In Pieces by Ariel Dawn

Chapter #1 - Broken

Disclaimer: All hail Joss Author’s note: Christmas prezzie for Bloodytearsoflife, a great beta, talented graphic artist and wonderful friend. *huggles* Some dialogue taken from ‘Who are You?’ _____________________ Chapter 1: Broken The sun glistened in through the stained glass windows of the church creating a beautiful pattern of light on the stone floor. It was a stark contrast to the life and death fight that was happening on the same floor. Two slayers engaged in combat against each other, both trying to prove something. Buffy knew instinctly she was going to win this fight. She had to; she wanted her body back. Faith had tried stealing her life the first time around, this time she had succeeded in a way she had never thought possible. “You can't win this,” noted Buffy, the words passing over Faith’s lips with ease. Buffy looked at her sister slayer with Faith’s brown eyes, oddly compassionate, even after all she’d done, all she was doing. Tears coursed down Buffy’s cheeks, it was odd watching your own body cry. “SHUT UP!” Faith raged. “Do you think I'm afraid of you!?” Faith grabbed her own body’s shoulders and slammed it down hard on the ground. Inside that body, Buffy felt the pain of the impact and was pretty sure she now had more than just a couple of bruised ribs, or rather Faith had. Her mind then went to the katra, Willow and Tara’s little conjured trinket that would get her into her own body again. It was in her pocket that was getting quite the tussle today. Unfortunately, Buffy’s concern for the object that resided in her pocket had given her opponent just the opportunity to get the upper hand again. Faith, in Buffy’s body was sitting on her own waist. Buffy focused again. This had to end. Buffy slipped the katra over Faith’s hand and grabbed her own, starting the reaction. The two began to glow. The pain in her ribs lessened and Buffy found herself on top of Faith. Faith’s face was a mess, bloody and bruised. Faith looked up through the blood, shocked. One more punch couldn’t hurt, thought Buffy, delivering the blow that knocked her sister slayer unconscious. As she delivered the blow, the door burst open and Giles, Riley, and Willow rushed in, allowing an extra stream of sunlight to sweep over the two girls. “Oh my god, Buffy!” yelled Riley staggering towards them. He pushed Buffy off of Faith, trying to shake the unconscious slayer awake. “Riley!” Buffy screamed at her boyfriend, looking up off the ground. “What the hell are you doing?” She looked down at herself for a moment to confirm that she had indeed been changed back into her own body. Her hands were her own, her muscles and toes seemed familiar. She couldn’t put her finger on it but something felt not quite right. There wasn’t time to contemplate that though, not right now anyway. Riley turned back and took one look at her, scowled, and turned back to Faith. “Riley!” she screamed again. Standing off to the side, Willow looked from the two girls, one blonde, one brunette, for a moment before speaking. “Buffy? Are you okay?” started Willow kneeling down next to her friend. Buffy smiled at the red head, happy that someone recognised her. “I’m fine, really,” Buffy voice sounded out clear into the church, her eyes focused on the body of her soon to be ex-boyfriend if he didn’t suddenly realise that the girl he was shaking was not her. The girl with blonde hair. Buffy closed her eyes and shook her head a moment. She opened her eyes once more hoping that what she had seen would just go away. But Faith still had her hair. Buffy reached up and took a lock of hair in her hand, bringing it before her eyes. It was brown. Buffy looked up at Willow, her eyes big and worried. “Mirror?” she begged her friend. Willow nodded sympathetically and turned to search through her bag. Buffy bit her lip in panic as Willow rifled through her bag looking for a mirror. She looked at Giles, who was cleaning his glasses. He’s helpful,” Buffy growled to herself. “Oooh!” exclaimed Willow finally handing Buffy the mirror. With a shaky hand, Buffy raised the mirror, and looked on what should have been her own face. A lone tear rolled down her face as she beheld the reason behind Riley’s confusion. Staring back at her were her own green eyes, her own cheeks, forehead and lips, but not her nose, or her hair. There had been a problem. She was sporting Faith’s nose and hair. With a small whimper, Buffy handed back the mirror to her friend. “What went wrong?” she asked in a small voice, looking over at the girl who now had her nose and hair. She listened to the sound her voice made in the church, and at once was confident that it was in fact her own voice. “Did you drop the Katra?” asked Willow sympathetically. “It might have gotten a little roughed up,” Buffy conceded. “That shouldn’t have mattered right?” “The Katra is a delicate piece of conjuring, Buffy,” noted Giles, looking directly at his slayer. “We will have to take Faith back to my flat and ascertain what can be done. Though I must say, I am at a loss.” “Please tell me that’s code for, ‘every thing is going to be fine, Buffy,’ right?” asked Buffy with wide green eyes. “And that’s not Buffy!” she screamed at Riley, giving him a kick to the rear, hard. “Hey!” came the soldier’s reply. His attention from the slayer he held in his hands changed to the slayer that kicked him. Confusion passed over his face. “Riley you are holding the wrong girl,” Willow added with a grim look. “That’s Buffy!” The red head pointed. “No, this is Buffy,” he corrected. “She had blond hair last night.” “Last night?” gulped Buffy. “What did you do last night?” she asked, not really wanting to know the answer but couldn’t’ stand not knowing. “What happened last night?” “Perhaps this is not the best place to discuss this,” offered Giles. “Riley might have delayed the authorities for now, but they will return.” “We need to get Buffy to the hospital,” added Riley, looking down at the blond. “I’m Buffy!” the slayer screamed again in frustration. Riley picked up Faith’s body and turned towards the others. “Who else has vampire bite scars on her neck?” Buffy’s hand instantly went to her neck; sure enough the scars on her neck from the Master’s bite were gone. The moment passed and she glared at her ex- all that was missing with the unpleasant conversation- boyfriend. Not that he would believe the conversation. “What are you a vampire now, noticing necks first?” “A vampire would have been able to tell the difference between the two of you with no difficulty,” added Giles, disdainfully. Buffy gave her watcher a smile as she stood up from the ground. The silence between the four was interrupted only occasionally by the footfalls as they walked towards the doors. “You slept with her, didn’t you?” asked Buffy aloud. She had to say it out loud to make it real. It didn’t change anything. She and Riley were over. This fact just made her more mad at him. “Of course I slept with her,” the soldier admitted. “She’s my girlfriend.” “Well you certainly aren’t my boyfriend,” she muttered as she followed Riley and Giles out the door and into the sunlight. Willow put her hand on Buffy’s arm tenderly. “He’s confused. I’m sure when he figures it out he’ll be very sorry about it.” “Spike would have figured it out sooner,” muttered the slayer. _____________________ The front door to Rupert’s apartment was flung open and the group entered, Buffy looking decidedly annoyed. All eyes lighted upon the lone figure inhabiting Giles’ apartment. Sitting on the couch, his legs spread wide, Spike sat, watching the tiny TV that graced Giles’ apartment. “What the bloody hell are you doing here?” asked the watcher sounding very imposed on. “As it happens, Rupes, I’ve got news about your Slayer. She’s possessed or under a spell, or some such thing. Thought I’d pass on the info,” Spike informed, still watching the TV. “You’re out of the good stuff, by the way.” Spike raised an empty bottle up to eye level and shook it, demonstrating just how empty it was. “See! Spike knew!” exclaimed Buffy. “Oh, there you are slayer.” Spike looked over at the now brunette Slayer, giving her a once over, and catching the stare of Riley before continuing. “Guess all’s back to normal then. I’ll be off.” Buffy followed Spike’s stare, instantly knowing why he wanted to leave A.S.A.P. She didn’t want him to leave. She couldn’t fathom why. She just didn’t want him to leave. “Riley, could you put Faith up in my room,” ordered Giles. “I will fetch the sedative. It is best if we keep the rogue slayer unconscious.” “Mr. Giles, this is Buffy, and I think we need to get her to the hospital,” Riley said, trying to keep his calm. There was a snort from the direction of the vampire. “You’re a right pillock,” he commented, drawing the attention of the whole room. “See!” retorted Buffy again. “Spike can tell.” With a thump, she sat down beside the vampire. Spike looked over at the slayer a little confused, but he decided to stick it out. He wanted to see the soldier boy get booted, and if Captain Cardboard continued he was gonna get just that. He put down the empty bottle and rested his arms along the length of the couch, his right arm just above the slayer. “Look!” Riley shouted at Buffy. “I don’t know who you are, but this is Buffy Summers. My girlfriend. She needs to go to the hospital. I don’t know who you are, but if you stand in my way, you’ll regret it.” Buffy clenched her fists at her side, her body tensing. She wanted nothing more than to clock Riley. Giles, Willow, and Spike waited for her reaction. With a deep breath, Buffy calmed herself down. “What colour are Buffy’s eyes?” she asked calmly. “Grey,” noted Riley the same time that Spike said, “Hazel.” Buffy gave the vampire beside her a smile before she spoke again. “So look, check out what colour her eyes are.” Riley stared back at her. I have green eyes, you bastard, she thought. “Do it, prove me wrong,” she dared him. Riley and Buffy stared at each other, Riley confused, Buffy defiant. “Oh I’ll do it,” Willow said, breaking the silence. The red head walked up closer to Faith and gently pried open her eyelid, revealing a very brown eye. Riley nearly dropped Faith. He did let go of her legs, though, causing a groan from the unconscious slayer. “Take her upstairs and sedate her!” Buffy ordered refusing to meet Riley’s apologetic eyes. Buffy leaned back against the couch, and crossed her arms. She would wait for Riley to get back downstairs before giving him the heave ho. Willow followed them up the stairs, Giles trailing behind. The living room was suddenly quiet as the arguing ceased, leaving Buffy and Spike alone, on the couch. Buffy’s mind was thinking rather generous thoughts about the vampire she sat next to. She had this urge to cuddle up against the blond vamp and cry out her frustrations; she couldn’t explain why. It felt like it was the thing to do, the right thing to do. She wanted him to touch her. Slowly she disengaged one of her arms and dropped it to her side, her hand brushing against Spike’s thigh. “You knew which one was one which right?” she asked hopefully. “Now, yeah. Last night it took me a minute or two to know you weren’t in charge in there. She played you good. But, yeah, I knew something was off right away,” he explained. With a smile she took his hand gently. The feeling of his tepid flesh on hers was heavenly. He leaned in, looking into her hazel eyes. “There’s a spark behind your eyes that she didn’t have last night. You’ve got it now. Dead give away.” “See, I knew you were my favourite vampire for a reason,” she said happily, not caring about what the consequences of such an admission would be. All the vampire could do was look at her with curiosity, because at that moment, Riley, Willow, and Giles descended the stairs. “Buffy, I’m sorry,” the solider started, looking pathetic. “Whoever that girl is, she needs to get to a hospital.” “You mean you don’t know who you slept with last night after all?” asked Buffy. “I slept with you, Buffy,” he countered. “No, you didn’t,” she said sadly, knowing that he was actually paying attention now. “You slept with Faith, in my body. And the thing is, a whole bunch of people figured it out. Hell, Spike figured it out. You didn’t. You slept with her.” “You’re comparing me with the vampire again. I don’t even know why you let him hang around with you and your friends. I’m sorry, I thought it was you.” “I think you should leave,” came her reply. “Buffy,” he pleaded. “Leave before I do something we both regret,” she answered, staring him down from her position on the couch. She tightened her grip on Spike’s hand. “Buffy, please!” Buffy closed her eyes and refused to look at Riley anymore. “Spike, could you please tell my ex-boyfriend that I don’t want to speak to him ever again and that if he knew what was good for him, he’d leave.” She could just imagine the vampire’s face. She didn’t want to imagine Riley’s face at all. With a turn, Buffy hid her face in Spike’s shirt and waited for Riley to leave. Buffy thought she was doing a really good job at managing her temper. “I think you should go Riley,” came the voice of Willow, the voice of reason. As the door closed behind her former boyfriend, Buffy let a smile cross her face. It was brief, for the circumstance she was in once again passed through her consciousness. “So, I want my nose back,” she stated bluntly, looking at Giles. “Really?” asked Willow. “It’s funny shaped, but it’s mine,” Buffy explained. “I could deal with brown hair for the rest of my life, but I don’t want Faith’s nose.” _____________________ tbc…

