FIC: Graduation

[Patrick Kelly <bandits@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Graduation
Rating: PG-13
Author: Pat Kelly
Summary: The latest in my alternate Season 3, which I've named "The Summer Friendship
Series - Sunnydale". (Thanks Quin :-) Faith
and Buffy have had a friendship pre-Sunnydale. The last installment was "The Prom". THE
END!!!! *cries*
Spoilers: "Graduation Day - Parts 1 and 2."
Disclaimer: All hail Joss and his army of Mutant Enemies. I don't own BTVS. I make no
money.

GRADUATION

Xander groggily picked up his bedside telephone after several missed attempts.

He yawned. "Yeah?"

"Meet me and Faith at Dawson's Beach in fifteen minutes."

"Buff, it's," He checked his clock, "Twelve thirty."

"I know what time it is. What are you? Sixty now? Get up." She instructed him.
"Willow and Oz are coming."

"Okay."

"And I tried reaching Cordelia, but she's not answering her phone."

"I'll get her." Then he blushed. "I mean -"

"Oh. K." He could picture her grin. "See ya in a few."

Buffy hung up, and when he heard the connection sever, he hung up too. Turning toward the
person lying next to him, he brushed the hair out of her face, and started rubbing her
shoulder. It was at moments like this that he realized how lucky he was. Nobody got to see
Cordelia Chase they way he did. Completely open, caring, and not to mention naked. Well he
knew she had had many "experiences" but those were in the back of cars. She was lying next
to him, in his bed, and she loved him. He wasn't worthy.

But that didn't mean he was going to give it up. No way. Their time together was drawing
closer and closer to an end, so he was going to enjoy every second. He still couldn't
figure out, how after sixteen years of being at each other's throats they wound up as a
couple, but he didn't question it. And even though she was moving, she still loved him,
and he loved her. They weren't going to break up. But he'd miss being able to see her all
the time, that was for sure.

Cordelia began to stir.

"Wha...?"

"Buffy called. She wants us to go to the beach."

"Not everybody has slayer alertness or whatever. Don't they know that I need my beauty
sleep?"

He shook his head. "You don't need it."

"I don't?" She smiled, and he shook his head again. "Why not?"

"Cause you always look beautiful."

"Even at six a.m.?"

Xander thought a moment, and smirked. "All right. Maybe not then."

She hit him with a pillow, and then kissed him.

"Let's go see what they want." She held the blankets around her, covering her naked form.
"Where are my clothes?"

"What do you need them for?" He asked. "Haven't you always wanted to streak nude across
the sand?"

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Do you?" He frowned. "Now help me find my clothes."

***

"Somebody just had sex." Faith sang into Buffy's ear as Xander and Cordelia made their way
over.

"Do you have a sixth sense when it comes to that, or something?" Buffy asked.

"Or just a really good sense of smell."

The blonde made a face, then shook.

"So...we're here." Cordelia announced, seeing Willow and Oz already sitting on the sand,
and a cooler. "What do you want us to do?" Faith started laughing, and turned her head
away when she felt Buffy smack her shoulder. "If it's anything that'll get me sticky or
sweaty..."

The brunette laughed harder. She cracked herself up sometimes.

"Are you okay, Faith?" Willow asked, trying to figure out what was so funny.

"She's fine, Will. Aren't you?" Buffy said to her girlfriend.

"Five by..." Faith giggled some more.

"While she's getting back to normal, I guess I should explain why we're here." Her friends
nodded. "Seeing as graduation's two days away -"

"It is?" Xander asked. "Oh man."

"And we're not sure what's going to happen, so," Buffy continued, "I thought it'd be nice
if we got together for awhile. We might not get another quiet time like this." They all
looked at one another, letting the words sink in. It was true. Depressing, but true. "I
love all you guys. I wouldn't have made it through high school without you."

"If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have made it through sophomore year."

"And I would've only repeated senior year two times instead of three." Oz said.

"So this is an unofficial goodbye to high school thing?" Cordelia asked. "And our lives?"

"Plus reflecting." The blonde said.

Faith had gotten control of herself and pulled a bottle and six glasses out of the cooler.


"What better way is there to say sionara then with a bottle of champagne?" She asked.

"Where did you -?" Willow asked, eyes wide.

"Mom." Buffy answered. "We told her it was for a good cause. Which it is."

"Your mom?" Xander asked. "Perhaps I've misjudged her coolness factor."

"She's definitely cool." Faith said. "Let the pouring begin."

Once everyone had a glass, the brunette looked at her drink, and cleared her throat.

"I haven't been here from the beginning, I haven't even known you guys for a year yet. But
you let me in, and you accepted me when you didn't have to. That means a hell of a lot to
me, cause I never had friends before I met...well, I had one...but you get the point."
Buffy gave her a small kiss, then she continued talking.

"And um...if we don't make it, I'll bite it knowing I was part of a great team, and that I
was with the only people I ever really cared about, when it happened. I'll be happy.
So...thanks." She cleared her throat again, and looked up at the smiling faces. "What are
you supposed to do now? Clink the glasses together and drink, right?"

The six of them leaned forward, and brought the glasses together.

"To the Scoobs." The gang echoed her, and they took sips.

One by one, all their faces made not so pleasant expressions. Oz and Faith were the only
ones who swallowed, the rest spit out the alcoholic drink into the sand.

"That wasn't so good." Faith commented.

"Maybe we should have just gone with the more traditional, group hug." Willow said, wiping
her mouth.

"I'm with you, Red."

"Hold it." Buffy said, as they moved to do that. "You guys are the best friends in the
world." Her eyes were tearing up. "Now we can continue."

They hugged as best they could with six people, but Xander and Oz didn't touch. Too manly.
As they separated, a growl was heard.

"Give me a break." The younger slayer said, annoyed. She pulled out her stake.

Buffy grabbed the bottle off the ground. "I christen thee," She smashed it over the
vampire's head, "Dead!"

It shattered, but also disoriented the demon long enough for Faith to drive the stake
home.

The blonde was pleased. "Heh. Whataya know? It *was* put to good use." The gang was
looking at her, amused. "What?"

"'I christen thee, dead'?" Cordelia asked.

"Yeah. You know how people with boats smash a bottle of champagne on their boat and give
them a name before they..." They still looked amused. "I'm sorry the pun fell flat, okay?"

"It sure did." Xander agreed.

Buffy glared. "I try to be nice and invite you all out here, and say that I'm glad we're
friends and all, and then you make fun of me. Some friends." She huffed and turned away.

Faith walked around to her girlfriend and hugged her.

"There, there, B. I thought it was a great pun." She winked at the gang.

