Sapphic Voices Fan Fiction

Switcheroony

Part One

Rating: NC17

Disclaimer: They’re not mine, I wish they were, but I know they’re not and nobody gets anything for writing or posting, except Wiffy goodness.

Feedback: Yes, please.

Authoress' Notes: After a brief relationship with Willow, Tara dropped out of college and went back to her family, so Willow is Out to the Scoobies. Buffy & Willow sharing a College Dorm room. Giles & Anya (ex-demon & Xander’s girlfriend) run the Magic Box. Faith is post coma.

Credits: Beta, translation into American and editing by Lilly.

Chapter 1

Willow lay perfectly still, afraid to move. Okay she was a little … no, a lot confused. She was her … well, her - as in her personality and id. But she was in Buffy’s body! Metaphysics, Applied Mathematics, Psycho-Analysis, Advanced Magics and Drugs would all probably be required before long. And all because of Faith.

So now here she found herself trying to sleep … in Buffy‘s body. Knowing that just across the room Buffy was trying to sleep in her body. Willow was sure that any moment now Scully and Mulder would burst through the door with the cigarette-smoking man in tow.

The Scoobies had met at the Magic Shop to help them figure out what had happened … how it had happened and how to fix it.

Giles had cleaned his glasses and then buried his head in his books and watchers’ journals. Willow and Buffy had just seemed to spend ages staring at each other but not making eye contact. Xander spent his time sneaking side glances at the pair of them when he thought they weren’t looking.

Anya’s attention, however, was focused on the cash register which wasn’t balancing and, therefore, endangering the money in some way that only she understood. The whole ‘we’ve swapped bodies’ thing did not rate above this since as she far as she was concerned they were still both alive and in no physical danger. Buffy and Willow didn’t really mind that her attention was not on them. They felt that they had enough to deal with.

Willow had never felt this uncomfortable in her best friend’s presence before. Well, with two exceptions. First, there was that whole Halloween thing when Buffy had got her into that “way too sexy for Willow’ outfit. She had just wanted to disappear. Then there was the time when her Vampy other dimension self had seemed all kinda Gay and come on to Buffy!

Buffy was going through her own private chastisement, recalling how Faith had so easily tricked her into this situation. Guilt filled her as she realized that she had yet again put her Willow in danger. Willow now had her Slayer strength but not her training or experience, while she was now the guardian of Willow’s body.

Calling LA had proved fruitless. No one was answering except for the answer machine. It seemed that Angel was, indeed, occupied elsewhere.

Eventually at around 11 p.m., Buffy had decided that they all needed to eat and that munchies were required. She took Xander with her, knowing that just like her, he was starting to get book weary. They drove to his apartment which was nearest.

“So Xan, is it sandwiches or chips and dips?” Buffy asked.

“Sandwiches sound good. How about toasted? We can zap them in the micro when we get back to the Box.” Taking Buffy’s smile as agreement, he continued. “I’ll go do the manly burning of bread. You can check the sandwich makings. We need high calorie goodness.”

“Point well made. Color me a seeker of sugary goodness,” Buffy replied, glad that Xander had stopped the strange looks. She heard him find the bread and load the toaster. Rummaging through Xander’s fridge, she found cheese, ham, raspberry jam & some pickles. She grabbed three knives and started to open the jars, normally a total non-issue. But the lid to the pickles just would not budge, no matter how hard she twisted. Buffy’s mind raced ‘this is what it was like to have normal strength, to have Willow-strength’.

She was not impressed. Just when she was about to scream in frustration, a large hand reached past her taking the jar right out of her hand. As she turned, she saw Xander, a little too effortlessly, open the jar and place it back in front of her. He didn’t even look at her as he did it.

Buffy stared at the jar as if it was Xander. ‘He’s stronger than I am, right now. He just treated me like Anya! Like I was a little weak female who needed someone big and strong to do things for her. Oh my god! Did I used to do that?’ Buffy was lost in her thoughts, trying to remember if she had ever treated Anya or Willow as a weak and feeble female until the toaster pinged and ejected all but one slice of bread, which it appeared according to Xander, was the price you paid to the toaster demon so that it did not burn all the other slices too.

As if a bell had gone off in her head, Buffy suddenly thought, ‘I can’t patrol like this. I couldn’t dust a shelf.’ Shaking herself, she continued the making of toasted sandwiches.

When they returned to the Magic Box, everyone still had their heads down. Xander became Microwave man and soon everyone was diving into high calorie goodness. All, except Buffy who seemed to have lost her appetite.


As time went on, she realized that they were all waiting for her to mention her slayer duties. She was so not in the mood to own up to being just plain normal, non-slayer powered Buffy. ‘Faith you are so dead!’

But the more she thought about patrolling and who now had her power, the more she thought ‘Willow might have my slayer strength but one whole session in the training room will probably only prove that she really doesn’t have the physical coordination, experience or control to be sent out to dust vamps which means that patrolling will have to be cancelled.

With any luck Giles would then call it a night and they could all troop off to their relative beds and regroup tomorrow. ‘Yeah,’ she thought, ‘its set in stone that you need years of training to master my slayer strength.’ Summoning herself she launched into the untouchable subject.

“So when are you going to start Will’s training Giles?” asked Buffy, with all the innocence and ‘this doesn’t bother me’ attitude she could muster.

“Ahh, yes. Well, I suppose for all intents and purposes Willow is now our Slayer.” Giles cleared his throat. “It would therefore be prudent to instruct her in the skills that she will require to undertake your duties … that is … until we can resolve this … issue,” he finished lamely.

“Hey, Will. You get to feel the force,” Xander piped in. “Be careful not to be drawn to the dark side,” he added in his best ‘Obi-Wan’ voice.

“Please don’t turn out to be my brother,” Willow replied. “Do I really have to train?” she asked with obvious concern. “I’m not really big on the whole ‘staking and witty one-liner’ thing. I’m more backroom girl.”

Giles replied in his best Watcher’s voice, “It’s not really a ‘choice’ thing, Willow. With the Slayer strength goes a history of responsibility. It’s more of a calling really.”

“Oh cool, someone else gets the speech,” Buffy interjected, only to get an ‘over his spectacles’ look from Giles. “But it’s a very good speech,” she offered as an apology.

“Yes … well. Willow, we can’t let the vampires and other lower region dwellers think that the Slayer is on a break or incapacitated. That would put too many lives in danger. I think Buffy’s right. We need to start your training as soon as possible.”

With that he stood up and started to move toward the training room.

“Now?”

“When better?”

* * * *

Buffy watched in disbelief as Willow showed not only aptitude but a willingness to learn. Her slim and agile body took to the complex moves with little or no effort. Giles was in his element. He had a student who knew how to listen, digest new information, ask intelligent questions and take instruction. It was almost embarrassing to watch his pleasure.

It turned out that Willow was as apt a physical student as she was a cerebral one. ‘This is not going according to plan,’ thought Buffy, ‘Will’s learned in one hour what it took me four months to learn.’ Ashamed at her thoughts and the possibility of being surpassed, Buffy could do nothing but sit and watch. She should be happy that Willow was as good as she appeared to be. Yet fear was gripping her. But there was no one to fight, no one but herself.

So she just sat there, as Xander beamed proudly at his Willow who soaked up everything Giles gave her as the Watcher concentrated on his eager student. She felt as if she wasn’t needed. It was a hollow feeling. ‘What use am I now?’ she asked herself. ‘I don’t have any of Willow’s magic. I’m not book-wormy and no one even lets me drive car. I’ve become redundant.’

After two hours Giles called it a night. He thanked Willow for all her hard work and stressed that although she had done exceptionally well, he didn’t feel that tonight should be her first patrol.

* * * *

They had walked in silence back to their dorm room. The night air cleared Buffy’s head. Willow was very conscious of every noise and didn’t really relax until they got back into their dorm.

Not much was said as they prepared for bed. The awkwardness had returned. Both had been unable to get over having to relieve themselves in each others bodies. Showering was totally out of the question. They had changed into their pajamas almost like 12 year-olds at camp. Both trying to not get caught looking at the body they now occupied.

Both got into their respective beds and lay very still, so very conscious of how difficult it was to sleep when you had to watch where your hands were.

Willow’s mind was babbling in response to the situation. All her thoughts seemed to be about the body she now occupied and how she had often had wondered if Buffy’s skin was as soft as it looked, what it would feel like to touch, caress, kiss … ‘Bad thoughts, bad, bad thoughts. ‘Cause feeling would be bad … wrong … bad, bad. Oh no … feeling… caressing… even worse. Naughty Willow, Bad Willow. No! No feeling.’ So she lay there staring at one spot on the ceiling, wishing for sleep to take her but concentrating too hard to let it.

* * * *

Early next morning, a ringing phone dragged Buffy into consciousness. Stumbling across the room she grabbed the handset from the cradle and grunted “Hi.”

“Hey B, missing your Goldie locks? Have you checked out your new equipment yet?” An all too familiar voice added “Is Red a natural red head?” Buffy could almost see Faith’s smirking face as her voice traveled down the phone line which Buffy now held in a clenched fist. She was suddenly very awake.

“Faith. I am going to put you in a world of pain when I catch you. Why did you do this to us?” Buffy almost whispered through clenched teeth as she felt herself going red faced.

“Ahh B, you know I really have done you both a favor. Let’s face it you were never going to get the courage to deal with how you feel. Let yourself loosen up, B. Just think of the possibilities.” When she got no reply from Buffy, Faith baited her. “Yeah, you know what I mean.”

Stealing herself not to respond, Buffy asked “What do you want Faith?”

“Just checking in on you guys. Gotta keep an eye on my little experiment,” Faith replied, laughing. “Believe me B, I’m doing this for your own good. Plus there’s a whole personal buzz from seeing you and Red so jittery. So how you doing without the Slayer power? Is it everything you hoped for?”

“Faith, I don’t know what your up to. But I will find out and then you will so pay,” Buffy stated. “When Angel said you were trying to change, I was right to think you just had him fooled.”

“You really do get off on that high moral ground thing, don’t you? Singing the song of the chosen one, your ‘martyr to the cause’ lyrics are beginning to sound very old hat B. Do yourself and everyone else a favor – chill, B and get on with living life before it passes you by. Be honest with Red. Trust me, regrets are a bitch.” With those words the line went dead.

Buffy just stood there glaring at the handset and griping it tightly as if it was Faith’s neck. ‘Why is this happening?’ she thought to herself, ‘Oh yeah. It’s my birthday. Why else? Can’t have a birthday without the whole world falling apart, can I?’ She slammed the receiver back into its cradle and glowered at it as if somehow her own will could make it tell her everything she needed to know.

“Buffy” she heard herself say. Why was she calling herself? No, not her. Willow. Willow was calling her name in her voice. She turned and saw herself sitting in Willow’s bed with a very worried expression on her face. “Buffy?” she questioned.

“Faith, our little wayward slayer just checking in on her … experiment.”

“What did she say?”

“Uhhh. Nothing really. Just big with the ‘hee hees’ and innuendos. Pure Faith. When I get hold of her, Will …” she clenched both fists in front of her and stared at them.

“Yeah, double that,” Willow added for good measure. “So why did she do it?”

“According to her, she’s actually doing us a favor,” Buffy replied. “Of all the favors she could do us like getting lost, she picks this one. Go figure.”

“What exactly did she say, Buffy?” Willow repeated. She had noticed the avoiding. “It might prove to be important.”

“Hey, what’s with the going all Gilesy on me, Will?” she pouted, hoping to put Willow off her question.

“Well, it might be useful to know exactly what she said … Hey, I did not go all Gilesy. Just asking a question. Hey, only me in here. No Giles! Well maybe I sounded a little Gilesy. But no … no more body swapping. This is me. Well … that is me in your body me.”

“Got it. The babbling proved it if nothing else … your definitely Will in the Buff Bod.” She paused and raising her eyebrows in mock horror, she added “Did I just say that … Buff bod?” She giggled, not just over her own misspeak but also having just listened to Willow-babble coming out of her mouth in her voice.

Soon they were both in fits of giggles. Buffy went back to her bed and flopped.

“So what did she say?” Willow repeated when the giggles subsided.

“Not letting me get away with the avoiding, are you Will?”

“Nope,” Willow said.

“Somehow your ‘resolve face’ doesn’t quite work with my features. But I get it, Will,” Buffy sighed. She really had to figure out a way of saying this without letting Willow know that Faith knew about her feelings for the Wiccan. “Well, she said – sorry Will, but well …” Buffy picked a point on the carpet to stare at while she continued “She asked if you were a natural red head? How was I doing without my Slayer powers? Was it all I had hoped? Then she said she was doing us a favor and that I should loosen up; that I needed to get off my Chosen One high horse and get a life.” She finished still unwilling to look her friend in the eye. “Yep, that about sums it up.”

When no response came from Willow, she looked up. To see her face a terrible shade of white and her eyes beginning to change from hazel to brown, which according to her mother was never a good thing, Buffy knew that Willow was about to blow.

“Natural Red Head!! That coming from a natural Tramp.” A deep sigh followed. “After all we did for her, all Angel’s done for her - how could she? Why? I don’t get it. And why call? To rub salt in I guess. How can she be such a bitch?”

“May I say - Meow re the Tramp line. But Will, don’t let her get to you. Please, Will. She’s just trying to get a reaction from us.” Buffy tried to calm her best friend down.

“I … Buffy … I …” Willow was at a loss to even babble. Not good. Buffy needed her focused. She could see tears in the near future if she couldn’t get her to focus.

“Yeah, with you all the way on that one, Will.” Buffy smiled reassuringly at her friend. “I think we need to get it together, get over to the Magic Box and into research mode. We’ll soon have Faith paying for this and things back to normal.” She looked her friend firmly in the eye. “Will. We’re good, right? I need you to focus Will. You with me? No wigging out. OK?” Staring at her friend intently, she asked again “OK?”

Willow looked at her and said “OK.” Then Willow began smirking. “I get the ‘resolve face’ now. Cool.” She was back, if still a little wigged out. ‘Note to self. No more Gilesy questions,’ Willow observed.

* * * *

They walked to the Magic Box in a little less than comfortable silence. When they arrived they found Giles already heavily into the books, Anya behind the counter and Xander eyeing the large box of doughnuts he had purchased along with a round of coffees. Everyone knew that this was major research mode and that it was going to be long day.

“Hey, anything new?” asked Xander.

“Nope,” replied Buffy. “Still in the wrong body. But Faith called this morning to rub salt in the wounds. So life’s good.”

“May I ask what she said?” asked Giles, causing Buffy to smirk at Willow, who knitted her brows in annoyance. “It might prove to be of relevance.”

“Mostly annoying stuff, and that she was doing us a favor, that I should get off my high horse and get on with my life. Basic, Nah nah na na nah.”

“She said she was doing you a favor?” Giles repeated.

“Yeah. Well, both of us actually. She asked if I was enjoying being normal … no Slayer strength and such,” Buffy replied, as nonchalantly as she could.

Xander considered for a moment “Mmmm, Willow the Vampire Slayer … missing the same punch.” Seeing Willow pout, he added “Sorry Will, but it is more Disney than independent but whacky low budget cult.” Seeing Buffy’s now pouting face, he further added. “Not that I mean low budget as in cheap, just not Titanic with a major CGI budget … I’ll be shutting up now.”

“Yes well, setting aside Xander’s ‘B’ movie title issues, I do think that we need to try and focus on how to undo what Faith has done,” Giles said. “I think we have several volumes that may prove useful.”

“You’re thinking spell? Couldn’t it be a curse?” asked Anya. “Curses. Now that’s where the real longevity is.”

“Well yes, Anya, you could be right. But I think researching spells is the best place to start. As you may know, the removal of a spell is far easier than fulfilling the requirements to remove a curse.”

“I think I speak for me when I say – Huhh?” interjected Buffy.

Sighing, Giles removed his glasses to explain. “If this was caused by a spell, then we simply have to find a counter spell. If, however, this is a curse, it is a bit like a contract and it has conditions.”

Anya interrupted “What he’s trying to say is every curse has a task that must be completed to get it to end.” She continued “But as Faith is hardly likely to tell us what the conditions of her curse were, we better hope it’s a spell.”

Buffy let what Anya said sink in and nodded. Turning to Xander she whispered, “It’s just like the more I know, the more confused I get.”

“I believe that’s called growing up.”

In a little voice Buffy replied, “I’d like to stop then. Okay?”

They settled down into research mode, cross-referencing anything even remotely related to body swapping. Nothing seemed to stand out as matching exactly what Faith had done or the end result. As the day went on Buffy grew more and more frustrated.

* * * *

Finally at about seven in the evening, having long closed the shop and ordered pizza, they sat with no one wanting to say what had become apparent.

It was a curse.

In a not so stage whisper Anya asked Xander “When do we start looking at curses?”

“Anya?”

“What? Curses are not on the list you gave me of inappropriate public conversations. I checked. Okay. They’re not fun but last time I checked, they were option ‘b’”. She turned to Xander fully. “So when are we going to look up curses?”

