Happy To Bleed For You

(Spov)
I know this is a bad time,but I have to laugh a little bit at the look on Raemeaus' face. It priceless. And here I thought a demon vampire god of illusion dude might be unfazable. My bad,guess not. But hey,then again a motionless black eyed,crackling Sam with fire erupting from her flesh here and there is way more scarier,a million times scarier than a thrashing yelling Sam.
I'm thinking it's the whole calm before the storm aspect going into play.

"Luc? How did this happen?" Hee! Hee! I can see Raemeus shivering. Score one for me!

"I-I-I don't know. She was screaming and and then she started sounding more viscious I guess and then you came in and-"

"Shut it pretty boy!" One of the guards snarls. To Raemeus he says, "She must be some kind of demon."

'Yeah that's right. I'm a demon and I'm going to enjoy sucking your intestines through your belly button with a straw.' I think.
Well I got the talk,lets see if I can walk the walk.

"Why do you think that?" He jumps,doing a whole 360 when he hears my low growl and a flame spurts from my mouth.

"Maybe that's why." Luc points sarcastically and I try to snap his finger off for show. "Damn!" he shrieks,landing on his ass
pretty damn hard trying to pull away from me. Two for Sam,zero for the saturday night cartoon rejects.

"Well she is the immortal isn't she? Everyone came from a demon,even the slayers so what makes think that maybe she didn't come
from a demon as well?" The guard continues, "For as we know she's some highly powerful noble demon. If she is I tell you we won't stand five seconds before her. I can feel it Raemeus. Perhaps you should start assembling the armies."

Raemeus scratches his chin thoughtfully. "You really believe it's that bad?"

"I believe it's worse than that. In fact I think you'd all better leave and help resurrect the army right now. I'm an upper level demon,I can watch her. I'll call if there's any trouble."

Luc jumps to his feet and out of the cave in a record six seconds. The others back away slowler trying to look unfazed. Raemeus
shakes the guard's hand. "I will reward you greatly for your services. What is your name?"

Oh shit! Name! I need a name! What's a name?! Oh!

"Kendrick sir."

Raemeus raises a brow,"Kendrick? Nobles are getting more and more casual with the names I presume."

"Indeed. No honor what so ever in the name."

"I shall see you in a bit." Raemeus calls,locking the cage door behind himself.

Kendrick spins around,hands on his hips,amused as hell smirk in place."Upper level demon named Kendrick?" he asks me.

I sigh,dropping the glamour spell. Smoke and mirrors never worked so good,I guess Willow's mojo does come in handy as stupid as it may seem at the time. "Untie me spaz. It worked didn't it? Sheeze you'd think a demon god of illusion's might be able to see
through a fucking illusion. Everybody's a shit."

"UHh!" I grunt,sliding out of the chains and onto the floor. I think I mihgt have kissed it cuz I sure as hell taste it. Man am
I sore! I feel like a walking bruise,and that's probably what I look like right now.

"Are you okay? Kendrick tries to lift me,but I think I yelp and he drops me on my hurting sweet little face.

"Asshole." I mutter while wincing everytime I blink or breathe or think.

"Sorry." he apologizes.

"Chill Kendrick. You know for a puppet you sure are a really cool guy. Maybe after all of this is over and I'm not wrapped in a
human full body cast we can get Willow to make you real."

Kendrick's eyes spark a little. "Really? You would do that for me?" his voice is hopeful.

"Of course," I smile,"assuming I have the function of all my limbs. Can you open the doors?"

"Doors?" he looks at me questioningly.

I nod my head at the cage next to me. "You know,my girlfriend,cute girl with the bloody nose and pouty little lips? Kinda want her around. And the little blondie with the scowl on her face,kinda her best friend?"

"I can take a hint Sam." Kendrick growls,unlocking my cage. "I may be a puppet but I have more brains in one cell than you can
ever hope to accomplish with the big engine in your head." He glides gracefully to the other cage and unlocks it,but leaves the
doors closed. He leans against,crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently,giving me a dirty look.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"So princess do you want to take a nap before the demon army from hell arise do you? Perhaps drink dome tea and get a foot massage while you watch Scooby-Doo?"

"Oh you think you could-"

"Get up!"

"Okay okay. Don't get your puppety strings up in a bunch." I more or less roboto into a standing position,grunting and breatheing hard,trying to stand straight without pulling a joint or something. "Man. Say Kendrick what are the chances I can
conjure up about maybe two liters of morphine?"

He frowns but I'm guessing it's concern as I limp or try to limp out of the cage. "You look like a headless chicken jerking about Sam."


"Ohhhh,you sure know how to make a girl feel good about herself."

"I'm concerned."

"I'm Sam." I smirk at his sneer.

"Quit being a smartass little girl." He opens the door. In different circumstances I would have been next to Faith in less than
thee seconds. But oh well,there you have it. It takes me a whole minute to get next to her and another three to sit on my butt
and cradle her into my lap.

