FF: Rewrite Season 6, part 11 - B/F T/W - R

["carrkjar" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Psycho Circus 
Season 6 Reset, part 11

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 

Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: www.hunterash.com 

Acknowledgments: Plot collaborated on by Hunter Ash and Dark 
Gremlin. Suggestions from many people and many boards: a 
special "thank you" to them. Another special "Thank You" to Joan the 
English Chick (pisces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for her transcripts.  

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. No harm intended.  
The character of Maggie Doyle belongs to whoever created ER and I'm 
just borrowing the absent character.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and opposite gender. If this 
offends or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you 
are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws. 

Spoilers: In my universe here, Season 6 is happening again! Starting 
with Bargaining and taking off from there. Things will be different 
here.  

Rating: R (US), 15 (UK) MA (Aus) Pairings: W/T, X/An

Summary: Old faces make themselves known and plots are revealed, but 
is it too late?


* * *

Buffy ducked one punch and blocked a second one before throwing one 
vampire into the other. The blonde Slayer moved with a well-
practiced ease as both vampires rushed her from either side and she 
dived forward out of their rush. Buffy spun around, kicking one 
vampire in the jaw and staking the other. The second vampire hadn't 
recovered from the kick before Buffy had staked him as well

Buffy was about to head back towards the gate when she hesitated.  
She had already made a patrol around the Bronze and Espresso Pump and 
this was her first graveyard of the night. Buffy didn't think she 
was sensing another vampire but something was?off.

Frowning, the Slayer listened closely and heard a small tapping 
nearby. Buffy pulled out her stake and trotted towards the 
crypts. "I've never seen so many damned crypts in a California 
town!" she muttered.

Buffy noticed a tomb with a partially open door and approached it 
slowly. The tapping was louder and steady. "Help me," a voice 
called softly.

"You've got to be kidding," Buffy mumbled when she opened the tomb 
door. "Faith?"

"B, help me, please," Faith begged softly. "He broke my leg and arm."

"Who did?" Buffy demanded as she walked into the tomb cautiously.  
She was expecting a trap, even though Faith looked almost as bad as 
Jonathan did just before he died.

"Spike," Faith whispered.

Buffy was finally satisfied that there was no one else in the tomb 
and bent cautiously over Faith, looking for hidden weapons or faking 
of injuries.

Faith had been badly beaten. Buffy figured the brunette Slayer had a 
broken nose, a broken left arm and a broken right leg. There were 
various bruises and cuts on Faith, especially on her hands where she 
had fought back.

What was disturbing Buffy the most was the ripped shirt, claw marks 
on Faith's chest and the fang marks on the Slayer's neck.

"Faith, you've got five seconds to tell me what the hell is going on 
and it had better be good," Buffy threatened. "Or I'm leaving you 
here!"

"I got out of prison with a Watcher," Faith gasped as Buffy ripped 
her shirt into pieces and wrapped one around Faith's wounded 
arms. "He?he told me Red worked bad magic to bring you back. That?
both of you were now dark?F**k, B, that hurts!"

Buffy stopped trying to straighten Faith's leg. Spike had apparently 
bent the leg over his knee at an awkward angle and snapped it. The 
blonde Slayer knew it would take more than the usual Slayer overnight 
healing before Faith would walk again without crutches.

"Keep talking!" Buffy growled.  

"Said that I could go back to being a Slayer if I took you and Red 
out," Faith said through gritted teeth.

"And you agreed, great plan for revenge, right?" Buffy demanded.  

"No, I agreed because if you came back wrong then I had a duty to 
take you down because I respect you, B," Faith growled. "I didn't 
want some Watcher sniping you from some rooftop and walking away like 
you were nothing!"

Buffy frowned. "Angel said you were doing well in prison."