Chapter #2 - Classic Buffy with a Twist

Disclaimer: The pixies tell me that I don’t own the BTVS characters, some guy named Joss does. I’m afraid the pixies don’t lie. Author’s note: Some dialogue taken from “Who are You?” Expertly Beta’d by the fabulous BTL. _____________________ Chapter 2: Classic Buffy with a Twist “The most important matter at hand seems to be to discover what went wrong,” commented Giles, looking down at the group that had encamped in his living room. Buffy looked up from the couch, her green eyes shining through the veil of brown hair surrounding her face. “I could call Tara, she helped, she might know what went wrong,” offered Willow, eagerly avoiding eye contact with her friend the slayer sitting comfortably beside the vampire. “We also must consider that the Council will undoubtedly come back looking for Faith,” added Giles. “They aren’t taking her while she still has my nose, Giles,” interrupted Buffy. “You may have resign yourself to the fact that this may be permanent Buffy.” “I don’t want her nose!” “There is always plastic surgery, pet,” noted the otherwise silent vampire. Buffy turned with wide eyes towards the blond next to her. “What are you going to do in the mean time?” Willow asked her friend. Buffy leaned back against the couch and flipped her brown hair. “I don’t know, try to live life normally, I guess. Setting aside the fact that Faith is upstairs with my nose and my hair, and she slept with my boyfriend last night, and now I’m suddenly without a boyfriend, it’s a normal Buffy day. I may go Bronzing.” Giles gave her a disapproving look. “Or I’ll go patrolling, as usual,” she pouted, her arms crossed. “Well,” started Spike, slapping his legs as he rose, “you seem to have things right under control here. Glad a vamp could help out.” He took a step away from the couch on the way towards the door, only to be caught by Buffy's manicured hand. "Hey! Where you going big boy?" cooed Buffy gripping Spike's hand, standing up next to him. Both Giles and Willow turned to look at the slayer with an unasked question in their eyes. “Don’t you think you could have a good time, patrolling with me?” Buffy continued, as she pressed her body into his. “Uh, Buffy?” whispered Willow, a tad bit concerned. Buffy spun around to face her friend. “What?” “You’re acting a little Faithy,” Willow mentioned, her voice low, as if she was nervous. “What are you talking about?” “You’re on Spike like cheese wiz on a Ritz cracker,” Willow explained. Buffy looked down at herself, immediately noticing that one of her hands had found its way into Spike’s duster. She looked up at Spike’s face, his countenance a mixture of delight, and fear. He clearly didn’t know what was going on either. Immediately he covered up his reaction with a cocky retort. “Can’t keep your little slayer hands off of me, can you pet?” Buffy’s eyes went wide, and she drew back from Spike, her body feeling her sudden withdrawal. “I...I think you should go,” stammered the slayer, her hands fisted on her chest, her insecurity showing. Spike nodded and swooped out the door, his duster billowing behind him. “Damn,” Buffy muttered as he headed out into the shaded courtyard. “Buffy!” chastised Willow. “What’s wrong with you?” “Ugh,” she responded. “I think I got Faith’s sluttyness too!” _____________________ Buffy bounced her leg up and down, fidgeting as she occupied her space on Giles’ couch. She was bored, she was annoyed, and she was worried. Bored, ‘cause of the whole not allowed to leave the house thing, annoyed, well ‘cause of the same...and worried, ‘cause of the thing with Faith being somewhat upstairs and somewhat in the body she was occupying. What if she stayed this way, with the sluttyness, and the freely groping of men? Not men! Man! Ugh! Vampire! Buffy crossed her arms more tightly. Stupid vampire. She had to admit that she was grateful that Spike had known something was wrong. “Can I go patrol yet?” Buffy asked the three people who were intently reading the dusty tombs Giles used as a security blanket. Giles, Tara, and Willow all looked over at the bored slayer. “Gi-les!” she whined. “I’m bored and I wanna slay something!” “Maybe we should let her go,” whispered Tara, cringing at the noise. “But she could get out and...do things,” started Willow. “Do things that Buffy in her normal mind would be very angry about.” “Are you kidding?” Buffy half yelled into the room. “Whatever I could possibly get into out there? Don’t you think I’d be so much more of the useful, and the not yelling, if I wasn’t here? Besides,” she continued with a jerk, “I’m getting all itchy from being cooped up in here. I need to slay something, move around. Get slap happy with the vampires.” “Buffy does have a point, she does need to patrol. We can’t have the vampire population get wind of the slayer not being in the best of health,” conceded Giles as he sighed. “And if she left we wouldn’t have to listen to her incessant whining.” Buffy hopped up from the couch. “See, I’m completely hindering here. I’ll go, and hinder no more.” “You talk like Buffy...” noted Willow, with a smile. “Oh, and I’ll act like Buffy, err, me. No love for the vamps. Strictly a slayage of vamps only sitch. Oh, wait, there’s Angel...but we’re over, so over. And now that I’ve completely segwayed off topic, watch me go to do that slaying thing I was talking about, leaving you to your books and the whole get Buffy back to normal thing.” With a flourish, she hadn’t used since high school and the early days of the library, she bounced out the door. Once she was out of view, her bounce ceased, and she started trudging. She hoped that Willow and Giles had taken her happy slaying related babbling for face value, and not the horrible cover up it was. A cover up of the fact that she really wanted to get out from under their disapproving glances. She could control Faith’s personality characteristics if she put some effort into it. The problem was, it was a little fun to be uninhibited. She hadn’t felt this free since that time when she and Faith had gone out to have fun that one time last year, before it all went down hill. Now she was stuck with pieces of Faith in her body. And Faith’s nose. With everything that had happened today, it was strange how the most traumatic event hadn’t been her break up with Riley. Right now she didn’t even want to think about him. He was of the past, to remain in the past. The Faith part of her was all ‘forward ho!’ for the next conquest. Buffy knew just who that next conquest was going to be. It wasn’t hard to come to that conclusion. Her inhibitions suppressed, Buffy could freely admit to herself that she had a thing for vamps. Not fledges, ‘cause ewww, but Master vamps at least a hundred years old. The slayer stepped onto the dewy grass of Restfield Cemetery eager to catch up with Spike. Of course, she had a few more obstacles before getting to her target vamp. Buffy rolled her eyes as she beheld the fledge that threatened her. He was dirty and gross and Buffy didn’t want to touch him with her boot much less her fingers. With an inward groan, she fell into a fighting stance, her stake at the ready, preparing herself for whatever the fledge was going to throw at her. She had to be careful, she didn’t know what else Faith had left in her body; it might not work the way she was used to. The fledge came at her, flailing his arms, exhibiting no skill whatsoever in the fighting department. Buffy dropped to a crouch and swung her leg out, catching the fledge off guard and causing him to tumble to the ground. She pounced upon him, her stake aiming for his unbeating heart. Unfortunately he rolled away, Buffy falling face first into the wet grass. She leapt up, her eyes never leaving her opponent, who was running madly in the other direction. With a breath she sped after him, not willing to say that she let any vamp get away from her tonight, especially this one who was clearly a loser. Tackling him to the ground, she flipped him over and was about to plunge her stake into his chest when he reached up and ripped the sleeve from her shirt. “Hey!” she protested, wrenching his hand away from her and finally plunging the stake finally into his chest, scattering dust beneath her. She waited a moment, in a push up position, before jumping to her feet and dusting herself off. She had a vamp to find. “Pathetic gits the lot of them. No class anymore. Sires don’t have the pride they once had,” came Spike voice through the bushes, accompanied by a waft of smoke. “Haven’t you got anything better to do than lurk in the bushes?” snapped Buffy letting her normal biting wit to take control. “Not of late, pet,” he responded, his manner cocky. “What are you doing in my neck of the woods?” he asked, blowing smoke towards her as he spoke. “Patrolling?” she snapped back, as if it wasn’t obvious enough. Hadn’t she just slayed a vamp? They stood there staring at each other for a moment. His eyes trailed over her body, resting finally on her exposed arm. “Didn’t know you had a tat, pet,” Spike finally said, breaking the silence. “What?” With a painted fingernail he pointed at her arm. Reluctantly her eyes fell to the spot he was pointing at, her green eyes wide. There on her arm, was Faith’s tattoo. Buffy let a groan fall from her lips. “It’s not mine,” Buffy tired to explain. “It’s another leftover from Faith. She got my vampire bite, I got her tattoo. Something else I’ll have to get removed if I never go back to normal.” Spike stepped closer to her and ran his fingers against the tattoo. “Was it only the physical that got switched?” he asked quietly. Buffy looked up at him with big eyes. He knew. She didn’t know how he knew, but he did. “I’ve got a little Faith kickin’ around in my head, telling me to do all sorts of nasty impulsive things.” “Like what?” he asked, clearly not caring if this got him in trouble, his hand still caressing her arm. She made no move away from him, and his actions. To his surprise she stepped even closer, so that barely any space stood between them. “I’ll tell you if you tell me something,” she started. His eyebrow raised in question, waiting for her to finish. “What happened between you and Faith when she was in my body?” the slayer asked. His hand dropped to his side and he suddenly looked really very nervous. “Oh come on!” she whined. “You can tell me. Please?” “Fine,” he growled. “Can’t get much worse. The daft bint bloody teased me and then didn’t put out.” “What?” “Said that she’d ride me at a gallop until my legs buckled and my eyes rolled up. That she’d squeeze me until I popped like warm champagne.” “She certainly has a colourful vocabulary,” Buffy muttered. “Never thought I’d hear that kind of talk pass your bubble gum lips,” he said with a leer. “Oh no?” she asked. “Don’t think I’ve got it in me?” she asked, her fingers walking up the edge of his duster. He grabbed her hand roughly and held it away from his body, regardless of the fact that the rest of her body was extremely close. Too close. “I think you’ve got a whole lot in you, pet,” he responded sharply. “You just don’t want it?” she pouted. He shook his head. “No, you’re just not all you. Don’t want to be on the end of your stake when the Watcher and Red fixes you up good.” “Huh? I’m enough of me! Nose, hair, tattoo and inhibitions, that’s it! The rest, all Buffy all the time!” “Too much of the other, in my opinion,” he muttered. “Huh,” she half laughed. “At least you have standards. Riley didn’t care if it was me or not. Just a Buffy shaped body and he’s all get it on.” “Sounds like you aren’t over the Soldier Boy,” Spike observed, leading her to a tomb to sit. “Of course I’m over him!” she said sarcastically. “I don’t think you’re ready for anything other than rebound. No matter what that little bit of Faith inside you wants to do,” he explained. “You don’t want to be rebound guy?” she asked looking up at him coyly. “What if Riley was the rebound?” “What about that git Parker?” he asked. “You mean the one night stand I had that you taunted me about while I kicked your ass in the sun?” “That would be the one, pet.” “Wasn’t a rebound. It was stupid and I should never have done it. Doesn’t make it a relationship.” “And that’s why you’re trying to jump my bones? A relationship?” he queried. “No!” she spat, moving away from the tombstone. She turned to look at him again. Buffy could feel her old fear and worry started to fill her tummy. Faith had clearly taken a hike. In classic Buffy tradition, she fled. _____________________ tbc...

Chapter #3 - Faithness

Disclaimer: I don’t own the Buffyverse. Sometimes I wish I did. They would have had a happy ending if I did. There would also have been a lot more smut. Author’s note: Have I mentioned lately just how much I love BTL? ______________________________ Chapter 3: Faithness Buffy ran, and ran and ran. As she kept herself moving, she couldn’t imagine why it was so necessary to run. What was she running from? Buffy came to a halt just outside the cemetery, looked back and tuned to look at the sign. She sighed. She couldn’t figure it out. Why she was feeling all these not so mean feelings towards Spike. Was it Faith’s contribution? Why was she feeling so conflicted? Buffy held her face in the her hand a moment and breathed in and out. Glancing around her again, she looked back into the cemetery before heading back in the direction where she had left Spike. “So what would you say if I did?” she asked, looking a little sheepish. “Did what?” he replied, confused, pulling the cigarette from between his lips as he eyed her wearily. “Want a relationship,” she whispered, extremely nervous. Spike stared back at the Slayer like she had grown another head. “You’re bloody pulling my leg.” Not only she had actually come back but now... “I’d like to be pulling something else,” she responded, her voice sultry, a complete change of mood. “God!” she screamed into the night sky. “I can’t control it!” “Control what, pet?” he inquired, his eyebrow raised. “Her! That little bit of Faith still stuck in my body,” growled the chosen one. She tugged at her brown hair a little with emphasis. “You’re not in control then?” He stepped into her personal space, pressing as close as he dared. “Not so much,” she sighed, instinctively stepping back as he moved closer. Spike watched as it seemed like there were two personalities in conflict in that tiny, beautiful blond, turned brunette. “Maybe you could try to control me?” Buffy suddenly said, interrupting his thoughts. Another mood swing. Spike stepped back from Buffy. “I think you have to get control of yourself before you start offering up control to the likes of me.” “Arrrgh!” she screamed into the night air again. “I feel like I‘m losing my mind.” Spike looked around him for a moment, before giving in to his poncy old fashioned tendencies. “It’s time to take you back to your nice, warm girly bed,” he said offering her his arm like a gentleman. “Are you being all sweet and un-vampire like?” she asked. “The big bad is a gentleman.” “Surprising, isn’t it?” Buffy’s hand hooked around his arm. “The dorms, luv? Or your mum’s house?” he asked as the two of them started to walk out of the cemetery, Buffy quite content holding onto his arm. “Dorms. I don’t think my mom could deal with me like this right now. The nose would really throw her off.” Spike laughed. “It’s right disconcerting is what it is.” “You don’t like my Faith nose?” she asked with a fake pout. “No,” Spike admitted freely. “Liked the original.” “Thanks,” she whispered, blushing. “I don’t want to keep it. Just like I don’t want to keep the intruding Faithness. I also hate the fact that I have this urge to say five by five a lot.” “Glad you’re keeping that one in,” he remarked. “What does that mean?” “Hell if I know.” They walked in silence for a few moments before Spike spoke again. “You gonna pop me in the nose once you get all normal and bitchy again?” “There is a high possibility of that,” she admitted. “Ugh with the honesty. Please stop me when I do that.” Spike chuckled. “Now why would I want to do that?” Buffy shrugged. “Chalking it up to Faith again. The honesty thing. And the whole hitting on you thing...” “All Faith?” the vampire asked. Buffy looked at her walking partner and smiled. “Maybe not all Faith.” “No?” “Everyone already knows I’ve got a thing for vampires. There goes the honesty again. You know if, I don’t know, say Dracula showed up I’d probably have repressed thoughts of him being hot too. Unless he’s fugly. Is Dracula ugly?” “You think I’m hot?” asked Spike, amused. “What? No, I don’t. I don’t,” she tried to correct but Spike wasn’t hearing it. “You think I’m hot,” he gloated, a satisfied smile fluttering over his face. Buffy rolled her green eyes. “Just answer the question.” “Drac? Nancy boy poofter, if you ask me. I’ve had dealings with him. Pillock owes me eleven pounds.” “What for?” “Staked him at poker.” “Well that’s a boring story. I thought it’d be all exciting,” she added as they approached her building. “I’ve got stories that aren’t so boring. Of ‘course I might offend your righteous slayer ears.” “Might, might not. Nothing you do surprises me anymore.” He stopped with a start and turned towards her. “Is that so?” he asked. “Nope. You just escorted home your sworn enemy. Never expected that from the big bad.” Buffy removed her arm from his and patted his leather encased arm. “Or you know, that you just had a totally acceptable and kinda normal conversation with said enemy...An enemy you were kinda engaged to. God, you’re weird.” “Vampire, luv,” he replied in response to her accusation. “Well, that explains that.” Buffy looked up at her window, which was still darkened, indicating that Willow hadn’t come home yet. For a few brief moments she considered her options and the warring voices in her head. There was part of her that didn’t want to leave Spike at the door. She wanted to bring him up to her room, have her way with him,. She automatically labelled it Faith. “You, uh, wanna...” she started but he cut her off. “Don’t go there, luv. Not going to happen. Not with that nose,” he chuckled, stepping back and turning. He walked off into the night, leaving her mouth open in shock, standing in front of Stevenson Hall. ______________________________ “Tell me you can fix this!” Buffy whined as she strode into her watcher’s house the next day. Willow hadn’t come home that night, presumably researching how to fix her friend. Giles looked up from his morning cup of tea with a tired and forlorn face. “Sadly, we have not had much luck,” sighed the watcher, setting down his tea and inviting her to sit down on the couch with a wave of his hand. “Willow and Tara do have a few ideas to pursue, I doubt you will remain like this for much longer.” “Thank God!” she sighed leaning back against the couch. “What about Faith? Any watcher’s been around looking to take her back to England?” Giles shook his head. “No, curiously they haven’t been here. I don’t know what I’d actually do if they did show up. Willow’s put a cloaking spell and a glamour on my bedroom.” “Where did you sleep?” Buffy asked raising an eyebrow. “The couch,” Giles defended. Buffy nodded. “And is the ho bag Slayer still making with the unconsciousness?” “I am keeping her effectively sedated, Buffy. I don’t think you need worry about Faith escaping.” “I do worry. She’s a boyfriend stealing murdering...I won’t be happy until she’s got her own nose and hair and whatever weird personality quirks back and then locked up behind magically enforced bars. “I suppose that’s a fair sentiment. However, it’s not as if you have a boyfriend for her to steal now is there?” he said with a chuckle. “Giles!” Buffy exclaimed, shocked. “Oh, forgive me, that was unkind.” “Yes, let’s make fun of Buffy with the weird nose. Everyone join in.” “Any plans today?” asked the watcher again sipping his tea, hoping to change the subject. “Other than trying to be inconspicuous while I attend my classes and avoid the Faith sleeping with ex boyfriend?” “We will certainly let you know of any developments here,” explained Giles. “Are you sure I’m not needed here to, Faith watch or something?” she inquired, eagerly looking for a reason to stay. “You don’t want to go to your classes?” he asked. “With Faith’s nose? Everyone would be talking about me, instead of listening to the professor.” “So no then?” “With many exclamation points, possibly underlining.” “Why don’t you just stay home?” Buffy sighed. “Then there would be the guilt. I should go.” Buffy stood up and stretched. “I don’t need guilt on top of whatever the hell is going on in my head.” ______________________________ Buffy stalked into her psych class, clad in a turtleneck sweater and was very clearly using that particular feature of the sweater to hide her nose. Buffy sat down in her usual spot and waited for Willow to show up. Eventually Willow plunked down in the seat next to her and sighed. “When I walked in I saw this chick with the brown hair sitting in your seat, I was gonna let her have it. But then of course, it’s you.” “Me,” she whispered, through her sweater. “What did you do last night?” asked Willow. “You didn’t come back to Giles’ last night.” “Patrolled. Got tired. Went back to the dorms. Slept. You didn’t come back last night. Did you sleep at Giles’?” “Shhh, class time...” avoided Willow. She didn’t have time to deal with Willow’s avoidy. As soon as class was over, Buffy found herself face to face with her psych TA, who also happened to be her ex boyfriend. “Hey, uh, Buffy,” he started nervously. “I, uh, didn’t think you’d be coming to class today.” “What? ‘Cause I have a new nose?” she asked annoyed, as she sat up from her seat, negotiating notebooks and textbooks. “That’s not what I meant.” “No?” she queried, pushing past him and putting herself between him and the door. “I just thought you would be trying to fix this, get back to normal.” “I have people looking into it,” Buffy responded. Willow came up behind her. “I would be one of those people,” noted a cheerful Willow. “And I’m not supposed to like you right now.” “Why is that?” asked Riley, confused. “I am the best friend,” Willow said with a smile. She turned to Buffy and rubbed her friend’s shoulder. “Excuse me?” he asked. “It’s a girl thing,” noted Willow. “Beware mister solider man,” she said with a glare and she walked off. Riley watched her go with a shiver. Buffy smiled, Willow was scary when she wanted to be. Riley turned to face Buffy again and placed his hand on her arm. “Can we talk about this? About us?” he whispered. “No.” Buffy shook her head emphatically. “I don’t want to talk about it Riley. You slept with Faith! And then you still didn’t know me and you hit me!” she almost shouted, drawing the attention of the other students in the lecture hall. “I said I’m sorry.” Buffy ignored him and carried on. “So no, we can’t talk.” She turned away from him and started to walk out of the classroom. “Buffy!” Riley shouted out after her, following her to the door. Without stopping to look at him, she lifted up her hand over her head and waved her middle finger back at Riley. ______________________________ tbc...

