Jack Crow groaned at the knock on the door. He opened his mouth to shout for Faith to open the door, then remembered she’d gone bowling with the Scoobies and Jonathan. He didn’t get why his babe of a daughter was hanging with the dork, but was kinda proud of the way she took him under her wing. Girl had loyalty. That had to be admired. Groaning, he stood and made his way to the door. Flinging it open, he found a sharp-featured woman around his own age stood on the doorstep. Damn, she was so ugly, he won’t do her with someone else’s equipment. "Yeah?"

"Hello." Crow noticed the woman’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. She stepped over the threshold of his house without invitation, which was lucky because she wouldn’t have got one. Not that he thought she was a vampire, not in the middle of the day, no it was just because there was something in her eyes that nettled him, made him bristle inwardly. "I understand this is the residence of Faith Jones, now Crow?"

Crow’s hand snaked behind his back to grip the .38 in the back of his belt. "Who wants to know?"

"My name is Gwendolyn Post, I’m a Watcher with the Council. I’ve been assigned to take custody of -."

"Like hell!" he growled.

The woman momentarily blanched at his anger before continuing, her cultured voice smooth, emotionless. "I assure Mr. Crow I have all the paperwork proving my credentials -."

"That ain’t the point," he snarled. "She’s my daughter."

"Huh," the Watcher sniffed. "From what I understand you haven’t cared about Faith being your daughter until very recen-."

"Get out." He stepped into the woman’s space. "Only the fact you’re a woman is stopping me from breaking your jaw. Keep on going though…." He allowed his voice to trail off.

The Englishwoman paled but to her credit she didn’t bolt. "I assure you the Council will not be thwarted-."

"The Council?" He threw his head back and laughed. Returning his eyes to the woman, he allowed all amusement to flee from them. "You know who I am?" Grabbing the woman by her elbow, he pushed her out of the door. "Stay the fuck away from my daughter!" he slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Post glared at the door. "Meddlesome man," she pursed her lips together. This was going to be more difficult than she’d anticipated.

* * *

"There’s a Watcher here for me?" Faith stared at the man who claimed to be her pop. Upon her arrival home ten minutes ago, she’d been dragged into the lounge and told about the Watcher. Man, what a bummer, no way her Watcher would let her go to school, hang with JL. She didn’t know why it mattered but it did. "So you’re gonna give me to her right? Bet you’ll be real glad to get me off your hands, uh?"

"No," Crow shook his head. "Not unless that’s what you want."

She stared at her father, surprised at the disquiet she saw in his eyes. Not anxiety that she would stay, but fear she would leave. Finally she shrugged. "I’ll stay. Better the devil I know I guess." She hid a grin at the pleased look that flashed across her dad’s face. Maybe he really did care.

* * *

"I’m sorry Mr. Giles, this is unacceptable!" The woman pacing his library floor shook her head even as she continued her rant. "A Slayer must have had a Watcher! It’s Council law and has been since our creation!"

"And how do you intend to enforce your law?" Giles asked, his soft tone belying his irritation with the arrogant woman. "Faith is a spirited girl. More to the point, Jack Crow is, well, Jack Crow, not a man not to be trifled with. Perhaps compromise would be a better avenue to explore?"

"Compromise?" his fellow Watcher sniffed. "You have a Slayer don’t you? We can enforce our rule-."

"Pit Slayer against Slayer?" Giles felt his temper begin to fray. "You can wipe that stupid bloody idea from your mind right now. I’m not pitting two young women against each other for your edification, you stupid bint!"

The woman paled. "Evil powers are rising."

Giles threw his hands up in frustration. "Evil powers are always rising! And yet we always survive!"

There was a long silence before the woman spoke. "How?"

Finally, she was listening. "By working as a team," Giles leaned forward. "We are a team here. Two Slayers are a formidable force. Throw in my own abilities and Mr. Crow’s and we have quite a team. Your skills are of course welcome, but you must learn to bend."

* * *

"Very well," Post nodded. This situation would take some handling, but she was nothing if not resourceful. "There is some information I feel I must share."

* * *

"So this Glove is a big deal?" Faith glanced suspiciously at the Watcher. The English woman smiled at her, she replied with a snarl that caused the woman’s smile to disappear.

"Yes it is," Giles stepped between her and Post. "A demon by the name of Lagos seeks the Glove of Myhnegon. No record of this glove's full power exists, but we do know it is highly dangerous and must not fall into the hands of a demon. Lagos must be stopped. It’s been decided that it would be best," the librarian glanced at his fellow Watcher, "if the two of you work together to find Lagos."

"Cool," agreed B. "Where will Lagos be?"

"I suspect," Faith scowled her at Post’s voice. Just hearing her snooty voice made her want to muzzle the bitch. "I suspect that the Glove is hidden in a tomb in the town’s cemetery."

"Cemeteries," she corrected with a smirk.

"I beg your pardon?" Post peered at her.

"Place has got more cemeteries than Florida," she declared. "How many B?"

"Twelve," her fellow Slayer supplied.

She was pleased by the look of bewilderment on Post’s face. "Ah, well," the English chick looked towards Giles.

"We’ll work out a schedule, one at a time," Giles came to Post’s aid. Which in Faith’s opinion was right chivalrous of the librarian, considering Post’s utter bitchiness. "Now if you two girls get off to your lessons, be here for training after class."

Faith and B nodded and stood. "No," Post interrupted. "Faith, come with me. I have to judge your effectiveness -."

"Bite me," she interrupted.

"I beg your pardon young lady?" Post’s voice held more than a hint of steel, but she’d faced tougher before she hit ten.

She noticed G attempting to hide a smile. "Here’s how it works for the learning retarded amongst us. Namely you," she smirked, G snorted. "You fuck with me, my pa comes looking for you bitch. You stay the hell out of my way and never give me orders. You dig?" Turning on her heel, she sauntered out of the library, leaving a stunned Post in her wake.

* * *

Patrol had been going on for about an hour before Buffy spoke, "Don’t you think you were a little hard on Mrs. Post?"

Faith stopped, turned, and looked at her, an eyebrow arched. "You wanna swap Watchers?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Of course not."

Faith smirked. "Guess that’s your answer then." The brunette’s face hardened. "I’m no-one’s tool B. Post thinks she can use me like a fucking weapon, point me and fire," her fellow Slayer sighed. "You’ve read the same Watchers’ Diaries I have, what SOBs most of them are. We’ve both been real lucky with the Watchers we got. I don’t wanna break the run with that bitch."

Buffy nodded. "I see your point." She dropped in beside the taller girl and continued their night patrol through the cemetery. The other girl halted. "What’s up?"

Her fellow Slayer pointed into the distance. "See that big-ass demon over there," Buffy’s eyes widened when she saw the axe wielding giant demon in the distance. "Figure that’s Lagos?"

"Figure it could be," she replied.

"Yeah, that’s what I figured too," Faith retorted before setting off at a charge towards the demon. "Yo! Big And Ugly, didn’t we date once?" Shaking her head, Buffy started off after the Bostonian. The demon half-turned at Faith’s shout, right in time to catch a picture-perfect dropkick to the face. The demon staggered backwards but still caught Faith in mid-air and flung her into the air. "Oh shit!"

"You heard of planning?" Buffy asked as she ducked beneath the demon’s right hook and retaliated with a body shot that made the demon grunt. And received a back-handed slap that drew blood. "OWW!" Wincing at the pain, she drove a foot into the monster’s knee, knocking it down onto one knee. Grinning slightly, she drew her sword to decapitate the monster.

And instead watched when Faith bounded up to the knelt demon and beheaded it with her sword. "Wicked teamwork B!" Faith high-fived her.

"Yeah wicked." Resisting the urge to shake her head, she continued. "Well tonight’s a bust. If he had some ancient glove he’d have used it. Might as well call tonight off."

Faith grinned at her. "Works for me."

Once the other Slayer had hurried away, Buffy made her way towards the Crawford mansion, her heart torn between desire for her love and pain that they could never again consummate their passion. "Hey," she pushed the creaking door open. "It’s me."

"I know," Angel smiled. "Your scent."

"I was being polite 18^th Century boy," she teased.

"Ach," she giggled when Angel theatrically bowed. "My apologies lassie." Her boyfriend’s face turned serious. "And how was your day?"

"Hellish," she replied before pressing her head to her vampire’s broad chest. "This bitch of a new Watcher turned up, trying to take control of Faith. Which her father was not happy about. And then there’s the Glove of Myhnegon."

Angel pulled away, a severe expression on his face. "The Glove of Myhnegon?"

* * *

Xander sighed as he walked dispiritedly through Sunnydale’s darkened streets, having given training a miss for once, crying off with a non-existent injury. Truth was, he couldn’t bear being around Faith. He was crazy about Cordy, had deeper feelings for her than any other woman bar Willow, which was a whole different bag.

But then there was Faith. Somehow he felt closer to her than he’d ever felt to anyone. Whenever she got that cocky smile that said ‘hey I’m hurting inside, but no-one’s finding out’, he wanted to grab her and make her talk, tell her he could help. "Trying that could get a guy dismembered."

His chuckle died when he saw an all too familiar figure crossing the shadowy road ahead. "Oh you have got to be kidding me?" His heart shrivelling, he ducked behind a near-by car and watched as Angel stalked away. Quelling the sensible part of his brain that was telling him to run for the hills, he followed the vampire through the winding streets and to the Crawford Mansion. "Guy’s not even original." Swallowing his fear, he sneaked up to the lounge window and peeked in.

* * *

"Tell me you’re bloody joking!" Angel back, Giles couldn’t believe it. "And Buffy knows?" Xander nodded. Giles took a calming breath. It didn’t work. "Get the others here, we’ll have to have a meeting." Xander nodded again. Giles grimaced. "We best not let Faith and Crow find out about this."

"But -."

"Xander," he interrupted, his tone firm but soft. "This situation needs careful handing. You know how gung-ho the Crows can be." After a second Xander nodded reluctantly. "Thank you."

* * *

Post stopped at the entrance to Giles’ inner office. Smiling slightly at the voices, she heard there, she listened with interest as the young man described seeing the vampire Angelus with Buffy. "I can use this," she muttered before hurrying away.

* * *

"They were meeting without me?" Faith demanded.

"Yes, I’m afraid so," Post hid her smile as she looked at the stormy looks on the Crows’ face. Soon these stupid bloody colonials would be under her influence, a wedge driven between the two Slayers. "I don’t know about what," she smoothly lied. "I wasn’t privy to the details."

* * *

Faith stared at the pool table before grinning at Jonathan. "You a shark JL?" she bumped her best friend with her hip, enjoying his blush at the contact. He was so shy it was kinda cute. She couldn’t remember being that shy. Like ever.

"Uh," her friend glanced down at the floor. "Beginner’s luck."

"Oh yeah," Faith arched an eyebrow. "I think I’m being hustled. You’re a regular Fast Eddie-."

"Faith, can I have a word?"

Smile disappearing, Faith turned to see Harris stood behind her, a worried look on his face. "Fuck," she put a surprised look on her face. "Alexander Harris wants to talk to me? Wow, I’m so honoured, ‘cept," she glanced at JL hovering beside her. "I’m kinda with my bud now." She paused for a second. "Like you all were last night."

"What? Oh right." Xander glanced from her to JL. "Oh, I found out that Buffy’s ex was back. Stalker guy."

"Stalker-," Faith grimaced, oh fuck, had to be that vamp B had been bumping uglies with last year. "JL," she smiled at her friend. "Me and X have kinda got some business to attend to."

Her friend’s face fell. "But your homewo-."

"Hey, you can help me at lunchtime right?" she grinned at the short youth. "It’s not like we were gonna hang with anyone else uh?"

"Sure."

"Cool," she winked at her best friend before following Harris out of the Bronze. "G’s to get some arms and go vampire hunting?"

