destructo-girl.com

"Irresistible"

Author: Michelle
Email: michellabella52478@yahoo.com

After school the next afternoon, Buffy, Willow and Xander sat around the table in the center of the library. They were waiting for Giles, who was talking on the telephone in his office.

"You really think Faith is in on it?" Willow asked.

Buffy nodded her head. "Oh, without a doubt. Come on, I heard her talking to the Mayor, telling him everything about the demon and these books. I can put two and two together. And it equals Faith is playing for the enemy."

"A rogue Slayer on our hands," Giles commented, stepping out of his office. "I can't think of anything more dangerous."

"I'm sorry, Giles. I really am," apologized Buffy.

He stood outside his office. "It's not your fault."

"And it's not yours, either," Willow told him. "Faith is…is a bitca for doing this to you and Buffy. We have to stop her."

"We will," the Slayer promised.

"Right now, we need to concentrate on this demon and these Books of Ascension. You say this demon wanted cash? That's very unusual. Demons after money. Whatever happened to the still-beating heart of a virgin? No one has any standards anymore."

Xander raised his hand to ask a question. "What's this Ascension mean?"

"I'm not sure," the Watcher answered. "Not really a common term in demonology."

"Ooh! Ooh! The Marenschadt Text. I think in the section on genocide, they mention Ascension," Willow remembered.

"Well, we have a winner. And, more importantly, one big loser," joked Buffy, trying to keep the mood light.

The younger boy paled. "Um, genocide, Will? Is anyone else getting the wiggins besides me?"

"Where did you find that volume?" Giles demanded.

"In the top of your book cabinet with the stuff you try to keep hidden."

With a rather guilty look on his face, Giles disappeared into his office, returning a minute later with the book Willow had recalled seeing the Ascension reference in. "Ah, yes, yes, here we are. There's a reference here to the journal of Desmond Kane, pastor of a town called Sharpsville. 'May 26, 1723. Tomorrow is the Ascension. God help us all.' It was the last anyone heard."

"Of Kane?" Xander wanted to know.

The Watcher shook his head. "No. Of Sharpsville."

Inside his hotel room, the demon frantically packed his suitcase. As soon as he sold the Books of Ascension to the Slayers, he'd be long gone, as far away from Sunnydale as he could get. The mere thought of the Mayor reaching Ascension sent chills up and down his spine. He whipped his head upward when he heard someone kick his door open.

"Hey, Slayer! You know, I wasn't expecting company. Give me a minute and I'll have the place tidied up for you," the demon greeted Faith.

Faith wasn't in any mood to have a conversation with him. "You got the books?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"Well, that depends. You got the money?" Without warning, he lost his balance as the Slayer punched him. "You're tough in negotiations, and I respect that. Check 'em out." He showed her the books, which were laying on his bed near the suitcase he'd been packing. "Now, ah, that is quality merchandise. That's worth five grand easy."

"Books of Ascension."

"Mm-hmm. Original editions and everything. Uh, great condition. Okay, it's a little worn on one spine, some slight foxing, but otherwise, perfect. Now, the five grand, it's ah, you know, negotiable."

She smirked, pulling out her knife. "I don't like to haggle."

Angel was putting on his coat to meet Buffy at the library with the rest of the gang. She had called him ten minutes earlier, asking him to be there as soon as possible for what she called a "research party." Despite the fact that he had to study for his Economics test, Angel told her he'd be there. He knew he wouldn't have a problem passing his test; besides, research was probably more important.

Once he'd grabbed his house keys, Angel opened up the door, surprised to see Faith standing on the other side. "Faith."

"Angel. I'm sorry, Buffy told me where you live. Look, I got nowhere else to go. I'm in trouble, the real bad kind."

He opened the door, allowing her to enter. "It's okay."

She vehemently shook her head. "No, it's a couple county lines over from okay, believe me."

"Just tell me what happened. Start from the beginning." He could see the fear written all over the brunette Slayer's face.

"Mind if I skip the 'Mom never loved me' part and get right to it? I'm scaring myself. Look, I don't want to get all twelve-steppy, but…" Faith showed him her hands, which were covered in blood. "It's not human if that's what you're thinking. Not that that makes me feel any better or this guy any less dead."

She sighed. "I don't want to end up the way everybody said I would. Dead or alone or a loser."

"You won't."

"I don't know. Maybe it's too late for me."

Angel sat down next to her on the couch. "You won't. You've got people who care about you, and we won't let you end up like that."

"Angel, I'm so scared." She hugged him. Lifting her head off his shoulder, Faith stared into his eyes; his deep brown eyes that she wanted to look at her with the love they always showed when he looked at Buffy. 'Go for it,' she told herself. She closed her eyes and brought her lips closer to Angel's.

When he saw what she was doing, Angel backed away. "Whoa, Faith, I, look, I can be here for you. But not like that, alright? I'm with Buffy."

"Buffy, yeah." 'Damn bitch!' she swore. "I didn't mean it like that. Maybe I did, but I wouldn't press it. You love her, don't you?"

He nodded. "I love her."

"Good for you. I hope you two make it, I really do. You know, given the circumstances."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Just that she's the Slayer and you're a normal, average guy. And you know the legend behind Slayers; they don't live very long. If you love Buffy so much, maybe you should convince her to give it up. Give her a choice: you or slaying," suggested Faith.

It was something he had thought about, but could never go through with. "I wouldn't do that to her. Buffy is a Slayer, no ultimatum is going to change that."

"It was only a thought. I guess I'd better go."

"Where?" he wanted to know.

"I need to cool down. Spend some time alone. Don't worry about me. You've been a big help. Just knowing somebody cares." She stood up, heading for the door. "Hey, I know I shouldn't be asking this, but do you think if things were different that things between you and me could be different, too?"

"We'll never know."

An hour later, Faith and Buffy entered the demon's room. The brown-haired girl met up with the rest of the gang at the library after cleaning herself up. Shortly after she'd arrived, Giles asked the two Slayers to meet the demon.

"Faith, careful," warned Buffy as they walked through the door.

"Right."

"You know," Buffy began, "I tried giving you a call last night after patrol, but there was no answer."

Faith inwardly groaned. 'What is she, my babysitter?' "I went out on patrol again. No shortage of scum you gotta watch in Sunnydale, right?"

"So I've heard."

The room was dark, and Faith reached around the doorway to flip the lightswitch. Though she didn't say anything, Buffy thought it was rather odd that the other girl knew exactly where it was.

Upon seeing the demon's dead body lying on the floor, Buffy blanched. "Looks like somebody got here first."

Picking up a statue on the dresser, Faith grinned wickedly. "Yeah, B. Somebody did." She lifted the object in the air and hit the other Slayer in the head with it as Buffy turned around to look at her.

The pain in her head was unbearable when Buffy awoke from her unconsciousness. She groaned and brought her hands to her temple, where Faith had hit her with the statue. From across the room, she heard a laugh.

"Morning, sleepyhead."

Looking around, she saw Faith standing by the fireplace of the abandoned house they were in. "Where am I?"

"The old mansion on Crawford Street. I thought we'd need some privacy. Can't exactly torture you in a residential area," she answered.

"Why, Faith? What's in it for you?"

"What isn't? You know, I come to Sunnydale, I'm the Slayer. I do my job kicking ass better than anyone. What do I hear about everywhere I go? Buffy," she complained. "So I slay, I do the good little girl routine. And who's everybody thank? Buffy."

"It's not my fault."

The girl sneered. "Everybody always asks, why can't you be more like Buffy? But did anyone ever ask if you could be more like me? No! You get the Watcher. You get the mom. You get the perfect boyfriend. You get the little Scooby Gang. What do I get? Jack squat. This is supposed to be my town!"

"Faith, listen to me!"

"Why? So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom, that it? Do you think you're better than me? Do you? Say it, you think you're better than me."

"I am," Buffy told her without a moment's hesitation. "Always have been."

"Sure, B. You're so much better that your boyfriend and I almost fucked tonight on his living room couch," she lied. 'That'll get her.'

Buffy knew she was lying. "Yeah, whatever. In the real world, Angel would never touch you and we both know it." Faith, so angered by Buffy's words, ran over and backhanded her across the cheek. It stung, but Buffy didn't show it. "There's a word for people like you, Faith. Loser."

