*****
Part 1: Planning Ahead Is Essential

I feel like I'm going mad.
Not like insane mad, I'm not gonna start talking to garbage bins or anything.
Just she's always in my head.

I mean, I get up.
I think of what she's doing.
I grab something to eat.
I wonder what she's having.
I get dressed.
I think about what she's gonna wear to practice.

Every single fuckin' minute.
Even when I go to sleep I know I'm gonna be dreaming about her.

I feel like I should be on some talk show about obsessions.
The whole audience can 'ooo' and 'ahhh' over my pathetic fuckin' life.

So, I decided to get some space.
Maybe if I'm away from here I can get my mind back on things other than Buffy Summers.
I packed some shit up last night and I'm headin' off.
Don't know where.
Don't care.

I'm going over to tell B that I'll be away for a few weeks.
Don't want her thinking I've been dusted and goin' all nuts.
Part of me is hoping she'll be all 'don't go! I'll miss you!'
But the other 95% of my brain is locked in gear and damn well knows that's not gonna happen.

I know my place, and it might be by her side, but it ain't in her bed.
Slayers, Chosen Two, whatever.
Fuckin' words don't mean jack.

Think I'll nab myself some wheels and head on out Vegas way.
Bright lights, big city, money to be made and I'm betting plenty of vamps to keep me busy.
Busy is what I want.
What I need.
Well that was easy.
Decision made then.

Here I am at B's dorm.
I suddenly wonder if she has classes.
Not used to this school shit.
I knock but she hasn't answered.
I've picked the lock in under 30 seconds and I'm in.
I'm not here to nose round.
I may be an asshole but privacy means something.
So I grab a pad and a pen and write her a quick note.

'B, Need to get out of town for a while. See you in a couple of weeks. Dust some undead for me while I'm gone! Faith.'

I resist the urge to put 'love Faith' at the end and just draw a little heart after my scrawly signature.
I leave it on her bed and turn to leave.

As I'm almost at the door, in walks B.

Shit!
She slams into me.

'Hey. Sorry!' She says as she walks past me to drop some books on her bed. 'Actually rewind that. Hey! How'd you get in here!?'

'I smashed the door down but check it out, I put the spare one up I carry with me. Looks nice huh? I picked the lock B, jeez.'

'Oh...why?'

'Because the door was locked.'

'Faith! Why did you need to get in here'
She laughs and it makes a stupid grin spaz all over my face.

'I'm leavin' for a few weeks. Left you a note. Anyway, gotta go.'
I start to walk out and she's right there behind me, hand on my shoulder.

'Watch out B, don't touch the animals!'

She slaps me for being cheeky.
Well it was a Slayer slap so really more of a heavy backhand.

'Where are you going? Why are you going? Why didn't you wait to talk to me...?'

'Woa there horsy, I don't know where I'm going, out Vegas way probably, I just need a break and you weren't here.'

'And what? You were just going to leave without saying goodbye? Thanks!'

Ahh, damn.
She looks all hurt now.
I just wanted to leave a fuckin' note and not have to deal with any of this.
But even I manage to mess this up.
What a chump.

'I was leaving you a note to say bye. I'm not leavin' the country B. Just thought I needed a holiday, that's all.'

I do.
Roll me up some transport and I'm motoring out of SunnyHell for a while.

'Holiday? In Vegas?'
She has that look on her face.
The one that tells me I ain't gonna like what's coming.
Seen it a thousand times.
Here it comes...

STRIKE!

'Hey, I'll come as well then, Faith. Be like a Slayers away day, only longer! Wait, I'll pack up some stuff! This is going to be SO cool!'

HOME RUN!

Um, what the fuck just happened?
Like WHAT THE FUCK?
Great, now what am I gonna do?

Hey, yeah Faith, go to Vegas to get away from B.
Sort of doesn't work if she comes WITH YOU!
IDIOT!

Think.
And do it quickly.

'B? Classes! What you gonna do about study?'

Smart!
She'll never miss this much school.
Think I might be safe.

'You know, you always tell me to take a risk, act on the moment. Well, you'll be happy to hear I'm taking your advice! Fuck school! See, I even swore. Go Buffy!'

I watch her punch the air and then I just stand there like an idiot, watching her pack enough things to clothe the entire US army.

I sigh.

Why do I feel like this ain't goin' to plan?
I mean, I don't plan often.
Well, not at all.
Drain of brain cells.
The one time I do...
The one god damn time, and it falls flat.
Shit.
I can't tell her not to come now can I?
She'll hate me.

Maybe it wont be so bad.
We can do our separate Slayer things, like patrol in different places or something.
Yeah, like that's gonna happen!
Bite the bullet Faith.

'Come on then F... Vegas baby! Wooooo!'

She grabs my arm and I know that this is gonna be one trip I ain't gonna forget.

Not by a long shot.

*****
Part 2: Keep Your Eyes On The Road, And Your Hands Where I can See Them!

Jeez, what a ride.
We hooked up with a convertible.
Pal of B's was out of town for a month, so we kind of did the, borrowing without asking, hooking up.

Nice ride though.
Dumped the Britney cd's the first chance I got.
Hopefully they'll biodegrade in the sun.

I still can't believe my 'getting away from B', now consists of 'going away with B'.
Reverse psychology?
I don't know.
Never did understand anything with an 'ology' attached to it.

But I'm not gonna stress. Nope. Lets face it, can't get her out of my head normally, so may as well have her along for the ride in body form.
Woo... nice visual place right there!
Cut it out Faith, you're meant to be getting over her.
Which I gotta say is gonna be hard, what with her being here and all.
But I'm kick ass.
I'm a Slayer.

What a crock.
A Slayer who gets wet everytime a certain blonde so much as notices her.
Crap.

