Chapter 12

Spike was sitting back looking smug.  Everything was falling into place.  Giles had gotten Spike a set of papers making him legally ‘William Randy Giles’, a long-lost cousin of Rupert’s.  The papers were good enough to fool everyone, including the council.  To bad the only ones who got the joking reference were the three who lived through Willow’s Tablua Rasa spell.  He didn’t really want to have to live with that moniker, but Buffy had pouted so prettily, did that hair flip thing, and flashed her half-smile.  He couldn’t say no.

Buffy was bouncing in her seat with excitement.  She couldn’t wait until this meeting was over.  Spike had arranged for her mom to sell off the jewels of Amara, with a sweet commission for Joyce.  The money transfer was coming in this afternoon and then the shopping could begin!  After paying off the house and car, they were scheduled to meet an agent at the bank to buy the Magic Box for Giles and Anya.  They would have to share it, but it would make a nice present for Giles when he got fired, plus Anya would be happy to have something constructive to do again.  She couldn’t wait for everything to be finalized so she could tell them about their present. 

Anya looked around the room and was trying to refrain from telling everyone how bored she was.  She didn’t know why they still had to have Scooby meetings when they pretty much knew everything that was going to happen for the next four years.  Giles was researching the First, Andrew was researching the Mayor’s Accession, and Jonathon was trying to figure out how to identify potential slayer’s without going through either the First’s minions or the Council lackey’s.   She just wished she could be somewhere else at the moment.  Perhaps after the meeting, she and Faith could go play pool before patrol. She always enjoyed playing pool at the Bronze with Faith.  All those sweaty and glistening bodies around stirred her imagination.

Giles looked at the group before him, wondering why they were so adamant about not asking the Council for help.  Snapping to attention he stared at Buffy.

“Giles are you listening?”

“Sorry Buffy what was that?”

“I said that there was no way in hell you are putting me through that ‘It’s Buffy eighteenth birthday so let’s strip her of all her powers’ thingy.  Besides that didn’t go so well last time it was tried, so call up the Council and tell them to back off or I quit.”

Giles looked flabbergasted, “You can’t quit the Council.”

“Sure I can! I did it before.”

Anya looked amused, “Besides it’s not like they actually contribute anything.  All they managed to do was to get blown up.  The majority of them all die before any of us do.” 

Giles paled and started to clean his glasses.  “Good Lord”. 

The moment the meeting was over, Giles was herding the group out of the library.  Chaotic thoughts were swirling around in his mind.  The Slayer’s birthday, what he was suppose to do, wondering what he had done, Buffy quitting the Council, the Council getting blown up.  It was too much for him to process by himself.  Picking up the phone he dialed the number for Quentin Travers. 

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Giles stared at the phone in shock.  He had been explaining about the slayer coming back from the future and Quentin had laughed at him.  Quentin had arrogantly declared that it was impossible for the Slayer to have traveled to the past without the Watchers Council’s knowledge. 

When Giles had pointed out the fallacy in that statement and mentioned the knowledge of future events that Buffy had retained, including the Cruciamentum, Travers had become furious.  He accused Giles of warning Buffy about the ceremony and then coming up with a ‘idiotic cover story’. 

After several heated moments, Quentin had ordered Giles to administer the required shots despite the Slayer’s knowledge.  Upon his refusal, Quentin had fired him. 

Giles continued standing and staring at the phone in shock.  *I’m fired?*

Anya chose that moment to walk into the library.

“Giles have you seen Faith - we were suppose to go play pool?  I wanted to hustle College Boys for money, like Spike showed me.”  Not getting a response, she walked up closer to him, “Giles is something going on? Your staring at the phone like it bit you and I don’t remember anything like that happening.”

Giles looked at the attractive blonde before him, “I was fired!”

Anya looked unconcerned, “Oh that … they are about a week or so early.  I wouldn’t worry about it though; you become a successful business man and out live them all.” 

Seeing that her words didn’t seem to comfort him like they should have, Anya decided another tactic was in order.  Moving closer to him, she hugged him.  Pressing her body flush against his, her arms held him tightly. *Everyone likes a hug, it should make him feel better.*

As the hug progressed longer then what is considered to be polite or normal, Giles became aware of several things at once.  First, he really had stopped thinking about the fact that he had just been fired.  Second, Anya’s body was still molded tightly against his.  He could feel every nuance of her body.  It felt like heaven.  Third, his body had started to react to the lithe body pressed up next to him and if didn’t stop the embrace soon, he would embarrass himself.

Anya was enjoying the hug and realized that she hadn’t held anyone like this since Xander and she broke up.  Inhaling deeply she savored the scent of ‘Mark and Spencer’s Wood Spice’ coming from Giles. Sighing she shifted so she could lay her head on his chest.  It dawned on her that this probably went beyond the norms of a polite comforting hug; but it felt so wonderful.  With another sigh she started to back away from Giles, but not before noticing the slightly dazed look on his face.

“I am sorry you were fired Giles, but it will get better.  I know from experience. Perhaps you would like to come play with Faith and I?”

Giles shifted trying to get comfortable in his suddenly too tight pants.  “That’s quite all right Anya,” he stammered, “I will just call Spike and Buffy with the news.  I am sure that the Council will not let Buffy’s birthday go by just because they fired me.” 

Anya gave him another look that he couldn’t quite identify, “If you change your mind, we will be playing pool at the Bronze.” Turning she left the room, while Giles watched her leave. 

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Chapter 13

Author's Note:  NC-17 for sex and slash.  There is a lot of sex and a lot of slash.  If it is not your thing then skip the next chapter.  I will put a summary up for the next chapter so you won’t miss the plot. 

Also a huge thank you to Tasha, who helped me write some of the parts I was having trouble with.  It wouldn’t be as good without her. 

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Quentin Travers hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair.  Everything was falling into place nicely.  Wesley Wyndam-Pryce would be on his way to Sunnydale in a few hours, along with the special operations team who would take part in the Slayer's ritual.  Wesley was very open to taking direction and wouldn’t give him the problems that Rupert Giles did. 

The young watcher would have a few days to prepare the injections and observe the strange dynamics that Rupert had allowed to develop.  If the situation did not meet the approval of the council, then Ms. Summers would accompany the special ops team back to headquarters for reorientation, while Wesley and Faith contained the hellmouth.  It was a perfect plan, assuming that Ms. Summers lived through the ritual.  The rebellious Slayer would learn that she belonged to them, one way or another.

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Faith and Anya were dancing on the floor of the Bronze.  The music was loud and pulsating and both girls moved with sensual abandon.  The movements complimented each other, and there wasn't anyone who could resist staring. 

They were like day and night; light complimenting dark.  They danced intertwined, hands running up their own bodies, writhing in pleasure as the music hit crescendo after crescendo.  As their energies flowed, their bodies moved, and their lips met. 

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Buffy's eyes flashed blue as she circled her prey.  This vampire was in her territory.  This was her town tonight and anything undead or demony would answer to her. 

But this vampire was hers in a more primal sense. She knew this one.  She knew how he fought and she knew how it felt to have his fangs penetrate her yielding flesh.  To fill herself with the sensation of death and the pain of love lost, and find her release in the draining of life.  Fists and fangs. Life against death. She lifted the stake to strike…. 

As the demon’s dust swirled around her, Buffy began to hunt for her next prey.  She launched herself at the bleached blonde vampire who had been watching her.  Straddling him she bit deeply, "MINE".

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Wesley boarded the plane, deep in thought.  In about 15 hours his plane would land in California and he would be responsible for not one slayer, but two.  The reports he read of Ms. Summers and her counterpart Faith, led him to believe that Rupert Giles should have been fired a long time ago. 

Wesley considered Rupert Giles' actions ludicrous and a slap in the face of the Council.  From allowing civilians into their inner circle to associating with souled vampires, this sort of thing was simply not done.  Personally he didn't understand why the council had not stepped in a long time ago. 

Wesley set the folder back into his leather valise.  He'd spent every minute he wasn't packing, reading all of the information available on the Sunnydale Slayer.  His father was adamant that this was his big chance to prove himself to the Council.  He'd fought all his life for his father's approval.  If the Council wanted Ms. Summers evaluated, he would do it with the piercing eye of the Council.  He would prove to his father and Quentin Travers that he was the man to be counted on.