"Sounds like a plan," Xander turned to her. "So you and Jonathan uh?"

"Get this Harris," Faith snapped. "We work together, but we’re not friends. You made sure of that, holding your ‘secret’ meetings."

"Faith, I wanted you the-."

"Talk to the hand, Harris."

* * *

"So you’re saying Summers actually knew her pet demon was back but didn’t say shit?" Faith shook her head as Harris’ nod. Man, back in Boston, she’d have died to have a great mom like Joyce, a nice home, some decent friends, and a wicked Watcher like G. But Miss Uppity-Britches wasn’t happy with all that. No she had to have her demon honey too. Selfish bitch.

"So," Harris hurried over to the back of the library. "Good old Sunnydale library. Fully equipped with reference books, file cards," opened the cabinet doors, "and weapons."

"Beauty," Faith snatched out a sword.

"I call crossbow," Xander reached in and pulled out a bow and six bolts before closing the doors and turning to her. "All right, ready to go?"

"That I am," Faith nodded.

They started to head out only for Xander to turn towards G’s office. "Wait," he ordered. Ignoring her protestations, Xander hurried into the office. A second later he shouted. "Oh, my God. It's Giles! Giles, can you hear me? What the hell happened?"

Faith hurried in. "Gee, let me guess." Despite her casual tone, Faith was struggling to keep her temper under control. G was a decent guy, way too hung up on B in her opinion, but she’d never caught him trying to look down her top, which either meant he was on the level or a real smooth operator.

Xander shook his head. "Stop. Hold it. Just think a minute."

"Yeah, I'm thinking. Thinking Buffy's ex-meat did this."

"Where’s the blood?" Xander grabbed the phone. "It's not Deadboy's style."

"Screw this waiting crap," Faith shook her head and headed for the door.

"Faith, if we leave, Giles could die!"

Faith shook her head. "Yeah, and he's gonna have a whole lot of company, unless *I* do something permanent."

"Wait!"

"For what? You to grow a pair? You handle the baby-sit, and I'm gonna kill Angel." Faith strode out.

* * *

"Damn it!" Xander knelt on the floor, cradling the nearest thing he had to a father’s head in his hands, helpless to stop the headstrong Slayer from rushing out. Her against Deadboy and Buffy, he had no doubt which one Buffy would side with soul or no soul, she didn’t stand a chance.

"Son," he looked down at Giles’ battered face, relieved to see the Watcher’s eyes were slowly opening. "It was Post. Not Angel." With a groan, Giles turned his head to the desk. "Get to Faith before she does something foolish. Take my car."

"But…"

"GO!"

Grabbing the car keys, he rushed through the door, head swirling with conflicting thoughts. How was he supposed to stop a Slayer? He smiled as he got an idea. He only hoped he had the time.

* * *

Crow hurried across the hallway, if whoever was banging on the door didn’t stop they’d break the damn thing open, and flung the portal open to reveal a distraught-looking Xander stood there. "Kid?" he growled at his student’s upset face. "What’s up?"

"Faith in trouble," the youth replied between heaving gasps. "Need help."

Crow’s heart dropped. He grabbed his weapons. "Explain on the way boy!"

* * *

Angel smiled as he reached the end of the spell. Sensing a heartbeat he turned to find himself regarded by a middle-aged woman. "You’re doing it wrong," the woman informed him.

"I beg your pardon?" he replied, slightly nonplussed to find the woman there.

"Buffy sent me, my name’s Ms. Post," the woman explained. He nodded. Buffy had mentioned the new Watcher. "I’m the resident expert on the Glove." He turned back to the Glove. "What you’re doing wrong is -." Sensing something whistling through the air behind him, he turned and caught the shovel swinging at his face full on the nose. Roaring angrily, he lunged forward and shoved the woman to the ground. "Who are you?" he growled.

"Your death."

* * *

Her foot caught the vampire on the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. To his credit, he rolled up instantly. Faith raised an eyebrow. She had to admit, the vampire was a hottie, perhaps the best looking guy she’d ever seen. She’d totally do him. If he was alive. "You’re Faith right?" the vampire backed away from her, a wary but not scared look on his face, she’d have to change that. "There’s been a mistake."

"Yep," she feinted with a right heel kick to his knee before launching herself into the air and catching him with a left spin kick to the face, knocking him over the sofa. "You came back from hell." She cracked her neck. "Really should have stayed there."

"I don’t wanna fight you," Angel backed away from her.

"I bet," she winked and pouted. "Heard about your Slayer kink. And seeing as I actually look like a woman and not a Barbie doll, you’d be totally hard for me." She tilted her head to one side. "Shame I’m not into that necro shit."

"To hell with this," the vampire growled before throwing a right at her. She blocked the blow on her shoulder, wincing slightly at the pain before grabbing hold of the demon’s shirt, silk real quality, and flinging him into the coffee table. The table shattered with the impact, sending the dazed vampire plummeting to the ground. The demon sprang up and caught her with a right that snapped her head to the side. Ignoring the pain, she kicked him square between the legs, the force of the blow picking her rival up and flinging him across the room, to hit and slide down the wall. Faith walked over to the vampire. "Fuck B, really wasn’t trying when you were in town murdering all those people and shit." She pulled her stake out. "Bye bye Fang."

* * *

"Don’t." Buffy grabbed Faith’s hand at the wrist. "You’re making a mistake. Angel would never hurt anyone. He’s far too noble." It was just lucky she’d been passing by for some illicit smooches and tell him how jealous Xander had ruined everything, otherwise the psycho might have hurt her Angel-bear.

"A mistake?" Faith nodded before slamming an elbow into her nose, knocking her backwards. "Only mistake bitch was you not," she groaned when the other girl slammed a foot into her ribs, "killing your pet vampire last year when he was out having his fill at the all you can eat Sunnydale buffet." Grabbing the Bostonian’s foot she flung her to the ground but was dismayed when the brunette hit the floor on her shoulder and rolled up, her smirk still firmly in place. "Ah come on B," the east coast Slayer winked at her. "You’re not even trying."

Enraged, Buffy charged forward, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks at a blindingly fast rate that she was pleased to see the brunette wasn’t completely able to block. "That better F?" she taunted.

And got a mouthful of spat blood in her eye, momentarily blinding her. "Oh yeah," she heard the other Slayer mock. "You’re really getting me not." She grunted when an uppercut hit her in the jaw, lifting her off her feet. "So tell me B, weren’t you worried about you know getting something?" She rolled to her feet, her blurred vision clearing in time to allow her to sway away from a right cross. "I mean 250 years old babe? A honey like that, gotta have picked up some shit."

"You’d be the expert there." She ducked a roundhouse to her jaw, grabbing her rival’s wrist, pulling on it hard enough to draw a cry and bringing her foot up into her adversary’s stomach doubling her up.

"It appears you’re doing my job for me."

She looked up to see Post looking at them both. With the hideous steel gauntlet on her hand. "Oh cra-."

A shot boomed out. A half-second later and Post’s head disappeared in a spray of blood, bone, and flesh. Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, Buffy turned to see Crow stood there, a cold, unreadable expression on his weathered face, and a pale-faced Xander stood behind her. In an instant the demon hunter was by the corpse. After a look to check that the Watcher was in fact dead, the Vatican’s hired gun turned towards Angel.

And fired two shots into her lover’s body. "Hey!" Nostrils flared, she stepped forward.

And stopped when the hunter turned the muzzle of his gun on her, his eyes telling her he was itching to pull the trigger. "Jack-."

"Shut up Harris," the killer interrupted. "That rat bastard demon laid his hands on my girl. He’ll heal but he does it again and I’ll kill the both of you, you get me?" She nodded, too afraid to speak. "Now, your demon claims to have a soul. I couldn’t give a crap. I’ve killed plenty of humans who worked with vampires, dark mages, whatever. A demon with a soul would be just grist to the mill. I’m begging you to give me a reason." The demon hunter pulled Faith to her feet. "You okay kid?"

After a second Faith beamed at the loathsome bigot. "Yeah pop."

The middle-aged man smiled. "Cool. Thanks for the help Harris." Crow’s face hardened as he turned towards her. "He loses that soul again and you’ll be the first person I come looking for Summers. You might wanna bear that in mind."

"Hey!" Seeing her best friend was oblivious to her shout, probably dreaming about Susan Ivannova again, Willow broke out to a run to catch up with him, grabbing him by his arm when she did so. "Xander!"

Her friend turned towards her, a vaguely surprised look on his face. "Oh hey Will."

Willow shook her head. She runs the length of a corridor and what does she get? ‘Oh hey Will.’ Typical male. "Say, me and Oz were going bowling tomorrow night. How about you and Cordelia join us?"

"Oh," Xander shuffled uncomfortably. "I’d love to Willow, but I’ve sorta got training at Jack’s."

Willow resisted the urge to yank one of Xander’s ears off. It was all she heard, ‘Jack this’, ‘Faith this’. Between him dating Cordelia and all his extra training with Jack Crow, whose attitude towards Angel was just plain heartless, she hardly saw her childhood friend anymore. "Well tough mister!" she exploded. "I’ve already spoken to Cordelia," she lied. "And she thinks it’s a great idea!"

She gave Xander her ‘Resolve-Face’. After a minute he caved. "Okay," her best friend nodded meekly.

"Good!" she beamed. Now all she had to do was find and persuade Cordelia.

* * *

"Bowling," Cordelia’s face wrinkled at her suggestion. "I don’t know Willow; I don’t have anything in my wardrobe that matches bowling shoes."

"Oh go on," she pleaded. Knowing that Cordelia had some sort of immunity to ‘resolve-face’, she turned to her puppy-dog eyes instead. "It’ll be fun."

Cordelia groaned. "Fine," she opened her locker with a shake of her head. "I’m in!"

"Great!" Willow’s smile faded slightly as she noticed something. "That’s a lot of photos of you and Xander."

"What?" Cordelia looked vaguely embarrassed before shrugging. "I looked good that day. So did Xander," the cheerleader shot her a high-wattage smile. "Only don’t tell him that. He’ll stop trying. Always room for improvement."

"Rrright," Willow forced her own smile to brighten. It had taken her time to warm to Cordelia, but it was obvious that the cheerleader honestly cared for her best friend. And what sort of best friend would she be if she let something get in the way of that?

* * *

"Bollocks!" Spike cursed as his classic 1958 Dodge Desoto crashed through the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign and screeched to a halt. Kicking the door open, he stumbled out, his whiskey bottle rolling off the seat and smashing on the pavement. "Oh bollocks!" he repeated. Stumbling onto his back on the back, he struggled to his feet. "Home, sweet... home."

A few minutes later and he was in the burnt-out factory that had shared as the Scourge’s base before the bloody Watcher’s rampage. He strolled through the area, stepping over the strewn chairs, while singing merrily to himself. He laughed as he entered the room that had served as his bedroom. "Drusilla! I'm home!" He started to giggle, his mirth turning to tears. Looking around, he saw what remained of his sire’s doll collection. Striding over to the dolls, he picked one of the dolls up, snarling into its melted face. "Why did you do it, baby? Why did you leave me? We were happy

here." Shaking his head, he suppressed a sob, changing into his game face. Grabbing hold of a near-by iron candlestick, he started to pound the doll’s face, shouting out a word with every strike. "YOU... STUPID... WORTHLESS... BITCH!" Calming himself, he flung the stick into the wall. It clattered to the ground. "Look what you've done to me."

* * *

"Did you come in through the back?"

Spike didn’t look up from his examination of the spell-books. "Yeah. I need a curse."

"A what?"

Now he did look up, glaring at the shopkeeper. "A curse! Y'know, something nasty. Boils. I wanna give him boils all over his face. You know, dripping pustules. Let's

really go for the gusto here."

The shopkeeper paled at his venom. "I'm hearing a lot of negative energy, and I bet..."

"Leprosy! Alright, a spell that makes his knob drop off. That sounds proper." Spike beamed, that’d get the prancing poofter.

