whole thing!”

“I promise you that I’ll remember you love me. B, what the fuck is going on?”

Willow turned her attention to Faith:

“Just try to relax now.”

“Funny thing Red, I was relaxed ‘til B went all…What’s with the light?”

Buffy was clinging to her:

“Remember, you promised me.”

“B, I know you love me and I’m never gonna forget it, okay? But right now that weird ass light’s got me kinda spooked. You guys see it too, right?”

Buffy responded by holding onto her even tighter, almost painfully tight.

“I love you Faith, nothing can ever change that.”

Faith wanted to respond, but she couldn’t. The light was now a brilliant blue and she couldn’t look away from it. It seemed to be taking over, everything was becoming lost to it. Everything was fading, everything except the sound of Buffy whispering over and over:

“I love you, Faith. I love you.”

Then even that was gone, and all that was left was the light. Faith felt herself drifting, then being pulled towards something, and she fought it. She was leaving Buffy behind and she became almost violent as she struggled to stay right where she was, where Buffy was.

After a brief battle, she was moving again. She could feel herself gaining speed, almost rocketing to her destination. Everything she was seemed to fade into nothingness, but she wasn’t afraid. It was comforting now, like she was returning to where she was meant to be. As she began losing consciousness, she heard a voice whispering:

“Remember Faith, I love you.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Jesus Christ! What the hell was that?”

There was no answer, and Faith felt like her head was filled with cotton. She struggled to open her eyes and when she finally succeeded, she was met by an incredibly well lit room. She winced at the brightness, but she forced herself to keep looking. More than a few painful moments passed before she could comfortably tolerate the glare, but when she could, she moved on to her next trick.

She tried to sit up, only to discover that she was restrained to some sort of hospital bed. Her arms and legs were strapped down tight, and not with standard issue straps either. The ones currently holding her in place were definitely Slayer strong, and she couldn’t budge an inch.

“Hey, any…”

A coughing fit struck her as she tried to yell out, and it didn’t improve her mood. She cleared her throat and tried again:

“Anybody out there? Hey!”

Seconds later the door swung open cautiously as a somewhat startled man poked his head into the room. He didn’t make a sound as he stared at her, then quickly ducked back out as he closed the door firmly behind him.

“Wait a sec! Mister, wait!”

She struggled against her restraints, then began swearing:

“Fucking shit…What the hell is…Somebody wanna tell me what the fuck is going on?!”

She was right in the middle of a full-blown tirade when the door reopened and Buffy herself entered. She looked a little shaky, but just the sight of her had Faith calming down almost instantly.

“B, man am I glad to see you. What the hell’s…”

Buffy approached the bed slowly, her voice soft and low:

“How are you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Little fuzzy around the edges and I want these fucking things the fuck off…but yeah, I’m okay.”

“Do you know where you are?”

“Not a clue. Wanna fill in the blanks?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

“What’s with the questions? Rather you supplied the answers while you get me the hell outta these.”

“Faith please, just humor me for a minute.”

She could feel her anger beginning to build as she looked at Buffy.

“How ‘bout you humor me by untying me?”

“Please?”

She couldn’t ignore the pleading look in Buffy’s eyes, so she decided to cooperate.

“Okay, last thing I remember…Red mowed The Brothers down, you staked Spiran, I dove into the Hellmouth, you and the gang hung on ‘til you could pull me clear. Was all happily ever after, then there was a light and I woke up tied to a bed. That’s all I got.”

“Okay.”

“’Okay’? B, it’s gonna take a lot more than ‘okay’ here.”

“Are you thirsty? What am I saying, of course you’re thirsty.”

“B…”

Buffy moved to the bedside table and picked up a pitcher:

“I’ll bet you’re just…”

“I’m just getting pissed off because you won’t tell me what the fuck is going on!”

Buffy continued pouring water into a glass, and Faith could see that her hand was shaking.

“What’s the deal? Why are you all shook up?”

“Just drink first, okay? I know how thirsty you are.”

“Goddamn it, I want some answers!”

“Here…Please, Faith?”

“……Fine. I’ll drink the damn water, but then I wanna know what the hell this is all about.”

Buffy held the straw and Faith had to admit it tasted delicious. It was the best water she’d ever had, and she downed four glasses before she was sated.

“Okay, we got the all important water outta the way, think you could start explaining?”

“…”

“Pretty obvious you’re not gonna untie me so…”

“No, I’m going to.”

Buffy unstrapped her legs, then nervously sat down in a chair that had been placed right next to the bed. Her hand reached out and linked with Faith’s, their fingers entwining automatically.

“You deserve an explanation for sure.”

“But not my arms untied?”

Buffy looked scared as she blew out a tremulous breath.

“I’m not untying you all the way because…I think you’re going to be mad…upset… You’re going to be everything.”

“B, no matter how mad I get…Shit, I’d never hurt you, Buffy.”

“What? Oh Faith, I know that. It’s just that I need you to hear me out. I promise I’ll untie you, but I have to be sure you’ll stick around until I’ve explained it all.”

Faith’s laugh wasn’t an amused one:

“Well damn, doesn’t this sound great already.”

“Are they too tight? I could loosen them if…”

“They’re fine, now stop stalling. Where are we?”

Buffy took a deep breath:

“…We’re in England.”

“England?”

“Yes. We’ve been here for two months.”

“Two months? I was out for two months?”

“Um…”

“And just where the hell in England are we?”

“We’re in a hospital…in London…a private hospital…The Council’s hospital.”

“What?! Fuck! B, did they hurt you?! Are you okay?! We gotta get outta here! C’mon, let me loose, we have to…”

“Shhh, just listen.”

Faith continued to struggle as she tried to break loose:

“I’ll listen when we’re safe. B, we gotta motor!”

“It’s all right, I promise. We’re safe.”

“’Safe’?!” How the fuck can we be ‘safe’?! These are the same bastards who…”

Buffy’s other hand gently pushed Faith’s shoulder back onto the bed:

“Faith, do you trust me?”

