Disclaimer: Joss has them all, they are slaves to his will, prisoners to his whims. Anyone wanna help me get them out?

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from Faith Hope and Trick
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Buffy sat in the park across the street from Sunnydale high, waiting for her friends. They had promised a picnic. Stupid Snyder Troll man not letting her back on school property. Shoulda let Spike eat him, when I was being all blasé about the eating of people.

“Buffy, banned from campus, but not from our hearts, how are you and what's for lunch?” asked Xander as the group approached.

Oz climbed onto the nearby bench and sat on the backrest, the others kneeled on the blanket that Buffy had laid out and was sitting on.

“Oh, I just threw a few things together.”

“When did you become Martha Stewart?” asked Cordy, impressed.

“First of all, Martha Stewart knows jack about hand-cut prosciutto.” Buffy handed out drinks.

“I don't believe she slays, either,” offered Xander.

“Oh, I hear she can, but she doesn't like to.” answered Oz.

Buffy opened her drink bottle. “Second of all, way too much free time on my hands since I got kicked out of school.”

“Oh, I know they'll let you back in,” declared Willow, taking a drink.

“Don't you and your mom have a meeting with Principal Snyder?” asked Xander.

“We're seeing Snyde-Man tomorrow.”

“Ooo, Scott Hope at eleven o'clock.” gushed Willow.

Buffy turned to look.

“He likes you,” said Willow to Buffy, “He wanted to ask you out last year, but you weren't ready then. But I think you're ready now, or at least in the state of pre-readiness to make conversation, or-or to do that thing with your mouth that boys like.”

Buffy whipped her head around to face Willow.

“Oh! I didn't mean the bad thing with your mouth, I meant that little half-smile thing that you...” Willow turned and glared at her boyfriend, “You're supposed to stop me when I do that.”

Oz grinned and smiled. “I like when you do that.”

Buffy turned to look at Scott again. As he passed her location on the blanket they exchanged greetings earning a big smile from Willow.

“I think that went very well. Don't you think that went very well?” bubbled Willow.

“He didn't try to slit our throats or anything. That's progress.”

“Hey, did you do that little half-smile thing?” Willow asked.

Buffy sighed, “Look, I'm not trying to snare Scott Hope. I just want to get my life back, you know, do normal stuff.”

“Like date?”

“Well...”

“Oh, you wanna date. I saw that half-smile, you little slut.” Xander chucked a little, until Buffy punched him none to gently on the shoulder.

“No, I don’t really feel right about dating right now. Last break up, still very fresh in my mind. All I want to do right now is shop and hang out and go to school and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know, I wanna do girlie stuff!”
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Buffy walked the floor of the Bronze. Music was playing and couple littered the dance floor. Buffy noticed Xander and Willow sitting at their usual table eating animal crackers.

“Buffy, les biscuits sont tous manger!“ said Willow with concern.

“Huh?“ Why did Willow always have to speak French in her dreams.

“You had better get on that,“ said Xander.

Buffy turned to walk away only to bump into Angel, who was shirtless.

“Well Buffy? Shouldn’t you fix this?“

“Fix what?“

“Les biscuits! Maudit esprit, tabernac!“ shouted Willow.

“I don’t understand? Did Willow just swear?“

Angel caught Buffy up in his arms and drew her to the dance floor.

“I miss you,” Buffy said sadly.

“Doesn’t seem like it, though I could be mistaken, I don’t see things very well anymore, all that fire and brimstone, it gets in your eyes.”

“I’m sorry,“ she muttered. “I had to.”

“I loved you.”

“I’m so sorry!“

“You sent me to hell”

“You tried to end the world Angel, what did you think was going happen? That we’d sit down and knit sweaters together?“

“Go to hell”

“I’m already there, Angel. I live in hell”

Suddenly Spike was at her side.

“Mine!“ he shouted, clocking Angel in the jaw.

Angel fell to the ground and crumpled to dust before her. Buffy looked down on the ground where Angel had been and reached out, only to be caught up in Spike’s arms.

