“ Try again Oswald. Concentrate, let nothing else enter your mind. Just think of the energy and what you want it to do.”

Oz closed his eyes and concentrated. He formed a picture in his mind of himself, illuminated with a great blue-silver glow. Cirrus smiled as the light, though faint, began creeping up his body, starting at his feet and traveling to his knees, waist, chest, and head. Once established fully on his body, the light grew easy to maintain, and Oz opened his eyes and looked down. Cirrus clapped.

“ Whoa,” he said. “ I’m glowing.”

“ Ha! You’re a regular nightlight my brother!” Cirrus laughed.

“ But if this magic takes so much concentration, how is it useful in battle? I mean, you would need to pay attention or else somebody could just come along and kill you.”

Cirrus put an arm around him. “ Little boy blue...” she began. “ Sorry, couldn’t help myself. You feel how easy it is now to keep this glow? The more you do it and the more the Earth’s magic gets used to working with you, the easier it becomes to use the magic.”

“ Oz! Hi! ... Um, you’re glowing,” Willow pointed out as she walked into the room of the old factory they used as a secret training ground.

“ Yeah, new technique Cirrus taught me. You know, when Jordy bit me, I never thought it would lead up to something so... ... interesting,” he replied, Cirrus and Willow both mouthing the word ‘interesting’ along with him.

Cirrus quickly greeted Willow with a peck on her lips and stepped away to gag in the background as Willow and Oz engaged in a much more ‘friendly’ greeting. “ You two keep sending out straight vibes at me like that and I might just have to kill you,” she joked.

Willow stuck her tongue out at the female werewolf. “ If you don’t like it then why don’t you go ‘vibe’ with Faith. She was looking for you earlier.”

“ Uh, Oswald? Lesson over for today - Bye!!!” Cirrus said hastily as she scampered out the door.

Willow turned, grinning, to her boyfriend. “ Can I clear a room or what?”

And the two returned to kissing.

A pair of arms wrapped around her. A pair of lips touched her ear. A soft voice spoke.

“ I’ve missed you.”

“ I didn’t ask you to come here.”

“ You didn’t need to.”

“ I thought I made myself clear.”

“ I had to see you again.”

“ I didn’t have to see you.”

“ I can’t live without you.”

“ You can’t live period, remember?”

“ Buffy...”

“ Angel get out.”

Buffy wheeled Cordelia to her locker, not necessary, but a friendly gesture. The former popularity guru had been so depressed lately, the aura of it smacked Buffy’s heart around as well. She supposed it had that effect on everyone; Willow and Oz weren’t as happy as they had been (though certainly very happy with each other), and even Faith sat somewhere other than Cirrus’ lap whenever Cordelia entered the room. Giles showed no change in emotion, but during their time together, Buffy had felt a sort of link grow between her and her Watcher, so while no one else could tell, Buffy knew he was hurting badly too.

“ Hey Cordy, we were thinking of Bronzing it tonight, you wanna come?” she asked, hoping that the outing would put her friend in better spirits.

“ No thanks Buff...” she replied. “ What would I do at the Bronze anyway?”

“ Well, you could... well no, I guess you couldn’t dance, but you could do the social thing. Talk to people, we’ll get you really drunk too, what do you say?” Buffy persuaded, perking her tone up a few notches.

“ Maybe,” Cordelia said, though Buffy could tell she would be a no-show.

Cordelia opened her locker slowly, then grabbed her stuff and closed it fast. But Buffy saw it, and she caught the locker door in mid-slam and opened it again. Xander grinned back a her from the locker door, not as many pictures as before, but one rather large one. Cordelia wasn’t even in it with him. She had no alibi for it, so she just focused her eyes on the floor.

“ Cordy... You’re killing yourself with this thing,” Buffy said, shaking her head.

“ It’s all I have left. All of him that I can trust anyway. Don’t take it Buffy...” she pleaded as Buffy reached up at it.

“ I won’t Cordelia, just promise me you won’t die over this.”

“ I promise Buffy. I’m a survivor.”

Buffy kissed her friend on the cheek and left then, Giles was beckoning at the end of the hallway.

“ What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” Buffy asked, pulling herself up to sit on the counter.

“ I recieved a call from the Watcher’s Union last night. It’s about Faith,” he began. Buffy could tell it was something he wasn’t happy about.

“ They want to relocate her to San Bernadino. That city is, well, Slayerless.”

Buffy was confused. “ And what’s the problem?”

“ Well, er, it has been easier having two Slayers around, and, well frankly she is rather nice once you get to know her,” Giles stuttered.

“ Yeah, she’s nice and all, but I don’t see any really problem with Faith leaving,” Buffy replied.

“ Faith is leaving?!” Xander questioned frantically as he and Willow came through the library doors.

