This Is How It Goes

"So much for the not being jealous pretense," Buffy said, still smiling.

Angel was looking at them with interest as they walked back in. Buffy stopped, thinking how to word her request. She was still unsure how he was going to react.

"Me and Faith were, uh, talking about — can you stay here longer? Help us with the Mayor?" Angel's brow furrowed and he looked away. Buffy continued, "We need fighters and we need info. And you can help us with both."

Angel's face was heavy with some emotion as he gazed into one of the mansion's corners. "Buffy, you know why I don't want to stay." He glanced apprehensively at Faith before settling his eyes on Buffy. "It's not fair to either of us."

Faith stepped forward, and both Buffy and Angel looked at her, surprised. "Look, big guy, we all gotta make sacrifices. I'll be honest — I don't particularly want you here either. But we both need to suck it up cause there's some nasty shit going down and we're needed." Faith cocked her head, examining him appraisingly. "And if you're as noble as B here says, then you'll feel what I'm saying."

Angel stared at her intently for several moments, looking mildly shocked. Buffy gazed at this person beside her and experienced that disturbingly familiar sensation that she was standing next to, and maybe dating, a complete stranger. She felt as though an entire surface layer of Faith had just been peeled off and she was seeing a new level. Here was another piece to the enigmatic puzzle that was Faith, and Buffy felt a rush of pride at witnessing it.

After several moments of some intense melodramatic staring, Angel smiled. Or, more accurately, the corners of his mouth lifted infinitesimally and his eyes became softer. Angel didn't really smile that much, but this facial expression was the closest he came to relinquishing his stoic broodiness. He nodded.

"Tell me how I can help. I'll stay as long as you need me."

Chapter 15: Release

Author's Notes:

"So, basically, this ingenious plan involves me and Faith waiting around for something horrible to happen, while you guys try to research something that you've never heard of and really have no idea where to start researching?" Buffy said irritably, her arms crossed.

Giles removed his glasses, began cleaning them. "Uh, yes, basically," he said, grimacing.

"No."

"No?" Giles put his glasses back on rather forcefully, glaring at Buffy. "You're refusing to cooperate?"

"Damn skippy I'm not cooperating. That's a horrendous plan, Giles! That's not even a plan — it's procrastination," Buffy said angrily, standing up in a dramatic gesture.

Buffy felt as if half of her life was spent in the library, having conversations about things that really didn't belong in a school library. Or in this reality.

"Well, then be my guest if your superior strategizing skills have thought of a better one," Giles said sardonically, motioning with his hand.

"They have! Or, they're still working on it, but they will have in about 10 minutes," Buffy said loudly, sitting down again and looking petulant.

"How 'bout we try to screw up whatever rituals he needs to do?" Faith asked, leaning forward to put her elbows on the table. "I mean, whatever this `Ascension' is, it needs some major prep time. Let's tear shit up early."

Willow nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Giles, Buffy and Faith shouldn't just wait around for people to die or demons to be summoned. They can throw a wrench in the works." She frowned. "Or a firebomb in city hall, you know, whatever's more appropriate."

Giles sighed. "And how exactly are we going to find out when or what these rituals are? Are we just hoping to accidentally barge in on some elaborate dark ceremony?"

"It doesn't matter, Giles. We mess things up enough, whether or not something's going on at the time, and we can at least scare him. Maybe prevent future bad stuff," Buffy said eagerly.

"What do you propose?"

Buffy stood up again, began pacing. "I say we use Angel again to put his ear to the ground, see if and when the Mayor's making ripples. Even if he can't help, me and Faith go into city hall again, except less with the sneaking this time and more with the hitting. Look for demony objects or books or something and make a bonfire in the middle of the Mayor's office."

Giles looked at her intently. "Very well. But I ask that you wait at least several days. I'm still your Watcher, Buffy, and regardless of how very little you listen to me, I ask that you respect my wishes. I'd prefer to see if we can uncover anything first."

Buffy narrowed her eyes, looking back at him for several tense moments, but then nodded.

"You and Faith can spar in the meantime, to keep up your reflexes and release some energy."

Faith smirked at Buffy, arching an eyebrow and mouthing the word "release" to her. Buffy snapped her head away, blushing slightly, and nodded to Giles again.

"Alright," Xander said loudly, clapping his hands together. "Let's see if we can't use these smelly books for something other than uncomfortable pillows."

Giles glared, sliding a book across the table a little more forcefully than he usually would have. Xander caught it, smiling sheepishly.