"We don't carry..." the shopkeeper looked around at the sound of the front door opening, "leprosy. Would you excuse me a moment?" Spike distractedly waved the young woman away, consumed with thoughts of what curse to use. "Blessed be. Anything in particular I can help you find?"

"Yeah." Spike’s ears perked at the sound of the voice of the Slayer’s Wicca friend. "It's all here on the list. Skink root, essence of rose thorn, canary feathers..."

"Aha!" The shopkeeper giggled. "A love spell. Want that old lover to come back to you? Are you sure you know what you're doing, hon?" Spike grinned slowly as an idea occurred.

"No. Oh, I mean, yes!" It was the Wicca again. "I... I know how to do a love spell, but this is more of an anti-love spell. Yeah. Uh, kind of a de-lusting of an unwanted admirer. The supplies are basically the same, right?"

"Basically. Although raven feathers tend to breed a little more discontent than canary. Let me just get some things..." Spike watched intently from behind the bookcase as the shop-owner gathered some bags of herbs, jars of root powders, and a feather, and brought them all to the counter. "Okay. Mm-hmm." The shop owner added everything up as she bagged it. "That'll be $15.80 for the lot."

The red-haired witch beamed as she handed over the money. "Thanks!" Taking the bag the red-head hurried out of the shop.

The shopkeeper came through to the back, smiling. "Did you find a spell book?"

Spike vamped out and grabbed the paling shopkeeper around the throat, his powerful grip cutting off any attempt at screaming. "Forget the book." He bit down and fed. When he’d sucked her dry, he flung the corpse to the ground and looked in the direction of the front door. "I just got a better idea."

* * *

"Whoa!" Xander stopped as he entered the darkened school lab, smiling at his friend grinding a paste into a ceramic bowl. "It smells like church in here." He stopped and sniffed. "No, wait... Evil church."

"It's just chemistry stuff. An experiment." Willow explained.

"So you said when you called. Why do I have to be here?" Xander queried.

"It'll help you on the exam. You're way behind." Willow passed him a raven feather. "Hold this."

"A feather. And who will I be tickling?" he ran it across Willow’s cheek only for his friend to glare at him.

"Hush." Willow looked down at her instructions. "Okay. Bring mixture to a boil..."

She lit the Bunsen burner below a flask of liquid.

Xander fought back a yawn. "I assume this isn't going to make us late for our evening of bowling magic?"

Willow started. "There's no magic! I mean, bowling, yeah. Cordelia and Oz are gonna meet us here later."

"Great." Xander turned the lights on. His eyes widened as he noticed something familiar about the book Willow was working from. "Is that a spell book?"

Willow put a hand over the book. "No, no, no! Chemistry book."

"Wait a minute. This is love spell stuff! You're doing a love spell?" Xander stepped back. "Willow, what are you doing?"

"No! Of course not! This is a purely scientific..." Xander picked the book up and showed the apprentice witch its title: ‘Witchcraft’. " ...de-lusting spell I know. I thought it would go better if you didn't know."

"Are you nuts, or have you forgotten that I tend to have bad luck with these sorts of spells?"

"I’m not just going to stand about and watch you cheat on Cordelia!" Willow shot back. "She makes you happy. But I’ve seen the way Faith looks at you and you at her! This is for your own good!"

Xander blinked. Was the world going completely mad? Hadn’t he proven with the loyalty he’d shown both Willow and Buffy over the past two years how completely out of character it was for him to cheat on anyone? "I’d never cheat on Cordy!" he defended. Sure, he’d noticed Faith, he’d have to be blind not to, but cheating wasn’t in him. Taking a breath, he spoke. "We better clean this place up before the others get here and start asking questions."

Suddenly Willow paled and screamed his name. The next second he felt a strong hand around his neck. "I need to borrow the little girl. You don't mind, do you?" a voice he spine-chillingly recognised as Spike’s whispered in his ear. Xander responded by kicking out with his legs against the wall, shoving him and Spike across the room and into a metal shelf. Spike growled before pushing him to the floor. He tried to get up but Spike smashed him in the head, knocking him back down. Out of the corner of his dazed eye he saw Willow lunge at the demon with a microscope only for him to snatch it out of her hand and push her to the ground. "Threatening me? That's not nice. We're all gonna be best friends." The vampire turned to him and swung the microscope into his temple.

* * *

Faith slid under the vampire’s attack with pantherish grace and punched the statuesque red-head under her armpit. The demon shrieked and dropped stone-like to the ground. Faith reached down to hit the vampire only for her opponent to kick her in the stomach, momentarily winding her.

That moment was all it took for the demon to reach her feet and charge her. Faith responded with a heel kick to the vampire’s legs. The red-head screamed in concerto with her left knee cracking and her falling flat to her face. Faith grabbed the demon’s collar and flipped her onto her front before raising her stake for the killing strike. "Spike has your friends!"

"Say what?" Faith held her strike, confused by the demon’s outburst. Who the hell was this Spike dude? "What the fuck you talking ‘bout bitch?"

"William the Bloody," Faith’s stomach hollowed, she’d heard that name from her first Watcher. "He was in Willy’s before, half-drunk, boasting about getting his hands on the Slayer’s Witch friend, getting her to cast a spell for her."

"Fuck," Faith slammed her stake home. "Thanks." She looked up at her father. "What do ya think?"

"I think the demon shouldn’t have caught you with that kick," her dad pulled out his mobile. Faith scowled at the admonishment. "I also think we need to warn Rosenberg." After a minute her dad grimaced. "No answer. Best contact the others."

* * *

"Oh bloody hell." Giles’ curse broke the hushed silence. Looking around, he saw Buffy, Faith, Cordelia, and Oz looking ashen-faced and to him for guidance. Angel, well the murdering bugger looked as inscrutable as ever, not that he’d ever shown that he gave a toss about anyone bar himself and Buffy. Crow on the other hand looked controlled, almost as if he was casting a judging eye over him during the crisis.

Which rankled like bugeree. Quelling his temper, he took a calming breath before continuing. "Angel, you and Buffy work together. Jack, you and Faith. Oz, go with Cordelia, but on no account," he glared at the last duo, "attempt a rescue without back-up. Understood?" After a second the werewolf guitarist, where else in the world could one find one of them, nodded. "Good. I’ll stay here and co-ordinate things. Has everyone their mobile?" A series of nods followed his question. "Good, then what are you waiting for?"

* * *

Willow stared nervously at Xander’s body crumpled beside her on the bed in the factory Spike had dragged them into. The aforementioned vampire dumped a box on the bed, the other side of Xander. "A spell. For me. You're gonna do a spell for me."

"Uh, what kind of spell?" Willow hated herself for the undeniable fear she heard in her voice.

"A *love* spell! Are you brain dead?" The vampire took a swig of his beer. "I'm

gonna get what's mine. What's mine. Teach her to walk out on me." Spike spun around to face her. "What are you staring at?"

Willow stared down at the dusty ground. "Nothing."

"You can do it, right? You can make Dru love me again? Make her crawl!" Spike demanded.

"I-I can try," she stutteringly replied.

Spike grabbed her around the neck. "What are you talking about, trying? You'll do

it!"

"Yes, I'll do it!" Willow screamed.

"You lie to me, and I'll shove this through your face!" Spike shattered his glass and waved a shard in her face. "You want that? Right through to your BRAIN!"

Willow shook her head. "No, please, no..."

Spike sneered before pushing her aside. "Alright. Get started."

Still shaking, Willow stepped around the bed to where Spike dumped the box of supplies. "I'm not a real witch, you know. I-I don't know if this is gonna work right away."

Spike smirked. "Well, if at first you don't succeed, I'll kill him," Willow’s heart fluttered when the loathsome demon indicated Xander, "and you try again."

Heart beating an irregular rhythm, Willow looked through the supplies. "This isn't enough."

"What?"

Willow recoiled at the demon’s approach. "Well, there are other ingredients, a-and a-a-a book. I need a, a spell book. This isn't it."

"You've got one, though, at home?"

Willow’s eyes widened, this monster couldn’t go to her home. "Not at home. I left it somewhere."

"Where?"

* * *

"We’ve gotta find them," Buffy declared as she and her Angel-sized care bear hurried out of the school. She might be very disappointed in Xander’s bigoted narrow-mindedness towards Angel’s return, but she didn’t want to see him dead at Spike’s hands. She was a bigger person than that.

"Don’t worry," Angel growled. "I can smell my childe out."

"Good," Buffy nodded. That was good news. "Lead the way."

* * *

Buffy grimaced as she noticed the yellow police tape stretched across the room, separating the counter and the shelves of merchandise from the entry area. And the peroxide blonde demon stood by the counter. "Your work?" she demanded.

The vampire stiffened. Turning, he smirked at them. "Hurt me and you’ll never get your friends back." Buffy yanked down the police tape and tossed it aside. "All I want is a spell and you can have the pair back."

"And we should trust you because?" Angel put in.

"You can come with me," Spike shrugged. "But I’m not talking."

Buffy exchanged helpless looks with Angel before snatching the ingredient list off Spike, her heart catching when she recognised Willow’s so neat hand-writing. "We’ll do it. 'Essence of violet, cloves...' Angel?"

"Right." Angel started to look it.

"'Set of runic tablets.' Spike can get the rat's eyes." Buffy ordered.

"Bossy bloody woman," Spike mumbled. "I used to bring her rats. With the morning paper."

"Great. Moping. That's gonna get her back," Buffy commented sarcastically.

"The spell's gonna get her back."

"Lot of trouble for somebody who doesn't even care about you," Angel needled.

"Shut your gob!" Spike vamped out.

"She really is just kind of fickle," Angel continued.

"SHUT UP!" The vampire lunged at Angel who easily knocked aside his grand-childe’s rush, flinging him into the wall. ""What do you know? It's your fault, the both of you! She belongs with me. I'm nothing without her."

"That I'll have to agree with. You're pathetic, you know that?" Angel commented.

"Yeah. You're one to talk," Spike returned to looking for stuff.

"Meaning?" Buffy demanded.

Spike turned to face her, a mocking glint in the demon’s eyes. "The last time I looked in on you two, you were fighting to the death. Now you're back making googly-eyes at each other like nothing happened. Makes me want to heave."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Buffy blustered.

Spike snorted. "Oh, yeah. You're just friends."

"That's right," Angel confirmed.

Spike laughed. "What a load of bollocks!"

* * *

Willow shouldered the door, grunting with each blow. Hearing Xander moan from the bed, she hurried over to check on him. She winced at the dried blood on his forehead. "Xander?" she sat on the bed. "Are you okay?"

Xander tried to sit up. "Dizzy." He winced. "Kind of nauseous, too. Do I remember having a fight with Spike?"

"You do."

Xander felt at the caked blood on the side of his face. "I won, right? Kicked his ass?"

"You were real brave. Do you need to barf?"

Xander grimaced. "Real brave, uh? That bad, uh?" Xander looked around. "Where are we?"

"Spike’s factory," Willow replied. "We're locked in the basement."

"That burnt-out place in the middle of nowhere? So we're pretty much in a 'scream all you want' scenario."

"Pretty much." Willow agreed.

"Why didn't he just kill us?" Xander asked.

"He-he wants me to do a love spell."

"What?" Xander queried.

"Drusilla broke up with him."

Xander chuckled. "Gee, and we had all hoped those crazy kids would make it work. Emphasis on crazy."

"He's out of control."

"So what are our options?"

Willow bit her bottom lip. "Well, I figure either... I refuse to do the spell and he kills

us, or I do the spell and he kills us."

"Give me a third option."

"He's so drunk he forgets about us, and we starve to death. That's sort of the best one."

* * *

"You’re quiet Faith."

Lost in thought, Faith started at her father’s voice. She glanced across the pick-up cab to her father. "Thinking about X, pop."

