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Author's Chapter Notes:
Well.. I haven't been posting on this much lately so I'm going wild and just posting... well... you'll see.
Outings

The silent warriors of the night walked on through the small burg plagued with things that very few people knew existed. In their very midst, witches, werewolves, vampires and Slayers came and went. They'd broken their own rules, made up a few, and rebuilt a secret society that helped them fight.

But when these unsung heroes walked through their town, they felt normal and saw home. A place where friends were near, home was only a short walk away, and life was strange, but familiar.

From a glance they were kids. Some a bit younger, some a bit older. Female and male. Possibly family, but there were few similarities that could be called genetic. From flaming red hair to bleached blonde, small and slender to tall and broad.

Willow looked ahead at the crossroads. She and Tara lived a block away. "This is where we get off." She announced.

They slowed and walked to the sidewalk's junction with the other street. Buffy waved at her friends as they walked on alone. "Be careful, and call if you find anything."

"Ok," The ladies called back before continuing.

Xander and Anya parted from the group a few blocks further down. There were no arrangements for a meeting, but everyone knew how to get in touch if the need arose.

Another rule of thumb for the group was to gather at the Magic Box in times of crisis.

The foursome remaining walked the short distance to Revello Drive and were home in minutes.

Buffy pocketed her key after opening the door. "Dawn, you better head on up and get ready for bed."

The teen walked in and placed her water pistol on the weapons chest. "Ok, Buffy." She walked up and gave her sister a hug. "G'night."

Buffy was a little surprised, then returned the embrace.

Faith settled herself into one of the arm chairs, "Night, kid."

Spike flopped onto the couch. "Sleep well, Bit."

Dawn let go of Buffy and smiled at them all in turn. "Night." She went up the stairs leaving the two Slayers and Spike alone.

Buffy sat on the couch next to Spike. "So," she looked at him, "Where do you think she is?"

"Dru?" Spike questioned.

She nodded.

"My best guess would’a been the factory. Red and I checked it out tonight. No one's been there for awhile, 'cept you two." He pointed at the two slayers.

"So you knew?" Buffy asked, a bit embarrassed.

"What? That you'd checked it out? Yeah, but I would have too. It's prime vamp real-estate."

Faith looked disgusted. "I've lived in some dives before, but that place is too raunchy. Even for me."

Spike eyed her. "Wasn't so bad then. Cleaner at least. Less charred."

Buffy didn't need “Comparative Living for Slayers and Vamps” laid out for her. She needed to know where Dru was. They'd combed the town from one end to the other. The only place they'd even come close to finding the baddies who'd killed Mr. Kemper and destroyed his shop was at the hospital. "There has to be someplace we're not considering."

"Well, I checked the crypt, the factory's covered.." Faith looked at the ceiling, then back at the blondes. "What about the zoo? With the whole animal thing going on…?"

"You may have a good idea there, Faith." Buffy sat forward.

"There's a set of caves out there." Spike tried to remember. "Think it's on the southern edges, just outside of the lion's keep."

Buffy looked at the clock. It was too late to go now. "Well, Dawn doesn't start classes until Tuesday, and my first class isn't until 3:00. Maybe we could go check it out tomorrow morning."

"I can do it," Faith offered.

"And put off the joy of job hunting another day?" Buffy smiled at Faith.

"Oh yeah." Faith frowned.

"Actually, Buffy, I think I better go. You need to check and make sure Ripper has all your classes taken care of." Spike reminded her.

Faith smiled. They both had annoying things to do.

Buffy pouted. "But I wanted to see the monkeys."

He chuckled. "Some other time."

"Fine." Buffy got up and went into the kitchen. "Anyone want a drink?" She asked, then saw the flashing light on the answering machine. She pressed the 'playback calls' button before anyone answered.

Over the speaker, a muffled voice came. "Damnable machines… ah, Buffy. Audrey and Jackson were able to find some information on Faith. It seems she was released through channels I am yet to completely understand. The Council's reach is a bit further than I understood. Her record is expunged. That is, she has no criminal record as of two days ago. I believe, for now, she should remain with you. I am planning to send one of the young Watchers, possibly Richard, shortly."

Faith looked up at that and she pouted. "Another Watcher?"

Giles's voice continued. "Please gauge whether she is able to take on her responsibilities and contact me." He cleared his throat. "And, Faith, I truly hope you will take advantage of your situation. Good luck to you all." The message ended with a quiet beep.

