Crossing The Line

The moon rides high above the treetops, clouds scudding across its face. The wind scrapes branches back and forth against each other, cracking, creaking. A lone owl swoops down on an unsuspecting mouse, whose terror stricken shriek is lost in a whir of heavy wings. A cloud hides the fading moon; the gates open, leading down a path, around a bend, and deeper into the cementary.

"Damn B, ominous looking don't you think?"

Buffy hugs her jacket closer to herself, a thick cloud of anxiety draping over her. "Yeah, talk about Holly Wood." She chuckled nervously, her fingers convulsing around the stake in her hand as a familiar unpleasant tingle washes over her.

Faith's sudden snicker makes Buffy jump, clutching at her heart, her body naturally falling into a fighting stance. Faith arches a fine brow at her, her features revealing her amusement. "A little jumpy B?"

Faith tries to play it off, but it's no laughing matter, the little feeling is running through her body, making the hairs at the back of her neck rise, her muscles stiffening. She remembers a conversation she had long ago with Dawn, and her wits are coming undone...

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"So, Dawn, really, tell me the truth...what happened to B?"

"What do you mean what happened to B?"

"Dawn, seriously, how dumb do you think I am, really? I know Buffy, and I know there's something wrong with her?"

"What do you mean something wrong?"

"Is there an echo in here? Something's wrong as opposed to right. Dawn, I love your sister and I want to help you, so please, tell me what happened."

"While you were in-ah...away, this hellgod came to Sunnydale."

"Glory?"

"No. Another one, Omega. He almost killed her Faith, and Buffy...well, she's upset about it."

"Well I can see why she's upset Dawnie, a slayer, nearly dying, it's not everyday that happens. Don't worry Dawn, I'll take care of her...I'll take care of her..."

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Faith twirled her coustom made stake in her hand, trying to release a little nervous energy, trying to settle the nervous jitters.

She had always questioned herself, questioned whether she would always live life at a moment's notice, whether she would always be alone, get some get gone girl, no ties, no consequences.

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After sharing a dream with Buffy, the first night in her coma, she's seen something, a revalation that had no doubt moved her to question herself. She'd helped Buffy with mayor, and after that there was nothing, nothing but the dark abyss that was the reverie of floating in the 'tween between consciousness and unmobile awareness. The second time she brought Buffy into her dream, there was pain and emptiness, both results of being forgotten by her fellow slayer.

So when she woke, despite knowing fully well she had no intentions of hurting her severly, she wanted Buffy to feel some sort of pain, even a little speck of what she felt.

But it wasn't either of these times that made her finally snap back to reality. It was after she tried to kill Angel, after she tried endlessly to have him kill her. She was vunerable unlike anything else, wounded, scared, but most of all, just ready to give up. That's when Buffy showed up at Angel's office.

The look Buffy had given her that night would never go away, would haunt her like the scar under her ribcage. It was at that moment that she realized why it hurt so much. She had never hated Buffy...she loved her.

A few years later and she was out, brkoen out of jail to help Angel regain his soul. It had come as a shock at first after Willow had practically begged her to come back to Sunnydale. She was aware of the past, and knew the journey would be everything but easy, but now she knew, and she wanted to make it up to Buffy.

At first there was a little tension, and she would have been worried if there hadn't been any. But gradually, Buffy had come to forgive her as the battle with the first came nearer. They were friends again. But still, there was something there that didn't allow her to say anything to her.

Everything was laid out before her eyes when she thought Buffy was dying that day, witnessing her crumble to the ground like a great wall finally destroyed. The first had been stopped, and Buffy lived. Standing outside of the demolished school building, she'd reveled in the peacefulness that came afterwards, but only for a second, before she knew it, she dragged Buffy into her arms, confessed her love for her and kissed her like they were still fighting for their lives.

Buffy had accepted her, even wanted more than that. And when they finally became official in front of the entire Scooby gang, she had promised them that she would protect Buffy at every cost, but more importantly, she promised Buffy she would protect her.