“ They want to send her someplace where she’s actually needed,” Buffy explained, shrugging.

“ But, no! Faith is cool, and it’s good having two Slayers around. I mean, say you wanted to go out with somebody Buffy, she could take over for you. She’s, like, handy!” Willow exclaimed in Faith’s defense.

“ Well,” Giles told them, “ we really have no say in the matter. The Watcher’s Union has made up their minds.”

“ Made up their minds about what?” Faith asked, just walking in on the conversation. “ What’s going on?”

“ Hey baby...” Cirrus whispered, dragging her tongue along Faith’s neck and running her hands up the Slayer’s sides.

“ Cirrus...” she moaned in response, but it not a ‘don’t stop’ moan, and it sounded almost forced.

Cirrus pulled away and looked her lover in the eyes. “ Something’s wrong,” she said. “ And I have no clue what it is, so I’m assuming you do. Tell me Faith.”

“ I have to leave... I’ve been relocated. I didn’t think that it would be hard to go, but I really like this place... the people... my friends... and you.”

The werewolf drew Faith close, so their bodies were tightly together, and Faith’s head was on her chest. “ You better not start crying beautiful,” she warned softly.

“ I don’t want to leave you.”

“ Who said you had too? I love Sunnydale, I grew up here, but when it comes down to it, my loyalty is to you! What exactly do you think I mean when I tell you I love you darlin’? I’ll follow you anywhere, to Heaven, to Hell, and goddammit, even back to my first home in the slums of Detroit!” Faith began to laugh a little. “ So screw this Faith, you don’t have to leave for a couple of days, while we’re here let’s go have some fun!”

“ Trick, come to my office immediately,” the mayor said into his intercom.

In a few short moments, the slick vampire Trick entered the office. “ What is it you needed Mr. Mayor?” he asked.

“ I have gotten word through my associate Mr. Snyder that there are plans to transport the other Slayer... Faith, to San Bernadino. As you may know, I have an operation there that must not be disturbed. See to it that Faith does not leave Sunnydale Trick,” the mayor commanded, taking up his putter and tapping his golfball into the hole perfectly.

“ Yes Sir,” the vampire said. “ Shall I send a comittee?”

“ No Trick, I’d like something a bit more... effective for this job. Why don’t you send Troy?”

“ Yes Sir.”

The music filled the air with soul-jolting vibrations. The smell of sweat and smoke and beer invaded their nostrils as Buffy, Faith, Cirrus, Xander, and Willow entered the Bronze. Oz’s face lit up, sending its own private light from the stage down to Willow, who more than willingly returned it. The group snagged drinks and a table, and their bodies and minds slipped into relaxation mode.

Cirrus got up and looked at Faith. “ May I have this dance?” she asked, bowing rather stupidly, causing Faith to chuckle as she too got to her feet. Then Cirrus turned to Buffy. “ Room for one more babe, if you think you’re woman enough,” she teased.

“ It’s been too long since I last danced, and you two look like push-overs to me, so why not?” the blonde replied smiling. She got up and went out on the floor with her friends.

Xander stared at the threesome, who happened to be dancing very close. “ Damn I’m gonna miss Cirrus and Faith...” he muttered.

Willow elbowed him sharply, and Xander went into some rambling in his defense. Dingoes Ate My Baby finished their song and the DJ stuck in some recorded music to fill the void as the band took a break. Oz hopped off the stage, dragging Willow out to dance. Suddenly, Xander realized that he had no one to talk to and shut his mouth.

And at that moment, the moment that fast songs were done, and Cirrus pulled both of her Slayers in for a even closer dance, he entered the Bronze. Stylish in black, as was his way, hair slicked back that time, and eyes flashing. He crossed the room slowly, stalking like some massive caged predator towards the open cage door. Ready to pounce. Not taking no for an answer.

Too bad he had to. “ No, Angel, you cannot cut in!” Buffy yelled at the vampire when he tried to pull her away to dance.

“ Yeah boy!” Cirrus added, pulling Buffy into what appeared to be a passionate kiss. “ This one’s mine!”

They laughed at his confusion as he walked away. Then Buffy turned on Cirrus. “ What was with the tongue C?”

“ You gave her tongue C?” asked Faith.

“ I did not!! I wouldn’t... ... well, maybe under the right circumstances... you are kinda hot tonight...” Then Cirrus noticed Faith glaring at her. “ But the point is that I didn’t!!!” she finally stated.

“ May I cut in?” a voice asked.

Faith turned, assuming it was Angel again. “ Listen little boy, we alread...”

She stopped abruptly as she caught the newcomer’s eyes. A quick glance would had revealed that he was casually but nicely dressed, brown slacks and a green t-shirt. His shoulder length hair hung loose, puffing out at the sides and framing his narrow face with its sharp nose and chin. But Faith was glue to his eyes. They were gold, those eyes, like a cat’s, and they glittered. They pulled her in and refused to let go. He snatched her hand, roughly, and led her away from staring Buffy and jaw-dropped Cirrus.