Crow nodded. "Worried about your bud, huh?"

Faith shrugged. Growing up, she’d never had any friends, the people around her had all been users, and she’d grown up knowing that the only person she could rely on was herself. And then she’d met and lost her first Watcher all in a few short months and the pain she’d suffered had caused her to swear she’d never let anyone in again. But her pop, JL, and Xan had managed it and now her guts were twisting like hell. "A little," she admitted.

Her dad shot her a knowing look. "He’ll be-, damn it!" Crow hit the brakes. "That vamp said Rosenberg was casting a spell for her."

"So?"

"So, a spell needs ingredients." Crow did a u-turn in the deserted street. "Let’s check out the magic shop, the vamp might be there!"

* * *

"Uh, uh," Spike stepped away from the window and the vampires crouched outside it.

"Who are they?" Buffy looked towards Angel.

Her boyfriend didn’t turn his gaze from the window and the group of vampires outside. "Lenny used to run this place before Spike and Dru turned up. I’m guessing they’re here about territory."

"This is nothing to do with us," Buffy declared.

"You leave. You don’t get your friends," Spike sneered.

The vampires charged the shop, leaping through the window. Buffy threw her shopping bag at one vampire, catching him off guard, and snap kicked him in the gut. He fell immediately. Another vampire rushed her, and she roundhouse kicked him in the face. Seeing another demon charging her, Buffy used her momentum and her leverage to fling the demon face-first into the wall before slamming a stake in its back.

Buffy rolled over the counter, snatched up the shopkeeper’s chair and snapped its legs off, throwing the makeshift stakes to her companions.

* * *

Oz slowed the car down. "I can smell Willow, she’s scared."

Cordelia looked at her companion, eyes widening. "You’re not gonna all wolfie on me?" she quavered.

"Not right now, too busy."

* * *

The head vampire swaggered in, standing in front of the vampire. "Yeah. I heard you'd gone soft. Sad to see it, man."

Spike‘s eyes widened at Lenny’s words. "Soft?"

Lenny smirked. "Like baby food."

Spike’s eyes narrowed. "Well, then, let's give baby a taste."

Lenny threw a punch, but Spike ducked and punched him instead. Ducking a second punch, he grabbed onto his fellow vampire’s jacket, pulled him around and smashed his face into the table. "Baby like his supper? Baby like his supper?" he taunted as he repeatedly smashed his fellow demon’s face into the table before flipping him onto his back. "Why doesn't baby have a nap?" He thrust his stake into Lenny's chest.

Lenny looked stunned as he burst into ashes. Looking around, he saw his companions had wiped out the rest of the vampires. "Now, that was fun." Seeing his comrades’ disbelieving looks. "Oh, don't *tell* me that wasn't fun. Oh, God! It's been so long since I had a decent spot of violence. Really puts things in perspective."

"Could we just do the damn spell now?" Buffy snapped.

"Oh, sod the spell." Spike waved dismissively. "Your friends are at the factory."

Spike smiled. "I'm really glad I came here, you know? I've been all wrongheaded about this. Weeping, crawling, blaming everybody else. I want Dru back, I've just gotta be the man I was, the man she loved. I'm gonna do what I shoulda done in the first place: I'll find her, tie her up, torture her until she likes me again."

* * *

Buffy watched in disbelief as the demon walked out. She was rocked by the sound of a shotgun boom. Rushing out, she saw Spike toppling to the ground and Faith crashing a stake into his chest. "We had a deal with him!"

"Guess what," Crow shot her a wolfish smirk, his shotgun as always pointed at Angel. Narrow-minded bigot. "Don’t care. You might be simple-minded enough to make deals with demons," she glared at Faith’s snicker. "But I’m not." The demon-hunter glanced at his daughter. "Let’s get in the car and get Xan and Rosenberg."

"We’re coming with you," Buffy put her hands on her hips and pouted.

Crow chuckled. "Let that," Crow nodded at her silently-fuming boyfriend, "in my car, near my daughter? Not going to happen. See you."

"Bye B," Faith blew her a mocking kiss before following her father into the shadows. "Been fun."

* * *

"This it?"

"Yeah!" Faith leapt from the still-moving pick-up and charged towards the building, stake in either hand. Finding the front door locked, she opened it with a hinge-tearing kick. Moving inside, she saw X and Red sat on a bed. A smile illuminating her face, she stepped towards her friend. "Hey Xan, Red."

Xander beamed back at her. "Fai-."

"XANDER!" Suddenly Cordelia was rushing past her to throw herself into Xander’s arms.

Engulfed by a feeling of loss hollowing out her stomach, Faith just stood by the doorway until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into her dad’s face. "Let’s go home."

She forced a nonchalant expression and nodded. "Sounds like a plan big guy."

"Whoee!" Faith punched the air as the pool ball rattled home, proving once and for all the supremacy of the fairer sex. Spinning round, she smirked at her downcast companions. "Pay up looosers," she shoved out her palm for emphasis. Her grin widened as Johnno and Xander exchanged looks, sighed, and dug into their pockets to pull out a fiver each and slap them into her hand.

Faith was in heaven, she, the town skank, the worthless slut, had a home, a half-decent pop, and two great guys who didn’t just want to bang her, although she knew both of them would jump at the chance, but liked her for her. Sure life wasn’t perfect, she had to put up with B’s constant whining about her pop nearly killing her undead love toy. Stupid bitch.

But it was still better than anything she’d experienced before.

Her smile faded as she glanced at her watch. "It’s gone eleven, guys," she shook her head. Her having a curfew, fucking unreal. "We’ll have to head out," she wondered at the shadow that flickered across Xander’s face.

Shaking it off she grinned at Jonathan. "Thanks for the help with the homework Johnno, you’re a real hero." She laughed at Johnno’s predictable blush. He was so easy. "Come on," she looped her arms around her companions’ shoulders, her newly bought leather jacket swinging open, revealing her skin-tight black spandex top underneath.

After dropping Jon off home Faith escorted Xander home, noting her friend’s increasing reticence and his forced quips. Finally X stopped by the gate to his house and turned to her. "I’m fine from here Faith."

Ah, Faith’s heart dropped like a stone, she got it now. X thought his family were too good to meet a low-rent bitch like her. Hiding her hurt behind a stony expression, she nodded curtly. "Sure X, see ya whenever." She turned away and started off, holding back her tears of disappointment. She’d thought X was different, well fuck him. Jonathan was the one then, he’s been buzzed to introduce her to his ‘rents.

Behind her she heard Xander open his front door and it slam shut behind him. "Boy! What were you doing with that trailer-trash!" Faith’s hackles rose and she stopped at the man’s gruff voice. Like father like son. "You’ll mess up that sweet deal with that rich Chase girl!"

"Dad," X’s voice was filled with something that made Faith’s skin crawl and compelled her to turn. "Faith’s not a slut, she’s my frie-."

"Don’t answer me back boy!" Faith exploded at the sound of fist hitting flesh. Before she knew it she was moving towards the house. The door flew off its hinges under a single kick. X’s dad turned towards her, a stunned look on his ugly face. "What the-."

She caught the man with a powerful kick to the balls, slammed a knee into his chin as he doubled up, and thundered a left hook onto his temple, knocking him flat out. Faith turned to Xander, hiding a wince at the swelling area around his left eye. "Grab your things," she ordered. "You’re coming home with me."

"But-."

"Do it X."

* * *

Hearing the sound of his front door being unlocked, he moved through to the hallway to remonstrate with his daughter for being late home. His mouth widened when he saw his daughter dragging his student through the front door. Faith groaned. "Oh crap."

"Harris!" Crow growled. "Get out of here! You are not using my -."

"Shut up pops!" his daughter grabbed the kid’s head and turned it towards him, ignoring the youth’s resistance. "Look what his pop did to him for standing up for me when he called me trailer-trash. I’m not letting my bud being beaten up, he’s staying with us."

"He is not staying here!"

Jack felt a stab of guilt as the boy’s shoulders slumped. "Yes sir," the boy turned to the doorway. "Thanks for helping me Faith. I’ll see-."

Faith grabbed Xander’s forearm, stopping the youth. "Shut up X!" Jack swallowed when his daughter’s scorching gaze turned on him. "My bud leaves," she sneered. "I leave with him."

Jack considered putting his foot down. But then he could hardly discipline his daughter for showing loyalty to her friends. "Fine," he shrugged. "He can stay on the couch." He turned his eyes on Xander. "And you go near Faith’s room and I’ll kick your ass out, understand?"

Xander nodded meekly. "Yes sir. Thanks sir."

Jack stared at the boy, finally satisfied by his sincerity he nodded. "Faith, get him some sheets, then bed. No arguments." He resisted temptation to shake his head as he walked out of the lounge. As if life wasn’t complicated enough.

* * *

Jack looked across his kitchen table. He watched with surprising concern as his daughter gently tried without success to get Xander to talk. Fuck, he resisted the urge to shake his head, being a dad was making him soft.

He was surprised to admit that he wouldn’t change it for the wild old days. Seeing his girl’s smile, the spark in her eyes, hearing her laugh, feeling pride at her accomplishments and heart, what was the temporary high of whoring and drinking next to that? His only regret was the lost years and the pain his girl had endured. The pain that his daughter’s bud, he glanced at the silent boy, was now going through.

Finally he came to a decision. "Harris," the boy’s head snapped up at his voice, the fearful look in his eyes making him soften his tone. "If you’re to be staying here, how about me and you go ‘round to your house and get some of your stuff?"

"Wicked cool!" The glee on his daughter’s face swept away his remaining doubts.

"That’d be good, sir," Xander nodded slightly.

* * *

"But I wanna," grabbing his daughter’s arm, he dragged her into the porch, leaving Xander waiting aimlessly by the car.

"You’ve missed enough school, you’re going to school!" Seeing the Bostonian’s mouth open in protest, he continued in a slightly gentler tone. "Faith, the more people who are there, the more pressure Xander will feel."

The Slayer glared at him for a second before reluctantly nodding. "K, but you best make sure his pop doesn’t get to hurt him."

"You think I’d let him?"

* * *

Xander swallowed as he approached his front door. "It’ll be fine kid." He nodded, strangely comforted by the gruff man beside him. Sliding his key into the lock, he carefully turned it, hoping against hope that his parents were either out, or at least still sleeping off last night’s hangovers.

Hearing the lock click, he eased the door open. His heart dropped at the slurred voice that greeted him. "X.xxanderzzz?" his mom’s voice came out from the front room, he coloured at the grunt from his companion. Great, an audience for his humiliation. Just what he wanted. "Dadddyzz wasn’t," his mom belched. "Pleased with youze," his mother appeared in the doorway, "yourse new girl is a real fire-cracker."

"J…Jessica?" he glanced behind him to see an ashen faced Crow staring at his mother, the veteran vamp hunter’s eyes bulging. "Y..you?" the man glanced towards him, jaw dropping open. "Oh crap."

* * *

"H…he’s my bro?" Faith’s legs felt suddenly weak, after a second she slumped onto one of their lounge’s chairs. She glanced from Xan to her dad, waiting for one of them to laugh and yell ‘fooled ya!’. When neither spoke she blurted out. "But I nearly-."

"Nearly what?"

"Uh, nothing," Faith cast her eyes down so to avoid her pop’s, shit their pop’s, gaze. Best not mention she was thinking of taking X for a spin, that would only add to the general surrealness of the moment. "How did this happen?"

"Uh," Faith was surprised when Crow looked embarrassed. "I saved Xander’s mom from a vampire in ’80 and sorta talked my way," the veteran demon hunter coughed. "Anyway," Jack turned to her newly-discovered brother, his eyes unexpectedly nervous. "There’s a place for you here Xander. If you want it."

Xander looked more than reluctant. "Well I don’-."