Chapter #4 - Switch-a-roo

Disclaimer: Joss is master of the Buffyverse, I am a lowly peon that plays with his characters. Author’s note: Lots of huggles to BTL who helped with a major plot point in this chapter, gave me the title and who beta’d too! ______________________________ Chapter 4: Switch-a-roo Buffy crashed into Spike’s crypt, her anger at Riley translating into several broken tombstones along her path. Which was so Faith’s fault. Sunlight streamed in from the open door, its beams ending at the foot of the sarcophagus Spike had been lately using as a bed. Spike jumped up as the slayer strode into his home. “What the bloody hell are you doing, Slayer?” he shouted annoyed. “I hate Riley!” she screamed as she slammed the door close. “Not too fond of the wanker either love, but it’s not reason enough to wake up the dead,” muttered Spike as he sat up, swinging his legs around to the side of the tomb. Buffy stalked over to the tomb and sat down in a huff. “You know, it would be so much easier if I could stake him.” “That’s gotta be the Faith bint,” commented Spike. “Probably. I had some wicked strange dreams last night,” Buffy admitted. “Slayer dreams?” he asked. “I wish!” she muttered, as she scraped her nails against the stone tomb absently. Spike chuckled. “Naughty dreams were they?” “‘Pole stuck up her ass’ Buffy can’t have naughty dreams?” she queried with a coy smile. “Care to tell me about them?” Spike purred, curling his tongue at her. “I don’t think I’m ready for that,” she answered with a blush. “Is it that ‘R’ word coming into play again?” “’Course not,” she said with another smile. “Then why are you here?” “I needed to vent, you’re as good as anyone else.” “Really? Putting me into the same group as the Whelp? I’m honoured,” he said sarcastically. “Sure you are.” “No luck with changing back from this?” he asked waving his hand in her general direction, before reaching towards his coat that hung on a stone fixture and rifled though the pockets. Finally he took out a pack of cigarettes and his Zippo lighter. He lit up and turned to face his companion, half expecting her to complain about second hand smoke. Instead he saw her licking her lips, her eyes fixated on the cigarette dangling from his lips. For a moment, Spike couldn’t decide if she was staring at the cigarette or his lips. That was until she plucked the cigarette out of his mouth and took a drag, her face lighting up in a blissful smile until the smoke hit her lungs, causing the slayer to erupt into a coughing fit. Spike reached around and tapped Buffy on the back as she coughed. He took the cigarette from between her fingers as he laughed at her. “Remind me never to do that again,” she coughed, her eyes watering at the corners. “I would have, if you had let me know what you were about to do.” “I don’t think I knew what I was going to do,” she admitted. “I...I never thought I’d ever smoke again.” “Again, love?” he asked, brow raised, curiosity piqued. “Okay, it’s not like I ever really did. I was fourteen, peer pressure. It was a thing,” she shrugged her shoulders as she spoke. “Another Faith thing?” “Yes, blaming that one totally on the Faithness,” she admitted. “I’ll be happy slayer if I can just get my nose back.” “What’s the story with that?” She sighed. “I don’t know. Giles says they’re close. That’s all I know. Faith’s all drugged up in Giles’ bedroom. Willow and Tara are all magic research girls and Xander, well I haven’t seen Xander since this while thing started.” “Wonder what the Whelp would think of the new you?” Spike wondered aloud. “Who knows.” Buffy sighed again, this time leaning on the vampire beside her. “I can’t figure myself out. I can’t imagine how I’d figure out my friends.” There was a pause. “Like for instance, I’m leaning on my so recently mortal enemy’s shoulder. That’s how confused I seem to be.” “Your mortal enemy to whom you were so recently engaged,” he added. “You had to bring that up,” she whined closing her eyes and pouting. “You brought it up first!” “Last night!” she countered, sitting up properly to look him in the eye. With a sigh, she placed her head on his shoulder again. “Why is it it’s so easy to talk to you?” “Don’t know.” “What help are you then?” she laughed. “Why aren’t you over at the watcher’s getting all nose jobbed?” Spike asked and Buffy frowned at him. “Maybe you’d like to patrol with me later?” she asked avoiding the question. “When it’s less vampire barbeque outside?” “Sure, pet.” Buffy jumped off the tomb with feigned enthusiasm. “You know,” she said turning towards the vampire. “Except for the whole nose thing, and the Faithness, I’m kinda glad this all happened.” “Why’s that pet?” Spike asked as he took a puff from his cigarette. “’Cause I’ve got a whole new friend,” she said with a wink. Spike was still shaking his head long after she left. He was never going to figure that girl out. ______________________________ She was stalling, she knew it, she had no guilt about it. But that was only probably because she wasn’t face to face with Giles. That was a completely different story. The sun hadn’t set yet and she was wandering the cemeteries. Great, she moaned internally. I’ve got Faith’s loner tendencies. Truth was she was hurt that Spike didn’t want to hang out with her. She was getting mixed signals. Yes, she was giving mixed signals but that was hardly her fault. She trudged towards Giles’ house, eager for the change back and yet...She twirled her stake absently. Would this thing with Spike suddenly disappear? Was it all due to Faith? Yes, she wanted her nose back, and she wanted to get the crazy Faithness out of her head. Would she want Riley back? She cringed, then kicked a tombstone, breaking it off. Another intentional destruction of private property she could blame on Faith. Rolling her eyes, she banged open the gate, cursing her crazy messed up life. As if being the slayer wasn’t enough. ______________________________ Buffy barged into Giles’ house, startling the occupants of his living room. “Buffy!” Giles exclaimed looking up from his ever present book. “Buffy!” Willow added, her exclamations taking on a little bit of the hysterical, from her place by Tara’s side. “I have some bad news,” added Giles. Buffy rolled her eyes. “Faith escaped,” Buffy stated as if she knew what the problem was. “Faith’s escaped and she has my nose and I can’t get it back without her. I’m screwed. I’m going to be stuck like this until I can get a job and pay for plastic surgery.” “Buffy...what are you...” stammered Giles. “Face it Giles, I’m doomed,” Buffy explained with a huff, letting herself land on the couch. “Buffy...wait...” Willow tried to add before Buffy started in on a more detailed rant as to why her life was doomed to be unhappy. Giles, Willow, and Tara sat back and let her rant, knowing full well that once she was on this train, there was no derailing it. “And then there is Riley and Angel. Why do I attract guys that always seem to think they know better than me?” she ended her rant. “Faith hasn’t escaped!” Willow exclaimed as Buffy paused for breath. “Huh?” “Willow is correct Buffy,” added Giles. “Faith is quite safe upstairs.” “So nothing’s gone wrong?” Buffy asked. “Oh things have gone wrong,” sighed Giles. “It wouldn’t be natural if it didn’t. I think you’ve expertly complained about that.” “Then what?” Buffy asked sitting at rapt attention. “Perhaps Willow would better explain it for you,” said Giles after a pause, clearly unable to find the words needed to convey in the information. Buffy turned to Willow with wide eyes, wondering exactly why it was that Giles couldn’t tell her what was going on. “We’ve found out what you need to do, what you both need to do to get back to normal,” started Willow. “Finally!” Buffy breathed. “Wait, how has this gone wrong? What’s the wrong with that?” Buffy asked looked expectantly between Giles and Willow. Willow exhaled and looked to Giles for support. The watcher offered none and Willow was obliged to continue her tale of woe. “The spell isn’t that complicated, but what is the hard part is that you will have to act like the person infecting your body.” “I have to act like Faith?” Buffy questioned. Willow nodded. “And if it works, you’ll start to change back…” “Into myself? Thank god.” “…into Faith.” “What!” Buffy exploded jumping up from the couch. “It’s the only way to get you all back into one body. You have to get back into each others bodies before you can use a katra again, to try the switch back again.” “Try again? ‘Cause it went oh so well last time.” “You were fighting then, if you don’t damage the katra the second time, it should work,” added Giles. Buffy sat down on the couch again with a sigh. “I have to act like Faith? For how long?” “Until all the Faith mental bits are in your body and all the Faith physical bits are in hers,” concluded Willow. “And again with the huh?” Willow sighed. “You acting like Faith will get you all of Faith’s physical parts and Faith acting like you will get her yours. Once you’ve both got all of the other’s, we can do the switch-a-roo,” Willow finished explaining. Buffy rolled her eyes. “The difficulty lies in that Faith will have to act like you as well, or this won’t work,” interjected Giles. “She won’t do it, Giles!” exclaimed Buffy. “She wants my life. Her body is wanted for murder.” “I think that’s what Giles meant by difficulty,” whispered Willow. Buffy cast a glance at the stairs leading to Giles’ second floor. “I want someone with her all the time, and I want her to not have slayer powers if that is possible.” She had gone from girl to slayer in a microsecond. Giles nodded. “I still have the drug I used during…” Buffy cut him off. “That’s fine.” She rose from the couch. “Tell her when she wakes up. I’ll start acting Faith-like in the morning.” Buffy stepped towards the door only to be called back by Willow, her hand on Buffy’s arm. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. I’m so sorry this went wrong,” sympathized the witch. “I’m just afraid it’ll go wrong again,” noted Buffy before exiting her watcher’s home. ______________________________ Buffy practically ran to Spike’s cemetery. The sun had set now, and they did have a patrolling date. That wasn’t foremost in Buffy’s brain as she jumped over the high cemetery wall, like there was something big and terrifying after her. She flung open the door to Spike’s crypt, finally standing in front of the vampire she had been in such a rush to rejoin. “Where’s the fire, luv?” Spike quipped as he was faced with the brunette slayer, her green eyes panicked. “What’s happened? Did the other slayer fly the coup?” Buffy shook her head. Her eyes locked with his for a brief moment, and Buffy knew exactly what was going to happen. She didn’t know what was happening between her and Spike right now, but the fact that she was going to have to act like Faith for a couple of days (at most, she hoped) was going to ruin it. Everything Faith touched in her life was ruined. “You ready for patrol?” she asked. She felt guilty for avoiding, but she was avoid-o girl through and through. With a nod of his head, Spike picked up his duster and slung it on, following her out the door. They were only halfway through her regular patrol route when Buffy had decided that she’d had enough. They’d only seen two freshly risen vampires, the Initiative having already hit the cemeteries tonight. Buffy grabbed Spike’s hand, startling the vampire. “Let’s call it a night,” she said softly, carefully not meeting his eyes. “Sure, luv,” he agreed, looking down at their joined hands and then trying to catch her eyes. They walked in step with each other the distance between Shady Pines and Restfield in silence. Buffy’s mind was working a mile a minute. She had to admit that she started the hand holding, but she really couldn’t place a reason, a good reason to the action. She was going to have to tell him. He had to know. She stopped in front of his crypt, dropping his hand from hers. “Spike…” she started. “Things may change tomorrow.” “Gonna go back to being a bitch tomorrow?” he asked with a resigned sigh. “Hand holding the tip of the Slayer iceberg?” “Stop!” she yelled at him. “This isn’t easy for me, you aren’t making it easier! I am telling you this ‘cause I don’t…’cause you’ll hate me if I don’t.” Spike raised his eyebrow at that. “You probably already hate me.” Spike reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him. They stood face to face for a fraction of a second, Buffy couldn’t decide if he was going to kiss her or bite her. She really wanted him to kiss her for some reason. “I don’t hate you, Slayer,” he whispered more tenderly than his actions had demonstrated. “Really?” she asked, looking up into his blue eyes. “I hate the nose,” he retorted, pulling back from her personal space. Buffy rolled her eyes, but did not let go of his hand. “Well, give it a couple of days and it might go away. Willow’s working a spell tomorrow, it should get me back to normal, but I have to act like Faith for all of the Faith bits and the Buffy bits to get back into the wrong bodies again.” “You’re gonna act like the Faith bint?” he asked, stepping a little closer to her. Buffy nodded. “Acting like Faith shouldn’t be that hard on me, on my friends though…” “And I’m your friend…and you wanted to warn me?” Buffy nodded again. “Did you warn the Whelp?” “No,” she whined. “I haven’t seen Xander.” A slow smile spread over Spike’s face. “I just wanted to warn you, and to say I’m sorry for anything I do that ruins whatever we have, or don’t have.” “What do we have, Buffy?” he prodded gently. “Whatever it is, it’ll have to wait until I’m all back to ‘pole up her ass’ Buffy.” ______________________________ Tbc…

