Summary: Buffy travels to LA to help Angel and finds herself in the midst of something she would never have imagined. AU Btvs/Dollhouse Crossover.

-Eventide

Chapter One

Buffy leaned back into the seat, tilting her head back and closing her eyes for a moment. Thinking back, she really should have known it was never as easy as just saying 'no'. Even at that, she had to admit she was surprised by how exactly she'd ended up here- sitting in the company jet, touching down in LA with a small bump. She sighed and stood, stretching her legs and making her way to the opening door. Despite the situation, she took the moment to enjoy the first breath of US air- as much as Scotland had become home, there was nothing quite like coming back. A quick glance over the terrain revealed an expensive-looking black car parked alongside a small hangar, a casual but smart Wesley waiting by the passenger door, wearing a smile and giving a wave. Once more, she grumbled inwardly at the way things had played out. The phone call really hadn't been an issue, it was easy to throw up walls to someone on the other end of a phone line, half way across the world, especially considering recent events. No, it was the aftermath that had shocked her, and brought her to where she was now; striding purposefully across the tarmac, bag slung over one shoulder.

(Three days ago)

Wrenching the shrill phone off the receiver- and almost crushing it in an angry grip- she threw a glare over her shoulder at Dawn; a silent promise that this wasn't over.

"Buffy Summers"

Her eyebrows rose in surprise at the voice on the other end of the phone, before she settled back into was Xander called her 'business face'. Of all the people in the world who she had thought would merit that expression, until recently this caller would have never been one of them.

"Angel, what can I do for you?"

She shooed Dawn with her free hand and settled into the seat at her desk, leaning back heavily into the leather of the chair and massaging the bridge of her nose.

"What the hell do you mean? And what did you call me for? Nothing to do with me Angel. Hasn't been for years."

Her eyebrows rose involuntarily again, rolling her eyes and remaining genuinely unsure of why he had thought that she was the right person to contact for this.

"Look don't you have the entire Evil Inc of LA at your beck and call? I'm quite sure you have the resources for this. We, on the other hand, are stretched thin-I've had to cut the size of nearly half my squads over the past 6 months. Say, you've probably had lunch with the demons that killed them, mind asking them to stop?"

Gripping the phone tightly, she knew her temper was bubbling out of control and she had to admit, she wasn't sure quite why it was so intense-they'd had this out already and come to a stalemate; she hated what he was doing and he maintained that he was 'bringing down the beast from the inside', no matter how difficult that may be. She still didn't fully understand his reasoning, but at the very least she'd agreed to leave it be and trust his judgement. For now.

"The hell do you mean? You know how I feel about what your doing, you know how I feel about her, and yet you call me for help on this because you can't trust the evil demonic corporation that you've thrown yourself in to? What do you want me to say?"

Satsu's head and shoulders peeked through the gap that Dawn had left in a the door, drawn by the angered tone of her leader, and Buffy raised her hand in a 'back-off' gesture, ignoring the slightly affronted look she received for it.

"I'm still not seeing what this has to do with me in the least."

Ok so she knew that was a tiny lie, she knew that this was something she was always a little involved in, whether she wanted to be or not. And she definitely did not.

"Think about what, Angel? There's nothing to think about. I said no and that's not about to change. Look I have to go, I'm busy. I'll talk to you soon."

She crashed the phone back into the receiver, barely giving Angel the time to say goodbye, and let her head fall forward onto the desk with a thud, her elbows on either side and fingers laced behind her neck. Groaning a little she took a deep breath before making her way to the training room, slamming the door behind her.

Angel paced the floor in front of the wide window, watching the sunset that he still wasn't quite used to seeing again, and wondering whether or not he had indeed done the right thing. Buffy's reaction hadn't surprised him at all, quite the opposite, now he knew it was all down to hoping two things; that Buffy was still the girl who would always do the 'right thing' and that Cordelia's 'feeling' was as right as the others she had had.

(Three days ago)

Angel lifted the phone and, once again, replaced it without dialling; oh yes, he knew this was a bad idea. He was considering himself mildly insane for even thinking about it.

"Y'know, its cruel to tease it like that."

His head snapped up to face the voice, finding Cordelia standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame with her arms crossed across her chest.

"What?" he frowned.

"The phone." She rolled her eyes at him and sighed in exasperation. "Would you just call her already? So what if she yells at you, this is important. More important than Buffy and her opinion."

Angel raised his eyebrows in surprise, questioning her.

"Opinions change, Angel. Mine included. I'm not saying Buffy's will have, in fact I'm damn sure it won't. But I guess I'd be the same in her incredibly unfashionable shoes. The fact is, she has more history with Buffy than with anyone, Buffy needs to be involved in this...I can just feel it."

"I know. If nothing else I know well enough by now to trust your judgment...I just wish I didn't have to get her involved. It isn't a good thing. In any way."

"Yeah well, she'll get over it. Besides, you know Buffy, she's all about doing the right thing."

He nodded again and dialled the direct line to Buffy's office, leaving the phone on speaker and bracing himself for the conversation that was coming.

Moments later, her voice echoed through the room, an irritated tone already discernible.

"Buffy, its me."

Her voice skimmed gracefully over irritated, briefly into surprised, and finally settled on business-like; a tone that Angel would have, once upon a time, never imagined he would incur. But this wasn't about Angel himself, or even about Buffy, really.

"Buffy, it's Faith. She's gone missing."

Chapter Two

Buffy reclined into the cool leather of the chair facing Angel's desk, pleased with herself at having made it through the building without compulsively slaughtering any of his employees. Angel himself paced behind his desk for a few more moments, hands in the pockets of his suit pants, before pulling out his own chair and facing Buffy sombrely.

"I'm glad you came, Buffy."

"Yeah, I'm thrilled myself" she sighed, breathing deeply. "So care to fill me in on what's going on then?"

"Faith, she's missing."

"I think I got that bit already. Not hard to do in LA, and I have to admit Angel, I'm struggling to see the bad in the situation."

She heard the door behind her swing open, closing behind the newcomer with a click, and turned to see Cordelia stride in to the room, a stack of files under one arm and looking every bit the lawyer in a black, well-fitted suit.

Perfect. I've travelled half-way across the world for 'an audience with Cordelia Chase'. Just perfect.

"Hey Buffy," she greeted, with a smile that took the blond somewhat by surprise, before continuing to place the stack of folders on Angels desk.

"Anyway." Drawing Buffy's attention, Angel continued, eyes moving away from Cordelia to meet hers. " She's dropped of the radar completely."

"Like I said" Buffy sighed, meeting Angels eyes with a cold expression "I don't see how that's a bad thing." So she knew she was being a little bit unreasonable. Quite aside from anything, there was no way it was ok that a crazed Slayer was running around LA, or possibly further afield. But still, with talk of Faith came Buffy's attitude, an attitude she'd tried more than once to shake off, only to have it thrown back at her by the actions of her 'sister Slayer'.

Cordelia's voice cut through the silence, threatening to escalate. "Do you think you could quit with your attitude long enough to hear the rest? This runs way deeper than you issues with Faith. Believe it or not we can deal with a missing person on our own, you're not that important."

Buffy pursed her lips, giving a half-nod as she made the conscious effort to try harder to drop the attitude. Just a little.

"Okay, so explain. How long has she been gone?" She paused before adding a final word. "And I do not have issues."

Cordelia's perfectly-shaped eyebrows rose almost to her hairline as she smirked slightly. Fortunately for the conversation, Angel interjected the oncoming comment, reaching for the top file on the stack as he spoke.

"She's been gone nearly 6 months, although we haven't been able to pinpoint the exact date yet and no-one has been particularly forthcoming at the prison."

"Which means that beyond the 'when', they probably don't know anything." Added Cordelia, pulling a chair to the side of Angel's desk.

Angel inclined his head in her direction in agreement.

Buffy raised a sceptical eyebrow. "They don't know? I would have thought that a smashed up cell and dead guards would have given something away."

"That's part of our problem, Buffy. According to everyone there, there was no struggle, nothing. Faith was there one day and gone the next. There's absolutely no way she broke out."

Angel let out a sigh and held up a placating hand to stop the anticipated flood of questioning. "And up to about there is where it would be simple. As good as Faith is, there's no way she could have left jail, got out of this city and into 'nowhere' before we had something on her. You have to understand why this is so important Buffy, there had to be someone-or something-else involved in this."

Buffy let out another sigh, getting tired of how often she'd done that today and begging to feel sleep creeping up on her. "Okay well at least tell me you have a lead on who or what that might be?"

"Actually, yes. They're known as the Dollhouse."

"The what now?"

"Dollhouse. The name's been dropping a lot recently.."

"So you're investigating them? And what the hell is a 'Dollhouse' anyway?"

"In all honesty, we weren't paying them much attention. Not at first. On the surface they just seemed to be...well. They uh..." He cleared his throat and Buffy frowned questioningly. "Well I mean, their general area of business-"

Cordelia rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, crossing her slender legs and waving her hand in dismissal. "Oh for God sake Angel." She turned to Buffy, "we thought they were a brothel. An upmarket one, but a brothel just the same."

Buffy's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Angel glanced down at the table. Had he been able to, Buffy was pretty sure he would have blushed. It probably would have been funny if she wasn't so riled.

"OK, I'm totally not going to ask how you heard about them. Just tell me the rest."

"Well the more we heard about them, the more we began to realize that their business ran deeper than we'd seen. Being in the position we're in now, it wasn't exactly difficult to find out more once we started looking."

Cordelia slid a file across the desk towards Buffy, who opened it and let her eyes scan over the first page as the sound of Cordelia's voice continued to drift around the office.

"We discovered that they cater to a much wider range of needs than we'd thought. From what we can tell they've had a hand in, to name a few, missing persons, hostage situations, theft..."

"So, evil? I mean, if they can even be called that. What I'm seeing here, well it all seems pretty...human, to me." She considered her words for a second, and thought back to some of the things she'd borne witness to during her time in Sunnydale, recoiling from some of the recollections. "Not that humans aren't capable of evil."

For a second time, her mind flashed back and she found an uninvited brunette in her thoughts, saw the plunge of a stake into human flesh, the pouring forth of crimson guilt, and its washing away in a dingy motel sink. She shook her head to clear the unsettling image, blinking several times and refocusing on the matter at hand.

Angel sighed, finding his voice again and rising from his chair to pace behind his desk, his hands once again thrust into his pockets as his feet thudded rhythmically on the carpet.

"Exactly what we thought. But just over a week ago one of our representatives was at a reception for a big software firm and swore blind he'd seen Faith on the arm of one of the C.O's. It was at that point I realized how long it had been since any of us had had any contact with her. I went up to the prison the day after, found what had happened and got on it as soon as got back here. The C.O. gave us nothing, claimed she was just a girl he'd met through work, and you don't force answers from someone as high up the food chain as he is."

The blond gave him a small nod to continue, and flicked through the pages of the file still in her hands.

"If that wasn't enough, we got a report in a day later about a body that had been found in an alley behind the hosting hotel. The only witness was one man who'd heard something while he was outside smoking, his statement's in there." He gestured to the file she was holding and she flipped through the pages, stopping on an official-looking police statement, a few words jumping out at her.

"'Ripped off'? Like, 'with it's bear hands' kind of off?" Her empty stomach jolted as her eyes fell on the police picture of the decapitated victim, stone cold on the cold stone of the alley. "That would definitely be venturing into the realms of 'not human'."

Angel nodded in agreement. "Precisely. We launched a full investigation into it."

"And?"

Cordelia leant forward in her chair, interjecting once again and making Buffy wonder whether she and Angel had choreographed this tag-team explanation beforehand.

"And...nothing. The witness was never spoken to again, the case went dead. We couldn't find out any more, which puts serious implications on there being outside influence. Heavy outside influence"

"I guess it would be too much to put the sighting and death on the same night down to coincidence?"

"Buffy, you can't honestly believe in coincidences any more" Cordelia questioned sceptically.

"No" she conceded, sighing, "I was just hanging on to that one last thread of hope. So what's the next step?"

"We need to get inside. We would have done it already, but the situation...well, it's delicate. We can hardly send in Angel, and myself, Gunn and Wes aren't best suited to dealing with things if they get too out of hand, and well, I wouldn't think sending in some of our 'other' employees would be the best course either."

"Oh let me guess where this is going."

"Buffy, there's no-one better suited to deal with this. We wouldn't have pulled you into this if we didn't feel that we had to."

"Let me just get things absolutely straight. You want me to go in to an organization you know very little about but which is more than likely highly dangerous, to try to help out Faith-the insane Slayer who tried to kill me?" She looked questioningly at Angel, before adding as an afterthought, "oh, and you too."

Angel nodded, leaning back in his chair with a hopeful, questioning look.

"See, who ever said you're a dumb blond?"

Buffy glared at Cordelia's teasing before giving a long sigh. "At least let me think about this tonight."

The vampire across from her gave an understanding nod and stood, walking around his desk to stand beside her. "It's getting late. I understand if you'd rather go elsewhere, but you're welcome to stay in one of the rooms here."

She sighed, realizing too late that she hadn't bothered to make plans for accommodation before she'd left. "I'll stay here tonight, thanks." She stood and followed Angel to the door, turning back at the sound of Cordelia's voice.

"Buffy. All teasing aside, thanks for coming."

The blond shrugged in reply. "It's what I do."

As she lay in bed trying to ignore the perpetual buzz she was feeling from the less-than-human life still milling around the building, Buffy wondered to herself again just how she'd ever agreed to come here. Granted, the situation sounded Slayer-worthy, but she could have sent any of the more capable girls. Was it boredom? She chuckled to herself, wondering how many people fly across the world to infiltrate a high-profile and dangerous organization that may or may not know something about a delinquent Slayer...just because they're bored.

But even as she thought it through, she knew there were more reasons than that.

"Damn Willow" she muttered into the dark room.

(Two days ago)

"Ok guys, that was great. I suggest you go work on what I pointed out, Ill see you all again tomorrow."

The Slayers filtered out of the gym amidst a buzz of conversation, Willow weaving her way through the throng to enter the hall.

"Hey Will" Buffy grinned, taping up her hands for a round with the punch-bag.

"How're the children Miss Summers?"

Buffy scowled as Willow smiled playfully at her and took a seat on the nearby bench, her back resting against the wall. She missed this interaction with Buffy, they rarely had any time to spend together since they'd opened 'Slayer HQ'.

"So um..." she ventured, unsure how to broach the issue, "Dawnie told me Angel called last night. Anything important?"

Buffy's smile rapidly dissolved into a deep frown as she took her first swing. "Oh, that."

"That bad?" Willow asked, concern marring her voice.

"Ugh, not 'bad' bad just...I've been meaning to catch you guys today actually. Faith's gone missing, I figured we should be prepared for what might be coming."

"Missing? Missing like disappeared? Isn't she kinda, y'know, in jail?"

"Good point, I never asked about that" she shrugged nonchalantly, before mercilessly pounding the punch bag with a series of blows.

"Um, Buffy...as much as I don't want to fight with you, don't you think you're being a little...dismissive? Of the situation, I mean."

She halted her assault on the bag and stopped it swinging with her hands, taking in a deep breath. "I'm being a lot dismissive, I know that. But you know what Will, I don't want to get involved. I mean there's this place for one, what am I mean to do, just hop on a plane and go over to find her? I'm needed here."

The witch's raised eyebrow said exactly what she thought of the blondes hurried explanation. "You know as well as I do that this place would continue to run just fine without you. Don't try and bluff me Buff, I've known you too long." Her series expression cracked for a second and she giggled, "heh, bluff Buff."

The Slayer shook her head with an amused grin and sat next to her old friend, slumping back against the wall.

"Faith and I just...well we don't go well together. All we do around each other is cause tension and arguments, I don't see how me going looking for her would ever be a good thing."

Willow looked pensive for a moment."Why do you think you cause so much tension?"

Buffy shrugged, "I guess because we're not meant to exist together." She speculated on the words the moment she had said them, thinking back to a time when another Slayer had existed alongside her. Sure there was tension with Kendra, but it was born out of rivalry, a desire to prove herself, to show that she was just as good as the perfect textbook Slayer. But she knew all that, was painfully aware of why her and Kendra had taken so long to get along. With her and Faith it had always been...different.

"Mmm," the witch mumbled thoughtfully, "I remember a time when you existed together just fine. So fine I was jealous as hell, scared that I was losing my best friend."

"Yeah well, that was before she went crazy and started killing people." Buffy's temper flared at the memory of how wrong it had all gone, "the calm before the Faith-storm."

"Don't blow up on me, but we can't condemn her forever for the things she did. I'm living proof that sometimes there are...factors. They don't make it OK, but they're still there and they do matter."

"What 'factors' were there with her, Will? I understood after the accident with Finch, I tried so hard to-" she stopped herself, taking a calming breath and closing her eyes for a moment, her head resting against the cool stone of the wall behind her. "Besides, I wouldn't have pegged you of all people as a Faith supporter."

"Things have changed in my life Buffy. I've gone through things, seen things, done things. I'm in no position to condemn her, and I think I actually understand her. There were things I didn't see then that I think I get now."

"You were grieving, you didn't know-"

"I knew exactly what I was doing Buffy, don't forget that. I didn't care."

"And she did? I mean come on Willow. The only reason things changed enough for her to get out of trouble and into prison was because of Angel."

"The only reason I didn't destroy the world was because of Xander," she shrugged.

Buffy sighed again, something she'd been doing a lot of over the past 24 hours. "And what 'things'?"

"Hmm?"

"The things you said you see now, what things?"

"Just things," she smiled, "I think it would be better if you could to see them yourself."

"What's that meant to mean?"

"I think you should go."

Taken aback and wondering what the hell she'd said to upset her best friend, Buffy jumped to apologetic."What,? I didn't mean to upset you if that's-"

"No you idiot, I mean go to LA, help Angel."

The comment threw Buffy, who gaped at the redhead.

"I know you don't want to, but for one thing, you know it's the right thing to do."

"I know, I know, it's just..."

"It's 'just' Faith. Come on Buffy, maybe things'll have changed."

Buffy sighed, totally unable to argue with her best friend, not least because she knew she was right- she'd have to give it a chance.

"Why do you have to be right?" One more sigh settled the matter and Buffy rolled her eyes in defeat. "Get Xander to book me a flight,, I'll go call Angel."

Willow nodded and stood, holding out a hand to help Buffy to her feet. "Besides, you know as well as I do you're bored as hell."

Turning over to face the wall with the memory in mind, Buffy's stubborn resolve gave way and she knew fine that she'd be telling Angel and Co. in the morning that she'd do what they were asking. As she let herself be claimed by sleep, she reminded the still-doubtful part of her mind that being here really was the best thing. For everyone concerned.

Freshly showered and with a clearer, less jet-lagged mind than she'd been in possession of the previous day, Buffy knocked on Angels office, strolling in at his invite.

Once again he was standing by the large window, hands behind his back, while Cordelia sat at his desk, the phone balanced between her cheek and shoulder as she rummaged through a stack of papers.

"Mhm, well thank you for your time Miss DeWitt, I'll be in touch soon." She breathed in deeply as she hung up the phone, rolling her eyes. "God, it's like talking to a she-Giles!"

Buffy smirked and took up position in the previous days seat.

Angel ventured over from the window, perching on the edge of the desk and staring at her questioningly. "So did you think about what we said?"

Buffy mimicked Cordelia's earlier actions and rolled her eyes, cocking her head to the side slightly. "Come on Angel, don't pretend you don't know me well enough to know what I'll say. I thought about it, and I wont feign concern about what happens to Faith, but I do know that its not good to have a rogue Slayer running around unchecked."

"Well I thought...I mean I was pretty sure, but you know, with it being Faith and everything..." he trailed of, deciding against words and settling on a warm smile. "Thank you, I know you don't want to do this."

"There are very few things I want to be doing less than this. In the world. But I am, so lets get on with it."

Cordelia leaned into the conversation, pushing a sheet of paper towards Buffy. "You've got a meeting with Adelle DeWitt in..." she checked her watch and her smile gave way to a slight frown, "just under four hours. I dropped a lot of names and paid a lot of money to get you in on such short notice so we can't afford to waste this chance."

"You made the arnagments without knowing if I would agree, can't be that big of a deal."

"Buffy, like you said, we knew find what you'd say. It's you, its the riht thing to do..." she trailed of, pondering her next words, "and its Faith."

"Mhm, Faith, who I hate, really not grounds for assuming I'll stay."

"Right, because people so frequently make intercontinental flights to help someone they hate" Cordelia challenged, leaning forward on the desk.

Cordelia's words threw her a little- they were true...she blinked a few times and cleared the confusion from her brain, telling herself again the real reason she was here- morality and maybe just a hint of boredom."So who's DeWitt?"

"Head of the Dollhouse and in charge of dealing with its clients." As hard as she was obviously trying, Cordelia could do nothing to hide the grin that was breaking out on her face, "you're hiring a date."

"You're kidding?! So not only am I on a highly secret, possibly highly dangerous, covert operation, I'm also a sad twenty-something who has to hire men to go out with her?" She slumped into the seat , frowning, "I'm never talking to Willow again."

"Oh relax, you Slayer types are so volatile. Just enjoy the evening, you can't break your cover so you may as well enjoy the job."

She slouched in defeat and let it drop, deciding instead to bring up her other concerns. "So this 'deep cover', how's that going to work exactly? If this place is as well-connected as you say, not to mention the possible involvement in the supernatural, aren't they likely to recognize me?"

"Ego much?" Cordelia teased, "gee Buffy, how'd you fit through the door with that head?"

Buffy opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of bickering with the brunette and settled for waiting on the answer to her question.

Angels voice re-entered the conversation, most likely to intercept the impending bitch-fest. "As things are, half the demon world think you're dead and if anyone attempts the more 'human' kind of snooping, they'll most likely find you living it up in Italy with that Immortal guy. We do want to take some precautions though-" His explanation was cut off by Cordelia, who's grin was growing steadily as the conversation went on.

"Oh that's the best part" she declared, her glee highly unsettling to Buffy. "I'm giving you a makeover."

Oh God. She turned the possibilities over in her mind, not enjoying any of them, it just got worse.

Chapter Three

Buffy took a deep breath in the back of the Mercedes as Cordelia slowed to a stop in what looked like an underground parking lot.

"Ok Buffy, the most important thing in there is to stay in cover. Don't come out of it unless the world is ending," she paused, thinking, "in fact even then make sure you call us first. Remember everything we talked about and it'll be fine, all you have to do is remember how to have a little fun."

Rolling her eyes at the fact that Cordelia was still taking jabs at her even now, Buffy gave a nod and opened her mouth to say something, stopping when she realized her her throat was feeling too dry to form words. As she was musing to herself how stupid it was that she could battle Hell Gods from other dimensions but was afraid of going undercover in some big-shot human company, the door to the car swung open and a friendly-looking female in a smart suit greeted her.

"Miss Harris?"

Buffy took a moment to respond to the unfamiliar name, eventually forcing a smile and stepping out onto the concrete.

"Hi there" she managed, leaning her head down towards the open door. "Thanks" she mumbled, although she wasn't entirely sure what she was thanking Cordelia for; the whole situation was making her head hurt.

Slamming the door a little too hard, Buffy winced and watched the car pull away, catching her reflection in the dark windows. She wouldn't ever admit it, but Cordy had been right; she suited the dark hair and despite the business suit being not exactly her usual attire, that looked damn good as well.

She followed her guide on auto-pilot as she ran through the facts and names of her new identity, barely noticing where she was being led until her company knocked sharply on a large door and motioned her inside.

"Miss Harris, lovely to have you, I'm Adelle DeWitt." the prim Brit greeted from behind her desk, raising from the chair and holding out her hand. "Please, take a seat," she added and gestured to the brown leather sofa to her left.

She Shook the offered hand, before making her way over to perch on the edge of the aforementioned sofa, Buffy did her best to look natural and vaguely noted that the woman approaching really was quite a she-Giles, in fact she was more British than he was.

"Tea? Something else?"

"A glass of water would be great."

Adelle complied, pouring a glass and adding some ice, which Buffy took gratefully and took a calming breath. Sipping on the cool water, she felt her throat ease up a little as she did her best to relax.

"Now, since we're running rather short on time I'll keep this brief. I believe from the information Miss Chase provided us we'll be able to suit your needs wonderfully, I think we have just the woman for you."

Before she could stop herself, the now-Brunette Slayer choked on the water she was still gently sipping, giving her chest a thud with the palm of her hand to stop the onslaught of coughing.

Way to screw up, Buffy. She reprimanded, cringing inwardly at how obvious it was that this was news to her.

The woman behind the desk gave a small smile at the reaction, clasping her hands in front of her as the coughing subsided.

"Miss DeWitt, I um, I think there may have been a mix up in communications somewhere..."

"I assure you that what happens within this organization stays within this organization. I was warned that you would most likely try to," she paused for a moment, the look on her face amused as she quoted an earlier conversation, "'convince me that you would rather have some hunk of man'. Miss Chase was under the impression you wouldn't be particularly forthcoming but was certain, as a close associate, that it would not be a male companion you're seeking for this evening."

Oh I'm going to kill her.

Remembering back to the earlier conversation, Buffy gritted her teeth and made a mental note to deal with Cordelia later, but nonetheless nodded and attempted a small smile.

"She knows me better than anyone I guess" she lied, the untruth of it almost painful to her ears.

"Wonderful, that's settled. I'm sure you can understand that we don't usually work at such short notice, but with the additional fee that you've paid, I believe everything will be suitable. If you'll excuse me for one moment, I'll check with my team how arrangements are progressing."

"Of course."

Adelle glided from the room, swinging the door closed behind her, and made her way to Topher, who she could see already was lingering by the door to his office, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet nervously.

"Topher, how long will it take for you to modify tonight's imprint?"

Looking slightly confused he blew out a breath as he thought. "Um, maybe half an hour, depending on what you want me to do." Still frowning, he remembered the reason he was looking quite so anxious. "Was that Echo's 'date' that just came in?"

"Yes, it was." Adelle raised her eyebrows questioningly, as if daring him to enquire further.

Topher laughed nervously. "Do you know who that is?! How bad an idea this is?!"

"Yes Topher, I'm acutely aware of the implications of the situation. And yet, since I'm in charge, I suggest you get on to your computer and make some modifications to tonight's imprint."

Sighing defeatedly, Topher turned and led the way to the imprint room, firing up the computer with the imprint. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Just make it a little more..."she pondered her words for a moment, thinking how best to explain, "a little more...her."

"Seriously?"

"Do I look like I'm joking, Topher?"

Pulling up a second imprint, Topher began to work. "Well how much do yo want?"

"Not too much, just enough to give it the right feel. I want to see how this plays out."

Buffy was growing increasingly nervous as the minutes ticked by, her foot tapping against the wood of the floor anxiously. At the sound of the door opening her heart catapulted somewhere in the region of her throat, and as pathetic as she felt, she had to admit she was glad to see it was only Adelle.

"There's been a slight delay in the proceedings Miss Harris, it shouldn't be more than 30 minutes. Can I get you anything?"

"No, thanks, I'm fine. Although if someone could show me outside, I have a few phone calls to make, I could get a breath of air while I'm at it." As far as she was concerned, the longer it was before everything was prepared, the better things were for her. She could calm her nerves a little with some air, give Angel a call and yell at Cordelia. Not to mention, she considered, that every minute that passed was another minute she didn't have to be out on a doomed-from-the-start date trying to act like she'd asked for it.

"Certainly." The Brit lifted the receiver of her desk phone, dialing and pausing for a moment for her reply. "Mr Langton, could you come to my office, please."

The door opened moments later, a tall, strong-looking man in a smart suit strolling in. "You called."

"Would you be so kind as to escort Miss Harris outside for a few moments please?"

He gave Buffy a kind smile and a nod, gesturing to the open door with a wave of his arm.

"Topher is dealing with the final preparations for tonight, Echo should be ready for the evening in approximately," she glanced down at her watch, "20 minutes, I would say."

Buffy watched him nod again to DeWitt before following her from the room, walking alongside her as he guided them to the corridors that led out of the building.

"So, Mr Langton," she ventured, an attempt at breaking the stifling silence that was only serving to make her even less at ease.