“You belong to me Goldilocks.”

“I belong to no one.”

Buffy flashed back to another time and place.

They were lying on the beach. They kissed long and passionately before he abruptly thrust inside her causing her to gasp with pleasure. Inside her he could feel her muscles still contracting from her previous orgasm. More abruptly he flipped over so that she lay on top of him. With effort she raised and lowered herself upon him letting him slide up and down inside her, over and over. As he got closer and closer she rode him harder and harder. They rolled again, this time with her nestled beneath him. He pulled out and let his fingers glide over her hot wet pussy, back and forth. His fingers moved brining her closer and closer. Pulling his hand away he slid into her once more, this time slowly, then thrusting hard and fast into her. Reaching the brink, Spike roared and finally slid his fangs into her neck.

“Mine,” Spike said “Forever.”

“Yes..” breathed Buffy, “Please Spike, make me yours.”

“Mine, only mine”

“Yours, forever.”

Buffy looked up into Spike’s eyes.

“You claimed me.“

“I claimed you, you belong to me. My Childe, my mate”

“No.“

“You belong to me, Buffy, Goldilocks.“ Spike moved in and kissed her full on the mouth.

Buffy lost herself in the kiss, until something changed. Opening her eyes she saw that she wasn’t kissing Spike anymore. She was kissing Dru. Buffy pulled back.

“Sweet William belongs to me you know. I made him, everything he has belongs to me. You belong to me, Baby.“ Dru started spinning the two of them in place.

When they finally came to a stop she was being held by Angel again.

“Drusilla belongs to me. Made her the mad lunatic she is now. Everything she made, well you know the drill by now. You belong to me Buffy.“

Angel picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder and headed out of the Bronze. Passing through the doors, he dropped her on the pavement.

Buffy looked up to see that Angel disappeared.

“Poor slayer!“ cooed a woman’s voice.

Buffy turned to see Darla standing under a street light. Darla stalked towards her.

“You see, you wanted into this little family of ours. And now, you are in. How does it feel to know the Slayer of this age is cavorting with the Scourge of Europe? Angel belongs to me. What you did to him, unforgivable. Oh I won’t punish you, much, you belong to me now.“

Darla grabbed Buffy’s hand and dragged her to an alley. Standing her up Darla took an appreciative look at Buffy’s now soiled clothes.

“This will simply not do!“ Darla reached forward and stripped Buffy of her halter and jeans.

Buffy looked down to see that she was now wearing the dress she had worn when she had fought the master.

“Time to meet daddy!“ Darla pointed to something behind Buffy.

Buffy turned.

“I made Darla, so now, you belong to me.“ said the Master.

“Nooooo!“

Buffy woke up with a start. Panting, Buffy tried to calm herself down. Buffy heard a knock at her bedroom door and her mother poked her head into the room.

“Morning, Sunshine! Ready to face the beast?”
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The Beast, Snyder, had been pretty much forced to let her back into school. That was supposed to be great right? Except for all the troll’s conditions, pass make up exams, get a recommendation from a teacher, that wasn’t an English librarian, and talk with a psychologist. Buffy just had to prove to everyone, including herself that she was ready for academic achievement.
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Of course Willow was ecstatic about Buffy being back at school.

“It's so great that you're a schoolgirl again.” said Willow as she and Buffy walked through the swinging doors of the Library.

“Giles say what he wanted? Do you think he's mad?”

Buffy wrinkled her nose at the various herbs that were littering the counter.

“No, I don't think so. I think he just needed to see you. Have you ever noticed, though, when he is mad, but he's too English to say anything, he makes that weird cluck- cluck sound with his tongue?” asked Willow.

Giles suddenly rose up from behind the counter and inspects his various plant things.

“Hi, Giles!” greeted Buffy.

“Oh, hi! Been there long?” asked Willow slightly worried.

“Buffy, good timing. I could use your help. I trust you remember the demon Acathla?”