Chapter #5 - Hatchet-y Murder-y girl

Disclaimer: Joss owns Buffy and Spike, they are pawns in his plans for plans for world domination. (That was a little over the top wasn’t it?) Author’s note: Fantastic huggles to Bloodytearsoflife who is a GREAT beta and a wonderful friend. ______________________________ Chapter 5: Hatchet-y Murder-y girl When her alarm sounded the next morning, Buffy cracked open an eye and sighed. Today she would start acting like Faith. Today she was going to freak out all her friends. Today she was going to embarrass herself. Hey, maybe I can act like Faith and stay in my room, avoiding everyone I know, she pondered. Willow was still asleep in her bed, but beginning the first movements the indicated that she wouldn’t be sleep for long. Buffy grabbed her toiletry bag and headed out to the communal bathrooms. She started brushing her teeth only to be distracted by one of the girls on her floor looking at her strangely. Where as once upon a time Buffy would have ignored the girl, Buffy decided to test out her ability to act like Faith. “What are you looking at?” Buffy barked at the girl, causing her to drop the bottle of moisturizer she held in her hands. “Nothing,” muttered the girl, turning to face her reflection, fear colouring her features. Yep, Buffy thought to herself, I could have been an actress. ______________________________ Clad in black jeans, a tank, and a jean jacket, the Faithiest clothes she had in her closet, Buffy waited patiently for Willow to return from the bathroom. Until she realised that Faith wasn’t patient. It was hard to anticipate just what she should be doing. Buffy decided to fidget with one of her stakes. That seemed Faith like enough. She had by her foot a bag containing a collection of Faith-like clothes that she might need for the next few days. She was all ready to go. Willow entered the room, put down her toiletries case and forced a smile. “You ready?” Buffy’s green eyes looked up at her friend, worry etched on her face. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Buffy answered, putting the stake down. She stood up. “Let’s go already. I bet Faith is having a fun time. She’s probably awake by now.” Willow’s eyes went wide. “Oh, goddess.” ______________________________ Giles opened the door to his home, the lack of sleep evident in his actions. “She woke up at five am,” he said as way of greeting. “She likes to pass the time by yelling.” “Hello, Giles,” greeted Buffy, a smile on her face. “How are you this fine day? Very well, thank you Giles,” Buffy continued on to herself. The surprised looks from Giles and Willow made her cringe. “See what I did there?” Buffy asked. “Faith crazy.” “I am not crazy!” Faith screamed from upstairs. “Let me out!” “I thought Faith was the murdery kind of crazy,” observed Willow, ignoring the yelling from upstairs. “Giles, if you don’t let me out I’m gonna start telling the girlies down there about your stash of porn!” “Can we please get this spell done, so that Willow can take Faith out of here, and I can get some sleep?” moaned Giles, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I guess I should tell hatchet-y murder-y girl what’s going on,” sighed Buffy. “Anyone care to come with?” “I’ve got things to do down here,” responded Willow, gathering up candles and heading to the kitchen. Buffy looked in vain at Giles, who was shaking his head. “Not even for a lorry full of Jaffa cakes.“ “Well, you’re no help,” the slayer muttered, turning to head up the stairs. “Just for that, I may let her show me your pile of porn. And what the hell is a Jaffa cake?” Upstairs, Buffy paused at the doorway, finding not only no Faith, but that the room looked like it had been uninhabited for days. “Well, look who it is,” came Faith’s voice. “Come to finish the job you started with my gut?” Buffy peered into the room a second time. Still there was nothing or no one there. “Faith?” asked Buffy quietly, hoping that she wasn’t going psycho. “Are you blind?” came Faith’s voice again. “Giles!” Buffy screamed. On cue, Giles came thundering up the stairs, obviously panicked. “Careful, B, you almost gave grandpa a heart attack,” noted Faith’s disembodied voice. “Giles!” Buffy hissed, waving her hand at the direction of the doorway. “Oh,” Giles panted, “right. Of course that needs to be taken care of before the spell.” “Spell? What spell?” Faith asked worried. “What are you going to do to me?” “Can we do something about it before? I can’t talk to her like this,” Buffy stated, completely ignoring Faith’s voice. “Of course,” Giles complied nodding and turning to head down the stairs again. “You aren’t staying?” Buffy asked, more than slightly disappointed. “I don’t fancy being up here when she shows you the… er… yes I’ll be right down stairs if you need me,” he finished before making a quick dash down the stairs. Buffy rolled her eyes and sat down in front of the doorway, willing to be patient for the glamour to be removed from the room. Within a few minutes, Faith glimmered into view. Buffy gave a smile to her sister slayer. Faith wasn’t so kind. Behind her, the room had been torn up, sheets and papers everywhere. Faith apparently hadn’t been too happy when she woke up. “How’s it going?” Buffy started off, looking at the irate Faith on Giles’ bed. “How do you think it’s going?” Faith responded. “I’m stuck in this room, ignored, itchin’ to get out and kick some ass, yours actually, and I think I’m kinda drugged or something.” Faith lifted up her right hand and showed Buffy her bloody knuckles. “I did this right after I woke up, didn’t even put a dent in Giles’ wall. It should have at least scabbed over by now.” “You are drugged,” Buffy admitted. “Mind telling me why?” asked Faith. Buffy pointed to the nose on her face, earning her a quizzical look from the trapped slayer. “Have you looked in a mirror since you woke up?” Buffy asked. “You might want to check the nose you currently have.” Faith looked around the room for a mirror, finding the one she had broken earlier in the morning. She stepped off the bed and stood in front of it for a moment. “Holy shit!” Faith shouted, stepping back from the cracked mirror. “Ya, I’d really like that back,” continued Buffy. “The do dad, when you tried to change back, it didn’t work? Willow’s work not up to snuff?” Faith chuckled. “Hey!” protested Buffy. “If you hadn’t been so set on kicking my ass, the katra thingy wouldn’t have gotten broken.” “So you got my nose, and I got yours?” asked Faith looking Buffy up and down. “And the hair,” she continued fingering her own newly blond curls. “Obviously the hair.” “I also have your tattoo,” Buffy mentioned. “And you’ve got my vampire bite scars.” Faith’s hand flew to the scars on her neck, fingering them gently. “I suppose you want those back too,” commented Faith. “Actually, you can keep those,” Buffy said, laughing. “The nose is the big thing. Giles and Willow have been looking into a way to get us back to normal…” “And why are you telling me this? You could have just kept me all drugged up, make me go reliving my coma, the coma you put me in, and changed it all back. Why talk to me?” “We need your help,” stated Buffy bluntly. “The spell can’t work until we, both of us, want it to work.” “Ya? What if I don’t want it to work?” Faith countered. “Then we’ll be stuck like this forever, and I’ll have to resort to plastic surgery.” “Boo, fucking, hoo,” countered Faith. “You’ll still be all out there living your miserable excuse for a life, I’ll probably get stuck in jail. Or maybe you’ll feel all goody two shoes and send me to England to be rehabilitated by the Council.” “Miserable life? You mean the life you tried to take from me?” exclaimed Buffy, her anger getting the better of her. “It might be miserable but it’s friggin’ better than what I’ve got. I just spent the last eight months in a coma Buffy. I’ve got no friends, the law on my tail, why would I want to go back to the way I was?” “’Cause it would be really unselfish of you, and maybe I wouldn’t hate you anymore.” “Like I care about that.” Buffy looked back through the doorway at Faith, her eyebrow raised, not believing the words that were coming out of her mouth. “I…I could convince Giles to give you some sort of amnesty, if you help. I wouldn’t be on your case…” “I’d still have the cops on my ass, and the Council…” “Yes, but two is better than three.” “And I won’t get picked up by the cops while I’m out helping?” asked Faith sceptically. “Nope,” responded Buffy with half a smile. “Willow and Giles are all over the cloaking spell.” Fait sat down on Giles’ bed and cracked her knuckles. “Fine, whatever. I’ve got your word though right? It’s a deal, you’ll leave me the fuck alone?” Buffy nodded. “What do I have to do?” Faith asked. “The same thing you were prepared to do when you stole my body: act like me.” ______________________________ The scent of incense invaded Buffy’s nostrils as Willow performed yet another spell. This time to bind Faith to the red head. They weren’t taking any chances. As the smoke cleared, Buffy looked up hopefully at Giles, as if he would tell her that she could start. “How long am I bound to witch girl…uh…Willow here?” asked Faith standing up from the floor. “Until Willow breaks the binding,” responded Giles. “Oh, and if I die, you will be bound to my corpse for all eternity!” added Willow, proud that she’d included that particular clause in the spell. “Guess you can’t off the witch then,” noted Buffy in her best Faith impression. “Can I get started? I’d like to have my whole body back before finals.” Giles nodded. “Just remember, I want you both back every night to check in, see what progress has been made.” “Just call me check in girl,” interjected Faith, clearly working on the Buffyness. “That’s really good, Faith,” Willow complemented. “Ugh, I’m out!” Buffy groaned. The feeling that this was a very, very bad idea was just getting worse. “Catch you later!” Buffy pulled the front door of Giles’ home open and headed out into the street. Problem was, what would Faith be doing in the middle of the day? And where does she do it? The dorms were off limits; Faith was going to be acting all Buffy there. Home was off limits, ‘cause her mom would freak if she saw her. Buffy pulled out her wallet to inspect her stash of cash. Faith needed a dingy motel to hang in. ______________________________ Buffy rolled over as the slam of a car door outside woke her up. She’d been very Faithy all day long. Vegged in front of the TV, ate cheetos, and had a nice long nap. Buffy had decided that was going to train for a couple of hours, eat greasy take out, and then start patrolling. The prospect of patrolling brought up the hope that she would see Spike. She had to push that hope back down though. She couldn’t act like she usually would if she saw him. And he had told her what had happened the last time he’d bumped into Faith. Her heart started to pound a bit harder as she remember what he had told her. She was terrified of what was happening between her and Spike, but what was more, she was afraid of ruining it while she had to act like Faith. Sure, she’d given him ample warning, but would it matter? Spike was so… he seemed to have such a gooey soft core, covered by a hard candy shell…He was a tootsie pop. She didn’t want to let all the toostie goodness get all hard and yucky. He wouldn’t be a toostie pop anymore. Candy analogy firmly in place, Buffy started her breathing exercises as she began her training routine. God, my analogies suck. ______________________________ Tbc…

Chapter #6 - Frustrating

Disclaimer: Pixies told me that I really don’t own Btvs, it’s sad but the Pixies, they don’t lie. Author’s note: Happy Birthday to my Fab beta, Bloodytearsoflife. You rock! Some time soon hopefully I’ll get your prezzie all written up. ______________________________ Chapter 6: Frustrating Buffy, clad in normal Faith bar hopping clothes, stalked through one of Sunnydale’s many cemeteries, twirling her stake between her fingers. She’d staked only three vamps so far, trying to keep her quips down to a minimum and the ones she had let loose were full of innuendo. Faith’s loner lifestyle was certainly not up to Buffy’s quality of life standards. She’d only experienced one day so far and she was already bored with it. She missed going to her classes, she missed Willow and, surprisingly, she missed Spike. As if on cue, there was a puff of smoke wafting into view. Buffy’s heart started to do that pitter patter thing that she had recently come to expect with Spike’s presence. Slipping her stake into her waistband, she stalked towards the smoke, finding Spike behind a tree, as he watched two figures a couple of hundred yards away. “You stalking my other half?” she asked coming up behind him. “Should I be jealous?” Spike removed the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled. “No,” he spat. “Just having a look out for the witch and the Slayer with your nose. Got to look out for your nose, pet.” Buffy smiled, and took the cigarette from his fingers, taking a drag. She really tried not to cough this time though. “You gonna tell me what this is all about?” he asked, looking her up and down. Buffy stared back, trying not to let her worry come through. He was clearly noticing her clothes. “Embracing my evil side?” she noted hopefully. “I told you today was going to be different.” Buffy took another drag of the cigarette in her hand before handing it back to Spike. “You wanna patrol or are you gonna brood like Angel?” “Oy!” Buffy smiled up at him. So Faith, and so appropriate, she mused to herself. “Then let’s go already! I’m itchin’ to get all stake happy with the vamps,” she declared, taking the stake out of her waistband. “Ya?” “Yep, gonna put the hurt on a few dozen vamps before this slayer’s itch is scratched.” Spike chuckled to himself a moment before turning his attention to Willow and Faith on the other side of the cemetery again. “Sure pet, you’re the Slayer and all.” “Damn straight,” Buffy noted with a smile, grabbing Spike’s hand and leading him out of the cemetery. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” ______________________________ It hadn’t taken long to get to Shady Pines, and to find themselves a group of vamps. With abandon, Buffy left Spike to stand on the sidelines as she took out five of the seven vamps without pause. She stuck her stake into the sixth, her breathing heavy, to see Spike stake the seventh with an annoyed look on his face. “I’m still waitin’,” he muttered, looking at her as he absently brushed the vamp dust from his coat. What Faith had told her last year was right; slaying did make you horny and hungry. Right now, Spike looked awfully good. Buffy knew exactly what Faith would do in this situation, jump Spike. Buffy knew what she would do too, head back home and indulge in some fat free yogurt. She was supposed to act like Faith. Buffy put her stake away, and stepped up towards her vampire friend, and boy was she nervous. This could make or break, well, everything. “I’m waitin’ for you to take me dancing,” she said finally, chickening out. Spike looked back at her with sceptical eyes, but followed her when she took his hand and led him from the cemetery. She was trying to convince herself that she hadn’t chickened out, she’d merely chosen another Faith like plan. Faith did like to whore it up at the Bronze. “Are you off your nutter?” Spike asked as he followed along behind her, once he knew where they were going. “No,” she responded, “but I wanna go dancing, and if you don’t dance with me I’m sure I can find someone else to dance with.” Buffy let her lower lip jut out, full on pout mode and dropped Spike’s hand. Sure, the pout wasn’t Faith like but if Spike didn’t dance with her, she was going to have to whore it up with some other guy who maybe wouldn’t take no for an answer. Some other guy who wasn’t Spike. He couldn’t resist the pout, no matter whose nose she had. ______________________________ Faith on the other hand was not having fun. Ever since she’d agreed to this whole thing, she’d been tied to Willow and forced to deal with Buffy’s mundane life. Maybe she’d have to rethink this having B’s life thing. Willow had immediately taken Faith to the dorm room, told her what to wear, some conservative practical bull shit, in Faith’s opinion. Oh, she’d tried to protest but really that whole resolve face thing that Willow had going on, wicked scary. So dressed as B, hair done like B, Willow forced some books into her hands and headed out the door, not bothering to look back. Which hadn’t been a problem for Faith. Well, not until that bindy spell thing put the whammy on her. Faith jerked towards the door, her hands forcibly clutching the books. As Faith was pulled along behind Willow and down the hallway, she could hear Willow giggling up ahead. “Hurry up Faith. We’ve got 20th century history.” Faith groaned. Sitting in the class had been horrible. Willow had kept elbowing her to take notes. Faith was certain that Willow was going to bruise her ribs. Another reason Faith didn’t have the Willow love, no slayer powers. As the class let out, Faith got up and stretched. “Are you going to feed me, while you are pulling me around by your magical leash?” Faith asked trying to sound jovial, but really not happy with the situation. “Yep, of course,” Willow said smiling. “Lunch time now.” The two headed out of the lecture hall and towards the cafeteria and directly into the path of one wandering initiative solider. Willow put her hand on Faith’s arm, making the other girl look over at her. “’Kay, Riley’s up there, Buffy is not happy with Riley right now, in fact, they broke up,” Willow explained. “And you’re telling me this because?” “’Cause you are supposed to act like Buffy.” “Why’d she break up with her stud muffin?” Faith asked with a smirk. “’Cause you slept with him. ‘Cause he didn’t know it was her. ‘Cause he hit her.” “Wow, I really ruined their relationship, didn’t I?” “Yes, you did.” “Well, colour me all happy,” noted Faith, earning her a look of death from Willow. “Hey, Willow,” greeted Riley finally coming into hearing distance. “And, uh, Faith?” he asked uncertain. “Hey,” Faith greeted back, her arms crossed. “Do you guys know where Buffy is?” the solider asked looking hopefully between the two of them. “Probably holed up in a motel somewhere sleepin’,” observed Faith. “She didn’t go to class?” he questioned. “No. Look, Riley, I don’t think now would be a good time to try and get reconcily with Buffy,” noted Willow. “Please just leave her alone for now. At least wait until she’s all back together.” Riley nodded. “I…I can do that. What I don’t understand is why she is mad at me. It seems to me that this is all your fault,” he said pointing at Faith. “Hey!” protested Faith backing from Riley. “You didn’t have to all groiny with me.” Willow’s eyes shifted, looking around at the gathering crowd as Riley and Faith’s voices started getting louder and louder. “Uh, guys…” Willow started, trying to calm them down. “Guys!” It was no use though, Riley blamed Faith for his problems with Buffy and to give her credit, Faith was being a very good argumentative Buffy. “And I probably wouldn’t have had to get myself off if I had done the vampire like I wanted to,” yelled Faith. “Spike?” Riley nearly gasped. “Size does matter,” the slayer retorted. “Time to go!” interjected Willow, grabbing Faith’s hand and pulling her towards the cafeteria. “Hey!” ______________________________ “Good job by the way,” praised Willow as she munched on the apple she had purchased from the cafeteria. “For what?” asked Faith. “Not killing him? That’s what you expected right?” “No, well not really. I figured that you’d at least try to get along with people before you wanted to be all stabbity. And the congrats was for the Buffy like acting.” “She would have got all up in Riley’s face too?” “Oh ya.” “Good, some things are worth being a prude about,” she mumbled, taking a bite of her lunch. “Buffy’s not a prude!” exclaimed Willow in defence of her friend. “No?” asked Faith reaching for the diet coke that Willow had made her buy with Buffy’s food card. “Explain to me how B’s not a prude then? You’re all with the inside information.” “Uh…” “Ya, thought so.” ______________________________ “If you took away all my slayer powers, then why do I have to patrol?” asked Faith as she followed Willow through Restfield cemetery. “’Cause it’s what Buffy’d do,” Willow answered automatically. “That’s crap. B wouldn’t be out here without her powers. She’d be at home snuggled in her safe bed.” “You are not going anywhere near Buffy’s mom,” Willow declared turning around to face the Slayer. “Ya, she’d probably be waiting with an axe. Threatening to kill someone is not the greatest way to get reacquainted and all.” “Are you even sorry you did it?” Willow asked. “’Cause hey, all it did was get you all messed up, well physically, which hey, you were all messed up mentally before. Are you sorry?” “Nah, not really. Give me a couple of days. It’s all hard. I woke up from the coma and I knew that I was bad. Maybe it’s one of those self fulfilling prophecies that your professor was taking about.” “I don’t want to hear it. Either you’re sorry, or you’re not. And clearly, not.” “It is was it is. I’m not trying to make it out like it’s anything different.” “Just stop,” Willow yelled into the night sky. Faith was extremely frustrating. ______________________________ Tbc…