"Uh-huh. You're just trying to make me mad so I'll kill you. I'm too smart for that. Stick around."

"For what? You're boss' lame Ascension? Like I couldn't stop it."

Faith smiled knowingly. "You can't. No one can stop the Ascension. Mayor's got it wired, B. He built this town for demons to feed on and come graduation day, he's getting paid. And all your little lame ass friends are going to be kibbles 'n' bits. Except maybe your boyfriend…I think I'll keep him for myself."

"Think again," a voice said from the door.

Faith looked up, seeing Angel standing in the doorway with a look of disappointment on his face. While she was busy looking at him, Buffy stood up and walked toward her. "Forget it, Faith. I know all about it. You working for the Mayor, killing that demon, stealing the Books of Ascension. I never knew you had so much rage in you."

"Live and learn, B." Twisting the knife she held in her hand, Faith ran to the door and grabbed Angel, holding the weapon to his throat. "Move any closer and your lover will be sporting a new necklace."

Buffy did as she was told, not about to risk Angel's life. Faith was capable of just about anything. "You'll regret this."

"Sure, whatever. What are you gonna do, B, kill me? You become me. You're not ready for that…yet." She shoved Angel into the mansion and dashed out the door into the night.

The blonde made her way to where her boyfriend lay on the ground, and she dropped to her knees. "Are you okay?"

Angel nodded. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I have a headache, but I guess that comes with being knocked unconscious by a blunt object. God, Angel, what are you doing here?"

"I followed you and Faith to the demon's hotel room. And when I saw her carry you out, I figured something had to be up. So then I followed her here. I wasn't about to leave you alone with her."

Buffy helped him stand up. "You could have gotten hurt. Or worse."

"So could you. Buffy, what's going on?" he wanted to know.

"I'll explain it back at the library."

"She's what?!" Mr. Summers exclaimed Christmas Eve morning, shortly after he'd arrived at the Summers' home in Sunnydale.

Mrs. Summers sighed; his reaction was just as she'd predicted it would be. "Hank, it's not that big of a deal. His sister is out of town and Buffy and I couldn't very well make him spend Christmas alone. It's not quite the crisis situation you're making it out to be."

"She is seventeen years old, of course it's a situation! They've only been dating for a few months and you're allowing him to spend the night in her bedroom. Do you actually expect them to sleep? Joyce, think about it. You were Buffy's age once; put yourself in her shoes. Wouldn't you have taken advantage of the opportunity?" he demanded.

"Buffy has stayed over at Angel's place many times. In fact, they went on a group camping trip with a bunch of friends in the beginning of September. I trust them."

"I trust Buffy. It's that Angel guy I don't. I know what goes on in a teenage boy's mind."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Angel is a good kid; he loves and respects Buffy. Maybe if you spent a little more time around her, you would know that."

Mr. Summers practically growled at his ex-wife in anger for throwing his distance in his face. "I will not have him sleeping in the same room as my daughter. Not as long as I am sleeping under this roof."

"Really?" she countered with a raised eyebrow. "Well then, I suppose it's a good thing you don't make the rules here, Hank. I do. And I say Angel stays. You have a choice; you can either stay in the guest room or you can stay on the couch. But know that if you choose the couch, it's because you didn't trust your daughter."

Mrs. Summers poked her head in Buffy's bedroom at four-thirty that afternoon, seeing her daughter and Angel sitting on the bed watching a movie. "Honey? Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone."

"Yeah, sure."

Angel started to get up. "I'll leave you two alone."

"No, no," Buffy's mother said, waving her hand. "You can stay here, Angel. Buffy and I will just talk in my room. It'll only take a minute."

Buffy quickly placed a kiss on her boyfriend's cheek. "I'll be right back." She got off the bed and followed her mother down the hall to the master bedroom. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to have a private talk with you. It's about your father. See, Buffy, he's a little uncomfortable with the sleeping arrangements."

She nodded in understanding. "I get it. Dad's not too keen on the idea of Angel staying in my room. He went into overprotective dad mode and tweaked, didn't he?"

"For the most part. You know I don't have a problem with it, but your dad is a completely different story. He still thinks you're too young to be in a serious relationship and he's not ready to face certain realities about you," Mrs. Summers explained.

"Such as?"

"Such as, you're growing up. You will always be his baby girl, no matter how old you are."

Buffy bit her lip. "Pretty much, what you are saying is that Dad doesn't trust me enough to share the same sleeping quarters with my boyfriend."

"He trusts you. Just not Angel."

"Angel's not going to do anything, Mom!" she argued.

"I know that, don't get angry with me. And I told your father that, too. I also told him that if he doesn't like it, he can sleep on the couch. Your father, not Angel. Buffy, your father just isn't happy about it. Please do me a favor and don't do anything to make him say 'I told you so'."

Buffy smiled at her mother, happy that they were on the same side. "I won't. You have my word."

"Good. Because sometimes, it's hard for parents to accept that their children are having sex."

"What?" She couldn't believe her ears.

Mrs. Summers looked at her daughter, giving her a knowing look. "I was seventeen once, too, you know. I had a steady boyfriend like you do. And I'm not asking for details; the how or when or where. I wanted you to know that I know."

"You're not mad?"

"Like I said, I was your age at one time. I never expected you to wait until you were married, heaven knows I didn't. But I can take comfort in knowing that you love Angel and he loves you."

"We do love one another."

"Have you been careful?" Mrs. Summers wanted to know. "Tell me that much and I won't ask anything else."

Buffy nodded her head. "Yes."

"Okay. Dinner's in an hour. See you then."

"Mom, can we open one present before bed?" Buffy asked at ten-thirty.

Christmas Eve dinner had been surprisingly amicable. Both Buffy and Mrs. Summers expected Mr. Summers to give Angel the third degree or simply to shoot disapproving glances across the table at him, but he didn't. Instead, he politely asked his daughter's boyfriend about growing up in New York and what his future plans were. No fights erupted, and when the meal was over, the two men sat themselves in the living room to talk about sports while the women cleaned the kitchen.

"Sure," her mother replied. "But only one each. Save some for tomorrow morning."

She broke out into a childish grin. "Sweet. Angel, grab a present to open." Buffy pointed to the small pile of presents he had sitting under the tree.

Angel shook his head. "That's okay. I'll wait until the morning."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Opening the presents the night before kinda takes all the fun out of Christmas morning."

"Traditionalist, Angel?" Mr. Summers asked.

"Not really. It's what we did growing up. We always went to midnight mass, my mom would get up early and start Christmas dinner…I guess I'm a little used to it."

Mr. Summers frowned. "Buffy told me about your parents. I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

Buffy decided it was a good time to change the subject. She could see the lines forming on Angel's forehead, indicating he was ready to foray directly into brood mode. "Well, if you're not going to open any presents, there's no point in me opening any. It's not fun to be the only one enjoying it."

"Buffy, you don't have to do that."

"It's okay. More to open in the morning."

Mrs. Summers stood up. "Since that's done with, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to bed. See you all in the morning."

"Night, Mom."

"Good night, Mrs. Summers."

A couple minutes later, Buffy followed in suit. "Mom's got the right idea. Angel, are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes, after you've changed. I want to finish my apple cider." He knew Mr. Summers was testing him, and he wasn't about to fail. Angel could sense the man's hostility.

"All right." She gave her father a kiss. "Night, Dad."

"Night, sweetie." Mr. Summers waited until Buffy was upstairs before addressing Angel. "That was a smart move you just made, young man."

Angel took a deep breath, preparing himself for the worst. "She needed her privacy. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable in her own home."

"And if you had been up there?"

"I would have looked out the window and kept my back turned while she changed."

"How old are you, Angel?" he wanted to know.

The younger man scrunched his eyebrows together. "I'll be eighteen the day after tomorrow."

"You obviously know that Buffy is still under aged. Her birthday isn't until January nineteenth. Keep that in mind when you turn eighteen. There's a little thing called statutory rape and I know several judges who don't stand for that."

It was veiled threat, one that didn't go unnoticed by Angel. "You don't need to worry about it, Mr. Summers."

"Just thought I'd remind you."

"I appreciate it. I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Mr. Summers smirked. He liked the boy, despite his reservations about him sleeping in the same bedroom as his daughter. "You do that, Angel. Remember, I'll be watching you."