"You two can train for now," Giles said, glancing at Faith and Buffy. "Xander, Willow and I will begin researching."

The two Slayers nodded and began moving to the center of the floor, stretching a little. Buffy looked pointedly at Faith's leather outfit.

"You're not changing?" Buffy asked skeptically.

"See, it's a trade-off. I can't move as well, but the other guys get preoccupied checkin' out my fine ass," Faith answered, smirking arrogantly.

Buffy snorted.

"Think that'll apply to you, B?" Faith asked, cocking her head and smiling predatorily.

"Only one way to find out, F," Buffy said, and punched her in the face.

Faith stumbled and Buffy, taking advantage, lashed out with a kick to the stomach. Faith caught her foot, grinning widely, and spun it violently with both hands, causing Buffy to flip in the air and fall on her stomach. Buffy turned over and vaulted up, and the two Slayers, breathing hard and smiling, circled each other, their bodies tight in offensive positions.

Faith spun out with a roundhouse kick, which Buffy ducked, and promptly responded with a ground sweep, trying to take out Faith's legs. Faith jumped over the other Slayer's whirling legs and followed with a sharp boot to a still-crouched Buffy, sending her to the ground on her back. Before Buffy could do more than raise her head, Faith quickly pinned her arms down and straddled her. Faith leaned down close, her mouth inches from Buffy's ear.

"Now why does this position seem familiar?" Faith whispered breathlessly, smirking, her proximity sending involuntary shivers through Buffy's body.

Buffy snapped her neck, head-butting Faith and following up with two feet to the stomach. Faith was thrown off, sliding a little on the ground. She placed her palms on the floor, vaulting up, and grinned knowingly.

"Maybe 'cause you're so used to being on top?" Buffy responded, her eyes glittering, her face flushed. "'Course, you should probably get familiar with the floor now, before I make you eat it."

Faith raised an eyebrow. "Hey, if the floor's just the first course -"

Faith didn't have a chance to finish her blatant sexual suggestion as Buffy's right hook connected with her mouth. Buffy moved swiftly behind Faith as she stumbled a little, grasping her forearms and pulling them behind her back with one hand, her other arm wrapped around the top of Faith's chest. Faith, effectively immobilized, struggled, trying to get her limbs free.

Buffy moved in closer, pressing her body against Faith's back. She felt Faith, trembling with adrenaline and not a little arousal, inhale shallowly. Vaguely noticing that she was concealed from the others at the table, Buffy lowered her mouth, mimicking Faith's actions several days, and ran her tongue gently along the length of Faith's neck. Faith shuddered, bit her lip, and let out a small, high-pitched noise that made Buffy smile.

"Not so nice when you're on the receiving end, is it, Faithy?" Buffy whispered into her ear, nibbling on it.

Faith let out a strangled, breathless laugh. "B, if this is your idea of unpleasant, I think we could integrate some more kinky shit into our sex life."

Buffy released the other Slayer's arms, backing up. Her heart was thumping violently, her breathing shallow and erratic, a painful pounding between her legs. Jesus, she thought. This is ridiculous. Punching people shouldn't do this to me. Buffy had just begun to regain control over her breathing when Faith spun around with a roundhouse kick, sending her foot flying into the side of Buffy's head. Buffy staggered, her head spinning from the combination of Faith's kick and the other more enjoyable things that had just transpired.

Buffy blinked, shaking her head, and threw her fist out wildly. Faith easily evaded it and Buffy followed up with a better aimed left hook which Faith dodged as well. Suddenly, she found herself backed up roughly against the wall with Faith's forearm at her neck, their bodies pressed agreeably together. Buffy gaze flicked down to Faith's mouth, just inches away, and then back up to her eyes, dark, wide, and staring at her like she wanted her naked and tied to a bed. Buffy swallowed hard, and found her head leaning forward imperceptibly.

A small, embarrassed cough sounded, and Buffy and Faith jumped, having completely forgotten where they were. Faith backed up so quickly her shoes squeaked on the floor, and Buffy turned her head around to look at the three spectators sitting at the table. Giles, who had coughed, had taken off his glass and was looking at the floor uncomfortably. Xander was gawking at them dazedly, his jaw sagging. Willow was turning a violent shade of red and trying to adopt a casual air in staring fixedly at the ceiling.

Buffy flushed, biting her lip, and saw Faith smirking at her.

"Ah." Giles coughed again, put his glasses back on. "Perhaps this wouldn't be the most suitable location for sparring. It appears our researchers are rather, uh, distracted."