"I know you're winking."

"It's late." The brunette said, caught. "We all give you points for trying to be witty at
one a.m. Right?"

"Definitely. Absolutely. Good try. Really." They all mumbled quickly.

"See?"

Buffy looked back at her friends. "Honest?"

"Uh huh." Willow said, nodding.

"But," Faith began, "I would have said, 'Have a drink. It's on the house.'"

Everyone started to laugh, but when they saw Buffy's face, they promptly stopped.

"Just for that, you have to kiss me." Buffy instructed the younger slayer.

"How horrible." She smirked, and started kissing her. After a moment, she realized she
wasn't getting any feedback, and pulled away. "What gives?"

"I said you had to kiss *me*. I never said anything about me kissing you back." The blonde
walked to her friends, who slowly backed up. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"How come I don't believe you?" Xander asked.

"There's soda in the cooler too, Xander. Why don't you get it? There's still more
reflecting to be done."

"Anything you say, Buff." She looked at him. "Y. Buff-y."

***

Faith, Xander, and Cordelia were sitting at a table in the school lounge. The cheerleader
was inspecting her gown for the graduation ceremony, less than thrilled with it.

"I can't believe this loser look. I lobbied so hard for the teal. No one ever listens to
me. A lone fashionable wolf."

"I like the Maroon. Has more dignity." Xander said, and got stares in return for the
comment. "I just want to look respectable in this, considering I'm probably gonna die in
it."

"Buck up." Faith told him. "So what if we don't have a chance in hell? That's no reason
not to be positive."

"I'm telling you. I woke up the other day with this feeling in my gut. I just know there's
no way I'm getting out of this school alive."

"Wow, you two have really mastered the power of positive giving-up." Cordelia said.

"It's a lot easier than it looks, C."

"You should try it." Her boyfriend said.

The brunette slayer looked over at the staircase. Willow was at the bottom of it signing
yearbooks, and Buffy was coming down the stairs.

"She tortured me all last night when we got home." Faith sighed.

"In what way?" Xander gulped.

"Dries herself off a lot longer than she really needed to, slowly put her night stuff on,
and then she just gets in the bed and goes to sleep. I didn't get anything. Nothing at
all. And I know she wasn't mad, she just liked messin' with me." She pointed at Xander and
Cordelia accusingly. "That's the last time I join in on your joking harassment crap."

"Excuse me," Cordelia said flatly, "but you dug your own hole."

"How do you figure?"

"You're the one who came up with a better pun that you just *had* to share, remember?"

Faith shut up, and continued to watch as the blonde and the redhead headed in the
direction of their table.

"It's like a sickness, Buffy. I'm just missing everything. I miss P.E." Willow was saying.

"I think it's contagious. The whole senior class has turned into the Sixties, or what I
would have imagined the Sixties would have been like without the war and the hairy
armpits." Buffy sounded as if she didn't care.

"You don't feel it?"

"No, I don't. I guess I'll miss stuff, but I just don't get the whole graduation thing. I
mean you get a piece of paper and nothing changes. I don't even think I'm gonna go."

Willow stopped at the soda machine, put money in the slot, and got her soft drink. She
spoke affectionately to it.

"Old trusty soda machine. I push you for root beer; you give me coke." She frowned at
Buffy, and they reached the table. Buffy took her place on Faith's lap, and Willow sat
next to Cordelia. "What do you mean, not go? Why not?"

"Ascension. Mayor becoming a demon. Snacking up on populace. I was planning on fighting
him."

"You can't do both?"

"Does this mean I'm off probation?" Faith asked, and Buffy nodded with a smile. "Bout
time." They started kissing, and making quite a display of it too.

Xander was strangely unfazed by the scene.

"You guys didn't hear, huh?" He asked.

Buffy pulled away from her girlfriend's lips, out of breath.

"Hear...what?"

"Guess who our commencement speaker is?"

"Siegfried?" Willow asked hopefully.

"No."

"Roy?"

"No."

"One of the tigers?"

"Wayne Newton?" Cordelia added.

"Tom Jones?" Faith wondered, not realizing it was said out loud. She coughed as she saw
the questioning looks. "Long story."

"Come out of the fantasy, ladies." Xander said with a grimace.

"I don't believe this." The petite slayer said with a sigh.

"Lends credence to my whole 'I'm gonna die' theorem, doesn't it?"

"The Mayor at graduation? A hundred helpless kids to feed on."

"A hundred? Isn't that a little low?" Faith thought a second. "Hellmouth. Right."

Oz was walking over, and had something in his hand. He stood behind his girlfriend, and
started rubbing her shoulder with his free hand.

"Hey Oz." The people at the table said in unison.

"Hey." He held up what he had been carrying. It was the morning's paper. "Anybody read the
news?"

Buffy and Faith automatically frowned.

***

Giles and Wesley were fencing, as Buffy held up the newspaper for them to see. The
headline read, "PROFESSOR FOUND MURDERED". The gang sat over at the table, watching, and
Willow sat at the computer. Giles took the paper from Buffy, and held it in one hand,
while using his sword in the other.

"Brutally stabbed. Mr. Wirth, visiting professor of geology. There's nothing in here that
bellows motive."

"Random killing, perhaps? Fit of rage?" Wesley offered. "Everybody does seem to be going a
bit mad, lately."

"Doesn't read. I think it's homework." Buffy said.

"May I ask why?"

"Because what the article doesn't say is that there were two puncture holes at the base of
his neck." Willow told everyone, still staring at the screen. "It was made to look like
just a regular stabbing -"

"But a vamp got hungry." Faith understood, and her eyes darkened.

Giles stopped sparring, and let his sword hang by his side.

"The Mayor wanted the good professor out of the way."

"Which leads to the question, 'how come?'" Buffy asked. "I'm gonna destroy the entire
city, but I take the time to kill harmless Lester first?"

"Tying up loose ends? Lester had something or knew something."

"Then I wanna know too. The Mayor's trying to hide. I say we go seek."

"Ah. By attempting to keep a valuable clue from us, the Mayor may have inadvertently led
us right to it." Wesley figured out with a smile.

"What page are you on, Wes, cause we already got there." The blonde smirked, glancing at
Faith to see a similar expression on her face as well.

"Yes, well. You will go tonight. Look over his apartment. Anything of note, report back
here."

"So butch, ain't he?" Faith grinned.

"I just love it when you take charge, you man, you." Buffy said sarcastically.

"I can handle this one solo." The brunette said. "You wanted to talk to your mom about
stuff anyway, right?"

Buffy nodded. "Are you sure you'll be -?"