Chapter #7 - Ruined

Disclaimer: Joss and I had a little discussion where he agreed to let me play with Spike as much as I liked. Ok it wasn’t a real conversation...But I can dream. Author’s note: Once again I bow at the feet of my fabulous Beta, Bloodytearsoflife. ______________________________ Chapter 7: Ruined Buffy flung her jean jacket onto an empty chair as she entered the Bronze, her hand still holding Spike’s firmly, leading him behind her to the dance floor. The Bronze was filled with university student with a smattering of high school kids. She probably knew more than one or two from the crowd but Buffy knew that a) she didn’t look like herself or was acting like her herself so they wouldn’t recognize her, and b) all she wanted to do was dance with Spike. Buffy pulled Spike to the middle of the dance floor, ignoring his protests. Once there she did just what Faith would have done, completely. Or so she’d convinced herself. She’d seen Faith dance. She set her hand to rest on the back of his head, holding him in place, forcing him to look at her while she moulded her body to his, keeping in time with the beat of the music. Before long she’d spun around, thrusting her ass into his groin, her hand still curled around his neck. Spike couldn’t help the reaction he was having to her movements. It wasn’t his fault that the friction of her ass against his cock had made him all hard and wanting to take her there and then, Faith nose or no Faith nose. All around he could see how the boys were reacting to the way Buffy was moving. Like she was any man’s wet dream come true. And oh god, he wanted that dream. Spike glared back at any of them that caught his eye. Buffy was his. He was damned if he was going to give up a chance like this, her changing feelings and soldier boy’s heave ho. Buffy turned around again, facing Spike with a seductive smile. “Do you want me?” she asked, trailing her free hand down his t-shirt clad chest. “I thought we’d gone over this, luv,” he whispered, too chicken to turn her down outright. “Ya,” she said with a disappointed tone. They danced a moment longer, Buffy turning around to hide her disappointment. What would Faith do in this situation? Buffy thought to herself. Faith would never get rejected, her brain told her. The vampire behind her sensed her disappointment acutely. That wouldn’t do. Can’t have the bint think I don’t want her. Spike spun her around in place, forcing her to look at him. “Always want you, luv,” he started. “Want you whole, want you, you.” Buffy smiled a little up at him, thankful for his admission. “You don’t know what you’re missing,” she added with a smirk. “I can be patient.” Buffy snorted. “This coming from Mr. ‘I’m bored, I can’t wait until Saturday‘.” “You weren’t stuck with the Annoying One all day everyday,” he explained. “If you don’t want me, I’m sure I can find someone else…” She started turning away from him, eyes already scanning the crowd. Buffy hadn’t gotten very far when Spike’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist sharply. “No, you don’t,” he hissed, a look of possession on his face. She wanted to smile,; she wanted to cry. Buffy was completely happy that he didn’t want to find someone else, but if the spell was supposed to work, she couldn’t stay with him tonight. Sadly, Buffy looked down at his hand holding her wrist. She looked up to his eyes and whispered her apology, before returning to the Faith persona she’d been acting out today. She pushed him off roughly. “Well, you know what? You aren’t in-charge-guy here,” she spat, realising the moment it was out of her mouth that it wasn’t very Faithy. “See you around, Spike,” she said stalking away from him, leaving the vampire on the dance floor. Buffy made her way over to the table she’d dumped her jacket on, only to find Xander and Anya walking towards the bar. And I was hoping I wouldn’t run into Xander like this, thought Buffy. “Buffster!” Xander greeted happily. Buffy inwardly groaned. “Hey, Xander,” Buffy greeted solemnly, knowing that meeting Xander now would only lead to badness. “Did you get a nose job while Xander was carting me around to his relatives?” asked Anya as she scrutinized Buffy’s face. “Look, I told you Ahn, if you didn’t want to go, you didn’t have to,” Xander repeated for what sounded like the tenth time. “Meeting the extended family is a milestone in any relationship,” Anya explained to Buffy. “Why did you get a nose job? It looks terrible.” Buffy stared open mouthed at Anya while Xander explained that it wasn’t cool to tell people that their plastic surgery had gone wrong. “Did you come with Riley?” Xander asked trying to draw attention away from Anya’s faux pas and trying really hard not to stare at Buffy’s nose. Buffy snorted. “No, I dumped his farm boy ass two days ago.” It was Xander’s turn to stare open mouthed. “Why?” he finally uttered. Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy could see Spike walking towards them. She looked for a way out. She had made her exit from Spike’s side and it was not her plan to be caught by him in the Bronze again. She was thinking somewhere a little darker, more private. “He got boring,” Buffy offhandedly explained, before grabbing her coat and walking off. “Right now, I’m up for a little rebound action,” she declared as she walked through the doors of the bar. Once again, Buffy didn’t get far. She felt Xander’s hand on her shoulder and had to suppress the reaction to flip him. “Buff? You want to talk about it?” he asked. Buffy spun around, looking Xander in the eye. “No, I don’t,” she answered back. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly becoming dry. “Talking’s the furthest thing from my mind. There’s so much else I’d rather be doing,” she purred, running her hands up Xander’s chest. “Buffy?” “Come on Xan, I know you want to…” Please say no, please say no, Buffy inwardly chanted. “I want you…uh…too. Buff, are you under a spell?” he asked pulling back a little. Buffy pushed Xander up against the nearest wall, their shadows from the overhead flood light casting a long spectre over the pavement. “Would it make a difference?” Buffy asked leaning in. “No…just, I’ll send Anya home…” Buffy tried to fight her shock. Her grip lessened on his shoulders. She couldn’t believe it. “Bloody hell,” came Spike’s voice through the alley’s dank, causing Buffy to turn around. Anya and Spike stood a few metres away. Anya’s eyes were slightly misty. It was clear that they’d heard everything. Buffy willed back unbidden tears, and stepped away from Xander. Xander’s shock at being found out, Anya’s look of betrayal, and Spike’s hard glare beat away at her resolve. She had to keep up the pretence,; she had to make the spell work. Another relationship ruined, thought the slayer. Thank you, Faith. “Find me sometime when the little lady isn’t tagging along. Threesomes might be your kink, they aren’t mine.” ______________________________ Willow and Faith walked towards the Bronze after their faux patrol, only to see Buffy walk off. “Buffy?” Willow called after her friend. “Catch you later, Wills!” Buffy called, her voice surprisingly cheerful. Or maybe false cheeriness? Willow thought. “She’s got the lingo down,” commented Faith. “It’s more than that,” came Spike’s voice from behind them. “You wanna tell me what the bloody hell is going on?” He sounded angry. “She didn’t tell you?” Faith asked. “Can’t imagine why?” Her voice had a note of sarcasm. “Faith…” warned Willow. “No, I get it, for some reason you two switched personalities. That’s bloody brilliant that is. Maybe now the slayer can ruin her own life instead of you doing it for her.” “Look, I didn’t ask for this,” protested the other slayer. “Do you think that it’s easy to act like B?” “Well, you certainly haven’t done your research little girl,” Spike taunted her. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Faith challenged. “Faith…” Willow warned again. “’Cause me and the slayer are friends now,” responded the vampire with a smirk. “Ya?” Faith asked stepping closer to the vampire. “Just how good friends?” “Doesn’t mean you and I are going to start being friends,” he countered. “Seems to me that the Slayer’s had nothing but trouble since you showed up.” “Ever think that it was B screwing up everything? She was supposed to be dead.” “That’s right tragic,” he responded with a sneer. “Anya!” came Xander’s voice from somewhere behind Spike. “Please!” Anya ran past the group, not bothering to stop. “Anya!” Xander called again, running after her. “What’s wrong with the super couple?” asked Faith. “That would your handy work, again,” Spike explained. “Hey, I wasn’t here!” “Indirectly.” “Damn, B’s good,” Faith noted with a smile. ______________________________ Buffy rushed back to her motel and threw herself on the bed, sobs wracking her body. She knew what was going to happen to Anya and Xander, all because of her. And Faith. Always Faith. Wiping away the tears, Buffy held back her hair and headed to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she noticed that the dark makeup she’d put on had all run down her face. Buffy grabbed a face cloth and began to wipe the make up from her face. Buffy looked back up to the mirror thinking that she’d had enough, that it was too hard when she noticed something was different. Her hair, which was brown and straight suddenly began to curl on its own. The slayer sniffed and touched the newly curled locks. “I guess it’s working.” ______________________________ Tbc..

Chapter #8 - Guilt

Disclaimer: You know the drill…not mine, never will be mine. Once again beta’d by the wonderful BTL ______________________________ Chapter 8: Guilt Willow magically pulled Faith behind her the next morning. It was time to check in with Giles. Faith shook her newly straightened hair. Though she wouldn’t admit it, Faith kinda envied B’s hair; it did what she wanted it to do. It was definitely one of the perks of having B’s life. The school thing wasn’t much fun. Being all goodie two shoes all the time seriously sucked. “Xander,” greeted Willow softly as they entered Giles’ home. “Did you talk to her?” Xander just shook his head. “Nothing?” “She got on a bus to LA. I don’t know where she’d go after that. I really blew it.” Faith really didn’t have any feelings one way or the other about Xander and his chick, but the sharp elbow to the ribs that Willow gave her reminded her that she had to act like she cared, to pretend to be Xander’s friend. “Ya, and I’m sure when she calms down she’ll be back, Xan,” Faith said. “Ya, and I’m sure that when you and Buffy get back to your own bodies she’ll be really apologetic too,” he said with a sneer. “It’s not Buffy’s fault,” chimed in Willow. “Just who do I blame then?” Xander asked getting quite angry. “Buffy would never intentionally hurt you, Xander,” added Willow. “Why don’t you just blame me then?” suggested Faith. “Everyone seems to think that’s a good idea.” “I guess it’s easier to be at Buffy when she’s wearing your face,” noted Xander. “Any changes since last night?” Giles asked bringing the topic back to something more civilized. “I woke up with straight hair?” Faith contributed. “And last night, I had this wicked craving for yogurt. I don’t even like yogurt.” “See! Good!” chirped Willow in Faith‘s direction. “That’s very Buffy like!” “Great, I’m all B like.” “I think she’s doing very well,” Willow continued, looking at Giles. “Yes, wonderful. You are taking proper precautions? Not drawing unwanted attention to yourselves?” Giles asked Willow. “Now that she looks more like Buffy, it is probable that the Council will take a renewed interest in capturing Faith. We can’t let Buffy be captured again.” “All careful,” Willow placated with a firm nod. “And we have class.” “Yes, off you go then,” noted Giles getting up from the chair he had been sitting in. “You want us to take Xander with us?” Willow asked, casting a sympathetic eye towards her friend on the couch. “No, he’ll just be in your way.” Giles sighed. “It is better that he is here, and not in his basement listening to country music as he explained to me when he arrived. He won’t do anything foolish if he is here sulking in my house, hopefully.” “What? Like go after her?” added Faith. “I don’t know where she is,” Xander sniffed. “And I’ve got work in an hour.” “Are you sure?” asked Willow. “Why don’t we come by and hang… or something after class,” Faith suggested, earning another praiseful look from Willow. “Sure,” Xander sighed, rolling to his side and burying his face into a pillow. “That was nice,” Willow remarked to Faith. “It’s got me all antsy, this nice stuff. Doesn’t feel right.” “Maybe it feels antsy ‘cause it is right,” suggested the witch. “I still think you’re full of it.” “Full of something you’re not.” ______________________________ Buffy walked into Giles’ house, not with the bounce in her step she was used to, but at a bit of a trudge. As she opened the door, she noticed Xander curled up in a ball on Giles’ couch, his face buried in a pillow. Buffy felt a stabbing pain in her heart. Swallowing, Buffy entered the room and headed towards Giles’s empty comfy chair. “Who put downers in your wheaties?” Buffy asked to keep Faithy, when she just wanted to beg Xander for forgiveness. “Ah, that would be you,” Xander muttered from the pillow. “Anya’s left.” Buffy quirked an eyebrow. “Left?” she asked. “As in left left or going on vacation and will be back left?” “Left left,” answered Xander again from the pillow. “LA left.” “Oh,” responded Buffy. Xander sat up from his position on the couch to look directly into Buffy’s eyes. “Ya, oh. How could you not tell me?” Xander accused. “I thought I was your friend.” “Hey!” protested Buffy. “I didn’t do anything she wouldn’t have done, anything she hasn’t done before. I thought you’d shoot me down.” Buffy paused. “I hoped you would,” she continued in a small voice. “I take it yesterday was a success?” Giles asked in a curt voice from the kitchen. “Five by five,” Buffy answered. “I vegged, I slayed, I partied.” “You ruined,” Xander retorted. “I’d say that was real Faithy.” “Whatever.” Buffy stood up from the chair and stepped towards the door. “I’m more Faith looking today. The spell’s working. I figure I’ll be completely Faithy by tomorrow.” Giles looked at her critically for a moment. “I believe you have Faith’s chin as well.” “See, Faithy me,” Buffy noted. “See you around.” “Not staying around for the depression?” asked Xander. “Nah, I figure you’ll get that all sorted without me.” ______________________________ Buffy paced the motel room. She was bored, and she felt guilty, massively guilty. Xander and Anya had broken up because of her. She had to fix it. So what if Faith wouldn’t have fixed it. Maybe Faith would have if she cared. Buffy grabbed her bag of personal effects and headed off to find someone with a car. Spike. Buffy barged into his crypt, waking the vampire from his mid morning slumber. “Bloody hell,” he muttered, startled from his sleep. “Oh, it’s you.” “Yep, me,” she answered. “Didn’t you have straight hair last night?” he asked, setting his head back on his pillow, eagerly anticipating her departure. “Yep, another Faith thing.” “Don’t think it’s an improvement.” “I thought you like it when I had curly hair. You didn’t complain when we were engaged.” Spike laughed. “I don’t recall complaining about much when I had you all hot and bothered on my lap.” “Mmmm, good times,” she responded with a nostalgic grin. “Don’t you get any ideas in that warped mind of yours, pet,” the vampire noted, sitting up. He realised that she wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. “Ideas? Me? Never!” she feigned innocence. Spike cocked an eyebrow at her. “Okay, yes I have an idea. A good idea actually. I need to go to LA. I have to find Anya. Make this whole thing better.” Spike shook his head. “Not going to work,” he said. “Well, it won’t work if I don’t try!” “It’s not what you did. I was with demon girl. When you put the moves on the whelp, we heard it all,” Spike explained. “He’s the one that broke her heart.” “Yes, but I was there….If I hadn’t….” “Love, please, just let it go. The whelp and demon girl were bound to break up sooner or later. Just be glad it’s done and move on.” Buffy shook her mane of brown curly hair and pouted. Spike frowned, knowing that those lips in that pout were going to get him stuck in a car with his slayer, being all schizo, enroute to the one city he wanted to avoid like the plague. Well, at least until Angel got over the whole torture thing. “Please?” Bloody hell. Spike grabbed his keys off of nearby statue and growled his frustration. “Goodie,” Buffy giggled following him down into the bowels of the crypt and towards the sewer entrance. “Angel’s gonna be trippin’ when he sees me.” ______________________________ Spike climbed into his baby and shut the door in time to see Buffy climb in beside him. The garage he’d parked his Desoto in made for convenient access, but the trek had given Buffy time to reassert her Faith personality. “Ground rules?” he started looking at the body occupying the passenger seat. “’Kay?” she responded. “When we get there, you explain. That’s what got the whelp in trouble. I’m sure your Angel pie is gonna want to be all stake happy with my ass.” “Let’s just hope that he doesn’t freak out too much. What if he thinks I’m Faith? I could be in a world of trouble.” “As long as his bloody nose is still attached it’ll be fine, pet,” he noted, starting the engine. “Any other ground rules?” “Keep your mitts to yourself. Not that I’m not flattered, but Peaches is not going to like it, seeing you pawing all over every male you see. Don’t care if it’s what you have to do to change back or not.” Buffy pouted. “Are you sure it’s Angel you’re concerned about?” Spike looked over at her, staring down her green eyes. “Oh ya, you want me,” she noted aloud to herself. ______________________________ Faith followed Willow down into Xander’s basement, noting with amusement just how much he lived like she usually did. It had been another boring day at UC Sunnydale. No Riley sightings, no opportunity to flee Willow’s side. No way to escape, no way to bum a cigarette off of someone. She so badly needed one. But Willow was just a little bit scary. Now she was faced with a movie and friend bonding in Xander’s basement. Something she would have avoided like the plague when she was friends with these people. Xander was definitely worse for wear, lying on the couch. His clothes looked like he’d been wearing them for two days. Sad strains of country music were playing in the background. “Oh Xander, you look terrible!” whispered Willow sitting down beside her friend. “I wonder what she’s doing right now,” he groaned reaching for a glass of what looked like coke on the coffee table. “She’s probably as sad as you, Xander. Just give her some time,” Willow said trying to comfort him. “She’ll be back in no time.” Faith doubted it. She didn’t see what happened but then, this had happened to Xander before right? With Cordelia? He tended to attract the girls that didn’t really forgive this kind of thing. She wasn’t going to be holding her breath. Willow glared in her direction. Time to act the part. “She’s right Xander, just give Anya some time. You two are meant to be,” Faith said super sweetly. “I brought Doritos and root beer, and Faith picked out some really action-y movies. We’ll have you cheery in no time.” “You guys are the best,” slurred Xander, sleepily, grabbing the two girls into a hug. Faith felt herself go stiff as a board. Xander was hugging her. Like a friend. Was he drunk? It felt weird, very very weird. Yes, she’d boinked Xander that one time, but this was different, affectionate. Wrong. Willow stood up from her position on the couch and found a bowl in which to put the Doritos, all the while giving Faith hints to put the movie into the VCR. This was going to be one awkward movie. ______________________________ Tbc…