“Course I do, but what’s that…”

“Then please try to relax and let me explain.”

“But B…”

“Trust me.”

Faith did, very reluctantly, but she did.

“This is fucking nuts, but go ahead.”

“I’m not really sure where to start.”

“Maybe by telling me how one second I’m fighting the good fight in Sunnydale, and the next I’m here in Hell Central.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Got that.”

“…”

“Goddamn it, B!”

“Please let me tell you the whole story before you…”

“I get it, okay? No blowin’ my top ‘til I hear the whole deal. Now would you please fucking tell me?”

Buffy’s grip tightened, the pressure increasing until she would have broken a normal person’s hand. Faith merely squeezed back.

“B, just say it.”

“……It wasn’t real. None of it was real.”

“What?”

“There was no barrier, no vampire named Spiran. The Hellmouth never opened and…”

“What are you talking about?”

“You remember going to jail in L.A.?”

“Of course I remember! Was in for almost two fucking years.”

“You were getting worse. You were suicidal, maybe even heading back to…Anyway, The Council was worried about you.”

“The Council?”

“Quentin Travers.”

“Travers was worried about me, was he? Buffy, he’s the fucker in charge of the goons who tried to waste us! Fucking maniacs were shooting at both of us on that roof. You can’t trust that bastard as far as Xander can throw him!”

“That’s what we thought too, but we were wrong. Those men, they weren’t his people. They were part of a covert group inside The Council that was trying to take control, and when Mr. Travers found out about them…”

Faith couldn’t take it anymore:

“For Christ sake, the guy’s lying! The whole deal’s nothing but screwy! Yeah sure, I was a little down at first, it was rough. But Angel helped me, and I worked through it. Not claiming I was singing and dancing, but I was…”

Buffy shifted closer in her chair:

“Faith, you were only in jail for five months.”

“…What the hell are you…B, think I know how long I was crammed inside that shitty little hole. I counted off every single day in there, so don’t try telling me…”

Buffy’s other hand began stroking Faith’s hair in a slow, soothing caress.

“I know it’s confusing.”

“No, it’s horseshit. Why are you…”

“Your memory will start coming back in a little bit.”

“’My’ memory? Don’t think it’s mine that needs coming back. Shit, this is crazy!”

“Please, just hear me out.”

The look on Faith’s face clearly showed her disbelief and anger, but it was Buffy asking her to listen, so she did her best to remain calm.

“…Yeah, okay, go on.”

“Mr. Travers came to Giles and me. We didn’t trust him at all, not at first. But we investigated his story, Giles used every contact he had, and it turned out he was telling the truth. The men who came after you were a rogue unit, they weren’t operating under Mr. Travers’ orders. It’s a long story, but he cleaned up The Council, he’s one of the good guys.”

“Uh-huh.”

“He was concerned about you, so he came to me for help.”

“Man, this is rich. That bastard doesn’t give a shit about…”

“He asked me how I felt about you.”

“Why? Was he hopin’ you’d do his dirty work for him?”

Buffy’s eyes left Faith’s as her voice spoke the words:

“…I…I said I hoped you rotted in jail. I said if you killed…yourself…I said it’d be just fine with me.”

Faith’s anger faded just like that:

“Hey, it’s okay, B. Not like I deserved anything more from you. How the hell else could ya feel? C’mon, it doesn’t matter anyways, that shit’s way behind us now.”

“When Mr. Travers left, Giles and I had the biggest fight we’ve ever had. He was so angry with me…I’ve never seen him so mad. He called me a liar and a coward. He said I had no compassion…that he was ashamed of me.”

“Aw B, no way he meant any of that. He was probably just…”

“Oh he meant it, he absolutely meant it. He kept looking at me like I was a stranger he didn’t trust, and finally he told me to go home, so I did.”

“You know how much he loves you, he musta been…”

“By the time I got home, I was beyond furious. I couldn’t believe after everything you’d done, he just expected me to forgive you. I thought he was being unfair and I knew he didn’t understand. There was no way I could forgive you, it was impossible.”

Faith squeezed Buffy’s hand until Buffy met her eyes again:

“B, when we get a chance, we gotta hash all of this out. I don’t ever want you beating yourself up about any of it. It was all my fault, you didn’t do anything wrong, not one thing. We need to get it squared away so it can’t ever get between us again.”

“If that’s what you need, okay.”

Faith nodded, relieved:

“Okay, good…Alright, so ya went home.”

“Yes, and that night I had a Slayer dream.”

“Wow, no rest for the weary.”

“You came to me, Faith.”

“Me?”

“You were so sweet, just like you used to be. You told me I should cut you loose and never look back. You said I deserved to be happy, that you wanted that for me.”

“Great as I sound, gotta confess, no bells ringin’ here.”

“You told me how sorry you were for hurting me, and you made me laugh when you said I couldn’t beat you to death in a dream. God Faith, it felt so good to laugh with you again, like everything was how it was supposed to be. You told me you’d be okay, and then you said goodbye.”

“Yeah well as nice as this is, I don’t think I…”

“I woke up then, and I finally understood what Giles had been trying to tell me. I went back to his house and we called Mr. Travers. He came over and explained all of the options to us.”

“Sounds like big fun.”

“He got your sentence reduced, and had you released into a ‘doctor’s’ care. We brought you back to Sunnydale, but you weren’t too happy about it. You tried to make us kill you.”

“I what?”

“You wanted to die. We were barely able…I was barely able to stop you.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Yeah sure I tried that once with Angel, but I never pulled that shit again. No way.”

But there was something there, gliding just along the edges of her memory, slowly starting to squirm its way in.

She saw herself threatening to snap the neck of some British guy she was holding, heard herself screaming that she would do it. She saw herself doing her best to give the one guy holding a real gun a clear shot at her.

The flashes kept coming and she saw herself escalating everything, twisting and turning until the man cried out in pain. There was no response and in the quiet, the sound of his arm snapping followed by his agonized scream, seemed horribly loud. Still the gutless Council guy would not shoot.

