DISCLAIMER: The Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters are the property of Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, and Fox Studios. The story contents are the creation and property of Djinn and are copyright (c) 2002 by Djinn. This story is Rated PG.
Just the Same
by Djinn
"I didn't mean to do
it."
"Sure
you did."
"I didn't. I just lost
control."
"And as I remember that
excuse never flew for me."
"You're different."
"Different? How?"
"You just are."
"Well
it's nice to see you're embracing the zen and all,
but I'm not seeing the difference."
"We're different. End of
story."
"Hey, don't run away. It
was just getting good."
"I don't think so."
"Well, I do. Hold up a
minute."
"No!"
"Yeah
you say no, but your legs say yes. Or you wouldn't have slowed down."
"Shut up."
"Oh
now there's a good comeback. That was big back in what? Fifth grade?"
"I said shut up."
"Whoa. Almost got me
there. Good thing for those reflexes. Almost as good as yours, I bet."
"We're not the
same."
"Oh yeah. We're
different all right. Notice who takes a swing and who holds back."
"You don't count."
"I've always had that
feeling from you. But why exactly is that?"
"You're evil."
"Oh."
"What's that supposed to
mean?"
"Nothing. Just oh."
"You don't think you're
evil?"
"Well, no. Not
anymore."
"You'll always be
evil."
"Not big on the
forgiving, are you?"
"I can never forgive
you."
"Ok, sure. Whatever. But
can you forgive yourself?"
"For what?"
"For being like
me."
"I'm nothing like
you."
"Right. I forgot. Because
it's not like you like the sex rough? Awfully quiet suddenly. And it's not like
you get off on the power, is it?"
"I don't."
"Sure. Or wait, it's not
like you beat the crap out of someone who was only trying to help."
"Spike isn't
Xander."
"Fortunately for him or
he'd be dead."
"Or Wesley. Or even me
if your plan had worked."
"Yeah, we've covered
this ground."
"You're evil."
"I was. You won't hear
me denying it."
"I'm not like you."
"You're exactly like
me."
"Get away from me."
"There you go running away
again. Good thing I can keep up."
"Go away."
"I can keep up because
I'm like you. I understand you."
"You don't know what
it's been like. They all want me to help them. I can barely help myself."
"What part of that do
you think I don't get?"
"The all of it part. You
didn't help anyone."
"Bull. I helped plenty. It's
what we do, in our blood."
"Till you went
evil."
"And God, what a relief.
Tell me it wasn't a relief to do exactly what you wanted to do for once?"
"It wasn't."
"Liar."
"I'm not."
"You are. Tell the
truth."
"Well...maybe a
little."
"Yeah. More than a
little."
"Maybe."
"He's part of
that."
"Yeah
but he's evil."
"He made you feel good,
didn't he?"
"He did. But he's still
evil."
"And he loves you."
"That doesn't
matter."
"Why not?"
"Because he's
evil."
"Broken record
much?"
"You think it's nothing?
You think it doesn't matter that he's evil?"
"You're just afraid that
you're like him."
"No."
"And like me."
"No!"
"Well, you know what? You're
not like me. Not yet."
"Good."
"Don't you want to know
why?"
"No."
"I'll tell you
anyway."
"I don't care."
"You should."
"Fine. Then tell
me."
"You're not like me
because you're not sorry."
"Sorry? You think I'm
not sorry for the things I let him do to me?"
"That's guilt. And
that's stupid. You were just letting off steam. Nobody got hurt. Not
really."
"Then what am I supposed
to be sorry for?"
"For hurting him. Deliberately."
"Oh."
"You did hurt him."
"He probably liked
it."
"That's what I used to
say about Xander and Wesley."
"They didn't."
"How do you know?"
"I just know."
"Well
he didn't either. I just know."
"Leave me alone."
"Not gonna
happen. You have to go to him. You have to say you're sorry."
"Fine. I'll say
it."
"You have to mean
it."
"I won't."
"Try."
"Why do you care?"
"Because I don't want you
to turn out like me. Especially not now. Because of her."
"Who?"
She's going to need
you."
"Who?"
"My replacement."
"Huh?"
"Why do you think I'm
here?"
"Because you're a pain
in the ass."
"Try again."
"You were bored in
prison and learned astral projection instead of a useful skill?"
"No. And it's not
projection. I'm here."
"I'm dreaming."
"Yes, you are. But I'm
still here."
"Lucky me."
"Hear that?"
"It's the phone."
"It's news."
"The machine will get
it."
"You need to take
it."
"Fine." Buffy
forced herself fully awake, reached for the phone. "Hello?"
"Buffy Summers?" A
British voice.
"Yeah."
"We regret to inform
that you Miss Lehane was killed in prison."
"Who?"
"Faith Lehane."
"She had a last
name." Buffy looked around the room. It was empty.
"Her death will activate
the next slayer. We're trying to identify her now."
"Identify?"
"These are confusing
times. Two slayers at once. One that keeps insisting on coming back to life. It's
all most unprecedented. In the muddle, we've just slightly lost track of the
new one."
"Slightly?"
"If she finds her way to
you, please call us."
"Call you? So you can ruin her life the way you did mine? The way you
did Faith's?"
"She is a slayer, we are
watchers. It's the way this has been done since the beginning. You will call
us." It wasn't a question. The phone went dead.
Buffy swung her legs out of
bed. "Faith?"
Nothing.
She stood up. "Faith,
please? I want to talk."
Still nothing.
Buffy heard a noise down the
hall. She listened for a minute, heard it again, coming from Dawn's room. She
opened her sister's door quietly. The girl was dreaming, covers twisting around
her.
"No! You're never
here!" Dawn cried out as her hand reached, then suddenly punched out and
hit the leg of the nightstand hard. It broke. Her hand wasn't injured from the
blow. She didn't wake as the table collapsed, as her things fell to the floor.
"No," Buffy moaned,
this time in unison with her sister.
"My replacement. She's
going to need you." Faith's voice was a ghostly echo.
FIN