"You know," Faith decided to throw her cap into the ring. "When I was kid, growing up in Boston, the one thing I wanted more than anything," well other than a mom who actually gave a shit, "was a bro or sis to hang with. I got so jealous of the kids who weren’t only children, who actually belonged." She felt a barely-remembered pain constrict her chest. Ignoring the tightening, she continued. "And if I was to ask for a brother I can’t think of anyone I’d want more than you, X."

There was a long pause before Xander nodded. "I… I guess I could give it a try."

"Great," relief flooded their pop’s face. After shooting her a grateful glance, Crow stood. "I’m going out for a while. Faith," Crow glanced at her, "help Xander move his stuff into the back room. Xander, make a list of any things you need."

* * *

Jack shoved the door to the dark bar open, the sounds of the jukebox playing early 80s power ballads and the mingled smell of smoke and booze washing over him. He stood in the doorway, his cold eyes searching through the shadows for the man he’d come for. Finally he saw him, a fat, tall man sat by the counter supping at a glass of whiskey.

He weaved towards his target, his easy grace taking him past frilly-skirted waitresses and boisterous patrons alike. Drawing his gun, he shot out the jukebox behind the bar just as he reached the man, grabbed his drink and threw it in his eyes before the glass into the drinks cabinet. The man turned to him, eyes tearing from the fiery liquid. "What the -."

He punched the man in the throat, sending him gurgling to his knees. Sensing people approaching, he spoke, his voice cold. "This man has beaten my son and his wife for the past eighteen years," he stamped on the man’s fingers, breaking two. "Anyone got a problem with this, step forward."

When no-one reacted, he grabbed Harris by his throat, dragging him to his feet before driving a knee into his groin. Harris croaked before dropping back to his knees. No stamina. Next, Crow grabbed his adversary and drove his head into the bar counter, splintering the wood with the force of the impact. "What you do with Jessica is your own business," he growled. "But you even look at Xander again, and I’ll bury you." Turning, he strode out of the bar, the hushed crowd parting in front of him.

He kinda felt like Moses.

* * *

Faith walked down the school corridor, conscious but uncaring that people were whispering about her and X. You didn’t grow up with a whore for your mom and not get gossiped about. No, she peered around a corner, she had other concerns. Seeing the person she was looking for, she ran up to him, grabbed him by his shoulder, and spun him round to face her. "Hey Johnno, I thought we were meeting for lunch?"

Jonathan shrugged and looked down to the floor. "I figured you wouldn’t need me around, now you’ve got Xander."

Faith stared at her friend in confusion. "Why the hell would you think that?"

"He’s funny and better looking than me," Jonathan shrugged. "I know you only hang with me because you feel sorry-."

Faith interrupted her friend by pressing her lips to his, cupping his face in her hands even as she expertly worked her tongue into his mouth. She pulled out of the kiss and ruffled the bemused boy’s hair. "You’re an idiot," she accused before taking his hand. "You can never have enough friends. ‘Specially when they’re sweet, kind, and smart like you. Now let’s get out of here, making-out time’s going a wasting."

"Y…you-."

"You treat me better than any guy before," she interrupted. "We’re dating, get it?" The boy nodded meekly. "You know it makes sense." Shit, if she’d waited for him to ask….

* * *

Xander gulped as Cordelia cornered him in the corner of a sadly deserted classroom. "How could you do this to me?"

"Eh?" he was reasonably sure he hadn’t done something socially unacceptable but he couldn’t be sure. With his beautiful but status-obsessed girl-friend it was so hard to tell.

"I mean I know Tony and Jessica are beyond lame." Xander opened his mouth to protest then closed it. It wasn’t like he felt any great urge to defend his parents. "But at least you weren’t a bastard!" Again he opened his mouth. Again he closed it. Generally it was easier than arguing. "And Faith’s your sister." Cordy’s eyes widened. "The sister you liked. Beyond ugh," Cordy’s beautiful mouth twisted into a hideous grimace. "You wouldn’t be related to Jerry Lee Lewis too by any chance?"

"I didn’t fancy her," Xander was finally moved to mutter. "And even if I did I couldn’t be blamed it’s not like I kn -."

"Ah! SO you admit it!" His girl-friend repeatedly poked him into his chest. "Well they’ll be no in-breeding on my watch, mister!" Cordy tapped her foot thoughtfully on the classroom floor, the sound echoing through the empty room. "Still, Faith has potential. She’s pretty enough, and if she’s with me, no one will pick on her." Xander blinked. Even without her powers, who in their right mind would pick on Faith? Someone with a death-wish that’s who. Suddenly his girl-friend’s face brightened. "I’m glad we had this talk, it helped me come to a decision."

"So am I," Xander stared after his girl-friend as the brunette raced out of the room. "Just what have we decided?" Shaking his head, he remembered there was something else he had to do. "Oh great." Suddenly his chat with Cordelia didn’t seem quite so hard.

"You!" Crow blinked when his newly-discovered son’s girl-friend strode up to him as he parked his car on his apartment drive, the look on her face imperious. "We have to talk!"

Crow gulped. "Oh crap."

"Hey."

Willow quickly wiped her eyes before turning to regard the teen stood in the doorway of her room. She forced a quavering smile. "Hey," she replied.

Xander’s face creased in concern. It only took him a second to cross the room and then she was in his arms. "Will," her childhood friend exclaimed. "What’s wrong?"

"You’ve got Cordelia," Willow’s bottom lip quivered. "And I’m happy for you, she’s not as bad as I thought. But now there’s Faith, your sister, for real sister. Not girl you’re just friends with. You don’t need me anymore."

"Hey, hey," Xander pulled her to arm’s length and stared into her eyes. "First day of kindergarten. You cried because you broke the yellow crayon, and you were too afraid to tell anyone. You’re my oldest and best friend, and always will be."

"P..promise?" she whispered.

"Promise."

Faith looked up as her bedroom door swung open. She blinked as X’s girl-friend entered. Since she’d arrived in Sunnyd she’d been content to just ignore the cheerleader, having nothing in common with her. "What’s the sitch C?"

"I've decided you need to be taught how to dress!" the cheerleader exclaimed.

Faith blinked. "What's wrong with the way I dress?"

"You look like a low-class hooker!"

Faith hid a grimace. "How you think I should dress, like you?"

"Exactly," Cordy nodded.

"Ah," Faith nodded in understanding. "You think I should be aiming for the high-end of the market."

Queen C glared at her, there wasn’t many people who could go glower for glower with her but C was definitely one of them. "Your dad has given me five thousand dollars to go out-."

"Five K?" Faith’s mouth dropped open. Her pa had given Faith five k for clothes? Man.

"Yes I know," Cordy pulled her to her feet. "Hardly enough to create a new wardrobe. But we’ll have to work with what we’ve got. Still it’s enough to move you up to maybe Harmony\Buffy standard, much more suitable for the sister of my boy-friend. " She yelped as the cheerleader groped her chest before squeezing her right arm. "Yes, excellent muscle tone, good bone structure-."

Faith raised an eyebrow even as she tried to wriggle away from the Queen of Sunnydale’s pokings. "Didn’t know you swung that way C."

The cheerleader either ignored or didn’t hear her mutterings. "But you use too much make-up and your clothes, they’re okay for Slaying I suppose," she bristled at the cheerleader’s comment. "But hardly suitable for the sister of my boyfriend. It’s social status you see. Now, get your hand-bag, we’re going to the mall."

"I don’t have one," she replied as she dazedly picked up her wallet.

"Purse and handbag," she stared as the cheerleader wrote a note. "Another item to buy. Gucci I think. Come on," she yelped as the older girl grabbed her hand and dragged her through the door. "We’re going to shop ‘til we drop!"

"Oh joy."

* * *

"Look she’s here!" Cordelia leapt to her feet, her face proud as Faith trudged into the library. "Doesn’t she look just so?"

Faith stared challengingly around the sniggering Scoobies sat around the table, uncomfortable in her black knee-length, strapless dress, and hating the handbag she was clinging to. "Anyone wanna say something?"

As usual her Watcher appeared not to notice her ire. "Yes, I was wondering when Ken’s going to turn up?"

"Ken?" Faith squinted at the Englishman. What the fuck was he talking about?

The middle-aged man smiled. "Well if you insist in dressing like a Barbie doll…"

"CORDELIA!"

"I’ve got an idea," Cordelia pulled away from him, their lips disengaging with a pop. His girl-friend began to groom her hair, sighing as she did so. "God, Xander. You’re just gropey!"

"I thought that was one of the things you liked about me," Xander muttered before taking a sip of his coke stuck in the car cup-holder. "What’s the plan?"

"Oh that," Cordelia’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him. Which was a look he kinda liked because Cor’s eyes were sexy as anything, but also scared him because when she looked like that she had an idea, and when she had an idea, he usually suffered. "I figure we need to bond with your sister."

The words ‘bond’ and ‘sister’ set off various incestuous thoughts. Reminding himself he wasn’t from Tennessee and definitely didn’t want any three-headed babies, he shoved them aside to nervously ask. "Bond?"

"Oh yes," Cordelia nodded. "I know she’s intimidated by me." Xander coughed to hide his amusement. Faith, intimidated? Cordelia glared at him. "What?"

"Furball," he lied, falling back on an excuse he’d frequently used.

"Ah," Cordelia nodded. "If you had better posture you wouldn’t get them so often."

"I’ll work on it," he promised. "What’s the idea?"

Xander’s eyes widened as Cordelia began to talk, her tone animated. Eventually his girl-friend finished. "What do you think?"

"Sounds great, hon," Xander said meekly. Let others tell her how crazy her idea was.

"Really?" Cordelia beamed at him. "In that case you can tell her when I drop you off at your home!"

"Yes, dear." Xander’s heart dropped. Oh crap, he was in a world of trouble.

* * *

"Hey, X," Faith grinned as her half-brother, her having a family how fucking cool was that, as he walked into her room. "The princess not whisk you away to her castle?"

Xander glared at her. "You’re hilarious, you know."

"I know," she agreed with a nod. "I’m thinking of getting a comedy club spot."

"Well when they don’t laugh you can always beat them up."

"That’s my back-up," she winked before nodding towards the chair by her desk. "Take a load off."

"Thanks," Xander sat down and stared at her.

"Hey X, I know I’m hot and everything but even I don’t do the incest thing," she jokingly prompted after a minute or so of silence.

Xander jumped as if scalded. "Sorry," her half-brother, man just thinking that was fucking A, smiled. "I was talking to Cor," X’s Adam’s Apple did a nervous dance. Faith forced down a laugh, no need to ask who wore the pants in that ‘ship. "She had an idea."

Faith’s amusement faded as Xander talked. Thinking quickly, she blurted out the first excuse that came to mind. "Uh, I can’t, patrol remember?"

"I’ve talked to dad," Xander got the same goofy, amazed grin he always got when he said Crow’s name. "He said the others can manage a weekend without us."

Oh crap, betrayed by Crow, why was she not surprised? "I got schoolwork," Xander raised a sceptical eyebrow. Okay, even X wasn’t dumb enough to buy her doing homework. "I can’t afford it."

"Cordelia said she’d pay for everyone." Xander sighed. "Look, I know you don’t like her much. But if you gave her a chance, she’s a really a good person beneath all the fashion-conscious stuff... And it’s not like you’re ever going to be friends with Buffy or Willow," Faith snorted, not fucking likely. She guessed Red might be okay but for the Summers fixation. Way the Wicca acted around Summers, Faith half-thought Red might be gay. "Please," X pleaded. "For me?"

"One condition," Faith grumpily acquiesced before her brother’s puppy-dog eyes. "Johnno’s coming too." No way was she sitting on her lonesome while her bro and his demon-bride sucked face.

"Deal."

* * *

"You want me to go on a trip with you, Xander, and Cordelia?" Jonathan looked around the school corridor. There had to a hidden camera somewhere.

No, only lockers. Lots of lockers.

"It’ll be fun," Faith’s voice sounded like she had doubts too. Which only solidified his own fears.