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A wave of guilt crashed into Faith, shooting nervous glances at her girlfriend's back, her slayer senses zoning out to cover a good four meter radius, enough time to get in position and protect Buffy if anything was around. She could quite place why, but there was a nagging feeling at the back of her head they told her to run, told her that tonight she was the hunted and not the hunter. However, being as stubborn as she was, she was unwilling to back down, and especially not with her girl right next to her.


Buffy Summers walked a few steps ahead of younger slayer, her mind a million miles away from her body, caught up in the memories, pictures of the past, phantom pains, piercing cries, all in her head, all trying to override her.

She didn't have a problem with Omega, he was a vampire, she was a vampire slayer, her title gave a pretty clear description of the job. No. No, she really wasn't afraid of Omega, she had beat him once before, she was pretty sure she could do it again. What worried her was the aftermath.

Never in the history of her tragic life had there been a battle she had won without some kind of casualty, it was the destiny a slayer faced, to be alone. And even though she had kept her friends alive and close, she just couldn't help the tight feeling in her gut. Who would she lose this time? She had already lost so many, Angel, Riely, her mother, Spike, Anya.

She could care less about Omega, she was afraid about her friends, about her sister, but more importantly, about her lover, about Faith.

Faith had always had a thing to her, had always managed to get under her skin even when it was unintentional, and it had taken her too many years to find out why. Faith had saved her in a way, from herself, from becoming just another sad old spinster with a smoker's cough and too many cats. Faith had given her a future, and something none of her previous affairs had before, a reason to live. And she in return had given Faith a reason to live, and someone to love.

Never in a million years would she bet that Faith would be the one to finally sweep her off her feet, but now that she had, there was a price to pay. That special price that came along with loving someone, the fear of losing them.

Faith was keeping her grounded, and she needed her. If she ever lost her, or vice versa, there was no doubt in her mind that the world would come to end for both of them.

"Buffy?" Faith halted her, her brows creased and nearly touching her lids, "over there." she whispered, pointing at a spot behind Spike's old masoleum. Buffy nodded at her, motioning for her to lead the way.

Faith closed her eyes and focused, shutting out the sound that was the pounding of her heart. Her skin tingled, and stopped once again, unable to pinpoint where or what for the matter was lurking about. "I make it this way," she said, pointing, "you?"

Buffy nodded, opening her eyes, feeling a rush of excitement course through her veins. Faith started off along the path through the tombstones, weaving in and out without trouble, like she had the route mapped in her mind. Her eyes scanned the shadows and figures beside each tombstone and tree, if there was a little nasty out there, it would be sticking to the cover of night and darkness, out of any obvious line of sight, just like everything that crawled and went bump at night in Sunnydale. But there was nothing in the darkness that didn't belong there.

Faith faltered, then slowed. Something wasn't right. She came to a complete stop, paralyzed by some invicible force.

"Faith," Buffy's forehead was creased with tension, but nothing compared to Faith. Her girlfriend looked skittish, ready to have a stroke if a cat dared jumped out at her from the shadows, either that or kill the poor animal. That thought in mind, the chosen one prayed silently that a poor cat did not jump out at her.

"B...there's something out there." Faith spoke quietly, apprehension in her smoky voice. She crouched, rolling to the balls of her feet, looking like an exotic, dangerous lithe cat getting ready to pounce. She stalked foward.

Abruptly her girlfriend placed on her shoulder to halt her. The young slayer shot her a glance, then saw that Buffy's eyes were locked on the darkness ahead, then she saw what had drawn the girl's attention. In the shawdows underneath an oak tree, a woman stumbled against the tree, making another attempt to stand before crashing down on her knees.

The moment Buffy saw the woman, she rushed to her side. Even from a distance she could see the woman shaking, and hear her heavy breathing and incoherent whimpering.

"Hey," Buffy said in a soft voice.

The woman shook harder, throwing herself against Buffy's chest, wrapping her arms around her neck, burying her face into the side of her neck.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. We saw you, you look like you need help." Buffy cooed, suddenly aware of Faith's defensive stance.

"Buffy, put her down." She ordered, her voice urgent.

"Faith she's-"

"A vampire..."

