It was the times like these that the gang had to stick together. At any moment they could lose Buffy. They wouldn't leave her side. Xander and Willow had been at the library for almost twelve hours now, and not a thing yet. While Giles, Cordelia, and Oz, stood watch at the hospital, trying to wait patiently, not knowing when they could see her. But Buffy, she was drifting further away as the hours passed...

She was in acoma, her world nothing like the world she had been in before she went under. Everything was muddled, and different. Inside, she felt like nothing was wrong, but everything was different. She felt alive. But that's not exactly what she was. She had been dreaming since the moment she passed out. Dreams that she couldn't fully grasp the meaning of. She didn't understand them. But she knew they were prophetical.

She slowly walked down a long coridor, it was a hall in the High School. She knew where she was. She made her way down the long hallway, and out a door to the outside. She glanced around the ground. It didn't quite hit her what was there, but finally it did. The ground was covered in a countless amount of bodies. They were scattered around the ground, some whole... some... not. Buffy looked down in horror as she made her way over to a small group of chairs. She couldn't believe her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hands to stop herself from screaming, and knelt down to the ground. It was Willow. Her eyes were wide open, a look of pure horror on her face. But she wasn't alive... She had been dead for quite some time now. Like those around her. Buffy reached a hand down to Willow, closing her eyes. She looked down at her friend in sadness. That's when she noticed it. A hand sticking out from under Willow. She glanced down, noticing a clauddagh ring on it's hand. She moved Willow over quickly, shocked to find what was underneath.

It was her. She lay on the ground, again the same look on her face as Willow's. Buffy had to scream then. She let out a very loud and strong scream..

"What's wrong with her?" Cordelia asked, standing to look at Buffy on the bed. "Why is she screaming like that?"

Giles ran out of the room, screaming, "Doctor, Doctor! Please, come quick..."

"We need to find a cure, quick." Giles said, watching Buffy closely. "Whatever is in her, I think it's killing her..."

"What did you do to me?" A girl screamed, in front of Buffy. She had long, flowing brown hair, a look of anger was on her face. Buffy had no idea what the girl was talking about. She didn't understand.

"What did I do to you?" Buffy replied, looking toward the girl. "I didn't do anything to you, I don't know you."

"Oh thats fresh, B. You don't know me?" The girl moved in closer to Buffy, and pushed her against the wall with all her might. "Now I'm gunna give you one more chance to tell me... or I kill you. WHAT did you do to me?"

"I... I didn't... do..."

"Wrong answer." The girl removed a knife from her pocket, and held it out in front of Buffy's stomach. "You tell me... or I gut you."

"I didn't do anything! I swear!"

With one instant, the girl pulled back and thrusted the knife into Buffy's stomach. She grinned, "Well, that was fun, wasn't it? You should have told me what you did... I wouldn't have hurt you."

Buffy looked down at the knife in her stomach, in horror. She swallowed hard and looked up at the girl. "I swear... I.. I didn't do, anything." Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Since when did you become so... weak?" She chuckled and pulled the knife out of Buffy's stomach with one movement.

Buffy fell to the ground in pain. She held onto her stomach, as the blood poured out. She leaned against the wall, crying in pain.

The heart monitor began to beep estatically, as Buffy's pulse rate began to rise quickly. The doctors ran into the room quickly, ordering the group to get out of the room. They obliged, and stood out the door, watching through the window as the doctors went to work.

"What's wrong with her?" Cordelia asked, looking through the window

"She's going fast..." Gile said sadly, "You guys better hope they get her stable again... Or else we won't be able to do anything."

"Isn't there like... a bring back to life spell?" Cordelia asked.

Giles looks to Cordelia, angry. "Yes, but lets just hope we won't have to go that far, alright?! Bloody Hell..." He walks off down the hallway.

"It was just a suggestion." Cordelia mumbled.

Willow sighed and threw another book down onto the table, "I can't find anything, Xander. How about you?"