"B, I know you haven't wanted to talk or anything," Faith said 
softly. "I didn't escape, I swear. The Watcher wanted me to team up 
with Spike to kill you and Red. I spied on you and kept getting 
mixed signals. Captain America thinks Willow is dangerous and you're 
protective but I can't bring myself to believe something went wrong 
with you coming back. You're the Slayer, not me."

"So what happened with Spike?" Buffy asked, helping Faith sit up as 
she checked for other broken bones.

"He came back last night all bloody and absolutely out of his head," 
Faith moaned in pain as Buffy helped her lean against the stone 
wall. "He didn't even say a f**king 'hello,' he just hit me. The 
bastard took me by surprise, threw me in here and beat the crap out 
of me."

"Why?" Buffy frowned.

"He?he insisted we kidnap Dawn tonight and kill you when you came for 
her," Faith muttered. "I put my foot down and he showed me that he 
had that damned chip shorted out or something."

"Dawn? He's going after Dawnie?" Buffy demanded.

"Yeah, he broke my leg and arm so I couldn't find you and then locked 
me in," Faith explained. "B, I'm on your side, I swear it."

"Who was this Watcher that got you out?" Buffy asked with a frown.

"Said he name was Ethan," Faith moaned.

"Ethan Rayne!" Buffy growled and Faith flinched away from the 
Slayer's anger.

"I take it you know him and he's not a Watcher?" Faith smirked at 
herself. "Figures, I try to do something right and I mess it up."

"I'm going to call 911 and get you to a hospital," Buffy 
frowned. "Then I'm going to find Spike and stake the son of a bitch!"

"No hospital, B! They'll send me back to prison!" Faith cried, 
panicked.

"Relax, we'll figure out the legal stuff if you're serious about the 
redemption thing," Buffy said absently. "I've got a friend at a 
clinic. So, no 911. I'm calling Giles and Xander to help me with 
you."

Buffy pulled out her phone and looked at it and then at Faith.

"Faith, Angel said to trust you," Buffy said slowly. "We didn't 
agree about a lot of things the last couple of years but I'm going to 
try and trust his judgment. You turn on me or any of my friends 
again and I will make sure to kill you this time."

"Okay, B," Faith said softly, closing her eyes in pain.

Buffy wondered how Faith had gotten through an entire night and day 
with broken bones and more.

"Giles, I'm in Northgate Cemetery towards the back," Buffy said 
calmly, speaking into her cell phone. "I need you and Xander to help 
me with someone who's injured. We can' t take her to the hospital.  
Can you get Maggie to open up the clinic or is it still open."

Faith watched as Buffy listened for a moment.

"Okay, is Dawn there? Keep her in the house," Buffy said 
firmly. "Spike is after her and me and he's gone totally over the 
edge."

Buffy hung up the phone and squatted next to Faith, her face and eyes 
hard.

"Have you changed?" she demanded from the dark Slayer.

"Did you?" Faith countered softly.

"I died and came back," Buffy snapped. "Not quite the same thing."

"Try going to prison and hiding your true strength," Faith 
whispered. "Try staying behind bars and not killing the first guard 
that tries to rape you in the middle of the night or the woman in 
your cell because you stepped on her shoes. It's the same as dying, 
B."

"You put yourself there, Faith," Buffy countered.

"Willingly," the brunette reminded her. "I escaped from the 
Watchers, I could have escaped from the cops. I tried to do the right 
thing this time."

"Would you have killed me and Willow?" Buffy demanded.

"No," Faith shook her head wearily. "I guess that's why I kept 
stalling. I still can't follow through, B."

Buffy's eyes softened slightly. "Why did you take the deal?"

"I knew if that Watcher was right and you were evil, the Buffy you 
had been once would want to be taken down by another Slayer," Faith 
explained again. "I wanted to be a Slayer for once."

"Ethan Rayne isn't a Watcher, Faith," Buffy said slowly. "He's a 
sorcerer and an old enemy of Giles and the gang."  