“Anya!” Xander repeated, although a little half-heartedly.

“No Xander, Anya’s right,” Giles replied

“I am?” Anya asked, then smiled broadly. “Curses. Now that’s an area I know something about. I have placed a few in my time, I can tell you, and not of that ‘beauty and the beast’ or ‘frog prince’ kind, either.”

“I never would have guessed,” muttered Willow.

Muffling her giggle at Willow’s sideswipe, Buffy spoke up. “This spell thing is obviously a bust. I didn’t know my head could hurt this much from just reading,” Buffy said as she placed her hand dramatically across her forehead, thus agreeing to the switch of focus.

“Me too. Big on the bored with spells here. And I’m the big old witch girl … well less of the ‘old’ and more of the Wicca. Not to say that I’m bored with doing spells or the looking up of spells. Its more bored with the whole not finding a spell, bored.” Looking around at the others Willow added, “Okay I know you’re all glad I cleared that up” and shrugged.

“Indeed,” replied Giles. “Well, I think we have to try and gather as much information from the actual event and your conversation with Faith as possible. Then it will be a matter of looking for clues.”

“Clues? You mean we go all CSI? Sorry G-man, I mean Sherlock Holmes. Is that really going to work? Isn’t it always the butler, of which we’re short one.”

“I think it’s the best point from which to begin. And Xander, would you please not call me by that infernal nickname?” he frowned at Xander who just smiled. “Right then, let’s start with the event itself.”

Chapter 2

From her spot at their table, Buffy found herself gazing at Willow who was dancing with Xander. She wondered just how Oz could have walked out on her Will. She was an incredibly sweet woman, a fantastically loyal friend, a sympathetic shoulder to cry on and pocket fun genius. Imagining Willow the size of a pocket dictionary made her smile and Willow, of course, chose that moment to look her way and flash her a beautiful smile in response. Buffy’s glowed with pride.

She was enjoying a floaty, thank the goddesses for Willowy goodness, my life’s a good life feeling but it was squashed when she recognized the face that moved into her line of sight as that of Faith. Leaning across the table Faith smiled knowingly, as she blocked her view of the dance floor.

“Hey B, still checking out Red I see. What ‘s holding you back?” she asked with a leer. “Don’t get what you see in her, myself.”

“So not asking. What are you doing here, Faith? Gotta wish to die much?” Buffy asked, shooting Faith a steely gaze. “Didn’t I make it clear at our last meeting that you should stay away from me?”

“I’m on a job for Angel but I thought I’d just do some catching up. Touching base with my home girl. No hug for your long lost?” she asked carelessly. Changing tack and the tone of her voice she continued “So seriously, how you doing B? Scoobies look like they’re on a well-deserved break. How’s Giles?”

Buffy found herself suddenly very alert. Faith being chummy set her teeth on edge and her spider senses tingling. “Yeah, right. What’s with the noticing others all of a sudden?”

“B. You wanna learn to lay back, girlfriend. Go with the flow.” Faith threw her shoulders back and spread her arms in a ‘couldn’t care less’ gesture. “Just chill.”

“If I go with my flow, your gonna be lying flat on your back pretty damn soon,” replied Buffy through clenched teeth. This was getting unfunny real quick. Faith was making her nervous.

“Hey babe, whatever,” she replied, leaning forward to smirk at Buffy. “Not really here to push your buttons, fun though that is. I have something to pass on from Cordy.” With that she perched on the stool to the left of Buffy. Faith’s brazen confidence in the fact that Buffy would not act on her instincts and punch her out until she knew why Angel was involved, grated on the Slayer’s nerves for different reasons. “You may wanna call in the Buffettes.”

As ever was the case, Willow and Xander appeared just as she thought of them. “Buff?” Xander asked, his eyes loaded with one question - what's up?

Buffy replied by moving her eyes to indicate that they sit. Xander took this as a sign to partially relax. Buffy’s explanation was brief. “Faith has a message from Cordy.” With that Xander sat opposite Faith and waited.

“So why not a call?” asked Willow, as she chose the stool opposite Buffy. “I mean, how do we know they sent you?”

“It’s more of a hand delivery item,” Faith interjected. When no one took the bait, she added “Okay. Angel said to tell Buffy that this is ‘from the one freaky thing in your freaky world that makes sense’. Look really not wanting to be here B but ‘Vision girl’ said it had to be done now … must be handed over to you two by midnight.” Everyone checked their watch - It was ten to. “Dead Boy is otherwise engaged … something to do with … aww hell, who cares? Angel said I had to do the delivery … protect it till it got to you. Got it? … Not wanting to be here. Clear? So back off with the attitude. Just tell me, are you taking delivery?” Faith waited for a response, Buffy said nothing, while Xander and Willow just continued to stare at Faith. Taking that as backing off, Faith waited.

Xander piped up “So hand it over.”

“Sorry stud,” Faith said looking at Xander. “Cordy said I had to give this to Willow and Buffy. I was to tell you girlies that … The goddess said … Hold on. I need a mo. Lot to remember. Gouchi girl wouldn’t let me write it down. So hang five.”

After several minutes of Faith staring at the table in silence, Buffy was losing it. “Faith? Midnight!”

“Chill,” Faith paused again. “Okay, I think I got it.”

“A choice says the Goddess,
Give into nothing but temptation
Let inner passions light a fire.

Flowing in the heart of a maiden,
Now arising without the dawn,
To find a home and free desire.

Walk in the shoes of another
The fate of two souls entwined
Or secrets that burden and fester.

For Luna will turn her back
Until the hidden truth is seen,
Returning to fix them forever.

Only then will there be release.
Or bind the lies like the first,
Unrequited soul mates left to die.

For if she withers from her roots
And a single season be forgotten,
Such lives will weep and cry.”

Finishing, Faith slowly extracted a globe from her jacket.

Buffy and Willow immediately ignored the really bizarre fact that they had just heard Faith reciting poetry as they both became mesmerized by the soft yellow and amber light that emanated from the globe. They were drawn to it and both reached for the globe as Faith placed it on the table and removed her own hand.

Willow’s hand touched it first and she smiled at Buffy, who was also reaching forward her hand. When Buffy touched the Globe, a surge of power shot between them and knocked Xander from his stool. From the floor he heard Faith say “Job done. I’m outta here.” Scrambling to his feet, he saw her exit stage left. Looking back at Buffy and Willow, he saw that they were out of it, their heads resting on the table, hands still outstretched but between them there was no globe!

Torn between chasing Faith and a possible, no make that almost certain thrashing, he decided that calling Giles and staying with the girls was probably the right thing to do.

* * * *

“I want you each to write down exactly what you each recall Faith having said. Word for word, please,” Giles said. “You will probably all remember it slightly differently and we need to have the exact wording if possible. So if I compare all three, I will probably be able to get as close to what was actually said as possible without having recorded it. The trick with unraveling a curse is in the wording. Deciphering the hidden meaning in words, etcetera.”

Having done their scripts, they handed them into Giles and a debate ensued as the differences in their recollections were set before them. Eventually about an hour and a half later, a large white board in the training room displayed what seemed to be the collective recollection of the curse.

“Okay questions first:
Which Goddess?
What temptation?
Who’s the Maiden?
What’s the hidden truth?
What was the first lie?
What does it mean by fix them forever?” Giles asked as he started writing on the right side of the white board.

“Then there are the obvious things. The two souls, shoes of another, the withered roots and the single season all seem to refer to Buffy and Willow. Luna is the moon. So that’s our timescale - a lunar month.” Having half filled the right side of the board, Giles stepped back to stare at it in the hope more would become evident.

Buffy sat numb. In her heart she thought she knew what it was all about but her fear of being wrong prevented her from speaking. Well not only her fear of being wrong but if she was honest it was her fear of being right. Instead her mind took over. ‘I’m just seeing what I want to see. There is no way that Faith could seriously have been trying to help. It wasn’t in her nature despite what Angel thought, and she was probably only seeing what she wanted to see. How would Faith ever know what’s best for Willow. She has never said a kind word to her. No, it can’t be me!’ She scanned the words, trying to find other meanings. It was referring to a big bad … Somehow Willow and she would be fixed this way forever. ‘Faith if you’re still on this planet, you are so dead.’

Willow, decided to dismiss Giles’ approach and was busy scribbling the sequential letters of each word, then the secondary sequences. Searching for a numeric, predictable pattern … a code. She liked the mathematical approach. She was also busy denying all the thoughts and feelings that the verse provoked in her emotionally. This was just another puzzle.

Anya spoke “Did you say the globe had a yellow light?”

Willow and Buffy nodded.

“I think you’ll find the Goddess is Innana. She was a Sumerian High Goddess. In the days of the Christos when the sacrificial gods Tammuz/Dumuzi were consorts of the powerful Ishtar and Innana, men seeking to honor the Goddess entered the priesthood performing self castration as an act of contrition. To become closer to the Goddess they emasculated themselves in an attempt to be more like women, having a hole, instead of a penis. Then the church fathers emulated the attire of women by adopting robes as an emblem of their "holy" office. Seeking ritual debasement and submission to purge their day-to-day guilt at being male. Ahh those were the days, devout monks beating themselves into a frenzy of zealous ecstasy. I cursed quite a few men with the worship of Innana in my time, I can tell you,” Anya beamed, apparently still unrepentant. “Oh yeah. Their robes were always yellow. The same color as the hair of their Goddess”

Xander sat there too but unlike everyone else, he wasn’t looking at the board. He wasn’t really listening to Anya. He was looking at his two best friends. Slowly his mind dropped the pieces of another puzzle into place. Willow and Buffy were not as practiced at hiding their thoughts and feelings behind the faces they were now wearing. He had seen a few things that … well … didn’t sit as normal.

When what Anya was saying filtered into the puzzle, it all came together in Xander’s head and the light went on. He stopped breathing in a vain attempt to stop laughing. Excusing himself, he left the room and headed out into the alley. Where he laughed loud and long. Then realizing he had to say something, the funnies stopped. ‘How the hell do I tell those two that they’re in love?’ He so did not want to be the one to have that conversation with them.

‘Maybe if I just nudge them. Hold on! That’s what Faith is doing! I’ll be damned. She really is trying to do them a favor! She’s pulling a Kiser Soseh. I need some time, thinking time. Anya, your gonna love this.’

* * * *

It was two o’clock when they finally returned to their dorm room. They were both dog-tired. Brains were pushing against skulls in protest. Buffy smiled a tired smile at Willow as she sighed before opening the main dorm door. No one greeted them. It seemed all but the twilight diehards in the TV lounge had gone to bed. That seemed the norm since at around Midnight, Xander and Anya had left Giles, Willow and Buffy to it. Anya had begun voicing needs and Xander hadn’t put up much of a fight.

They climbed the stairs to their first floor room, and unlocking their door both smiled at the thought of bed as Buffy put on the light.

Their thoughts were again on bed but this time for one and only one reason. There was only one bed in the room … one big queen size bed!! And on it was a single red rose?

They both stared at the bed, afraid to look at each other.

‘And how exactly did that happen?’ thought Buffy. ‘Not good, not good at all.’

‘It’s a spell. Someone is doing a spell,’ thought Willow.

“Faith!” they both said in unison.

“But why?” asked Willow, completely puzzled.

“Only she knows,” answered Buffy, hoping that she was right and that Willow had no idea how she felt about her. Faith was really pushing it.

“I … I think we should just get some sleep and tell Giles in the morning. He may find this new twist of interest. No point ringing now, though. He’s had a long day just like the rest of us.” Willow walked to the right hand side of the bed and started to take her shoes off. “It’ll be like a sleep over … like when we were kids.”

“Yeah, cause we’re so the adults now,” she said grinning at Willow. “So is it Sushi pajamas tonight?”

“Of course. All the best people wear them,” Willow replied grinning.

They changed with their backs to each other, which was odd as this meant they were avoiding looking at the body they knew not the one they didn’t. But then again it avoided the possibility of seeing each other undressing and dressing their own body.

Willow was feeling particularly uncomfortable for all her apparent calmness. She had not shared a bed with her best friend since coming out to her. Somehow she felt she should be making this as non-sexual and innocent as possible to help Buffy over any awkwardness. Not that she was embarrassed about her sexuality but this was new territory to both of them.

“So Will, you want the left or the right?” Buffy asked, as she pulled up her pajama bottoms to leave no visible skin between the top and bottoms. “Cause I have no preference. But … well … when you were seeing Tara … I’m sure you had a preference and well …” Buffy dried up. She had mentioned Tara, something she had been trying to avoid for months now.

“I was always a right hand girl myself. If that’s okay with you?” Willow replied quickly.

“Okay,” Buffy replied. Quickly she changed the subject. “Have you set your alarm? Giles was pretty specific about meeting at the Magic Box by nine tomorrow. Don’t wanna be late.”

“Will do. How about half past seven? Give us time to shower, pick up Mochas and stroll in on time.”

“Sounds great. Gotta go for the chocolaty goodness.”

Will smiled at her friend. Buffy wasn’t looking at her and she could hear the spooked tone in her voice. Plus she had mentioned Tara, whose name had not passed her lips in months? “Buffy, are you spooked that you’re going to have to share a bed with me? You know … what with the whole ‘I’m gay now’ thing.”

“What, Will? No, Will. Why would I be spooked, Will?”

“Buffy, that’s three Wills in as many sentences. You are spooked.”

“No, Will,” Buffy said, then pausing as she pulled herself together. “Trust me when I say that the thought of sleeping in the same bed with you does not freak me, spook me or otherwise cause any type of bad. You are by best friend. Okay, so you’re gay … so what? I love you and always will.” She made an effort to keep eye contact as she said “We’re good.”

Willow rewarded her little speech with a smile. And with nothing else said on the subject they prepared for bed.

* * * *

Buffy hovered in the land of not wanting to open her eyes. She knew it was too soon. The alarm hadn’t even gone off yet. Plus she felt warm and safe with her eyes shut. Slowly she began to recognize a new feeling - her rib cage felt heavy? She also felt warm all down her left side. She could feel breathing and it wasn’t hers. No. There was a weight on her chest. Slowly realization dawned.

Willow’s arm was across her chest and she was snuggled up to her side. It was her breathing Buffy could feel. A thousand feelings filled her - warmth, light headedness, fear, safety, rightness, wrongness, guilt, self consciousness and love among them. She had never felt so many feelings all at the same time before. Her thoughts were as conflicted and confusing as were her feelings. ‘Maybe if I just stay here very still, then … what? What do I want to happen? Do I want a sleepwalking Willow to make love to me so that only I would ever know that it had actually happened? Ok. not so crazy. That way I could keep her safe. Well, I could just maybe hold her hand … maybe guide it … Just how pathetic can I get? Let’s face it - if she wakes up holding me, she’s going to have major wiggins. I’ve got to move her.’

Buffy slowly tried to roll out of Willow’s hold but her movements just caused the arm to tighten around her, rising to just under her breasts. She could almost feel the latent Slayer power in her old body. ‘Oh, come on. Like this isn’t hard enough already’ her mind screamed. She tried rolling backward, in the hope that this would place Willow on her back and allow her to be released, but she found the Wiccan an immovable object. Wishing for her previous Slayer strength, she cursed Faith not only for the body switch but for swapping their beds.

She sighed, frustrated. ‘C’mon think. There has to be a way to …’ Then she heard Willow ‘mmmm’ and felt her best friend gently squeeze her. ‘Oh, God. No.’ Feeling a slight stretch in the body behind her, she realized that her attempts to find release had only caused Willow to wake up.

Buffy had felt the instinct to flee or fight before but this feeling – ‘flee or kiss the woman holding you’ … these two choices no amount of Slayer training had ever prepared her for. Somehow she couldn’t imagine the Slayer Handbook having anything useful to say on this situation.

As Willow stretched awakening from the most wonderful dream, she felt warm and content. She could hear her own heart beating. ‘My goodness, it’s beating fast.’ Then she felt something soft brush against her face and partially opening her eyes, she saw red hair, smelled the faint scent of … and suddenly she was awake! Opening her eyes, she thought that she would never be able to close them again. She was holding herself … No she was holding Buffy! ‘How long have I been holding her? Oh God, please let her be asleep. Maybe I could just stay here for a little while … No. No. Bad, Willow.’

As she pulled herself away from Buffy, Willow was overcome with such guilt at her subconscious actions that it fed the speed of her now Slayer strength movement. However Buffy, still attempting to move away from that vice like arm, suddenly had nothing preventing her from rolling forward.

Two loud thumps preceded their joint babbling as they both landed on the floor on either side of the offending bed. Much apologizing, feigned surprise, cursing of Faith and blushing followed. Until they both fell into silence. As if by unspoken agreement, they rose from the floor, began to dress and prepare to leave their dorm.