He turned to her, still wearing the kind smile he had given her in the office, "Boyd, please."

Feeling far more at ease with this gentle, seemingly good-hearted man than the stern, albeit friendly, Brit in the office above, put Buffy far more at ease than she had been so far that afternoon. She felt the almost-painful tension in her shoulders give a little as they walked.

"I'll be here when you're finished" he informed her as they exited the elevator into the underground lot, clasping his hands behind his back.

"I wont be long" she ensured, giving him a smile and making her way up the driveway to the sun for a breath of air, her hand finding the phone in her pocket as she walked.

She pressed the speed-dial to Angel as the frown she'd been restraining crept across her face, her posture relaxed fully now that she was away from the suffocating subterranean car park.

"Buffy, how's it going?"

"Angel, this is ridiculous, I cannot do the undercover thing."

"Of course you can."

She sagged under his certainty, running her hand through her hair. "No, Angel, demons I can do, the First Evil I can do...this? This is over my head. How am I supposed to go out and look natural, enjoy myself? Oh, and tell Cordelia I'm going to kill her, please." Finishing the rant, she caught her breath. "Not to mention that I'm going to be so weirded out knowing you're watching."

"It's all for the best, if anything happens we can be mobilized and with you in less than five minutes," he paused for a second, speaking again before Buffy started on another ramble, "and why are you going to kill Cordy?"

"Don't act like you don't know" she huffed, flushing a little, "I mean who even told her anyway about...about Satsu."

"Oh!" he exclaimed, in sudden realization, stumbling over the words a little in awkwardness "that. I think it was Willow."

Of course it was. Oh you're dead, witch.

Catching sight of her watch, Buffy decided to get quickly back on topic. "I'm just not sure about this Angel, I mean what am I even finding out?"

"Well so far I'd say you've found a way in, a way out, not to mention a basic layout of the interior. But we need to know exactly what goes on, who works there, how do they track their...employees. Don't forget you'll most likely be under some sort of surveillance by them tonight, as part of their policy."

"Great, so everyone gets to watch my awkward date" she grumbled. "I better get back."

"Buffy, you can do this, you'll be fine. I wouldn't have asked you if I wasn't totally certain of your abilities."

"Yeah yeah, flattery will get you nowhere. I'll see you later."

"Buffy" he caught her attention quickly, "remember what we've said, you cannot break cover for anything short of an apocalypse. If they are involved in something, we need to have a way in,and if they're not, we cant get involved just yet. Whatever happens, don't let them know you're not who they think you are. Good luck, I'll see you later on tonight."

She flipped the phone closed after his goodbye and made her way back to the waiting escort, who gave her a welcoming smile. She really had to admit, there were no bad vibes from this guy, he seemed like a perfectly good man.

"All done" she smiled, following him back into the elevator and through the increasingly familiar corridors to the main building.

Boyd knocked on the door and held it open as Adelle's firm voice called for entry.

"It was lovely to meet you Miss Harris."

"Likewise" she concurred genuinely, strolling into the office slightly more confidently than she had earlier that day.

"Feel free to take a seat, someone will be escorting Echo up shortly."

"Echo?"

"Your companion for the evening. Of course you'll be getting to know her as Hope." As if on cue, Adelle's words were rounded off by another knock to the office door. "Come in, Boyd."

Turning to greet the familiar face, Buffy flashed Boyd a smile

"She's waiting in the car" he explained.

"Well, if you'd be so kind as to escort Miss Harris down that would be lovely."

Standing and flattening out her pants, Buffy addressed Adelle. "It was lovely meeting with you Miss DeWitt, thank you."

"Likewise, I hope to do business with you again some time. Enjoy your evening."

Boyd led the way from the room, neither one noticing the glint of a smile in DeWitts eye as she watched them leave from behind her desk.

Finally in the outside air again, the elevator doors gliding to a close behind them, the Slayer followed Boyd to a waiting dark Porsche.

They really pull out all the stops now don't they.

As they drew near, the passenger door swung open and a figure stepped out. A figure who made Buffy's jaw fall open and her heart simultaneously catapult into her throat and speed up to the point where it seemed it might explode. Her vision tunnelled to the person before her, everything around blurring to insignificance and all noise dimming to a dull thud next to the incessant hammering of her heart, the sight of someone she had avoided seeing for four years making her head swim. She'd never admit it, but this moment was something she'd pondered over for all the years she refused to go to the prison, to make a call, to write a letter. She'd wondered how she'd feel, what she'd do, what the hell she would say after everything that had happened between them. There had been a lot of options to choose from, and yet she'd never been able to pinpoint how exactly she would react, and truth be told, even now she wasn't quite sure what was going through her head. Her initial amazement was still the overwhelming emotion, but not it was evolving, flowing into something different. There was a little bit of anger, always was, but strangely not quite as much as she'd expected; there was fear, of what though, she wasn't quite certain; there was even something that, at first glance, she would have said was happiness at seeing the brunette...but even as that thought occurred, she frowned inwardly and did her best to remember her resentment and anger.

But this Faith, Buffy barely recognized as the explosive and reckless teenager she'd known years ago. She was dressed in a plain white shirt, buttoned low with a pair of dark sunglasses hooked at the dip, and smart black jeans with not a trace of leather in sight. Her previously black-rimmed eyes were lighter now, the eye-liner applied with less vigour. Her hair, although still with the same wave and softness, was longer and slightly lighter in colour - as if from a lot of sunlight – and fell about her shoulders. Her posture was entirely different as well, the tenseness and readiness for the fight replaced by a calmer stance as she stood with one arm resting along the top of the car door.

She held her breath and waited for the lot to explode with the volatility of the situation, but several moments passed and the first sound to break the deafening quiet of the room was not the sound of a fist hitting her face, but the gentle tone of Boyd's voice.

"Miss Harris, this is Hope. Hope, miss Harris."

Faith smiled a smile Buffy had never seen from her before and Buffy felt her stomach give yet another involuntary jolt, although she wasn't particularly sure what had brought on that one.

Still in stunned silence, processing the fact that Faith, for whatever reason, clearly had no idea who she was, or was at least pretending not to, Buffy turned to the man alongside her. Unable to keep the look of astonishment from her face she prayed, for the sake of her cover, that present company would put it down to appreciation of Faiths appearance, which Buffy had not entirely failed to notice through her turbulent emotions. At that another explosive thought caught her: the immediate realization that she was actually going to have to not only go on this date, but go on this date with 'Faith'.

Oh God.

Even as she drew breath to say something, anything that would get her out of the situation she'd managed to get in to, the many warnings of Angel and Cordelia swam about her head. Against all her instincts that told her this was a phenomenally bad idea, she quickly reformed her words before speaking.

"Thanks Boyd, its been lovely meeting you."

"Likewise. Enjoy your evening both of you."

Gulping nervously at the thought, Buffy could only manage a nod as she took a tentative step towards her fellow Slayer. As she moved nearer, she felt a tingle run through her body, a small shiver running up her spine at the feeling that was still familiar and unique, four years and thousands of Slayers later, and wondered how she hadn't felt it before now. Maybe she could have saved herself this ordeal.

Taking a deep breath as she moved, Buffy did her utmost best to shake off her nerves once again.

Come on, don't be ridiculous, you've dealt with Faith before.

Within a few feet of her counterpart, Buffy gave what she was surprised to find was an almost genuine smile and held out her hand, lost in the surreality of the moment and finding herself totally unable to look Faith in the eye. As the woman in front of her took her hand, she felt her skin tingle at the point of contact and another shiver shot up her spine.

"Hey" the new Faith greeted, still flashing her dimpled smile. Buffy noted to herself that at the very least the other Slayers voice hadn't changed; it still bore that same sexy huskiness. At that sentiment, Buffy quickly amended her mental note, removing any trace of 'sexy'.

Her throat still dry from the shock, Buffy barely managed to rasp out a "hi" before swallowing and recomposing herself.

Beside her, Boyd gave 'Faith' a nod and made his way to a nearby black van, which Buffy vaguely wondered about, before turning her attention to the slightly more pressing event and moving to the opposite door of the car, which was now being held open for her.

Sliding in to the passenger seat, she quickly began to formulate a course of action for the night. They were going out, she didn't have much of an option there, and she'd have to get changed. That, and she had to talk to Angel as soon as possible. The driver's door opened and Buffy watched Faith from the corner of her eye, sliding behind the wheel and turning to face her.

"You can relax you know," she husked, "I realize it's all stuffy and tense up in there, but you look like if you don't de-tense something's gonna pop."

Shifting a little on the warm leather of the seat as they pulled out of the lot and into the sun, Buffy chastised herself for her lack of emotional control. "Mm, long day, I'm sorry. Look I know it's off plan, but would you mind running me back to the hotel? I need to change, I hadn't really thought ahead."

"Sure, where you staying?"

"The Marriott."

"Nice choice. So, um" she paused, choosing her words, "am I going to have to call you 'Miss Harris' all night?"

"Hmm?" Buffy mumbled, still deep in thought as she peered out of the side window and did her utmost to look like she didn't want to run in the opposite direction. "Oh. Elizabeth." She dragged herself back into the moment and cringed at the lie; the prospect of going by the wrong name for the rest of the evening wasn't doing a lot to lift her ever-increasing tension. Despite the warnings of the day, she added some truth as an afterthought. "Call me Buffy."

Faith turned slightly from the road, glancing at her companion. "Can I call you B?" she asked, flashing Buffy a grin.

Buffy's eyes widened as she was hauled forcefully back to reality. "Faith?" she asked, her stomach squirming.

"Hope, B," she replied, with an amused smile. "But it's easy to get confused, happened a lot when I was a kid."

"Yeah, Hope, sorry, my bad," Buffy apologised, feeling her heart resume a semi-normal rhythm, if not sinking slightly.

Oh hell this is going to be some night.

Chapter Four

She kicked the door of her room shut behind her with perhaps more force than was necessary, her thoughts still with the brunette who was waiting in the car. Pacing in front of the large window, she dug her cell out once again and speed-dialled Angel.

"Buffy? This is..."

Much to eager to vent, she cut him off. "You're getting this, right? I'm not just insane? Cause I feel kinda insane if I'm honest."

"You're not insane, " he answered calmly.

"Well?" she demanded, his tone making her impatient. "What are we going to do about it? You can't expect me to go through with tonight, no way."

"Buffy I've already said, they're most likely watching, or at least tracing you. If we do anything other than what's planned it's going to drawn too much attention."

"And?! I'm all for some attention, we're going to have to do something eventually."

"We don't know enough yet. You saw for yourself, that's not the Faith we know. She didn't even recognize you, of all people..."

"Well maybe she's pretending. Maybe she's going to try to kill me again, ever think of that?"

She heard Angel sigh on the other end of the phone and pouted a little, even through her annoyance. "Buffy, I understand your concern but there was nothing from her. Whatever's going on, she doesn't know you."

The brunette heard footsteps from the other end of the receiver, presumably from Cordelia as it was her voice which came next.

"She's actually never tried to kill you. Everyone else, but not you. Funny, huh?"

Buffy frowned, hearing mumbling down the line that she couldn't quite make out.

"Yeah so um, there's no need to worry." Angel added.

She heard Cordelia snort with laughter and wondered vaguely what she was finding so funny.

"Sure Buffy, that's exactly what I mean," she added, barely concealing the sarcasm lacing her voice.

She sighed inwardly, still not really understanding Cordy's cryptic speech. She shook her head and spoke slowly, as if talking to someone very stupid which, she was beginning to think, Angel and Cordelia were.

"Ok, guys, even without the killing factor you're still asking me to go out on a date with Faith. A very weird, possibly amnesiac Faith, but still Faith. Faith and I do not date. We fight, we yell, we once upon a time got on ok, but we don't date."

"Yeah well maybe you should. Now shut up and get back to your hottie."

The whole sentence caught Buffy totally off-guard. Firstly, Cordelia was calling Faith a hottie, which was bizarre enough. Then again, she mused, neither Cordelia or Buffy was blind and there really was no denying that Faith was more than easy on the eye. But the dating thing...

She must have been joking, there was no way anyone could...I mean it was only ever a really tiny...

Buffy let her thought tail off and frowned at the cell before drawing a breath to speak, getting cut off by Angel before she had the chance.

"Buffy?"

"Angel is Cordelia possessed?" It was, she thought, probably the best explanation.

"No" he sighed, "she's not possessed. Buffy we don't have time to discus this any more. You have to go and there's really nothing we can do about it. Just...just try to enjoy yourself. We'll be there to back you up if anything goes wrong."

The Slayer gave a defeated sigh and slumped her shoulders. "Fine. But I'm not happy about it. And you owe me a really really huge favour. I guess I'll talk to you later on tonight."

"Or in the morning," she heard Cordelia yell from a distance, once again furrowing her brow at the woman's implications and snapping the cell shut.

Flopping back onto the huge bed, Buffy rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, giving herself the mental pep-talk she needed to get going and to calm the butterflies that had, annoyingly, taken up residence in her stomach. She eyed the small camera sitting on the table, and the earpiece along with it, hesitating for just a moment before shoving them into the drawer of the nightstand- there was no way she could do this with them watching.

The hell am I going to wear...

…why do you care? Wear whatever, its just Faith..

....yeah but I don't want to look bad, not when she looks so...

...so nothing, its just work and its not like you're really going out with her...

Cutting off the argument with herself, she finally made her way to the closet, peering it at the various items Cordelia had stocked it with and, grudgingly, approving of most of them. She grabbed a few of the more eye-catching items from the rail and laid them on the bed, surveying the assortment like a battle-strategy and pondering again why she was still making an effort when she certainly didn't care...

Buffy adjusted the thin black strap of her dress as she handed the menu to the waiter the with a smile and turned her attention back to the woman across from her. Although her unease had lessened a little on the drive over, she couldn't help but remain aware of the little things; the way she sat, her smile- it all seemed so familiar. However instead of hurtful memories of their violent past filling the Slayers mind, she was instead reminded of a time before all of that had began. Perhaps it was her mind acting up due to the surreal events of the day or maybe it was the pure look of innocence in the inquisitive brunette's eyes that stared back at her over the restaurant table.

"So" The younger Slayer smiled. "You here on business?"

The words broke Buffy from her musing as she quickly thought of how to best word her answer.

"Of sorts. My ex called and asked for some help with something...in my line of work."

"So where are you usually from?"

"Scotland for just now, but I used to live not too far from L.A," she paused for a moment, wondering if she was making a mistake by saying too much. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she focused on the brunette, ready to determine a reaction, "a small town called Sunnydale."

There was no wide eyes and gasp, but the younger girl creased her forehead in a small frown. Buffy sat up a little in her chair, her shoulders tensed and body ready for whatever might come.

"I think..." Faith's words were cut off by the return of the waiter, who held out the bottle of wine for approval. The brunette nodded, the contemplative look replaced by an easy smile as he proceeded to pour their selection. "Mm, never really done 'small town' myself, always been a city girl. Grew up in Boston."

Buffy raised her eyebrows questioningly, her head beginning to hurt a little with processing all the conflicting possibilities. A moment passed before she realized the waiter had retreated again, leaving the two women in a silence that was slowly escalating.

Say something.

Come on.

Anything.

"Oh?"

That's it? That's the very best you could come up with?

Buffy watched as Faith shoulders slumped a little- not entirely surprising considering the Slayer's contribution to their evening so far. Buffy glanced down, a stab of guild threatening to break her hardened resolve.

Lifting her eyes once more to her 'date', she watched with another pang as Faith crossed her arms across her chest, her gaze flickering around the floor before raising and meeting Buffy's. She leant forward, one arm resting on the tabletop while her hand fidgeted nervously with her napkin.

"So um, ever been to Boston?"

Buffy couldn't recall ever seeing the other girl ever look so awkward and anxious- she couldn't help but find it just a little bit cute.

God help me- 'Faith' and 'cute' in the same sentence?

"I knew girl from Boston a few years ago."

Ah crap.

She mentally scolded herself, thinking franticly of a way to steer the conversation in any direction that wasn't about her. She'd always been a bad liar.

Confidence restored, the brunette's posture relaxed again and her smile returned as she leant forward, arms resting on the table edge. "Really? Did you date or..?"

Buffy couldn't quite stifle the small laugh that the question invoked. "Honestly, we didn't even get on most of the time. Things kind of," she faltered, wondering both how exactly to proceed and why in the world she was actually doing this. "Things just kind of went bad between us."

"How do you mean?"

Um, well you went psycho and started killing people.

"You- she went a little...crazy."

"Crazy how? C'mon you've got me interested in this chick. Hey, you never know, maybe I've met her."

The irony was overwhelming, and Buffy gave a small smile before continuing.

"Well...something kind of happened while we were out one night. Something that shouldn't have happened. She didn't really deal with it well."

"Something between the two of you?"

The question made Buffy's mind seek out a place she hadn't visited in quite some time: loud music pumping its beat through a busy club; bodies moving against each other, skin against skin, caught in the heat of the moment.

Something between the two of us?

"Not exactly. Well, kind of, a little, but it was more than that."

The arrival of dinner broke off her explanation for a while, neither of them speaking again until the waiter had, once again, retreated to another customer.

"Sounds like you two had an interesting time..."

By the time the were finishing desert, Buffy was pretty sure that 'Hope' knew everything about her mysterious girl from Boston that there was to know, her telling of the story flowing more and more easily as the wine's heady effect took further hold. The Slayer couldn't help but admire the way her company had listened patiently as she lost herself to telling their story, her attention never wavering.

"Sounds like you cared a lot about this girl, at least before all the shit," Faith suggested.

"Well I...I mean she...we were friends, at one point."

"Yeah...B, you've talked about her for like an hour solid."

"I guess something about you brings it out in me then."

Faith smiled and laid down her cutlery, leaning back a little in her chair. "You wanna know what I think? I think she felt more for you than you knew."

The comment made Buffy's stomach give a jolt, and she immediately didn't like the direction the conversation was taking. Whatever history she and Faith may have had, she'd tried her hardest not to think about it- she certainly wasn't ready to open up those wounds to none other than the woman herself. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well come on. You and her are getting all close- by the sounds of things so close that even your friends can see something's goin' on- and then some shit happens, she doesn't know how to deal and you go cold on her."

Buffy frowned and crossed her arms. Really, she should have known that this would happen. Even in this situation, whatever it was, Faith was still trying to defend her past. Typical. Even Willow had started to soften up, had everyone just forgotten? And what was Faith trying to say anyway?

Faith held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Hey don't look at me like that, I'm jus' saying. Look no-one goes that far off the rails for no reason. Maybe you should try lookin' at things a little differently. Stop thinkin' about how much she hurt you, look at it from her point of view for a second. She shows up, gets herself all into you even though you have a boyfriend, does her damn hardest to fit in with you and yours and just when she's really getting somewhere with you she makes one mistake, just one, that she can't deal with and you-"

Buffy sat forward, immediately jumping to defend herself, "I nothing. For one thing, be it one mistake it was a pretty huge one. For another, it didn't stop at just that one mistake. And it's not like I didn't try. You- she didn't want my help. Or anyone else's." But even as she spoke, the little voice that had surfaced whenever her sister Slayer was the topic of conversation, began to murmer words she didn't want to hear.

She kinda has a point you know...and it wasn't like things didn't happen after the night with Finch...oh and on that note, you did kind of throw him down in front of her... Buffy scowled inwardly at the fact her inner voice had turned traitor again, and watched Faith bite her full bottom lip thoughtfully, drawing her attention to it.

Hmm, nice lips- Buffy broke off the thought sharply and scowled at her wine glass, which was, in her opinion, clearly conspiring with the voice.

"Anyway, I just think you didn't really try to look too hard beyond what it seemed to be on the surface. Maybe you didn't want to? I don't know, maybe it scared you."

The comment caused another unnerving jolt in Buffy's stomach and she let her fork fall onto her plate, the resulting small clink seeming to reverberate through her head. She took a small sip of water, trying to calm the thudding in her head which was matching perfectly the pace of her heart.

I can't believe I got into this...with her, of all people. This is just insane.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she breathed out. "I was never...I would have done whatever I could if you'd just asked. I cared about y-her. I...she drove me away." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opening them again to see Faith, leaning towards her with a worried frown.

"Hey, ok lets just leave it at that, yeah? I didn't mean...I'm sorry, obviously I wasn't there, I don't know what I'm talking about. Lets just enjoy the rest of the night."

The younger girl reached out and laid her hand comfortingly across the one resting on table, and Buffy nearly shot out of her chair at the shock she felt run between their hands. With wide eyes she stared down at them resting on the table, the reaction far more intense than the tingle she had had back at the Dollhouse. One glance at her companion told Buffy that she was not the only one who had felt it. Faith's darker features mirrored her own- her eyes wide and forehead creased in confusion. Whatever was going on, the touch had decimated any lingering doubt in Buffy's mind that this girl was Faith- there was no-one else in the world who's touch gave her that. The 'Slayer-tingle' as Buffy had dubbed it, was something she had never understood. She'd pondered over it, many years ago when it first made itself known, and had eventually settled on the obvious- it was just a Slayer thing, the way they caused practically tangible sparks when they touched, the way they could sense each other coming a mile away. After settling on the believe that it just was, Buffy had rarely thought about it, save for the days following her magical return to the world when she had wondered briefly if Faith had known about her death. But in the day leading up to her flight to LA, she'd found her thoughts drifting back to their time in Sunnydale, and the very Slayer bond that was making itself so apparent now. It was in that time that she'd realized, with some confusion, that she'd never felt it with any of the other, newer, Slayers. Not in training, not in day-to-day life, not even with Satsu when they...not with Satsu.

"So," Faith's words snapped the Slayer out of her thoughts, and she gently pulled her hand away, making a mental note to phone Willow and ask her about it later. "Do you want to go somewhere else? There's a great club near here, I thought maybe we could..."

"Sounds great," she agreed quickly and instinctively, ignoring the nagging feeling that she was getting in too deep as the prospect of reliving some of their better days guided her words and actions.

Faith smiled and signalled the waiter for the bill, settling it and leading Buffy out of the restaurant before hailing a cab.

"The car..?" Buffy bean to question, wondering just what was prompting Faith to leave her new ride behind.

Faith gave a cheeky grin, flashing her dimples once again to her fellow Slayer. "I'll pick it up tomorrow. Don't wanna be breaking any laws now, do I?"

Buffy couldn't quite suppress her laughter, pulling herself quickly back together. "No, course not," she conceded, sliding into the back seat of the cab as her counterpart held open the door. Her breath caught in her throat for what seemed like the millionth time that evening as she felt Faiths thigh brush against her own, moving slightly away from the confusing brunette as she directed the driver to somewhere Buffy had never heard of.

Buffy hadn't been quite sure what to expect from a Faith-chosen nightclub, her speculations could only come from Faith's previous taste in night-time haunts, so she was pleasantly surprised when she was lead along a small hallway and down a spiral stair into a large, smart-looking room. After instinctively scoping out all the exits, Buffy began to take in the interior of the club more fully. A marble-topped bar extended along the wall to her left, the dance floor to her right with small booths separating it from the raised area at the back, doors leading off the far wall.

Buffy felt Faith take her hand and let herself be led to the bar, bodies pressing against her from every angle, urging her ever-closer to her date.

"What're you drinking?" she called over the noise of the DJ.

"Surprise me."

Faith gave a sly grin, grabbing the attention of the girl behind the bar faster than was possible by any mere mortal and ordering their drinks, passing something tall and fruity-looking to Buffy while somehow balancing four shots and her own beer in her hands and steering them towards a booth just off the dance floor.

"What are they" Buffy asked, nodding towards the 4 shots lined up on the wooden table.

Faith grinned playfully, and it struck Buffy again how long it had been since she had seen Faith smile with anything but malice and hate behind it."Tequila."

The Slayer let out an audible groan and slumped further back into the booth. "We don't go well, tequila and I, you should know that-"

The younger girl gave a throaty chuckle, pushing two of the shot glasses in Buffy's direction and leaning in close to talk to her, the former-blond also leaning in to close the gap further. "Everyone says that, don't worry about it."

Buffy shivered and felt her skin break out in goosebumps as Faith's breath tickled the side of her neck, her eyes fluttering half-closed for a moment before she realized what had happened and pulled back, distracting herself by downing both of her shots.

"Geez B," Faith couldn't quite keep the laugh out of her voice, and Buffy had to shake herself mentally at the use of that nickname, just to remind herself once more that the woman she was out with was not Faith. "Better slow down and let me catch up. And that ain't how you do tequila shots." Buffy caught another mischievous grin from her date as she glanced over, watching her retrieve the salt shaker from the centre of the table and lick the back of her hand.

Faith sprinkled the salt on the moist patch of skin before licking it off, downing her shot, and placing the lime from her beer between her lips all in one fluid motion. She smiled around the slice still resting between her full lips and Buffy couldn't help but feel just a little jealous pang towards the lime. In a very unFaith-like gesture, the younger Slayer slid the remaining shot across the table to Buffy, raising an eyebrow in question. Buffy's grip was loose on the glass, and had it not been still sat on the table, she most likely would have dropped it at the what she was watching. Faith gently licked the inside of her wrist, sprinkling on salt as she had done previously, and held her arm out to Buffy, a sexy smile on her lips and her eyes never leaving the Slayers.

Suddenly aware that her mouth was hanging open, Buffy glanced first at the shot, then at the offered wrist, and finally at Faith's sexy and challenging smile.

"What're you..?"

"Just livening up the evening a little. Relax, you might just enjoy yourself," she teased, her voice taking the familiar husky tone that Buffy remembered all too well as she scooting a little closer to Buffy in the booth.

What are you doing?

Before she let her thoughts spiral out of control, Buffy decided to take some advice that she'd given someone many years ago...she seized the moment, leaning down and letting her tongue sweep over the soft curve of Faith's wrist, feeling both of their bodies practically hum from the contact, an entirely pleasant warmth seeming to seep through her body as she tasted the younger Slayers skin against her tongue.

"See? Much better." Faith's voice had dropped to a level of huskiness that was, Buffy felt, on a level of sexiness that was quite ridiculous. The combination of all the 'Faith' elements and the Tequila now coursing its way through her veins was serving to make Buffy one very disoriented Slayer.

Way to go Buff. So drunk and...whatever from this...this thing with 'Faith' that you probably couldn't even find the Dollhouse, let alone get inside...

"You got a look that tells me you're thinking too much," Faith observed, her tone light but serious. "Bet you work way too hard."

You have no idea.

"Just try and forget about all that, yeah? For a night? This isn't about work or any of that."

Well...it kinda...

But before Buffy had time to argue, or even mildly protest, the barmaid from earlier was laying another round of shots and beer on the table for them, adding a couple of extra lime slices.

A little to Buffy's disappointment, they cleared up that round without any more 'close encounters', and sipped on their beers for a few moments before Faith stood quickly, offering her hand to.

"Wanna dance?" she asked, her voice low and husky once again, and getting Buffy more worked up than any of the evenings drinks so far. The Slayer gave a smile and grasped the outstretched hand, pulling herself to her feet and taking some control, leading Faith out onto the dance floor behind her.

The pair immediately began moving in time to the quick beat of the song, bodies swaying and flowing as if they themselves were part of the music. Buffy's eyes closed as she raised her arms above her head, remembering vividly the last time the Chosen Two had danced like this, the way she had felt so free and alive and close to the other girl.

The way she had wanted her.

Her eyes shot open at that thought, taking in the woman dancing in front of her, head tilted back slightly in total abandon and features free of all the signs of a shattered life that had been etched there on their last encounter. She looked exactly as she had all those years ago, albeit a little older, more mature, and Buffy was reacting exactly as she had then- her mind following where her body led as she drew them closer together, her hands resting gently on Faith's swaying hips.

She let her eyes slide closed again and felt Faith's arms sneak around her waist as her thigh slid gently between hers, their bodies locked close and grinding softly against each other in time to the beat- every inch of Buffy's body felt scorched where it met that of the other woman.