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The music pulsated in the Bronze, bodies writhed on the dance floor, yet Faith and Anya were stopped, frozen in time as their lips caressed each other.  Needs flared and no words were spoken.  They were simply friends, taking comfort in each other, expressing themselves in a display of fiery passion.  Gender held no meaning, flesh was flesh and their bodies sought the comforts therein. 

Faith pulled Anya off of the dance floor; Anya pushed Faith against the wall.  Their bodies pressed against each other.  Faith moaned under Anya's bold exploration.  Anya whimpered as Faith licked, sucked and nibbled anything and everything that wasn't covered by the flimsy tank top. 

No one could see them in the darkened corner, but it wouldn't have mattered.  They were lost in a world of sensation; of lips and tongues, of caresses and bites, of need and passion; of respect and desire. 

Anya ran her hand under Faith’s shirt, cupping her breasts while she suckled on her neck.  Faith responded by grinding her hips against Anya’s body.  The studded belt that Faith wore, rubbed against Anya’s bare belly and jeans.  Her tongue darted out and flicked over the nipples which were straining against the fabric constraining them.  The music was still pounding in the background but they were oblivious.  The only thing that mattered was the heat which had flared between them. 

"Home," Faith managed to get out between kisses and nibbles.  "Now."  She was barely able to keep from removing the other girl’s clothing.  Anya nodded.  For once, she had lost the capacity for speech. 

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Spike had already been in game face before Buffy sunk her fangs into him.  It had been hard to watch her fight the vampire that had killed her in Los Angeles, but he knew that it was something she needed to do on her own.   She had won easily this time around and it filled him with a sense of pride to see how quickly she had defeated him. 

Spike shifted the Slayer and bit down over his previous marks.  He felt the rich flavor of Buffy enter his mouth, and savored the blood before he swallowed.   Growling with desire and need, he let go of her neck.  "MINE".  Furiously he began to tear at her clothes, needing to be completely in her.

The coupling was fast and furious.  Pushing Buffy against the wall of the crypt he plunged inside of her.   Faster and faster he thrust into her, as Buffy pushed against the wall, trying to get more and more of Spike. 

Buffy whimpered with need, she was close to coming.  One more thrust … Spike sank his teeth into Buffy sucking her blood as he slammed into her.  Buffy screamed in pleasure as the double penetration of Spike's fangs and cock sent her over the edge. 

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

Wesley began to nod off.  He was half-way through the flight and his research of the slayer was progressing nicely.  According to the Council’s records that had been gathered from both Rupert Giles and various informants in and around Sunnydale, the two Slayers were talented but undisciplined. 

Even the mere existence of two slayers had been causing the Council problems.  Ever since Buffy Summer’s had died at the hands of the Master, the Council had been having difficulties pinpointing which girls would be called next. 

The Council had often wondered what would happen if Ms. Summers died again.  Would they have another Slayer called?  If she returned to England it would certainly be worth testing.  Not killing her permanently of course, just for a few seconds.  With the thoughts of Buffy’s impending death, Wesley finally drifted off to sleep. 

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Faith was the first to get naked.  She hadn’t felt such passion and desire in a long time.  She ached with need and anticipation.  

Anya blinked in awe at Faith's body.  She stepped forward, tracing her fingertips over Faith's shoulders, and then moved her hand around Faith's breast.  Teasing the nipple until it hardened she felt herself grow even wetter. 

Faith trembled with need. She was trying to slow down, but her desires were driving her now. Unable to endure it any longer she ripped Anya’s panties off of her.  Now there was nothing separating them. 

Anya pushed the Slayer onto the bed and straddled her.  She ground her body against Faith’s and moaned as their bodies touched, grinding into her with need and desire.  She switched angles so that she could rub herself on Faith’s leg while capturing the other’s girl’s clit with her hand. 

Faith's back arched off the bed.  "Oh, God."  She was by no means a virgin, but this was different from anything she'd experienced before.  Anya seemed to know where to touch, to massage and how much pressure to apply.  The line between pain and pleasure was thin and Anya knew exactly how far to take her without pushing her over. 

Anya looked down at Faith through hooded eyes.  Faith was so responsive to her touch.  It excited her more.  She knew what she liked, and she applied that knowledge to Faith's body.  She bent down, captured Faith's free nipple into her mouth, and bit it hard, sucking her breast while her fingers moved faster and harder. Faith was a slayer and gentle would not bring her to orgasm. 

Faith rocked her hips against Anya's in a desperate need for more friction.  She closed her eyes and bit her own lip hard as she broke over the top of her climax.  She buried her face into Anya's shoulder to muffle the screams in her throat.

Anya felt Faith shudder underneath her.  She pulled hard on Faith's clit one last time.  She took Faith's hand in hers and buried four of Faith's fingers into her pussy without any need for stretching.  She was beyond wet, and she needed to be filled to send her over.  She flicked her own clit twice, and she crashed over the precipice of ecstasy.

Anya collapsed on top of Faith.  Faith turned them both so that they were lying side by side.  Faith wrapped her arm around the blonde, and Anya laid her head on the Slayer’s chest.  Both of them drifted to sleep, calm and at peace for the first time in a very long time.  They would deal with each day as it came, but tonight they'd found a kindred spirit in each other.

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Spike licked the claiming marks he had reopened on Buffy's neck.  She tasted glorious… of power, strength and an essence that was bound to both his demon and his soul.  They had patrolled enough for now. It was time to go home. 

Picking Buffy up he decided to take her to his old crypt instead. It was closer, and he didn’t want to wait.  Buffy nuzzled into him, running her tongue gently over the claim marks.  He quickened his pace and kicked open the door. Thankfully he’d had the foresight to maintain his place in case the gang needed an emergency get-away.

Laying Buffy on the bed he stripped off the remainder of their clothes and cuddled into her.  Their bodies flush against each other; they enjoyed the sensation of flesh.  Biting each other they drifted off to sleep with their fangs buried in the other’s neck.

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Wesley's plane pulled into LAX, and he picked up the car that the Council had provided for him.  He would be driving down separately from the special operations team.  He wanted to get to Sunnydale as soon as possible.  Something told him that he’d need all his patience and training to deal with the two Slayers. 

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Faith and Anya awoke the next morning wrapped in each other's arms.  Each knew that they had shared something special the night before.  Both women were satiated for the time being, but they knew they would make better friends then lovers.  They both craved male companionship and sex, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t share times like this together; until they found the person they were meant to be with. 

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Buffy and Spike awoke after a few hours of sleep. They moved as one, touched each other, and caressed each other.  Although they had no idea that danger was just on the horizon, they knew they would face their future together.  They were mates, and nothing could separate them.  They'd learned their lessons.  Now they had a chance to love each other, and they weren't going to give that up.

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Wesley pulled up to his new apartment.  After a few hours of sleep he would track his new charges down.  It was almost time to administer the test. He'd have to deal with Rupert Giles first.  With the special operations at his disposal, he figured he could get rid of the man if necessary.  Surely he wouldn't pose that much of a problem.

Chapter 14

Summary:  After Quentin Travers fired Giles, he sent Wesley to Sunnydale to administer the ritual on Buffy’s birthday.  Wesley is also supposed to evaluate the situation and if necessary have Buffy go back to England for reorientation.  Meanwhile Faith and Anya get together while Spike and Buffy have sex in the cemetery after Buffy stakes the vampire she fought in LA.  During Wesley’s flight and trip to Sunnydale he considers whether or not another Slayer will be called if Buffy dies and also whether or not he will have to “care of” Rupert Giles while the special operations team is there.  Buffy and Spike are oblivious to the danger while Anya and Faith have awoken in each other’s arms. 

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It started simple Buffy thought, but then again, doesn’t it always? When Wesley Wyndam-Pryce arrived in Sunnydale he had waited until the morning and then walked into the library as if he had owned it.  She and Faith had been in a discussion with Giles over whether they should take out the mayor now while he was still mortal, or wait until he became demon. 

The real question concerned was the sanctity of human life.  Should they kill a human, albeit an evil human, or should they wait for him to become a demon and risk innocent lives?  Sure they could try the police, but the mayor owned the police.  The Feds?  Like they would ever believe how dangerous he was!  All it would take would be for him to summon one demon and he would be free. 

The discussion had waged on between the three of them.  The Slayers were in agreement that the mayor should be killed before he could do any more damage.  Giles was resistant, believing that there had to be something else that they could do.   It took all of Buffy’s strength to not blurt out that Giles should not be so judgmental.  She knew he had killed Ben.  But that was another time, literally.  