Maybe this isn't going to work out to well.

Argggh!
Stop thinking so much.
Just be.
Wasn't that a song?
Damn, that was 'let it be'.
B...
Mind off of her!
Shit!!

'We there yet?'
I have to speak to stop my slimy thought process from creeping into whipped cream, hot tubs, and me and B in bikini's

'Faith, you ask every 10 minutes. Each time you get the same answer, almost.'

She looks over to me.
Can't see her eyes cause of her sunglasses.
Hot damn she's sexy.

For Fuck sake!
Mind, gutter, stop putting them together.

'Sorry.'
She's made me pout now.
And cross my arms.
How can two sentences turn me back into a 12 year old?

'No, I'm sorry Faith. I know you're itching to get there. I don't want to spoil your holiday.'
She turns and smiles.
Nearly blinds me with those whiter than white teeth of hers.
And those lips.
Easy... steady... almost had another dirty thought episode.
Pulled myself back from the edge though.
Good Faith!
Well done.
Hey, not so difficult, I can do this.

I close my eyes and rest my head back.
Letting the sun warm me up.
The wind blows round me, preventing me from overheating.
Which, considering I'm so close to Buffy Summers, is a good thing.
I don't want to melt the fake leather in this 'I've got a small dick' car.

'What's with the smile?'
Am I smiling?
Shit, I am.

'I dunno, just feels good to be out of SunnyHell for a while. You think The Boobies can manage without us?'

'I called Will at that burger joint we stopped off at, she was all for the break, says her and the SCOOBIES will be fine. They have my cellphone number anyway.'

'Hmmm...'
All I can manage.
Don't think I've ever been this relaxed.
Sun, open road, stomach full of fries and coke and a hot babe next to me.
All I ever asked for.
Not much, but then I'm easy to please.

'Don't you go all sleepy on me Faith! I need company, I'm not a limousine service you know.'

I have to laugh, I know she's got her frowny face on.
Don't even have to have my eyes open to know that.

I stroke her shoulder, to try and chill her out.
Then realise what the HELL I'm doing, snap my eyes open, sit bolt upright and remove that FUCKIN hand as fast as my muscles will allow me.
What are you doing Faith?
Don't touch her, you moron!
She'll go all freaky and think your gay or something.

Oh, hang on.
Well, don't want her thinking it.
She'll get all weird and spooked and then probably spaz herself out.
She'll turn the car round, speed back to SunnyHell and spread the gossip around.
I'll never speak to her again 'cause I'll be too embarrassed and that'll be the end of my LIFE!

I sit on my hands.
Try and touch her now, suckers!
Bad, hands!
Bad, bad hands!

'You ok, Faith? You seem... actually you ARE tense. Your vibes keep hitting me.. Ouch! There's one. Oww! And another.. oooww, stop it!'

I gotta laugh at her being so stupid.
Really.
She's swatting away at the air now.
She's one crazy chick.
But crazy's good.
On her, it looks mighty fine.
Mighty fine indeed.

Now I've changed my original 'Shit, B's coming' into 'Hell yeah, B's coming!'

I shout at the top of my lungs.

'Vegas baaaaaaaby! Yeeeah!'

I think we're gonna have some wicked fun!

*****
Part 3: Fairy Tales & Real Life, aka, Oil and Water

'You know I've always wanted you, B...'
I move my hands through her hair and hold her face, pulling her mouth towards mine.
Her warm breath feels like a touch on my lips.
I've waited so long for this.
So long.

'Oww!'
My eyes fly open as I feel the jab in my side.
What the Hell?
Where'd B's lips go?
Hold up... I was about to get lucky.

'Hey Snoozy Slayer, take a look up ahead!'

No, that's not what I want to do!
God damn it, I hate waking up from the good bits of dreams!
I want to close my eyes again and slip right back in where I left off!
Sometimes it doesn't work though.
Once Willow appeared, dressed as a stick of celery.
Kind of dampens the mood, you know?
What can I say, I don't write it.
If I did we'd all be talking Swedish and wearing PVC catsuits.

'Faith, LOOK!'

Look at wha... wow!
The sun has started to set as we are nearing Vegas.
And what I see before me takes my breath away.
I don't let on, I've got a rep to keep and all.

Up ahead the bright lights of LV blaze out.
It's like someone just picked up a chunk of LA and dumped it down in the middle of the desert.
The colours look so... well just, wow!
Looks real pretty.

'Ok B, you win, that was worth being woken up for. Next time don't poke so hard; wake me up with a kiss or something.'

I smile and wink.
Trying to do my, 'I'm so cool, check me out' act.
She slaps my leg, but her hand stays there just a fraction of a second too long.
Ok, what was that about?

Wishful thinking again, Faith.
Let it go.

'With a kiss? Like sleeping beauty?'

'Yeah B, you can be my Prince Charming.'

Oh, so smooth.
No really Faith.
You moron!

'That's a role reversal. I thought you were meant to be mine?'

Huh?
Me be HER Prince Charming?
What do I say to that?
Come on!?
Some slutty reply?
Some witty joke?
What do I say?
Shit.

I just smile and nod 'cause for the life of me, I'm struck dumb.
That's cool though.
Her Prince Charming.
I know she's kidding.
She is, right?
Yeah, yeah, joking.

See, this is why I needed to get away.
I overanalyze everything she says to me.
Pick it clean until I can't find anymore double meanings.
What a way to live.

Still, I got to be her Prince, for like 30 seconds.

I smile and watch the lights of the big city draw closer; can almost smell the money and sin from here.
Two of my favourite things.
And my other one?
Well that's sitting beside me, humming along to some tune on the radio.

I'm gonna like it here.

Nah, we're gonna like it here.

*****
tbc