“…No…That never…that never happened.”

“Shhh…it’s okay. It’s okay, Faith.”

Then she saw her chance. Buffy came running into the room and she tightened her hold, actually cutting off air now as she became desperate. She saw the terror on Buffy’s face and she knew she had to use it. She twisted the guy’s head right to the breaking point, and watched as Buffy’s body tensed as it readied itself to spring into action. She moved subtly, leaving just her head exposed as she offered the Council idiot a kill shot, and a kill shot only.

She could hear her only thought as it repeated over and over and over, “God, please don’t make me kill him, just shoot.” But the Council guy’s eyes were on Buffy, and Buffy was talking to her. She couldn’t hear her, all she could hear was the roar of the pain as it began swallowing her whole. Then Buffy was on her, knocking Giles away to safety as the two Slayers fought.

The fight was vicious, and Buffy was at a disadvantage. She was trying to contain and control Faith, but Faith was fighting to the death. It took awhile, but then she had her. She could kill Buffy right now, the Council asshole would have to shoot then. If slaughtering The Slayer right in front of him wasn’t enough, what the hell would be?

She looked down at the woman she had pinned, and she hesitated. This couldn’t be the price, could it? How could she ever pay it? And then Buffy was throwing her clear and smashing her in the head with…

“…B? What…what the fuck is this?”

“It’s okay, your memory’s coming back. Just let it happen.”

“Not like I got a choice.”

“Do you need me to stop?”

“…No…Think I need you to…to keep going.”

Buffy sat back down and picked up the story:

“We brought you back to Sunnydale and we did everything we could think of. We tried so hard, but nothing worked. Then Giles and Willow had to come here to help Will, and when she got better, they started researching to see if they could find anything to help you. They stumbled onto something they thought might work, so you and I flew over. It turned out that it wasn’t what we needed, but Giles was so positive they were close, we stayed here and waited. Then they had it, but no one was sure if we should do it.”

The flashes were a steady stream now. She saw the fear in the eyes of everyone who looked at her. She saw Buffy’s face full of worry, saw Giles as he sat by her bed reading to her. She saw Travers as he spoke kindly to her about the goodness she had inside and about how the world needed her. She saw Angel uncomfortable and unable to relax, a vampire surrounded by vampire killers as he held her hand and told her stories about his life.

She saw Willow glowing white as she murmured some weird words over her, saw Xander and Anya talking about the movies they thought she might like, and she saw Dawn asking for her advice about “the cutest boy who ever lived.” She heard Buffy’s voice raised in anger and in fear:

“No! You are not going to inject her with that stuff! There has to be another way. What about that thing Giles and Willow…”

“We’ve exhausted all our options, Ms. Summers. I’m afraid there’s nothing left to try, nothing safe at any rate.”

“I’m The Slayer, I’m never safe. How do we do this?”

“Quite simply, we don’t. The very idea is insane and you cannot seriously…”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Summers, but I cannot permit…”

“Get out of my way.”

“Please listen to reason, the risk is far too great for you to…”

“Get out of my way…now.”

Buffy’s other hand joined their already linked ones:

“We went on a journey together. It’s called, ‘The Truth of the Heart’. It’s dangerous and complicated, and there’s only been one other time it’s ever been done successfully. I think Giles said it was in 1347.”

”…And the point of this thing?”

Buffy blew out a frustrated breath:

“God, I’m not explaining this very well.”

“Gotta agree there.”

“What we did is intense, really intense. Everyone who’s ever tried to go as far as we did has either died or gone insane. It’s too much emotion, it’s too much everything.”

“But we came out of it just fine…Why?”

“Because Willow helped us. She kept us safe with magic.”

“If it’s so dangerous, what the fuck did you do it for?”

“Faith, you weren’t going to make it. Your guilt was killing you, and you just kept getting worse. We’d tried everything else, there was nothing left to do. I had to try, I couldn’t just watch you slip away.”

“And the flashbacks?”

“We had to suppress your memory. Now that the spell’s over, you should remember everything fairly soon.”

“So exactly how’d this ‘Truth’ thing work?”

“It’s complicated, but first you have to get a sense of the person’s true feelings. I talked with Angel and he thought…”

“Soulboy chipped in too?”

“He wanted to take the journey with you, but demons can’t, not even if they have a soul. It wouldn’t have worked with him anyway, it had to be me. I knew I had to look for specific things, and then Will just guided me into your mind.”

Faith’s gaze seemed fixed on a point past Buffy’s shoulder.

“This just keeps getting better. What were you looking for?”

“I had to learn about your life from before…I needed to know what was hurting you the most.”

“Cool. Hey, can I see the consent formed I signed or did I just give you a verbal okay? It’s weird ‘cause I don’t remember agreeing to let you poke around in my head. Fuck, I can’t even remember you asking.”

Buffy swallowed, her throat dry and getting drier with every word.

“…You fought me, I almost couldn’t get in. You had these huge walls up, and at first it seemed hopeless. But then I kept seeing us dancing together, then you were at my house for Christmas or we’d be patrolling. Whenever you thought about that stuff, your mind would get all light and happy and your walls would disappear. But then the bad stuff would come back, and I’d lose track of you again.”

“…”

“I told Giles, Angel, and Willow what I’d seen, and we all thought it was worth the risk. We had to come up with the perfect scenario, something that your mind would accept. Once we had it, we did the spell. Our minds merged, and all our fears and desires became real. Most people get lost in their fears, I did at first. Will had to keep helping me get out, and then I was able to focus on the plan to help you. It was hard, but she pushed us both, and we finally just went with it. There were glitches along the way, but we both believed it was really happening.”

“So who decided what the final scenario was gonna be?”

“…”

Faith’s eyes drilled into Buffy’s, dark and intense:

“Whose fucking idea was it, Buffy?”

“It was mine.”

“Based on what you learned after being in my head.”

Buffy’s eyes were almost pleading now:

“Faith, you have to understand. I had a choice to make, there was nobody else who could. I wasn’t even sure if I was picking the right thing, and we both would have died if I didn’t get it right.”