When Angel walked into her bedroom five minutes later, she noticed the expression of fear on his handsome face. Without even needing to ask, Buffy knew her father had said something to him. "Okay, what did Dad say to scare you, Angel?"

He shook his head. "Nothing really. But maybe it would be a good idea of I slept on the floor tonight instead of the bed with you." And with her wearing the short white nightgown she had on, Angel knew it was a much better idea for him to be sleeping a good distance away from her.

"What? Come on, tell me."

"He threatened me. Not outright, but it was a thinly-veiled threat. Your dad threatened to have me put in jail for statutory rape if he finds out I ever put a hand on you," Angel told her.

Buffy fumed. "I'll kill him. He had no right to say that to you. In fact, I'm going to tell him so right now."

Angel put out his hand to stop her. "Don't. Your father is right. It *is* technically against the law, and I could get in a lot of trouble for it. Twenty years of jail. We're both minors, Buffy."

"No, you won't get in trouble. Mom doesn't care and Dad doesn't even have to know about it. You're worried for nothing."

"What do you mean? Your mom knows?" The blood rushed from his face and fear gripped his heart. The idea of jail time scared the hell out of him.

"Calm down. Yes, she knows and she told me that as long as I'm happy, she's happy."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Buffy, but it feels too uncomfortable, especially with both your parents in the house, keeping an eye on us."

"Angel–"

"I'd feel more comfortable if I slept on the floor. Please don't argue with me."

She was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep in his arms, but was aware that she couldn't change his mind once it was set on something. "Fine." If she couldn't enjoy some quality time with Angel then, she had to find a way to do so soon. Before falling asleep, Buffy came up with the perfect idea.

"Mom, I need to ask you a favor," Buffy said the day after Christmas. It was nine in the morning and Mrs. Summers was getting ready to leave for work.

"Sure, honey. What do you need?"

Buffy sighed. "Today's Angel's birthday and I wanted to do something kinda special for him. After all, it is his eighteenth birthday. So, I was wondering if you could stay at the gallery a little later than usual."

"How much later?" her mother wanted to know.

"Eight o'clock? That way Angel and I can have some time to ourselves."

She smirked. "Without any parental supervision, I take it."

The look on her mother's face told her it would take some convincing. "Mom, please! I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't really important to me, which it is. It would mean the world to me if you would please do this. I'll owe you one."

Despite her better judgement, Buffy's mother relented. She knew what Buffy was asking and what her plans with Angel were. 'Even if I do say no, she will just find another way. At least if I agree, I know she won't be off in some cheap, dirty motel somewhere.' "Fine, I'll stay late at the gallery. But don't think for a second I don't know what you're up to, Buffy."

Buffy threw her arms around her mother. "You're the best mom ever."

"I'll have to keep telling myself that while I'm staying at the gallery until eight tonight."

"You know, I was just thinking," Angel began, as he and Buffy walked hand in hand to her house after dinner. She had taken him out for a romantic dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. "I haven't seen or heard from, or even heard you mention Faith in the past few weeks. Is everything okay with her?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I saw her a couple days ago and she was acting kind of strange. Jittery, almost. You know, like she was hiding something from me."

"Do you think she is?"

"Not sure. Faith's not exactly Miss Outgoing when we did patrol together. I mean, sure, we'd talk about guys and sex and slaying and stuff, but she never liked to talk about what was going on in her mind. And I never pried."

"Maybe you should."

"Maybe."

They walked in silence the remainder of the way to her house, Buffy stuck with serious thoughts. Angel's question had her wondering what was really going on with her sister Slayer. 'Next time I see her, I'll have to find out.' Upon reaching the front door, she unlocked it and let her boyfriend inside first.

"Thanks for dinner tonight. You really didn't have to go to so much trouble," Angel said. "That place was really expensive."

"Hey, you only turn eighteen once. Might as well live it up," Buffy replied with a smile.

"What do you want to do now? Watch a movie or something?"

She widened her smile into a more wicked grin. "Or something."

Her arms wound around his neck, pushing his head toward hers. Their lips met in what began as a gentle kiss, which, as the seconds passed, escalated in both heat and intensity. She dove her tongue into his mouth while her hands left his neck. They moved around to her back to pull down the zipper of her long red dress.

When Angel heard the garment hit the floor, he broke the kiss. "Buffy, what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" she asked. "Don't you like your birthday present? I picked it out especially for tonight."

His breath caught in his throat when he looked her over. She stood before him clad in only a red lace bra, matching panties and her red heels. The thin undergarments barely concealed, yet accentuated her shapely curves. "It's…you…" He was at a loss for words.

"Just the affect I was going for. But I think someone's a little overdressed." She began unbuttoning his shirt, exhilarated by the obvious affects her outfit was having on Angel. After having successfully unbuttoning the white dress shirt he wore, Buffy scraped her fingernails down his bare chest, down to the waist of his pants and – in the most blatantly sexual thing she'd ever done – along his groin.

It was becoming harder and harder for Angel to think clearly. "Buffy, I don't think this is such a good idea. Your mom is going to be home any minute." 'Jail, here I come.'

She looked up, after having peppered kisses along the hollow of his throat. "No, she won't. Mom promised she wouldn't be home until after eight. You and I have the entire house to ourselves for the next hour and a half." Taking his hands in hers, she brought them around her back, where the clasp of her bra was located. "What are you waiting for? Open your present, Birthday Boy."

Faith stood patiently outside the Mayor's office, waiting for him to open the door. She was bruised and bloody after being attacked by one of his vampire henchmen. When the Mayor finally emerged from the office – a good twenty minutes later – she glared at him as he opened the door.

"You sent your boy to kill me," Faith stated matter-of-factly.

Mayor Richard Wilkins stood arrogantly in his office, briefcase in hand. "That's right, I did." He had nothing to gain by denying it.

"He's dust."

"I thought he might be, what with you standing here and all."

She stepped inside the office. "I guess that means you have a job opening."

"Buffy," greeted Giles, when the Slayer walked into the library one morning in March before homeroom. "How was patrol with Faith last night?"

She dropped her backpack on the floor, hoisting herself onto the counter. "Patrol was fine. Although my partner in crime was a no-show for the event."

"Faith didn't join you? How strange; she's always talking about how much she loves to patrol. Any idea as to why she wasn't there?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe she had a more pressing engagement."

"I am sure she wouldn't have stood you up for no good reason," Giles assured Buffy.

"Please!" she scoffed. "Faith would totally stiff me if something better came along. Like, for instance, a male gender of the human species with a working reproductive organ."

Her Watcher glared at her. "You aren't being fair. It is quite possible Faith got into a fight or battle or something of the sort and it simply slipped her mind."

"And that gives her an excuse to flake on me? I don't think so. Something is going on with her, and I'm dying to find out what it is. Haven't you noticed how strange she's been acting these past few months? We're talking strange and wacky, even by her standards."

Buffy was right, Giles couldn't deny it. The other Slayer had been behaving differently than before, particularly since Christmas. Blowing off training sessions, failing to meet Buffy for patrol, and not stopping by to give him the details of the previous night's patrol.

"You're right, Buffy, she has been rather…off of late. But she could just be having a hard time adjusting to life in Sunnydale."

She eyeballed him with disbelief. "Gimme a break. This is the Hellmouth and she thinks she's God's gift to slaying. Faith is adjusting fine; if anything, she's thriving. No, there's something more than that. And you can bet your ass I'm going to find out what it is."

Faith sat impatiently in the chair across from the Mayor's desk. He had asked her to meet him there at two o'clock, but at two-thirty, he had yet to show. Out of boredom, she began playing with the numerous pencils inside the cup on his desk.

A few minutes later, his door opened and he waltzed in, removing his navy suit coat and carefully placing it on the coat rack. "Sorry I'm late. Important hospital board meeting. I just donated an entire Wing for cancer patients. Anonymously, of course."

"Of course," Faith repeated sarcastically.

He took note of her tone of voice as he sat down. Noticing that his pencils were out of place, he fixed them. "Ooh, someone's grumpy today. Did you get into a fight with some of your friends?" the Mayor wanted to know.