A jolt struck her neck, the painful feeling of a foreign body piercing her neck. She hadn't felt the vibe off of the woman, her body was already experiencing a major fuzz from whatever was out there, and her slayer connection was screaming at her that Faith was beside her. A small tingle from a new vamp would hardly gained her notice. And she realized her mistake to late as she felt her flesh tear even more as Faith ripped the vampire away from her and staked it immediatly.

"Damn it," Buffy cursed, already feeling lightheaded from the suction. Kicks and punches hardly fazed her, but all she needed to feel down for a few good hours was a vampire vaccum service. She grabbed at her neck, breathing fast, adrenaline pumping through her, making the pain become just a slight annoyance.

"Shit B, are you trying to get yourself killed?" She growled, the fact that a newly turned vamp had gotten the best of her soured her mood.

"Yeah, yeah," Buffy grumbled, getting to her feet and brushing off her pants, more infuriated with the fact that the blood would not be coming off of her new shirt that the actual biting. A small electricity shot up her back, and she looked over her shoulder, blanching at the sight. "Um Faithy?"

"What is it now? Ganna get yourself turned next?"

"No, but um, maybe dead...they're here." Buffy swallowed hard, gawking at the immense amount of vampires standing less than twenty feet behind them, mean looking knifes in their hands, there was at least twenty of them as far as she could count.

"Good. I was getting bored and-"

She was interrupted by a loud hiss from behind her, and she turned slowly, facing the masse of mean looking vampires gathered about. "Oh..." she grinned nervously, feeling her dominant hand twitch. "Look B, a party."

"Yeah. hey there boys, you guys going on a pig hunt with those ritual-y looking knives or something, can Faith and I tag along?" Buffy quiped, simultaniously assuming her position, the stake in her hand cracking under the strain.

A short vampire, with a clean cut and snappy formal clothes and loafers stepped to the front of the vampires, a smug look on his chisled face. No doubt he had been a charmer and quite the looker when he was alive, probably had all the girls chasing after him.

"Slayer, you know I wonder why my people fear you so much," he insulted, looking her up and down, sizing her up. "You're nothing but a loud, dumb little girl with a little more speed and a very bad sense of humor. I do not comprehend why my master takes such drastic measures to assure your death. You're nothing but a slight inconvience. I shall-"

The man did not finish his insults as Buffy threw the stake at him harder to pierce through his chest and the next two vampires behind him. The man looked up with wide yellow, gleaming eyes, then his body combusted into dust, a curtain of ash falling.

The remaining vampires looked about the ruins, quite and contemplating.

"I hate when vampires get a smartass attitude with me." Buffy huffed, reaching into her pocket to retrieve a fresh stake. "Lets dance."

Faith strode over to the group as they charged for them, already ducking to avoid getting decapitated, pulling the vampire into a chicken wing and staking him, her converse catching another's groin. He doubled over, swiping at her, getting in a nice little knick at her forearm. The knife had barely even touched her, but her arm was bleeding none the less.

"Note to self and B," she shouted, backflipping over the vampire's head, kicking and sanding him pummeling into a headstone head first, his decayed skull cracking, spilling black blood, "stay away from the knives."

"Yeah!" Buffy grunted, she ran at an unsuspecting vampire and leaped into a spinning kick that would snap the thing's neck instantly. Unfortunately, a second vampire slashed at her leg with her knife, and caught her ankle. It let her fall, dangling her above the cold ground as it made to slash at her exposed belly.

Buffy swore furiously, wondering where her so called fellow slayer was at the moment. He questioned was answered as Faith knocked into the vampire that was making her act out the inpersonation of a caught fish. The vamp dropped her roughly as she and Faith rolled away from her. A second later a cloud of dust exploded above Faith's head, and she was left in a shower of vampire remains.

Faith coughed harshly, trying to clear her lungs of the offending dirt. Her heart was pounding against her ribs, loudly in her ears, the rush of blood causing a major headache to work its way into her right temple. Taking a second to catch her breath, she flipped onto her feet, finding Buffy already at her side.

"Faith, you okay?"

"Um..." Faith glanced around, figuring they had only killed a good five vampires. That in itself shouldn't be a problem, the problem was she was already breathing raggedly, the pounding in her head making her want to cry. Buffy was hurt, the bite on her neck bleeding more so as blood pumped at incredious rates. But worst of all was, there were more vampires coming. "If we survive B, ask me tomorrow."