By now all the playfulness and teasing has left the building. All that's left now is concern that is turning into full on panic.
She is almost literally burning up and she feels so weak and fragile in my arms but she doesn't look beaten aside from the blood
that is dripping from her nose.

"You really don't look good now." Kendrick steps into the cage.

"Yeah?" I swallow dryly. "Heartbreak usually does that to me. Pale isn't my color."

"Are you sure she's a slayer? She feels human to me."

"What are you saying?" I can't keep the edge out of my voice. I must be getting the scary look because he takes a step back.

"Well I can sense your magic,and I can sense the blonde slayer...but she feels...human."

As he says it I feel a warm sensation through my ripped jeans. I look down to find a drop of blood on them. Now I'm a wreck I
suppose. "Faith?" I lean over as much as I can,which places my mouth right behind her ear. "Faith? Babe wake up. We have to go
now. Faith?" I shake her shoulders a little. It earns me a small gasp,but no more.

"I'll get you some water." Kendrick offers.

"Thanks. Faith? Come on Faith,rise and shine baby time to get up and smell the demons." Damnit! I'm losing my cool and I'm losing it fast. One Kendrick says he can't feel her abilities,two,slayers don't get nosebleeds,and three,I think I'm about to
faint for some reason. "Faith?" I say a little more strained,but alot louder,powere behind my shakes now. No time for a gentle
wake up call.

"FAITH!"

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(Npov)

"What's happening now?" Buffy asks,falling over inside what appears to be a truck.

"It's after the body swap. When I ran away." Faith informs her,pointing at herself huddled in the corner of the truck. She is
hugging her knees to her chest,rocking back and foward with her face buried into her forearms.

Buffy takes a little step foward. Faith looks up at her,but she knows she can't see her. Her eyes are bloodshot,her cheeks stained with tears.

"What did I do?" she ask. All the anger and hate are gone from her voice,and in that moment she actually looks like the young girl she is,scared,confused,vunerable. "What did I do?" she questions the empty trailer.

Buffy huffs feeling a familiar sensation run its course down her spine. "Here we go again." Now they're in Ken's and Willow's
place,in the room Buffy found out she and Sammy shared. "Okay what went down here Faith? A fight with Sam?"

"You could say that."

"I-I-I," there's a pause and Buffy turns to face the scene before her. Sam is the one speaking. "I'm-I'm...I'm sorry."
She walks out of the room looking like a lifeless zombie.

"Don't follow her." Faith commands Buffy. Buffy nods and follows her gaze to herself.

"Oh christ!" Buffy gasp,her eyes already welled up. She recognizes those wounds,the bruises,the look of complete terror on Faith's usually stoic face. Something catches her eye. The blue shirt she's wearing rode up her stomach,leaving the black and
green of bruises and the bloody letters that are carved on her abdomin to show. "Faith," she whimpers.

Faith can feel herelf become tense next to Buffy,there's a pulsing in her torso and her hand instinctively moves over the still
slightly raw wound. However she still has the heart to hug Buffy and smooth her hair back from her wet face. "It's okay B. It's
all the past right? It's all-"

"Don't move...but feel free to scream for me."

Faith flinches knowing what's coming next. She feels Buffy quake and try to watch,but she pushes her face back into her shoulder
and closes her eyes. "Don't look Buffy. But it's okay."

Buffy shudders,Faith's voice is so soothing and yet so terrified. She nods okay and allows Faith to embrace her. "I'm-I'm sorry
Faith. I really am,you have no idea how much."

"I'm sorry too B. I just wish I could have fixed myself before all this had to happen. But no more okay? No more."

"No more." Buffy smiles sadly into her shoulder. "It's changing again."

"Hah! Really I looked that stupid?"

Buffy's head snaps to the side along with Faith's. They're in the room again. And this time Sammy is sitting on the bed while
Faith removes her shirt carefully and exposes her badly torn up back. Buffy prepares herself for the worst to happen,but instead
she hears Faith's throaty laugh.

"Yeah you did look pretty dumb gawking at that demon while about seven vampires surronded you." Faith pressed a wet towel to her
back lightly.

"Damn. But it was so freaky like seriously even for SunnyDale standards. I mean come on a Mini Me demon can cause some serious
distraction."

"Hence your party streamer back."

"That bad huh?"

"Worse. Sammy,Sammy,Sammy. That look on your face must have gotten to him too. He was laughing like crazy."

"Wow." Sam looked on at Faith's impression of herself. "If I hadn't been me I would have told me to react but If I hadn't been
me then how could I have been me telling me not look like that?" Sammy actually looks very thoughtful,that is until Faith uses a
knife to cut off a piece of mangled flesh from her back. Her eyes go cartoon wide looking like she's about to scream loud enough
for Japan to hear. But instead it comes out a shocked half sob half whimpered "ouchie."

"Oh my god! Hahha! Ouchie? Haha! You're freakin' priceless." Faith laughs in fits pointing to the red hurt little kid look Sam
is wearing.

