Hope walked into the door, listening to the frantic voices. She sighed,
knowing she was the reason they were worried. She walked into the living
room, looking at the floor. "Uh, guys. I got seperated."
 

"Hope!" Cordelia said, smiling in relief. She went to the girl, hugging her.
"Damn it, you had us all scared."
 

"Sorry" Hope said, looking up and chewing her bottom lip. "I got distracted
and lost you."
 

"You mean, you deliberately wandered off on your own, looking for some
action?" Buffy said sweetly.
 

"Well, yeah, that too" Hope mumbled.
 

"Looks like you found some" Xander said, looking at her dirty clothes and
torn shirt.
 

"You fought?" Giles asked.
 

"About four vampires" Hope said, sighing. "They're stronger here than
anywhere I've been."
 

"You killed four vamps?" Graham asked, his eyes disbelieving. She looked like
it had been a rough fight over all.
 

"No way" she said, laughing. "I'd have been dead."
 

"Then how?" Buffy asked, frowning.
 

Hope started to tell them but for some reason didn't think the two girls
would want people to know about them. She couldn't explain it, but she had
just gotten that feeling. "I got lucky. I was fighting one and the others got
distracted. When I turned around, they were gone."
 

"Sounds remarkably amazing" Riley said, wondering why he got the feeling she
was hiding something.
 

"Well, you're alive" Cordelia said. "That's all that matters."
 

"I don't intend to wander off alone again, if that means anything" Hope said
grinning sheepishly. "I was damn lucky tonight."
 

"That you were" Giles said, knowing something had either driven the vampires
away, that she was lying about how many there were, or that she was hiding
something. "You should go clean up. We'll be eating dinner soon."
 

Tara watched her walk up the stairs, saying when she heard the door close
upstairs, "She's hiding something."
 

"You noticed that too?" Buffy said, frowning.
 

"It was probably just one vampire" Anya said dryly, moving to sit beside
Xander. "Dinner's ready."
 

"Cool. We'll talk with her more later" Buffy said, going into the dining
room. She was always hungry after slaying. She paused, a memory flashing
through her mind before she shook her head, trying to forget. "Let's eat."

~Part: 12~
 

"So, four vamps huh?" Buffy said, studying the younger slayer. It was the day
after Hope's attack and she had decided it was time to ask some questions.
 

"Yep. There were four" Hope said, sighing softly. She had expected the
questionning the night before. When they had seemingly accepted everything,
she had been thrilled. She couldn't explain why, but she didn't really want
to tell them about the two girls that had rescued her. She felt the others'
eyes on her, knowing they were listening but not participating, yet.
 

"And you fought one and the others just disappeared?" Buffy said, her tone
skeptical.
 

"I turned around and they were gone" Hope said, speaking the truth. They had
gone poof when the girls had staked them.
 

"You say they were very strong?" Giles said, remembering Kari's words that
the vampires that had killed her had been so strong. That worried him.
 

"Damn strong" Hope said, nodding. "I swear, I've fought vampires before but
these guys were worse than any I've ever faced."
 

Buffy frowned, still not believing that they had simply disappeared. Somehow,
she couldn't see them leaving especially if a slayer was involved. A slayer
that was finding fighting them difficult. Nope, didn't sound truthful. She
also didn't like the idea that some very strong vamps were roaming around the
city. She sighed, "Why does that not give me warm fuzzies?"
 

"Because you don't want to die?" Xander volunteered, smiling at the dirty
look Buffy shot at him.
 

"Don't mention dying" Cordelia said, shuddering. "I'm too young to die."
 

"Honey, I think we are all too young to die" Graham said, smiling at her.
 

"Again that dying word" Anya said, frowning.
 

"No one is going to die" Buffy said, rolling her eyes. "So, did you see any
thing else suspicious?"
 

"Not really" Hope said, thinking about it. "Just the strong vamps."
 

"Just what we need. Superman vampires" Xander said, groaning.
 

"Why do we always have such good luck?" Riley asked, laughing dryly.
 

"Welcome to the Hellmouth" Tara said softly, making a face.
 