Wesley had chosen that moment to interrupt them. He walked up to them and introduced himself as their new watcher.  With a cold glance he had dismissed Giles and immediately started to lecture Buffy and Faith on the proper place of the Slayer.  What the hell were they, puppies? 

After a few minutes, Faith had simply walked off.  It was funny how reminiscent that was of their first meeting in her prior life.  This time; however, Buffy didn’t go after Faith.  She knew the younger slayer just needed to blow off some steam and would be back sooner or later.  Besides, Willow had been tutoring the girl in the basic skills needed to pass her GED and they had a session scheduled for three o’clock.   It had been Anya’s suggestion for Faith to finish her education, so that she could ‘increase her earning potential.’  

Buffy had attempted to explain to Wesley that Giles knew the situation best and was ideally suited to help them.  When that hadn’t worked she had tried the “perhaps they could work together” approach.  Finally she had pulled out the “I have four years of knowledge as a present from the Powers That Be” argument.  The man had accused her of lying and then proceeded to tell her that he was her Watcher and that she was to obey him.  Obey?  That remark caused her to storm out as well.

Things went downhill from there.  Fast. 

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“Vengeance Demon?  You are associating with a Vengeance Demon?”

Anya looked at the pale and annoying man who was yelling at Faith, “Actually Wesley, technically speaking I am a former Vengeance Demon, as I gave up my powers to return to this timeline with Buffy and Spike. Plus I am technically not an associate.  Friend, orgasm buddy, roommate; those would all be more accurate terms.  For a Watcher you are very inaccurate.  No wonder they fire you as well. ” 

Spike smirked as he watched the scene unfold before him.  He had shown up at the library to see if his girls had convinced Rupes to let him kill the mayor yet.  Instead, he found that Wesley had shown up and was yelling at his girls.  Willow, who had been tutoring Faith, looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there.  Giles on the other hand looked like he was having fun. 

“Anya, do tell - they fire Wesley as well?”

“Of course they did Giles.  I mean they only fired you because of your ‘fatherly love’ or something like that, but Wes was fired for his incompetence.  That was before the First started killing potentials and their Watcher’s, so you’re rather lucky for being fired.”

Wesley sputtered, “Well now I have proof that you are lying.  The Council would never fire me.  I cannot believe that you have allowed this to go on Mr. Giles.  This nonsense has to stop.  Faith you will move out of the Summers’ household at once.  You can live with me.  Ms. Summers will go through the Cruciamentum on her birthday and you will all stop this nonsense about time travel.”

Spike’s eyes flashed yellow, “My mate will not go through any test for your stupid council.”

Wesley paled, “Mate?”  He paused briefly. Incredulous, before turning and running out of the library. 

Spike growled and stalked off to find Buffy.   Anya and Faith hurried after the vampire. 

Willow turned to Giles with a puzzled look, “Orgasm buddies?”
 

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Wesley picked up the phone and called the Council headquarters. 

“I need to speak to Quentin Travers, NOW!” 

“Yes sir, I know it’s early in the morning, but this couldn’t wait.”

“It’s about Buffy Summers, she is mated to a vampire.”

“No sir, apparently everyone knew but us.”

“No the other Slayer knew, apparently she lives with the vampire and a Vengeance Demon.”

“Are you sure sir?  Isn’t that a little extreme?  Certainly, sorry sir.  It’s not my place to question. Yes sir.”

Wesley hung up the phone and started to pack.  He was going back to England. 

Moments later across town, another man was hanging up the phone.  “That was Travers, we have new orders.  Stake the vamp, he is no longer needed for the Cruciamentum.  It’s to be a clean sweep.  Kill them all.”

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Chapter 15

Anya was the first to realize the problem.  Faith had decided to patrol, so Anya returned to the library.  She wanted to talk to Giles and find out if he knew anything about the Magic Box yet.  She knew that Spike and Buffy had bought it for them, but they hadn’t told her about the purchase yet.  It was so frustrating to try and pretend to be ignorant of the surprise. In the alternate timeline Xander had told her it was rude to tell people when she figured out a surprise before it was given to her.  Then, on top of it all, she was still supposed to act surprised regardless.  Humans were strange that way.

 It’s not like much surprised her anymore; she had taken over all of Joyce’s and Spike’s bookkeeping.  It was a good thing too; didn’t people understand budgets and investments?  The sale of the gems had provided the Summers’ household with plenty of money and they were just going to leave it in their accounts.  Finally, Anya had gotten frustrated with the lack of capital gains and took over all their finances.  Besides, she could earn a commission this way. 

Anya was deep in her musing when she noticed a glint of metal in a nearby tree.  Looking up she realized that there was a man with a gun.  Confused she mentally calculated where the gun would be aiming…

“GILES!!!!!!!!!!!!”  Anya screamed and took off for the library.

Giles was shelving books in the library when he heard Anya.  He’d turned to see why she was yelling when a shot rang out.  Her frantic screams had saved his life; the bullet that had been aimed for his heart entered his shoulder instead.  The impact of the high-caliber round caused him to lose his balance.  Falling, he hit his head on the bookshelf.  Anya ran up to him and dragged the unconscious Watcher to a protected area of the library.  She pulled out her new cell phone and dialed 911. 

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Across town Faith was heading towards the cemetery to patrol when she spotted Wesley exiting his apartment.  He had just started to load his suitcases in the car when three vampires stepped out of the shadows and began to attack.  Faith sighed *watcher-man can’t even go five minutes without attracting trouble.*

The lead vampire had managed to grab Wesley and began to drain him when Faith stepped up. Her first kick dislodged the vampire whose fangs were buried deep in the junior watcher’s neck.  Before Wesley’s frail body could hit the ground, Faith had staked his would-be murderer.   In a flurry of kicks and punches she dusted the remaining blood-suckers.  Wesley looked at her confused.  “You… you saved me?”

Faith rolled her eyes, “yeah watcher-man, that’s what I do.  You know slayer and all.”

“Wesley stuttered… “But…but you’re a rogue.  You live with a vengeance demon and a vampire.  You refuse to follow your watcher’s orders… why did you save me?”

“Look, not much of a follower here.  But I do my job, save the world, and all that jazz.”

Wesley looked up at her stunned and confused.  He knew what the Council had always told him, but the wild slayer had just saved his life.  He reached out and stroked her cheek, not noticing that she flinched and stepped back.

“Okay not much with the touchy feely here.  Just where are you going anyway… thought you just got here?”

Faith’s question seemed to snap Wesley out of his daze.  “Run Faith”

“What?   Hey, I don’t run.  If you haven’t noticed, the vamps are dust.”

“No, run… the Council has just declared the Sunnydale Slayers rogue.  The special operations team is here to kill you.”

Faith gasped and her eyes flashed in fury.  Wesley had stood up and tried to go back to the car.  Faith grabbed him.  “You’re coming with me.”

Faith pulled out her new cell phone.  In frustration she threw it down, shattering it into countless pieces.  She had forgotten to charge it again. 

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Buffy and Spike were warming up in the Magic Box; enjoying the fact that for the moment they had a “secret place.”  The workman had finished the training room this afternoon.  It was amazing how the promise of a five hundred dollar per day bonus for finishing early would entice some workers.  The workman had completed the job five days early earning them an extra $2,500 to split among themselves.

Every last detail of the original Magic Box had been recreated, with the addition of a small computing center in the upstairs loft.  Deciding that since they now had three computer experts in the Scooby gang they should set up a state of the art network. Besides, once Angel left for LA they could add a remote connection and have access to all of his and Wesley’s information as well. 

Spike had been very proud of himself; he had been attempting to search online for computer supplies when he managed to stumble across the “bookmark” for Willow’s online wish list.  Deciding it would be easier to order her a complete system rather than trying to figure it out himself; he promptly ordered three of everything.  Of course, once it all arrived, he had taken one look at it and decided that Willow would want to set it up herself.  So Willow, Jonathan and Andrew’s computers were sitting boxed up and waiting for them upstairs.  *hmmm,* Buffy mused, *I always thought that computers came in one piece, not 20 boxes.  Hard ram’s, floppy chips, whatever the hell it was, it all sounds vaguely sexual.*

Their warm-up session was finished so Buffy and Spike began to spar.  It seemed like a beautiful yet deadly dance, a form of foreplay, when suddenly both their cell phones rang simultaneously. 