“Always were gutsy.”

“I trusted my instincts, and it fit perfectly with what The Council needed to test.”

“…’What The Council needed’…Well fuck yeah, can’t ever forget what The Friggin’ Council needs. Way important, for sure.”

“I know how it sounds, but they had to be sure of how you’d react in certain situations.”

Faith was smiling, but the sight was not a pleasant one.

“Yeah? So tell me Buffy, how’d I do? I pass with flying colors or they got me scheduled for a makeup?”

“I know how you feel, but it wasn’t…”

“Definitely know how I feel, ’bout all kinds of stuff. Just came right on in and made yourself at home.”

“It was an extreme situation. You were barely…”

“Let me save ya some time, it’s all comin’ back. I was nuts, losing my mind big time. The pain was too much and I was lost in it with no way out. All I wanted was to die.”

“We…I couldn’t let that happen. I had to do something.”

“So it was all fake. Just a big experiment to try out on The Council’s newest lab rat.”

“Yes…no…I mean, it wasn’t like that. I was trying to help you.”

“And I’d say you did what ya set out to do. Marbles back in place, got no desire to kill myself or anybody else. I’d say it was all a big success. So what’s next? On my way to a nice Slayer proof cell so my new Council pals can poke and prod to see what makes me tick?”

“No, nothing like that. You…”

“Gonna off me if I don’t toe the line?”

“Faith…”

“Might be best all the way around. Get some new chick to play Robin to your Batman. No way she can be any worse than what we got.”

“That’s not…”

“But I do wanna thank you for the mindfuck. Nothing like a buncha fake memories to carry you right over the rough spots.”

“…Have you listened to a word I’ve said?”

“Sure, can even recite’em all back if ya want. No? Hey, how ‘bout I give ya a little sum-up instead? Okay, first there’s Faith. She went nuts, probably making her way right back to evil again. Gotta…”

“That wasn’t the main…”

“Hey, no interruptions please. Now where was I? Oh yeah, we’re already at the good part. So Buffy being ‘Buffy’, well she had this big sense of obligation. The kind ya feel when ya see a worthless mangy stray gettin’ its ass kicked to the curb.”

“That’s not how I see…”

“So our hero, being the hero that she is, well of course she does the heroic thing. She learns all about the second-rate Chosen One, then risks big danger to use that info to save the fucking day. How am I doing so far, Slayer?”

“…I wasn’t trying to hurt you, I was trying to save you.”

“Mission accomplished. But FYI? There’s all kinds of ‘saving’. Next time ya come runnin’ to the rescue, might wanna go with something a little less personal. Just sayin’.”

“You don’t understand. I…”

“Oh I understand, I understand it better than I’ve ever understood anything in my whole fucking life. I’m me and you’re you. Far as I can tell, that’s everything right there. But my hat’s off to ya, played your part and did your job just great, like always.”

“Faith…”

“You’re amazing, real inspiration for the rest of us, but now it’s time for you to haul ass home. Get to go back to your extra special ‘Buffy’ life and bask in that goodness ya practically got shootin’ outta your ass. Better enjoy the downtime while ya can ‘cause it won’t be long ‘fore the next poor soul’s just ready and waiting to be saved.”

“Please don’t do this. It wasn’t like that, just let me…”

“Think you could let go of my hand now? Had about all the comfort from you I can stand for a lifetime.”

Buffy let go and stood up. She could barely see through the tears that were trying to break free and pour down her face, and she had to struggle to speak:

“You have to understand, nothing was like what you’re…”

“Geez Twinkie, how many fucking times do I gotta say it? I get it, okay? I was crazy, you were guilty, and you rushed right in and did your sacred duty. Big pat on the back for you ‘cause you did it. I’m fine now, it’s all good and blah fuckin’ blah. That’s it, it’s all wrapped up and we got nothing left to talk about.”

“What about…What about how we feel about each other?”

Faith laughed, the sound slicing into Buffy like a knife.

“Christ Buffy, grow the hell up. Who the fuck knows what all of that was? Maybe the spell messed up, I got no clue. What I do know for sure is I’m not feelin’ it now. Never made sense anyways, how could it? Sure as fuck ain’t never been my style, and you know that. Maybe some wires got crossed or something, who gives a shit now?”

“I do.”

“Yeah? That figures. Well you can feel how ya wanna, but I can’t go all starry-eyed about some pretend fucks. Sure I’ll admit I’ve always wanted a taste, but you know I’m all about the one-nighters. Truth is, out here in the real world, there’s nobody who means any more than that to me. Sorry if you were expecting different, but that’s just the way it is.”

“Faith…”

“Little free advice: better get a grip or it’ll be your turn to visit Nutsville. And Buffy? Much as I wish I could claim otherwise, no way would I put my ass on the line to pull yours clear. It’s just not in me, so better not count on it. Hey, send The Council in on your way out, yeah?”

Buffy fled from the room sobbing. She blew past Giles and Willow before they could get to their feet and disappeared into the restroom.

“Oh dear, that doesn’t look good.”

“No…I guess I’d better go find out what happened.”

Giles stood up:

“I shall accompany you.”

“Giles, she’s in the bathroom.”

“Oh yes, yes she is. Still, if she needs me…”

“We’ll call you.”

“Perhaps I should check on Faith?”

“Yeah…I don’t know. Maybe we should wait until we see what Buffy has to say?”

“Yes, I suppose that would be the wisest course. All right, I’ll stand at the ready then.”

Willow went in and heard Buffy crying as if her heart were broken. She was in the very last stall, and Willow knocked softly.

“Buffy?”

“…”

“Buffy?”

“…Just go away, Will.”

“We have to talk.”

“It doesn’t matter. She…I don’t wanna talk.”

“Buffy come on, open the door.”

“Just leave me alone, okay?”

“Okay.”

Willow backed up, got a running start, and smashed into the stall door.

“What was that?”

“…Ow.”

