Chapter 1: The Story Of The Curse


Eleven-year-old Buffy Summers lay on her back out on the porch with 10-year-old sister Faith. Buffy kept her gaze aimed at the moon, while Faith played with the black kitten on her lap.

“Faithy? What do you think it means?” Buffy asked, her eyes never leaving the sky.

“What do I think what means?” She looked over at her sister with confused eyes.

“When the moon has a ring around it? I don’t know what it is but I’m not getting a very good feeling about it.”

“Blood on the moon…” Buffy and Faith looked over to the new presence standing in the doorway. “Trouble looms. You two get inside, it’s late.” Their aunt Jenny called to them.

The got up and made their way to the door. Faith raced ahead of Buffy, knowing that aunt Joyce was setting up to teach her some new spells. Buffy stopped, and took one last long look at the red-circled moon before heading inside.

Jenny stared into the sky with a look of slight fear of what was to come. She tightened her jacket around her as the wind blew harder.

Jenny came up behind Buffy and hugged her close to her making her niece giggle. “My little witch. Let’s go inside and do some spells.” She whispered into her ear with excitement.

Buffy turned around in her arms. “But what about my homework?”

Jenny waved it off. “Oh pish. Tosh! You’re both going to learn things in this house that you’ll never learn in school. Let’s go.” She gently patted her bum, guiding her into the kitchen.

* * * * *

Joyce poured her nieces some hot cocoa, and let the spoon stir it by itself while she looked through the magic book to teach Buffy the next spell. She was already way above the level for her age, and was learning quicker everyday. The girls were dressed in white dresses with feather wings on their backs, sitting on the wooden table eating chocolate cake, and playing with Missy, their black kitten.

Faith was good, but her time would come eventually. She just needed to concentrate harder and she would almost be near Buffy’s level. Almost.

Jenny came back inside and sat down next to Buffy observing as she blew on the candle and it slowly ignited. “Very good, sweetie! Here, take a break, have your cocoa.” Jenny past her the drink and pulled out the self-stirring spoon.

Faith watched with jealously and fascination. “When can I learn how to do that?” she asked pointing at the spoon.

“Oh, sugar…it takes time. And plenty of focus…which you’re still working on.” Joyce explained.

“Aunt Jenny?” Buffy waited until her aunt turned her head. “Can you tell us about the curse?” she begged with innocent eyes.

“How did you-”?

“Mommy wrote about it in one of her journals. I was looking over it today. Please…?”

The two aunts looked at each other, deciding whether or not to explain the curse of the Summers women.

“For more than two hundred years…” Joyce started. “We Summers women have been blamed for everything that ever went wrong in this town.” She stated getting more comfortable in her chair.

“Is that why people hate us so much, Aunt Jenny?” Faith turned to the younger aunt with a pouting look on her face.

“They don’t hate us, sweetheart. We just-we make them a little nervous.” Jenny amended softly, running her hand through her nieces black locks of hair.

“Oh, Let’s face it Jen…us Summers women have always created a stir.” She countered with a chuckle. “It all began with your ancestor Maria. The first in our family.”

“And you two are the latest in our line.” Jenny finished off.

“Is that why they hung her…because she was a witch?” Buffy asked with a little bit of disbelief, as she took a sip of her cocoa.

“Well it didn’t help that she was a bit of a heartbreaker. And not to mention that a lot of her lover’s wives were on the hanging committee.” Joyce continued with a soft chuckle. “No…I don’t think it was either of those reasons. They feared her because she had a gift.” She paused for a dramatic effect. “She had the gift of magic. And it was this very gift…that saved her life. She was banished to this very shore, her unborn child growing inside her belly; she waited for her lover to rescue her. But he never came…no one came. So in a moment of despair, she cast a spell upon herself that she never again feel the agony of love.” Joyce stopped letting the girls absorb the new information.

“But as her bitterness grew, her spell turned into a curse. A curse among any man who dare love a Summers woman.” Jenny continued for her sister.

“Is that why daddy died…cause of the curse?” Faith asked, with eyes full of questioning.

“Yes, sweetie. Your mother knew. She heard the beetle ticking for your father’s death all day long. She knew that when you hear the sound of the death watch beetle, the man you love is doomed to die.” Jenny added softly, knowing that the death of Buffy and Faith’s parents was still a hard topic.

“And…mommy died of a broken heart. Because she loved daddy so much.” Buffy stated mostly for her self than the others. Tears collected in her eyes, and she fought hard to keep them back.

“Yes…but that’s how you came to live with us. And we took you under our wing so-” Jenny was cut off, by a knocking on the door. The four witches turned around and saw what looked to be an angry looking blonde standing by the window with a cocked eyebrow. “Hold on girls.” Jenny got up and answered the door.

“Yes? Can we help you…?” she asked expecting a name.

“Glory. Kay listen I need you guys to do the witchy-mojo stuff you do, alright?” She placed her hand on her popped hip waiting for a response.

The aunts looked at each other with a blank look, but mutual thoughts. They turned back to the woman, with raised brows.

“I got money…” Glory threw down two fifty-dollar bills. Joyce got up from her chair and slipped the money in her back pocket. “Okay look here’s the deal sugars…I need a love spell. There is this guy and he…” the woman started pacing the floor, waving her hands around her head. “He keeps getting into my head, and-and I can’t stop thinking about him!” She stopped suddenly and turned to the witches, making the younger ones flinch at her fast movement. “Make him love me…make him love me like I love him.”

Buffy watched this woman that called herself Glory. She seems so lost and so out of her head. She looked hurt. If that’s what love is like…I don’t know if I want that. Buffy thought to herself.

Joyce walked over to Jenny. “Jenny…get the bird.” Her eyes were still on the woman in a red, leather dress, who was in tears.

Jenny looked over at her sister. “Get the book.” The two split up into the separate rooms. Jenny stopped by the young girls. “Go upstairs, and don’t come down till we say, okay?” the two just nodded, and headed up the stairs.

Buffy continued up the stairs until Faith pulled on her arm to sit next to her on the stairs. “Stay…I wanna watch.” Her face was full of amusement.

“But the aunts said-” Buffy started.

“Oh come on Buffy, please…just watch.” Faith pleaded with her eyes, and Buffy melted by her younger sister’s charm.

She plopped down on the step below her and rested her side against the side of Faith’s knees.

Jenny and Joyce set up the spell; Jenny opening the book to the correct page, as Joyce held the struggling dove in her hands.

“Do you have a picture?” Jenny asked quietly.

Glory pulled out a picture from her small purse and placed it on the table. She took the long needle with an eagle’s talons gripping a marble ball at the end from Jenny. “I want him to love me…that can’t eat, can’t sleep, ‘make me wanna go crazy’ kinda love.” She quickly stabbed the dove, and the squirming had stopped.

Buffy quickly turned away and buried her head in her Faith’s lap, completely disgusted by the scene that just played out in front of her, while the younger witch was looking on in utter enthrallment, eyes wide with wonder, and a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Glory was frozen in place for a few seconds. Jenny pulled the needle out of her hand. She looked at it with interest. “Be careful what you wish for.”

Joyce saw Buffy turn away and felt sorry the girl that cared so much for life had to see the death of one. “I hope I never fall in love, I hope I never fall in love, I hope I never fall in love, I hope I never fall in love…” Buffy’s voice faded out as tears streaked her cheeks.

“I can’t wait to fall in love.” Faith stated with excitement.

* * * * *

“I’m sorry you two had to see that.” Joyce stated, putting away the spell book. “Are you all right Buffy?” she asked sweetly.

Buffy nodded slowly. “Is she gonna be alright? What’s gonna happen to her?” she leaned on the dining room table watching her aunt putting stuff away.

“She’s gonna get her wish.” She confirmed numbly.

~Halfway across town~

A man tossed and turned in his bed trying to fall asleep, but failing miserably. He got out of bed and started pacing around his house. He felt like had an empty pit in his stomach, yet the thought of eating made him feel sick. He felt like he was going crazy and didn’t know why.

He heard voices rambling on in his head, and he clutched it in frustration, letting out a scream of agony.

* * * * *

Buffy stood outside, and saw that the moon still had a ring around it. She maneuvered her way around the garden holding a large wooden bowl in her arm. “He can feel when I’m near…” she said picking off a white rose pedal. “He can…sing my favorite song.” She placed another white pedal into the bowl. “He can walk on his hands…” she stated with a giggle, along with another pedal.

Faith appeared in the doorway. “What are you doing?” she asked curiously sitting down in a lawn chair.

Buffy walked over to the table and looked over at the journal laying open on it. She skimmed down the page, and stopped at the sentence that stated her love’s eyes. “I’m summoning up a true love spell called ‘Amas Veritas’.”

Faith looked at the journal with a confused stare. Some of the qualities written in there were impossible to have in one person.

“He’ll have eyes that change color…” placing two more pedals in, she continued. “And his favorite creature…will be a dragon…” she placed the last pedal in the bowl.

“I thought you didn’t want to fall in love…sometimes you just don’t make any sense.” Faith shook her head, and stood up walking over to her big sister.

“Well that’s the point. I’m giving my true love qualities that couldn’t possibly exist. So if he doesn’t exist, then I won’t die of a broken heart…like mom.” Buffy turned around and hid her tears from her sister, trying to be strong for them both.

Faith walked up behind Buffy, and turned her around. Buffy looked up with tears in her eyes, and her bottom lip quivering. Faith took the bowl from her sister’s hands and placed in on the table. She quickly turned back and wrapped her sister in a hug.

They both cried together, crumbling to the floor in a wilted heap. After a few minutes, the two pulled apart. “Come on Buff. Let’s finish this spell.” Faith pulled Buffy up and they dusted themselves off.

Buffy picked up the bowl and held it out in front of her over the edge of the rooftop. The wind slowly blew the pedals out of the bowl and sent them spiraling into the air. Where there were to land…no one knew.

* * * * *

7 Years later

“I’m not going back in there, B! Understand that!” Faith yelled in an exhausted voice. “They nearly ate me up in there. They’ll never except us Buff, cause we’re different!”

Buffy stood there staring at Faith, knowing she was right, but knowing that giving up wasn’t the only way. The two had ended up going to a party that Buffy had overheard some kids talking about at school. They did say open party. Anyone’s invited. Once they got there, the sisters were just starting to have fun when everything got out of hand.

There was a lot of name calling and taunting, and a fight had almost broken out. Buffy practically had to restrain Faith from pointing her finger, and cursing someone. She had really taken the teasing hard, and Buffy felt bad. She was use to it now, and she tried her hardest to fit in and be normal…but she knew she would always be an outcast.

Now they were sitting outside on the curb by the big house where the party was located.

“Faithy…you make it sound like a bad thing.” Buffy moved from her spot beside her to sit in front of her, just off the curb, cross-legged. “It’s not. We have power…a gift. Instead of wishing you never had it…embrace it. Look, I know I’m like, the poster child for trying to be normal, but it’s never gonna be like that.” She finished with the shake on her head.