“It bloody hell better not be another apocalypse, you said there wasn’t one due for at least a week!  I KNEW we shouldn’t have gotten these evil things.” Snarling, Spike picked up the phone, a line popped into his head from the movie, ‘Independence Day’ -  “If this is not an insanely beautiful woman, I’m hanging up!”

Buffy was attempting to control her laughter at Spike’s antics.  Hitting him on the back of the head she answered her phone “Hello?”

Both blondes wore identical expressions of panic. Their eyes flashed, and fangs descended.  “WHAT!?”  They barked out orders for the callers to stay exactly where they were and told them that they were on their way. 

Buffy and Spike looked at each other’s furious faces and knew that the news the other had could not be good.   

Spike started, “That was Faith, - The Council is trying to kill you both.  We have to meet her at Jonathan’s house.  She took cover there and has Wesley with her.”

Buffy’s eyes seemed to glow with anger, “That was Anya,” she spat out, “apparently the Council started out by shooting Giles.  They are at the hospital.” 

After a quick but heated discussion, Spike and Buffy decided to split up.  Since she would be a primary target, Buffy was to head to Jonathon’s and take cover.  Spike would try to get a hold of the other Scoobies and direct them to meet Faith and Buffy.  He would join them after he sprung Giles from the hospital.  There was a good chance that the Council would attack again and this time Giles might not survive. 

Buffy looked over the weapons that they brought from her house this morning and chose a double-edge battle axe as her primary defense weapon.  After some thought she tucked a few stakes into her boots and pants and strapped a crossbow onto her back for emergencies.   Finally satisfied that she should be able to protect herself, she stopped and grabbed her cell phone. 

Spike looked up, “Red is at her house and she is calling dog-boy and the Whelp. They will meet her there.  Oz will drive everyone from Red’s.  Once you get there, she will try to use one of those protection spells she has been practicing to keep everyone safe until the group meets up.” 

Giving Buffy a searing kiss goodbye Spike continued, “I’ll call your Queen C next and have her pick up Tucker’s brother and Peaches next.  They can meet you at the Shrimp’s house. That puts a witch and a get-away vehicle in each group for protection.  I’ll be there as soon as I kidnap your watcher from the hospital.  That should take care of anyone they could think of going after.” 

Buffy smiled as she left the Magic Box. She normally hated not being in charge, but she couldn’t fault his logic.  She was the primary target, and the less she was running around the less danger they all were in.  Deep in thought, she didn’t notice the human who was tracking her, nor the one who was concealed in the shadows, watching the vampire. 

Chapter 16

Buffy silently walked towards Willow’s house.  Her troubled thoughts were centered on the newest danger they were all in.  She should have known that it had been too calm.  Life was too simple when she knew what demons were going to appear, what their agenda was, and how to kill them without even breaking a nail.  It had been easy slaying when she knew every plot and every motive before it happened. 

Now this.  Humans creating chaos and trying to kill the Slayers, it never got old.  But she really hadn’t foreseen this new insanity from the Council.  Now she was confused and upset.  What should she expect next?  Quentin Travers had never ordered her murder before, well except for the time she was in Faith’s body. 

Knowing that the Council was trying to kill both Slayers at the same time made her incredibly sad, and pissed off.  They were the Chosen Ones, not the tools of some stupid social club.  When was the last time one of them stopped Armageddon?  Besides, if they killed her, there was no way that those idiots would be able to stop The First.  Hell, they wouldn’t even make it past those strange creatures who would try to open the hell mouth next week.   

Sighing in relief, she spotted Oz’s van pulling into Willow’s driveway.  She broke into a sprint to catch up to the young man.  Silently the two slipped into the house, relieved to see that Willow and Xander were sitting at the kitchen table.  “Hey guys. Did you run into any problems?”

Willow looked up startled at the sound of the Slayer’s voice.  “Hey Buffy, we were just making a list of things to take over to Jonathon’s.  I have all the herbs and stuff for the protection spell, and Xander has gathered everything that could be used as a weapon.” 

“Even the frying pans are packed.” Xander added, “In case anybody wants to get medieval with the cookware…or make breakfast.”

Buffy looked relieved, “How long will it take to do the protection spell?”

“I think I can be done in about half an hour.  I need to grind up some herbs and make some little pouches.”

Buffy sighed and sat down.  It was going to be a long night. 

No one noticed the man who had followed Buffy.  Nor did they see what he did next. 

Half an hour later, Willow finished handing out the leather pouches which were imbued with the protection spells.  The somber group picked up their supplies and started to head out to the van.  Buffy, Willow and Xander loaded the back of the van with makeshift weapons and magical herbs.

“Is that all Wills?”

“No, we need to grab my computer and the other electronic equipment I laid out on the couch.” 

Buffy turned and went back into the house while Willow followed her. 

Willow paused as Xander’s voice rang out, “Do you need some manly muscle?”

Willow laughed, and turned to face her best friends, “You boys can sit this one out, I think the girls can manage.”

Oz smiled his familiar grin that made her knees weak.  He buckled in, and turned on the car. 

****BOOM****

The blast ripped apart the van and knocked Willow into the house where she collapsed on her knees.  Buffy ran out to her friend.  They stared at where Oz’s van use to be.  It was now a pile of twisted, fiery metal. 

Both girls shrieked as one, “NOOOO.”

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

Spike was on his way to the hospital when he felt a wave of anguish and grief consume him.  It took a considerable amount of strength to keep his knees from buckling in response to the feelings that had begun to flood him.  The emotions coming from his mate were overwhelming.  He could feel that she was emotionally devastated and heartbroken.  He briefly wondered what could cause his mate this much pain, and then he began to panic at the knowledge that whatever it was, it had to be bad. 

Grabbing the phone, he flipped it open and dialed.  The only response was a cheerful recording.  Swearing he hung up and dialed another number. 

Almost hysterical, he barked out his orders.  “Demon-girl – there’s something’s wrong with Buffy.  I’ve got to find her! Get the Watcher and get out of the hospital.  Go to Jonathon’s.  Do it now.  Otherwise it might be too late.”  He listened for a moment. “Call Angel.  He should be with Queen C.  They can pick you up.” 

Spike hung up without saying good-bye.  Opening up his senses fully he reached out to his mate.  Feeling the connection strengthen, he vamped.  Her pain was screaming to him.  He began to run at full speed in the direction that he felt she was in. 

Derek Anderson, the man who had been following him, tried to keep up but soon lost sight of the demon.  He unlocked his cell phone and began to type out a text message:  “Vampire on route to Summers.  Have Montgomery step up hospital plan.  The other vampire and demon are mounting rescue.   Take out all 3.  I am heading to confirmed location of Faith.” 

Anderson pulled out the files and looked through the profiles that surveillance had gathered.  He glanced over the page marked Jonathan.  This should be a piece of cake. 

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

Anya helped Giles into the elevator. She had been trying to think of a distraction that would allow her to sneak past the hospital staff when a Code Blue had rung out over the intercom.  The doctors and nurses had rushed by, leaving her free to rescue a drugged up Giles. 

She moved quickly, quite aware that every moment she was there, she was in mortal peril.  Plus she didn’t want Giles to be injured further; he had always been nice to her, both in this timeline and in the previous life as well.   Besides she remembered from Willow’s ‘Tabula Rasa’ spell that he was a good kisser, and goodness knows they needed more of those in this world!

The elevator doors opened and Anya and Giles staggered out.  Giles was barely coherent enough to walk and was leaning heavily on Anya.  Normally this wouldn’t have been a problem, but they knew there was an urgency to leave.  The Council could show up at any time. 

Sighing in relief, they spotted Cordy’s car. Angel began to get out in order to greet them.  At that moment, a man stepped out of the shadows.  “Hello Rupert, Quentin sends his greetings.”

The gun raised and the world seemed to slow down. As the trigger engaged and the hammer of the gun began to fall, Anya pulled Giles close into her, and closed her eyes.  Almost instinctively she tried to teleport, briefly forgetting she was human and no longer a demon. 

…and opened her eyes to see Faith staring at her.  “What the hell?”

Angel watched as Anya and Giles disappeared before his eyes.  He didn’t know what was going on, and he really hated that feeling.  Cordy pulled the vampire into her car and squealed out of the parking lot. Looking at the brooding man she asked, “So how ‘bout we go to LA early?” 