"Come on Faith, we can take them."

A rustle from behind her made Faith snap around, and catch the glint of a shiny knife as it struck Buffy's back. "Ahh, damn!" Buffy shouted, grabbing at the creature's hand and breaking its elbow, using the knife to stake it.

"Um, you were saying?" Faith asked, probing Buffy's back with her fingers, finding the cut to be nothing but a scratch. "You're okay B, it's just a scratch."

Buffy shrugged her hand off politely, returning her attention to the ever growing possie of undead. "I think we might be screwed."

"I think you might be right."

"Come now slayers, afraid of a few vampires?" Buffy gasped, she recognized that voice, she found it was Molly. The potential Caleb had killed at the vineyard. She stepped foward, looking as cheery as ever, with exception of her contorted face and snaggle tooth look. "My master will tear you apart little ones."

"Molly..."

Faith snapped her gaze over to Buffy, and did not miss the look of sorrow settle over features. She had blamed herself for all the potentials deaths. It was bad enough they had died, but coming back, and working for Omega and the first none the less. Faith felt as if someone had dropped a boulder in her stomach, Buffy would never fight Molly, and that just might get them killed. Dropping her stake she inched towards her, taking her hand, still wary of the vampires, but concentrating on Buffy.

"Um, B, ever watch Tom and Jerry?"

"What?" Buffy was thwarted by the random question, causing her to give full attention to Faith.

"Tom and Jerry? You know the little mouse and the cat and-"

"Yes, yes, Faith I know what it is. Why are you asking me this?" She truly wanted to know why Faith was bringing up a Saturday morning cartoon in such a dire situation.

"Well you it's like us, cat chases mouse, mouse runs."

"Vampires are the mice, we chase them, then we stake them."

"Not in this case B, we're the mice today. I say we pull a Jerry and scat."

Buffy was truly confused, Faith had the effect on her. "What?"

Faith groaned, slapping her forehead, inching Buffy closer to the gates, the vampires seemed to notice her stealthy move, they were more entertained by their babble fest. "Okay, okay, let me try something else. B, you ever play catchers and runners?"

"Nope. Never really did like it, I was always a runner." Buffy stopped, catching onto what Faith was trying to imply. "Oh."

"Yep. They're ganna catch us B, so I'm ganna run, and so are you." She waited a moment, just to make sure Buffy had caught on for fear she might end up dragging her by her sleeve on the ground.

"Gotcha,"

"Okay then. Run," she jerked to the side, switching hands on Buffy as they both began they're long run back to Revello drive. "Shit! We're running B,"

"Yeah!" Buffy panted, flipping over a bench, "exhilarating isn't it?"

"Quite," Faith agreed. There was a certain rush to having a chase with a few thirty vampires or so hot on her heels.


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Willow checked her reflection in the mirror for the hundredth time that night, scrunching her hair, reappling her make up several times. Tonight was a special night, Angel was in town, Xander's year mark of working with the local contractors for real estate was tonight, and overall, the entire Scooby gang would be there, new members included. She wanted to look perfect.

"I think you look lovly."

"Ahh!" Willow jumped, spinning on her heels the second she had touchdown to find a smug Kennedy leaning in the door jam, arms and ankles crossed. "Kennedy, you scared me."

"Sorry, I just couldn't stop staring at you, you're so beautiful."

Willow felt her face heat up, she still wondered how a girl like Kennedy had ever even looked upon her, but she wasn't complaining. "Well," she sauntered over to her girlfriend, trying to add a little swagger to her hips, "I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And the sexiest." She added, pressing her lips gently against Kennedy's.

She still remembered thier first kiss, after their little rendevous at The Bronze. It had let her feel again, made her realize that although she loved Tara and she would never stop loving her, it was okay for her to find someone else. The shy witch wouldn't have wanted her to torment herself over something she had no control over. She still loved Tara, always would, but Kennedy was her here and now, and she loved her so much, and that was okay, because Kennedy loved her right back and just as much.

"Hmmm," Kennedy moaned, her hands firmly around the witch's hips, pressing them into her, "keep going like this and we won't make it down to dinner."