Faith bowed her head, looking down at her shoes. “I know. I know.” She agreed quietly.

“But hey! Look at the bright side…if we really wanted we could turn every single person in that house into a toad.” Faith chuckled softly, but didn’t look up. “Those really ugly ones, with all the warts, and yucky slimy skin.” She joked scrunching her nose in disgust.

Faith finally looked up at Buffy. “Thanks B. For being my sister.” She smiled brightly.

Buffy smiled back and brushed a few fallen strands of Faith’s dark locks behind her ear.

They both got up and made their way back inside, with there heads held high. The room got silent for a second, but from the deadly looks being shot, the teens went back to their own conversations. The witches smiled at each other and made there way to the kitchen for drinks.

* * * * *

About twenty minutes later, Faith noticed a dark haired man from across the room, looking fondly at Buffy. She smiled slyly, and did a little spell.

The way he’s lookin definitely shows that he wants a piece of little ol’ Buff. And God knows she needs to loosen up.

Wind blew past Buffy where she stood beside Faith, causing her hair to blow off her shoulders. She turned around, and caught the gaze of a tall, dark and handsome looking guy. She smiled at him and started walking over to him.

He met her half way, and the two of them lost them selves in a passionate kiss, that had every eye turned on the couple. They kissed with urgency both had never felt before. The man wrapped his arms tightly around Buffy’s waist and lifted her off the ground so she was more level with him.

After a few minutes, the man placed her back on the ground, and they both pulled away reluctantly for breath. The two shared a shy smile before he spoke up.

“I’m Angel.” His eyes bore through hers, and she held his gaze.

“Buffy.” She smiled flirtatiously at him, her eyes dancing with thrill.

“Nice to meet you, Buffy.” He returned with a sexy smirk.

“Tell me about it…” she said breathlessly. She grabbed his larger hand in hers, and pulled him through the crowd and up the stairs.

Faith looked at her sister, as she ascended the stairs up to the bedrooms. She was a little surprised at how well her spell had worked. She thought for sure she was gonna screw it up. Oh well, turned out alright for B though. Looks like Mr. Sexy will take good care of her for the night. Faith smirked to herself and went to go find a boy toy of her own.

Chapter 2: The Magic Touch

It was 12:30 now. Two hours since Faith put the whammy on her sister, and she was starting to get bored. She had already danced with several guys, drank a whole bunch, and used her magic to strip one of the guys that made fun of her naked of all his clothing but his tighty-whities. All that was fun then, but now she had nothing to do.

Buffy was still upstairs doing Lord-knows-what with Hunk-a-lious, and was definitely getting a good piece of him. Faith walked off the dance floor and into the kitchen and over to the fridge.

She reached in and grabbed her fifth beer of the night. She sat down at the table and put the cold bottle to the warm skin of her neck. She closed her eyes and let the booming from the speakers in the other room fade out.

“Damn girl…sight like that’s enough make a brotha quiver.” A built form stood in the doorway leaning on the doorjamb.

Faith’s eyes shot open, at the deep voice that had just made its presents known. A slow smile grew on her face when she realized that it was one of the guys she had just finished dancing with.

“Nice to know I still have that kind of an effect on guys.” The dark skinned man gave her a confused look. “Well, I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors…I’m not exactly normal. I tend to get a bad rep, and that don’t sit too well with the fellas.” She continued. Faith looked down, disappointedly.

“Well…it’s sits very well with this fella.” The man smirked at her when she looked up at him with a shy smile, which he noted contradicted her whole attire and attitude. And he loved it. “Name’s Gunn.” He held out his hand and she slipped her smaller hand into his.

“Faith…Summers. You might know my sister…” She stated as she popped open her beer bottle on the counter. She took a long sip before passing it to Gunn.

“Yeah. She put on a little show earlier for the bunch of us with my buddy Angel. They disappeared after that.” Gunn took a sip, and placed in back on the counter.

“Yeah…”she chuckled out. “They-uh-they headed on upstairs. Finishin’ what they started I guess.” She ran a hand through her dark locks.

“You didn’t happen to have somethin’ to do with that, did you? Somethin’, oh I dunno…magical?” Gunn looked at Faith with raised brows and a knowing look.

“Ooooh, maybe.” She said, with a flirtatious smile. “Hell man, she needed it. I’m sick and tired of her always keeping to her self and pushin’ everyone away. She wants the “normal” life…but she’s never gonna get it if she doesn’t let it happen, you know? So I drove her in the right direction, and now…” Faith trailed off with a smirk.

“She’s getting driven into?” Gunn finished with a deep chuckle.

“Oh, well I was gonna say she’s meeting new people but-” Faith revised with wide, innocent eyes. She cut herself off with a giggle, and Gunn soon joined her in laughter.

* * * * *

Angel rolled off the petite blonde beneath him for the fourth time that night. He wrapped an arm around her and gently pulled her to him, so her head was resting on heaving chest.

“Mmm…I could do that forever.” Buffy moaned as her eyes closed with drowsiness.

“You’re not tired? I mean if you want we can-” Angel looked down at her with a giddy smile. This girl really got to him.

“Oh no. I’m spent. Pleasantly numb even.” Buffy opened her eyes, and all the happiness fled from her face. “You know I’m not exactly who you think I am, Angel. I’m different from other girls.” She looked up at him with sad eyes, knowing that if he knew who-what she was, he would shut her down just like the others.

“It doesn’t matter. Not to me. The only difference between you and other girls is that you’re special. All those girls go around pretending to be someone their not, being fake. That’s not you, Buffy. I know that.” Angel tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and brushed his hand down her cheek.

Buffy sat up and wrapped the top of the red satin sheets around her naked upper body. She held it with one hand while she ran the other through her sex-mussed hair, in attempt at taming it. Her fingers got tangled and after a few seconds of trying to work through them she pulled her fingers free, and dropped in her lap in annoyance, accompanied with a slight pout. Which earned a light chuckle from Angel.

Buffy took a deep breath, becoming serious again, before she started. “Look, you-you really don’t understand. I’m-” She paused working out in her mind how she’s gonna tell him her little secret. “I’m a Summers woman.” She began nervously. “A-and, well for over 200 hundred years the women in my family have always been-kay you know what, I’m just going to tell you straight up and I’ll completely understand if you want this-whatever “this” is-to end or-or stop before it’s even begun and I’m rambling.” She finished with a nervously laugh as she ducked her head in embarrassment. “You’ll really have to stop me before I trail on that long next time.”

“Nah…I think it’s cute.” He sat up and placed a light kiss to her lips, silently telling her it was okay. “It’s okay Buffy. Whatever it is that’s makin’ you feel uneasy…I’m okay with it.” Angel smiled reassuringly.

Buffy couldn’t take how sweet and gentle this guy was being with her. It wasn’t something she was use to. She leaned forward and captured his lips in an urgent kiss.

* * * * *

Faith and Gunn had left the party a long while ago noting everyone was leaving them selves. It was nearly three in the morning now, and the couple walked down to the park not far from the house.

Faith was a little hesitant about leaving her sister behind, without even letting her know she had gone, but then Gunn assured her that she was save at Angel’s place, and they could call first thing in the morning…well, later that morning.

Faith sat down on a swing, soothingly swaying side to side. Gunn sat in the swing next to hers and looked out into the light pink and purple sky.

Faith watched him intently. He seemed different to her. Most guys that hit on her just wanted to get in her pants…they just wanted her look: tough, dangerous, and sexy. But this guy seemed to look right through her. He treated her like an actual human being not some slut that’ll give it up to anyone.

The truth was: Faith was flirt, and a big tease. But she hadn’t slept with anyone. She liked feeling in control, and she wasn’t gonna give into some guy who would just take advantage of her. She learned that from Buffy. Buffy had one bad experience in that department, and seeing the heartache she went through, Faith promised Buffy, and herself that she wouldn’t let that happen to her.

“So what’s your big secret?” Faith questioned lightly punching him in the arm.

“What?” Gunn turned back to her slightly caught off guard.

“I told you my big secret…you tell me yours. You got one?” He shook his head, dismissing the question immediately. “Oh c’mon! You gotta have at least one. I mean I’m a witch. Okay I get that you probably won’t have somethin that big, but I dunno, somethin like ‘You were prematurely bald’ or ‘you love to watch Opera.’” Faith snickered out.

Gunn’s head snapped to look at her. “Who told you bout that?” he asked voice filled with panic.

Faith’s face lit up with a bright smile. “Get out! No kiddin’?”

Gunn’s panic faded. “Not if it makes you smile like that again. Hell, I’ll tell you every embarrassin’ moment of Charles Gunn’s life to see that smile again.” Gunn smiled at how hung up this little sexy kitten got him.

“You’re first name’s Charles?”

“And the embarrassment begins.” He sighed to himself. Faith laughed, and he relished in the sound. All of a sudden a thought popped into his head. “Come on…I wanna show you somethin’.” He stood up and pulled her up with him.

Holding hands, they walked deeper into the park.

* * * * *

“I’m a witch.” Buffy blurted out finally.

After Buffy kissed him, one thing led to another, and well…here they were a few hours later. Buffy collapsed on top of Angel, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

“I knew you worked some kind of magic.” He joked.

Buffy sat up exposing her whole top half to him. For some reason it was comfortable, and not at all awkward.

Angel gazed at her, loving how beautiful she looked astride his waist; with her golden-blonde hair falling over her shoulders in loose waves.

“Angel, I’m serious. I’m a witch. But a good one, don’t worry. I-I mean I barely even practice the craft anymore, just the basics but nothing dark, cause that’s territory that I do not want to step into, it’s completely unpredictable and I thought you said you would stop my rambling next time?” Buffy finished giving him a pleading look.

Angel leaned back on his elbows, and smiled at the gorgeous woman looking down at him. “Buffy…it doesn’t matter.”

“Well, it does to me. Rambling is a nervous habit that must be stopped.” She claimed with a determined look and a short nod of her head.

“No, not that. About you being a witch. Look, my parents have told me some stories about the Summers women, and okay yeah I admit, it was a little bit of a shock to find out but, it’s not a big deal. I’ve got some family secrets myself.” Angel stated trying to comfort her.

“Oh yeah, like what?” Buffy crossed her arms over her chest, much to Angel’s disappointment.

“Well, there was this-this one time, when my grandfather got in trouble with the IRS and-” Angel responded weakly, in a quiet voice.

Buffy cut him off with a frustrated groan. “This is so completely different from that, and you know it.” She said as she got off him and the bed, taking the sheet with her, leaving Angel with just the comforter. “IRS: normalfamily secret. Spells, witches, and magic: Not-so normal.”

“Look Buffy I understand that-”

“Shh!” She hushed him, putting up a hand to silence him.

“Why do you keep cutting me off?” he asked in a childish voice.

