Faith replayed her plan in her head again. 

 

“If I’ve learned anything, it's that baddies flock,” she’d had told them, surprised that she had their undivided attention.  “There seems to be two main tunnels, not counting the one we came in, and I know for a fact there’s nothing much where I came from.  Besides, me and B’s super-senses tell us which way to go.” 

 

When had she become the plan maker for all of them?  She couldn’t believe it, but they had listened and they were following her plan.

 

Sorta. 

 

Buffy had issues with some of it.  Big surprise

 

But here they were, leaving Xander and Spike back in the main cavern.  Faith figured they all didn’t need to be together, just in case.  Spike and Xander were the back up “oh-shit” plan. 

 

So here they now were, three chicks looking for The Master. 

 

Faith glanced over toward Buffy.  She knew she needed to keep treading carefully; she felt it then, maybe even a little bit now.  Faith wasn’t sure, but she still thought that Buffy didn’t like the idea of Willow being with them.  That confused the hell out of Faith.  Who wouldn’t want an all-powerful witch on their side?

 

Then there was Spike. 

 

Faith knew it was killing him not to go with them.  He wouldn’t rest until he knew she and Buffy were safe.  She told him not to worry, right before they split into two groups. 

 

“We’ll be fine,” she had said, matter-of-factly.  She tried to forget the shocked look on his face with her sudden aloofness toward him.  Every since they got into Sunnydale, she had been distancing herself from him. 

 

Old habits die hard she supposed.

 

XXXXX

 

“How’s your energy holding up, Will?” Buffy asked as they made their way deeper into the tunnel.

 

“I’m okay.  A little tired, but I’m okay,” Willow said, giving her the should-be-trademarked ‘I’m fine.  Really, I mean it.  Don’t worry about me’ resolve face. 

 

Faith was getting uncomfortable with the non-happening that was going on.  If The Master wanted them so badly, where was he?  Faith needed to focus on the here and now, but her thoughts kept going beyond this place.  Beyond the tunnel, beyond the cavern even.  In her mind, she had already left Sunnydale.  And she wasn’t seeing anyone with her.  She silently wondered when everything had changed.  Not too long ago, she and Spike had been hanging, have a good time, now all she wanted to do was get away. 

 

Escape from all of them.  Faith quickly banished the thoughts from her mind. 

 

“Any day now, already.  Where the hell is he?  If I didn’t still sense the numb nut, I’d think he’d left the building.”

 

“Let’s just keep moving.  I still think he’ll end up finding us.  We’re just going through the motions,” Buffy said and then giggled.  “Umm, in looking for him.”

 

“What’s so funny?” Faith asked.

 

“Going through the motions…  Nothing, it’s nothing.  I was just remembering something.”  She looked at Faith.  “I mean it.  It’s really nothing...  Spike didn’t tell you?”

 

Oh, Spike didn’t tell you? Faith mentally mimicked back.  She had no clue what Buffy was yammering about and she didn’t much care for the ‘You had to be there.' vibe she was getting from B. 

 

“Tell me what?  Could you narrow down the field of possibilities a tad there, B?”

 

“The Dancing Demon?  The one that came to Sunnydale.  Xander summoned him.  We all wound up singing and dancing.  Going through the motions was a song… someone sang.”

 

“No.  Sorry, B.  Guess we were a little busy doing other stuff.”  Faith said and hustled away. 

 

Singing and dancing. 

 

What kind of demon makes you sing and dance?  Faith wondered what else they did besides sing and dance.  Dancing was Faith’s thing, not B’s.  Oh yeah, B’s life has been rough.  Getting it on with Spike and singing and dancing at the same time.  Tough gig you got there, B. 

 

Spike never mentioned it either.  Why didn’t he tell her?  He told her about other stuff.  Why wasn’t this in among the stories about the good old days?

 

“Other stuff?” Buffy belted out, catching up to Faith.  “What kind of other stuff?” Buffy demanded.

 

Faith continued walking, not bothering to answer her.  Faith could have her secrets too.  Let B stew on that for a while.

 

“So when will I know you’re ready for me again?” Willow interjected, catching up to both slayers.

 

Faith shot her a look.  Willow was obviously trying to change the subject and Faith felt herself back down.  Now was not the time or the place for this.