"Figures, my one shot at freedom and it was a trick," Faith 
complained. "I had a good chance at parole next year too. Now 
they'll tack on another five or ten years for escaping."

"Lets worry about that after we take Spike and Ethan down," Buffy 
smiled slightly.  

Faith nodded and clenched her jaw.

"Faith, did he??" Buffy asked softly.

"No," Faith said, keeping her eyes closed. "He tried but he?he 
couldn't perform or something and bit me instead."

"He tried with me," Buffy admitted. "Spike was about to when Dawn 
stopped him."

"I saw then carry you in the house," Faith said, opening her eyes 
slightly. "I was the one that got him out of his crypt before Giles 
and them got there, B."

"You knew he tried to rape me and you helped him!" Buffy shouted, 
jumping to her feet.

"I was going to use him as my bargaining chip to show you I was being 
a good guy," Faith whined. "I figured if I took him down last night 
and presented him to you then you might half believe I was trying."

"Damnit, Faith! You should have just called yesterday," Buffy 
complained. "I would have helped you with Spike."

"You would have suspected a trap, just like you did coming in here," 
Faith countered.

Buffy frowned and went to the tomb door, keeping an eye out for 
Giles, Xander and possibly Spike.

"I want to believe in you, Faith," Buffy said softly. "It hurt so 
much when you wigged."

"I know," Faith said wearily. "I can never say I'm sorry enough for 
that. All I can do is change."

After a few moments Faith looked up at the other Slayer.

"How did Spike get the chip thing screwed up? She asked.

"Got some computer science geeks to overload the chip and then he 
slaughtered them," Buffy said grimly.  

She may not have known Warren and the other guy but Jonathan had been 
an okay kid. Screwed up and geeky but a good heart underneath and 
Buffy didn't think he deserved the death he and his friends had 
gotten.

"Hang loose," she instructed when she saw flashlights moving through 
the headstones and went to meet them.

* * *

Willow looked around the mansion for Ethan when she woke up later 
that evening but found the mansion empty and a bag of groceries on 
the kitchen counter. The suspicious witch checked the containers of 
dried foods carefully before opening the peanut butter and jelly.  
She started making herself a sandwich and opening a bag of chips.  
The soda can fizzed properly when she opened it as well.  

"Well, I don't think he poisoned any of it," she muttered. "If he 
used magic, I'm toast."

Willow ate her sandwich and chips quickly, her eyes constantly 
darting around the mansion. It was dark and spooky in the old house 
at night, especially with no electricity and only a small camp 
lantern to light the kitchen.

"Okay, Rosenberg, now what? Get out of town? Call the gang for help? 
Or what?"

"Or take Ethan up on his offer to join together?" a voice suggested 
from the doorway.

Willow spun with her hands held up defensively.

"Easy, Willow," Ethan grinned, holding his own hands up in a peace 
gesture.

"The last one isn't an option," Willow grumbled, lowering her hands 
and reaching for her soda.

"Why not?" Ethan asked, bending over into the ice chest for a soda of 
his own.

"Because I don't like you, I don't trust you, and I don't like you," 
Willow said firmly.

"You said that twice," Ethan continued to grin.

"It deserved a repeat," Willow growled.

Ethan finally looked irritated.  

"You are even more stubborn than Ripper was," he complained. "We 
could do spells, raise some vicious power and send those commando 
types running for the hills. Plus maybe even have some romance."

"Gay now, thanks," Willow muttered.

"So am I, upon occasion," Ethan smiled. "Ask Ripper."

Willow looked up sharply. 

"You and Giles?" she squeaked.

"Ripper," Ethan corrected with a rakish grin. "I'm also straight 
when I'm with a beautiful woman like yourself."

Willow rolled her eyes in exasperation.  

"Give it a rest," she snapped. "You're even slimier than I thought."

"Ah, Willow," Ethan said sadly. "I wish we could have worked 
together, we could have made some wonderful magic together."