Chapter 3

“How are my two favorite ladies?” Xander greeted them as they entered the coffee shop, placing an arm around each. “I feel like a rose between two thorns,” Xander said waiting for the inevitable slaps but they didn’t come. Instead he could feel them both go rigid. Inside he was laughing his head off. This was going to be fun.

Xander turned to Willow with his patented lop sided grin. “Ready for the research fest? I am so ready to get doughnuts.” Turning back to Buffy he asked “So, are my favorite snuggle bunnies ready to face the books?”

Buffy blushed unable to look at Willow. She smiled weakly and nodded at Xander, not feeling that it was safe to speak and slightly unnerved by Xander’s greeting.

Willow was even more afraid of what she couldn’t say. She felt she knew that if she told Xander about last night, he would just go into fantasy mode; his eyes would glaze over and maybe even roll around a bit in his head. She could hardly have a meaningful discussion with her friends on the subject of the feelings that were crashing in around her; like something out of The Birds rather than the gaggle of Austin Powers’ a-go-go girls that Xander would have envisioned. It would take her too long to get his head back to earth. Re-entry was trickier than it looked with his imagination. She joined Buffy in the safe and silent nodding.

Buffy finally extricated herself from Xander’s hold and headed to the counter to order their coffees. Left alone with her other best friend, Willow still didn’t know what to say, instead remaining quietly and very uncomfortably beside her tall, slightly chuffed looking childhood friend.

Xander held in his inner laughter as he imagined that something more than just having to share a double bed had happened last night. And so his brain took a trip down his very own fantasy highway until Buffy’s return brought him back to reality but with a decidedly silly grin on his face - a grin that for once neither of his best friends questioned.

Walking along to the Magic Box in relative silence, the girls were oblivious to the somewhat smug smile on Xander’s face. His mind revelled in the possibilities before him. Having the upper hand was a whole new experience, something he wasn’t ready to give up just yet. ‘Ahhh, the way power just sucks you in. I’m learning to have sympathy for Darth Vader. Well, his outfit was way cooler, but the 3-pack a day voice? Nah’.

Xander yawned and turning to Buffy, said “Sorry. Bit of a sleepless night. Anya stayed at her place and even though I had all the covers, I missed her snoring. You’re female, right?” Xander added as if it had just occurred to him. “How do you tell a girl she snores and hogs the covers? Without getting demon slapped, of course. It’s a serious problem.” Suddenly, pretending to realize he had asked the wrong person, he turned to Willow. “Oops, guess it’s the real Will I should be asking that one. Buff’s not really with the sleeping with a woman thing, are you?” he threw over his shoulder, seemingly off the cuff.

“Yeah. Right,” Buffy acknowledged, hoping that her face hadn’t just gone blood red. She desperately wanted to look at Willow to gauge her expression. But she knew that, as lately happened whenever she tried to glance even briefly at Willow, she would find herself staring at the wonderful, beautiful woman who she was blessed to call her friend. So it was best not to give in to the desire to look at her. ‘When had this started?’ she asked herself.

“You’re on your own there, Xan. Never had that problem myself,” Willow replied as light heartedly she could manage. Buffy hadn’t exactly snored but her breathing did have a little cute mumbling noise when she was asleep. Realizing that she needed to take control of this conversation and quickly, she asked Xander “Want me to look up an anti-snoring spell?” putting as much eagerness as she could into her remark.

“They have those?” Xander asked, suddenly finding himself interested, just as he also realized that Willow was smirking ever so slightly. “Right,” he laughed. “Sounded too good to be true. But untapped market there, if you ask me.”

Turning the final corner they came upon the Magic Box. Buffy took a deep breath and steeled herself for all that she knew was coming. This was going to be one of those awkward question and answer sessions that both she and Giles preferred to avoid.

Xander noticed the ever so slight stiffening of Buffy’s back as well as the slight dipping of Willow’s head. He realized that they were planning to tell all to Giles. ‘Damn.’ His fun was going to abruptly end. He had hardly gotten into his stride.

Entering the Magic Box, Xander made a bee-line for Anya. He really had missed her last night; although in truth he had not suffered from a sleepless night – more a missing the possibilities of good hot sex.

“Any thing new?” asked Buffy, for once really hoping that overnight Giles had resolved everything and that a cure for the body swap was just awaiting their arrival. At least then the events of last night would become immaterial and there would be no need for quizzing. That would be really okay with her.

“I’m afraid not. It seems our only option is to find a way to break the curse,” Giles replied. “Have you remembered anything new?” he asked hopefully.

“Nope, no remembering,” replied Buffy. “But something odd did happen when we got home last night,” Buffy added, suddenly feeling that the temperature had risen.

“Really?” Giles questioned.

“Yeah. When we got to the dorm room our two beds had been removed and replaced.” She paused and took a deep breath at the expectant look on his face. “With a double bed.”

Giles took in her words and then ‘Oh!’ He took the words in again. His eyes shot wide open. Unable to remove his glasses for cleaning quickly enough, he dropped them and fumbled on his hands and knees while mumbling “Ahh, I see. Very interesting.” Retrieving his glasses, which he frenetically cleaned, he added “Did anything else happen?”

Buffy suddenly went silent and a little red. She glared at him. ‘He couldn’t be asking what she thought he was – no’ but she glared a little harder just in case.

“A rose was on the bed,” Willow added, almost as a whisper.

“Indeed. Well we will have to consider all of this very carefully. I’m not sure where this fits into the curse. But I’m sure that it’s just a matter of applying our minds.” He turned his back and replaced his glasses, somewhat puzzled by the sheer wave of discomfort he had felt coming from Buffy. “So do you have any thoughts?”

“Faith wants them to be orgasm buddies,” Anya said, obviously sharing her immediate deduction. It seemed she had actually been listening. Then quietly, almost to herself, she added “That’s scary.”

“Anya,” Xander said, with as much surprise as he could muster.

“What? It’s as plain as the mouth on your face,” Anya responded, annoyed that everyone else seemed so blind to what was actually going on.

“Nose,” said Giles, turning before he could stop himself.

“What do you mean scary?” asked a very insulted Willow before she realized what she had said. “Not that I want to be Buffy’s … I mean, Buffy, your great and all, but we’re friends. But I’m kinda gay, kinda enjoy the orgas … buddy thing … So why did you say, scary?” Willow’s back was well and truly up. ‘Does she have to say everything she thinks? How does he cope?’

Xander suddenly wanted to be somewhere else. He hated it when they argued. No matter who eventually did win, he always managed to lose.

“Faith is evil. Right? So what she wants has to be evil or, at least, not nice. So if that’s for you two to become orgasm buddies, you can bet it won’t be enjoyable. Kinda gay or not,” Anya ended, pointedly looking Willow straight in the eye. “Maybe she’s gonna watch you two. I know Xander always wanted to watch.”

“Anya!” Xander yelled again, this time not acting.

“Well you do,” Anya glared at Xander. “Why is everyone pretending to be so upset by the idea? It’s just sex. And, at least, they don’t have to do it with a stranger. Plus Willow is on her own turf. That should make it easier. Right?”

Silence fell over the room.

Chapter 4

The silence had been long and awkward. Buffy honestly began to wonder at one point, if she had gone deaf. She tried so hard not to look at Willow, who had finally stopped glaring at Anya and then Xander, and was now moving towards Giles’ private book collection. She knew that they had to talk. Oh god, how she was dreading that. Where had all her self confidence gone? Willow seemed so much more in control. She realized just how much her slayer power, had helped to form her self-confidence. Without it, without knowing that strength was there, she felt lost, unsure of herself, full of doubt.

Slowly she moved towards the entrance to the training area, at the back of the shop. Even though she knew that Giles would eventually follow her, she was grateful that she was getting away from the not too subtle eyes of the others. Anya’s words had laid her open, stripped away any camouflage she had felt was surrounding her feelings, hiding how she felt about Willow, so that anyone who really wanted to, could see her denial for what it was. Suddenly she felt herself wanting to cry but she swallowed and pushed it back down into her. ‘Now is not the time for this.’ She told herself.

‘How had this happened? When had it happened? Why?’ She shook her head, not ready to delve into the answers. Instead she moved towards the workout mat. She knew far too well that letting anything distract you from the battle could cause people to be killed.

Their faces suddenly filled her mind. Jenny Calendar, dead on a bed of rose petals; her gypsy uncle, butchered with his blood used to scrawl a taunting message. Kendra, her potential never to be realized; Theresa Klusmeyer, Doug Perren; too many. But the one that always made her question the cost of falling in love was a little salesgirl, whose beating heart Angelus had ripped out of her chest, as a Valentine's Day present for his beloved Drusilla. A life she had helped to end, because she had been so caught up in her love for Angel that she had lost sight of the battle while making that certain birthday decision. She couldn’t let her feelings distract her - people could die.

Attempting to stick her handstand, she found herself unable to hold and lock her arms. Falling, she suddenly remembered, she was no longer the Slayer. Her decisions, her effect on the battle had been diminished by Faith’s little game. Could she now take time? Take a risk? Sitting on the floor, where she had ended up, slightly winded by the fall, she stared at the wall, in sudden realization – I’m no longer the slayer – I can choose to have a life. Catching her breath, she began to smile.
‘I could tell Willow how I feel. We could – be together. But what if she isn’t interested?’ Remembering her reaction to Anya’s outburst, Willow had been quite clear that she had never thought of Buffy that way. Nerves got the better of her and she dropped her head, depressed at the thought of not having her feelings returned. ‘Why would Willow want to have me? I’m no longer the Slayer. She is. What do I have to offer her?’

Feeling like a fool she suddenly realized something awful. ‘Oh my god, now she’s the one who can’t take her eye off the battle ahead. I can’t be the one to distract her - people could die! Buffy Anne Summers, you’re a fool to think that ‘the powers that be’ could ever let you find Love.’

* * * *

Willow reached out for Channings, Cristoller Garbentium, pulling the large leather bound book from its location. Opening it to the index, she quickly moved to the chapter on globes, even though she knew she had read it at least four times yesterday. She needed something to lose herself in. Something to make her forget what Anya had said.

Moving to the table, she sat and rested her chin on her left hand, pulling her hair back with her right. Slowly she began to read. But the words didn’t register and she found herself reading sentences again and again, unable to drink in their meaning, as her mind kept dragging her back to what Anya had said. ‘Could she be right? Why would Faith want to put Buffy, let alone her into such a situation?’ Suddenly she found herself wondering what it would be like to make love to Buffy. Heat built up inside her. Then embarrassment. She felt dirty. How could she be having such thoughts about her best friend? ‘Anya is just sex mad; she sees everything, as either about sex or money.’

“Will?”, Xander said as he carefully approached her. She lifted her head to glare at him. “So, you’re still angry?” he asked as he settled across the table from her, placing the donut box between them.

She glared at him again.

“I come bearing donut goodness. I’m not sure what the Goddess of ‘really pissed off with your girlfriend’ wants as a peace offering, but a guy’s gotta try. You know the kinda guy I am. Hey I’m your oldest friend, the one that doesn’t really do much of the planning stuff, but every now and again … I find the key to my brain, you know?”

Willow changed her expression to a half smile and closely followed it with a puzzled look.

“We had an idea.” he explained, careful not to name Anya as part of the – ‘we’. Taking a deep breath he sped on. “You know how Kendra once told Giles that her watcher had tried to get her to use a vision thingy.” Willow’s expression grew blank.

“You know - she talked about using a vision thing to help focus a Slayer’s dreams.”

“You mean using a vision rod to give her dreams clarity … but you can move a vision when you use a rod … be time specific … it would … it could allow a Slayer to change the focus on events either side of her dreams.”, Willow replied, slowly beginning to grin.

“Yeah, that’s it...” Xander enthused. “So, if the three of us try to focus on a vision of the cursing -- you know, what happened with Faith. Since we were there, that should make it crystal clear -- so then if we try to rewind the vision we might to see what she’s actually up to?

“The fact we are having vision based on an event we were actually part of, should make rewinding easier, the vision clearer.”

“Congratulations! You have just won a trip for three to ‘deja-vu’ land. It’s just like looking for a hidden ‘cookie’, not the one that fell in the back of the couch but the one on a DVD.

Willow shook her head at him and Xander grinned back. They had a plan

At first Willow let her mind consider the possibilities of this idea working. Then something occurred to her. “Xander! Anya had this idea didn’t she? How does she even know about Kendra? ”

“Hey, I talk about stuff, I think about stuff.” he protested. “What does it matter who had the idea? I know a good plan when I see one. Well okay, I know a plan when I see one. We can call it good if it works.”

Willow raised a skeptical, but knowing eyebrow at him.

“The analogies were all mine.” he stated defensively. “She spends a lot of time with the G-man. She works for him. You can’t blame her for not coming out with it after your reaction to the last one”. And then he quietly added, “It was a tough room.”

* * * *

Giles entered the training room, feeling that he had given Buffy long enough to pull herself together. He was slightly surprised to find her sitting on the workout mat, staring at the wall. So inactive. So still. He had somehow expected her to be pounding the punching bag.

Steeling himself, he approached her, concerned that he was about to enter into a conversation that no father ever wanted to have with his daughter. He had never really figured out exactly when their relationship had changed, when he had first realized his pride in her. His love for her went deeper than Slayer and Watcher. He just knew that he would give his own life to save her, without question, but also that he would do anything to see her grow up and grow old. The knowledge that another Slayer would be called should she die, that the world of the Watcher’s would continue, did nothing to remove his need to protect her, to nurture her.

He had watched her grow, observed her life change in so many ways, witnessed her strength and her generosity. He felt that he had helped to raise this wonderful young woman. Each time he saw pain fill her, he fought against his watcher self to shield her. Yet he had also learned the hard lesson that he had to let her grow up, let her work through her pain, that she was no longer the young girl he had first trained.

Willow was now the Slayer and so he had begun to train the young witch, just as he had the young Buffy. But, Buffy would forever be in his charge, even if she never regained her powers. He had seen her struggling with the loss, trying to find the new her. He had seen her looking so lost at times. And so he approached her with some apprehension and the very strong need to help this young woman travel through the loss of her powers and regain herself. Unsure how their relationship would change, if they couldn’t get her powers back and if he no longer had to think of her as his Slayer, he took a deep breath.

Coughing ever so slightly, he let Buffy know he was there.

* * * *

The basement of the Magic shop was one of Willow’s favorite places; she loved all the packed shelves, the smells of witch hazel, basil, gorem root, rosemary, the latent energy of the carved totems, talismans and gemstones. This place was made to bring her Wiccan senses awake, to bring them to the surface. She felt so alive, so like her old self. Magic, wasn’t about physical strength; it was about nature, life, the earth, the sky. It made her feel a part of the world.

“Ouch.”, Xander cursed the box of large stone pedestals he had just stubbed his toe on. “So need to spend a little less time in basements. It’s not like I have the ‘burn up in daylight’ problem. Some large Xander-friendly windows are what’s needed.”

“The light switch is on your left.”

“Yeah, right.”

Xander turned on the light, and the dim half light from the quarter-size alley-level windows was replaced by the neon brightness of 100 watts. Now the basement looked more like the storeroom it was and less like the treasure trove Willow enjoyed thinking of it as.

“So what does a vision rod look like?”

“You have this whole plan, carefully worked out, but you don’t know what one looks like?” Willow smirked.

“Hey, I don’t know what this year’s Miss World looks like, but I know it won’t be anything like Aunt Maureen. Know what I mean?”

“Not really. And I’m not sure I want to.”

Xander smiled, knowing he was about to have fun. “I could happily plan to set up, say, a brainy Wiccan friend on a blind date with the present Miss World, on the fairly good assumption that the view would be pleasant and that I would at least be able to guarantee the date would score in the high seven’s.” He gave her a goofy smile. “That’s how I could put together a good plan, without knowing what someone or something looked like.”

“Xander. You scare me sometimes.”

“So if I could, you know set you up? Interested?” Xander asked, arching one eyebrow suggestively.

“I’m a bit busy, kinda trying to get back into my own body.” Willow said, giving him a shake of her head. “Don’t think Buffy would take too kindly to me taking this one out on a blind date.” Willow replied, turning back to the shelf she was searching.

“Okay, so how about after we sort this?” Xander pushed on. “You need to get out there, Will, because alone is just that -- lonely. The only man in your life says you need to be set up. I know you’re not really out there with the ‘butch’, Will, let alone with the smooth pick up lines. I don’t see long lines of women smashing down your door – their loss. You will need help.” He turned his back to her and bent over to look in a large dusty tea chest.

“All of a sudden you know a bevy of Gay women?”

“Will, I work in the building trade. Do you have any idea how many female plumbers, carpenters, electricians and architects I come across in my line of work, who play for the other side? There’s a whole customer base out there that prefers to have a woman working in their home, rather than some big burly sweaty guy. Can’t say I blame them.” He smirked. Giving up on the tea chest, he moved on.

“Okay, so you know some Gay women. What makes you think you could pick someone I would like?”