“Did you just try to break in here?”

“Yep…and boy, did that hurt.”

“Willow…”

“But as soon as the pain eases off, I’m going to try it again.”

“…”

“It’s going to be on your head if I break something.”

“Just stop and go…”

Again with the impact and again with the:

“Ow.”

“Willow, if you don’t quit, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Too late, my shoulder’s killing me.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Well sure, but I need to get in there.”

“Listen, you just need one good kick.”

“Hey, I never even thought about kicking!”

“The trick is to hit right where the lock is.”

“Okay, that makes sense. How do I figure that out?”

“It’s easy, Will. See the screws?”

“Just a sec…Uh…nope. Where should I be looking?”

“Look on the left.”

“My left or your left?”

“Uh…mine, I guess.”

“Which way are you facing?”

“Your way.”

“I don’t see anything, Buff. Are you sure they’re here?”

“Yeah, they have to be. Hang on…”

The door opened, and Buffy came out to take a look.

“Yeah…See, Will? Bend down…See, right here.”

“Where? Oh, I see them now.”

“So all you have to do is kick right there and the door will open for sure. It’s not like they use industrial strength screws…Oh wait, maybe they do…What exactly does it mean if something’s ‘industrial strength’?”

Willow thought it over, frowning in concentration:

“I’m not sure…Strong enough for industry maybe?”

“Maybe…Well, whatever. Just kick right there, and you’ll be in.”

“Good to know, but…Buffy?”

“Uh-huh?”

“I don’t need to get in anymore.”

Buffy looked up from the door and laughed.

“Okay, I guess I got outfoxed. Or maybe I should say I was ‘outWillowed’.”

“It can happen to the best of them.”

Buffy went to the sink and splashed cold water on her face. She patted it dry with a couple of paper towels, but the tears were still brimming in her eyes.

“She’s so hurt, and she’s acting like nothing happened.”

“Well in a way, nothing did.”

“Yes it did! We fell in love, our feelings were real.”

“Of course they were.”

“Dr. Havers said that’s what brought her back.”

“I know.”

“She’s okay now, everything should be good.”

“But it’s not.”

“No, it’s not. Will, it’s so far from anything good…The way she looked, the way she talked to me…”

“She wasn’t like you thought she’d be?”

“I knew she was going to be upset, but I thought it’d be okay. I mean, I love her and she loves me. Everything should be good.”

“So you still want to be with her?”

Buffy looked shocked and furious at the question:

“Of course I do! God Willow, how can you even ask me that?”

“I don’t know, maybe because you’re here in the bathroom while the woman you love is upset and all alone.”

“…I didn’t want to leave her.”

“She’s Faith, Buffy…Faith. She’s never going to be easy, and you just told her the thing she’s always wanted the most didn’t really happen. She’s loved you forever, and she thought she’d finally won your heart.”

“She did! My heart is completely hers.”

“But she doesn’t know that now. She thinks it was all fake, just a trick. She’s hurt and she’s angry, she doesn’t know how else to act.”

Buffy wiped her cheeks with her hands.

“I know, but…”

“You love her, right?”

“More than anything.”

“Well then, go show her.”

Buffy looked puzzled:

“…’Go show her’?”

“Yes. If she won’t listen to you, then go show her how you feel.”

Buffy’s sudden smile nearly blinded Willow.

“I can do that! Will, I can totally do that! I’m going to go show her how I feel!”

“Yes you are. Well? Go get her!”

Buffy hugged Willow and tore out of the bathroom. She blew past Giles so fast, once again he had no time to get to his feet. He sat there patiently, resigned to the fact that he was obviously never going to keep pace with his Slayer.

There was a loud crash in the restroom, and then a rather sheepish looking Willow emerged.

“I heard a noise, is everything quite all right?”

“Who knew it would really work?”

“Sorry?”

“Never mind. Okay, everything’s okay now. Buffy knows what she needs to do.”

“Yes?”

“Yep, it’s all gonna be fine.”

Giles smiled, clearly happy and relieved:

“Splendid! Although I must say, I could do without all the turmoil and fuss. I suspect they will offer up quite a lot of that in the coming days…probably the coming years as well.”

“Yeah, the word ‘calm’ doesn’t exactly describe them, does it?”

“No it doesn’t, but it’s clear to see they belong together.”

Willow’s happy smile made her look like a little kid:

“They’re just like peanut butter and jelly.”

“Bangers and mash.”

“Giles, it has to be something good.”

“Fine…cookies and milk then.”

“Tea and crumpets.”

She looked at him expectantly.

“Willow, I no longer wish to play this game.”

“Grump. Hey, wanna buy me lunch?”

“But shouldn’t we remain nearby in case Buffy needs our…”

“Trust me, all Buffy needs right now is some alone time with Faith. We should probably warn them at the desk.”

“’Warn them’? Warn them of what exact…Oh…Oh yes, of course. Quite right.”

His glasses came off, and his handkerchief appeared in his hand as he began frantically cleaning his already spotless lenses.

“Giles, just breathe, okay? Just breathe.”

“Yes, that’s sound advice…I think breathing would be most useful. I’m all right now, it’s not as if I wasn’t young once myself, you know. It’s just…”

“I know, it’s just that it’s Buffy.”

“Yes well, I shall have to endeavor to get over it, won’t I? Her happiness lies with Faith, and that does nothing but delight me.”

“I know. It’s just the idea of her doing…you know…that gives you a major wiggins.”

Giles indignantly put his glasses back on:

“Well it’s not just me! I’ll have you know she once told me I couldn’t have a personal relationship because I was too old and it was gross.”

“She’s kind of got a point.”

“Willow, that’s hardly fair. I believe we’re all old enough now to understand…”

“Yeah, but you’re the dad. Nobody wants to think of their parents…”

“Fair enough. Could we please leave this most unsettling of topics?”

“Jolly good, old chap. Off to a splendid repast now?”

Giles took her outstretched arm as he got to his feet:

“I’m afraid your accent is still quite abysmal.”