 

“I already told you Willow, we’ll tell you.  But The Master is mine,” Buffy said, not taking her eyes from Faith.

 

“Not making any promises, B,” Faith said as they rounded another corner.  “I know how much you want this, but if push comes to shove and for some flako reason you can’t take him out, I will or Mama Mojo will.  Not into the chance takin’, okay?” 

 

Buffy kept walking.  Faith grabbed her arm and stopped her.  “I said, ‘Okay, B?'  You’re in, right?  We already agreed to this.”

 

Buffy glared at Faith.  “Fine,” she said, yanking her arm out of Faith’s grasp and walking away.

 

Faith and Willow exchanged worried glances.  “Girlfriend, you need to chill,” Faith shouted as they ran to catch up to her.  “B, I know how huge this is.  Damn, Kakistos ring a bell?  What is your problem?” 

 

Buffy didn’t answer; she stopped and glared at Faith instead. 

 

“We’re almost done with this," Faith continued.  "I know this is going to sound freakin’ bizarro coming from me, but you need to chill and take a step back.  Don’t go rushing in.  Rather be safe than sorry and all that happy shit.  Okay?”

 

“She’s right, Buffy.  The Master knows how to get to you.  And yes, I know you’re not the Buffy you were then, but the Buffy you are now sometimes reverts to high school Buffy when he’s around.  That could be dangerous for us all,” Willow said, averting her eyes with her last comment.

 

Buffy was now glaring at both of them. 

 

Faith noticed Willow shirking away, but Faith wasn’t about to.  She didn’t shirk away from anything, especially when it was a do or die sitch.  If B didn’t chill, Faith would knock her out herself, carry her back to the boys and go on solo with Willow. 

 

Buffy was still radiating attitude, but Faith didn’t care.  She was giving it right back to her, and they all knew that Faith was a little better at giving 'tude than Buffy was.

 

“What?” Faith asked.  “You know it's true.  Let’s just agree once and for all and move on.  Damn.  We’ve been through this already,”  Faith said turning and heading further into the tunnel.

 

XXXXX

 

They walked in silence for the next ten minutes.  Too bad it felt like hours. 

 

Faith’s thoughts were all over the place.  One minute she was pissed at Buffy for the entire Master thing.  They had all agreed on what they were doing. 

 

Willow was going to work the mojo and flambé as many vamps as she could.  Buffy and Faith would handle the rest.  Spike and Xander would take out any stragglers and come to their rescue if they needed it. 

 

The next minute she would envision B and Spike dancing while a demon was singing love songs in the background, which is what she shouldn’t be thinking about.  The plan, that’s what should be foremost on her mind.

 

Granted, not the mother of all plans, but it beat just sitting around wondering what to do.  Now B was acting like she had never heard any of it.

 

Willow's voice periodically broke the silence as she occasionally stopped to say a few magic words.  Her spell was creating a trail so they could find their way out when the time came.  Faith was glad Willow had come, grateful for the backup and the noise.  Faith just wished they would find The Master once and for all.  After that, she’d climb in her Viper and blow this hellhole.  Being around all these people was beginning to make her crazy and the silence was only making it worse. 

 

“If this wasn’t yet another life and death moment, I think I’d be bored,” Faith said, rounding yet another bend and redirecting her thoughts to the situation at hand.  “Which way?” she asked when it branched off yet again.

 

Buffy stopped, brushing the loose strands out of her face.  “I don’t know.  All this and we haven’t found anything.  Maybe we’re wrong, maybe he’s not here anymore.”

 

“He’s here, B.  I can still feel him.”  Faith paused.  “Not for real though  because that would be just gross,” she said, not making much out of her comment until she noticed she'd teased a small smile out of Buffy. 

 

Well, that was something.

 

“So what now?” Willow asked.

 

“I hate to say it…”  Buffy began.

 

“So don’t,” Faith said, interrupting.  If Buffy was going to suggest they split up, Faith wasn’t going to have any part of that, not now, not an hour from now.

 

“Wouldn’t it be cool if we had, like, a hundred more slayers with us right now?” Willow said, changing the subject.

 

“A few hundred more wiccas would be golden, too,” Buffy said in agreement.

 

“If wishes were…” Faith paused, knitting her eyebrows in confusion.  “Something, then we’d all be… something else.”  Looking at Buffy, she added, “Sometimes I wonder why I bother.”