“Good point.” Xander admitted. “So what kind of woman do you find attractive?” Inside he gave himself a slap on the back -- ‘smooth’. He knew she would describe Buffy. He just had to make her say it out loud.

“Oh you know.” Willow said, suddenly at a loss. Pulling back a large box blocking her access to some shelves, she tried to think about what kind of woman she was attracted to.

“Nope I don’t, that’s the point..” Xander said.

Willow let her mind wander as she began to search the deep shelves in front of her, moving items out of the way, so that she could reach the back of each. “I guess I like the idea of being relaxed with someone, feeling safe with them, knowing I could be myself, not having to hide anything – a Willow safe zone. Someone who wasn’t afraid of my brain or embarrassed by it, who wouldn’t treat me like a geek. Someone who likes to spend an evening watching videos, curled up on a sofa, sharing the sugary goodness and the like. Someone who doesn’t mind whether I babbled or sat quietly. Not into the Magic - don’t think I could share that again.” Willow found her mind taking her back to some of her happiest moments.

“What little stuff would you like them to do for you? You know, Anya likes me to rub her shop feet.”

“Brings me Mocha early on Saturday mornings and buys me sweet things, like silly pj’s. Stands up for me when I’m at a loss for words. Someone who wouldn’t laugh if I cried at the sad or sappy parts in movies. Gives good back rubs. Doesn’t ask me every five minutes what I’m thinking – that’s so annoying. Likes my cooking, even when it goes wrong.”

“Personality?” He added.

“Likes to have her own interests, but respects and supports mine. Loyal, strong, funny, but also sensitive. Understands about my parents. Welcomes me into her home. Doesn’t feel she has to explain us to people. Considerate, compassionate and caring, but decisive and secure in herself. Wacky sense of humor, great at one liner’s and quips. Bigger with the actions than with the words.”

“Appearance?” asked Xander.

“Slightly shorter than me – I’ve tried taller, its okay, but now I know – shorter it is. Physically fit, but no Annie Schwarzenegger. Lithe and agile, but not butch. Sleek with eyes that can say everything. A mane of hair that flows when she moves – oh and can she move. But with a sweet youthful, almost naive face, that nearly hides her wisdom. Not afraid of anyone; brave, fearless, but not foolishly so. Someone who understands how I choose to live. Someone who fits into my life and accepts it. Someone who wouldn’t freak out about the bad guys. Someone who believes the good guys can win. Someone who would be a best friend too.”

“Good. Now just let me think if I know anyone that might remotely describe.” Xander said, smiling at Willow. Then he sighed as if having to think hurt and slowly turned away from her. But as he did he saw the beginnings of a worried expression starting to creep across her face. ‘Ah, the penny is dropping.’ He laughed to himself. How could his super intelligent best friend really be so dumb?

“I don’t think you know anyone that perfect. Besides, we’re rather busy right now. I mean we need to find that vision rod. Get my own body back first. So I wouldn’t waste your time for a while.” Staring at his back, Willow suddenly felt very silly. She had just described Buffy. Would Xander realize? Oh goddess, she hoped not.

Somewhat distracted, she moved to the next stack of shelves. ‘Buffy is your perfect woman and you know it. Why not talk to someone about it?’ Shaking her head, she almost laughed at the thought of talking to Xander about her feelings. He would just go into that male fantasy zone, that silly far away look would cross his face and she’d have to fight the desire to hit him – hard.

“Willow. I’ve got it!”, Xander exclaimed.

Panic washed over Willow. ‘Oh goddess! He knows.’ She didn’t want to turn around; she couldn’t face seeing that spaced-out male fantasy expression. ‘Come on Willow, you have nothing to be ashamed of.’ She turned to him and met his eyes, a very self satisfied grin filled them. ‘Oh yes he knows. Now what do I say?’

Then Xander raised his hand to show her the vision rod.

* * * *

Giles replaced his glasses. “You have to admit that there is a very good possibility, all things considered, that Anya could be right. We have to consider that possibility and plan accordingly. This doesn’t mean we stop looking for other possible meanings or ways to resolve our present predicament.” He sighed. “I just feel that if we find no other alternative, Willow, she has …
certain experience, ahh hmm.” He cleared his throat. “I mean knowledge that could… it could be helpful …you’re friends. That should help.”

“Oh, really? That’s why Willow, my best friend was so freaked out by Anya’s … theory. Being friends should help – yeah right! I’ll tell you why it doesn’t. This would change everything! Just think about it - if you and, say, your best friend at school, could only save the world by sleeping together and you had therefore slept together, do you think you would have remained friends? Would you still be talking to him say twenty years later? I don’t think so. And I plan on talking with my Willow till the day I die! Plus there’s the whole Freudian thing of being in each others bodies.”

“Buffy I never had a friend like that. I wish I had. Maybe then I would never have felt the need to waste so much time; I would never have needed to be Ripper.”, Giles said, opening up a part of his life he rarely talked about.

“I’m sorry Giles. I know you’re just trying to help here. But, how exactly do you ask your best friend to sleep with you? ‘Hey, let’s go to bed and hump so I can have my body and powers back.’ Nope? Too selfish? How about – ‘Hey, I think we need to have sex because being in your body is freaking me out and it’s really brain exploding that Anya’s right, but I won’t tell her if you don’t. Oh and when we’re back in our own bodies, none of our friends will know what we did.’”, Buffy finished.

“I can fully appreciate the weirdness that could ensue if you and Willow have se… It’s a very personal thing. But you girls truly care about each other. I see your loyalty. You are co-supportive - like sisters. You love each other far too much to ever let this end your friendship.”, He moved away slightly. “You would be sensible. You would talk it to death, take whatever precautions were necessary to ensure that you caused each other as little hurt as little as possible. You would fix this by talking until the early hours of the morning, probably over something containing far too much chocolate and glucose.” Coughing he added, “If it helps, I for one, never intend to mention this again, I can assure you. Xander however could probably be threatened with physical pain to such a degree that silence on the matter could be arranged and Anya … well, okay I’ll pay Anya.”

Buffy didn’t lift her head, but she smiled.

“I promise you that although Anya’s theory seems to fit the curse’s wording 90%, there is still the very good possibility, that Faith did not intend this as the ‘get out’ clause.” Giles coughed. “That little lady, may throw sex around like breakfast menus, but the purpose with most things is to be at the center of them. I find it hard to believe that she would set a scene she couldn’t take center stage in. I personally believe the curse has another solution. But we have to, at least, take the current theory on board. You and Willow have to talk about this possibility and soon.” Giles looked with concern at the back of Buffy’s head.

She had realized about halfway through this conversation, possibly the most awkward conversation, she had ever had in her life, that it was easier if she and Giles didn’t actually look at each other. So she didn’t look his way, instead she turned towards the weapon’s board. “Okay, okay! So we say Anya could be right. Will’s gonna be so not happy with that.”

“Buffy, I didn’t say this would be easy. Let’s be realistic. Faith, the Faith we know, wouldn’t choose to make the way out easy. If this is the ‘get out’ clause…”

“I am so going to cause her pain; almost kill her to the point she wishes I would.” Buffy promised. “And then I’m gonna hold her down so Willow can do the same.”

Chapter 5

Willow had decided that Xander should explain the vision rod theory to Giles. She so wanted to see the Watcher’s eyes grow wide. But with Anya unable to stop herself from helping Xander explain, it took a while for the idea to become clear. Although Giles was wide eyed, it was more concentrating to take it all in rather than being amazed at Anya and Xander’s plan; that is until he realized just how good their idea sounded and how well thought out it was. He even managed to live with the several ‘G-man’ references that passed Xander’s lips.

During the explanation Buffy sat sideways to the group. Her mind taking in what was being said but her thoughts were still fixed on how to begin the conversation that she knew she and Willow had to have. As much as she wanted to think that Anya and Xander’s idea could help, she was more than a little sceptical. Somehow she just knew that lately fate was only interested in kicking her ass.

Giles listened, very impressed by the plan and a little overwhelmed by the sheer impact of all three talking almost at once. But when he realized how they excited were with the idea, he just had to let them go with it until they ran out of steam.

"So G-man, do we get the green light?" Xander asked after they concluded their explanation.

Giles looked in amazement - first at Anya and then at Xander. Oblivious to yet another ‘G-man’ reference, he turned to Willow and asked. "You didn't help with this?"

"Nope." She assured him, smiling the very proud smile of a best friend.

"Well, I really can't think why it shouldn't work. It seems fairly straightforward. Well done!" He said, “Yes, it could work. I see no reason why it shouldn’t. Although how effective it will prove - we will only know by trying.” He continued, a slightly amazed tone to his voice. "And there’s no time like the present. Anya, would you close for lunch please?"

A smug smile crossed Anya’s face and Xander gave such a whoop of joy that Willow thought he was going to break into the snoopy dance.

“Okay. ‘I’m ready for the dream sequence Mr. DeMille’.” Xander enthused, posing dramatically. “Have vision rod – will dream. Point me to the stage”

“I think the training room is best.” Giles said. He looked at Buffy and realized that she had only been half listening. There was something about Willow’s face that really couldn’t keep a secret as well as Buffy obviously thought it could. “Buffy?” Her eyes met his. “We’re adjourning to the back.”

“Right.” She replied and stood up to follow Willow and Xander into the training room.

Giles followed her. Concerned by what he had seen in her new face - self doubt.


The trio took up their places on the mat. Buffy sat crossed-legged holding the base of the vision rod with Willow and Xander, each, placing one of their hands above hers. Giles sat behind Willow and Buffy, a hand on each of their shoulders, while Anya sat behind Xander, her hand on his shoulder.

“We need to choose a point in time to concentrate on.” Giles said, expecting someone to respond.

“Buffy was watching us dance before Faith arrived.” Willow offered.

“All right. Buffy, concentrate on what you were thinking and doing as you watched Xander and Willow dance.”

Buffy felt a slight blush fill her cheeks. ‘Don’t be silly. You were just thinking that Oz was a fool. There’s nothing wrong with that.’ She concentrated on that night, trying to recall what Willow and Xander had been wearing. What song had been playing? How warm was it?

[Very good.] Giles prompted with his thoughts.

[My shirt was blue.] Added Xander helpfully, shouting his thoughts.

[Xander!] Giles hissed.

[Sorry.]

Buffy regained her focus. ‘I had a lemonade. The band had just broken into an upbeat number. I looked at Willow. She looked great. Oz is such a fool…’ The pictures in her mind suddenly became solid. She was there. She could almost smell the stale air of the Bronze. She looked towards the dance floor and there were Xander and Willow. Her view was suddenly obstructed but she recognized the face that moved into her line of sight as Faith’s. Leaning across the table, Faith smiled knowingly, as she blocked her view of the dance floor.

“Hey B, still checking out … “

[Okay Buffy, you’ve got us there. Now try to rewind slowly and follow Faith.] Giles instructed.

Glad for the interruption, Buffy tried to do just that. Suddenly she was watching everything back up. Inside she smiled as she saw Willow and Xander dancing – backwards!! [Hey!] She heard a female voice protest.

[Follow Faith.] Giles reminded her.

She concentrated and followed Faith back through her entrance into the Bronze. Somehow that leather clad swagger of Faith’s seemed almost hypnotic backwards.

[If I wear leather you get a rash.]

[Anya!]

[Well you do!]

[Buffy, ignore them. Follow Faith. And will you two shut up?] Giles spat in frustration.

[Sorry.] They replied.

Buffy drew herself back to Faith. But it was all so slow, too slow. She glanced at Willow on the dance floor, so happy, so safe and suddenly she remembered that this was why she was here. She hadn’t been able to save Willow from the pain of losing Tara or Oz or from the constant abandonment of her parents but she could fix this. She could give Willow back her body. She just had to concentrate. She focused all her thoughts on rewinding time. The world seemed to shoot past her, accelerating, speeding almost into a blur.

[Buffy slow down.]

She focused and time slowed. Faith was climbing onto a bus.
[That’s Sunnydale bus station.] She thought. [I need to go back further.] She focused and again time sped past. This time she seemed to almost lose control of it; her image went out of focus. She had no idea how fast she was rewinding.

[Buffy!]

She tried desperately. Slow, slow, slow…. Gradually the image refocused.

As it did, a man appeared before her - below average height, wild hair, she tried to identify the slowly refocusing image and as she did - she realized that it was Oz.

[Oh No.] Buffy sighed.

He looked much the same as she remembered him, which couldn’t be right. He entered a bar and nodded at an older woman who was sitting on a stool in the now empty bar. He moved towards the smiling woman. Buffy didn’t recognize her.

“Cool set last night.” The woman offered as praise. “Your gear is out back. Greg didn’t seem happy with last night’s gig.”

“Greg thinks the base line on “cried out” needs adjusting. But I’m ok with it.” Oz replied. She passed him a can of beer and he moved to stand beside her. “You alone?”

Buffy couldn’t believe she had somehow focused her vision on Oz.

“Not now.” She smiled. “It’s been awhile since I’ve come across you guys. You still seeing the redhead with the cute smile?”

“Nope, that ended.” He replied, as a shadow seemed to cross his face.

“That sounds recent. I thought it was serious.” She smiled at him. “I’ve noticed you have a tendency to leave us mid sentence lately.” Reassuringly she added, “I don’t think your mother has spotted it yet. Was it serious?”

[She’s family?] Buffy asked.

[Ramona, his Aunt.] Willow replied

“It was for me.” Oz fell into silence and Buffy thought that was all he was going to say. The older woman also stayed silent. He turned to stare up at the stage and continued, “She was lying to herself about her feelings for someone else, someone I really like.” He huffed and grinned to himself. “I loved her and she cared for me, felt safe with me. But she was never in love with me.” He moved his gaze to the floor. “I didn’t want to compete, to fight for her.” He frowned. “Someone would have been hurt.” Buffy knew he really meant that. Oz’s fear of the wolf was real. “I’m not sure she realized but I knew. I had to give her the chance. Lets face it - once she figures out what she needs, guys like me – nada.”

[Buffy, we need to fast forward. You’ve gone too far back.] Willow interjected. She really didn’t want to visit where Oz was going.

“Sorry, sounds rough. Why?” Oz looked at her oddly. “Why didn’t you compete? Who’s that unbeatable?”

“A woman.” Oz replied, almost laughing.

[How could he have known about Tara?] Buffy asked.

Slowly complete understanding registered in the older woman’s eyes. She moved towards him, placing her arm across his shoulders. “You’re an original, Oz. Not many men I know would care more about someone’s future happiness than their own heart. Fighting the male ego stereotype.” She squeezed his shoulders. “An original.”

“Yeah. ‘Original Guy’; the t-shirts are on order.”

The vision began to blur as Buffy lost her focus, a thousand thoughts suddenly obliterating her concentration. Oz had only met Tara after he left Willow - so how could his liking her be part of his decision to leave?

[Buffy, focus!] Giles commanded.

She tried, but her mind was a mess.

[Buffy, follow Faith. We need to find Faith!] Giles again commanded.

Her mind somehow heard the voice of her Watcher, the voice of a man she trusted with her life, with Willow’s life and she collected herself.

Drawing her mind back to Faith, images began to form again. She concentrated and as the image cleared she saw a room, a sofa, sunlight, welcoming colors, Mexican tiles and a large picture window. Standing, outlined against the window, was a woman with long black hair – Faith? No, she’s wearing a dress. The woman turned and Buffy realized it was Cordelia.

“So Angel thinks he can help you, does he? Personally I think you’re just playing him, like you play all men.” Cordelia accused, raising her eyebrow to glare at the woman across the room.

“Yeah, figured that was your take on things.” Faith replied. “So why you letting me crash here if you’re not with the program?”

“Listen honey, I may know you’re an evil, ‘don’t trust her as far as you can throw her’, low rent slut but Angel wants to keep you around. He thinks you can change.” She laughed. “So my choice was to either let you stay with him. Soooo not happening. All we need is you getting a slut itch and forgetting to care about the whole ‘one moment of true happiness’ thingy (not that you’re really into that and I doubt happiness is your gift but who cares – not taking the chance); or that you might start feeling the other ‘stake him, dust him’ urge; or I let you stay here.” She gave Faith a truly lacking in welcome smile and added. “There’s no sluttish leather in my closet, so don’t bother raiding it. The fridge is stocked – you go and get for yourself. Washing machine and dryer are in the back – don’t mix your stuff in with mine.” She turned her back to the Slayer. “I’m gonna take a bath.”

“Want some company? Or is that self service too?” Faith asked. Buffy could hear the sexual innuendo in her voice.

“If you’re gone when I get out? That’ll be fine by me. I’ll let Angel down gently.” Cordy replied, ignoring her comments. “He’ll get used to being betrayed by you, just like the rest of us.”

[Way to go, Cordy.] Buffy cheered.

“Queen C, I’m gonna enjoy disappointing you - by proving you wrong.”

“I won’t be joining the ‘we think Faith can change’ cheerleaders anytime soon. You hurt people I care about. You let Buffy down. You kidnapped Willow. You put her life in danger. You put all our lives in danger.”