“Hey, points for effort would be greatly appreciated.”

“I’m not at all certain they’re deserved.”

“At least I’m trying to assimilate. Buffy’s the one who goes all crazy whenever someone mentions ‘spotted dick’.”

“Yes, it does cause her to behave most immaturely.”

They headed for the elevators, and Willow fairly skipped ahead of him, then began walking backwards as she went.

“Not me though, no siree. I keep a stiff upper lip.”

“All right then, compared to Buffy you’re a very good English…

“Buffy’s a barmy bird, ain’t she?”

“Willow, please.”

“Go on guv, don’t be such a horrid bint.”

“That’s not quite the proper usage for that particular…”

“Please kind sir, may I have another?”

“Oh, bloody hell.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The door slammed against the wall as it was flung open, but Faith never even flinched. She just kept staring out the window as the tears streaked down her face. She couldn’t even wipe them away, not that it mattered. Let them see how devastated she was, it wasn’t like she could hide it anyway.

Buffy was gone, and it was time to start her shiny new Council life. It was the best a person like her could expect and the way she saw it, well it was way more than she deserved. She didn’t care what they did to her, she didn’t really care about anything anymore.

She knew that wasn’t actually true, she cared. In fact, she cared so much that right now she thought she was going to die from it. But that didn’t matter either because what she cared about the most was no longer hers. It never had been and it never would be.

She couldn’t look at the person who’d come to take her away. She didn’t want them to see her eyes as she just gave up.

“Not gonna fight you. Just do whatever you’re gonna do.”

Her head was turned by a strong yet gentle hand until she was staring directly into Buffy’s eyes.

“My pleasure.”

Buffy’s lips met hers gently, and at first Faith was too stunned to react. Buffy didn’t seem to mind as her hands lost themselves in Faith’s hair and her passion intensified. After a few moments, Faith began to respond, what else could she do?

This was the woman she loved, the woman who had claimed her heart so many years ago in a dark and dirty alley. This was the woman she would give her life to protect, time and time and time again. This was the woman who was her life.

When the kiss ended, Buffy pulled back just far enough to look Faith in the eye:

“You listen to me now…I love you. I love you just like you love me. I don’t care about anything else, none of it matters, and I am not apologizing for any of it. I did what I did because I love you, and I’d do it all again if I had to, every last bit of it.”

“…”

“Sure we didn’t do things in the normal way, but hey, we’re Slayers, we don’t do anything in the ‘normal’ way. I don’t care about that either. I am not going away and you are not leaving me again, I won’t let you. This isn’t a dream Faith, it’s my life and I want it. We’re going back to Sunnydale and we’re going to be together. No arguments, no games, no more fighting it. We are going home.”

“Buffy...”

“Everything we went through? It was just as real for me. I went into it knowing the deal, but while we were in it, it was real. You saw what I’m afraid of, you saw what I want. I showed you who I’m in love with and you are not going to pretend that didn’t happen.”

“…”

“You made me a promise…”

Faith’s eyes darted away, looking anywhere besides where they were supposed to look.

“…and I’m going to hold you to it.”

“B…”

“You promised me, Faith. Say it.”

“Look…”

Buffy grabbed her by the chin again, forcing her to meet her eyes.

“Say it, Faith.”

“…I remember you love me.”

“That’s right, and now I’m ordering you to love me back.”

“You’re ordering?”

“Yes, I decided to take back command, at least when it comes to this.”

“It’s not that simple, Buffy. We…”

“You’re wrong, it’s exactly that simple. I love you and you love me. Nothing else will ever matter more than that.”

“But…”

“F, don’t make me get rough.”

Faith couldn’t help but smile.

“Wouldn’t want that.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

Faith couldn’t believe it was this easy, this simple, but it was. She had only to look into Buffy’s eyes to know…This was real, Buffy was really hers.

“Okay, you win, B.”

“Damn right I do.”

“So when can we get outta here?”

“Right now. Giles and Will are waiting outside.”

“What about…”

Buffy headed over to the door:

“We’ve got it all covered. Will’s got some of your clothes, and Giles has our…Well, come on.”

“I can’t, B.”

She turned back to face Faith, fire in her eyes:

“We are not debating this. I remember every second of what we went through. I remember how you saved me, how you took care of me, how you made love to me. You made me feel complete for the first time in my life and I can’t live without that, not anymore. I need you, so get your ass out of that bed.”

Faith couldn’t keep the grin from her face:

“Damn, pretty sexy when you go all forceful and bossy.”

Buffy was clearly not seeing the funny, in fact she looked mere seconds from beating the hell out of Faith.

“Faith, I’m warning you…”

“Hey trust me, not tryin’ to piss ya off here.”

“Then let’s go!”

“Uh…B?”

“What?!”

“Still tied to the bed.”

“…Huh?”

“Yep, all strapped in with no place to go.”

Buffy stared at her for a moment and then she began laughing like she’d never stop.

“Oh my God, so that’s really what it took.”

“What? Not following.”

“You really did have to be tied up before you’d listen to me.”

Their laughter mingled together, echoing off the walls of the room, and Buffy couldn’t resist placing tiny kisses in the deep grooves of Faith’s dimples.

“Well at least I know what to do whenever you start acting like an ass.”

“Yeah, that’s just great, B. Wanna get these fuckin’ things offa me now?”

“Right, sorry…Hey, wait a minute.”

“For what?”

The look in Buffy’s eye was nothing short of wicked.

“Hmm…How do I explain? Let me paint you a picture. Okay, first there’s you, all tied up in bed. Then there’s me, looking at you all tied up in bed. See the problem?”

Faith was totally confused:

“Not really.”

“Well, the way I see it F, this is a huge opportunity.”

Her eyes began roaming up and down Faith’s body, their meaning perfectly clear.

“Alright B, you’re a real laugh riot. Now will ya please…”

“And when you throw in an easy access hospital gown…it all spells fun to me.”

“Right, like you’re gonna…B!”