"Walk in the park, B."

"A park in Sunnydale? At night?"

"A well-lit one, okay?"

"Faith, be careful." Giles advised.

Before she could answer, the Mayor casually walked into the library, running his finger
over the counter. Seeing the dust that had gathered on it, he wiped it against his suit in
disgust. Everyone backed up, and Buffy hid the newspaper under some books that were on the
table.

"So, this is the inner sanctum, eh? Where you folks like to hang out, concoct your little
schemes? I tell you, it's just nice to see that some young people are still interested in
reading in this modern era. So, what are kids reading nowadays?"

He walked close to Giles, but the librarian stood his ground. The Mayor picked up a book
off the table.

"'The beast will walk upon the earth and darkness will follow. The several races of man
will be as one in their terror and destruction.' Aw, that's kind of sweet. Different races
coming together."

"Have I told you how much you piss me off?" Faith growled.

"He just likes hearing himself talk." Buffy realized.

The Mayor chuckled, stared at Giles, and spoke low.

"Those sure are two spunky little girls you have there. I'm gonna eat them." Giles grabbed
Wesley's sword from the table and thrust it through the Mayor's chest. The man staggered a
little, but regained his balance. "Whoa! Well now, that was a little thoughtless." He
removed the sword. "Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children? You know, Mr.
Giles, they look to you to see how to behave."

"Get out." Buffy said sharply.

The Mayor took out his handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from the sword.

"I smell fear. That's smart. Some of your deaths will be quick, if that's worth anything.
Well, see you all at graduation." He tossed the weapon back to Giles, and headed out. "You
don't want to miss my commencement address. It's going to be one heck of a speech."

When he was gone, they all sat there, stunned. Cordelia broke the silence, turning to
Xander.

"Are you going to go to fifth period?"

"I'm thinking I might skip it." He answered.

A string of "me too's" followed.

***

Later, as darkness was settling over the town. Faith and Buffy sat close on the porch
bench. The dark-haired slayer was going to leave for the professor's apartment in a few
minutes. It was hit or miss time now. They either came up with a miracle to save the town,
or...they all died trying. However, the fact that it was a heroic way to go meant nothing,
because they really wanted to live.

"If I asked you to marry me, you'd say yes, right?" Buffy wondered aloud.

"You know I would." Faith answered. She didn't even have to think about it, and that
brought a smile to her face. "Why?"

"Extra motivation. Something to look forward to if we live."

"Hold it. I thought I was the guy in this. I'm supposed to propose, aren't I?"

"You're trying to be conventional now?"

"Hmm. Good point." The brunette said. "Well that clinches it. You're the brains of this
operation."

"I think that's the sweetest thing anybody's ever said to me." Buffy said with a
half-smile, and stole a kiss. "So you love me for my mind, huh?"

"That...and your other well-endowed areas." Faith grinned, and stood up. "As much as I'd
love to continue this conversation, duty calls. Damn it."

"I wish it would try somebody else's number for awhile." Buffy snapped at no one in
particular, as she pulled on her partner's hand.

"Hey, this won't take too long. I'll be back."

"Promise?"

"Horny She-Devil's honor."

The blonde chuckled. "After I talk to mom, I'm gonna head to the library. Meet you there?"

"See ya soon."

Buffy let Faith's hand slip out of hers, and when the other slayer was at the end of the
walkway, she stood up with a sigh, and went into the house.

***

Willow and Oz were in her bedroom. The guitarist was typing on the computer, and the
aspiring wicca was lying on her bed, reading through a spell book. They were searching for
a magickal way to stop the Ascension, but they weren't coming up with anything.

"Oh, this is so frustrating." She felt a migraine coming on.

"Nothing useful?" Oz asked, turning around in the chair.

"No, it's great. If we want to make ferns invisible, or communicate with shrimp, I've got
the goods right here." Willow said, trying to be sarcastic, but it just came off as a
sigh.

"Our lives are different than other peoples'."

"Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not going to find a spell to stop the Ascension. I'm no witch.
I can't even change poor Amy back to a person." Willow looked at her rodent friend, who
was squeaking in her cage.

"But you got the swinging Habitrail going. I think Amy is in a good place emotionally."

"Oz!" She was tired, and scared, and he wasn't helping.

"What?"

"Could you just pretend to care about what's happening? Please?"

"You think I don't care?"

"I think we could be dead in less than two days time and you're being ironic detachment
guy."

"Would it help if I panic?"

"Yes, it would be swell. Panic is a thing people can share in times of crisis. And
everything's really scary now, you know, and I don't know what's gonna happen. And there's
all sorts of things that you're supposed to get to do after high school, and I was really
looking forward to doing them, and now we're probably just gonna die and I would like to
feel that maybe you would -" She was in full babble mode, then
Oz rose, took her face in his hands, and kissed her softly. "What are you doing?"

"Panicking."

Kissing commenced yet again, and they fell back onto the bed.

***

"Buffy, I'm home. Do you wanna go to, uh...?" Joyce trailed off as she walked into her
bedroom and saw her daughter packing a suitcase. "What are you doing? You're running away
again? And you're taking my clothes."

"Mom, I need you to leave town. Tonight."

"Buffy, I'd miss your graduation."

The younger Summers headed to the closet and pulled more clothes out.

"Yeah, that's sort of the idea."

"There's no way. I wouldn't dream..."

"Mom, graduation is a pointless ceremony where you sit around and listen to a bunch of
boring speeches until someone hands you a piece of paper that says you graduated which you
already know, and maroon does nothing for my complexion, so don't argue, okay?"

"What, is some terrible demon going to attack the school?" Joyce asked in a sarcastic
tone. Buffy didn't answer, just kept packing. "Oh, I see. Oh, you know, Buffy, looking
back on everything that's happened, maybe I should have sent you to a different school."

"Please mom. You have to go."

"I'm not leaving you to face an awful monster. If I go anywhere, you're going with me."

"You know that I can't. And Faith'll be with me. I won't be alone."

"I can't either."

She faced her mother. "Mom, I know that sometimes you wish I were different."

"Buffy, no."

"I wish I could be a lot of things for you. A great student, a star athlete, remotely
normal. I'm not. But there is something I do that I can do better than anybody else in the
world. With the exception of Faith, of course." She smiled. "We're gonna fight this thing,
but we can't do it and worry about you."

"Buffy, you just can't..."

"You stay, you'll get me killed. You'll have to trust me on this. Can you do that?"

Joyce nodded hesitantly, and they hugged. "Where are you sending me?"

"Aunt Sarah's. The tickets are waiting for you at the airport. She's paying, and when this
is over, we'll come join you."