Faith shook her head. "I wouldn't exactly call them my friends; they're Buffy's little Scooby Gang, not mine. And no, we didn't have a fight. Giles wants me to patrol with Little Miss Perfect Slayer tonight. Since I skipped out on it last night to patrol alone, he pretty much ordered me to do it tonight. I hate patrolling with her…there's no action or excitement. It's all 'stake and move on.' Where's the fun in that?"

The Mayor smiled sympathetically. "I can understand how tedious a task it must be for you, but Mr. Giles is your Watcher, after all. Despite how much you hate it, you have to keep up the facade, Faith. At least for a little while longer."

"Until the Ascension."

"Exactly. Which brings me to why I invited you here this afternoon. The Ascension is approaching in a few short weeks. There are things I need to do and things to prepare for. This much go off without a hitch. But there are still some rough ends that require taking care of. That's where you come in."

"What do you need, boss?"

"Your friend. Buffy. She is a threat to my plans. I need her out of the way."

She looked at him incredulously. "You want me to take her out?"

He shook his head. "No, no. I don't want her dead. Then they'd just call another Slayer here, and they all can't turn out like you." He grinned proudly at her. "Just get her out of the picture until everything's all set up. Once she finds out what's going on, she will be too late to stop us."

"So what you're saying is that I have to keep her off your trail."

"Precisely."

"Then come graduation day, you'll kill Buffy and her little annoying friends, along with everyone else in Sunnydale," she surmised.

He stretched in his chair. "Except you. Is there anyone you'd like me to spare? A boyfriend, perhaps?"

Faith thought for a second. She couldn't care less if the people in Sunnydale lived or died. "There is one person. He's not my boyfriend, but under the right circumstances, he might be. Like, say, if his girlfriend was demon meat."

"What is this young man's problem? You're a bright and beautiful young girl. Who else could he possibly be thinking of?"

"Try Buffy Summers. In a big, fat, one-track sort of way," Faith angrily answered.

The Mayor nodded his head in understanding. "Ah, yes. The infamous Angel."

"You know him?"

"By reputation. But that's a story I'll have to tell you later. Right now I want you to concentrate on getting rid of his girlfriend. We'll worry about him later."

Buffy and Faith walked through the warehouse district of town during their patrol that night. The brunette Slayer was eagerly awaiting the right opportunity to start in on her plan.

"Didn't we, um, do this street already?" she asked.

"Funny thing about vamps. They'll hit a street even after you've been there," Buffy replied, keeping her eyes open for forms of undead life. "It's like they have no manners."

Faith rolled her eyes. 'Boring.' "You've been doing this the longest."

"I have."

'Stuck up, arrogant snob,' Faith thought. 'I can't wait to see the Mayor bite you in half. Then your precious Angel will be all mine.' This was her chance and she knew it. "Yeah, maybe a little too long."

"Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy demanded.

"Nothing."

The blonde narrowed her green eyes. "You got a problem?" 'Maybe now I'll find out what's been going on with her.'

"I'm five-by-five, B, living entirely large, actually wondering about *your* problem."

She was offended. "Well, I may not sleep in the nude or wrestle alligators–"

"Maybe it's time you started, because something in your bottle needs uncorking. What, aren't you getting any from Mr. Studly?"

Buffy did her best to control her anger at the mention of her boyfriend. "How about you never bring up my relationship with Angel ever again? It's none of your business."

"Doesn't all the slaying get in the way? I mean, you two don't have a lot of alone time. Must be hard on the relationship," Faith commented.

"He's not complaining. Angel knows about the slaying and understands that it's part of who I am."

She shrugged her shoulders. "All that could change, you know. Face it, B, you've got other priorities now. Friends, family, your lover…slaying isn't who you are anymore, it's just something you do. Not to mention, you've already seen your best days."

Buffy wasn't in the mood to play games. Faith obviously had something to say and she wanted the girl to say it. "What are you getting at?"

"You make slaying seem like it's such a chore, like folding laundry. Maybe it's time to start thinking about a career change."

"A career change? Meaning…?"

"I'm talking about retirement. Think about it; I could take over and you could devote more of your time to other things in your life. I'm sure Angel would love having you all to himself."

"What's bringing all this on? And why now?" Buffy wanted to know. It seemed a little too suspicious to her. Something was definitely up.

Faith put an innocent look on her face. "Graduation's coming up, you'll be going to college, etc.. You can get out of town while the getting's still good."

Not for one second did Buffy believe her. "I'm not leaving town, nor am I giving up the slaying. Sorry to disappoint you."

"I'm not disappointed. But I thought I'd give you the option. Hey, it's your funeral." 'Literally.'

Following the crowd in front of them, Buffy and Angel made their way out of the movie theater. Neither one of them could look at each other until they reached the street, an uncomfortable silence hanging over them.

Buffy was the first to break it. "Well."

'Oh, thank God she said something,' thought Angel. "Well," he repeated, shoving his hands into the pockets of his long black coat.

"That was very…artistic."

"Yeah."

She shifted her weight nervously, not quite knowing what to say. "Wasn't what I expected. I've never actually seen…Well, from the title, I thought it was about food."

"Well, there was food," Angel reminded her.

"Right. The, the scene with the, the food." Buffy paused, more than ready to change the subject from the plot of the movie. "So, feel like getting some hot chocolate? Or some cold shower?"

Angel frowned. "I'm sorry. I wanted to take you out somewhere fun for our one year anniversary. Looks like I bombed on that one."

"It was a nice idea," she reassured him. "I just…I don't like getting you worked up like that. We can't actually do any of those things right now because…well, you know why. Besides, I don't even own a kimono."

"Buffy, you don't have to worry about me."

"Just don't like to rub your nose in it." Buffy shut her eyes in embarrassment at what she'd just said. "Suddenly wondering where that expression comes from."

He put his arm around her waist. "Look, I don't need to go to the movies to get worked up. Just being around you does that just fine."

She couldn't help but blush. Even though it had been a long time since she'd thought about him, Buffy knew it was something the other Angel would have said as well. They were so different, and yet so similar at the same time. "Really?"

"Really."

"You're sweet, you know that? The perfect, caring, thoughtful boyfriend every girl wishes for." She shut up and mentally kicked herself when she realized what she had said. 'Open mouth, insert foot, Buffy.' "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

Angel smiled down at her. "I know what you meant by it. But I'm hardly perfect. The perfect boyfriend wouldn't have taken his girlfriend to see a sexually explicit movie on their one year anniversary."

"I don't know. I still think you're pretty perfect."

With a smile, Angel bent down, capturing Buffy's lips in a soft kiss. Her arms automatically wound around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Their embrace lasted a full minute before they were interrupted by a lighthearted voice teasing them.

"Check out the lust bunnies," Faith commented with a sly grin.

Buffy looked at her after removing her lips from Angel's. "Patrol?"

Faith nodded. "You got it. They want us down by Mercer."

"Okay." She turned to her boyfriend, flashing him an apologetic smile. "I hate having to cut our date short, but you know how it goes. Good night."

"I understand. But I'll see you tomorrow. And please, be careful."

Faith didn't miss a beat; she was sick of hearing them acting all saccharine-y. "Don't worry, big guy. Just keeping her warm for you." She linked her arm around Buffy's, leaving Angel standing alone in front of the movie theater.

"Sorry to interrupt your date like that. Council's orders."

The blonde shrugged, not wanting to show how disappointed she was about it. "No big. It was only our one year anniversary."

"He took it fairly well. Look, if you want to go back…"

"No. Might as well finish this."

When they reached one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries, Faith stopped walking. "It's never too late, B. My offer still stands. If you want out, just tell me; I'm fine doing this by myself."

"I told you before, I'm not quitting." Seeing something creep up behind her sister Slayer, Buffy widened her eyes. "Faith, duck!"

She did as she was told, and Buffy punched the short, hairy demon before he knew what hit him. "Ow! Ooh! What are you, nuts?" he complained. "Going around punching people?"

Buffy pulled off the hat the demon wore, revealing two horns growing from his forehead. "People?" she asked sarcastically.

"So what, I'm a demon. That makes it okay?" When he saw the two Slayers pull out their stakes, he knew he'd made a mistake. "Hold it, whoa! Stake me now, and you'll never find out what I got for ya, huh? Demon seeks Slayers, highly unusual?"

Faith was in no mood to deal with him. "Talk fast."