"Home sweet home" Giles said, smiling at his family.
 

"It isn't that bad" Hope said, feeling like she was finally settling in. She
definitely knew she wasn't going to underestimate the town. Not after last
night. "Once you get used to it."
 

"Well, I have to agree" Buffy said, smiling slightly. "This is home. And I
don't like the idea of some vampires moving in and going after slayers. In
fact, it almost scares me that they are so arrogant."
 

"Yes, that's what bothers me too" Giles admitted. "To just come into town and
kill one slayer and then go after another."
 

"I'd say they were pretty stupid" Xander said, knowing without a doubt that
Buffy would kick their asses. She had to. She was the Buffster.
 

"I don't know. This time I'm really worried" Buffy confessed, looking at them
all with serious eyes.
 

"You are?" Riley asked quietly, knowing that she had been rather standoffish
lately but assuming she was just upset about Kari and everything else. He
squeezed her hand, watching the emotions in her eyes.
 

"Great. Why does that not reassure me?" Anya asked, her eyes worried.
 

"I hope I'm just overreacting" Buffy said, looking at Giles. "What do you
think?"
 

"Honestly?" he said, "I'm more worried now that I have been in years."
 

"I think we really may have met our match this time" Buffy said, sighing.
"And we don't even know who the enemy is. I really really don't want to
die...."
 

"Damn B. Pessimistic attitude much?" an amused voice said from the doorway.
"Don't you know that sometimes you just gotta have Faith!"

~Part: 13~
 

Buffy's face turned white as her mouth dropped open. She stared in shock at
the girl standing there, trying to speak but not able to form any words.
 

"Faith?" Giles whispered, glancing at Hope and then back at the slayer he had
believed dead. "How?"
 

Faith smiled, rather liking this reaction. Bitchy was struck silent, which in
her opinion was the only way to tolerate the girl. Giles was clearly baffled
and the others either looked confused or startled. "You didn't forget me!"
 

"You!" Hope said, smiling as she saw one of her saviors from the previous
night.
 

Faith smiled, leaning against the wall by the doorway. She glanced around the
mansion, "Like what you've done with the place."
 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Buffy finally demanded. She had found her
voice at the familiar arrogant tone in Faith's voice.
 

"In Sunnydale or this house?" Faith asked, deliberately baiting the blonde.
 

"Alive?" Xander said, staring at the slayer they thought had died.
 

"Oh that" Faith said, winking. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm not."
 

"Not what?" Cordelia asked, a headache starting to come forward.
 

"Alive" Faith said, looking back at the young slayer. "Did you take care of
that nasty scratch?"
 

"Yeah" Hope said, smiling. "Still hurts like hell, but hey, I could be dead."
 

"Excuse me!" Buffy said, glaring at them both. "I asked a question. And what
do you mean you're not alive? Good God, are you one of the vampires?"
 

Faith rolled her eyes, looking at the obtuse bitch. "Do I look like a
vampire?"
 

"This is the other slayer?" Tara asked Giles quietly, studying the brunette.
 

"The name is Faith" Faith said, "You the watcher's chick?"
 

"I'm Tara" she said almost smiling.
 

"If you aren't a vampire and you aren't alive, what the hell are you?" Buffy
demanded, growing more irritated that she wasn't receiving an answer.
 

"Still nosy, aren't you Bitchy?" Faith said, smirking as she again failed to
answer the blonde.
 

"Listen here you little"
 

"Buffy!" Giles said, scowling at his slayer. He looked at Faith, "Why are you
here?"
 

"I got bored" Faith said, shrugging.
 

"Whatever" Cordelia said, rolling her eyes. She looked at Graham and said,
"What?"
 

"Quit being so rude" Graham said, smiling at her.
 

"I wouldn't know Delia if she wasn't rude" Faith said simply, winking at the
handsome man beside the cheerleader.
 

"Hey, where's Red?" Hope asked, able to follow enough to know that Faith must
have been a slayer that had died. She didn't understand what the big fuss was
about personally. But she was curious to know where the cute redhead was at.
 