Angel thought about all the changes that were happening and everything that Buffy had hinted would happen.  He knew he should stay and fight the good fight with her.  She was supposed to his soul mate, and yet she had mated with his arrogant childe.  He felt cheated of his destiny.  “Let’s go, they’ll call us if it’s apocalyptic.”

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

Spike could easily tell the direction of his mate.  Her pain called out to him, it was so intense and overwhelming that it practically radiated off of her like a beacon of anguish. 

As he ran, he began to recognize the neighborhood he had entered.  This was the way to Red’s house.  He felt his stomach tighten as the permutations of what could have happened filled his head. 

He smelled smoke and the dual scents of pain and fear.  It called to his demon, not with desire but the knowledge that someone had to die for the wrong inflicted on his mate.  His demon would not allow whatever happened to go unpunished.  His soul gave no dissenting opinion. It sat in tacit approval.  It was one of the few times that his warring inner voices were in agreement. 

His vision focused on the two girls sobbing in the front yard.  The Slayer and Red were there, crying. There was a hunk of twisted metal in the driveway and sirens blaring in the background.   It was probably the firefighters or the police on their way.  Whoever it was they couldn’t stay.  They would be too easy a target in the midst of the ensuing confusion. 

He bent down to where the girls were, and ran his hands over each one’s head, caressing their hair in a loving manner.   He scooped Buffy up to his chest and held her for a second.  Then he looked into her eyes.  “What happened luv.” 

Buffy just cried harder.  Finally Willow looked up at Spike with tears and disbelief in her eyes.  “Oz... Xander… Explosion…” 

Spike put Buffy down gently, and then cocked his head walking over to the ruins of the van.  The sirens were getting louder and he was becoming nervous.  He looked at the girls confused and stood there.  Inhaling deeply he sighed.   

Finally he walked back to the girls.  “Luv… there was no one in the van.”

Buffy looked confused.  “But…we saw them get in.  They were there and now there gone!” 

Spike looked at both of them and got on his knees.  “Luv, I have never lied to you before.  There was no one in the car.  I smelled strong magic and a bit of fear, but there are no bodies in that rubble, no Scooby bits, and certainly no one dead in there.” 

Willow hiccupped, “Really?”

“Yeah Red, really.  Now let’s run. We’ve got to get out of here before the police show up.” 

Since Willow was the slowest of the trio, he picked her up and grabbed Buffy’s hand.  They took off running in the direction opposite of the sirens. 

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

Chapter 17 Part One:  Explanations

Chapter 17

Explanations - Part One

Author’s Note:  From here on out I will be using ‘single quotes’ to designate thoughts and “double quotes” for dialogue. 

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

Andrew stood and stared at the sight.  It was kinda … neat. 

He had been walking to Jonathon’s because someone had forgotten to pick him up.  You would have thought that being the Slayer’s sidekick would have made Cordelia treat him better.  He contributed a lot more to the group and he looked way cooler in a cape then she would!

But this sight almost made it worth it.  There was Spike, ‘The Hero’, being brave and carrying the weeping Willow out of harm’s way.  And the brave Slayer, following her man away from the danger and towards the safety of Jonathon’s house.

He sighed in contentment.  It was so obvious that the Slayer needed their help.  He wondered what she had ever done without them.   Perhaps that was why she died so many times, perhaps she knew it and that’s why she had sought him and Jonathon out.  Perhaps they had heroically saved her life, and she hadn’t wanted to tell them because she thought they would have been embarrassed. 

A dreamy smile crossed his face. He stood there while Spike ran passed him and was jarred out of his trance when Buffy grabbed him and pulled him along towards Jonathan’s.

“OW, OW, that hurts.  I can run.  Ow not the shirt!”

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

Faith surveyed the room and sighed.  She didn’t sign up for any of this!  She had been innocently tying up Wesley, so he couldn’t escape, when Oz and Xander had *popped* into the room, unconscious and smelling faintly of burning petroleum.  Jonathon had run over to them, eager to make use of his new first aid certification.  

Then before she could do anything more then secure Wesley’s bindings, in *popped* Anya holding up Giles.

Faith stood up and stared at Anya, “What the Hell?”

Crossing over, she pulled Anya firmly into her arms, being careful not to jar Giles.  Shaking her head she exclaimed, “What is this ‘Teleportation Day’?” 

Before any explanations could be made, the front door flew open as Buffy raced in followed by Spike carrying a still sniffling Willow. 

The next twenty minutes were a blur.  Willow spotted Oz and Xander unconscious on the floor.  She managed to leap out of Spike’s arms and knock Jonathon over in less than three seconds.  It would have been funny to Spike if Buffy hadn’t started sobbing in his arms. 

Anya looked confused. “Why are Willow and Buffy crying?”

Faith listened as Spike outlined the van incident.  Her anger grew as she walked across the room.  “Wesley, I thought you said the Watcher’s Council was only after Buffy and I?  You never mentioned that they were going to try and kill everyone else.  I should beat you senseless until you talk, you stupid...”

Buffy walked over and interrupted Faith. In a soft voice she said slowly, “Faith, leave him alone.  He has always been an idiot when it came to the Council.  He probably didn’t realize they would try to kill all of us.” 

Faith backed up and started to turn around when she was startled by a loud slap.  She looked up in shock to see Buffy standing over Wesley.  “Hey B, I thought you just said we shouldn’t hurt him for this.”

“Yeah, but I remember what he did last time.  He was a prick in both timelines.” 

Turning she walked back to Spike.  “We need answers and we need a game plan.  It’s Scooby time.” 

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

Buffy slumped her shoulders in exhaustion.  The last few hours had flown by in a blur.  Surprisingly all the answers had been right before them and the strategic planning had come from the least likely of sources.  She was exhausted but happy.  Just a little bit longer and all their problems would be solved. 

It was Jonathon who noticed that a Council guy was lurking outside of his house.  Apparently Andrew and him had been bored one day and decided that as the Slayer’s “associates” they should create surveillance around their homes and nearby “hotspots” in order to preemptively strike the bad guys.

It was rather strange that the duo had come up with almost the same exact plan for a computerized monitoring system that they had in the previous timeline.  This time, thank goodness her home wasn’t on the monitor, but other places were such as the larger cemeteries and the outside of Jonathon and Andrew’s home. 

She wasn’t surprised when a Star Trek klaxon had shrilled out of Jonathon’s bedroom.  What had surprised her was Andrew and Jonathon running out of the room, and then yelling for everyone’s attention.  The monitors were impressive, but the man lurking outside of the house made her blood run cold. 

Xander, having recovered from his unconscious state had volunteered to go detain the intruder and get some answers.  They were still not sure how he and Oz got from the van to Jonathon’s house, how Anya managed to teleport, hell they hadn’t even known how many bad guys they would be up against. 

Using the monitors to track the Council’s operative they had set up Buffy and Spike to distract him, by giving him a target and then Xander had snuck up and hit him with one of Jonathon’s frying pans.  His only regret had been that Willow’s pans had gotten blown up with the van, they were much more effective weapons then the wimpy ones that Jonathon’s parents owned. 

One tied up operative, and a tied up watcher later they had still been debating about how to take out the Council.  She had been eagerly bouncing up and down wanting to use that Terminator line on one of them, something like “You are already dead to me” since technically they were all dead – blown up when the First orchestrating the bombing of Council headquarters.  Spike thought it was cheesy – but she loved that movie, and the line was so neat!

Then the answer presented itself in a nice, neat, and completely boring solution courtesy of Anya. They had been discussing the Council when Jonathon asked what everyone had done when the Council blew up.  She had been explaining all the work that Willow and Giles had done to restart the Council when Anya looked at her puzzled.  

“You mean that Willow hacked into all the bank accounts and had full access to all their money?”

Buffy shaked her head in an affirmative nod.  “Yep.”

“She found ALL their accounts?”

“Yeah”

“So why don’t you take their money.  It’s hard to put a contract on someone if you can’t pay them.”

“That would take too long; we need them to call off the goon squad now!”

“Honestly Buffy, haven’t you ever heard of Internet banking?  They would know instantly.”

Buffy began to laugh almost hysterically.  Something that easy couldn’t work against a massive secret organization…. Could it?

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

“Okay Wesley, call Travers.”