Willow's eyes narrowed.

"Sexually or other?" she smirked.

"Both," Ethan snarled. "Now we do it the hard way."

Willow spun, dropping her soda can as she raised her hands.

The energy bolt and dampening spell caught the witch just before she 
could shield herself. Willow went crashing into the table behind 
her, falling hard to the floor, stunned.

"That was bloody easy," a familiar voice reached through Willow's 
haze.

"Not so easy, that drains the hell out of me," Ethan 
complained. "She's got this incredible power and isn't using it! Oh 
well, if she won't use it and won't work with me, I'll just take it 
from her."

"Okay, you've got Red," Spike demanded as he lifted Willow over his 
shoulder. "Why do you want Tara and Dawn?"

//Tara? Dawn?// Willow screamed mentally.

"I'll take Tara's magical energy as well," Ethan explained. "The 
brat is bait to draw the Slayer and Giles here. I'll get my revenge 
on Giles and you'll get your Slayer to play with."

"Where the hell do you want her?" Spike grumbled.

"I've got the chains ready in the back room, chain and gag her," 
Ethan instructed. "The chains are magically bound and if she's 
gagged, she can't work around them. Don't hurt her yet."

"I get her later, right?" Spike demanded.

"I don't care what you do to her after I've drained the magic energy 
and most of the life force from her and the other witch," Ethan said 
absently.

//Oh Goddess! Tara!//

* * *

Faith listened closely as Dr. Maggie Doyle worked on her broken 
limbs. While Xander and Giles argued with Buffy about turning Faith 
over to the authorities or not. Surprisingly, Giles was in favor of 
trusting her.

Anya was quiet but Xander was very vocal about calling the police.

"Sounds like you might have an enemy out there," Maggie said softly 
as she wrapped the cast material around Faith's leg.

"Yeah, I'm surprised they aren't all trying to lynch me," Faith 
muttered, gritting her teeth.

"What did you do to them?" Maggie asked, genuinely interested. She 
knew Giles and had good feelings about the others. The problem was 
she also had good instincts about the girl she was working on. 
However, Maggie did sense some major tension between Buffy and the 
girl.

"Tried to kill them," Faith said softly, angrily wiping at the stray 
tear escaping her eyes.

"Well, it sounds like Buffy and Giles are willing to give you a 
chance," Maggie pointed out.  

"I don't deserve it from them," Faith said softly, the pain shot 
Maggie had given her earlier starting to hit.

Maggie looked up as Buffy stuck her head in the door. "Can I see her 
for a minute?"

"If you can talk while I work," Maggie stipulated. "I need to stitch 
up that wound on her arm."

"Faith?" Buffy asked softly, pulling up a stool next to the gurney.  

"Yeah, B?" Faith asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"Swear to me you've changed," Buffy demanded with a frown.

"I can't do that, you won't believe it," Faith said bitterly.  

"Then tell me why you did it in the first place," Buffy said, 
reaching out to hold Faith's hand, surprising the brunette.

"Remember turning me over to the Council for retraining? 
Rehabilitation?" Faith asked, keeping her eyes closed. "I knew what 
that meant, drugs, bars, and people telling you what to do and when 
to do it. I knew they'd just make me crazier."

"You knew we didn't approve of that," Buffy continued to frown. "We 
would have helped you. Faith, you didn't have to turn to the Mayor."

"I know that now," Faith said irritably. "He offered me a home, 
security, power, and?and love."

"I offered you love!" Buffy hissed. 

"And then moped around for your long lost love, Angel," Faith snapped 
back. 

Buffy looked up at Maggie, obviously embarrassed by stuff she hadn't 
even admitted to Willow or anyone else. The doctor was pointedly 
avoiding looking in the eyes of either girl.

"I'm not a goddamn yo-yo, B," Faith complained.

"Okay, old stuff," Buffy said slowly. "What do we do now? What do 
you want from me, from us?"