Buffy turned back to see Faith. "Looks like you're legal at least."

Faith's face was unemotional. "Yeah." She looked around the room quickly, then pushed herself up off of the chair. "Look, I'm gonna head to bed. Long day of pavement pounding tomorrow."

The blondes watched her make a quick exit. "See you tomorrow," Buffy called as the basement door shut.

"Yeah." Was Faith's response from behind the closed door.

Buffy got a beer for Spike and a glass of water for herself. "I guess it's sinking in," She said when she walked back into the living room and handed Spike his beer.

Spike looked at the cold beer in his hand. He hadn't asked for it, but he happily popped the top. "Her freedom?"

"I think so." She sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Its gotta be scary, having a second chance like that."

Spike looked at her. Sometimes she just plain forgot who he'd been; either that or it didn't matter anymore. "I'm sure it is."

They sat on the couch together, as normal as any other two people in love.

~~`~~

Dawn rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around her darkened bedroom to find what had woken her. She brushed her hair out of her face and looked at the wall across from her. Noises no sister should have to hear another sister making were coming from the other side, through another wall.

"Earplugs. I need earplugs." She grumbled at the ceiling as she lay back down.

She grabbed the unused pillow beside her and threw it over her head when a male voice began growling.

"Really. Big. Earplugs." She mumbled into the foam pillow.

~~`~~

"Miss Summers?" An obese woman called from behind a partition in the room.

Several other students milled around the room, hoping their name would be called next.

The space was bland and no time had been taken to make it comfortable. Here, comfort only came when your scholarship was confirmed, or your grant was recognized, or when you had the cash to pay outright.

The woman looked over the crowd of faces. "Miss Buffy Summers?"

Buffy sat in one of the chairs against the wall. She'd been awake early that morning and decided she'd get this part of her day out of the way, but had still waited more than 2 hours.

She pulled her brightly colored canvas satchel over her head and one shoulder so the strap lay across her chest. A must for every college girl for carrying books and other campus necessities.

"Here," she called and made her way through the throng of students. "I'm here. Buffy." She waved her hand and stepped up to the partition. She smiled, a bit winded. "Buffy Summers."

The woman riffled through a folder with 'Summers, Buffy A.' clearly marked. "It seems all of your classes are in order and paid in full. The grant has been cancelled and given to another student."

"Good." Buffy nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Miss Summers." The woman closed the folder and set it aside before pulling out another. "Sandra Mitchell," The woman called out over Buffy's head.

Buffy maneuvered her way back through the room and headed out to the campus grounds.

~~`~~

Spike pushed the cobwebs out of the way and walked deeper into the cave. "You comin', Dawn?"

The teen followed him. "Right here."

Spike looked over his shoulder to see her covered in dust. "Next time, don't bother with the crawl spaces on the side of the cave. A vampire wouldn't."

"Got it." She tried to brush the dirt off of her pants and shirt. "Are you smelling anything, or whatever you're doing?"

"Smellin', mostly feeling. Like sis does." Only Spike neither felt, nor smelled anything. "She's not 'ere, though."

Dawn looked back the way they'd come in. The mouth of the cave was pretty far back. "Are you sure?"

Spike looked harder into the cave, letting his eyes turn golden. What he saw was animal leavings, old bones of tiny rodents and small nests from the creatures that inhabited the dark recesses of this natural dwelling when the need came. "Nothing demonic."

"Oh." Dawn sighed. She'd been annoyed as heck this morning, waking up tired and grouchy. But when Spike told her Faith and Buffy had things to do and invited her to help him stake out a cave, she went from frazzled to excited and jumped at the chance.

"C'mon. Let's get you home so you can clean up." He led them through the tunnels of the cave back into the daylight and to the motorcycle parked with the cars of visitors to the zoo.

Dawn picked up her helmet but before putting it on took a look at the reflection in the side view mirrors and used her fingers to comb through her hair. "I need to stop at a store on the way back."

Spike straddled the bike and looked at Dawn seriously. No one, not even he, had forgotten her problem with overly sticky fingers.

She crossed her arms in front of her. "Don't worry, I brought money. As Anya would say, 'in exchange for goods and/or services'."

"Alright." Spike nodded, then put on the black helmet Buffy insisted he wear. Dawn climbed on the bike behind him and secured her red helmet.

Spike started the engine, then turned back. "Where we headed?"