Willow was still gazing intently at the ceiling. Xander was clearly utterly oblivious, staring blankly at Faith and Buffy. Buffy cleared her throat, blushing.

"Right. Our bad. We'll, uh, go look for non-existent vampires somewhere not here," Buffy said, her voice trailing off. She grabbed a swig of water from the bottle on the table and grasped Faith's hand, dragging her off.

~ — ~ — ~

"When exactly did it become so hard for us to control irrational sexual urges?" Buffy asked, frowning, as she and Faith walked out into the heavy evening air.

"Dunno. Since I got this smokin' hot?"

"That's incredibly helpful, Faith. Thanks so much," Buffy grumbled.

"Here's helpful: let's not fight in front of other people. Unless we're in a ring and they're giving us money," Faith added, reconsidering. "B, hitting things for us, it's just -"

"Foreplay," Buffy finished resignedly, sighing.

"Yup. How we're made. Nothin' wrong with it," Faith said, shrugging.

"Okay, ignoring the questionable morality of getting horny over punching things, problems arise when I can barely not jump you in public," Buffy said, grimacing.

"Well, I'd talk about how smokin' hot I am again, but I don't think you'd appreciate it." Buffy gave her a dirty look, and Faith smirked. "Figured. Don't worry about it, B. It's not gonna happen that often and when it does, I'll smack you if things get too frisky. See, unlike some people, I got this thing called self-control." She gave Buffy an infuriating grin.

Buffy snorted, looked at Faith sideways. "Sometimes I wonder how you perform daily functions with how huge your head is and how much bullshit flies out of your mouth."

Faith put a hand to her heart, wincing but still smirking. "Ouch, B. That hurts my -"

Faith abruptly stopped talking, and snapped her head around to peer into the darkness of the street they were walking on. Buffy stopped too, looking startled.

"What is it?" Buffy asked worriedly, trying to look into the darkness as well.

Faith glanced at her, brow furrowed. "You can't feel that, B?"

Buffy shook her head, confused.

"Vamps," Faith said, beginning to smile. "More than one. I'd say our non-existent vamps just got a bit more existent." She looked at Buffy quizzically. "You really can't feel 'em?"

Buffy frowned, looking uncertain. "No, not at all. What's up with that?"

Faith shrugged, smirking a little. "Maybe it's just a fluke. Good thing you've got me looking out for your sorry, defenseless ass."

Buffy smacked her shoulder. "Shut up. Go slay."

Faith began walking towards the supposed vampires. Buffy followed, taking out her ever-present, trusty stake. In a couple of minutes, the two Slayers heard crashes, soft conversation, bushes shaking. They saw a group of vampires prowling around a house with broken windows. The house appeared deserted, crumbling and dark.

"A house? You're trying to take over an empty house?" Buffy asked incredulously, both her and Faith stepping forward. The vampires whirled around, growling. "Where did the ambition go? Where did the urge for sweet virgin blood go?"

"We ain't too concerned with sweet virgins, girly. More concerned with not dyin' while the Mayor does his funky magic," one of the vampires said, moving forward.

"What funky magic?" Buffy asked, suddenly more interested.

"We don't got specifics. All we know is that somethin's going down tonight and we wanna be safe and distinctly not on fire when the sun rises," another vampire said, trying to inconspicuously circle around the two Slayers.

"Well, sweethearts, we can definitely offer a guarantee about the last part. Can't really be set on fire if you're already a pile of ashes," Faith said, smirking.

The vampires growled, suddenly lunging at the two Slayers. Buffy and Faith went back to back, crouching, moving like a violent, smooth unit. They staked two of them before they were separated, Buffy being thrown into one of the house walls. She stood up, cringing at the pain in her arm, and was almost immediately hit in the stomach again. The vampire, leering, sent another punch at her side which Buffy blocked with her forearm. Her head snapped back with a hit to the face, and she felt uncertainly out of her element. She felt sluggish, her arms unusually heavy and limp. Buffy was hurled on her back with another brutal hit, and whimpered a little with the pain.

The vampire, looking gleeful at Buffy's weak position, moved on top of her and opened his mouth wide, preparing to lean down and bite. Buffy held her stake firmly and maneuvered it between her and the vampire, thrusting up and feeling her attacker dissolve. She lay on the ground for several moments, feeling the grass beneath her, her breathing slowing down, hearing grunts and blows several feet away, and finally the sound of Faith mumbling obscenities and the pounding footsteps of a vampire running away.