Sammy bats at her hands. "Not funny,not funny!" she pouts,giving her a little glare.

"Oh yes it is." Faith mocks,but the look of concern in her eyes is unveiled.

Buffy glances at Faith,she seems rather taken aback by the memory. "How did that happen to Sammy?" she trys,to get her out of her trance.

"You remember Star Trek?"

"Yeah." Buffy nods.

"Well there was this weird demon thingy that looked like Mini Me and well Sammy here got carried away laughing and gawking at it
and well it shredded her and left her looking like well party streamers...or ribbions hanging,depends how you look at it."
There was something to Faith's voice,it was light but it sounded pained.

"Faith are you alright?"

"Is it possible to get headaches in your dreams?" she ask her knees going out from under her.

"FAITH!"

Faith shakes her head eyeing Buffy with a murderous glare. "You don't have to scream so loud I'm right here you know?"

"I didn't say anything." Buffy sits her up giving her that look Sam had when she saw Mini Me demon.

"What?"

"FAITH! FAITH!"

"Stop it!"

"Stop what?"

"Don't you hear it?" Faith groans,clawing at her temple.

Buffy restraints her wrist to keep her from killing herself. "Hear what? What are you hearin-"

"Hey blodie wake the hell up!" Another voice screams at her. Buffy whirls looking for the source of the voice.

"Who said that?"

"I told you! Someone keeps shouting my name."

"No someone called me blondie." Buffy says absently.

"Oh shit B...what's happening?" Faith's trembling voice demands her attention.

"Faith wha- Oh god! What th-the hell?" Buffy stares wide eyed at her hands,she's becoming transparent or something,the white light from before is starting to block out everything again. Now she can hear the voice and another and they sound so close it's
unnerving her.

"Come on. Thata girl almost there." The voice from before coos and she feels a light breath on sail over her face tickling her
nose.

"Follow my voice Faith. You're almost here." Buffy hears the other voice.

"Sammy?" she hears Faith ask in question,probably thinking it's not real.

"Yeah,it's me babe. Almost there."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sammy keeps whispering to Faith,Kendrick doing the same with Buffy until...

"What the hell?!" Buffy shrieks. Her fist lands a hard one on Kendrick making him fly back and slam against the bars.

"Yep," Kendrick rubs his jaw,"definately a slayer alright." he grins stupidly,getting to his feet and offering his hands to the
disoriented Buffy. "I'm Kendrick."

"I'm really confused." Buffy takes his hand.

"Are you all the same with the attitude?" he directs at Sam.

"Sammy!" Buffy squeals,hugging her back.

"Ow ow ow. Injured here. You know shredded back,punctured kidney,splatterted lungs,all that good stuff."

"Oh," Buffy pulls away from her,but leaves her hands on her shoulders. "Sorry."

"It's good to see you too Buffy. How was your nine hour nap by the way?"

"Nine hours? Damn Jack must have gotten us good." Buffy stomps,she feels very hyper and edgey all of a sudden. "I feel jumpy."

Sam clicks her tongue. "Well Buffy that's probably because you're in a cave with Raemeus and about thirty other vampires and are
about to be joined by a good five hundred more lame ass bad retort vampires."

"Oh. Sounds fun."

"Really. Oh and by the way,heads up,Jack isn't Jack,he's another vamp with illusional skills. Not too good might I add. What's
wrong with Faith? What did that bastard do to her?" her voice takes on a steely swing.

"I don't really know. I was attacking him,there was this white light and the next thing I know-"

"We're in my head." Faith's low whisper reaches them.

"Faith! Oh thank god!" Sam picks her up into her lap,ignoring her body's screaming protest. "Damnit! Faith you scared the shit out of me!"

"Sammy?"

"Jesus I swear as soon as we're done with this we're moving."

"Sammy?"

"We're going to Hawaii or Maui or maybe Florida."

"SAM!!!"

Sammy looks down to meet Faith's petrified eyes and finally notices her shaking and pasty white current complexion. Her hands
burn suddenly where she's touching Faith's neck and back. Confusion and fear settle soul deep in her. "Faith...what is it?"

"My-my powers." Faith stammers shakily, "they're they're gone."

"What?" Sam says softly,hpoing maybe she misunderstood something. But she knows she heard correctly,Faith's eyes and pleading
voice tell her everything. Even the way she breathes is different,the way she feels in her arms.

"My powers Sam...they're gone." Faith feels a shiver run down her spine. It's suddenly very cold as she stares at Sammy's tired
yet fired up grey eyes. "I'm...I'm...not a slayer...anymore." Reality sucks. It can come crashing down so hard it can kill you.

'You're okay Faith. You'll be okay." Sam comforts her.

"Yeah but for how long?" Buffy questions,looking towards the entrance.

"Demons coming?" Kendrick leans against the bars.

"No but lots of them will be in a little bit." Green eyes clash with grey,both strong and wild,both ready and defiant. "It's
beginning."