 

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.  If turnips were watches, I would wear one by my side,” Willow said, beaming.

 

“Why would someone want a turnip at their side?”  Buffy asked.  “I mean a turnip of all things.  How about pizza?  Coffee?  Cookies?  Much better than a turnip.”

 

“Thanks, B,” Faith said.

 

“For what?”

 

“Now I’m starving, girlfriend.  Double cheese pizza with sausage and pepperoni and those really hot peppers.  And an ice-cold beer.  No screw that.  An entire pitcher of ice-cold beer.  Or better yet, my own personal keg.” 

 

The pizza Spike had special ordered for her immediately came to mind.  Where in the hell had that come from?  Focus on matters at hand, Faith.  Not Spike.  Not pizza.  Not the other stuff.

 

“Good thing Xander’s not here,” Buffy said, breaking into Faith’s thoughts.  “There would most definitely be drooling involved about now.”

 

“A white chocolate mocha latte,” Willow said dreamily.  “How good does that sound?”

 

“With one of those really big blueberry muffins.  With the crunchy things sprinkled all over the top?" asked Buffy.  "Great, I might be having my own drool puddle.”

 

“So let’s find this dude and go eat,” Faith said, meeting Buffy's waiting hand for a high-five.  “How do we do that?”

 

“Beats me," Buffy said, shrugging.  "We just do.”

 

They had become a team again.

 

XXXXX

 

Buffy sighed.  This was just too bizarre for words.  She should be terrified, wondering which corner The Master would be waiting around, but all she could think about was what ‘other stuff’ Spike and Faith had been doing.  And Willow had sided with Faith? 

 

What was that all about?

 

Faith and Spike?  She still hadn’t got her arms around that yet.  If she did, she would need to deal with the fact that she had friends who had known and never told her.  She knew if she thought about it too much, she’d go crazy.  The Master.  Spike.  The tension she and Faith always seemed to have between them.

 

Were Faith and Spike for real or was Faith just trying to take over her life again?  That one thought kept nagging at her.  Did Faith even know about what had happened between Buffy and Spike?  Buffy supposed on some level she did.  But everything?  She doubted it.  She doubted Spike would’ve told her and she doubted even more that Faith would’ve asked.

 

Buffy had thought she missed Sunnydale.  She thought that Italy would never be home.  Now she wasn’t so sure.  Sunnydale brought back all the uncertainty that she thought she had gotten rid of.  Spike was dead.  Sunnydale was gone.  In Italy, she had been with the people who mattered to her.  The most important people in her life, actually.  She had gotten on with things.  With life.  Moved on.  And now… she had emotions crashing back on her that she hadn’t felt in years.

 

It was true.  You can’t go home again, can you?

 

XXXXX

 

“How long have they been gone?” Xander asked, glancing at his watch.

 

“Damn it, Harris,” Spike shouted.  “You have the bloody watch.  Why do you keep asking me?”

 

“Because I’m having such a wonderful time standing here, doing nothing but worrying if they’ll ever come back.”

 

“Find something to keep yourself bloody entertained then,” Spike shot back.

 

“I don’t get it,” Xander said.

 

Spike eyed him curiously.  “Get what?”

 

“What is it with you and slayers?  You killed what, two?  And now, let’s just say you’re not killing them anymore.”

 

“There’s the little death and… thinking that’s none of your business, mate,” Spike said.

 

“That, my friend, is where you are wrong.  Buffy is one of my best friends, has been for a lot longer than you’ve been around.  And Faith well we…  once and let's just say we had a moment.  Okay, a quick moment, but a moment nonetheless.  And she’s come through for us a lot lately.”

 

Spike had recalled hearing murmurings of that moment.  He still had a hard time picturing Faith with Harris.  He briefly wondered why he had never asked Faith about it. 

 

Oh, that’s right, he didn’t care.

 

“What’s your point, Harris?  Are you actually trying to make one?” Spike asked, slightly on edge all of a sudden.

 

“Guess it just doesn’t make sense to me.  You’re all in love with Buffy; we all think you’re dead.  And surprise, Spike’s not dead; he’s in L.A., shacking up with Faith.  Oh, that makes a lot of sense,” Xander said.

 

“Still thinking it’s none of your business,” Spike said, moving closer to Xander to bring his point home.