The red head chuckled softly into the kiss, reluctantly pulling away from her girl, resting her forehead against the younger girl's. "As much fun as that sounds like, with the you know, the hot kissing, and-and the implications, and the-yeah. It's it's better if we go down now."

"Oh I'd love to go down." Kennedy wiggled her brows, making Willow blush to match the shade of red of her dress.

"Okay, kitchen, now."

Kennedy rolled her eyes, but slipped her hand into Willow's, following down the stairs and into the kitchen, where a silent staring match was taking place.


Dawn looked about nervously, her eyes ping ponging from Rayne to Angel. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know the two obviously didn't think too highly of each other, and she had to wonder why. She was pretty sure they would have burned hoels into each other by now if the hellmouth was still in business. She was about to pull Rayne out into her room, when the front door burst open then slammed shut. Everyone looked at each other before standing and making their way to the hall.

Giles was at the front, leading them all to the living room where he found Buffy and Faith lying on the floor, eyes closed, and both panting like sled dogs on the race. Upon seeing at the commotion he kneeled beside Buffy, flinching as he caught the stench of blood. "Dear god Buffy, are you alright?" he asked, his british accent heavily tinging his words.

"P...peachy."

"Yes, well, you look rather roused."

"That's because I am." She sat up, Giles helping her to the sofa, whilr Faith chose to remain on the floor. "We were out looking for some information and we got jumped by about fifty vamps out in Restfield. We fought for a while, held them back, but then we ran. There was too many Giles. Followers."

"Buffy you're still bleeding." Dawn pointed out to a cut on her back.

Buffy looked over her shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of the graze, "Don't worry Dawnie, that's nothing."

"Oh but we have something to worry about," Rayne bared her fangs, eyes locked on the window, eyes like a forest fire, dangerous and untamed. "They followed you here. They're outside." she spoke with a locked jaw, through clentched teeth.

"Why are you freaking? It's not like thet can get in without an invite, we'll just sit tight and wait for the sun to come up." Kennedy was trying to ease her young friend, but it was a miserable attempt, she was feeling it too.

Rayne stared hard at Kennedy before stepping back from the window, grabbing Dawn's hand and pulling her towards the back door, her eyes trained on all the people in the room, her look of determination and sheer anger startling them.

"What do you think you're doing? You're taking Dawn outside into that mess, are you trying to get her killed? They can't get in here without an in-" Xander was on a major rant before being cut off brutally.

"They have an invitation," she muttered under her breath, but she knew Buffy, Faith, Kennedy, and Angel had heard her.

Faith backflipped to her feet, Buffy standing next to her, and Angel behind them, watching her with a sadistic smile on his pale lips.

"What are you talking about? Are you going to invite them in here? That's the only way they can get in." Faith informed her, hands on her jutted hips.

Dawn felt a pang of panic hit her, what was wrong with Rayne. "Baby, what are you doing?"

"Saving your life."

"You're not saving anybody. Let go of my sister Rayne."

"Buffy-" Rayne started,

"Let go of my sister Rayne."

Dawn looked at her sister, afraid she might stake Rayne. She felt Rayne's hand tighten around her fingers, and then release slowly until she was no longer holding her hand. She met her eyes, gasping. She could see despair, fear, sorrow, and confusion all mixed into that one look. "Rayne-

"It's him," she whispered softly in her ear, giving her a little push towards Buffy, starting towards Angel, only stopping when Dawn stepped in the way again. Her eyes bulged, stopping herself a few feet in front of them.

"Stop right now Rayne." Dawn demanded, a sterness in her voice. Her girlfriend was obviously not feeling well. The vampires weren't getting inside, and noone was going outside. "Back off," she growled at her.

Faith stepped up, taking a hold of the girl's arm, "You need to chill out kiddo, you're getting yourself all worked up for nothing."

"It's not nothing! Faith! You're a fucking slayer! You're telling me you can't sense-"

"Oh my god..." Buffy's voice shook, her green eyes wide with terror. "You..." she pointed at Angel causing everyone to look at him.

"Aw shit," Angel swore, his face changing, "I guess you found me out slayer." he snickered.