She had no idea how long they'd danced like that- a while judging by the group she saw disperse from around them at the start of a newer, slower song. The heat and spontaneity that had been carried by the rhythm was dissipating into the lull of the slower song, and the Slayer found herself torn between the appeal of Faith and her uncertainty. The passion and heat of the quick tempo was one thing, the intensity of the slower beat was a much scarier beast. As they often had, her uncertainties won out, and she gently disengaged herself from the other Slayers arms, not failing to catch the slightly put-out look in the younger woman's eyes as she followed her back to the bar.

"Actually, do you think you could take me back to the hotel? I know it's still kind of early, but..." she trailed of, trying not to feel so guilty about bailing early, and silently reprimanding herself for getting so involved in the evening.

"Yeah of course, don't worry about it, I'll go grab us a cab." If there was any residual bitterness about leaving the dance floor it wasn't showing in her smile as she motioned for Buffy to go before her, leading them out into the slight chill of the night.

Buffy fumbled around her purse for the key to her hotel room, slipping the tiny tracer into the palm of her hand as she did so as Faith leaned casually against the wall with an amused smile.

"So how long are you in town for?"

Buffy fiddled with the key, her alcohol-fogged mind not quite fitting it in the keyhole as she vaguely answered the question. "Um I'm not too sure really. Till I'm done I guess."

"Will I see you again?"
Buffy froze at the sincerity of the question, turning to meet dark eyes which held nothing but warmth and expectancy.

"Yeah," she replied softly,"count on it."

Faith grinned before hooking her hand behind Buffy's head and pulling her gently forward in one fluid motion, capturing her lips in a kiss that caught the older Slayer totally off-guard. Buffy stepped back, her mind and balance thrown off, and watched Faith back away, an awkward silence falling over the pair.

"Um..."

At that, Buffy seized control, moving towards the younger Slayer confidently, snaking her arms around her waist and tugging her closer. Her breath caught slightly in the back of her throat as the older Slayer leant into the brunette and allowed their lips to touch again. The younger Slayer at first gently kissed Buffy, before growing fiercer and effortlessly pushing her against the door. Buffy whimpered softly from the shock, knocked slightly back to her senses that had been captured within the intoxicating Slayer kiss. Her hands that had been wrapped securely around Faith's waist now began to move lower. The younger Slayer moaned quietly into Buffy's mouth as her hands slipped into the back pockets of Faith's tight jeans, silently releasing the tracer she had been concealing. Objective accomplished, Buffy considered that now was probably the time to retreat to her room...and yet her body refused to co-operate, still wrapped up in the other woman. Her Slayer strength seemed to fail as she found herself totally unable to push Faith away, managing only to press herself closer.

The shrill tones of Buffy's ringing cell tore through the haze surrounding them, and Buffy broke away, digging frantically in her purse as Faith caught her breath, running a hand through her dark hair.

"Hello," she answered, trying her best to not sound as breathless as she was.

"Buffy, what's going on? We left things as long as we could but..."

"Nothing Angel, it's fine, I just um...we just got back, I'm just heading back to the room now." She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the door and trying to steady herself.

"Is everything..."

"Everything's fine. Look I'll call you in a while ok?"

She hung up before he had the chance to answer her, noting the slight frown on her companions face.

"Angel?"

"Yeah, he's the guy that I'm here helping out."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were..."

Buffy quickly realized what it looked like- a call at this time of the night from a man she was addressing as 'Angel'- and hurried to rectify the situation.

"Oh! No, no it's not like that at all. We're over. Way over."

Despite trying to look nonchalant, giving a small shrug, Buffy caught the flash of relief in the younger woman's eyes. It was a stark reminder to her that this woman was not the Faith she'd known, who wouldn't have given a second thought to making moves on someone else's girlfriend. The thought snapped her back to the reality of the situation, and she glanced down, her head swimming with a mix of emotions.

"I should probably get to bed, it's getting late and..."

"Yeah, of course. You know where to get me, give me a call."

Her heart twisted guiltily at the sincerity of the woman talking to her, and all she could do was give a strained smile and a nod as she turned away and entered the room, listening to the retreating footsteps of the other Slayer as she left.

She shook her head in an attempt to clear some of the fog and flopped down on her bed, retrieving her cell and dialling Angel.

"Hey."

"Buffy, what happened? Why didn't you call earlier?"

"Didn't have time I guess."

"what's wrong, you sound..."

She did her best to rid herself of the dull monotone and sighed, standing and moving over to peer out of the window.

"Nothing, it was just...it was a weird night."

She heard mumbling and a thud before Cordelia's voice broke through the phone.

"Did you trace her or what?"

Or what. Buffy mused, as her mind drifted back to the events in the hallway.

"Mhm."

"Good. So" Cordelia began, her voice changing from assertive to interested, "how was your evening."

Buffy frowned, both at the question and the black van that had caught her attention in the parking lot.

"Um, hang on."

She unlatched the window, pulling it open for a better view, and as expected saw Faith strolling casually towards it.

"Cordy, tell Angel I'll call him later."

She clicked the phone off on Cordelia's protests, and changed quickly into black jeans and a t-shirt, grabbing the tracker from the table and racing out of the room.

The red blip on the screen came to a stop for a moment as Buffy rounded the corner, recognizing the exterior of the building and creeping her way down the driveway in time to see the elevator closing on Faith and Boyd.

She pause for a moment before realizing it was most likely the only way into the building, and pressed the button before retreating to the shadows, preying that it came back empty. When it did, she descended to the subterranean corridors she had walked through earlier that day, navigating her way to the main building from memory.

As she crept cautiously around the corner and on to an elevated walkway, her attention was caught by a noise and the flashing of lights from a room a little ahead of and above her. Her view was obstructed, limited to Faith's head and shoulders as she lay in a large computerized chair but her stomach clenched horribly as she watched the scene in shock. Her fellow Slayer's face contorted in an expression of pain that Buffy had never seen from her before, her body jerking violently as lights flashed about her head. The newly-brunette Slayer raised her hand to cover her mouth, closing her eyes for a moment against the vision, breathing in deeply. Eyes still closed, Buffy's heart skipped a beat as she felt the solid press of a gun in the small of her back, lids opening slowly to see Adelle standing by her side and smiling triumphantly, Boyd behind her holding the gun and flanked by two more security guards.

"Miss Summers," the Brit spoke, her voice taking on a decidedly menacing tone in the situation and Buffy's heart racing at the implications of those two words. "I think you and I should have a chat."

Chapter Five

Buffy shifted awkwardly, perched on the edge of the chair and silently berating herself for being quite so impulsive about following Faith. She thought briefly of Angel and the earpiece sitting uselessly in her hotel room, before realizing that it undoubtedly would have been removed by now. The alcohol induced haze that had been shrouding her brain had cleared, and she was now drowning in the implications of the situation. Vampires, demons and ancient prophecies were old news to her; but powerful human corporations and gun-wielding security officers not so much. Two of the guards flanked the door, while Boyd stood behind DeWitt's desk, the prim English woman sitting on the edge, hands clasped in her lap.

"Well Miss Summers, I assume you're rather curious right now."

Buffy's gut squirmed horribly, and she mused that curiosity certainly wasn't her overwhelming emotion. She shifted a little again, managing a nod and swallowing, her throat dry.

"I do suggest that you relax, I don't intend to shoot you," Adelle said with an amused little smile, nodding to the two men at the door, who disappeared, the door clicking shut behind them. "Don't be mistaken, if you so much as attempt to 'slay' your way out of here you will be dealt with. But I would really rather avoid that unnecessary hassle."

Buffy nodded once again, both comforted by the diminished number of firearms in the room and disconcerted by Adelle's knowledge. Still, she sat back into the chair, letting some of the tension release from her shoulders.

Adelle pursed her lips, studying Buffy's face for a moment before continuing on. "I shall assume given your status, and the position of some of your known acquaintances, that there is great deal you are already aware of in relation to this company. Allow me to fill in some blanks. However, the first thing I must urge is that when you leave here, you take your newly acquired information and return to Scotland to leave well enough alone. This is not a matter to be meddled in, Miss Summers."

Her tension eased, Buffy's agitation was swiftly being replaced by irritation. How dare she sit there and tell her what to do. "Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on here?"

"Ah, and there's the attitude I've been waiting for. I must say, I was beginning to be disappointed."

Buffy raised an eyebrow in question. How much did this woman know? She had to admit, she was unnerved again.

"Do you really assume that with someone like Faith I have not looked into every aspect of her past and personality? Come now. I could paint a detailed picture of Faith's entire time in Sunnydale with you until the day she was brought in, as well as the times preceding even her calling."

At that, Buffy's anger flared up. What right did this woman have to delve into Faith's past. To violate her. To know Faith better than- "And I don't suppose you just stumbled across all this information."

"Come now, 'll assume that by now you have some grasp of what it is we do here, Miss Summers?"

"Do tell."

"We deal in a range of needs,from hostage negotiations to evening dates. Our clients come to us, they tell us what they want, what they need and we provide it for them, for a fee."

"You just rent people out like..."

"Our volunteers are here on a 5 year program. They're wiped when they arrived, and on hiatus between missions they have no knowledge of the outside world, of their previous life or of any of the missions they have undertaken. They live a perfectly happy and simplistic life, and at the end of their program leave entirely restored and with enough money to tide them over for quite some time."

"Wiped?"

"Our subjects have their own personality removed from their mind, effectively becoming a blank slate, with which we can work. Their thoughts and memories, their mental 'self', if you will, is stored in our database."

Buffy couldn't quite believe what she was hearing, couldn't entirely comprehend how these people were playing God with the lives and minds of others.

"And does Faith know you've been poking around in her mind?" she asked, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest.

"Doubtful, I haven't had the pleasure of speaking to Faith since the night she arrived. Although I must say, I highly doubt she's so naive as to think otherwise."

Buffy frowned, looking down into her lap and feeling an irrational a pang of hurt that Faith would- even unknowingly- leave herself so open to these strangers.

Adelle caught Buffy's look, standing from her position and moving to the chair behind her desk, leaving forward with her arms reset on the dark wood. "Oh I wont assume that she'd approve. Merely that she's not foolish enough to think it wouldn't be done."

"And that begs the question, Miss DeWitt- Faith was one of your volunteers, was she? Tell me, how exactly did she volunteer from a prison cell?"

"Oh Miss Summers, I don't claim to be a saint. There are things that happen within this organization that are born of necessity over morality, and furthermore there are things which extend beyond even my control."

"Meaning?"

DeWitt gave an impatient sigh, her stare piercing Buffy as she spoke.

"Meaning, that the buck does not stop here, Miss Summers. I work for a higher power, who in turn answers to many other sources. Faith's arrival here was instigated by one of these outside sources. Now don't misunderstand me, I may not agree entirely with the methods by which we acquired Faith's abilities, but I cannot pretend I have not relished the opportunity to make use of them. Nor will I suggest for a moment that my personal opinion would have had any impact on the outcome of Faith's introduction to our organization." Adelle paused on her way out of the room, turning back to throw a final revelation in Buffy's direction. "I believe you have your Watcher's Council to thank for that."

Buffy was still reeling from the information when Adelle re-entered the office, carrying a thick file, her heels clicking loudly on the wooden floor. She'd always known the Council were misled in their actions, but after Giles had helped to rebuild it...well she'd thought maybe they'd learned something. Really, she surmised, she should have known nothing was different the day they had managed to force him back out. But to hand someone over to have their mind erased, for them to be hired out to the highest paying client for whatever they wanted... She fought back a bout of nausea as she mulled it over, wondering how low the Council could stoop and feeling a bitter sting of regret as she wondered what she could have changed had she stepped in sooner.

The sound of the file thudding onto the desk broke Buffy from her thoughts, and she looked back up into the hard stare of DeWitt.

"Faith's?" she asked with surprise, not entirely sure why the woman was being so forthcoming with her.

As if reading her mind, Adelle raised her eyebrows. "Miss Summers, as I've already told you, I am merely filling in the blanks for you, saving you the time and effort, if you will. I'm trusting that you undoubtedly would have gotten to it eventually, and with a lot more bother to both of us. But I also trust that you have the sense to take what I give you and leave. There's nothing you can do here."

But even as she spoke, Buffy thought she could see something in the intense stare of the Brit, something she wouldn't vocalise, but that was undoubtedly present. Something defiant reflected in the small smile she was giving the Slayer.

Buffy glanced back down at the file in front of her, her fingertips resting inches from it, and yet not finding the force to move themselves closer, not finding the will to delve into Faith's past without her consent. Perhaps a little scared of what she might find. She couldn't quite place when she'd started to care so much?

"I see you're a little reluctant to take your answers. From what I understand, there's little loyalty between the two of you Miss Summer's, in fact it seems to me there's been nothing but bad blood in the time you've known each other."

Buffy felt the corners of her eyes prick with tears, and she clenched her fist, her nails digging in to her palm.

"You don't have a clue what happened between Faith and I." Buffy's reaction startled even her. Of all the people who would ever question the...intensity of what had gone on between the two Slayers, Buffy would never have pegged herself as one of them.

"Quite the contrary, I know every detail. However, it's quite irrelevant, I don't expect to see you again after this evening. It would be in the best interest of all involved. There's one more thing I think would be worth your attention before you leave however." She turned to the man behind the desk, giving him a small nod. "Boyd, if you'd be so kind."

He seemed to understand, and gave Buffy a quick glance before leaving her alone in the room with Adelle, who stood and strolled calmly to the drinks cabinet.

"Can I get you something?"

Buffy stared in disbelief, wondering how long she had left before the Brit snapped to her senses and had her escorted from the building at gunpoint. Or worse. However, as ominous as her worries were, she was still very curious.

"No, thanks." She turned in the chair to face the woman, frowning. "So you knew who I was when I came here this afternoon?"

"Obviously."

"And you said nothing? Knowing who I was and most likely why I'm here."

"Don't be so foolish as to think you weren't being followed. We could have intercepted at a moments notice. I was merely curious as to how the evening would play out."

"Play out? What's that supposed to mean?"

But Adelle's explanation died on her lips as she turned to greet the opening door, through which Boyd was now entering, a very familiar brunette following in his wake.

"Hope?" Buffy asked tentatively. But even as the words left her lips, she could see her answer in the eyes of the other Slayer, in the stare which was boring into her from across the room.

"B? The fuck are you doing here?"

"I..." but Buffy's brain wasn't cooperating, rather it was swimming around in the evening's events and driving into Buffy something that should have been the least of her worries- this Faith had no idea. The entire evening may as well have never happened. Despite how her feelings had softened over the course of the day, even she was surprised by just how much it hurt as she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

All part of the mission, Buffy. You don't care.

"Well?" Faith challenged once more, her arms crossed defiantly, shielding her. Everything about her was starkly in contrast to the woman Buffy had met earlier that day, and she was in no position to deny the pain that it was invoking. Even as Buffy stared into her eyes she could see that there was no openness in this Faith; the walls were there as solid as they ever had been.

Buffy glanced to the side, finding Adelle observing the exchange with an interested gaze. "I believe Miss Summer's is looking for you, Faith."

"Looking for me? Been in the same place for four years and now you come looking?" She took a few steps forward, standing no more than a floor from Buffy and leaning forward into her space. Her crossed arms fell to her sides and Buffy did not fail to catch the instinctive fists she formed, or the way her body was shaking with anger she was fighting to hold back. "What's up, B? Thought I might be causing trouble?"

"I thought..." Buffy's voice cracked and she chastised herself for being so emotional, so involved in something that she should have been so removed from. She cleared her throat, starting again. "I thought you were in trouble, Angel thought..."

She caught the quick flash of something in Faith's eyes as she backed away, heaving a huge sigh as she turned away. "Angel worries too much."

In keeping with the turbulent emotions she'd been subject to over the day, her angst gave way to anger at Faith's attitude. Here she was, putting her life in danger after flying halfway across the world, and Faith was telling her that they shouldn't have worried so much? "You disappeared, no-one knew where you were or what had happened. What do you expect?"

Faith gave a small shrug and made her way to the large leather sofa, flopping down and leaning back, rolling her shoulders and serving to only irritate the other Slayer, who stormed over and paced the floor in front of her.

Adelle's voice startled Buffy out of her anger. "Buffy, Faith, I'm going to give the two of you a few moments to talk." She headed for the door, turning back for a final word. "Please, do try not to break anything."

Buffy ran a hand through her newly-dyed hair and fell into the sofa opposite Faith, leaning back and closing her eyes for a moment. "So are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Doesn't matter. You need to go," she answered abruptly.

"I'm going nowhere until I find out what the hell is going on. I flew from Scotland, Faith, there's no way I'm leaving here empty-handed."

Faith stood so abruptly that Buffy felt herself recoil a little, immediately admonishing herself for the reaction. "Yes you are. Fucking drop this." She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, before turning back to face Buffy, avoiding her eyes.

"How the hell did they get you here?" Buffy sighed, keeping her voice calm and doing her utmost to distance this Faith, the Faith she knew, from the woman she had let herself get close to earlier in the day.

Faith shook her head, giving a short laugh as she collapsed defeated back onto the leather of the sofa. "You're not gonna give it up, are you?"

Buffy's only answer was a raised eyebrow as Faith sighed and leant forward, her elbows resting on her knees.

"Woke up one day a few months back with this...just this feelin' that somethin' was up. So not too surprised when I get called up to the Warden. I'm busy wonderin' what the fuck I've done wrong when two suits and a couple guys in black come through the door behind me- last thing I see is this wicked huge needle and I wake up chained in the back of some fuckin' van with one of the suits. Anyway, fancy suit, English accent, shit attitude- didn't take a genius to figure out they were from the Council. Tried to break out but I guess I was still feelin' kinda funky from the tranq cause I couldn't even make a dent in the damn restraints" she stopped for a moment, frowning to herself thoughtfully, "probably had some magic shit on em. So anyway, I black out again and wake up in this very lovely office right here, with the she-Giles and the Council guys."

Faith sighed deeply and lifted her eyes to the face of the other Slayer, catching her eyes for a moment as they studied her. There was something there that she couldn't quite place, something she wasn't used to seeing from her previously-blonde counterpart.

"So, DeWitt explains the shit to me, how the Council have decided that they're puttin' me into 'rehab'. Guess they thought I was wasted on prison, huh?" She paused. "So, that's you all caught up. Now get the hell away from here."

Buffy closed her eyes for a moment, absorbing the story and realizing that Faith had, so far, told her tale surprisingly calmly.

"God," she sighed, "this is just insane. They can't just go around erasing people."

"Not even people like me?"

Buffy felt her stomach twist at the other girls words, and found herself unable to meet the Slayer's eyes. "You're not...," she mumbled, voice so quiet that only a Slayer could have picked it up.

Faith's head snapped up, studying Buffy's features intensely, entirely unsure of how to read her. Once again, Buffy's eyes lifted and the two found themselves with their gazed locked across the small space, both unable to place the look in the stare of the other.

Faith frowned and blinked, her counterpart still in her sights, before feeling herself falling backwards into the leather sofa as a series of images flashed across her mind.

Leaning on the door of a gorgeous black Porshe; Buffy smiling at her over a restaurant table; tongue against soft skin; Buffy, pressed against her- dancing the way they had before...

She shot forward, palms pressing into her temples as the images stopped and she focused back in on Buffy, kneeling in front of her with a concerned frown.

"You okay?"

"I um...guess I was having a flashback. Or somethin'. You were there."

Buffy felt her heart launch itself into her throat as she stood and turned away, walking to the large window and studying the world outside.

"Gonna tell me what the hell that was then?"

Wow, there's a loaded question right there.

"I don't...I mean...I'm not really sure, obviously."

She could see Faith's raised eyebrow without turning to face her, and wasn't surprised by the scepticism in the other Slayer's voice as she spoke.

"Uh huh. Ok, well I'm guessing it coulda only been an assignment. And you don't know why you were there?"

Eye's still glued to the dark vista, her mind not producing any plausible explanation or way out of the discussion, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled slightly as she felt Faith stalk closer.

"Goddamn it B turn around and look at me!"

The sudden outburst caught her off guard and she spun to find herself inches away from an angry-looking Faith.

Her eyes skittered around Faith's features, not daring to rest anywhere for too long,"I.."

"You what? What's been going on."

Buffy could feel the other girl's breath tickling across her skin, she could smell the mixture of perfume and shampoo reminiscent of both 'Hope' and Faith, and she felt her eyes drift closed for a moment as it washed over her, letting herself get lost if just for a moment.

The sound of the door opening broke the atmosphere and Buffy felt her eyes shoot open, taking a step away from her Slayer counterpart and blinking away any remnants of whatever had overcome her.

Adelle strolled into view, Boyd following just behind her. "Miss Summers, Faith, I hate to interrupt but time's getting on."

Faith nodded and took a step away, towards the door, before Buffy's hand rushed out and grabbed her round the wrist. She heard the other girl inhale sharply, turning her head just as fast.

"B, don't."

"We need to get out of here," she muttered.

"No, we don't need anything. God, I..." she broke off, running her hand through her hair as Buffy relinquished her hold on her wrist. "B, I actually get to do somethin' here, helluva lot more good than being shut up in the pokey."

"You don't need to be here to do that."

"I want to be here."

"But...why?"

The question seemed to finally snap the other Slayer who, Buffy had noted, had kept her cool surprisingly well. "Fuck sake B can't you just drop it already? Just get the hell out and you can go back to Scotland knowing that you did your duty and tried to keep me in check, a'ight?"

"Faith, I didn't mean..."

Buffy felt the corners of her eyes prick with the other girl's words, and chastised herself for getting so involved in this thing, whatever it may be. She saw Faith's shoulder's sag a little as if unable to maintain the tenseness.

The Chosen One watched as Faith gave her head a small shake, eyes downwards, and turned away, walking towards the door with Boyd following behind. She paused at the opening, turning her head a little before shaking it again and leaving.

Buffy felt a tear streak down her cheek, and brushed it away furiously as her eyes fell back onto Adelle.

"Miss Summers," she approached, and Buffy noticed her voice seemed softer than usual, "I hope that today's events have answered some questions for you. I can arrange for a car to take you wherever you need to go."

The tiredness slowly seeping into her body drained the words of refusal from her tongue, and Buffy merely nodded, allowing Adelle to lift the phone and dial.

"Mr Langton, all wrapped up? Very well, if you could come to my office now, I'd be much obliged if you could escort Miss Summer's home."

Buffy turned back to the world outside, watching the lights of the traffic travel through the darkness before turning her gaze to the sky, clearing her mind of her surroundings and trying desperately to make sense of the way she was feeling.

Finding no answers in the LA skyline, she halted the search and turned to the noise of Boyd's return, giving Adelle one last glance and a small nod before following him out.

Pulling up outside the hotel entrance after a silent journey, Buffy reached for the door, eager to be away from the stifling quiet, stopping as she felt a hand on her arm.

"Miss Summer's," Boyd began, pausing as if to choose his words. "I know that the situation is probably very difficult..."

Buffy opened her mouth to interrupt -to argue against the point despite its truth- and was quieted by a gesture from her companion.

"No, the methods and practises of the Dollhouse aren't ideal, I've known that since the day I signed up, but I also know that the people in charge..." he trailed off again, frowning and taking a breath. "If DeWitt is that adamant that you should leave, I really would suggest that it's the best thing to do." Another pause. "I promise you, she's safe."

Buffy nodded, coughing to clear the small lump in her throat. "It was lovely meeting you" she told him honestly.

He smiled. "And you. Goodnight."

She stepped out into the warm night air, taking a breath before making her way back to her room, closing her eyes to the memory in the hallway and locking the door at her back.

Retrieving her cell, she quickly sent a message to Angel, assuring him that all was well, before lying back on the bed and checking the time. Satisfied that her grasp of the time difference was enough to tell her it wasn't too obscene a time, she flipped open the phone again and dialled.

"Buffy?"

The Slayer closed her eyes, overwhelmed with the events of the day and the comfort in the familiar voice, and felt tears begin to fall that she couldn't bring herself to stop.

"Will, I really need to talk to you."

Chapter Six

Ever the dutiful friend, Willow had teleported over from Scotland moments after Buffy had called, and after regaining her shaky footing had taken up position cross-legged on the bed to listen to the story. A nervous Buffy had begun to explain, as best she could, the events of the day, although had decided it easier to cut out a few of the harder to explain details, including the kiss in the hallway.

"So," she sighed, finishing her tale and leaning back against the head of the bed, "what do you think?"

The redhead looked thoughtful for a moment, her head tilted slightly to the side and eyes boring into Buffy in a way that made the Slayer feel just a little bit vulnerable. "I think that there's something you're not telling me" she concluded, raising an eyebrow at her friend questioningly.

Feeling more than a little nervous, Buffy found herself unable to hold the witches stare for long, her eyes shifting downwards to study the, suddenly very interesting, bedspread. "No, I uh..." she mumbled, tailing off when she realized she really didn't have a clue what to say- she'd never been very good at lying to Willow.

"Buffy Summer's don't you dare be all avoid-y with me. Come on, it's me, you can tell me anything."

Buffy glanced back up, and couldn't help but feel more at ease in the face of Willow's open smile. She was right, of course.

"There um, there may have been a couple more things that happened."

"Well?" Willow asked, pressing the matter with excitement in her voice.

"Cordelia, when she called up DeWitt, well she kind of-" Buffy sighed, wondering how best to word it and eventually decided just to plough right ahead and get it out. "God..she'd 'hired' Faith as my date."

Whatever Buffy had been expecting from her best friend, it certainly wasn't the quiet giggle that she heard a moment later.

"Anyway," she continued, trying to cut across the laughter, "we went out, we talked, we danced, we came back here and um..."

Willow's gasp cut her off, and she looked back up to see the redhead giving her a shocked smile. "You didn't? Buffy Summer's you little hussy! You slept with her!"

"What?! No!" Buffy exclaimed, waving her hands frantically in front of her in denial. "I kissed her," she blurted out, raising her hand to her mouth as she gasped a little at her own revelation.

"Is that all? Buffy you had sex with Satsu, I'm really not seeing the big deal here."

"The big deal? Are we talking about the same Faith here?"

Willow sighed at her friend, rolling her eyes."I already told you, the things that happened were a long time ago, and if your account is anything to go by, she's obviously changed."

Buffy opened her mouth to protest again, but found that there really was no arguing- whoever Faith was now, it certainly wasn't the same misled and confused teen that she had been all those years previously.

"Anyway," she continued as if suddenly remembering her motives, "I only did it to put the tracer on her. No big deal, right?"

The Wiccan raised an eyebrow in question, not saying a word but fixing Buffy once again with a penetrating stare.

And again, as if by magic, the former Blond caved. "Alright," she conceded, throwing her hands up in defeat, "I might have stuck with it for a little longer than necessary."

Willow's face broke into a grin and she bounced a slightly on the bed excitedly. "And?"

"And what?" Buffy laughed, relaxing with the easy conversion.

"Don't play coy with me, Slayer, how was it?"

"Willow Rosenberg that is none of your business!"

"Buffy," she whined, "it's been forever since we had a girlie chat."

Buffy laughed again, leaning forward and feeling a coy smile creep onto her lips. "Ok, so it was good." She paused for a moment, contemplating. "Really good," she grinned.

The redhead gave a very girlie squeal, her grin getting impossibly bigger. "I knew it! So what else happened?"

"Nothing," the Slayer sighed, not attempting to disguise the underlying disappointment in her tone, nor trying to deny its presence. "I snuck the tracer into her pocket, got changed, followed her."

"Which pocket?" Willow teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

Buffy blushed at the question and smiled shyly. "Um..."

The witch giggled loudly again, giving her blushing friend a playful shove. "God I was joking," she laughed.

"Oh."

"Anyway, I wont ask how that was," she continued, "and at the Dollhouse?"

"Exactly what I told you. Honestly," she added, off Willow's sceptical gaze.

"So how do you feel about it all?"

She thought back to earlier in the day, the way her skin had buzzed when they were together, how she had felt burned with the intensity of their touches, the way they'd talked. "That's the thing," she sighed. "I'm so confused. About everything."

Willow's teasing smile of moments before was now replaced with a concerned frown at hearing the strain in Buffy's voice, the sincerity of her emotion.

"I mean...I know things have changed now, that she's changed now, but it's still Faith. And having these...these feelings for her, whatever they are, it's just strange."