Dawn smiled. "Anyplace that sells earplugs."

"Earplugs? Why do you…" It only took him a moment to figure it out.

Dawn giggled.

"Oh bloody hell." It came out in a quick breath as he stared at the pavement.

Dawn held on tight as he skidded out of the parking lot and towards town.

~~`~~

Faith walked into the fast food restaurant Buffy had suggested. She remembered the place had killer burgers, and free food usually came with a job in places like this. She looked over the dining room and then walked to the unmanned counter.

A moment later a woman dressed in the worst fast food uniform Faith had ever seen walked up. She had blonde hair and a thick stomach, one probably from this food. Her face looked happy, but greasy. She had bags hanging from under her eyes, and her skin was wrinkled too deeply for a person who in all other ways looked to be 30 at most.

The brunette Slayer's eyes went wide and she was speechless.

"Can I help you?" the woman in orange and white asked.

Faith thought that question over. She'd come here to fill out an application. To get a job. She looked over the woman again. She wore a button proudly stating she'd been working for The Doublemeat Palace for five years.

Faith openly stared back at the woman's face, and into her tired eyes. "I think I changed my mind." She turned around and walked back down the sidewalk. There had to be something better.

~~`~~

Tara sat outside, enjoying the sun of another California day. She knew her friends didn't really understand why these days were so cherished by the soft hearted Wicca. Not hot, just warm. A nice breeze and not a cloud in the sky. This was what she thought every day would be like in California when she‘d first moved here. Of course they weren‘t, but today was.

She looked around the familiar campus of the university. People she knew walked by on occasion. She waved and smiled. Sometimes they were people she knew well, and they'd talk about what their summers had been like.

Several asked where Willow was. She was also taking the class on Neo-Theological Comparisons, but had to run a few errands on campus first.

For now though, Tara was alone with a gentle breeze blowing errant tendrils about her face as she sat on the bench just enjoying the day.

"Tara!" Buffy walked up the path towards her, a smile greeting her as she set her bag down.

"Hi, Buffy. I thought your class was this afternoon?"

"It is. Had some last minute registration stuff to do." Buffy held the strap of her satchel, glad the weight was, for now, the burden of the well trimmed green grass as it landed on the ground gently.

"Where's Willow?"

"She's coming. She had last minute stuff, too. Do we have a plan yet? For Dru and Harmony?"

"No. Spike's checking out a cave with Dawn, so maybe later. For now, we're sort of without plan of attack."

Tara smiled warmly. "It's nice. Dawn, I mean. Helping."

"Yeah. She was really glad, too. Although checking out the caves? Not high on my 'Slayer fun' list."

Tara giggled short and light.

Buffy looked around. "Well, I better get going. Faith is supposed to be job hunting. Ten to one she's already back, eating me out of house and home."

"I don't know. I think she may just try." Tara squinted as she looked up at Buffy, the sun glowing behind her golden hair.

Buffy smiled. "Hope you're right." She adjusted the strap on her shoulder as she settled her bag once again. "See you later."

Tara gave Buffy a short wave as she walked away.

~~`~~

Faith walked out of another clothing store. She'd filled out four applications so far, all for stores that sold clothes she wouldn't be caught dead in. Her own outfit of a black sleeveless tee shirt and leather pants stating that fact quite clearly to each of the well dressed women who'd given her the applications.

This was going to be harder than she thought.

She looked at the newspaper she now carried and read the last ads she'd circled as possible places to work. "Body Shop" was the next one.

She walked past the coffee shop and a drug store and stopped in front of the address given, a wide smile spreading on her face.

In the window, a silver unisex mannequin wore a leather vest and had a Celtic knot faux-tattoo on its upper arm. Beside it was a black mannequin with leather pants and a concert tee shirt displaying a green head whose red eyes were bugging out. Another part of the display was a cardboard man with black and red streaked hair. This display was obviously for the sole purpose of showing off body jewelry. From his nose to his ears to his eyebrow and navel there were silver hoops and studs galore.

Faith looked back at the address then up at the sign over the store. In purple letters against a maroon background, "Body Shop" was clearly marked. She smiled and entered, feeling she had a good chance of going home with a job.

~~`~~

Xander sat on the curb eating his sandwich. His crew was working on renovations to a newly bought shopping site. They were rebuilding most of the inside.