Xander sighed, too, and set his book down. "Nothing. One of these days Giles should just put these all into a computer and... Oh wait... We're talking about Giles here."

"Yeah, big Anti-Computer guy."

"I'd rather have my book, some nice warm tea, and a bloody scone." Xander mocked, with a small laugh.

Willow laughed with him.

They both went silent when the library doors opened. It was Giles. They waved to him and stood.

"Anything?" Giles asked, walking toward their table.

Willow shook her head, "No, nothing yet, but we'll keep looking."

"Try to hurry... Buffy is deeper in acoma now... They say if she doesn't wake up by tomorrow.. she's gone."

"So now we have til tomorrow?"

"No, We have until six am." Giles sighed, "They said they're gunna take her off the machines."

"No! They can't do that!" Willow looked to Giles, angry. "Doesn't Mrs. Summers have to approve that?"

Giles sighs, "She did. She came in tonight. Talked with the doctors. They explained the situation, and she gave the go."

Willow looked down, sadly. "How could she do that?"

"She doesn't know what we can do. I think if I didn't know either, I would be agreeing with her."

"So lets just tell her."

"No. Bad Idea. She's dealing with too much right now. We don't want to get her hopes up. If some chance the spell doesn't work... I don't think she could handle it."

Giles took of his glasses and looked toward the two, "Just keep researching. I'll be here at five."

The two nodded, "We'll keep at it."

And they did keep at it, for what it seemed like hours. They had first started around 9pm that night. It was 1am now, they didn't know how much longer they could stay awake.

"I'm gunna make a snack run." Xander said, standing up. "Do you want anything? Those chocolate donuts in the vending machines are calling my name..."

"Oh, sure. Yeah. Just get me the same, and a Coke."

"Alright. Donuts and Coke, coming up." He ran out the door.

Xander ran out of the library quickly toward the vending matchines. He pulled out a pocket full of change and started filling the machine with quarters. He pressed a button for the donuts, but nothing came out. "Oh not now." He hit it, then kicked it, then shaked it. Still nothing. He sighed. "Figures." He looks into the machine, begging. "Com'on... The pizza places aren't open... I'm starving... and you look soooo good..."

"Well isn't that bloody sweet." A voice said from behind, with a small, mocking tone.

Xander turned around slowly and stared at Spike, "What do you want, Spike?"

"I heard about the little gal. Wanted to see how she's doing... And I needed your opinion. White roses, or red?"

"Excuse me..."

"Sorry, Little vampire humor. Anyway. You have something I want... and as I've heard, I have something you want."

"Not interested." Xander turned back to to the machine and started kicking it wildly.

"Oh I think you might want to re-consider. I bet you've checked every book in that library for that cure... haven't you?"

"Yeah? So what?"

"Well you're not gunna find it."

Xander turns around and stares blankly at Spike, "And why not?"

Spike chuckles and pulls a small book out of his coat and waves it at Xander. "Because I have it..."

Xander jumped toward Spike, trying to grab the book.

But Spike was too quick, he put the book back into his coat and backed away. "Now now... You know I don't give freebies..."

" Willing to listen?" Spike asked, impatiently.

"So you'll give us the book if we do what for you?" Giles eyed Spike from across the hospital waiting room.

"Theres this new badass vampire in town. Goes by the name of Seris. Before he came, those vampires out there worshipped me."

"And you want them to worship you again?" Xander asked, sarcastically.

"Of course. You've got to be bloody crazy to not want want to be worshipped."

"So what do you want us to do, Spike?" Giles sighed.

"Slay him. Kill him dead. I mean, you are the slayerettes! Why not go slay something..."

"We can't slay him. We're not slayers. We'll get ourselves killed!"

"Well I guess you'll have to figure something out, won't you?" He stood and looked around, "If you'll excuse me, I'm hungry. Only a few hours till the sun comes up, time to find some food."

"So you're gunna kill someone?" Willow asked.

"That's what us vampires do, you know?" Spike sighed. "I'm off."