"Is it?" Willow questioned, drawing a confused frown from her best friend. "I just mean...well it's not really anything new between you two."

Buffy opened her mouth to disagree, and was silenced by a raise of Willow's hand.

"No, I know about all the things that happened, I was there...I mean before that."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Buffy found her eyes drawn to the bed again as she tried to form her swirling thoughts into something resembling coherence.

"I...I don't know, Will. Everything was so confusing back then, there was just too much going on, everything went by so fast."

"Yeah, I get that, and honestly I think that's probably the only reason things never went beyond...whatever they were. But there was something Buffy, there's no denying that."

Buffy thought back to the memories that had been stirred up that evening- the times they'd spent together and the way it had made her feel all those years ago. "I know," she sighed, surprising herself with how readily she admitted to it, and wondering vaguely when her frustration and anger towards the other girl had dissipated. "I've spent so long being angry at her though, and there's so much behind us...I don't understand why things feel so different now."

"Maybe you've started to realize that the person you've been so angry with really doesn't exist any more. I mean, and don't hit me, but from what you told me you didn't give her much of a chance when you saw her last," she took a breath, rushing ahead at the look on Buffy's face, "which is to be expected, totally, she did a lot of bad things. But maybe your time out showed you...I don't know, how things could be with her, how she could be, if it hadn't all gone so wrong."

"I guess," Buffy agreed, running her hand through her hair in exasperation.

"So, "Willow continued, "after you'd gone through all that emotion at dinner and the club, her reaction to you back at the Dollhouse...hurt like a bitch?"

Buffy's gave a humourless laugh and nodded. "To put it mildly. She was just so...she'd seemed so open to me, and even though the sensible part of me knew it wasn't her, I'd enjoyed it- it hurt so much to see her right back behind her walls again."

The witch nodded sympathetically, upset to see her friend so sad and mixed-up. "I wouldn't have expected anything less, if I'm honest. It's always been obvious that she has a hard time letting people in and trusting them. And you and her...well we've established that you don't have a great history. I guess the big question now is what you're going to do about it all."

"What can I do? Faith and the Dollhouse have made it pretty clear that I should leave it alone."

"And since when have you done as you're told?"

Willow's words brought a smile back to Buffy's face- she couldn't deny their veracity. "Ok, but what am I supposed to do? I mean, she wants to stay."

Willow pondered the question for a moment, "tell me more about Adelle. She seems...I don't know. It seems like there's things she's hiding."

"I dunno Will, she was pretty forthcoming."

"That's kind of what bothers me. This Dollhouse seems pretty cagey in its dealings, it's strange that she was so open with you."

Buffy contemplated her friends words. "Maybe...or maybe she meant what she said, and was just saving me the time- I was bound to find most of it out eventually, it's not like they had much to hide."

"Even still, it seems strange to me. And the fact that she specifically sent Faith out with you," Willow raised a hand to stop another explanation, "regardless of how interested she was, that was dangerous for her, knowing who you were. I just...it feels to me like there's something more behind what she's doing. You said that she told you she didn't agree with everything that goes on there, maybe she wants your help?"

"I don't buy it, Adelle DeWitt doesn't seem like the kind of person who asks for help readily or often."

Willow frowned in concentration. "Well, she told you she knew all about you and Faith, your past?"

Buffy nodded.

"Well maybe...maybe she wants you to pursue it, to pursue her," Willow exclaimed triumphantly. "Maybe the whole 'stay away' act was just a ploy. I mean if she really knows you, and noticed things between you two, then she knows that staying away is the last thing you're going to do." She paused, a little uncertainty entering her as she regarded her friend "Isn't it?"

"I think I need to talk to Angel and Cordy, find out if they know anything else."

"Good idea, want me to come with?"

"While Angel may not mind a very early morning visit, I think Cordelia might well kill me if I interrupt her beauty sleep."

Willow glanced at the clock on the bedside, and then back to her friend, only now noticing the dark circles around her eyes. "Goddess, you haven't even slept! Buffy Summers you get to bed this instant. I'll be back home if you need me again, all you have to do is call and I'm here."

Buffy smiled appreciatively at her best friend, watching her stand and make her way to a clear space on the floor.

"Thanks for coming Will, it was good to just...get it out a bit."

"Any time," she smiled, her body beginning to emanate a soft white glow. "And Buffy?" she added, the roots of her hair also shimmering slightly, "it'll be ok."

Willow's form gave one last surge of light before disappearing, leaving only some falling dust in its wake.

Yanking off her jeans, Buffy slid under the covers of the bed and drifted off, Willow's words of reassurance lingering in her mind.

By the time her cab pulled up outside Wolfram and Hart the following morning, Buffy had settled on her decision. It had been far from easy to make, all things considered, but after a sleep and a hot shower, her mind had cleared enough to allow her a more focussed perspective on the whole thing. Her next problem, she thought as the lift ascended the floors to Angel's office, was how she was going to explain it all to Angel.

Entering his office, she found him anxiously pacing the floor in front of the wide window, her phone call to him that morning having done little to dim his worry.

"Buffy!"

"Hey," she greeted, her voice far lighter than it had been the night before.

He stopped pacing, taking a seat behind his desk, leaning forward on his arms and looking somewhat nervous.

"So," he began, interrupted by the opening door and entry of Cordelia.

"Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence Buffy," she greeted, though without quite her usual level of sarcasm.

"Busy day," she replied, smiling slightly.

Cordelia gave a small smile of her own, a look of understanding.

"Well, anyway, I pretty much explained everything to you on the phone this morning."

Angel opened his mouth to speak, silenced again by Buffy's raised hand.

"And I've thought about it a bit, and come to a decision that I think is best for everyone involved...in the long run."

The vampire sat up and squared his shoulders, bracing himself for the argument, before ploughing ahead. "Buffy, I know what Faith said, what the Dollhouse said, but I...I really think you should stay."

"Good," she replied, Angel's determined expression swiftly changing to shocked, "so do I."

His face told her immediately that her agreement had been the last thing he was expecting, and for several moments the room was silent, Slayer and Vampire regarding each other while Cordelia's eyes flicked between the two as if watching a tennis match.

"So..." Buffy started, not entirely sure where to go with the conversation, but not eager to sit in silence for any longer.

"Sorry," Angel interjected, shaking his head a little, "you just...took me by surprise, we thought-" he broke off at Cordelia's none-too-light kick to the shin, amending his words "I thought you'd be trying to catch the first flight home."

Cordelia nodded, unable to keep the hint of an 'I told you so' from her face, causing a surprised raise of Buffy's eyebrow.

"I'm not stupid as stupid as him, obviously," she answered, not bothering to elaborate. Not that she needed to- the look she was giving Buffy, eyes piercing her, told her exactly what she needed to know.

A little unnerved, Buffy pulled her focus away and back to Angel, not keen to expound on Cordelia's words. "So where do I go from here? Its not like I can even talk to her, there's no way I'm getting back into that place." [Not without doing some serious damage, to them and me.]

"Well," Angel considered, leaning back into his chair, "we have to decide how to approach things. Namely Faith. If she doesn't want to leave, we're in no position to force her- but I for one am not happy leaving her in there so..." he faltered, "vulnerable."

Buffy gave a mirthless laugh, considering the situation. "Vulnerable...not a word I've associated with Faith much."

"I think maybe you've underestimated what she went through."

Her eyes dropped to her lap as she considered his words, fully aware that what he was saying was true. "I know, Angel, I know. Can we please...can we just not do that just now?" She lifted her gaze, eyes pleading, "please?"

He gave her a half nod, returning to the issue at hand. "I think we need to establish a few things- the kind of thing Faith's being used for, what the limits are, how well she could handle herself in a...'situation'."

"I think," Cordelia threw in, "that the sky is pretty much the limit where they're concerned." Turning to Buffy, she continued, "Adelle DeWitt may not be entirely without morals, but she is far from the final say. From what I've been able to dig up, they're headed by a drug company- Rossum. By the looks of some very well buried police files, the bulk of their discovery came after they began human experimentation, with some fairly nasty consequences." She slid a file across the desk to Buffy, taking a breath before starting up again. "As for the possibilities, their 'tech guy' is a programmer- Topher Brink- and seriously, this guy makes Willow look like," a pause, a teasing smile, "well, like you."

"Funny."

"We haven't been able to come up with any more on the details on their technology, but I can tell you for definite that this guy is off the chart smart, I doubt there's much he can't do, given the facilities."

Buffy cast her mind back, trying to pull up any missed details from her time in the Dollhouse. "Oh!" She exclaimed, "the chair."

Angel sat forward again, interest piqued."Chair?"

"Yeah, just before they found me last night, I saw..." she recalled the scene again, playing out in vivid detail in her mind; the look of pain on Faith's face. "Faith, she was in this chair, it lit up around her head and she...God, she looked like she was in so much pain, I've never seen her like that before, " she finished, voice cracking a little as she failed to shake the image.

"Buffy," Cordelia's voice broke her painful musing, surprisingly soft, "she probably doesn't even remember."

Buffy blinked several times, shaking off the feeling as best she could and regaining her focus. "So, we assume that they can and will do just about anything with her." Even saying it, she felt fearful, a little nauseous.

"It seems so. And the thing is," Angel admitted, "I don't honestly know how we can fix this."

Buffy couldn't help the hopeless feeling that was overwhelming her. So much had changed with the events of the past day, and it now seemed that the energy she had put into protesting the trip here, she had now invested in wanted to produce a result.

"Great."

Cordelia piped up again, the self-appointed saviour of the dying conversation. "Buffy, I think the best thing you can do is keeps tabs on Faith." She continued, off Buffy's look, "as best you can. At least while she's out on mission...assignment...whatever."

"We've managed to get a tap into their computer network, we'll have a complete knowledge of Faith's scheduled assignments...but for how long I don't know, I cant imagine we'll go undetected in a place like that for more than a few days. After that...well we'll have to find another option."

"Well-" Buffy stopped, clearing the lump in her throat. "I'm going to head back to the hotel, maybe get some more sleep? Can you just...can you call me if you find out anything else?"

"Absolutely. You know where we are if you need anything."

Nodding she stood, heading for the door.

"Buffy."

At the sound of Angel's voice, she turned back, looking tired and worn.

"We'll figure this out." He assured, his words failing to comfort her as they once would have, despite his intentions.

With a hopeful half smile, she inclined her head in a small nod, and left for the hotel.

Adelle turned away from the window with a smile, greeting Boyd and his companion as they entered the office.

"Ah, Miss Reese, I presume?"

"That's me," the other woman replied with a nod.

She hardly looked the part of their 'normal' clientèle, Adelle mused, taking in her slightly faded jeans, heavy boots and a plan grey tank, a leather jacket hanging loosely from her shoulders.

Adelle gestured to the settee, making her way to her drinks cabinet, "do have a seat. Can I get you anything? Tea, perhaps?"

"No, thanks."

There was something off about the woman that Adelle couldn't quite place, something more than just the casual, worn clothes. Then again, she mused, perhaps she was merely on edge from the previous night- events with the Slayers were, after all, requiring a great deal of her time and energy. Filing the feeling away for the time being, she took up position opposite the woman, still wearing a smile.

"So Miss Reese, you told me you were interested in hiring one of our actives this evening. May I enquire as to the nature of the engagement? Business? Social?"

The other woman was quite clearly not wholly invested in the conversation, her eyes scanning the room with a sense of purpose that Adelle was not entirely at ease with.

Her attention snapped back to the Brit, as if suddenly realizing she was being spoken to, "social."

"Hmm." Adelle raised an eyebrow, contemplating. "Well Echo, our most popular active, is available this evening. Although I should point out that at such short notice, she wont be cheap."

"All fine," the woman shrugged, "money's no issue."

"Very well, in that case you can detail your requirements to me and I can pass them along to Topher to prepare Echo."

It seemed that the conversation had taken a more worthwhile turn for the woman, who now focused her attention fully on the Brit. "That's the one thing I'm not so sure about. You can 'make' a person, any person you want, with pure technology?"

"I'd hardly call it 'pure technology' Miss Reese, our technician Topher is essentially the brains behind the machinery. The technology merely does as he wishes."

The woman across from her raised an eyebrow, before muttering something that Adelle couldn't quite catch and returning her attention to the conversation.

"Well that's...that's truly impressive," she conceded with a slight incline of her head. She paused, looking considerate. "I don't suppose there's any possibility of me seeing your tech? I'm willing to pay extra for the evening, I'm just...well, just curious."

Adelle weighed the situation in her mind, pondering the unease the woman was evoking. Then again, she considered, there was really no possibility of this one lone woman being able to cause disruption within the house, and as for outside...well there were was of dealing with that situation.

"Yes," she finally concurred, "yes I believe that could be arranged." She smiled tightly, already visualizing Topher's reaction to the request.

Buffy glanced at the clock by the bedside before rolling onto her back, her arm resting across her eyes. In the hours since she'd arrived back, she'd changed twice, done stretches, eaten all the peanuts from the mini bar and almost called angel more times that she cared to remember. She'd done everything but find the sleep she'd been hoping for. So when her cell finally rang, moments later, she snatched it up and eagerly answered within seconds.

"It's me, me just got intel in that Faith's out tonight on a last minute engagement. She'll be picked up at 7, that's all we know."

"Ok, I'm on it. Thanks Angel."

"Buffy, be careful. And please consider actually wearing the earpiece we gave you?"

"Fine," she huffed, still not comfortable with them listening in on any of her interactions with Faith just yet. Not that she was planning on any tonight.

"Stay out of site, out of trouble and definitely out of the Dollhouse. Recon only."

"Angel, I get it ok. I'm on my very best behaviour."

"I'll talk to you later then. Good luck."

Impatient to get moving, she silently thanked the fact that he had finished up there, clicking the cell shut and dropping it back onto the bed. Yanking open the chest of drawers with a little too much force, she took a moment to carefully replace the drawer, before changing in record time. She grudgingly fished the earpiece from the bedside table and pushed it into her ear, feeling a lot like she was back in Scotland, although without Xander's comforting voice to guide her, and pushed her cell and keys into her pocket before hastily making her way outside.

Her mind was on overdrive as she began to pound the streets. She absolutely couldn't see what they were going to gain from this, could see even less clearly how they might overcome the problem of the Dollhouse, and of Faith. But in the midst of those worries, she had to acknowledge what was, for now, the most pressing concern- why on earth could she not shake these feelings?

Chapter Seven

(Earlier that day)

Her heels clicked on the wooden floor as Adelle made her way into the imprint area, finding Topher tapping madly away at various keyboards, chair swivelling between the multiple computer screens.

"Topher"

He jumped, startled out of his focus, and spun around to face the voice. "Don't sneak up on people like that, I could've been doing something...important."

"And here I was under the impression that everything you did was important," she remarked, eyebrow raised and sarcasm lacing her voice.

"Well..." he nodded, drawing out the word in emphasis. "Oh," he reached for one of the machines to his right, pulling out an imprint. "Echo's, for tonight," he explained, waving it slightly. "I have to say, I was a little disappointed, it was just so...dull. Such a waste of my talents," he sighed, shrugging.

Eyebrow still raised, her arms crossed and a small smirk in place, Adelle continued. "In that case I'm sure you'll be thrilled with what I'm about to ask."

"Really?" He sounded sceptical.

"I've been doing a little research, it seems there's more to our Miss Reese than she'd have us believe."

"Uh huh."

"It seems 'Reese' is in fact a frequent alias of a Miss Sarah Connor who has, to say the least, a somewhat murky past."

Topher gave her a questioning look, "so you want me to...send out 'spy-echo'?"

"No no, lets not assume the worst so quickly- after all who are we if not open-minded?"

"Well then what-"

"I think, as a precaution, you should implement a trigger within Echo's imprint." She paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow to Topher, conveying more to him than just her words, "I'm quite certain a Slayer could handle any unforeseen circumstances."

"Uh huh," he mumbled again, "are you sure? I mean with the anomalies in her neural activity recently? Her sleep patterns? I just-"

"I'm quite certain that Echo is in possession of adequate mental strength to manage these...anomalies. It is in the best interests of both her and the company that she be prepared for any unexpected outcome of this evening."

"Ok, well that shouldn't be too difficult, all I'll need to do is intersperse her own imprint with what I've put together for-" he stopped short, catching the look on Adelle's face. "Yeah..." Standing, he pulled out another monitor, sliding various data across the screen. "Do you have a specific trigger in mind?"

"Not especially."

"Right" he muttered, placing himself back in front of the original screen, fingers moving rapidly over the keys. "This," he began proudly, "is really kinda brilliant. You see, the entire imprint database is essentially digitally coded brainwaves. With this," he tapped the screen, indicating the program that was now running, "I can pull up any imprint, or even combination of imprints, and just...search it, like Google. The program, fundamentally, runs the keyword through the imprint, and displays the psychological reaction it provokes, as well as coding- Hey, this is interesting stuff y'know. "

"Fascinating," Adelle remarked with sarcasm.

"I'm so under-appreciated."

"Indeed."

"Ok," he exclaimed, leaning back in his chair and allowing Adelle a clearer view of the monitor. "So this is Faith. Now ideally we want a trigger that's of strong relevance to her...makes it a little more effective. So, say we want to call up data on," he paused, thinking and giving a shrug, "Christmas? I just," he tapped away, muttering under his breath, until a further box appeared, full of charts and graphs, the occasional accompanying line of text.

"Well?"

"Huh" he uttered with interest, "apparently not the greatest choice."

Adelle sighed, growing impatient and eager to get on with other pressing matters.

"Ok so lets try..." he continued his quiet mumbling as his fingers worked their magic again, bringing up further windows of information moments later. "Better."

"And that is?"

"That, is all her psychological 'data' on Buffy Summers."

"Ah yes, quite the collection."

"I'd quite happily say-"

Adelle interjected, halting that train of thought. "No."

"But-"

"Topher, I give you exceptionally free reign in the things you do, but you will not use Buffy Summers, or indeed anything relating to her, as Echo's trigger- I suspect we haven't seen the last of the Slayer."

Switching deftly into Slayer mode, Buffy took to the shadows outside the Dollhouse's underground lot, checking her watch; if Angel's intell was right, Faith should be leaving within the next five minutes. Sure enough, the sleek black hummer that emerged from the drive moments later held three people, one of them Faith. The driver was a woman a few years older than herself, and the passenger in the back a girl maybe two years younger, who silently regarded Faith, an inquisitive look etched across her features.

Buffy took off jogging after the car, thanking the Powers for the shadowy pavement and slow-moving traffic of the evening, wondering exactly where they might be headed. Her question didn't go unanswered for long, as the hummer swung around a final corner and slowed to a stop a few feet from the entrance to 'Sky'- an average looking bar with a few stray patrons milling around by the door.

Edging closer to the car, body tucked safely into the shadow being cast along the wall, Buffy could just make out the words being spoken from inside the vehicle.

The older woman turned in the drivers seat, leaning around the chair to address Faith- or whomever she happened to be tonight. "Hey um, Dani?"

'Dani' smiled brightly, face open and interested, acknowledging the question.

"You want to head inside? I'll be in in a minute."

"Sure thing," she answered, and Buffy noticed that her usual Bostonian drawl had been replaced by a softer lilt, the region of which Buffy couldn't identify.

From her position, Buffy took in the other woman's appearance as she strolled towards the bar looking so very unlike the Faith she knew in a knee-length black dress and black heels, her hair hanging over her shoulders in waves. Chewing slightly on her lip, Buffy gave her own appearance a quick once over, and after deciding she was probably just acceptable, made her way towards the door, slowing her steps as she passed the car.

"She's female" the younger girl remarked, evoking a sigh from her companion.

"Yes, Cameron."

"And so are you."

"Well done Cam, what's your point?"

Buffy watched the exchange out of the corner of her eye, noticing once again how the younger woman's head tilted to the side curiously as she regarded her companion.

"I wasn't aware," she finished simply, a look flashing across her inquisitive face that Buffy could read only as disappointment, or perhaps something similar.

"Can you just take the car, go a couple blocks from here, and call me in twenty minutes?"

"Yes. What what would you like me to do for twenty minutes?" the girl enquired, causing Buffy to wonder just exactly what the situation was between the two.

She listened to the older woman groan in exasperation, before exiting the car and making her way to the door of the bar, leaving the the question unanswered. The younger passenger watched her leave with another unreadable expression on her face, once again leaving Buffy puzzled. Shaking it off, she reminded herself that whatever she needed right now, it was not to waste time dwelling on someone else's problems. Unless of course that someone was Faith.

The interior of the bar was very much like the exterior- on the whole it was clean, well presented, and reasonably safe and normal looking. Buffy couldn't say the same for some of its patrons, nor would she care to hazard a guess as to what it may look like with a little more light.

She took up position in one of the enclosed booths around the side, eyes easily locking on to Faith sitting at the bar, turning to warmly greet her arriving companion and causing a sharp stab of jealousy that Buffy angrily ignored.

"Buffy."

The Slayer jumped, smacking her knee painfully against the underside of the table in surprise as Angel's voice filtered into her ear.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah, I'm here," she mumbled, rubbing the sore spot on her knee and trying not to look too much like she was muttering away to thin air.

"What's your progress?"

"Not a lot- Angel could you call my cell? I feel like the crazy drunk in the corner talking to myself."

A moment later, she flipped open the top of the vibrating cell, leaning back into the chair and observing the two women with a frown.

"Where are you? We've got you in-"

"Just some bar, she's out with some woman" Buffy explained, the tone of her voice betraying her. "I mean, does she ever do anything...y'know, serious?"

"Buffy..." Angel warned, "don't underestimate this- we have no idea what she does, that's our problem."

She sighed, pouting a little, "yeah yeah. So, any update on anything?"

"Actually yes...well, sort of. Something came through on our computer link, but honestly, we're not sure what it means."

"Well, what was it?"

Buffy could practically hear Angel's frown as he continued, "lines of a poem. Byron."

"What?" She queried, utterly perplexed."Well...what lines?"

"In secret we met— in silence I grieve; that thy heart could forget, thy spirit deceive."

"Well that makes perfect sense," she remarked with sarcasm. She could feel herself becoming more irritated, tapping her fingers against the table in agitation at the most recent speck of useless information, eyes narrowing as she watched Faith inch closer to her 'friend' at the bar. "How the hell are we supposed to figure anything out if that's all the info we're coming up with? God."

"We'll come up with something, it's just going to take a little time."

"Doesn't it always?"

"I know you're frustrated, just...just keep close watch on her while we work this out."

Buffy heaved a heavy sigh, closing her eyes for just a moment, "yeah, the closest."

The line went dead and Buffy sat forward, arms resting on her table and hearing zoning in on the two women talking.

"So," Faith began easily, smiling widely, "that your daughter that was in the car?"

Buffy watched as the other woman's head snapped around to face the question. "No," she replied emphatically, "most definitely no."

"Oh...not a fan of children then?"

A sad look crossed her features as she glanced down into the glass she held cupped in one hand, as if the answer to Faith's question lay at the bottom of the liquid. "I had a son," she answered finally, "but he died, a year ago."

Faith stuttered a little, her bubbly personality faltering in the face of such a revelation. "God...I'm so sorry. That must have felt like the end of the world."

A wry, mirthless smile appeared on the woman's lips inexplicably as her eyes rose once more to meet Faith's dark brown orbs. "You could say that."

Buffy cocked her head, questioning the meaning behind the words as the pair continued to chat about nothing in particular for a while longer, until on cue the older brunette flipped open her ringing cell, moulding her features into a mask of concern and pushing back her chair as she stood.

"Look I'm really sorry, something's come up at home...its an emergency, I really have to go."

The genuine concern etched on Faith's face tugged a little at Buffy's heart and she felt her hostility to the other woman growing with the lie. "Oh yeah, sure. I hope things are ok."

"Thanks. Maybe we could do this some other time?"

"Of course," Faith smiled, also standing.

With a final look, she turned and hurried purposefully for the door, leaving Faith to glance around the bar, looking suddenly lost. Buffy's hard glare softened a little at the look, wishing she could break her cover and go to her. Before she had time to lose the internal battle, however, Buffy found Faith's eyes on her from across the room, and her heart hammered anxiously. They remained like that for several moments, until eventually with a small, almost sad smile, Faith turned away and Buffy could breath easily again. The Slayer at the bar swallowed the remainder of her drink and headed for a back door, retrieving a packet of cigarettes from her purse as she walked. Buffy rolled her eyes and followed a few steps behind, passing the bar and watching Faith disappear through a door quite distinctly marked as 'staff only'. Weighing the situation, she lingered inside, attempting not to look too surreptitious as she loitered by the doorway.

"Angel," she breathed, "she's gone out the back."

"What? Well where's her date?" A pause. "Oh, they're not..."

"What? No! She left."

"Oh good...well not good, but...wait, why did she go out the back? Surely she'd be recalled."

"I guess they haven't realized she's alone yet."

"Ok well-"

"Wait shh," she cut him off, hearing a noise from outside.

"What's-"

"Angel, shh!"

Silencing the vampire, Buffy took a quick look around before pushing through the door and into a back alley, keeping out of sight behind a dumpster. She heard a muffled protest, and feet scuffling against the concrete, and peered out from her position to see a group of three scruffy men surrounding Faith, one holding her from behind with a hand clamped over her mouth. Without a pause, she emerged from her spot and launched a swift kick to the side of the man holding the other girl, foot colliding solidly with his ribs and sending him flying into the opposite wall. A quick glance over told her he was still breathing as she turned to his friends and raised an eyebrow.

"I suggest you collect your friend and leave," she told them threateningly. "Now."

They took a look at the man struggling to his feet, hand clutching the back of his bruised head, before turning on their heels and running from the scene, leaving him to stumble after them as fast as his shaking legs would carry him.

"Oh my god," the female voice from behind her broke her from her angry glaring, and she turned to see 'Dani' gazing at her with gratitude, hand rubbing against an angry looking bruise on her upper arm.

Oh hell she thought, eager to get out of the situation.

"I dunno what to say, you totally just saved my ass."

"Buffy what's going on?" Angel enquired, agitation apparent in his voice.

Ignoring him, her mind raced as she tried to form words. "Um...yeah, it was nothing."

"Nothing? That was...amazing." The other woman's eyes were wide in awe, and Buffy found a blush creeping onto her cheeks at the praise, finding the whole thing utterly surreal. As she stood pondering the situation, she found herself nearly toppling over as the brunette threw herself at the Slayer, enveloping her in a tight hug, arms slung around her neck.

Buffy stood bemused for a moment, arms hanging uselessly at her sides as her body absorbed the feeling of being so close to the other girl. As she'd grown accustom to over the course of the last day or so, her body was in a battle with her head, as her logic told her to back off from the woman, who may look just like 'her' Faith, but who -for now anyway- wasn't. However, she found herself unable to stop as her arms wrapped themselves around Faith's waist. Buffy's eyes drifted closed as she let herself soak up the feeling, the warmth coming from her body and the smell of unfamiliar perfume, her chin resting lightly on the other girls shoulder.

She wasn't entirely sure how long they'd stood like that, but eventually the other brunette pulled away, eyes tipping downwards to fix on the pavement for a moment, before she glanced back up with a warm, slightly shy smile.

"Uh, there must be something I can do for you," she remarked. "Can I get you a drink or..?" She let the question tail off, hanging in the air between them.

Buffy wanted nothing more than to say yes, to go back inside and to spend some time just enjoying the feel of being around the other girl, just pretending. This time however, she caught herself before her impulses won out.

"I really can't I'm sorry, I have to get home."

The disappointment was plain on the face of the other brunette, and Buffy couldn't help but feel guilty for the reaction, reprimanding herself silently for being so weak as to buy into the lie.

"Actually," she began, a thought striking her suddenly, "this might seem really strange to you, but I was wondering if this meant anything to you." She cast her mind back to the conversation with Angel, recalling the lines of poetry.

"Buffy no," she heard, Angel's voice coming firmly over the connection, intuitively following her train of thought. Naturally, she ignored him and went ahead with her question.

"In secret we met— in silence I grieve; that thy heart could forget, thy spirit deceive."