"How would you like to get your hands on the Books of Ascension?"

Buffy looked uninterested. "Never heard of 'em."

"Books of Ascension. Very powerful works, and I'm not talking about the prose. They deal with some, ah, dark stuff. And the Mayor would hate for somebody to get a hold before he, ah, well, you know," the demon informed them.

Unbeknownst to Buffy, Faith frowned at the mention of the Mayor. "Don't know. Before he what?" the blonde Slayer wanted to know.

"Hey, hey, read 'em and weep. That's all I got to say. Tomorrow, I get the books. Meet me here and if the price is right, well, I've give the books to you."

"Not really looking to trade with a demon."

The demon remained non-plussed. "And if this were a barter economy, that would be a problem. I want cash, princess, five large for the whole set."

Faith nearly laughed. It was too funny, a demon willing to sell the Mayor's beloved Books of Ascension. "So you can buy, I'm guessing here, some skin care products."

"Plane ticket. Out of the Hellmouth before its adios, Slayer Loco. So, five Gs, what do you say?"

With her stake poised, Faith took a step closer to him. "I think 'Die Fiend' sums it up, wouldn't you say?"

Scared for his life, the demon jumped between the two and ran away. Faith made a move to go after him, but Buffy stopped her. "Oh, let him go. I don't think he falls into the deadly threat to humanity category."

"A demon's a demon," the girl pointed out.

"Not always," Buffy stated, her thoughts straying to Angel for a split second. Shaking her head, she continued. "I'd like to know about these Books of Ascension. Anything that would pin the Mayor down would be great. He gives me the creeps."

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "It'd be great."

After she and Faith parted ways an hour-and-a-half later, Buffy decided to take a trip by City Hall to look for anything incriminating on the Mayor. Her curiosity was piqued when the demon mentioned him, along with the Ascension, and she was dying to find out the connection between the two.

The Mayor's office was on the second floor, so Buffy carefully made her way up the stairs and down the hallway without anyone noticing her. It was well-past office hours, but there were still a few employees remaining. Upon reaching his office, she placed her hand on the doorknob to enter, but stopped when she heard voices coming from inside.

"And what exactly did this demon look like?" the Mayor asked.

Faith shrugged her shoulders. "Demonic?"

'Faith!' Buffy screamed in her head. 'Faith is in cahoots with the Mayor! God, I knew something was up with her, but I never thought she'd be working for the other side.'

"Ah. And you say he has the Books of Ascension, or will soon, and he was, what, willing to sell them?"

"That's what I said."

"Hmm." The Mayor thought for a moment. "You know what I wish? I wish you'd pull your hair back. I know, I know, fashion's not exactly my thing, but, gosh darn it, you know, you've got such a nice face. I can't understand why you hide it."

She only gazed at him, wondering where that particular train of thought had come from. "Yeah, sure. Whatever. It's just a matter of time before this demon guy is gonna spill. Then Buffy and the superfriends are gonna know everything."

The Mayor sat down behind his desk. "You know, you worry too much for a girl your age. That's unnecessary stress."

With a sigh, Buffy walked away. She had heard enough; enough to know that her sister Slayer couldn't be trusted.

After school the next afternoon, Buffy, Willow and Xander sat around the table in the center of the library. They were waiting for Giles, who was talking on the telephone in his office.

"You really think Faith is in on it?" Willow asked.

"A rogue Slayer on our hands," Giles commented, stepping out of his office. "I can't think of anything more dangerous."

"I'm sorry, Giles. I really am," apologized Buffy.

He stood outside his office. "It's not your fault."

"And it's not yours, either," Willow told him. "Faith is…is a bitca for doing this to you and Buffy. We have to stop her."

"We will," the Slayer promised.

Xander raised his hand to ask a question. "What's this Ascension mean?"

"I'm not sure," the Watcher answered. "Not really a common term in demonology."

"Ooh! Ooh! The Marenschadt Text. I think in the section on genocide, they mention Ascension," Willow remembered.

"Well, we have a winner. And, more importantly, one big loser," joked Buffy, trying to keep the mood light.

The younger boy paled. "Um, genocide, Will? Is anyone else getting the wiggins besides me?"

"Where did you find that volume?" Giles demanded.

"In the top of your book cabinet with the stuff you try to keep hidden."

"Of Kane?" Xander wanted to know.

The Watcher shook his head. "No. Of Sharpsville."

"Hey, Slayer! You know, I wasn't expecting company. Give me a minute and I'll have the place tidied up for you," the demon greeted Faith.

Faith wasn't in any mood to have a conversation with him. "You got the books?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"Books of Ascension."

"Mm-hmm. Original editions and everything. Uh, great condition. Okay, it's a little worn on one spine, some slight foxing, but otherwise, perfect. Now, the five grand, it's ah, you know, negotiable."

She smirked, pulling out her knife. "I don't like to haggle."

Once he'd grabbed his house keys, Angel opened up the door, surprised to see Faith standing on the other side. "Faith."

"Angel. I'm sorry, Buffy told me where you live. Look, I got nowhere else to go. I'm in trouble, the real bad kind."

He opened the door, allowing her to enter. "It's okay."

She vehemently shook her head. "No, it's a couple county lines over from okay, believe me."

"Just tell me what happened. Start from the beginning." He could see the fear written all over the brunette Slayer's face.

She sighed. "I don't want to end up the way everybody said I would. Dead or alone or a loser."

"You won't."

"I don't know. Maybe it's too late for me."

Angel sat down next to her on the couch. "You won't. You've got people who care about you, and we won't let you end up like that."

When he saw what she was doing, Angel backed away. "Whoa, Faith, I, look, I can be here for you. But not like that, alright? I'm with Buffy."

"Buffy, yeah." 'Damn bitch!' she swore. "I didn't mean it like that. Maybe I did, but I wouldn't press it. You love her, don't you?"

He nodded. "I love her."

"Good for you. I hope you two make it, I really do. You know, given the circumstances."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

It was something he had thought about, but could never go through with. "I wouldn't do that to her. Buffy is a Slayer, no ultimatum is going to change that."

"It was only a thought. I guess I'd better go."

"Where?" he wanted to know.

"We'll never know."

"Faith, careful," warned Buffy as they walked through the door.

"Right."

"You know," Buffy began, "I tried giving you a call last night after patrol, but there was no answer."

Faith inwardly groaned. 'What is she, my babysitter?' "I went out on patrol again. No shortage of scum you gotta watch in Sunnydale, right?"

"So I've heard."

The room was dark, and Faith reached around the doorway to flip the lightswitch. Though she didn't say anything, Buffy thought it was rather odd that the other girl knew exactly where it was.

Upon seeing the demon's dead body lying on the floor, Buffy blanched. "Looks like somebody got here first."

"Morning, sleepyhead."

Looking around, she saw Faith standing by the fireplace of the abandoned house they were in. "Where am I?"

"The old mansion on Crawford Street. I thought we'd need some privacy. Can't exactly torture you in a residential area," she answered.

"Why, Faith? What's in it for you?"

"It's not my fault."

"Faith, listen to me!"

"Why? So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom, that it? Do you think you're better than me? Do you? Say it, you think you're better than me."

"I am," Buffy told her without a moment's hesitation. "Always have been."

"Sure, B. You're so much better that your boyfriend and I almost fucked tonight on his living room couch," she lied. 'That'll get her.'

"Uh-huh. You're just trying to make me mad so I'll kill you. I'm too smart for that. Stick around."

"For what? You're boss' lame Ascension? Like I couldn't stop it."

"Think again," a voice said from the door.

Buffy did as she was told, not about to risk Angel's life. Faith was capable of just about anything. "You'll regret this."

"Sure, whatever. What are you gonna do, B, kill me? You become me. You're not ready for that…yet." She shoved Angel into the mansion and dashed out the door into the night.

The blonde made her way to where her boyfriend lay on the ground, and she dropped to her knees. "Are you okay?"

Angel nodded. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I have a headache, but I guess that comes with being knocked unconscious by a blunt object. God, Angel, what are you doing here?"

"I followed you and Faith to the demon's hotel room. And when I saw her carry you out, I figured something had to be up. So then I followed her here. I wasn't about to leave you alone with her."

Buffy helped him stand up. "You could have gotten hurt. Or worse."