“Listen!” the two stayed quite for a few seconds. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Exactly.” Angel got up and pulled his jeans on, not bothering to pull on a shirt. “No music, no talking. Why is it so quiet?” Buffy wrapped the sheet tighter around her, holding a bunch at the top, to keep it from falling.

Angel opened the door, and peered outside, and around the corners of his bedroom door. No one there. He walked farther out and walked down the hall towards the stairs, Buffy following him. He looked upon an empty living room, littered with beer bottles, pop cans, and empty snack bowls.

“Everyone’s gone…when did this happen?” Buffy asked, more to herself.

“Sometime between the first time, and the…other times.” He looked around the empty house with a smile. “You don’t think you chased them all off with your screams, did you?” turning to her with a smirk firmly planted on his face.

“Excuse me?! My screams?! What about you’re moaning and groaning? I swear you even growled a couple of times. You were all ‘Grrr, Argh’. So don’t you start in on me, mister.” The petite blonde mock scolded him, poking a finger into his bare chest.

“What can I say? You make me act like an animal.” Angel picked Buffy up and threw her over his shoulder in the fireman carry, earning a squeak from her. He playfully smacked her ass, and carried her back into the bedroom.

Chapter 3: New Lives


“Wow! Man, you know, the last time I just lay in the grass and stared at the sky was like, when I was ten.” Gunn turned his head to the side, giving Faith a soft smile. Faith felt his eyes on her and looked over at him. Turning on her side, and giving Gunn her full attention, she continued. “Buffy and me, we-we used to do this all the time. I remember this one night, there was blood on the moon-old witch tale meaning: trouble’s coming-we went inside, and this chick, came to our door. She looked like shit. Wanted the aunts to do a love spell for her. But for it to work she needed to do a ritual dove piercing. ‘Adoration needle’ right through the heart.” Faith looked passed Gunn, her face taking on a look of recollection. “Buffy couldn’t watch…like it scared her.”

Gunn sat listening to Faith talk about her childhood. She captivated him in everyway. The way she spoke, carried herself, how when she laughed, her eyes took on a twinkle-like shimmer. “And you?”

“Me? I was fascinated by it. Couldn’t wait to fall in love. See I was the dangerous, more adventurous one, whereas Buffy was the sweet, girl next-door type. I haven’t thought about that day in a long time.” Faith rested her head on Gunn’s shoulder, with easy and zero hesitation. She loved this. She never really got comfort from anyone. Didn’t really think she needed it. But she did, and she didn’t realize it until now.

She scooted closer to him, letting his strong arms wrap around her slender frame. She let herself relax when she felt his lips kiss the crown of her head. This was the something she was waiting for.


8 months later:

“Buffy are you sure about this, sweetie?” Aunt Jenny asked concerned.

“Yes! I want to do this, both of us. It just feels right. Weren’t you the one that said ‘if it feels right than it probably is’?” Buffy countered excited about her new plans.

“No, that was me. But this is different, Buffy.” Aunt Joyce appeared from behind her. “We’re talking about you moving in with a boy you only met a few months ago. You barely know him.” Joyce sipped her cocoa that she had just spiked, due to the idea brewing in her older niece’s mind.

“But, I do! He knows who I am, what I am…and he’s okay with it! When, ever, will I find someone like that again?” Buffy exclaimed, begging her family’s acceptance.

“Honey, we’re not asking you to not see him anymore, just maybe you should wait a little while before moving in together.” Jenny suggested gently, wanted Buffy to know that they were on her side.

“Look, I’m not trying to be stubborn-” at the look her aunts were giving her Buffy, backpedaled. “-okay well maybe I am, but this is what we want! I love him and he loves me and I know were gonna stay together forever.” Buffy exclaimed with determination written all over her face.

“Sweetie, maybe you should think of the consequences before-” Joyce tried to slip in, but was quickly cut off.

“No…no thinking about consequences. That’s all I ever do. For once, for once, I just wanna do something on impulse, before thinking about it a dozen times over.” Buffy challenged her aunts. She continued in a weak and pleading voice. “Please, don’t try to fight me on this. Just let me go. My stuff’s already packed.”

“Okay…if this is what you wanna do then-” Jenny took a deep breath to calm her rattling nerves. “If you need anything, if something goes wrong…our door is always open.”

Buffy smiled appreciatively and wrapped her loving aunts in tight hugs. “Thank you, so much! You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Buffy bolted up the stairs to bring her bags of clothes downstairs. Angel would show up soon.

* * * * *

“You’re leaving!?!” Faith shouted in disbelief.

“Yeah, I’m moving in with Angel, isn’t it great?” Buffy smiled giddily, fiddling with her fingers, as she waited for her sister’s answer.

“No!” Faith retorted angrily.

Buffy’s hands dropped to her sides, and a frown, paired with a pout appeared on her face. “What…why?” she asked innocently.

“Because, B! You just met this guy, like eight months ago! Don’t you think things are goin a little too fast?” Faith pushed herself off her bed and stood in front of Buffy.

“N-no.” Buffy was a little caught off guard by her sister’s reaction. She thought for sure she’d be supportive of her. “I love him. I wanna be with him Faithy. He already said that as soon he gets out of college he’s gonna marry me.” Buffy’s giddy smile came back on her face at the thought.

“Buff, that’s just what guys say, doesn’t mean it’s actually gonna happen.” Faith was completely shocked by Buffy’s news. When she cast the spell she didn’t think it was gonna get this serious. Although she was happy that Buffy had someone that she can be with, like she had with Gunn, she didn’t want her big sister leaving the house, and her to deal with the aunts on her own. Even though Faith was seventeen, she still relied on Buffy to be there for her. And now she was leaving…so that gave Faith reason to be mad.

“Not Angel.” Buffy said shaking her head. “He’s different.” Buffy noticed the pensive look on her baby sister’s face. “What, are you not happy for me?” a pout evident in her voice.

“No it’s not that I’m not happy for you-God I’m so happy for you. It’s just-I’m gonna miss you.” Faith quickly pulled Buffy into a hug, nearly knocking her over in the process.

“Aww, Faith…it’s not like you’re never gonna see me again. I’ll come around, a lot. I mean who am I gonna get to do my laundry?” Buffy joked.

“Just, take care of yourself, aiight? And you two be careful.” Faith said with a firm look.

“Oh come on, I don’t think I can take my younger sister, telling me to ‘use protection’.” Buffy blushed, and ducked her head embarrassed.

“No, no-no not that. I mean the curse. B, don’t rush into things to fast…make it last.”

Buffy brushed a few stray hairs out of Faith’s face, and tucked them behind her ear. “I will. This is so amazing…I mean, me-Buffy Summers-is in a serious relationship. Not something I ever thought would happen.” She claimed with a sardonic smile.

The honking of a car outside the bedroom window, snapped the sisters out of their reverie. “That’s Angel. Well, lil sis…this is it.” The two hugged tightly, with their eyes squeezed shut. “I love you…take care of yourself, okay?” Buffy said as she pulled away.

“Yeah, you too. Don’t be a stranger. God I feel like I’m never gonna see you again.” Faith smiled sadly.

“What? Of course you’re gonna see me again. We’re gonna grow old together remember? Two old Pity’s with all these cats. I bet we even die on the same day.” Buffy said with a laugh.

“You swear?” Faith asked challengingly.

Buffy pulled out her pocketknife from her back pocket and whipped the blade open. She sliced the palm of her right hand slowly. “My blood…” she grabbed Faith’s right hand gentle and did the same to her, causing her to flinch for a second. “Your blood…”

They both looked down at their hands and clasped them together instinctively. “Our blood.” They both said at the same time with twin smiles.

Faith hugged Buffy one last time then watched as her older sister grabbed her bags and walked out the door, and into her new life.

Chapter 4: Leave Me Hanging


Faith sat on the back porch of the Summer’s house and looked up at the clear, ring less moon. She found it so comforting to know that danger was far from coming. It was a few weeks already since Buffy left the house, and summer was beginning to become torture. Her big sister was too busy moving in and building a new life to come back to her old one for a visit.

With a sigh Faith leaned her elbows on her knees, and clasped her hands between her legs.

She looked up when she felt a shadow fall over her and noticed Gunn standing in front of her. She stood up as a bright smile took over her face, and gave him a hug. He’d been her anchor since Buffy left, and she felt herself falling harder and faster for each and every day.

“Hey baby…I missed you.” He said swallowing her frame up in an embrace.

“I missed you too.” Faith gave him a soft kiss on the lips, and smiled up at him, loving how special she felt in his arms. “You wanna go up onto the balcony…get a drink or something?” Faith asked, folding her hand in with his.

“Yeah.” Gunn let his girlfriend drag him through the main floor then up the spiral staircase, through her room, and out the double doors that led to the large balcony.

“I’ll be right back.” Faith went downstairs, and poured them both a cup of hot cocoa, then made her way back up the stairs. She went outside and placed the cups on the wooden table. She then grabbed a 3-wick pillar candle, and placed it in the middle of the table. Blowing softly, all three wicks ignited at the same time, casting the area surrounding them in an orange glow.

“That was tight.” Gunn said with a bright smile. “You never really do magic around me.”

“Well, a lot of people find it creepy so…I pretty much just keep it to myself.” Faith stated stirring her cocoa with her spoon.

“I don’t…I think it’s cool. So feel free to do it around me.” Gonna said with a smirk.

Faith let go of her spoon and watched for her boyfriend’s reaction when it kept stirring by itself.

“Amazing.” was all he said, staring at the spoon then at her. The two continued to talk about things like Buffy leaving and more childhood stories, as they finished their cocoa. When a pause in the conversation occurred, Gunn lowered his head then continued. “Baby…we need to talk.” The sound of Gunn’s voice was pure misery.

Faith closed her eyes, and then looked up at the sky to try and push away the tears she knew were coming. She could tell by his voice that it wasn’t going to be a good talk. She sighed out in defeat and nodded her head, her voice not strong enough to make itself heard.

Gunn grabbed her hand in his and stroked the back of hers with his thumb. “I love you. Eight months ago that was somethin I never pictured myself sayin’ to someone. You’re amazing…you do things that drive me wild.” Gunn said with a sly smirk, causing Faith to blush, and duck her head. “And I know I’ll never meet anyone else like you.” The sadness in his tone caused her head to shoot up and look at him with a frown.

“Charles what’s going on? You’re actin’ like this is the end of the world.” Faith’s heart was starting to beat harder and faster by the second.

“I’m leaving.” Gunn declared quietly, in a tone that was inaudible.

“What?” Faith asked hoping that she had heard wrong.

“I’m leaving town, Faith. Indefinitely. ” He repeated louder this time. Faith’s breathing picked up and her brows furrowed, as she tried not to cry. She tried to focus on something that wasn’t moving to keep her world from spinning. Focusing on the ceramic cup, it shattered to a hundred little pieces in front of them. Her pain was so deep that she couldn’t control her magic.