Topher sat bolt upright in his chair, squinting at the sudden spike that had appeared on the screen. He glanced out of his office, his fears confirmed when he saw Adelle making her way along the walkway to the lift. Scrambling out of the seat so fast he almost ended up on the floor, he rushed out of his workspace, catching up to Adelle who turned to meet him as he held himself up on the railing, breathing heavily.

"You've got to see this."

The Brit raised a sculpted eyebrow and followed him back into the room, taking position beside him as he leaned in towards a monitor bearing a small picture of Echo in the top left corner,.

"What am I looking at exactly?"

"There," he gestured emphatically, stabbing at one of the charts, "her neurotransmitter levels just started doing the tango."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that something is wrong, very wrong. If I had to guess, I'd say she'd been triggered, but since you're here, I'm here and Boyd couldn't do it without clearance..." he trailed off, the implications clear.

"Someone else is responsible," she finished, a tiny smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Get Mr Langton on the phone."

Her reaction was instantaneous. Faith's arms dropped to her side, her eyes staring straight ahead emptily and for those few seconds it seemed that even the noise of the city stopped, as Buffy took in the circumstance curiously. As quickly as the stillness had come about, it was replaced by an entirely different reaction. Faith took a step back, raising her fists instinctively, her eyes darting around to take in her setting.

"Ummm..." Buffy began, still unsure of what had happened, but quite certain it wasn't anything good.

"Buffy, what happened?" Angel's voice asked frantically.

"No idea."

Faith's confused scowl quickly morphed to angry as she surveyed the woman before her.

"The fuck are you doing here?" she asked, pausing for a moment and glancing around again. "The fuck am I doing here?"

Buffy's mouth went dry and her heart struck up a heavy rhythm again as she realized what was happening, unable to do anything but stare at the other Slayer helplessly.

Faith's anger seemed to subside a little, and she dropped her fists, taking a moment to look over her own appearance.

"Huh, well I'mout on assignment...and unless you- Wait, there's no way they let you have me."

"No," Buffy managed to choke out, finally finding her voice.

Well not this time.

Faith raised an eyebrow challengingly, crossing her arms defensively across her chest. "So?"

"I um..." Realizing she really had no good explanation, or at least not one that would meet with Faith's approval, she chewed her lip nervously, not keen on repeating their confrontation at the Dollhouse.

Faith rolled her shoulder, frowning at the unexplained pain and looking down to notice the purple bruise marring her skin.

"Were we..did you hit me?" she asked, her voice full of accusation. "God B," she continued, advancing on the still quiet Slayer, "talk about taking advantage."

"What?" Buffy finally managed, startled out of her silence by the allegation. "of course I didn't hit you" she answered, hurt evident in her voice, "I came out and found you trying to fight off three guys, they gave you the bruise."

Faith's expression softened a little, although she was clearly still uncertain. "Doesn't explain what you're doin' here."

Buffy let out a sigh of defeat. "I was following you."

"Uh huh...an' why is that? I think I made things pretty clear last time we talked."

"Yep," she conceded "you did. Absolutely crystal. But..." she trailed off, unsure of how to continue without revealing too much to the other Slayer. She looked down, unable to meet Faith's eye, and spoke under her breath. "I just couldn't leave...I couldn't leave you."

Chancing a glance back up, she saw Faith regarding her with a far softer expression, a little sadness in her eyes.

"B, I get that you're all about the good things, but-"

"It's not like that. I-"

"Echo!" Boyd's voice came drifting down the alley, abruptly ending the conversation. "Faith!"

"Think that's your cue to get outta here."

Buffy gave a small defeated nod, taking a last look into Faith's eyes, not seeing the hardness that had been so prominent, before sprinting away and vaulting gracefully over the wire fence, disappearing from view as Boyd rounded the corner.

"So you're saying she just...flipped?"

"Yes, Angel, how many times?" She was being unfairly short, she knew it, but in truth all she wanted to do was go back to the hotel, take a hot shower and collapse into the bed to be alone with her jumbled thoughts.

"But-"

"A trigger," Cordelia announced, breezing into the office. "Well, that's as much as the science department came up with."

"Trigger?"

"Apparently. Ever heard of a," she checked the notepad in her hand before continuing, "trauma trigger?"

Buffy gave her a blank look, shrugging her shoulders.

"Didn't think so. Well, people who've suffered certain trauma can develop this thing, this trigger. It's like," she waved her hands a little, searching for the correct words, "well its a thing" she concluded. "A certain whateverthat triggers specific memories or feelings in the affected person. So they reckon that the Dollhouse have worked something similar into what they do somehow, and can trigger an entirely different personality within the 'active'" she finished, complete with air quotes.

"Makes sense" Buffy agreed. "Well, not so much sense, but it explains it," she corrected.

Cordelia nodded and Buffy noticed her take in her appearance, frowning, before turning to Angel.

"Y'know Angel, we can probably finish up for the day soon," Cordelia said pointedly, raising an eyebrow in a look that Buffy supposed was mean to be subtle.

"Mhm" he mumbled, before obviously catching the meaning. "Oh! Yeah, er, Buffy why don't you go back to the hotel, get some sleep?"

Buffy fought down a smile, instead opting to give Cordelia a grateful nod. She stopped to give Angel a quick hug before beginning her trip back and wondering just what else was going to happen before the end.

"So" Adelle began, pouring a drink before making her way to the waiting Slayer, "what exactly happened today?"

"Beats me," Faith shrugged, "kinda hoping you could tell me. Last thing I remember I'm sat in the chair, next thing I'm freezin' my ass off out back of some shitty bar in a dress that I wouldn't be caught dead in."

Adelle couldn't help the smile that played at her lips- there was a certain something about the girl she had liked from the first time they had met.

"I had Topher implement a trigger in your imprint this evening. We had reason to believe the client who hired you wasn't everything she appeared to be."

"Trigger? What's that like a...personality switch?"

"For want of a better phrase, yes. Precisely."

"Huh."

"What we don't know however, is how the switch took place. Perhaps you can shed some light on that, hmm?"

Adelle watched something play out behind Faith's eyes, and could safely assume what her answer was going to be, quite regardless of what had actually happened.

"'Fraid I can't help you there, I'm as clueless as you."

"Indeed." Adelle paused for a moment, before standing and gesturing to Boyd, who stood waiting by the door. "Well in that case you may go. Topher will be waiting for you."

"Great" Faith remarked, her voice hollow in a way that did not at all put Adelle at ease.

"One more thing," the Brit asked, causing Faith to turn at the door to face her, "did you by chance see Buffy Summers tonight?"

Faith's face stayed tellingly blank as she met Adelle's eye. The Slayer didn't know what instinct it was that forced her answer; she shook her head, "no."

******

Chapter Eight

Buffy slumped back against the door as it slammed shut, sliding down to sit on the floor, head rested on her bent knees. The events of the day had left her feeling completely drained, desiring nothing more than to curl up and forget it all, at least for a night. She'd hoped that maybe things with Faith would be easier second time around; then again, she hadn't exactly been prepared for tonight's...encounter. She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as she once again felt the hopelessness of the situation wash over her and wondered, not for the first time, why she was staying. Giving her head a shake and heaving herself up, she made her way to the spacious bathroom, shedding her clothing as she went and twisting the dials on the shower. For a moment she gazed into the tired eyes staring back at her from the rapidly fogging mirror, before stepping under the steaming spray and letting the water rush over her. She tilted her head back, running her hands over her face as if to wash away the remnants of the day that still clung to her skin, and saw the image of Faith as though it were etched on her eyelids. Had anyone told her a month ago the position she would be in today, she was quite certain she would have had them committed -after she'd laughed- and yet here she was, showering in an LA hotel trying to rid herself of the remains of yet another useless encounter with the other Slayer. Not only had she performed a spectacular 180 over the past two days, she was working her ass off to do what? To 'help' a girl- no, woman- who clearly didn't want it? To 'rescue' someone from something she'd entered by choice? And all because of the feeling. That one she couldn't shake that wouldn't let her leave it be, that couldn't let her leave the other woman to be used so thoughtlessly, whether by choice or otherwise. She leant the palms of her hands against the cold tile of the shower wall and watched for a moment as the water swirled away to nothing, before washing quickly and wrapping a towel snugly around her body. Glancing at the phone lying discarded on the floor as she entered the bedroom, she contemplated calling Willow, before the need for sleep won out and she climbed under the bed covers, leaving the wet towel crumpled on the carpet. The large bed felt empty around her as she turned over and tried not to feel quite so lost amongst the sheets as her tiredness claimed her.

Buffy rolled over, letting out a low moan and blinking the sleep from her eyes. As the haze cleared, she sat bolt upright in the bed, gaze darting frantically around the room and taking in the achingly familiar setting. Pushing the covers down slowly, she timidly swung her legs over the edge, as if the scene may dissolve around her should she move too suddenly; the room was just as it had always been, and the memories made her heart twinge as she absorbed the reminders of a life long buried. A sound from downstairs broke her from her musings, and her heart began to hammer as she made her way out of her room and along a familiar hallway, yet more recollections assaulting her senses. She descended the stairs, her body tingling familiarly, a new wave of confusion washing over her as she rounded the corner and saw Faith leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed across her chest and a bottle of beer in one hand.

Buffy frowned. "What are you doing here?" she asked, immediately hating the accusatory tone her voice had taken on.

Faith looked around, her forehead crinkling slightly as if she wasn't quite sure herself. She shrugged, taking a sip from the bottle before meeting the other girl's eyes.

"Waiting for you I guess" she finally answered, giving a small mirthless laugh. "The hell else do I ever do, one way or the other?"

Buffy tilted her head in confusion, taking in Faith's appearance as she considered her words and tried in vain to remember the last time she'd dreamt quite so vividly. Faith was the closest to 'herself' that the other slayer had seen since travel to LA- clad in dark leather pants, heavy boots and a white tank, her eyes rimmed with the familiar dark liner. The sight was yet another memory to add to those already consuming her, and despite some things she would rather forget, there was no denying that she was enjoying this nostalgia.

"So B," the other girl began, causing Buffy to jump in surprise, "home sweet home, huh? Just like I remember it...course it's been a while."

The Chosen One's eyes found the floor as she remembered all too clearly the last time Faith had been in the house.

"Guess this place is long gone now though," she continued, almost to herself, and Buffy caught the sadness in the other Slayer's voice. "I'm sorry y'know."

"Sorry?"

"'Bout this place....'bout your Mom..."

Buffy nodded, not trusting herself to speak through the tears that had sprung up at Faith's words. She heard the other girl sigh deeply, and lifted her gaze to watch her pushing off the counter and wondering casually to the back door, smoothly sliding it open.

Faith gave a last glance over her shoulder, not quite meeting Buffy's look before disappearing into the darkness outside.

Chewing on her lip, Buffy turned and took in the sight of the house again. Part of her wanted nothing more than to linger in the illusion, to just remember...She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath; this wasn't her life any more, there were no answers to be found here. She turned, walking towards the door against the near-physical tug she could feel trying to hold her, and followed the other girl. She braced herself for the breeze to hit her, prepared to feel slightly cold wood beneath her bare feet, and was met instead by something else. Frowning, she rubbed her eyes and blinked to clear the mist obscuring her vision, immediately recognizing the new setting.

The Bronze was warm and dimly lit, the notes of some soft rock tune floating around, and felt every bit as though this were any other night. Faith was perched on the edge of one of the pool tables, absently bouncing a ball of the side cushion, watching Buffy watch her.

"Jus' like old times," she commented, halting the motion of the ball and depositing into one of the pocket as she raised her eyebrows and looked around. "Even you," she added,nodding in Buffy's direction.

The Slayer caught herself in a mirror across the room, only now noticing the change in her appearance- her shorts and tank top replaced by a pair of dark pants and a white blouse, even her hair back to it's old blonde.

"What's going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine blondie," the dark slayer answered with a shrug, sliding from her seat and advancing on the other girl. She tilted her head to the side, regarding Buffy with a small smile. "I kinda liked your hair," she remarked, grinning.

Buffy felt a small blush creep onto her cheeks at the complement, and contemplated that surely only Faith could embarrass her in a dream. She watched the other girl turn away and stroll to the middle of the dance floor, hands sliding inside the pockets of her leathers as she surveyed their surroundings further.

The setting wasn't lost on Buffy, and she had no doubt that Faith's mind had travelled to the same place as hers; to a time, a night, when things were so much simpler in the heat of the music and of each other.

"Another lifetime, huh?"

Buffy nodded, knowing fine that the other Slayer couldn't see her, and approached the girl slowly, all the while letting memories swirl around her. She was inches away from the brunette and raised her hand to rest on the other girls shoulder, causing her to jump with surprise, startled out of her thoughts. Faith turned, standing so close that Buffy could feel her warm breath against her cheek, could smell the faint mixture of spearmint and cigarettes that hung there, and the blonde felt herself give an involuntary shiver. She watched the brunette as she caught her full bottom lip between perfect teeth in thought, her body tense as they drew slowly closer to each other, eyes locking across the shrinking space between them, neither daring to breathe for fear the moment would shatter. Buffy stood up on tiptoes, their lips separated only by a millimetre of air, her eyelids beginning to slide shut in anticipation. At the final moment, she felt rather than saw Faith take a step away, and opened her eyes to see the brunette breathing heavily, eyes tightly shut.

"Faith" she began, desperate to put her at ease.

"God, B, this..." Her eyes opened, and Buffy could see the confusion and uncertainty swimming there, wrapped around the ever-present fear that lingered in their depths.

"What?" the blond asked softly, taking a step towards her.

Faith frowned, as if trying to find the right words, before shaking her head and turning away, disappearing through a door to their side. Buffy gave a sigh of frustration and hurried after her, not entirely surprised when she didn't arrive where expected.

The library bustled with the activity of many familiar faces, all of them oblivious to the presence of the two new Slayers. Giles emerged from his office, eyes fixed on the large volume resting in his hands while across the room Willow was similarly engrossed in a book, gaze scanning the pages rapidly. Xander attempted to follow suit, glancing up every few seconds to allow his eyes to dart between the half-empty box of doughnuts, and the two slayers sparring in the centre of the room. Buffy watched the rather surreal scene playing out before her, scrutinizing each move herself and Faith made against each other, their blows coming gradually harder and faster. 'Her' Faith stood a few feet away, leaning back against the counter top eyes fixed, like Buffy's, on the battling slayers. The Chosen One smiled to herself as she watched Faith's legs being swept from under her, watched her quickly flip back to her feet and deliver a surprising punch that sent dream-Buffy stumbling backwards a couple of steps, enough of a distraction to allow her opponent to grip her arm, spinning her around and pinning her up against the metal of the cage behind her. Buffy smiled, watching with a new perspective her dream-self stand pinned to the cage by Faith's body. She could see the brunette's chest heave as her breaths came heavier, couldn't miss the way she pushed up harder against her, and knew exactly how her own breath would be coming in short gasps, her pulse racing in a way that had little to do with the fight, before her head won out and she snapped out of it. She looked on as, on cue, the blonde snapped her head backwards, causing Faith to stumble away and she noticed, from this perspective, the look of disappointment that flashed across the brunette's features as she readied herself to continue. The two resumed their fast-paced exchange of blows, both of their faces the perfect mask of concentration, no hint of whatever had passed between them.

Buffy turned to Faith, who still stood regarding the girls, wearing a kind of bitter-sweet smile that Buffy couldn't remember ever seeing on her before.

"Faith."

Faith jumped a little, as if having forgotten she wasn't alone, and turned her head towards Buffy, hopping up to sit on the counter behind her as she did. The blond took a deep breath, considering her words carefully as she moved to sit beside the other girl, swinging one leg offhandedly as she thought.

"I never..." she broke off, entirely unsure how best to word her feelings. "I guess I didn't..." she sighed, but knew that the meaning of the vague few words wasn't lost on the other girl.

Faith said nothing, raising a sceptical eyebrow.

The blond fidgeted, eyes drawn towards the floor as she thought back. "Ok, but...ugh you were so confusing," she whined, looking up again. "And you never just said something."

Faith chuckled to herself, before turning back to the blond and shaking her head. "Like it woulda made any difference B. You were too wrapped up in all your shit with Angel."

"I.."

Faith held up a hand to stop her. "An' you tellin' me that if I'd told you how I felt you wouldn'ta run a mile?" she asked, her expression cynical.

Buffy opened her mouth to protest, taking a moment to think on the question before closing it again, giving a small nod of defeat. Faith was right, of course, on every count; and Buffy hated it.

Both girls returned to silence, eyes once again drifting to the room's other occupants.

"Lotta people I woulda liked to make shit up with."

Buffy heart jerked a little at the words, at the regret she heard threaded in them, and at the look she caught briefly on the brunette's face as she glimpsed her from the corner of her eye.

Faith hopped down from her seat, sliding her hands once again into her back pockets and making Buffy wonder briefly how there was any room to do so in the seemingly painted-on leather. She surveyed the room with a frown for a moment, before throwing Buffy a beckoning smile and disappearing through the door to Giles' office.

Buffy groaned in frustration, wondering if there was any chance of actually finishing an entire conversation with the other girl, of perhaps absolving them of some of the tension between them. Slipping down from her seat, she too made for the office door, the familiar room on the other side somewhat indistinct, and stepped into what she was sure would be yet another mystery.

As the new haze cleared and Buffy found her bearings once more, her stomach lurched, recognizing a place she was happy to have seen nothing of for several years. It was exactly as it had been on her last visit- the broken window on the far side the only remaining evidence of the fight that had once taken place, a breeze whistling through it to whip Buffy's hair lightly around her face. Possessions were packed into cardboard boxes, no visible sign of life, not even of its past inhabitant that she had so willingly followed here. She manoeuvred around stacks of boxes, treading carefully as if one wrong step would smash the tenuous lull of the room, following the tingle at the base of her spine that was leading her to the other girl. Ducking the jagged edges of the window, Buffy slipped through the space finding, as she knew she would, the darker Slayer settled on the ledge, her feet dangling over the precipice.

Sunnydale stretched out beneath them, and Buffy couldn't help but draw in a breath as she looked out upon the town, sighing in reminiscence as she took a seat beside the other girl.

"Weird, right?"

"Definitely not of the normal," Buffy conceded, "not that normal features much in our lives."

"True that." Faith paused, feeling around the inside pockets of the leather jacket Buffy had only now managed to notice had appeared on her, and producing a pack of cigarettes.

Buffy rolled her eyes, but nodded to Faith's sidelong questioning glance, and watched as the other smiling girl lit the cigarette dangling from between her lips, taking a long draw and breathing out a plume of smoke, which curled between them and dispersed into the night.

The pair sat in oddly comfortable silence for several minutes, Faith pensively working her way through the cigarette, while Buffy stared out at the home she'd been forced to destroy.

"I coulda helped y'know," Faith said finally, breaking the quiet, and Buffy couldn't ignore the twinge of sadness in the dark slayers voice.

Buffy frowned, looking up at the other girl, who's eyes refused to meet hers.

"The First, all that. I coulda helped."

"I know," she sighed finally, "and I thought about it, believe me...but things were, it would have just made things more difficult. I can't tell you what it was all like."

Faith turned at the words, giving Buffy an incredulous look. "Sure, an' I can't tell you what it was like locked up in a fuckin' cell night after night, doin' nothin' but feel what was out there. Christ B, sure I got no idea what it was like here, but it nearly killed me."

Buffy's stomach lurched with guilt, and her eyes widened as much at the revelation itself as at the ease with they were speaking- communication, after all, had never been their forte.

"I never..." she trailed off, not entire sure how to rectify the mistake.

"Whatever, no big," Faith shrugged, walls back in place as she flicked her cigarette butt away and watched it fall slowly to the ground. "Woulda been nice to stop by a last time though," she paused, turning to Buffy and offering a trademark grin, putting her at ease, "y'know, when I wasn't so insane."

Buffy too smiled, catching the brunette's eye and blushing a little as she did so, cursing her vulnerability to the charm of a single smile.

Silence fell over the pair once again, and Buffy's thoughts wondered back once more to the most pressing matter.

"Faith," the blond began, carefully trying to choose her words. Before she could finish, the darker slayer heaved a sigh, turning to her, eyes clouded by something Buffy couldn't put a name to.

"What?" Buffy asked defensively, "I didn't even say anything yet!"

Faith's smile didn't quite reach her eyes as she surveyed the blond knowingly. "Like I don't already know what it's gonna be," she told her with a wink.

Buffy gaped, frowning.

"What? Not my problem you're wicked obvious," the Boston girl teased.

The chosen one raised an eyebrow, a silent challenge to the other girl, who sighed again and returned her gaze to the vista. "You're gonna ask why I'm stayin' in the 'house," she stated in monotone.

Buffy nodded, fidgeting with a stray thread at the hem of her shirt."It's just so..."

"I know," Faith agreed, cutting her off, "but y'know, the shit I do...it makes people happy, helps some of em. I know it's not exactly slaying, but I figure...if I can't slay then maybe this starts to balance the scales."

"You could dot things outside of there too you know", Buffy muttered.

Faith gave a rueful laugh. "Fuck knows how many years I woulda had left inside, I wasn't goin' anywhere on my terms any time soon," a pause, "...and it's not like any of you woulda had me back anyway."

"Faith we-"

"No, I don't blame ya."

"I'm so sorry," the blonde mumbled, causing the other slayer's head to whip around to face her, her expression serious, uncharacteristically pleading, taking Buffy by surprise.

"Please B, don't apologize to me."

"I-"

"There's nothing I can ever do to make shit right with us again, not after everythin'...and that's my fault, don't ever want you to think you owe me anythin'."

"Faith..."

"What?"

"Shut up."

Faith frowned at the blond for a moment, before grinning and holding her hands up in submission.

"Thank you. I know that what you did was," Buffy paused, looking for the best way to word her thoughts.

"Fucked up?"

The blond nodded, continuing. "And I thought I'd never forgive you, that it was never going to be ok again. But...things change." A pause. "Sometimes quickly," she added, contemplating the past days, "and I realized that I can't just blame you. I'm not lessening what you did, I'm not saying it wasn't wrong, but maybe...definitely...I didn't do everything I could have done." She sighed, coming to realizations even as she spoke. "Things with you were...they were messy, and complicated and scary, and I pulled away." She took a deep breath, approaching the end of the speech she never thought she'd hear herself give. "Whether you accept it or not -and I'd kind of like it if you did- I'm sorry for that."

Faith nodded, and let her eyes meet the blondes, lingering there for a moment.

"But none of that changes the fact that you shouldn't be in that place, God Faith, you belong in my world, in our world," she took a breath, starting again before the other girl could interrupt. "You could leave y'know, we could get you out and you could come back with-"

"I can't."

Buffy looked at her incredulously.

"Only reason I'm there an' not still banged up is 'cause of the Council. You think if I jus' walked out they'd let it go? Wouldn't be able to do fuck all on the outside if I had to constantly hide from them...'sides, I don't do hiding."

Buffy groaned in frustration, pressing the heels of her hands onto her eyes.

"It ain't forever B," Faith continued, shrugging slightly. "'Sides, it has it perks."

Buffy's gaze shot upwards, finding a knowing smirk on the face of the brunette, a playful twinkle in her eye.

"You...I mean I..." Buffy stuttered, a blush creeping back onto her cheeks. "What?" she asked finally, aiming for clueless.

"Well see I got me this wicked strange memory, kinda came to me the first day I saw ya in the 'house. It's all kinda fuzzy, but, eh...there anythin' you wanna tell me?" she asked, clearly revelling in the blondes discomfort and embarrassment.

"You are such an ass," Buffy reprimanded, scowling.

"Uh huh...and if I'm rememberin' right, you finally pulled the stick outta yours long enough to have some fun, huh?" Faith asking jokingly, winking at the other girl.

"I was uh..." Buffy tailed off, clearing her throat and realizing there really was nothing she could say to get her out of the situation, instead taking a breath and throwing herself in to the deep end. "I guess you're right," she replied finally, raising an eyebrow challengingly, "it was fun."

Surprise flashed across Faith's face, before morphing into a huge grin, the glimmer in her eye growing. "Hey B?"

"What?"

"Trust me?" Faith asked, holding out a hand to the other girl.

Buffy thought for a moment, eyebrows knitting. "Maybe," she replied finally, reaching out and linking her fingers with the brunette's, her skin warm even in their dream-space.

Faith gave one last dimpled grin, before pushing off the ledge with her feet, pulling the other Slayer along with her, feeling Buffy's grip on her hand tighten suddenly as they fell, the look on the blondes face almost comical in its surprise.

Their descent slowed, and the world beneath them began to shimmer away, nothing more than floating particles around their bodies, beginning to reform. Buffy squinted, trying to make out whatever was becoming around them and finding no answers, eyes falling upon her hand, fingers still intertwined with the other girl's. Her gaze lifted, finding Faith's stare fixed on her, intent, her brow slightly furrowed, and for a long moment there was nothing but the two of them, the remnants of their surrounds swirling around haphazardly, almost dizzying. Buffy felt her grip on the other girl loosening, Faith's hand being pulled from hers, and looked to her eyes to see sadness in their depths, a look on her face that screamed of goodbye as her hand was finally pulled away, leaving the blonde falling slowly on her own, her feet finally finding solid ground.

Her surroundings faded slowly into view, and at once Buffy was filled with an overwhelming panic. She stood in the centre of the Dollhouse, the peaceful Zen garden doing nothing to calm her increasing worry as she glanced around for some sign of Faith. The faint tingling still at the base of her spine told her the girl was nearby, though something about it felt wrong. She made her way to the bottom of the stairs, stopping as her eye caught something beside her and turning to investigate. She stopped abruptly as she rounded the corner into the medical area, the sight almost making her turn away. The crimson smears stood in stark contrast to the clean white sheets of the bed, drawing a grisly trail across the flooring to pool around the body lying prone beside the desk, a startled expression still etched on the face of the Doctor. Buffy took a step back, having to remind herself that she was merely dreaming, and made her way back to the staircase, proceeding cautiously. Every step upwards revealed a little more of the massacre on the platform above, and a few feet along lay another body, another pool of blood under and around a woman she recognized as an active.

As she made her way closer to the elevator, stepping around another half dozen lifeless bodies, her sense of foreboding increasing with every step she took. She stabbed at the button, listening to the smooth whir of the descending elevator, taking another deep breath as the doors slid smoothly open to reveal Boyd, half-sitting with his back to the wall, bloody streaking down the wall behind his head, eyes wide. She steeled herself, her mind repeating its mantra that this was nothing more than a dream while her body remained tense, unnerved. As the lift began its ascension, Buffy found her eyes drifting back to the man on the floor beside her; the blood that streaked from behind his head, seeping too through the white cotton of his shirt, which hung partly shredded over his torso. Which monster was responsible for the massacre, she couldn't say...and yet the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach sent her messages she didn't want to hear as the doors of the lift slid apart and she made to cross the threshold of DeWitt's office, the door of which swung inwards at her fingers. Buffy felt as though her veins were filled with ice as she took in the scene before her; smeared in blood, Faith stood stark in the middle of the office, a twisted grimace marring her face. In front of her, Adelle stood, shaking slightly, one of Faith's hands tightly gripping her throat while the other pressed a bloodied knife against her skin. The three stood in perfect stillness and silence, Buffy's eyes fixed on Adelle's terrified gaze, not daring to glance at the third presence in the room. Finally, she mustered the effort to slide her eyes upwards to focus on Faith's face, the look from the other girls eyes sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. The rogue Slayer's eyes were dark with nothing and everything, all at once, and as Buffy tensed her body to move, a twisted smile appeared on the other Slayer's mouth. As the knife began its rapid journey across the older woman's throat, Buffy gave a stunned gasp, her hand flying to her mouth as the world around her began to dissolve.

Across the city, in the small chamber, Faith woke with a gasp.

Chapter Nine

Her feet relentlessly traipsed the carpet of Angel's office as Buffy paced anxiously in front of the window, her worried mind oblivious to the city view.

She'd called the Wolfram & Hart office the second she'd woken, continuing her conversation with an increasingly concerned Angel even as she had hastily dressed and rushed to jump into the nearest cab. Angel had, not unexpectedly, been surprised by Buffy's demeanour- after all she was no stranger to the odd happenings of a Slayer dream. Of course, when she had explained to him that it was far less the dream than the feeling that was lingering with her, he had hardly been comforted, rather his surprised had turned to outright unease.