"We?"

"Willow, Oz, Faith and me."

"She's too generous."

"Then you better hurry up and get to her place so you can fight about how she spoils me
too much."

"I'll be expecting a call to let me know you're all right."

"You'll get it, don't worry."

***

Inside the apartment, Faith was gathering all the journals, papers, and books that she
could see. As soon as she had entered, it hit her that someone was murdered in the room.
That fact was further reinforced by the crime scene tape and chalk outline, which she
carefully avoided. She'd never be passive when she heard about a murder ever again. It
would always affect her, and she'd always feel guilty, whether she committed the act or
not.

She was looting the victim's home now, but she had to keep telling herself that it was for
a good cause. Gathering up the materials, she began putting them in a cardboard box that
had been sitting atop a shelf. She heard a thump out in the hall, and turned to see Angel
coming in, rubbing his shoulder.

"I give you a 4.6." Faith smirked.

"Not my best entrance. I think they were mopping in the halls." Angel said. "Giles -"

"Asked you to back me up. He's wicked overprotective, but it's nice to know he cares."

The slayer grabbed another set of papers.

"What's that?"

"Report about lava beds or somethin'. It's geo-Greek to me." Angel raised his eyebrows.
"Geologist Greek? Too bad B isn't here. She coulda just seen that bomb."

Faith took the box into her arms.

"I can take that." He offered.

"Nah, it's cool." They started leaving. "So what's this I hear about you ditchin' us?"

"If you ever need me, I'll be reachable, but I don't think either of you will. I know it's
time for me to go, and I'm not gonna fight it."

They were quiet until they got on the street.

"Do what you gotta do, just...no hard feelings?"

He shook his head. "Take care of each other."

"I won't let anything happen to her. Worry about yourself. We don't wanna hear about you
turnin' to dust."

Faith smiled, but noticed that Angel was looking up, and not at her. Before she knew what
was going on, he was tackling her to the ground. After a few moments, the vampire rolled
off of her with a hiss. She sat up, first seeing the contents of the box in the middle of
the street, and then the arrow that was sticking out of Angel's front and back.

"Jesus Christ!" She exclaimed, trying to sit him up, and at the same time, looking around
frantically for the shooter.

***

Twenty-five minutes later, Faith was leaning up against Giles' closed office door,
nervously grabbing her hands. Angel was sitting in a chair, and Giles was cutting the half
of the arrow that was sticking out of his back. Buffy was standing in front of him, and
Wesley was searching through the material the younger slayer had gotten.

"There." The librarian said, holding the arrow up.

"Okay, ready?" The blonde asked, grabbing the front end.

"Yeah." The vampire said.

"On three. One..."

She yanked it out, and Angel grimaced.

"I knew you were going to do that."

"Not too much blood here." Giles said.

"I heal pretty fast. I should be all right."

"Good thing the shooter was no Robin Hood." Faith commented. She watched Buffy cleaning
and bandaging the vampire's wound. "Let me do that."

Buffy handed over the swab, bandages and disinfectant without saying a word, and her
girlfriend got to work.

"Are you okay?" Angel asked her.

"Me? I'm five by five." She said with a sad smile. That was too close. "You?"

He couldn't answer, because Wesley decided to speak.

"Fascinating."

"What?" His fellow Englishman asked.

"It seems our Mr. Wirth headed an expedition in Hawaii, digging in old lava beds near a
dormant volcano."

"Not fascinated yet." Buffy said.

"He found something underneath. A carcass, buried by an eruption."

"A carcass?" That got Giles' attention.

"A very large one. Mr. Wirth posits that it might be some heretofore undiscovered
dinosaur."

"A demon?" Angel wondered as Faith finished up.

"Yes, that would be something that the Mayor would want to keep a secret. If it's the same
kind of demon he's turning into and it's dead, it means that, well, he's only impervious
to harm until the Ascension. In his demon form, he can be killed." Giles figured out.

"Great. So all we need is a million tons of burning lava. We're saved." The older slayer
said sarcastically.

"Where's an ACME Rent-a-Volcano when ya need one?" Faith quipped.

"Well, it's a start, anyway." Angel said, struggling to rise from his chair. The slayers
each took an arm, and helped him to his feet, but his legs gave out suddenly. They lost
their grips. "Damn."

He fell, and nobody could react fast enough. Buffy and Faith watched him break into a
sweat, and the blonde knelt down and felt his forehead.

"You're burning up." Buffy told him.

"It's poison. I can feel it." He said, in obvious pain

"Call the others. Get them here. We need to move him to the safety of his own bed before
the sun comes up." Giles instructed.

"The Council has all the known toxins on file, mystical or otherwise. I'll contact them
immediately." Wesley said sympathetically.

"You're going to be okay." Faith said to Angel, not really certain of her own words. "Hang
in there."

***

In Willow's room, clothes were strewn about, she and Oz were snuggling and resting, and he
was stroking her hair softly.

"I feel different, you know. I...I guess that makes sense. Do you feel different? Oh, no,
you've already, probably, no big change for you. It was nice. Was it nice?"
Willow ceased babbling. "Should this be a quiet moment?"

"I know exactly what you mean." He answered her.

"Which part?"

"Everything from 'it's different'."

They kissed, and right in the middle of it, Willow's phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello?" After a moment, her eyes went wide, and she hung up. "We've gotta go."

***

"They're on it." Faith told Buffy as they sat by Angel's bedside. The Bostonian put a damp
cloth on the vampire's forehead. "I'm gonna...goddamn the Mayor."

Buffy rubbed her girlfriend's back soothingly, and they both heard Wesley come into the
mansion. "I'll go see if he got anything."

She walked into the main area, hearing Giles ask if he had reached the Council.

"Yes. They, they couldn't help." The watcher answered.

"Couldn't?" Buffy asked with disbelief.

"Wouldn't. It's not Council policy to cure vampires."

"Did you explain that these were special circumstances?" Giles asked.

"Not under any circumstances, and yes, I did try to convince them."

"Try again." Buffy said firmly.

"Buffy, they're very firm. We're talking about laws that have existed longer than
civilization."

"I don't have a clue what you're talking about and I don't care."

"Buffy, we'll find a cure." The older man assured her.

"The Council's orders are to concentrate on -" Wesley started.

"Get the hell out of here." Faith snapped, emerging from the bedroom. "Out of town, out of
the country. I'm sick and tired of your 'I know what's good for you' 'tude. You run away
from flies, and we're supposed to take you seriously? You don't care about anything except
the all-great Council, and guess what? They don't mean jack shit to me. You can tell 'em I
said that too."