Xander straightened, looking from one slayer to another before settling his
gaze on Faith. "Red?"
 

"She's coming" Faith said, ignoring Xander's question. "Had some stuff to do
first. I wanted to come over and see what was happening at slayer central."
 

"I repeat, why are you here and who the hell is Red?" Giles said, his tone
sharp.
 

"Ah, I'm really hurt" a voice said. Again, eyes widened as Buffy stared in
surprise and Xander squeaked. "Only gone for five years and already
forgotten." Willow said, smiling at Hope as she walked into the room. "Hey
slayer girl."
 

"Hiya Red!" Hope said, grinning. She looked in interest at the two hunks of
male flesh that followed Red into the room. "Hel-looo baby."
 

"This the new slayer?" Spike asked, putting his arm around Willow's
shoulders. He heard the girl whistle at him and laughed, "I think I like her."
 

"Well, we can't account for her taste" Angel said dryly, moving behind Faith.
He kissed the top of her head, his arms around her waist as he pulled her
against him.
 

"Willow?" Buffy whispered, staring in surprise as Angel and Spike joined the
two people she had believed dead. This had to be some sort of nightmare.
 

"Be nice, Daddy" Willow scolded, ignoring Buffy and winking at the dark
haired vampire. "She's still young."
 

"Eh now luv" Spike said, laughing at his lover. "I could be insulted if I
knew you didn't love me so much."
 

"Sure got him fooled, Red" Faith said, rolling her eyes. She looked at the
gang gathered around them and smirked, "Well, isn't this just a deeeelightful
reunion? Can we go home yet?"

~Part: 14~
 

"You're dead" Xander said, looking at Willow as if he had seen a ghost. She
still looked the same as she had the night they had lost her.
 

"Oh, silly me" Willow said dryly. "I'd forgotten that. How could I forget?
You all went to the Bronze after my funeral to celebrate."
 

"Huh?" Riley said, frowning as he saw Buffy's face turn white.
 

"We were dealing with it" Buffy said, ashamed of her behaviour then.
 

Faith snorted, "Yeah right. You didn't care. At least be honest."
 

"We did care!" Xander said, still looking at Willow. "We saw you die."
 

"No, you saw empty air after Buffy refused to even think about saving me"
Willow said. She held up a hand, "Hey, I'm not saying it wasn't the right
decision. I've had years to think about it and realize you were just doing
your duty and all that mumbo jumbo. Luckily, Spike was there and he didn't
have any hesitation in saving me."
 

"Why didn't you tell us?" Cordelia asked, looking guilty as she remembered
wanting to go to a party the night Willow had died. She had been so horrid
back then, not used to death and having no idea how to deal with losing a
friend.
 

"Like you cared" Spike said, glaring at them. "Faith and Peaches were the
only ones that gave a damn. They found her or else they wouldn't have even
known."
 

"Man, this is sort of like a soap opera" Hope said, her eyes moving back and
forth as the arguing progressed.
 

Willow had to laugh, "Nah, not that cheesy."
 

"Does it not bother anyone else that we have to dead people standing in our
living room that appear to be alive still?" Anya asked, rolling her eyes.
 

"Make it four, toots" Spike said, resting his head on Willow's shoulder as he
moved behind her.
 

"We died but didn't die so don't worry about it" Willow said, not liking the
rude girl very much. She looked at Giles and said, "We were sent here to save
your asses and then we get to go back home. SO, can we set about with the
saving so we can leave?"
 

"Who sent you here?" he asked, trying to restore some resemblance of order to
the situation.
 

"The bosses" Faith said, smirking at him.
 

"Ooooh, he's turning red. Isn't that a neat trick?" Willow whispered loudly
to Faith.
 

"I dunno. Seen it before" Faith answered back, her eyes shining as she winked
at Willow. "I can always make you turn red, especially when I bite your..."
 

