Title: Twists and Turns

Author: Alan Hitchen

Email: darkmere2000@yahoo.co.uk

Rating: R

Disclaimer: BtVS is owned by Joss Whedon and others.

Information: Set in a non-Angel Season 3.

Dedication: To Gaelle and Jaime, with thanks.

PART 1

Greenlawns Cemetery. Night.

Buffy awoke with an intense hunger gnawing at her stomach. She needed blood - and lots of it. The vampire who was her sire smiled from his perch atop a nearby tombstone.

"The Slayer awakes," he chuckled. "And in double-quick time too."

She smiled back at the demon to whom instinct said she should defer. "I'm all yours, big boy," she purred sexily while writhing on the grass in a provocative manner.

He leapt down eagerly to go claim his rights on his childe. "Come on, sweet stuff, let's get it on," he commanded. As his cool tongue invaded her welcoming mouth his hands tore feverishly at her clothing.

Reaching down to unzip his trousers with one hand, Buffy's other hand removed the spare stake from her waistband and with one swift movement plunged it deep into his chest.

"What the f..." He began to say before he exploded into a cloud of noxious particles.

"Sucker!" she snarled.

She got up and dusted herself off. She tried to recall what had happened. She had been careless, let a vampire get behind her, and he had hit her. With a length of four by four she guessed, judging by the huge lump on the back of her head. Semiconscious, she was unable to resist when he turned her.

Buffy is dead, long live Buffy, she thought, and smiled to herself. What now? She looked at her watch, the night was still young. How about dinner and a dance? Dinner would be provided by whatever poor unfortunate that crossed her path. The dance would be with Faith at the Bronze as arranged.

The Bronze was packed, the atmosphere fetid, the music loud and intense. A miasma of youthful lust and sweat permeated the air. Right at the centre of the dance floor was Buffy, who was bumping and grinding her hips in time to the music, oblivious of the desirous stares she was attracting from all quarters, male and female.

A veritable symphony of sex, she allowed others to get close, but not too close. There was one special person she was waiting for and only she would be allowed to touch the merchandise. Always assuming Buffy let her live that long. She hadn't decided as yet. Sex or death, always such a difficult choice.

Faith entered the Bronze in a state of agitation. She had finally decided to come clean with Buffy. To tell her that she loved her and to hell with the consequences.

She knew at once that something was up. She could almost feel the pheromones pouring off everyone in sight. She pushed through the crowd until she reached the epicentre of the disturbance. There she was - Buffy.

Faith stood slack-jawed in amazement at the sight of the normally uptight blonde Slayer cutting loose with a display of unashamed erotica barely describable as dancing.

Buffy caught sight of Faith and gave her a huge smile. "Faithy. I thought you'd forgotten our date," she said, grabbing Faith and holding her close as the tempo of the music suddenly changed to slow and sensual. Buffy rubbed up against Faith in the most blatently sexual manner she had ever experienced. She just couldn't take it in, this wasn't the Buffy she knew, what was going on?

PART 2

Faith smelt Buffy's breath; she wasn't drunk. Was it drugs? She looked deep into Buffy's eyes to check. What she saw there turned her rigid with horror. The green and yellow flecked irises could only mean one thing. Buffy had been turned. As Buffy tossed her head in wild abandon the puncture marks on her neck were uncovered and the diagnosis was confirmed.

"Come on, Faith, get with the beat," Buffy moaned sensually.

But Faith couldn't dance any more. She couldn't even think. She just felt sick. As she felt the gorge rise she ran from the dance floor, out of the Bronze and into the alley behind, where, leaning against the wall, she heaved without result.

"Oh, poor Faith has an upset tummy," said a singsong voice. "Let me rub it all better," said Buffy, reaching around from behind.

Her right hand perfunctorily rubbed Faith's stomach before diving beneath the waistband of her favourite leather trousers and into her panties in search of the starter button that would set Faith's motor racing. She quickly found the spot and inserted two fingers up to the knuckle as Faith gasped in response to this unwanted intrusion.

Faith's hand clamped down on Buffy's arm and firmly withdrew her hand from her crotch. She slowly turned to face Buffy.

"I know what you are," she said coldly. "You're not B."

Buffy broke free from Faith's grasp and sucked greedily at her wet fingers. First she pouted, then she smiled at Faith.

"Technically, no, I'm not Buffy, but I'm as close as you can get, and I'll let you get closer than she did. You can have sex with me," she simpered, licking her lips in anticipation. "I know you want to."

Faith's agonised expression spoke volumes even before she said a word.

"I never wanted sex from Buffy. I wanted her to love me. So when we were intimate it wouldn't be just sex, it would be love-making," she said in a broken voice.

Buffy was bemused. "But I thought you liked sex, and the rougher the better," she said, suddenly lunging forward and pinning Faith to the wall, trapping her arms behind her back.

Her tongue enthusiastically explored Faith's unguarded mouth as she ground her body against Faith's. After an initial struggle, Faith succumbed to the assault and began to return the kiss, whimpers of pleasure escaping her ravaged lips when Buffy finally disengaged from her.