“I believe we can classify that as a hotspot. Of course I’m going to need to do some extensive research before I can be confident that I’ve found them all.”

“Shit! B…B, stop. Somebody could walk in.”

“So you’re all shy now? Interesting. Okay, hold on.”

Buffy opened the door and saw that the hallway was empty.

“It looks like Giles and Will figured out we need some alone time.”

Faith struggled to free herself, but the straps weren’t budging.

“Okay, I get this could be kinda tempting, but we can’t…”

Buffy was busy opening drawers.

“…just do it in a…B? Buffy?”

“Aha, here we go! This will work perfectly.”

She began writing on a sheet of paper she’d found in the nightstand.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Shhh…Just another…There!”

Buffy held up the sign, and the smile on her face was the sexiest thing Faith had ever seen. It took her awhile, but she finally managed to tear her gaze away to read the sign:

“’Do Not Disturb…Slayers at Work’. What’s with the worms?”

Buffy was clearly disappointed:

“Those are supposed to be lips. Okay, wait…there.”

“Xs and Os? Buffy…”

“Hey, you didn’t read the best part.”

“’All Violators Will Be Slayed’.”

“Pretty clever, right? Or should that be ‘Slain’?”

“Way clever, but I’m onto ya, Blondie. No fucking way you’d really put that sign…”

Buffy opened the door, calmly punctured a hole in the paper, and hung it in front of Faith’s chart. She smiled sweetly as she closed the door, wedging a chair underneath the handle.

“I’m sorry, F…were you saying something?”

Suddenly the temperature in the room seemed to shoot up a hundred degrees, and Faith could feel herself beginning to sweat:

“…B…C’mon now, we can’t…B, we can’t do it in a hospital.”

“There aren’t going to be any interruptions, so why not?”

“Because…uh…um…it’s our first time and we can’t…”

“It sure looks like we’re going to.”

“B…”

“And this isn’t our first time.”

“Well, kinda. At least in the real…”

Buffy was leaning over her, mere inches away.

“Do you remember making love with me?”

“…Yeah.”

Buffy’s lips and tongue began exploring a leisurely path along Faith’s neck:

“And do you remember that we’re both very good at it?”

“…Yeah…but we got a lotta shit we need to…clear up.”

“I suppose…But know what else I remember?”

Faith’s voice came squeaking out of her as Buffy’s teeth nipped her ear:

“No.”

“I remember how this always clears things up for you.”

“B…I…you…fuck!”

“Now that is exactly what I have in mind.”

Buffy pushed the blanket and sheet all the way down to the bottom of the bed, then slowly removed Faith’s hospital gown, kissing each newly exposed area as she went. She then stripped off her own clothes and climbed up onto the bed, crawling slowly on all fours above Faith’s body.

“Christ…B, this is nuts! You can’t just…”

“Oh…yes…I…can.”

She stretched out fully on top of Faith and as their bodies met, Faith’s groan sounded almost pained.

“F?”

Faith found breathing difficult, and she struggled to speak:

“Y…Yeah?”

“I am so in love with you.”

“I know…I love you...too.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“So it’s not just a dream?”

“No.”

“A fantasy?”

Buffy coupled her question with seductive shifting of her hips.

“…Shit! No, least not the kind you’re talkin’ about.”

“How about a mindfuck?”

“Look B, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you like…No! Not a mindfuck, okay?”

“Well, that’s good to know.”

Buffy’s hand was lazily tracing patterns along Faith’s body, just missing all of the most interesting parts.

“B, you keep doing that and I’m...not sure I...”

“Ooh look, you’re all goose bumpy.”

“B…”

“Yes?”

“I do love you…Always loved…you.”

“I know and it’s like a…”

Buffy began laughing again.

“What’s so funny?”

“I was going to say that it’s ‘like a dream come true’.”

Faith smiled up at her.

“Yeah it is, but from here it’s way better.”

“From here too. Okay, back to work.”

It wasn’t long before Faith began squirming as Buffy relentlessly searched out each and every one of her hotspots.

“Jesus, B…”

“It’s so strange. It’s like I know just where to go.”

“Would you just…”

“It’s like I’ve done this before.”

“Fuck…B, c’mon now.”

“You know, I’ve heard of people experiencing déjà vu…”

“Will you…”

“…but I’ve never personally experienced it.”

“For crying out loud, still tied up here!”

“Yes, you are.”

“Wanna cut me loose?”

Buffy looked her right in the eye:

“Not in a million years.”

Faith laughed:

“Cool, but kinda like to participate.”

“Oh, but you are.”

Faith tried to pull loose again:

“B, c’mon! I’m tied up!”

“Yep, it’s another dream come true…At least it is for me.”

“You’re just fucking hysterical…God!”

Buffy’s face showed nothing but amusement.

“I know you said you were going to worship me, but you can just call me ‘B’.”

Faith couldn’t control her body’s movements, evidently that was Buffy’s job now, and she had Faith dancing to her tune.

“…When I…get…loose…”

“It will be my decision.”

“Think ya…went a little nuts with…the command.”

“Yeah, maybe just a little...Mmm, these are so nice…”

Faith’s breathing was best classified as heavy and ragged.

“B, are you…tryin’ to…kill me?”

“Nope, just having a little fun. After all, we are in a hospital.”

“…So?”

“They’re really big on extensive examinations here.”

“Think that’s only for…qual…qual…”

“Trust me F, nobody’s more qualified than me to examine you.”

“I’m learn…in’ that.”

Buffy slid her body seductively along Faith’s:

“So let’s say I was dreaming.”

“You’re not.”

“But just say that I was.”

“Yeah, but you’re…Okay, yes! You’re dreaming!”

“Don’t ever wake me up, I love it here.”

“Got no complaints either…’cept the one.”

“Which is?’

“Still all tied up.”

Buffy shook her head sadly as she carried on with her task:

“Are you going to whine about that forever?”

“Well, yeah! Like to be able to use my hands here.”

Buffy seemed utterly fascinated with Faith’s stomach, and she slowly checked out every inch of it, determined not to miss a thing.