"Faith!" Willow squeaked, glaring at her lovers as both Faith and Spike
chuckled. Angel just rolled his eyes, avoiding looking at any of the others.
He still couldn't forget that they had been so uncaring when Willow had died.
He loved her dearly and couldn't believe she could be so flippitant about it
all. He'd like nothing more than to leave and let them all die, but he knew
it wasn't his choice to make. The powers that be wanted them saved for some
stupid reason, so they would save them and then return to Savannah.
 

"You know" Hope said, smiling as she glanced at the others. "I really like
them!"

~Part: 15~
 

Spike heard the new slayer's words and snorted, "She doesn't know you very
well, do she?"
 

Willow smacked his arm, "She has excellent taste, I can already see."
 

"Yeah, she liked me," Spike said, cockily.
 

"I think I may puke," Faith groaned, making gagging faces.
 

"Let him live in his dream world, honey. It must be a nice place," Angel
said, his expression serious. "I mean, after all, he is there all the time,"
he finished, winking at Willow.
 

"Children," Willow said, stopping the argument before it began. "We are here
to work. Thus, we must put on our working attitudes."
 

"But, Ma!" Faith said, laughing. She sighed dramatically, "Fine. We work,
then we play."
 

"Exactly," Willow said, winking at her sometimes lover. She turned to face a
very angry Giles and smiled sweetly, "So, who do we get to kill?"
 

"I think we might should introduce everyone first," Riley said, having no
idea who was standing in front of him really. Sure, he had heard the names
mentioned, but Buffy usually changed the subject rather quickly when high
school was mentioned.
 

"Why bother?" Willow asked, glancing at the man standing behind Buffy. "I
certainly have no intention of being here long enough to have to know any of
you. Tell us who to kill, we kill and then we go home."
 

"I'm with Red," Faith said, scowling at the others. "Don't want to know any
of ya."
 

"Rude much?" Anya asked, trying to adjust her mental image of the Willow that
Xander spoke of and this rude bitch.
 

"Thanks again for saving me last night," Hope said suddenly, snapping her
fingers as she remembered. She looked at the two women, not caring one way or
another if they were dead or not.
 

"Last night?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Willow who was
suddenly very interested in the carpet.
 

"What's she talking about?" Angel asked Faith, his eyes narrowing as he saw
both girls looking guiltily at each other and then the floor.
 

"Uh oh," Hope said, "Did I say something wrong?"
 

Willow sighed softly, "Not wrong, sweetie. Spike, I guess we forgot to tell
you..."
 

"Yes?" he asked, watching her face.
 

"We kicked some ass last night," Faith said finally, looking up and facing
him and Angel.
 

"I thought you both promised no dangerous situations without us?" Angel said,
grumbling.
 

Willow laughed, "It's not like we're going to die or anything. It was just
three vampires. It was a snap and I honestly had other things on my mind when
we came home. I didn't think anything of it."
 

"Me either," Faith said, running her fingers along Angel's buttons. She
looked at him from lowered lashes and added, "I was rather occupied by a
certain vampire and showering."
 

"Oh, that's rich. Blame us because you two chits slayed some vampires, got
horny and shagged in the cemetary and then came home and shagged us," Spike
said, rolling his eyes as a reluctant smile crossed his lips.
 

"It won't happen again," Willow said, smiling softly. She frowned and then
added, "well, not intentionally at least."
 

"Forgive us?" Faith asked, looking at Angel.
 

"As if we could say no," Angel said, pulling her chin up. "Next time, tell
us."
 

"Yes, dear," Faith said, hugging him. Over his shoulder, she winked at Willow
as she wriggled her eyebrows, her hand cupping his ass.
 

Willow giggled before facing Spike. She caught his blue eyes and smiled, "So?"
 

"Don't remember the question," Spike said, smirking at her.
 

Willow sighed, making a face, "You just love this don't you?"
 

"Don't push me, or I might make you get on your knees," Spike said, a wicked
gleam entering his eyes. "To beg, of course."
 

"Oh, of course," she muttered. "Fine, it isn't my fault if you're getting too
old to remember things people ask you." She turned to face Hope, adding,
"Guess I'll have to start looking for someone young with an agile mind who
doesn't make me repeat requests..." the remainder of her words were caught by
his lips as he gave her a punishing kiss for even suggesting that she would
find someone else.
 