"Spike..." Giles stopped him, "Where can we find you?"

"The mansion... I've got no where else to go. Might find myself a nice crypt later. I don't know. We'll see. I'll just find you." He walks off toward the exit of the hospital.

Willow turned to Giles, "New Badass vampire? Badder than Spike? We can't take him, Giles. What are we gunna do?"

Buffy shifted in her sleep, tossing and turning. Small groans passed her lips. She was dreaming. Again. The doctors had gotten her more stable than she was, but she was still drifting.

She glanced around the room quickly, she really had no idea where she was now. She noticed a bed in the corner, where a girl sat. Buffy tried to speak to her, but nothing came out of her mouth. It was if the girl didn't even notice she was there. Maybe she wasn't there. She didn't know. She wasn't sure of anything anymore.

The girl sat on the bed, holding her arm in pain. There was a small cut across her arm, right below a small tatoo around the top portion of her arm. Just a small design, Buffy couldn't tell what it was. She glanced up at the girl. It was the same girl who had stabbed her in an earlier dream. Buffy glanced down at her stomach. The shirt was covered in blood, yet there were no cuts beneath.

The girl grabbed a phone off the table and dialed a number. She waited a moment, then finally spoke, "Hey. This is Faith. I uhh... I wanted to let you know that I'm in Sunnydale for a while... at a Motel on... some street... near the High School. Um.. So if the watcher's council needs me, this is where I'll be." She hung up the phone and sighed, wincing out in pain as she touched the cut on her arm again.

"Faith..." Buffy said softly in her sleep, still shifting. The gang were back in the room, watching her closely. "Slayer.... Faith... Motel...School."

"What?" Giles stood up and walked closer to Buffy, sitting down next to her on the bed, "What Buffy?"

Buffy groaned out in pain as she tried to communicate to Giles. "What Buffy?" Giles stood before Buffy in the Library. "What about a slayer?"

"I saw her..." Buffy said, "She... She hurt me..."

"Hurt you? A slayer?"

"In a dream... I ... I don't know the difference anymore. I don't know if this could be a dream..."

"A dream? Buffy?" Giles looked down at her on the bed, "Speak to me, Buffy. Come on."

"Theres...another. Like me..."

"Like you?" Giles watched Buffy from across the library, "A slayer?"

"Yes." Buffy nodded, "She's at a motel near the school. Her name is faith."

"How do you know this?"

"I... Dream..."

"You drempt it?"

"Yes."

"We'll go check it out, Buffy. We promise."

"Thank... thank you."

Giles stood before the door the motel clerk told him to go to. He stood there for what it seemed like forever, almost afraid to knock. Another slayer? Here? In Sunnydale? He wasn't sure he could believe it. But maybe Buffy was having one of her prophetic dreams. He hoped she was. They could use another slayer right now. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Faith sighed and got up from the bed, after bandaging up her arm. She opened the door quickly, and looked out at Giles, "Uh.. Yeah? Can I help you?"

"Is your name, Faith?"

"How... How did you know that?"

"Rupert Giles..." He didn't know where to begin.. What if she wasn't a slayer? Would he say "I'm a watcher, I need your help", blah blah. He wasn't sure. So he just went with it. "I'm a..."

"A watcher?" Faith asked, somewhat intrigued.

He nodded, "Yes... I am."

"How did you know I was here?"

"You might find this a little crazy..."

"Nothing in this world is crazy anymore. After all I've seen... I think I would believe anything."

"We.. we have a slayer here..."

"Buffy Summers."

"Yes, Yes. That's right. Well... there was an accident. And she's in acoma... She spoke of you in her dreams..."

"She's been dreaming about me? Wow, aren't I the special one."

"Yes... Well... You see, we need your help."

"So this vampire wants to trade with you?" Faith asked, sitting on a chair against the hospital waiting room wall. "For the cure... you gotta slay someone for him?"

"Yes."

"Why doesn't he just do it himself?"