"I know you'd never give me a second chance," Faith said 
wearily. "How about enough time to heal before you tell the 
authorities about me?"

Buffy frowned, lost in thought.  

"Agreed," the blonde Slayer said after a moment and then left the 
room.

"Whatever happened between you two, you should try and mend it," 
Maggie advised. "What did she do to you?"

"Tried to kill me," Faith muttered as the doctor stitched her arm.

"Sounds like things should be even then, maybe a new start?" Maggie 
suggested.

"Not likely," Faith grumbled. "I'd like to but they'll never trust 
me again."

"People can forgive a lot of things from people they love," Maggie 
said wisely.

* * *

Willow screamed through the gag as another bolt of energy raced 
through her system. It felt like fire streaming through her veins 
and leaving her body in a flash of light. The witch had no idea how 
long each one lasted but it felt like minutes. Each one left her 
weaker and weaker until she was hanging limply in the chains against 
the wall.

"Oh Red Willow," Ethan gasped. "Why do you fight me? Just give it 
up. You can eventually rebuild your magical ability and open the 
fried neurons or whatever happens when someone rips this from you.  
The more you fight the harder it is on your body and mind."

Willow's blazing, green eyes were answer enough.

Ethan laughed at the fury he saw reflected in the witch and leaned 
forward to brush a stray red hair from her forehead. Willow tried to 
back further into the wall as he pressed his body closer.

"We could have some good times, Willow," he purred in her ear as he 
bent to kiss her neck. Ethan jumped back just in time to avoid her 
knee coming up to meet his crotch. "Maybe next time, darling," he 
taunted.

Willow screamed with rage as he left the room.

* * *

"Okay, so what do we do with her?" Xander demanded from the waiting 
room of the clinic.

"Call me crazy but I trust her," Buffy growled.  

"No, I call her crazy. She just teamed up with Ethan Rayne to get out 
of prison!" Xander shouted.  

"Explain why Spike nearly killed her," Buffy countered.

"Who knows? He's gone as insane as she has!" Xander suggested.

"Angel did say the parole board was impressed with her prison record 
and restraint," Giles mentioned.

"She held a knife to Willow's throat and was willing to work with 
that weirdo the Mayor," Xander reminded them.

"And she slept with my boyfriend using my body and nearly got me 
locked away forever," Buffy continued. "I remember that. She also 
tormented and tortured Wesley. Faith also couldn't kill us, any of 
us. Do you really think that any of you could escape if I wanted to 
kill you? She's a Slayer."

"You're saying she was holding back?" Giles pondered.

"Yeah, I think she was," Buffy said. "Even when she was in my body 
and about to make a clean getaway, she stopped to help those 
hostages. She acted like a Slayer."

"I'm willing to try," Giles said softly.

"Xander?" Buffy asked.

"It's your neck on the line most of the time, Buff," he said 
reluctantly. "It has to be your decision but how do you know it's 
not a trick?"

"Spike tried to rape her, Xander," Buffy said softly, glancing 
away. "Just like he tried with me. She's not faking the injuries or 
that."

"Alright, so we know the sorcerer draining Willow was Ethan and Spike 
is no longer chipped," Xander growled. "Not a nice combination."

"Let's hope they haven't teamed up, shall we?" Giles suggested with a 
shudder.

* * *

"Tara?" 

"Willow, where are you, baby?" Tara asked anxiously. She began 
waving at Dawn to turn the TV down. "We've been so worried!"

"I'm okay, lover," Willow's voice reassured her. "Just staying low 
under the radar, you know."

"You can come home, Will," Tara said excitedly. "They've called the 
manhunt off."

"Cool!" Willow's voice sounded relieved. "Could you come get me? I'm 
at Angel's old mansion. I fell through a stupid rotten board and 
sprained my ankle."

"Well," Tara hesitated. "Spike is going crazy and we're not supposed 
to go out."