Faith rolled her eyes as she leaned her head against Angel's chest. "We can
continue. They won't be up for air for at least half an hour." She saw
Willow's middle finger thrust at her from behind and laughed, "So, who do we
get to kill?"

~Part: 16~
 

Isbell frowned as she listened to the man. "Are you sure?"
 

"Yes, mistress," John said, looking at the beautiful woman. "There are three
slayers. I have heard rumors that one of them can not die."
 

"An immortal slayer?" Isbell said, a slight smile crossing her lips.
"Whatever will they think of next?"
 

"Mistress?" John said, knowing his next news would not make her happy.
 

"Yes?"
 

"Angelus and Spike are in town. They and their mates are back, wanting to
take over, I assume," John said.
 

"That does not make me happy," Isbell said slowly. Her eyes flashed as she
remembered the one time she had met Angelus. He had been a sadistic bastard
that had frightened her.
 

"I'm sorry Mistress. I wanted you to know what was happening," John said
slowly, praying that she would not kill him for giving her the bad news.
 

Isbell moved to the window, her eyes looking out over Sunnydale. "I had such
plans for this town. The streets were going to run red with the blood of
innocents."
 

John did not say anything, letting her speak. He knew from past experiences
that she would not hesistate to kill anyone that interrupted her.
 

Isbell faced him, deciding that owning this town was not worth facing Angelus
and Spike. Add to that the three slayers, even if one was not immortal, and
she didn't like the risk. She nodded, saying, "Gather our belongings. We
shall leave this horrid town at dusk."
 

"As you wish mistress," John said, glad that they were not going to face
Angelus. He had heard stories about the evil vampire and his favorite childe,
and the reign of terror they had inflicted on Europe for several decades. "I
shall alert the others."
 

"Thank you, John," Isbell said, turning to look back out the window. She
smiled as she imagined the terror that Angelus and Spike would bring forward
on the town. Let them face three slayers. She would find a new town,
somewhere in South America maybe. It was so warm down there. The blood so
sweet. Yes, South America would be adequate enough. By dusk, Sunnydale would
be in her past.

~Part: 17~
 

Willow glanced up from her place at the table, frowning as she saw Buffy
standing in the doorway. After the fiasco of the night before, it had been
decided that it would be better if she and the others stayed in a couple of
the spare rooms so they could talk logically in the morning. Willow had not
wanted to stay, but knew it was pointless to argue. So, they had taken over
some rooms. She had not been able to sleep, guilty at her rude behavior even
if she knew it was justified. In the years she had been gone from Sunnydale,
she had changed so much. She was no longer the same girl that had left town.
She had to believe her old friends were no longer the same either. This
knowledge did little to help the memories of how they had acted during her
senior year though.
 

"Willow," Buffy said, her voice slightly nervous.
 

"Buffy," Willow said evenly.
 

"It's um...well, it's good to see you alive," Buffy said, wondering if she
should even bother trying to talk to Willow. The night before the redhead had
been downright rude, barely talking to anyone except Faith, Spike, Angel and
Hope. She had spent hours talking to Riley the night before, telling him
things she had never discussed with anyone before. It was on his urging that
she was now down here, attempting to talk to her former best friend. He had
defended the girl's attitude, telling Buffy that if it had been him, he
wouldn't have come to help at all.
 

"Isn't it?" Willow said.
 

"Damn it, Willow. I'm trying," Buffy said, running a hand through her
brownish blonde hair. "There is a lot of stuff that happened our senior year
that I wish I could go back and erase. I can't though. I'm only human, and we
fuck up."
 

"You've changed," Willow said, noticing the maturity in her old friend.
 

Buffy snorted, "And so have you. I mean, your little foursome with Spike,
Angel and Faith? I know you all shared the same room last night."
 

Willow shrugged, "I love them. We like to sleep in the same room our first
night in a new place. Safer that way."
 