“ Holy shit...” the werewolf muttered, watching her girlfriend.

“ Ditto...” Buffy said, watching the guy, then Faith. “ Hey! Where did she learn my Sexydance?!”

“ You wanna go outside?” he asked when their dance was finished.

“ Sure...” Faith replied, as if in a trance.

“ Goddammit!! Where is he going with my snuggly teddy bear?!?!?!?” Cirrus yelled. Willow and Xander gave her a funny look from across the table. “ I... I mean... oh fuck it. She’s my snuggly teddy bear and I’m going after her!!!” she stated, leaping to her feet and racing out the backdoor after them.

He slung a stiff arm around her shoulder. His motions were mechanical and hard edged, but the dark-haired Slayer didn’t notice. She simply walked with him. In the end it was the chill that snapped her out of it. The chill and the wetness of the slime as it trickled down her left shoulder, the shoulder he had his hand on. Her eyes darted from the slime up to his face. Purple flesh, oozing from every pore, warty and horrible with great antlers jutting from seemingly every place they possibly could. Suddenly, in an instant or less, he grew gargantuan, his clothes ripping right off. He grabbed her, claws digging into her shoulders, making her scream sharply in pain, and hauled her off the ground, letting her dangle for a minute or two. He was clearly enjoying his power.

“ Troy, finish her,” Trick ordered, emerging from the shadows.

The Chaos Demon pulled one hand from Faith’s body and balled it into a fist. Just then Cirrus came raging out into the alley, shifting into her werewolf form without even pausing, and leaping on the disgusting pus-covered back of the demon. She grabbed his arm and held it at bay and bit down into the back of his neck. Dropping Faith, Troy reached back and dug into the werewolf with his talons and threw her off. Cirrus landed on her back on the asphalt, a chunk of the purple meat in her mouth, but it didn’t seem to phase Troy much. Faith rushed over to her, kneeling to check her lover’s vitals. The Chaos Demon roared and hopped over to them both.

“ You slimy bastard!!” Faith screamed, jumping to her feet and high-front kicking him the chest, then the mid-section.

She let fly multiple kicks and punches, not even taking the time to aim most of them, she was so caught up in the bloodhaze. The demon stumbled back, surprised and confused regarding the sudden surge of power that flowed through what used to be his helpless prey. Faith then put forth one, perfect, beautiful roundhouse, making Troy sail backwards until he collided with the sharpened broom handle.

“ What the hell....?” Faith whispered, looking at the staked and suspended corpse.

Cordelia thrust the broomstick forward and threw Troy to the ground. “ I decided I’d like to have fun tonight after all,” she said. “ And I saw you guys out back here and I thought ‘Why not start there?’”

“ Thanks Cordy,” Cirrus croaked, regaining consciousness.

“ Hey Cordy! I didn’t think you’d come!” Buffy exclaimed, leaning down to hug her friend.

“ Well, I had a feeling it would be an interesting night,” she said, and proceeded to tell them all about what happened in the alley.

“ Where are Cirrus and Faith?” asked Willow.

“ And more importantly, what happened to Trick?” Buffy added.

“ Faith was bleeding from her shoulders and Cirrus had a pretty major headache, so they left. I didn’t see anyone else there after we killed the demon,” Cordelia answered.

“ Well hey, this is good. I mean, with big bad monsters still lurking in mass quantities, maybe we can use it as evidence that Faith should stay!” Xander pointed out.

“ Yeah, and let’s not forget to tell the Watcher’s Union about how much Sunnydale will benefit from Faith and Cirrus being around to drag me out on the dancefloor,” Buffy taunted. “ You think I didn’t notice you drooling?”

Xander then proceeded to hide under the table in shame. Cordelia turned in her wheelchair, looking at the Bronzers, watching them jump around and dance with each other. Then she noticed him, walking in the door, for the second time that night.

“ Oh god, doesn’t he ever give up?” Buffy asked in frustration as she watched Angel approach. But he didn’t even look at her. Instead, he walked up to Cordelia.

“ Dance with me,” he commanded coolly.

“ Um, Angel, I can’t really...” she stuttered back.

“ No, of course you can. Here, let me show you,” he offered, taking Cordelia’s hand.

Unsure of what she wanted or what to do, Cordelia let the vampire lead her out to the floor. He held both of her hands in his and locked her eyes, and then began to sway to the slow, deep beat of the current song. They turned, stepped back, stepped forward, and ended with Angel spinning Cordelia around and bowing down quickly to steal a single kiss from her lips. He then whispered something in her ear. She smiled, and then she kissed him. Then Angel was gone.

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