"Please, baby," Willow whined. "Bring the car and lock the doors. I 
did a protection spell around the mansion, he can't come in."

"Okay, love," Tara smiled. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

Ethan hung up the telephone and found Spike smirking at him.

"That's right handy," Spike grinned. "You do that in bed? Play the 
female?"

"Rack off, vampire," Ethan growled. "Just because I bent over for 
Giles doesn't mean I'd do it for you."

"No? Ever make it with a vampire?" Spike taunted. "Incredible 
stamina, you know."

"Did Angeleus enjoy that?" Ethan countered and defensively held up a 
cross when Spike vamped out and started towards him. "Don't think 
about it. I can turn you to ash before you take two steps."

"So you get the witches and their power and we use Lil Bit for bait," 
Spike said after a few moments. "What after that?"

"I take out Giles, you do whatever you want with the rest of their 
friends and I leave," Ethan shrugged.

* * *

Faith nearly jumped off the bed in surprise when Buffy slammed the 
bedroom door open, her face reflecting intense rage.

"One question and tell me the truth," Buffy growled.

"Anything, B," Faith agreed readily. Buffy hadn't even been this 
angry when she stabbed Faith and it worried the brunette Slayer.

"Tara and Dawn are missing, did you have anything to do with it?" 
Buffy growled, her hands clenching into fists.

"No way," Faith shook her head. "Spike intended on kidnapping Dawn 
to draw you out. I didn't help him, B!" 

"Where was he?" Buffy demanded. "We can't find Willow and now Tara 
and Dawn are gone!"

"We were staying in the crypt where you found me," Faith answered 
quickly. "I doubt he took them there."

"Damnit! They weren't supposed to leave the house!" Buffy shouted.

"Where will you look?" Faith asked softly.  

"Everywhere! If I have to tear this town apart, I will!" Buffy vowed.

Faith flinched when Buffy slammed the bedroom door shut behind her.  
The brunette Slayer was already uncomfortable lounging in Buffy's bed 
while Willow was missing and Ethan and Spike were loose but Xander 
didn't want to work with her. The leg cast also made things 
difficult.

She frowned and reached for her crutches. Faith dialed a number on 
the cell phone from her pocket.

"This is Faith," she said slowly. "Listen, Spike went crazy and beat 
the hell out of me."

"Where are you?" Ethan demanded.

"It's not safe to talk, where can I find you?" Faith countered. 

"1954 Gardner lane," Ethan said softly. "Can you get here?"

"Yeah, just put that bastard on a leash!" Faith growled.

"Hurry up and get here!" Ethan snapped. "You can keep an eye on 
Willow and Dawn."

"What about Tara? She's gone missing too!" Faith frowned.

"Don't worry about her," Ethan purred. "We won't be here when you 
get here but we'll be back soon."

Faith wanted to scream at the phone as Ethan hung up.

"F**k!" she growled.

Buffy was already gone from the house when Faith climbed into a 
taxicab.

* * *

Riley shifted in his seat and lowered his binoculars.  

"Looks like something is stirring," he growled.

"Looked like your ex was upset," Sam agreed as they watched Xander 
and Anya trot up to Giles' apartment and dash inside. "Why are we 
doing this, Ry?"

"Doing what, keeping suspects under surveillance?" Riley grumbled.

"The Colonel said to back off on the Rosenberg and Maclay case," Sam 
countered.  

Riley frowned and refused to answer.

"What is it, Ry?" Sam demanded. "Why can't you let her go?"

"Who, Willow?" Riley questioned.

"You know who, damnit!" Sam snapped. "Buffy Summers, the Slayer! 
Just the mention of her name sends you into a foul mood for an entire 
day and she's still in your bed!"

Riley looked stunned. "What? She is not!"

"Her ghost is, damnit!" Sam said softly, trying to hold back the 
tears filling her eyes. "Turn this vehicle around and let's leave."
 