"Fun?" Jonathan’s eyes bulged. "Fun? With Cordelia? Have you met her? I mean, she’s scary." He still remembered camping for days in the toilet in junior high to avoid her.

Faith shook her head, lustrous black hair that he loved to stroke bouncing wildly. "I’ll protect ya from her," she promised.

"Who’ll protect you from Cordelia?"

"Yeah," Faith pursed her lips, lips he loved kissing, together, "I haven’t worked that out yet." His girl-friend shrugged. "You’re coming with me."

"But-."

"Two nights camping out in the wild -," Faith sighed breathlessly. "A defenceless little girl like me, I’ll need a man," Faith fluttered her long eyelashes, "to protect me from creepies-crawlies."

The logic of his fierce girl-friend being scared of anything bewildered him, and her little girl lost act stunk. Jonathan shook his head resolutely. This time was going to be different, he was going to be strong. "No, I’m not going. Cordelia scares me."

Faith’s eyes hardened. "Two nights without any rents around, telling us what to do," Faith sighed before slowly running her tongue over her lips and stroking his neck, his skin pimpling at her soft touch. "Who knows what we could get up to."

"I’m in!" he squeaked. God, he was such a wimp.

* * *

"Something interesting came over my desk today."

Trick looked at the credit card statement his boss had passed him and then at the man sat opposite him. "Sir?"

His boss smiled benignly at him. "When I decided Miss. Summers and her little group might become problematic to me, I had surveillance ordered on her and each of her band. That," Mayor Wilkins tapped the piece of paper in his hand, "is a receipt for a log cabin Miss Chase has hired for the weekend, Friday and Saturday nights."

"Oh," Trick lamely replied.

Wilkins chuckled at his bemusement. "You see Mr. Trick, I’ve come to a conclusion regarding our formidable opponents. Both Miss Summers and Miss Crowe are physically exceptionally powerful, agreed?" Trick nodded. "But their friends," the Mayor chuckled, "now there is an Achilles heel. Miss Summers as the senior Slayer should be our primary target," the Mayor shook her head. "But unfortunately with her that wouldn’t work."

"What about her friends?"

"Her Watcher, Harris, and Rosenberg?" his boss shook his head. "No, given her disappointing inaction over the Angelus her primary concern would always be the vampire, I’m not sure of her loyalty to them. Lack of moral fibre I’m afraid. And Angelus," the Mayor shuddered. "There is a demon none of us want to cross."

"What’s the plan?"

"Miss Chase has taken upon herself to organise an expedition with Harris, Miss. Crowe, and her boy-friend. While I don’t doubt Mr. Harris is a resourceful young man, and Miss. Chase has immense spirit, they are both just children. And Mr. Levinson," the Mayor snorted. "He’s a complete nonentity, more evidence of the erosion of backbone in the nation’s youth. It’s a twelve mile hike to the cabin, dreadfully secluded." the Mayor tapped his fingers on the desk for a second before beaming, "Miss Crowe’s loyalty would not allow her to desert her friends. Isolated and encumbered by her companions, she’d make an easy target."

"Brilliant, sir," Trick praised before standing. "I’ll get some boys -."

"No," Mayor Wilkins shook his head, his expression sobering. "There is still the matter of the Slayer and Harris’ father to consider. A not insignificant player. It’s best that we use an outside contractor, someone who can’t be traced back to us."

Hiding his disappointment that he’d not get a chance to feast on his first Slayer and further torture the brunette who’d escaped his Sire back in Boston, Trick spoke. "Who do you suggest sir?"

"I think the Order would make a fine job of butchering that pretty little girl," suddenly the Mayor smiled. "Now, my diary for tomorrow. Charity lunch at 1 pm, I believe?"

* * *

Cordelia beamed as her companions arrived and climbed out of their car, their arms filled with rucksacks. "Hello Xander, Faith. Jonathan, how are you?" Jonathan squeaked and scurried behind Faith. Cordelia tilted her head to one side. "Is he alright?"

"Nervous, C," Faith explained. "First time he’s been in the wild."

"Ah," Cordelia nodded in understanding. "Well don’t worry," she shoved her rucksack into a protesting Xander’s arms before grabbing Faith’s and shoving it into Jonathan’s arms. "All this fresh air. It’ll be great fun." Cordelia turned to Faith. "Now, Faith," she scolded. "Remember we have men for one reason. To carry things for us."

Faith grinned at her. "Well they have more than just one use, but I’ll go with the carrying gig." The Slayer dropped in beside her.

"Hey!" Xander called out from behind them. "We can’t carry your bags and our own!"

Cordelia shook her head. Xander, always complaining. "The longer you moan, the longer it’ll take us to walk up to the cabin."

"Yeah X," Faith taunted. "Be a gent!"

* * *

"Be a gent," Xander groaned as they reached the crest of the hill, his calves and hamstrings burning, the log cabin that Cordelia had booked for the weekend beckoning them inside. "She’s nuts."

"She’s your sister," Jonathan wheezed beside him, the smaller boy’s colour an unhealthy purple.

"Don’t remind me."

* * *

"Ah," Cordelia threw her hands up. "We’re here!"

Faith stared at the simple looking one-storey wooden cabin surrounded by woodland just paces in front of them. This was it? "Kinda rustic looking for your tastes C," she commented cautiously.

"Yes," the taller brunette agreed. "I usually prefer five star hotels and health spas. But I didn’t want to intimidate you with that sort of place. I thought this would be perfect. The sort of place it doesn’t matter if you eat with your fingers."

"Yeah," Faith stared at the other girl unsure as how to react. "Good of you."

Cordelia beamed at her, completely missing her sarcasm. And patted her on the head. Even as Faith was trying to recover from being treated like a freakin’ poodle, the bitch spoke. "I try and be considerate of others." With that, the queen of Sunnydale High walked up to the front door and unlocked it.

Faith glared at the cheerleader. "Unfucking believable." She was gonna make X’s life hell for dating her.

* * *

Faith groaned as her brother and his girl-friend started kissing again. Rising, she looked at her boy-friend knelt on his bunk. "Come on Johnno," she snatched the boy’s hand-held video from him and threw it onto his bunk, ignoring his whining protest. Grabbing his wrist, she pulled him to his feet. "We’re going for a walk. See some nature."

"I nearly had my highest score!" Jonathan fumed as she dragged him out of the door.

"Shut up," she winked at her boyfriend. "You’re gonna score alright."

"But how can I?" her boyfriend queried. "My machine’s in the cab-," Jonathan blushed and grinned goofily. "Oh right. Gotcha."

"Jeez," she poked her boyfriend in her shoulder, pushing him up against a tree. "For a smart guy, you sure are dumb." Faith shook her head before stroking his face. "Now, where were we?"

"I think we were going to make out?"

Faith grinned. "Oh yeah, we were weren’t we?"

* * *

"So, she’s the contract," Bill Snipes dropped the photo of the pretty teen on the careworn table.

"She’s just a kid," commented one of his companions, a squat, one eyed black scaled blob, his forked tongue dangling a good foot out of his fanged mouth.

"Yeah," agreed the second of his fellow killers, a thickly muscled and heavily tattooed tribesman from deepest Africa known for both his tracking expertise and skills with a knife and bow and arrows.

"Don’t be mistaken by her looks," he warned. "She’s a Slayer."

"A Slayer?" commented the other of his companions, his four arms simultaneously scratching at his groin and back, the snout shaped head on the top of his giraffe-like neck scraping the ceiling. "I thought it was the."

"It’s complicated." Bill put in. "But that’s not important. What is killing her. Price is $ 100,000 each. We get the same no matter who does the kill, so it’s teamwork, people. She’s got friends with her, her brother, his girl-friend and her boy-friend."

"They die too?" asked the African tracker.

"Everybody dies."

* * *

"A fire?" Jonathan looked around the wood, his eyes bewildered. "We’ve got a cabin ten minutes away why do we have camp outside?"

"I’m with ya Johnno."

Xander heard Faith’s mutter. Before he could answer, Cordelia spoke, her voice stridently defensive. "It’s character building."

"And yet," again he heard Faith mutter to Jonathan, "she hasn’t developed one."

Xander winced, waiting for the explosion. Fortunately, his girl-friend appeared not to have heard the comment. Instead she turned to him and smiled. "Xander, dear," she purred. "Could you and Jonathan go and get some wood for the fire?"

* * *

The moment Xander and Jonathan had disappeared into the undergrowth, Cordelia’s head snapped towards her, eyes blazing. Faith gulped at the clear sign of demonic possession. "You bitch!" her sister’s boyfriend hissed. "I organise this holiday for us all. Let you invite your boyfriend despite the damage it does to my coolness and what do you do? Take every opportunity to sneer at me!"

"Hey!" Faith shot back. "Since when did Miss. Platinum Card give a shit about me?"

Faith blinked when Cordelia stuck her face into hers. "You happen to be my boy-friend’s half-sister. And I care about him, girlie, so there’s no way I’m going anywhere! Wouldn’t it be better for him if we got on?"

Faith had to force herself not to retreat at the cheerleader’s ferocity. Suddenly ashamed of her behaviour, she nodded meekly. "Yeah, I guess."

"Excellent," Cordelia beamed. "Now, about those cowboy boots, where did you get them? They’re simply divine!"

Faith gaped at the sudden change of subject. She was starting to wonder if C’s brain was wired different than other people’s.

* * *

Bill Snipes watched from the undergrowth as the four teens huddled around a crackling fire, led in a series of campsite songs by the taller brunette, the others listlessly and tunelessly joining in. Bill winced as the cheerleader hit a particularly painful note. "Killing her should get me into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame," he muttered before stepping back.

Closing his eyes, he allowed the call of the wolf to engulf him. In a few seconds, his body began to ripple and swell as the werewolf half of his personality overtook him, changing him from a lithely-muscled man standing just under six feet to a shaggy-haired, massively muscled werewolf standing just over seven feet tall.

And yet, a werewolf completely subjugated to his human half. Snarling ferally, he leapt out of the shadows and towards the kids.

* * *

Faith had to laugh as Cordy hectored them into another song. Once she gave the cheerleader a chance, Faith had to admit the cheerleader was wicked fun. Sure, this wasn’t her idea of a good time, but at least Chase gave it her all.

Faith’s amusement faded as she sensed something. "Shit," her hands dropped to the hatchet they’d used to cut wood as she stood.

Xander’s eyes widened. "What’s up-."

The question proved superfluous when a huge ball of fur roared out of the undergrowth, smashing Xander to the ground before backhanding her to the hard ground, the blow opening up her bottom lip, sending claret flying. Head swimming, Faith reached for her makeshift weapon. "Fuck!" she swore when she realised it had fallen behind her target.

Her heart leapt into her mouth when a pale-faced Jonathan was suddenly between her and the werewolf, practically standing on his tiptoes to wave a burning log in its snarling face. The wolf roared before grabbing Jonathan by his collar and flinging him down to the ground, his head cracking painfully against the ground.

Faith’s blood boiled over. In an instant, she was on her feet, foot powering up to kick the demon full in the groin. "NEVER!" The monster roared and stumbled backwards. She smashed a left hook into its snout, snapping its head to the side. "Touch my brother!" She ducked under a palm swipe, grabbed the demon at its beefy wrist, both her hands needed to fully encircle it and flung it to the ground. "Or my boyfriend!" Snatching up her hatchet, she kicked the werewolf’s legs as it attempted to rise before straddling it, punching it in its face when it attempted to bite her, she was bad enough three days a month, she didn’t need another three, and set about hacking into its neck with her hatchet. "Again!"

"Uh, Faith," Xander interrupted her rampage after she’d hit the werewolf maybe a dozen times. "I think he’s learnt his lesson."

"Yeah," Cordy shakily agreed. "On account of him being dead. And headless."

"Oh no," Xander breathed. "We got a problem."

