Episode 1.8 "Changes in Me"

Buffy stared at Faith. Was the other Slayer actually giving her good advice. Buffy got up from the floor and slowly started to make her way down the hall.

"Wait a second" Faith said stopping her "I just have to know one thing. If your so worried about Spike and Angel and if you think The Immortal is behind it, why are you still with him? I know you don’t love him"

"Because I don’t love him. If I don’t love him he can’t hurt me" Faith’s brow furrowed, confused by Buffy’s statement "Angel, Spike, and the rest of the gang. I love them all and they are the ones who hurt me the most. Not the demons that try to kill me all the time. So I figure if I’m with The Immortal and I don’t love him I won’t get hurt. He’s just convenient." Buffy said echoing the words she said to Spike. But this time was different. When she said them to Spike she actually had some sort of feelings for the vampire. Faith was about to respond when Buffy’s cell phone went off.

"Hello"

"Hey, baby" The Immortal said from the other end of the line "I have a surprise for you. I’m on my way home"

"That’s great. How close are you?" she replied trying to find some way to slow him down. He got home before she did, she would have a lot of explaining to do. She also had to find Angel and Spike before they were dust.

"I haven’t left yet. My plane takes of in about an hour. I should be home in a few hours."

She had an hour. That wasn’t much time. But she also had an advantage. She knew he was in LA, but he still thought she was clueless to his whereabouts.

"Good. I’ll see you when you get home" she hung up. He mind raced with the countless places where she could fight the two vampires. Where would the Immortal keep them? The Immortal’s lackies were mostly vampires so it was either underground or in some other secluded place.

"The mines!" Buffy shouted starting out the door.

"What mines?" faith asked running after her.

"The Immortal owns a series of mines under the city. Actually he owns a bunch of them that run all over the world. I’m betting that’s where he has them" Buffy said quickening her pace. "I’m going to need your help"

"It’s kind of obvious" Faith joked.

Buffy just shook her head allowing herself to smile. It took them twenty minutes to reach the entrance to the mines at the base of the hill.

"Looks a little dark. You got a flashlight, B?"

"Nope. But luckily evil things love torches" she said pointing into the mine where a group of torches were mounted to the wall.

As they got deeper into the mines Buffy started to lose hope. The two Slayer’s had searched eight different caves in the past hour and a half and found no sign of anyone. She was starting to lose patience and she could tell Faith was also. Buffy was about to stop and suggest they go search someplace else when she smelled a faint hint of smoke.

"Faith"

"I smell it too. I think it’s coming from over there" she said pointing to her left. They started walking in that direction when they heard screams. They ran into the mouth of the cave and saw two figures chained to the ceiling, in the middle of the circle of flames. All Buffy could make out through the thick smoke was bleach blonde hair. She looked for an opening and jumped through, covering her face. She reached the two vampires and started tugging at their bonds trying to unleash them from the rock. Faith came up beside her and started doing the same. Angel’s chains broke and Buffy caught the unconscious vampire, hoisting him over her shoulder. Faith was right behind her with Spike as the raced out of the cave. Once they reached a same distance they stopped, gasping for air.

"Damn, B. You were right. That son of a bitch tried to kill them."

"I wish I was wrong" she said shaking her head "We better get them back before the sun comes up"

* * *

Xander stirred from his sleep as he heard the door to his room open then close.

"Faith?" he asked sitting up. The motion cause a sharp pain in his abdomen and he winced.

"Lay down" Fred said gently laying a hand on his chest and pushing him toward the bed "Faith and Buffy went to rescue Spike and Angel"

"Buffy’s back?"

"Looks like. How are you feeling?"

"I’m okay" Xander said and actually meant it this time. Faith had been taking good care of him. Which really surprised him, but it also made him happy. Her presence was comforting. "How are you?"

"I’ve never felt better. I think I might actually be stronger than I was before . . . everything."

"That’s not what I meant"

"I know. It’s weird. I feel like no time has gone by. So much has happened and I have a blue clone of myself walking around. It’s an interesting feeling"

"I understand. Once I had a clone of myself walking around that I thought was evil. But he wasn’t and we were merged into one Xander again . . . I guess that doesn’t really help much"

"No, no it helps. Now I know someone knows what I’m going through" she smiled. She turned her head towards the door as she heard rustling downstairs. "I think they’re back" she quickly walked down the stairs and into the lobby as Faith walked into the room, carrying Spike. She laid him on the couch and went back outside to help Buffy with Angel.

Fred surveyed the two vampires. They didn’t appear to be badly injured. All they had were a few cuts and bruises and minor burns. They would heal soon enough to take their revenge on The Immortal.

"Thanks, Faith" Buffy said as she turned to walk out the door.

"Wait. Where are you going?"

"Home. Some things are going to change"

 

 

 

The Immortal walked up to Buffy’s door and knocked quietly. He walked in when he heard her soft invitation. He opened the door and threw his coat on the back of the chair.

"Hey" he said walking up to Buffy who was sitting on the couch reading a magazine. "I brought you a present"

"I like presents!" Buffy said grabbing the little box out of his hand.

She tore away the paper to reveal an ancient looking knife. She put on her best surprised face and turn to thank him.

"It’s African. That’s where I was on business. I saw this and knew you’d like it. Where were you? I called about an hour ago and Dawn said you weren’t home"

"I went on a little trip of my own"

"Really? Without dawn? Where’d you go"

"I went to clean up your mess" Buffy said not taking her eyes off the knife. It was a convenient present. She might just end up using it tonight.

"Excuse me?" The Immortal asked.

"I took a little trip to Los Angeles. I’ll give you one guess for what I found there"

"I have no idea what your talking about"

"You know what your problem is?" Buffy said chuckling "You brag too much. To gave me way too much information, which led me straight to a couple of vampires."

"I did it for your own good" he said not even trying to deny it anymore.

"I HATE it when people make major decisions about my life for me. I least of all wanted you to. I want you to get out of my house"

"I’m not leaving"

"Maybe this will convince you otherwise" she said pulling out the knife "You may be the big bad Immortal, but I’m still the Slayer"

"I’m sorry it had to turn out this way" he said "You may be a Slayer, but you can’t fight an army of demons by yourself" Buffy turned to look behind her, where at least 10 demons started to make their way through her open windows.