"Well vampires don't really like to kill other vampires. Gives them a bad rep, I suppose." Giles says with a sigh, "Lets say he were to slay him himself... You think all those friends he had would be happy about that? They'd wanna do some major damage..."

"So you'd rather me get put on the hitlist instead of the vamp..."

"That's not what I'm saying. They're not likely to go after a slay--"

"I'm in. Point me there, and I'll do it."

"Wow." Xander watched Faith in awe.

Cordelia punched Xander in the arm, "Watch it, Buddy."

"Spike?" Giles entered the mansion, looking around. "Are you here?"

"Don't tell me you've already done it..."

"No.. No. You didn't tell us where this guy is."

Faith appeared from behind Giles.

"Well, Hello." Spike looked toward Faith, "Who are you?"

"That's none of your business."

"Ooh spunky one is she." Spike laughed slightly.

"She's going to take care of your little problem."

"And who is she?"

"A slayer." Faith said, with a small angelic sarcastic smile.

"Another one?"

"Well you did kill Kendra, Spike." Giles sighs, "Another one was called."

"Lets get on with it, shall we?" Faith spoke up, "I'm gettin antsy."

"He said this is where we can find him..." Giles said, looking around. "Said he was staying in a crypt in the Restfield Cemetary..." He looks up at the sign, "Here we are."

"You stay here..." Faith told Giles calmly, "Let me do this. Just stay here."

"Okay." He sighed, "Please hurry, We've only got two hours before they pull Buffy off the plug."

Faith nods, "Alright. Stay." She walked into the cemetary, taking a look around. She notices a small Crypt in the corner of the cemetary. She smiles slightly and walks toward it slowly. She opens the door, glancing inside. Spike was right. There he was. Sleeping like a baby on the floor. She entered very slowly, shutting the door behind her. Then, she spoke. "Hey!"

Seris jumped up, angry to see someone in his crypt. "The food deliver now?"

"Food?" Faith sighs, "Oh yeah, I'm your dinner. Come and get it."

Seris charged at Faith, but she blocked him, throwing him against the wall. "Will you just stop fighting, I need to make a deal with you."

"I don't make deals with slayers."

Faith grabs a stake out of her pocket and pushes Seris against the wall, holding the stake up to his heart. "Either you listen, or you're dust."

"Alright. I'm listening." He backed away from Faith, and against the wall.

Faith leaned against the wall, "There's another slayer in town. I'm sure you've heard of her. Buffy Summers. She's in acoma... And her friends came to me for help. But in order to get the cure, we have to slay you."

"Whoa whoa whoa." Seris backed away, "You're not slaying anyone."

"You're right. I'm not. Which is why I need your help. You see... This town only has room enough for one slayer. And I want Buffy dead. Help me, you won't have to worry about her ever again. You don't... and you meet the sunrise."

"What makes you think I'll help you?"

"If you care anything about your life... well... death... er whatever. If you care about staying around, you'll do it."

"And if I don't?"

"My god, do you not get it? Sun light, poof, dust."

"What do I have to do?"

"Stay hidden for a while. I've got to make them believe you're dead."

"How long?"

"I'll come back and tell you when you can come out."

"I'll need to eat."

"Don't worry..." Faith headed toward the door, "I'll bring you her friends."

Faith appeared before Giles at the entrance to the cemetary with a smile on her face, "That was way too easy."

"He's dead?"

"Well... Deader, if you're being technical. Nice pile of dust."

Giles gives a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Faith. We owe you one." He walks off toward the direction of his car.

Faith mumbles to herself, "You're right... You do."

"What was that?" Giles turned around.

"I asked, what would you like me to do."

"Well we have to go get the cure from Spike now..."

"Oh I can take care of that. Why don't you go check on Buffy?"

"Good Idea. Thank you faith. Meet us at the hospital."

Faith noddedd, "Sure thing."

"Spike?" Faith entered the mansion slowly, "We did your job, where are you?"