"There's something going on and it'll prove I'm right, Willow is a 
danger," Riley said, his voice stubborn. 

"I've had it, Ry!" Sam growled and shoved the door open.

"Where are you going?" Riley demanded.

"To do something useful!" Sam yelled as she got out of the 
vehicle. "I'm going to go find out what is going on and if I can 
help them. They're the good guys, Ry. You used to know that."

"They harbor Hostiles, she even slept with a vampire!" Riley 
protested.

"And you gave your blood willingly to vampire whores," Sam 
countered.  

Riley turned pale under his tan and Sam slammed the car door.

"Come to your senses, Ry," Sam said sadly. "This isn't about proving 
Buffy wrong because you didn't know she chased after you. Just 
because you thought she chose her duty as a Slayer over her love for 
you."

"That's not it!" Riley grumbled.

"Isn't it?" Sam demanded sadly. "Isn't that why you're drawn to 
strong women so you can dominate them and you failed to dominate her?"

Riley turned beet red in anger and possible guilt as Sam walked away.

The specially trained commando walked to the doorway with 
trepidation. Sam had no illusions that Buffy and her friends would 
welcome any help with open arms. She was considered the enemy most 
of the time and a nuisance the rest.

Sam knocked firmly on the door and steeled herself.

Xander opened the door with a frown. He recognized Sam, even in 
civilian clothes and he didn't look happy to see her.

"Hello, can I come in?" she asked calmly.

Xander glanced back into the room as Buffy walked up.

"Are you here to harass us about Willow?" Buffy demanded.

"No, I think I just resigned or committed mutiny," Sam tried to 
smile.  

Buffy frowned but nodded and Xander stepped aside.

"Want to explain?" Buffy demanded.

"I don't agree with Riley that Willow is a danger unless pushed, like 
anyone else with special abilities," Sam said slowly. "I also don't 
see everything in black and white like he does."

"Go on," Giles urged.

"It's obvious that something's going on and it's partly my fault that 
Willow isn't here to help. I'm asking to help," Sam said softly.

"Buffy?" Giles asked with a doubtful look.

"I don't care if it's a trick or she's a spy," Buffy snapped. "I'll 
take all the help we can find. We haven't heard from Willow since you 
soldier types chased her, we know Spike is hunting me and Dawn and 
now she's missing along with Tara."

"Any clues?" Sam asked.

"No, none," Giles answered.

Sam frowned. "Usual ways of finding missing people?"

"Threaten Willie," Xander suggested.  

"Search the graveyards and old abandoned mansions," Giles added.

"Sewers?" Anya piped in.

"Oh God, I am so gonna kill something!" Buffy muttered.

Sam's eyes widened. It was hard to believe that this small, thin 
young woman was the dreaded Slayer. From Riley's descriptions of a 
Slayer, Sam had expected an Amazon, or at least a female gorilla in 
the body of a young woman. Buffy was the last thing that Sam 
anticipated but Sam found herself fascinated by the Slayer.

* * *

Riley slammed his hand against the steering wheel when Sam went into 
the apartment. He couldn't believe Sam's behavior!  

Sam was usually so damned dependable. Riley thought they made a 
great team. Sam was strong, quick and fearless. She reminded him a 
lot of Buffy except for the dark hair and eyes.

Riley frowned and got out of the specialized military SUV. He looked 
towards the apartment and slammed his fist on the hood.  

Sam had been acting strange ever since they got the assignment for 
Sunnydale. Riley kicked the tire of the vehicle. Had he been acting 
weird because it was Buffy?

Why had he gone to Buffy, he demanded of himself. Sam was wonderful, 
talented, strong, funny and more than a match for him in bed or 
battle. Why did he chance that with something fleeting with Buffy?

Riley suddenly wished they were back in the jungles. Demons and were-
beasts he could handle. Sam's understandable jealousy was something 
different. The soldier sighed and got back into the car to wait.