"You can't turn your back on the Council."

"Yes she can." Buffy argued. "And so can I."

"Giles, talk to them."

"I've nothing to say right now." The ex-watcher said.

"I'll lay this out for ya, Wes." Faith explained slowly. "We're not workin' for them,
anymore. They can go screw themselves." She turned to Giles. "I'm gonna see if Willow -"

"I'm coming with." The blonde said, and then spoke to Giles. "You'll watch him?"

"I'll call if there's any change." He promised.

"You don't know what you're doing." Wesley called after them.

"Get a job." The slayers echoed.

***

"Finding the poison wasn't that hard. It's a mystical compound. The Latin name translates
roughly to Killer of the Dead. Used on vampires." Willow said as they were all gathered
in the Chemistry lab. "But..."

"But what?" Faith asked, not really in a patient mood.

"There was something else on the arrow too. Cyanide." Cordelia explained. "It wouldn't
have had any effect on Angel..."

"It woulda killed me." The brunette realized. "If he hadn't pushed me out of the way."

"The Mayor was prepared. He must've been expecting one of you to show up there, and either
way..." Xander trailed off.

"The shooter was gonna take out someone I cared about." Buffy made it sound like a curse.

The younger slayer was well aware that Angel saved her life, sacrificing his in the
process.

"He's not taking any chances." Oz said.

"Cure?" Buffy asked.

"There aren't a lot of instances of it being cured." The redhead told her friend.

"But there are some?"

"One or two. Pretty vague accounts. How is he?"

"Bad." Faith's voice was soft.

Oz was reading through one of Giles' texts.

"Hold it."

"You got something?" Xander asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Be sure." Buffy said.

"Don't leave us hangin'." Faith said.

"Okay. Killer of the Dead." The guitarist/werewolf said. "That's our boy, and here's a
vamp that walked away from it."

"Does it talk about the cure?" His girlfriend questioned.

"Damn."

"Nothing?" The blonde frowned.

"No, it's in here, but..."

"Wait, completely reversed the effects. Oh." Willow read, and stopped abruptly.

"Guys!" Cordelia snapped.

"The only way to cure this thing is to drain the blood of a slayer." Oz revealed.

They all immediately became depressed, sitting there in complete silence. Then Faith
surprised them.

"I'll do it."

"Excuse me?" Buffy asked. She didn't hear that.

"I'll do it."

"No, you can't. Didn't you hear what he said? Drain. That's the brink of death."

"Brink, not dead." The brunette slayer clarified. "Do you want him to die?" Buffy was
quiet. "I don't either. And I'm willin' to take the risk."

"Well I don't want you to. I'll do it."

"Like I'd let you."

"Then I guess we're at a standstill here." Buffy sighed. "Unless one of us knocks the
other out."

"I'm not doin' that, B." Faith took a breath. "Are we having our first fight?"

"Yeah, I guess we are." Buffy said, taking a moment to try and calm herself.

"Least it's not over something dumb like tracking mud in the house or leaving the keys in
the front door."

Buffy smiled a little. "Faith..."

"Listen. He saved my life. I just wanna return the favor. Nobody else is gonna die cause
of me."

"How can you twist this around and make it your fault?"

"You're not gonna change my mind. Maybe I couldn't prevent Allan, or Lester, but I can
prevent this."

The energy to argue had left Buffy. "I don't wanna lose you, that's all."

Faith kissed her deeply. "You won't, cause you'll be there to stop him before he takes it
all."

"Fine. If this is what you want." She caved. "I'm still not okay with it, though."

"Thanks."

They remembered the gang was in there, only when Cordelia decided to whistle in an effort
to get their attention.

"Just one thing." The cheerleader said. "Are you nuts? Good luck, though. Really."

***

A few minutes later, Buffy and Faith were on their way to the mansion, Willow went home
because she couldn't believe what Faith was going to do, and was worried sick. Also, she
knew she'd spill to Giles if she hung around. Oz went with her. Cordelia went with Xander
to the library, and they were up in the stacks with Giles, who had left the mansion at the
slayers' request.

"Right. Right." The librarian said excitedly, moving to another bookcase.

"Something about the demon?" Xander asked, as they followed him.

"The local villagers near the volcano site made reference to the legend of Ollokai. Might
be a bastardization of Olvikan."

"Olive can?" Cordelia was confused.

"Olvikan. I know it's a demon, a very old one. Might have a picture." He grabbed a book,
and started flipping the pages.

"Boy, it's a good thing no one ever wanted to check any of these books out, huh?" Xander
joked.

"Yes, very convenient."

"Come on Olvikan. Hey."

Giles stopped, and Xander opened up a large centerfold picture of Olvikan.

"'Uh oh' would work here, right?" Cordelia asked.

"I believe so." Giles agreed.

"Then...uh oh."

***

"Sit up, Big Guy." Faith said. Buffy watched from the entrance, the knot in her stomach
increasing by the second, and mouthed those three words to the brunette.
"Time to get better."

"Wha...?" Angel was delirious.

"Faith is...she's gonna cure you, Angel." Buffy said, hardly able to get the words out.

"H...how?"

"Thirsty?" Faith said, trying to be humorous. Angel realized what she was saying and
vehemently shook his head. "I can cure ya."

"No. Get away."

He rose from the bed with a lot of effort, and stumbled past Buffy. They went after him.

"It'll save you." The blonde told him.

"You're fine with...?" She couldn't lie. "I'm ready. I said I had to go. I just didn't
know where. Now I do."

"You aren't gonna die." Faith said.

"It's not your choice."

"It is. You're gonna drink."

"You can't ask me to do that. It'll kill you."

"I'm not asking you, I'm tellin' you, and I know what could happen." She got in his face.
"Drink."

"No."

"Drink! You're not dying!"

"No!"

"Drink, goddamn it!" She punched him hard in the face. He just looked shocked, so she
punched him again.

That time, he showed his demonic face, and she could see the hunger in his eyes. She bared
her neck, and he sank his teeth in. It actually felt good, in a weird sort of way. She
felt light. When Buffy saw her girlfriend's legs wobbling, she got behind her to hold her
up. She stood there for about thirty seconds, but when she saw some of Faith's blood
escaping Angel's lips; she couldn't take it anymore.

Pulling Faith away hard, hearing her gasp, she gently eased her to the ground and took the
other slayer's place. Angel's bloodlust was so overpowering, that he didn't even register
the change of people. He fed from Buffy with the same vigor that he had with Faith. The
blonde collapsed to the ground, and Angel went with her, not letting up.

When he finally stopped a minute or so later, he found himself looking at two unconscious
slayers, and the horror of what he had just done was already haunting him.