Chapter #9 - B like

Disclaimer: Joss said we could. Author’s note: Beta’d by the fab Bloodytearsoflife. ______________________________ Chapter 9: B like Buffy tapped her nails on the door of Spike’s Desoto. She couldn’t tell how close they were to LA because of the stupid blacked out windows. The car was moving though, that much she could tell. Glancing over at Spike, she wondered just how much of an inconvenience this was for him, dropping everything to drive her to LA. She never doubted that he’d drive her though. He pretty much would do anything for her nowadays. Oh yeah, this trip would be difficult for him. Angel probably was still mad about the whole torture for the Gem of Amara thing. Not to mention the whole jealousy thing. Spike was tapping his fingers against the steering wheel in rhythm to the latest punk noise they were listening to. Angel so had reason to be jealous of Spike. Jealous vampires. Great, just what she needed. This could go very, very bad. But she had to find Anya. Maybe it would be better if Spike didn’t leave the car. There was no guarantee that finding Anya would be easy, even if your ex honey was a private detective, which was why she was going to see him first. “Why do you listen to this?” Buffy asked, nagging, or making conversation. “Be in the now.” “Punk is in the now, Slayer. Never gets old. Universal.” “Pfft. Hardly,” she responded. “Got a plan for when we get there?” he asked, retuning his attention to the road again. Buffy shrugged. “Angel’s the one with the whole investigator thing. I figured he‘d tell me where to go.” “What if he tells you to get out of his city?” Spike argued. “Then he’s a poop head,” she said with a pout. “Do you think he won’t help? Do you think if I arrive with you, looking like this, he’s going to try to beat me up?” She waited for him to respond, and when he didn’t, she turned to stare at the blacked out windshield. This was going to be a fantastic day. ______________________________ “And why the hell should we drop everything, all of our veryimportant cases, cases that pay money, I might mention, to find someone for you?” Cordelia ranted from the other side of her desk at Angel Investigations. Buffy stared back at Cordelia. Angel wasn’t at the office; he was on a case. Cordelia had taken one look at Buffy and asked why she had brown hair. The office really hadn’t changed a lot since the last time she was there, for all of five minutes. Spike had wisely followed Buffy’s request to stay in the car, and Buffy counted her blessings that it was only Cordelia she had to deal with at the moment, though she was going to have to talk to Angel at some point. Would he smell Spike on her? Would he believe it was her at all? “Look Cordy, I didn’t come to chat. I need to find someone and I’d much rather talk to Angel than you,” Buffy noted with a smile. “I don’t deal well with secretaries.” “Setting aside the fact that I am not just a secretary, don’t you think that Angel is busy with far more important things? We have a direct line from The Powers That Be, you know. What we do is just as important as what you do. Don’t you have your own group of Scoobies to take care of this kind of thing?” Buffy sighed. “When is Angel going to come back Cordy?” Buffy asked tapping her foot. Body language said a lot, and Buffy and Cordy faced off, each on their own side of the desk, staring each other down. “Why do you have brown hair anyway? Did you get a nose job? ‘Cause it looks terrible. And I’m not just being me. Really, ick,” Cordelia countered, smiling only the way Cordelia could having gotten off a good stinging remark. Buffy sighed again. “No, no nose job, no I didn’t dye my hair. It’s a spell. A spell that really doesn’t concern you. Where’s Angel?” The tapping foot continued. Buffy heard the door to the office of Angel Investigations open. As she turned to see who it was, she found herself tackled to the ground. Buffy groaned under the weight of the man who’d tackled her. The weight, and the fact that he’d come through the door, where there was sunshiny death for the vampirically inclined, were all clues that this was a human. And it turned out to be a human named Wesley Wyndham-Price. “Um, please get off?” Buffy asked, lying flat against the floor. “Not until we have you safely bound and gagged,” the former watcher declared, struggling to maintain his position, pinning Buffy‘s limbs to the floor. Cordelia laughed. From her position on the floor Buffy glared at the former cheerleader, vowing to someday be able to wipe that smug smile off of her face. Buffy groaned. “Please get off,” she asked again. “I’m not Faith.” “As if we’d fall for that,” grunted Wesley pressing her into the floor. With a shove, using slayer powers, Buffy pushed Wesley off and rose to her feet. Wesley stared back at her, his mouth agape, Buffy’s brain leapt naturally to its most logical tangent under the circumstances. Where was Spike in all this? Was he out there in the car laughing his undead ass off? Or had he fallen asleep in the front seat? “No, Wesley, it’s Buffy,” Cordelia explained. “Apparently there was a spell,” she concluded with air quotes. “I’m starting to look like Faith, it’s a whole thing. Faith looks like me,” Buffy noted, her voice uninterested. She was really getting tired of the whole explanation thing. “Faith is alive?” Wesley asked. “As in not in a coma?” “And blond now even,” Buffy offered, nodding. “Is Angel coming back any time soon?” As if on cue, Angel appeared from the downstairs, his hair perfect, brood full on. He took a long look at Buffy before saying anything. Buffy knew that this would be hard. His eyes and his other senses were sending conflicting messages to his brain. “Buffy?” he greeted tentatively. “Ya, it’s me,” said Buffy smiling that he’d recognized her. “Why do you look like Faith?” ______________________________ Faith was getting better at the whole Buffy thing. She’d spent quality time with Xander and Willow cheering the boy up and it didn’t seem so hard to be friends with them again. Of course, that assumed that she had been friends with them in the beginning. Right now she wasn’t sure about that. What she was sure about was that she almost liked it. Trust was beginning to form. That in itself was scary. If the scary would just take a road trip she’d be five by five with the whole sitch. “I thought we’d all go out to the Bronze tonight,” suggested Willow as they made their way to one of their classes the next day. “I haven’t seen much of Tara in a while and Xander needs Bronzing.” “Don’t you think it’s too early for Bronzing?” Faith asked, thinking about how down Xander had been the last time she saw him. “I mean, it wasn’t too long ago when the thing with Anya happened… at the Bronze.” Not that it mattered one way or the other to her of course, she tried to convince herself. No way could she let loose at the Bronze while she was being all B like. The Bronze just didn’t seem like a good idea all around. Still, B needed to loosen up. ‘Cause well it was B. B who didn’t have a man tied down as far as she knew. It would sorta be like a good deed, in that warped way her brain thought. “Then again, maybe he needs to get back in the saddle,” Faith continued, her own selfishness coming to the fore. “Maybe he’ll meet someone that’ll make him forget about her.” Willow smiled. “That’s just what I was thinking.” The two women continued down the hallway, making their way through the mass of students. The idea of going to the Bronze still didn’t seem like a good idea to cheer up Xander. With another look at Willow, Faith had to come to one conclusion: Willow had a little selfish side too. ______________________________ “And you have to act like Faith?” Cordelia asked, for like the third time. What exactly isn’t she getting? Buffy thought. Cordelia usually wasn’t this dense. Buffy nodded. Her head had been in constant nod mode since Angel walked in the room. It was getting to the point where she was thinking about having pamphlets made: “I look like Faith, here’s why!” “See the part I don’t get is why you are in LA,” Cordelia continued, “again. I thought you were all angst-ed out from the last time you showed up.” Cordelia really needed a remote, or an off switch. “Anya,” Buffy sighed, tried of verbally sparing with Cordelia. If she could just find Anya and convince her to come back to Sunnydale, she could take Spike and leave. “Anya?” Cordelia asked while Angel and the former watcher remained conspicuously silent. “She ran off to LA. It’s my fault, I need to find her,” Buffy tried to explain, looking between the trio of demon fighters. They didn’t immediately respond, nor did the habitual barb fall from Cordelia’s lips. Something was up. Cordelia crossed her arms, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. “That’s not what I heard. I heard it’s Xander’s fault.” “And just who did you hear that from?” Buffy asked, curious and just a little bit angry. “Did Willow call you?” It was plausible, Willow could have called, they were in touch as far as Buffy knew. Cordelia shook her head. “No, but it’s it always Xander’s fault, isn‘t it? He cheats. He’s a cheater. Once a cheater always a cheater.” “That’s not fair,” Buffy defended her friend. “No?” the former cheerleader asked raising her eyebrow. “I need your help finding her,” Buffy continued, turning to Angel. “No,” stated Angel bluntly. “No?” Buffy questioned. “What do you mean no?” “You don’t need my help finding her. If she wants to be found, she’ll be found. Right now she just wants to be left alone.” “Wait, have you talked to Anya?” Buffy asked, her eyes wide. “She’s staying with me, at my apartment,” Cordelia finally admitted with a sigh. “And she doesn’t want to see you, or Xander, or Willow. Angel’s right, she doesn’t want to be found.” “And how are you going to stop me, Cordelia?” “Well, I was hoping that you’d actually have some humanity in you, and just leave her alone, but then I realised that you’re Buffy, so not likely,” Cordy responded. “Cordelia…” Angel warned. “Maybe it’s not good to get on her bad side?” “I would listen to him, Cordy. I look like Faith, and I really should be acting like Faith,” Buffy noted with a smile. “And if I was Faith right now, I’d be kicking your ass.” “Hey!” “Buffy, I think it would be a good idea to calm down…” Angel started, only to be cut off by Buffy glaring at him. “And maybe you could tell me where Spike is?” “Spike?” Buffy asked all innocently. “I don’t know what you are talking about Angel.” “He’s most likely in the blacked out car parked down the street I observed when I came into the office,” noted Wesley. “Mind telling me why you are all chummy with Spike all of a sudden?” Angel asked. “Wait, is Spike the new boyfriend Willow told me about?” asked Cordelia. That’s when Angel got really angry. ______________________________ Yes, it was cowardly to turn tail and run, but Buffy figured that’s what Faith would do in a tight spot anyway. So it all worked out in the end. Buffy ran from the offices of Angel iInvestigations and jumped into the car waiting for her, rousing the sleeping vampire in the driver’s seat. “Uh, hasty get away needed like now!“ she yelled, slamming the car door. “What?” shouted a startled vampire. “Bloody hell, why are you yelling?” “Put the key in the ignition and drive Spike!” she yelled back at him. Grumbling, he did as she asked, and drove away, screeching the tires. “There better be bloody bringers of the apocalypse on our tail,” he muttered. “No, Angel,” Buffy answered back. “Why the hell were you asleep anyway?” she shouted. “It’s the middle of the bleedin’ day!” “Stop yelling!” she screamed back., sending the two passengers into silence. Three blocks later, Spike and Buffy were still not talking to one another, when Spike turned the car around a corner and started down another street. “How do you even know where you are going?” Buffy asked, annoyed. “Well, if you would tell me, you barmy bint…” he shouted back. “Pull over, I have to look in a phone book,” she answered semi civily. “I don’t know where Cordelia lives. And does my voice sound Faithy to you?” ______________________________ Tbc…