“Quentin Travers please?  This is Wesley Whydam-Price”

“Travers speaking.”

Spike watched as Buffy squared her shoulders and reviewed all the notes that Anya had written for her.   Taking the phone from Wesley, she spoke firmly and authoritatively. “Quentin this is Buffy Summers.  Have you looked at your bank accounts lately?  As of twenty-one hundred hours all your accounts have been depleted and the funds have been transferred to untraceable accounts that I control.  I expect you to call off your hired guns, reinstate my watcher with retroactive pay from the day he was fired, provide a salary for Faith and I which is to be paid retroactively from the day we were called, full heath benefits for us, and ummm… a 401K plan?  Oh yeah, and every time we avert an apocalypse each Scoobie gets a 5,000 dollar, oops I mean pound, bonus” 

Buffy looked up to see Anya mouthing the word consultancy, “Oh yeah and any work, research, or slayage, that is provided by the Hellmouth Scoobies, is to be paid at a competitive consultancy rate.” 

Quentin started to stutter and refuse when Buffy interrupted him, “You see the great thing about this is if you refuse I just keep all your money.  It’s a win-win situation for me.  Remember all you council members are already dead to me…”

Everyone groaned and rolled their eyes with the exception of the nerd duo.  They flashed her thumbs up.  Buffy hung up and waited for the Council to call her back.  She had a good feeling about this.

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

Chapter 18 – Explanations Part 2

Buffy leaned back into Spike as she sighed in contentment. It had been a rough week trying to deal with the Council and still research all of the strange happenings that surrounded the gang.

They finally determined that Oz and Xander had teleported out of danger due to Willow’s protection spell implanted on the pouches that she had created. Willow was surprised to find out that she was the cause of the miraculous save. She was still self-conscious in regards to her use of magic.

While Buffy desperately wanted to boost her confidence level, she was weary of letting the young witch know too much about the future. There was so much heartache and bad decisions that had occurred. Hopefully support from the gang would help her realize her full worth independent of the magic.

The Coven was expecting Amy as soon as graduation was over. She had told Willow that she needed her help in a big fight before she went, but in truth she was waiting for Willow to meet Tara. Once the two witches fell in love, Tara could go with Willow for a semester abroad. They would get the chance to study both educationally and magically in England and would ensure two things. Willow had the necessary training needed to help her control her magic and Tara would be safe from harm’s way. Even though Warren shouldn’t be a problem in this timeline she wasn’t going to take the chance against a crazed man with a gun. She had almost lost Xander and Oz to humans. She wouldn’t lose Tara.

While Willow had inadvertently caused Oz and Xander’s teleportation, the question still remained about Anya’s latent ability. The last time she was human she had not retained any of her powers from her time as a Vengeance Demon. She had been fully human and while performing small spells had been relatively easy, she was no where as accomplished as she would have to be in order to perform a teleportation spell.

It was rather amusing to see Anya volunteer to undergo “testing” to determine what skills she still had. Of course the moment Giles had pulled out his notebook to start writing down information she pulled out a time-sheet and “clocked” in for her consultancy worked.

They quickly determined that she was not under the influence of any magical pouches, amulets or related objects. They were pretty sure that Giles wasn’t under any protection, since he had been the only person who had actually received an injury. More experimentation followed with careful applications of the words “I wish”. No wishes had mysteriously come true. Even reconnaissance at the Bronze with unsuspecting people uttering the magic words had yielded no results.

Anya had debated summoning either D’Hofferen or Hallie to see if they had any information on what had happened; however, the three of them remembered how unhappy D’Horrfyn was the last time Anya choose to become human, and they were leery of dealing with him or possible endangering Hallie in this time frame. Anya had confessed to them one night that while in purgatory she had eventually accepted her own death at the hands of the Bringers, but had been haunted by the knowledge that her choices had cost Hallie her existence.

Finally they had researched the spell that Buffy had performed in order for Anya’s future conscious to merge with her demon self and become human. The spell required that Anya’s ‘essence’ for lack of a better word, to be summoned and temporarily merge with her demon self giving both of them full access to her memories, thoughts and feelings. The two had remained separated until an agreement could was reached.

Both sides of her personality had to choose to remain human. If her demon had rejecting her future self, then the Anya they knew would have returned to Purgatory and the demon would retained no knowledge of what had transpired. Anya would still exist in that future they had lived, because it had already happened for them. However the demon Anya would not experience the same things in this timeline because she had not been called to Sunnydale for any vengeance wishes. Just thinking about it made Buffy’s head hurt.

When Anya chose to remain human she “merged” her future self with her present self. After more research they had determined that the merging had resulting in Anya being physically different then her previous human self. She was not a vengeance demon any more, hence the loss of the powers of the wish. However, she did retain the ability to teleport over distances. She had practiced a few short trips to the Magic Box for supplies. She managed those trips perfectly but any long jumps or jumps with multiple people were troublesome. They would have to experiment with her abilities to determine what she would eventually be able to do with practice.

There was also some question on whether she would heal faster or not. Anya had adamantly refused to allow herself to be cut to test the healing potential of her new state.

After a long weekend in Jonathon’s house they had untied Wesley. Buffy knew he would eventually come around, and once he had, he was surprisingly helpful in the research. Buffy could see why Angel would eventually employ him. He would be an excellent resource and perhaps a decent friend once he lost the Council-as-God complex.

The initial doubt seemed to be registering with him already. He had vehemently protested that the operatives had to have gone rouge. After the Council operative laughed at him for his naivety, he had become quiet and contemplative. It was a nice change.

Once he had been released he started to work on researching Buffy’s tiny fangs and mysteriously changing eye color. Giles and Wesley had debated the “facts” for quite a while and quite loudly.

Some of their more interesting theories were whether this had been a function of the mating process, a result of time travel, or due to the fact that she lived even after being killed by vampires twice.

Finally she got bored and told them that the changes felt more like the changes she had undergone while under the empowering spell she had used to fight Adam. It felt like Slayer powers and shadow demons then any kind of vampiric mutation. It was worth the frustration she had been experiencing just to see the look on their faces.

Of course they hadn’t believed her so she was slated for more slayer tests. Thank god she got paid for this now. She really needed some new clothes, and some new shoes. Oh, and a new watch to match the cute purse she picked up last week….

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 19:

Buffy stared at the mirror. Of all the things she wanted to relive there were some things that were truly frightening. Tonight was one of those nights. It was huge, overwhelming and scary. Prom night.

She wanted tonight to be perfect. Everything had been taken care of. The devil dogs had been diverted by Andrew. One benefit to being Tucker’s brother was all that all he had to do was threaten to tell mom and all of Tucker’s plans had been canceled. The rest of the Scooby gang had their dates. Anya had decided to ask Faith; Xander was taking Amy, and Willow, of course, would be attending with Oz. Jonathon and Andrew had decided to go stag; they were determined to be free to dash off in case anything threatened the prom.

Buffy had talked Spike into taking her. He resisted of course, muttering something about being undead making him exempt from girly functions. She had threatened him, cajoled him, and flat out pleaded. He had held firm until she displayed her ultimate weapon. The pouty lip she knew he couldn’t resist. He had even agreed to pick up a corsage for her. Not that she had asked; she couldn’t help it if she had dropped the hint to Xander who had promptly taken Spike aside and informed the vampire of all the intricacies of prom decorum. Yep corsage, limo, hotel room… Now all she had to do was get her hair to look just right.

Her mind drifted as she realized it wouldn’t be long until graduation. They would still have to deal with the mayor and since Giles wouldn’t allow them to try and kill the mayor beforehand, she would most likely get to blow up the school again. This time would be different though. Less causalities, more fun with mass destruction.

But back to the important issues… She had bought a kick ass prom dress for the occasion. Knowing that Willow would eventually decide on a maroon variant, Buffy avoided the urge to wear red and went with a black dress designed to make Spike have a heart attack, had he a beating heart. It was killer! Looking down at her new Tommy watch, she shuddered; only two more hours to go and her makeup wasn’t done yet. Panicking, she kicked it into high gear.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Faith took a long drag off of a cigarette she had “borrowed” from Spike. She couldn’t believe that she had gotten roped into taking care of all the last minute preparations with him. Just because she only took 20 minutes to get ready and Anya took 2 hours.

Blowing the smoke out, she sighed, “We ready, fang? This place is starting to look freaky. Everyone in tuxes.”