Gunn shot up from his chair on instinct from the loud shatter. “Holy shit-”

“I’m sorry…” Faith buried her face in her hands as she cried. “I didn’t mean to-it just…I’m sorry.” she finally got out, at a loss for words at the moment. Gunn sat back down slowly, hoping that she wasn’t gonna make him explode or anything. Faith looked up at him, trying to keep the tears at bay. “Where are you going?”

“New York.”

“But that’s like on the other side of the country.” Faith exclaimed, feeling the tears build up again.

“My dad got offered a job down there, and his company made him a deal: He goes down to the New York offices and they’ll give him full benefits and pay for my scholarship down at NYU. My dad took it without even letting me know. Really didn’t have a choice.” Gunn held out a hand to Faith, beckoning her over to him.

She walked over to him and sat in his lap, burying her head into the crook of his neck as she cried. Gunn smoothed his hand over her dark locks, whispering words of comfort in her ear.

An idea popped into Gunn’s head as he held her. “Come with me.”

Faith lifted her head up to look at him with wide eyes.

* * * * *

Six and a half years later:

Buffy sat at her desk writing a letter to Faith in New York. She had decided to go with Gunn, and was going to go to stay at the loft with him that his father’s company set up for Charles. About a year after the two had split up, but they were still on good terms.

Now she was living in her own apartment in Manhattan.


Dear Faith,

Today is our fifth anniversary, and all I have to show for it is two beautiful little girls and a husband I just can’t stop kissing. I don’t even mind the beard. But I wish you could see us. No more stones being thrown, no more taunts cried out. Everything is just so blissfully normal. The girls are great…Dawn’s six now, and Michelle’s four. They can’t wait to meet you. I love you and I hope to see you soon.

Love, Buffy


Buffy couldn’t believe how happy she was with the way her life turned out. She had a faithful loving husband who had a great job at a law firm in the city, and two beautiful, well-behaved girls.

The years went by quick, six years passing without seeing her younger sister. They’d write back at fourth to each other, but it seemed that Faith was jumping from state to state trying to find the place that she could fit in.

Buffy opened the letter that her sister had sent in the mail from Florida. She could almost smell her on the paper. She got herself cuddled in bed next to her husband who was already sleeping and turned on the dim lamp next to her side of the bed.


Dear Buffy,

I’m lying in the sun. I’m hanging by the pool. I’ve got a million friends. You might say that life is perfect. But I don’t care about any of it. In fact, I only have two words to say to you: Gabriel Pavlenco. He’s like this…Dark God. Buff you wouldn’t believe the places he’s taken me. It’s like he knows exactly what I want and how I want it…you have to meet him. Tell the kids I said hi, Angel too.

Love you, Faith

She smiled and shook her head. This was the eleventh boyfriend she had heard about from Faith. She hoped this one was a keeper like she said. Buffy turned off the lamp and cuddled up to Angel, who out of instinct pulled her into him. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Buffy burst through the doors of her Aunts’ house three nights later. “It was the curse wasn’t it? He died because I loved him so much!” tears streamed down her cheeks, as she called out into the house.

Her Aunt’s appeared from the garden and into the spell room. Both had looks of sympathy on their face. “We had no idea, when she cast the spell.” Joyce admitted.

Buffy frowned in confusion. “What spell, what are you talking about?” she closed her eyes in realization. “Oh no, Faith…she didn’t.” she whimpered.

Jenny stepped forward. “It was just a little push…you wanted so much to be happy. She never thought that you’d fall in love with him.”

Buffy placed her hand to her heart. “Well I did.” She stormed around to grab the large bound Spell book from it’s alter. “And I want him back. I never asked you for spells, I never asked you for anything, but do this! You can bring him back.” She slammed it on the table and started flipping through the pages.

“You can’t do that.” Jenny claimed

“We don’t do that!” Joyce pushed harder.

Buffy didn’t give up. “No! You can do this I-I remember, I saw it in here when-when mommy and daddy died.”

Joyce stepped forward and closed the book for her. “Even if we did bring him back, it wouldn’t be Angel. It’d be something else. Something dark and unnatural.”

“I don’t care what he comes back as, as long as he comes back!” Buffy dropped to her knees in front of them. “Please do this for me, please! Please! Please?”

When there was no response, Buffy picked herself off the ground, and left without a word.

* * * * *

Buffy walked up her old front driveway with luggage in hand and her two daughters in front of her.

She stopped them before they could step up onto the porch. “This is only temporary, so don’t get too comfortable. There will be no chocolate cake for breakfast; homework will be done before dinner…” Buffy stopped and looked up at the two aunts that appeared at the door. “And as for you two…my children will never do magic. Ever.”

Buffy and her two girls continued on into the house without a word. She situated her daughters in their rooms and when she was done, finally collapsed on her old bed. It felt weird being home after so long. It felt weird to be without a husband. But she knew this was coming, she was warmed of it. But yet it still hurt her more than any pain she had ever felt in her life.

Buffy remembered back to the day she promised herself that she would never fall in love…So much for that. she thought. She lifted her right hand up so she could look at her palm, and she traced the white scar that trailed from the bottom of her ring finger to the pad of her palm. “Faithy…”

* * * * *

Faith was somewhere Colorado doing the same thing. She had just woken up after a particularly sweaty session with Gabe and he was snoring softly beside her. “Buffy…” She got off the bed and pulled the sheet around her, Gabe didn’t seem to notice.

On her way to the bathroom she grabbed her purse and the bottle of vodka. She didn’t feel him until he grabbed her hand and pulled her body flush to his. “Where are you going?” he asked in his deep timbre accent.

Faith tried to laugh it off. “I’m just going to the bathroom…come on.” she claimed trying to get out of his grasp.

He let her go reluctantly, and she walked in a shut the door behind her. Faith sat on the toilet and pulled the little vile with purple crystals out of her purse and sprinkled a little in the vodka, and giving it a good shake. She flushed the toilet so he wouldn’t get suspicious and walked out.

Gabriel grabbed the bottle from her and took a long pull from it straight. Now all she had to do was wait.

* * * * *

It was a long drive she knew…but she had to see her sister. She got letters from her all the time but recently she neglected to get any. She knew not everything was right with her older sister, and it was time she came home.

For some reason she felt a pull towards their old home with the Aunt’s and instead of going to the house Buffy had moved into with her husband she went to the old house on the shore. The brunette climbed the stairs quietly to her sister’s room and heard muted sobs. She crawled into Buffy’s bed with her and held her as she cried.

Buffy knew she was coming had felt her when she reached the closest town. “I was really, really happy.” she poured her heart out to her sister, clutching at her jacket as if it were a lifeline.

After some time, Buffy collected herself together enough to catch up with her younger sister. “Anyway we were starting to run a group home for teens and runaways. We just put all the beds in, there’s one there for us too…Sleep Number, it was hard to get him to sleep at home.” she laughed for the first time since Angel died.

Faith was lying on the floor facing the bed Buffy was sitting on. She took a slow drag off her cigarette. “Look I’m sorry about the way shit turned out…if I’d have known-” Buffy cut her off.

“Don’t.” she smiled. “I was happy…I don’t blame you for anything. Because of Angel I have two beautiful little girls. I'm just feeling a little lonely and I really need someone right now, and with the Group Home I could really use some help. So don't blame yourself okay, Faithy. I knew this was coming...just not this soon.” Buffy sighed and decided to change the subject. Buffy was getting good at switching her emotions on and off. It didn’t mean that she didn’t feel the pain; it was just so others wouldn’t see it. “So, what about you? Gabriel Pavlenco? What kind of name is that?” she asked, laughing again.

“It’s Romanian. But I’m tellin’ you…if it wasn’t for Jen’s Belladonna, I’d never get any sleep.” she chuckled, with a sparkle in her eye.

Buffy frowned. “What the hell are you taking that stuff for?”

Faith smiled big. “I’m not taking it…I’m just slipping it to him every once in a while. The guy is like a machine! I need him to sleep sometime.” Faith sighed and got serious. “He’s strong Buff…so much stronger than me. He can survive the curse.” Faith put her smoke out and got on the bed with her sister.

“I can’t stay long. He’ll be up again in an hour…I gotta make it look like I got breakfast or something. He might flip.” Faith said it so causally it scared Buffy to think what her sister could be into.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this guy? He sounds like bad news.” Buffy was worried, something wasn’t right.

Faith smiled. “It’s five by five, B. I can handle myself.”

Buffy looked at Faith’s wrist. “I’m more worried how he handles you.” she gave her a look that said ‘don’t lie to me’.

The brunette kissed her sister on the forehead. “It’s sweet that you’re so concerned, Buffy. But like I said the man is a machine…sometimes things get a little rough in the sack…you should see his back.” she laughed it off before hugging her sister. “Cheer up, B…I have a feeling things are gonna change. I know life seems shitty now but every morning you have to get up…wash your face, brush your god damn teeth because your breath stinks…” Buffy cracked up, her shoulders shaking with laughter. “And take care of those little girls…because they need you now more than ever.”

Faith waited until Buffy fell asleep before she left…and hoped that Gabe wasn’t up when she got there.

Chapter 6: How Do I Carry On?

It was a month later and Buffy was walking into the Group Home that she had finally named after her husband’s death; Angel’s Sanctuary. The place had been in full swing now for a couple of weeks and the blonde was finding it very hard to run the place on her own. Sure Buffy hired people to watch after the kids and teens, but she had counted on Angel being there to help her manage the place and now that he wasn’t she needed to hire help. There was a sign on the door since the first day it opened saying ‘Help Wanted’ and a list of qualifications underneath. Today was the day she booked off for interviews, so she headed towards her office in the back, waving at the kids she had gotten to know already. There were only fifteen people living there right now, and she had already set up their rooms upstairs.

She plopped herself down in her chair, and took a minute to organize herself before there was a knock on the door. “Come in.” she called out.

She didn’t look up until the man was standing in front of her. “Hi…I’m here for an interview.” the man drawled out in an accent.

Buffy looked up asked the man to sit down. “Do you have a resume with you?” she tried to keep the shake out of her voice. He gave off this vibe that threw her senses off.

“Of course.” he handed it to her as he sat down in the plush chair opposite hers. “You must be Buffy.” he stated with a smile.

The blonde shook her head to clear it. “Oh yes! I’m sorry, I’m Buffy Summers…and you are…?” she asked. It slipped her mind to look down at the resume in front of her.

“William Bennett. I was very sorry to hear about your husband…our families were close.” William commented with a sincere frown.

Buffy’s eyes widened a little. “You knew Angel?”

William looked down shyly, and fidgeted with his hands. “Well we grew up in the same neighborhood…our parents were friends, but we would bump heads every now and then.” he said with a chuckle.

Buffy smiled. She had heard many people saying they knew of Angel…and that they were close and nobody would say a bad word about him. Buffy knew that most of those people were just talking shit. Yes, Angel was a great person, but he couldn’t have gotten along with everybody in this damn town. By the look on William’s face they more than bumped heads. “Yes, well Angel could be very stubborn from time to time.” it was nice talking about him…talking about with a smile instead of tears. It felt good.