***

Buffy was looking around the church. She was paying extra attention to the religious
figures depicted on the windows.

"Powerful guys." She commented.

"May their Light keep shinin' on us."

"Amen."

"Are diamonds a sin, or is that just the Golden Midas?" Faith made a circle with her thumb
and forefinger.

"Is this your mind or mine?"

"Beats me." She laughed. "Mine. I think."

"You really are thinking about this aren't you?"

Faith smiled, walking in between the pews, running her hands along the wood.

"Oh yeah. Miles to go. Little Ms. Muffet counting down from 7-3-0."

Buffy started walking down the other side, so she and Faith would meet in the middle.

"Do I sound as confusing to you as you do to me?"

"The world is fragmented. Nothin' is ever as it seems. Not even the fire in Dick's hair."

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Time to go." A yellow flower appeared in Faith's hand, and she held it out to the blonde.
"Come and get your honey, Little Bee. A new day is dawning."

As their hands met around the stem, so did their lips, and the dream world vanished. They
found themselves lying in separate beds, in a hospital room. There was a curtain
separating them.

"Faith?"

"Buffy?" The brunette tried to get up, but pulled her IV. "Damn!"

The blonde giggled, and carefully removed her tube. She slid the curtain back, jumped onto
her girlfriend's bed, and straddled Faith's waist.

"You called?" She asked, taking the other girl's IV out. As soon as Faith was free, she
and Buffy started kissing feverishly. "Thank...God..."

"Feel so...good..."

"Hmm...mm..."

"You...pulled me...away from him..."

"Yeah...I...did..."

"I...should...be...pissed..."

"Are...you...?"

"Not...anymore..."

"Good...love...you..."

Faith wrapped her arms around Buffy, and pulled her closer, bringing their bodies
together. They didn't hear the door open, nor did they hear it shut.

***

Cordelia faced the questioning looks of Giles, Angel, and her friends.

"They're fine. Give them a few minutes."

They went back to their chairs, trying to hide their blushes.

"You all should have told me what they were planning." Giles scolded. "You better go,
Angel. The sun will be up soon."

The vampire nodded, heading down the hallway. The thing that really sickened him was that
a part of him had enjoyed it. He had broken his cardinal rule, never drink from a human
again. That was bad enough, but the fact that it was Buffy and Faith was too much to bear.

He was happy to go. He had brought them here, and they were recovering, so there was no
reason for him to stay. So he left. After a little bit of waiting, the slayers emerged
from their room, dressed in the clothes they had come in with. Their friends crowded
around them.

"How are you feeling?"

"We're good, Giles." Buffy smiled.

"He's okay, right?" Faith asked.

"He'll live." Xander said. "Or un-live."

"He had to go. It got kinda sunny." Oz explained.

"Get him. Everyone." The dark-haired slayer said.

"Why?" Willow asked.

"Cause we think we've got a plan." Buffy answered.

"Is *that* what you were dong in there?" Cordelia was being blatantly sarcastic.

"What? You think we were gettin' down and dirty in there?" Faith wondered.
"Maybe we were down, but we weren't bein' dirty. I might like a thrill now and then, but a
hospital bed? Get outta of the gutter, Cor."

"You don't have to." Xander leered at his girlfriend.

"Perhaps we can keep the hormones suppressed for now, and concentrate on the Ascension,
hmm? Seeing as it is taking place later today." Giles said calmly. "Now, how about we get
you both discharged, then you can explain your plan."

"It's a good plan. Isn't it?" Buffy whispered to Faith, as they walked.

"Sounded good to me, but things were still a little foggy when we were comin' up with it,
so..."

"Doesn't matter. I'm still confident."

"Oh yeah, I'm totally behind it."

They glanced around at the walls, a nervous, unsure look in their eyes.

***

Faith and Buffy sat on the library steps, Giles and Angel stood by his office door, and
the rest of the gang was around the table. The slayers were waiting for a response, but
all they saw were blank stares.

"They think we're crazy, B." Faith grinned.

"Well, 'crazy' is such a *strong* word." Willow said slowly.

Giles chewed on his glasses. "Let's not rule it out though."

"You don't think it can be done?" Buffy asked.

"I didn't say that. I might...but not yet."

"I personally don't think it's impossible to come up with a crazier plan." Cordelia added
her two cents.

"We attack the Mayor with humus." Everyone looked at Oz quizzically.

"I stand corrected."

"Just trying to keep things in perspective."

"Well, anybody got a better plan?" Faith asked the group.

Nobody offered any suggestions.

"Then we're going with this." The blonde said. "And we're going to need every single one
of you on board. Especially you Xander. You're sort of the key figure here."

"Key? Me?" Xander took a deep breath. "Okay, pride, humility, and here is the mind numbing
fear." He sighed. "What do I have to do?"

"Do you remember any of your military training from when you became soldier guy?"

He pointed excitedly. "Uh, rocket launcher?"

"Rocket launcher not going to get it done. I mean, it took a volcano to kill one of these
things last time."

Giles approached the slayers. "Um, all of this is rather dependent upon being able to
control the Mayor."

"Got that covered. Even he's got a macho complex, so I just work that." Faith said.

"He's not crazy about germs." Angel offered as another option.

"Of course, that's it. We attack him with germs!" Cordelia exclaimed.

"Great! We'll corner him and then you can sneeze on him." Buffy was sarcastic.

"No! No, we'll get a box with the Ebola virus and...and...Or it doesn't even have to be
real, we can just get a box that says Ebola on it and...um, chase him..." They didn't seem
to be warming up to her idea. "With the box&"

"Humus offensive, huh?" Xander questioned Oz.

"He'll never see it coming."

"Trust me. I got this." The brunette slayer said.

"You haven't an enormous amount of time." Wesley said, coming in.

"Hey it's Mr. States-the-Obvious." Xander quipped.

Faith moved to go to the watcher, but Buffy silently told her that now wasn't the time for
a scene.

"The Council is not welcome here. I have no time for orders. If we need someone to scream
like a woman I'll give you a call."

"You do what we say, don't get in our way..." Faith sighed. "And you can stay."

"Cool rhyme." Oz said.

The slayers walked over to the table.

"Okay, this is how it's gonna lay out..." Buffy began.

***

Later, everyone was busy with several different tasks. Wesley was reading about the
details of what was going to happen in a few hours, Cordelia was packing the library's
books into boxes, Xander was writing down a list of materials he needed to get, and Oz and
Willow were handling the more scientific part of the whole operation, Faith watching them.

Buffy and Angel were listening to Wesley.

"Darkness will follow and day becomes night."