"I'm not judging you, Willow. I'm no longer in a position to judge anyone,
especially you," Buffy said. She looked at Willow, "I'm sorry Willow. For
choosing duty over your life."
 

"Don't apologize," Willow said sharply. She softened her look, "Buffy, you're
a slayer. That's what you do. You made the right choice. It took me awhile to
realize that, but it's true. I can't blame you for doing what you were
supposed to do. I *can* blame you for seemingly not caring at all that I was
dead. All three of you were out at the Bronze that night! Do you have any
idea how that feels? To have your supposed best friends partying the night
you die. I can't just forget that, no matter how much you and the others have
changed."
 

"I'm sorry," Buffy said again. "I just didn't know how to cope with it all. I
mean, we lost Jenny and Kendra, but they weren't very close to me. You, you
were my best friend. I had failed. I mean, do you know what it is like to
know you let your friend die to kill some demon. I felt horrible for days.
Couldn't sleep very well, it ruined my grades for that term."
 

"Always selfish," Willow said softly. "It's ok. I accept that about you. I
will do my best not to be too rude while I'm here. I can't make any promises
for the others. I figure they'll just ignore you all. I can accept your
apology Buffy, if that makes you feel better."
 

"It doesn't make me feel better and it doesn't change anything," Buffy said
quietly. "But, I'm glad you accept it. I know we'll probably never be close
friends, too much has happened. I would like to think that you don't hate me
though."
 

"I could never hate you," Willow said truthfully. "It's in the past. Just
forget it. I have."
 

"Fine," Buffy said, moving to sit down. "So, you live in Savannah?"
 

Willow nodded, telling the slayer about her new life with Spike and her
friends. The slayer did the same, explaining who everyone was in the mansion
and what had been happening in Sunnydale since Willow had 'died'. Willow
listened, actually interested to know what her former friends had been doing.
She had been honest when she had told Buffy that everything was in the past.
She had much rather concentrate on her future with Spike, Faith and Angel
than dwell in events that couldn't be changed.

~Part: 18~

"I can't believe we didn't kill anyone," Faith whined.

Willow laughed as she glanced in the back seat. "You got to kill several dozen vampire, Faith."

"Yeah, but vamps are easy. I'm used to fighting demons now," Faith said, pouting.

"Poor baby," Angel said, laughing. "Actually, if it was actually Isbell that was the threat, well, she is just a vampire."

"It was her," Spike said. "She just got scared and ran. I don't mind. It got us out of that damn town faster."

"You think Hope is gonna make it?" Faith asked Willow.

"Well, I told her if she survived until August, she could come to Savannah to visit," Willow said.

"She'll live then," Spike said, laughing as he thought of the energetic slayer. "Just to be able to come to town and drive us nuts."

"She isn't that bad," Willow said, smiling at her lover. "She's young but I think she might last awhile."

"Well, with Bitchy and the others around, she has a better shot than most," Faith grudgingly admitted. She still couldn't stand any of the people from Sunnydale, but Willow seemed to have forgiven and forgotten. That was good enough for her.

"Still can't believe you wouldn't at least let me maim the damn slayer," Spike whined. "You were very good," Willow said, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "I'm very proud of all of you."

"Hope the damn powers give us a break now. I could use a vacation after going back to hell," Faith said, yawning.

"It wasn't that bad," Angel said. "Trust me. I've been there."

"Uh oh. Fang made a funny," Spike said dryly. "He must be real glad to be going home."

"Shut up, brat," Angel said, smacking the back of his childe's head.

"Watch it, Peaches. I could turn around and head back to Sunnyhell," Spike taunted.

"You wouldn't dare," Angel said, confident.

"Would you boys quit fighting and just get us home?" Willow asked, her obvious eagerness evident in her eyes.

"Sure thing honey," Spike said, winking at her. "Home it is."

She smiled, glancing in the back seat and seeing Faith and Angel kissing softly. She loved them both so much. They were the family she had always wanted. She scooted across the seat, kissing Spike again as she laid her head on his shoulder. He moved his arm to encircle her shoulders and she snuggled closer, glad to be going home.
 

The End

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