William scoffed. “Tell me about it. It was always his way or the highway with me. I hope a wife and kids smartened his ass up.” he smiled. Buffy found herself noticing how bright it was.

Buffy looked down shyly now. “I can be stubborn too. Angel learned how to give into me.” she giggled. Buffy turned her focus back to the interview. “So how did you hear about us?” the blonde started to look over his resume while he answered.

“Well I didn’t actually.” He shrugged. “I don’t even really come to this part of town much, but I was walking by, I saw the ‘Help wanted’ sign out front, and thought I could put my experience to good cause.”

Buffy continued to look over his resume. “You volunteered at the Sunnydale orphanage for nine months; you coach a co-ed soccer team, Big Brothers…God you’re almost over qualified.” She joked. “You don’t get paid for any of these things?” she asked looking over his resume again.

He shifted in his seat. “Well I don’t really need the money, I was left with a pretty hefty inheritance…but I gotta do something with my time, so I thought helping the less fortunate would be the best place to start.” For some reason a part of him felt like divulging a bit of his history. He didn’t talk about it much, but something told him that he could trust her. “I grew up in a foster home, I know what it’s like to feel…out of place, alone. Everybody needs someone. And that’s how I came to live with the Bennett’s; Angel lived a couple doors down from them.” William tried for some humor. “Hey don’t let anyone in on the fact that I’m a do gooder…it might ruin my reputation of being a hard ass.” He chuckled out, and smiled when she laughed as well.

“You’re secret’s save with me.” Buffy stated. She folded her hands on her desk. “So when can you start?”


* * * * *

Ten year old Dawn and eight year old Michelle got home from school before Buffy got home from work. They sat at the dinner table with Aunt Jenny and Aunt Joyce talking about their dear mother.

“So Mommy was really good at spells?” Dawn asked as she ate her chocolate brownie. She knew she wasn’t supposed to be eating it before dinner but she couldn’t resist…it was so good!

Jenny nodded. “Yes she was…your mother always picked up on spells a lot quicker than your Aunty Faith.” She answered as she knitted.

Michelle frowned and leaned over the table to grab a brownie from the center. “Why doesn’t Mommy do spells now?”

Joyce was about to answer when Buffy walked in the front door. Michelle and Dawn quickly finished off their chocolately dessert and put on innocent faces for their mother. “Hi Mom!” Dawn greeted cheerfully. “How was work?”

Buffy could help but let a small smile grow on her face. “Work was good, I found someone that’s going to help me manage the Group Home.” She let them think they got away with it for a while. “So what’s going on here?” she looked at her Aunts. She knew they had been talking about her.

Jenny smiled. “Oh just making toast is all.” She quickly glanced at the toaster, and willed two pieces of toast to pop up.

Buffy nodded unconvinced. She looked at her daughters. “I want you two to lock all the windows in the house, a storms coming.” The girls jumped up and headed for the stairs. “Oh! By the way…” she whipped around to look at them. “You guys got a little something right here.” She teased, as she pointed to the side of her lip. She looked back at her Aunts. “Toast?” she sighed. “Look I don’t want you guys filled their heads with nonsense, okay?” she headed for the stairs herself.

Joyce called out to her. “Not nonsense, dear!” she shook her head and turned to her sister. “Four years Angel’s been gone and it’s like his funeral was just yesterday. She doesn’t seem to be healing properly.”

Jenny looked up at the stairs as if Buffy was still standing there. “Give it time.”


* * * * *

Four years ago…

Angel got up early in the morning to go to work. He was excited to get the ball rolling with the Group Home him and his wife founded. They had already put the beds in, and most of the furnishing had been done. Today he was going to interview some people to help out: a couple of cooks, people to help clean up, and a few others to watch after the younger kids.

One of the upsides to running your own business was that he didn’t have to wear the damn suit all the time. This was such a great idea! And it was all her idea…God how he loved her. Everything she did made him smile. Her being a witch even started to grow on him. At first he didn’t think he could get used to seeing spoons turn themselves in a cup, or blowing in a candle…and the way things would rattle when she got mad. He loved it…and he loved her!

Angel pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and brushed a few strands out of her face, and smiled. He was ready for forever with her. But Buffy neglected to tell him of the curse, in the hopes that if she ignored it, it would go away.

He carefully made his way down the steps of the house as he left. It was pretty icy on the ground and a little on the roads. He got in his car and carefully made his way to work. He slowly to a stop at a red light and glanced into his rearview mirror to see another car coming up behind him…and it wasn’t slowly down.

The guy in the car behind Angel was pumping his breaks frantically but his tires weren’t catching. He closed his eyes as he hit the car in front of him, and the impact slowed him down enough for him to turn his wheel and pull the emergency break.

Angel’s car had spun out, making two full turns before he yanked the e-brake up. He released a sigh of relief letting his head hit the steering wheel before he undid his seat belt.

“Hey man look out!” cried the man from the other car.

Angel looked up in time to see a truck sliding towards him sideways. His eyes went big before the sound of metal crunching was heard.

Chapter 7: Blood on the Moon Part I

Dawn walked into Buffy’s bedroom to find her mother buried under the covers. “Mom? It’s time for me to go to school…It's the same time as yesterday and the day before that, and the day before that. Out of bed, sleepyhead!” she walked closer to the bed and sat on the edge. “Mom…I’m worried about Michelle. Did you know that she puts on her mouse ears and drives around town all liquored up?” she joked. “NAKED!” Buffy giggled to herself under the covers. Dawn always knew how to make her smile. “Okay…I guess I’ll see you later then.”

Just as she was getting up, Buffy threw the covers off of her and pulled her daughter into her arms. “I’m sorry baby, I’m just…tired.”

“That’s okay Mom.” She stated cuddling close. They stayed that way for a while before both girls left to walk to school. An hour later Buffy finally threw the covers off herself and got out of bed to go to work.

Things seemed fine at ‘Angel’s Sanctuary’. The teens and children were playing out back; basketball, four square and just enjoying the warm weather. Buffy had also hired a couple of close friends to help out as well; Anya and Willow. It was no secret to them who she was…or what she was and neither of them had a problem with it. Growing up in the same town for years they had heard the stories, and heard the taunts from other children.

The three women sat by the large window that faced the street, laughing when they saw Dawn and Michelle walking by. Both girls put their faces against the windows dragging them along the glass and making funny faces. The smile from Buffy’s face dropped when she saw the snobby kids that would pick on her daughters.

“How’s your wicked Momma doing?” the freckled boy teased.

The kids started up. “Witch, witch you’re a bitch! Witch, witch you’re a bitch!”

Buffy stood up and spoke as she headed for the door. “You’d think after three hundred years they’d come up with a better rhyme.” Buffy found Michelle cowering behind Dawn, and Dawn’s face full of tears.

“I hope you get…” Dawn started. He pointer finger shot up. “Chicken pox!”

Buffy’s eyes widened. “Put your finger down, Dawn!” she pulled her arm down, and looked at the mother’s that just came to their children. “She was kidding…she was just kidding.” The mother’s started dragging away their kids in horror.

“No she wasn’t Mom.” Michelle stated.

Buffy turned to her oldest daughter. “What is wrong with you? We do not cast and we do not toy with people’s lives! Do you understand this is not a game-” the blonde was cut off from her sobbing child.

“No you don’t cast! And you probably couldn’t even if you tried!” she grabbed her sister’s hand and stomped off. “She has all this power and doesn’t even use it!”

“I think you hurt mommy’s feelings.” Michelle told Dawn.

Buffy walked back inside the doors of the Group Home, and sighed dejectedly and plopped herself down on the sofa. William saw the little scene outside and didn’t know what to make of it. So he heard the stories too…but he never believed them. He always thought that they were stupid rumors, but now…

He sat down beside her; Anya and Willow had gone back to work, and decided to say something. “You okay, pet?” Not the best thing to say, granted, but it was something.

“I guess…my daughter hates me and now I have a handful of mothers ready to come after me with pitchforks.” Buffy sighed again. “So much for a normal life, I tried though…I fell in love and got married. I had the two kids and white picket fence, my own business…but it doesn’t change who I am or where I come from.” She looked at William who was smiling sadly at her. “I know you know who I am. If you grew up in this town then you know all about the Summers women.” She laughed tersely. “Did you know that not one man was born into our family…all women? Is that messed up or what?”

William didn’t really know what to say. He was shocked. But all he could see was her pain, and he really wanted to do something about it…he wanted to help her. “Life isn’t always going to be easy. You have to face the hard times before the easier ones come.”

Buffy looked at him. “But I’ve faced the hard time already! Lots of hard times and things just seem to be getting harder.” She tried not to cry in front of him, but the dam was close to breaking.

Spike ran a hand over her back to sooth her. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? Spend time with you’re girls…get your head on straight. I think I can handle okay here without you.” He smiled at her.

Buffy wiped at a tear that fell. “Really?”

“Yes, pet. Now go…take care, okay.” He walked her to the door, and handed her, her purse from behind the desk in her office.

She surprised him, by wrapping her arms around him in a hug. “Thank you.” She quickly pulled away and made her way to her car.

Spike watched her go with a grin. That woman was starting to get to him in a way that made his stomach fill with butterflies and his heart flutter.

* * * * *

Buffy sat at her desk writing another letter to her sister a little after nine that night. It had been almost a month since she stopped by to see her, and Buffy hadn’t heard anything from her dark haired sister. Things had been going good for her at work, with William’s help her job was easier, and everything seemed to be well organized. It was her home life that was in disarray. Everyday was a struggle to get out of bed, and she had to push herself to be social. She only talked to Willow, Anya and Spike, and even when she went to ‘Phone Tree Day’ she rarely said a word. She needed her sister…she need her other half. So there she sat, writing a letter explaining things about her that only Faith would understand.



Dearest Faith,

Sometimes I feel like there's a hole inside of me, an emptiness that at times seems to burn. I think if you lifted my heart to your ear, you could probably hear the ocean. The moon tonight, there's a circle around it. Sign of trouble not far behind. I have this dream of being whole. Of not going to sleep each night, wanting. But still sometimes, when the wind is warm or the crickets sing...I dream of a love that even time will lie down and be still for. I just want someone to love me. I want to be seen. I don't know. Maybe I had my happiness. I don't want to believe it but, there is no man, Faith. Only that moon.


Buffy sealed the white envelope with a black wax stamp and walked out into the night to put it in the mailbox. She took a look at the full moon; a yellowy-white sphere high in the dark sky, large with a red ring surrounding it. She tightened the sweater around her body. As she walked towards the door, the phone rang piercingly in the house. She quickened her steps. “Faith…” she whispered to herself.

She ran the rest of the way and beat Aunt Jenny to the phone. “It’s Faith.” She declared.