"So could you. Buffy, what's going on?" he wanted to know.

"I'll explain it back at the library."

"Well, you win some, you lose some. So you lost some friends, big deal," the Mayor consoled her.

Faith frowned. "I wouldn't exactly call them friends."

"What are you worried about? Once the Ascension starts, the 'in' crowd you're so concerned about? Whoo! They'll be lucky if there's enough left of them to fill a pothole. I promise. And I always keep my promises, Faith."

Inside the Mayor's office, Faith sat at his desk with her eyes closed, as her boss had required of her. With a grin on his face, the Mayor placed a gift on the desk in front of her.

"Alright, you can open them now."

She smiled up at him when she saw the expensive knife. "Fab. What's the occasion?"

"Faith!" he exclaimed. "As if I need a reason to show you my affection. Or appreciation for running a small errand at the airport."

"Airport? What's next? Gonna want me to help a buddy of yours move a sofa?" Faith asked, a hint of teasing in her voice.

The Mayor was offended. "This isn't a free ride, young lady. You know, I'm beginning to think that somebody's getting a little spoiled. Maybe I should take this back."

Afraid he would seriously take it away, Faith clutched the present. "Sorry…Sir."

"That's my girl." He chuckled. "Another cookie?" After she took one, the Mayor continued. "Now. A package is arriving tomorrow night from Central America. Something – and I can't stress this enough – something crucially important to my Ascension. Without it…well! What would Toll House cookies be without the chocolate chips? A pretty darn big disappointment, I can tell you."

"This knife…it's a thing of beauty, boss."

He smiled. "Well, it cost a pretty penny. So, you just take good care of it. And you be careful not to put somebody's eye out with that thing, until I tell you to."

"Any particular eyes in mind?" she questioned.

"Tut, tut…that comes later."

Buffy flipped through a magazine at the kitchen table when her mother entered the room. "Buffy? When were you going to tell me?"

Guiltily, she began to remove the earrings she wore. "Alright, busted. I didn't think you'd miss them."

Mrs. Summers didn't react. "You were accepted to Northwestern University. Honey, I'm so proud of you! That's wonderful!"

Buffy, however, wasn't nearly so enthusiastic about her acceptance. "Right. It's wonderful."

"I mean, it's not cheap, but, uh, I know we can make it work if your father pitches in. Not that Northwestern is your only option. It's a great school, though. I am so proud of you."

"You said that before."

"And will again soon."

She frowned. "Mom, you know that I can't…" Buffy couldn't finish the sentence, not when her mother was so excited. "I-I just can't decide on a school right now. I mean, I want to sleep on it, you know, mull it over. Raise them my inner flagpole, see which one I salute."

"I know, sweetheart. I'm just so pleased that you have so many choices. Buffy?"

"I know, you're proud of me."

"Ah, don't forget to put my earrings back on my dresser before you go out," Mrs. Summers told her.

"Sounds like your mom's in a state of denial," Willow commented the following morning as she, Buffy and Oz sat outside at one of the picnic tables.

"More like a continent. She just has to realize that I can't go away," Buffy informed her.

"Well, maybe not now, but soon, maybe."

The blonde shook her head. "Faith's turn to the dark side of the Force pretty much put the proverbial kibosh on any away plans for me. UC Sunnydale – at least I got in. You! I can't believe you got into Oxford!"

Willow beamed. "It's pretty exciting."

"That's some deep academia there," Oz said.

"That's where they make Gileses," added the Slayer.

"I know! I could learn and…and have scones. Although I-I don't know how I feel about going to school in a foreign country."

Buffy smiled at her friend. "At least you have the option of leaving Sunnydale. I'm stuck."

Oz looked up when a shadow fell across the table. "Hey, Angel," he greeted in his usual monotone voice.

"Hey. Mind if I sit down?"

"Not at all. Willow was just telling us about all the great schools she got into," Oz filled him in.

"Oh. Congratulations, Willow," Angel said.

Something was wrong with her boyfriend, Buffy could tell. He was quieter than usual, which meant only one thing: something important was on his mind. Before she had a chance to ask, Willow threw a question his way.

"You're off-the-chart smart, Angel. I bet you got into some pretty great schools yourself. Which ones are you looking at?"

Angel purposely kept his eyes away from Buffy. "UCLA, Stanford, UC Sunnydale, a few others around here. And Cornell University."

"That's back in New York, isn't it?" Oz wanted to know.

He nodded. "Yeah. They offered me a full scholarship and early admission for the summer courses starting in August."

"Wow, that's awesome, Angel," Willow said. "Cornell's one of the best medical schools around. Are you going?"

"Probably. I'm giving it some serious thought."

For the first time since Angel sat down, Buffy said something. "What?!" she exclaimed.

Noticing Buffy's reaction, Oz grabbed a hold of Willow's hand and stood up. "I think maybe we'd better head to class, Wills."

"Good idea," she agreed. They walked away, giving the couple some privacy.

"Buffy, let me explain," Angel began.

She glared at him. "When were you going to tell me? Right before you left for New York? I thought you were going to stay here."

"I was…at least, that was the plan. Look, I applied at the end of junior year, before we even started dating. I figured I had no chance in hell of getting in, and I never heard anything from Cornell, so I totally forgot all about even applying there. Then the letter came in the mail yesterday. I was accepted."

Buffy bit her lip. "And now you're going to school on the other side of the country."

"If I want to be a doctor, Cornell is the place to go."

"So that's it? You're just going to leave me here in Sunnydale all by myself?" she demanded, verging on tears. "Willow will be off at one of her Ivy League schools, you'll be in New York, Xander will be roaming the countryside like a bohemian, and I'll be at good old UC Sunnydale."

"But you got accepted to Northwestern," Angel reminded her.

Buffy sighed. "As long as I'm the Slayer, I'm stuck here. But you go ahead and live out your dream."

"I don't want you to hate me."

She shook her head. "I don't hate you, Angel. I envy you. God, I hate myself and this whole situation. It's not your fault I can't go away to school like everybody else."

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Forget it. You're not going for a couple more months, right?" Angel nodded in response. "We might as well enjoy it while we still can."

"The Box of Gavrock. It houses some great demonic energy or something His Honor needs to chow down on come A-Day. The box is being kept under guard in a conference room on the top floor of City Hall. Unfortunately, that's all I could get out of my informant before his aggressive tendencies forced me to introduce him to Mr. Pointy," Buffy stated later that evening in the library.

Xander shook his head in awe. "Buff, you never cease to amaze me. Gone only twenty minutes and you're a fountain of information."

"I try. If we want to stop the Mayor, we have to get the box. I figure we can enter through the skylight. I'll take Angel with me."

"Why does he get to go?" whined Xander.

"Because he's stronger," the Slayer answered simply. "There's a fire ladder on the east side of the building."

Giles sighed, adjusting his glasses. "It won't be enough to simply have possession of the box."

"Right," Willow agreed. "We have to destroy it. Not just physically – ritually, with some down and dirty black magic."

"I think the Breath of the Atropyx is standard for this sort of thing. Fairly simple recipe." Giles handed the book to Xander.

He pouted. "I know. I'm ingredient getting guy."

"The Mayor will most assuredly have supernatural safeguards protecting the box," the Watcher pointed out.

Buffy smiled. "Looks like a job for Wiccan girl. What do you say, Will? Big time danger."

"Hey, I eat danger for breakfast."

"But oddly enough, she panics in the face of breakfast foods," joked Xander.

"Let's get to work," Buffy ordered.

Buffy, Angel and Willow stood before the skylight on the roof of City Hall a short while later. While Angel opened the skylight, Buffy handed her best friend the spell book, along with a bottle of ingredients needed for the ritual. She poured it over the box, bringing to light a blue force field around the box, which disappeared once she finished chanting.

Willow grinned. "Oh yeah. I'm bad."

"Four stars, Will," Buffy complimented. "Now get going."

"I'm gone."

She headed back down the fire ladder quietly. When she reached the bottom, Willow felt something sharp pushing into her back.

In the conference room, the Mayor surveyed the damage that occurred while Buffy was stealing the Box of Gavrock. The table had been overturned and at least three chairs were broken during her struggle with the vampires he'd hired to protect the box.