"Werewolf dead," Faith rose, conscious that her denim shirt was dripping with blood. Grimacing, she took it off, dropping the viscera-laden shirt to the ground. "X, stop staring before I kick your ass and give me your leather jacket."

"Oh right," her brother reddened and passed her his jacket, shuffling uncomfortably under his girl-friend’s glare. "Sorry." Xander crouched and picked up a beaded chain that had flown off their attacker’s neck during her rampage, and stared at the brass ring hanging from it. "Damn. I was right." Xander looked up at Cordy. "Recognise this?"

"Shoddy workman-," the cheerleader paled. "Oh, bug guy."

"Yep," Xander nodded heavily.

Faith glanced from her brother to his girl-friend in confusion. "Yo, anyone want to fill me in on what the hell you two are talking about?"

Xander’s head from Cordy to her, eyes widening at her impatient tone. "Uh, sorry. This ring This ring is worn only by members of the Order of Taraka."

"A member of the Sunnydale bowling league?" Faith guessed without any real hope.

"Hardly," Cordelia put in. " It's a society of deadly assassins. They tried to kill Buffy last year."

Faith shrugged. "Well, she’s still here. And their assassin’s dead -."

"Were there’s one," Xander shook his head, "there’s more."

"Damn," Faith turned to Cordy. "Your phone?"

"I tried it while you were fighting fur-boy, we’re being jammed."

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

"What’s," Faith turned to see Jonathan rising, a bump on his head, and a dazed look in his eyes, "happenin?"

Faith winced. "Cor, give him the talk?"

"You want me to explain the birds and bees?" Cordelia looked confused. "We did sex ed three grades ago. Okay, Jonathan probably didn’t listen much on account of he probably thought he’d never find anyone desperate enough to -."

Faith glared at her choking with laughter brother. "The Slayer talk, Cordelia." Once the cheerleader had moved off to Jonathan, she turned to Xander. "What’s our position weapons-wise?"

All at once, X turned serious. "Not good. There’s the hatchet," Xander glanced down at the claret-covered axe in her hand, "my hunting knife, a hammer we were gonna use for the tent pegs, and two stakes. What are we gonna do, head back to the cabin?"

"Nah," Faith shook her head. "We’ll be cornered there, best head for the car, see if we can make a break for Sunnydale." Seeing the others approach, she forced a smile. "You five by five, hero?" Her smile faltered at Jonathan’s slight nod. Damn she hadn’t wanted him to find out like this. Forcing her concentration back onto the task in hand, she looked around. "here’s the plan -." Her head whipped to the right, hatchet coming up to chop an arrow in half as it flew towards her. "Xan," she ordered. "Be a minute. Look after the others."

* * *

Ajani Dume gaped as the brunette beauty he’d been contracted to kill chopped his arrow out of the air. He never missed and yet she’d stopped him. "Not as simple as I thought," he muttered as he reached into the quiver hanging off his back. His chest tightened as he realised she’d gone, leaving her nervous-looking friends alone. He was tempted to send an arrow sailing into the crowd, kill one of her companions, but if he fired, he might give his position away. He wiped at the sweat that had suddenly formed on his brow. Where was she?

"And now," he half-squealed at the voice from above, "the hunter is the hunted."

Heart pounding, he swung his bow upright and fired. The Slayer leapt from a branch some twenty feet up to meet his arrow and kicked it away. Frozen with shock, he was helpless to prevent the Slayer’s cowboy boots from smashing into his shoulders. His collar-bones shattered with a blood-curdling pop, knocking him to the dirt-packed ground, the gorgeous teen straddled on top of him, her slender thighs squeezing tight enough to crack ribs. "Well lookee here," the girl drawled, her light tone not matched by the hardness in her dark eyes. "Seems," he screamed when she got hold of his shoulder and squeezed, enclosing his broken bone in a vice-like grip, "I turned the tables on ya. Tell me about your companions." He spat defiantly at the girl, his spittle hitting her in the face. "Rude," she shook her head before grabbing his nose and twisting, the bone broke and blood splattered the girl’s leather-clad thighs. "All those bones to break," his blood froze as the girl drew a hunting knife. "Or maybe I should start cutting?" His nerves in pieces, he began to babblingly talk, betraying his comrades to the Slayers. Once he’d finished talking she nodded. "Who ordered the hit?"

"We never find out the client’s name," he replied.

The raven-haired Slayer stared down at him for a long second, eyes boring through him as if testing his honesty. Then she nodded, and rose off him, taking his machete and bow and quiver. "There’s a cabin, ten minutes up there. Get there if you can."

"You can’t leave me here like this," he pleaded.

The girl turned back to him, there was more emotion in stone than there was in her eyes. "You were planning on killing me and my only friends in the whole damn world, be grateful you get this chance. I see you again and I will kill you."

* * *

Jonathan started as his girl-friend emerged from the woods, carrying a huge machete, bow and a quiver filled with arrows. He looked away as she glanced at him, uncertain as to what he thought of her. All the time he’d been dating and friends with Faith she’d been lying to him. Demons? Witches? Vampires? Slayers? How was he supposed to deal with this?

"You got him," he turned back to see Xander talking to Faith. They’d all known, all been laughing at him behind his back.

"I got him," Faith confirmed in her husky croak. The husky voice he’d found so sexy until just minutes ago. "You take this bow and arrows. I’ll take the machete, Cordy, you take the knife and hammer. Stick close to -."

"He dead?" Jonathan interrupted.

Faith shot him a sad, hurt glance. "I don’t kill humans."

* * *

Faith stared at Jonathan, heart breaking at the distrustful look in her boy-friend’s eyes. She’d never wanted him to find out, loving have a guy who cared about her because he liked her, not ‘cause she was the Slayer, or had a rep or was hot, but cause they were buds. Shaking her head, she turned to X, ignoring but hating the sympathy she saw in his eyes. "Let’s go."

They’d been walking for close to an hour, the forest enveloping them like a green blanket when Faith heard it. "Wait-."

Two beasts erupted from the forest, advancing her on a pincer movement. Faith glanced from left to right, the left demon was a fat, scaled one-eyed creature with a long tongue that could probably do interesting stuff in the mouth of an expert hanging out of its uncomfortably fanged mouth. To the right stood a thickly muscled humanoid with a giraffe like neck and four arms. And four swords. "Oh," Faith muttered. "You have gotta be shittin’ me?" Shaking her head, she spoke in her firmest tone. "X, back everyone out of here."

Despite the firmness of her tone, as usual her half-brother had to be mule-headed. "I’m not leaving you."

"DO IT!" Faith yelled as the two demons charged her. Deciding the four armed freak was the greater risk, she started towards him. "Ahh!" she screamed as dollop of acid splattered against her shoulder, spat there by the blob. "Fuck," shocked, she stumbled, only just managing to duck her head in time to avoid one of the swords decapitating her.

Regaining her poise, she speeded up, leaping into the air and cannoning both feet into the demon’s chest, knocking him back but not down. Landing in a crouch, dust scuffling around her, she blocked a sword swing to her right while ducking one to her left, her blade whipping back to block another downwards slash. Deciding to take a chance, Faith slid into a forward roll, the movement taking her to the demon’s feet. The monster squealed when she thrust her blade into the left of its webbed feet, Slayer-powered muscles sending the weapon ripping through muscle and bone in one smooth motion, trapping the foot. After a deft twist of the machete, Faith pulled the blade free and rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding being squashed by the demon crashing to the ground. Springing up, she snatched up one of the beast’s dropped swords and flung it into its long neck, severing it.

Faith looked towards the other demon only to find it dead with two arrows in its head. She shook her head and smiled reluctantly at her brother. "I told ya to haul ass," she reprimanded even as she got a warm glow from the fact her bro, yeah and her boyfriend and Cor, hadn’t done that. They’d stayed, had her back. Even if, Faith’s mood dropped, Jonathan didn’t like her much. "The tribesman said there was just these two-," she winced as a white-hot pain shot through her shoulder, sure it would heal, but it would hurt like a bitch ‘til then.

In an instance, Xander and Cor were beside her, but not the person she really wanted. Jonathan hung back, a concerned but still distrusting look on his face. "Are you alright?" Cordelia queried.

Faith nodded. "I will be." Faith looked around, "we best keep heading back, just in case there’s more."

* * *

"Hey, J," Faith fidgeted nervously outside her boyfriend’s door. "Can I come in?"

"Uh," Jonathan looked as worried as she felt. "What if you’re a vampire?"

"Sun out," Faith pointed out of the window. "’Sides, the important thing is not inviting someone through the front door, once a vamp’s got access there, it can go anywhere it wants in a house."

"Oh." Jonathan stared suspiciously at her. "So why did you ask?"

"I was trying to be polite, dumbass." Faith raised an eyebrow. "So can I?"

"Um," the youth hesitated before nodding. "Come in."

"Thanks," Faith walked in and stood opposite her boyfriend, slouching against the wall. "Nice place," she complimented. "Your mom’s wicked cool too," Faith smirked. "She was wicked surprised I was your honey." Jonathan blushed. Faith laughed before turning serious. "How come you didn’t hang with us for lunch? I had to put up with X and C locking lips for an hour," Faith shuddered. "No one deserves that."

Jonathan stared at her for a long second. "I figured you wouldn’t want me around any more."

Faith tilted her head to one side, confused. "Why?"

Jonathan looked down at the suddenly interesting carpet. "You were only dating me b…because I didn’t know about your powers, you could be ordinary with me," her boyfriend quickly rubbed at his eyes before continuing. "Now I do, you won’t want me."

"You’re a fucking idiot," Faith strode across the room and cupped Jonathan’s face in hers. "I date you ‘cause you’re sweet, you respect me, it was like a big deal to you that I wanted to be your friend, I wasn’t just a piece of ass. I date you -," Faith grinned. "Fuck this." Placing her hands on Jonathan’s shoulders, she pushed him down onto his bed, nimbly straddling his body. "You’re mine!" she proclaimed before pressing her lips to Jonathan’s, her hands rubbing his hair and stroking his shoulders. After a second, her shocked boyfriend responded, his tongue starting to duel with hers.

"Hello, can I come in?"

Faith bolted upright at the sound of Mrs L’s voice outside the room. Winking at her honey, she leapt up and hurried to the door. "Hey," she opened it and smiled at the small woman stood there with a tray of biscuits and drinks. "Hi ma’am."

"Hello, dear," Mrs. L. passed her the tray. "I know how hungry you kids get so brought you some refreshments. Have fun." The woman smiled at her. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Faith?"

"Me?" Faith beamed, Mrs. L actually approved of her. She’d never been the sort of girl invited for dinner with the ‘rents. "I’d love to, ma’am." Faith smirked as she had an idea. "Say, did Johnno tell ya how brave he was on our trip? See, there was this bear and it came out of the woods and I was wicked scared, but Johnno," Faith winked at her boyfriend, "just picked up a piece of wood out of the fire and threw it at the bear and it ran off. Man, he makes a girl feel safe." She hid a grin at Johnno’s blush and his mom’s pleased expression. Life didn’t get much better than this.

John pursed his lips, watching from his hiding place as the others left the library, laughing as they shared a joke. Satisfied they were gone, he started down the corridor, ignoring his involuntary shudders at the reaching shadows. It was less than a month since he’d found out about his girl-friend’s Calling and once the shock died down, he had decided he had to help. But the only question was how.

Mr. Giles and Mr. Crow both had tons of experience and were tough to boot. Buffy and Faith were Slayers. Buffy’s boyfriend was some sort of good vampire, Xander was a natural athlete, Cordelia could scare a demon with a tongue lashing, and Willow was some sort of Witch. But what could he do? He’d been stuck for some way to contribute, not just be a hanger-on.

But after weeks of thinking, he’d found it.

Perhaps even more than Willow, he was the school’s brain. If he studied enough, researched hard enough, he could find some way of helping her, become a group strategist. It wasn’t fighting, but it was using the best weapon available to him – his intelligence.