“Aw, is it really rough?”

Faith began to feel some hope as Buffy’s voice finally sounded sympathetic:

“Yeah B, maybe you could…”

“Poor baby, I guess it’s not that easy after all.”

“What?”

“Staring at another dog’s ass.”

“…Hard to tell. Right now all I see’s this tiny little bitch.”

Buffy laughed.

“Uh-oh, I’m afraid you’re going to have to pay for that one.”

“Yeah, what are ya gonna do about…”

Faith’s entire body lifted off the bed, and her yell rang out loudly in the room.

“Shit! B…”

“No more talking, your tiny little bitch has to concentrate.”

“…On…what?”

“Hey, this here’s a shitload of pressure. I seem to have the reputation of doing everything just right. Did you know some people even call me ‘Little Miss Perfect’?”

Faith tried to look innocent:

“Uh…Never heard...that.”

“Really? Well trust me, they do.”

Buffy’s head dipped lower, and Faith found herself trembling and moaning.

“B...please…”

“Wow, I never knew begging could be so sexy…Well anyway, you can see how important it is that I do this right. I wouldn’t want you thinking I wasn’t doing my very best.”

“Not…likely.”

“Still there’s no sense in taking chances, is there?”

“God…please…just…”

“I said, ‘Is there’?”

“…No! No sense, B.”

“I think we should just have a little faith. I mean I am a Slayer, I should be able to manage.”

“…Hey!”

“Now what?”

“You untied me!”

“First you whine because you’re tied up, then when I let you go…Hey!”

“Got tired of the view from below.”

“I see.”

“No, but you’re gonna.”

Buffy linked her arms around Faith’s waist, pulling their bodies together as tightly as she could.

“Oh, you have a plan, do you?”

Faith began moving slowly:

“Absolutely.”

“But I thought I was in charge.”

“You are. Just following orders here.”

“What orders?”

“’All Slayers Will be Violated’. Figured we’d start with you.”

Buffy feigned confusion:

“But F, that’s not what the sign says.”

“Close enough, now shut up.”

“Okay.”

“Wow, you takin’ orders from me now?”

“Yep.”

“Cool.”

And then, Faith had waited long enough. Her lips met Buffy’s, her hands began exploring, and suddenly it was Buffy who was squirming and breathing with difficulty.

“Problem, B?”

“…What?”

“Seems like ya can’t get enough air.”

“Faith…”

“Hmm…I’ve heard begging’s sexy as hell, let’s see.”

Faith began her own search for hotspots, and it didn’t take long before Buffy began pleading:

“……Faith, please...”

“Yeah, that is kinda hot. Okay, might be able to help ya out, but ya gotta promise somethin’ first.”

“…W…What?”

“Since I’m boss, gotta promise to always do what I say.”

There was a brief struggle, and then Buffy was back on top with a huge smile on her face.

“Dream right the fuck on, F.”

“Damn, sure are sexy when ya swear.”

They kissed again, and Buffy’s lips made their way to Faith’s ear. She whispered into it all soft and low:

“Did I ever tell you how much I love you?”

“Not sure. Maybe you better tell me again.”

“I’ve got a whole presentation planned.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh yeah, it’s a very complicated, hands-on kind of thing.”

Faith smiled as she brushed the hair back from Buffy’s face.

“Sounds good.”

“It could take awhile.”

“Turns out I got the time.”

“Turns out I do too.”

“Yeah? That’s…”

“It’s five by five, F. Now be quiet.”

“Christ, sure are bossy.”

“No, I’m Buffy, the Vampire Slayer… and I’m all yours.”

“Like the sound of that.”

Buffy sat up, straddling Faith as she began a slow, sensual grinding motion that rapidly sped up until she was driving Faith right out of her mind.

“Oh shit…you…feel so good.”

“I’m gonna make you feel better, F. I’m gonna make you scream again and again and when your voice is gone, I’m gonna make you whisper my name.”

Buffy was as good as her word, pushing Faith over the edge again and again until she practically exploded. She collapsed back onto the bed, her throat raw from screaming and her body completely satisfied.

She barely even paused, rolling them over and catching Buffy by surprise.

“Slayer stamina for me too, baby.”

Her voice came out all scratchy and hoarse, and coupled with the look on her face, Buffy found her heart skipping a beat, a whole bunch of beats.

“Any last requests?”

“No, but I’ve got an order for you.”

“Look to you like you’re in any position to give orders?”

Buffy smiled:

“I’m always in a position to give ord…Faith!”

“Yeah?”

Buffy found she couldn’t form the most basic of words, let alone hand out any orders.

“…Uh…I was…saying…something…”

Faith’s smirk was evil as she kissed her way down Buffy’s thighs.

“You were…gonna…give me…some orders.”

“…I was?”

“What ya said.”

Buffy’s eyes rolled back in her head.

“I can’t…think…when…you do that.”

Faith lifted her head:

“So got no clue then?”

“No…just…just love me.”

Faith slid back up and kissed Buffy as gently as she could.

“Always, B. Nothing can ever stop me.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’m Faith, the Vampire Slayer…and I’m all yours.”

Buffy’s nails trailed teasingly down her back, causing Faith’s hips to thrust forward.

“Prove it.”

A cocky grin appeared on Faith’s face:

“Better hold onto somethin’ then.”

“…‘Hold onto something’?”

“Yeah, can get kinda wild when I’m provin’ myself.”

A shudder went through Buffy at the thought:

“Mmm…promise?”

Faith began kissing her way back down Buffy’s thighs:

“Got my…personal…guar…an…tee.”

“That sounds…God, so good.”

“Look at me.”

Buffy struggled to open her eyes, and when she saw Faith poised right there, well she knew she was in for the ride of her life for years to come.

“I love you, Buffy, and I’m gonna spend my whole life provin’ it.”

“Faith…”

“Yeah, it’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.”

Buffy laughed:

“My hero.”

“Not yet, but I’m gettin’ there. Hang on, Slayer.”

THE END