"Well, this is very unfortunate. I just had this conference room redecorated, for Pete's sake. At taxpayers' expense. And, oh yeah!" The Mayor, in a fit of rage, smashed a chair against the wall. "They've got my box!"

Faith walked in, holding a knife to Willow's throat. "Don't worry, boss. We've got something just as important to them."

After purchasing the ingredients they would need to perform the ritual at the Magic Shop, Xander entered the library. It was completely empty except for Oz, who walked out of Giles' office carrying a ceramic pot on a pedestal.

"You got the goods?" Oz asked when he heard Xander enter.

"Yeah." He pulled the plastic bags out of his pocket. "Essence of toad, twice-blessed sage…maybe that's the toad?"

Oz blinked. "Well, we better be sure. Destroying this box is supposed to be a pretty delicate operation."

"Well, then, they shouldn't leave it in the hands of the lay people," complained the dark-haired boy. "Giles or Buffy should be here."

"Oh, Willow laid it out for us pretty well." He showed Xander the instructions his girlfriend had written down for them.

Xander was impressed. "Wow. She even drew helpful diagrams. That's the pedestal."

"And the ingredients. And us. See, there's you and there's me."

"Well, how can you tell which is which?" he wanted to know. "I mean, they both look kinda stick-figurey to me."

"Well, this one is me," answered Oz, pointing to one of the stick figures. "See the little guitar?"

"Oh, gotcha."

Oz smiled adoringly. "Nobody like my Willow."

"No, sir, there is not," Xander agreed.

After dropping the three gold pieces in the pot, Oz held out his hand. "Okay, toad me."

Just as they were finished combining the ingredients, Buffy, Angel and Giles walked in, carrying a large black box. "Seriously, Giles, you should have seen it. Angel broke the leg off the chair and staked the vamp before he knew what hit him," Buffy gushed.

"It was either that or get bit. Frankly, once is enough, thank you," Angel said.

"Hey, guys. Where's Willow?" Oz asked them.

The Slayer widened her eyes at the question. "Isn't she with you? I thought she came back here to help you guys out with the ritual."

Oz shook his head. "No. I figured she was with you."

"How did you guys let…How did this happen?" Buffy demanded. "Where is she?"

"They must have grabbed her when she hit the ground. Buffy, I'm sorry," her boyfriend apologized. "I should have been watching her."

She heaved a heavy sigh. "Look, it's nobody's fault, okay? We just need to focus and deal. Oz, I swear, I don't let them hurt her."

"We go back. Full-on assault," suggested Xander.

"They'll kill her. Assuming they haven't already," Giles said.

Buffy shook her head. "No. No, they know what she means to us. She's too valuable as long as we still have the box. We trade." She paused. "It's the safest plan. It's the only way, right?"

"It might well be. Though as much as I care for Willow, this box must be destroyed."

"There's no other way," she told Giles. "Look, we call the Mayor and arrange a meeting."

Giles saw things from a different perspective. "This box is the key to the Mayor's Ascension. Thousands of lives depend on our getting rid of it. Now, I want to help Willow as much as the rest of you, but we will find another way to get her back."

"How can you say that stuff and still be Giles?" Buffy asked. "This is Willow we're talking about."

Oz walked over to the ceramic pot, which contained the ingredients, and threw it to the ground. It smashed upon impact. The gang just looked at one another.

"Giles, I'm making the phone call, whether you want me to or not."

The cafeteria was dark as night when the five of them walked in close to an hour later. Buffy had made the initial contact, and she and the Mayor agreed to meet at the school as it wouldn't seem too suspicious.

"The whole place is locked down, except for the front," Oz stated.

"Yeah, it gives me that comforting trapped feeling," added Xander.

Buffy sighed in aggravation. "Stop complaining, both of you. One way out means one way in. I want to see them coming."

From behind her, Angel put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" He knew she was on edge, but had never heard her snap on anyone like she just had.

"I'm fine. Or, at least I will be once we get Willow back. I want you guys to stay behind me; I can't afford for anyone to get hurt."

Two vampires pushed open the doors to the cafeteria, followed by the Mayor, Faith and Willow. The evil Slayer held her new dagger to the witch's throat. Buffy and the Mayor approached each other, but kept minimum safe distance.

"Well, this is exciting, isn't it?" the Mayor chuckled. "Clandestine meetings by dark of night. Exchange of prisoners. I just, I, I feel like we should all be wearing trench coats."

"Let her go," Buffy ordered.

"No. Not until the box is in my hands." He looked her up and down. "So you're the little girl that's been causing me all this trouble. She's pretty, Angel. A little skinny. Still don't understand why it couldn't work out with you and my Faith. Guess you kind of just have strange taste in women."

Angel wasn't about to be intimidated by the older man. "Well, what can I say? I like them sane."

A laughing sound came form Willow, but she was silenced when Faith tightened her grip.

"Angel…" Oz warned, concerned for Willow's safety.

"Well, I wish you kids the best, I really do. But if you don't mind a bit of fatherly advice, I, uh, I-I just don't see much of a future for you two. I don't sense a lasting relationship. And not just because I plan to kill you."

Buffy was more than ready to change the subject. All she wanted to do was get Willow and get home, not hear a lecture from the Mayor. "I don't think we need to talk about this."

"God, you kids, you know. You don't like to think about the future. You don't like to make plans. Unless you want Faith to gut your friend like a sea bass, show a little respect for your elders," the Mayor threatened.

"Fine," Buffy relented. "Please continue with your boring lecture."

"You two have so many things working against you. First and foremost, Buffy's a Slayer. I'm sure you know the drill, Angel. Chances are, she won't live to see twenty-five, and if she does…who's to say she won't leave you a widower at a young age? Imagine raising your children all alone, having them ask you all the time where their mommy is. What will you tell them, the truth? 'Your mother was mauled to death by a demon, now go on and finish eating your peas and carrots.' What kind of life can a Slayer such as her offer you?"

Angel didn't even flinch. "We love each other. I think that's enough."

The Mayor shook his head, making a chucking noise with his tongue. "Yeah, let's talk about how much she loves you. Or, should I say, her ex? The vampire. I'm sure you know all about him and his pesky curse. What was it, Buffy? One true moment of happiness will cause him to lose his soul?"

"Stop it," she said quietly.

"Ah, feeling a little guilty about that? I had the pleasure of meeting Angelus shortly after his return, and let me tell you, that was one angry, powerful vampire. He had his little unbeating heart set on making you pay for what you did. It's too darn bad you had to make that wish before he could kill you. Would have saved me a lot of trouble."

He turned his attention back to Angel. "Now, tell me, Angel, how does it feel knowing you were once the most feared vampire in the world?"

"It doesn't phase me at all," he answered nonchalantly. "Should it?"

"You mean it doesn't bother you that she only made that wish so she could have her lover back? That she wanted him to be normal and human and curseless…hence not needing to worry about him going evil in the afterglow? Don't you feel like less of a man just knowing that you were once a vampire, and now you're Ordinary Joe because of a wish your girlfriend made? Isn't it a little selfish of her?"

When he didn't reply, the Mayor shook his head in disgust. "Make the trade."

"Are you okay, Will?" Buffy wanted to know when they all returned to the library a short while later.

The redhead nodded. "Peachy. It wasn't all that bad. I got to stake a vampire with a floating pencil and, oh yeah, I almost got my throat slashed."

"Sorry you had to go through that."

"We all are," agreed Giles. "The last thing any of us wanted was for your life to be compromised."

"At least it wasn't a total waste. I mean, we lost the Box of Gavrock, but I stole some pages out of the Books of Ascension."

Buffy grinned with pride at her best friend. "Way to go. All in all, tonight went fairly smoothly. Well, except for a few things."

From his place on the counter, Xander cleared his throat. "Hey, I got a question. What was all that stuff the Mayor was talking to you and Angel about?" he asked. "Because I was totally lost. You were dating a vampire? What wish?"

She looked at her boyfriend, who sat silently in his chair, staring at his hands. Her heart went out to him; their secret was now public knowledge, and he was obviously embarrassed by the Mayor's words. "Angel?" she asked.

Without a word, he got up and walked out the door. She glanced over at Giles, who frowned. "Go talk to him. I'll explain it to them," the Watcher offered.

"Thanks." She stood up and chased after Angel.