"Ok" Cordelia sighed, and Buffy took a moment to appreciate the fact that she had dragged herself from her 'beauty sleep' to help, a fact of which she'd been certain to remind those present...several times. "So you were both there?"

Buffy heaved an exasperated sigh. "Yes, God, we were both there until Faith disappeared, and that's when I ended up in the Dollhouse."

"And Faith was Faith, not...whoever?"

"She was herself." She paused, mind rolling back to the hollow eyes and sadistic smile that had faced her before she woke. "But at the end, it was...she looked so..." she broke off, not finding the words to describe what had been in Faith's gaze.

Angel's hand came to rest on her shoulder, and she turned to his worried gaze, allowing herself to be wrapped in strong arms, her head resting against his chest.

"I don't know what to do, Angel," she muttered, allowing herself -just for a moment- to be something less than in control, the leader.

"We'll figure it out."

Once upon a time, he would have been all she needed to comfort her, to make her feel like all would be well with the world again.

But that was then.

Now however, the strong embrace did little to calm her racing heart or the torrent of emotions flooding her mind as the sun rose over LA behind them. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so entirely powerless.

Pulling back, she looked the vampire in the eye.

"I have to go back in."

"Buffy-"

"Angel don't, please," her gaze fell to the ground and her throat constricted as her mind ran over the possibilities. "She's not safe there."

"If anyone wants my opinion," Cordelia interjected, walking over to join them by the window and turning to face Buffy. "You're insane."

"I-"

The brunette held up a hand, silencing the Slayer, who continued to frown irritably at the other girl. "You're insane, but I think you're right."

Buffy's mouth closed, her vehement rebuttal silenced.

"But you can't walk in blindly, look at what happened last time."

The Slayer conceded with a small nod, although crossing her arms in defense of her previous failed infiltration.

"So, firstly, did anything else happen in the dream? Anything important? Anything meaningful..?"

A pause.

"Anything PG?" Cordelia smirked.

Buffy blushed furiously, glaring at Cordelia as best she could while Angel cleared his throat loudly beside her.

"I'm pretty sure I told you everything. Stop with the grin."

Still smirking, Cordelia dropped into the desk chair, pulling a file from the drawer beside her.

"Well, we managed to pull up a rough schematic of the building," she explained, pushing the file across the desktop to the waiting Slayer. "There's really no guarantee that everything's still the same, the whole organization does everything through back channels, but it wouldn't be unfair to say that it's tough to hide things from us."

Buffy nodded, her brow furrowed slightly as she analysed the blueprint, memorizing every line and detail.

"Ok so-"

The shrill ring of the phone on the desk cut across Cordelia's voice.

"Wolfram and Hart, Cordelia Chase speaking."

The Slayer watched as the brunettes expression went from mildly irritated, to puzzled and finally settled on a worried frown, eyes darting up to meet Buffy's across the desk.

"Well do you- Yes, she's right here, do you want to- No, ok, I'll tell her."

She replaced the receiver, eyes lingering on the desktop for a moment before rising slowly to meet those of the vampire and Slayer gazing expectantly at her from across the room.

"That was Adelle DeWitt. Something's happened."

Previously

Adelle DeWitt held her arms folded across her chest as the elevator descended from her office, slowing to a halt at the end of the long balcony. She continued along to Topher's 'office', finding him lounged on the sofa, the half-eaten remains of dinner on the plate beside him.

"Topher."

A quite snore answered her.

"Topher!"

The technician jumped, sitting bolt upright and looking around frantically.

"Neugh!"

"Charming."

"I uh...late night," he ventured with a small laugh.

"Indeed. I need you to prepare Echo, she has an engagement early today."

Topher blinked a few times, glancing around the room as if looking for something, before bouncing to his feet and rushing to his computer.

"I..I don't think Echo's fit to be out on active duty today."

"Meaning?"

"Her readings from last night...they were all over the place."

The woman gave a frown of concern, surveying the screen at which Topher pointed.

"Bring her up, give her a full scan and see how things stand now."

Topher nodded, reaching over to his phone and pressing one of the buttons.

"Can someone bring Echo to the imprint room?"

Moments later Boyd appeared in the doorway, an innocently blank Faith by his side.

"Echo," the prim woman smiled, "would you like a treatment?"

"Yes please."

Adelle gestured towards the chair in the centre of the room, watching as the girl obediently sat, leaning back. It was hard, even for her, to believe that this girl was the same person as the headstrong, attitude-laden girl she had spoken to the previous day.

Faith's face twisted a little as the chair began its usual illumination around her head, Topher typing a series of commands into the computer, eyes scanning the screen.

"All clear," he announced finally.

"Very well, go ahead with the imprint."

Adelle looked on as Topher recommenced his work, retrieving the imprint and inserting it into the large chair in which Faith still reclined, her face the picture of serenity and innocence as she waited, smiling briefly at Boyd who stood in vigil beside her.

Once again, the smile faded as the chair hummed mechanically beneath her, blue lights around her head and for a moment the room's other three occupants looked on, entirely different expressions worn by each of them until, when the buzz didn't cease, the lights didn't fade, their faces took on a similar expression of confusion and Faith's eyes drifted shut.

"Uhmm..." Topher mused, spinning back to the computer and hurriedly typing. "I...I can't...it's not stopping..."

"What?" Adelle hurried over, peering over his shoulder and scanning the screen.

"It...something's hijacked the system, the chair's feeding directly into the computer, it's downloading everything from her file. Possibly more."

"Topher," Adelle demanded, "you assured us after Alpha that you had-"

"Stop arguing and do something, for God sake," Boyd insisted from behind them.

They turned to him, and each mirrored his concern, his alarm, as they watched Faith convulse violently in the seat.

"Can you cut the power?"

"I could but...there's no telling what the damage would be."

"I see no other option, do you? I will not have my security staff eliminate another one of our actives."

The technician nodded, hammering in a few commands before reaching behind the large set-up beside him and yanking on a thick cable.

He and Adelle turned simultaneously to the chair expectantly, seeing no change for a moment, before the lights around the brunette's head dimmed, the buzz of machinery quietening.

The three onlookers each relaxed visibly, breathing small sighs of relief.

Without warning, red light burst to life around Faith's head, a demonic halo of illumination as her eyes flew open, staring blankly ahead as the noise of the chair rose to a deafening hum.

The lights above them began to flicker as the process, whatever it was, continued.

"It's draining power from the building!"

"What?"

"How?" both Adelle and Boyd demanded.

"The whole things hard-wired into the mainframe of the building, there's literally nothing I can do."

"Good God," the Brit breathed, gaze fixed on Faith's form.

The room fell silent, save the incessant drone of the machine,and as suddenly as it had began, the activity ceased, and Faith's body stilled, her eyes drifting shut again.

Topher moved to step forward, impeded by the arm Adelle flung out in front of him.

"Echo?" she ventured, receiving silence in reply. She paused, eye narrowing suspiciously. "Faith?"

At that, the brunette's eyes were once again flung open, and fixed themselves on Adelle as she slowly sat up.

Silently, the Slayer came to stand before the small group, and each flinched slightly at what they felt radiating from her as she took a single step towards them.

She surveyed the three for a moment before, in one swift, flawless movement, she turned and raced from the room, vaulting over the railing of the balcony.

Boyd rushed out in pursuit, leaning over the rail to watch Faith's form retreating through a doorway.

"I'll call for the security to lockdown the building."

"Wait!"

He turned back to Adelle with a puzzled expression, waiting nevertheless.

"Our security staff are entirely unequipped to deal with this...problem. Locking down the building will most likely escalate the situation."

"Well-"

"I suggest you get Buffy Summers on the phone."

At breakneck speed Cordelia swerved into the underground parking lot, bringing the Mercedes to a screeching halt outside the doors of the elevator.

"God...."

"Hey, you, me, and the very expensive car, are all in one piece. Now got out, hurry up."

Throwing open the door, Buffy hurried out of the car, leaning back briefly.

"Thank you."

"Any time. Get in there, and let us know what you need us to do."

The Slayer nodded, swinging the door to a close and turning to the people standing behind her.

"Boyd," she greeted, reaching to shake his out-stretched hand, not at all comforted by his expression.

"Miss Summers."

"Buffy, please. Good to see you."

"Buffy," he nodded, with a smile that she noted didn't reach his eyes, "great to see you as well. I just wish it were under more pleasant circumstances."

"And what are the circumstances? Aparently DeWitt wasn't very forthcoming with Cordelia but I'm guessing since you've called me in, its Faith...or some really heavy lifting."

"I..."

A figure to his left let out a small cough, and Boyd gave them a sidelong glance before turning back to Buffy.

"I'm not authorized to tell you anything, I'm sorry."

Buffy sighed, nodding. "Then lets go and see someone who is."

The man gestured to the elevator door, allowing Buffy to walk in first. They walked the increasingly- familiar hallways for a way, eventually coming out into the main building, and images of her dream flashed before Buffy's eyes as she stopped to look around. It was too much of a coincidence that this was all happening only a day after her dream.

Something was very wrong, she could feel it.

"Buffy?"

Her attention focused back onto Boyd, who stood at the foot of the stairs, and she gave him a tight smile before following him to Adelle's office, where the woman stood staring out of the wide window, turning to greet the incomers.

"Miss Summers. We appreciate you making yourself available to us."

"What is going on?"

"There's been an 'incident', with Echo. Faith."

"I figured."

Adelle pursed her lips, walking around to the front of her desk and leaning back against it. "During this morning's imprint there was a technical hitch."

Buffy raised an eyebrow expectantly as the woman continued.

"Faith has been subjected to what is known as a composite event."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that she has accessed multiple imprints at once."

"How? And what does it actually mean? You're really not giving me much here."

Adelle conceded with a nod, continuing her explanation.

"The exact details of how the event occurred remain somewhat of a mystery, although we have our best minds working just now in an attempt to discover the source. As for the consequences, I'm afraid they're rather dire, and rather beyond the control of this agency given the...unique situation."

"Because she's a Slayer?"

"Precisely. When an individual composites-"

"This has happened before?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"And you didn't think to make damn sure it wouldn't happen again?" the Slayer demanded, taking a step towards Adelle who remained unflinching.

"I assure you, this incident was entirely unforeseeable."

Buffy balled her fists involuntarily in frustration, taking a deep breath and addressing what was, to her at least, the most important matter at hand.

"Where is she? I want to see her."

"She's not here."

"She's what?"

"Miss Summer's, the damage Faith could have caused to both herself and our staff had we tried to restrain her is quite substantial."

"Damage?"

"After an individual composites, the psychological strain of having such an amalgam of person's in one's mind is rather intense."

"What happened last time?" Buffy ventured, her voice shaking slightly, not entirely sure she wanted to know.

"The situations are rather different, there's nothing to indicate that-"

"What happened?" she repeated more firmly.

For a moment, Adelle's eyes bore into her own, as if determining whether or not to divulge the information.

"Alpha eliminated a number of our actives, staff and security before fleeing the building. After he had left, our security team were entirely unable to ascertain his location and...terminate him. He disappeared."

Buffy swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, and could feel her heart racing as the weight of the situation settled on her.

"Does she even know what's happening?"

"It's impossible to say," Adelle replied, somewhat more softly than usual as she poured herself a drink.

"And do you have any idea where she is?"

"As a matter of fact yes. After the incident with Alpha we began to routinely implant each of our actives with a gps tracking strip. Providing that she isn't aware of this, and hasn't attempted to interfere with it, we can track her perfectly. We have someone monitoring her location as we speak."

"Where is she?"

"Could you fetch Mr Ballard?"

With a nod, Boyd exited, descending in the elevator.

"Can you...can you fix it?"

"Topher assures me that he can perform a successful wipe. Unfortunately, as yet he's been unable to trace the source of the fault which caused the problem."

As if on cue, a bedraggled looking Topher burst through the doors of the office inciting a glare from Adelle.

"I...I traced the problem that-" he broke off his explanation as he noticed Buffy, who had gotten to her feet and was looking on in interest. "Uh, hi."

"So this is your fault?" she asked, not making much of an attempt to minimize the accusation in her tone.

"No!" he exclaimed, the enquiry setting him back onto his original topic. "It isn't."

"Well?"

Turning back to Adelle he continued. "It's sounds crazy, but...the computer did it itself."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Crazy huh?" he asked with a small laugh. "There was no hack on the system- which honestly, I wasn't expecting, have you seen my firewalls?"

"Topher."

"Whatever happened originated from inside the network."

"Have you repaired the fault?"

"That's the thing, there isn't one. Not one that I can find- which I'd say means that there really isn't one."

Buffy frowned in confusion, eyes flicking between an equally confused-looking Adelle and the frazzled technician.

"So," the elder woman began, "what you are telling me, is that what happened this morning happened without either apparent cause or explanation."

Topher opened his mouth to answer, before sighing and nodding as the office door swung open once more, and Boyd returned, followed by a tall, broad-shouldered man whom Buffy could only describe as Riley-ish.

"Ah, Agent Ballard. Miss Summer's, this is Paul Ballard, one of our newer employees."

"Nice to meet you," he greeted the Slayer, holding out a hand.

"Likewise."

"Agent Ballard has been in the process of replacing Mr Langton as Echo's handler."

At that, Buffy's attention swung rapidly back to Adelle, frowning at the other woman and receiving a questioning raised eyebrow in reply before the Brit readdressed Paul.

"Do we have a secure fix on Echo's location?"

Paul nodded, eyes flickering between Adelle and Buffy before handing over a small flat-panel screen. "She's about two miles east of here, hasn't moved for a good half hour."

"Hmm."

Adelle turned her attention away from the small screen and back to the impatiently waiting Slayer.

"I believe the best course of action would be for you and Agent Ballard to locate Faith, and attempt to bring her in safely."

"Attempt?"

"Miss Summers, don't under-estimate the severity of the situation."

"Oh I don't, but there's no way I'm coming back here without her."

For a moment, Buffy was sure she saw the older woman's business veneer slip for a moment as she gave the Slayer a small smile and a nod, before retrieving a file from the desk drawer.

"This is Faith's file to date," she explained holding it forward. "It may be of some use."

Paul moved, reaching out for it, and found it retracted sharply from his grasp, held out once again as Buffy stepped forward and took it, directing a glare at the agent.

"Do you really think it's wise?" he asked, directed at Adelle. "Sending out a..."

A glance at Buffy.

"Well I'm not really sure who you are, but Echo is my priority, my responsibility."

The Slayer felt herself seethe, and even now it surprised her just how angry that simple statement -someone daring to stake any kind of a 'claim' to Faith, who wasn't her- had made her.

Her fist clenched tightly around the file she held as she straighten up, fixing Paul with a stare that would have made any sensible person back away.

If there was anyone in the room who could make that claim, he was the last in line as far as she was concerned.

"Not yet she's not."

Buffy glanced to Boyd, who had until then remained quiet, and thanked him silently, before turning back to Adelle, catching her unmistakable fleeting smirk of amusement.

"Hi, I'm Buffy, and I'm still here," she fired at Paul, eyes boring into him. "I don't know who you think you are 'agent' but I assure you, I'm more than capable of dealing with Faith. Without any help from you.".

She paused for a moment, before turning her attention back to the other woman. "I don't need supervision, or backup."

"Oh I am under no impression that you do Miss Summers, quite the contrary. However, if Agent Ballard is to replace Boyd as Echo's handler, I'm quite certain the experience would be beneficial."

"Yeah well as far as-"

Boyd interjected, stepping forward, "would it not perhaps be more suitable for me to go with Buffy? I have little doubt in Agent Ballard's ability-"

Makes one of us, Buffy mused.

"The Dollhouse requires your presence, Mr Langton."

For a moment, Buffy thought he may press the matter, before he nodded and quietened, removing himself from the conversation.

"We're wasting time." Buffy stated simply, turning to Topher. "Be ready, we wont be long."

He nodded silently, glancing at Adelle before hurrying from the room.

"Let's go," she shot at Paul, before briskly leaving the room.

"Agent Ballard, a moment?" Adelle called out.

Buffy sighed and continued on her way as Paul hung back.

"What is it?"

"I cannot guarantee to what extent Miss Summer's will be willing to go to resolve this problem. I do however, assume that you will take the appropriate action where necessary," she explained, brow raised meaningfully.

He nodded silently, following in the footsteps of the Slayer.

As the door closed behind them, Boyd watched their progress through the building on the large screen on the wall, frowning thoughtfully to himself.

"Do you think they'll be ok?"

"I think that Agent Ballard might learn very rapidly that he must follow rather than lead in order for her to refrain from killing him."

"And Echo?"

Adelle sighed, the weight of the day settling on her enough for a small crack to show. "I think that Buffy Summers is the best hope we could have."

"Turn right."

"You can't even see the-"

"Turn right."

Paul Ballard glanced at the screen on the dashboard and swung the car to the right at the final moment.

"How did you-?"

"I don't need gps to find her."

For a moment, the car was silent, before Paul spoke up.

"I appreciate you coming along to help, but I'm pretty sure I can handle things with Echo on my own."

"Oh you really can't."

"I'm a trained federal agent."

Buffy turned to the man behind the wheel as they sped along the road away from the city, fixing him with a piercing stare. "You may as well be a trained circus monkey. She's a Slayer, do you have any kind of concept of what that means?"

For a moment he was silent, turning left out of the traffic and onto a quieter stretch. "She's stronger than the average woman."

Resisting the urge to hit her head on the dashboard, Buffy clenched and unclenched her fists, taking a deep breath.

"It means a lot more than that. It means that you are not equipped to deal with her."

Paul opened his mouth to retort, Buffy raising her volume just a little over him.

"Which means, that when we get to her, you'll be sitting in the car while I talk to her."

"I already told you, she's my responsibility, it's up to me to take her back and sort this out. And honestly, things are going to be a lot more difficult than necessary if I have to look out for you as well."

Taking another left, they continued up a long slow incline, coming to a halt in a small parking lot, a path leading away from them and up into a wooded area.

Buffy was out of the car in a heartbeat, closely followed by the ever-persistent Ballard, who tucked his gun into the back of his pants and made for the path up the hill, halted by a very firm grip on his arm.

"Agent Ballard," Buffy addressed him in a tone that made him take notice, "you may think I'm just a girl, you might even think Faith is, but I highly recommend that you don't under-estimate either of us. I am not going to waste any more time arguing with you, but you are going to follow my lead, at all times. Shelve whatever hero-complex you have going on and do as I tell you."

She could see the conflict of emotions in his eyes; the sudden awareness of the power emanating from the woman, the gall at being asked to follow her.

Buffy felt more than saw when he relented, and he followed her silently as they made their way up the incline, her senses on high-alert.

Without warning, the shallow hum of the Slayer connection exploded throughout Buffy's body, and she stumbled a little up the slope, leaning against a tree for support.

What had happened exactly, she couldn't say, but the relentless waves of emotion that were crashing through her, twisting her stomach, stabbing at her mind and bringing her almost to tears were not her own.

"What's wrong?"

"I...woah. That's...God she's really...woah."

She blinked a few times, and slowly the cacophony of emotion dulled to shallow empathy as if absorbed by her own body.

"I'm fine."

Straightening up, she steeled herself and continued upwards, able to make out the gap in the trees ahead.

"Wait here."

"I-"

"Wait. Here."

Grudgingly, he nodded, taking up position nearby. "If there's any sign of disturbance-"

Despite the situation, Buffy laughed.

"I can almost guarantee there will be disturbance. Stay put unless I give you any signal."

"Such as?"

"Screaming. Yelling."

Leaving him to ponder her comment, she continued on a little way to the gap in the trees, emerging into a small clearing where a few wooden picnic benches sat, thankfully empty, the sun beating down on them. Railings lined an area of the perimeter, where the ground gave way to a steep drop, and standing by them, looking out on the city below, was Faith, hands tucked into the back pockets of her jeans, her open jacket fluttering slightly in the low breeze.

"We knew you'd show up."

"I do that, it's a bad habit."

Faith turned, and Buffy's stomach knotted at the sight of blood on her hands.

"Don't sweat it sunshine, it's ours."

"Faith..?"

"No, she's-" she blinked, as if stunned for a moment, "Buffy I- Quiet, talking."

Buffy watched the exchange in a mix of confusion and fear, realizing for the first time that day that she was somewhat out of her usual area of expertise.

In fact, her area of expertise had left the country.

And so she asked the only thing she could think to ask, given the situation.

"Are you alright?"

Faith laughed, a low throaty chuckle both so familiar and entirely alien that far from being comforting or relaxing, sent a chill up Buffy's spine.

"Peachy."

The brunette advanced on the other girl slowly, and despite Buffy's slayer instincts screaming at her to back off, she stood her ground, even as Faith drew level with her; close enough that the other Slayer could feel the heat coming from her, could smell the faint aroma of new leather.

She watched the subtle change in Faith's expression as the brunette's eyes swept appreciatively over her form, sending another, different chill along the Slayer's spine.

"What's up sweetheart, you seem a little- little miss tightly wound wantin' to get her- you know, it's not polite to- hey, busy here!"

Faith shook her head gently, attention focused back on the other Slayer, "so, now that it's just you and me up here," she cooed, voice sugary-sweet and playful. She drew level with Buffy again, reaching out and casually hooking her fingers through Buffy's belt-loops, tugging her towards her.

"Faith," Buffy breathed out, barely able to form the word as her pulse hammered, hands resting on Faith's hips as she tried to pull away.

She could have sworn she was trying to.

But she didn't seem to be moving.

"Faith, we have to-"

"Faith Faith Faith, God can't you just-," the brunette pulled away and shook her head, more violently this time, heels of her hands digging into her temples as she backed away from the other girl, dangerously close to the steep precipice.

"Faith," she tried again, reaching out in concern to steady the girl, who shrugged violently away from her touch.

"No! You don't- y'know Buffy, we just don't get you," she finished in a strong Texan drawl with a sudden clarity that Buffy found just a little unnerving as she watched the girl straighten up, sweeping her tussled hair from her face with one hand and regarding the Slayer, head tilted to the side slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Well, lookie at this princess; there's oh, about 30 of us up in here right now, and not a single one can figure you out. Not even she gets you."

"What-"

"How many years did you not visit prison? How long did you not think about her?"

The other girl looked down, the words hitting harder than she cared to admit. "I-"

"How long have you not cared? How long have you hated her?"

"I never hated her," she muttered, eyes clenched shut, not wanting to show the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Still doesn't explain what you're doing here Buff, and we're jus' dying to know," she drawled.

"I..I care," she sighed out simply, the only explanation she could give.

"Oh you care? Well that's a new and exciting development, yippee for us, we must be lucky."

"Let me talk to Faith."

"What's up sweetness, we hitting a little to close to home? She knows you don't give a damn about-" she cut off once again, and a new wave of emotion swept over Buffy as she noticed tears begin to slide down the other girl's cheeks, bringing back the tears to her own eyes.

She'd never seen her cry.

"God, why are you doing it to her?" Faith sobbed.

"I don't-"

"You know what she-" the sobbing broke off as abruptly as it had begun, the back of Faith's hand sweeping over her cheeks forcefully. "Gonna shut the hell up with- Was some night we had, huh?"

Buffy's gaze, which had once again met the ground, flicked up to Faith's eyes.

"Hope?" she ventured, as the other girl rolled her neck once, shaking her head.

"So what was that- Y'know sweetness I'm right here if you want me."

Stalking close again, eyebrow raising suggestively, voice saccharine, entirely wrong for the body.

"I-"

"Nuh uh, no matter who we are- Doesn't matter- You know how much she hurts for you? 'Cause of you?"

"Please, you have to let me talk to her, you have to let me fix this."

"And why would she wanna- Maybe ain't such a bad idea- Hey now some of us don't want- Listen to me. Now some of us may be whiny little bitches who'd be happy to let you drag us on back their, but honestly, some of us kind of like this set-up. In case you hadn't noticed, we've got a damn nice body." She gave a little twirl to accentuate the words.

"And Faith?"

"Well from what we see, all she's ever found out in the big bad world was hurt, and funny but most of that came from the girl that's standing right in front of us; guess it make sense that she's not putting up too much of a fight."

The words seemed to snap something inside of the Slayer, and Buffy straightened, wiping away the stray tears that had escaped, eyes seeking out those of the other girl and boring into her.

"You may think that you know it all. But you don't."

"Gee I think- Still wantin' to scratch that itch? I told you- Guess there's no harm, as good as a whore now anyway."

Buffy's fist swung out so fast she doubted the other girl would have had time to stop it even if she had been herself, and she stumbled back a few steps, holding her cheek.

"Whatever she's done, I'll beat you unconscious before I listen to you talk like that."

Faith smiled an empty smile, before returning the swing with as much force, the too-late block saving Buffy from only some of the impact as she took a few steps back, steadying herself on the tree she had narrowly avoided and straightening up as the other girl stepped towards her.

"I know you might let me do, take, whatever I want," she continued, stepping up to close the gap between them, "but you don't get it. I don't want any of you," she paused, swallowed hard, inches between them, "I want her."

The reply that Buffy expected didn't come, and for a few moments the air hung heavy with the words she'd spoken, neither one moving, neither speaking.

Hands grabbed her roughly, shoving her forcefully against the tree-trunk behind her, holding her there. Faith reached one hand behind her back, yanking the hidden blade from the waistband of her pants, pressing it to the Chosen One's neck as the Slayer's gazed intently at each other, each one searching for something in the other's eyes.

And she saw it.

As if a light had been sparked behind the gaze of the other Slayer, who frowned in concentration, the grip on Buffy's shirt loosening, the knife lowering.

"B."

Buffy watched the tension in Faith's shoulders relax a little, and as they dropped slightly, she caught sight of the figure standing not far behind, gun raised.

"God-" she breathed out, reflex taking over as she spun them both around, reversing their positions. She barely heard the shot that pierced the air, the blood pounding in her ears was so intense, but felt the fire scorch through her body as she looked down to watch the crimson stain her shirt, eyes seeking out Faith's, seeing them worried before dropping to her knees as the dark set in.

Chapter Ten

The Slayer blinked, her surroundings slowly coming into view as her vision unfogged and she tried to ascertain exactly where she was.

Her mind was cloudy as she thought back, trying to claw her way to the details of whatever had happened to have put her here.

A figure. A shot. Blood. Her blood.

Past that everything was black.

Now however, she lay covered in clean white sheets and blankets, surrounded by a screen adorned in some of the most colourfully painted, childlike pictures of suns, trees and flowers she'd ever seen.

Hospital?

"Ah, I see you're awake," Adelle announced as she appeared through a small gap in the screen, settling into the chair beside the bed.

"What happened?" Buffy sat up sharply, immediately regretting the action as a stabbing pain shot through her back and stomach and she winced. "Where's Faith? Is she ok? The last thing I remember..."

"I suggest you lie back down, Slayer or not you have just suffered a gunshot wound."

"Faith. Where is she?"

"She's perfectly alright. She arrived in my office some time after you left, covered in blood and carrying you. It was quite the scene."

"She did what?"

"Whatever transpired while you were with her, she arrived back here entirely of her own accord. She was, for all intents and purposes, the very same Faith I had spoken to the previous day and allowed Topher to wipe the composite without any complication."

Buffy relaxed back onto the bed, relieved, before another thought occurred to her.

"What the hell was Paul doing while this was happening? You'd think he would have hung around, after he shot me."

Buffy watched a small smile form on the other woman's lips.

"Mr Ballard was unconscious in the back seat his car. Knocked out, I believe, with the butt of his own gun. Needless to say his pride is the only thing seriously wounded."

The Slayer gave a snort of laughter, wincing again as the action jarred her wound, lying back as the pain subsided.

"Where did they come from?" she wondered aloud, gesturing to the pictures around her.

"Tokens of affection, I believe," Adelle replied, small smile still in place.

"Huh?"

"From Echo," she divulged, standing from her chair. "When you feel well enough, there are some rather important matters to be discussed, if you would be willing to join me in my office. For now however, I believe there's someone quite intent on seeing you. I'll send them through."