[Cordy cares about us.] Willow whispered in amazement.

[It’s scary but true.] Buffy added, laughing to herself.

[Buffy, keep your focus.]

Cordy replied. “I won’t wait till the end of the world for that one. Oh wait - been there.” And with that she walked into her bedroom, closing the door.

Nothing happened for a while, so Buffy slowly wound forward. She saw Cordy go to the fridge, then back to her bedroom. Faith grabbed a glass of water and settled on the sofa. She sped up the ‘fast forward’.

[Try and focus on the conversations about you and Willow.] Giles instructed.

[Can I do that?] Buffy asked, somewhat doubtful.

[Try.] Giles urged her.

Cordy reappeared from her bedroom. “I’m going out.”

“Go for it.” Faith responded, as if Cordy had asked for her okay. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”

“If the phone rings, don’t answer. I don’t want to have to explain to the Scoobies why you’re answering my phone.”

“You keep in touch?” Faith asked somewhat surprised. Buffy could see that Faith hadn’t really imagined Cordy keeping in touch with the old gang.

“When we need to. That’s what friends do. Not that you really stayed around long enough to learn that rule. Let alone anything else.” Cordy replied as she closed the front door.

Buffy tried to remember the last time she had spoken to Cordy, except to ask for Angel. That made her feel really bad. She hadn’t actually talked to Cordelia since her last visit to see Angel and that had only been in passing. [I should call her, catch up.]

[She called last week, needing help with a protection spell. We didn’t really chat.] Willow offered, feeling like a bad person.

[I mostly speak to Wesley.] Giles added.

Quietly, everyone resolved to catch up with their old friend, and soon.

Fast-forwarding again, Buffy noticed that Faith had opened what looked like a spell book. She focused and slowed down the image. Faith was leaning on the kitchen counter, running her finger across the line she was reading. Her face showed that not only was she concentrating but also she seemed to be … smiling?

[Buffy try another angle. Get behind her.] Xander suggested.

Buffy slowly changed her focus, like a camera on a boom. She slowly moved behind Faith and lifted the image to look over her shoulder. Focusing on the text, she began to read. ‘Separate the whites and yolks of six eggs. Grease a baking tray, approximately 4” by 8”, then ...’

[No!] Buffy gasped.

Faith turned away from the book and opened the fridge, pulling out a carton of eggs and some butter.

[I’m in the twilight zone.] She stated, unable to believe her eyes.

Then she opened a cupboard. Reaching down she moved several pots and pans before emerging with a baking tray.

Buffy started to giggle at the ridiculous image before her; then she laughed; then she lost all control of her laughter as she realized that not only was Faith was looking at a cookbook and preparing to bake but she appeared to be enjoying it.

The vision blurred as Willow and Xander joined in the laughter.

[Buffy, concentrate.] Giles asked. [Please.]

[It’s too – hic – much.] Xander hiccupped. She could hear him gasping for air. [Do you- hic - think she’s making - hic - Angel Cakes?]

That was it. Buffy lost control and the image vanished. Slowly her hearing returned and she could hear the giggles and guffaws of her friends. She opened her eyes to find Willow and Xander rolling on the floor, no longer touching the vision rod, their hands clutching their stomachs as they laughed uncontrollably. Giles appeared to be trying to glare at them but his eyes were watering with the tears of held back laughter.

Anya simply looked confused by the whole thing. “I don’t understand. Why is Faith baking cakes for Angel funny? I would think that’s the least she could do.” She said, seemingly oblivious to the ridiculous sight of a Slayer ‘gone bad’ in the role of Betty Crocker!

Buffy looked at her and then at her friends. Laughter erupted from her very core and she joined them, rolling on the floor, feeling lighter and younger than she had in a very long time.

Chapter 6

Anya had re-opened the Magic Box because Giles had decided that the next ‘vision rod’ attempt would be made after five o’clock. Xander left promising to return at five with coffees, donuts and other sugary goodness.

Giles and Willow decided to use the time to concentrate on her training. Buffy had stayed for a while watching her dearest friend go through the exercises she knew so well but eventually she just felt so useless that she decided to leave them to it.

Walking through the shop she acknowledged Anya with a “See yah later.” She hadn’t really expected a response; so when Anya did speak she was only half listening.

“She’s really scared, you know. So are you.” Anya offered her insight to the back of the Witch’s body with Buffy’s brain.

“What?” Buffy said, more than a little unsure as to what Anya was going on about.

“You’re both scared. You’re both freaked but you’re not doing anything about it.” She made an exasperated noise. “I’ve wreaked vengeance on many a man for being just this thoughtless and inactive; for just letting things fester. After all these years…” She shook her head from side to side before adding, “Women are just as bad.” Anya thought she had explained matters quite clearly. But from Buffy’s expression it was obvious that she might as well have actually spoken in another language. ‘I have this same problem with Xander.’ She sighed.

“Well, there’s not really a lot we can do right now, is there?” Buffy replied.

“It’s a trust thing. You’re both pretending that everything is okay; that you’re coping. Well, it shouldn’t have to take a newly mortal and valuable member of society like me to tell you that you’re both lousy liars.” Anya huffed.

“We’re doing okay.” Buffy answered, defending both herself and her best friend.

“You are not. You’re lost without your Slayer powers. Being a normal mortal doesn’t sit well on you, Bullow. And Wiffy is riddled with guilt because she has your powers. But both of you are faking being fine with this. How honest is that?” Anya questioned. “Maybe Faith…”

“What did you just call us?” Buffy exploded at Anya.

This outburst shook the former vengeance demon a little. “Well you are Buffy in Willow – Bullow and she’s Willow in Buffy – Wiffy. Helps to keep it straight – remembering who's in who. Xander thinks they’re cute names.” She added by way of defense. “He was gonna use name badges.”

Buffy glared at the ex-demon but then she found herself smiling. “Name badges?”

“I told him that ogling your breasts for a name badge, whenever he had to check who he was talking to, would very quickly get him into trouble. I like him looking at mine. Besides you two would just get a pained look on your faces and threaten to hit him.” Anya explained, somewhat relieved that Bullow was now smiling.

Buffy had to admit that Anya had a point. She often forgot that she didn’t look like herself. She wondered how Giles was coping with remembering whom he was speaking to.

“Yes, well.” Buffy really had nothing left to say. “See yah later.” She moved swiftly to the door before Anya could return to her earlier topic.

* * * *

Buffy sat in the park. She’d needed some space and alone time. She had begun to feel as though the walls of the Magic shop were closing in around her. She was so aware of everyone’s eyes which felt so heavy upon both of them. And then there was Anya’s brutal honesty. Here she could feel the sun warming her back, breathe in, stretch and be ignored by just about everyone who passed her. But she knew that in just two more hours they would try again.

The faint voices of people laughing down by the lake washed over her. Looking across towards the lake she noticed an old couple walking hand in hand. Sadness filled her. She would never be like them. She would never find someone to be with her for the rest of her life. But knowing that if she didn’t get her powers back she could probably grow old made her feel suddenly very vulnerable. She hadn’t studied for this. She wasn’t ready for this. Surprise! Surprise! She had always lived with the fact that Slayers didn’t get old. She had realized a long time ago that she was now far older than most of the previous Slayers.

In her self-imposed solitude her mind was flooded with images of Willow; her Willow. Now she was the Slayer; doomed to die young; doomed to never know love or happiness; never to be able to plan too far ahead. Willow had gained such control of her new found strength. But did she realize what baggage would come with it if they couldn’t fix this body swap? Buffy’s physical strength and power had seemed easy for Willow to deal with. Leaving Buffy with what? – Slayer dreams. ‘Great all I get to keep is the title ‘weird dream girl’. I never thought Cordy and I would end up in the same club. Who would have thought?’

She couldn’t let Willow take on her very short life expectancy! She couldn’t let that happen! Not to her Willow! Willow had been hurt enough already by the thoughtlessness of others. ‘Oz’ Buffy suddenly remembered what he had said. He had left Willow because she was falling in love with another woman; someone he liked. It made no sense. He hadn’t even met Tara back then. She didn’t move to Sunnydale until the start of the College year. Was there someone else? Someone who had first opened Willow to the ‘I kinda like a girl, I’m kinda gay’ thing long before she had realized that she was.

Who had Willow been friendly with back then? Okay there was Anya, former vengeance demon Anya, for a while – Oh right, because that had ended so well and she likes her so much. Then there was Amy [whose mother had wanted her to be a cheerleader]. They had been chummy --- until she turned herself into a rat! But Willow still took care of her. Nah. In love with a rat? That’s not my Willow. Buffy’s brain ached as she tried to think of anyone that Willow had grown close to back then whom Oz had known and liked, and who Willow might care for.

How had Oz noticed while she hadn’t?

For short periods of time Cordelia would be nice to Willow, mostly when no one was looking. Nah, they hardly talk now. Willow said so herself. But Cordelia had been extra protective of Willow with Faith and she had really wigged out over the whole Xander/ Willow kissing incident. Maybe that had more to do with how she felt about Willow than Xander. Willow had tried so hard to apologize to both Oz and Cordy --- but she had always said that she didn’t care what Cordy thought of her. Maybe Willow had changed only after screwing things up so royally with Xander. She used to do homework for Cordy, put up with her nasty remarks and she had seemed really pissed with Xander when he started seeing Cordy. Ahh Hah!!

Buffy wasn’t sure if she had pinned it down but Cordy was the only person that made any sense. What really confused her was that this would mean that Oz had liked Cordy. Maybe he had seen something in her, something that the rest of them had missed, and something that would have indicated what she was capable of. After all she was now fighting the good fight with Angel --- being vision girl and all.

* * * *

Beyond the lake a truck approached an old building on the far side of the park. Pulling up, two men emerged in green overalls and proceeded to unload several large crates, carrying them up the broad steps to the main door of the building.

Nothing would have struck anyone as unusual about this scene – that is without the knowledge that each of the four large cases contained soil and a body….

* * * *

After two hours of training Willow and Giles moved to the table in the shop, where she now sat engrossed in her laptop. Giles had installed an Internet connection there just for Willow. She had thought that so sweet of him at the time but she had later realized that although Giles disliked modern technology with a passion - he was no fool to the resources it opened up to him.

Willow found her mind wondering from the screen of her laptop. Giles had asked her to get in touch with various cyber covens in the hope that someone could assist with the translation of the curse. They had all been very supportive and eager to help but so far no one seemed to have a different interpretation from the one that Anya had voiced only this morning. This really did nothing to lift her spirits.

She wondered what Buffy was doing. She had been concentrating on Giles’ instructions earlier and had failed to notice when Buffy had left. Buffy had seemed so distant today; lost in her own world. Willow missed connecting with her. A simple eye contact, a smile and they would be in each other’s minds. She was missing her best friend.

But this body swap had been hard on both of them. She had seen Buffy feeling frustrated and useless. She knew that having the Slayer’s powers on loan was a heavy responsibility; a responsibility that she wished had not been given to her. But she didn’t want to let Buffy or the gang down. She had played along with the training sessions, surprised at how much she had enjoyed them, hoping that if they could just keep everything normal -- that’s how everything would end, back to normal. But it wasn’t working.

She had read and re-read the curse and each time her fear had grown that Anya was right. She and Buffy would need to sleep together to get back into their own bodies. She wanted to scream; she wanted to hunt down Faith and put her in a world of badness, pain and then more badness. ‘That’s the Slayer stuff talking – right?’ What had she ever done to deserve this?

Fear gripped her at the thought of having to make love to Buffy. Okay in her dreams was one thing. There it had always gone well, beyond well, so blissfully. But reality - so much more with the scary, freaky cold shivers and stuff. In her dreams Buffy had wanted her; had needed her touch. She was welcomed.

But the real true-to-life Buffy liked guys, even dead guys and had never shown anything but friendly love and affection towards Willow - let alone any other woman. Plus Buffy wasn’t really into the ‘touchy feely’ thing. ‘Let’s face facts. You have shared a hug with Xander more times than you have Buffy’. She had bandaged many a knee and shoulder over the years, but there had been no closeness. Nope, no physical closeness; let alone comfortable physical closeness. ‘You’re not even used to her touching you'.

She must have had a strange expression on her face because Giles gave her his old hairy eyeball look. “Anything?”

“Nope.” She replied, shrugging her shoulders. “Nothing yet.”

* * * *

Giles sat waiting for Xander who, as usual, was late. The young man somehow felt that turning up with food always excused him. Buffy and Willow were already waiting in the back room while Anya took Xander’s delay as an opportunity to recheck her cash register receipts.

Meanwhile in the training room, Willow stretched her shoulders.

“Are you okay, Will?” Buffy asked her voice a little concerned.

“I’m okay. Too much laptop time I guess.” She grinned. “You know, I have this sneaking suspicion that this body is really not used to the recognized study positions.”

Buffy laughed. “I do most of my studying lying on my stomach or cross-legged on my bed. No desk-sitting for me.”

“You should definitely try it -- ergonomics and all that.” Willow responded, stretching herself once again. Although she could feel some slight tightness she was pleased that she was in Buffy’s body and not her own. She had serious doubts she would be anything more than a crumpled heap after just one of Giles’ training sessions. Moving to the mat, she smiled at Buffy, noticing the slight stiffness in her own shoulders.

“You okay?” She said giving Buffy her ‘serious face’.

Buffy looked confused. “Yeah.”

“That was my ‘serious, I know there’s something on your mind’ look.” Willow explained, realizing that with Buffy’s features she was unable to ‘look’ a thought. People just couldn’t recognize them.

“Oh yeah. Right.” Pausing, Buffy tilted her head down slightly. “It’s not that I’m not okay; though not exactly big on okay until we get our bodies back - but coping. But … well … actually it’s more something I know we really need to talk about. But now isn’t the time for theories. That’s what’s on my mind.” She raised her eyes to gauge Willow’s response. “Will?”

Willow took a moment and then it clicked. “Ah huh … I see … right … well yes … that would be … aahh hmmm … something we will need to talk about. I can just see … well now isn’t really the time to get into a discussion about … to talk about … private … yes it should be private … agreeing now.” Willow finished her babble.

“I thought maybe that after this ‘dream vision’ stuff is done, we could have some dorm chat time.” Buffy continued, hating herself for pushing to have a conversation that neither of them really wanted to have. But she knew that Giles was right. They couldn’t go on not talking about this possibility. Faith’s phone call, the bed, the rose, the wording of the curse left her in no doubt, no avoiding -- this was bad.

“Okay.” Willow replied her voice at least two octaves higher.

As if aware that their conversation needed to be interrupted and any possible awkward silence avoided, Giles entered the room.

“I see we’re still awaiting Xander.” Giles said with obvious annoyance. Looking outside Giles noticed that it had suddenly become very dark. He moved closer to the window. “Very strange. We seem to have somehow missed sundown and gone straight to night. Where was Xander coming from?”

“The Baristas Coffee Company near his apartment. He says they do great mochas. You don’t think he would be stupid enough to cut through the cemetery, do you?” Willow asked, already fearing the worse.

Buffy stared out into the night “When did this happen? He always cuts through it during the day.” Buffy confirmed. “But dark equals dinner bell. Will, we need to be out there now.”

* * * *

Xander ducked across the cemetery, mocha tray in one hand and donut box in the other, safe in the knowledge it was at least half an hour until sundown. However he noticed that dark clouds seemed to be gathering overhead. ‘Great. It's going to rain.’ He thought at first until he realized how very dark the sky itself was also getting. By now he was only half way through the cemetery. Rain and cheap t-shirt dye jobs became the least of his worries. ‘Early for dinner time, something’s up.’ He began to run.

* * * *

Buffy ran, her lungs bursting with her efforts to keep up with Willow. She could see Xander coming towards them and he wasn’t alone. Behind him were two new vamps, their clothes still layered in soil.

“Willow. Hurry.” She yelled somewhat unnecessarily.

Willow did, indeed, speed up and pushing off she flipped over Xander’s head to land behind him; between her friends and the approaching vampires. Her movement seemed to sufficiently surprise the vampires who slowed their approach, looking questioningly at each other as they proceeded more carefully towards her.

Willow could feel her blood pumping, totally adrenaline-wired. Suddenly she felt in control, her senses taking in every movement of the approaching 'fangies'. ‘This feels so right, fits like a favorite coat.’ She mused to herself, wondering if she was becoming used to the role of Slayer.

Suddenly the vamps split to approach her from different flanks. “Watch out Willow!” She heard Buffy yell and her nerves said ‘hello’.

Buffy was still running towards Xander and Willow as she saw the two vamps split. They were hoping to double team Willow. She had to get there; had to help. She was concentrating so much on reaching Willow that she ran straight into Xander’s waiting arms. “Whoa there Buff. Will’s got it.” Xander said by way of explanation, as his other arm surrounded her, holding her back firmly. Both of her arms were pinned beneath Xander’s apparent tree trunk arms.