“I know.” Buffy yanked the phone off the wall. “Faith…okay, where are you?”

“I’m scared. Can you come and get me?” whispered the broken voice over the phone.


Buffy rushed around the house grabbing a couple of things that she needed. She snapped her cell phone shut. She had just booked herself a flight to Arizona and an extra ticket for Faith. She grabbed her keys and her jacket at shouted out to the Aunts who walked around the corner. “I’m catching the next flight out there, can you just look after the girls for me.”

“Yes we’ll just bring them with us to Solstice Celebration.” Jenny said with a smile.

Buffy frowned. She didn’t have time for this. “Why can’t you two just stay here?” she asked as she hugged them goodbye.

“We can’t back out…we’re on the committee. We’re presenting!” Joyce informed.

Buffy shook her head. “Fine. But I don’t want them dancing naked under the full moon.”

Jenny grinned, as Buffy headed to the door. “No, of course not, dear. The nudity is entirely optional…as you will remember!” she laughed when the door slammed in response.

Chapter 8: Blood on the Moon Part II

When Buffy finally arrived at the hotel that Faith was staying at, she rang the little the bell repeatedly for the manager. When she was given a key, she took the stairs two at a time to get to her little sister. She opened the door to find the room engulfed in darkness. “Faith….” She called out quietly.

“He’s not here.” She whispered back from her spot huddled in the corner.

Buffy rushed to her, pulling her in her arms and running her hand through her chocolate locks. “It’s okay…we’re going to get you out of here okay.” She helped her off the floor, and assisted her in a packing a duffel bag.

They were walking through the parking lot while Faith was trying to explain what happened. “He's been really crazy, you know? We've been driving for 2 weeks straight. I mean, not even straight, in these zigzags, back and forth. Then today he says he wants a jelly doughnut. And he says to the kid, "Jelly doughnut, with cream." And the kid looked confused. And I said, "Gabe, jelly's not a cream." And then the kid laughed and I laughed and then he punched me. He punched me real hard. The bastard! Blood on the moon!” She blinding grabbed at her chest, and felt nothing.

Buffy sighed. “I know.” She tried to lead her to the car she rented.

“Blood on the moon!” Faith started freaking.

Buffy grabbed her arm. “I know. Get in the car.”

Faith shook her head. “Where’s my Tiger’s eye? It brings me luck. I left it. I got to get my Tiger’s eye.” She left for the other car in the parking lot; Gabriel’s black thunderbird.

Buffy was rummaging through her sister’s duffel bag. “It’s probably in the bag, Faithy…come on.”

Faith opened the passenger side door, and climbed in the grab the necklace hanging from the rearview mirror. What she didn’t count on was a very drunk Gabriel grabbing her and pulling her into the back seat with him. When Buffy walked around the car to get Faith, she saw Gabe holding her leg and head close to him.

“You drive.” He demanded.

* * * * *

Buffy kept glancing in the back seat where Gabriel was still holding Faith close to him. She wasn’t paying attention to what Gabe was saying but Faith caught her eyes in the rearview mirror.

The Belladonna is in my bag. Faith’s lips didn’t move but Buffy heard them loud and clear. She nodded her head, and reached into the bag on seat beside her.

Gabriel continued to rant in a drunken slur. “Have you ever read any books by Leighton Basse? Okay, Leighton Basse was a foreigner and liked all things dark like me. He would write about men who would brand their women so that, she knew that she belonged to him…and no other man could have her. Come here…” he pulled Faith closer by her leg, and started to heat his silver ring with his Zippo.

Buffy glanced back. “What…what are you doing? Stop that!” she swerved on the road.

“Watch the road!” he yelled.

Buffy had enough. “Shut up! Branding women? Leighton Basse, who by the way isnot a foreigner, he’s from Minnesota, you asshole!”

Gab shouted again. “Watch the road!”

Tears we’re making their way to her eyes, and her voice was starting to fail on her. “You’re freaking me out, Dracula freak!” she reached back and grabbed the bottle of vodka that he always drinks. “Give me the bottle, before I plow you into a truck just to get you to shut up!” she took a chug of it before taking some calming breaths.

Once she had relaxed a bit she put the bottle between her legs, and emptied some of the contents of the Belladonna into it.

Gabe smirked, as Buffy handed him back the bottle. He took a big chug. “You know girls…I’m feeling very into sisters right now.” He leered at Buffy through the mirror, and she had to suppress the urge to vomit.

* * * * *

It had been forty five minutes and Buffy pulled onto a gravel path, after Gab claimed he needed to piss. They would have just left him there…but he brought the keys with him. And he was singing. “You are always on my miiiiiiiiiind!”

Faith sat in the back looking at him with a frown. “He should have passed out by now…you didn’t give him enough.”

Buffy looked forward through the windshield. “I gave him plenty.”

Faith started crying. “What are we going to do? What is he going to do?”

Buffy ran a hand through her blonde hair. “Just stay calm, okay.”

The sisters shut up when Gabriel came back into the car. He was still singing. “If I made you feel second best…” he was so drunk, Faith just looked at him, and held his face in her hands. “I’m so sorry, I was blind.”

“Gabe, please, baby…” she reasoned.

“You are always on my mind.” His voice was whispering to her.

“Come on, baby, I love you.”

Gabe finally stopped singing. “I’m sorry, my love…I want to be with you forever.”

“I love you…” her plea was cut off when he wrapped his hands around her neck and started squeezing.

Buffy’s eyes widened, before she leaped into the back seat and started pulling him off her sister, and punching him in the back. Finally Gabe collapsed on top of Faith.

“Buff! Buffy…he’s out. He’s passed out.” When Buffy pulled him up, the dark haired woman got a good look at him; his eyes were open and mouth ajar. “Oh shit!” She tried giving him mouth to mouth, but he was dead. “How much did you give him?”

They had propped him up in a sitting position and the two women were standing outside the car. “I don’t know Faith I wasn’t using a measuring cup. He was trying to kill you!”

Faith was walking around her face looking up at the skies. “Please God if you get us out of this I’ll be good, I’ll have babies…”

Buffy glared at her sister. “I have babies Faith, I have normal, and I worked really hard to get that normal…” The tears wouldn’t stop now. “And now I’m never going to have that normal again!” this was such a mess, and she had no idea how they were going to fix this.

Faith gave her a tight hug. “I know, I’m sorry…it’s all my fault Buffy. I didn’t mean to ruin your life; I just had no one to turn to.” Buffy had never seen Faith this torn up before.

Buffy sighed, and walked around the front of the car. “Get in the car.” It took Faith a second to respond. “Get in the car!” Once they were both in, Buffy placed her hands on the steering wheel, and Faith reached into Gabe’s pocket for his pack of cigarettes and lighter. “We have to go to the police, it was self defense.”

Faith laughed to herself as she lit a smoke. “The old slowly-poison-him-to-death self defense? Come on B…they’re never going to believe us.”

Buffy glanced sideways at Faith. “You really should stop smoking so much.” Buffy never liked that her younger sister smoked, but at the moment she was so stressed out she could probably use one too.

“Why? I’ll probably get life. I should smoke two at once, it’ll shorten my sentence.”

Buffy rested her elbow on the side of the car door, and rested her head on her fist. “I really don’t want to lose my children.”

Faith ran a hand over her face. “I don’t want you to either.” Then she started chewing on her thumbnail, and Buffy knew her sister was thinking of something.

“What are you thinking?”

Faith turned her body to her. “When Angel died, you asked the Aunt’s to bring him back.” Her eyes shone with hope.

Buffy shook her head. “Yeah, but they wouldn’t.”

Faith titled her head. “Wouldn’t? Not couldn’t.”

The blonde sighed. “No they were right. He’d come back as something dark and unnatural.”

Faith looked at her with impatience. She flailed an arm back at the dead man in the car. “Gabriel already is dark and unnatural! I don’t care what he comes back as, as long as he comes back with a pulse!”

Buffy looked outraged. “No, that is not an option, Faith. That is not a choice.” She stated hoping to put an end to that idea.

“We don’t have a choice, B! This is our choice!”

* * * * *

They finally made it back to the Aunt’s place, and it was still night out. It had started rain at some point, making the grass wet and the dirt muddy and mucky.

“You…owe me….big time!” Buffy grunted, as her and Faith dragged the dead body across the grass of the front lawn.



A/N: wow thanks for the reviews! I like that people like this story so much. I know that Spike hasn’t really been in this story much but, I’m going to squeeze him in more now. And for those of you wondering in the movie, they kill Jimmy like this too. Also….Leighton Basse is NOT a real writer I made him up for the sake of the story. I was also excited to give Faith a different attitude than normal…I wanted her to be vulnerable because for the most part she is always in control. Please leave a review…let me know what you think!

Chapter 9: Dark and Unnatural


Buffy and Faith cleared off the solid wooden table in the spell room, and hauled Gabriel onto the surface. Buffy turned to her sister. “Faith, are you sure you want to do this?” Buffy wasn’t sure. She thought that this was going to be a big mistake.

Faith nodded. “Oh yeah.”

The two of them gathered whatever the spell book asked for. Buffy lit a couple of Tagus root candles and handed Faith a long metal needle. “Okay…” she read off the book. “Lips pursed, emit wind over tongue in motion, teeth on edge.” Buffy got a feel for it, but Faith not so much. That’s good enough.” Buffy continued to read. “Touch bounded smudge of blue sage with braided wheat straw. Insert needles through eyes of corpse.”

Faith nearly dropped the needle in her shock. “Through the eye?!”

Buffy nodded. “In the eye.” She was trying to calm herself down. Faith would have noticed that she was making a small pace in the floor if she wasn’t so freaked out herself.

Faith shook her head. “No way…I think we should wait for the Aunts.” She put the needle down and stepped away from the table.

Buffy rolled her eyes at her sister. “It’s not like he’s going to stay fresh! It’s now or never.” They both reached forward to lift his eyelids, and jumped back when they saw his eyes. They were glazed over and empty and gave them both the Wiggins. “Auughh! Ew!” She hollered. Buffy took a minute to get herself back together. Okay, okay….get me something white to draw a star.” She waved Faith off.

Faith came back from the kitchen with a can of whip cream. “Is this good? It’s all I could find.” She shrugged.

Buffy was surprised. “No! This is good!” She grabbed the can and drew a five point start on his chest. She then looked at the spell book and repeated the chant. “So we’re supposed to say ‘Black is night, erase Death from our sight. White is light, Mighty Hecate make it right.’ That’s while we do the eye and needle thing.”

Both women took a deep breath and picked up the needles. They started the chant in sync with each other. “‘Black is night, erase Death from our sight. White is light, Mighty Hecate make it right.’” The repeated the chant over and over again until their voices meshed and you couldn’t tell who was saying what. Their voices echo in the room, calling out to Goddess above them.