"Dawn-"

Angelus lunged foward, catching Dawn from around the waist, holding her tightly against his chest. "Nah ah ah, muffin, I think I like you better right here."

"You better put her fucking down," Rayne snarled, barely keeping herself from leaping on Angelus.

"Buffy," Dawn whimpered, squirming against Angelus, making him grin from ear to ear.

"You keep doing that, makes me want to bite your cute little neck."

"Angelus, what the hell do you want?"

"Faith! Why I've been waiting to see you again. I see you're screwing Buffy now, she's very good with her tongue isn't she?" Angelus revels in the pleasure his takes from messing with his victims. "I always knew our girl would snap. She's not happy enough banging the undead now she needs a sex change, and you of all people Faith. I mean come on, you're hot, but that's all you have going for you. Well that and gutting people like lake trout. Oh well, Buffy always did like them a little crazy."

"Like yourself? What do you want Angelus?" Faith was holding back, and she could feel the strain even on her throat as her fist shook, her nails cutting into her palm, she could smell her blood.

"Nothing! Nothing at all, just thought I'd drop by and say hi, hi!" He shouted before snapping his head and biting down hard no Dawn's jugular.

"DAWN!" Rayne screamed, making for Angelus at the same time as Faith and Buffy.

Angelus bit down harder, feeling his mouth close around a generous amount of flesh before ripping it away, watching as blood sputtered out of the girl like a gyser. Seeing the two slayers come at him, he lifted the girl, tossing her full strength at the two slayers, knocking them off their feet.

Rayne charged at Angelus, blinded by a furious rage, a red tint flowing over her vision. Just as she reached Angelus, he turned back to her, snatching her out of thin air by the neck, bones snapping as he squeezed. The vampiress dangled before him, still clawing at him, snapping at his hands with her fangs.

"You know, I really do think they should leave animals outside, don't you?"

Before the girl could answer, he spun around, hoisting her through the wall and onto the porch and through the pillars.

Willow held tightly to Giles and Xander's hands, chanting softly under her breath, trying to keep the vampires from entering the house through the Rayne shaped hole.

Kennedy lauched herself at the sneering vampire, jabbing at left to his face, and shoving a knee deep into his stomach, making him double over.

"Whew! Aren't you a little wild cat?"

"Shut up!" She kicks out his knee, back handind him across the face.

"Yeah, are you sure you're dating the witch and not physco slayer? You're more her type."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"About time you got up Faithy, I was getting bored with this one," Angelus lands a spin kick to Kennedy, smashing her into the chimmeny.

"Kennedy!"

Faith attacks with a series of kicks and crosses, Angelus block her every move, smirking at her, taunting her, the way he did before, torturing her with simple words.

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"You still looking for someone to beat the bad out of ya?" He leers at her, kicking her face, satisfied with the sound of break bones. "Ya know darling I could beat you to death and it wouldn't change a damn thing. You're a murder, an animal, just like me."

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"Faith watch out!"

"Oh opps," Angelus covers his mouth, his eyes watching the slayer travel through the air wildly before landing in a huge heap onto top of Kennedy. "Sorry there champ. Well this truly has been a great evening but I must be going. But don't worry, I'll be back. Tell Dawn I said thanks for dinner."

Using the hole in the wall as he exit, Angelus leaps through the hole and the barrier, knocking a few vampires over, others following him down the sidewalk, never bothering with a second glance at the inside of the house.


"Shit, Willow, call an ambulance, please." Buffy begs her, afraid to remove her hand from Dawn wound and start the bleeding again. She scans the room frantically, seeing Giles helping a disoreinted Faith untangle herself from a groaning Kennedy, Xander shouting vividly into the phone.

"Yes, yes, Revello drive, just hurry up!" Xander screams, slamming the phone down and running to her side. "Is she okay?"

"I-I I don't know, the bleeding's not that bad anymore, bu-but-"

"Don't worry Buff," Xander shakes her shoulder, "ambulance is on the way okay, just keep putting pressure on that til they get here."

"O-okay." She whimpers, her eyes glassy, a blank expression on her face.


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AN: Reviews anyone? Hello? Reviews please?