Buffy strained for release as she watched the two vampires approach Willow, her heart in her mouth. “Willow!” She called. Frustrated and mad, the desire to maim Xander built within her.

“Buffy.” Xander spoke into her ear, concern filling his voice, as if realizing how not happy his actions were making her. “Will has to do this herself. Stake her first - alone. Just like you.” Xander reminded her. “Giles said we have to let her do this. So that she can believe in herself, get her chi Slayer thing going and all that.”

Buffy could here the words but all she could see was her Willow. She knew that this was the way all Slayers were introduced to Slaying. But she hadn’t liked it then and she definitely didn’t like it now. That was her Willow, her dear sweet Willow, surrounded by two angry vamps. Again she tried to release herself. But Xander held her tight.

“Sorry Buffy. Orders from the G-man.” Xander felt like a miserable heel. He knew the G-man was probably right; hell he hated that he was. Will needed this but doubt nagged at him. Xander understood that Willow would never believe in herself, that she could be the Slayer, until she dusted her first alone with no aid from the Scoobies. It seemed strange now to have to think of Buffy as a Scooby. But he also knew that in the same position he would hold Willow back. ‘Okay so there are two vamps’, he considered as he began to plan for involvement if at anytime his little Witch looked in trouble. Looking down at Buffy, he saw the helplessness on her face, the desire to save her dear friend, the sheer desperation in her eyes. ‘Does she have any idea how she looks at Willow these days?’ He wondered.

Willow tried to focus on her lessons with Giles as the vampires circled her, waiting for the optimum moment to attack. ‘I need to concentrate. I can do this; no wiggin' out.’ Clearing her mind of all else, she dipped into her knees slightly forcing her center lower. The vampires took this as their moment and both moved in.

Xander watched wide-eyed with pride as Willow shot out her left leg and her right fist. As they collided with the approaching vamps, she pushed and retracted her limbs. Judging that the one she had punched needed to be removed from matters for a while, she swivelled bringing her left leg through in an arch and launched to jump-kick him. He flew a good eight feet landing on his back across a tombstone.

“We’re the back-up but only if she needs it.” Xander said, trying to soothe the ex-Slayer. He knew too well, that just as she had with the Mayor, Buffy would do absolutely anything if it meant she had any chance of saving Willow from danger. Xander sighed with relief since it seemed that for now Will was in control.

Willow smiled and turning she saw the other vamp approaching her. Launching from one foot he leapt towards her, his game face leering with the anticipation of a sure kill. Willow side stepped, brought out her stake, fell to her knees and plunged the weapon into the still airborne vamp’s chest just in time to see the shocked look on his face. Then dust rained.

“One down. Way to go Will.” Xander yelled, unable to stop himself.

Buffy ignored him as she focused on the remaining vamp. He moved with more caution eyeing Willow suspiciously. Buffy saw the blood lust fill his game face. He moved in; raining blows at Willow.

Willow found her arms moving almost independently of her, blocking his blows until she saw an opening and shot her left palm up, pushing his chin and head back. At the same time she drew back her right hand. Reversing her pose, she plunged the stake into her retreating foe’s chest area. ‘Damn, missed.’ The vamp smiled at her as if she was a silly child. Pulling her arm back she drove forward again but he had moved to her left.

“Will” Buffy called. “Duck roll.”

Willow reacted instinctively to Buffy’s instructions, ducking below his punch and rolling away from the vamp’s subsequent leg kick. Regaining her feet, she turned. The vamp moved to follow her but instead of moving away from him she reached and pulled him into her and the awaiting stake.

As he vanished into dust, Buffy and Xander got a clear look at their friend. The stunned look on her face indicated that she obviously couldn’t believe that she had just dusted two vamps. Her eyes grew wide as what had just happened sank in. She looked at her two friends questioningly.

Xander released Buffy, who left his arms with out a backward glance to run towards her Willow. Reaching Willow she cupped her face. “Will?” she questioned, searching her friend’s face.

Willow smiled at her friend’s concerned features. “I’m okay. Bit wired, but I’m good.” She said placing her hand on Buffy’s shoulder as further assurance of her ‘okay’ condition. “That was … different.” Seeing concern still in the face before her, she added. “Good different, not bad different. Kinda cool different. Kick ass, bad ass Witchy Slayer different … in a ‘hey look what I did’ sort of way. I did good. Right?”

“Right. You did very good.” Buffy replied. She was uncertain what else to say. She wanted to tell her best friend never to put herself in danger again; that she should have waited for her. But she felt foolish, selfish and lost as she realized Willow had done exactly what needed doing. Exactly what she would have done.

“Hey Will - dusting with ‘slayertude’. Way to go!” Xander congratulated her, planting a mock punch to her right shoulder.

Buffy turned to him, refocusing her frustrations. “You held me back.” She accused, anger rising within her again.

“Buff, You know Will had to dust her first alone. How many times have you pulled me back for putting myself in harm’s way? I couldn’t let you do it.” He said backing off, Buffy was way wrong but right this minute she had Willow’s really ‘pissed off’ face on and that scared him even at the best of times.

Buffy knew he was right but she had to vent. She moved towards him threateningly.

“Will’s gotta get with the Slaying. So the bad guys don’t think anything’s changed. You know what that calls for.” Xander said. Deciding to stand his ground he continued. “We would’ve been there if she needed us. But she didn’t.”

“Buffy.” Willow said, stepping between them. “Xander’s right. I had to do this alone; to know that I could.”

Buffy looked from Xander to Willow just in time to catch a movement out of the corner of her eye. Instinctively she pulled Willow behind her as a massing swirl of black smoke appeared on the main path.

“What the…?” Xander exclaimed, moving to the side of Buffy and Willow, their problems forgotten.

Chapter 7

The smoke seemed to be forming into a figure and sure enough they were soon able to see the shape of a man. As the last of the smoke evaporated they gasped. Before them stood an incarnation straight out of an Anne Rice novel.

The pale faced male Vampire looked at first to Willow, evaluating her and then to Buffy, settling his gaze on her. In a deep mid-European accent he said, “A very impressive kill. I see that you are greatly missing your powers.”

Willow, unnerved that this Vampire appeared to know who was who, moved to step in front of Buffy. The Vampire dismissed her actions. “We are not going to fight.”

“You seem pretty sure of that.” Buffy challenged. “Considering my friend, the Slayer here, is going to prevent you from ever worrying about sunburn.” Buffy grinned.

“I apologize. Not for seeing through such simplistic magics, but for stating that I had. I see that you would have preferred to keep the game going; the illusion of a mystery. Interesting.” Dracula seemed to smile at Buffy with affection.

“Talking of mystery - what’s with the tall dark and mysterious?” Willow interjected. “Who are you?”

“I assumed you knew. I am Dracula.” He responded without a hint of humor in his voice or facial expression.

“Get out! Let me get this straight. You’re Dracula; ‘the guy’, the Count. He died … ?” Buffy stumbled in disbelief.

He bowed slightly in acknowledgement. “I came to meet the renowned killer.” He explained, casting a side glance a Willow who was still very much on edge.

Buffy responded “I prefer Slayer. Killer sounds so…”

“Naked? But that’s what you are. A Slayer is a killer.” Dracula said, the last word containing such intensity that she recoiled.

Willow moved forward sensing a threat to Buffy. Dracula vanished literally in a puff of smoke.

“We are not going to fight.” Dracula said, as he reappeared behind the stunned trio.

“Hey, how’d he do that?” Xander exclaimed. As they all turned and took a very defensive posture, separating slightly to allow each other room to maneuver.

“I felt I should introduce myself. But seeing your situation for what it is; a foolish use of magic. Perhaps you are not what I have been seeking.” He seemed to be re-thinking his plans. This unnerved the trio.

“Yeah, right. Searching the world for the Slayer - that’s normal blood sucking behavior.” Buffy said, hoping he would reveal more.

“Be still!” Dracula commanded gazing deep into the eyes of the trio. “I do not mean to harm you.”

The Trio found itself unable to move, needing to follow his command - the command of those deep eyes and sultry tones.

He moved towards Buffy. “I have much to show you.” He said surrounding her in his arms, he gazed into her eyes. “Be still.” Turning to Willow and Xander he repeated this phrase. Then he and Buffy vanished.

* * * *

Willow and Xander charged into the Magic shop gasping for air, fighting through the need to catch their breaths to explain what had happened.

At first Willow had totally blamed herself for losing Buffy. After all she was now the Slayer, having already proved herself in training and in battle. Despite what Giles had told her - that against Dracula and his thrall there was little or nothing that a new Slayer [because that was indeed what she was – a new Slayer] could have done, she still felt she should have done something.

She had practically run to the security of her laptop when they reached the Magic shop. They had to explain, research, plan. Eventually they had kicked into research mode and she found herself reassuringly tapping keys, surfing the Net for anything she could find on Dracula. At first all she came across were the usual sites dedicated to vampire movies and books but then she discovered that some of the online covens kept archives of folk lore, prophesies and myths. These proved far more useful.

She pushed the concerned face of her best friend, the way she had held her face, her touch, her eyes, to the back of her mind. They had looked so full of …‘No!’ she needed to keep her mind on finding Buffy, not on her lovelorn wishes and hopes. ‘You can always see what you want to see if you look hard enough. That doesn’t make it real.’ She reminded herself.

* * * *

Xander stared at his friend. Sometime over all these years, a core of personal strength had grown within Willow; she had become a strong, caring woman - someone he was proud he could still count as his friend. He had often feared that Willow and Buffy would leave him behind. As Joe Normal he wondered why they kept him around. Most of the time he was next to useless and he knew it – the ‘Forest Gump’ feeling often overwhelmed him. But when they would come to him with the normal stuff he felt useful, part of the team. Maybe he was there to ground them, connect them to the world, a world they lived outside of most of the time these days.

He recalled the shy self-depreciating young Willow he had once known; as afraid of her own shadow as he had been of his. ‘I wonder if she would even recognize herself these days.’ He had seen the look on her face during the fight. She had seemed so in control, confident, complete and then when she realized that Buffy was gone, it was as if she had lost a part of her heart. Devastation had filled her eyes but the strength had remained.

It had amused him at first that this swap was allowing him to ‘read’ both of his dear friends so clearly. But he soon began to realize that the things he was seeing had always been there. Nothing he had discovered over the last three days had really been that much of a shock to him. Okay there had been a little fantasy fest. ‘Oz how could you walk away from this one, man.’ He laughed to himself.

Since before the approach of graduation day, Xander had accepted that Buffy would never be more than his friend. He had stood by her decision to save Willow from the Mayor at any the cost. He had seen Will support Buffy, trust Buffy, forgive her for vanishing that first summer. He had been amazed and disappointed when Will, wounded and in hospital, fought to bring Angel back to Buffy, to make her happy. He had seen Buffy help Will when Oz left and then Tara, and support her when she had ‘come out’.

Maybe he had always known how they felt about each other. Just like he knew that the sun would rise; that he would always lose a sock to the god of the clothes dryer; that Giles would forever clean his glasses when they began to speak about sex. Yet he was still in awe of their ignorance; that they had managed to avoid realizing how they both felt for so long.

He still couldn’t get his head around the idea that Faith was good. It just didn’t ring true. He had seen what little was left of her soft side in that motel room and although he had hoped to see it again - he had not. What he had seen had killed any hope he had had for her. Angel was the other reason for his doubt. Some things he just couldn’t change and how he felt about Angel was one of them.

* * * *

“He likes to live in style. Modus operandi is different from other vampires. He never just kills to feed. He’d rather have a connection to his victims.” Willow summarized the results of her brief Internet search. “He uses his mental powers to draw them in, to weaken their minds, to appear in their dreams. It makes sense. That stare … he just kinda … looked right through you …right?” She asked seeking confirmation from Xander.

“He wants an intimate seduction. It’s not enough that he has a connection. His victims must yearn for him, burn for him.” Giles explained.

“So he uses mind control? That’s why all the chicks in those black and whites just did as he said?” Xander stated. “I thought it was just bad acting.”

“‘Under the thrall of the dark prince’.” Giles quoted, in full “B”-movie speak and then shook himself, ‘I’m spending way too much time with Xander!’

“He may be all ‘prince of the dark and mysterious’ guy. But thrall - Yech. He’s not that good looking.” Willow responded.

“Except for the ‘tall, dark foreign accent and handsome’ thingy. Oh yeah … Yech.” Anya agreed sarcastically. “How quickly the ‘kinda gay’ forget.”

Xander turned to Anya. “And how would you know?” He asked just as sarcastically as he could manage trying to prevent Willow from getting all pissed with Anya yet again.

“We hung out a few times back in my demon days. You know it was pretty cool from a whole evil thing point of view, which I’m not anymore.”

Giles ignored Anya’s comments, concentrating his gaze on Willow. “The trick to defeating him is separating the fact from the fiction. Vlad the Impaler research?” He finished looking at the gang expectantly. Willow and Xander nodded moving back towards the research area.

Anya lost in past glories continued to reminisce. “I don’t think he’d remember me, I was just a silly young thing, about 700 or so. But he did say that this guy I cursed was doomed forever, which was pretty sweet. I think…..”

“Xander. I know that I have a volume that may well be of use back at my apartment.” Giles said, stopping Xander before he could respond to Anya’s rant. “If you think you could make it there and back without visiting the cemetery and any dark alleys?”

“I could drive.” Xander said. He didn’t like being reminded of his part in losing Buffy but Giles had a point. He held out his hand and Giles somewhat reluctantly handed over his keys.

* * * *

Emerging from Giles’ car Xander moved up the path and into the courtyard. As if he wasn’t feeling bad enough after getting caught in the cemetery after sunset … not that the sun had actually set … it had been more a case of clouds blocking the sun. When apparently to add insult to injury a familiar haze of black smoke gathered before him and Dracula materialized.

Stopping short, Xander shrugged in disbelief. “Great. Just perfect.” He exclaimed, glaring at the vampire as if he was to blame. Little did he know how accurate he was. “You know what? You’re not so big.” Xander quipped moving backwards a little. “I bet one round of old fashioned ‘fisty cuffs’ and you’d fold like an old lady.”

Dracula made no move towards Xander which unnerved the young man.

“Ok, let’s do it and no poofing.” Xander commanded as he started to hop from foot to foot in his best Mohammed Ali impersonation. “Come on ‘puffy’ shirt, you can pucker up and kiss your pale ass….”

“Silence!” Dracula ordered.

“Yes master….no that’s not…” Xander silenced himself.

“You will be my emissary, my eyes and ears in daylight.” Dracula commanded.

“Your emissary?” Xander questioned. Suddenly feeling the need to bow - he did.

“Serve me well and you will be rewarded. I will make you an immortal, a child of darkness, who feeds on life itself – blood.” Dracula explained.

“Blood.” Xander repeated, understanding. “Yes, yes, I will serve you.” Again he bowed, wondering exactly what pose you undertook to grovel. “Your excellent spookiness.” Lifting his bowing head again he saw the un-amused look on Dracula’s pale face so he quickly corrected himself. “Or Master. I’ll just stick with Master.” Casting his eyes to the floor in subservience he awaited punishment.

Dracula looked at Xander “You are strange and off putting. Go now.”

“But Master, how can I find…” Xander asked as he lifted his head, to see he was again alone. “Great. What an exit. Guy's a genius. Hee hee – hee hee.”

Chapter 8

Entering her apartment earlier that day, Cordy had finally relaxed. Dennis, pleased to see her back safe and sound, had welcomed her back by drawing a bath for her and providing a good back rub. She had dressed and had moved back into her living room, collapsing onto the sofa.

“Dennis, any ‘Faith Cookies’ left?” Cordy asked. It had been such a ‘parallel world/Twilight Zone’ type surprise when, almost two months ago, she had returned home with Wesley and Angel to find Faith baking. The ‘Slayer gone bad’ had turned so many different shades of red that they had found it extremely hard to swallow their laughter but her ‘pain is coming’ facial expression had helped.

Cordy had become concerned a) that Faith didn’t need her buttons pushed just now,
b) at what the cost would be to redecorate her apartment if the dark slayer lost it, and c) that they would all soon hyperventilate from either anger or laughter if someone didn’t break the ice. So she had risked her taste buds and picked up a cookie. The biggest surprise had been that it just melted into her mouth with buttery goodness and that then she found a blissful moan leaving her lips.

Faith, who had at first provided graphic instructions as to where she was going to stick her cookies, calmed down quite a bit (although her cheeks took several hours to return to their normal color) once Cordy had declared her cookies as “Well - Yummy”.

Much later when the guys had left and under much prodding from Cordy, Faith had explained that the housekeeper in one of the many foster homes she had lived in had introduced her to baking. At first she only did the cleaning up as a punishment. But later she had found that whenever she was really stressed and unable to focus her mind - she baked.

Knowing that baking didn’t really go with her hard-boiled image, she had often openly referred to such ‘housewifey’ and domestic skills with such disrespect that no one would have ever considered she could possibly be a closet baker.