 

Xander didn’t back away.  “All I’m saying it is if you hurt Buffy again…”

 

Spike turned away from him.  “I not planning on doing that,” he said.

 

“That’s what’s funny about plans, Spike.  They don’t always turn out the way you thought they would.”

 

Spike was done having this conversation.  It was no one’s business but his and Buffy’s.  There was no way was he going to sit around talking about any of this with Xander bloody Harris.

 

Xander must’ve realized that Spike was done with the current topic of conversation, because he changed it.  “We need to do something.  We can’t just sit here.”

 

“What do you suggest?” Spike's eyebrows arched in question.

 

“Nothing has come out.  Nothing has gone in.  I say we go and look for them.”

 

“And piss off two Slayers?” Spike said, laughing.  “S’posed to be guarding the exit.  Or did you not hear that li’l part of the plan?”

 

“My hearing is just fine,” Xander said, unconsciously touching his eye patch.  “You don’t like sitting here and waiting any more than I do, Spike.”

 

“So what is this plan of yours then?”  Spike asked, sitting down in The Master’s chair.  “Just going to run off and look for them?  Or do you have an actual idea?”  Spike picked up the empty glass The Master had been drinking out of earlier.  “Human,” he muttered, setting it back down.

 

Spike didn’t like waiting anymore than Harris did.  Part of him wished he would’ve spoken up and told Buffy that he was coming.  Once upon a time, he would’ve done that.  Told her exactly what he was going to do, not caring what she thought.  But Spike had backed off, agreed to hang back and let the Slayers do their thing.  Add that to the fact that Faith was giving him the brush off…  Spike figured it would be easier to just agree.  He wasn’t ready for a blowout with either one of them, let alone both.

 

Would he ever learn?  Love’s Bitch.  That was him, wasn’t it?  Going after the unattainable.  Thinking he could make himself the person they’d want.  Where did Spike fit in all of it?  Why didn’t they change for him?  That never happened.  Maybe it was time someone did.

 

“Don’t sit in the chair, Spike,” Xander said.  “Kinda creeping me out.” 

 

Spike was jostled out of his thoughts.  Looking at Xander; he smiled, but didn’t move.  No matter what was going on around him or in him; he’d never pass up an opportunity to diss the boy.

 

“Fine, sit in the chair.  And no, I don’t have a plan.  I say we follow them in.  You’re always bragging about those vampire senses of yours, how you can smell them.  Can I say just how wrong that is?  But you’ll be able to tell which way they went.”  Xander walked over to Spike and looked him dead in the eyes.  “I cannot wait anymore.  Physically, it is not possible.  Do you understand that?”  Xander paused, a thoughtful expression coming to his face.  “Does the word trap come to mind?”

 

“What?”

 

“If The Master is in here, and he needs Buffy and Faith, what better way to get them?  Just lead them further and further into the hellmouth.”

 

Spike didn’t answer immediately, resisting the urge to jump out of the chair and tear down the corridor.  Part of Spike had wanted to go after them all along, but he didn’t want Harris to know that.  For some reason, he felt like he had to be the calm, cool and collected one.  A trap?  Now that was a new twist.  What if Harris was right? 

 

“Let’s go,” Spike said standing up.

 

 

XXXXX

 

“Did you hear that?” Buffy asked, stopping in her tracks.

 

“I didn’t hear anything,” Willow said.

 

“Shhhh,” Faith said.  “I heard it too.  It’s coming from behind us.”

 

“Stay here,” Buffy said, as she made her way back.  “It could be a trap.”

 

“Like I’m staying here.” Faith rushed to catch up with Buffy, whispering back over her shoulder, “Willow stay.  Hide.  We’ll be back.”

 

“Anything?” Buffy asked as Faith caught up to her. 

 

“Nope,” Faith said, pausing.  “Wait.  Yes.  I think…” 

 

It was him.  She should’ve known he wouldn’t stay where he was supposed to.  Faith didn’t want him around.  It was becoming too distracting when he was around.  Who was she kidding?  He was distracting even when he wasn’t around. 

 

Damn it!

 

“You bloody well should know,” Spike said, coming around the corner with Xander not too far behind, “that it was us.”

 

“What are you doing here?” Buffy said, obviously pissed.  “Do you ever listen?”