They both close their eyes while Gabriel’s snapped open. He reached up and grasped Faith’s neck in his large hands. “I want you to be my wife!” he screamed at her. Buffy ran forward to pull his arms down. Gabe swung out and knocked her to towards the counter. Buffy grabbed for the edge to keep herself stead, and looked back to see Faith’s dead boyfriend try to strangle her while shouted that he wanted to marry her. She could see Faith’s hands attempting to pry his fingers from around her neck. Buffy grabbed the first thing she could see; which happened to be a stainless steel deep pan, and charged forward to smash it over his head. When she did, Gabe dropped his hands, his head, and his body slipped off the table and onto the floor.

Faith was panted heavily, and holding her neck gently in her shaking hands. She looked at her sister, as Buffy stared back at her, her chest heaving. Faith and Buffy dragged the body threw the house, and out the back door. It was raining again. They grabbed shovels from the shed, and dug a human sized hole in front of the rose bush. Once they pushed him in, they covered him back up quickly as if to be rid of it.

Faith looked down at her feet stomping the mud down, then looked up at Buffy that was doing the same thing. “Thank you, B. Thank you for being my sister.” She pulled the blonde in for a hug, and then wiped the rain from her eyes.

Buffy shook her head. “Don’t thank me for that. I’d do anything for you…you’re my blood. I’d even kill a man.” she joked without a smile.

Faith smiled. “What do we tell the Aunts?” she asked as they started walking in.

Buffy stopped in her tracks. “Nothing. We don’t tell them anything, okay?” she said firmly.

Faith nodded eagerly. She didn’t want the Aunt’s to know either. “Okay, okay.”

The two sisters went back inside, to wash up and sleep…and to pretend that it never happened.

* * * * *

When Buffy heard the Aunt’s car pull up in the driveway, she came down the stairs. She met Faith at the bottom. She was freaking out.

“What if they don’t like me?” This was her first time meeting her nieces since they were babies, and she thought the worst.

Buffy smiled. “Calm down, they’ll love you.”

The front door opened and closed. It sounded like elephants were running through the house. “Mom! Mom!” they shouted. “We had so much fun!” Michelle cried with a giant smile on her face.

“And we danced naked under the full moon!” Dawn finished The older sister finally noticed the other presence in the room and ran to her, with her sister following. “Aunt Faith!” the girls leaped into her arms and Faith had to stop herself from falling over.

“You guys! You guys have gotten so big!”

Jenny and Joyce walked in shortly after, and smiled at the niece they hadn’t seen for a very long time. Faith pulled out of the hug of the little girls to greet them. “Hi, Aunt Joyce.” Joyce embraced her, and brushed the hair out of her face to look at the fading bruise.

Joyce smiled. “A little Mugwort will fix that right up.” The older woman turned around towards the girls. “Now, why don’t we all go to the greenhouse, and I’ll show you how make a little healing cream, hm?” Buffy shot her a look, and Joyce reiterated. “Just some herbs, Dear. No nonsense as you like to call it.” She took her girls by the hands and led then to the backyard.

Jenny gave Faith a hug as well. “Don’t worry, Sweetheart. Whoever did this will get what’s coming to them.” Faith gave her a hesitant smile and glanced at Buffy. “Now how would you like a brownie?”

Faith laughed as Jenny led her to the kitchen. “A brownie! You guys still do that? Something’s never change in this house!”

Buffy was left standing there to think of her Aunt’s words. He’ll get what’s coming to him. “He already did.” She muttered to herself as she grabbed her purse and left for work. She really had nothing else to do today even though it was a Saturday. Usually she had William and Anya working today, but she needed to get her mind off of the last 24 hours.


Buffy walked through the front doors of ‘Angel’s Sanctuary’, and made her way to the back where her office was and the other couple of desks for whoever was working that day. She saw William’s face scrunched with thought, his brows deeply furrowed as he read whatever was on the piece of paper in his hand. She walked up and sat down in the chair in front of him.

“Whatcha you reading?” Buffy’s voiced startled him out of his thoughts.

“Oh! Morning Buffy…uh nothing.” He sat up straight and put the paper face down on his desk. What he was reading had him flustered enough, let alone the little crush that was starting to form for his beautiful widowed employer.

Buffy wasn’t buying it. “Well it’s gotta be something to give you Pensive face. You’re brows were so furrowed I thought they were merging.” She laughed, but she stopped when William didn’t even crack a smile. “Will…what’s wrong? Are you okay?” she was worried now.

William sighed, and shook his head. “No, I’m fine…I’m not so sure about you though.” When Buffy only frowned at him, he reached for the paper and handed it to her.

Buffy started to read:

Dearest Faith,

Sometimes I feel like there's a hole inside of me, an emptiness that at times seems to burn.

She stopped at looked back up at him with shock on her face. “How did you get this?”

“It was in my mailbox this morning…” he was going to finish explaining but the blonde cut him off.

“That’s impossible! It was supposed to go to Arizona!” Buffy glared at him. “So you read other people’s letters on a daily basis, is that it?” her anger and shock got the better of her.

“No! Look I don’t know how it got in my mailbox, or why I opened it, alright! I just did. Something told me that should…or something.” William was nervous and confused. When he picked up his mail this morning and found the letter, his gut was telling him to red it. “I didn’t even know it was from you until I read your name at the bottom of the letter.”

Tears were gathering in Buffy’s eyes. William knew now. He knew the pain that she trying so hard to hide. He knew her deepest desires, her worst fears. And that scared her. “How many times did you read my letter?” her voice wasn’t angry anymore. It was curious, and sad.

William felt bad for putting those tears in her eyes. “Look, Buffy I’m so sorry…”

“How many times did you read my letter?” she repeated as she finally raised her eyes to his.

“A couple of times.” He admitted. A lonely tear fell from one of her green orbs. “I’m sorry…” he started when he saw Buffy jump out of her chair and towards her office. He jumped up as well and followed her in, narrowly missing the door being slammed. He closed the door behind him and grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

Without giving a thought to what he was doing, William kissed her passionately, with his soft lips. He didn’t push her, but gently prodded her lips with his tongue, as she started to respond. After a moment, Buffy lightly pushed on his chest.

“We can’t…I can’t do this. I’m sorry.” She whispered, even as she caressed his face with her dainty hands. She placed a soft kiss on his lips again, and let him hold her close to him, his hands weaving through her golden locks.

When they pulled away to breathe, William rested his forehead on hers. “I notice you.” He whispered.

Buffy pulled back to look at him with surprise written on her face. That’s when she noticed it. She watched his eyes change from a dark and lusty blue, to a blue that resembled the Arctic Ocean. “Your eyes just changed color.” She whispered more to herself. “I have to go.” She pulled out of his embrace, and ran out of her own office.

William sighed and looked after her. “I was born with it.”

* * * * *

Buffy made her way up the stair into the room that was reserved for her and Angel, she added as an afterthought. She threw herself on the bed and willed herself to take a nap.

A/N: I know a lot of people are worried about the Spike/William not being a big part of the story but it’s coming starting now! I told you, you all just had to be patient lol.



Chapter 10: I Want To Hold Your Hand


William walked up the steps to the room he knew she’d be in. Buffy had been up there all day, and he felt they really needed to talk whatever this was out. He knocked on the door, and when she didn’t answer, William pushed the door open and walked towards the bed.

She was curled up on the bed over the covers. William grabbed a blanket from a chair and laid it across her small form. As he did Buffy slowly opened her eyes to look at him. She patted a spot on the bed form him to sit, and he did.

She noticed he was wearing a black beater. It was really hot outside today, and usually on days like this, William would play ball with the boys out front.

She was shaken out of her reverie when he spoke. “I’m sorry that I just came onto like that…I shouldn’t have done it like that.” He sighed. “I just really like you Buffy, I feel like I have for a very long time.” He frowned because he had only known her for a few months.

She believed she knew why. But telling him would make it real…and it was never suppose to be real. “I was just taken back…a little. It’s not that I didn’t want to, it’s just…you’re the first man I’ve even thought of kissing since my husband. It scared me that’s all.” She admitted. “I really don’t know how you got my letter…mix up at the post office or something, I guess.” She didn’t want to tell him that magic may have worked its will. Or maybe she worked her will. She was starting to believe that she really wanted to send that letter to someone that could make her feel like she was loved and noticed…not just someone that would understand. That shocked her. Because she felt it was true.

Buffy sat up, and caressed his cheek before placing a soft kiss on his lips. William’s eyes were still closed when she pulled away, and she smiled. When he opened them his eyes were the palest of blues. She didn’t say anything this time. She was going to embrace the feelings she felt for him, instead of pushing him away.

* * * * *

Mid Day

Dawn and Michelle were in the greenhouse with Faith, grabbing some herbs for dinner later. Dawn stumbled upon a draw that held a journal. “Aunt Faith what’s this?” she held it up for her to see.

Faith smiled. “Oh, that’s you’re mom’s journal. She used to write little incantations in there.”

Dawn opened the book, and flipped through the pages until one page caught her eye. “Amas Veritas.” She whispered. She read through her mother’s childhood pen ship.

Faith explained. “Oh…you’re mom summoned this spell when she was just a little younger than you.” She pointed at Dawn. Dawn passed her the book and Faith read it out loud. “He can feel when I’m near…he can sing my favorite song…he can walk on his hands…he’ll have eyes that change color…and his favorite creature will be a dragon.” She smiled at her young sister’s imagination.

Michelle spoke up. “Did she write that about daddy?”

Faith decided lying would be better than the true…she hated breaking the little ones heart. “Yeah…she did.”

Dawn frowned. “But daddy couldn’t walk on his hands if his life depended on it.” She giggled.

Faith closed the book. “You know the true is, this wasn’t about you’re daddy. She wanted to create a man that had qualities that couldn’t possibly exist, so wouldn’t fall in love and die of a broken heart.” Faith explained.

“Like grandma?” Michelle asked. Faith nodded.

Dawn smiled. “I can’t wait to fall in love.”

Faith looked at her and saw so much of herself in the little girl. She was dark haired like her, with a bit of a wild side, where as Michelle was blonde like Buffy and a little more responsible. “Dawn you ever put your arms out and spin and spin and spin really, really fast? You ever do that?” she asked tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

Michelle smiled. “She does that all the time.”

Faith nodded. “Yeah? Well that’s what love is like. It makes your heart race. It turns the world upside down. But if you're not careful, if you don't keep your eyes on something still, you can lose your balance. You can't see what's happening to the people around you. You can't see that you're about to fall.” By the end of her little speech, Faith realized she had tears in her eyes.

Dawn smiled, and rested her hand on Faith’s, where it rested on the counter. “Don’t worry Aunt Faith…I won’t let you fall.”

Once they gathered what they needed, Faith promised to take them to the Group Home to pick up their mom.

When they showed up, Buffy was outside with William, Willow and Anya watching the boys play basketball. Dawn and Michelle ran up to give their mom a hug and Buffy greeted them with open arms.