Cordy had laughed at the idea of Faith making clandestine ‘drug style’ raids into her local her local grocery store, wondering where exactly she had hidden the bags of flour, sugar, eggs and pats of butter in her usual tight fitting outfit.

Faith admitted she had once considered baking for the mayor but had chickened out because he was such a fussy eater.

Lying back on her sofa with a well-earned cup of coffee and a cookie, Cordy closed her eyes. Somehow over those two months she had come to know a whole different Faith - quiet, considerate, a good listener and most surprising of all – neat. It had been quite a revelation for Cordy who had at first hated the idea of having a roommate.

However for each step forward Faith paid with bouts of depression. Cordy had really come to feel something for Faith; she almost began to care about her. Not in a ‘big caring for my best friend’ way but more of ‘wild stray’ pet who had wandered into her home. But Cordy still expected her to turn all psycho, and in the same way that she was ready to stake Angel if ‘Angelus’ ever returned, she was ready to so kill Faith if ‘Skank Bitch from Hell’ ever reappeared.

When she had her dreadful vision about Buffy she hadn’t even paused before telling Faith. And Faith had immediately wanted to help; something that Cordy was much less suspicious and more accepting of now, than she would have been had Faith expressed such an intention when she first appeared in LA. Much to Faith’s surprise, Cordy had even backed up Angel in his decision to send Faith to watch over Buffy.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone.

“Hello,” Cordy said as she picked it up, wondering who would know she was back and could be calling her.

“Hi C. Back safe?” Faith greeted her. “Checking in as promised.”

“Faith, where are you?” Cordy asked.

“Right where I’m meant to be – ‘Glorious Sunnydale’,” Faith replied, obviously still somewhat uncomfortable with having to return to the scene of some of her greatest mistakes and worst offenses. “Are the guys with you?”

“Nope, it will take them another couple of days to tie things up. Any news on the Scoobies?” Cordy inquired. “Seen anything of Spike?”

“No sign of the peroxide wonder yet. But I’ve given some preventative medicine to the lovelorn duo; something that should stop him in his ‘bad hair day’ tracks when it takes hold” Faith laughed, obviously very pleased with herself. “So far everything is five by five.”

Cordy suddenly became very worried. Preventative medicine - what could she possibly mean by that? “Faith what have you done?” A cold shiver ran down her back as she felt that old fear fill her. ‘Has Faith lost it again? Is the Skank Bitch back?’

“Don’t freak out. It’s all of the good. No badness. I promise C, I’m not losing it,” Faith said suspicious of Cordelia’s silence. “I had to do something. The idea of Buffy ever allowing Spike to use her like that…” She ended, a shudder running through her.

“Faith,” Cordy said in her best ‘mom is listening’ voice. “I think you better tell me exactly what you mean by ‘of the good’. What you have done to Buffy and Willow?”

Faith proceeded to explain about the body swap curse, which she had found in one of Wesley’s books during a research fest last month, and how after hearing Cordy’s vision and then watching the witch and slayer she had decided that this was the probably the only way to stop Spike. She had quite early on realized that as long as the duo refused to acknowledge their feelings for each other, they would always be susceptible to blackmail.

Cordy tried very hard not to laugh at the images that filled her mind. How was she going to explain this to Angel? Wesley was so never going to let Faith near any of his books again. But much as she tried to be annoyed with Faith, she could see the strange kind of logic behind her actions. Maybe she really was just trying to help.

“I just figured I’d ‘end run’ the ‘Billy Idol’ wannabe by helping to turn the duo into a couple. His power comes from knowing something others don’t. A secret’s only useful if you’re scared of others knowing it. If you tell everyone then it’s not a secret anymore and then it has no power,” Faith said.

“Okay I get it. Kind of has a logic but Angel’s gonna flip when I tell him. He may be way old and trying to be modern guy; deep with the feelings, cool ex-boyfriend guy but...”

“But he’s male,” Faith supplied.

“Yeah,” Cordy agreed. “His Buffy choosing to replace him with a woman. I’m telling you there will be major brooding, much sitting in the dark and complete denial of ego issues,” she said, fighting to keep the smile out of her voice. “So, are you coming out the baking closet anytime soon? Secrets and their power … y’know?” Cordy teased.

“Funny. Yeah I’m pitching a cooking show to NBC as we speak,” Faith replied, the annoyance in her voice laced with a certain fondness for this woman who had the guts to tease her. “Could get you a couple of tickets if you can get a date who isn’t a ghost. By the way how is D?”

“He’s good. I think he’s been lonely with both of us gone. I found a stash of your beers in the back of the kitchen cabinet that he’s been hoarding for your return.”

“Yeah, I kinda miss the back rubs. Say Hi,” Faith said, somewhat touched that anyone even a ghost could actually be missing her. “Angel will cope,” she assured Cordelia. “Can’t be the first time in two hundred years he’s lost a woman to another woman. Darla, Spike and Drusilla - I’m telling you that was one kinky bone-banging bunch. Know what I mean?” She laughed.

“Gutter mind, much?” Cordy replied. She could almost see Faith’s leering look.

“Come on C, you gonna tell me you’ve never considered a visit to the other side of the velvet curtain,” Faith teased. “You’re bound to have had offers considering that hot 'bod' and all.”

“Faith, you may have been willing to serve it up to anyone who asked and some who didn’t. But I don’t feel the urge to share with just anyone who calls,” Cordy said evading the question.

Deciding not to call C on her avoidance, Faith changed the subject back to Angel. “C, if you get any trouble from Angel, you remind him of how well Doyle keeping his feelings from you helped. Heavy with the comparisons helps when talking to the big bad moody. Trust me.”

“Thanks,” Cordy said, surprised by Faith’s insight into her past. When had Faith started to take an interest in a past that wasn’t hers? Cordy wondered. “Hey by the way you didn’t say - how is the gang?”

“Five by five. Giles is heavy with the books and our boy toy’s gotta new babe.”

“Really. What’s she like?”

“Kinda weird, runs a magic shop, clings to him like a dog in heat,” Faith replied knowing what Cordy wanted to hear - that Xander was okay, but that her replacement was no competition.

“And the duffus is cool with that?” asked Cordy.

“Seems to be. Why?”

“Oh nothing,” Cordy replied, knowing that the one thing that Faith hadn’t counted on was Xander. If she knew anything about her ex, it was that not much got past him concerning his Buffy and Willow. She was pretty damn sure he had more than a clue that something was up. “You okay?”

“Five by five,” Faith said. “Gotta go. Pass on hellos when you see the guys.” She felt that if she stayed on the phone much longer C would only try to draw her emotions out again. Much as she appreciated Cordy, Faith sometimes found the late night chats and all of the opening up expected of her to be draining. Right now she needed her head focused. Faith felt that having something good to do was helping her more than chatting about her feelings ever could.

But she was damned if she was going to let the boy toy take the lead in the matchmaking stakes. It was time to nudge things along a bit.

* * * *

Giles looked up at the shop door as Xander entered. He gave him a questioning look and Xander pouted “Your car’s fine. Man, protective much.”

Giles ignored his comments and took the book and keys with a grateful nod.

“So, any progress?” Xander asked. Already feeling the anxiety of the group but not able to tell what it meant, he shook himself mentally.

“Nothing yet. We’ve exhausted most of our resources. Anya has asked some contacts in the demon world to keep their ears to the ground. But in the meantime Willow is going to try a location spell,” Giles said, the frustration in his voice telling Xander all he needed to know about how far they had gotten in his absence.

“Okay,” Xander acknowledged, hoping that ‘His Spookiness’ had been clever enough to shield himself from her magic’s. “But what are we gonna do if she finds them?”

“Willow really needs to put in some more training before we can even consider confronting Dracula,” Giles pointed out. He hated to point this out when all he really wanted to do was head out the door totally armed and find Buffy. But he knew that caution was required.

“Hey,” Willow protested. “It was the thrall. I dusted those two vamps okay but the ‘big bad with the thrall’ I wasn’t expecting.”

“I know, Willow. You did exceptionally well with your first,” Giles said offering the young witch his sincere praise. “I just feel that we need to focus more on your mental control. We need to be sure that you can overcome this mind control issue when you need to. We are beginning to collect a lot of information on Dracula that should help us to rescue Buffy. There’s really no excuse for going in unprepared.”

“You think knowledge and a positive mental attitude will be enough to fight the unholy master,” Xander commented but upon seeing Giles’ questioning look, he added. “bater.”

Giles raised his eyebrows at the infantile play on words.

“It seems that Dracula isn’t really into dark dank crypt real estate. He likes his mansions, bug eating minions and special soil,” Willow explained. She had spent the last hour, driving herself crazy on the Internet while her mind screamed at her - ‘Find Buffy. How can you just be sitting here? How could you let him take her?’ Meanwhile she tried to focus on gathering the information that could help to save Buffy’s life. She couldn’t let her mind loose to wonder, to guess, to speculate about just what Dracula was doing to Buffy.

“Therefore, we have to assume he’s going to be looking for an uptown residence,” Giles added.

“Right. But he’s smart enough to figure out we know that. So I’m guessing he’s lying low,” Xander chimed back.

“Dracula’s really not the kind to be lying low,” Willow replied, giving Dander an odd look.

* * * *

“It’s not working” Giles stated.

“I know. He must be using a shielding spell,” Willow’s voice exhibited the frustration she was feeling. Her magic was what she had brought to the Scoobies, her unique contribution, and her special usefulness. But now it was letting her down, letting Buffy down.

Giles watched a worried frown crossing the face of the new Slayer that he knew so well [though not as a Slayer]. For a moment he had forgotten who he was actually looking at and every time he did he felt foolish.

Willow looked at him oddly and, unable to decipher his expression, decided he was just worried for Buffy; something she could totally understand. “We’ll get her back Giles,” Willow assured him, placing her hand on his arm, wanting to convince both of them.

“Yes, we will,” Giles agreed, patting the young woman’s hand before he released himself.

The shop phone rang and Anya jumped towards it. “Hello?” Everyone fell silent, eager for something that might help; hopeful that this call was that something “Rees, slow down. I’m not a tape recorder.” Covering the mouthpiece she commented to Giles “I think he’s overdone the Red Bull again.” She shook her head with annoyance.

Anya reached for a pen but found Giles had anticipated her need as he laid his notepad and pen before her.“Okay now say that again – slowly,” Anya began to nod as she wrote. “Rees if you don’t slow down, I’m gonna feel seriously forced to curse you with the wrath of strawberry jam,” She threatened. After pausing to listen, nodding she added, “That’s better.”

Xander found his mind distracted by her actions, wondering why people did that. The person on the other end of the phone couldn’t see them. They knew that and yet they still nodded. Even Anya, his strangely appealing ex-vengeance demon girlfriend, had picked up this silly human quirk. The world deserves to be fed upon by the dark prince and his minions. It would then make sense.

“Great. Okay. Stop now,” Anya finally stopped writing. “Yes, yes, I know. I would have thought that little help with the unwanted in-law would have put me in credit. A curse just doesn’t go as far as it used to.” Huffing she ended, “Okay. Next Tuesday. Bye.” Anya placed the receiver down and turned to the waiting group. “1298 Parklands View. He moved in today - soil, sirens and all.”

“Is that all he said?” Willow asked. She felt that the conversation had lasted longer than two lines of information.

“Basically, yes. The rest was that annoying ‘look how clever I was to get you this info’ and payment confirming rubbish. Rees likes to blow his own horn. That’s what got him in so much trouble in the past. Never could just say things straight out,” Anya huffed again. The fact that she obviously had very little respect for her source concerned Giles.

“Is he reliable? As a source I mean,” Xander asked, hoping that he could somehow undermine Anya’s source.

“He knows he only gets paid if his info is sound. So I’d say we’re okay knowing how deep his greed runs,” Anya replied.

“Good. At last we have a plan,” Willow stated as she looked at her friends. Giles looked less than certain. ‘He’s not sure that we’re ready,’ Willow thought. This slightly annoyed her and undermined her newfound confidence. “Every second we leave Buffy under his thrall we risk losing her,” she said throwing the accusation and reminder out, hopefully preventing any further cautious stalling tactics. She wanted Buffy back. She wanted this hollow feeling in her chest to go away. She wanted her best friend back.

No one responded. Giles couldn’t really think of anything more that he could do to improve their chances, which were slim. Everyone knew what they were up against – Dracula but they also saw the look of sheer determination on the face of this new Slayer in front of them, perfectly reflecting how the witch inside her body was feeling. Willow’s thoughts really didn’t need translating.

“So we have a plan. Since when?” Xander asked, unable to hold the words in, somehow feeling braver than he normally would when faced with a determined slayer. “All I can see is a rag tag bunch of misfits hoping to beat the lord of all unholy darkness.” His loyalty to Dracula surfacing at the same time as his own doubts.

Willow laughed, assuming Xander was trying to relieve the tension and soon everyone joined her, if somewhat nervously.

Xander smirked but inside his fuzzy mind sulked. ‘The master is going to be mad. I’m pretty sure he hates uninvited guests.’

* * * *

Faith watched the Magic shop comings and goings with much interest. The attic room above the dry cleaners had been cheap and it gave her a clear, if cramped, view of the Magic shop and side alley. The air that filled the room had a slightly musty smell to it, something to do with all that steam downstairs she presumed. But the place was clean, well lit and the skylight gave her a great view at night once the streetlights dimmed.

She hadn’t seen Buffy in a while and having just finished her ‘recon’ on their dorm room she was itching to know how they had reacted to Xander’s little bed swap. She laughed just knowing that she had gotten the blame for that one. It seemed the boy-toy was in on her game. She was slightly miffed that he had figured it out so quickly. But she had to give him points for the bed swap idea. She would have paid good money to see their faces last night.

Her Slayer senses had told her that although they had shared the bed, they had done nothing but sleep. This disappointed her; she really couldn’t understand what was holding them back. She had given them the perfect excuse to sort it out. ‘Was B really that dense?’, she wondered. Maybe that was why she wasn’t around - all the angst and such, plus not having her super human powers had to be getting to her.

She’d seen Xander and Willow return earlier after she’d called Cordy. Assuming that Buffy had also left the shop in her absence she now regretted keeping her promise to call. But D had rung her cell phone first twice, then four times to let her know that Queen C was home. She had longed for even Cordelia’s voice; for someone to talk to; someone who would listen without a Buffy’s ‘what is Faith’s hidden agenda’ in every sentence.

She had considered bugging the shop but knowing Willow’s fondness for protection spells she hadn’t - something she was now regretting.

Two hours later Willow, Xander, Anya and Giles left the shop and headed for the park. Faith grabbed her weapons bag and left her attic room to follow them.

* * * *

Buffy sat at the far end of a long and well-polished wooden dinning table. She was alone in the room. She had been since she had regained consciousness about half an hour ago. For some reason she couldn’t move. She had exerted all of her will but not a limb had moved.

She had no idea just how long she had been unconscious. There was no clock in the room and she had tried to lift her wrist to look at her own watch. She’d even tried just twisting her wrist slightly but it had been no use. She had never felt so helpless. She knew the gang would be trying to find her, wanting to rescue her but that knowledge still made her the victim - something she found very hard to deal with. Anger grew within her. She envisioned killing Dracula – slowly, painfully and then making Faith wish she was dead, making her beg to die, making her whimper with apologies. She could feel the urge to slay building within her and yet she was like a chained animal – impotent.

Giles had always advised her to practice some patience back in the days when she had her Slayer strength. Maybe that wouldn’t have been such a bad thing to learn. This sitting unable to do anything was like having an itch she couldn’t scratch. She had begun to believe she was going mad over the last few days. She had all the urges and instincts to fight building within her but was unable to use them or vent them. It seemed as though only the Slayer strength had transferred to her Witchy friend. She still had the dreams, the cramps when a vamp was near and the hardened aggressive mental attitude and training.

Buffy suddenly realized just how far Willow had been able to come without the mental training she had gone through, without the combat experience she had acquired. Giles had concluded that Faith had only swapped their physical bodies. All their mental skills had transferred with their minds resulting in the Witchy Slayer and the aggressive but frustrated woman she now found herself to be.

She had begun to wonder if maybe Dracula was right and that all she was - was a killer. Then into the room came the Lord of Darkness himself, seemingly graceful and aloof. She was reminded of a swan she had once seen last summer, gliding on a lake oblivious of everyone else, serene and seemingly immortal. ‘Where the hell did that come from?’ Buffy looked at Dracula suspiciously.

“Your mind is still strong I see,” Dracula said, his voice deep and inviting as he moved to her side.

Buffy glared at him. “I exercise everyday,” she replied, annoyed by his attempt to guide her thoughts. “You’re slowing down old man. Having to use magic to pull the ladies... Then again I guess surgery’s not really an option for you,” she smiled. “Just how old are you?”

Dracula tilted his head to one side. “So you dread birthdays,” he stated.

The statement unnerved Buffy but she chose to stay silent. As her mind began to remember every birthday since her awakening as the Slayer and how they had all been celebrated by a life or death event.