Spike looked up from the corsage he was inspecting. Faith. She looked gorgeous in her new dress. He couldn’t believe that this was the same girl whose early exploits he had heard stories about. She still had the cocky and arrogant attitude he first experienced when she had switched bodies with Buffy, but she seemed less edgy than he remembered. Even though he had known their presence in the past would change things, he still marveled at the difference they had made in her life at least. Without the murder and her subsequent betrayal and incarceration hanging over her, she seemed to be…free.

Shaking his head at his thoughts; he swore. The soul was turning him into such a pounce. First the prom and now getting all mushy over good deeds. He was worse then the Poof. Grumbling he turned to Faith, “Your corsage and Buffy’s look fine. Did you check demon girl’s?”

Faith nodded her head.

Spike smiled, “To the limo, then.”

“I still can’t believe you’re having the limo driver drive us around.”

“Got to get our money’s worth, don’t we?” Chuckling, Spike escorted Faith out to the limo. It was time to go get their girls.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Joyce opened the door to see a nervous Spike and Faith standing there. They were beautiful. Opening the door, she ushered them in and turned to call up the stairs, “Girls, your ride is here.”

Spike watched as Buffy began to descend the stairs. She was breathtaking. His mate, his soul, his everything. The only thing that both his demon and his man could believe in.

Faith watched as Anya came down the stairs. She felt strange standing here. She could see the love shining out of Spike’s eyes. He no longer seemed to be a vampire or a creature of the night. He was simply Spike.

Faith felt a longing for that type of emotion. Less then a year ago, she would have laughed at the idea of even having friends to rely on. Now she had a family, a lover and friends. She had more then she would have ever thought possible. So why was she not happy? Sighing, she took her eyes off of Spike and looked up at Anya.

Anya was breathtaking, gorgeous, and the best friend. She liked Buffy; as an older and still slightly prissy sister, but hey, she was family. She loved Joyce, she was like the mom she never had, and she loved Anya as a friend and as a lover. Was it wrong to want more? Was it bad to not be happy with what she had and to want someone, anyone to look at her the way that Spike looked at Buffy? Was it even possible for anyone else to share that kind of love?

As Anya’s foot left the last step, Faith grabbed her and pulled the other girl closer. Kissing her passionately, all thoughts fled her mind. As they turned to see Buffy and Spike in an equally passionate kiss, they caught Joyce’s amused expression.

“Have fun, kids!”

And Faith hoped that no one had noticed how drenched her passion was in desperation.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy danced around excitedly. It was almost time. She could practically taste the excitement and upcoming adventure. Soon they would give her back her umbrella! She had been so pissed when that vamp bitch, Sunday, had broken it. Not this time! The umbrella was hers!

Oh, they were calling her name!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As they started the announcements for class clown, Faith slipped off to smoke another one of Spike’s pilfered cigarettes. Exhaling slowly, she thought back to earlier.

Faith and Anya had been dancing for hours and she had needed a quick drink and the restroom before she could continue. Anya, the only person who could ever surpass her in passion for dancing or sex, continued to move in time with the music. It had taken her breath away to watch the blond dance with partner after partner, each of them moving in seemingly without Anya even noticing. She was lost in the music, enjoying the life that had been given back to her.

Faith watched her lover move. She knew exactly what everyone was seeing. It was beautiful.

Even Giles couldn’t resist a dance with the beautiful ex-vengeance demon. As the band began to play a slow song, they became lost in the music and each other’s arms.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy closed her eyes and enjoyed the low beat of the music. She couldn’t remember having this good of a time at any high school function. She could pretend that it was because they there were no baddies to slay, no villains to defeat, but the simple truth was it felt divine because of the man holding her. Two hours of dancing, receiving her pretty umbrella and then more dancing had left her at peace. She felt relaxed … and was that someone tapping at her shoulder?

Buffy managed to separate herself from Spike and turned around to see Anya drinking a glass of punch. She tried to arch one eyebrow, and failing miserably, just smiled at the blonde. “Yes Anya?”

“Can we go to the hotel now?”

“Hotel?”

“Of course, Buffy. I didn’t get to participate last time in the traditional post-Prom sex-a-thon, but in this timeline it should be quite enjoyable.”

As Buffy started to protest that she wasn’t done dancing, Spike swept her up in his arms and carried her towards the limo. A smirking Anya and laughing Faith followed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The girls practically ran into the hotel room. Faith turned and pounced on Anya pinning her down and removing her clothes in less then a heartbeat.

Faith ran her hand down Anya’s body. She loved to touch her. She loved caressing her, especially after they had spent all night dancing. When they danced together it was a connection that was powerful, strong, and unbreakable. There bodies moved together in a rhythm that no one could match. Their bodies flowed together as if they were created to, slayer and vengeance demon; yin and yang, dark and light.

The slayer was dominant tonight. She wanted Anya- all of her. She wanted to lick and to caress. To make the other girl moan, scream, and lose control.

She started with a feather light touch, running her fingers down Anya’s body. She watched as the blonde reacted to the cool air and the slight brushes of Faith’s fingers. Tracing the outline of Anya’s nipples, she watched in fascination as they hardened. Touching, teasing, she traced along Anya’s clit. Watching as she moaned and twisted, desperate for more, desperate for Faith to take her. Desperate for the sensations that would soon follow.

Tonight Faith was in charge, and she wanted to go slow; wanted to savor the body beneath her, to touch her, to taste.

Faith leaned in close and took one of the peaked nipples into her mouth. She lightly flicked her tongue over it as she took it in her mouth, alternating sucking and biting. Anya moaned; a throaty, guttural sound that never failed to drive Faith crazy.

She smiled as Anya reached for her. Anya was so greedy, always demanding more, but as much as she demanded she always gave back. Tonight, however, Faith refused to be rushed. Tonight was special.

Grabbing Anya’s hands, she pinned them down over the girl’s head. “Naughty Anya, didn’t I say to be patient?”

Anya shook her head and started to speak but was cut off by a passionate kiss.

Faith inched back enough so that her whispered words would caress her lover’s lips. “Tonight, you’re mine.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike refused to let Buffy down until they made it all the way into the hotel room. It was difficult to juggle the arm full of slayer and open the door, but with a small kick the door sprung open.

In his arms, Buffy giggled about the absurdity of being carried around; when she started to protest, however, she was soundly kissed into submission.

As the door closed, Buffy squirmed half-trying to escape Spike’s arms.

Vamping, Spike slid one fang down Buffy’s throat and slowly licked her neck. The fang had barely grazed her, it’s razor sharpness carving a small cut into her neck. As he licked the wound, he finally allowed Buffy to escape. His hands untied the back of her dress, letting it fall from her shoulders. Spike continued to caress her with his lips, tongue and the occasional, unbearable, scrape of his fangs.

Not being able to stand his teasing anymore, Buffy arched up, forcing his fangs into her breast, relieving a bit of her desires but serving to inflame her further. Gasping with desire, Buffy slid into her version of a “game face”. Spike withdrew his fangs as Buffy rose up on her toes to sink her baby fangs into Spike’s neck.

”Mine”

“Yours,” Spike replied in a moan, as he slowly began to remove his shirt.

Chapter 20:

The night was perfect. Each lover moved slowly: building anticipation, caressing, touching, stroking, and loving. Drawing out their motions, each touch seemed to last hours and not minutes. The night was stilled; a thousand lifetimes would be lived in each embrace.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the first room on the right, Spike slowly began to unbutton his top. Midnight blue on pale skin, it was breathtaking.

Eyes never leaving Buffy’s face he slid out of the silky material, not glancing down as the shirt fell to the floor. Shoes slipped off, then socks, until he was standing there in nothing but a pair of black slacks.

As he moved closer to Buffy, her breath hitched in her throat. Standing before him wearing nothing but moonlight, her perfection was only enhanced by the twin rivulets of blood that shone brightly on her skin.
The blood called to him. Sweet, heady and rich, the taste of her could fulfill him like no others. The flavor was enhanced by her powers, sweetened by the coupling and enriched by the continued confirmation of their mating bond.

It was times like this when Spike wondered if he was truly alive again, for this woman before him was heaven.