“Giles, contain yourself. Yes, I'm back in school, but you know how it embarrasses me when you gush so. Let's just skip all that and get straight to work.” said Buffy with a smile on her face.

“Oh, ahhhh... Well, I, um... Well-w... O- o-of course, it's wonderful to have you back, i-i-it goes without saying.”

Buffy raised her eyebrows at that.

“But... You enjoy making me say it, don't you?”

“Okay, Acathla, huh? What are you doing, making him some demon pizza?” Buffy picked up a bundle of some sort of herb, sniffed it and frowned.

Buffy held it up for Willow to sniff too. Willow smiled at the smell though.

“We need to make sure that he remains dormant and that the dimensional vortex is sealed tight. So I'm working on a binding spell.” stated Giles.

“Oh, a spell? Can I help?” asked Willow eagerly.

“Possibly, with the research. It's very sensitive and...”

“Oh! Who's more sensitive than me?”

“...and difficult spell.”

Willow frowned.

“It involves creating a- a-a protective circle around... Well, I don't want to bore you with the details, but, uh, well, there's a litany th-that one has to recite in Aramaic, and it's very specific. So I need to get a few details about your experience of defeating Acathla and Angel.”

Giles started looking for more ingredients to the spell.

“Fire away.” said Buffy

“I've put the time at about, um, 6:17, around, about half an hour after Xander rescued me.”

“Less. More like ten minutes.”

“Oh, was the vortex already open?”

“Barely.”

“I see. And Angel?”

“A big fight, Spike hit Angel on the head, and I shoved the pointing end of my blessed sword through his chest. Acathla sucked him into Hell instead of the world. That's about the it.”

“Yes, well, that, um... should be very helpful. Spike?”

Buffy looked at her watch, in an attempt to avoid. “Oh, no, I have to go take an English makeup exam. They give you credit just for speaking it, right?”

She looked hopefully at Willow and Giles.

“Oh...” Buffy whined, then headed out the door.
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On a high from passing her English make up test, Buffy decided it was time for Bronzing.

Walking to the couch area, drinks in hand, Buffy had to stop and watch the smoochies that Oz and Willow were engaged in. They were so cute together. Buffy sat down in a comfy chair not too far away from the smooching couple.

“Don't let me interrupt.” Buffy smiled.

Willow and Oz looked up from their kissing. Willow sat up and tried to act all innocent. Buffy smiled and handed Oz one of the drinks she had been holding.

“Thanks.”

“Are you...” Willow started, then turned to Oz “Is she all glowy?”

Buffy rolled her eyes

“Yeah, I suspect happiness,” observed Oz.

Buffy smiled, “I passed my English makeup exam, hangin' with my friends. Hello, my life, how I've missed you.”

Buffy looked up to see Scott waling towards them.

“Hi, Scott. What are you doing here?” asked Willow.

Scott smiled, “You told me if I came after 8:00, I could run into Buffy.”

Buffy looked menacingly at her friend.

“Uh, I'm sorry. I'm a bad liar. It's not good for the soul,” said Scott to Buffy, he gestured to his face, “O-o-or the skin, actually. It makes me blotch.”

“Hi, Scott.”

“Hi.”

They remained there in awkward silence for a moment, each trying to think of something to say.

“Don't you love this song?” commented the boy.

“Uh, yeah! Actually, I do.”

“Well, would you like to...” he said indicating the dance floor.

“Dance? Um...” Buffy trailed off. “I don't know. I'm bad with... Well... Thank you for asking, it's just that there...”

“Okay, you know what? I'm just gonna go stand by the dance floor. If you change your mind, you can mosey on over, and then if not, then you don't mosey. No harm, no foul, right?”

“Right.”

Scott walked off. Buffy rolled her eyes and flopped her head back on the chair. Could have you been more spastic?

“Come on, Buffy,” said Willow very disappointed in her friend. “I mean, the guy is charm, a-and normal, which is what you wanted to get back to.”