He saw Faith across the street looking at the store Anya went to for some of her more interesting 'costumes.' Spike was a frequent visitor as well, although his reason was often more innocent. Xander joked with him endlessly because he bought his black tee shirts there. Apparently just because he only wore one outfit didn't mean he wasn't picky about it.

The only other place he liked to get them from was some place in France, which Xander still thought was ridiculous.

Spike had been by earlier with some rather strange questions, to which Xander was sworn to secrecy. Much like what Xander liked to call, 'the talk'. Which, no matter what, he would never let the peroxide blonde live down for as long as either of them lived.

He watched Faith double check the paper she was carrying then go in. He smiled as he swallowed his last bite.

~~`~~

"What are you doing?" Dawn walked through the store filled with tools and building materials. She stood beside Spike. He was at the counter of the construction outlet. The man behind the counter was filling out a slip.

"Did you want that delivered?" the man asked.

"Yeah, mate." Spike jotted down the address. "Tomorrow, in the morning if ya can manage."

The man checked his paperwork while Dawned eyed them both curiously.

"Should be alright." He handed a slip of paper to Spike.

"Thanks." He pocketed the receipt for his purchase and walked out of the store with Dawn close behind.

"What was that all about?"

He grimaced. "S'bout those bleeding earplugs."

Dawn looked at the small bag in her hand. "Huh?"

He didn't answer. It'd been pure luck, running into Xander on the job. When Dawn went in for her purchase, he had asked Xander for a few ideas on soundproofing. It only took about ten minutes to get the construction worker to stop laughing before Spike got some sound--excuse the pun--ideas.

Wouldn't be much work involved, and, with the house to himself tomorrow, he should have no problem getting it done with little disruption. The only person that might be there was Faith, and if worse came to worst, he could get her to pitch in.

Dawn followed him quietly, deciding that the less she knew about her sister's sex life, the better.

~~`~~

Harmony came from the tunnel and greeted Sweets happily. She held her arms high, her hands filled with shopping bags, leaned down and made baby faces at the leaping vamped pup. "Mommy's home."

Dru squealed giddily. "What did you bring for your mummy?"

Harmony raised herself back up and carried the bags she'd taken from stores over to Dru by the bed.

She'd forgotten one of the reasons Sunnydale was so perfect for vampires: the underground tunnels. They granted access to nearly any part of town, and although they were smelly and sometimes disgusting, it was better than being cooped up all day.

She brought the bags to the bed and set them down before emptying one that said The Magic Box.

It hadn't been hard to get what was needed. The stock was all downstairs, everything from eye of newt to chicken feet. Bags were in boxes and there were shelves of powders and roots. "Is that it? Did I get everything?"

Drusilla moved the items around on the bed. She ran her fingers over the small baggies of sand and leaves. "It's all here." She looked back at her childe. "Now all we need is the blood. Pure."

Harmony dreaded this part. "Right. The Slayer." She picked up a large pink bag and pulled out a large comforter. "I don't know why everything we do has to involve her. I mean, that was Spike's big hang up, and look at him now." She unfolded the comforter once and studied the white unicorns prancing over the blue sky scattered with rainbows and clouds.

Dru turned on her and pushed her against the hard cavern wall.

Harmony gripped the edge of her newly stolen blanket. "Ouch." She shut her eyes, then peeked out of one. "What did I say?"

Dru looked into her. "You should not question mummy." Her grip didn't loosen. The master vampiress held her childe tight against the wall. "The Queen bee keeps all the honey to herself. Sweet nectar. We need it to go."

Harmony twisted her brow. "Go?"

Now Dru did loosen her grip and let Harmony settle her feet on the ground. "Yes. The Lord of Seers told me how. I can fix it all. If she hadn't, then she wouldn't."

Harmony listened closely now. Dru was saying more about why they were here, but it had to do with more of her imaginary helpers. Pixies, stars, King of Cups, and now a Lord of Seers. "So we're going to stop Buffy from doing something?"

"We will change it all. The Slayer will die." Dru let her free. Harmony didn't move.

"And that will fix Spike?"

She didn't get any answer, just Dru dancing to a slow song no one else could hear. Her arms moved gracefully as she swayed to whatever classical tune ran through her head.

Harmony walked carefully past her and to the bags of other things she'd pilfered from the basements of different stores. She was really glad she'd remembered the route through the tunnels to 'Body Shop.' She pulled out six black cotton shirts. He always needed several, they always seemed to get torn or otherwise destroyed.


Chapter End Notes:
We aren't done yet..



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