"An eclipse." She realized.

"Standard procedure for an Ascension."

"That puts me back into the game." The vampire said.

"Yeah, it does." Buffy said, relieved that they had an extra fighter. "You and Xander are
going to have to work together now. Can you guys handle that?"

"But I'm still key-guy, right?" Xander asked, looking up.

"Right."

"Then Angel, in his non-key-guy capacity, can work with me."

"What fun." Angel commented dryly.

"Hey! Key-guy is still talking -"

"Oh, that's good! Start bickering. That's going to look great for us. You guys are like
little old ladies!" Buffy felt a headache coming on.

Faith was still observing the guitarist and hacker in the stacks, as they read.

"Volcano thing cool?" She asked.

"I think we can work it out." Oz told her.

"Fun with chemistry." Willow smiled.

"X-Man is gonna get the stuff." The slayer said.

"Who's going to stoke it up?" Oz asked.

Buffy came up beside her girlfriend, and they both looked at the librarian.

"Ah, I suppose it should be I. It's strangely fitting in a grotesque fashion."

"Okay guys, start reaching out. Giles, weapons, weapons, weapons." Buffy said.

"Ah, what about you two?"

"She's graduatin' and we're gonna have to launch a major assault in a few hours." Faith
said, yawning. "We're takin' a nap."

They all stopped what they were doing.

"Uh, she's kidding guys." The blonde smirked.

Work continued after a brief pause.

"I was?"

***

Xander rushed into a classroom, where Harmony was talking with her little group, and
interrupted, grabbing her arm.

"Harmony, listen, I need to talk to you for a second."

"You mean in front of other people?" She asked, horrified.

He pulled her out of the room.

***

Willow ran into the cafeteria, where she saw Percy, a guy she had been tutoring in
History, talking with his fellow teammates from the basketball team. He was wearing his
gown, and complaining about it.

"Are they serious? I'm going to look stupid in this!"

"Percy!" She yelled, getting his attention.

"Do I look stupid in this? Be honest."

"You look great. You got a sec?"

***

Out in front of the school some time later, Oz and Willow were taking large bags out of
his van, and putting them in two shopping carts that were being manned by Larry and
Jonathan.

"Okay, put these with the others. Don't touch anything." Oz told them.

"Uh, what...what do we do then?" Jonathan asked, more than a bit worried.

"Nothing."

"Just relax. Have a good time." Willow said.

"O...Okay." The short student said.

"Okay, it's clear. Let's move." Larry said, checking for people.

The two guys took off, and Oz shut the sliding door. He turned to see his girlfriend sigh.

"I guess that's it. Won't be long now."

"You nervous?" He asked, concerned.

She swallowed. "Only in a...terrified way."

"We'll make it through this." He took her hand.

"Are you sure?"

"I sound pretty sure, don't I?"

Willow smiled. "Yeah."

"Then I must be sure."

"Is that just a comforting way of not answering the question?" She asked with a frown.
They leaned close to each other, and started kissing softly. "How long till graduation?"

"A little while."

***

They were minutes away now. Faith and Buffy stood in a hallway, the blonde in her gown.
All the students were heading out to the quad.

"You know what I just realized?" Faith asked rhetorically. "I won't be able to go to
school here."

"There's other ways to get your diploma." Something dawned on Buffy. "You might even be
able to start college next summer. It'd be too late to apply for next fall."

"What? How?"

"Later. We gotta make it through this first."

"Then let's hit it."

"You know what to do?" Faith's silence was her answer, and they kissed. "Good luck,
honey."

"You too, B. You too."

***

It was time. The students were sitting in the yard, parents off to the side, and Snyder
was at the podium.

"Congratulations to the class of 1999. You all proved more or less adequate. This is a
time of celebration, so sit still and be quiet." He looked around at the crowd.
"Spit out that gum. Now, please welcome our distinguished guest speaker: Richard Wilkins
III." He eyed someone. "I saw that gesture. You see me after graduation."

Oz and Willow ran up the aisle, and she took her place beside Buffy.

"Am I late? Did we fight?"

The Mayor stepped up to the podium, and looked to the students.

"Well, what a day this is. A special day. Today is our centennial. The 100th anniversary
of the founding of Sunnydale, and I know what that means to all you kids. Not a darn
thing. Cause today, something much more important happens. Today you all graduate from
high school.

"Today all the pain, all the work, all the excitement, is finally over. Now what's a
hundred years of history compared to that?"

"My God, he's gonna do the entire speech." Buffy said to Willow.

"Man just ascend already."

"Evil."

He had been talking still. "It's been a long road getting here. For you, for Sunnydale.
There's been achievement, and joy, and good times. And there's been grief, there's been
loss. Some people, who should be here today," Faith was silently cursing at him from her
position behind the parents, "aren't. But we are.

"Journey's end. What is a journey? Is it just distance traveled? Time spent? No. It's what
happens on the way. It's the things that shape you. At the end of the journey, you're not
the same. Today is about change.

"Graduation doesn't just mean your circumstances change, it means you do. You ascend, to a
higher level. Nothing will ever be the same. Nothing." He cringed down in pain. The
changes were beginning. And the students started to look around. Especially at the now
blocked out sun. Faith tensed, and she saw Angel show himself.

"And so, as we look back on the events that have brought us to this day, we...must all..."
He screamed. "It has begun. My destiny. It's a little sooner then I expected. I had this
whole section on civic pride, but I guess we'll just skip to the big finish."

His skin, his clothes, they all tore. His body contorted, and changed, and face started to
become more reptilian. Finally, he shed his human skin, and took on a demonic snake-like
form. He was sixty feet long, and his huge mouth opened, and roared, animalistic and raw.

***

The students watched the demon snake Mayor and he eyed them. The parents were trying to
rush out of the courtyard as fast as possible. Buffy yelled in the midst of her class.

"Now!"

They threw off their gowns and caps to reveal hidden assortments of weaponry. Bows and
arrows, maces, axes, swords, from Giles stockpile of weapons; and flame-throwers care of
the local army regiment, and Xander's soldier memories.

"Flame units!" Buffy called out.

The front line raised their flame-throwers, and pointed them at the demon snake.

"First wave! Fire!" Xander directed.

The flames burst out, and distracted the demon, but their efforts appeared only to agitate
it. They continued this way, wave after wave of fire, doing their best to hold it off
until the right time. They didn't go unpunished though. The snake quickly ate a young
girl, and side swiped Larry with his tail, sending him flying in the air, and snapping his
neck.

> > From behind all the students, the Mayor's vampires came forward towards the unsuspecting
kids. Oz turned around sharply, and saw them coming.