Buffy stood motionless as Spike unbuttoned his pants and let them fall quietly to the floor. She watched as he stepped out of them and crossed over to her. She could feel herself grow even wetter at the site before her. Spike’s cock glistened in the moonlight. He was fully erect and she ached to take him in her mouth; to run her tongue over the engorged member and bring him to the brink of release over and over.

Before she got the chance however, Spike took one rosy peaked nipple into his mouth and began the slow process of worshiping her body. For what seemed like hours he played with her nipples, alternating between sucking, biting and caressing them. Touching her, tasting the slight sweat on her skin as she arched, twisted, begged and demanded that he move on. That he satisfy her, enter her, take her.

Ignoring her demands he played, he tortured, he loved. Finally when she could truly take no more he picked her up and moved her to the bed, slowly letting his hand drift further down. Trailing down her stomach to her sopping mound, he slowly inserted one finger while rubbing his other finger on her clit.

Buffy hissed, screamed, and threatened stakes. She was being driven insane, slowly, expertly by the demon in front of her.

Before she could come from the expert ministrations of her clit, Spike withdrew. His finger was replaced with his tongue. Over and over he licked her, tasted her, and fucked her with his tongue. Buffy writhed under him, having past the point of begging and now capable only of low guttural moans.

As Buffy grew closer and closer to coming, Spike began to play with her clit. Twisting, touching, tormenting. As Buffy arched her back in a powerful climax, Spike vamped and lightly bit her clit, gently sucking the slight flow of blood. Buffy arched again, shuddering as her body convulsed over and over again.

Spike gently played with her stomach, occasionally watching his hands travel to Buffy’s breasts and her folds while the Slayer caught her breath. Finally she was ready again. Turning a beautiful game face to him, she growled, “MORE!”

Buffy pushed Spike over, intent on getting her revenge on the blond vampire. Deciding that Spike deserved the same “brand” of punishment she slowly engulfed him an inch at a time, running her hand over the base of his cock and cupping his balls with the other hand. She alternated between sucking on him, running her teeth up and down the length of him and nibbling and sucking on his throbbing head. Knowing that he got off on the biting, she bit just enough so he felt it, but not enough to bring blood or to make him loose control.

She wanted him on the brink for as long as she could put off taking him. Over and over again she sucked him, working her hand and mouth in tandem, bringing him to the edge over and over again, stopping when he got to close and slowing down when he begged her to finish. By the end of the night, he would so know who was in control.

After an excruciatingly long time Buffy could take it no more and pushed him further down so he lay flat on the bed. Taking his thick cock in her hand, she slowly impaled her self, taking him inside her inch by inch moving leisurely while holding him down. Refusing to let him arch up, refusing to let him move. She savored the feel of him inside of her and once she felt him filling her completely, she began to move.

They stayed like that: Spike on his back, eyes closed in bliss, desperately trying not to beg for more; Buffy riding him, slowly enjoying the feel of his cock sliding in and out, over and over again; the feeling of completeness and desperation, wanting and needing more, but determined to torture with pleasure.

Buffy grazed his chest with her nails. Watching as slight red marks followed her patterns, watching as Spike hissed and bucked in anticipation of the next pattern.

Finally unable to take the slow pace she set, she began to increase her speed. Over and over again she rocked, grinding her pussy hard against him, loving the friction between their two bodies, moaning in anticipation of the release.

In desperation to increase the pace even more, Spike grabbed her hips and began to pull her back and forth, bucking up and down, the tempo increased, faster and faster as Buffy was reduced to moans and Spike to harsh whimpers and whispers of desire. “Fuck baby…”

As the friction increased even more between the two Buffy lost control and felt her orgasm begin to peak. Determined to take Spike with her, she collapsed on his chest and bit his neck hard. Drawing blood she claimed him again “MINE!”

Vamping Spike lost control and with a final thrust came hard inside of Buffy. Biting her, he claimed her back.

Chapter 21:

Faith watched Anya as she slept. This relationship was different then anything else she had experienced before. She enjoyed casual sex, getting some and then getting gone. No strings to tie you down, no feelings to get hurt, always leaving meant you were always the one with the power. And she never wanted to be powerless again. But this time was different. She knew that they started this as friends, then friends with benefits, but still … she wanted the strings… hell she wanted the whole package.

So why did staring at her lover hurt so much? If she only let herself, she could love Anya. Love her with a passion that scared her. What would happen if she lost her? What if Anya decided to move on? Was the passion enough to keep her? Was it worth the risk to be powerless once more?

Doubts flooded Faith’s mind. As much as she wanted Anya to be the one, as much as she believed that it *could* happen, she had doubts. Faith wanted what Buffy had. Not the man, er, vamp necessarily. But the look in Spike’s eyes when he thought no one was watching. The devotion, the love, and the all consuming need. They both looked at each other as if there were no one else in the room. Faith wanted that, craved that. To be the center of someone’s world; and she had a sinking feeling that Anya would never look at her the way that Spike gazed at Buffy.

It wasn’t fair.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Anya woke up alone with no lover to cuddle into and no one holding her while she slept. Grumbling she rolled over, her eyes searching for Faith. Finally her sleepy mind registered a presence on the balcony, smoke curling up from her lover’s lips. Grabbing a robe, she stepped out, shielding her eyes from the bright morning sun.

Faith slipped one arm around Anya and was silent. Too many thoughts whirled around her head and finally she asked Anya the very first thing that popped into her mind, “You love him don’t you?”

Blinking, Anya stared at the brunette. Her mouth was open in shock and she could only utter an incoherent, “Huh?” Granted it wasn’t the most original thing to say, but after very little sleep and that strange statement, it was about the most complicated response she could utter.

“Giles … I saw the two of you dancing last night. You looked good. So what’s the sitch, you guys hook up in the last time line, or something? ‘Cause from where I was standing it looked like you had a thing!”

Anya stared at Faith and tried to process what was going on, her mouth opened and closed without a sound. She didn’t know what to say to that kind of statement. She cared for Rupert yes, but she wasn’t *in love* with him, she was dating Faith.

To impatient to wait for an answer, Faith threw down her cigarette and stomped off. “Whatever, it’s five by five – I am so outta here.”

Slamming the door behind her Faith made it to the elevator before she started to cry. She wasn’t sure what she had just done. She knew that Anya wasn’t in love with Giles, but the expression of her face was clear. She wasn’t in love with Faith either.

Composing herself, Faith wiped the tears away. She had to stay in control. She had to keep the power.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike woke up and looked around. He was a bit disoriented; he couldn’t have been asleep more then a few hours. For about a minute, he stared at the door. Then he heard it again, a soft knock. Getting up, he slipped on his pants and crossed the room. He opened the door to a very subdued Anya.

“Faith left and you have all the money, so I can’t go home. Can you call me a cab?”

Spike opened the door further so she could come inside the room. “Sure luv, why don’t you have a seat?”

After a few minutes of trying to locate the phone he finally discovered it under a pile of clothes in the sitting area. Making all the arrangements necessary to get Anya home, he turned to find that she had disappeared. He followed her scent back to the bedroom.

“Anya….” Spike’s voice trailed off as he noticed that both blondes were cuddled up to each other fast asleep. Shaking his head, he went back to the phone to cancel the cab.

It was going to be a long day.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Faith headed to Andrew’s house to get the spare set of clothes she kept there. Slaying had a tendency to wreck havoc on her outfits, so she kept a spare set at all of the little slayertte’s houses. She didn’t know why B had never thought of that before. How many slime creatures do you have to kill before you realize that extra clothes are always a must? Especially ones that you could go dancing in post-slay.

Storming in, Faith headed straight for the bedroom. There was no way she was going to go home and deal with Anya. Perhaps she could crash with Andrew. Not like his family would ever notice anything other than Tucker. Hell, Andrew would probably think it was an honor to have her… Faith stopped dead in her tracks at the site of two blondes in the bed. What the fuck? Andrew and … Harmony?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Several hours later, Faith was desperately wishing for night fall. She needed to slay… to kill something. After girlish shrieks from both blondes, she’d had to listen to an hour long explanation of how geeks were “cool” now. After all, once Cordy had gotten back from that frat party, she had allowed Jonathon to fawn all over her at the Bronze. Then Cordy went and had her heart broken by none other then geeky Xander Harris. So if a geek like that could make Queen C flee the county without even bothering to pick up her Prada’s, there had to be something there. It was like a rerun of a bad high school flic. Without the cool soundtrack… or a decent geek.

This day just couldn’t get any worse.