Spike entered the room slowly, holding the book in his hands. "They know about you." He looked to her with a grin on his face, "They know what you did. What you're planning. You really should watch your back... make sure no one's following you."

"Oh you sniveling little bastard!" Faith screamed out at him.

"Hey there, calm down little miss." Spike smiles, "I've made another deal with them."

"Oh what now?"

"You." He laughs slightly. "I get to have you... of course after I make you a vampire."

"A Wha-- what?"

"You heard me. A Vampire. A badass vampire, just like myself. I do need a new girl..."

"In your dreams."

"Theres no other way."

"Yes there is, I'm out of here." She turned around and ran toward the door.

The whole gang was there, watching her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Faith." Giles spoke from the door. "Spike?"

Spike comes from behind Faith, grabbing her arms and pulling them behind her, "You said you had to do something to her first. What is it?"

Willow pulls out a needle and a flask from her bag, "Lets just say, she won't be squirming for long."

"What are you going to do to me?" Faith spoke out, squiriming in Spike's arms.

Willow turned to Giles, "You sure about this?"

Giles nods, "Yes... Get him back. For her."

Willow approached Faith slowly, "So you're Faith. Nice to meet you." She smiles slightly, and pokes her arm with the needle, sending it's contents into Faith's body.

Faith slumped down to the floor, like a ragdoll. She looked up at them, sweating, "What did you do to me!" She screamed again, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!"

"A trade." Willow looks down at her then up at the ceiling, "To those beasts, and and hounds in hell... I give you Faith, through this little spell. Not herself, nor her soul, But what makes her a slayer... what makes her whole. Take this now, and set him free. So bring him forth, so shall it be."

Faith groaned out in pain on the floor as the words were spoken. A light hase circled around her, and Spike backed away from her slowly. She began to float into mid-air, her body twisting around, as she began to feel the effects from the spell. Her back arched, as a bolt of lightning came through the ceiling, hitting faith. And during that time, another portal appeared in the corner of the room, and there was Angel, thrown to the floor. And as the portal closed, Faith fell to the ground. The lightning stopped, the portals vanished, and the room was silent again.

"You sure this will work?" Willow asked, looking toward Giles. They stood above Buffy's bed, holding another small flask in their hands.

"It will... It will..."

Willow looked over at Angel, who was on the other side of the bed, "Here." She handed him the flask. "You do it..."

He took the flask from her and sat onto the bed, next to Buffy. He pulled up her head, and poured the contents of the flask into her mouth. "Com'on Buffy... drink... drink..."

The warm liquid passed her lips, and she swallowed slowly.

Giles glanced up at the clock, "Five Fifty Eight." He sighs, "Two minutes..."

They all glance down at Buffy... Worried that she won't make it in time.

Angel leans down and kisses her forehead, "Come on Buffy..."

The minutes pass... '6:03', and the doctors enter the room with Joyce. "It's time."

The gang moves out of the way, all praying that the spell will work. The doctor makes his way over to the machine, and just before he turns it off, Buffy's eyes open.

"Buffy!" Willow cries out, rushing to the bed to her friend, "You're awake... You're awake..."

Buffy smiled at her friend slightly, and looked behind her, shocked to see Angel. "Angel?"

"Hi Buffy..." He smiled back at her.

"How..."

"Ask them..." Angel looked toward the group, then smiled at Buffy.

"Thank you... all of you..." She smiled at them, as they all came together, gathered around her bed.

"Faith, Love." Spike looks down at the girl on the floor and sighs, "You need to get up now. You've been down forever."

Faith stood up slowly and tried to run out the door, but Spike grabbed her from behind. "You remember our deal don't you, my sweet?"

"No, No... please, don't." She tried to fight back, but she was weak. No longer a slayer. She couldn't even fight.

Spike wrapped his arms around her waist, and moved her hair from her neck. "It's time." He bit down into Faith's neck, and she screamed in horror. "

Go to the next story Deception

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