"Xander!" He yelled.

"Bow men!"

The guys in the back row turned around, and were all armed with flame-tipped arrows. Some
hit their mark instantly torching some vampires. Some didn't, and the remaining still came
forward. Off to the side, a group holding stakes and crosses, led by Cordelia, Wesley,
Angel and Faith went to face off with the vampires.

Still over on the stage, Snyder was yelling up to the demon snake Mayor. Buffy watched,
wide-eyed.

"This is not orderly! This is not disciplined! You're on my campus, buddy, and when I -"
He was cut off when the snake dipped down, and ate him.

"Fall back!" She yelled to everyone.

Back by the vampires, Cordelia successfully staked one, however, they weren't going to
last much longer. Faith ran up to Buffy.

"Go back Giles up!" The brunette yelled.

Buffy screamed one last order to Xander before going.

"Xander! Take 'em down!"

"Hand to hand!" Xander yelled.

The rest of the students dropped their weapons, and they all converged on the vampires.
Faith ran directly beneath the snake.

"Hey Dick!" The snake looked down. "Yeah, I'm talkin' to you, asshole. I promised someone
I'd take you out. Unless you take me out first. But I don't think you can." It screeched.
"Prove me wrong. Come on, eat me ya movie monster reject! I don't have all day. Finish me
off. What's a matter, too scared? Chicken shit, I knew it. You don't got the balls now
that you're not invincible."

That did it. She took off into the school, and it followed. It crashed through the wall,
and in through the cafeteria, through the hallways, and lounge. Faith kept ahead of it,
and went through the doors of the library and out the window on the far side.

She ran out, and stumbled by the bushes, where Buffy was covering Giles, who was waiting
to push down on a trigger. He went to hit the button, but Faith beat him to it. Inside,
the bags of explosives in the library blew up, engulfing the once Mayor, and the entire
school in flames.

"Hell yeah!" Faith said as her girlfriend tackled her in a hug.

"Seniors are gonna have to work pretty hard from now on to top that prank." Buffy said,
laughing.

"If you call that a prank," Giles said, rubbing his classes, "I'd be very reluctant to see
your idea of a disaster."

***

Police cars and fire trucks were parked in front of the school now. The fire had long been
out, and the authorities were searching for anything salvageable from the hollowed out
building. Two firemen were wheeling a gurney with a groaning Wesley over toward an
ambulance.

"If I could...could just get something for the pain. It's rather a lot of pain, actually.
Aspirin? If you would...uh...ah...Perhaps I could just be knocked unconscious." He was
being put into the ambulance.

Buffy was walking with Xander.

"We got off pretty cheap...considering." Her friend said.

"Seems like we did."

"I'm gonna...uh...Cordelia."

She smiled at him, and Giles came up to her.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm tired."

"I should imagine so. It's been quite a couple of days."

She slumped her shoulders. "I haven't processed everything yet. My brain isn't really
functioning on the higher levels." She breathed deeply. "It's pretty much: fire bad; tree
pretty." Faith ran over, and kissed her. "Add 'Faith kissage' to the list."

"I was just checkin' in with Willow. Few scratches. Nothin' big." The brunette said, and
then turned to look at Giles. "Do we get the two thumbs up, or what?"

He smiled. "I'd say so. Congratulations on a good campaign. You did very well."

"You're gonna boost my ego, Giles."

"Wouldn't want that." Buffy said with a smirk.

"I ah...I managed to ferret this out of the wreckage. Now, it may not interest you,
but..." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a diploma. "I'd say you earned it."

"Damn right she did." Faith said, putting her arm around the blonde's shoulders as the
girl took it.

"I'm going to see to Wesley, see if he's...is still..." He grinned. "Whimpering."

"So Graduate, what do you wanna do now?"

Both slayers felt a presence behind them then. Turning around, they saw it was Angel.

"I didn't want to leave without saying...thank you." The vampire said.

They didn't realize he had planned on going so soon. The three of them were quiet.

"Don't know what else to say except," Buffy said, "take care of yourself."

Faith waited for them to hug or something, but they didn't. Which meant they must have
already, which was good in her opinion, because she had no desire to see it. He had given
her help, had been there for her, but a little jealousy wasn't a bad thing. Seeing that it
was her turn, she simply shook his hand, and they looked at each other for several
seconds.

With a slight nod, Angel walked away, vanishing into the night.

***

Two days later, Buffy, Faith, Oz and Willow were helping Xander and Cordelia load the car.
The two of them were heading out on the road. Yesterday, Faith had stopped by Restfield
and told Allan the good news. Currently, she was watching the blonde, the redhead, and the
brunette cheerleader, teary-eyed, share a tight hug.

"Call as soon as you find a place." Willow told her.

"And if you ever need anything..." Buffy trailed off.

"I know who to ask." Cordelia promised.

They separated, and Faith walked over after shutting the trunk.

"You'll make it."

"Thanks, Faith." She smiled, and they hugged quickly.

The slayer held open the passenger side door, and Cordelia got in. Buffy and
Willow went around to the driver's side, and bent down to look in the window.

"See you in three months, guys." Xander said. "Have fun in Boston."

"Bring us lots of those pointless roadside souvenirs, okay?" Willow asked.

"You betcha. And get me liquor from Cheers."

Buffy shook her head with a smile. "Enjoy yourselves."

"We plan to." Cordelia said.

"You and Faith behave, Buff." Xander grinned. "On second thought..."

"Get outta here, Xander."

"Yes ma'am."

He started the car, and then the four of them watched it disappear down the street.

"What time's the flight?" Oz asked.

"Seven-thirty. Giles is our ride to the airport." Buffy answered.

"And we're packed with time to kill." Faith said.

"How much time?" Willow asked.

"Hour or two."

"Really?"

She looked at her boyfriend. He returned her gaze.

"Oh. My. God." Buffy felt like she couldn't breathe. She studied Willow as if seeing her
for the first time. Willow...had...had...

Faith pulled on her girlfriend's arm, grinning. "Whataya say we meet up at Giles' in an
hour and a half?"

"Good idea." Willow nodded.

"It's got my vote." Oz said.

"So it's settled." Faith confirmed, turning to the blonde.

Buffy just moved her mouth up and down.

The two couples stood there for a moment, and then took off in opposite directions,
heading for their houses.



--
"I wanna set the record straight. I thought the cop was a prostitute." (Homer J. Simpson)

"You think you know? What's to come? What you are? You haven't even begun."
(Tara to Buffy, BTVS)


"Since when is there a cowboy in 'Death of a Salesman' anyway?" (Willow, BTVS)