Buffy ran into the hall, expecting to see her boyfriend standing along the rows of lockers. But he was nowhere to be found. The halls were empty and silent.

"Angel?" she called.

No answer. She took several steps, but stopped when she heard a door close. It was the main entrance, and she headed in that direction, knowing it could be no one else but Angel leaving the school. She needed to talk to him, try to explain things to him as best she could.

When she exited the building, she still didn't see him, but she could feel his presence. That familiar tingling sensation in her stomach that told her he was nearby. "Angel, where are you?"

"Right here."

Buffy turned around, seeing him leaning against the building to the left of the doors. "What's wrong? Why did you run out like that?"

"Why do you think, Buffy?" Angel asked.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, taking a step closer to him. "That's not how I wanted things to go down tonight."

"Gee, that's comforting to know," he said sarcastically. He pushed himself away from the wall and started to walk away from her.

"Where are you going?"

Angel sighed. "You know that thing where you bail in the middle of an upsetting conversation? Well, I have to do that. It's kinda dramatic, I know, but it's a necessary guy thing. And for once, I'd like to be a guy. Because I sure as hell don't feel like one right now."

"Please, at least let me explain."

"Explain what? That everybody knows who I really am? Or, what I am? I thought you and Willow and Giles were the only people who knew about your wish. How does the Mayor know?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But that doesn't change anything."

"How can you say that?" Angel exploded. "God, Buffy, it changes everything! I saw the way Xander was looking at me, and I could almost hear what Oz was thinking."

"Nobody knows what Oz is thinking. I don't even think *he* knows what he's thinking," she tried to joke.

"This isn't the time to be funny. I'm being serious."

"I know you are. But you're making a mountain out of a mole hill; totally overreacting. The Mayor was just trying to shake us up; get between us. He's evil, don't listen to him."

Angel shut his eyes, trying his best to hold his emotions in. He was ready to burst. "Look, I've tried, I really have. And for the past couple of months, I was so happy, I'd almost forgotten the truth. You made me feel like I was the only man you've ever loved; ever been with. The reality of it is, I'm not. *He* came before me. You loved *him.* You made love to *him.* And you wished for me when you lost *him.* It's true, isn't it?"

"Yes, but–"

"No buts about it. You wanted him all along, and you settled for me. Am I some cheap replacement for him?"

Buffy couldn't believe the things she was hearing him say. "I thought you knew why I made that wish. I thought you understood."

"I thought I did, too. But the Mayor's speech made me think of something; made me realize that there might be another reason behind you wishing for him to be normal," Angel stated. "Tell me something, do I look exactly like him? Same hair, same eyes, same face, same body?"

She nodded. "Yes. What are you getting at?"

"Maybe he was right. Maybe you just wanted your lover back. And that the only reason you're with me now is because I can give you what he couldn't. I can take you out in the daylight; I can breathe and my heart beats; and most importantly, I can make love to you without turning evil the next morning."

"Is that what you really think?"

"I don't know what to think anymore! I couldn't say this in front of everyone back there, but I *do* feel like less of a man. I went from being a bad-ass vampire to a wimpy human being without even knowing it. And it's getting harder and harder to accept."

Buffy took a deep breath. "Can I say something without you interrupting me? I love you. Yeah, perhaps it was selfish of me to make that wish, but you know what? This past year I've spent with you has been the happiest of my life. Even happier than when I was with him. Not for one second have I regretted it, except when I see how much it's hurting you. Like now. I wouldn't trade one moment I have spent with you for an entire lifetime with him.

"And I didn't wish for you so I could have my lover back. I did it because I wanted the pain to stop. I wanted to die after he left me. He was the only person who ever understood me; the only person I could turn to when things were too hard for me to take. I didn't lose my lover because I never thought of him as such. I lost my partner, my confidante, my best friend. And don't you dare think that you are some cheap replacement for him. When I look at you, I don't see him, not anymore. I only see the man I fell in love with. I see your soul, not his familiar face."

She had tried so hard not to cry during her speech to him, but in the end, Buffy couldn't stop the tears. The pain was too great, and they poured down her face like raindrops on a windshield. With the palms of her hands, she wiped the tears away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to turn into Niagara Falls like that. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you, but it's not any easier on me, either."

"No, I'm sure it's not." Angel could only imagine what Buffy had gone through. "I…it was easier to deal with when it was only a few of us who knew the truth. But now, it seems like everyone knows. I saw the way Xander was looking at me…like I'm some sort of freak of nature. And I don't think I can handle everybody looking at me like that. It's embarrassing."

"I didn't mean to embarrass you, Angel. I swear I didn't."

"I know you didn't." He paused for a moment. "They're waiting in the library for you. You'd better get back, I'm sure you guys have strategy to go over."

Buffy looked at him. "Aren't you coming?"

Angel shook his head. "I'm going home. I-I think I'm just gonna go to bed. Get some sleep and think things over. It has been a long, confusing day. I just want to be alone for awhile."

"I understand. I love you, Angel."

He managed a small smile through his confusion. "Love you, too."

"How's Angel?" Willow asked when Buffy entered the library.

She frowned as she sat down in the chair her boyfriend had abandoned fifteen minutes earlier. "He was upset. We had a heart-wrenching talk and he went home."

Her best friend noticed Buffy's red, puffy eyes. She'd been crying. "Are *you* okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"Look, Buffy, I'm sorry if I upset Angel," Xander apologized. "I didn't realize it was that sensitive of a subject until Giles explained what happened."

"Sounds like you went through some pretty rough stuff last year," added Oz.

Buffy turned her attention to her Watcher. "How much did you tell them?"

"Only the basics. It didn't seem appropriate for me to give out the details; I thought I'd leave that up to you, seeing as you lived through it," Giles answered.

"Thanks. Look, we need to get back to what's important…the Ascension. Graduation day is coming up in a few weeks and we need to prepare. The Mayor is gonna turn into a first-rate demon and I haven't a clue as to how to stop him."

Buffy briskly walked along the docks during her patrol that night. After everything that had happened that night, she needed to vent her frustration and kick some vampire butt.

"You don't give up, do you?" Faith asked, stepping out of one of the ships docked in the harbor.

"Not on my friends, no," Buffy replied. She stopped and looked up at her sister Slayer as she made her presence known.

"Yeah, because you and me are such solid buds, right?" The dark-haired girl started walking down the gangway.

"We could be. It's not too late."

Faith narrowed her eyes. "For me to change? And be more like you, you mean? Little Miss Goody-Two Shoes? Ain't gonna happen, B."

"Faith, nobody is asking you to be like me. But you can't go on like this," Buffy tried to reason.

"Scares you, doesn't it? That I have all the power and you have nothing but your Watcher and those loser friends of yours." She jumped down from the gangway to the concrete and started walking down the docks with Buffy.

Buffy shook her head. "We were your friends. We accepted you long before the Mayor did. Look at you now. You're an assassin; hired muscle to protect him and do his bidding. How many innocent people have you killed because he told you to?"

"It's fun. Come on, you know exactly what I'm about, because you have it in you, too. I've seen it, B; you got the lust. And I'm not just talking about screwing vampires," Faith shot at her.

Buffy stopped abruptly, whirling to face her. "You leave him out of this."

"It was good, wasn't it?" She smirked with satisfaction. "The sex, the danger…I bet a part of you even dug him when he went psycho. Yeah, the Mayor told me all about it. Quite the interesting tale."

"How does he know?"

"What *doesn't* he know? Let's just say that certain people can transcend realities, and he's one of them. When he told me, I couldn't believe it. Little Miss Perfect Slayer boinked the undead. So tell me, was it better when he was a vampire or as a human? 'Cause I'm dying to find out."

"Shut up," the blonde ordered.

Faith laughed. "Ooh…scary."

"You made a mistake, Faith. You are on the wrong side. I will kill your boss, and if you get in my way, you'll go down with him," promised Buffy.

"See, that's where you're wrong, B. He's invincible until the transformation, so there's no way you can kill him. Give it up. You'll be nothing but a snack for him."

'Invincible until the transformation? Bingo!' Buffy thought. 'Thank you, Faith, for slipping up!' "We'll see about that. Just stay out of my way."

"Whatever. Say hi to Angel for me. If he plays his cards right, he might just survive this. What a waste of a wish it would be if he didn't make it."

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