Buffy nodded absently, eyes still regarding the paintings lining the makeshift walls.

"Uh..."

Tearing her attention away from the paintings, Buffy turned to the gap in the screen, through which a familiar brunette head was poking, eyes focusing on everything but the Slayer in the bed.

"Hey," Buffy greeted softly, smiling.

Returning a grin, Faith emerged through the small space, hands tucked into the back pockets of her pants. "Hey. They uh, they let me come see you."

"That was nice of them."

The other Slayer scoffed at the obvious sarcasm, flopping down into the nearby chair.

"Dawn stop by or somethin'?" she joked, gesturing with an upwards nod to the paintings.

Buffy couldn't help the smile. "Faith, Dawn's 19."

"Right so uh..." she broke off, a look of realization dawning on her face and causing Buffy's grin to widen. "Oh you're shittin' me?!"

"Faith, they're cute."

Buffy watched in amusement as a slight blush crept into Faith's cheeks, the girl staring around her in wide-eyed horror.

"You're blushing."
Faith's gaze shot back to the other girl, fixing her with a scowl, the seriousness of it someone depreciated by the situation.

"I'm not cute."

"No," Buffy agreed, attempting a serious face through her amusement, "you're not."

A pause.

"But Echo is," she grinned.

The scowl faltered, and Faith gave a low chuckle, relaxing again. "A'ight, guess I can deal," she laughed. "How you feelin'?"
"Like I got shot," the other girl joked.

Faith's laughter stopped, her smile dying, and a dark frown settled over her features.

"That was fuckin' stupid B."

"Hey, last time someone got shot in the back for me I said thank you."

"I'm serious," Faith retorted, voice raised slightly. "You coulda died."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Buffy shrugged, "and don't yell."

Her fellow Slayer let out an exasperated sigh, slumping back in the chair, and running her fingers through her hair.

"Faith," Buffy began, the humour gone from her tone, "it was my choice, and I wouldn't change it."

"Yeah, well it was still stupid" she huffed, arms crossed across her chest.

The fell silent for a moment, and Buffy took the time to sit up more fully, twisting round awkwardly in an attempt to check her wound. She pulled up the top she was wearing slightly, eyeing the large bandage that wrapped around her middle.

"You ok?" Faith asked from beside her, on her feet and reaching to Buffy's back, checking the wound before Buffy could cover it back over.

"I'm fine, just trying to check the damage."

Faith reached out, holding Buffy's top away from the area and gently lifting the bandage, neither mentioning the small spark that sent a shiver through each of them where her hands touched skin.

"Looks like the doc patched you up pretty good, don't go pokin' around."

Buffy raised an incredulous eyebrow to the other Slayer. "You're the one doing the poking," she retorted, not considering the words until they had escaped her lips.

"You betcha," Faith winked, settling back into the chair by her side.

A moment later, a small knock sounded on the screen, followed by Boyd's smiling face peering around.

"Buffy, how are you?"

"Peachy," she grinned, "what's up?"

"Adelle's wondering if you're well enough to come up to her office, she seems...very eager, to talk."

"Uhm," Buffy mused, assessing how hard it would be to walk.

"No way, you can't get outta bed, you jus' got fuckin' shot."

"Faith, I'm fine.

"Christ you're still god-damn stubborn."

The male watched the exchange with a smile, both frowning Slayers turning to him the sound of his quiet chuckle.

"You can stay here if-"

"No, don't listen to her."

She paused, looking down at herself.

"Any chance of some clothes though? I'm so not wearing this," she gestured to her pyjama-like attire, "to go up there."

Boyd disappeared for a moment, before appearing back through the gap, a small bundle in his hands.

"They managed to get most of the blood out of your jeans- the top was a goner though, there's a new one."

"Another casualty of slayage," she shrugged, taking the bundle gratefully with a warm smile. "Thanks, we'll be up soon."

Boyd's figure retreated from the small 'room', his footsteps fading into the distance, and Buffy gingerly sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and easing into a standing position, attempting to hide the wince of pain every time she moved.

"How long have I been here?"

"Been out for like a day, far as I know."

"Crap, Angel, I was meant to report in with them."

"Uh, I think DeWitt called."

"Oh I bet that was nice for all involved."

Faith chuckled, standing from her seat and pushing it out of the way.

"You, uh, need a hand or somethin'?"

Buffy smiled at the gesture, but wasn't entirely sure she was up to having the other Slayer watch her dress, not so early in their...whatever this thing was turning out to be.

"I'm ok."

Faith nodded, stepping backwards out of the gap in the screen, lingering in wait for the other Slayer.

Slowly, painfully, Buffy managed to change into her jeans, grimacing with every movement.

She may be a Slayer, but she was still only human.

"You ok in there?"

"Yep, I'll just be a, shit-"

"B?"

"Fine, I'm fine."

Twisting to glance at her back, she noticed small splotches of blood showing on the previously clean bandage, and silent berated herself, taking more caution as she changed into the clean shirt and emerged from the enclosure, taking in the rest of the medial room, so unlike any hospital or doctor's surgery she'd been in.

Less ick. No apparent demons. Seems ok.

"You good?"

"Great," Buffy forced out, teeth gritted in pain.

"You're a shitty liar."

"The sooner we get there, the sooner I can sit down. Come on."

The Slayer-active led the way, slowing her pace unasked as they ascended the stairs, much to Buffy's appreciation.

The elevator was waiting for them as they came to the end of the balcony, and the Slayers stood side by side as they travelled the short distance to Adelle's office.

As they drew to a halt, Faith turned slightly, giving the other Slayer a small grin.

"Hey B?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks," she winked, gesturing towards the open door for Buffy to exit first.

Three heads turned to greet the Slayer's as they entered the office, Faith with her usual strong, casual swagger staying just a few steps behind the injured Slayer, who could feel the formers eyes on her the entire time.

"Miss Summers, Faith," Adelle greeted, motioning to the couches to her left.

Buffy gratefully took a seat, eyes closing in relief for a moment as she relaxed back, Faith taking up position next to her.

Paul stood off to one side, arms crossed across his chest. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got shot," Buffy retorted, "in the back."

She heard Faith snicker quietly beside her, and turned to frown at the other Slayer, her stern expression cracking a little at the smirk Faith was directing at Paul.

"Well that was an accident," he explained, his tone almost condescending.

Faith leant in a little closer to the Chosen One, lips close to her and causing an involuntary shiver as hot breath tickled over her ear.

"Want me to punch him? I really kinda want to."

Buffy bit back a smile, saying nothing.

"If we might," Adelle interjected, "there's a number of matters I'd like us to discus," she continued, taking a seat on the arm of the chair opposite them, Boyd standing attentively nearby.

The Slayers nodded, each leaning back into the couch, attention on the older woman.

"Well, first and foremost I believe there's one matter we would all like to clear up."

A pause as she took a sip from the drink in her hand, before turning calmly to Paul.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?"

He gaped for a moment, before settling into a frown. "I- me? She had her up against a tree!"
"Indeed?"

Adelle raised her eyebrows, small smirk in place as she glanced at the two Slayers, sending a furious blush to Buffy's cheeks.

"With a knife!" he explained. "I was saving her life, and following your orders. Take the necessary action, that's what you told me."

The ex-FBI agent fell silent under the withering glare of the woman.

"Mr Ballard, you may go."

Paul cast his eyes around the group, his anger apparent.

"Fine," he seethed, turning and making for the door.

The lift opened to reveal a flustered Topher, who side-stepped Paul as he passed him, watching the agent over his shoulder as he left the office.

"Someone's an unhappy little man."

Adelle looked at him in a silent question, prompting Topher to hand over the few papers he held, standing a little nervously nearby, essentially due to the slayer-sized scowl Buffy was directing his way.

"Do explain," Adelle prompted, lifting her eyes from the paper.

"Yeah, how's shit lookin'?" Faith added, somewhat less eloquently.

"There's definitely no lasting damage from the composite...which did I mention wasn't my fault?"

"Topher," DeWitt remarked sharply.

"Right. But looking closer, it like there might be some...latent traces, that are eluding the wipe. And not necessarily from the composite, just...traces."

Buffy sat forward a little, ignoring the shooting pain at her movement. "Traces? Traces of what? Bad traces?"

"Echo," he nodded slightly towards Faith, acknowledging the distinction, "has been displaying certain characteristics in her doll state that you'd usually associate with a full persona."

"Who's?" Faith asked, finally speaking up.

"Uhh, yours," Topher replied with a small, nervy laugh.

"That bad?"

"I...it's kinda unavoidable," he elaborated, looking just a little awkward under the scrutiny of two Slayers and DeWitt. "My tech is...well it's the best, there's no-one I know who can carry out a cleaner wipe. But we're never wiped a Slayer before, your brain has...just little," he held up his thumb and forefinger in demonstration, "differences. I don't think a really 'clean' slate is actually possible with a Slayer. Certain things are just too," he shrugged, thinking of a word, "instinctual."

"For example?" Adelle enquired, echoing the thoughts of the room's other occupants.

"Uhm...fighting instinct, your muscle memory, I mean I'm pretty sure we could put 'Echo' in a room with a," he paused, "vampire?"

A nod from Faith, nervous laugh from Topher again as he continued.

"Even in doll state my money's on you."

He fell silent for a moment, allowing the room to absorb the information.

"Oh," he continued, smiling, "and the kitchen's never had to restock so much since you came back in."

Buffy gave a snort of laughter, closely mimicking the guffawing Slayer beside her.

"Wait," Buffy interrupted, eyes narrowing in concentration as a thought occurred to her, "that day in the alley when-"

She broke off, mouth snapping closed as she caught Adelle's raised brow and realized her mistake, reforming her question.

"Could, hypothetically, there be a situation, where the 'instinct' doesn't kick in?"

"Uh..." Topher frowned as if puzzled. "A full imprint could delay the reaction a bit. Y'know it would be kind of covered up, take a bit more time to come out...but it would."

A pause.

"I'm pretty sure it would."

"Huh," Faith intoned from her spot on the couch. "Hey Toph, y'think that could make me remember stuff?"

"Like?"

"I dunno," she shrugged innocently, "from engagements? Or whatever."

"Uh, yeah I guess it's possible. The parts of your brain that help you retain your 'slayer stuff' could theoretically help you retain other things."

Faith smiled to herself, falling silent.

"But the thing is," Topher began again, "I only started getting any of this a few days ago, when your readings went all whoooh."

"What so, it's new?" Faith enquired with a small frown of concentration.

"Not exactly. I think it's been there the whole time, it's just been...quiet. No trigger, nothing's made it show up."

"So what's triggered it?" Buffy queried, feeling she already knew the answer.

"I, I think you," he concluded with another nervous little chuckle. "The chemicals in the part of Faith's neural pathway that-" he stopped, regarding the looks of the two confused Slayers and the exasperated DeWitt. "Lots of readings are way off lots of different charts," he simplified, "last night, for example, was insane."

Buffy's posture tensed at his words, and she felt the other girl on the couch go silently rigid beside her.
"Last night?" Buffy asked, voice shaking slightly.

Her mind began to speed through the information. If there had been something different going on with Faith last night, that meant that Buffy was quite probably not the only one present in her, distinctly confusing, dream.

And if that was the case, it meant that the things they'd spoken about, the things Faith had said to her...well she'd not really had time to fully consider the possibility that she was actually sharing the conversation with the other girl, the implications of it.

But, judging by the reaction of the Slayer beside her, who still sat stiffly, eyes focused on the increasingly anxious-looking technician across the room, she wasn't wrong.

"I believe this information brings us to my next matter," Adelle spoke up, interrupting Buffy's thoughts for the moment.

"Miss Summers," she addressed the Slayer in a business tone, "if you are both amenable to the request, I would like you to consider becoming Faith's handler."

Two, equally shocked, faces met her words, neither saying a word as Adelle sipped her drink, waiting.

"I...I..." Buffy spluttered, vocalizing the only thing she could think to say. "What about Ballard?"

The elder woman raised an eyebrow to the question. "Oh I don't believe he has a say in this matter. While he was quite insistent that he was capable of the job, his actions of late have served only to highlight that he is complete unsuited to the situation. Mr Ballard will be assigned to another active, one more suited to his abilities," she concluded, taking another sip of the drink she held.

"Why would you want me to do it?" Buffy asked finally. "We both know that the reason I came here was to get Faith out, what makes you think I wont try again?"

"Because, Miss Summer's, I believe both Faith and myself have made it quite clear that not only is this the place in which Faith can accomplish the most good, given the circumstances, but also that any attempt to forcefully remove her from our employ would result in most serious repercussions from both this company, and from your Watcher's Council."

Buffy sighed in defeat, giving a nod of understanding, Faith remaining silent beside her.

"Quite aside from that," Adelle continued, "I believe that the events of the past two days, along with the information we have been newly provided with, serves to further highlight an issue of which we were already aware- that the consequences of a Slayer in such a line of work can be entirely unpredictable, and quite out with the area of expertise of the vast majority of our current employees. In addition if I'm not mistaken, word of Faith's activities has begun to spread amongst a number of," she paused, emphasising her point, "undesirable individuals, both human and non, it would be rather unthinkable to attempt to place her welfare in the hands of one so unequipped to deal with any situations which may arise."

"Yo, gonna let me get a word in here?" Faith cut in, ending her silence.

"Of course," the Brit conceded with a nod.

"Y'think me and B could talk this out?"

"Certainly," Adelle replied, placing her empty glass on the small table and gesturing to Boyd and Topher, each of whom were looking on in equal interest. "We'll be in the imprint room, feel free to find us when you've reached your decisions."

The trio made their way to the lift, Boyd placing a hand on Buffy's shoulder as he left, Topher giving a small wave before hurrying after them.

Finally alone, the Slayer's each relaxed back into the comfort of the couch, silent for a moment as they pondered the situation.

Buffy was completely derailed by Adelle's request. Of all the things she thought would come up at their meeting, this was about the furthest from her mind.

She couldn't do it, of course, there was everything in Scotland for a start...

You know they don't really need you there, her annoying inner voice piped up, you've been bored out of your mind, doing nothing.

And there was the...wrongness of it all, the whole reason she'd chosen to stay in the first place, trying to find a way to get Faith out...

"Gonna let me on that thought train?"

Faith's voice interrupted her musings, and the Chosen One turned to the other girl, who stared back questioningly.

"I was just...it's so..."

"Yeah. Look B, don't sit there gettin' all uptight about it, ok? I know you got other shit you gotta be doin', it's cool."

"It's not that...I mean, it's kind of that, but...they don't really need me there. If it was just that, I'd be way better off staying here. It's just...it's the whole thing, it still seems wrong."

"Thought we covered this already, y'know I can't do shit if I'm back in jail or tryna hide. I'm stayin' here."

"I know."

And she did.

Despite that annoying, niggling feeling that kept telling her how wrong the situation was, she knew that nothing was going to change it. Faith had made up her mind, was doing what she felt she could to make amends with the world, at least some of it, and really, who was Buffy to criticize that?

"How long?"

"Huh?"

"How long?" Buffy repeated, "until you leave?"

"5 year contract, done 6 months." Faith's gaze bore into her, her frown deepening. "You're not...?"

Buffy shrugged, not quite believing herself the path her thoughts were taking, voicing them to the other Slayer, who had gotten to her feet and was pacing nearby, eyes intermittently finding the drinks cabinet.

"DeWitt's right, the whole thing is so unpredictable, dangerous. Besides," she smiled, "there's no one who can handle you like I can."

"Is that a fact?" Faith smirked, stopping her pacing to quirk an eyebrow at the other girl.

The simple remark brought another set of thoughts and questions crashing down on the already overloaded mind of the Chosen One, who's smile faded a little, her forehead creasing.

"What?"

"Last night..." she ventured quietly.

"Trippy huh?" Faith sighed, dropping back down onto the couch beside the wounded Slayer.

"So...that was really you?"

"One and only," Faith shrugged.

Despite the nonchalance, Buffy couldn't help but notice the way the other girl wouldn't quite meet her eye.

"Faith..." she pressed gently. "Did you," she swallowed the nervous lump in her throat, "did you mean it? The things..?" she trailed off, uncharacteristically self-conscious, the silence of the Slayer next to her doing little to lessen her nerves.

She watched Faith close her eyes for a moment, tilting her head back before finally letting her gaze seek out Buffy's eyes.

"Yeah," she sighed, "guess I did."

Buffy felt a new flood of emotions at the simple words; relief, happiness, a little apprehension.

"Well what do we hmpht-" Buffy's words were cut short by Faith's lips on hers, moving softly against her.

The rush of questions that had been flooding her mind seemed to evaporate as she leant into the kiss, reaching up to snake her fingers into the other girls hair, pulling her closer.

She felt Faith smile against her, and leant back a little as the dark Slayer pushed forward, biting down gently on Buffy's lower lip.

The movement jarred the still-smarting wound on Buffy's back, her sharp intake of breath causing the other girl to pull away, frowning.

"What's up?" she enquired breathlessly.

"Moved too fast, I'm fine."

Pulling back, Faith ran a hand through her hair, slumping back into the seat once again.

"This is...so screwed."

Buffy felt her heart sink, her gaze falling to the floor as she braced herself for whatever was about to come.

Faith turned fully towards the other girl, one leg resting up on the couch, arm draped over the back. "Couple days ago I swear to God I was so fuckin' pissed at you for bein' here, an' now...I don' even know."

"I can leave," Buffy breathed out, eyes closed in an attempt to stop herself from cracking.

"That's what I'm talkin' about," she sighed, Buffy lifting her gaze back to the other girls confused face, "I don't want you to."

Their eyes locked, and Buffy could see her own feelings reflected in the other Slayer's eyes, could tell that her sentiment was true.

"So I'll stay, if you want me to," Buffy stated simply, expression serious.

"Not that simple, there's-"

"No, it's exactly that simple. I'm not needed back home, I am needed here- look at the past few days. And if word really has started to get around the demon population...well there's going to be a whole load of big bad's out to get you. More than usual, I mean."

"B, I-"

"My mind's made up," she stated firmly.

"So fuckin' stubborn," Faith teased, grinning. "You're really sure?" she asked with a frown after a moment of silence.

"I'm sure,but..." Buffy tailed off, unsure and perhaps a little embarrassed about voicing her feeling.

"What?"

"I just...5 years is a long time to...its a long time to not see 'you', especially with this whole," she gestured between the two of them in emphasis, not quite finding the word for what it was.

The Slayer opposite gave her a small, almost-sad nod.

"And...I guess it'll take me a while to get used to you," she waved her hand vaguely, "y'know...with other people."

"B,"Faith interjected, placing her fingers under the other Slayer chin and tilting her head up to face her, "they ain't me."

It occurred to Buffy that she'd had no idea that Faith could be so...gentle, caring, and if anything the action served on to make her feel worse. "But-"

"Been a whole lotta people- none of them are me."

Buffy chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully, still running over the muddle in her head, mind racing. Her thoughts were once again silenced by the feel of the other girl against her, full lips pressing gently against her own as if syphoning away all of her negative thoughts.

"We. Should. Talk-" she managed to force out between heated kisses, eventually trailing off and falling silent.

Buffy leant back, more slowly this time as Faith moved to lean over her, tongue pressing gently against Buffy's lips, a silent request which she was all too happy to grant, the concept of exactly what they should and shouldn't be doing in the office lost somewhere in the back of her mind.

"What's taking them so long?" Topher enquired spinning around in his chair

Adelle raised an eyebrow to the question from her position on the couch.

"You don't think they're-"

"Topher." she interjected, "you will halt that line of thought, and prepare your," she waved a hand in the direction of the computer, "things."

Looking just a little disappointed, Topher turned back to the computer.

Buffy moaned softly into the kiss as she lay back on the warm leather, the former-rogue now keeling above her; soft, gentle, yet burning her with hunger as Faith's tongue moved deliciously over her own.

The Chosen One pulled delicately at Faith's lip with her teeth before running the tip of her tongue along it, inciting a smile from the other Slayer who slid her knee between Buffy's thighs, pressing teasingly against her.

She felt Faith's hand sneak under the hem of her shirt, stroking the exposed skin and setting Buffy alight where their skin met, her leg moving gently between Buffy's own and eliciting another low moan from the girl.

Buffy arched a little, seeking out more pressure, another sharp intake of breath causing the Slayer above her to pull back once more.

"Again?" Buffy pleaded, staring down at her bandage angrily as Faith chuckled.

"You ok?"

"Aside from the obvious," she smiled sheepishly, "I'm fine."

"That you are," Faith winked, leaning down to press another kiss against the injured Slayer.

"I guess we better go down," Buffy sighed, blushing involuntarily as Faith grinned wolfishly at her. "Downstairs," she clarified hastily, though not denying how the alternate option, and the way Faith's eyes bore lustfully into her, were making her burn with desire.

Still grinning, Faith removed herself from above the other Slayer, holding out a hand as she stood by the couch, helping Buffy to her feet.

"You sure you're sure?"

Buffy nodded, reaching up and weaving her fingers into the other girl's dark hair, holding her gaze.

"I'm sure," she resolved, giving the other girl a gentle kiss, pouring into it as much of her feeling, her certainty, as she could.

Faith nodded, Buffy gesturing to the door.

"After you."

"Only so you can check out this fine ass," Faith teased.

Buffy grinned silently, following the Bostonian to the elevator...doing her best to keep her eyes at face-level.

The two Slayer's eventually entered the imprint area, Topher jumping from his seat to greet them, Adelle strolling purposefully into the room, nodding to the pair of them in greeting.

"Your decision?"

"I'll do it," Buffy answered simply.

"Excellent. Well, I believe it would be prudent to get things moving, hmm?" she asked, eyebrow quirked in question.

Buffy frowned, not entirely certain what she meant. "I guess?"

"Faith, if you would," Adelle gestured to the chair in the centre of the room.

Buffy's heart plummeted at the words, a look at Faith telling her that the other Slayer was thinking the same; apparently the situation hadn't properly occurred to either of them.

Then again, they'd been otherwise occupied.

Faith nodded, her eyes not reflecting the resolve that her poise suggested as she took another glance at Buffy before settling into the chair.

Buffy felt an involuntary tear sneak from her eyes as she watched while Topher flicking switches and typing commands.

"Wait!"

Three faces turned to her, each with the same look of interest.

"Miss Summers?"

"I-"

Faith quirked a sculpted eyebrow in question as Buffy turned more fully to Adelle, her voice stronger.

"You want me here, you need me here, so I want something in return."

"Go on."

"Five years is a long time to- To go without seeing her."

She glanced to Faith, catching the trace of a grin that the other Slayer gave her.

"I'm afraid that five years is the standard contract, and under the-"

"I want to be able to see her," Buffy cut in.

The room fell silent, waiting, Buffy's stare fixed on DeWitt, who finally raised an eyebrow indifferently.

"I see. Well, that shouldn't be a problem. One day a week, hmm?"

Buffy couldn't help but look slightly taken aback at how simple it had been to have her rather spontaneous request granted.

"Now, if that's everything, we should really be moving along with things."

"Sure," Buffy nodded, attention back on Faith, who gave her a wink as blue lights sparked to life around her head. She grimaced slightly as if in pain, and Buffy moved to step forward, worry etched on her face as Faith sat up, her face the picture of calm.

"Did I fall asleep?"

"For a little while," Topher replied from her side, smiling.

"Shall I go now?"

"Actually, no."

"Alright," she smiled happily.

"For you," Topher explained, handing Buffy a sheet of paper before returning to the chair, fiddling with a panel on the side, "your script."

"Script?"

"The handler imprint, very important stuff."

He looked up from the chair, expression a little flustered.

"Uh, can you just," he gave a small cough as he trailed off, waving a hand between the Slayers.

Adelle rolled her eyes from her place by the door, arms crossed. "Oh for Gods sake. Miss Summers, take Echo's hand, please."

Still not sure exactly what was happening, Buffy obeyed the odd request nonetheless, stepping forward and taking Faith's hand.

"Hello," Echo greeted her serenely.

Buffy smiled, glancing at the paper in her hand, scanning the words.

"Do you trust me?"

"With my life," Echo smiled.

Topher spun around from the computer, eyeing the two Slayers in surprise before his gaze flicked to Adelle.

"I haven't started yet."

The three women in the room gave three very different smiles at his words, all of them silent as Topher finished his tinkerings and gestured to Buffy to continue.

"Everything will be alright."

"Now that your here," Echo replied happily, and Buffy could help but feel her heart swell a little at the words, trying to separate the girl in the chair from the girl she'd just said goodbye to.

The room fell quiet once more, save for the dull hum of the chair as it inclined, Echo sitting up still wearing the same innocent look.

"Echo," Adelle spoke up, "would you like to go for a swim?"

"I like to swim, it helps me be my best."

"Why don't you go and do that," the Brit smiled.

Standing from the chair, Echo made for the door, turning around at the last minute.

"Your machine, it's broken."

Topher frowned at the words, clearly at a loss.

"Uhh huh, well I fixed the machine, it's fine now," he answered, smiling a slightly uneasy smile.

Buffy watched the exchange with interest, not liking what she heard, and resolved to have a firm and serious conversation with the technician.

As soon as the searing pain stopped.

"Miss Summers, I'm sure there are things requiring your attention. You're perfectly welcome to remain here until you are well enough to leave- I assure you our doctor will take excellent care of your injury."

"Thanks, but there's some people I really have to speak to, this whole thing, it's all gone...fast," she explained.

Talk about an understatement.

"Of course. I can have Mr Langton escort you to your hotel."

"That would be great."

The Brit dialled quickly on Topher's phone, Boyd appearing a moment after, walking alongside the Slayer through the long corridors and out into the parking lot, where he held open the door of the car for her, slipping into the driver's seat a second later.

"Same place?"

"Actually..."

She paused, uncertain of whether she should make the request, "the Wolfram and Hart building down town would be better."

She noticed his brow raise in casual interest, perhaps surprise.

"Sure."

As they pulled out into the afternoon sun, the Chosen One let down the window a little, the warm breeze filtering through and playing with her hair.

She watched the tips of buildings whip by on the skyline and considered the events of the day- what it all would mean.

There was so much to do, so many people to talk to...to explain things to, and still so many concerns and troubles in her mind.

And yet as she closed her eyes against the sun, let the rabble in her head clear a little, she was sure she'd made the right choice; for both of them.

Chapter Eleven - Epilogue

6 months on

Faith strolled casually along the wooden planks of the dock, wishing she'd opted for more sensible pants as the sun beat down on her leather-clad legs.

As she neared the end of the dock, still entirely clueless as to why she was here, her eyes fell on a large yacht, bobbing slightly in the water, a familiar blonde lounging on the flybridge, complete with red bikini and movie-star shades.

Faith reached up, tilting her own shades down slightly and peering over the top with raised eyebrows at the sunbathing girl, who beamed at the Slayer before bouncing to her feet and appearing at the base of the steps, holding out a hand.

"B," Faith grinned, stepping smoothly over the small gap and onto the deck, wrapping the blonde in a tight hug, before pulling back, raking her eyes appreciatively over the barely-clothed Buffy.

"Jesus, B how much do they-"
The searing kiss from the Chosen One cut her off, and Faith happily succumbed, her tongue moving sensually against the other girl's, evoking several catcalls and whistles from other boat-goers and passers-by.

When air became an issue they pulled back slightly, Buffy resting her head on the brunette's shoulder and placing a flutter of kisses against her neck.

"You were saying?"

Faith took a moment to remember, a quick scan of the lavish yacht refreshing her memory.

"Where the hell did ya get this from? They really payin' you that much?"

"Mmm," Buffy mumbled, placing a few more kisses on the brunette's warm skin before pulling away. "It's Adelle's, she owes me a favour."

"Didn't think DeWitt was one for doin' favours," Faith laughed, following the blonde and trying in vain to keep her eyes from wondering as she slid open the glass doors to the saloon.

"Faith, eyes," Buffy chastised with a smile as she glanced back over her shoulder, receiving a grin and shrug of mock-innocence in reply.

Eyes averted, Faith took in the interior of the yacht, impressed, as the blonde disappeared momentarily down the stairs at the far side, reappearing with a small bundle.