“Guys, I want you to meet William he works with me here.” Buffy introduced. “Will…these are my girls dawn and Michelle.”

William greeted them and offered them a cola. When they both agreed he turned around and reached into the cooler.

“What’s that on your back?” dawn asked bluntly. Children and their curiosity, Buffy thought.

William smiled. “It’s a tattoo.”

“Can we see it?” both girls asked excitedly.

“Sure.” William pulled the back of his shirt up and turned around.

Dawn’s eyes lit up. “A dragon! That’s so cool!” She glanced at faith quickly to gauge her reaction. It was a look of utter disbelief.

Buffy was shocked, but felt comforted at the same time.

Michelle piped up.” Can you walk on your hands?”

Buffy chided her. “Michelle!”

Spike ignored Buffy’s comment on her daughter. “Yup! Backwards, forwards you name it!”

About fifteen minutes later, Michelle was sitting on William’s lap apparently the two were inseparable now, Dawn sitting in between William and her mother, While Buffy, Willow, Anya and Faith were chatting.

As William was bouncing Michelle on his lap he started singing. “Oh please, say to me you’ll let me be your man, and please, say to me, you'll let me hold your hand. Now let me hold your hand, I want to hold your hand.” he was a big Beatles fan and this was one of his favorites.

“You know that’s my mommy’s favorite song ever!” Michelle excliamed.

William smiled happily. “Yeah? It’s my favorite song too.”

Buffy was in a good mood until she checked her watch. She stood up and kiss her girls goodbye. She turned to Spike and said. “If you need me here you know where I’ll be.” She started to walk off. “If anyone cares.”

Faith turned back to the women she was talking to. “What was that about?”

Willow piped up. “Phone tree day.” She started to explain. “It’s a group where all the parents of the school get together and figure out which parent is the most responsible…”

“Popular.” Anya corrected.

“Responsible in case of an emergency or a gathering of sorts.” Willow finished.

Anya being the blunt woman she was rambled on. “But nobody ever picks Buffy because they know she’s a wi-” Willow glared at her. “Different.”

Faith nodded her head with a smile.

Chapter 11: Haunted

Faith was pleased with herself. She got Buffy’s name to the top of the phone tree list. She snickered at the dirty looks she got from the other women and found her seat next to her sister. For the first time Buffy’s name was on that stupid yellow leaf at the top of the tree. All it took was a little bit of magic to boost her older sister’s mood.

“Hey!” Buffy greeted skipping down the stairs and into the kitchen. She kissed her kids on the foreheads. “You guys ready for school?”

“Yeah…” Dawn answered absentmindedly as she stared out the window.

“Okay…” Buffy munched on some toast. “Make sure you’re sister is ready to go too, honey.” Buffy rushed around gathering their lunches and things she needed for work. Dawn didn’t move. “Dawn, what are you looking at?”

Dawn turned to her mother. “The roses….they grew overnight.”

Buffy’s entire body tensed. “Go get your sister.”

Just as Dawn ran up the stairs, Faith was coming down. “What’s goin on?” she frowned.

Buffy turned to Faith. “The roses grew…overnight.”

“What? No, no way! Wait…you don’t think-” Faith stopped her thought.

Buffy closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “I can’t think anything right now; I am so late for work. Just don’t go outside today, okay. I have to go.” She gave her sister a hug before Buffy drove her daughters to school.

Faith continued to look out the window, not believing that the once dead and brown roses were now full, bloomed and the most vibrant of reds.

* * * * *

Buffy rushed into the doors of the Group Home to find William reading on one of the couches. She smiled, as she slowed her pace and walked over to him. “Hi.” She greeted, sitting beside him.

William placed his bookmark between the pages and closed it before he took off his reading glasses. “Hey, Buffy. I didn’t think you’d be coming in today.”

“Yeah, well I have a few paper work things to do here…and I also wanted to talk to you.” He looked so cute in those glasses, she thought to herself.

William raised his eyebrow. “Really, what about?” he turned a little more in her direction, giving her his full attention.

“Dinner…tonight.” She started to feel the flush creep up her cheeks. “Did you want to have dinner with me?”

The smile that lit up William’s face warmed her heart. “Yes, of course. I was pretty much thinking Chinese for one and Seinfeld re-runs would be the highlight of my evening so, definitely, yes!” he was close to laughing he was so happy.

It was Buffy’s turn to smile. “How about Chinese for two?”

* * * * *

Buffy had called Faith and the Aunt’s to let them know she would not be home for dinner, and to tell her kids she’d see them later that night. As much as William said he wanted to take her to a nice restaurant for their first date, Buffy insisted on take out because it was casual, and there was no pressure. Since William just wanted to get to know her, he didn’t push, and welcomed her into his home.

“I wasn’t really expecting anybody…but make your self comfortable.” He had a fairly large apartment, or more like a loft. Two out of four of the walls were windows, and the other two had large paintings. He gathered a couple of articles of clothing that were lying around, and kicked a pair of his boots out of the way.

Buffy looked around the big room. “Wow. This place is great. I know I don’t pay you enough to afford this.” She joked. She sat herself down on the soft suede couch, and peeled her jacket off.

William poked his head out of the kitchen, where he was preparing the plates of food and a couple glasses of wine. “The place came with the inheritance.” He walked out and handed Buffy her plate, and sat down beside her. “My mother was a painter, and this was her studio.”

Buffy glanced up at the two paintings. “Did your mother paint those?”

William nodded. “That one was done when she was pregnant with me.” The painting was the view from his mother’s eyes of her pregnant belly; from the rounded curve of her breasts, to the belly button, and even the slight stretch marks. It was beautiful.

“Oh my God…that’s amazing. She was really talented.” Buffy munched on her food.

William nodded. “She was. I didn’t know her all that well…but from what I remember she was a beautiful person.”

“How old were you when she…”

“Six...I was seven when I finally settled in with the Bennett’s.” Will confided.

Buffy frowned. “Where was your dad in all this, if you don’t mind me asking?” she couldn’t wait to know more about him.

“My dad was in the military before I was even born, so I’ve never met him. I’m sure he’s roaming around somewhere.” Talking about his dad was always a hard subject. It made him feel awkward, but for some reason telling Buffy didn’t bother him one bit. “What about you? I want to know more about Buffy Summers.”

Buffy laughed. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything.” He replied.

The blonde beside him smiled prettily. “Well, my life isn’t all that interesting.” Flashes of Gabriel, and Arizona crossed her mind.

William raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re a witch, and you’re telling me that your life isn’t that interesting?” he asked her in a disbelieving voice.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Well it hasn’t exactly been a cake walk. When we were younger it took a really long time for people to except us. High school was hell, but somehow we made it through.”

“How did you meet Angel?” he asked.

“Now that’s a funny story.” She giggled. “I was eighteen, and Faith and I were at this house party. It said everyone was welcome…but I guess that meant everyone except us. As soon as we got there, it was like the whole vibe of the party changed. Everyone was looking at us like we were about to fly off on our broomsticks or something.” Buffy was laughing about it, but at the time it was a very painful situation. “Later on in the night, Faith saw this guy looking at me from across the room. She decided to do a little spell…a push I guess you could say; to give me a bit of normal.” Buffy blushed as she continued on with the story. “We were locked away in his room for the rest of the night.” William smiled a tad jealous over hearing that, but elated at the pretty blush that covered her cheeks. “We were together ever since. Faith never thought it was long term thing…honestly I think she just wanted me to get laid.”

Both blondes laughed heartily. “Do you ever wish that you weren’t a witch?” William asked out of curiosity.

Buffy frowned. “Yes…and no. Yes because it was the Summer’s curse that killed Angel. If I wasn’t a witch he would still be alive. And no because if I wasn’t a witch I never would have met him…or you for that matter.” When William frowned in confusion Buffy decided to tell him everything. “When I was little girl…I worked a spell so that I’d never fall in love. I asked for qualities in a man, I knew couldn’t possibly exist.”

William grinned. “Eyes that change color?” She was right; it was a little out of the ordinary. He noted that his irises would change from the palest of blues to the deepest of blacks.

“Yes…” Buffy started tearing up. “But you do.”

“So what you’re saying is…these feelings I have for you, that’s just one of your spells?” William didn’t want to believe that these feelings were forced on him. He wanted to believe that he had his own will, and his will wanted her.

“Remember when you told me that in your interview that you just stumbled upon the Group Home? That for some reason you weren’t aware of, you happened to be in this part of town?” Buffy sighed. “Well the reason you’re here and you don’t know why is because I sent for you. It’s not real, and I’m sorry that I forced this on you.”

Will was started to get upset. “It’s real, Buffy. This thing between us, I can feel it in my blood. Maybe you did bring me here…but I’m not complaining.” William tried not to let his feelings show too much. He didn’t want to scare her with the way he felt about her. “I like you, Buffy…and I don’t believe it has anything to do with a spell of a curse. It’s because of who you are.” He saw her about to protest. “And I don’t mean ‘A Summer’s woman’, I mean who you are.” William brushed a few stray strands of hair away from her face, and behind her ear. “Spells and curses only have power if you believe in them, and I don’t believe that this…” he gestured to Buffy and himself. “, is a spell. It’s so much more than that.”

Buffy just stared at him. She couldn’t deny that she had feelings for him, and that just being in his presence made you feel safe. But the part of her heart that was so devoted to Angel, wanted to push him away. She saw the irises of his eyes change from a pale cerulean to vibrant cobalt. Buffy was lost in them, but was rudely distracted at the whisper that seemed so close to her ear.

“You are always on my mind.” The voice was raspy and deep...a voice she’d never forget.

Buffy shot up out of her seat next to William, and spilt the glass of red wine over the hardwood floor, and smashing the glass to pieces. Will stood up as well in concern.

“Are you okay…what’s wrong?” William walked around the mess, and helped her into another chair. “Buffy…what happened?” Worry was written all over his face, and he was searching hers for any sign that she was okay.

Buffy took a couple of breaths, and looked at the red wine on the floor. “I’m sorry about the mess.” Her voice wavered.

Will shook his head. “Forget about that. I’m more worried about what made you react like that.” He crouched in front of her chair and ran his hands up and down her bare arms to calm her. “Did I say something wrong?”

Buffy shook her head, and pushed back a couple of tears. “No, no of course not. You said…everything right. I just I thought I heard something.” She whispered.

“What did you hear?”

Buffy looked past him. “Nothing.” They sat quietly for a while before she spoke up again. “Maybe I should go.” Buffy moved to get up but William gently pushed her back down into her seat.

“I don’t think that’s the best idea right now. You look too shaken up to be driving…just sit and relax for a while. I’ll make you a cuppa tea.” William stood and moved into the kitchen leaving Buffy in the main room.

Buffy wanted nothing more than to contact Faith, but she knew that if she were experiencing the same thing, she would have called. She checked her phone and saw no missed calls or text messages. The blonde let herself calm down a bit, and told herself to enjoy her date.