Faith opened her eyes to see Buffy in full game face. She drew a sharp breath in surprise.

"Don't worry, lover, I'm not going to kill you. Not if you play nice, that is. Then if you like, I can turn you, and we can spend eternity together."

Faith reacted to these words as if she had just been plugged into the mains. She screamed, pushed off from the wall, headbutted Buffy full in the face as hard as she could, then followed it up with a brutal kick to the midriff. Caught off balance, Buffy was catapulted across the alley to crash into the trash cans opposite.

"I'll kill you for that!" Buffy squealed, writhing in pain and clutching her broken nose that began to cascade blood onto her heaving chest. "You stupid fucking bitch, we could have been forever!"

"Don't you get it?!" Faith yelled in return, quivering with rage. "I'd rather you did kill me, than have to spend another minute with the demon that took the one I love. You've got her body and her face but that's all. You're cold - dead - disgusting! You destroyed the one decent thing in my life. There's nothing left - except for me to kill you!"

She pulled the stake from her jacket pocket and threw herself at Buffy with murderous intent. The battle that followed was prolonged and relentless, but in the end there could only be one winner.

A bloodied and battered Faith staggered away from the alley in total shock. She knew the creature she'd just killed wasn't Buffy, but it didn't feel like that when she did it. In any event, Buffy, the only one she had ever loved, was dead, what was she to do now?

PART 3

Two figures observed from across the street as a deeply distressed Joyce was led away from the memorial service by Giles. Followed by all the Scoobies in dutiful attendance upon her.

"So that's it? Not even a proper funeral, cos there's nothing left to bury. Just a page in the book of remembrance and a brass plaque on the wall. Not much to show for a life spent saving the world from evil, is it?"

Buffy turned to look at the hooded man standing next to her. He did not respond. Buffy looked back just in time to see the lonely figure of Faith, her trademark black outfit never more appropriate, emerge from the church. Her face was set in a rigidly controlled mask that betrayed no emotion. Buffy turned again to the man.

"What about Faith? She's not going to make it, is she?"

"Without you. No," the man unexpectedly replied. "Her subsequent grief-driven recklessness will lead to her death in less than a month from now."

"You're a regular Job's comforter, aren't you?" she observed dryly.

"I am what I am," he replied laconically.

"Great! Well, now that you've learned to speak, can you tell me why you've made me watch all this? Shouldn't I be in heaven or hell or wherever?"

The man turned to face her, but still she could not see his face hidden within the hood.

"Your time has not yet come," he informed her. "The twist of fate that caused your death will be undone and you will live again. The 'powers that be' have decided," his voice boomed out down the deserted street.

"And what about Faith?" Buffy asked hopefully.

"All that you have seen will no longer be. She too will have a second chance at life - a second chance at love."

Faith entered the Bronze in a state of agitation. She had finally decided to come clean with Buffy. To tell her that she loved her and to hell with the consequences.

She knew at once that something was happening. She could almost feel the pheromones pouring off everyone in sight. She pushed through the crowd until she reached the epicentre of the disturbance. There she was - Buffy.

Faith stood slack-jawed in amazement at the sight of the normally uptight blonde Slayer cutting loose with a display of unashamed erotica barely describable as dancing.

Buffy caught sight of Faith and gave her a huge smile. "Faithy, I thought you'd forgotten our date," she said, grabbing Faith and holding her close as the tempo of the music suddenly changed to slow and sensual. Buffy rubbed up against Faith in the most blatently sexual manner she had ever experienced.

She just couldn't take it in, this wasn't the Buffy she knew, what was going on? Faith smelt her breath; Buffy had been drinking.

"What's up, B? You don't usually drink - or do this." Faith gesticulated wildly to try to convey her meaning.

"Oh, it's just a little Dutch courage. Nothing more," Buffy exhaled huskily.

"Dutch courage? Why would the bravest woman I know need Dutch courage?"

"Because I'm going to do something I've never done before." Buffy smiled coquettishly.

She had stopped dancing now and was just holding Faith close. "Faith, I know what you came here to tell me tonight."

Faith was dumbstruck. "But how..."

"That doesn't matter. I just do. And I want to tell you, it's okay. That the feelings are mutual. They have been for quite some time now."

"They have?"

"They have," said Buffy, swiftly closing the distance between them to claim Faith's lips with a sizzling kiss.

Just then the music stopped and everybody cheered. Buffy broke off the kiss and stepped back, looking flushed and slightly embarrassed. She looked at Faith, whose eyes now seemed to sparkle in way Buffy had never seen before.

Buffy held her hands out. "I love you, Faith. Will you dance with me?"

"Love to," Faith said, falling back into Buffy's welcoming arms to return the kiss.

As the couple swayed together in harmony with the music, the hooded man lurking in the background smiled unseen. He, who in life had been Billy Fordham, silently wished them well, then departed as suddenly as he had arrived.

And life in Sunnydale moved on as it was always meant to be. With Buffy and Faith, Slayers both, who stood together against the forces of evil and who loved each other - forever.

Amor vincit omina.