Chapter #10 - Movies with the ghost

Disclaimer: All hail Joss Author’s note: Thanks to the wonderful BTL who beta’d and made me realise that after such a long time on hiatus from a fic, I really should reread previous chapters. ______________________________ Chapter 10: Movies with the ghost The sun was setting as Buffy and Spike pulled up outside of Cordelia’s apartment. “You alright, love?” the vampire asked. She’d told him everything that had happened at Angel’s office, explained that she hadn’t acted like Faith all, yet. Getting Anya and Xander back together was more important to her than returning to her own body at this point. “I think you have your priorities in a muddle,” he observed. All Buffy could do was shrug as she exited the car on her way to talk to Anya. Spike was staying in the car once again, only this time it wasn’t because of Angel, but because Anya couldn’t invite him in. A knock summoned Anya to the door, her eyes teary and red, her nose runny. Frankly, she’d looked better. “Oh my god, Anya! How are you?” Buffy said straight off, ignoring the former vengeance demon’s shock at seeing her. “Go away Buffy. I know why you are here. I’m not going back.” “He misses you, he’s so sorry! Please Anya, it was all my fault.” “Really?” Anya questioned. “Did you make him say he’d do you after he ditched me?” “N…no.” “Did you make him fall in love with you so that no other girl would be worthy?” “N…no, but that’s not…” “Oh, isn’t it? Xander has been fixated on you from the moment he met you. Unattainable you. Cordelia, me, we’re just temporary until you finally change your mind.” “That’s not true Anya. He loves you.” “No,” she sniffed. “He misses me, like he misses a security blanket or a teddy bear. And the sex, a teddy bear he can make it with. He never loved me. If he had, he wouldn’t have thrown it all away for a tumble with you.” “If I hadn’t offered…” “I would get my heart broken later…” “I …I really didn’t know…” Buffy concluded. “That doesn’t surprise me,” Anya responded. “I was going to eat Ben and Jerry’s with the ghost, you want to join us?” “The ghost?” ______________________________ Faith danced as conservatively as she knew how. The night at the Bronze was turning out to be fun, in a totally sedated way. In a ’there is no way in hell I’m going to get laid’ way. Xander danced half heartedly beside her as Tara and Willow cuddled against each other on the couches nearby. Even though there were men she would dance with in a heartbeat next to her, Faith kept her attention on Xander, her pseudo friend. He was supposed to be her focus. As the song ended and another one started, Xander moved towards the couches that the group had claimed, leaving Faith alone on the dance floor. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, getting him out here so soon after his break up, Faith noted as she followed him back to the couches, forsaking potential company of maybe cute boys. “No,” directed the brown haired teen. “You should stay, dance.” A smile graced Faith’s lips, before she shook her head. “No, you need company…and support. I’m supporto gal,” Faith responded. “Ooh, do you need a beverage? I could be beverage gal too.” “Beverage girl can stand down,” smiled Xander. “You sure?” “Completely. I’m just going to sit and be seated. You go dance the dance of the carefree and body snatched.” “And supporto gal?” Faith asked. “Supporto gal can remain on standby.” Faith smiled. “Can do.” Over the din, neither Faith nor Xander noticed that Faith’s voice had changed. Faith headed back out to the dance floor with Xander’s blessing. She was out there a total of two minutes when she felt hands around her waist. This is more like it, she thought. She moved with the music and against this unknown groper. Buffy like movement of course. Spinning around to see her dance partner, Faith looked up into brown eyes that held her fast within his gaze. Riley eyes. Faith gulped, casting an insecure glance at Willow. Willow who had told Riley to back off. But Willow was busy with Tara and Xander. “Riley, you really shouldn’t be here,” Faith noted cautiously pulling away from the hulk of man dancing with her. “I was here when you arrived, you look…you look good, Buffy,” he whispered in her ear. “You look beautiful.” “Riley,” she complained. “I’m not…” “Look, I know what happened, you might not forgive me for it, but I’m willing to grovel. I love you. Please don’t cut me out of your life because of something that happened during a spell. Please…” he begged. “I can’t.” “Why not?” “’Cause I’m not Buffy, I’m still Faith.” “What?” Riley questioned, astonished. “You can’t be Faith, you look, all over, like Buffy. You sound like Buffy. I watched you for a half an hour trying to decide if you were Buffy or not. You are Buffy.” “What colour are my eyes?” Faith asked in a leap of hope that at least those had stayed the same. “Brown,” Riley answered, confirming what she hoped. “What colour are Buffy’s eyes?” “Blue?” he replied as if not absolutely sure. “Green, Riley,” Faith corrected. “Her eyes are green. No wonder she doesn’t like you right now.” “When is this thing going to be over?” the former soldier complained. “I’m thinking soonish,” Faith observed walking off the dance floor and towards Xander and Willow. Ignoring Riley was a little difficult, given the fact that he kept trying to grab her hand and pull her back towards him. Flicking his hands away, he still didn’t get the hint. With one last attempt, he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her harshly towards him. Faith spun around and faced him, not at all happy. “Don’t touch me!” she barked at him, her voice now exactly like Buffy’s. He didn’t release her. Narrowing her eyes at him, she stared him down. “If you want to keep that hand, you’ll let me go, ‘cause the next thing I do will be to rip your arm off your body.” “Overload on the imagery, Faith,” piped up Xander stepping towards the two demon hunters. “Only the truth,” she added still staring at Riley. “I’m the psycho one.” With a look of resignation, Riley finally let her arm go, and stalked off towards the bar. “He doesn’t ever get the point does he?” Faith asked. “He’s what we call dense,” added Xander. “How about beverage girl and I blow this popsicle stand? I’ve got a fridge full of fruit punch, and a selection of Jackie Chan movies in my basement.” Faith smiled. “That sounds like a really great plan, Xander. But I can’t.” “Not into the Jackie Chan oeuvre?” he asked. “No,” answered Faith, “I’m stuck to one of the cuddling lesbians.” Faith pointed to Willow on the couch with Tara, both engaged in close conversation. “I have to stay here until Willow leaves. It’s the way the spell works.” Xander nodded. “I’ll just go back to my hovel then.” “Sorry.” Faith watched him go and it seemed that he looked sadder as he stepped away from his friends, or pseudo friends. Willow hadn’t even said good bye to him. ______________________________ The movie credits rolled on the screen of Cordelia’s TV. The ice cream had long since been eaten, except one last spoonful that neither girl could eat. “So you aren’t coming back at all?” Buffy asked, her voice now completely Faith’s dulcet tones. “Well maybe to get my clothes,” Anya responded. “What are you going to do?” Buffy questioned. “You’ll have to start a new life here.” “What exactly do I do in Sunnydale?” Buffy paused before answering, but Anya cut her off. “Nothing. I do nothing. I am nothing. I was the quirky ex-demon girlfriend of one of your friends. No one will miss me. Willow doesn’t like me, Giles thinks I’m annoying. What is there left for me?” There was another pause as Buffy tried desperately to think of something to say. “So ya, I’ll stay here. Cordelia seems to think that I could be useful to Angel Investigations.” “You could be useful to us,” Buffy finally said. “I’m not coming back to soothe your feelings of guilt.” “I know,” Buffy responded sadly. The apartment filled with a sad silence and Buffy thought that perhaps it was time to leave. She had accomplished nothing and Spike was probably really bored. She was about to push herself off the couch when the door to the apartment opened, revealing Cordelia, Wesley, and Angel in the hallway. “Faith!” Angel exclaimed in that way of his, causing Buffy to roll her still green eyes. “Hello, I thought we went over this earlier,” said Buffy, annoyed, as Angel strode into the room. “Not Faith.” “Oh, sorry,” Angel answered. “I mean, it just throws me, you know.” Buffy stood up and pirouetted in place, giving Angel a good look. “Fine, whatever. You found me, happy now?” “No,” he said with a grumpy look on his face. Buffy looked at her former boyfriend with pity. He looked so annoyed and distraught. “Are you going back with her?” Angel finally said, breaking the silence. It took a moment for Buffy to realise he wasn’t speaking to her. “No,” Anya answered. Buffy watched the reactions of the people around her. The mood seemed to lift a little bit. Apparently the AI crew wanted Anya too. “So I’m done here. I’ll go back to Sunnydale to find my body all magically bound to Willow. I don’t want to get back to find my hands have committed murder.” “There’s no guarantee that Faith is going to start murdering people again,” Angel countered. “Well, if sleeping with my boyfriend and trying to kill my mom was any indication, I’d say she’s on track,” Buffy complained. “Look, I didn’t come here to talk to you or even to get the prerequisite lecture on how you think Faith can be reformed, because, hey you were reformed. I came to talk to Anya. That’s the long and the short. ‘Kay? And now I’m done. So I’ll just go back to Sunnydale and work on getting back in my own body.” Angel reached out and grabbed her hand. “Are you sure you don’t need help?” he asked. “They had it all figured out before I left,” Anya added. “They don’t need any help, in fact I’d say that Buffy is finally getting some stuff right. She dumped that Riley boy. He was insipid.” Cordelia laughed and muttered something about Buffy’s taste in guys. Buffy smiled, her agreement to Anya’s words lit up Faith’s face. “Glad to hear it,” Angel grumbled. “Yep, I’m all realization girl. Now, I’ll just go back to my town, and get out of your town, and fix this.” Buffy stepped out into the hallway past Wesley and Angel only to be confronted by a worried Spike. “What the bleedin’ hell is taking so damn long?” he asked, before realising who was in the doorway of Cordelia’s apartment. Both Angel and Wesley’s eyes went wide. This was not going to go well. “What’s he doing here?” Angel barked. “Buffy dumped Riley for Spike,” Anya answered when no one else would. “They haven’t had sex yet, from what I gather, but it’s only a matter of time. I think it has to do with the whole looking like Faith thing.” “And here I was looking to make a clean getaway,” Buffy sighed. She turned to Cordelia. “You think the ghost could make a distraction so I could get out of here?” “He really doesn’t like to be called ‘the ghost’,” Cordelia answered. The two vampires started their posturing. “I can be where I bloody well choose to be, Peaches,” Spike spat in Angel’s face. “Helping the Slayer out with her friend, aren’t I?” “Buffy would never let you help her out,” Angel stated matter of factly. “Maybe Buffy isn’t working on all cylinders, maybe you did this to her?” “Oh my god, would you two quit it?” Buffy yelled. “I am in my right mind,. I asked Spike to drive me here. Would you please just…” Buffy didn’t have time to finish what she was saying before a wave of dizziness over took her, sending her to the floor of Cordelia’s hallway. _________________________________________ Tbc…

Chapter #11 - Using

Disclaimer: I told this guy in the local comic book store that I was addicted to Joss Whedon. I don’t think he realised just how much. Author’s note: Thanks to BTL for the beta job. ______________________________ Chapter 11: Using The throbbing in her head and the queasiness in her tummy wasn’t really making consciousness welcoming, but Buffy felt compelled to open her eyes. She knew in an instant that something was wrong. Or rather, right. Blond hair had fallen over her eyes, and she felt the familiar sensation of her own body. She experimented with her muscles, revelling in the fact that she must be in her own body. Of course, when she did open her eyes she wasn’t exactly smiling. She had thought that Faith was in the capable hands of Willow. Not Riley Finn. “Faith?” he asked sweetly. Buffy briefly thought that it was only fair to tell Riley that he once again had it wrong, but it seemed better to let him believe that she was Faith. The truth would only lead to apologies and wasted time with a soon to be very ex boyfriend. “Are you alright?” Riley asked, helping her back up on her feet. Buffy had no idea what Faith had been doing prior to the fainting, but she knew that she didn’t want to be anywhere on the dance floor with Riley. “Five by five,” Buffy responded in her best Faith like tone. “I was just on my way to see if Willow wanted to go.” Riley looked into her eyes, which Buffy was very certain had turned green and wondered if he was going to figure it out. “Right, well I’ll be on my way, let me know when Buffy starts to inhabit that body again, will you?” Buffy sighed as Riley walked away, and stepped towards the two witches who were still smooching on the couch. “I’m sorry to break up the smooch fest Wills, but I have a slight case of being in my own body again,” the Slayer said as calmly as she could. The fact was that she was really having a hard time not shouting it out for the whole room to hear. This was news of the good in Buffy world. A look of annoyance passed over Willow’s face. “Faith,” she complained. “You really think I’m going to believe you?” “Willow!” The red headed witch sighed. “Fine. What frightens me the most?” Skill testing questions aside, this one was pretty lame, Buffy decided. “You have frog fear, and have a recurring nightmare that you have to sing Madame Butterfly on stage. Can we get on with this? Faith is out there, full on slayer strength and free. Okay, probably not free, ‘cause I was in Cordelia’s apartment when I switched.” “You were in Cordy’s apartment? Is it nice?” Willow asked. “She has a ghost for a roommate.” “Typical,” snorted Willow sarcastically. “Are you sure it’s you?” “Her eyes are green,” Tara noted. Willow leaned forward on the couch to make sure it was true. “Buffy?” Willow questioned. “Yes!” Buffy groaned. “Undo the bind! Give me back my slayer strength!” “Well not here! Are you mad?” Willow asked, getting up off the couch. “The Bronze isn’t the best place to concentrate on casting,” Tara confirmed. “Can we just go?” Buffy responded impatiently, grabbing Willow and Tara by the hands and leading them away from the couches. ________________________________________________ Faith looked up to see a whole bunch of people looking down at her. She’d met them all, but she didn’t really feel comfortable. Last she checked they all didn’t like her very much. “Buffy?” Angel asked. Faith groaned and tried to sit up. “What happened? I feel like road kill.” “You fell over. So much for slayer… whatever,” said Cordelia Chase. “Great, well I’m done here.” Faith made to get up off the couch. “I’ll just go back to Sunnydale and continue acting like Faith.” “Hold on!” cried Cordelia. “You are just going to give up?” “Yeah,” Faith responded. “I’m trying to be Faith like remember?” Faith looked at each of the people in the room and wondered if they were going to buy it. She wished that they’d just let her go. She might have slayer strength again, but two vampires in a enclosed space… plus she had the feeling that she didn’t really want to fight her way out of there. “I think you should go,” Anya mentioned, stepping back from the couch. “Go.” Faith moved off the couch and walked towards the door. She really didn’t like the way that Anya was looking at her. It was possible that Anya knew that she’d switched back, or maybe it was just how the conversation with Buffy was going. Wesley opened the door to the apartment and watched silently as Faith walked out the door. The sSlayer really tried to keep her heartbeat in check. Only when she was safely on the pavement of the sidewalk outside did she finally draw a relieved breath. She quickly scanned the street, up and down, wondering what her next move was going to be. Sunnydale was north, therefore, she would go south. “What do you think you are doing?” came a sexy English accent behind her, as fingers gripped her arm. “Faith.” Faith turned to look at William the Bloody and cringed. He knew. ________________________________________ The bathroom of the Bronze proved to be just ideal for the removal of the spells that kept Buffy’s body from exerting its power. “What do you want to do now?” Willow asked. “We have no idea where Faith is.” “I know where I was last. She couldn’t have gotten too far. Plus Spike is with her. I’m hoping that he’ll have noticed the change,” Buffy responded. “Now all I need is a ride to LA.” The three girls exited the bathroom, searching for a solution to Buffy’s problem. Buffy didn’t drive and therefore it was a little more complicated than borrowing a car. “What about Spike?” Tara asked. “He’s already in LA, with what used to be me. I think I’ve already used that gift house.” “Gift horse,” Willow corrected. “Your mom’s car?” Tara suggested again. “In the shop, again, my fault, long story. I think that’s the last time she’s ever going to even entertain teaching me to drive. Behold the pedestrianism.” “Riley?” Willow finally suggested. “No good, Wills,” Buffy shot the suggestion down. Unfortunately it was too late and Buffy’s soon to be former boyfriend had heard Willow. He sauntered over from the bar. “My ears are burning,” he said with a forced smile on his face. “Are you too drunk to drive?” Buffy asked, eyeing what looked like a rum and coke in his hand. “Been drinking coke all night, just in case I was needed. Am I needed?” he asked hopefully. Buffy hated to be doing it, but she sighed and resigned herself to using him for his ability to drive and his car. __________________________________________________ She stared directly ahead as Riley drove. He still hadn’t figured it out. Even a moron should have realised something when Willow had told him that she’d released this slayer from the magical leash and that she wasn‘t coming. “Why are we going to see Buffy?” he asked. “Why is she in LA?” “She needs help. And she went to LA to talk to Anya.” “What is Anya doing in LA?” “Visiting Cordelia,” Buffy sighed. She just hoped that Spike and Angel had the common sense to tie Faith up. She really hoped that Spike had realised what had happened, because with all the craptitude that was floating around, Buffy didn’t think that she could handle the dusting of her vampire. Yeah, it was crap. She felt like crap for using Riley, for not being truthful with Spike while they had all that time together, for tempting Xander and therefore breaking up Anya and Xander, and she felt like crap just in general, an after feeling from the passing out. The pair of demon fighters lapsed into silence once again and Buffy wondered if she should just get it over with, the official breaking up, or if she should wait until they were in LA and she didn’t need him anymore. Either way, it felt really mean to do that to him, when he was just trying to help out. It wasn’t his fault really, that he was blind and oblivious. He was a male after all. Spike only figured it out because he was a vampire, and acutely attuned to his only predator. Nothing to do with the whole attraction thing. She’d just have to come up with a good reason to go back to Sunnydale in Spike’s car. Yes, that was the only decent thing to do. The break up was inevitable, but it was best to do it at home, not in LA. “Is everything okay, Faith?” Riley asked, keeping his eyes on the road like a good driver. “Five by five,” Buffy muttered, not willing to give up the fact that she was Buffy just yet. They had two hours of driving ahead of them. “Do you think Buffy is in trouble?” Riley asked. “Yeah, that would be terrible,” Buffy moaned. “No, I don’t think Buffy is in trouble.” “That’s good,” he responded. “Look, I’m sorry about the grabbing earlier. I’m just, frustrated about this whole situation. When you first switched and I didn’t know, and you made me think that everything was alright…and then you switched back, but not quite…it just seems that I’ve been without my girlfriend for ages.” “When really,” Buffy noted, “It’s only been a couple of days.” “It feels longer. I don’t like it when she’s angry at me. Especially when it’s not at all my fault. How was I supposed to know that you were in her body? I can’t tell. I’m only human.” “I guess, being her boyfriend, she thought that you would just know. Maybe she expected some kind of connection between you two, something that transcended regular humanness. Especially seeing as two other people knew right away.” “Don’t get me started on the vampire,” Riley almost growled. “He’s been stalking Buffy for ages. He’s not as reformed as she thinks he is. He’s just looking for a way to get that chip out so he can chew on her neck.” “Spike doesn’t chew necks,” Buffy laughed. “Whatever, you know what I mean. You have to think it’s a little peculiar that he’s hanging out with the one girl in all the world that’s meant to hunt him down. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?” Buffy nodded her head. Yes, it was odd, but she’d gotten so used to Spike now that any other way would seem equally as odd. “I’m waiting for the day she finally reaches the breaking point and dusts him. I’d do it myself, but I’m already in hot water on the boyfriend front. I don’t want to take away her vamp puppy.” “What if she never does reach the breaking point?” Buffy inquired. “I guess I’ll have to deal with that too.” Riley sighed. “Or dust him myself, you know if I’m not in the semi monthly dog house I seem to get myself into.” Leaning up against the window, making sure that Riley couldn’t see her green eyes, Buffy let her mind wander to more pleasant topics. Yes, talking with Riley was more productive when he didn’t know it was her. But this idea that he was just waiting for her to dust Spike was ridiculous. And she really didn’t like the idea that one day Riley would just decide that he’d had enough of Spike himself, and do away with her ‘vamp puppy’. And Spike was so going to have to hear about that new nickname. _______________________________________________ As they approached LA, Buffy gave Riley directions in a curt fashion, knowing that sooner rather than later he would find out that she was deceiving him the entire trip there. She wasn’t looking forward to it, but she’d decided that she was the Slayer and if she wanted to be chicken about one thing in her life, this was going to be it. She was tired about being brave in every aspect of her life. Riley followed the directions without question. Soon they found themselves turning down the street on which Cordelia lived. There were several cars parked on the side of the road, and each and every one of them got a careful assessment before Buffy forced her eyes onto the next one. Finally, she spied Spike’s Desoto, and let out a breath she hadn’t realised that she’d been holding. Spike’s car was there. Different possibilities floated around in her head. The idea that Faith had dusted him was struck down though as Buffy saw Spike’s gleaming bleached head in the street light. He was smoking, naturally, leaning against the light pole nearest to his car. A slow smile covered Buffy’s face. And this time Riley did notice. “You’ve got a thing for Spike?” Riley asked her. “I mean it makes sense, you both have psychopathic issues.” Buffy wiped the smile off her face. Who the hell was he calling psychopathic? Then she had to remind herself that he still thought she was Faith. Riley stopped the car, and in an instant Buffy was out of the car, racing towards Spike. Riley followed behind cautiously. A carefully timed stop and Buffy faced Spike, only a foot or so between them. It would have been too sappy to throw herself into his arms and kiss him for all she was worth, but then she had her soon to be ex boyfriend behind her. Spike took the fag out of his mouth and threw it on the ground, hurt. “Is this how it’s going to be then? Running back to your solider boy now that you’re all switched back?” he asked in a hiss. Buffy smiled. He knew. It made her want to kiss him even more. “He still thinks I’m Faith,” she whispered. “I needed a ride here.” Spike’s eyes went wide for a moment, as if he knew what the game was. “Right then,” he said in a whisper matching her own. “She didn’t dust you!” Buffy said aloud this time, unable to help just how fantastic she felt that he was still undead. “Did you really think she was going to be able to dust me pet?” Spike asked. “She’s been trying for years! Bint’s old hack now. I know her moves like back of my hand. Been studying her for years.” Buffy smiled, knowing that Spike’s performance was more for Riley’s benefit than for hers. Spike narrowed his eyes at Riley behind her and glared. “’Course she knows the same about me by now too,” Spike noted, staring down the solider behind her. “Where is Buffy?” Riley asked, acting like speaking to Spike was beneath him in every way. “Sitting oh so primly in the back seat of my car,” Spike answered, pointing. Buffy asked herself why she hadn’t looked in the car before, but there, just as Spike had said, Faith was sitting in the back seat, staring straight ahead. __________________________________________________ Tbc…