"And she owes me," she finished explained, "I haven't seen you for nearly a month."

Faith's eyes snapped quickly back to the girl, her awe at the lavish interior forgotten for the time being as she frowned at the blonde sadly.

"Shit, B how-"

"Engagements, unavoidable stuff," Buffy explained, eyes cast downwards for a moment before her smile reappeared. "But you're here now," she concluded, handing over the pile in her hands.

"Sure am," Faith nodded, feeling more than a little guilty and casting her eyes down to examine the items she not held in her arms- black bikini top and shorts, and a loose white shirt.

"Thank fuck," she grinned, "feelin' kinda over-dressed."

"You are," Buffy agreed with a playful smile. "There's some other things downstairs if you want something else."

Faith was already tugging her white tank over her head and Buffy allowed herself a moments indulgence before giving the brunette a final chaste kiss and heading back outside.

Alone, Faith ignored the stairs and jumping down the narrow stairway, exploring the lower deck a little, stashing her clothes safely in the master cabin and checking on the small package in the pocket of her pants before taking the stairs two at a time and emerging out into the sun.

Arriving on the flybridge, Faith gaped slightly as she took in the bar and sleek leather couches.

"You gotta be shittin' me," she gaped, eyes now transfixed on the hot-tub. "This is DeWitt's?"

"Cross my heart," Buffy answered, slipping a drink into Faith's hand..

Faith let herself be pulled gently across the deck, shoved playfully onto the seat while Buffy lounged sideways next to her, legs draped across her lap.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the activity on the docks and each basking in the other's company, Faith absently stroking her thumb along the soft skin of Buffy's legs as they sipped the icy drinks.

"So B," Faith finally spoke up, grinning at the other girl over the top of her shades. "I hate to break it to ya, but this very fine ride ain't goin' anywhere on its own, an' I'm guessin' you didn't go get it just to sit in the harbour."

"Nope," Buffy replied, smiling cryptically.

"So, who's drivin'?"

"You are."

"Uhh, huh?"

The blonde swung her legs down, bouncing to her feet and holding out her hand. "Come on."

Brow furrowed in confusion, Faith took the offered hand, allowing herself to be led back through the saloon and to the helm, where yet more leather adorned the two large seats in front of the various controls.

"I-" she cut herself off, head tilted slightly as she regarded the area inquisitively.

"Just go take a look," the blonde smiled, urging Faith into a seat.

The Slayer-Active slipped off her glasses and reached out, running her fingers over the panel, and realizing that somewhere in the recesses of her brain, she knew this.

"How do-?" She turned with the question to a pleased-looking Buffy, gaze dropping without subtlety to where the other girls shades were hooked on her bikini.

"I'm up here, " she teased again, reaching to tilt the Bostonian's face up to meet her eye. "Topher," she explained, "he...actually, he didn't owe me anything, he's just...scared of me," the blonde shrugged, ensconcing herself on the seat next to Faith.

"I asked nicely and," she gestured in Faith's direction by way of completion. "Shall we?"

Faith grinned, hands moving expertly about the controls as if she'd done it all her life. "Can you go," she inclined her head in the direction of the docks, "untie us or whatever?"

Buffy happily complied, returning a moment later and cuddling in against the brunette's side, feet tucked up on the seat as she watched the ocean open out in front of them.

"Wanna have a go?"

"Faith, you know how long it took me to get anyone to ride in a car with me, are you actually serious?"

"Sure, no bother, look."

She scooted back in her seat, pulling the blonde to sit between her legs, reconsidering the wisdom of that plan as she desperately tried to ignore the way Buffy's scantily-clad rear pushed against her.

"What now?"

"Uh," Faith choked out. She cleared her throat, reaching around the other Slayer to the wheel, "Jus' keep your hands here, keep it straight," she explained, voice even huskier than usual.

"Something wrong?"

Buffy twisted slightly, the movement pressing her harder against Faith and sending another wave of pleasure through the tortured Slayer.

"Eyes on the water, yeah?"

Turning back, Buffy shifted position slightly as she gripped the wheel, devious smile unseen by the brunette who squirmed behind her.

They drifted for a few moments, Faith's breath coming shallow and steady as she maintained her composure as best she could, snaking her arms slowly around the blonde in front of her, hands coming to rest on Buffy's upper-thighs.

"Faith," she laughed, taking one hand from the wheel to swat at the the brunette, who's thumbs were stroking distractingly over tanned skin.

"Hey, ain't my fault if you look all kindsa- Holy fucking shit B!"

The profanity-spouting Slayer moved her hands quickly from their ministrations to grab the wheel, pulling around in time to avoid the vessel on their other side.

"One other boat, with the whole damn ocean around ya," the Bostonian laughed, panic abated as they coasted smoothly away.

"Well it was your fault," Buffy defended, twisting around to poke the other girl in the ribs, "it was your fingers being all...distracting."

Avoiding a reply, Faith leant in to place a quick kiss on the other girl, who's scowl melted away as she leant down, lips a breath away from Faith's pulse-point and trailing tiny kisses along her neck, tongue sneaking out every now and again to taste the other Slayer.

"Guess here is good as anywhere," Faith shrugged, "don't wanna end up too far out, jus' makes the trip back longer."

She turned her attention back to the blonde in her lap.

"An' I don't wanna waste the day," she grinned.

"Oh, didn't I tell you?"

"Huh?"

The blonde's grin widened as she leant in and placed a quick kiss on the other girl. "We're not going back today."

"You're yankin' my chain," Faith gaped disbelievingly.

"I told you she owed me."

Faith's dimples appeared as she smiled a wide, genuine smile, leaving them drifting and scooping up the blonde, carrying her smoothly back out into the sun and onto the deck. With a wicked grin, she deposited her none-too-gracefully onto the long leather couch, sticking out the tip of her tongue playfully as Buffy frowned up at her.

As the Chosen One adjusted her position to lounge languidly on the seat, Faith easily located the small bar, yanking open the doors and appreciatively taking in the array of bottles.

"I take it back- definitely DeWitt's," she laughed, depositing bottles on the counter-top.

Buffy tilted her head to the sun and closed her eyes, smiling as she soaked up the warmth and basked in her day.

"What are you doing?"

"Drinks," Faith replied, peeking over the top of her shades as she skilfully poured some unknown substances into glasses.

"What drinks?"

"Well," the Bostonian grinned as she sat two shot glasses on the table, followed by something white and full of ice.

Her smirk widened as she dropped down to sit beside the other girl, handing her a shot.

"Thought we could start with a slippery nipple," she smirked, downing hers, "an' then," she leant in close, liquor-scented breath tickling over the shell of Buffy's ear and eliciting the desired shiver, "a screamin' orgasm."

Buffy was caught somewhere between laughing, rolling her eyes, and pouncing on Faith, who's half-naked form and husky voice were driving her crazy. Instead, she eyed the shot glass in her hand with caution before throwing it back, grimacing as it hit her throat.

"Aw c'mon, s'not that bad."

With a silent scowl, the Chosen One reached across for her glass, taking a smaller sip.

"Well this is nice, so I'll let you off with that first...thing."

Faith draped one arm over the back of their seat, eyes drifting out onto the open water with a quiet smile as she sipped her drink.

"Don't think I ever saw anythin' so calm."

Buff nodded silently in agreement, allowing her own vision to stray from the girl beside her to the small waves breaking the otherwise smooth surface.

After a few more quiet moments, Buffy broke the silence.

"Want to go for a swim?"

"Uh, sure," the brunette replied uncertainly.

"What do you want to do?"

With a sly grin, Faith leant forwards a little, gaze slowly and deliberately trailing over the girl beside her, finally meeting her eye and quirking an eyebrow.

"Ain't it obvious?"

A pause.

"I wanna spar," she finished, pulling back and giving Buffy a wink.

Knocking back the rest of her drink, Faith abandoned the glass on the small table and eyed the large, open deck space on the level below them.

"Think you can take it?" she challenged the blond teasingly, before placing one hand on the front rail to vault casually down, landing surely on the cushions below.

Leaving her own glass beside its partner, Buffy leant over the railing to the cockily grinning Slayer below.

"Show off."

Faith's grin widened by way of reply, Buffy smiling back as she placed both hands on the rail and effortlessly flipped over to land beside her girlfriend.

"Not bad."

"I'll give you not bad," Buffy provoked, taking a few steps back as her body took up the fighting stance that came so naturally while Faith mirrored her actions.

The pair began to circle slowly, neither making the first move as they eyed the other, each wearing a similar smile, poised, muscles tense under tanned skin.

"Think you're ready for this B?"

"I live for this, F."

It was true; there were few things either enjoyed more. The challenge, the fight they could only truly have with one another.

Almost in unison the two moved forwards, Buffy's uppercut narrowly avoided by the brunette as she ducked back, all the while twisting into a roundhouse kick which failed to land, leg caught as her other was swept from under her.

Faith grinned up from the deck for a second, flipping to her feet to meet Buffy's sure smile.

"On your back already? I've barely even broken a sweat."

"Oh I'm jus' getting' warmed up princess. Maybe we should call it, don't wanna hurt ya, y'know?"

"Scared, baby?"

"Not a chance."

The teasing gave way to a flurry of new blows, few hitting home while the others were expertly deflected, bodies moving in a blur of inhuman speed for how long, neither couldn't tell.

And Buffy, Faith had to note as she felt herself being pushed ever closer to the front rail, was in damn good shape. Legs hitting the cool metal behind her, she braced one foot against it, using the leverage to flip up and over the other Slayer's head to land smoothly behind her, moving quickly in to pin her against the rail, hands trapping the blonde's on either side of her body.

Leaning a little towards the water below, Buffy could feel the rapid heartbeat of the other Slayer against her back, the searing heat of smooth skin against her own.

"Wanna go for a swim B?" Faith rasped, breath tickling over the Chosen Ones ear and sending a shiver through her body.

Letting her eyes drift closed, the blond moved her body slightly against her captor, delighting in the low moan that escaped the brunette's lips.

"Y'know that's cheatin', right?"

"Cheating? Wouldn't dream of it," Buffy protested innocently, accentuating her words with another slow grind, another moan falling from the lips of the girl still pinning her.

She smiled to herself as she felt Faith's hands leave their position atop hers to trail the length of her arms, continuing smoothly down her back before snaking around her waist, the tips of Faith's fingers settling just below the waistband of her bikini.

"You always fight so dirty B?"

"Me? You're the one who's hands are-" She stopped short, breath catching in her throat as Faith's hands slid lower, one finger dipping further down to sweep slowly over her center.

"You were sayin'?"

"Nothing," Buffy breathed out, eyes drifting closed one again as she tilted her head back to rest on the shoulder behind her.

The brunette continued her ministrations for a moment, before turning the blond in her arms, hands sliding under her ass to lift her slightly, Buffy's legs wrapping around her waist as Faith leant in to kiss her deeply.

With ragged breaths Faith moved them, biceps tensing slightly as she lay Buffy down and hovered above, eyes roaming over the Slayer beneath her, who gazed back with the same emotion she always directed her way, more than Faith had ever seen, before wrapping one hand behind her lovers neck and pulling her closer.

As Faith's lips and tongue began to explore, the Chosen Two gave in as they truly pushed one another to their limits.

Head resting on the other Slayer's shoulder, Buffy leant into Faith's body as the pair sipped another cocktail at the rear of the yacht, feet dangling over the side and into the warm water as the sun set in the distance, waning light illuminating the lovers and glancing off the empty glasses and bottles sitting beside them.

"Faith..." she ventured, tilting her head slightly to look up at the other girl, blinking a few times in an attempt to merge the two girl's in her line of vision.

"Hmm?" the brunette mumbled, eyes shut and face calm as she swayed slightly- whether from the gently bobbing boat or intoxication Buffy wasn't entirely sure.

"Nothing."

With a shrug, Faith stood shakily, taking a moment to regain her balance.

"B, y'wantanotherdrink?" she rushed, blinking as the increase in altitude made her alcohol-clouded head spin.

The Chosen One shook her head no, turning for a moment to a sound from inside the cabin.

"Faith, what was-" she broke off at another odd noise and turned back to an empty space, the dark girl no longer beside her. She frowned in drunken confusion as she looked around herself, startled a second later when a dark head burst from the surface of the water, coughing and spluttering.

Buffy stared for a moment, before a grin broke across her face and she doubled over, body wracked with laughter.

"Faith? What're you doing?" she managed between howls.

"Goin' for a fuckin' swim B," she choked out, attempting to shake the damp fronds of hair from her face.

"It's kinda late for-"

"I coulda drowned," Faith insisted, attempting to cross her arms in defiance, quickly realizing that they were the only thing keeping her afloat as she ducked beneath the surface.

"Nuh uh, I've drowned," Buffy sniggered, "way less funny."

"And what's so funny 'bout it blondie?" Faith scowled, splashing the laughing Slayer as she made her way back to the boat, hands on the deck as she prepared to push herself up..

"You just-" a deep breath by Buffy before she cracked up once more, "just you."

"Yeah?"

A silent nod, face screwed up in hilarity before eyes opened wide in sudden shock as a hand firmly grasped her dangling ankle and Buffy too joined the water.

This time it was Faith's turn to fall about laughing as the other Slayer resurfaced in a choir of coughs and gasps, swatting at Faith and blinking the water from her eyes with as serious a frown as she could muster consider the wet, blond strands partly obscuring her face.

"What did you do that for?!"

"Kinda for laughin' at me...mostly for the look on your face."

The bedraggled blonde splashed a little closer to her counterpart, poking her sharply in the shoulder.

"Faith there could be sharks in here! Big ones!" Buffy exclaimed with wide eyes.

Faith's grin vanished, her expression suddenly serious.

"Shit, y'think?"

The blonde gave no reply, eyes now fixed on a point somewhere over Faith's shoulder.

"Wha' is it"

Silence.

"Shit B what the hell is it?" the increasingly-agitated brunette asked, turning small circles in the water as she ineptly tried to find the other girl's focus.

Without warning, she felt Buffy's arms wrap tightly around her waist from behind.

"Faith I think it's a shark," she blonde rushed in a loud whisper.

"Fuck!"

"Shhhhh!"

Faith's eyes scanned rapidly over the water's surface, finally falling on a slow-moving dark shape not far away.

"Holy shit."

"We should just...get back on the boat, reeeeeally slowly," Buffy whispered, gently pushing herself backwards through the water.

"Yeah, slow-"

They each watched as the shape surged towards them on a passing wave and, all plans and elegance forgotten, they began to paddle frantically to the boat, wet hands struggling for purchase on the surface.

Faith made it up first, reaching out to hoist Buffy from the water, both collapsing back in a tangle of bodies, scrabbling away from the edge as the shape drew closer.

"Think it saw us?" Faith muttered, squinting as she tried to bring focus to her slightly-blurred vision.

"Ohmygod, I so didn't survive the end of the world to get eaten by a shark!"

The duo fell silent, rapidly sobering, their eyes transfixed on the approaching shape.

Buffy titled her head to the side as she regarded it, vision clearer now, and inched closer to the edge, a strong grip on her shoulder holding her back.

"Faith I think-"

The pair scooted a little closer to the edge on their hands and knees, peering out as the shape finally came fully into their view and they each felt the other de-tense beside them as the large chuck of driftwood came into their line of vision.

It floated past, the Slayer's gaze following it out of sight and finally finding each other, staring for a moment before simultaneously collapsing in hysterical laughter.

"God, oh fuck," Faith laughed out, hands clutching at her sides as she let herself fall back onto the deck, Buffy beside her leaning back on the steps also dissolving in mirth

After several minutes, their hearty laughs had settled into occasional chuckles, and Faith shook her head and pulled herself upright.

Sauntering over to the blonde perched on the edge of the step, droplets of water running from still-damp hair, she reached out a hand to pull Buffy to her feet and into her, arms snaking around the lithe body of the other girl.

"Wanna take it downstairs?" she enquired, voice low and eyes twinkling as she rested her forehead against Buffy's.

The Chosen One pulled back, shaking her head and tugging on Faith's hand as she ascended the steps to the upper deck, footsteps sure and smooth as the effect of the liquor diminished.

Reversing their positions as they reached the couch, she gently pushed Faith backwards onto the seat, resisting as the grinning Slayer attempted to pull her down to join her, and disappeared behind the counter for a moment, a bundle sailing over the end and onto Faith's head with expert precision a second later.

Faith chuckled quietly and adjusted herself lengthways on the couch while Buffy reappeared and shook out the bundle, pulling the blanket over them as she scooted into position between Faith's legs, leaning back against her chest.

Wrapping her arms tightly around the girl in front of her, Faith smiled to herself, leaning forward to place a soft kiss atop the blond's head before resting back and closing her eyes. This was not a moment they were accustomed to sharing, the current situation not lending itself to overnight visits particularly frequently, and each took a moment to enjoy the feeling.

"Love ya B."

"Mhm, love you too."

They fell into comfortable silence, before Faith grinned playfully.

"Hey B?"

The Chosen One mumbled sleepily in reply.

"I get crapped on by some bird? I'm totally blamin' you."

Buffy stayed silent, allowing a small smile to creep onto her lips as she contemplated the girl behind her and all the things about her that, quite honestly, she wouldn't change.

Faith blinked a few times against the harsh sun that was streaming down on her from every angle, giving a frown before squeezing her eyes shut again in a futile attempt to block out the rays.

Grumbling quietly to herself, she shifted her focus to the cramp along her leg which, by the feel of it, she'd been lying on for hours, although at what time the pair had shifted to their current positions, she wasn't entirely sure.

Biting her lip absently in quiet concentration, she attempted to ease her left arm from its place wrapped tightly around the still-sleeping Slayer, hindered slightly by the blond's own arm which lay across it. Pushing herself up, she scooted quietly to the end of the makeshift bed, finally getting to her feet and stretching her legs appreciatively, eyes taking in their peaceful surroundings.

"You know," came the sleep-laden voice of the blond behind her, "you're not as covert as you think."

Faith turned, her retort silenced momentarily as she watched Buffy stretch along the couch, allowing her eyes to wonder over the Slayer's body.

"Definitely getting clumsy in your old age," Buffy teased, getting to her feet and walking over to wrap her arms around the other girl's neck as arms snaked around her waist.

"Clumsy, huh?"

"Mhm, very."

"Can still take you."

"Is that so?" Buffy asked, her eyebrow raised and smile barely concealed.

Pretending to ponder the question, Faith chewed her lip, looking thoughtful before answering.

"Yep, you're all kindsa out of practise, probably couldn't even take down one vamp. Me? I'm in wicked shape."

"Well, I'm going to argue with that," Buffy smirked, leaning in for a lingering kiss before pulling back with a laugh as Faith's stomach growled loudly.

"Breakfast?"

Faith followed her gratefully down the set of steps and into the small kitchen area, leaning on the counter-top as Buffy began to rummage through the fridge.

"You, shower. I'll make breakfast."

Smirking, Faith gave a look of mock-concern. "Hey, I don't wanna end up drownin' 'cause you've burnt down our very fine ride."

"Shut up and go," Buffy insisted, smacking her on the arm for emphasis.

Rubbing the sore spot, Faith grinned and backed away towards the stairs, ducking the strawberry that flew at her head and disappearing to the lower deck, yelling back up as she went.

"No need to get violent B!"

As she ducked into the master cabin, Faith checked quickly over her shoulder before rummaging through her small heap of clothing, reaffirming the safety of the object in her pocket before smiling to herself and yanking a towel from the cupboard nearby.

The large en suite was every inch as lavish as the rest of the yacht, with gleaming surfaces and a spacious shower.

Stripping down quickly, she stepped under the steaming spray, tilting her head back and letting the water run over her face for a few minutes as her thoughts drifted again to the object sitting in the other room, and the woman on the deck above.

If she were hoenst, the situation still blew her mind, though she wasn't totally sure which shocked her most; that to her mind it had now been a number of weeks, or that in reality it had been months, since the Chosen One had re-entered her life.

And still, the decision she'd come to hadn't been difficult to reach, had come to her unbidden one evening on their drive back to the House. Even despite the way her shoulders had tensed for that moment, the way her heart had raced as she'd chewed on her lip and stared at the darkening sky out the drivers window, she'd known that taking the time to over-think, to worry, to talk herself in circles, wasn't an option.

So when she'd given Buffy that day's goodbye, reclined in the chair and watched her girl smile through the same sad sigh she always gave, she knew there would be no going back on her decision.

And she hadn't.

That had been...well to her, it had been only a few days ago. For Buffy...

She ran her hands through her soapy hair and tried to wash away the guilty feeling that came so often when she thought about the way things were for the other Slayer.

Of course Buffy insisted that although it wasn't perfect, it was ok; that she'd rather have Faith in her life like this than not at all. And, she thought as she watched the last of the soap bubbles swim away down the drain, she had to believe that.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs outside broke her from her thoughts, and she sped out of the shower at Slayer-speed, throwing her towel haphazardly around her middle to cut Buffy off in the doorway.

"Whadyawant?"

Looking perplexed, Buffy gestured back up the stairs behind her, eyeing the brunette suspiciously.

"To tell you that breakfast's ready."

"Oh."

Faith relaxed her posture as best she could under Buffy's narrowed, scrutinizing glare, attempting to lessen the suspicion.

"What were you doing?"

Faith, who was rarely lost for words, struggled for an adequate replay in the face of her inquisitive girlfriend, wracking her brain for anything to cover her tracks.

"I was just, y'know...showering" she tried, shrugging, and hoping that her attempt at an explanation would keep the Slayer happy.

Thankfully, Buffy's look of suspicion faded a second later and she grinned slyly as she wrapped her arms around the other girl's waist.

"Faith," she began again, more slowly, "what were you doing?"

Relaxing into Buffy's arms, Faith's relief was almost palpable.

"Well wouldn't ya like to know?" she replied casually, complete with suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

"You're insatiable."

"I dunno, think ya do a pretty good job'."

"Is that a fact?"

"Mhmm."

"Maybe we should just forget abut breakfast and I'll join you?"

Faith bit down on her bottom lip, holding back the moan of frustration and pleasure that tried to escape as desire battled with her need to keep her secret.

Another loud growl from her stomach saved her from the task of having to decline, Buffy leaning in to gently kiss the side of her neck.

"Later."

"Count on it."

Breathing a sigh of relieve as Buffy's form disappeared above the deck, she turned back to the room, scowling at the bundle on the bed before stashing it properly in one of the bedside lockers and hurrying back to the shower, wet footprints in her wake.

Five minutes later she bounded up the steps to the flybridge two at a time, loose tee billowing in the slight breeze.

"See, nothing burnt," Buffy smirked as she appeared.

Faith gave a snort of laughter as she took in the array of fresh fruit on the table, dropping onto the seat beside the other girl.

A firm hand on her chest pushed her back as she sat forward, her objection silenced by a strawberry pressed against her lips and a leg shifted over her as Buffy came to straddle her hips, resting in her lap. Grin back in place, she took a bite, watching as the Slayer in her lap took the other half before reaching back for another.

"Not that I'm complainin', but ain't it s'posed to be me bein' all sweet t'you?" Faith enquired,eyebrow raised.

"Sweet?" the blond asked, feigning confusion before a teasing smile. "I just didn't want you to make a huge damn mess."

"Hmm, if it wasn't for the fact that you're half naked and feedin' me? I'd be all kindsa hurt."

"Awww," Buffy teased with a pout, "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."

"With food?"

Buffy laughed lightly, leaving the whisper of a kiss on Faith's lips before moving from her lap.

"Knock yourself out baby, I'm going to take a shower."

"Good idea B, ya stink."

Faith's speed didn't quite get her out of the way of the flying grape which thwacked off her head in reply, hand shooting up to rub the spot, the retreating form of the other girl drawing her attention away from the shocking injury as she tilted her head slightly to watch.

Alone, Faith sighed contentedly, grabbing a few pieces of fruit from the table and strolling down the steps and around the deck, leaning on the railing at the front to stare out on the calm water.

Popping the last piece into her mouth, she stripped down to her bikini, stepping up onto the guard rail and lingering with expert balance for a moment, stretching out before smoothly diving into the clear blue below her, body like a knife as she cut through the water.

She let herself rise slowly to the surface, flicking stray strands of hair from her face as she trod water for a moment, before pushing off firmly from the side of the boat and slicing through the water with strong strokes, almost able to feel her thoughts and anxiety being swept from her mind with every inch, head blissfully quiet as she swam.

She repeated the journey back and forth until her eyes found the blond figure leaning on the rail watching, at which she circled around and pushed herself up to sit on the rear deck, beads of water running from her hair down bronzed skin.

"No sharks?" came a smiling voice as Buffy emerged around the corner and dropped to sit with the other Slayer.

"Scared em all away."

She watched the subtle change in Buffy's eyes as they slowly showed a sadness she couldn't quite suppress, and Faith knew, without a word.

These days were what Buffy lived for, what made it all seem not so bad. And even though they tried so hard to make each one more special than the last, they all came to an end just the same.

"Guess we gotta get movin' soon, huh?"

Buffy nodded silently, sighing deeply and shifting a little closer, head coming to rest on Faith's shoulder.

The brunette chewed absently on her bottom lip, contemplating, before finally drawing a deep breath, noticing with irritation how it shuddered slightly.

Glancing down at the movement on her shoulder, she watched Buffy raise her head to scrutinize her face, and did her best to feign innocence.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh, nothing," she half-lied.

"You-"

Faith cut her off with a kiss, hand reaching behind to cup the other girl's head and pull her closer, tongue snaking in to seek out its partner as the blonde let out a contented moan.

And as Buffy moved closer, swinging one leg over to sit astride her lover's hips, Faith was sure she felt her mind just...stop, entirely, body taking over where her thoughts didn't know how as she pulled away, untangling her fingers from Buffy's hair and gently pushing her back to sit alongside her.

"Wait here," she breathed out, already at the door and giving the confused Slayer behind her a smile.

"What-"

"Do as you're told, yeah?"

She darted through the saloon to the narrow stairwell, and with legs hooked over the rail on either side, she slid smoothly down, landing gracefully on the bottom deck and hurrying to the master cabin.

Crouching by the locker she retrieved her safely stored item and flipped it open with an approving smile and nod, checking on its contents.

Sucking in another deep breath, she nodded again to herself, taking the steps two at a time to the empty space where Buffy had sat. She paused for a moment, before turning left and wondering around to the bow, where the Chosen One stood leaning on the side, staring out at nothing in particular, turning to the approaching brunette.

"So, what's the big surprise?"

Faith could feel the nerves creep back in as she fiddled with the small box behind her back.

"Uh..." she paused, clearing her throat and closing her eyes for a second.

Come on.

"Faith?"

The gentle touch to her arm forced her eyes open,.

"It's just me," the blonde soothed, "whatever it is..."

At that, Faith couldn't help but smile; not a smirk, a leer, or even a grin, but the honest smile of someone who, in that moment, was simply happy as she brought her hand from behind her back, opening her fist.

Buffy's focus shifted to the small box in the brunette's hand, frowning slightly in confusion.

"Gonna stand there lookin' at it all day?" Faith joked after a moment.

She watched Buffy reach out, hand not quite steady as she took the black box and slowly flipped it open, eyes widening a little, filling with unmistakable tears.

"It's not...I mean...fuck," she broke off, running a hand through her dark hair. "Ya like it?"
The blonde's smile eased the knot of tension in Faith's stomach as she pulled the platinum band from its home, the sun glinting slightly off the three small stones embedded in it.

"It's beautiful," she assured, eyes shining, rising to meet the other girl's gaze.

"It's not...I mean, you don't hafta marry me or anythin'," Faith rushed, "not that...aw hell."

"Faith," Buffy ventured with a small laugh, "shut up."

The brunette smiled gratefully.

"It's...it's a promise, that even though I'm not always me, I'm..." she paused, shrugging, "I'm always yours. I guess I wanted ya t'have somethin' so...I'm there, even when I'm not," she finished.

"I love it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," the blonde nodded, slipping the ring on before reaching up to pull Faith to her, lips meeting softly.

"Bet ya never thought I could be so corny, huh?" the brunette grinned, forehead resting against the other Slayer's.

"Nope," Buffy conceded, smiling back, "guess you're full of surprises."

The End