 

“Not our fault, Buff,” Xander said.  “There was a lot of nothing going on.  We thought it might be a trap.  Figured we’d come and help.” 

 

“Trap?” Faith asked, somewhat shocked.

 

“I was thinking The Master might be leading you further and further into the hellmouth.  If he needs you that bad, let him come and get you.”

 

“What do you suggest?” Faith asked.

 

“I say we leave,” Xander said.

 

“Isn’t that like the second brilliant Harris idea in one day?” Spike asked, looking surprised.

 

Buffy smiled.  “That’s our Xander.  It’s been fun, but we’re leaving.  Right, Faith?”

 

“B, that’s the best idea I’ve heard, well, in the last five minutes anyway.” Faith said.

 

“Where’s Willow?” Xander asked.

 

“Up ahead a few, told her to hang.  You two made enough noise to wake the dead, I tell ya,” Faith said with a big smile.

 

“Not thinking waking dead guys would be a good part of the plan,” Xander said.

 

“Well, that would depend on what dead-guy you’re referring to, now wouldn’t it?” Spike said.  “And why you would want to wake him.”

 

Faith did her best not to glance at him.  There had been this one time, when he was sleeping… 

 

What the hell are you doing?  Stop already.  Get control of your brain.

 

“I’ll go back and get Willow,” Buffy said.  “You guys wait here.”

 

“I’ll come with,” Xander said.

 

XXXXX

 

Faith watched as Buffy and Xander made their way around the bend, not wanting to chance a look in Spike’s direction. 

 

“Faith?” Spike asked.

 

“Yep,” Faith said, still not looking at him.

 

“You okay?”

 

“Five by five,” Faith said, glancing back quickly, using her ever-ready line. She wasn’t ready to get into some huge discussion with Spike.  The longer they were alone, the bigger the chance it might happen, well on some level anyway.  Faith hadn’t realized it until now, but ever since the day Spike had brought her back to Buffy’s, they hadn’t been truly alone together.  Had she intentionally maneuvered it that way?

 

She was distancing herself from him even now.  Question was, what was she going to do about it?

 

XXXXX

 

“You doing okay, Buff?” Xander asked, rounding the next corner.

 

“I’m fine.  Tired of course.  You know me.  All slayage all the time makes for a tired Slayer.  Especially one who thought she was retired.  Or at least gone part-time.”

 

“This will be over soon, I hope,” Xander said, looking around.  “I thought you said Will was here?”

 

Buffy’s confusion evolved into fear.  “We did.  Right here.  See,” she said, pointing.  “That’s the last mystical breadcrumb Willow left for our getaway.  There aren’t anymore ahead of us.”

 

Buffy clamped her hand over Xander’s mouth before he could call out for Willow.  “Do you hear that?” she asked, taking a step forward.

 

“What?”

 

“Footsteps and not just a pair.”  Buffy knew it wasn’t Willow.  “They’re coming!”

 

“We go back now,” Xander said, turning around. 

 

They both began to run.

 

XXXXX

 

“You’re not talking to me now?” Spike demanded.

 

Faith didn’t want to face him.  She didn’t want to look at him; she had every line of his face etched in her memory.  She knew how he would look if he were happy, sad, indifferent, or royally pissed off.  Faith guessed he was not quite to royally pissed of yet, but the look of longing would be there.  The wanting to know what she was thinking, feeling, going through at the moment and it felt too much like much pressure.

 

“Didn’t say I wasn’t talking to you, just a little busy trying to save everyone’s ass at the moment.”

 

Spike grabbed her arm and spun her around, making her face him. 

 

“So you choose now to play the bitch?  Is that what this is?”

 

Faith yanked her arm free.  “Let go!”  She didn’t want him touching her.  It created too many mixed feelings for her, which was no good because Faith had pretty much made up her mind what her future held.  And Spike wasn’t part of it.

 

“There wasn’t a ‘this’ until you copped your lil 'tude, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

 

“After this, we’re done.”  She saw the confusion hit his face, but she didn’t care.  Her mouth was saying words so fast they barely had time to connect to her brain.  “'We' as in you and me, Spike.  When we leave here, I’m going my way and you’re going yours.”

 

Before Spike could respond, Buffy came around the corner.  “Willow’s missing and I think we’re going to have company really soon.”