Chapter #12 - All the Pieces

Disclaimer: Joss, he is god. Not God god, but a lesser benevolent god. Author’s note: All hail BTL who beta’s so nicely, and who even beta’s when she’s sick! *many hugs* This is the last chapter folks. Thanks to everyone who’s stuck through with this one. I know it’s been a long time coming. ______________________________ Chapter 12: All the Pieces Buffy took a few steps towards the car before realising that leaving Spike and Riley together was a recipe for disaster. “You dust him and you will regret it, you get me Riley?” Buffy declared before opening the door of Spike’s Desoto. Riley nodded once, a grim look on his face. Quickly, Buffy slipped into the back seat of the black car and sat beside Faith, who was still staring straight ahead. “Buffy,” Faith greeted. “Faith,” Buffy responded. “How’s it going? Or more to the point…why didn’t you run away? I expected to have to chase you down.” “Not worth running anymore,” Faith sighed. “Explainy?” “I messed up. I’m not talking about the deal with the Mayor, or the jealousy that you were the Slayer when I was supposed to be the Slayer. The boy change thing. Riley loves you. Xander loves you. Spike loves you. You’ve got friends. I’ve never had that.” “You could have had that,” Buffy responded. “I know. I saw it when I was pretending to be you.” Buffy nodded. “And that’s why you didn’t run away? You could have made a life for yourself somewhere you know.” “If I run, they’ll always be after me. You’ve proven that.” “True enough. This birdie likes to get her worm. And boy did that come out wrong.” “I think your worm is waiting outside the car,” Faith snickered. “You just gotta choose which worm you really want.” “My life has become far too complicated. I remember when things were simple…see demon, slay demon. Now I just want to slay the boyfriend and bang the demon,” Buffy admitted. “I’d bang the demon,” Faith noted, “if I were you. I mean, I’m not you, but you do have that unfortunate kink for the vamps. Personally, white bread is rather tempting for a delinquent like me.” Buffy laughed. “You know, a week ago, I would have kicked your ass for saying something like that.” “And now?” “And now, you can have him.” “Nah, I’ll find myself some nice normal guy when I get out of prison. If I get out of prison.” “How you want to do this?” Buffy asked after a short pause. “I was thinking of getting Spike to drive me to the police station. You need to talk to that boyfriend of yours.” “Yeah, I really do,” Buffy mumbled with a pout. “I’m sorry for messing up your life.” “I’m sorry you didn’t get to be the only slayer.” Buffy leaned over and gave Faith a hug and then exited the car, looking first at Riley, but walking towards Spike. “All sorted love?” Spike asked. “Mostly,” Buffy noted, drawing Spike further away from the car, and from Riley. “She wants you to drive her to the police station. She’s going to turn herself in.” “Damn noble.” “We slayers tend to nobility,” Buffy half laughed. “You’re okay with that?” Spike nodded. “What’ll you do then?” “I’ve got to talk to Riley. A talk in which he knows that I’m me.” “Right then.” There was a sadness in his voice that she hadn’t heard in a while. “I have to. He’s still my boyfriend. Well he still thinks he is. You’d think after yelling at him for days…“ Buffy sighed. “I’ll see you back in Sunnydale tomorrow night?” “If you want to.” “I’ll want to.” _________________________________________________ They were just past LA city limits when Buffy decided that it was time to do some admissions. “Riley, Faith and I have completely switched back,” she started, looking straight ahead. “Oh yeah? When did this happen? ‘Cause you seemed pretty chummy with Spike not too long ago.” “He’s taking Faith to the police station. She’s turning herself in.” “You made her see the error of her ways?” Riley said angrily. He pulled the car off to the side of the road. “You vindictive bitch!” he yelled. “You’ve set her up. I bet Spike gave her something to make her so complacent. You’ve sent Buffy to prison to serve your sentence. I have to stop him.” “Riley!” Buffy shouted, putting her hand on his arm as he pulled to car back onto the road, heading back to LA. “I’m not listening to you anymore. You’re the one going to jail. And then I’m going to deal with Spike. I can’t believe I was so trusting. I thought you’d changed.” “I have changed Riley,” Buffy said, crossing her arms. “It’s you who hasn’t. You don’t know me. At all. You didn’t know me when I switched with Faith the first time, you didn’t know when I switched back and now you are convinced that I’m still the girl who pulled the wool over your eyes. I am Buffy Summers.” “How can I believe that?” he asked, slowing the car down. “Both of you have been doing such a good job acting like each other.” “I thought that was the point. You can believe it because I am telling the truth.” “Your word isn’t going to get me on this one. I’m going to need a little bit more than that.” “The first time I met you, I dropped a text book on your head. Faith doesn’t know that. She was in the coma then.” “I want to believe you.” “Then believe. This is me. Buffy. The Buffster. Slayer comma, the.” Riley pulled the car off to the side of the road again and turned on the inside lights, illuminating for the first time, Buffy’s eyes. “Your eyes are green,” he whispered. “They are,” Buffy responded with a smile. “You are Buffy.” “In the flesh.” In an instant, Riley pulled her towards him, his lips crushing against hers. This she hadn’t been expecting. She pushed him off of her. “Riley!” she hissed. “What? Buffy, you can’t honestly think that I wouldn’t want to kiss you once I found out that you are you,” he retorted. “Yes, that seems reasonable. But let’s not discount the whole, ‘does Buffy want to be kissed?’ scenario. We have to talk Riley.” Riley sighed. “I’m not sure if I want to have this talk.” “I’m 100% sure that you don’t. But it has to be done.” “Can I ask why? I mean it seems like this is coming out of left field here. I know I tried my best, Buffy. Sometimes I have problems dealing with the wacky that surrounds you. I want to be what you need, but it’s just so damn impossible.” This is hardly coming out of left field! she ranted to herself. “That’s me, Buffy Summers, impossible girl. The way I look at it is that if the wacky didn’t follow me around, sure I’d have a normal life, sure I’d have time to be the doting girlfriend, friend, and daughter. But I like saving the world. Some people wait their whole lives to find out why they were put on this planet, I don’t have to. I am the chosen one. If being the chosen one means that I have to deal with the wacky that screws up my relationships, oh well. If the wacky hadn’t interfered here, well, I wouldn’t have seen something that I’m afraid is really important to me.” “That I know the colour of your eyes?” he asked, smiling hopefully. “No, Riley. It’s not something as simple or as complicated as that. It’s not that you know what colour my eyes are, or that you can tell if someone is inhabiting my body or if it’s me inside, it’s that there were people that did know it was me. They see me, not for the physical stuff, the way I look or how I speak, but that they see me for who I really am. I need that in my life.” “And I’m not that. I’m sorry if I don’t read auras like Tara, or have some innate vampire sense like Spike. I’m only human Buffy.” “Maybe only human’s not for me.” Buffy could hear him grit his teeth together. She could tell that he was trying not to get mad. She was sort of proud of him, not lashing out with a badly planned defence, or taking it out on the vampire she knew his mind would be fixated upon. “I’m sorry, Riley,” Buffy ended with a sigh. “I am too. I tried so hard these last couple of days, never knowing if you were you or Faith. I was just hoping that you’d forgive me for not seeing when you switched or sleeping with Faith in your body.” “I know.” “So it’s over?” “Yeah.” “I still don’t want it to be over, Buffy.” “It’s too late.” Buffy stared out the window for the rest of the drive knowing that he wanted to salvage the relationship. She knew it couldn’t be pieced back together. No matter what she said, she did really think that had she and Riley been meant to be, he would have known it was her. Riley dropped her off at her mother’s house, and sped away, no good bye, no fare well or best wishes. Watching his taillights turn the corner, Buffy had a bad feeling that she knew Riley was going to take his disappointment out on Spike. Not even bothering to go in the house and let her mother know that she was back in town or completely switched back, Buffy ran straight for Restfield cemetery. The Slayer had her doubts as to whether Spike had actually gotten in from LA yet; he did have to drop Faith off at the police station. For that matter he could have stopped to get a drink somewhere. He hadn’t looked pleased that she was going to spend the two hour drive with Riley and Spike did like to drown his sorrows. Buffy burst into the crypt in which Spike resided to find that the vampire was not yet home. She breathed a sigh of relief. There were no tell tale piles of dust or signs of struggle either, which were both of the good in the Buffy book. The crypt itself was spacious and had lots of potential, home décor wise. It was on the chilly side, and she really couldn’t see herself getting naked here very often. She was a California girl after all, she liked her sun and her heat. She found herself a seat on the tomb residing in the crypt and waited. She swung her legs, twiddled her thumbs for a bit, and whistled a jaunty tune before she decided she’d had enough waiting. She hopped down from the tomb and walked towards the door, only to have it open almost as soon as she reached it. Riley was striding through the door, stake in hand. Oh, yeah, she’d been completely correct in her assumption earlier. Putting her hands on her hips, she tapped her foot in annoyance. “Buffy!” Riley said with a start. “What are you doing here?” “I would ask you the same thing Riley, but I know the answer already. I am here because I thought you’d take out your rejection and aggression on Spike. Sometimes I hate when I am right. Go home Riley. Spike’s not here and I don’t want you staking my friend.” “Spike’s not your friend.” “Yes, actually, he is. You staking him isn’t going to get me to see the light, if anything, it would probably make me want to inflict some serious pain. Spike did nothing to you, he didn’t take me away from you, this wasn’t his fault. Blame me, blame Faith, blame yourself, but don’t blame him.” “Why are to standing up for him?” Riley asked, turning to head out the door again. “He’s a lousy vampire. He doesn’t deserve it. He’s a killer.” “Maybe, but he sees me,” she responded, as that familiar feeling of a vampire approaching encroached on her senses. Riley sighed and left the crypt. Buffy watched as he walked dejected out of the cemetery, never once letting her eyes leave his retreating back. She was afraid that if, for even one moment, she let her eyes drift he’d find his way back to the crypt. She heard the distinct sound of a car accelerating away before she closed the crypt door. Until Riley accepted this, Spike wasn’t going to be safe. “It’s a bloody good thing that solider boy doesn’t have that nice tingley slayer sense,” came Spike’s voice from the hole in the floor. “Yeah,” she answered, facing him, “it is.” “So you two are officially over then?” “It was over the moment he didn’t recognise me in that church. But I had a rather nice, polite break up with him in the car on the way back to Sunnydale and if he thinks that staking my favourite vampire is going to make me want to get back together with him, he’s got a world of pain to look forward to.” A smile spread over Spike’s face. “I’m your favourite vamp, am I?” “You betcha mister,” she answered walking towards the hole in the ground that his torso was poking out of. With a jump, Spike was out of the hole and face to face with the Slayer. “I have my nose back,” Buffy observed quietly. “And a right pretty nose it is,” he commented. “I’m whole Buffy. I’m me, me.” “So you are, pet.” “So I was wondering, just how you would feel about that ’r’ word we were discussing a few nights back?” “R word huh?” Spike chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I’d be willing to give it a go.” Buffy couldn’t help the smile that crept up on her features. In a second she launched herself into the blond vampire’s arms, her lips seeking his out. His arms wrapped around his back, she felt herself being carried over to the tomb. This felt right. With all the wrong that had been happening in her life lately, this, this connection with the one person who always seemed to see her, felt right. Repaired. That’s what it felt like. Completely unbroken. __________________________________________ fini