“Plus bonus points for use of the word 'mosey',” interjected Oz.

“I just don't think I'm ready.”

“What's stopping you?” asked Willow.

Cordelia and Xander walked up.

“Check out Slut-O-Rama and her Disco Dave.” Cordy pointed to the dance floor where a brunette, who was dancing with a guy dressed as Disco Stu. “What was the last thing that guy danced to, K.C. and the Sunshine Band?”

Buffy watched intently. The guy was a vamp.

“I don't think that guy thrives on sunshine.” Buffy put down her drink and started out after them.

Buffy crossed the dance floor only to be intercepted by Scott.

“Hi.”

Buffy stopped short and frowned, “”Hi. Oh, no, I...” She pointed at the door. “I-I have to...”

“Oh. Uh, uh, sorry, my bad.”

“No. I-it's mine. Really, it's mine, but I... I-I-I have to go.”

Buffy entered the alley only to be joined by the others.

“Where'd she go?”

Buffy took a few steps to check out things.

“I bet it's nothing. They're probably just making out.” offered Cordelia.

Buffy came back to the group. But turns back. Suddenly Buffy heard a girl call out in a complaining tone, along with sounds of crashing.

“That's not what making out sounds like, unless I'm doing it wrong,” said Willow.

Buffy rushing in the direction of the noise.

“It's okay, I got it. You're, uh, Buffy, right?” said the girl, fighting off her vamp attacker.

Buffy was taken aback. Considering what she was going to say to this strange girl, the girl was attacked from behind by a vamp too. She snapped her head back and head butted him.

“I'm Faith,” said the girl.

“I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there's a new Slayer in town,” said Oz to his girl friend.

The whole group watched on as Faith fought the vamp. Buffy was shocked to say the least, she simply stood there, stake in hand.

Faith reached out and grabbed Buffy’s stake. “Can I borrow that?”

Buffy stared in confusion as Faith dusted the vamp in front of her. Faith turned to face her and handed back the stake.

“Thanks, B. Couldn't have done it without you.”

Faith walked past her and into the Bronze.
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When Buffy returned to the Bronze she found her friends listening attentively to Faith’s stories.

“The whole summer it was, like, the worst heat wave. So it's about a hundred and eighteen degrees and I'm sleeping without a stitch on. And all of a sudden, I hear this screaming from outside. So I go tearing out, stark nude, and this church bus has broke down, and there's these three vamps feasting,”

Buffy sat down, getting acknowledging glances from her friends.

“On half the Baptists in South Boston. So I waste the vamps, and the preacher comes up, and he's hugging me like there's no tomorrow, when all of a sudden, the cops pull up and they arrested us both.”

“Wow. They should film that story and show it every Christmas,” noted Xander.

Cordelia gave him disapproving girlfriend look.

Faith tore into one of the muffins before them on the table.

“God, I could eat a horse. Isn't it crazy how slayin' just always makes you hungry and horny?” observed Faith.

The others all turned their heads to look at Buffy.

“Well... Sometimes I-I crave a non-fat yoghurt afterwards as for the other...not really your business is it?”

“I get it.” said Cordelia with a smile.

Buffy mirrored Faith’s look of confusion.

“Not the horny thing. Yuck! But the two Slayer thing. There was one, and then Buffy died for, like, two minutes, so then Kendra was called, and then when she died, Faith was called.”

“But why were you called here?” Willow asked Faith.

“Well, I wasn't. My Watcher went off to some retreat thing in England, and so I skipped out. I figured this was my chance to meet the infamous Buff and compare notes. So, B, did you really use a rocket launcher one time?”

“Uh, yeah, actually, it's a funny story. There was...”

“So what was the, uh, story about that alligator? You, uh, said something... before.” interrupted Xander.

“Oh, there's this Big Daddy Vampire out of Missouri who used to keep them as pets. So he's got me rasslin' one of 'em, okay? The thing must have been twelve feet long and I'm...” spouted Faith enthusiastically.