“Each brings you closer to the natural death of a Slayer,” he smiled. “It is our fate to never grow old.”

Her mind lurched but she pulled herself back. He was trying to guide her thoughts again. ‘Keep on your toes Buffy,’ she told herself.

“Mmm, you still have such fire. I like that,” Dracula said almost in a whisper. His words washed over her mind. Unexpectedly he moved away from her towards the middle of the table. He spoke again his voice even softer. “Stand and come to me. I wish to view you.”

Buffy found herself standing, leaving her chair and walking towards him.

“Turn!” he commanded.

She did. Her mid length skirt swirled slightly, revealing the bare skin above her boots.

“Beautiful,” He uttered in an appreciative tone.

As Buffy turned to face him again he gestured her to him. It was only a few steps but Buffy walked towards him, fighting every step in vain. He gestured again and she stopped, mere inches between them.

“You are indeed a wild creature, drawn to the darkness within, drawn to the music of the night,” Dracula whispered.

“Oh please! You gonna break into a song?” Buffy spat.

“I am going to introduce you to the fire within you. I can feel it burning inside you - the need to kill. It dances within you to music only those who kill for pleasure can know.”

“I do not kill for pleasure!” Buffy almost shouted. “It’s a calling, 'save the world, kill the Vamps, survive on four hours sleep a night, secret identity' kind of thing.”

Dracula gestured and she found herself unable to speak. He simply smiled at the annoyance in her eyes as he placed his cold hand upon her hip. Taking her other hand he began to slowly lead her in a waltz. There was no music and yet Buffy found it easy to feel the rhythm to which they were moving.

“I see you can feel it, sense the music,” Dracula said, his lips so close to Buffy’s ear that had he been human she would have felt his breath on her skin, on her neck. Buffy felt something building within her, something new and chilling. She felt fear. There was nothing she could do to prevent Dracula from killing her. Nothing.

Her mind swam with the sheer realization that she was powerless. She hadn’t felt so defenseless in years, so out of her depth. As Dracula swept her around the room like a mannequin, she almost wanted to laugh hysterically. How she wished she were able to fight him. She wished again and again to have some control. Never had she chosen to hand over her life. It wasn’t right she should be able to fight.

“Ow,” Buffy yelled as Dracula stood heavily on her left foot, which didn’t seem to be following instructions. “Watch it ‘lead foot’.” Buffy cheered her willpower on for this small victory – ‘Yay, my left foot.’

“You still fight me. How very foolish you are,” Dracula said, warning and desire in his eyes.

“Yeah and you - such a smooth dancer too,” Buffy quipped.

“Do not mock me Killer. I know you for what you are,” Dracula reminded her. “You deny yourself.”

“That’s me ‘denial girl’,” Buffy smiled. “So if I deny you exist you should poof – vanish in a puff of cheap smoke, right?

“Enough. Be. Silent,” He commanded.

“Did you forget to pay the thrall bill?” She asked, willing her hand to leave his.

“Be silent, woman,” He commanded this time with such intensity that Buffy could feel the power washing over her.

“Who died and made you king of the wo…..” Buffy made the shapes with her mouth but she just couldn’t get the words out. Frustrated that he had gagged her again she lashed out with all her will, lifting her all-powerful left foot to try and stomp on his damn foot in revenge.

But Dracula simply stepped back from her slow moving attack, released her hands and smiled at her. “You are not the ‘Killer’ I sought. You are simply a foolish little girl trying to anger me.”

Finally released Buffy raised her hand but unable to speak, made great play of biting her nails in fear. But inside she couldn’t help wondering if he was right. Had she never been the Slayer? Had she been nothing more than a mouthy scared little girl? ‘Is that all I really am?’ She asked herself.

“Sleep,” Dracula ordered, dramatically waving his arm with more apprehension than he normally showed. “Sleep little girl. For she will soon join us.”


“We will finish our dance before your playmate joins us. Then you will realize your place. Your destiny and hers,” He hissed. “Sleep, sleep, sleep.”

Buffy’s eyes grew wide with fear. ‘Willow!’ She fought to remain awake but Dracula’s eyes did not leave her until she fell to the floor, lost to the land of slumber.

* * * *

Moving across the park the group of four looked a very odd collection. Giles in his 'oh so British’ attire, crossbow in hand; Willow in new age hippy student outfit, a nap sack on her back and stake in hand; Xander in blue jeans, Hawaiian shirt and his favorite axe; Anya in her shop girl gear, short sword and stake. They looked like escapees from a low budget horror movie as they wandered across the dark park, torches in hand. Thank goodness Sunnydale’s police were possibly the lowest profile force on the planet.

Anya looked across the lake. “I know I’ve only been mortal in Sunnydale for a short while now. But you know what I’ve never noticed?”

“A big castle sitting just across the lake?” Willow provided.

“A big castle,” Anya agreed.

“Its magnificent. Fitting for the unholy prince.” Xander commented, awe in his voice until he caught Willow looking oddly at him. “iple.”

“Yes magnificent - for a tasteless pile,” Giles agreed. “I thought the era of the mock Gothic palace had passed.”

Trying to plan ahead, as she knew Buffy would, Willow spoke. “Okay we split up. Xander and I will take the front. Giles and Anya, you take the rear. We need to find Buffy and get her out of there,” Willow commanded no waver in her voice and sheer determination in her eyes.

Giles felt a certain growing respect for this young woman, thrust as she had been into the role of Slayer. Finding no fault with her division of their forces he stayed silent.

They moved rapidly around the lake, separating into pairs as they reached the front of the mock castle. As Willow and Xander reached the front of the castle she paused slightly before opening the front door. The hall way was poorly lit and very dark. Ahead of them was a large staircase. Turning to Xander she said, “You try upstairs. Be careful.”

Nodding Xander mounted the stairs. He was pleased that his master would not see him with this Witchy Slayer plus he knew he stood little or no chance against her. He would ambush Giles and distract his Anya, probably with sex, and seek out his dark master for further instruction. He would find his way to them. There had to be a rear staircase for staff, trades and such – he’s seen Chatsworth Park- Anya’s choices sometimes worried him.

As she watched him mount the staircase Willow removed her nap sack, pulling out a dark green crystal. Placing it in her palm she recited the enchantment she had researched earlier and hoped to the goddess that the failure of her earlier spell was only a fluke. She poured her very soul into her chant, pushing her will into the crystal.

* * * *

Giles forced the garage door up and soon they were in. They found the door to the house unlocked so they proceeded into the castle and what appeared to be the dungeon! Their torches lit the way through a maze of corridors and stairs which soon had them completely disorientated.

Anya turned to Giles. “Well,” She said with distain. “Where we are?”

Giles looked at the woman as if she was mad until he saw the smirk on her face. She was enjoying his failure. “Could you do any better?” he asked.

“Sure,” she replied. “I could probably help us get even more lost.” Anya said, laughing at him.

Giles huffed and moved off. There was something about Anya that got under his skin. Her bluntness was just so uncalled for, so lacking in finesse. But most of all it was what she got away with saying that he wouldn’t even dream of saying, think it though he might.

His thoughts were broken as they reached a two-way split in the corridor and looking at each other; they shrugged as they each took a different corridor. He was somehow relieved to be separated from Anya.

Turning left he found a solid wooden door before him. He turned the handle, feeling the door move slightly and then stick. Instinctively he put his shoulder to the door and gave it another push, it moved a little further and stuck again. So this time he placed his whole weight behind the push.

The door flew open and Giles moved through it before he realized that there was no floor on its other side. He fell.

His landing was strangely soft and he looked about himself to see that the floor was covered in cushions. Looking behind him, he realized he had fallen at least 10 feet into a sort of pit. He could see the open door gaping, almost laughing down at him.

“Oh good stepping Giles. At least you didn’t get knocked out for a change,” he admonished himself.

Turning he caught a movement from the shadows of the pit. Three women appeared, each stunningly beautiful with tight firm bodies robed in almost see-through silk and smiling. In the half-light he could see their incisors, the greyness of their skin, their curves. Giles swallowed, “Ahhh yes – you would be the Three Sisters. Excellent. Yes. I heard you were a myth.”

They moved towards him with quick smiling ease, leaning down beside him and reaching out to undress him and they sighed.

“Obviously erroneous,” Giles added, as his skin became aflame at their touch.

They ripped his shirt open.

“Ahhh,” Giles uttered, strangely mesmerized by the three women surrounding him, yet knowing he should be doing something else. “Ahh – Oh! That tickles,” he pointed out as one of the women ran her tongue over his bare chest. “Ohh Ahhh.” Then he was kissed until breathing became an issue. Regaining air he let forth a plea. “Oh. Dear God?”

* * * *

Willow had now checked five rooms on the ground floor. Most had been completely empty, although one appeared to be furnished in the European style of a large study turned library, complete with a raging fireplace. She moved to the last door off the main hall and holding her breath, she turned the handles of its double doors.

Entering the room she was at once pleased and disappointed by the scene that greeted her. She had found Buffy. But the blonde was frozen in Dracula’s embrace, their faces mere millimeters apart. Jealousy flared within Willow as she saw the way Buffy was staring deep into his eyes.

It took her a little while to control herself and realize from their pose that the two had been dancing when her spell had surrounded Buffy, slowing time. In their timeline they were still dancing. She now had to be very careful because unfreezing Buffy would also unfreeze Dracula.

Moving towards the eerily still couple Willow knew she was moving far too quickly for their eyes to see her. She considered her options. Should she try to disentangle Buffy from Dracula or try to stake him?

As she came to their side she realized that they were dancing so closely that she would have no way of piercing his heart from the front. Moving around to his back, the fall of his Bella Lugosi cape made it equally impossible to identify where to stake him. She moved back to their side, her mind racing. She had to think of something. She clutched the crystal within her hand as if wishing it would help her.

Willow suddenly realized that she must have stood still, in the same position, for too long because suddenly Dracula disappeared, leaving Buffy with her arms still in dancing pose but alone. Willow moved to her friend’s side, her eyes and ears alert for Dracula’s reappearance.

Buffy shook her head and gasped as she realized that Dracula was gone. But she could still feel a hand on her….Willow ….She was here. Oh no. She scanned the room and sure enough a column of black smoke at the far end of the room heralded his return.

“Willow,” she said.

Willow smiled realizing her friend was back in real time. Then she turned following Buffy’s concerned eyes to see Dracula reappear. She moved to the left of her friend, allowing them room to maneuver as Dracula moved towards them. Realizing the crystal was no longer of use she dropped it.

“I knew you would both be with me eventually. This is as it should be.”

“Oh yeah? Why?” Buffy asked.

“Cause we’re under your thrall?” Willow asked. “Guess what pally…” Willow smiled lifting her stake.

“Put the stake down.”

“Okay,” Willow responded laying the stake on the table at her side. “Right. That was not you – I did that because I wanted to. Slayer sneaky stuff you don’t yet know about.” ‘Maybe I should rethink that thrall thingy,’ she said to herself.

“Indeed. Be still,” he commanded as he approached.

They both found their minds unwilling to order their bodies to move.

“You are both magnificent,” Dracula said, appearing to breathe them in.

“I bet you say that to all the girls before you bite them,” Willow commented.

“No. You two are different – kindred.”

“Kindred?” they ask in unison.

“Pull back your hair,” Dracula ordered Buffy.

Buffy found herself following his bidding.

“This isn’t how I usually fight. You waft in with your music video wind and your hypno eyes…” Buffy explained.

“I have searched the world over for the Slayer. I have yearned for her, for the one - but now there are two whose darkness rivals my own,” he said his eyes falling upon Buffy’s neck.

Willow recoils at these words. “Hey. No darkness here. Just Willow. Well Buffy that is. Kindred goodness.”

Dracula turns his gaze upon Willow. “Do not fight. I can feel your hunger.” He moved towards her.

“Stay away from her,” Buffy ordered.

“Are you afraid I will bite her before you? Slayer, that’s why you came.” He stated glancing at Buffy as he moved towards Willow. “Stop me, stake me. Do you know why you can’t resist?”

“Because you’re famous – it’s over rated,” Buffy said hoping to distract his attention from Willow.

“Because you want it too.”

Buffy had no response.

“Others are coming.” Willow whispered.

“They are here. They will not find us. We are alone. Quite alone.” Moving in to whisper in Willow’s ear, he added, “There’s so much I have to teach you witch, your magic, what it is capable of. You have the potential for much darkness. Can you not sense it within you? Would you like me to show you?”

“Really don’t want to know,” Willow almost screamed. She felt the fear that he could be right rising within her.

“You want to know and you will have eternity to discover the depth of your magic’s. But first a little taste.”

“I won’t let you.” Willow fought his thrall with all her might, to no avail.

“I didn’t mean for me.” Dracula replied, a laugh shaping his mouth. Seeing the horror in her eyes he turned to Buffy.

Moving to circle behind her, he smiled. “All these years fighting us. With a power so near to our own and you never wanted to know what it is?” He finished coming to a stop in front of and between the two friends. Taking his left thumb he dragged his nail across his right wrist, smiling he did the same to his left wrist. Blood began to pool upon his wrists. “Time for a taste…” He said, offering his wrists to the lips of the two young women before him.

“If we drink that…..” Buffy whispered, unable to draw her eyes from the wrist before her.

“It’s not enough for you to change. You must be near death to become one of us…..and that comes only when you plead for it.”

“Not hungry,” Willow stated, firmly closing her mouth.

“The craving goes deeper than that,” Dracula explained. “You think you know, what you are, what’s to come – you haven’t even begun.” He pressed his wrists to closer to their lips. “Feel it, the darkness, the power, the magic; your need to be one with the darkness, with each other, with me. Find your true nature.”

Willow kept her lips firmly closed, although she could feel the warm wet blood against her lips, pushing, calling to her. She closed her eyes and focused on goodness, on love, but that just reminded her of her longing to be with Buffy. The way Buffy filled her heart, her life. Every fiber of her soul sought out the bedrock that supported her Wiccan beliefs. Her mind would have gone into meltdown had her eyes been open to see Buffy lean into Dracula’s wrist, opening her mouth to drink….

Buffy drank, feeding the need she had felt, the need he described. Her mind swam with memories of the Slayers that had preceded her. Visions of battles; victories and apparent losses; of her friends; her family; her Willow; and the many innocents who had been lost in the battle with darkness. Lifting her head she considered the taste in her mouth. Shaking her head she made a decision. “No. That was gross.” She said.

“You are resisting.”

“Looks like,” Buffy responded.

“Come. Drink,” Dracula commanded again.

“You know what? I really think the thrall has gone out of our relationship – but I want to thank you for opening my eyes a little,” Buffy said smiling.

Dracula turned to find Willow had opened her eyes. She was staring at Buffy in disbelief; her lips firmly closed.

“What is this? No other man can give you what you both need,” He removed his wrist from before Willow, his face filling with exasperation at the behavior of these women.

“My true nature …,” Willow stated. “Well, Mr. ‘big, dark and mysterious’, you can trust me when I say that you have no chance of giving me what I need. Kinda Gay here.”

“Indeed?” Dracula smiled. “I have to admit that makes the possibilities somewhat more intriguing.” He leered at Willow, his eyes laughing. He moved his questioning gaze to Buffy. “I will very much enjoy watching you two perform for me.”

“Oh please. How unoriginal is that?” Buffy protested, a flush rising to her cheeks.

“No woman can resist the thrall of the dark prince. You will find your womanhood, your true natures. You will have no need to hide in the arms of another woman. This you will realize - what you really need, in my dark arms, a real ma….” Dracula halted his self-glorification at the sound of a window shattering and the feel of something against his – “No!” Looking down he realized that protruding from his chest was a stake.

Willow and Buffy released from his thrall instinctively threw themselves to the floor. Buffy glanced at the table as she dropped. Willow’s stake was still there. “Who?” she questioned as another crash heralded the arrival of yet one more stake, which clattered to the floor, falling into the pile of dust that had been Dracula. Looking at it Buffy realized that it had something wrapped around it. Hesitantly she reached for it.

“Wait,” Willow said pulling her back and bringing her close. “Giles?” she called out, assuming that it had been the watcher’s crossbow that had dispatched Dracula and wanting to assure him he had hit his mark - so that he would stop firing.

When no one responded, they both looked at each other with concern. Someone was firing a crossbow and they couldn’t be sure that Dracula had been the only target.

They lay on the floor, Willow holding Buffy to her side for what seemed like an age. Willow wasn’t that concerned about moving anytime soon as she enjoyed the warmth of Buffy’s body next to hers. Plus she wasn’t too keen on discovering they were also in the sights of their mysterious savior.

She had almost lost her; lost Buffy. “Are you okay?” she asked, for some reason whispering.

“Yeah. Just a little rattled,” Buffy replied. “Who do you think is out there?”

“I don’t know. I thought it was Giles,” Willow replied.

Buffy’s eyes grew wide, “Faith.”

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