Of course that should have meant asking Mr. Giles’ permission to read his texts, but fearful of being laughed at, he’d decided to be more discreet about it. He’d simply read the Watcher Diaries when there was no-one about.

Entering the library, he started towards the back, a smile playing on his lips. He had to admit it was exciting, the things some of the Slayers had done was amazing. His smile withered, but none of these amazing girls lived to be very old. "It’s gonna be different for you," he whispered a promise to his absent girl-friend.

He froze at the sound of voices in the inner offices. Realising he hadn’t seen Mr. Giles with the others, he turned and crept back towards the library’s outer door. And froze again at what he heard. Taking a breath, he turned and sneaked to the inner office and peeked in, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Cruciamentum is not easy... " announced a pompous-looking Englishman maybe fifteen years older than Mr. Giles. "For Slayer or Watcher. But it's been done this way for a dozen centuries. Whenever a Slayer turns eighteen. It's a time-honoured rite of passage."

Mr. Giles shook his head. "It's an archaic exercise in cruelty. To lock her in with a monster, a vampire, stripped of her powers," Jonathan bit his hand to prevent from gasping. "If any one of the Council still had actual contact with a Slayer, they would see, but I'm the one in the thick of it."

The older man waggled his finger at Mr. Giles. "Which is why you're not qualified to make this decision. You're too close."

"That's not true," Giles defended weakly.

"A Slayer is not just physical prowess. She must have cunning, imagination, a confidence derived from self-reliance. And believe me, once this is all over, your Buffy will be stronger for it."

"Or she'll be dead for it," Giles sighed. "It will be as you wish."

The other Englishman smirked. "I never doubted it."

* * *

"You kids want anything to drink?" At their headshakes, Crow rose, a slight smile playing on his lips. His kids, despite all they’d been through, they were still good people, trying to make a difference while plenty of kids their age were wasting their lives. As he reached the kitchen, a loud thumping erupted on the front door, stopping he turned to it. Who could be calling at this time of night in Sunnydale? Drawing his gun, he started towards the door. "I’ll get it," he called. Walking up to the door he swung it open.

And his daughter’s boyfriend fell into the house, collapsing in a wheezing heap at his feet. "Jonathan," his voice dripped with disdain as he regarded the sweaty boy lying on his hall floor. His daughter was beautiful, confident, smart, and brave, and who was she dating? Jonathan Levinson, she could do a lot better. "And what do you want?" He saw his daughter and son enter the hallway, concerned expressions on their faces.

"Cruicatmen, test, Buffy," the boy gasped. "Take, her, powers."

"Pop," Faith said, "what’s going on?"

Crow ignored the Bostonian’s concerned voice to crouch over her boyfriend and pull him to his feet. "Where did you hear this?" he growled.

The boy paled at his tone. "I…I go to the library," the youth looked down, "to study about Slayers so maybe I could help Fait-, ugh."

Crow rolled his eyes when his daughter launched herself the length of the hallway to fix herself onto Levinson’s lips. "Faith," after a minute he grabbed his daughter’s arm and dragged her off him. "I think the boy needs his oxygen." He turned his attention to the bemused looking youth. "Go on." Jonathan’s eyes failed to focus, fixed as they were on his daughter. Crow impatiently clicked his finger. "Levinson!"

The boy started at his yell. "Don’t you shout at him," Faith growled protectively.

"Faith," he continued to stare at the youth. "This is important. Jonathan?"

"Mr. Giles was in the library, talking to this older Englishman, they were discussing this Cruictamen, talking about taking Buffy’s powers away ‘cause it was her 18^th and testing her against a vampire."

Crow ignored the others’ gasps to quickly think. He’d heard of the Cruicatmen but had assumed it was bullshit. Apparently not. "He happen to say where this test was going on?" the boy shook his head. "Fuck," Crow grunted. That made a complicated situation a shit-load worse. Gathering his thoughts, he began to plan aloud. "First, we need to pick up Angel."

"We don’t need him!"

"Damn it Xander!" he roared. "Just do as you’re told!" His son flinched from his tone, as if expecting to hit. Faith snarled, stepping between her brother and him. Crow raised his hands even as he reminded himself to pay Tony Harris another visit to compliment him on his superior parenting skills. "Sorry, son," he grunted. He’d never hit a kid, men who did it were rank cowards. And even if he was that sort of man, he’d only live about as long as it took for his daughter to catch up with him. She tolerated him but adored her brother. After swallowing that bitter knowledge he continued. "This feeding someone to a vampire just burns. We need Angel to get into the place undetected. Right," he picked up his car keys from the table by the door. "Everyone ready?"

* * *

Angel groaned at the sound of hammering on his door. Throwing aside his book, he rose and stood. His eyes widened as his nose picked up familiar scents. The Crows. "Looks like my lynching party is here," he muttered.

The joke sounded hollow even to his own ears. Striding to the door, he flung it open. "Hello?"

"You heard of the Cruicatmen, boy?" barked Faith and Xander’s craggy-featured father.

Angel’s brow furrowed in confusion. "No," he vamped out briefly as he remembered something. "Yeah, Amsterdam 1790s, met this vampire who boasted he’d slain this Slayer the Council had taken her powers away as part of this Cruicatmen. But the vampire was such a blow-hard, I figured it had to be a myth."

"It’s not a myth," Crow flatly retorted.

"Giles wouldn’t-," his voice trailed off as he remembered a tearful Buffy telling him at the Watcher’s fury when she’d concealed his return. But still, he wouldn’t. Would he?

"Jonathan," Faith beamed proudly, her arm around the boy in question, "overheard him agreeing to it."

Angel looked at Crow. "Where is it?"

"I don’t know," the American demon-hunter replied. "We’re heading to the library to find out."

Angel nodded. "I’ll get my coat."

* * *

Giles looked up as the door to his inner office flew open and a cold-eyed Faith stepped through the doorway, her fists clenched. "You fucking bastard." In an instance he was bent across the desk, the Slayer’s forearm pressing across his throat, forcing him to gurgle for breath. "Where is she you bastard?"

"No Faith," Angel stepped forward, hand reaching for the Slayer’s shoulder.

"Touch her." The demon froze at the sound of a gun cocking. "And I’ll blow your fucking brains out," Crow coldly announced.

"Okay." Angel stepped back, a look of frustration on the Irish demon’s face. "But I can smell drugs in Giles’ blood, it’s something we demons can do to prevent from feeding on junkies. This isn’t his fault."

"Damn," he heard the sound of the gun’s hammer being released. "Those fucking bastards. Let him up."

"Drugs," Giles stared in confusion at his invaders. "Who’s on drugs?"

"Who’s your Council head?" Crow demanded in his brash, American voice.

"Quentin Travers, great man," he grinned. "He often says so himself."

"G-Man," Giles smiled vaguely at Xander. "Where is Buffy?"

"Um," he thought for a second, searching through the hazes of his confused mind. "The boarding house on Clearview Street."

"You know it, kid?" Jack hoarsely demanded. Xander nodded. "Good. Let’s go."

"Maybe I should come with you-."

"We’ll bring her back," Jack yelled as he ran out, the others following behind. "You stay here."

* * *

"Come on, mom," Buffy whispered. "We’re almost there." Buffy gasped as Kralik burst out of the shadowy corridor ahead of her. She immediately began back up only to fall over her clumsy feet. Hitting the ground with a thud, she looked up at her mom’s frightened face. "Mom! Run!"

"Slayer," Kralik charged her. "I’ll feast on your blood and make your mother scream for death!"

"I don’t think so." Buffy screamed when a dark figure smashed through the wooden wall in front of her, grabbed the demon around his collar, and flung him into the wall opposite. Kralik’s face contorted with rage. Snarling, he threw a right at the intruder, but the intruder caught his fist and slapped him across the face. "Bad puppy."

Buffy gasped as she recognised the voice. "Angel," she whispered.

Kralik growled before throwing a right hook at her boyfriend’s ribs. Angel caught the punch full in his side, grunted but otherwise ignored the blow, slamming a knee into the other demon’s stomach. Kralik croaked and began to double up, only to fall straight onto Angel’s stake.

Angel was pulling her to her feet even as the demon exploded in dust. "It’s okay," her boyfriend whispered into her ear even as she trembled wildly. "He’s gone." Her boyfriend looked over to her mom. "Are you alright, Joyce?" After a second her mother managed a gasped yes.

"H…how?" Buffy gasped.

"Jonathan overheard Giles discussing your Cruicatmen, he told Jack and we got Giles to tell us where you was. I sneaked in here to kill Kralik."

Buffy felt tears form at the mention of her Watcher. "Giles -."

"Giles was drugged, he didn’t know what he was doing. Do you think he could act so out of character?" Angel kissed the bruise on her forehead. "You need to head out of here with your mother."

"Come with us!"

Angel wormed his way out of her bear-hug with ease, normally he’d never be able to break her grip. "I can’t, the Council can’t know I helped you. But if you head to the gym at the end of the row, Crow and the others are waiting for you."

"What will you do, Angel?"

Angel glanced at her mother, clearly surprised by her question. "I’ll just hide here, they’ll never see me."

* * *

"Buffy!" Giles’ heart leapt as his battered Slayer walked into his library. For the past hour he’d been engulfed in an unshakeable terror, his mind filled with the image of his Slayer lying on the ground, her blood pumping out of her throat, her eyes lifelessly open. But she was alright. "I’m so sorry."

Instantly Buffy was holding him, giving him a hug he returned with interest. "It’s okay," she whispered. "I understand."

* * *

Crow looked at Jonathan stood on the outside of their group. "You did okay tonight, kid."

"Thanks sir," Jonathan said.

"So you and Faith uh," he leaned into the kid and whispered in his ear. "You hurt her and you’ll be just another one of Sunnydale’s deceased," he warned.

He was surprised when the kid didn’t back off. "I’d never hurt her!" he responded, his eyes flashing.

"No," he laughed. "I don’t suppose you would. He scowled as he remembered something. "Hey kid," he threw his SUV keys to Xander. "Make sure John gets home okay." Seeing Faith’s mouth open, he shook his head. "No, he can’t stay over."

His daughter briefly pouted. "Where are you goin’?"

"Got some business to take care off," he replied obliquely as he headed to the door.

* * *

Crow watched as the oblivious man approached his van, his arrogance apparent in every strut. Finally, he stepped out of the shadows. "You bastard."

The Englishman froze. After a second the man turned to face him, eyes flickering from left to right as if looking for help. Crow hid a smile, well he’d made sure there would be no help. "M….Mr. Crow-."

Before the Englishman had chance to continue, Crow slammed a right into his over-stuffed mid-section. The Watcher greyed and began to double up. Crow grabbed a hold of the man’s expensive suit collar and smashed him against the van’s back door, his head bouncing off the hard surface. "The Cruicatmen," Crow growled as he stuck the muzzle of his silenced pistol under the Watcher’s flabby chin. "You bastards. You’d do that to a girl, a child, you’d feed them to a vampire?"

The Englishman swallowed. "What Council does with their Slayers is Council business," Travers blustered, sweat forming on his brow.

"My daughter’s eighteen in seven months."

"M…Mr Crow," the Englishman began to babble, a stain appeared on the crotch of his Saville Row grey trousers. "I…I assure y..you."

"No assurance needed," Crow fired his silenced pistol twice. The shot made little sound but its impact was explosive, ripping through the pleading Watcher’s head like a hammer through melon, blood splattering both the van and him. He watched dispassionately as the body slid to the tarmac ground before opening the van and looking at the three men bundled inside. Lifting the corpse, he threw it in the back before speaking to the terrified trio inside. "Tell the Ruling Forum they do anything to harm my girl, try to test her in any way, and I’ll come looking for them. Each and every last one of them." Turning, he strode away into the night, coat flapping around his ankles.

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