“So was this, um, ahem, also naked?” he interrupted again.

“Well, the alligator was.”

Faith and Xander laughed.

“Xander? Find a new theme,” glared Cordelia.

Buffy sighed. Kendra’s replacement seemed to be a fun person. Faith was someone who loved life. Like she used to. As much as Buffy tried, she hadn’t been able to bounce back from her summer of misery.

That’s unfair said a voice in the back of her head. It wasn’t all bad

No it wasn’t all bad. And the truth was, she missed him. A lot. She only wished she knew where he was, so she could talk to him, to make sure he was ok. And ask him why he didn’t turn her. That was the question that most plagued her mind. Why didn’t Spike turn her when he had the chance.

He doesn’t want you anymore said the traitorous voice.

Buffy briefly turned back to the conversation in front of her. Oz was asking Faith about her position on werewolves.

“Hey, as long as you don't go scratchin' at me or humpin' my leg, we're five-by-five, you know?” answered Faith.

“Fair enough,” said the werewolf.

“The vamps, though, they better get their asses to DEFCON ONE, 'cause you and I are gonna have fun, you know, Watcherless and fancy-free.” said Faith pointing to Buffy.

“Watcherless?”

“Didn't yours go to England, too?”
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Faith was getting along with everyone, except her. Willow loved her, Xander was practically drooling every time her saw her, her mom practically wanted Faith to move in with them. And Giles, was impressed, and it took a bit for Giles to get with the impression. Buffy didn’t like it. Faith wanted her life.

That wasn’t such a bad idea. Buffy was tired of it. The slaying wasn’t doing it for her anymore. The constant being pulled into so many directions, she wanted a normal life. She wanted a boyfriend who loved her, a family who respected her for what she was, not people who were critical of every thing she did. She didn’t want to have to save the world anymore.

And now Faith was here, and so eager.

Buffy felt a little guilty about her thoughts. It sure wouldn’t be a happy time for her mom to have her run away again. But she wanted to. She wanted to run away and find Spike. It was awful having this feeling of emptiness that pervaded her whole body. Probably the claim she thought.
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With Faith’s help, she took down Kakistos, and the two of them started getting along well, except for the few mentions of Angel (because Willow had seen fit to tell the story, without the Spike parts) and Scott, whom Faith had just recently decided was drool worthy and couldn’t figure out why Buffy didn’t want anything to do with him.

“So if you aren’t going to jump his bones, can I?” Faith asked.

“Be my guest. He’s unclaimed territory.”

“He’s been making with the moon eyes at you for a good long time, I don’t get why you aren’t interested? I mean, you and Angel, it was a one night stand right? You can’t be so hung up on the guy after you used him and losed him.”

“It’s not Angel, Faith. And could we not talk about this anymore.”
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Spike walked down the deserted road. It hadn’t taken him long to find Dru again. The problem had come when she was still mad at him for the Acathla incident, and the fact that he still hadn’t turned Buffy.

Now here he was in Brazil, trying to make sense of all the thoughts rolling about his head. He still loved Buffy. But it was his being a vampire that was killing her soul. The truth was he didn’t know if he was ready to turn her yet. Oh he could do it, but he liked her full of life, and warm. They were just so incompatible the way they were.

She hadn’t asked him to change his lifestyle at all. She hadn’t given him ultimatums or threats that if he didn’t change she would leave. It was like she had accepted that he wouldn’t, couldn’t change, even for her. But was he willing to change for her?

“My Sweet William has terrible ogres on the brain. What to do about Baby? She never had tea. Bring Baby for tea, Spike,” Dru whispered in his ear.

Spike looked up at his Sire, and blinked.

“Miss Edith knows Baby wants to take tea with her. We’ll have scones!”

She was right of course, except about the whole having tea with dolls bit. He needed to be with Buffy and sort this out. There were only two outcomes for this that he saw, turning her, or killing her, and he didn’t like that option.
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tbc...